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THE mcgill Published by the Tribune Publication Society

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Volume No. 32 Issue No. 12

@mcgill_tribune • www. mcgilltribune.com Tuesday, November 20, 2012

McGill Senate discusses student disciplinary procedures

On Nov. 14, the McGill Sen-ate met to discuss student disci-plinary cases during the 2011-2012 academic year. Interim Dean of Stu-dents Linda Starkey presented the Committee on Student Discipline’s (CDS) annual report.

The Senate also heard a presen-tation by Vice-Principal Research and International Relations Rose Goldstein on how McGill could ex-pand its funding for research.

The ReportThe CSD report notes that the

total number of allegations was slightly higher this past academic year—427 compared to 408 in 2010-2011. The non-academic allegations made against students increased by 48 per cent, from 193 to 286.

“This increase can be attribut-ed to improved reporting of e-mail harassment or inappropriate use of McGill posting sites, the growing number of residence spaces, and the campus atmosphere last year,” the report said.

Last year, several students faced disciplinary allegations after McGill Security Services video-taped students at protests on cam-pus, including an occupation of the James Administration Building’s sixth floor. Science Senator Moe Nasr questioned the role of McGill Security Service within the disci-plinary procedure at McGill, spe-cifically with regards to cases where students express political opinions on campus.

According to Starkey, the man-date of Security Services is not to accuse a student of violating a spe-cific protocol, but to report alleged

violations to a disciplinary officer.“I’m not aware that the no-

tion of student politics is a factor [in what Security Services reports to a disciplinary officer],” she said, noting that the only time that some-one from Security Services would mention political leanings in a case is when describing words on signs used by students on campus.

Catherine Lu, an associate pro-fessor of political science, expressed concern over whether there was eq-uity in CSD’s punishments.

“There were different penalties that came out of similar offenses,” Lu said. “What needs to be done institutionally to correct this for the future?”

In response, Starkey explained that CSD does not issue standard sanctions, and that every case is heard and assessed individually.

Several students attended the

Senate meeting to observe Starkey’s presentation. Some held a large red sign that read ‘McGill’s Committee on Squashing Dissent.’

“We are here because the University’s rules and procedures related to student discipline are in-terpreted and applied inconsistently and with bias against known student activists,” read a flyer that the stu-dents distributed at Senate.

Research Funding

Senators also voted to endorse McGill’s new Strategic Research Plan (SRP) for 2013-2017. The plan is intended to improve McGill’s research capabilities. An SRP is re-quired for many external funding programs, such as the Canada Foun-dation for Innovation. The previous plan was adopted in 2006.

Almost 75 per cent of McGill’s current research funding comes

from both the federal and Quebec governments. Presently, McGill is the second-ranked university in re-search intensity, according to the Tri-Council Agencies, the federal agencies which provide a major-ity of research funding in Canada. Goldstein said the new plan aims to diversify research funding, and should help McGill surpass the Uni-versity of Toronto as the top-ranked University for research intensity.

“We need to reorganize funds if we are going to be competitive in the next few years,” Goldstein said. “Provincial and federal pools are not growing … we need to diversify.”

Several senators expressed concerns over the SRP’s logistics, including the source of the potential new funds. According to Goldstein, McGill plans to launch a Business

News editorAndra Cernavskis

Senators also address plans for research funding from 2013 to 2017; concerns on corporate sponsorship of research

Dr. Walter Willett discusses weight gain and Canada’s dietary recommendations at the Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

See “Senate” on p. 2

Trottier Symposium serves up science to the publicP 13

NEWS

Last Tuesday, McGill an-nounced its decision to pursue legal action against Dr. Arthur Porter, the former director general and chief executive officer of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). McGill seeks the reimbursement of $317,153.89—a total that includes a $285,000 loan granted to Porter in 2008, and $30,131.63 in salary over-payment following his resignation in December 2011.

According to the Montreal Ga-zette, McGill originally lent Porter $500,000 at one per cent annual in-terest in 2008. When Porter resigned from his position at MUHC, he had paid back $214,409 of the loan.

“Despite the fact that [Porter] had promised to reimburse the uni-versity, the amount owing remains outstanding,” McGill’s press release

read. “The university has therefore decided to take action to ensure the prompt repayment of these sums.”

McGill has not disclosed the reason for the loan, nor any informa-tion regarding the university’s loan policy to date.

According to the Gazette, evi-dence suggests that the loan is re-lated to Porter’s real-estate invest-ments. Porter allegedly purchased a penthouse apartment in downtown Montreal for over $500,000 in Sep-tember 2004, and his wife bought a penthouse condominium for over $1 million in December 2007.

In March 2008, Porter received the $500,000 loan from McGill, and signed a promissory note acknowl-edging it. The loan was signed again three months later in the presence of a notary, at which point it became a

“housing loan agreement.”Further investigation by the Ga-

zette has revealed that, in addition to his nearly $350,000 salary as the head of the MUHC, Porter earned a second salary at McGill for teach-ing as a professor of oncology in the faculty of medicine. However, when the Gazette inquired into Porter’s position as a professor, none of 12 professors in the department of on-cology who responded could admit to ever having seen Porter teach.

“I was surprised to learn … that Dr. Porter was receiving a salary as a professor of oncology,” Dr. Vincent Giguère, professor in oncology and biochemistry, told the Gazette. “He is not listed as a professor of oncol-ogy on our department website ... and I have never seen him at depart-mental functions.”

McGill has refused to disclose Porter’s professorial salary to the public, saying that information about professors’ salaries is “private.”

Quebec’s anti-corruption squad is also seeking to question Porter about MUHC’s procurement of the $1.3 billion superhospital contract. However, Porter’s current where-abouts are unknown. Porter’s most recent communication with McGill was an email dated Oct. 23, in which he promised to pay back the loan.

McGill has stated that it will make no further comment on the lawsuit, as the case is currently under review by the Quebec Supe-rior Court.

—Bea Britneff

Last Thursday, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council met in Burnside 511, one of two Active Learning Classrooms (ALC) at McGill. In-cluded in the topics of discussion was its relationship with the Quebec Student Roundtable (Table de con-certation étudiante du Québec, or TaCEQ) and the possibility of creat-ing another representative position on TaCEQ.

McGill currently has four rep-resentative seats on TaCEQ. SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser said Council would increase SSMU commitment to TaCEQ if they created another permanent po-sition for representation.

“McGill has a lot of people who are from outside Quebec,” Reid-Fra-ser said. “My understanding is that a lot of people don’t even know we are a part of TaCEQ, or what it’s for. So it’s important for us to get word out there with things like newsletters or organizing events like panel discus-sions.”

Created in 2009, TaCEQ is a province-wide round-table for mem-

ber student associations to lobby the government as a collective. SSMU is currently one of three members alongside student associations from Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke. With these three asso-ciations, TaCEQ represents 65,000 students in Quebec.

“Ultimately, TaCEQ is intended to function as a formalized round-ta-ble, where member student associa-tions can, with a louder voice, lobby the government with improved suc-cess,” the SSMU website reads. “The structure of TaCEQ is built to prevent it from turning into a large organization carried away with its own purpose and disconnected from its base.”

TaCEQ is mostly volunteer-based and operates with a small budget. It does not charge its own membership fees like other large student associations, according to Reid-Fraser. Instead, TaCEQ ap-proves its finances at the beginning of the financial year and its expens-es at monthly meetings.

“Currently we use this struc-tures because TaCEQ is small and fairly new compared to the other as-sociations,” Reid-Fraser said. “If we get more member associations and

are able to work with a larger bud-get, then the structure may chang-esomewhat.”

Some councillors raised con-cerns about electing a new represen-tative to TaCEQ, and suggested that SSMU does not take full advantage of its current level of representation, since many of McGill’s seats are empty during meetings. They also discussed to whom the new TaCEQ representative would be responsible, and under which student organiza-tions on campus the representative would serve.

“I would really want to integrate [SSMU Council] and the TaCEQ representatives,” Reid-Fraser said. “Once we get a better picture of what we need [at the] next [TaCEQ] meeting, I’ll be able to bring the feedback and issues back to Council and go forward from there. Hope-fully we can find agreement by then [about] what we’re looking for.”

SSMU Council is usually held in the Lev Bukhman Room in the Shatner Building. Thursday’s meet-ing was SSMU’s second “roaming Council” of the year, which is why it was held in Burnside 511.

“The purpose of ‘roaming Council’ is to expose the council to

different parts of campus, and I think the active learning classroom is an exciting project that could be great for students,” SSMU President Josh Redel said.

As part of the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-Down Pedagogies project, ALCs were designed in 2009 to fa-cilitate learning and teaching experi-ences. Since then, the Teaching and Learning Spaces Working Group at McGill has overseen ALCs at Mc-Gill to help enrich education experi-ences.

“You’re not in rows, you’re not facing the same direction, and you can roll around on your chairs,” Oksana Maibroda, McGill’s Educa-tional Technology Consultant, said. “What this room allows for lecture,

is that if the teacher wants to work on certain subject, he or she has a lot of ways to communicate to the students.”

Burnside 511 features multiple large overhead projection screens, as well as chairs and desks which allow students to face one another, rather than a professor’s podium. Much like a computer lab, the rotat-ing chairs are easily adjustable and designed to facilitate students break ing into discussion groups.

“This is one of the many cool things that McGill’s been working on,” Redel said. “At McGill, the problem is how to make classrooms smaller and more interactive. It’s cool that people on the administra-tion and staff members are working on this.”

Senate

Council debates creation of additional representative to TaCEQstudent government

SSMu vP external hopes to increase student awareness of the inter-university student association

contributorJimmy Lou

Engagement Centre to reach out to new businesses for funding.

Brendan Gillon, associate pro-fessor of linguistics, expressed con-cern that dependency on external organizations like private businesses for funding might affect the topics chosen for research, and that McGill may consequently see less curiosity-driven research.

Senate also passed a motion to broadcast their sessions on the internet for a one-year trial period, starting in January 2013. These broadcasts will only be available to members of the McGill commu-nity, and will be accessible through a password-protected login.

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Recording and Transmission of Sen-ate Meetings brought this motion forward with the intention of mak-ing Senate meetings more accessible to the McGill community.

“We want to have engagement from the broad university commu-nity,” Chandra Madramootoo, chair of the committee and dean of agri-cultural and environmental sciences, said.

Continued from cover

ForMEr DirECTor GENEraL oF MuhC, arthur porter, Sued by univerSity

SSMu’s ‘roaming council’ in Burnside 511. (Michael Paolucci / McGill Tribune)

newS in brief

Follow us on Twitter! @mcgill_tribune

3curiosity delivers. | NEWS | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

CoME To News MEETiNGS!

MoNdayS aT 5:30

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New student advocacy committee underway

student government

contributorChristos Lazaris

Two weeks ago, the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Legislative Council ap-proved a trial run of the Student Advocacy Resource Committee (SARC). The new committee aims to guide students through McGill’s bureaucracy and to help make stu-dents’ voices heard within the ad-ministration and SSMU, according to David Benrimoh, who presented his vision of SARC to Council on Nov. 1. The trial run will end March 15, 2013.

SARC is Benrimoh’s creation. He is a first-year medical school student who has previously worked with SSMU and First Year Council. He said he saw the need for a service to help students navigate McGill’s institutional infrastructure.

“We felt that a lot of students at McGill have a lot of ideas, ques-tions, and things they want to see changed, but they don’t necessarily know how to go about doing it,” Benrimoh said.

The group began this year as an interim club. Now that Council has passed the motion to create SARC, the club has achieved SSMU Com-mittee status, in order to increase its credibility and make it more ac-countable to SSMU Council.

“[Now], we’re directly ac-countable to Council, and people know that we have the support and backing of [SSMU],” Benrimoh said.

Benrimoh is SARC’s head steward, which means he is respon-sible for supervising the committee and establishing its long-term vi-sion. He said he hopes SARC can act as a liaison between students and those who can help address an indi-vidual student’s needs on campus, like SSMU’s elected representatives and administrators.

The Committee works on a case-by-case basis. Cases are divid-ed under the categories of services, student government, and campus is-sues, and are dealt with accordingly by SARC.

“We [will] develop a campaign plan based off of [each] case,” Ben-rimoh said. “Some cases might have a need for events or setting up meet-ings with campus administrators. There’s all sorts of different venues we can help students take advantage of.”

After roughly three weeks of

existence, SARC is currently deal-ing with a total of seven actual and potential cases.

“Potential cases [are those] where we have identified an issue or met with a requestor and where we have not yet signed the case but we are confident that we will in the very near future,” Benrimoh said. “We are very new and we haven’t yet had time to do the kind of outreach that is necessary to accrue a large num-ber of cases ... until now, we have been focused on actually getting set up.. . and training our stewards.”

SSMU Vice-President Univer-sity Affairs Haley Dinel helps su-pervise SARC on behalf of SSMU, and will also sit on the Committee. Dinel said Benrimoh reports to both her and Council, and explained how committee members were chosen this year.

“The [current] stewards were chosen, and they went through their own internal application process,” she said. “[If SARC becomes a per-manent committee], the names will be given to the SSMU nominating committee, and they’d be screened and interviewed.”

According to the motion pre-sented to Council, stewards are committee members responsible for dealing with and writing reports on individual cases. In addition to the head steward, there are individual triage, services, campus issues, and student government stewards. The Committee also includes three coun-cillors from SSMU.

At the Nov. 1 Council meeting, some SSMU councillors expressed concern over the creation of SARC as a permanent SSMU Committee. Arts Senator Max Zidel questioned the sustainability of the Committee.

“This proposal requires a lot of man power and a lot of interest and time, and although it’s wonderful that right now we have a group of students who are really fond of this idea, what happens when they grad-uate?” Zidel said. “I see trouble … finding enough students every year to fill the necessary positions.”

Despite his reservations, Zidel said he hopes the Committee will succeed.

“I think good things will come out of it,” he said. “The idea itself is good, which is that you want to make it easier for students to un-derstand the way that the university works. I’m pleased that people want to fill this gap.”

Students gather in James Square for the event. (remi lu / McGill Tribune)

Last Friday, students gathered in James Square to hear a series of presentations on the historic and present challenges faced by Mc-Gill. Student and faculty speak-ers presented on topics including unions, disciplinary charges from last spring’s student demonstrations, and the question of the democratic nature of the university’s structure.

The Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University (PGSS) and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) or-ganized the event as a commemora-tion of International Students’ Day, which falls on Nov. 17. According to PGSS Vice-President External Errol Salamon, the event also allowed students to reflect on the events of Nov. 10, 2011, when an occupation of the James Administration Build-ing ended with riot police dispersing students on campus.

“There are still long-standing issues from the 2011-2012 academic year that haven’t been resolved,” PGSS Vice-President External Errol Salamon said. “This event ties into International Students’ Day because it enables not only students, but also other members of the McGill com-munity to share … their local strug-gles and issues, many of which are common struggles.”

As examples of these ongoing struggles, Salamon pointed to the Quebec debate on tuition, as well as the academic disciplinary charges that some McGill students still face for participating in non-violent pro-tests during the Winter 2012 semes-ter.

Former SSMU Vice-President

External Joël Pedneault gave a presentation that emphasized the importance of continuing to raise awareness about those who face on-going disciplinary action or criminal charges for their participation in stu-dent protests. He received a ticket for participating in a demonstration last year.

“It’s important not just to ask for a general amnesty,” Pedneault said. “That seems like the most obvious thing … but the danger of formulating demands in that broad, sweeping way is that they could eas-ily be taken halfway by those who have the power to decide who gets criminalized and who doesn’t.”

Pedneault said it is more im-portant to spread information about those who have been banned from the island of Montreal, or who face jail time for cumulative charges.

Another presenter, Justin Mar-leau, stressed the importance of unions on campus. As the vice-pres-ident Teaching Assistants for the Association for Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), Marleau said unions help to address the problems caused by the high student turnover rate at universities, which results in a lack of institution-al memory among student organiza-tions.

“We need to fight this admin-istration every single day, for every single right that we should have,” Marleau said. “Every time we ne-gotiate a new collective agreement they cut our hours, and they like to justify it with budget cuts. … But it has nothing to do with money. It has to do with what they care about—nice buildings, fancy facilities, HD TVs all throughout campus, with nothing about the quality of educa-

tion for undergraduate and graduate students at McGill.”

Although the event was held in part to commemorate Interna-tional Students’ Day, some speakers pointed out that struggles at McGill are not confined to students. Thomas Lamarre, a professor in East Asian studies, said the way McGill is run affects faculty as well as students.

