The Concordian - February 28th, 2017

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

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VOLUME 34, ISSUE 21 | TUESDAY, FEB. 28, 2017

theconcordian.com  /theconcordian  @theconcordian

theconcordian

Bringing home the gold

The Concordia Model United Nations returns from conferences and talks future plans News p. 3 also in this issue

life

arts

music

sports

opinions

Valérie Poulin at Embracing two The life of a nightlife Living as women The intense sport entrepreneur p.6 of colour in L.A. p.8 MTL en Lumière p. 13 of axe throwing p.15 unique identities p. 17

news

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

CITY IN BRIEF CRISTINA SANZA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Man who raised $800,000 for cancer treatment dies A Montreal man died Monday morning after dealing with several bouts of leukemia, according to the Montreal Gazette. Matthew Schreindorfer, 27, was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Schreindorfer was known for raising $800,000 through his crowdfunding campaign, HelpSaveMatthew. com, in just a matter of days, according to the same source.

The money was used to pay for experimental cancer treatment in New York in 2014.

However, nine months later, he relapsed.

P.K. Subban to receive national honour Former Montreal Canadiens hockey player P.K. Subban will be presented with a prestigious award on Wednesday morning, according to the CBC. Gov. Gen. David Johnston will be visiting the P.K. Subban Atrium at the Montreal Children’s Hospital to give Subban a meritorious service decoration—an award given to recognize exceptional deeds that honour Canada.

Subban is being awarded for his 2015 pledge to raise $10 million for the hospital, stated the CBC. He has currently raised $1.4 million through his foundation, P.K.’s Helping Hand.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Complaint against eCorcordia affiliate JMSB graduate says he was mistreated by co-workers, manager at KnowledgeOne

CHLOE RANALDI CO-NEWS ASSISTANT Immediately after graduating, Mounir (a pseudonym used to protect his identity), a JMSB student in his 20s, was offered a job at KnowledgeOne. KnowledgeOne is the exclusive learning developer for Concordia University’s online accredited courses for eConcordia and Concordia’s Center for Continuing Education.

Mounir claims he was asked a number of questions during the interview process in August 2015 about the origin of his name and whether he was fasting during the summer months. Mounir moved to Montreal in 2001 from the Middle East and explained that his religious practices have never interfered with, nor been addressed at, his previous jobs. Mounir said he didn't question the interviewer at the time, as he didn't want to risk not getting the job.

“In the interview, I was asked whether the length of my beard was ‘because I was Muslim,’” Mounir said.

In the first week at his new job in a managerial position at KnowledgeOne, Mounir said he was physically isolated from other

people in the same field. There were instances where his colleagues made unusual and discriminatory comments towards him.

“Many of the promises made to me during the interview were not carried through,” he said. “I was not given an office, parking pass or other benefits they described which had influenced me to take this job.”

During his time at the company, Mounir said some of his colleagues and superiors would make racial slurs and discriminatory jokes about his Middle Eastern background.

Mounir recounted an instance when his colleague told him he did not need an office with a window because his skin colour was already dark enough.

“Colleagues and superiors perceived the way I dressed as an indication that I was homosexual, and would make unwanted jokes about my sexual orientation,” Mounir said. One colleague allegedly said, “[Mounir] can be a really cute gay brown guy—a rare type!”

Mounir brought his concerns to his supervisors as well as the company’s human resources department, but no action was taken. “I made several reports with Human Resources at the

company, but the situation never improved,” Mounir said.

Other instances of discrimination at KnowledgeOne included Mounir being left out of internal communication emails, and being ignored and excluded from meetings by a group of coworkers, Mounir said.

“It was a toxic work environment for me, and I was often treated like an outsider and isolated from my colleagues,” Mounir said.

“I began to work evenings and on weekends, when other employees were not in the office,” he said.

Although Mounir believes he performed well at work, he was fired in December 2015 for two reasons, one being entering a manager's office without permission, which Mounir claims is false.

“I went to the Concordia Student Union legal services at Concordia, and I was directed to the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRAAR),” Mounir said, in the hopes that he would be compensated for overtime work he had not been paid for and for the items in his office he was not permitted to retrieve.

CRAAR is a non-profit civil rights organization committed to promoting racial harmony and equality, according to its website.

The organization helped Mounir file a complaint at the Quebec Human Rights Commission for work discrimination.

“After losing his job, Mounir experienced significant financial and psychological pressures,” CRAAR said in a written statement.

“He was forced to drop out of a semester [of graduate studies] due to loss of income, which caused him to lose the entire academic year, and has faced difficulty and prejudice finding a new job in his area of expertise.”

CRARR is also demanding that KnowledgeOne instate a “policy against discrimination in the workplace, to be approved by the Commission, a training program for managers on equality in the workplace, andmandatory training for the latter on such requirements,” said Fo Niemi, CRAAR’s executive director.

“We take these claims very seriously. Currently, an ongoing internal investigation is being conducted regarding these allegations,” said Jennifer Friere, human resources director at KnowledgeOne. When asked for further details, Friere said “we cannot comment on or provide information about any of our employees, past or present.”

Trinity Memorial Church in NDG closes Trinity Memorial Church in NDG will be closing its doors after 90 years of service.

According to CTV News, lack of finances is the main reason for the closing. The NDG Food Depot, which is housed in the basement of the church, will consequently be moving to another location once the church is sold, reported CTV News. A farewell service was held on Sunday. The church first opened in 1923 and served Anglicans and various community members of NDG. It has the capacity for 1,000 people, although on average, 50 people were present during Sunday service.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

COVER STORY

A year of success for ConMUN

The Model UN delegation is already preparing for its upcoming application period

MEGAN HUNT CO-NEWS ASSISTANT Following an incredibly rewarding semester, the Concordia Model United Nations (ConMUN) is celebrating a number of recent victories and making plans for the future. The organization took home 12 awards at two conferences, including an award for Best Delegation at the 2016 Montreal United Nations Conference.

Throughout the year, ConMUN, the university’s official model United Nations organization participates in a number of simulation competitions, where delegates debate and propose solutions to hypothetical situations involving the United Nations.

Of the 12 Concordia delegates who participated in the Montreal conference in December, seven took home individual awards, including three for Best Delegate in various model UN situations.

The Best Delegation award was given to ConMUN, as they received the most individual awards out of all participating delegations. The group’s success carried into 2017 with a February victory at McMUN,

the McGill University Model United Nations conference.

After three days of conferences that simulated agencies within the UN and various historic events, four ConMUN delegates—Laura Galvez, Eleni Gkesoura, Julien Sinnet and Andrei Borchis—took home awards. Borchis also took home an Outstanding Delegate Award for his participation in a simulation of the Fall of Constantinople. According to Seeba Chaachouch, ConMUN’s VP of marketing social media, this is the first time the organization has received awards from both conferences.

“When the ConMUN delegation attends conferences, we represent the larger Concordia community,” said Julien Sinnett, ConMUN’s vice-president of special projects.

“We show everyone in and outside of Montreal, including attendees from high school, CEGEPs and universities, how hard-working we are and our academic propensity.”

While the conferences are just simulations, ConMUN remains focused on real-world solutions.

Throughout the fall semester, the delegation participated in a number of charity events, including a

Christmas gift drive for homeless Montrealers and a game night event at Concordia’s downtown Hive Café to raise money for UNICEF. Although the ConMUN delegation is proud of their recent accomplishments and philanthropic efforts, the delegation is already looking ahead to next semester, and focusing on recruiting ambitious and hardworking students to represent Concordia at future conferences.

Throughout the year, ConMUN offers training sessions for students interested in participating in conferences, as well as workshops to help students hone their debating, writing and public speaking skills.

Later this semester, ConMUN will be releasing an application form for students looking to join the delegation. Sinnett explained that, after the initial application, selected applicants will be chosen after participating in two model simulations similar to what would be expected during a conference. However, Sinnett insists that ConMUN is a welcoming organization.

“All are welcome to come to ConMUN…[the organization] is

important because [it] teaches people interpersonal skills and discusses important international issues,” Sinnett said.

In the meantime, students interested in joining ConMUN and representing Concordia at upcoming MUN conferences are welcome to attend training sessions from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays between Feb. 27 and March 12.

The sessions offer introductory information in applying to ConMUN, as well as writing and debating practice from seasoned ConMUN delegates. However, attendees are not obligated to apply and are welcome to use the sessions to help them with classes, other student groups or personal growth. The sessions are open to all students, regardless of department.

“We also have social events, including bake sales, where anyone can come and ask our executive team questions,” Sinnett said. Schedules for upcoming events will be available later in the semester, she added.

For more information, interested students can contact the ConMUN executive team at conmun@ gmail.com for more information.

ConMUN took home 12 awards at two conferences, including the award for Best Delegation at the 2016 Montreal United Nations Conference. Photos courtesy of ConMU.

theconcordian

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NATION IN BRIEF KATYA TEAGUE HEAD COPY EDITOR

Canada to join global abortion fund International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau will announce Canada’s intention to join a global safe-abortion campaign this week, she told The Globe and Mail. The international fund was set up in response to President Donald Trump’s reinstatement of a rule prohibiting the U.S. from financing any international organizations that fail to disavow abortion.

According to The Globe and Mail, Trump’s so-called “gag rule” will leave the safe-abortion campaign with a $600-million USD gap to fill.

So far, approximately 20 countries have indicated their support for the global fund.

UN monitoring U.S. refugees A human rights lawyer with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will arrive in Manitoba in the coming weeks to observe the recent influx of refugees fleeing the U.S. on foot. The lawyer, Azadeh Tamjeedi, told CBC News she plans to meet with asylum seekers, the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and refugee advocates in Winnipeg. However, she said the UN is not overly concerned with how Canadian officials have been handling the situation, and a recent visit from another UN lawyer to the border near Lacolle, Que., showed no issues with how asylum seekers were being processed, reported CBC News.

Quebec MP announces NDP candidacy Quebec MP Guy Caron announced his bid to join the NDP leadership race on Monday, making him the party’s third candidate, reported the National Post. During his address, the economist, who has represented the Rimouski area since 2011, pitched himself as a socialist with smart fiscal and economic policy ideas, according to the same article.

Caron has served as the NDP critic for natural resources, industry and, most recently, finance. His announcement came the day after Northern Ontario MP Charlie Angus announced his leadership candidacy.

