The Concordian

theconcordian Independent student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983.

Volume 30 Issue 6

October 2, 2012

A deeper look at governance

An externAl review of the university brings to light breAches of confidentiAlity At the boArd of governors level And encourAges trAnspArency And communicAtion. photo by mAdelAyne hAjek

External report examines exodus of senior administrators, proposes recommendations Kalina Laframboise News editor

Concordia University’s Board of Governors unanimously adopted all recommendations of an external governance review addressing the departure of personnel at the senior

administrative level and strengthening transparency.

The External Process Review of Settlements with Senior Management Personnel report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP reviewed the departure of former President and Vice-Chancellor Judith Woodsworth

and five top administrators from September 2009 to December 2010. The university doled out a total of $3.1 million during these months, in the form of severance packages to the six employees. The review was ordered in March, prior to then-Education Minister Line Beauchamp’s letter to

the BoG criticizing Concordia’s excessive spending. The Charest government also fined Concordia $2 million for a lack of responsibility with public funds.

The 23-page external review proposed 17 recommendations for Concordia to implement. A total of

seven recommendations focus on the process for reaching a decision on the departure of top personnel, six on the procedure for negotiating a settlement and four on the control of information, confidentiality and communication.

Continued on P. 2

sports

opinions

In this issue... life

arts

music

Mouth-watering pad thai P. 6

Mister Roger and Me review P. 9

Indie-rock darlings Stingers fail to Snowblink P. 11 deliver P. 14

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

Exploring concert etiquette P. 16

theconcordian.com

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news Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Got a news tip? news@theconcordian.com

City in brief A deeper look at governance CONCORDIa

Cynthia Dupuis

>> Bachand throws his hat into the race Former Finance Minister Raymond Bachand officially announced on Friday his candidacy for the Liberal leadership race to replace Jean Charest. Bachand argued that he is the most suitable person to become leader. “We have to listen to Quebecers, put ourselves in listening mode, meet them, build consensus.

We have to unite and not divide,� argued Bachand, quoted in The Gazette. Two other candidates are expected to throw their hats into the ring: former Health Minister Philippe Couillard and former Transport Minister Pierre Moreau.

>>Death possibly linked to car defect The SĂťretĂŠ du QuĂŠbec is looking into whether there was something wrong with the car an officer was driving the night she was killed in a car accident. The 23-year-old police officer, Katia Hadouchi, died after her cruiser crashed on Kildare Road last Thursday in Sainte-Ambroise-deKildare, north of Joliette. Police now say the Chevrolet Impala was part of a recall by General Motors that has now pulled about 100 vehicles off the road since last Wednesday.

>>To pay the increase or to not pay the increase?

Concordia University sent out an email to students last Friday afternoon regarding tuition fee payments.

The university announced that students who do not pay the tuition fee increase will not be charged a penalty of $75. The accounts will be adjusted only once the university is officially notified by the Government of Quebec. For now, the administration urged students to pay their tuition fees as indicated on their current student account by the deadline of Oct. 1.

Continued from P.1 The review emphasizes the lack of policy and formal process for removal of high-ranking administrators and officers, as well a perceived lack of transparency by Board of Governors members that contributed to a “climate of distrust.�

A main recommendation is for the creation of a formal, confidential annual evaluation process for the president of the university.

The report revealed that a formal process for reaching a decision for the removal of a senior officer was not followed in two of three cases involving either former Chief Financial Officer Larry English, former Vice-President of Advancement and Alumni Affairs Kathy Assayag, or Woodsworth.

The review advised that the decision for the removal of a president should follow a formal process set out in the by-laws including a closed session discussion at the BoG level, followed by a vote. The current by-laws are unclear on the process of negotiation with the BoG regarding the option to remove a president.

Furthermore, it was suggested that the dismissal of senior administrators that report to the president such as vice-president and deans should rest on the president. The president must consult with the Human Resources committee before reaching a decision. The report recommended that vice-presidents should form a decision regarding the removal of other top employees such as associate vice-

presidents and senior directors.

The report also recommended that teaching rights should also be postponed until a severance is fully paid or for a specific period of time following the settlement. The recommendation is likely a reference to Woodsworth returning to the classroom in January after her ambiguous resignation urged by the BoG in December 2010.

Concordia University released a statement explaining that this suggestion has been in place for all new contracts since winter 2012.

In addition, the external review called for comprehensive public communication since the compensation of senior employees is of a public nature.

The recommendations instructed that the university should report the factual reasons for removal or dismissal to the public.

The review also reported a breach of confidentiality within the BoG, on page seven, claiming there was a leak of information. It was suggested that BoG members adhere to good practices in confidentiality in the future. “The report does state that there were concerns over the breach of confidentiality of information at the BoG level and stated that leaks were reported,� said Christine Mota, spokesperson for the university. “The report however doesn’t give any specifics about the alleged breaches or leaks.�

According to BoG Chair Norman HĂŠbert, the board has already implemented some of the suggestions made by the report. HĂŠbert told The Con-

cordian the measures will be fulfilled in the following months. The BoG adopted the recommendations Friday, months after PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was supposed to deliver the report. The delay was due to a lack of information “regarding the benchmarking of other universities� and holiday schedules.

HĂŠbert believes the proposal will help Concordia fill in the gaps. “We talked about transparency and engagement and we’re all volunteers, and we’re doing this because we love Concordia,â€? said HĂŠbert. “Transparency and engagement at the board is leading by example and that’s what we’re going to do.â€?

The review did not examine Woodsworth’s predecessor Claude Lajeunesse, who left in 2007 two years into his five-year contract. The external review examined the turnover and severance packages of the following Concordia administrators, in order of departure: - Ted Nowak, former internal audit director (Sept. 2009) - Saad Zubair, former assistant internal audit director (Sept. 2009) - Larry English, former chief financial officer (Dec. 2009) - Jean Brisebois, former security director (Dec. 2009) - Kathy Assayag, former vice-president of advancement and alumni affairs (Sept. 2010) - Judith Woodsworth, former president and vice-chancellor (Dec. 2010)

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A guide to ConUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governance issues Concordia Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internal relations with its senior employees is complex, confusing and sometimes expensive. Here is The Concordianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to understanding who these individuals are, and the events leading up to their resignations.

Ted Nowak aNd Saad ZubaIr Former auditors Ted Nowak and Saad Zubair were dismissed in September 2009 for allegedly expensing meals. The accusations were dropped following a grievance filed with the Quebec Labour Review Board.

Nowak left the institution with a $605,000 severance package while Zubair departed with $639,000.

Larry eNgLISh After 13 years at Concordia, former Chief Financial Officer Larry English announced his resignation in September 2009. English departed with $332,000 in his pocket in December 2009.

JeaN brISeboIS The former security director retired from Concordia in December 2009, taking a severance package of $129,000 with him. kaThy aSSayag The former vice-president of advancement and alumni affairs resigned from her position in September 2010 for personal reasons. The suddenly high turnover rate of vice-presidents led to a questioning of governance.

Assayagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parting gift was $700,000.

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>>It takes a village to build a playground Two-hundred and fifty volunteers came together Saturday to help build a playground in Little Burgundyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jesse Maxwell-Smith Park. Kaboom!, an American-based non-profit group helped with the day-long project, which will be one among many public playgrounds in the province, built with community input and donated materials. Many hope the volunteering initiative will become a trend to redeem public parks in Quebec. The estimated cost for the new playground is $135,000.

The project is predominantly funded

by Foresters, a multinational insurance company with a philanthropic bent brought in by Kaboom!.

Walking the plank

TICKETS 514 521-4493 /USINE-C.COM PARTENAIRE PRIVILĂ&#x2030;GIĂ&#x2030;

JudITh woodSworTh Judith Woodsworth stepped down in December 2010 following a series of missteps.

The BoG announced Woodsworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resignation was due to personal reasons that were later revealed to be untrue.

Woodsworth was the second president in five years to resign, and five VPs left within the same five years. The ambiguous resignation sparked public backlash when it came to light that Woodsworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s severance package was $703,500.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

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CSU

Nation in Lucia Gallardo resigns from the CSU brief Open letter addresses a divided council Cynthia Dupuis

Kalina Laframboise News editor

L

ucia Gallardo resigned from her position as VP academic and advocacy on the Concordia Student Union in a letter issued Sunday.

In her letter of resignation, Gallardo stated that council was quick to criticize her and force her departure from the CSU. She urged students at Concordia to pay attention to the actions of council, saying that it was a “disservice” to the undergraduate student body.

“At the end of the day, every person involved with the CSU is just a student, with equal rights to representation and advocacy. I am an international student in financial need, and yet, while the CSU spent all of last year allegedly advocating for the rights of students with need, when the moment came to truly demonstrate that they supported access to education, personal interests became more important, and I was therefore denied the time to resolve my financial situation with the university. I’m actually partially grateful that this ended up happening to me, because I would have been embarrassed to be part of a CSU that treated any student in need by closing doors and turning a deaf ear,” the letter read.

Following the announcement that Gallardo was not a registered student on Wednesday, Sept. 19, council immediately passed a motion asking for her to step down. In her first open letter, Gallardo explained how she was unable to register due to an

unexpected decline in her mother’s health which led to a change in her financial situation.

The letter goes on to say that certain councillors worked in their own interests for personal gain and intentionally attacked Gallardo’s character.

“Councillors Chad Walcott and Gonzo Nieto, who don’t even know me personally, thought it was appropriate, as board of directors, to smear my character both during meetings and publicly on Facebook,” she wrote.

Walcott said in an interview with The Concordian that while Gallardo’s situation is unfortunate, it disqualifies her from maintaining her position on the CSU. “I’ve been raising issues, not slandering her name,” said Walcott.

“I’m not attacking her personally.”

Following Gallardo’s public resignation, Arts and Science Councillor Juliana Ramos announced her departure from council. Ramos felt Gallardo was dismissed when she deserved respect, criticizing former executives turned councillors for taking such a strong stance against Gallardo. “After having seen what I saw on that meeting I was truly disappointed by the lack of understanding councilors have towards such a delicate situation, especially since in few days it was to be resolved. Councilors did not act in good faith towards Lucia and neither to their student community; they acted based on personal preferences and rivalries that exist between them: this does not build a better university,” read Ramos’ letter

of resignation.

Ramos went on to criticize former executives for the way they dealt with last year’s VP advocacy Morgan Pudwell, who was found not to be a registered student in the spring of 2012.

“I find it very hypocritical that several councilors who were in favor of [dismissing Gallardo] were holding executive positions last year when Pudwell was found not to be a student, yet then they did absolutely nothing to ‘defend the students.’”

As for Gallardo, she closed her letter by saying that she too had lost faith in the CSU. “It is disappointing to see the blatant disregard for the student body and the money it pays its union, for weekly special council meetings full of personal hidden agendas,” she wrote.

When CSU President Schubert Laforest commented on the situation as a whole, he emphasized a need for change within council.

“We need to change the political culture,” said Laforest. “We need to get over this hurdle.”

Laforest expressed his concerns about Gallardo’s resignation but said

>>Khadr returns home Nearly a decade after he was pulled from the rubble of a bombed compound in Afghanistan, Canadian Omar Khadr, now 26, arrived on Canadian soil this Saturday after an American military flight from Guantanamo Bay. Khadr was detained for nearly ten years in the notorious prison for allegedly committing war crimes and terrorism.

Under a plea agreement, Khadr was eligible a year ago to serve the remainder of his sentence in Canada.

He was transferred to a maximumsecurity facility in eastern Ontario.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told the National Post that the parole board will determine how many more of the six years remaining on his sentence Khadr will have to serve in Canadian custody. that the executives haven’t reached a decision about her vacant position.

He suggested the possibility of the executive fulfilling Gallardo’s mandate themselves, and not appointing a new VP to replace her, but nothing has been decided.

Gallardo said she would not be returning to politics even if her student status is resolved.

“I don’t see myself getting involved in CSU politics anymore,” Gallardo told The Concordian. “The CSU needs completely new blood to serve the students.” both gallardo and ramos’ letters of resignation can be found in full at theconcordian.com

Board of Governors addresses key issues Tuition fee increase, recruitment agencies discussed

concordiA president AlAn shepArd. photo by mArillA steuter-mArtin

The first Board of Governors meeting of the academic year addressed tuition, Concordia University recruitment agencies and the external review of the university’s

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency expanded its recall of beef packed at a plant in Brooks, Alberta after nine cases of E. coli in the province were linked to the meat.

The warning is now extended to all beef products from XL Foods sold in Co-op, Metro and Wal-Mart stores across Canada. The beef processed at the plant represents a third of all the beef processed in Canada. While only four of the nine cases were linked to beef from XL Foods Inc., Alberta Health services’ investigators are still unclear about where the contamination originated from.

>>Man bites dog (yes, that’s right)

aDMIN

Kalina Laframboise News editor

>>I’ll stick to veggies

senior management.

This year, the refashioned and significantly smaller BoG consists of 25 members. Before the restructuring, BoG consisted of 42 members and a large portion were community at large members. Friday also marked the first meeting for Presi-

dent Alan Shepard and for Norman Hébert as chair.

Closed session lasted for nearly two hours, where the external report reviewing the departure of senior officials from September 2009 to December 2010 was discussed.

Members voted to adopt all 17 recommendations made by the external review and released the report to the public later that afternoon.

The BoG also discussed the repeal of the tuition fee increase by Premier Pauline Marois of the newly elected Parti Québécois government.

Shepard announced the university was still waiting on official instructions from the government with regards to the tuition fee increase since a majority of Concordia students already paid their tuition in full including the increase. Shepard went on to commend the formation of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and

Technology by the PQ government, saying it was good for Quebec.

It was clarified that students who chose to pay their tuition without the increase would not be subjected to a $75 penalty.

The board went on to address an article published in last week’s issue of The Link that exposed the questionable living conditions of a Chinese student at Concordia University who had dealings with Peter Low, a recruitment agent associated with the university.

Student governor Lex Gill questioned if Concordia used similar agencies to enroll other international students, while other members expressed concern that they were unaware of the situation and why Low is associated so closely with Concordia.

“The Concordia logo is all over this and I think we need to fess up to that,” said Gill. “These students were taken advantage of.”

Shepard said the university was investigating the claim, and had a “moral obligation” to see if any more international students had experienced the same problem.

A partially nude young man was taken into custody for supposedly biting a dog in the eastern Ontario town of Pembroke. Witnesses reported the incident early last Wednesday morning, when police apprehended the man clad only in underwear and Pembroke animal control obtained the dog. The dog suffered minimal injuries and the alleged suspect was detained and later brought to a hospital under the Mental Health Act. Constable Dillon Gerundin said the reasons behind the act remain unknown but drug use may have possibly played a role.

>>September 2012 driest for Vancouver Vancouver set a record for its driest month in 116 years, according to Environment Canada. With a total of 7.9 millimetres of precipitation for the entire month, the lowest amount since then was in 1907 when 9.4 millimetres of rain was fell during September of that year.

Rainfall has been recorded in the province since 1896. According to CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe, the dry conditions were consistent throughout most of the province. Wagstaffe noted weather has changed to match fall conditions, with rain and wind hitting the south coast more often.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

World in brief Elizabeth Tomaras

>>A gay ol’ time A new method claiming to turn gay children straight is soon to be banned in the state of California.

The state Senate passed the legislation earlier in May, disallowing any non-scientific therapy from being used on anyone aged younger than 18. However, supporters of the method are firing back with a lawsuit against the ruling, as they believe that governor Jerry Brown and gay rights advocates’ arguments are “just are not true.” The American Psychiatric Association studied the types of shock treatment being used and reported it causes health risks such as depression, anxiety and self-destructive behaviour.

>>Pussy on trial After stating “she no longer wants to work with an attorney who doesn’t share her views on the case,” Yekaterina Samutsevich and fellow Pussy Riot band members’ appeal hearing will resume on Oct. 10. The women were convicted of hooliganism in August after showing their extreme opposition of Vladimir Putin and his politics publically. The Russian Prime Minister has called for the women’s release noting their jail time is unproductive. Still, the PM said he was “sickened” by the band’s acts.

>>Kids these days Students at the University of Tennessee have created a new way to get drunk - alcohol enemas - and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

The drinker places a small tube in his or her rectum while alcohol is poured into the colon allowing it to be quickly absorb into the bloodstream. Besides sounding unpleasant and unhygienic, our stomachs and livers produce an enzyme able to break down ethanol in alcohol but our gastrointestinal tract does not and could lead to eventual poisoning. This is only one of the many dangerous drinking trends popping up worldwide.

>>Out of this world Seated in the same position since the 11th century, carved out of a meteor and once in the hands of Nazis, the “Iron Man” Buddhist god sculpture is currently the subject of study for Elmar Buchner of the Planetology Institute at Stuttgart University in Germany. Buchner has analyzed the statue, figuring it is made out of a meteorite that landed between Mongolia and Siberia approximately 15,000 years ago.

It is the only known man-made creation crafted out of intergalactic material which places its value at $20,000 however if Buchner’s age estimate is correct, it may be “invaluable.”

CaMpUS

red Square block Party showcases alternative student associations Little mention of student strike movement at event amanda Brin Staff writer Students gathered at Concordia University’s downtown campus on Thursday for the Quebec Public Interest Research Group’s Red Square Block Party as part of the week long DISorientation.

The party focused little on the student strike movement with the exception of a table for Concordia’s Mob Squad. The Mob Squad was there to inform students on the Parti Québécois’ recent decision to repeal the tuition fee increase, as well as planned future marches and initiatives. Most of the event showcased student associations that Concordia students may not know about.

The purpose of the event was to reclaim public space. The gathering focused on the lack of student space at the university’s downtown cam-

pus after the development of a long sought-after student centre from the Concordia Student Union was put on hold last year.

“Throughout the years [conventional orientation events have] become more and more axed on, the singleminded focus on partying and drinking rather than a true introduction into what post-secondary education is,” said Christina Xydous, QPIRG’s administrative co-ordinator. “Groups that you’re seeing here have come together to offer an alternative view and perhaps a broader approach to the school experience for Concordia students.”

Booths lined the stretch of sidewalk on De Maisonneuve Blvd. between Guy St. and Mackay St. offering information about a variety of student groups. Organizations such as Le Frigo Vert, Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore, the 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy, Concordia Animal

Rights Association, and Cinema Politica spent the afternoon handing out pamphlets in an an effort to engage passing students.

“I thought it would be a good opportunity to get to know other community groups at Concordia and to share information and also to talk to a lot of people that walk by and are interested,” said Emma Pietrangelo, a volunteer with the 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy.

The People’s Potato also took part in the Red Square Block Party serving a free lunch.

“I think that these things should happen more often because they defi-

nitely do show what’s going on at Concordia and show what Concordia is all about,” said Pietrangelo. “It’s not just big tall buildings. We’re a lot about organizations and people participating.”

LECTURE

The fight against the Plan Nord presses on Advocates and aboriginal residents address environmental and social issues alyssa Fourneaux Contributor A panel of three indigenous women spoke at Concordia University on Friday about their opposing stance on the Plan Nord and concerns regarding community violence.

The Plan Nord is an $80-billion project aimed at extracting natural resources and propelling economic growth in northern Quebec during the next 25 years. Environmentalists and First Nations residents have criticized the Plan Nord for building on native territory. The Charest government introduced the project in May 2011, and the speakers present at Friday’s lecture expressed their wish that the newly elected Parti Québécois would not follow suit and instead, put a 40-year moratorium on the project.

“The Plan Nord is an evil plan as far as I’m concerned,” said Ellen Gabriel from Kanesatake, a Mohawk human rights advocate for indigenous people.

Denise Jourdain, an Innushkueu resident from a community near SeptÎles on the North Shore, opposes the action plan as it poses several environmental risks. Jourdain spoke about her role as a mother and grandmother, stating she is against the Plan Nord because she would like to share the “gift of nature” with her family.

Jourdain focused on the difficulty First Nations people experience fighting for their land coupled with social problems within their communities.

Gabriel agreed, recalling a conversation she had with a chief who admitted he didn’t want to give up his land, but felt trapped because he had nothing to offer his community.

“Politicians always talk about job creation,” said Gabriel. The Plan Nord is expected to create or consolidate

20,000 jobs a year.

“Creation of jobs at what cost?” Gabriel asked. “Why always the land?”

In regards to social problems in their communities, Gabriel also mentioned that the violence against

aboriginal women is five times higher than violence against aboriginal men.

She recounted visiting the Cree community of Chisasibi, located to the east of James Bay, where she said most of the population were employees of

Hydro-Québec, drawing parallels between what may unfold if the Plan Nord becomes a reality.

“As a Mohawk woman I will continue to fight,” said Gabriel. “It’s worth it. Our land is worth it.”

life

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

5

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com ROmance

You can’t spell ‘true love’ without T.V. How on-screen relationships are negatively influencing real life romance andrew Guilbert Staff writer

L

ast August, (500) Days of Summer star Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave an interview in Playboy magazine where he briefly discussed the outlook of Tom Hansen, the character he played in the 2009 indie film.

“He develops a mildly delusional obsession over a girl onto whom he projects all these fantasies. [...] That’s not healthy. That’s falling in love with the idea of a person, not the actual person.”

We’ve all known at least one friend like this, the hopeless romantic with unrealistic expectations who sighs after watching The Princess Bride for the 10th time. They are constantly searching for the one who meets their long list of criteria, who will perfectly complement their own life and make them ‘whole’.

They talk of ‘Prince Charmings’ and girls who ‘really get them’, citing Friends or The Notebook as perfect examples of true love.

These poor souls obviously have their heads in the clouds, but does that mean these hopeless romantics are setting themselves up for failure? Just how do fantasy relationships influence real life relationships?

A recent study from Albion College in Michigan asserts that, as a matter of fact, people who believe that television romances are portrayed realistically do handle relationships very differently, and in exactly the way you’d expect.

Researchers questioned 392 married individuals on their television viewing habits, as well as their belief in the realism of television

portrayals.

According to the study “When T.V. and Marriage Meet: A Social Exchange Analysis of the Impact of Television Viewing on Marital Satisfaction and Commitment,” individuals who spent more time watching romantic themed fare and had a higher than average belief in their plausibility had “lower marital commitment, higher expected and perceived costs of marriage, and more favourable perceptions of alternatives to one’s current relationship.”

The research showed that people who believe in these unrealistic portrayals tend to focus on the negative aspects of their relationship, such as their partner’s unattractive qualities and the loss of personal time and freedom that comes with sharing a life with someone else.

So, are couch potatoes more likely to be hoping for a manic pixie dream girl or sensitive jock than those with less time spent watching the small screen?

“Heavy television watching itself is not a particularly good predictor of these attitudes,” said Dr. Jeremy Osborn, a communications professor at Albion College and the author of the study.

Rather, what seems to be more important is how a person reacts to what they see on the screen.

“It seems that factors such as a person’s relational experience might affect the ways in which he or she processes the information they see on T.V.,” said Dr. Osborn, in an interview with scienceomega.com. “For example, adolescents who have little personal experi-

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan ence of their own are probably going to be more affected by T.V. portrayals.”

He refers to a 2006 study by Eileen Zurbriggen and Elizabeth Morgan who researched the associations between young adults and reality dating programs. They discovered that those who tuned in to this genre of television were less experienced in the sexual department.

Furthermore, they identified men as being more likely than women to use reality dating programs as a learning outlet rather than just for entertainment purposes.

“It’s easy to see how adolescents and others with little experience might be more likely

to see TV as a learning tool and to thus be impacted by what they watch,” said Dr. Osborn.

“Individual-level factors like these seem to be where researchers should look next. What are the individual factors that help to predict whether or not somebody is likely to believe in these portrayals?”

To come full circle, let us consider another character from (500) Days of Summer; Tom Hansen’s friend Paul, whose last line of the movie speaks volumes. When asked about his current girlfriend, Paul says that she’s “better than the girl of my dreams. She’s real.”

RelaTiOnSHipS

Plight of the modern couple: until tech do us part The drama behind texts and social networks Sloane montgomery contributor There is no denying that technology has had, for the most part, a positive impact on our lives. Although we have come a long way with technological improvements, human relationships have taken a backseat in the progress. Texting and online messaging can be fun and convenient, but there are some dark days where technology has been our worst enemy.

Many women in the dating game find themselves holding a cell in one hand and a cocktail in the other. Suddenly, all the men a woman might ignore or reject, seem worth her while. She sends texts proposing they should hang out, grab a coffee or have a drink. Unfortunately, when morning comes, so does regret and a phone conversation with a friend on how texting under the influence can be a dangerous.

As for those “single and ready to mingle”

Graphic by Phil Waheed with a potential prospect in mind, they tend to turn to Facebook for assurance, stalking this person’s tagged photos to see what they look like and who they hang out with. Facebook is also used as a cowardly approach of communication.

Rather than gathering up the courage to ask a lovely lady for her number in person, I’ve come to notice that men ask for phone numbers via Facebook, or worse, get it from the information section without permission.

Soon he will be initiating contact with no

more than a text message.

As convenient as this process may be, it is impersonal and unromantic. While Facebook can be a great way to chat with others, it should not be the sole source of introduction and communication when you first meet someone.

As Miley Cyrus once sang, “When you mean it, I’ll believe it; if you text it, I’ll delete it.” Although that was supposed to be humourous, the verdict is still clear: Stay clear of social networks until you have properly

introduced yourself in person.

As for technology and serious relationships, there are a few scenarios where such a combo can go extremely wrong. Though there’s no harm in the occasional “sext,” a heart on your sweetheart’s Facebook wall, or even a mobile upload of the two of you sharing spaghetti and meatballs, there are moments when technology can be your worst enemy.

Along with curiosity and jealousy come the undesirable questions of who’s who on your Facebook friends list and cell phone contacts.

I was astonished to read in The Guardian that according to American divorce lawyers and academics, Facebook is the number one reason for relationship troubles in the U.S., and is in the process of being accused of being one of the leading causes of divorce. As if couples don’t already have enough obstacles to overcome.

As far as I can see, whether you are single, looking, or taken, technology can cause some unwanted drama. Facebook has put pressure on relationships, and while texting may be cute, it’s no love letter.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 ReSTO

Rubs: welcome to a carnivoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heaven Vegetarians everywhere, beware!

George menexis Opinions editor There are, in my opinion, only two types of people in this world: meat-lovers and vegetarians. Today, I am sending a defining message to those who boast about the amount of meat they could eat in one portion and who take pride in finishing a 32-oz. steak. I am sending a message to those who not only enjoy meat on occasion, but to those who can truly understand the meaning of a glistening, fresh piece of premium meat. My message to you is clear - go to Le Fumoir Rubs Smokehouse.

Please do not misinterpret my passionate banter. This is not a steakhouse, nor is it a mere restaurant. This is a good, old-fashioned smokehouse. This means that everything, from the mouth-watering prime rib to the enormous brisket, is smoked in a $20,000 first-class smoker.

George Riskas, co-owner of Rubs, was all pride when speaking about the main reason behind the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our smoker smokes 2,000 pounds a day of meat,â&#x20AC;? said Riskas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The smoker cost me more than the whole kitchen.â&#x20AC;?

There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t many things that I like to call perfect, but these meats have exceeded all expectations. The fact that everything is smoked daily and that all sauces are made from scratch, makes this place a winner.

Behind every excellent food establishment lies a great story.

This is one of two childhood friends, Riskas and his partner George Vourliotis, who decided a few years ago to buy a smoker for their backyard - much smaller than the one they currently own - and eagerly started testing different ways to cook and spice some of their favourite meats. Ribs, briskets, steaks and pork were among their long list. They endlessly tried various spices for different meats, desperately looking for the perfect rubs. These were the foundations of the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created our own rubs, our own spices, for every different meat; and these rubs have at least 12 to 15 spices in them,â&#x20AC;? said Riskas.

Not too long ago, they decided it was time to become restaurant owners, and that is when Le The resTauranT creaTes Their own spices To rub on each of Their meaTs. phoTos by madelayne hajek Fumeur Rubs Smokehouse, the first restaurant of its kind in Montreal, was creating a cozy atmosphere. born. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We got some ideas and then we brought Although neither of these fine gentlemen a designer in. We gave him our opinions,â&#x20AC;? said have ever owned a restaurant before, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Riskas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He took some of our opinions, and then done a hell of a job for their first time. Their he did his own thing too. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how the store success can be attributed to a sincere attitude, turned out. It keeps people feeling warm.â&#x20AC;? as well as a simple knowledge of how their There you have it folks. In a city renowned ideal restaurant should be. for its amazing culinary establishments and â&#x20AC;&#x153;I try to recreate what I want when I go to world class chefs, two gentlemen have mana restaurant. I want top service and great food, aged to introduce a new concept to the city, plain and simple,â&#x20AC;? remarked Riskas. and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it just right.

The food isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only part of Rubs thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attracting an endless line of customers. The de- Le Fumoir Rubs Smokehouse is located on cor is a rich mix of old-fashioned and modern, 17 Prince Arthur St East.

Recipe

Recipes from around the world Thailand: donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t underestimate the power of pad Thai arohie chopra contributor

P

art of living a student life means, no matter how many times you clean your place, there will always be a sink filled with dirty dishes; no matter how much you try to read ahead in your classes, you will always fall behind; and no matter how much you try to control your finances, you will never be able to say no to a night out with friends.

Feeling overwhelmed? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a break and travel to serene Thailand with some homemade pad Thai. I usually enjoy making this as a vegetarian dish, but feel free to add chicken, shrimp or beef.

Pad Thai (Serves four) Ingredients: 1 pack thin and flat rice noodles Ÿ cup chili sauce Ÿ cup fish sauce 1 tsp. sugar 2 tbsp. lime juice 1 tsp. chili paste ½ cup water 2 green peppers thinly sliced 2 red peppers thinly sliced 10 baby corns chopped 1 broccoli cut into small pieces 2 cups bean sprouts 2 green chilies 2 lemons diced into wedges ½ cup coriander Ÿ cup crushed peanuts

, Ă&#x160;7 Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;ä£Ă&#x17D; Oasis Cancun

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VISIT OUR SELLOFFVACATIONS.COM SHOP TODAY: 3. Drain noodles and add them with the vegetables in a greased pan.

Cook for about five minutes on medium heat.

4. Add sauce mixture and continue cooking for two to three minutes.

5. Garnish with lemon wedges, coriander, and crushed peanuts.

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arts

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

7

Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com cabareT

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary starting her own burlesque troupe back in May 2010.

“Basically, I hit the ground running. Somebody suggested it to me and I wasn’t sure, they took me to a burlesque show and basically as soon as I saw my first burlesque act ever, I think I realized that I really wanted to do it,” she said.

The Blood Ballet Cabaret combines diverse circus acts such as aerial contortion and fire hooping, with musical performances and burlesque-style acts.

As part of their Classical Show on Oct. 7, the performers will be performing their numbers to classical Miss Bloody Mary anne and her talnted troupe treat you to an erotic night out oct. 7. and operatic music. Anne says that this type of music You won’t need to stand in front of a mirror adds an epic dimension to performances. to invoke Miss Bloody Mary Anne, other- Some of the show will also be accomwise known as Kamee Abrahamian, as she panied live with music from the Street will be making an appearance at The Blood Meat trio.

Ballet Cabaret’s Classical Show on Oct 7.

“It always ends up being really dramatic amanda L. Shore Classically trained as a ballet dancer for and epic and kind of grand,” she said. arts editor 14 years, Anne came up with the idea of Anne has assembled a crew of unique

Miss bloody Mary anne lures you into The blood ballet cabaret

artists, composed of burlesque, circus and musical performers. Some highlights of her troupe are Petit Pandora, a circus artist from the National Circus School in Montreal, whose specialities include contortion, aerial hoop, aerial chains and straps. The Lady Josephine will be familiar to Concordian readers who attended her show Lovers and Other Strangers last month. A seasoned burlesque performer, Lady Josephine is well known for her strong characters, classical dancing and mime abilities.

Seraphina and Fire Phoenix will be bringing the heat to the cool October evening with their respective fire acts, while Fuhrious Nina delivers a touch of comedy with her humorous 1950s style. For Anne’s part, her act will incorporate some of the mythology of her namesake, integrating blood into her storylines and embodying aspects of the legend of Bloody Mary.

A unique blend of erotic entertainment and astonishing feats of human ability, The Blood Ballet Cabaret’s Classical Show has the makings of truly unique way to spend a Sunday night.

The Classical Show will take place Oct. 7 at Le Belmont, 4483 St. Laurent. Doors open at 20 p.m., tickets are $10.

IMaX

The chugging history of Canadian locomotion The stunning rocky Mountain express chugs away in cinematic IMaX Lexie comeau contributor Rocky Mountain Express, created by awardwinning filmmaker Stephen Low, invites its audience to experience the remarkable Rocky Mountain landscape through a historic lens.

The film recounts the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the nation’s first transcontinental track, completed in 1885 after years of planning and labour. The film commemorates the many workers who met their tragic fates struggling through the problematic and, at the time, mostly uncharted mountain range, while acknowledging the incredible significance that the line’s completion had in unifying the new and developing nation of Canada. As the history unfolds, the film follows steam locomotive 2816, “The Empress,” through the winding paths of a diverse and awe-inspiring landscape.

Using 15/70 negative, the cinematography in Low’s film is impressive and extensive.

Wide-angle aerial shots allow us to journey through the expansive, beautifully dangerous Rocky Mountain landscapes, while trainmounted cameras give an intimate, almost meditative, experience. Close-ups of the rhythmically jerking crankshaft and revolving wheels seem to bring them to life as the train accelerates.

While most IMAX theatres have gone digital in an effort to save costs and follow the trend, the Montreal Science Centre stays committed to its analog projectors, which ac-

tually provide its films with 25 times better quality than digital projection. Paired with Rocky Mountain Express’ stunning cinematography, the quality certainly shows.

While the visual detail is remarkable, the attention to sound completes the experience of the film. The rustling and trickling of the natural world is captured along with the commanding churns, bells and whistles of the 2816 locomotive. The clarity and complexity of the recording allows the audience to feel as if they are right there, hanging off the side of a steam train or walking through the Rocky Mountain wilderness.

The narrative that runs through the film tells of the hardship endured by workmen who encountered near-impenetrable hard rock, crumbling mountain faces, avalanches and impossible bridge-building tasks assigned by the eccentric American surveyor Albert Bowman Rogers. Historic moments are described somewhat briefly, but in its 47-minute run time the film touches on many different elements of the CPR’s construction in an interesting and dramatic account.

The history is augmented by restored original photographs, maps of the track’s route and images of relics left by laborers; gravestones buried in vegetation along the railway, bridges abandoned for new avenues, and a makeshift hut still surviving today along a mountain-side.

The film’s focus on the struggle of the

railway’s construction may in some ways reflect the film crew’s own fiveyear determination to fulfill their vision for Rocky Mountain Express.

Low recalls that he “was deeply moved” when visiting Roger’s Pass, a landmark of the CPR and the site of a tragic avalanche in 1910. Determined to relate to his audience the experience of being in the thick of Canadian history, he declared at the press conference following the screening: “We’re going to make the film no matter what.”

If you’re interested in brushing up on your national history, experiencing the power of steam locomotives, or escaping into the Canadian wilderness for an afternoon, I recommend heading over to the Montreal Science Centre, to Rocky Mountain Express opens on Oct. 5.

8

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Arts in brief Amanda L. Shore Arts editor

>>AUGUST, An Afternoon in the Country at Centaur Theatre Centaur Theatre’s inaugural show of

its 44th Season, August, An Afternoon in the Country, takes you to the heart of a family drama unfolding in the rural countryside.

An evening meant to celebrate the recent engagement of Monique and her boyfriend André quickly unravels as secrets begin to surface and family tensions begin to boil.

August, An Afternoon in the Country runs from Oct. 2 to the 28. For ticket prices and showtimes visit centaurtheatre.com

>>Guys and Dolls at Segal Centre A broadway classic that gave

birth to such memorable songs as “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat,”, “Luck Be a Lady,” and “Adelaide’s Lament.” Guys and Dolls has been a favorite of musical lovers for generations. Starting at the Segal Centre on Sept. 30, Guys amd Dolls is set in the streets of gritty 1940s-era New York and features gamblers, swindlers and nuns, of all things. Nathan Detroit runs a floating craps game but he’s badly in need of money so he bets high-roller Sky Masterson that Sky can’t get Sister Sarah Brown to agree to a date with him. Sky promises Sarah money for her crumbling mission if she goes out with him. She reluctantly agrees, never expecting that she would fall in love.

Guys and Dolls runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 28. For ticket prices and showtimes visit segalcentre.org

>>Chuck Samuels art exhibit at Occurence gallery Chuck

Blockbuster

Action outside of the box

How the intelligence of Looper will propel it as the new fall blockbuster Colin McMahon Staff writer There is a moment of blessed relief when the older, Bruce Willis version of Joe tells his younger self, played by Joseph GordonLevitt to shut up and stop talking about time travel. It is a welcome difference in this film when compared to other time travel movies.

Looper is not concerned with the mechanics of its science fiction element but simply uses it as a narrative tool. The result: Looper comes across as much smarter than the average action film.

The film centers around the character of Joe, an assassin with a very special job. He only kills people from the future. These assassins, called loopers, kill victims who have been sent from the future, disposing of their bodies in the past. If this sounds complicated, then don’t think about it, as the movie tells you adamantly not to. The point to understand is that loopers kill people from the future, which can become problematic since the last person a looper always kills is himself. Not in the average suicide sense, but rather the past looper will shoot his future self and then go live out his retirement, knowing full well how it will one day end.

The younger Joe faces this problem when his older self appears and then escapes.

As stated, best not to think about it. What really makes Looper work is its performances. There is great supporting work done by Jeff Daniels, who plays a tired-looking mafia

Lit mavens and graphic novel enthusiasts >>Book Release - DEBT SEN- continue to spar TENCE: How Canada’s Student Loan System is Failing Young People and the Country Colin McMahon

by Thomas F. Pawlick A call to Staff writer

From Oct. 5 to 11, Cinema du Parc will be celebrating the life and career of Marlon Brando with the showing of six of his most renowned films; The Wild One, The Godfather, On the Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire, Last Tango in Paris and Apocalypse Now Redux.

travel and that’s fine, it doesn’t stop it from using it very effectively. The first blockbuster

by Rian Johnson (Breaking Bad) is not to be missed. This is the film that action and science-fiction audiences have been waiting for: a reason to return to the cinema.

Looper opened in theatres Sept. 28. See you local listings for showtimes/locations.

Equal footing; lit and the graphic novel

Chuck Samuel’s exhibits will be showing at Occurence until Oct. 23. Check out theconcordian.com for a gallery tour of his exhibit and an interview with the artist.

>>Marlon Brando: Provocative Genius at Cinema du Parc

leader from the future. Emily Blunt is above satisfactory in providing more than just the usual sort of love interest. The young Pierce Gagnon should also be given enormous credit for a thoroughly powerful child performance, especially since his face is able to convey a wider variety of emotion than any other character. But really, there is only one person most people will talk about coming out of this movie and that is Gordon-Levitt.

The uncanny nature in his performance does not come from the makeup. Despite the best efforts of Hollywood makeup, there is no point where Levitt could be believed to be a younger version of Willis. The appearance just doesn’t cut it. What sells it is the acting. Gordon-Levitt could not act more like Willis if the two had lived together for years.

In a performance that harkens back to Zachary Quinto’s style of mimicry in Star Trek (2009), Gordon-Levitt perfectly copies the mannerisms of Willis as well as his method of speaking and facial tics. The result is the audience believing that they are seeing a version of Willis that is 30 years younger, despite knowing full well what the actor looked like at the time.

These powerful performances, combined with an intriguing plot that does not unfold exactly as expected as well as coherently-shot action sequences will leave you feeling very satisfied with Looper. This may not be the next Blade Runner but it is well more than a cut above many recent action films. The movie may not want you to think about time

Articulate

Samuels has brought two bodies of work, Memory Believes and Movie/Music to gallery Occurence. Memory Believes presents 14 photographs on the theme of memory permutation that were created using Super 8 film and other antiquated images. Movie/Music is a presentation of visual experimentation that uses dated film and video equipment to create ten musical short films done in collaboration with composer and musician Bill Parsons.

arms over the way post-secondary education is financed in Canada, Pawlick’s indicts the Canadian financial loan system and makes a case for immediate and drastic change.

Available online at Amazon.com, Chapters and Barnes & Noble, Debt Sentence retails for $19.95.

theconcordian

W

hat comes to mind when you hear the words ‘comic book’?

Spider-Man swinging through the streets of New York after the Green Goblin? Batman chasing the Joker down a dark alley? Superman catching a burning plane as it falls from the sky? Comic books have become synonymous with superheroes. In the minds of the general public, there is little else that comics could possibly be about. Thus, in an attempt to avoid genre restrictions, the term ‘graphic novel’ was born. Yet what does it mean to read a graphic novel? While there are many perceptions that illustrated fiction is still the domain of capes and crusaders, the truth is that graphic novels cover as wide a variety of topics as their more wordy counterparts.

One needs to look no further than famous graphic novel writer Alan Moore to find a greater depth in the medium. While Moore’s more famous works include superhero epics such as Watchmen and V for Vendetta, the author has written numerous graphic novels that have nothing to do with beings of incredible power.

In his graphic novel From Hell, Moore chronicles the horrific, brutal history of Jack the Ripper and presents a stark, realistic portrayal of the events. Indeed it is arguably more real than any other historical account, as life-like illustration adds a new layer of horror to Jack the Ripper’s crimes.

Moore has also explored issues of sexual identity in his work. His graphic novel Lost Girls presents an erotic in-depth look at the tales of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan from the eyes of their female protagonists. The novel, rife with nudity and sexual exploits is not fit for children but challenges a new adult understanding of older stories as well as examines the development of female sexual identity.

In an interview that asked if he only wrote for one genre, Moore denied it adamantly, stating “life isn’t divided into genres. It’s a horrifying, romantic, tragic, comical, science-fiction cowboy detective novel. You know, with a bit of pornography if you’re lucky.”

Moore may be the most famous exam-

ple, but he is far from the only one. Neil Gaiman, another well-known writer, has also used the graphic novel medium to relate complex stories. His series of Sandman novels tell an incredibly rich literary tale with many forays into myth, fable and historical anecdotes. The main character, Sandman, while possessing supernatural abilities, has far more in common personality-wise with protagonists like Dorian Gray than with Superman.

There are also many graphic novel versions of famous literary works. Classics like The Scarlet Letter, Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, and A Tale of Two Cities have all had graphic novel adaptations yet many would not associate these works with the common perception of comics.

This transformation has opened the readership of these classics into a wider audience. Any readers out there that are put off by the perceived wordiness of older literature will be more likely to read the graphic novel version. It follows the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words.

If the process can work one way, then logically it can work the other. Would The Sandman and From Hell gain more recognition with the illustrations removed or would they lose the feature that enhanced their effectiveness? There is a good chance that many out there who feel that graphic novels are only for children would read and appreciate these books if they were in a different format. These are literary prejudices and they should end, on both sides. Books should be appreciated as books and graphic novels should be able to have serious literary value in their illustrated form. It is time for society to recognize the value of the graphic novel medium.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

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LITeraTure

A girl with big dreams; a little boy manqué Marie-renée Lavoie’s translated novel explores friendship, love and childhood

Marie-renée lavoie’s character in Mister rogers and Me, hélène, dreaMs of Being a Boy and going on adventures. photo By Madelayne hajek andy Fidel Staff writer Mister Roger and Me by Marie-Renée Lavoie is not one of those action-based novels where every chapter ends with a bang. Those craving high stakes and breathtaking battles between good and evil will not be sated. Instead, this

novel, translated from French by Wayne Grady, explores life through the eyes of a child and tells of the unlikely friendship that develops between this child and an elderly man.

With humour and sensitivity, the author explores the complexities of growing up in an ‘80s working-class atmosphere. Hélène, who goes by the name Joe, is not your

average eight year-old but a “little boy manqué” who claims to be 10 and wishes she were a boy. Dazzled by her favourite television heroine, Lady Oscar, (a show she promptly watches from 4:00 to 4:24) Hélène dreams of nothing but adventure.

“Twenty-three kilos, holding back a mind that was always trying to run off to faraway, pitiless realms,” Hélène says.

With her keen insights, Hélène is an endearing character constantly seeking out ways to help her family with their financial and moral crises. Young yet mature, she works as a paper-girl, a waitress at the Bingo Hall and has responsibilities as both an older sister and a student.

It is no wonder that a friendship forms between this shrewd character and her next-door neighbour Roger. Roger is an old drunken man who grunts, burps and shouts loud enough for all to hear that he just wants to die. But, together, these characters discover that you don’t need to be a hero to be heroic.

The novel successfully unfolds each character’s personality, revealing a realistic and relatable person. Their qualities, faults and quirks on the page make it impossible for the reader not to smile.

Wayne Grady’s translation does not conform the story to the English language but rather embraces the French dialect and rhythm. It maintains the cultural flair in an original way, where both languages are not in competition with each other but enhance one another. The way this story is written presents a welcome reprieve for those wanting more than a traditional English novel. The unique sentence structure preserves its French origins while still allowing for clarity and fluidity in the storytelling.

Mister Roger and Me is Marie-Renée Lavoie’s first novel. It won the Quebec’s Prix Archambault as well as the RadioCanada’s Battle of the Books competition in its original French version. With the release of the English version, it will be interesting to see the audience’s reaction to this translation.

Mister Roger and Me is available as of Sept. 29 and can be found at any local bookstore.

LITeraTure

Do we really fear Muslim immigrants or is it a myth?

Saunders’ new book The Myth of the Muslim Tide says we do Nathalie Laflamme contributor “Once again, a fever is infecting the minds of many Westerners. We must not allow history to repeat itself,” writes Doug Saunders in his latest book The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West?, which aims to show that the western population’s fear of Muslim immigrants, is nothing but a huge misunderstanding. “In examining our own recent history along with the fast shifting cultural realities of these new immigrants, I hope we can begin to see this human tide not as a seismic and ruinous tsunami but as a regular, rhythmic movement on our shores, once we’ve seen before.”

The “Muslim Tide” is based on the idea that Muslims are migrating to Western countries in large amounts and that they are having children very quickly, implying that they may one day take over. According to Saunders, some people are of the impression that Muslim immigrants are disloyal to their ‘host’ countries and that they plan on taking

over Western politics.

With the use of intriguing anecdotes, informative statistics, references to similar situations from the past, and riveting quotes, Saunders tries to teach us what people are really thinking. He strives for the true explanation of all the rumors circulating about Muslims, and explains that these worrisome feelings towards specific religious groups have occurred before.

Using statistics, Saunders is able to prove wrong some predominant stereotypes about Muslim immigrants. He shows that it is not true that Muslims are procreating more than the Western population, and that the rate of Muslim immigration is not increasing exponentially, as people seem to believe. Saunders shows that many of these immigrants are in fact loyal to their ‘host’ countries, and that they do not want to live apart from others. Finally, he attempts to disprove the idea that Muslims are more likely to take part in acts of terrorism.

Although enlightening, reading the ‘facts’ section of the book was quite tedious. Saunders illustrates his points using many different sources and statistics, which is useful in providing evidence for his arguments, however it made that part of the book a little harder to swallow.

Overall, this short yet fascinating book has the potential to really teach us a lot, not only about the myth of Muslim migration, but also about human nature. Sanders’ work meticulously inspects the social and political aspects of the immigration process for Muslims to the countries of the West and helps us comprehend how this situation could have happened in the first place. It is a great read for all those searching to understand the world a little better.

The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West? retails for $24.95 and is available at Chapters, Indigo and online at amazon.ca.

10

theconcordian

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

cINeMa pOLITIca

Through the eyes of the people The Suffering Grasses examines Syria’s civil war Tarek akhtar Staff writer Cinema Politica’s Oct. 4 screening, The Suffering Grasses, is an educative and insightful film that reveals the social and political circumstances that Syrian civilians face on a day-to-day basis. This is not the best film to watch to become informed on the source of Syrian conflicts (which can date back decades), but it is an important film to watch in order understand the effects of this ongoing strife.

This documentary takes us to the beginning of the civil unrest which began in 2011, when Syrians took to the streets to protest President al-Assad’s policies and undemocratic governance. In reaction to these protests, President al-Assad sent the Syrian Army to control and disperse the protesters. The problem however, was that the Syrian Army used intimidation and gunfire to disperse crowds,

which led to many civilian deaths.

A lawyer interviewed in the film explained that for every innocent killed, a new martyr was born in reaction, ready to die for redemption and freedom. As a result, rebellion groups such as the Farooq Battalion and the Free Syrian Army formed with the purpose of serving and protecting the protesters.

Over the course of 2012, with each day bringing new conflict and further political unrest, many Syrians have had no choice but to flee the country altogether, seeking refuge

in Turkey or other neighboring countries. In situations where leaving was not a option, Syrians have sold their homes and valuables in exchange for weapons. One woman stated that owning a weapon was even more important than gold, even though ownership of a weapon was enough justification for the Syrian Army to put the owner to death.

The common thread that seems to link all those interviewed for this documentary, is their disdain for their government and their desire for freedom. And while a documentary

will help spread their message to the rest of the world, people are still wary of the media.

The Suffering Grasses is brought to us

by Cinema Politica in collaboration with the Syrian Student Society. Panel discussions are slated to follow the film. Premieres Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at 1455 de Maisonneuve W. room H-110.

Admission is by donation.

For more information, visit cinemapolitica. com/concordia.

LITeraTure

Get out your party hats and streamers concordia co-op bookstore celebrates 10th anniversary ariana Trigueros-corb contributor As the bookstore-adepts amongst you have no doubt noticed, fall in the literary world is all about glossy new covers, crisp pages of soon-to-be bestsellers and the latest releases from authors both new and old. For those of you looking to dive into something just a little bit more particular this season, this is where you should start paying attention.

As part of what has been quaintly deemed its “10th Anniversary Shenanigans,” the Concordia Co-op Solidarity Bookstore will be launching the third edition of the Local Legends Reading Series on Oct. 3.

Maintaining a tradition that started in October 2010, this ‘indie’ bookstore will be welcoming a variety of Montreal-based authors such as Sherwin Tija, Daniel Allen Cox, Julie Delporte, Sophie Yanow, Barry Webster, Rae Spoon and Vivek Shraya.

In fact, for the first time this year, the bookstore will be incorporating authors whose work is of the graphic novel medium. Guest authors Delpore and Yanow will both be showcasing some of their work as well as some on the spot drawing. Delporte, seemed extremely enthusiastic about this

“multimedia affair.” The author was quick to mention that the opportunity to incorporate graphic novel literature into more classic literary events does not arise very often.

When I questioned the reasons why events would shy away from this literary genre, she replied that there are still people who think that graphic novels are a less noble form or literature, or that they are reserved for chil-

dren, but I would hope that these people are becoming more and more rare. She also mentioned that it was a fantastic opportunity, as a francophone author, to delve into the unknown territory that is Montreal’s English literary community.

Larissa Dutil, the bookstore programming & outreach co-ordinator, spoke to the overall goal of the event.

“The big picture when it comes to the publishing world, as I’m sure student journalism and media are aware, is iffy and uncertain at best, and we should celebrate all the victories and moments we have that are positive.”

The other goal is to support some of the more local ‘indie’ artists who don’t necessarily get as much hype as other fall releases. Dutil also proudly pointed out that all the authors invited this year have received notable mentions in their respective fields; two of them have even been nominated for this year’s Lambda Literary awards.

So, whether it be to support a local business or just because you’ve opted for a new spin on literature this season, don’t miss out on the opportunity to discover some local authors this coming October!

The Local Legends reading series’ first event takes place Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore, 2150 Bishop St.

Les vacances gratuites, c’est possible!

Un projet de: Montréal, ville apprenante, de savoir et d’innovation

Crée un groupe pour partir en vacances avec tes amis et collègues pour un évènement culturel ou sportif, une réunion de famille, la relâche scolaire ou simplement une excursion de loisirs et de découvertes, et gagne de l’argent!!

Détails : 514-284-3793 info@corailbleu.qc.ca

music

Tuesday, october 2, 2012

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com Profile

Snowblink wants to treat you

fresh off tour with feist, Toronto indie-rock band offers singing telegrams elizabeth Mackay Music editor

S

nowblink’s Inner Classic is everything you’d expect from an album inspired by a 10 day silent meditation retreat.

Daniela Gesundheit’s careful, yet effortlessly sweet and powerful voice spills over the entire record. With guitarist Dan Goldman’s production, Snowblink hypnotizes listeners into a content, therapeutic state like waves lapping on shore. And the therapy doesn’t end there.

The band is now encouraging their fans to book a complimentary singing ‘treatment’ from them by filling out a contact form on their website. Yes, for free, Gesundheit wants to call you or someone you care about and share a one-on-one live performance through the telephone.

It’s not like they have nothing better to do with their time. In 2012 alone, Snowblink toured with Cold Specks, Feist, and is now hitting the road with Great Lake Swimmers. Feist even chose Snowblink to perform as her backing band at this year’s Polaris Prize Gala. How did a force so peaceful as Snowblink crawl it’s way into the Canadian mainstream?

Though Snowblink began as a solo project for Gesundheit, Goldman has been involved from the start. The pair met in Montreal in 2005; Gesundheit had moved north after graduating from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and ended up giving Goldman voice lessons in exchange for guitar lessons.

“We did a little bit of recording that fall, followed by a two month tour...it evolved natu-

rally,” explained Gesundheit. “We communicate really well, it was all so easy and our musical connection is still really strong.”

Despite developing this bond, Gesundheit moved back to California, her home state, and set up shop in San Francisco, where she temporarily employed MGMT’s Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden as her back up vocalists. It wasn’t until 2008 that Gesundheit and Goldman returned to the roots of their relationship, officially calling Snowblink a party of two.

“We have a really nice, symbiotic way of working together. I write the songs alone, then Dan edits them and does a lot of work on the production end of the recording process,” said Gesundheit. “He is really involved and responsible for as much of the sound on the record.”

These days, Snowblink calls Toronto its headquarters. Gesundheit credits the Dan GolDman (l) anD Daniela GesunDheit (r) have founD a more personal route to inDie rock. city’s music community for giving her the inspi- “I just walked into some of ration to have real traction with her music. the most exciting parts of “There are so many extraordinary musicians the music scene.” here, and it’s such a close, relatively small comWith Inner Classic and munity, which I love...it sparks a lot of action Toronto’s tight-knit music in terms of creating, arranging and performing community as their muse, music,” revealed Gesundheit. “We’ve gotten a Snowblink has becomes one lot out of it.” of Canada’s most surprising Since 2009, when she moved to Toronto, bands to watch out for.

Gesundheit found herself working alongside Book a ‘Treatment’ from Timber Timbre’s Taylor Kirk, Austra’s Katie Snowblink at snowblinkStelmanis and Ohbijou’s Casey Mecija as one of says.com/now/book-athe many vocalists in the indie-rock supergroup, treatment/ Bruce Peninsula. “[Bruce Peninsula] is a powerhouse of these Trial track: “Black & White amazing musicians altogether, said Gesundheit. Mountains”

How To Dress Well finds sonic beauty in nightmares Colorado-based pop producer brings deep, R&B electronica to Montreal Audrey folliot Staff writer Who can say if Tom Krell truly knows ‘how to dress well,’ but he sure knows how to compose music. The Colorado-born experimental-pop producer and singer’s project, How to Dress Well, has just released its sophomore album, Total Loss. It was released Sept. 17 and has already been labeled Best New Music by Pitchfork.

Krell himself is a very mysterious character, and his music has the power to soothe you, move you and draw you in.

“Who I am as a person leads me to make music that is a bit deeper. I tend to think that we should take some things seriously, like art, spirits and what is true and good in the world,” said Krell.

It’s hard to believe that Krell was first brought under the spotlight just a few years ago.

He has released several EPs and two albums on which you can find “Suicide Dream 1,” “Suicide Dream 2,” and “Suicide Dream 3.” These have to be the most intriguing tracks Krell has written in the past few years.

“These are three different songs for three different experiences that...made me feel suicidal,” explained Krell. “I had this strange dream where

I was in the backseat of a car and we were floating around and I could see Earth from space.

I saw my own face in the reflection of the car window and it was just a crazily-groundwards feeling. I woke up from that dream so depressed and wrote “Suicide Dream 1.” “Suicide Dream 2” is about my family and “Suicide Dream 3” I wrote for my friend after he died.”

Lately, things are looking good for the experimental artist. How To Dress Well kicks off its three-month tour across North America and Europe on Oct. 4, and Montreal is the second stop on the fall tour. “[My show] is an all encompassing kind of engrossing and spiritual setting experience, quite emotional and dynamic,” Krell revealed.

“It moves from really quiet, plaintive songs to really loud, kind of in-your-face noise, to funkdance rhythms as well. I’m really proud of it, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful shows around. I love Montreal a lot and I’m really excited to be back.”

Trial track: “Cold Nites” How To Dress Well plays Club Lambi on Oct. 5. Tickets are $11 in advance or $15 at the door.

how to Dress well’s tom krell is tourinG off his latest release, ToTal loss.

11

12

theconcordian

Tuesday, october 2, 2012

mixtape

With exciting new music releases and a slew of upcoming concerts, Montreal in the autumn is the best place to experience music. As you walk to school on leaf-covered streets or study in your favorite café, music can add that extra spice to your day. As the days get shorter, waking up in the morning becomes an increasingly greater challenge. The right music can give you that extra push you need to face the cold of tomorrow.

Lucky for you, we have the remedy for the morning blues. Side A of this mixtape features music that will get you going in the morning. As your grueling day comes to an end and you curl up at home with a cup of tea, Side B will help you unwind and expel thoughts of assignments and papers.

Waking up vs. winding down Compiled by Andria Caputo Contributor

SIDE A: Get up, get on up

SIDE B: Auf wiedersehen, goodnight

1. “Wake Up” - Arcade Fire - Funeral 2. “Time to Pretend” - MGMT - Oracular Spectacular 3. “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” - Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain in the Cloud 4. “She’s In Parties” - Bauhaus - Burning From The Inside 5. “Baptism” - Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles 6. “Shake It Out” - Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials 7. “1957” - Milo Greene - Milo Greene 8. “Sexy Results” - Death from Above 1979 - You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine 9. “Go Outside” - Cults - Cults 10. “Solitude is Bliss” - Tame Impala Innerspeaker

11. “How To Disappear Completely” - Radiohead - Kid A 12. “A Strange Day” - The Cure Pornography 13. “Henry Lee” - PJ Harvey & Nick Cave - Murder Ballads 14. “Destination” - The Church Starfish 15. “I Wanna Be Adored” - The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 16. “Shift” - Grizzly Bear - Horn Of Plenty 17. “A Case of You” - Joni Mitchell - Blue 18. “Woods” - Bon Iver - Blood Bank 19. “Bookends Theme” - Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends 20. “Lay Lady Lay” - Bob Dylan Nashville Skyline

Quick spins

Menomena - Moms (2012; Barsuk)

Mumford and Sons – Babel (2012; Island Records)

Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes (2012; Warp Records)

Van Morrison - Born To Sing: No Plan B (2012; Blue Note Records)

Portland rock duo Menomena is back after a two year hiatus with their fifth studio album, Moms. The album boasts unique and captivating intros, riveting bass lines, brass, ballads, and electric guitar fusion solos that cross soundscapes, streams and rivers.

Menomena were a complex amalgam of experimentation and structured talent from their very first album, 2003’s I Am The Fun Blame Monster! Their latest is an artificially-aged bottle of expensive wine; you would swear the process took years and would be fully shocked to see it was made just the other day. Kudos to the men of Menomena on their latest complex and fully enjoyable release, an obvious tribute to the intimate relationships with their respective mumsies.

Mumford and Sons’ sophomore album, Babel, is good, but not great. Despite the album’s huge sales, it is unimpressive and offers very little departure from their debut, Sigh No More. The band’s reluctance to try anything new might be because they were fearful of losing the fans and the success they garnered with the folk/bluegrass feel of their debut album. The tracks sound more like rejected B-sides from Sigh No More than musical masterpieces that took the band a little over a year to record. Even the lyrics on this album don’t seem to live up to the poetry fans have grown to love. Die-hard fans will recognize some stellar tracks from their 2011 tour, like “Lover’s Eyes” and “Ghosts That We Knew.” These tracks, along with “Broken Crown” and “Hopeless Wanderer” may save this album from passing into history as their sophomore slump.

Stephen Ellison, the electronic music producer better known as Flying Lotus, has returned with his latest work, entitled Until the Quiet Comes.

The album is a collage of styles and production, with electronic, jazz, hip-hop, and dubstep.

Sonically, the texture blends exceptionally well together, with ethereal vocal tracks, drum beats, synthesizers, etc. Not one track runs more than three minutes in length, resulting in a truly interesting set of temperaments and atmospheres that doesn’t seem overplayed.

Coming off the critical success of his 2010 album Cosmogramma, the album performs and surpasses his previous work. You may see more than a few samples of his music popping up in next summer’s pop hits. Flying Lotus will be at the Société des arts technologiques, on Oct. 12, as part of the tour for the album.

It’s been nearly half a century since Van Morrison has been active in the music business. At age 67, the Irish crooner is back with his 34th studio album, aptly titled Born To Sing: No Plan B. Self produced in his hometown of Belfast, this album is jazzier and more cohesive than previous releases.

Each track follows a consistent mood, with a laidback sound that is effortless, cool and classy. Morrison weighs in on our current worldwide financial crisis, discussing “the worldwide preoccupation with money, materialism, and the greed that has poisoned society.” In the first single “Open the Door (To Your Heart)” he sings: “money doesn’t make you fulfilled / money’s just to pay the bills.”

The contrast between the mellow bluesy musical vibe and politically charged lyrics makes Born To Sing: No Plan B worth a listen.

Trial track: “Pique”

Trial track: “Open the Door (To Your Heart)”

Trial track: “Lover’s Eyes”

Trial track: “Putty Boy Strut”

8/10

- Jamie Klinger

7.5/10

- Andria Caputo

9.2/10

-A.J. Cordeiro

6/10

-Paul Traunero

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

13

Awards

Canadians to nominate 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;folk-heroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Folk Music Canada introduces award for industry innovators

might recall earlier this year when the Recording Industry Association of America sued LimeWire for $72 trillion, which is almost Michelle Ferguson all the the money that exists in the The Fulcrum (University of Ottawa) world economy.

Ridiculous claims like these are part OTTAWA (CUP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Innovative folk music may of major labelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vehement refusal to adapt to sound like an oxymoron to some, but for Folk the age of technology and the free culture moveMusic Canada, it is a reason to celebrate. ment. But over at Folk Music Canada, the kind of In Nov. 2012, the organization will hand out innovative thinking that could straighten out the its first ever Innovator Award at the 2012 Cana- music industry â&#x20AC;&#x201D; without trying to force a new dian Folk Music Awards, to be held in Saint John, generation of consumers to conform to an old N.B. According to organizers, the honour will be school of business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; might actually be rightgiven to a pioneer of the folk community. fully rewarded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose is really to underline things Unlike most music awards, the innovator that people are doing that set a new mould in the award is not centered on the art form or on folk world,â&#x20AC;? said Tamara Kater, executive director a musicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recordings. Instead, Folk Music of Folk Music Canada.

Canada wishes to focus on the development of While folk music is usually described as tra- the folk community as a whole. ditional, Kater insists that it should not be considâ&#x20AC;&#x153;What weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for is something that is ered stagnant. new,â&#x20AC;? said Kater. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[This] can come from any asâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Even though folk is based on tradition, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pect of the folk community...it could be a festival something that really comes from the people,â&#x20AC;? that found a new way of operating, and who, for she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The music of the people never really example, is not reliant on government grants.â&#x20AC;? stands still.â&#x20AC;?

Ottawa, which just came off its 18th annual Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sort of ironic, then, that the sector of Folk Festival, has a thriving folk community. But, music thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been given the â&#x20AC;&#x153;traditionalâ&#x20AC;? tag as far as innovation goes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to tell how the would reward innovation, while the majority of city fares. There are two main institutions that the mainstream music industry has fought tire- promote and celebrate folk music in Ottawa, lessly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and often illogically â&#x20AC;&#x201D; against it. One other than the Ottawa Folk Festival.

The Ottawa Folklore Centre, founded in 1976, acts as a hub for local talent and developing musicians by selling instruments, hosting events, and providing lessons for an array of unique instruments such as the Sri Lankan drum and the djembe.

Spirit of Rasputinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, an event created in 2009 after a fire burned down the iconic Rasputin Folk CafĂŠ, also provides opportunities Master of Management for locals to show& Professional Accounting case their talent.

In 2010, these t %FTJHOFE QSJNBSJMZ GPS OPO CVTJOFTT VOEFSHSBEVBUFT two organizations t 'PS DBSFFST JO .BOBHFNFOU 'JOBODF BOE "DDPVOUJOH came together to t &YUSFNFMZ IJHI DP PQ BOE QFSNBOFOU QMBDFNFOU create a series of 5P MFBSO NPSF BCPVU UIF ..1" 1SPHSBN BUUFOE PVS JOGPSNBUJPO TFTTJPOT â&#x20AC;&#x153;folkcasts,â&#x20AC;? an )ULday, 2FWREHU , 2012 11:00 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1:00 pm online concert se3PPN #SPXO 4UVEFOU 4FSWJDFT #MEH .D5BWJTI .D(JMM 6OJWFSTJUZ ries that could be )ULday, 2FWREHU , 2012 11:00 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1:00 pm 3PPN #SPXO 4UVEFOU 4FSWJDFT #MEH .D5BWJTI .D(JMM 6OJWFSTJUZ accessed through WHGQHVday, 2FWREHU , 2012 11: 0 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1: 0 pm YouTube or the 3PPN #SPXO 4UVEFOU 4FSWJDFT #MEH .D5BWJTI .D(JMM 6OJWFSTJUZ Ottawa Folklore

MMPA

www.utoronto.ca/mmpa

SLICE

OF

CAMPUS

Andrew Guilbert Staff writer

>>>Record man stops spinning

Centre website.

These â&#x20AC;&#x153;folkcastsâ&#x20AC;? are the kind of effort that could be nominated for the Folk Music Canada innovator award. Unfortunately, they stopped being produced in 2011.

Although not the focus of the award, musicians can also be nominated. Artists who have found new ways of approaching the music or who have created a new model for collaboration are examples of potential nominees.

Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, who played at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ottawa Folk Festival, is a prime example of a Canadian musician who stands on the fringe of folk. On his third album, Oh Fortune, Mangan truly pushes the envelope by collaborating with many improvisational and experimental musicians to create a refreshing sound.

In many ways, the award itself could be considered innovative; according to Kater, not only is it the first award created by Folk Music Canada, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the first of its kind. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are other like-minded organizations that give out awards as well,â&#x20AC;? said Kater, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really know of anyone who is giving out recognition to a new, cutting-edge, or innovative aspect of the community.â&#x20AC;?

The nomination process is also different from most awards; nominees are chosen by members of the folk community, in the hopes that this will draw attention to efforts that may otherwise go unnoticed in such a large, decentralized body of fans.

Due to the broad nature of the award, Kater admits that she has no expectations when it comes to the list of nominees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first year that we are opening up to the community to bring in nominations,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So in many ways, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re as curious as everyone else to see what is going to come in and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re asking the community around us to identify things that they see as innovative.â&#x20AC;?

LIFE

P H OT O

C O N T E S T

SHOW US CONCORDIA THROUGH YOUR EYES AND BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN CASH PRIZES

Sam â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Record Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sniderman, the man behind the eponymous record stores that once dotted the Canadian landscape, passed away last week â&#x20AC;&#x153;peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by loved onesâ&#x20AC;? according to a statement released by Snidermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family.

The first â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sam the Recordmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; store opened on Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yonge Street in 1959. It soon became the go-to place for countless Canadians to get their groove on; its record neon sign attracting young and old music aficionados alike up until it finally closed its doors in 2007. Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachmann paid homage to the member of the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in an interview with CBC news: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will be missed by all and Toronto and Canada will never be the same.â&#x20AC;?

>>>Reappearers

Alt-rockers Sonic Youth had a stroke of good luck last week when two guitars stolen way back in 1999 resurfaced and found their way back to their rightful owners, with some help from a few dedicated fans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of wild,â&#x20AC;? guitarist Lee Ranaldo said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After all this time, things are still surfacing thanks to the diligence of fans.â&#x20AC;?

The first guitar to be recovered, a white jazzmaster belonging to Thurston Moore, was discovered by a Belgian fan on eBay, who promptly alerted the band of his discovery. The second, a burgundy jazzmaster, was put up for sale at a pawn shop, at which point guitar junkies realized what the origin of the instrument was in a thread at offsetguitars.com. Two guitars found independently from each other in one week, 13 years after their disappearance. What are the odds?

>>>FBI vs. ICP

Last month, Insane Clown Posse said they were looking into taking legal action against the FBI for the inclusion of their fan base, known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;juggalos,â&#x20AC;? to the National Gang Threat Assessment List.

Fans of the hip-hop clowns were added to the list back in 2011, which alleged that â&#x20AC;&#x153;a small number of juggalos are forming more organized subsets and engaging in more gang-like criminal activity, such as felony assaults, thefts, robberies, and drug sales.â&#x20AC;? Now, the shock rappers have made good on their word, filing papers against the FBI last Wednesday after their initial Freedom of Information request filed two days earlier went without reply. This comes on the heels of their â&#x20AC;&#x153;Juggalos Fight Backâ&#x20AC;? campaign started in August in order to help those who faced harassment from officials after being identified as fans of the duo.

Calling all amateur, aspiring and professional photographers!

Register in 3 easy steps: 1 Go to the contest page: concordia.ca/contest 2 Log in with your netname and password* 3 Upload your image A panel of renowned judges will choose one grand prize winner who will take home $1,000 and two runners-up, who will receive $500 each.

So what are you waiting for?

Enter today at concordia.ca/contest! * The contest will run from September 19 to October 10, 2012, and is open to Concordia students, faculty and staff.

sports 14

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

men’s fOOTball

Stingers football lose on homecoming day u de m delivers crushing blow with 38-0 win against Concordia stefano mocella staff writer

I

t was a bitter homecoming game for the Stingers men’s football team, as they fell 38-0 to powerhouse Université de Montréal on Friday. The loss came three weeks after a 48-10 drubbing at CEPSUM. Concordia’s offense never got into a rhythm, as turnovers and constant pressure on quarterback Reid Quest spelled doom for an offence that looked shellshocked as the game progressed.

“We got off to a decent start, but like last time,

we managed to screw it up,” said Quest, who had a tough game, completing 14 of 26 passes for 168 yards and three interceptions. “As the quarterback I have to be the leader. I can’t keep giving the ball away like that. That’s my fault.”

Quest was replaced by backup Troy McCusker late in the final quarter with the game out of reach. McCusker completed three of five passes for 33 yards.

The Stingers’ first offensive possession was perhaps their best of the day, though it doesn’t say much. They marched down the field, showing some unity, but a sack forced a 45-yard field goal attempt, which fell short and wide of the uprights. It was as close as they would come to any points.

“You can’t really pin this loss on anyone,” said former Stingers quarterback and receiver Liam Mahoney, who provides colour commentary on Stingers broadcasts on TSN 690. “You cer-

tainly can’t blame the quarterback. It’s hard to make good reads and get the right timing down when there’s guys in your face on every play.”

The running game was a non-factor for the Stingers as they rushed 16 times for 69 yards.

“When you can’t run the ball effectively on first down, it makes life tougher for the passing game, operating at second and long,” explained Mahoney. “This was also one of the best defences in the country.”

On their second possession, Quest’s pass was tipped and intercepted by the Carabins’ Antoine Pruneau. The Carabins made Concordia pay right away, with Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze throwing a 44-yard bomb to Ali Ndao down to the Stingers’ 26-yard line. Two plays later, Nadeau-Piuze capped off the drive with a Quarterback sneak from the one to give Montreal all the points they needed to seal the win.

Montreal added a 15-yard Charles Bauer field goal and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ali

Ndao, who was the game’s leading receiver with five catches for 96 yards.

The Carabins put the game away in the third quarter, scoring an additional 21 points. Tailback Rotrand Sené wore down Concordia’s defence, scoring a pair of touchdowns on the ground. He had back-to-back majors of five and 24 yards. He rushed for 118 yards on 14 carries, contributing to Montréal’s 221-yard total.

Concordia’s home field advantage was taken away, as Montréal’s dominance took Concordia supporters out of the game early. The game held a total attendance of 2,087, with a hefty chunk being U de M supporters. It goes without saying, they were on the rowdier side.

Concordia now sits at 2-3 and their schedule doesn’t get any easier with Sherbrooke, McGill and Laval waiting for them down the road.

The Stingers gear up for game time on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. against Sherbrooke.

WOmen’s rugby

The season’s second-half spells success for Stingers a look at the wins, losses and what’s next for Concordia’s soccer teams Kevin Duarte sports editor The future looks bright for soccer at Concordia this year. In the past five years, neither the men’s nor women’s teams qualified for the RSEQ playoffs. After passing the midway point of the season, the women’s team sits in fifth place, two points from the final playoff spot in their league. The men’s team is only four points away from the final playoff spot.

The women seem to have turned it around this year. Last season, the team finished in second-to-last place with two wins, nine losses and three draws. After seven matches, the team had one win, five losses and one draw. In seven matches this season, the squad has already topped last season’s point total.

A major difference from last year is confidence. The team looks confident when they take the field. Besides a heavy loss to the Montreal Carabins at the start of the season, coach Jorge Sanchez’s group has been able

match every other team in the league.

Come game time, the squad remains hopeful leading to better performances. In possession, the Stingers are able to transition up the pitch with few problems. Support from the midfielders is present allowing the team control the pace of the match. Though, the team has to gain efficiency when finishing scoring chances.

On the men’s side, game performances has improved despite what standings may suggest. The team sits in last place in the league with five points. However, unlike the women’s standings, things are much closer for the men. The team is four points away in the fight for the last playoff spot, and only eight points away from first place.

The men may have lost big in their first match but they picked up one win and two draws in the following three fixtures.

Three losses in a row now see them slip to last place. Fortunately, other results in the league have allowed the team to stay in the playoff race.

In the 2011-12 season, the men’s team had three wins and four losses after seven matches. Two of these wins came from forfeits. This season, after seven matches, the men have one win, four losses and two draws.

Without looking at the standings or stats, performances on the field are better than last year.

The biggest difference is up front.

The addition of a few new players - plus an altered formation - now sees a more threatening team. The midfielders are also able to win their battles and this is one of the reasons the Stingers are able to dictate play.

This weekend, both teams had two tough away matches against the Laval Rouge et Or and the UQTR Patriotes. The women’s tied Laval 2-2 on Friday evening and picked up a 3-2 win against the Patriotes on Sunday.

The men lost both matches with the same

3-1 scoreline.

The women’s team face McGill on Wednesday night at Concordia Stadium, while the men’s team will look to regroup for their next match on Oct. 11.

The Concordian is hiring!

There is an opening for the position of copy editor.

Please send your applications to editor@theconcordian.com

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

15

WOmen’s rugby

Stingers women’s rugby team clinches playoff spot Team remains undefeated in the season Paolo mingarelli staff writer

A

gainst an aggressive Bishop’s team, Concordia showed how tough its roster is by shutting out their opposition on the road.

This game was truly a David versus Goliath matchup, as the undefeated Stingers were up against the last place Bishop’s Gaiters. However, unlike the real story, Goliath won this round.

Concordia did not fall short of expectations and won comfortably 52-0. With two season games remaining, the Stingers’ five straight wins are already good enough to guarantee an

RSEQ playoff spot.

The win also further demonstrated how much depth the maroon and gold’s roster has.

Many rookies and non-starters were given an opportunity to showcase what they can bring to the table if called upon.

“We’re very happy to get a lot of people on,” said coach Graeme McGravie. “We’re very happy with the way they played.”

Concordia struck early and often. On one of these plays, a highlight reel run, was made

by Frederique Rajotte. She was able to get the ball and dissect the gaps made available to her, before finally putting it down in position for an easy conversion.

Bishop’s was a hungry team, as they have yet to score a try this season. They would fare no better against the stiff Concordia defence, which is one of the Stingers’ strongest assets year in and year out.

The closest Bishop’s came to scoring was through a string of penalties called against the Stingers. This brought the Gaiters to the Stingers 30-yard line. Even from there, the home team was unable to beat the impenetrable wall of defenders.

“Historically were a very good defensive team,” said Jackie Tittley. “It’s good that we’re keeping to tradition. This defence is going to come in handy come playoffs.”

Concordia’s ease in dealing with the Bishop’s attack was in large part thanks to the team’s domination of set pieces. This was the reason for their heavily favored ball possession. This came into great use in the first half, as Concordia was consistently crashing the ball through the opposition. This took a toll on Bishop’s. The Gaiters had little energy in the second half.

This dominating style has clearly been effective this season and the team hopes it will get them through the upcoming schedule.

The Stingers’ next face off is against the Université de Montréal Carabins on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

men’s rugby

Stingers upset Bishop’s Gaiters in 17-8 victory men’s rugby team returns home victorious Paolo mingarelli staff writer A raucous Bishop’s crowd was left silent on Friday night as the Stingers made their mark on the Gaiters homecoming, winning 17-8.

Even though ConU went down 3-0 early, the team was able to recover without letting the Gaiters add to the score. Heckles and chirps from the home crowd made communication between players rather difficult, to say the least.

In the final moments of the first half, Bishop’s would take a costly penalty. From 45

yards out, Stingers kicker Joey Fulginiti successfully sent the ball through the uprights to tie the match going into the second half.

“I heard about the [Bishop’s] crowd before, but you have to experience it,” said Fulginiti. “With everyone heckling you and screaming at you, the only thing you can do to silence them is to make the kicks.”

The game-tying kick at the end of the first half was a confidence booster for the Stingers.

“That was huge,” said coach Clive Gibson. “There was no time left and we managed to tie it. It’s a whole different way of looking at the game when you’re tied instead of being down going into the half.”

Concordia started the second half with a surge of energy, scoring a try that came off

a scrum on the Bishop’s five. The Stingers repeatedly crashed the line before Vasken Redwanly sealed the score.

A Stingers substitution at half-time saw scrum half Kevin Elliott take the field. This move changed the game, as it brought a more control-oriented feeling.

“The gameplan was to be a little more controlled, a little more poised and you saw it from the forwards who just manhandled Bishop’s,” said Elliott, who believes the forwards are one of the main reasons behind the victory.

Although Bishop’s did manage to make it close by scoring a try, it was their kicking game that would cost them. The Gaiters missed three chances to put up points.

With eight minutes remaining, Con U

sealed the game from Dario Pellizzari’s try off a scrum down on the Bishop’s five.

“We couldn’t afford to lose a scrum in their zone, so we saw an opening blind side and took it in,” said Pellizzari. “We got pushed back a little in the beginning, but we dug deep and played like we knew we could.”

Despite the win, Gibson still believes there are improvements to be made by his team.

“We need to play the game at our pace and control the tempo a little bit better,” he said.

The Stingers hope to work on this before their next game on Wednesday, Oct. 3 against McGill.

opinions 16

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com eDITOrIal

Grow up or go back to the playground Two resignations in a week may be a sign of bad things to come for CSU

T

wo members of the Concordia Student Union abandoned ship this week, leaving scathing open letters in their wake. Both letters addressed the current tensions within council, throwing out words like “power games” and “personal hidden agendas.”

Former VP advocacy and academic Lucia Gallardo, we saw coming. If you’re going out, go out with a bang. Considering she’s been ousted due to status issues, it follows that as her last act before fading out of the public eye, she wanted to issue a strong statement. And strong it was.

“I’m actually partially grateful that this ended up happening to me,” she wrote, “because I would have been embarrassed to be part of a CSU that treated any student in need by closing doors and turning a deaf ear.”

The same sentiments were echoed by now former councillor for Arts and Science, Juliana Ramos.

“It is not in my interest to sit down with a council governed mostly by individuals who play power games, but don’t realize that their potential can be used to actually serve the student community: that you can only do so by putting personal interests aside,” wrote Ramos.

So what happened? Is this just a case of hurt feelings and nothing more? We are inclined to think otherwise. Rather, we are concerned that the CSU is becoming a place where tensions run higher than ever and nothing productive can be accomplished.

A council that has lost faith in its executive is one thing, but a council that has lost faith in its ability to do good is something far worse.

Unfortunately, this is not the fault of any one individual, though some familiar names keep popping up. It’s no secret former CSU VP external Chad Walcott has been stating his opinions and using his sway on council, but that doesn’t

make him a villain.

The real question is this; who do these people think they are? This isn’t the big leagues, and even if it were, aren’t we, the youth, supposed to be better? Looking at such politically engaged and intelligent young people, one would think they would have a little more perspective, especially operating in a province like Quebec where residents have seen their fair share of corruption.

As far as we are concerned, it’s about time student representatives remember exactly what they were elected to do. Anyone not going to the table with the sole expectation of trying to work towards positive change and solutions to Concordia’s growing number of problems should be properly ashamed of themselves. The CSU, though it may have faults, is not a platform for disrespectful actions and those who seek to advance themselves by tearing a strip off others need one hell of a reality check.

“

It is not in my interest to sit down with a council governed by individuals who play power games, but don’t realize that their potential can be used to actually serve the student community: that you can only do so by putting personal interests aside.

- Juliana Ramos, Former CSU councillor

CUlTUre

Watching moments happen through a lens Why concert etiquette is more relevant today than ever before Casandra De Masi Contributor Concerts. If you’re like me, you know the feeling of sheer excitement and euphoria felt at a really good show. The unbearable heat, the screams that break sound barriers, the vibrating wood floors, and…the constant glow of smartphone screens.

I’ve been going to concerts since I was six.

In fact, my first concert as a six -year-old was at the Metropolis. I can still remember my sister sneaking in our camera in my Lion King purse. She wanted to take a few pictures, and she chose her shots wisely because we were using a Flintstone disposable camera.

With smartphones like the iPhone, HTC, and Samsung Galaxy sporting eight megapixel cameras and full HD video, the possibilities are endless. It also means everyone feels the need to act as paparazzi at concerts. It’s a given. Every concert I have been to in the past two years, be it a small or large venue, smartphones and other popular ‘intelligent devices’ with not so intelligent users are part of the lighting display.

There are people who hold them way up in the air, and if you are plagued with the issue of being a four-foot-tall 19-year-old like myself, then you’re the one watching the concert through 50 different little LCD screens. Charming.

I understand the desire to grab a few shots, maybe even a few minutes of video of your favourite song. However, holding up your device throughout the whole show is excessive.

Essentially, you are paying for a ticket to watch your favourite artist through a screen when they are literally three feet away from you.

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan

“It can be a little annoying if it is a visual spectacle,” said Hare Patel, a Concordia English & history student. However, he said he believes that if someone bought their ticket, they have the right to do what they please.

What I don’t understand is that most of the time you aren’t even getting a good shot. Face it; your videos are a hot mess on playback because you were flailing all over the place when filming, and you surely caught the soprano singer in the background screeching all the wrong lyrics.

“The picture quality is awful,” said Sandrine Fafard, a Concordia communications student. “At the same time I want to share it!”

In addition to the need to be the modern day Warhol, Instagramming their hearts away, people feel the need to live-tweet their experience.

You need to be there to understand the excitement. Your Twitter followers aren’t, and if you are focussed on tweeting, you actually aren’t either.

People constantly feel the need to capture the moment, trap the memory inside their tiny microchip, and keep it forever. We don’t want to let go of anything for fear of never being able to feel it again. What we don’t realize is that in doing so, we are actually missing out on the moment. Believe me, put that camera

or phone down and let the music engulf you, laugh and sing along with hundreds of strangers. That feeling is more powerful than any flash or recording device on the planet.

Interestingly, Fafard is more annoyed with the use of phone screens instead of lighters.

“If you want to rock it, rock it for real,” she said.

On the one hand, part of me is glad phone screens have replaced lighters at concerts as I don’t really trust the human population with that much fire in a closed venue. But on the other, if it means getting rid of endless picture and video-taking at concerts, I’ll take the lighters any day.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

17

SpOrTS

Is video reviewing ruining our favourite sports?

PROS: Waiting on the right call

CONS: Don’t fix a good thing

Gregory Todaro Contributor

George Menexis Opinions editor

Sports are deeply ingrained in cultures around the world. However, the world has changed significantly since the beginning of sports, and it’s no wonder sports have evolved too. Sports are played at a faster pace than ever before, where players kick harder, shoot more accurately, and make the referee’s life much more difficult.

While these changes certainly make sports more interesting to watch, referees are having a harder time coping with the evolution of the game.

Officiating sports was already a difficult task, but the quickness at which sports are played makes it harder to make accurate calls. One of the best ways referees can improve their ability to run a game is through the use of video reviewing, which has already been implemented into several sports, the most popular being football and hockey.

Despite numerous critics, video reviewing is an improvement on officiating. As a former soccer referee I know firsthand how fast-paced a game can be, even at a high school level.

I remember one incident during a high school game where a player took a shot that bounced off the post and rolled along the goal line before being scooped up by the goalkeeper. I was positioned directly on the goal line, but even then I couldn’t be completely sure the ball crossed the line. I made the best call possible, though I was not entirely sure.

The pursuit of accuracy is something referees have to go through every game. No official in the world of sports is perfect, and video reviewing allows for officials to make accurate calls.

Video reviewing has benefited the game as a whole. It has helped officials make the right calls and is keeping sports honest and accurate. Video reviewing should be used at the professional level, especially for quick sports.

People throw around the term ‘necessary evil’ when talking about video review. While fans are concerned that reviews are time consuming and disrupt the flow of the game, the right call is always worth the wait. When you look at other game stoppages, such as

TOP 5...

1. MaRadona’S God”

TV timeouts, they take about as much time and contribute nothing to the game.

There are many incidents that have been controversial and that have brought up many serious questions about the lack of video review in sports. The examples are endless,

some more serious than others, and they create a large unfairness in many sports.

While the technology isn’t perfect, it’s the best system we have available. Eventually technology will allow balls and pucks with interior sensors to report information in real time to officials. In the meantime, video reviewing is vital to ensure a game is played and judged as accurately as possible. After all, referees are only human.

I live in the past, I’ll admit it. Although I admire progress, there are some things that shouldn’t be changed or tampered with. Indecisive calls in sports are one of those things.

Video reviewing is ruining the world of sports; however, there’s still a chance to es-

“They keep pulling more tricks from the bottomless bin of technology, but the result is no better than it ever was. Nine times out of 10, the video replay exercise is either inconclusive or the officials still get it wrong.”

Why spend countless hours and piles of money to provide video technology that will do little to ensure the fairness of a score? Do not think I’m ignorant. I do recognize that some plays are simply impossible for the referees to judge appropriately.

However, for the sake of the game, it is a compromise sports fans need to make in order to ensure that the passion for sports is kept intact.

As a sports fan, I recognize specific allures that are common in every sport - the competitiveness, the passion, the fans. However, this also includes the indecisiveness, the wrong calls, and the game changers. These are moments that have marked sports history since the very beginning, and this is also what video-reviewing is getting rid of.

“But the real problem is that replay reviews have drained all the drama from the game,” wrote Todd.

“You can’t jump up to cheer a great play anymore, because you know you’re going to have to wait 15 minutes for the video review.”

“It’s hurting hockey, where a goal is not a goal until it’s reviewed for an hour or so by the war room in Toronto.”

That’s the serious dilemma that many sports will face in the coming years. The battle for accuracy Graphic by Phil Waheed against passion. In my books, passion wins by a mile. There is no cape it. Although I do understand why many need for video review in sports. If anything, admirers would find it an attractive solution it’ll just drive more fans away. to indecisive calls in sports, it’s also seriously The mistakes made by referees have creinterfering with the entertainment factor that ated a controversial history in sports that each and every sport has to offer. still have people reacting emotionally when Jack Todd is a sports columnist for the mentioned. That is what sports are all about.

Montreal Gazette and agrees wholeheartedly That’s the tradition; and, in my opinion, it that endless video review is ruining sports. can’t be ruined. It’s ingrained in the world “It’s the worst trend in sports, worse than of sports and needs to stay there for years to Gary Bettman and his neverendum lockouts,” come. The referee’s call stands, and that’s wrote Todd. that.

MOST CONTrOVerSIal CallS IN SpOrTS

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2. THieRRy HenRy’S doUble Handball

3. oveR THe line oR noT?

4. UMpiRe’S MiSTake

5. THiRd TiMe’S a CHaRM

One of the most historic moments from one of the most historic players in any existing sport. It was the quarter final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup and Argentina was down 1-0. That’s when Diego Maradona punched the ball into the back of the net, and Argentina went on to win the game 2-1. The crowd went wild. After the game Maradona said, “God told me to do it.” Of course.

At the 2009 soccer World Cup qualifier, France and Ireland were fighting for a spot. With very little time left and the score still tied, Thierry Henry, the French forward, touched the ball not once, but twice with his hand. This lead to a goal and to a French victory, sending France to the World cup and knocking aside the Irish team. Much Guiness was consumed as a result.

In the 1966 soccer World Cup final, England and West Germany were locked in a 2-2 deadlock, when an English forward trounced a shot off the crossbar, and right on the goal line. Oh the controversy! The referee dismissed the goal, then reversed his decision - something rarely seen in sports. England went on to win and we still don’t know if that ball really did cross the line.

It was game six of the 1985 World Series and the St. Louis Cardinals were three outs away from the title.

After the Kansas City Royals hit a ground ball, the play was wrongly ruled safe, leading to a Kansas victory. The Royals then went on to win game seven, and seized the title.

Needless to say, that umpire (Don Denkinger) can’t have felt too good about himself.

With three seconds left in the 1972 Olympics basketball final, Doug Collins drained a pair of free throws, giving the U.S. a one-point lead. The game went on. The Soviets didn’t score. The Americans celebrated.

But the game wasn’t over. An official called a three second penalty for an earlier mistake. This time, the Soviets scored and won. The U.S. refused to accept their medals.

18

theconcordian

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 TeCh

it’s all about the apple

Why other companies just can’t keep up with Mac

robin Della Corte Contributor Watch out NYC, Apple products are now taking over the world, one product at a time.

Ever since the rise of the Mac desktops/ laptops, iPods and the iPhones in the early 2000s, other electronic corporations have fallen behind in the race for consumers and have little or no chance to catch up.

The only option other corporations have left to do in order to stay in the game is to take Apple’s ideas, modify them to their own style, and paste their own logo on them.

Just look around. You see people open up Mac laptops in class and tune into their iPods on buses, metros and trains. When you pass someone on the street talking on the cell phone, chances are they are holding an iPhone to their ear.

Here’s something to think about: Apple possesses more money than some countries do. Apple has an estimated value of $626 billion U.S. as of September this year (which is more than Microsoft and Google combined).

They’ve earned just over $5 million during

their first weekend when their newest product, the iPhone 5.

When the iMac computers were first introduced, the products sold almost 800,000 units in their first five months. Later, when the iPod was revealed, it sold close to 100 million units in only six years.

Although the infamous touch screen wasn’t invented by Apple, they were the first to achieve an outstanding human interaction between the electronic device and the customer from its pre-programmed touch gestures.

Since then, many other electronic corporations such as Samsung, HTC, Nokia and LG have tried to re-vamp Apple’s idea with the touch screen. Other corporations now have their own variations, having their apps lined up in the same formation as the iPhone. Also, the sensitivity and the way you can flip from one screen to the next is the nearly the same as an iPhone.

In recent news, there have been many articles written about the lawsuit Apple has filed against Samsung for allegedly copying most of Apple’s products. However, the case is nowhere close to being resolved. ITWorld

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan

reported to the International Business Times that after winning a million dollars in damages in August 2012, Apple is demanding another $707 million from Samsung. On top of that, Apple is asking for a ban on the sale of 26 Samsung products.

After the release of the iPad, corporations such as Samsung and Blackberry released their versions of a tablet, mimicking some of the same structures and functions as the iPad. Another lawsuit was launched because Apple felt that the iPad and iPad 2 was infringed on

by Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Despite the dispute with the phones, many of the iPods were also copied by other corporations. In early 2004, most MP3 players worked on a shuffle basis, meaning you couldn’t pick

the song you wanted. Apple was the first to invent such a useful tool that made it possible to select. It was only later that other companies copied Apple’s idea.

Apple continually comes out with new and improved versions of their products. Some clients believe that these are pointless and over priced, while numerous others think that it’s what keeps Apple so fresh and addictive.

“There’s always something to look forward to,” said Sabrina Marchei, a second-year human resources student at Concordia and an Apple client.

Whether you like it or not, Apple is the clear leader in this particular brand of products and will continue to be so for many years to come, until the next big thing, that is.

pOlITICS

A relationship between ‘first cousins’ is a bad idea Why Canada and Britain shouldn’t have to share an embassy Michael Wrobel Contributor

Image from Flickr

News emerged on Sept. 16 that Canada and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement to share embassies in some countries.

While the agreement may help cut costs, its stated goal can also harm Canada’s image abroad.

The agreement, as it stands, doesn’t seem so threatening. Canada will allow British diplomats to work out of its embassy in Haiti. The U.K. will allow Canadian diplomats to work out of its embassy in Burma.

In this way, both countries will gain diplomatic representation in countries where they previously had none.

What’s concerning is that the agreement could grow to cover a much longer list of embassies and consulates around the globe.

Canada was once a colony of Great Britain and our foreign policy was once dominated by that country. Sharing embassies with our former colonial power certainly calls into question Canada’s independence.

Under the Conservative federal government, Canada has restored the “royal” moniker in the name of its armed forces.

The Harper government also ordered all Canadian embassies to display a portrait of the Queen. Last year, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird drew criticism for having paintings by Quebec artist Alfred Pellan removed from the lobby of the Department of Foreign Affairs, only to have them replaced by the

Queen’s portrait.

It feels almost as if this recent agreement to share embassies is but a small part of a longterm plan to recolonize Canada.

While Canada is regressing, it seems the rest of the Commonwealth is comingof-age. Jamaica is considering abandoning the monarchy to become a republic, and Australia held a referendum in 1999 on whether to ditch the monarchy and elect its own president; the referendum was defeated, but at least they held a sincere national conversation on the subject.

In the meantime, our government has instead been trying to reassociate Canada with the U.K. out of some stubborn and misguided sense of nostalgia. And they’ve been doing so without any discussion on the subject. It is inevitable that the sharing of embassies will lead people around the globe to associate Canada more closely with the U.K. and Canada’s image will be hurt as a result, especially because of the differences in foreign policy.

The two countries’ foreign policies diverge in more areas than one might think.

The last time Canada stored nuclear warheads for the United States was in 1984; meanwhile, the U.K. still has its own stockpile of 225 nuclear weapons. The U.K. joined the U.S. in the ill-advised war in Iraq, a war Canada refused to join in the absence of any mandate from the United Nations.

Economically and politically, the two countries have different foreign policy objectives in a number of countries.

As Paul Heinbecker, Canada’s former ambassador to Germany, told The Globe and Mail, “We have an incompatible brand with the U.K.” Canada, known for being a peace-loving nation will now be rooming with a former colonial power. Whether it’s fair or not, many people will now think to paint us with the same brush.

Far too many questions remain about the specifics of how such an agreement would work in actual practice. If the U.K. were to decide it wanted to cut off diplomatic relations with a country, where would that leave

Canada if we shared an embassy there?

If our foreign policy interests diverged and we had competing interests in a country, what type of strain would an embassysharing agreement place on our relationship? Would Canadian diplomats working out of a British Embassy have the same power to work against the U.K.’s interests as they would if they were working in a separate embassy?

Although government officials have called it a largely “administrative” agreement, the plan calls not only for the sharing of facilities, but also for the sharing of staff.

Will Canadians still have access to the same level of French-language consular services

as they currently do in our own embassies?

This agreement is pretty harmless because it only covers two locations but if it was expanded to encompass many more, it could have real implications on Canada’s image. Not only do the optics of sharing embassies undermine the notion that Canada is an independent nation, but the agreement may well undermine Canada’s ability to meet its own foreign policy objectives in the future.

As is typical with the Harper government, this agreement was formulated under a shroud of secrecy. And what Canadians are now left with is a long list of concerning questions and few satisfying answers.

pOll

Do you think Canada and Britain should have joint embassies in some countries?

Last week, we asked Concordia students on our online poll whether or not Canada and Britain should joint embassies.

The results were quite one-sided.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

From our kitchen

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012 Vol. 30 Issue 6

Watermelon Cocktail Madelayne hajek

Marilla Steuter-Martin

photo editor

editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com

In the mood for a taste of summer but faced with the cold reality of fall semester? Never fear, this drink is a lifesaver! If you can’t get your hands on a juicy watermelon this time of year, fruit punch will also do the trick.

Either way it’s a refreshing way to spend a lazy afternoon, even if you aren’t soaking up the sun. inGRedienTS 2 oz. tequila 3 / 4 oz. triple sec 1 / 2 oz. simple syrup (sugar and water) 1 oz. blended watermelon Add lime juice for flavour For the syrup, bring cold water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Turn the heat down and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. This should only take about three minutes. After boiling, let the syrup cool off, then pour into a container and store in the refrigerator. Once cold, add to the drink mixture.

Blend and serve!

photo by writer

Paula rivaS Managing editor managing@theconcordian.com

SoPhia loffreda production manager production@theconcordian.com

Kalina lafraMboiSe News editor news@theconcordian.com

StePhanie la leggia life editor life@theconcordian.com

Photo courtesy of Flickr

aManda l. Shore arts editor arts@theconcordian.com

elizabeth MacKay Music editor music@theconcordian.com

Kevin duarte Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com

Image from Flickr

george MenexiS Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com

Madelayne hajeK photo editor

nataSha taggart alySSa treMblay Online editors online@theconcordian.com

jennifer Kwan Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com

In this wacky little world of ours, we have a false sense of what’s really important.This week, the Twitter world was buzzing over Canadian singer, Justin Bieber.The young pop star barfed on stage during one of his shows. Sad, yes , but also hilarious.These tweets will certainly have you laughing. @juliasegal: “I bet the puke was lik,e ‘Oh

my God, Justing Bieber just TOUCHED ME WITH HIS MOUTH!” @robdelaney: “I just bought a baggie of

Justin Bieber’s puke on eBay for $2,300.00”

@BrianLynch: “Justin Bieber vomits while

singing. Hey, cool, he and I hasve the same musical taste.”

@DeanB15: “I just watched a video of Justin

Bieber throwing up on stage. If she doesn’t slow her roll, she’s gonna wind up losing her baby.”

@theviewfromsix2: “Justin Bieber threw up

while performing one of his songs. Just like the rest of us.”

chriStine beaton jenna Monney-luPert elizabeth toMaraS Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com

celia Ste-croix bianca david production assistants

editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. W. - CC.431 Montreal, QC h4B 1r6 514.848.2424 x7499 (editor-in-Chief) 514.848.2424 x7458 (Newsroom) 514.848.2424 x7404 (production)

MeliSSa Kate gagnon

Business manager business@theconcordian.com

brennan neill eMily white cindy loPez ruben baStien

Board of Directors directors@theconcordian.com

Staff writerS and contributorS amanda Brin, alyssa Fourneaux.

Cynthia Dupuis, arohie Chopra, Sloane Montgomery, andrew Guilbert, andy Fidel, Collin McMahon, Nathalie laflamme, lexie Comeau, ariana TriguerosCorb, Tarek akhtar, audrey Folliot, andria Caputo, Jamie Klinger, a.J. Cordeiro, paul Traunero, Stefano Mocella, paolo Mingarelli, robin De Corte, Gregory Todaro, Casandra De Masi, Michael Wrobel.

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Concordia’s weekly, independent student newspaper.

Events of the weeK: Oct. 2 TUESDAY +THEATRE- August, An Afternoon in the Country - 20h - Centaur Theatre +THEATRE- Guys and Dolls - 20h - Segal Centre (all week) +MUSIC - Jack White -20h00 - L’Olympia +MUSIC - Willis Earl Beal - 20h00 - Il Motore

WEDNESDAY +ART- Chuck Samuels- 12h - Gallery Occurence +MUSIC - Thus: Owls - 20h00 - Lion d’Or

THURSDAY +ART- Chuck Samuels- 12h - Gallery Occurence

Friday +FILM- The Wild One - 1830h- Cinema du Parc +FILM- The Godfather - 20h-Cinema du Parc +MUSIC - Jens Lenkman + Taken By Trees - 20h00 - Le National +MUSIC - How To Dress Well - 20h00 - Club Lambi

SATURDAY +FILM - The Godfather - 1430&20h - Cinema du Parc FILM- On the Waterfront - 1745h - Cinema du Parc MUSIC - YTF - L’Olympia - 19h00 MUSIC - Two Door Cinema Club - 19h45 - Metropolis MUSIC - Perfume Genius - 20h00 - Il Motore

SUNDAY +FILM - The Godfather - 1430&20h - Cinema du Parc MUSIC - Crystal Castles - 20h00 - Metropolis

Monday + FILM- On the Waterfront - 19h - Cinema du Parc