The Concordian - January 16th 2018

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

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VOLUME 35, ISSUE 15 | TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

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Painting for a cure

Concordia alumna and student partner with Ovarian Cancer Canada News p. 3

feature

life

Using improv to improve presentations — A part-time faculty profile

arts

music

A photo expedition Orbiting ideas of The best 2017 through Toronto p. 6 hope, rebirth p. 12 had to offer

sports

p. 14

A face-off for mental health p. 16

opinions

p. 10

Listen to victims — the first time p. 18

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com CANDICE PYE & ETIENNE LAJOIE ( @candicepye @renegadereports)

STUDENT POLITICS

A history of allegations and inaction

A crisis in creative writing

What we know (and what we don’t) about the university's "open secret"

CANDICE PYE NEWS EDITOR

professors were not “unusual or even prohibited” at the university.

The Concordia English department has come under fire after claims of sexual misconduct and abuse of power surfaced last week. Professors in the creative writing program have been accused of fostering a toxic, abusive and misogynistic environment for female students.

THE “OPEN SECRET” On Jan. 11, just days after Spry’s blog post was published, Julie McIsaac published her own essay, titled “And Then a Man Said It.” As a former Concordia creative writing student and ex-girlfriend of Spry’s, she wrote that Spry “not only permitted the culture of toxic masculinity that he rightly calls out, but he also helped to breed it.” McIsaac claimed Spry “was much more than a bystander” and was, in fact, “an active player who belittled and harassed women writers.” She also wrote that he was a man who she “knew to be deeply sexist.”

Former Concordia student Emma Healey also experienced sexual misconduct first-hand during her time in the creative writing program.

In 2014, she published a personal essay, titled “Stories Like Passwords,” in which she discussed an abusive relationship she had with one of her professors.

A SCANDAL UNFOLDS After a blog post featuring these allegations was published

by Concordia alumnus Mike Spry on Monday, Jan. 8, the university was criticized for allowing sexual misconduct at the hands of professors to go on for so many years.

Spry stated that, throughout his studies at Concordia, he witnessed “the normalization of sexualization of students by professors.” He noted that romantic or sexual relationships between students and

Similar claims of sexual misconduct were also brought directly to the chair of the English department in February 2015 when six students wrote a formal complaint detailing the program’s toxic culture.

Healey’s traumatic experience in the creative writing program is far from the first within the English department. Former students Stephen Henighan and Heather O’Neill told the Toronto Star that the toxic culture within the creative writing program was prevalent when they attended Concordia in the mid-80s and late 90s, respectively. O’Neill said she was continuously sexually harassed by the late Robert Allen, a former Concordia professor and department chair.

INVESTIGATIONS BEGIN On Monday, Jan. 8, after Spry’s essay garnered significant attention, Concordia president Alan Shepard released an official statement in which he claimed he only became aware of the allegations that afternoon. In the statement, Shepard wrote the

“allegations are serious, and will be treated seriously,” but admitted the university’s response to the issue is a “work in progress.”

Shepard also held a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 10, where he announced that an investigation into the allegations had been launched, along with a “university-wide assessment” of Concordia’s environment.

On Friday, deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy, dean of students Andrew Woodall, English department chair Andre Furlani and Kate Sterns, the coordinator of the creative writing program, held an open meeting to update students on the situation and respond to questions. At the meeting, Ostiguy said the university was in the process of investigating the claims and drafting a policy on student-staff relations.

THE STUDENT BODY SPEAKS Concordia’s Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) released a statement on Jan. 9, calling on the university to “fully investigate all allegations and put [the] students’ safety first.” The statement also encouraged students to reach out to the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) and the Office of Rights and Responsibilities “if they have ever experienced or witnessed cases of sexual assault and/or harassment.”

A day later, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) stated that they were “extremely disappointed to have learned about the allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct” within the English department. They said they believe the survivors and “it is important that the university, the administration and the named individuals and departments be held accountable.”

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

STUDENT POLITICS

Two professors’ courses reassigned: CASE Q&A held by Concordia faculty with students in wake of allegations MATTHEW LAPIERRE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The Concordia Association for Students in English (CASE) circulated a document at a meeting on Jan. 12 announcing that two professors had their courses reassigned pending an investigation and their books had been taken out of the English department’s display in the Webster Library.

Four faculty members met with a small group of English students during the meeting in the library

building to answer questions and discuss actions being taken by the university in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct made against a few professors in Concordia’s creative writing program.

Kate Ster ns, the creative writing program coordinator, and English department chair Andre Furlani were present at the meeting alongside Lisa Ostiguy, the university’s deputy provost, and dean of students Andrew Woodall. All four representatives encouraged the students to reach

out to someone at the university if they’d had a negative experience with a professor.

“Where we have a complaint, we pursue it,” Furlani said. “The problem is that people don’t feel they can approach various members of the department.”

The representatives stressed that the universit y has dealt effectively with sexual assault complaints in the past, but the outcomes of those cases cannot be shared with the public due to confidentiality agreements.

“Among the people I’ve been

talking to, there’s a distrust of the university,” said one student during the meeting.

Furlani said those who shared stories on social media under the CanLitAccountable hashtag—the title of a blog created by former student Mike Spry to describe allegations of misconduct—have been contacted by the university and all allegations are being investigated by an independent party.

According to Ostiguy, the university is also in the process of drafting a policy on student-staff relations.

1982 Robert Allen begins teaching in the English department at Concordia.

1984-86 Stephen Henighan, now a writer and Guelph University professor, studies under Allen at Concordia.

Allen’s marriage ends and he begins preying on students, Henighan told the Toronto Star.

Late 1980s, early 1990s Younger male teachers follow in Allen’s footsteps, and a culture of sexual abuse in the creative writing program is born, according to Henighan, who taught at Concordia during these years.

Late 1990s Sexual harassment and abuse of power is “pervasive” in the department, Heather O’Neill, a Montreal author who was a Concordia student at the time, told the Globe and Mail last week. According to O’Neill, she was repeatedly sexually harassed by Robert Allen, including several “attempts to get [her] to sleep with him.”

November 2006 Robert Allen dies. The Montrealbased Véhicule Press publishes an obituary describing Allen as having had “a lasting influence on hundreds students over the years.” The English department plans a celebration to honour Allen.

Nov. 11, 2013 The Sexual Assault Resource Centre is created to support victims of sexual assault in the Concordia community.

Oct. 6, 2014 Canadian writer and former Concordia student Emma Healey publishes an essay on the website The Hairpin in which she makes allegations of sexual misconduct against a creative writing professor.

Oct. 17, 2014 Emma Healey and her essay are highlighted in a Globe and Mail article, titled “The danger of being a woman in the Canadian literary world.”

February 2015 Rudrapriya Rathore and five other Concordia students send a letter to the chair of the English department describing the creative writing program’s culture as “toxic” for women. The signatories meet with a human resources employee, but their complaint goes nowhere.

August 2015 Deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy chairs the Sexual Assault Policy Review Working Group, which reviews the university’s sexual assault policies and makes recommendations.

JANUARY 16, 2018

theconcordian

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COVER STORY

Concordia community gathers for a cure Alumna and current student host fundraiser in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada

Concordia alumna Veronica Tamburro and fifth-year student Athena Sita worked together throughout the entire creation and organization process of the event. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

CANDICE PYE NEWS EDITOR Concordia alumna Veronica Tamburro’s life was turned upside down when she discovered her grandmother had been diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer.

“I was very close with her, so it was something that affected me greatly,” Tamburro said. Her grandmother suffered through the disease for five years before she eventually passed away from complications six years ago.

Tamburro and her mother have since dedicated countless hours to Ovarian Cancer Canada, an organization that provides support to those dealing with the disease, as well as their family members.

For years, Tamburro has played a central role in the organizing committee for the annual Montreal Walk of Hope, raising awareness about the disease and fundraising for ovarian cancer research. Walk of Hope is Ovarian Cancer Canada’s main awareness-raising, fundraising event in the city.

This year, Tamburro has taken her involvement as a volunteer to a

new level by collaborating with Paint Nite and Ovarian Cancer Canada to organize “Let’s Get Loud! Paint Nite Edition,” an event where a local artist will guide guests through two hours of painting, socializing, food and raffles at Concordia.

“Veronica came to me and said she wanted to do something beyond the Walk of Hope to really bring the community together and raise awareness,” said Jennifer Laliberté, Ovarian Cancer Canada’s regional director for Quebec. “It’s really been her and Athena Sita. That’s what makes this community so amazing.

There are people like Veronica and Athena who give us their time and energy to support the cause. They’ve been amazing.”

Tamburro said Athena Sita, a current Concordia student, has been her partner-in-crime throughout the entire creation and organization of the event. Both women are artistic, driven and passionate about volunteering, so she said hosting a Paint Nite event to support Ovarian Cancer Canada with Sita seemed like the best opportunity to express their artistic side and attract more attention to the fundraiser.

“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Sita said. “We actually met in our English class in CEGEP about seven years ago. We’ve been close since then.”

Tamburro approached Sita with the idea in October and the two have worked comfortably together ever since.

“It’s been very smooth-sailing.

We communicate all the time, and whenever one of us can’t do something, the other one pulls through. It’s like dating,” Tamburro said with a laugh.

“Communication is key.”

Hosting an event to support Ovarian Cancer Canada is extremely important to both Tamburro and Sita, not only because of the loss of Tamburro’s grandmother, but because of the nature of the disease itself.

“A lot of emphasis is put on breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is the ‘other’ women’s disease,” Tamburro explained. “It’s lesser known, but it’s just as important. If you’re a woman, if you have ovaries, if you’re a feminist, it’s something you should care about.”

Sita agreed, stressing the importance of self-education on the topic.

“I didn’t know anything about ovarian cancer until Veronica started mentioning it. So, I said, ‘Maybe I should start doing research on how I can get myself checked out.’

This fundraiser is a great way for people to learn more about the disease,” Sita said.

According to Ovarian Cancer Canada, the disease is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. With a mortality rate of 56 per cent, more than half the people who are diag-

nosed with it will die within five years. the Paint Nite tickets are sold out, those In Canada alone, approximately 2,800 interested will be able to purchase a women are diagnosed every year. ticket for $20 at the door, allowing “A lot of the symptoms people them to participate in the raffle and with ovarian cancer can have also enjoy food, non-alcoholic drinks and are associated with regular menstrual a DJ. Half of those ticket proceeds symptoms, such as abdominal and will be donated to Ovarian Cancer pelvic cramps, back pain, muscle Canada along with all revenue from aches, fluctuation in appetite,” the raffle and food sales.

Tamburro explained. “This is why “It’s as if there will be two events many people only find out at a late in one. There will be an area where stage when the cancer has already Paint Nite is happening, and a lounge progressed significantly.” area at the back where we’ll have a Laliberté expressed how surpris- DJ,” Tamburro said. ing it is that we hear so little about To those who cannot attend the ovarian cancer given how difficult event, Tamburro said researching it is to manage. She said one of the and donating goes a long way. She reasons the disease is so deadly is and Sita said they are both very because there is a lot we still don’t excited to be doing some good understand about it, which is why for the organization.

Ovarian Cancer Canada is working “It is something that is so meanto increase their donations to ovarian ingful to [Veronica] and so important cancer research—so people can to her family,” Laliberté said. “She understand it better, catch it earlier and wanted to share that.” seek better treatments.

From left, organizers Athena Sita and Veronica Laliberté will be at the Tamburro are raising awareness and funds for Ovarian Paint Nite event herself, Cancer Canada. Photo by Alex Hutchins. giving out information about the disease, such as how to recognize signs and symptoms and how to evaluate and understand your own risk factors. She will also be providing information about Ovarian Cancer Canada, what they do and how people can get involved.

