Latest News

Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois addresses her supporters in victory rally, minutes before fatal shooting. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
a, Creative

Vol 32. Issue 1

on

More in a:

Check out some of the photos from the first week’s issue of 2012.

Politics

Protests: When’s it time to go home?

on

More in Politics:

This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

All your supporting arguments must be communicated with simplicity and charm. And in such a way that the reader will read on. (After all, that’s a reader’s job: to read, isn’t it?) And by the time your readers have reached this point in the finished copy, you will have convinced them that you not only respect their intelligence, but you also understand their needs as consumers. (more…)

Land Rover

Range Rover Sport evokes a little bit more lust for 2014

on

More in Land Rover:

2014-range-rover-sport-012
This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

All your supporting arguments must be communicated with simplicity and charm. And in such a way that the reader will read on. (After all, that’s a reader’s job: to read, isn’t it?) And by the time your readers have reached this point in the finished copy, you will have convinced them that you not only respect their intelligence, but you also understand their needs as consumers.

Land Rover

Range Rover Evoque for Victoria Beckham

on

More in Land Rover:

range-rover-beckham-evoque-xl
This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

Porsche

Porsche 911 GT3 wows the crowds in Geneva

on

More in Porsche:

This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

[wzslider]

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

All your supporting arguments must be communicated with simplicity and charm. And in such a way that the reader will read on. (After all, that’s a reader’s job: to read, isn’t it?) And by the time your readers have reached this point in the finished copy, you will have convinced them that you not only respect their intelligence, but you also understand their needs as consumers.

Automotive

World Premiere: BMW 4 Series Coupe

on

More in Automotive:

This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content.

If you want to read, I might suggest a good book, perhaps Hemingway or Melville. That’s why they call it, the dummy copy. This, of course, is not the real copy for this entry. Rest assured, the words will expand the concept. With clarity. Conviction. And a little wit.

In today’s competitive market environment, the body copy of your entry must lead the reader through a series of disarmingly simple thoughts.

a, News

SSMU Report Cards

on

More in a:

Maggie Knight (President): A

Maggie Knight was dealt a very difficult hand this year as SSMU president. While this may have distracted her from some of her goals, the Tribune has no hesitation in saying she has done an exceptional job as president. The Strategic Summits, while allowing a safe space for discussion, were sparsely attended, demonstrating that something more than just consultation is needed. That said, throughout many trying events, including two occupations, the MUNACA strike, and her dealings with the administration, Knight always presented herself as calm and diplomatic. She made a sensible decision on the Memorandum of Agreement concerning the Shatner Building’s lease and the use of the McGill name and maintained a cohesive executive. The Tribune applauds Knight for consistently delivering results.

Emily Yee Clare (VP University Affairs): A- 

Emily Clare worked closely with Maggie Knight this year to draft policies such as the Equity Policy. She proved herself to be a respected voice in senate and stepped into a position of leadership when Knight expressed a conflict of interest in the Newburgh v. Tacoma Judicial Board hearing. She played a principal and pragmatic role in the renegotiation of SSMU’s Memorandum of Agreement with the administration, which ultimately led to the controversial restriction of the use of the McGill name by SSMU clubs and services. As a member of senate, we understand her role to include fostering a good relationship between SSMU, its constituents, and the administration. This was certainly a challenging year to fulfill such a mandate, but nevertheless, there was a tense relationship between the admin and SSMU throughout the year.

Todd Plummer (VP Internal): B

Many students on the verge of nervous breakdowns last December can thank Todd Plummer for bringing in therapy dogs to
quell their fears. Unfortunately, that’s just about the only out-of-the-box thing Plummer did all year. The predictable events, such
as frosh, 4Floors, and Faculty Olympics were well attended, but lacked the spark of previous years. Plummer attempted to reform the
listserv earlier in the year, but the much needed reforms quickly dissipated. Finally, SSMU’s response to the AUS GA, co-authored by
Plummer, was an overreaction to a problem that should have been dealt with internally.

