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Arts & Entertainment, Books

Revisiting a burdened and haunted past

by Andrew Pyper's The Guardians transcends horror genre cliches on

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It’s not always clear why horror is such a popular genre. After all, it intends to horrify—to inspire fear in shadows that seem to disappear the second we turn around. Andrew Pyper’s The Guardians reminded me of the reasons Stephen King novels and the endless slew of gory sequels do so well: like it or not, being scared can be fun. Pyper’s book is intriguing, fast-paced, and difficult to put down. And yet, the author pushes past the tried-and-not-so-true methods of his realm. The Guardians is a haunted house story, sure, but it relies on psychological taunts and a world of fearful speculation, rather than shock-and-awe bloodshed.

The story concerns four small-town boys, bound together by a hockey team as well as something much more sinister. The Guardians is told in alternating time periods, separating high school boys and middle-aged men. In 1984, Trevor, Randy, Carl, and Ben are united by the story of a damaged house that haunts them during their youth. In the present day, Trevor and Randy are called back to their small town of Grimshaw to revisit that ghostly building and revisit their past.

The narrator is Trevor, a middle-aged man plagued by Parkinson’s disease and loneliness. He is called to action by the suicide of his friend Ben, which acts as the catalyst for the re-emergence of crimes the four witnessed and committed back when they were teenagers. Just as he did in the winter of ’84, Trevor begins to lose his grip on reality when confronted with the house and the disappearance of a beautiful young woman.

The house in question defies all horror stereotypes. It hasn’t been plucked from a Poe story. It’s not creaky, cobweb-ridden, or cursed. Inside, the house is tattooed with graffiti, remnants of parties, and evidence of forbidden trysts. But outside, the house is normal. Its power comes from an ominous past and the cruel inventions of a frightened imagination.

This unconventional haunted house is representative of Pyper’s ability to exploit and surpass the  boundaries of the horror genre. He leaves some of the house’s impact up to the reader’s imagination, but makes sure not to introduce any clichés that would affect their vision of the setting. The supernatural force in the story, an always changing but ever-present boy, is treated in a similar way. The phantom is frightening because he is so vague, but Pyper describes his ghost in original, offbeat language as “the opposite of music.”

Pyper’s distinctive, highly visual writing style compliments his plot perfectly. The story’s developments are all unexpected, but it works. Every twist and turn in The Guardians is shocking, and yet still feels right. The entire work is treated with a sense of realism; the characters are flawed but relatable, and the setting is raw and unembellished. This sets the groundwork for a tense, raging final showdown in the house.

The story’s conclusion elucidates some of the most pressing themes in the book—middle-age anxieties, subjectivity, and the very real threat of irrationality. It’s an intelligent, well-worked haunted house story. Though Pyper gets beyond the traditional tropes of the horror genre, he mines it for all its worth and gives readers what they’re really looking for: can’t-tear-your-eyes-away fear. Simply put, The Guardians gave me nightmares, but I didn’t want to put it down. If that’s not horror, I don’t know what is.

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Eat, drink, and be merry…unless you’re not

by Brahna Siegelberg on

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collider.com
collider.com

After tending to their vegetable garden and sharing a warm cup of tea, Tom and Gerri Happle go home to fill their wine glasses and cook a hearty dinner. Occasionally, they invite friends, or their son Joe, to break bread with them. Through thick and through thin, from winter to spring, the London couple is the picture of domestic bliss.

This is the basic premise of Another Year, the latest film to come from acclaimed British director and writer Mike Leigh (Vera Drake, Topsy-Turvy). Set in a middle-class London neighbourhood, the film traces one unremarkable year in the life of Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen)—not a reference to the cat and mouse—a happily married couple well into their autumn years. Although their lives move throughout the months without a glitch, the people around them are not quite as fortunate: Mary (Leslie Manville)—a frequent, though not always welcome guest—is a single, middle-aged secretary with a drinking problem and a knack for falling in love with men who are either unavailable or too young, while Ken (Peter Wright), Tom’s overweight childhood friend, suffers from serious depression and a likely case of emphysema.

What makes this movie so compelling is not the action or the drama—in fact almost nothing happens during the film’s two hours—but rather the beauty with which the camera treats the backdrop and the characters. Leigh, known for what critics have labelled “kitchen-sink realism”—a slice-of-life approach that emphasizes the family and the domestic space—focuses on human emotion, the nuances of facial expression, and the essentially banal conversations in which people engage. By breaking the year into four very distinct seasons, the film not only benefits from the varying landscapes, but is also able to symbolically represent the ups and downs of human life; babies are born, old people die, and life goes on as usual. Aside from the visibly changing outdoor setting, the film reads much like theatre: the sets are limited, the cast is small, and the drama is focused and specific.

This realist approach is made possible by the incredibly talented cast of seasoned actors. Broadbent, a long-time staple of British cinema, embodies old, English virtue in his portrayal of Tom. Even during Mary’s drunken rants, Tom is willing to humour and engage her, always with a knowing twinkle in his eye. Ruth Sheen’s Gerri is sympathetic and wise; as Gerri is both a loving matriarch and a hospital therapist, Sheen captures the tender yet stern nature of her character. Finally, as Mary, Leslie Manville manages to ring true—if a little too true—to life. Though Mary is continually plagued by misfortune, she gets up and skittishly assures herself, and everyone else, that once she buys a car or takes a vacation, everything will be OK.

While the film contains indubitable merit, it does draw a slightly ambiguous line between misfortune and missed opportunity. It begins to feel like a morality tale, bidding the viewer to recognize “good” and “bad” life choices. Tom and Gerri are kind and welcoming, but the disparity between their own virtuous life and the clear mistakes of their friends leaves them appearing ultimately smug and somewhat difficult to relate to. When Mary laments that married men don’t wear a sign that says “Don’t fall in love with me, I’m married,” Tom remarks, “I think it’s called a ring.” Rejecting men like Ken for superficial reasons, the film implies that Mary’s loneliness, as well as her tragic financial woes, are entirely her own doing. Similarly, watching Ken guzzle a pint of beer, Gerri bemoans that “life can often be cruel,” but there seems to be an implicit criticism of Ken for resorting to cigarettes and alcohol in response to his depression. Whereas Tom and Gerri are classic exemplars of how to live “the good life”—they are faithful to one another, they have respectable jobs, they raised a good-natured son, and they tend to their Eden-like garden—people like Ken and Mary seem to have brought on their tragic fates through misplaced values and life mismanagement.

Against the backdrop of the Happles’ old British values is a notably new London. Joe is an immigration lawyer whose secretary wears a hijab, and Ken makes a few remarks like, “Nowadays, instead of going out for a beer, people go out for a curry,” and, “The pubs are becoming bars.” Although Another Year zeroes in on the lives of aging white Britons, the film is carefully placed in a distinctly new and multicultural idiom. As Tom reads a book on the history of London and notes that history has never seemed so relevant, he demonstrates that while contexts are always changing, good old values still persist.

Opinion

No Kraft Dinner for Ted Williams

by Nicholas Petrillo on

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 The first major entertainment story of 2011 was undoubtedly that of Ted Williams, also known as “the homeless guy with the golden voice.” Down on his luck and left panhandling to various passersby, Williams demonstrated his incredible silky smooth voice, which was subsequently recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Literally hours later, the video had received millions of views, and Ted Williams was catapulted into superstardom. He was featured on CNN, Good Morning America, and radio stations across the United States. Then came the offers: a 30-second TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, a voice-over position for the Cleveland Cavaliers (which also included a free house, mortgage paid), and numerous morning news gigs. What a feel-good story it was: a man, through the grace of God and the generosity of America’s wealthiest corporations, was going to pick himself up by his bootstraps and finally get the second chance he deserved. But it was all too good to be true.