The event will take place in the G-Lounge at Concordia’s Loyola campus at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19. Although

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theconcordian

JANUARY 16, 2018

FACULTY

Former John Molson School of Business professor Isabelle Dostaler left Concordia to become the dean of the faculty of business administration at Memorial University in September 2017. Photo by Rodrigo Iniguez Becerril.

Making an impact in St-John's, Newfoundland

Former Concordia professor Isabelle Dostaler on her transition to Memorial University MATTHEW LAPIERRE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR In September 2017, a former Concordia University management professor began her new job as the dean of the faculty of business administration at Memorial University in St-John’s, N.L. Isabelle Dostaler, who taught management courses and conducted research at the John Molson School of Business ( JMSB) for 16 years, said administrators at Concordia were gracious towards her when she informed them that she would be accepting a position at Memorial University.

“Once the offer from Memorial was on the table, there was nothing Concordia could do to keep me

there,” she said. “But, they were very understanding. [Concordia president] Alan Shepard wished me the best.” Dostaler left her position at Concordia in April 2017.

She said the initial transition was difficult, but she enjoys her new position and the environment at the university.

“It’s different, going from being a university professor to then having to go through an interview process and meet new staff and students,” she said. “It was a bold move, but I’m happy.”

Dostaler, who holds a PhD in management studies from the University of Cambridge, has done extensive research on the air transportation system. While at Concordia, Dostaler was the academic director of the university’s

Aviation Think Tank and director of the executive MBA and the aviation MBA programs.

“My major interest is in the air transportation system,” she said.

“By that, I mean from the point that the aircraft is being designed to the point where the travellers arrive happy at their destination.”

During her time at Concordia, Dostaler was often featured in the media. She appeared on shows like RDI Économie and Tout le monde en parle to talk about developments and issues in Quebec’s aerospace industry.

Now, as dean of the faculty of business administration, Dostaler said she is responsible for making changes that benefit both students and staff.

“Good administration comes

from the bottom up,” she said. “At John Molson, I was one of those providing the recommendations.

Here, I have to take the recommendations given to me by others and put them into practice.”

Dostaler has already made changes at Memorial. This month, the university announced a new master’s degree focussing on developing sustainable and social business practices in public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

“Here, there is an emphasis on giving back. It is written in the founding papers of Memorial that the university must exist for the benefit of the community,” she said.

She said she enjoys living in St. John’s and, despite differences between Memorial and Concordia—

Memorial’s business school only has about 2,000 students compared to the 9,000 at JMSB—she sees many similarities.

“There are a lot of commonalities. For one, here [at Memorial], there is a very supportive staff, just like at John Molson,” she said. “I think Newfoundland and Quebec have a lot in common. For one thing, they’re both societies with very distinct cultures.”

While Dostaler may have moved away from Concordia, she said she hasn’t completely cut ties with the school.

“I’m still working on research with the Quebec government through Concordia,” she said.

“I still hold the title of associate professor, so, there is still a relationship there.”

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EDUCATION

French department to debut new graduate certificate

Students will learn to teach French as a second language in one-year program MEGAN HUNT ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Concordia’s French studies department is introducing a new certificate program for graduate students interested in teaching French as a second language. Department director Denis Liakin and associate professor Diane Querrien said they are hopeful the one-year, 15-credit program will be open to students in time for fall 2018.

According to Querrien, the program, called the Microprogramme en didactique et linguistique pour l’enseignement du français langue seconde, will include four newly developed courses and t wo interactive learning opportunities.

“It is designed to meet both the requirements of qualit y on an international scale, as well as situate French teaching and learning in Quebec and in Canada,” she said.

During the fall semester, students in the program will g ain e x p er ience s er v ing a s

tutors for Concordia’s Centre d'apprentissage et de promotion du français (CAPF). Funded by the French department, CAPF has been offering free conversation groups and one-on-one tutoring sessions to Concordia French students since 2015.

During the winter term, students will complete a threecredit course requiring them to obser ve French classes at Concordia, as well as a three-credit course in which they will design French classes and t h e i r c u rr icula . O t her c o u r s e s i n c o rporated into this program are focused on technology, linguistics, didactics and how they all relate to French education.

Although courses on French linguistics and education are already offered at the undergraduate level, Laikin said the department is designing and implementing four new courses

specifically tailored to graduate students. “ The entire teaching team is involved in [structuring] the certificate. Each course will be designed by a professor [who specializes] in the field,” Laikin said. “As we work in a spirit of

collegialit y, an academic committee will approve course outlines and student admissions in collaboration with the graduate program director.”

Despite the proposal for the program only receiving senate approval in December 2017, Laikin said developing the program has been a two-year-long effort.

Although the certificate alone will not make students eligible to

teach, Querrien said she believes it can help aspiring educators gain a competitive edge in the job market.

“In Quebec, French teachers f ace a var iet y of [st udents], such as immigrants, allophone children integrated into francophone schools or university students [seeking] to expand their linguistic and cultural repertoire,” Querrien s aid . “ In ot her C anadian provinces, qualified educators with a highlevel specialization in French language teaching will distinguish themselves in the labour market.”

According to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), French was the second-most learned language in the world in 2014 and the third-most prominent language in the business world.

This is a statistic Querrien claimed shows this program is aligned with an international demand for qualified French teachers.

Since the program is a g r a d u a t e c e r t i f i c a t e , i n t e rested applicants would need a bachelor ’s degree to be e l ig i b le. Al l c o u r s e s w i l l b e taught in French.

Laikin added that, while the French department is already equipped with the resources required for this program, the depar tment is currently in the process of hiring another tenure-track professor. He did not specify what role this new instructor will have in relation to the certificate program.

Although the program's official start date has not been announced, Laikin and Querrin said they are hopeful the program will offer students the skills and experience necessary to build a successful career in French education.

“We believe that this microprogram will be a major asset for students who already own their authorization to teach or who want to pursue graduate studies in French language teaching,” Querrien added.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

UNION

TRAC, university to move on to issue of contract splitting Mood at the collective agreement negotiation table “excellent,” says TRAC president ÉTIENNE LAJOIE NEWS EDITOR Te a c h i n g a n d R e s e a r c h Assistants at Concordia (TRAC) president Alexandre St-OngePerron does not know when his group and the university will negotiate the financial aspects of what he hopes will be a new three-to-four-year collective agreement.

“After every meeting, we ask ourselves when we’ll talk about the monetary. I hope it will be in late February or [sooner],” St-OngePerron said.

The monetary aspects of the agreement include the issue of “contract splitting.” St-OngePerron previously explained to The Concordian that contract splitting consists of a teaching assistant being paid a wage for their time in class and a second, lower wage for marking papers.

In an e-mail to The Concordian, university spokesperson Mary-Jo Barr wrote: “All contracts are managed in accordance with the collective agreement, which is negotiated by the parties.” Article 15.05 of the 2013-16 collective agreement—the one currently in use—states that “marking duties may be the object of separate marker contracts.”

St-Onge-Perron said, when the negotiation of financial issues begin, Concordia’s negotiating team—made up of employees from human resources, professors from the political science and engineering departments, and Nadia Hardy, the vice-provost of faculty relations—might be more influenced by their superiors than they are now.

“We have to convince their bosses by mobilizing,” St-OngePerron said. Nonetheless, he added that the mood at the negotiating table is “excellent.”

According to St-Onge-Perron, the biggest change to come out of the negotiations so far is the changes to the process of filing a grievance complaint, which has “greatly improved.” He said the process is much easier for TRAC members than before. The new agreement will not force the two sides to be present at the same time during the grievance process, and the process will be simplified.

Notably, the time allowed for members to file a grievance will be extended. Under the current agreement, members have 40 days to file a grievance following an incident. Their window to file a grievance will now only begin at the end of the teaching or research assistant’s contract.

St-Onge-Perron explained that one of the first things members say when they come forward with issues is, “I don’t want to cause trouble,” because they don’t want to file a complaint during their contract and r isk losing their position.

“Now, they won’t have that problem,” St-Onge-Perron said.

He also added that the new policy would not favour the university, which wants to avoid having students file too many grievances.

TRAC president Alexandre St-Onge-Perron talks financial negotiations.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

MORE DELEGATES IN THE RANKS According to St-Onge-Perron, there has recently been a slight increase in the number of TRAC delegates. In October, Eunbyul Park, TRAC’s communications and mobilization officer, said adding delegates was one of TRAC’s priorities.

St-Onge-Perron said a substantial number of people attended the faculty of engineering’s delegate

assembly, where members were free to express their concerns and question their delegate and TRAC’s executive team.

St-Onge-Perron also noted that the executive team has a meeting scheduled later this month with administrators from the department of mechanical engineering, which he defined as “previously problematic.”

For instance, the department did not distribute TRAC membership forms the appropriate way, St-OngePerron said.

BILL 62 DISCUSSION AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY St-Onge-Perron said TRAC’s executive team will ask its members if they want the union to take a position on Bill 62—a provincial religious neutrality law.

“If the answer is yes, we’ll ask, ‘What is your position?’” St-OngePerron told The Concordian. “We decided that it wasn’t up to the executive team to decide if TRAC was for or against it.”

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ

PHOTO ESSAY

When candid moments turn into inspiring stories A glimpse into my experience at NASH and the people I met along the way SANDRA HERCEGOVA LIFE EDITOR The first time I heard about NASH was when I began my journey as a contributor for The Concordian over two years ago.

Since then, I envisioned attending the gala and possibly winning an award—it was a nice daydream I had every now and then.

Little did I know, this daydream would become reality. This year, from Jan. 4 to 7, I attended NASH for the first time. NASH is an annual gathering of student journalists from across Canada. I got on a bus to Toronto, impatient to meet people who, like me, shared a passion for journalism.

The featured conferences and panels held by professional journalists inspired me. In particular, the “Photojournalism and Beyond” talk given by photographer, writer and interactive storyteller Laurence Butet-Roch on interactive visual storytelling gave me the urge to explore my own idea of multimedia journalism.

After her talk, I decided to follow my intuition. I left the hotel, got in a cab and headed straight to Kensington Market. The unbearable cold did not stop me; if anything, it made it more thrilling.

While walking down Kensington Avenue taking test shots, a man noticed me and said: “Take a photo of me.” I replied, “Can I?” He turned around and posed for the camera. He then happily greeted me while pointing to his T-shirt, which read “Ozzy.”

His name was Ozgur Sekar and he owned Ozzy, a hamburger restaurant down the street. “Are you hungry? I’ll make you the best burger you ever had.” To this question, the answer will always be yes.

As I entered the cozy burger shack, I noticed album covers spread out on the wall, including those of David Bowie, Whitney Houston and Pink Floyd. I took photos while Sekar and his business partner, Turgay Kirbiyik, began flipping burgers on the grill. It had only been three years since Sekar arrived in Canada from Turkey and only a month since he opened this restaurant.

“As a new immigrant to Canada, you face many challenges in starting and operating a business in a vibrant city such as Toronto,” he said. “I have known my business partner since I’ve been in Canada. [...] One day, we met up and committed to opening a burger restaurant, and the rest is history. I am finally living my dream.”

Another customer sat in the restaurant.

His name was Michael Caligiuri. He noticed my camera and said: “You know, you don’t need a camera to take photos.

We are constantly photographing with our eyes and memory.” I wholeheartedly agreed; I have always thought of our eyes as camera lenses. I replied by saying I feel technology gets in the way of our natural recording process, to which he answered: “Oh yeah, I call cell phones the self-contemplation device.” Intrigued, I asked him

Owner of Ozzy’s hamburger restaurant, Ozgur Sekar, alongside his business partner, Turgay Kirbiyik, as they flip burgers and share their story.

“Rest from training to gather philosophy.

Which means: No rest for the praying.

Thinking on my feet. Thinking with my feet.

Letting my feet think.” A poem by Caligiuri.

Michael Caligiuri asked me what I thought about letters.

I said to him: “I love them.” So, we exchanged letters on the street.

