October 2, 2018

theconcordian

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S WEEKLY, INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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

VOLUME 36, ISSUE 6 | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018

The city explodes in colour POP Montreal delivered honest, intimate and unique work Arts p. 9

feature A summer spent in Spain

news

Historical win for CAQ party

life

p. 3

music

sports

Electric energy Artists' role in Cheerleaders gentrification p. 7 erupts at POP p. 12 want varsity

opinions

p. 14

p. 10

Why Ford stands for much more p. 18

news

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

STUDENT POLITICS

Understanding the CSU’s positions book The union takes official stances on everything from bottled water to BDS

CITY IN BRIEF MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR An intoxicated man was run ove r i n L o u i s v i ll e —10 0 km f r o m M o n t r e a l — o n Fr i d a y night. He had been found 25 minutes earlier walking by the side of the road by Sûreté Québec of ficers, who allowed him to keep walking. Quebec’s provincial police launched an investigation into the incident, according to the Montreal Gazette.

IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR The CSU has a radical mandate to carry out.

From September until December, the Concordia Student Union (C SU) is host ing “Get Radical! A Seminar in Community O r g a n i z i n g .” A m o n g o t h e r things, the workshop series will teach participants how to fund grassroots campaigns, survive confrontations with police, and design eye-catching graphics.

L a t e r i n t h e s e m e s t e r, according to the event description, participants will attend a workshop on how to oppose the rise of the far right in the West. They will also learn from the Concordia University Netanyahu riot, in which a talk by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was cancelled following violent protests.

Camille Thompson, the CSU’s external affairs and mobilization coordinator, said the project was approved by the union’s Finance Committee, which consists of five elected councilors and herself.

She said the $3,000 needed to fund the workshops came from the C SU’s campaign budget, which is funded by the union’s student body fee levy.

N o t e ve r yo n e i s h a p py with the way the money is being spent . Conser vative Concordia President Ashley Langburt condemned what she called the “radical ideological extremism” of the workshops.

“While we admire the CSU's goal of getting students involved in politic s and helping st udents fight for the issues that

mat ter to t hem , we b elieve that a respectful and civil exchange of ideas will be more productive and beneficial than teaching students to radicalize themselves,” she said.

However, Thompson said that funding the workshop series, and its associated political causes, is part of the union’s mandate, a mandate which was passed to the CSU by the student body itself.

Like many student unions in Canada, the CSU has a positions book, outlining the union’s stances on a number of political, social and student-life issues. About half of these positions were voted on by the student body through referendum, while the other half were voted on by their elected officials in council.

Some of them relate directly to student life, such as a mandate to oppose a provincial tuition fee hike of $1,625 in the fall of 2011. Others take stances on international issues. An entire section of the positions book devoted to “international affairs” has positions mandating the union to act in solidarity with refugees and support “the adoption of policies at the provincial and federal level that would increase the openness of our borders in times of crisis.” Both positions were adopted during regular council meetings without referendum.

While councilors are free to oppose the union’s positions and motion for them to be changed, the positions book mandates them to conform to the positions in their capacities as councilors.

“While a position remains in force, officers must conform to them

in the political representation that they engage in on behalf of the Union,” according to the document.

One position comes from a 2014 referendum on the B oyc o t t , D i ve s t m e n t a n d Sanctions (BDS) movement. It compels the CSU to “endorse t h e B o yc o t t , D i ve s t m e n t a n d S a n c t i o n s m ove m e n t against Israel’s occupation of Palestine until Israel complies with International Law and Universal Principles of Human Rights.” Results show 51 per cent of students voted in favor of the motion, versus about 43 per cent against (the remaining were abstentions). Seven per cent of the student body cast their ballots in the vote.

In addition, the vote was called into question because, among other reasons, a complaint was brought to the u n i o n’s J u d i c i a l B o a rd t h a t passing such a motion “could have prejudicially impacted groups on campus that maintain ties with Israel,” according to The Concordian.

Students may opt out of any of the union’s fee levy groups during the opt-out period at the beginning of the semester (the most recent opt-out period ended Sept. 28). However, undergraduates may not opt out of the the CSU’s fee levy entirely.

This is not the case for every student union across the world.

In 2005, Aust r alia passed a “voluntar y student unionism” law, effectively making it illegal for student unions to compel membership of their student bodies.

A new bylaw will ban all domestic wood burning fireplaces or appliances that emit over 2 .5 grams per hour of f ine p a r ticu l ate s , a cco rd i n g to Global News. Fines can go up to $2,000 if the bylaw is not respected. Fireplaces that are over 10 years old are likely to emit more than the allowed limit of particulates. The new bylaw that took effect on Oct. 1 is part of the cit y’s plan to fight the smog problem.

In addition, student unions in the United Kingdom have legal restrictions on the posit i o n s t h e y c a n a d o pt.

According to the National Union of Students, British student unions, which O n Friday night , Montreal are considered charities police found a missing 80-yearunder the law, may only old man. The man was reported take positions on issues missing a little over 24 hours relating directly to stuafter having left his residence dents and student life. in Park Extension. He left without For example, unions can any money and was found in the Outremont area, according advocate for improved to TVA. transpor tation around their campuses, but not Montreal mayor, Valérie Plante, for the nationalisation of announced on Monday that all public transport. the city is looking for a new “Social and political General Inspector to oversee issues are inextricacontracting processes. The bly linked to students' last General Inspector, Denis lives, and it is important Gallant, left his position early to understand them as in the summer and was replaced such,” said CSU General

by Bridgitte Bishop. However, Coordinator Sophie her inter im posit ion end s in Hough-Martin. “Student February, according to La Presse. life is not inex tricably bound to the campus it exists on.”

She also said that the Graphic by @spooky_soda union allows students to fight for their shared interests as a collective. “As an “You haven’t been elected individual student, it is hard to to represent [students] as advocate for yourself, but, when people or to deal with the you collectively band together in totality of their lives or their a student union, taking political identities,” he writes. “We all and social positions provides belong to many organizations students with a platform for and we are free to form and those in positions of power, join new ones at need. When like the provincial and federal we want people to speak on government, to take us seriously.” our behalf concerning issues In a 2009 Maclean’s article, that have nothing to do with Jeff Rybak, a lawyer and former our identities as students, student union executive, argues we can form and join those that student unions should not organizations.” engage in political activities.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

OCTOBER 2, 2018

theconcordian

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PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS

Legault elected as new Quebec Premier After 39 days of campaigning, a new premier has been elected MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR The results are in and Québec’s new premier is Coalition Avenir Quebec’s (CAQ) François Legault.

After four million votes were casted on Monday Oct. 1, the CAQ will be in office until 2022.

Legault was also elected in L’Assomption, his riding. The Liberals have been ousted from power.

The CAQ will hold 74 seats in Quebec's National Assembly. The

Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) will hold 32 seats, while Quebec Solidaire (QS) and the Parti Quebecois (PQ) will hold 10 and 9 seats respectively, with no seats for independent parties.

The new CAQ government won more seats in the province’s National Assembly than the departing Liberal government, who was elected with 70 seats in 2014.

The CAQ has positioned itself as a centre-right party. It has promised to decrease immigration in Quebec from 50,000 to 40,000 people per

year. The party also promised to raise the legal age for marijuana consumption to 21 years old rather than the current minimum of 18. A $10-billion plan is suggested by the CAQ to invest in public transit and better infrastructure in Quebec, beginning this summer. Within his first year of office, Legault will also put in place a secularism charter, among other promises.

More than 5 million people were eligible to vote. According to Quebec’s Chief Electoral Officers, 1.1 million people voted in the

advance polls between Sept. 21 and 27. Quebec’s four main parties had 125 candidates across the province.

The elections included two French debates and a debate in English, a historical first.

Sovereignty wasn’t a central issue throughout the elections, although Quebec culture and identity were widely discussed.

According to CBC’s poll tracker, CAQ was in the lead followed by the Liberal party, the Parti Quebecois and Quebec Solidaire, respectively.

The party was put in the lead quickly after polls closed. While Laval is usually a Liberal island, this election’s results show Laval residents widely elected the CAQ. Montreal widely voted for the liberal party.

The former PQ c abinet minister, Legault, founded the CAQ in 2011 and it’s the first new party to take power since 1976. Third time’s the charm for the winning party, as they previously ran in the 2012 and 2014 elections.

Graphic by spooky_soda

RAP BATTLE

Taking a stance against sexual violence

The Rap Battles for Social Justice offers artists a platform to express themselves and heal through music SANDRA HERCEGOVA VIDEO EDITOR The Rap Battles for Social Justice collective is uniting the Montreal community through activism and hip hop. Founded by Dan Parker in 2014, the collective became a family of young musicians, artists and activists from around the world who use hip hop as a tool for self expression and social justice.

Their latest show, “Rap Battle Against Sexual Violence,” took place on Sept. 28 at Reggies Bar in collaboration with hip hop and soul band Urban Science, a community of Montreal-based female musicians known as LOTUS Collective, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) and the Sustainabilit y Action Fund.

The show was a full house as the crowd occupied the dance floor and grooved to the hip hop jams of the performers.

During Vyshan’s and Preksha Ashk’s spoken word performances, the crowd gathered together and hug ged each other to demonstrate support.

Before Vyshan’s spoken word, he presented alarming statistics to the crowd: “one out of

Left SageS and Naïka Champaïgne from the band Strange Froots brought energy to the crowd with their old school beats. Photo by Sandra Hercegova.

six men have been sexually assaulted in Canada, which is a high number but nothing compared to the one out of three women who are sexually assaulted” said Vyshan. “I am part of the one out of six and this next spoken word piece is going to talk about that.”

During his spoken word, the crowd responded emotionally to his words: “See how a young man can

go through some real shit, and he’s taught from a young age not to feel shit. So when shit happens to him or to his sisters, he does not know how to deal with it. See I’m 21, I’m a fucking man now and I only just realised, It’s okay, we get hurt too,” said Vyshan during his performance.

“It ’s an honour and a pleasure to share this stage with Urban Science, LOTUS

Collective and members of the community who took the time to share their stories, to heal, to transform, and to become more conscious about issues touching sexual violence,” said Marcelle Partouche Gutierrez, an organizer and performer of Rap Bat tles for Social Justice and founder of LOTUS Collective. “We are taking a firm position against sexual violence,” she said.

“We have to acknowledge that sexual violence is rooted in our history,” said Gutierrez. “Some of us are closer to the trauma or to the pain, but we can all do better together.”

The event also fundraised for the Head & Hands youth centre SENSE project, which enables youth across Quebec to obtain sex education. During the event, Rap Battles for Social Justice raised $413 for the SENSE project.

“They will not only teach you about consent, they will teach you about healthy and safe sexual practices, how to acknowledge sexual pleasure, how to interact in a way that is more positive and helps us evolve as a society,” said Gutierrez.

There was a sense of unison and emotional bonding within the crowd during the show, and #metoo became #wetoo.

Stay tuned for more about the Rap Battles for Social Justice artists in a short documentary that will be produced by The Concordian . Their next event will be in February 2019.

To find out more about the people behind the Sept. 28 show, read the full article on our website: THECONCORDIAN.COM

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theconcordian

OCTOBER 2, 2018

NATION Lighting up and where to do it IN BRIEF A guide to the upcoming legalization of cannabis CANNABIS REGULATION

MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR As the legalization of marijuana in Canada approaches, many are wondering how the substance will be regulated in schools, on the road and in public sectors starting Oct. 17.

According to Quebec’s legislation on cannabis, a person will be allowed to possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis or its equivalent in a public space. In a private residence, possession will be limited to 150 grams regardless of the number of people living in the home. It will be prohibited for minors to possess or to be given cannabis.

Growing or possessing a cannabis plant for personal use will also be prohibited.

Up until college, possession of marijuana will be completely prohibited on school grounds, premises, and inside school buildings. This prohibition applies to educational services in preschool, elementary and high schools, vocational schools, and adult education. At colleges, it will be prohibited to possess cannabis on school grounds or in buildings, except for student residences.

It will also be prohibited to smoke or vape cannabis where it is currently prohibited to smoke or vape tobacco.

According to Concordia University Spokesperson, Mary-Jo Barr, administration will adjust their smoke-free environment policy to reflect Quebec’s limits related to cannabis smoking on campus. As for

MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR

impairment or behavioural problems due to substance abuse, Barr said “the existing Code of Rights and Responsibilities clearly states the kind of behaviours that are expected from all members of our community [...] employees are also expected, currently and going forward, to ensure they are fit and able to carry out their duties.”

In the Cannabis Regulation Act, it is under the employer’s discretion how cannabis will be regulated among employees. Furthermore, the Act encourages employers to supervise employees so that cannabis use does not impair the performance of any employee at a given organization.

As for Quebec’s driving regulations, there will be a zero-tolerance rule for intoxication due to cannabis for drivers, and police officers reserve the right to test this through saliva. This specific measure will

take effect once that equipment becomes available. According to the amendments to the Highway Safety Code in relation to the legalization of cannabis, the equipment should be used on the roadside by authorities and must have been approved by both federal authorities and the Minister of Public Security of Quebec. As for now, police officers will continue to conduct existing evaluations that detect impairment due to cannabis.

The retail sale of cannabis in Quebec will be authorized by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC). A person will be allowed to purchase up to 30 grams of dried cannabis per visit. Anyone below the age of 18 will not be allowed inside a cannabis retailer, and it will be prohibited for an adult to purchase cannabis for a minor. The types of cannabis that will be legal for sale include cannabis oil, as well as dried and fresh cannabis.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

ENDOWMENT FUNDS

Demanding to divest from fossil fuels Fighting climate change by pulling Concordia's investments EITHNE LYNCH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Two student groups, Sustainable Concordia and the Divest Coalition, have been working together to pressure the university to divest from fossil fuels.

During a Divest 101 workshop hosted by both Sustainable Concordia and the Divest Coalition, Emily Carson-Apstein, the external and campaigns coordinator for Sustainable Concordia, used a tree analogy to explain why divestment is a solution for climate change.

She said climate change is like a tree. The branches and leaves are the symptoms of climate change, such as forest fires and air pollution. The trunk of the tree corresponds to oil companies, big business corporations, even universities, which, in one way or another, worsen the effects of climate change. Carson-Apstein said divestment was like the chainsaw that could cut away at the trunk to stop the symptoms at the top from growing back.

During the workshop, it was mentioned that Laval University was the first Canadian university to divest from fossil fuels. Although having one university do so would not make any noticeable environmental change, CarsonApstein argued that withdrawing funds is still important. If Concordia were to pull their investments like Laval University did, other universities could potentially do the same.

Sustainable Concordia “envisions a university which teaches and demonstrates

Divesting from fossil fuels is easier said than done, according to Concordia. Archive photo by Savanna Craig.

sustainability principles of ecological health, social justice, and economic equality,” according to its mission statement.

The group wants to see the university run in a non-hierarchical manner, which would enable students, faculty, staff and administration to work together to achieve “transparency and maximum participation,” according to its website.

Approximately 10 per cent of the university’s foundation funds are invested in companies that “may have some connection with fossil fuels,” said Mary-Jo Barr, Concordia University’s spokesperson.

Student groups like Sustainable Concordia and the Divest Coalition want to see the university pull their investments from these companies. They believe that pulling the investments is just as important as investing in clean energy because it takes money away from industries that play a role in worsening the effects of climate change.

Divesting from these industries is easier said than done, according to Barr. “Many

funds are pooled investments, making it difficult to isolate or clearly exclude fossil fuel investments,” she said. “The university and its foundation have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the greatest possible return on investment in order to meet their objectives of providing the most benefit to the recipients of the CUF’s funds: Concordia students and researchers.”

The returns from these and all other investments go back into the university’s endowment fund, which helps pay for scholarships and bursaries.

As a compromise, “the board of the Concordia University Foundation has opted to maintain a broader focus on sustainable investment rather than adhering to a narrower objective of divestment,” said Barr.

The University put $5 million towards the Sustainable Investment Fund in 2013 and promised to increase it based on its performance.

However, according to Carson-Apstein, the amount hasn’t changed since then.

“The $5 million fund was created because

Revenu Québec workers were on strike this weekend for the second time this year after hitting a wall in their contract negotiations. They have been without a collective agreement since March 2015. Union members held strikes across Quebec, including in Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Montreal, Rimouski, Saguenay, Gatineau and Quebec City, according to the Montreal Gazette.

A judge in Alberta sentenced a middle-man for fentanyl trafficking to 11 years in jail. Cameron O’Lynn Par ranto possessed around a half-million doses of the deadly drug, according to the Calgary Sun. Fentanyl is the “most illegal drug” on the market, according to the Judge.

According to Statistics Canada, the nation’s real gross domestic product grew by 0.2 per cent in July. It is the strongest growth since November 2017.

British Columbia will only have one cannabis store open its doors on Oct . 17, according t o t h e To r o n t o S t a r. O t h e r cannabis retailers will only be anticipated later in the month.

The government aims to make the purchase of cannabis available online, so that all British Columbians will have access to recreational cannabis.

Following the release of Manitoba’s latest financial statement, the province’s auditor general, Norm Ricard, issued a qualified opinion which expresses concern, according to CBC. It’ is the first qualified opinion for the province since 2007.

The auditor concluded the financial statement does not comply with generally accepted accounting principles, and it reveals a deficit of $695 million for 2017-18.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

of pressure by students, but students still don't have any control over what it is invested in.

The school just agreed to invest that money sustainably,” said Carson-Apstein.

The university also works with student groups like Divest and Sustainable Concordia through the Joint Sustainable Investment Advisory Committee (JSIAC), whose goal is to make recommendations regarding socially and environmentally responsible investments to different governing bodies at Concordia.

The student groups have two seats on the JSIAC, and during these meetings, they participate in discussions, but “don't have any influence on the agenda, minutes, or what happens with the decisions made in the meetings, especially in the Joint Sustainable Investment Advisory Committee,” said Carson-Apstein.

OCTOBER 2, 2018

theconcordian

WORLD Navigating immigration policy in Quebec IN BRIEF PUBLIC POLICY

The Centre for Immigration Policy Evaluation seeks to understand and educate

MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR Brett Kavanaugh will be inve stigate d by th e FB I following U. S. President Donald Trump’s orders in response to sexual assault allegations made against the judge. The investigation will hold up the Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation, and the Senate vote has been delayed. The FBI has one week to investigate, according to CNN. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake sent a tsunami onto Indonesian island Sulawesi, leaving 384 people dead and 500 people missing.

The tsunami climbed to two metres high on Saturday, and destroyed homes and buildings, according to The Weather Network.

Mireille Paquet is co-director of the Centre for Immigration Policy Evaluation. Photo by Mackenzie Lad. IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR “Who should the state let in? What is "right" or "wrong" when it comes to immigration public policies?” These are the first questions that appear on the website of the Centre for Immigration Policy Evaluation (CIPE).

Mireille Paquet, the centre’s co-director, said the first question alone could fill up a two-hour lecture.

Paquet is a professor in Concordia’s Department of Political Science who specializes in immigration policy. She was also the recipient of a Concordia University Research Award in the 2016-17 academic year. The following year, she was the William Lyon Mackenzie King Postdoctoral Fellow of the Canada Program at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.

Paquet co-directs the CIPE with Antoine Bilodeau, a professor of political science at Concordia who focuses on integration and “understanding the roots of views toward immigration and ethnic diversity,” according to the CIPE website. Paquet said that one of the centre’s goals is to educate students and the broader public on issues of immigration.

The CIPE offers a number of lectures and workshops for students interested in learning more about immigration policy, including talks that lay bare the experiences of those who pass through Canada’s immigration system. “CIPE is a research centre whose activities are based on the premise that informed

decision-making regarding immigration-related issues must rest on clear knowledge about public policies and their impacts on immigrants as well as on receiving societies,” according to the centre’s website.

On Oct. 11, the CIPE will present “Recruiting Migrant Careworkers: The exploitation of financial needs, immigration precarity, and relationship,” a lecture that will discuss the exploitative practices of for-profit recruitment agencies in Canada, and the role that community organizations play in supporting those affected by these organizations.

In November, the centre will present a public lecture on a research paper entitled “From refugee protection to double punishment: Examining the institutional production of immigration penality.” According to the CIPE’s website, this lecture will explore the experiences of trans migrant women in the immigration and criminal justice systems.

Immigration has been a topic on the minds of many Quebecers—and people in the West more generally—over the past few years. The year 2015 is usually considered to mark the beginning of the migrant crisis in Europe, in which a wave of migrants sent political shockwaves throughout the continent, and the entire Western world. In the recent provincial election, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Leader François Legault famously pledged to cut Quebec’s annual immigration numbers from 50,000 immigrants to 40,000.

He also promised to give new immigrants three years to learn French, after which point they would be subject to deportation

should they fail a language test.

The CAQ’s policies were roundly criticized by Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard.

“To say if you don’t pass the test you could be expelled? Horrible. You can’t talk about people that way,” he told the Montreal Gazette’s editorial board.

In addition to the intensive media coverage of the migrant crisis in Europe and the border crossing at Lacolle in southern Quebec, Montreal made headlines when it was declared a sanctuary city in 2017.

Paquet said this is a noble gesture, but being a sanctuary city requires more than just a promise to refrain from deporting undocumented migrants. She said a true sanctuary city must commit to providing migrants with essential services.

Paquet said that in all of the discourse surrounding immigration, the voices of the migrants themselves are often lost. Immigrants are too often thought of as a burden, when in reality they bring economic benefits given the right conditions, according to Paquet. She added that the media has a role to play in promoting the voices of migrants.

Paquet said there was a large immigrant population at her high school when she was a student. Interacting with people whose parents had gone through Canada’s immigration system sparked a lifelong interest in immigration policy.

Students can learn more about the CIPE’s research and upcoming lectures and workshops by visiting the centre’s page through Concordia's website.

On Saturday, Egyptian human rights activist Amal Fathy was fined and sentenced to t wo ye a r s i n p r i s o n f o r allegedly spreading fake news in a video, according to Al Jazeera. The video in question was posted in May and shows her calling out the E g y pt ian gover nment for neglecting women’s protection against sexual harassment.

An Air Niugini plane crashed into a Pacif ic lagoon in Micronesia on Friday with only one passenger reported missing, according to The New York Times. Local boats rushed to the plane to help the 47 remaining passengers and crew members evacuate.

The cause of the crash remains unclear.

Women in Brazil gathered in the streets to express t h e i r o p p o s i t i o n to t h e country’s far-right presidential candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, on Saturday, according to Le Monde. The Facebook group,Women United Against Bolsonaro, has gone viral and so has its hashtag, #EleNao, or #NotHim. A seal slapped a New Zealand kayaker in the face with an octopus, according to ABC News. The 23 year-old caught the incident on video, which has now started circulating around the world.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

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life

Commuting to Loyola

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

COMMUNITY

Clothing is more than a commodity Improve lives and make a difference by donating to shelters

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

NANOR FROUNDJIAN CONTRIBUTOR As the production of the garment industry has evolved over the decades, it has become a commonality to constantly rotate our closets as the seasons change. For that reason, more and more of our clothes accumulate in the “reject pile.” Although those items may seem meaningless, they are valuable in the eyes of many women who live in shelters.

Sally Richmond, the executive director of Logifem, one among dozens of women’s and children’s shelters in Montreal, explained that they are constantly looking for goods to give to their residents. Originally from the United Kingdom, Richmond completed her academic education in Montreal and earned her general master’s of business administration (MBA) from Concordia’s John Molson School of Business. Being consistently drawn to current social issues, she devoted her career to supporting those in need.

Logifem is a non-profit organization and housing program that accommodates women and girls facing difficulties and living under strenuous circumstances. Whether

their situations are due to domestic abuse, struggles with mental health, immigration issues or any other material insecurity, Richmond said the main purpose of the shelter is “to empower women and girls to face the future with hope and dignity."

Donated items are displayed in Logifem’s boutique, which is open exclusively to its residents. Richmond emphasized the impor tance of bringing in goods that are in decent condition. “When we get [clothes] in poor conditions, we have to ship them out to [second-hand] stores, but that ends up costing us money because we have to pay the shipping fees,” she explained. Donating is a gesture that is much more valuable and appreciated when it is in the best interest of others, and that can be achieved by carefully sorting the unwanted items beforehand.

Oftentimes, Logifem lacks various essential supplies. In the past, they’ve turned to Facebook to announce their need for specific products, such as unworn undergarments and unopened toiletries. Richmond recalls being pleasantly surprised with the feedback. “There was a much bigger response than we anticipated.” People from all across the country sent in packages of brand new underwear

and other items listed in the Facebook post, and some packages were even sent anonymously. “The support was so organic,” she said.

Richmond mentioned that some donors who return regularly—typically annually or biannually—have begun to form a relationship with the members of the organization.

“They become a part of our family,” she said.

Donating articles of clothing is not merely giving material objects to other people. Giving contributes to the well-being and stabilization of another life. “People need these things because they come with very few possessions,” Richmond explained. “But oftentimes they really just need a little boost—something for them to feel nice in.”

In our city, on many street corners and alleys, there are those who are less fortunate.

The Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, West Island Women’s Shelter, Chez Doris, La rue des Femmes and Maison Grise de Montréal are all within reach of Montrealers and could benefit from a range of donations, not just clothes. Anyone can lend a helping hand, and volunteers are always appreciated and welcomed.

It’s annoying as heck and there should be more efficient route options ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR I’ve lived in a part of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (N.D.G.) that’s relatively close to the Vendôme metro since starting at Concordia. Thankfully, most of the time, commuting to the Loyola campus isn’t so bad—for me at least. Yeah, sure, there are times when a packed 105 Sherbrooke bus drives past me at the Decarie or Girouard stops because there simply isn’t any room. It happens—and it’s frustrating—but I can’t imagine how much more annoying the regular commute is for those coming from off-island, downtown or further east where you have to transfer.

To avoid the bus driving past me, I’ll often make the longer walk down to Vendôme. Many times, the line for the 105 goes so far back that it fuses with the line for the 90 St-Jacques bus, then you end up with a grumpy elderly lady warning you not to take her place in a line you didn’t realize you were waiting in (true story). If you actually make it on the bus after that massive line, you’re sure to be packed in with the other passengers tighter than a can of sardines.

Will you be able to nudge your way off the bus in time when your stop comes up? Who knows? That’s the risk you take with the 105.

N.D.G. has the reconstruction of the Turcot Interchange to thank for the ridiculous amount of traffic congestion.

Repairs to the major highway intersection started in 2011, according to the Transport, Mobilité durable et Électrification des Transports du Quebec’s website, and is ongoing. This construction can also affect Concordia’s shuttle bus route, which is sometimes a more efficient alternative to the 105. According to Dominick Lucyk, a former Concordia student, “when it wasn’t busy, [he] found the time on the shuttle quite peaceful,” but that it was stressful during peak hours.

Increased traffic congestion from the Turcot construction, overcrowding on the 105 and the shuttle, combined with people that simply aren’t aware of the space they occupy, make for a consistently pleasant commute to Loyola (sarcasm heavily implied).

Arguably, one of the most obvious ways overcrowding on the 105 could be reduced is through the introduction of articulated buses. These accordian-style buses are quite long and require a larger area to safely turn around. The Elmhurst loop at the end of the 105’s route would need to be extended, which is an issue that has yet to be addressed by the Société de Transport de Montréal. What’s more frustrating is that a vacant lot ideal for this extension sits right next to the loop.

Also, what about students coming from Laval, the West Island, South Shore and anywhere else off-island? For many, a large part of why they bought a car was because of where the university campuses, especially Loyola, are located in relation to where they live. Students without cars who typically rely on the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RMT) or other train services, know that getting anywhere between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. is impossible, and since most alternate bus routes range from one and a half to two hours each way, there really aren’t many other options.

In the meantime, though, all we can do is plan in advance as much as possible. Transit is a great app that uses GPS to track where buses are en route. It automatically accounts for overlapping transit networks and gives relatively accurate estimated times of arrivals.

Another useful tool is the Concordia University app, which has a section with the shuttle bus schedule. Or you could always race the 105 on foot during peak traffic hours. I bet you’d win.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

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LOCAL MOBILIZATION

Collective intervention is needed

Everyone, especially artists, are economic agents for deregulation and gentrification

The Rialto Theatre is on Park Ave, near the Outremont metro station. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR In a dimly lit basement, at the end of meandering halls beneath the performance hall of the Rialto Theatre, an eclectic group of concerned citizens gathered to openly discuss the nexus of artists, real estate inflation and shifting cultural demographics.

Gentrification: The Role of Artists in Changing Neighbourhoods took place on Saturday, Sept. 29 as part of a collaboration between POP Montreal Symposium and Concordia’s Fine Art Student Alliance (FASA).

The array of panelists included both artists and those who work with non-profit social housing organizations and as community organizers in neighbourhoods affected by gentrification.

Cathy Inouye, a musician who has fought against many issues related to housing and poverty for more than 10 years, opened her segment by saying that an important thing to remember when talking about gentrification is that human beings are losing their homes or being evicted from their apartments.

Faiz Abhuani, the co-founder of Brique Par Brique, a non-profit organization whose mission is to create affordable living spaces for marginalized people, agreed.

“I think it's important to start with that baseline,” he said. “The reason why we're talking about this is because there are real effects on real people.”

Gentrification is a multi-faceted issue that “happens across the city, not just in areas where artists are moving,” Inouye said. Abhuani contextualized the historic development of gentrification with artists and the North American economic shift over the last century from industrial labour services to cultural forms of production.

“People thought: ‘I really need to be

around the people I’m like’ ... and ‘I need to be close to places where culture is produced,’” Abhuani said. He explained that this economic shift prompted those with sufficient financial means to migrate to urban centres. These ongoing demographic migrations, from a capitalist-marketing standpoint, continue to justify urban development in regions that push people from lower-income brackets out of their homes.

“The people who benefit from these changes and from these large economic forces are the people who have means,” said Abhuani. “And the people who don’t [have financial means] are the ones who end up biting the bullet [and] having to move around.”

In gentrification, the role of artists—in this case, referring to individuals with the social status and capital to make a career from their art—lies in the fact that mass migration to more affordable neighbourhoods creates economic speculation, explained Fred Burrill, a Concordia PhD student who currently works with local non-profit organizations to fight for the right to housing in Place St-Henri. “[Speculation] is a very intentional, state-driven process of changing the ways that [housing] investment is configured,” Burrill said. Speculation increases the property value in a community, and the demographic shift brought by artists provides local governments with a marketable, discursive framework that justifies their desire for urban development in alleged “up-and-coming” communities.

According to Burrill, the goal of speculation is to “turn the housing market from something that is based on supply and demand to something that is essentially a concrete manifestation of the stock market.” He used Griffintown in Montreal as an example. “[Artists] are all actively part of an ideological apparatus that's used to

justify deregulation.”

Artists often positively frame their contributions to the cultural fabric of a neighbourhood as genuinely representative of that community and reflective of their deep connection to its residents. However, Abhuani said this is a dangerous mentality because artists with social status are able to sell this culturally appropriated art and capitalize on it, while those without esteemed social status cannot. “So, maybe you shouldn’t do that, number one. Number two, why are you [in that neighbourhood]?” asked Abhuani. “You’re not there in a vacuum ...

You’re not just trying to create. You’re not just trying to survive. You’re trying to get ahead."

All of the panelists agreed that the presence of artists in low-income neighbourhoods brings systemic gentrification to the community through selective state investment in development projects because cities want to support cultural hubs. Although artists may also be affected by rental increases and have to leave the neighbourhood, Abhuani explained, many of them not only have the social capital to relocate, “but they like doing that; they want to be on the forefront [of living] in certain neighborhoods.”

Inouye shared an observation from when she lived in New Orleans as a tuba player in 2012. “You could really see the mostly white kids from New York or from San Francisco moving in,” she explained.

“You could see this hunger that people had to kind of own that beautiful magic that exists in New Orleans, and you could see them really wanting to connect with the community that had been there—the community that had lived through Katrina ...

You could really see this process unfolding, and it was so similar to colonialism.”

Inouye added that while it isn’t bad to

want to connect with a given community, it is necessary to keep in mind how different people occupy the space in that community and how social and physical capital change the way people interact with that space.

Most concerned artists will ask themselves, “What can I do, as an artist, to fight against gentrification?" which, Burrill explained, is the wrong question. Artists and people in general should simply ask what needs to be done, without placing the individual at the epicentre of change. While the panelists agreed that gentrification can be throttled through the acquisition of real estate and income disparity can be bridged by wealth redistribution, concrete plans to combat these systemic issues still aren’t being enacted.

Despite some differences of opinion between the panelists, they all seemed to agree that one of the first steps to combating gentrification is community mobilization.

Burrill explained that there tends to be an element of individualism when talking about the housing market and gentrification, with arguments such as encouraging better knowledge of tenant rights to avoid eviction and to fairly rent out living spaces.

“What actually needs to happen is that we need to intervene collectively in the [housing] market,” Burrill said.

This would entail the city buying empty lots, removing them from the realm of speculation and reserving them for social housing projects, he explained.

That, or artists can literally make their neighbourhoods more ugly, he said as a joke. “Beautification of neighborhoods without collective intervention in the housing market is simply a tool of development.”

arts

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

PANEL DISCUSSION

Do the right thing, do what you love

Spike Lee kicks off Montreal's International Black Film Festival and talks film and racism in America

Spike Lee talked filmmaking, racism in America and “Agent Orange” with festival founder, Fabienne Colas. Photo by Katelyn Thomas.

KATELYN THOMAS COPY EDITOR Legendary director Spike Lee talked filmmaking, racism in America and “Agent Orange” at the Cinéma Impérial on Sept. 26 as part of the 14th edition of the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF).

Moderated by MIBFF founder Fabienne Colas, "An Intimate Evening with Spike Lee" was two hours of valuable advice from the star whose latest film, BlacKkKlansman, won the Grand Prix at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

Lee had a lot to say about how to make it in the film industry. “I’m not going to stand on this stage, lie and tell you this stuff is easy,” he said. “People do not understand how hard it is in this industry… It is hard to make a horrible film. It is hard to make a horrible film, let alone a good film.”

Colas interjected with, “How hard is it, Spike?”

“Hard as shit,” he replied, adding that the idea of overnight success that has become popular with this generation is

particularly harmful. “No such thing,” he said. “It doesn’t exist. You might not hear the hard shit, but nobody worthwhile just popped up out of nowhere.”

According to Lee, a common reason people don’t follow their dreams is because they feel pressured to make their parents proud. “Parents kill more dreams than anybody,” he said. “It’s not because they’re evil, but parents want more for their children than what they got.”

Adopting the persona of a stern parent, Lee continued: “Me and your mother have taken out a second mortgage on our house to put your black ass through school so you could be a poet? A dancer? A writer?

As long as you’re black and in my house, eating my food, wearing my clothes, you’re going to get a good damn job, and you’re going to get paid every two weeks.”

The crowd erupted with knowing laughter.

Lee looked out over the audience. “Parents, you know who you are ... Please, do not crush your children’s dreams.”

Lee, who teaches film classes at New York University , asked the crowd to raise their hands if they’d seen any of the movies

he asks his students to watch. He made his way through the list and then repeated the activity, this time naming the five Spike Lee movies he thinks are most important to see in terms of the messages they convey.

Lee said he was impressed by the amount of people who’d seen some of his lesser-known projects. He occasionally yelled, “Don’t lie!” when he suspected the audience might be trying to impress him.

Was it so hard to believe that a theatre full of Spike Lee fans had actually seen most of his movies?

Colas commended Lee’s consistent activism through his films and documentaries—citing Do the Right Thing and 4 Little Girls as examples—and sought his opinion on the firing of American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“Number one, the NFL is guilt y of collusion,” Lee said, prompting what was easily the loudest audience reaction of the night. “In no way, shape or form was the act of kneeling about disrespecting the military and the flag. Americans can be stupid sometimes, and they took that, hook, line and sinker. That was about

bringing light to how black people are treated in the United States of America,” he said, adding that the United States was built by black people after the land was stolen from Native Americans.

“The NFL owners, they’re going to be on the wrong side of history,” Lee said.

He sighed and shook his head. “And then this guy in the White House: Agent Orange… I think the mistake some people are making when they look at Agent Orange is they think—when they look at BlacKkKlansman —that this doesn’t happen in the United States of America … It happens all over the world.”

“Even today, I have meetings where I’m the only black person in the room. So a whole lot of work needs to be done.”

Lee urged the crowd to follow their dreams. “You do what it takes to do what you love,” he said. “I say my prayers every night because I’m doing what I love. The majority of the people on this earth go to their grave having worked a job they hate.”

BlacKkKlansman is currently screening at select theatres in Montreal.

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COVER STORY

POP takes over the Mile End

POP Montreal featured over 400 visual artists, musicians, filmmakers and more CHLOË LALONDE ARTS EDITOR DAISY DUNCAN ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR POP Montreal is an annual multidisciplinary music and arts festival, taking place in various locations across the city from Sept.

26 to 30. In a takeover of the Mile End some of the neighbourhood’s most prominent venues, more than 400 artists, musicians and filmmakers participated in a vast number of events. Under the umbrella of the festival, there are several subsections, such as Film POP, Art POP and Puces POP, focusing on music-related film events, visual arts and crafts respectively. This year, events under these branches included talks by filmmakers Alanis Obomsawin and Allan Moyle of Empire Records, outdoor film screenings, diverse art exhibitions and site-specific performances across the city. POP Montreal also put on a variety of panels and symposiums, discussing a range of topics in relation to the arts and music communities, from gentrification within the arts to the relationship between music and astrology.

Film POP Kicking off Film POP was a free screening of Betty: They say I’m different. The documentary reveals the bold and enigmatic Betty Davis as she burst into stardom and, just as quickly disappeared from the limelight. Now, more than 30 years later, she is ready to tell her story—her transformation from a “bright, orange bird” to the dark and powerful “crow.”

The latter encapsulated the musician’s Nasty Gal stage persona. With the subsequent loss of her beloved father, the crow disappeared from her heart, and she from the stage.

POP Symposium Fail Better: Learn from the Pros’ Mistakes featured successful music managers and publishing administrators Mark Kates, Molly Neuman, Nancy Ross, Jeff Waye and Tom DeSavia who spoke about their mistakes in the industry and how they’ve since bounced back. From debates surrounding exposure and payment, to growing your network and being true to your art, the panelists exposed a different side of the music industry.

Historical Erasure of Queer Spaces: Shakedown and Beyond featured musician and artist Elle Barbara; community organiser, activist and artist Jodie-Ann Muckler; hip hop artist, entrepreneur and community organiser Lucas Charlie Rose; and Montreal-based DJ and designer Tati au Miel. Together, the panelists led an empowering discussion that questioned true inclusivity. They spoke about building trust and relationships among QTBIPOC to better foster safe community spaces and encouraging environments for performers and party-goers alike. They also indicated the importance of properly documenting and archiving these community organizing methods for organizers to come. “The work I’m doing will help the people after me,” Tati said. “We don’t realize how lucky we are to be safe enough to document these events.” In the past, documentation was high-risk. Now that it’s safer for the queer community to do so, their stories must be told and non-POC must help be their microphone. “Find POC organizers and give them money,” suggested Muckler.

“Hire QTBIPOC performers, not because they’re people of colour but because they’re qualified. Don’t tokenize; give it to them because they need it more.”

Art POP

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS

Whispering Pines California-based video and performance artist Shana Moulton created Whispering Pines as an ongoing project to define the virtual environment of her alter-ego and avatar, Cynthia. A hypochondriac and agoraphobe, Cynthia searches for harmony and unison in her surrounding environment, both indoors and outdoors. She is obsessed with kitsch and New-Age, avant-garde home decor and consumerism. Projected onto the gallery walls, Whispering Pines transports viewers into the artist’s mystical, kaleidoscopic world and Cynthia’s pop culture-obsessed subconscious.

Where: Centre Clark, 5455 Gaspé Ave., suite 114 When: Now until Oct. 13 Admission is free.

Portable Closets Kyle Alden Martens is a Montreal-based interdisciplinar y artist working with sculpture, textile and fashion design. The miniature garments in Portable Closets were attached to or, in some cases, fitted within ready-to-wear articles of clothing and wooden sandals. Accompanied by a video to further explore Martens’s project, the installation includes strange sculptures, tiny turtlenecks, T-shirts and pants.

“Don’t look for fixed meanings here, you won’t find them,” wrote Concordia's art history PhD student, Mikhel Proulx in the gallery’s pamphlet.

Where: Centre Clark, 5455 Gaspé Ave., suite 114 When: Now until Oct. 13 Admission is free.

Òu sommes-nous?

This multidisciplinary exhibition is showing at the artist centre OBORO and features the works of Judith Albert, Nik Forrest, Katrin Freisager and Dana Claxton. The exhibition focuses on connections and relationships with nature. Featuring works in the media of photography, film and moving images, the works also invoke feminist and postcolonial themes and perspectives.

The exhibition and the artists’ respective works provide a diverse mix to look at and interact with, yet are cohesive and connected through these central themes.

Where: OBORO, 4001 Berri St. When: Now until Oct. 27 Admission is free.

Cité-Jardin Showing at the Ellephant Galler y in Quar tier des spectacles, Cité-Jardin features the work of artist Sabrina Ratté, a Concordia graduate with a master’s degree in film production. The exhibition presents works in video projection and 3D printing, and transforms the gallery space into otherworldly, imaginary, ephemeral landscapes. The exhibition considers and explores connections between the physical and virtual realms. In addition to the exhibition, an interview with the artist will be broadcast every day by XX Files Pirate Radio at Rialto Theatre.

Where: Ellephant, 1201 St-Dominique St. When: Now until Nov. 3 Admission is free.

The Art POP Headquarters exhibition brought together artists of different backgrounds Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

The artwork featured in Pavillion was selected based on its interpretation of the theme "a travers." Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Pavillion featured the works of 12 Montreal-based artists and master's students from the Université du Québec à Montréal’s visual and media arts program. Photo by Mackenzie Lad. Two-spirit Indigenous woman Mich Cota performed everythingmakesmehappy while singing in English and Algonquin. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

? What you missed POP Pavillion Crying-Laughing (Je ris pour ne pas pleurer) Everythingmakesmehappy Art POP Headquarters exhibition Featured in Crying-Laughing, this piece reads “But everybody’s gone and I’ve been here for too long to face this on my own well. I guess this is growing up.” Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

feature

STUDY ABROAD

Uniting strangers in Spain Students share their memories of a summer exchange program

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

Our first day on the University of Santiago de Compostela campus began with rain dripping down our eager faces. In those first moments, we were strangers, but soon enough we became friends sharing umbrellas.

As the international exchange director shared information about the facilities on campus in Spanish, I looked around me and saw a vast green space and beautiful architecture carved in warm gray stone. No amount of rain could wipe the smile off my face. Here I was, in a foreign country, where I couldn’t understand a single word the director said. Yet, I felt a thirst for unforgettable adventures.

To describe the life-changing effect Spain had on me, I would need a room filled with quirky nonsensical phrases, best friends dancing to Reggaeton music and Galician culinary delights. It was truly a sensory experience, where gardens invaded Momo’s pub and floral jasmine flowers intoxicated us during long Spanish fiestas. Although I wish the six weeks had stretched on for years, I know I enjoyed every moment.

The St. James Festival comes to mind, a celebration of one of Jesus’s apostles and the patron saint of the famous pilgrimage route, Camino de Santiago, which dates back to the ninth century. University students, mothers, school children and religious devotees from all over the world walk for days, possibly months to see the baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque stone cathedral, which is said to contain

the relics of St. James.

This grandiose cathedral marks one of the final destinations of this medieval pilgrimage route, therefore pilgrims can often be found in the central square staring up at the monument in triumph.

The festival is the busiest time of the year for Santiago de Compostela, with crowds of sweaty, proud and exuberantly smiling people ready to celebrate life, hardship and faith. The town did not disappoint with its free, public events that promote perseverance and Spain’s love for celebration. Every night, musicians of every genre performed throughout the old city. I heard everything from afrobeats to flamenco guitar players to famous feminist rappers.

During that time, the daylight hours were filled with traditional Galician costume competitions, food from the Atlantic Ocean and fringe political rallies. The nights were a different story. Whether we drank delicious Galician beer at a free show or watched fireworks from the park near the university, we embraced the famous Spanish phrase “La vida son dos días,” or "Life is two days." Its meaning is that we should enjoy the moments we have because they may be our last (or perhaps it means everyday is like a weekend… I am still trying to figure it out).

Now the clear night sky reflects the shining faces of my estrellas—the stars I discovered on my pilgrimage to embrace divine youth.

- Melodie Ratelle Contributor

If I were to make a list of the greatest things in my life, my experience in Santiago de Compostela is probably in the top five.

I didn’t know I could find so much happiness in learning a new language. It’s mind blowing to be able to understand bits of conversations in Spanish when I walk Montreal’s streets now.

I also wasn’t involved in student life prior to this adventure, and I seldom interacted with students from other faculties.

Santiago was gorgeous, with the most wonderful atmosphere. Rather than being filled with tourists posing for their social media accounts, people took photos to remind themselves of their arrival at the end of a long pilgrimage. People came from all over the world to end up at the Santiago Cathedral. Smiles and laughter were everywhere as people reveled in their accomplished journeys.

I know I will visit Santiago de Compostela again because there really is something special there. I can’t thank the peers who joined me on this trip enough for bringing something I was missing into my life. ¡Salud!

- Adriana Schwinghamer Contributor It’s checked off my bucket list. I can now say I lived in Spain for six weeks and immersed myself in Santiago de Compostela.

Before leaving for Spain, I was most looking forward to meeting strangers. In particular, strangers I hoped would become family. Although I was afraid of getting my

hopes up, I did, and the people I met defied my expectations. It’s as if we were hand picked to get along.

The day I passed by the Santiago Cathedral for the first time, I was blown away. It felt incredibly powerful to stand in front of a carved structure dating back to 1211. Every day, we passed by it, and every day I felt the same. I never got over its beauty and power.

I don’t know how locals are able to see it daily without stopping to stare at its glory.

Yes, this was my first time living on my own, and it was a wonderful challenge.

However, beyond that, I learned lessons I wasn’t expecting. The international students in our class were from Japan and North Korea, from Europe and North America. Not only did I learn about thSpanish culture and customs, but I also gained knowledge about Asian traditions and culture—while conversing in Spanish. Since none of us spoke to each other in our mother tongue, this exchange of information was mind blowing.

My minor is in Spanish, so I had the incredible experience of being able to understand some Galician, thanks to the language I started learning seven years ago.

I can also say that the province of Galicia is the most underrated place in Spain. Its beaches are beautiful, the food is impeccable and it’s a unique part of Spanish culture seldom discussed in the media.

Travelling is one of the best ways to meet and learn about new people. There is no routine when you’re in a new city. You ask yourself the same question every morning: “where do I go today?”

OCTOBER 2, 2018

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little part of Spain gave us that much more in common.

- Olivia Salembier Contributor Here are tips I wish I was told before going on exchange: ©©

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The Alameda Park entrance. Photo by Matthew Di Nicolantonio.

The concha, or seashell, is synonymous with Santiago. Those who complete the pilgrimage to the cathedral hold one because it symbolizes rebirth. This whole experience was a concha for me.

- Mia Anhoury News Editor When I started university, many friends told me about the wonders of studying abroad. “You have to do it, Phil. It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” they would tell me. And so I dreamed of it. I dreamed of the opportunity to travel, to learn in a new environment.

Unfortunately, in my athletic therapy program, studying abroad is not an option.

So, there went my dreams of travelling during my degree—until I stumbled upon the Concordia in Spain program.

It was my only opportunity to study abroad since the program is offered during the summer. A six-week intensive nine-credit course focused on learning Spanish; could I ask for anything better?

For me, it was an opportunity to meet people from different programs and schools around the world. I now have friends in New York, Houston, Seoul, Taichung and, of course, Santiago de Compostela.

Did I mention the food in Galicia is amazing? Because it is. I highly recommend the pulpo (octopus).

The University of Santiago de Compostela is also perfectly located. It’s close to the top destinations in the city, whether it’s Alameda Park, the Santiago Cathedral or Momo, a pub with the most beautiful terrace you could imagine. I can also read and speak in Spanish now, which feels incredible.

- Philippe Brunet Contributor

made friendships I hope will last a lifetime.

The classes were very interactive and included students from across the world. The weekend excursions and university-organized cultural activities taught me so much about not only the language, but the culture as well. And living in Spain allowed us to experience the culture first hand—I don’t think many of us had trouble getting accustomed to the daily siestas after class.

Santiago de Compostela, a small university city with a rich history, was the perfect location for the program. We had the chance to visit the Santiago Cathedral, travel a section of the Camino de Santiago and take part in the St. James Festival throughout the month of July. We also experienced World Cup soccer games in the small pubs around town, and celebrated a couple of birthdays (including mine).

For me, this was a chance to break out of a routine and develop my independence. It was my first experience living and traveling on my own. Despite being away from my family, I never felt alone; I always had my Spain family with me.

Leaving Santiago was bittersweet, and I couldn’t have asked for a better summer.

- Matthew Di Nicolantonio Contributor As I sit in a busy Starbucks on a chilly fall day, I find myself transported back to my summer in Spain. Flashbacks to hot afternoons filled with rich ice cream and adventures around the city put a nostalgic smile on my face.

©©

There was something in the air of Santiago de Compostela that made me believe anything was possible. I loved wandering around, hoping I would discover a hidden treasure around every street corner. Alas, no treasure was uncovered. However, I found better. Lovely friends, amazing professors and a truly incredible program coordinator; these are the people who made my trip so memorable.

I was going through a rough time this summer, but the people I met in Spain allowed me to focus on the beautiful things in life.

And boy, is there a lot of beauty in Galicia!

Everything from the food and breathtaking landscapes to the rich history and Galician language had a unique Celtic enchantment to it.

Although I now live with a bit of la morriña—a nostalgic feeling specific to those who leave the magical region of Galicia—I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

- Jeanne Kural Chasteney Contributor I was able to see and experience so much of this Galician city, and I am left wanting more. I can’t describe the overall experience without mentioning the people who accompanied me on this adventure, as they made it all the more worthwhile. The beauty of going on exchange and not knowing anyone is that everyone else is in the same position as you. It was truly amazing to not only discover new places, but also form friendships that may never have materialized back in Montreal. We were all incredibly different, but the mere fact of being in the same wonderful

©© ©©

Take advantage of the cheap transportation in Europe; take a train to the beach after class or visit a nearby town for an afternoon.

Shop locally for food and clothes.

Try the seafood—it tastes like the ocean!

Eat at the cafeteria and go out after dinner for tapas to avoid spending too much on food.

Go to free concerts organized by the city of Santiago.

Go on the tours organized by the university; you see a lot more than you would on your own.

Talk to locals and practice your Spanish!

Take advantage of the gym facilities.

Plan weekend trips with your new friends to neighbouring cities like Madrid or Porto.

- Vanessa Recine Contributor

I cannot think of a better way to symbolize my summer in Spain than with the concha.

It is as though I have been refreshed and refuelled with passions and desires that were previously lacking in my life. The friendships I made and the journeys I experienced while abroad will forever impact how I approach the rest of my life. This exchange reminded me why it is so important to chase my dreams with everything I have; as the Spanish say, “La vida son dos días” (“Life is two days”).

- Lianna Della Vecchia Contributor No words or pictures can describe my experience during the six weeks studying abroad in Santiago. I spent time with amazing people and created friendships. I also had the chance to visit numerous picturesque places in northern Spain and Galicia, and learn a lot about the culture. The loveliest teachers taught me Spanish—a beautiful language that I am now obsessed with. Of course, how can I forget la comida muy rica, or the very rich food. I can't stop thinking about all the mariscos, or seafood, even our cafeteria’s fries that were served at least once a day ¡Me encanta, España!

I adore Spain!

- Natalija Jurkute Contributor

As a musician, my favourite part of this experience was the St. James Festival. I had the chance to see amazing live concerts and share these moments with the people I met there. The cultural scene really enriched my learning experience in Santiago de Compostela.

- Vincent Letarte Contributor My experience in Spain will mark me for the rest of my life.

I applied to the program hoping to learn some Spanish and travel, but I came out of it with much more. I lived and studied alongside incredible people with very different backgrounds and personalities. We grew closer as the program progressed, and I

Graduation day. Photo courtesy of Mia Anhoury.

music

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

Quickspin BROCKHAMPTON

FESTIVAL

From beats to bars to boybands The lowdown on shows at POP Montreal iridescence

JPEGMAFIA POP Montreal

(Question Everything/RCA Records)

Simon New | Music Editor

JPEGMAFIA , who affectionately refers to himself as Peggy, came out on stage at the Belmont like a lightning bolt striking an angry internet comment section, manifested in a man with top-notch rap skills.

During the opening of his set on Thursday, Bar rington DeVaughn Hendricks started a chant of “Fuck you Peggy,” which the crowd ravenously carried.

Having released his indie hit album, Veteran, about a year ago, it was easy to see the effect it had on the crowd. The album is a mix of the Baltimore street culture where Hendrick s was born, and the internet culture in which he was raised. “This album is for JPEGMAFIA came with raw, visceral energy to the Belmont last Thursday. Photo by Simon New the internet,” he said on Twitter prior to the release.

He holds nothing back in his lyrical Goodbye Honolulu and chill ambiance. The people were ready to tirades against everything from Morrissey POP Montreal hear them, and so was I. As the band arrived to alt-right Twitter trolls, with bars as on stage, I felt like they owned the place. hilariously caustic as “AR built like Lena Ana Lucia Londono Flores | Contributor Goodbye Honolulu made sure everybody was feeling the music. Frequent eye contact Dunham / When I shoot I don’t miss.” Fans at the Belmont yelled the lyrics like they Have you ever heard of Goodbye Honolulu? was their way of connecting with the crowd It’s the boyband that will make your head at Barfly. While the music was playing, I felt were screaming about JPEGMAFIA for the first time outside of the comments, and nod all night long. That’s right, nothing better like the audience was attracted to the melthan listening to rock music on a school night. odies. Even the smallest sound problems it was glorious.

Hendricks fed on the crowd’s voltaic The Toronto-based group composed of Fox added to the band’s charm. In between energy, throwing himself off the stage and Martindale, Jacob Switzer, Emmett Webb and songs, they conversed with the audience rapping through the crowd, all without Max Bornstein played at the back of Barfly, and made fun of each other. They were missing a line. The Belmont was buzzing a small bar on St-Laurent Blvd. This was very comfortable and very friendly. Just that night, and the crowd caught a glimpse their first performance at POP Montreal. In the type of band you would want to see the bar, the lights were low, creating a calm on a school night. of the lightning rod that is JPEGMAFIA.

Goodbye Honolulu: the perfect band for a school night. Photo by Ana Lucia Londono Flores

After dominating 2017 with the critically-acclaimed Saturation trilogy, the “best boyband since One Direction” (according to the group’s leader, Kevin Abstract) is back with their major label debut. On iridescence , Brockhampton explores new sounds and has certain members getting more exposure as a result of founding-member Ameer Vann’s removal from the group. The album’s opener, “NEW ORLEANS” is a loud, bombastic intro with stand-out verses from a few members, though JOBA’s performance is extremely irritating. This is an issue throughout the project as JOBA’s presence can either be a perfect fit or flat out annoying. Kevin Abstract’s verse on “WEIGHT” is the heaviest and most beautiful moment on the album, as he tackles coming to terms with his sexuality. It serves as iridescence’s emotional centrepiece. Though there are some fantastic tracks here, they’re mixed into a tracklist that contains some of the group’s most lackluster moments yet.

11 Trial Track: “TONYA”

6.8/10 — WESLEY MCLEAN, STAFF WRITER

Lydia Képinski POP Montreal

Olivier Du Ruisseau | Contributor

The 25-year-old Montreal singer pulled off a remarkable performance and mise en scène at the notorious Cinéma L’Amour last Wednesday.

Toward the end of the night, when her sadistic-themed show had turned the movie theatre into a dance floor, Képinski said: “This is the kind of concert all your friends will be jealous they didn’t go to.” And she was right; it was quite an experience.

The venue itself was a big part of what made this opening show of POP Montreal so special. As the audience entered the theatre, a drunk clown was waiting to greet them with directions to the bar.

Just before Képinski’s arrival, a medieval pornographic film was projected on the movie screen behind the stage. The screen was used throughout the concert, playing some of the singer’s creative video clips, custom-made for the show. She also added two musicians to her band, which allowed for a more rock experience and refined some of her songs.

Despite the one-hour delay, the mediocre sound quality and the singer’s voice cracking from time to time, Képinski still accomplished her most grandiose and extravagant performance yet, enjoyed by a mixed crowd of anglophones and francophones, proving that good music transcends language barriers.

Student discounts at Laser Quest MontrĂŠal Students from Concordia can benefit from a discounted price of

$6/PERSON

PER REGULAR MISSION Available Monday to Thursday starting after Labour Day weekend until the end of May at the presentation of a valid student I.D. card.

sports

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

FEATURE

Keeping fans entertained Concordia cheerleading team looks for more funding

The cheerleading team wants to be at football, basketball, rugby and even hockey games this year. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR If you’ve been to any Stingers football or basketball games in the past two seasons, you might have noticed a Concordia cheerleading team. They get the crowd pumped, keep fans entertained and support their fellow athletes.

“I love going to sports games and watching sports so I have a great time with the fans, even when I’m cheering on the field,” said Arianne Bellerive, a captain of the cheerleading team. “The fans are so receptive to us, even some of the older fans and kids will ask to take pictures with us.”

The Concordia cheerleading team was started by Lea Pandelidis and Paola Escudero prior to the 2017-18 athletics season, being the first cheer squad at Concordia. But this team is different from most other athletics teams at the university: they are just considered a club.

When the squad started a year ago, they didn’t participate in any competitions. Bellerive was on the team last year and joined their administration this year, helping supervise an overhaul to have a competitive team.

“We had proper tryouts to make sure girls have the proper skillset,” Bellerive said. “We want girls committed and we have standards.”

“We’re trying to show [the athletics department] what we can do and the talent we have,” she added. “We are serious, so hopefully we can transition into an athletics team.”

Like the Stingers baseball team, they are moving towards varsity status. Without it, the cheer team doesn’t get the same benefits and funding as the other Stingers varsity

teams. Part of the reason for their efforts to develop a more competitive team is to prove they are worthy of varsity status.

However, without proper funding, the Concordia cheerleading team is left shorthanded for practice time and facilities. Ellie Paxton, also in her second season with the team, said they have to find their own practice space, and its cost comes out of the team’s budget. Until now, they’ve been practicing outdoors, but had to cancel two practices because of rain ahead of the home football game on Sept. 29.

“It’s frustrating because we want to perform,” Paxton said. “But if we don’t have enough time with the girls, you can’t expect us to perform.” She said she wants to find an indoor facility in the coming weeks, but some gyms are too expensive.

Bellerive, who handles the team’s social media, and Paxton, who is the VP of Events, work together to organize fundraisers for the team. “[Arianne] will help me organize events, and I’ll help her with the social media and getting the word out to people,” Paxton said.

Bellerive said fundraisers include bake sales and clubbing events. On Sept. 22, after the homecoming football game, the Concordia cheerleading team hosted an event at Jet Nightclub, selling tickets for $5 and keeping the profit. She said more money helps buy extra equipment, like bows, which the budget doesn’t cover.

“No matter what we do, it gives us recognition,” Paxton said. “Whether it’s at a party, we show our faces at a game, or do a fundraiser, it gets the word out that there’s a cheerleading team.”

The Concordia cheerleading team is also working closely with the Concordia

Swarm to create a fun fan environment at games. Bellerive is also an executive with the Swarm, so she acts as a liaison between both organizations to improve the atmosphere at games. “We’re always side-by-side, helping each other out,” Bellerive said. “Wherever the Swarm is, the cheerleaders will also be there to help out.”

Even when the Stingers are losing, like in the football team’s recent 74-3 loss against the Université de Montréal Carabins, the cheerleading team and the Swarm try to keep the fans engaged.

“With the help of the Swarm, they bring out the drums to boost the student morale,” Bellerive said. “Obviously it’s hard, we wanted our team to win, but I still had a great time at the game, and the fans still had something to talk about Monday morning.”

The team hasn’t been to any competitions, and since they can’t represent the school at any, they plan to take part in a friendly one in March 2019. Paxton hopes once the team achieves varsity status and can compete at a higher level, they can also get a coach.

“Right now we have coaches, but they’re still in university,” Paxton said. “If we were able to have coaches that weren’t part of the student body, but [are] just able to dedicate their time to make everyone better, that would make us stronger in competitions.”

Bellerive said there’s some roadblocks before becoming varsity, but she hopes it can happen as soon as next semester.

“Some people [high up in the school] really want us to get varsity, but others really aren’t making a lot of effort,” Paxton added. “There’s not much we can do apart from showing them we’re serious about it.

It’s a long process.”

COLOUR COMMENTARY WITH NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI With the Montreal Canadiens season starting on Oct. 3, it’s the time of year to get super hyped about the Habs only, to be let down come November.

This year, I have a different type of anticipation for the team’s first NHL game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I really don’t know what to expect from these Canadiens, with many new and young players on the roster.

After finishing last season with a 29-40-13 record and fourth-last in the league, general manager Marc Bergevin made several changes. Skilled forward Alex Galchenyuk was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for playmaker Max Domi, while captain Max Pacioretty was shipped off to Vegas for forwards Tomas Tatar and Nick Suzuki, plus a draft pick.

Heading into training camp, I kept thinking how bad the Canadiens would be this year. They didn’t do anything over the summer to make the team better. It looked like they would be heading into a phase of rebuilding, relying on their young players and not worrying about the results.

However, when I started watching them in preseason, the Canadiens looked like a completely different team on the ice. This team can skate, pass and defend well enough. In seven preseason games, they finished with a 4-3 record, scoring 21 goals and allowing 18. I don’t look too much into preseason stats, but they had a 2-6 record a year ago and sucked for the rest of the season.

The offence impressed me the most during the preseason. For so many years, the Habs were known for their lack of scoring. But with Jonathan Drouin moved to the wing, 18-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi playing like a 27-year-old veteran, and Tatar returning to his Detroit Red Wings form, I don’t think the Canadiens will have a scoring problem this season.

I n a H a b s’s p re s e a s o n g a m e against the Leafs, who are a Stanley Cup contender, Toronto head coach Mike Babcock said, “Right now, [the Habs] are hungrier and a better team than us.”

Hunger—that’s the biggest difference for this year’s Habs, and it could be what makes them a good team.

The Canadiens will also need to rely on goalie Carey Price to be better than last season. When he won the Vezina and Hart trophies in 2014-15, the Canadiens were a top team in the league. All good teams have good goaltending, and the Canadiens need that from him.

I still think the Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 season will be without playoffs, but they could surprise us.

OCTOBER 2, 2018

theconcordian

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

Adjusting to a new head coaching role Master coach Greg Sutton sees challenges in charge of both teams

ALEC BRIDEAU STAFF WRITER The 2018-19 season marked a new start for Greg Sutton, as he was named the head coach of both Concordia Stingers soccer teams this summer.

Sutton, who had an international career in soccer for 14 years, began coaching the Stingers as an assistant coach for the men’s team in 2011. He was named the head coach in 2013.

“It’s been fun, but challenging as well,” Sutton said on his experience so far. “We knew the challenge going into it. It’s two different teams.”

For Sutton, this new role with the Stingers also represents a new start and new opportunities.

“We have a team that has been built for few years now, under my guidance,” Sutton said. “Now, it’s the women’s side that really is a new start for me and them. It’s all about developing a culture and continuing to grow our team, as we want to get better and better every year.”

According to Sutton, improving the women’s team’s success might be his biggest challenge for the next few years. Developing more talented players is a priority for the future.

Head coach Greg Sutton wants to develop better players for the future. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

“They haven’t been in a great place for the last few years,” Sutton said. “For me, it’s about trying to work on that and get better in that aspect. We understand that it’s not going to happen in one night.”

Sutton adds that there are differences between both programs. The women’s and men’s teams each require their own unique approach.

“There’s a different path that we’re trying to develop for both teams,” Sutton said.

“Coaching women and coaching men definitely has differences and we recognize that.”

Sutton also sees the importance of cooperation between men’s and women’s programs, as both teams often work together. “There are a lot of similarities and synergies that we use to develop the kind of programs and the culture behind these stables,” Sutton said.

Success remains something that Sutton focuses on. In fact, seeing the growth of

both teams is what Sutton enjoys the most.

“It’s making sure that they're enjoying their soccer, but also winning games,” Sutton said. “It's good to see that they are enjoying their soccer. Now, we need to keep that going and that will come with winning games at the same time.”

Just over the midway point of the soccer season, the women’s team has a 2-6-1 record, while the men are 1-6-1. They both play Oct. 4 at McGill.

A N A LY S I S

Playing for passion, not money Highest NBA salary 561 times the average female player in WNBA ISAIAH MARTEL-WILSON CONTRIBUTOR In 2018, the average NBA player made an annual salary of just over $7.1 million, according to Sporting Intelligence. The average WNBA salary is a fraction of that total, at just over $71,000, according to Forbes.

Incredibly, both of these salaries pale in comparison to the NBA supermax deals implemented after the 2017 season. This rule allowed three-time NBA Champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry to sign an enormous five-year, $201 million deal.

That’s an average of $40.2 million per year, nearly six times the average NBA salary and 561 times the average WNBA salary. Do these supermax deals exist for female superstars?

Sylvia Fowles, the 2017 WNBA MVP, made $109,000, while her MVP male counterpart, Russell Westbrook, made $28.5 million.

These salary increases have prompted many women from the WNBA to speak out on social media about the wage gap.

The gap between male and female wages has been a long-standing debate, but is there a true solution? In the entertainment and sports world, it’s not about what you perceive you are worth, but what you can leverage through negotiations. The value of a sports league only increases if it is consumed by the public. Since the WNBA started play in 1997, attendance has steadily decreased. From 2017 to 2018, the league attendance went down by 13 per cent. How does this harsh reality affect the women whose passions existe in the world of sports?

Third-year and fifth-year Concordia Stingers guards Caroline Task and Aurélie d'Anjou Drouin believe the WNBA players made comments about the wage gap because of the NBA’s supermax deals.

“If a girl wants to go pro here and make a living out of it, you have to go play in Europe; you can’t even stay in North America,” Task said. “I think it has a huge impact on girls wanting to go pro.”

For female athletes, choosing to pursue a professional career is risky, with a chance of not making it. Even if they do, the pay could be minimal. But that won’t stop Task.

“Personally, if I had the chance obviously, I would go pro for a few years, but that’s where it comes in," Task said. "You have to love the game that much more to sacrifice the career to play for little to no money."

Despite her love for the game, d'Anjou Drouin expressed a different point of view.

“There’s so many job opportunities here.

I already have my job for next year, and it’s probably twice as much money as I would make playing basketball,” she said.

Despite their different points of view, they can both agree on the fact that at the university level at Concordia, they feel equally supported as the men.

“I think Concordia does a really good job of advertising all the games—there’s never preferential treatment,” Task said.

D'Anjou Drouin also made a suggestion on how to increase WNBA attendance.

“I think that the way it works here in university is an idea that maybe could be brought to professional levels,” d’Anjou Drouin said. “Maybe if they do doubleheaders like they do at Concordia, maybe it would bring more NBA fans to the women's games.”

Currently seven WNBA teams are in the same city as an NBA counterpart.

To accommodate this possible change, the WNBA season schedule, which plays from May to September, would have to coincide with the NBA, whose schedule runs from October to April, and has 48 extra games.

However, with the NBA players publicly supporting the WNBA through social media and attendance, this could prompt NBA fans to give the WNBA a chance. Whether the league continues to grow or not, it’s clear that the love of the game is still what drives both men and women to continue to play, regardless of financial incentives.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

16

theconcordian

OCTOBER 2, 2018

PREVIEW

Men’s hockey team wants to improve on bronze Head coach Marc-André Élement excited by some rookies at training camp

The men’s hockey teams aims to build on its bronze-medal success from last season. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR

game; you know he was there every game” Élement said. “That’s what you want from every other player, so Lafontaine’s intensity and work ethic will be missed for sure.”

Part of having so many players leave is new players coming in. According to Canadian University Sports Network (CUSN), the Stingers recruited 12 new players, which includes eight forwards, three defencemen and a goalie. One of the first recruits the Stingers announced in April, centre Hugo Roy, is the player Élement is most excited about. Roy is one of four recruits from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QJMHL). He played for the Sherbrooke Phoenix and scored 107 points in 132 games in the past two seasons.

“He’s a guy that will play both ways and he will be our number-one centre,” Élement said. “He’s going to bring a lot of offence, and defensively, he plays really well. He’s a complete player.”

Élement was also surprised by another Roy during training camp. He said rookie defenceman Charlie Roy is doing all the right things in the team’s exhibition games.

“He’s a low-profile defenceman,” Élement added. “He plays well defensively; he’s hard to beat one-on-one. He’s a lowkey guy that you’re not going to notice in practice or games but he’s doing well.”

The Stingers started training camp earlier this year because Élement wanted all his players, new and old, to bond with each other. They had a beach volleyball tournament and other team-bonding activities during training camp. The head coach said he likes what he’s seen from his leadership group, composed of captain Philippe Hudon and assistant captains Carl Neill, Philippe Sanche and Alexandre Gosselin.

“They’re doing an amazing job in the locker room,” Élement added. “I think all

The puck drops on the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey season on Oct. 4. Head coach Marc-André Élement might be facing some challenges with all the changes from last year’s team.

Anthony Beauregard, U Sports leading scorer and MVP from last season, signed a professional contract with the Brampton Beast in the ECHL. Massimo Carozza, whose 35 points were second on the team to Beauregard’s 60, is playing hockey in Italy now. Élement appeared on CJLO Sports on Sept. 17 and spoke about how his team will need to adjust without his offensive stars. He said the team defencemen will need to join in on the attack.

“We need more offence from everyone,” Élement sad. “We’re changing stuff in our game to have the defencemen join the rush a little bit more. It’s going to be something we’re going to be working on.”

A few other veterans f ro m t h e te a m a l s o graduated at the end of last season. Forwards Raphaël Lafontaine, Scott Oke, Antoine Masson, Dominic Beauchemin and goalie Antoine Dagenais aren’t on this year’s team. Élement always spoke highly of Lafontaine, who was an assistant captain last season.

This will be Philippe Hudon’s seco “Lafontaine was giving nd season as captain, and last with the team. Archive photo

by Alex Hutchins. his 110 per cent ever y

those guys are well-respected and it’s going really well.”

Last season, the Stingers won the bronze medal in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference and finished in eighth place at nationals. It was the first time Concordia’s men’s hockey team played at nationals in 34 years, but Élement wants to make it two years in a row.

“Our expectations are always the same, we always want to go all the way,” Élement said. “With the young group we have, we see that they’re really intense so we want to have that in our game [...] We want to put on a good show and have our guys compete every night.”

The Stingers visit the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins for the season-opener on Oct. 4, but have their home-opener on Oct. 6 against the Carleton Ravens.

After a season with injuries, forward Philippe Sanche is back as an assistant captain. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

etc

FEATURED CONCORDIA ARTIST

ERICA HART I am an interdisciplinary artist and studio art major exploring psychology and mental health through a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, writing, performance art and video. Specifically, I am interested in researching vulnerability by investigating its relationship to shame, worthiness, intimacy, childhood and identit y. In my early work , I explored painting bright colourful figures. My figures were playful, flat and referenced a child-like style. I didn’t fully understand why I loved this child-like painting until I started my vulnerability research.

I was looking at overwhelming emotion and how we express it, and as I came to realize, vulnerability is something that children are the best at. They cry, they tantrum, and they understand the necessit y of emotional release. My current work continues to investigate child-like sensibilities while also exploring psychology and mental health through personal healing and therapy via grounding exercises and emotional release techniques as a tool to propel my artistic practice.

You can also check out my

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Etc is a space dedicated to showcasing Concordia artists!

Submissions can be sent to production@theconcordian.com

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

EDITORIAL

A proud moment for Concordia engineering Well, it finally happened folks. Concordia University made history. Not for the most suit-wearing students in the John Molson School of Business; not for the longest line-up at People’s Potato. For something infinitely more important.

Concordia is the first university in Canada to name an engineering school after a woman.

The Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science is named after Gina Parvaneh Cody, the former executive chair of CCI Group, an engineering firm in Toronto.

Cody was also the first woman at Concordia to receive a PhD in building engineering. She graciously donated $15 million to Concordia recently, and according to CBC News, the university will be using part of the money to create a fund for equity, diversity and inclusion programming. According to CBC News, Cody made the donation because university is a place for “women, people of colour, Indigenous populations and other minorities to pursue their dreams.”

These positive words uplift our spirits here at The Concordian, and we are proud to be witnessing such a powerful moment.

Naming an engineering school after a woman is a huge step in the STEM field, as 12.8 per cent of practicing licensed engineers in Canada are women, according to Engineers Canada. The same source highlights that women only account for 20 per cent of total enrolment in undergrad-

uate engineering programs at Canadian universities. According to the Toronto Star, Concordia exceeded that number last year, by having 23 per cent of women in the

In a society that has cultivated a certain image of women and men, things have remained static. But today, we must acknowledge different truths about genders and Graphic by @spooky_soda

engineering and computer science programs.

While these numbers are staggeringly low, we at The Concordian believe naming an engineering school after a woman is a key step in changing these figures.

the societal constructs surrounding them.

Women can and do excel in male-dominated industries, and we need to celebrate that narrative. Cody said, “I think it will break that fear that engineering and computer

science is for boys. I’m hoping kids at school, when they hear [the school’s name], they will say, ‘Oh, it’s a woman’s name!’ and it will matter,” according to Toronto Star.

We at The Concordian also hope for that effect. The programs at our universities should be as diverse as possible, in order to properly reflect our realities. Women make up half of the population in Canada—isn’t it about time that all fields, especially STEM fields, reflect that? We also believe it’s worth noting that Cody came to Canada in 1979 from Iran with just $2,000, according to CBC News. While some people believe where you’re going matters more than where you came from, we think roots are important. It’s necessary to stress that, as an immigrant, Cody has made an incredible life in Canada for herself and for the next generation of engineering students at Concordia. In a political climate that often rejects the acceptance of immigrants and worries about their contribution to society, Cody represents what can happen when Canada chooses to be an accepting nation.

We at The Concordian are proud to be at a university where the first woman who received a PhD in building engineering is the same woman whose name graces the first female-named engineering school in Canada. We hope the fight for gender equity and diversity in engineering doesn’t end here.

STUDENT LIFE

Walking into the workforce means leaving your bubble The differences between experiencing student life and working life TRAVIS SANDERSON STAFF WRITER Being a 40-year-old university student has its ups and downs. The downside is that it can be difficult to build relationships with your classmates due to the age gap—in the last three years of school, I have been older than at least three of my professors. The advantage, however, is that I am here because I want to be, and that helps with applying myself to the work. Before university, I was a warehouse manager in Winnipeg for five years, and before that, a long-haul truck driver for 10 years. I am here because I was tired of using my back rather than my brain.

Now that I am in my fourth year of studies, I sometimes—but only sometimes—look forward to one day rejoining the workforce.

I say this because I really like school, and I enjoy the cocoon I have constructed for myself. My friends and acquaintances are people with whom I generally agree, both politically or otherwise, and my peers are usually like-minded in that we all attend the same university and, more often than not, the same program and even the same classes.

This is a far cry from the work life I opted out of in order to “retrain” for a new direction in life. Now, when I am brooding over a looming due date for yet another dull paper topic or one more obligation-infused group project, I try to keep in mind how much more appeasing and flexible student life is.

In the workforce, for me at least, the contents of my surroundings were a lottery—I was exposed to people from all walks of life. Don't get me wrong, I met a lot of great people, some of whom I still keep in touch with. But I was also exposed to a mix of ideas I did not always find appealing, some of which I found downright distasteful.

If we all have a right to a particular workplace environment, then there will need to be some compromises. Yes, it

is highly unlikely in certain workplaces that one would be exposed to extremist thought (be it left- or right-wing) in any workplace, but it’s not unlikely that one will be obliged to work with someone who is outspoken about their hatred of cyclists or denies climate change or, heaven forbid, is a Trump supporter.

We all have the right to a certain kind of workplace, but this means t he p e ople we do not agree with do as well.

At school, when we are confronted with uncomfor table ideas or issues, we often have the choice to seek higher ground. We are encouraged to treat each other with respect, and that is often the case. However, in the workplace, we are exposed to a much more colourful array of ideas, perspectives, backgrounds and

opinions that we have no control over.

Add to that the fact that workplaces are seldom democratic spaces; concerns and comments may not necessarily be met with open arms (or minds).

My reason for bringing all this up is the recollection I have of a classmate who, at 24, was accustomed to academic life and wondered aloud if the working world would be a shock. They questioned whether or not they were simply living in a bubble. I did not take the opportunity to answer at the time, but I will respond to them now: Yes. You do live in a bubble, but that's okay. We all do to some degree, and for good reason.

We live in bubbles that help us make sense of our surroundings and are constructed so that we don’t need to constantly fend off discomforting ideologies. When outside of these bubbles, we are exposed to a broad range of new and sometimes exciting, sometimes frightening, ideas.

In the world today, we are all exposed to a lot; a lot of news, a lot of information, and a lot of opinions. So build that bubble.

Show me a person who exposes themselves needlessly to cognitive dissonance, and I'll show you a masochist.

Graphic by spooky_soda

OCTOBER 2, 2018

theconcordian

19

SEXUAL ASSAULT

“Boys will be boys” encourages predatory behaviour The recent sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh highlight a deeper issue SASHA TEMAN STAFF WRITER On Sept. 27, Christine Blasey Ford testified against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about an alleged sexual assault. After Ford went public, two other women came forward with similar allegations. As a result of the accusations, Ford’s world has been turned upside down. It wasn’t long before Ford, a college professor living in California with her husband and two sons, started to receive death threats.

POLITICS

Victims of sexual violence face an immense amount of pressure when coming forward. The way they’re treated and oftentimes ridiculed is a clear indication that people don’t grasp how serious sexual violence truly is. The alleged assault took place 30 years ago, back when Kavanaugh and Ford were teenagers.

But this story is still relevant today. Much of the blame is being placed on the fact that they were young and intoxicated, raising the notion that “boys will be boys,” which places teenage girls in a very despairing position. Present in this problematic societal norm is the concept that men can do what they want and women should succumb.

This notion is even rooted in every girl’s education; if a boy is mean to you, it’s because he likes you. The idea that masculine violence is natural, and therefore should be excused, is a problematic idea that continues to exist in

adulthood. Boys become men, and women, whatever their age or social status, are still expected to accept and endure masculine violence as a sign of affection, as something they should be grateful for. Kavanaugh’s defenders have tried to downplay the severity of the accusations, implying that what happened in high school somehow matters less.

“Isn’t it strange how every woman knows someone who’s been sexually harassed but no man seem [sic] to know any harasser?” tweeted singer Zara Larsson last year. This question in itself is an explanation for how our society operates.

Women experiencing sexual violence in their everyday lives has become the norm.

Many men are raised with the idea of legitimate ownership over women and their bodies. This idea becomes even more apparent when men are in positions of power. On the other hand, women are taught to believe that their sexuality is frowned upon. Half of the world’s population is continually shamed for what they wear, how they talk, and whatever else is deemed inappropriate by society.

There’s an obvious problem when addressing how systems of power operate in the professional world. The conversation concerning sexual violence begins with consent. When discussing sexual violence and sexual harassment, there’s a lack of clarity in what constitutes the two.

Don’t get me wrong—both types of acts are horrific and must be condemned. But I’ve noticed that depending on a person’s circumstances, sexual harassment is undermined because it really has to do with how something makes you feel. What constitutes as sexual harassment can be different for different people, which makes it harder to recognize and condemn it—what one person might feel is harassment might not be felt that way by someone else.

Ultimately, predatory behaviour can be hard to recognize, but even when it’s in our face, we feel hesitant in calling it out because of normalized behaviours and boundaries.

As members of our society, we are all responsible for how we call out predatory behaviour. Unfortunately, as shown by the allegations against Kavanaugh, we’re still living in a time where survivors of sexual violence are not immediately believed and are doubted. When something of this nature happens to a survivor of sexual violence, they are reminded that they are not in control, which is extremely upsetting.

Oddly, sexual consent only comes up in conversation when it has already been violated. People’s actions during their adolescent years may not define who they become as adults, but they can permanently change the lives of others. We must remember that.

Graphic by spooky_soda

See you on the other side

Floor-crossing MP Leona Alleslev is symbolic of the political threshold Canada faces KENNETH GIBSON STAFF WRITER When the House of Commons reconvened after summer recess on Sept.

17, Leona Alleslev, the Liberal member of Pa r l i a m e nt f o r A u ro r a — O a k Ridges—Richmond Hill, stood and announced that she was joining the opposition Conservative Party.

Such a move is rare but not unprecedented. Citing the oath she swore to serve Canadians upon joining the military, Alleslev painted a gloomy picture by saying, “Canada faces a perfect storm of serious challenges at home and abroad.”

The world has changed, Alleslev said, and Canada needs strong federal leadership in order to change with it.

Floor-crossing raises questions about an MP’s duty to their constituents, and whether the MP should be forced to run in a by-election. Crossing the aisle is generally seen as opportunistic at best. Yet, trying to ban it would arguably contravene the Charter’s freedom of speech provision.

I don’t wish to dispute the ethics of floor-crossing, but rather point out the deep cynicism behind Alleslev’s decision. One of her specific criticisms of the government was that capital investment is leaving the country, and that “tax structures” and “politics” prevent businesses from expanding. Yet, investigative journalists have shown time and again that corporations in Canada pay much less taxes than what is advertised.

How much more cushy of a business environment do corporations need?

Alleslev’s other complaint was that Canada’s “foreign policy is disconnected from our trade relationships” and “our ability to deliver on our defense commitments is undermined by politics,” which comes off a bit vague. I would argue that if Canada’s foreign policy and trading partnerships are fraught right now, it has little to do with what Canada is doing. Moreover, when has the Trudeau government ever shown a unwillingness to follow through on defense commitments?

Given all this, it’s easy to view Alleslev’s move as a cynical attempt to ride the wave of right-wing populism sweeping through Canada to a higher-profile government position.

Alleslev faced the same choice we all face right now—a choice between empathy, humanitarianism and solidarity with those in need, or the narcissistic politics of contemporary conservatives like Doug Ford. In my opinion, she chose a route seemingly driven by self-interest, spite and cold-bloodedness.

As Conservative Party leaders in Canada rush to imitate the oafish political performance art taking place in the United States, they’re pedaling a viciously cynical brand of politics that glorifies mercenary selfishness and contempt for others. Sadly, it is registering with a lot of people, including some MPs. Rather than stand up for the principles that led her to liberalism, Alleslev

has joined the cynics who advise us to back militarism over lifting people out of poverty; who suggest we take a common sense approach to economic plight; who claim we can’t afford progressive policies for the environment, taxation or immigration.

The truth, though, is that we can afford it. The problem is we prioritize economic policy that favours the yacht- and Lamborghini-owning class (to borrow a phrase from New Democratic Party MPP Joel Harden) over ensuring all Canadians live above the poverty line.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

Yet, the global economic policies and military interventionism of conservative ideology is driving the contemporary global instability Alleslev is so worried about. So, how is adopting increasingly conservative politics going to solve that problem?

We’re living in a time where Canadians have an important choice to make, and it feels like a point-of-no-return moment.

Two paths, two very different destinations.

We, as citizens, still have a choice to reject the politics of fear and greed, to resist being browbeaten into indifference and jadedness. See you on the other side.

20 theconcordian

OCTOBER 2, 2018

Graphic by @spooky_soda

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