The McGill Tribune Vol. 26 Issue 22

ELECTION MADNESS: GET OFF YO' ASS AND VOTE, PAGE 4

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WANTTO SO YOU WANT TO TEACH ENGLISH ABROAD? PAGE 16

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P ublished by th e S tu d e n ts'S o cie ty o f M cG ill U n ive rsity

V o lu m e 26 Issue 22 • M arch 6 ,2 0 0 7

W a n d e r l u s t a n d f a i r y d u s t in l o l a n t h e G

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V alerie G o r d o n T here has n e ve r been a clash o f classes q u ite like th is one. As th e c u rta in o p e n s o n th e M cG ill Savoy Society's p ro d u c tio n o f lolanthe, th e stage is set fo r a m agical n ig h t fille d w ith d a n c in g fairies and g a l­ lo p in g Lords o f Parliam ent. T he s to ry is a s im p le one: th e b e lo ve d b u t b a n ish ed fa iry lo la n th e is fo rg iv e n b y her q u e e n fo r lo v in g a m o rta l.

As th e s h o w begins, she retu rn s to th e w o rld o f th e fairies, b rin g ­ in g her son a lo n g w ith her. F unnily e n o u g h , he is o n ly h a lf fa iry ... th e u p p e r half, to be exact. The o p e re tta s u b s e q u e n tly fo llo w s a love affair b e tw e e n th e h a lf-fa iry b o y S tre p h o n a n d a w a rd o f th e Lord C hancellor, Phyllis, w h o is fo rb id d e n fro m her lover because he is m e re ly a p o o r shepherd. S u p e rna tu ra l chaos ensues: S tre p h o n ends u p b e c o m in g a m e m b e r o f Parliam ent, a nd his im m o rta l fa iry m o th ­ er causes je a lo u s ly b e tw e e n th e tw o y o u n g lovers w h e n it be co m e s d iffic u lt fo r Phyllis t o u n d e rsta n d h o w Strephon's "m o th e r" c o u ld be 17 w h e n he is o n ly 25.

T he s w e e t and in n o c e n t fairies o f th e fo re st rep re se n t th e lo w e r class fe m a le sex, w h ile th e House o f Lords are p o rtra ye d as th e in ­ c o m p e te n t u p p e r class males. W h e n p itte d against each other, th e fe isty Q u e en o f th e Fairies c o m p le te ly d a u n ts th e d a sh in g a nd d ili­ g e n t Lord Chancellor, w h o is n o t used to ta k in g co m m a n d s fro m a n yo n e e x c e p t him self.

Ilir O rana, w h o plays th e h a u g h ty, b u t "s o m e w h a t suscepti­ b le ” Lord Chancellor, p o rtra ys his ch a ra cte r w ith p re cision and ju s t e n o u g h flair. His d e p ic tio n , as w e ll as th a t o f th e o th e r lead actors, h a rd ly ever falters, b u t a fe w o f th e fairies are p o rtra ye d in an exag­ g e ra te d m anner, w h ic h b o rders o n th e o b n o xio u s. It is hard to te ll

"My true love is to me... ten lords a leaping!" McGill's Savoy Society, the oldest of its kind in the country, showcases its annual production at Moyse Hall this week, when fairies, music and the English gentry temporarily stake the stage.

See FAIRYTALE on page 23

SSM U f in d s lo w - p r ic e s a n c t u a r y in H a v e n B o o k s M

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"N u m b e r tw o , w e d id n 't w a n t to receive any

"You are g e ttin g a lm o s t all o f th e m o n e y th a t y o u r b o o k is b e in g sold fo r a n d y o u r b o o k

K a y v o n A fshari

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S tu d e n ts' S o cie ty Vice-P resident Finance

is b e in g sold fo r w h a t p e o p le w ill pay fo r it," he

o b je c tio n s fro m M cG ill b e fore th e fact. It was a lo t easier t o d o th is w ith n o pressure fro m any

a nd O p e ra tio n s Dave S u n strum w as e xcite d to

said. "The m ain th in g a b o u t us o w n in g it is th a t

side.”

a n n o u n c e a b ig secret last w e e k as he declared th a t a little n o o k a t 2070 A y lm e r Street k n o w n as Haven Books w as re c e n tly purchased b y SSMU. T he c o n s ig n m e n t boo ksto re , o rig in a lly fo u n d e d

w e can run it like w e run all o f o u r o p e ra tio n s — break even, m ake a c o u p le th o u s a n d o r lose a c o u p le thousand."

The process o f th e asset a c q u is itio n re­

S u n strum said th a t SSMU c o u n c il was aw are o f th e process b u t th a t he w as g la d to a vo id "th e press a n d ra n d o m p e o p le asking, 'W h y isn 't th e b o o k s to re deal fin is h e d y e t? " He

b y Kevin Bozzo in O tta w a , has a llo w e d stu d e n ts

m a in e d c o n fid e n tia l u n til last w e e k and ac­

also said th a t th e p rice o f th e purchase was n o t

an a lte rn a tiv e to th e M cG ill boo ksto re . The So­ c ie ty w ill like ly b e g in ru n n in g th e b o o ksto re in

c o rd in g to S unstrum , th e process to o k lo n g e r th a n he e xp e cte d a lth o u g h he was g la d th a t it

p u b lic in fo rm a tio n .

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T here was ju s t th e m ain c a m p u s b o o k s to re and a fe w sm all o ff-c a m p u s o th e r bookstores, b u t th e re was c o m p e titio n lacking."

H ow ever, Barry S ch m id t, g e neral m a n a g e r o f th e M cG ill U nive rsity Bookstore, said th a t Haven Books's used b o o k m o d e l is "inferior."

"I'd be in te re ste d in h o w SSMU plans to d is c o u n t used bo o ks a n d co ve r its costs," he said. "After Haven Books takes a co m m issio n , th e m o s t s tu d e n ts w ill e ve r g e t is

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rem a in e d undisclosed. S u n strum e xp la in e d th a t

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SSMU President A aron D o nny-C lark was g la d th a t th e n e w sh o p w o u ld m a in ta in a ser­ vice m an d a te .

th e re w e re tw o reasons fo r th e secrecy.

"W e d id n 't w a n t a n yo n e else b id d in g on th is place. W e w a n te d it to b e ju s t us," he said.

"A fe w o f th e sam e c o n d itio n s existed [at M c­ G ill] th a t d id in C arleton," Bozzo said. "There was n o w h e re w h e re yo u c o u ld co n sig n used books.

M on tre a l.

60 p e r cent, 50

w hereas [at th e M cG ill b o o ksto re ] th e y 'll g e t p e r c e n t cash im m ediately."

A c c o rd in g to S ch m id t, th e u n iv e rs ity b o o k-

See TUITION on page 6

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COVER PHOTO BY LUKAS BERGMARK

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E l e c t i o n s M cG ill g e t s t o u g h o n e - c a m p a i g n s S o c ia l

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Facebook.com. However, candidates and com­

D a v id B lye

mittee chairs will be very restricted in what they can and cannot do on everyone's favourite so­ cial-networking Web site.

"We're allowing candidates to use [Facebook] on a very limited extent," said Elections McGill Chief Returning Officer Bryan Badali.

"We've established Elections McGill as a Facebook user. All groups for SSMU, Senate and

With the kickoff of the SSMU election cam­ paign on Monday, countless students woke up yesterday morning to see that their Facebook newsfeeds were inundated with "Vote for x" photos. For the next four days, students will be subject to both traditional posters and class canvassing and online campaigning through

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When

7:00PM Wednesday. March 7th

Election s Mcgill facebo o ked your m om last night.

c h a lle n g e s

referendum questions will be established and controlled by Elections McGill."

Candidates and committee chairs are not allowed to establish groups, buy flyers or post on the walls of groups that they are administra­ tors for. However, they are permitted to create events as well as write on the walls and send messages to users that they are already friends with.

Only Elections McGill is allowed to start groups for the SSMU Executive, Senate and referendum races. The groups' admins include Elections McGill and all the candidates running for the post. These groups serve as the only fo­ rums where candidates are allowed to display their credentials and platforms in an online manner. Also, all Facebook campaigns, which includes groups, events and wall posts, must be down by midnight on Saturday.

One of the biggest difficulties that Elections McGill faces is the prospect of monitoring the Web site during the course of the campaign.

"We'll do our best," Badali said. "Well be constantly monitoring the site, largely through the newsfeed function. We've added all the can­ didates and their campaign members. If we find a violation, well take action against it.”

Vice-President University Affairs candidate Adrian Angus felt that while this was a fair way to deal with the growing trend of online cam­ paigning, no one should be abusing the privi­ lege.

"You have to be prudent when using the site," Angus said. "No one can afford to be hasty, or they risk a penalty."

Some of the candidates were quite pleased that they will be able to enhance their cam­

d u r in g

p o llin g

paigns through the Web site.

"The biggest advantage of using Facebook is that it easily facilitates mass communication," said VP Clubs and Services candidate Allison Verba. "It helps to see who your supporters are, and how they can be educated to bring out the message."

Verba feels that Facebook provides a strong avenue for candidates to continue their cam­ paigns off-campus. "[Facebook] is more targeted than the tra­ ditional way of campaigning." Verba said. "I feel that posters can be overwhelming and that they all start to blend together. Eventually, stu­ dents start to ignore them."

"Class announcements can be quite effec­ tive, but you're limited in terms of time," Verba added. "It could be become a lot of jockeying for positions, or who is going to be able to speak to the big classes in Leacock 13 2 . 1feel that Facebook creates an even playing field."

VP Communication and Events candidate Genevieve Friesen echoed Verba's sentiments.

"I find that sometimes posters can have too much information," Friesen said. "Facebook allows you to choose which profiles you want to view and who you want to know more about."

However, some of the other candidates weren't as convinced about the strength from Facebook campaigning.

"I don't think it will be very big," Angus said.

“Much like other years, giving speeches, posters and a good performance in the debate are all still very important. If you want to win, you can't just sit at home and run a campaign through Facebook; you have be out there to get your message across."*

C IT Y

P a rtie s s q u a r e o ff o n th e e n v ir o n m e n t S p e a k e r s

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S o n y a B ell Concordia University played host to a de­ bate between federal political parties debate last Tuesday as part of its Blueprints for Change Sustainability Festival. The NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green Party were represented in the debate titled “Canada in the Age of Kyoto."The Conser­ vative Party "respectfully declined" an invitation to the event, according to organizers and the Liberal Party ultimately decided it needed all its MPs in the House of Commons for the free vote being held that night.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May, looking at her fellow debaters Nathan Cullen, the NDP's environment critic and Marcel Lussier, an asso­ ciate environment critic for the Bloc, joked, "We may find ourselves in violent agreement."

The opening remarks made by Cullen and May initially suggested that the parties were largely unified on the issue. Both were pleased with the attention Canadians have been giving to the environment but expressed exasperation with the games being played in the House of Commons.

"Canadians are way out in front of Ottawa on this one," Cullen said. "They're reading the books, seeing the movies, making small chang­ es in their lives; whereas in Ottawa, we're still debating the fundamentals."

Cullen described the debate between the Liberals and Conservatives as a neck-cramping back-and-forth game of "you're worse than we are."

The controversy erupted when the Bloc Québécois representative made his opening

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"In four televised leaders' debates, Jack it was an excellent debate. statement. Lussier drew criticism from Cullen, "There were a ton of good points. The talk May and audience members for his unfavour­ Layton didn't use the word 'Kyoto'once. I don't about proportional representation sparked my want that to happen again," she said. able comparisons between the environmental Concordia student Gwyneth Jones thought interest in particular," she said. ■ records of Quebec and the rest of Canada, which seemed to absolve his party of wrongdoing.

"Maybe this is the time to realize we're all on one planet, " May said in response.

Concordia student Joe Rochon found the debate to be very polarized.

"The Bloc representative just bolstered himself by talking about the big role Quebec is taking," he said. "He didn't add anything about Canada as a whole."

The overarching theme of the evening was fear of a prolonged Conservative-led gov­ ernment. May .stated that her biggest fear is Harper continuing to lead the government in 20 0 8 , when it will become legal to petition to withdraw from Kyoto.This ignited discussion on how to prevent vote-splitting that would allow a re-election of the Conservatives, for example with the implementation of a proportional rep­ resentation system.

Erica Martin, law representative to the Stu­ dents'Society, followed up on that point and di­ rected a question to Elizabeth May on the issue of possible vote-splitting resulting from having many "green" parties.

"We have much more in the common than in the difference," May said. "I'd like to talk to Sté­ phane Dion and Jack Layton to see if we can come up with a creative solution."

Nonetheless, May insisted that a Green party candidate would run in every riding in the SONYA BELL next election so that every Canadian can vote Panelists w ere in "violent ag reem en t" o ver Canada's e n viron m ental concerns. for an alternative.

06.03.07 - The McGill Tribune • 3 CITY

CAM PUS

J - B o a r d b a c k in a c t i o n C ity f i n e s SS M U c l u b s B lo o d

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h ig h e s t ju d ic ia l

K ate S pirgen After a year's worth of heated debate on the constitutionality of blood drives in the Shatner Building, Students' Society President Aaron Donny-Clark will be taking a spring referendum question that, if passed, would reinstate blood drives in the building to the Judicial Board.The Society's authority on all matters constitutional will then decide whether or not the question will appear on ballots from March 9 to 14 .

"This referendum question, as proposed, is neither clear nor consistent with the consti­ tution," Donny-Clark said. "I'm challenging the Chief Returning Officer's decision. I think he's wrong in saying that it's clear."

Marc-André Rousseau, who put the ques­ tion forward, worked with Elections McGill to ensure that the question was appropriate before gathering over 6 0 0 signatures. He ex­ pressed concerns about Donny-Clark's motive in challenging the question.

"He doesn't care what the students think— he really doesn't on this matter," Rousseau said.

"I think he should choose between represent­ ing the students and doing what he thinks is morally right. In viewing this as a constitutional matter, he's trying to protect himself and he's trying to shut down the student opinion. He's very much trying to have his own personal views thrust upon the student body."

The fact that Donny-Clark filed the petition as president of the Society without consult­ ing Council directly has raised concerns from other councilors. At SSMU Council on Thursday, Clubs and Services Representative Rob Church questioned whether Donny-Clark should have sought a mandate from Council to challenge the question.

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b o d y

"Council itself never voted on the consti­ tutionality of blood drives," Church said. "They upheld the decision of the executive commit­ tee to ban blood drives. I agree that he had the mandate of council to ban blood drives. I don't agree that he had the mandate to take this to J-Board."

Church also brought attention to the fact that this case and the resulting publicity could change student opinion before the vote.

"The results are not going to be the same as if he hadn't come out so adamantly against holding blood drives and if he hadn't taken this to the J-Board. It seems that he's trying to taint the results by coming out so early and so zeal­ ously against it. I think that Aaron has no right to supercede the will of the students."

Donny-Clark defended his actions, saying "I think the debate at Council shows that I had [their] very clear backing. I've given the oppor­ tunity to say, 'No, you're way off base,' but both Council and the GA have made their ruling on my interpretation of the constitution" The greater question of whether or not blood drives in Shatner are constitutional will be addressed at a later date by Rousseau, who plans to challenge the constitutionality of the initial ban.

"The fact of the matter is that it's going to be addressed, but I don't want to address it if the students get a chance to vote," Rousseau said. "Me addressing this would be me person­ ally going up to the J-Board and challenging.

It's not my view that I'm imposing on the stu­ dents; that's what he's doing. I'm just saying let the students decide."

The Judicial Board may not be able to meet before polling begins, requiring the results to be sealed until a decision is reached. ■

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K ristin M a ich Tacking up posters around campus is a typ­ ical means of advertisement for McGill clubs, but when promoting strays from campus property on to city streets and lampposts, it becomes a fineable offense. In recent years the City of Mon­ treal has been cracking down on these poster­ ing offenses, which could be a problem for the Students'Society.

SSMU recently settled more than $20 ,0 0 0 in fines out of court for postings on city property.

Clubs have been publicizing their various causes through posters displayed outside of the McGill campus for years, but haven't faced charges because of their status as clubs.

"Clubs are not a legal entity," said SSMU Vice-President Clubs and Services Floh HerraVega. "They are incorporated under SSMU, so only SSMU can be fined. Essentially, as far as the law goes, clubs and services are SSMU." The Montreal police recently discovered that SSMU bears responsibility for clubs'offenses and started to target the society for the fines.

"First offenses are a few hundred dollars," Herra-Vega said, "but once you have several, the maximum fine is $2 ,5 0 0 , which is where we're at."

According to Herra-Vega, the money to pay for fines would ostensibly be taken from the general administration or from miscellaneous dubs budgets, but is not definite as of yet.

The details of the ban against posters on city property can be found in the City of Mon­ treal's Nuisance By-Law, which prohibits "dis­ playing, carrying, transporting or distributing banners, posters, advertisements, loose sheets or similar material near public property, without authorization from the borough."

How SSMU should deal with the offenses

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of individual clubs is an issue Herra-Vega would like to see addressed sooner rather than later.

"I'd like the decision, since it's a rather large one, to be made by the Clubs and Services Com­ mittee and then approved by Council."

Herra-Vega outlined the two options to pay for fines incited by clubs. The money to pay the fines could be set aside in a budget every year, which would mean money would have to be cut from somewhere else in the SSMU budget.

"Even if we stretch the clubs' budget, that means that club funding is cut short," she said.

"This means that all clubs suffer because of a few clubs' poster offenses."

The second option would be to draw up a contract for club executives to sign that would make them personally responsible for their clubs'posters.

"It sucks a lot for the individual people if they get caught," Herra-Vega acknowledged, "but it creates a culture of accountability where­

by I doubt most clubs will commit poster of­ fenses."

"I think it's a mix between individual re­ sponsibility and SSMU responsibility," said Clubs and Services Representative to Council Kyle Bailey. "The individual [offender] shouldn't nec­ essarily have all the responsibility, but the fees are much, much smaller when it is an individual who is being fined rather than a large organiza­ tion like SSMU." Bailey went on to say that SSMU had a role to play in making sure that all the clubs and their members are aware of the poster laws, but stated that SSMU "shouldn't have to pay for indi­ viduals' mistakes, especially when it hurts every single other student who's paying SSMU fees.”

"I really want feedback on which option people think is best,” Herra-Vega said. "Both [op­ tions] have their up sides and down sides."*

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The McGill Tribune

4 • News • 06.03.07 EG EO FFR EY HALL ® M A X SILVERMAN

VP EXTERNAL:

E le c tio n s

G eoffrey Hall U3 p o litical scie n ce and u rb an sy stem s

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won't see the point in joining it just to say that we're part of a provincial body.

3 . What new opportunities does SSMU's prospec­

PHOTOS BY KATE SPIRGEN

1.

Tired o f seeing th e sam e old SSMU plastered all over th e press? N ow there's a w h o le n ew crop o f p o ten tia l SSMU-shies to check o u t. G et to kn ow th e candidates and th e ir positions on campus's ho t topics and pressing debates w ith this hand y guide before you head to th e polls.

What is the one thing that you hope to accom­ plish in your tenure?

I really want to concentrate on building better com­ munity relations. I think our portfolio has gone too far in concentrating only on federal and provincial matters. It needs to have more to do with the local community.

tive membership in CFS present?

The number one thing that McGill needs to be look­ ing at is ending [the McGill funding adjustment]. It's been a problem forever and it's being ignored. I be­ lieve last year was around $i6-million that affected their funding directly. That's a lot of money. That's almost $1,0 0 0 per undergraduate student. If you're looking at making tuition more affordable, ending ajustement McGill should be the first step towards that.

4

0 F L O H HERRA-VEGA SJA K E ITZK O W ITZ

PRESIDENT:

Floh Herra-Vega U3 linguistics 1 . What is the one thing that you hope to accomplish in your tenure?

I want to put in place more sus­ tainable practices in the building and in our events. We should concretely re­ duce the amount of waste that doesn't get recycled and create student-run op­ erations providing more student jobs.

2 . Do you believe that blood drives in the Shatner building are unconstitu­ tional?

I think first of all that this really needs to go to the Judicial Board. I'd like to see a judicial decision on this and then it will be settled. I think my interpretation is that yes, they are unconstitutional.

I think that the blood donation poli­ cies of Hema-Quebec are discrimina­ tory, specifically because they focus on sexual orientation as opposed to sexual practices.

Jake Itzkowitz U2 political sci­ ence

3 . What is your stance on the Quebec tuition freeze?

I think we should keep the freeze. We need to improve access to education in Quebec. We need to. fight any defreeze of tuition and we need to be united with the student movement in Quebec and throw aside differences of support­ ing free tuition versus supporting the freeze. It makes the student movement fight among itself when it should be fighting a bigger battle.

There's a constitutional amendment going forward whereby the president would be the only representative to the Board of Governors and I thinkthat's the right thing to do. We need to make it clear to McGill what we want. We should be firm on that position.That being said, it is really unfortunate that we don't have anyone on the board right now, but that is the point - that we want to have someone on the board and I think that if we're going to argue properly for needing someone on the board, we can't have someone there in protest.

3 . What

is your standing on the Que­ bec tuition freeze?

2 . Do you

4.

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M iff i A I

I think one of the f f i j i j l i roles of president

believe that blood drives in the Shatner building are unconstitu­ tional?

My reading of the constitution is that SSMU blood drives in the building are unconstitutional. I'm waiting for the Judicial Board to decide on the current policy because it's more nuanced than that. If J-Board were to say'blood drives in the Shatner building are unconstitu­ tional,' I would not contravene that in any way to try and get around it but I would look into options for, depending on what the J-Board ruling is, working within that framework to make sure that we have blood drives back.

Students have not been consulted enough on the CFS decision: I'm not convinced that we need a body separate from ourselves for provincial representation because we don't share all the same concerns with the provincial government and the other universi­ ties. If the CFS-Q has what we need and the price is appropriate and they'll deliver, then we'll join. If the student body decides that this is in fact not worth the money and won't reflect our needs, then we

Max Silverman U2 Canadian studies

. Was pulling the Board of Gov­ ernors representative an effective method for obtaining a seat for the SSMU president?

■ra M w i I M iS to be the em­ bodiment of SSMU on campus and to make SSMU visible on campus. So one of the things I want to change is making it customary that the president or mem­ ber of the executive attend events on campus. I want a higher level of involve­ ment on campus.

What is the one thing that you hope to accomplish in your tenure?

With the termination of SSMU's membership in la Fédération étudiante universitaire du Qué­ bec, do you plan to obtain provincial representa­ tion?

4

I don't support the freeze. If you're re­ ally poor, you can't afford to go to uni­ versity even if it's free. You need grants and loans and bursaries and to get those you need income. The reality is that stu­ dents have to invest in their education because education is an investment as well as a right. So what we need is not to have a freeze, but to have an average at Canadian levels and then provide loans and bursaries for students so that there's real accessibility and quality, instead of the illusion of accessibility and low qual­ ity.

Am I going to push that as a priority?

Absolutely not, but this is my personal stance on it.

1.

2.

Was pulling the Board of Gover­ nors representative the most effec­ tive method for obtaining a seat for the SSMU president?

No, absolutely not. It was not a good idea. Had I been on the board up to this point, we might be much closer to a solution than we currently are. The fact that when I talk to governors now they see me as a former governor who resigned really reduces my ability to lobby for us and leaves us without a seat in confidential session and without a voice. Do I think I should have resigned?

Yes, because I was asked to. Do I think I should have been asked to resign?

Not necessarily. Given the information I have if I were president I would not have asked my board rep to resign.

1 . What is the one thing that you hope to accom­ plish in your tenure?

To have a campus that knows the issues going on in education in Quebec right now and a campus that cares about those is­ sues, whether they agree with our positions or not.

At least to have a constant debate on our campus about it. For those of course who oppose the de­ freeze of tuition, that we have a campus actively working to keep the freeze.

the termination of SSMU's membership in la Fédération étudiante universitaire du Qué­ bec, do you plan to obtain provincial representa­ tion?

. What is your stance on the tuition freeze?

The new legislation that has been proposed by the Premier is going to be ineffective in improving edu­ cation and will ultimately lead to less affordable edu­ cation. We need to look at a holistic approach to fees.

While a freeze is not necessarily the only way to do it, increasing student fees without a much bigger com­ mitment from provincial and federal governments is completely unreasonable, especially because Que­ bec universities are under-funded by about $315 million annually. It should be them putting their foot forward first to try and solve that problem. The freeze is set in stone until we have a solid commit­ ment from both governments.

formed a semi-official partnership with [the Stu­ dents'Association of the University of Laval]. I hope that this kind of alliance or coalition builds into something more formal.

3.

What new opportunities does SSMU's pro­ spective membership in the Canadian Federa­ tion of Students present?

We had a really positive experience at the annual general meeting in November but I don't think we can base whether or not we should join an orga­ nization on one meeting. We are still waiting to see what the campaign to change Health Canada's blood drive policy is going to look like because to me that should be our litmus test to see whether this is a good organization for us or not.

. What is your stance on the tuition freeze?

2 . With

4

With our membership in the Canadian Federation of Students came our membership in CFS-Quebec and I've maintained all along that the CFS-Q is not adequate provincial representation. It's not a politi­ cal force; it's not something historically ingrained in Quebec political culture. During this election we've

In every single province in Canada in the past ten years, when tuition fees have gone up, government funding and overall funding has gone down, so students end up paying significantly more but get­ ting less bang for their buck. If the principal's plan of raising tuition but guaranteeing that every student could attend regardless of financial need were fea­ sible, I think we would be a lot more open to it as a solution.

W h at do these hotshots know , anyway? Check ou t ou r C andidate Q uiz o n line at w w w . m c g i l l t r i b u n e . c o m to see w h o m akes th e grade w h en it comes to th e ins and outs o f M cGill University.

VP FINANCE & OPERATIONS:

® IM A D BARAKE

(A C C L A IM E D )

Imad Barake U3 , management 1 . What is the one thing that you hope to accom­ plish in your tenure?

To create a SSMU invest­ ment policy that is finan­ cially sound and socially responsible with regard to the $i.8-million that we just received from our settlement last May with the uni­ versity over our share in the bookstore profits.

2 . Do you intend to implement the fall GA mo­ tion mandating SSMU to take steps toward eliminating all negative corporate influence on campus?

I'd have to specifically define what 'negative corporate influence is and once I do that, yes. But it's a very tricky question because defining exactly what it is would be a problem. For example, I don't believe in naming a student hall after a corporation. Having advertisements around the building is fine. Having corporations set up booths outside the building; it depends on what it is. It's case specific.

3 . How do you

plan to get Gert's out of deficit?

I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm going to make it profitable, but I'm going to work hard at least to make it break even and hopefully be profit able. One thing I would try to encourage is the rela­ tionship between Athletics McGill and Gert's to try to show games at Gert's across all different sports and have the athletics teams at McGill come cel­ ebrate at Gert's once they win.

www.mcgilltribune.com

06.03.07 • News • 5

VP UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS:

[HADRIAN ANGUS 0 M A L E K YA LA O U I

C O M M U N IC A T IO N S & EVENTS: Genevieve Friesen U3 chemistry

Adrian Angus U3 history

I think it has been effective for student repre­ sentation, but the proof in the pudding comes in December when we work with administra­ 1 . What is the one thing tion for implementation. I am optimistic be­ that you hope to accom­ cause all signs in administration say that this is going to happen.They are taking this seriously. plish in your tenure?

Working with Senate to The principal is taking this seriously and the oversee the implementa­ provost is taking this seriously. Certainly SSMU tion of the report of the and all the faculty associations are taking it se­ principal's task force for riously. So far, from what I've seen, it is positive. student life and learning, which includes the recommendations for im­ 3 . How do you plan to address excessive red proving advising. If I weren't able to improve tape in the administration? advising across all faculties that would be my What we can do as SSMU is have better infor­ mation to guide students and navigate their single regret because advising is something that I have worked on, not only as a Vice-Presi­ way through the bureaucracy. We can push dent Academic, but also as an arts senator and the administration to cut back and suggest I'll definitely be making it my top priority if I'm ways in which they could have a dialogue with students. So I want to make sure that dialogue elected Vice-President University Affairs. continues and SSMU should take it upon itself 2 . Do you believe that the principal's task through its Web sites and handbooks to in­ force on student life and learning is an ef­ form students and help them navigate them fective means of addressing student con­ through the bureaucracy. If students have a cerns? bureaucracy guide, things will be a lot easier.

Malek Valaoui U3 international de­ velopment studies and political science i.What is the one thing that you hope to accomplish in your tenure?

I want to reform aca­ demic advising. Fac­ ulty advisors are so few in number that 15 -minute appointments must often be made months in advance. I would push to hire full-time, professional advis­ ing staff able to deal with students in a helpful and timely manner. SSMU should also fulfill its long-standing goal of creating an Office of Un­ dergraduate Research as a central directory of all research opportunities at McGill.

2 . Do you believe that the principal's task force on student life and learning is an effec­ tive means of addressing student concerns?

The successful implementation of the taskforce's recommendations will depend primarily on the

degree to which students'representatives hold the administration's feet to the fire. SSMU, and especially the VP University Affairs, has histori­ cally not taken full advantage of our seats on McGill's governing bodies to represent student interests to the fullest nor has SSMU sought to acquire the sort of broad-based student sup­ port necessary to affect McGill's decision-mak­ ers. The result is a student body that is unaware of the many avenues available to them to ad­ dress the problems they face and thus apathet­ ic about the way their university is run. SSMU can and should do better.

3.

How do you plan to address excessive red tape in the administration?

I would keep the promises I make to students.

One chief example is to actually complete the Navigating McGill's Bureaucracy handbook that the current VP UA started, during last year's campaign, was her number one priority but which has yet to come to fruition. I would also fight against the further watering-down of key Senate committees like the Committee on An­ cillary Services into powerless, bureaucratic de­ vices.

Be sure to check out th e Tribune's endorsements for candidates and referendum questions this Friday at w w w .m c g i l l t r i b u n e .c o m or w ait for our special issue on Monday.

Get involved! Election debates are this W ednesday on th e second floor o f Shatner in th e Lev Bukhman room. Advanced polling begins on March 9 and runs to March 14. M ake your voice heard!

Vote online at w w w .e l e c t i o n s m c g i l l .c a / v o t e .

VP CLUBS & SERVICES: Marcelle Kosman U3 English 1 . What is the one thing that you hope to accomplish in your tenure?

I want to find some way to help clubs and services to become more environmentally conscious and find ways to make Shatner a better green space. I want to build linkages between clubs and services particularly the ones that have more knowledge about sus­ tainability and green practices and develop workshops for other clubs and services that would teach them how to run their offices in ways that are more eco-conscious.

2.

How do you plan to address the recent reduction of the Shatner ballroom's ca­ pacity from 6 2 0 to 2 5 0 and how will SSMU clubs be able to hold large events?

My understanding of the problem with the

i. What is the one thing that you hope to accom­ plish in your tenure?

H G EN EVIEVE FRIESEN H K A Y TURNER

3.

What direction do you see frosh taking and how can you maintain a reasonable balance between what critics and the ad­ ministration want frosh to be and what frosh participants expect?

I want to reorganize and revamp the entire ori­ entation week. If I suc­ ceeded in it and it went off well I would be . so happy, but if it didn't go off well and we had to reorganize it again, it would get hard and very time consuming.

Having been the director for science frosh this year, I have a.great background and experi­ ence because I dealt with it first hand. I now have a much better understanding of how the administration feels. I want to get the faculties and the residences and Discover McGill in of­ fice in May and consolidate a one week orien­ tation. There would still be separate days, but I want to streamline the entire process.

2.

4

Ideally my summer in large part would be de­ voted to finding an outside source that would sign a contract with us and have a deal where you could serve Boreale kegs and has a capac­ ity of five or six hundred or a thousand people.

I want to find an outside source and sign an exclusivivty deal so that we can move the par­ ties in Shatner to an outside location.

I am francophone. I'm from a francophone community in Ottawa and McGill was my first English school. It's important because franco­ phone needs are quite different than the Mc­ Gill needs. It's important in the events that we stop focusing on drinking. SSMU should be a bit more encompassing in the larger picture, Francophones are different because they are coming in as Ui and most of the time they aren't going to be living at McGill.

How do you plan to hold large SSMU events such as 4 floors now that the Shatner ballroom capacity has been lowered from 6 2 0 to 2 5 0 ?

Kay Turner U2 international development studies and political science 1 . What is the one thing that you hope to accomplish in your tenure?

It's important to have someone in C & E that is really competent in dealing with the administra­ tion, because, as we all know, they have been cracking down so much on different events and I think that's only going to get worse.

2 . How do you plan to hold large SSMU events such as 4 floors now that the Shat­ ner ballroom capacity has been lowered from 6 2 0 to 2 5 0 ?

I know that we are looking at different ways of potentially adding another fire exit be­ cause that's the problem, including covering the main stairway. But financially, I don't know how that's going to be feasible. I really believe in keeping student events on campus, but without the Shatner ballroom, that's going to be very difficult. It will just be a lot more work with the clubs and services hoping that they make their events better in venues and mak­ ing sure that they don't make a lot of mistakes that you can make when you're planning an

. How do you plan to communicate with the francophone community and will you be capable of sending bilingual emails?

off-campus event.

3 . What

direction do you see frosh taking and how can you maintain a reasonable balance between what critics and the ad­ ministration want frosh to be and what frosh participants expect?

I was really involved in O-staffmg this frosh and it was really great to see so many stu­ dents just hanging out, tossing frisbees on the soccer field and having a couple of beers, taking the focus off of everybody sitting in a circle and playing drinking games. I want to make sure that those who want to drink are able to drink in a safe and legal way and make sure that everything is okay with the admin­ istration side.

4- How do you plan to communicate with the francophone community and will you be capable of sending bilingual emails?

I'm not bilingual. I think that having a really good francophone commissioner and really good French translator [will help]. Part of my platform that I'm hoping to accomplish next year is to integrate student groups into the events that we already have. Also, trying to get more Montrealers involved in frosh. I'm hoping to hire at least one of the frosh coor­ dinators that came from a CEGEP to help me figure out how we're going to be able to get Montreal francophone students involved.

H MARCELLE KOSM AN H A LLIS O N VERBA ballroom is that the sprinkler system was supposed to make up for the fact that the fire escapes are limited. I guess what we would have to do is continue to work with the fire department and try to figure out whether or not that deal that was made earlier was crooked. If it turns out that it's not safe to have more than a few hundred people in the ballroom we would have to look into some kind of reconstruction or whatever is neces­ sary so that we can continue to use the Ball­ room.

3.

How will you maintain effective com­ munication and stay up to date with emails from the many SSMU clubs?

Other than the basics of checking my email every day and checking my phone calls and all of that, I would want to make myself more available and maybe have set office hours. I feel like what happens when we delegate a lot of things through email is that they get lost in an inbox. Maybe making myself more available by phone and appointments would save a lot of trouble.

Alison Verba U2 political science i.What is the one thing that you hope to ac­ complish in your tenure?

To be able to provide a redistribution of space in the Shatner building. I think that all over this build­ ing, with some simple adjustments to the way the building is set up, we could accommodate more club space and more club offices and also just improve the aesthetics in Shatner al­ together.

2.

How do you plan to address the recent reduction of the Shatner ballroom's capacity from 6 2 0 to 2 5 0 and how will SSMU clubs be able to

hold large events?

The only solution would be to build another fire escape. What we could do is either find a way to build a new one or if we were to cover up the main hallway with protective glass, then the main staircase would count as a fire escape and then we would be able to use the ballroom at full capacity again.

3 . How will you maintain effective communication and stay up to date with emails from the many SSMU clubs?

If there would be a way for me to meet with executives on a regular inter­ val just to hear their concerns, then I would make that an ultimate priority.

I'm very self-disciplined and I'm orga­ nized. I’m the type of person that can sit down in an office for hours and just work and work and answer phone calls and answer emails and I would actually enjoy that.

6 • News • 06.03.07 **

SPEA K ERS O N C A M P U S

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The coldest matter in the uni­ verse and the resulting portal into a new quantum world seemed the perfect topic for a mid-winter lecture given last Thursday and Friday by Dr. Wolfgang Ketterle, a physicist at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology and a Nobel Laureate.

Completing the second of two public lectures as part of the Anne I. McPherson lectures hosted by the Mc­ Gill faculty of physics, Ketterle spoke of his verification of the Bose-Einstein Condensate. Referred to as BEC, this new state of matter had been pre­ dicted through quantum mechanics

by Satyendra Bose and Albert Einstein but was not produced experimentally for seventy years until its discovery in 19 9 5 -Ketterle's research with BECs lead to his Nobel Prize for physics in 20 0 1 , which he shared with Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman.

'The Bose-Einstein Condensate verification helped significantly with filling in the details left by Einstein's predictions," Ketterle said.

The Bose-Einstein Condensate is a super-cooled gas that exhibits strange and mysterious properties. The gas is formed by cooling atoms to just barely above absolute zero, or more than a million times colder than inter-stellar space. Once the gas has been cooled to this temperature, the atoms have such little energy that a giant matter wave is formed, which allows scientists to directly observe quantum mechani­

cal effects.

Ketterle said later that he was extremely impressed with McGill's stu­ dents and faculty.

"I had coffee with the students after lunch and there were many ques­ tions: curious questions, smart ques­ tions. I also spent the morning with faculty members, many of them new hires, and McGill has really hired some wonderful new people,"he said.

Microchips and more precise atomic clocks are potential everyday applications of the Bose-Einstein Con­ densate. The BEC is difficult to use in applications because slight changes or motions will disturb and terminate the sample's BEC properties.

"Now, ten years after the discov­ ery, we are merely using the Bose-Ein­ stein Condensate as part of a toolbox for other experiments with ultra cold atoms," Ketterle said at the end of his final lecture.

The first lecture, "Bose-Einstein Condensates - the coldest matter in the universe,"catered to non-physicists and physicists alike, explaining much of the concept of the Bose Einstein Condensate through analogy and vi­ suals. The second lecture, "New forms of quantum matter near absolute zero", brought much more of the formal sci­ ence into the talk.

"He was able to expand on a topic that's very complex," said Yvan Dossman, U3 physics, "and make it pos­ sible for everybody to appreciate this ground-breaking work.''*

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store buys used books for 50 per cent of the new price and sells at 75 per cent of the new price. He explained that since the market price for used books is set at 75 per cent of list price and Haven Books has thus far taken a 20 per cent commission, this ef­ fectively leaves the individual seller with 60 per cent back on his or her used book. He said that the benefit of going through the university book­ store is that the cash is paid immedi­ ately.

Sunstrum said that he is still in the early stages of taking over opera­ tions and that SSMU has yet to decide what the rate of commission will be come May. He said that it "might be lower than 20 per cent."

Running the bookstore will broaden the Finance and Operations portfolio, Sunstrum said.

"One of the main reasons I liked doing this was that it made the [VP Fi­ nance and Operations] more relevant

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T h e A U S is now accepting applications for Valedictorian for the Spring 2007 graduating class in the Faculty of Arts.

Application form s available at www.ausmcgill.com o r at the A U S offices in the basement of Leacock.

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Acclaimed VP Finance and Op­ erations Imad Barake said that while he still hasn't learned all of the details required for managing the bookstore, he is ready to take on the job.

"When I'll be running Haven Books, the goal would not be to make profits but to provide books as cheaply as possible while keeping our costs in mind," Barake said. "I don't know the details yet, but that's what well be doing during the transition period after elections."

Bozzo said that while all of the assets will be sold to SSMU, he will re­ main the owner of Haven Books Inc. and that he will continue to receive an ongoing royalty.

"I still have a vested interest in Haven Books working successfully with SSMU," he said. "I've agreed to a consulting period and training the new manager and making sure that the marketing plan is on track. I still have an interest in seeing them move forward successfully."*

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SPRING ELECTIONS CANDIDATE & REFERENDUM COMMITTEES PENSKETCH

REFERENDUM COMMITTEES: TO READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS PLEASE SEE LAST WEEK’S EDITION OF THE PAPER OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.ELECTIONSMCGILL.CA. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 2 Renaming o f position currently known as VP Communication & Events to VP Internal YES COMM ITTEE

Removal o f the position of Student Representative to the Board o f Governors (Article IX)

YES COMMITTEE

- T he S S M U has

h is t o r ic a l ly h a d p r o b le m s r e a c h in g o u t to its

Restriction o f fee referendums to the Fall electoral period

YES COMMITTEE

- T h e S S M U has been

- R ecen t years h ave seen a

f lo u r is h o f f e e in c r e a s e r e f e r e n d a in th e s p r in g

m e m b e r s h ip . T h is c o n s t it u t io n a l a m e n d m e n t is

f i g h t in g to r e s t o r e it s P r e s id e n t t o M c G i l l ’s B o a r d

e l e c t i o n p e r io d . S tu d e n t s d e s e r v e a f u ll tr a n s p a r e n t

th e fir s t s t e p t o b e tt e r s e r v i n g y o u . S S M U p la n s to

o f G o v e r n o r s ( B o G ) . L a s t y e a r s t u d e n ts v o t e d to

d e b a t e o n a ll f e e i n c r e a s e s , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e p r o p o s e d

h ir e a n e w e m p l o y e e t o ta k e c a r e o f

r e -in s ta t e th e s t u d e n t B o G r e p r e s e n t a t iv e b a s e d o n

b y th e ir f e l l o w s t u d e n ts . T h is c o n s t it u t io n a l

c o m m u n ic a t i o n s , th u s a l l o w i n g t h e e l e c t e d V i c e -

a f a l s e p r o m i s e f r o m th e U n iv e r s i t y th a t th e

a m e n d m e n t w i l l h a v e th e e f f e c t o f li m i t in g f e e

P r e s id e n t (I n te r n a l) t o c o n c e n tr a t e o n k e e p in g y o u

P r e s id e n t w o u l d g e t t o s it a s w e l l . T h e U n iv e r s it y

in c r e a s e r e fe r e n d a t o th e F a ll p e r io d w h e r e t h e y

a n d S S M U in tu n e . V o t e Y E S t o t h is a m e n d m e n t

in f o r m e d S S M U a t th e b e g in n i n g o f th e y e a r th at

w o n ’t b e o v e r s h a d o w e d b y th e S S M U e le c t io n s .

a n d V o t e Y E S t o a b e tt e r S S M U !

t h is w o u ld n o t b e t h e c a s e , a n d w e n o w n e e d to

V o t e Y E S to f e e r e fe r e n d u m r e s t r ic t io n s a n d V o t e

c h a n g e t h e C o n s t it u t io n b a c k . V o t e Y E S to

Y E S to F r e e d o m a n d D e m o c r a c y !

r e m o v i n g th e B o G s e a t , a n d V o t e Y E S t o S S M U o n th e B o G !

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 4

DAILY PUBLICATION SOCIETY FEE

QPIRG STUDENT SUPPORT

Addition o f a framework for affiliation status

Do you support QPIRG continuing as a recognized student activity supported by student fees, from which any student may opt out, with the understanding that a "no" vote w ill result in the term ination o f all undergraduate student fees for QPIRG?

c o l l e c t e d fo r t h e m u n le s s t h e y a g r e e t o h a v e th e ir

Do you agree that the Daily Publications Society fee be increased by $ 1.5 0 per semester, to a total o f $6.50 per each fall and winter semesters, as o f Fall 2 0 0 7?

YES COMMITTEE - T h e D a ily P u b lic a t io n s

YES COMMITTEE

f in a n c e s a d m in is t e r e d b y a g r o u p s u c h a s S S M U .

S o c i e t y ( D P S ) p u b li s h e s T h e M c G ill D a ily a n d L e

o r g a n iz a t io n th a t c o n t r ib u t e s a g r e a t d e a l to

T h is c o n s t it u t io n a l a m e n d m e n t is d e s i g n e d to

D é l i t . B o t h n e w s p a p e r s a r e a n in t e g r a l p a rt o f

s t u d e n t l i f e a t M c G i ll . S i n c e 1 9 8 9 , y o u r f e e s h a v e

g i v e t h e s e f a c u l t ie s a f r a m e w o r k th r o u g h w h ic h

s t u d e n t l i f e a t M c G i ll , o f f e r in g a l i v e l y fo r u m f o r

e m p o w e r e d s t u d e n ts in t e r e s t e d in s o c i a l j u s t i c e a n d

t o h a v e t h is d o n e . T h e s e f a c u l t ie s w ill r e ta in th e ir

c a m p u s d e b a te , h a r d -h ittin g o n - a n d o f f - c a m p u s

e n v ir o n m e n t a l is s u e s to t a k e a c t io n a n d c r e a te

p o li t i c a l in d e p e n d e n c e . A s w e l l a n y f a c u lt y w ill

n e w s , a n d v a lu a b l e o p p o r t u n it ie s fo r s t u d e n ts to

c h a n g e . Q P I R G h a s n u r tu r e d a n d g u id e d S S M U

b e a b le t o e n d s u c h a d e a l a t a n y t im e , a n d n o

d e v e l o p th e ir j o u r n a l is t ic s k i ll s . H o w e v e r , r e c e n t

p r o j e c t s s u c h a s R a d ic a l F r o s h , S o c i a l J u s t ic e D a y s ,

YES COM M ITTEE

- S m a ll f a c u l t ie s s u c h a s

N u r s in g a n d S o c i a l w o r k w i l l n o lo n g e r h a v e f e e s

- Q P I R G is a n in d is p e n s a b le

f a c u lt y w i l l b e f o r c e d in . V o t e Y E S to

in c r e a s e s to o u r p r in t in g c o s t s , r e n t, a n d o th e r

O r g a n ic C a m p u s , a n d th e D a y c a r e . M c G ill's o w n

A s s o c i a t i o n S ta t u s a n d V o t e Y e s to f u n d in g s m a ll

e x p e n s e s h a v e j e o p a r d i z e d o u r a b il it y t o c o n t in u e

e n v ir o n m e n t a n d e q u it y o f f i c e s h a v e th e ir r o o t s a t

fa c u lt ie s !

t o p r o v id e t h e s e a n d o th e r fe a t u r e s at t h e ir c u r r e n t

Q P I R G . It is th e o n l y in d e p e n d e n t s t u d e n t g r o u p

l e v e l . S u p p o r t th e o n l y in d e p e n d e n t s t u d e n t p r e s s

p r o v id i n g o p p o r t u n it ie s f o r a c t io n r e s e a r c h a n d n e e d -

o n c a m p u s . V o t e y e s to th e D P S f e e in c r e a s e .

b a s e d f u n d in g f o r g r a s s r o o t s o r g a n iz in g . Q P I R G a l s o c o n n e c t s M c g i l l s t u d e n t s t o th e la r g e r M o n tr e a l c o m m u n it y . V o t e Y e s to Q P I R G !

TRIBUNE FEE ESTABLISHMENT

CKUT FEE INCREASE

MIDNIGHT KITCHEN FEE

Do you agree to a fee o f S0.50 per fall and w inter sem ester, fully opt-outable and to be renewed by referendum in the w inter o f 2010, to be allocated solely to the Tribune, to support the paper and its activities on campus?

Do you agree to increase the opt-outable CKUT student levy from $4.00 to $6.04 per sem ester phased-in at the rate o f an additional 51 cents per each Fall and W inter sem ester over the tw o years com m encing Fall 2007?

Do you support a fee levy o f 1.25 each fall and sem ester and winter sem ester that is opt-outable and up for renewal after four years?

YES CO M M ITTEE - T h e M id n ig h t K i t c h e n s e r v e s p a y -

YES COMMITTEE

YES COMMITTEE

w h a t-y o u -c a n v e g a n m e a ls fiv e d a y s a w e e k . W e

- S i n c e 1 9 8 1 , th e M c G i ll

- C K U T - R a d i o M c G i l l ’s

T r ib u n e h a s b e e n th e o n l y o f f i c i a l n e w s p a p e r o f

c u r r e n t $ 4 .0 0 f e e h a sn 't b e e n in c r e a s e d s i n c e

p r o v id e a h e a lt h y , a f f o r d a b le , e n v ir o n m e n t a lly

th e S tu d e n ts ' S o c i e t y o f M c G i ll U n iv e r s it y , an d it

1 9 8 8 . It t a k e s e x a c t l y $ 6 .0 4 t o b u y w h a t $ 4 .0 0 d id

s u s t a in a b le a lt e r n a tiv e t o c o r p o r a te f o o d s e r v i c e s o n

n e e d s y o u r h e lp ! D e c l i n i n g a d v e r t is in g r e v e n u e s

in 1 9 8 8 . T h e r e s t o r a tio n o f C K U T 's f e e s w i l l b e

c a m p u s . A f e e l e v y o f $ 1 . 2 5 p e r s e m e s t e r , o p t-

a c r o s s t h e e n tir e n e w s p a p e r in d u s tr y h a v e p u t th e

u s e d t o r e - i n v e s t in C K U T 's m o s t b a s i c e q u ip m e n t

o u t a b le , w o u l d a ll o w o u r s e r v i c e t o e x p a n d a n d

T r ib u n e in f in a n c ia l d if f ic u l t y , a n d y o u r f if t y

a n d f a c i li t ie s , w h i c h a r e n o w o b s o l e t e . S i n c e th e

e n s u r e th a t w e a r e a b le to :

c e n t s p e r s e m e s t e r , t h e fir s t f e e in S S M U h is to r y

9 0 s C K U T h a s b e e n v o t e d M o n tr e a l's b e s t r a d io

1) p r o v id e m o r e

t o g o d ir e c t ly to t h e T r ib u n e , c a n h e lp it. T h e s e

s t a t io n b y th e M o n tr e a l M ir r o r R e a d e r 's P o ll.

2 ) s e r v e f i v e d a y s a w e e k th r o u g h o u t th e w h o l e

fu n d s w i l l b e u s e d t o c r e a te a r e s e r v e fo r

A d d it io n a l f u n d in g c a n k e e p C K U T 's c a p it a l a s s e t s

sem ester

f i n a n c ia l ly d if f ic u l t t i m e s , in c r e a s e a c c e s s ib il it y

u p t o d a te a n d e n s u r e th a t C K U T c a n c o n t in u e to

3 ) a l l o w fo r m o r e d iv e r s e f o o d s e l e c t i o n

fo r a ll s t u d e n t s t o e d it o r ia l p o s i t io n s , a n d h e lp th e

p r o v id e s e r v i c e s t o M c G i ll , in c r e a s e s t u d e n t

4 ) t o h ir e p a r t-tim e w o r k e r s a t a l i v i n g w a g e

T r ib u n e c o n t i n u e t o p r o v id e a w id e - r a n g i n g a n d

p a r tic ip a tio n , h a v e a p r o m in e n t r o le in th e g r e a te r

5 ) im p r o v e k it c h e n f a c i li t ie s

in c l u s i v e v i e w p o i n t o n c a m p u s . G o T r ib u n e !

M o n tr e a l c o m m u n it y . V o t e Y E S fo r C K U T 's f e e

S e r v in g s a re e v e r y d a y a t 1 2 : 3 0 in S h a tn e r 3 0 2 .

in c r e a s e !

V O T E Y ES!

SSMU ENVIRONMENT FEE Do you agree to fund the SSM U Environm ent Fee at a rate o f $1.25 per sem ester, from which any student may opt out, from fall 2007 for a period o f no longer than three years?

YES COM M ITTEE

- S S M U i s a im in g to

b e c o m e a c o m m u n it y le a d e r t o e n c o u r a g e M c G i ll to g e t o n b o a r d a n d b e c o m e m o r e e n v ir o n m e n t a lly r e s p o n s ib le a s C o n c o r d ia h a s a lr e a d y d o n e . T h is f e e w i l l b e u s e d t o fu n d p r o p o s e d p r o j e c t s s u c h a b ik e c o - o p fo r a ll s t u d e n t s , im p r o v e d c o m p o s t in g in fr a str u c tu r e in c l u d in g w o r k s h o p s , g r e e n in g o f S S M U e v e n ts su c h a s F rosh an d S n o A P , a r e u s a b le d is h s y s t e m in S h a tn e r c a f e t e r ia s to r e d u c e S t y r o f o a m a n d p la s t ic u s e a s w e l l a s p r o v id e a r e d u c t io n in c o s t fo r s t u d e n ts . A S u s t a in a b ilit y C o o r d in a to r a n d o p p o r t u n it ie s fo r s t u d e n t r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s o n c a m p u s s u s ta in a b ility h a v e b e e n b u d g e t e d . V o t e Y E S , s e e th e c h a n g e s .

BLOOD DRIVE CONSTITUTIONALITY Should SSMU reinstate blood drives in the Shatner building?

NO COMMITTEE - T h e c u r r e n t H e m a - Q u e b e c s c r e e n i n g p r o c e s s b a n s a ll m e n w h o h a v e e v e r h a d s e x w it h a n o th e r m a n s i n c e 1 9 7 7 fr o m e v e r g i v i n g b lo o d . T h e s e x o f s o m e o n e 's p a r tn e r s isn 't w h a t m a tte r s , it's u n s a f e s e x u a l p r a c t ic e s th a t d o .

f o o d fo r m o r e p e o p le e a c h d a y

DEBATES! THE DEBATE FOR SENATE CANDIDATES & FEE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE: TONIGHT @ 6 p.m in LEA 232

T h is v i o l a t e s S S M U 's c o n s t it u t io n , w h i c h s t a t e s th a t n o S S M U e n d e a v o u r s c a n d is c r im in a t e b a s e d o n ir r e le v a n t p e r s o n a l c h a r a c te r is tic s , s u c h a s s e x u a l o r ie n t a tio n . M o r e o v e r , th e r e is n o c u r r e n t b lo o d s h o r t a g e in Q u e b e c , B l o o d d r iv e s a r e s t ill h a p p e n in g o n c a m p u s , j u s t n o t o n S S M U p r o p e r ty . S S M U 's p o l i c y i s n o t k e e p i n g b l o o d fr o m g e t t in g t o p e o p l e w h o n e e d it, b u t it is s e n d i n g a c le a r m e s s a g e a g a in s t h o m o p h o b i a

THE DEBATE FOR SSMU EXEC CANDIDATES & CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) @ 7 p.m. in the LEV BUKHMAN ROOM on the 2nd FLOOR of the SHATNER BUILDING

A

e le c tid h s r fe m

SSMU SPRING ELECTIONS CANDIDATE & REFERENDUM COMMITTEES PENSKETCH (T H E F O L L O W IN G A R E T H E C A N D ID A T E S IN T H E U P C O M IN G S S M U E L E C T IO N S )

c g ill

SSMU PRESIDENT FLOH HERRA-VEGA As SSMU VP Clubs & Services, 1 have learned to be a competent, innovative and pragmatic executive. A s President I w ill use this experience to demonstrate three kinds o f leadership: Democratic leadership: to make SSMU more user-friendly and accountable through new communication strategies, better GAs, relevant plebiscites and clear referenda.

Environmental leadership: SSMU needs to take action and make policy at McGill and beyond.

Leadership for students' rights: SSMU should be a loud, strong and practical advocate for its members.

For real leadership, real experience and real commitment, go with (the) floh. See www.electionsmcgill.ca/floh for my platform.

JAKE ITZKOWITZ We need a change o f course at SSMU. We need to focus on what’s happening here at McGill; our relationship with the Admin, improving campus life.

From supporting our teams to making SSMU visible on campus, we can do better. As a former faculty executive, two-term councilor, current Senator and Board o f Governors representative, I know the system and how to fix it, from reforming GAs to creating a central help line. As former VP o f Molson and SnovvAP director, I will make SSMU something you actually want to be apart of! Give SSMU back to students. Vote Jake!

SSMU VP EXTERNAL MAX SILVERMAN 1 am running for re-election as VP External because I have the experience to keep the SSMU a leader in the student movements o f Quebec and Canada. With a provincial election ongoing, a tuition fee hike in September, and a federal election looming, it's important to keep the SSMU’s External portfolio strong. This past year, I led the SSMU out o f la FEUQ and strengthened our relationship with all students’ associations in Quebec and Canada. N ext year we must strengthen our ties with government, other students’ associations, and, most importantly, our students. Check out my website for a full platform.

GEOFFREY JASON HALL I believe w e need a new direction for the external affairs o f SSMU: balanced focus on community, provincial, and federal relations. I want to improve relations between McGill and the surrounding community to the benefit o f all, seek an end to l’Ajustement McGill to keep our own tuition, work with the CFS towards the massive reinvestment long overdue from Quebec, and demand grants, not loans for student aid. 1 know­ how thé system outside McGill works and w ill work tirelessly to achieve what we need to guarantee the best possible university experience. Let my workaholic tendencies work for you.

SSMU VP UNIVERSITY AFFA ADRIAN ANGUS Let's talk about Academic issues! Next year as your VP University Affairs I will tackle academic advising and the libraries.

A s your main representative to the university administration, I vyill bring these issues to the University Senate and represent your concerns to our Principal. 1 will make our voices heard AND achieve our goals. A s a current Senator, former Arts VP Academic and two-term SSM U councilor, 1 have the experience. I have been an advisor to my fellow students and was heavily involved in recent McLennan Library renovations: For more library improvements, better advising, Vote the Fro! Vote Adrian Angus!

MALEK YALAOUI The V P-UA’s job is to represent student interests to McGill decision­ makers; your vote should reflect what type o f representative you’d like.

In four years working with SSMU as Rez President, Arts Senator and Equity Advocate on BoG, I’ve been most frustrated by the lack o f character and initiative SSM Ushies show once elected. Year after year, the same broken promises remain broken as student fees increase and resources decline. It’s time to change. My priorities include creating an Office o f Undergraduate Research, reforming academic advising’s 600:1 student: advisor ratio, et améliorer l’intégration des fancophones. Vote for a new voice, vote for experience *and* dedication, vote Yalaoui.

SSMU VP COMMUNICATIONS & EVENTS GEN FRIESEN KAY TURNER 1 want to be your VP C&E because I've spent the pa?t three years making events like Frosh, SnowAP, and 4Floors unforgettable for students, and I want to make them even better. 1 w ill work to integrate less-involved groups into our favorite events, as I did at SnowAP this year, as well as make our events sustainable and sweat-free. A s current AUS VP External and a 2term SSMU councilor I have the experience to work with the McGill administration, faculty associations, SSM U, residences, and most importantly you- the McGill student- to make your university life as exciting & entertaining as possible.

SUS VP Internal, Science Frosh Director, Science Carnival Director, two-time Science Carnival Coordinator and McGill Tribune editor: I have the dedication and, most importantly, the essential experience to be your next VP Communications & Events.

It is a priority- o f mine to ensure the survival o f fantastic SSMU events, such as frosh & SnoAp; in particular, new, creative approaches to orientation week are crucial. To improve SSMU event visibility, 1 plan to incorporate SSMU & Athletics dates into undergraduate's WebCT calenders; better promotion o f SSMU & McGill Athletic events are fundamental in creating spirit & pride among McGill students.

Gen Friesen: First for you.

SSMU VP CLUBS & SERVICES MARCELLE KOSMAN

ALISON VERBA

My priorities are: space, accessibility and sustainability. With these priorities 1 am coordinating the 2007 SSMU LibraryImprovement Fund, and have volunteered for the Sexual Assault Centre (SACOMSS) through two evictions. As the candidate with the most experience working with SSMU and the McGill Administration, I am ready to be VP C&S. Student space is critical; I will invest in more space and increase accessibility to what limited space and resources we already have. A s a serious environmentalist, I w ill also make it easier for clubs, services and the Shatner building to go green.

Vote experience. Vote green. Vote Marcelle.

SENATE REP - ARTS DAN KING Your Senators must knoW^ how to deal with bureaucracies and communicate effectively.

Having worked for the Foreign Minister and being a successful debater, I am up to the task. I've also got a strong record o f accomplishment on campus. A s an Arts Representative to SSMU, I've negotiated a permanent annual scholarship for undergrads and led a campaign preventing the firing o f a professor popular with students and unpopular with the administration. Elect me and I'll passionately defend your interests, negotiate a scholarship for an environmentally aware student and hold regular office hours to solicit your input.

I believe that my membership in a diverse selection o f clubs (McGill Debating Union, Liberal McGill), SSMU committees (SSPN), and volunteer work (AUS Frosh, AUS Pub, OStaff, V-Day M cGill) makes me the most qualified candidate for VP Clubs and Services.

If elected, I have many ideas on how to improve the distribution o f funds and space, as well as maximize the efficiency o f the Shatner building.

These include: equitable distribution o f club funds, increased student space in Shatner, and executive accountability. Also, I would like to work closely with the VP University Affairs in order to reduce room-booking fees on campus.

SSMU VP FINANCE IMAD BARAKE - ACCLAIMED I am, above all, a problem-solver, not someone whose approach is grounded exclusively in the philosophy o f the left or the right; instead, 1 believe in what works. This is the constructive approach that I have brought to student governance for the past year, fighting hard to ensure that student money is spent on the services that w e all need and expect. To that end, I am staunchly committed to a professional working relationship with both the administration and other organizations in the McGill student community as your VP Finance & Operations at SSMU.

YAHEL CARMON

GRAEME LAMB

I'm running to represent you at Senate because I believe I'm best equipped to serve Arts students. Having served on two Senate committees, chaired the SSMU University Affairs Committee, served on the Faculty o f Arts Committee, and sat on SSMU Council for the past two years representing Arts students and First-Years, (and, this year, running OverheardAtMcGill.com), I am an experienced, dedicated voice for student representation at Senate. 1 w ill fight to ensure that student senators will work to promote implementation o f sustainability, maintain oversight over Ancillary Services, and tight to clean-up some o f the messier aspects o f McGill bureaucracy.

Since coming to McGill I've been involved in various gpBM k; 1 environmental I ^ ]■ J grouPs such as Gorilla Jp M Composting and the Wf Æ Sustainable McGill Project working on issues like ■ ^ responsible waste management, the proposed sustainability centre and sustainable governance.

My time spent working with the university governance system towards these goals has convinced me that if we're going to see progress on these studentdriven areas o f focus w e need to make good use o f student representation, and 1 believe it’s given me the skills to do exactly that. If environmental, social and economic sustainability is a priority for you, then please give me your vote!

PHIL HOLDSWORTH Ever wonder why McGill drops the ball when rated by its own students? It’s easy to forget undergraduate students when your so large, but not impossible. N ot if you let me remind the university. Environment, ethics and tuition are all important, but so is the quality o f education you’re getting. With experience in Arts as VP Communications, I am committed to constantly reminding the University Senate o f the importance o f improving our education through mentorship programs and higher ‘teaching’ standards.

Dissatisfied with being treated like a number, w e can do better. Vote Phil Hoidsworth for Arts Senator.

'SENATE REP - SCIENCE KYLE BAILEY I’m Kyle Bailey a U2 Environment major (B. Sc.). I’ve been a SSMU councilor this past year, active in numerous committees, and have realized how important it is to have dedicated, passionate individuals to represent student interests, especially when dealing with the behemoth that is McGill administration. I’ve gained much experience through very active participation in many clubs, as well as the McGill Sailing Team. These experiences have shaped my priorities for Senate: ancillary services becoming more student-centred (eg.

Room booking fees) and sustainable (waste management), and connecting students to Senate (written reports to SUS publicly available).

MOHIT PRAMANIK

RYAN LUTHER

Hey everybody! I am a U2 student in Psychology. During my time here, I have been involved with many organizations like the SUS, the Yellow Door, IRSAM and the McGill Daily. 1 currently serve as the VP academic o f the McGill Psychology Student’s Association. I feel that my experiences dealing with McGill will help me do a good job as a student senator. I have many plans for you guys-setting up a pre-med advisoty committee, easing the pressure surrounding exam period and increasing the scope o f multi-disciplinary research are just some o f them! So help me help you! Cheers!

I am a U 1 Physiology student and am fa. currently an active SSMU Councilor, 1 member o f the Faculty ill o f Science Committee, and the k .

C hief Returning Officer for SUS. I am f / hardworking, personable, approachable, dedicated, persistent and honest, If elected, I plan to - Increase funding and opportunities for

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SENATE REP - DENTISTRY JAN HANNA ACCLAIMED As the incumbent dental senator I look forward to serving another year and using this years experience to better serve and represent dental students as well as the general student body.

u n d e r g r a d u a te r e s e a r c h ,

- Improve the accessibility and the quality o f a d v isin g ,

- Create a S c ie n c e lo u n g e, - Be a strong advocate towards McGill administration to improve e n v ir o n m e n ta l s u s ta in a b ility .

If you ever have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please email me. W e’re all in this together.

SENATE REP - MANAGEMENT ANEERUDHA“BUDA” ATRISHA LEWIS My name is Atrisha Lewis BORKOTOKY and I am second year accounting and finance student. I have been on M cG ill’s varsity cheerleading team for the last two years. I have a lot o f experience in student representation and leadership. As the student trustee for my school board, I was responsible for representing 40,000 students all across the Ottawa area. I am fluent in both English and French and willing to listen as well as speak on your behalf. If elected, 1 w ill be committed to representing you!

SENATE REP - EDUCATION SARAH LOW

A s the M US’ Representative to SSMU last year and the M U S‘ current VP Academic, I have experience working with faculty and staff members as well as working with people from outside o f Management. At the Senate, I will work w ith my fellow undergraduate senators to push for greater undergraduate involvement in research, to improve the in-class experience o f undergraduates, to better define the role o f students in a research intensive university and, in general, to improve student life here. A vote for Buda is a vote for an effective undergraduate voice at the Senate.

MYLENE BOUDREAU

I w ill work for sustainability, quality and accountability in Education for our faculty and for all o f McGill.

1 look forward to working with you, the EUSS, Graduate students, the Faculty and Administration to improve our facilities and curriculum.

I wall work hard to represent our needs and wishes as Education Undergraduate students, and to communicate with you about the issues being discussed in the Senate.

I want to represent you...

Quels sont vos besoins en tant qu'étudiants francophones?

What issues are particular to your field o f study -kinesiology, secondary, elementary, TESL? Please participate in your education, VOTE!

SENATE REP - ENGINEERING JESSICA VAN DER VOOREN ACCLAIMED Jessica is a lovely person who enjoys long walks on the beach, romantic dinners and 4-hour administrative meetings. She has already had much practice in dealing with the faculty and students since she is currently President o f the EUS. From her role as President, she has a lot o f experience dealing with the Administration and SSMU. She’s been here for four years and has been actively involved from the start, meaning she has extensive knowledge o f the issues facing students and how to realistically approach them. She w ill get this SSMU vs. Blood Drives issue settled once and for all.

SENATE REP - LAW ERICA MARTIN

TED DOVE

I am running for Law Senator, to represent students' diverse view s on Senate. I'm experienced, energetic and dedicatedessential qualities for making your voices heard in the often lethargic senate.

I've been at McGill for 5 years, and I know the school inside out. This year, I had the honour o f representing law’ students as LSA VP External on SSM U Council. Though a great experience, I learned that many issues that matter most to students are discussed in the University’ Senate. This year. 1 want to continue my hard work as a strong voice for law students, as your senator!

SENATE REP - MEDICINE MARINE LAGODICH ACCLAIMED

Hi, my name is Ted Dove and I’m running for Law Senator. My fifth year at McGill (prior studies were done in the Arts Faculty), 1 am well educated in the university administration and student body politic.

Mon intention est de représenter les intérêts de tous les étudiants de la Faculté, et non pas seulement les plus revendicateurs. Comme dans les années passées, il reste encore beaucoup de travail à accomplir: discussions sur les frais scolaires, l'utilisation des espaces de l ’université et des ressources. It would be my pleasure to serve on Senate and continue the work o f my predecessors!

SENATE REP - MUSIC SEAN WAUGH ACCLAIMED Fellow music students!

I’ll be representing you for another term as your faculty senator; continuing my work in such areas as: university admissions, space allocations for students and o f course practice rooms, student fees and implementation methods, and voicing the music student concerns to the McGill administration as well as greater community.

D on’t hesitate to ever bring anything to my attention, you can find me virtually anywhere in the faculty!

REP TO CKUT BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEN FOLDY - ACCLAIMED NITHYA VIJAYAKUMAR Ben Foldy is a U0 Arts student who ACCLAIMED became a CKUT member the first

1 have been a volunteer and staff member at CKUT for two years training student volunteers and promoting CKUT's presence on campus. 1 have been a member o f the CKUT Steering Committee, the promotions coordinator, and am currently Chair o f CKUT's Board o f Directors. I hope to continue representing student interests at CKUT for another term as I believe CKUT radio is an invaluable resource to students. I want to continue McGill outreach and events on campus in order to raise awareness about the learning opportunities available at CKUT and get more students involved.

w eek he was in Montreal. He has since volunteered dutifully, including a 4 hour marathon DJ set at 3:00 AM. He has an extensive music background including professional tours o f Europe and North America and has extensive connections to bands and record labels across the music industry. On top o f merely producing quality radio, his goals for the board include making CKUT more accessible to the McGill student body and using the station as a tool to integrate students more with the communities around McGill.

PLEASE TURN OVER TO VIEW THE PENSKETCHES FOR THE VARIOUS REFERENDUM COMMITTEES

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p in io n T H E H E L P L E S S R O M A N T IC

Resist th e tie-dyed tide

O FF THE BOARD

Think pink, b u t only with an open mind R a c h e l M elnik t's everywhere— on clothing, stamps, coins and Kleenex boxes. The pink rib­ bon— a symbol that has become read­ ily associated with the “Think Pink" breast cancer awareness campaign— has become so predominant that when one so much as sees the colour pink, one immediately thinks "breast cancer."

This is a good thing. As a result of the Pink Ribbon movement, funding for breast cancer organizations has improved consid­ erably since the campaign began in the late nineties. No one will argue that this funding is unneeded. More funding means more research, more awareness and ultimately, more lives saved.

Yet while awareness for the disease continues to reach new heights, so do the number of breast cancer cases. Since the 19 5 0 s, the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer has increased signifi­ cantly. Of those cases, 25 per cent result in a patient's death.

Considering that statistic, it would be reasonable for breast cancer foundations and organizations to accept all the funding they can get. Why then, did the Breast Can­ cer Society of Canada reject $6 ,0 0 0 from a group of exotic dancers?

Founded in 2 0 0 2 , Exotic Dancers for Cancer was created after a woman of the profession died from the breast cancer.

Since then, EDC has engaged in fundrais­ ing activities to aid cancer-related organi­ zations. However, when EDC attempted to make a recent donation, it was denied be­ cause of the women's career choice. Paddy Roach— head of the BCSC— made it clear to the press that this was because of the organization's explicit association with ex­ otic dancing.

Had these women been a group of

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lawyers, doctors or teachers, the $6,00 0 would have been welcomed with open arms and put to good use. Yet, according to the BCSC, the money was refused on the basis of the stigma associated with the profession. If funding from exotic dancers is inappropriate, does that mean that only chaste, Catholic priests and nuns can do­ nate to health-related causes?

This issue affects more than just the exotic dancers who were denied legitima­ cy as a group purely based on what they do for a living. It affects everyone— breast cancer patients, survivors, their families and any woman who is at risk of developing the disease.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women. It is common and it is deadly. With good reason, doctors recommend that every woman over the age of 4 0 get a yearly mammogram. Is it fair to throw away $6 ,0 0 0 worth of research be­ cause the money was donated by a group of strippers?

What health care providers are forget­ ting is that this issue has nothing to do with politics. It is not about whether it is moral to be an exotic dancer or even whether exotic dancers have the same rights as everyone else. Certain issues have the right to contro­ versy, whether or not you agree with them.

Female subjugation, professional respect and civil rights— all of these matters can be argued, for better or worse.

When it comes to breast cancer, the issue becomes a lot simpler. It is about our health and when that is at stake, argu­ ing about the ethics of stripping becomes slightly less urgent. Some issues are just more pressing than others. So pressing, in fact, that they are literally matters of life and death.The BCSC should know better. ■

R ich a rd T sen g RICHTSEN@GMAIL.COM

t's that time again, fellow students. For the next week or so, rather than being able to pick up your daily dosage of samosa or baked goodies in Leacock, you have to vote. So who will it be? It seems— although I haven't been here long enough to make a National Geo­ graphic documentary on it—that the choice is always between two species. One is the guy who still remembers you from frosh because he has already perfected the politician's ability to never forget a face and the other.is the radi­ cal left-wing herbivore, uncommonly classified as the "Ché-shirt." Sometimes you also get the option of voting for the guy who nobody but the politicos know, but let me focus a little on the radical left-wingers, because contrary to political correctness, they are identifiable as a social clique.

Here are the traits: • Knitted, hand-crocheted, colourful or funny cap/beret, often accompanied by long, colourful, also knitted scarf— possibly purchased at Urban Outfitters • Has likely experimented with mindaltering or otherwise illicit drugs (and we're talking beyond pot here), but when confront­ ed about it will claim it was healthy • Owns a Ché Guevara shirt, over-lay­ ered by numerous sweaters, which were also likely purchased at Urban Outfitters • Claims to be pro-worker but hates their employers with a fiery passion • By self-definition a communist, but has clearly misread Marx somewhere • Has no intention of graduating in the usual three or four years • Musical tastes include percussion in public areas—the more Orientalist the drum, the better— often accompanied with chants in obnoxious rhyming couplets I usually don't fashion-profile, but in this case I make an exception, because it is practi­ cally a uniform. I have nothing against people who check yes next to any of these things. You could even affirm all of these statements and

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still be a free thinker. It just so happens that those who do overwhelmingly are not, which is at least partly why they hold nearly-homogeneous views: education should be free or, failing that, tuition should be frozen for Quebeckers~(to hell with international and out-of­ province students) and blood drives ought to accept blood from everybody on campus, oth­ erwise nobody gets to donate!

The ..problem lies in what happens when students of this stripe try to apply their selfrighteous views to the entire student body— either by election or hijacking General Assem­ blies— and demand that illogical policies be implemented by the Students' Society. The problem with the rest of us is that we tend to hold disparate views and enjoy McGill genu inely for the diverse opinions and social back grounds that exist.

That is not to say that none of their ideas are desirable; some of them, such as the issue of space for the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students'Society, I support wholeheart­ edly. It just seems as though it is all part of a package deal: either you vote for the cadre or you don't, because they tend to run together.

As a result, the alternative is also a combo deal, usually composed of highly-ambitious politica junkies who cling together despite their differ­ ences because they would be overwhelmed if they didn't.

I wish that I could pick based on individu­ al merit and that my student politicians could approach issues independently, but political realities being what they are, I have little choice but to vote against the Ché-shirts because while they will continue to drum and chant and think together, we need a legitimate op position with legitimate reasons to cut class so we won't have to. More importantly, we need a student government that actually cares about what we think, even if pleasing you is solely to advance their careers. Because, while the careerists want your vote, the Ché-shirts want you to be just like them. ■

W E T P A IN T

Hello, I'm Karen Kain!

D o m in iq u e Z ipper DOMINIQUEZIPPER@GMAIL.COM

hat is, I could have been, had I started practicing at age four and devoted four hours of deliberate practice per day to my craft until I reached the requisite 10 ,0 0 0 hours that would render me eligible for status as an expert. "But wait, who is Karen Kain?" you might ask. She is to Canadian ballet as Wayne Gretzky is to hockey.

The point is that even I could have been either Karen or Wayne. My human motivation psychology professor recently informed us of certain studies that conclude that innate tal­ ent is merely another of our seemingly multitudinous fabri­ cations. Apparently, circumstances permitting, I could have become Kain, Gretzky, Woods or Mozart.

So why haven't I? It all comes down to a lack of desire and effort.

I find this flatly sobering. Now that I'm sober, I've found myself catapulted into a very calculative and somewhat skeptical existential crisis. Let me put things into context: it had already come to my vexed attention that half of the Olympians and Oscar nominees in my field of cognizance either look or are younger than me.

Then you tell me that, save for the genetically-deter­

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mined factors of height and inclination, I could have been any one of the aforementioned Os? This lends some cre­ dence to the high school kid who claimed to have a secret store of genius behind his "I don't apply myself"façade.

"Can't this all just be hogwash?" you ask. I asked that too, right before trying to use the ecto-endo-mesomorph argument. To no avail: From now on, the claim that you just weren't cut out to make it to the top of the winners' podi­ um will be stopped short by psychology's best shortstops: Ericsson and Charness. The duo straight-facedly assert that a sumo wrestler and a long-distance runner could, with ad­ equate physical training, simply switch. It sounds as simple as popping in Juicy Fruit instead of Dentyne.

So in addition to having forever removed anyone's abil­ ity to blame the staying power of their Christmas weight on genetics, this study has forced me to pore over past choices.

Should I have stayed in that grade eight art class?

Should l .have heeded my ballet teacher's exclamations of "Your feet! Perfect! Must use them!" instead of my mother's "School, sweetie?" And what about my old friend Math? Had we not once enjoyed an amicable relationship until I heart­

lessly ditched him for the more popular crowd of English, psych and history?

But let's get serious here for a moment: think of all that you could have done with yourself if someone had said to you at the age of four, "Betty, pick whatever you want. You absolutely can become the best in that field!" On the one hand, it would feel a little like buying gelato in Venice: too many flavours, stores, types and then you're lost anyway. On the other hand, it sounds strangely familiar...

Your parents, that's right! Do we not heed our parents because we deem them to be naïve twits with vicarious in­ terests? Or are most of us just vastly uninterested and lazy?

Perhaps we just start out as commitment-phobes; what kid wouldn't balk at four hours a day of ballet? Though, if the urge to settle down with Bacio or straciatella ever hits your palette, take heart in Ericsson and Charness's assertion that it is usually possible to begin the path to expert-dom at most any age, so you can go carpe diem whenever you want. If it's only in the form of seizing a whole day's worth of caloric in­ take from gelato consumption, so be it. I think that I support playing the amateur field for a while yet. ■

06.03.07 • The McGill Tribune • 11

T r ib u n e

www.mcgilltribune.com Editor- in-C hief Jam es Gotowiec editor@mcgilitribune.com

Managing Editors D avid Blye Traci Johnson seniored@mcgilltribune.com

Production Manager T iffany Choy production@mcgilltribune.com

N ews Editors Kayvon Afshari Kate Spirgen Ken Sun news@mcgilltribune.com

O pinion Editor Adam Smith opinion@mcgilltribune.com

Features Editors Rachel Melnik Elizabeth Perle features@mcgilltribune.com

A rts & Entertainment Editors C rystal Chan Ben Lemieux arts@mcgilltribune.com

Sports Editors C harlie Blore Aaron Sigal sports@mcgilltribune.com

Photo Editors Lukas Bergmark Lee Tipton photo@mcgilltribune.com

C opy Editor Terri Alderfer copy@mcgilltribune.com

O nline Editor C asey Collins online@mcgilltribune.com

D esign Editors Sam antha Chang Andrew Frankel Jessica Shapiro

E D IT O R IA L

D on't be a spoilsport ast week's Arts Undergraduate Society elec­ tions exposed several flaws in the system.

Nonsensical protests, campaign violations and disciplinary measures, combined with the usual sil­ liness of a student government election all blended together to make the whole business rather fitting of the term "gong show."

To begin with, a few students opposed to the acclamation of AUS President RJ Kelford and other "candidates of dubious quality" began a campaign that encouraged people to spoil their ballots rather than vote for him.They put up posters and started a Facebook group to spread their message.

However, while they claimed that spoiling one's ballot would "show the politicos.. .that they are not worth your time," it was hardly likely to have that ef­ fect. If one really does not support any of the can­ didates, particularly in an acclaimed race, it is better to not vote at all. This is particularly true in the uni­ versity environment where turnout and quorum for these elections tend to be quite low. Since a spoiled ballot still counted for quorum in AUS elections, the best way to protest would have been to encourage everyone to not vote. Denying quorum would nul­ lify the results of the election and force another. But, no matter how many ballots are spoiled, if quorum is met and the acclaimed candidate earns at least one vote, they win the race.

Some would say that this is a problem with the AUS system and that it should adopt the one favoured by the Management Undergraduate Soci­ ety, in which an acclaimed candidate must be "ac­ cepted" by at least 50 per cent of voters. However, this solution is impractical and undesirable. If no one else made the effort to run, why should anyone else have a right to the job? AUS already extends the nomination period for a particular post when only one person is nominated at the deadline, present­ ing ample opportunity for anyone dissatisfied with the acclaimed to start their own campaign. Those who complain about a lack of options should stand up and offer some of their own rather than sitting on the sidelines and whining.

Even if such a system were implemented, how would the position be filled? The special election campaign for any unfilled positions would take place late in the semester when students would be busy writing papers and preparing for final exams.

As we saw during SSMU's special election three years ago, no one really votes in those but the can­ didates' friends. The other option, leaving the po­

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itself is rather silly. While the idea of taking posters down when voting started may once have been ap­ propriate, it is pointless today. Candidates are lim­ ited in the number of flyers they are allowed to post and have only a tiny budget to spend, so there is little scope for buying an election with too much advertising. Additionally, almost every student that got around to casting a ballot did so online.The few that used paper ballots did so in front of a scrutineer in a place which .the advertising could not be strate­ gically placed to garner any more votes on election days. Today there is no reason why the campaign period should not be extended until the end of vot­ ing on election day.

Those involved in elections like this one would do well to take a few cues from the real world.

Outside the McGill bubble, if only one candidate contests an election, he or she is acclaimed, end of story. Spoiling one's ballot won't change it. As for the flyer violations, in real elections advertising has to betaken down after polling day, which is sensible and the same rule should apply here. It would save McGill students the headache of false dramas like last week's. ■ by

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Separatist disingenuity

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A dvertising Manager Paul Slachta

sition vacant over the summer, is not particularly palatable either. The new execs need some time to mesh and get their bearings straight. Another exec thrust upon them in September could only serve to rock the boat.

Unfortunately, this protest was not the only absurd aspect of the AUS campaign, which also saw several candidates disciplined for postering violations (campaigning after the end of the cam­ paign period). The bylaws governing this aspect of the campaign seem to have been selectively enforced, although AUS Elections, as well as the censured candidates, have refused to release any details about the infractions in question. The whole incident was puzzling, especially the fact that AUS Elections waited until there were less than six hours remaining in the voting period before announcing these violations in an email to all arts students. Since AUS Elections saw it fit to ask students to "take these violations into consideration when going to the polls,” it should have explained its actions and told the voters exactly why the guilty parties had been censured.

Finally, the concept of the campaign period

t's almost springtime and elections are in the air.

With a Quebec provincial campaign already under ay and the possibility of a federal election later this year on the horizon, the rhetoric is starting to heat up. This being Quebec, the separatist parties will play a significant role. Sadly, this role will not be positive.

On the contrary, both the Bloc Québécois and Parti Québécois contribute to a lowering of the level of discourse and politics at both the federal and provin­ cial levels suffer.

Although the PQ and the Bloc now have full election platforms and take positions on issues rang­ ing from child care to military spending, their core purpose is to remove the province of Quebec from the Canadian federation. Unfortunately for the sepa­ ratists, the vast majority of Quebeckers don't share this goal. How then to explain their continued elec­ toral success?

The first-past-the-post electoral system takes some of the blame, but far more importantly, the PQ and Bloc have often relied on devious, underhanded tactics to maintain ,their support. The most blatant of these is their artful dodges around the concept of separation. Both parties outwardly stand for an independent Quebec but refuse to admit that when it comes time to ask referendum questions. In both 19 8 0 and 19 95 , the questions put to Quebeckers were long, convoluted and misleading.

They talked of "a new agreement with Canada"

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in 19 80 and "a new economic and political partner­ ship [with Canada]" in 19 9 5 - One might wonder why they would bother with such nonsense, given that surely everyone must know what the separatists are trying to achieve. However, that is not the case. While polls by firms like CROP and Léger Marketing consis­ tently show that the hard core in favour of complete independence is somewhere between 30 and 40 per cent of the population, people get confused by ideas like"sovereignty-association"and support for deceiv­ ing concepts like those jumps closer to 50 per cent.

The separatists have never made any pretensions that they would see a referendum win as a mandate to negotiate the removal of Quebec from Canada, despite the fact that this is obviously not what many would have voted for.

This disingenuity extends far beyond unclear referendum questions, though; it permeates every facet of the separatists' actions. The recent flap over the PQ's election platform is a perfect illustration. It avoided the word "referendum" and instead used "public consultation" in a clear attempt to further disguise the PQ's purpose to the unwashed masses.

PQ leader André Boisclair has been talking out of both sides of his mouth, using "public consultation” to make the party more palatable to federalists and soft nationalists but telling his hard core sovereigntist supporters that the expression still means "referen­ dum" and the word change doesn't mean anything.

A d am S mith The PQ is not alone in using such sleight of hand.

Until the 20 0 6 federal election, the federal Conserva­ tives were in the political wilderness in Quebec, hav­ ing not won a seat here since the 20 0 0 election. The Bloc saw an opportunity and offered itself as a safe alternative to federalist voters who were unhappy with the Liberals, then turned around and used those soft nationalist votes to advance the cause of an in­ dependent Quebec.

This duplicity knows no bounds. Last week, Bois­ clair slammed Quebec Premier Jean Charest after the latter suggested that should voters elect the PQ and Quebec separate from Canada, Ottawa would quit sending money. What Boisclair called fear-mongering was actually a blunt assessment of the facts. Why should the rest of Canada send Quebec $5-billion in equalisation payments every year if it is no longer a part of our country? While Quebec is an important part of Canada to me and many other Canadians, our sentimental attachment to this province only extends so far.

Thankfully, we may be turning a corner.The PQ is at historic lows in the polls, having fallen dangerously close to third place last week. Meanwhile, the Bloc is being squeezed at by the resurgence of the Tories in rural areas and Quebec City and continued Liberal support in and around Montreal. If the next elections saw a large reduction in their influence, Quebec and Canada would both be better off for it. ■

Suite 120 0 ,3 6 0 0 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A1Y2 T: 514 .398.6806 F: 514 .398.7490 The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Students'Society of McGill University in collaboration with the Tribune Publication Society. Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@mcqilltribune.com and must include the contributor's name, program and year, and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submittedonlyto the Tribune. Submissions judged by theTribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. TheTribune 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. Please recycle this newspaper.

The McGill Tribune

12 • Opinion • 06.03.07

T h e b lo o d d riv e d e b a t e The issue of whether blood drives should be allowed in the Shatner building has been contentious all year long. A A R O N D O N N Y - C L A R K claims that they are unconstitutional. M A R C - A N D R É R O U S S E A U disagrees.

A question of relevance

Undoubtedly unconstitutional At no point in the Constitution is "all Students' Society endeavours"constrained or qualified.The drafters of the constitution could have chosen to include such a clause, but did not. As well, it is not clear why the Society should not act both in the interest of the whole and without discrimi­ nation as the two are not mutually exclusive.

Others will argue that homosexuality is a relevant characteristic. Unfortunately, these peo­ ple cite distorted science for their homophobic political agenda. Attention to the details of the studies cited is paramount. They claim to prove that changing the current policy to a one-year ban for MSM would increase deaths. Howev­ er, they fail to look into what would happen if they changed the question to one asking about something relevant such as safe-sex practice.

Ask yourself: why is it "relevant" that a man has ever had protected anal sex and "irrelevant" that a woman did so unprotected last week? This is homophobia and must be labelled as such.

Blood drives in the Shatner building pro­ mote discrimination and harm the gay commu­ nity by propagating negative stereotypes in this supposed safe space. This is clearly not the lead­ ership that the Society is obligated to show.

The Constitution is SSMU's most fundamen­ tal document. It is the source of the legitimacy of all of the Society's actions. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia points out in U.S. vPrintz, "The constitution protects us from our best in­ tentions."

While it is certainly not the U.S. Constitu­ tion protecting us, it is certainly the same con­ cept. The Constitution keep us at the forefront of human rights and social justice. ■

he Students'Society of McGill University has recently taken a stand against the discrimi­ natory blood collection policies set out by the governments of Canada and Quebec. These out-of-date policies reinforce the unfounded no­ tion that the sexual orientation of a homosexual male leads to a higher HIV infection rate.The evi­ dence is clear: unprotected sex, not homosexual sex, increases the infection rates of HIV. Sexual orientation is irrelevant.

Several jurisdictions have adopted policies that place shorter bans on men who have had sex with men. Héma-Québec itself is willing and has tried to move Quebec's policies in this direc­ tion, recognizing the irrelevance of MSM. Every person that gives blood fills out a questionnaire. Two of the questions ask about MSM. A lifetime ban is placed on those men who answer yes. These questions lead people to be­ lieve that being a man who has sex with a man is an unsafe practice. This causes harm to the ho­ mosexual community and is not fully respectful of their human dignity.

The SSMU Constitution states that all of its endeavours"shall be undertaken with full respect for human dignity and without discrimination on the basis of irrelevant personal characteristics that include, but are not limited to...sex, gender identification...sexual orientation or social class [emphasis added]." Until there is a significant change in policy, blood drives are doubly un­ constitutional: they discriminate on the basis of irrelevant characteristics and are not undertaken with full respect for human dignity.

In the past, the SSMU Judicial Board has ar­ gued that a "saving clause" should be read into Section V of the preamble of the Constitution, Aaron Donny-Ciark, is the President o f SSMU. which reads: "The Students' Society shall act in the best interests of its membership as a whole." This whole blood drive thing has been taking up far Nowhere, however, is there evidence to this end. too much o f his time.

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he current interpretation of the Students' Society Constitution by Council is that blood drives are unconstitutional as they discriminate with respect to an irrelevant per­ sonal characteristic: being a man who has had sex with another man since 19 77 -The common­ ly used definition of "irrelevant" is "not having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.” If the exclusion of MSM is to be considered constitutional, it must be shown that it has a significant and demonstrable bear­ ing on the safety of blood transfusions.

It is a common misconception that the testing undergone by blood donations is infal­ lible. Whenever someone receives blood, there is a small chance that the blood they are given could be contaminated with HIV. Given Cana­ da's checkered past with blood transfusions, it seems reasonable that any organization con­ trolling blood donations would be reluctant to agree to a policy that would increase the risk of transmitting contaminated blood without there being a large benefit as a result.

For this reason, Canadian Blood Services and other blood agencies conduct statistical analyses to understand the consequences of changing a policy before doing so. A few years ago, it was suggested that the policy barring MSM be revisited to allow donations from men who have not had sex with another man in the last 12 months (MSM12 ). In 20 0 3 , Héma-Québec conducted a study to analyze the risks and ben­ efits of accepting blood from MSM12 . Led by Dr. Marc Germain and published in the medical journal Transfusion, the study took into account various factors, such as the proportion of blood donations received in the window period dur­ ing which HIV cannot be detected, the errors in laboratory techniques and the proportion of correctly identified HIV positive blood units that are released into the blood supply due to cleri­

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cal mistakes.

The study concluded that assuming that MSM donate at the same rate as currently eli­ gible donors, the change in policy would result in a 1.3 per cent increase in the number of blood units received while increasing the overall risk of transmitting HIV through transfusions by eight per cent. The authors concluded that the risks of accepting blood from MSM outweigh the benefits and that it is preferable to maintain the ban.

Clearly, being an MSM is not irrelevant as they have a demonstrably higher risk of trans­ mitting HIV through blood donations.

One important thing that SSMU has not considered is the impact that their decision would have on McGill students who need blood transfusions regularly to survive. SSMU has an obligation to protect all minorities, including McGill's NBRS students. How is SSMU protect­ ing this group of McGill students?

SSMU's current policy not only reduces the number of blood units available to NBRS stu­ dents but also tries to have the questionnaire changed to accept blood from people who are more likely to transmit HIV to them.The harm to NBRS students is therefore two-fold and should not only be considered unconstitutional but also immoral.

The ban on MSM donations is not a mat­ ter of homophobia. Other groups with a statis­ tically higher risk of HIV, such as anyone who has spent a cumulative total of more than one months in the United Kingdom between 19 8 0 and 19 9 6 and those who have had tattoos or piercings done in the last six months are also ineligible to donate. This is an ethical issue and not a constitutional one. ■ Marc-André Rousseau, U3 probability & sta­ tistics, likes to prove his points with numbers.

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06.03.07 • Opinion • 13

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Be the Tribune's Editor!

M A L DE TETE M a l l o r y D ash

We are looking for an enthusiastic, dedicated person with leader­ ship qualities to run the ship next year!

If you would like to apply to be th Tribune's Editor-in-Chief, please drop off a portfolio to the SSMU front desk (Brown Building Suite 12 0 0 ) to the attention of SSMU President Aaron Donny-Clark by March 19 at 5:0 0 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications must in­ clude a cover letter detailing your interest in the Tribune, a CV, three relevant w riting samples, and anything else that shows how awe­ some you are.

This position is open to all members of the Society, however prefer­ ence will strongly be given to candidates with significant Tribune-realted experience. If you have any questions about the application process or what the position entails, please contact info@ mcgilltribune.com.

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L e tte r t o t h e e d i t o r Stickin' up for the sisterhood As a woman, I understand how gender parity can seem insulting ("Gender parity is an insult to women," 0 6 .0 2 .07 ). It's easy to look back to a time when women were not permitted to participate in public political debate and conclude that we have come far and that we therefore don't need any"special treatment." So how come men still heavily dominate the public and politi­ cal realms? Sexism does not always manifest itself in the most overt ways. It's not necessarily about big bad men, rather it's about hegemony.

From the moment each individual is declared a boy or girl at birth, the gendering process begins. Con­ sider popular discourse surrounding little boys and girls: "What a smart little boy!" or "What a pretty girl!" We are taught from before we reach the age of intellectual ma­ turity what our proper roles are as men and women.

Therefore, admitting that something has to be done to counteract this is not an admission that women are

weak, it's an acknowledgment that the institutions in place to keep women submissive are beyond our con­ trol. The refusal to acknowledge this is the step back­ ward. So unless we are going to discuss how to fight hegemony at the next GA, something else has to be done. Of course, if Kate Spirgen has a better idea I'd love to hear it.

The misguided women who voted against gender parity are not doing themselves any favours. Actually their reluctance to accept attempts to enforce some sort of gender equality, due to a naïve libertarian over­ simplification of gender politics, is just another example of the effectiveness of hegemony in manufacturing consent in women to be complicit in their own oppres­ sion. Treating two unequal parties equally does not cre­ ate equality. How about we get real, accept the benefits of gender parity and move forward instead of in circles.

— Sarah Schultz U3 music

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Media sources across the country have been recently applauding this professor's work im the N o n - p r o f it o r g a n iz a t io n p r o v id in g field o f music psychology. But, who is the man behind the music? Hailing from sunny California, f o o d a n d le a r n in g when Professor Levitan is not busy learning every­ endeavour is a reccurring event called Party for a one's name in a class o f 655 people, he's playing J essica S hapiro Cause, a charity party at Upper Club (3519 St. Lau­ blues guitar in a band with his McGill associates.

Back in 2 0 0 0 , Amherst College student Eric Glustrom travelled to Uganda to film a documen­ tary on the lives of refugees fleeing from Rwanda, the Congo and Sudan. Upon returning to the U.S., Eric told his friends the story of a man named Ben­ son, a young refugee whose education he singlehandedly financed. After recieving positive feed­ back, he founded Educate! in 20.02, in the hopes of providing refugees with a better quality of life through educational scholarships.

In 20 0 6 , Canada adopted a new branch of this charity called Educate! Canada. Founded by McGill students A.J. Hirsch-Allen and Kelly Ma­ cLean, the charity is passionate about providing students not only with the education necessary for a good future, but also with food, safety and health care in order to maintain a satisfactory life in the present.

"After a visit to Amherst College in the spring of 20 0 6 , AJ. and myself decided to begin the first Canadian branch of Educate! here at McGill," Ma­ cLean says. "In September 20 0 6 , Educate! Canada became an official McGill organization with over 20 active members."

So far, Educate! Canada has been a great success, raising over $5 ,0 0 0 through a variety of fundraising events at McGill. At present, the group has over 50 active members, proving the success of their goal to raise awareness.

"After meeting Eric and seeing his passion and selflessness for this project, I can't imagine anyone would choose not to be involved. I also really believed in Educated personal approach to student sponsorship," MacLean explains. "Every summer Eric travels to Uganda to interview new potential students and he still maintains contact with every single one."

The organization has a large executive board, including every member of Educate! McGill. They believe that every person has as much influence as the next and this is why everyone must be equally involved. Currently, members are working hard to gain official charity status in Canada, which would qualify Educate! as an international charity.

The organization's most recent fundraising

rent) on Thursdays. Other events hosted this year Who is your hero/role model? include a Back to School Bash at Time nightclub One person that comes to mind is a (997 St. Jacques), bake sales, a McGill synchronized swimming competition featuring university teams friend of mine name Parthenon Huxley, and he from across Ontario and Quebec and potluck din- is a relatively unknown singer and songwriter.

He's brilliant and so good at what he does. He's never had fame or success, and what I admire is that he hasn't let that stop him. It has to be good enough for him before he'll record any­ thing and let it out. So I really admire him for that reason.

Roger Sheppard, who I studied with, is a cognitive psychologist and he has the capaci­ ty to write clearly and tries to make the science as rigorous as possible. He never gives up on an experiment and his work is always driven by some theory. To me that is a real scientist with a capital S. Somebody who is working to­ wards the surface of building a theory that can be larger than the experiment itself.

If you could teach everybody one skill, what would it be?

With an impressive vision and even more I would teach them to think for them­ impressive bake sales. Educate! Canada has selves. It's easy to say but not so easy to teach.

BRIAN MUMA

a wide reception at McGill.

ners. Future events may include a dodgeball tour­ nament and a charity concert.

"I think that our club is unique in the way that a member can be as involved as they would like,"MacLean says."We are always looking for new ideas and members are welcome to organize any events on their own that we will help with."

Of course, it's a bonus to the Educate! execu­ tive that MacLean's roommate happens to be a professional baker, making their bake sales some of the most impressive at McGill. ■ Interested in getting involved in a more active capacity? Educate! holds meetings about once a week, and anyone is welcome to attend. To be put on the club's listserve and to receive notification o f the time and place o f these meetings, email canada@ educateafrica.org.

WANT TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN SSMU? COME TO THE FEATURES MEETING TUESDAY AT 5:30 P.M. IN GERT'S

Why do you memorize people's names in class?

Because I don't want them to feel like they're just a meaningless number in this oth­ erwise impersonal lecture hall. I want people to feel that they're an individual and they're worth something. Also, I think most teachers learn more from their students than the stu­ dents learn from them. My professors did that for me and I remember when they learned my name that it made me think that I might actu­ ally be able to amount to something one day.

Are you in a band?

I'm in a blues band. I play the guitar, not full time. We're called the Diminished Faculties.

The New York Times said that we're'not bad.'lt's the Dean of Science on lead guitar, the Dean of Education on drums, the Chair of Physics on base and an electrical engineering professor on trombone. I play rhythm guitar and sax and we have vocalists who are from the adminis­ trative side of McGill. We play six times a year.

I didn't start guitar until I was 21 and people tell me as a consequence I play with an ac­ cent. I've been playing saxophone since I can remember and piano since I was four.

Levitin's band, Diminished Faculties, has noy yet reached the Top 40 charts, but there's hope yet.

One thing my students don't know about me is...

There's not much to know. I'm a simple guy. But what they probably don't know is that I'm usually only just one lecture ahead of them in the class. I re-learn it every year.

Ed Note: another thing students probably don't know about Professor Levitin is that he has interviewed famous artists like Stevie Won­ der, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and KD Lang.

Meaning, he's practically a celebrity himself.

Was there an overseas experience that changed your life in any way?

Yes, it was the grades that I got that were over C's, C+'s and B's that got me into gradu­ ate school.

What do you like most about Montreal?

Well, McGill is here and the restaurants and music scene and the summer when it doesn't rain.

What do you like about McGill in particu­ lar?

I came here because one of the leading people in my field was retiring and they were hiring his replacement. The opportunity to be his replacement was something I couldn't pass up, McGill has a tremendous worldwide repu­ tation. I say this in class and people don't be­ lieve me, but I have taught at Stanford, Berke­ ley, Dartmouth and here, and students here are far in a way smarter than the students at those other places. They are better educated and they're smarter and that's fun for a profes­ sor to have smart students. ■ — compiled by Jessica Shapiro

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to b o o b s Dear Cerise, I'm a freshman in my first serious relationship. We've been dating for three months now and everything is going really well, except for one thing: he wants me to give him head and I keep trying to avoid the situation. A girl's got to return the favor at some point, right?

— Cautious Cocktease, UoArts

Dearest Cautious, I could fill volumes with the amount of questions I've been asked about venturing down south. As a modern woman and a (relatively) self­ less human being, I believe that if a guy is willing to entertain "la chatte" we might as well pay the main-shaft some much needed attention.

That being said, I'm not advising you to go boxer diving with every PeelPubber you tackle on shooter night.

Remember: it's an intimate act, keep it intimate.

Most of you ladies' (and gentle­ men's) oral avoidance stems from a fear of ineptitude; simply put: that your suck off will suck. This is a completely rational fear-but take comfort. Re­ member your first kiss? Cup of coffee?

First time? Anything worthwhile takes a little getting used to and as in most things, practice makes perfect.

Lucky for you, the equipment is all around you (no pun intended). Venture to your local grocery store. While many other sexperts will recommend prac­ ticing on a cucumber, I would suggest a banana because unless it's an English cucumber, it's just not that realistic.

There are three basic tenets of a good blow job: 1 ) The wetter the bet­ ter. Whether you use flavoured lube or just plain saliva, a wet cock allows for more fluid motion. 2 ) Teeth are taboo.

Beware of sucking too hard as it leaves your teeth more exposed creating a harsh, grating feeling. Cosmo may rec­ ommend occasional usage of teeth but BEWARE and be gentle. 3 ) Enjoy!

Nothing works as a bigger turn on then enthusiasm and if you're not into it, he won't be either.

Remember, head is a personal act; what works for some will not work for others. You can learn the basics, but it's better to simply ask you partner. A Q&A session may seem intimidating but if done properly, can turn into a bonding activity and lead to some fun teacherpupil roleplay.

BLACHER AND GLASROT FAMILIES MEMORIAL AWARD FOR HOLOCAUST RESEARCH s ta b lis h e d in 2 0 0 0 b y Mr. a n d M rs. J o s e f G la s ro t, s u rv iv o rs o f tire H o lo c a u s t a n d r e s id e n ts o f M o n tre a l. O p e n to a n y s t u d e n t a t M cG ill U n iv e r s ity , t h e a w a r d is p r e s e n t e d f o r e x c e l l e n c e in r e s e a r c h in H o lo c a u s t a n d r e la te d s tu d ie s , a n d p a rtic u la rly o n th e h is to ry o f th e g h e tto s o f W a rs a w a n d K o v n o [K aunas], E ssay s p r e p a r e d in a n y c o u r s e o r i n d e p e n d e n t r e s e a r c h m a y b e c o n s id e r e d . T h e a w a r d is a d m in is te r e d b y t h e D e p a r tm e n t o f J e w is h S tu d ie s in c o o p e r a tio n w ith th e J e w is h C o m m u n ity F o u n d a tio n . T h e a w a rd w ill b e p r e s e n t e d d u rin g th e C lo sin g E x e rc ise s o f th e D e p a r tm e n t o f J e w is h S tu d ie s in J u n e , 2007.

T h e v a lu e o f th e B la c h e r a n d G la s ro t F a m ilie s M e m o ria l A w a rd is $1000.

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S tu d e n ts m u s t s u b m it 2 t y p e d c o p ie s o f t h e i r e s s a y s t o g e t h e r w it h f u ll c o n ta c t in fo r m a tio n .

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E ssays c a n b e b a s e d o n p r im a r y o r s e c o n d a r y m a te r ia ls a n d w o r k in a ll r e la te d d is c ip lin e s w i l l b e c o n s id e r e d .

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E s s a y s u b m is s io n s m u s t r e a c h t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f J e w is h S t u d ie s O f f i c e , 3 4 3 8 M c T a v i s h S t r e e t , n o l a t e r t h a n A p r i l 1 3 , 2007.

Good luck!

Cerise Have any pressing questions? Email features@mcgilltribune.com, subject Cerise.

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Jim NICELL Associate Vice-Principal (University Services)

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Jaye ELLIS Professor, Faculty o f Law

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E liiza beth P erle & R a c h e l M elnik ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JOANNA REZNICK

"I am graduating this year and I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life!" says Jenny Creed, U3 international development studies.

As the undergraduate experience ends, students are forced to ponder the daunting fu­ ture ahead. Work, grad school and travel are all popular options, but the question remains: are we ready to jump blindly into the "real world"?

"I knew I wanted to go back to grad school, I just needed to save up some money first," says Ian Whittington, Mi English. "I took a few years off and wanted to travel... so I went [to Korea to teach]."

Like Whittington, an increasing number of post-collegiate twentysomethings are postpon­ ing career plans in favour of teaching English overseas. This trend has galvanized into a prof­ itable industry— both for the organizations (of which there seems to be myriad amount) and for the interested student.

Seeing the world, changing people's lives for the better, experiencing new and exciting cultural differences, these are some of the phrases plastered over pamphlets and Web sites advertising a plethora of opportuni­ ties to teach in foreign lands süch as China, Korea, Europe and Africa— all common destinations for McGill students. ' Yet, every romanticized plan has its pitfalls.

Money, money, money Though less advertised, a major incentive for teaching English abroad is in its potential financial benefits.

Whittington points to Korea and Japan as appealing destina­ tions due to their low cost of liv­ ing, making it easier for students to save and pocket a larger por­ tion of their earnings. “[In Korea], the average wage is between S2 ,ooo and $2,50 0 a month, so you can save about $15,0 0 0 a year," he explains and adds that his teaching experience in Korea is currently paying for his graduate studies at McGill."lt is lucrative... I probably wouldn't have gone [to Korea] if someone hadn't told me that I could save up some money... every­ one I know who has taught [in China, for example] has said the experience of teaching there was far more interesting, and enlightening."

Matthew Flisfeder, a.York University PhD

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student, spent 2 0 0 5 -2 0 0 6 teaching English in Japan. "The pay was fair, but not significant," he notes."I was able to survive for a year in Japan without any financial difficulty, however, I was not able to save a sig­ nificant sum of money."

According to a recent Frances Childs' article in the International Herald Tribune, it is customary for schools in Asia to offer a pack­ age including coverage of all accommodation and medi­ cal costs for interna­ tional teachers. In , Europe, this is j#** rarely the y *

case. The piece also suggests that while it can be alluring, expatriate life can sometimes be very insular.

Nevertheless, teaching abroad is certainly

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a cheap way to travel for recent graduates who want to see the world but have little more than student debt to their names.

"It also looks good on a resume," Whittington admits.

Some people like to get attention. If you are an English-speaking foreigner in some places, you are special for that reason. I've heard about people going to Asia to get girls. [They are] charmed by the idea of the'Westerner.'"

Canadian Idol?

Aside from earning wages, many students choose to teach, rather than study, abroad be­ cause it presents a unique oppor­ tunity for an experience beyond the typical "tourist" cultural un­ derstanding.

"A big attraction [for \ me], instead of just passi : ing through places and I meeting other tourists, was in meeting a lot of local people," says McGill PhD ; student Martin Dawes, who recently spent time ■ teaching in both Spain and » Poland.

Evidently, there are also different regional incentives for teaching abroad.

"T e a c h e r-stu d e n t is one of the key rela­ tionships in Korean cultures,” says Whit­ tington." [In Korea] teachers are treat­ ed with huge re­ spect."

Being ele­ vated to a high­ er social status may make the cultural transi­ tion easier, if not authentic, and can even act as an incentive for some students to cross the pond.

"A friend of mine went to a small village in Japan to teach English and brought his guitar along.

Upon giving a small concert at the school, the kids loved him and he had an entourage of students following him around the village— an instant star!" explains Kate Davies, U2 history, somewhat sarcastically.

Dawes agrees. "The psychology or mental­ ity of the teachers is an interesting question.

To defer or not to defer Yet, are McGill students studying abroad solely for the money and the experience?

In many cases, these educators choose to do so for one, simple reason: they do not know what else to do with themselves. Of course, there are some students, such as Nate Schipper, U2 management, that have their post-graduate plans all figured out.

"As a business student, I have to start my career right after I graduate,"Schipper says.

Others, however, lack such clearly-defined pathways.

"If you're not quite sure what field you wish to specialize in, rushing into a grad program (just as students often rush into university right after high school) can result in wasted time and money, plus a sense of failure,"Dawes explains.

Without a concrete plan for the future, post-collegiates often find themselves scared to settle down. "I wanted to take a year off in between and...do something exciting," Flisfeder says.

Due to a lack of direction, many twentysomethings teach abroad in order to stall, or at least postpone, decisions about their future.

"Swarms of start-up adults, mostly in their 2 0 S, lack the traction needed to engage the work side of their lives. Some can't make up their minds where to go and what to do, while others find themselves stranded along a career trail about which they are grievously naïve and for which they lack broad preparation," explains journalist Mel Levine, in a February 20 0 5 article in the Chronicle o f Higher Education.

Sure, teaching abroad may be rewarding, but perhaps the trend reflects a deeper psycho­ logical dilemma for a number of future gradu­ ates.

"I think that the word 'stalling' has a nega­ tive connotation to it," says Gregg Blachford, Di­ rector of Career and Placement Services (CAPS).

"If people are not certain about what they want to do [with their futures], teaching abroad gives them some time to reconsider their career plans.

Yet some people come backjust as confused as they were before they left."

In other words, teaching English overseas may not necessarily put things into perspective.

But that does not mean that the experience is worthless.

"A lot of university graduates teach English abroad for adventure-just to get away," Blach­ ford maintains. "It provides them with a change from years and years of study." ■

Pack a dictionary: Former ESL teachers say learning a bit of the local language is key to making the most of an overseas experience.

NADINE LESSARD

06.03.07 «The McGill Tribune • 17 GRAPHICSBYLEETIPTON

E X P E R IE N C E O R R O M A N T IC ID EA L? W hat you teach stu d en ts (besides language) W

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c u lt u r e

Traci J ohnson Freshly printed university di­ plomas in hand, thousands o f native English speakers depart each year for foreign classrooms where students are eager to learn the world's most widely spoken language. Currently, secondlanguage English speakers already outnumber native speakers and many more are in the process of acquiring the tongue. However, people from South Korea to the Czech Republic to Peru receive far more from their English teachers than knowledge of verb tens­ es and idioms.They also imbibe strong doses of Western culture, gaining an impression many academics believe is misleading.

McGill faculty of education profes­ sor Mela Sarkar says the ESI textbook industry is partially to blame for creat­ ing an idealized, superficial notion of how native English speakers live.

"A lot of what gets into textbooks is more culturally specific than we real­ ize," Sarkar says. "It displays a portrait of English speakers that doesn't exist. It's advertising and false advertising. You get this bland image of white people who only go shopping or go on holi­ day, which conveys a very distorted view of what Western life is like."

Sarkar's course, teaching english as a second language in the com­ munity, EDSL 39 0 , addresses the po­ litical and cultural context of teaching abroad. The class is open to_non-education majors and takes a broader view of teaching English than private short programs designed to provide hope­ ful teachers with a certificate. Sarkar calls these programs the "quick and dirties" because they provide recog­ nized qualifications but lack breadth and intensity of instruction. Although such programs may not adequately prepare teachers, completing one is preferable to arriving in Tokyo with­ out any prior training.

"People who get on a plane and just go are ill-prepared," Sarkar says. "Don't go with only a chem­ istry degree. You need to know a little about the process of learning a foreign language."

University grads may think of teaching overseas as their grand adventure, an attractive alternative to a "real" job or graduate school.

Most do not think of themselves as purveyors of Western ideals and val­ ues, but both Sarkar and Alison Crump, Master's second language education, say ESL teachers should consider the message they deliver abroad, con­ sciously or unconsciously.

"Most participants are white stu­ dents, which creates a specific image of what we are,"Crump says."Also, if you're going to Asia, white people tend to be glorified and it's important to have an attitude that doesn't carry dominance and superiority."

Crump spent three years teaching

s e e p s

in

English in Japan and is currently writ­ ing her thesis on the country's assistant language teacher program. While she believes there are many benefits to teaching abroad, including personal development, she questions the benefits for Japanese students and the focus on American cul­ ture.

"The ALT program really reinforces the. hegemonic power of English," she ex­ plains. "Japan was never col­ onized, but it's almost like they're having their minds colonized by English through this really Ameri­ can-focused teaching and all the symbols and mean­ ings that it carries."

Cultural awareness, as well as self-awareness, is something Mat Lyle, U2 IDS recommends to students de parting for foreign classrooms.

Lyle spent last summer teaching English in Chile and says students without a background in education will probably get more out of the ex perience than they will give.

"It's important for people to know that no one's saving the world by going to Chile and teaching English."*

So, you're back.

Now w hat?

C o p in g

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it h

b a c k

J acqueline Rowniak "I've lived in. Montreal my whole life and I needed a change. I wanted to experience different people and dif­ ferent places and a student exchange was the perfect way to do that,” says Jessica Schaffer, U3 sociology.

Studying abroad for a semester is the answer to many students'feel­ ings of restlessness and eagerness to explore new scenery. Life in a for­ eign country is exciting—the .land­ scapes are exotic, the people have accents, .the world is your oyster.

Which is all fine and dandy...until you get back on that plane bound for home.

The education abroad cen­ tre at the University of Arcadia lists on its Web site the top to challenges to students "re-en­ tering" their home countries.

From feelings of boredom and alienation, the Web site explains that many returnees feel "reverse culture shock."

While students may be excited to come back, the return home is simply not as easy a transition as might be expected.

While away, a travellerbecomes a different

person; some­ one

h o m

e

b lu e s

more independent and worldly. Com­ ing back home, though, they may find that they do not fit back into the same cultural mold as before. As clinical psy­ chologist Corinne Gutman explains, "part of foreign exchange is the oppor­ tunity to try on new identities, a kind of reinventing oneself. The challenge on return is how to integrate that newly forged identity with one's former sense ofself."Especiallyfortwentysomethings, who are still in the process of "finding themselves," it can be extremely diffi­ cult for some students to reach middle ground between the person they were on the other side of the ocean and the person they were previously.

"When I came back [from Eng­ land], I found myself out of touch with the political situation," explains McGill PhD student Martin Dawes, who spent i o years teaching abroad in foreign countries. "I was away during the Que­ bec Referendum, so people treated me as though I was a bit of an outsider."

Gutman explains that sometimes it can seem easier for students to simply forget about that autonomous, sophis­ ticated person they were while living in London or Melbourne and slip back into old routines. Letting themselves wash away those experiences and that newfound identity, however, would undermine the whole study abroad ex­ perience. Living in a different country, learning to appreciate new cultures is about finding common ground. The same goes for the new person who . comes home from exchange. It is cru­ cial to be able to hold on to the traits that really characterize them—wheth­ er it be the person who knew nothing of the world outside their doorstep, or the newly mature and cultured per. son who came home.

So what to do? The McGill Student Exchange Office does not offer any kind of counseling on how to cope with the back home blues; however, McGill health services does offer ses­ sions with professionals willing to listen to anyone who needs help. Apart from that, keeping in touch with friends from abroad is important—they will likely be going through similar experi­ ences. Also, talking to the next batch of kids about to embark on their own trips can help: They're eager for any details you're willing to impart upon them and their eyes won't glaze over as you wax nostalgic about your favourite pub or that killer beach. ■

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C harlie Blore Far too often the tie is thought of as a detail; after all if you can wear a suit without one, how important could it be? But if we can agree that the custom tailored suit has become so rare that everyone is more or less playing with the same deck of cards, then it's the shirt and tie pairing that truly makes the look and sets one apart from the rest of the off-the-rack masses. Matching the right tie knot with the right collar can make the difference between being well-dressed and looking like your high school vice-principal.

The Four-in-Hand

This knot should be used for shirts with closed collars. A but­ ton-down shirt would also seem an appropriate match for the Four-in-Hand except that under no circumstance should a man be caught wearing a button-down shirt with a tie, much less a suit.

Step 1 : Bring the wide end of the tie across the front of the thin end at about a 45-degree angle and then straight across back under it.

Step 2 : Bring the wide end across the front again. The two ends of the tie should look perpendicular at this point.

Step 3: Bring the wide end back under the knot as you did in step 1 but now push it over the top of the knot and tuck it behind the front of the knot and pull it through. Pull on either end of the tie to tighten everything as desired.

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The Half Windsor

The Full Windsor

A style ideal when matched with shirts that have semi­ open collars. However, if you are wearing an open collar and for whatever reason, are not a fan of bold knots, this is an acceptable substitute.

Step 1 : Same as Four-in-Hand Step 2 :Wrap the wide end over the front and down the back of the collar portion of the tie just to the right of the knot you created in step one; wrap Step 3: Bring the wide end across the front of your two par­ tial knots. This cross over is what will show as your tie knot so if you want a good fit, you'll want to wrap it tight and pinch the bottom of the knot through these last steps to create a tighter triangle.

Step 4 : Bring the wide end behind the knot and over the front; pull it through the knot and tighten where nec­ essary. Once finished, you can put a dimple in the tie by pushing in the centre of the wide end just below the knot.

This knot is absolutely only to be used with open collars.

Step 1 : Bring the wide end of the tie across the front of the thin end at about a 45-degree angle.

Step 2 : Create a loop exactly parallel and to the left of the cross you just created.

Step 3 : Bring the wide end across the back of the knot and create an identical loop as that created in step two, on the right side of the knot.

Step 4 : Repeat steps three and four from the half-windsor.

Beyond the usual tightening to the collar, you can also pinch the bottom of the knot to tighten the triangle or widen it by placing your thumbs under the back of the bottom corners of the knot and pushing them out. I recommend tightening the triangle and putting a dimple just below the knot. ■

NAOMI BRODKEY

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"Oh my God, Becky, look at her butt! It is sooooo big!" Artists from past and present generations have espoused on this subject matter, marveling at how it looks, how it shakes and how big it can be. Lyrics containing clever analogies ranging from molasses to jelly describe the beloved asset that is the ass.

Let's all take a moment and appreciate the musical talent exhibited in the following examples of "big booty" songs.

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5 ) "Baby Got Back," Sir Mix-A-Lot

I like big butts and I cannot lie You other brothers can't deny That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist And a round thing in your face You get sprung Wanna pull up tough Cuz you notice that butt was stuffed Deep in the jeans she's wearing I'm hooked and I can't stop staring

"Ms. New Booty," Bubba Sparxx

Ass get da jiggling, mother fucking wiggling Get that thang shakin, like she frost bit shivering Ass be delivering, all type of flashes, cashes Got these hoes shaking that molasses.

6) "Bootylicious," Destiny's Child Move your body up and down (woo) make your booty touch the ground (woo) I can't help but wonder why is my vibe to vibalaciousforya babe I shake my jelly at every chance.

4) "Sample Dat Ass,"Chingy If your ass is fat and you know it, clap your hands Wearing those pants, I'll be damned if I miss my chance to advance Never trust a big butt, that smile like Ricky Bell Let me get a sample of that ass, Ooo Ooo. 3)"Dazzey Duks,"Duice [SPELLING?] We're talking about the butt cheeks not the breasts Baby got back, junk in the trunk She got a six pack or a hell of a rump Yo, need some fries with that shake

See many terms they use to relate I love the girls with the big old booties Right up front they call 'em Dukies 2) "Big Ole Butt," Puff Daddy That's when I seen her, her name was Keisha Ass-wide figure, just had to meet her She had a big ole booty, like you see in the movies Keisha's got a big ole butt (uh-huh) You know I told you I'd be true (I told you) But Keisha's got a big ole butt (that's right) So I'm leavin'you (see-ya! he haha) i) "Shake ya tail feather," Nelly feat. Murphy Lee and P.Diddy

Come here girl What your name is?

Where you from?

Turn around who you came with?

Is that your ass or your momma have reindeer?

— compiled by Jessica Shapiro

06.03.07 *The McGill Tribune • 19

FO OD FO R T H O U G H T

Give in to your sweetest urges

H E A D L IN E OF TH E W E E K : "Swiss accidentally invade Liechtenstein" — The Washington Post, Friday, March 2

And spice up your chicken Lindsay Frank Your day is filled with difficult decisions: when to roll out of bed, what to wear to class, whether or not you j^ lly want to go to class... So when it comes to dinner, forgo choice altogether and demand both sweet and spicy.

You deserve it.

Honey-Nut Chicken (Makes 2 servings) Ingredients: 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons butter 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons finely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts) Steps: 1 . Flatten chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Season both sides with salt, pepper

and cayenne pepper.

2 . Heat butter over medium heat; stir in garlic. Cook chicken 4-5 minutes per side, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan; set on serving dish.

3. Add nuts and honey to juices in pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Pour honey nut sauce over chicken.

Serve over brown rice to soak up the sauce, or with a salad drizzled with nut oil vinaigrette and raisins or dried cranberries. ■

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A r t s & E n t e r t a in m e n t f il m

Half the flashiness but half the excitement New Fincher film is neither wild, nor eccentric, nor a particularly mad gas J ennifer Bartoli

'.y 9

The latest offering from director David Fincher (best known for Seven and Panic Room) is the suspenseful thriller Zodiac, which retraces the true story of a serial killer in the 1960s who claimed to be responsible for the deaths of several individuals in and around San Francisco. Starring ■Robert Downey Jr. as a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mark Buffalo as a police detective and Jake Gyllenhaal as a young cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the crimes, this talented cast leads us through the development of the investigation as the murders continue.

Fincher's film is based on a chronological, and at times some­ what tedious, step-by-step approach to the murders and the games the killer plays on police and journalists.

Keen on never being caught but con­ stantly being heard, the killer goes by "Zodiac" and sends frequent letters to the editors at the San Francisco Chronicle, proving he is the perpetra­ tor of recent murders and promising to strike again if his letters are not published. Many scenes take place in the office of the San Francisco Chron­ icle, where the 1970s atmosphere and decor are brilliantly reconstructed.

The shots of typewriters, characters in plated suits with suspenders and the depictions of the patriarchal nature of the journalism and police institu­ tions recalls a bygone investigative world long erased by shows such as CSI and Law and Order.

The first part of the movie fo-* cuses on the official investigation by police forces that cannot get a hold of the Zodiac. Constantly changing appearance and sending a mix of

1

truthful and bogus information to the journalists, the investigation ends as an unresolved puzzle of frustra­ tion. The second part of the film then centres on Gyllenhaal's character, Robert Graysmih, who obsessively decides to take on the investigation everyone else has left behind. Graysmith thus finds himself alone in his search, which adds suspense to the many scenes of him interacting with the people he suspects and those he has to interrogate. Gyllenhaal offers one of his best performances to date, : as a young outcast dead-set on dis- ) covering the truth.

Disappointingly, the movie does not focus at all on the psycho­ logical state of the murderer or his inner, destabilized nature. Instead, we are presented with evidence of the crime scenes, with crude shots of the victims and detailed portrayals of the deaths of the characters. These scenes are void of any additional drama with no suspenseful music to frame the action or attempts to fool the audience as to when the murder will occur.

The film actually stands as some­ thing of a departure for Fincher, who, up until this point, was reputed for his distinct, highly stylized camera work and visually dramatic productions.

Zodiac, by comparison to his other work, is far more subdued. While the narrative does not provide the tradi­ tional payoff expected of most de­ tective films, the very fact that Zodiac is based on a true story—and told in elaborate, meticulous detail—md<es the entire feature all the more dis­ turbing and unsettling. ■ Zodiac plays at Paramount Mon­ treal (977 Ste-Catherine O.) MOVIEWEB.COM

Indie flick poster-gal Chide Sevigny rounds off Zodiac's ensemble cast.

P O P R H E TO R IC

I r a q is a c t u a l l y a c i v i l w a r C o le R yan

usic has a lengthy history as a medium of protest, from the emergence of British punk music as a cru­ cial part of the developing dissident counter-culture movement to Bob Marley's simple Rastafarian anthem against mistreatment and oppression, "Get Up, Stand Up." When the Sex Pistols wrote "God Save The Queen," it served as an inspi­ rational force for the British working-class teenagers, who, in the words of their songs, were being oppressed by the upper classes of society. Rage Against the Machine attacked both the domestic and foreign policies of the United States, while bands like R.E.M. and U2 spoke out against the decline of the environment and human rights.

Indeed, once upon a time, songwriters' lyrics contained political statements and served as the voice of the people.

Unfortunately, something has gone awry in recent years, be­ cause the"statements"made by pop alt-rock bands these days are no longer the powerful messages that they used to be.

In the past, the identity of an artist was linked to the identity of his or her audience. N.W.A. wrote about the harsh aspects of life on the streets of Los Angeles with songs like "Straight Outta Compton”and "FuckTha Police" that reflected the racial tensions of the city. The band's lyrics were an ac­ curate reflection of fans' views. Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" raised questions about the morality of war, peace and

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freedom to an audience examining the same values, while Sly and the Family Stone's released "There's a Riot Goin'On"in 1971, a response to ongoing racial abuse. The music reflected wor­ thy issues with which the artists'followers were grappling.

Today's alternative rock music fails to come close to artic­ ulating its listeners' political or societal concerns. My Chemi­ cal Romance's "It's not a Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish," despite its potent title, is actuallyjust the band's emo-whining about breaking up with a girlfriend. Equally misleading, the Fall Out Boy song title "Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows)"is actu­ ally more emo-bullshit whining about breaking-up, relation­ ships and how the singer "knows this hurts, but it was meant to." If all these artists want to do is whine about how much it sucks to break up, fine, but they should retitle their songs and cut the false advertising. The politically-loaded titles deceive the audience into thinking the songs might actually be about something.

In the past, artists had simple titles with powerful lyrics conveying the full message of protest. Bob Marley's cleâr-cut title "Get Up, Stand Up" empowered an entire nation and that spread around the world. Nena's catchy eighties hit "99 Luftballons" criticized the escalating tensions of the Cold War by parodying the potential of something as innocent as floating •

'

18®

red balloons to be misinterpreted, resulting in nuclear apoca­ lypse.

Compare those succinct monikers to the excessively long titles that overemphasize their messages and deceive listeners. Panic! At the Disco's "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage" has absolutely nothing to do with martyrdom, suicide or press coverage. For a title with such heavy connotations, the actual lyrics aren't really about anything of significance. Similarly, Fall Out Boy's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"isn't about nuclear weapons; it's about the constantly expanding “emo scene." Allegory is all well and good, but at least fry to make your metaphors as clever as your song titles.

These new alternative rock bands need to stop "mak­ ing political statements” with excessively long titles and start making decent music. A number of songs by Panic! At the Disco are direct allusions to famed satirical novelist Chuck Palahniuk, but none of the songs come close to doing his powerful writing justice. These bands need to realize that Palahniuk wrote as part of the "Generation X" movement, but the majority of these bands'fans are confused teenage boys and girls who fall into the trap of assuming that any song with 15 word titles against the status quo are protest songs against their parents. ■ '

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06.03.07 «The McGill Tribune • 21

F IL M

The Spartans are coming, the Spartans are coming!

A talk with writer/director Zack Snyder, w ho brings 300 to the Big Screen

P review s

COMPILED BY CRYSTAL CHAN

Music.The Besnard Lakes, March 6 at 9 p.m.; Club Lambi (4465 St-Laurent). Following the Feb. 20 release of their latest album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse, the local indie-pop band kicks off its national tour here tonight.The group has an eclectic sound—a sort of Beach Boys with a falsetto lead singer—and features a panopoly of instruments, including horns. Opening for them is guest Starvin' Hungry.

Dance. 0 Vertigo: Étude # 3 pour cordes et poulies, March 8 to 10 at 8 p.m.;Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts (175 SteCatherine W.). The newest work from premier dance troupe O Vertigo opens this Thursday at Place des Arts. The work features eight of their dancers and is inspired by the words of Samuel Beckett on the body and both its freeing and enslaving qualities.

Dancers are thrown and bound beyond their control with a series of harnesses, ropes and other props.

Festival. Festivalissimo, Until March 15. The 11th edition of the largest Iberian and Latin American festival in North America, festivalissimo adds some Latin spice to the Montreal winter.

The visual arts, film, literature, dance and music are all featured in this two-week festival which ends on the 15th. The film fes­ tival is screening 39 movies from Spanish speaking countries at nearby Parc Cinema, and a night of Cuban music featuring The Gran Orquesta Cubana plays at Kola Note on Sunday night.

Other venues include Mainline Theatre, Place des Arts and art galleries all around the city. Visit www.festivalissimo.net for more information.

A c to r G e ra rd B u tle r ta k e s a b re a k fro m h isto rica l v e n g e a n c e to d is c u s s e le p h a n t s a n d g re e n s c re e n s .

J u d a h Is s a

First, there were the Trojans. Then, it was Alexander's Macedonians. It was only a matter of time before the Spar­ tans "arrived to claim their share of the limelight. Forget the others (Brad who?), these warriors are bolder, braver and...bare-er?

300, the latest Greek epic to hit the screens, brings a fresh perspective to the "sword and sandals" genre. For one thing, the barely clad soldiers take on an otherworldly quality that is more Superman than Spartan. And for an­ other, it is a testosterone-fest virtually undiluted by overt Flollywood sentimentality.

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel and shot in Montreal, the film tells the story of the historical battle of Thermopylae, where a vastly outnumbered Greek army fought the invading Persians and very nearly won. While inspired by true events, the movie is admittedly more fic­ tion than fact.

"I did a lot of hysterical, I mean, historical research," director Zack Snyder jokes. "But in the end, is historical ac­ curacy cooler than what Frank did? It’s not, so I didn't use any of the research."

The director's focus was to bring the novel itself to life, with its vivid colours and sometimes monstrous characters, hence the use of blue screen technology for the greater part of the film.

"By not shooting the movie outside, we were able to get closer to the actual look that Frank (Miller) created for the book,"Snyder explains.

The technique was not without its challenges, how­ ever, as the actors had to rely entirely on their own imagi­ nations to create the appropriate surroundings.

"At times it's strange," Gerard Butler (King Leonidas) admits, "because it's not your natural environment; so it's a leap of faith."

The intense physical training that preceded filming helped the crew get into the warrior mindset, not to men­ tion appearance.

"The fighting is fierce," Butler says. "[The muscles] are

real, absolutely," he adds with a laugh, when questioned about his physique. "They were hard earned, so I don't want anyone to think they came from someone else!"

Known for his intense portrayals in movies such as The Phantom of the Opera and Dear Frankie, Butler brings a new dimension to the superhero-type King Leonidas.

"You learn how to make yourself feel as powerful as pos­ sible without becoming stiff and to let the humanity of the character seep through," Butler says. "You have to give the story a heart and a soul."

Even the supernatural elements in the film are justi­ fied, according to Snyder, in that they represent the very real, human perspective of the Spartans.

"If you've never seen an elephant before, you would see it as a gigantic, monstrous creature," he explains.

Snyder, whose previous credits include the forget­ table Dawn of the Dead (2004), draws on his love of the graphic novel to deliver an aesthetically appealing movie.

He and Miller collaborated on the screenplay, staying true to the spirit of the novel.The original drawings were taken into consideration and even influenced the selection of ac­ tors, some of whom are homegrown Montreal talent. In fact, nearly the entirety of the filming and post-production took place in the city.

"Montreal is a fantastic place to shoot," says Snyder.

"You gain an incredibly talented and collaborative crew and a great environment to live in."

The praise is welcome indeed, given the recent prob­ lems plaguing Montreal productions. According to the Journal de Montreal, trouble between the unions repre­ senting movie technicians have caused the cancellation of three big budget movie projects in the city. Minister of Cul­ ture Line Beauchamp has appointed ateam to help resolve the difficulties and reassure Hollywood studios of Montre­ al's suitability as a location. In the meantime, local industry workers have at least one happy customer in Snyder. ■ 300 premieres March 9 on the big screen. An IMAX ver­ sion will be released concurrently for an enhanced viewing experience of the epic battle.

Theatre. Two Short Women and The Wall, Until March 11 at 8 p.m., Sat/Sun. at 2 p.m.;Théâtre Ste-Catherine (264 Ste-Catherine E.). Two Short Women, a play about two old friends whose tropical vacation takes a turn for the worse, stars Laura Mitchell and Debra Kirshenbaum.

The actresses morph into two soldiers for The Wall, a piece inspired by a horrific photo local playwright Ann Lambert saw of the murder of an attempted escapee over the Berlin Wall in 1986, just three years before its fall. The two plays make perfect use of the Théâtre Ste-Catherine's small space to convey their binding theme of claustro­ phobia and confusion. Call (514) 284-3939 for tickets and more information.

Film. Reign Over Me, opens March 9. Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle star in this buddy flick that attempts at an introspec­ tive look at one man's personal response to the 9/11 tragedy.

Yes, that's right, Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore himself, is delv­ ing into the dramatic genre. He plays Charlie Fineman, an everyman who is devestated by the loss of his wife and daugh­ ters but begins to recover from his grief as he rekindles an old friendship with his former college roomate, played by Don Cheadle. Reign Over Me promises to be a feel good movie, albeit one springing from highly sensitive subject matter.

InternshipProgram The MacKinnon Initiative Award(s) for Student Internships The MacKinnon Initiative Awards 2007 were established by Kenneth J.C. MacKinnon (B.A/80) and Laura Santini MacKinnon (HonoursBA, ’82) to help students gain practical hands-on experience through an internship in their relevant field of study.

Administered through the Dean's Office in conjunction with the Faculty of Arts Internship Office and th e Desautels School of Management, these Awards of 52,500 each were designed to provide financial support to one Desautels School of Management student and one Faculty of Arts student who wish to pursue an unpaid internship with a non-profit organization, preferably in the developing world.These Awards are m eant as partial funding as a supplement to assist students with travel and other expenses Students must have a dem onstrated interest in entrepreneurship, innovation or a creative mindset, whether in business or the arts and propose an internship with a host organization where they can develop these skills. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, global warming, economic development, microfinance, environmental resource m anagem ent and the arts broadly defined Full-time students (U2 and U3) in good standing with a minimum CGPA of 3.0, currently enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program and returning to McGill as full time students the semester following their internship are eligible to apply.

Students who wish to be considered for Summer 2007 funding must submit completed applications to Anne Turner at The McGill University Internship Offices Network, Arts Building, Room 110 Application Deadiine:Tuesday, March 20th, 2007.

For more information: Award Information Session:Tuesday, March 6,2007,2:30-3:30, Arts 160 http://www.mcgill.ca/arts-internships/funding/

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MOVIEWEB.COM

McGill University Internship Offices Network

22 • Arts & E ntertainm ent • 06.03.07

The McGill Tribune

F IL M

Damon is never around when you need him Cooper flashes his acting chops in Breach; writers should take the cue Emily G ennis Director Billy Ray's newest film, Breach, has an intriguing story and a spectacular cast that almost make up for a rather dull plot. The film tracks the 2001 investigation and arrest of FBI agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper), who sold U.S. secrets to Russian intelligence for over 20 years. Clearly, this was a promising premise, but Ray (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Adam Mazar and William Rotko) didn't develop the storyline well enough to keep the audience's attention. The result is a suspense movie that just isn't all that suspenseful.

On the bright side, it was quite refreshing to see a spy flick with a body count of less than a hundred. There were no attempts at climb­ ing down 10 -story buildings, no exploding cars and no roundhouse kicks. Thankfully, Breach is about the psychology and the genius that a(lowed Hanssen to outsmart both the FBI and the CIA. The sly defector is played deftly by Cooper CThe Bourne Identity, Adaptation, Syriana), who shifts seamlessly from ornery grouch to mis­

understood family man to menacing potential killer. Cooper manages to elicit audience sym­ pathy for Hanssen, despite the fact that he was once at the top of the CIA's most wanted list.

Another refreshing divergence from mainstream American film is in Breach's re­ luctance to hit audiences over the head with the sledgehammer of patriotism. The inher­ ent interest in Hanssen's character has little to do with the fact that he betrayed his country, but more to do with his outsmarting U.S. in­ telligence agents for two decades. His lack of patriotism was not nearly as important as his genius. Even agent Burroughs (Laura Linney), who leads the investigation against Hannsen, duly acknowledges his brilliance in his ability to exploit the bureaucratic nature of the U.S. government.

Unfortunately, Cooper's talent could not save Breach from the poor screenwriting. Ray, Mazer and Rotko relied too much on their great concept and failed to put in enough of the elements that make suspense films fun.

Some mild intensity did lurk beneath the sur­ face in a few scenes between Hanssen and

L in n e y is c o n v in c in g a s a s tro n g , s tr e e t-w is e w o m a n in a n o th e r w is e

P h ilip p e 's a n d C o o p e r's stro n g p e rfo rm a n c e s m a k e u p fo r te n s io n la c k in g in th e scrip t.

Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe), an undercover CIA agent hired to pose as Hanssen's assistant. But the. stakes never rise high enough. Most of the film focuses on the impending possibility that Hanssen will discover O'Neill's secret identity.

But since the CIA already knew Hanssen was a traitor, couldn't they just have arrested him anyway? In addition to a lack of real suspense, Ray subjects the audience to a number of ar­ guments between O'Neill and his wife, Juliana (Caroline Dhavernas), which add nothing to the plot. A well-executed (though predictable) finale does manage to push audience mem­ bers to the edge of their seats, but it isn't quite worth the wait.

Instead of subjecting the audience to watching the one-dimensional characters of O'Neill and his wife yell at one another, Breach should have explored Hanssen's character in more detail. The film picks up after the CIA has already detected Hanssen's treason and this discovery is summed up with some quick explanation by Burroughs. Yet showing how MOVIEWEB.COM Hanssen's subversion was finally uncovered w e a k film . would have added some much needed depth

to the film. Ray also failed to really delve into the complexity of Hanssen's personality. He conveys Hannsen's fanatical devotion to Opus Dei Roman Catholicism and his sexual deviancy, but doesn't begin to explain what kind of personality traits would cause someone to give away their country's deepest secrets. Breach didn't do justice to Hanssen's intelligence, ei­ ther. A man who fooled the FBI and the CIA for two decades must have been pretty sharp, but Hanssen doesn't do or say anything particu­ larly brilliant in the film.

In its own way, Breach may have boosted Cooper's career more than his previous films.

In Syriana and The Bourne Identity, Cooper's characters had to take a back seat to suspense­ ful plot developments. Without an interesting plot or good suspense, the audience of Breach doesn't have much to focus on except the emotional complexity that Cooper conveys as agent Hanssen.The irony here is that a film that constantly strives to set itselft apart from the worn, spy film conventions only leaves the au­ dience longing for the shocks and plot-twists the Bourne franchise delivered in spades. ■

The Students' Society of McGill University Awards of Distinction

Call for Applications

Have you left you mark?

Deadline Extended to March 12, 2007!

Two (2) scholarships of S2500 for full-time undergraduate studies at McGill during the 2007-2008 academic year will be awarded to students who show evidence of outstanding leadership in the McGill community through significant contributions to student activities coupled with excellent academic performance.

Due to technical difficulties with our website and e-mail, the SSMU has extended the deadline for application. We recommend that all applicants contact the SSMU VP (University Affairs) at: awardofdistinction@gmail.com Application forms are still available at the SSMU Front Desk, and request for electronic copies should be made through e-mail.

A p p lic a t io n

Contac March 12,2007

Finn Upham Vice President (University Affairs) awardofdistinction@gmail.com (514) 398 - 6797

EVER W O N D E R W H A T ITS LIKE T O BE A GOD AMONGST A N T S ? T H A T 'S W H A T IT'S LIKE T O W R IT E FO R A & E .

M E E T IN G S O N M O N D A Y S A T 5 :3 0 P .M . IN G ERT'S. O R E M A IL US A T ARTS@ M C G IL L T R IB U N E .C O M .

Join the Newman Students’ Society for a semi-formal swing dance event!

Newm an C e n tre 3484 Peel Saturday, March I Oth 8pm-2am.

Swing dance lessons for beginners!

Live band!

Tickets: $ 18 in advance Door prizes! $20 at the door Cheap drinks!

Free food!

To get tickets, call: 5 14-396-4107 or email: newman_students@yahoo.com PLACE jr c o n e r

06.03.07 • Arts & Entertainm ent • 23

www.mcgilltribune.com

Reviews

Fairytale theatre delights Savoy Society's latest examines sexual politics productions are open. This means that play producers do not have to pay royalties to anyone and may in turn change whether this was a deliberate attempt to further the un­ any part of the original composition that they wish, which derlying "war of the sexes" theme, or if it was overdone un­ allows for liberal creative licence and thus is perfectly con­ ducive to the experimental mindset of student theatre. intentionally.

Under the musical direction of McGill graduate Tony Jaakob Palasvirta, Ih Music, in his first year performing for the Savoy Society, played the role of Strephon, the half­ Spears, the show also incorporates a bit of a jazz swing to one of the solos sung by the Queen of the fairies, adding fairy, half-mortal.

"The main reason that I wanted to be a part of this that extra special something to gain the approval of even production was the performance practice that it allowed opera-reluctant audience members. As the vocal director me," he explains. "Being an undergrad vocal major at Mc­ of such a large production, Spears found himself in the Gill, I am not yet allowed to be part of the Opera, so this is midst of many of singers. Luckily for him, they were well trained. an amazing opportunity for “When the op­ me to perform in front of a portunity to direct a generous audience." show came I took it!"

Made up of both Mc­ Spears exclaimed. "I Gill music and non-music have never directed majors, the orchestra was anything before and assembled by conductor decided to give it a Vicky Shin, U2 Music. While whirl. The performers the music of Gilbert and were amazing and we Sullivan is enjoyable if sim­ worked together to plistic, frequently quoting make the show as firstother composers such as rate as possible."

Wagner and Mendelssohn, Since the original in this production the or­ version of the show in­ chestra simply overpow­ cludes an abundance ered the singers on several LUKASBERGMARK of historically relevant occasions. It was difficult at humour, director Sean times to understand what M a g ic a n d m o r ta ls in te rm in g le in th is V ic to ria n o p e re tta .

Hutchins decided that was going on, because it it would be appropriate to tweak the piece and some of was simply impossible to make out the words.

Since McGill has the honour of having the oldest stu­ the lyrics to be more politically relevant to the 21st century. dent-run Gilbert and Sullivan company in the country, it is The end result is the combination of a song sung by the fitting that the society is staging lolanthe, the first opera to British House of Lords with a somewhat distracting slide run at London's Savoy theatre—the very one that gave Gil­ show of modern pictures, including one of George Bush. bert and Sullivan operas their nickname. Many McGill stu­ While these subtle modernizations along with many refer­ dents have neither heard of Gilbert and Sullivan, nor of the ences to places in Montreal can be crowd pleasers, they famously comedic operettas that they composed during seemed to take away from the rest of the humour, creating the late 19th century. Yet not only were these works of polit­ a somewhat baffling mixture of too many time periods oc­ ical and social relevance at the time, but they were also re­ curring at once. The attempt paralleled the production as freshingly distinct from the normal Wagnerian dramas that a whole—bursting with creativity and obvious talent—but flooded Europe. Both composer and lyricist incorporate a ultimately trying just a little too hard to get attention and sense of play and satirical fun within the context of their approval from the audience. ■ compositions. One of the biggest reasons that McGill and lolanthe runs atMoyse Hall March 8 to to at 8p.m. with a many other universities have Savoy Societies solely per­ forming these operettas is the fact that the rights to these 2 p.m. matinee on March to. Tickets are $15 for students. c o n tin e d fro m C O V E R

m r n Ê M m AP0St'e ° f Hustle. National Anthem of Nowhere. Arts & Crafts (2007). In case you missed the boat the first time, Andrew Whiteman's off-kilter Havana rock trio came around and he's 'Î& I back wit^ anot^er' more powerful blast. National Anthem of S IH H n B H Nowhere is the follow-up sophomore release to 2004's Folkloric Feel, which, despite some of its undeniably pretty melodies, came off as too much of a scrap-book potpourri of overdubs to make it off the ground. National Anthem sounds more cleaned up and confident. Each song is unpredictable and delicately distinct from the next.

A founding member of Broken Social Scene, Whiteman conceptualized Apostle of Hustle as a source of output for his recent influences, mainly Cuban rhythms and Spanish poetry. His clever trick is situating the rhythms and motions of afro-cuban music into a Torontonian pop context. And that, with National Anthem, he pulls off with greater ease than ever before.

—Jeremy Young The Stooges. The Weirdness. Virgin (2007). As painful or bloody awful as it may be to admit, a tiny, subconscious fragment of every music lover wishes that some geriatric, over-the-hill 1960s icon/iconoclast had died (and been immortalized as such) at age 27, just like Hendrix, Joplin and Jim Morrison. His sublime performances in Coffee and Cigarettes and The Crow: City of Angels notwithstanding, Iggy Pop ought to have himself a favour and kicked the bucket in late 1974. A hard pill to swallow, but it's the cold truth.

Apparently, four-or-so years ago, Jiggy and former Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton settled old differences and, their skins now thicker, went on tour. The 2007 follow-up to that tour hits record stands today. The brothers Asheton still wail on their instruments as mercilessly as ever, yet all their high decibel efforts do not measure up to the groovy, delightfully dirty days of Fun House. Iggy delivers some of the lamest, most impotent and idiotic writing to date, with hard-rock stinkers like "Mexican Guy" or "Free and Freaky," songs that are every bit as stupid as their titles make them sound. Clearly gone are the days of sassy, tongue-in-cheek social commentary that made "TV Eye" or Iggy's revisiting of "Louie, Louie" so wonderful. The Weirdness begs but one question: is creative death more tragic than a hero's literal demise?

—Ben Lemiuex

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Martlets advance to national championships Unranked Concordia gives num ber one McGill a scare in game two M att C hesser For over 59 minutes, the McGill Martlets looked downright ordinary. Against a Stingers team that they had beat 6-0 less than 48 hours earlier, McGill was sluggish, allowing Concordia to deadlock the game midway through the third. Then, with less than 15 seconds remaining in regulation time, defenseman Catherine Ward picked up the puck in her own end. Ten seconds later, the Martlets were assured a spot in the national championship series.

Valerie Paquette tapped in the rebound, capping Ward's end-to-end rush, to give McGill a 2-1 victory over the Concordia Stingers and a two-game sweep of the Quebec conference semi­ finals, on Friday night at Ed Meagher Arena.

"I think'wow'was pretty much all I could say after that last goal," said head coach Peter Smith. "Ward's so powerful, so shifty and she sees the ice so well. She's a gifted player.”

Ward, who has already demolished McGill's single-season scoring records for a defenceman, skated coast to coast before firing a hard wrist shot off the shoulder of Concordia goaltender Meggy Hatin-Léveillée. The rebound bounced directly onto the blade of Paquette's stick and she made no mistake in burying her fifth game-winning goal of the season with just five seconds left on the clock.

"I just wanted to-end this series," Ward said. "I was feeling pretty angry towards Concordia and I got lucky that Paquette was there to finish [the play] off."

The stage was set for Paquette's late tally when Concordia winger Tawnya Danis took a tripping penalty with less than two minutes remaining in the third period.

"We stuck to our game plan tonight," Paquette said. "We knew that Concordia was going to give us everything they had, especially here in their home rink. But we knew that if we played with speed and were disciplined, good things would happen."

Is th e ice tilte d ?

McGill finished the night with 42 shots on net, almost tripling Concordia's 15. The edge was punctuated by a lopsided first period where the shots were 18-4 in favour of the top-ranked Red 'n'White.

Despite the “shot total, Ward expressed concern after watching her team involved in such a tight contest against an opponent that only won two games this season.

"We have to be more consistent," she said. "Sometimes we let up and we can't afford to do that. It has to be a 60-minute

effort."

The Martlets, who also defeated Concordia on Wednesday, advance to the best-of-three QSSF final where they will face the number four ranked team in the country, the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The Gee-Gees are coming off a hard-fought three-game series with the Carleton Ravens and are the only team in Canada that has beaten McGill this season. On Feb. 11, Ottawa snapped McGill's 25-0-1 undefeated streak against Canadian opponents with a 2-1 victory on home ice.

The series should have no shortage of firepower as the Martlets boast 10 of the top 20 scorers in the QSSF, while the GeeGees dress seven of their own.

Action gets underway Wednesday at McConnell Arena, game two is set for Friday in Ottawa and game three, if necessary, would be played Sunday night back at McConnell. Both teams have already been assured of a spot in the national championship series by virtue of the fact that Ottawa will host the tournament and McGill is the top team in the Quebec region. ■

S p e cia l te a m s a fa cto r ag a in

The game was a physical, penalty-filled affair as the lesstalented Stingers tried to turn the match into a street fight. The teams combined for 17 minor penalties, making it no surprise that all three of the game's goals, including McGill's series-winning marker, were scored on the power-play.

McGill went 2-for-n with the man advantage, while Concordia was i-for-6 with the extra skater.

"It was a big part of our game plan to play disciplined,"Smith said. "Playoff games are always emotional, particularly when it's McGill versus Concordia, which is a great rivalry. To win games like these, you have to be able to maintain your composure."

The Martlets jumped out to a 1-0 lead 13 minutes in by getting plenty of traffic in front of the Concordia net. After camping out in front of the crease for the better part of a minute, regular season top scorer Vanessa Davidson banged a rebound between the legs of Hatin-Léveillée to open the scoring.

That lead would stand until late in the third period, when Concordia answered back with Davidson in the box for interference. Defenceman Bianca Chartrand redirected her fellow blueliner Catherine Desjardin's slapshot, while standing less than two feet in front of McGill goaltender Charline Labonté, to even the score at 1-1 .

The third period goal by the Stingers was the first and only time they managed to solve Labonté in the series.The Canadian Olympic gold medal-winning keeper was her usual stellar self, stopping 32 of the 33 shots directed her way in the two games.

NAOMI BRODKEY M cG ill u se d a re le n tle s s f o r e c h e c k to k e e p C o n c o rd ia h e m m e d in its o w n e n d .

T H IR D M A N IN

L o y a l t y is n o b o d y ' s p o l i c y C

ith the birth of the multi-millionaire athlete over the last two decades, fans have often criticized players for their lack of loyalty to the teams for which they play. But as the free-market, free-spending days give way to the salary cap era, teams are showing just as little fidelity to their players.

Fans who were around to watch the dynasties of the 1960s, 70sand 80s in the big four professional sports are usually quick to bemoan that today it's almost impossible to keep a winning team together and that, more generally, players don't stay in one place as long as they used to. Greed and a lack of loyalty tend to be singled out as the causes of this. The truth is, though, that when the shoe is on the other foot, there's no less greed and no more loyalty demonstrated by management.

Case in point: Last week, Ryan Smyth was traded by the Edmonton Oilers when they felt that signing the winger would be too rich for their blood. Smyth, who prior to the trade had played every game of his 11-year NHL career for the Oilers, has literally poured his blood, sweat and tears into making Edmonton a winner—on more than one occasion Smyth

W

has spit his teeth out onto the ice of Rexall Place and still finished the game. Shouldn't that kind of heart be rewarded?

One would think so. Instead, some have even gone so far as to accuse Smyth of shedding crocodile tears at his press conference, saying that if he really wanted to stay in Edmonton he should have accepted a pay cut. But why should Smyth be the one to sacrifice again? Why isn't the burden on the team to pay a bonus when an athlete has given them so much?

Some players are replaceable, others aren't; the ones that aren't should be paid for accordingly. The Oilers managed to sign other key members ôf the squad to lucrative deals, but hasn't what Smyth brought to the club earned him the right to be placed at the head of the gravy train line?

Also last week, star linebacker Joey Porter was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers after giving that team the first eight years of his career and leading Pittsburgh to its first Super Bowl win in 26 years. Unfortunately, the Steelers needed to get under the salary cap and Porter presented them with an ideal opportunity to do that. Here again the team simply did what it felt was in its best interests to keep the player.

h a r l ie

B lo re

So why should it be any different on the players'end? Why is it okay for a team to cut a player loose when it feels that it's in its best interest but not okay for a player to turn his back on the club when he feels it's in his? If you don't believe this is the case, just look at the reaction of the Fenway faithful when Johnny Damon made his return to Boston. God knows the Red Sox had the deep pockets to match what the Yankees gave him but they decided that it wasn't a move they wanted to make. Damon had made it clear that he wanted to remain with the franchise he helped guide to its first World Series title in 86 years, provided they paid up. So why is Damon the bad guy in this scenario?

The answer most likely has something to do with the fact that fans don't have all that much sympathy for guys who make millions of dollars to play a game that they would play for free. But let's try to get a little perspective here, folks. Owners make an order of magnitude more money than players and are no less willing to relinquish a few million dollars more for the good of the team on the field. Disloyalty in sports is a two-way street. ■

06.03.07 - The McGill Tribune • 25

P R O F ILE — T R A C K A N D F IE LD

F R O M T H E C H E A P SEATS

McGill hosts nationals

"Expert" for a month

Team looks to cap off strong year J e s s i c a S h a p ir o

McGill's track and field team has seen no shortage of success in recent years. This season, the CIS national championships are coming to Montreal and McGill is hoping that the home field advantage will propel it to another strong showing.

"It's going to be a lot of work to prepare the gym for the nationals. We have a lot of staff to hire and a lot of organizing to be done," said head coach Dennis Barrett.

The track has already been repainted and new mats have been added.

The four day tournament will be held at the Tomlinson Fieldhouse from March 8-11.

"I hope the team will do well," Barrett said. "We don't have as many people as I thought that will be qualifying for the nationals because we've been affected by a lot of injuries and people dropping off the team."

much-decorated coach will be a key to victory come Thursday.

"Lie's a good coach and he definitely knows track" said 3,000m runner Louise de Lannoy.'Fle always uses past coaching references and sometimes gets professionals to come speak to us in order to help us improve."*

O p tim is m p e rv a d e s in M a rtle t c a m p

McGill is coming into the competition carrying a lot of momentum. On Feb. 24, the team travelled to Quebec City for the provincial championships and had a red-letter day as the Martlets took the women's title, winning seven of the 17 events for 145 points. The girls in red and white took home gold medals in the 1,000 m, 1,500m, 3,000m, pole vault, triple jump, 4x400m and 4x800 relays. The championship was the Martlets' ninth in the last 13 years.

As for the men's side, they managed a respectable second-place finish. The Redmen earned gold in the 300m, 1,000m, 3,000m and high jump events. Those.four wins garnered the team 79 points, 14 more than Laval but well off the 166 points notched by Sherbrooke.

Coach Barrett earned himself his ninth coach-of-theyear award in the process.

"It's not really what I go after," Barrett said. "Usually, the win you hope to get is at the national level, but it's always nice to win an award. I take it in stride, if the team does well then I'll look good."

Barrett, the first ever McGill all-Canadian athlete in track and field, returns for his 21st season at the helm of the men's and women's teams. In that time Barrett has coached 42 all-Canadians in track and 17 more in cross-country while winning with 13 Quebec women's championships and six more in the men's category. The

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M att Segal f Family Feud asked me to name the top five things Canadian sports fans do only once a year, after “Jump off the Ottawa Senators' bandwagon" comes in at number two, I would blurt out my best answer: "Act like experts on US college basketball!"

And with that, the guy who played Al on Home Improvement (or maybe even Richard Dawson, for the purists out there) would bellow to my cheering family that I had just uncovered the number one answer.

Let's face it: a miniscule amount of us pay attention to NCAA hoops during the rest of the year, but come March, that face does not deter us from filling out brackets—and worse yet, putting money behind our baseless predictions.

I, an amateur sports columnist, am supposed to follow college ball all season and bequeath nuggets of wisdom to the readers in March, right? But TheScore, this year's exclusive Canadian broadcaster of March Madness, shows nary an NCAA highlight all season long. That's why there are no crystal balls or tarot cards here. I just do exactly the same thing as you—I follow the expert advice that TV or print provides and when that fails, I hastily draw my own conclusions.

For example, basketball sage Jack Armstrong insists that we watch out for the pesky 15-seed, Monmouth. Fie informs that they are a "gritty team" with "good perimeter scorers" and that they could really surprise in their tilt against a prohibitive favourite, say, UCLA. I promptly click on Monmouth to move on to the next round in my Yahoo! bracket. Coach Jack never leads me astray.

My picks to go the Final Four are usually top seeds in each section of the bracket. Those are the best four teams in the entire country, right? What could possibly go wrong? However, if something does go astray, I always have a backup plan—or 10 .

The way I see it, the more pools I enter, the more likely it is that I will correctly predict some nearly inconceivable scenario. Yes, the true words of a March Madness maven have always been, "Oh, I had that in my other pool."

Picking upsets isa tricky proposition. Some ofthe general rules that I follow: First, pick the teams with the funniest names. When IUPUI (pronounced oo-ee-poo-ee) went up against Kentucky in 2003, it may have seemed like a losing battle. But how can you pick against a name like that? By overcoming its hilarious name and making it to the big dance, IUPUI was a perfect candidate to be that year's Cinderella. Other goofy suggestions have included Butler, Belmont, Lamar, Fairleigh Dickinson, Valparaiso and Austin Peay. Second, scour the rosters for familiar players. My findings include Maryland guard DJ. Strawberry, the son of ex-slugger Darryl Strawberry. If bloodlines mean anything, this seems like a safe bet—so what if the alcohol content of those bloodlines is above the legal limit? Third, no matter where they are on the bracket, I always assume that this just has to be Gonzaga's year.

I also try to keep an eye on next year's NBA draft. With the two best players in the nation, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, it's doubtful that any team can beat Texas or Ohio State. And that lanky three-point specialist with the floppy coif? CBS hoops guru Billy Packer says he's got NBA written all over him. Damn, he would look great in a Raptors uniform.

Finally, I fill out my bracket with my heart. I have to pick my favourite college teams. Of course, I've been a North Carolina fan since I was in diapers like so many of you—that's why we all have that Tar Heel blue headband! Just don't ask me about them after the tournament—I won't have the time to get back to you. After all, I am a huge horse racing fan in May and a cycling enthusiast come July. I'm a true diehard. ■

now has M c G ill W ire le s s !

W ÊÊÊÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê

26 • Sports • 06.03.07

The McGill Tribune

U P O N F U R T H E R R E V IE W

NHL situation coming to a head Who doesn't love big hits? If you're a hockey fan, you love seeing a defenceman stand up an on-rushing forward or a player get caught with a neat hip-check. Of course the biggest hits come when one skater gets caught drifting and looking the wrong way only to be blown up by a freight train disguised as a hockey player. Stevens on Lindros, Campbell on Umberger, Schaefer on Connolly; these hits make careers. Unfortunately, they can also break them.

In the last two weeks we've seen Chris Drury and Tomas Kaberle get hit so violently that it's no exaggeration to say they could have died on the ice. Had their heads bounced a different way, who knows what might have happened? As much as it might give fans a rush to watch, effectively what they've just witnessed is the equivalent of someone being blind-sided with a baseball bat. Is that what hockey is about? A body check is designed to remove the man from the puck; head-hunting is in no way necessary to meet that objective.

The league clearly doesn't think there's a problem with this type of checking. Chris Neil didn't get so much as a stern look for his hit on Drury and-Cam Janssen got only three games for his cheap shot on Kaberle. The NHL needs to get serious about discipline and start handing out 10 and 15 game suspensions if it wants to curb this problem; three games won't discourage anyone. The list of stars who've had their careers and lives ruined by concussions is extensive and ever-growing. The league needs to acknowledge that players are bigger, faster and more heavily equipped than ever before by cracking down on hits to the head: players'lives are at stake.

—Charlie Blore Nobody took pleasure in watching a player of the skill and talent of a Chris Drury writhing around on the ice, struggling to stay conscious and bleeding from a gash that would later require 20 stitches to seal up. Nobody enjoyed the aftermath of the Scott Stevens playoff bomb that knocked Eric Lindros from the top of the NHL's elite and into a post-concussion hell. Hits to the head, especially those delivered by the ever-expanding behemoths in today's National Hockey League, are a dangerous and significant problem in today's game—but let's be honest, and brutally so: hockey is a dangerous game and that's part of why we are so enamoured with it. The Canadian pastime is one of speed, skill and finesse but it is also one of brutality and ferocity; without hitting, hockey just isn't hockey.

Hits to the head are simply and often unfortunately a part of the intense physical contact so integral to the game. A legal check in the NHL is defined only as one in which the initial hit is made with the shoulder to the front of the opponent's body without jumping to deliver contact. Players are taught from their first exposure to body checking that when you're on the ice you must keep your head up at all times. It is ridiculous to expect that in a game of such high speed, players should be fully in control of every split-second decision and be able to hold up body checks when they sense an opponent's head has dipped. If a faster opponent bends down to collect more velocity, you don't clock him and he flies by, you're going to be picking splinters out of your ass for a long time on the bench. If the NHL starts doling out punitive punishments for hits to the head, players will undoubtedly start easing the throttle down on the ice, diminishing the speed and hitting that makes hockey our passion.

Hits to the head, while despicable, are certainly legal. The problem is not with the rule but rather the lack of respect between players in today's NHL. In the pre-1979 days of helmetless players, extra care was taken not to hit the exposed head and a culture of mutual respect and safety pervaded the league—there wasn't a concussion problem back then. Respect has to be re-injected into the game, starting at the grassroots level of hockey; the solution to this problem is not suspensions and penalties that would be the death knell of body contact in the NHL. —Aaron Sigal

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06.03.07 • Sports • 27

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S p orts Briefs

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O N DECK Ice

H o ck e y — O tta w a

compiled by C harlie Blore and A aron S igal

BO X SC O R E G e e -G e e s

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M cG ill

M a rtle ts;

W e d n e sd a y , 7 p m ., M cC o n n e ll A re n a

S The Big Red Machine just keeps on rolling. After sweeping jConcordia in two games last week, the Martlets take on the liGee-Gees for the QSSF Championship. Ottawa poses an interesting test for McGill as it was the only team to beat the ; women in red and white all season.That being said, it would be a massive shocker if the number one team in the country didn't f sweep the best-of-three series.

T rack a n d F ie ld — CIS N atio n a l C h a m p io n s h ip ; T h u rsd a y ,

Friday, Mar. 2,2007 McGill Martlets 2 vs. Concordia Stingers 1 Ed Meagher Arena SCORING SUMMARY FIRST PERIOD: 1. McGill - Vanessa Davidson (C. Ward, B. Privée) - 13:00 (PP)

SECOND PERIOD: (no scoring)

T o m lin so n F ie ld h o u s e

j McGill hosts the national championships. Competitions such as I pole vault, shot-put, 60m dash, 4x400m relay and many others will be run all weekend. Look for the women's team to make a solid showing as they are the reigning provincial champions and will surely benefit from the home field advantage.

N HL H o ck e y — O tta w a S e n a to rs a t T o ro n to M ap le Leafs; I S a tu rd a y, 7 p.m ., C B C

I The Leafs have a tough schedule and will need to beat good ; teams like Ottawa and Buffalo if they want to make the post­ season. The Senators, meanwhile, finally look like they've found their game but need to stop experimenting with Martin Gerber between the pipes. But as always, these two teams don't need I |any motivation to get relied up, especially on the second night lofa home and home series.

U EFA C h a m p io n s L e a g u e — B a rce lo n a T u e sd a y , 2:45 p.m ., TSN

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L iv e rp o o l;

Liverpool took the first leg of the series by a score of 2-1 . That means that Barcelona will need to either win by two goals or I ï hold the Reds to a 1-0 shutout if they are to advance to the ' round of eight. That will be a tough task on the road at Anfield.

IlljBarcelona certainly deserved better from the first game but 1 1 poor defending and goaltending may have put the reigning European Cup holders in a hole too deep to climb out.

N C A A C o lle g e B a s k e tb a ll— S e le c tio n S u n d a y ; S u n d a y , 6

THIRD PERIOD: 2. Concordia - Bianca Chartrand (Tawnya Danis, Catherine Desjardins)- 16:03 (PP) 3. McGill - Valerie Paquette (C. Ward, C. Labonté) - 19:55 (PP) GOALTENDERS: McGill: Charline Labonté (W, 2-0; iGA, 15 saves) Concordia: Meggy Hatin-Léveillée (L, 0-2: 2GA, 41 saves) SHOTS BYPERIOD TEAM: 1 2 3 - Total McG: 18 13 12 - 43 CON: 4 7 5-16 PENALTIES (No./Mins.): McG: 6/12 CON: 12/24 POWER PLAYS(Goals / Chances): McG: 2/11 CON: 1/6

p.m ., C B S

Let the Madness begin. The first game isn't played until the

I {following Tuesday but for the hardcore fan, Sunday is when

the world stops turning. Brackets will be drawn up, number {one seeds will be announced and bubble teams will find out hf they've made the guest list. Ohio State is the favourite but watch out for defending champs Florida and dark horses like Georgetown.

B O X SC O R E Friday, Mar. 1,2007 Laval Rouge et Or 83 vs. McGill Redmen 69 At Peps Université Laval SCORING SUMMARY MCGILL (FG, FT, PTS): Sean Anthony 8-11, 5-8, 21; Matthew Thornhill 5-9, 2-2, 15; Pawel Herra 5-7, 0-0, 13; Michael White 3-4, 0-0,6; Nickolas Pronovost 1-4,3-4,5; Matthew Ouellette 1-3, 0-0, 3; Louis-P. Lagredelle 0-0, 2-2, 2; Olivier Lamoureux 1-3, 0-1, 2; Yannick Chouinard 1-3, 0-0, 2; Totals 25-44, 12-17, 69.

LAVAL: Jean-Michel Leblanc 9-15, 3-4, 27; Jean-Philippe Morin 7-17, 9-13, 23; F-0 G-Hebert 5-5,6-6,16; Andre Bureau 2-4, 2-2, 7; J-F B-Maheux 2-8, 2-2, 6; Marc-Andre Cote 1-2, 0-0, 2; Pierre-Olivier Horth 1-1, 0-0, 2; Dominic Savard 0-2, 0-0; 0; Etienne Wilsey 0-2, 0-0, 0.

Totals 27-56, 22-27, 83.

McGill University.......... 38 31 - 69 Université Laval........ 41 4 2 - 83 REBOUNDS MCGILL: 2 1 ' LAVAL: 27

S A C K O F T H E W E EK

R e co rd $ 1 -m illio n d o n a tio n to M artle t h o c k e y p ro g ram

Montreal natives David and Sheryl Kerr have bestowed a Si-million gift, the largest single donation to a women's sports program in Canadian university history, to the Martlets. The contribution surpasses the previous record high of $360,000 from T.D. Davey Einarsson to the University of Manitoba's volleyball endowment fund in 2006.

"It is a wonderful day for women's athletics as well as the future of the Martlets hockey program," said athletics director Derek Drummond. "The generosity of David and Sheryl's gift will ensure that our women's hockey team will always have a full­ time head coach."

Kerr, a McGill alumnus and former Redmen hockey captain, coached the McGill women's hockey team in 1963.64, where he met Sheryl Drysdale, a player on the squad whom he later married. "Our time at McGill was very special," Mrs. Kerr said. "We made many friends on campus and McGill has been an important part of our lives. In recent visits to the campus, we had the occasion to meet head coach Peter Smith and his team. We felt that it was important to give something back to the program that did so much for us."

Kerr's gift to the Department of Athletics allows Peter Smith, head coach of the hockey Martlets and an assistant with the Canadian national team, to become the first recipient of an endowed named coaching position, to be known as the "Kerr Women's Hockey Coach". The full-time status will also bolster the coach's ability to recruit top student-athletes to McGill.

"It is a great boost for women's hockey," Smith said. The donation allows for Smith to relinquish his other departmental duties in the spring to focus on being a full-time coach."Gifts of this magnitude may inspire other potential donors; not just for McGill but hopefully for other university women's programs."

L aval d e liv e rs s u d d e n -d e a th b lo w to R e d m e n se a so n

The Rouge et Or's Jean-Michel LeBlanc scored 27 points and Jean-Philip Morin added 23 as Laval defeated visiting McGill 83-69 in Thursday's men's basketball semi-final. The win, combined with second-ranked Concordia's 84-75 win over UQAM in the other semi-final, sets up a Laval-Concordia final on March 9. Sean Anthony tallied 21 points in a losing cause for the Redmen, who trailed 41-38 at the half. McGill guards Matt Thornhill and Pawel Herra added 15 and 13 points respectively in the loss. The Rouge et Or field a 27-21 edge in rebounding and committed only 14 turnovers compared to 19 by McGill.

Laval shot 48.2 per cent from the field, 35.0 from three-point range and 81.5 from the foul line; McGill replied with 56.8 per cent shooting from the floor, 53-8 from the field and 70.6 from the charity stripe.

M cG ill re p re se n ta tio n o n U -19 ru g b y n a tio n a l sq u a d

Kyle Buckley, a freshman on the McGill men's rugby team, was among 26 players named to represent Canada at the T h is W eek's W in n e r: D on W a d d e ll— G e n e ra l M a n a g e r o f th e International Rugby Board's world under-19 championships A tlan ta T h ra sh e rs in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from March 31 to April 22.

Buckley helped McGill win the 2006 Quebec university The trade junkies were probably satisfied with the outcome championship last November as the 18-year-old scored I of Tuesday's dramatic deadline but no doubt there could have a team-leading nine tries in 11 games with the Redmen. [{been more had Waddell not ruined the market for everyone. j TheThrashers were teetering on the edge of a playoff spot at M artle t v o lle y b a ll star n a m e d to A ll-C a n a d ia n te a m * the time of the move and are desperate to make the playoffs for Power-hitter Jennifer Thomson, earned All-Canadian the first time in team history. Waddell meanwhile is fighting for) status at the CISwomen's volleyball championship tournament ! Ihis job and that battle likely hinges on if the club makes the oost in Calgary, on Wednesday. The 20-year-old, who made the CIS season. So he reached out for veteran forward Keith Tkachuk.| second team last year when she was named CIS rookie of the Correction: he reached way out for Tkachuk. year, becomes the youngest player from McGill—and only the I Waddell gave up a first and third round pick in this year's third member of the Martlets—to earn CIS first-team honours.

I {draft, a second in next year's and may have to turn over another She joins Wendy Whelan (1997-98) and Shauna Forster (2001first round pick in the trade. In exchange, Atlanta received a 02). Thomson helped lead McGill to a 16-9 record and ranked Ijforward who has battled injuries and weight problems in recent: among the Quebec league leaders in almost every category, years and generally has very little tread left on his tires. In effect finishing second in kills per game (3.62), fourth in points (3.98) the Atlanta GM mortgaged a sizeable portion of the team's future) and eighth in digs (3.14).

Jj Jin an attempt to save his own hide.

In the process, Waddell screwed not only the Thrashers by) i-pulling the trigger on a terrible deal but many other teams in) FITNE SS T IP the league by driving up the price on rental players. In a diarypublished in USA Today, Anaheim GM Brian Burke sited Oilers'GM Are you out of breath after a short walk through H Kevin Lowe as looking for a "Tkachuk style package" for forward) I McGill campus?This could be a sign that you may need to !

Ryan Smyth. Smyth ended up being moved in the end but ! revise your cardiovascular program. According to Health ) i ■{who knows how many other trades were scrapped because of) ; Canada, the minimum amount of time one should spend Waddell's lack of discipline. performing light to moderate intensity cardiovascular j exercises is 30 minutes per day. Many simple exercises i can be performed without apparatus. Some suggestions j * include taking a walk once a day, using the stairs jj instead of the elevator and spending less time in front j| We w ill be a cce p tin g a p p lica tio n s fo r n e xt j of the television or computer and more outdoors and II year's Sports E ditor p o s itio n u n til M arch 23.

J participating in extra-curricular activities. Furthermore, a j A p p lica n ts w ill need a CV, cover le tte r and healthy diet contributes to the substantial absorption of th re e sam ples o f n o n -a ca d e m ic w ritin g . Please 1 the essential daily nutrients needed to increase energy I levels and fulfill your body necessities. A good reference t ‘ place m aterials in th e sports box in T ribu ne ] to a healthy diet is the new and improved Canadian food |j o ffice (Shatner 110) guide which can be found on Health Canada's Web site: f) ■ www.hc-sc.gc.ca C o n ta ct us at sp o rts@ m cg illtrib u n e .co m fo r —Magda Goncalves Baptista (PTS) Jj m o re details.

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