Exploring Kensington Market, with its numerous cheese shops and bright, contrasting colours.

to join me at my table for lunch since we were both alone.

Caligiuri happened to be a poet. He had a notepad filled with his poetry written in bright colours which he read to me. “I don’t write poetry,” he said. “I draw letters.

I make words easy to read.”

After finishing our delicious burgers, we left the restaurant and Caligiuri asked to accompany me during my photogra-

“I love Kensington Market and truly have a passion for cooking and making people smile,” said restaurant owner Ozgur Sekar.

Vintage shops of all kinds can be found at Kensington Market.

phy session. I began learning about his adventurous and spiritual life and took photographs of him at the market.

Time was running short, as I had to return to NASH to attend more conferences. As I said goodbye to my new friend, he asked me what I thought about letters. I told him that I loved them, so he got down on the ground, pulled out a marker and paper and wrote me a beautiful letter.

As I was walking away, I decided to turn around and grab one more candid shot of him. Caligiuri happened to turn around at the same time which made for a great photo.

That day I learned that stories are everywhere. Sometimes we just need to put the camera down and talk to t h e p e op le we are ph otog r aphing .

Photos by Sandra Hercegova.

JANUARY 16, 2018

theconcordian

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SUSTAINABILITY

Growing nature in small containers HydroFlora teaches the how-tos of hydroponics at Concordia Greenhouse MIA ANHOURY ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR “Creating nature in a small container, that’s what [hydroponics] is all about,” said Dominique Smith, the founder of HydroFlora, to sum up a Hydroponics 101 workshop he gave on Jan. 10.

HydroFlora is a Concordia group devoted to developing sustainable alternatives to large, intensive farming practices. The group offers a whole hydroponics curriculum to students, in the form of workshops offfered throughout the semester. HydroFlora’s interns also meet on a weekly basis to plan these educational workshops and develop hydroponic techniques, which they practice in the Concordia Greenhouse.

The greenhouse, where HydroFlora’s first workshop of the year took place, was filled with students eager to learn about the basics of hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil. The air was filled with a mixture of scents, like lavender, and students stood among various plants, including banana and grapefruit trees.

According to Melissa Donnelly, an intern at HydroFlora and a Concordia anthropology major, the self-funded group sells succulents and cacti at the Hall building market every Wednesday.

Donnelly takes part in growing these increasingly popular plants by molding their cement pots.

“Hydroponics is a way of going back to your grassroots, literally,” Smith said during the workshop. He explained that

just placing flowers in a vase full of water is essentially hydroponic; there is no need for any nutrient solution.

S mith began the workshop by introducing the Kratky method of hydroponics. This method works best with leaf y greens, such as lettuce or a spider plant.

In any type of container, a leaf or the base of the plant is stabilized in water using foam or by cutting a hole in the lid, if the container has one. This way, the plant receives A large crowd of Concordia students gathered for HydroFlora’s first all of the ingredients it workshop at the Concordia Greenhouse. Photo by Kirubel Mehari. needs: water, oxygen and light.

Smith added that one shouldn’t forget plant is receiving enough water and is made out of coffee grinds which about the essential ingredients “love oxygen. If multiple plants were placed in contain nitrates, banana peels which and patience” when growing plants. the same container and their roots have secrete potassium, and ground up After a few days, depending on the a yellow tint to them, however, it most eggshells which provide calcium—all plant, the roots will begin to grow. “You likely indicates the plants are competing important nutrients for plant growth, leave it there and it does its thing,” Smith for nutrients.

Smith explained. Although this method said. He explained that stabilizing the plant Following the workshop, Smith of hydroponics is more elaborate, the allows its roots to grow naturally, and the gave a tour of the greenhouse’s more main idea is there—you can grow container can just be left by a window. elaborate hydroponic set-up. Water plants without soil.

“It’s simple and clean,” he added. circulates through a pipe system for The roots can tell you a lot about the irrigation, and the plants are grown For more information on HydroFlora plant itself, Smith explained. If they are in Smith’s homemade compost, which and their work at Concordia visit: white and hairy-looking, it means the replaces typical soil. The compost https://www.hydrofloraconcordia.com.

FOOD

Students embrace cheesy alternatives

Concordia Greenhouse workshops teach students how to make plant-based cheeses SARA CHAHROUR STAFF WRITER From creamy cashew cheese to silky nacho dip and crumbly parmesan, students can learn how to make plantbased cheeses on Jan. 19, a workshop hosted by Sheena Swirlz, theservices and programming coordinator for the Concordia Greenhouse.

“Cashews, lemon juice, salt, water and a bit of herbs, and that’s all you need to make animal-free, gluten-free parmesan,”

Swirlz said at her most recent workshop, held at the greenhouse.

Since becoming vegan 16 years ago, Swirlz has created a website and hosted workshops to share easy recipes for vegan alternatives to many people’s favourite foods. At her workshops, she goes through the steps it takes to make all sorts of flavourful cheeses using simple ingredients. Among the recipes she has shared are a blue cheese dip, parmesan, nacho cheese sauce, cashew cheese and tofu ricotta.

Sheena Swirlz, the Concordia Greenhouse services programming coordinator, hosted a workshop on how to make plant-based cheeses. Photo by Sandra Hercegova.

Making each type of non-dairy cheese involves only than four or five easy steps.

Ingredients such as almond milk, cashews, nutritional yeast and spices can be used to create dips and cheeses that are spreadable, meltable or grateable—all without dairy.

Rich in vitamins, cashews add a creamy and nutty flavour, Swirlz explained, while nutritional yeast helps give the cheese its “cheesy” taste and yellowish colour.

According to Swirlz, the only downside to homemade, plant-based cheese is the same as with dairy cheese—it requires patience to properly ferment and develop the cheese’s smooth texture.

“Some vegan cheeses are sold for around $13 at the store, but if you make it yourself, it will cost you about $3,” she said. Swirlz explained that some people are skeptical about veganism because they think it’s costly, while others are unwilling to sacrifice the foods they love, although she insisted they don’t have to.

“You can find all of these ingredients right next door at Le Frigo Vert, the anti-capitalist food store,” Swirlz said. With veganism a growing in popularity, she reassured those at the workshop that healthy eating has never been as simple and cheap as it is today.

“I chos e to be veg an for animal ethics, and I honestly find it very simple because it just becomes a way of living, a

lifestyle,” said Stephanie Plamondon, an organizer of the Montreal Vegan Festival, who attended the workshop on Jan. 12.

“Once you have the vegan staples in your pantry, you’re good to go.”

“I’m probably the last person in this room to turn vegan, but this cheese is pretty damn good,” said Carl Bérubé, a workshop attendee, as he sunk a second nacho chip into the nutritional yeast cheese dip. Swirlz’s recipes seemed to please the crowd, many of whom said they heard from others that the cheese tasted delicious and were encouraged to attend the workshop, despite their varying palettes and diets.

Regardless of whether attendees were lactose intolerant, animal lovers or cheese fanatics, the takeaway was the same—homemade vegan cheese is not only delicious, but good for you, your pocket and the environment.

“I want to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle through diet,” Swirlz said. “For the environment and for the treatment of animals in Canada.”

For full recipes and information about upcoming workshops, check out Swirlz’s Facebook page (Urban Homestead Montreal) or visit her website: www.urbanhomesteadmontreal.com

Comic by Libby Hopkinson.

extra

EASY HARD

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com MAGGIE HOPE

EXHIBITION

Uniting objects from around the world

Former Concordia student and artist Ari Bayuaji recently finished a residency at the MMFA

The piece titled Un Endroit pour Prier (Trottoir Barée) is one example of Bayuaji’s interest in “elevating ordinary things in daily life.” Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

MAGGIE HOPE ARTS EDITOR “The museum is the reunion of so many objects from all over the world,” said Ari Bayuaji. The Indonesian artist just finished a residency at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), which inspired the works in his current exhibition titled A Cabinet of Curiosities.

In order to be considered for the artist-in-residence position, Bayuaji had to submit a project proposal. He decided to explore the relationship between art and design. Having previously worked as a designer, the topic was one of particular interest to the artist. Bayuaji said that since moving to Montreal, he has noticed the quality of manufactured materials and goods in North America is low compared to other parts of the world, such as Europe. The artist said this was one of the reasons he chose to study fine arts rather than design when he applied to Concordia. He attended the university from 2005 until 2010, when he decided to discontinue his studies and pursue artistic endeavours outside the classroom.

During his time at the MMFA, Bayuaji took full advantage of the resources made available to him and completely immersed himself in the museum’s collections. He drew significant inspiration from the Archaeology and World Cultures collections, and studied pieces from Egypt, Asia and Islamic countries.

“It was quite freeing,” the artist remarked in reference to the wealth of information and artwork he was able to access at the museum.

Bayuaji also made connections between the museum’s collection and today’s globalized society. Just as the museum houses objects from across the globe, he said, the same could be said of the contemporary world. People are able to immigrate to other countries and, therefore, spread their culture and art with people they wouldn’t have been able to connect with at other points in history, the artist explained.

That being said, through archaeology and agriculture, foreign objects have been found in unusual places. According to Bayuaji, in Indonesia, farmers would often find pieces of foreign objects buried in their land. They believed these objects had a sacred quality and would often wear them as necklaces or bracelets. Bayuaji takes a similar approach and collects objects he finds on the street and in his travels. He then “elevate[s] those pieces into sacred objects” by featuring them in his art. Through sculpture and multimedia, the artist incorporates his everyday findings, thereby establishing the objects as noteworthy and special..

Bayuaji claimed his artistic practice is informed by both his upbringing in Indonesia and his exposure to Western culture before and since moving to Montreal. He said he hopes people of all origins can identify with

something in his work. By deconstructing objects with cultural and historical significance, Bayuaji’s work also aims to deconstruct his as well as others’ identities.

His interest in reusing found objects and presenting them in a new context led to the idea of a cabinet of curiosities while working at the MMFA. Cabinets of curiosities, according to the British Library’s website, “were small collections of extraordinary objects which, like today’s museums, attempted to categorize and tell stories about the wonders and oddities of the natural world.” Bayuaji explained they were common in wealthy households of 17th and 18th century Europe. Inspired by the idea, and also by the MMFA’s Cabinet of Curiosities collection, the artist determined that these ‘cabinets’ would be instrumental in displaying his pieces.

Each piece in A Cabinet of Curiosities has clear intention, as if demanding a certain amount of respect from its viewer.

Objects are placed on pedestals, in frames or in old cabinets. The piece titled Trésor consists of pieces of broken ceramic that have been placed inside a small glass vase.

The vase has been put on a marble plate and is encased in a clear, glass cloche.

Though the broken ceramic may suggest uselessness or damage, by presenting it with prestige and honour, Bayuaji begs the viewer to reconsider its function. The artist also emphasized that finding beauty

within his pieces is an important aspect of the viewing experience.

The artist’s honouring of deconstructed, everyday objects can be seen in the piece titled Scholar Stone #1 & #2 as well. Two pieces have been placed beside each other and are almost identical. Large stone mortars (as in a mortar and pestle) sit atop wooden pedestals. In the mortars sit brown rocks, about the size of a foot. Delicate jade bowls sit atop the rocks, somewhat precariously placed. The viewer is captivated by both the precariousness of the sculpture and the beauty that is conveyed in a few simple components.

On the opposite wall of Trésor and the Scholar Stone (s) hangs Alternative Wall.

This piece is made of old cotton money bags, which have been sewn together to make a large quilt-like hanging. It is striking against the rest of the exhibition, due to its size and medium. A variety of stamps and logos brand the bags, calling attention to the utility of the pieces, while the artwork in its entirety is visually impressive.

