As sunny hours begin to stretch long into the evening, spring is right at our fingertips. It’s hard to find the motivation to finish that paper or lab that’s due next week—let alone begin studying for finals. The long weekends of Easter and Passover are upon us with their extra tempting days of relaxation, so here are some tips on how to handle your workload without falling (too far) behind.
BE ORGANIZED
Whether you’re planning to spend your nights blowing off steam, or having some quality family time at home, planning ahead will ease the stress that will inevitably come after your long weekend. Identify your main goals for the week following the break, and try to get major projects and time-sensitive work out of the way before you go out. Make sure to break tasks up into chunks—don’t try to do everything in one day. Allow yourself to work a little bit over the span of the four days, so you still have time to go out, or catch a few extra hours of sleep.
BE REALISTIC
Plan out how long it should take to get an assignment done. When it comes to time management, we often set ourselves overly optimistic goals. Be honest with yourself when it comes to planning a schedule. Make an effort to follow it, and don’t waste time on those tempting Facebook pages (we know you want to check Overheard at McGill). If you feel like you might need some help with your self-control, you can always try out apps like StayFocusd or Self Control that block your site usage for a certain amount of time.
SET AN ALARM
With a long weekend ahead of you, it’s tempting to just forget about your alarm, and let yourself wake up when you want to. This is a bad idea—when you end up waking up at three in the afternoon, you’ll have wasted the entire morning and afternoon. Set a reasonable time for yourself and allow yourself enough hours in a day to work before you decide to relax or go out. If you’re spending a night out with friends, or even at a family celebration, then be careful about the time you want to get home. If you come back in the late hours of the evening, chances are, it’ll be impossible to get up the next day. You can ditch your alarm in five weeks for the post-exam coma.
CHANGE IT UP
Work becomes tedious and boring when you’re at McLennan or Schulich on the same floor all the time. Spice up your study space and go to a different location—the Law Library, Presse Café, and Chapters make great alternate study spots. You might be more inclined to go somewhere different if you bring a friend along—just make sure the two of you can actually get work done together. If you’re going home for the weekend, know which places you can and cannot work in. If it’s impossible to get something done in your room, go to a local library or Starbucks.
EAT WHILE YOU WORK
Got your attention yet? Who doesn’t like food—and it can be beneficial too, especially when you’re working! Having something healthy like a fruit salad, a smoothie, or nuts can actually sharpen your focus and improve memory. Be creative with your snacks. Try “ants on a log”—celery with peanut butter and a few raisins on top. And while it may be tempting, it’s important to avoid greasy or fried foods like chips, fries, and donuts because they will make you sleepy and groggy—save those guilty treats for the party tonight!
On Mar. 23, liberal leadership candidates – Martin Cauchon, Deborah Coyne, Martha Hall Findlay, Karen McCrimmon, Joyce Murray, and Justin Trudeau – met for the fifth and final debate of the 2013 federal Liberal Party of Canada leadership race at the Palais des congrès in Montreal.
The afternoon featured several three-way debates among candidates, addressing questions submitted by the Liberals from across Quebec. Afterwards, candidates were given the opportunity to pose questions to each other in numerous one-on-one debates.
A particularly divisive topic was the possibility of party co-operation to avoid vote-splitting in the next federal election. Murray advocated co-operation among the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party (NDP), and the Green Party, in order to defeat the Harper government in 2015.
“It’s time to set aside politics based on division … I’m the only candidate who has put forward a concrete plan for co-operation that will avoid vote splitting,” Murray said.
To avoid what Trudeau called a “hodge-podge that’s about winning at all costs,” Hall Findlay and Trudeau argued against uniting the three parties.
“I understand we all want to replace Stephen Harper,” Hall Findlay said. “[But] we are in third place … [so] if this were to work, we would replace Stephen Harper with [NDP leader] Thomas Mulcair.”
Other major topics at Saturday’s debates included youth, seniors, energy, the environment, international development, and legal justice.
Issues facing youth
Candidates put forward their plans to address the financial issues students face.
“One of the main things we have to do is address student debt,” McCrimmon said. “If we don’t make the investments, we’re not going to prevent the tragedy of having a generation that doesn’t have the same opportunities that their parents do.”
Hall Findlay wants to give provinces more autonomy over education issues. This proposition serves as a response to the federal government’s plan to require the private sector to put forth $5000 for each employee’s training—an amount that the provincial and federal governments would be required to match.
“I like the idea of matching educational institutions and the private sector; that actually makes a lot of sense,” Hall Findlay said. “But it doesn’t make sense to never have a conversation with the provinces before you go and start ramming this stuff down [their] throats.”
Coyne emphasized the federal government’s role in specifying how provinces are to use the federal funds allotted to them.
“There’s a lot of money that goes to universities for research—[perhaps] we’ve got to get … the provinces [to] say, ‘Look, this [money] is for bringing down the cost, for looking at the costs of students attending post-secondary, it’s for expanding access, and it’s for ensuring that innovative things are going on,’” she said.
Candidates also addressed the low youth turnout rate in elections, and discussed ways to make politics more relevant to younger generations.
Trudeau noted that young people are more aware of political issues than ever before.
“When you look at demonstrations for example … a few days ago, the first anniversary of the demonstrations here in Montreal by young people … [shows] that [they] want to forge the world around them, but they really don’t think that politics is the right way of doing this,” Trudeau said. “We aren’t building the world they dreamed of, so we have to get them involved in politics; and that’s how things will change.”
Canada’s fossil fuels
Murray positioned herself against Hall Findlay’s support of the Canadian Oil Sands industry.
“I presented in the House [of Commons] a bill to prevent crude oil traffic on the west coast because of the risk of oil spills, and you vocally opposed my bill,” Murray said to Hall Findlay. “Are you supporting the interests of Calgary’s oil community over the interests of British Columbians?”
Hall Findlay restated her stance in favour of maintaining Canada’s oil industry for the sake of the economy.
“The prosperity that we derive from the Oil Sands benefits all Canadians, and we suffer right now a price discount of about 30 per cent because we can’t get that oil to our world markets,” Hall Findlay responded.
Liberals in Quebec
Cauchon and Trudeau debated how to best restore support for the Liberal Party in Quebec. The only two male candidates agreed on the need for the inclusion of Quebec in Canadian politics, but proposed different ways of doing this.
“We have to ensure we have a long-term view with a position on federation … which will ensure that one day we can bring Quebec into the constitutional family,” Cauchon said.
However, Trudeau suggested that Quebecers were more concerned with issues other than signing the Constitution.
“For far too long we’ve tried to buy Quebec, rather than tried to get them involved … in building … [a] prosperous, united country,” Trudeau said.
Closing remarks
The debates ended with a reminder that the next and final event in the Liberal leadership race will be the candidates’ speeches in Toronto on Apr. 6—the day the voting period opens. The new leader will be announced when polls close on Apr. 14.
Mike Crawley, president of the Liberal Party of Canada, expressed excitement over the number of Canadians involved in this election.
“This is the leadership race within the history of this party that has had the greatest participation,” Crawley said.
Of the 300,000 Canadians who signed up as supporters of the Liberal Party, less than half have completed the additional step of registering to vote. The majority of registered supporters are over the age of fifty, and Quebec contains just over one tenth of all supporters.
Click to Enlarge! – The new Leacock? (Space configuration plans courtesy of www.mcgill.ca)
Over the course of last week, top administrators in the Faculty of Arts began to address concerns from students, faculty, and support staff about the Faculty’s “People, Processes & Partnerships” project. This new plan proposes changes to departmental space configurations in the Leacock building.
Currently, a project team of 75 people—55 of whom are part of the administrative and support staff, 10 students, two faculty members, the dean, an associate dean, the director of administration, a department chair, and three people from without the Faculty of Arts—has proposed two possible scenarios, both of which involve relocating upwards of 55 offices within Leacock or to the row houses on McTavish Street.
Each scenario involves moving the department of Jewish studies from McTavish into Leacock, and relocating administrative staff within Leacock. However, the significant difference between the two is that the prior seeks to locate all department chairs on one floor, removing them from their respective departments.
According to Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi, space reconfigurations will also occur in the 688 Sherbrooke and the Ferrier building in the future. He explained that Leacock will be addressed first because it involves the most ambitious and complicated change.
The Town Hall
Manfredi presented the logic behind Leacock’s reorganization to a crowd of 100 at a Town Hall in Redpath Museum last week.
He cited the need to consolidate services for efficiency, and the need to adjust to a new university policy McGill announced last spring, which dictates that, for every two administrative staff members that leave McGill, only one replacement can be hired. This policy is in line with the Quebec government’s Bill 100, which requires that universities reduce spending on administrative staff.
In order to address these two goals, both scenarios suggest that the Faculty of Arts use the third and sixth floors of Leacock for administrative services. As it stands now, each department within the Faculty has its own administrative officer (AO) on each floor who takes care of students registered in that department. As a result of the proposed changes, AOs would move to the sixth floor and be cross-trained, so that they can help students from outside their departments as well as from within.
According to Manfredi, the idea of space reconfiguration was first discussed at a faculty meeting on Sept. 25, 2012, and the project was publicly launched in October. It was also discussed again at a November faculty meeting.
“There is nothing being kept secret about this,” Manfredi said, noting that very few professors at the Town Hall came to the faculty meetings in question.
For the majority of the Town Hall, Manfredi listened to professors’ concerns about the proposed scenarios.
A professor, Grierson Chair in Visual Culture, and Graduate Program Director of art history at McGill, Amelia Jones, spoke of a similar experience she had while working at a university in England.