The first problem with this story is the so-called generosity of these companies. For Kraft Foods, offering Ted Williams a commercial spot was marketing gold. Sure, the commercial would play his unique voice on television, but the real value was the message that they would be helping a homeless man get back on his feet. Not only would the public be glad to see Ted land a job, they’d also be talking about the selfless humanitarianism of Kraft Foods. The small commission Kraft would pay Ted for his commercial was nothing compared to the enormous PR dividends sure to follow.

None of us could have seen such a sensational story coming, but in the back of our minds we all saw where this was going. Williams’s ugly past caught up with him, and the stories of drug abuse, alcoholism, theft, and child neglect hit major news outlets. Later that week, police were dispatched to Williams’s hotel room to break up an allegedly drunken verbal altercation with his daughter. In a further act of disingenuous charity, TV personality Dr. Phil extended his helping hand. He would give Ted all the help and guidance he needed—as long as their session was broadcast live on daytime television.

Now it’s February, and Ted Williams has vanished back into obscurity as quickly as he emerged. Will this rags-to-riches story come true in the end? It seems unlikely. After all, money doesn’t solve every problem. In Ted’s case, given his admitted drug problems, it seems foolish to assume that he was able to immediately put his troubled past behind him in the face of a media blitz and high-paying job offers.

Blame Ted for letting the fame go to his head or blame the sponsors for their shameless opportunism; in the end we’re left with a news sensation that was discovered, exploited, and forgotten in record time.

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

An affair to remember

by Thea Fitz-James on

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David Sherman’s Joe Louis: An American Romance is the perfect event to kick-off Black History Month. Thematically and visually complex, the play explores the life of Joe Louis—the African-American heavyweight boxing champion of the world—through flashbacks, fictional scenes, and historical footage, to comment on the racial prejudice that still resonates today.  

While the play is based on a true story, the author took many liberties with dialogue, time, and characters. This paradox—the union of true and false—is the first of many presented in this complex “romance.” The play begins with a feminist auditor (Cary Lawrence) visiting Old Joe Louis (Ardon Bess). As the two discuss the money that Louis has spent, and the back taxes he hasn’t paid, the life of Louis unfolds through dementia-induced flashbacks. The actors often share the boxing ring stage, shifting seamlessly from one time period to the next. These transitions are greatly aided by the lighting and sound effects that flood the stage with sepia colours of the past, or invoke the ambiance of a boxing match. Film is also used to illustrate the story of Louis’ life; historical footage of his fights are projected on stage by Young Joe (Samuel Platel), creating a layered and striking visual effect.  

Bess brings honesty and energy to the extremely challenging role of Old Joe Louis. Arcing his performance beautifully, Bess gives us a character that at once makes the audience laugh and ache. Some of the best scenes are between Bess and Lawrence. Not only do the two bring a real intensity to the stage, but the themes at work are some of the most interesting; the conversations of a black man and

a white woman broaden the racial questions of the play to prejudice

against race and gender alike. As  Young Joe, Platel is endearing

and committed. Playing opposite

him as Lena Horne, one of Louis’s wives, is McGill graduate Jessica B. Hill. When she comes on stage, it’s hard to ignore her presence, control, and detailed performance. The two younger actors are definite talent to look out for in the coming years. An incredibly capable chorus supports the entire cast; switching characters, accents, and costumes with skill, it’s a surprise to discover there are only

four of them.

The biggest success of the play is the work of set designer James

Lavoie. A boxing ring, on and around which the action takes place,

fits itself elegantly into the beautiful

venue of Le Bain St-Michel. This makeshift theatre adds another dimension to the performance; while the audience watches a play, they’re also watching a fight, both literally and thematically. This raises questions regarding the scenes of domestic violence in the play: What is the difference between watching a man hit his wife and watching a black man hit a white man? Or a feminist hit a black man? These are questions that the action of the play raises subtly, but artfully leaves up to the viewer to answer.  

As the director suggests, Joe Louis “begs a dialogue about ongoing racism in our society.” And yet, with a play that places the struggle of Joe Louis at the forefront, one must ask: What does it mean, considering this play was written and directed by white men? Is this not one further step toward racial appropriation? While that thought certainly crossed my mind, I would suggest that nothing could be further from the truth. This play is a romance, pure and simple. Not one between individuals, but rather, between races. The play portrays Louis’s life as one that fought segregation and Jim Crow laws. It evocatively repeats the quote from sportswriter Jimmy Cannon: “Joe Louis is a credit to his race. The human race.” This is certainly a love story: a union of time and space, of sexism and racism, of white and black, and most importantly, of an extremely talented, multi-racial cast and creative team.

Joe Louis is playing at Le Bain St-Michel, Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. until Feb. 20. $15. 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Midseason Sitcom Roundup

by Alex Shiri on

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poptower.com
poptower.com

Episodes

While its concept sounded great, the Episodes pilot is not as exciting and hilarious as it should have been. The show, starring Matt LeBlanc of Friends  fame and some Brits, plays off a familiar Hollywood theme: taking a British comedy hit and bringing it over to America. Last spring’s previews were promising, and included a scene of LeBlanc having to audition for the role of himself. Unfortunately, what looked good in the previews wasn’t included in the pilot. Instead, the first episode slowly brings two British writers to Los Angeles, and follows their adventures and the strange behaviour of their new studio associates. This episode was definitely missing screen time from LeBlanc, and sitting through it was slightly torturous. The blogosphere seems to be giving the show praise, so it never hurts to give it a second chance, but the pilot certainly failed to impress.

 

 

Parks & Recreation

After being held back as a mid-season replacement by NBC, Parks & Recreation has made a hilarious return to primetime TV. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is back in full swing, rounding up her co-workers to get back to the Parks department of the small, fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The first episode of the third season deals with the Pawnee government going back to work after being shut down months earlier (a coincidental parallel with the show itself being shelved for half the year). If you have yet to give this show a chance, please do. This season, new additions Adam Scott and Rob Lowe promise to round out an already great comedic cast who all play off each other in their own quirky ways. Although the first season may have started off rocky, the show found its groove last year and it’s now time to board the Parks & Rec train. The show is no longer about a government lady trying to turn a pit into a park; it’s got everything it needs to start contending with critically acclaimed NBC buddies 30 Rock and The Office. 

 

 

Californication

   It’s clear from the start of season four of Showtime’s hit series Californication that all is not well for everyone’s favourite dysfunctional writer. The first scene of the premiere shows Hank Moody (David Duchovny) being picked up from jail by none other than his agent/best friend Charlie Runkle. The bailout is followed by some interesting plot developments, including Hank’s relationship with an actress and some other normal Californication shenanigans (sex, drugs, and alcohol). After months of waiting, fans of the show will get what they love, along with some promising new storylines for the upcoming season. For those who have yet to catch this show, don’t even think of starting with the current season. Backtrack, catch up, and dive into Moody’s past because it’s an entertaining one. The show’s season premiere brings even more trouble for Hank, who has yet to make up with his loved ones, including his ex-wife and daughter, which may force him to make a change in his lifestyle. Showtime certainly has faith in the fourth season of Californication; they have already renewed it for a fifth and Moody shows no signs of slowing down.

Recipes, Student Life

Creamsicle Conecakes

by Monique Evans & Chelsea Lytle on

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Chelsea Lytle

Last week, we discovered something that will forever change the way you think about cupcakes: you can bake them in ice cream cones. While you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like cupcakes, the edible cone far surpasses the traditional paper cup. You can make these using any cupcake and frosting recipe, but for this version we wanted to stick with an ice cream theme, so we chose to make these tasty treats orange creamsicle flavoured.  We used Martha Stewart’s orange vanilla bean cupcake recipe with our own whipped cream meringue frosting. Despite our whipping efforts, the frosting didn’t fluff, or as every cookbook would put it, the stiff peaks did not form. Nevertheless, it still served as a nice dip for our conecakes.

Ingredients & Directions:  

Cake

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp vanilla (divided)

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

2 large eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

12-14 ice cream cones

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream butter, sugar, two tbsp vanilla, and orange zest until fluffy. Add eggs, beating well until smooth.

2. Combine cream, orange juice, and one tbsp vanilla extract in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with cream mixture (flour, cream, flour, cream, flour). 3. Make sure the mixer isn’t on high speed unless you want flour all over the kitchen. Divide batter among ice cream cones. You can fill them up to the brim. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool for roughly 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp vanilla

1. Whip egg whites “until soft peaks form.” Add sugar and continue to whip until stiffer peaks form. Make sure you use an extremely clean bowl as any grease in the bowl will prevent  the egg whites from forming peaks.

2. Whip cream with vanilla and orange zest in a separate bowl.

3. Fold egg whites into whipped cream

4. Dip cones into the frosting.

Student Life

Library Reviews: Episode 5 – Howard Ross

by Iain Macdonald on

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mcgill.ca

The faculty of Management at McGill is most well known for three things: having the best cafeteria, their new tuition model for graduate students, and not having class on Fridays. You won’t hear

too much about their library, though. Situated on the corner of Sherbrooke and McTavish, the Bronfman building houses the faculty of Management and their Howard Ross library of Management. The library caters specifically to management students with numerous of meeting rooms for group projects and an open area where noise is tolerated.

Noise Level – Most of the time I was in Howard Ross, I felt like I was making too much noise, either due to my typing or page turning. Besides the clickity-clack of the nearby computer keyboards, it was pretty quiet, aside from the occasional hushed whisper. Bottom Line: I had no problems going headphones-less in this library. (5/5)

Accessibility – The Bronfman building, at the corner of Sherbrooke and McTavish isn’t much farther for most library-goers than McLennan or Cybertheque. For those on the “other side” of campus, it’s a bit closer. It is open until 9:00 p.m. weeknights, and 6:00 p.m. on weekends, which is kind of early for night owls like myself. Bottom Line: It’s certainly no trek to get there, but if you plan on staying late, head elsewhere. (3/5)

Study Setup – The Management library has the same desks and chairs as McLennan, comfortable and private, with enough electricity for all of your appliances. However, as they’re only in pairs, it feels less claustrophobic than McLennan. There are a number of computers in two areas for those without laptops. The study rooms look great for working on group projects, but I didn’t try it out. Bottom Line: Comfortable chairs, great desks, and accommodations for all. (5/5)

Facilities – Howard Ross is in the same building as the Management cafeteria, or just across the way from the Redpath cafeteria. While the Management cafeteria isn’t always open, it’s not too far from downtown, so other options are available if it’s closed. The rather unimpressive bathrooms are just outside of the library doors, which isn’t too far to go. Bottom Line: While food isn’t far, a decent bathroom might be. (4/5)

Décor – Bronfman is definitely not the most appealing building on campus. The front part of the interior is quite nice, although the walls are lined with shameless self-promotion of the faculty. The

library’s setting is rather unremarkable. Window seats look over Sherbrooke, McTavish, and the alley, with nothing exciting to see. Bottom Line: To put it nicely, Howard Ross is distraction-free.  (3/5).

Overall Appeal – Howard Ross is definitely one of those libraries you chose to get some serious work done. If you don’t mind the dull scenery, it serves that purpose quite well – it was definitely the quietest of the libraries I’ve been to. Perhaps the biggest hidden perk is being able to tell your friends that you went to the “manbrary” today – that is, a contraction of Management-library. Bottom Line: Howard Ross is best described as just another library on campus. (4/5)

Total Score: 24/30 [1st]

Strengths: Noise Level, Study Setup

Weaknesses: Décor

News

Ryerson program to help NHLers

by Kat Sieniuc on

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Ryerson University and the National Hockey League Alumni have teamed up to move coaching from the locker room to the classroom. The new “BreakAway Program” offers current and retired hockey players the opportunity to enhance their business education for success off the ice by covering topics of finance, leadership, privacy law, marketing, and personal branding.  

According to Pat Flatley, the program’s director, the Ted Rogers School of Business Management at Ryerson and the NHL Alumni’s unique partnership is what makes the program so effective.  

“The BreakAway Program offers all current and former players the opportunity to work with one of the top schools in North America that truly understands the unique circumstances of professional athletes,” Flatley said.

Wendy McCreary of the NHL Alumni Association said that BreakAway’s main objective is to help players find a career in the world beyond hockey.  

“Their love is the game; that’s all they know,” McCreary said. She added that the program hopes to provide players with enough confidence to successfully transition into a post-hockey career.  

“We hope to give them the ability to pursue a different identity when they come out of the game,” she said.  

Program liaison and Ryerson marketing professor Marla Spergel believes the BreakAway Program is something from which all NHLers can benefit.  

“When players leave hockey, they are at a void,” Spergel said.  

The program will customize its courses to supply players with the specific tools they might need to fill the void created by a lack of formal business training.

The BreakAway Program consists of 15 hours of material and has a completion deadline of six months. Its online format is player-accessible and designed to accommodate their busy schedules and fast-paced work environment.  

“We wanted to produce a program that gives them the ability to educate themselves online at their own convenience,” McCreary said. Although the players do not receive a degree, Spergel provides guidance counselling to those players who wish to continue further studies with other university or college programs.  

“As an outsider I am pretty impressed that there is such a commitment from the alumni to want to really get them prepared for when they leave,” Spergel said. Although there are currently only a handful of students enrolled in the program, she notes that BreakAway is in the process of developing an extensive marketing plan to reach more NHLers.  

“Since it is all very new, a lot of players have no clue this thing exists yet,” she said.

McCreary declares that part of the program’s mandate is to also reach other universities. “A good portion of our constituency is based in Montreal,” she said. BreakAway will be asking McGill if it would like to start its own branch of the program some time in the future.

Montreal, News

Nurse-in draws crowd to support public breastfeeding

by Kyla Mandel on

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Alice Walker
Alice Walker

On January 5, Shannon Smith, mother of three, was told she was not allowed to breastfeed in Orchestra, a children’s store in the Complexe Les-Ailes on St. Catherine Street. In response, Genevieve Coulombe organized a “nurse-in” in front of the store on January 19th.

Smith was given no explanation as to why she was not allowed to breastfeed in Orchestra; she was simply told repeatedly in French that it was not allowed by a store clerk. Smith replied: “that’s incorrect. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives me the right to breastfeed where I like.”

“I left in tears. I was very upset. I think that was really humiliating and I should not have been treated that way and in front of everyone in the store, in front of my children,” Smith said. “I have three kids and I’ve breastfed them all and I’ve never had an issue like this. It’s shocking to me in this day and age that we still have this ridiculous behaviour.”

The first thing Smith did was to share her experience online through Twitter and Facebook. “But you only have 140 characters on Twitter, so you don’t really get to tell the whole story and everybody had lots of questions,” Smith said. She then decided to create a blog  called “breastfortheweary.com” to share the entire experience.

“I only really expected like 30 people, people I mostly knew, to care enough to read my blog … but it spread like wildfire,” Smith said.     In reaction to this event, Genevieve Coulombe—a complete stranger at the time to Smith—created a Facebook event entitled Allaite-In (or “Nurse-In,” in English) for January 19, to which 173 people clicked “attending.” The idea was to breastfeed to raise awareness of a mother’s right to breastfeed anywhere, at anytime.

In a speech given to introduce the event on January 19, Coulombe said that the path to awareness “starts with the education of the general public and especially with the education of the new moms who don’t know all their rights.”

Myriam Baril-Boisclair, whose son is eight and a half months old, attended the event after hearing about it on Radio-Canada. She believes it’s important to have the right to nurse her child everywhere.

“It’s not because I like to do it, it’s because I have to do it. When he’s hungry I have to do something,” Baril-Boisclair said.

Well over 50 mothers showed up to breastfeed. Not only mothers attended the nurse-in. Fathers came along as well to support their wives.

On January 10, Smith recieved an apology from Orchestra and on the Facebook event Coulombe wrote that “the water ran under the bridge. The store apologized to the mother. We are at peace with this store!” In a gesture of good will, Orchestra handed out goody-bags to the mothers attending the event, and the Complexe designated an area for strollers to be kept safely.

Smith hopes that raising awareness about this issue informs people that “breastfeeding is normal behaviour, protected by law,” she said, and that “if you break the law there are consequences.” More importantly Smith hopes that the nurse-in will show mothers and mothers-to-be, “that they don’t have to ask permission to breastfeed … that they don’t have to be ‘discrete.'”

In response to the nurse-in, the Canadian Breastfeeding Protection Petition has been created by Infant Feeding Action Coalition Canada and INFACT Quebec. This petition aims to get 100,000 signatures to deliver directly to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking “for action on improving breastfeeding support for mothers and babies across Canada.”

News

Andrew Cohen says U.S.-Canada cultures converging

by Jimmy Lou on

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Anna Katycheva

Last Tuesday, Andrew Cohen­—one of Canada’s preeminent non-fiction writers and a McGill alum—delivered the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada’s 18th annual J.R. Mallory Lecture in Canadian Studies, discussing Canada’s cultural convergences with the United States.

Although things have changed over the years, Cohen said that many Canadians today still want to distinguish themselves from “belligerent, pompous” Americans. According to Cohen, medical care, poutine, and a fervent love for hockey have been badges of a distinctly Canadian identity. “But,” he said, “take away health care and other cherished identities, and what’s left for us, and between us?”

Cohen pointed to four subjects on which Canada and the U.S. have become indistinguishable: obesity, frugality, criminality, and multiculturalism. Although Canada once considered itself more fit than its southern neighbour, statistics show increasing obesity rates for both adults and children. In 2005, Canada was the fifth-most overweight nation in the world, while the U.S. was number one. But in a more recent poll, the U.S. has a 66 per cent obesity rate, compared to 60 per cent in Canada.

In terms of spending habits, Cohen said that “although [the idea that Americans spend more than Canadians] is true to a certain degree, [as Canadians] we are no longer frugal.” National debt continues to rise in Canada. Canada’s national household debt was a record $1.41 trillion in 2009 and has continued to climb. In addition, Canada’s income distribution gap is expanding, with the richest one per cent holding 34 per cent of the wealth.

Traditionally, Canadians have thought their country safer than the U.S., Cohen said. Granted, this is still true. But the American crime rate has dropped to levels that haven’t been seen since the 1960s. Also, capital punishment in the U.S. has become more moderate in the last 10 years. Not only have many states abolished capital punishment, but the states that still use it are issuing increasingly low numbers of death sentences. California, for instance, has not ordered one in five years, and Texas—notorious for executing criminals—only issued 17 in 2010, compared to 400 in 2000.

Chris Espamer, a U1 politcal science student from the U.S., said he sees a clear distinction between the two neighbouring nations.

“I think that Canada has some good traits from both American and European culture. They seem to be less obsessed about military strength, and are less corrupt politically in general.”

People often believe that Canada is more tolerant towards immigrants than the U.S.. Cohen suggested, however, that “the pot is no longer melting” and that the U.S. has become much more accomodating to its minorities.

Cohen also mentioned the cooperative relationship that has persisted over time between U.S. and Canada. Despite some disagreements, the two nations have generally worked in political, economic, and social harmony.

 “It was a very informative [lecture], and I was surprised at some of the differences,” said Kateryna Sherysheva, a U1 political science and international development student.

“This lecture has made me think deeper about the issue and reconsider different sides,” said Sherysheva.

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