A Cabinet of Curiosities explores a variety of media and shapes, and takes the viewer on a pleasantly stimulating journey around the upper level of the Maison du Conseil des arts de Montréal (1210 Sherbrooke St. E.). The exhibition will be on display until April 2, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

feature

PROFILE

From the world of advertising to the classroom Marketing professor Peter Elenakis talks about his career and teaching methods

Peter Elenakis teaches marketing at Concordia University and has worked at various different advertisement agencies. Photo by Alexander Cole.

ALEXANDER COLE MANAGING EDITOR If you’ve ever taken one of Peter Elenakis’s marketing classes, you’ll probably agree that they aren’t like your typical John Molson School of Business course. Sure, his classes have lectures, assignments, exams—but they also contain something you wouldn’t expect from a business course: improv lessons.

For Elenakis, doing things differently helps students to get out of their comfort zones and see the business world in a different way. He said he brings in someone from Montreal Improv to work with the students in his MBA class once a semester, and it allows them to think more creatively.

“A bunch of these students are professionals and are used to a corporate environment and a certain way of doing things,” Elenakis said. “Doing the improv lesson allows them to accept other people’s ideas and also become better presenters.”

As Elenakis explained, presentations are a large part of the business world, which demands that students become expert presenters when pitching an idea.

One of the methods Elenakis uses to

make his students better at giving talks is to bar them from using PowerPoint.

“Surprisingly, the last few semesters that I’ve been doing this, the presentations without PowerPoint are better than the ones with PowerPoint,” Elenakis said. “I had one student sitting next to me say, ‘It’s not that good with the PowerPoint.

We prefer without.’”

While teaching marketing courses at Marianopolis in Montreal before his time at Concordia, Elenakis noticed students were reluctant to present freely and express their ideas comfortably. At

Throughout his career, Elenakis has had other experiences with improv and acting. While working in the field on various marketing campaigns, Elenakis got to be in some TV commercials.

Elenakis said he was in a Rub A535 commercial and also got to play a bartender in a Johnnie Walker Whiskey ad.

When asked about how he got to star in these commercials, Elenakis’s answer was simple: “We needed an extra and couldn’t afford anybody else.”

Elenakis’ presentation and improv skills aren’t the only tools he brings to

“A bunch of these students are professionals and are used to a corporate environment and a certain way of doing things,” Elenakis said. “Doing the improv lesson allows them to accept other people’s ideas and also become better presenters.” the time, Elenakis was doing improv at Second City in Toronto and noticed that improvising improved his presentation skills and his ability to think creatively.

That’s when he decided to bring those skills to the classroom and taught his CEGEP students improv, before eventually bringing improv into his classes at Concordia.

the classroom. He also brings years of experience in business, which began all the way back in his college years, when he decided he wanted to go into advertising.

It was his love of pop culture and television shows like Bewitched that piqued his interest in the field and eventually led him to business school

at McGill University.

“As I went to business school, I fell into marketing, and there was a lot of pop culture and entertainment associated with it, so I liked it,” Elenakis said.

After graduating, Elenakis took time off to travel, before looking for a job in advertising. He sent out 50 CVs and called up every company he sent one to. Instead of asking for a job, he asked if the companies had any insights they could give him about the business world.

These conversations led to interviews ,which, after a while, led him to his first job in the industry. Elenakis has worked in Montreal and Toronto at companies like J.W. Thompson, Leo Burnett, Taxi, Cossette and a small media company called Mediavation.

At the beginning of his career, Elenakis got to work on big projects with some of the world’s most recognizable brands.

However, as he explained, he had more of a junior role when starting out.

“I was an assistant media planner, so my job was to get information and determine where they should be spending their money,” Elenakis said. “I was working with Kraft at the time, and I got to look at their budget and see where they could allocate funds.”

JANUARY 16, 2018

11

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

Two other big projects Elenakis worked on were with Kellogs and Nintendo.

With Kellogs, he worked in the product development department. At the time, the company was trying to position itself in the world of breakfast cereal.

After doing some research, they realized people were no longer sitting down to eat a bowl of cereal in the morning, so they developed on-the-go cereal bars.

“Foods like bagels and muffins were increasing in sales, s o we had to f igure out how to make our product on-the-go,” Elenakis said.

“That’s when we took our Special K cereal and put it into a bar format.”

With Nintendo, Elenakis was originally in charge of their games division and licenses. Before moving on from the company, Elenakis got to partake in the launch of the Nintendo 64 in 1996, a console people still play to this day.

He explained that the biggest challenge in launching the Nintendo 64 was the supply coming out of Japan. Nintendo considered Japan and the United States to be their two biggest markets, while Canada was their third-largest. This meant Elenakis and his colleagues needed to find a way to generate demand, but not too much, because there wouldn’t be enough supply to appease increased demand.

“At that point, Nintendo was the primary sponsor of the Much Music Video Awards, so we paired up with them and launched a promotional campaign,” Elenakis said. This generated the perfect amount of excitement, and the launch of the console went as planned.

Now, Elenakis focuses his attention on small to medium-sized businesses as a media consultant. These companies are typically looking for advice on how their brands should grow and what their message should be when advertising products As Elenakis explained, the big difference between working with large companies and small ones is budget restrictions.

theconcordian

However, bigger budgets don’t always make the job easier.

“Bigger budgets mean you can do a lot more, but it also means the approval process takes a lot longer,” Elenakis explained. “With small companies, you have to be more resourceful, but things get done quicker because you’re dealing with the owner or president directly.”

While talking about what makes a successful marketing campaign, Elenakis explained that strong insights into a product and how it relates to the consumer’s needs and desires is a recipe for success. Elenakis cited “The Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign

by Dos Equis as an example.

“That campaign functioned on a very simple insight,” he explained. “When guys go out to the bar, they want to seem interesting, otherwise the girl won’t talk to them.”

For Elenakis, the ad worked off a simple premise, but successfully communicated to their target demographic. This is what makes a marketing campaign work.

In addition to teaching and working with small businesses on the side, Elenakis is also involved with JMSB case

competitions as a coach. These case competitions involve a group of business students who are given a situation, whether it’s about finance, marketing or administration, and they must come up with a solution. They then present their idea to a large group where they are judged against other schools.

In these competitions, the teams have about five hours to put together their 20-minute presentation. According to Elenakis, these case competitions are a great way for students to get practical experience.

“It teaches them how to solve a problem, come up with a creative solution, put together a presentation and then present it in front of the judges,” Elenakis said. “It’s a great skill set that they end up learning.”

As a part-time professor, one of the challenges he faces that full-time teachers don’t, is that he’s not always sure if he will be given a class to teach each semester. As he explained, there is no consistency, so it’s harder for him to make a schedule and plan around the courses he teaches. For instance, last fall semester, Elenakis wasn’t given a class.

Despite this hardship, Elenakis has never had a hard time getting what he wants or needs for a class.

“Anytime I ask people for stuff, I get it.

There hasn’t been any hesitation, so I’d say it’s been pretty good,” he said.

While he didn’t get to teach this past semester, Elenakis enjoys his job as a professor and watching students grow and learn. As the years have gone on, he has seen students make the jump from the classroom to the professional world.

“One of the great things about teaching is seeing your students progress and going where they want to go,” Elenakis said. “I’ve seen students who wanted to get into advertising and investment and got into it and are now successful. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing that.”

This article is part of a series of profiles on part-time faculty at Concordia. Our goal is to highlight some of the incredible work these professors do, while also shedding light on the difference in treatment between being part-time versus full-time faculty. This series came to life with the help of Laurie Milner, the chair of communications for the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association (CUPFA), and Lorraine Oades, the vice-president of professional development at CUPFA.

Elenakis helps coach JMSB students for case competitions where teams are given a business situation and students must present a solution. Photo courtesy of Peter Elenakis.

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com MAGGIE HOPE

EXHIBITION

Young and Hopeful in many contexts

Ben Williamson’s profound paintings are currently on display at Ymuno Exhibitions CHLOË LALONDE ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR Ben Williamson imagined his latest solo exhibition, Young and Hopeful, as a solar system. Each painting symbolizes a story that orbits ideas of hope and rebirth. The artist's latest works are currently on display at Ymuno Exhibitions, a gallery which he co-founded.

Rebirth is the name of a sculpture set in the exact centre of the tworoom gallery, in perfect view from the entrance. The piece was the first created for this exhibition, about a year earlier than the paintings, and it unites the conceptual elements behind them. Young and Hopeful is a summary of the artists experiences, and acts as the higher hopes Williamson has of moving forward on a personal and global scale.

Each painting that orbits Rebirth is a profound meditation on social, political and personal issues. Some material is sourced from the web, including stills from Youtube videos of warfare (Dogfight), and of the Apollo Lunar Module pod crashing into the Atlantic Ocean (Splashdown), while other pieces are more personal.

None are exact copies of the original source, as Williamson tends to focus on alternative perspectives of the impactful images he selects.

CADPAT is a painting of a piece of fabric with the Canadian digital camouflage pattern on it. Williamson explained that most digital camouflage patterns are essentially abstract landscapes.

Digital camouflage breaks down obvious visual cues, making it difficult for our eyes to make sense of the image, and making it easier to blend into some environments.

Williamson explained that Canadians were actually the first to begin printing and using digital camouflage for military uniforms in the 1990s. “All the countries that use a digital camouflage pattern either use [Canadian] technology or based their own technology on our initial research,” he said.

“All this technology and all these resources are spent [...] in the hopes that you can shoot someone else in the woods before they shoot you. There is a hope there, but the overall effort is kind of dark and hopeless.”

Ben Williamson in his studio.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Rebirth is at the centre of the exhibition. Missing Student is directly above it, with Vacation Housing to its right and Dogfight to its left.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

CADPAT came out of a conversation Williamson had with a Panamanian-American friend living in Panama. He had been in the military and encouraged his son to serve in the Middle East. "His son went and came back, quite frankly, really messed up,” Williamson recounted. “It’s not on record, but the military were forcing steroids on him every day, and when he came back, he had to wean himself off while trying to integrate into society.” After going through all this, Williamson said his friend was left feeling betrayed by the military and by his country which he once supported so passionately.

Williamson often tweaks details in his work to suit his creative process, which is quite fascinating in and of itself. The artist makes his own paint, mixing pigment bases

with oil mediums to create exact colour matches from his source image, which he then tubes in bulk to use at his leisure. Williamson uses paint made from the powder of a rare stone, lapis lazuli, to make the blue seen in the pieces titled Young and Hopeful, Landing and Splashdown. Lapis lazuli's valuable pigment has been reserved historically for important figures, specifically the Virgin Mary's dress.

The piece titled Young and Hopeful is a portrait based on a photograph of Daniel Roberge, a retired gallerist and the artist's early mentor. Roberge was 14 or 15 years old when the photograph was taken, with his whole life ahead of him. The portrait of Roberge perfectly portrays youth and

Young and Hopeful. 2017. 30” x 24.”

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

hopefulness, a theme that Williamson has maintained throughout this entire collection.

Young and Hopeful will be on display at Ymuno Exhibitions until Feb. 3. The gallery is located on the fifth floor of the Belgo Building (372 Ste-Catherine St. W.) in studio number 530. It is open Thursday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

KNITTING AND CROCHET CIRCLE

OPEN LETTER TO THE WOMEN

Every Tuesday evening, Le Milieu (a co-op art studio and café) hosts a knitting and crochet circle open to crafters of all levels. Volunteers are on-hand in case you need help getting started, but you’re also welcome to show up with your own projects. Materials are paywhat-you-can, and the event itself is free.

This free exhibition is Concordia alumna Jeanie Riddle’s third solo show. According to the exhibition’s description, “the paintings, along with a collection of sculptures, will situate the gallery’s space as a site of resistance and a secret messaging of encouragement, love and community by way of an exploration of colour, joy and the domestic.”

WHERE Le Milieu, 1251 Robin St. WHEN Every Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE Galerie Antoine Ertaskiran, 1892 Payette St. WHEN Now until Feb. 10

JANUARY 16, 2018

theconcordian

13

OPINION

Time's up for sexual assault in Hollywood As more voices speak up, the social movement takes centre stage during awards season ALEX COLATOSTI SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR If you watched the Golden Globes on Jan. 7, you’ll know that time is up for sexual misconduct and gender inequality in Hollywood.

On Jan. 1, an open letter signed by more than 300 women in the film industry announced Time’s Up!, an initiative which aims to end sexual assault, harassment and pay disparity in the workplace.

The initiative came as a response to The New York Times and The New Yorker exposés about the decades-long sexual assault allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein. Since the Weinstein stories came out, according to the L.A. Times , “a powerful person has been accused of sexual misconduct at a rate of nearly once every 20 hours.”

The Time’s Up! movement was in full force at the Globes last Sunday night, with nearly everyone in attendance wearing black in protest of sexual misconduct. Conversations about female empowerment and gender inequality dominated the red carpet as well as some acceptance speeches.

Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Oprah Winfrey were among those who delivered impassioned and rousing speeches. In one glorious moment, which followed Oprah’s encouraging words, Natalie Portman called out the blatant sexism that exists within Hollywood when she announced the Best Director nominees by saying, “here are the allmale nominees.”

With Time’s Up!, the women of Hollywood are taking great strides to illuminate gender inequality and sexual misconduct in the workplace. After watching the Globes, however, it’s clear there is still plenty of work to do.

While the women were leading the charge, the men stayed relatively silent.

Sure, most of the male attendees sported Time’s Up! pins, but they were hardly asked to speak about the movement or why they support it. Unlike the women, none of the male winners brought up issues of sexual harassment or inequality in their acceptance speeches.

Last year, I wrote about how two women accusing Casey Affleck of sexual harassment would not thwart his chances of winning the Oscar for Best Actor. I was right; Affleck won that accolade at nearly every major awards show in 2017, including the Globes.

While it’s tradition for the recipients of the previous year’s Best Actor and Actress awards to present to the opposite sex the following year, Affleck did not attend the Globes. Although not formally announced, he was replaced on stage by Angelina Jolie and last year’s Best Actress winner, Isabelle Huppert.

It was a nice, albeit quiet, gesture on the part of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the committee of film journalists and photographers who nominate and decide the winners each year.

However, the HFPA chose to honour other problematic stars, including filmmaker Kirk Douglas, who has long been rumoured to have “brutally raped” actress Natalie Wood

when she was 17 years old, according to the online media company Gawker.

In addition, when James Fr anco took the stage to accept his award for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, The Breakfast Club actress Ally Sheedy tweeted (and later deleted) the following: “James Franco just won. Please never ever ask me why I left the film/TV business.”

We can’t say for certain what Sheedy was insinuating with her tweet but, since the Globes aired, five women have come forward with their own accusations against Franco claiming sexual inappropriateness in the workplace. On Jan. 11, the L.A. Times spoke to the women, which included actresses Franco has hired for his films and students from his time as a professor at USC, UCLA and CalArts.

However, it seems Franco is getting the Casey Affleck treatment—just a few hours after the L.A. Times story broke, he won Best Actor in a Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Earlier in the week, Franco denied the accusations, which at that point had only been mentioned on Twitter, during appearances on both The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Late Night with Seth Meyers . Since the women came forward, Franco has cancelled several scheduled events and was a no-show at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

While it might seem shocking that Hollywood continues to allow allegedly abusive men like Affleck and Franco to succeed, it’s hardly a surprise. Just look at Woody Allen.

In 1992, Allen’s adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow alleged that he molested her when she was 7 years old. Farrow has penned several essays calling out the actors who have continued to work with Allen despite her testimony, and has been an active voice in the Time’s Up! movement.

The allegations against Allen have been an “open secret” in Hollywood since the 90s, much like those against Weinstein were, but that never stopped Allen from continuing to make films and work with the top actors in the industry.

His most recent film, Wonder Wheel, stars Justin Timberlake, who sported a Time’s Up! pin at the Globes, and Kate Winslet, who has been one of Allen’s biggest defenders.

Allen has also worked with the likes of Selena Gomez, Cate Blanchett, Colin Firth, Blake Lively and so many more. They all must have, at the very least, been aware of the accusations against Allen and chose to work with him anyway. Some, like Ellen Page and Greta Gerwig, have expressed their regret about working with him, but most have remained quiet.

Because, in 2018, working with an alleged pedophile and molester still gives an actor prestige.

Honouring and awarding men who have such severe allegations made against them at an awards show where everyone is protesting that very thing is disturbing. Doesn’t all the aforementioned effort go to waste when the actresses protesting sexual misconduct are forced to share the stage with an accused harasser/ abuser?

The Globes may have seemingly banned Affleck from attending, but the Academy Awards are known to be far more traditional, so there is a chance we’ll see Affleck present at the Oscars when they air in March.

If that is the case, what can be done?

Should we all change the channel the second Affleck appears on our screens?

Should the audience boo as he makes his way over to the microphone? Would it not make more of a statement if the likes of Casey Affleck were formally banned from attending awards season altogether?

Time’s Up! is but a small step in an greater battle against sexual harassment and gender inequality, but cherry-picking who is held accountable and who gets a pass is not going to enact any change.

We must also leave room for the possibility that more stories will come out between now and March. Stories about those who have championed the movement since the beginning; stories about the ver y people who spor ted Time’s Up! pins at the Globes. If these stories emerge, those with the power to do so will have to respond quickly and accordingly.

Hollywood is not entirely there yet, and it looks like it still has a long way to go.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

music

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com CALVIN CASHEN

ROUND-UP

The top 40 releases of 2017

The Concordian music staff counts down the best the year had to offer In a year marked by an increasingly diffuse modern culture and seismic political unrest, the year’s best albums promoted hope in the face of grave circumstances, continuously redefining the frontiers of genre and notions of musicality. Here are our picks for the best albums of 2017.

1. DAMN. — KENDRICK LAMAR DAMN. keeps intact the cinematic rap Kendrick Lamar has spent the last half-decade perfecting, melding the glossly beat mastery of Good Kid, M.A.A.D city with To Pimp a Butterfly’s headstrong bravado. The package is delivered through the kind of complex storytelling you hear when all hope seems lost.

– Calvin Cashen, Music Editor 2. EVERYBODY WORKS — JAY SOM Everybody Works is an intelligent dream pop album that feels overwhelming in its intimacy. Jay Som ruminates on moods that age like fine wine; timeless, bold in taste, with each dig more gratifying than the last.

– Calvin Cashen 3. DEDICATED TO BOBBY JAMESON — ARIEL PINK Ariel Pink’s gonzo pop takes on a new form in his ode to the titular Bobby Jameson.

The album is chock-full of laid-back, life-affirming melodies that culminate in 2017’s most surprising collection of hits.

– Calvin Cashen 4. CTRL — SZA Solána Rowe’s debut studio album resonates heavily with listeners in its exploration of themes of abandonment, love and control in the present dating era. The smooth R&B and lush neo-soul production, along with Rowe’s fusion of gentle intimacy and ethereal confidence, makes Ctrl one of the most empowering albums of the year.

– Erin Walker, Staff Writer 5. POWERPLANT — GIRLPOOL On their excellent sophomore album, Girlpool took the wispy and vulnerable

chords of their sound and expanded the template to life-size proportions, capturing peerless sensitivity through songs that ruminate on the fears and anxieties of modern adulthood.

– Calvin Cashen 6. PLAYBOI CARTI — PLAYBOI CARTI Playboi Carti’s self-titled mixtape saw the SoundCloud rapper stretch his already sharp ear for ethereal beats into songs brimming with charisma, resulting in an astonishingly coherent sound that will no doubt soundtrack the house parties of millenials for decades to come.

– Calvin Cashen 7. REASSEMBLAGE — VISIBLE CLOAKS Visible Cloaks’s gorgeous ambient music sounds exceptionally fulfilled. The album’s textures take on a pristine quality, tapping into dichotomies matched with abrasive ambience and disarming beauty.

– Calvin Cashen 8. 4:44 — JAY-Z JAY-Z’s most self-deprecating album is somehow his most heartwarming. He lays down his faults and shortcomings with an uncommon resilience that can only be admired.

– Calvin Cashen 9. NÍDIA É MÁ, NÍDIA É FUDIDA — NIDIA MINAJ After flexing her muscles with brilliant production work on Fever Ray’s “IDK About You,” Nidia Minaj focuses her salient talents into a collection of mind-bending club beats imbued with fearless kinetic energy.

– Calvin Cashen 10. BIG FISH THEORY — VINCE STAPLES Enlisting the warped production stylings of SOPHIE, Jimmy Edgar and Flume, Vince Staples expresses a vision of oily, slick futuristic-pop that further serves to sharpen his acutely observational style of rap.

– Calvin Cashen 11. MODERN SPECIES — DJ SPORTS DJ Sports’s invigorating dance music invites you into a world where hope is the only guiding beacon on the dancefloor. In a year defined by its social issues, Modern Species serves as an album steeped in consciousness contradicted by an incessant need to rave your troubles away.

– Calvin Cashen

12.

AMERICAN DREAM — LCD SOUNDSYSTEM For a project that essentially started as an ironic caricature of indie-rock’s propensity for ego-stroking, Murphy’s trajector y feels unassured. His formula remains unaltered, combining an affinity for synths with the potent dance-punk sounds of the 70s and 80s. It’s the sound of tradition stricken by trouble and confusion—a critique of the American dream itself.

– Calvin Cashen 13. PLUNGE — FEVER RAY Plunge sees Karin Elisabeth Dreijer stretching the contours of her elastic voice in unpredictable ways. More than in her past efforts with The Knife duo, there is something aggressively experimental, perplexing and equally thrilling that bubbles underneath these electro-pop tunes.

– Calvin Cashen 14. TAKE ME APART — KELELA Within the space of these track s, Kelela’s artistic vision flourishes, showcasing a precise knack for songwriting and musicality. Ultimately, what makes Take Me Apart such a fruitful listen is its extraordinary instrumental breadth and structural variation. Just as the album reveals strong dynamics the first time around, it unearths a whole universe of possibilities with every other listen.

– Calvin Cashen 15. NIGHTMARE LOGIC — POWER TRIP Power Trip’s invigorating sophomore album embodies an escapist realit y where metal and hardcore genres coexist.

Emphasizing spirit as much as they do detail, the Dallas-based quintet balance a charming admiration for vintage sounds through a modern lens that pummels with unforgiving force.

– Calvin Cashen 16. WITHOUT WARNING — 21 SAVAGE / OFFSET / METRO BOOMIN’ Like the title suggests, the latest 21 Savage and Offset collaboration, completely produced by Metro Boomin’, dropped without warning on Halloween. From the opening track, “Ghostface Killers,” we get Metro Boomin’s signature dark, moody sound, while 21 Savage and Offset effortlessly flow over the beat. The album lives up to its Halloween release with eerie tracks, like “Nightmare” and “Ric Flair Drip,” that showcase why Offset

might actually be the most talented member in Migos.

– Alex Cole, Managing Editor 17. SUPERLATIVE FATIGUE — ERRORSMITH After two years of relative silence from Errorsmith, his PAN-released LP, Superlative Fatigue, was ecstatically received by the IDM community. Laced with broken beats and unconventionally warped vocals, the LP strikes a perfect balance between abstraction and functionality. Weird, yet undeniably danceable.

– Lucas Thow, Staff Writer 18. THE WORLD’S BEST AMERICAN BAND — WHITE REAPER White Reaper sells bubblegum power-pop to a T, harkening back to an era of guitar rock when the FM radio dial was a definitive youth culture movement.

– Calvin Cashen 19. UTOPIA — BJÖRK Björk’s latest album is sublime, a collection of musically adventurous songs that ponder the apathy and joy of discovering love again. Utopia showcases Björk’s incredible breadth as a singer and an auteur of sound.

Its production shines, with elements of birdsong gently meandering throughout the celestial “Arisen My Senses,” to the gorgeously enchanting title-track, “Utopia.”

Tracks like these allow Björk to flourish her experimental leanings, while sharpening a newfound proclivity for ambient soundscape.

– Calvin Cashen 20. #SANTANAWORLD — TAY-K T h e n ow-in c arcer ate d r app er ’s debut mixtape is a rush of adolescent aggression, maximizing the reputation of its notorious MC with irresistible, deadpan, straight-up ignorant lyricism.

Though Tay-K’s legal standing is up in air, the streetwise trap displayed on # SantanaWorld is hard to deny.

– Calvin Cashen

JANUARY 16, 2018

24. WAR & LEISURE — MIGUEL Like the numerous Prince iconoclasts before him, Miguel extols sophisticated songwriting with the sultry eroticism that defined his early outings. But on War & Leisure, the singer sounds revived by years of sexual meditation, letting the music flow naturally above his romantic ideals of lust and love.

– Calvin Cashen 21. KELLY LEE OWENS ­— KELLY LEE OWENS On her droning debut, Kelly Lee Owens makes a statement of aesthetic and artistic conviction.

The Welsh producer plucks her way through minimalist techno pop that resonates with the rudiments of raw emotion.

– Calvin Cashen 22. YOUNG MARTHA — YOUNG THUG / CARNAGE On Young Martha , Young Thug and producer Carnage bring out the best in each other, embracing their respective idiosyncrasies with dynamic performances and lean-soaked instrumentals. Young Martha largely serves to expand Thug’s extensive range. In it, he stretches the reaches of his prolific palette, while at the same time testing some new sonic ground.

– Calvin Cashen 23. BLACK ORIGAMI — JLIN Jlin’s excellent Black Origami is a patchwork of Chicago footwork that only serves to blur the lines between genres.

It’s an invigorating epic of sonic architecture that’s hard to pin down but easy to get lost in.

– Calvin Cashen

25. A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING — THE WAR ON DRUGS Meticulously crafted instrumental layer s g i ve t he album a dens e and dreamlike vibe, complemented by Adam Granduciel’s gravelly singing. The lyrics are striking and emotionally charged, such as this line from “Pain”: “I met a man with a broken back / He had a fear in his eyes that I could understand.” With each new song, the album puts you in a constant state of awe.

– Hussain Almahr, Assistant Music Editor 26. LOVE WHAT SURVIVES — MOUNT KIMBIE Each year, an up-and-coming band attempts to revitalize the archaic post-punk sounds that echoed across U.K. clubs in the 70s and 80s. In 2017, Mount Kimbie’s thumping Love What Survives took on that roll, counterbalancing deceptively harsh pop sensibilities with nuanced electronica.

– Calvin Cashen 27. SATURATION / SATURATION II / SATURATION III — BROCKHAMPTON The idea of a boy band is redefined by the members of Brockhampton. Composed of rappers, designers and producers, their creative energy comes from creating music together as a unit. The first Saturation album introduces the group’s identity, while the second album delivers a crunchy rendition of today’s youth. Songs like “FIGHT” and “CHICK” bring out the edgy rawness of rapper Ameer Vann and deliver a strong versatility with his lyrics.

– Kirubel Mehari, Photo Assistant 28. WORLD EATER — BLANCK MASS Blanck Mass’s third fulllength album, World Eater, is what pop music sounds like when it’s been experimented

with in all the right ways. Sounds range from the noisy “Minnesota / Eas Fors / Naked” to the calming “Hive Mind,” all the while presenting an approach to modern club music that is familiar yet distinctive.

– Lucas Thow 29. II — THE COURTNEYS On their second LP, the Vancouver trio succeed in doing what so few other indie-pop acts accomplish—put out a record which is wistful enough to tend to the naive romanticism of the genre’s faithful followers. The record bears a commanding presence, proving The Courtneys are to be taken seriously.

If any contemporary record can help break the stereotype of indie-pop being exceedingly shallow or twee, it’s II. – Charles Fretier-Gauvin, Staff Writer 30. WHEN YOU HAVE WON, YOU HAVE LOST — HARAM The great irony in Haram’s blistering When You Have Won, You Have Lost is a matter of culture. Who would’ve thought an Arabic-speaking group could redefine U.S. punk and blow their contemporaries completely out of the water.

– Calvin Cashen 31. NOTHING FEELS NATURAL — PRIESTS Priests criticize the current political climate in America and sneer at consumerism, while also delving into the existentialism one feels living in such an over-stimulating and regressive world. Incorporating the temporal push and pulls of jazz and the peppiness of indie pop, this album is still refreshingly punk at its core, through its political messages and overriding energy in the age of Trump.

– Erin Walker 32. CULTURE — MIGOS Culture is the record which sees Migos go pop, and unapologetically so. While it lacks the abrasive edge and kitchen-trap feel of their previous projects, the trio use the heightened production value to their advantage to create a collection of quasi radio-friendly trap bangers gleaming with personality and endearing immediacy. It's no coincidence that “Bad and Boujee,” the album’s marquee single, went quadruple platinum.

– Charles Fretier-Gauvin 33. THE DUSK IN US — CONVERGE The ninth album from the metalcore p i on e er s is t h eir m o s t h alt ing an d claustrophobic record in years. The band’s knack for sharp hooks comes through as they reject internal conflict to challenge an unknown entity larger and more muscular than the scale of their songs. They’ve consistently altered their blueprint into something more expansive and evocative—an artful mix of hardcore punk kinetics and screeching, distortion-ridden excursions.

– Calvin Cashen

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34. FLYING MICROTONAL BANANA / MURDER OF THE UNIVERSE / SKETCHES OF BRUNSWICK EAST / POLYGONDWANALAND / GUMBOOT SOUP — KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD An invaluable token of Australia’s booming psychedelic rock scene, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have been on a tear the past few years; a tear which had seemingly reached its climax in 2017 as they released five records in the calendar year. Stylistically ranging from the nervy krautrock of Flying Microtonal Banana , to the jazzy psychedelia of the Mild High Club-aided Sketches of Brunswick East, to the unhinged proggy metal of Murder of the Universe, the albums are all a reminder of the potential of quantity over quality.

Although, there’s plenty quality to be found.

– Charles Fretier-Gauvin 35. GANG SIGNS & PRAYER — STORMZY Interloping elements of gospel and R&B with his signature harsh grime sound, Stormzy’s GS&P proves to be one of the most nuanced records to come out of the U.K. in recent years. Juggling overt themes of depression in “Lay Me Bare,” tender romanticism in “Blinded By Your Grace” and roadman boisterousness in “Big For Your Boots,” this record challenges common ideas of what a grime record should be, and is sure to remain influential for years to come.

– Charles Fretier-Gauvin 36. TOMMY EP — KLEIN On her debut, London producer Klein delinerates the contours of modern production techniques. Drawn out by glitchy shades of vocal loops and samples, her production savvy meanders on a rhythmic path of pure musicality.

– Calvin Cashen 37. CRACK-UP — FLEET FOXES As the Fleet Foxes canon continues to grow into other wordly boundaries, their music grows increasingly more complex.

Crack-Up’s trajectory orbits around a continuously profuse modern culture, where instead of facing the storm ahead, we retreat into ourselves only to emerge anew.

– Calvin Cashen 38. A CROW LOOKED AT ME — MOUNT EERIE Coping with grief is oftentimes a personal undertaking, and no musical subject has been exploited quite as much as death.

Phil Elverum tackles the still-felt passing of his wife with a kind of disturbing clarity that is both relatable and unobtainable.

– Calvin Cashen 39. EXILE IN THE OUTER RING — EMA EMA’s third solo album is a storytelling masterwork defined by political uncertainty, driven by tenets of noise and straight-forward 90s romp.

– Calvin Cashen 40. NO SHAPE — PERFUME GENIUS Inaccessible and instantaneous all at the same time, Perfume Genius’s warped pop stylings are pushed to even weirder limits in No Shape. Yet his beautifully precise staccato is really what takes centre stage.

– Calvin Cashen

Check out our full top 50 list and staff picks at theconcordian.com.

sports

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

HOCKEY

Philippe Hudon leads charge to end stigma Concordia Stingers men's team hosted the Bell Let’s Talk game ahead of campaign

Stingers captain Philippe Hudon is Concordia University’s spokesperson for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR For a second year in a row, Philippe Hudon, captain of the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team, is leading a cause close to his heart.

Hudon is Concordia’s representative for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign to raise awareness about mental health and end the stigma surrounding it. Hudon himself was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in 2010.

The Stingers hosted their Bell Let’s Talk game on Jan. 12 at the Ed Meagher Arena in a 4-2 loss against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes.

“Unfortunately we didn’t come out on top today,” Hudon said following the game. “I think a lot of guys worked hard, not just for myself but for the cause itself.

I think they realized it’s something that’s important for me.”

At the game, representatives from Bell were handing out noisemakers, hats and

temporary tattoos for fans. There was also a ceremonial puck drop before the game between Hudon and the Patriotes’ captain, Pierre-Maxime Poudrier.

After the Stingers first hosted the Bell Let’s Talk game last year, Hudon spoke about his mental illness with CTV News and The Concordian. Since then, head coach Marc-André Élement said Hudon has been involved around the Stingers athletic complex to help out any other athlete who wants to talk.

“Last year, we had a lot of response from student-athletes who contacted him,” Élement said. “The fact that he’s really involved, it shows his leadership for that cause.”

Hudon said it’s great that almost the entire month of January is dedicated to opening up about mental health and trying to end the stigma around it. But the fourth-year finance student said he’s open to talk year-round.

“For me, being a survivor of OCD, I’m still trying to work out the finer details of it, but I’ve struggled, and I’m happy to say I’ve come out on top,” Hudon said.

“Now, I’m someone who could lend an ear. I could just listen to people who are living it. I like to be there for those people. I’ve gone through the struggle; it’s really not easy, let alone talking about it.”

However, Hudon said everyone needs to keep the conversation going even after January. “It’s something that’s with you the entire year. It’s not something that you can notice for one month then just let it go.”

Last year, Bell said they had 53 universities and over 20,000 student-athletes involved in the campaign. According to CTV, the 2017 Bell Let’s Talk campaign, which donated money based on texts, phone calls and social media interactions on Jan. 25, raised over $6.5 million for mental health programs. This year, the campaign will take place on Jan. 31.

Since the Bell Let’s Talk campaign started in 2010, Hudon said he has seen the cause grow tremendously.

“The workplace, now, is being more proactive and creating these seminars and being there at all times for people who need the support,” he said.

While Hudon aims to end the stigma surrounding mental health, his head coach and the rest of the team will be by his side.

“It’s fun to be part of such a great cause, and we’re happy to support him,” Élement said.

Concordia students looking for someone to talk to can visit the mental health services at the downtown campus in room GM-200, or at the Loyola campus in room AD-131.

FOOTBALL

Stingers moving on without their head coach Players reflect on Mickey Donovan as he moves onto Alouettes as special teams coordinator ALEXANDER COLE MANAGING EDITOR After serving as the Concordia Stingers head coach for four seasons, Mickey Donovan is leaving the team to join the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a special teams coordinator.

The 37-year-old coach joined the Stingers coaching staff in 2014 alongside his brother, Patrick, who is the team’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. In four seasons, Donovan coached the team to a 16-15 record.

Second-year linebacker and captain Samuel Brodrique, said Donovan was a large part of the team’s success over the past few years. He isn’t surprised Donovan’s making the jump to professional football.

“I talked a lot with coach Mickey and it felt like, when it came to his career, he really wanted to push it to the next level,” Brodrique said. “When I heard about where he was going, I was happy for him and I think, for him, it’s the right decision.”

Jean-Guy Rimpel, a third-year running back with the team, said Donovan’s presence in the locker room will be missed, as he was not just a leader but a motivator as well.

“We fed off his energy every game,” Rimpel said. “He’s really appreciated by the team, but we’re also happy that he has been promoted and in the CFL now.”

Brodrique, who was recruited by Donov an in 20 16, echoed Rimpel ’s sentiments, saying that Donovan is a coach who knows how to get the most out of his team.

“He talks well, so every time he gave a speech it was a good one,” Brodrique said. “He’s intense so the team was able to channel his intensity when it came time to play.”

Brodrique added that, while Donovan helped the team on the field, he was also the type of coach to take an interest in his players off the field.

“He wanted all of his players to do well in life, and he was the type of guy who would tell us that not everything was about football,” Brodrique said. “He cared about how you did in school and just all aspects of life.”

Patrick Donovan will be taking over as interim head coach of the Stingers while

the team looks for a permanent replacement. While both Brodrique and Rimpel realize that a head coaching change will be a big adjustment for the team, they both noted that the team is filled with veterans.

“We’re a pretty mature team filled with third and fourth-year players,” Rimpel said.

“If we were a bunch of rookies, it would be different, but everyone is focused on doing their work so we should be good.”

“Everything that is new is exciting,” Brodrique added. “We really like coach Pat because he’s like his brother, so it won’t be too much of a change. Everybody is excited for coach Mickey. There are no hard feelings, we’re just happy for him.”

The Concordia Stingers are a team full of veterans, and they will try to continue winning with a new head coach in 2018. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

JANUARY 16, 2018

OBSCURE SPORTS

Competing to save lives A sport made for versatile athletes ready for new challenges

The main attraction of a beach event is the Oceanman/Oceanwoman race. It combines all the requirements to be a beach lifeguard in one race. Beach events also have unique trials such as inflatable rescue boat (IRB) events and surf boat events.

Beach events are often more spectacular as there are natural elements involved such as wind and waves.

One final event that is common in both pool and beach events is the simulated emergency response competition (SERC).

It’s a two-minute event that tests the lifesaving skills of a four-athlete team through simulated emergency situations unknown to them in advance.

Points in beach and pool events are awarded as followed: the relay teams and individual athletes placing among the top 16 in each trial earn points for their club.

The club that earns the most points wins the event. At the end of a pool or beach event, the top three teams or athletes of each trial are also awarded medals.

THIBAULT BEUDIN CONTRIBUTOR Invented in 1891 by the Royal Life Saving Society of England, lifesaving is an activity that really gained popularity with the creation of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia in 1894.

The organization was first developed to ensure public safety during daylight bathing on the beaches of Sydney, Australia, according to the country’s Royal Life Saving Society. Volunteers gradually created patrol groups that taught lifesaving, as well as first aid training, to look after the increasing number of imprudent Australian bathers.

In the beginning, lifesaving was not a sport but rather a strong rivalry between the more ancient Australian lifesaving clubs, such as the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club, and the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club. The rivalry is what turned lifesaving into a competitive sport, according to Irish Water Safety. With the creation of the Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales (SBANSW) on Oct. 10, 1907, nine Australian clubs and affiliated associations organized official competitive lifesaving events.

Later in the 20th century, lifesaving clubs emerged in other parts of Australia and around the world.

Records of lifesaving events in Canada date back to 1894, when Arthur Lewis Cochrane taught his lifesaving skills to students of the Upper Canada College in Toronto, according to the Canadian Lifesaving Society. Following that, lifesaving started to spread in Canada and, in 1904, the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada was created.

Since the 1930s, the society has hosted

many lifesaving sport events and, today, the Canadian Lifesaving Society hosts its own national championship.

What kind of a sport is lifesaving?

As a sport, lifesaving is an educational activity that mixes first aid training and athletic techniques. There are two main types of contests: pool and beach events.

Pool Events Pool events are mainly swimming events, but they differ from traditional swimming competitions because obstacles, like mannequins, and flippers are involved.

Mannequins represent the upper body of a person. They are one metre long and filled with water. The goal for the athlete is to dive, grab the mannequin and drag it a given distance.

Obstacles are underwater barriers that go 70 centimetres below the surface.

They are often positioned in the middle of the pool. Athletes have to dive under an obstacle every time they reach one.

Flippers are feet extensions that a swimmer puts on to increase their speed.

There are 11 trials in a pool lifesaving event, including the 200m obstacle swim, the 100m mannequin tow with flippers, and the 4x50m medley relay.

Beach events Beach or open water events have trials on land and in the water. They combine reaction, running, stamina, swimming, surf skiing and board paddling. A total of 16 trials comprise a beach event. Trials such as the surf race, the beach sprint or the board race test athletes’ different abilities.

Why should you join a lifesaving club in Montreal?

Lifesaving is a very interesting sport because it is not only physically demanding, but also a useful activity where you learn actual life-saving techniques. In this sport, a good athlete is a good lifesaver, therefore, lifesaving diplomas are mandatory.

So, if you’re looking for a physical sport that could lead to a useful and interesting diploma and job opportunities, lifesaving might be for you.

As a Concordia student or a Montrealer, you live in a city that is home to many lifesaving clubs. Within an hour of Concordia’s downtown campus, you can reach no less than six clubs in all parts of the city and surrounding areas. These clubs all provide weekly classes, from beginner to experienced levels. As a student, it could be an interesting opportunity to test your physical capacities.

The lifesaving diploma and first aid training will always be useful in your everyday life. Not only will it teach you to calmly help people in urgent situations, this training will also give you the opportunity to work as a lifeguard at a pool or beach.

Overall, lifesaving can make you a versatile athlete, a good lifesaver or both.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

Lifesaving clubs in Montreal •

Le Club de Sauvetage RiveNord (CSRN) in Laval

•

Sauvetage Sportif 30-Deux in Ste-Julie

•

Club Aquatique du SudOuest in St-Henri

•

Club Aquatique de l'Est de Montréal in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

•

The Rouville Surf Club with a facility in HochelagaMaisonneuve and Ahuntsic-Cartierville

•

Club les Piranhas du Nord (CAPN) in Ahuntsic-Cartierville

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COLOUR COMMENTARY

BY NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI

The 2018 Men’s World Junior Ice Hockey Championships lacked the high attendance numbers it saw in previous years. Only 211,210 fans attended the under-20 hockey tournament held in Buffalo, N.Y., for an average of 7,040 fans per game, according to Sportsnet. Since one of those games was held outside at New Era Field in front of 44,592 fans, the indoor games only had an average of 5,745 fans attend. Given that the host arenas, the KeyBank Center and the smaller KeyBank Rink at HarborCenter have a capacity of 19,070 and 1,800 respectively, that makes for a lot of empty seats.

In recent years, the World Juniors has drawn big crowds all over North America. Edmonton and Calgary co-hosted in 2012, drawing 455,342 fans, and Ottawa saw 453,282 fans in 2009. When Buffalo hosted the 2011 edition, it drew in nearly 120,000 more fans than this year, according to TSN. Ranking total attendance of the last 10 tournaments held in North America, this year had the lowest numbers since 2005 in Grand Forks, N.D., but that arena had a capacity of 11,640.

Ticket prices were a big factor that turned fans away from the exciting tournament this year. According to Sportsnet, seats in the nosebleeds went for about US$30, while lower bowl seats cost about US$140. Based on the website for the Buffalo Sabres, the tenants of the KeyBank Center, tickets for games on Jan. 11 and 20 started at US$25 and reached as high as US$137. Basically, World Junior tickets this year were more expensive than National Hockey League (NHL) tickets.

Those prices are completely unacceptable if the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the tournament’s organizers hope to draw big crowds.

Nobody wants to pay NHL prices to watch a tournament featuring a bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds, especially during the holiday season. Not to say the tournament doesn’t have great hockey—it’s actually amazing, filled with passion and excitement. But it’s not the same caliber as NHL hockey and doesn’t merit the same prices.

Besides, the players aren’t getting paid the millions of dollars NHL players are, so why should ticket prices be the same?

Watching the games and seeing the unoccupied seats made the games boring. Part of the excitement of watching the World Juniors is how the players interact with the crowd—loud arenas energize the teens. Someone on TSN said these young players wait their whole lives to play in this tournament and, when they get there, nobody is there waiting for them.

Next year, the tournament will be in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. Let’s hope there are lower ticket prices and bigger crowds.

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

Believing women is not a radical idea Recently, sexual misconduct allegations at the hands of Concordia professors have surfaced. An online essay written by Mike Spry, a for mer Concordia creative writing student, described cases of professors from the English department abusing their academic power to prey on students. Although no professors were named, the ess ay includes claims that Graphic by Zeze Le Lin. English professors had sexually harassed Whether it’s the good, the bad or the oh-so- female students. According to Spry, one ugly, what happens in Hollywood often professor even rented a hotel room so he feels detached from our everyday reality. could “entertain young writers away from his Perhaps this is why, despite the entertain- house and family.” The essay also mentioned ment industry’s widely discussed “open “drunken nights of misbehaviour” and how secret” of rampant sexual misconduct and professors would coerce female students into abuse of power, it can be upsetting and inappropriate and sexual situations under even shocking to learn of disturbing alle- the guise of discussing their creative work.

Last week, Concordia president Alan gations at our very own university. What is Shepard announced that the university even more troubling, however, is the fact that sexual harassment and assault at is taking several steps to investigate the allegations. He also claimed he was unaware Concordia has never been a secret at all.

of the incidents until early last week when Spry’s essay was published.

We at The Concordian think it’s important to note that numerous current and former female Concordia students have been speaking up about the English department’s sexually abusive, toxic environment for years.

Similar allegations of sexual misconduct in the English department were made public in 2014 by former student Emma Healey in her online essay titled “Stories Like Passwords.” In response to Healey’s allegations, several students wrote a formal letter to the English department in 2015 describing the inappropriate atmosphere and stating they felt “uncomfortable and unsafe,” according to the Toronto Star.

Heather O’Neill, a Montreal author, has also spoken out about experiencing sexual misconduct at the hands of the late Concordia professor Robert Allen when she was a student in the late 1990s. According to The Globe and Mail, O’Neill described the sexual harassment and abuse of power within the department as “pervasive.” Stephen Henighan, a former student of Allen’s, told the Toronto Star that the “toxic culture” in the creative writing program can be traced back to the mid-1980s.

It is crucial to point out that many people at Concordia failed to support these students

or investigate their claims. The university should have pursued these allegations earlier. Even The Concordian and The Link failed to report on the issue when Healey and O’Neill’s claims were made public, or when any of the other female students’ claims were submitted to the department.

We all failed these victims.

While we remain hopeful about the investigative actions Concordia claims to be taking now, we would like to highlight that we are all at fault for this delayed response. We need to listen to survivors when they come forward. We need to give victims the benefit of the doubt. We need to be proactive when we hear even a whisper of an allegation. We need to do better—all of us.

The harsh truth is that Concordia would not be addressing these allegations had it not been for Spry’s essay. It is extremely unfortunate that it took a male writer making these claims for us to finally take action, while, for years, many female voices went unheard.

Abuse of power is a complex problem that must not be ignored. To do so would be incredibly irresponsible. We at The Concordian hope the publicity surrounding the recent allegations at Concordia teaches us all to do a better job of listening, believing and taking action—the first time.

LANGUAGE

The French-English language debate... again Opting out of “hi” is demeaning to the thousands of English-speakers in Quebec MINA MAZUMDER STAFF WRITER On Nov. 30, 111 votes were submitted to the National Assembly endorsing the use of “bonjour” as a substitution for “bonjour, hi” among businesses and the retail industry in Quebec, reported the Montreal Gazette.

Soon after, the hashtag #bonjourhi flooded social media to support keeping the former greeting. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard also made a former federal civil servant, William Floch, the new Englishlanguage community secretariat to “rebuild bridges with an estranged English-speaking minority,” reported the Montreal Gazette.

In my opinion, it is totally understandable to use Bill 101 and French immersion to promote French among the children of immigrants and Quebec citizens as a whole.

However, asking merchants to omit the word “hi” from store greetings discriminates against anglophones and their right to speak their native language. According to the 2016 census, a total of 286,275 people only speak English in Montreal compared to the 1.4 million people who only speak French.

I believe it is offensive to these citizens because it risks alienating them and making them feel unaccepted when they arrive at a store and are not greeted in their spoken language.

While it is true that French is the official language in Quebec, it is also true that multiculturalism and diversity are celebrated within the province. Therefore, I believe that, in order to be true to our values and avoid hypocrisy, we ought to keep the “bonjour, hi” greeting to maintain an inclusive environment for both francophones and anglophones—not to mention allophones who might still be learning either language.

Giving customers the choice to speak either French or English is much more convenient than leaving them with only one option. Many people are not comfortable speaking French or they feel self-conscious about their fluency. Therefore, stripping away someone’s choice to speak a language is wrong because it goes against their freedom of expression and risks leaving them uncomfortable.

I believe there are other ways to encourage Quebecers to speak French that do not infringe on their freedom of expression.

These alternatives can include playing more French radio stations in certain retail stores and businesses, and the promotion of French advertisements on public transit and in shopping malls.

We must allow the members of our society to decide which language they prefer to speak because it’s a personal decision. Choosing one language over another shouldn’t be forced on customers. We should allow the client to

decide, especially in a customer service environment where their needs should be heard and met. It completely defeats the purpose of customer service when you are putting the customer in an uncomfortable position.

In addition, many anglophone customers are less likely to return to a store if they feel unwelcomed. Therefore, this change could negatively affect a business’ sales in the long-run. We need to remember that Quebec is a province within Canada—where the official languages are both English and French.

Lastly, Montreal is a very tourist-friendly city, and we must maintain our hospitality towards visitors by showing how bilingual and multicultural our city can be. I believe this push towards bonjour-only would discourage Englishspeaking tourists from travelling to Montreal.

This discrimination will only hurt the

government in the long-run because many citizens who feel threatened by this rise of a French-speaking environment may choose to leave the province and make a new life for themselves elsewhere. According to CBC News, 10,175 anglophones left Quebec between 2011 and 2016. Although the economy was a large factor in that change, we can’t ignore the possibility that anglophones might feel uncomfortable living in a province that doesn’t respect their language preference.

Do we really want to foster an environment where anglophones, immigrants and tourists are not accepted in a city that strongly promotes diversity?

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

JANUARY 16, 2018

theconcordian

19

WORLD

Engaging with the world’s problems today Active listening, sharing experiences can go a long way in the face of systemic issues HUSSAIN ALMAHR ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR In my opinion, 2017 was a very terrible year. We were inundated with awful news on a daily basis. My reactions perpetually got more apathetic and became more withdrawn because of these stories. The sheer amount of bad events that happened during 2017 makes it impossible to list a few, because I believe all of them are equally important and deserve to be read into individually. However, I learned something very important throughout last year: listening and being supportive of people, no matter how small these actions may seem, are important in making the world a better place.

There were many issues I wasn’t well informed on, such as President Donald Trump banning transgender people from enlisting in the American military. So, I read as much as I could to become better informed and understand people’s experiences—especially pieces written by trans people. I opened my heart and became more empathetic about issues towards people with different lives than mine, because I think solidarity is important during difficult times. I became an active listener, willing to listen to anyone who wanted to open up about their life and hardships.

I never had the opportunity to vote when I was growing up in Saudi Arabia, and was quite surprised to learn that many Canadians are apathetic about using their right to vote.

I understand that many political candidates are not ideal, however, I believe indifference contributes negatively to many people’s lives, especially marginalized people. Supporting and encouraging more people of colour, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community to run for political office would also help us take steps in the right direction. In my opinion, the more diverse our politicians become, the better and more accommodating policies will be.

In addition to participating in the democratic process, other actions we can all take include talking and writing about our own experiences, and listening to other people’s stories. We need more diverse voices in every level of society. We need to fill the large gap of knowledge that has been suppressed for many years. It takes a lot of courage to write and talk about experiences that may be traumatic, sad, insulting or demeaning—and I respect anybody who doesn’t want to do that, since it isn’t their obligation to speak out. But doing so does help other people understand experiences they will never live through.

Also, I think it’s important to talk about positive experiences. Young people are always

looking to relate to people who look like them or who have a similar background. By sharing positive stories and experiences, people can relate to each other in meaningful ways.

They can see a perspective they don’t see often—a positive one.

The more visible representation we have, the more diverse the stories become. I’ve tried to do this in some of my writing as I’ve enjoyed interjecting personal anecdotes into my works, and it may give people an insight into a life different from their own.

In my opinion, we are facing huge problems as we enter 2018. Old systemic issues that have plagued us for many years, such as racism, misogyny, war, homophobia, famine and violence, continue to exist. Yet, we are also facing new emerging problems that are unprecedented, for instance, our increasingly wild weather patterns due to climate change, and the threats on Twitter of

nuclear war by the United States and North Korea.

Nonetheless, there is no reason to remain apathetic—I believe indifference is a privilege only certain segments of the population can have.

I’ll personally continue trying to listen, grow and become a more empathetic person. I’m not egotistical enough to think I’m going to solve the world's problems, but if I make my community a little bit better, I’ll be happy. Small acts of positivity and collective action have great potential to at least make the lives of those around you better, and hopefully have a positive impact on a larger scale.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

HARASSMENT

The line between conversation and action France’s new catcalling law brings up a larger question about meaningful change EITHNE LYNCH CONTRIBUTOR In light of the Har vey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood and the rise of the #MeToo movement, sexual harassment has become an issue at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Fr a n c e i s h o p i n g to t a ke a c t i o n against one particular form of harassment—catcalling.

Catcalling is the act of whistling or shouting sexually suggestive comments to passers-by, usually women. France is looking to make this form of sexual harassment a ticketable offence.

A CNN repor t st ates: “Men who catcall, harass or follow women on t he st reet in Fr ance could f ace on-the-spot fines under a new sexual abuse law.”

H owe ver, Fr an ce isn’t s topp ing there, according to a repor t in The N e w Yo r k T i m e s . T h e l a w w o u l d extend the statute of limitations on repor t ing se xual a ss ault involving minor s a s well a s f ining men w ho make over t, lewd comments or are aggressive towards women.

While this appears to be a major step forward for women in France, I have doubts about the effectiveness of these potential laws. In a per fect wor ld, this new legislation would come into effect and women in France would feel much safer in

their day-to-day lives. These kinds of laws could al s o s et a precedent fo r ot h e r c o u nt r i e s i n E u ro p e a n d around the wor ld. However, for all that to happen, these laws will have to overcome many obstacles, the first and most cumbersome being existing free speech laws.

T he r ig ht to e x press opinions is ingrained in the French constitution.

The constitution states, “Any citizen may therefore speak, write and publish freely, except what is tantamount to the abuse of this liberty in the cases determined by Law.” Based on this, can catcalling be qualified as an “abuse” of this right? In my opinion, there is

potential for catcalling and other forms of street harassment to be considered as such in France.

Also, there is a risk that even if this law does get passed, it will be respected and policed the same way jaywalking is. Most people jay walk because, if they aren’t caught in the act, they won’t face consequences. I believe catcalling could fall into the same trap.

If someone isn’t caught in the act, they won’t face any repercussions. The law would be on the books in France, but I think it would serve more of a symbolic role than anything else.

Sy mb olic law s and movement s , like hashtags, have their advantages.

Take the women’s marches that happened around the world after Trump’s election, or the #MeToo movement. All these actions started conversations.

However, t hey al s o r un t he r isk of fading away. In my opinion, real and recognizable action, like this potential law, is needed for meaningful change to occur.

Laws like the ones being considered in France could be the beginning of that real change. However, I worry this is just a really nice idea that will calm peoples’ rage about sexual harassment rather than actually take a step towards solving a real and pervasive problem.

The fact that these powerful m ove m e n t s h ave c re a t e d s u c h a strong outpour of emotion and c au se d gove rnm e nt s to conside r new laws fosters great hope. But talking about it and actually get ting it done are ver y different things. The phr a s e “ac t ions sp eak louder t han words” rings true in this case. I don’t w ant to under mine how incre dible it is that people are star ting to have ver y open and honest conversations.

Talking about important issues is always helpf ul for get t ing t he b all rolling .

However, if real, enforceable action isn’t taken in some capacity, whether it be through education or, in this case, new laws being implemented, then we risk living in an endless cycle of talking instead of doing.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

20 theconcordian

JANUARY 16, 2018

20

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drivers, according to CBC News.

While valid points, I believe it’s also important to see the good that this legalization can bring. One major example is that, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine , medical marijuana could help combat the opioid crisis. Since 2015, the opioid crisis has become a dangerous problem for Canadians. In 2016, there were over 2,800 reported fatalities in connection to opioid overdoses in

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The legalization of marijuana in Canada is a major step in the country's history.

This is an issue that impacts society on a fundamental level. In my opinion, how each province handles and adapts to the changes resulting from this legislation will be an important part of the transition.

In July 2018, the Quebec government will officially recognize Bill 172. This bill introduces the legalization of marijuana, along with several key points. Firstly, the legal age to purchase and consume marijuana will be 18 in Quebec, according to CBC News. Secondly, the bill prohibits the growing of marijuana for personal use or growing it for commercial use if it is conducted outside the laws established by the provincial government.

Additionally, under the bill, marijuana can be smoked in areas permitting tobacco smoking, but it will be strictly forbidden to smoke on the property of an educational institution, according to the same source. And, of course, driving under the influence will still be against the law. Anyone caught driving while under the influence, or suspected of being under the influence, could have their license suspended for 90 days or even face jail time, according to CBC News.

Concerned citizens and several Quebec officials are ED still hesitant about the idea CR ITOR ed ISTIN -INito C of legalizing marijuana. Some r@ A S HIE the AN F c on ZA believe that by legalizing it, younger M co A rdi G R N AG an. citizens could be influenced to co E I ma GO NG m nag RY ED pick up the habit, according to the ing@ TOD ITOR

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Canada, according to The Globe and Mail.

Portugal is one example of successful marijuana legalization. Since 2001, the country has legalized all drugs up to a certain amount, including marijuana, and each legal limit varies per drug. According to Sensi Seeds, a cannabis seed marketing company, carrying up to 2.5 grams of marijuana is legal in Portugal. However, trafficking and cultivating marijuana is still illegal and could result in jail time, according to the same source. Portugal has seen several advantages, including a decline in drug overdoses. Within the European Union, Portugal has the second lowest rate of fatal overdoses, according to the Washington Post.

Make no mistake—I am not saying we should be legalizing all drugs. I am saying that legalizing marijuana may have the potential to do some good within certain communities. By following and adapting our policies to the examples set by the legislations in other countries, Quebec can create policies that provide strict safety and security regulations for marijuana. There is also a potential benefit to people’s health, especially when considering the opioid crisis. mi However, such a sensitive xc issue requires patience. While I lou wouldn’t say no to the idea, I am d.c om Miss saying that we need more time to /th ed finalize all the details and appeal a e_ to all the groups involved. In my co sho opinion, if we rush this process, nc w ord ? the consequences could result in ia n severe social backlash. for Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

Montreal Gazette. I believe these concerns are justified.

Even though marijuana will be legalized, the long-time criminal element associated with it remains, and law enforcement officials are striving to postpone its legalization date.

They are insistent that the bill must allow for stricter regulations when it comes to managing this new industry. This includes making sure companies and the health ministry have stricter security clearances for employees to avoid introducing organized crime into the legalized marijuana industry, according to the National Post. Many law enforcement officials also believe police require additional training and resources— besides the saliva test, which has yet to be federally regulated—in order to identify and handle impaired