Shyam Patel (VP Finance and Operations): A-

Shyam Patel came into the year with many high expectations for his portfolio. The Tribune feels that Patel succeeded in fulfilling
many of his goals, from working to bring back a student-run café to creating a five-year ethical investment plan for SSMU. Titled the
“best dressed executive,” we also commend Patel on his efforts to hold office hours, something not many VP Finance and Operations
have done in the past. His only blemish on an otherwise strong year was that his much-lauded launch of SSMU Marketplace never gained the momentum he anticipated.

Carol Fraser (VP Clubs and Services): A-

Carol Fraser tackled one of the most extensive portfolios this year. As VP Clubs and Services, Fraser was responsible for overseeing all of SSMU’s clubs and services, as well as acting as building manager of Shatner. Early in the year, when the admin restricted the use of the McGill name by clubs and services, Fraser acted as a effective liaison for confused club executives. She also brought club and services information into the 21st century, with more extensive information and helpful categorization of clubs and services
on the SSMU website. Her decision to include an alternative format for Winter Activities Night was creative, but ultimately flopped. At the same time, she’s paved a smooth transition for her successor, Allison Cooper.

Joël Pedneault (VP External): B

There is no doubt that Joël Pedneault has shown great dedication to his position as VP External from the very beginning of the year. However, while the position of VP External is often hard to define and is known for being one of the most political executive positions, the Tribune feels that Pedneault may be been too passionate, and as a result has alienated a portion of the student body while showing dedicated support for another. It is the job of the VP External to help represent the entire McGill student community, and in order to do so, it is required for those in the position take a step back from their personal politics.

 

Arts & Entertainment

Cold Specks is heating up

by Ryan Taylor on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

It’s the taping for an early November episode of venerable UK music show Later… with Jools Holland and 24-year-old Al Spx is making her television debut with only a single to her Cold Specks moniker. She stands in the centre of room, bathed in a blue spotlight, hands clasped and eyes closed, and launches into a haunting a capellagospel version of Bascom Lamar Lunsford’s “Old Stepstone.” The rest might soon be history. Her performance garnered heaps of praise on both sides of the Atlantic, record deals were officially announced with Arts & Crafts in Canada and Mute in the UK, and her debut album I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is set for release next month. It was a showstopping debut, but it almost didn’t happen.

“I lost my passport the night before I was supposed to fly out and it was the most expensive mistake I’ve ever made,” says Spx. “I had to get an emergency passport, got there in time, found out my amp was broken, my throat was really bad. I was terrified.”

A native of Etobicoke, ON, Spx began with humble musical aspirations, writing songs as a product of “boredom” and playing the occasional show in the kitchens and backyards of friends during university. Cold Specks as it is wasn’t an idea until a few years ago when the older brother of a friend in the UK took an interest in her early, private demos and convinced her to fly to London to work with him.

“I didn’t think much of them,” says Spx of those demos. “He stole a copy [from his brother] then spent months phoning me up trying to get me to work with him, so I went out to work with him.”

From there, the two arranged the songs, found Spx a band, and developed her sound. She describes her music as “doom soul” and chuckles when I bring it up.

“We came home one night and we were updating the [Facebook band page] and I jokingly wrote ‘doom soul,’” she explains. “The next day a blog had picked up on it and it just went [kaboom].”

“I don’t really like to categorize things and I think when I have to it’s funny to say something like ‘doom soul.’ It’s dark and it’s also kind of soulful.”

It’s accurate for a joke. Songs on I Predict A Graceful Expulsion draw on blues, gospel, and folk traditions, anchored by Spx’s husky, quivering powerhouse of a voice. It’s an arresting instrument, and amazingly something she didn’t know she possessed until high school.

“I took a music and computers course and we had to have a live instrument on one of the projects and I decided to sing,” says Spx. “I had no idea that I could until I played it to my teacher who told me that I could sing, that I could hit notes.”

