Ttif MCGILL
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Published by th e Students' S o ciety o f M cG ill U niversity
Tuesday, January 2 7 , 1 9 8 7
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V olu m e 6 , Issue 16
Cash For Conservatives by Ian M. Harrold “The involvement of business is essen tial to the political process," claimed David Angus, chief fundraiser for the federal Progressive Conservative party. In a lecture sponsored by the McGill PC club, Angus spoke on "The Financing of Political Parties in Canada," at an open meeting last Tuesday. The mix of business and politics "spurs individual involvement in political fundraising," said Angus, as well as renewing a “fresh, honest and keen interest" in the PC Party and the political process overall. However, this is not to deny that political fundraising is still a "controversial" topic in Canada. Angus believes the Canada Elections Act of 1974 has been a "key element in con trolling abuses" in election spending. Canada's 13 registered political parties today must fully identify and publish the name of any person or group which donates over $ 100. Angus said that this "total disclosure is the answer" to past problems. A tax credit can be claimed on donations of up to $500 and this, said Angus, is a good incentive for in dividuals to donate (as opposed to big corporations). According to Angus, the PC Party has been at the forefront of new fundraising techniques. " 72% of annual dues are collected through direct mail," he asserted. Since he took over as Chair man of the PC Canada Fund in 1983, Angus said he has seen the party refine its techniques to the point where he simply has to "push a button, letters go out...and within 13 days there's one
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by Jennifer Mori The spectre of university underfunding emerged yet again to haunt last Monday's meeting of the Board of Governors. Principal David Johnston, in his report to the Board, recited a catalogue of dreary figures and cost cutting measures to demonstrate the sad state of university underfunding in Canada and at McGill. "In Canada over the past eight or nine years, per student support has declined 16% in real terms, while the full time student population has increased by 26%," said Johnston. For the province of Québec, the student population is up 40% since 1977, while per student fun ding is down 26%. At McGill, the operating grant has been decreased by 35% while the student population has increased by 20%. Johnston also criticised Canada's lack of investment in research and develop ment at universities, citing that Canada contributes only 1.3% of its Gross Na tional Product to R and D. "We are 13th to 18th on the world scale," he stated. "According to one estimate, we're just behind Yugoslavia." But McGill has not fared as badly as most Canadian universities in research cuts. McGill's research budget has in creased 507o since 1977 because of heavy reliance on external funding. "We are still leading in research funds per professor," assured Johnston. McGill is combating the hard times with a three-pronged strategy of internal economy, self help, and strenuous exter nal lobbying. "I'd say we have an impressive record for testing our resources as far as human ingenuity allows," declared Johnston. McGill's position has been laid before the Ministry of Higher Education in Québec City and before theDepartment of the Secretary of State, the federal research granting councils, and the Na tional Forum on Post Secondary Educa tion in Ottawa. "Our efforts must be consistent, per sistent, and articulate to reverse universi ty funding trends," stated Johnston. The reports of the Executive Commit tee and the proceedings of Senate were
million dollars guaranteed" for the par tyThe PC Canada Fund is run "like a business," with 25 people on its Board of Directors to control expenditures. There are 261 volunteer solicitors nation-wide and over 86,000 names on its direct mail in-house. The fund is run like a business because it is a business in today's "competitive, big-business" atmosphere of political fundraising. As a comparison, Angus listed the unofficial figure for the Party's operating budget of 1979, an election year, as $3.9 million. In non-election 1987, that figure is $12.9 million. The larger amount is needed because "a big ger political awareness creates greater interest." As proof he cited the existence of the McGttl PC Club, which is only a recent phenomenon. Angus was chairman of the Publica tions Board of the McGill Daily during his days as a student in the Faculty of Law (1959-62). He later developed an interest in political fundraising while stu dying at Princeton University in New Jersey. He has always been "impressed" with the involvement of American youth in government and in presidential elec tions. He remarked that the PC Canada Fund retains the services of American political consultants. Angus said that although he had "never seen any evidence" of abuse and backroom politicking, he feels that the system had never been "quite right." For this reason he entered the world of politics, and from 1962-1975 was a
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presented for the Governors' approval. David Schulze, Graduate Representative to the Board, questioned the transfer of properties from the investment portfolio to administrative and academic uses. Buildings at 1140 Pine Avenue West and 3430 McTavish are being com mandeered and their student popula tions evicted. Schulze asked if the University would find suitable accom modation for the evicted students and give them housing priority. VicePrincipal (Academic) Samuel Freedman replied that the Senate Residence Com mittee is looking into alternative hous ing, "not only for displaced students
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by Mariam Bouchoutrouch
Absence reaches epic proportions...
S ee Sports Feature pp 6 & 7
A Picture Worth $1,000 by Elizabeth Pasternak "You're a professional as soon as you say you are.. Anyone can sell a photograph — it's a free country," says Esmond Choueke, an established photojournalist who specializes in public rela tions and. industrial photography for firms such as Via Rail and Ultramar. Choueke was the fi rst of si x speakers at a seminar entitled "Cashing in on Your Camerability" organized by the Periodical Writers Association of Canada. Choueke pointed out that starting a career in photojournalism doesn't have to be expensive. For instance, Choueke claims that a reliatively inexpensive camera (about $ 199) will achieve the same quality of print as a top of the line camera. As for expensive courses in photography, Choueke said "8 to 9 out of 10 people who go to photo school
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A change in curriculum requirements "could actually pass in '89 or '90," said Arts and Science Undergraduate Society Vice President (Arts) Mark Holder, at last Tuesday's ASUS Council meeting. In a report, the Curriculum Committee stated that at present Majors and Honours program requirements are vague and "there is no clear or consistent distinction between the Majors and Honours type of B.A." For the Majors program, the only stipulations are that a minimum of 54 .credits be taken in a specific course of study and that the minimum grade received in each of these courses be no less than a C. The Honours program has no specific requirements. The Committee report recommends that Majors students be required to take a minimum of 54 credits in their chosen field, and that Honours students be required to take at least six more credits in their discipline than Major students. Among other specifications, a student will need a minimum cumulative grade-point average (CGPA) of 3.0 in order to graduate with an Honours degree. His or her courses also should reflect a higher degree of concentration than those of the Major student. ASUS President Rye Symons was quick to point out, however, that "this has nothing to do with the program you are now in." Another topic of discussion at the meeting was the possibility of an ASUS week featuring speakers, intramural sports, entertainment, and a party to close the event. Possible speakers may include Principal Johnson and John Stockwell, a critic of US foreign policy. For entertainment, Leonard Cohen was a popular choice. However, the event is still in the planning stages, and none of the potential speakers have been contacted. "The idea is to try to get each department to do something," said Sue Ed wards, VP (Science), who is in charge of the event. The theme of the closing party is likely to be 'aquarium,' with the ballroom decorated as a fishbowl.
don't actually publish." "It's not that hard to break into the business of professional photojour nalism," Choueke said in his encouragin speech. However, he did not elaborate on how one "makes it" in the field. This subject was left to the five subsequent speakers, who filled in the gaps between the "weekend hacker" photographer and the successful photojournalist. Stephen Homer, a freelance photographer and writer who writes for Equinox and Audubon magazines, em phasized the importance of marketing one's photographs. "The phone never rings for you — you've got to make the editors aware," he said. Very few magazines will give assignments to an unknown and "the easiest way to get started is to do a story on speculation." As Homer explained, this means in itiating your own ideas/researching them and presenting the shots to an editor who will then decide whether or not to use them. As did many of the speakers, Homer indicated that he or she can pro vide a written article with accompanying photographs. "Magazines enjoy it when they can send someone who can do both," he said. Eric Harris, assistant editor for Cana dian Geographic Magazine, said that the emphasis of his periodical is the written article, since "photos are more pro curable than text." According to Anne Gardon, a travel photographer represented by the stock photo agency Reflexion Inc., if an editor does not have an article that co ordinates with submitted photos at that particular moment, "you can forget it." "Travel photography doesn't pay," says Gardon, because many amateurs sell the odd vacation photo for very little money, thus creating a competitive market for professionals. Using stock photo agencies is a good way to break into the photojournalist market, according to Valerie Wilkinson, manager of the stock photo agency Valan Photos of St-Lambert. Stock photos, used by advertisers, editors and the press can have just about anything as subject — flowers, birds, trees, animals, etc. As Wilkinson noted, the simpler the subject, the more likely it will be used. To begin using a stock photo agent, a photographer submits at least 500 to 50,000 slides, "or else it's not worth it," she said. When a photograph has been
rented, Wilkinson's agency takes a 50% cut, which she claimed to be the going rate in stock agencies. Stock photo agencies are not an easily conquered market she admits. "You can't go into it to make a fortune." However, "you go into the stock agency to learn...you have to start somewhere, and an agent will help you to learn the things which will sell." Money — an unavoidable subject where aspiring photojournalistis are concerned, was another topic of discus sion. According to Choueke, $50 is stan dard payment for a simple photograph, and $200 for "something unusual." When asked what "unusual" meant, Choueke replied "If you have picture of Patti Hurst, you could get $5,000 for it." Fledgling photojournalists were warn ed not to allow the thrill of being published to get in the way of adequate reimbursement for their work. A "nor mal" daily rate for a photographer runs between $300 and $350 plus expenses (i.e. film, processing, travel, meals, phone calls, hotels, etc.) said Homer. Gardon, whose work in travel photography takes her to exotic places, emphasized that "fan trips (where ab solutely everything is paid) are not fun trips." Most people idealize about the lifestyle of a photojournalist who takes free trips to interesting locales, but as Gardon points out, "You are not allow ed to do what you want," and the pace is very hectic. Reaching the top does have its rewards. The first time someone writes for Canadian Geographic he or she receives $500 — $600 for a 2-3,000 word essay. Established writers receive $750 to $ 1000, and as for people like Peter C. Newman — "they tell us." But an amateur can get lucky, as Christopher Du Vernet, a lawyer and author specializing in intellectual pro perty matters pointed out. He gave the example of Abraham Zapruder — the man captured the assassination of Presi dent John F. Kennedy on his 8 mm movie camera and sold the rights to Time Magazine for $ 150,000. "There is no copyright on ideas," Du Vernet said. This gives anyone the op portunity to take the shot that sells. As all the speakers pointed out, it is the uni queness of the picture that makes it marketable, aside from having all the technical know-how. A lot simply has to do with being in the right place at the right time.