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Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

TNC’s Ghost World brings the graphic novel to life

by Selin Altuntur on

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Fans of indie classics, rejoice; Ghost World has been adapted for the stage, right on McGill soil.  Following the fragile relationship between best friends Enid (Beky Seltzer) and Becky (Sarah Foulkes), Ghost World is a portrait of a bond that unravels under the strain of growing up. Told through conversational vignettes, the play stays true to the original graphic novel. Director Josie Teed’s stage adaptation of the graphic novel does a splendid job of capturing the relatable ennui of Daniel Clowes story in a way that resonates with a live audience. 

The adaption was no easy task, however, and it may take a little getting used to for theatre-goers who expect a certain amount of vitality and physicality in stage performances. The first few minutes of the production feel slightly awkward as its slow pace is established. Yet, the deliberateness of this choice becomes clear after only a few minutes. Enid and Becky’s  relationship is somewhat strained, and they don’t appear to like each other very much—their bond can be better described as a co-dependence. Their friendship is their only method of coping with their frustrations with the outside world.

This portrayal of adolescent female friendship is nonetheless deeply relatable, particularly when their relationship’s subtle competitive edge becomes more apparent.  Enid’s decision to apply to college sets their friendship into a tailspin as Becky struggles with feelings of inadequacy and her fear of being left behind. Meanwhile, Enid is anguished with lingering self-hatred and a profound need to be accepted by others.  The play resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced uneasiness over impending changes and the heartbreak of losing a confidant due to choices that lead to different paths. 

Seltzer and Foulkes do a masterful job of portraying such complicated characters, delivering haughty dialogue under a thin veil of emotional pain. It can be especially difficult for an actor to be true to a character that hides how they feel. Seltzer perfectly captures the soulless, uncaring persona Enid tries to embody. 

Becky and Enid spend most of their spare time toying with unassuming men, whose attention is a temporary treatment for their insecurities. Josh, Becky and Enid’s endearingly befuddled friend, is played by John Hanchar. Hanchar’s gives a sympathetic performance of Josh—he is perpetually confused by the girls’ oscillation between neediness and apathy. Jake Belman’s portrayal of John Ellis, an overly-friendly astrologer, is convincingly creepy; the unease he evokes demonstrates Belman’s skill in depicting Ellis as the distasteful individual he is. 

Teed makes one particularly risky decision in staging scenes where Enid and Becky interact with less important characters—she often positions the other characters with their backs toward the audience.  This is an unconventional choice that initially seems amateurish, though it serves a clear purpose. Having these secondary characters appear faceless emphasizes how Enid and Becky see outsiders as objects to be toyed with. Teed’s unusual blocking focuses on the main characters’ reactions.

Arranged against a pastel pink and blue set that appears lifted from the pages of the graphic novel, this theatrical rendition of Ghost World is a faithful reenactment of the cult classic with enough individuality to stand on its own. Each performer evidently developed a personal connection to their roles, contributing to success of the total production. The emotional honesty of their performances will move an audience of students who might sometimes feel like ghosts drifting through life, unclear as to where they are being taken.

 

Ghost World, presented by Tuesday Night Cafe Theater, runs from Oct. 19 through Oct. 22 in Morice Hall in the Islamic Studies Building. Admission is $6 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission. To reserve tickets email [email protected].

From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

The disappearance of truth from American politics

by David Cohn on

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American politicians are rarely known for their honesty, and their performances in presidential debates tend to be no exception. From Gerald Ford’s claim in 1976 that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe” to Mitt Romney’s assertion in 2012 that the Obama administration took 14 days before acknowledging the Benghazi attack as an act of terror, there is a long history of politicians resorting to falsehoods in an effort to win debates.

The most recent presidential debate on Oct. 9, between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, wandered farther from the facts than any has before.

Over the course of the debate, Trump told a variety of lies: Apparently, he did not support the Iraq war, said the 2008 Clinton campaign originated the “birther” conspiracy against then Senator Barack Obama, and made the baffling assertion that “nobody has more respect for women than I do.”

While Clinton mostly steered clear of blatant falsehoods during the debate, she has struggled throughout the campaign to be honest regarding the presence of classified information on a private email server that she used as Secretary of State.

Both candidates are trusted by only a small percentage of voters, with a Fox News poll released Oct. 13 showing that Clinton and Trump were described as “honest and trustworthy” by just 33 per cent and 32 per cent of likely voters, respectively.

Data backs up the anecdotal evidence of the 2016 candidates’ remarkable dishonesty. Politifact, a non-partisan fact-checking website operated by the Tampa Bay Times, catalogues statements made by politicians, rating them as either ‘Pants on Fire,’ False, Mostly False, Half True, Mostly True, or True.

The website has rated a total of 289 statements by Donald Trump, and has rated only 29 per cent of them Half True or higher. Conversely, for a total of 269 statements made by Hillary Clinton, 72 per cent were rated ‘Half True’ or higher. Trump also received the ‘Pants on Fire’ rating for 17 per cent of his statements, while only 2 per cent of Clinton’s statements received that rating.

