The Concordian - February 9th, 2016

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

VOLUME 33, ISSUE 19 | TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 2016

theconcordian.com /theconcordian

@theconcordian

theconcordian

theconcordian

The new age of medical cannabis Executive director of SantĂŠ Cannabis explains how one plant can help more than 40 medical conditions

News p. 3

also in this issue

life

Changing your perspective

arts

p. 6

The lost world of Pompeii

music

p. 9

sports

opinions

Purchase: Beating Death to Introduction to p. 12 romance Shoegaze p. 10 the slump

p. 14

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com GREGORY TODARO ( @GCTodaro) & LAURA MARCHAND (

CITY

BY SAVANNA CRAIG NEWS ASSISTANT

@Marchand_L)

TRANSIT

Montrealers welcome the new AZUR train The STM’s modern metro car model arrives after lengthy delays 1

Premature deaths for beluga whales in the St. Lawrence A group of Canadian marine mammal researchers have expressed concern for the well-being of beluga whales after many pregnant females, mothers and newborn belugas, were found dead.

According to Quebec’s Marine Mammal scientific director Robert Michaud, the number of beluga whales have been decreasing since the early 2000s with the rate falling 1.5 per cent each year, according to the CBC. According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, there are presently approximately 900 belugas in the St. Lawrence Estuary.

Trial for Faubourg Contrecoeur fraud allegations begins The trial for Faubourg Contrecoeur housing development project began today, after the company was charged with fraud. The case involving high-ranking city officials was sparked by Catania construction company paying only $4.4 million in 2007, while the lot was valued at $31 million. Global News reported there has been skepticism that city officials were bribed to provide companies wanting the public contract with secret information.

No jail time sentence alleged cocaine trafficker Massimo Campellone, who was allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking associated with the Mafia, has been released with no jail time to be served. Campellone received the same death threat that was made against his younger brother, Marco Claudio, who was then killed in front of the family’s home in Rivière-des-Prairies last September. The Montreal Gazette reported that an arrest has not been made for the death of Marco Claudio, but the homicide was allegedly due to a conflict over drug trafficking territory.

MONTREALERS GET A NEW RIDE (1) An inside view of the new AZUR train.

(2) The new doors light up to indicate whether the door is opening or closing.

(3) Riders can now move between cars.

Photos and video at theconcordian.com

BY LAURA MARCHAND CO-NEWS EDITOR @Marchand_L After years in production and months of delays, Montrealers finally got to step inside the long-promised AZUR métro train for the first time this weekend.

The test train was brought into service Feb. 7 at the Henri-Bourassa station with long-anticipated applause from STM staff. For at least 61 days, the all-electric train will be serving commuters on the Orange line as part of its final round of testing. If all goes well, then the STM will move forward with the delivery of the remaining 51 trains through to 2018.

The testing period is aimed at confirming that the new train

systems can handle day-to-day operations with passengers. This includes when doors are blocked or emergency intercoms are used, which are difficult to test without public engagement.

The trains boast a number of improvements including larger doors for ease of entry, better suspension, and increased capacity. Other features include armrests at certain seats, screens with bus information and upcoming stations, and vents designed for air circulation that offer a cool breeze at high speeds. The train has no divisions between cars, allowing passengers to move freely across the train.

The Quebec government paid 75 per cent of the costs associated with the AZUR project, a sum of $1.8 billion—a price tag Quebec Transportation Minister Jacques Daoust says is well worth the benefits.

“The engine of the economy in Quebec is Montreal,” said Daoust. “We have to make sure that mobility is easy in Montreal… it’s not an expense, it’s an investment.”

The remaining 25 per cent ($600 million) was paid by the City of Montreal.

The introduction of the AZUR coincided with the 50th anniversary of the métro sys3 tem—symbolism that

2

was not lost on Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre. “I’m very proud to be a Montrealer, like my predecessor 50 years ago on his first trip in the métro,” said Coderre. “Now we have our first trip with AZUR. I feel great.”

But “great” is not used to describe the timeline of the AZUR trains, which was plagued by delays. The trains were initially planned to come into service in late 2014 but métro tunnels had to be widened to accommodate the new model, and the first cars were delivered months behind schedule. In 2015, software delays caused further setbacks, leading Bombardier to halt production until last October.

Some feel like they’ve waited long enough. “I like [the new train], I think it’s really nice and modern—I also think it’s really late,” said Michael Piovesana, a student at McGill who entered the métro specifically to ride on the first AZUR. “These trains were supposed to be running in 2014, now it’s 2016. But it’s nice to see them.”

Those hoping to see a new AZUR train pull into GuyConcordia should not expect much: the Green line’s MR-63s will be replaced with the Orange

line’s newer (but similar) MR73s. While trains tend to move between lines occasionally, overall the AZUR will be running exclusively on the Orange line.

The Chairman of the STM Board of Directors Philippe Schnobb explained that bringing AZUR to the Green line was not financially viable.

“The decision has been made to keep our trains from the 70s for another period of time,” explained Schnobb. “They’re so reliable that there’s no need to invest a billion just to replace them.

It wouldn’t be a good investment to change the trains for the sake of changing the trains.”

During the 61-day testing period, a second AZUR train will continue to undergo after-hours testing to ensure compatibility on the Green, Yellow and Blue lines.

The STM warns that commuters may potentially encounter delays, but notes that the AZUR has systems designed to alert the operator before it is forced to make a stop, which should allow for maintenance at a terminus without interrupting operations. A dedicated crew will be monitoring the single AZUR train in daily service “for the slightest fluctuations in its systems.”

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

Marketing marijuana as medicine

Adam Greenblatt, executive director of Santé Cannabis and cannabis educator. Photo by Walid Maraqa.

Cannabis can be used to treat more than 40 different medical conditions

M

ontreal’s first medical cannabis clinic, which opened in 2014 at its location on Amherst Street, provides a clean, modern environment where patients can get prescriptions and support in moving away from pharmaceutical drugs.

Two glass cases stand in the window, showing off a variety of vaporizers of all shapes and sizes.

Medical marijuana is expected to impact the future of health and affect pharmaceutical companies.

Santé Cannabis does not directly distribute cannabis to patients, but has nine part-time physicians to assess patients on their eligibility to receive a medical marijuana prescription.

The patients then meet with Adam Greenblatt, executive director of Santé Cannabis and cannabis educator, who connects patients with licensed medical marijuana producers. Santé Cannabis offers private follow ups while support groups continue to create a community for patients who use medical marijuana.

MORE ONLINE To learn about the different chemicals in cannabis, check out our video online.

According to Greenblatt, there are over 40 different conditions that may qualify a patient to obtain a medical marijuana prescription like epilepsy, cancer, colitis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and arthritic pain.

3

NATION

COVER STORY

BY SAVANNA CRAIG NEWS ASSISTANT @savannacraig

theconcordian

For some Santé Cannabis patients struggling with depression, Greenblatt said cannabis has led to a reduction and even elimination of their antidepressant medication. “I see patients who use cannabis to treat anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder,” he said.

Greenblatt hopes more patients and physicians will turn to the natural approach instead of pharmaceuticals. “Right now it’s treated as a medicine of last resort,” he said. “In a lot of conditions marijuana should be the first thing to try.”

Marijuana may be seen as a safe alternative to many pharmaceuticals, not having the risky side effects and withdrawal symptoms associated to clinical medicine, said Greenblatt.

Studies claim marijuana also has an additive effect: according to a study conducted by the University of San Francisco in 2011, pairing opioids with marijuana had a better result in effectively reducing pain. Greenblatt said there are no significant complications when pairing cannabis with other substances. “Generally it’s the other drug that’s more dangerous than cannabis,” he said.

According to Greenblatt, many people have stopped using certain pharmaceuticals after getting a prescription from the clinic, the most common prescription being opiate painkillers.

“Cannabis is really a plant medicine that has a really broad range of potential for medical uses,” he said. “There’s even cannabinoids that have antipsychotic properties,” he added in defence of concerns of cannabis contributing to psychosis.

Though some users find relief from anxiety in cannabis use, this

may not be the case for every- from strain to strain, unlike the one. “THC can reduce anxiety in popular misconception that it is some people, but it can provoke related to Indica or Sativa.

Aside from better cannabis it, as well,” said Greenblatt.

“Anxiety and mental health education, Greenblatt sees the issues are complex conditions end of the ban on marijuana to and everyone’s anxiety is be beneficial for patients and the different. I have seen people government “Cannabis prohibiturn their lives around with tion is a racist, destructive, stumarijuana,” Greenblatt said. pid policy that has harmed an “People like elderly women unfathomable amount of people,” he said. with anxiety Over regulaand depression, “You should be tion of cannabis who have tried able to grow creates a black every antimarket trade, but depressant and marijuana like with the new Libevery [anxiety you can grow eral government medication] tomatoes. No addressing new under the one should regulations tosun. And then face criminal wards the medithey discover penalties for cal marijuana inmarijuana and anything related dustry, Greenblatt it’s night and to cannabis.” hopes cannabis day, it’s been life can operate fully changing.”

ADAM GREENBLATT, within the law.

