The McGill Tribune Vol. 30 Issue 7

PACES io-n

CUFF THE DUKE ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES, PAGE 14

Volume No. 30 Issue No. 7

Top-seeded Red birds step up in October C o u n c illo r s m o v e to d e b a te Q P IR G ’s fee Dooley contends that motion is illegal

By Theo M

e y e r _______

M anaging Ed ito r

Several Students’ Society coun­ cillors took the first step on Monday toward introducing a referendum question asking undergraduates to abolish the student fee that support

erendum question is a response to

McGill’s chapter of the Quebec

violence.”

The text of the proposed mo­ tion also accuses QPIRG of support­ ing and funding “goals and groups that deeply disturb members of the

Public Interest Research Group, a student-run environmental and so­ cial justice organization on campus.

The proposed motion, if ap­ proved first by SSMU Council and then by undergraduates in a ref­ erendum vote, would abolish the $3.75 per semester opt-outable fee students currently pay to support QPIRG’s operations—the organiza­ tion’s primary source of funds.

The notice of motion, which will be considered at Thursday’s SSMU Council meeting, comes after several weeks of escalating tensions between OPIRG and the QPIRG Opt-Out Campaign, a student group that encourages undergraduates to opt-out of paying QPIRG’s fee.

On September 23, several QPIRG members surrounded a table set up by the Opt-Out Campaign in the McConnell Engineering Build­ ing and allegedly began ripping up the group’s flyers. In response, the Engineering Undergraduate Society

On strong pitching performances, the Redbirds swept Carleton in a doubleheader Saturday to advance to the conference finals. See story page 17 . ( Adam Scotti / McGill Tribune )

Council meeting.

According to Spencer Burger, one of the councillors who submit­ ted the motion, the proposed ref­

banned QPIRG from tabling in the building at the September 28 EUS

QPIRG’s actions of the past few weeks, which the motion refers to as “acts of political intimidation and

SSMU,” including Tadamon! and Students Taking Action in Chiapas.

In an interview, Burger, who is also a member of the Opt-Out Cam­ paign, said that QPIRG is not treated like other campus political groups.

“Political groups can apply for funding through SSMU,” he said.

“That’s how Conservative McGill gets their money, that’s how Liberal McGill gets their money, that’s how NDP McGill gets their money.”

Burger emphasized, however, that the councillors who submit­ ted the motion—Lauren Hudak, Eli Freedman, and Matt Reid, in addi­ tion to himself—are looking to allow students to weigh in on the debate.

“This is a resolution to bring it up—not to close debate but to open it,” he said.

But Rae Dooley, a member of the QPIRG Board of Directors, said

See “PROPOSED” on page 3

B u sin e ss rise s at stu d en t-ru n food outlets on c a m p u s Closure of Architecture Café and Food and Dining Services boycott may be helping business have seen an increase in business

By Matt Essert News Editor In the wake of the administra­ tion’s closure of the Architecture Café and subsequent Students’ So­ ciety-supported boycott of McGill Food and Dining Services, some of McGill’s student-run food services

this semester.

Over the summer, the McGill administration closed the Architec­ ture Café, a popular student-man­ aged eatery in the Macdonald-Har­ rington Building.

Students began

boycotting

Food and Dining Services shortly

See “MANAGER" on page 3

Café.

Samaan said she thought the in­ crease in business was mostly com­ posed of students who would have

R e d m e n F o o tb a ll

M a rtle t In v ita tio n a l

Friday, October 15 19hOO vs. Bishop’s

Saturday, October 16 13hOO vs. Montreal

15 2010

16 2010

www.mcgHI.ca/atbletic9

services that has seen more business.

fill the void left by the Architecture

M a rtle t S o c c e r

14100 20

ATH LETICS & RECREATIO N

chitecture Café.

their meeting on September 30.

The boycott aims to put pres­ sure on McGill Food and Dining Services to push the administration

W o m e n ’s V o l l e y b a l l

F r id a y , O cto b e r , C E N T E R C O U R T (g y m 3 & 4 ) I M c G ill vs Ottawa hoo M c G ill vs Calgary

McGill

Laura Samaan, one of the General Store’s managers, said the store has been selling brownies and zaatars to

to reconsider the closing of the Ar­

In the weeks since the boycott began, some student-run food out­ lets on campus have since seen a slight bump in their business.

The General Store in the Mc­ Connell Engineering Building, which is run by the Engineering Undergraduate Society, is one of the

after a rally protesting the café’s clo­ sure on September 21. SSMU Coun­ cil voted to endorse the boycott at

S a tu rd a y , O cto b e r , C E N T E R C O U R T (g y m 3 & 4 ) i hoo M c G ill vs Dalhousie I S em i-Fin al I Sem i-final #

4 17100 19100

#1 2 S u n d a y , O c t o b e r 17, 2010 C E N T E R C O U R T (g y m 3&4> 9I100 5th-6th places lih o o Bronze Medal M atch 131130 G old Medal Match

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CAMPUS

C e le b ra tin g its fifth year, C u lt u re S h o c k re a c h e s o u t SSMU- and QPIRG-organized event aims to educate students during their lunch hours

By Beatrice Sison-Paez

amines racial profiling and Islamo-

Contributor

phobia. Leading this workshop is Robyn Maynard, who has written on racial profiling, police violence, and migrant justice.

McGill students joined Mon­ treal residents to venture beyond the McGill Ghetto during Culture Shock Week, an event co-organized by the

The experience of organiz­ ing Culture Shock has enabled Figueroa to further conside the no tion of “community.” The existence of a community within the borders of McGill’s campus is difficult for Figueroa to envision because stu­ dents experience things differently as a function of their race, national­ ity, or privileges.

Quebec Public Interest Research Group and the Students’ Society that runs through October 15.

QPIRG, a student-run organiza­ tion that focuses on research, action, and education on environmental and social justice issues, has weathered attacks over the past few weeks.

The Opt-Out Campaign targeting QPIRG has shifted attention away from events like Culture Shock, ex­ plained Andrea Figueroa, QPIRG’s external coordinator.

Reprising its role as an advocate for marginalized communities for a fifth year in a row, Culture Shock hosts a series of events designed to debunk myths about refugee, indig­ enous, and immigrant communities.

This year, the theme is commu­ nity building, while last year’s or­ ganizers sought to promote greater student engagement. Nevertheless, increased student attendance at workshops and panel discussions re­ main a top priority for organizers.

“Students often find themselves caught in the university setting be­ cause midterms and assignments take precedence, and part of what Culture Shock is about is connecting people to the realities of Montreal

From left to right : Kalmunity, Jordan Flaherty, and the Fat Tuesday Brass Band take centre stage during Culture Shock events this past week. ( Logan Smith / McGill Tribune )

“Part of being in a community is viewing things similarly and how you approach things in the world,” she said.

by bringing it to McGill,” Figueroa said. “Now you can go during lunch

to and why.”

Culture Shock aims to amplify

gay agenda through a panel discus­

Emily Clare, SSMU’s equity

to our workshop about racism, or go after class to a panel about migra­ tion.”

Last week featured a panel dis­ cussion led by journalists and com­ munity organizers Jordan Flaherty,

the voices of the underprivileged or marginalized segments of society.

“The idea of balance or neutral­ ity doesn’t really exist, because a lot of voices are never heard,” Figueroa said.

sion titled “Resisting the Neoliberal

commissioner, whose role is to ad­ dress and reach out to students who have been harassed or discriminated against, argued that a sense of com­ munity still exists at McGill in the midst of its diversity.

Jesse Muhammad, and Victoria Law, who embarked on a “Commu­ nity and Resistance” tour that aims to connect grassroots activists and

“Part of it is about giving a voice to people from these groups and challenging what you hear,” added Lydia Oulid Brahim, a Cul­ ture Shock coordinator.

independent media, as well as to re­ focus attention on justice and libera­ tion struggles.

“We’re trying to find positive ways that communities empower themselves and create change, de­ spite the realities of racism and op­ pression,” Figueroa said. “We need to ask whose voices we’re listening

Culture Shock owes its origins to Culture Fest, an event on campus that celebrated multiculturalism.

Over time, it has grown to host a wide variety of speakers.

This week, the event will ex­ plore the range of strategies used by LGBT communities to get involved

with or to critique the mainstream

Gay Agenda: Queer Organizing in an International Context” on Octo­ ber 13. The discussion will showcase Ponni Arasu, who will speak about her experience working in India with different queer collectives.

“The speakers for this event also find themselves subject to mul­ tiple channels of discrimination,” said Figueroa. “We look at how dif­ ferent struggles intersect. Our panel­ ists are people of colour and who are migrants.”

Local issues will also be brought into focus this week, with a workshop titled, “Racism in Can­ ada” which taps into the experiences of indigenous communities and ex­

“I think when you speak about community, you can’t try and ho­ mogenize everyone. I think commu­ nities thrive through differences,” said Clare.

According to Figueroa, the success of Culture Shock cannot be measured in the numbers it attracts.

“Even if one person comes out of culture shock thinking differently about race, migration and multicul­ turalism, I would find that a suc­ cess.”

CITY

C o n fe re n c e ta c k le s w o rld w id e h u m a n rig h ts p ro b le m s Speakers address troop presence in Afghanistan, China’s totalitarian policies in Tibet

By Richard Ramcharan Contributor A diverse group of scholars, lawyers, politicians, and members of various academic disciplines gathered last weekend for the Glob­ al Conference on Human Rights and Diverse Societies at Centre Mont Royal, steps away from the McGill campus.

Founded by Gordon Echenberg as the Echenberg Family Human Rights Conference, this was the second event of its kind. Its prede­ cessor, the Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide, took place in 2007. Hosted by the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, the aim of the conference, Echenberg said, was to “have some practical contribution to human rights.”

François Crépeau, a professor of international law at McGill and the conference’s chair, opened the

discussion by asking the audience to reflect on societies’ tendency to view issues in black-and-white terms. So­ cieties tend to simplify issues, he said, to “us and them, thereby reduc­ ing the individual to a stereotype and thus dehumanizing the human.”

Numerous descriptions of human rights violations followed during the conference, with exam­

lighted the Canadian government’s imposition of rules and laws on

the country since the U.S.’s war on terror began.

First Nations which separated par­ ents, children, and siblings from one another. In addition, she said, First Nations peoples were forced to give up their own laws, religion, and lan­ guage while they attended residen­ tial schools that were administered

by Catholic, United, Anglican, Pres­

“The donated democracy of the West,” Joya said, “[Has] made Af­ ghanistan what it is today.”

Joya said the presence of for­ eign troops in Afghanistan only brought more terrorists to the coun­ try, and called for a total withdrawal of overseas forces.

ples from locations as diverse as Af­ ghanistan and Tibet.

The disregard for human rights due to a lack of respect for diversity

byterian, and Methodist Churches on behalf of the government.

Malalai Joya, a member of Parliament in Afghanistan, made a

exists around the world, and some

heartfelt speech to the panel about the current situation in her coun­ try. She blamed the United States, NATO, and Canada, along with Tali­ ban forces, for leaving Afghanistan in its current state of turmoil.

Adding a perspective from a different part of the world, Thupten Jinpa Langri, a professor in McGill’s Faculty of Religious Studies, and the principal English translator to the

speakers emphasized that Canada is no exception from this problem.

“Canadians tend to think that human rights [are] an issue deal­ ing with others, those of develop­ ing countries,” said Commissioner Marie Wilson of the Truth and Rec­ onciliation Commission of Canada, which works on issues of suffering with Canada’s native population.

Through her work, Wilson high­

Since the American invasion, Afghanistan has become progres­ sively worse and a “haven for ter­ rorists,” Joya said. She added that rape, violence, and crimes against women have increased sharply in

Dalai Lama, presented a talk about Tibetan Buddhists under Chinese rule. He suggested that there was no religious persecution of any in­ dividual Tibetans, but that Tibet’s troubles were instead part of “a greater human rights crisis in China, which is a non-democratic, totalitar­ ian state.”

Languid argued that if a ruling party views itself as the only legiti­

mate voice of the state, then human rights cannot really be upheld in that society.

“Any expression of ethnicity and religiosity is seen as subversive and criminalized,” Jinpa added.

Professor Frances Raday, direc­ tor of the Concord Research Center for Integration of International Law in Israel, took a more upfront ap­ proach to the issues of human rights violations and religious diversity.

“The problem of understanding religion and human rights,” she said, “is that most [violations are] actu­ ally racial hatred and not religious disagreement.”

She insinuated that many lead­ ers and governments conveniently refer to these violations as an issue of religious discrepancies, which makes the problem into something it is not. According to Raday, racial hatred is often ignored, so progress is rarely made in dealing with these issues.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

M a n a g e r says boycott P ro p osed referen d u m q u estio n has b o o ste d Snax sa le s co u ld a b o lish Q P IR G ’s tees “We’ve been moving a larger

Continued from COVER previously patronized the Architec­ ture Café, rather than students boy­ cotting Food and Dining Services.

“I think it’s more of a fact that the Architecture Café is closed,” she

quantity of our product because a lot more students are coming,” she said.

SSMU Vice-President Finance & Operations Nick Drew, who over­

said. “There are people who know

sees the operations of Gert’s, said he

about the boycott, but then there are also a lot of people who don’t know about the boycott.”

Snax, the Leacock Building

has not seen a change in business there since the boycott began. The bar, however, only sells food later in the day, after many outlets run

food counter run by the Arts Under­ graduate Society, has also been bus­ ier. However, unlike Samaan, Erin Schilling, the general manager, at­ tributed the bump to support for the boycott, and not the void in campus food options left by the Architecture

by Food and Dining Services have

Café’s closure.

“I think that a lot of people come because of the boycott,” she said. “Because of the closing of the Architecture Café, people are real­ izing more that [for] the student-run places on campus, it’s less about making money and more about stu­ dent life and being able to make a choice between one place and an­ other.”

Schilling estimated that Snax is doing about 10 per cent more busi­ ness than it was this time last year.

closed.

Drew pointed out that it is dif­ ficult to gauge the effect of the boy­ cott solely by looking at other busi­ nesses on campus.

“If you see the lineup [at the Subway in the Arts Building] get­

Continued from COVER that such debate is already open.

QPIRG holds a referendum every five years to renew its student fee; the most recent one passed in March 2009. In addition, she said, the pro­ posed motion is likely illegal, as SSMU lacks the power the introduce a motion annulling QPIRG’s fees.

In an email to the Tribune, Dooley said that the motion painted “an inaccurate picture of QPIRG, our mandate, and our activities” and would stifle, rather than promote, campus debate.

“This motion is a clear attempt by a small group of students who disagree with the political opinions

ting smaller and smaller, you know the boycott is working,” he said.

While many students seem to be supporting the boycott—the Facebook event had more than 3,400 attendees at press time—the uni­ versity administration has not yet

of QPIRG to stamp out our voice, and thus stamp out discussion on campus,” she said.

Because the proposed refer­ endum question is only a notice of motion, it is not currently scheduled to be discussed at Thursday’s SSMU Council meeting, as per Council’s

responded to the students.

“Some students that have come up have mentioned that they want to do their part [to support the boy­ cott],” Schilling said, “but it’s not necessarily every student.”

rules of debate.

According to a source within SSMU, however, who spoke on con­ dition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, SSMU Council will likely suspend

Rae Dooley, a member of QPIRG’s Board of Directors, called the motion an effort to “stamp out our voice.” ( Adam Scotti / McGill Tribune ) the rules and open discussion on the motion. If it passes, undergraduates will vote on the question during the Fall referendum period in Novem­ ber. But if the motion is not debated on Thursday, the motion will fail to meet the deadline for this referen­ dum period.

The councillors who proposed

CITY

the motion, Burger said, do not nec­ essarily support annulling QPIRG’s fees. Instead, they are seeking a wider debate on the issue.

“I hope it passes, and I’m rea­ sonably confident it will,” he said.

“This is a resolution not to take a side on this issue, but to put it out there.”

•

•

•

M o n tre a l G e n e ra l H o s p it a l c u ts d o w n M R I w a itin g tim e s

N ight and weekend shifts enable patients w ith less serious injuries to get scanned sooner

By Kyla Mandel________________ C o n tr ib u to r

The Montreal General Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital have made a dent in the long waiting lists for some MRI examinations by ex­ tending their MRI operating hours.

With hours now stretching into the evenings and weekends, the amount of time a patient must wait for an MRI scan for a minor injury has decreased. Waiting times, how­ ever, can still be up to three to seven months, depending on the injury.

