The Concordian - Issue 22 (2015-03-17) by The Concordian

Volume 32

Issue 22 |

Independent student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983.

theconcordian

March 17, 2015

News p. 4

Kill bill C-51? Photo by Keith Race

In this issue

LIFE

p. 6

Cold night, warm heart

ARTS

p. 10

Feminist voices take the stage

MUSIC

p. 13

CJLO revamps recording studio

SPORTS

p. 15

Football team recruitement

We tell your stories. Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

OPINIONS

p. 17

Privacy before posting

theconcordian.com

news //

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

>> IMMIGRANTS TO BE ASSIMILATED

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has announced it would like to see the institution of a three-year transitional plan for immigrants to the province. The Montreal Gazette said the plan would see immigrants tested for their command of the French language and assimilation of Quebec values before being allowed to stay. CAQ leader François Legault said this was a necessary strategy because the number of non-French speaking immigrants has risen in the past few years.

Event // NEWS

Honouring the goal to be green Sustainability gala highlights university’s pledge to eco-friendliness MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

oncordia University held the fifth annual Sustainability Champions Awards Gala last Thursday night to honour those who’ve ushered in a green-friendly university, city, and world. The evening also featured an unexpected anti-austerity acceptance speech both rueing attending President Alan Sheppard’s track record on austerity and appealing to his deep commitment to Concordia in fighting it. In total, 10 nominations were spread across staff, faculty, and students contributing

to sustainability. Dr. Vendana Shiva, an environmental activist and antiglobalization scholar, was one of the recipients presented with an award and the only one not affiliated with Concordia. She was there that evening to present as part of a Concordia Student Union (CSU) speaker series event entitled ‘Soil, not Oil.” “This is not a movement isolated. The beauty about sustainability is [that] it cannot stand in isolation,” she said. “I love the fact that gardens are coming to the university, and I think the future Earth Hub helped being created here gives an opportunity for the desperately needed paradigm to live at peace with the Earth.” Concordia beat out other

contestants to be the local seat of the UN-sponsored Future Earth, which will coordinate and help with research in environmental issues and sustainability. It is one of five cities in the world that will head the project. “It serves not only as a time to recognize 10 selected recipients of the Sustainability Champion Awards, but also provides a rare opportunity to really connect with a wide variety of people on campus,” said organizer Shona Watt. Beware of governments bearing no gifts Sustainability Concordia’s Mike Finck surprised everyone by counter nominating univer-

>> PROSTITUTION REVENUE TAXABLE A Quebec judge has ruled that money acquired from prostitution, which is illegal, is still taxable. The Montreal Gazette report followed news of a gay escort agency that maintained it was the personal responsibility of its workers to collect the 15 per cent sales tax, but that the proceeds of crime were above taxation. The escort agency operator was also charged for falsely declaring his income, which he claimed to be around $13,000 per year. In reality, documents show it closer to $600,000. He now owes the government $2.1 million.

SUPERHOSPITAL ROUTE CONTROVERSIAL

The plans for the modification of the route to the Superhospital were approved after much controversy at an NDG/CDN borough council meeting yesterday. The new route would see De Maisonneuve Blvd. turned into a two-way street between Addington and Decarie. The projected completion date for the route construction is April 26 of this year. The modification would increase access to the Superhospital for motorists, but was opposed by two city councillors for concerns about danger to pedestrians and cyclists at the already busy Decarie. intersections.

sity President Alan Sheppard with an award of his own—a horse carved from wood—for continuing efforts by the school to serve as a ‘Trojan Horse’ in silently ushering in spending cuts rather than fighting them. “You can turn this Trojan Horse into a noble steed,” he appealed to Sheppard after calling on the crowd to fight austerity. “It’s important to challenge authority when they’re not working in the best interests of the community,” said Finck later, then added: “To challenge, and to invite [to working togeather].” He said that given the president’s position it was unlikely to lead to open change, but that he was hopeful.

Lecture // NEWS

Condemning “oil-based agriculture” Indian activist calls upon cleaner, more natural alternatives to petroleum LEAH BATSTONE Contributor

On Mar. 12, every available seat in the Hall Building’s main floor auditorium was taken as people gathered to listen to a free lecture by world-renowned environmental activist, Dr. Vanada Shiva, titled “Soil, not Oil.” Hosted by the Concordia Student Union (CSU) and the Sustainability Action Fund, the talk was focused on how the relationship between fossil fuels and industrial agriculture is contributing to climate change. “We are eating oil,” said Shiva. “Synthetic fertilizers are based on fossil fuels and we’ve made all of our agriculture dependent on these synthetic fertilizers. We have this false idea that soil on its own can’t feed us.” In her lecture, Shiva argued that “oil-based agriculture” is justified by corporations and politicians because of its ability to process more food. However she said it is leading to the “destruction of the earth” and “war with the earth, soil, atmosphere and climate change.” According to the fifth assessment report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), agriculture, forestry and land-use changes made up 20 to 25 per cent of total greenhouse gas

fore. Ninety per cent of diversity loss is due to industrial agriculture.” She explained how monocultures, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and GMOs are all contributing to this loss. Nevertheless she remained hopeful and praised Concordia University students for their work in promoting sustainability projects and addressing climate change. Shiva received an award at Concordia’s Sustainability Champion Award Gala, which took place earlier that evening. We are eating oil. She was preceded at the podium by guest lecturer Synthetic fertilizers Dominic Champagne, an are based on fossil award-winning writer, direcfuels and we’ve made tor and theatre stage proall of our agriculture ducer. Champagne led the dependent on these movement that resulted in a synthetic fertilizers. province-wide shale-gas ban in Quebec. - Dr. Vanada Shiva He began his lecture addressing a statement from Shiva explained in the lecture Prime Minister Stephen Harper, how genetic modification of seeds, released that day, in which Harper carried out by companies like Mon- invited Greenpeace to be more santo, is “biopiracy,” or putting concerned with citizens. Harper’s a patent on life. “It’s a very crude statement comes after the Mayor of way to function. We must choose, Saguenay, Jean Tremblay, said in an as a society, to be part of the web online video that he wants to start a movement “against Greenpeace of life.” Shiva also discussed the impor- and intellectuals of the world,” in an tance of biodiversity, specifically of effort to preserve jobs in Saguenayseeds. She said the number of seeds Lac-Saint-Jean. “We live in a country where used to grow fruits and vegetables we purchase at grocery stores is our own Prime Minister is trying to very small. “We are losing species antagonize ecologists, as if we are one thousand times faster than be- eco-terrorists,” Champagne said. “I emissions in 2010. In regards to industrial agriculture, these emissions come from the use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial farming equipment, transportation, and large-scale animal production. A significant portion of Shiva’s work is centred on protecting seed diversity and rejecting genetic engineering of seeds. “What an achievement,” she said Thursday night, about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), “to destroy what supports life and call it progress.”

think the first statement I’d like to share with you tonight, is that I’m proud to be an intellectual and an ecologist.” The focus of Champagne’s lecture was the influence of citizens, democracy and ecology movements. Speaking from his own experience, he emphasized the power of groups. “If we involve ourselves in democratic action, we can win this war,” he said. Forty-five minutes before the lecture started, a line of people wound around the first floor of the Hall Building and led out the front doors. By 8 p.m., every seat in the auditorium was filled, with some wishful late-arrivals unable to attend due to an unavailability of seats. The event was organized the CSU’s VP Sustainability, Jessica Cabana, and VP External Affairs and Mobilization, Anthony GaroufalisAuger. It comes a month before the CSU participates in the Act on Climate demonstration in Québec City, set to take place on April 11. The CSU is a member association of Students Against the Pipeline (ECO), a coalition of Quebec up to 150,000 students and their associations that oppose oil pipelines in the province. The lecture was also held in collaboration with the Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL) and Citizens in Action, a non-profit group that is made up of people committed to social and economic justice issues.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Campus // NEWS

Students roll towards strikes

Philosophy and Fine Arts student associations vote to strike, block classrooms

NATION MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

>> STRIPSEARCHED STUDENT UNABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL

SUCH UNANIMOUS DISPLAYS WERE FREQUENT AT FASA’S SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND ITS PROPOSED STRIKE MOTION. PHOTO BY MILOS KOVACEVIC.

MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

oth the Fine Arts Student Association (FASA) and the Students of Philosophy Association (SoPhiA) have voted to join in anti-austerity strikes that will see them exit classes and take to picketing. As a FASA special general assembly gathered to meet in quorum on Thursday, March 12, members and observers debated the best way to mobilize and proceed with the strike. Ultimately, a vote declared a twoday strike, to be held on March 23 and April 2, as preferable to a week-long affair. For SoPhiA, a full week of striking was decided on, after the members of the association also voted in favour of joining the anti-austerity strike initiatives. The vote made the strike

official, starting on March 26 and ending April 2, in addition to a one-day strike on March 23. The assembly prefaced the strike vote by debating the general ramifications of the vote and the possible strike, notably adding to the motion that they would mobilize to “hard picket” the teachers, instead of focusing solely on the students, to enforce the strike measures and ensure that classes would be disrupted. One suggestion raised was that the Graduate Philosophy Students’ Association would be invited to vote on the possibility of going on strike as well. FASA begins mobilization “The important concern was if we have the resources to go on strike for a full week,” said Catherine Fournier Poirier, FASA’s general communications coordi-

nator, adding, “on the 23rd of March we’ll have the opportunity to prove to our membership that we have the resources and do more than that.” She said they may follow SoPhiA’s lead and plan longer actions in the future. At the same time, they’re pushing to be part of interfaculty discussions and to bring more groups on board with the idea. Fournier-Poirier said FASA was in the process of forming committees to better focus their efforts in the days to come. The first would be a picketing committee, to “make sure every class is cancelled or disrupted,” while the second would coordinate communication efforts between different groups. She also stated that, should push come to shove or any threatening situation occur, the safety of the students would overrule any attempts at barricading the classrooms.

This follows from accounts of physicality between mobilizers and teachers in certain classes, the students wishing to raise awareness and the teachers sometimes overly zealous in considering it a disruption. Student Media excluded The student press was drawn into the proceedings, after some members of SoPhiA argued over the necessity of their presence and whether or not recordings made by student media were permissible. The first round of voting on the subject ended in a tie, leading to further debate, during which the student journalists were allowed to speak on their own behalf; a second vote carried the assembly’s decision to do away with any recording. Perhaps because of this concern, the latter half of SoPhiA’s assembly was made a closed session, open to members only.

Campus // NEWS

TRAC elects its new executives

The union rescinds disciplinary measures, re-elects booted president MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

he Teaching and Research Assistants of Concordia (TRAC) labour union held a general assembly on Monday, March 16, voting in a new roster of executives headed by a president who was ousted and banned from re-election only two months ago. For months, TRAC had been paralyzed by internal investigations based on mutual incriminations amongst its

leadership, with allegations of abuse of power, insubordination, and improper spending. The final report from these investigations barred the president at the time, Nader Nodoushan, from holding any position for a full year, though the findings said there was no intentional malice in his actions. Despite exculpating the other executives, all were let go because of their role in creating a toxic atmosphere. The findings were voted down at a previous general assembly, though it took the dissention of the provincial coun-

cil to render them null. This means Nodoushan’s ban was rescinded and he was capable of running. The same went for Gounash Pirniya, who returns as grievance officer. She was previously accused of having a conflict of interest, since she is Nodoushan’s girlfriend. The TRAC executive is now totally staffed by members of the Engineering and Computer Science faculty; in the past, concerns were raised about voting blocs split by faculty, of which engineering is the biggest. At one point, an attendee

raised the possibility of a compromised election and said he had been given multiple voting slips, though there doesn’t seem any evidence that this was anything more than an accident. Additionally, there was some concern raised about papers that outlined a preferred list of winners making their rounds amongst certain members. Absent from the meeting was former Communications and Mobilization Officer Robert Sonin, who’s under a different, parallel investigation and was denied participation in the proceedings.

A 15-year-old girl who was strip searched in Quebec City on suspicion of selling drugs has been denied return to her high school, after a judge denied the challenge to her expulsion. The school board’s lawyer has claimed the expulsion had strong merits that could not be presently shared with the media but that the girl was offered a place in a different school for troubled youth. No drugs were found in the search. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard promised there would be no more school strip searches except in extreme cases and in the presence of police. The family has since opened up a lawsuit.

>> RYERSON STUDENTS NOT RACIALIZED ENOUGH A pair of Ryerson University journalism students were prevented from attending an event put on by the Racialized Students’ Collective because the two, of ethnically white backgrounds, weren’t sufficiently racialized. The Montreal Gazette reports the duo were challenged at the door and were denied entry when they admitted they did not come from marginalized or racialized communities.

>> ELK MADNESS IN ALBERTA

A proliferation of Alberta elk, aided by conservation quotas, has the province’s inhabitants fed up with the ungulate explosion. In addition to protection by law, ideal environmental conditions and lack of predators have seen the elk increase to such numbers that farmers in the area warn of destroyed or ravaged crops. The Montreal Gazette reported that the few hunters tracking the animals are also frustrated by the elk’s apparent sneakiness in hiding on public or urban land, where hunting is illegal. Some areas of Alberta have hunting limits capped at 600 elk per year; over 10,000 are thought to be in those very same areas.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

City // NEWS

WORLD MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

Rejecting the security state Montrealers march against expansiveness of proposed C-51 legislation

>> ANTI-VAXXER LOSES BIG IN GERMAN COURT

The BBC has reported that a German anti-vaccination activist has been court-ordered to pay 100,000 euros to a doctor who took up the activist’s challenge to prove that measles is a virus. The skeptic, who believed measles are instead self-induced and psychosomatic, was sent evidence he ultimately deemed insufficient. A court in Ravensburg ruled otherwise and sided with the doctor. The skeptic said he would appeal. Germany is currently going through an outbreak of the measles, which has most recently caused the death of an 18-month-old baby in Berlin. The ordeal has heated up the debate about whether vaccinations against illnesses like the measles should in fact be mandatory in Germany.

>> EURO VALUE STILL FALLING

The euro and the American dollar are nearly at parity. This follows a long decline in the value of the euro as the economies of EU member countries have struggled, with some such as Greece contemplating reneging on their debts and potentially exiting the union. RT news has said the EU’s decision to respond with quantitative easing (the printing of additional money) has devalued the currency even further. As of March 14, RT reported that one euro was coming in at $1.06 U.S. This represents nearly a 30 per cent decrease in value for the euro— the lowest it has been since March of 2003.

>> DALAI LAMA ORDERED TO REINCARNATE

PROTESTORS COVERED THEIR MOUTHS WITH DUCTAPE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR PEACEFUL, QUIET, RESISTANCE. PHOTOS BY KEITH RACE.

MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

“I don’t want to live in a police state,” said McGill Engineering student Andrew Doyle. He’s come draped in the Canadian flag, a makeshift placard atop a hockey stick functioning as a protest sign. He was one of hundreds of protesters circling around Jarry park before arriving back at Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau’s office. “None of the parties are fighting back hard enough against it. I don’t think it’s necessary at all. We don’t need greater spying powers by our spying agencies. Why put everybody under mass surveillance?” Doyle said. Saturday’s march in Mon-

treal was part of a country-wide series of protests against Bill C-51 which, if passed, will give greater anti-terrorism powers to Canada’s security agencies and police. The legislation will create new offenses for speech in support of terrorism and expand preventative powers in an effort to ‘reduce threats to the security of Canada.’ It has been criticized for being overreaching and vague. The Conservative government claims it is needed and will not lead to abuses of power. Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau has come out in support of it, thus explaining the ire behind some chanting protesters, who called out “Harper terrorist, Trudeau complicit.” Doyle agreed that terrorism was a threat, but was against sacrificing one’s privacy in the

I don’t want to live in a police state. - Andrew Doyle pursuit of protection. “You’re more likely to be killed in Canada by a moose than a terrorist,” he added. A short visit by National Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair at Saturday’s march reiterated the party’s opposition to the bill. Mulcair said the legislation could “seriously endanger our right to protest peacefully” and stand against political or economic policies. “They haven’t really justified why it’s necessary and even if it were necessary,” agreed Ottawa law student Jacob Saltiel. “Would it be worthwhile to give up so much of our freedoms and liberties in exchange for protection we don’t need? These people

who are causing problems are often on our radar of our security agency with the powers that they already have, so expanding these powers further isn’t warranted.” A good portion of the numbers were made up of students, younger people, and more than a few children. Still, Doyle feels the student turnout was insufficient. “I feel like it’s not in the student discourse at all right now, and that’s not likely to change. I’m just hoping the other parties take note,” said Doyle. Actions against bill C-51 are set to continue throughout the coming days. For its part, the Harper government is speeding up the debate process ahead of the vote.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Campus // NEWS

Meet your CSU executive candidates Voting period takes place March 24 to 26 MILOS KOVACEVIC News editor

ith the Concordia Student Union elections around the corner, we decided to catch up with the candidates for the 2015-16 executive positions. Below are edited versions of their campaign platforms put into their own words. Terry Wilkings, President (Community Action)

I studied for two and a half years at the JMSB in commerce with a specialization in finance before moving into public policy studies. As your VP Finance I promise to bring financial sustainability and transparency. I have worked as a treasurer for various organizations and have succeeded in maintaining profitable budgets. My experience in autonomous communities with diverse and plural discourses have underscored my appreciation for accountability.

John Talbot, VP Student Life (Community Action!)

club, got elected as Internal Coordinator of my member association SASU, was later elected as an Arts and Science representative on CSU Council, and sat on the board of the Sustainability Action Fund. My involvement in these organizations has created a wide variety of institutional knowledge necessary for any form of campus event planning. There is a multiplicity of cultures and student interests across Concordia, as the VP Student Life I plan effectively orchestrate an exciting and multi-faceted orientation, as well as a host of events throughout the year which will be held both at Loyola and SGW.

I started as a President of a CSU

I’m currently the CSU’s VP Academic and Advocacy and in my third year of studies pursuing a double major in Economics and in the School of Community and Public Affairs. I’ve spearheaded the cooperative student housing project and harvested $1.5 million in external support making housing more affordable to Concordians. I’ve also launched the CSU Daycare initiative, and reformed university by-laws to strengthen student representation on senior academic bodies like Senate.

Marion Miller, VP Academic & Advocacy (Community Action!) A current Fine Arts CSU councillor and Student Senator, I am familiar with the workings of the Union and with high-level academic university bodies at Concordia. As a second year Art Education student, I have been actively involved in the activities of the Fine Arts Student Alliance over the past two years and am greatly concerned with issues of accessible and inclusive education. In the role of VP Academic and Advocacy, I will support the existing advocacy services of the Union including HOJO and the Advocacy Centre, bring to completion the Daycare project and prioritize accessibility for Concordia’s diverse student population.

Lori Dimaria, VP Clubs and Internal (Community Action!) I am a third year student currently majoring in Management at John Molson School of Business. I have acquired various managerial skills by running my own small business and as the President of the International and Ethnic Association Council of Concordia (IEAC). Having already managed 11 student associations I feel very comfortable transferring these skills on a larger scale for the CSU. My first priority is to ensure the opening of Reggie’s, while adapting it to student life, by creating a different atmosphere depending on the time of the day and the night of the week. I will facilitate connections between student associations, clubs, and Concordia’s community by encouraging an open dia-

Gabriel Velasco, VP External (Community Action!) As a fourth year student studying sustainability and community and public affairs, I have the ambition to create an engaged student body, which is at the forefront of environmental as well as social justice issues. My experience as a current CSU executive and provincial delegate of my student association will allow me to access critical networks all while actively representing students.

Anas Bouslikhane, VP Finance (Community Action!)

logue. I will also expand, improve and renovate club space by institutionalizing a system to review, evaluate and track usage.

Chloe Williams, VP (Community Action!)

Loyola

Over the next year I will dedicate myself to ensuring the Loyola campus continues to grow and develop into a vibrant and engaged community. I will work on connectivity between the two campuses by promoting current projects and events as well as creating new ones; such as designing a Loyola student greenhouse. As a fourth year student at Loyola and a current CSU councillor I have a strong understanding of Concordia.

Gabrielle Caron, VP Sustainability (Community Action!) Moving towards alternative food options for the student body will allow for a greater diversity within our community. As the co-founder of Campus Potager I have gained internal and external knowledge on how to create a successful urban agricultural project on campus. As the coordinator I took my role very seriously and actualized this project successfully. I have raised over $7,000 in grant money for this upcoming planting season. This collaborative gardening project allowed me to understand the importance of offering local, accessible and healthy food to our students. As the VP Sustainability of Community Action I will dedicate a large portion of my mandate to continue working on creating the Loyola greenhouse in collaboration with our VP Loyola. We reached out to the three independent candidates Alexandre Laroche, Jonathan Mamame, and Carla Marrouche but were unable to contact them for an interview by press time.

Campus // NEWS

ASFA debates member associations’ budgets Resposibility over fee levy and upcoming byelections discussed at March 12 meeting FRÉDÉRIC T. MUCKLE Assistant news editor

recent meeting of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) concerned both the planned referendum question about raising ASFA’s fee levy, a referendum that failed in last semester’s byelections, and the question of who should pay the cost if the referendum question fails again.

It was put forward that a lack of executive advertising and sufficient awareness negatively impacted the campaign. Since member associations (MAs) are part of ASFA, the possibility was brought up that their budgets may be trimmed. The discussion first started on a motion brought forward by Danick Carpenter, VicePresident Internal and Councilor of the Students of History at Concordia (SHAC). Carpenter lobbied against adjusting MA budgets saying

that putting more financial burden on the associations went against the spirit of ASFA and its members. “The MAs shouldn’t necessarily be self-sustainable,” Carpenter said. “We’re not a business trying to make revenue.” Councillor James Tyler Vaccaro noted that any cuts to MA budgets wouldn’t be ideal but that ASFA’s deficit of between $50-60,000 leaves the organization with few options. “The conversation centred more on the fact some mem-

ber associations seemed to feel quite entitled by the amount of money they get and they shouldn’t ever have any reductions in that amount,” said Vaccaro. He went on to say that MAs shouldn’t have to face cuts but disapproved of the mentality of MAs vs. ASFA executives. Carpenter stressed the fact that indeed some cuts in MA’s budgets could be made, such as trimming the Special Project Fund, and that these financial changes could influence posi-

tively the final results of the upcoming referendum. Carpenter said that in his opinion, “there should be a regulation to determine at least some basic returns from the MAs, because some of the bigger MAs pay a lot more in than what they get out.” He said that this was probably not the end of things. “It’s probably going to be an ongoing issue,” said Carpenter. “I think it’s a good thing that we’re having this discussion at ASFA.”

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

life

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com Society // LIFE

How a day on the street taught me to give Sleeping outside for charity opened my eyes MARILLA STEUTER-MARTIN Production assistant

am ashamed to say that before this week, I had never really had a conversation with a homeless person. Not even a “how are you?” or a “can I get you anything?” Like many people in the city, the idea of homelessness grieves me, but it also makes me uncomfortable. Occasionally, depending on the situation, I’ll feel threatened, but mostly it’s a guilt issue—they have nothing and I have everything. And it’s not fair. This past week I participated, if minimally, in a cross-country campaign called 5 Days for the Homeless. The campaign has grown over the years but centres on the same principle: people willingly sleep on the street for up to five days to raise money and awareness for homelessness. This is a truly insane thing: people who are not homeless sleeping on the streets. The Montreal edition of the event has been going on for eight years and is headed by a great guy named Josh Redler. All the proceeds from this year went to Dans La Rue and Chez Doris, two organizations in the city with services directed at vulnerable youth and women. I wanted to get involved for years but never did. Work or weather or commitments provided convenient excuses. This year, however, I decided there would be no more excuses. I showed up on Tuesday, March 10 in the afternoon around 4 p.m. My plan was to see where this little foray into volunteering would take me. I left at around 5 p.m. the next day. Thus begins my tale of 24 hours of homelessness. The worst part was the sleeping—or the lack thereof—but we’ll come back to that. The second worst part was being ignored by people passing by as we

asked for donations. This confused and disheartened me to no end. Decked out in our uniform of oversized bright orange T-shirts, we camped out at the corner of Mackay St. and De Maisonneuve Blvd., waving signs and shaking our coin containers. We were positive and friendly, clean-cut and freshfaced and still people chose to ignore us rather than smile or wish us good luck. It’s hard to put into words exactly but being on the street, even voluntarily, even temporarily, made us that much more invisible. We were that much more a part of the landscape—easier to ignore than if any of us were walking on the same corner any other day of the year. The averted eyes and quick steps of people who didn’t want to be approached were a surprise—an unpleasant one. I couldn’t help but think, “this must be what I look like to homeless people all the time.” This is not to say that people weren’t generous. We did raise a lot of money during the time I spent being homeless, over $4,000. In this, I suppose, we were lucky, and in the weather also. During the time I spent outside, the thermometer never dipped below -10 degrees. In previous years, veterans of the event told me they’d slept outdoors in -20 degrees, in a snowstorm. It’s a special class of people who participate in an event like this. Everyone I met was really unassuming and openminded. Every now and then, homeless people would come through our little camp and share food or chat with us. Some just came to sit and watch. The way everyone interacted with them, especially Redler, was really unlike anything I’d seen before. They were treated like people. No pity, no judgment, just compassion and a vague sense of camaraderie. I probably don’t need to go into detail about how awful my first night on the street was. We slept in sleeping bags on top of layered cardboard on cold concrete. It was impossible to get in any position that could possibly be considered

STEUTER-MARTIN BRAVES MONTREAL’S WINTER CHILL TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE HOMELESS. PHOTO BY ELSBETH COSSAR. “comfortable.” I ultimately slept only a few fitful hours. Later I was feeling sorry for myself, thinking of how miserable I had been, when it occurred to me that, even then, I was taking for granted amenities that many homeless people still lack. The first was security. I mean that in two ways, since firstly I was in a group of people I trusted, and secondly we and our camp

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

were monitored by Concordia security all night long. I also had access to the outside world and a reminder of what I was going back to. At no point did I feel truly isolated while my iPhone battery was blinking. I planned to stay a second night but I didn’t. I’d been out in the sun all day Wednesday and I felt weak on my feet. So I left, took a shower and slept for 10 hours in my soft bed. Before this experience, I rarely gave money to people on the street or in the metro. I was uncomfortable with the power dynamic—I would often say it made me feel like God to pick and choose who to give to and how much. During 5 days for the Homeless, it became clear to me that I’d been acting like an Old Testament God, one who has the power to help but chooses not to. The day after I finished my homelessness stint, I woke up from my marvellous sleep, showered again and went to run errands. Out and about, I said hello and offered some change to every homeless person I saw. I did it without even thinking, the same way you’d nod to a friend or smile politely at a stranger on the street. It was the right thing to do and so that’s what I did. I just wish I’d figured that out sooner.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Explore MTL // LIFE

MTL: Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

THE OLYMPIC STADIUM (ABOVE) AND THE MAISONNEUVE PUBLIC BATHS (BELOW) ARE TWO OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SIGHTS TO SEE IN HOCHELAGA-MAISONNEUVE.. PHOTOS BY BÉATRICE VIENS CÔTÉ.

From ghetto to gentrified, HoMa is a lesson in history BÉATRICE VIENS CÔTÉ Staff writer

hether you call it Hochelaga, Hochelag, HoMa, or by its full name, one thing is sure: this ‘hood’s got history. Back in the late 19th century, the area was considered a French working-class neighbourhood. In the 1980s, it eventually earned the qualifiers of “social welfare” and “ghetto” by the forked tongues of the city. Somehow, 20 years later, the neighbourhood has enjoyed a fresh boost. Was it a city effort, or gentrification? Probably a mixture of both. As I walk through the neighbourhood, it is quite interesting to see all the relics of the past. At 4951 Ontario St. E., corner of Viau St., stands a gigantic red brick building. Not only does the brick seem worn, but the prominent doors on each side read “Fondée 1867” and “Érigée 1906.” What used to be here? According to Écomusée du fier monde, In 1867, CharlesThéodore Viau opened a bakery on NotreDame St. That very same year, he created a cookie he named “Village.” The cookie would know fast fame and, soon enough, the enterprise became one of the biggest cookie factories in Canada. In 1907, the factory moved to Ontario St., corner 1st Ave. (later renamed Viau St.), with modern and mechanized features, which helped with productivity and profitability. The Viau family sold the business in 1967. In 2001, Dare Foods bought the factory, and it closed in 2004. Today, nobody doubts the impact of the Viau family and its cookies on Quebec society. Seeing an important patrimonial value in the building, the Viau cookie factory became a real estate project in 2007, and was transformed into condominiums. And maybe if you close your eyes and imagine hard enough, you’ll be able to catch a whiff of chocolate still floating around… Walking west and turning on Morgan Ave., surprising buildings will catch your eye. They contrast with the simpler buildings and houses of the neighbourhood. The City of Maisonneuve—which was a city of its own from 1883 until 1918, when it was annexed to Montreal—had grandiose ideas. Maisonneuve’s urban project, inspired by the City Beautiful movement, was designed

by American architect Frederick Gage Todd, who made Montreal his adopted city, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Gage Todd is the man behind Mount Royal’s Beaver Lake and Île Sainte-Hélène park, built in 1938 and 1936, respectively, to name a few. The idea was to create a very long avenue, with a leafy median strip, where buildings showcasing refined architecture would be erected. For financial and technical reasons, the project could not be entirely realized. At least we can still enjoy Marius Dufresne’s great pieces of architecture: the Maisonneuve market, and the Maisonneuve public baths, which are both of the Beaux-Arts and Second Empire schools. In front of these buildings, two marvellous sculptures by the well-known Alfred Laliberté can also be admired. The most recognized is surely Les Petits Baigneurs, a Beaux-Arts cast bronze sculpture-fountain that is incorporated into the façade of the public baths. Walking down to the corner of Letourneux Ave. is reminiscent of Chicago. Here, you will see a building that will remind you of some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural creations. Since we are still in the so-called City of Maisonneuve, it won’t be that much of a surprise if I tell you that the building is (again!) a creation of Dufresne. The building, Caserne Letourneux, previously named Poste de pompiers et de police no.1 de Maisonneuve, was built from 1914 to 1915. It has had various purposes throughout the years: police and fire station, park chalet, and production site of Théâtre Sans-Fil, known for its giant puppets. As of a few months ago, the caserne’s future was strongly threatened. Strangely located—this section of Notre-Dame, on the river’s side, is mostly industrial—yet of important value, we could only hope the building would end up in the hands of a caring buyer. This buyer, as it turns out, is the Montreal Impact! Finally, love it or hate it, I have to mention the Olympic Stadium, with its gigantic park and significant surrounding institutions (Biodôme, Insectarium, Botanical Gardens, Planetarium). I personally love the Olympic Stadium; its architecture, engineering, and planning represented colossal challenges when it was built in the ‘70s—it surely is an important Montreal symbol. Moreover, unlike many other Olympic buildings in the world, Montreal was able to give a second life to the construction. With a capacity of over 60,000 people, the stadium is the only place in the province that can welcome so many people, thus making it the ideal spot for preeminent national and international events. Whether it is to attend a sports game, jump

and along at a concert, learn more about the solar system or flora and fauna, or admire a panorama of the city from the 45-degree and 165 metre-tall Montreal Tower, it is impossible to deny it: everyone can find an activity they love at the stadium. Besides, things don’t happen only inside, but also outside. In the summer there is always something going on on the Esplanade: Dîner en Blanc, free Montreal Symphony Orchestra concerts, the Jackalope action sports festival, the Color Me Rad 5km run, the Tour de l’Île, the Winter Village… You name it, you’ve got it. Soon enough, food trucks will also crowd the place. You have no excuse to not visit the stadium in the upcoming months. This article would not be complete if I didn’t mention places where you can satisfy your hunger or unwind after your discovery stroll in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Here are a few of them: Kazumi Sushi Lounge, 6394 Sherbrooke St. E., is good for tasty sushi amid sophisticated décor—plus it’s BYOW. Culinary critics wandering around Hochelaga-Maisonneuve also often recommend Sata Sushi, 3349 Ontario St. E. Why not try both? Sushi war is on! Try Le Valois, 25 Simon Valois Square, corner 3809 Ontario St. E., for a chic dinner—think French bistro—in a warm and

casual ambience. Modern with throwbacks to Art Deco, the interior design itself is worth a visit. I totally fell in love with the colourful stained glass squares that cover most of the ceiling and run alongside one wall. With wooden panels and a statue holding two luminous globes, the restaurant has a little je ne sais quoi that reminds me of the grand hall in Titanic. Food-wise, there are interesting things happening, among them foie gras, tartare, smoked fish and delightful wine. For nighthawks, the restaurant offers a late-night menu from 9:30 p.m. that includes an appetizer and a main course for only $22. With the décor and a deal like that, you’re all set for a delicious meal. Go to Brasserie Le Blind Pig, 3882 Ontario St. E., to welcome a very new spot! In the location of former restaurant-bar Le Chasseur, the new concept is said to be inspired by the southern States. On the menu: essentially finger food and $3 beer—something we don’t see very often in Montreal. I can’t wait to try it out. So, next time you need a culture fix, head to Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. There’s seemingly something—whether old or new—to discover around every corner. With its mix of history and modernity, a walk through Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is indeed a walk through time.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 Campus // LIFE

Alternative medicine puts a spring in your step How detoxifying your liver with herbs and greens will lead to a healthier life this season MICHELLE GAMAGE Production manager

The imminent arrival of spring means more than shoving your parka into storage for another glorious eight months. It also means changing how you care for yourself. It’s very important to adapt to the changing seasons by switching up your diet and exercise regime, said natural health and alternative medicine therapist Lisa-Francesca Lewak on Thursday, March 13, during a talk she gave in the Hall building Greenhouse. Our bodies know what is best for us, better than our brains do, because our bodies are still communicating with nature and saying, “hmm, spring is happening out there and that means that something needs to happen in here,” said Lewak. And that means our bodies are telling us it is time to detox. Lewak mixed modern North American shamanism and ancient Chinese medicine during her talk, which taught a handful of students how to naturally care for their bodies. And that means, first and foremost, listening to your body and paying attention to what it is telling you. Never do anything that doesn’t feel right, and don’t push your body to do what it doesn’t want to do, said Lewak. Ancient Chinese medicine tells us that

LEWAK EXPLAINS THE BENEFITS OF MUNG BEANS. PHOTO BY MICHELLE GAMAGE. spring’s element is wood, said Lewak, which is connected to the liver and the gallbladder. The liver is responsible for hundreds of functions in the body, she added, which means that if the liver is not cleansed or detoxed it can get backed up, which leads to people getting sick. “Spring is a time to clean,” said Lewak, adding when life naturally cleans itself, all you have to do is get out of the way and let it do its thing. To detox the body Lewak recommends starting simple and doing a “soft cleanse,” where you wake up and drink warm water with lemon or lime juice added to it, and let that work its way through your body for half an hour.

Other gentle ways to cleanse the liver are to eat leafy greens and bitter herbs. The leaves and flowers of dandelions can make a tasty and healthy salad, and the roots can be boiled to make a tea that cleanses the whole body, said Lewak. Add some kale, parsley, or alfalfa to the salad for an extra boost. For those looking for a more hard-core cleanse, Lewak suggests that you kick off the day by eating half of a raw onion and a whole clove of garlic for a week, which will clear your body of any parasites you may have picked up. Fasting, although a cleansing process, is something that Lewak hesitated to promote.

“I’ve seen some people do crazy things. In our society, people don’t really know how to fast,” said Lewak. This ties back to the concept of listening to your body. If you don’t feel like eating a meal, don’t force yourself. If you don’t feel like eating for 12 hours, try fasting for that time, said Lewak. But make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid exercise. “You have to take care of yourself, otherwise the body will react,” she said. A final, simple way to help your body is to pay attention to chewing. Eating alone and taking time to notice how you are chewing has endless benefits, such as increasing the amount of saliva you produce and aiding your digestion, she said. Maybe spring would be a good time to spend less time cramming food in your face alone in the dark of your room while binge-watching Netflix, and spend more time incorporating leafy greens into your diet. If not for the sake of health, then do it to avoid spring allergies. Allergies in ancient Chinese medicine are related to the liver, said Lewak, and that means detoxifying and rejuvenating your liver will lead to less hay fever and other springtime-sneezing fits. Lewak will be back in the Concordia greenhouse on April 9 to discuss the health benefits of chocolate. For more on alternative medicine, go to Lewak’s website at goingbeyondcentre. com.

Column // LIFE

Mim meets Montreal: Aussie lingo for dummies Episode 15: In which Mim wants you to meet Melbourne MIM KEMPSON Staff writer

One of the first things that Canadians ask me once they’ve established that I’m Australian is “how do you survive back home, knowing that a spider or a snake could crawl into your bed and kill you in your sleep?” So, in dedication to those curious cobbers, here’s a column that seeks to answer your questions.

Fact #1 You won’t cark it from a deadly creature if you live in the city. The likelihood of seeing a tiger snake or a spider the size of your own face is roughly the same as a Montrealer seeing a giant Canadian bear. Sure, I’ve stepped on a couple of snakes in my lifetime, gotten bitten by mozzies and bull ants, and have shared lunch with a possum and a blue-tongued lizard, but that’s when I’ve been camping, deep in a forest six hours out of town. It was a visit to Montreal’s Café Melbourne (4615 St-Laurent Blvd.) on Saturday arvo that got me thinking about Australia. They serve stereotypical Australian

foods such as Vegemite, lamingtons (a cube of sponge cake iced with chocolate and shredded coconut) and jaffles (essentially a cross between a toasted cheese sanger and a waffle). The décor is minimalist ‘60s-style retro and the bathroom walls are covered in pictures of Australian icons including Heath Ledger, Nicole Kidman and Steve Irwin. Here, the baristas only make fair dinkum lattes and cappuccinos, all the while chatting to one another in true blue Aussie accents. Fact #2 In Australia you can’t order filter coffee. Or, at least that was the case half a

Glossary of Australian Lingo Cobber - friend (can be used with close friends or acquaintances) Cark it - die Mozzies - mosquitos Arvo - afternoon Sanger - sandwich Fair dinkum - genuine True blue - the real thing Yarn - chat Narky - easily annoyed Whinge - complain Piddly - trivial or pathetic Gobsmacking - surprising Nut out - solve Wuss - a weak person Strewth - an expression of surprise Give it a burl - give it a shot You’ll be apples - don’t worry

MIM GETS A TASTE OF HOME AT CAFÉ MELBOURNE. PHOTO BY JORDIE YEAGER.

year ago. I’ve since been told that filter coffee has become a trendy new beverage. I had a yarn with the café’s co-owner Angus Castran, who told me that customers in Melbourne are now ordering filter coffee for its novelty factor. It’s like the reverse of Starbucks putting flat whites on their menu. Sipping at my extra-hot, double shot pretentious soy latte, I sat by the window and stared out onto a dismally grey StLaurent Blvd. The light rain reminded me of a Melbourne winter. Fact #3 In Australia, it’s not summer 365 days of the year. It mightn’t snow, but we sure get pretty narky about rainy 10-degree weather. After enduring four months of Montreal’s winter, however, I will never whinge about such piddly weather again. To me, five degrees is now the sign of a lovely spring day. I’ve been asked some pretty gobsmacking questions since arriving in Montreal. The first: “are kangaroos a standard mode of transportation in Australia?” Thankfully that one was a joke. This one, however, was not: “aren’t you scared that a drop-bear will fall from a tree and kill you?” Once I’d nutted out what a “dropbear” was, I couldn’t help but laugh at the wuss. They were referring to a completely harmless, herbivorous marsupial: the koala. Strewth. Seriously, mate, get over your hang-ups about Australia, and give it a burl. Trust me, she’ll be apples.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 //

Column // LIFE

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about sex

What goes through the minds of the average heterosexual couple during sex? MICHELLE GAMAGE Production manager

Part one: ladies Phase one: Seduction game strong Hm. Look at my butt. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking pretty fine today. Look at that! Every angle! Perfect jiggle, perfect bounce. MMM. Hey you, you noticed my butt today? Oh. You are checking out more than my butt I see. Wow you took off your pants really fast. Wait, how did you get my pants off too? Impressive. You are like a sex magician. Find me a comfortable surface, sex magician. POOF! A bed. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s do this thing. The beast with two backs. The horizontal tango. Hold on, let me get my shirt off. Wait, you have to roll off me, put your leg there, I can lean on this elbow here and. Wait. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m stuck. Help? WAITOWOWITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;SS TUCKONMYHAIRSTOPWAITOW oh god. Phase two: Distractions, distractions Yes, check out my beautiful bra. My boobs look so good in this bra. Totally worth dropping $80 at that stupid lingerie shop. Wait no donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take it off yet you have to admire it first! Fine. Stupid. Mmm kissing nipples. Very nice. Wait. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done this before. You sucked your momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nipples before. Weird. Are you thinking of your motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nipples right now? Ewe!

Babies are weird. Wait. Babies. Did I take my birth control today? Uhhh. Yes. Had it with orange juice right after I brushed my teeth and it tasted gross. Why is that?

DRE UN CAFĂ&#x2030;.â&#x20AC;? Hah, first-year French class totally paid off.

Phase 3: Yes

Wait. Hold on. Hold the fucking phone. Did you just finish? Are you serious? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only been going at this, what, four minutes now? Wow man. Just fucking wow. It was the French, wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? Well, canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be blamed I suppose. Now get the fuck off of me and pass me my vibrator. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on my bedside table. Yeah that one. At least THIS puppy will last more than five minutes. Honestly.

WHOA WHAT DID YOU JUST DO. That felt good. Do that again! Oh hell yeah. Things are getting hot and heavy up in HERE. YES. Phase 4: What the hell are you doing? Why are you still doing it rough I want it all slow and sensual again! Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you just keep up with me? Wait, you want me to put my leg where? Uh, sure, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s try that. Hm. Wait, too far. Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come here today for a fucking yoga session. Hold on that actually feels really good. Yeah keep it like that. Wait leg cramp leg cramp! Owww! No okay we are good, keep going, disaster averted. Haha, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it be funny if a baby was conceived during a leg cramp? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be a hell of a story to tell. Wait. How many people are having sex in the world right NOW? I wonder what people sex-moan in other languages. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know enough Cantonese to know what they would say. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try French. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh OUI MONSIEUR. TRĂ&#x2C6;S BIEN.â&#x20AC;? Huh, you responded well to that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because French is the language of loooove isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? What else do I know in French? â&#x20AC;&#x153;OUI, OUI. CROQUE MONSIEUR. Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AI PREN-

Phase 5: Are you kidding me...

Part two: gentlemen TIM LAZIER Sports editor

Phase 1: #Winning Hey! Look at this! Way to go little guy, I mean, always above-average guy. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won, this is happening! Nothing can stop me now, this turned into a great day! I can go to sleep with a smile on my face knowing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made mankind proud. Oh, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s she doing? Okay okay, I see how it is. You want to dance pretty lady? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tango! Phase 2: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the best!

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Wow! This is going great; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely noticing those five crunches I did while she was in the bathroom. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all in the prep work. Been absolutely shredding it at the gym lately. Chiselled from marble and placed upon Mount Olympus for all the commoners to worship, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s me! Ha, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so devilish; she is one lucky gal right now. This is no sweat at all, plenty of gas left in the tank! Phase 3: Oops â&#x20AC;Ś Oh no. Not yet! Keep your shit together King Cobra Maverick Jr. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not your time to shine yet. Wait, what!? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the time!? No, canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be. Her clock must be slow, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been way longer than that. Okay switch positions thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll help. Huh, yeah alright back on trackâ&#x20AC;Ś nope, guess not. Okay close your eyes. Ummmm ninth grade algebra, spiders, the ending of Marley & Me. Oh no, Jennifer Aniston was in that! Remember her in Horrible Bosses? No! Stupid brain! Stop that! Phase 4: Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done by now, right? Alright, last mad dash, kid. Hit her with the good stuff and then stick the landing. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practically begging me to stop. Well done good sir, another MVP performance. Phase 5: Finale Phff, crushed it.

arts 10

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com Theatre // ARTS

Short works festival explores feminist voices Concordia-organized festival tackles tough topics and gives back to the community KIRSTEN HUMBERT Staff writer

hat’s the difference between a feminist theatre festival and a theatre festival? It isn’t in the acting, the quality of the storytelling, or the passion of the people involved. The only difference is that a feminist theatre festival gives a voice to those who do not normally have one. For several years, the Concordia theatre department has been producing The Vagina Monologues. Emily Schon, now a fourth year student in the Concordia theatre department, participated as an actor three years ago and went on to direct the production for the following two. This year however, they wanted to do something different. “The Vagina Monologues is this monolith of feminism, but it leaves a lot of people out. We talked about what we could do to reach a wider audience,” Schon explained. “There is a system that privileges cisgendered, white, heteronormative, able-bodied men. How do we privilege [other] voices and hear their stories in a way that is useful and gives value to the experiences of these people?” The program for the festival came with a trigger warning, and a promise of dealing with themes likes transphobia, homophobia, abuse, stereotypes, drug use, and sex work. In all, the Short Works Feminist Theatre Festival was an exceptional effort by all the writers, production team, and the actors. It was a welcome change from the usual Vagina Monologues, giving those in attendance pause to consider realities far removed from their own. Bravo!

REBECCA STACEY Contributor

EAT/FAST IS A PLAY WRITTEN BY CONCORDIA STUDENT MICHELLE SOICHER AND WAS PRESENTED AS PART OF THE FEMINIST SHORT WORKS FESTIVAL. PHOTO BY KEITH RACE. been. Following her Bubbie’s advice, Yael decides that now may not be the time to tell the rest of her family. Even though Bubbie’s insistence on silence comes from a place of understanding as opposed to prejudice, she still essentially asks her granddaughter to hide who she is, to “starve” even while she is surrounded by a feast of love and knowledge of who she is and means to be.

ily are the same person, and she makes the decision to let Emily live and lead the way to their future. But the struggle does not end when Erik becomes Emily, and the writer highlights the importance of both Erik and Emily’s experiences. Emily needs Erik’s strength just as much as Erik needed to accept Emily. Alone, they could only survive. But together, with the wealth of both of their experiences and memories, they can truly live.

The Scar Tissue

At the Hands of Our Neighbours

In The Scar Tissue (by Ché Baines) is an introspective piece that focuses on enduring the struggles of gender identity. With a very minimalist set, this play uses its extraordinarily powerful cast to tell the story of a transgender teen forced onto the street by an abusive family. This play reinforces that while escapism can be a means of survival, the key to happiness is self-acceptance. Alone and plagued by rejection, Erik (Ella Storey) falls into drug use as a way of avoiding the memories that threaten to consume her. In the midst of drug-fueled dreams, Erik finds hope in a woman named Emily (Ashia Fredeen) who pleads with Erik to fight for a fulfilled life, and explains that for Erik to find happiness she must recognize Emily’s existence. Erik then realizes that she and Em-

At the Hands of Our Neighbours (by Aly Slominski) starts the show off with a bang. This high-energy satirical piece about women's liberation and the rise of feminism is filled with clever allegories and charming characters. Set during the Cold War, Honey (Cleopatra Boudreau) and Dear (Gabriel Schultz) are a couple living a typical, albeit artificial, married life full of superficial concerns and an adherence to traditional roles. He brings home flowers for her after work; she tends the garden and frets about what her neighbours might think. But when a bomb goes off, and the pair face the reality that they may be the only two people left alive, they must confront the lies they are living. Dear confesses his homosexual relationship with their neighbour, George.

Eat/Fast Eat/Fast (by Michelle Soicher) centres around a young Jewish woman, Yael (Caite Clark), and her Bubbie (Judy Kenigsberg) while they ready for the breaking of the Yom Kippur fast. While the two women help each other prepare the evening’s dinner, Yael explains to her Bubbie that she is bisexual, and it swiftly becomes clear that Yael really wants help preparing for something else: to tell the rest of her family about her sexuality. Building on the imagery of two women who starve in the interest of tradition while they are surrounded by the food, this play comments on the importance of inherited tradition, culture, and family support, presenting them as equally meaningful in the construction of both personal identity and sexuality. As Yael explains, she is "who she loves,” but that does not change who she has always

Honey accepts this in stride and admits her asexuality before she leaves Dear, stripping off her dress and duties to head off in search of what she wants. There is more at work here than just the dissolution of an unhappy marriage. While the bomb represents the onset of feminism, the characters' reactions are symbolic of both the freedom that feminism affords women and the stagnation of men who resist social change. While Honey seeks out possible survivors, Dear stays exactly where he is, clinging to his idea that, if he follows the rules and does everything "right," there is no need to adjust, even in the face of earth-shattering change. All of these plays are captivating modern examples of feminist intersections with culture, gender, and sexual identity. They are all perfect examples of how important it is to give opportunities and support to new feminists and new stories. This festival has very much sparked a revolution and will hopefully begin a tradition to continue for many years to come. The festival ran at Cafe Cleopatra and the Georges-Vanier Cultural Centre from March 13-15. Stay tuned to find out what Revolution They Wrote has lined up for their next short works festival.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Cinema Politica // ARTS

Error 404: Sexual minorities not found Cinema Politica documentary explores the censorship of Russia’s LGBTQ population LINDSAY RICHARDSON Arts editor

Back in 2013, Russian president Vladimir Putin passed a bill prohibiting the promotion or “propaganda” of non-traditional sexual unions to minors. Under the law, the young LGBTQ population is told, on a regular basis, that their sexual preferences make them sick, abnormal, and abhorrent to Russian society. Lena Klimova, a Russian journalist well versed in the social struggle of LGBTQ teens, set up two networking and support groups with the title “Children 404”—a reference to the Internet error message “Error 404: Page not found.” Almost immediately, teens took to the page to express their struggles with homophobia and the government’s censorship of their sexuality. “As soon as I come to school, people start ramming it into our heads that people like me have no right to live,” one 17-yearold wrote. Another 16-year-old described missing two weeks of school in order to plan her own suicide. The project, on a whole, gave a glimpse into the harrowing lives of sexual minorities in a society that promotes intolerance. When documentary filmmakers Askold Kurov and Pavel Loparev saw the action in the online forums and read the testimonies of Russia’s suffering LGBTQ youth, they decided to produce a film to relay their struggles to an international audience. However, not only would the pair face preliminary financial roadblocks, but to produce a film of this nature—regarding “alternative” sexual conduct—was, under Russian law, illegal. After reaching out to queer filmmakers

THE

POWERFUL DOC ATTENDANCE.

CHILDREN 404

WILL PREMIERE IN

and activists worldwide, the pair launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund Children 404 in conjunction with four Montrealbased gay rights activists. On a shoestring budget, and under the watchful eye of the Russian government, Kurov and Loparev succeeded in their production of a one-off film that recounts the struggle of LGBTQ youth in Russia—as seen and experienced by Russians. The film’s main subject is 18-year-old Pasha, who experiences sexual discrimination on a daily basis at school. He recounts

MONTREAL

CINEMA POLITICA

MARCH 23

having coins thrown at him while walking in the school’s hallways, and a hidden camera in the school’s cafeteria reveals his fellow students calling out “faggot” and stating loudly that “this is how [Pasha] is greeted in his school.” With a population of nearly 2.5 million LGBTQ children in Russia, Pasha is the face of a considerable population of teenagers who face torment and the threat of violence on a daily basis. He considers leaving his homeland if only to find stability, love, and acceptance somewhere else in the world.

AND THE FILM’S DIRECTOR WILL BE IN

The film includes anonymous interviews with young people, parents and psychologists, and pulls heart-wrenching quotes from the initial Facebook posts on the “Children 404” page. Alltogether, the film aims to promote a sense of empathy, understanding and tolerance in a state of government-endorsed discrimination. Directors Askold Kurov and Pavel Loparev will be in attendance at Cinema Politica’s screening of Children 404 on Monday March 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Film // ARTS

Same dainty glass slipper, strong female lead

Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation modernizes and strengthens our beloved Cinderella EMILIE BERTHIER Contributor

Walt Disney Studios has replaced their old fashioned glass slippers with newer, shinier ones. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the new live-action version of Cinderella was released in theatres this week with more than a few improvements. This movie is a classic, and the script follows the original storyline from 1950. Indeed, Branagh told The Talk earlier this week how important it was to be true to it: “Every generation seems to respond to it, so we wanted to give everybody what they sort of expected. So there is a pumpkin. It does transform into a carriage,” he said. However, while it recreates the essence of the fairy tale, the story is modernized quite a bit. Cinderella’s character is stronger, relationships are more complex, and the love story itself is more believable. Cinderella (Lily James)—nicknamed so by one of her stepsisters when she wakes up dirtied by cinder, having slept next to the fireplace to keep warm—loses both her parents and suffers the wrath of her stepfamily’s cruelty.

Nonetheless, she lives up to her mother’s wishes: to have courage and be kind. Cinderella remains strong, never complains, and endures her stepmother and stepsisters to take care of her parents’ beloved house and honour their memory. Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) is perhaps one of the most entertaining characters of the story. More dimension is brought to her character, replacing the inherently cruel stepmother with Blanchett’s fascinating performance. She embodies a manipulative woman consumed with jealousy, who envies Cinderella’s youth, beauty and kindness. As for the love story, there is no such thing as love at first sight in this movie— which is certainly one of the best improvements. Instead, Cinderella meets the prince (Richard Madden) before the royal ball, while he’s on a hunting trip in the forest. They talk, clearly intrigued by one another—the prince doesn’t reveal his identity, but lets her believe he’s an apprentice— and they continue on their separate ways, hoping to see one another again. When the soon-to-be king is urged to find a suitable wife, he agrees to throw a royal ball on the condition that every maiden—noble or commoner—is invited.

Contrary to his father’s wishes, he wants to marry for love, not social advantage. As for the costumes and décor, they are quite impressive and perfectly illustrate the magical fairytale. The collection of dresses is remarkable, from the stepsisters’ ridiculous, over-the-top outfits, to Cinderella’s dreamy blue ballgown. The special effects are mostly used for magical spells but also animate the mice,

who Cinderella speaks to. Fortunately, they don’t answer back like their predecessors, and their part in the story is properly downplayed. In the same manner, the songs are replaced by a beautiful score by Patrick Doyle. For those who would like to revisit a tale of their childhood, or discover it for the first time, Cinderella is a magical story that will sweep the audience off its feet.

music //

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

Profile // MUSIC

Get hooked on Dany Laj and The Looks The band tours in and around big cities to help inspire musicians from small towns

MONTREAL’S DANY LAJ AND THE LOOKS WILL BE PLAYING THEIR BRIT-POP/ ROCK TUNES AT THEIR ALBUM RELEASE SHOW MARCH 30 AT LES KATACOMBES.

DANIELLE GASHER Staff writer

repare yourself to be blasted to the past when you listen to what Dany Laj and The Looks have in store. The Montreal-based band is releasing the album Word on the Street on May 5, and are offering Montrealers a CD release at Les Katacombes bar on March 30. Dany Lajeunesse, known as Dany Laj, grew up in Northern Ontario, in a small mining town called Kirkland Lake. He explained that, when he started playing music, there was a scene in Kirkland. He started out in his hometown, but didn’t stay still for very long. “When I was 18 or 19, I went to the big city—thought I’d give it a shot. I stayed in Toronto for three or four years, went back to Kirkland Lake after that and worked for about a year. I started a band there, and moved to Ottawa briefly. I then went to North Bay, where I played with a band called Intestines. We toured the country, put out a record. I then wound up in Sudbury with a band

called the Old Youth, toured the country, put out a record. After that, I was back in Kirkland Lake again for about eight months, and then ended up in Toronto again,” Laj said. The artist first came to Montreal in 2012, after he had to move out of his Toronto apartment due to the record shop underneath him closing. “We moved to Montreal because it was easier and cheaper at the time than finding a place in Toronto. We weren’t sure if we were going to live in Montreal very long, but we really liked it. It worked for us,” he said, referring to himself and his bassist, Jeanette Dowling. The Looks, his backup band, are composed of three people: his bassist Dowling, drummer Alexandre Bigras, and new addition to the band, keyboard and sax player, Alexandre Fecteau. Their sound is the perfect unpretentious harmony of ‘60s Brit Pop, ‘80s soft-rock and ‘90s grunge. Their musical arrangements and lyrics are simple—no muss, no fuss. The simplicity and clarity of their lyrics and riffs is what gives the band that British feel and soft-rock cool factor. Laj’s voice is similar to Lou Reed’s; an artist who never tried too

hard with vocals. An artist who, in other words, didn’t “oversing.” For Laj, keeping the rawness and edge to his voice works perfectly with the band’s laid back feel. Some of Laj’s musical influences can be guessed or deduced due to their familiar style. Bands like The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash and Paul Collins, all hold a presence in Dany Laj and The Looks, whether it be in the even pop rhythm of the guitar, in the quirky lyrics, or in Laj’s vocal technique. “I think I was about nine years old when I first heard The Beatles, and it changed my life. It has everything to do with everything I do,” said Laj. His band has toured the country, but refuses to pick favourite cities. “It’s hard to pick a favourite place to tour. We’re a band that goes around small towns a lot. We don’t consider ourselves higherup or that kind of thing. We feel it’s just as important to play a small town as it is to play a big city,” said Laj. The fact that the artist is from a small town makes it even more important for him to stop by places like Kirkland Lake—places that don’t necessarily get visited by musicians who hit the “big city.”

“I think, because I’m from a small town, I understand the importance of having artists coming to town once in a blue moon to give a show. It gives inspiration to people from small towns to hopefully do what I’m doing, y’know?” Laj said. Touring a lot has allowed Laj to live through some incredible and surprising adventures. “One of my best adventures on tour was when we played at a castle in Moncton last year. That was pretty amazing. We had heard that this castle was up for sale at the price of a house in Toronto. We thought it was great so we based our whole tour around it,” Laj said. “We called our tour ‘Sell the Castle Tour.’ We ended up getting hold of the realtors who found the castle, and they ended up coming to our show. We were doing a bunch of press stuff at that point, and we wound up on the 6 o’clock news and television and radio. ‘Rock and roll band trying to sell castle’ was their headline. So, yeah, it was good times!” Check out and rock out to Dany Laj and The Looks on March 30 at Les Katacombes for their album release.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Campus // MUSIC

CJLO’s The Oven sounds warmer than ever The ConU radio station revamped their recording space with fresh new equipment MIA PEARSON Music editor

CJLO 1690AM, Concordia’s campus radio station, just renovated their recording space and it now has all the features a band would look for to record their latest tunes—a warmer sound, enthusiastic and experienced engineers, and sunlight. CJLO has been recording bands for live broadcasts and pre-recordings for a while. The room has been filled with the sounds of Montreal locals like Ought, Nancy Pants, Motel Raphael, and so many more. CJLO’s production manager, Patrick McDowell, recorded Montreal band Fleece’s latest album, Scavenger, in the space as well. The Concordian caught up with McDowell to talk about what The Oven hopes to cook-up next. The Concordian (C): Could you give me brief introduction of what the new studio looks like, and why it’s important for CJLO? Patrick McDowell (PM): We acoustically treated the live room, so it sounds a lot better and looks a lot better. There’s fresh hardwood on the floor now, we painted the walls and put-up new acoustic treatment on the walls, new panels, and it’s a lot brighter

in there and welcoming. The reason it’s important to CJLO: one, we have always done our live sessions out of there—like, say a band tours through, we can broadcast performances live on air. We can also prerecord it and share it on social media. C: If someone wants to record an album, can they rent the space?

C: What kind of backlined gear and equipment do you have? PM: We have the latest version of Pro Tools, we have a new focusrite interface, we have a new Urei 1176 compressor, which only nerds will know about, but they might enjoy it. We just have a drum kit, so that’s all we really offer in backline. We’re working

on finding [more equipment] either through sponsors, or once we start creating revenue and stuff, then we can invest, more and more, into the space. CJLO is hosting a re-launch party for The Oven at Le Cagibi April 2 with performers Saxsyndrum and Fleece. They’ll be hosting an open house to visit the studio April 7 from 3 to 8 p.m.

PM: We really want to get the community involved, especially students involved in recording profesional albums there, which has been done a number of times in the last few years. We just wanted to take it to the next level, promote it more, and have that happen a lot more often. My goal is to make it a place which is known for creating, you know, professional albums—whether it’s an EP or an LP or any format, really. C: Would bands be working with an engineer? PM: Yeah absolutely: me and Marshall Vaillancourt. We’re the engineers there at this point, and we’re always interested in meeting more people. If people get involved, say, like, volunteering with us, it’s a really good opportunity to learn a thing or two, or to just practice your skills. Eventually, down the road, who knows, those engineers could start to do their own work with us.

RECORDING SESSIONS ARE $5/HOUR FOR CONU STUDENTS AND FREE FOR CJLO DJS AND VOLUNTEERS.

Quickspins // MUSIC

Purity Ring – Another Eternity (4AD; 2015)

Kelly Clarkson - Piece by Piece (RCA Records; 2015)

Cannibal Ox – Blade of the Ronin (IGC Records; 2015)

Tobias Jesso Jr. - Goon (True Panther Sounds; 2015)

Edmonton pop duo Purity Ring has released Another Eternity, the follow up to their acclaimed debut album Shrines (2012). Not surprisingly, Megan James’ vocals are strong and clear, her soothing, sweet voice singing of heartbreak and anguish. However, any expectations of innovative, genre-defying pop songs were dashed upon the first listen. Another Eternity is simply put, another electro-pop album. Most of the album sounds as though it was remixed to be more appropriate for clubbing, with repetitive beats and continuous layering of synth samples. Though songs like “Bodyache” and “Repetition” have catchy choruses, their overall sound mimics what every pop musician who wants to be played on Top 40 radio is striving for today. This is disappointing for a band who emerged with slick, sharp, and sinister pop songs like “Lofticries” from Shrines. While Purity Ring have evidently joined the auto-tune, club mix bandwagon, there is still hope for the future and the possibility that this album will not dictate their future sound.

The appropriately-titled album opener and first single, “Heartbeat Song,” is a sweeping pop ballad which instantly gives life to Kelly Clarkson’s latest record Piece by Piece, her third No. 1 album on Billboard Magazine. With a distinctive and powerful voice backed by electro instrumentals and heavy percussion, Clarkson sounds like a less quirky version of Florence + The Machine on more than a few tracks. Among the highlights of this album is “Run, Run, Run,” a beautiful piano duet alongside John Legend. Life has changed drastically for the former American Idol winner since her last record, Stronger (2011), especially having been married and given birth to her first child since. Thus, the themes of this album become quite clear from early on: fighting through adversity and the subsequent need for optimism, ultimately leading to self-empowerment.

There’s no denying Harlem-based duo Cannibal Ox’s importance; The Cold Vein, now 14 years old, remains a creative high point in underground hip hop thanks to its heady, Martian lyricism and El-P’s now-signature industrialtinged production. Blade of the Ronin, the duo’s first release since, is curiously vanilla by comparison. With no trace of El-P in sight, Blade of the Ronin finds rappers Vordul Mega and Vast Aire trading in the experimental edge that defined them for a stark yet uniformly inoffensive sound that works against their strengths. While producer Bill Cosmiq did his damndest to build a tense, clanging atmosphere, the results are distinctly lacking in personality, often adhering to rote boom bap formula. Even Vordul Mega, the duo’s more verbose and less dynamic half, somehow doubles down on the monotony, muttering his way through verses as if half asleep. Just like Deltron 3030’s Event 2, Blade of the Ronin serves as a welcome reminder that some things are better in theory than practice.

To quote author Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club: “it’s only after we’ve lost everything, that we’re free to do anything.” That quote encapsulates 29-year-old singersongwriter Tobias Jesso Jr.’s journey to the conception of his debut album Goon. The Vancouver-native moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, but after a nasty breakup, losing his job, a car accident and discovering his mother had cancer, he returned home, defeated. The journey is what makes Goon so endearing. Not only is the songwriting timeless and earnest, there is a fragility and innocence to the execution that can only be attained through self-doubt and insecurity. The album channels ‘70s singersongwriters like Randy Newman and John Lennon, but with crisp, clear production and quirky nuances that make it feel charming and modern. For an album that was conceived through failure and loss, Goon is a triumph.

Trial Track: “Stranger Than Earth”

Trial Track: “Heartbeat Song”

Trial Track: “Psalm 82”

Trial Track: “Hollywood”

4/10

-Oneida Crawford

7/10

-Ayan Chowdhury

5/10

-Samuel Provost-Walker

9/10

-Paul Traunero

sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

Opinion // SPORTS Photo by @Milaspage on Flickr

Is there still a “buzz” surrounding the Impact? Questionable decisions recently made by management make it hard to care about the team SAMANTHA MILETO Contributor

The Montreal Impact made history two weeks ago when they became the first Canadian soccer team to win a two-legged series against a Mexican opponent in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday, after tying Pachuca 1-1 at the Olympic Stadium on March 3. The teams also played out to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the series. The tie was all the Impact needed to advance into the semi-finals of the tournament, gaining the chance to win the championship, which is awarded annually to the best club in North and Central America. I’ve always been a huge Impact fan, but I can’t find myself getting excited to watch them play in this CONCACAF tournament because of questionable decisions made by management over the years. The Impact entered Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2012. The team impressed in their inaugural season, ending the season with a 12-16-6 record with 42 points. They brought in Italian nationals Alessandro Nesta and Marco Di Vaio, as well as Brazilian midfielder Felipe Martins. With the addition of Brossard-native Patrice Bernier, the future was bright for the club going into the 2013 season… or so we thought. After a quick start to the 2013 season, the team went on a downward spiral and won just two of their final 11 games. They barely squeaked into the playoffs and lost in the first round to the Houston Dynamo. One would think that big changes were imminent in the following offseason, but apparently not. Yes, Joey Saputo, president of the Impact, fired the team’s coach at the time, Marco Schallibaum, and replaced him with Frank Klopas. But sadly, a coach can’t carry a team. The product on the field didn’t change from 2013 to 2014, and neither did the results. The team finished dead last in the league in 2014, and didn’t win a road game all season. Besides not doing anything in the offseason to improve the squad, there were so many things, in my opinion, that manage-

ment did wrong that led to that miserable season. One major problem is that Saputo is too family-oriented. Usually that would seem like a good thing, but not in this case. For example, Nick De Santis has been a part of the club since 1993. He started as a player, became the head coach in 2008 and then was promoted to manager in 2011. When someone has been a part of a team for so long, there is the loyalty factor to consider, and I think that’s why it took Saputo so long for him to finally let De Santis go over

ship. To me, that’s the epitome of unprofessionalism. Last year, I wrote an op-ed piece for The Concordian on former Impact defender Jeb Brovsky, about why I thought he was Montreal’s unsung hero. He was so much a part of our community, especially through his charity Peace Pandemic. He was learning French, and was always seen enjoying Montreal’s finest attractions. Whether it was watching a Habs game, attending the Formula 1, or something as simple as talking to fans at the Jean Talon Market, he quickly

The product on the field didn’t change from 2013 to 2014, and neither did the results. The team finished dead last in the league in 2014, and didn’t win a road game all season. the summer. Another problem is the inconsistency of the head coaching position. Though Saputo was patient in firing his friend, he has shown great impatience with other coaches. Since 2008, the Impact have had six coaches. Since entering the MLS, only Klopas coached the team in back-to-back seasons. And after last season’s disaster, I’m not sure how much longer Klopas has. In my opinion, Jesse Marsch, who was the team’s first coach in the MLS, did a fine job in this first season, even if the team didn’t make the playoffs. Marsch clearly loved this city, so much so that he became pretty good in French, and even started giving interviews in French. So, why was he fired? Why couldn’t he be given a chance to see what he could really do in the second year? The team overachieved in their expansion year, unlike most expansion teams, who draw players from other teams and tend to struggle in their first couple seasons. You have to give some credit to the coach, no? The final straw was when management started taking shots at former players, then blamed the bad season on lack of leader-

became my favourite player for accepting our city. In June, Brovsky had a falling out with coaching staff and management over playing time. He asked to be traded and was ultimately dealt to the expansion franchise NYCFC. This trade stung, mainly because the Impact gave Brovsky an undeserved slap in the face afterwards. A few weeks after the trade, the team held an open practice for season-ticket holders, followed by a staff and players meet-and-greet. Giovanni Sardo, who covered the Impact for CJAD, Mount Royal Soccer and TSN 690 for three years, was also a season-ticket holder and in attendance. Sardo said that Saputo and Klopas opened the session by saying that they only wanted players who truly wanted to be on the team, players who bled blue, black and white. So, Sardo asked Saputo about Brovsky. “Brovsky, during his time here, was one of the most active players in the community,” Sardo said. “He was a fan-favourite. He always gave his all for the team. It was 100 per cent all the time. He even bled, literally, for the team [when he broke his nose dur-

ing a game last year but finished the game anyways]. I asked whether or not that fit their description of the type of player they wanted. Granted, he is not the best player in the league but he was a solid player on the defensive line and a leader within the team.” Klopas himself said after last season that leadership was one thing that was missing in the locker room that season. So why would they trade away a player with a quality that you feel there wasn’t enough of? “[Saputo and Klopas] stated that [Brovsky] demanded a trade,” Sardo said. “That, he wasn’t happy in Montreal and that his wife Caitlin wasn’t happy here and that she stated this often through Twitter and her blog. Both Klopas and Saputo said that they traded him because he didn’t want to be here and was unhappy.” As soon as Sardo made these comments public on Twitter, they quickly got to Brovsky and his wife. The very next day, Brovsky asked on Twitter: “Does anyone have a link or script from this phantom ‘blog’ that was spoken of yesterday? My wife and I would both love to read it. #Merci.” “This is what I didn’t like about this reply,” Sardo said. “If he didn’t want to be here, why would he work so hard every time he was on the field? If he didn’t want to be here, why would he be so actively involved in the community? Why ‘air out’ the team’s dirty laundry to make yourself seem like the good guy?” I completely agree. Anyone can do a Google search to see if Brovsky’s wife had a blog, and clearly she didn’t. Saputo openly bashed one of his former employees to his fans with lies. What does that say about him? And then Saputo had the guts to the tell The Canadian Press in February that “the buzz [for the Impact] is not there anymore” when it was announced that the team fell $2 million short of their target season ticket sales last year. As of the publishing of the article in February, the team had only sold 5,000 season tickets. Well, excuse me for not feeling “the buzz,” Mr. Saputo. Maybe it’s time to own up to your mistakes.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

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danslenoir.ca Football // SPORTS

Building the future of Stingers football In hopes of changing their future, recruiting has been the coaching staff’s top priority PEGGY KABEYA Assistant sports editor

Before the successes of last season, for the last couple years the Stingers football program underwent an unceremonious fall from grace out of the ranks of the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) premiere programs. The institution that former head coach Gerry McGrath had built in his later years provided anaemic results as the program slipped further and further into depths of cyclical mediocrity. Compounding poor on-field results, a graduating talent pool and a flagrant lack of competitive funding proved to be insurmountable, contributing to the eventual retirement of McGrath in the fall of 2013, after 22 years of devoted service. Effective recruiting is the foundation of any university athletic program, especially in the case of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football. Already in the midst of a full on rebuild, Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan and his staff are going all-out this offseason to replenish their depleted talent pool and arm themselves for next season. “Our focus come this recruiting period is to bring the best kids in, no matter the position,” Donovan said. “Because right now we’re still trying to rebuild [the program] by bringing better talent and adding more depth [to our roster].”

Last year, in Donovan’s inaugural season, the Stingers shocked the CIS landscape and caught some national attention as they began their season 4-0 after a winless 2013 season. However, positional depth concerns and injury issues on the offensive line among other key positions such as quarterback, running-back and the defensive line, made it difficult for the Stingers to maintain any sort of sustained success when it came time to play against powerhouse confer-

French as their mother tongue, according to Stats Canada. This makes it even more difficult to attract some of the nation’s top homegrown recruits. “There are a lot of great French athletes out there and we would love to have them all,” said Donovan. “We only have [a] chance if there’s an interest in studying in English, if there’s no interest we don’t have a chance, but even if there’s a slight interest, we have chance.”

Recruiting is the number one thing for winning in Canada, you have got to be able to find talent, not just football players but student athletes. ence rivals “Recruiting is the number one thing for winning in Canada, you have got to be able to find talent, not just football players but student athletes,” Donovan said. “I believe that Concordia is one of the best universities in the world, not just for football but for studying too, and we try to show recruits that when they visit.” Despite Donovan’s optimism, the Stingers find themselves in the midst of a precarious situation. Concordia is primarily an English university in a French province. Undeterred by the slight decline, 79 per cent of the nearly 8 million Quebecers still claim

This offseason, despite the inherent language handicap, the Stingers have gone full-fledged with the their upcoming recruiting class. According to Canada Football Chat (CFC), the Stingers have committed a CIS-best 53 recruits for the upcoming 2015 season, with an overwhelming majority coming from Quebec. Using the university’s perceived language hurdle as a unique selling feature, Donovan and the rest of the coaching staff have amassed an amazing amount of recruits who will look to compete for roster spots and playing time come training camp in August. “This year we’re probably going to have

60 incoming freshmen, and we’re probably going to have 130 at camp,” Donovan said. “What we’re trying to do is build that sense of competition, on the field, in the classroom, in the weight room.” Donovan also brought American players on board; his trips across the U.S. to recruit have expanded the Stingers roster to include players from as far as Texas and Florida. Marred by injuries for much of this past season, Donovan and his staff look to prepare themselves accordingly for the unrelenting grind of the RSEQ regular season. In response to the concerns about the quarterback position—with the departure of last season’s starting quarterback Frank Dessureault—Donovan and his staff are confident that this year’s incoming recruits, along with the in-house talent, will prove to be an upgrade from last season’s talent pool. “We’ve got some great [quarterbacks] coming in. We’ve got Quaid Johnson coming in from John Abbott, Collin Sequera coming back with a year under his belt and we’ve got highly touted American transfer QB Trenton Miller who’s enrolled for his MBA,” said Donovan. “If Frank [Dessureault] had been around this year, I don’t think he’d be dressing.” Only time will tell if this new go-forbroke attitude translates into winning results. With five months until training camp opens, Donovan and his staff are making sure that they give their program the best chance to succeed.

TRENTON MILLER IS ONE OF THE TOP RECRUITS THAT CONCORDIA HAS LURED. MILLER IS A TRANSFER FROM MARS HILL UNIVERSITY. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARS HILL ATHLETICS.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 Opinion // SPORTS

There is no offseason in the NFL Free agency period is just another reminder that the NFL is one of a kind

Sports in the News TIM LAZIER Sports editor

>> GET READY FOR THE MADNESS

It’s the craziest annual tournament that all of sports has to offer, and it’s fast approaching. Is it underrated in Canada? Absolutely. But watch a couple games of this year’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournament and you’ll be hooked for years to come. Many of you may be skeptical because basketball isn’t our favourite sport in the Great White North, but it’s a nationwide tournament that is built on dramatic finishes and Cinderella stories. With regular seasons wrapping up this past week, 64 of America’s top-ranked college basketball programs will take part in the do-or-die tournament that begins on March 19 and runs until April 6. Whether you are already a fan of the tournament or not, make a bracket, create a pool with your friends and watch the madness unfold. You won’t be disappointed.

>> WILL FERRELL TAKES TO THE DIAMOND

TIM LAZIER Sports editor

The National Football League (NFL) is a machine. A well-oiled, money-spewing, diabolically-engineered corporation that puts all of the other professional sports leagues to shame. It is the league of all leagues and there is no end in sight. This past year was probably the darkest period in league history. Highlighted by Ray Rice’s disturbing saga, trials and stories of domestic violence owned the headlines for most of the preseason. But once the ball was snapped and people tuned into Sunday afternoon football, all the uproar generated by off-field antics simmered to a hush. Because hey, football was back! Yes, people demanded that justice be served and those involved be punished, but there’s no reason to stop watching. Right? On Tuesday, March 10, the NFL’s new 2015-2016 season officially began with the commencing of the free agency period at 4 p.m. And oh, what an opening act it was for the NFL and its teams. Even before the clock struck 4 p.m., there were three trades in a matter of five minutes. The biggest blockbuster of them all came between the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. The Saints all-star tight end Jimmy Graham was sent packing to Seattle in exchange for a first-round pick and veteran offen-

sive tackle Max Unger. It was a madefor-Twitter event that had NFL analysts scrambling and fans craving more. Just when you thought the football season was over, the NFL machine reminded us all that football season is never really over. Since the market officially opened a week ago, there have been over 130 transactions, involving free agent signings, unrestricted free agent signings and trades. Not all of them have included household names, but that’s not the point. There is nothing “off” about the NFL offseason and it comes down to league scheduling. Meticulously thought out scheduling that ensures that the big, bad NFL always remains in the spotlight. One of the things that makes the NFL so marketable is that it has become a business that is open 365 days a year. Less than two months ago, the New England Patriots were crowned Super Bowl XLIX champions and it seemed that the world was ready to say goodbye to football, at least for a little while. Doesn’t that seem like another lifetime? Since then, the NFL has had its 2015 Scouting Combine from Feb. 17–23. This was a week-long event that was held in Indianapolis, where 300 of the latest batch of college prospects show off their skills and test their physical limits before the eyes of team scouts and coaches. Now, by the time the outburst of free agency cools off, sports fanatics should have a little much-needed rest from foot-

ball, right? Sorry, try again. The NFL and its minions will crank out hype and speculation over the upcoming rookie draft that will be held in Chicago from April 30 to May 2. If you don’t think that you will get sucked into the vortex that is draft hype than you’re just kidding yourself. Don’t tell me that you haven’t already peeked at a mock draft to see who your team will snag in the first round. It’s what the NFL does best; it’s not your fault. Roger Goodell, the NFL’s commissioner, was ridiculed for the way he mishandled last season’s off-field disasters. Investigations were launched and many people questioned whether or not Goodell was fit for the job anymore. But, in terms of profit, no other league’s commissioner has done better than Goodell. Last offseason, the league announced that the 2013-2014 season had brought in approximately $9.5 billion in revenue, according to Bloomberg. The numbers are not out yet for last season, but don’t be surprised if they reach double digits. After the draft in May and with Goodell at the wheel, the NFL will turn on cruise control and motor its way into the summer. The early months are the only real downtime in the NFL, so enjoy the silence while you can. Just when you think it’s gone, teams report to training camp by late July and the S.S. NFL will continue to steam into the fall and schedule for another successful season. It’s best to not get in its way; it tends to run over the competition.

Even if you aren’t a fan of his movies, seeing Will Ferrell stumble around the baseball diamond in his naturally goofy fashion is enough to make anyone chuckle. Spring training is in mid-swing and Major League Baseball (MLB) is getting ready for its opening day on April 6. On Thursday, March 12, Ferrell suited-up for 10 different teams and played in five separate spring training games around Arizona. The Dodgers, Padres, Giants, White Sox, Reds, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Angels, Mariners and Athletics welcomed the comedian for brief stints throughout their games. Ferrell played all nine positions during the day and brought a little laughter to the ballparks. Although he won’t be cracking the roster of any professional teams anytime soon, his shenanigans were all for a good cause. This was for his comedy website Funny Or Die, which is part of a HBO special. His gear and memorabilia from the day will be auctioned off on MLB. com with all proceeds going to Cancer for College and Stand Up to Cancer.

>> BACK ON TRACK? The Habs were in dire need of a victory as they headed to New York on Saturday night to face the Islanders. The first two weeks of March were not the Canadiens’ most impressive stretch throughout the season. Before their matchup in Long Island, Montreal had lost five of its last six games. While Carey Price continues to have an MVP-calibre season, the team’s offence has let them down. Throughout their slump, the Habs were shut out three times and only managed to score six goals. On Saturday however, the Habs beat the Islanders 3-1 and seemed to be clicking as a unit. With 12 games left in the season, the team is hoping that they don’t have to rely on Price as much. Fans and players alike are hoping they carry the momentum into the playoffs.

AS A BUSINESS, THE NFL OOZES SUCCESS AND BRINGS IN MONEY LIKE NO OTHER LEAGUE. GRAPHIC BY MARIE-PIER LAROSE.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

opinions

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com Editorial // OPINIONS

Student media has the right to report Concordia’s student press stands together against unnecessary exclusion of its reporters On Monday, March 16, the Students of Philosophy Association (SoPhiA) voted to exclude two student journalists from a public general assembly in order to protect themselves from being further observed by the press. This can be considered a suppression of the freedom of the press, and an obstacle for us to perform our duties to inform students at Concordia. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to shut out journalists because of a fear of being held accountable for what you say. If you raise your hand and open your mouth in a public forum, you are putting your opinion out to the public and should be ready to face any consequences of what you say. Once some participants at the meeting realized that the discussion was being recorded by The Concordian, members argued that the journalists present

should have formally announced themselves to the room. First and foremost, general assemblies are open to the public and often attended by student journalists whose job it is to inform the Concordia community at large about what goes on. Second of all, journalists do not have any obligation to announce themselves in a public forum. They can do so as a courtesy if they are filming or taking photos, but have no actual obligation to. Thirdly, anyone who speaks up in a general assembly should understand the seriousness of presenting themselves in a public forum. The topics that can be discussed at events like this can be sensitive, and those who speak up should take what they say seriously. On top of being barred from the meeting after closed session was invoked, our reporter was asked to delete his tape—

which he graciously agreed to do. The meeting’s topic turned to towards Concordia’s administration and their handling of austerity issues. A motion was presented to go into closed session in order to resolve the tension surrounding the two reporters present: Frédéric T. Muckle of The Concordian and Jonathan Cook of The Link. “I think it was an overreaction on the part of some members of the assembly,” said Muckle. “I think this was an unfair thing to do.” Earlier in the meeting, a comment was made about our reporter failing to announce himself due to being “inexperienced.” We resent the implication that he doesn’t know the procedures. Cook called this assumption demeaning and we agree entirely. While a general assembly is allowed to go into closed session, that right is

often reserved for instances where confidential information (such as resumes for potential employees or contracts) is being shared among voting members. However, using this power to shut out the press sets a dangerous precedent. Former ASFA President Paul Jerajian also questioned the decision. “In my personal opinion, it’s very poor judgement on their part. In this instance, there’s no real reason to [go into closed session.]” This mentality is directly in conflict with the need of transparency. Student organizations are accountable for their actions and the press plays an important role in preserving that balance. Both The Concordian and The Link stand together in solidarity against this treatment of our journalists. We condemn this lack of transparency and the disregard for the role that journalism plays in informing the public discourse.

Society // OPINIONS

Viral images are entertaining—but at what cost? Homeless people deserve their privacy online just as much as everybody else LAURA MARCHAND Opinions editor

ith protests concerning Bill C-51 mounting across the country, the question of privacy—especially online privacy—is on the tip of everybody’s tongue. High-profile cases have awoken public sympathy for those whose explicit photographs have been leaked online. Last week, Concordia University students sat in the cold for five days to raise money and awareness for the plight of the homeless. In addition, the plight of Aboriginal women made it all the way to the House of Commons, with Justin Trudeau vowing to start an inquiry into violence and crime against Aboriginal women should he be elected. Yet, here we are—with a picture of a homeless, Aboriginal Montreal woman, receiving oral sex, on the front page of reddit with over half a million views on imgur. It can even be found on the homepage of MTL Blog, where the author writes that “no fvcks were given” by the couple, who they claim were “more or less unperturbed to so publicly play in the sandbox” and take “mouth music to a whole new level.” The picture, clearly taken in Placedes-Arts metro, clearly shows a (wellknown) Aboriginal homeless woman,

receiving oral sex by a man whose face isn’t shown. Despite MTL Blog’s description, her face is turned towards the camera in surprise. Why is this particular instance considered “okay”? Maybe because it was in a public space: they are, clearly, on the floor of Place-des-Arts metro. In that sense, if you are in a public space, are you asking to get your picture taken and

shared online? Everyone can probably agree that one should generally not be performing sexual acts in the metro. But does that warrant your face being plastered over the Internet, unblurred and uncensored? Homeless women are already a vulnerable group in society and Aboriginal women face some of the highest levels of violence in the country. Does the pho-

SOR N E UNC

Graphic by Michelle Gamage

tographer understand the potential danger he or she has opened this woman up to? Why did they think, upon seeing this act-in-progress, that taking a picture was the appropriate course of action? Why not call security? Why not walk away? Already, people online are identifying her and announcing her usual locations: “They usually are quite drunk/high asking for money near the exit for Uqam University,” writes one reddit commentator. “Is she the one usually at atwater? I see her there all the time!” writes another. One comment reads: “I’ve [sic] seen this woman many times in the metro. She tried to spit on me and my friends once. Now she’s being spat on.” If the two people in question weren’t clearly homeless, would the picture have even been taken? If the circumstances were different, would their identities have been deemed worth protecting? If we were more concerned about getting them off the street, instead of what they’re doing when they’re there, would this even be something worth discussing? We concede that this should not happen in the metro, but this picture should also never have been taken. It should never have been shared, especially not uncensored, for entertainment purposes. There’s always an appropriate response, but public and online shaming is never it.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Society // OPINIONS

Masochism vs murder: a morally ‘Grey’ dilemma Are violent characters more acceptable than sexual ones? ROBIN STANFORD Staff writer

It’s rare that an event such as World Book Day is reported in the news. Rarer still when the incident happens in a British school. Then again, it’s not every day that a student goes to school dressed as a character from erotic fiction. On March 5, 11-year-old Liam Scholes went to Sale High School dressed as Christian Grey: the BDSM millionaire protagonist from Fifty Shades of Grey. He arrived to class dressed in a grey suit and tie, with “bondage” cable ties and an eye mask. As reported by the BBC the next day, the student was notified that he would be “excluded from World Book Day celebrations” until his costume was altered. According to Liam’s mother, Nicola Scholes, she was distraught at how her son was treated. In a conversation with BBC Radio on March 6, Scholes stated that she was unhappy with the school’s reaction. “Liam was advised to dress as James Bond … but [he] was a promiscuous character who kills people … Personally, I’m more offended by

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

a murderer.” On the school’s Facebook page characters such as Darth Vader, the Queen of Hearts, and at least one military commando are clearly visible. All of these individuals are violent. It’s reasonable to think that students are being allowed to dress up as violent characters because they are not going to emulate this behavior. Along the same line of logic, Liam would not emulate Grey’s sexual behavior at school. Although Ms. Scholes raises an interesting argument, this simplifies the nature of these characters. Most of the violent characters present are villains, and therefore not those the audience is intended to root for. Those who are protagonists, such as James Bond, use violent means to overcome a villain who usually wants to rule or destroy the world. On the other hand, Christian Grey

has no noble reason behind his actions. For those who have been under a particularly soundproof rock, Fifty Shades of Grey presents the relationship between its protagonists in a very particular way. Over the course of the first book Christian Grey stalks, manipulates, and abuses his love interest. It should be noted that his actions are not in keeping with the ideals of BDSM—or of any sane person in society. Although there is sexual tension, Christian Grey has no valid reason to engage in such behaviour. This places Grey in a separate category from Bond. The only thing these characters have in common is the debate questioning whether they should be allowed to be represented by the students who know them. World Book Day, as the name suggests, exists to promote the reading of books among students for fun.

It’s doubtful that students would have read Ian Fleming’s James Bond books. Rather, it is more likely that the character is known through the movies and their promotional material. Similarly, Christian Grey is known by the recent movie promotion. During her interview with the BBC, Scholes stressed that her son has not read the book. As the goal of World Book Day is to get children to read, Liam’s costume was not appropriate. Events such as these invite the opportunity to discuss what should and shouldn’t be appropriate for children of various ages. Unfortunately, this will probably do the rounds of social media and disappear into the night. There is, perhaps, only one question that we should be asking: why doesn’t Concordia celebrate World Book Day? Surely we all have costume ideas.

Letters // OPINIONS

Letters to the editor The time of year has come once again where we will be voting for a new CSU executive team during the upcoming General Elections. There are many issues on campus right now that affect a diversity of Concordians; the cooperative housing project, the development of an on-campus daycare service, and the intricacies of the campus food movement are but a few of the initiatives that the CSU has been engaged in this year. The problem that we are too often faced with is the short turnover period in the dynamics of student politics that does not allow us to follow through with our initiatives. This year however, I hold a great amount of confidence in the Community Action team and their Continue, Complete, Create platform. I would like to formally endorse the team, and especially their candidate for VP Sustainability, Gabrielle Caron. As coordinator of the Concordia Food Coalition, I have had the opportunity to work side-by-side with Bri on several of our projects aimed towards transforming the campus food system. I have come to know her as a passionate individual with an outstanding work ethic and an impressively vast knowledge of sustainability issues. Her wonderfully enthusiastic personality and warm nature has allowed her to develop one of the projects we are most proud to stand behind at the CFC; Le Campus Potager. Le Campus Potager aims to grow organic produce directly on campus, for the campus. Beyond that, the project has successfully offered educational opportunities for students to learn about urban agriculture, empowering them to become closer to their food, and enabling them to spread the culture of sustainability at Concordia and in the greater Montreal area. The produce harvested during last year’s growing season has already been supplied to students at our Farmer’s Market and the Hive Café Solidarity Coop. Le Campus Potager intends to expand in time for the 2015 growing season, we can expect even more locally grown food in the 2015-16 academic year! It has been a truly enriching experience to watch this project grow under the CFC, and it could not have been possible without Gabrielle’s diligence and know-how. The Food Coalition is exceptionally proud of her and all the work she has done towards creating a more sustainable food system. Gabrielle holds great potential to maintain what has already been established for sustainability at Concordia and of course further build on our movement. I extend my utmost support to Gabrielle as candidate in the running for CSU VP Sustainability as well as the rest of the Community Action team. - Lauren Aghabozorgi Coordinator The Concordia Food Coalition

Two years ago, I made my first steps in student politics. I ran and was elected as the President of the Political Science Student Association because I deeply felt that things had to be moved around. I saw immense potential in my peers, but little opportunities to see that potential live to its full capacity. Essentially, that is what I wanted to move around.

Since I made these first steps, I met many other students who also shared this vision and ambition. Today, I am delighted to see many of these individuals come together to further the realm of opportunities our university has to offer us. And I know for a fact that together, they will meet our expectations. These individuals have united together under the banner of Community Action. What they have to offer is not only great events and learning opportunities for us. By offering affordable housing to students, giving student parents a chance to succeed academically while having their children nurtured near them, and furthering our campus sustainability, Community Action also seek to impact our local student community. They understand that these issues do not exist in a vacuum. They are able to look further, identify the larger problems we are faced with, and address them head on. By doing so, they lead our student community towards a better future. That is, truly, to have at heart student’s best interest. These people have inspired me, and I know that they will inspire you as well. They are devoted to support student initiatives, to give students the opportunities they need to succeed, to allow potential to live to its true capacity. Today, they need our support, so that tomorrow, they can support us. For our community, vote Community Action on March 24, 25, 26. - Jessica Lelièvre

To the undergraduates at Concordia University, I write to you as a past CSU President to express my wholehearted support for Presidential candidate on the Community Action team, Terry Wilkings. I have known Terry for several years. He is easygoing, authentic, and consistently positive; all qualities ideal for your official spokesperson and representative. He combines these with an unmatched work ethic and strategic vision. Indeed, Terry doesn’t just think of end goals, he knows exactly how to get there. During his current mandate as VP Academic, Terry championed the amazing student housing initiative. He also launched the daycare project and spearheaded important University bylaw reforms aimed at giving students more representation on Senate. If he achieved these things as a Vice-President, I can only imagine the amazing things which await you with him at the helm of the CSU. As a former President of our Union, I care deeply about our Concordia community. I have complete faith in him as caretaker of the CSU. He has already proven that he keeps his promises, that he is capable of creating real change. Elect him, and you will be choosing a President who will follow through. Terry is what Concordia needs… he’s the President you deserve! - Melissa Kate Wheeler Former CSU President (2013-14)

RETRO COMIC // ETC

Tuesday, March 17, 2015 Vol. 32 Issue 22 Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com

Last week, we brought you Twitter s take on making your favourite films fabulously delicious; now, those same palatable puns are coming to the small screen. Grab a tub of ice cream, snuggle up on the couch, and let the internet show you how to #MakeATvShowTasty.

Michelle Gamage Production manager production@theconcordian.com Milos Kovacevic News editor news@theconcordian.com Frederic T. Muckle Assistant news editor Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor life@theconcordian.com

@FinlanSimon “#MakeATvShowTasty Adventure Thyme”

Lindsay Richardson Arts editor arts@theconcordian.com

@SteaknShake “House of Fries @MakeATvShowTasty”

Mia Pearson Music editor music@theconcordian.com

@patterballs “Game of Scones #MakeATvShowTasty” @paul_lander “Orange Chicken is the new Blackened Shrimp #MakeATvShowTasty”

Tim Lazier Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com

LAURA’S JOKE OF THE WEEK // ETC

Laura Marchand Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com

@bryanbehar “Golden Graham Girls #MakeATvShowTasty”

Keith Race Photo editor photo@theconcordian.com

@Newsmann “Fudge Judy #MakeATvShowTasty”

Andrej Ivanov Assistant photo editor

@moutzie89 “The Lentilist #MakeATvShowTasty”

Saturn De Los Angeles Online editor online@theconcordian.com

@thenivenulls “Cliﬀord The Big Red Hotdog #MakeATvShowTasty”

@avitable “Bacon Bad #MakeATvShowTasty” @Tony_Secrest “Tails From The Crepe #MakeATvShowTasty” @Diane_7A “Everybody Loves Raisins #MakeATvShowTasty” @OGOrlandoJones “Burgers, She Wrote #MakeATvShowTasty”

Marie-Pier LaRose Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com Gregory Todaro Emily Gaudet Marilla Steuter-Martin Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com

Hey Peggy, w are there no hy jokes about good German hotdogs?

Natasha Taggart Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistants

’t I don hy? ,w know

@Useful_Mom “The Walking Bread #MakeATvShowTasty”

@RaiderJay6 “Ice Cream of Jeanie #MakeATvShowTasty” @Politibunny “The Fresh Produce of Bel Air #MakeATvShowTasty” @Norseman86 “Bill Rye the Sandwich Guy #MakeATvShowTasty” @sofarrsogud “Criminal Rinds #MakeATvShowTasty” @kimmer4667 “The Brady Brunch #MakeATvShowTasty”

Peggy Kabeya Assistant sports editor

Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. Building CC-Rm 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 514-848-2424 ext. 7499 (Editor-in-Chief) Marc-Antoine Cardin Business manager business@theconcordian.com

se he cau’re t ! e B ey ST th UR W

Talibah Gordon Advertising manager advertising@theconcordian.com Tyson Lowrie Jacob Serebin Ruben Bastien Board of directors directors@theconcordian.com

Contributors Beatrice Viens Cote, Gloria Pancrazi, Mim Kempson, Kirsten Humbert, Rebecca Stacey, Emilie Berthier, Danielle Gasher, Sam Mileto, Tareq Shahwan, Robin Stanford

theconcordian

Remember the days of hand-drawn comics? We sure do. Here is one of our favourites from 1988. Aren’t people from that era parents already or something? Sheesh.

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