“At McGill, we’re given an image that the form that our strug-gles should take is democracy—that we are supposed to go and sit in meetings, deliberate, pass bills, and vote on things,” Lamarre said. “But the truth is, a university is not struc-tured like a democracy. So when we’re told that if we behave, it will become democratic, it’s simply a lie. It simply misdirects all of our energy from the actual struggle.”

Lamarre concluded by calling on students and faculty to stop “pre-tending” the university is a democ-racy.

McGill Dean of Students Andre Costopoulos attended the event, and said he thought the speakers made relevant points about the universi-ty’s history and community.

“Unfortunately, sometimes the way those important points are ex-pressed doesn’t favour dialogue,” he said. “For example, some of the speeches started with [personal] at-tacks instead of focusing on the is-sues at hand. But the issues and the points themselves are important and should be considered.”

Throughout the presentations, students frequently expressed their support by cheering. Isaac Stethem, U3 arts, said he appreciated the pre-senters’ comments, and emphasized the importance of encouraging dia-logue about challenges at McGill.

“I thought it was really impor-tant to remember what happened on campus last year … but also to re-member that it’s not just about one thing that happened a year ago,” Stethem said. “It’s about … continu-ing the struggle to make the univer-sity more democratic [and] to make it more responsive to the needs of students and faculties.”

Students and faculty reflect on Nov. 10 and student movement

CAmPus

News editorErica Friesen

4 Tuesday, November 20, 2012 | NEWS | Curiosity delivers.

Last week, McGill’s Schol-arships and Student Aid Office launched the Frugal Scholar Money Management Program—a service that helps students create a financial plan by using online tools to track expenses and deal with student and government loans. The launch was part of Financial Wellness Week, which featured workshops and stu-dent-run activities covering topics such as student loans, taxes, and af-fordable living.

Evelina Balut, associate direc-tor of scholarships and student aid and one of the organizers of the week, emphasized the Frugal Schol-ar Program’s open-door policy, stat-ing that students are always wel-

come to confidentially discuss their finances with advisors.

“Part of my job is to be here for students [and] let them grasp control over their finances so we can teach kids to become smart consumers now, and for later in life,” Balut said.

The program also features an anonymous live chat system, which allows students to chat confidential-ly with peer advisors. Since this ser-vice is partially run by peers, Balut said it is more approachable for students who may feel uncomfort-able or embarrassed by their current financial situation.

The Scholarships and Student Aid Office offered a workshop on the program as part of Financial Wellness Week. Other workshops included last Thursday’s “Living Thrifty” workshop, run by Shelby

Levesque, a student ambassador for the Frugal Scholar Program. Levesque gave tips on how to spend less money, and encouraged students to spread awareness of the financial services McGill offers.

As a student paying her way through school, Levesque shared her outlook on money and how to maintain a healthy relationship with it. She emphasized the importance of keeping track of finances—short-term as well as long term—and keeping receipts to maintain a bud-get.

Levesque outlined many basic ways to save, in areas such as gro-cery shopping, gym memberships, and traveling. Some tips for gro-ceries included collecting coupons and buying in bulk. While students may think it is convenient to go

to grocery stores close to McGill, Levesque suggested taking the extra time to go to thriftier places such as Segal’s Market could help save a lot of money in the long-term. For travelling, she suggested couch surf-ing or staying with friends instead of paying for a hotel room.

Levesque emphasized that the Frugal Scholar Program can serve as an outreach to students, who remain unaware that McGill provides finan-cial services.

“As a freshman, I wish I knew that McGill offered entrance bursa-ries,” Levesque said.

She said it is important for students to know that entrance bur-saries are provided on the basis of need—they are not exclusive to stu-dents with high marks.

Anne Marie Trickey, U0 arts,

said that it is difficult to deal with money matters while having a stu-dent’s social life.

“Going out is expensive,” Trickey said. “I can’t squander away money like all my friends, so most of the time I find it easier to stay home and watch movies instead.”

Levesque, however, discour-aged students from feeling guilty about spending money.

Levesque said that every now and then, a small reward—like buying coffee instead of making it at home—can be satisfying, and can reduce chances of extravagant spending in the future. She also em-phasized that living thrifty becomes easier over time.

“There are many ways to save,” Levesque said. “Once you start, it becomes a habit, then, a way of life.”

James Ford, head of the Climate Change Adaptation Research Group, and McGill geography professor, gave a presentation last Friday on climate change’s impact on the Inuit communities of the Arctic, as well as the various adaptation strategies the communities have developed.

The lecture was one in a series of speaker events organized and sponsored by the Centre for Inter-national Peace and Security Studies (CIPSS). Vincent Pouliot, CIPSS Director and an associate professor of political science, explained that Ford’s work addresses the mission and increasingly interdisciplinary approach of the CIPSS.

“While we intend to maintain our proven expertise in more tradi-tional security studies, we also want to develop new, interdisciplinary re-search programs that take seriously the multifaceted challenges of peace and security in the 21st century,” Pouliot said.

Ford began the lecture by ex-plaining the aim of his research.

“My research focuses on the human dimension of climate change,” Ford said. “I am interested in the intersection between climate and society; how societies experi-ence climate change and how they respond.”

Ford explained that, as a re-sult of rising temperatures and rap-idly melting sea ice, the Arctic has been the region most dramatically

affected by climate change. Ac-cording to Ford, some of the new problems Inuit communities face include decreased access to hunting areas, damage to infrastructure and cultural sites, and changes in animal populations.

Ford said that Inuit communi-ties have already begun to adapt to these new realities, which have become increasingly important for them.

“[They] are not passive in the face of environmental change,” Ford said.

Ford specifically pointed to

hunting as one area in which Inuit communities have altered their practices. Communities have de-vised new transportation routes, used hazard maps for given areas, and increased their use of motorized transportation, such as boats and all-terrain vehicles.

“People are taking more pre-caution when they are going hunt-ing, expecting to encounter more dangers because of the changes that been observed already,” he said.

In response to the food security problem, some communities have developed food-sharing networks,

where they pool and share food re-sources to alleviate the pressure on individual families. They have also shifted from hunting to relying more on store-bought goods. Ford noted that this particular adaption, how-ever, can come at a high economic cost—for example, the high costs of shipping food to northern areas. They are not always easy to imple-ment because of limited economic resources.

According to Ford, government hunting quotas also provide a chal-lenge to adaptation. He explained that bans on polar bear hunting from

2009 have restricted communities’ ability to respond to the increase or decrease of various Arctic animal populations.

Ford also said there is con-cern among Inuit communities that the younger generations lack basic knowledge and practical skills for hunting, which further complicates adaptation to environmental change.

However, Ford believes suc-cessful adaptation to climate change is still possible. He explained that the process is already underway, and can be strengthened by outside inter-vention—especially work that takes a more holistic approach to climate change and recognizes how charac-teristics of Inuit societies shape their responses to adaptation.

Alice Chesse, a PhD student in political science specializing in Ca-nadian Arctic foreign policy, attend-ed the talk. She said the Canadian government’s “broader strategic in-terests” are related to adaptation of Inuit communities in the North.

“Canadian Arctic policy’s main objective is the recognition of its sovereignty over contested areas of the Arctic,” Chesse said. “In that perspective, the enhancement of the socio-economic conditions of Inuit communities in the North [is] also important for the Canadian govern-ment. Developing and improving human livelihood in the Arctic em-powers the government’s claims for the recognition of its de facto sover-eignty over the region.”

McGill launches Frugal Scholar Money Management Program

Climate change forces Northern communities to adapt

campus

speaker on campus

Financial Wellness Week features workshops on student aid, living expenses, and other financial topics

Professor James Ford discusses how limited economic resources and other challenges hinder advancements

ContributorVeronica Rozynek

ContributorNaomi Braude

Ford explains how climate change has altered transportation and food security. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

5Curiosity delivers. | NEWS | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

On Nov. 15, three experts spoke to students at a panel that focused on new approaches to foreign aid, and the merits and drawback for each approach. Organized by the Student Network for Economic Develop-ment, Engineers Without Borders (EWB) McGill, and Youth Action International, the event was entitled “A New Foreign Aid Toolkit: Fresh Perspectives.”

“Our goal with this [event] was to get a perspective from the ground,” Adam Hasham, vice-pres-ident advocacy for EWB McGill, said.

The panel included Audra Rényi, executive director of World Wide Hearing; Hélène Laverdière, vice chair of the Standing Commit-tee on Foreign Affairs and Interna-tional Development in Canada’s House of Commons; and Paola Per-ez-Aleman, an associate professor of strategy and organization in the De-sautels faculty of management.

Panelists discussed new ap-proaches to foreign aid, such as Cash on Delivery Aid, a model of aid that requires that recipient coun-try reaches a certain level of devel-opment before money and resources are offered. According to CBC Ot-tawa, Cash on Delivery is a program built by EWB, and representatives of the organization met with Canadi-an members of parliament last June, urging them to create a pilot govern-ment program based on the model.

All panelists expressed reserva-tions about the Cash on Delivery Aid model. Rényi said one risk of the program is that it can push develop-ing countries to focus more on target numbers—such as the number of students enrolled in school—rather than the quality of new development projects.

The debate opened with a ques-tion from Hasham.

“If you could change one thing about [Canada’s] current foreign aid system, what would it be and why?” Hasham asked the panelists.

According to Laverdière, Cana-

da needs to work more closely with aid recipients. She said stronger communication with these countries will help Canadian foreign aid pro-grams better address their particular needs.

“[Foreign aid] is a joint ven-ture, and the donor countries should work by the needs and the systems of the countries they are helping,” Laverdière said.

Laverdière also responded positively to a question posed to the panelists by an audience member about their feelings on the increas-ing involvement of the private sec-tor when it comes to government foreign aid.

“It’s good,” she said. “[The government is] taking private com-panies and seeing how they can help in developing countries, but this is not a substitute for government ac-tion.”

Perez-Aleman agreed, and also cited how consumers and NGOs have put effective pressure on pri-vate companies to act more respon-sibly.

“We are seeing a new genera-tion that is growing up and … man-aging these companies … I think it is important to bring [private com-panies] into development, local and foreign,” Perez-Aleman said.

Students at the event expressed

appreciation about the panelists’ di-verse perspectives.

“I thought it was fantastic,” a student said after the event. “It was great to have three different perspec-tives. They had very different opin-ions.”

Experts discuss Cash on Delivery Aid programspanel

Student-run event promotes debate on emerging foreign aid strategies

ContributorNicole Sawin

Audra Rényi discusses new aid strategies. (Jesse Conterato / McGill Tribune)

MoNtrEAl iNtEriM MAyor SElECtED

Last Friday, city councillors voted in Montreal’s first Anglophone mayor in 100 years. As the new in-terim mayor, Michael Applebaum will hold the position until the next municipal election in November 2013.

Applebaum replaced former mayor Gerald Tremblay, who re-signed Nov. 5 following allegations of corruption from the Charbonneau Commission. When his party, Union Montreal, did not vote for him as their choice for the mayoral election, Applebaum quit the party to run as an independent candidate.

Applebaum has faced criticism over the quality of his French, but defends himself as capable of con-ducting business in both languages. Since his election, Applebaum has emphasized the need for a collab-orative council to reduce tension between parties, and for increased transparency for the city’s governing bodies.

“Now is the time to re-establish our bridges, to work together and to ensure that Montrealers can be proud of what we do as elected of-ficials,” Applebaum said.

b.C. SuSPENDS viSA ProGrAM

Last Friday, the British Co-lumbia government suspended a program that fast-tracked visas for investors who had committed to es-tablishing a business in the province. The decision came following a sus-piciously high increase in the sub-mitted number of visa applications.

The program offered business applicants speedier access to per-manent residence status in exchange for a $125,000 bond. The initiative was part of a larger provincial plan to address B.C.’s demand for more skilled immigrants.

According to the Globe and Mail, a review of the fast-track pro-gram found that very few nominees were running a business as prom-ised, and that the program’s success rate was under 20 per cent.

Government officials have suggested several explanations for the surge in applications and the program’s poor performance. One explanation is that some applicants hope to take advantage of the pro-gram’s conditions in order to secure permanent residence status.

“We require [that] people actu-ally set up a business and actively manage it,” a senior government of-ficial, who wished to remain anony-mous, said. “You cannot just put up money and collect a permanent resi-dent’s visa.”

ChiNESE AMbASSADor DENiES ESPioNAGE AllEGAtioNS

During an interview on CBC Radio last Saturday, Chinese Am-bassador to Canada Zhang Junsai criticized anyone who speculated about Chinese firms’ involvement in espionage without providing evi-dence for their allegations.

Zhang’s comments came fol-lowing a report released by the U.S. Intelligence Agency in early Octo-ber, which urged American compa-nies to avoid using Chinese telecom-munications company Huawei. The committee suggested that Huawei could serve as a front for Chinese espionage, and could be used to cause interference with power grids and banking systems during a time of conflict.

Huawei currently provides net-works for several Canadian compa-nies, including Bell Canada. Zhang said these speculations are unfound-ed, and result from a “Cold War mentality.”

These concerns come at a time when the federal government is re-viewing the proposed takeover of Nexen Inc. by China National Off-shore Oil Corp. Members of Parlia-ment, including NDP and Official Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair have criticized the deal, saying it is not in Canada’s best interests. The review period ends Dec. 10.

rEtAil GiANtS tAkE quEbEC GovErNMENt to Court ovEr

lANGuAGE lAw

Last Sunday, several major retailers—Best Buy, Costco, Gap, Guess, Old Navy, and Wal-mart— announced their decision to pursue legal action against the Quebec gov-ernment. The dispute involves a new interpretation of language laws gov-erning the use of French in business names.

According to the CBC, the Office Québécois de la Langue Française, the province’s language watchdog, has requested that the companies in question either cre-ate a generic French name for their business, or add a French slogan that communicates the products for sale.

Section 63 of Quebec’s French Language Charter requires that all business names in the province must be in French. Traditionally, however, this clause has not been applied to trademarked names. The six retail-ers have argued that this particular language law has not been formally changed, and challenge the validity of the office’s demands.

Critics of this new rule in-clude Nathalie St-Pierre, the vice-president for the Retail Council of Canada’s Quebec branch—a not-for-profit advocacy association rep-resenting retailers across the coun-try. St. Pierre questioned the purpose of imposing such changes on these retail giants, and said that the brands “stand on their own” and “need no description.”

GovErNMENt iNSPECtS vEtErAN’S FACility FollowiNG

CoMPlAiNtS

The federal government or-dered an audit of Sunnybrook Veter-ans Centre last Thursday, following weeks of scrutiny and complaints over the quality of care at the To-ronto facility.

Sunnybrook is the largest vet-eran’s facility in Canada, containing 500 beds. In early November, some families of Sunnybrook residents raised concerns about incidents that occurred at the hospital. Allegations included veterans left in unsanitary conditions and delays for vital ser-vices, like feeding.

These allegations led to a gov-ernment inspection of the facilities on Nov. 9. Families have since ex-pressed concern about the inspec-tion’s effectiveness as Sunnybrook was warned about the inspection about a day before it occurred.

Although the hospital receives money from the both the Ontario and federal governments, it reports only to the federal government. While provincial rules mandate that long-term care homes be inspected at least once a year, Sunnybrook’s last inspection by the Ministry of Health occured in 2005.

Officials say the audit will focus on how the facility uses taxpayers’ money, as well as on the quality of the care provided, and should be completed in early 2013.

Canada?what happened last week in CoMPiled by beA bRiTNeFF ANd eRiCA FRieSeN

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TRIBUNETHE Mcgill

editorial

editorial Last week, the Montreal Ga-zette reported that McGill is filing a lawsuit against Arthur Porter, for-mer executive director of the McGill University Health Centre, over an unpaid loan (see “News in Brief,” page 2). The unfurling fiasco has brought forward one disconcerting revelation after another.

It’s hard to choose which part of the scandal is most shocking: it could be the additional sum of $92,000 Porter was paid, on top of the publicly disclosed salary of $256,000. It could be the undis-closed amount he was paid as an assistant professor in the faculty of medicine, despite no evidence that he taught in that capacity. Most puz-zling of all, though, is the $500,000 loan he received from McGill in 2008, at an annual interest rate of one per cent, for which he is now being sued.

Here, some obvious questions emerge. McGill has, to date, failed to specify exactly what the loan was for, and why such a large figure was offered to an executive director at rates far below prime. The Montreal Gazette found that the loan was part of a “housing loan agreement”—a questionable term. According to the National Post, low interest loans are apparently a standard perk for university administrators on top of

their salaries. Porter’s teaching sala-ry—for lecturing he allegedly never did—also has yet to be explained.

As paying students of this uni-versity, we feel that we are entitled to hear answers to the simple ques-tions of what the loan was for and what teaching Porter actually did. Either something went very wrong and the university simply does not know how this all fits into a larger tangled web of deceit, or the practice of paying nonteaching executives as professors and supplying them with loans at such low rates is standard. Both are similarly disturbing and re-quire explanation.

What concerns this editorial board most, however, is that it’s en-tirely likely that none of this would have gone public had it not been for McGill’s lawsuit against Porter. The affair raises a number of bigger questions about how our university manages its finances and discloses

the salaries of directors and senior administrators.

Most importantly, we would like to know if other university of-ficials have been receiving personal loans of hundreds of thousands of dollars at negligible interest rates, or been appointed to positions and paid for work they never did. Salaries of top university administrators are made public in Quebec through an-nual reports submitted to the Nation-al Assembly. This public disclosure, unfortunately, means nothing if the figures aren’t correct. (Salaries of di-rectors of publically-funded institu-tions, like the MUHC, are similarly available via access to information requests).

McGill will do its best to brand Arthur Porter as the guilty party, and that won’t prove to be terribly difficult. Before this incident, there was much controversy around the MUHC project, including several allegations of corruption. In Sep-tember, a provincial anti-corruption unit raided the offices of the MUHC. Porter left the country in 2011, after abruptly resigning as chairman of Canada’s Security and Intelligence Review committee. His departure came amidst allegations that he sent $200,000 of his own funds to a Mon-treal businessman, hoping to secure a $120 million infrastructure devel-

opment project that would have ben-efitted Porter’s own company in his native Sierra Leone.

However, this affair is indica-tive of a broader lack of transpar-ency. There are some serious matters of contention still on the table, and we ask that McGill come forward with an explanation. At a time when the administration cries bloody mur-der about underfunding, this debacle could be highly damaging to Mc-Gill’s credibility if it cannot pro-vide answers. At the same time, if it cannot account for such large sums, it is going to have a hard time con-vincing major players, including the provincial and federal governments, that it deserves the additional fund-ing it claims to need.

As students, we would like to know exactly what the loan was for, and whether offering low-interest loans to senior administrators or di-rectors is standard practice. Similar-ly, we would like answers as to why there was a discrepancy between Porter’s actual salary and the publi-cally disclosed figure, and whether such divergences are common. As-surances that posted salaries are cor-rect—and more generally that there is transparency in compensation for top university officials—are first steps towards maintaining the trust of tuition-paying students.

McGill loan scandal highlights a bigger problem of transparency

off the board

I can’t exactly remember the conversation where my mom told me that my dad might have prostate cancer. Ironically enough, it hap-pened on a November evening, but in the long months that ensued, we never said the words out loud again. We’d never been confronted with a something so deadly and so scary. Cancer is a heavy word—ominous, terrifying. It’s a word that makes you re-evaluate any and all of your past decisions, and makes you reconsider all upcoming ones. Talking about cancer is hard. But it’s important.

Enter Movember. This annual campaign began ten years ago and encourages men to grow a moustache in November to raise awareness and research funding for prostate cancer. The movement, which began in Aus-tralia, gained significant momentum in the past years, and teams of ‘Mo

Bros’ and supportive ‘Mo Sistas’ from all over can now register on-line and raise large sums for national prostate cancer organizations. Last year, Canadian participants raised over $785,000 for Prostate Cancer Canada, with over $2 million raised overall by teams around the world.

In my years at McGill, I’ve seen Movember gain momentum and vis-ibility on our campus. But like other movements that are based on fash-ion statements, conversations about Movember often revolve around the moustaches themselves. (Is it bushy enough, or is there scarcely enough fuzz? Is it well-groomed, or un-kempt?). It’s rare to hear discussions that transcend the visual portion of the campaign, and instead, focus on the meaning behind the moustache. It is time to take a step away from evaluating people’s moustaches, and rather, to think of the reasons that they’re rocking the ‘mo: to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

Although some people do raise funds with their moustaches, many jump on the bandwagon, sporting a moustache without knowing enough

about the cause behind it. Even if you aren’t raising money this No-vember, remember that you can ef-fect change and reduce the stigma associated with men’s health. If we can talk about embarrassing mous-taches, why not also talk about what some view as embarrassing health topics?

Some facts to get you started in discussing men’s health: the prostate is walnut-sized gland in the male re-productive system. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 26,500 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in Canada last year, and 15 per cent died because of it. One in seven men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and one in 28 will die of it. Prostate cancer has a high survival rate—at 96 per cent—but only if caught in its early stages. Because early detection can really make a difference, doctors recommend that men have annual check-ups starting at age 40 or 50.

As the daughter of a prostate cancer survivor, I appreciate Mo-vember because it’s a month to ask difficult questions and consider their

answers. Do you know if your fa-ther, grandfather or other relatives had prostate cancer? This will dou-ble a man’s chances of having it later on. Have your loved ones ever had a check-up, and do they understand how important it is to have an annual one? These are questions that often don’t come up in regular household conversations—they never did in mine—but whose answers may sur-prise you.

This November, I encourage you to make the moustaches you see on campus a chance to start a con-versation about the symptoms, risks, and implications of prostate cancer. Regardless of your ability to grow a moustache, these are important questions whose answers might one day affect people you care about. Talking about cancer is always dif-ficult, but it’s important to be com-fortable, or at least able, to discuss prostate cancer today, so that if the day ever comes that you need to face it head-on, you’ll know what the dis-cussion entails and you’ll be better prepared to face it.

Carolina Millán RonchettiManaging Editor

“There are some

serious matters of

contention still on the

table, and we ask that

McGill come forward

with an explanation.”

Making the moustache

matter

Last Wednesday, Parti Québé-cois (PQ) Environment Minster Daniel Breton raised considerable controversy. When asked about proposals currently being brought forward to start moving crude oil from Alberta’s oil sands to refineries in Montreal and further east in the Maritimes, he rejected the notion outright.

“Albertans want to bring their oil onto our land, without our con-sent,” he told La Presse.

He also cited environmental risks, stating that “this is a question of protecting the environment that’s on our territory.”

The Alberta oil sands are a hotly-debated topic on the environ-mental front. For years, critics have targeted the extraction process as excessively harmful, but that’s not

the issue brought forward by Mr. Breton. His concern, judging by his quote, is the impact of the project on Quebecois land.

Unlike the hotly disputed Key-stone XL and Northern Gateway projects, which would lay down new pipelines in a process both lengthy and harmful to the surrounding areas, these current proposals primarily involve the repurposing of existing infrastructure. Enbridge is seeking to reverse the flow of their pipeline, which currently moves crude oil from Montreal to Sarnia. Similarly, TransCanada wants to convert their Canadian Mainline pipeline, which currently carries natural gas, into an oil line. The work required to make these modifications is minor.

Mr. Breton also cited the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill as a reason for Quebec to be wary of the propos-als. While the disaster in Michigan certainly serves as a harsh reminder of what can go wrong with pipe-lines, these are risks that Quebec is already taking with the existing En-bridge line. Reversing the flow of oil

will not increase the likelihood of a rupture.

The environmental concerns seem even more dubious when one considers that New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair has come forward in favour of these proposals. Mulcair has vehemently opposed the other aforementioned pipeline initiatives, on the grounds of both environmental and eco-nomic concerns. However, provided the project developer pays for any environmental damage caused, he believes that the economic benefits greatly outweigh any drawbacks in this case.

Currently, refineries in Eastern Canada process crude oil shipped in from Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Venezuela. Once refined, the oil is sent inland to Canada, to the east-ern United States, or as far south as Texas. Replacing these imports with Albertan oil would keep more prof-its within Canada.

As Mulcair rightly points out, the alternatives to this proposal in-volve shipping the bitumen to the

U.S. or China, eliminating poten-tial high-paying Canadian jobs. The West-East pipeline would create more jobs in the East, and increase the export capacity for our refined oil.

Ultimately, Mr. Breton’s com-ments seem to indicate an ideologi-cal opposition to the proposal, rather than a stance based on the facts of the issue. Rather than addressing en-vironmental or economic concerns, his comments derive from a purely political stance. The rhetoric used is distinctly nationalist, even employ-ing the Quiet Revolution slogan ‘maître chez nous’ (‘masters of our own home’). While Mr. Breton’s sovereigntist approach is certainly in keeping with the Parti Québécois’ stance, it may be problematic for the province’s future.

This sort of dogmatic unwill-ingness to even consider proposals such as these could prove seriously harmful to Quebec, deterring job creation and economic growth. The PQ has vowed to get tough on cor-porations, but a recently filed law-

suit—in which a number of corpo-rations including Wal-mart and the Gap are threatening to pull out of Quebec over increasingly strict lan-guage laws—seems to demonstrate that this stance is to the overall detri-ment of the province thus far. To set a precedent in which opportunities are being struck down on uniquely partisan grounds will only worsen this. While the party did get elected on a platform stemming from a par-ticular set of ideologies, these can-not take precedence over general economic well-being.

The questions of judgement that these issues bring forward could ultimately damage the party itself. As a newly-elected minority govern-ment with an upcoming confidence vote, this is not the time for the PQ to be trying to score political points with a separatist base by shunning real issues. If the Party plans to oc-cupy any sort of long-term leader-ship role, it will have to learn to tem-per its ideologies and take all aspects of that role seriously.

I never knew too much about Justin Trudeau—who is now in the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada—other than the fact that his father’s stint in the Prime Minister’s office inspired my own father’s lifelong conservatism.

“Pierre Trudeau was the first and only Liberal I’ve ever voted for,” my father would say. My in-clination was to paint all Liberal Party members with the brush of its late leader Stéphane Dion—whose infamous cry of “Do you think itʼs easy to make priorities?” fit right in with the Conservatives’ ‘Stéphane Dion is not a leader’ advertisements.

This led me to expect a humiliat-ing defeat in Trudeau’s March 2012 boxing match against Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau. The upset raised the possibility, that, behind Trudeauʼs flowing brown hair and smoldering eyes, may lie reserves of true strength. I didn’t think about it for too long, though, because he is, after all, part of an increasingly ir-relevant third party.

Since Trudeau entered the lead-ership race, many have noted the similarities he shares with Barack Obama. Trudeau is young, hand-some, charismatic, and has a real chance of bringing optimism and enthusiasm back into Canadian politics. But the similarities don’t end there. Like Obama, Trudeau was in Parliament for less than four years before beginning to campaign for higher office. And like Obama, Trudeau’s pre-political experiences

reveal him to be a lightweight. Be-fore serving in Parliament, Trudeau was more or less a permanent stu-dent, flitting from one intellectual obsession to another. He studied literature at McGill, education at UBC, engineering at the University of Montreal, and then, finally, re-turned to McGill University to begin a degree in environmental geogra-phy. This last degree was ultimately abandoned in favour of his 2007 par-liamentary run. Some may look at Trudeau and see a Renaissance Man. Others may view him as unable to begin something and stick with it.

Recent articles in the National Post and the Toronto Sun have re-vealed that Trudeau is seeking to hire Mitch Stewart, a top campaign strategist for Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 election bids, to join his leadership campaign. To quote the National Post, Trudeau is seeking

to exploit “the U.S.-style tactics and U.S.-style strategy used in the recent U.S. campaign” to ease his way to the leadership.

Does Trudeau really think this is going to help him? Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, lest we forget, hinged entirely upon tear-ing down Mitt Romney’s charac-ter, shifting the focus of the elec-tion away from his own record, and appealing to the Democratic base through wedge issues. Obama abandoned any pretense of being a centrist, Clinton-esque, pro-business Democrat through his misleading at-tacks on Bain Capital and patroniz-ing tone towards the successful (“if you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that”).

The Liberal Party has always been a big-tent organization, appeal-ing to broad swathes of the Canadian population. It has never strayed too

far left of Canada’s political centre.Now, more than ever, its vi-

ability depends on portraying itself as a ‘middle-of-the-road’ alterna-tive between a ‘far right’ Conser-vative Party and a ‘far left’ New Democratic Party (NDP). If Justin Trudeau were to adopt the divisive and polarizing campaign tactics of the United States Democratic Party (and, to be fair, its Republican Party as well), the Liberal Party will enter NDP territory and complete its fade into obscurity.

Justin Trudeau seems like a nice guy, even if his pre-political ex-perience suggests he would be an in-effective Prime Minister. But for the sake of a middle-of-the-road, ‘left-of-center’ Canadian political fac-tion, however, I do hope he eschews the divisive and polarizing rhetoric of Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

Provost Masi’s letter in the last issue of the Tribune was a response to The Daily’s editorial “Demanding student voices at the top” (Oct. 29, 2012). The Daily editorial criticized the lack of student involvement in the selection of a new Deputy Pro-vost (Student Life and Learning).

Our administration can play politics with competing student pa-pers, which can even be healthy, but shouldn’t do so without mentioning the source of the letter. The Provost used many big words about democ-racy in his ‘letter,’ but his submission is little more than a strong assault on those with differing opinions about the role and achievements of his Deputy Provost and the procedures currently in use to select his new successor.

The Daily piece noted, “the ad-visory committee is just that: adviso-

ry.” This summarizes the disappoint-ment of fee-paying students who are not recognized as true partners with this educational institution.

Also troubling is the commit-tee’s over-representation of McGill-elected working academics and staff members. It reminds me of the fa-mous Communist public relations notion of “social consultations,” when party members (who repre-sented five to 10 per cent of the total population) were asked at special meetings to approve some key deci-sions that the Politburo had already agreed upon. Nobody was allowed to criticize top policies that were then officially recognized as the ‘will of the majority.’

Manipulative methods used by power-hungry functionaries have analogous patterns—no matter if these techniques are applied in for-

mer Libya or Iraq, Communist Rus-sia, or here today. We have learned by chance about the questionable McGill techniques disclosed by a former student leader, Andrew Doyle. In an online comment on the editorial in question, he revealed that all previously democratically-selected delegates of one such advi-sory committee “were made to sign confidentiality agreements several times, and the Provost stressed the secrecy of the process over and over again.” In his letter, Masi describes McGill as “a student-centred Uni-versity that puts student consider-ations at the forefront” after quoting various Task Forces that suppos-edly solve the university’s problems. Those two quotes are quite consis-tent and reflect the true treatment of our community by McGill’s govern-ing bodies.

Until today, we were unin-formed about the ‘intimidation sessions’ that convert isolated rep-resentatives into puppets of the ad-ministration. It is deplorable that strongly-supported delegates of aca-demics, staff members, and students were denied the right to oppose such questionable requirements of confi-dentiality.

Clearly, more transparency is needed in decisions concerning the selection or evaluation of adminis-trative leaders. It is also depressing to hear that Doyle, instead of feeling humiliated by this experience, now advises new members of such com-mittees: “Just try not to do any dam-age but make the most informed rec-ommendations as possible.” This reaction resonates with my personal impression after dealing with col-leagues afraid to utter even one

sentence about their work on such a commission for fear of retribution.

Taking these events into per-spective, we should not be aston-ished by the total silence of the latest committee mandated to search for a new principal, which was formed months ago. How can we be as-sured what documents, statements, or declarations they were expected to sign or not? It is clear, now they are scared and so remain quiet, that it will be more effective to ask pre-vious members of such committees. This may work, as some of them are now retired. The first steps toward demanding more transparency and respect for democracy in our uni-versities are the most important, and thus, the most difficult. However, change is never easy.

—Slawomir Poplawski

Justin Trudeau and the Political

Centre

CommentaryCedric Smith

Quebec’s refusal to

accept Albertan oil

is all political

Ben Carter-WhitneyCommentary

letter to the editor

Letters to the editor are spaces for our readers to respond to our content and to comment on events both on campus and beyond. All opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the McGill Tribune.

Student living

Bananagrams is a word game that has recently grown increas-ingly popular with the university student crowd. The game is remi-niscent of Scrabble, but is played at a much faster pace. Each player takes a certain number of letter tiles from the ‘bunch’ in the centre of the table, and attempt to make a sort of crossword from them. Players keep taking tiles from the ‘bunch’ as they use them up, while keeping pace with whichever player is using up their tiles the fastest. Once there are no tiles left in the ‘bunch,’ the first player to use up their remain-ing tiles is the winner—provided the crossword passes inspection from the rest of the players. The McGill Tribune recently had the opportu-nity to interview Rena Nathanson, co-inventor—along with her father, Abe Nathanson—and president of Bananagrams. She provided much insight into the history of the game, the family that started it all, and why it appeals to university students.

McGill Tribune: How in-volved was everyone when it came to creating the game? Did each

member have a different role? Rena Nathanson: We were all

game testers! The rules came about through discussion. Pretty much ev-erything in our family comes about through discussion. Everyone talks about everything a lot. Is this too hard? Is this too easy?

MT: How long did it take to make the game?

RN: [It happened] pretty quickly I would say six months to a year, from the idea that we had something [that people would want to buy], to having a finished product in our hands. Yeah, it was very fast. We lucked out and found suppliers very quickly who could do what we wanted.

MT: I understand that you consider things like cost and por-tability to be key components to the game. What made you focus on those aspects specifically? How else did you personally refine the game?

RN: Well, we looked at the market, studied other games out there, and wanted to make it afford-able. We didn’t want to keep anyone from buying it. We wanted a broad spectrum of customers. Portabil-ity—that was a challenge, because a

lot of big companies wanted to put it in a box; and they [wouldn’t manu-facture the game otherwise.] But ul-timately, they knocked on our doors, and said ‘okay, we’ll have it as it is.’ So portability was very key. It was also a very conscious ecological de-cision. We didn’t want more plastic and cardboard in the world.

MT: How was the 2006 Lon-don Toy Fair [the first showing of Bananagrams]?

RN: That was crazy! I was in London, and my parents flew out for it. My kids helped: they came in banana costumes. We took orders from the moment the doors opened. We were not expecting it!

MT: What is so special about Bananagrams? What makes it different?

RN: I think, the portability, the playability, and [the fact that the game] is really fast. You can play one hand in five minutes; and I think the idea of no pencil, paper, board, scoring, is really attractive, particularly to a younger audience. They don’t get disheartened if they don’t win a match, so it’s very ad-dictive and encouraging for kids as well. Also, what I think is very spe-cial about it is that, it can be played

with people of different ages at the same time. I don’t think I can think of another game where everyone can play and still enjoy themselves [equally].

MT: How long did it take for the game to expand the way it did? I understand that you didn’t use any heavy advertising, a national sales force, or the help of being in the large retail stores. Was it all word of mouth?

RN: [It took] probably about two to three years. It went very fast. Because I think one person buys it, plays it with five or six people, then they all want it. It’s kind of a pyra-mid game. So we were very fortu-nate that we hit the perfect forum with it.

MT: Your father had said that he didn’t want to do business with the large retail stores, such as Toys “R” Us and Wal-Mart. Is this something that will remain true as the company develops?

RN: Yes and no. We won’t do discount stores. We are commenc-ing with Target, [and are] just about to commence next year with Toys “R” Us. We have found that we kind of have no choice. I think we have timed it carefully and it was a very

conscious decision to not lift every-thing very quickly, and control the entry into the world with the inde-pendent [stores] and then with the larger stores. We wanted to be, and still [want to] be, loyal to all our independent retailers who have all been loyal to us as well. But there comes a point where, as a business, you have to grow.

MT: What does the future of Bananagrams look like? With electronic technology being such a big part of everyone’s lives, how do you see Bananagrams adapt-ing to that?

RN: We have an app that we are in the middle of re-designing. We are very excited about re-launching [it]!

MT: Do you have any tips on being creative with the game, or different ways to enjoy it?

RN: Well, that’s another unique thing about us. We’re al-ways open to suggestions on differ-ent ways to play the game. We have a blogspot on our website where people can post their ways of play-ing and adapting the game. And I think that’s one of the beauties of our games—you can make them your own.

Bananagrams serve up bunches of funup close and personal

Co-creator Rena Nathanson on her love of games, her company’s development, and her family’s business

ContributorJulianna Astorino

nominate a student of the week!Email us at studentliving@mcgilltribune.com

Robotization of armed Conflicts: ethical and Legal Challengeswednesday, november 21

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Chancellor day hall

The McGill faculty of law presents this lecture by Banting Postdoctor-

al Fellow Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer. The talk will discuss ethical

issues surrounding military equipment like drones and who should

take responsibility when one misfires. When human judgment is out

of the picture, what power does the law have?

interactive mental health lecturethursday, november 22

8:30 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.

stewart Bio n2/2

Come out to this interactive ‘teach-in’ on mental health topics such

as stigma, how to seek help, how to support those dealing with men-

tal illness, and more. The lecture will feature a McGill professor and a

representative from Action on Mental Illness Quebec.

mcGill improv presents: satisfyingly Longfriday, november 23

8:00 p.m.

morrice hall

McGill Improv invites you to a show unlike any other. Typical improv

scenes last, at most, five minutes, but on Friday night they will treat

you to a 40 minute scene of improv, action, and comedy. We can’t

say much about the content because it will be, well… improvised.

Tickets are by donation.

Campus calendar

9Curiosity delivers. | STUDENT LIVING | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

with Jacqui Galbraithof the week

GeoRGina pRiCeINTERNATIoNAl MANAGEMENTU1(Alexandra Allaire/ McGill Tribune)

studentQ: which Guinness world Record would you have the best shot at breaking?A: The most chocolate consumed during finals.

Q: what’s your good luck charm?A: My watch. I wear [it] all the time, and if I leave the house without it on, I get a little paranoid. I start freaking out a little bit.

Q: if you were a club at mcGill, which one would you be and why?A: Though I’m not involved with them this year, [I would be] McGill Health. Maybe I’ll get involved next year [be-cause] I feel like it’s important to have a balance and stay healthy. Keep a bal-ance, so you can look back on these four years and not have the fifth floor of Schulich be the first thing that comes to mind.

Q: what reality tV show would you be perfect for?A: “Secret life of a Perfectionist.” I guess sometimes I have little mini-meltdowns, and in retrospect they’re always kind of funny. I feel like maybe people would get a little chuckle out of that; but at the time it’s pretty serious [to me].

Q: if you could be anywhere in the world right now instead of mon-treal, where would it be?A: Well I’m feeling a little homesick right now, so it would be nice to go back to Vancouver. But I am looking into doing an exchange next year, so I’m getting the whole Europe bug. Maybe England, [because] I have some family there.

Q: what’s your go-to stress-buster?A: Calling up my parents, that’s a good one. They just put things in perspective.

Q: if you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?A: There’s a really good book that I read: it’s by Mike McCardell—one of the Global TV news presenters. It’s called “Here’s Mike.” It’s just cute, he’ll be walking down the street and he’ll see a father and his daughter, and it’ll be something like the first time she’s riding a bike. He’ll write about [how] it’s just one of life’s little moments. It’s cheesy, but it’s a really happy book.

Q: what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?A: last year—first year—was really stressful with all the new work and stuff like that. And I know it’s not really the most profound advice, but I remember around midterms, I just didn’t go out or

anything like that, and my dad said, “Go out! Stop studying! Take the night off and go have a beer.” It’s true though, you have to balance in general just tak-ing the time to have fun and then being productive when you have to get some work done.

Q: what’s one piece of advice you’d give mcGill students?A: An obvious one is balance. Get in-volved because coming out of first year you may feel like you’re in a groove, but there are always so many more opportu-nities. This year I’ve gotten a lot more in-volved, and I’ve met some great people.

Q: what’s one movie you’ll never watch again?A: There was one called “open Water.” It was about sharks. Just a waste of time. It was a lot of bobbing up and down in water, and it was just boring.

Q: describe exam period in three words.A: oh my God. I think that would do it. oh my God.

Q: what’s the first thing you think of when i say ‘schulich’?A: First year. Never again.

Q: what’s your biggest pet peeve?A: When you open the door and a line

of people come out, and don’t even ac-knowledge you. You’re just like “you’re welcome!” Personal doorman, that’s a big pet peeve.

Q: who would star in the movie of your life?A: Purely to boost my ego, but Zooey Deschanel is just so cute. She would be great; I would love to be portrayed by her.

Q: why are you an asset to mcGill?A: I’m in a student network of eco-nomic development (SNED) and we get together and discuss foreign aid, micro-financing, and methods of eco-nomic development. I’m in international development, so that interests me a lot. It’s kind of important to get involved in clubs that pertain to what you’re study-ing, so you can get a more rounded out knowledge of [the subject]. To see how it’s practised so when you get out there you can see the opportunities where you can get involved. I’m [also] an intern at a local NGo. It’s not McGill but it’s all Mc-Gill volunteers and interns and stuff. It’s for the empowerment of female artisans in the developing world. It’s pretty new but I feel like I’m going to be involved with it for the next few years. Maybe not so much an asset to McGill per se, but maybe the community.

McGill students Jared Saks, U3 General Management; Ari Sobera-no, U2 Marketing; and Daniel Viner, U2 Finance; spent November 16th leading a day of sports activities at St. Gabriel, a local Montreal ele-mentary school. The Tribune caught up with these students to pick their brains about the event, specifically what went into its execution, and how sports can be a powerful learn-ing tool for youth.

McGill Tribune: So how did this whole idea come about?

Daniel Viner: For one of our classes, Social Context of Business, we were tasked with doing some-thing that would benefit a communi-ty in the Montreal area. So we found a school called St. Gabriel’s that we thought would be right for this ac-tivity, and we love sports, so we de-cided we’d create a day of activities and sports, and connect it to a theme of ‘following your dreams.’

MT: Can you give me a basic idea of what you did for this event?

Jared Saks: There were about 60 kids, grades four to six. Kids were split into different teams, by

colours, and we had bracelets [that say ‘follow your dreams’ on them] for each team to identify [with]. We did dodge ball, soccer, [and] a game called ‘flicker ball’. We did British Bulldog, and some relay races.

Ari Soberano: They got a little tired during the day, so we wanted to [have] one rotation that could kind of be more relaxed. My games were more of sitting in circles and what-not... ‘two truths and a lie,’ the ‘fol-low the pattern’ game... just to give a break [from the physical activity] throughout the whole day.

JS: At each of our stations we had sort of an underlying theme that we wanted to teach them. At one station, we wanted to teach them about teamwork, how it’s important in sports, and how you can use that in your life to follow your dreams. We talked about passion, we talked about determination.

DV: Also, we created a big ban-ner that we left there, and that all the kids are going to sign, that says ‘fol-low your dreams.’ They’re going to hang it up in their gym on the wall, and it’ll always be there to remind them of the day. At the end of the whole day of activities, all the kids were given a little piece of paper,

and they had to write down one word out of passion, determination, and teamwork. Then [they had to] write what that meant to them and the significance of it.

MT: So what made you choose sports as a vehicle to teach the kids about these values?

JS: I think I can speak for all of us when I say that sports have been something that’s been very impor-tant in all of our lives. I know from my experience—I played hockey my whole life. I see the importance of teamwork, and I see the importance of passion. Whatever you want to do in your life, sports [are], like you said, a very good vehicle to learn these values and really drive you.

MT: So you said this started as a project for a class, and that the point is to create something that lasts. Have you thought about whether or not you’re going to do more work like this?

DV: The gym teacher, Shelly Sharp, already asked us—she said she runs a cooking class once a month at the school—if we’d be able to come in to help out [by] just play-ing with the kids. So I think it’s not necessarily the idea of continuing on the event, but just continuing a pres-

ence or an involvement. JS: At the same time, I think

we were also planning on speaking to our professor. Although we’re not in the class next year, we wanted to see if there [might] be students who could maybe do it again.

MT: How were the kids’ reac-tions to the activities?

JS: I think the kids liked us a lot. [When I introduced myself, I said,] “My name’s Jared Saks, and I’m 21 years old,” and all the kids went “Whoa, you’re 21! Whoa, you’re so old!”

AS: The kids loved the wrist-bands, every five minutes, the kids pretended to lose their wristbands so they could get a different colour.

MT: What did you find that you learned from this experience?

DV: Small acts of kindness real-

ly can make a difference. [The kids] might not remember us in a month, two months [from now], but just the fact that every time they walk in the gym, they’re going to see [‘follow your dreams’] up there, hopefully, somewhere down the road, they’re going to remember what they took from the experience.

JS: The level of happiness that kids had doing our event is some-thing that I really think I’ll never forget.

AS: The fact that parents came out and supported their kids and supported our event made me learn that people really are involved in this school, and people really are involved in this community. That’s really going to shape these kids and hopefully put them on the right path.

follow your dreams: mcGill students give backup close and personal

Sports and games show local youth the power of teamwork, passion, and determination

Student living EditorJacqui Galbraith

Jared Saks, Ari Soberano, Daniel Viner, and Shelly Sharp. (Photo courtesy of Jared Saks)

This student of the week was nominated for her active involvement within the McGill

international development community.

How students cope with stress

“Our battles with stress

will only make us stronger,

ensuring that term papers,

midterms, and exams are

rightfully understood as

the small hurdles to jump

along the long university

marathon.”

Colleen McNamaraIllustration by Ben ko

Underpressure:

expected tasks. She ignored midterms and assignments, didn’t attend lectures, and stayed in bed for up to five days at a time. She explains the double-edged sword that characterizes the connection between stress and depression.

“If you are depressed, you don’t want to do work. If you don’t do work you’re going to become stressed out about it… it’s a vicious cycle.”

Violet recalls feeling unable to climb out of the rut of inactivity she was in. “When my stress levels became too high, I opted out of life. Not only did this make me completely behind in work, I then became more stressed out because I felt completely hopeless.”

According to Pantel, stress management techniques are vital to ensure that symptoms do not evolve into more significant issues. Though Violet alleviated her symptoms after diagnoses and treatment, her stress did not disappear. Yet, identifying depression as the source of her battle with stress enabled her to achieve a level of cognitive clarity, which she describes as on par with that of her peers.

“Certainly, I think I can manage stress much better now, because the medication I take allows me to make choices that make me happy: exercise, eating better, sleeping regularly, working hard.”

Despite her new level of clarity, residual effects remain from self-taught approaches to schoolwork while battling undiscovered depression.

“I have developed really terrible study habits. I usually won’t do anything, and then at the last moment when the stress really hits me, I’ll buckle down and make it in time,” she said.

The starting-line position Violet now finds herself at—facing the impact of stress keeping her from her textbooks—highlights the prevailing paradox at the heart of many students’ tumultuous relationship with stress. A healthy level acts as a boosting mechanism to kick-start work, but once the point of nipping procrastination in the bud is surpassed, the friendly hand of stress can transform into an unsuspected enemy.

Pantel agrees that stress is not always negative, and indeed a certain degree is essential for motivation—the weight of its impact is dependent on how we perceive stress, and how we interpret the events surrounding it. Benjamin*, U3 political science and economics, shares this notion, and celebrates the beneficial element of stress.

“[It] has impacted my educational career positively, in that it increases my motivation to discover ways in which I can alleviate what causes me stress, which [means] doing better in school,” he states.

Benjamin finds solace in completing schoolwork, consequently relieving stress and thereby feeling satisfied. He admits, however, that the formula to embrace stress, finish schoolwork, and achieve contentment, is not successful when he faces uninspiring facets of coursework. To preserve the stamina in the ongoing battle to stay on top of work, he uses study drugs, such as Adderall or Vyvanse, as his weapons of choice. Benjamin stocks up from friends who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, and are willing to share or sell their prescriptions on the side. He is conscious of the connection between

completing work and maintaining peace of mind, but is handicapped by a genuine lack of interest in a particular subject or aspect of a course.

He uses study drugs to “concentrate on work that doesn’t always have cognitive primacy, like long, drawn-out readings.” Though they enable him to sit for hours attacking tedious tasks, he affirms that the usefulness of ‘study drugs’ is limited to certain situations. These medications ignite extreme levels of concentration in those unaffected by ADD, provoking a detrimental level of attention to detail. Often, they even prompt the user to draw nonsensical or overly abstract connections.

“I couldn’t use study drugs in situations that required a lot of clear and creative thinking or linear thought,” Benjamin confirms.

Paralleling the experiences of Violet and Benjamin, and their use of medication, it is key to recognize that some students’ battle with stress is often compounded by the day-to-day struggle with other issues. Violet asserts that the treatment of her depression placed her on a leveled playing field with her classmates. Yet, the treatment of one cognitive disorder does not cure the other. In the same vein, Benjamin’s use of study drugs to maintain a consistent degree of stress-free living complicates the relationship between stress, mental illness, and maintaining control through medication—regardless of whether one is diagnosed with an illness or not.

Isaac Gielen, a U4 secondary education student and former floor fellow at McGill Residences, guided over 150 students through the challenges of their first year. Often, he maintained advisory relationships after students left residence. As a central guidance figure to newcomers from all corners of the globe, Gielen recognized a salient stressor among McGill’s fresh faces. He noticed a significant disconnect between the challenges belying the day-to-day grind of an undergrad, and how the reputation of excellence at McGill creates preconceived notions of assured success and satisfaction.

Interestingly, Gielen explains, the reputation of McGill elicits self-doubt for students who become generally dissatisfied with their respective programs. He recalls students believing that their unease was illegitimate, describing it as “this mentality that‘my program isn’t giving me much, but McGill is such a celebrated school, it must be fine and I must be the problem.’”

Gielen calls attention to the disconnect between the expectations of school versus the multifaceted struggles it ensures. Many on the margins of academia—even parents, siblings or friends—may not be aware of their loved ones’ constant exposure to stress.

On the other hand, professors’ proximity to students, by virtue of involvement in the university itself, allows an empathetic understanding of the weighty pressures caused by looming deadlines, exams, and the perpetual need to succeed. Dr. Jody Mason, professor in the department of English, tracks general levels of student stress through interpreting student behaviours in lecture.

“I try to monitor student response in class; if students are clearly not reading or keeping up with the material, I always

attempt to pull back or re-organize the material in some way.”

Although being stressed does not fall under the category of a medical excuse many professors require, Mason accommodates stress symptoms with a “generous late policy, which gives students up to five days to submit late work with a very minimal penalty.” Despite the reasonable mediations Mason employs, she notes that students often simply fail to submit work.

Considering the various causes and manifestations of stress, methods of prevention must be examined. For example, students should maintain physical well-being by sleeping and eating well, as well as exercising regularly. Psychologically, identifying personal strengths and weaknesses is important; aiming for perfection will inevitably lead to dissatisfaction. Students should place reasonable demands on themselves.

Pantel also emphasizes the often forgotten, yet simplest of all preventative tools: keeping a balance between studying and recreation by not letting the pleasures of life be overthrown by schoolwork.

Stress may pop into a student’s life when they least expect it. For some, stress could be a manifestation of depression symptoms, while for others, stress perhaps serves as a motivational tool. Yet, regardless of the way it manifests, each student at the university is bound to develop a relationship with stress in some way or another. Evidently, although stress is ever-present, we have the power to mold and shape it into what we want. Our battles with stress will only make us stronger, ensuring that term papers, midterms, and exams are rightfully understood as the small hurdles to jump along the long university marathon.

*Names were fabricated to maintain the anonymity of those interviewed.

After four years at McGill, Amelia*, U3 psychology, believed she

had reached a relatively seasoned level of mastery in the pursuit of her undergraduate degree, guaranteeing that her final semester would be completed with ease. Much to her surprise, however, she confronted a debilitating level of stress during midterm season this October. In previous years, Amelia navigated through work without becoming too overwhelmed, but this semester she found herself at an unrecognizable crossroad, blurred by a “fog of panic” with no clear solution in sight.

She believes her unparalleled stress levels were ignited by an unforgiving midterm schedule, causing her to feel like she was “up against an impossible amount of work.” Amelia could barely recognize herself.

“Instead of just trying to tackle work like I normally would, I became paralyzed with fear and my brain shut down entirely,” she says. “I would look at a page of material I [knew] and [I would feel] like I had never read it before.”

According to Dr. Stepanie Pantel, a psychologist at McGill Mental Health, Amelia’s stress was “the mind and body’s way of responding to a demand.” Pantel distinguishes the difference between the physiological, cognitive, and emotional reactions to stress. “Increased blood pressure and heart rate, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, [and] headaches” are bodily reactions to stress. In addition, “negative self-talk, inability to concentrate, restlessness and difficulty making decisions” are common psychological effects.

Pantel asserts that our response to stress is often governed by the body’s protective hardwiring when it senses imminent danger, which triggers the fight-or-flight reaction, also known as the ‘stress response.’ In this case, the body responds whether the danger is real or imagined. An amalgamation of intangible, lurking, and often undiscovered stressors can elicit the same reaction as a set of life threatening or jeopardizing circumstances—like a car speeding towards you in the wrong lane.

Unlike Amelia, Violet*, U3 biology and math, maintains a conscious awareness of the presence of stress in her life. There is a correlation between stress symptoms and clinical depression specific to her case. Last year, Violet was diagnosed with depression, and keeps track of stress symptoms as a measurement of her psychological well-being.

“I always find myself toeing the border of crippling stress,” she recalls.

At the pinnacle of her undiagnosed illness, Violet completely withdrew from

Science & technologyHUNGRY by Leigh MiLLer

Nightmares may be evolutionary survival toolSCIENCE

Dreams help process emotional surges; nightmares keep us aware and alert

ContributorCaity Hui

Nightmares have always been a dreaded human experience. In cer-tain cultures, they were thought to be premonitions of the future. It was this ominous notion that prompted indigenous cultures to construct dream catchers. When a bad dream entered the dreamer’s sleep, the webbing of the dream catcher sup-posedly trapped this nightmare. The first light of morning then caused these bad dreams to melt away.

Despite our inherent fear of nightmares, current research has demonstrated that they may be a necessary and functional aspect of dreaming.

The Dream and Nightmare Lab-oratory, which is associated with the University of Montreal, and Sacred Heart Hospital, conducts research in the areas of the scientific study of dreaming and sleep disorders. While this laboratory does not interpret dreams or give sleep consultations, it aims to provide insight into the important psychological role that dreams and nightmares play.

The brain appears to apply the same neurological machinery during the night and day to examine past events. Dreams allow the brain to process conscious experiences and regulate emotions.

Over the course of the night,

sleepers experience a variety of neu-rological and physical states, with the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep period being one of the most prominent. Dreams occur most fre-quently during REM period.

According to the researchers at the Dream and Nightmare Labo-ratory, this period of sleep is char-acterized by an emotional ‘surge’ that unfolds over time. Specifically, they believe that the content of one’s dream is used as a mechanism to regulate or contain this surge.

Essentially, dreaming reduces the intensity of the emotional surge, allowing these feelings to be pro-cessed through a series of dreams that unfold over successive REM periods of the night. In this manner, dreaming acts as a method of emo-tional problem solving.

Nightmares, like dreams, are connected to the REM sleep period. They occur when dreaming cannot contain the emotional surge, caus-ing the dreamer to undergo dis-turbing and highly realistic mental experiences. Many can relate to the feelings of anxiety, fear, or terror brought on by nightmares.

Despite the inner turmoil they cause, researchers at the Dream and Nightmare Laboratory think that these bad dreams have a function. In cases of bereavement, for example, vivid images of the deceased may persist for years as hallucinations, il-

lusions, and intense dreams. Dreams of the dead should not necessarily be feared. Nightmares like these may help individuals accept the reality of his or her loss and facilitate a sense of closure.

Nightmares are also an excel-lent indicator of one’s emotional state. “Whether or not a bereaved person finds dreams comforting likely is a reliable indicator of if the mourning is taking a favourable course,” according to a paper written by UdeM researchers Tore Nielson and Jessica Lara-Carrasco.

Craig Webb, a McGill gradu-ate who has helped with dream and lucid dream research at both Stanford and UdeM, is the execu-tive director of the nonprofit Dream Research and Experimental Ap-proaches to Mechanisms of Sleep (DREAMS) Foundation. He has a similar view to offer.

“Whether bad dreams are full-fledged nightmares, anxiety dreams, or just a bit unsettling, they serve as ‘pressure-release therapy,’” Webb said in an interview with the site WebMD. He explained that, “night-mares are a very bitter but much-needed medicine.”

The DREAMS foundation postulates that nightmares serve an important purpose by sending the dreamer a valuable emotional mes-sage. In addition to an emotional check-up, nightmares may have

also played an important role in evolution. In the past, dreams often warned people about dangerous situ-ations. If a tiger killed in a nearby village, a nightmare would keep one anxious about that happening to one’s own village.

Research conducted by Erin Wamsley, a sleep scientist at Beth Israel Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, also supports the teaching function of dreams. Main-ly, she focuses on the relationship between memory and the different

stages of sleep. Both dreams in non-REM sleep and the vivid dreams of REM sleep are important in terms of teaching the dreamer based on expe-riences from the day.

This evolutionary role of dreams may explain why nightmares are still present in today’s society. It seems they are evidence of the role of dreams in an ancient fight or flight mechanism. With all these functions in mind, perhaps nightmares are not so undesirable after all.

ACROSS 1. Passionate7. Affront13. bashful15. hulla___ in the guava orchard16. religious figurine17. bread and wine giver: pr___18. Unsure, with ‘at’ (two words)20. gave food22. Prefix for again24. Zero25. russian dumpling (two words)28. yes (Sp.)29. recent Affleck film30. Untruth 31. Nashville state (abbr.)32. healthy carb (two words)33. Signal34. 1982 Alien movie35. Flat-topped mountain36. Fibrous vegetable38. Third person singular for “to be”39. hawaiian necklace41. Tiny bit42. Normal number of strokes

in golf45. Don’t win47. Large, many-petaled flower50. Destroy51. Freudian concept52. Loose ice crystals (two words)54. Distress call55. Average56. Marsh57. glacial flour59. Pastry60. Low-energy light61. Wine soil63. Opposite of subtracts64. edition (abbr.)65. except

DOWN

1. bird-related2. Moulin rouge glows (two words)3. What you do when you’re hungry4. Slippery fish5. Tar heel state6. Famous mummy8. U.S. national level enforcers9. Magical creature10. Otherwise

11. borat joke12. background singer noise14. Daily allowance, with per19. binge for example with shopping20. Type of arrangement21. Tasty23. Wine fields26. They come in dozens27. Cloud ___28. Violent, quarrelling29. Alpine pasture32. bizarre33. head officer37. Legal claim40. Tolkien elf42. eat food. Not a lot. Mostly ___43. Lighter than__44. Drawing46. Opposite of stands48. yet to come49. Collection51. Plural of 41. across53. Wetland plant54. gin variety55. New york City transit58. Unwell62. young woman honourific

A dream catcher. (Sam reynolds / Mcgill Tribune)

13Curiosity delivers. | sCienCe & teCHnology | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Last week, the McGill Office of Science and Society hosted the Lorne Trottier Public Science Sym-posium, a lecture series that brings science to the public.

Food: A Serving of Science featured four lectures on the science of diet and nutrition. The panelists explored topics ranging from fad diets to the enduring culinary misin-formation spread by a 19th century chemist.

Dr. Walter Willett—Diet and Health: A Progress Report

The first speaker, Dr. Walter Willett, is a physician and nutrition researcher from Harvard University. Willett’s talk focused on the failings of North American dietary recom-mendations. He singled out the low-fat movement and milk consumption as two pieces of health advice that have been disproved by research.

In observational studies, the much-touted low fat diet has actu-ally been linked to weight gain. The problem, according to Willett, is that North Americans simply traded refined sugars and processed carbo-hydrates for fats, to the detriment of their waistlines. Instead, dietary guidelines should focus on the type of fats and carbohydrates consumed.

He also showed the tradition-al—and current—Canadian recom-mendation of drinking two to three glasses of milk per day is not ben-

eficial and may be harmful in some cases. While the guideline is touted as a bone health measure, studies show that drinking milk does not reduce the risk of osteoporotic bone fractures.

Jeffery Blumberg—Evi-dence-Based Nutrition: The Prob-lem of Proof

If you’re not sure whether or not to take vitamins, you’re not the only one. Jeffrey Blumberg, a pro-fessor of nutrition from Tufts Uni-versity, presented his explanation for the constant contradictions between one vitamin study and the next.

While randomized clinical tri-als are regarded as the ultimate test, Blumberg argues that researchers shouldn’t be so quick to disregard observational studies, their less con-trolled counterparts. Randomized clinical trials are a tightly controlled test of a random group, generally used in the pharmaceutical industry. Half the participants are given the drug, and the other half, a placebo. In studies of nutritional supple-ments, Blumberg asserts, it is impos-sible (not to mention unethical) to deprive one group of vital nutrients, therefore the test can only compare two groups who are taking different doses of the supplement.

Blumberg believes researchers must develop better experimental methods to test nutritional variables. In the meantime, observational stud-ies provide helpful guidelines that shouldn’t be ignored.

Jane Brody—Eat for Life: Separating Wheat from Chaff

“Good nutrition is not rocket science,” according to Jane Brody, a New York Times columnist and author who has been dispensing nu-trition advice for the last 30 years. While Brody is not a university-trained nutritionist, her background in biochemistry and relentless pur-suit of the truth behind various diet fads and studies has earned her an international readership.

In her talk, Brody explained how to spot a bad fad diet, argu-ing that healthy eating habits have changed very little over the course of human history. She advised the audience to follow the advice of Michael Pollan, author of the Omni-vore’s Dilemna who coined the man-tra, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Many of the questions fol-lowing the lecture were directed to Brody, asking for everyday nutri-tional advice, although one brave audience member jokingly defended bacon—asking, “What’s moderation for bacon? Once a week? Once a day? Once a meal?”

Harold McGee—Playing With Food: Four Centuries of Science in the Kitchen

Harold McGee quit science for literature early in his academic ca-reer, only to find himself publishing a paper in Nature. His paper, on the science behind the French tradition of whipping egg whites in a copper

bowl, was inspired by a Julia Child recipe.

A playful curiosity, and a pre-occupation with the science of the kitchen, propelled McGee’s ca-reer as an author and amateur ex-perimenter. In one case, puzzled by grease spatters that only appeared on the inside of his eye glasses, McGee set up eye glass ‘sensors’ through-out the kitchen to collect data on the strange phenomenon. It turned out that grease particles, thrown high into the air, were drifting down into his glasses from above as he bent over the pan.

McGee’s lecture gave an over-view of science in the kitchen from

its early beginnings to the current advances in restaurant cooking that include precision temperature cook-ing and extracting aromas using a device called a rotary evaporator.

One anecdote involved a 19th century chemist named Justus Li-eberg, who initiated the popular notion that searing meat seals in its juices, a theory that seems logical considering practices like cauteriza-tion. Despite the fact that this theory can be easily disproved by watching juices run out of a seared steak, it is a persistent culinary myth that still appears in cooking text books: evi-dence that sometimes bad science is worse than no science.

Your professor could be testing the hockey gear that you bought this season. Researchers in the McGill Ice Hockey Research Group perform tests for some of the biggest compa-nies on the market, and are involved in numerous projects involving the safety and efficiency of ice hockey equipment.

One of the lab’s major projects is equipment testing. PhD candidate Ryan Ouckama and Dr. David J. Pearsall, of the McGill department of kinesiology and physical educa-tion, perform impact tests to com-pare ice hockey helmets by subject-ing them to various types of forces. Companies send new helmet designs to the McGill Group for testing to determine if the equipment is safe for game use.

One way Dr. Pearsall tests a

helmet is with the drop test.“You have a controlled verti-

cal drop and … in the head form … [you have] an accelerometer. The impact event must stay below a criterion threshold acceleration on impact that is considered unsafe in terms of what the head can sustain without traumatic skull injury,” he said. “More specifically, well below the 50 per cent risk level.”

The drop tests are performed under a variety of conditions, such as different temperatures and re-peated impacts. Lower temperatures generally reduce a helmet’s impact cushioning effectiveness, but some helmets actually perform slightly better in the cold. These tests en-sure that designers can meet players’ needs by scrutinizing the equipment under realistic conditions.

Dr. Pearsall’s lab also investi-gates the effectiveness of different foam densities inside of hockey hel-

mets, comparing a range of materi-als including vinyl nitrile and poly-propylene. The foam is designed to be crushed or deform upon impact. “The basic function of the foam is … to absorb as much energy instead of your head,” Dr. Pearsall said.

Ouckama uses drop tests to measure the impact of a one metre drop with an array of sensors. He translates that data into a map show-ing force over the whole area of the foam.

Specifically, Ouckama is ex-amining helmet resistance in two categories: focal force, which mea-sures its ability to withstand impact in a specific area, and the maximum acceleration of the entire head. Hel-mets that are strong in one category aren’t necessarily strong in the other, which shows that there is some vari-ability between helmets’ perfor-mance in preventing focal injuries versus their effectiveness against

general blows to the head.By next fall, Dr. Pearsall is

hoping to extend the scope of the re-search with the hockey lab into other areas of investigation, such as the lower body protective equipment—bruising and fracture of lower body are among the most common sports injuries. He will apply the mapping technology to observe the equip-ment’s effectiveness in protecting soft tissues, like muscle and skin, hopefully finding areas where the gear can be improved.

The ice hockey lab has an im-mense number of projects, including performance of helmets and body gear, tests for international agencies, and other prospects like concus-sion research. “We plan to continue studying impact mechanics to bet-ter understand the mechanisms that relate to injury as well as identify means to reduce those injury risks.” Dr. Pearsall said.

Food: A Serving of Science debunks kitchen science

McGill hockey lab has high impact on gear

SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY

Scientists and nutritional experts tell you what to eat for dinner

Science & Technology editorleigh Miller

ContributorKieran steer

Dr. Walter Willett thinks we drink too much milk. (Simon Poitrimolt / Mcgill Tribune)

researchers model realistic hockey conditions to test effectiveness of new materials

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arts & entertainmentSociety generally accepts Dar-

win’s theory of evolution. Neverthe-less, there remain pockets that deny its validity—the state of Tennessee, for instance, recently began teach-ing creationism in schools. With the origins of man still a controversial topic, McGill student Annabel Raby decided to direct Inherit the Wind: a play examining both sides of the cur-rent debate through a dramatization of the Scopes trial that addressed these topics almost 90 years ago.

Before the first line is uttered, the audience learns of the narrative’s focal point. A small-town courtroom in rural United States fills the stage, and the seating squarely situates the audience as attendees of the judicial proceedings. The lawyers address the crowd, imploring us to hear their case. This setup leaves the audience to do the jury’s duty. The cast of

characters is varied, from hillbillies with slow drawls and banjos, to the outside visitors who comprise many of the play’s principal characters. The ethos of the town of Hillsboro itself is displayed on its church sign during one scene: “Think it’s hot here? IMAGINE HELL.”

Bertram Cates (Matt Smith) is a schoolteacher on trial for corrupt-ing the minds of his young students by reading an excerpt of Darwin’s The Origin of Species. The soft-spoken intellectual doesn’t seem to merit imprisoning. Even the bailiff seems to agree, and allows him to meet his paramour, Rachel Brown (Katie Scharf), who, conveniently, happens to be the preacher’s daugh-ter. Throughout the trial, she is torn between her fundamental Christian values and the man she loves.

On the eve of the trial, sev-eral outsiders arrive in the small town. Mary Harrison Brady (Emily Doyle), a three-time failed presiden-

tial candidate, is given a heroine’s welcome. No surprise here—she fits in with the rest of Hillsboro, a town where signs issue the stern warning, “Read your bible.” Doyle’s performance is nuanced and con-vincing: she handles both despair and witty repartee with ease. Her courtroom opponent is Henry Drum-mond (Samuel Steinbock-Pratt), an agnostic from the big city who the townspeople see as the devil incar-nate. Another visitor is the deadpan-ning E.K. Hornbeck (Matthieu La-baudinière), a reporter who delivers some of the show’s biggest laughs.

For the most part, the produc-tion is both enjoyable and thought-provoking. The single drawback is the play’s narrative: it often feels like a rushed court case, and the con-clusion wraps up somewhat abrupt-ly. Nevertheless, individual perfor-mances carry the piece. Doyle and Steinbock-Pratt show themselves to be able performers, with adept in-

terpretations of characters who are sympathetic towards each other’s positions, while remaining in ve-hemently proclaimed opposition. It was also pleasing to see subtle direc-torial touches evoke the rural South-ern setting. A live guitar, banjo, and violin are used to frame a bygone era, while the people and crickets of Hillsboro chirp in the background of midnight encounters. In short, the atmosphere and acting make up for any shortfalls in the script.

The conflict in Inherit the Wind pits two concepts against each other: science and belief. The narrative itself doesn’t present either as the ruler over the other; it leaves it up to the audience to evaluate each posi-tion. Whether Bertrand Cates wins or loses is left up to you.

Inherit the Wind runs Nov. 21-24 at 8 p.m., Player’s Theatre (3rd floor SSMU building). $6 for students and seniors, $5 with a clothing donation.

COMEDYComedy in Biblical Proportions

Comedian Robby Hoffman explores the world’s most popular book—The Bible—with a perspective that only a honed co-medic edge can provide.

Friday Nov. 23, 9:30 p.m., Theatre Ste. Catherine (264 St. Catherine East). Tick-ets $14.

FILM FESTIVALImage+Nation LGBT Film Festival

The oldest LGBT film festival in Canada celebrates 25 years of queer cinema. Selections include domestic and interna-tional feature-length and short films.

Nov. 22 to Dec. 2. Student tickets are $8.75. See www.image-nation.org for details.

CULTURE24th Annual Tibetan Cultural Fair

Take in traditional Tibetan music, dance, arts and crafts, and cuisine. Organized by the Canada Tibet Committee, an NGO promoting human rights in Tibet.

Saturday Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday Nov. 25, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Santa Cruz Church Hall (60 Rachel West).

FILMJai Bhim Comrade

A doc about India’s ‘untouchable’ caste and its resistance to oppression through art. Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan leads the post-screening discussion.

Saturday Nov. 24, 7 p.m., (Room H-110, Concordia University, 1455 de Maison-neuve West). $2-5 donation.

MUSICGizmo with Casey Benjamin

Merely 20, Kenneth “Gizmo” Rodgers has already worked with the greatest figures in R&B, rap, jazz, and neo-soul. He will perform with saxophonist Casey Benjamin.

Friday, Nov. 23, 8 p.m., PHI Centre (407 Ste. Pierre Street). Tickets are $12.

Monkeys vs. Adam and Eve: Players’ Theatre holds courtInherit the Wind takes on the creationism debate in its portrayal of the Scopes Trial

ContributorAlex Kpeglo-Hennessy

TheaTre

This is what the much-lauded American meritocracy looks like: urban, moral, and spiritual decay; an existence battered by the cruelty of Lady Luck, who wields the Sword of Damocles—always one misstep away from the abyss of abject pov-erty.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who received the Pulitzer Prize for Rabbit Hole (2007), cap-tures all this and more in the Tony-nominated Good People. Through sharp comedy and even sharper drama, Lindsay-Abaire takes aim at the heart of the American mythos. What separates the upper crust from the street dweller? Inequality cannot be explained through mere appeals to ‘hard work’ and ‘innate talent.’ Instead, the play points to nothing

more than the inscrutable calculus of chance. The message here is as frightening as it is liberating. Di-rected by Roy Surette, the play’s English-Canadian debut at Centaur Theatre is spectacular, a dizzying blend of acting prowess and tech-nical virtuosity. Deeply funny and deeply moving—and at its best mo-ments, both at once—Good People is a ‘must-see’ that lives up to the bill.

The story begins with a firing. Unfortunately, this is only the begin-ning of protagonist Margie’s woes. Between the demands of caring for a mentally ill adult daughter and a friendly but predatorial landlady, Margie is forced to turn to a child-hood (more than) friend who made it big. The resulting narrative takes a magnifying glass to existing social divisions of class and race, but with-out political rhetoric. Instead, Lind-

say-Abaire is humanistic. In another life, the playwright must have been a boxer; the script makes deft, light-footed movements with its comedy in order to land a few devastating upper-cuts on behalf of the down-trodden.

Johanna Nutter’s Margie is as sly as she is proud, and intensely authentic. The South Boston—or ‘Southie’—accent is as charming as its owner. Perpetually stuck between a rock and a hard place, Margie re-lies heavily on her resilience and conviction; Nutter’s nuanced and sympathetic performance conveys an inner strength that approaches the inspirational. Few actors can invoke bubbling joy one moment and utter heartbreak the next—Nutter wields such power confidently.

Unsurprisingly then, the best scenes of the play unite Margie with childhood sweetheart Mike (Paul

Hopkins). The bittersweet and razor-sharp exchanges between the two are impeccably paced; both Hopkins and Nutter display an extraordinary affinity for comedic timing. Though the war of wits is uproarious, there is sharp, sore truth to the words, clear-ly reflective of the post-2008 socio-political atmosphere.

John C. Dinning’s set is a beau-tiful behemoth of brick and steel. Jagged chimneys punctuate the air, and the whole seems to capture the tiredness of the daily struggle. At the same time, it is supremely func-tional. One gets the impression that Dinning must be an origami cham-pion, as walls fold and unfold to reveal various settings. Peter Spike Lyne’s lighting displays inventive-ness—particularly daring is the in-corporation of fluorescents, whose harshness are masterfully tamed by Lyne and channelled to great effect.

The climax sees the preceding exchange of retorts explode into a full-out blitzkrieg, a real race to in-flict hurt and pain. There is a pecu-liar shift as the script trades the bit-ing for the blunt, a metamorphosis from sitcom to soap opera. One-too-many surprise twists leave the piece dangerously close to mistreating its audience, but this should not be construed as a criticism of Centaur’s production so much as a failure of this critic to find more substantial flaws. There were simply none. Go see Centaur’s Good People, bask in the talent of its wonderful cast and crew, and reflect on the myth of the meritocracy, and what a just social order would truly mean.

Good People runs until Dec. 9 at Centaur Theatre (453 St. Fran-çois-Xavier). Student tickets are $26.

A ‘must-see’ that lives up to the nameCentaur Theatre’s Tony-nominated Good People is one of the best plays you will see this year

A&E EditorChris Liu

TheaTre

An exuberant crowd in the town of Hillsboro. (Luke Orlando / McGill Tribune)

could be good

15Curiosity delivers. | Arts & entertAinment | Tuesday, November 20, 2012 arts & entertainmentInherit the Wind takes on the creationism debate in its portrayal of the Scopes Trial

Centaur Theatre’s Tony-nominated Good People is one of the best plays you will see this year

Secret vampire handshake: only one set of biceps required. (collider.com)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 2, the conclusion to the popular vampire franchise, is a good movie. Not great—this is Twilight we’re talking about—but good. Yes, I’m just as surprised as you are.

The final Twilight film, directed by Bill Condon, is by far the best of the series. It’s also a vast improve-ment over Stephenie Meyer’s source material, a counteraction of Break-ing Dawn’s cavernous flaw: the total lack of action.

The film opens with Bella (Kristen Stewart) reawakening as a vampire. As if by magic, or at least a transmogrifying venom, the fran-chise receives new life as well. As Bella says, she was “born to be a vampire.”

Kristen Stewart, at long last, emotes. She loves vamp husband Edward (Robert Pattinson) and newborn half-human, half-vampire daughter Renesmee. But beyond this, Stewart shows off a veritable flush of emotions—rage, pride, hap-piness—and they suit her.

Viewers also get the benefit of Bella-vision, the hyper-detailed

view of the world through her super-natural eyes. Breaking Dawn ampli-fies what is, perhaps, the only strong feature of the saga: the visuals. The opening credits mingle enchanting and ominous images of evergreen, snow, and blood. Even the special effects, save for one uncanny and nightmarish CGI baby, are stunning.

Breaking Dawn–Part 2, deals

with the ludicrous parts of Part 1 quickly. Yes, Bella and Edward have a too-perfect, half-vampire baby with a laughable name; and yes, third wheel werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner) falls in love with said baby. Got it.

Danger arrives when the vam-pire mafia, the Volturi, assume Re-nesmee is an immortal child, a kid-

turned-vampire capable of wiping out scores of people. They plan to kill her, so the Cullens set out over the world to amass vampire friends who will stand and fight. A good deal of the film features a parade of these international characters, who, though two-dimensional, help spice up the languid and brooding cast.

This said, there are holes in the

already thin story line: a forgotten spy subplot, the unexplained origin of Bella’s vampire superpower, and the arbitrary timing of it all. Why do the Volturi give them ample time to prepare?

But with a couple of clever twists, Breaking Dawn has viewers in its fangs, and the film culminates in a cathartic bloodbath: complete with an operatic score, hellfire frame supernatural fisticuffs, slow motion duels, and faces torn in half. It’s a riveting action sequence, shocking for fans, and devilishly pleasing for those hoping for a Shakespearian level of gore to atone for all things Twilight.

Breaking Dawn—Part 2 wraps up the Twilight Saga with its stron-gest entry. The acting, art direction, and screenplay are at their apex. Of course, this may not be saying much. Still, the final Twilight film will cer-tainly please fans, and perhaps even manage to entertain those who were dragged to it against their will.

Breaking Dawn—Part 2 is worth a watch for the visuals and ac-tion alone. Twilight ends with a film that at last has some bite to back up its bark.

Twilight surpasses admittedly low expectationsfilm

Final installment of Stephenie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn surprises with impressive visuals and action

Contributoremma Hambly

Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) surveys the ravages of war. (filmofilia.com)

Lincoln: moral progress has never looked so gloriousfilm

A&E EditorChris Liu

The vote to finally abolish slav-ery in the U.S. was so very close—shockingly close, in fact. Two more votes could have continued to condemn an entire class of living, breathing human beings to the status of property. If the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice, Abra-ham Lincoln is certainly remem-bered for doing a disproportionate amount of bending.

Spielberg’s Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the titular role, portrays a man who is as close to the ideal of the moral politician as any in American history. Focusing on the narrow period of time that saw the passing of the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery and the end of the American Civil War, the film paints a portrait of a man who navigated the Scylla and Charybdis of ethi-cal and political obligations like no other. Early whispers of the film as a strong Oscar contender are well-founded. Lincoln is a faithful and glowing eulogy to one of America’s greatest presidents, and more impor-

tantly, to the remarkable man who held the office.

The film opens with a scene of carnage and brutality. Spielberg, well-remembered for directing Saving Private Ryan, knows war. There is something to be said for the authenticity with which warfare is treated here. Poets romanticize; soldiers fight. They churn mud with blood, they unhesitatingly boot-stomp the faces of opponents, they claw and scrape and kill to win one more second of life—and Spielberg shoots like a soldier, not a poet.

Though the war always looms in the background, it is not the focus of the film. Lincoln’s central and climactic battle is legislative, not military. While the 13th Amend-ment easily sails through the Re-publican-controlled Senate, its first appearance in the House of Repre-sentatives results in defeat. Further complicating Lincoln’s quest for a constitutional ban on slavery is the division within his own party. Not only is abolition opposed by most Democrats, but Radical Republi-cans, who favour greater egalitari-anism for non-white inhabitants,

view the amendment as a morally-deficient compromise.

Day-Lewis’ method acting is legendary—cast and crew reported-ly referred to him as ‘Mr. President’ for the duration of filming—and the result is spectacular. His Lincoln is a radiant example of a man who successfully combines principle and pragmatism. Always affable, with plenty of humourous anecdotes to offer during tense situations, the uninitiated may be surprised by just how quirky the president can be. At the same time, Day-Lewis com-mands such gravitas that it’s impos-sible not to be awe-struck—whether during a thunderous confrontation with Mrs. Lincoln (Sally Fields) or a moment of tender embrace with his child.

Rivaling Day-Lewis’ perfor-mance is Tommy Lee Jones as Thad-deus Stevens, the most prominent Radical Republican in the House. Stevens’ infamously scathing sar-casm is delivered by Jones in deli-cious, triumphant, booming fashion. But his story is also sadder, and more profound. Lincoln’s victory neces-sitates Stevens’ compromise. Jones’

Stevens is imminently sympathetic, a man of deep moral sensibility who was ahead of his time.

Tony Kushner’s script, adapted from Pulitzer prize-winning histo-rian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s biog-raphy Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, is in-fused with wit and tension. Kushner accomplishes the unenviable task of making passing legislation inter-esting. Biopic-status notwithstand-ing, Kushner also points to ways in which contemporary America con-tinues to perpetuate racial stigma-tization: one blatantly racist citizen employs rhetoric that is uncomfort-

ably similar to current arguments against immigration.

Portraying such a seminal fig-ure in American history may seem like a tough task. Get it wrong, and you’ll be eviscerated. Get it right, and people will still complain. Yet Spielberg and Day-Lewis’ vision is so accomplished, so assuredly well-crafted, that it will undoubt-edly weather the test of time, just like the president—and man—that it celebrates.

Lincoln is currently playing at the Cineplex Forum (2313 Ste. Catherine West). Tickets are $13; $6.75 on Tuesdays.

Spielberg’s latest is a cinematic triumph; Day-Lewis and Jones deliver unparalleled performances

16 Tuesday, November 20, 2012 | Arts & entertAinment | Curiosity delivers.

A selection of publicly generated images portray Montreal’s dynamic nature in CCA’s latest project. (journalmetro.com)

From protests to poutine, ABC:MTL introduces the cityvisual arTs

The Canadian Centre for Architecture presents a multifaceted, mixed-media portrait of Montreal

ContributorLauren Wray

In his youth, Julian Barnes’ bib-liophilia took on near-pathological proportions. Much like the shoe-obsessed, 2011’s Man Booker prize winner would spend the vast share of his disposable income on books, driving from town to town in search of secondhand treasures.

“I bought with a hunger which I recognize, looking back, was a kind of neediness: well, bibliomania is a known condition,” writes Barnes in the introduction to his upcoming volume, Through the Window: Sev-enteen Essays and A Short Story. In retrospect, this was a fortunate pur-suit.

Reading Barnes is akin to en-grossing oneself in a finely wrought tapestry of historical fact, wry wit, and astute criticism. The collection of pieces, which were first published between 1996-2011, deals large-ly—if, at times, tangentially—with the literary. From casting doubt on George Orwell’s literary honesty as an essayist (if you, like myself, struggle when coming up with pithy titles, I urge you to note the wicked-

ly humorous name of this chapter), to praising Hemingway’s portrayal of the failed and the frail, Barnes of-fers the reader a heady mix of cul-ture and history.

Barnes’ prolific reading hab-its form the backbone of the col-lection’s pieces. When discussing France’s love of Kipling, he draws not only on an obscure roman-à-clef called Dingley, l’illustre ecrivain—impressive, if only because no Eng-lish translation exists—but recounts the contents of André Gide’s diaries on the topic of its authors, in addi-tion to delivering several lively an-ecdotes. And, while he takes several potshots at Britain’s historic rivals—in describing the Fashoda Incident: “In July 1898, eight French and 120 Senegalese soldiers arrived at a ru-ined fort… having spent two years crossing the continent to get there.Frenchly, they set off equipped with 1,300 litres of claret, 50 bottles of Pernod, and a mechanical piano”—Barnes expresses a deep love for his neighbours. Almost half of his address the importance of French culture.

Yann Martel, who released 101 Letters to a Prime Minister earlier

this month, cuts an odd figure next to Barnes. Unlike the London-dwelling Oxonian, Martel studied at Peterbor-ough’s Trent University and traded metropolitan life for the bucolic calm of Saskatoon. Yet Martel also received the Man Booker for The Life of Pi, and remains its highest-selling author by an impressive mar-gin.

In 2007, Martel began sending noteworthy books to Prime Minister Steven Harper every two weeks, in hopes of expanding his world view (and, of course, garnering a healthy dose of publicity). 101 Letters com-prises of the correspondence (almost wholly one-sided) accompanying these literary suggestions.

Martel’s focus is less Western than that of Barnes: from Austen to Borges, through to Xun to Yev-tushenko, he delivers an alphabet of world literature in short, chatty snippets. While Barnes borders on the esoteric, Martel flirts with the colloquial: it is as if he is explain-ing the importance of each book to a good—albeit semi-literate—friend.

Although a plainspoken ac-count is helpful to burgeoning read-ers, Martel’s salt-of-the-earth tone

verges on the fatuous. Judging from his recommendations, Martel has an exemplary literary pedigree. In spite of his breezy epistles, he has a thor-ough understanding of the world’s workings, and feigning simplicity does not become him. Cringewor-thy lines, such as “Since we have more time, why don’t we go back in time” fill the letters like the lyrics of an ‘80s synth-ballad (an aversion to which may explain Harper’s lacklus-tre response). Equally frustrating are the letters which fail to address their accompanying books. In the dis-

patch coupled with García Márquez’ Chronicle of a Death Foretold, for example, Martel makes little men-tion of the book at all. Instead, he chooses to rehash Orwell’s famous Politics and the English Language, while omitting all mention of the essay itself.

Both Barnes and Martel have an undeniable love for the written word. If you’re seeking beautiful prose and depth of insight, opt for Barnes. Otherwise, for a lavatory experience garnished with a Man Booker winner, opt for 101 Letters.

Books on books: award-winning authors share their insights Man Booker prize-winning authors, Julian Barnes and Yann Martel, showcase the breadth of their literary visions

A&E Editorilia Blinderman

liTeraTure

The jovial Julian Barnes. (Hendrick Speck / Flickr.com)

There are the usual famous at-tractions—the view from Mount Royal, a stroll through Old Port, the obligatory late night poutine. Yet Montreal is a city of multiplicities that extend beyond its tourist tropes. The Canadian Centre for Architec-ture’s (CCA) newest project, ABC: MTL, offers an invitation to the deeper realities of Montreal.

While previous exhibitions at the CCA have focused on the city as an historical artifact, ABC:MTL speaks of Montreal as it is today—an evolving urban hub composed of various styles, structures, and social landscapes.

To meaningfully capture the nature of the metropolis, the CCA launched an open call for submis-sions in June 2012. Public submis-sions served as an integral feature in creating a comprehensive narrative that matched the CCA’s pluralistic vision.

Curator Fabrizio Gallanti notes that “for us, this is a form of democ-racy: the identity of one site is not the privilege of a few, but rather a

perpetually unstable condition that is the result of a real polyphony of voices.” This perspective results in an exhibit from the everyman’s point of view, outside of the tradi-tional top-down approach associated with urban space.

Out of 250 proposals, 90 con-tributions will be presented over the course of the project, which runs until March 2013. This longevity allows for ongoing submissions to accurately represent a city in flux. However, not all the submissions are new. Some works have been previ-ously included in other galleries. Gallanti explains that ABC:MTL is “not obsessed with originality,” but

rather concerned with how well the works describe the city today.

Videos, photos, architectural mock-ups, lectures, and performanc-es constitute the first installment of the project, on view until the end of January. Together, they result in a mixture of media depicting the city’s most indelible impressions. The works touch upon both the abstract and physical elements of Montreal —the ephemeral hums and buzzes of daily life, the fleeting moments the metropolis holds, and the people, buildings, and places that define the present-day city.

The pieces range from immi-grant interviews to cell-phone pho-

tography. Overall, the works remind us that Montreal is more than a city defined by numbers; it is its own unique entity with its own metabo-lism, heart, and life.

With the breadth of formats, the term ‘exhibition’ may be a mis-nomer. Instead, ABC:MTL is a fully engaging experience. It is not a fixed exhibition, but an ongoing project with changing content. Public par-ticipation, lectures, and performanc-es are equally valuable and relevant to the main gallery showing. An online component features all 250 works submitted, including a map that pinpoints the locations of the projects to promote city exploration.

The complete project, therefore, en-courages interaction and participa-tion on all levels.

Discussion is also an impor-tant ingredient. Amidst the student protests of last year, the question of Montreal’s identity was thrown into the spotlight. ABC: MTL comes at a pertinent time of questioning who and what makes up its population.

“There was a high level of en-gagement, no matter what side peo-ple were on,” Gallanti notes.

ABC:MTL profits from this recent engagement, asking its audi-ence to partake in self-reflection, conversation, and discussion. It’s a worthwhile visit; if not for its inter-esting aesthetic, historical and social qualities, then at least for inspira-tion. After all, they’re still accepting submissions.

ABC:MTL is showing at the CCA (1920 rue Baille). Public pro-grams are mainly held on Thursday nights and weekends, with guided tours every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (English) and 6:00 p.m. (French). Free admission for students.

17Curiosity delivers. | Arts & entertAinment | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Indie pop-rock band, Mala-jube—named after a mash-up of the words ‘maladie’ and ‘jujube’—has become somewhat of an icon in both their native Quebec and the rest of Canada for their musicality and in-genious approach to achieving fame.

An undeniably catchy blend of riffs, synths, and vocals makes the perfect recipe for a crowd-pleaser, attracting Malajube a following both close to home, in the U.S., and as far away as Japan and Norway. They’ve become a fixture at music festivals, with previous appearances at Oshega, SXSW (and its Canadian counterpart NXNE), and countless other shows. Being able to unite those without a common language through a love of music is a skill that Malajube seems to perform ef-fortlessly, with an entirely French repertoire.

Despite their success, the mem-bers themselves come from humble beginnings and played in various other bands before Malajube. Ac-cording to Francis Mineau, drum-mer for the band, the group formed in 2004 “like any other band” and hasn’t looked back since.

Winning a Juno Award and garnering three Polaris Prize nomi-nations, Malajube has released five full-length albums, with their latest being La Caverne (2011). For the re-cording of the album, the members went into hibernation in a cavern of their own—their personal, custom-made geodesic dome in northern Quebec—living in seclusion for months on end.

“It was the perfect place to not get bothered by anything because there wasn’t anyone else there,” says Mineau. Although the band no lon-ger owns this hideout, Mineau hopes that they’ll consider experimenting with other ideas, highlighting that the experience may have been a sin-gular one. “We tried it once and it was good but I think we should try something else.”

Since La Caverne, Malajube has been touring extensively and working on side projects, all the while staying true to their roots. The band has been praised for refusing to conform to the English norm for the sake of their non-Francophone fans. Instead of being intimidating, how-ever, the language barrier actually strikes a chord with fans. Their lyr-ics encourage any English-speaking crowd to learn French, and fans can blissfully enjoy catchy tunes with-out needing to understand what’s going on.

Their last two concerts of the year, beginning this week, are Ma-lajube’s last hurrah before the band take a short breather to work on side projects and come up with new ideas and music.

“[The break] shouldn’t be seen as a way to say that we’re tired of doing this,” says Mineau, indicating that they’ve still got their sights set on working towards the next Mala-jube album, sometime in fall 2013. “The plan is to make more music and to concentrate on a purpose—how we can offer something new.”

Malajube plays Corona The-atre on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Tickets are $28.15.

REVIEwSAlbum

The Twilight Saga: Break-ing Dawn—Part 2 Official

SoundtrackChop Shop; Atlantic

The press release promised “an intriguing and irresistible line-up of artists” including Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding, and Feist. But the soundtrack to Twilight—Breaking Dawn Part 2 could leave even the ‘Twihards’ disappointed.

The mood of the album is—for the most part—mellow: the majority of tracks are the sort of slow-build-ing, emotion-charged ballads one may well expect from the soundtrack to a tween-age epic of drama and ro-mance. While some tracks rely too heavily on this emotional element and fall formulaically flat (Green Day’s contribution certainly fits this bill), others communicate the beau-teous and haunting—Iko’s “Heart of Stone” being the standout.

Unfortunately, the record lacks any of the consistency necessary to establish an overall tone. More up-beat tracks, such as St. Vincent’s richly-layered “The Antidote,” come across not as natural crescen-dos in the album’s progression, but as disruptions which make the sur-rounding songs seem frustratingly slow. Thus, the very tracks which keep monotony at bay detract from the whole.

While tracks may, and do, have individual merit, the whole is less than the sum of its parts. An emo-tional connection to the scenes that bore these tracks may make this album an evocative work through which fans may relive favourite mo-ments from the film. But in itself, it does little to establish mood or assert itself as a cohesive piece. The result, while listenable, stagnates and ulti-mately disappoints. Twilight teases in all the right places, but in the end, leaves the tantalising promise of its list of contributors unresolved.

— Zoe Power

Chilly GonzalesSolo Piano II

Arts & Crafts

Canadian pianist and rapper Chilly Gonzales’ career has gone from strength to strength in the last few years. Since the release of his instrumental album, Solo Piano, Gonzales has collaborated with Feist and Peaches, performed with Drake, and released the electro-rap albums Ivory Tower and The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales.

His latest record comes in simi-lar form to Solo Piano—and is in-ventively named Solo Piano II. De-spite the lack of nominal originality, there’s nothing stale about the music Gonzales creates. His playful instru-mental style, famously featured on the Apple iPad adverts, is immedi-ately apparent. The album opens with “White Keys,” a short and bright song which includes no sharp notes. This segues into the beauti-ful “Kenaston,” one of the many tracks which, despite being undeni-ably original, feel comfortably fa-miliar. Highlights include “Nero’s Nocturne,” which rolls along in a steady rhythm, and the memorable “Othello.”

Gonzales recorded the album over 10 days in Paris’ Studio Pi-galle, and the French influence is notable (Gonzales himself speaks the language fluently and has lived in Paris). At a recent performance in his hometown of Montreal, Gonza-les explained the fancy naming of some of the songs.

“It might be pretentious to have songs named ‘Rideaux Lunaires’ on the album,” said the artist. “But let’s face it, ‘Moon Curtains’ just wouldn’t have worked.”

The music is less egotistical than its composer—the transitions on “Train of Thought” are clever, and the “Minor Fantasy” is particu-larly dark. Solo Piano II does not push any musical boundaries, but this need not be a criticism. Gonza-les’ verve and charismatic style will undoubtedly keep attracting large crowds.

— Roger Hamilton-Martin

Iamsu!Suzy 6 Speed

Self-released

On his new release, Suzy 6 Speed, Bay area rapper and producer Iamsu! trades the bass-heavy beats and dreamy stoner synths of the critically acclaimed spring release Kilt for high BPMs and an endless supply of carefully programmed snare claps. Su’s smooth, sing-song flow contrasts with the mixtape’s high-energy production, resulting in a fantastical animation typically ab-sent in this style of rapping.

Unfortunately, more often than not, this briskness hides Su’s lyrical ingenuity and results in a tiring re-petitiveness. Layers of samples and an unrelenting high-hat rattle drone out Su’s unique style and hinder his ability to form effective verses.

Despite this, Iamsu! shines on tracks like “Welcome Back” and “Mobbin,” where his ganja-influenced drawl juxtaposes beau-tifully with hard-hitting snare claps to create easily digestible rap bangers. Even so, Iamsu! sees the most success when the tempo turns down, emphasizing his impressive lyricism. On the tape’s best track, “Losin,” Su takes a simpler ap-proach, rapping over a soft-spoken sample, reflecting on his rise to re-gional fame with an underground edge.

Although it’s fun to flop around to in the moment, Su’s new release fails to create the same meaningful experience as did Kilt. All in all, Suzy 6 Speed presents itself as a high paced, in-your-face party rager that has its moments of greatness—but for the most part, is left forgot-ten in the haze of the morning after.

—Cristian Hertzer

music

Out of the cavernMalajube transcends language barriers

ContributorLeyang Yu

Malajube emerges from their geodome. (Joseph Yarmush / malajube.com)

Bored?

Man Booker prize-winning authors, Julian Barnes and Yann Martel, showcase the breadth of their literary visions

Check out Arts & Entertainment blog, updated daily! www.mcgilltribune.com/ae

18 Tuesday, November 20, 2012 | sports | Curiosity delivers.

BASKETBALL — The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the NBA with eight straight victories, following their 94-87 win over the surprising Charlotte Bobcats. Laker fans are still waiting for things to turn around after starting a medio-cre 5-5. However, it is still too early for panicking in the City of Angels. The same cannot be said for Wizards fans. Washington’s 0-8 start shows no signs of stopping.

The injury bug bit the Toronto Raptors last week—Kyle Lowry, Landry Fields, and Alan Anderson are all currently nursing injuries. The team is still competitive, but has failed to post wins in the standings and sits at 3-7.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant tallied his first career triple-double on Sunday night, while in one of the craziest plays in recent memory, Chicago Bulls 5’9 guard Nate Robinson went in-between and under the legs of Sebastian Telfair en route, to a casual lay-up.

FOOTBALL — The CFL switched over to the Sunday schedule this

weekend for the Eastern and West-ern division finals. On our side of the country, Montreal lost a heartbreak-er at home to the Toronto Argonauts 27-20. Despite two chances for Als’ quarterback Anthony Calvillo and co. to tie the game late, the Argos’ consistent play throughout the game was enough to ensure them a spot to vie for the 100th Grey Cup at home in Toronto.

Over in the West, the Calgary Stampeders earned a trip to the Grey Cup by toppling the defend-ing champions, the BC Lions, 34-29. Stampeders backup quarterback Kevin Glenn started the game for Calgary, as starting quarterback Drew Tate was out with a fractured forearm. Glenn filled in nicely, and he threw for three touchdown passes in the victory.

Down south in the NFL, the At-lanta Falcons somehow found a way to improve their record to 9-1, even though Matt Ryan threw five inter-ceptions and no touchdowns. The Houston Texans, the league’s only other one-loss team, won a cracker-jack affair against the Jacksonville Jaguars in overtime, as the teams

combined to score 80 points. The high-scoring New England Patriots looked unstoppable on Sunday, rout-ing the Colts 59-24.

SOCCER — Sweden’s Zlatan Ibra-himovich had a memorable game on Wednesday, scoring four goals against England in an international friendly. One of his tallies is being played on highlight reels all around the world, and is touted as one of the greatest goals of all time. He fielded English keeper Joe Hart’s hapless clearance attempt with a bicycle-kick from 30 yards out, and mira-cously scored.

In club play, both Manchester clubs are atop the EPL, with Man-chester City having the slight one-point advantage over United after 12 games. This came following after United’s surprise defeat at the hands of lowly Norwich on Saturday.

The Spanish League is play-ing out as expected, with Barcelona leading the standings with a three-point advantage over neighbouring Athletico Madrid.

Watercooler

Around the

In case you were too busy devoting all your time to the latest instal-ment of Call of Duty, here’s what you missed this past week in the world of sports …

Pradié brought leadership to the Redmen. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

Exclusive interview with Alexis PradiéAthlete’s corner

Redmen soccer star sits down with the Tribune to discuss his McGill playing days, future plans

Sports EditorJeff Downey

After the conclusion of the Redmen’s 2012 outdoor season, the McGill Tribune met with graduat-ing centre-back Alexis Pradié. Last week, the Marseille native earned CIS First Team All-Star status for the second time in two years. Pradié, who’s leaving McGill with a MBA in April, comments on soccer, school, and what it means to be a Redmen.

McGill Tribune: The South of France is a very popular tourist destination for North Americans. Do you notice its mystique? Or does it just feel like home?

Alexis Pradié: It is a very tour-isty area, but we don’t really pay at-tention to that. When you’re in your day-to-day life you don’t really see anything … But the soccer team is a very big influence, and every kid wants to grow up [to be] one of the stars. Regardless of whether you come from a rich neighbourhood or a slum, everyone plays soccer and dreams of becoming a [soccer] star.

MT: What was your career like in France?

AP: I started playing in the [Marseille youth] academy when I was 12, and [stayed with it] through the years. I graduated from high school when I was 17, and then dedicated my life to playing soccer. I played there for three years from that point, between the reserve and professional team for Marseille …

meaning I travelled to Russia and to England to play with the team. It was a lot of fun, but it’s a very dif-ficult environment. Then I ran into some injuries when I turned 20, and couldn’t play for six months. It kind of puts things into perspec-tive, makes you think what your life is going to be like if you get injured again. So at that point, I just decided to focus on my studies as well.

MT: How was your first pro-fessional game?

AP: It was fun, playing in front of 45,000 fans against Paris. We [tied] and I played well. Paris was a very big team at the time, so ev-eryone thought we were going to get hammered, [but] we ended up draw-ing 0-0.

MT: Was injury the major reason you decided to come to North America?

AP: The injury and also the whole context and environment. In order to make it, you have to be lucky and you have to be good. I’m going to stay polite, but you have to play the system.

MT: Where did you first play in North America?

AP: I started in Florida when I was 20. [I] stayed there for four years, got my undergraduate [de-gree] in business, and came to Mon-treal last year. I couldn’t play in the NCAA because I was ineligible [because I played] professionally, so I went to a small university [in Florida].

MT: What was the experience like training in the MLS?

AP: When I finished my under-grad, I was drafted to Dallas. I went there for pre-season in January and stayed with the team for a month. At that point, I had the option to stay with them, or continue to McGill. It was the same situation that I had in France. ‘Are you going to go for a professional career, or are you going for an education?’ McGill was such a good opportunity, very prestigious. I couldn’t let it go; and I had basi-cally turned the page on [my] pro-fessional [career] in France.

MT: Can you describe your time as a Redmen?

AP: Very good experience. Different from what I’ve seen in Europe, obviously, and the U.S. as well. The players are very young, like 17 or 18, so at the beginning, the level is lower. But they are also very eager to learn, and the two years I’ve been here, there have been two great groups of guys.

MT: How were you able to balance the different dynamics with the age differences?

AP: I tried to come very open-minded, and learn from the environ-ment I was in. It takes a bit of time, but once you can prove yourself, people respect it and see you can bring something to the table … and of course, I listened to the other guys and learned something new too. It’s a give-and-take scenario, and it went very well. I was very happy.

MT: Last year you went to Nationals and this year you missed the playoffs. Was there any disappointment, or was it simply two different years with different goals?

AP: That’s a tough question be-cause last year was a lot of fun: we were winning, but the style of play wasn’t very pretty. I wasn’t used to that. This year was fun to play when we were on the field, but we weren’t getting any results, which is tough. So a mix of the two seasons would have been nice.

MT: What would be your message to the 15 returning rook-ies?

AP: Maintain the Redmen tradi-tion, and the work ethic we’ve been

trying to keep up this year. There is a lot of talent, but we need to keep the mentality of winning and giving a full effort. That’s very important.

MT: Is your career definitely over?

AP: Yeah, I think so. But I’ll play [for fun] for sure. It was hard when I was younger, realizing you either have it or you don’t. It’s not something you can fight against ... In my case, I realized I could be a decent player, but that’s not what I wanted; I wanted to be a good play-er. Accepting that fact, and putting studies before [the sport] was my decision, and now it’s no problem. Now I’m playing for fun, and with guys I love. It’s very enjoyable.

19Curiosity delivers. | sports | Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Martlets raised money for breast cancer research. (Remi Lu / McGill Tribune)

Serving the platter to Laval: Martlet mistakes costlyVolleybAll — lAVAl 3, MArtlets 1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-13, 25-19)

18 McGill service errors pave way for Rouge-et-Or victory

Contributorremi Lu

The McGill Martlets hit the court on Friday evening looking to take down the Laval Rouge-et-Or after losing to them earlier in the month. The Martlets dressed in pink in support of the Quebec Breast Can-cer Foundation for McGill’s annual Dig for the Cure Night. They had an energetic, but inconsistent perfor-mance in front of the packed stands at Love Competition Hall. Despite the solid effort, McGill (4-6) fell to Laval (8-2) for the second time this year, three sets to one.

Both the Martlets and the Rouge-et-Or started off strong in the first set, and traded points early on. However, the Martlets sagged fol-lowing the technical timeout, paving the way for Laval’s scoring run. The Rouge-et-Or won the first set 25-19.

McGill turned things around in the second, however, creating an early lead before settling into a tight set with Laval. The Martlets relied heavily on scramble plays, and capi-talized on their offensive opportuni-ties to win the set 25-22. Fifth-year setter Marcela Mansure finished the match with 36 assists, many

of which went to captain Genev-iève Plante, who tacked on 13 kills and one ace in the game. Mansure praised McGill’s offensive approach against Laval.

“Hitting-wise, we did well. We tried different options. We weren’t [always] hitting the same thing be-cause Laval is a team that adjusts very quickly. Our hitters were able to switch it around… [and] try dif-ferent things,” Mansure explained.

After losing the third set in which the Martlets appeared dis-jointed due to defensive commu-nication errors, McGill came out roaring to start the final game. With the crowd behind them, the Mart-lets battled the Rouge-et-Or on each point and hustled on digs, which led to offensive chances. However, their opponents played a stellar defence, and the Rouge-et-Or registered 7.5 team blocks to McGill’s two. In the end, Laval pulled away in the set, and won 25-19, despite a late rally by the Martlets.

McGill has been fairly incon-sistent so far this season. At times, the Martlets have played smartly and efficiently on both offence and defence. However, Head Coach Rachele Beliveau recognizes Mc-

Gill’s tendency to give up leads, or fall behind after making mistakes.

“We started [the game] really well. It’s when we started to miss some serves that we were [bothered] mentally. Then we didn’t play as in-tensively. And then we started [ques-tioning ourselves] … and [when] we do that we are not playing the same game,” she said. “We still played a decent game, but not … the same fluid game.”

Plante agreed that the Martlets’ inconsistency has been crucial in their struggles as a team, and added that youth may be a factor.

“We were up and down all game. When we played together we were really strong, and I think it showed. We put the pressure on the other team, and they struggled with what we were doing,” she said. “But we’re a really young team, so it’s hard for us to stay consistent with our intensity.”

The Martlets need to fix some of their problems in their play if they wish to stake a claim for the RSEQ title. They must work on improving their serving percentage and first contacts, both of which are integral to executing game plans.

However, as the season wears

on, the team—which boasts a good mix of youth and veteran talent—should begin to mesh and put to-gether more consistent efforts.

McGill fell again to the Mon-treal Carabins on Sunday three sets

to one. The team looks to bounce back on Nov. 23 against Memo-rial University at Love Competition Hall.

hOCkEy — MaRTLETS 8, MONTREaL 2

FIRST LINE dOMINaNT IN vICTORy;SAundErS ScorES thrEE in Six MinutES

baSkETbaLL — UQaM 70, MaRTLETS 65 (OT)

OFFENSIvE STRUGGLES dOwN StrEtch hurt MArtLEtS

The No. 1 ranked McGill Martlets went about business as usual on Saturday, defeating rival Montreal Carabins 8-2. Chelsey Saunders made the move to the top line for the first time this sea-son, joining goal-scoring wizards Leslie Oles and Melodie Daoust. The transition worked wonders, as the trio exploded for six of the team’s eight goals, and 15 total points. Most impressively,

Saunders scored three consecu-tive goals over six minutes in the second period.

The Martlets improved to 9-0-0 on the year, and will have the rest of the week off before they travel to Ottawa to take on Carleton on Nov. 24. Look for similar production from the top line and the supporting cast, as they set their sights on breaking double digits in the win column.

After prevailing in their sea-son opener, the McGill Martlets hoped to continue their winning ways on Saturday against UQAM. Unfortunately, the Martlets lost a heartbreaker, 70-65 in overtime. McGill came out flat, as the Cita-

dins built a 15-point lead after the first quarter. The Martlets roared back at the hands of An-neth Him-Lazarenko and Mariam Sylla—who finished with 22 and 12 points, respectively—and out-scored UQAM by 20 points over

the next two quarters. However, McGill couldn’t keep it going into the extra period, and stalled on of-fence in overtime. The difference was at the free-throw line, where McGill struggled mightily, and shot just 7-18 in the second half.

The Martlets were without star sophomore Diana Ros, who missed the game with a sprained ankle. Hopefully she’ll be back on Nov. 24 as McGill hits the court again at Concordia.

UQTR showed once again why they are the top seed in the OUA East as they dominated the Redmen 3-1 on Friday night. Most of the damage was done in the first period, when the Patriotes found the net on two consecutive pow-erplays to head into the first inter-mission with a two-goal lead.

Although the deficit proved too great for the Redmen to over-come, they improved over the re-mainder of the contest and com-peted well against UQTR over the

last two periods. McGill’s lone marker came courtesy of Marc-Andre Daneau’s second of the sea-son, with just over 11 minutes left in the third frame.

With this loss, McGill drops to 6-5-0 on the year, which leaves the team clinging to sixth place in their division. Next weekend will be pivotal for the Redmen, as they host a pair of games against No. 2 and No. 4 Toronto and Nipissing, respectively.

hOCkEy — UQTR 3, REdMEN 1REdMEN LOSE SPECIaL tEAMS BAttLE, uQtr cAPitALizES

baSkETbaLL — REdMEN 76, UQaM 59hyNES-GUERy, dUFORT KEy in rEdMEn win

The McGill Redmen entered this weekend as the fourth-ranked team in Canada, and it definitely showed on Saturday afternoon. Thanks to point guard Adrian Hynes-Guery’s team-high 23 points, the Redmen dominated the UQAM Citadins 76-59. The Redmen came out firing in the second half, and outscored the Citadins 26-13 in the third quarter. McGill collected 16 assists in the game, thanks to their precise ball movement. On the de-fensive end, the story was the same. The Redmen skilfully prevented UQAM’s penetration, and forced 16 turnovers. Second-year guard Vincent Dufort did just about ev-erything, finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. The Redmen look to extend their RSEQ winning streak to three games, and are set to take on Concordia Nov. 24.

briefs by Jeff downey and Steven Lampert

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19SPORTS

After winning six consectuive games, the redmen celebrate another rSEQ championship. (derek drummond / McGill Athletics)

The McGill Redmen barreled into the RSEQ finals on Sunday af-ternoon, coming off of a domineer-ing 76-15 victory over Bishop’s in the semifinals. In the match, the Redmen pulled off a hard-fought victory, defeating the Stingers 24-18 at Concordia Stadium to bring home their seventh consecutive confer-ence title.

McGill drew first blood thanks to a try from Ian Carvalho-Campos in the 15th minute of the first half. It was a tight match from then on, with McGill falling behind in the 38th minute of the first half after two penalties by the Stingers. The Red-men regained the lead after third-year wing Zechary Miller converted a try in the 38th minute. McGill maintained its advantage throughout the rest of the contest. Joshua Blair and Rob Ashe also scored tries in the 48th and 63rd minute respectively, which pushed the Redmen towards triumph.

The match came down to the wire, after the referees waved off a game-clinching Redmen try, and awarded Concordia a penalty try with two minutes remaining. McGill Head Coach Craig Beemer, howev-er, had faith in his squad and wasn’t fazed.

“I was confident throughout the game,” Beemer said. “But it took the final whistle to ensure the win.”

The victory over Concordia sealed a six-game winning streak for the Redmen this fall, but the road wasn’t easy.

“This season was easily the most tumultuous of my seven years being a coach of the program,” Beemer admitted.

Despite their strong start to the season, the Redmen were forced to forfeit the first four games they played due to a self-reported player ineligibility issue. However, the team persevered and refused to let the matter put a damper on the sea-son.

“The guys really responded well … finishing the season by win-ning our last four games, and then going on the road for the playoffs,

beating both Bishop’s and Con-cordia to win the championship,” Beemer said.

On the whole, the team is pleased with this year’s results. Kee-lan Chapman, a fourth-year hooker and one of the Redmen’s veteran leaders, attributed the team’s suc-cessful season the coaching staff’s fine-tuning, which brought “more rigour and precision” to an already talented squad.

The end of a season inevitably means farewell to graduating fourth and fifth-year athletes. In particular, the team will lose a wealth of experi-

ence and leadership with the depar-ture of Carvalho-Campos and Miller. While it will be difficult to replace these talents, Beemer doesn’t seem to be too concerned about the void.

“The fact that we have ap-proximately 70 athletes as part of our rugby program each year is re-ally the reason we continue to find success,” he said. “When one athlete graduates there are already two guys looking to fill his place.”

Beemer’s nearly flawless track record only substantiates this opti-mism. In his two years as an assis-tant coach, and five years as the head

coach, the Redmen have claimed seven championships and lost only two games, barring this season’s for-feits—an impressive feat.

This year’s seniors laced up their boots for the last time as Red-men, but their shoes will be filled next August by a new generation of young athletes, tasked with uphold-ing the hard-nosed reputation of one of the most accomplished ath-letic programs at McGill. Based on past indications, continued success seems likely.

McGill wins seventh straight rSEQ titlerUGby — redMen 24, concordiA 18 (rseQ chAMpionship)

Redmen persevere through tumultuous season; head Coach Craig beemer expects continued success for program

Contributortom DiNardo

My only lasting memory of the Montreal Expos is when my parents bought me a Florida Marlins base-ball cap at a game. I kept badgering them for that nifty, teal-colored cap with the fish. I didn’t care for base-ball as a child, but their cool logo gave the Marlins a new supporter.

In 2012, the Marlins complete-ly revamped their look to coincide with the inauguration of a new ball-park and their move to Miami. They quickly became the flashiest team in baseball. Its stylish, brightly-coloured logo and outrageous home run statue in the stadium have al-lowed the team to fulfill the promise of their revamped image. Surpris-ingly, the Marlins—traditionally a small market team—completed the overhaul with uncharacteristi-cally big free-agent signings. They

were finally relevant, and looked to be competitive in a tough National League East.

It turns out that it was all an il-lusion, orchestrated by the greatest magician in baseball, Marlins owner, Jeffrey Loria. Last Tuesday, the To-ronto Blue Jays and Marlins pulled off one of the largest trades in base-ball history. In return for a slew of prospects, Toronto received some of the very same players Miami signed just a year ago. By purging their payroll, the Marlins reverted back to the shoddy business model that has frustrated their fans for years.

This latest cash-saving strategy has substantial political and eco-nomical implications that go beyond alienating fans. The city of Miami made a significant commitment to the team by agreeing to fund near-

ly 80 per cent of its new ballpark. By combining interest, the sum amounts to a staggering $2.4 billion subsidized by taxpayers. Loria has clearly violated the trust and good faith of the people of Miami, by rid-ding the team of its best players. In a city like Miami, home to one of the U.S.’s highest poverty rates, how are local politicians supposed to justify the decision to allocate scarce mon-etary resources to a non-competitive team? What about all those busi-nesses in the Marlins Park vicinity that depend on fan presence? The deal even prompted the mayor of Miami to write Commissioner Bud Selig a letter, asking him to review the trade “in the best interest of the residents, taxpayers and fans.”

In 2010, the MLB Players’ As-sociation (MLBPA) was unhappy

with the way the Marlins managed their revenue-sharing funds. In an effort to encourage more investment in player salary, the MLBPA and the Marlins signed off on an agree-ment to have the team’s finances monitored. Ironically, the agreement expired at the end of the 2012 cam-paign, and the Marlins have now conveniently dumped more than $160 million in player salary on the Jays. It’s also worth mentioning that the trade was completed after the Marlins received next year’s season ticket renewals. It’s a pipe dream, but those fans should be reimbursed following the false advertisement and Loria’s deceit.

The Marlins have damaged their image by fooling baseball fans and ruining what was supposed to be a fresh, new start for a struggling

franchise. I was intrigued by the Mar-

lins’ new flashy colours and funky fish. As a background supporter, I received their new baseball cap as gift from my sister, which rekindled a fond childhood memory. A year later, I find that same excitement has been washed away by a careless owner. While currently a member of Red Sox Nation, I can only imagine the frustration of Marlins die-hards who have to endure yet another re-build.

At least the Marlins haven’t traded away Giancarlo Stanton—though, knowing Loria, I wouldn’t put it past him.

—Hrant Bardakjian

THIRD MAN IN Floundering Marlins