Spx is a self-taught musician, which made the process of translating her ideas to a full band difficult. For example, she based her guitar tuning on six notes that most closely resembled the sound of an oud, a traditional North African and Middle Eastern instrument.

“They found it really hard to learn my songs because they’re not very structured. The tuning’s completely random. I don’t believe in counting beats—it’s not that I don’t, but I just have a hard time doing it.”

The result is an album peppered with fluid, off-kilter rhythms and phrasing, like on lead single “Holland,” “Elephant Head,” and album closer “Lay Me Down.” As laborious as it may have been to get the band on the same page, everything comes together to create Spx’s unique musical voice, one she never expected to take her this far.

“I just thought I’d record some songs on my laptop and pass them around to friends.”

I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is out May 22. For more information visit www.coldspecks.com

montreal summer fireworks
Student Life

Summer in the City

by Kyla Mandel on

More in Student Life:

Montreal is an amazing city in the summertime. However, because of the mass exodus of students leaving to their respective hometowns or summer adventures, much of the city’s charm, which remains blanketed in snow for most of the school year, goes untapped and undiscovered by the student body. Each month of summer brings something new, so whether you’re staying in town for May’s first week, or for all four months, I encourage you to take advantage of what the city has to offer.

Day trips: When the sun’s shining and the sky is cloudless, there’s nothing more satisfying than spending every minute outside. ParcJean Drapeau’s beach is just a metro ride away. It’s open from June 16 to Aug. 12, and the entrance fee is only $8. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can make a trip out to Oka National Park where there’s a beach, water slides, and hiking trails. It’s easy to drive out there if you have a car, but you can also take the train out of Montreal and then an express bus directly to Oka. (For more details, simply look up Oka on wikitravel.com). Finally, if you just can’t stand the city air anymore, why not drive up to St. Sauveur (45 minutes away), where there are water slides and a quaint town to stroll around for lunch. Try Tremblant village (1.5-2 hours away), where you can enjoy the beach, or go camping in the nearby Tremblant National Park (for details visit http://www.sepaq.com/pq/mot/index.dot?language_id=1)

City activities: No worries if you don’t have a car, there are plenty of activities just a stone’s throw away. For an urban poolside afternoon, head over to Hotel de la Montagne at 1430 rue de la Montagne. The pool is open to the public between 11:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. If you want something more active, why not grab your bike or rollerblades and head down to the Old Port and follow the bike path along the river? Heading west on the path, you’ll finish at the Atwater Market where you can buy a bucket of strawberries or some artisanal sorbet as a quick refreshment before heading back. If you’re looking for a slightly longer bike ride, but still within city confines, bike (carefully) along the Pont de la Concorde and onto the Formula One race track (when the races are over, of course). There’s no better feeling  than biking on the smooth asphalt of the F1 track.

Nightlife: Montreal has endless venues for a fun night out on the town. Make sure to try out the plethora of terraces on the rooftops of Old Montreal’s hotels. Many restaurants have back patios or tables outside, which are great for people watching and makes you privy to the city’s unique buzz of activity. Throughout the months of June and July you can head to the Old Port or Parc Jean Drapeau to watch the annual international fireworks competition. Also, while not many of us can afford tickets to the Grand Prix races, that doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the hustle and bustle found on St. Catherine’s from June 8 to 10. If you pick the right nightclub or bar, you might just be lucky enough to run into anF1 race car driver.

Outdoor theatre: Every year Shakespeare in the Park comes to Montreal and makes its rounds through the various local parks. It takes place near the end of the summer in August, so keep an eye out around then for placards near parks detailing the venue, time, and date. Always sure to be entertaining, the Repercussion Theatre will be performing the Taming of the Shrew this year. Grab your friends, a blanket, and some food and head out to the park (arrive early as spots fill up fast) for an evening of cultured fun. Check out their website for up-to-date information (http://www.repercussiontheatre.com ).

Festivals: There are endless festivals throughout the summer in Montreal, including the Just for Laughs comedy festival, a beer festival, and an 18th-century market; there’s something for everyone. Check out the calendar to the right for a list of dates that are not to be missed.

Sports

10 questions with … Evan Vossen

by Christopher Nardi on

More in Sports:

MT: How did it feel to win the CIS championship?

EV: It’s a great feeling. The way things happened in terms of the history of the franchise, the program—which is 136 years old—not winning after what we went through last year in terms of losing in the finals, and then to win it in the fashion that we did, in overtime, on the50th edition of the University Cup, it was really something special for us.

MT: How did the team react when Western scored that tying goal in the third? What was going through your minds?

EV: They scored the tying goal 30 seconds into a five-minute powerplay and I was thinking, “Okay, this is something we’re going to have to dig out of.” But, we have such a character group of guys that nobody got too frustrated, panic didn’t set in, and in the remaining four and a half minutes of the powerplay, we only let by one shot. I think it shows how determined the guys were, and the sacrifices they were willing to make.

MT: How did it feel to score the winning goal in overtime?

EV: Having that puck go in, I was ecstatic, but it was also so much more for me. Beyond making program history, I don’t know if many people know, but Picard-Hooper, who gave me the pass on the tying goal, his assist set the all-time point record at McGill. There’s just so much stuff that happened in that one play that has such an impact on the school, the team, and all of our lives.

MT: What will happen to your hockey career now that you’re graduating?

EV: I want to play professionally, probably in North America, so I’m going to look at my options during the summer and, come fall, hopefully I’ll have something to do. If not, I would definitely consider Europe as an option. In the end, if it doesn’t work out, yeah I’ll be disappointed, but hey, I have a degree, and hockey has been so good to me that I have no regrets whatsoever.

MT: What do you think of the Redmen coaching staff?

EV: Since he joined the team two years ago, [Head Coach] Kelly Nobes has been a great addition for us. We’ve had exceptional coaching all five years that I’ve been here. Really, our success the last three years has been thanks to [ex-Head Coach] Martin Raymond’s recruiting, and then Jim Webster [came] in for a year and we lead the nation in scoring that year. Then Kelly [came] in, and we lead in scoring again and win the championship.

MT: As team captain, how much responsibility do you take for your team’s successes and failures?

EV: For me, being a leader is leading by example. It means putting in hard work, but that’s what our team is based around. I don’t have to show the guys the way, the guys show each other the way. And that’s something I noticed when I got to McGill; it’s something that’s instilled within the program, and it’s still being instilled into the young guys that are coming in.

MT: How do you think the team will respond next season, considering that the team loses eight players this summer?

EV: There are a lot of the first years that got a lot of experience this year because of injuries, so they have a solid base to work with next year. They have most of the defensive core coming back, as well as all the goaltenders, and winning the CIS championship is a huge recruiting tool. So I think they have a solid team coming into next year.

MT: Take us through your typical game day.

EV: Usually, I’ll meet up with Andrew Wright at 9:30 at Cora’s for breakfast. Honestly, I’m not much of a class goer on game days, so I usually have a bowl of soup around noon and follow that with a nap for an hour and a half in the afternoon. Then I’ll get up towards three, eat my pre-game meal, hop into the shower, and get out of my apartment by four. Then it’s down to Second Cup for a coffee and off to the rink. We always have a meeting an hour and a half before the game with the coach, and then we warm up and play. After the game, I usually hang out with the guys, get something to eat and then go to bed.

MT: Who’s your favorite hockey player/team?

EV: I’m a Habs fan, and have been since I can remember. I have to say, especially when I was growing up, my hockey role model was definitely Jerome Iginla. I really enjoy the way he plays and the hard work he puts into his game.

MT: Do you think fighting should be taken out of hockey?

EV: I don’t think you can completely remove fighting because there will be stick swinging incidents, dirty elbows, hits to the head, which have been so popular lately, and I have no problem with a guy going after another guy for a cheap shot. If you’re going to do something like that, and put someone else’s health at risk, I think there’s a price you have to pay.

1 … 1,110 1,111 1,112 1,113 1,114 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue