The Concordian - September 22nd, 2015

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VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 4 | INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY. SINCE 1983. | SEPT. 22, 2015

Sports p. 18-19

McGill Redmen get stung at Shrine Bowl

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

MUSIC

NEWS

LIFE

Students storm GM lobby p. 3

A look at the best Madama Butterfly Suuns shine at cafĂŠs in town p. 7 takes flight p. 10 POP Montreal

ARTS

We tell your stories. Follow us on social media @TheConcordian

OPINIONS p. 14

Respecting the youth vote p. 22

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 NEWS EDITORS GREGORY TODARO and RACHEL MUZAIC news@theconcordian.com

NEWS CITY GREGORY TODARO Co-news editor

Montreal suggests changes to cycling rules The city of Montreal revealed recommendations for changes to Quebec’s Highway Safety Code on Monday. The changes, according to The Gazette, will give cyclists greater mobility and improve cycling safety. Some of the suggested changes include adopting “Idaho stops,” where cyclists treat stop signs as yield signs, and allow cyclists to ride where they feel comfortable to reduce the risk of “dooring,” which accounts for about one fifth of all major injuries to cyclists. The report also says stiffer fines should be imposed for drivers who hit cyclists with their door.

Woman dies from heart attack during marathon A 34-year-old woman went into cardiac arrest and died about eight kilometres of the half-marathon on Sunday.

Paramedics on site of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve at the Montreal Marathon attempted to resuscitate her, but she was declared dead at the hospital, according to The Gazette. Sixteen people were transported to hospitals during the marathon, including a 40-year-old man who also suffered a heart attack near the finish line.

Around 33,000 people took part of the marathon.

Montreal teachers vote on strikes Teachers across Montreal are voting this week on giving their unions strike mandates. The strike votes are in response to cuts in public education. According to CBC, upcoming strike votes in Montreal english schools include John Abbott College, Vanier College and Dawson College. Around 34,000 members of the Fédération autonome de l’enseignment, a french teachers’ union, are holding a one-day strike on Sept. 30.

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campus | news

CSU votes to support refugees The motion unanimously passed at the group’s September council meeting GREGORY TODARO Co-news editor In a unanimous vote, the CSU chose to support refugees from the current European refugee crisis during council on Wednesday.

The motion states that the CSU will “call on the international community to work collaboratively to accommodate refugees from all parts of the world seeking asylum,” in solidarity with the people of Syria fleeing the wartorn country.

The motion was added to the group’s official Positions Book

alongside other stances on social-political issues, access to education, and issues within the Concordia community.

The new position also indicates the CSU will “support the efforts to institutionally address the issue of refugees and the adoption of policies at the provincial and federal level that would increase the openness of our borders in times of crisis.”

At the same meeting, CSU VP External Affairs and Mobilization Gabriel Velasco and VP Academic and Advocacy Marion Miller gave a presentation to council regarding the organization’s involvement with student groups at the provincial level. The CSU is looking into leaving the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ), of which it became a member in 2003, and joining a

new provincial student group.

“To an extent, the FEUQ structure isn’t necessarily the best structure for the CSU to operate in for several reasons,” said Velasco during the presentation. “It places a lot of influence on certain types of organizing that the CSU isn’t, nor is it really anglophone … making it hard for CSU executives that come in every year to actually interact with it and represent students in an active way.”

Velasco also said there have been disagreements on issues like financial transparency and the Quebec Charter of Values which have lead to “waves” of organizations leaving the FEUQ. The most recent blow to FEUQ, says Velasco, is the departure the Fédération des associations étudiantes du cam-

pus de l’Université de Montréal (FAÉCUM) which represents around 40,000 students and had a large influence within the provincial organization.

“It became very clear across the student movement that when the FEUQ lost the FAÉCUM, FEUQ as an organization … lost its relevancy,” he said.

While the CSU isn’t close to making a decision on the matter, nor is it leaving the FEUQ at the moment, the group is looking into several other options, including the newly-founded Association pour la voix étudiante au Québec (AVÉC) once the options for the CSU have been fully investigated, the change would be left up to a referendum vote.

The CSU also officially set its byelections for the last week of November.

campus | news

Concordia finances finish year in deficit The SIS system’s ugly appearence, solar panels and budgets: the BoG in recap MICHELLE GAMAGE Editor-in-chief

C

oncordia ran a deficit last year, largely thanks to last semester’s Voluntary Departure Program in response to provincial austerity measures.

The 2014-2015 financial audit statements—which show the school spent more than it made—were one of the many topics discussed during the first Concordia Board of Directors meeting last Wednesday.

The Voluntary Departure Program was part of Concordia’s austerity plan to reduce staff and thereby reduce expenses last spring. It included offering a severance package to staff who volunteered to leave Concordia’s employment.

“We shrank the salary base so, you get [the money] back— if you think of it that way—in about 18 months,” said Concordia president Alan Shepard.

“That [payout] one is a one-time, because we paid the people to leave but their salaries won’t be there next year or the year after so we will recuperate that [money],” added Norman Hébert Jr., Chair of the Board of Directors.

The direct austerity cuts from the provincial government also play into last year’s deficit.

“Since Dec. 2012 we have lost $30 million at Concordia [in government subsidies],” said Chris Mota, Concordia’s director of media relations.

However, Shepard remains optimistic about the future of finances at the school.

“Our deficits relative to other institutions are still modest. And what’s called our accumulated deficit, like deficits you run in the past, is just last year’s deficit and it’s very tiny,” said Shepard. “My gut feeling—and there are no rumours here, it’s just a gut feeling you get from reading newspapers and just watching—is that we’re coming to the end of those cuts. But maybe I’m wrong.”

The Board of Directors meeting also covered how the school is working to double its research.

That means doubling the research budget—which is already breaking records said Shepard— and doubling the amount of research done at Concordia.

“The research funding is at an all-time-high for Concordia last year, it was around $45 million,” he added.

The future of Montreal bridges was also discussed during the meeting. The Quebec Minister of Transport was recently at Concordia to inspect a project ongoing in one of the school’s major research centres in the basement of the Hall building.

Chair of the BoG Norman Hébert Jr. and Concordia President Alan Shepard. Photo by Michelle Gamage.

The centre is working on a project where solar panels would be installed on the side of bridges, and then harvest solar energy to heat the bridge.

Heating the bridge in this fashion means no salt needs to get dumped on it in the winter, which thereby avoids major salt corrosion that leads to bridges needing to be replaced every couple of years said Shepard.

The new Student Information System was discussed at the meeting.

Shepard called the current

system “ugly,” but he added the technology needed to be functional, and then it could be updated to be more visually appealing after it was up and running.

The SIS system was designed to be implemented and updated in phases, said Mota, so there are no extra costs in updating the system.

Students should keep an eye out for the SIS app which will be one of the final phases to be implemented for the system, added Mota.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

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protest | news

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NATION RACHEL MUZAIC Co-news editor

Tories criticized for multimillion-dollar pledge

Around 200 people protested Concordia’s decision to be co-complainants against spring protestors. Photos by Andrej Ivanov.

Students march against tribunals

A UQAM-Concordia solidarity protest ended with students marching into EV GREGORY TODARO Co-news editor Approximately 200 protesters against tribunals for students facing repercussions from student strikes marched from Place Pasteur to the Concordia campus on Wednesday afternoon.

The group of mostly UQAM

cal nature of these complaints and dismiss them promptly,” states the petition started by Solidarity Concordia. “We further encourage the faculty members pressing these charges to stand with students as we fight for sustainable education, and immediately reconsider their participation in repressing the voices of students at Concordia University.”

The protesters continued on Ste. Catherine Street until they turned north onto Mackay Street, entering Concordia’s EV Building through the Mackay entrance. The group stopped briefly in the building’s lobby to announce to students in the lobby the reason for the demonstration.

A man using a megaphone addressed everyone in the lobby.

at Concordia, and vice versa,” said the man. “We demand that the university drop itself as a co-complainant for three professors who went against the administration’s orders and held classes on the day of reflection.”

The protest entered the GM building specifically to address Concordia president Alan Shepard and the university’s administra-

“

Concordia and UQAM students stand in solidarity.

“There are upward of 30 students facing tribunals for defending the strike back in the spring,” he said. He encouraged students to continue marching with the group through Concordia’s cam-

The protest started at Place Pasteur and moved to Concordia. and Concordia students marched in solidarity against what they’ve called the “political discrimination” of students who took part in strikes this spring. Nine students at UQAM faced repercussions with one being expelled, and over 25 students at Concordia are facing tribunals starting at the end of the month.

“We demand that the administration acknowledge the politi-

The march began moving west down De Maisonneuve Boulevard until the group suddenly turned south on McGill College Avenue and continuing west on Ste. Catherine Street through the heart of downtown. Police tried to clear the road as the group walked and chanted “avec nous, dans la rue!” and “le rectorat nous fait la guerre, guerre au rectorat!”

tion, said Myriam Tardiff of Solidarity Concordia.“[Shepard] said that he wouldn’t charge the students, but now the university is a co-complainant to complaints filed by professors,” she said. “We

“If you attack students at UQAM, you attack students at Concordia, and vice versa.”

— anonymous protestor pus.

The group descended the escalators of the EV building into Guy Metro station before exiting on Guy Street. From there they entered the GM building lobby.

There, a man with his face covered, listed several demands for Concordia University and its president Alan Shepard.

“If you attack students at UQAM, you attack students

consider that hypocritical and [he] doesn’t respect the democratic decisions by student general assemblies.”

Another protest is planned on Sept. 29, the first day of tribunals for students at Concordia, in order to support the students being charged, Tardiff said. “If you target one student who’s part of a movement, the movement will respond in solidarity,” she said.

After pledging a multimillion-dollar campaign to the Terry Fox Foundation, the Conservative party is insisting that its aims are not political. According to CBC News, Federal Industry Minister James Moore said that should Stephen Harper be re-elected, the prime minister would stick to his pledge of matching donations up to $35 million raised by the foundation. CBC reported that the foundation has avoided supporting any political party. Moore also said a Tory win would mean $12.5 million in capital funding for the Canadian Cancer Society and a renewment of a $250-million commitment to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

Three federal parties locked in virtual tiet The most recent nightly poll from The Globe and Mail/ CTV/Nanos has the three main parties still locked in a tie at around 30 per cent each. According to The Globe and Mail, the poll’s results showed relatively no change after the leader’s debate last week. However, the poll also shows the Liberal Party is now the party most Canadians would “consider voting for.” The poll also said that the LIberal Party is the most common second choice of voters whose first choice is either Conservative, NDP, Green or Bloc.

Green Party files complaint to CRA The federal Green Party filed a complaint with the Canada Revenue Agency over the weekend to try and get party leader Elizabeth May into an election later this month.

According to the Toronto Star, the complaint alleges a registered charity with the CRA—The Aurea Foundation— is helping fund the Munk debate on foreign policy, which puts the foundation in violation of the Income Tax Act. The party says the complaint will be dropped if May is invited to the debate.

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WORLD RACHEL MUZAIC Co-news editor

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

campus | news

Journalism Department celebrates 40th year

An ode to 40 years of progress, accomplishment, and dedication

Russian military involvement in Syria raises concerns California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency as wildfires quickly spread through the northern part of the region and force thousands from their homes. According to the BBC, the fires have either endangered or destroyed infrastructure in the Napa and Lake counties, while 1,300 people have fled the city of Middletown as their homes succumb to the flames. The BBC notes that four firefighters have been admitted to the hospital for severe burns. Drought and hot weather are being blamed for the disaster.

Victory for leftwing Greek party The left-wing Greek political party, Syriza, has won its second general election in nine months. According to BBC News, party leader Alexis Tsipras said that hard work was needed in order for the country to recover from the financial crisis.

BBC News reported Syriza winning just over 35 per cent of the vote, enough to secure a minority government, but they will renew a coalition with the nationalist Independent Greeks. The opposition party is the New Democracy party with 28 per cent. The far-right party Golden Dawn came in third with seven per cent.

IAEA probes into Iranian military site The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it has made progress in regards to its examination of Iran’s nuclear program at the Parchin military site, which Western leaders suspect was home to nuclear weapons research, BBC News reported. Yukiya Amano, director-general of the IAEA, said that he was able to visit the site this past Sunday and that Iran had provided environmental samples.

According to BBC News, Iran maintains that its program is entirely peaceful.

Notable alumni from Concordia’s Journalism program will be speaking at anniversary events. Photo by Marie-Pierre Savard.

RACHEL MUZAIC Co-news editor

T

he Concordia Journalism Department will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this fall, and has organized a series of events which will be taking place on Sept. 26 to commemorate the year.

A speaker series, as well as tours and an early 5 à 7 (which is from 4 to 6) will be open to alumni and current students.

The speaker series, which will take place between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., includes speeches by former Concordia journalism students George Kalogerakis, managing editor at Le Journal de Montréal and Gary Regenstrief, a former managing editor at Reuters in New York City.

Brian Gabrial, who has been at the department since 2004 and became chairman two years ago, said the talks are not to be missed.

“The first group [Kalogerakis and Regenstrief] will be talking about how to manage a newsroom, how news gets disseminated and who chooses the stories,” Gabrial said. “For example, on a day of truly breaking news, what do you do, how do you send out your resources to cover stories like that? It’s going to be a bit open-ended.” Kalogerakis and Regenstreif will be holding their talks in the CJ building on Loyola campus in room 3.306 from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.

The speakers list also includes Nancy Wood from CBC News, who will be joined by Ingrid Peritz, who won a National

Newspaper Award for her work on thalidomide for the Globe and Mail. They will be joined by Linda Gyulia from The Gazette as well as Maya Johnson from CTV. This second group will be speaking from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m., also in room 3.306.

Gabrial said he was thrilled former journalism students were able to come back and speak about their experiences.

“Justin Kingsley will be giving our keynote talk in the SP building, and I think he’ll even be addressing students and what they can do with their journalism degree,” he said. “He was a journalist and went to work for the Habs, so he’s got this very interesting perspective on how you can take the degree you’ve earned from our program and turn it into something very successful. I think students will like listening to him talk.”

Besides the speaker series, campus tours will also be running between 1 and 1:30, for which the meeting point will be CJ room 3.245. Gabrial said that while these tours are open to anyone, the department wanted to give returning alumni the chance to see what has changed since they left. The journalism department was initially set up on Concordia’s Sir George William Campus before moving to Loyola. Only in the fall of 2005 did the department finally settle in a newly renovated Communications and Journalism building.

A 5 à 7, which will be held between 4 and 6 p.m., will also be taking place at The Brass Door Pub downtown. “We’re hoping we have alumni show up and students can mingle with them,

too,” said Gabrial. He explained that, in honor of their 40th anniversary, the department will also likely tie events that they hold throughout the year to this commemoration, such as their Reader’s Digest lecture which will likely take place in the Winter semester.

In the ever-changing world of journalism, Gabrial said that the department is working to make the necessary adjustments to prepare students.

“When I came here the lines for student study were pretty distinct—you were going to be a broadcasting person, or a print person,” he said. “Up until recently that’s how it was.

But we’re changing our entire curriculum to reflect this more blended, digital age where you or anybody else who comes to the program has to know all the tricks of the trade, in terms of the technology.”

Linda Kay, who taught her first Feature Writing course at Concordia in 1990, later went on to teach Magazine Writing, Gender and Journalism, and Gender, Diversity and Journalism for masters students. She has worked for an array of publications and was honoured as the 2013 Woman of Distinction in communications by the Women’s Y Foundation in Montreal. She said that “journalism schools today must prepare students to be polyvalent.”

“Students must acquire skills in radio, TV, print and online journalism,” she said. “But above all, they must be trained in the fundamentals: how to report rigorously, how to interview, how to conduct deep re-

search, how to ensure accuracy and fairness in all they do. These skills are primordial and invaluable and can be transferred into other milieus throughout life.”

Kay, who will be moderating the first talk at the Sept. 26 event, went on to say that the journalism department does well to prepare its students for the real world. “I think we do a great job at Concordia in exposing our students to all the above, using the city as a laboratory for real world assignments and drilling the fundamentals,” she said. “In addition, we provide the most modern equipment for them to be able to do professional work. For 40 years, the Journalism department at Concordia has been producing topflight journalists who are working all over the world.”

Gabrial said that in an effort to best adjust to the changes in journalism and to best prepare the department’s students, a new curriculum will be introduced which does away with the 60- and 72-credit specializations and instead implements a 45-credit major. Students will be required to accompany this with another major or minor, will continue to take core journalism classes, and will have the option of choosing from several electives that are geared towards their interests.

Despite the transformations in the journalism world, Gabrial said the department’s number one goal has not changed. “We still stress great journalism, that’s always been our first and foremost goal,” he said.

“To train you to become a good journalist.”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

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city | news

Montreal police to create guidelines for journalists

Execute director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression among individuals present for talks

GREGORY TODARO Co-news editor Journalists advocating for better treatment of reporters during protests are feeling confident after a closed meeting between local journalists and the Montreal police Monday morning.

The meeting was moderated by Tom Henheffer, executive director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, and attended by members of the Canadian Association of Journalists and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

“We cannot change what happened in the past, but today we met to ensure the police and the independent press could cooperate with a mutual respect for each other’s work and each other’s safety,” said Henheffer at a press conference across the street from Montreal police headquarters on St. Urbain street. “This meeting is the start of an ongoing conversation we plan to have with the police.”

Henheffer said the members of the independent media pledged to obey police orders and not obstruct police during protests. In return, the Montreal police agreed to recognize the rights of the independent press and allow them to cover protests.

(From left to right) Tom Henheffer, Executive Director of CJFE, Simon Van Vliet, President of AJIQ, and Matt D’Amours talking during the press conference on police violence against journalist at Montreal. Photo by Marie-Pierre Savard.

Henheffer also said the Montreal police is working to create guidelines for journalists, giving reporters an idea of how far back they should be from arrests or police lines and even an idea of police tactics to ensure journalists remain out of the way of any maneuvers. While the guidelines haven’t been created yet, Henheffer said he feels the SPVM will be reasonable.

“It’ll be an ongoing conversation,” he said. “I’m sure that they will be willing to

talk about them at the very least. Whether we can get them to move on [any rules], I’m not completely sure on that.”

Matt D’Amours, a journalist with The Link and 99% Media who has been covering Montreal protests for years, feels confident about the new understanding between journalists and Montreal police.

“Nobody is under the illusion that change is going to happen right away,” he said. “But we have taken a very important

step towards starting a dialogue with the [Montreal police] to make sure the situation and conditions of journalists— whether they be independent, mainstream or otherwise—will improve, and also the police can do their job without us interfering.”

D’Amours said he hopes conditions for journalists improve so independent and student journalists can cover protests without the fear of retribution.

lecture | news

How social media has changed the news Yale Law School researcher Valérie Bélair-Gagnon discussed social media use at the BBC LAURA MARCHAND Staff writer The dark side of verifying information, crisis reporting, and the BBC were the focus of a talk hosted at Concordia University on Sept. 17.

Valerie Bélair-Gagnon, a research scholar at Yale Law School, spoke to a crowd about the importance placed on social media in times of crisis, based on her experience embedded with the BBC in London.

The talk, “From London to Paris: Social Media and the Transformation of Crisis Reporting,” was jointly presented by the Department for Communication Studies and the Concordia Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism Studies. The event took place on the seventh floor of the Hall Building on the Sir George Williams campus.

Bélair-Gagnon alleges that a shift within the BBC towards social media occurred in 2005, following the London 7/7 bombing attacks that targeted the metropolis’ public transit system during rush hour traffic.

“Trapped in the London underground, witnesses used their mobile phones to take pictures and video recordings of the events as they unfolded,” said Bélair-Gagnon.

“Unable to employ its journalists, the BBC used citizen material to report the news.”

According to Bélair-Gagnon, initially the BBC social media hub was seven floors away from the newsroom in the BBC headquarters. Following the 7/7 at-

Yale research scholar Valérie Bélair-Gagnon. Photo by Andrej Ivanov. tacks, that unit was not only moved onto the news floor, but was placed in the centre of the newsroom. It would be another six years before Bélair-Gagnon entered the BBC as an independent researcher to study how the journalists coped with social media.

One of the many challenges the journalists faced was what Bélair-Gagnon re-

ferred to as the “the light side and dark side of verification.” The “light side” referred to material that the BBC had gathered itself through trustworthy sources. The “dark side” referred to material emerging from social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Content on the dark side came from unconfirmed and anonymous sources, which made integrating social

media a difficult task. “[BBC journalists] wanted to reconcile journalism and social media,” said Bélair-Gagnon. “The question for the BBC and other news organizations was how to use the wealth of publicly available material that are on the dark side of verification, while maintaining its journalistic standards.”

Bélair-Gagnon explained that this change within the BBC has changed the fundamental journalistic practices of the organization, and of many newsrooms worldwide.

“I witnessed more and more interaction [with the audience] taking place online,” said Bélair-Gagnon. “Reporting has become a messy patchwork of old and new media practices and norms, in which citizen journalists have chosen to participate.”

However, Gagnon also notes that such a patchwork has “led to more tensions in the newsroom.”

After the presentation, Gagnon answered questions from the crowd on her methodology, experience at BBC, and opinion of modern journalistic practices.

The crowd consisted of students and professors from Concordia, the Université de Montreal, and a class of CEGEP students from Dawson College.

The event was based off of Bélair-Gagnon’s book, titled Social Media at BBC News: The Re-Making of Crisis Reporting, published by the Routledge Research in Journalism publishing house and available on Amazon.

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LIFE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 LIFE EDITOR CRISTINA SANZA life@theconcordian.com @theconcordian

career | life

Land your dream job with a killer resumé

Tips and tricks that will keep your resumé on point and employers impressed by your expertise

TAYLOR YANKOWSKI Contributor A student’s job is to learn about their field of study and to develop their skills in order to work in their chosen profession post-graduation. Once we’ve graduated, the real challenge that most of us are not prepared for is how to land that perfect job by writing a proper resumé.

A resumé is a carefully written document that describes your qualifications from education, work experience, personal projects and interests.

Natalie Roper, an advisor for Student Learning and Professional Development at the Institute for Co-operative Education at Concordia University, knows the value of writing a proper resumé.

According to Roper, resumés are about demonstrating your accomplishments in a short form, by describing what you have done in terms of jobs and how you have impacted said companies.

Roper organizes many resumé and cover letter workshops and also has oneon-one sessions with co-op students to help them improve their chances of landing their dream job.

Writing a proper resumé takes time.

There is no perfect formula but with every resumé, there are elements that must be included to make yourself more attractive to potential hiring managers.

The first element to consider, according to Roper, is that a resumé is usually a maximum of two pages long, Calibri font, size 10-11. Sometimes resumés are even limited to a single page if you are applying to a position in finance or consultation. This is why it is important to look at the job posting carefully and choose specific information and attributes that will make you stand out for each job posting.

Roper explained that resumés often go through a 20 to 30-second scan by employers, so they should be clear and easy to read.

After looking over a job posting, it is time to put together your resumé.

A summary profile, Roper said, is used to showcase a person’s talents and skills that would be directly related to the job they are applying for. Typically, this section is relevant for those with more years of experience, and it is usually written at the top of the page, she said.

Education is considered next. “Depending on your field of study, like engi-

neers and actuaries, projects are a must to include,” Roper said. “They have to put projects prior to work experience, unless they have work experience directly related to the field.”

Finally, include your work experience, volunteer work, awards and achievements, and your personal interests.

“There are so many templates out there, but it is all about branding yourself,” Roper said. “At the bottom, many write that their interests are biking and writing, but instead write about what you are passionate about.

What you like about reading will make it more descriptive. It can create a connection between you and a manager.”

There are a few key elements to keep in mind: check for typos, always email it as a PDF file, hyperlink your social media skills, your website and LinkedIn, bold a few keywords in your resumé, and finally, leave a bit of white space on the page so that it doesn’t look overly cluttered with text, said Roper.

“The last thing to keep in mind when writing a resumé is to keep a master version which includes a list of all your projects and work,” said Roper. “You never know when you might need to pull it up for your future job.”

Resumé so killer you can land a job in your undies. Photo by Andrej Ivanov.

letter | life

Longing for colder days: a letter to summer Leaves should be changing colours but people are still wearing shorts, where are you fall?

MARCO SAVERIANO Staff writer Dear summer, It seems like our time together is almost over. School is back in session, the days are getting shorter, and there’s a chill in the air—the sign that fall is just around the corner… or at least, there should be a chill in the air. Just when I thought things were over between us, you crawled your way back into my life once again. You made us think the warm weather was gone once and for all, but the last few weeks have been some of the hottest of the season and all I can do is admire the

rays of sun as they flood over my desk as I sit in class.

Sure, it’s nice to hold on to the last taste of summer for a while longer, but it’s too little, too late. You weren’t there when I needed you. All those times when I wanted to go to the beach with my friends or spend a lazy day soaking up some sun by the pool, you were nowhere to be found. I was left out in the cold and wasted away precious days of my vacation.

When I wanted to have a picnic in the Old Port, you decided it was time for a torrential downpour. But now that my days are filled with lectures and homework, you crank up the heat? No thank you.

I had some fun times and made some

These days all we’re seeing is green...

great memories, but now that September is underway, I’m tired of being sweaty, tired of the incessant mix of body odour and who knows what else on the metro, and most of all, tired of never knowing what to wear. Is it going to be cold this morning? Oh wait, it’s supposed to be 30 degrees celsius later and I’m running out of clothes to wear. I only have so many t-shirt-and-short-combos I can pull off, so it would be nice to make use of my closet full of chunky sweaters, jeans and cardigans.

It’s time to move on: fall is on the horizon, and I’m looking forward to cool breezes and seasonal lattes. But mostly, I just can’t wait until winter. Good ol’

winter; we’ve always gotten along so well. Maybe it’s my love of hot cocoa, or my penchant for thick, knitted cardigans, but whatever it is, winter will always be my favourite. Winter means shamelessly curling up in a ball under your warmest blanket and watching Netflix for hours on end. There is no guilt for spending a beautiful day inside when the snow is falling. A world covered in a pure, white blanket is all I need.

So, summer, it was nice while it lasted.

We had our good times , but now we have to say goodbye. I’ll remember you fondly when I start getting tired of the snow.

Until next year, Marco

...where are the yellow leaves? Photos by Cristina Sanza.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

theconcordian food | life

CRAWL I: CAFÉS BEYOND CAFÉS

TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST COFFEE SHOPS IN TOWN The school semester is now well underway, and with it comes the need to find places where you can study, meet friends, or just relax before the morning rush. Luckily, Montreal has its fair share of incredibly cute spots where you can do all of the above. Being an avid café adventurer, I devoted myself to testing out three of my nowfavourite places with my flatmate Margaux. Whether you’re a coffeelover or drink rooibos by the litre; whether you’re a vegetarian or carnivore; whether you’re looking for a sweet snack and drink or a full meal—these three cafés will send your tastebuds to heaven.

Monday 11 a.m.: Tommy When one thinks of fancy indie cafés, the first neighbourhood that comes to mind is the Plateau. And that’s exactly where this place is not. My Montreal café crawl began in Old Montreal, next to Place d’Armes in the British Empire Building. This two-storey coffee shop charms the eyes of eager adventurous folk with its wonderful architecture— beautified by renowned Montreal designer Zébulon Perron. The vast amount of sunlight, high ceilings, greenery and

woodwork at Tommy make the perfect refreshing and soothing atmosphere you are looking for during your long mornings. Margaux and I decided to head there for lunch so we could try some of their daytime menu items.

The food menu is rather comprehensive, ranging from delicious and

Tuesday 3 p.m.: Arts Café Lost opportunities, lost possibilities: there are places that you wish you had known about sooner, and Arts Café is one of them. Your surroundings can have such a powerful effect on you, and folks at this place have most understood this. Newcomers get mesmerized by the wooden decor and the rows of light bulbs. A lot of cafés try to recreate a “vintage” experience, but this one is authentic.

Arts Café is more about sitting down

fancy pastries (did someone say Nutella cronuts?) to hearty and tasty paninis. Tommy offers a great selection of hot drinks, including a long list of teas served in an infuser tea pitcher—which means you can get yourself a couple of free refills. However, cold drink fans may be disappointed by the rather limited refreshing options, but their iced cappuccino would definitely fill your cravings.

Tommy is filled with the day’s newspapers and magazines and has free Wi-Fi; two things you can enjoy while working on your next essay among other people downstairs, or from the loft in one of the comfortable sofas, relax-

Wednesday 4 p.m.: Chez Boris There was a change of atmosphere and decoration as Margaux and I hit the streets of the Plateau on a Wednesday afternoon to satisfy our craving for doughnuts. They are fresh, delicious, made-to-order type of doughnuts.

So you can imagine our excitement when we stumbled upon a Russian-style doughnut shop on Park Ave. and Fairmount Ave. in the Mile-End. Gone is the decor from the Victorian empire, as this cute little spot is ornamented with lightbulbs inside of plastic milk jugs and silkscreen prints made by different Montreal artists.

The doughnuts at Chez Boris are so cheap that anybody entering this shop

suddenly feels the urge to try them all. Those Russian doughnuts, called pyshki, are smaller and less sweet than their North American counterpart, but not any less tasty. One of these legendary snacks at Chez Boris will cost you a mere $0.90, while you’ll only pay $4.50 for six that you can pair with their delicious hot chocolate (made from real melted chocolate). Adventurers might want to try Boris’ “Soviet coffee” or their homemade kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye bread.

This warm neighbourhood café offers free Wi-Fi. Saint Petersburg’s specialities—or at least some of them—are closer than you think.

No roaming fees guaranteed.

Chez Boris 5151 Park Ave. (Mile End) Hours: Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekends 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ing until reality catches up with you.

But before it does, have another cup.

Tommy 200 Notre-Dame St. W (Old Montreal) Hours: Weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

with your friends in a warm environment to enjoy a great moment; a place where you actually interact with people; a place where laptops stay in their bags, because Wi-Fi remains off during their lunch and supper hours.

The cuteness of the decor at this Mile-End café is nothing compared to their delightful vegetarian-friendly menu. The casual-yet-fancy menu sets the bar when it comes to coffee shop food. Arts Café makes sure that the products they use come from local farmers and markets, including the extensive tea selection they offer, which are all from the renowned Quebecois

teahouse Camellia Sinensis. Most food items in Arts Café’s elaborate menu therefore tend to be on the pricier side, like the $12 breakfast burrito or the $14 French toast—which nonetheless divinely exceeded our expectations.

My Montreal café crawl ended on the Arts Café’s back patio on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, where I enjoyed all the things one seeks from a café: good drinks, good food, good vibes.

Arts Café 201 Fairmount Ave. W (Mile End) Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Weekends 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

PIERRE A. LEPETIT Production manager

PHOTOS BY PIERRE A. LEPETIT (TOMMY, CHEZ BORIS) AND ANDREJ IVANOV (ARTS CAFÉ).

MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT THECONCORDIAN.COM

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

gaming | life

What’s Darth Vader doing on my PS4?

Gamers are going crazy over themed limited-edition consoles for many different games ROBIN STANFORD Staff writer The console war has just become more exclusive. On top of the customary Playstation, Xbox, Microsoft, Nintendo, or computer contenders, a new challenger has entered the fray: the limited edition console.

An increasing trend in the past year has been the Big Three (Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox) release of limited-edition systems for a variety of trendy new-release video games. With the rate of releases on the rise, a few questions come up. What are these? Why are they being produced? Should I buy one?

For those living under a soundproof rock, the limited-edition system offers gamers a different spin on their boring black brick. Retailing for approximately $10 to $100 more than the standard console, these offer a unique design to set your unit apart from everyone else’s. As they are produced in limited quantity, the chances that your friend will also have one are low, unless you bought them together.

Some features on these systems are largely aesthetic. Commonly, the system looks relatively the same, although it may be offered in different colours. The differences are the games’ emblems associated with the limited release, printed or etched onto the faceplate of the device and the controller. These may be as subtle as a racing stripe added to the Forza 6 Xbox One, or as elaborate as the Darth Vader edition of the PS4.

Generally, these consoles come bundled with a copy of the new game. It should be noted that this may not always

Graphic by Charlotte Bracho. be the case, as seen with the Zelda DS consoles last year So, why now?

Like so many things developed by the gaming industry, it comes down to money. It’s done specifically to increase console-adoption well into its life cycle and to boost pre-order sales of the latest video-game release.

It’s hard to believe but this console generation has already been around for roughly two to four years, depending on the console. We have long since passed the point where ‘fans’ of system producers rushed out to buy the new technology.

Excitement for the new generation never happened. With a lacklustre launch lineup, there were no games to push the average consumer to pick Sony over Microsoft or vice versa.

This is also the time when console sales tend to decline. Although statistics

are unavailable concerning the expected units sold versus what the number actually sold is, there are signs that they are on the decline.

For example, last year, Microsoft lowered the retail price of its console considerably. Last week at the Tokyo Game Show, it was announced that it would drop again this holiday season. Industry analysts, most notably, Forbes, have speculated that Playstation will soon be forced to do the same to remain competitive. As of yet, the retail price has remained stable but the number of limited-edition consoles has soared.

In addition, limited-edition systems are used to boost pre-orders for the latest games. Video-game developers want to push these sales as they get the product into the hands of consumers before much is known about the game itself. As stated by news outlets such as Kotaku, Cnet, and Rockpapershotgun, this tactic is used

to promote the sale of poor-quality games, this practice has bled into how business is done for all games. As such, the initial sales-numbers are what manufacturers care about the most. Limited-edition consoles act as a way to ensure one more copy is sold.

Do they look cool? Yes Should you buy one? Maybe.

For the die-hard franchise fan, a limited-edition console may be just the thing to add to their collection. The average gamer, on the other hand, may want to pass on this and save their money for another game.

For those who want to have a special console without spending more, Playstation may have the thing for you. At the Tokyo Game Show, it was announced that coloured controllers and faceplates will be entering the Japanese market in November of this year. Presumably they will come to North America at a later date.

sex | life

How To Make Me Come: not exactly a how-to guide Kicking off The Concordian’s sex column with a Tumblr blog about women and their orgasms Anonymous

The blog aims to get people to treat each other like actual people. A recurring theme in all of the posts is the importance of communication and respect in relationships and in life.

In the blog’s description it is stated that the creators wanted to “start a dialogue about how women achieve sexual pleasure; something that is often ignored, devalued, or misunderstood.”

You will recognize yourself, regardless of your own experience with orgasms, regardless of whether or not they’re female or male or nonconformist, regardless of whether you’ve ever

even had one. Which is good, because I’m not equipped, biologically or intellectually, to talk about the female orgasm. Any questions should be directed to “How To Make Me Come.” Or to a woman you know. Or, if you are a woman, maybe to yourself. We can all learn from each other.

Give yourself a chance to know what you want and communicate it to others.

Listen to what other people want and say, and respect them for it. In life, in love, in bed: everywhere.

Graphic by Marie-Pierre LaRose.

“The best way to make sure you care about whether or not a woman comes, is to think of women as full people,” wrote a woman anonymously on a Tumblr blog.

Life is weird, and so are orgasms.

Thankfully, “How To Make Me Come” exists to help us understand and embrace how all women are different when it comes to getting off. “How To Make Me Come” is not actually a how-to guide.

It’s a Tumblr blog, but more specifically, a collection of anonymous essays by women detailing their relationships with their orgasms. Writers are free to describe their personal desires, experiences that have affected them and even their frustrations with their partners when it comes to orgasming.

Some, like the one that I quoted, are short, quippy, and lighthearted—less a set of instructions than a series of jokes

at the expense of a self-centred strawman. Others are instructions. The first one, for instance, says “DON’T JUST LICK.” Some are well-written and some aren’t, some are challenging to read and some will make you cry, but each will make you think about things you’ve never thought about before.

There’s the woman who—from a very young age—came so often and so easily that she was taken to psychologists (#65). There’s altogether many by women who’ve never come. There’s confessions by many women who were shamed by their partners into pretending to come, and one into pretending not to.

There’s one by a woman who’s had sex with two people, one by a woman who’s had sex with an unspecified high-double-digit number of people. Some tell stories, some transcribe fuck-journals (#32), some are acceptance letters to “My Vagina and Surrounding Areas”—an outline of what will be “the greatest academic challenge of your life” (#58).

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

ARTS

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ARTS EDITORS ELIJAH BUKREEV and LYDIA ANDERSON arts@theconcordian.com @theconcordian

comedy | arts

Montreal-set comedy play feels familiar Reminiscent of My Big Fat Greek Wedding or the exact same formula?

BASHIR RIFAI Contributor

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on’t Blame It on the Stork is a comedy play directed by Antonio DiVerdis and written by native Montrealer Tony Calabretta, who also stars in the play.

The narrative follows a Montreal-Italian family whose pregnant daughter Carmie, played by Nadia Verrucci, and her Cauca-

sian husband Derrick, played by Shawn Campbell, attempt to navigate through their cultural differences and deal with day-today life when they move into the duplex of the daughter’s intrusive Italian family.

The play about “love, lies and family ties” has its funny and heartfelt moments and the actors deliver solid performances across the board.

Comedically, Lou, the simpleton highschool sweetheart of Carmie and family friend with a heart of gold, played by Calabretta, and Mimmo, the patriarch of the family, played by Dino Tavarone, steal the show. The rest of the cast plays

Cocomello and Tavarone playing off each other on stage.

a slightly more dramatic role. Former Concordia student Guido Cocomello plays Carmie’s older brother Mario, the voice of reason within the family. That’s a waste, considering that other than being an actor, Guido is also an accomplished stand-up comedian.

As for the plot, the play takes on the issue of cultural differences in a surprisingly generic way. While that might make it more relatable to a general audience, especially in a multicultural city like Montreal where there are a number of different communities in which the family takes a more central— or intrusive—role, the play doesn’t capitalize on any one aspect that might differentiate it from the other ways this very same story has been told.

An example of this is readily available when one realizes while this family is described as a “Montreal-Italian family,” there is very little that distinguishes them as Montrealers other than a single reference to a Jean Coutu pharmacy.

The plot could just as easily have taken place in Chicago, which incidentally is where the hugely successful romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding was set. Speaking of that film, for those of you who haven’t seen it, the plot tells more or less the same story. As a matter

of fact, Mimmo and Gus (the patriarch from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) share a similar obsession with a cleaning product, Javex and Windex respectively, believing that they can be used for just about anything. A recurring— emphasis on recurring—joke that got a considerable reaction from the audience throughout the play.

As previously mentioned, Don’t Blame it on the Stork certainly has its moments and the actors do a good enough job in getting the audience to invest in the characters. That being said, the play falls short in standing out when communicating a story that has been told many times over, to the point that it felt like a sitcom at some points.

As actor, playwright, producer and film critic Brian Prisco put it in his review of Safe House, “there are no new stories, just new ways to tell them. What that means is that you should be building a unique world and characters around the basic spine of a well-developed mythos.

That doesn’t mean that you take a story you know and change four elements.”

Don’t Blame It on the Stork will be showing at Leonardo da Vinci Centre until Oct. 11. Tickets range from $34.50 to $52.50.

exhibit | arts

Let your senses guide you at the Phi Centre Become part of the narrative at Sensory Stories, where conventional storytelling gets a makeover TIFFANY LAFLEUR Contributor Feel the wind in your hair as you soar over Manhattan. Witness resilience, hope and heartbreak firsthand as you walk among Syrian refugees in Jordan. Step in as director during a fight between a man and a woman, altering the actions but never the script. Immerse yourself in the changing landscape of storytelling through Sensory Stories: An Exhibition of New Narrative Experiences, ongoing until Sept. 27 at the Phi Centre.

The exhibit, presented by the NYCbased The Future of Storytelling (FoST)—a collective of leaders in media, technology, and communications—made its debut in New York State at the Museum of the Moving Image in April before relocating to Montreal in August.

Featuring 16 different works created by artists from around the world, Sensory Stories aims to break the conventional rules of how stories are told and engage the audience in new, unexploited ways, exploring the interactions that exist among body, mind and narrative in a creative manner.

The exhibit shatters the conventional model of storytelling by engaging the audience in the story, making them part of the action. You are no longer a passive observer, but an element of an intricate narrative. The spectator not only influences the potential outcome, but also has a choice in how they experience it. This immersion is accomplished through the

time before you manage to see them all, depending on the volume of people at the time of your visit. As well, if you wear glasses, it is recommended that you wear contact lenses instead to avoid squishing the bridge of your nose when wearing the headset.

One of the notable stories from the Oculus station is “Clouds over Sidra.”

Excite your sight with engaging imagery. Photo by Kelsey Litwin. use of various new interactive technologies that engage the different senses, such as smell, touch, hearing and sight.

The exhibit is spread out on two floors. The first floor houses four Oculus Rift stations—headsets which allow the viewer to feel as if they were part of the virtual reality. Because of the popularity of the Oculus machines, it can take some

Follow 12-year-old Sidra as she guides you through the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, currently home to 84,000 refugees. The work was commissioned by the United Nations in an attempt to personalize distant issues through virtual reality. It is particularly immersive, as you are not only engaged in the narrative by “looking” around to see your

surroundings, but you are also very obviously a part of the story. Passing lines of children sneak gazes at you before continuing their walk to school, or run and cluster around you, all begging for your attention.

The second part of the exhibit, located on the second floor, engages the viewer in a more subtle, yet charming way.

Open your mouth, and it rains. Blow, and wind gushes through the scene.

Blink to summon thunder. In “Mimicry,” your body is the controller. Composed of two seemingly static images, “Le petit baptiste” and “Le voyageur contemplant une mer de nuages,” this work lets you decide what happens through movement and facial expressions.

In “Hidden Stories,” you can pick up a cone and hold it to one of the 22 illustrations on the wall. Each image represents a first-person anecdote, featuring voices from people in the sonic community. You can either peruse the different stories on the wall or record your own.

This is only the tip of the iceberg of creative narratives contained in Sensory Stories.

For those who are passionate about storytelling, a visit to the Phi Centre is worth your time. Not to mention that admission is free. But act fast, the exhibit runs until Sept. 27.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

opera | arts

An example of some of the elaborate, colourful costume designs of the geishas.

The operatic metamorphosis of a geisha Giacomo Puccini’s famous opera is now showing at the Opéra de Montréal

PAULINE NESBITT Contributor Love was in the air as l’Opéra de Montréal (ODM) kicked off its 36th season with a stunning interpretation of Madama Butterfly, by Giacomo Puccini, at Place des Arts on Saturday. Although this tale is from another political and social era, François Racine, the stage director, portrays it with an exciting freshness and transforms it so that it can be palatable for contemporary audiences. Racine weaves a tale that focuses on the profound nature of true love, with all its foibles, and shares the simplicity, innocence, candour and beauty he says he experiences each time he sees this opera.

Puccini uses three acts to spin a tale that pitches Western culture against that of the East, juxtaposes innocence with experience and showcases the profound nature of true love, along with all its illusions and disillusions.

Set in the port city of Nagasaki, Japan at the turn of the 20th century, the libretto is loosely based on a true story of a young geisha whose innocence and beauty captivates an American naval officer who marries her, and then returns to sea in search of an American wife. The geisha had renounced her ancestral gods and converted to Christianity before her marriage. The American does not return and she takes charge of her own destiny.

The first act opens with Pinkerton, the American, examining a house he has rented for himself and Butterfly, his betrothed. Sharpless, the US consul, appears and Pinkerton reveals that he is unsure that he loves Butterfly, but that he is bewitched by her charm and innocence.

Before she appears on stage, Butterfly is heard telling her friends and family that “she is the happiest girl in Japan, or

in the world.” The marriage takes place and the act ends with the couple singing the famous long love duet that evokes strong sensual feelings and seems to equal foreplay while their body language displays their happiness.

Act II opens with Butterfly at home with Suzuki, her loyal servant, waiting for Pinkerton. She fantasizes about his return, but remains loyal to him, despite the presence of other suitors. Three years pass, and Pinkerton asks Sharpless to inform Butterfly that he will not return. Sharpless attempts to read Pinkerton’s letter to Butterfly, but she interrupts him repeatedly, so he gently asks her what she would do if he never returned? She replies that she cannot go back to being a geisha because now her songs would be sad, not happy.

Later, Butterfly sees Pinkerton’s ship enter the harbour, and waits for him to come.

In the final act, Pinkerton returns, but asks Suzuki not to wake Butterfly. It is Suzuki who tells Butterfly that Pinkerton now has an American wife. Butterfly realizes that she has lost everything, but feels satisfied, knowing that she experienced the love of an American husband and bore his son. She decides to die with honour, rather than to live with shame.

Melody Moore, a soprano, makes her debut with ODM as Butterfly. While she is much taller and heavier than one expects of a geisha, she handles this demanding role effortlessly. She is convincing as a playful, innocent 15-year-old, who is in love, and then transforms into a sensuous wife and mother who ultimately takes charge of her own destiny. The intense emotions she evokes with her voice and body language are palpable. Her rendition of “Un bel dì,” the opera’s most famous aria, received robust applause.

Antoine Bélanger, a tenor, returned to ODM as a replacement for Demos Flemotomos as Pinkerton for this performance, and although his voice and dramatic presence were flat at the outset, he quickly gained confidence and transformed into the cad he portrayed.

Morgan Smith, baritone, makes his debut with ODM as Sharpless, the US consul stationed at Nagasaki. His rich tones harmonize perfectly with the tenor and the soprano voices.

Allyson McHardy, a mezzo-soprano, plays Suzuki, Butterfly’s devoted maid with all the charm, manners and politeness common within Japanese culture.

Puccini’s score includes Japanesesounding melodies, punctuated by “The Star-Spangled Banner” and is intertwined with 10 pieces of classical and popular Japanese music. The orchestra, led by James Meena, succeeds in evoking all the feelings and passion on display.

This is particularly evident in Act II, when the orchestra almost takes on the role of a character—informing the audience of the depth of a scene—as the music describes and evokes the feelings Butterfly experiences while she maintains a vigil for her husband, the anguish she feels as she prepares to relinquish her son and again in the emotionally-charged final scene.

The stage sets are elegant, but simple and airy. The decoration is sparse and cherry blossoms add a distinctly Japanese

aura. The costumes are very elegant, but remain tastefully simple. Red fabric is contrasted by varying shades of cream and gold, which provides richness without opulence.

In the final scene of Act I, Butterfly is in a white gown, and Pinkerton, jacketless, is in his white naval uniform. Here, white is used as a prop to depict the very sensually charged, yet innocent moment the couple experiences as they move towards consummating their marriage.

The lighting is effectively used to create a mood, or to signal a change in the time of day. In ODM’s synopsis of the opera, Puccini is quoted to say this is one of “the most sincere and evocative” of all his compositions. The libretto is uncomplicated and appeals to the initiated, as well as those who may be new to opera. As the dying strains of the orchestra were heard, the audience erupted into a round of applause that became a standing ovation, lasting at least five minutes.

You have the chance to see Madama Butterfly at Salle Wilfred Pelletier, Place des Arts, until Sept 28.

A voice raised to depict Puccini’s famous narrative.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

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film | arts

The man who wrote himself into art history Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery is a new doc about one of the best forgers of this century LYDIA ANDERSON Co-arts editor

A

t what point do we appreciate art simply for beauty’s sake? Do ethics, fame, and art’s hierarchy of worth only come into play because of the immense monetary values that are allotted to pieces in the art world? These are some of the tantalizing questions that are raised by the new documentary directed by Arne Birkenstock, Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery.

We largely recognize art as prestigious when it’s displayed in the context of a collection or museum space. The art world has experts who dictate if a piece is authentic, and we trust their verdict when we appreciate the piece as more significant than another. But if those experts are fooled, and we are still appreciating it in the same way, does the evil of forgery lie only in its deception? Some would say it is a practice that harms the original artist, art history itself, or artistic value altogether.

The film follows Wolfgang Beltracchi, a man who, along with his wife, fooled the art world with his forgeries for nearly 40 years. Beltracchi’s method was to get in-

side a historic painter’s head and create works in their style—never completely copying a preexisting piece but presenting a new one as the artist’s original work, often filling holes in art history. The audience learns the entirety of Beltracchi’s story and observes his process as he creates various pieces throughout the film. Watching him work, it cannot be argued that his technique is not masterful and that as an artist he isn’t immensely talented. However, a tension that is sustained throughout the film is whether or not the respect evoked by his artistry should be resisted, in the face of the laws he has broken.

Beltracchi is described in an unflattering light by some of the art collectors and auctioneers that are interviewed. However, his light-heartedness, self-confidence, and positive attitude humanize him throughout the film. You see the love that his family and friends have for him, as well as the sweet, romantic relationship that he manages to sustain with his wife. His charm and openness hardly make him seem like your everyday criminal. Furthermore, although Beltracchi’s practice was against the law, we never really see him apolo-

Wolfgang Beltracchi: the man, the forger, the genius. gize for his actions. If anything, we see him accepting his, then, impending prison time with a chuckle and a smile.

As we dwell in a society that increasingly glorifies remix culture, is the deception inherent to forgery Beltracchi’s only misstep? In his mind, he created new versions of pre-existing successes. For example, he says in the movie, “if Max Ernst was first—and he was—then I adapted it, maybe made it better than the original.

Maybe my forest is even more beautiful.

Better, if you want to evaluate it. Because I’m adding to his.”

It is a documentary that will make you question what you appreciate art for—is it the monetary value, the authenticity, the artist’s status, or maybe its place in history? I urge you—if only for its quality of inspiring thought on ethics and the moral implications of forging artwork—not to miss the chance to immerse yourself in this movie.

You can catch Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery at Cinéma du Parc when it opens on Sept. 25. The film is in German with English subtitles.

exhibit | arts

Illuminating the Darfur tragedy through photography The Knights of the Devil, part of Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, covers the Sudanese conflict MARIA BUKREEV Contributor

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n interesting aspect of The Knights of the Devil is that if a viewer is unaware of what is represented, the exhibited images can appear as just runof-the-mill artsy fare.

But from the moment it becomes clear that the multiple bright parts actually show the ruins and ashes of what were previously entire villages, the photos lose their soothing characteristic.

The Knights of the Devil is Pugin’s contribution to Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, the theme of which, this year, is the “post-photographic condition” and whose guest curator is none other than Joan Fontcuberta, the famous contemporary photographer.

Art can be a powerful tool to convey feelings and opinions. In times of war, art has been known to promote political actions or to denounce them. In such times, be it the Spanish Civil War or WWI-era Germany, one of the functions of art was to inform and influence people, which often resulted in artists being censored should they disagree with their political leaders, as in the case of Otto Dix, the German painter known for his hellish depictions of war.

As explained in the video played repeatedly throughout the exhibit, the luminous traces indicate the places where the Janjaweed—an active militia in Darfur referred to as “the knights of the devil”— have robbed and burned entire villages while violently killing inhabitants. Some

Gallerygoers perusing Pugin’s enlightening work.

A result of Pugin’s method of draining and reversing colours. may argue that it could be questionable to present such horror in a fairly soft way. However, the artist’s intention is to shock the viewer by showing a sad and horrendously underreported reality.

Nowadays, even though art has evolved in terms of technique, the artist’s power to share their views remains and can even be encouraged.

Pugin is a Swiss artist and photographer, most known for using the light painting method in which the camera’s sensor is directly exposed to the light for a longer amount of time, emphasizing the bright elements and creating interesting effects. His works are featured in collections across the world, notably in the U.S., Switzerland and

France, where he currently lives.

The Knights of the Devil, is all about informing the viewer of the tragedy happening in Darfur, where a war— qualified as a genocide by the American government—has brought destruction and misery. Darfur is located in western Sudan and there is very limited access to reporters who want to cover the conflict.

The lack of information on the issue pushed the photographer to find an alternative way to illustrate the tragedy.

Through this exhibit, Pugin decided to try something new and work with photographs that weren’t taken by him.

What makes the exhibit rather unusual is that Pugin used pictures taken from Google Earth and changed their appearance. He proceeded first by draining the colors and then reversing them, which resulted in a dark background scattered with numerous light spots that resembles the galaxy.

Pugin, who has been experimenting with photography and other media in order to show the negative impacts of humans on nature, seemingly hopes that this exhibit will be able to voice some of the unacceptable incidents that are happening in isolated places such as Darfur.

Most of all, one can hope that the message conveyed by Pugin’s art is loud enough to encourage people to not form opinions about international conflict based on first impressions and to reach below the surface of the images they see and stories they read.

The Knights of the Devil, presented at the Phi Centre, runs until Oct. 10.

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theconcordian

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

exhibit | arts

Enlighten your night at the Gardens of Light Immerse yourself in the lanterns and lights of Montréal Botanical Garden REBECCA LUGER Contributor

T

here is much pleasure to be found in strolling underneath beautiful lights and decorations, immersing yourself in nature and a pleasant ambience. Perhaps this is not a regular occurrence in urban life, but I felt it when I visited The Gardens of Light show at the Montréal Botanical Garden this week.

The Gardens of Light exhibit is made up of two decoratively lit, Asian-themed gardens—the Chinese Garden and the Japanese Garden, with lanterns being the star of the show. I ventured to the Chinese Garden first. Pale-blue lanterns with painted

watercolor clouds lit a path leading me into a Zhuang Village in Guangxi. Large lanterns shaped like animals and Chinese figures were also on display. I walked up to a grand entrance that reminded me of the Emperor of China’s palace from Disney’s Mulan. The sheer size of the gate itself was amazing and was lit with small white fairy lights and royal red lanterns of varying sizes. A tall structure called the “Tower of Condensing Clouds” stood behind a wide lake that had lantern displays floating across the surface of the water.

My favourite lantern tableau was in the middle of the lake; lanterns shaped like waves carried a warrior on his horse, who was being chased by a sea creature that looked like a seahorse mixed with a lion. It was the biggest and brightest lantern scene on the water and probably in the entire show. The only word I can think of to describe the Chinese Garden is “fan-

The more soothing side of Montréal Botanical Garden’s Gardens of Lights.

The louder, more decorative lighting found in the exhibit. tastical.” The vibrant colours of the lanterns, balanced perfectly with the traditional-style Chinese structures.

The Japanese Garden had a completely different vibe altogether and it was the exact opposite of the Chinese Garden.

The exhibit took place in the back garden of a Japanese-style home. I had to walk through this beautifully simple home, tatami mats and all, to the wide open garden where nature seemed to be the focal point. “The Zone of Contemplation” was a larger patch of grass where guests could sit and relax while admiring the ponds, waterfalls and streams. A small forest of very tall, thin trees echoed the soft sound of bells and running water. The garden was very calm and pale-coloured lights reflected on the trees and waterfalls.

The whole thing felt, dare I say, zen. I liked the Japanese Garden more than the

Chinese one. There was something about the energy and spirit of that garden that made me more comfortable. The Chinese Garden was lovely and the lantern displays were unlike anything I had ever seen, but the Japanese Garden was simple yet remarkably impressive—and there was something luxurious about it. I could easily see myself spending a whole day there, walking through the garden, reading a book in the “Zone of Contemplation” and just enjoying some relaxing alone time, away from the bustle of the city and getting more in tune with nature and myself.

The Gardens of Light will be available to see at the Botanical Gardens of Montreal until Nov. 1. I highly suggest going at night, when the lanterns and lights are at their prime.

film | arts

Shyamalan digs himself into a deeper hole Release date: Sept. 11, 2015 Director: M. Night Shyamalan Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan Running time: 94 minutes

The scariest part of The Visit is the filmmaking ELIJAH BUKREEV Co-arts editor M. Night Shyamalan just can’t seem to get it right anymore. Once one of the most promising American film directors, he’s since become a laughingstock in the industry. People come to his movies in amusement, waiting to see if his latest is, in fact, worse than the last, as ratings would suggest.

I’m not easily amused by all these demeaning jokes and insinuations. Shyamalan made The Sixth Sense, which was masterful in every possible way, and even in the horrid After Earth, I could still feel a potency, a natural gift for atmosphere and creating tension out of thin air. So I said to myself—and he must have read my

mind—that he needed to make a horror film, as low-budget as possible, relying on nothing but his wit and directorial flair, with no added artifice. Well, he’s just done that, and now I’m afraid we’re all out of options.

The Visit, which Shyamalan self-produced in hopes of regaining artistic control over his films, may be even worse than the rest, and there’s no one to blame but himself. A tale of two siblings who visit their disturbed and increasingly threatening grandparents—whom they’ve never met—this film tries its hand at found-footage horror and dark comedy, and fails at both. Shyamalan is known for his plottwists, and this one is clever enough that it could almost work, if it weren’t followed by a sappy attempt at tearjerking and some of the worst rap I’ve ever heard delivered on-screen. The overall effect was so overwhelmingly negative that it could only logically be explained as self-sabotage.

As low as Shyamalan’s films have sunk in his later years, they were at least partially kept afloat by solid cinematography, and fine music by his long-time collaborator James Newton Howard.

Both had to be sacrificed this time to little avail. A found-footage film—such as Paranormal Activity—requires at least some degree of naturalism in order to work, but The Visit is too overact-

ed, and too nicely shot and edited to be even remotely in the realm of plausibility. The performances are all unnatural, especially from the main actress, newcomer Olivia DeJonge, playing Becca, a young girl who speaks like a seasoned filmmaker—a clear and poor attempt at self-portrait by the director.

But the film’s biggest misstep is its use of mental illness as fodder for cheap laughs and scares. Why must it be funny that Nana, the grandmother, runs around naked at night? The first time we see odd behaviour from her, she is seen vomiting all around the house. The granddaughter sees this, but instead of talking to her or

trying to help, she just runs to her room and locks the door. This illustrates that the director only treats the grandparents as movie monsters, and never as human beings, which is sad.

There are interesting episodic moments, all given away in the trailer, especially the scenes in which Nana asks her granddaughter to get inside the oven to clean it, in an obvious but effective reference to a fairy tale. These little moments will be of little consolation to fans, as this is another embarrassment from Shyamalan. He has gotten himself in a hole, and it will take major soul-searching and head-scratching to get out of it.

Shyamalan’s monster of choice, Nana.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

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film | arts

Bobby Fischer in the midst of taking down multiple opponents.

New Bobby Fischer biopic is no checkmate Release date: Sept. 25, 2015 Director: Edward Zwick Cast: Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Peter Sarsgaard Running time: 114 minutes

Maguire may catch you in his web, but the film itself may leave you wanting ALEX DIMEGLIOT Contributor In chess, once you’ve made your first move, you have over three billion possible combinations to choose from. Bobby Fischer may have known about each and every one of them, and managed to choose the best possible one in a limited amount of time.

Pawn Sacrifice is a biopic depicting the life of the chess master—exposing Fischer’s genius, as well as his slowly unraveling undiagnosed mental illness, which essentially holds him back from possibly achieving even more than he had already achieved as a young man.

Pawn Sacrifice stars Spider-Man—I mean Tobey Maguire—as the game-changing Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Fischer’s biggest rival, Boris Spassky. The film covers Fischer’s life in the 1970s as he studies in hopes of one day trouncing Spassky and becoming the first American chess player to be considered the best in the world.

The cast was the film’s saving grace.

Especially Maguire, who proves that he is more than just the man behind the mask.

Rather, he is someone who can compete with Hollywood’s elite when it comes to the “best actor” candidates at the Academy Awards. Watching Maguire portray

Bobby Fischer’s paranoia, dedication and egotistical personality was the most entertaining part of the film. Maguire will sadly be overshadowed by the likes of Johnny Depp and Michael Fassbender come awards season, but his performance in Pawn Sacrifice should serve as a cautionary reminder to everyone that he has the chops to hoist the most prestigious award in film sometime in the near future.

Unfortunately, this film suffers from a disease I just invented called “biopicsafeobia,” which can be described as being just like every other run-of-the-mill biopic that has ever been released. This causes it to lack any kind of originality that would make it stand out to audiences and Academy voters. Unfortunately, the whole film is just utterly forgettable. At times, I felt like the director slowed down the pace, especially in the middle of the film, which caused me to shift in my seat

and immediately become less interested in the Fischer story.

Overall, I would have to say the performances by Maguire, Schreiber and Peter Sarsgaard were the saving grace of this film. Without them, I feel like I would have said, “meh” and been unable to write this review because I wouldn’t have remembered a thing. I left the theatre amazed by the fact that one man changed the perception of chess, turning it into a sport the whole world would stop to watch.

One just can’t help but wonder what else Fischer would have accomplished had his undiagnosed mental illness been cured, or never manifested itself in the first place. My final score for the film is three stars out of five, one star for each actor’s stellar performance. Hopefully, filmmakers will see this as an opportunity to find a new way to break new ground on the tired biopic genre.

comedy | arts

Concordia alumnus headlines comedy show Be it singlehood, cultural identity or gay marriage, Andrew Searles has it covered ELIJAH BUKREEV Co-arts editor

I

magine getting on stage to deliver a few jokes and discovering your life vocation is to do stand-up comedy. This is what happened to Andrew Searles, a JMSB alumnus who has gone on to do shows all across the country, and will now be headlining his first show in his hometown of Montreal.

Searles, a comedian, actor and “self-proclaimed amazing lover” has been doing stand-up for nearly 10 years, and now he brings us a show that he has written and produced himself.

The show is titled C’est moi! C’est Papa Chocolat! in reference to Searles’ previous 2013 show C’est moi! C’est Chocolat! which is a recurring punchline of his.

The added “papa” is explained by the fact that fatherhood—or lack thereof—is a central theme in the new show. In fact, Searles is set to take a humorous look at

the fact that he is still single while many of his friends are married with children.

His situation will be relatable to many—singlehood is a rising and much-covered phenomenon. “Most comics will do a show of ‘Oh, hey, I’m a father now.’ My show is about being a single guy while everyone around you is having kids,” said Searles.

Other themes are as diverse as cultural identity, vaccinations and gay marriage. Searles, who grew up on Russell Peters and Dave Chappelle, is willing to touch on hot topics straight out of today’s headlines. With that approach, he draws inspiration from our southern border neighbours, but he is also eager to distinguish himself from them.

On the question of cultural identity, he tackles the absurdity of applying African-American stereotypes to black Canadians.

In his own words, “When you think about black comedy, it’s always American black comedians talking about growing up in the hood. As a black Canadian, I grew up in Pierrefonds. There is no hood, I don’t know what these people are talking about!”

So Searles’ intention is also to help promote

A glimpse at some of the themes, ideas, and characters in Searles’ show. a distinct black Canadian identity, an underrepresented culture in today’s media.

What makes the Montreal stand-up comedy scene so special, according to Searles, is multiculturalism, which is part of its DNA. “So many cultures mix and interact with each other. Here, in Montreal, a black person would know when a Jewish holiday is, and what the Chinese calendar is, as opposed to, when you’re out west, in Calgary or Vancouver, the Asians hang out with the Asians, the Jews hang out with the Jews, the Italians hang out with the Italians,” he said.

This multicultural quality, along with it being bilingual, gives our city a big advantage, as far as Searles is concerned. He may well be right, and he certainly adds to the diversity in a way that both compliments the city and defuses tension around topics you should know how to laugh about.

“C’est moi! C’est Papa Chocolat!” will run at ComedyWorks on Sept.

24 at 8:30 p.m., and Sept. 25-26 at 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit Andrew Searles’ website at andrewsearles.com.

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MUSIC

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 MUSIC EDITOR MIA PEARSON music@theconcordian.com @theconcordian

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If you didn’t catch these Pop Montreal pe

SUUNS & JERUSALEM IN MY HEART Montreal artists collaborate to go above and beyond

BY MIA PEARSON — MUSIC EDITOR

A constant sub-bass low frequency shot across the room from the Rialto’s stage throughout the night. The deep shuddering shook the elaborately-carved walls and extended up the wooden bannister. Had there been a chandelier, it probably would have wobbled off its hook.

The source of this sub-bass were small spacelike analog consoles glowing above the audience.

Opener Hraïr Hratchian was the ominous figure on stage, playing traditional liturgical Armenian melodies on his duduk (which looks like a wooden flute). The middle-eastern-sounding progressions Hratchian drew from the dainty instrument hung high above the sub-bass ravaging the venue—like a battle between light and dark. Despite the Rialto’s air conditioning pelting the audience in the face, Hratchian’s performance was a direct flight to the desert where you could wander around solo, if you were willing to close your eyes and go there.

Hratchian bowed and left the stage to a second wave of applause. Soon after, more equipment was wheeled onto the stage: three kick drums, some percussion instruments lying on the floor, more analog, and finally, Radwan Ghazi Moumneh of Jerusalem in my Heart walked on.

Moumneh wore a suit and amber sunglasses, sometimes holding what looked like rosary beads.

He began by admitting he usually never talks before a performance, but that his heart was heavy due to the refugee crisis happening in and around Syria. All the musicians who had taken the stage that night agreed to donate their profits from the show to a Syrian aid fund.

Moumneh then dove into his performance, singing in a way that was reminiscent of a call to prayer; rapid, high, but sitting on some syllables.

The sub-bass kicked in again, but this time the low frequencies varied, sometimes pulsating, but always overdriving the speakers. Moumneh’s performance is difficult to describe; he’s got a feel for frequencies and electronics, and paired this with electric beats. He sang a cappella for the first song, and then he stopped abruptly with an exclamation from the bass and a “Ha!”

This jolted the crowd out from the desert and into a dystopian world projected on the backstage wall: an abandoned beachside hotel, a film roll of three young boys running, a half-constructed building. He played the buzuk, which is like a long-fretted lute. His buzuk-playing chimed psychedelically over the other layers. More members joined him onstage, banging the kick drums, keeping-up the middle eastern melodies that sounded so fresh to our North American ears.

Then the long-awaited collaboration took place.

Psychedelic art band Suuns and Moumneh, who’ve been longtime friends, blended their musical styles together better and more uniquely than any other collaboration I’ve heard. The pre-existing commonalities between both artists were their overall tendency to lean towards psychedelic music, their krautrock-like consistent and elongated beats stretching over entire songs, and their eagerness to get lost in the samples and sounds. Moumneh was the clear leader into the middle-eastern world of riffs; Suuns’ main contribution was to jump in powerfully to emphasize climactic points. The band’s’ loud samples and spectral outbursts created a wall of sound that turned viscous under the psychedelic rock riffs, sometimes Pink Floyd-ish, and often times Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-ish.

During their song “Gazelles in Flight,” Suuns’ drummer Liam O’Neill and vocalist/guitarist Ben Shemie brought a hi-hat downstage and started hitting it along to the pre-recorded sample beat. Shemie, after hitting the hi-hat at a rapid speed for a good 10 minutes, began to appear distressed and looked around at his bandmates for assurance. O’Neil, also hitting the hi-hat, did not see Shemie’s worried look because his eyes were calmly closed in concentration. Shemie did make it to the end without quitting, though.

Keyboardist Max Henry, stationed next to Moumneh, manned the synths and equipment. Struck by passion and the deep vibrations of the pulsing sub-bass, he was leaning so close to Moumneh that his head almost rested on Moumneh’s shoulder. Their albums don’t even begin to convey the super supernatural sounds they achieved Wednesday night at POP Montreal, so, next time, catch them.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

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erformances, we’re bringing them to you.

ALBERT HAMMOND JR. & PRINZE GEORGE The Strokes guitarist heats up Sala Rossa at the festival

BY JESSICA ROMERA — COPY EDITOR

For this year’s instalment of the ever-expanding music and arts festival, concertgoers packed into La Sala Rossa’s modestly-sized venue on St-Laurent Street. The room, characterized by its dim lighting and thick, sumptuous red curtains provided a perfectly intimate setting for the night’s two acts.

Taking the stage first was Brooklyn-based trio Prinze George, acting as a quartet for the night. Clad in mostly all-white attire, the collective pumped out a slew of synth-infused indie tracks, including “Upswing” off their self-titled EP that got the crowd moving on the rainy September Saturday evening.

Walking offstage, the lights dimmed a little more and the room packed in a little tighter. When the house lights finally went off completely, Hammond, dressed in a white t-shirt, red pants and black leath-

er converse, along with his instrumental band, sauntered on stage as fans let out excited shrieks. He threw his fist in the air, and jumped right into the opening chords of “Rude Customer” from 2013’s AHJ, sending vibrations through the floor and into the walls of the Plateau venue.

With four records under his belt since his 2006 solo debut Yours To Keep, Hammond pulled mostly from his newer material. On the occasions where he played older crowd favourites like “101,” concertgoers sang along happily to the alt-rock ode to the West Coast American highway, and then to the eerily dreamy “GFC.” Hammond later dove into one of his earliest tracks “In Transit,” a seemingly happy coincidence as a fan had yelled for him to play the song just moments before.

When the song was over, the drummer briefly walked offstage long enough for Hammond to get slightly visibly uncomfortable, affirming jokingly that “he was either puking, pissing, or taking a shit.”

With a laugh from the audience, someone took the opportunity to yell out aggressively, “play something from The Strokes!” Gently brushing off the request with a laugh, Hammond replied that he couldn’t “dabble in that,” and proceeded to play material from his more recent albums.

Closing the hour-long set with “Rocket” from 2008’s ¿Cómo Te Llama?, Hammond walked offstage as the cheers of grateful fans trailed behind him. With this POP Montreal performance in the bag, Hammond is no longer ‘in transit,’ and has established himself as a separate, and talented, musical entity.

PHOTOS BY ANDREJ IVANOV GRAPHICS BY CHARLOTTE BRACHO

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

THE BORN RUFFIANS, WEAVES & ULTIMATE PAINTING The Born Ruffians were anything but ruff during their show BY ÉTIENNE LAJOIE — MUSIC ASSISTANT

Wednesday, Sept. 16 was the opening night of the 13-year-old Pop Montreal indie music festival in numerous venues around the city such as La Sala Rossa, where Ultimate Painting, Weaves and Born Ruffians played a medley of music genres. Ultimate Painting’s nonchalant demeanor cooled down the fans in the chandelier-lit room. The square-shouldered James Hoare, who was wearing an army coat, sang the verses along with his partner in crime, Jack Cooper. The men flawlessly performed songs from both of their albums, their self-titled debut and Green Lanes, including “Out in the Cold” and “Ten Street.” You can’t expect anything less than crisp singing, catchy guitar riffs and unexpected solos from these British pop singers. There were no elaborate costumes or decorations on stage, but their edgy blandness was surprisingly enjoyable. Their set was a bit shorter than the one they played at Bar le Ritz last February, but POP Montreal was an unmissable opportunity for Cooper and Hoare.

Second up were the bizarre yet appealing Weaves. The Toronto-based quartet—lead by singer Jasmyn Burke— seduced many who were in the crowd.

Burke bemused the pop music enthusiasts with her flirtatious remarks and gestures throughout her performance, prompting her bassist Morgan Waters to

sarcastically twirl his finger next to his ear as to say she was out of her mind.

With the stage’s back wall donning Sala Rossa’s red curtains, Burke’s movements on stage could have been mistaken for a school musical comedy. The band sounded similar to Un Blonde: like robotic, jerky rock. Tunes such as “Motorcycle,” “Buttercup” and “Take A Dip” were played as the band presented their EP and sounded better than their recorded versions.

Last but not least were Born Ruffians. Formed in 2004, they sound like a Billy Talent indie-rock reincarnation on their latest albums. Lead vocalist Luke Lalonde’s vocals are similar to Ben Kowalewicz’s nasal voice and is accompanied by upbeat, long-haired back vocalist Mitch Derosier. Born Ruffians have a definite Canadian feel to their songs, like “I need a life” having a foot-stomping vibe. The latter really got the crowd going—because it’s a sing-along. Lalonde and Derosier alternate, with the first singing lines such as “the sun is shining but we stay inside” or “we put curtains, block out the light” and the second answering with “oh, but we go out at night.” By the end of the song, the audience was leading the way, singing louder than ever.

Born Ruffians also honoured their Canadian heritage with acoustic songs that have a heartland sound and an unlikely country music feel.

PHOTO BY MARIE-PIERRE SAVARD

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR PEGGY KABEYA sports@theconcordian.com @theconcordian

men’s football | sports

Stingers take 29th Shrine Bowl at Loyola

Stingers Vincent Seguin delivers hit on McGill reciever for the timely defensive play in 29th annual Shrine Bowl. Photos by Andrej Ivanov.

CASEY DULSON Staff writer The Stingers triumphed over their rivals the McGill Redmen in the 29th annual Shrine Bowl this Saturday despite the rain. Concordia took a

33-21 victory, improving to 2-1 on the season. The Stingers finally got it going as they dropped 449 yards of offence of the McGill defence.

The Redmen second-year pivot, Joel Houl, had a rough day at the office as he went 21/36 for 264 yards and was intercepted three times by

the ball-hawking Stingers defence.

For Concordia, the newly-minted starting quarterback Trenton Miller was in full effect Saturday as he picked apart the McGill secondary for 275 yards and two touchdowns. Miller demonstrated that he is not only dangerous through the air, but also on the ground as he chipped

in 21 yards rushing along with a touchdown.

“I honestly think that our offensive line played a great game today. The defence came out strong, receivers made plays and running backs ran the ball, but I really believe that the offense line deserves a big shout-out today all of them,”

Stingers defensive backs Rashawn Perry and Mikael Charland celebrate 29th annual Shrine Bowl victory on Loyola field amidst teammates and Stingers staff.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

ConU improves to 2-1 after big win over the McGill Redmen on Saturday

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men’s football | sports

CASEY DULSON Staff writer

STINGER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: TACKLE MONSTER DEFENSIVE BACK MIKAEL CHARLAND

Stingers Sam Narkaj taking down the McGill ball carrier at midfield in Saturday afternoons Shrine bowl.

WWA Miller said after the game.

Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren, the quarterback who started the last two games for the Stingers looked comfortable in his new position at receiver, hauling in three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.

“A lot more running, you have to be more physical, definitely different but I’m still part of the team and do whatever I can to help out” said the former quarterback.

The Stingers in their first two games struggled with running as they are third last in the CIS in rushing. Saturday they finally found a solution with first year running back, Jean-Guy Rimpel. Rimpel went for 135 rushing yards on 13 carries and averaged nine yards a carry.

The Stingers defence was a force to be reckoned with as they forced the Redmen to commit four turnovers. Stingers third year cornerback, Rashawn Perry who had one of the four Concordia intercep-

Jahlanni Gilbert-Knorren secures a catch beating the McGill defender. tions said, “we pride ourselves on being the best in the country so to be the best, you have to cause turnovers on a weekto-week basis.”

The Shrine Bowl is more than just a

Trenton Miller celebrates touchdown breaching the McGill defense.

rivalry game between McGill and Concordia; it’s also a promotional fundraiser for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Since its inception in 1987, the game has raised an estimated $900,000. Several of the players on both sides had the chance to visit some kids at the hospital last week.

“It’s such a prestige to be playing in the game, I wish that [I had] made the visit to the hospital this year, it is awesome to know what it stands for. It’s a privilege to be playing in it,” Perry said.

“I had the chance to meet some of the kids at the hospital, from beginning to end it was a great experience and Shriners put on a great event,” said Miller.

“It’s something that is special for the children and for ConU to be hosting the game and giving all of the proceeds to the Shriners hospital for the children that what the game is all about,” said Concordia coach, Mickey Donovan on the impact of the Shrine Bowl.

Next up for the Stingers will be a tough test against the reigning national champions from the University of Montreal, Saturday afternoon at Loyola.

The fourth-year defensive back from Gatineau, Quebec played his best game of the season last Saturday, in the Stingers first victory of the year over the Bishop’s Gaiters on Sept. 12. Charland registered three interceptions in the win and added in a fumble recovery to boot.

The three interceptions tied a Concordia school record and Charland was named CIS and RSEQ defensive player of the week for his efforts.

Charland for the past three seasons has led the Stingers defense in tackles averaging six and a half tackles a game. In 2013, he had 52.5 tackles where he was ranked seventh in Canada for tackles. Charland also played a huge role this week in the Stingers convincing Shine bowl victory over the McGill University Redmen. He’s long been the rock holding the Stingers secondary together and last seson particiapted in the CIS East-West Bowl which is a showcase of the CIS’s top CFL prospects. Look for him to be on many CFL teams draft radar come the 2016 CFL draft, as he continues to be Concordia’s tackling monster.

The Urban Studies major is one of team leaders and will be heavily relied upon as the Stingers make a playoff push. As every quarterbacks nightmare Charland’s abilities keep offensive coordinators up at night.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

opinion | sports

We need a national conference SPORTS IN THE NEWS PAOLO MINGARELLI Contributor

PENNETTA STUNS US ALL Saturday evening at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows NY, Flavia Pennetta won her first, and ultimately her final grand slam title. Leading up to the U.S. Open, all eyes were on Serena Williams and her quest to capture a historic calendar year grand slam. A stunning loss in the semis was handed to the heavily-favoured Williams. This loss, a disappointment for many, would ultimately lead fans of the game to another historic moment. In front of the sold out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pennetta, trophy in hand, would announce her retirement from the game. The 33-yearold would leave the game on a high note after a 16-year career.

Dissolving the CIS’s regional conference into one super conference PEGGY KABEYA Sports editor Here’s an open letter to anybody who’s anybody.The Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) association needs a national conference realignment. As it stands, the four regional conferences that comprise the CIS (the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, the Ontario University Athletics, Canada West, Atlantic University Sport)

are deeply connected to their geographic location. Nowadays with the commodification of all aspects of educational life, Canadian universities are looking towards athletics to help strengthen their brand.

Heavily subsidized conference juggernauts like the University of Laval (RSEQ), Western Mustangs (OUA) and the University of Calgary (Canada West) are big fish that have outgrown their constricting regional ponds. A quick lesson in trickle-down economics would indicate that the development of a national conference would help leverage the notoriety of “big schools” to help grow the sports in question nationally.

Financially speaking, with both the federal and provincial governments pulling back on education spending, investing in a national syndication of sports and entertainment only makes sense in times like these. If pride cometh before the fall, then nationwide wide airfare expenses for varsity teams must cometh before the science pavilion.

As a society, we’ve entered our age of decadence and half-assing our time in the sun won’t preclude the inevitable. Denis Coderre needs baseball. Toronto needs a subway extension, and Canada needs a national interuniversity athletic conference.

Because I said so… and I like football.

CANADIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS SHORT

At the the FIBA Americas Tournament the Canadian men’s basketball team, was expected to advance through the competition with relative ease. However, confidence in the team to earn a spot in the finals was halted by the Venezuela in a stunning defeat, proving that games are not played on paper. The men’s team still has an opportunity to claim a berth in the Olympics but the task becomes more difficult as they must play their way through next year’s tournament with African and European teams hungry for the same reward.

FORMER RUGBY STAR’S DEBUT IN THE NFL

Not every road to the NFL is formed through years of hard work and success through high school and college ranks of America. For Jarryd Haynes it started in a different sport entirely. The Australia native was a rugby star and as a two-time player of the year for the National Rugby League. This lead to an urgency to lock him to a lucrative deal for his rugby squad. However, his passion for playing in the NFL was overwhelming and after careful consideration he opted to sign a contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Haynes made his much anticipated debut this week on Monday Night Football, a game which the Niners would win. There’s no telling where his journey goes from here, but as was confirmed on Tuesday going off the exhaustive media coverage he’s attracted, he has definitely created a name for himself with his debut.

Come support your Stingers by coming out to these upcoming games Graphic by Charlotte Bracho.

Upcoming Stingers home games

campus | sports

Here’s a heads-up for the next sporting events taking place at Loyola

PEGGY KABEYA Sports editor Football Concordia vs.

UdeM, Saturday September 26th @ Loyola It’s homecoming week for the Stingers Football team as they take on the reign-

ing national champs from University of Montreal. The Stingers are coming off a big win at home against the McGill Redmen in last weekends 29th annual Shrine bowl. Concordia looks to have found their starting QB, after the masterful performance by MBA transfer Trenton Miller.

Men’s Soccer Concordia vs.

Sherbrooke Friday September 25th @ Loyola The Concordia Stingers will be taking on the struggling 0-3 Sherbrooke Vert et Or, Friday evening at Loyola. The Stingers are trying to pull to get to an even .500 as their 1-2 mark has them sitting middle of the pack in the competitive RSEQ. Women’s Soccer Concordia vs.

Sherbrooke Friday September 25th @ Loyola On the women’s side, The Stingers will be be going head to head against undefeated Sherbrooke Friday 8:30pm at Loyola. The Stingers women will be in tough against the top ranked Vert et Or, but look for the Kaitlyn Fournier led Stingers to put up a fight on home turf.

Stingers run out on the field in pregame ritual. Photos by Andrej Ivanov.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

OPINIONS

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OPINIONS EDITOR MATTHEW CIVICO opinions@theconcordian.com @theconcordian

editorial | opinions

Cuts to the CBC will hurt all of Canada

F

ollowing CBC President Hubert Lacroix’s public acknowledgement of the most severe downsizing the media platform has ever seen—the CBC has laid off 2,000 employees, or what amounts to a quarter of its staff in the last five years—comes the mixed response of the employees who wonder what kept him from speaking out earlier in the face of a mounting threat to free media. For him to claim, only now, that we are “beyond subtleties” comes just short of a slap in the face to those employees he saw get laid off in years prior, as well the thousands he continues to employ, who have to live under the prospect of becoming expendable, one scrapped project at a time.

But while it’s true that Lacroix’s alarm comes too late for good decorum, it comes at a time when Canada is poised to make a critical decision about the mindset of the government it will vote into power this October. Except for Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, all the

federal political parties have promised to reverse the budget cuts to the CBC. Even if they follow through on their promise, however, it remains in question whether or not they can reverse the effects on the industry and the value of free media in the public conscious. Does Canada still believe in the value of its own publicly-funded media? Even if it does, it will require action beyond the polling booth to restore the state of free media.

Whether the water in the pot remains on the boil, or has by now completely gone up in vapour, voters should be seeing the desperation evident in Lacroix’s speech. If impartial media corporations continue to be undercut by their budgets, then the Canadian electorate will finally have to admit that their values have changed.

Perhaps we’ve forgotten the value of media that isn’t an investment in a millionaire’s stock portfolio. Media empires like Quebecor aren’t accountable to you and me; ultimately they answer to Pierre

Karl Péladeau and shareholders. Private media companies can do good and honest journalism, but they need unlimited and unrestricted freedom to pursue the public interest. They have corporate interests to protect, and articles that go against those interests could be blocked if Peladeau decides he doesn’t like what a paper is producing. What if no corporately owned paper wanted to touch the important story a journalist was trying to publish for the public good? Enter public broadcasters who are funded by taxes but who answer to no government.

That freedom is the ideal chased by public broadcasters like the CBC, or at least it used to be. The CBC undoubtedly remains filled with journalists trying to be of service to Canadians but as the cuts continue, idealism can only carry them so far.

Strong public broadcasting informs the electorate, educates the public, and represents the nation. A healthy Canada needs a healthy CBC and, as proponents

of a strong Canada, the Conservatives have made a critical mistake in placing a balanced budget above our stalwart public broadcaster.

The CBC is as Canadian as maple syrup, and we wouldn’t cut down all the maple trees, would we?

education | opinions

The ‘special needs’ of Quebec teachers unions? Money A former special education student tackles the problems with the system PEGGY KABEYA Sports editor Philippe Couillard’s platformless Liberal Party—who were elected as a result of the Parti Quebecois’ historic political blunder—has decided to put the wheels in motion to end Quebec’s special-education racket.

Let me say this clearly: as an Ontario special education alumnus who’s seen the system at work from the inside, special education (special education) in the Canadian public school system has shown itself to be a fraudulent self-preservation tactic designed to expropriate government funds. In Quebec, the more special needs students in a classroom, the more funding schools get. What makes this system susceptible to collusion is the fact that the in-house school psychologist are incentivized to over-diagnose learning disabilities for the fiscal benefits it brings. Unfortunately, the growing cost of special education, coupled with the teachers’ non-compliance—or lack of tangible results—in enlisting special needs students to become foot-soldiers of the student-loan economy has forced the Couillard government to reconsider their role as passive enablers through the funding their education provides.

In a system where students are reduced to four-letter acronyms for their whole academic lives simply because, as children, sitting down for seven hours a

day didn’t come naturally, teachers are preparing to go to war to preserve the status quo.

As an energetic child who had a hard time processing his parents’ divorce, the special education vultures pounced on me at the first sign of difficulty, pimping out my unfortunate predicament for the government’s monetary incentives.

I could take a middle ground and absolve the minority of special education teachers I’ve encountered who truly care about their students’ success, because those people do really exist.

However, I’d be feeding into an intellectual trick that the police has been propagating for decades now. The ‘good cop myth’ cultivates the idea that there are good cops and bad cops, when in reality, they’re both agents of a flawed institution (where some of those agents are good people). And like the good cop myth implies, special education has exploited the fictitious allure of moral superiority in all their monetary claims.

Quebec teachers’ unions want more money; and for the better part of three decades, special education spending has been the fiscal godsend that kept the waters calm. However, times have changed, and the Quebec Liberals are ready to move against their most trusted voting bloc to put an end to the racket. For teachers, losing control of public education’s most profitable typecast incentive could spell a dramatic change to educational budgets. As it stands, in British Columbia a special education student receives up three times the funding per student than a regular student, which closely mirrors the situation in Quebec,

Graphic by Charlotte Bracho.

where certain special education students count for 2.8 students in terms of funding according to a Quebec teacher.

Of course, this being the lucrative racket that it is, the money which is intended for the benefit of the special needs students is probably redistributed once it changes hands to fund sports jerseys and other items that don’t directly aid the special education student’s education.

I can’t comment on the exact reason why the Couillard government decided to eat its own by going against the teachers unions, but it looks like the days of pumping young boys with drugstore cocktails of Ritalin and other stim-

ulants because green eggs and ham don’t hold their interest may be coming to an end. I was recommended to a school psychologist that was under the payroll of the school board when I was young, who wrote me a prescription within 15 minutes of meeting me. This seemed to be to check off another special education student off of their list to boost their funding rather than attend to my own personal needs.

And frankly, like any dying racket, those in charge lose interest when it no longer serves their purpose. So here’s to every school psychologist out there making sure no child gets left behind.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

politics | opinions

Legacies and ghosts haunt Canada’s political stage Every party leader is campaigning in someone’s shadow—sometimes, even their own ROBIN STANFORD Contributor With election season in full swing, there is one thing on every Canadian’s mind: what will Donald Trump say next? Some Canadians are talking more about the American Republican primaries than who will be chosen to lead our country next month.

In an election being viewed by many as a “Get Out the Vote, Get Harper Out” campaign, voters are missing the best part of the election. This election may best be described as the legacy race. All of the major party leaders are struggling to run from, or striving to run with the weight of their pedigree. Let us look at the party leaders.

Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Québécois Duceppe is an odd position: he has inherited the history of a political party with no interest in ruling Canada, or even becoming the official opposition party. His party’s concern is bringing the concerns of the Quebec population to the national stage, or making Quebec a nation itself.

His years of leadership have taken their toll and in this election cycle, Duceppe has come across as being run down by his party’s history.

Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party Harper is the seasoned veteran of the group, being Prime Minister since 2004.

Perhaps the best way to understand

Jack Layton casts a long shadow. Photo by Bruce Hyer from Flickr.

Harper’s legacy is that of the prime minister who would be king. Throughout his tenure as leader of our country he has proven that he will go to great lengths to run things as he wishes. This election cycle, Harper comes across as a man who plays by no one’s rules but his own.

Elizabeth May and the Green Party May is the second most seasoned leader, having taken over as federal leader of the party in 2006. The party has struggled as a second-tier party, often not being taken as seriously as the others. This view of the Green Party comes, in part, from their focus on environmental issues. Although May has proven her-

self in the debates, the image of her party bogs her down.

Thomas Mulcair and the New Democratic Party Mulcair is perhaps the leader whose legacy is heaviest. His predecessor, Jack Layton, won over the hearts of many Canadian voters in the last federal election. His death in 2011—at the height of his popularity—made sure that the public would never forget him. As a result, since taking the leadership, Mulcair has spent time trying to prove how much like Layton he can be.

Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party Trudeau, the youngest candidate for

Prime Minister, is perhaps the most charismatic of the leaders. Although he has put forth great efforts to differentiate himself from his father, the legacy of the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau can still be felt. During this campaign, he has worked to demonstrate himself as the man the Liberals want and that the young middle class Canadian citizens need.

All the party leaders are being dragged down by the legacies of their parties and predecessors. But who will exit the shadows of the past to become our prime minister? That’s something only you can decide on Oct. 19. Remember to go out and vote!

democracy | opinions

Don’t call us kids: federal leaders and the youth vote If the economic debate taught us one thing, it’s how little they care LAURA MARCHAND Contributor

L

et’s be honest: we have never been the target of political campaigning.

We’ve never been the one the leaders crawl to for votes. We’ve never been wooed, never got promises, never handed anything more than a campaign sign.

As the “youth vote”, we’ve often been glazed over in campaign speeches— and it was no different at The Globe and Mail’s economic debate.

Admittedly, perhaps we’ve marginalized ourselves. The apathy our age displays in politics is well-documented. Yet, watching the economic debate, a part of me was still listening for something, anything that would show my vote mattered to any of the men on-stage.

One thing became clear: it didn’t. My vote, where I was marking X, was secondary. I heard who they were aiming at—in fact, I knew them very well.

They were talking to my parents.

“I know that Canadians are worried about their jobs, and that’s what this election is about,” said Liberal Party Leader

Justin Trudeau. “Their jobs and the jobs that their kids are going to have.”

On the subject of environmental issues, Trudeau also said that “[Canada needs] to move in a responsible way that understands the future that we’re leaving to our kids.”

Later in the debate, Stephen Harper was opposing the idea of raising taxes to pay for some of the programs the NDP and the Liberals are proposing. He claimed that “those funds come right out of your paycheque. They come right out of the money you’re using to pay your mortgage, buy your clothes [and] fund your kids’ education.”

They were both talking about the issues that affect me, and probably affect you too: getting a job after university, the environment we are inheriting and the rising price of education. And yet, neither of them were actually speaking to us.

They were speaking to your parents.

We are not lumped in with Canadian voters: as Trudeau put it, Canadians are worried about the jobs “their kids are going to have”. Harper warns parents about funding their kids’ education. Yet, neither of them said that young Canadians coming out of university can’t find skilled work in their field. Neither of them addressed that young Canadians are borrowing more to fund their own education.

Talking down to the youth vote. Photo by United Steelworkers from Flickr.

Thomas Mulcair, to his credit, used finer language that actually seemed to address the young Canadian population as something other than the Big Bad Millennial— but only in the context of student debt. But at least he acknowledged young Canadians are there as something other than an extension of our parents.

The rhetoric surrounding young voters is patronizing, insulting, and exploitative. Patronizing because we are constantly referred to as “children” and “kids”, despite being recipients of Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Insulting, because we are not even addressed directly by the people we are supposed to be voting for.

And finally, exploitative, because they are

using the love of your parents as a political tool for votes—as if you need to prove you care about your child’s future by voting a certain way.

Is it any wonder young Canadians don’t feel excited to vote? Or is this a consequence of that apathy? Perhaps it’s a vicious circle without end—the youth vote doesn’t partake in voting due to the rhetoric, they don’t vote, they become a marginalized group in campaign strategy, the rhetoric gets worse.

It might be hard to find a political party that represents your interests—but if we want to be taken seriously, to be seen as more than just “kids”, then it’s time to fight for it.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

theconcordian

23

ETC Tweets of the week

Why did the car take a vacation at the mechanic’s??

Laura’s jokes

Because he needed a brake!

Everything is bigger in America. That’s why their election makes for better TV than our own. Oh, well, that and the fact that they have Donald Trump.

The man has a big personality and an even bigger mouth, and you have to admire the confidence he projects in spite of his hair issues. That confidence spawned #AskTrump on Twitter, and the internet did not disappoint. @philsadelphia

what product do you use in your hair to make it look so much like corn #AskTrump

@DylanTheFishy

#AskTrump is your name Donald Dick Pump?

@MrWordsWorth

When you made your deal with Satan, why didn’t you ask for perfect hair forever? #AskTrump

@DavidBHayter

We all have a little Donald Trump in us...

But a high-fibre diet can move it right along. #AskTrump

@AnnaXCraft

#AskTrump This isn’t even a question but the chances of my town voting for you is as slim as the chances of me becoming a dildo.

@kakapojayne

#AskTrump Would you consider letting Gordon the Gopher be your Vice-President?

@kakapojayne

Mr. Trump in what form of transportation do you plan on deporting 11 million people? #AskTrump

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