The Strand Issue 7

INSIDE: A CARIBBEAN HISTORY LESSON • 5 // MENTAL HEALTH & PROFESSIONALISM • 6-7 // REVEREND BILLY TALEN & THE SHOPOCALYPSE • 10 // REEL ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL • 12

the STRAND VICTORIA UNIVERSITY`S STUDENT NEWSPAPER vOL. 55 iSSUE 7 • Dec. 10 2012 • WWW.THESTRAND.CA

Midnight’s Children:

an interview with Deepa Mehta

BY ALEX GRIFFITH

I had never been in Toronto’s Trump Hotel before, and likely will never be there again. It’s an odd place to interview Deepa Mehta, who, sitting on plushy sofa in a 10th floor room, belies the garish opulence around her with her crazy, wonderful, flowing grey-streaked black hair, and the weathered Blundstones she hasn’t taken off despite sitting with one leg crossed under her, the boot’s sole digging into the sofa.

Before preparing questions, I had read Stephanie Nolen’s article on Mehta in The Walrus, and had head that the Indo-Canadian director could be flinty, shorttempered, and did not suffer fools gladly. In person, though, at least to myself and the other reporters gathered around The Donald’s couch, she was gracious, polite, and patient in answering questions she must have heard hundreds of time on the press tour for Midnight’s Children, her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Bookerwinning novel of the same name.

Mostly filmed in Sri Lanka but set in India from the ‘40s to ‘70s, Midnight’s Children is often read as magical realist meditation on the birth of an independent India and all the growing pains of a young country.

The main character, a boy named Salim born with telepathic powers on the exact moment of India’s inception, was played by Satya Bhabha, a theatre actor with a small role in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

“I never have auditions,” says Mehta about the casting process. “Usually I just chat with the actor over a cup of coffee. I think it was in New York so I met [Bhabha] at a Starbucks and we talked and I liked him very much. Then I put him in front of a camera. I said: ‘Recite whatever you’re comfortable with, take a week, get back to me.’ Some are fabulous on stage but put

them in front of a camera and they freeze.”

It might be surprising to hear that Mehta, not used to handling 800 extras, found the intimate moments the most difficult to direct, not the large set pieces in slums or political protests. In one scene, she describes cajoling an actor into the right mindset to reveal Salim’s true parentage in front of his foster family. “I got to know her and found out she likes Indiana Jones, so I told her to ‘take the leap of faith’ from The Last Crusade.”

I ask her about how she expects the film will be received in India. “I don’t know how it’s going to be received. It’s political,” she says, then thinks for a moment. “I think all my films are political. I think all art is political.” My mind flashes to the third act of Midnight’s Children, to the desaturated scenes of Indira Gandhi calling on emergency powers and plunging India into a quasi-dictatorship. Most of Mehta’s previous work (2005’s Water, 1996’s Fire) delves into uncomfortable and explosive issues in Indian society, including homosexuality and widowhood.

“My father was a film distributor in India, so I grew up with movies. When I told him I wanted to try to be a director, and he was really quiet for some time and then he said ‘Okay, but remember this: there are two things in life you will never know about. One is when you are going to die, and the other is how a film is going to do.’ It might be really well received or it might be really trashed. Nobody knows about film, no one can predict it. My dad’s right. It’s best to be realistic, leave it to the powers that be.”

Though there were difficulties shooting in Sri Lanka—not least of which involved the Iranian Foreign

Ministry pressuring the government to suspend shooting for a few days (the Iranian regime does not care for Rushdie)—Mehta needed the intact colonial-era architecture to represent Salman Rushdie’s India. “India is just unrecognizable,” she says. “It is so heavily industrialized. The India of the 30s, the 40s, and even the 70s doesn’t exist […] But sadly for Sri Lanka, for the last thirty years there’s been a really horrible civil war, with the result that the country’s been caught in a time warp.”

“I think of myself as a filmmaker that belongs to the diaspora. I live in Canada, I don’t live in India. There are a lot of us who are Indian who are Canadian too.

There are a lot of us who are outside the frame but who can still look at the picture. I feel like all of my stories, probably because of my formative years in India, but I feel that Canada has given me the freedom to express myself.”

Near the end of the interview, with her press handler (there is no other way to describe the nervous man bobbing on his feet at the edge of my peripheral vision) signaling us to wind it down, Mehta spoke enthusiastically of the indie film scene in India, and of directors willing to look at the dark side of their country’s history.

“I am so happy when I look at people like [Indian director] Dibakar Banerjee’s work, because I think he is one of the few independent Indian directors who is a man of integrity. There is beauty only in complexity.

If you only have one aspect of India, which is ‘India Shining’, then you are robbing India of its complexity.

So that is a projection of the tourism department, but India is such a rich and deep and dark culture.”

UTSU vs opposition: onward to the next AGM GAURAV GUPTA Although there are two months to go before the next UTSU Annual General Meeting (AGM) in late January, it is unclear if the next attempt will be any different than the one on Nov 26. No party seems to be content with the discussion brought about by the last AGM, several key issues are hardly talked about, and parties seem even more resistant to communicate with one another.

“I don’t think anyone can claim they feel satisfied with the dialogue emerging,” said former VUSAC President and prominent opposition member Brandon Bailey. Current VUSAC President Shoaib Ali remarked that while the “fact that people are willing to talk is indicative of progress,” he “disliked the negative discourse, and believes that these conversations can

be done without negativity.”

When contacted, UTSU Vice-President Internal Corey Scott only remarked that “conversations are ongoing.” The lack of discourse between interested parties is unfortunate, given the diverse opinions on key issues, namely electoral reform.

The opposition has been campaigning strongly for the implementation of online voting, and the subjects’s absence from the recent agenda was cited as a key reason why it was shot down. The UTSU “[is] conducting a third-party non-partisan legal audit of their election procedures,” and will “wait for recommendations before they take a position on any particular issue,” explained Scott when asked about the matter.

With only two months to go before the next meeting, those within the opposition hope that the UTSU

completes this review quickly. Samuel Greene, head of Trinity College, said this move “will simply provide the UTSU with expensively-obtained evidence of the banal, trivially obvious fact that its written elections rules are not illegal.”

Laurel Chester, a member of the UTSU Board of Directors, agreed that “online voting is an issue that continues to be sidelined,” but remarked that this happens because “things rarely make it out of the preliminary committee stage as the initial reviews involves so few people.” She also mentioned that “committee minutes from last year indicate that provisions regarding online voting were in fact taken out of the Elections Procedural Code.”

Unfortunately, even when the parties are clear

SEE “DISCUSSIONS” ON PAGE 3

NEWS Rob Ford: looking forward

SABINA FREIMAN NEWS EDITOR

NOV 26, 2012

NOV 26, 2012

STAY OF EXECUTION

Justice Charles Hackland found Mayor Rob Ford guilty of violating the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and ordered Ford to vacate his position within 14 days. Several days later, Hackland clarified that Ford will still be eligible to run for office again if a by-election is called.

Madam Justice Gladys Pardu granted Ford a stay, allowing him to remain in office until his appeal is heard in January. This ensures that Toronto does not end up with two mayors, should Council appoint a new one and Ford wins his appeal.

FLICKR / KEITH WILLIAMSON

WHAT’S NEXT?

JAN 7, 2013

FORD'S APPEAL THE APPEAL/THE DECISION

Scheduled date for Ford to appeal the ruling before a different panel of judges in Divisional Court, when lawyers from both sides will argue their case.

THE POSSIBILITIES

FEB 2013 THE DECISION

FEB 2013 POSSIBILITY A: FORD WINS Ford remains in office for the duration of his term, ending in 2014.

Many think it won’t take more than a few weeks for the courts to decide on Ford’s appeal. From there, two things could happen:

FEB 2013 POSSIBILITY B: FORD LOSES

ADAM VAUGHAN Councillor of Ward 20 (Trinity-Spadina). One of the most prominent members of council’s left wing. Often gets into heated arguments with Ford.

SHELLEY CARROLL Councillor of Ward 33 (Don Valley East) and outspoken Ford critic. Former chair of the Budget Committee under Mayor David Miller.

On the Right FLICKR / HIMY SYED

NDP MP for Trinity-Spadina and the widow of former NDP leader Jack Layton. Current polls show her in the lead of a potential mayoral race.

KAREN STINZ Councillor of Ward 16 (Eglinton-Lawrence).

Rose to prominence as a Ford ally and TTC chair, but publically clashed with the mayor over the future of Toronto transit. Ensures that Ford isn’t the only right-wing candidate on the ballot.

ROB FORD Ford has made it clear that he will run again, which many councillors agree with: the people voted him in—let them vote him out.

POSSIBLE CANDIDATES

ALL PHOTOS: FLICKR

2

OLIVIA CHOW

FLICKR / WEST ANNEX NEWS

!

FLICKR / DAVID TOPPING

!

FLICKR / CANADIAN FILM CENTRE

!

FLICKR ; OFL COMMUNNICATIONS

On the Left

Council must decide between appointing a temporary mayor, or holding a by-election (at an estimated cost $7 million), in which Ford is eligible to run. Given the amount of time left in the term, and a desire to remain democratic, many councillors are leaning towards a by-election.

Does UTSU need a new electoral system?

No relief for developing countries yet

Bailey went further to add that “because the UTSU allows proxies, about their positions, little head- it means well-connected executives way is being made. After online vot- can single-handedly run meetings ing, the proxy voting system (where without being answerable to anyone people could delegate others to vote who took the time to attend.” He for them if they were in absentia) is went on to mention that “reformone of the most contentious issues minded students don’t have a prein campus politics today, and a com- existing network of proxy-gathering promise between the two positions is that they could tap into whenever nowhere in sight. Scott maintained convenient. It’s unfathomable that that “proxy representation is one this should be a requirement just to procedure of ensuring that students make an impact at our own general meeting.” who do not have the There does not privilege of always seem to be a great being on campus The fact that of dialogue have an opportunity people are deal between the interto have their opinions willing to talk ested parties in the accounted for.” run-up to the upThe motivation is indicative of coming AGM. The behind the system progress.

UTSU seems to be makes sense, but Chester remarked that her “issue playing it close to the chest instead with proxy voting stems from the of engaging with the student body, fact that they can be used to vote on while the opposition has grown exmotions that are not made clear be- tremely cynical. Greene said that he “suspects the Union is intentionally fore the meeting.”

Ali said that the system “allows ignoring these concerns, or at the for people to essentially coerce stu- very least, dragging out the process dents who are otherwise not inter- of dealing with them.”

Amidst the partisanship of the ested in student politics into having their vote used for something they election, there is one matter that is might not necessarily vote for.” He almost unanimously agreed on. Evalso adds that “the fact that thou- eryone believes that the upcoming sands and thousands of proxy votes meeting will need a greater level of can be present at a meeting of 450- dialogue for its objectives to be com500 people seems to be a little out of pleted. control.”

SABINA FREIMAN

“DISCUSSIONS” FROM PAGE 1

Many Canadians were shocked when Parliament voted against Bill C-398 on 28 Nov. The private member’s bill proposed measures to make Canadian Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) easier to apply, so that generic drugs could be delivered to developing countries.

The bill was defeated by a mere seven votes. Within hours, UNICEF posted a press release expressing their disappointment. UNICEF Canada President and CEO David Morley said, “this bill would have helped get life-saving medicine to the world’s most vulnerable children without any additional costs to the government or Canadians.

This is a missed opportunity and it is children who will suffer most.”

CAMR was created seven years ago, but has not been very effective. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network that only one order of AIDS drug has been sent to a single country since its beginning.

What makes CAMR so hard to apply? Generic manufacturers must first obtain a license, allowing them to produce and export a cheaper, non-brand name version of the medicine without the consent of the patent-holding company. Such a li-

SARAH CRAWLEY

“

NEWS EDITOR

cence only lasts for a limited time, and for a specific quantity of medicine produced. This process is hard to get through, both for the company that is trying to help the developing country that needs it.

Bill C-398 was not the first of its kind; a similar bill, C-393 was passed by in the House of Commons in Mar 9, 2011 but never saw the light of day again. When parliament was dissolved in 2011 and a federal election called, the bill died as well.

Professor Solomon Benatar, a professor at UofT’s Joint Centre for Bioethics who is interested in global health and human rights, supports the Bill. “Endeavours to make generics more easily available and at lower costs in developing countries have my full support. There are indeed strong arguments for why Canada and other wealthy countries have the moral responsibility to contribute to alleviating suffering from HIV/AIDS and much else in developing countries,” he advocated.

World AIDS Day was on Dec 1— just a few days after the ruling that, had it gone the other way, could have changed the lives of millions in developing countries.

KAREEM JARRAH STAFF WRITER Following NASA’s announcement on Dec 3, many Mars enthusiasts felt the sting of disappointment.

NASA revealed at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union that the evidence found in collected soil samples was blown out of proportion—the soil sample did not contain microbial life, but rather organic molecules.

John Grotzinger, the principal investigator for the Curiosity rover mission, stated in an interview on Nov 20 with NPR that his team’s initial analysis of a Martian soil sample was “gonna be one for the history books. It’s looking really good”. This caused a flurry of attention from the media, with many speculating that Curiosity had found the holy grail

of space exploration: life on another planet.

While organic compounds may hint at life, there are other ways they could have originated. Organic compounds could have arrived from micrometeorites and were transformed by cosmic or ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide, or other oxidants in the soil.

Further complicating the situation is the possibility of terrestrial contamination from Curiosity itself. “We just don’t know if these are indigenous to Mars, and it is going to take some time to work through,” Grotzinger admitted to USA Today a few weeks later.

In the next few weeks Curiosity will further analyze the sample to try to determine whether these compounds could have originated from Earth. However, we must re-

member that “it’s hard to find [microbial] life here on Earth, which is teeming with it…you’ve got to take samples back to high-tech labs,” as Jim Bell told The Washington Post.

Bell is the president of the Planetary Society, but not involved with this particular mission.

This means that those following the adventures of Curiosity should still keep their hopes up. Mission scientists point out that the goals NASA set for Curiosity were to find water, heat, and organic compounds, factors necessary for life.

After sending back pictures of what is believed to be a dried-up riverbed and now organic molecules, it can check off two of its three goals.

On 5 Dec., NASA also announced that it will be sending a new rover to the red planet by 2020. This rover will utilize many of Curiosity’s blue-

prints but will be equipped with new tools yet to be decided. NASA researchers hope to collect samples and bring them back to Earth for analysis.

The samples would be brought back either by spacecraft or by human pickup, as the US Congress had approved a change from lunar to Martian exploration in 2010. The goal is to to have humans orbit Mars by 2030 and hopefully land on the planet soon afterwards.

Next on Curiosity’s agenda is drilling a rock, a first for any Martian rover. “We hope to start that before the holidays,” Grotzinger told The Washington Post. This will be followed by a trip to Aeolis Mons, a clay mountain several years old, a likely place to find evidence of microbial from Mars’ wetter and warmer days.

•

News • 10 Dec. 2012 • news@thestrand.ca

Do organic compounds found on Mars suggest life?

3

OPINIONS

UTSU AGM: political theatre at its foulest JONAH LETOVSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR Had Shakespeare lived during the contemporary era, perhaps his oft-repeated line of prose, “sound and fury, signifying nothing,” could have credibly described student politics, currently the nastiest democratic game in Toronto (though Ford’s city hall finishes a close second). This is an exaggeration, of course, but forgive me for making the comparison after taking in the spectacle of the University’s Student Union’s recent Annual General Meeting. Many classify the performance of students and executives as a tragedy, indicative of the death of democracy, accountability, and productive student political culture at UofT. Instead, I saw a farce, with a level of zealousness, grandstanding, and orchestrated melodrama that left one expecting all involved to yell “surprise” at any moment, springing up to reveal themselves as thespians of the VCDS, UC Follies, TCDS, and so on. But no such moment came, and my laughter was short-lived.

By now most readers will be aware of what happened at the AGM—or, to be more accurate, what did not happen. A large coalition of students shut

down the meeting by proposing a long list of obstructionist motions (proposing to fire the impartial Chair, for example), and then voting not to approve the agenda. Controversy had been swirling for weeks and tensions between groups on campus were clearly high.

The UTSU has been under fire for some time now by campus groups like the Engineering Society and the Trinity College and University College student governments. Many claims and counterclaims have been made over the past few years, but the main critiques of the UTSU seem to be as follows: their electoral process is undemocratic because the Chief Returning Officer is appointed by the existing executive, voting turnout has been low in recent elections, and there is no online voting tool; the current executive is unaccountable because they have not acted on these concerns or communicated well regarding AGMs; and the UTSU fails to work in the interest of UofT students by implementing the policies of the Canadian Federation of Students, of which the UTSU is a member.

These are all legitimate concerns.

But make no mistake: the AGM protestors were overwhelmingly moti-

vated by self-interest, not genuine concern for students.

Protest signs (“online voting now”) went up as soon as President Shaun Shepherd started speaking. Cynical laughter erupted at the mention of the Board of Directors and executive. Sarcastic heckling constantly interrupted Shepherd’s appeal to civility and an

“

I saw a farce, with a level of zealousness, grandstanding, and orchestrated melodrama that left one expecting all involved to yell “surprise” at any moment, springing up to reveal themselves as thespians of the VCDS, UC Follies, TCDS, and so on.

end to “mudslinging and smearing.”

To deny that there are ulterior motives hiding behind the façade of legiti-

mate electoral critique of the UTSU is naïve. Ferocious personal attacks and grand melodrama is directed towards a visibly diverse, activist, left-wing union executive; the undertones are undoubtedly racial and ideological.

The sarcasm, anger, arrogance, gossiping, and relentless attacks reveal students who only wish to promote themselves in front of their peers, disparage more successful political competition, replace a progressive agenda with self-interested right-wing policies, and hijack the public conversation to the detriment of all students.

This AGM protest was not a healthy democratic conversation. It wasn’t worthy of civil adults. Certainly, it wasn’t worthy of University of Toronto-educated students. The atmosphere was evocative of schoolyard politics.

Shepherd and his team have blundered and the UTSU has structural issues to address. Nevertheless, motivations for change must be honest. There can be no room at the most reputable university in Canada for the type of outrageous bullying that has prevailed thus far.

A comedy, certainly, yes. But not one worthy of any stage.

Imagining Canada during a summer abroad SAM LEVY This past summer, I studied both at Fudan University in Shanghai, and at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As an IR student, it was exciting to be studying in two countries dominating the current political headlines. It was also a welcome chance to break out of the life of summer jobs and winter breaks. Once abroad, I realized that I was thinking just as much about my native land as I did about the places I was travelling. While visiting global landmarks in China and in Israel, I gained a new appreciation for the Canadian way.

For I was reminded that staying out of the spotlight is more valuable than we think.

The international view of Canada became clearer to me when I was abroad; I introduced myself as a Canadian and blank expressions followed. Opinion about Canada was positive and not

4

much else, but I felt that this opinion was only there by default. People had nothing bad to say about Canada because they had nothing to say at all. This was a sharp contrast to opinions on other countries, which included strong feelings about Israel, strong positions on the US, and strong predictions about China.

Though opinions of other countries were highly judgmental and often critical, it still showed that these were countries that people had thought about, engaged with, and were aware of. This brings attention to the way Canadians are perceived as having an identity crisis. We want to crystallize our idea of what Canada really is, but after the general consensus that we are not the States, we get stuck. Thus, because we are not associated with any one issue, our national identity is less clear. In reality, we should take pride in our ability to fly under the radar, and not think of it as an issue that needs to be fixed. I believe that we have the potential to be thought of as a mul-

tidimensional country, not just as a series of highlights.

Put simply, there is a general discrepancy between the main issues that a country is known for and the day-to-day concerns of its inhabitants. Most people, barring activists and politicians, do not walk around thinking about issue X at all times, rather they think about their hobbies, or their favourite sports team. The prospect of a life where one lives from meal to meal and from class to class without a looming crisis is surprisingly rare in the world, and Canadians should value this. After all, we are a country of immigrants, many of whom come looking for a little peace and quiet—this was the case for my family at least. We are here because of the prospect of a quiet life—some may even say a boring life—with as few conflicts and crises as possible. So why are we jealous of the coverage that the US commands, most of which deals with conflicts and crises?

I say lightheartedly that we are boring, but we actually have the potential to be more complex, not less, because of this.

In headline-grabbing countries there is

this same discrepancy between “the issue” and daily life that I just mentioned. Yet, if China is mentioned each day in relation to uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, it will only be thought of as powerseeking and belligerent. If Israel is mentioned each day in relation to the hostile relations it has with its neighbours, it will only be thought of in terms of the same conflict that has marked it since its inception. Moreover, because the media knows our tendency to simplify issues and countries, most international stories that are covered are those that reinforce this simplified narrative. Even in my short time abroad, it was clear that the vast majority of life in these countries is trimmed away.

Canadian life has not been pigeonholed in this way, which is something we should feel very lucky about. If we are not already known for one thing, we have the chance to be known for many.

I’m not going to claim that my two months abroad changed my life, or that it showed me the true essence of something or other. But there was one moment where, standing on the Great Wall and getting/forcing people to pose with me and my Canadian flag on July 1st, that I realized that if people didn’t know what to make of Canada, then I could be the one to give them their first opinion on the subject. If people don’t know much, or anything, about Canada, then my role, and the role of all Canadians abroad, is all the more important and influential.

A Caribbean history lesson with Pr. Nestor Rodriguez and Pr. Paula Hastings

MUNA MIRE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

R

esponding to an article published last month in The Varsity, students and faculty alike have asked: “Should any newspaper publish material that fails basic tests of journalistic competence?” In the Dec 3 issue of The Varsity, student members of CARSSU, the Caribbean Studies Student Union, along with several faculty members in the department published a jointly-written letter to the editor. The letter was written in response to an article published in the Nov 25 issue of The Varsity entitled “Canada’s Caribbean Opportunity.”

The article widely circulated on campus, and was impactful enough to warrant an organized response from several members of the Caribbean community. According to the authors of the letter, the original article presented a “thinly veiled argument for an imperial relationship between Canada and the Caribbean.” Unsurprisingly, the article drew the ire of faculty who have dedicated their professional lives to studying the region, as well as student members of CARSSU, who are academically and personally connected to the Caribbean. The publication of the article also raises questions about editorial discretion and responsibility.

The Strand spoke with several of the faculty members in the Caribbean Studies department that drafted and signed the letter to The Varsity. Professor Nestor Rodriguez of the Spanish and Portuguese departments sat down with The Strand in order to help unpack the some of the problematic implications of the article.

In addition to advocating for increased Canadian influence in the region, the article claimed that “alternatives to independence” were gaining popularity, citing an unnamed poll that showed a majority of Jamaicans had a preference for colonial rule.

Asked about his impressions on the piece, Rodriguez replied, “It was striking to read a piece that deals with imperialism in that [way], not criticizing it but assuming all of the basic tenets of that kind of ideology. That’s striking in a paper from a university like this one, where that kind of ideology is constantly under fire by my colleagues.”

Professor Rodriguez and other experts on the region point not only to the history of colonialism in the Caribbean but also to the current policies pursued by the Canadian government in contextualizing their response to the piece. The actions of Canadian mining corporations like Barrick Gold can certainly be situated in neocolonial and imperialist contexts. Barrick Gold is the largest gold producer in the world, a mining giant that has been criticized by organizations ranging from the Canadian

sion.” Harvey analyzes the current activities of Canadian mining companies in Latin America and the Caribbean in the context of neoliberal capitalism, through which Western countries ensure their wealth and influence by dispossessing the citizens of nation-states in these regions of wealth, land or both.

“It was coming from someone who lives first of all, in Canada, a country that praises itself [on] not being that kind of power even though we have several instances where you can see some imperial trends. The mining companies in Latin America, for example. The government never appraises itself [as] being imperial in that sense,” Rodriguez said of the piece.

Professor Paula Hastings, who is currently working on a book detailing the history of Canadian campaigns to annex the British West Indies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was also able to comment. She noted that annexation, which the article euphemistically advocated, is not an idea that is new to the Canadian government.

For Canadians at the turn of the 19th century, annexation meant “free access” to Caribbean markets and agriculture, thought to be crucial to national and economic development. Interest in annexation continued into World War I when the Canadian State Department claimed that annexing the British West Indies would be due compensation for Canada’s role in the war. But the form of governance Ottawa envisioned, was not wellreceived by West Indians or Canadians of colour, who saw a territorial status, a limited franchise, and restricted migration rights to continental Canada as rightly unfair.

The idea has surfaced intermittently since then.

“Not surprisingly, those who advocate for some form of political association between Canada and the Caribbean do not generally identify their pursuits as neocolonial. They see it as a benevolent overture by Canada, something that will be mutually beneficial to both parties,” Hastings said.

Indeed, the language used in The Varsity’s piece articulated the idea that “a concerted effort by Canada [...] would provide significant advantages for both the Carib-

bean and Canada.” Professor Hastings warns that this language of benevolence needs to be critically examined.

“It is something that has marked the long history of annexation campaigns in Canada. Justified with similar claims of benevolent intervention, these campaigns were marked by racism and self-interest,” she said.

The historical contexts for colonialism are not always easily identified, due in part to what Hastings calls “a powerful historical amnesia” that she says still persists today. Without access to the history of colonialism, it becomes more difficult to critically assess Canada’s current relationship with the Caribbean—let alone suggest policy that impacts the future of that relationship.

“I think that the continued denial of Canada’s colonial past in some quarters has [...] been facilitated by the misconception that Canada lacked extra-territorial aspirations. A troubling example of this misconception was Prime Minister Harper’s address to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh in September 2009 when he said that Canada, unlike the great powers, has no history of colonialism. Of course, he was promptly corrected

by First Nations activists and scholars,” continued Hastings.

Professors Hastings and Rodriguez point out that it is near-impossible to come to

terms with the impact of the legacy of colonialism within Canadian borders without some conception of the past colonial relationship between Canada and the Caribbean. When you situate current Canadian-Caribbean relations within this historical context, it becomes very obviously offensive to suggest, as The Varsity’s article does, that bringing what is broadly stereotyped as an impoverished and violent region under the direct influence of the Canadian government is desirable.

Members of the Caribbean community addressing The Varsity acknowledge that student newspapers can and do publish content that may offend members of the university community. But there is a difference between a well-researched but controversial opinion and one that is, as the letter states, “too inflammatory and poorly-researched to merit publication.” The filter between poor journalism and publication is good editorial policy. Ultimately, it is up to the editors of a publication to decide what they will print. This begs the question: what sort of journalism is good journalism?

To put it bluntly, good journalism is critical journalism. Good journalism asks hard questions and does the legwork when it comes to factual analysis, while allowing for nuance. These discussions run the risk of becoming misleading when editorial policy is conflated with an argument for free speech. Free speech is certainly allowed – publications must be able to print what they choose – but that alone doesn’t make for good journalism. What you choose to run as an editor is what you stand for. If you run something that is poorly researched or discriminatory, then your publication sets up a standard for poorly researched, offensive journalism. It’s that simple.

As the letter to the editor stated, “Being in a newspaper’s ‘Comment’ section is not a license for laziness. U of T students have the opportunity to learn about the Caribbean and its relationship with Canada. Varsity journalists should use that privilege.”

•

Opinions • 10 Dec. 2012 • opinions@thestrand.ca

“Those who advocate for some form of political association between Canada and the Caribbean do not generally identify their pursuits as neocolonial.”

Mining Wa t c h to Greenpeace and Amnesty International for its environmental degradation and detrimental social impact in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The highly exploitative relationships that Canadian corporations like Barrick Gold maintain with governments in the region is based on the extraction of natural resources. Geographer David Harvey has characterized this relationship as one of “accumulation by disposses-

5

EDITORIAL Jade Bryan Vacant

News Associate

Sabina Freiman Wendelle So

Opinions Associate

Sara Deris Jonah Letovsky

Features Associate

Malcolm Sherwood Vacant

Arts & Culture Associate

Paula Razuri Vacant

Film & Music

Associate

Bahar Banaei Alex Griffith Vacant

Stranded Associate

Will Pettigrew Vacant

Copy Associate

Blaire Townshend Matthew Casaca

Photo Associate

Thomas Lu Victoria Chuen

Art Associate

Sarah Crawley Vacant

Web Associate

Jamie Shilton Vacant

Distribution

Jen Roberton

Editorial Assistants Amanda Aziz, Emily Pollock, Grace Quinsey Contributors Zareen Din, Ilse De Mucha Herrera, Gaurav Gupta, Kareem Jarrah, Sam Levy, Teo Newman, Katarina Sabados, Fan Wu, Jessie Yao Cover Art Sarah Crawley Special Thanks Stephenson House xoxo

The Strand is published 14 times a year and has a circulation of 2000.

It is distributed in Victoria University residences and across the University of Toronto’s St. George campus.

The Strand feverishly enjoys its editorial autonomy.

Please direct inquiries by email to editor@thestrand.ca.

Our office is located at 63 Charles St.W.,Toronto,ON,M5S 1K9.

Follow us on Twitter for news and updates: @strandpaper If you follow us, we’ll follow you too.

6

&

P R O F E S SIONALISM

TH

Design Associate

HEALTH

L S T R TA A ND MEN

Editors-in-Chief Pauline Holdsworth Muna Mire Patrick Mujunen

E

OUR MASTHEAD

MENTAL

On Nov 25, The Varsity published an article in their Comment section (“Deadlock, dead loss”) suggesting that UTSU President Shaun Shepherd lost the “[ethical] high ground” and his professionalism by disclosing that he is currently dealing with depression. There’s a lot to be unpacked here. First and foremost is the association drawn between unprofessionalism and mental illness, but close behind is a question about editorial responsibility and discretion.

Disclosing your mental health concerns in a “professional” space is a complicated process. Though the structures we have set up in university for accommodation, accessibility, and mental health support are incomplete and often flawed, we’re missing similar, of- about ficial channels for accessibility in the workplace. And not d i s c l o knowing if there are structures in place to back us up and sure and proarticle advocate on our behalf, disclosing brings with it the risk fessionalism in this have the potential to be actively damaging to students’ of job insecurity and discrimination.

The implication that merely having a mental illness— health.

For many, being open about their experience with let alone being open and honest about it as a public figmental health is a crucial ure—is unprofessional does step in seeking support a serious disservice to the The implication that merely hav- and combatting internalthousands of students and student leaders on this ing a mental illness—let alone be- ized stigma. Arguing that remaining silent about campus dealing with mening open and honest about it as one’s health is commendtal health concerns and mental disabilities. It also a public figure—is unprofessional able and proof of “stoicism” and “strength”—and setting does a disservice to workdoes a serious disservice to the an example for shaming ing students and students who are looking to enter the thousands of students and student student leaders about their mental illness in campus workforce after graduation leaders on this campus dealing media—act as a warning for by suggesting that having a mental illness and holding with mental health concerns and students with mental health concerns to stay silent. And a position of responsibility mental disabilities. since remaining silent can are mutually exclusive. For increase students’ feelings a newspaper on this campus of isolation and exacerbate to publish an article distheir depression and anxiety, this article has the potential couraging students from talking about their mental health by painting disclosure as unprofessional and incompat- to do significant harm to individual students’ health and ible with being a “strong” student leader is troubling on wellbeing, in addition to stifling growing conversations a number of levels. In addition to being offensive to stu- about mental health and stigma on this campus.

The comments made in this article fall into a larger dents with mental health difficulties, the comments made

H

EA

LT H

”

S E R IE S

structure of ableism. “Unfortunately, Mr. Shepherd perience of mental illness? Students with mental health concerns often portrayed himself as a victim, and some of his critics face up to circumstances that require twice as much effort on their part will surely see this as weakness,” reads the article. Those to accomplish the same tasks that other university students do. with mental health concerns are often accused of “faking Newspapers have the responsibility of informing and educating their it,” “playing the victim,” or “just trying to get attention,” public on an issue affecting society. Instead, what The Varsity has done phrases that disrespect the immense difficulty many of us by publishing this article is to misinform the UofT study body about have in coming forward about our health. And since efforts mental health and the stigma that surrounds it. What the article highto disclose mental illness are too often met with shaming and lighted was the discrepancy between students who are and are not conjudgment rather than respect and support, the suggestion that scious of the difference between stigma and reality when it comes to Shepherd is “faking it” for positive attention displays a lack of mental health. In conversations and debates that have responded to understanding about the way these processes often work.

Shaun Shepherd’s op-ed, “A call for student solidarity”, many students These attitudes are hardly surprising when you consider what have associated Shepherd’s inability to be a fit leader with his depresprominent voices in the media are saying. Margaret Wente’s recent sion. Instead of discussing their criticisms of Shepherd, they have incolumn in The Globe and Mail, entitled “University’s not meant to be stead showed their lack of knowledge and empathy towards the rising easy” expressed many of the same ableist sentiments that the article in issue of mental illnesses affecting young adults. This debate goes on to The Varsity did. Wente’s sardonic suggestion that we should steer clear show how little mental health awareness is emphasized in the university of “provid[ing] more accommodation for weak students” could not be campus, and the need for it to be initiated. What people misinterpret as further from the truth. It is not uncommon to see students with men- an “excuse” is actually part of a vital conversation that needs to be distal health concerns labelled as the cussed more publically. “problem” when really, the problem Disdain for the mentally ill is not the only But there is a crucial distinction to be problem lies with institutional attitudes and evident in this article. The Varsity has drawn between content which pro- sidestepped questions of editorial responsibildominant social norms.

Gary Mason’s article in The Globe claiming that their content does not reflect vokes disagreement and controver- ity, and Mail, “A little compassion at unitheir editorial opinion unless it is part of an sy and content which is triggering, unsigned editorial and suggesting that pubversity wouldn’t hurt”, published four days after Wente’s, elaborated on the harmful, or discriminatory...When lishing this article was admirable because it algeneralization of students not being lowed for the creation of student debate and an [newspapers] publish the second, exchange of ideas. able to cope with university-related stress. Mason tackles some of the But there is a crucial distinction to be drawn they alienate members of [the unigeneralizations that the Wente artibetween content which provokes disagreement versity] community and make that and controversy and content which is triggercle promotes, such as the assumption that the stresses that students face are discussion an unsafe space for those ing, harmful, or discriminatory. When newsdue to them being lazy and entitled. papers publish the first kind of content, it of us for whom mental illness is not allows them to function as a forum for discusHe goes on to say that the “sweeping characterization [is] a sweeping an abstract puzzle to be debated but sion and debate for members of the university mischaracterization of our students.” community. When they publish the second, a daily reality.

Mason implores his readers to recogthey alienate members of that community and nize that although today’s university make that discussion an unsafe space for those environment is meant to be fast-paced, “it wasn’t meant to be devoid of of us for whom mental illness is not an abstract puzzle to be debated but a little compassion and human understanding, either.” a daily reality. We urge The Varsity to reconsider their editorial policy, Linking mental health concerns with ‘weakness’ is extremely prob- and to exercise discretion when publishing content that is potentially lematic, and reinforces the idea that the issue lies with individual stu- toxic to students’ health and wellbeing in the future. dents rather than the accommodations they may or may not receive.

How would Wente know what the solution is—does she have lived ex-

Editorial • 10 Dec. 2012 • editor@thestrand.ca

”

•

7

FEATURES

Of Beer and Malcolm

J

ust off the train from Brussels, I sat in my apartment admiring the most recent addition to my beer bottle collection. Opening the bottle produced a deep and earthy aroma. Pouring it exposed the dark amber colour and generous sediment deposit. The taste was sweet, sour, bitter, and above all complex.

Finding Westvleteren 12 was not easy: the beer is not freely available and one must turn to the black market to obtain it. You can imagine my surprise then when I had recently heard rumors (confirmed by the Toronto Star) that the LCBO was weeks from acquiring 6-packs of it, complete with matching chalices.

To understand just how radical this information is to the beer-geek community of Ontario, it is essential to know the context and history of this exclusive ale.

Westvleteren 12 is brewed by Trappist monks in an Abbey in Westvleteren - a remote Flemish village in the South-Western corner of Belgium.

This abbey is one of eight in the world to produce the distinct style of “Trappist” beers.

Trappist monks belong to a Catholic order that adheres to the principals and teachings of St. Benedict. In accordance to his teachings,

8

these monks live a life of silent, sober reflection where talking, laughter, and socialization are discouraged in favor of prayer, work, reading, and reflection. To limit the possibility of idle conversation, Trappist orders have developed a plain and pragmatic form of sign language that mainly consists of nouns related to monastic life.

“

We are not brewers. We are monks. We brew beer to be able to afford being monks.

Trappists have turned to producing goods such as cheese, bread, and in the case of some Belgian monks, beer, in order to maintain these monasteries as well as their various philanthropic causes. Westvleteren in particular began brewing their Ale in 1831, in the same copper casks that are still used today.

Unique to the Westvleteren brewery is the fact that supply has not kept up with demand. West-

vleteren 12 is considered to be the “greatest beer in the world” by websites catering to beer connoisseurs, as well as almost universally among critics. However, the rate of production at the abbey has remained unchanged since the 1940’s.

The monks will only produce the amount of beer they need to financially sustain their monastery, and not a drop more. As the Father Abbott has stated; “We are not brewers. We are monks. We brew beer to be able to afford being monks”.

Furthermore, the monks take steps to insure that their monastery does not become a commercial enterprise. There are only two places that one may purchase Westvleteren beer: in crates of 24 bottles at the abbey or by the bottle at the local bar across the road. To buy crates at the abbey, you must arrange an appointment to purchase months in advance and you are required to sign a contract stating that you will not resell the beer. The monks also keep track of your phone and licence plate numbers to ensure that no one customer buys more than two crates of beer in a two month span. This makes the Westvleteren beer exponentially more expensive internationally than the 40 Euros per crate that they are sold for. At Toronto’s Bar Volo –the only place you can currently purchase Westvleteren

St. Benedict products in Toronto, I had to plead my case to the bartender that I was a frequent customer worthy of purchasing a bottle from their limited supply. After much deliberation, and permission from the owner, the bartender reluctantly agreed to sell no more than one bottle to our large group for 75 dollars.

The monks’ famous stubbornness seems to be letting up recently, as the crumbling monastery has required unprecedented repairs. In response, the four monks charged with brewing the ale have been preparing an extra batch since September of 2010 in preparation for worldwide commercial distribution for the first time in the brewery’s history. The LCBO is going to be one of the handful of lucky stores to carry this product.

As a beer fanatic this news is bittersweet, much like the beer. The LCBO obtaining this product seems like just compensation for living in a market where craft beer can only be found in a limited variety at one store. On the other hand, there is an interesting trend among online reviews of Westvleteren 12: as much time seems to be spent in discussing the difficulties involved in obtaining the beer as in discussing the beer itself. Part of the beer’s appeal must be due its Holy Grail status. In a city as cosmopolitan as To-

ronto, things once considered “exotic” or rare are merely a few streetcar stops away. A combination of the LCBO’s monopoly on our beer-buying options and the stubborn conservatism of the Trappist monks have made this eclectic beer a last holdout against globalization. Now, the pres-

“

Large macro-breweries focus on creating a product that as many people as possible will be impartial to. Small microbreweries aim for something that is bold and unforgivingly unique.

sures of modernity have opened this beer to the free market.

Once these six packs hit Toronto shelves in the coming weeks, I wonder if the beer will have the otherworldliness it did the first time I tried it. I

trudged from shop to shop in suburban Brussels, searching in vain for hours and testing my girlfriend’s patience. I found the unadorned, labelfree bottle in one store, and conversed with the owner about how he was being sued for illegally selling the beer, but that it was too important to not share with the world. As much as I am excited about the impending release date, it will feel strange to wander into my local LCBO, grab a six pack of labeled bottles (to comply with Ontario law) and bring it home like any other mundane product.

Globalization and the LCBO aside, Westvleteren 12 is definitely worth a try. Large macro-breweries focus on creating a product that as many people as possible will be impartial to.

Small microbreweries such as Westvleteren`s Abbey of Saint Sixtus aim for something that is bold, and unforgivingly unique by focusing on the traditions they have developed in isolation.

Whether this taste is something that appeals to you is yours to discover, but Westvleteren 12 will be above all an experience distinct from all others. In an era of globalization and cultural homogenization, maybe this is the closest thing to a “holdout” that one can find.

•

Features • 10 Dec. 2012 • features@thestrand.ca

Sherwood

9

ARTS & CULTURE Preachers, activism, and the coming ‘Shopocalypse’

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Reverend Billy and Nehemiah Luckett of The Church of Stop Shopping spread their gospel

TEO NEWMAN In an attempt to spread word of the Shopocalypse, Reverend Billy Talen and Nehemiah Luckett from the Church of Stop Shopping came to preach at the University of Toronto last month. Despite not actually being a preacher, Reverend Billy has chosen to frame the activism of his “radical performance community” as an evangelical service to raise the profile of issues pertaining to consumerism and environmentalism.

While you would generally envision activism in the form of petitions and marches, The Church of Stop Shopping’s protest has taken the form of sermons focusing on the Shopocalypse (basically the coming crisis created by consumerism), choir ensembles and credit card exorcisms since its inception in 1999. By employing these tactics in theatres, streets and shopping malls, Reverend Billy aims to use the arts to convey complex social justice and sustainability issues to a wider audience. The question is how successful is this dramatic method of protest in delivering a depiction of political issues to a diverse audience?

The Nov 9 performance revolved around Hurricane Sandy and its demonstration of the destructive potential of climate change. Before the performance started it was clear that the concept alone had interested a crowd that reached beyond the activist community. The audience was composed of activists, claiming to be involved in “public service,” those from the art community and even those from the sciences. One man who explained he was an engineer and a few others brought their children to the perfor-

10

mance.

When Reverend Billy appeared on stage, adorned in evangelical costume with a white suit, a preacher’s collar and an enormous pompadour,

“

While you would generally envision activism in the form of petitions and marches, The Church of Stop Shopping’s protest has taken the form of sermons focusing on the Shopocalypse

he started with a cry of “Earthalujah!”

Following this exclamation, he began to preach about Sandy’s destruction of New York in the typical melodramatic style of televangelists generally found on early Sunday morning programming. As the reverend stumbled around the stage, he began to preach about the need to revere Sandy for its demonstration of the chaos corporate greed and unsustainable living has created. Some of the audience became very attentive at this point, while others displayed looks of reluctance to their friends.

When Luckett involved the crowd in singing a song about the uprising of those disregarded by the indifferent corporate world, everyone in the crowd participated, against the backdrop of upbeat music played by Luckett on the keyboard. Judging by the level of excitement and dancing, it seemed that much of the crowd was enjoying the activity, which is always conducive to learning and internalizing a message.

The performance lasted two hours and employed a multitude of tactics to convey their message that would not be available to traditional political activism. Reverend Billy used music, melodrama and humor to keep the crowd’s interest and at points discussed personal stories from his childhood that illustrated the importance of the Earth to him and humanity. He also asked the audience to envision a moment where they engaged with nature, followed by a brief moment of silence to allow the crowed to visualize it.

Within these dramatic tactics and religious allegories, the reverend discussed complex political and science issues. At one point, Reverend Billy explained the basics of UC Berkley Professor Anthony Barnosky’s report on the “global tipping point”—a biological predication arguing that destruction of the environment could push the world to a point of mass extinctions, drastically affecting biodiversity. Luckett also noted that their other performance involved a musical version of the Declaration of the Occupation of NYC, which laid out the demands of the Occupy movement.

According to Reverend Billy, the goal of this entire endeavor is to “etch an image into the minds of the audience they will remember.” As the Reverend explains, the image of an evangelical preacher is “something that is fairly prominent in America and a part of the American consciousness.”

By taking on this image and style, he employs a recognizable framework to place his message of social justice and sustainability.

The use of drama has also allowed Reverend Billy to reach a larger au-

dience. By keeping his discussion entertaining and dramatic, the Reverend has created an atmosphere that attracts people who would be less likely to attend a lecture on climate change. It also engages the art community, which gives the group access to theatres to spread their message, in addition to theirstreet protests. However, these tactics do not appeal to everyone, as demonstrated by those in the crowd who seemed reluctant throughout the show. This is a pre-

“

By taking on this image and style, he employs a recognizable framework to place his message of social justice and sustainability.

dictable reaction to such an unorthodox form of activism, especially one that uses religious motifs and imagery.

Despite these reactions, the Church of Stop Shopping’s performance received a positive reaction from much of the audience. The unusual nature of Reverend Billy’s activism has also been an asset in attracting media attention to the group, which has included CBS, Fox News, Al-Jazeera Democracy Now, CNN, and The Tavis Smiley Show, among others. This media attention and the positive reviews of the crowd demonstrate the merits of integrating activism into dramatic forms.

The Beguiling Anniversar y

FLICKR/RIKSARKIVET

FASTWURMS:

Cannibal Nympho Witch The Inside Joke of Ambivalent Interpretation KATARINA SABADOS FASTWURMS’ latest exhibition, Cannibal Nympho Witch, is the Toronto-based duo’s first solo project since 2010. Composed of Kim Kozzi and Dai Skuse, FASTWURMS is a Canadian hybrid of Toronto and Creemore culture that combines, according to art critic Sholem Krishtalka, “high and popular cultures, bent identity politics, social exchange and a witch-positive DIY cinematic sensibility.” The previous work of FASTWURMS delivers brisk social commentary through ritualistic performance, most notably in their performance, Tailgate Party #1: Into the Void where they depict a young girl’s coming of age through awkward slow dancing and the shaving of the legs of two “initiates.” However, FASTWURMS’ intriguing methods of portraying social rituals lack impact in their recent exhibition.

Cannibal Nympho Witch is based on a science fiction novel, written by the duo about “a society of transgenetic Witches living in a future world they have created after the ecological destruction and economic collapse of the 21st century.” However, this novel is unpublished and unavailable to the public; it is also not a part of the exhibit, rendering the overall impression of the work underwhelming and scattered.

The exhibit consists of a dozen images of cats, spliced in a way that makes the backgrounds symmetrical, the cats slightly mutated. In each print, the cat is evidently sitting on something that, because of the symmetry, looks like a throne. This creates an interesting dynamic; the cats look menacing, but also omnipotent since the space in the gallery is made for them. With the scratch tower in the corner, the dried leaves in the

net-basket hanging from the ceiling, and the litter box filled with bronze droppings, the room is a kitty’s playground, and subsequently, kingdom.

The space itself was evidently not meant to be occupied by felines, but rather by humans who obsessively worship feline culture.

Aside from the prints, the focal point of the exhibition is a buzzing, temperature-controlled tent holding a row of plants under purple LED light; all the supplies needed for the care of the plants are also in the tent, neatly stored. The inside of the tent is dizzying to look at after a few seconds, and the noise of the air circulation gives an industrial, unnatural feel. After having read the synopsis of FASTWURMS’ novel, it was clear that this installation demonstrates the industrialization of nature by humans to increase efficiency in their daily lives. However, the lack of reading material in the gallery regarding the dystopian society that exists in this environment results in a lack of continuity between the prints and the installation. This makes the arrangement seem almost random.

Unfortunately for FASTWURMS, the exhibit does not live up to its potential to be a powerful complement to their allegorical novel. Compared to their previous performance art, which was deeply conceptual and accessible to the common viewer, Cannibal Nympho Witch reinforces the elitism that is so common in contemporary art; those who are in the loop could be art critics, and those who aren’t would have no interest in doing so. Open-ended interpretation only goes so far until it becomes a private joke that a select few are privy to, and it makes the communalization of art impossible.

MATTHEW CASACA

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR Not every small comic bookstore could gather four superstars of the comic book world under one roof.

But then again, The Beguiling is not an ordinary comic bookstore.

Located in Mirvish Village, The Beguiling is an independent bookseller that has managed to prosper by selling a diverse collection of comics from all around the world, from the pulpy superhero comics to bande dessinees. So it was appropriate that The Beguiling celebrated its 25th anniversary on Nov 12 at the Bloor Street Cinema with some of the most celebrated and recognizable artists in comics today: Charles Burns (Black Hole) Chris Ware (Jimmy Corrigan), Adrian Tomine (Optic Nerve).

Initially, the event did not go as planned: hundreds waited in the wind and rain outside the Bloor Cinema for at least half an hour because of “technical difficulties” with the projector. However, no one seemed to mind, probably because Peter Birkemoe, the Beguiling’s owner, announced that the Canadian cartoonist Seth would begin the event by moderating a discussion with his peers.

Despite their differences in age and illustration style, Seth classified Burns, Ware, and Tomine as belonging to “the same generation,” because they all gained recognition during the late 80s and early 90s, when comics eked out some literary credibility. Although Seth’s assessment was partially correct, he failed to address the most important question in the discussion: why it took so long for comics to gain the literary respect they deserved. Perhaps he felt that question was too self-evident to address fully.

Regardless, the differences between Burns, Ware, and Tomine were only fully revealed once the projector was fixed, allowing the authors to access their slideshows. Charles Burns pitched his newest horror story, The Hive, by showing the audience where he gets some of

his ideas. Apparently, Burns is an avid scrapbooker and the origins of The Hive came from Hergé’s Tintin comics. The Hive concerns a protagonist’s journey throughout a nightmarish netherworld.

Ware, on the other hand, mostly touched on the content and pictorial layout of Building Stories, a complicated and melancholy novel that contains 14 separate pamphlets, pullouts, and books, each with interrelated narratives about the

“

[Seth] failed to address the most important question in the discussion: why it took so long for comics to gain the literary respect they deserved. Perhaps he felt that question itself was too evident to address fully.

residents of a single building in Chicago.

Afterward, Adrian Tomine discussed his book New York Drawings by recounting his experiences working with Francoise Mouly, the art editor for The New Yorker.

He gave Mouly the credit for inspiring him to draw a picture with “some hint of a narrative,” which led to the creation of the first image Tomine submitted for the magazine.

By the time the presentations had finished, it was past midnight and clear that the only things Burns, Ware, and Tomine had in common was that they drew comics and enjoyed doing so. And judging by the numbers who stayed for the autograph session and weathered the storm, it was obvious that many people enjoy reading them.

•

Arts & Culture • 10 Dec 2012 • artsandculture@thestrand.ca

Gallery

11

FILM & MUSIC

东亚电影 한국 영화 한국 문화 中国文化 Pivot to Asia:

The Strand reviews the latest releases from China, Korea, and Japan at Toronto’s Reel Asian Film Festival Wolf Children

JESSIE YAO

FAN WU

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

Han Yan’s new film First Time initially seemed to be yet another saccharine and largely clichéd romance, part of the slew of Chinese “cute dramas,” but partially redeems itself by the end.

Actress Angelababy plays Song Shiqiao, a college girl whose artistic dreams are compromised by an inherited neuromuscular disease, resulting in a disintegrating memory that requires her to record her thoughts. Part one of the movie begins with a honeyed meet-cute between Shiqiao and her childhood crush, Gong Ning (Mark Chao). Their relationship blooms through charmingly starry-eyed scenes of devotion and love, amplified by artsy animation.

The second half of the plot restates the story more realistically, introducing the first twist and peeling away the stereotypical love tale to reveal the truths invisibly structuring Ning and Shiqiao’s relationship. Although this appears promising, the movie nevertheless imposes hackneyed complications and solutions typical of romantic tragicomedies.

For the sceptical audience, a suspension of disbelief would make the film more enjoyable. Additionally, the rock-band scenes and musical interludes (does John Lennon really blend with Mando-pop?) might repel Americanized viewers.

Like the candy Shiqiao gives to Ning, First Time is a ball of sweetness—for those who can handle it.

Wolf Children, the new animated feature by Mamorou Hosoda (Summer Wars), tells the story of two half-breed children—caught between the realms of wolf and human—after the death of their werewolf father. The film was immediately reminiscent of Miyazaki’s films, especially Princess Mononoke.

Hosoda, however, trades Miyazaki’s beguiling and subtly sentimental magic realism for a grittier style thick with emotional overtones.Wolf Children doesn’t have the exceptional pacing of Miyazaki’s best work, and it doesn’t quite reach the pitch-perfect representation of bittersweet nostalgia that is, for me, the essence of animated film.

Despite the film’s occasional heavyhandedness, the animation work is consistently gorgeous and it uses the simplicity of its principal theme—the difficulty of being between worlds—to its advantage, juxtaposing nature and culture, animal and human, childhood and adulthood. With more charm than heft, Wolf Children might be most appropriate for an evening with a loved one and a bottle of white wine.

STAFF WRITER First Time is the latest film you’ve directed. Is it also your favourite one so far? Why? This is my latest film, true, but as to favourites.

[Pause.] It’s difficult to say what’s been my favourite film. I would have to say I like them equally, but this one is more well-rounded.

A Chinese truism says

12

that film is the art of regret. Do you have any regrets or dissatisfactions about the movie?

It’s absolutely true that film, cinematography, is the art of regret.

There are pieces left unsatisfied in any movie, and mine is no exception. I do regret not having ample time and flexibility when the film was in production. With more time, I think, everyone would have been in a better state.

Stateless Things

ZAREEN DIN

ILSE DE MUCHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER

Director Han Yan JESSIE YAO

Cold Steel

The story of a Chinese hunter-turnedsoldier in the Second Sino-Japanese War could ring of patriotism and glory.

It’s unclear, though, if Cold Steel should be classified as a serious action film or a brilliantly tasteless comedy.

The CGI is dated, the action is repetitive, and the storyline falls flat because of the lack of character development.

The film’s only saving grace may be its not-so-subtle comparisons of guns to the male anatomy. The pivotal male character is indeed the definition of a perfect soldier, a blank slate who only ever repeats the lines said to him by others—humorous in some portions, but infuriating in “serious” scenes.

Major motifs are never resolved, and problems disappear in the time it takes for a bumbling soldier to shoot a gun. In the end, this movie is unusually lighthearted for the subject matter and ultimately ridiculous, maybe even deliberately so. Some lines are so silly they are worth repeating and some scenes so absurd you can’t help but think it was intentional. So, if you like movies filled with explosions and sharpshooters, occasionally seasoned with bad jokes and a dry storyline, this is the movie for you.

Korean cinema has long been associated with explosive action movies and elaborate historical dramas. Stateless Things, however, is a different kind of Korean cinema, hiding behind the flashy lights of what has come to be known as the “Hallyu wave”. Hyun (Hyun-Joon Yeom) and Joon (Paul Lee) struggle to make somthing of their lives. Joon is an illegal immigrant from North Korea working at a gas station, and Hyun is an alluring young hustler living in a glass prison paid for by his lover, a middle aged married man. They suffer in solitude until a series of events lead to their encounter, which results in a toxic relationship building its way to a mysterious ending.

Stateless Things is not an easily digested film, for it shows a side of Korea seldom seen in mainstream cinema, where violence, abuse, and hidden pleasures beat as loudly as the dynamic Seoul. Its use of handheld camera gives it a sense of privacy and intimacy that places the viewer inside the lives of the characters, heightening the emotional turmoil shown in the film. Although the plot is often disorienting, the terrific grit in the performances delivered by rookie actors provide reason enough to declare this a film worth seeing for those interested in the darker side of Korean independent cinema.

Interview – 晤面

So how long did the movie take?

Twenty-eight days. So yeah, the time was very limited.

In the movie, the protagonist Lu Xia commits to a major decision. Would you behave like Lu Xia if a similar situation arose in real life?

If I faced the same situation, [Laughs.], I think I would wish I could behave as he did.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF

REEL ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

First Time

Han Yan, continued 第一次晤面

How long did it take you to write the story?

It took me only a couple months to write the script. But its conception was slow; from the very beginning, I would say roughly two years.

What connections does the movie have to your personal life?

The connections to my life are practically everywhere. As a director, you should be concerned if you’re not obsessed with the movie you’re directing. [Laughs.]

It’s hard to make a good movie if you’re not obsessive. My life has changed a lot because of the movie. It’s taken me from China to Toronto…By listening to my friends

tell their stories, that’s how I shape my perspective, and the plots of my movies.

What response do you think Canadian audiences, especially teenagers, would have to the film?

It’s very clear that I’ve told a story whose setting is distinctly Chinese. But I hope the story can be made universal through its themes, notions of love which should be mutual for people in every country. In some ways, I hope Canadian audiences could have the same response to it as Chinese audiences.

Have you considered bringing in foreign (non-Chinese) actors into your movies?

In the past half-year, I’ve been realizing more and more that international cooperation would strengthen Chinese movies, which includes actors as well as production teams, photographers, special effects teams…I think it’s a good sign to have cooperation and exchange. Chinese films are a little monotone right now. We could learn from new experiences.

Mo Yan, a writer in Shandong, China, recently won this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature. You’re also from Shandong. Have you ever thought of winning an Academy Award?

I’m relatively familiar with Mo Yan, having been through his hometown countless times. I believe Mo Yan’s purpose in writing wasn’t to win the Nobel Prize, and because of this he produced his masterpieces. I think I should learn from his spirit. Awards should not be the ultimate goal.

For me, having my stories be understood and recognized at an international scale is more important.

Could you tell me the theme of your next movie?

My next movie is still being planned. I hope it will be more of a suspense or thriller, more commercial, maybe a touch of science fiction.

JESSIE YAO

It takes a great amount of courage to make that sort of decision.

When I wrote the story, I treated Lu Xia ideally. In real life, not very many people have the same selflessness and courage as Lu Xia, so in the movie I just let him run with it, to let audiences know what the results would be, what would follow as a consequence.

Revisiting the Dead ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR Throughout his long filmmaking career, George A. Romero reinvented the horror film genre by incorporating satirical social commentary, in addition to jump scares and gore. Even though his art evolved with each successive movie, Romero is still remembered and loved for his directorial debut, Night of the Living Dead (1968). It was shot for just over $100 000 and made some $700 000 in its first month of release. “At that point,” Romero said, “We started to say to ourselves ‘Wow, this business is easy!’” Although the premise of the film is simple enough – seven strangers hide in an abandoned farmhouse from hordes of bloodthirsty undead – the film managed to spawn five more sequels and led to a resurgence in zombie films, includingWorld War Z, Resident Evil, and Shaun of the Dead.

The continuing popularity of Night of the Living Dead is something of a mystery to Romero. “I don’t get it,” Romero said during the Toronto International Film Festival program The Living Dread: The Cinema of George A. Romero. “I look back at this film and all I see are the mistakes in it.” To be fair, the initial critical response to Night of the Living Dead was poor. As Colin Geddes, the festival programmer, suggested, it only received attention when Roger Ebert wrote a piece that described the reaction of children who saw the film. Predictably, the film

traumatized the kids so much some cried and ran out of the theatre. As a result, Night of the Living Dead became notorious for its depiction of violence and gore.

As Romero noted, he never thought of his creatures as zombies. Indeed, Romero seems to actively dislike the word. In the five movies that followed

over 41 years, Romero uses the word “zombie” twice. “I didn’t think they were zombies because I always thought zombies weren’t dead,” Romero explained. “If you’ve ever read The Serpent and the Rainbow or the voodoo literature, zombies are in a state of suspended animation. I was trying to make a new creature.” That central

FLICKR/TOFUGUNS

MATTHEW CASACA

question became the genesis of the screenplay that Romero co-wrote with his friend, John Russo.

Another thing that made Night of the Living Dead notorious was that it had an African-American protagonist. At the time, however, Romero thought the racial message was less important than the other messages in the film—media bias, government ineptitude, and the disintegration of the family. “I think some of the attention that it got was in error,” Romero said. “[For example] it was thought of as a racial statement . . .‘Oh this is a powerful statement about race relations in America! The police are sending the dogs on [Ben, the African-American lead]!’ But they didn’t know that the dogs were after the white guy the lead role was written for. And that’s not what we were thinking at all when we were making the film. We were aware that we had cast an African American in the lead. Basically, we were saying to ourselves ‘Hey, it’s 1968!

We’re over those prejudices.’ But apparently not. And Duane [Jones]– the actor – was much more sensitive to that issue than I was. Than any of us were.

“We just thought we were pushing the envelope a little bit. We were angry, you know, we were children of the 60s, and we thought the anger that’s in the film just came out of our attitudes. And really that’s what makes it so dark: the cynicism in the film and the anger of the filmmakers shows through.”

•

Film & Music • 10 Dec. 2012 • filmandmusic@thestrand.ca

George A. Romero on Night of the Living Dead

13

“Waiting for the miracle to come” Leonard Cohen captivates Toronto at the Air Canada Centre BAHAR BANAEI MUSIC EDITOR

B

y the time I was eight I could easily recite lines about women taking their blouses off in a room filled with adults drinking acidlaced cider, refusing to stop dancing as the bar closes down. I didn’t know what any of this meant, but these were the songs I unavoidably listened to, as my mother would playthe homemade Leonard Cohen mixtapes on our stereo. She would blast it at full volume to wake up my sister and me in the morning and it would still be playing when we got home from school. Open letters Cohen sent to “his brother” and “his killer” continuously echoed around the house. While I enjoyed

“

time. Her captivating vocals took over as she performed a rendition of “Alexandra Leaving” after Cohen’s short poetry reading. On stage next to Robinson were Hattie and Charley Webb also known as The Webb Sisters. Picking up a harp and acoustic guitar respectively, they began to play Cohen’s 1984 hit, “If It Be Your Will.” Finally, he began to play his own guitar and a bright light shone up against him, casting two large silhouettes against the

“

They all held their hands together against their chests as they swayed back and forth, all close to tears. There was a complete sense of unity amongst the crowd and musicians

song to date, “Hallelujah.” Everyone in the audience sang along to the famous chorus. I could see the faces of those around me. They all held their hands together against their chests as they swayed back and forth, close to tears.

We all watched Leonard on his knees, shoulders bent, singing the song that has resonated with millions.

Three hours into the show, just as everyone was ready for just one encore he came back on stage twice with multiple songs per set. The surprising double encore was concluded with a hyped audience dancing to “Closing Time” and his final song, “Save the Last Dance For Me.” He finally skipped off the stage for the fourth time leaving everyone spellbound. As people made their way to the subway, out of nowhere one man with a harmonica began to play the tune to, “Hallelujah.” Immediately people joined in and began singing along with the chorus once again, evoking once more the feeling of nostalgia that has been Leonard Cohen’s trademark for decades.

backdrop.

After the intermission, the lights began to shimmer over the audience as the band played his most popular

dancing to “Closing Time” every now and then, my short attention span had resulted in the inevitable guttural noises after listening to the rough sound of the tape being flipped to Side B. I had grown weary of what I thought to be the unenthused voice of a lonely old man. Leonard Cohen was not the only artist featured in these low quality mixes. There was some Duran Duran, John Secada, and R.E.M, but Leonard Cohen was the one that had resonated with me. After my phase of brushing his music off, I began adopting my mother’s CDs and his music became something personal, but also something I shared with those closest to me.

Luckily, a couple of months ago, I happened to be on Twitter to see that NOW magazine tweeted that Leonard Cohen was playing two shows at the Air Canada Centre in December.

I didn’t think twice, I dropped everything and went on a search for tickets.

I was able to get tickets for the 5th, as the 4th had already sold out.

Leonard Cohen’s Old Ideas tour began on Hallowe’en in Austin, Texas. Every show since then has had phenomenal reviews. Old Ideas was his twelfth studio album released on January 31,

14

•

friend who has co-written several of his highly acclaimed songs like “Waiting for a Miracle” and “Everybody Knows”, was accompanying him on tour for the third

BAHAR BANAEI

Film & Music • 10 Dec. 2012 • filmandmusic@thestrand.ca

He addressed the audience and thanked us all for being there to see him play in a city that took him in when he was just a kid with a few poems

nearly 44 years after the release of his first, Songs of Leonard Cohen. The album touches upon themes of morality and age, topics he brought up several times throughout the show. When I made it to the ACC on Dec 5, the venue was buzzing with anticipation.

After what seemed like a long wait, the lights finally went down and the only discernible figures were the silhouettes of band members wearing their iconic fedoras, walking towards their instruments. There was one final entrance by a man skipping onto the middle of the floor—Leonard Cohen himself.

The lights went up and the pitch perfect humming of the Webb sisters and Sharon Robinson as they began to play “Dance Me to the End of Love.” He bent down, cradling the microphone as he sang. Shortly after “The Future,” he addressed the audience and thanked us all for being there to see him play in a city that “took [him] in when he was just a kid with a few poems.” He also took the time to thank every member of his crew and tech before Javier Mas played a soft and enchanting introduction to “Who By Fire” from his fourth studio album, New Skin for the Old Ceremony.

Cohen was not the only one under the spotlight. He graciously asked the audience to thank his band on multiple occasions. Sharon Robinson, a long-time

STRANDED BRAD MCLEOD THE PEAK

Burnaby (CUP) — Last week, professors teaching first year courses from all SFU faculties once again banded together to dedicate the first week of the semester to raising awarenessabout academic dishonesty.

Dubbed ‘Plagiarism Awareness Week’ by its organizers, the event’s goal was to help eliminate cheating from the university by having at least 50 per cent of each participating courses’ lecture time spent repeating the exact same, fairly obvious information about plagiarism.

Along with the lectures, a campaign of handouts, e-mails, and website links containing identical content were also readily distributed to students whether they asked for it or not.

“We all got together this year to make sure that every one of us had the exact same thing to say” explained one firstyear communications professor about his lecture last week. “Plagiarism might seem like a pretty black-and-white issue, and it is, but we made damn sure that we dragged it out for as long possible, and gave as many improbable hypothetical scenarios as we could think of.”

Although some might feel that dedi-

cating so much time and energy on an issue which is essentially not copying someone else’s work is ridiculous when all the students are legally adults, these professors believe it’s an absolutely necessary cause.

“I think it’s safe to say that most of the cheating that occurs in university happens only because the students were simply not aware that they had to do their own work,” said another elderly professor who grew up in a world before plagiarism. “Like, did you know that even something that sounds completely innocent, like paying someone to write an essay for you, can be considered cheating?”

‘Plagiarism Awareness Week’ also served as a harsh introduction for a lot of first year students, many of whom spent more than three total hours listening to lectures about how they have to do their own work.

“There’s nothing that gives you more of a sense of independence during your first post-high school days than to listen to hours of presentations about exactly what it means to be dishonest,” described freshman Jay Sanders, who, like the majority of his classmates, attended a high school that also did not allow plagiarism. “It’s really got me exciting about next week, when hopefully they’ll thoroughly explain the concept

THE PEAK/MARK BURNHAM

100 Level Courses Hold ‘Plagiarism Awareness Week’

of sharing.”

While most students felt that an entire week wasn’t necessary for the cause, there were some who actually found the information quite valuable.

“I had no idea there were so many ways to cheat before,” realized Tim Peters, another first-year student, eager to put what he learned into practice. “If only I could have gotten this information in high school, I wouldn’t have had to try so hard . . . anyways, at least university will be a breeze.”

Although the week of awareness is over until next semester, professors

have ensured that they will continue to bring attention to plagiarism for most days in the upcoming term, during any essay, test, or time they forget their lecture notes.

Though students might think that these special events are behind them for the rest of the year, according to inside sources, the school’s T.A.s are planning their own ‘Plagiarism Awareness Week’ for the first week of tutorials in conjunction with their tri-annual ‘Icebreaker Games Appreciation Week’.

15

Stranded • 10 Dec. 2012 • stranded@thestrand.ca

HO

HO

HO

16

•