Greenblatt EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, “You should said assumpSANTÉ CANNABIS be able to grow tions about difmarijuana ferent strains of cannabis are inaccurate. “Indi- like you can grow tomatoes,” ca and Sativa are not accurate Greenblatt said. “No one should terms,” Greenblatt said. “They are face criminal penalties for terms that describe the shape of anything related to cannabis.”

He said the legalization he a cannabis plant [not its effect].”

Indica plants can be envisions would have the characterized as short and government cover the costs of stubby with thick leaves and providing medical marijuana, buds, while Sativa plants grow while recreational users would tall with slender leaves and be able to legally purchase wispy flowers. In production cannabis. This would also over the years, these two create greater availability for plants have been so commonly cannabis byproducts, including crossbred that these terms pharmaceutical versions of are generally inapplicable. cannabis in pill form, CBD Strains, which are independent supplements and supplements from the shape of the plant, with non-psychoactive cannabis are defined by the different molecules. molecules, which result in each Santé Cannabis is located strain having a different level at 1239 Amherst St. For of THC or CBD. This is what more information, visit leads to stimulating or calming santecannabis.ca effects and variations in smell

BY SAVANNA CRAIG NEWS ASSISTANT

Third Ghomeshi complainant testifies in court The third accuser in the sexual assault case against Jian Ghomeshi assured in court that Ghomeshi choked her in a Toronto Park while they were kissing. She then testified that while trying to escape, Ghomeshi had covered her mouth with his hand. The complainant only admitted on Friday that she went out with Ghomeshi once after the incident in the park, stating that she gives people many chances.

The CBC reported that this was new information to the prosecutors, with this being the second accuser to provide new information just ahead of testifying.

Liberals to cease Canadian airstrikes in Syria and Iraq Within the coming weeks, the Canadian government will end the Canadian fighter jets’ mission against Daesh. News 1130 reported that by Feb. 22, the last Canadian bombs will fall. However, the amount of military personnel has been set to increase from 650 to 830 soldiers. The support for medical personnel will also increase, and Iraqi security forces will receive a larger supply of small arms, ammunition and optics to aid in training. Iraqi defence and interior ministries will be aided by the government’s strategic advisors, provided for assistance.

Ontario to accept 10,000 refugees by end of February Since Dec. 10, Ontario has accepted 7,000 refugees to settle in the province. The Globe and Mail reports that Premier Kathleen Wynne has addressed that, regardless of “challenges” the province has faced on timing issues, Ontario is prepared for the large settlement of refugees this month. Out of the $8.5 million that Ontario has promised for Syrian refugees, $343,000 has been dedicated to the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants to assist in trauma and mental-health training for workers, and COSTI Immigrant Services is accepting $283,000 towards providing refugees with workshops.

T C E P S E R on

JOIN THE CONSENT CONVERSATION

i s i c e d th ei r

Learn more at your Sexual Assault Resource Centre

How to pect s show re

put m y ’t n o w I , k • O . in y o u r n k e it w h e li o t m e ’t s e .

• Yo u d o n g to sto p in o g m I’ yo u , so I w d own lo s n a c le m , w e • N o p ro b ste a d . in d an

ct a t n o c l a Sexu W IT HOUT CO NSE NT ault s s a l a u x is se

/sarc a .c ia d r o conc

Advertise in The Concordian and reach 45,000 students Ask for our new advertising package advertising@theconcordian.com

MEDIUM 2-TOPPINGS

+FREE 2 FOR 1

IGHT MOVIEwitN h

MOVIE ADMISSION

21

V IE OSSI MMI ON AD

!

e or at the box office

(514)

UNIQUE CODE onlin

www.pizzapizza.ca Download our mobile app!

Some restrictions apply. Tax & delivery extra. While supplies last. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Registered trademarks of Pizza Pizza Royalty Limited Partnership, used under license. © Pizza Pizza 2016. 18354 ® Cineplex Entertainment LP or used under license.

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com CRISTINA SANZA ( @Cristina_Sanza)

FOOD

Anything can go on top of a poutine

+

+

Dirty Dogs took their popular mac and cheese hot dog and reinvented it for this year’s edition of Poutine Week. Owner Billy Kontos said that instead of using two cheeses as in the original recipe, four cheeses were used for the poutine—you can taste the richness and the different types. He added that they also used smoked bacon instead of their regular kind. The poutine consists of the shop’s house fries, topped with gravy and cheese curds. On top of that, it’s covered with the four-cheese mac and cheese, chives and the proverbial cherry on top: smoked bacon. The meal is enormous, filling a cardboard container nearly the size of a letter size paper. The texture is so rich, it melts in your mouth. The combination of flavours is not overbearing, but the dish is quite heavy. This is a poutine that requires a partner in crime to finish it or several solo attempts. Call your doctor, because this poutine will put you in the loveliest food coma you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in. $11 9/10 — ANDREJ IVANOV

+

Bofinger Parc, a popular barbecue restaurant treated its veggie-inclined fans with a mushroom-based alternative for their featured dish, the Poutine Burger. As the words ‘poutine burger’ roll off your tongue, the enticing syllables don’t even come close to doing the dish justice: the Poutine Burger was hands down phenomenal. Burger buns were replaced with french fries, somehow magically sticking together into little circular shapes and the patty was a delicious portobello mushroom. Topped with cheese curds, how could the Poutine Burger get any better? As the aesthetically pleasing platters were set down, our server came by to make our dreams come true with a hot gravy boat, poured onto your burger right in front of your eyes. Be warned though, the Poutine Burger isn’t made to be eaten with your hands. A knife and fork are totally necessary to get this puppy down, unless you want your paws soaked in gravy—well, even that wouldn’t be so bad since Bofinger’s black pepper gravy is to die for. The only downside to the $10 Poutine Burger was the excessive popularity it caught over the week. We stood in line for over 45 minutes. $10 10/10 — OCEAN DeROUCHIE

POUTINE WEEK This year, Poutine Week had over 50 participating restaurants. They created some of the craziest poutine flavours and combinations. From poutines loaded with mac and cheese to poutines in the shape of a burger, there is something to suit everyone’s taste buds. Our writers taste-tested five of them.

ILLUSTRATIONS & LAYOUT BY PIERRE A. LEPETIT

From the get-go, I was really excited to try out this poutine because the idea of having fried sole and poutine in one bite sounded delicious. When the waitress brought over the meal, however, I couldn’t help but be disappointed. It looked nothing like the picture—it was basically a deep-fried sole dipped in gravy sauce with cheese curds and French fries on the side. Generally, the meal was good but the biggest flaw was the taste of the deep-fried sole, which was the main part of the poutine. I felt as if I was eating some type of overly greasy fastfood fish. The actual fish meat, under all the grease, tasted pretty decent. My favourite portion of this meal was the fries and cheese because it reminded me the most of actual poutine. Overall, I feel as if my experience was anti-climactic since I had high expectations and I was let down. I don’t think I would try this again.

I would prefer standard fish and chips or simply a regular poutine. $12.50 6/10 — MINA MAZUMDER

+ Buttery, deep fried, and filled with tangy flavour, Dunn’s Buffalo Chicken Poutine is definitely not a traditional concoction. A regular poutine base is spiced up with a few pieces of chicken and a tangy buffalo chicken sauce.

While it may not look too appetizing once it is mixed around a bit, the flavours are not quite as overpowering.

The tangy sauce adds a nice level of heat to an already well-made poutine. The fries stay crispy, and the gravy is nice and rich, although not a great option for vegetarians or vegans as it has a beef base. The only complaint may be the slight lack of cheese and the number of chicken pieces. A large portion size, this poutine is great for sharing, and the $12 price tag makes it even nicer to split. Dunn’s even delivers, so there’s no need to brave the Canadian winter while searching for your daily student meal. $12 7/10 — JESS KINNARI

+ Le Smoking BBQ is a southwestern style restaurant on Ste-Catherine Street that opened up a few weeks ago. Their food trucks have been around for a while at events in Montreal such as Poutine Fest where they’ve raked in several awards.

The Ribs Poutine had the perfect balance of fries, gravy and cheese. There were about three ribs cut into small pieces laid on top, which gave a taste of them without dominating the poutine. They were covered in a sweet and tangy barbeque sauce that complimented the gravy very well—each bite was full of flavour. The fries were skinny but still crunchy and didn’t really get soggy over the course of the meal. While the portion didn’t seem big to begin with, this poutine can definitely be shared as it fills you up incredibly fast. The only downside was that I caught a few small bones as I was eating the ribs, but that’s to be expected with ribs in general. Overall, if you’re willing to take your poutine to the next level, this one’s a great way to go—just make sure you come in on an empty stomach. $13 8/10 — CRISTINA SANZA

6

theconcordian

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

SEX

Overcoming my sexual dysfunction

Vestibulodynia and other sexual disorders affect many, so let’s speak openly about them

BY GABBY VACHON CONTRIBUTOR When you picture a woman’s face in the middle of safe, consensual sex, do you envision strain in her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, lips tightening until they finally part to let loose a loud “OUCH!”?

Neither did I, until I became sexually active. Sex, which had always been described to me as a fun, painless and natural process was an uphill battle.

I first had sexual intercourse at the age of 18. As many had warned me, it was rather painful the first time. However, a few months later, I entered a long-term relationship with my partner, and when it came time to be intimate, something unexpected happened.

Instead of my sexual experience being basically pain-free, the pain persisted. The more we tried to have intercourse, the more painful it got. I thankfully haven’t been stabbed in my life, but it honestly felt quite similar to what I imagine it would feel like: a sharp, centralized, intense pain.

It was in fact so incredibly agonizing that just the thought of it made my knees lock together in perfect, crazy-glued unison.

If I had been dealing with tendonitis or migraines, I would have marched into my doctor’s office and explained my symptoms with not even a flush in my cheeks. I was mortified to be struggling with sexual dysfunction.

I waited two months before seeking medical attention. During that time, I tried everything the Internet suggested. I learned that sexual pain is incredibly different from person to person, as everyone’s anatomy and nerve endings are constructed dif-

gist appointment and attending it with me to ease my mind. The day of the appointment, I was a nervous wreck. Before the nurse even had time to weigh me, I was a puddle of tears. This lonesome journey hadn’t only been physically dif-

ferently. Weird juice concoctions (drinking three bottles of cranberry juice with a squeeze of lime makes sex pain-free in no time according to the Internet), vitamins, massages—you name it, I tried it, but in vain, all it did was make me pee all the time.

I was lucky enough to have a partner who suggested making a gynecolo-

ficult, but it had riddled me with guilt and shame.

After a quick gynecological exam, my partner and I sat down in front of the gynecologist, and she said very simply: “I know what you have, and I know how to fix it.”

It turns out I had vestibulodynia, a type of sexual dysfunction disorder that

made my muscles contract at the presence of anything at the vestibule of my vagina. It also turns out that this condition is pretty common. In fact, according to the Florida Hospital Center of Female Sexual Dysfunction, about 40 per cent of women suffer from female sexual dysfunction, which includes problems with sexual pain, desire, response or orgasm.

I went through a few months of pelvic floor physiotherapy, which consists of breathing, stretching, dilating, strengthening and targeting muscle exercises with a professional, on your own and with your partner. It was the right option for me but there are multiple solutions to everyone’s individual needs. I am happy to say that I am now able to have pain-free sex.

Vestibulodynia, along with other sexual dysfunctions, can occur at any time. Whether it’s during a person’s youth, before or after pregnancy or during menopause, just because you aren’t experiencing any symptoms at the moment doesn’t mean you or your partner are immune forever. Hence, increasing awareness of these all-toocommon conditions benefits everyone in the long haul.

The person I described at the start of this article doesn’t have to be you or someone you know. Speaking openly about sexual dysfunction will hopefully have us all screaming something much better than “OUCH!” during sex.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

EVENT

Looking beyond what you think you know

TEDxConcordia’s event featured 10 speakers who challenge social narratives

BY KATYA TEAGUE STAFF WRITER The Concordia students who organized Saturday’s TEDx event, rightly titled “Looking Beyond,” advertised the conference on their website as one that would seek to understand “the matter that lives below the tip of the iceberg.” This description, however, was just the tip of the iceberg.

A little over a year in the making, the conference featured 10 speakers and three TED talk videos that touched on a range of topics, from the power of hypnosis to the power of data. It was meant to encourage the audience to challenge social narratives, make connections, look beyond the data and never stop learning, said Alan Mathieu, the director of content and program.

“It’s about awakening the visionary within us all,” said Hussain Shorish, TEDxConcordia’s president.

“It was a new experience,” said Kevin Kuppek, a Concordia student who had only ever heard a TEDx talk online. “The word ‘amazing’ pops to my mind.”

The in-person aspect of the talks played a role in the power of the conference since TED and TEDx talks are easily accessible online. Audience member Joaquim Miro said what was truly incredible

was the discussions and connections that were already happening among audience members during the lunch break.

“It sparks innovation, it sparks conversation and I think even relationships that can really grow from it,” he said. “I find it absolutely inspiring.”

Some of the speakers helped audience members to look beyond the now, down the paths to a better future for their bodies, for urban infrastructure and for the world.

“We’ve totally extracted nature from our lives,” said speaker David Côté, the co-founder and president of the culinary business Crudessence which prides itself on serving “living foods.” He explained that people are becoming “domesticated” by virtue of the foods they eat. He urged listeners to “re-wild” themselves by eating foods that can grow in nature without the help of humans. Essentially, it’s food that’s super healthy and often raw, like veggies, sprouts and nuts.

Some speakers discussed their own career paths to emphasize the immense importance of following passions and reaching for opportunities.

“Everybody has these passions when they’re a kid and sometimes they get forgotten,” said Dax DaSilva, the founder and CEO of Lightspeed, a Montreal-based company that provides retailers with a

The TEDxConcordia event featured 10 speakers and three TED talk videos.

Photo by Mikael Theimer.

cloud-based point-of-sale system. “I’m here to tell you that these passions are important. These passions are your secret ingredients. Igniting them can help you make your life complete,” said DaSilva.

Photographer Mikaël Theimer talked about his first-hand experience at looking beyond first impressions and prejudices.

Inspired by the blog Humans of New York, Theimer created Portraits of Montreal. He takes pictures of strangers and asks them questions. The answers often confirm that he cannot trust his initial assumptions about people and neither should anyone else.

“What is essential is invisible to the eye,” said Theimer. “Humans are like icebergs—your eyes can only ever reveal the

tip of who they are.”

He asked to take a picture of a man named Michel Pepin and was invited to witness and capture on camera the life and reality of a poet with multiple sclerosis enjoying and finding meaning life.

Theimer described the experience as “liberating.”

He took a picture of a man named David and his dog Diamond. He learned that David was homeless not because of his heroin addiction, as he’d been clean for two years, but because he sold everything he owned to have two tumors removed from Diamond to save her life.

Theimer’s takeaway: “There are no strangers; only friends you haven’t met yet.”

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

theconcordian

The Concordian G N I R I H IS

production assistants D WHAT YOU NEE TO BE A GOOD T PROD ASSISTAN

1

Know how to win at using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop? If you know Quark, that is cute but useless. No one uses Quark anymore.

A creative eye is ideal, and having your own style to incorporate into our own would be rad too.

3

2

Help our production team lay out different sections each week, and pitch and develop your own unique page designs.

BONUS

Be awesome, get literal cookies, win at life.

TO APPLY

WANT TO BE PART OF OUR (INTER) STELLAR TEAM?

Send an email to Pierre:

Become a contributor

with a cover letter, CV and samples of work. You’ll get cookies.

Pitch stories and pick stories up from our mailing list

production@theconcordian.com

(email addresses on the backpage)

OR drop by our story-pitch meetings Friday at 1 p.m., at our Loyola office (CC-431)

7

arts

ARTS EDITORS /// arts@theconcordian.com LYDIA ANDERSON ( @LydiaAndersonn) & ELIJAH BUKREEV (

@ElijahBukreev)

THEATRE

I love COCK, and I’m sure you will too

PlayShed, a new Montreal theatre company, presents COCK as their premiere show

BY LYDIA ANDERSON CO-ARTS EDITOR It’s the kind of truthful, essential theatre that will give you an affection erection. COCK, a play by British author Mike Bartlett, is PlayShed’s inaugural production, now showing at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) until Feb. 14.

PlayShed, a Montreal theatre company founded in 2014, is made up of three graduates from Concordia’s theatre program—Kristen Gregor, Jimmy Blais and Olivier Lamarche. The director of this piece is a member of the theatre faculty at Concordia, Liz Valdez. She has worked with all three PlayShed team members in the past, either as a mentor or within workshops.

Valdez’s colleague, Bryan Doubt, introduced her to the script and she has been using COCK as a text in her acting classes for years ever since. This led to her suggesting it for PlayShed’s premiere show, a choice that helped the company come out swinging by exemplifying their ability to offer quality theatre.

The story follows John (Mike Payette), a man who strays from his long-term boyfriend (Eloi ArchamBaudoin) and, to the surprise of them both, falls in love with a woman (Melanie Sirois). After only being with men his whole life, it sends John reeling into an existential crisis.

Paralyzed with indecisiveness, John’s in-

ner turmoil reeks havoc on all parties involved and highlights behavioural qualities that are present in all of us.

The show succeeds because of the rawness of its simple recipe. It is made up of a cast of four strong actors, a simplistic stage set, an enticing plot and universal human propensities. Its strength is in the dialogue, a script both comedic and frustrating that relies completely on the connection between characters. “[COCK is] not meant to have any set, any props or any miming. This is what excited me the most about doing this play, and it is also the scariest thing about doing this play. Because you have no crutches, the actors have nothing to hold onto or use or hide behind … They have to really be in the moment, they have to know every moment what is going on,” said Valdez.

It’s a play that explores the societal boxes and the emotional labyrinths that cloud the clarity of connection. John deviates from the idea that he and others have of him, which makes him question who he is and whether or not he’s manifesting a craving for heteronormativity. His identity it seems, throughout the whole piece, is irremediably tied to his sexuality.

However, the truths of relationship, commitment, categorization and the basic human search for happiness transcend the realm of gender and sexual

preference. “It’s about identity but not sexual identity necessarily, just about identity. Who am I and how can I be happy? I really appreciated that Mike Bartlett basically turned everything on its ass … I loved that because I thought the story is simply about identity and we don’t need to use a heterosexual couple to say all the same things,” said Valdez.

It’s a script riddled with importance and habitual, intrinsic aspects of the human experience. Whether it prompts conversation or realization, PlayShed’s

Photos by Adrián Morillo.

production of COCK is artfully executed and worth every moment of your time.

COCK will run until Feb. 14 at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels).

Tickets range from $17 to $28.50.

ACTIVITY

Come for alcohol, leave with artwork The first rule of Paint Nite is: whatever you do, don’t drink from the red cup

BY TIFFANY LAFLEUR ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR

Held at local pubs and hotspots, Paint Nite pairs participants with an experienced artist in a laid-back, fun setting With a drink in one hand and a paint- where you create a work of art while sipbrush in the other, let your creativity ping a cocktail of your choice and having blossom on canvas at Paint Nite, the fun with your friends. night out that temporarily turns bars You follow along with the event host’s into galleries. instructions and, layer by layer, turn your blank canvas into a cherry blossom with a jagged peak in the background, or a weeping willow tree, or any number of creative works. When reserving online, you pick and choose which painting you want to complete, so the painting you bring home is one that you like.

“What makes this experience unique is that it combines two things—it’s part social, part educational,” said Holly MacKinnon, Paint Nite artist and event host.

“You have fun with your friends, you have some drinks, and after two hours you get to leave with a painting you made yourself.”

Paint and sip to stimulate your creative side.

MacKinnon has been giving Photo courtesy of Paint Nite. the cocktail-nights-turned-ar-

tistic-workshops since April of last year, and teaches every Tuesday night at the McKibbin’s in Vaudreuil-Dorion.

When my friend Micaela Bianchini and I joined her class last Tuesday, Feb. 2, MacKinnon explained there were only two rules for the art workshop: first, that Paint Nite was a stress-free zone, and second, that you shouldn’t drink from the red cups. They’re filled with water used to clean the brushes.

Interested participants do not need any artistic experience to join and have fun. Everyone is guided, step by step, to gradually add layers to their paintings, until by the end they have a beautiful finished product.

“The cool thing is that although you reproduce a set painting, you can add as much of your own artistic design to it as you want,” said MacKinnon.

Paint Nite had their first “paint and sip” in Somerville, MA. Since then, the phenomenon has spread worldwide, with events in cities such as London, Boston and Johannesburg. In Montreal alone, there are several workshops offered in a range of different bars across the island.

One of the great things about Paint Nite is that it makes art accessible for everyone under the guise of a night out. It’s a great way to tap into your inner creative self and produce something you can be proud of. Paint Nite has something to offer to beginners and experienced painters alike. Even though I personally have some experience painting, I enjoyed delving back into acrylics and watching my canvas gradually come to life.

“I also love that it is intended for people with no painting experience because it shows them that they are capable,” says MacKinnon. “Most people are convinced they have no artistic skill when really all they need is a bit of instruction and encouragement. It makes painting accessible to everyone, which I love.”

If you’re willing to try something new, Paint Nite is a great alternative to the typical night out, and you get to bring home a finished piece of art. I recommend going to the event with some friends, as you can chat and laugh over drinks and a paintbrush, and then compare who channeled their inner Monet best when the night is over.

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

theconcordian

9

LITERATURE

Translation as an act of creation David Homel on how to recapture a book’s spark in another language

BY ELIJAH BUKREEV CO-ARTS EDITOR Some of you will have read Flaubert, Kafka or even Tintin in English. Can you name the translator? It’s hardly news that many books you read were originally written in a different language, but for some reason literary translation is an art form you don’t often hear about.

“It shouldn’t be a full-time business, it should be something you do when you find a book you want to [translate],” said David Homel, a part-time instructor at Concordia who is also an award-winning literary translator. Homel, who translates from French to English, came to prominence in the late ‘80s for his work on Dany Laferrière novels such as How to Make Love to a Negro. He has since authored several books of his own, including 2014’s The Fledglings.

“It sounds like you’re just sitting on your butt all day, whether you’re writing or translating, but actually it’s quite physically challenging,” said Homel, noting that the fatigue a translator may feel at the end of their workday is usually a good sign.

While a lot of a translator’s work comes down to interpretation, a successful translation must be seamless enough not to pull you out of the story. “Bad translations are

the ones that make you aware that they’re translations,” Homel said.

A novelist may not have an ending in mind as they start writing, but a translator is always limited to the original text, which Homel sees as a major disadvantage. This fact is reflected in his personal approach— he never reads a book before he translates it. “That creates a certain excitement and tension and energy,” he said.

Homel practices what he refers to as “strong translation,” meaning that he is usually unconcerned with finding a perfect equivalent for every word, and aims to replicate a text’s emotional tone instead. Having to take on someone else’s voice, a voice that may be very different from your own, is what Homel said makes translation comparable to acting.

“It’s a lot of people to be at the same time,” he said.

Of course, knowing the author you translate is a plus.

“In a couple of cases, and I’ve been lucky

that way, I’ve become truly friends with the writers I’ve translated,” Homel said.

“You should have some affinity with the voice of the person that you’re translating. If you don’t, sometimes it’s just mechanical … When I set out to translate a book, I like to meet the [writer], I like to just listen to [them] talk and hear the sound of [their] voice, because then when I read the book, it’s like [they’re] talking to me. And then I can sort of talk back to [them] in my translation.”

It’s uncommon for translators to be able to personally meet the authors they work with, but the fact that Montreal is a bilingual environment makes it a unique place for literary translation.

“It’s a real phenomenon, and it doesn’t happen everywhere in the world, or maybe anywhere in the world, where your neighbour, or the person down the street, is translating your book into another language,” Homel said.

There is also a long history to literary translation in Montreal, and Canada in general, and much progress has been made since the ‘70s, as far as Homel is concerned. “There was a time when translators had this self-appointed political task of keeping the country together and allowing French and English Canadians to read each other’s work,” Homel said.

“It was almost like a patriotic or political duty to help bridge the so-called ‘two solitudes.’ People don’t think like that anymore, they’re just looking for books they want to read. And that’s probably better.”

As Homel explained, part of the progress also seems to come from the fact that Quebec has allowed itself to explore English-Canadian literature in a way it previously hadn’t. “For a long time, English Canada was translating [creative work] from Quebec, but Quebec wasn’t doing the same thing. Now, French publishers here are doing many more English-Canadian novels … They now believe that English Canada has an imagination that’s worth looking into.” Graphic by Thom Bell.

David Homel and Marianne Champagne will take part in a bilingual discussion on translation on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Atwater Library Auditorium. Admission is free.

EXHIBIT

Secrets from under the ash and dust

The largest exhibit of its kind in Quebec, Pompeii focuses on the lives cut short by a historic eruption

BY TIFFANY LAFLEUR ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR It is a bittersweet irony that one of the things that make Pompeii so interesting is the violent and explosive nature of its downfall.

Beneath the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii lay dormant, blanketed under ash and dust from the two-day volcanic event that started on Aug. 24, 79 A.D. and spewed several tons of molten rock, searing hot gases and pumice into the air. Thousands of its inhabitants were preserved in hardened ash casings, frozen in the positions they died in.

The objects uncovered from excavations are now on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), from Feb. 6 to Sept. 5. The largest exhibit on Pompeii ever presented in Quebec, it is the result of a partnership between the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, in collaboration with the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli and the Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei.

Pompeii’s development was halted in its tracks. Its present, forever frozen in time, is our past; its future violently taken away from it. But the brutal and apocalyptic way in which the city was destroyed is the very reason why there are such well-preserved artefacts to study, kept for centuries under the volcanic dust.

Marble and bronze statues, frescoes, tools, artwork and coins are all on dis-

LIVING IN POMPEII (1) A fresco of the distribution of bread.

(2) A silver drinking cup preserved from the catastrophe.

play at the museum. The exhibit takes the spotlight away from the apocalyptic disaster and instead focuses on Pompeians’ way of life: what they ate, how they cooked, how homes were decorated and what they used as currency.

The MMFA does an excellent job of portraying life as it would have been in Pompeii, leading right up to the day it was buried. Included in these day-to-day artefacts are clues and signs of its downfall.

The unsteady ground that Pompeii stood on was reflected in their art. In 62 A.D., tremors rocked the city, damaging buildings and scaring the inhabitants, a precursor to the deadly volcanic eruption.

This damage, such as crooked statues and

precariously tilted temples, is reflected in a marble relief.

A blackened half loaf of carbonized bread was also on display, still recognizable. Bread would have been used as a way to distinguish between the different social classes. Higher-quality bread was available to higher social classes, while the lower classes settled for lesser ingredients. Over 40 bakeries have been discovered in Pompeii.

Although the exhibit as a whole treats the eruption as a facet of Pompeii’s history rather than the sole focus, it does include a multimedia room where visitors can experience what the different phases of the eruption would have looked like, from tremors to bil-

lowing columns of ash and the final deadly pyroclastic clouds. Included in this part of the exhibit are plaster casts of the contorted and calcified bodies of the inhabitants, as well as glass bottles distorted and partially melted from the heat.

This exhibit has something to offer to all, whether they’re remotely curious or deeply interested. It serves as a good introduction to Pompeii for anyone who knows little or nothing past its fiery destruction and wants to learn more about how its inhabitants lived.

Pompeii will be on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until Sept. 5, 2016.

music

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SAMUEL PROVOST-WALKER

Quickspins

Our playlist: http://spoti.fi/1QoE3Sh

PROFILE

Songs in the key of gratitude with SOOKZ

MEGADETH

Dystopia (Tradecraft, 2016)

Weaving together sounds both old and new, this Montreal producer’s vision is life-affirming Keep tabs on Sookz’s show dates and upcoming projects at sookz.ca

BY CRISTINA SANZA LIFE EDITOR

H

e’s got a big, pearly white smile and a loud, infectious laugh to accompany it. His Hindi name, Sukhdev, translates into “lord of happiness,” which seems fitting since he’s usually in good spirits. He’ll enthusiastically tell you about how sound travels through air, or how music will literally speak to him. He’s not lying, nor is he on drugs—he’s simply eager to talk about his craft. But don’t be fooled; for Montreal-based music producer Sookz, positivity isn’t the key to success—it’s gratitude.

Sookz described how he practices gratitude daily using a metaphor: there’s a cup. At the beginning of your day it’s empty. As your day progresses, you fill it up with new experiences and new lessons, both good and bad. At the end of the day, it’s about saying thank you for all that has happened.

“When you’re in a state of gratitude, there’s so much more appreciation. You don’t think about the bad stuff,” he said.

“I definitely have my moments where I think ‘this is isn’t enough,’ or ‘I could be better at this’ but I always try to fall back on gratitude.”

He wasn’t always in this state of mind, though. When it came to figuring out his career path in his early 20s, he said he was in limbo for a while. “I didn’t know where I wanted to go with my career,” he said. He knew he loved film and sound scores. At 22 years old, he enrolled in electroacoustic studies at Concordia, even though he didn’t have a musical background.

“It ended up being really good for me,” he said. The program led Sookz to the birth of a new passion: music production.

It wasn’t always easy. He struggled learning music composition and putting

together harmonious melodies. He didn’t Layer after layer, instrumentals are really know what his sound was, but it created. Some are dramatic movie-like made him continue working hard to find it. scores, others funky R&B beats. SomeHe set up his own studio in his par- times, they’re pure electronica. When he ents’ basement and decided to take mu- began working with vocalists, though, sic more seriously. The studio was made that’s when the game really changed. up of a set of speaker monitors, an apoTwo years ago, he met alternative gee ensemble, a microphone and an R&B musician Voyce*. Sookz heard one iMac. He isolated himself to refine his of his songs, really admired his voice and craft. He compiled hard drives full of in- messaged him asking if he wanted to colstrumentals and beats, many of which laborate on a track. He sent him an inbecame collaborations with several art- strumental piece and Voyce* returned it to ists. Since then, Sookz has relocated to him complete with vocals. a place he calls home, filled with new “Next thing you know we were 12 gear and recording equipment, and has tracks deep and we had a full album,” moved onto bigger projects.

Sookz said with a laugh. “While we were “I didn’t speak to anyone,” he said. “I making it we started to develop a really was alone in my basement. I just worked cool friendship.” on music for a long time.” He would listen The two released the album in to classical music to get his creative juic- mid-December, titled Hidden in Plain es flowing, particularly Beethoven and Sight: King of the Sand Castle, which Tchaikovsky. “Their pieces are very emo- consisted of an eclectic mix of basstional, and the way they’re orchestrat- heavy R&B beats and electronic sounds, ed, each instrument has complete with Voyce*’s a voice, and each voice is dynamic range and emo“With producing saying something different,” tional vocals. The first music, it’s like he said. song they recorded toI black out.

It’s What the music says gether, “Proud of You,” is such a state of is important to Sookz. It’s featured on it. flow that I get what drives him to create it “It kind of felt like I in the first place. His motwas working with myself,” into.” to: It’s not about him. It’s Voyce* said about the proSOOKZ about the music. duction process. “We both “With producing mugave each other the flexisic, it’s like I black out. It’s such a state of bility to do what we wanted because we flow that I get into,” he said. He often gets both have the same mental state with up before sunrise, at three or four in the music.” morning to work on music. “I feel like my The duo will be releasing another almind is really empty at that time, and so I bum in March, titled Lords of Gemini: could really listen to what the music has Somewhere Between Worlds. Sookz will to say.” also be working on his own electronic Whether he plays a few notes or a album called Fury of a Patient Man, and three-chord progression, the relation- throughout the year will be collaborating ship that the sounds have together is how with various artists. the musical story unfolds, he said, adding “I was always sort of in a rut and try“The music creates itself … What I’ve come ing to find my way with music,” Sookz to learn is that I’m not an expressive artist. said. “But now that I’ve found this sense I like to let the music tell the story.” of gratitude, it’s all come together.”

Since the ‘80s, Megadeth has been one of metal’s most important acts.

Dystopia, the band’s latest effort, has pretty much everything you would expect from them. The fast solos and catchy riffs are there, but singer Dave Mustaine’s vocals are more difficult to listen to than ever. “The Threat is Real” is decent enough, but Mustaine’s lack of lyrical concepts holds the songs back.

Instrumentally however, the album is fantastic; new drummer Chris Adler’s technical sound fits well and makes the songs listenable. While metal fans may be disappointed, Megadeth fans will enjoy Dystopia for its solid instrumentals.

Trial track: “Dystopia”

6/10

— Alexander Cole

BLOC PART Y

Hymns (BMG, 2016) Those who grew up loving and listening to Bloc Party since their 2005 debut Silent Alarm will more than likely be divided in their sentiments towards their latest release Hymns. True to its name, the album offers 11 tracks drawing on frontman Kele Okereke’ newfound deep spirituality, like on the sweetly bright and peppy “The Love Within” and the more sombre “Only He Can Heal Me.” The aggressive and infectious riffs from past records are replaced with a softer sonic palette over a series of sermon-like tracks.

Though Bloc Party has taken a respectable and bold risk with their new direction, the album itself feels disjointed and falls flat.

Trial track: “Living Lux”

5/10

— Jessica Romera

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

theconcordian

11

RECOMMENDATIONS

A beginner’s guide to shoegaze Drenched in reverb and fuzzy, pointed theatrics, this genre is as harsh as it is blissfully dreamy 1

BY CALVIN CASHEN ASSITANT MUSIC EDITOR

A

style criminally marginalized, the shoegaze idiom is, by design, a lush, guitar-inflected form of music. It’s rendered by the funneling of disjointed ideas, augmented by nimble fretwork and an enveloping sonic undercurrent. This culminates into a densely compact sonic palette that distills fragmented ideas and sounds into actual songs.

Characterized by mood, shoegaze most closely resembles the sensation of being wisped away by an opaque force, the results often inducing feelings of weightlessness. It’s like an untouchable gem, constantly hovering above us with an innocuous, childlike disposition; just out of reach but close enough to interact with. However, shoegaze is every bit as seismic in experimentation as a guitar and amplifier will lend. Rich in texture, lush in tone and touting a delicate dichotomy between shimmery atmospherics and trance-inducing noise, it’s a musical style that avoids pretense and pummels with unmitigated expression.

Effect pedals are utilized extraneously, which is where the term shoegaze is derived from. The term was loosely applied to proto-shoegaze acts to describe their fixation with effect pedals. They were quite literally gazing at their shoes in an attempt to switch between reverse-reverb filters and tremolo-effects.

It’s as if they were imitating a convoluted tap-dance routine.

Lyrics aren’t a focal point, often indistinguishable amid encircling guitar wails. It’s something more easily felt than heard, offering a sensual, non-binary sense of abstraction. Its trademark atmosphere is chiseled by the foundations of multiple sub-genres, most traceable being the calculated ethereal wave of Cocteau Twins and the noise-pop impulses of The Jesus and Mary Chain. The cavernous melancholy of post-punk, the enigmatic splendor of ‘80s dream-pop, and the raw sheen of neo-psychedelia all roam around freely in the shoegaze playpen. Ironically the true crux of shoegaze is its rigid opposition of technical logic and formality.

In the wake of newly emerging Britpop outfits like Suede and Blur in the early ‘90s, shoegaze was bound to fall under the heft of its own ambition. Typified by a trademark hypnotic dissonance, colloquially called a “wall of sound” amongst producers, this genre is very much a product of its time, one that made an indelible mark on pop music traditions. Grunge had yet to carry the rock revolution torch, leaving shoegaze surrounded by word-of-mouth hype.

While the monotonous noise it traffics in may waver some, there’s an ever-prevalent melodic instinct buried under the nuggets of noise.

Shoegaze is also characterized by an unregistered stage bearing, which supports the notion that the music is an enti-

3

TOP-TIER SHOEGAZE (1) Reading’s Slowdive (2) Oxford’s Ride (3) Dublin’s My Bloody Valentine

Shortlist 2

GREAT PROTO-SHOEGAZE 1

GALAXIE 500

On Fire

It’s like an unaesthetics of tracks like ty more easily felt. Perhaps touchable gem, “When You Sleep” and shoegaze is best defined constantly hov“Come In Alone” were very as a paradox; not exactliable for reworkings of ly rock, not exactly pop, ering above us similar magnitude. but what a perfect paradox with an innocSlowdive, the shoegato graze upon and invest uous, childlike ziest of the shoegazers, countless hours into. disposition; just tapped more into the spaWith the resurgence and out of reach but tial attributes of the style. fortification of such genreclose enough to By turning each dial to affirming luminaries as My interact with.

11, sometimes quite litBloody Valentine, Slowdive, erally, Slowdive were and Ride, shoegaze was able to withstand everything the able to masterfully channel the genworld had to throw at it. For better or tle abstractions of dream-pop with janfor worse, it came into fruition from the gly indie-pop. Distinguished by a reuniverse expanding ambition of a legion verb-dowsed guitar timbre and a of disenfranchised youths. Dejected dreamlike vocal conveyance, Slowdive by a deep cultural malaise that was are easily the most emotionally capticatalyzed by a stark music circle, the vating shoegaze outfit. Their slow ebb of general angst-fueled “feel” to shoegaze a sophomore record Souvlaki measured is as much of a requisite component to maximalist and minimalist sensibilities the genre’s façade as the music. The with consummate precision. Their afsprawling nexus of artists that pioneered finity for laser-sharp production tweaks the genre had the world wrapped around injected the standard shoegaze formula their fingers only to slip right under our with a new degree of ambience. noses in a moment’s notice. At the peak While predominantly a British staof its popularity, shoegaze was and still ple, shoegaze was able to extend its is, a slightly inconsistent paradox of pop reaches to the United States. Galaxie craftsmanship, its legacy as influential as it 500, a key progenitor, installed a more is dubious. tenuous vulnerability to its already frail The gold-standard apex of shoegaze, backbone. This paved the road for a the most pivotal record, is the one that’s hybrid of shoegaze marked by feeironically the most human. Loveless by ble vocal performances and a more My Bloody Valentine is the quintessential, twang-flavoured guitar setting, initiatcrowned jewel of the genre. It synthe- ing an innovative period for the genre. sized the atypical shoegaze elements of The second-wave of bands surfacing excess with flexible, elastic guitar tones. from the ashes of early U.K. shoegaze The technical quirks of guitarist Kev- chose to look outward for fresh inin Shields heightened his credentials; he sight, triggering a new melding of hyachieved this sound by tuning the strings brid genres that incorporated crossover together on his guitar, bending the strings influence from space-rock, electronica, with his fingers, and then strumming the and twee-pop.

Shoegaze is a style mostly occupied whammy bar. This established the definitive shoegaze blueprint and the fully by self-deprecating romantics whose realized sound of Loveless. Effect pedals faces were often obscured by a mop of were primarily implemented to add that hair. Be that as it may, building a musical unmistakable layer of fuzzy distortion, framework around listless guitar noowith Shields’ blissful vocal sighs gliding dling is a feat only the ‘90s could bring to smoothly along the mix. The vapor-like a successful end.

THE JESUS AND Y CHAIN 2 MAR

Psychocandy

SPACEMEN 3

3

Sound of Confusion 4

THE CURE

Disintegration ESSENTIAL SHOEGAZE MY BLOODY VALENTINE

1

Loveless

SLOWDIVE

2

Souvlaki

YO LA TENGO

Painful

4

3

RIDE

Nowhere DREAM POP, AMBIENT-ELECTRO, AND NU GAZE NOTHING

1

Guilty of Everything BEACH HOUSE

2

Beach House

DEERHUNTER 3

Cryptograms 4

M83

Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com ALEXANDER COLE ( @a_cole39)

PROFILE

Katherine Purchase excels on and off the ice The Stingers goaltender talks about her career, her education and superstitions

BY JEFFREY MUNTU CONTRIBUTOR

K

atherine Purchase is fresh off of a year where she was awarded the RSEQ rookie of the year award, as well as being named to the first All-Rookie team.

She was also named as a second team All-Star and put up stellar numbers with a 95.9 per cent save percentage, and a goals-against average of 1.07.

The accolades did not stop there for Purchase, as the Fondation de l’Athlète d’excellence de Québec (FAEQ), a government foundation for student-athletes in Quebec recognized her work off the ice and rewarded her with a bursary after she maintained a perfect 4.3 GPA in accounting.

“I love math. I’m a math person,” said Purchase. “I knew coming into university that I really liked accounting. I don’t like physics so engineering was out of the question which pretty much leaves me with business.”

“Both of my parents are accountants so I’m really enjoying it,” she added.

When Purchase is not stopping pucks on the ice, she spends the majority of her time studying at the library on campus.

“The team would define me as [a library rat], Purchase said. “I spend a lot the time at the library. I spend a lot of time studying. I definitely put my work in there.”

In 2014, Purchase was not recruited by any of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) teams back in the Maritimes which got her thinking about choosing a different avenue for her future in hockey.

“None of the teams in the AUS were

AN ALL-STAR GOALTENDER

1

(1) Katherine Purchase is the starting goaltender for the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team. Photo by MariePierre Savard.

(2) Katherine Purchase looking at the puck in the corner. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

really recruiting goalies that year so that immediately led me to thinking that I had to leave the Maritimes in order to play university hockey,” Purchase said. “Last year’s coach Les [Lawton] contacted me.

I looked up Concordia and right away I was pumped it was in Montreal. JMSB is a great business school so everything is great on the academic side. I love the hockey program and the athletics here.”

Despite her stellar statistical season last year, Purchase admits that she is having a bit of a down year.

“This year has gone a little bit rockier for me personally,” Purchase said.

“We just haven’t done as well as we had hoped, but the nice thing is that we are in a playoff spot and all we need to do is win two games.”

Purchase doesn’t blame anybody and takes full credit for her performances; seeing this season as more of a mental challenge.

“Everyone goes through a sophomore slump. I started pretty early in the season and was mentally tired from school and hockey,” Purchase said.

“It’s kind of hard to break the slump once you get into it. I just needed the Christmas break. I was excited to come back. I was excited to get back on the ice again so I feel a lot better now.”

Combining her studies with her onice performances is not the only challenge the accounting student has to face. The language barrier is also a reality for Purchase.

“The biggest adjustment is probably French because I don’t speak any,” Purchase said. “I’m working on it. I’m getting a little bit better. I am going to try to get in a French course next year.”

Purchase also pointed out that Halifax

2

was similar to Montreal in terms of being mer Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin a big city. Although, Purchase did men- St-Louis is her all-time favorite player for tion that she finds Montreal to be more his “resilience and passion for the game.” multicultural than Halifax.

Purchase still has a few years left On a lighter side, Purchase doesn’t with the team and when it comes to her think she is the goofy character that past and future success, she said that she people assume goalies to be. In fact, she doesn’t let it get to her. has a love-hate relationship with the “I don’t really put much thought stereotype. into it. I just kind of keep my head “People immediately think I’m weird down,” Purchase said. as soon as they find out I’m a goalie, so Purchase’s experiences as a minor that’s kind of hard to deal with,” Purchase hockey player, have allowed her to give said. “I hope I am not abnormally weird advice to younger goalies that she has compared to everyone else. I don’t have helped coach. too many superstitions. Just the way I “I never really had much success in put on my gear. I have to my minor career. I nevgo left to right then right er made any provincial “Everyone to left and I also have to teams or had anything goes through chew gum.” like that happen to me,” a sophomore Purchase also added Purchase said. “Whether that she doesn’t want her one of the coaches thinks slump. I started superstitions to get in the you’re good enough to pretty early in way of her real preparation. make the team has no the season and Purchase doesn’t rule effect on how good you was mentally out going pro but mainactually are.” tired from tains that her degree is “You’re still as talentschool and the priority. She creded before or after you hockey” its her mom as being the get cut off of a team so ultimate hockey mom don’t worry about it,” said KATHERINE PURCHASE and confessed that forPurchase.

Elementary schoolers hit the ice competitively A look at Royal Vale’s unique hockey program for younger athletes

TIN

13

G ER S

HOCKEY

theconcordian S

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

Scoreboard This weekend’s results WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CONCORDIA @ BISHOPS (W: 58-46) After defeating the Bishops Gaiters on Feb. 4 with a score of 80-51, the Stingers travelled to Bishops University where they won 58-46. Forward Marilyse Roy-Viau led the Stingers with 18 points, six assists and six rebounds. Stingers forward Richelle Gregoire was also a factor in the match, as she put up 16 points, along with eight steals and 12 rebounds. The Stingers went 3-17 on three-point shots and 19-62 for field goal shooting. The Stingers committed 12 turnovers in the game while they forced Bishops to commit 28. The win brings the team’s record to 4-8 on the season which puts them in fourth place in RSEQ division. Bishops is the only team behind them, with a record of 0-12.

MEN’S BASKETBA Royal Vale elementary school’s hockey team is the brainchild of gym teacher Norman Katz. Photo by Norman Katz.

BY GREGORY CALTABANIS CONTRIBUTOR When walking into Royal Vale School in NDG, you would think it is similar to the other elementary schools in the area. The staff is helpful, the teachers are conducting their lessons and the students are going about their business. But after taking a deeper look into the school, it becomes apparent that their hockey program sets them apart from the rest.

Over a decade ago, Royal Vale physical education teacher Norman Katz created a hockey program with the goal to promote health and activity.

“These programs are typically found in high schools, therefore it was a unique initiative [for an elementary school],” said Katz.

According to Katz, it all started when his colleagues at Lower Canada College, a school renowned for its impressive athletics programs, asked him if he’d like to put a team together from Royal Vale to compete in a league. Katz would accept the proposition and made elementary school history in the 2011-2012 season when Royal Vale finished in third place and qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

Katz admitted that starting the program from scratch was a bit overwhelming at first. “I told them I didn’t know if I can do this,” he said. “I needed an arena.

We simply didn’t have the infrastructure.”

Determined to see this idea out, Katz eventually succeeded in creating the program, despite the fact no public elementary school had anything similar.

“Being a public school kid all my life I’ve always believed that kids should have the same opportunities,” he said. “The fact that they can do things that anyone can is important to me.”

The training done within the program does not conflict with the students’ classes and the school uses the nearby Doug Harvey Arena for practices.

“Being a public The philosophy of the ly I didn’t want the kids to school kid all my program is a simple one. pay any additional money Whether you are a male for this program,” he said. life I’ve always or a female, you can play “There is a cost involved believed that on the team if you are to participate but there are kids should good enough. “Our capalso positive spinoffs.” have the same tain of the team is a feAt the moment, it costs opportunities” male. The first two goals $1,375 to sign up for RapNORMAN KATZ, of the program were id Hockey Development PHYSICAL EDUCATION scored by a girl, Danielle which includes 72 hours of TEACHER AT ROYAL VALE Shemie,” said Katz. on-ice training. The price While he acknowlcan be steep for some paredges it’s not easy for ents as it is more expengirls to play with their male counterparts sive than joining a youth team. “There are for a number of reasons, he’s happy the some kids in my program who are on it school welcomes them to play. “It takes and are getting more training. Ideally, you a strong character because you have to think we can be a better team due to this be okay with being around the guys. You program,” said Katz. want to be a part of the team,” he said.

The relationship with Rapid Hockey “I’m proud of every girl who has come Development has helped Royal Vale foster through our program.” a similar bond with Concordia University.

Katz recalled some of his fondest mo“One of the coaches at Rapid Hockments since the inception of the program. ey Development knew Marc-André “We participate in a tournament at Low- Element, the coach of the hockey team er Canada College every year with teams at Concordia and asked if some of our from all across Canada,” he said. “When students could go see a game,” recalled they [came] here, they [asked] themselves Katz. who we are but now they know who Plans call for Royal Vale students Royal Vale is because of our program.” to attend a hockey game at Concordia According to the English Montreal University on Feb. 12. “I’m hoping about School Board (EMSB) website, Minnesota 100 students could make the game but it Wild defenseman Marco Scandella is will depend on the parents,” said Katz. an ambassador for the Royal Vale Elite Elaborating on Royal Vale’s growing Hockey Program. Scandella used to be a relationship with Concordia, Katz went on student at West Mount High School and to say that it’s something he welcomes.

Willingdon Elementary School in NDG. “I think like in anything, it has potential According to the EMSB, Scandella was to lead to other things,” he said. “The conchosen as an ambassador “due to his nection with an elementary school and a lifelong perseverance and success in his university is an interesting one. Many of athletic career.” these kids may even end up going to ConRecently Royal Vale and Rapid cordia in the future.”

Hockey Development have decided to “Concordia has sent a number of athwork in collaboration together to of- letes to their Jump Rope for Heart Day while fer students the opportunity to hone their a number of Royal Vale students attended a hockey skills in a unique concentration women’s hockey game last year,” said Katz. program. For Katz, the introduction of Royal Vale currently plays in a league this program will only continue to pro- with schools such as Lower Canada Colmote a hockey spirit at the school but he lege, Kuper Academy, Selwyn House and did express one concern. “Fundamental- Solomon Schechter.

LL

CONCORDIA @ BISHOPS (W: 64-61) The Stingers marched onto the Bishops Gaiters’ court on Feb. 6 and captured their sixth win in a row after defeating their RSEQ rival 64-61. The win was came two days after defeating the Gaiters at home by a score of 72-53. Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu led the team with 15 points and five rebounds, while guard Jaleel Webb put up 14 points. Forward Schneiders Suffrard led the Stingers in rebounding with eight. Both teams were even in terms of turnovers as the Stingers committed 15 while the Gaiters committed 17. While the Stingers ended with a three point lead, the Stingers were up by 12 at one point in the game. The win gives the Stingers a record of 8-4 which means that they are now tied with the McGill Redman for first place in the RSEQ division.

MEN’S HOCKEY CONCORDIA @ RMC (W: 7-4) On Feb. 7, the Stingers broke their five game losing streak by defeating the Royal Military College, the East Division’s worst team, by a score of 7-4. Stingers forward Domenic Beauchemin finished the match with a hat trick, while forward Jessyko Bernard finished with a goal and two assists. Captain Olivier Hinse had two goals and an assist in the game, with forward Frederick Roy rounding out the scoring.

The Stingers started goaltender Miguel Sullivan who made 27 saves on 31 shots for the win.

RMC goaltender Matt Murphy made 25 saves on 30 shots. Two of the Stingers goals were on an empty net. The win brings the Stingers record up to 9-12-5 which puts them in seventh place in the East Division. The Stingers next game is on Feb. 10 against UQTR.

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com DAVID EASEY

EDITORIAL

Stop being a biological weapon and stay home when you’re sick You’re on the metro heading to class.

Midterms are coming up and you haven’t been averaging the recommended sleep hours, but coffee exists so you persist.

Suddenly the old man standing way too close to you lets loose a phlegmy whooping cough, right into his hand. He then proceeds to place said hand right back on the pole he was holding on to for support—the exact same pole which you just so happen to be holding.

Quick. When was the last time you washed your hands? Have you touched your face during your morning commute? If you have, you might as well have frenched the old man, scraggly grey nose hairs and all.

It’s cold and flu season again, and students are doing a really poor job at protecting themselves. Actually, life in general is doing a really poor job at protecting your immune system.

For starters, it’s midterm season so students are sleeping less, are more stressed, and are likely letting their healthy diet and exercise regime slip—all of which weaken their immune systems. Second, it’s nasty

weather out. And while snow hasn’t been proven to weaken your immune system, huddling on busses and metros and other commuter areas close to infected people does increase your chances of catching something.

Finally, stressed-out students are hauling their sick asses out of bed to get to their important classes, thereby infecting everyone around them with the virus they have been so successfully incubating.

So let’s take a moment to step back and review how not to engage in biological warfare and keep ourselves and everyone around us protected.

Step one, according to the Government of Canada, is to get the flu vaccination. It cannot under any circumstances give you the flu or autism. If you got the vaccine already, hats off to you. Now on to step two.

Wash your hands. It seems simple, so why are there endless people who do not wash their hands, or trickle some water on their fingertips and call it a day? The Hand Hygiene page for the Government of Canada calls for lathering your hands (lather, as in with soap, not to spritz or trickle

or moisten—lather) and turning the tap off with a paper towel. This reduces your hand contact with the dirty surface you were just touching with your dirty hands.

You should always wash your hands before and after you handle food, and immediately after you blow your nose or sneeze into your hands.

Remember that when you sneeze, cough, or talk even you throw tiny droplets into the air with the flu virus in them.

So touching your face or snot means your hands have the flu virus on them (if you are sick) and that sneezing into your hand and then touching any surface is as good as licking the face of whoever touches that surface next.

Sure, Valentine’s Day is coming up but there’s got to be a better way at reintroducing the romance than that.

Which brings us to the third most important virus protection and prevention system: the dab. Otherwise known as sneezing and coughing into the crook of your arm. It’s the easiest way to protect those around you, so why do so few people do it?

Mayhaps they really just enjoy spreading their misery—literally—to those around them.

It’s a barbaric and heinous way of approaching disease control, especially when you study cultures such as Japan, where cultural respect is much more important than in Quebec. In Japan, and many other Asian cultures, if a person has a cold they will wear a surgical mask to ensure they do not spread their virus to you, which is an extremely kind and polite act if you think about it.

It’s a lesson Concordians should internalize. Get the flu shot, wash your hands properly, and dab when you need to sneeze and cough. Have some respect for those around you, and stop being a biological terrorist.

Finally, remember to stay home and rest when you are sick. Your body needs all the energy and rest and fluids it can get, according to handouts from Concordia Health Services. So stay home, recover, and head back to class when you’re better.

Your body, and the entire student body, will thank you.

SOCIETY

Money, money, money (& maybe some football) The Super Bowl is just a lame excuse for capitalism to flourish

BY DAVID EASEY OPINIONS EDITOR The air reeks of fried foods, cheap cologne and fermented ale.

The room is filled with muscled bros zealously watching the television, as if their lives depend on the outcome of this game. Their few female companions at the bar look utterly bored and disenchanted with their surroundings.

Meanwhile I am quietly perched in the back of the bar, quietly observing this very bizarre phenomenon.

Yes my dearest friends, I am referring to the Super Bowl. The one day each year when North Americans can justify a massive junk food binge whilst watching giant brutes running to and fro chasing a small rubbery brown ball.

Crass comments aside, it is my belief that the Super Bowl is merely an embodiment of consumerism and corporate greed. A dark and hollow characteristic that seemingly runs rampant throughout the Western world today.

It’s a known fact that the game generates a ton of money every year, but upon closer research I discovered the numbers were astronomical.

THE ADVERTISING Nielsen records reveal that the televised broadcast is viewed by more than 100 million people across the globe every

year, with advertisers eager to purchase airtime to plug their products.

To air a 30-second ad during the prestigious game, the cost starts at a cool $5 million according to superbowl-ads.com. And these ads have helped fill the coffers of multinational corporations that receive an immense boost from the lucrative event.

The Globe and Mail article revealed just how beneficial these marketing attempts can be, especially for the company GoDaddy. The web hosting company experienced an increase in market share ever since it started to air commercials at the prestigious sporting event. Although the ads cannot account completely for the entire increase in market share, GoDaddy’s presence has definitely seen a significant surge.

To add fuel to the fire, data from statista.com reveals Super Bowl 50 will generate US$15.53 billion in terms of consumer related spending. This amount is more than three times greater than the amount of foreign aid Canada gave to states in 2014 according to the Canadian International Development Platform.

So essentially the focus is not even on the game itself, it’s all about the potential money to be made.

THE MUSIC Let’s not forget about the halftime show either, for capitalism trickles down into ev-

ery facet of the Super Bowl.

Whoever performs at the halftime is guaranteed to have success in terms of record sales and touring revenue.

After Bruno Mars’ performance in 2014, his album shifted 81,000 units in the week after his halftime show, according to Billboard. Madonna even marketed an entire album around her halftime routine, with her music video “Give Me All Your Luvin,’” featuring many football references in the lead up to the big show.

The best case though is Beyoncé’s show three years ago.

Yes we love queen Bey and she might very well be a deity, but her 2013 show had the dollars signs written all over it.

Contrary to past performers, Beyoncé at the time didn’t have a new album to promote but instead used the halftime slot to promote a new tour, which began two months after the Super Bowl in 2013. The Mrs. Carter World Tour went on to gross more than US$200 million and was one of the most successful tours of the decade according to idolator.com.

No doubt this year’s performers Coldplay will see the same trend for their upcoming tour.

In the end, few people really care about the actual football game. The Super Bowl merely highlights consumer exploitation and the fact that we live in a world that focuses on profits before people.

Capitalism is deeply rooted within our society and it’s a shame that we can no longer see that this event is just another excuse to extort money.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

theconcordian

15

RELATIONSHIPS

Mourning the death of traditional courtship This Feb. 14 enjoy the anti-valentine manifesto

BY DAVID EASEY OPINIONS EDITOR

T

he wind howls uncontrollably as my hands go numb from wandering the dark and desolate streets of the Old Port. There’s not a single soul in sight, for this arctic climate cannot support any life.

The bitter frost finally gets to me, so I make my weekly pilgrimage to a small café in order to warm up and gather my thoughts. Sitting inside the cozy establishment, I drink my black coffee and observe a young couple across the room on a date.

Like a scientist observing a new species, I analyze their behavior with fervor. They barely speak to one another and seem concentrated on their mobile phones, glancing at each other every so often to show an Instagram picture.

The only minute sign of a connection seems to be the occasional arm rub or leg graze from underneath the table.

I finish my coffee quickly and want to puke.

Existential thoughts flood my mind and I soon come to the realization that, in 2016, romance is truly dead.

We’re living in a modern world where our deities have become Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and have lost the ability to profess our genuine affection for one another if it’s not on social media.

I leave the café and begin to trace the death of modern romance, with all signs first pointing to the advent of dating apps.

Yes I’m referring to mainly Tinder and the other nefarious apps in the same vein.

They’ve turned the dating world into a child’s game with humans being disposable and infinite.

The app was launched in 2012 and has grown in popularity in the past few years, and almost instantly became a cultural sensation. It has amassed almost 50 million active users and is available in 26 languages, according to CNBC. With users swiping left or right on each profile, the main focus of the app is geared towards general esthetics rather than per-

sonality or interests. If someone doesn’t like your photo, it’s on to the next one.

To make matters worse, a new report by fastcompany.com revealed that Tinder has created several algorithms that essentially rate your desirability. That means all users have been placed on a hierarchical list that scores mainly their level of physical attractiveness.

No wonder romance is dead; we all are just rating each other while an algorithm is doing the same to us—how ironic.

There’s little investment needed and a plethora of matches that will always pop up onscreen.

I should also mention that I have tried these apps. At first, I enjoyed the attention from complete strangers paying me compliments, but ultimately I felt judged like a piece of meat simply on the basis of my photos.

Many users as well were simply looking for casual sex, something that Tinder has easily facilitated. It’s so stress-free nowadays to find someone to have a one-night stand with.

The traditional methods of doing this before the apps would require going out into the real world and searching out an individual at a bar or club, yet nowadays you can do it from home in your bed.

There’s nothing wrong with casual sex as long as it’s consensual and protected, but this virtual dating world definitely takes out the romantic aspect of sex and intimacy.

We cannot forget Valentine’s Day either, the only day of the year when it’s socially acceptable to vomit our suppressed romantic emotions onto our partners while having to buy tons of materialistic goods.

A recent report by the National Retail Federation revealed that Americans are estimated to spend more than US$19.7 billion on Valentine’s Day related items. Most of these purchases made in the days leading up to the corporate holiday will be chocolate, flowers and jewelry.

The same report revealed that six mil-

lion people are planning to propose this year, with an estimated US$4.4 billion being spent on diamonds alone.

We peasants are clearly suckling the teat of the She-wolf—and are buying into this bogus capitalist propaganda.

Bitter I may be, but it’s really hard to see any genuine examples of modern day romance, and with Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s just a reminder how society has taken such a dark turn towards a dark and hollow reality.

Illustrations by Florence Yee.

etc

theconcordian TINDER OF THE GODS

Photos of the week @CATHISSIME Catherine Filteau is an emerging artist from Montréal studying visual arts at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her research focuses on the human mind and its experience; she uses various media to represent the abstract spaces where affects and thoughts coexist.

DODA -MARYOGA

APHRODITE

Feminist · Believer in true love · Tried OkCupid, Match and Zoosk with no luck · Bisexual · En/Fr/Ancient Greek

The Concordian’s team EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MICHELLE GAMAGE editor@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION MANAGER PIERRE A. LEPETIT production@theconcordian.com NEWS EDITORS GREGORY TODARO LAURA MARCHAND news@theconcordian.com NEWS ASSISTANT SAVANNA CRAIG

ELIJAH BUKREEV arts@theconcordian.com

GRAPHICS EDITOR FLORENCE YEE graphics@theconcordian.com

MUSIC EDITOR SAMUEL PROVOST-WALKER music@theconcordian.com

GRAPHIC ASSISTANT THOM BELL

SPORTS EDITOR ALEXANDER COLE sports@theconcordian.com OPINIONS EDITOR DAVID EASEY opinions@theconcordian.com

LIFE EDITOR CRISTINA SANZA life@theconcordian.com

PHOTO EDITOR MARIE-PIERRE SAVARD photo@theconcordian.com

ARTS EDITORS LYDIA ANDERSON

PHOTO ASSISTANTS KELSEY LITWIN MELISSA MARTELLA

HEAD COPY EDITOR NATHALIE LAFLAMME COPY EDITORS JESSICA ROMERA WALID MARAQA copy@theconcordian.com CONTRIBUTORS Gabby Vachon, Katya Teague, Sara Breitkreutz, Bobby Vaughan, Tiffany Lafleur, Calvin Cashen, Simon New, Jeffery Muntu, Gregory Caltabanis.

BUSINESS MANAGER JAYA GAUTAM business@theconcordian.com ADVERTISING MANAGER PIERRE A. LEPETIT FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@theconcordian.com

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper VOL. 33, ISSUE 18 FEBRUARY 2, 2016 OUR COVER THIS WEEK

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NATHALIE LAFLAMME JACOB SEREBIN RUBEN BASTIEN MILOS KOVACEVIC directors@theconcordian.com Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. W Building CC - 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 (514) 848-2424 ext. 7499

“THE NEW AGE OF MEDICAL CANNABIS”

by Pierre A. Lepetit FOLLOW US ON COME TO OUR WEEKLY STORY MEETING AT THE LOYOLA CAMPUS CC-431 FRIDAY AT 1 P.M. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT.