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Martlets, Sports, Volleyball

Citadins upset McGill Martlet volleyball in bitter struggle

by Patrick Beacham on

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The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins (6-13) took the McGill Martlets (14-6) to task at the Feb. 16 Beach Night match, packing Love Competition Hall with McGill and UQAM fans alike. Scraping ahead at every crucial moment, the Citadins maintained control of the game, which culminated in a surprising 3-0 UQAM victory.

“It’s kind of unexpected,” fifth-year middle Érika Cournoyer said. “We worked hard in practice, but it just didn’t show up as we wished on the court.”

The first set was tight from the beginning, with blocks on both sides making for hard returns. However, UQAM pulled ahead of McGill in the middle of the frame and came out on top 25-22. Though the Martlets are comfortably seated in a playoff position, their opponents were fighting to secure a spot in the postseason, keeping the Citadins focused and motivated throughout the entire game.

“They’re actually playing for fourth place, so for a spot in the playoff,” fourth-year middle Myriam Robitaille said. “They had a really good second [half of the] season, and [they’re] going to be a team to respect for sure.”

In the second and third sets, the Martlets’ inability to return mid-range drives and deep spikes left them vulnerable to the Citadins’ strong attack. Many times, their dives and digs fell short, costing McGill dearly during critical points. The Martlets broke free from an 8-8 tie in the third set, but their lead proved fleeting, ultimately losing the final set 21-25.

“We have to [make] our first-contact passing a little closer to the net so we’re not putting ourselves in a tough situation to be able to hit and use the height we have,” Head Coach Rachele Beliveau said.

Against the backdrop of the Beach Night match, the Martlets paid homage to Cournoyer, Robitaille, and fifth-year libero Marjolaine Ste-Marie, who are all graduating after this season.

“All of them have contributed really well to the program, made the program grow, and it’s always hard to see them leave,” Beliveau said. “But at the same time, this is life, so they’re going to move on to something new.”

After Friday’s upset, the Martlets went on to sweep the Ottawa Gee Gees 3-0 on Feb. 17, a marked improvement over their previous 3-2 victory against the Gee-Gees on Jan. 28. Going into their playoff matchup against the Laval Rouge et Or, which is slated for the first weekend in March, McGill will focus on returning to an unpredictable playing style to stay one step ahead of their rivals.

 

Moment of the Game

The final McGill offensive began when second-year power Claire Vercheval spiked the ball off the UQAM blockers and out of bounds to break an 8-8 tie in the third set.

 

Quotable

Even if they’re in [fourth place], they’re gonna show up, so we always have to be ready to play teams like this.” – Fifth-year middle Érika Cournoyer on UQAM’s grit and the upcoming challenge of the postseason

 

Stat Corner

Martlets fourth-year Myriam Robitaille served a game-high five aces.

 

Montreal, News

Montreal city councillors discuss policies to support homeless communities

by Jacqueline Yao on

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5 Days for the Homeless McGill (5D4H) held a panel on Feb. 5 in the Bronfman building to discuss support for Montreal’s homeless population, featuring talks from Montreal City Councillors Benoit Langevin and Sterling Downey. 5D4H Co-Executive Director Meghan Bottomley moderated the public event. Speakers addressed homelessness in relation to topics like social resources, lobbying, and restoration.

Social Housing

Bottomley first directed attention to the Liberal government’s 10-year $40 billion affordable housing commitment and how the strategy will affect Montreal’s urban development. Langevin, city councillor for Bois-de-Liesse in northwest Montreal, anticipates that the city will have to spend more on affordable housing than the surrounding suburbs due to high demand. He also emphasized that ongoing negotiations between private actors and the provincial government prevent city officials from accurately predicting the investment size.

“Social housing cannot be built without the private sector because you need to have a project that is submitted by the contractor to your borough or to the city for a large-scale construction,” Langevin said. “[Montreal is] still negotiating […] with the provincial government as to how much money [from the national housing strategy] will be under the responsibility of the city of Montreal.”

Downey, city councillor for Desmarchais-Crawford south of downtown, and Projet Montreal’s spokesperson on homelessness, added that there are legal loopholes that allow contractors to forego contributing funds into the housing financial aid program, as mandated by the city’s inclusion plan. He aims to resolve this discrepancy by ensuring that affordable housing projects are built on unpolluted foundations.

“Our role [as city councillors] is to monitor construction so the government can invest money [in social and community housing],” Downey said. “We have to make sure that there’s land to build on. We have to make sure that the land is accessible, that there are partners [to propose affordable housing projects].”

Homelessness and Police

Bottomley asked how police interactions can mitigate tensions between law enforcement officers and homeless individuals.

“Whenever I go into the metro station and I see someone who’s homeless, I always see a police officer.” Bottomley said. “What can the city do in terms of the police force to improve relations [with] the homeless community […] and take these things more seriously? [….] Is there are way the city can enforce or change the policies in investigating [discrimination against the homeless]?”