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theconcordian

WORLD IN BRIEF SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

ASFA

ASFA to host annual internship fair

The student association’s sustainability committee invited local companies to the event Bush discusses importance of press In a recent television interview on NBC, former US President George W Bush stated a free media is essential in order to hold those in power accountable, according to BBC. "Power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive, and it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power,” Bush told NBC’s Matt Lauer. The subject was brought up in regards to CNN, Buzzfeed News, BBC and The New York TImes being banned from attending an off-camera informal briefing on Feb. 24 held by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

Tour trip around the moon to be available in 2018 World travelers will now have the option to travel around the moon within a week, being available in 2018, by company SpaceX. The trip will take two passengers around the moon, but it will not land on the moon, according to Global News.

“Next year is going to be a big year for carrying people to the space station and hopefully beyond,” Elon Musk told journalists, reported CNN. According to Musk, two people had approached the company and deposited a hefty amount, however Musk will not release the amount.

Herpes to aid in reducation of Carp population In an effort to control the Carp population, Australian wildlife officials have resorted to infecting the amphibious creatures with herpes to control the population. Carps are not indigenous to Australia and have been causing damages costing up to $500 million AUS every year, according to Rare, a news organization from Washington, D.C. This has greatly impacted locations such as Murray River, which runs through three provinces in Australia. Australian scientists at the country’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been testing a strain of herpes which will only impact carp. Once effective, the virus will kill an infected carp in one week, according to Rare.

ASFA hosted a local internship fair this month. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

NELLY SÉRANDOUR-AMAR CO-NEWS EDITOR The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) sustainability committee hosted their first local internship fair on Feb. 16 and are already looking into making it an annual tradition.

“I wanted a fair that mutually benefited students and local companies,” said Agunik Mamikonyan, ASFA’s vice-president of external affairs and sustainability. “These companies will benefit from the extra help that they can get from students who themselves need internships.”

The fair, which took place in the EV atrium from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., hosted multiple local companies and organizations, such as Engineers Without Borders, Campus Potager and ForUsGirls, among others. Some Concordia community organizations were also invited to come showcase their companies, including CUTV and Concordia Food. “At least a couple hundred students actually stopped and had conversations about the organizations and the internships opportunities that they offer,” said Morgan Crockett, who is part of the sustainability committee. The committee is

responsible for organizing events revolving around environmental, social and economic issues.

“People think that when an organization is local, there will be no internships offered and only volunteering, but there can be some really interesting internships,” Crockett said.

Mamikonyan said she wanted to organize the fair, because she realized students often look for work or internships in different cities or with different organizations outside of Montreal. “This fair is a way to show students that, instead of having to go work for a huge corporation or just having to move for the summer to work, they can actually help their community by staying in Montreal and working for the local companies,” said Mamikonyan.

Of the 10 companies present at the fair, Mamikonyan said each takes one or two interns for the summer, depending on their needs. “Unfortunately, some companies and organizations didn’t answer the invitation, which is why next year we will start planning earlier,” she said.

With this being a new ini-

tiative for ASFA’s sustainability committee, Mamikonyan said that every year they will have to improve it. “It’s one of those events that would work well on a yearly basis,” she said. “I would let the organizations know about it months ahead so they can have the staff ready to come represent the companies.”

She said this would also help ensure students can apply for these internships in time. Due to late scheduling, most of the companies’ internship deadlines had already passed by the time ASFA’s internship fair was held.

“I hope to improve the timeline by next year, since many of these places already had their interns chosen,” said Mamikonyan.

She believes that the fair should have the same impact as Quadfest, which is a social celebration that happens every fall semester at the Loyola campus.

“I think if we have Quadfest, we could have something more sustainably-oriented,” Mamikonyan said. “We are going into a future that is really defining sustainable development, which is why we should support the development of the community.”

CAMPUS

CARA hosts yoga fundraiser at JMSB

Classes were offered with an option to donate to the Fauna Foundation SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR

“We do a lot of tabling events, so we wanted to attract people in a different way and we know that the chimps actually do yoga sometimes, in their own ways,” said Lara Mackenzie, the event organizer and president of CARA. Mackenzie was referring to the way chimpanzees play flexibly—CARA has photos of the chimpanzees doing this on their

because the space is small.”

Katherine Millington, vice president of CARA said instructor Vittoria tailored the session towards students. Millington said Vittoria offered positions that would aid those that study for long hours or work at a computer for a long period of time.

The Gourmet Barn, which offers

volunteered there.

“I have worked around the chimps before, so knowing I can The Concordia Animal Rights give back in a little way through Association (CARA) welcomed Concordia and creating awareness all community members in Montreal for them is exactly what I hope to to participate in two free yoga do,” Mackenzie said. sessions on Feb. 27 led by Josephine This is CARA’s last fundraiser for Vittoria, a yoga instructor and the school year, but there will be the founder of NDG Yoga. more tabling events held within the During the semester. “We have event, CARA four more events accepted donaplanned focusing tions to the Fauna on encouraging Foundation, a nonpeople to adopt profit sanctuary a ve g a n d i e t,” in QC, Canada Mackenzie said. which offers a Some of these safe environment event s w ill b e for neglected and themed around abused farm and E a s ter an d St. domestic animals Patrick’s Day, she and former bioadded. medical research For those chimpanzees. looking to get The yoga ses- This is the second time CARA Concordia has held a Fauna Foundation yoga fundraiser. Photo by Savanna Craig. involved with sions were hosted CARA, the team on the third floor of the John Molson Facebook page. a healthy alternative to gourmet is looking to fill the incoming School of Business (JMSB) building, This is the second time CARA desserts, provided treats such as executive positions. Anyone who is which housed an inviting space has held a Fauna Foundation yoga brownies and cookies for yoga interested can send their CV and for those interested in donating or fundraiser. “We did it last year. It was participants to eat. reason of interest for application participating in a class. The first yoga pretty successful—we got about 20 Mackenzie said CARA works to caraconcordia@gmail.com. session started at 1:30 p.m., and 11 people to come,” Mackenzie said. with a lot of animal rights foundaMore information on future events participants were present. A second “This year, we’re trying to do two tions, but they were drawn to the held by CARA can be found on the class was offered at 3:15 p.m. classes, hopefully to attract more Fauna Foundation because she had CARA Facebook page.

theconcordian

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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LECTURE

Concordia speaker talks anti-Semitism

MIGS invited German anti-Semitism researcher Günther Jikeli to host the talk

Ha

cases of genocide.

Anti-Semitism, Jikeli said, is more common among Muslims than among the general European population.

Citing his own 2006 study for the Institute for the Study of Global Anti-Semitism and Policy, Jikeli said that Muslims in France, Britain, Germany and Spain were on average 10 times more likely than the general Jikeli addressed population to hold four distinct forms “very unfavorable” of Muslim views of Jews. anti-Semitism In Spain alone, 60 based on his own IAN DOWN per cent of Muslims survey of European STAFF WRITER held “somewhat Muslims. Photos unfavorable” or “very

by Ana Hernandez.

Anti-semitism expert unfavorable” views Günther Jikeli of Jews, according to challenged Concordia students Jikeli’s research. In a 2014 survey and faculty to confront Muslim- by French think tank Fondapol, European anti-Semitism in a more than half of French Muslims recent talk. felt Jews had too much influence “Muslim Anti-Semitism in in politics, the media and the Europe: What Changes Can Be economy.

Expected With The New Wave of Jikeli said there are currently 22 Refugees?” was presented to a million Muslims within the European dozen attendees on Feb. 23. The Union, representing 4.3 per cent event was organized by the Montreal of the total population. Seventy Institute for Genocide and Human per cent of them live in the U.K., Rights Studies (MIGS), a Concordia- France or Germany. based research group which Based on his own survey of advocates for genocide education European Muslims, Jikeli identified and government intervention in four distinct forms of Muslim

e v

anti-Semitism: hatred grounded in conspiracy theories about Jews and their influence, anti-Zionism that associates all Jews with Israel, ethnic narratives about Jews and Muslims being sworn enemies, and anti-Semitism with no clear foundation.

Jikeli said there is no correlation between anti-Semitism and economic status or education, areas in which European Muslims are often disadvantaged.

Despite these findings, Jikeli cautioned against sweeping generalizations. “[European Muslims] are very diverse and even in conflict

with each other very often,” Jikeli said. He also warned of European Islamist organizations which claim to represent Muslims, but are statistically viewed unfavorably by many European Muslims.

Jikeli identified other sources of Anti-Semitism in Europe as well, including far-right nationalism and anti-Zionism from the political left.

According to MIGS Executive Director Kyle Matthews, Jikeli’s findings are relevant for Canadians as well as for Europeans. “Mr. Jikeli’s research poses important ethical questions with regards to what is the best strategy to help

and assist refugees fleeing war and persecution,” he said.

Jikeli said in order to properly integrate migrants and refugees into Canadian society, Canadians must be aware of other nations’ struggles with respect to integration.

He also warned that antiSemitism is a global phenomenon.

“I think people don’t want to face that there is, today, antiSemitism among Muslims, but also among non-Muslims,” said Jikeli. “To face it is difficult, challenging, because then we have to think sometimes about our own society.”

o t b h e c t o i n ? r n a i a

We can help!

The Concordian was excited to launch our first-ever radio show on CJLO 1690AM this semester. Host of The Concordian Radio Show, Alex Cole is giving a radio production workshop that will cover the basics of radio journalism and the skills you'll need to report for us on air.

{

Where?

Our office is at the Loyola campus, room CC-431 (behind the G-Lounge).

When?

Friday, March 3 at 1 p.m.

life

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

NIGHTLIFE

The name behind your Montreal nights out Zach Macklovitch talks Saintwoods and his rise up the nightlife ladder ZOE DOBSON STAFF WRITER If you live in Montreal and enjoy all the city’s nightlife scene has to offer, the name Zach Macklovitch undoubtedly rings a bell. At 26, he and his partner, Nathan Gannage, have successfully made St-Laurent Street the go-to place for the best parties.

Their promotional brand, Saintwoods, takes on an array of roles including event curation, artist management, design and branding for bars and clubs around the city.

The duo also co-owns Suwu, Apt. 200 and École Privée, all hot-spot bars in the Plateau.

Walking into the interview, I expected to meet a young, successful guy with a big ego and the words “big shot” written across his forehead. To the contrary, I was faced with an extremely gracious entrepreneur.

“I’m blessed,” Macklovitch said. “I don’t think about my failures or successes very often because until you’re at your peak, it doesn’t make a difference.” This humble tone carried throughout the interview, perhaps one of the crucial reasons for his rapid success.

“I started working in clubs at around 16 years old. Montreal was different back then—it was easy to get into trouble and I did,” he said. Despite his “bad boy” side, Macklovitch is also a self-proclaimed nerd—a participant of Model UN—an academic competition where students learn about diplomacy and international relations—and a graduate from Concordia on the honour roll with a BA in political science and philosophy.

“I got to university thinking I didn’t want to be a club promoter forever.

Fast-forward, and I have ended up in the same industry. But I like to think I took the critical thinking I learned and applied it to what I do,” Macklovitch said.

By 21, the entrepreneur held the title of marketing director at TIME nightclub, and had just met Gannage, who started the Saintwoods brand straight out of McGill University.

Over the next few years, the venues grew and evolved. “We [organized] deep house shows at Velvet, and rap concerts at TELUS Theatre and Belmont,” Macklovitch said.

Their names were now on club promoters’ radars. The popular dance club New City Gas approached the team with the following Macklovitch in a shoot for The Main MTL (left) Photo by Philip Tabah.

Inside of Macklovitch’s bar, Suwu (right)

task—get Anglophones under 27 excited about t he venue. T hank s to t heir promotional abilities and entrepreneurial mindset, they succeeded.

By 23, Macklovitch had already opened Suwu, and was onto his next venture: Apt. 200.

Today, both bars are known for their unique atmosphere. Macklovitch said he pulls inspiration from the places he’s travelled, such as New York, parts of Europe and Toronto, for the look and vibe of his bars.

Macklovitch said Suwu aims to create a friendly neighbourhood vibe for the lower Plateau. Apt. 200, on the other hand, focuses on a house party vibe.

“People wanted a higher-energy place but they didn’t want to be at a nightclub,” Macklovitch said.

Success often comes with challenges.

But for Macklovitch, these challenges only fuel him. Initially, École Privée drew inspiration from the underground scene Macklovitch experienced in Berlin and Paris. He wanted to bring this scene’s vibe to the mainstream.

“I think we understood our level of success when we started getting inter nat ional at tent ion ,” h e s aid .

Macklovitch attributes a great deal

of his accomplishments to his tightknit team. Part of that circle includes Alex MacTavish, Saintwoods’ director of operations. Mactavish attributes Macklovitch’s rise to success to both his work ethic and personality.

“He’s always working, even when it looks like he’s not. That kind of hustle always pays of f in the long-r un,” Mactavish said.

But the nightlife industry isn’t easy.

While a club might be all the rage one day, it is likely to be beaten out the next.

Trends change and people follow—begging the question: will the brand Zach has created be able to survive?

Mactavish said it’s all about “staying ahead of t he cur ve.” He b elieve s Saintwoods’ “ability to identify and react to cultural trends is crucial.”

Macklovitch confirmed Saintwoods is always looking to expand. With a lifestyle merchandise brand recently released and an upcoming branded vodka, it is clear Macklovitch is planning for the future.

Perhaps he has found the key to longevity in this fast-moving industry— going against traditional business structures and reinventing Montreal nightlife.

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

theconcordian

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COLUMN

Bartender Banter: A guide to enjoying whisky Learn about what it is, how to drink it, how to mix it, how to like it DANIELLE GASHER LIFE EDITOR

scotch is made mostly from malted barley, bourbon is made from corn. In my opinion, bourbon is a good starting point for whisky beginners. Steer clear of Knob Creek in the beginning, it’s intense. I recommend going straight for a bottle or glass of Woodford Reserve. It’s smooth but still has that woody taste I love. Bulleit Bourbon is versatile, and has a bit of a spicier taste. Bourbon is lovely straight or over ice.

The first time I tried to like whisky, I was 13. I had just finished watching the Godfather. I wanted more than anything to be as badass as those mobsters, a cigar in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. Needless to say, it didn’t work out as well as I thought it would. I took a swig of Canadian Club, and thought I had burned my tongue and throat to the point of never tasting again.

I gave up on the dream, but tried again when I was 16, this time with some bourbon over a single ice cube. Since then, it’s been nothin’ but love for whisky.

Here is my guide to enjoying whisky.

What cocktails can I make with whisky?

If you’re less into the sweet stuff, a classic whisky cocktail is an Old Fashioned. · 1 ½ ounces of your favourite whisky · One sugar cube · A few dashes of Angostura bitters · A few drops of water

So what is whisky?

Whisky is a distilled alcohol made from fermented grain mash. Sounds tasty right?

Different varieties of whisky depend on the grain used and whether or not the grain is malted.

What are the different kinds of whisky?

There are many kinds of whisky, and different variations within each kind. You can get malt whisky, grain whisky, blended whisky, single pot still whisky, bourbon whisky, rye whisky and corn whisky.

Tell me about scotch Scottish whiskies, also known as scotch,

Shake the mix dry and pour it over ice, an orange slice and a maraschino cherry in a rock glass.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

are made from grain or malt. If you want to explore scotch but are just starting out, I recommend trying a good glass of Macallan Amber or Gold. The Gold is a little lighter and fruitier than the Amber, but both are good and good-quality options for starting out. That being said, I prefer smokier, heavier options like a Lagavulin 16 Years or a Laphroaig.

Experts believe in drinking scotch ‘neat’, which means sipping it straight, without ice or water. Some use a few drops of water to “open up the flavour.” Personally, I drink my scotch with whisky stones—stone cubes that keep the drink cold without diluting it.

Tell me about bourbon Bourbon is an American whisky. While

If that sounds a little too rough for your taste buds, a whisky sour is another great option. · 1 ½ ounces of your favourite whisky · ½ lemon, squeezed · Sugar or simple syrup to taste · One egg white Shake the ingredients vigorously in a shaker with ice. Rim a rock glass. Pour over ice and a slice of lemon.

BOOKS

Some reading week reads reviewed A touching war story, an inspiring self-love book and a guide to not giving a f*ck L’Orangeraie- Larry Tremblay

The Mastery of Love- Don Miguel Ruiz

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- Mark Manson

Larry Tremblay’s French-language book is more than just a novel about war and terrorismL’Orangeraie is a story about faith and commitment.

The story follows two children, Ahmed and Aziz. For the twins, the same religion that taught them how to love, will tear them apart. While their native land is being bombarded a mysterious man approaches the family with an uncanny decision: one brother will have to sacrifice his life for Allah.

This book is an amazing reflection on war from a child’s perspective. The author addresses timely topics such as terrorism, suicide bombers and love with nuance and delicacy. Tremblay does so without falling into heavy melancholy. L’Orangeraie is the kind of book that leaves you speechless. This ethic drama will easily tear at the core of your morality.

While this book is available in English, I recommend reading it in French. This fictitious story takes place in the Middle East, in a region with a French colonial background. Reading the novel in French will make you feel closer to the characters, while giving the whole story more realism.

The Mastery of Love, by Don Miguel Ruiz, is a self-help book that centres on human relationships.

The book explores how humans possess certain fears and assumptions that undermine their ability to love themselves and those around them.

When my friend lent me this book, I was skeptical and unsure about the insight it would give me. I was wrong—I completely adored this book. The author really knows how to convey his message through a personalized vocabulary that made me feel comfortable and serene. Ruiz’s writing is straight-forward and educational. He has this ability to show compassion and love towards the reader. His analogies were helpful, enabling me to reflect on my life and surroundings.

I highly recommend this book to ever yone. It alleviated some of my personal fears about self-consciousness, social pressure, love and expectations. Ruiz is excellent at making you look at yourself and your loved ones throughout a brighter lens.

This gem is the antihero of the self-help section.

In a charmingly crude manner, Mark Manson sheds light on something he believes is holding us all back in life: giving too many f*cks about the wrong things. Manson breaks down certain life situations, social constructs and behaviours people get wrapped up in, to show us how toxic we can be to ourselves. The writing style of the book is concise, raw and humourous. In just under 200 pages, Manson reminds you to pick your battles, that you’re not special and that mortality is inevitable. This book is the perfect light read to help you keep yourself in check. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a tough-love friend that you can conveniently carry around in your bag.

SANDRINE PELLETIER - STAFF WRITER

MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

DANIELLE GASHER - LIFE EDITOR

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com TIFFANY LAFLEUR

CINEMA POLITICA

Ovarian Psycos: channeling anger into progress New documentary tackles issues of sexual violence and gender inequality

MAGGIE HOPE ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR One in three women will experience physical and/or sexual abuse in their lifetime.

Ovarian Psycos, a documentary that will be shown at Cinema Politica on March 6, uses this fact to drive the entire film. The documentary follows a bicycle brigade of womxn of colour, female-identifying individuals and gender nonconforming people in East L.A. The brigade serves as a refuge for individuals who identify as outcasts from society, and need a safe space and community to go to.

They organize bike rides and demonstrations around L.A. as a way to raise awareness about gender inequality, sexual violence, and murdered and missing womxn of colour, to name a few.

The film follows several members of the Ovas—which is short for Ovarian Psycos—from the founder, Xena de la X, to a new member, Evie. It sheds light on the difficult reality of living as womxn of colour in L.A. and dealing with traditional, post-colonized Mexican family expectations.

Xena was subject to relentless abuse as a child, which motivated her to create a safe space for womxn of colour to heal and act together. She came up with the idea of the Ovas not only to support those in need, but also as a united force to protest against the social injustices she had faced. Evie, a 21-year-old

New Cinema Politica documentary examines how a group in L.A is raising awareness about gender inequality.

second-generation Mexican womxn, said her mother did not understand why she joined a cycling group because she believed cycling was a sport for men and only men. Yet Evie found comfort and confidence in the Ovas by defying gender stereotypes and defining her identity outside of traditional constructs.

The Ovarian Psycos found their name by reclaiming their biology and female bodies as powerful, strong, defiant vessels through which to spread awareness and acceptance.

The members wear bandanas printed with symbols of ovaries over their mouths as a way to reclaim urban gang culture in an all-inclusive, coloured, female context. They ride through the dark streets of L.A. howling, chanting and laughing as they go. Xena explained that, by

channeling their anger and frustration into a progressive, active movement, they are able to release their inner “psychos” and confront patriarchal oppression in a public space.

The Ovas vow to always have love for their “sisters” and to keep their “spirits always rebellious.” By maintaining a safe community, they are able to gather large numbers and act as a powerful collective unit.

There is also a strong history of civil rights movements in East L.A., which the Ovas recognize, and they acknowledge their responsibility to continue it. Drawing inspiration from the Chicano Movement of the 1960s, the Ovas aim to recognize the historical oppression of Mexican Americans

and reclaim racial violence that they were and are still subject to.

Due to the specificity of their movement and their experience dealing with intersectional oppression, the Ovas have received backlash from some members of the surrounding society. This opposition only fuels their desire to spread awareness of societal oppression of womxn and womxn of colour, and the realities of living as a minority in American society.

Cinema Politica will be showing Ovarian Psycos on Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. in room H-110. Entry is by donation.

Writer’s note: The term “womxn” is a feminist term to differentiate women from the “man/ men” part of the word.

FILM

A Cure for Wellness: Style over substance

Gore Verbinski's latest horror film is nice to look at, but the story lacks interest ROMINA FLORENCIA ARRIETA STAFF WRITER Gore Verbinski's latest film, A Cure For Wellness, falls into the trap of focusing so much energy on making the film look pretty, that it’s not interesting.

The film was written by Justin Haythe and stars Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs and Mia Goth. It is set in a surreal “wellness centre” located in the remote Swiss Alps. Lockhart (DeHaan), an ambitious Wall Street broker and the epitome of the movie banker cliché, must leave his busy life in New York to retrieve his

company’s CEO from this secluded location after receiving a strange letter.

As one would imagine, there is something amiss in this hospital, as all the patients seem to be under the influence of a mind-controlling substance. As the plot advances, weird and sometimes downright ridiculous situations unfold as our protagonist looks for his business partner and, consequently, a reason to leave this unsettling place.

The main issue with this film A Cure for Wellness is its lack of effective pacing and sacrifices an interesting editing. The movie drags for 150 story to make an aesminutes and the audience can feel thetically pleasing film. every second of its runtime. Nothing happens for several scenes, and the biggest scares come from the perpetual nudity of the senior patients. Suspense-building music is used in a very frustrating manner. One scene uses a 30-second musical build-up to reveal a lipstick, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer lack of competence from the film’s director.

Moreover, most of the film’s twists were revealed in its trailers, aside from one disturbing and unnecessary incestual subplot. There is little to no explanation for this awkward narrative device, which ends with the most unpleasant sex scene I’ve had to watch

in recent memory. There is a feeling of hatred towards the viewer, and the director seems to be playing a sadistic game with his audience.

The only good aspect of the film is its artistic direction—the sets are interesting and showcase compelling visuals. Despite the loathing I have for this cinematic mess, I must recommend it for those who love poorly-executed and overly-pretentious vanity projects, as some scenes in this flick have to be experienced just for the sake of “it’s so bad it’s good” entertainment. I, on the other hand, prefer my viewing experience to be devoid of such sadomasochistic elements.

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FILM

The Great Wall : Fictionalizing history

The film explores a legend behind the construction of the Great Wall of China TIFFANY LAFLEUR ARTS EDITOR What if instead of protecting China against a Mongolian invasion, the Great Wall had actually been erected to protect against mythical creatures that devoured everything in their path?

That’s the premise of The Great Wall, director Zhang Yimou’s first English cinematic epic set in a mythical China. Written by Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro, the fantasy film stars Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Andy Lau and Pedro Pascal.

European mercenaries William (Damon) and Tovar (Pascal) find themselves embroiled in a clash between humans and monsters after stumbling upon the Great Wall in their search for gunpowder.

The wall is buzzing with activity, as thousands upon thousands of soldiers, their armor colour-coded according to their branch, prepare for the biggest battle of their lives. The Chinese Nameless Order—the protectors of the wall—have had 60 years to prepare for the invasion of the Tao Tei—gluttonous green monsters with gaping maws that devour everything in their path. Not only are these monsters impossibly hungry, they are also intelligent and capable of learning. William and Tovar find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, on the eve of the greatest clash between humans and beings of myth.

This film is a typical action film, with a peppering of historical accuracy and a whole lot of creative interpretation. The visual elements of the film are one of its strongest attributes. It is exciting, eye-popping and masterfully conducted, complete with sweeping landscapes and fast-paced

action sequences that draw the viewer in.

An interesting aspect of the film is that it doesn’t present a case of whitewashing.

Chinese roles are played by Asian actors, and white actors play the roles of European tradesmen. It is a cultural cross-over rather than a hijacking. In that regard, the film succeeds where others, such as Gods of Egypt, have failed.

This is not one of Damon’s best performances. His accent—whether it’s supposed to be British or Irish is hard to tell—ebbs and flows during the movie, as if he’s still trying to figure it out himself.

He delivers a decent performance, yet his character seems much more demure and restrained than other roles he’s played in the past, such as Mars scientist extraordinaire Mark Watney in The Martian.

But maybe his lackluster performance isn’t a bad thing. Damon’s character is a hero and central figure in the story, but he

The Great Wall explores one of the legends behind why the Great Wall of China was built.

is not the hero. Although he has a hand in helping end the invasion, he is not the white European man who single-handedly saves the day. His character acts more as an entry point for Westerners into the story.

Is The Great Wall great? No. Is it

terrible? No. It strikes a chord somewhere in the middle. It is still a good film despite its shortcomings and lack of solid plot. It’s the type of movie you know not to have too high expectations

CREATIVE WRITING

"Is it Okay?" A student’s creative response Concordia student examines the inner turmoil of coming to terms with oneself NATHAN LEBLANC CONTRIBUTOR Is it okay to be gay? I can no longer contain what I like deep inside; living day to day like it is one big lie. I’m engaged in a major battle; having to choose between watching men or women is the ultimate struggle. I know which one I prefer, but will anyone understand me? I have nothing against women, don’t get me wrong, but I feel lost and out of sync with them and I know deep down that men are my true compass. The media is harsh to people like me, which in turn creates anxiety and criticism in every place that I’ll be. How will all my loved ones react when they find out the one thing on my mind is men, men, men. I pray to God every night for the answer to the question I’ve been trying to find: is it alright to be gay? And if it is, why m ust I play th is d ail y c harad e?

Everyone—man or woman—should decide how to be, without having to face the constant, over whelming

scrutiny. I love fashion, I love my chinos, I love my beanie, and, in fact, I also love my feminine glasses. I can’t change what I love, as it is a big part of me and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love a cute boy in tight jeans? I have come to the realization that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, because I will marry a man and live happily. Whether it is in this country or halfway around the world where the wedding might take place, I will always know that my life will be complete, as I’m standing beside the human being whom I am no longer afraid to appreciate. The truth is gender issues are no joke.

They hurt, they intimidate and you lose all hope. However, today is the day that I make a stand, to be true to myself and say who I am. Gender issues can’t take my identity, as I’m still a human being and I deserve to be free. I’m walking out of the closet and into the light to live how I want— with a man by my side.

Graphic by Thom Bell.

feature FEATURE

Bringing improvisation to the classical music world Part-time vocal instructor Irene Feher brings out the musicality in all her students

Irene Feher is a part-time vocal teacher at Concordia.Photo

by Cristina Sanza.

“It’s not about making a bunch of cookie-cutter singers. It’s about having these individuals bring what they already have to the table, and making that grow. It’s the diversity of the Concordia students that makes it a very exciting atmosphere."

CRISTINA SANZA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF As I prepare my recorder for the interview I’m about to have with part-time music professor Irene Feher, she takes a seat at the grand piano in the room. We’re in a music class in the MB building. “I’ll be comfortable sitting here,” she says, as her fingertips glide across the piano keys. The lights above her illuminate her body, which sits tall and straight at the piano bench. She begins to improvise a few piano chords while humming.

A few bars later, she is singing a series of oohs and ahs. There’s no method to how she’s doing it—it is free, it is random. But there is a power—a meaning, a feeling—in the jibberish.

I knew by the goosebumps running down my arm, and the wide-eyed gaze I had listening to the combination of sounds. And that, Feher would say, is the art of improvisation in music.

Improvisation wasn’t a big part of Feher’s life until a few years ago. But coincidentally, her late aunt, Annie Brooks, used to improvise all the time when she was young.

“Annie used to spontaneously break out into song,” Feher said. “And it’s funny because

I feel the importance of it more now than I did when I was experiencing it in the moment.

She could sing and improvise... It was just astonishing to listen to the breadth of her expression, and the colours she would put into her voice.” She was one of Feher’s early musical influences.

“Music has just been in my life for as long as I can remember. It’s kind of a clichéd statement that people make, that you don’t choose a music career—the music chooses you,” said Feher.

Originally untrained vocally, she learned to sing through being in bands. In the 80s, Feher performed regularly and went on tour, singing a lot of dance and rock music. She had a popular music background, but the now mezzo-soprano had a limited range at the time. “[I was] singing a lot of guy stuff, you know the very deep black velvet type singing,” she said, mimicking a deep voice.

“But I had so much guts. I just went for it.”

Ultimately, she found the bar scene too tiring and unstable. In 1990, Feher began taking vocal lessons with classical music teacher Huguette Tourangeau, to help expand her range and improve her voice. Through Tourangeau, she discovered the world of

classical music.

Classical music simply spoke to Feher. “I remember Huguette telling me, ‘you have a classical soul,’” said Feher.

Five years later, Feher made the courageous choice of going back to school at 30—to study music at Concordia. Her decision was met with disapproval from her father, who thought she should do something more practical, like an office job. However, Feher strongly felt she needed to pursue music.

“I knew I wasn’t going to have a big classical music career, I started way too late.

But I knew whatever the outcome would be, I’d be much happier,” she said.

“I was probably one of the few 30-somethings who would be getting up in the morning saying ‘I’m going to school, oh my God!’ I felt like a kid,” she said with a big, bright smile. “I couldn’t wait to get to class. Concordia was just this place that allowed me to foster my passion, and not feel judged.”

She noted one of her professors, Beverly McGuire, as someone who had great influence on her, because they came from similar backgrounds—in popular music. “A lot of the people who go straight into classical

training either have parents who are classical performers, or they’ve been exposed to [classical] music all their lives, or they’ve been studying from a very young age… I didn’t have that,” she explained. “My hero at the time was Barbra Streisand.”

She now works alongside many of the professors who taught her, including McGuire.

Feher began teaching at Concordia in 2009.

Currently, Feher teaches one music course at Concordia called Private Study - Classical and Contemporary Voice, which is offered at various levels. She sees students individually for vocal lessons.

“It’s been a wonderful experience, because I see students from all kinds of different backgrounds, many of them having backgrounds resembling my own,” she said. She explained some students may be singer-songwriters, some may be actors wanting to learn music, some may have been playing gigs all their lives—they’re all unique.

She has learned a lot about her students over the years. “I’ve learned to listen to every student as an individual. By listening better, I’m trying to allow them to be the best individuals they can be. It’s not about making a bunch of cookie-cutter singers,”

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Before she became interested in classical music, Feher played in bands.

Photos from archive.

she said. “It’s about having these individuals bring what they already have to the table, and making that grow. It’s the diversity of the Concordia students that makes it a very exciting atmosphere.”

Within the part-time faculty union, Private Study teachers can teach a maximum of 12 students. This semester, Feher has 10 students. Feher explained part-time Private Study teachers are paid on an hourly basis, but only for the time spent in the classroom.

Feher said, however, there is a lot of work that goes on outside lessons, such as emailing students, preparing schedules, learning the pieces the students will be singing, among other tasks.

“I think there is less understanding university-wide of what goes on to make those lessons successful—what has to go on outside of those lessons,” she said. “If I were to offer a suggestion, I think all Private Study teachers should meet, and a consensus can be agreed upon as to an average number of hours that are actually put into class preparation, and that could be mandated into the contract.”

However, Feher said there are blessings to being a part-time professor. “When you’re part-time faculty, you can still lead that whole other part of your life, which is that of an artist.

I’m giving improvisation workshops, concerts, involved in some interesting research and I’m singing. So that’s the blessing.”

Prior to teaching at Concordia, Feher spent a lot of time at McGill, as she completed both her graduate and doctorate degrees in Voice Performance and Pedagogy, at The Schulich School of Music.

“McGill just opened up my eyes. It was a whole other experience because I really got the view of what formal classic training was,” she said, explaining it was also a bit of an intimidating experience. “I felt like an imposter.

I felt like I didn’t belong there. Because I didn’t have that [classical] background. Because I didn’t start music at a young age.” Regardless, she said she loved her experience at McGill.

During her doctoral studies, she discovered the world of vocal science—vocology—a rel-

atively new field about science and habilitation of the voice, through music professor Winston Purdy. At McGill, she was awarded the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) fellowship for her research on the use of visual feedback to instruct lyric diction.

She travelled to Austria to present her work.

While she was fascinated by the scientific aspects of the voice, Feher was itching to tap into her creative side again once she completed her doctoral degree. But, a big shift occurred in her musical life—she felt stumped by her own voice. When she would get up on stage to sing, or try to sing at all, she had difficulty—anxiety, tension and restrain. She said it got to a point where even other singers stressed her out.

“I loved my music, and I loved teaching, but there was a joy and a soulfulness that was missing for me. A part of me was not there,” she explained. “I think a part of that was my wanting so much to fit into that [classical music] expectation—and I placed the expectation on myself—of wanting to fit in and be a classical musician, because I had such respect for classical musicians.”

Feher took a short break from music to overcome her vocal difficulties and tension.

She turned to body work—yoga, meditation and the Feldenkrais Method—a type of exercise therapy aimed at improving flexibility, posture and reducing pain and tension.

In 2013, she came back to the musical world, in a new and exciting way. She went to her first session at Music For People, a non-profit organization with the goal to revitalize music-making through the art of improvisation. Feher said Music For People was an opportunity for her to go back to the

basics of what music was.

“My world was rocked,” she said. “All of a sudden something had broken open. It was what I was looking for.” The biggest lesson she learned from Music For People: there are no wrong notes.

“When I improvised, I was hitting notes that I hadn’t hit in years, in fact not at all in my classical singing,” she said. “Then when I’d go back and do the classical exercises, I couldn’t do the notes… I realized the inspiration was coming from inside of me…

How I feel in my body when I make music is so different now.”

She is currently part of the organization’s four-year musician leadership program, where she leads and coordinates group sessions.

Upon her graduation this fall, she will be a certified Music For People facilitator.

What Feher learned at Music For People helped her as a music teacher, and she includes improvisation-based exercises in her lessons now. “The training is not only improvisation, but in facilitation. Learning how to facilitate changed my teaching. Because it wasn’t about me imparting information.

It was about me enabling and bringing out the genius in the students,” she said. Feher is hoping university music programs will start integrating improvisation into formal music study.

Along with vocal challenges, Feher also openly discussed a visual challenge she has faced from birth—congenital cataract—the clouding of the eye lens, which results in impaired vision. When she was young, she was operated on to have the lenses removed from her eyes. She is legally blind, but has low vision—which is usually described as

“When I improvised, I was hitting notes that I hadn’t hit in years, in fact not at all in my classical singing.”

Irene Feher with Ricky Lee, in 1993 (left).

During part of her musical career, Feher played folk music in pubs (right). Photos from archive.

partial sight.

“That limited me to many jobs. I can’t drive, for example. I have to enlarge text by 300 per cent. I have certain challenges,” she said. “But, in many ways, not being able to take the safe route allowed me to take the brave route. I went for what I wanted to do.”

She felt it was important for her to touch upon her visual impairment, as many students she meets face challenges, too. Her advice: look for that one thing in your life that you love to do, that you can do for hours and hours, and do it. For Feher, that is music.

“Yeah, it takes me three times longer to read something than the average person.

But when I discovered that I had my little place in the sun, that I could sing a song in front of a group of people, that I could stand up in front of a group of people and have them all making music out of nothing, then I realized—it doesn’t matter that people can read three times faster than me,” she said.

“We all have our own individual talents. We often focus too much on what we can’t do, than what we can do.”

If there is one change she would like to see within the industry of music education, it’s for learning music to become more accessible, more mainstream. “I love virtuosity, don’t get me wrong. I have such appreciation for great artists,” she explained.

“But I believe if we have more people learning through making music together, communal music-making, I believe we would connect more with each other. I believe very strongly in the power of music to connect people.”

Other than teaching at Concordia, Feher also teaches a class at McGill and conducts singing lessons in her home studio, Living Your Music. She has been teaching privately at home since 1993. She accepts students of all levels, ages and musical styles.

This semester, she has also been facilitating a series of free improvisation workshops at Concordia called “Collabra-dabra-tory,” which take place every second Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in MB. 8.135. They are open to all students.

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. Several profiles will have accompanying videos on our website theconcordian.com.

This series came to life with the help of Lorraine Oades, VP of the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association (CUPFA).

music

Quickspins

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

1 FUTURE

MUSIC HISTORY

Future

Legendary African-American jazz

(Epic Records, 2017)

Influential African American jazz musicians in honour of Black History month

EMILY VIDAL ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR We’re in New Orleans, in the early 1900s.

An exciting new style of music has emerged, known as jazz. It is a style that is deeply-rooted in various African cultures. Jazz has always been evolving and was greatly influenced by a lot of African-American musicians.

Below are recommendations of legendary African-American jazz artists that have composed incredible music.

Louis Armstrong known as “Satchmo” or “Pops,” was an incredibly influential jazz trumpet player and singer whose career spanned from 1920 to 1960. He is one of the first scat singers and is responsible for its popularization. One of his most iconic singles is “What a Wonderful World,” and even though it was released in 1967, it is still popular half a century later.

Armstrong influenced some of the greats with his singing and trumpet-playing, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Armstrong is known as one of the most important musical figures in American history, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Miles Dewey Davis III Known as one of the great innovators of jazz. In a 2015 BBC poll, Davis was voted the greatest musician of all time.The American bandleader, trumpeter and composer was at the forefront of many stylistic changes in jazz music, from be-bop, to hard bop, to cool jazz,

to funk and techno. His five-decade career spanned from the 40s to the 90s. Throughout this time, he helped jazz music evolve so much that he is considered one of the most acclaimed figures in jazz history. In fact, he is known as one of the key developers of jazz music, and his accomplishments were highlighted in the recent film Miles Ahead (2015). One of Davis’ most recognized songs is “Stella by Starlight,” which was released in 1958. Davis has received eight Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Not only was she a prominent jazz pianist, composer and vocalist, but she began her career as a child musical prodigy. Even before she was in her 20s, she was writing and arranging music for bandleaders such as Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Williams was also a friend, teacher and mentor to legendary jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. One of her most popular songs is “Roll ‘Em” which was released in 1945. Williams’ legacy continues to this day, at the Mary Lou Williams Centre for Black Culture at Duke University.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington Ellington is highly praised for making jazz an art form. Not only was he one of the most recognized bandleaders, but he was a hugely popular pianist and composer. He has over a thousand compositions under his belt, with many of his works becoming part of the standard repertoire of jazz music. One of his most highly praised songs is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),“ which was released in 1943. Many artists, including Tony Bennett, have been influenced by this artist, and have covered his songs. Ellington has received many awards and honors for his music, including 13 Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a NAACP Spingarn Medal and is featured on a Commemorative U.S. quarter.

John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie Gillespie along with Charlie Parker, is recognized for ushering in the era of bebop in America. Dizzy founded Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz music. He also fused Afro-American jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms to form a Cubop sound. The artist toured the world, from Africa to Latin America, and brought many musicians back to America to play with him on stage.

While he incorporated many different styles of music from around the world into his performances, he was particularly drawn to music with African roots, as he was very proud of his heritage. One of his most recognized songs is “A Night in Tunisia.” The legendary jazz musician was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1982.

Atlanta rapper Future’s fifth studio album brings back the type of trap music no one wants to hear anymore. With artists like Migos, Travis Scott and NAV excelling with moody, atmospheric sounds, Future tries to push a more upbeat, hard-hitting flavour. However, just like an old bottle of Coke, the flavour falls flat. The album starts out with a banger called “Rent Money” which features Future delivering his signature triplet flow, while a heavy beat supports his voice in the background.

From that point on, the album degenerates into a directionless mess with no real appeal. Sure, the beats sound nice, but that isn’t enough to save the album. Future flows the same on almost every song, while delivering the same uninspired lyrics about money, drugs, fame and women.

Just by listening to one song, you’ve pretty much heard the entire album.

Future was once at the forefront of trap music, but now he’s outdated and has been surpassed by much more interesting artists.

11 Trial Track: “Super Trappers”

2/10

—Alexander Cole, Sports Editor

2 PSYCHOCIDE

Mary Lou Williams As the first female jazz musician to be ranked among the greatest jazz musicians of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a pioneer.

Alcohol + Bad Decisions

3. Louis and the Good Book

by Louis Armstrong (1958)

(Psychocide, 2017)

4. Bitches Brew by Miles Dewey Davis III (1970).

3 4

1

1. Zodiac Suite by Mary Lou Williams (1945).

2. Bird & Diz. Jazz album by Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie (1952)

Psychocide is the rock and roll band that will take you back to the early days of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus.

Their rock-on attitude in Alcohol + Bad Decisions will leave you wanting to jam out all night. “Crazy Janet” opens the album with high-energy guitar riffs reminiscent of old-school rock. Their tracks remind you of songs from RHCP’s earlier albums, such as, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. In “Mary,” you’ll hear a classic high-energy rock tune with electrifying guitar solos. This track is sure to make you nostalgic as you think about your favorite 80s and 90s rock bands.

Originally from NYC, Psychocide has now made Montreal their home. We can hear Montreal’s influence in their track “Mr. Suit,” with its mixture of French and English lyrics: “C’est quoi ça, chocolat!” Overall, the album captures the essence of classic rock—an excellent pick for a party playlist.

11 Trial Track: “Mary”

7.5/10 2

—Sandra Hercegová, Music Editor

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PROFILE

3 KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

Flying Microtonal Banana (Flightless/ATO, 2017) Australian psych-rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard brings forth an unusual psychedelic 60s rock-inspired album.

This record will take you on a hypnotizing trip to a place where world music fuses with psychedelic sounds. If you play this record at a social gathering, people will instantly ask where this music comes from. Their track “Billabong Valley” features the sitar guitar, a traditional musical instrument from India. The song blends psychedelic rock with traditional Indian music rather smoothly. “Open Water” also features the sitar guitar, but it’s complemented by 60s garage guitar riffs. Their track “Anoxia” also combines rock and world music that can put the best of us in a haze. In “Doom City,” you’ll hear a heavy bassline and various electronic and guitar sounds. It’s a confusing ballad that sounds bizarre and yet astonishing. Flying Microtonal Banana is a world of its own for us to discover.

11 Trial track: “Billabong Valley”

6.5/10 —Sandra Hercegová,

Music Editor

4 THE ORWELLS

Terrible Human Beings (Canvasback Music, 2017)

The Orwells might be Terrible Human Beings, but they have compiled an eclectic, grungy, rock and roll album. If you are a fan of grunge 60s rock, chances are you will be delighted with this playlist.

The American band from Chicago sounds just like typical young guys in a garage band expressing their teenage angst.

Their opening track, “They Put a Body in the Bayou,” has an interesting set of lyrics that might raise a few eyebrows: “Told me act your age, that’s why she’s underage, said her papa hates the Federales and when he drinks too much he smacks her face.” Song after song, each have a distinct 60s grunge aesthetic that leaves all tracks sounding similar.

Might be great on their own, yet, as an album, their ballads tend to sound repetitive. Overall, a great grunge rock album filled with vintage melodies and grungy guitar riffs.

11 Trial track: “They Put a Body in The Bayou”

6/10

—Sandra Hercegová, Music Editor

Valérie Poulin to rock Divan Orange Montréal en Lumière Festival invites local musician to perform her first EP, 1992-2016 SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ MUSIC EDITOR Every spring, the Montréal en Lumière Festival brings a multitude of shows to the city, highlighting local up-and-coming artists. This year, the festival invited singer-songwriter Valérie Poulin to perform at Divan Orange on March 1. She will be performing her first EP, 1992-2016, along with new songs she recently composed.

The EP has an old-school rock and roll, vintage and bluesy feel to it. Her lyrics, filled with passion and emotion, along with her raspy voice, give most people chills. Joining her on stage is her backing band which includes, bassist Étienne Duprès and drummer Thomas Sauvé.

Poulin moved to Montreal from Saguenay three years ago to pursue her musical career.

“Back home, I was studying to be an art teacher, and in the depths of my mind, I knew I was not doing the right thing. I really wanted to compose my music,” said Poulin.

Leaving her hometown for the big city was not an easy thing to do, as Poulin did not know many people here in Montreal.

However, she was pleased by the support the city has for young artists. “The music scene in Montreal is fantastic.There are so many artists in this city who are around my age—we relate together and we do shows together. We book shows and help each other out. It’s like a little community,” Poulin said.

According to Poulin, 1992-2016 is a compilation of the best songs she has composed in the last three years. “Creating the album has helped me progress spiritually.

It helped me find a way to express what was in the back of my mind and let my subconscious speak,” Poulin said. The title of the EP represents the end of an era for Poulin, who was born in 1992. “I was going through a phase, but I’m done now,” she said. “I am moving forward, I am making new songs, and they are very different from the songs on my EP.” Poulin’s lyrics are filled with relatableheartfelt stories, such as those of romance and heartbreak. She writes her songs based on her emotions. “When I find something that really speaks to me and I feel emotions that start moving inside of me, I just let it go.

I start writing and singing without thinking,” said Poulin.

According to Poulin, most of her songs are written through automatic writing — she writes what’s on her mind without second thoughts. She also composes songs with her bandmates, Duprès and Sauvé. “Sometimes, it takes a long time to compose a song because I really want it to have feeling in it. You can see it through the performances in my shows that

1992-2016 is local singer-songwriter Valérie Poulin’s first album. Photo courtesy of Valérie Poulin.

the music is very passionate,” Poulin said. For her, songs must have a meaning. “My music is very intuitive. If I have nothing to say, I won’t force it,” she said.

In 1992-2016, Poulin sings and plays electric guitar alongside Duprès and Sauvé.

“We always play as a trio. When I come to our jam, 80 per cent of the songs are ready, and they make their own arrangements. We have one or two songs we made together which is amazing because these guys are brilliant musicians,” Poulin said. While recording, the band brings in David Marchand, who plays the lap steel guitar.

Poulin and her musicians have been playing at venues in Montreal for the last two years.

They have already played at Divan Orange a few times. “It’s a lot of fun because we got much better in a short period of time. My musicians are also very active—they’re always going to practice at the studio and play with different bands. Our chemistry on stage can easily be seen when you see us perform,” Poulin said.

One thing Poulin made very clear is that she loves being on stage. She said it’s a place where she thrives and expresses herself completely through her music. “The audience can feel it too. We’ve had shows where people went hysterical, which surprised me,” she said.

Poulin’s most recent songs are very rock and roll and groovy compared to her EP, which is full of soft rock ballads. “The audience isn’t expecting these type of songs to be played at the show after listening to the EP,” Poulin said. Her new songs can be heard exclusively at her live shows — a surprise for fans. “I want to start recording them in the studio. My focus now is to raise money to record our new songs because they are

really good,” she said.

Recording 1992-2016 was Poulin’s first experience recording in a studio. “Working in a studio improved the songs. When you get to hear what you are doing, it’s then you realize, ‘oh, this is not working, but this works,’” she said. According to Poulin, being in the studio helped her improve her guitar and vocal skills.

For Poulin, inspiration comes from a multitude of places. “The things that inspire me are not even music most of the time. It’s more like the human itself, confidence that people give me, poetry, acting, places, arts,” she said.

Her song “En Rester La” was inspired and written based on Poulin’s love life. She had already composed the guitar riffs and instrumentals before the chorus. “As for the lyrics, I fell in love with someone and the person was in love too. There was a barrier for her and she couldn't go through it. But there was love—it was platonic love,” Poulin said. According to her, the song can be understood by imagining yourself walking with someone, holding their hand, thinking you are going somewhere together, when suddenly the person is not there anymore.

“You ask yourself, ‘where am I?’ In the chorus, I say: ‘C’est ou ici?,’” Poulin said. “You can hear it from the chorus that something sad is happening, but it’s mainly about that feeling of knowing that there is potential but that nothing is going to happen,” she said.

According to Poulin, spending a few years as a musician has made composing music and performing onstage an essential part of her life. “I just found out that I need it. I am filled with energy. When I perform, the energy circulates in a way that brings me release. I realized that I needed it, it is vital for me and, if I don’t have that, I go nuts,” Poulin said.

Poulin plans on working with her bandmates to record their latest songs, and to keep on performing as much as she can. “I would also like to be able to listen to my EP and not criticize myself—to listen to it with content and to be satisfied,” she said. “I want my musical path to be filled with love, good relationships and to share my passion for music. I do not want to lose my heart in the process.” öö Poulin will be performing at Divan Orange on March 1 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door.

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com ALEXANDER COLE ( @AlexCole_80)

ESPORTS

Exploring Concordia’s competitive Overwatch team

Students around campus are proving eSports are more than just video gaming

SABRINA AHN STAFF WRITER When reading any eSports article by mainstream sports media, you will see a range of opinions. Some argue eSports are legitimate sports—others not so much.

But the fact is, eSports is a growing industry and will likely stick around for a while.

Universities are committing to eSports.

There are diverse leagues, tournaments and scholarship opportunities popping up to support and fund competitive video gaming. For the past five years, Concordia has been developing an eSports association for those who want to play competitively against other universities.

The Concordia University eSports Association hosts different games, but is currently focusing on their Overwatch roster after earning favourable results in a couple of tournaments since the beginning of the school year.

This begs the question—what is Overwatch? The game is a team-based objective first person-shooter, which basically translates to two teams of six, composed of various characters, trying to win an objective over their opponent.

The game came out in May 2016 and is still new compared to other competitive games, like Counter-Strike. The Concordia team was formed in September 2016.

On the weekend of Feb. 10, Concordia’s Overwatch team competed at LAN École de Téchnologie Supérieure (ETS), an eSports tournament held at Place Bonaventure.

They placed in the top eight out of 41 competing teams.

“I loved the game and thought maybe making a team would let me enjoy [it] even more,” said Camilo Perez, the captain and coordinator of the Overwatch team. He and

teammate Johnny Mak met in CEGEP Concordia’s and managed to eSports team get students of made it to the top the same skill eight at LAN ETS level together to a few weeks ago. create a competPhotos by Sabrina itive gaming team Ahn. at Concordia.

When building the team, Perez said it was important to take players’ personalities into account. If someone is toxic in the game and to their teammates, he explained, they would not be accepted, even if they play at a high skill level.

“Having someone like that in the team wouldn’t make for a good environment,” Perez said.

“It’s really a team effort. So at our level of play, if someone makes a mistake, the whole team suffers,” Mak said.

Support player and shot-caller Alex Patton agreed. “We really have to trust each other,” Patton said. “Mistakes are heavy. Especially against good teams, any little mistake that we make we get punished for it.”

Their first tournament was the Tespa Collegiate Series, a web-based intercollegiate competition where participants can win up to $20,000 in scholarship money.

“We played against other universities in the [U.S.], and that tournament is what sparked my interest in making the team more competitive,” Perez said. The team finished among the top eight of all the participating Eastern universities.

Since there isn’t a university league like U SPORTS for video games, the Concordia Overwatch team only participates in tournaments, such as LAN ETS or Tespa.

To stay at their best and to build team

chemistry, they practice two to three times a week.

Perez is the one who schedules scrimmages and practices for the team. “I set up a schedule for practice and everyone shows up. And that’s the law,” Perez said with a laugh. These practices are mostly against other Overwatch teams, such as their Université de Montréal rivals.

Yet, even when they’re not practicing, they still play the game. “We don’t necessarily have to always play together,” Perez said. “Even when we’re not practicing, we play by ourselves.”

“We [have substitute players], but we’re usually available,” Patton said when asked if the team has any backup players in case of absence or illness. In one of their tournaments, the Concordia University eSports Association vice president, Dimitri

Kontogiannos, had to sub in for one of the players who was at a curling tournament.

Overall, the team has had their fair share of success in the short amount of time they’ve been together. They placed among the top eight twice in different tournaments, and won a series at Meltdown, a Montreal gaming café.

“I guess we can confidently say on record that we’re probably the best university in Quebec for Overwatch,” Perez said.

Going forward, the team has plans to stream some of their games online for fans to watch, once they find someone to voice the games. The Concordia Overwatch team is now focused on the Ligue Cyber Espoirs, an intercollegiate Montreal-based tournament in April, hosted by the Fédération québécoise de sports électroniques.

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

S

How to get into axe throwing in Montreal Rage Montreal is the perfect place to explore your wild side

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PORT

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RECREATION

theconcordian

Rant of the Week

BY ALEXANDER COLE

HABS STILL NEE WORK

D

Let’s face it, the Habs have been playing terribly lately.

They started the season on a high, winning 13 of their 15 games, but since then, the team has lost more games than they’ve won, according to NHL. com.

RAFAEL FIGUEROA CONTRIBUTOR Here’s something you might not know— you don’t need to trek three hours into the frigid, rural Quebec countryside to get in touch with your inner gruff, wild and unhinged self. No, as a matter of fact, all you need to do is stop by Rage Montreal, one of the cit y’s only axe throwing playgrounds located in an urban setting.

Naturally, axe throwing begs a few questions. This is really a thing? Alright, then how do you play? Is it fun? How does it work? Do I run the risk of minor to serious amputation? These are all valid concerns, of course.

Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Berri-UQAM metro on Amherst Street, you’ll find Rage Montreal, the city’s premier axe-throwing facility. Entering the space, it quickly dawns on you that this place is no joke. You’re immediately greeted by rustic chain-link fences that divvy up the multiple battered and splintered target zones, while the distinct smells of sawdust and wood chips invade your nostrils.

Then, of course, there are the weapons themselves. Gimli from Lord of the Rings would look on in admiration at the number of axes and hatchets of all shapes and sizes lining Rage Montreal’s walls.

You descend the stairs of this lumberjack utopia where you’re required to check in with staff on site. All attendees must reserve a time-slot and specify the number of targets they intend to use in advance. The more targets you want to reserve, the more your session will cost you.

Once you’re settled in, informal axewielding lessons begin. There’s no throwing at this stage yet, though. Like any sport, mastering the basic technique comes first. Instructors start by teaching the fundamentals of the sport and the proper form before axes are even brought out.

The floor, two walls and a coloured plywood target stood between the target and me. In training, I was instructed to stand approximately 15 feet from my target behind a demarcated line of tape.

According to my instructor for the evening, the tape is a sort of ‘guideline.’

At this point, first-time players are introduced to their axes to get familiar with the weight, grip and feel of the weapons and to learn the all-important axe throwing stance and throw.

Not dissimilar to an en garde fencing position, bending one’s knees ever so slightly, a player’s dominant hand and foot are placed well behind the line of tape while the weaker arm and foot stand forward, on the edge of the line. Axe in hand, I got to practice the motion of the throw. With my dominant foot planted firmly on the floor behind the line and axe-wielding arm at the ready, I was instructed to grip the lowest possible point of the axe’s hilt firmly and crank my arm behind my back with the axe pointing downward, running parallel to my shoulder blades.

Here’s where it gets tricky. A ‘good throw’—in other words, a throw that will make the axe’s blade sink firmly into the wood—must not curve. The throw must align perfectly with the movement of your shoulder and follow an arced-shape trajectory, lest the player risk an embarrassing string of failed attempts.

You start off with the standard axes that most players will use and you get to throwing. Here, the rules are strict but clear.

There’s one player per target and no player may throw an axe while another goes to collect his or her weapon.

Once you get the hang of it, the beauty of

Axe throwing is a lot the sport really more difficult than you comes alive. would think. Photos As the evening

by Rafael Figueroa. went on and the speakers blared all the Black Sabbath hits, we were given larger axes to test our newfound skill with. By the end of the night, I was able to rack up a few very solid throws and two genuine bullseyes.

I may not be joining any of the axe throwing leagues organized by Rage Montreal in the near future or attending any National Axe Throwing Federation events (yes, there is a federation). However, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to pass by again and give this unique, niche sport another well-deserved go.

Rage Montreal presents an excellent opportunity for passionate axe throwers and novices alike to take part in a fascinating sport in a pleasant atmosphere that allows you to vent out the everyday frustrations and stress of Montreal city-life.

Rage Montreal is open seven days a week from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., with Tuesdays and Wednesdays reserved for special events and large group activities.

Recently, the team fired head coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with Claude Julien, who was just fired by the Boston Bruins. Personally, I liked the move. Julien is a Stanley Cupwinning coach who knows how to work with young players and balance offence and defence.

Meanwhile, Therrien was inept at balancing his team. While I do like the coaching change, there is still plenty of work to be done with this team.

The roster itself is good. There are goal-scorers like captain M a x Pa c i o re t t y, f o r wa rd s Alexander Radulov and Alex Galchenyuk. The defence is strong as well, with Shea Weber, Andrei Markov, Jeff Petry and Alexei Emelin holding down the fort. And of course, you can’t forget Carey Price in nets.

D e s p ite t h i s g re at ro ste r, Therrien’s damage has taken its toll and left Julien with a mess to clean up. Therrien had the team playing an uninteresting brand of dump-and-chase offence that has made the offence anemic. The team has trouble scoring, and Julien needs to fix that.

Another problem—young players like Galchenyuk and defenceman Nathan Beaulieu were punished by Therrien multiple times for making bad mistakes such as turnovers. While it’s normal to punish players for that, Therrien did it in such a way that stripped both players of their confidence. Julien, on the other hand, has experience with young players like Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin, and should prove to be a great mentor to both Habs players.

The team’s bad offence and lack of confidence from individual players has been the d ow n f a l l o f t h e M o n t r e a l Canadiens in the second half of the season. Confidence isn’t something that is regained right away, so it’s safe to say Julien has his work cut out for him before the playoffs.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

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

Aside from the editorial, the articles that appear in the opinions section do not necessarily reflect the points of view of our staff.

EDITORIAL

We can all use a mental health day Imagine a train going 100 kilometres per hour, racing through a treacherous mountain pass when, suddenly, it comes to a screeching halt. The train then remains immobile and stagnant for an entire week.

Let’s face it: reading week is a nightmare for most of us. It’s meant to be a quick pause in the semester that allows students to catch up on some sleep and readings, but it’s really just a facade. In reality, students take this time to migrate to the library for a week, often forgetting to shower and brush their teeth. They spend nearly all their time cramming information into their swollen brains for the midterms and assignments that are all conveniently due the week they return to classes.

All joking aside, stress is prevalent among all students, and it can contribute to many other health issues, both physical and mental. On top of it, many students are suffering in silence. A 2016 study published in The Globe and Mail revealed one in five university students suffer from a form of mental illness during their postsecondary studies. These figures represent an overall increase compared to previous years, while suicide rates have been steadily increasing over the last 60

years in Canada, according to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.

At an early age, we aren’t given the right tools to balance our health, social lives and academics. We’re indoctrinated to place a massive emphasis on school work and meeting academic expectations in order to secure a viable future.

Where’s the emphasis on self-care and feeling at ease with what we’ve accomplished? We’re always told we aren’t doing enough and that we must keep pushing the status quo. We need to relax and take a breather. It’s important to tackle mental health issues immediately, while we’re in this stage of life, because it will most likely manifest later on in our lives otherwise.

On average, more than 500,000 Canadians take off work each day due to mental health related problems, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. During reading week, most of us didn’t get to spend even one of those seven days relaxing, let alone taking a mental health day.

In our opinion, academic pressures play a huge factor in stress because students feel they have to achieve a 4.0 GPA, and

their future hinges heavily upon their grades. Yet, this falsehood couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Here at The Concordian, we would like to reiterate that academic grades do not guarantee happiness, and in many cases, do not guarantee jobs. While education is important, and students should put effort into each of their classes, we should also know when to take a step back and simply breathe.

You should approach your mental health as a long-term investment, and nurture it throughout your time at Concordia.

Grades are important, but they shouldn’t induce an insane amount of stress and despair. You need to give yourself permission to be a human being.

Graphic by Thom Bell.

ANIMALS

Owning an exotic animal should be illegal in Quebec Acquiring exotic pets is absolutely ludicrous and should be banned provincially

BECKY LUGER COPY EDITOR Dogs, cats, goldfish, turtles and rabbits.

What do all these animals have in common?

They’re typical household pets. However, in the last few years, animals such as pigs, monkeys and foxes have become additions to suburban households. According to the Globe and Mail, there has been an increase of import of exotic pets in Canada in the last 15 years, particularly with reptiles.

Now, as cute as these animals may look and no matter how much fun you think it might be to have a pet lemur, consider the following: they’re wild animals! Who came up with the idea to domesticate and toilet train a fox? It’s a horrible idea. Just buy a cat and tell your friends you own a tiger.

One could argue: “Well, dogs were essentially wolves that man domesticated, so why can’t I own a fox?” My answer: domestication didn’t just happen overnight. It’s not as if one day a wolf wants to eat you and the next day it’s man’s best friend. This process took thousands of years to become what it is today. According to The Atlantic, humans didn’t even play as much of a role in this evolution as we think, but rather, the wolves themselves changed in body and temperament. This means ancient wolves made some sort of conscious effort in the domestication process. So until monkeys start asking to live in your bedroom, or until foxes jump at the chance to go for a walk on

a leash, they should not be kept as pets.

People must also consider the blatant danger of owning such animals. NatGeoWild published an article recounting incidents of injuries by exotic pets towards humans. For example, in 2009, a 21-year-old woman was hospitalized after one of her two “pet” black bears attacked her. In 2012, a python bit a four-year-old as she was “playing” with it. There are countless documented injuries caused by wild animals kept as pets that could have very easily been avoided.

National Geographic’s Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER is a television series about a veterinary clinic that specializes in exotic animals and pets in the United States. In one episode, a couple walked into the clinic to have their pet lynx examined by the veterinarian. This was absolutely insane to me. Lynxes are predators, yet the owners said it’s like having a big cat at home. No, it’s more like having a lynx at home that can rip your face apart at any time.

In wondering how the laws differed in Canada from the United States, I learned that our laws in Quebec are terrible.

According to the regulation respecting animals in captivity, Article 14 states: “Anyone who keeps an animal referred to in Section 13 in captivity may dispose of it by selling it, giving it away or slaughtering it.” Mammals referred to in Section 13 include foxes and minks, meaning that, after you have legally bred foxes, you can dispose of them how you like.

Article 15 states no license is required to keep a monkey if it is trained to assist someone with physical disabilities. Although this is legal, it’s disgusting. Rather than a therapy dog, you can legally have a therapy monkey.

To be frank, the fact that there are laws giving human beings the right to own wild animals and specifying how to treat these animals is horrifying. The fact that people choose to own “exotic pets,” which are just wild animals, is dangerous. But what’s even worse is we have laws giving us the right to use and abuse them only to dispose of them how we like. We might as well have no animal ownership laws, because these laws aren’t really helping anyway.

Let’s all keep in mind the irony

in that there are very strict laws regarding pit bull ownership, including forcing them to wear muzzles and yet, owning a pet monkey or exotic reptile is fine and within our rights as Canadians. This needs to stop. Stop trying to domesticate wild animals, stop owning them—just let them live in the wild where they belong.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

theconcordian

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IMMIGRATION

Why I’ ll never let go of my foreign past Learning to embrace my unique cultural roots within Canada

SARAH BOUMEDDA STAFF WRITER I was four years old when my family moved from Bejaia, Algeria to Canada.

I don’t remember much of the move, to be honest. I do remember the snowy evening in March when we arrived, and I have vague memories of the small apartment we shared with one of my parents’ friends for a few months before we found a place of our own.

According to my parents, I didn’t speak a word of French—or English—back then. I apparently learned French in the streets, with the help of the other kids in the apartment complex we rented in the St-Michel borough of Montreal. I don’t remember any of that. I do remember fitting in surprisingly well at first, though.

There’s one aspect about myself that was strikingly important to me back then—and still remains today. I have always identified as Algerian, first and foremost. It took me quite a while to realize and understand I was Canadian, too—even after getting all the paperwork out of the way.

My origins, my beliefs and my culture have always been a part of me I have tried to make as obvious and as clear as possible to whomever I spoke with.

Call it patriotism, or whatever. I’ve seen it as a way to establish my identity, even when I was confused as to what exactly that entailed.

When proudly announcing that I was Algerian, especially as a child, I noticed a pattern. People would put me in a box— Muslim, Arab, probably loves soccer and makes a fuss about calling it “football.”

Basically, they would assume things about me that were often wrong.

One thing most people often get wrong about me, to this day, is my ethnicity. Ever since I can remember, my parents have always been incredibly proud of being Amazigh, or Berber—in simple terms, indigenous people of North Africa. Despite the erasure of the culture strongly pushed forward by the Algerian government, there has been progress, like the officialization of Tamazight, the Amazigh language, in February 2016, but the discrimination is still prevalent. Yet, the Amazigh people of Algeria still have a strong influence

in the country and within their diaspora, especially here in Montreal.

Out of the approximately 26,000 people in Canada who identify as Berbers, over 21,000 of them reside in Montreal, according to a 2011 Statistics Canada survey. That’s a massive community—and yet very few Montrealers, let alone Canadians, know about Berbers or the Berber culture.

And so I spent a lot of time, as a child and still today, explaining that yes, I am Algerian, but no, my native language isn’t Arabic (it’s Tamazight), and my culture involves more than my Muslim faith.

In fact, I spent my life putting so much emphasis on this part of my identity that it took me quite a long time to realize I was Canadian, too.

It was in high school, as I grew older, somewhat wiser and more confused about the person I was, that it hit me—I wasn’t only Algerian. My identity and sense of belonging wasn’t limited to my country of origin, but most certainly extended to the country I have lived in for as long as I can remember.

As long as I live as a Canadian citizen, I am undoubtedly part of its political,

social and cultural life. As a citizen, I can bring forth ideas, values and change, and express my views when voting, when protesting, when celebrating—even more so considering my cultural background.

These differences don’t make me any less Canadian. If anything, they only add something to my Canadian identity that other citizens might not possess.

In high school, it dawned on me that it was important to pay attention to what is going on around me, in my country—the one I live in, not the one I absentmindedly long for from time to time, the one I only visit once every two years. What happens here, the feats and the downfalls, will affect me directly while whatever might be going on in Algeria will not. What I can bring to this country, Canada, will consequently be much more significant.

I still pride myself immensely on my Algerian heritage. It’s something nobody can take away from me, despite the racism and the constantly growing Islamophobia.

However, I have come to pride myself on being Canadian, too. I love this country like my home—because that’s exactly what it is to me.

Graphic by Thom Bell.

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FEBRUARY 28, 2017

EDUCATION

Achieving that elusive, unattainable A+ Not being able to score that 4.0 GPA: the worst tease of your university experience AMANDA VITARO STAFF WRITER I will never forget the day I was told that I couldn’t.It was my first semester at Concordia University. Having just graduated with a college degree in commerce at my parent’s request, I was excited to finally be in a program I was passionate about: English literature. Bring on Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot and James Joyce. Bring on the 2000-word essays, discussion questions and take-home exams.

My moment finally came when my ENGL 260: Introduction to Literary Studies professor handed out the instructions to our first written assignment. After years of memorizing formulas and digesting the 4 P’s of Marketing, I would finally be able to let my creative juices flow.

But my creative train of thought quickly derailed. I watched as the professor stiffened his posture, settled his glasses on the tip of his nose and drew in a deep, powerful breath. He proceeded to warn us not to expect any A+ grades in this class.

His rationale, he explained, was that such high grades are reserved for the level of knowledge and quality of work

that graduate students produce. At this point in our academic journey, we should be content with Cs, he said.

I had been judged before writing even a single word. My confidence and my ambition—not to mention my GPA—would suffer for the simple reason that I was in my first year.

Somehow, I managed to get through the hours of reading and thinking required to write that essay. I knew there was a good chance I wouldn’t get a high grade, but that wasn’t enough of a reason for me to slack off. I couldn’t put my name on something I wasn’t proud of and, for that reason, I gave this paper my absolute all.

A couple of weeks later, an ugly “C” stared back at me in bold writing, the ink as red as my boiling cheeks.

Should I have chosen a different topic?

Picked a more interesting thesis? Given different examples? After reviewing my essay with both my TA and my professor, I realized the answer to all of these questions was very simple: no. There was nothing I could have done to get a better grade.

Don’t get me wrong, there was a lot wrong with my essay. However, after speaking with my professor and T.A., I

realized the ‘mistakes’ I had made in this paper were understandable mistakes that any student in their first year would have made.

As an example of their overly high expectations, I was told I should have explained what I meant by the word “well-being.” With a plethora of ways to interpret that word, how could I not provide a definition in my essay? It was a mistake any newbie could have made.

But how is it fair to penalize my current abilities just because I will be smarter by the time I graduate? Can’t I still have something meaningful to say in the meantime?

When entering a more creative program of study such as English literature, there is no calculator from which you can derive your answer. There is no formula for understanding ideas.

The grading scheme of such disciplines is different and less regulated than, say, the John Molson School of Business. This difference, however, should not mean disappointment.

I am not saying I deserved to get an A+ on this particular paper. However, I do believe that it is because of this professor’s high standards for the A+ that my classmates

and I received such low grades.

Whether you are a high achiever or not, the lack of A+s in a university curriculum should worry you. To treat the A+ like a hero is to villainize the student mind, and it is precisely this kind of thinking which encourages a disrespectful power dynamic between teachers and students.

For the sheer fact we are paying to be here, we deserve a chance to get that A+ if we damn well work hard enough for it.

High achievers should not have to write a revolutionary piece in order to achieve good grades. Similarly, students who are content with satisfactory grades should not have to work twice as hard just to receive a passing grade.

No student should be told their best efforts aren’t good enough at any point during their academic career.

I have since encountered some professors who are willing to hand out A+ grades to well-deserving students. These were the classes which encouraged a strong atmosphere of mutual respect.

The unattainable A+ is an unnecessary tease. On behalf of students everywhere, I urge professors to leave the teasing to their own private affairs, and off the syllabus.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

etc

Fe a t u r e d C o n c o r d i a A r t i s t Amanda Grzelak My name is Amanda Grzelak, I am a third year Studio Arts Undergraduate Major at Concordia. I produce mixed media sculptures and installations. Throughout the years I’ve acquired a unique set of skills by working with such a large variety of materials. For example tig and mig welding, JITTER and MAX MSP programming, Rhino 3D modeling, and printing and dyeing on fabrics, just to name a few. One of my fibers installations was featured in the Family Matters exhibition at the MMFA, it was the first exhibition that the museum held in conjunction with an educational institution thanks to Laura Endacott and Loren Lerner of Concordia faculty.

FAMILY ROOTS, 2015.

This year I am taking a Bronze and Aluminium Casting class with the amazing Natalie Nadeau. It is, without a doubt, one of my favourite classes offered at Concordia University. For my first project I hand built a threeheaded elephant deity out of wax.

Loosely inspired by Ganesh, the Hindu god of good fortune and prosperity.

For my final project of the semester I am making a bronze, larger than life sized spinal cord. The spinal cord will be a mechanical interactive sculpture, where the viewers are invited to cause a chain reaction that shifts the vertebras one after the other, from left to right. We have already had our first pour of the semester and it was invigorating watching the molten metal being poured into our molds.

The technicians handle the metal and wear these, astronaut like suits that reflect the heat from the molten metal to protect their bodies from the heat.

GANESH, 2017.

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