The Concordian Fall 2014 Issue 03

theconcordian

September 16, 2014 | Independant student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983. | issue 3 | Volume 32

News p.5

Study in history:

Grey Nuns building

Photo by Nathalie Laflamme

In this issue

LIFE

p.6

Concordia co-op crafts

ARTS

p.9

Light blooms at the gardens

MUSIC

p.13

Lydia Ainsworth: worth a listen

SPORTS

p.14

New captain ready for role

We tell your stories. Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

OPINIONS p.18

Do you have Ebola phobia?

theconcordian.com

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Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2013

write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY MiLOs KOVaCeViC news editor

>> CHampLaiN

toLL to take a toLL A federally-commissioned study on the effects of the toll on the new Champlain bridge has determined a price tag of $2.50 would drive away at least 30,000 vehicles a day and lead to major congestion on Montreal’s other spans. The study, whose findings were denied to the Quebec government and Coderre administration but obtained by Radio-Canada, said the toll would raise the traffic on the Victoria bridge to 135 per cent of its maximum rush hour capacity while the Jacques Cartier bridge would rise to 175 per cent of its maximum. This is despite a poll as part of the study which found 56 per cent of respondents agreed with the need for a toll.

>> ste-CatHeriNe street to be reNovated

2016 looks like a big year for major downtown artery Ste-Catherine St., as promised makeovers will see it widened with greater sidewalks and added greenery. The city, which announced the redesigns between Atwater St. and Place des Arts back in June and opened the project to public consultation, released the initial results this week. Other future possibilities as weighed in by the public include opening two-way traffic with flanking parking spots or eliminating parking altogether to make room for more terraces and art installations, according to The Gazette.

>>

eXtiNGuisH Faster, FireFiGHters toLd The Quebec Labour Board has told the city’s firefighters they must be quicker at fighting blazes after a complaint over tardiness led to mediation between the firefighter’s union and city officials, according to The Gazette. The Montreal Firefighters Association agreed to comply with the findings but said allegations of slowness– said to be correlated to ongoing disputes over pensions between the government and labour force– were false. Last month, the CBC reported 41 members of the firefighters’ association as being criminally charged after a disruptive council meeting left city hall ‘ransacked.’

research // news

Documenting the utopian home of the homeless Concordia’s eric weissman’s Phd wins rare honour for dissertation defence sara King-aBadi Contributor

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s an academic, one can only dream their work could have a real-life impact — or at least one should strive for that endgame as far as Concordia sociology professor and recent recipient of the Canadian Association for Graduates Studies Distinguished Dissertation Award Eric Weissman is concerned.

Weissman won the award, given for a dissertation that makes an unusually significant and original contribution to a field, as a PhD graduate from Concordia’s Individualized Program (INDI) project, a Graduate Studies program created to cater to a limited number of exceptional students wishing to undertake specific individual research.

“I think if you’re in school you need to be academically rigorous but you also need to apply your eye, your lens and your skills to solving social issues that need to be resolved,” said Weissman on the overlap between the longtime project and his PhD studies and the research that is changing not only the way but where many live their lives.

A filmmaker, author, and ethnographer in addition to his sociology professorship, Weissman can’t really be placed in a box.

His dissertation, “Spaces, Places and States of Mind: a pragmatic ethnography of liminal critique,” looks at the United States’ first city-sanctioned shantytown, Dignity Village. Dignity Village, on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon, came about when dozens of homeless individuals banded together and used social activism to create an independent community catering to their needs. The camp fought the state of Oregon for recognition of important American values like the right to shelter and organized themselves with lawyers, campaigns and housing advocates, eventually getting Portland to recognize it as, in the words of Weissman, an “ emergency transitional campground.”

What they also did is create a model for other communities wishing to put that creative spin on putting a heavy dent in homelessness. Dignity Village pitched a homeless utopia as part of their case for shelter: their vision entailed community kitchens, enterprises and gardens in an aes-

concordia sociology proFessor and winner oF the cag distinguished dissertation award eric weissman. photo courtesy oF Jerome crowder. thetic, rustic environment.

“They pitched this perfect utopia. They never managed to live up to that,” said Weissman.

Cost as well as poor location (it was built on a section of asphalt near the Portland airport) left their utopian gardens a dream on the drafting papers.

Weissman said he hopes his dissertation, highly critical of Dignity Village and its chronic problem of self-medicating with alcohol and drugs that left inhabitants unable to self-govern, helps make it so that similar intentional communities have the groundwork, and its potential mistakes, laid out for them.

“Dignity Village can’t really run itself because they’re too busy fighting with each other,” Weissman explained of the problems plaguing the community.

“These new places [by contrast] have strict policies on drugs and alcohol.”

Weissman has personally visited six such communities in the United States, all based on the same kind of utopian model as Dignity Village, though there are possibly hundreds more. One example is Community First! Vil-

lage in Central Texas. The 27acre community aims to give not just shelter but a home to 200 people and has already successfully provided for 99 disabled and chronically homeless residents. The community is built of canvas guest cottages, repurposed mobile homes, and trendy tiny homes.

“These new villages appeal to this mass sentiment about living smaller, leaving less of an imprint.” Weissman said. When Weissman visited the Community First! Village, the director explained to him that, “this isn’t a political statement [like Diginity Village], it’s a way to give people affordable housing again.”

That, Weissman thinks, is the real issue with homelessness. “It’s not about drugs, it’s not about addictions, although people who become homeless tend to exhibit those problems after some time,” Weissman said frankly, “it’s about affordable housing.”

Being able to provide housing is the first step in aiding a host of social problems, and Weissman says it almost always adds to the dignity and quality of life of par-

ticipants. Take for example Chez Soi/At Home, a four-year crossCanadian experiment in five major cities, including Montreal.

The study looks at housing as a first method of managing homeless and mental health problems, along with medical and psychological support. The results not only improved the residents’ situations by limiting the associated recidivism of street life but saved a substantial amount of money in the process: inpatient costs were offset on average by an estimated $14,003.

“I think that we need to know that we can change the way people think about the solutions to our social problems,” said Weissman, who is certainly doing his part. His next destination is San Antonio, Texas as a keynote speaker for the Texas Homelessness Network, and he will be in good company, bringing along two Dignity Village residents to talk about their experiences. “I don’t really do things unless I see that it can have a concrete result,” concluded Weissman.

And his results have literally been laid in concrete, canvas, and community.

Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

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Campus // news

Naomi Klein to visit ConU to spur climate action Csu’s VP talks about the need for climate change and naomi Klein’s visit guiLLerMO BOCCagni Contributor

On Sept. 16, in preparation for the world’s largest climate change march, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) and partners will host a talk by author and social activist Naomi Klein on the challenges facing the fight against climate change.

Klein will be in town for the launch of her fourth book, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate. The event bringing this notorious Montrealer back home is not isolated but part of a much broader movement, of which the fight against climate change is the driving force. It also comes right before the Sept. 21 People’s Climate March in New York City (to which Concordia will send a delegation) and the concurrent Montreal march the CSU will participate in.

“The impact of human activity on the climate is undeniable, and we need to take action in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change,” explained the CSU’s VP External and Mobilization Anthony Garoufalis-Auger on Klein’s visit and the march.

The fight, he said, is not an easy one. The large transnational corporations involved are not inclined to change the way they maximize profit, so they fight back on three fronts: through academia, via the

mass media, and by politics.

In the academic realm, there is an overwhelming consensus that human activity is increasing global temperature. There is a small group of scientists fighting man-made climate change by writing papers that are usually not peer reviewed. These authors, he explained, are often funded by the same actors that support major political groups, particularly the right-wing parties of both the United States and Canada.

And that takes us to the second front: politics. “Unfortunately,” continued Garoufalis-Auger, “major parties, from the Conservatives to the New Democrats, don’t seem to care about the effects of human activity on the climate. They all share the same main view that pipelines and fossil fuels are good for Canadian interest[s]. Our firstpast-the-post electoral system prevents minor parties [from becoming] relevant.”

Climate change’s third front is the mass media. Younger people don’t watch as much TV as before, but have shifted their reliance to alternative news channels.

“Bringing awareness of climate change through alternative means such as organizing events like Klein’s book launch, is necessary since we can’t rely on mainstream sources to keep us properly informed,” he said.

Divestment: a valuable tool

Most of the universities in the public image, and bring the issue United States and Canada hold as- to the public’s attention,” consets of large corporations as part cluded Garoufalis-Auger. of their endowment funds. A big portion of these publicly traded Naomi Klein’s book launch is corporations are related to the happening on Tuesday, Sept. 16 fossil fuel industry and other eco- at 7:00pm at the Imperial Thelogically unsustainable business. ater on 1430 Bleury street. TickThis is why many student groups, ets are free and can be picked up like our very own Divest Concor- at both H-711 of the Hall Builddia, have started to push for more ing (1455 de Maisonneuve West) responsible investment choices and the Loyola SC-115 Campus by pressuring universities to get Center at 141 Sherbrooke West. rid of those assets and stop financing such corporations.

They play on the term “divestment,” which is the opposite of investment � so while buying shares from a company in order to obtain a return is an investment, divestment is the process of selling those assets.

Economic profit is not the main goal of divestment, but rather to increase public awareness of the unsustainable policies of corporations.

“The goal behind divestment is not to financially bankrupt the fossil fuel industry, but a smiling naomi Klein at a previous conFerence. to bankrupt their photo by eric slomanson, FlicKr.

research // news

Master’s and monkeys at the Granby Zoo Zoo partners with Conconrdia to offer unique research opportunity KaTe sheridan Contributor

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few graduate students at Concordia may soon be able to watch monkeys and pandas all day --and get paid for it --thanks to a new five-year partnership between ecologist and assistant biology professor Dr. Robert Weladji, and Zoo de Granby.

Specifically, the zoo will be funding some salaries for the graduate students who will work on projects at the zoo.

“We’ve received $10,000 already,” said Weladji, and he anticipates that a similar amount will be provided every year for the next four years of the partnership.

Weladji particularly appreciates the hands-on experience the zoo can provide, he said.

“As a researcher, you have to go out there and look for research opportunities, field sites, to have your students get the best out of their training at Concordia,” he said.

For students interested in exot-

ic animals like red pandas and African mammals, the Granby Zoo’s proximity -- just an hour away from the city -- provides a unique opportunity.

Undergraduate students have spent time at the zoo before, collecting behavioural data for honours projects, but now master’s students will be doing the bulk of the research.

This will mean more data collected as master’s students spend commensurately more observational data for their projects, according to Patrick Paré, director of research and conservation at the Granby Zoo. The hands-on research experience at the zoo, however, will not involve actually touching of the animals. “We do more observational work,” clarified Weladji.

“There is no direct contact.”

Even without touching the animals, researchers will construct an activity budget for their animals by recording how long each animal spends on certain behaviours like eating or grooming, and researchers like Weladji will also record how animals interact with new objects by describing, “how

often they approach it, do they touch it, are they just looking at it, and so on.”