For all of the 2016 major party candidates—including those who did not win their primary—52 per cent of statements were at least Half True. This marks a noticeable decline from the 2012 campaign, when 57 per cent of statements were at least Half True, and an even steeper decrease from the 2008 campaign, when 67 per cent of statements received at least that rating.

One possible reason for this decline is the rise of alternative media that creates hyper-partisan echo chambers where truth is rarely a priority.

“This is the worst campaign that I can remember,” McGill Professor of Political Science Harold Waller, an expert on U.S. politics, said. “The problem is that the media seem to have abandoned the practice—which I think is important for the media—of being impartial in reporting the news. The line between reporting the news and editorializing is becoming blurred.”

Websites such as Breitbart—whose chairman, Steve Bannon, has been Trump’s campaign chief executive since August—provide their target audience with an alternative version of the truth: A ‘truth’ which supports the inaccurate claims of their favoured candidates with faulty evidence and conspiracy theories, all under the guise of an unbiased news organization.

Conservative media outlets aren’t the only companies guilty of falsehoods either: Left-leaning sites such as The Huffington Post, particularly during the Democratic primary, often abandon the truth in order to push their message and draw visitors.

The existence of alternative media means that there will be sources that will defend statements as true and supporters of that candidate will inevitably cling to the sources that tell them what they want to hear while denouncing more objective and unbiased sources. The resulting increase in traffic and popularity incentivizes media companies to become even less impartial in the hopes of driving up revenue, creating a vicious feedback loop.

If this cycle continues, the day may arise when truth in politics is like a black-and-white movie—antiquated and perhaps charming, but obsolete.

Off the Board, Opinion

Safer bike infrastructure the route to gender parity among Montreal cyclists

by Sara Cullen on

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There is a pervasive cycling culture in Montreal; dozens of bike shops are dotted throughout the city and there is a persistent set of cyclists who are dedicated to riding their bikes even during the winter months. Despite the presence of a thriving cycling culture, active transportation infrastructure leaves something to be desired in Montreal. The city has space to improve upon the pre-existing set of bike paths and should be doing more to increase the amount of bicycles on the road. 

The benefits of active transportation, which include reducing the amount of traffic on major roads and decreasing fuel consumption, demonstrate that it is time for cities to promote this type of transit. In order to do so, city planners must consider the factors that deter people from cycling in the first place, one of which is the danger associated with riding a bicycle. According to a Montreal police report, the amount of cyclist deaths in the city has gone up by 50 per cent.

Many people are not aware that cycling is an activity that tends to have disproportionate numbers of male and female riders. A recent Ryerson University study found that by providing increased safe cycling infrastructure, the amount of female riders is likely to increase—challenging the predominantly male cycling culture. By making overall improvements to the cycling transport system, the City of Montreal can create a more inclusive cycling space that encourages all genders to use active transportation for their daily commutes.

The element of risk associated with urban cycling is something that—while important to both sexes—has a greater effect on females. A Deakin University study on female participation in cycling has shown that women are less likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour, and therefore show less of a preference for cycling than men. The 2011 National Household Survey found that only 36 per cent of cyclists in the Montreal area are female, demonstrating that cycling is indeed a male dominated method of transportation. Since women are more likely to be held back by the dangers associated with cycling, improving cycling infrastructure is crucial. Creating safer infrastructure will make cycling more appealing to those who do not currently consider it to be a viable method of transportation.

It is not that women are less partial to cycling, but that the current infrastructure does not provide cyclists—particularly females—with a desirable level of safety. The city has expressed a desire to create a safer environment for cyclists with the release of plan called Vision Zéro, which promises to target certain unsafe intersections and reduce the amount of cyclist injuries. No timeline has yet been presented, however, and certain aspects are still vague. For example, the plan states one of their short-term actions will be to “develop a bicycle plan based on cyclist safety,” but gives no information on what this entails. While the creation of this plan is a step in the right direction, the city will need to offer more details before cyclists can be assured that their safety is a priority.

Because of the insufficient cycling infrastructure and the disproportionate numbers of male cyclists in Montreal, certain women’s cycling groups, such as Vélobabes, are currently working to foster a more female-inclusive cycling community without making changes to the built environment. Started in 2014, Vélobabes is a bi-monthly social ride club open to female-identifying cyclists. Despite the wide reach of Montreal’s bike culture, this is one of the only female-centric cycling clubs easily found with a Google search. If the city was to prioritize the safety of bicyclists, studies show that there would there be a greater female presence in the Montreal bike scene. It’s time for Montreal to prove that this is the case.

While Montreal is taking a step towards safe cycling infrastructure with Vision Zéro, a concrete plan with realistic deadlines needs to be shared with the cycling community. The city has expressed that it values the safety of cyclists, but has not yet acknowledged the gender disparity that exists among them. Safe active transportation has the potential to benefit users—regardless of their gender—and should be an area of focus for the city. According to a Rutgers University study, more cyclist-friendly cities, including several in Germany and the Netherlands, do not report a large difference in numbers between male and female cyclists. This demonstrates that a more equitable cycling system is possible. By developing safer cycling infrastructure, Montreal can increase not only the total number of cyclists on its roads, but the gender parity among this group as well.

 

 

Sara Cullen is a News Editor at The McGill Tribune and U4 Urban Systems student.

 

@ | [email protected]

 

 

 

 
Arts & Entertainment, Music, Private

Montreal music collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor performs immersive final show

by Erica Stefano on

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On Sept. 21, Montreal-based music collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor performed their fourth and final show at Theatre Paradoxe. The show benefited local charity organizations such as the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, SPCA Monteregie, and DESTA Black Youth Network. Mainly performing pieces from their 2015 album, Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress, the band’s distinctive style was on display, culminating in a musical journey filled with characteristically loud, vibrating, chaotic buildups and sensitive, mellow chords.

After touring regularly between 1998 and 2002, the group took a lengthy hiatus before returning to the road again in 2010. In 2012, they released their fourth album, Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, for which they won the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.  Since their debut in 1994, the group has influenced a multitude of post-rock bands, including Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, and Sigur Rós. 

Even the most committed of Godspeed’s cult following tend to agree that Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress lacks in what the collective’s other albums, such as Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, accomplish musically. However, seeing their most recent songs performed live, the newest album stands up against the classics, mesmerizing the listener with thunderous buildups of terrifying, pulsing drums and brooding guitar riffs. Listening to the band’s intensely dramatic music while engulfed by the expansive architecture of the venue, a former historical church, was a journey amplified through such atmosphere. 

The band played under minimalist red-tinted lighting, accompanied by projected visuals.  The projections started with abstract images filtered through grainy film, and progressed to a loop of flocks of sheep, the same as pictured on the cover of Asunder Sweet and Other Distress. The themes of the video changed  with each song but maintained the old film style. The projection journeyed through shots of skyscrapers, deer, stock market numbers and flocks of birds, coalescing in an abstract and emotionally charged representation of the music. Throughout the show, the thought-provoking imagery helped emphasize the political and anarchic undertones of the band’s often chaotic music. These undertones, normally hidden throughout voice samples within songs and on the back covers of their albums, bring forth another perspective to the harmonious cacophony of sounds that is Godspeed’s musical style.

Overall, the concert showcased Godspeed’s impeccable ability to draw listeners into their beautifully chaotic and heartbreaking melodies and textures. The experience of seeing Godspeed! You Black Emperor live pays off in both the visuals and the atmosphere, intensifying not only the dramatic and political undertones to the music, but amplifying the music as a mesmerizing emotional journey, a journey that ended humbly as each member, one by one, stepped off the stage to the final chord. 

Arts & Entertainment

Exhibit Review: Robert Mapplethorpe’s retrospective at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

by Tara Allen-Flanagan on

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When thinking of museum walls, one does not typically imagine blown-up photographs of leather-clad men engaging in sexual acts. In museums, penises are meant to be covered with little stone leafs, or left flaccid. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ current temporary exhibit Focus: Perfection is the late Robert Mapplethorpe’s largest to date. The exhibit plays with viewers’ expectations and presents sexually explicit scenes as high art. What one would typically keep a secret is thrust into the public eye; however, the atmosphere is anything but awkward.

Mapplethorpe is famous for his controversial images, probing portraits, and self-professed goal of capturing perfection in photographic form. Monochromatic portraits of the New York art scene’s brightest members, such as Patti Smith and Yoko Ono, line the walls of the largest exhibition room. These walls are accented with shades of purple—the colour of royalty, an intentional choice given Mapplethorpe’s tendency to seek aristocratic company. Faint sounds of punk rock music play from speakers, and the exhibit features a large display of art relating to Mapplethorpe’s artistic relationship with Smith. 

In the next room, the mood is pensive and mysterious.  The dampened music and dim lighting in the portrait hall is interrupted by a caution sign. Visitors are warned by signs at the entrance that if they venture through the rooms on either side of the hallway, they will see sexually explicit content. If they do not wish to see such content, they can remain in the centre hall to look at still life photographs of flowers, the first component of Mapplethorpe’s X, Y, Z series—a later project in which he revisits his favourite subjects.

However, if visitors look at the spaces between these floral photographs, they will catch a glimpse of the extremely sexual scenes that are being showcased in the rooms beyond. The display is fully revealed when one enters the side rooms, where the second component of the series is displayed: A sequence of photographs of gay couples engaging in sadomasochism. Rather than marveling at the pornographic imagery on display, viewers appreciate how beautifully it is presented. Mapplethorpe’s photographs, presented in black and white, are smooth and flawlessly lit. His technique alone demarcates him as a master of his craft.

The classical music playing in the background of the next room seems jarring when considering the salacious display in the previous area. Pictures of black men in contorted positions are shown next to images of marble statues. These statues challenge high art’s longstanding tradition of sculpting bodies out of white marble—a trend which implicates that whiteness is a hallmark of high art. This comparison has been criticized as fetizhising, but it is important to note that Mapplethorpe treats the bodies of most of his subjects as sculptural objects. In his non-portrait works, personal identity takes a backseat to aesthetic perfection. Mapplethorpe’s technique certainly succeeds in pleasing the eye.

The final space of the exhibit focuses on the reception of Mapplethorpe’s work, which was exhibited at a crucial time during the American Culture Wars of the 1980s and 90s. Many groups protested the presentation of his work in museums due to its so-called scandalous nature, and claimed his work was not art. 

In interviews from the 1980s, shown on the wall alongside the critiques, many interviewees compliment his formal technique and treatment of sensitive subjects. Each of Mapplethorpe’s photographs reveal the hand of a perfectionist and a confident master. As the interviewees claim, his work should be treated accordingly. Although the critical comments are valid, they seem to intentionally avoid talking about the taboo subjects that the photographs overtly address. Focusing on formal attributes over subject matter plays into Mapplethorpe’s artistic intentions: The viewer is not meant to focus on the subject, but on the beautiful way the subject is presented. 

Some viewers believed Mapplethorpe was glorifying porn, presenting salacious photographs as art in order to gain notoriety. These critics, however, must have never seen his art in person. Mapplethorpe’s sincerity is apparent through the awe-inspiring mastery of his technique. One would be hard pressed to find another room in the world where it feels comfortable to view explicit sexual scenes while standing next to strangers.

 

This exhibit runs at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until Jan. 22. Admission is $12 for those under 30, $20 for ages 30 and up. Learn more at mbam.qc.ca. 

Science & Technology

Economics of the anthropocene: Paradigm shift needed for sustainable future

by Charlotte Hings on

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On behalf of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) and Economics for the Anthropocene (E4A), Stewart Wallis, the former executive director of the New Economics Foundation (NEF), discussed the need for a transition from an anthropocentric economic system to a biocentric one.

The Oct. 4 presentation, titled Economics without Growth, opened with a short clip entitled The Impossible Hamster. A hamster doubles its weight each week for the first nine weeks of its life; if this trend did not stop, the hamster would weigh nine billion tonnes by its first birthday.

"There is a reason why, in nature, things can only grow to a certain point," the clip's narrator explained. "So why do most economists and politicians think that the economy can grow forever and ever?"

Wallis explained how the current economic system is unsustainable, unfair, unstable, and that people are generally unhappy—the 4 U’s. Humans have developed around the Earth’s seemingly unlimited supply of needed resources, allowing the human population to increase overtime. However, this growth is now surpassing planetary limits. The  ecological footprint of human activity is increasing unsustainably. Some regions expend many more resources than others, though Wallis explained higher ecological footprints does not necessarily correlate to increasing happiness. When looking at a country’s GDP versus happiness index, both factors increase quickly at first; however, once GDP reaches a certain point, happiness barely increases with further increases in GDP. Despite all this, some economists still believe that economic growth is still in humanity’s best interest.

“We moved from being a small world on a large planet to […] a large world on a small planet and the effects […] change the way we think about things,” Wallis said. “It takes away a lot of our fundamental assumptions about how we live and it certainly changes economics dramatically.”

According to Wallis, Earth should be enough to meet the basic needs of all, have a fair distribution of wealth, and respect all life while not exceeding planetary limits. In order to do this, there must be a period of zero growth, change in corporation incentives, phase-out of harmful production processes, and investment in new ones.

Wallis explained that, in order to redistribute resources to meet the population’s basic needs, a paradigm shift is necessary.

“[We must] shift from seeing ourselves as […] consumers and owners to caretakers and creators,” Wallis said.

Humans need to work with natural ecosystems and build within planetary boundaries. In other words, shifting from a human-focused world—anthropocentric—to an Earth-focused world—biocentric.

“Good lives do not need to cost the Earth,” Wallis urged. “We can still have a good life and be well-off without living beyond planetary means.”

While a shift away from the anthropocentric economic model would be drastic, economic systems have undergone many changes in the past. Wallis emphasized the need for a vanguard of supporters to work together to make the movement possible.

“Change is going to require both really good research and thinking […] and working together in a movement and telling a different story, […] a paradigm shift,” Wallis said.

 

Football, Men's Varsity, Sports

McGill Redmen football’s first half success too much for Bishop’s Gaiters

by Patrick Beacham on

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McGill Redmen
37

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop's Gaiters
14

 

 

 

 The McGill Redmen (3-3) beat back both the cold and the Bishop’s Gaiters (1-5) in Lennoxville on Oct. 14 on their way to a 37-14 victory. The Redmen closed the first half with a dominant 23-0 lead to canter home for a victory in front of a crowded Coulter field on a freezing October evening.

The victory comes two weeks after a devastating loss to Laval that handed McGill a losing record. According to Redmen Head Coach Ronald Hilaire, beating the Gaiters on Friday was necessary to increase morale and salvage the team’s playoff chances in the final stretch of the regular season.

“A win like this was something we needed,” Hilaire said. “We came out firing on all cylinders in the first half. I’m not quite pleased with our beginning of the second half, but we had the fortitude to come back from that, we executed, and we came out with the win.”

With daunting defensive play, the Redmen shut out the Gaiters in the first half. Despite a brief surge by Bishops’  in the beginning of the second half, McGill kept up a strong offensive game save for a few turnovers close to their own endzone.

"We just had a little bit of trouble in the endzone, [but] it’s been like that since the beginning of the season,” Redmen wide receiver Jeremy Sauvageau said. “Except [for] that, it was a good win.”

On top of the turnovers, the Redmen defence played inconsistently in the second half, allowing the Gaiters to get on the board with two touchdowns. However, the Gaiters failed to continue the momentum they had started at the beginning of the half. Their last chance to close the gap before the end of the game was buried when Redmen defensive back Olivier Therrien intercepted the Gaiters late in the fourth quarter.

“I saw the ball and I just thought about picking it up,” Therrien said. “It felt good.”

The Redmen have a rematch over their season opener against the Concordia Stingers slated for Oct. 22 at Concordia. The first match between the two teams was a 30-16 loss for the Redmen.

“We had about eight or nine turnovers that game, and I don’t think a team can win a game when they turn the ball over that much,” Redmen receiver Jonathan Mack said. “That being said, we still did a lot of good things [that game], we just can’t [make] any minimal mistakes against Concordia.”

 

Quotable: “The line blocked great, we had a good running game, quarterback made a great pass, so yeah, that’s it.”—McGill wide receiver Jeremy Sauvageau after scoring his first ever touchdown for the Redmen.

 

Stat Corner: Despite taking 159 penalty yards, the Redmen had 575 offensive yards to the Gaiters’ 108.


Moment of the Game: Halfway through the third quarter, the Redmen tried to rush the ball at the goalline but the Gaiters’ Arnaud Dandin forced a turnover and ran 104 yards down the field for the second and final Gaiter touchdown.

Baseball, Sports

The end of an era: Saying goodbye to David Ortiz

by Jack Peterson on

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On Oct. 10, 2016, David Ortiz played his last Major League Baseball game. For nearly two decades, Big Papi’s charismatic personality, on field success, and philanthropic work were a constant reminder that athletic success and class can work in tandem. 

The greatest designated hitter (DH) of all time, Ortiz retires alongside Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Mickey Mantle as one of only four players in Major League history to eclipse 500 home runs and win three World Series. He racked up a World Series MVP, an ALCS MVP, 10 all star appearances, a career .286 batting average, and a .380 on base percentage. His numbers are staggering.

Ortiz redefined the role of the DH. Before him, baseball minds criticized the DH as nothing more than the product of American League backwardness—it undermined the strategic choice of deciding whether to pinch-hit for your pitcher and involved using a player with no defensive abilities. Ortiz helped to bring respectability to the position because––aside from his statistical dominance––Big Papi was clutch. More than any player of his generation, Ortiz changed games, series, and seasons with a single swing. Most notably, he brought an end to the curse of the Bambino.

For 86 seasons, the “Curse of the Bambino,” dating back to 1918 when the Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, hung like a dark cloud over Boston. While they’d get close, from 1918 to 2004, the Red Sox never won a World Series. This drought was not due to a lack of talent on the team. Red Sox greats Ted Williams, Carlton Fisk, and Carl Yastrzemski all attempted to bring an end to the curse, but were unsuccessful.

Then, in 2004, Ortiz helped bring glory back to Boston and, in doing so, solidified his image as one of the game’s greatest clutch performers. In the 10th inning of game three of the ALDS, he hit a walk-off homerun to win the series and sweep the Los Angeles Angels. Down 3-0 in games to the Yankees in the ALCS, Ortiz hit another walk-off homerun in the 12th inning of game four and a walk-off single in the 14th inning of game five. The Red Sox would go on to become the first MLB team in history to come back from a 3-0 game deficit to win a best of seven series 4-3. They went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to win their first championship since 1918. During the run, Ortiz hit an astounding .409 with five home runs and 23 RBIs. It didn’t take long before Ortiz was back spraying champagne and hoisting the World Series trophy again in 2007 and 2013.

In his final season, Ortiz hit .315 with 38 home runs and 127 RBIs. He had the best final season of all time and will likely become the first ever true DH to be granted entrance to the Hall of Fame, as he played only 277 of his career 2200 games as a first baseman. Filling Ortiz’s larger than life shoes will be impossible because, quite frankly, there will only ever be one David Ortiz. Thanks for the memories, Big Papi—you will surely be missed.

McGill, News

McGill Senior Administrators sit down with student media

by Sara Cullen on

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On Oct. 4, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University Suzanne Fortier, and Deputy Provost (Student Life & Learning) Ollivier Dyens, met with members of the student media for a question and answer session. Topics covered during the roundtable included sustainability at McGill, the implementation of the policy against sexual violence, and the importance of student voices on campus.

In addition, Fortier and Dyens spoke briefly about the future plans for the Royal Victoria Hospital site (RVH). Although the decision to develop the site has not been finalized, Fortier stated that the space would be dedicated to sustainability.

“We haven’t made the decision yet [because] we need to do the feasibility study, but if [RVH] is developed, it will be around the theme of sustainability,” Fortier said. “That’s where we’ll have our school of public policy and great initiatives on sustainability. That, I think, is an important decision for our campus and one that I think is aligned also with what the community sees as important.”

Fortier acknowledged that while the administration may not see eye-to-eye with student activists who are proponents of divestment, McGill is still committed to investments in sustainability.

“We don’t agree on everything, as of course we all know that Divest McGill had a position on divestment,” Fortier said. “They themselves had said that it’s […] a symbolic political gesture. The [McGill Board of Governors]had a different opinion on [divestment]. The Board had an identical view, however, on the urgency and importance of taking actions towards increasing sustainability. There was no dissention on that front and the Board will be exercising stewardship on actions that we will take to decrease our footprint and increase our commitment to sustainability in all we do.”

According to Fortier, disagreement on complex issues such as divestment is to be expected, and even encouraged, on campus.

“I am not expecting, in particular on issues that are complex and issues that are political, that there will be a total [alignment] of views on our campus–in fact I would probably be worried if there were,” Fortier said. “In a democratic society or community, there are differences in opinion, always. What is important for us as an institution is making sure that different opinions are expressed freely, without fear. Also, that different voices are respected and that people are able to hear one another and that as a community we can move forward in a positive and constructive way.”

The administration has been working on the release of the Draft Policy against Sexual Violence in recent weeks. Dyens stated that the university is in the process of hiring another employee to assist Bianca Tétrault, the current Liaison Officer (Harm Reduction) in promoting awareness of sexual assault on campus. Additionally, Dyens discussed plans to create a sexual assault office at 688 Sherbrooke in addition to hiring support staff.

“Will that be enough? You know, I think we’ll see in a year from now,” Dyens said. “We will need a lot of support […] because […] the education, awareness, [and prevention pillar of the policy] is something the whole community has to work on and I think there has been progress in the last few years. Are we where we want to be? No, not until we get rid of [sexual violence] on campus.”

Another plan for the current school year includes a change to mental health services on campus that will better accommodate students in crisis. Dyens stated that a new ‘step-care’ program was launched on Oct. 3 in order to decrease wait times for students.

“Not every student that comes to mental health, counselling, or health services needs to see a psychiatrist right away,” Dyens said. “So [the step-care approach] will be a process where students will be seen very quickly, assessed very quickly, and [delivered] services very quickly [….] The great majority of our students coming into mental health or counselling services just come once […] so for a lot of them we can act very quickly and address the problem [….] And for those who have more fundamental issues, then we will free up time from our psychiatrists who actually deal with these things.”

When asked about plans to better communicate with the student body, Fortier and Dyens stated that communication is a reoccurring problem faced by the administration.

“Communicating with students is never an easy thing to do,” Dyens said. “We are struggling with communication, period—faculty, students, staff, the outside community. We are still using email and I think that’s probably the first issue.”

Dyens explained that he is creating a student advisory group in order to better hear student voices on campus. Applications will be available on the McGill website later in the Fall semester.

“[The advisory group is] really to give us an idea of what is going on […],” Dyens said. “It is complicated [because] students hear voices, they hear bits and pieces, [and] sometimes we don’t tell students the exact [reasoning behind our decisions]. We talk with the Students’ Society of McGill University [(SSMU) and] Post-Graduate Students’ Society [(PGSS) …] but they themselves have issues communicating with the student body. I don’t have a perfect answer —it is a struggle.”

The principal also stated that while she makes an effort to spend time with students, the size of the student body inhibits the amount of conversation that can happen between the student body and the administration.

“Obviously, we have 40,000 students, so nobody can spend the time with each one,” Fortier said. “We try to [hear] what students are saying and to see what you are doing on campus. To [understand] what your life looks like on campus, what are the things you want to see, and so on. It is a large community and that critique [regarding communication] will always be there.”

Hockey, Sports

NHL 2016-17 Season Preview

by Elias Blahaceck, Wasif Husain, Cameron Cash, and Patrick Beacham on

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Pacific Division

 

San Jose Sharks: Coming off an appearance in their first Stanley Cup final last season, the Sharks are poised to stay atop the Pacific division. They have a strong defensive core led by Marc Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns, with a potent offence led by centreman Joe Thornton and winger Joe Pavelski. Add in their rising star netminder, Martin Jones, and their window to compete for the Cup remains wide open.

Anaheim Ducks: After a poor start last season, the Ducks finished strong, but ultimately came up short in the playoffs. This off-season, they rehired Head Coach Randy Carlyle, who led the team to their only Stanley Cup championship in 2007. Once again, they will rely on the old guard of forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler. With a very deep defensive corps and strong goaltending from John Gibson, Anaheim will stay competitive in the West.

Los Angeles Kings: The two-time Stanley Cup champions have lost a number of players over the last couple of years. They rely heavily on their core: Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty, and goaltender Jonathan Quick. Many of their young players like Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson are yet to have their breakout years. Combined with a lack of depth on defence, this means the Kings will have a hard time competing for the division crown.

Calgary Flames: The Flames had some of the worst goaltending in the league last year and addressed the issue with the acquisition of Brian Elliott. Along with the hiring of Glen Gulutzan as head coach, the Flames hope to improve their puck possession game. They will hope that young stars Johnny Gadreau and Sean Monahan will be able to compete with the L.A. Kings or Anaheim Ducks for a playoff spot.

Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes are a youthful team looking to build off a tough 2015-16 season. They have a lineup flush with young forwards: Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak. They have an offensive weapon in Oliver Ekman Larsson on the backend along with new defenceman Alex Goligoski. However, the Coyotes lack experience and proven scoring options. In addition, questions over the play of goalie Mike Smith will fault the Coyotes.

Edmonton Oilers: Led by rising superstar Connor McDavid, the Oilers are finally heading in the right direction. The signing of power forward, Milan Lucic, will add more grit to Edmonton’s top six forward set. They hope that trading proven goal scorer Taylor Hall for top-four defenceman Adam Larsson will stabilize a backend that has struggled for years.

Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks are mired in a transition period where they haven’t fully committed to a rebuild, but still have ambitions of making the playoffs. They will remain competitive with top forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as Loui Eriksson, leading the charge. They will look to start to integrate youth into their lineup with players like Ben Hutton, Bo Horvat and Jake Virtanen. However, they still lack secondary scoring and steady goaltending.

 

Metropolitan Division

Washington Capitals: The Capitals will look to build upon their Presidents’ Trophy winning campaign last season with a ‘cup or bust’ mindset. Although the Caps lost dressing room favourite Jason Chimera and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Mike Richards, the addition of Lars Eller solidifies their depth at centre ice. Look for the Capitals to finish first in the Metropolitan Division and challenge for a second-consecutive Presidents’ Trophy en route to a deep playoff run.

Pittsburgh Penguins: As the defending Stanley Cup champions, Pittsburgh has every right to be mentioned as one of the league’s elite. With no major off-season losses, the Penguins will continue to execute a fast-paced tempo under returning Head Coach Mike Sullivan. Pittsburgh will provide the biggest inter-division battle with the Capitals. Expect superstar Sidney Crosby to go head-to-head with the likes of Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn for the Art Ross Trophy, as the league’s leading point scorer.

New York Rangers: Following a disappointing 4-1 series loss at the hands of the Penguins in the 2016 playoffs, the Rangers will enter the 2016-17 season knowing their championship window is closing.  Champion goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is getting older. Although the Rangers will not have the firepower to contend with the Capitals and the Penguins, the addition of sought-after collegiate free agent Jimmy Vesey will add an offensive weapon to New York’s strong blue line. 

New York Islanders: The Islanders will take a step back this season. Newly acquired forward Andrew Ladd will be an offensive downgrade from Kyle Okposo on captain John Tavares’ left side. Ladd, the two-time Stanley Cup champion, will bring leadership and grit to an already heavy-hitting squad; however, the speed of the league, especially in the Metropolitan division, will make it difficult for the Islanders to finish at the top of the standings. 

Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers will need a bounce back season from winger Jakub Voracek, who saw his 2015-16 season point totals dip down to 55 from 81 the season before. Philadelphia hopes that Shayne Gostisbehere’s rookie season was not be a fluke, and that 2015 seventh overall pick Ivan Provorov will go straight from training camp to the NHL. The Flyers should not be too worried—look for Gostisbehere to continue his torrid pace and for Provorov to make an immediate impact.

New Jersey Devils: For the Devils to make the playoffs, they will need breakout shooters Kyle Palmieri and Adam Hendrique to continue their excellent 2015-16 form, as well as the same stellar play from netminder Cory Schneider. Fortunately for the Devils, General Manager Ray Shero pulled off the deal of the summer when he swapped defenceman Adam Larsson for the dominant top-line speedster Taylor Hall. Look for rookie centreman, Pavel Zacha to make his mark early and often for the Devils.

Carolina Hurricanes: Carolina enters this season as a young, developing team. Their defensive corps are primed for future success with the likes of 2015 fifth-overall pick Noah Hannifin and defensive stalwart Jacob Slavvin. They will require further priming by defenceman Justin Faulk. Elias Lindholm will need to take on a bigger role to support forwards Jordan Staal and Victor Rask down the middle. However, the dark days in Raleigh are not over yet—the rebuild will extend beyond the 2016-17 season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Although the Blue Jackets drafted QMJHL star Pierre-Luc Dubois, third overall in the 2016 draft, the lineup lacks coherence. In particular, veteran forward David Clarkson is no longer able to keep up with the pace of today’s game. With controversial coach John Tortorella behind the bench there will surely be some fireworks this season in Ohio—and not the good kind. Success is still a distant sight for Columbus.

 

Central Division

Dallas Stars: The Stars will win the central division this year on the backs of forwards Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, two of the league’s best point producers. However, the question remains if their goaltending will be strong enough for an extended playoff run. Look for a defensive corps, which added Dan Hamhuis over the offseason, to be improved from last year

Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago’s forward group is one of the most dynamic in the league. With Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin leading the charge offensively, and Jonathan Toews continuing to excel as the best two-way centre in the game, the Blackhawks will feast on the league’s weaker squads. Signing wiley veteran Brian Campbell on defence only boosts this squad’s talent and experience. Once again, expect a long playoff run from Chicago.

Nashville Predators: The addition of P.K. Subban over the summer in exchange for Shea Weber will have a positive effect on the Predators’ squad. Now containing one of the most talented defenceman in the league in Roman Josi, look for Nashville’s backend to produce a fair percentage of their offence. Their biggest question mark, as always, will be whether they can get sufficient production from their top forwards. At 33 years-old goalie Pekka Rinne needs a statement season.

St. Louis Blues: Despite the loss of captain David Backes to the Boston Bruins via free agency, the Blues boast a dynamic and experienced forward corps, led by Russian sniper Vladimir Tarasenko. St. Louis’ defence will be a strength, as dynamic sophomore Colton Parayko will look to take another step forward. With goalie Brian Elliot finally out of the picture, the Blues’ net is all Jake Allen’s. The Blues should make the wildcard spot.

Winnipeg Jets: The Jets added potential superstar Patrik Laine with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft. Expect a much improved Winnipeg offense, as both forwards Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers look to take the next step in their development. Two questions remain for the Jets: Can they salvage the Jacob Trouba situation, and can Connor Hellebuyck steal the number one goalie position? Nonetheless, the Jets should be the final wild card team in the West.
Minnesota Wild: The Wild's biggest acquisition this summer was not aging centre Eric Staal, but rather Head Coach Bruce Boudreau. Having won a division title eight out of nine seasons with his previous clubs, expect that percentage to drop this year. The Wild lack the depth and star power to compete in the incredibly tougher central division. If Zach Parise can stay healthy that's a huge bonus, but, even then, it seems very unlikely that the Wild will qualify for the postseason.

Colorado Avalanche: Let by offensively skilled centres Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene, the Avalanche will be an entertaining team to watch—even if they don't win many games. Goaltender Seymon Varlamov has been lights out at times, but he still plays behind a very weak defence. With a new coaching staff behind the bench, Colorado figures to finish in the basement of the central, with the possibility of a roster upheaval coming next offseason.

 

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning: Finishing off last year second in their division, the Tampa Bay Lightning surprised hockey pundits  and fans alike. The team that forced the eventual Stanley Cup champions to game 7 in the conference final was able to re-sign this year’s biggest free agent, Steven Stamkos,  and keep their existing core in tact. Expect Steve Yzerman’s boys to make a real push for the Cup this year.

Montreal Canadiens: The Canadians had a horrid second half of their season last year. Carey Price will return to rekindle the fire this season, but the team is banking on big years from Shea Weber, Alexander Radulov, and Andrew Shaw. Keep an eye out for 2016 draft pick Mikhail Sergachev who had a great preseason and will stick with the Habs. Montreal went from a rubber dingy to a class A destroyer overnight; they’ll be playing hockey long into spring.

Florida Panthers: The Panthers finished last season atop the Atlantic division, but lost in the first round. Florida had yet another busy off-season as General Manager Dale Tallon continues to keep his locker room in flux. The team added serious firepower on the back end with Keith Yandle and Jason Demers. Another year under the belt for the Panthers’ youth and added veteran presence on the blue line should guarantee the team finish third in their division.

Detroit Red Wings: Like the Panthers, the Red Wings were knocked out early in the playoffs last season. Detroit had a sombre off-season after losing superstar Pavel Datsyuk to retirement. The additions of veterans Steve Ott and Thomas Vanek might be enough to keep this team in playoff contention should their young core take a step forward in their development. They should be able to fend off other mid-division teams and overtake the Bruins for third place.

Boston Bruins: Last season, the Bruins finished third in the Atlantic, but lost their playoff spot to the Red Wings. Loui Eriksson’s departure leaves a gaping hole in Boston’s top six forwards. Centreman David Backes arrived via free agency, but with aging veteran’s gritty style of play it is unlikely he will return to his former levels of production. Unless Backes can reach the 30 goal plateau, it is unlikely the Bruins will make the postseason.
Buffalo Sabres: Last season, Buffalo was stuck in the bottom of the division and they will most likely be there again. With an elite young core, the Sabres can only get better. The team wasn’t overly active in the offseason and will rely on Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart having breakout seasons. Watch for Kyle Okposo to continue his numbers from New York; however, even with his scoring acumen, Buffalo is far from a playoff spot.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto came last in the league last year, finishing twelve points behind Buffalo. Hockey’s Mecca received a blessing in Auston Matthews. The young centre plays a complete game and will slot into Toronto’s top six on a line with blossoming youngster William Nylander. Fellow first-rounder Mitch Marner will stick with the big club as well. This will be a year of growth for the Leafs, but not enough to come near the postseason.

Ottawa Senators: The Senators offseason has many hockey fans scratching their heads. After, a great draft performance, Ottawa went on to trade upcoming star Mika Zibanejad for 29-year-old local in Derick Brassard. Other a few trades, the team remained idle and seems to be putting all their eggs in Bobby Ryan’s basket. Expect the team to finish last in the Atlantic this season.

 

For more information, check out our podcast with Alex Sirois, Wasif Husain and TSN NHL Insider Bob McKenzie:

https://www.thetribune.ca/sports/mcgill-tribune-sports-podcast-nhl-season-preview-bob-mckenzie-2265234/

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