In response, Langevin noted that police interventions often focus on redirecting homeless individuals from public spaces to shelters. Pointing to available funds from Montreal’s falling crime rates and the subsequent cuts in police force size, Langevin supports hiring more social workers who can understand the turmoil a homeless person is going through.

“The speed, that pace from [going from living on the streets to living in housing] can take […] a week, 4 years, or 30 years, and you can’t rush that process,” Langevin said. “I don’t think that even our outreach workers or our police officers are not sufficiently aware of the [cultural] values that makes every intervention very different from [the] other.”

Addressing similar concerns over cultural values, Downey affirmed that law enforcement officials must respect Indigenous values and culture when interacting with the homeless. He commended Clinique Droits Devant’s focus on rehabilitation over criminalization on public space occupation offenses. In addition, Downey believes that Équipe mobile de référence et d’intervention en itinérance (EMRII), a Service de police de la Ville de Montréal division that refers homeless individuals to appropriate services, has trained officers to sensitively approach those living in the metro. He believes that the real problem is the lack of first responders who are trained to deal with people with different backgrounds

“Our police services are where we need to invest more in,” Downey said. “We need to continue to educate our services and make sure they know how to deal with [specific situations]. Dealing with someone who’s white, for example, and homeless, and someone who’s First Nations and homeless [require] two different approaches.”

Creative, Sports

McGill Tribune Sports Podcast: Sweeping statements with curling correspondent Matt Sussman

by Stephen Gill & Gabe Nisker on

More in Creative:

A writer at Deadspin and Baseball Prospectus, Matt Sussman lent us his knowledge on Olympic curling and MLB free agency. Matt discusses the mixed doubles curling tournament, covering everything from the Canadians taking home gold to the bad boy of curling. He also breaks down the stories to watch in the men’s and women’s team curling tournaments. And finally, speaks about the lack of activity thus far in this MLB offseason.

Produced and edited by Selwynne Hawkins & Tristan Surman.
Music provided by Selwynne Hawkins.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

First Aid Kit heals all wounds at MTELUS

by Chloe Wong-Mersereau on

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Swedish sister-duo Klara and Johanna Söderberg, along with their band First Aid Kit, stopped off at MTELUS on Feb. 6 for the touring of their new album Ruins.

The venue was packed with excited folk young and old—many of whom had been waiting for the band’s next visit to Montreal since the group’s first trip to the city in 2014. Their performance made up for their long absence with an almost two hour set, enchanting the audience with poetic lyrics and unique vocal harmonies. Surprisingly enough, the sisters did not grow up listening to country music, and were first exposed when they began exploring Townes Van Zandt’s heroically tragic songs, Emmylou Harris’ powerful solo voice, and Johnny Cash’s pairing of simple chord arrangements with his deep voice. First Aid Kit combines all of these elements through simple chords arranged with a range of rich percussion sounds to complement their voices.

The opener, Van William, is a Californian alternative indie vocalist and guitarist, and close friend of Klara and Johanna. Although they are similar in terms of their musics’ indie-folk genre, the Söderbergs’ vocals completely contrasted Van William’s in power and reach. William’s voice sounded wispy and he was overpowered by his band, whereas First Aid Kit had a steady, clear, and powerful sound. For the encore, both acts returned to the stage to perform a collaborative rendition of Van William’s “Revolution”.

First Aid Kit kicked off their set with several songs from Ruins, and later included some old favourites from 2012’s The Lion’s Roar—their first album to gain serious recognition. Perhaps it was Klara’s funky Swedish dress, or Johanna’s angelic hair flipping that kept all eyes on them as they moved and swept across the stage. Their quirky presence topped off their incredible vocal ranges and unusual harmonies that effortlessly weaved in and around their sound. Klara is the main power behind the vocals, but the full sound comes when accompanied by Johanna’s elastic voice, Scott Simpson on drums, Melvin Duffy on pedal steel guitar, and Steve Moore on keyboard and trombone.

In between some of the more upbeat melodies, the sisters performed an angry song entitled “You are the Problem Here.” It specifically addressed the perpetrators of rape with powerful lyrics like “I hope you fucking suffer.” In their introduction to the song, they spoke directly for the need to shine the spotlight on the rapists and away from survivors. They released this song on International Women’s Day in 2017, after hearing of another rape case where the perpetrator’s sentence did not fit the crime committed. They purposefully disrupted the flow of the set’s digestible melodies to share this important message. It marked a turning point in the concert, as though they were properly warmed up and ready to deliver an unforgettable performance.

The band also played a tribute to Leonard Cohen, who has been a big influence on them. When he died in 2016, the Söderbergs organized a memorial concert for Cohen in Sweden. They performed Cohen’s song “If It Be Your Will” in the encore, but halfway through the song, Klara forgot the lyrics and soon picked it up during the chorus. The encore was fun and playful and they completely played off Klara’s forgetfulness making the entire experience an intimate one.

Seeing First Aid Kit puts into perspective how rare it is to find a group that sounds better live than on their recordings. The Söderbergs tracks do not do their powerful voices and dynamic bond justice. The last songs were the most emotional, as the genuine love the sisters’ have for singing together left tears in people’s eyes.

Creative, News, SSMU

SSMU Council – February 8th Recap

by Tristan Surman on

More in Creative:

Get the information you need on VP Finance Esteban Herpin’s accusation of VP External Connor Spencer and VP University Affairs Isabelle Oke of mismanagement of funding for AVEQ.

“SSMU VP External and the VP University Affairs paid for [the SSMU conference hosted for AVEQ] using their SSMU credit cards for over $4,000 of expenses, which consisted mostly of hotel rooms and food,” Herpin said. “Nowhere in the SSMU operating budget were these funds approved or budgeted for.”

Video by Tristan Surman

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Trib Mix: Anti-Valentine’s Day

by Holly Cabrera, Arshaaq Jiffry on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

Oh, Valentine’s Day; a day filled with intimate grossness wrapped in a nice expensive Hallmark card. If you have loved and lost, or never even loved at all, get down in the dumps with our 13-track anti-Valentine’s Day playlist. This melancholic playlist features moody melodies from the sweeping strings of Outkast, to the sweet serenade of Karen O. Let’s face it, with every heartbreak comes a cascade of memories. So buckle your seatbelt because you’re headed for a rollercoaster of emotions. By the end of your ride, you’ll have lived out your pity party and left it on “read.” Now, sit back, and get ready to wallow.

Laughing Matters, Opinion

Valentine’s Day, we need to talk

by Sanchi Bhalla on

More in Laughing Matters:

Dear Valentine’s Day,

Hello, it’s me. We meet again. You’d think that by our 18th anniversary I’d have gotten used to you. Apparently not—I still don’t like you, and wish that you would go away, but like that guy in my class who will not stop DMing me, you’re incredibly persistent. Maybe this letter will convince you to do us both a favour, and shoot yourself with Cupid’s magical arrow.

I’d like to start with a point that some may consider trivial, but not me: Whenever you’re around, chocolate prices skyrocket—just like my confidence after a cute guy smiles at me. If you’re all about love, why are you such a capitalist? I’m just a broke student who needs chocolate to cheer herself up. Why are you gouging my sweet, calorific source of joy? Just let me eat in peace, and no one gets hurt.

Secondly, you’re a terrible guest. Everyone knows that you’re coming and they start preparing to deal with your demands of constant gifts and over-the-top displays of affection, which seem to increase monumentally every year. Long gone are the days when a box of chocolates was enough for a potential suitor. Now, every V-day gift has to be perfectly ‘gram-worthy, such as a bacon-rose or sushi-lilac bouquet. In the same way that every bad guest unapologetically clogs toilets, you clog my Instagram feed. Gifts, diamonds, truffles—the stream of pink is endless. That’s not to mention bouquets. Oh, the bouquets: From red roses to edible arrangements, there never seem to be enough ostentatious, ridiculously-overpriced, soon-to-be-trashed, bouquets.

I propose a drinking game: Everytime the words “partner in crime,” or “I don’t want to imagine my life without you,” or “you complete me,” come up on my feed, I’ll take a shot.

The pictures aren’t even the worst part—that prize belongs to their captions. Consequently, I propose a drinking game: Everytime the words “partner in crime,” or “I don’t want to imagine my life without you,” or “you complete me,” come up on my feed, I’ll take a shot. I’ll probably be blackout drunk in 10 minutes, but at least then I won’t have to remember reading through a two-paragraph ode to someone’s three-week old relationship with a “perfect gentleman” of a boyfriend—who I know for a fact hit on me last night at Gerts.

I’m generally a pretty happy-go-lucky person, but Valentine’s, you bring out the worst in me. I’ve started scoffing at even perfectly-realistic romantic comedies. I roll my eyes at the couples cuddling in the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) lounge. I even judge the gifts my friends’ significant others get them—while still eating all the expensive chocolate contained in said gifts. Let me be clear: I’m not relationship-hungry, I don’t have cuffing season blues, and I’m not a crazy cat lady. I just think that you’re overrated and always in my face, and I need some space. We have a toxic relationship. I need to cut you out of my life. I promise, it’s not me, it’s you.

Love,

A disgruntled and perpetual third-wheel

Sanchi Bhalla is a first-year business student with an unmatched love of novelty phone cases. She can be spotted anywhere on campus where doggos run wild.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]
Creative, Student Life

Can Vegan Ice Cream Pass the Taste Test?

by Sofia Mikton & Krystal Pan on

More in Creative:

Upon the release of new Vegan flavours in the U.S., our student living editor and some friends try the vegan Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavours! Have Ben and Jerry cracked the code and created a delicious vegan treat? Or will the hopes and dreams of vegans everywhere be dashed yet again? Find out.

Video by Sofia Mikton and Krystal Pan

Featuring Catherine Morrison, Sanchi Bhalla, and Mary Keith

 

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