Zoos have an important role to play in conservation efforts, according to Weladji. An example is Concordia master’s student Emily Anderson’s research, which is already benefiting from the partnership, and her work with the endangered Japanese macaques at the zoo.

“We can use that species of primate as a model to save or to help other, more endangered species,” said Paré.

There are many other ways Concordia researchers can help the zoo’s efforts, according to Paré.

Researchers can measure the animals’ behaviours in their habitats to determine what the zoo might need to add, subtract, or change in those habitats, and they can help zookeepers understand more about the behaviour of zoo animals, such as how the animals organize themselves into groups and move around an exhibit.

Weladji’s own work, with his colleagues in 2011, indicated animals in one exhibit could be fed in a different way to ensure all the

animals received enough food.

Some changes have already been made based on reports from researchers. The marabou storks at the zoo had been having some trouble reproducing, but one researcher provided several tips to help the birds reproduce. “For the first time, we got some eggs from these birds,” Paré said, though he added that sadly, the eggs were not fertile.

While Weladji has already been working with the zoo for five years, this was an ideal time to expand the existing research collaboration; Paré said zoo has been working over the last ten years to update and modernize the animal habitats.

“It’s pretty rare for a zoo to have the chance to study the same group of animals in two different exhibits,” said Paré.

The results of the partnership between Concordia and the Granby Zoo could affect animals far beyond Quebec’s borders.

“The most important thing for us is to improve the welfare of animals in captivity and to share our data with our colleagues all around the world,” said Paré.

NATION ChrisTina rOwan Production assistant

>> rob Ford out

oF mayoraL raCe Infamous Toronto mayor Rob Ford has withdrawn from next month’s mayoral race after being diagnosed with an abdominal tumour. Ford was admitted to a hospital last Wednesday following months of abdominal pain and is still awaiting news of whether tumour is cancerous or not. Taking his place will be brother Doug Ford. While Ford said “I want the people of Toronto to know that I intend to face this challenge head on, and win,” he has decided to run for councillor in his old constituency of Ward 2 in Etobicoke, ON, according to BBC.

>> Former QuebeC doCtor GraNted baiL Guy Turcotte, a former Quebec doctor, was granted bail last Friday and awaits a second trial on charges of stabbing his two children Olivier, 5, and Anne-Sophie, 3, to death in 2009. The conditions of Turcotte’s bail include his brother acting as a surety and pledge $100,000, abide a strict curfew, have no contact with his former wife, Isabelle Gaston, continue taking his medication and check in with police several times a month. Turcotte’s next trail will take place September 2015, according to CTV News.

>> CaLGary stiLL CLeaNiNG up

The 15 cm of snow that covered the city of Calgary last week may have started melting by now, but the debris of some 3,800 trees have yet to cleaned up. During the three-day snowfall Calgary’s 311 call center received over 15,500 calls and it’s 911 call center received approximately 6,300 calls according to Global Montreal. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is asking Calgarians to help in cleaning up the city by working with neighbors and friends while the plan for the tree-clean up has yet to be released by city officials.

>> maGNotta triaL Jury diFFiCuLties

The Montreal-based trial of Luka Magnotta may be delayed by several weeks as the court attempts to find a perfectly bilingual jury for the several francophone witnesses taking the stand, according to the London Free Press. In addition to language there were concerns over difficulties in finding both unbiased candidates to serve as jury in the trial and those willing to witness the graphic video evidence to be presented. Magnotta is accused of the killing and dismemberment of Chinese student Jun Lin, 33, and of posting the videotaped act to the Internet.

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Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

Campus // news

WORLD ChrisTina rOwan Production assistant

>> pistorius Not

Talking about what it means to live in Quebec First of three conversations on our shared hybrid identities kicks off CeLesTe Lee Contributor

GuiLty oF murder Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of culpable homicide (the Canadian equivalent of manslaughter) in the death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

South African judge Thokozile Masipa explained that there was an insufficient amount of evidence to charge Pistorius with murder after he shot Steenkamp at their home last year. Pistorius stands by his statement that the panicked shooting was unintentional and that he mistook Steenkamp as an intruder. Prosecutors, meanwhile, say he killed her intentionally after an argument, according to CBC.

>> sCots protest bbC Up to 1,000 Scots gathered outside the BBC headquarters in Glasgow this weekend to protest coverage of the upcoming referendum and claiming the broadcaster has a bias against Scottish independence.

Meanwhile, protesters heckled the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson after a clash between him and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond at a press conference earlier this week. A BBC spokesperson denied the accusations, according to BBC.

>> uk pm respoNds to isis

United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron said his country will take every step necessary to defeat the Islamic State (IS) after the jihadi group beheaded captured British aid worker David Haines, according to The Guardian. IS stated the beheading of Haines was a response to British support of Kurdish forces and American policy. Cameron spoke out saying that the UK will back the Iraqi government arming the Kurds, work with the UN to mobilize against IS, support US air strikes, and most importantly protect UK citizens against terrorism at home.

>> CerebeLLum

missiNG From WomaNʼs braiN Chinese doctors treating a 24-yearold woman in Shandong Province complaining of nausea and dizziness discovered she was missing a part of her brain, according to New Scientist. A CAT scan found the woman lacked a cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for controlling everything from voluntary movement and balance to skills necessary for speech. The discovery finally shed light on why the woman suffered mild physical deficiencies and delayed development during her life, like only being able to walk at seven and developing intelligible speech at six. Doctors suggest that her brain adapted by transferring cerebellum functions to her cortex.

A group of participants sat crowded together in a café to discuss the hybrid identities within Quebec, yet this scene took place not in the 1970s, but on Wednesday Sept. 10 at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery on Concordia’s campus.

In collaboration with Just Watch Me, the University of the Streets Café held its first public conversation of the season under the casually flickering lights of a disco ball. Participants gathered around intimately, nestled with a mug of tea or coffee, and became a part of the collective conversation.

There were those in the crowd who spoke their mind freely and articulately, and others who began with half-formed ideas, only to finish with more thought-provoking questions. There were also many who simply listened as the dialogue flowed smoothly from English to French.

“We’re looking at questions of identity construction,” said Susan Edey, Coordinator of University of the Streets Café about that night’s talk. This was the first in a series of three talks, the second of which will take place Wednesday Sept.

17. The collaboration with Romeo Gongora, creator of the Just Watch Me space, came about in part because the exhibit also examines identity construction in the context

of Quebec. The rest of the conversations in the series will examine identity on a personal level, then identity on a local level. While the conversation itself may look intimidatingly intellectual, many in the crowd spoke of their own personal experiences, mixing their viewpoints in with those who approached the topic from a more academic mindset.

From political discussions and linguistic topics to formative high school experiences, everyone’s input to the discussion was valuable.

Many often returned to languages as a signifier of identity, and small wonder that, with several participants noting they perceived a tension between English and French, particularly here in Montreal.

“I find it interesting that some people — the immigrants or some other people from all around the world — were sharing their experiences,” said Julian Angulo, a volunteer with University of the Streets Café.

Although he did not engage, he found himself relating to the speakers. “That helps me a lot because I’ve just been here for two years and I’m trying to find myself.”

For Angulo, the conversations are a way for him to step out of his intense graduate studies and into a more community-engaged world. It also ends up being a way for him to practice both his French and English at the same time.

At the end of the night, a flurry

of contacts were exchanged. The conversation, limited to just two hours, could not fully explore every single line of thought.

“I think that the conversation moved. It went to really interesting places,” Edey said, after the crowd had dispersed into the night. “I was glad to see a mixture of Anglophone Quebecers, Canadians, Francophone Quebecers, Allophone Quebecers, and new arrivals. I thought that added to the richness.”

Amongst all the different identities, the conversation that night managed to bridge the language divide and overcome the initial awkwardness of not knowing how to begin.

For more information on future conversations by University of the Streets Café, there is a schedule available online at Concordia’s website for the entire semester in which 12 more conversations are planned.

Campus // news

New CSU welcomes semester with open doors discuss efforts and plans, particularly with respect to Loyola campus Laura MarChand Opinions editor

O

n Sept. 10 the Concordia Student Union (CSU) held an informal meet-andgreet in the CSU Lounge of the Hall building to introduce its executives to the student population and give an opportunity for everyone to meet with the team and find out their plans for the upcoming school year. All the CSU executives were in attendance.

Officially, the CSU plans won’t be approved until Sept. 17. However, the CSU was able to discuss several with The Concordian, including the long-term Loyola Greenhouse project.

“There’s also a lot of momentum about food systems on campus, and we should try to take advantage of the opportunity that we have,” said Benjamin Prunty, CSU President. “The [Loyola Greenhouse] would be a really clear and dramatic improvement on [Concordia’s food system].”

The research on the feasibility of a greenhouse at Loyola was done

years ago, Prunty said. The structure would likely be larger compared to the existing Concordia Greenhouse currently located on top of the Hall building, but would take years to complete.

Another continuing project for the CSU is the co-operative café, The Hive, with it’s Loyola sister co-op, The Buzz. The Hive, located in the Hall building mezzanine, officially opened for business in late August while The Buzz is expected to open by the end of September.

“In the first year of operation, there might be some changes,” said Jessica Cabana, VP Sustainability.

“But all the coffee [is] fair trade, and we try to go for organic coffee…We also compost: all the coffee cups are compostable, the stir sticks as well. We try to be conscientious of where the food comes from, and where it goes when you’re done with it.”

Terry Wilkings, VP Academic and Advocacy, intends for there to be changes behind the scenes as well.

“This year at the university, the senate will be producing a new document which will be replacing the Academic Plan and the Stra-

tegic Framework,” Wilkings said, referring to the two documents outlining Concordia’s vision on bettering its standing as an institute of university learning. “It’s going to be a merger of these two documents which guide the university’s academic mission. [We’re] ensuring that students have meaningful input in [its] creation.”

Wilkings added that this was just one of the many ways the CSU was trying to increase student input within the university. “[My] primary goal [...] is to strengthen student representation on academic bodies,” explained Wilkings. “We’re doing that through the Student Congress, which is an experiment in academic governance.”

Wilkins said additional details on the Student Congress will be available at a later time.

Another priority was simply to increase the visibility of the CSU and student services, especially outside of the downtown campus, explained Gabriel Velasco, VP Loyola.

“The CSU has offices at Loyola, and those offices are planned to move to the CC building, which is a bet-

ter location, it’s much more visible and there’s more student traffic,” said Velasco. “We want to make sure that… there’s enough promotion so students know where the new CSU offices are located, and the services that we offer.”

Velasco was referring, in part, to such services as the Housing and Job Bank (HoJo), which help users know their rights and duties under Quebec’s housing laws and find affordable living arrangements, the Legal Information Clinic (LIC) offering legal advice and referral services to students, and the Advocacy Centre, specializing in addressing student grievances and maintaining their rights in matters of perceived discrimination.

“Those services, in the past, have been very hard to find at Loyola,” continued Velasco. “So we’re working…so that every day, there will be one service at Loyola. We’ll be doing that this entire semester.”