“I moved here from [the] University of Manchester,” Jones explained. “I left the UK because the University of Manchester had consolidated the administration and staff, and it created, really, a completely dysfunctional non-collegial community. … I know that your plan seems to be different, but there are enough similarities that I’m really concerned about it.”
Jones said that after consolidation, the academic staff became the only possible interface between the University of Manchester students and their departments. According to Jones, the staff was also burdened with administrative tasks, and although administration was centralized for efficiency purposes, the staff was not able to develop the same degree of specialization.
In response, Manfredi told Jones that the Faculty of Arts does not want to replicate bad experiences that occurred at other universities.
Laure Spake, vice-president internal and events of the History Students’ Association (HSA), and one of the few undergraduate attendees at the Town Hall, spoke from the students’ perspective.
“This has been promoted as a move where we will have student services in one area as a [one-stop shop],” she said. “[However,] the department floor … is already a ‘one stop’ [for] students. We can go see our professors. We can go see our … [teaching assistants]. We can receive our students in [the HSA] office, which we hold very dearly.”
“I don’t want to be running between three floors of Leacock, two floors of Ferrier, the McTavish row houses … it’s difficult for us,” Spake added.
Professors continued to offer alternative solutions to the restructuring plan. Sandra Hyde, chair of graduate admissions and associate professor of anthropology, proposed that the Faculty have an AO who acts as a “floater”–someone who can serve the different departments when their AO is unable to do so.
Manfredi also told the Town Hall attendees that the Quebec government-imposed budget cuts on universities could also now play a role in how space is allocated in the Faculty, citing the fact that McGill plans to implement a policy of voluntary retirements for administrative and support staff across the university.
The voluntary retirement plan, to be released this week, will be offered to people above a certain age. Manfredi said that there are 15 people in the Faculty of Arts who might fall into that age group, which he thinks will include people around 60 years and older.
“If all 15 of those people are eligible, and they all decide to take the voluntary retirement plan, that would be a fairly big impact on our Faculty and individual units,” Manfredi explained. “It’s about resiliency, about trying to spread the shock of these kinds of things … across a wider swath, a wider group of people, rather than having it simply felt in a single unit.”
Moving Forward
Two days after the Town Hall, Associate Dean (Academic Administration and Oversight) Gillian Lane-Mercier addressed a room of student representatives at the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Council meeting to explain the need for the project.
“The Faculty of Arts lacks space in general,” Lane-Mercier said. “[That’s] just the way it is.”
All students who spoke and asked questions expressed skepticism about the plans.
“Why can’t it stay as it is?” Michelle Shames, vice-president external of the Sociology Students’ Association (SSA), asked Lane-Mercier. “It seems to be working very effectively. Students [and] faculty members, as well as staff in my department, have voiced an extreme amount of concern about the loss of soft knowledge.”
“We can’t keep the status quo because we are in for big administrative changes,” Lane-Mercier said in response to Shame’s inquiry, pointing to the looming budget cuts and the urgent need to implement McGill’s policy of voluntary retirements.
Manfredi has estimated that the cost of the project could reach $2.5 million, but Lane-Mercier told AUS Council that this was a very rough estimate, and is unlikely to hold. She also noted that the project will not be put into effect for another year and a half.
Manfredi said that following the feedback he received at the Town Hall, he now plans to expand the 75-person project team, and have Lane-Mercier conduct further consultation with individual departments.
“I was very pleased with attendance at the Town Hall, as well as with the constructive comments and feedback we received,” he said. “I was pleased to see general agreement that the Faculty has real challenges that need to be met, and that there is a willingness of individuals to get involved in the process of finding ways to meet those challenges.”
“There are clearly deep concerns about how changes to administrative structures and space may affect departmental cultures and autonomy, and these concerns need to be taken seriously,” Manfredi continued.
Mandredi also stated that more scenarios are being developed, and will be presented to the community “in an appropriate form” when ready.
McGill Food and Dining Services (MFDS) recently received a Chain of Custody Certification by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
MSC, an independent, non-profit organization, helps to promote an increasingly sustainable seafood market by recognizing and presenting awards to sustainable fishing practices, and certifying fresh wild-caught seafood. The Chain of Custody Certification allows MFDS to use the MSC “eco-labels” for their fish products. McGill is the first Canadian university to receive the MSC certification.
In keeping with MFDS’s Strategic Plan on Sustainability, MFDS have been committed to supplying affordable sustainable options since the plan’s implementation in 2011. The MSC Chain of Custody Certification serves to provide a clear, accountable recognition of the sustainable seafood source.
“Without certification and the use of the MSC eco-label, the students, faculty, and community at large will not know that the seafood they are ordering [from] or consuming [at] McGill is from a fishery that met the rigorous MSC environmental standard, and [that it] can be traced back to the harvester who is fishing responsibly,” Maggie Beaton, an MSC representative, said.
MFDS Executive Chef Oliver De Volpi explained that, initially, MFDS had not set out to become certified, but that the process of pursuing sustainable choices eventually led to MSC certification. However, De Volpi explained that for MFDS to become MSC certified, its suppliers needed to receive MSC certification first. Therefore, MFDS worked with suppliers Sysco and GFS Canada, as well as contract caterer ARAMARK, convincing them to attain MSC certification.
De Volpi explained that once a supplier receives MSC certification, this facilitates their clients’ shift to sustainable practices as well.
“Because [GFS and Sysco] are certified [with MSC], in theory, other restaurants, hotels, [and] institutions [that they supply] could complete the certification process much easier,” De Volpi said.
In its pursuit towards adjustment to sustainable practices, MFDS also worked with a group of students from the environment (ENVR) 401: applied students research class.
The ENVR 401 students undertook a research project that analysed which seafoods in the industry were optimal choices for McGill based on factors such as budgetary constraints and sustainability. Their research was financed by the Sustainability Projects Fund—a fund granted by McGill’s Office of Sustainability to projects that help build a culture of sustainability on campus.
Professor George McCourt, an ENVR 401 instructor, was the supervisor for this particular student research group.
“We were going to look at what the certification of seafood meant,” McCourt explained. “The research was to extract the most applicable aspect of each seafood certification body to create a McGill specific certification process, which would help them inform their seafood purchasing program.”
The students completed their research in December 2011, and composed a realistic guide of sustainable seafood options for MFDS.
Following a review of the research results, MFDS adopted the findings and implemented them in April 2011. De Volpi especially commended Will Agnew (BA ‘11), who was part of the student research team, and remained an active force in McGill’s process of becoming MSC certified even after graduation.
According to De Volpi, the switch to MSC certification will not greatly impact students price-wise, as MFDS will be absorbing any additional cost by making portion sizes of other dishes slightly smaller or using less expensive items in the place of more expensive ones.
“Perhaps the portion becomes 150g down from 165g, or perhaps we eliminate roast leg of lamb and replace [it] with roast beef, [which makes] 50 per cent savings,” said De Volpi.
Students reacted positively to the news of MFDS’ certification.
“I think people will be more willing to eat the seafood, knowing that it’s certified [and] coming from a reputable source,“ Christine Gannon, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I’ll feel like I’m making the right choice when I [consume those products].”
“It’s an achievement to be proud of,” Alan Chen, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I think they should extend [that] transparency to our other foods. It’s a good first step, but we do need to take further steps to making things more sustainable.”
These sustainable seafood choices will be available at four residential dining halls—Bishop Mountain Hall, Carrefour Sherbrooke, New Residence, and Royal Victoria College—with MSC certified wild species accounting for 40 per cent of all seafood served.
The Statement of Values was created by the McGill administration in response to a student occupation of the James Administration Building in February 2012. The document is intended to provide guidelines detailing how protests, demonstrations, and occupations may be carried out on McGill’s campuses.
Although Ashraf Ismail, associate professor in the department of food science and agriculture chemistry, moved to table the entire motion and many senators voiced their criticism of the document, the motion passed.
Provost Anthony Masi reminded Senate that there were two consultation periods to discuss the Statement of Values, and said that the feedback received at the Consultation Fairs made it clear it was necessary that the university possess a document that states its principles on peaceful assembly.
Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management Peter Todd agreed with Masi’s statement.
“[It’s necessary to] strike a balance between those who want to study and learn and those who are expressing dissent,” Todd said.
Many of the student senators criticized the Statement of Values.
“[An] attempt to define peaceful expression is ideologically dangerous,” Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Josh Redel said. “Peace is personal, [and] defining it in two sentences lacks in empathy.”
Associate Professor of Political Science Catherine Lu, who has been a long-time critic of the Statement, told Senate she thinks that the Statement of Values is unnecessary.
“If we were the University of Tehran we would need this, but we aren’t, so I don’t see why it is needed,” Lu said.
Following the motion’s approval, Senate discussed the Statement of Values’ accompanying document, known as the “Operating Procedures Regarding Demonstrations, Protests and Occupations on McGill University Campuses.” The Operating Procedures outline the measures that the university and Security Services will take in the event of a protest or demonstration. Unlike the Statement of Values, the Operating Procedures are not subject to Senate approval.
Associate Professor of Political Science Derek Nystrom asked why Senate was not allowed to vote on the approval of the Operating Procedures. Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Michael Di Grappa explained that normal Operating Procedures for campus security services do not require Senate approval.
The Statement of Values will need to be approved by the Board of Governors (BoG) before coming into effect, which will likely happen at the Apr. 26 meeting of the BoG. The Operating Procedures are currently in effect.
edX and mental health discussed
Another major topic of debate at Wednesday’s meeting was McGill’s participation in the edX consortium—a not-for-profit enterprise comprised of several universities that offer free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). EdX was founded by Harvard and MIT. McGill joined edX on Feb. 20 without approval from Senate.
Provost Anthony Masi explained that approval from Senate was not required to join edX, as Senate had already approved the Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities (ASAP) plan, which had an entire section on technological pedagogy, under which edX falls.
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson also led a discussion on both student mental health at McGill and student-professor interactions.
Mendelson said that mental health issues at the university are on the rise, citing the fact that last semester there was a 20 per cent increase in drop-in visits at the McGill’s Mental Health Services Clinic.
He also noted that 14 students were hospitalized at the McGill University Health Centre last semester due to mental health issues—a number much higher than the average two hospitalizations that usually occur in a semester, on average.
Wait times are also a concern, according to Mendelson, as students sometimes wait weeks or months to see a counselor.
“Mental health should be the top priority for student services,” said Mendelson.
Mendelson said that his team has explored several solutions in order to curb mental health issues. One would be to restructure the calendar so as to provide for a longer winter break to alleviate stress, while another option sought to create a mental health work group, which would “advance the overall health of students,” according to Mendelson.
The Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the Thompson House Ballroom last Wednesday evening with students, McGill staff, and PGSS members in attendance. Six motions were passed before the meeting lost quorum.
PGSS Council
Before the AGM began, PGSS held a Council meeting to vote on the appointment of Colby Briggs to the position of Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on PGSS Council.
“I did run elections at Concordia for their Arts and Science Federation of Associations,” Briggs, a Concordia graduate and former Concordia Community Assistant, said. “I know they faced many of the issues that I’ve heard go on here, so I think I’ll be more than able to bring my experience there to the McGill environment.”
The room voted in favour of his appointment.
Motion to censure removed
PGSS Member Services Officer Elizabeth Cawley began the AGM by motioning to remove an item from the agenda that called for the censure of Academic Affairs Officer Adam Bouchard and Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney.
The motion to censure arose due to Bouchard and Mooney’s alleged failure to comply with a request passed down to them from last year’s AGM last March, which asked them to contract an independent company to audit McGill’s securitization of campus. Cawley argued that, despite Bouchard and Mooney’s alleged lack of compliance, censuring them was unnecessary.
“These executives have conducted themselves in accordance with regulations, diligently worked to complete their project, and a motion of censure is completely reprehensible,” Cawley said.
Cawley’s motion passed, and the motion to censure was struck from the agenda.
Differential Fee Waivers
Differential fees—the tuition supplements for international students—were addressed in the third motion of the evening, which called upon McGill to advocate for Differential Fee Waivers (DFW) based on graduate students’ financial needs.
Mooney mentioned that the dean of Graduate Studies continues to pay 70 per cent of the differential fees of each international PhD student the department admits, but the dean of each faculty has discretion over whether they allocate this money towards the students’ differential fee or not.
“It’s this weird system where you’re getting money based on how many international students you attract, but sometimes you don’t use it to actually make the experience good for them,” Mooney said.
After some debate, the motion passed with a strong majority.
Gender Equality
The fourth motion on the agenda addressed the lack of gender parity on PGSS’ Board of Directors, and called upon the Board to have female candidates fill at least 50 per cent of positions.
Most participants agreed with the spirit of the motion, but some expressed the opinion that it needed further refinement.
“Overall, it’s good to diversify the Board, but why are we only talking about women?” PGSS Internal Affairs Officer Michael Krause asked. “[I agree that] we should actively reach out to more women and [to] more diverse members … but I think as the motion stands now, it is not feasible and not fully encompassing what the PGSS should do.”
Cora-Lee Conway, a doctoral student at McGill and a mover of the motion, emphasized that it seeks to diversification the Board.
“My motivation was to bring this motion forward as an entry point to discussion about the values we have here at the PGSS about representation,” Conway said. “[PGSS] Council … has over 50 per cent female membership, [yet our] Board, up until today, did not have any female representation.”
The motion passed after it was amended to encourage increased diversity rather than exclusively female representation on the Board.
Oil Sands investments
A motion for PGSS to lobby McGill to cut off its investments in Canada’s Oil Sands industry passed after some issues were addressed, including concern over the feasibility of persuading McGill to divest from these companies, and whether the tax revenues from these companies benefit students.
Divest McGill Spokesperson Lily Schwarzbaum spoke to PGSS, insisting that divestment from Oil Sands interests is a feasible and necessary step for the university to undertake.
“Divestment is a concrete target to symbolically make the statement [against supporting fossil fuels] along with other universities in North America,” said Schwarzbaum.
After it lost quorum, the AGM adjourned amidst debate on the seventh motion, which concerned tuition indexation. It was decided that PGSS will use their in-house researcher to further look into the issue of tuition indexation.
Montreal police crack down on one-year anniversary protest
Last Friday, protestors gathered at Place Émilie-Gamelin to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a historic march against tuition increases that took place on Mar. 22, 2012. However, the Montreal police (SPVM) intervened quickly, and arrested over 250 people.
Several demonstrators criticized the police for dispersing them before the protest truly began, and the march’s organizers pointed to the SPVM’s behaviour as “increasingly systemic repression,” according the National Post.
CBC News reported that Québec Solidaire member Manon Massé said that her party is requesting an independent public inquiry into police conduct during demonstrations and protests in downtown Montreal.
Friday’s march, which saw hundreds of attendees—a number that came nowhere close to the tens of thousands of students who paralyzed the streets of Montreal last year—was the latest in a series of protests that have occurred following the Quebec government’s decision to index tuition by three per cent a year.
Cree group to finish 1,600 km trek in support of Idle No More movement in Ottawa
A group of Cree youths will soon complete their 1,600 kilometre march to Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement.
The group, originally comprised of six young adults and a guide left their James Bay community of Whapmagootsui, Quebec, in January. Many people from other Cree and Algonquin Communities have joined them since their departure, increasing the group’s membership to 200.
The group has been travelling in the winter weather conditions only by snowshoe. Throughout the duration of the march, 22 of the walkers suffered from foot injuries and had to seek medical attention in Kitigan Zibi, Quebec. Three required further treatment and were sent to a hospital in Maniwaki.
David Kawapit, an 18-year-old Cree youth, told CBC News that the group has received a lot of support along their journey.
The group, who has called their trek “The Journey of the People,” arrived in Ottawa on Monday.
TVO pulls online game that shows pipeline bombing
Following heavy criticism from the premiers of Alberta and B.C., public broadcaster TV Ontario (TVO) has decided to remove an online game that features the bombing of gas pipelines. Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals and two appointed individuals will review the game and determine whether it meets the broadcaster’s programming standards.
According to the Globe and Mail, TVO paid to have the game developed, with the intention of including it in a documentary highlighting the heated public debate over Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project. The Gateway pipeline would transfer raw bitumen from the Alberta Oil Sands, through B.C., to the West Coast.
“It’s disappointing to see a taxpayer-funded game and organization depict the blowing up of pipelines,” Alberta Premier Alison Redford said in a public statement. “It’s exactly opposite of Canada’s interests given all of Canada benefits from a strong and diverse energy sector.”
TVO spent approximately $100,000 on the production of the game and the documentary, according to the Globe and Mail.
Manitobans suffering from flood damages sue Province
People who owned property on Lake Manitoba prior to the flood of Apr. 2011 flood filed a lawsuit on Mar. 23 against the province for $260 million, saying that the government relocated too much water into the area that had already been damaged extensively by flooding.
According to CBC News, the government of Manitoba had committed to providing multi-year compensation for floods from 2011 onwards. Many property owners on Lake Manitoba initially received compensation for the flood. However, they claim that they have not received anything more since 2012, despite remaining property damages.
“The government needs to fess up that they dumped a pile of water in there, and it had nowhere to go,” Alice Dent, one of the plaintiffs in the case who lost her cottage due to the excess water, told CBC News. “I don’t think you can talk to anybody that doesn’t understand that we were sacrificed for Winnipeg.”
One-man Hunger Strike begins in Vancouver
On Mar. 22, a Vancouver resident, who calls himself “The artist formerly known as Homeless Dave,” began a hunger strike to protest the gentrification of the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood in Vancouver.
According to the Globe and Mail, his specific demands include that the city’s government deny a permit to build condominiums at 138 Hastings Street E.; that social housing be built on the site of a former police station on Main Street; and, that the entire neighbourhood be deemed a “social justice zone.”
The man only plans to drink sage tea and juice until his demands are met, the Globe and Mail
reported.
This is the latest instance of protesting against the alleged displacement of low-income residents in the Downtown Eastside. Earlier last week, a group that identifies as “Anarchist” stole a sign from an eatery in the neighbourhood that they had deemed to be a “prominent piece of gentrification propaganda.”
In case you were too busy finishing up midterms, or preparing for Passover, here’s what you missed last week in the world of sports …
HOCKEY — More Shanahan shenanigans on Thursday have left fans and players alike scratching their heads. Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul was slapped with a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Victor Hedman, while Rick Nash avoided punishment for a similar attack on Tomas Kopecky. Lupul expressed his anger via Twitter following the news; however, it’s unclear if he was reacting to the league’s suspension, or the displeasure of having to play for the Maple Leafs.
In the standings, the Blackhawks remain atop the league, while in the East, the Canadiens and Bruins continue to battle Pittsburgh for the number one seed. With about a month left to play, nothing is certain, except that Florida is really bad. Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning fired Head Coach and McGill graduate Guy Boucher on Sunday after the team’s disappointing 13-17-1 start. So we’re all sad here at the Tribune.
FORMULA ONE — The crazy individuals who drive cars fast were in Malaysia over the weekend for the second event of the year. Last year’s champion Sebastian Vettel claimed the race, edging out fellow Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. Sparks flew in the post-race talks between the duo, as Vettel admitted to ordering Webber to concede first so he could stand atop the podium. Although he finished second in the race, Webber most certainly won the award for iciest stare-down, callously displaying his displeasure for Vettel afterwards.
A similar story unfolded in the Mercedes camp between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton eventually took third, but his finish was overshadowed by his pit-stop blunder in the early goings of the race. Hamilton apparently forgot that he switched from the McLaren team to Mercedes at the end of last year, entering his ex-team’s pits for a tire change. Evidently, old habits die hard.
NCAA BASKETBALL — Madness! Each year the NCAA tournament ruins the lives of those foolish enough to think they have what it takes to fill out a bracket. This year, the collapse came in the form of National Championship contenders Georgetown. The second-seeded Hoyas ducked out in the round of 64 to the 15th seeded Florida Gulf Coast, which sounds more like a retirement home than a full-fledged bracket buster. Florida Gulf Coast offered a repeat performance on Sunday, beating San Diego State to become the first 15 seed to make the Sweet 16, which is pretty … well … sweet. They’re matched up against Florida in the next round, which should be pretty exciting for all the Gulf Coast players who probably wished to be recruited by the Gators.
No.1 seed Gonzaga dropped their third round match to the Wichita State Shockers, consequently becoming the first top seed to exit the tournament. Canadians Kelly Olynyk and Kevin Pangos represented their country well, however, and should continue to showcase the advancement of Canadian basketball next season. Fellow No.1 seed Indiana survived a bit of a scare against Temple University to advance to the Sweet 16.
Each year March Madness offers countless baskbetball fans a glimpse into the world of college basketball. The popularity of this event speaks volumes for the allure of NCAA basketball, but is it more appealing than its professional NBA counterpart? Two contributors weigh in on the better level of ball.
For: NCAA Basketball
The debate between college sports and professional sports rages on year after year. For basketball, however, that discussion can be easily put to rest. College basketball is better than its professional counterpart, because of the relatability of the athletes at the college level, and the quality of its post-season.
Some argue that the NCAA product may be diluted, due to the vast disparity in talent between the perennial powerhouses and the low-major minnows. However, this talent gulf exists in the NBA to an even greater extent. For instance, in the past 30 years, the Larry O’Brien trophy has been lifted 25 times by just five teams. Essentially, if your team is not located in a major television market (Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles), there is a miniscule chance that they will have any post-season glory.
Another prominent argument in favour of the NCAA is the fact that the players are not paid. In the NBA, financial motivation can significantly alter a player’s ambitions. In a contract year, for instance, a player may give his all in order to earn a higher paycheque the following summer. Once that player is paid, however, the incentive to provide a full effort every game is diminished. In college, while some are playing primarily to make the NBA, most student athletes are playing because of their pure love for the game.
However, the most glaring indicator of why the NCAA is better, has to do with the cultural phenomenon that is sweeping the continent at this very moment: March Madness. A league should place a premium on the quality of its playoffs, and the NCAA has arguably ,the best post-season of any major sport. There is typically little to no drama or suspense surrounding the NBA Playoffs. This trend continues this year as Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City are the only realistic title contenders. On the other hand, the structure of March Madness is far more watchable and exciting. If you lose, you’re out; it’s that simple. As a result, the tournament is almost completely unpredictable. One only needs to fill out a bracket to realize that anything is possible when there is only one game on the line. The biggest players rise up to the occasion, and the phonies shy awsportay from the bright lights—the mentally strong are the ones who survive. Moreover, coaching takes on a far greater importance as the X’s and O’s actually make a difference in comparison to the thousands of isolation plays in the NBA playoffs.
There are no Cinderellas in the NBA—just corrupt, wicked step-sisters who only care about making sure that their numbers are balanced. The players in the NBA may be more talented, but the NCAA allows each and every one of us to fall in love with a bunch of no-names who have the guts to deliver blow after knock-out blow to Goliaths. It gives us something to relate to, something to believe in, and reminds us that any one of us can have our own shining moment.
These are the names that have elevated basketball to its current status as an international sport juggernaut. These players’ standings as singular-name icons is a testament to the growth of NBA basketball and its presence in our everyday lives.
While some of these basketball greats used the NCAA as their stepping stone onto the sports scene, the NBA is where they truly cement their legacies and turn into basketball legends. This is due to the nature of the league itself, where only the best of the best from around the world play every night. Those who thrive in the NBA play against the top competition possible, and, as such, are justly awarded a place in the history books.
On the other hand, while college basketball certainly has its fair share of skilled players, very few would claim that it boasts the world’s best players—not even the most ardent fans of the college basketball scene. The NCAA consists primarily of American players coached and raised with the same playing style. As athletes directly out of high school, the skill levels for the majority of students are still raw. Furthermore, the extremely high player turnover rate in the NCAA does not provide enough time for players to establish a legacy for themselves. In comparison, the athletes of the NBA are famous for their career storylines and the twists and turns organic to them. They build themselves a legacy.
In addition, the lack of international variety amongst the amateur league’s roster is blatant. When was the last time the NCAA featured a pleasantly mellifluous name such as the likes of Bismack Biyombo or Ricky Rubio?
Yet the NBA has one of the greatest displays of diversity on a nightly basis. The vast international audience allows the league to reach out to countries all around the world and create a wider viewership of the games. This coming in stark contrast to the intense hunt necessary to catch a rare glimpse of an NCAA game during the regular season. While both the NCAA and NBA are suffering from the commercial gigantism of the sport, the NBA does have greater media accessibility, providing fans simpler means to connect with their favourite teams or players.
Ultimately, the debate between NCAA and NBA basketball comes down to the fan experience. While supposed basketball purists may tout the college game’s “rugged” playing style—which is, quite frankly, another way to say that it’s boring—the NBA features offences and defences of every kind, including those that resemble the team-oriented approach of the NCAA. Furthermore, the NBA is famous for its elite athleticism on display every night, which makes for an incredibly enjoyable experience for the fans.
There is a reason why March Madness is the only time of the year when the NCAA scene really comes alive. It occurs just prior to the NBA playoffs, and acts as a brief burst of excitement during the ‘dog days’ of the NBA regular season. The real test of NCAA and NBA basketball popularity is obvious: if March Madness coincided with the NBA playoffs, which one would fans watch? The answer is easy.
—Remi Lu
Winner is …. NBA Basketball
Although March Madness is an incredible tournament and exhibition of skills, the lack of interest of most fans throughout the regular NCAA season hinders its popularity. Meanwhile, in the NBA, excitement throughout not just the entire season, but also the off-season, coupled with the league’s explosive talent make it the undeniable winner.
After a long winter, the greatest (and original) fantasy sport is back: baseball. Here are some tips for all of you gamers out there, planning on joining a pool for the 2013 MLB season.
Do not become too enamored with the youngsters
Notwithstanding Mike Trout and Bryce Harper’s amazing seasons last year, most rookies and second-year players need time to develop in the big leagues. Don’t be the person drafting Jurickson Profar, Oscar Tavares, and Manny Machado way too early. Instead, focus on reliable veterans such as Paul Konerko, Adrian Beltre, and Derek Jeter.
Be aware of last year’s performances
Given the luck inherent in baseball, it is possible that many players over and under-performed last year (I’m looking at you, Cliff Lee), relative to their true talent ability. Be sure to look at some more underlying statistics like Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), Line Drive Percentage (LD%), and Fly Ball Percentage (FB%) to see if your player is due for a repeat performance.
Stay away from injury risks in the early rounds
The early rounds are the time to build a core group of players who will generate points for your team. This means avoiding players who have spent a lot of time on the disabled list in the past, which is the best predictor for future injuries. It’s also important to keep track of any spring training injuries. You don’t want to take Chase Headley, Curtis Granderson, or Mark Teixeira as top guys when they’re injured.
Chase the K’s
Make sure to draft pitchers whose strikeout rate hovers around nine per nine innings. Not surprisingly, many of these pitchers are also great contributors in the WHIP and ERA categories.
Wait on closers
There is incredible turnover of closer jobs during the year, meaning that if you are quick on the waiver wire, they can grab these new save contributors. Do not take closers in the first 12 rounds, when you can be building other areas of your team.
Generally ignore spring training performance
It is unlikely that Julio Teheran and Rick Porcello will be the best pitchers in the big leagues this year. That being said, keep away from Ricky Romero and Roy Halladay; their springs have been alarmingly bad.
Head-to-Head tips
Do not draft starting pitchers, but instead focus on getting two-to-four of the best closers in the game, basically ensuring you win Saves, ERA, and WHIP categories every week. Also, by avoiding starting pitchers, you can stack your offensive lineup.
Try out the Auction system
For those who haven’t tried, an auction draft gives every team a set budget and then lets all the league managers bid on the players they want. You can draft the team you want, but keep in mind that it does take a very long time to complete this type of draft.
Players I like for 2013
Domonic Brown, Alex Hicks, Cliff Lee, Jose Reyes, Will Middlebrooks, Jesus Montero, Andrelton Simmons, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Revere, Ryan Howard, and Justin Upton.
Players I don’t like for 2013
Ryan Braun (possible 50 game drug suspension), Josh Hamilton, Hunter Pence, Adam Jones, Aramis Ramirez, and Jonathan Papelbon.
