The McGill Tribune Vol. 31 Issue 4

H E C scandal

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M o s t f a m o u s M c G i ll ia n E d it o r ia ls O p t o u t d e b a te D e x t e r p r e v ie w

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Published by the Tribune Publication Society Volume No. 31 Issue No. 4

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Fall General A ssem bly p asses three motions before losing quorum Eric M a u s e r____________

News Editor Monday marked the first SSMU general assembly o f the year. To the disappointment o f SSMU executives and students, the number of attend­ ees dropped below a hundred after the first hour, bringing the GA under quorum and limiting the rest o f the event to deliberation only. The as­ sembly adjourned over an hour and fifteen minutes earlier than sched­ uled.

The resolution drew several speakers both for and against. Ped­ neault, speaking for the proposed resolution, said, “This [resolution] would ensure that anyone, regardless of financial means or background, can enjoy access to university.”

During the brief hour that the GA managed to maintain quorum, three motions were passed.

The first motion was put for­ ward by SSMU President Maggie Knight. The resolution was con­ cerned with the bylaws for SSMU’s

“ Education definitely is a right.

It is not a privilege,” declared one impassioned proponent o f the reso­ lution.

Board o f Directors. The motion out­ lined the powers, roles, and respon­ sibilities o f each director.

With no speakers in opposition, the backing for this resolution was

“ We not only have to vote for it, but we have to fight for it,” the anonymous student added.

In opposition, Brendan Steven, a political science student and mem­

nearly unanimous and passed with a vote of 99 to two with several ab­ stentions.

ber o f Conservative McGill, cau­ tioned against the impact that pass­ ing such a resolution could have.

“I f we take the stance that we are going to oppose any and all leg­ islation that would increase our tu­ ition in any way, we’re off the [ne­ gotiating] table ... all because we’re

The second motion, put forward

by Aryeh Canter, a student at the GA, which mandated an annual sus­ tainability report, was received with similarly widespread support. The resolution allows for the creation of a new report on sustainability to be written by the Sustainability Coor­ dinator. This would better organize SSMU’s sustainability efforts. It passed by a vote o f 115 to two with five abstentions.

S tu d e n t votes at C A . (Sam Reynolds / M c G ill T ribune)

The third and final motion passed by the GA was by far the most contentious. The resolution, which was put forward by a group including SSMU VP Internal Joël Pedneault, called for a gradual re­ duction and eventual elimination o f all fees for higher education, and protests against tuition fee increas­ es.

going to take a hardline, no negotia­ tion stance,” said Steven.

Though vocal, the opposition to this resolution was not strong enough to cause its defeat. After the resolu­ tion passed, a group of those who See “A S S E M B L Y ” on page

2

MUNACA: strike update, week three M c G ill files

in ju n ctio n ,

McGill was granted an injunc­ tion by Quebec courts Friday to con­

M U N A C A

su p p o rte rs

trol protesting at campus entrances.

such as loudspeakers or air horns, cannot be used within 25 metres of university property.

Striking M U NACA workers are now forced to stay four metres away from the university gates. The num­ ber o f protestors will also be capped within the four metre boundary.

Additionally, noise makers,

Michael Di Grappa, the univer­ sity vice pesident o f Administration and Finance, explained why McGill pursued an injunction in court. “ Because of activities in the past week where we felt that the

d isru p t S en a te,

M c G ill

a cc u s e d

o f h irin g s c a b s

safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff was at risk, where

site has issued a statement on the injunction.

“ [I]t means that it has not been ‘business as usual’ at McGill. In

we felt that the university wasn’t able to operate properly ... because o f complaints that we received from students due to the noise ... we felt that we had to act,” Di Grappa said.

“We will respect the ruling, but we will also show McGill they can’t shut up 1700 employees exercising our right to freedom o f expression,” the statement read.

fact, we’ve been so successful at expressing our dissatisfaction that McGill went to court to try to shut us up.”

M U NACA could not be reached for comment. The M U NACA web­

The statement also declared the injunction to be a positive sign.

■

While M U NACA viewed the injunction as a sign o f its impact on

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N e w s Update: Week three C o n tin u ed fro m C O V E R the university, Di Grappa disagreed. “ I think what the injunction shows is that their activities were against the law,” said Di Grappa.

According to him, the injunction was “ absolutely not” a sign o f hostil­ ity toward MUNACA. He also said it should not affect negotiations be­ cause it has not changed the terms.

SCAB R EP O R T R ELEA SED Last week, reports surfaced that McGill had engaged in hiring scab labour and an investigator from the labour board of Quebec (Commis­ sion des normes de travail) began by pursuing information regarding to an original 57 complaints, though he uncovered many more complaints during the investigation. At the con­ clusion of the 12-day investigation, the CNT found the university guilty of hiring scab labourers.

The CNT investigator, Thomas Hayden, investigated over 100 cases in which M U NACA workers were replaced by non-MUNACA work­ ers. O f these, he discovered 26 in­ stances of scabbing in violation of

AMUSE president Fariddudin Attar attributes this in part to the nature of AMUSE members’ employment. “ [Many] casual workers at McGill ... don’t have job descrip­ tions, fixed hours, [or] contracts; they can be whatever their employ­

ing but rather provides the grounds for M U NAC A to file a law suit.

ers want.”

Perhaps another issue is that AMUSE is currently involved in its first contract negotiations with the

the law,” Di Grappa said, “ there are clear cases o f factual error [in the report] ... and in other cases, [the in­ vestigator] has a different interpreta­

university. As such, the union is only beginning to standardize AMUSE working hours and job descriptions,

tion o f the law and o f our rights” M UNACA, which did not return calls for comment, displayed the la­ bour report findings prominently on

among other things. “ We know that AMUSE work­ ers [have been working] a lot of M U NACA hours ... whether that’s legally scabbing or not could be a gray area ... the division of labour between what a M U NAC A worker does and what an AMUSE worker does is not quite clear.”

McGill, however, is unfazed by the investigator’s findings. From the outset, the university has main­ tained that it has done nothing il­ legal. There are instances in which McGill can replace striking workers in accordance with Quebec’s labour laws. These include managers and

Sections of article 109.1 o f Quebec’s Code de Travail. Some of these in­ cidences of scabbing were cases in which members of the Association o f McGill Undergraduate Student Employees (AMUSE) had filled in

unsolicited volunteers, as outlined on the University’s Human Resourc­

for M U NAC A workers on strike.

the report, which is not legally bind-

St u

d y

es website.

According to Di Grappa, this report will hold little bearing on the University’s actions. The outcome of

a n d s

G O ABROAD S

Hwever, this is not likely to change the way in which the university be­ haves. “ We believe that everything we’ ve done is in compliance with

its website.

D IS R U P T IO N A T S E N A T E McGill senators making their way into last Thursday’s senate meeting were greeted by the sound of M U NACA supporters chanting and drumming. A group o f over 20 vocal protesters congregated outside the senate’s meeting room but were denied entry on the basis o f main­ taining order at the meeting.

There was much discussion regarding the labour disruption at senate. Principal and senate chair Heather Munroe-Blum expressed the administration’s desire to quick­ ly reach a fair settlement with MU­ NAC A, acknowledging that “ McGill is proud of all o f its employees.”

Senator and Professor o f Com­ munication Studies Darin Barney

spoke against the administration’s

was leading a discussion about the

‘ business as usual’ apporach during the strike, which he believed to be inaccurate. He spoke o f managers who refused to even acknowledge their striking co-workers as they crossed picket lines and managers overworked to maintain seeming

strike when a student brought up the ongoing demonstration. “ The class unanimously decid­

normalcy.

Many senators wanted to know how McGill foresees continuing into the strike with an increasing burden

dently of M U NACA,” said Joël Pedneault, SSMU VP External, of

on managers who have been del­ egated much o f the work normally done by striking workers. When Munroe-Blum declined to comment,

from the office of the Dean o f Stu­ dents reminded students that al­ though McGill is technically a carfree campus, they were occupying an emergency vehicle route and had to be aware in case any cars came through. Security members were present, including one who held a video camera, but did not interact

suggesting that Senate was not the correct venue for such discussion, many senators drummed on tables as a form o f respectful protest. A number of M U NACA supporters walked out. “ McGill revises its contingency plans on a daily basis,” Di Grappa said in a follow-up interview. “We

ed that we wanted to come out and support M UNACA,” said Brinn Da­ vies, a U0 student in the seminar. “ This was organized indepen­

the strike.

An administrative

member

with the protestors.

The demonstration ended with a march to the James Administration building.

will be able to keep it up.”

S T U D E N T -L E D P R O T E S T At noon on Monday, approxi­ mately 50 students sat at the Y-in-

—Compiled by Anand Bery, Eric Mauser, Elisa Muyl, and Holly Stewart

tersection on McGill campus in pro­ test of the injunction levelled by the University against the M U NACA strikers. They were soon joined by students from Michelle Hartman’s first-year seminar. Hartman, an As­ sociate Professor of Islamic Studies,

General Assembly who had voted for the resolution, the GA fell 45 members below quorum and could not pass any more legisla­

support for unions on a case by case basis was defeated, but since quo­ rum was not reached, the vote was non-binding. The remaining mo­ tions will be deliberated and will be decided upon at the next SSMU

tion.

Council meeting.

C o n tin u ed fro m C O V E R voted against the resolution walked out. Accompanied by other students

The remaining G A attendees did, however, continue to discuss issues o f workers’ solidarity as a deliberative body, most o f whom were in favour o f a motion that would mandate SSMU to support all current and future campus unions on strike. Solidarity with striking workers enjoyed widespread sup­ port amongst remaining GA mem­ bers. There was some debate over whether or not it would be wiser to deliberate each future labour dispute individually, instead of passing the blanket motion. “ I don’t think we can ever say that democracy is not necessary,” David Benrimoh, a Faculty of Medi­ cine student and speaker against au­ tomatic support, said.

Benrimoh elaborated that while he is staunchly pro-MUNACA and the M U NAC A strike, he is more pro­ democracy and pro-consultation.

However, the right to vote on

(Sam Reynolds / M c G ill T ribune)

Wednesday, Septem ber 28, 2011

3

CAMPUS

Wave of unionization hits campus M U N A C A

o n e

o f m a n y

By Elisa M u yl______________________

News Editor Of all of the labour disputes on campus, the MUNACA strike has most tangibly affected students. For some, this is limited to the awkward process of crossing picket lines for class. For others, the strike has sub­ stantial implications for their re­ search, labs, or graduation schedules.

The MUNACA strike is only part of a larger trend toward union activity on campus, as many groups are in talks with the administration.

The Association of Gradu­ ate Students Employed at McGill

in

n e g o tia tio n s

w ith

the University requested that AGSEM table its main demands.

“They seemed really willing to speak with us,” Mooney said. “They wanted to add as many [negotiation rounds] as possible [and] want to meet on weekends if we’re avail­ able ... [there’s a] sense of urgency,” Mooney said.

The Association of McGill Undergraduate Student Employees (AMUSE), is writing a collective agreement with McGill after unioniz­ ing in 2009. The casual nature of their employment—to be standardized dur­ ing negotiations—complicates recent

CRAWFORD. MEYER. QUAIL.

A d m in is tra tio n

we find ourselves,” Michael Di Grap­ pa, VP Administration and Finance at McGill, said. He added that the Quebec government allows for a 1.2 per cent wage increase in its budget.

“Any [additional funding] the uni­ versity would have to find from other sources. They’ve also made it clear that we can’t take any money from the tuition increase ... We have to manage the budget globally.”

These claims have been con­ tested. SSMU recently pledged its research resources to verify McGill’s financial predicament.

Nonetheless, these cutbacks have heralded a wave of union activity on

(AGSEM), which represents teaching assistants, has been in contract nego­ tiations with McGill as of last spring.

Their demands include an increase in TA hours, the reservation of TA posi­ tions for eligible TAs (as opposed to

reports of scab labour during the MU­ NACA strike, which McGill contests (see “ MUNACA,” cover). The out­ come of negotiations has implications for the strike, and vice versa. “ If McGill concedes ... it shouldn’t be too difficult to ask them

course lecturers or undergraduates),

to concede on other issues of the same

regular meetings between TAs and course supervisors, and a wage in­ crease to match inflation.

Jonathan Mooney, a member of

principle,” AMUSE president, Fariddudin Attar said.

A common issue is wages; these negotiations must be taken in the

in the Sept. 16 rally through their af­ filiations with the Public Service Alli­ ance of Canada. “ People are realizing more and more that if democracy in a public ed­

AGSEM’s teaching assistant bargain­

context of broader changes at the uni­

ucation institution is to work, it needs

ing committee, noticed that the ad­

versity level. Citing financial issues,

ministration took a more co-operative tone in the most recent round of nego­ tiations, held on Sept. 16. Previously,

McGill has been cutting back.

“What is the same is the eco­ nomic and financial context in which

active and meaningful participation,” Attar said. “ [That] begins with organ­

campus. In an unprecedented level of inter-union activity, regular meetings have been held between workers’ and student unions. AMUSE and the As­ sociation of McGill Undergraduate Research Employees were involved

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CAMPUS

SSMU Strategic Summit S S M U

h osts

first

in

series

o f s u m m its

By Eric M a u s e r News Editor

Kady Patterson, U3 Education Rep­ resentative to SSMU.

This past Friday, a SSMU meet­ ing designed to foster communica­ tion and openness among university

The meeting was designed to be an open forum. “ I think it is a really exciting ini­ tiative that the president is bringing forward ... this level of discussion

Deputy Provost for Student Life and Learning. “ I ’m going to hold up a mir­ ror just to show that this moves in two directions,” Mendelson said, in response to criticism o f the ad­ ministration’s unwillingness to

doesn’t usually go on for SSMU,” Jaimie Burnett, U2 Arts Representa­ tive, said.

However, the discussion even­

compromise on issues such as the M UNACA strike and tuition fees.

He pointed out that once SSMU has taken a stance, it is equally inflex­

tually grew heated between students and the administration.

ible, and that the administration and students will not always see eye-to-

Burnett said during the summit that he felt frustration that the admin­ istration didn’t share students’ views on issues important to students. “ If we really are in a situation where our administration doesn’t see that [the students] are concerned [about] having an accessible uni­ versity, then maybe we should be talking about how [to] get adminis­

eye. Nevertheless, Mendelson was enthusiastic about the meeting. “ I think [the summit] went well,” Mendelson said. “ I think it is addressing a concern for students and for the administration. The for­

groups became the latest display of student-administration tension.

The meeting was the first in a series o f “ Strategic Summits” planned by SSMU president Maggie Knight, which are designed to foster discussion on solving concrete prob­ lems related to SSMU and McGill.

This summit focused on improving communication between SSMU and students as well as between students and the administration. Nearly 50 students participated over the course of the afternoon.

Knight began by discussing steps to facilitate campus dialogue. “ One of the big things we talked about was the need to engage people who aren’t already engaged,” Knight said. She hoped the meeting would serve to ease communication and in­ crease involvement at McGill. “ Something we suggested ear­ lier was having a CaPS/myFuture basis for volunteer opportunities, committee positions,” explained

trators who will be concerned about those issues,” Burnett said.

Another summit participant called for democratic elections of administration, which caused sev­ eral students to snap their fingers as a form o f applause.

Representing McGill’s admin­ istration was Morton Mendelson,

mat was inviting and open, which was useful for a lot of the students represented. I was really pleased to be invited to it, to be able to hear what people had to say firsthand, and to be able to express my opinion.”

Other students were not so en­ thusiastic about the administration. “ I think it’s kind o f the same old ... the administration has their stance and it’s very obvious that'they don’t care what we have to*say,” Pat­ terson said.

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4 ----------------------------C ITY

Scandal at University of Montreal business school H u m a n ita ria n

c o m p la in t filed

o v e r o rien ta tio n

a ctivity

colours, and waved Jamaican flags.

McGill law student Anthony Morgan was on the University of Montreal campus at the time o f the

that the perpetrators were not just university students, but in business school. “ These are going to be the peo­

we have had to face this kind of issue,” Grant said. “The event was a bad idea, we agree ... it was per­ ceived as [racist] and we completely

to the rest of the student body. “ We want the program to bè durable, not only for this fall, but for the years to come,” Grant said. “ We will propose

understand why.”

Concerning the students in­ volved, both Morgan and Grant agree that the appropriate course of action is education. “ There is a discussion that

sports and leisure committee, was hosted at the University o f Mon­ treal’s football stadium. Each group o f students that partook in the event

can descent, said. “ It was [...] a total situation o f life and cultural illiteracy. Students were chanting ‘ smoke more weed, ya man, ya man,

ple managing the corporate world. Is this where they’re starting?”

While Morgan believed there was “ no direct malice” or racist in­ tent in the costumes, he challenged the claim that the event’s theme was ‘Olympics.’ Morgan also saw groups dressed as fishermen and cheerlead­ ers. “These are [clearly] not Olym­ pic teams,” he said.

Morgan plans to file a human

that the community [gain] more

sporting event.

The event, organized by HEC’s

event. He initially saw some o f the students in question on the street, and later made his way over to the stadium, where he began filming in the stands. “ I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Morgan, who is o f Jamai­

represented a different Olympic

ya man!’”

rights complaint with the Quebec

sity.”

being bad now, but a year from now,

sport.

HEC Communications Direc­ tor Kathleen Grant explained that the group of students given track and field had “ decided to honour

A student wearing a monkey hat greeted Morgan and exclaimed, “ We have a real black here!”

Morgan felt “ deep disappoint­ ment” at the behavior he witnessed.

Human Rights Commission. “ They have the resources and expertise to do a proper investigation [...] and provide suggestions and policy

“ These students are so underexposed that, to them, it makes sense to re­ duce humanity to mere cosmetics,” Morgan said, expressing concern

recommendations about how [this behavior] can be avoided in the fu­

we will be stronger because o f it,” Grant said.

In light of the recent events, Morgan hopes students across Can­ ada will also organize cross-cultural

the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.”

The students in question painted their arms, legs and faces with black paint, dressed in Jamaica’s national

The HEC’s plan o f action re­ flects Morgan’s recommendations.

The students who painted them­ selves in blackface will have to at­ tend a compulsory training session on intercultural sensitivity. “This is

ture,” Morgan said.

The HEC took the situation very seriously. “ This is the first time

the first step,” Grant said.

The HEC intends on eventually making these new courses available

By Bea Britneff Contributor Haute

Études Commerciales

(HEC), the business school at the University o f Montreal, is facing a human rights complaint after stu­ dents painted their bodies black for a Jamaican-themed back-to-school

needs to be had,” Morgan said. “ I think [the HEC] should take this as an opportunity to discuss the place and presence, or lack thereof, o f race and multiculturalism in their univer­

awareness about these issues, which are important in our society.”

The student body of the HEC is diverse, with students hailing from over 100 countries around the world. Grant hopes that as a result of the new program, incoming students will be better prepared for their ex­ posure to new cultures. “ We look at the situation as

public discussions around the place of race and multiculturalism in their university.

CAMPUS

Most famous McGillian named C h a n g tak es th e

cake, fo llo w e d

by C o h e n

an d

R u th e rfo rd

By )ulian Moss

wrote Professor Satya Prakash, who

Contributor Do you know who McGill’s most notable graduate is? The McGill Alumni Association does.

nominated Chang.

Second place was awarded to poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen, BA ’55. Cohen, a former president of the McGill Debating Union, has re­

comprehensive nature o f the list.

I mean, in first place you have an esteemed scientist, Dr. Chang, and in second you have someone from a completely different field: the ac­ claimed artist Leonard Cohen,”

In honour of McGill’s 190th anni­

ceived extensive critical acclaim for

Derek Cassoff, Director o f Commu­

versary, the association initiated and facilitated the nominations of over 700 alumni for the title of Greatest McGillian. After months o f intense

both his music and literary works. In response to having received such a high ranking, Mr. Cohen said via his publicist that he was “ deeply hon­

nications o f McGill’s Development and Alumni Relations, said.

For example, celebrity William Shatner placed 14th, and Wilfrid

deliberation and almost 60,000 votes, the top 20 McGillians have

oured.”

Nobel Prize winner Ernest Ru­

finally been identified.

Dr. Thomas Chang, BSc ’57, M'DCM ’61, PhD ’ 65, secured first place with a resounding 7501 votes and multiple nominations. Chang, who still teaches in the Faculty of Medicine, is credited with having in­ vented the world’s first artificial cell.

The early stages of his invention

therford clinched third place for his groundbreaking research in chemis­ try and physics. Rutherford discov­ ered the half-life o f an atom while teaching at McGill, a breakthrough

Laurier, Canada’s first French-Canadian prime minister, placed ninth.

The field o f athletics was well repre­ sented, with James Naismith, inven­ tor of basketball, and Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Heil both making the list. Last but not least, the found­ er o f the university, James McGill,

were conducted in his dorm room in Douglas Hall during the late ’ 50s. “ [Thomas Chang’s] invention of artificial cells was the forerunner o f modem nanotechnology, nano­ biotechnology, and nanomedicine,”

which directly led to his 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The physics giant worked alongside notable con­ temporaries Hans Geiger and Neils Bohr to create the foundation of modem chemistry.

The illustrious nature o f the list is matched only by its sheer diver­ sity. “ What’s really amazing is the

came in at seventh place.

The works o f these great men and women give a sense of identity to the university, as well as highlight its stellar international reputation.

The winners will be commem­ orated on Oct. 16 as a part o f this year’s homecoming.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

5

CAMPUS

The search for post graduation employment G ra d u a tio n

m a y

be

m o n th s

By Eric Mauser News Editor The class o f 2011 has left McGill, diplomas in hand, eager and career-ready. However, realizing these goals has proved to be chal­ lenging for some. The current eco­ nomic climate, combined with the fact that college students typically experience a period of unemploy­ ment after graduation, has caused a great deal o f anxiety among both recent and soon-to-be grads. “ In terms o f the job market, since graduation, and even during fourth year, when many students are

in t h e

past,

bu t th e

search

fo r w o rk

is o n - g o i n g

thousands

things, if you have a serious accoun­ tancy degree, if you have a serious engineering degree. I think students [from fields like engineering and ac­ counting] are getting good jobs ...

17,400

However, if you have not trained yourself for a really useful occupa­ tion, you’re in a lot o f trouble,” Velk said.

Velk adds that there is a skills mismatch between what companies are looking for and what applicants

17,200

interviewing for jobs, it has been tough,” Erik Reed, a graduate o f the class of 2011 with a joint degree in physics and history, said.

Reed, who is pursuing a career in business, has been looking for

have. While jobs are available, they may be difficult to obtain. “ I think it’s always been true that, during the worst phases of the business cycle, only the most tal­ ented, aggressive, hardworking, gifted, et cetera, students get jobs.

Unless you’re in that fraction, you either have to accept something a lot less remunerative than you thought or you go back to school and train

a job since graduation. So far, he

yourself in one o f these other occu­

hasn’t found one.

Michael Ammendolia, a 2011 graduate from the faculty o f man­ agement, has a job, but agrees with

pations.”

This could explain why Am­ mendolia, who has a degree in man­ agement, an in-demand field, found

Reed.

a job, while Reed, who does not

“ Not many companies are hir­ ing, so the job hunt is competitive,” Ammendolia said.

The current unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s de­ gree or higher in Canada is 5.5 per cent, according to Statistics Canada (which does not keep a record o f un­ employed recent graduates). In the United States, unemployment for the same demographic was 4.6 per cent

have an in-demand degree, did not. “ In some cases I can chalk it up to the fact that I ’m not a bachelor of commerce,” Reed said.

Blachard explained that McGill’s CaPS program could help students with their search for a job, and encouraged all students to take

“ It’s a combination o f educa­ tion and previous work experience,” Gilpin said about the type o f skillsets that Pfizer looks for.

“ [Graduates like me are] just not offering [employers] the type of [easily-employable] plug-and-play

advantage o f the services offered to them by McGill. “ People who use our services will have a better chance o f find­ ing a job than those who don’t,” Blanchard said.

Ammendolia echoed this senti­

Even with the highly special­ ized nature o f their employees, Gil­ pin indicated that the economy has

try ... has had a number o f layoffs.

There’s a good number o f people right now who are skilled who are looking for work,” Gilpin said.

“ I think [the job search] is okay if you have been studying something pretty serious. For example, if you can do software design, if you can call yourself a specialist in math­

expected. “ Arts students have to do more work because they have to do that focus and targeting, and their de­ gree doesn’t match their industry,” Blachard said.

This is by no means cause for arts students to despair, according to Blachard.

“The message is: it will work out, but it takes energy and thinking

ment. “ Speak with a career adviser about how your resume looks and compare it to what your career is looking for in terms o f experience and knowledge,” Ammendolia said.

From the business perspective, companies are hiring, but the work­ ers they are hiring tend to be highly specialized, according to Andrea Gilpin, a representative for Pfizer, one o f the Montreal area’s largest

Some recent graduates, like former SSMU General Assembly Speaker Cathal Rooney-Cespedes, had advice for students on how to better find employment. “ I f you know exactly what you want to do, do it before you graduate by way o f internship. This is by far

ematical finance, if you can do hard

and work to get a job.”

employers.

the most successful method to get-

for the month o f August, up 0.3 per cent since June, according to the Bu­ reau o f Labor Statistics.

According to Thomas Velk, professor o f economics at McGill, graduates today may be unprepared for the working world.

graduates they’re looking for in this market.”

According to Gregg Blachard, Director of McGill Career and Plan­ ning Services (CaPS), this is to be

17,000

16,000

16,600

J

J 2006

J 2009

J 3910

A

3011

Canadian employment over the past few years, (statcan.gc.ca)

made labour abundant and finding workers easy. “ There’s a bit of a surplus of people looking for jobs. The indus­

ting a job,” Rooney-Cespedes said. “ As a B A student, it is very hard to attract an employer simply because you have a certain degree.

Find the extracurricular opportuni­ ties at McGill that you know will look good for your career and make the most out of the experience, all the while enjoying it.”

Blachard had similar advice. “ Develop skills and interests in the McGill community,” Blachard said. “ Get involved—in what you love, and not just to get it on your CV ... and [have] achievements in that activity, not just [by] being a member but becoming a ‘changer’ [in] that group [through] developing activities, moving in a new direction, [or] developing a new strategy.”

N ew s m eetings M ondays @ 5:30 in Sh atn er Room 110 i l l

Multiple

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the opt-in campaign want to avoid

A r o u n d th e

blanket opt outs, where students opt

W o r iB

had quite a busy career. Gaultier’s use o f endangered species as mate­ rials— giant tortoise shells as hand­

out o f every fee without paying at­ tention to what each fee goes to sup­ port.

I learned from reporting on opt outs in 2010 that there’s plenty of

Over the past few years, “ optouts” have emerged as one o f the most contentious issues in campus politics. For two weeks every se­ mester, students have the option of opting out o f certain fees, and, like clockwork, for those two weeks the debate over one opt outable fee in particular starts to resemble a bar brawl. As predictable as it is polar­ izing, the debate over the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG)-McGill’s student fee has become a regular fixture on the cam­

evidence that this happens.

QPIRG and Radio CKUT usu­ ally have somewhat higher opt-out rates than any o f the SSMU fees, for example, which tend to be con­ sistent across the board, suggesting

ing attention to the opt-out process itself. Greater awareness of the abil­ ity to opt out of these fees is by no means a problem. The issue is when students opt out o f fees without fully

which fees to opt out o f is probably relatively small.

We also overestimate our in­ fluence outside o f a limited popula­ tion o f engaged students. Keep in mind that to blanket opt out one has

informed before choosing whether

to opt out o f each fee individually and navigate past a page explaining what each fee is for. If students are ignoring the information about the fees on Minerva, will a Facebook page really make a difference?

to opt out.

While the opt-out system isn’t perfect, it serves its function. The default is to pay the fees, but almost

Those students who are likely to pay close attention are those that already know plenty about opt outs, while those that blanket opt out are

no one disagrees with the option to

just as likely to ignore the campaign

opt out. Students under financial pressure or those who have a strong moral opposition to a particular

as the information on the Minerva opt-out page. I’ d love to see the opt-in campaign stop the growth in blanket opt outs, but I ’m not opti­ mistic.

this fall, is a Herculean overhaul of a machine that needs only nuanced tweaking. By defying lawyers and crime experts, and astounding inter­ national onlookers, Harper and his cabinet will engulf Canada in debt and make themselves look incred­

ju s t ic e s y s te m

They’re finally doing it. The Conservative government, despite the colossus o f evidence brought forth by enraged Canadians and the warnings of our neighbours to the south, is cracking down on crime in the most draconian way possible.

The Safe Streets and Communities Act, which will appear in Parliament

I am not a lover o f fashion, so

failed, at least the exhibit would be pretty. For $9 and three hours, I felt that I could at least expect “pretty.”

Despite being convinced that JPG had nothing to teach me, I was shocked by everything that I didn’t previously know about the man. In order to broaden your intellectual

Additionally, opt-out rates have steadily increased since the current online system was introduced in 2007, which reflects growing aware­ ness o f the existence o f the opt-out system.

Taken together, this suggests

bubble tend to overestimate cam­ pus engagement. The number of students who think carefully about

D o n ’t b u r n d o w n t h e

h a u te s o lu tio n s

bers.

Society or faculty association fees, such campaigns lead to increased opt outs across the board by draw­

group should be able to get those fees back. The associations behind

Jean Paul G a u ltie r’s

when I had to visit the Jean Paul

that the only thing standing between most students and blanket opt outs is knowledge o f the opt-out system.

Those o f us in the campus political

rable goal o f ensuring students are

kaitio@mcgilltribunc.com

that while there is a certain segment o f the student body opting out of QPIRG and Radio CKUT for ideo­ logical reasons, blanket opt outs ac­ count for the majority o f the num­

pus political calendar.

The anti-QPIRG campaign was back again this semester, and although it doesn’t target Students’

informing themselves o f what they are or aren’t supporting. This year a group o f student associations joined together to launch an “ opt in” cam­ paign with the reasonable and admi­

bags and a cheetah pelt for a dress— gave me the imporession that he be­ lieved in resource exploitation, not conservation. We’re still waiting to find out how he’ ll stop global warm­

K a iti O ’S h a u g h n e s s y

Gaultier exhibit at the Montreal Mu­ seum o f Fine Arts for a French class, I tried to keep an open mind. I told myself that if all cultural education

horizons, I’ ve summarized every­ thing I learned in three hours into three short paragraphs.

Jean

P aul

G a u ltie r

ended

g e n d e r in e q u a lity : According to one o f the signs at the entrance (which I am paraphras­ ing after translating awkwardly from French to English), Gaultier singlehandedly created a new move­ ment— post-feminism— by creating

photojournalism?

J e a n P a u l G a u ltie r ended ra c is m : Racism is over. “ Le couturier orchestre par le vêtement le dialogue entre les cultures,” reads a sign in the exhibit, roughly translating to, “ Jean Paul Gaultier creates intercultural dialogue through clothing.” He also really likes different cultures.

He is so open-minded, he even has a special room in his exhibit called “ Urban Jungle” to demonstrate his love for other cultures. All o f the mannequins, except for one, look like white folk wearing the ‘tradi­ tional dress’ o f somewhere they are not from.

On a creepy sidenote, all o f the mannequins are very realistic and many mannequins in the other rooms have interactive digital faces that speak, but in his cheetah pelt and tortoise shell Urban Jungle, the only mannequin with an interactive face is styled like a bird and makes strangled parrot noises. Who could ever accuse JPG o f colonialism or endorsing resource exploitation and the oppression o f indigenous people? The man believes in chee­ tah pelt dresses on silent models— where is his Nobel Peace Prize?

Jean Paul Gaultier, creator o f feminism, environmentalism, inter-

The cone bra corset: erasing gender inequality since JPG thought it up.

cultural dialogue, and the cone bra, has so much to teach each and every one o f us. If, however, for any rea­ son you cannot make the exhibit, I recommend that you spend three

Join o u r p h o to g ra ­ p h e r s in c o v e r i n g n e w s , a rts , s tu d e n t livin g a n d s p o rts .

Email p h o t o @ m c g illtr ib u n e .c o m fo r

Jean-Paul Gaultier loves the environment so much that he creat­ ed dresses out o f garbage bags for a runway show, and that was the start o f environmentalism. He must have

hours and $9 slowly throwing pen­ nies out o f a second floor window to simulate the learning that would have occurred at this exhibit.

V___________________ ^

In mid-August, the Canadian Bar Association looked at the bill and turned up their noses in disgust.

Their biggest concern was that the

the Safe Streets and Communities Act requires a certain amount o f po­ litical illiteracy and obstinacy that could only be expected from the

simply stuffing more people in jail for longer, which, by the way, will cost millions. In a strange flip-flop o f characteristic Conservative ac­

bill could widen the gaping hole into which Canada’s system often throws mentally ill offenders. The bill has

Harper government. According to The John Howard Society o f Cana­ da and the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, both advo­ cacy groups for convicts’ rights, “ In order to prevent more men, women, and especially children, from being marginalized, victimized, criminal­ ized and imprisoned, Canadians are telling us and politicians that they would rather see their hard-earned

tion, the Tories are hoping to launch a state-guided project with national scope, one that will expand correc­ tional facilities at the estimated cost

tax dollars spent on public housing, child care, pensions, health care, mental health services, public edu­ cation, victims, and other social ser­

take by trying to blow out the burn­ ing building, the Conservative party has forgotten that simply starting by learning how to use a match—and

vices.” These are the things that will decrease crime, much more so than

when not to strike it—might suffice.

ibly stupid in the process.

First, the facts: measures in­ cluded in the bill are keeping young offenders in jail for longer, eliminat­

no alternative provisions for crimes committed by the mentally ill, and in effect, clinical psychologists are traded for prison wardens.

ing pardons for some serious crimes, stroking out house arrest for prop­ erty crimes, and tougher penalties for drug-related offenses. One can quibble about the scope o f punish­ ments, but there’s a larger problem here. None o f these elements tackle the societal problem of crime at its

The crime rate in Canada has steadily declined since 1973, and the majority o f Canadians would like to see that trend continue. But does ta­

roots; they merely try to stamp out its effects.

\

Interested in

ing, but it’ ll look fabulous, however he does it.

the cone bra corset. Women may have brought about the first wave o f feminism, but we should give credit where it’s due. According to the sign, we should all be thankful to Jean Paul Gaultier for attaching two party hats to a model’s chest.

J e a n P a u l G a u ltie r c reated e n v iro n m e n ta lis m :

+

bling this bill mean that Harper and his cronies are doing, as they are claiming, what Canadians want? To interpret May’s Conservative ma­ jority election results as a message from Canadians that they support

d e ta ils .

of up to $2.1 billion.

This is the very, very last thing the government should spend money on. And it’s the very best thing to do if they want to look brutally out­ dated and misinformed. Like a child who fixes his playing-with-fire mis­

TheMcGill

7

—

T r ib u n e W W W .MCGDXTRIBUNE.COM

Editor-in-Chief Shannon Kimball editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors SamHunter shunter@mcgilltribune.com Holly Stewart hstewart@mcgilltribune.com Production Manager Iain Macdonald imacdortald@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Anand Bery, Eric Mauser, andElisa Muyl news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor opinion@mcgilltribune.com Features Editors Kyla Mandel and Kat Sieniuc features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editor RyanTaylor arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editor AdamSadinsky sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editors Ryan Reisert andSamReynolds photo@mcgilltribDne.com Senior Design Editor KathleenJolly design@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Marri Lynn Knadle Advertising Manager Corina Sferdenschi cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Publisher ChadRonalds

TPS Board of Directors James Gilman (Chair): chair@mcgilluibune.com Johanu Botha, Shannon Kimball, Iain Macdonald, Zach Newburgh

Contributors Rebecca Babcock, Johanu Botha, Bea Brkneff, Noah Caldwell-Rafferty, James Gilman, Alex Knoll, Ricky

E

=

Don’t bring the Patriot Act to Canada two men were indicted in an interna­ tional sting; and in 2009, 25 Canadi­ ans were arrested in a similar opera­ tion. However, the perpetrators’ civil

security of the person, and the free­ dom from unreasonable search and seizure.

The Internet surveillance pro­

tigation. The Conservatives have no justification for the specific clauses of the bill, but have stated that as a whole, it will make “ streets safer for Canadians.’’

Canadian crime is at a 50-year

rights were not violated in any of these cases.

The Tribune acknowledges that there are criminals in this country who must be brought to justice, but it is not clear that the Internet sur­

visions were omitted from the bill tabled last Tuesday, which is a step in the right direction, and an indication that public outrage over the clauses is effective. But given the Conservative party’s ruthlessness in pushing their

rights of Canadians.

If introduced, bills C-50, C-51, and C-52 would allow the police to intercept any user’s communications over the Internet. Furthermore, they

low, but the Conservatives march on­ wards with their blanket crime bill, which is expected to cost taxpayers billions o f dollars.

One o f the main uses o f the bill

veillance clauses of the bill would significantly increase the number of cyber-criminals apprehended. Fur­ thermore, these provisions infringe

“tough-on-crime” bills, there is no reason to believe that these clauses are gone for good. Every citizen is entitled to privacy, and unconstitu­

would require that Canadian Internet service providers set up infrastructure enabling the police to wiretap cus­ tomers’ communications. It would

may be to enforce child pornography laws. In early 2010, Ontario police arrested 35 people involved in a child pornography ring; last March,

on the rights of Canadians as stated in the Canadian Charter of Rights

tional, unmerited infringements on that privacy which allow the govern­

and Freedoms; specifically sections seven and eight, which guarantee citizens the right to life, liberty, and

ment to spy on its citizens are worri­ some. Citizens must ensure that these provisions do not make it into law.

also require Internet service provid­ ers to disclose customer information without a search warrant, even in

Shortly after being elected, the new Conservative majority govern­ ment pledged they would pass an omnibus crime bill, which includes

cases where there is no active inves­

provisions making it easier for police to track a citizen’s Internet usage.

Specifically, police would be allowed to access a person’s Internet history without a warrant. These disturbing clauses infringe directly upon the

Hartman’s intent admirable, but misdirected Professor Michelle Hartman, a member of the McGill Faculty La­

possibility of missing other classes, and students are not covered by

bour Action Group (MFLAG) has recently come under fire for hold­ ing a seminar off campus in the Pla­ teau. The Islamic Studies professor supports the M UNACA strike, and wanted to avoid crossing the picket line—a symbolic gesture of soli­ darity—by teaching her classes offcampus. Hartman felt that she had a

McGill’s insurance policy once they are o ff campus. Article seven of the Charter o f Student Rights states that students are entitled to safe and suit­

moral obligation to respect the picket line, both because o f her personal beliefs and the subject matter o f her classes, which deal with revolutions in the Middle East and economic in­

Nardi, Kaiti O’ Shaughnessy, QPIRG. QPIRG Opt-Out.

equalities.

Practical and legal complica­

Tribune Offices Editorial

tions were brought up by students and the administration. Hartman’s students complained about the in­ convenience of commuting and the

Kreitner, Steven Lampert, Julian Moss, Christopher

d it o r ia l

able conditions for learning. Without insurance protecting students or a convenient location for classes, Hart­ man violated the charter. The univer­ sity responded to Hartman’s actions by threatening her salary, citing these violations o f university regulations.

The university also makes strong practical arguments for these regu­ lations: Hartman’s actions inconve­ nience students, and they pose a li­ ability problem for students and the university.

Practicality aside, Hartman’s ef­ forts to avoid crossing the picket line entangled her students in a mess in

which they may have preferred not to be involved. Her students, by at­ tending a class off campus, became implicit in Hartman’s stance against the university. No student should be forced to make a political statement in order to attend a class in which they are enrolled. Hartman’s actions are commendable, but misdirected: by holding class off campus, she impacted her students more than the ongoing conflict itself.

It is important for McGill stu­ dents to attend a university in which professors teach real-life lessons in­ side and outside o f the classroom, and Hartman’s actions have raised broader concerns about the efficacy o f faculty support of MUNACA. We, as students, should attend an institu­ tion in which our academic leaders are active members of society. If

faculty members can’t make an im­ portant symbolic gesture without risking their salaries, then the uni­ versity has left them in a tight bind.

There are, however, other ways for faculty members to speak out: walk­ ing alongside strikers, writing letters to the university and local media, and speaking to their students directly about the issues. Students and fac­ ulty alike are feeling the effects of the strike and hope that the university and MUNACA will reach a compro­ mise. However, faculty members fur­ ther disrupting student life is unlikely to make that happen any faster.

The Tribune hopes that Hart­ man and other members o f MFLAG find a more constructive way to sup­ port the strike.

Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1X9 T: 514.398.6789 '

Advertising

------------------------- D

is s e n t

Think outside the picket lines

Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490

The university may indeed make strong practical arguments against Michelle Hartman’s decision to hold classes off campus in order to avoid crossing the picket line, but those practical concerns only thinly veil

cause she clearly believes in.

Other faculty members are walk­ ing alongside strikers, writing letters to the university and local media, and speaking to their students directly about the issue, but how much effect

ing her class so far off campus that

going labour dispute in an academic

it created unmanageable conflicts in students’ schedules. It’s indisputable that making it impossible for a student to get to another class detracts from their education; however, if Hartman

The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper

the underlying normative issue—did

do any of these actions have? None

had moved her classes to Lola Rosa,

setting, the students in the seminar had an opportunity for real-life learn­ ing.

The very fact that faculty mem­ bers are taking action to support MU­ NACA and that students are aware of

published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a stu­

Hartman sacrifice the educational merit of her class and her academic duties in order to fulfil a personal moral obligation?

Whether Hartman’s actions are interpreted as those of an ideal­ ist supporting the people who make her job possible, or those o f a McGill employee aware that the deteriorating compensation in the benefits package for any fellow employees could set a

or next to none, and the one com­ plaint no one can level against Hart­ man is that her decision didn’t, at the very least, draw plenty o f attention to the cause she supports.

Strikes, by nature, are disrup­ tive, and it’s no accident that this one coincided with the busiest adminis­ trative time of the year. But when it comes to strike supporting actions, there’s a sliding scale between being

for example, the complaints of inconvience would have been baseless.

Education can take place anywhere, and holding the seminar off campus may have stimulated class debate.

The argument that students couldn’t be provided with “ safe and suitable conditions for learning” outside of campus is tenuous at best, and based on the notion that teaching can only happen on McGill’s grounds. Edu­

the inconveniences imposed by the strike are powerful tools when a la­ bour dispute relies on the currency o f public image. These editors o f the McGill Tribune believe that Hartman was within her rights as an educator to hold her class off campus, and in so doing, fulfilled all academic obli­ gations to her students.

dangerous precedent for her own sal­ ary, it remains that she undertook the least disruptive action that would sig­ nificantly help the strikers’ cause, a

ineffective and overly disruptive, and holding classes off campus lands in a balance between those two poles.

Hartman’s only mistake was hold-

cators should move away from that kind of institutionalized, archaic fine print. By being forced to debate, confront, and take action on an on-

Marri Lynn Knadle, and Holly Stewart

dent society of McGill University. The content of this publica­ tion is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact infor­ mation. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submit­ ted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessar­ ily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

—Sam Hunter, Kathleen Jolly,

C u r io s it y D e liv e r s , w w w .m c g illt r ib u n e .c o m

Commentary

damon! (another QPIRG working group) as supporters o f terrorism is

QPIRG Board of Directors

particularly heinous. In a 2006 cam­ paign, Tadamon! critiqued the Cana­ dian government’s “ List o f Entities,” which includes Hezbollah, as unac­

building consensus and a collective analysis. QPIRG’s working group participants are dedicated members o f our campus and our community who make decisions with consider­ able thought and care.

Commentary QPIRG Opt-Out Campaign

its extreme politics. And QPIRG

countably perpetuating scapegoating

For some historical perspective,

The Opt-Out Campaign led by some members o f Conservative McGill likes to paint hysterical and misleading pictures of Quebec Pub­

and racial profiling. Tadamon! has repeatedly clarified that this criti­ cism o f the “ List o f Entities” does not equate to a statement o f support

Every year, the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) relies on hundreds of thousands of

lic Interest Research Group and its projects.

Most recently, the Opt-Out Campaign has targeted the work of the Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble, a QPIRG working group. CIE is a group that raises spirits at a wide

for Hezbollah. Nonetheless, the OptOut Campaign continues to mislead

QPIRG was responsible for bringing recycling to McGill, a campaign that also incited its fair share of contro­ versy in the ‘ 80s. QPIRG also took a leadership role in organizing the

you have a choice: you can opt out o f paying for QPIRG. You can refuse to fund a group which considers Canada an apart­ heid state and celebrates “ anti-Can­ ada Day.” [Editor’s Note: a testimo­

array of demonstrations by using music for social change. That the CIE (along with groups such as Cam­ pus Crops) is organized according to anarchist principles seems to ter­ rify the Opt-Out Campaign. In sum,

this strategy is part o f a well-funded, nation-wide initiative committed to cutting services and stifling free speech on campuses.

Another unfounded allegation

movement to boycott South African apartheid. Even then, some conser­ vative students attacked the groups who worked with QPIRG. This is the kind of work our groups have done for the past 30 years, and it is the work we continue to do today.

students about the nature of a cam­ paign that was launched five years ago. Indeed, the Opt-Out Campaign thrives on students being confused and misinformed. We believe that

propagated by the Opt-Out Campaign

these organizing principles mean

is that QPIRG is not democratic and

that every member o f the group has an equal say; we would love to hear what the Opt-Out Campaign finds so alarming about it this.

The Opt-Out Campaign’s com­

does not represent McGill students.

In fact, QPIRG is administered by a student-led Board o f Directors elect­ ed once a year by QPIRG members (that is, every student who doesn’t

pulsive mischaracterizations o f Ta-

opt out). Our decisions are made by

Though not all students use our groups and services, we believe all students benefit from the positive social impact o f these spaces and services on their campus and com­ munity.

Don’t let the Opt-Out Cam­ paign succeed in strangling progres­ sive organizations, especially when we need them most. Think before you opt-out.

H a v e o p in io n s ? E -m ail o p i n i o n @ m c g i l l t r i b u n e . c o m

dollars of your money to promote its extreme politics. But fortunately,

nial by a member o f a QPIRG work­ ing group claims on the QPIRG website that Canada is a “ system o f apartheid.” ] You can refuse to fund a group which has supported calls for Hezbollah—terrorists who deliberately target civilians—to be removed from Canada’s list o f ter­

In d e fe n s e o f n ew sp ap ers Dear Ricky, I felt a strong impulse to re­ spond to your column from last week (“ Pay No Attention,” Sept. 20, 2011). I ’d also noticed some o f the same things you alluded to: writers fill newspapers with stories, regard­ less o f whether newsworthy events have occurred since the issue prior; and a person’s choice of reading ma­ terials is, at times, not much more than a fashion statement. But I drew different conclusions than you did based on my own experiences.

When I was about six and a half years old, there was a day I remem­ ber when I was as sad as I thought it was possible to be.

I learned to read when I was six and instantly became addicted. For the next six months I read like it was my job—anything with words on it that came near me: books, comics, newspapers, menus. Hell, even the ingredients and instructions on soup cans were fair game. I disliked not reading so much that 1 simply re­ fused to stop. When my parents took me shopping I would always bring a book. Then, using my peripheral vi­ sion to keep a parent’s pants in sight,

I followed the wrong pair o f pants around a store for 45 minutes, but it wasn’t a habit I was willing to give up. This is because I harboured a se­

no conspiratorial plot. It’s the hope­ less attempt to fulfill curiosity.

It’s this curiosity that fuels most o f my reading, and it’s curios­ ity that led me to reflect on your sec­ ond point—that reading is, at times, not too much more than a fashion statement. I ’ m as guilty o f this self-

often silent majority at M cGill—to

But in short, you can refuse to fund causes you object to and beliefs you find repugnant.

Established 23 years ago,

take their money back.

Remember: this semester, you have a choice. It takes only a few seconds on Minerva to opt out of

QPIRG was supposed to conduct

funding causes that you object to.

So get your money back today.

Letter to the Editor //. y /s-

reading the pulpy science fiction novels that I eat up at home, but at the same time I feel awkward tot­ ing around high brow books in case people think I ’m just doing it for the

detailed the recent confusion over Coyote Ugly 2.0, a Gert’s-hosted party themed after the eponymously named romantic comedy. The ar­

were being written every year. This revelation shocked and depressed me. How was I supposed to read ev­ erything if writers were producing new material faster than I could read

effect. The copy o f Barney’s Version that I bought at a second hand book­ store over the summer was probably the most embarrassing dilemma. A

women were being sexually objec­

the entire world is also what drives the machinery of publishing. As I write this late on Monday night, I can’t argue that dealines and the need to fill space don’t have a part to play, but what truly drives the indus­ try are desperately curious consum­ ers; people who want to devour the day’s news the way I wanted to de­ vour the world’s words. O f course, news doesn’t happen according to a production schedule, so the news­ worthiness of articles vary, but it’s

the movie.

But the vanity exposed by my reading choices still doesn’t change anything. I ’ll read some things in public and others in private because I care what people think o f me, and books, just like fashion—and as one graffiti artist on campus seems to think, friends—are all accessories in how you’ re perceived. But if appear­ ances’ sake is the be-all and end-all for why you’re reading what you’ re reading, then that’s a damn shame.

and many, if not most, do not fit that description. Though QPIRG claims to pursue “ social justice,” its actions and beliefs make a mockery of that term.

We should also be clear that

bec.” These are just a few examples.

consciousness as anyone. Whenever I know I ’m going to be reading in public, I ’ ll think twice before select­ ing a book—I don’t want to be seen

the old stuff? I cried for hours.

The point o f this story is not that I was a kid with weird aspirations, but that I, like so many other people, love words and the knowledge that they seem to promise. Whatever convinced me to read everything in

a QPIRG board member damaged Opt-Out Campaign materials.

We do not wish to attack the small number o f laudable causes that QPIRG has funded. But un­ fortunately, only QPIRG decides which groups receive your money—

we do not support opting out o f fees that positively contribute to student life on campus. We simply encour­ age students who disagree with QPIRG—in our opinion, the vast if

cret ambition—I was going to be the most well-read person in the world, and I was going to accomplish that by reading everything. Every book.

Every newspaper. Every soup can.

But, six months into my master scheme, I learned a lesson in per­ spective: someone brought to my attention just how many new things

fantastic book that I struggled to put down, it had “ NOW A MAJOR MO­ TION PICTURE” proudly embla­ zoned on the front, leaving me very open to the imagined possibility of some shmuck thinking I wasn’t a Mordecai Richler fan before I saw

knows this. That’s why they have consistently opposed your right to opt-out, threatening McGill’s ad­ ministration with legal action to take it away. That’s why last year,

rorist organizations. You can refuse to fund a group which urges McGill students to involve themselves in a “ militant student movement in Que­

research on issues o f public concern I would cruise around the store on an invisible tether reading, completely oblivious to the world around me.

This got me in trouble once when

and undertake appropriate public action. It has failed in that mandate.

Rather than promoting causes that the majority of McGill students can support, QPIRG exploits unaware­ ness of the opt-out system to fund

On Sept. 14, the Tribune ran the article, “ Gert’s Event Conflicts With SSMU Equity Policy,” which

ticle stated that, “ Concerns that the

event programming from the start.

Equity takes a sex-positive stance. A provocative event is not necessarily sexist. The presence of both male and female dancers also reduces possible heteronormativity and widens the audience for Coyote Ugly. Additionally, Gert’s adminis­ tration has since consulted Equity in order to develop strategies to ensure that both dancers and party goers are safe at all times.

It is important to note that Eq­ uity has no power to cancel, censure,

tified almost resulted in the event’s cancellation. Instead, the event has been postponed and will include

or unilaterally change any group or event at SSMU—such responsibili­ ties lie with SSMU Council. Equity is an advisory body and an educa­

male dancers as well.” For clari­ fication and transparency, SSMU Equity would like to add some com­

tion and resource centre. We are not here to dictate what students may or may not do, but rather to provide

mentary: Neither SSMU’s Equity Of­ ficers nor the Student Equity Com­ mittee has found the event descrip­ tion o f Coyote Ugly 2.0 to be at

people with the information they need to make our school a safer, more equitable place.

odds with the Equity Policy, nor was there any real consideration on SSMU’s part in cancelling the event.

An individual presented concerns

Equity Commissioner and a U3 Psy­

o f possible sexism at Coyote Ugly; unfortunately, a miscommunication resulted in the organizers cancelling the Facebook event before a deci­ sion had been made. The concerns o f all parties have since been re­ solved, as Coyote Ugly’s organizers have clarified that the inclusion of male dancers has been part o f their

Cassandra Zawilski is SSM U’s chology, Social Studies o f Medicine, and Canadian Ethnic and Racial Studies student. She can be reached at equity.com@ssmu.mcgill.ca.

Ryan Thom is SSM U’s Equity Outreach Coordinator and a U2 Social Work student. He can be reached at equity.outreach@ssmu. mcgill.ca. Both will be attending Coyote Ugly as participants and observers.

A rca d e F ir e

hometown shone through in their

Running.” The whole set was a flaw­ less mix o f songs from their three al­ bums. There was a common thread connecting each o f the songs, the order of which seemed to be meticu­ lously planned out to illustrate a nar­

hour before coming back for an en­ core of “ Rebellion (Lies),” which ended with Will Butler repeatedly smashing his floor tom on the stage, and “ Sprawl II (Mountains Be­ yond Mountains),” where the band

performance, and it was clear how happy they were to pay tribute to the people and city that have supported them over the years.

Starting the set with the appro­

rative, especially coupled with black and white strobing images playing on screens behind the band. The mood of the audience changed with every song, from swaying calmly to

priately titled “ Ready to Start,” it was immediately clear how exciting the show was going to be. After ex­ pressing their pleasure in perform­ ing the show—“ Our hearts are very full,” Butler said—they proceeded to play an old favourite, “ Keep the Car

the slightly subdued “ Modem Man,” to dancing ferociously to “ Neigh­ borhood #3 (Power Out),” before which Butler encouraged the polite and well-behaved crowd to let go o f its inhibitions.

The band played for over an

launched LED beach balls into the crowd. The band’s music lends it­ self to anthemic group sing-a-longs and it’s difficult for even the most hardened cynic not to be moved by the cathartic chorus o f “ Wake Up.” At once a thank you and a celebra­ tion, it was a show not likely to be forgotten.

Arcade Fire proudly put on a remarkable show for the thousands o f people that crowded the Quartier des spectacles on Thursday night.

The band’s passion for their beloved

P e te r H eek Peter Hook and The Light, playing Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures (and more), were warmly received on Sunday night by a full house at the spacious Club Soda.

The crowd was an eclectic set— men outnumbered women five to one—and an age demographic skewed strongly toward two poles: fashionably-dressed 20-somethings and original Joy Division fans who were those 20-somethings in the late ‘70s and early ‘ 80s.

Peter Hook soaked in and stoked up the crowd with arm-waves and poses in between his vocals and choice morsels o f excellent bass work on his red-and-cream Eccleshall Viking. Hook’s son Jack Bates, sharing and swapping out bass parts for Hook on a red Yamaha, proved himself to be adequately prepared to follow in his father’s footsteps. Nat Watson on guitar, Paul Kehoe on dmms, and Andy Pool on synth each held their own and shone without outshining.

Both “ Transmission” and “ Dig­

ital” whipped the crowd into a furor o f raised hands and appreciative shouts. Hook played the stage like a pro, showing o ff his string technique especially close to the faces o f those lucky enough to be down right of stage. “ Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Joy Division’s best-known track, saw the audience at its most enthusias­ tic. Fans seated in the wings rose to dance, and girls were lifted up on shoulders for a full-throated audi­ ence sing-a-long as the floor turned into a dance pit roiling with bodies and marijuana-scented smoke.

Peter Hook seemed pleasantly surprised by the crowd’s reception toward the end of the show, humbly offering a few refrains o f “ merci” before he came back for one encore, and then a second. He wrapped up with two New Order songs, leaving the audience crying out, clearly still hoping for more, until the very last amp was clicked off.

—Marri Knadle

—Alex Knoll

F v c k e d tip In hindsight it seems silly to have expected any of the shows at the late night L’Église POP venue to be anywhere other than the base­ ment o f L’Église Saint-Édouard, but it was still disappointing to see To­ ronto punks Fucked Up relegated to the space, if only for how awesome it would’ve been to watch them play upstairs amongst the saints. Can you imagine lead singer Damian “ Pink Eyes” Abraham prowling through pews whilst growling lyrics about religious corruption?

Aside from the missed venue opportunity, the 2009 Polaris Prize winners delivered a raucous 1:30 a.m. set drawing heavily from their latest rock-opera, David Comes to Life.

Abraham continues to have one o f the biggest personalities in music today, and it was on full dis­ play Thursday night, from teaching the crowd a Yo Gabba Gabba dance (he was a special guest on the show

a few weeks ago), to debating which hot dog to buy from La Belle Prov­ ince post-show, to dismounting the stage to climb on the merch tables mid-show. The man is a captivating performer.

While Abraham was off being Abraham, the band turned in a tight performance, notably on “ Turn the Season” and “ Crooked Head,” and a blistering performance o f “ Son the Father.”

Perhaps the oddest and best mo­ ment o f the evening was watching sweaty punks shout along to a cover of “ Jingle Bells” as the clock inched closer to 3 a.m. The reason for an early outpouring of holiday cheer?

The band was recording the song for an upcoming Christmas special later in the week in New York. The host o f said Christmas special is celebri­ ty chef Anthony Bourdain. Clearly, Fucked Up is a band that knows no bounds.

—Ryan Taylor

€ (* n E -g A H > s tUnE-yArDs is a project or­ chestrated by Merrill Garbus, who respects musical conventions about as much as she respects typographic rules. The band played (in this writ­ er’s opinion) the best show of POP Montreal on Friday night in the hot­ test and most humid venue of the whole festival. Despite the discom­ fort, not a single audience member looked like they regretted purchas­ ing a ticket to the sold-out show.

No one but frontwoman Garbus could turn a microphone stand and two drums into a full kit, play a uku­ lele with more ferocity than Hendrix played guitar, or make one woman’s

voice sound like a full chojr ensem­ ble. Recording, looping, and layer­ ing her drums, ukulele, and vocals, Garbus was accompanied by her bassist, Nate Brenner, and two saxo­ phonists who were picked up for this

Watching Garbus piece to­ gether a song from scratch, record­ ing each vocal track on the spot, is infinitely more rewarding than lis­ tening to a piece of tUnE-yArDs’ recorded music. Those, like my­

tour which is in support o f her latest album, w h o k i 11.

Sporting silver facepaint, Gar­ bus mesmerized and captivated the audience with her powerful stage presence and astounding vocal range.

During one song, she began with an African-influenced vocal collage, then screamed the chorus at the au­ dience, “ Do you want to live?” The crowd, enthralled, shouted back.

self, who were alienated by the lo-fi sound and complex layering on her first album BiRd-BrAiNs, which was put together using a hand-held Sony recorder and a laptop, can’t help but be converted into diehard fans after seeing the energy that Garbus puts into each song live.

—Holly Stewart

Photos and graphics by: C h lo é Laetitia (P o p m o n tre a l.c o m ), Ryan R eisert (M c G ill T rib u n e ), S am Reynolds (M c G ill T rib u n e ), H o lly S tew art (M c G ill T rib u n e) and P op m o n treal.co m

d a p a n d r a id s POP Montreal got off to a loud start Wednesday night with a soldout set from Vacouver rockers Japandroids.

With a new album to be re­ leased at the beginning of next year, the band took the opportunity to pre­ view some new songs, promising to “ get them out of the way first” so they could save the old favourites for last. None of the new tunes were drastically different than anything on their debut, Post-Nothing, and found the band playing to its strengths: en­ ergetic, sloppy rock with big hooks and sing-a-long choruses.

It’s been said before but it bears

repeating: Japandroids make a lot of noise for just two people. Guitarist Brian King strums ferociously and drummer David Prowse (no, not Darth Vader) hits his drums so hard they often end up a few inches away from where they started.

Their intensity eventually in­ cited a mosh pit that lasted for the rest of the set, sweaty bodies bounc­ ing off each other with joyful aban­ don as King encouraged the crowd to act like they didn’t “have a care in the world.” From there, the cho­ ruses to “The Boys Are Leaving Town,” “Rockers East Vancouver,” and “Young Hearts Spark Fire”

were sung with anthemic convic­ tion, which is exactly what they’re designed for.

No matter how loud the music got, the response from the crowd came close to matching it, as each song was met with rapturous ap­ plause. The band seemed genuinely taken aback by the warm recep­ tion and gave their sincere thanks throughout the night. Whether or not the audience heard it is another question.

—Ryan Taylor

L a u r a M a r lin g Laura Marling’s stage banter at Theatre Corona on Saturday night was as endearing and honest as her music, drawing the audience right into her performance. Self-aware at first and claiming to be terrible at witty banter, she warmed to the audience and eventually confessed to a long-standing obsession with Canada and Canadian culture. The soft-spoken blonde often gets asked what her lyrics mean or what in­ spired them, and so she explained that many of them are inspired by other people or events, and not nec­ essarily her own life.

“My husband did not leave me last night,” she said, referring to the song, “ I Speak Because I Can,” which begins with the line, “My husband left me last night.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m a liar,” she joked.

Audience favourites included “ Blackberry Stone” from her 2010 album I Speak Because I Can and “ Ghosts” from 2008’s Alas I Cannot Swim.

Marling was accompanied onstage by a keyboardist, cellist, upright bassist, banjo player, and a drummer, all of whom left the stage while she played a short, quiet acous­ tic set including the songs “ Salinas” and “Goodbye England (Covered In Snow). Other songs like “ Rambling Man” and “ Sophia” are surprisingly rock-and-roll for Marling’s genre of British indie-folk, but they were sporadically and strategically placed throughout her set to keep up the crowd’s energy.

Towards the end of her play­ list, Marling paused the band’s performance and told the audience apologetically that they would not be coming back onstage to play an encore. “ We’re not rock-and-roll enough for an encore,” she joked. “ So if you wanted an encore, then this is the last song, and if you didn’t want one, then it’s the second-to-last song.” Although Marling and her band never perform encores at their shows, it made for an anti-climactic ending to an otherwise enchanting performance. Overall, her perfor­ mance was exactly like her music: emotional, sweet, and engaging, something no Laura Marling fan could be disappointed with.

—Holly Stewart

C a la i* M a C b s a s s a d : A If you’re going to make a docu­ mentary about a band, you generally need at least two things: music, and interviews with the band in question.

Color Me Obsessed features neither.

Instead, director Gorman Bechard tells the story of famed ‘ 80s punk band the Replacements via inter­ views from those close to the band and fans both famous (Colin Meloy,

F i l m

Dave Foley, Goo Goo Dolls) and not.

The anecdotes reveal a band that was as dysfunctional as it was bril­ liant. Take their MTV appearance, where they shaved and then painted on eyebrows, albeit slightly higher, so as to look surprised throughout the interview. Or the video for “ Bas­ tards of Young,” a three-and-a-half

T h

e

R

e p l a c e m

minute shot of the song playing from the speaker once they found out they weren’t contractually obligated to appear in the clip. Or that fans never knew whether they’d be sober enough to perform. All of them paint a picture of a self-sabotaging band that could’ve achieved greatness had they actually wanted it.

While the stories of chaos are

e n

t s

amusing, interviews about the mean­ ing of the band to the average fan cut to the emotional core of the film.

These are stories of self-discovery, regaining self-confidence, and feel­ ing comfortable with your imper­ fections. There’s no doubt the Re­ placements both saved and enriched lives.

So while it might seem mis­

guided to make a Replacements documentary without the Replace­ ments, ultimately it works. After all, it doesn’t matter who the Replace­ ments thought they were, or even are—what a band becomes lies in the hands of those who listen to its music.

—Ryan Taylor

A&E B O O K R E V IE W

Nothing to look foward to in looking back Ju lia n

B a rn es’ n e w

n ovel

By Ricky Kreitner Contributor

s h o w s

th e

c o m p le x

As the book opens, Tony Web­ ster is in grammar school. His clique

p ro c e s s e s

o f m e m o r y

has recently expanded from three to

hopes that “ you get so involved that the mutual damage will be perma­ nent” and that “ acid rain [will] fall

Though stuffed into only 150 pages, Julian Barnes’ new novel, The Sense o f an Ending, is a very big book. This thin volume trades in themes one might only expect to find in a real doorstopper o f a book, a fat Bildungsroman, a sweeping history

four with the addition o f Adrian Finn, “ a tall, shy boy who initially kept his eyes down and his mind to himself.”

Tony is captivated by Adrian’s emo­ tional and intellectual maturity (“ He gave the impression that he believed in things” ) in contrast to his own pu­

on your joint and anointed heads.”

The damage is indeed permanent: within a few months, Adrian has cut his wrists and bled to death in the bathtub, leaving behind a complex philosophical argument defending a person’s right to refuse the unwanted

o f a life. Barnes’ book is none of these.

If you are looking for scenes well set, characters comprehensive­ ly drawn, or the general ambience of 1960s Britain artfully construed, this is not that book. Barnes—through his self-admittedly untrustworthy narrator, Tony Webster—has a very specific story to tell, and is loath to write about much else.

bescent insecurities. While Tony and his friends assume a rebellious pos­ ture against the world they still know nothing about, Adrian is eager to en­ gage. “ The three o f us considered school sports a crypto-fascist plan for repressing our sex-drive,” Tony

gift o f life.

A ll this has happened by page 47. The rest of the book has Tony married, divorced, and, in lonely old age, obsessing over these episodes

And yet the book’s sweep is indeed magnificent: death, sex, friendship, youth, maturity, history, literature, family, memory, the past, love, regret, illusion, time, philoso­ phy, suicide, intellect, music, con­ formity—these massive topics, and many more, all come in for the basic Barnes treatment: close inspection, direct interrogation, complete re­ working.

reports. “ Adrian joined the fencing club and did the high jump.”

Tony further admires Adrian’s intellectual honesty, his application o f thought to life. Adrian would work a problem out in his head, announce that something was “ philosophically self-evident,” and actually imple­ ment his conclusions through con­ crete action, while his less mature friends only affect seriousness.

But when Adrian steals his girl­ friend, Tony is less than amused. He scrawls out an angry letter to his ex­ friend and ex-girlfriend, expressing

from his past. On the surface, he is attempting to reconstruct the story o f what really happened, something he only accomplishes on the last page o f the book, arguably not at all. More importantly, he is attempt­ ing to construct stories o f the pasts o f the people he once knew, stories that agree with the story he has told himself o f his own life.

He digs through old letters and pictures and faulty memories, inter­ views his ex-wife and, repeatedly, the ex-girlfriend Adrian stole, trying to craft a more comfortable narrative o f the past. Given the overwhelming evidence o f his culpability, however,

an d

h isto ry

Tony finds the task too difficult. He may have lived longer than Adrian,

fice as a contemporary substitution for “Aux barricades!”

but in a way he lived less, too.

Meditations on the ambigui­ ties o f memory, the non-linearity o f time, laments for lost youth are common. What is unique about The Sense o f an Ending is Barnes’ treat­ ment o f these themes, and the ac­

If Tony’s meditations waver back and forth and conclude on a note hardly more convincing or final than previous, contrary assertions, Barnes has at least drawn a moving picture of the doubts and lamenta­ tions that precede death. They are

cessible, clear, almost epigrammatic way he has of writing them into his narrative. Those meditations do not sacrifice clarity for complexity.

Throughout the book, Tony seems to waver between considering maturity a welcome improvement of life, an achievement, and moments when he laments his lost youth, and more, regrets the years since that have robbed him o f his ideals and replaced them with pitiable excesses

essentially the unwanted rewards of ordinary life.

o f complacency, stubbornness, and undeserved self-satisfaction: “ We thought we were being mature when we were only being safe. We imag­ ined we were being responsible but were only being cowardly. What we called realism turned out to be a way o f avoiding things rather than fac­ ing them.” Coming from a 65-year old British novelist (and an admitted Francophile) that will have to suf­

Tony’s belatedly acquired wis­ doms fill most o f the final third of the book. He apparently needed to live a full life before discovering them: “ When you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring...

But all this is looking ahead. What you fail to do is look ahead, and then imagine yourself looking back from that future point. Learning the new emotions that time brings.”

We can’t learn these emotions by reading about them. But The Sense o f an Ending rewards the reader with a peek, however brief, at what we can look forward to looking back at. It’s not pretty.

T E L E V I S I O N P R E V IE W

Morally driven serial killer is back for a sixth season D e x t e r w ill

h a ve

to

b a la n c e

h is fa m ily

life w ith

h is

o b s e s s io n

fo r cu ttin g

p e o p le

up

By lain Macdonald Production Manager

including Brother Sam (Mos Def), a potential victim turned ally for Dexter; Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos), and Travis (Colin

After spending time o ff bat­ tling cancer, Michael C. Hall is back for another season of Dexter.

The show’s sixth season premiere is scheduled for Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

Dexter Morgan is a serial killer who hunts down and murders other serial killers. Dexter’s victims must satisfy a strict set o f requirements, which the Miami Metro PD blood­ stain analyst verifies using police resources. He also has a family, including two step-children and a

Hanks), a teacher and protégé commiting crimes in the name o f God. In addition, Dexter hires a new nanny in an effort to avoid exposing his young son Harrison to his darkness.

The nanny happens to be the sister of Detective Batista, one o f Dexter’s co-workers. Dexter’s step-children, Astor and Cody, will also be living with their murderous father, after spending time with their grandpar­ ents last season. All this leaves Dex­ ter juggling his family life and his dark side.

While the plot line seems a bit Da Vinci Cocfe-esque, producerClyde Phillips has shown time and again that the Dexter writers can make exciting TV. Whether the writ­ ers are flirting with Dexter being caught by his co-workers or with Dex’s targets going after his family, the show is exciting, smart, and at

biological son. Dexter’s wife, Rita Bennett, was murdered by a victim he was pursuing in a shocking twist ending to season four.

Season five saw Dexter with a new acquaintance, Lumen Pierce, a woman who was kidnapped apd raped by several men. While cap­ tive, Lumen witnessed one of Dex­ ter’s killing rituals and upon dis­ covering her, Dexter couldn’t bring

The writing’s on the wall. In this case it’s in blood, (sho.com)

himself to kill the innocent witness.

The two teamed up to track down and kill each o f Lumen’s assailants.

At the end o f the season, Lumen an-

nounced she could not continue their vigilante justice as her “ darkness” had left her, a decision that left Dex­

ter feeling abandoned.

If season six is as exciting as the previous five, there’s a lot to

look forward to. There will be a strong religious theme to the season, with a number o f new characters,

times gruesome. The suspense and mystery have kept viewers coming back in droves season after season, and the next won’t be an exception.

S t u d e n t

L iv in g

E N V IR O N M E N T

The big bad wolf T h e

BC

g o v e r n m e n t

lifts

h u n tin g

re strictio n s

o n

its w o l v e s

By Kat Sieniuc

motive

Features Editor

politics and not fact. Science and

Although fairy tales have given wolves a bad name, it may be unwarranted. Canada’s First Na­ tions population has revered the

research have been disregarded in place o f anecdotal information. Sta­ tistics show that there is insufficient evidence that wolves are a serious threat to cattle. The Vancouver Sun revealed that in 2003, between 93

wolf for thousands of years: Tradi­ tional Yukon First Nations’ social and political organization is based on two clans—the Crow and the Wolf. Contemporary culture is also

appears to spring from

to 95 per cent of cattle killed was not by the w olf’s jaw, but in fact due to a plethora o f other factors includ­ ing “ disease, toxic flora, calving problems, bad weather, getting hung

steadily providing the animal with good press. From W olf Haley, to werewolves, to Alan’s lone wolf speech, our generation has been “ crying w o lf’ more than ever. So why, then, do these appreciative

up in the ubiquity of barbed wire

cries go unheard in favour o f more

ety, recently told the Vancouver Sun that although wolves occasionally attack or kill livestock, they more commonly feed on the cattle that have already died from these other causes.

And so the wolf becomes the perfect scapegoat.

Meanwhile, the BC govern­ ment has failed to recognize that wolves are a critical part o f the predator-prey ecosystem, and that offsetting this balance o f nature in an obvious prioritization o f human interests will only have dangerous repercussions in the future. But for now, so continues the classic debate o f who has the greater right to the land: man, or beast? Christy Clark

villifying charges? v In today’s rendition of Aesop’s fable, the wolf remains the villain.

At least in British Columbia it does.

But the cry originates not so much out o f the white lie of a child as it does the politics o f selfish cattleherders and big-game hunters.

Ranchers seeking compensation for lost cattle in British Columbia’s Cariboo and Chilcotin region, which covers approximately one-third of the province, have been persistent in their indictments against wolves as the chief harassers o f their livestock.

Big game hunters also join the wolfhating bandwagon, as removing na­ ture’s canine predators artificially increases the caribou and elk popu­ lations to their benefit. The result: the BC government has declared a

fences, hit by vehicles, or killed and butchered by rustlers.”

Wayne McCrory, a biologist with the Valhalla Wilderness Soci­

allows for the limitless use o f leghold traps. The Humane Society of

war on its wolves.

Under the guise o f predator control, new wildlife regulations in BC permit open season hunting of wolves in 10 different “ management

Canada denounces leg-hold traps because of their infliction o f unnec­ essary pain and suffering; in an at­ tempt to escape, animals will often

areas” ranging from 100 Mile House to Williams Lake, Quesnel, and the Chilcotin. This w olf management plan rescinds BC’s previous bag limit of three wolves per year, and

starve or batter themselves to death, even chewing off their own limbs to break free.

Environmental and animal

rights groups, including the Ca­ nadian W olf Coalition, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and Val­ halla Wilderness Association, are alarmed. Their main concern is that the legitimization of killing BC’s wolves will foreshadow a violent extinction o f the species altogether: a true war o f attrition.

But as is the case in most wars,

should take some advice from Leo­ pold and his Land Ethic, and maybe all won’t be lost.

AR O UN D THE TO W N

The evolution of Chinatown T h e r e ’s

m o re

to

th is

By N o a h C a l d w e l l - R a f f e r t y ____

Contributor “ Is it religious, what you’re doing?” I asked the young man who had just finished a stint o f standing meditation in a plaza off of de la Gauchetière Street. His fellow prac­ titioners milled about nearby, either preparing for another session or tak­ ing a well-deserved rest. “ Not at all!” he answered, eyes widening. He gestured to the pam­ phlet he was holding, on which the words truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance were written under the title Falun Dafa. “ These are what we look for, and there’s no religion about it.” He and his companions are there almost every day, their eclectic practice blending perfectly into the surroundings. This is China­ town, where the smell o f dumplings, spring rolls, and medicinal herbs

d istrict th a n

m e e ts

th e

eye

habit of new arrivals clustering to­ gether, Chinese immigrants began settling in the same area. A Chinese Masonic Temple sprang up, parades

the community continues to evolve.

Recently, the younger generation has begun to open businesses more

later than most because o f its tourist status, and you can feel it. At 7 p.m., de la Gauchetière was still brimming with people. BM X bikers playfully twirled nearby and a palm reader in a black track suit attracted clients with a singing doll. But despite the area’s tourist hours, the passing street-folk

began to frequent Dorchester Street (René- Levesque today), and the Beth David synagogue became a

life—bubble tea shops and glitzy lounges with sleek black leather

were almost exclusively Chinese; residents buzzed in and out o f small family-owned grocery stores, grab­ bing last-minute dinner necessities.

Chinatown used to be a Jew­ ish neighborhood. At the end of the 19th century, Yiddish-speaking immigrants created an enclave of synagogues, libraries, and theatres, becoming the unrivaled centre of Montreal’s Jewish culture for sev­ eral decades. But true to the urban

ing from Vancouver. Small busi­ nesses opened, and eventually the neighborhood became immovable, encircled by four paifang (gates) on every side. Chinatown’s growth was not without its setbacks, however.

From the 1970s onward, it felt the brunt of Montreal’s redevelopment, and several acres were taken for city projects, including the colourful Pal­ ais des Congrès.

Now geographically smaller,

from storefront apothecaries take over as downtown Montreal fades away.

Chinatown’s business hours are

Chinese Presbyterian church.

The Chinese population grew rapidly in the 20th century. The community absorbed both new im­ migrants from China and those com­

concurrent with 21st century urban

couches.

Despite these new establish­ ments, Chinatown remains unadul­ terated. There is a timelessness that percolates through the streets, the same low hum found in a small Que­ bec parish, a farming town in Ne­ braska, or any place where families stay for generations. A distinct way o f life is preserved in these fami­ lies’ every day habits, and the term “ local business” isn’t just a market­ ing ploy. However, every town has its odd duckling, and Chinatown’s is Johnny Chin.

Tucked away in a tiny stall, Chin sells dragon beard candy from a counter seven days a week.

“ I ’ve been doing it for 21 years now,” he says, “ Just look.” On the wall is a smattering o f newspaper articles chronicling his unique tal­ ent over the years. Dragon beard is a powdery vanilla-coconut treat that melts in your mouth, revealing a peanutty interior. Chin is the only one in Montreal making it, a feat all the more impressive considering that Chin’s brother had to bribe one of the few remaining masters in Hong Kong for the recipe.

Chinatown grew in order to provide sanctuary for Chinese Cana­ dians. Today, this is still the case.

As my meditative friend told me, “ Many who do Falun Dafa in China are persecuted by the Communist Party. There have been executions.”

With that he smiled and looked gratefully over the ground where he and others peacefully stand and practice almost every single day.

C u r io s it y D e liv e r s , w w w .m c g illt r ib u n e .c o m

RESTAURANTS

Caffeine pick-me-ups at Pikolo T h e

M cG ill

G h e tto

w e lc o m e s

n e w

e s p re s s o

bar

By M a rri Lynn Knadle

day and Phoenix the next.

Pikolo also offers baked goods in the form o f croissants, muffins, and more, each batch made locally

Copy Editor After

three

months

of

successful service, Pikolo at 3418 Avenue du Parc marked its official opening with a celebratory fête last Wednesday. The occasion featured an in-house DJ and white balloons, along with a crowd that was even larger than usual. Despite the rush, the service was characteristically swift and the atmosphere was warm.

Owner Marie-eve is often behind the bar, ready to tell you about what’ s brewing. The first time I stepped in, the shot o f the day ($2.75) was a honey-processed

and provided to Marie-eve before they’ve hit the oven so she can bake them herself. That way, they’re warm and fresh when they’re served.

In case you’ ve had too much o f a good thing and feel the caffeine trembles starting, Pikolo also has a wide selection of smoothies ($4.75) and teas ($2).

The plum oolong is especially delicious, served in a tetsubin, a Japanese cast-iron pot. Enjoy your tea and pore over some o f the many industry magazines available at the front rack: BeanScene, Fresh Cup, and others.

Panama that boasted considerable crema and a multifaceted flavour profile that delighted the tongue; no scorched beans or dishwater swill here. The café filtre ($2) is as masterful as the espresso, needing no cream or sugar to please the palate—though if that’ s not your cup o f java, all the amenities, including soy milk and brown sugar, are available on the bar.

There are also two self-service jugs o f cool, filtered water that offer refreshment between espressos; one jug is routinely flavoured with cucumber slices.

A ll o f the little details in Pikolo, from its ambience, and the approachability o f its owner In addition to their espresso

which combines faintly industrial

makes good use o f its narrow

and café filtre, Pikolo offers macchiato, cappuccino, latte, and its smaller signature “ Pikolo latte,” which tasted velvety and rich, even with soy milk. Each latte is adorned with a fern leaf design, a humble but skillful nod to latte art without obeisance to the trend’ s full

burnished steel accents and exposed bulbs in its light fixtures with pale wood furnishings. The chairs and tables are comfortable and well-spaced; the open concept is embraced by high ceilings and ample natural lighting afforded by the large street-facing window.

Shaped like a bowling alley, as so. many o f Montreal’ s shops and houses are, Pikolo nevertheless

spacing with wall-aligned seating and a few extra sets o f tables and chairs in a raised mezzanine at back.

The view from the mezzanine is the best in the bar, affording coffeesippers and home workers a view o f the action behind the counter, and the colorful patrons sitting below. The soundtrack is as mixed and appealing as the crowd itself, featuring Bedouin Soundclash one

measure o f extravagance.

This conscientious minimalism suits Pikolo’ s interior aesthetic,

and her patrons, to its sublimely stellar espresso, invite one to get comfortable and stay a while rather than sip on the run. But when it’ s finally time to leave, you can take home bags o f beans roasted in Calgary by Phil and $ebastian, or get a last cup to go.

This gem in the caffeinestarved student district is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

G IZ M O S & G AD G ETS

Social networks go head-to-head A

c lo s e r

lo o k

at G o o g le +

By lain M acd o n ald

Production Manager Last week Google+ was made available to the general public after months o f restricted access, which led to some calling the network Google-. On the same day, Facebook unveiled big changes to its News Feed, among other things. The two social networks are now competing for the public’ s attention. Which should you subscribe to?

an d

F a c e b o o k

website du jour. With over 750 million active members, most of your friends, family, and even professors likely have profiles.

features, it’ s no surprise that Facebook has been the target of recent concerns about personal information privacy. While the

on the block. Google generated a lot o f buzz a few months ago when it announced the project and launched a private beta. Despite all

tested as thoroughly as Facebook, so there is no way to know if they really are handling your data better.

Additionally, your favourite bands,

company has made it much easier to keep track o f your privacy settings in recent updates, Facebook’ s handling o f personal information is a bit dubious and confusing for some users. Facebook is always changing, so the best way to avoid losing a job offer is to always be careful about what you do and don’ t put on Facebook.

the excitement, last week’ s public opening of the website flopped.

Google+ offers a number of features similar to those found on Facebook, like their version o f a News Feed (called a Stream), and chat. Google+ also has a few things Facebook doesn’t, like Hangouts, which are slightly glorified Skype sessions.

Despite all the excitement about Google+ in July, the “ social

is that your mom isn’ t on it. Yet.

movies, and celebrities all have pages. Facebook helps you stalk all o f these people with the News Feed, and the site has a great chat system as well. You can make groups, lists, pages, and events to help keep track o f all o f your friends in all o f your different social groups.

Just last week, Facebook introduced several improvements to the News Feed. Now, your Feed goes with you everywhere on the site, where it sits just above the chat list. Additionally, your News Feed will be tailored based on how long you’ve been o ff Facebook. If you haven’ t checked in for a few days, the top stories will cover that

Facebook Tried and true, Facebook is the social networking, time-wasting

network” isn’ t as social as it should be. Many people simply haven’t migrated over from Facebook; or they started to, but never actually

time frame. I f you’re online more frequently, you’ ll see more recent material. This helps you keep up with all o f your friends, all the time.

With all of these personalization

When

G o o g le + it comes

to

social

networks, Google+ is the new kid

set up a profile and added friends.

The general mentality is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and for many, Facebook just ain’t broke. Until Google+ gets more members, it’ s a social network minus the network.

While Google+ hasn’t encountered the same privacy concerns as Facebook, it hasn’ t been

One redeeming factor for Google+

W in n e r Facebook. It’ s going to take a lot to unseat the king from its throne, and Google+ just doesn’ t have what it takes yet. For social networks, many just follow their friends, and Facebook’ s massive user base gives them the upper hand in this battle.

16

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

O D D S A N D ENDS

To text or not to text H o w

to

h a n d le

an

a w k w a rd

By Kyla M a n d e l____________________

Features Editor

e n c o u n te r

immediately pursue your plan of action. Some people may choose to simply cross the street. However, if

When it comes to running into

the acquaintance in question sees

past acquaintances, you never know how it will turn out. If you knew them at one point in time, maybe even became Facebook friends, but then never spoke again, chances are

you do this, you have failed. An­ other option is to wear sunglasses or pretend text-message. This tech­ nique lets you remain on the same stretch of sidewalk while completely

it will be awkward. While the cour­

avoiding eye contact. Sunglasses act as a natural barrier, so you can both look forward and keep an eye out at the same time. The texting technique on the other hand, in our technologically addicted age, is both

teous thing to do would be to walk right up to them and say hello, many o f us opt instead for the classic textand-walk-straight-ahead technique.

As Facebook lets us remain “ in contact” with many people we oth­ erwise would not, when faced with a non-Internet encounter, what are we supposed to do? There is the option of actually talking to them, but this usually consists o f a rather short and forced conversation. The obvious “ how are you?” and “ how’s school going?” questions are asked, fol­ lowed by an awkward pause. Each of you then says you have to be going and continues on in your respective

polite and believable. This person does not know you are any differ­ ent from the hoards of others glued to their iPhones and Blackberries.

What’s more, if they decide to say hello to you, all you have to do is act surprised and put your phone away.

It’s as simple as that.

One thing to remember, howev­ er is that once eye-contact is made, the jig is up. Even if it’s just for a split second, you must say hello. It

directions. Painful? Yes. Harmful?

can be as easy as just smiling and

Not so much.

The other option is to pretend you don’t see this person. While risky, there is high pay-off when executed properly. The best way for this to work is if you notice the person well enough in advance and

saying hi as you each walk past, or as awkward as forcing a conversation in the middle o f a busy street. Where conversation is absolutely necessary however, is when the both of you are confined to one space. This can happen anywhere, from riding the

same bus to being in the same class.

In this situation the only option is to

this room for three months, so you might as well buck up and establish

acknowledge each other and have a pleasant conversation. Unless you constantly text or look out the bus window, contact is inevitable.

friendly relations.

In a classroom, this is even more true. Sure, one o f you could switch classes due to sheer awkwardness, but realistically you two will be in

What is important to remem­ ber is that everyone does this. When avoidance techniques are success­ fully executed, no one gets hurt. You may feel bad ignoring someone, but chances are they’re doing the exact same thing to you. As long as neither

o f you realizes the other is snubbing you, everyone is in the clear. And while everyone knows what it feels like to see someone blatantly ignor­ ing you, chances are you’d have done the same thing. Who knows, maybe the inventor o f the cell phone just re­ ally wanted to avoid someone.

E N V IR O N M E N T

Canada geese take flight M ig ra tio n

pattern s

By Kyla M a n d e l

Features Editor Last Friday’ s autumnal equinox officially marked the arrival o f fall, and with it the beginning o f the seasonal migration o f Canada geese. Living in Canada, hearing the unmistakeable honking o f the geese, and seeing their characteristic V-formation signals a turn in season. Even in the busy city o f Montreal, it is hard to miss the geese overhead. Fall wouldn’ t be fall if it weren’ t for the flight of these birds.

However, changes caused by global warming affect the migration o f the Canada goose. The freezing o f northern waters, where the geese nest during the summer months, triggers them to begin their migrations south. Able to fly up to 1000 kilometres in a single day, these geese are usually seen as far south as the southern United States and Mexico during the winter.

Yet with warmer fall and winter temperatures, some populations

to

b e

a ffe c te d

Features meetings

by glo b a l w a r m in g

will find it unnecessary to travel as far south in order to find open water and adequate food supplies.

Milder climates, combined with increased farmland (which provides a comfortable food source and shelter from predators) may render

at their destination the insects and plants they rely on may have blossomed or hatched too early—or

the need to migrate unnecessary.

This has already happened in areas o f California and the Great Lakes.

What’ s more, geese populations have started taking residence in parks, golf courses, and even near airports, which could easily change the birds’ reputation from harbinger o f seasonal change to pest.

While these shifts do not threaten the size o f populations, they do affect the relationship between

habitat for migrating geese. The cumulative effect o f global warming therefore will change many o f the areas suitable for breeding, feeding and nesting. If Canada geese no

the birds and their environment.

The timing o f events in nature is intricately linked: chicks hatch and find caterpillars ready to eat, which had been feeding on the available spring-time buds. A disturbance in this sequence means drastic change.

I f the geese’ s temperature-changetrigger occurs earlier or later in the month, by the time the birds arrive

failed to do so at all.

In addition, global warming will affect the wetland shorelines of the St. Lawrence River, an essential

longer need to migrate to escape an inhospitable environment, we might not see many V-formations in the sky. While the effects of global warming may seem distant for many, they are a pressing and tangible threat. For Canada, to lose such a distinguishing feature like the flight of the Canada goose seems unimaginable. Let’ s hope that we continue to see more than just Canada Goose jackets as a marker o f winter.

5 : 3 0

on Mondays

Shatner n o

H T M L a n d C SS y o u r th in g ?

A p p ly to be o u r o n lin e e d ito r.

E m a il e d ito r@ m c g illtr ib u n e .c o m fo r m o re in fo rm a tio n .

S p o r ts R E D M E N H O C K E Y — M C G IL L 4, UPEI 5 (S H O O T O U T )

Early season test proves tough for Red men P a n th ers

p reva il

in

s h o o u to u t

as

M cG ill

e m b a rk s

on

c h a lle n g in g

By Steven L am pert

the first period. I think we lacked

viously seen in this game, UPEI’s

Contributor

intensity and we weren’t too sure

resiliency prevailed. With under two minutes to go, forward Brandon Biggers chipped home a goal after a scramble in front to send the game into overtime.

Overtime settled nothing, and the game went to a shootout. Red­ men captain Evan Vossen thought

The Redmen opened their ex­ hibition schedule on Friday night at McConnell Arena against the University o f Prince Edward Island Panthers. The Redmen, ranked sec­ ond in the CIS this year, are look­ ing to build on last season’s success, which saw them finish second at the CIS championship. UPEI provided the Redmen with their first test of the season, defeating McGill 5-4 in an exciting overtime shootout.

The game was filled with lead changes and momentum shifts, but UPEI’s resilience was key in top­ ping the Redmen. While he was dis­ appointed with the loss, Head Coach Kelly Nobes was optimistic about his team’s play and understands they are still working out facets of their game.

where we were supposed to be on the ice at all times. But it’s our first game o f the season and we’ll con­ tinue to work to improve,” he said.

Both teams were noticeably more physical in the second period.

Six minutes in, UPEI was granted a penalty shot, but Redmen goaltender Hubert Morin made a difficult slid­ ing pad save to keep McGill within one goal. The Redmen helped their goalie out by scoring two goals later

you play a close game, you can take away little things to build on.... It was definitely a good test for us,” Vossen said.

The shootout was a challenge for the Redmen, as UPEI denied all three of their shooters. Panthers for­ ward Matt Carter buried a wrist shot

ute left in the period, the Panthers evened the score at 3-3 on a great shot from the point by forward Jared Gomes.

over Morin’s short side that proved to be the game-winner.

Vossen was happy with how the team progressed through the game,

things ... this is a building process

Nobes anticipated this early season test for the Redmen. “ One o f the things we have done in our preseason is schedule games against

but knows that they will need to im­ prove since expectations are high. “ I think definitely with the success we had last year, we have expectations

to get better as a team every day,” Nobes said.

The first period was highly competitive. Both teams looked anx­

tougher teams. UPEI is a real solid team and we are going to play three N C A A Division I schools. So we have given ourselves a tougher pre­

from a lot o f people and from our­ selves. We know that every team is going to give their best effort since they want to beat the best, but we’ll

ious to start their respective seasons

season in order to better prepare

continue to work on our game so we

on a high note. Rookie Guillaume Langelier-Parent opened the scoring after third-year forward Jean-Fran-

ourselves for the regular season,” Nobes said.

From the third period onwards, the Redmen felt this test. The Red­

can answer those efforts,” Vossen noted.

The team will continue to be tested with their exhibition schedule.

riod by scoring two goals to take the lead going into the first intermission.

Max Langlier-Parent noted that the Redmen weren’t pleased with their

men outplayed UPEI for most o f the third period as they controlled the puck and prevented any real scoring chances against them. With seven minutes remaining, freshman Jus­ tin Ducharme received a pass from Benoit Levesque in front and one-

After a second straight loss to UPEI on Saturday, they now head south for a three game stretch against N C AA schools. The Redmen open their regular season on October 7 against Lakehead.

start. “ We weren’t that happy with

timed it past Sniderman. But, as pre­

cois Boisvert made a beautiful move around a defender and fed Langeli­ er-Parent with a great pass in front.

UPEI answered back later in the pe­

sla te

the team responded well to the pres­ sure that came with overtime. “ I think it was good. For us, anytime

in the period courtesy of Boisvert and Max Langelier-Parent. UPEI withstood further damage by killing o ff multiple two-man disadvantages, led by goaltender Jhase Sniderman.

On a powerplay with under a min­

“ It’s our first game o f the sea­ son and we worked on some parts o f our system. We saw some good

e x h ib itio n

Langlier-P arents te a m up fo r fo u r points. (Ryan R eisert / M c G ill T rib u n e)

T H IR D M A X IX Where does Indianapolis go from here?

Fourteen years o f consistency have come to an abrupt halt. En­ tering week three, the Indianapolis Colts stand 0-3 for the first time since 1998. The harsh reality is that their franchise quarterback is out for an extended period o f time, leaving the team in a state o f flux.

Peyton Manning underwent neck surgery on May 23 to repair a cervical spinal issue. The injury was initially kept quiet, overshadowed by the NFL lockout, but his rate of improvement in rehabilitation was slower than expected and the Colts declared him out indefinitely.

There are both present and fu­ ture issues that the franchise must consider. The team is o ff to the aforementioned abysmal start led

by Manning’s replacement, quarter­ back Kerry Collins, who was signed out o f retirement to replace Peyton

able backup quarterback prowess, leading the Colts to seven or eight wins. However, the Colts have five games remaining against legitimate Super Bowl contenders: Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Atlanta, New Eng­

when news o f the severity o f his in­ jury broke. So far, so bad.

There are two legitimate paths the Colts can take this season. The first option is to continue trying to win games and remain somewhat competitive. Even without Manning, the team still has key pieces in wide receiver Reggie Wayne and defen­ sive ends Dwight Freeney and Rob­

land, and Baltimore. Yikes.

This could save the team from embarrassment, and winning with­ out Manning would provide a confi­ dence boost for the rest o f the play­ ers. More importantly though, this would probably leave the Colts out o f the playoffs and with a mediocre draft pick. As a result, contending this season should not be Indy’s pri­ ority.

ert Mathis. The ideal scenario would be if the team gets increased contri­ bution from key players and Collins somehow rediscovers his service­

Instead, the Colts should vie to be in position for a top-five draft pick. This way, they can target Stan­ ford quarterback Andrew Luck, who

is the consensus top player in the up­ coming draft. Some would argue that drafting a quarterback when you’ ve just committed $90 million over the next five seasons to Manning would be a bad move. This is not complete­ ly untrue, but the frightening part of Manning’s injury is that it’s a spinal issue. Post-surgery, he will require therapy on his neck to regain losses o f function, mobility, arid strength. It is difficult to predict how Peyton will respond to this treatment and how vulnerable his neck will be to future injuries. This uncertainty means that drafting a quarterback for the future should be a priority. There are ad­ vantages to this, as any quarterback would benefit by learning from a future Hall-of-Famer. After all, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Aaron

Rodgers, sat behind a Hall-of-Famer for three seasons.

Speaking as a football fan.

Manning’s injury is unfortunate, especially in an era o f great quar­ terbacks. For the Colts organization, players, and their fans it stings even worse. There is no doubt that it’s vir­ tually impossible to replace a four­ time M VP winner.

Colts fans should remain hope­ ful: even if Manning cannot regain his form and the team doesn’t get the chance to draft Luck, the front of­ fice can make a trip to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to seek out a certain Wrangler jeans model to save the franchise.

— Steven Lampert

C u r io s it y D e liv e r s , w w w .m c g illt r ib u n e .c o m

18 F I L M R E V IE W S C O R E B O A R D

The statistical revolution caught on film

(S c o re s sin ce S e p t. 2 0 ) B rad

P itt s ta rs

in

a d a p ta tio n

o f M ic h a e l

L e w is ’ s to ry o f stats,

By A d am Sadinsky_________________

they don’t: a lasting impact on the

Sports Editor

way we think about the game.

Well, the book did anyway.

M oneyball is based on Michael

Oakland A ’ s General Manag­ er Billy Beane had just witnessed

Lew is’ 2003 work o f the same name, which turned the baseball

one o f his favourite prospects,

b a seb a ll,

m o n e y

REDMENBASEBALL

guys without “ the good face” or all o f the “ five tools” is assembled for bargain salaries, allowing the A ’s to hang around with the Yan­ kees and make the playoffs.

play. However, the movie takes a strange angle on his family life by playing up the storyline o f Beane and his daughter, while his w ife is only mentioned in a quick phone

Won 14-9 @ John Abbott

Lost 8-2 @ Ottawa

The movie does a good job

conversation. The father-daughter relationship feels unnecessary, as the story o f Beane’s pro career and subsequent failure would have been enough personal drama to make the film resonate with non-sports fans.

While there have been many criticisms o f Moneyball over the years, namely the failure o f the A ’s to win a World Series and the rampant steroid use in their club­

catcher Jeremy Brown, pick him­ self up o ff the dirt and circle the bases after tripping over first base on a home run he didn’ t realize he had just hit. “ It’ s hard not to be

world upside-down. Moneyball is the story o f the Oakland Athletics and the efforts o f their front o f­ fice to be competitive in a league where their payroll is one third

at turning what is essentially a jazzed-up economics textbook into an inspirational movie. Writ­ ers Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian were able to take some o f

romantic about baseball,” Beane says to Paul Brand, his assistant.

It’s hard not to be romantic about a great baseball movie either.

Moneyball certainly captures

that o f other top teams.

Inspired by Bill James, a security-guard-turned-statistical-guru (seen just once in the film ), Beane (Brad Pitt) embarks on a quest to

the more personal moments o f

the romance o f baseball and has all the hallmarks o f a classic base­ ball film: a washed-up pro trying to make a name for himself, a team no one believes in surpassing ex­ pectations, and a montage o f the epic winning streak that turns the

prove to the baseball establish­ ment that‘everything they believe and everything they do is flawed.

Adopting a philosophy that values statistics previously believed to be irrelevant, such as on-base per­ centage and slugging over batting average and runs batted in, the

the book and weave them into a movie script. Fans o f the book will undoubtedly be disappoint­ ed that “ the fat catcher” Jeremy Brown’s only mention in the film is in the afformentioned scene, and that math-whiz, Assistant GM Paul DePodesta is reduced to the generic Brand, played by Jonah Hill.

Brad Pitt plays a convincing Billy Beane, whose eccentric­

A ’ s attempted to find the players no one else wanted, to turn them into superstars. A rag-tag group of

ity comes through in the scenes where he is seen driving his car and avoiding watching his team

season around. Moneyball should join the ranks o f esteemed baseball flicks like The Natural and Bull Durham, but it also has something

an d

house, the book changed the way many people look at baseball, and the movie captures that. This is a must-see for anyone who con­ siders themselves a baseball fan, but they should see it soon... the playoffs start Friday.

Won 6-4 vs. Concordia Lost 6-4 @ Carleton Won 7-5 @ Carleton Lost 7-4 @ Ottawa

MARTLETSFIELD HOCKEY Lost 6-0 @ Toronto Won 3-2 vs. Waterloo Tied 2-2 vs. Western

REDMENFOOTBALL Lost 12-4 @ Laval

REDMENLACROSSE Won 12-11 @ Bishop’s Won 13-6 vs. Carleton

REDMENRUGBY Won 21-13 vs. Concordia

MARTLETSRUGBY Lost 32-8 vs. Laval

REDMENSOCCER Lost 1-0 vs. Sherbrooke Won 3-1 vs. Montreal

D O Y O U L IK E S P O R T S A N D D O N T C A R E W H O K N O W S ?

MARTLETSSOCCER Lost 2-1 vs. Sherbrooke Tied 1-1 vs. Montreal

S P O R T S @ M C E IL L T R IB U N E . C O M

Tom orrow ’s Professionals A p p ly Today!

A p p ly Online!

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Ontario Law School Application Service N ovem b er 1, 2011 : Application deadline for first-year English programs February 1, 2011 : Application deadline for first-year French programs M ay 1, 2012: Application deadline for upper-year programs

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170 Research Lane Guelph ON NIG 5E2 www.ouac.on.ca

19

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

S O C C E R — R E D M E N 3, M O N T R E A L l • M A R T L E T S 1, M O N T R E A L l

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a g a in s t w ily

C a ra b in s

By Christopher Nardi___________ Contributor Sunday

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McGill soccer double-header, with each team facing highly ranked Uni­ versité de Montréal squads. Both the Redmen and the Martlets wanted to bounce back from losses against Sherbrooke on Friday, but faced higher caliber opponents in the Car­ abins.

coach. McGill’s man advantage led to a breakaway goal by Axel Dovi in the 89th minute of play, tripling the Redmen’s lead and ruining any

chalin and Éva Thouvenot-Hébert.

Both teams had golden chances to score again. A shot by the Carabins was miraculously saved on a div­

chances of a UdeM comeback. “ We worked our butts off. We’re usually a second half team, and sometimes it takes us a little bit to get out of the starting gate,” Gilmour revealed. “ But I think we started strong today

ing effort by Martlet Kelsey Wilson.

McGill had a great chance to take the lead when Wilson was tripped

by UdeM’s Emmanuelle BeliveauLabrecque and rewarded a penalty shot. Keeper Martine Julien worked

and got that penalty that obviously helped, and we came out strong the second half, and obviously scored that quick goal.” With the win on Sunday, the Redmen are now tied with the Carabins for first in Que­ bec.

The fourth-ranked Redmen began the evening with a resounding 3-1 win over the number eight Uni­ versité de Montréal squad, in a game in which tempers were running high from start to finish. The first half saw offensive domination alternate, as McGill kept it mostly in Montreal’s zone for the first 25 minutes, and then generated few offensive chanc­ es until the end o f the first half. First year defender Alexis Pradie opened up scoring at the 45th minute with a penalty kick obtained after UdeM’s Maxime Pinton received a red card.

The goal was Pradie’s first of the season, and gave the Redmen the boost they needed heading into the second half.

The Redmen got off to an ex­ cellent start in the second half with a 49th minute goal by Sebastien Mon­

reach, the Carabins took their foot o ff the gas, forcing Gilmour to make a tremendous save at the 78 minute mark. “ It’s always difficult to play a

Things started getting out of hand for the Carabins when they were handed three red cards in the final eight minutes of play, includ­ ing one to Montreal Head Coach

roe, assisted by Alex King. Although

team that’s one man down, and even

Pat Raimondo, an ex-Redmen head

the Carabins were down a man, they never let up the pressure. In the 62nd minute of play, Vincent de Bruille scored on a great kick that lept over Redmen keeper Matt Gilmour. Sens­ ing the game was finally within

two, because they have nothing to lose, so they don’t think, they just work,” Head Coach David Simon said. “ We survived that pressure, so that’s good.”

The Martlets also had heavy competition when they hosted the second-ranked Carabins and they rose to the task, coming out with a 1-1 tie. McGill, ranked sixth in the most recent CIS rankings, put the pressure on early and were rewarded quickly when Alexandra MorinBoucher scored on a quick feed from Alexandria Hoyte in the fifth minute o f play. This was the first goal that Montreal keeper Martine Julien had allowed this season.

Montreal struck back with a tying goal by Isabelle Dumais at the 38th minute, after a well-executed give-and-go between Marylise Mon-

her magic again and came up with a huge save to preserve the 1-1 tie.

Although the Martlets played a sound defensive and offensive game, Head Coach Marc Mounicot couldn’t hide his disappointment. “ Our entire team played well de­ fensively, so did the forwards, who did their job. I ’m very happy. You have to understand our three best defenders are not playing tonight, they are all injured (including start­ ing goaltender Victoria Muccilli),” Mounicot said. “It was a very good performance tonight; I ’m just a little bit disappointed because I thought we deserved to win.”

All in all, the weekend was a very successful one for the two McGill soccer squads, who were pit­ ted against formidable opponents.

Both teams play their next game on Friday, Sept. 30 against UQTR in Trois-Rivières.

R E D M E N R U G B Y — M C G I L L 21, C O N C O R D I A 13

R edm en pull o u t late victory over S tin g ers T h irteen

p o in ts

in

la st fifte e n

By Rebecca Babcock

m in u te s

th e

d iffe re n c e

fo r

M cG ill

Last Sunday, the McGill Red­ men rugby team won their home opener against the Concordia Sting­ ers. The game wasn’t pretty, but it ended well with 13 unanswered points for McGill in the last 15 min­ utes, putting the Redmen ahead at the final whistle 21-13.

Thirteen minutes in, Gideon Balloch converted a penalty kick to put McGill up 3-0. A minute later, the Redmen gained possession of the

tunities to score. When Concordia executed a successful maul, McGill was called for a penalty. The Sting­ ers decided to take a penalty kick

These little mistakes by McGill

and scored to go up 10-8.

The Redmen’s biggest problems were knock-ons caused by fumbling and missed catches. They had excel­ lent chances to score, but there were instances where nerves got the best o f them and they dropped the ball.

The Redmen’s line-outs were the best aspect o f their game. Not only did they execute their own line-outs well, but they were able to make key

gave the Stingers easy opportunities to score. However, the Concordia kicker missed two penalty kicks, al­ lowing McGill to stay in the game.

In the final 15 minutes, McGill turned up the intensity. A nice of­ fensive play created the opportunity for second-year wing Nick Santo to score a try, which tied the game 1313. McGill dominated the offence for the rest of the contest and Perrin took it to the house again with about four minutes left. The conversions proved difficult because of their placement, and both were unsuc­ cessful but McGill kept their 18-13 lead.

Contributor

ball, but fumbled it away. The Sting­

steals on Concordia’s.

ers took advantage o f McGill’s de­ fensive lapse to score an uncontest­ ed try and made the conversion for a 7-3 lead. For the next three minutes McGill dominated in rucks, execut­ ing their offence well. Second-year Cameron Perrin broke through with McGill’s first try o f the game but the Redmen failed to capitalize on the conversion, making the score 8-7 McGill.

Tensions mounted at the end o f the first half, as the play crossed the line between hard-nosed and chippy.

Late in the second half, a Concordia player kicked Redmen hooker Keelan Chapman in the head. After a little tussle both players were sent to the sin bin. “ There’s always been a lot of hot blood between McGill and Con­ cordia and the games are always so

McGill was called for an end­ less array o f penalties in the first half, which gave Concordia oppor­

close that we expect it to be a rough game,” Perrin said.

After another penalty by

McGill, the Stingers again opted to take a penalty kick. They scored and increased the lead by three to 13-8.

The Redmen widened the gap with a successful penalty kick by rookie centre Quentin Pradere, mak­ ing the final score 21-13.

Although this wasn’t McGill’s best effort, the win places them firm­ ly in first place in the RSEQ stand­ ings. “ I think we got a little nervous

The Stingers couldn’t keep the Redmen down as McGill rallied for the win. (AbirShah / McGill Tribune) at the end of the game and decided to pick up the intensity but we put our­ selves into that position with all the dropped passes,” Head Coach Craig Beemer said. “ There were a lot of handling errors and it was a sub-par performance by us.”

McGill’s winning streak now stands at five games, including two victories from last year.

Their next home game is against the Sherbrooke Vert-et-Or at 1 p.m. on Oct. 2.