Updates on CSU events, projects and services are available on the CSU web site, csu.qc.ca, or on their Facebook page. Their downtown offices are located at H-711, and are open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

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Campus // news

Concordia christens rebirth of Grey Nuns building Former convent transformed into state-of-the-art residence and study space for all Laura Marchand Opinions editor

C

oncordia University’s newest student residence, meant to provide housing to almost 600 students and augment study space to over 300 more, officially opened to celebration on Monday at the former Grey Nuns convent.

The ceremony took place in the former Chapelle de l’Invention-dela-Sainte-Croix, which has been transformed into the Reading Room. Attendees of the event included the Grey Nuns congregation and their Congregational Leader Sister Jacqueline St-Yves, Montreal City Councillor and Borough Mayor for Côte-des-Neiges-NotreDame-de-Grace Russell Copeman, and Hélène David, the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communi-

cations and Minister Responsible for the Protection and Promotion of the French Language.

“Concordia is now offering to its students a reading room that is an impressive place of beauty, calm and serenity,” said Dr. Guylaine Beaudry, a librarian at Concordia University. “What fills me with emotion is the blend of the traditionally religious with a space devoted to study and research.”

Beaudry continued to describe the Reading Room as the “only place for students to study in silence” on campus. “[The students] talk to us, using Facebook, and on Instagram and Twitter to tell us how this reading room inspires them to study, how it makes them proud to be Concordians.”

“Allow me to express how happy we are that this house will continue its mission of welcome,” said St-Yves. “I can tell you [that when we returned], it was an unforgettable moment. Where the past, the present, and – most importantly – the future, came together.”

“This was particularly challenging project, and the turning [of] a … protected convent into a 600-bed student residence and this magnificent study space has been extremely well executed,” said Copeman.

The event also included a performance by Concordia’s Theatre department. Students scattered around the Reading Room read aloud excerpts from Marguerite d’Youville (founder of the Grey Nuns) in French, Shakespearean English, a statement of solidarity in Cree, and Dante’s Divine Comedy in Italian.

“When [the performance] became a little bit cacophonous, it sounded a little bit like a meeting of the City Council of Montreal,” joked Copeman.

The building had been recognized as a historic building by

the Government of Quebec, who collaborated with Concordia University and the Grey Nuns on the heritage preservation of the premises.

The acquisition of the Grey Nuns Residence makes it Concordia University’s oldest building.

Certain areas, such as the crypt inside the building, will remain under the custodianship of the Grey Nuns.

In Spring 2015 an event will be held to commemorate the recognition of its historic status by the federal government.

Concordia University has a long legacy of religious collaboration. Both Loyola College and Sir George Williams University were originally founded by religious groups. The name “Concordia” is Latin for “harmony,” representing the merger of the two institutions.

The Grey Nuns residence is located at 1185 St-Mathieu St.

From top: Original art in the chapel turned study space, extra study/lounge space in the once temporary chapel, pews in the cafeteria, and the crypt. Photos by Nathale Laflamme.

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TuesdaY, sePTeMBer 16, 2014

life

write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com review // LiFe

Bar Brutus doesn’t bring home the bacon new specialty bacon restaurant on Beaubien street is better in theory than in practice Laura MarChand Opinions editor

Ah, bacon: the food that transcends simple culinary appreciation. Bacon has become an internet and cultural phenomenon, with bacon bookmarks, bacon tshirts and – at long last – bacon bars.

In theory, Bar Brutus’s local beer, good cocktails and bacon as far as the eye can see sound like a dream come true. Decorated as it is with a vibe devoted to old barber shops, and having a monopoly over Quebec’s bacon vodka supply, you’d think it would be hard to dislike Brutus.

But somehow, they managed to make it possible.

Walking in, the bar is absolutely beautiful. The ceiling is covered in stylized tin tiles, with exposed brick along one wall, hardwood floors and beautiful antique lamps hanging from the ceiling. The exposed vents give a touch of that modern, industrial look. Topped off with warm lighting and purple accents, Bar Brutus is a gorgeous establishment.

Unfortunately, that is where my appreciation ended.

If the first thing you notice is the stunning décor, then the second is the noise.

I’m no amateur when it comes to bars, but last time I checked, blaring music was typically reserved for clubs. I don’t think I would have been so bothered if the music fit the bar’s gentlemanly vibe – Classical? Jazz? 1960s crooners? – but what I got instead was pop and club music. After we were seated, my companion

and I each had to lean halfway over the thin table to hear each other – and even then, it was touch and go.

Know what made it even worse?

Screaming. Apparently, Bar Brutus has private rooms in the back. I don’t know what was happening back there, but every couple of minutes a chorus of women would start to holler. Imagine what a drunken bachelorette party must sound like, and you have a reasonable approximation. In a small bar like that, the sound was impossible to escape. Why the management didn’t ask them to be quiet, I will never know.

Still, with bacon waiting for us, we were not to be deterred. We ordered three main courses for the two of us: the KD balls, the bacon sushi and their famous Jaegermeister poutine.

Unfortunately, I felt that all three could be summed up in a single word: average. The KD balls (made of deep fried macaroni and cheese) were simply what was advertised. The quality of the mac ‘n cheese wasn’t great, and made me wish they had used actual Kraft Dinner.

The bacon sushi was the dish I was particularly excited for, but I was disappointed to find the bacon was pink and nearly raw. In addition, none of the ingredients inside the sushi had been changed to complement the bacon: shockingly, raw bacon and traditional Japanese ingredients don’t go well together.

As for the poutine – well, I can think of many places in Montreal where you can get a better one. The sauce tasted a little too strongly of Jaegermeister for me, and the cheese curds were too sparse. I

Hallway *Style *

a little bit of soul, a touch of bohemian flair Tania di PaLMa Contributor

Meet Solange, a 22-year-old Concordia student.

travelling the world is a great source of inspiration when it comes to fashion.”

Solange is working towards her major in English literature and minor in professional writing.

What Solange is wearing:

What inspired Solange’s look:

couldn’t even taste the bacon that was supposedly inside.

Each main course was $10, tax included, and the drinks were affordable (although a Coke will run you $5). With the exception of my waitress, the wait staff seemed extremely competent, and I often relied on them, flagging them down to take my order. I only met my waitress

Shirt: TopShop

style // LiFe

Booties: TopShop Wallet: Prada Style icon(s): Johnny Depp and Kate Moss Favourite movie: Blow, Ted Demme Favourite book: On the Road, Jack Kerouac Favourite designer(s): Sandro Paris, Maxmara, and Free People.

Musical preference: The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys Favourite boutique(s): Anthropologie and the White Space at The Bay

Scarf: Zara Pants: Sandro Paris

Bar Brutus is located at 1290 Rue Beaubien E.

Photo by FirstName LastName Photo courtesy of Bar Brutus Facebook page

Hat: “Mint” Urban Outfitters “I mostly got my inspiration for my outfit from my favourite book, On the Road, written by Jack Kerouac, as well as the American essence and the Grand Canyon. What also inspired this look, and many of my other outfits, would be travelling; simply

when she brought me the bill, and then she was surly and rude.

All in all, I was happy to stumble back outside onto Beaubien. I don’t think I will ever return to Bar Brutus – they, simply put, did not bring home the bacon.

Passion(s): Reading and writing prose and poetry.

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Campus // Life

Concordia Co-op will quench your crafty thirst

Let La Coopérative des Brasseurs Illuminés be your ticket to locally crafted beer enlightenment Robin stanford Staff writer

Love beer? Want to learn how to brew it in a friendly environment? Then La Coopérative des Brasseurs Illuminés is the place to go.

The inspiration for Brasseurs Illuminés came last winter as a project for an internship class taken by founding member Branden Richards. Getting a few of his friends together, the co-op was created in June of this year with the help of The Concordia Sustainability Action Fund.

The co-op’s connection with the Sustainability Action Fund highlights a main concern of the group. According to member John Talbot, Les Brasseurs aims to enter into “the social act of sustainability” by using local, sustainable products. With the support of the fund they were able to begin

educating members on how to make homebrewed beer.

This educational focus is evident through the group’s webpage where the different ingredients that go into each of their beers is explained in detail. Co-op members are invited to sessions to learn about and take part in the art of making beer.

Brasseurs Illuminés is currently made up of ten core members. They are constantly looking for more individuals to join them in the learning and tasting process. No prior knowledge is necessary and students from any discipline are welcome. “We’re looking for people from all different disciplines, to bridge the gap across disciplines,” said member Hannah Meterne.

Unfortunately, their product is not currently available to the public. As they are a young operation, the next few months will be spent creating business plans and filing for licenses from the government. They

hope to begin catering for student events by early 2015.

If that seems too far away, there is still a chance to taste their beer at various events.

These will be posted on the co-op’s facebook page.

As for their final goal, the sky is the limit: “[my dream is to] be able to open up a place

like Reggie’s where students can come and drink student-made beer instead of grabbing a Pabst,” said member Cody Jacobs.

To become a member, join their mailing list, or just to learn about beer, go to: facebook.com/brasseursillumines or illumines.ca.

Hand-crafted beer at Concordia. Photos courtesy of Brasseurs IlluminÉS’ FACEBOOK PAGE

Column // Life

Let’s talk about sex

Dont be silly, wrap your willies sara-baron goodman Life editor

S

afe sex – it’s a concept that has been drilled into our young malleable minds since prepubescence. Whether you practiced on bananas or watched your school nurse do a demo on a giant wooden dildo (the image of which is forever seared into my brain), most of us were well-acquainted with the how-to of condom usage well before we were ever putting one on with a partner.

And yet, in a new survey launched last week by Trojan and reported by Nerve, only 35 per cent of participating young adults who were single or in a relationship of under two years claim to always abide by the “no glove no love” mantra.

Unfortunately, this stat isn’t all too surprising.

Granted, the Trojan study did only poll heterosexual couples, which leaves out a significant segment of the sexually active demographic, but that demographic is playing with the fires of both STIs and pregnancy, so it’s still not so encouraging.

The pull-out method is statistically only 80-85 per cent effective, if we’re talking about avoiding pregnancy. As for STIs, we’re leaving ourselves wide open.

So why are we, as a generalization, so

lax about condom usage? It could be that women are relying on other forms of birth control – according to sexualityandu.ca, just over half of Canadian women in their 20s use the pill. So that, at best, covers 52 per cent of heterosexual young women against unwanted pregnancies, if they use the pill correctly (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t forgotten it once or twice?).

It’s something, but it’s definitely not everything.

If it’s not naivety or lack of knowledge that’s stopping us from keeping everything under wraps, so to speak, what is it?

Some guys say condoms are uncomfortable, and many women and men can attest that bareback feels better. In the heat of the moment, we can’t be expected to make sound decisions, right? So is it a pleasure

thing? Is it forgetfulness?

Maybe it can all be chalked up to the invincibility of youth. It’s easy to employ that “it won’t happen to me” mentality, and maybe it won’t, but the remaining 65 per cent of young adults that Trojan polled can’t all be exceptions to the rule.

Lord knows I’m not here to preach, and this study has some gaping holes in it, but we can’t neglect to see a trend here.

Whatever the reason, the most important thing is finding an answer that young adults can get on board with. Whether this be in the form of innovations in birth control (I’m looking at you, spray-on condoms and male birth control), new marketing for traditional condoms, or even a personal scare, we all need a serious change of attitude.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

Literature // Life

A room of their own – bachelors make their space Concordia prof takes a deeper look at design, sexuality and politics in his new publication “There is always too much of something that the bachelor was charged with doing,” said Potvin. “And so for me the seven deadly sins articulated that quite

michelle gamage Production manager

A new book by Concordia professor John Potvin is exploring the political links between sexuality, gender, and the spaces people carve out for themselves.

Bachelors of a Different Sort looks at six bachelors in Britain from the 1880s to the 1950s who created homes, or private spaces, different from the norm during a time when the whitebread wholesome mom-andpop family units were all that existed.

“Things we often don’t think about is the policing of sexuality,” Potvin said, “it’s not just about bodies, but about space.”

The book explores how six bachelors, when faced with the policing of space, “carved out a space of their own,” Potvin said. “Literally, a room of their own.”

It then goes on to explore the complex relationship between how the six bachelors created their homes, how they lived in the spaces they made, and in some cases how they created a community that revolved around these spaces.

The bachelors Potvin refers to here are unmarried men. Not always gay or fitting on the spectrum of queerness, but deviants from the norm who lived a life different from the prescribed family norm of man, woman, and child.

One of the biggest issues bachelors are caught between is the double-bind of being “too” anything, said Potvin. They are accused of being too lavish or too miserly. Too sexual or too conservative.

well.”

The seven deadly sins of the bachelor, according to Potvin, are queerness itself (as “bachelors are often conflated with

The seven deadly sins of bachelorhood are examined in six different case studies in Potvin’s book

non-ideal masculinity”), idolatry, askesis (or severe self-discipline), decadance, glamour, and artifice (otherwise known as trickery).

Potvin organises his book by looking at each sin, and the particular case study that embodies it.

The well-known Brit is introduced, explained and then explored for how and why he decorated his home.

The men in the book are not, save one, interior designers. The book explores instead how they chose to decorate their homes and chose to function within these spaces, said Potvin.

Funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Potvin added that this book is important in the dialogue it creates.

“In the West there is a sense that life is good, and that all human rights have been obtained and safeguarded. But it’s always in these moments of supposed tolerance that one must be most vigilant,” he said.

Just look at Russia and Uganda, where anti-gay, or “hate laws,” just made legislation.

“It’s always easy to say ‘it’s always been this way,’ but it is not that simple,” Potvin said.

Design is not free of politics, and it’s not free of identity either, according to Potvin. “They’re inseparable, and that’s the bottom line,” he said. “[I’m] using the book to look at interior design from the question of sexuality and gender, and see how they’re in these spaces, and in these objects,” said Potvin.

Bachelors of a Different Sort: Queer Aesthetics, Material Culture, and the Modern Interior in Britain (Studies in Design).

Available at Amazon.com, $91.99.

Column // Life

One step closer to The Matrix Little robot Jibo is more than a pretty face; he walks, talks, and thinks too

jocelyn beaudet Online editor

A

mbient objects have been slowly infiltrating our homes. Simple innovations like The Clapper, an electric switch that responds to sound, may have started the revolution of leaving our households in the capable robotic hands of artificial intelligence. Technology has evolved since The Clapper, though.

The first household robot, bunny-shaped Nabaztag, came around in 2006, and could give you the weather and time, ag-

gregate your RSS feeds and even retrieve your email. The little rabbit never did gain a ton of popularity, however, and came upon hard times when the central servers ran into crippling slowdowns in December of its launch year.

Now that we control speakers, lights and door locks with tiny computers and smartphones, the world of ambient objects seems to be going silent... Or is it?

Meet Jibo, a robot that’s set to do a bit of everything. Unlike other artificial intelligence of its kind, it is compatible with apps that can improve its functionality.

All things said, Jibo’s a little creepy. With the ability to take pictures, track faces and the option of remote control from a smartphone or tablet, Jibo’s list of features aren’t just useful, they’re downright terrifying.

We all remember the media scare that came with remote-hacking into laptop webcams. Walk around campus and look at how many students have a post-it note over their webcams, or have otherwise blotted them out. Being able to take photos without pressing a button or a timer is great, but how much privacy and safety are we willing to sacrifice for convenience?

The truth is that, despite the scare tactics, few people become the intentional targets of hackers. The worry here comes more from the software used to improve Jibo’s functionality, and the nefarious purposes regular people could put it towards.

Face-tracking and movement-tracking aren’t new in automated devices. Microsoft’s Kinect is another example of the impressive technology little Jibo showcases, and its only downside is the lackluster

selection of games it supports. Jibo could easily become a household name, then, even with a hefty price of $599 US. But fear-mongering aside, the potential of these ambient objects is limitless.

Imagine having Jibo act as a security camera for your apartment, reporting to your smartphone any unauthorized entry and catching it on video. Sure, there are already ways to set this up with basic webcams, but ease of use would increase the adoption rate of these security measures.

Like all things tech-related, keep your credentials safe and your password lengthy and complex, and you’ll avoid trouble.

We’ve come a long way with tech in the past quarter-century. That being said, I’d love for Jibo’s voice to sound like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Creepy? Sure!

But think of the geek-potential!

arts

Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

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write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com exhibit // arTs

Flowers and lights come together to make a dreamland The Botanical gardens dresses in lights for Montreal’s annual gardens of Light classic FrÉdÉriC T. MuCKLe arts editor

Summer is ending, winter is coming, and our collective interest in outdoorsy activities is diminishing slowly but steadily. To end this season of terrace-drinking, park-reading and sunny day moments, the Botanical Gardens dressed itself up to get you out of your comfy and warm cocoon one last time before Montreal solemnly puts its white coat on. From Sept. 9 to Nov. 2, Botanical Gardens’ Gardens of Light is taking place. A new lighting design in the Japanese Garden pleasantly complements the annual autumnal classic of The Magic of Lanterns happening in the Chinese Garden.

One part of the nocturnal exhibit is the yearly lighting of the Chinese Garden. With its array of lantern-like sculptures coming straight from Shanghai, the garden gives to its visitors the impression of being in a dream. The main scenery offered to sightseers portrays a scene of epic proportion. This overwhelming panoramic is probably one of the best-known exhibits Montreal has to offer, and for good reasons.

The brand-new exhibit in the Japanese Garden differs greatly from the Chinese Garden.

As some may expect, the Japanese Garden instead gives the public a relaxing place where being zen is highly recommended. To achieve that state of mind so rare to most urbanites in today’s world, the garden offers a variety of scenes. First of all, a flock of beautifully crafted paper birds welcomes you into the Japanese

the chinese garden’s scenery is composed oF countless lanterns coming straight From shanghai. by andre vandal on FlicKr. Garden. Following the directions given by those little origami angels, the visitors will get into what is an ordinary patch of forest by day, but becomes a still-life theatre by night. With music giving the tone to a programmed light show and trees as the main protagonists, this particular exhibit gives the audience a glimpse of a world in which trees can tell their stories.

A little further down the road, the visitors will find a resting point installed specifically for people in need of simple but beautiful scenery to forget about their everyday responsibilities.

You just sit on the wooden bench, listen to the

soothing sound of the waterfall and look at the chromatic poetry taking place in front of you.

Coming out of a short but enjoyable stroll in the gardens, one will find themselves thinking about how singular this nature-filled haven actually is in the center of Montreal. So few places offer this kind of retreat from all the noise and commotion of the city’s heavily populated urban area. But really, at this time of the year the Botanical Gardens becomes truly more than just a park-like milieu. At dusk, it becomes a labyrinth in which you can wander and lose track of time; a place that helps you craft one

of those rare unforgettable moments; a fictionlike setting just there for you to fall in love with.

The one negative thing about this event is that, just like the flowers acting as the canvas of the Gardens of Light, this beautiful harmony of light and nature will fade away soon. Everyone should grab this chance of simply dreaming a little in those phantasmagoric gardens before we get buried in snow.

Gardens of Light takes place until Nov. 2. For more information, visit calendrier.espacepourlavie.ca/gardens-of-light.

Theatre // arTs

Musical Theatre Festival will make your feet move Montreal festival aims to showcase local talent in a weekend-long series of events MaTT d’aMOurs Contributor

Between Sept. 25 and 28, musical theatre will have its time to shine in Montreal as The Next Wave festival belts and dances its way into venues throughout the city.

The festival, which is in its seventh year in Montreal, is meant to showcase the talents of local professionals and amateurs alike, and to celebrate musical theatre as an art form.

Festival director Stephen Pietrantoni sings the praises of this unique discipline and aims to entertain any and all, not just your die-hard showtune fan.

“We try and do it in a way that doesn’t intimidate...you can just enjoy it on a visceral human level,” Pietrantoni assures. “A musical, if it is working well, reaches you in the gut first.”

It is that mix of accessibility and emotional resonance he hopes will draw healthy crowds to see colourful shows performed live, as well as educational presentations that go behind the scenes of the musical theatre experience.

Pietrantoni, a theatre veteran and graduate

of Concordia’s John Molson School of Business, is keen to emphasize the educational side of The Next Wave. The organization behind the festival, The Centre for Education and Theatre in Montreal, which was co-founded by Pietrantoni, strives to develop and support local talent. “Just because you’re [a] great singer, or you’re [a] great piano player...you [still] need to prepare for a whole career,” Pietrantoni points out. “We’ve managed to be a stepping stone for various people over time, and it is always great when you see that working. And we’ve had that kind of luck.”

These ambitions go hand in hand with The Centre for Education and Theatre in Montreal’s other founding principle, which is to help make Montreal a major player on the international stage of musical theatre. The organization helped develop shows that would eventually be shown at Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York, Off-Broadway and even at the White House. Their goal is to help the city become an international capital for musical theatre. “I’d love to have that kind of experience, and [have] that credit happen to us here in Montreal,” Pietrantoni remarked at the prospect of a more visible theatrical pres-

ence in the city.

Still, for all his grand plans of grassroots development and global prominence, Pietrantoni pays heed to the simple yet essential pleasures of his craft: the intangible connection between the audience and the performers.

“That’s when real magic happens: when you can hear not just the applause, but the musical aFicionados will be gathering in montreal For the next wave: silence of an audi- new musical theatre Festival. ence that is completely caught up in what you’re saying and in Montreal. you can tell by that silence that they are with you.” For those interested in taking part in this The Next Wave: New Musical Theatre Fesstimulating experience or for those who sim- tival runs from Sept. 25 to 28. Events range ply enjoy a good song and a fun show late from free to $20 for students. More informaSeptember looks like it’ll be a singin’ good time tion at cetm.ca.

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Theatre // arTs

Burn This: Bringing independent theatre to Montreal Former Concordia students and director dale hayes bring the 1987 play to the Mainline Theatre aManda MaCri Contributor

I

f you’re not looking for it, you won’t find it. Located at 3997 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, the Mainline Theatre considers itself the home of indie theatre. Nestled tight between two other locations on the Main, unless you’re specifically looking for its flame logo and iron bars entrance, you’re sure to walk right past it. Once you squeeze through the narrow doorway and make your way up a steep flight of concrete stairs, a dim-lighted reception area greets you with posters of Fringe fest, a Cult MTL newsstand, various couches, and all-around good vibes.

It’s no wonder that Alina Gotcherian, a Concordia communications studies graduate, and director Dale Hayes chose the Mainline for their co-production of the 1987 play Burn This by Lanford Wilson.

Burn This takes place entirely in an urban warehouse-turned-loft after the death of Robbie, a young gay dancer. The play follows the lives of Robbie’s roommates Anna (Alina Gothcherian) and Larry (Patrizio Sanzari), Anna’s boyfriend Burton (Alex Gravenstein), and Robbie’s older brother Pale (Julien T. Fiset) as they deal with the aftermath of his sudden death and the re-evaluation of their own wants and desires.

Originally set in 1987 Manhattan, Gotcherian and Hayes decided to both modernize the play and change the setting to Montreal. “We struggled with that,” Hayes said. “We weren’t sure whether we wanted to modernize it or keep it true to the original… collectively we made the decision that we would modernize it just so that everybody could relate to it… we refer to the Plateau and we refer to downtown Montreal and the Village and whatnot, so it was really interesting to take that and be able to use that as part of familiar things for the Montreal audience.”

Burn This is specifically geared towards the twenty-something year old crowd. “It really relates to a lot of 20-year-olds who are indecisive [about whether] they’re gay or not or if they’re struggling with coming out of the closet,” Patrizio Sanzari, a former Concordia theatre performance graduate, said. “They have a figure who’s dealing with it, who’s working through it, so it’s almost like you have a figure that you can turn to.”

The young crowd can also relate to Gotcherian’s character, Anna. Anna is “living more in the heart of the city and trying to do things on [her] own, which [she’s] not used to so much because [she’s] always had a really supportive family and like a cushy house,” Gotcherian said. Each character is so different; every audience member can find someone to relate to.

When asked how their time and expe-

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BURN THIS was originally produced in 1987 by lanFord wilson amd was set in manhattan. rience at Concordia influenced their roles in this play, Sanzari, who plays Larry, answered that “the processes of how we broke the script, digested the script, even preparing for a show… my method is always coming back to what was taught to me in school… I played a lot of characters at Concordia that always suffered from low self-esteem or were feeling inadequate. Maybe they weren’t gay, maybe they weren’t as funny as Larry, but there was a lot of similarities about just trying to fit in and trying to come to terms with allowing other people in.”

Burn This places a bright spotlight on the Montreal independent theatre scene. “Independent theatre in Montreal is crucial to the community because it is accessible,” said the director, Hayes. “We wanted the price of this play to be no more than a movie so that if you had the choice [between live theatre and a movie] we hope [that you] pick live theatre.”

“It’s an opportunity for us as actors to be given the roles that we wouldn’t necessarily immediately be given on the big stage or in the big film sets,” added Sanzari. “There aren’t those 20 assistants who are helping you. It’s about the art. It fundamentally

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comes down to the words on the page. You guys are going to come into this audience and it’s really raw and really close up and it was done with a very very small group of professionals… and no budget.”

“You learn this in communications,” Gotcherian said. “You learn how hard and expensive it is to make movies and you could have a great idea, like a very artistic idea for a film, and it’s very hard to get things like that funded. Independent theatre and independent anything is great because it gives [you] a chance to hear something that isn’t, you know, approved by the studio system or whatever.”

The layout of the theatre also adds to the accessibility of the play. “This is a thrust stage, which means that there’s an audience sitting all around you except for the back of the stage,” explained Sanzari.

“You can see the person sleeping, you can see the person texting. You want to stop the show and like freak out but you have to keep going.”

Hayes said that what she loves most about an intimate space “is that the audience then becomes part of the show. They become voyeurs and, because it’s so close, they can feel what’s happening on the stage and they get to experience it along with the characters, not just watch it.”

As for Gotcherian, she said that, “in theatre you have to angle your body in certain ways for the audience to see you, but with a thrust stage it doesn’t really work because if you angle yourself for that side of the audience your back’s to the other side, so you take all those rules and you throw them out the window.”

Burn This throws many rules out the window, but that is what makes it so unique and true to itself. As said by Hayes, “it is exciting, it’s raw, [and] it is really basic, it’s scary, but it is great.”

If there’s one lesson you can take away with you after watching this play, it’s that whatever problems you’re dealing with, whatever is wrong in your life, let it go.

Burn it.

Burn This ran from Sept. 11 to 14. Check out the Mainline Theatre website (mainlinetheatre.ca) for more upcoming indie theatre productions.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

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Exhibit // arts

Champ Amical: understanding friendship Exhibit at L’Occurrence Gallery examines what it means to be a friend until Oct. 4 Pauline Nesbitt Contributor

T

he proverb “a friend in need is a friend indeed,” indicates the power of friendship, a theme that is seldom addressed in contemporary art. The Champ Amical exhibition presented at L’Occurrence Gallery embraces it.

The artists featured in the exhibition are close friends, and they evoke the theme of friendship through their drawings, lithographs, books, photographs, videos and sculptures. Graphic designer Catherine Beaupré, the multi-talented duo composed of Vincent Leduc and Annie Descôteaux, videographer Julie Tremble, photographer Michel Laforest, special effects designer Philippe Hamelin, and Jonathan Demers all contributed to the project.

Leduc-Descôteaux’s exhibit includes drawings, lithographs, photographs, a video and a sculpture that showcase their friendship since 2004. It includes a motif, in the shape of a stuffed golden serpent.

All the other artists created their exhibits specifically for Champ Amical.

Catherine Beaupré uses photography, drawing and collage in the form of three books to portray the many facets of friendship. The artist associates a colour with each of the three books to evoke different feelings and meanings such as the intense emotions often experienced in friendship, the feeling of adventure and even the impact of food in a friendship. When contacted electronically about her artistic work, Beaupré explains that “books can be

ideal to group different things and form one unique object. I chose books as my medium to restrain my work.” She described her use of photographs, drawings and texts in her books as a way to facilitate the contemplation of friendship.

Philippe Hamelin’s video incorporates the ecstatic dance movements of a group of digital zombies to create the poetic harmony that exists between humans and technology in dance.

Julie Tremble’s video recreates the inside of the homes of friends using 3-D modeling “to portray the intimacy and transparency that exists there,” she says. “I wanted to create the feeling of discovering the rooms within a home, along with the shapes and objects contained within this confined and intimate space that is shared by close friends.” Tremble says that her video unintentionally portrays “an inventory of contemporary places where people from a certain social group, and of a certain age, live.”

Michel Laforest presents a series of photographs that depict the harmony that can exist amongst friends while they enjoy nature. This harmony is evident by his use of colour and timing.

Jonathan Demers provides the audio guide for the exhibition, in collaboration with his friend Frederick Malette as a complementary audio component to a visual ode to friendship.

As an ensemble, these projects are designed to help us reflect on the value of friends, in terms of how they affect our lives in ways that we may not have thought about. By seeing the artists involved in the exhibition at the vernissage, it was evident

The artists involved in Champ Amical used a huge variety of media to express their ideas. that much discussion was generated as friends clustered in groups and mingled together.

Champ Amical will most definitely make a friend out of you if go and visit this homage to the special bond that is friendship.

Champ Amical is presented until Oct. 4 at the new location of Occurrence espace d’art et d’essai contemporains. For more information, go visit the gallery’s website: occurrence.ca.

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Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

review // MusiC

Five great Montreal music venues to check out aLeX danis-daLLaire Contributor

O Patro Vys Located on Mont-Royal, just a few steps away from Saint-Denis, the small wooden sign displaying the venue’s name is easy to miss when walking by. But if you happen to head upstairs to the long narrow room, you’ll be treated to a classy venue with a sweet lounge vibe. The acoustics are clear and the sound impeccable: multi-instrumental groups such as Montreal indie pop act The Golden Tribe (who are playing there Sept. 20) will deliver studio-quality sound when playing O Patro Vys. On the downside, the venue doesn’t seem to be open to more feisty types of music. Shoegaze seems to be the “heaviest” musical genre you might catch at the venue. That’s a let down for fans of harder music as this is a good-sized, very enjoyable venue.

TRH Bar TRH Bar is reminiscent of what Foufounes Électriques used to be in the ‘80s and ‘90s: a raw, takin’-names-and-kickin’-ass, stylish, classic punk venue. The first floor has an indoor skateboarding pool for all KickFlippers to enjoy and the second floor offers a very well-designed stage and dancefloor, with a skate ramp right next to it. The experience of watching your favourite punk, rock, and hardcore bands perform while you have daredevils flying off the ramp a few feet away is one-of-a-kind. Unfortunately, the venue seems to often lack good sound, which poses a problem when the performing acts are not of the punk genre.

La Vitrola This newcomer brings a concept Montreal venues haven’t seen in a long time: a big loft-style venue, a stage of the perfect height and size, a long and wide dancefloor, a bar serving up drinks to get show-

goers loose and rowdy, and an elevated area to set up merch tables. This venue is all we could have ever asked for, and it’s worth sacrificing your breath walking up those three flights of stairs to enjoy the great sound quality. I have only seen one show at Vitrola so far, but I was impressed by the experience. If you want to catch a show at Vitrola, you can check out their calendar on their website lavitrola.ca Il Motore (Bar le Ritz PDB) If it wasn’t for its distant location, Il Motore would be number one. Unfortunately, the blue line isn’t the most convenient of transit points when you’re at a show that ends past midnight.

This venue offers everything you could ask for, no matter what musical genre you’re expecting to enjoy: great sound, good view of the stage from any location in the room, a long bar for all those who like to have a drink, and a long, L-

shaped wooden bench on the right side of the stage if you want to sit down to enjoy the show. Il Motore will soon be changing its name to “Bar Le Ritz” and officially re-launch on Oct. 9, with a free party featuring surprise performances.

La Sala Rossa La Sala Rossa has been around for a long time — I’ve seen countless shows at the venue since 2005, and it never disappoints. The Victorian design, the red-painted walls, and the giant luster on the ceiling gives the old club Español its particular charm. The stage height is perfect for all acrobats who like to stage dive, and the large room gives you plenty of elbow space. Go in for a great Spanish paella at their main floor restaurant, then head up to the showroom for a performance high in sound quality for any genre. Make sure to catch Twitching Tongues, Code Orange Kids, and Harriers on Oct. 6.

Quick spins // MusiC

Quick Spins

Karen O - Crush Songs (Cult; 2014)

Whirr - Sway (Graveface; 2014)

Interpol- El Pintor (Matador; 2014)

Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World (Last Gang/Warner Bros; 2014)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman, Karen O, offers an intimate look into a tumultuous time in her life with her solo album, Crush Songs.

She recorded these demos in 2006-07, for what she describes in the liner notes as “the soundtrack to an ever continuing love crusade” following the anxiety of her failed love life.

Crush Songs is more an extension of “The Moon Song”, the Oscar-nominated theme from Her, than her work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. With none of the 15 tracks clocking in over 3 minutes, these lo-fi recordings are sketches of self-doubt and emotion, with O’s district vocals over basic guitar strumming. Though the songs feel basic and unfinished, there is a raw and charmingly relatable quality to Crush Songs that offers a glimmer of hope to O’s crusade.

Shoegaze too often has you falling into a drastic bore or just confuses you. Thankfully, like pieces of a puzzle, Whirr’s new album, Sway, falls so well into place that you don’t feel puzzled at all. Tracks like “Press” and “Mumble” give us a raw sound heavily influenced by the band’s roots in the hardcore music scene. While tracks such as “Feel” and the title track, “Sway,” create landscapes of sound while keeping a very simplistic structure. This album’s punk vibe is reminiscent of vocal melodies of bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and The Jesus and Mary Chain. “Heavy” offers a raunchy bass sound, and although this track is quite a treat, some might have hoped to find the same heavy bass throughout the album.

Whirr has the grungy post-punk revival sound that bands such as Title Fight and Superheaven have brought back from the 90’s in recent years. In sum: Sway is a definite pickup.

Whenever a band returns from a prolonged hiatus, whatever new material they put out will inevitably be unapologetically dissected by fans and by music critics alike. Luckily for Interpol, their fifth album to date, picks up where their acclaimed 2002 debut, Turn On The Bright Lights, left off. El Pintor revisits the band’s early sound with intensity and vigour after a string of disappointing albums.

“All The Rage Back Home” is arguably the strongest. Its resounding, fast paced guitar licks and Banks’ signature vocals are catchy and familiar. But beneath the familiarity on El Pintor, there is a newfound maturity embedded in the grooves of the music. “My Desire” perpetuates the track’s eponymous feeling of longing, while “My Blue Supreme” is gloomy and borders on an existential crisis. It’s this combination of familiarity and maturity that allows Interpol to reassert itself on the alt-rock map over a decade after their debut.

Since reuniting three years ago, Canadian punk rockers, Death From Above 1979, finally have a fresh new album. The Physical World is a strong follow up to their popular debut from 2004, You’re A Woman, I’m a Machine.

While there has been a solid ten year gap between albums, The Physical World still delivers the thrashing punk energy that we loved at the start of their career. However, this sophomore album also presents a more mature sound and catchier lyrics, obvious in songs such as “Right On, Frankenstein” and “Virgins.”

“White is Red” is highly recommended, standing out as the most chill track, straddling the line between punk and rock. This new album feels perhaps more commercial, but it is not such a bad thing. It merely suggests that The Physical World is accessible to those who aren’t hard-core punk rock fans; it’s an excellent introduction to the genre.

Trial track: “Day Go By”

Trial Track: “Heavy”

Trial Track: “All The Rage Back Home”

Trial Track: ”White is Red”

6/10

- Paul Traunero

8/10

- Alex Danis- Dallaire

7.5/10

- Jessica Romera

7/10

- Oneida Crawford

Tuesday, september 16, 2014

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Profile // music

Ainsworth sees magic in the mundane Lydia Ainsworth’s debut EP, Right from Real, is smooth, ghostly, overwhelmingly enchanting Mia Pearson Music editor

“Are you still recording?! Shut up already!”

Lydia Ainsworth quotes her roommates jokingly saying in exasperation. Last year, Ainsworth recorded much of her debut EP, Right from Real, in her New York City bedroom.

“I would have to make sure that everyone was out of the apartment. A lot of my roommates would get pissed off,” she recalls.

Right from Real, now released via Arbutus Records, is getting rave reviews, more than her former roommates can account for.

Ainsworth’s electronic-orchestral-pop is the result of sifting through online soundbanks of orchestral sounds, triggering horn and string section sounds, and finally letting her sweet ghostly vocals shine through.

Mostly written from behind the glow of her laptop, the musician’s music is just as powerful as if a 50-piece orchestra were playing her songs.

Appropriately, Ainsworth had spent her days studying film-scoring at McGill University where she wrote music for 50piece orchestras. Her music reflects the overwhelming sensation of having a room full of musicians play-back the melodies she wrote. “I wrote with sound libraries to recreate that feeling- it’s an amazing feeling to hear your music played by live instruments,” she says.

The process of translating her songs’ powerful and enchanting qualities to a live setting had Ainsworth “[practicing the songs] at tiny clubs to about five people just to get a feel for how they sounded in a live setting; I’d work out the kinks,” she explains.

Her music is definitely devoid of kinks.

There’s an inimitable quality that accompanies Ainsworth’s songs; a smooth transition of beats and synths playing in and fading out, strong electro beats, and an eerie texture infused in her vocals. Ainsworth has created a masterpiece on all fronts, much like the artists that inspire her.

“I drew a lot of inspiration from this artist named Guido Cagnacci, an Italian baroque painter, who painted these private salon paintings depicting women on the brink of death. Iconic figures like Joan of Arc and Cleopatra. Their gazes were so serene amidst such a terrible and frightening situation. I loved that juxtaposition and I drew from that for my vocal treatment for a lot of the songs.”

The songwriter identifies the strong sensations she is overcome with when experiencing art. She reflects these otherwordly emotions onto her music through her vocal tones and melodies.

“I draw from films, like The Shining. I imagined myself as this little possessed boy for one of the songs called “Malachite.” You can find inspiration anywhere: a conversation with a stranger on a bus, a letting someone has written you,” she adds.

Ainsworth tries to decipher why she holds this ability of finding inspiration in other art forms than music: “It’s a natural thing for me because of my background in film scoring, or collaborating with other artists. It just feels natural to draw inspiration from a painting or song,” she explains.

The EP is named Right from Real which represents her belief that “the impossible is possible, and magic is all around if you only look hard enough,” she explains.

The songwriter spends her days finding “the magic in the mundane,” she says. “I’m always searching for a feeling of magic and aliveness, of seeing things a little differently than what I’ve seen before. That’s what I’m chasing when I’m writing music of any kind,” she adds.

There are definitely magical qualities floating around in her music—the song “Holograms” layers clear piano melodies, soft choir voices, and ‘80s-style electro beats that frame the song. Finally, Ains-

worth’s soft voice chants “into the garden I find my center--I found peace in dreaming of you and all the things we do;” and it sounds great!

The song “Malachite” dives further into a darker magic. The synths and vocals are even more intense; they vary from being rhythmic and staccato to becoming smooth and fluid.

The music video for the song is set in a warehouse and features three b-girls performing a complicated choreography to the

music—their fingers adorned with lights flowing with the song’s beats. The music video is just another way for Ainsworth to express her talent for combining art forms together.

On a final note, Ainsworth tells readers to “come out to Sala on Sept.19 -- there may or may not be a snake on stage!”

Lydia Ainsworth’s album release is Friday Sept. 19 at La Sala Rossa with TOPS, Moon King, and Homeshake.

Photo of Lydia Ainsworth by John Michael Fulton. Right from Real will be released Sept. 30 via Arubutus Records

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Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com Profile // sPOrTs

Olivier Hinse ready to lead the charge Veteran forward and new stingers’ captain confident his team will be better than ever saManTha MiLeTO Contributor

W

in 2010.

“When I was in Quebec, we had a playoff game [against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan], we went to overtime, and I scored [the overtime winner], in front of all the fans,” he said. “It was crazy. Then, the night after, we had another game. It went to overtime, and I scored [the game winner] again. It was the biggest moment of my career.”

If he learned anything while playing in

is the biggest thing I’ve learned and that helped me when I got to university. It’s not the same. Now, you do your own thing.”

Last season, Hinse led the Stingers offensively with 35 points, including 18 goals, good enough to rank third in the Ontario University Athletics division. Hinse was the Ontario University Athletics East nominee for the Randy Gregg Award for the 20132014 season, an award “presented annually

Hinse believes the team can rebound from their playoff loss and build from last season.

“With the team we have this year, we can have a long run,” he said. “I know we’re going to win the first round. [After that], the championship is close. We’re not far off [from that championship]. We have a lot of recruits, but they’re really good, so with the team we have this year, we can go to the top.”

The Stingers had a young team last season, with 13 first-year players on the roster, but still managed to make the playoffs.

Hinse believes having one more year under their belt will make a big difference.

“Maturity is a big thing, especially in university hockey. It’s a fast game, there’s a lot of hitting,” he said. “So, if you’re not mature enough, you’re going to be scared and you’re not going to be good. With a year [of experience], you’re better.”

Hinse will be going into his third year in child studies at Concordia. As a francophone, going to an English school wasn’t a tough decision.

“Nowadays, you need English everywhere,” he said. “You need to speak in English everywhere, if you want a good job, if you want to travel, you need to know how to speak English.”

Hinse has plans to open his own daycare once he’s done school, and wants to teach the kids both English and French, while including sports in the program as well.

But Hinse is not giving up on his dream to play in the NHL just yet.

“I want to maybe go to Europe, to play a couple of years of professional hockey. If it all works out, maybe I’ll get a tryout to play in the AHL [the NHL’s farm system], because my dream is still to play in the NHL, that’s for sure. If I can get a tryout, why not? After that, I’m starting my daycare,” he said.

For now, you’ll find Hinse at the Ed Meagher Arena with the C on his chest, hoping to lead his Concordia Stingers to their second straight playoff berth.

hen the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team lost its captain and long-time forward George Lovatsis at the end of the 2013-2014 season, the team had some big shoes to fill. But head coach Kevin Figsby didn’t have to look far to find his next captain: six-foot-two centre Olivier Hinse, who is entering his third season with the Stingers, was more than ready to wear the C on his chest.

“I’m excited [to assume the captaincy].

I’m not a guy who’s going to talk a lot in the dressing room. On the ice, I know I can do the job. I’m working hard everyday. I’m not stressed with the [captain] role, I like it. I like making the guys feel like they’re part of the family,” he said.

Hinse’s hockey career began an hour and a half southeast of Montreal, in his hometown of Sherbrooke, at the age of seven.

Originally a speed skater, Hinse hated the sport and begged his mom to let him play junior, it was how to be mature and respon- to the athlete who best exhibits outstandsible, a quality he has taken with him to the ing achievement in hockey, academics and hockey instead. community involvement,” according to the Hinse then bounced around Quebec dur- Stingers. “[Even though] there’s a big group of Stingers website. ing his teenage years. At 16, Hinse played Hinse’s play helped lead Concordia to its Midget AAA in Magog, before being a fifth- adults taking care of you, if you’re not reround pick of the Val-D’or Foreurs of the Que- sponsible or not mature enough, it can go first playoff appearance since 2011. Although bec Major Junior Hockey League. He never the wrong way,” he said. “Being responsible they fell to their rival, the McGill Redmen, played with the Foreurs, but was traded to the Victoriaville Tigres a year later. He made his major junior debut with Victoriaville in 2008 and played there for a year and a half, before being traded to the Quebec Remparts, a team then coached by Montreal Canadiens hall-of-famer Patrick Roy. He played his final junior season for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada before coming to Concordia.

Hinse hit the highest and lowest points of his hockey career so far while playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. His least favourite memory?

“That’s easy. When I broke my jaw. I received a shot in the face in junior,” he said. He missed the last 10 games of the season and the entire playoffs because of his broken jaw. Despite that injury, Hinse will never forget the playoff run he had with the Remparts hinse will be seen as more than Just a goalscorer For the stingers, now that he has the earned the captancy. photo by brianna thicKe

“

i’m not stressed with the [captain] role, i like it.

i like making the guys

feel like they’re part of the family.

- Olivier Hinse

Concordia’s first regular season game will be at Carleton on Oct. 3, before coming home and playing Carleton again for their home opener on Oct.10.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

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Football // sports

Stingers deliver beat-down vs. McGill Concordia’s football team dominated from start to finish for second win Sam obrand Contributor

The Concordia Stingers are officially on a roll after defeating the McGill Redmen in the 46th annual Shaughnessy Cup on Friday by a score of 41-7. With the win, the Stingers improved to an impressive 2-0 on the season.

The win, according to Concordia’s head coach Mickey Donovan, was a result of concentration and energy.

“We got complacent a little bit as we were coming into the second half, but we had a great talk in the second half and the kids came together. The coaches did a great job and we came off firing,” Donovan said.

Headlining the game was Stingers’ quarterback Francois Dessureault, who was good on 16 of his 33 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns. Dessureault also carried the ball six times for 33 yards and ran for a touchdown of his own.

The Stingers defensive unit allowed minimal success for the Redmen offence, forcing two straight two-and-outs to begin the game, paving the way for Dessureault and his offence to score on three consecutive drives.

Fourth year veteran kicker Keegan Treloar opened the floodgates for the Stingers after connecting on a 15-yard field goal early in the

first quarter. It was the first of his four successful attempts of the night.

On Concordia’s second possession, Dessureault crossed the goal line on an untouched five-yard sprint, giving Concordia an early 10-0 lead.

McGill’s ensuing possession was a short one. Concordia defensive back Kris Robertson, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, picked-off Redmen quarterback Dallon Kuprowski and returned the football 48 yards. The turnover set up Dessureault to find his receiver J.C. Benny for a seven-yard touchdown.

The Redmen continued to struggle offensively in the first half. McGill gave up three safeties and only found the end zone once on a catch from Kuprowski to receiver Louis Brouillette.

The first half ended with the Stingers leading the Redmen 23-7. Unfortunately for McGill, the third quarter was all too familiar for Concordia.

Stingers running back Gunner Tatum continued his hot start to the season and found holes through McGill’s defensive line, allowing Treloar to add another three points from 42 yards out. The kick extended Concordia’s lead by 19 points.

McGill, in a rather large hole, decided to replace Kuprowski with quarterback Joel

Houle, who found no luck penetrating Concordia’s relentless defense. Concordia continued to thrive, earning their fourth team safety and another 42-yard field goal from Treloar, increasing the Stingers lead to 24 by the end of the third quarter.

Dessureault continued to shine midway through the fourth quarter, capping off a drive with a 34-yard connection to receiver Daniel Skube for a 38-7 Concordia lead. Despite his strong day, Dessureault was quick to heap praise on his teammates.

“The chemistry is great. They’re making plays, they’re making great catches, making me look good actually. But with all the chemistry we have, we still have to learn how to finish our drives,” said Dessureault. “We left a lot of points out there and I think we could do a lot better.”

Concordia’s defense allowed only 48 rushing yards, recorded four sacks, and allowed only one score.

“I’m proud of them, and I’m proud of my brother (defensive coordinator Pat Donovan).

He did a great job scheming all week. He got the guys going. Without Coach Pat here, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing,” said Donovan.

The Stingers will now shift their focus to a Sept. 19 home clash with the Sherbrooke Rouge et Or.

Sports in the News Safia Ahmad

Contributor TIM LAZIER Sports editor

>> NFL Controversy: Rice and Goodell under scrutiny

Only two weeks into the NFL season and controversy has already surfaced. Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been suspended indefinitely from the league after a video surfaced of Rice punching his wife in the face earlier this year. Although commissioner Roger Goodell claims to have not seen the video prior to imposing Rice’s initial two-game suspension, the Associated Press has leaked information about the possibility that Goodell received the video five months ago. If Goodell viewed this video prior to Rice’s initial suspension from the league, this tarnishes his image even more, especially after enforcing stricter rules regarding domestic violence.

>> Habs assign four assistant captains

The debate is finally over. On Monday, Sept.15, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced that the Habs will not have a captain for the upcoming season.

Instead, the club will have four rotating assistant captains. According to TSN, current assistant captains Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec will wear the “A” every game, where Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban will share the third duty. Pacioretty will dawn the letter for road games, whereas Subban will have it for home games.

>> Habs rookie camp: Bozon, Sekac, and more

Stingers wode reciever Shayne Stinson tries to make an acrobatic catch during last week’s win against McGill. photo by keith race

The smell of hockey is in the air with the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp underway at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. Although there seems to be virtually no space on the roster for newcomers this upcoming season, some rookies might be able to impress the coaching staff. The player most likely to do so is Czech native Jiri Sekac, who is arguably the most seasoned rookie of the 41 taking part in the camp. Sekac played for Lev Prague in the KHL and recorded 28 points in 47 games. Moreover, defenseman Nathan Beaulieu, who played a total of 21 games with the Habs over two seasons, will also partake in this camp. His invitation to rookie camp despite his time with the team is an indication that he still needs to prove himself to the Habs management. The main training camp will take place on Sept. 18.

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Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

Football // sPOrTs

Stingers draw in hard fought game Men’s team robbed after two questionable calls that led to Laval’s only goals of the game eLias Laradi staff writer

T

he Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team was looking to get their first win of the season on Friday night against the Laval Rouge et Or. After a backand-forth game, the spirited contest ended in a 2-2 draw, earning the Stingers their first point of the season.

The first half of the game started off as a tight defensive battle between the two squads. Although each team had their chances to score, no one could hit the back of the net. At the 32nd minute, the Stingers were called for a harmless foul inside the box and the referee awarded Laval a penalty kick.

The call infuriated the Stingers players and their head coach Greg Sutton, who spent a lot of time arguing with the referee

until finally being ejected from the game. Laval forward Patrice Dion walked up to the penalty spot and booted the ball past Concordia’s goalkeeper, Wes Aucoin, to give the Rouge et Or a 1-0 lead. The Stingers, who pushed hard to try and level the score but couldn’t beat Laval’s defense, headed into halftime down 1-0.

Concordia started the second half off strong as they continued to push for the equalizer. Four minutes in, midfielder Gabriel Quinn got the ball off a turnover and fired a great shot past Laval’s keeper.

The tying goal seemed to energize the Stingers as

concordia Forward vincent murray plays the ball in what ended up being a tough draw For the stingers. photo by brianna thicKe.

they continued to attack the net, looking for the lead.

At the 60th minute, Concordia got the lead when another poor mistake by Laval led to another turnover. Stingers midfielder Nick Sisti led the counterattack and finished the play off with a strike, beating Laval’s defense and giving Concordia the 2-1 lead.

With the Stingers dominating the game now, a victory seemed within reach.

Just when the Stingers had all the momentum, lightning struck twice when the referee called another foul in Concordia’s box, giving Laval its second penalty kick of the match. Although the Stingers sideline erupted in protest, the referee had sealed Concordia’s fate. Dion stepped up again for Laval and made no mistake, scoring on Aucoin and tying the game at 2-2.

Concordia pushed hard in the final minutes, but the unfortunate calls were too much to overcome. After the game, Concordia’s goalkeeper coach Nicholas Giannone couldn’t believe what had happened.

“I honestly have mixed feelings about this game. We could have played much better and there is a lot of work to be done, and I still cannot believe the referee made those calls against us.”

Despite the draw, Sisti liked what he saw and admired his team’s resiliency.

“We could have played better but what I like is [that] this team didn’t give up.”

Upcoming Stingers games COME CHECK OUT YOU CONCORDIA STINGERS IN ACTION AT HOME !

Football

Baseball

Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 PM VS Sherbrooke

Saturday, Sept. 20, at 12 PM VS Ottawa

at Loyola

at Pierre Elliott Trudeau park

Men’s Soccer

Sunday, Sept. 21, at 12 PM VS Carleton at Pierre Elliott Trudeau park

Sunday, Sept. 21, at 12 PM VS Sherbrooke

Sunday, Sept. 21, at 3 PM VS Carleton

at Loyola

at Pierre Elliott Trudeau park

MORE INFO AT STINGERS.CA

upcoming games // sPOrTs

opinions

Tuesday, sepTember 16, 2014

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write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com editorial // OPiniOns

This is why we can’t have nice things, students The grey nuns residence is now officially open to students

O

n Sept. 15, the Grey Nuns residence, Concordia’s newest—yet oldest—building, had its grand opening.

This historical building, which dates back to the 18th century, was originally built as a convent for the Grey Nuns, a religious order founded by Marguerite D’Youville.

Concordia University purchased the building back in 2007, and was able to renovate it in order to transform it into a student residence with over 600 dorms.

They also created over 300 study spaces that the entire university, not just stu-

dents living there, can use. The building’s beautiful chapel, for example, was converted into study spaces, with high tech tables that have electric outlets.

Concordia, with the help of Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications, did a wonderful job when renovating the building.

Renovations cost $15 million. The building was modernized, but still has its original charm—from the moldings to the pews to the beautiful art. The chapel is by far the pièce de résistance, and is reminiscent of an Oxford-style library. (It is also a little similar to the Dawson College library, located in the former mother house of the Congregation of NotreDame.) Modern touches, like brightly coloured ceilings, make the building more youthful.

This project is simply wonderful for students. The building has great amenities, like a self-serve kitchen where students can cook for themselves, rooms with sinks, a huge cafeteria and amazing lounge areas which are equipped with pool tables and flat screen TVs. There is no denying that students will have a great time in this building. Actually, maybe too great of a time. After all, this is a historical building that should be preserved. Now freshly painted and cleaned, the building is spotless. But will it stay in this state for the long term?

Students, especially those living in residence, do not have the best reputation when it comes to taking care of their surroundings, whether that be bars, restaurants or their dorms. They like to party, and controlling that will not be easy.

The study spaces in the building are not at risk here. But what about the rest of the building, especially the lounges and dorm rooms?

There is also the matter of the crypt in the basement, where many sisters are buried. This part of the building is closed off to the public, but students should still remember its presence and respect the sisters that rest there. They’re dead and gone, but a little respect goes a long way with people’s resting places.

The Grey Nuns residence is a beautiful, historical building, and having a dorm in the downtown area was a muchneeded investment for the university.

Let’s just hope that the students living there appreciate the historical significance of their new home, and try not to hinder its preservation.

health // OPiniOns

The Ebola virus is not a danger to you why ebolamania in north america is only the latest in an apocalyptic trend, not your reality rOBin sTanFOrd staff writer

In August of this year, a man was quarantined at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and it was all anyone was talking about for the next week. The individual in question was not a celebrity or public figure. He was simply an individual suspected of having the disease that is creating unreasonable panic in North America: the dreaded Ebola virus.

For those who have been living under a particularly soundproof rock, the Ebola outbreak began in late July of this year as the disease began to spread rapidly through West Africa. Since then, cases of the illness have been confirmed in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, according to The Canadian Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CTC). Not a single case has been reported in Canada.

Why, then, is there such intense fear surrounding one man who may have had Ebola? It is due to what the possibility of a case represents.

For the past fourteen years the media has periodically portrayed disease outbreaks as the final plague which will kill mankind. This was evident during the Severe Acute Repertory Syndrome (SARS) pandemic in 2002 and in the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in 2009.

These cases show that panic is not warranted because Ebola is more difficult to transmit than either of the previous diseases. According to the CTC

both SARS and H1N1 were airborne illnesses. SARS could be transmitted to someone three feet away from the infected individual through water droplets in the person’s

direct contact with the bodily fluids of an individual who is infected--such as blood, urine, feces, saliva, vomit, or sexual fluids.

Unlike the previous examples, this requires much greater contact between individuals. Sitting on a bus next to someone with Ebola will most probably not allow you to contract the disease.

Aside from the unlikeliness of contraction, the chances of a random member of the population of Canada dying from such a case is unlikely at best. According to Statistics Canada, 251 individuals died of SARS and 428 of H1N1. Compare these figures with the 7,194 deaths caused by diabetes in 2009, a condition we are publicly calmer about.

These two diseases combined caused less than 10 per cent of the deaths that diabetes did in just one year. Yet where is the round the clock coverage of the sugary menace among us?

Due to increased public awareness of areas of infection and the efficiency of our healthcare system in such matters, the instances of infection within Canada will be very low. It should be noted that all of these diseases are horrible, dangerous, and can be fatal.

Anyone who has travelled to regions affected by the Ebola outbreak and is showing symptoms of the disease should seek medical attention immediately.

So relax and take a deep breath the next time you hear about the disease that will wipe out the human race; chances are it’s not as dangerous to graphic by marie-pier larose. you as they claim.

breath, in addition to the traditional coughing or sneezing. H1N1 was a flu and was transmitted in a similar way.

Ebola, in contrast, is spread through

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Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

Privacy // opinions

Your private life is simply not private enough Don’t leave your social media open for the world to see Jocelyn beaudet Online editor

Mental health issues have always been a bit troubling when it comes to insurers. Let’s be honest, those who pay out the benefits for students (and other adults) are not being selfless, they’re running a business. This means that no matter what it comes down to, they are more interested numbers rather

than the well-being of the person they’re “insuring.”

When Nathalie Blanchard posted pictures of herself on Facebook — in a seemingly happy time in her life — Manulife (her insurer) pulled her help benefits and left her out to dry under the clause that she was now over her depression. Did the insurer have any right to use public information to their own ends and was it the right call?

On one hand, the insurer had no accurate way of tracking Blanchard’s ongoing depression. On the other hand, depression is an issue that isn’t like an on-and-off switch. It follows you everywhere. The happy times you spend in between the bouts of anxiety, stress, and crippling sadness are few and far apart.

Studies have shown (and many therapists agree) that the most effective way to treat depression is to socialize and do activities that bring you happiness. Yet, when Blanchard posted pictures of herself at the Chippendales bar show, Manulife assumed that she was now available to work based on their judgment alone. To Manulife, these pictures acted as proof that she was over her depression — the absurdity of the situation here being that Manulife made a judgement call without consulting a mental health expert or Blanchard’s therapist.

This raises a whole lot of questions about whether or not insurance companies, employers, and businesses have any right to figuratively stalk an individual on the inter-

Graphic by Celeste Lee.

net. The primary idea behind this is that our posts on these networks can be made public or private. If you make a post public, can it and, more importantly, should it be used to testify against you?

Social media represents a public forum by which its users can vent out their personal frustrations and broadcast their lives. But does a public post constitute evidence of behaviour that can lead to termination of either insurance benefits or even employment?

The simple answer would be an unfortunate “yes.” Truth be told, public posts that can be viewed by everyone are the equivalent of shouting your daily happenings from a rooftop.

To trump this problem, social media sites offer a way to circumvent this with the option to privatize your posts, leaving your updates available only to select members within your circle of added friends or even a select few people within said circle.

Insurers, employers, and law enforcement agencies have the right to go over and use your public posts. Private posts constitute a much more complicated debate though.

While law enforcement agencies may have the right to access your conversations and photos on a “necessary” basis, insurers and businesses are limited only to your public posts under federal law.

In the age of social media and free information, the best thing users can do is keep their private lives outside of the public eye.

In the case of Blanchard, insurers made a poor judgement call, but their perusing of her Facebook account was entirely within their rights.

That being said, it’s probably best to stay outside of the limelight and restrict what the public can see on your social media pages.

Err on the side of caution and keep your private lives as they should be: private.

Society // opinions

Biker death is the latest in a cycle of police brutality Blouin’s death is a dark window into our roads, our police force, and even our society Zachary Goldberg Staff writer

On Sept. 4, a police cruiser in Quebec City killed a cyclist. The unfortunate biker was Guy Blouin, 48, of Quebec City, though he remained unidentified until the day after the incident. Blouin died in hospital.

Although the Service de Police de la Ville de Quebec have yet to announce their own version of events, at least one witness said the man was run over twice by the police cruiser. Local Alexandre Beaulieu told Radio-Canada that “They ran over the guy.

The guy ended up under the car. For an entire 15 seconds, he was under the tire in a fetal position.”

A vigil was held in St. Roch on Friday, at which locals demanded answers and justice for the murder. Despite the peaceful protesters’ best attempts, however, Blouin will no doubt slip from national consciousness soon, as will his fellow cyclist and non-cyclist victims.

Why do police fail to protect cyclists so often? Cycling has never been safe in Montreal. Just in the last year two other Montreal bikers, not to mention pedestrians, have died in car accidents. And that’s not considering the children, pets and property harmed or destroyed by police officers each year.

Globally, the police are responsible for casual injustices every day, with the recent uprising in Ferguson, Missouri, and the incidents during the 2012 student protests in Montreal as two prominent examples. In March, Victor White III was shot to death while handcuffed in the backseat of a Louisiana police cruiser. This month, a Turkish cop took a selfie as a man committed suicide on a bridge behind him. The list goes on and on, an endless stream of people in uniforms harassing, abusing and neglecting to protect strangers for no logical reason.

Why do we have to be afraid of getting killed by the police? Why do we have to be afraid of getting killed by unsympathetic, reckless drivers? Why do we collectively forget the deaths of people like Blouin, White or Martin?

Maybe it’s our privilege. As a Western nation, and one of the most prosperous in the world, Canada has grown accustomed to its consumerist lifestyle. Our wants are satisfied quickly, giving many a false sense of importance. We dread the loss of this sense of importance, and are unhinged by the interruption of our comforting routines of consumption. Perhaps it is this false sense of rightfulness, and the underlying fear of being stripped of the things we value and allow to give us value, that makes drivers scream at cyclists and police officers act like hired thugs.

Or maybe it’s these dangerous times.

With over 200 mass shootings in the United States this year, and an increasingly militarized police, it’s easier to be leery of strangers.

Or maybe we’re all just self-involved.

Or maybe cops tend to be the kind of people who are hungry for power, and we’re all so preoccupied we forget the outside world.

Whatever the answer may be, it’s clear

that society is at fault. We don’t value community, and we’re not mindful of each other.

We rush from place to place, without any concern for the present moment, and people suffer because of it.

It’s time something about the makeup of our culture changes, or we’ll keep trampling innocent people until the whole world is in ruins.

Are bike lanes enough to protect Montreal’s bikers? Photo by James Schwartz from Flickr.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 Vol. 32 Issue 3

Vogue has never been the most diverse organization, but they might have hit a new low: in an article titled “We’re Officially in the Era of Big Booty”, the organization managed to dance completely around the origins of the “trend”: black women. Twitter was, of course, furious, and started #VogueArticles to demonstrate how Vogue would white-wash their history. (Thanks, JFK!)

@HodmanMuran That time when JFK invented civil rights.

Bless his soul. #VogueArticles @deathintwosteps “How Macklemore Made Rap Cool Again: Rise of the Socially Conscious Rapper” #voguearticles @JamelleMyBelle Angelina Jolie: Pioneer of full lips #VogueArticles @obaa_boni How Robin Thicke brought “SOUL” back to American music #VogueArticles @WhitOPag #VogueArticles: Katy Perry and the effectiveness of using Blue Magic for slicking down babyhair. @lukejamesbgn “How Elvis Presley Invented Black Music” #VogueArticles @brokeymcpoverty “Courageous Curls: Justin Timberlake and the Natural Hair Movement #VogueArticles” @SimmiSweetHeart Miley Cyrus: “The person who started the twerking phenomenon” #VogueArticles #DishNation

Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com Michelle Gamage Production manager production@theconcordian.com Milos Kovacevic News editor news@theconcordian.com Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor life@theconcordian.com

ACROSS 2 Snuggle up under one.

6 Your face muffler.

7 Spooky holiday.

8 Earfluffs.

10 Turkey dinner.

12 Jack, pre-lantern.

13 Jack’s specialty.

Frederic T. Muckle Arts editor arts@theconcordian.com

DOWN 1 Red and white on your tongue.

3 Kindergarten picking fruit.

4 They’re a’changin’.

5 Roasting on an open fire.

9 Winter rain.

11 Tug one of these jumpers on.

14 Knitted finger-warmers.

@maxgregor1 interview with the man behind the blues Mick Jagger #voguearticles @EOkenesi #VogueArticles Women of colour made to feel their features are undesirable propagated by @Vogue et al. Now Black is the new White #bigbutts @JennLi123 Black girls are punished and mocked for their originality while others co-opt it. #VogueArticles @IngaNandiwillis Vacation Braids: How a suburban trend inspired African Tradition. #VogueArticles @Feministfists #Belfie Generation: How White Women with Big Butts made it less offensive for Black & Latina Women to Exist #voguearticles

Tim Lazier Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com Laura Marchand Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com Keith Race Photo editor photo@theconcordian.com Jocelyn Beaudet Online editor online@theconcordian.com Marie-Pier LaRose Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com Gregory Todaro Julia Scandella Emily Gaudet Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com Christina Rowan Natasha Taggart Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistants Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. Building CC-Rm 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6

@djoharding Bieber invented SWAG... #VogueArticles @Efabulous1 Iggy Azalea brings Street credibility to the female rap. #VogueArticles

Mia Pearson Music editor music@theconcordian.com

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