The McGill Tribune Vol. 25 Issue 7

NEWS: First years take note: You're not alone.

Tribune Curiosity delivers. Vol. 25 Issue 7

A&E: Don't just charm them, Tricky Woo-them.

SPORTS: We're pickin' 'em so you don't have to.

M c G ir ls p o se fo r P layb o y Heads up, you could be sitting beside the next bunny LIZ ALLEMANG About 60 McGill students stripped down to their skivvies and birthday suits this week, vying for the opportunity to appear in a special issue of Playboy.

The legendary men's magazine was in Montreal last week casting for its "Girls of the Top 10 Party Schools" spread. Playboy recently ranked McGill tenth on its annual list.

Auditions were held at a hotel on Sherbrooke over three days. Some ladies donned lingerie, while others went com­ pletely nude, perhaps taking to heart the words of David Rams, a photographer who

has been on the Playboy masthead for about 10 years.

"We probably won't pick you if you don't take your top off," he said with a smile as a surprisingly demure set of applicants completed paperwork. "Why show up for a Playboy casting if you're not going to take your clothes off?"

Gen Friesen, who said she attended casting to "break the mould of chemistry students," posed topless.

"I'm a bit of an exhibitionist, [so] I was comfortable being nude," said Friesen, U2 Chemistry, adding that she decided to try out after friends encouraged her.

Most applicants described the shoot as

a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"A lot of girls do it so that they can look back and say, 'I was hot before I had kids,"' said Eden Orfanos, producer of the shoot.

The girls were picked to represent McGill's party-school title. According to a statement released by Playboy the list was determined by editorial staff, who consid­ ered aspects of the campus social scene such as proximity to off-campus entertain­ ment, general vibrancy, social opportunities and male-to-female ratio.

McGill officials were not pleased with the ranking.

- y - h e y say I safe sex I is the best sex, but when it comes m m : & to contracep­ : > tion, we often : ?> grab condoms ■Sf J I T V F without a second thought.

Perhaps it's time for a change—there are more methods of birth control today than there are lube flavours!

Check out Features for details on what's new, what's hot and what's actually dangerous.

See PLAYMATES, page 3

This Week in McGill Athletics T u e s . , O c t . 1 1 R e d m e n B a s k e t b a l l v s S t - M i c h a e l ’s C o l l e g e 7 p m F r l., O c t . 1 4 M a r t le t (7 p m ) & R e d m e n (9 p m ) S o c c e r v s C o n c o r d ia S a t ., O c t . 1 5 M a r t le t H o c k e y v s O t t a w a 6 :3 0 p m S a t ., O c t 1 5 R e d m e n L a c r o s s e v s T o r o n t o 1 p m S a t ., O c t . 1 5 R o w in g 9 a m a t th e O ly m p ic B a s in S u n . , O c t 1 6 M a r t l e t H o c k e y v s Q u e e n ’s 1 p m F r l.-S u n ., O c t . 1 4 < 1 6 R e d b lrd C la s s ic B a s k e tb a ll F r l.-S u n ., O c t . 1 4 -1 6 M a r t le t In v it a t io n a l V o lle y b a ll T o u r n a m e n t

Advance Student Ticket Sales at Sadie’s * www.athletics.mcgill.ca for tourney schedules

new s E X C L U S I V E

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L O U I S

B E R N A R D

P Q lead ersh ip ra ce m akes a q u iet M cG ill deb ut F o u rth -p la c e d ca n d id a te calls a n o th e r re fe re n d u m his to p p r io r it y Louis Bernard, who on Aug. I entered the race to lead the Parti Québécois; spoke briefly to students last Thursday about his intentions if elected, chief among them a third referendum on Quebec secession. Afterwards, he agreed to speak privately with the Tribune The Students' Society asked all the candidates for the PQ leadership to address the M cGill community, but only Bernard accepted the offer. In spite o f several weeks o f SSM U advertising, however, no more than fifteen students attended the speech and subsequent question-and-answer period.

Bernard has made his name as head civil servant under three different provincial administrations, and he has staked his candida­ cy on achieving sovereignty after a "clear, sim ple" referendum question. In recent weeks, he has accused the PQ frontrunners o f focussing too extensively on public policy to the detriment o f the push for secession.

According to a recent poll published in La Presse^ only two per cent o f Quebecers chose Bernard as m ost capable to lead the PQ. This puts him in fourth place, badly trailing André Boisclair, who at 46 per cent has rem ained the favourite in spite o f his admission to using cocaine while serving as a provincial cabinet minister in the m id 1990s.

PQ m em bers will vote for their new leader on Nov. 15.

How would you handle university funding as PQ leader?

"My first priority is not postsecondary education; it is more on the preschool level and elementary school. This is where our. investment is the most profitable... so I would invest more in the first stages than I would in the postsecondary education."

What do you think of using federal funds for universities?

'The federal government takes advantage of the fact that Quebec has not the means to give satisfactory support to its uni­ versities. Universities see the means are available in Ottawa, so why not accept [their support]? Then you have the Quebec gov­ ernment saying 'Well, the money should go through us. The money should not be in Ottawa.'

"There is an imbalance in the fiscal capacities of the two

governments, and this is the imbalance that should be correct­ ed. This is why I say a different arrangement... is needed. We must become a country, and Canada will be a country, and they can make whatever arrangements they see fit to support their own universities."

Why did you decide to enter the PQ leadership race?

"One thing mainly: It's to convince Quebecers that it is in their interest to become an independent country. That is, in a manner that would preserve the existing customs union and monetary union with Canada and a relationship of friendship with Canada... and in a spirit of partnership with Canada."

How would you respond to your poor polling?

"I don't think we have reliable information as to the relative positions of the candidates. The ones who will make the deci­ sions are the members of the Parti Québécois, and there have been no polls of that group of persons. When we meet with the members, we have a very different picture from what they say in the newspapers, and the support I receive is very great."

Do you feel you represent an older generation in the PQ? "I don't see the situation in that context. I see the situation as the following: If we want to ... make Quebec an independent country, we need the support of all the ages. It's not the time for the older people to just pass the buck to a newer generation."

Why is it impossible to have mutiple nations in one state?

"I don't think it is impossible, but it has proved impossible in Canada. There have been some attempts to accommodate the Quebec nation in the Confederation... Meech Lake was very much accepted by Quebec. It was rejected by the rest of Canada."

What do you think of the Clarity Act and of the Supreme Court decision regarding declarations of separation?

"I don't think we will bother about the Clarity Act, but we will rely on the Supreme Court decision, because it's a very good

VLADIMIR EREMIN

A picture is worth a thousand mean, separatist words. decision, and it's one that emphasizes the democratic character | of Canada. If Quebec expresses itself in a democratic way, it is the constitutional obligation of Canada to negotiate in good faith with Quebec about the modalities of secession. So I think we would rely on the Supreme Court judgment." ■ - Compiled by Niall Mackay Roberts

C A M P U S

Stu d en ts S T A N D fast In te rn a tio n a l day o f fastin g d ra w s a tte n tio n to o n go ing g e n o cid e in Sudan JENNIFER JETT Members of a newly formed student club fasted Thursday to raise awareness of ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.

About 20 members of the McGill chapter of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur joined STAND members in more than 20 countries for an "international solidarity fast" in recognition of the conflict in the western Sudanese region, which began in early 2 0 0 3 . According to SaveDarfur.org, violence, hunger and disease have resulted in 40 0,0 00 deaths so far, creating an additional 2 .5 -million refugees.

On Thursday STAND McGill also set up tables outside Three Bares Park, asking students to sign petitions urging world leaders to provide security and humanitarian aid to the people of Darfur, as well as hold the Sudanese government, military and Janjaweed militias responsible for their actions. These petitions will be sent to Prime Minister Paul Martin, US President George W. Bush, the UN, the European Union and the president of the European Commission.

STAND McGill Vice-President Publicity Molly Reis said the group collected about 1,000 signatures.

"We had no huge hopes," said Reis, U 1 Political Science and English Literature, "but we really got more signatures than I thought was possible."

Maciej Szczepaniak, STAND vice-president communications and U3 Economics and Political Science, noted that the world

VLADIMIR EREMIN

STAND members show their concerns at Three Bares Park. recently marked the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide and the 60 th anniversary of the Holocaust.

"But when these genocides happen, so many people do nothing," she said. "They just watch the documentaries afterward and talk about how awful it was. It's important that we celebrate anniversaries, but for so many people that's all they do."

Since it was established last year, STAND McGill has quick­ ly gained momentum.

"It's grown enormously since last year," Reis said. 'This year we've already done more than last year."

Annabel Rixen, who joined the group last month and was one of the students fasting, admitted she had been fairly igno­ rant about the situation in Darfur until recently.

"For one thing, it's not really put out there," said Rixen, U 1 Music Performance. 'The media doesn't put things in the fore­ ground unless it's new and shocking. It just seem s that the media aren't paying attention anymore."

With media attention scarce, Rixen said, it is up to students to inform themselves.

"You need to make an effort to educate yourself about these issues," she said.

One way students can educate themselves is through STAND McGill, said Szczepaniak.

"As people come to our events, they're going to learn about all the resources that are available, all the organizations that are involved in Darfur," he said.

Szczepaniak also encouraged students to take part in the letter-writing campaign.

"That's something students can do at any time." ■ STAND McGill meetings are Tuesdays at 6 p.m . in the Shatner student lounge. For m ore inform ation, e-m ail merherman314@yahoo.ca.

the mcgill tribune | 12.10.051news

C A M P U S

Muslim prayer space denied

Playm ates hop to it Continued from cover

C o u n c illo r s s e e k in g

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S t u d e n t s ’ A s s o c ia t io n

s p e c ia l c o n c e s s io n s JAM ES G O T O W IE C

The debate over a lack of Muslim prayer space on campus reared its head again Thursday as Students' Society Council debated a motion to limit room bookings by the Muslim Students' Association for the month of October.

The MSA had requested rooms in excess of the normal maximum of 10 hour per week in order to accommodate Ramadan activities. Fasting for the month of Ramadan began on Oct. 5 .

Leon Mwotia, SSMU vice-president clubs and services and the sponsor of the motion, explained its purpose to Council.

"For the month of Ramadan, the MSA has booked 50 hours, and all the other clubs theoreti­ cally have a 40 -hour maximum," he said, adding that the 50 hours is in addition to the time already granted to MSA in the Shatner ballroom and cafe­ teria.

Mwotia stressed that MSA is granted use of the ballroom and cafeteria free of charge, which no other group or person on campus is allowed.

Nafay Choudhury, MSA president, disagreed with Mwotia's reasoning. He pointed out that SSMU has been accommodating of MSA in past years and asked why this year should be different.

"We are just talking about one month here," he said. "We're overexaggerating the issue, espe­ cially since it is the holy month of Ramadan."

The issue has struck a chord with McGill's Muslim students, many of whom packed the Lev Bukhman council room to show support for MSA's stance on the issue.

S P E A K E R

Arts Representative Jacob Itzkowitz voiced a concern of several councillors.

"My concern is not whether or not there are enough hours," he said. Rather, he said, he feared that making an exception for one religious group would open the door to more clubs and groups asking for special concessions.

Max Silverman disagreed with his fellow Arts representative, siding with the MSA. "The fact is we shouldn't have to be providing this extra prayer space for the MSA," he said. "But because the administration is not doing anything, is it not our responsibility... to provide this space, to help them out?"

Mwotia emphasized that he does not oppose giving space to the MSA, but that rooms in the Shatner building should be allocated equally between clubs.

MSA spokesperson Idil Issa asked council members to take a stand and be accountable to their electorate.

"If you're not serving the constituency in need, who are you serving?" she asked.

But Vice-President University Affairs Max Reed said SSMU has a wider responsibility to all of its members.

"SSMU has a policy of treating all clubs equally—it's not the job of SSMU to provide the prayer space," he said, urging councillors to vote in favour of Mwotia's motion. "The MSA is being granted 90 to 95 per cent of what it is asking for."

Council agreed with Reed, passing the motion by a vote of 19 to 5 . ■

"This is clearly a promotional or market­ ing gimmick," said Jennifer Robinson, associ­ ate vice-principal communications. "It is not credible and not appreciated."

Robinson said she found it unfortunate that the magazine is using McGill's name.

"We are known for very high-quality students, professors and research," she said.

"This is the first time that we have ever been ranked in something like this."

Theresa Hennessey, publicity manager at Playboy, said that being featured as a top10 party school does not detract from a uni­ versity's image nor trivialize its academic merits.

"I don't think it tarnishes the university1s image at all," Hennessey said. "We're not saying that it isn't a great place to get an education. [Rather], it is also a great place to have a social college experience."

Hennessey said that Playboy hasn't received any complaints from other schools in the ranking, which also includes University of California at Santa Barbara and Florida State University.

Though McGill may take issue with its appearance on the list, Playboy is not violat­ ing university policy by recruiting local stu­ dents.

"We don't do anything on campus," Hennessey said. "We make it clear that we are not affiliated with the universities."

Students, campus groups ambivalent In all, six McGill students were selected to pose for the magazine. They were pho­

tographed over three days in different set­ tings, the primary location being a loft owned by a McGill professor.

Madison Chi, U2 Anatomy and Cell Biology, posed for the magazine after attending the casting call with her room­ mate. She asked that the Tribune use a pseudonym.

Chi said she was surprised that she had been selected.

'You picture these magazines as featur­ ing only the skinniest girls with the biggest breasts," she said. "But then my roommate called from her photo shoot and said they wanted me to come in and pose."

Though Chi felt slightly awkward "get­ ting into it," her overall impressions of the experience were positive.

"It was really laidback and relaxed," Chi said of the shoot. "They looked us in the eye while talking [to us], even though we were in lingerie."

The reaction of campus groups was subdued. Liberated Bodies, a club that pro­ motes healthy body image, did not applaud or condone the recent recruitment.

"We do not want to dictate what others should find liberating or oppressive," the club said in a statement. "We also respect the decisions of the women who chose what was right for themselves when posing for Playboy'.'

The "Girls of the Top 10 Party Schools" issue of Playboy hits newsstands on April 7.

It's not too late to bare all for Playboy. Check out www.playboy.com/on-campus/

collegeca stings

P R E V I E W

Cabinet minister at McGill L ib e r a l

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C o n s e r v a t iv e

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V IN N CI TSUI The Leacock building will be buzzing with political activity today, as both the Liberal and Conservative candi­ dates for the W estm ount-Ville-M arie riding-w hich includes the McGill campus and surrounding neighbour­ hoods—are scheduled to hold open question-and-answer sessions with students, faculty and other interested mem­ bers of the community.

At 5 p.m., Liberal incumbent Lucienne Robillard, min­ ister of intergovernmental affairs and president of the Queen's Privy Council, will hold a "pre-budgetary consul­ tation" in Leacock 232 . This event, hosted by the W estm ount-Ville-Marie Liberal Youth, is the first ministe­ rial consultation ever held at McGill.

The meeting will be conducted in a "town hall" for­ mat in which students may ask questions, raise issues and propose policy ideas.

"We would like to promote a dialogue rather than just have questions," said Nick Peters, youth vice-presi­ dent of the W estm ount-Ville-Marie Liberal Association and the main organizer of the event. "We're lucky with this situation because we have a senior Liberal cabinet minis­ ter who will actually be able to implement changes based on students' ideas. What the students say will not fall on deaf ears."

Liberal McGill President Olivier Jarvis Lavoie was equally enthusiastic.

"Minister Robillard is very knowledgeable," Lavoie said. "As minister of intergovernmental affairs, she works with both the federal and provincial levels of government and is regarded very highly—she is constantly seen by the prime minister's side. The issues raised at the meeting will be part of changes in the government, or at the very least brought up verbally to the Cabinet."

Just down the hall from Robillard, in Leacock 210 , Conservative McGill has invited her opponent, Brian Mitchell, to hold a question-and-answer session at 6 p.m.

3

COURTESY GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

See this minister up close on Wednesday afternoon.

Daniel King, president of Conservative McGill, expects a small, informal event where students will have a chance to ask questions of Mitchell, a bilingual corporate lawyer, and learn about his role in the party and in politics.

Representatives from both Liberal M cGill and Conservative McGill said they would be too busy at their own events to attend the opposing candidates' sessions.

"We're happy to see young people being involved in politics, and it's good to have a variety of these types of events on campus. But it is unfortunate that they had to be scheduled on the same night," said Lavoie.

Representatives from NDP McGill could not be reached for comment. ■ »

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news | 12.10.05 |the mcgill tribune

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M assive d o w n to w n m a rch c a tc h e s stu d e n ts u n a w a re s

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TH E

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F IR S T Y E A R C O M M IT T E E O F

C O U N C I L ( F Y C C ) IS

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L O O K IN G

FO R

President VP Academic VP Communications VP Finance VP External VP Internal

Pick up a nomination kit starting Wednesday, October 5th in the Elections McGill office, Shatner 405, or visit us online at

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M c G ill

The downtown area was engulfed in a sea of umbrellas last Tuesday. Centraide's March of 1,000 Umbrellas, which began at the corner of McGill Collège and Ste. Catherine and finished at Complexe Desjardins, kicked off the organization's Campaign 2 0 0 5 , which has set this year's fundraising goal at an ambi­ tious $48 -million. "[The march] is really a symbol," said Marine Groulx, public relations coordinator for Centraide. "This event shows our solidarity [with] those who are troubled with exclusion and poverty in the greater Montreal area."

Founded in 1966 , Centraide is a charitable organization that embarks on a m assive annual fundraising campaign stretching from October to December. The money raised is then distributed to agencies and projects around the city.

The umbrella motif is particular­ ly apt, as Centraide oversees 340 sm aller organizations that aim to im prove com m unities by ending social exclusion, reducing poverty and enabling people to help them­ selves. Each sm aller organization has a different focus, be it helping youth on the street or incorporating immi­

Committee was joined by student Centraide volunteers and by thou­ sands of other walkers Tuesday, including participants from UQÀM, Concordia and Université de Montréal.

Arts was excited by the turnout for the march. With representatives from various staff unions and stu­ dents groups present, the McGill con­ tingent was roughly 65 members strong.

Despite the encouraging turnout, awareness of the event was low across campus. Few students had heard of the march, and many were baffled by the balloons, music and sea of umbrellas.

"I really don't know what this is, actually," said Kelly Walsh, U2 Psychology. "Does it have anything to do with fitness?'

Walsh said the event was not well publicized at McGill, a sentiment seconded by Arts.

"I would like to see the different vehicles at M cGill supporting Centraide through the promotion of learning. If people could see the dif­ ferent agencies and what they do, they would be more inclined to give," said Arts, adding that she hopes this year will be a "learning experience" for McGill.

Centraide is the only charity offi­

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Kermit & Grover lookalikes led the way in the March of 1,000 Umbrellas. grants into the community.

Supporters said that donating-to Centraide is a better way to help those in need than giving to individ­ ual charities.

"A couple of years ago, there were so many organizations with their hands out/' said Janet Arts, chair of the McGill Centraide Committee.

"Centraide is rigorous in the way they determine which causes are worthy.

It's the best way of helping."

The M cGill Centraide Committee is a university-sponsored group charged with raising funds for the organization. Last year, the Committee raised $292,571 for the charity. Its official goal for 2005 is $2 8 0 ,0 0 0 , but Arts expects to exceed it.

"We always like to surpass the previous year's amount, and we can do it," she said.

The M cGill Centraide

cially supported by the university.

Full-time employees can opt to have a small sum deducted from each paycheque and donated to the organization. Workplace donations comprised 56 per cent of Centraide's revenue last year.

Groulx stressed that regardless of an individual's financial situation, it is important to give back to the com­ munity.

"Whether you're a lawyer work­ ing for a firm, or a student, or work­ ing for the government, we try to get som ething from everybody," she said.

But Arts emphasized that open­ ing your wallet is not the only way to contribute.

"Even if you can't donate with money, you certainly can with time and effort," she said. "The students are the future; we know the future's in great hands when we see students participating." ■

the mcgill tribune | 12.10.05 | news

N E W S

A N A L Y S I S

First-years, take h eart Adjustment troubles are normal TRA CI JOHNSON

Learning to do laundry, gathering on Lower Field with SSMU mug in hand and attending a 600-person lecture are all rites of passage repeated each autumn by McGill's firstyear students. There is something special about that first year of university. Unfortunately, the university transition can also be awkward and frustrating,.

"First-years are out of their element first semester," said James Guthrie, residence life supervisor and a former floor fellow. 'There's all this social anxiety, small talk, and you're very tense, but there's also this great energy that first-years have because everything is so new."

Whether they hail from Bahrain or the United States, Vancouver or Montreal, first-years at McGill face a host of similar social and academic pressures. University life has never seemed more stressful than it does today.

Dr. Norman Hoffman, director of Mental Health Services, has witnessed the consequences of university stresses. According to him, demand for counselling at McGill has more than doubled over the past four years.

"We treated 1,920 students last year," he said.

"Problems with anxiety and depression have shown the most increase."

Hoffman noted that first-years tend to stress most over their marks.

Th e re appears to be higher anxiety with achievement in first-year students," he said. "Mark inflation in high school has led students to have unrealistic expectations of their univer­ sity performance."

Wendy Brett, assistant in the First-Year Office, said she also encounters students with unrealistic mark expectations.

"Students come to university, and suddenly their marks are not quite as high as they thought," she said. "We have to say to them, 'You know, you got a 95 per cent in high school, but if you get a 75 per cent at McGill, you're doing really well.'"

According to Brett, however, the biggest challenge stu­ dents face is not academic.

"I would say the biggest challenge for first-years is inte­ gration-balancing study and social life and adjusting to Montreal," she said.

New students often mention the social aspect as one of their biggest worries upon arriving at McGill.

"I was just worried about making friends," admitted Sandra Hourani, UO Arts.

New Residence Hall floor fellow Alysse Rich, U3 English, said the most common questions she gets are about cam­ pus directions or, more often, which bar offers Tuesday-night specials. The second most common problem is roommate issues, and the third is to do with adjusting to university life.

'The most common adjustment problems are things like loneliness and kids saying 'I'm not making friends,’" Rich said.

Frosh: alcohol fermenting friendship?

On a practical level, learning how to balance socializing and studying is an art that improves with each year. The goal for many students-and the h o p e -is that the friends made in university will be the friends they keep in touch with for the rest of their lives. At the very least, the different people undergrads encounter at McGill introduce them to a variety of perspectives and can add an important element to their education. But in an institution with 19,000 undergraduates, how does a first-years make friends?

In keeping with McGill tradition, most first-years start the process during Frosh week. C>f course, as many students will attest, it's difficult to make your lifelong friends at Frosh if you can't remember their names the next morning.

Science Frosh leader Ashley Fallo, U3 Physiology, said her frosh group, expressed similar mixed reactions to the tra­ ditional nighttime pub crawls and beer tents on Lower Field.

"A lot of my kids have a really awesome time. They keep in touch with each other and still ask me about classes and which bars to go to," she said. "Others come for the opening ceremonies, and we never see them again."

Frosh may enjoy an almost mythical status in the m em ­ ories of some older McGill students, but a number of firstyears said that it didn't help them with making friends.

"I expected to click with someone immediately, and I did, but not in the first week and not at Frosh," said Rebecca Lockwood, UO Arts. "I was thinking I did something wrong."

Reflecting on what she has seen both as a Frosh partic­ ipant and a floor fellow, Rich said that Frosh has a place at McGill, but she cautioned against placing too much empha­ sis on it.

T h e SSMU and faculty Froshes aren't for everybody," she said. "Some have a blast and some don't. As long as there's not an atmosphere that Frosh is what McGill is all about, it's fine."

Sticking it out The first semester of university may be tumultuous, but first-years are hardly running back home in droves. Janice Johnson, director of Off-Campus Housing, reports that so far this year, only seven students have left Residence.

"Every year we get 10 or 12 students leaving Rez in the first two months, roughly up to midterms," she said. "A cou­ ple leave Rez to get their own apartment, and the rest with­ draw from McGill completely."

To help with the adjustment process, Guthrie suggests students become involved on campus with something they're passionate about. At the same time, he cautions against refusing to take risks. "[Don't] come to university with your high-school friends," Guthrie said. "You don't branch out, you don't get to know as many people, and you don't take the time to expe­ rience the diversity that's here."

Rich recommends a laid-back approach.

"I think the best thing the first-years can do to adjust is to just relax about adjusting. There's so much pressure about adjusting and Frosh and, 'Oh, you'll make all your friends at Frosh,' and some kids don't." ■

Are you totally taken with biomedical research?

C o m p l e t e y o u r g r a d u a t e o r p o s t g r a d u a t e t r a in in g in a s t im u la t in g m u lt id is c ip lin a r y r e s e a r c h e n v i r o n m e n t I R C M , a n e x p a n d i n g a n d h ig h ly c o m p e t it iv e r e s e a r c h c e n t r e , o f f e r s q u a lit y t r a in in g w it h a c c e s s to s t a t e o f t h e a rt in f r a s t r u c tu r e . O u r s c ie n t is t s h a v e a c h i e v e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e c o g n i t i o n in m a n y a r e a s o f b i o m e d i c a l r e s e a r c h . T h e y w ill h e l p p r e p a r e y o u fo r a to p - n o t c h s c ie n t ific c a re e r.

C o n t a c t u s t o d a y f o r f u r t h e r in f o r m a t io n o n o u r g r a d u a t e a n d p o s t g r a d u a t e p r o g r a m s . W e a ls o o ff e r a r a n g e o f s c h o la r s h ip s a n d s a la r y s u p p o r t.

www.ircm.qc.ca admission@ircm.qc.ca (514) 987-5527 V _ _________________________________________________________________ _______

£i r c m Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal

Trainingand Researcli

5

opinion

W h ip

G u e st S o a p

ABHIJIT GHOSH

It

Cigarette companies should pay (but not in Camel Cash)

cannot be disputed that tobacco companies like Benson & Hedges and Philip Morris earn huge profits. Undoubtedly, they are some of the most efficient corporate monoliths the world has ever seen, producing billions of cigarettes or even trillions in man/machine hours.

However, that they are obsessed with this effi­ ciency logic is extremely problematic. In their quest for delivering more nicotine per cigarette, they for­ get how they make their profits. They forget that their quest for efficiency cannot defend their legit­ imacy. In the ultimate analysis, these companies inflict cancer (and other diseases) upon society. So the trade-off is cancer for profits! If this is not prob­ lematic, what is?

This logic of efficiency leads corporations to blind themselves to the societal implications of their operations. My sense is, this is also why some leading management gurus (including our own Henry Mintzberg) have made no bones about declaring why they hate the word "efficiency' so often used by economists. Economists, no matter how rational, often forget the cost of being effi­ cient. Therefore, there are two strong reasons for society to demand a share of health-care costs from tobacco companies.

The first, as I have already touched on, is that they give back "death" to society so that they might earn "spectacular profits." As a result, it is only right that society demand that th e tobacco companies make good through cash contributions to health care. This is not to say any amount of cash contri­ bution is sufficient to account for a life lost, but it can certainly help pay for treatment.

Secondly, we know human beings are more emotional than rational. Even economists, for that matter, are extremely emotional about efficiency even though they are known to be rational other­ wise. By way of example, I can't think of a good reason why Adam would fall to the temptation of

the apple when he knew the consequences— peo­ ple do things based on their gut, not their head.

It's the same with smoking— people know what ills will befall them, but they engage nonethe­ less. The rest of us have been bearing the cost of human emotion through increased tax dollars for a long time now, so it's time to make tobacco com­ panies step up, as— like the snake that tempted Eve— they are the ones that tempt human beings to smoke. To further the metaphor, the snake was doomed to crawl on its belly for life; so, too, should the tobacco companies be held accountable for the ill they have visited upon us.

Governments tax companies that they recog­ nize as legitimate. They do not tax drug lords, extortionists or al-Qaeda. That they heavily tax cig­ arette companies should come as no solace to society; taxing them merely makes them a valued part of the corporate machinery, which is problem­ atic.

To my mind, the best solution is to get rid of tobacco companies once and for all. Imagine the number of lives that might be saved— if it keeps millions alive, we will certainly not lament some missing tax revenue. One way of going about this is for those with serious smoke-related ailments to file huge lawsuits against these companies, as has been going on in the US. While this hasn't sent the tobacco companies out of business yet, billion-dollar American judg­ ments against them have certainly put a dent in the Marlboro Man's bottom line. Even though we're products of a less litigious culture, it's time for Canadians to do the same thing. In fact, we can even take things further: Canadians should engage in advocacy against tobacco companies and bleed them dry. ■

Abhijit Ghosh is a Doctoral Student o f Strategy & Organization in the Faculty o f Management.

It

BRANDON CHUDLEIGH

P

eople who don't live in Montreal often have one of a few initial impressions of the city. Poutine looks like ass, but tastes surprisingly good. The weather sucks. The men are sleazy, the girls are hot. As a transplant­ ed Torontonian, I am familiar with these sentiments. Phone calls in first year to friends at schools that required less of a cultural adjustment (cough, Western, cough) fell into a consistent pattern.

"Poutine is fries with curds and gravy. Yes, really. No, we don't have eight feet of snow yet. The girls here are hot. No, not just the ones at SuperSexe."

It's not that Montreal is misunder­ stood. All of the stereotypes I have heard about this town— even the hilari­ ously insensitive ones— have some validity. Everyone does smoke/ride a bike/drink too much/talk funny/have more sex than the rest of the country.

A lot of city workers really are that lazy and every driver has been freshly lobotomized.

There's nothing wrong with some typecasting. People tend to overesti­ mate, however, the benefits of living in a town where beautiful women are available in bulk. For all the taunts I endure from friends at boonie schools with no cultural identity— ahem, Q ueen's— about coexisting with Frenchies, I do get credit for the sup­ posed quality of local women.

Nofbnly does Montreal have great looking women, but there are plenty of them, they say. Throw in the city's thriv­ ing gay community, and there are two girls for every guy on and around cam­ pus. I have my pick of the litter, or so I'm told by my green-eyed buddies.

The drawback is that these girls are all total bitches.

These girls have guys fawning over them all the time and hear from every­ one how attractive they are, so their inherent hotness has been ingrained

I’m starting to reconsider ugly women into their consciousnesses. They too have heard one too many times how women of the M TL are the shit, and their egos act accordingly. Having a per­ sonality becomes optional— attractive people don't actually need one to get things done. Though these women are perfect for masturbatory fantasies, hav­ ing a conversation with one is like tweezing out nose hairs.

While those stuck in the depths of decidedly-less-sexy academic environ­ ments are envious, I'm torn between perpetuating their jealousy through lies and ruining the fantasy. It does seem ideal to live surrounded by cheese­ cakes, and I'm not complaining about having something to ogle while the Wagner is blasting in Art of Listening.

But the enjoyment is short lived.

For those of us enticed into the hot girls' web, the reality isn't all blow jobs and candy. Instead, it's suffering through . hours of thong shopping (less fun than it sounds), catty commentary on other hot girls, and the ubiquitous "Am I fat?" internal dialogue posed as a rhetorical question. The moral of the story is good-looking chicks are fine for one-night stands, but not worth talking to the next morning (or at any point after that).

Very little is said about Montreal men. In many cases, I suspect that women would rather get with other women than succumb to the shower­ less charms of a slimy local guy. While I obviously don't fall into that category, it's impossible to exempt myself from these conceited co-eds' own stereo­ types of La Belle Ville's hommes, so I often find women overlook me without giving me a chance. When this hap­ pens, there's not even any benefit to having all these girls around.

There is no need for non-Montreal undergrads to be resentful; living among a bevy of beauties ain't all it's cracked up to be. ■

F u n a m b u lis m

Small things amuse... your mom!

CRISTINA MARKHAM

T

uesday.morning, 10 a.m. I am sitting in my Introduction to Old English class, fighting to stay awake and forcing down cheap coffee. We're discussing compound words when a question comes from a girl at the back of the class.

"Professor," she says, "I have a question about the 'dom' suffix. Is the 'dom' in Christendom the same as the 'dom' in kingdom or wisdom? Does it always mean the same thing?"

Without missing a beat, the guy in front of her slowly turns around and says wryly, 'That was a 'dom' question." The entire class— professor included— erupts in a fit of giggles. Unfortun­ ately, while everyone else is constrainedly tittering, I am face­ down on the desk, pounding m y fists and fighting for air, trying desperately to regain m y composure. Puns may be deplored as the lowest form of humour, but that won't stop me from laughing like a 12-year-old boy in sex-ed class.

My grade eight English teacher abhorred any kind of pun, along with ail other types of childish humour. Whenever he

caught his students laughing at a particularly juvenile joke, he would scowl and remind us that "small things amuse small minds." Being the obstinate 13-year-olds we were, we would roll our eyes and keep laughing. But over the years, I've noticed that it is m y most intelligent friends who laugh the hardest at the jokes I've stolen from m y eight-year-old nieces.

Is there something about stupid, no-brainer humour that just appeals to intelligent people? Chaucer and Shakespeare, two of the most revered figures in English literature, both have the sense of humour of a pre-pubescent boy. Shakespeare may be credited with "inventing the human" and describing love more truthfully than any other poet, but there are proba­ bly more penis jokes in Rom eo and Ju liet than in all six sea­ sons of Sex and the City. Meanwhile, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales may have survived over 600 years, but that doesn't change the fact that it gets its laughs from fart jokes and bath­ room humour.

In one particularly revealing tale, a man asks the woman he loves to put her face through the window so that he can steal a kiss from her. Instead, she hikes up her skirt and shovès her bum in his face, whereupon he kisses her and exclaims, "I didn't know you had a beard!" If this is the kind of material that's needed to become an immortal figure of literature, I'm well on m y way to becoming the next Mary Shelley.

Now either m y teacher's epigram is entirely incorrect, or McGill seriously needs to review its admissions policy; the minds of my friends who enjoy these jokes are anything but small. In fact, the funniest stupid joke I've heard in years came from one of the smartest people I know: m y straight-A, English Honours, Golden-Key-Society friend, who walked up to me the other day with an excited look on her face.

"Cristina," she said, "what's green and invisible?' I thought about it briefly, then told her that I had no idea. She held up her empty hand in front of me and said, "This cabbage." ■

The

the mcgill tribune | 12.10.05 | opinion

7

M c G ill E D I T O R I A L

T r ib u n e It’s time for Canada to adopt a new attitude

Curiosity delivers.

E ditor -in -C hief L iz Allemang editor@mcgilltribune.com

"How sim ple a thing it seem s to me that to know ourselves as we are, we must know our m others' names." —Alice Walker

M an agin g E ditors J ennifer Jett A n d rew Segal seniored@mcgilltribune.com

U

niversity is seen by many as a time not only for higher education, but also for self-dis­ covery. For some students, however, this means something far more fundamental than simply experimenting with values and working out beliefs. It can mean literally finding out who they are.

At the m om ent, most Canadians and Americans who were adopted in a closed proce­ dure are not legally allowed access to any infor­ mation about their birthparents, except for first names. However, many of those who were adopted reach a point where that is not enough.

Instead, adoptees want to know more about the people whose genes shaped them, and have a fascination with the lives of those who gave them

P roduction M anager L ara Bekhazi production@mcgilltribune.com N ews E ditors Robert Church Jam es G otow iec Niall Mackay Roberts news@mcgilltribune.com Features E ditors ,

Genevieve Jenkins Lise Treutler

features@mcgilltribune.com

up.

Finding this information, though, is no easy feat. It requires time, money, patience and, most importantly, an adoptee usually needs the proac­ tive cooperation of the person being searched out. For these reasons, many people don't start a search until well into adulthood, and the search can often be fruitless.

But this may soon change, as a number of provinces have decided to open their adoption records over the past few years. This policy shift allows adult adoptees over the age of 18 to access names, addresses and places of birth as stated in the files, while birthparents may find out their children's whereabouts six months after the child's 18th birthday. Either party can place a "no­ contact" declaration at any time, legally barring the other from attempting to make contact, even if they get the information.

In Ontario, a slightly more contentious move is under discussion. Bill 183, the Adoption

A& E E ditors Ben Lemieux Melissa Price arts@mcgilltribune.com S ports E ditors David Blye Adam Myers sports@mcgilltribune.com P hoto E ditors L ukas Bergmark Vladimir Eremin photo@mcgilltribune.com C o py E ditor Traci Johnson copy@mcgilltribune.com

Information Disclosure Act, follows the same gen­ eral principles invoked by the other provinces in opening records— but, if passed, would be retroactive, meaning that people adopted decades ago would have complete access to information as well.

The controversy arises because some feel that the bill violates the privacy of birthmothers, who entered into the adoption assured that their identities would be hidden. This is a particular issue for the earlier adoptions, when unplanned pregnancy was far more stigmatized and birthpar­ ents were often promised confidentiality.

Likewise, a similar piece of legislation was in the works in Quebec in 1999, but was pulled by the Parti Québécois government because of pressure from groups concerned with the same issues fac­ ing Ontario. Quebec is currently "watching" Ontario to see how things go.

Let's hope Ontario passes the bill. The most populous province's decision would have ripples across the country, thereby ensuring that almost all adopted Canadians have the right to know who they are. Despite the fact that most adoptees unquestionably consider their adoptive parents to be their "real" ones, that's not enough to help them feel secure in their identity. To have adoption records sealed and hidden away like a dirty secret in government vaults actually with­ holds information that can colour adoptees' self­ conception.

There are also concrete, practical reasons for disclosure: finding out family history of physical or mental illness, for example, instead of having to leave ail the forms blank at the doctor's office.

Also, discovering First Nations roots would be valuable-in fact, one could make the case that

the government is depriving its constituents of potential benefits by keeping records sealed.

Moreover, we're no longer in the age of schools for wayward girls. Although still not desir­ able, unplanned pregnancy isn't such a life-shat­ tering secret anymore. It happens. Adoptions happen, and people keep going to school, living at home and working. And just maybe, now that birthparents don't have to self-induce amnesia, they might want to see what happens to that kid 20 years down the road.

Of course, there's a chance of unpleasant surprises, such as an adoptee finding out his or her birthmother was raped. But if adopted chil­ dren don't want to deal with that possibility, there's no one forcing them to look up the name; it would be nice for those who are interested to have the option.

Furthermore, any parents worried about the past coming back to haunt them can immediate­ ly make a no-contact declaration— if Bill 183 pass­ es, the fine for violation of the declaration will be $50,000. The harm caused by a person who will ‘never contact you knowing about your past unplanned pregnancy is exceedingly minimal.

That being the case, where's the controversy?

The downsides to passing this law are easily minimized by the fact that either party can effec­ tively order the other to leave them alone, forev­ er. The upsides include a long-missing piece of the puzzle for people who have always wondered where they got their basketball skills.

Really, though, it's about the fact that adoptees don't want to bother anyone— they just want to figure out who they are. We should let them; they're already confused enough. ■

D esign E ditors T iffany Choy

O F F

Spenser Sproul

THE

B O A R D

design@mcgilltribune.com

This sucks. I quit!’ ... and I feel fine

O n lin e E ditor M arco A vo lio online@mcgilltribune.com A dvertising M anager Paul Slachta advmgr@ssmu.mcgill.ca

LISE TREUTLER

v;

you've had how many jobs?"

Whenever I describe my latest position in the chaos ensues. One friend will I workforce, v remember me as a hostess; another will ask how my negotiations with McGill Printing Services are going. The inevitable query comes only after I reveal my latest job. But while my interrogators' eyes are perpetually wide and their voices rather shrill with shock, I smile and answer without shame: "In less than two years, I've had five jobs."

Actually, that's a lie-today I start the fifth. Am I afraid for my future? Do I lie awake at night and wonder what possible flaw I have that might make me the worst employee ever? No, and I sincerely doubt I ever will.

In my first year, I was offered a lucrative, seemingly perfect job on campus. "Perfect" turned out to be nothing but lies, as only after I got the job was I asked for a work-study authorization form.

Being a slightly clueless freshman, I naively assumed this was simply procedure for on-campus jobs. Not true: authorization forms are only for those accepted to work study.

In a desperate attempt to resolve the situa­ tion, I applied to the program and was promptly

P ublish er C had Ronalds

C ontributors M ohit A rora, Louis Bernard, Leila Brillson, David Brodkey, Crystal Chan, Brandon Chudleigh, Jenna C ook, Rebecca Cramer, Xiang G u , Emily Harris, Vicki Lam, Catherine Lemery, Evan Malach, Cristina Markham, Chris M acLean, Daniel M cQ uillan, Rachel M elnik, Marit Mitchell, Kathleen M urphy, Sid Pharasi, Julia Pyper, Joanna Reznik, Matthew Rosenberg, A aro n Sigal, Billy Taylor,Vincci Tsui T ribu n e O ffices Editorial. Shatner University Centre, Suite 110, 3480 McTavish, Montreal Q C Tel: 514.398.6789 Fax. 514.398.1750 E-mail: info@mcgilltribune.com Advertising. Brown Student Building, Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish, Montreal Q C H3A

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turned down. Angry at the deception— not once had work study even been mentioned during the application process-l carefully composed a respectful but stern letter outlining the depart­ ment's mistake and asking them to seriously con­ sider keeping me. I never heard back.

If my disgust from that experience taught me anything, it is to never take crap from anyone, especially not an employer. For despite the appear­ ance of a less-than-stellar employment record, only once did I get fired from a job. Every other time, I quit happily. One such action, prompted by my boss' utter bitchiness when I called in a panic to cancel a shift due to a visiting friend's rush to the emergency room, resulted in annoyed grief from those around me: "Why can't you stick with a job?”

Sorry, but that attitude doesn't work for me.

No job should ever take precedence over dire situ­ ations involving family and friends. I got time off without question to be my father's witness at his wedding— I'd like to think a friend in the ICU also merits a short leave.

We may be "mere students," as some employers clearly think, but we should never put up with poor treatment. We are not beasts of bur­

den. If you don't enjoy your work, then give your two weeks' notice— there are more opportunities out there than you'll ever know.

On the brink of my new job, I think back to the initial interview, when my then-prospective boss described the work environment to me: "I make sure that every member of the team is a good per­ son who will get along well with everyone else." At that moment, fed up with the control freaks and highly-suspicious speed freaks I'd been dealing with, I was thrilled to hear his words. Now, I'm thrilled to look back and realize he thought I was good enough for the team.

Though I plan to stick with my new job for some time, somewhere down the road I'll be on the job hunt again. And when that happens, I plan to attach a disclaimer to my CV: "Hire me, and you'll get a dedicated worker. Know that you can count on me for a smile or to cheer you up with the story of my latest misadventure in death-defi­ ance. Most importantly, know that if you're a boss who's firm but approachable and open to new ideas, then I'm your girl. But if you want a Yes Girl to do your dirty work, cry me a river as I sashay far, far away." ■

I

The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Students' Society of McGill University, in collaboration with the Tribune Publication Society. All letters must include contributor's name, program and year, and contact information. Submissions may be sent by e-mail to letters@mcgilltribune.com. Any material judged by the Tribune Publication Society t0 ,be. !b or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. For general inquiries, please e-mail mfo@mcgilltribune.com. Please recycle this newspaper.

8

opinion | 12.10.05 | the mcgill tribune G u e st S o a p

Letters "The Case of the Missing Sidewalk Chalk"

...and Leigh responds (to a different complaint)

This is in regards to the letter that you print­ ed entitled "Sidewalk chalk: apparently not beau­ tiful enough," ( 4 . 10.05 ) which detailed how a Faculty of Education sidewalk chalk project was removed by the university.

The orders to remove that project as well as many others that have appeared on the asphalt­ ed areas of McGill come directly from the Executive Director of Facilities Management, Mr. Réal Tessier. This is the same Mr. Tessier who was responsible for placing an em ployee's desk between two boilers at the power house in February of 2 0 0 4 , as was reported in the M cC ill In the past, Mr. Tessier has also gone so far as to order facilities employees to remove all of the Hém a-Québec blood donor clinic signs because they were "defacing McGill property." I believe that it is important to place the blame squarely where it belongs.

—N am e w ith h eld on re q u e st

Philip finds fault...

While I appreciate that Leigh Aslateei's main point in his article "The Great Kyoto Hoax" ( 4 . 10.05 ) is that the Kyoto protocol may not be the best way to reduce pollution, I think it is absurd that he claims, as do most right-wing extremists, that global warming is not occurring.

Arguing that global warming is not happen­ ing is like arguing that intelligent design is a sci­ entifically valid theory (see Jonathan Klein's opin­ ion on that one). And unless Leigh has been liv­ ing in a hole, and didn't hear about the tsunami that killed more than 100,000 people (not to mention Hurricane Katrina), his claim that there is nothing to fear from global warming is about as sensitive as a doorknob. Perhaps, in his future journalistic ventures, he should look into finding a valid source and not rely on the meteorological genius that is Michael Crichton.

—,P hilip P a u lsso n , U 3 E co n o m ics

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irst, I'd like to point out that I total­ ly agree with Leigh Aslateei's argu­ ment in last week's column that Canadian fam ilies need to be protected from the backlash of the implementa­ tion of the Kyoto protocol. It is also evi­ dent that developing countries, particu­ larly China and India, as well as the US and Australia, shouldn't be exempted from the effort of reducing greenhouse gases em issions. But that's where my agreement with Aslateei ends.

On the question of the reduction in global temperatures between 1940 and 1970 despite increases in carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmos­ phere, it is necessary to acknowledge that natural cycles of solar radiation and sulphate aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere also have a role to play.

Aerosols act as cooling agents on the climate, and their em issions saw a very sharp increase in the 1940-1970 peri­ od, before stabilizing and decreasing in the 1990 s. So although the tempera­ ture went down, it doesn't mean that our environm ent wasn't harmed.

On the question of econom ic problems resulting from the enforce­ ment of the Kyoto protocol, Aslateei is not totally wrong. But he ignores the fact that environmental-protection laws will certainly stimulate a great deal of research and development, increase jobs in the environmental sectors and necessitate investment in everything from energy-efficiency m easures to public transportation that will certainly have positive econom ic impacts. And I personally believe that we shouldn't

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Send us letters, or else. Or else what? Or else this space will be empty. And that makes baby Jesus cry. Letters@mcgilltribune.com.

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E X C U R S IO

PHILOME LA FRANCE

Corey Shefm an's letter ("Umm... point, meet Corey. Corey, point," 9 .27 .05 ) in response to my article ("Governor General: sympathy for le diable," 9 .2 0 .05 ) is chock full of incoherent argu­ ments, none of which are even relevant to the points that I made. Corey called my piece "bla­ tantly one-sided and disgustingly partisan."

Forgive me, Corey, but I write for the Opinion section, not News.

Corey, my criticism of Jean's appointment, shared by many Canadians, lies in the irrefutable fact that she toasted Quebec separation with for­ m er FLQ terrorists in La m a n ière n è g re . There's also that little trifle that her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, partnered on an FLQ-happy film docu­ mentary with a man convicted of murdering Pierre Laporte. Not up to par for you? What about His Excellency Lafond's unequivocally clear writ­ ing that he applauds Quebec independence?

Further, you praise the prime minister's advi­ sors for their wise choice in selecting Jean. Corey, there were no advisors, nor was there a back­ ground check of the nominee. Martin's assistant, Helene Scherrer, told a journalist that she thought the PM was joking when he single-hand­ edly chose Jean for the post after watching her on a Radio-Canada broadcast. Martin was out of character: He didn't dither at all with his choice, and that's why he had no time to find out about Jean's soirees with terrorists.

Unfortunately, Corey, your rebuttal contains no actual references to the facts of my case—just some hollow and libelous suggestions that I dis­ like French minorities and prefer white, Albertan males in Canada's vice-regal office. Better luck next time.

—Leig h A sla te e i, U 1 P h ilo so p h y McGill Tribune o p in ion co lu m n ist

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assess a country's health by merely quantitative measures, but also qualita­ tive ones: quality of life, quality of envi­ ronment, quality of health and so on.

On energy, Aslateei is totally absurd. Natural gas and oil prices will certainly increase, no matter how many protocols are implemented. This is how the law of demand works, remember?

What Kyoto can do, though, is stimulate the developm ent of alternative sources of power. Energy efficiency probably has the greatest potential at the least cost. In 2 0 0 3 , for instance, American experts suggested that implementing energy-efficiency measures in Quebec would be very cheap ( ~ 2 .8 /kW h) and labour-intensive. Furtherm ore, wind power is already competitive and solar energy will soon join the club, thanks to ongoing R&D. By contesting the very basic idea of an anthropogenic climate change, Aslateei shows a great lack of respect for the thousands of scientists from all over the world who work within the UN's Intergovernm ental Panel on Climate Change, and who achieved c o n se n su s on this question. But global warming is a fact that even Bush admit­ ted at the G 8 summit in Scotland, under pressure from his friend Tony Blair. As a good conservative, Aslateei should listen more to the commanderin-chief than to Crichton's works of fic­ tion. ■ P h ilô m e La F ra n c e is a U2 E n v iro n m e n t stu d e n t w h o re a lly k n o w s h e r s h it

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$2,385 (airfare, accommodation and visa included)

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The Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, Yusufov Palace, city tour, St. Isaac’s Cathedral

December 26, 2005 — January 3, 2006 includes one night’s hotel in Paris on return PLEASE NOTE:

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For more information contact: Mr. David Roseman, 514-398-1597 (david.roseman@mcgill.ca) or

P a v lo v s k : P a u l 1 ’s

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Professor Paul Austin, Chair

P e te rh o f: P e t e r ’s

Upon reservation, a deposit of $300 per person will be required, a s well as a photocopy of a valid passport.

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Professor Paul Austin, 514-398-4984 (paul.austin@mcgill.ca) Please also consult the department's website at www.mcgill.ca/russian.

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are selected by local social workers based solely on their need, not on their religion or ethnicity. r~ \o rn Into Brothels, an awardHere at McGill, AIC works to L J winning 2004 documentary, spread awareness. The organiza­ L . X offers a realistic glimpse into tion gives presentations to high the crisis engulfing m illions of school students, organizes events street children in India. Without the and recruits volunteers for its support, security and supervision cause. "We deal with legal issues of responsible fam ily networks, and do a lot of fundraising to make India's street children live in hostile sure that the home has everything conditions where they endure it needs," says Kaminika Mojaria, "We deal with legal issues and do a lot head of AlC's Montreal chapter. of fundraising to make sure that the For Mojaria, home has everything it needs," says the orphanage sit­ Kaminika Mojaria, head of AlC's uation in India strikes a personal Montreal chapter. note. Her experi­ ences in India exploitation, abuse and malnutri­ gave her an opportunity to witness tion. One McGill club is out to give the situation firsthand: "I worked some of these children a better extensively in two Indian orphan­ future. ages," she recounts. "I got to see Ashraya Initiative for Children, how important these institutions started by a group of students at were for the children's survival."

Emory and McGill Universities, is a AlC's mission goes beyond non-profit organization that works merely providing the street chil­ to provide shelter, food and educa­ dren with a place to stay. Mojaria tion for homeless children in India. claims that "the most important Their headquarters, operating in thing for us is to ensure that the Pune, India, opens its doors to 15 children grow up to become indi­ orphans at a time in need of guid­ viduals, that they learn to remove ance. The children in the home themselves as victims and that

RACHEL MELNIK

s t r e e t

c h ild r e n

they grow up to become contribut­ ing members of their society."

Unlike other Indian orphan­ ages, AIC impels its children to learn about their own personal interests. "In addition to getting academic schooling," adds Mojaria, "the children will also have the chance to get involved in various extracurricular activities so that they can have the same opportunities as [Canadians] do."

But what about the millions of street children in India without such opportunities? Mojaria pro­ fesses that "a lot of the criticism that AIC receives revolves around this idea. People often comment that there are 30,000 street chil­ dren in India and we are only help­ ing 15. What difference does it make?" According to Mojaria, soci­ etal change begins on a more indi­ vidual level. "We can't save the whole world, and we're not trying to. We're trying to change the lives of these children so they can go out into the real world and make a difference." ■ If you want to get Involved with Ashraya Initiative for Children, con­ tact them via e-m ail at kaminika@ashrayainitiative.org.

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Chandra Madram ootoo assum ed his position as dean o f the M cG ill Faculty o f Agricultural and Environm ental Scien ces on August 15. Twenty-one years of teaching Bioresource Engineering at M acdonald campus and his role as direc­ tor o f the Brace Centre for Water Resources GENEVIEVE JENKINS M anagem ent provide Madramootoo with an ample A man with a plan (and a green thumb)! background for making excit­ ing changes he hopes to see im plemented in the next five years.

I'd like to see students using both campuses because... to me that is one of the strong points of McGill: it has two campuses with programs that we can't duplicate easily on both. I would like to see our students benefit from the programs downtown; likewise, to bring students in social sciences programs from downtown to participate in the debate on this campus on subjects like biotechnology.

In plans to change the face of Macdonald campus... we're talking about... a new library complex. To me, libraries are absolutely essential-they are the corner­ stones of everything academic in a university... I want our staff and students to be able to say that [they've] gone into the Macdonald Library and [have] had access to information. We need to change our library environment for students who want to access information electronically and also [for] students who are working togeth­ er in groups. We're also talking about improving our student services and our ath­ letic facilities.

One of the biggest problems for Macdonald is that... we are not, I'm ashamed to say, the most user-friendly campus in terms of disabled access. We have very poor disabled facilities on our campus and that's another area where we need to make major improvements.

I became dean because... I was asked by several of my colleagues to con­ sider being the dean. I also thought after listening to them that yes, it was proba­ bly something I should consider at this stage of my career. It seem ed like some­ thing I should try my hand at.

If I were to write a book... I would want to write something about my travels because I've traveled to a lot of places. I've been to some of the most remote envi­ ronments in the world. In Central Asia, I've gone to the Khyber Pass. I've gone to the temples in Bukhara. [T]he book... would be entitled Passages o f Time or some­ thing like that, where I'm able to put into perspective what I've seen. I would love to be able to tell the stories... of seeing people [and] cultures... [and to explain] what those things meant to me.

When I listen to music... I love jazz. I always try to get to some of the Jazz Festival. I love music from different parts of the world. [My CD of the South African group], the Soweto String Quartet is probably my favourite.

In my free time... during the summer, I enjoy my garden. I have a very large vegetable and flower garden, and I love just being able to sit on my deck and enjoy the peace and tranquility. In the winter, [my wife and I] like to get out­ doors for winter sports with our daughter. I also enjoy reading. ■ —Compiled by Genevieve Jenkins For the com plete interview, check out www.mcgilltribune.com.

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Where have all the condoms gone?

here is a reason why terms such as "floorcest," "walk of shame” and "sexile" are so popular among campus coeds, and it's not simply that they're fun to say. Free sexual activity is a reality, and in our eagerly accepting environment of student diversity surrounded by the countless strip clubs, sex toy bou­ tiques and bathhouses of Montreal, almost anything goes.

Men and women have an unprecedented variety of options when it comes to sexual relations today, and choice of contracep­ tion is by no means near the bottom of the list. We may be hardpressed to imagine a world where the only means of birth con­ trol is abstinence, but to properly appreciate the safe options we have today, think back to the 1920 s: condoms, the only existing contraceptives at the time, were legally given only to men—if they came with a doctor's prescription.

Why all the worry over birth control? Many of us have engaged in unprotected male-female intercourse without a single pregnancy scare or in any sexual activity without the unwanted receipt of a sexually-transmitted infection (STI)—if we were safe then, we'll continue to be safe... right? Sexual gamblers aside, we must educate ourselves while we can, to avoid becoming added decimal points in the statistics of sex gone wrong.

T

Early victories from tainted roots Though upsetting to acknowledge, it is a truth seldom known that the fight for legal, accessible birth control began out of Victorian-era North Americans' fear of the poor and working class, . especially those with immigrant status. Poor women were seen as "public health-threatening breeders" (albeit largely due to the unsanitary working conditions that rapidly spread disease), and all visible minorities were singled out as dangerous, reproductively, for fear that they might one day outnumber American- or Canadian-born Caucasians. The racism and dassism that inspired the early contraceptive movement remains, unfortunately, absent from many feminist texts praising the women who built on its roots: M anifesta, published in 2000 by Gen-X feminists Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, dubs early activist Emma Goldman a "pioneer of her free-love movement," but mentions nothing about the goal of abolishing supposedly unwelcome births.

Out of this grew the pro-contraception branch of the firstwave women's movement, led by women like Goldman and Margaret Sanger in the US. Not surprisingly, government reception of these women wasn't positive. Goldman was jailed for speaking publicly about birth control, as was Sanger for her 1915 publica­ tion and distribution of The Woman Rebel, a precursor to the modern activist's "zine," which brought all existing birth control information and encouragement to women. Sanger left prison only to continue her fight and found the first-ever birth control clinic in New York and the American Birth Control Association (later Planned Parenthood).

W ho controls your ovaries?

by TRACI JOHNSON

Second only to the condom in popularity is the oral contraceptive: "the pill." The estrogen- or proges­ terone-based daily pills prevent pregnancy almost 100 per cent of the time when taken at the same time each day (save for during a woman's monthly period, though some brands include seven placebo pills as "reminders"). Unlike its cousin of our parents' generation, today's pill rarely leads to noticeable side effects like nausea or a marked dip in sexual interest, and many young women start taking the pill not for protection against pregnancy, but for other health benefits such as reduced acne or treatment for endometriosis, which can cause fallopian tube scarring and render a woman infertile without help.

There are still dangers associated with its usage; however, the most common cited is the heightened risk of heart disease when a woman taking the pill is a smoker.

Due in part to the Bush administration's limiting access to oral contraceptives in the States, other methods of birth control are rising in popularity. The intrauterine device (IUD), a Y-shaped plastic and copper device inserted by a doctor into a woman's uterus, can last up to five years—how's that for out-of-sight, outof-mind convenience? Be cautious, however, as the IUD can act to increase an infection by spreading the STI to the uterus and fal­ lopian tubes, damaging a woman's fertility.

Another trend we can thank Dubya for is the rising faith in "natural" family planning methods—such as douching after sex, keeping track of your "most fertile" days and the simple withdraw­ al before ejaculation—which, simply put, do not work. No, you won't necessarily get pregnant as soon as you begin using one of these "methods," and your first unprotected partner may be com­ pletely STI-free, but anyone who doesn't plan on raising a child or contracting something perhaps incurable in the next year should ignore natural family planning whenever possible.

The danger of Depo Depo-Provera, a contraceptive in injection form, is also com­ monly used. Its popularity, however, might be viewed as danger­ ous, given recent announcements about its ill effects. On June 30 , both Health Canada and Pfizer Inc., the company that manufac­ tures Depo-Provera, issued an alarming warning to doctors and the public: Their product, once praised for its endometriosis treat­ ment value, "may cause significant bone density loss" that likely will not return even after stopping the injections. Even scarier is the fact that Canadians didn't receive this advisory until seven months after the US Food and Drug Administration slapped Depo-Provera with a "black box warning," its most serious label, named after the thick outline printed around warnings on product labels. Pfizer now advises all doctors to prescribe Depo-Provera injections for the shortest time possible, and only when all other contraceptives are "unsuitable."

Given all the choice, when would that ever be the case?

orth of the border, and a safe distance from the red states, women in Canada retain the ability to make their own reproductive health deci­ sions. They are aided by the availability of over-the-counter emergency contraceptives, pharmacists who actually fill birth control prescriptions and access to late-term abortions to protect their health.

Flowever, women who plan to travel, attend grad school or return home to the US after graduation should prepare to cede control of their reproduc­ tive rights to the federal government. President Bush and his right-wing advi­ sors, with the help of a Republican-controlled Congress, have proved remark­ ably adept at limiting a woman's access to birth control and undermining the validity of Roe vs. Wade. Symbolically, in his first federal budget, Bush slashed coverage of birth control in the health plans of federal employees.

Publicly, Bush himself has said little on the subjects of birth control or Roe vs. Wade, but his executive appointments belie his position. Planned Parenthood reports that he tapped abstinence-only and pro-life advisors for key positions in government health organizations, including the Committee

N

Women, wield your power!

In the early years of the 20 th century, men controlled contra­ ceptives. Now, heterosexual women are continuously reminded to stay on the ball with birth control because their partners w on't Perhaps birth control is seen as the woman's responsibility since it was women who started the fight for common distribution.

Perhaps the fact that most contraceptives are only physically used by women—save for our everlasting rubber friend and its younger cousin, the female condom, which often "rustles" noisily against the penis during intercourse according to Cosm opolitan—makes it acceptable to take women's memory for granted Or maybe, just maybe, the answer lies deep in the ongoing patriarchy versus feminism debate. Regardless of why women are given the rulebook, the most important message is to read it, learn it, love it, and above all, use it.

Living in Canada, we're lucky because we can use our con­ traceptive knowledge any way we see fit. Emergency contracep­ tion is readily available without a prescription, and is as safe to use as the daily pill (thanks to Plan B's lack of a nausea-inducing fac­ tor). Parental permission is not required for contraceptive prescrip­ tions, and here in Quebec, this past April saw the welcoming of birth control into high schools—school nurses can now give pre­ scriptions to students, and most laud the change. As Dr. Yves Lamontange, president of the Quebec Order of Physicians, told The Globe and M ail soon after the ruling, "This is a strategy to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. It's a practical solu­ tion to a real problem." Considering that the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada quotes 14 as the age when a young woman should be given oral contraceptives—sans parental consultation—we can only hope other provinces follow.

So why is it so important to keep up to date on birth control options? Considering that the average male ejaculation contains 80 million sperm cells, every act of vaginal intercourse leaves many doors for the eager little swimmers to open. Most impor­ tantly, many argue, is the risk of STIs. The traditional condom remains the only contraceptive to protect against infection, but even then not all STIs are barred from being transmitted. New dis­ eases and infections are being discovered the world over; it's unlikely that the risk will taper off. Awareness is our best weapon against having sex turn into a disaster, rather than the desirable, pleasure-filled experience it should be. ■

on HIV and STI Prevention (what's a condom, again?), the US family plan­ ning program, and the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA demonstrated the impact of the Bush administration and its appointees on women's health when it rejected a proposal to make emer­ gency contraceptives available over the counter on May 6 , less than a month after the drug, also known as Plan B or the morning-after pill, was approved for non-prescription use in Canada. According to NARAL Pro Choice America, the FDA made its decision despite recommendations from the American Medical Association.

Immediate access to emergency contraceptives would be a significant achievement in women's health because the drug must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex to be effective. To that end, the denial of Plan B to victims of rape in religiously-affiliated hospitals and the refusal of some phar­ macists in the US to fill prescriptions for the drug on moral grounds also cre­ ate serious handicaps to women's welfare.

the mcgill tribune | 12.10.05 | features | I

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Jay Hennick LL.B. - MBA Program

University of Ottawa

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EMILY HARRIS We've all seen the commer­ cials: "It's never fun to forget" Remembering to swallow the ever-popular birth control pill each day at the same time can be a challenge for busy women, and especially for students involved in so many areas of life. Finally, there are new contraceptive options available, appealing not only to the more forgetful among us, but quite possibly to all.

The NuvaRing, a new innova­ tion from Organon Pharmaceuticals Canada, is one of those options. This small, flexible plastic ring is inserted in the vagina at the beginning of the menstrual cycle and left in for three weeks, then removed for a one-week peri­ od to allow for menstruation.

“Up to one-third of women forget to take the pill at least once during their cycle,” estimates Dr. Cleve Zeigler, a doctor who has recommended the NuvaRing to some of his female patients. "The advantage of the ring is that it is taken m onthly-this greatly improves the reliability of the treat­ ment” Dr. Zeigler notes that the NuvaRing contains exactly the same hormones included in birth control pills, but since the ring allows for direct absorption into the vagina, the hormone levels are at lower doses.

Women currently using the NuvaRing have overwhelmingly positive things to say about it "It's very practical,” says Jennifer Fontaine, a NuvaRing user and spokesperson. "I don't have to think about taking a pill every day— I just insert [the ring] and forget that it's there." Fontaine also likes that the NuvaRing offers her a reg­ ular cycle—as do birth control pills, but without the chance of altering your body's schedule by missing one—and has eliminated her prior problems of occasional spotting.

Organon Canada's publiclyreleased clinical study information claim s that 81 per cent of NuvaRing users ranked it as their preferred method of contraception.

As with regular birth control pills, the NuvaRing does not protect against sexually transmitted dis­ eases, and must be used with con­ doms for that purpose. Fontaine claims her partner has no com­ plaints about the NuvaRing in com­

bination with condoms. In fact, Organon states that 71 per cent of males surveyed were either totally or very rarely aware of the ring's presence during penile-vaginal intercourse.

These studies, having been conducted by the very company marketing the product, should be taken with a grain of salt, but the overwhelming praise from NuvaRing users continues to back up Organon's published results and claims.

"Being so busy, the NuvaRing is super convenient,” Fontaine adds. "I can't feel it at all when it's inside me." She also cites its afford­ ability and flexibility. "It only costs $24 per month, which may be three or four dollars more than the pill, but is definitely worth [the extra expense], especially if you travel."

Some women, however, remain unconvinced.

'To be honest, the very con­ cept of the NuvaRing grosses me out," admits Megan Barnet, U3 Psychology. "I don't think it is something I would ever use. I feel skeptical about the whole process."

Brunet's concern lies with the reliability of the ring: "It may seem silly, but there is a sense of agency in using the pill. You actually take something every day, so you know it's working," she asserts. "Leaving this ring in [for three weeks at a time] would make me nervous.

How would you know if something was wrong?"

Dr. Zeigler understands this reticence: 'The notion of a foreign object in your vagina is not a big turn on [for many women]," he says, "but those who use the NuvaRing, for the most part, didn't even notice it was there."

Whether the idea sits positive­ ly with you or not, the availability of alternative contraception methods for women is very empowering.

New developm ents like the NuvaRing and the Ortho-Evra Patch give women plenty of longoverdue choice in the birth control department. ■

T w o P o w e rfu l D e g re e s in a co m b in e d fo u r-y e a r p ro g ra m Business and Law: •an MBA from the School of Management; and •an LL.B. from the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section.

u Ottawa L’Université canadienne Canada’s university

For more information visit: www.hennick.uOttawa.ca or call (613) 562-5800 ext. 3288 Application deadline: November 1,2005

R E F E R E N D U M Q U E S T IO N F A L L 2005 The following referendum question was approved by SSMU Council on Thursday, October 6'h2005 and will appear on the Fall 2005 ballot from Oct. 28-Nov. 2, 2005.

W H E R E A S CK U T Radio M cGill is licensed by the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to broadcast at 90.3 on the FM band;

and

W H ER E A S all Student Society o f McGill University (SSMU) members are also voting members at the Annual General Meeting o f CKUT; W H ER E A S M cGill undergraduate students participate in the activities o f CK U T as listeners, programmers, technicians, researchers and receive training by CK U T in various aspects o f radio production; W H ER E A S CK U T is a not-for-profit, community, volunteer, and student-driven organization where student fees comprise approximately forty percent (40%) o f the station’s annual budget;

If you are interested in a free sam ­ ple o f the NuvaRing, visit nuvar-

W H ER E A S CKU T has served the McGill community with recognized broadcast excellence since 1987;

ing.com.

Other actions supported by the White House further limit a woman's right to choose and hamper Roe vs. Wade. The passage of the HydeWeldon Amendment—the so-called abortion non-discrimination clauseprotects hospitals and doctors who refuse to perform, or even talk about, abortions. The federal ban on late-term abortions-the first ever signed by a US president, thank you Dubya—criminalizes procedures used in the third, and sometimes second trimester, and fails to include a clause to pro­ tect a woman's life. Not surprisingly, the ban was challenged before it even came into effect and has been ruled unconstitutional by three federal courts.

Meanwhile, women in Canada continue to exercise their right to use the birth control methods available to them. Philip Morgan, owner of the pharmacy inside the Jean Coutu at Ste. Catherine and Metcalfe, estimates that about 45 women per month purchase Plan B. Provinces and territo­ ries will soon decide whether to allow completely unrestricted sales of emergency contraceptives, placing them in front of the counter. ■

W H ER E A S M cGill students currently pay $4.00 per fall and winter semester and have paid a nominal fee to support CK U T since it became an independent student group in 1988;

Do you support C K U T continuing to receive a student fee, which any student may opt out of, in the amount of $4.00 per fall and winter semester, indexed annually to the Canadian Price Index (CPI) for inflation, for a five (5) year term commencing September 2006 and ending prior to September 2011?

To form ayes/no referendum committee for this question, please pick up a nomination kit at www.electionsmcgill.ca or at suite 405 o f Shatner. Deadline is October l f h @ 12 noon.

Sorry, no late submissions will be accepted.

V— W H A T . . . rc T3 C "Bawdy Paint”- Art inspired by QJ the Vagina Monologues n3 CJ WaterCan McGill Tribal-themed t/> Z5 Halloween Party CL

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Advertise your event! For only a toonie you can get a listing in the print and on-line editions of the Trib. Drop by the SSMU Office (Shatner build­ ing Suite 1200) to pick up a form. Deadlines are Fridays at 3 3 0 p.m. For more information call 398.6789 or e-mail calendar@mcgilltribune.com

a&e M USIC

A little b lo o d fo r r o c k ‘n’ ro ll T r i c k y W o o k e e p s C a m p u s h e a d s a-b anging BEN LEMIEUX Montreal wasn't always the hottest music scene this side of the border, but the people who have dug beyond the media hype of recent years, who were conscious of the city's cultural allure long before the days of endless magazine publicity, will know the name of Tricky Woo. Touted as one of the mainstays in the punk-rock revival movement of the m id-1990 s, the Woo have maintained a loving, enthusiastic and hugely supportive fanbase for nearly a decade—just by keeping it simple: Though on a technical level their music is tightly construct­ ed, dynamic and filled with enough dazzling, death-defying gui­ tar work to put blisters on your skin, Tricky Woo maintains the same unpretentious simplicity of intention that made Elvis Presley and The Stooges two of the best musical acts in history.

Never claiming a high-brow emotional profundity to their work, never presuming to have more substance than necessary, the young virtuosos of Tricky Woo, both onstage and on any of their five studio albums, are about rocking out like tomorrow is the apocalypse and life was never better.

In a phone interview, lead guitarist Adrian Popovich com­ mented on their vigorous and uncompromising attitude toward rock 'n' roll: "We rarely come home from a tour without needing psychological help. Or, on a number of occasions, we've even had to put some of our members away just because their psy­ ches are so beaten up, because we're so relentless with one another." As with many of their lyrics—along the lines of "We're gonna save you with rock 'n' roll"—it sure sounds great, but you need to take it with a grain of salt On Saturday, the Woo treated the devoted audience of a jam-packed Petit Campus to their trademark unapologetic, larg­ er-than-life sound, crowd-pleasing favourites from their epic 1999 release Som etim es I Cry, and as many madcap stage antics as they could muster in such a restricted space. Their crossCanadian concert dates are said to be a warm-up for the release of their latest album, First Blush, in the US and Europe.

Again, speaking with his tongue so deeply embedded in his cheek it would take surgery to remove it, Popovich, who both co­ produced the album and mixed it with the rest of the band, went to great lengths to explain the intentions of Tricky Woo's latest release. "We wanted to take the furthest step back," he elaborat­ ed, "so basically we said, 'Okay, what's the lowest common denominator? What does any idiot with a mullet listen to? Van Halen: perfect. Rainbow. Not Deep Purple. Rainbow. Judas Priest.' We were really scraping the bottom of the barrel and we were finding inspiration down there." To sum it all up, Popovich

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added, "It's a neverending downward spiral and we're hoping to make it to the petri dish for the next one."

The latest record is indeed a collection of infectious, head­ banging anthems dedicated to those with a raunchier optic on urban life and love. Though the gents of Tricky Woo are sea­ soned studio amateurs with four albums under their belts, the making of First Blush proved to be one of the more labour-inten­ sive projects they've engaged in. According to Popovich, it all began with singer Andrew Dickson's firm declaration, "I'm going to buy a bunch of Immodium, a bunch of food-and we're going to get cracking on this one." The result is ostensibly Tricky Woo's finest sounding and most focused effort to date, despite Popovich's sardonic insistence that it's little more than "idiot rock." With all band members sharing songwriting credit, the recording and mixing all handled by Popovich's multitalented hands and produced exclusively by the band itself, First B lu sh though spanning little more than 30 minutes—is a gritty, smol­ dering, raucous and edgy approach to rock 'n ' roll which few musicians are able to consistently produce.

Though the album production was a demanding and taxing enterprise in its own right, Popovich m ain­ tained its necessity.

"People definitely don't buy records the way they used to. You have to package everything up as nicely as possible or else people are just going to download it."

Perhaps true in many cases, but you w ouldn't know it by observing Woo fans at Saturday's show, leaving their earplugs at home, screaming verses along with the group and leap­ ing eagerly onto the stage at the end of the perform ance as band m em bers pulled them indiscrim inately from the audience. Tricky W oo's set was driven and unrelenting, pro­

pelled forward by Alex Crowe's full-bodied bass work, Pat Sayers' intricate and powerful drum lines, Popovich's signature "hotdamn" guitar playing and Dickson's commanding, single-malt infused vocal work—all of which fans soaked up as if osmosis were going out of style.

When discussing the response from fans about 20 minutes into the interview, Popovich desists briefly from his ironic banter, saying he always hopes fans will "come away from a show feel­ ing inspired" and, in turn, "contribute something to the musical landscape." With respect to the attention that Tricky Woo has received thus far, the cross-country accolades and positive reac­ tion have added up to be "a lot more than I could have ever expected," Popovich said. In a moment of heartwarming sincer­ ity he added, "A lot of people who have approached me after shows, who are fans of the band, have shown a lot of apprecia­ tion. And it's always delightful.”

When asked, in closing, for the rock 'n ' roll secret to a decade of success, Popovich's response was as parsimonious as his music. "I think we've always managed to make ourselves happy," he said, "and that's all we can really do." ■

C A N V A S

Poor people make better music "The discipline o f suffering, o f grea t su fferin g -kn ow ye not that it is only this discipline that has produced all the ele­ vations o f hum anity hitherto?"

—Friedrich N ietzsche

ontemporary music, like all other art forms, cannot hide from a universal fact: In this world, there are lead­ ers and there are followers. Almost every form of m usic in the past hundred years has had its originator, and a loyal herd of imitators who jump on the proverbial band­ wagon to gain either money or fame. The former lay out the template, the latter produce a Xerox copy, "chip" in with their contributions or, in extreme cases, desecrate the origi­ nal in so many creative ways that it continues to amaze me.

The Rolling Stones have their Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley has his Morgan Heritage Band, while Nas and Rakim have their torch bearer in 50 Cent.

So the big question is, what is the key element that inspires certain musicians to break down the walls, push on through and innovate, while the rest are content to glue together a collage with the pieces? The answer is pretty sim­ ple—suffering. Or poverty, if you wish. Rich people, happy people, make good music. Poor people, people who have

C

had to struggle, make genres.

Let's start with a musical tradition that has influenced most of the genres we see today—the blues. With roots in West Africa, the blues evolved in the poverty-stricken M ississippi Delta as a mixture of field hollers, ballads, church music and rhythmic dance tunes, by and for people who had only their souls to pour into the notes, nothing else.

Although there is no shortage of superlative blues guitarists today, one cannot appreciate the essence of the blues with­ out the sadness and ache that permeates the voices of artists like Robert Johnson, LeadBelly and B.B. King.

Moving on to the latter half of the last century, let's take a look at all the pioneers of popular genres today. Where did Motown, soul and R&B come from? Music from the gritty, mostly black, working middle class of Detroit. How about funk? An extension of soul, evolving in urban ghettos on America's East Coast. What about reggae? Yep, you guessed it—reggae originated in the underbelly of urban Jamaican ghettos, steeped in poverty and political violence. And hiphop? No need to even waste words here.

Some readers might detect a racist spin in this argu­ ment, but the connection between creative musicianship and poverty that ultimately leads to formations of whole

SID PHARASI

new genres is not limited any one race or ethnicity. The members of the Sex Pistols relayed their working-class anger toward the establishment and England's growing heroin problem via their music, punk, which today has mor­ phed worldwide into the m usic of choice for raging youth with rebellious inclinations. Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Oasis elevated rock m usic to the atmospheric realm, using it as an avenue to express urban existential angst, among other things. And there's no doubt that that the bleak, poor, vio­ lent ambience of Aberdeen, Washington had some bearing on the fact that, in the year 1989 , a local three-piece band of below-average musicians and a horrendous singer gave birth to grunge. Lastly, house, trance, techno, jungle and all popular dance music of today can attribute its ascendance to a multicultural mix of desperation in urban centers across the developed world, be it in Detroit, New York, Chicago or London.

Maybe it's the alienation of living so close to so many people. Maybe, conversely, the presence of so many is what creates the music. Either way, the writing's on the wall, man: You want to be a great musician? Better start squandering your money. ■

the mcgill tribune j 12.10.05 | a&e 13

T H E A T R E

Ju st a re m in d e r: T h is is th e en d o f th e w o r ld M u ltilin g u a l e v o lu t io n a r y a p o c a ly p tic a ta k e s y o u f o r a rid e CRYSTAL CH A N Halfway through The Other Theatre's adaptation of Galàpagos by Kurt Vonnegut, the words, "Just a

reminder: this is the end of the world," are scrawled on a blackboard and presented to the audience, triggering a hearty round of laughter. It's the very essence of dark humour at its best, you might say. For those unfamiliar with Vonnegut's work, including the m asterpiece Slaughterhouse Five, don't let the play's title fool you into assuming that Galàpagos is going to be a feather-light escape into the tropics. This wry comedy is about noth­ ing less than the destruction of humankind as we know it, and its aftermath.

One million years ago in 1986 , an eclectic group embarks on the maiden voyage of the Bahia de Darwin on a celebrity cruise to the Galapagos Islands—"The Nature Cruise of the Century." They become the only human beings to survive an apocalyptic bomb blast, and now their descendants, thousands of years later, are retelling their story. It's a second Noah's Ark, and the humans who were on the cruise and their so-called Big Brain, an entity which has devolved over the course of time, are the source of much awe. The Big Brain was the tragic flaw of the old humans, a theme explored throughout the play in a series of philosophical stories about the lives of the fated passengers.

With a cast of characters including everyone from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to a nerdy con man with a new Canadian identity ("H e's not a celebrity—he's Canadian," quips the hotel manager onshore), the audi­ ence is never bored.

One of the characters, computer genius Zenji

Hiroguchi, has created a handheld device named Mandarax that, in addition to other wonders, can trans­ late any two languages simultaneously, allowing the play itself to become a jum ble of tongues. It starts en français with a fiery-haired Québécois woman spouting Darwinist theory at the speed of light, and includes Hiroguchi’s wife screaming Japanese insults at her husband at the top of the aural range, ending with a small dose of Swiss thrown in for good measure.

The physical acting is just as important as the script in this original adaptation, a rare balance that is often underrated in theatre. Galàpagos will not disappoint in this respect, with its hilarious acrobatics on a bus, a mod­ ern dance interpretation of the marriage rituals of the bluè-footed booby (get your mind out of the gutter, it's a bird) and heart-pounding death scenes.

Director Stacey Christodoulou has created the painstakingly tight-running production necessary to inter­ twine the complex and broad ideas of one million years into two hours without losing the spirit of improv. The feeling is further enhanced by the absence of any backstage area, creating a sense that the players' entrances are all spontaneous bursts of creativity.

If the framework of the production showed the har­ mony of careful practice, then its only weakness was the occasional stumbling of the actors—a possible result of first-night jitters. As well choreographed as they were, their tongues seem ed burdened by the different lan­ guages. Clearly francophone, the actors had difficulty staying in character while struggling with certain phrases.

Evolutionary if not revolutionary, Galàpagos enter­ tains while stirring up the deepest thoughts in our fated Big Brains, a feat not easily accomplished. ■

PREVIEWS

compiled by Melissa Price

Film. Festival du Nouveau Cinéma—various venues—Oct. 13-23 A dream come true for film aficionados, the FNC is a 10-day movie extravaganza. Featuring film s from across the globe, the festival highlights the likes of Iran and Nigeria’ (which has been dubbed "Nollywood" by fans). The offerings range from the traditional, like Czech director Bohdan Slama's heart-wrenching emotional drama Something Like Happiness, to the twisted, like Canadian Ben Paquette's mind-bending psychological thriller A Year in the Death o f Jack Richards, to the downright bizarre, like The Family that Eats Soil, by Filipino director Khavn de la Cruz, which involves cockfighting, prostitution, midgets, skull-crushing and plots to kill babies. Convinced? Call 844-2172 for ticket info.

M usic. Blackest of the Black Tour—Le Medley— 1170 St-Denis-Oct. 15

If no one understands the infinitely dark hole that is your heart, this is the place to be so that you can kick the crap out of other lost souls. The show is head­ lined by Danzig, the current outfit of the former front­ man of horror-punk band The Misfits, which is a good enough reason to go right there. Add on electrotinged metallers Chimaira; Behemoth, Polish death metal with black metal roots; and Mortiis, who plays self-described "dark dungeon music" and looks like a decaying satanic elf, and you've got a guaranteed pair of burst eardrums. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Perform ance. Blue Light Burlesque-Club Soda-1 2 2 5 St-Laurent—Oct. 15 If your idea of a fun Saturday night involves halfnaked people, the Blue Light Burlesque is a hot striptease that won't make you feel as dirty as SuperSexe. MC Jack Tonic spills some of the steamiest, slipperiest, stickiest sto­ ries he's heard during his career as a bartender, while a lot of lovely ladies and a few lovely men make sure we don't have to use our imaginations too much. The promise of skin, sex and satire beckons. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Film. Jericho's Echo: Punk Rock in the Holy Land—Cinéma du P arc3575 Parc—to Oct. 20

Few people know it, but Israel has a punk scene. It's not surprising when you think about it: American punk bands find plenty to bitch about, and in Israel, political upheaval is rampant. Jericho's Echo documents the bands that make up this scene and what they have to go through to do what they do. For one thing, there's the issue of Israel's mandatory mili­ tary service, which some kids deal with in one of the only ways they can: by trying to be deemed psychotic by the military psychiatrist. This, of course, has its own implications. Interesting food for thought for North Americans who've whined about not being allowed to express them­ selves. Visit cinemaduparc.com for showtimes.

M usic.

Large Professor—Foufounes Electriques—87 Ste.-Catherine E.—Oct. 12—9 p.m.

Under Pressure puts on a show that will undoubtedly earn great praise and rëspect for one of the greatest producers to bless the hip hop cul­ ture. Large Professor headlines a show that also features a fantastic diversity of artists, starting with beats from Team Canada, followed by D-Shade, Applied Science and Medaphoar.

Large Professor is most esteemed for producing the tracks of Eric B & Rakim, Biz Markie's "All Samples Cleared," Diamond D's "Stunts, Blunts & Hip-hop," and A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight Marauders," as well as working with Rob Swift, The Beastie Boys, Roxanne Shante, Busta Rhymes and Gang Starr. Large Professor has also been involved with Prodigy, DJ Premier and Nas—whom he discovered as a prodigal 15-year-old long before the fame and fortune. Though many would expect him to have a commercially-driven multimedia empire by now, Large Professor has been able to keep his business down to earth and completely about the music, dedicating himself to his vision of the pure hip-hop sound. In short, Large Professor is what classic hip hop is all about.

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S w a llo w y o u r w a tc h P o le m il B a z a r s t r iv e f o r ch a n g e b y c r a c k in g u s up MELISSA PRICE On the cover of Poiémil Bazar's new album, Avale ta montre, is an ostrich. Poiémil Bazar is sort of like an ostrich: odd, incongruous among their peers and amusing, but able to run like hell and peck their opponents to death at a moment's notice.

Okay, so maybe this is a bit of a stretch.

The band members certainly don't hide their heads in the sand—or in a paper bag, as the bashful avian on the cover is doing. Quite the opposite: many of their lyrics are sneakily polit­ ical, irony-laden and heavy with meaning—a fact likely to be completely lost on those lacking French skills, although there's enough intricate­ ly orchestrated, cheerfully weird instrumenta­ tion here to keep them happy, too.

Back to that ostrich: singer, guitarist and accordion player Hugo Fleury explains, "This animal has decided to leave its society and go out, but it’s too shy [hence the paper bag]. The message is kind of ironic. And it's a cyber­ ostrich. The feathers are all done with bar­ codes."

Irony is Poiémil Bazar's trademark. The first track off Avale ta montre immediately bears wit­ ness to this. "Culturé, bien élevé" is the ideal man's ode to himself, extolling his own charm and skills in the bedroom, while promising that the day they start cloning people, he'll be first in line to start spreading the perfection that is him­ self.

Fleury writes the majority of the band's lyrics. He injects humour into all his songs, both

as social commentary as in "Culturé," and to tackle larger issues such as the hypocrisy of wealth in "La chanson du vaurien."

"The more 1 get older," says Fleury, "the more I think that you need to use humour, because when you arrive with aggressiveness, when you arrive with the idea that you need things to change now, it never works ... you hit a brick wall. When you arrive with humour, you can get through, because it's more subtle. First you laugh, and then you think. Also, I think, we need humor to stay positive."

Poiémil Bazar's melodies also help keep things from getting too serious. Combining swing, Eastern European folk music, jazz, tango and traditional French music, among other styles, they sound unlike anything else around.

The reason for this is deceptively sim ple: They're influenced by "everything but what looks like what we do," says Fleury. "We're six different people in personal and musical back­ ground."

These six people, who play instruments from piano to mandolin, came together some­ what chaotically. "I was looking for an accor­ dion, a double bass... a guitar was already there," Fleury says. "Then I wanted a violin, and then you want a drum, and then you think, 'Oh, we could have some brass,' and then, 'Oh, I have a friend who plays...'" The number finally settled at six for reasons of both creative cohe­ sion and the difficulties of getting six people on the road, especially when one of those people plays a huge upright bass.

Fleury started running with his idea for the

band in 1999 , begin­ ning with a search for an accordion player.

He loved the sound of the instrum ent, but accordion players are understandably rare. "I found a couple, but Gateau makes sweet love to his upright bass. they were too good to other members into a fluid whole. play with me. They had too many contracts, and Fle u r/s lyric-writing depends strongly on they wouldn't give me enough time to put [the the music. “On the last album, [Gateau] gave rest of the] band together." me some tapes, instrumental compositions So he literally took matters into his own hands and learned the instrument himself. from other musicians of the band, and I took Fleury is charmingly self-deprecating about his those tapes and brought them home and lis­ skills ("I don't practice enough, okay?... I play tened to them and let myself be inspired and only Poiémil Bazar songs"), but the accordion tried to find what this m usic was saying, like, adds a streak of unusual intrigue to the band's 'Oh, do I have a feeling of emergency, or do I have a feeling of relaxation, what is this music sound—as well as looking damn cool onstage.

This DIY ethic is characteristic of the band. telling me?' Then I would try my best to write They refuse to be limited in their choice of some lyrics that are relevant."

So, what was relevant this time around? instruments by what they already know how to play, says Fleury. "We just learn every instru­ The album title holds a clue: Literally translated, it means "swallow your watch." ment we need."

"It means take your time and don't run like With three kinds of saxophones, two vari­ eties of clarinet, a flute, violin, several guitars, a chicken with its head cut off," Fleury says. percussion and, of course, the accordion, com­ "Start thinking... about responsible acts to posing a Poiémil Bazar song seem s as compli­ make change, as a responsible citizen."

"Everything is planned on profit," adds cated as writing a symphony. The songwriting process, however, is more straightforward than Gateau. "There's no real développem ent you might think. It's a full-band process, but it durable, long-term development, thinking about takes som eone to consolidate everything. future generations. It's always ourselves, now."

"So swallow your watch," advises Fleury.

Often, this job falls to Thierry Gateau, the Duly noted. I'd suggest removing the band's bassist and the man in charge of cutting and pasting snippets of melody given to him by hands first, though—they're pointy. ■

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F A S H I O N

M a rc h e E x t r a o r d in a ir e L o c a l d e s ig n e rs g e t th e ball ro llin g B E N L E M IE U X

Saturday marks the opening of Le Marché Montréal, the recent project of fashion designers Kafi Dublin and Shelly Hauke. Le Marché will open its doors every week­ end year round to offer shoppers a gamut of clothing, jewelry and hand­ bag designs from around the city. This is communalism hard at work, a group of designers renting out space for a friendly sum and personally present­ ing their work to customers two days a week.

Dublin, a Montreal native and handbag designer, says the idea was modelled after a sim ilar project in none other than the Big Apple. "I moved to New York and we have the Market NYC," explains Dublin. "It's lit­ erally an incubator for up-and-coming

designers. It's in a gym, you rent a space, and every Saturday and Sunday it's just packed with people going in and out."

Dublin and Hauke hope their project will have the same impact in Montreal, and that young artists will be able to use Le Marché as a springboard from which to expand their fashion production and distribution. As Hauke noted, "For designers to open up a store is so expensive. Renting a sm all space where there's a lot of designers helps with the cost of showing your line."

Located at 3655 St. Laurent, the heart of the Main, Le Marché Montréal showcases work from 17 designers whose pieces are colourful, flavourful and conceived to reflect a certain urban-chic for which the city is renowned. Clothing prices range between $20 and $ 150, depending upon designer and product. ■

REVIEWS Blackalicious. The Craft. When em cee Gift of Gab released "Alphabet Aerobics" with the immortal Cut Chemist, hip-hop heads were shocked at his versatility and ability to acrobat through the alphabet. Paired with the experimental and funky producer Chief Xcel, Blackalicious ^m anages to retain the deep and live sound that made this Oakland duo famous, and Gab doesn't leave his superson­ ic lyrics behind in their fourth release. The Craft features that live-sample sound that is missing in a' synth-heavy world, but Xcel's beats casu­ ally toy with the dance floor while never committing them selves to it. This ambiguity leaves the songs feeling uninspired, with tracks laden down with too many gospel voices, guitar riffs and piano samples.

The Craft shines when Gab has someone to toss his lyricism off of—alone he gets redundant and is overly bouncy. The album hits its peak at "Side to Side" with Lateef and devout Christian rapper Pigeon John. Floetry spit fire with their angelic voices on "Automatique," is a relaxing jam perfect for the end of summer. "Supreme People" is jumpy enough to easily make college radio cir­ cuits.

Blackalicious clearly dabbles in what I would like to call university rap, per­ fect for making some granola and discussing "mucking about Europe." It's lis­ tener-friendly, warm and fuzzy, but ultimately lacklustre.

—Leila Brillson Mike Petkau. D o n 't Say a Word. Released earlier this year, "Don't Say a Word" is Mike Petkau's sophomore album.

The Winnipeg native is paving his way onto the Canadian m usic scene by touring heavily across the country. The tracks on "Don't Say a Word" range from a mellow Dave Matthews groove to Tragically Hip-esque rock to a classically inspired three-piece string instrumental. All interesting selling points, but it is ultimately Petkau's deep, steady voice which remains the constant driving force throughout the album. The song "Winter Waits,” reads very much like a love ballad but with its overly alliterative lyrics, it's not likely one you're going to be singing along to. Try saying "The thaw sloths on through". more than once! Although his lyrics sometimes lack substance, Petkau manages to redeem him self through his strong ability to play a wide array of instruments, including guitar, piano, and even the sleigh bells! Overall, if you're interested in an intriguing folk-rock listen with varied songwriting, "Don't Say a Word" is a sure bet.

—Rebecca Cramer

É

A Dozen Furies. A Concept From Fire. Recently, a Texas-based quintet called A Dozen Furies scorched the competition in the MTV reality show Battle for Ozzfest.

Having gained a small fanbase and support from MTV, they amassed their old work and brought it, along with som e new additions, to the studio and spit out A Concept From Fire. Surprising in a warm, fuzzy way is the "The Gift," a gorgeously melodic opening track reminiscent an Explosions In The Sky record. Ensuing songs, notably "An Idea and Some Tape" and "Into Another Life," set the tone with Bucky Garrett's visceral growls and soaring, Mike Pattonesque choruses. Guitarist Marc Serrano attacks with dancing frets and filthy, chugging riffs, while Mike Miller batters his toms and maintains thick, kinetic beats. Intent on never disappointing purists, ADF blends a keen sense of pop structure and melody with forceful, energetic execution that results in accessi­ ble, well-rounded meat-metal goodness. That, and their seam less transitions in mood—from uplifting to break-your-face-with-a-spiked-bat disdain—lend them selves to broad appeal. Talent is evident in the proud, self-proclaimed "bunch of redneck fucks," and if A Concept From Fire is any indicator, these Texan dukes of metal will march the asphalt to metal stardom with rebel flags and devil-horns raised to the sky.

—Billy Taylor Franz Ferdinand.

You C ould Fldve Flad it So M uch Better. The m ost appropriately titled album of the year.

—Ben Lemieux W r it e

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G a it e r s c a n ’t rain o n M a rtle ts ’ p a ra d e M c G ill b e a ts B is h o p ’s t w ic e o v e r th e lo n g w e e k e n d D A V ID BLYE

In soccer, rain can be the great equalizer. A torrential downpour and drenched field can lead to strange occurrences in which heavy favourites can be upset by the minnows of the league. The match on Friday night between Bishop's and McGill had the potential to be one of those affairs.

Fortunately for the Martlets, this did not happen.

After a scoreless first half, a late barrage of goals by the Martlets allowed them to gain the advantage and earn a 3-0 victory.

Flead Coach Marc Mounicot felt that regardless of the weather, the team did not get off to a particularly strong start.

"I would say that this game had two sides to it," Mounicot said. 'The first half we did not play very well, regardless of the conditions. In fact, I think [the conditions] were worse in the second half, but in the second half, the team reacted well. I think that they played smarter and they were patient.

"It's the kind of game where you can finish it with a 0-0 tie because you're not given the chance to play normally," he added. "But, I think we were patient, and we kept digging until we got the first goal."

The Martlets' first half was mired by miss­ es and near chances, many of which could have gone in had it not been for the stellar preformace of the Bishop's keeper and player of the game, Chelsea-Lyn Aboud. Aboud was able to the keep the Gaiters alive all half, stopping many McGill scoring opportunities. Additionally, the completely soaked pitch made passing the ball on the ground almost impossible. When the half-time whistle blew, no one was sur­ prised by the 0-0 displayed on the scoreboard.

New half, new shirts When the Martlets exited the dressing room after halftime, they had changed into their away—and dry—red shirts, which seem ed to give them a psychological edge. Even though

TH E

RED

the rain was worse in the final 45 minutes of the game, the new-look Martlets appeared to be at home on the field. During the half, they mounted continuous pressure on the Bishop's defence, eventually resulting in Eloise Vandal breaking the stalemate in the 74 th minute.

From there, the Martlets put their foot on the pedal and never took it off. Six minutes later, striker and McGill Athlete of the Week Magalie Kokler scored her first goal of the weekend, finding the ball in the area after a Catherine Scott free kick. Substitute Carlie Dejoie would com plete the scoring for the Martlets in the 88 th minute.

"I think in the first half we defi­ nitely weren't playing to our full potential, and in the second half we really picked it up,” Kokler said.

"McGill has a really good reputation of not giving up.

"We really like to pride our­ selves on playing on the ground and we really couldn't, so that definitely changed how the game was played," she added. "We couldn't really do that today, so you just have to adapt."

One thing that was not missing from Friday night's victory was Defender Erin Rayner-Hartley (18) forgot her water wings McGill's stellar defence. Even with regular defensive starters Shari Gaiters 7- 1. In a decidedly drier affair, Kolker Fraser and Sarah Chan watching the game from brought her weekend tally to four goals, record­ the press box due to suspension, the Martlets ing her first career hat trick. She also assisted on stayed strong on their side of the pitch holding three other goals. Not to be outdone, first-year the Gaiters to just one shot. Goalkeeper Victoria midfielder Carolyne Pelletier also notched her Villalba recorded her fourth shutout of the sea­ first-career hat trick, launching the game-winner son. in the ninth minute.

The game's only blemish came in the 48 th Martlets leave no doubt in second part of minute, when the Martlets conceded a penalty home-and-home that was converted by Bishop's striker Lisa On Monday, the Martlets completed the Wagner, denying McGill its second shutout of series in Lennoxville, thoroughly destroying the the weekend. The wins improved the team to

VLADIMIREREMIN for Frida/s soccer game at Molson Pool.

6 - 1- 1, keeping them in second place in the QUSL, behind Université de Montréal.

The Martlets have just four days to recover before they host third-place Concordia on Friday night. With only one point separating the two squads, the Martlets will need to play a full 90 minutes against a good Stingers side. Since only the top three teams in the league advance to the post-season, every game from this point on will be of utmost importance for a team that has national championship hopes. ■

Z O N E

Oh how the good old hockey game has changed fter a 16-month layoff, NEIL players returned to the ice last week, with Com m issioner Gary Bettman promis­ ing a new and improved product, one he hopes will bring back fans—the same fans that, incidentally, flocked from the league in droves after Bettman's idiotic decisions in the 1990 s that ruined the game in the first place.

But that aside—and regardless of the fact that I enjoy criticizing Bettman and the job he's done in the past—I will be the first to admit that most of the rule changes have turned out well. The game is faster and scoring is way up, reminiscent of hockey in the 1980 s—before Bettman's time, as fate would have it.

Flowever, lest I get too laudatory about our buddy Gary, not every change sits well with me. Notably, the shootout is awful, and it is a terrible way to end a hockey game.

Given hockey's lack of popularity in the US—and with 80 per cent of teams hailing from outside Canada—many of the rule changes were made to try to sell the game to Americans. So Americans were treated to what they believe is the most exciting part of hockey, the shootout.

Just thinking about a shootout raises my blood pres­

A

sure higher than watching my beloved Dolphins get mauled by the Bills (yet again). How can anyone think that break­ aways are more exciting than sudden-death overtime, especially when it is being played four-on-four? OT hockey is in a league of its ow n-nothing else in sports can com­ pare with the intensity it provides. But here we go again, catering our game, just so some lousy Americans will come out to the rink and cheer on a game they know nothing about.

Hockey is a unique sport compared with the other three major ones in North America: It is the only one which regularly goes into overtime and finishes in a tie game. This apparently causes a problem for the NHL brass, who believes viewers want to see the game decided and a clear winner declared.

However, shootouts and hockey are two very different creatures. Just as Major League Baseball does not resort to a home run-hitting contest when regular-season games go past the 13th inning and the NBA does not decide long overtime games with a three-point-shooting competition— because the abilities required for this are only a fraction of those needed to excel at the sport overall—the NHL should­

A D A M M YERS

n't be deciding hockey games with a show that belongs in the all-star game skills competition. The shootout takes the ultimate team sport and makes it an individual competition.

It is not fast and exciting, like four-on-four sudden-death overtime, but slow and monotonous.

There is always something to be said about a hardfought division game that ends in a tie. One team should not be awarded an extra point, which could go a long way toward deciding the division winner at the end of the year, when both teams played equally hard for 65 minutes. I would much rather see an extra five minutes of four-on-four overtime than the dreaded shootout. More games would undoubtedly be decided this way, and in the occasional instance that they were not, the fans would, at the very least, go home having seen an extra 10 minutes of exciting hockey—well worth the slight feeling of incom pleteness that might accompany a tie.

It's incredibly unfortunate that Gary Bettman and the owners have ruined the game by altering it for their own economic purposes. But, really, would you expect anything less from Bettman? After all, this is the man who has a his­ tory of running a perfectly good game into the ground. ■

the mcgill tribune ( 12.10.05 | sports 17

W EEK

N F L P IC K S

6

G im m e

so m e

M o

OUR CHOICES IN BOLD

Good God, it’s the NHL’s music!

Carolina (+ 1 ) @ Detroit Tennessee @

Cinncinnatti (-3 )

New York Giants @ Minnesota @

Dallas (-.5 )

Chicago (-3 )

M O H IT ARORA

Washington ( + 6 ) @ Kansas City Cleveland @

Baltimore (-5 )

New England (+ 3 ) @ Denver New York Jets @ Houston @

Buffalo (-3 )

Seattle (-9 .5 )

St. Louis (+ 1 3 .5 ) @ Indianapolis

M

National Defence

Défense nationale

O p t io n s

L e s

m

f o n t t o u t e

a k e

a ll t h e

o p t io n s

d if f e r e n c e

la

d if f é r e n c e

N o m a tte r w h a t

P e u im p o r t e

y o u r u n iv e r s it y

la n a t u r e d e

e d u c a t io n , y o u c a n

v o s é tu d e s

e n jo y a c a r e e r w it h

u n iv e r s it a ir e s ,

a d i f f e r e n c e in t h e

vo u s pouvez

C a n a d ia n F o r c e s .

b é n é fic ie r d ’u n e c a r r i è r e d if f é r e n t e

• E n g in e e r s

d a n s le s F o r c e s

• P h y s io t h e r a p is t s

c a n a d ie n n e s .

When the N H L finally settled its labour dispute with the Players' Association, I was all set to give the league the cold shoulder and show nothing but indifference upon its return. Now, after a week of play, I can't believe I survived more than 15 months without it. Here are some thoughts on the week that was in the NHL: • It's great to see teams scoring more than Kid Rock at a NASCAR race. All these 7-6 games are open­ ing m y eyes to just how bad the game had become in the trap era. It's like how ESPN Classic Canada celebrated the start of the NHL season by airing practically every good hockey game they have in their vault, and somehow none of them took place after 1997. What were they going to show of games played since then: a bunch of 18-save shutouts by Martin Brodeur? Ifs like they're trying to pretend the last eight years never happened. Of course, last year didn't happen, so maybe they're on to something.

• Explain this to me: even though ties are gone, overtime losses still remain? I thought overtime loss­ es were the problem! Now, we still have that hideous four-column setup, and giving a point for an O T loss just encourages teams to play for a regulation tie. I thought defensive games where teams just play for a point was what the NHL was trying to avoid in the first place.

• I like the number of penalties being called, because it won't be like this all year. All those past attempts at cracking down on obstruction penalties failed because the players bitched and moaned the entire time instead of actually trying not to play dirty. Do you remember when you were a kid and your dad told you something about how a positive attitude makes it easier to do something crappy like clean­ ing the garage? It turns out he was right. If NHLers actually tried to work on avoiding these penalties knowing that they just kill a team, they'll eventually smarten up and adapt. They have no choice.

• One thing that's disappointing is all the injuries that have occurred to some top players in the league.

Rick Nash and Marian Gaborik haven't played yet, and poor Mats Sundin took that brutal puck in the face. The Maple Leafs continued their tradition of gritty power forwards whose hearts exceed their abil­ ities going all out and hurting themselves when Jeff O'Neill crashed into the net against Ottawa and wrecked his shoulder. Now Toronto is counting on Eric Lindros and Jason Allison, of all people, to carry the team through its injury woes.

• When was the last time the Leafs looked like the Canadian team least likely to make the playoffs? I'm interested in seeing, down the stretch, whether Canada cheers for or against them landing a spot in the postseason.

This is probably a little too much conjecture after just a week into the N H L season, but it's been so long since there's been anything to talk about, so getting carried away isn't entirely unreasonable.

Like a lot of people, I found out that I didn't miss the NHL when it was gone, but I'm still happy to wel­ come its return with open arms. ■

• S o c ia l W o rk e rs • P ilo t s

• in g é n i e u r s

• D o c to rs

• P h y s io t h é r a p e u t e s

• N u rse s

• T r a v a il l e u r s

• P h a r m a c is t s

s o c ia u x /

• N a v a l O ff ic e r s

t r a v a ille u s e s s o c ia le s

T o le a r n m o r e ,

• P ilo t e s

c o n t a c t u s to d a y .

• M é d e c in s • In f ir m ie r s / in f i r m i è r e s • P h a r m a c ie n s / p h a r m a c ie n n e s • O ffic ie r s d e m a r in e

P o u r o b t e n ir d e p lu s a m p le s r e n s e ig n e m e n ts , v e u ille z c o m m u n iq u e r avec nous d è s a u jo u r d ’ h u i.

Strong. Proud. Today's Canadian Forces.

Découvrez vos forces dans les Forces canadiennes.

1 800 856-8488 www.forces.gc.ca

C a n a d a

Eddie Belfoufs back is a fragile thing... just like Fred Taylor's groin (don't think we've forgotten).

18

sports

j

12.10.05 | the mcgill tribune

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Philadelphia Flyers

With C Vincent Lecavalier and RW Martin St. Lquis locked up, the The signing of C Peter Forsberg widens the gap between the champs remain the favourites in the division, especially with a Flyers and the rest of the Eastern Conference, and newlyblueline anchored by the stalwart tandem of Dan Boyle and Pavel acquired D Derian Hatcher doesn't make things any easier for Kubina. However, questions still surround first-time starting goalie Philly's opponents. Questions still remain about goaltender John Grahame. If he and Sean Burke can't fill the vacancy left by Robert Esche, but if this team stays healthy and young centres Nikolai Khabibulin, the Lightning won't be repeating.

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter are as ready as the Flyers think they are, Philly will be the new model for NHL success.

Ottawa Senators

EASTER N C O N F E R E N C E

Tampa Bay Lightning

ATLANTIC DIVISION

The Sens are perennial contenders in the East, and 2005-06 looks to be no different. Ottawa made some bold moves dur­ ing the league's hiatus, changing coaches, trading its top scor­ er and grabbing a new starting goalie in Dominik Hasek. RW Dany Heatley will add some grit to the team, but there are still questions as to whether the 40 -year-old Hasek can carry this Florida Panthers * team to the Cup. RW Joe Niewendyk and LW Gary Roberts were brought to Florida New Jersey Devils * for their veteran leadership and should help in the development The Devils enter the new NHL era with a redone makeup.

Montreal Canadiens * of future stars C Nathan Horton and D Jay Bouwmeester.

Blueliner Scott Niedermeyer departed for Anaheim and Scott GM Bob Gainey has molded the Canadiens into a group that However, Florida's key is G Roberto Luongo. This team goes as he Stevens retired. In order for New Jersey to be successful, Brian looks destined for glory, as Les Glorieux have perhaps the best goes, but the sour taste of being taken to arbitration by the Rafalski and Vladimir Malakhov will need to step up. However, collection of young talent in the league. Canadiens poster boy Panthers in the off-season may linger in his mouth. However, if the always-reliable Martin Brodeur is back between the pipes, G Jose Theodore will look to regain his Vezina Trophy-winning he's on, look for the Panthers to grab a playoff spot. and he's still good enough to help the Devils finish in the mid­ form to lead this team deep into the playoffs. dle of the Eastern pack.

Atlanta Thrashers

Boston Bruins * The Killer Bs figure to be potent in the offensive zone. C Joe Thornton leads a strong group of attackers, which includes 20 year-old sensation C Patrice Bergeron. Sophomore goalie Andrew Raycroft will have to be in top form, as he is unlikely to get much help from a defence which is anything but fleetfooted.

In the blockbuster trade of the off-season, Atlanta obtained a New York Islanders bonafide superstar in RW Marian Hossa. Also super-prospect Kari The Islanders enter the season ready to break out, notably goalLethonen will get to show off as the team's top netminder. tender Rick DiPietro, who will finally prove why he was a top Although franchise centrepiece LW Ilya Kovalchuk missed all of overall pick. Newly-acquired RW Miroslav Satan and talented training camp, look for him to rebound quickly and help the RW Trent Hunter will help this squad compete for a playoff Thrashers finally be in the thick of the post-season hunt. spot.

Carolina Hurricanes

Toronto Maple Leafs * Few teams were hit harder by the league's new economic structure than the Leafs. With very little room to maneuver, GM John Ferguson Jr. went out and got some affordable—but aging—talent in the form of Cs Eric Lindros and Jeff O'Neill.

There is no doubt the Buds have some skilled players, but many of them are prone to being hurt.

Buffalo Sabres The Sabres went backward this off-season, losing star RW Miroslav Satan and D Alexei Zhitnik. But though the Sabres' offence lacks a true star, it is not bereft of talent, and the devel­ oping defence has plenty of upside. If G Martin Biron is solid between the pipes, this young squad could find itself in the playoff hunt.

—D aniel McQuillan

Pittsburgh Penguins

This awful roster won't help hockey on Tobacco Road. Goaltender With C Sidney Crosby, RW Mark Recchi, LW John LeClair and D Martin Gerber is unproven as a starter, and the core of the team Sergei Gonchar all jumping on board for this season, it's no that reached the 2002 finals has been replaced with scrubs like wonder why optimism is running high in Pittsburgh. However, D Mike Commodore and aging veterans like LW Ray Whitney. this team was the worst team in 2003 -04 , and is very thin Young players LW Erik Cole and C Eric Staal need to step up for beyond those players. C Mario Lemieux must prove he can still the 'Canes to at least remain competitive. withstand the grind of a full season. With weak goaltending and too much pressure being put on the "next" great one, watch Washington Capitals for a Pens' collapse before season's end.

Simply put, Washington will challenge for last place in the NHL. The steady Olaf Kolzig returns in goal, but not much surrounds New York Rangers him. The Caps will be looking to the future this- season as they Expect another disappointment on Broadway. A history of bad watch young phenom LW Alexander Ovechkin develop, but even drafting coupled with little cap space has finally caught up with with his prowess, Washington remains a favourite to land the top the boys in blue. With question marks at almost every position, pick in the 2006 drafW expect the Rangers to be among the league's worst.

J» . jk -A aron Siga!

—M atthew Rosenberg

* = Projected playoff team

NORTHWEST DIVISION

CENTRAL DIVISION Detroit Red Wings

Colorado Avalanche

W ES TER N C O N F E R E N C E

The Wings will attempt to find their way back to the Stanley Cup finals with a very similar roster as they had in the last NHL season. Returning for his 22 nd season is captain C Steve Yzerman, although he has been reduced onto a leadership role, with the team relying on youngsters LW Henrik Zetterberg and C Pavel Datsyuk for the bulk of the scoring. The only question mark is in goal, where Chris Osgood will have to overcome injury and inconsistency.

. Nashville Predators * The Predators will look to enter the NHL elite this season, build­ ing upon their first-ever playoff appearance in 2003 -0 4 . Led by backstop Tomas Vokoun, Nashville will be a very tough team to score on this season, and RW Steve Sullivan and newlyacquired LW Paul Kariya will provide leadership and timely scor­ ing. However, to make the next step, past first-round picks C David Legwand and RW Scott Hartnell need to finally emerge as reliable options.

Chicago Blackhawks The 'Hawks enter this season coming off a league-worst 20 wins in 2003 -0 4 . However they will be sporting an important new addition: the league's highest-paid netminder, Nikolai Khabibulin. With a mix of young talent and steady veterans, Chicago is on the right track.

Columbus Blue Jackets Rocket Richard Trophy winner LW Rick Nash, and RW Nikolai Zherdev, a 2003 first-round pick, provide much offensive talent for the Jackets, provided Nash can return from his high ankle sprain shortly. Defensively, Adam Foote may have been the best off-season acquisition in the NHL. However, while the Jackets have many pieces in place, they're still a year away from being considered contenders.

St. Louis Blues After a tumultuous off-season which saw the Blues trade for­ mer Hart Trophy-winner D Chris Pronger, D Al Maclnnis retire and the loss of high-scoring C Pavol Demitra, it will be a long process to right the ship. The Blues have a little upside, most of which is riding the shoulders of Calder Trophy-winner Barret Jackman, but Patrick Lalime is especially weak in goal. Look for St. Louis' record streak of 25 straight playoff appearances to come to a crashing halt.

—Adam M yers

Despite the loss of vets C Peter Forsberg and D Adam Foote, the Avalanche still has the talent to take the Northwest. The leader­ ship provided by C Joe Sakic and D Rob Blake is top notch, while talented forwards Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk will con­ San Jose Sharks The Sharks lost a lot of veteran leadership during the off-season; tinue improving as they are joined by one of the game's better however, they still have a smooth-skating team and solid goal­ passers, Pierre Turgeon. If that's not enough, David Aebischer's tending in Evgeni Nabokov. From there, San Jose's success will solid goaltending will keep Colorado on top all season long. rest on the shoulders of its young guns. Players, like RW Jonathan Calgary Flames * Cheechoo will help the Sharks build on their success in '0 4 .

Jarome Iginla returns to lead a squad that was one win away from taking the Cup in 2004 , but even with phenomenal-look­ Los Angeles Kings * The Kings bid adieu to some notable players such as RW ing defence, there are concerns. Without a legitimate playmakZigmund Palffy, but the additions of C Craig Conroy and C Jeremy er, Iginla will have to create most of the scoring chances. But the Roenick should help compensate. Led by Coach Andy Murray biggest question is how G Mikka Kiprusoff will respond to his and goaltender Mathieu Garon, look for the Kings to be in con­ first full year starting. Fans on the the Red Mile have to hope that, after his incredible 2004 , Kipper doesn't become this tention for one of the final playoff spots. year's J.S. Gigure.

Dallas Stars * The offensive nucleus remains the same for the squad that fin­ ished fifth in the Western Conference in 2004 , and the alwayssolid Marty Turco returns between the pipes. On defence, the Stars lost Teppo Numminen and Chris Therien, but managed to replace them with Martin Skoula and Stéphane Robidas. Though C Mike Modano will continue to struggle as he ages, the rest of the team is strong enough that Dallas should be in the hunt for the post-season.

Phoenix Coyotes With The Great One calling the shots behind the bench, expecta­ tions will inevitably rise for the Coyotes. Though they possess one of the game's better players in RW Shane Doan, a goaltender with something to prove in Curtis Joseph and a veteran sharp­ shooter in RW Brett Hull, Gretzky will need some time to adjust to life as a coach. The Coyotes will be a tough opponent in 2005 0 6 , but will finish out of the post-season.

Vancouver Canucks * With RW Todd Bertuzzi reinstated and LW Markus Naslund re­ signed, Vancouver's offence looks ready to perform. The addi­ tion of RW Anson Carter should also help, as he'll be able to fur­ ther the development of the Sedin twins. However, let's not gloss over the Canucks' problems. The loss of Marek Malik and Brent Sopel will hurt an already mediocre defence, and G Dan Cloutier always seems to lose the big one. This team is good enough to make the playoffs, but not to go far in them.

Edmonton Oilers Much attention has been given to the Oilers' off-season acqui­ sitions of D Chris Pronger and defensive-oriented centre Mike Peca, but what has been forgotten is that the Oilers are extreme­ ly short on offence. To compound that, starting goaltender Ty Conklin fails to inspire thoughts of fear for the opposition. Don't expect much from this overrated squad.

Minnesota Wild

Anaheim Mighty Ducks Excellence is often generated from the top down, and if that's the case, then the Ducks are in a great position with the arrival of GM Brian Burke, who brings unparalleled hockey wisdom.

Unfortunately, the product on the ice—even with speedy D Scott Neidermeyer, C Sergei Federov, RW Teemu Selanne and G J.S. Giguere—isn't up to par quite yet. The Ducks will miss out on the playoffs this year.

—Chris M acLean

If refs call the game like they're supposed to this year, the Wild will be in serious trouble. Coach Jacques Lemaire's side were one of the league's worst offenders in terms of playing the trap in the old NHL. Having made few adjustments, there is reason for concern. Even RW Marian Gaborik won't be able to to help this team.

—David B lye

last call S T A N

D I

Redmen Ruggers stung for the First time in three years

W

T

L

PTS

LAVAL

5

0

0

10

CONCORDIA

4

1

0

8

MONTREAL

4

1

0

8

SHERBROOKE

3

2

0

6

BISHOP'S

O N

A R O U N D THE HORN

Compiled by DAVID BLYE and ADAM MYERS

N G S

FOOTBALL

McGILL

the mcgill tribune | 12.10.05 | sports 19

1 0

4 5

0 0

W

SOCCER(W )

T

L

L

T

PTS

6

2

0

20

MONTREAL

5

1

1

16

McGILL

6

1

1

19

UQAM

3

2

2

11

CONCORDIA

6

0

2

18

UQTR

3

1

3

10

LAVAL

5

1

2

16

SHERBROOKE

3

1

3

10

SHERBROOKE

3

1

4

13 2

9

0

7

3

2

1

LAVAL

3

UQAM UQTR

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McGILL

2

1

3

7

BISHOP'S

1

0

7

3

CONCORDIA

1

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B O X

D E C K

Martlets Volleyball— Dalhousie @ McGill; Friday, 4 p.m. at Tomlinson Fieldhouse

The wom en's volleyball team hits the court on Friday afternoon for their first home game of the year, their first of eight straight home contests. The women also take on the University of Saskatchewan at 8 p.m. in what should be a heated affair Martlets Soccer-Concordia @ McGill; Friday, 7 p.m. at Molson Stadium

The second-place Martlets kick off a Friday night doubleheader, hoping to catch U de M for first while also putting some dis­ tance between themselves and the third-place Stingers.

Redmen Football-McGill @ Bishop's; Saturday, 1 p.m in Lennoxville

The McGill football team hopes to salvage its season against the lowly Gaiters, and while the Redmen should get a win in this one, they'll need to run the table (which would include beating Laval next Saturday) to have a shot at the playoffs.

Redmen Lacrosse-Toronto @ McGill; Saturday, 1 p.m. at Forbes Field The squad looks to improve on its 2-4 record against the Blues,

needing a win to keep them selves in the CUFLA playoff race.

NHL— Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens; Saturday, 7 p.m at the Bell Centre, also on CBC.

This Hockey Night in Canada battle featuring the two Original Six rivals should be a dandy. With the Habs honouring five play­ ers before the game, the atmosphere should be alive in the building.

CFL— B.C. Lions @ Montreal Allouettes; Sunday, 1p.m. at Molson Stadium, also on TSN

If you can somehow get a ticket for this, the Als will hope to steal win from the struggling Lions.

T H IS W E E K IN M c C IL L S P O R T S H IS T O R Y

Saturday, Oct. 13, 1996 The McGill Redmen football team improved to 5-2 with a stunning 31 -6 away victory over the then-first place Carleton Ravens. The win guaranteed the Redmen at least a share of the OQIFC regular season title. The attack was led by RB Shawn Linden, who rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown.

On defence, linebacker J.P. Darche anchored a unit that allowed just six points,

Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001 At the Laval Open cross-country meet, the Redmen and Martlets led charge as the English retook the Plains of Abraham. The Martlets finished first overall in the race, with Sarah Ali-Khan winning and setting a new course record, ( 13 :45 ), and teammate Nadia Morin finishing in third.

Meanwhile, the Redmen finished second as a team, with Benoit Lebeau coming in fourth and Brant Carson coming in ninth.

Friday, Oct. 15 & Sunday, Oct. 17, 1999 The Martlets soccer team pulled off a pair of weekend victo­ ries, defeating UQTR 3-0 on Friday and UQÀM 6-2 on Sunday.

Striker Eva Melamed led the way for the Martlets, scoring four goals on the weekend, including a hat trick against UQÀM. The wins improved McGill to 9 -0-1 on the season and clinched first place in the QUSL.

S C O R E

Friday, Oct. 7, 2005 McGill Martlets 3, Concordia Stingers 1 FIRST PERIOD:

(no scoring) Penalties: Concordia - J. Gosse (Hook), 2 min, 04 :06 ; Concordia - R. Healy (Slash) , 2 min, 11:49 ; McGill - C. Hartnoll (Body) , 2 min , 15:12 SECOND PERIOD: 1. McGill - Christine Hartnoll (S. Denis, K. Leuszler) 17:12 2. McGill - Shauna Denis (C. Hartnoll, P. Mason) 19:23

Penalties: McGill - A Carmichael (Hold) , 2 min , 06 :57 ; Concordia S. Beaudry (Body) , 2 min , 11:49 ; McGill - V. Davidson (Body) , 2 min , 19:35 THIRD PERIOD: 3 . McGill - Mandy Zombor (N. Smith, V. Paquette) 03:49 4 . Concordia - Dominique Rancour (M.J. O Shea, R. Healy) 16:31

Penalties: Concordia - R. Healy (Slash) , 2 min, 01:51; McGill - B. Privée (Body), 2 min, 08:31 ;McGill - BENCH (Too Many Men), 2 min, 11:25 ; McGill - P. Mason (Cross) , 2 min, 14:39 ; Concordia - S. Beaudry (Elbow) , 2 min, 17:27 ; McGill - K. Leuszler (Cross) , 2 min, 18:00 ; Concordia - E. Latoures (Rough), 2 min, 19:59; McGill - C. Hartnoll (Rough) , 2 min, 19:59 SHOTS BY PERIOD 1 2 3 Total McGill 6 18 9 33 Concordia 5 6 7 18 GOALTENDERS: CON: Cecilia Anderson (L, 60:00, 3GA, 30 saves) McG: Catherine Herron (W, 60 :00 , IG A 17 saves) POWER PLAY

McGill: 1/6 Concordia: 1/8 PENALTIES (No./Minutes) McGill: 8/16 Concordia: 6/12

W H A T ' S Y O U R

The Redmen rugby game contested Wednesday, Oct. 5 at Molson Stadium against Concordia drew quite a

MONTREAL

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crowd of supporters for both sides. Unfortunately, the McGill fans left disappointed, as the Redmen fell to the Stingers 27 -2 0 . It was the team 's first regular-season loss in three years, ending a streak of 27 straight wins.

"It was a disappointment to lose like that," said Head Coach Sean McCaffrey. "We got distracted and turned the ball over too many times. Hopefully we can learn from this."

Nine minutes into the game, Concordia scored on a kick, giving the Stingers a quick 3-0 lead. That didn't last long, however, as François Vachon-Morceau of the Redmen responded to score the game's first try 18 min­ utes in. John Reid finished with a conversion to make the score. Just when it looked like McGill was going to end the half with a nice lead, Concordia was awarded a penalty kick and scored three more points with 36 seconds left in the game. The half ended with a 7-6 lead for McGill.

Concordia came into the second half on fire, scoring a try only six minutes in. The kick was good, bringing the score to 13-7 for the visitors. The Stingers then went on to score two more tries, both with successful conversions, bringing the team's total up to 27. A McGill comeback attempt, led by tries from Vachon-Morceau and Mark Ihnatowycz, fell short.

The team rebounded from the disappointment, though, and beat Bishop's on Monday by a score of 17- 12.

The win bumped the Redmen's record to 5-1 and all but assured them of first place in Quebec and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

—Kathleen Murphy Martlets benefit from questionable call in season-opening win

The Martlets were victorious in Friday night's season opener against the Concordia Stingers, but like most of the recent developments at McGill, the win did not come with­ out controversy.

McGill avenged last year's loss in the QSSF final against Concordia with a 3-1 victory, despite dazzling goal­ tending by Concordia's Cecilia Anderson. Anderson shut out the Martlets until late in the second period, when the referee allowed a questionable goal by McGill right winger Kristin Leuszler. After Anderson stoned Brittany Privée on a breakaway, Leuszler rushed the crease and dislodged the puck from under Anderson's pad; the linesman signaled McGill's first goal of the season.

Concordia's Head Coach Les Lawton was irate after the goal as he accosted the ref while shouting obscenities, and he wasn't any happier after the game.

"We heard two whistles and the ref was way out of position in the neutral zone. It was the linesman who made the call," Lawton said.

Anderson also seem ed to be shaken by the call, as she allowed a goal by Shauna Denis with just 37.6 sec­ onds left in the period. Lawton was visibly distressed as his team headed to the dressing room for the second inter­ mission.

"We had some bad giveaways which led to break­ aways. Things like that happen at the beginning of the sea­ son," Anderson said.

The Martlets scoring was rounded out as they potted another at 16:11 when Mandy Zombor converted a onetimer from Natalie Smith on the power play. McGill's bid for a shutout was ruined when Stingers' centre Dominique Rancour deked out Catherine Herron with 3:21 left in the game.

The Martlets-Stingers rivalry nearly erupted at the con­ clusion of the game when McGill's Christine Hartnoll scuf­ fled with Esther Latoures, but to the disappointment of fans, no punches were thrown. However, the teams play each other four more times this season, so sparks may fly again as the rivals battle for the Quebec crown.

—Evan Malach

S P O R T S W R IT E R S N E E D E D D o you side w ith W ilb o n o r Kornheiser? O r does all yo u r love go to Stat Boy? Either w ay, attend o u r meeting, n e xt Monday, O c t. 17 at G e r t’s 5 :3 0 p.m.

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A T T E N T IO N Better get your grad photo taken to be included in O L D M c G I L L 2 0 0 6 The Official Yearbook

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LISTED BELOW ARE THE DATES FOR THE PHOTO SESSIONS AND THE FACULTIES...

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O ct. 11-21 M cC onnell E n g in e e rin g

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O ct. 2 0 -2 1 & 22 Jo s te n s Studio

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O ct. 2 4 -2 8 Jo s te n s Studio

PHYSIOLOGY ALL FACULTIES

Nov. 1-2 & 3 J o s te n s Studio Nov. 1-2-3 & 4 J o s te n s Studio

UNDERGRAD M ANAGEM ENT

W eeks of Nov. 7 & 14 J o s te n s Studio

M .B.A.

Nov. 17-18 & Nov. 24-25 Jo ste n s Studio