A less serious injury entails an MRI exam for which a dye does not need to be injected into the patient.

Examples include knees injuries, small joint and shoulder injuries, and wrist injuries. For more serious cases, such as tumors, lymphomas, pelvic organs, and certain brain MRIs, a radiologist must inject dye.

“It’s an interesting phenom­ enon,” said Dr. Larry Stein, chief radiologist at Royal Victoria Hos­ pital. “The less serious of those pa­ tients have had their waiting time shortened, the more serious [ones haven’t] changed very much.”

Because radiologists only work on weekdays, the waiting time has

Despite a new MRI schedule, Dr. Larry Stein says more radiologists are still needed to handle the patient load. ( Panaramio.com ) not changed for the more serious MRI exams. The problem is exacer­ bated by the shortage of specialists in Quebec, including radiologists.

The problem is particularly acute in Montreal.

“What people don’t know is that the government does not allow

said. “We can’t even take on our brightest McGill graduates.”

Stein explained that if the

count the number of people working in a hospital.

At the moment, the government

McGill hospitals were able to hire five more radiologists, this would decrease the waiting time for all MRI exams significantly. Another way to shorten wait times would be

us to hire more radiologists,” Stein

to change the way the governments

“counts bodies” rather than full time equivalents. Currently many of the female radiologists work 80 per cent of the full workweek—four days instead of five. If the actual amount time they put in at the hospital was

taken into account, Stein said, it would show that there is room for five more radiologists.

Hospitals have been fighting for such changes for years, he added.

“It is attainable,” he said. “It’s attainable at the stroke of a pen.”

Curiosity Delivers, w w w .m cgilltribune.com

TECH N O LO G Y

N e w re s e a rc h s h o w s v id e o g a m e s m ay be a d d ic tiv e Iowa State University psychologists suggest that gaming may shrink attention spans

By Victor Szuper_________________ Contributor

Mental Health in Toronto confirmed that young people are spending in­ creasingly more time playing video games, watching television, texting, and performing similar activities.

Of 9,000 students surveyed in Ontario from grades 7 to 12, nearly 10 per cent got at least seven hours of “screen time” every day, meaning video games and television. Over

Many people play video games as a temporary retreat from work or study, or to occasionally escape in the experience of traveling virtually to places and situations unlikely or impossible in the real world.

According to recent studies by the Centre for Addiction and Men­ tal Health (CAMH) in Toronto and by psychology researchers at Iowa State University, putting in a lot of joystick time might not be all fun and games.. These studies have con­ nected video games with the poten­

Online games may be especially addictive, new research shows. ( Adam Scotti / McGill Tribune )

10 per cent of the participants had reported a problem associated with video game use in the previous year.

Dr. Bruce Ballon, head of CAMH’s Adolescent Clinical and Educational Services, commented

that,” Swing said. “In our sample,

in children. They caution that while

There are often in-game advan­

tial for both attention disorders and addiction problems.

Iowa State University research­ ers Edward Swing and Douglas Gentile have been at the forefront of this new research topic. Their col­

children’s total average time with television and video games is 4.26 hours per day, which is actually low compared to the national average.”

One possible reason for the link

the association between attention problems and video game exposure is significant, it’s relatively small.

In addition to co-authoring the study, Gentile also published a study

tages given to teams consisting of several players. The social pressure and expectations of being available to go on “runs,” (coordinated group game missions) at specific times can

that seven hours a day in front of screens seemed a “bit out of con­ trol.”

Michael Hoechsmann, a profes­ sor at the departments of integrated studies in education at McGill and

between video games and attention

in 2009 in the journal Psychological

promote unhealthy levels of play.

an expert on video game culture, said

laborative study, published in the journal Pediatrics in July, has found a modest link between playing video games and watching television, and attention problems in more than 1,300 children between the ages of

issues is the effects of video game play on the brain. Gentile said.

“If we train the brain to require constant stimulation and constant

Science that found that 8.5 per cent

of video game players aged eight to 18 showed pathological behaviours when playing, spending twice as

Cyber café Battlenet 24 in Montreal provides 24/7 access to all gamers. 21-year-old Sebastian Hendren, an occasional Battlenet gamer,

that he was “uncomfortable with the medicalization of video game play­ ing behaviour which is implied in an addictions model.”

much time playing and receiving poorer grades in school—even after controlling for sex, age, and weekly amount of video games played. This minority was classified as addicted by exhibiting at least six out of 11 destructive symptoms in family, so­

said he could understand the addic­ tive potential of such games.

eight and 11, based on assessments by teachers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children watch a combined maxi­

flickering lights, changes in sound and camera angle, or immediate feedback, such as video games can provide, then when the child lands in the classroom where the teacher doesn’t have a million-dollar-perepisode budget, it may be hard to get

However, he added, “many games are compelling, time-inten­ sive and structured in such a way that players can be drawn to spend­ ing more and more time trying to reach new levels of achievement within the game environment.”

mum of two hours day of television and video games. This study found that children who watched more than this suggested amount were 1.5 to two times more likely to display attention difficulties.

“Most children are way above

children to sustain their attention,” he said.

Based on the study’s findings, Gentile and Swing concluded that excessive video gaming may be a contributing factor to attention defi­ cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

cial, school, or psychological func­ tioning.

However, not all games are equal in their addictive potential.

Online role-playing games, like World o f Warcraft, seem to be espe­ cially alluring.

“They make you want to play more,” he said. “You finish a game, and you just want to keep on going.”

Hendren said he knows indi­ viduals who would regularly meet to play for several hours in the eve­ ning on World o f Warcraft game missions—he considered them to be addicted.

A survey conducted last year by the Centre for Addiction and

He said that in many cases, “the same player who seemed ‘ad­ dicted’ to game playing will unplug and walk away, or become a casual player.”

CA M PU S

S S M U c o n s id e r s s w it c h in g to ke g s fo r o n -c a m p u s e v e n ts Newburgh touts sustainability, increased safety, and ease of transportation and use

By Maria Flores

News Editor The Students’ Society is look­ ing into the possibility of substitut­ ing kegs for bottles at campus events such as Frosh and OAP. SSMU President Zach Newburgh said that the recently proposed alternative has several benefits over the use of beer bottles, including sustainability, safety, and ease of use.

“By using kegs we are avoiding the process of having to use bottles,” Newburgh said. “They get thrown away and are unfortunately not reus­ able in the same way. Kegs hold a lot more and the containers in which they are supplied cut down on the transportation cost and the recycling reusability.”

Switching to kegs will also make transportation easier and there­ fore improve safety standards, he

said, since their use minimizes the potential for an accident, and there­ fore the chances of students getting cut or injured.

to the university community, the decision will not be finalized until SSMU receives the university’s ap­ proval.

“We’ve been using bottles for years and it’s been extremely diffi­ cult to transport them,” he added. “It has been a safety issue, [and] people have reported injuries. It isn’t as ef­ fective as the better alternative that it is offered by the keg.”

Furthermore, the aesthetic ben­ efits stemming from keeping liquid in a single container behind a serving location rather than out in the open makes kegs an appealing option.

SSMU has determined that the operation of kegs on campus is in accordance with Quebec law as long as the university grants permission for it to do so. McGill has stated that

“It just simply does not look good on the part of the university to have a pile of empty beer bottles sitting on campus, or to have empty beer bottles scattered across Lower Field,” Newburgh said.

Even though switching from beer bottles is arguably beneficial

it is receptive to SSMU using kegs as long as such use is legal.

“We raised this point at the Ad­ visory Committee on Alcohol Policy and further to that we have been speaking with legal services and the deputy provost (student life and learning) on this issue,” Newburgh said.

SSMU is in the process of get­ ting the university’s approval, and hopes that by OAP in April the policy will be finalized and imple­ mented.

Servers may soon start tapping kegs at campus events rather than serving from bottles. ( Adam Scotti / McGill Tribune )

W ednesday, October 13, 2010

P R O V IN C IA L

C IT Y S P O T

M a c le a n ’s c o v e r sto ry a n g e rs Q u e b e c e rs

By Nick Frid____________________ Contributor In the weeks since its publica­ tion, the Maclean’s magazine cover story that branded Quebec with the title of “Most Corrupt Province in Canada” has aroused strong reac­ tions throughout the province.

In the article, which appeared in the October 4 issue, Martin Patriquin examined Quebec's political culture, which he called “perpetual­ ly rife with scandal.” Patriquin cited former premier Maurice Duplessis’s allotment of money and contracts to favoured ridings, the uncertaintities surrounding former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s rise to power, and the current scandal over judicial se­ lection as evidence of Quebec’s po­ litical failures.

Several organizations and poli­ ticians have publicly demanded an apology from the magazine.

“The article itself isn’t so dam­ aging,” said Marc Poisson, a repre­ sentative of the Federation of Cham­ bers of Commerce of Quebec. “It’s mostly the culmination that comes along with it and the cover of the magazine.”

Poisson said that the article

Some groups are also upset over the lack of a complete prov­ ince by province ranking and any empirical support for giving Quebec the top-ranked spot. Journalists and bloggers for L’actualité, a French magazine owned by the same par­ ent company as Maclean’s, have attacked the article by searching for the methodology used to determine Quebec’s status as the most corrupt province in the nation.

“This is xenophobia,” said JeanFrançois Lisée, a Quebec political analyst who blogs for L’actualité.

“This is what Maclean’s salesman­ ship rides on and perpetuates as we speak.”

Patriquin, the author, said he believes the article has been mis­ construed.

“I think it was misunderstood by a lot of people,” he said. “They see the headlines and the cover and they don’t read the story and they make their judgements that way.

That’s the way it’s been the whole way through.”

According to Patriquin, cover articles generally receive lots of feedback, but this article has re­ ceived a particularly high amount,

investors from

both good and bad.

“There has been a ton of posi­

coming to Quebec and could have a lasting effect on Quebec’s image both nationally and internationally.

tive feedback ... from people in the press and letters from people telling us we spoke the truth,” he said.

could discourage

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p in io n

H

AléxjHamilton & DanielTjw jKK alexfi?daniels@mcgilltnbunefconT

had to be accountable to multiple news sources. The average reporter could bring more food home to the table if he could report “the facts” rather than tell an elaborate story or

Readers are

go to battle for one side. There was

the new writers The dissemination of news has always been intertwined with sensa­

a utility to truth-telling in the media that had never before existed. Since then, “the facts” have come to in­ form and influence the decisions of

tionalism and manipulation. There have been sex scandals and inflam­ matory whodunits since the dawn of the modem newspaper in 16th cen­ tury Europe and even in the news­ like outlets of ancient Rome. Simi­ larly, everyone from kings to corpo­

everyone from the politician to the labour leader to the housewife.

The philosopher Jurgen Haber­ mas claims that we need an authentic press like we need electricity or gas.

The more effectively it is distribut­ ed, the better society functions.

The first thing you see when

rations to Glenn Beck has used the

you pick up a newspaper today is a

news to manipulate the public into thinking one way or another.

In 2010, with everyone proph­ esying the death of newspapers, the interesting question is how chang­

plishments. It might be not produce any Nobel Prize winners, but it de­ velops some solid football coaches.

I take the bike route that goes past the free textbook centre and to­ wards the Architecture Café, where Head Chef Mendelson is shovelling

The Diary o f Gus One o f the best ways to under­ stand something is to analyze its exact opposite: throw it into a box, shake it around, and see what com es out. L et’s imagine that M cG ill is our something, this column the box.

What follows is a diary entry from Gus, a M cGill student and inhabit­ ant o f an alternate universe.

bucketfuls of BigArch burgers down the throats of the never-ending line of students. After dropping the bike off I head to my class, taking care to pick up a copy of the McGill Daily on the way. As usual, McAllister is replacing Wuthering Heights with Canadiens reruns, so I open the paper. Page two announces that the new student club, Choose Box­ ers, recently consumed four kegs of beer with the opposing club, Choose

So I wake up this morning with

Briefs, and they’ve decided to col­

photograph—the reason being the old truism that a picture is worth a thousand words. Those thousand words aren’t written by the journal­

a rager of a headache. I only realize where I am when I notice a McGill frat’s Greek letter logo blur in and out of focus above me on the ceil­ ing. Last night’s beer pong tourney

laborate on a future project, ten­ tatively titled Choose Neither. It’s clear from the pictures that love and laughter filled their evening.

ist but by the reader, especially if he or she hasn’t even taken the time to read the accompanying article.

Additionally, Internet-exclu­ sive news sources like the Drudge Report and the Huffington Post are

must’ve gone more vigorously than planned. Glancing at my watch I see I’m 10 minutes late for school. No worries, it’s not like Coach McAl­ lister (the English prof) is bothered to take attendance. By the time I get

McAllister ends the class by an­ nouncing that, upon student request, he’s cancelling the next two mid­ terms. It’s been a long day. Maybe some studying will wake me up. But no, it’s always so lonely and empty at Cybertheque. I stroll back outside

lutionizing” the delivery of the mes­

not limited to geographical means

the car out of the dorm’s garage and

to catch up with Petey, a fellow Rec­

sage. While the impact can often be exaggerated, we can see how this new access to media can deliver on that promise. In fact, it already has.

of dissemination, but has the limit­ less power to dictate its own con­ text. The reader can say: “I read this because I choose to—not because it’s simply available where I live.

I’m in charge of this content.”

With hyperactive consumption of media, sensationalism and ma­ nipulation have certainly not disap­ peared. Only now they are caused by the readers themselves.

up Sherbrooke street there’ll be at least five minutes left of class time.

After parking my ride in one of the many spots at the Milton Gates,

reational Handshakes major. He’s pretty excited because apparently there’s a hipster on campus. Every­ one’s trying to take a picture.

I grab a Bixi and bike into campus.

Principal Munroe-Blum is in her usual place on the grass shooting the breeze with a couple students, lis­ tening attentively to any grievances.

I give her a high five as I fly by.

As always, everyone is dressed the same. McGill hoodies every­ where. The entire campus is hum­ ming with school pride. Alumni sit on the Arts Building steps where they chat about the school’s accom­

But that’s too much excitement for me. I have to meet with my advi­ sor before heading home. The poor guy’s probably been sitting there all day waiting just for me. The tea he normally prepares will be get­ ting cold. I’ll pop by, reinforce my streamlined career path, and then head to the car. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to power through traffic hit up the Reds game tonight. That’s if there are any tickets left.

(1 ) Few er donations than promised from high-income countries. (2 ) Human-induced cli­

sible,” as Sachs wrote in his 2 0 0 8 book, C om m on Wealth, but right­ ly maintains that, “there is noth­

ing the medium changes the mes­ sage, and also how it does not.

We’ve gradually come to see each change in technology—from print to screen to tweet—as “revo­

Samuel Morse was basically the 19th century prototype of a Steve Jobs revolutionary. Newspaper out­ lets doubled within 20 years of the introduction of his telegraph. New ones were popping up faster than iP­ hone apps are today. And, of course, a lot of people made a lot of money (as with any good revolution).

The wire sparked the creation of the Associated Press and other centralized information agencies.

A lex

Hamilton

and

D aniel

S orger are the T ribune’s newest biweeky columnists. Write them at alexh ,daniels@ mcgilltribune .com.

U N ’s 21 targets. But hey, any­ thing’s possible. So please stop rolling your eyes at the UN. Please ignore its embarrassing

To the African in you “The

darkest

thing

about

Africa has always been our igno­ rance o f it.” -George Kimbel Five years remain for the United Nations to achieve an am ­ bitious set o f goals mapped out 10 years ago.

track record, its inability to put its foot down, and its infinite capac­ ity to disappoint. This time, like always, things are different.

For example, in his recent progress report on the MDGs, economist Jeffrey Sachs, the di­ rector o f the United Nations Mil­ lennium Project, made the heart­ warming announcement that “a great deal has been achieved, with some o f the most exciting

mate change. (3) Rampant popu­ lation growth. (4) Excessive cor­ ruption, mostly engineered by relentless American, Asian, and European companies whose tal­ ent for exploitation knows no limits. (5 ) Foreign traders closing

We are told that we live in a zero-sum world, where in order for some countries to prosper,

tural products. (6 ) Ignorance.

Importantly— as Sachs notes in his work— not a single one o f these setbacks to A frica’s pros­ perity has much to do with A f­

others must not. However, the deterioration o f African coun­ tries is no longer only relative to the prosperity o f richer countries.

The Millennium Develop­ ment Goals (M DGs), ratified in September 2 0 0 0 , aimed to slash the percentage o f people living in absolute poverty (under $ 1 per day) by half, eliminate gender

ure to the contrary. This is not be­ cause he or the UN are not trying hard enough; it is because they set

rica itself. For example, humaninduced climate change is usually the nasty byproduct o f highly in­ dustrialized countries. Moreover, efforts at voluntary population control and family planning are severely hindered by the no-birth-

disparity in all levels o f educa­

goals that are hard to measure.

Directing our attention to A f­ rica, Sachs listed six reasons why the MDGs may not be achieved by the target date o f 2 0 1 5 :

control policy o f an extremely influential Roman Catholic pres­ ence on the continent.

“Attaining these goals on a global scale may seem impos­

tion, and completely terminate the spread o f HIV/AIDS and m a­ laria by 2015.

These are only three o f the

ing inherent in global politics, technology, or the sheer avail­ ability o f resources on the planet to prevent us from doing so.” So what is preventing us?

their markets to African agricul­

breakthroughs occurring in A f­ rica.” Sachs went on to disprove this statement by listing reason after reason and failure after fail­

Interestedin photojournalism?

“Many o f these countries are not just falling behind,” says econo­ mist Robert Collier. “They are falling apart.”

M ost economists and activ­ ists now agree that the problems within A frica can only be solved

by Africans. Overreliance on agencies like the UN not only leads directly to disappointment, but also distracts from the real problems and their accompany­ ing solutions.

Jo in o u r p h o to g ra ­ p h e r s in co v e rin g n e w s, a rts, s t u d e n t liv in g a n d s p o rts .

E m a il p h o t o @ m c g i l l t r i b u n e .c o m f o r d e ta ils .

V _____________________________

Some experts reduce the issue to the language o f poker, suggesting that A frica has a bad hand because o f its poor location and Flintstones-esque technology.

But perhaps it’s this very image o f an eroding A frica, painted elabo­ rately by many politicians and “experts,” that has pushed mil­ lions o f intelligent and hopeful Africans to invest their energies not in developing their own usu­ ally resource-rich countries, but rather in escaping from them.

It is unacceptable for our leaders to take Africa no more se­ riously than a photo opportunity.

It is unacceptable for us to stand by and watch our brave brothers and sisters trying desperately to reverse the corruption and vio­ lence in their countries without seriously committing ourselves to doing something about it. It is even more unacceptable for us to forget that as humans we all come from A frica, and that it is indeed our comm on and original home.

TheM cGill

T r ib u n e W W W .M CGILLTRIBUNE.COM

Editor-in-Chief Tori Crawford editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Mookie Kideckel mkideckel@mcgilltribune.com Theo Meyer tmeyer@mcgilltribune.com Production Manager Adam Scotti ascotti@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Matt Essert and Maria Flores news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Ricky Kreitner opinion@mcgilltribune.com Features Editors Alison Bailey and Shannon Kimball features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Brahna Siegelberg and Ryan Taylor arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editor Sam Hunter and Sean Wood sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editors Holly Stewart andAlice Walker photo@mcgilltribune.com Design Editor Zoe Brewster design@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Kyle Carpenter Online Editor Iain Macdonald online@ mcgilltribune.com Advertising Manager Dallas Bentley cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Publisher Chad Ronalds C ontributors Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite, Matthew Chesser, Arielle Frank, NickFrid, Emma Hanby, Steven Hoffer, John Hui, John Kelsey, Kyla Mandel, Mari Mesri, Richard Marcharan. Benjamin Perrin, Jon Rubinstein, Maxime Sawicki. Beatrice Sison-Paez, Logan Smith, Victor Szuper. MirandaWhist, CarolynYates

Tribune Offices Editorial Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish

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S c ra p th e M o n tre a l m e tro c a rs d eal Last Thursday the Quebec Na­ tional Assembly passed Bill 116, per­ mitting the provincial government to hand a $1.22 billion contract for the construction of 468 new Montreal metro cars to a consortium led by Bombardier without going through a bidding process. This bill was pro­ posed by the government and rushed through the legislature because a Spanish company, CAF, has argued it could build the same number of cars for nearly half the cost, as it is currently doing for the Chilean capi­ tal of Santiago. Many people have argued that Bill 116 may directly contravene international trade regu­ lations, and could lead to reprisals, not least from Spain, whose prime minister has already written Charest “expressing his annoyance” about what he sees as unfair protection­ ist tactics. Additionally, the Bom­ bardier contract wastes nearly half a billion taxpayer dollars—perhaps more should CAF successfully sue.

Montreal’s opposition council leader Richard Bergeron, who opposed the deal, has already guessed the com­ pany will seek to do so.

Proponents of the Bombardier deal argue that it will keep jobs in Quebec instead of giving them to for­

eigners. Specifically, Charest claims 775 jobs will be created by the con­ tract, mostly in La Pocatière, a town in southeast Quebec with a large Bombardier plant. However, any economist or Quebecer acquainted with even basic mathematics must recognize this as complete bunk, and hardly more efficient than the Montreal Gazette’s facetious coun­ terproposal of giving “each of those

darling of the provincial left, an­ nounced his party’s support for Bill 116 by gushing over the Bombardier corporation, which, he said, “re­

775 workers $60,000 a year for the next five years to stay at home.” The newspaper claimed Quebec could even then afford to buy the new metro cars from the Spanish com­ pany, and still save money in the process. Moreover, in light of CAF’s offer to build a factory somewhere in Quebec in order to produce the cars, the Bombardier contract seems especially indefensible on economic

able to make the exact same cars— and within the necessary deadline, no less, as the Montreal Transit Society has warned that its current cars will

grounds.

Another strain of argument, somewhat related to the first, though less frequently offered, is the typical nationalist “maîtres chez nous” rou­ tine: We must keep jobs in Quebec, we must keep Quebec financially viable, and we must reward Quebec companies, not foreigners. Quebec Solidaire Member of the National Assembly Amir Khadir, supposed

ger problems. It would be better for Bombardier to lose this contract now and reorganize itself appropriately than to artificially keep their business going by resorting to inflated prices and favourable treatment from the provincial government.

Protectionist language from

spects our laws, the environment, pays its taxes, and respects our lan­ guage.” However, it’s difficult to see what Bombardier, in dire fiscal straits as it already is, has done to deserve such a lavish gift from the people of Quebec. If a Spanish company is

be so that service will have to be cut in three or four years—for nearly half the price, Bombardier is doing something wrong. If a company has to rely on possibly illegal interven­ tion from the government in order to win contracts, then it has much big­

Quebec politicians seems addition­ ally hazardous in light of the free trade agreement the province is cur­

La Pocatière factory is located. If the Charest government’s position is motivated even if only in part by such political aims, it will not soon be forgiven by voters—nor by their enablers in the provincial opposition parties, the Montreal City Council, or the press.

T h e T rib lik e s it on F a ce b o o k o n ly i f it w o rk s If you've logged onto Facebook in the last week, you’ve likely seen at least one person with a status that reads “I like it o n ______ .” Despite its sexual connotations, this status is supposed to refer to where a woman likes to put her purse, and is part of a viral campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer. While the inten­

paign from last winter, which used a similar Facebook-centred strategy, was directly associated with breasts.

This new campaign has absolutely nothing to do with breasts or can­ cer, which means people have to go searching to find out what the slogan means, and even then do not seem to go further than discovering the secret

tor tells them it’s time to start getting regular mammograms. However, the disease does not discriminate based on age, and all women over the age

site. Not everyone would have taken the time to read the page in its entire­ ty, but if only a few people changed their behaviour due to the website it

of 18 should be conducting monthly self-exams. Facebook campaigns like this target the demographic most in need of this knowledge. In order

would be more effective than the cur­ rent campaign.

The popularity and reach of this campaign proves that Facebook can

to be effective, the status updates should have included a link to a web­ site containing basic information on how to perform a self-exam, the im­ portance of mammograms, and how to donate money. When people tried to figure out why their friend had

be used for a more noble purpose than simply stalking your ex. How­ ever, it’s a waste of everyone’s time, effort, and attention if the strategy doesn't include any easily accessible, useful information on the cause it’s

Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish

to the cause.

The link between where people

of the enigmatic Facebook statuses.

The campaign comes at a fit­ ting time. October is breast cancer awareness month. However, by ne­ glecting to include relevant, practical information, the anonymous organiz­

Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490

like to have sex, where they put their purses, and breast cancer is non-ex­ istent. At least the bra colour cam­

ers missed a huge opportunity. Most young women do not begin thinking about breast cancer until their doc­

seemingly shared their favorite sex location with the world, they should have been led to an informative web­

me with starting the boycott, which is a flattering idea, but isn’t really true. I started a Facebook group, but that was several hours after the Arts Undergraduate Society Coun­

the creation of a group might make it seem as though I started it, because I’m the only administrator, but I just

Montreal. QC H3A 1X9 T: 514.398.6789

rently negotiating with the European Union. Several commentators, argu­ ing against the Bombardier contract and Bill 116, have imagined the Charest government would be none too happy if Bombardier or another Quebec corporation were treated by a European government the way Quebec has treated foreign compa­ nies in the course of this affair. It is also important to point out that many companies and countries out­ side Spain may be looking across the pond and not liking what they see. To hope there are no repercussions from such treatment would be to engage in wishful thinking.

The Tribune is not the first to suggest that the provincial govern­ ment’s support for the Bombardier deal might have something to do with an upcoming special election in the riding where the company’s

tion behind this widespread meme is admirable, it does little to advance awareness of breast cancer or to mo­ tivate Internet users to donate money

attempting to promote.

TheMcGill Tribuneisaneditoriallyautonomous newspaper publishedbytheSociétédePublicationdelaTribune, astu­ dentsocietyofMcGillUniversity.Thecontentofthispublica­ tionisthesoleresponsibilityofTheMcGill Tribuneandthe SociétédePublicationdelaTribune, anddoesnotnecessarily representtheviewsofMcGillUniversity. Letterstotheeditor may be sent tolepers@mcgilltribune.comandmust include thecontributor'sname, programandyearandcontact infor­ mation. Lettersshouldbekept under300 wordsandsubmit­ tedonlytodieTribune. SubmissionsjudgedbytheTribune PublicationSocietytobelibellous,sexist,racist,homophobic or solely promotional innature will not be published. The Tribunereservestheright toedit all contributions. Editorials aredecideduponandwrittenbytheeditorial board. All other opinionsarestrictlythoseoftheauthoranddonot necessar­ ilyreflecttheopinionsoftheMcGillTribune,itseditorsorits staff. Pleaserecyclethisnewspaper.

4

Thanks for the well-written story about the boycott (“SSMU will support campus food boycott,” October 5). I hope it raises aware­ ness on campus, and as I see from the nice poll on your website, people seem fairly supportive of the SSMU boycott. However, the story credited

cil voted to support a boycott on September 21 (the same day as the failed rally). I also think the idea of a boycott was collectively on a lot of people’s minds that day, including members of Midnight Kitchen and the original Arch Cafe Mobilization Committee (which has now become Mobilization McGill). I can see how

did that for organization’s sake. In fact, the group was just a suggestion from my roommate. Early members might remember that the original “about” section was in fact a semi­ drunk rant. But as I said, thanks for drawing attention to this issue, and I wish I was as relevant on campus as you seem to suggest.

Erin Hale U3 Philosophy

IN T E R E S T E D

IN

C O N T R IB U T IN G T O T H E T R IB U N E ?

E M A IL E D IT O R ® M C G IL L T R IB U N E C O M FO R M O R E IN F O R M A T IO N

8 My parents were both bom in Brooklyn, as were their parents, and as were my sister and I. In the 80s

I assumed everyone had theirs.

Those outside Philadelphia surely had “the city,” as did those outside

and early ‘90s they lived in Queens, commuting into Manhattan every day, and sending us kids to various preschools and friendly spinster’s homes. By the time I was three and

Chicago, Moscow, and, presumably, Fargo, North Dakota. The city was where my parents dragged my sister and me to boring museums with­ out enough places to sit or enough

my sister was entering kindergarten in the then-notoriously-failing New York City public school system, we moved to a nice suburban home with two green lawns, a pool and a nice, tall flagpole, in Wayne, New

things to touch. It was also where the Yankees played, where the Gi­ ants and Jets pretended to play, and, starting in sixth grade, where a lot of people died and a lot of people post­ ed pictures of their family asking if I

Jersey—a 20-minute drive from the city, but in some ways a whole world away. The house wasn’t far from the highway, which led straight to the George Washington Bridge. Buses

knew where they were. Later it was

in heaven at the other angels living out their merry lives below. There are no problems up there, nor does there seem to be any in the buzzing, flashing, grinding world 30 stories

ran regularly. School field trips to

below. Manhattan honks and roars, fully awake at 3 a.m., the taxis on Third Avenue prowling for drunks and delivering them safely home.

Brooklyn and Queens sparkle across

the Statue of Liberty or the Museum of Natural History were not uncom­ mon. But by moving me out of New York my parents made me no longer an official New Yorker, something

the East River and dance on its re­

I’ve never forgiven them for and probably never will.

New York for anyone growing up around it is never “New York,” but always “the city,” which out­ siders may view as romantically

residents do not wake up with smiles and good hair saying, “Gracious me—I live in New York!” My ideal­ ization of the city is a direct result of having never really lived there. It is

intimate but which is really quite alienating; it merely nods at famil­ iarity while slyly alluding to its un­ avoidable status of not really being that special. It’s just “the city” —

both the curse and the only redemp­ tion of my nearly lifelong exile, the inevitable end of which will neces­ sarily mark the end of that idealiza­ tion, too.

Exile Above New York The view at night from the roof of my sister’s apartment building in midtown Manhattan is like looking down from one of the higher clouds

flective surface. New Jersey spreads out to the West, barely visible over Manhattan roofs and the Hudson River. Nestled somewhere among those modest hills are my house and bed, my triumphs and failures.

On this dark roof, in this city of my birth, I feel, more than see, the city around me, and know I am once again only visiting.

As a frequent Internet user, I must comment on something that frustrates me more than getting

But required registration has other effects as well. It allows site owners to track their users, gives them greater access to personal in­ formation (such as your email ad­ dress, location, etc.), and is a po­

ready to tackle a room full of un­ built Ikea furniture only to find out I don’t have a screwdriver: why do I need an account to use nearly every website? Take a moment and

tential privacy threat. These issues often deter users like myself from registering. While every developer may imagine that his or her site is at the centre of the Internet, it isn’t.

between me and my grandparents on

ask yourself how many different

Ideally, every site that could allow

Long Island. The city was always a place to which I was going and from which I was coming, but in which I never remained for very long.

I idealize New York, admit­ tedly. Life there is not heavenly. Its

online identities you have. I know I’m linked to at least 50, and prob­ ably another 50 or so that I don’t re­ member the password for, or don’t remember existing.

individual users to remain anony­ mous, would. My username and password shouldn’t be required just to buy a train ticket.

The solution to this upsetting

I’m frequently browsing a site when I notice a link that intrigues me, perhaps a photo of kittens sleep­ ing, something for sale, or a program that turns my cell phone into an elec­ tronic whoopee cushion. I curiously

trend lies in the hands of web devel­ opers and administrators. We must band together and ask ourselves if we really need to identify our users.

Sometimes, the answer is yes, but perhaps just as often it is no. Reduc­

click on the link, only to be con­ fronted with a “registered members only” message. Now I’m faced with three questions. First, have I already registered for this site? If so, what is my username and password? If not, is this garbage really worth signing up for? Many times I’ll try to cre­ ate a new account, only to find out that my email address is already in use. Thus begins the game of “whatpassword-was-I-using-eight-years-

ing the complexity of registration by linking accounts together, like Google’s linking of email, chat, cal­ endar, etc., or allowing users to sign in using their Facebook accounts, can be used to reduce the complexi­ ty of site usage for many users. I can

ago.” More often than not, these logins are completely unnecessary and do nothing but hinder the qual­ ity of online life for all users.

free, registered accounts to access a variety of websites. While this is a nice way to avoid registering for an individual site, it does not resolve

As a software developer my­ self, I understand the purpose of user registration generally. The owners

the problem. The real issue is that, from a web development standpoint, the benefits of registration outweigh

of the website would like to iden­ tify users so that they can provide

the costs. As long as this is so, keep a notepad handy.

Columbia University, the school of my daydreams, great record stores, romantic row boats and carriage rides in the Central Park. It was also

WITTY AND ARTISTIC?

THE TRIBUNE IS LOOKING FORAN EDITORIAL CARTOONIST S E N D A C O V E R LE T T E R A N D T W O SA M P LES T O O P IN IO N @ M C C IL L T R IB U N E .C O M

Commentary Benjamin Perrin Quebec’s dirty human trafficking secret For most people, the term “human trafficking” conjures up im­ ages of women spirited in container ships by organized crime, or distant lands where children are sold to sex tourists. It turns out the problem is a lot closer to home.

In 2006, a young Montreal woman that I’ll call Genevieve was thrilled to receive what she thought was the opportunity of a lifetime: a modelling job posing for the cover of an album produced by Urban Heat Music, an independent hip-hop record label headquartered in Mon-

Registration Not

personalized content, access private information like email or user data, or link information to the user, in­ cluding posts or uploads. Facebook is an excellent example, requiring users to sign in to view their friends, receive personal messages, and be identified in interactions on the site.

Necessarily Required

only remember so many different passwords (four, to be exact). Inter­ net, I beg you, please let users like me remain anonymous and happy.

Sites like bugmenot.com offer

treal.

At the time, Genevieve had just

her, then told her she owed him eight hundred dollars. By February, Gene­

in an eleven-year-old child being locked in Montreal’s Immigration

ed. Not exactly a strong message to other traffickers, or any comfort

ended a four year relationship with her boyfriend, had been injured in a motorcycle accident which left her unemployed, and had moved back in with her parents. After the photo­ shoot for the album, Genevieve had drinks with the vice president of Urban Heat Music, Jacques Leon-

vieve was being sold for sex at vari­ ous clubs six days a week. Upon her escape, Jackie was arrested on mul­ tiple charges and eventually convict­ ed of human trafficking. In just three months, he'd earned twenty thou­ sand dollars from exploiting her.

Holding Centre for a month in the summer of 2008. The provincial child protection system was unpre­ pared to deal with the case, meaning this child was re-victimized due to bureaucratic wrangling.

Prosecutors in Quebec have

to the victim. There are, however, some courageous police officers and dedicated youth intervention work­ ers in Quebec who are doing their

Sex traffickers seek out vulner­ able members of society: those who are in desperate straits financially, or are seeking love and affection.

There are literally manuals that are

been reluctant to lay human traf­ ficking charges under the Criminal Code, and have a poor record in securing adequate sentences. In No­ vember 2008, Michael Lennox Mark

evieve that they could earn money hosting promotional parties in To­ ronto, so they went to Mississauga in January 2007. They needed capi­ tal to launch their new business, and Jackie told her she was to earn

shared among aspiring traffickers that describe in brutal detail how to target, recruit, control, and profit from the misery of their victims. .

Some or most provinces have created coordinating agencies and devoted funds to help trafficking vic­

pleaded guilty to human traffick­ ing in a Montreal courtroom. Mark had sold a seventeen-year-old local girl in street-level prostitution. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of procuring the girl and two other

this money by working as an exotic dancer, and by offering sex acts at strip clubs.

When Genevieve refused, he threw an ashtray at her and slapped

tims. In Quebec, however, the cost of inaction has been paid by victims.

In one shocking case, the lack of any provincial system to coordinate ser­ vices for trafficking victims resulted

ard-St. Vil (“Jackie”). Flattered by the attention, she spent the night with him, thus beginning their rela­ tionship.

Soon, Jackie convinced Gen­

women. He received a sentence of two years imprisonment and two years probation. However, with twofor-one credit for his year of pre-trial custody, Mark served only a single week in prison after being convict-

best. But it will take more than their efforts to have a concerted response to this hidden tragedy. We need to ask tough questions about not only the traffickers but the men who pay to abuse their victims. And it’s time the provincial government stepped up and took the fight against human trafficking seriously.

Benjamin Perrin is author o f Invisible Chains: C anada’s U nder­ ground World o f Hum an Trafficking.

At 6 :3 0 p.m . on October 13, he is d e ­ livering a fr e e public talk at Temple Em anu-El Beth Sholom, 4 1 0 0 S h er­ brooke Street West (doors at 6 :3 0 p.m .). Visit www.invisiblechains.ca fo r more information.

S

L

t u d e n t

O D D S & EN DS

iv in g

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P u llin g an all n ig h te r v s . ru n n in g a m a ra th o n What Paula Radcliffe and that kid in Redpath who looks like a zombie have in common

By Shannon K i m b a l l _______ Features Editor This past Sunday, I joined 35,000 other runners and toed the line in the Chicago marathon. I also had four midterms scheduled in the six days surrounding the race, mak­ ing for one exhausting week. Sur­ prisingly, I’ve learned that running 26.2 miles and staying up all night follow a similar process, both men­ tally and physically.

P rep aratio n M arathon: Hydra­ tion, carbohydrates, and a touch of caffeine are the keys to propelling yourself by foot over 26.2 miles. Runners must drink their weight in water, and eat at least three pounds of whole wheat pasta the day before the race. This ultimately leads to an excessive number of trips to port-a-

potties on race day.

All-nighter: Drink at

in the first 1,600 metres of the mara­ thon, making for an exciting start to the race. Loud cheering, painted signs, and the surge of adrenaline

B a ck and forth

that comes with the start provide the runners with the confidence that they can run another 25.2 miles.

glutes, and arms, and runners’ oncefluid form begins to decline. The next six miles are a combination of surges, relaxed running, and a bit of

All-nighter, 9 p .m .:

Redpath, optimistic about the night ahead. Their papers may be due in 15 hours, but that’s plenty of time to write 12,000 words. If all goes well, they may even be home for a quick nap by 5 a.m.

1:

T he wall

Marathon, Mile 13:

The first 13.1 miles go by in a flash, without so much as a break in the runners’ strides.

They’ve covered this distance doz­ ens of times in the past four months of training. As runners get into their zones, water stations seem superflu­ ous. But with 13.1 more miles to go,

a review of high school material.

While it’s tempting to once again Mile

All nighter, 3 a.m .:

Fingers ache from typing, and eyelids droop as latenight studiers slow their pace. The once fast-paced studying is a medley of coffee breaks, Facebook stalking, and the occasional topic sentence or

T he first h alf

the late-night munchies.

Marathon,

painful hobbling.

chapter summary.

fear looms ahead.

Tens of thousands of spectators hoot and holler

Miles

to build in the quadriceps,

Midtermand essayplagued students file into

least one cup of coffee per hour, and follow it up with some water (Redpath gets hot). Any experienced student also knows the importance of planning snacks for

A drenaline a t the sta rt

Marathon,

1 4 -2 0 : Lactic acids starts

All-nighter,

1 a.m .:

The first half of the text­ book was a joke—just

Marathon, Mile 2 1:

The notorious wall hits.

Depleted of endorphins Runners participating in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon

and glycogen reserves, the body can’t use fat for energy, and must now slowly eat away at muscle fi­ bres. This results in a whole-body ache. Regret sets in as athletes des­ perately try to put one foot in front

outline don’t matter anymore. You have only a few hours to go and no amount of coffee will help you get that A. Anger—toward professors,

of the other. Many slow to a walk on the sidelines, and only a few of them return to finish. Despite the roaring crowds and thousands of other suf­ fering runners, everyone is com­

toward yourself, but most of all, to­ ward that kid sniffling next to you— is the only emotion you have left.

Others just can’t take it, and head to the stacks for a nervous breakdown.

miles, 2.2 is child’s play. Pained grunts turn into ecstatic cheers in the final surge.

All-nighter, 6 a.m .:

The sun is rising, and you haven’t accomplished half of what you set out to do, but an overwhelming feeling of calm and acceptance abounds with the start of

pletely and totally alone.

new day, allowing for one last push.

review the material you already knew, the real work lies untouched.

But before that, it’s time for a coffee

All-nighter,

5 a.m.:

U n reasonable optim ism Marathon, Mile 24:

Reading groups, a friend’s notes, or a stolen paper

break.

After running for 24

M C G IL L IA N S A F T E R M C G IL L

T h e Real W o rld g o e s to N e w Y o rk Professional Head shots at AOLNews after you graduate

By Steven H o f f e r _____________ Contributor “How do you like the real world?”

From what I can tell, almost everyone over the age of 30 asks re­ cent college graduates this question.

I personally hope to never impose those seven words on anyone. But since you are wondering, the real world is just fine, thanks for asking.

Armed with my prestigious McGill undergraduate education and a “real world” conquering confi­ dence that only a humanities degree will instil in a young mind, I recently began chapter one of my working life with AOLNews at their New York City headquarters.

On the first day of my new gig 1 learned that one of my editors is married to my high school English

teacher, Mrs. Steinberg. I was off to

fins would undoubtedly make this

a good start.

Within the AOLNews organiza­

list.

tion, I write for a recently launched hyper-blog called the Surge Desk.

Please visit and click recklessly. In brief, the Surge Desk aims to identify “trending topics” on the Internet— think GoogleTrends or Twitter’s

dreds of furious critics will rush to the article’s comment section to viciously trash me and the liberal media as they hide behind the veil of Internet anonymity. They seem to

“trending” list—and write stories on these topics in order to generate hits for the website.

If, say, the Architecture Café was being shut down (yes, I still occasionally read the Tribune) and “Architecture Café” emerged as a highly searched term, I might write a story compiling student reactions from across the blogosphere (this approach works better for U.S. poli­ tics) or research the top five menu items students will miss when the café closes. Lemon poppy seed muf­

When I do my job well, hun­

hate me, but I adore them.

I also once cooked hot dogs for six-time hot dog eating champion Takeru Kobayashi when he visited the office to be interviewed two days after being arrested for climbing on­ stage at the 2010 Nathan’s Hot Dog Easting Contest on Coney Island.

Normally, I do not cook hot dogs for celebrity hot dog eating champions.

Other perks include an endless supply of free Starbucks coffee, a few good laughs over the days when AOL was the only “on-ramp” to the Internet, and having my photo on

a pretty sweet bio page that reads “Steven Hoffer is a New York City based journalist who also worked for FoxNews.com and Relix Maga­ zine.”

Also, I wouldn’t call this a perk, but it’s worth pointing out that before he joined AOLNews, my editor-in-chief worked for the New York Times. This means that he can say things like, “When I was at the Tim es...” To a media nerd like my­ self, it hardly matters what comes next.

Although

compared

to

Steven Hoffer now works at AOLNews, but previously contributed to Fox News, Relix Magazine and the Tribune.

my

days at the Tribune I consume far fewer Subway sandwiches (read: zero Subway sandwiches) and have fewer drinks when I go out with my colleagues, the “real world” is still treating me well.

And I guess a recent college grad can do worse than the occasion-

al “How do you like the real world?”

If it weren’t for that question, I’d just be left with friends and rela­ tives uttering the seven other words that journalists straight out of school tend to adopt as a pet peeve: “I have a story you should write.”

« « « «

A llie , now a 1 0-m o n th -o ld tab b y , w as fou n d a s a k itte n liv in g w ith a g ro u p o f sq u ir­ re ls . A M o n tre a l fam ily s t a r t ­

p e ts a r e s e e n a s d isp o sa b le , w h ile o th e rs b la m e th e no p e t c la u s e s co m m o n in Q u e b e c le a s e s . Q u e b e c ’s a n n u a l m o v ­

in fo s te r h o m e s, b u t in on e w e e k re c e iv e d 8 0 e m a ils a sk ­ in g th e g ro u p to find h o m es fo r th e ir c a ts , all of w h ich h ad

e d fe e d in g h e r b u t k n ew th a t

in g d ay on Ju ly 1 s t h a s b e ­ c o m e a d ay d re a d e d by a n im a l r e s c u e w o rk e rs; it is th e p e a k o f th e m ovin g se a s o n d u rin g w h ich h a lf of a ll a b a n d o n e d

to b e tu rn e d down.

w h en th e y m o v ed , sh e w ould b e o u t o f lu ck , so th e y b ro u g h t h e r to E le v e n E le v e n A n im a l R e s c u e w h e re sh e w as s o c ia l­ iz e d an d a d o p te d to a loving hom e.

The M o n tre a l re s c u e g ro u p — w h ich ta k e s in m o stly f e r a l k itte n s an d p e ts th a t a re a b o u t to b e e u th a n iz e d — h as fo u n d fa m ilie s fo r m o re th a n

4 s a student,

one o f the biggest ways you can help Montreal cats is by fostering.

When you foster, you agree to provide a hom e for a cat or kitten and care for it until it g ets adopted.

1 0 0 a n im a ls sin c e C a ro lin e R o ss fo u n d e d th e o rg a n iz a ­ tio n . T his n u m b e r m a y sou nd im p re ssiv e to so m e , b u t R o ss k now s th a t th is is b a re ly a s c r a tc h on th e s u rfa c e . “ T h e n u m b e r of c a ts w e sa v e d in th e p a s t y e a r is le ss th a n th e n u m b e r of c a ts e u ­ th a n iz e d ju s t la s t w eek a t th e p o u n d th a t w e w ork w ith ,” sh e say s. “ W e re s c u e d a b o u t 6 0 c a ts la s t y e a r an d in o n e d ay th e y h a d to e u th a n iz e 4 0 c a ts .”

T h e s e e u th a n a s ia r a te s a r e n o t u n u su a l in M o n tre ­ a l, w h ich stru g g le s w ith an a la rm in g ly h ig h n u m b e r of h o m e le s s c a ts . T h e S o c ie ty for th e P re v e n tio n o f C ru e lty to A n im a ls s h e lte r in M o n tre a l ta k e s in a p p ro x im a te ly 1 0 ,5 0 0 c a ts a y e a r— w ith 1 5 0 -2 5 0 c a ts liv in g a t th e s h e lte r on an y g iven d ay— an d e u th a n iz e s 5 0 p e r c e n t o f th e th o se a d m it­ te d . T h e re a r e h u n d re d s of th o u s a n d s o f fe r a l an d a b a n ­ d o n e d c a ts ro a m in g th e c ity ’s s tr e e ts , an d m o st c itie s in Q u e b e c h a v e d o n e little to a d ­ d re ss th e p ro b le m .

A la r g e p a r t o f th e p ro b ­ le m c o m e s fro m h ig h r a t e s of a n im a l a b a n d o n m e n t in th e p ro v in ce . S o m e a ttr ib u te th is lin g e rin g a g ric u ltu ra l m e n ta l­ ity to w ard s a n im a ls , in w h ich

a n im a ls in Q u e b e c a r e le f t b e ­ h in d . T his p h e n o m e n o n is n o t s e e n in an y o th e r p ro v in ce . “ N o -p et c la u s e s a re fo r­ b id d e n in O n ta rio le a s e s , so

“ E v e n w ith a ll th e e ffo rt w e ’re d oin g to sav e th e m , th e r e ’s still su ch a h u g e o ver­

m a n e fo r th e c a ts , it h a s m o re su p p o rt fro m citiz e n s, an d is su p p o sed to c o m b a t th e “ v a c ­ u u m e f f e c t ” th a t rem o v a l p ro ­ g ra m s ig n o re . C a ts a re h igh ly te r r ito r ia l, b u t w h en fe ra l c a ts a r e re m o v e d , n ew o n es m ove in fo r food so u rc e s an d

p o p u la tio n ,” says R o ss. “ T he

th e re m a in in g c a ts b re e d a t

tow n

w ith ,

h igh lev els u n til th is e n v iro n ­

th e y ’v e g o t th e c a g e sp a ce fo r 2 0 c a ts a n d th e y g e t ab o u t 6 0 to 1 0 0 c a ts a w eek d u rin g th e su m m er. So an y c a t t h a t ’s

m e n t c a n no lo n g e r su p p o rt th e p o p u la tio n — th is is th e “v a cu u m e f f e c t.” O ne a r e a h a s on ly en o u g h food o r sp a c e

th a t

we

w ork

you d o n ’t h a v e an issu e o f p e o ­

g o in g to

th e p ou n d is ju s t

fo r s h e lte r fo r a c e r t a in n u m ­

p le m o v in g an d n o t b e in g a b le to m o v e w ith th e ir a n im a ls ,” e x p la in s A la n n a D e v in e , d i­ r e c t o r o f a n im a l w e lfa re a t th e M o n tre a l S P C A . “ I t ’s also p a rtly a b o u t a ttitu d e . U n fo r­

g o in g to g e t e u th a n iz e d .”

M o st of M o n tre a l’s c a ts a r e n o t in s h e lte rs : th e y ’re on th e s tr e e t. T h e fe r a l c a t p o p u la tio n in M o n tre a l is c o n ­

b e r of c a ts , an d p o p u latio n of b re e d in g c a ts w ill alw ays b e a t th is n u m b er, e ith e r by b re e d in g o r b y c a ts m ovin g in.

B u t if c a ts a re s te riliz e d an d

tin u in g to in c re a s e . W h en u n ­

r e tu r n e d , th e p o p u la tio n w ill sta b iliz e an d d e c r e a s e as th e c a ts sto p re p ro d u c in g w h ile still p ro te c tin g th e ir te r r ito r y fro m o th e r stray s.

tu n a te ly , in Q u e b e c, th e r e a re still a lo t of p e o p le w ho d o n ’t re a liz e th a t ow n in g an a n i­ m a l is a life lo n g c o m m itm e n t to th a t a n im a l an d n o t ju s t a c o n v e n ie n c e th in g .”

T h e s e a b a n d o n e d p e ts ad d to th e g row in g n u m b e r o f c a ts a n im a l r e s c u e g ro u p s a r e try in g to h e lp . T ak in g c a ts in to re s c u e s an d p u ttin g th e m up fo r a d o p tio n is o fte n se e n as th e b e s t w ay to h e lp th e s e c a ts , b u t la c k o f a d o p te rs m a k e th is u n su s ta in a b le . “ E v e n if a ll c a ts w e re h e a lth y a t all tim e s an d w e re 1 0 0 p e r c e n t a d o p ta b le , i t ’s n o t a b o u t s p a c e — w e ’d b e s ta c k in g c a ts on to p of c a ts on to p of c a ts — i t ’s a b o u t su pp ly a n d d e m a n d ,” says D ev in e. “ T h e re a r e to o m a n y c a ts an d n o t e n o u g h h o m e s.”

S m a lle r re s c u e s , su ch as E le v e n E le v e n — w h ich d o es n o t o p e ra te a s h e lte r— re ly c o m p le te ly on fo s te r h o m e s to h o u se c a ts fo r a d o p tio n . H ow ­ ev er, th e la c k o f fo s te r p a re n ts lim its th e n u m b e r o f p e ts th e g ro u p c a n sav e fro m e u th a n iz a tio n . A t th e h e ig h t o f su m ­ m e r th e g ro u p h a d 2 5 k itte n s

n e u te re d c a ts a re u n le a sh e d on th e s tr e e ts — e ith e r a b a n ­ d o n e d o r ju s t le t o u td o o rs— th e y b re e d w ith h o m e le ss c a ts , c r e a tin g an e p id e m ic of s tr e e t-b o rn fe r a l c a ts . On av ­ e ra g e , a b re e d in g p a ir of fe ra l c a ts w ill sp aw n 1 0 0 o ffsp rin g w ith in th e ir sh o rt lives. U n lik e s tra y s, fe r a l c a ts h av e liv ed on th e s tr e e ts th e ir w h o le lives an d a r e n o t u sed to h u m an s.

A f te r fo u r m o n th s of a g e it c a n b e in cre d ib ly d ifficu lt to d o m e s tic a te fe r a l c a ts .

U n til re c e n tly , th e c o m ­ m o n w ay to d e a l w ith th e s e c a ts w as to tra p th e m an d ta k e th e m to c ity s h e lte rs to b e e u th a n iz e d . B u t in re c e n t d e c a d e s , g ro u p s h av e b e e n tu rn in g to T rap -N eu ter-an d R e le a s e p ro g ra m s to slow th e e x p o n e n tia l g ro w th of th e fe r a l c a t p o p u la tio n . O ne o f th e first T N R p ro g ra m s in N o rth A m e ric a w as im p le ­ m e n te d by S ta n fo rd U n iv e r­ s ity in 1 9 8 9 to d e a l w ith th e m o re th a n 1 ,5 0 0 h o m e le ss c a ts liv in g on th e ir ca m p u s, an d to d a y th e n u m b e r is dow n to 2 0 0 . N o t on ly is th e p ro g ra m to u te d as m o re h u ­

A n im a l d o es T N R th ro u g h o u t th e M o n tre a l a r e a . In th e p a st sev en y e a rs S te ri-A n im a l h as s u cce ssfu lly stab ilized cat p o p u la tio n s in a t le a s t 3 0 c o l­ o n ies. T h ey c u rre n tly s te riliz e a ro u n d 1 4 0 f e r a l c a ts a y e a r as p a r t of th e ir T N R p ro g ram s.

“J u s t la s t w eek th e r e w as a co lo n y of 12 c a ts an d w e

A s a s tu d e n t, o n e o f th e b ig g e st w ays you ca n h elp M o n tre a l c a ts is by fo ste rin g .

W h en you fo ster, you a g re e to p ro v id e a h o m e fo r a c a t o r k itte n a n d c a r e fo r it u n til it

b e a d o p te d o r o n e s n e e d in g m in o r m e d ic a l tr e a tm e n t (e .g . e a r d ro p s) o r b e h a v io u ra l w ork b e fo re b ein g p u t up fo r a d o p tio n . C all (5 1 4 ) 7 3 5 -2 7 1 1

g e ts a d o p te d . R e s c u e s p ay fo r

x 2 2 3 7 o r go to s p c a m o n tre a l.

.fo o d , v e t b ills, e t c ., so w h ile th e c a t is in y o u r c a r e , you g e t all o f th e b e n e fits of h av in g a p e t, w ith o u t th e c o s t o r 15y e a r c o m m itm e n t. A n d y o u ’re sav in g a life.

M o n tre a l S P C A : F o s te r

a n im a ls

a re

o fte n

H ow ever, T N R re q u ire s h a rd w ork an d p a tie n c e . C iti­ zen in v o lv e m e n t is re q u ire d in lo c a tin g an d tra p p in g c a ts .

In o rd e r to sta b iliz e a p o p u ­ la tio n w ith in c a t co lo n ie s, a t le a s t 7 0 p e r c e n t of th e co lo n y h a s to b e s te riliz e d , an d th is c a n ta k e m o re th a n a y e a r d e p e n d in g on th e size of th e p o p u la tio n . F ro m th e r e it will ta k e y e a rs fo r th e co lo n y to d e c re a s e .

B u t o rg a n iz a tio n s a ro u n d M o n tre a l a r e ta k in g up th e c h a lle n g e . T h e S P C A ru n s T N R p ro g ra m s in V erd u n an d L a c h in e — tw o m u n icip a litie s th a t w e re in d ire n e e d o f h elp o v e r a y e a r ag o — w h ile S te ri-

th o se th a t a r e to o you n g to

c o m /a id e z 3 .p h p ?lg = e n m o re in fo rm a tio n .

E le v e n E le v e n A n im a l R e s c u e :

fo r

S p e cia liz in g in fe r a l k itte n s , fo s te r a n im a ls a re o fte n y ou n g c a ts w ho a re in n e e d of b a s ic so cia liz a tio n . D ogs an d

By L a u ra Tindal

s te riliz e d a ll 1 2 ,” say s L in d a H e im a n n , co -fo u n d e r an d d i­ r e c t o r of o p e ra tio n s fo r S te riA n im al. “ Now th a t th e c a ts a r e fix e d th e n e ig h b o u rs a re no lo n g e r co m p la in in g b e ­ c a u s e th e c a ts a re no lo n g e r w a n d e rin g in to th e ir y a rd s o r p e e in g on th e ir b a rb e q u e s .”

M ik e C o h en , c ity co u n c il­ lo r fo r C ô te S t-L u c, n o tic e d th e p ro b le m of fe r a l c a ts in h is m u n icip a lity an d re a liz e d th a t so m e o n e n e e d e d to ta k e a c tio n . A f te r re s e a r c h an d a p u b lic m e e tin g on th e issu e in A u g u st, C o h en h a s now o b ta in e d co u n cil su p p o rt for fu n d in g a T N R p ro g ra m in C ô te S a in t-L u c. O n ce th e p ro ­ g ra m ’s b u d g e t h as b e e n d e te r ­ m in e d , C o h e n ’s n e x t ste p w ill b e to e n list c itiz e n s w illin g to ro ll up th e ir sle e v e s to h e lp find an d tr a p th e c a ts .

“T h e r e ’s no w ay in a m il­ lion y e a rs th a t w e co u ld c o m e up w ith th e fu n d in g to tr a c k dow n e v e ry c a t, b u t if th e r e ’s 1 0 ,0 0 0 — an d t h a t ’s th e n u m ­ b e r th a t th e v e t’s giv en u s— w e’re goin g to try to tr a p as m a n y a s w e ca n an d as m a n y as w e c a n a ffo rd to p ay for.”

T his m ay sou n d e x p e n ­ sive, b u t th o se in su p p o rt of T N R p o in t to its low er co s t c o m p a re d to e u th a n a s ia . “ O u r a v e ra g e c o s t is $ 2 0 0 p e r a n im a l th a t w e ta k e in to [th e

S P C A ],”

say s

D ev in e.

“ S o m e a n im a ls sp en d five m o n th s h e re , so m e a n im a ls sp en d five d ays, so m e sp en d five m in u te s— it ’s re a lly d e ­ p e n d e n t u p on a n a v e ra g e fig u re. So if you lo o k a t th a t v e rsu s how m u ch it c o s ts to s te riliz e a c a t , th e n y e s i t ’s le ss e x p e n s iv e .”

In th e lo n g ru n , D ev in e say s, T N R p ro g ra m s re d u c e th e n u m b e r of a n im a ls c o m ­ in g in , th e re b y d e c re a s in g c o s ts o v er tim e .

c a ts h a v e m o re d ifficu lt an d s h o rte r liv es th a n d o m e s tic a t­ e d c a ts . On a v e ra g e , a h o u se c a t th a t is n o t allo w ed o u tsid e w ill live tw o to th r e e y e a rs lo n g e r th a n th o s e allo w ed o u td o o rs, d u e to th e in h e r­

T h e re is f u r th e r c o n tro ­ v e rs y o v e r w h e th e r T N R a c tu ­ ally p re v e n ts th e v a c u u m e f ­ f e c t. S o m e s tu d ie s h a v e show n th a t c a ts a ro u n d th e fe e d in g s ta tio n s a re n o t o v erly te r r i t o ­ ria l, allo w in g fe r a l c a ts fro m a ll a ro u n d to c o n v e rg e a t fe e d in g a re a s . T his m ay also le a d to p e o p le d u m p in g th e ir u n w a n te d c a ts a t fe e d in g lo ­ c a tio n s , k n o w in g th a t th e y ’ll

e n t d a n g e rs o u ts id e . A fe r a l c a t h a s an a v e ra g e life s p a n of on ly tw o y e a rs if it liv es by it ­ self, an d five y e a rs in a colony, c o m p a re d to 1 5 -2 2 y e a rs for

h a v e food an d b e le s s lik ely to b e e u th a n iz e d th a n a t a s h e l­ te r. Y e t th e m a jo rity o f s tu d ­ ie s in th e U n ite d S ta te s an d E u r o p e , w h e re T N R p ro je c ts

an in d o o r c a t. A lth o u g h sp a y ­ in g a fe m a le c a t ta k e s aw ay th e b u rd e n o f d e liv e rin g tw o litte rs a y e a r, an d n e u te re d

h a v e b e e n in p la c e fo r m u ch lo n g er, h a v e show n th e p ro ­ g ra m to b e a su c c e s s . “ F o r c a ts w ho h a v e b e e n

m a le s a r e le s s lik ely to fight an d s p re a d in ju ry a n d d is­ e a s e , e v e n d o m e s tic a te d T N R c a ts fa c e p o te n tia lly p a in fu l

a b a n d o n e d , life on th e s tr e e ts c a n b e v e ry h a rd , b u t fe ra l c a ts c a n n o t b e a d o p te d . W ho

B u t is th is ju s t s o ft-h e a rt­ e d id e a lis m ? S o m e a rg u e th a t T N R is n ic e r fo r th e p e o p le d e a lin g w ith h o m e le s s c a ts th a n it is fo r th e c a ts . F e r a l

a re w e to sa y a c a t h a s to be e u th a n iz e d b e c a u s e it d o e s n ’t h a v e a h o m e ? T h e c a ts a re h e a lth ie r a f t e r w e sp ay th e m ; th e y d o n ’t g e t sick [a s m u ch ],

en d s.

“A lo t o f th e m a r e k illed by c a r s ,” says D avid B ird , p ro ­ fe s s o r of w ild life b io lo g y a t

th e y

M cG ill U n iv e rsity . “ Y o u ’ve g o t p re d a to rs lik e co y o te s th a t a r e co m in g in to tow ns now m o re an d m o re , an d o th e r p re d a to rs lik e dogs an d fo xes.

A n d on to p of th a t you h av e to w o rry a b o u t n a s ty p e o p le o u t th e re w ho do n o t lik e c a ts ru n n in g lo o s e .”

B ird , a fo rm e r c a t ow ner, a rg u e s th a t T N R is n o t a p r a c ­ tic a l so lu tio n fo r d e c re a s in g th e h o m e le s s c a t p o p u la tio n , an d is in s te a d th e e a s y w ay o u t o f a d ifficu lt situ a tio n . “ I find c a tc h in g an d e u th ­ an izin g c a ts d is ta s te fu l to o ...

B u t w h a t’s m o re h u m a n e ? Y ou p u t th e m o u t th e re an d h av e th e m e k e o u t a n e x is te n c e , e a tin g a lo t o f b ird s a n d livin g a t th e m e rc y of p re d a to rs , b ad w e a th e r, d is e a s e , a ll k in d s of stu ff,” h e say s. U ltim a te ly , B ird fe e ls p u ttin g th e m to s le e p is m o re h u m a n e .

fo rm

n e e d fo s te r h o m e s, b u t th e y

A n im a l R e s c u e N etw o rk : T his c a t re s c u e n e e d s fo s te r h o m e s fo r c a ts w ith s p e c ia l n e e d s , su ch as s p e c ia l d ie ts (fo o d is p ro v id e d ), p re g n a n t

F o s te rin g .h tm l.

S te ri-A n im a l: K itte n s le ss th a n 12 w e e k s old th a t a re c a u g h t in th e T N R p ro g ra m a re p la c e d in fo s te r h o m e s to b e so cia liz e d a n d r e ­ h o m ed . H elp s k eep th e h o m e ­ le ss c a t p o p u la tio n dow n an d c a ts o u t of sh e lte rs . F ill o u t a

F o s te rF o rm .h tm l.

c a ts , s e n io r c a ts , o r c a ts w ith F IV (a fe lin e au to -im m u n e d is e a s e n o t c o n ta g io u s to p e o p le ). E m a il a rn fo s te r@ h o tm a il.c o m o r go to anim a l r e s c u e n e t w o r k .o r g /i n f o / d is p la y ? P a g e ID = 9 8 9 o u t m o re.

to

“ T h e o p tio n s a re : you c a n tra p a n d k ill, you c a n do n o th in g , o r you c a n do T N R . T h e first tw o h a v e b e e n d o n e in M o n ­ tr e a l fo r y e a rs an d y e a rs an d

find

to c lo s e , b u t S te ri-A n im a l still ru n s lo w -cost ste riliz a tio n s e r­ v ic e s th ro u g h th e fo u r v e ts th e y w ork w ith. “ I s o rt of e x p e c te d th a t th e r e w ould b e a lo t m o re v e ts w illin g to c o n trib u te , b u t t h a t ’s n o t th e c a s e ,” says H e i­ m a n n . “ [L o w -co st sp a y /n e u te r p ro g ra m s ] a r e d e p e n d e n t on th e good w ill of th e v e ts in th e city , an d th e re ju s t a r e n ’t th a t m a n y w ho a re in te r e s te d in p a r tic ip a tin g .”

As d iffe re n t m u n ici­ p a litie s s ta r t to look a t th e c a t o v e rp o p u la tio n on th e ir s tr e e ts , th o u g h t n e e d s to be g iv en n o t ju s t to T N R , b u t to fu n d a m e n ta l ch a n g e s in th e law s th a t a f f e c t p e t o w n ers in M o n tre a l. “ W e ’re figh tin g a n unw inn a b le b a ttle u n less w e ch a n g e

th e p ro b le m is n ’t g o in g away, so I th in k w e n e e d to lo o k a t a d iffe re n t a lte r n a tiv e .”

TNR p ro g ra m s cannot w o rk if p e o p le a re le ttin g u n ­ fix e d a n im a ls ro a m a ro u n d ,

o u r s tra te g y . W e n e e d to a d ­ d re ss th e ro o t c a u s e s ,” D ev in e say s, “ I th in k it c o m e s dow n to e d u c a tio n , a c c e s s to a f­ fo rd a b le s p a y /n e u te r su rg e r­

o r if th e y ’re th ro w in g th e ir u n w a n te d c a ts o u t on th e s tr e e t. O ne w ay to h e lp lim it th is k in d o f irre s p o n s ib ility is th ro u g h lo w -co st sp ay /n eu t e r in itia tiv e s . In 2 0 0 8 , S te ri-

o u tla w s h av in g n o -p e t c la u se s in o u r le a s e s , an d s tr ic te r le g ­ is la tio n to re a lly p ro m o te r e ­ sp o n sib le p e t o w n ersh ip , su ch a s in itia tiv e s to m a k e sp ay/ n e u te r m a n d a to ry fo r p e o p le

A n im a l jo in e d w ith th e S P C A to s ta r t O p e ra tio n F e lin e , a

w ho a r e n ’t re sp o n sib le w ith

&

c a ts a b o u t to b e e u th a n iz e d fo r u n n e c e s s a ry re a so n s also c a n ’t b e sav ed if th e r e a re no h o m es a v a ila b le . Go to elev e n e l e v e n a n i m a l r e s c u e .o r g /

a t ste ri-a n im a l.o rg /E N -

d o n ’t fig h t,” says H e i­

m ann.

B u t in th e e n d , T N R a d ­ v o c a te s an d o p p o n e n ts b o th w an t th e sa m e th in g : fo r th e n u m b e r of h o m e le ss c a ts to d e c re a s e . A n d a s D e v in e say s,

lo w -co st s p a y /n e u te r clin ic to h e lp d e c r e a s e th e n u m b e r of u n fix e d c a ts an d in c r e a s e th e a m o u n t of p e o p le a b le to a f­ ford th e s e b a s ic clin ic s e rv ic ­ e s. U n fo rtu n a te ly , b e c a u s e of Q u e b e c V e te rin a ry M e d icin e A s s o c ia tio n (A M V Q ) law s w h ich p ro h ib it v e te r in a ry clin ic s fro m b e in g ow n ed by n o n -v e te rin a ria n s , th e p ro ­ g ra m h a d to re ly on th e d o n a t­ e d tim e an d good w ill of v e ts th ro u g h o u t M o n tre a l. D u e to a la c k o f v o lu n ta ry v e ts w ill­ in g to d o n a te o n e d ay a y ear, O p e ra tio n F e lin e w as fo rce d

ie s , m u n icip a l le g is la tio n th a t

th e ir p e t.”

12

Curiosity Delivers - mcgilltribune.com

By lain Macdonald

3 eggs

separate plate.

O n lin e E d ito r

3 c. bread crumbs 4 Tbsp. paprika 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste

6. Coat each strip first in flour, then dip in egg, and finally in the bread crumb mixture. Set the coated strips aside.

Chicken fingers are one of the most popular comfort foods. While the grocery store might offer mod­ erately priced frozen versions, it’s actually quite easy (and cheaper) to make your own. Homemade chicken strips are healthier than their fast food alternatives, and they’re more delicious. These can be made in bulk and saved in the freezer for midnight snacks.

Ingredients 2 chicken breasts 2-3 c. flour

7. You can either pan-fry the strips Directions 1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

2. Cut each chicken breasts into 4 or 5 strips. Be sure to trim the breasts of any excess fat missed by the butcher.

3. Mix the flour with salt and pep­ per on a plate.

4. Crack the eggs and beat well in a bowl.

5. Mix the breadcrumbs with pa­ prika and red pepper flakes on a

in butter and olive oil for 2 or 3 minutes per side before baking, or bake them straight away on a bak­ ing sheet for about 10 minutes.

Serve these with your favorite side dish (I suggest french fries) and ketchup, mustard, or barbeque sauce. Feel free to change the spices mixed in with the bread crumbs.

Wednesday

F rid a y

Sustainable Eating Cooking Demonstration

Self-Defence Course for Women

11:30-2:00 pan.

October 15 - Novem­ ber 27

Three Bares Park Stop by the McGill Farmers’ Market for informa­ tion about sustainable cook­ ing. Free samples, made with locally grown foods, will be available.

McGill Security Services is offering women on campus a chance to learn the basics of self defence. The session costs $20.00 To sign up go to mcgill .ca/security/training/

F rid a y

M onday

Referendum Question

Confronting Pseudoscience: A Call to Action October 18-19

Deadline 5 pan., SSMU Office All Referendum Ques­ tions for the fall General As­ sembly must be submitted to the SSMU office by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Four renowned researchers will be debunking the myths of pseudoscience in this year’s Lome Trottier Science Symposium. Visit mcgill.ca/ science/trottier-symposium/ for details.

joysofmommyhood.com L.

J

GIZM O S & GADGETS

T h e g re a te st in v e n tio n s o f all tim e By lain Macdonald

classes in history. The printing press

O n lin e E d ito r

gave the lower classes increased access to books, which at the time meant increased knowledge, which has made possible each of the fol­ lowing inventions on this list.

Sliced bread is awesome. But, if it’s truly one of the greatest inven­ tions of all time, why do people still own bread knives? Here are some other suggestions for the top inno­ vative inventions of all time. While these inventors may not have won Nobel Prizes, they certainly deserve some recognition.

5 . T he P rin ting P ress — The early printing presses were mechanical devices that could be loaded with letters to be printed onto a page. This made the production of books and other printed media sig­ nificantly easier. Before the days of laserjet printers, the printing press was responsible for the spread of knowledge. Long ago, books were significantly more expensive, as each book had to be handwritten by a scribe. The invention of the printing press by Johanes Gutenberg in the 1400s was one of the most signifi­ cant events for the lower and middle

4 . T he In tern et CERN’s TCP/IP connection, and the youngest invention on this list has definitely made a name for itself. If the Internet was shut off, the effects would be disastrous. In the 21 st century, the Internet has be­ come our primary tool for communi­ cation. If the whole network of com­ munication went down, we wouldn’t have access to email, telephones, television, radio, and more. Without the Internet, suppliers would not be able to coordinate with consumers.

Food and other merchandise would stop being delivered. Even electric­ ity is often managed by the Internet, so it would be hit-and-miss without it. Without significant government action, millions of people could die due to starvation, weather effects, and other disasters. It goes to show

that the internet provides a bit more than Facebook.

3 . T he T ran sisto r Electrical devices are every­ where, and so are transistors. From

in the blood becomes so large, so quickly, that the immune system can­ not respond in an adequate amount of time. A vaccination is just a small dosage of living or dead microbes

cell phones to microwaves to stop­

causing the illness, which can be

lights, every electrical device you come into contact with is likely made primarily of transistors. A transistor is a little electrical switch, invented

killed by the immune system. Then, when the person contracts the illness later in life, the immune system “re­ members” the microbes and is much quicker to mount a response, saving

by a team at Bell Labs in the 1940s.

In modem computers, there are bil­ lions of these little switches. The number of devices using transistors is staggering. Cars, planes, and near­ ly every computer made makes use of transistors by the million.

2.

V accinations

Since the mid-1800s when it became popular, the process of vaccination has saved hundreds of millions of lives. The idea is quite simple: the immune system devel­ ops antibodies which render harm­ ful agents in a human blood useless.

However, when a person is infected with a terrible disease like smallpox or polio, the number of microbes

the person’s life. While the mecha­ nisms for its action were unknown to Jenner and Pasteur hundreds of years ago, they noticed that it was effective in preventing illness.

1.

T he In tern al C om bus­ tion Engine No invention has been more in­ fluential than the internal combustion engine. Try to imagine life without it: we would not have cars, planes, trains, boats, and a number of other things which depend on these forms of transportation. Everything that was manufactured and transported any more than a few miles could not easily make the journey without the

internal combustion engine. This in­ vention, conceived by Carnot, first manufactured by Otto, has trans­ formed our lives in unimaginable ways.

13

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

TRAVEL

N o t

a ll c o n f lic t

a n d

c a r

b o m b s

in

th e

M id d le

E a s t

First Impressions ofTurkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan & Egypt

By Alison Bailey__________________ Features Editor

In a lecture for his course “De­ veloping World: The Middle East,” Professor Rex Brynen asked the class what were the first words that came to mind with the mention of the Middle East. Students’ answers were predictable: Islam, burka, falafel, camels, desert, oil, mosques, violence, conflict, car bombs, axis of evil, colonial legacy, ignorance, cradle civilization, and terrorism.

Back in April, before I decided to find out for myself, I probably would have said the same things.

In May, I traveled through Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt.

What I saw was very different from the Middle East I had read about in the newspapers and seen on televi­ sion.

Turkey Turkey’s increased integration with the West, improved trade rela­ tions with the European Union, re­ cent democratization, and increased political liberalism makes it an easy destination for tourists.

Starting in Istanbul, my travel partners and I travelled along the coast on the crystal clear Mediterra­ nean through the Dardanelles Strait,

Kusadasi, Ephesus, Troy, Oludeniz, Olympus, and finally through Cappadoccia. Each city has its own ex­ tensive history, whether it had host­ ed ancient civilizations or world war trenches.

In the month of May, we were still wearing sweaters, but we knew what we would face with the dry heat in Egypt.

Syria Not surprisingly, this is where we ran into the fewest tourists. The local people here were some of the nicest I have ever met. Our first cou­ ple of nights in Syria landed us in one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, Aleppo. The city, strate­ gically placed between major chan­ nels, is at the end of the Silk Road and has been a settlement for 4,000 years.

One of the first things we did upon our arrival was to eat very cheap, very good falafel. Each sandwich only cost the equivalent of a few of Canadian cents, but the vendor refused to let us pay. We tried leaving money on the table and walking away, but the vendor actu­ ally grew quite angry at our refusal to accept his offer. This is only one instance of the generosity Syrians showed us throughout our stay.

Lebanon After spending less than 12 hours in the country, it was difficult to gather an accurate opinion of it. In our limited stay, we were only able to go to Baalbek and Beirut. In Baal­ bek, we saw the largest temples ever built by the Romans.

Beirut is highly developed but heavily scarred with traces of the civil war. There is a striking contrast between buildings riddled with bul­ let holes and newly built highrises.

Safety was never a major concern, but we were advised to avoid the Hezbollah-controlled part of town.

Jord an There isn’t much in Jordan other than desert, but with lots of water at our disposal, we were able to fully appreciate the gorgeous landscapes at Wadi Rum and Petra.

Wadi Rum was Lawrence of Arabia’s base for the Arab revolt in the late 1910s. The granite rocks make peculiar formations, such as The Seven Pillars, and a natural bridge.

Petra, built by the Nabataeans, can be accessed by a narrow canyon­ like passage. The buildings and edi­ fices have been carved directly into the granite rock with amazing pre­ cision and detail. This city is more

famously known as the spot where

Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade was filmed. My friend and I couldn’t resist dressing up in Indiana Jones attire: white button up shirt, cargo pants, and a fedora. The sights from the top, of the monastery are breath­ taking.

One of the most beautiful sun­ sets I’ve seen was in Jordan over­ looking the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.

Everything seemed so peaceful for a city that has seen so much conflict.

Egypt Unfortunately, we met a hostile reception in Egypt. I’ve never ex­ perienced such a degree of hassling and catcalls. With a few exceptions, almost everyone in the large metrop­ olises tried to rip us off. Combined with the heat, our patience was lim­ ited.

But the tourist sites in Egypt are well worth the hassle. The Giza pyr­ amids, the Sphinx, Kamak temple, and the Valley of the Kings, are all world famous monuments of a great civilization that I’ve been reading about since first grade.

We were also lucky enough to go scuba diving in the Red Sea, one of the best spots in the world.

Dahab is famous for dives such as the Blue hole, the Canyon Dive, and

the Fisslegorge dive. The sea life— Stingrays, eels, “Nemo”’ , lionfish, napoleon fish, jelly fish, etc.—and the coral reefs were some of the most beautiful sights I’ve seen. I was hop­ ing to see a shark, but unfortunately (perhaps fortunately), none came near us. The only thing I complained about was seeing plastic bags in the water that I confused for jellyfish.

Pollution, not that it is ever accept­ able, really has no place in this part of the world.

Swimming across the Nile was worth whatever parasites now infest me. Cruising down the river in Fe­ luccas, we socialized with the locals and learned about the Nubian cul­ ture.

I realize that my experience in the Middle East was what most would call a privileged and sheltered one, and my insights about these countries are limited. But I learned that this part of the world isn’t just about conflict, car bombs, and cam­ els. Be it good, or bad, and whether or not I was able to understand any of it, the Middle East is more com­ plex than what the media would have you believe.

The whole trip cost about $4,000for six weeks, including air­ fare.

Clockwise from left: a woman with her baby in Damascus; women in a mosque in Damscus; the Monastery in Petra; Roman ruins in Baalbek ( Alison Bailey / McGill Tribune )

------------------------ a & e --------------------MUSIC

T o ro n t o ’s

C u f f th e

D u k e

s h o w

o f f s t r ip p e d - d o w n

s t y le

Oshawa natives flee to the countryside to record their latest effort

By Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite Contributor

Sometimes it pays to have good friends. Or, if you’re Toronto’s Cuff the Duke, good friends who are also Canadian rock legends. Last year, Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor ap­ proached the band and invited them to record some songs with him.

“He came to us and said, ‘Let’s just record for fun,”’ says singerguitarist Wayne Petti. “We did it in the summer and then came back to him and said we wanted to record an album.”

Keelor was on board, and Cuff the Duke recorded part of Way Down Here, the band’s fourth studio re­ lease, in August 2008 and the rest in the winter of 2009.

“We recorded at Greg’s farm in Middle of Nowhere, Ontario, in the middle of January,” Petti says.

“There was a big fireplace in his house, and we would stand around the fire in the morning and play songs before recording them.”

The album took just 11 days to record and mix, something Petti says that the band had never done in such a short time.

“We would just play songs, then pick one and record it,” he says.

“In that way, the recording process was very spontaneous, which we all really loved doing.”

The relationship between Keelor, Petti, and the rffst of Cuff

the Duke has since grown into a fullfledged musical collaboration. Fol­ lowing the completion of Way Down Here, Keelor invited Petti to sing on Blue Rodeo’s most recent album The Things We Left Behind, and join the band on their 2010 tour, which he describes as a “surreal” experience.

“They’re playing arena shows, so at the beginning it was kind of intimidating,” says Petti. “But I got used to it. They all took me under their wing, and we hit it off really well.”

The rest of Cuff the Duke joined the tour in mid-2010, and Petti will

continue to tour with Blue Rodeo in November, in between dates with Cuff the Duke on the East Coast leg of their tour schedule with fellow Canadian musician Christina Mar­ tin.

Originally from Oshawa. On­ tario, the band is a fixture of Toron­ to’s well-established independent musical community and no stranger to the road, having crossed the coun­ try more than 15 times. Even though they’re gaining recognition outside the local Toronto scene, it’s easy to forget how long they’ve been around. To illustrate this, Petti points

to the band’s first release, 2002’s Life

Storiesfor Minimum Wage.

“Our first album was released on the same day as [Broken Social Scene’s second release] You Forgot It In People, so we got to be really wrapped up in that scene,” he says.

“It was an exciting time to be a musi­ cian, and they really blew it open for a while on an international scale.”

Cuff the Duke’s music has changed and evolved over the years, and Way Down Here is another clear shift in attitude for the band, some­ thing that has translated into a differ­ ent performance style on tour.

“We tried to keep the live shows spontaneous, like our record­ ing process,” Petti says. “This tour is stripped-down, with a more acoustic sound. It’s very bare-boned.”

So far, the acoustic style of performing has been a hit with au­ diences across the West Coast, and Petti looks forward to bringing the new sound to the east. Following the East Coast leg, the band will head back into the studio with Keelor to record another album that Petti says will sound different than previous releases. Petti will also be recording and producing a solo album incorpo­ rating lo-fi production.

Despite Cuff the Duke’s growth in popularity inside and outside of Canada (Way Down Here was released on a U.S. label in April 2010), Petti says the band is staying grounded.

“We try not to over-analyze our lives and work,” he says. “If you start getting into that world and thinking about how successful or not successful you are, you’re going to get bummed out. We just stay in the moment and remind ourselves that there are so many bands out there that are just starting out and would love to be doing what we’re doing."

Cuff the Duke and Christina Martin will play Le Divan Orange on October 17.

P o p I t fie t o r ic A W o m a n ’s Right to Sex

Much to the chagrin of prudes, puritans, and everyone in between, the “Fuck List” of a recent Duke graduate was recently leaked on the Internet. The list, dubbed a “senior thesis” by creator Karen Owen (or as I shall soon need to call her, Hester Prynne), contained an in-depth anal­ ysis of 13 men she had slept with throughout the course of her univer­ sity career. The specifics of the list are irrelevant, because it’s really the reaction to the list that requires fur­ ther discussion.

The countless media responses, including major news outlets such as The Today Show (twice), were, in a word, terrifying. Sitting in the library of my institution of higher learning, I felt as though I had accidentally bought a one-way ticket to 17th cen­ tury Massachusetts. One Einstein

mused, “How is she ever going to get a boyfriend now that guys will know how many guys she’s slept with?” Touché, my friend. How dare a 22-year-old college graduate have sexual experiences! In a world of sexually explicit art, music, theatre, and cinema where does a woman’s sexual liberation and her right to express it fit in? Respondents may have masked their disdain and hor­ ror for the fact that her list violated the privacy of the men she’d slept with, but somehow their arguments all seemed to conclude with the same point: Karen Owen is a slut.

I have never believed in the word “slut” because I have no idea what it means, and neither do the majority of the people who use it.

When I hear someone use the term I’ll ask them, “What does it mean to be a slut?” This is often met with pauses and grumbles followed by shrugs from the challenged party.

This word “slut” has become discon­ nected from any actual meaning, yet it still causes pain and embarrass­ ment for those who are labelled it.

I don’t fancy myself a feminist, but the severity and intensity with which people negatively responded to the “Fuck List” and its author point to the fact that there is still a need for feminism, especially in the realm of women’s sexuality. This is magnified when you compare the public reaction to Tucker Max’s book, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, with Karen Owen’s “Fuck List.” For those of you who are un­ familiar with Max, a graduate of Duke Law School, he is a self-pro­ claimed asshole who created a blog that chronicled his slew of drunken hookups, which eventually resulted in the aforementioned book. On cer­ tain accounts, he too divulged the names of the women he’d slept with, which resulted in a number of law­

suits. How was Max received? Some called him a douche bag and an as­ shole. But other than the obligatory labels, his book went on to be a New York Times bestseller and continued to place on the list every year from 2006 to 2010. He was also offered a television pilot for Comedy Cen­ tral, a movie deal, and a $300,000 advance for his second book. Max made the rounds of interviews on all major networks while Owen has remained in hiding throughout the whole ordeal, only issuing a couple of apologies and granting a select number of phone interviews.

Where does a women’s right to express her sexuality fit in within our society? It becomes glaringly clear that it doesn’t. Women dictat­ ing sex on their terms and basing their actions on their desires is seen as overly aggressive and off-putting.

Making matters worse, other women sometimes view women who do so

negatively and pass judgment on them.

Not to sound histrionic but this poses a problem to all of society; it results in the sexual exploits of any­ thing other than white, heterosexual male sex being taboo. Yet we’re the only ones capable of propagating or stopping this. Much of what we’re taught at an early age about sex is lit­ tered with the biases of those teach­ ing us, whether it be our parents, our religious institutions, or our schools. Freeing yourself and others from this cycle is very easy—it can start with cutting the word slut out of your vocabulary and that of your friends. Fifty years ago, married couples were afraid to sexually ex­ periment or talk about their sex life.

Imagine what the sexual landscape could look like 50 years from now if we promote open-minded thinking today.

—Arielle Frank

15

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

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Housewife enters male-dominated horse racing world in Disney s Secretariat

By Emma H a m b ly __

___

Contributor

I went to see Secretariat having walked through rain for eight blocks to get to the theatre. I was miserable.

An hour and a half later I walked out happy. Granted, I had to endure some Disney-patented melodrama to get there, but for once I didn’t mind.

Secretariat is the inspirational, true story of the horse who won the 1973 Triple Crown—three races in five weeks—for the first time in 25 years. This “Big Red” horse won its last race by 31 horse lengths—a re­ cord that still stands 37 years later.

But viewers be warned, the movie is really more about Secre­ tariat’s owner, Penny (Diane Lane) than about the horse itself. The film begins with the death of Penny’s fa­ ther and her inheritance of the family farm. With the birth of a promising colt, Penny is thrown into the maledominated world of horse breeding and racing. The movie chronicles Penny’s giant risk: betting the farm and her inheritance on the big red horse.

Key players include trainer Lu­ cien Laurin (John Malkovich), sec­ retary Miss Hamm (Margo Martin-

In

C o n c e rt

DOUBLE WILL PAY

Penny, along with her entourage, proudly shows off her winning horse ( Slash Films )

dale), and groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis). These personable char­ acters support Penny as she faces off against the then “richest man in the world,” Ogden Phipps, rival horse teams, and the male equestrian world.

Secretariat is a feminist story about Penny, a ‘70s housewife, jug­ gling four kids and a multi-million-

: S u fja n

dollar horseracing career. Penny’s victories for women’s rights are echoed by the activist efforts of her daughter Kate (Amanda Michalka).

I thought I would have to turn off my critic’s brain to enjoy this movie, but Secretariat truly had some redeeming qualities. The race scenes were wonderfully shot and structured, making the stallions’ runs

exciting and suspenseful even if you knew how they would end.

The main drawback of Secre­ tariat is its script. The dialogue was often unrealistic, as characters spout­ ed one (or four) spur-of-the-moment inspirational quotes too many. Gems include “He’s not a racehorse, he’s Secretariat,” and “I’ve run my race, now you run yours.”

Secretariat is not a movie for the cynical viewer. There are foggy technicolour sunrises and scenes that beg the audience to become teary eyed. But it’s the true story of the “greatest racehorse that ever lived” if you need a lift. Secretariat is worth seeing, even if you end up trudging through the rain to get there.

S te v e n s

Sufjan Stevens performed at a sold-out Metropolis last night on both the official release date of his new album, The Age of Adz, and the first stop of his North American tour. “Let’s consider this a birthday party,” Stevens proclaimed early in the show, and proceeded to follow through with what can only be described as a celebration. Playing in front of a series of impressive projections and a 10-piece band featuring two drummers, a brass section, and costume-dad back-up singers, Stevens successfully captured the scope and sound of the new record. The set drew almost exclusively from the new release and the softer songs from this summer’s All D e l i g h t e d P e o p l e EP, with fan favourites from Illinois saved for the closer and encore. Most impressive was the 25-minute magnum opus “ Impossible Soul," played in all its auto-tuned glory. It was a bold move, but if the reaction of the audience was any indication, it paid off.

16

Curiosity Delivers - mcgilltribune.com

CD R eview s

LITERATURE

H a m ilt o n : .

HH m

Antony and the Johnsons: Swanlight Swanlight is the fourth release from singer-songwriter Antony Hegarty, and one that sees him moving in a new, subtler artistic direction.

After making waves in the music industry with his second album in 2005, Hegarty and his band have be­ come a critically acclaimed staple in the indie scene. It’s easy to see why: Hegarty’s vocals are full-bodied and emotive, filled with passionate in­ tensity but also a fragile sensitivity that few singers are able to match.

The baroque pop arrangements of Johnson's first few records, how­ ever, are less present on Swanlight.

Preference is given to sparse instru­ mentals, plucked strings, and stum­ bling keys, allowing Hegarty’s vo­ cals to dominate more than ever. The title track is laden with reverb and distortion effects, “Ghost” abounds with delicate piano arpeggios, and “Thank You for Your Love” kicks in with a sultry brass chorus. All the while Hegarty’s voice is a constant, moody and evocative. Although this album feels less melancholic—love seems to be often on his mind—He­ garty also sings regretfully about his family on “The Great White Ocean” and sad beginnings on “Everything Is New.” The lingering impression of Swanlight is the necessity of Ant­ ony’s lyrics. He sings like every song simply has to be sung, and this is what stays with the listener.

—Alexander Hamilton

Bedouin Soundclash: Light the Horizon Bedouin Soundclash, known for their unique brand of reggaetinged rock/soul music, return with their latest effort, Light the Horizon.

Understated as always, the band’s new release has a lot of what you’ve come to expect from them; lead singer Jay Malinowski’s distinctive vocals, sweet melodies, a laid-back vibe, and thought-provoking lyrics.

This album feels a lot less rous­ ing than previous efforts, though.

While songs like “Follow the Sun” and “A Chance of Rain” make for easy listening, they’re not as memo­ rable or exciting as previous hits like “Shelter” or “Walls Fall Down.”

The Juno Award-winning group def­ initely have their formula down pat, but this album feels a bit too sàfe and under-produced. Producer DJ King Britt brings out the tried and true in the band, and not much else. Aside from finding a new drummer, Sekou Lumumba, there isn’t a whole lot of noticeable change or growth on this album.

There’s no denying that Bed­ ouin Soundclash produce lovely music, but it’s just not enough. Most songs are heavily reggae-influenced, with acoustic songs like “No One Moves, No One Gets Hurt” few and far between. Standout tracks include the fun “Mountain Top,” and “Bru­ tal Hearts,” where the band pairs up with Quebec's Coeur de Pirate.

Bedouin Soundclash continue to create quality music, but without any risk involved.

—Liya Adessky

c it y

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Æ K Ilk

Bikers and mafiosos clash in Ontario

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By Carolyn Yates Contributor

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Black Mountain: Wilderness Heart Their music has been featured in Spiderman 3, they’ve opened for Coldplay, their last album was a contender for Canada’s coveted Polaris Music Prize—and you’ve probably never heard of them.

Straight from the heart of Van­ couver’s Downtown Eastside, Black Mountain has spent the last six years perfecting their unique, ‘70s stadi­ um-rock revival sound. Wilderness Heart, the group’s third full-length album, is a heavy-hitting power­ house of solid guitar licks, and thick harmonies. * A vintage feel is noticeable in their album’s opening tracks, “The Hair Song” and “Old Fangs.”

In many ways, Wilderness Heart sounds like the lost tapes of a band that was scheduled to play Woodstock, but somehow missed the show.

Black Mountain sounds noth­ ing like the usual suspects of indie rock, hip-hop, or pop rock for which Canada is currently famous., How­ ever, rather than going out to left field to create a new sound or style, the band looks back to arguably the greatest age of rock music and builds on it. With a sound reminis­ cent of Jimmy Hendrix and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, this album brings back the vintage sound of an earlier generation.

—Lucas van Lierop

When Johnny “Pops” Papalia, Godfather of the Hamilton Mafia, was shot on May 31, 1997, he left behind a power vacuum in organized crime in Ontario that would eventu­ ally become a revolution.

As the head of the Hamilton Mafia, Johnny Pops had just one rule: his people could not deal with less than a year, there was no one bikers. After his death and the sub­ to oppose the bikers and they came sequent passing of Carmen Baril- rushing in.” laro, Papalia’s right hand man, con­ Showdown begins, as the shift trol of the Hamilton Mafia passed to in organized crime did, with Johnny Dominic and Antonio Musitano, the Pops’ murder, and tells the story of same brothers who had hired Kenny the resulting struggle for control Murdock, the shooter behind both over Ontario in a world where the Barillaro and Papalia’s murders. Hells Angels and Walter Stadnick When Murdock turned into an in­ ruled the rest of Canada. But the formant, both he and the Musitano origins of Showdown are almost as brothers landed behind bars. In less interesting as the story itself. Lang­ than a year, faced with leaders who ton was initially contacted by former were either dead or in jail, and with Outlaws leader Mario “The Wop” other families under such heavy po­ Parente to write his biography. lice surveillance that they might as “[Parente] approached me well have been, the Hamilton Mafia originally to write his life story as he ceased to exist. saw it, but I couldn’t do that,” Lang­ But the province’s biker gangs ton says. “I had to investigate things were still around. And with the for myself. drug, prostitution, and vice markets “He got angry at me a couple of in Ontario hanging in the balance, times, because he came into the pro­ the subsequent street war between cess with certain things in mind that the Outlaws and the Hells Angels— he wanted to get accomplished,” Canada’s most violent biker gangs— Langton continued. “He wanted me was especially bloody. to tell the story as he saw it, and “It’s hard for people to under­ when I didn’t agree with that, he got stand now just how powerful Johnny angry at me, but was nothing short Pops was,” says Jerry Langton, au­ of gentlemanly and was very polite. thor of the recently released Show­ I would have liked to have worked down, which tells the inside story with him, but I couldn’t do what he of the war between the Outlaws and wanted me to do.” the Hells Angels, and the bestsell­ Drawing on interviews with ing Fallen Angel: The Unlikely Rise bikers, police, and informants, Lang­ of Walter Stadnick in the Canadian ton gives readers a look into both the Hells Angels. “He was basically the history and the world of organized only Canadian mafia figure who crime. With a level of detail reminis­ could sit at the table with the top cent of FBI-agent-slash-Mafia-infilguys in New York. He was part of trator Joseph Pistone’s The Way of the French connection; he ruled a the Wiseguy, and a conversational, big swath of Canada, particularly engaging tone, Showdown is a mustSouthern Ontario, for a very long read for anyone interested in the his­ time. After the Mafia imploded in tory of biker gangs in Canada.

-------------------------------S p o r t s ----------------------------BASEBALL-MCGILL WINS SERIES,

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C a n e to n

Strong pitching performances, backed by solid hitting and defense, carry Redmen to final

By Sam Hunter Sports Editor

On a sunny, cold afternoon in Côte St.-Luc, the McGill Redmen earned a place in the Canadian In­ tercollegiate Baseball Association Northern Conference Final by han­ dling the visiting Carleton Ravens in a two-game sweep.

The Redmen won the first game of the doubleheader, 8-2.

Starting pitcher Conrad Hall dominated on the mound, giving up only three hits in six and a third in­ nings.

Hall had good defence behind him, and got plenty of early run sup­ port.

“It’s a lot easier when you’re up by five runs after the second inning,” said Hall.

Head Coach Ernie Dalessandro testified to the importance of getting a win to start off the series.

“It’s always big, I mean the way the playoffs are set up, [if] we finish first we get home-field [advantange for] the first two games but if we split, which usually happens in a doubleheader, then we’ve got to travel to their park. It’s a suddendeath game at the opposition’s field and anything can happen. So it’s huge, very huge.”

After refueling with grilled cheese sandwiches and poutine at a nearby arena, both teams came out a bit sluggish for the second game, which McGill won 7-3.

It was much tighter than the first, and Carleton took its first lead of the series when it went up 1-0 in

The Redmen pitched and hit their way past Carleton for a berth in the CIBA Northern Confernence Final. Starting pitcher Conrad Hall dominated the first game, and they took the second on the strength of a three-run fourth inning. ( Adam Scotti and Maxime Sawicki / McGill Tribune )

the third inning.

But the Redmen quickly tied the score later in the inning and then broke it open with a three-run fourth. Casey Auerbach contributed one RBI in the inning and four total in the two-game set.

“I was seeing the ball well,” he said. “Guys got on base in front of me and I was able to come up with some clutch hits and we were able to score some runs.”

T When fantasy studs become studly fantasies

You know that indescribable feeling you have towards an athlete?

The one that goes beyond admira­ tion? You can’t quite put a finger on it, but you get the same jolt through your veins every time you see them on television or read about them on the Internet. You don’t just have a soft spot for this player—you really like them. This, my friends, is called a man-crush.

According to Urban Diction­ ary, a man-crush occurs “when a straight man has a ‘crush’ on another man, not sexual, but kind of idoliz­ ing him.” I have to admit—I have a

H

huge man-crush. You probably do too, although you may be reluctant to come to terms with it. I’m here to tell you, though, that a man-crush is completely acceptable and is some­ thing you should be proud of.

My man-crush starts and ends with one man: Kevin Durant. You know, the guy who became the youngest scoring champion in NBA history last season. The guy who just led team USA to a gold medal at the FIBA world championship for the first time in 16 years. The guy who, amidst all the LeBron James ‘Deci­ sion’ bullshit, decided to sign a fiveyear extension with a small-market club that he helped build from the ground up.

My infatuation with Durant began at the beginning of last sea­

In the aftermath of a big win on Thanksgiving weekend, next week’s final against Concordia seems a long way away.

“Right now, the boys are going to have a night to have a good time,” said Dalessandro, “[And] take a cou­ ple days to study. It is the weekend, a holiday weekend, so some of them will probably go home. But we’re going to start working out Tuesday night.”

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son, when I picked him sixth over­ all in our fantasy basketball draft. I wouldn’t call this a steal—I’d call it grand larceny. It’s normal to become obsessed with people on your fanta­ sy team. Let’s just say I became ob­ sessed with Durant over the course of the season as he single-handedly carried my fantasy squad to the championship match.

Checking his stats on a daily basis and seeing him put up huge numbers night-in, night-out made me proud of my man-crush. We were in this thing together—when he’d have a bad night, I would too.

When he dropped 40 points on an inferior defender, I was part of that scoring outburst too.

But my man-crush on Durant goes a lot deeper than his contribu­

The team will be preparing to play the Concordia Stingers, who have a 3-1 edge in regular season play against the Redmen.

Still, McGill is the top seed in the conference and will start off the series at home, which is, unfor­ tunately, Concordia’s home field as well.

“We played [them] tight so far this year,” said Auerbach, “So we’ve got to keep the bats hot. We know

we’re going to get the pitching so if we play good defence we’ll be all right.”

“Everything was working today —defence, pitching, hitting,” said Hall, “so I think we’re just going to try and not suck.”

The Redmen will play the Stingers on Saturday at noon in the CIBA Northern Conference Final at Trudeau Field in Côte St.-Luc.

I N tions to my fantasy dominance. KD is a breath of fresh air in a culture of egotistical, money-hungry superstars. He prefers to play in a small market because, as he says, “I’m not into the big city lights and the paparazzi. I just love playing bas­ ketball and chillin’ out.” That’s my boy.

Another alluring aspect of Du­ rant is his humility. This man is so humble that he posted his cell phone number on his Twitter account last week in order for fans to text or call him. When have we ever been given such personal access to a player so dominant at his sport? Durant doesn’t think he’s better than the av­ erage fan in any way, and that’s what makes him such a likable player.

I’ve truly enjoyed my man-

crush on Durant and I expect our relationship to flourish as time goes on. It doesn’t matter that the love is not reciprocated. It doesn’t matter that I will probably never speak to him face-to-face. I will continue to idolize him and bask in his success because he’s one of us. The dude is 22. He’s playing with all his friends on an NBA team and having a great time doing it.

Now that you know what a man-crush is all about, search through your list of favourite play­ ers and admit that there’s one that captures your soul. Be proud of your man-crush, but just remember, Du­ rant is mine.

—Jon Rubenstein

18

Curiosity Delivers, www.mcgilltribune.com

HOCKEY SEASON PREVIEW

INTERVIEW

M a r t le t s

R e c o r d - b r e a k in g

t it le - h u n g r y

r e c e iv e r

r e f le c t s

Team looking to make more history

Charles-Antoine Sinotte talks records, McGill, and his future

By Mari Mesri Contributor

On September 5, Redmenfoot­ ball wide-receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte became thefirst player in the CIS football history to register 200 career catches. During hisfive-year career, he has racked up 2,803 re­ ceiving yards, the 10th-most in CIS history. He also holds the recordfor most receptions in a single season (72) which he broke in 2007. The Tribune sat down with Sinotte to dis­ cuss his impressive career.

The Martlets Hockey team has been a longstanding source of pride for McGill, and they will continue making history this season.

As one of McGill’s most suc­ cessful teams, the Martlets have made it to the National Champion­ ship game in each of the past three years, bringing home two consecu­ tive golds (2008, 2009) and a silver (2010). The roster boasts members of the Canadian National Women’s team as well as the coach of the Vancouver Olympic gold-medal­ winning team. The Martlets have 16 retuning veterans and have seven rookies this year.

The Martlets currently hold a remarkable 82-game win streak against their Quebec University Hockey League opponents that began February 10, 2007. The team had an 86-game win streak against all Canadian university teams, which the University of Alberta broke last year in the final game of the Nation­ al Championships.

The Martlets looked strong against Concordia Friday, and s have the potential for another great season. Although a number of note­ worthy players graduated last year, the arrival of talented recruits has established a competive dynamic for this year’s team.

“All of our first years are bring­ ing a lot to the table this year”, said junior forward Lainie Smith. “They are all very skilled and it’s going to be tough to keep a spot this year.

You just have to work as hard as you can because you’ll never know who won’t dress in a game” The defence experienced only minor turnover and is led by newly elected captain, Cathy Chartrand, and two fifth-year veterans, Lisa Zane and Jasmine Sheehan. Char­ trand played for the Canadian Na­ tional team, and her experience and her ability to make plays will be crucial.

Rookie Gillian Ferrari is anoth­ er defender who represented Can­ ada on the national team. With an

I ■"

Olympic gold medal (Turin, 2006) amongst her many accomplish­ ments, Ferrari will enrich the de­ fence with her talent and expertise.

Overall, the defence core is as deep as ever, with five returning players and two rookies.

The forward line is difficult to predict, because it has five newcombers this year. Senior forward and three-time all-Canadian AnneSophie Bettez is back for her fourth season. She is known for her speed and her shooting accuracy and will be a force to be reckoned with.

Freshman Leslie Oles stole the spot­ light on Friday as she racked up a goal and two assists, clearly show­ ing what she is capable of. It will be interesting to see how the forward lineup takes shape in the early sea­ son.

There is a battle for the starting position in net. Taylor Salisbury and Andrea Weckman, the two backup goalies, will fight for starts as twotime Olympic gold medalist Char­ line Labonté is sidelined with an injury. Salisbury registered 16 saves in Friday’s opener.

The coaching staff will be led

by Peter Smith, who has returned to McGill from a year spent coach­ ing the Canadian National Women’s team to the 2010 Vancouver Olym­ pics. Amey Doyle, who took over for Smith last season, along with Stewart McCarthey and Shauna Denis, will be the assistant coaches.

With a tremendous amount of pressure to perform up to expecta­ tions and a reputation to preserve,, the Martlets have a lot on their plate.

“Obviously, our main goal is the national championship but we don’t really discuss it. We go dayby-day. We set that as a goal at the beginning of the season and now we just look for what’s directly ahead of us.” says Smith, “So we just play game by game and [don’t] think of that because we have so much to overcome before we actually get to that game, if we get to that game.”

The Martlets will resume reg­ ular season action against the Uni­ versity of Montreal on October 20.

What does breaking the records mean for you?

Well it’s nice to be able to leave your name in the books, but at the same time that’s not what you play for. The fact that we haven’t been doing well this season so far makes me wonder what it really means to break records when you don’t actu­ ally win. t’s definitely nice but you don’t play for stats, you play to win the games.

What do you enjoy the most about being on the team and playing football?

I like going through the highs and lows and knowing that you share those moments with 50 other guys.

Also, I feel that football is a really complete sport. It [has] the physical aspect of sport but also the mental part. There is a lot of strategy involved, and there is so much you can learn.

What have you gained from play­ ing at McGill?

It gave me a great education, which was one of my main objec­ tives going into university. It also taught me a lot about self-control, discipline, and developing a good work ethic. Combining school and sport definitely made me more in­ dependent and gave me better struc­ ture.

How have your teammates helped you become the player that you are today?

When I first came here, every­ thing was new for me coming from a French city. I didn’t know anyone, but football eased the transition from

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French to English because it gave me opportunities to meet people.

I’ve learnt from a lot of the guys who played my position before me and played with for my first couple years on the team. Learning from them and watching them has made me a more complete football player.

What has been the most memo­ rable experience thus far in your McGill career?

For sure, last year when we won our first game. After going winless for the previous two seasons, it was just unbélievable. I kind of forgot how it feels to win a game, so that was probably one of the highest points of my McGill career.

What has been the biggest chal­ lenge of your career?

When I played back at home in CEGEP, we won the provincial championships all three years so I was kind of used to winning no matter what. Winning was the only option. So when I came here it was completely different. We had to re­ build the program, there were a lot of weaknesses, and it taught me to build from losses. In the past, every­ thing was already set for us and I just had to play, but here was a lot more work, especially in the off-season.

Last year, you were invited to the C FL evaluation camp. What was it like to be amongst the other top athletes in the CIS? It was a great experience be­ cause you get to compete against the best players in Canada. It required a lot of preparation and I put a lot of

focus on it. It didn’t work out the way I wanted, but I still gained a lot from it and it taught me a lot on how to bounce back from a disappoint­ ment.

Is playing in the C FL still some­ thing you’d like to pursue?

It would be an interesting career for sure. Getting paid to do what you love is a pretty great concept.

It’s been a tough start this season, but what are your goals for the team, being one of its cap­ tains?

Our first goal is definitely to make the playoffs, he beginning of the season has been hard, but we still have a shot at making the playoffs if we finish strong. We just want to finish on a good note and enjoy what we do because we dedicate so much time to it.

What is the team dynamic like?

One of our strengths I would say is that we have really good syn­ ergy. Our team is very close and it’s a great group of people on and off the field.

Before each game, are there any pre-game rituals that you per­ form?

I’m a pretty bad person on game days. I don’t like talking to anyone so I just put on music and try to focus on my stuff. Guys have asked me if I don’t like them before games but it’s really just that I like to do my final mental preparation.

—compiled by Mari Mesri

McGILL BOOK FAIR

~ O ne

( John Kelsey / McGill Tribune )

Wednesday &Thursday

October 20-21

9 AMto 9 ^

Redpath Hall

3461 McTavish Street •Gently used b ooks in all categ o ries All proceeds in support o f McGill scholarships & bursaries

19

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

H O CKEY

M a r t le t s

o p e n

s e a s o n

w it h

s e v e n - g o a l f ir e w o r k s

d is p la y

Led by O les, rookie class leads charge in 7-4 win over Concordia; early kinks still being worked out

By John Hui Contributor

It was a night to remember for Leslie Oles. In the first game of her university career, the rookie forward tallied a goal and a couple of helpers to propel the Martlets to a 7-4 win in their season opener against the Con­ cordia Stingers.

Just 30 seconds into the game, captain Cathy Chartrand fired a hard, low slapper that bounced right to Oles, who didn’t falter on her first shot of the game.

“It was really exciting for me, especially being a rookie at my first game. Our captain just fired a re­ ally nice shot, and the next thing I know the puck was on my tape and I just tried to get it away as fast as I could,” said a beaming Oles.

That goal sparked the Martlets’ five-goal explosion in the first peri­ od. Their speed forced the Stingers’ defence to back off, giving McGill shooters plenty of room to shoot and create second chance opportunities.

When forward Lainie Smith sur­ prised a Stinger’s power-play unit

The Martlets netted five goals in the second period on a goal-heavy night.

with a shorthanded beauty in the 19th minute, McGill fans couldn’t be blamed for thinking the game was already over.

But Concordia didn’t back down, coming back with determina­ tion in the second period. They were quick to get the puck out of their own zone and drive hard to the net.

The Martlets’ defence was unable to support goaltender Taylor Salisbury

and it cost them.

At the beginning of the third frame, an opportunistic Concordia attack stung McGill twice on three shots, bringing a rowdy crowd of mostly Concordia fans to their feet.

But the Martlets regained compo­ sure, limiting Concordia to only two more shots.

“It was a good start to the sea­ son. I thought the girls played well

M E N ’ S H O C K E Y P R E V IE W

O U A

In university sports, turnover is the norm. Good teams are disman­ tled every year as players graduate or exhaust their eligibility.

That’s why expectations are so high for the 2010-11 McGill Redmen, who have every key player from last year’s OUA championship team returning except for physical defenceman Yan Turcotte.

After posting a 22-6-0 regu­ lar season record and capturing the Queen’s Cup as OUA Champions last season, this year’s Redmen will look to improve upon a disappoint­ ing last-place finish at the National Championship Tournament.

“These guys are hungry,” said McGill Head Coach Kelly Nobes.

“There’s a sense of some unfinished business with this group.”

Nobes is entering his first sea­ son as head coach, after being hired over the summer to replace interim Head Coach Jim Webster.

Nobes plans to continue em­ ploying the uptempo offence that made McGill one of the most excit­ ing teams in the CIS, but he stressed the importance of improving team discipline. The Redmen were the third most-penalized team in the CIS last year and had a habit of taking selfish and undisciplined penalties.

tonight, but we weren’t as sharp as we needed to be,” said Martlets Head Coach Peter Smith.

It shouldn’t take long for the Martlets to get into a groove. This year’s team looks as promising as any in recent memory. Leslie Oles wasn’t the only impressive rookie; Rearguards Gillian Ferrari and Adri­ enne Crampton played with poise.

Katia Clement-Heydra looked com­

fortable with star sniper Ann-Sophie Bettez and the creative Kim TonThat.

“It was fun playing with those two girls. When you play with such great players, they push you and it forces my game up a notch,” Clem­ ent-Heydra said.

McGill plays exhibition match­ es against Princeton and Yale next weekend.

L E A D E R S H IP T R A IN IN G P R O G R A M

c h a m p s

By Matt Chesser_________________ Contributor

Adam Scotti / McGill Tribune )

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n a t io n a l t it le

“I felt that, especially at the National Championship [where the Redmen were shorthanded 14 times in two games], there was a lack of discipline in their play,” said Nobes.

“That’s one of our standards this year—we expect our players to work hard but be disciplined.”

After leading the CIS with 156 goals last season, the Redmen of­ fence looks as dangerous as any unit in the league. Francis VerreaultPaul returns after finishing second in the CIS with 56 points and win­ ning OUA East Player of the Year honours last season. A gifted skater with a wicked wrist shot, VerreaultPaul brings equal measure skill and grit to the team—he’s racked up 226 penalty minutes and 80 points in two years at McGill.

“A lot of times you get really skilled guys who don’t work very hard—Verreault-Paul isn’t one of those guys,” said Nobes. “He’s a very talented player, but he’s also a fierce competitor and an on-ice lead­ er for our team.”

Joining Verreault-Paul on the top line will be centre Alexandre Picard-Hooper, who had a league­ leading 38 assists last season, and junior Andrew Wright, a six-foottwo winger who had 10 goals last season.

Anchoring the blue line is smooth skating Marc-André Dorion,

winner of the 2009-10 CIS Defenceman of the Year award. Dorion at­ tended the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie camp this fall, after leading OUA defencemen in points last sea­ son.

“Dorion has the poise that those top NHL defencemen have— that ability to draw a guy towards him and then make a tape-to-tape pass,” said Nobes. “He sees the ice extremely well and makes everyone around him better.”

In goal, Hubert Morin will re­ ceive the bulk of the starts after post­ ing a 17-3-0 record and a .917 save percentage last season.

The Redmen opened the regu­ lar season with a pair of road victo­ ries. On Friday, McGill defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-2 in overtime. McKieman’s first goal in Red ‘n’ White was the gamewinner, while Wright and Genest chipped in with markers during regu­ lation time. The following night, the Redmen hammered the Nipissing Lakers 9-4. Eight different Redmen scored goals, while Picard-Hooper and Maxime Langalier-Parent each tallied three assists.

The Redmen (2-0) travel to Trois-Rivières on Thursday night to take on the perennial powerhouse UQTR Patriotes (1-1). McGill then hosts the Patriotes on Monday at 7 p.m. at McConnell Arena.

L e a d e r s h ip S k ills D e v e lo p m e n t W o r k s h o p s

L e a d e r s h ip

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Leadership Training Program First-Year Office

•Interested in gaining skills in leadership?

•Involved in a student club, service or organization as an executive, organizer or event planner?

•Looking for ways to expand & build on your life skills?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of the above, then don’t miss this opportunity to sign up for the Leadership Training Program’s FREE Skills Development Workshops!

These workshops were created to give you the chance to develop and build on your leadership and life skills. Attend a minimum of five workshops throughout 2010/1 1 academic year and receive a certificate of completion.

T h is O cto b er, co m e a n d ch eck o ut...

P u b lic S p e a k in g 1 0 1 Tuesday, October 19 , 5: 30 -7 : 30 pm (downtown campus) Do you get the jitters when speaking in front of your class? Public speaking can be a requirement for many professions. This workshop will help you face your fears, as well as give you tips on being a become a speaker.

E v e n t P la n n in g Wednesday, October 27, 5:3 0-7 :3 0 p m (d o w n to w n cam pus) Do you get the jitters when speaking in front of your class? Public speaking can be a requirement for many professions. This workshop will help you face your fears, as well as give you tips on being a become a speaker.

R eg istratio n n o w a v a ila b le v ia M in e rv a !

To access the site and/or see a complete list of workshops offered this semester, go to our website at: www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/leadertraining/

For more info, drop by the First-Year Office in the Brown Building, Suite 2100, or call 514-398-6913

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