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McGill Redpath Museum
a, News, PGSS, SSMU

Semester in Review

by Laura Hanrahan and Jenna Stanwood on

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SSMU

VP Internal resignation

In October 2015, the acting vice-president (VP) Internal of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Lola Baraldi resigned, citing personal reasons. Following two elections for Baraldi’s replacement, Omar El-Sharaway took office as the new VP Internal on Jan. 1. In the wake of these events, SSMU executives held a forum to discuss the potential restructuring of executive positions and the electoral process. The possibility of adding a seventh executive position, called VP Operations, was the main focus of the forum.  In order for the new position to be created, the idea must be presented to the student body in a referendum at the beginning of this semester. 

“Over the next two months or so, we would do more [consultation…] and then run a referendum to amend the constitution in January if that’s what students […] wanted,” Kimber Bialik, VP Clubs and Services said. 

General Assembly

Last semester also saw a General Assembly (GA) that failed to meet quorum, meaning no motions were brought to a vote. The historically low attendance at GAs prompted a discussion regarding abolishing the GA altogether.  

“People think that this forum is defunct; they don’t really think it serves its purpose and that the only time people actually show up is for specific issues,” said Kareem Ibrahim, SSMU president. “In terms of my thoughts, I think it’s on the table to have one annual GA per year.”

Climate change policy

On Oct. 15, SSMU Council passed the climate change policy, which contains guidelines for relationships between SSMU and companies that contribute to man-made climate change.

“SSMU will avoid purchasing products from companies that violate environmental laws or actively fund the spread of false science,” reads the new policy. “SSMU will continue to avoid all investments in the fossil fuel industry and other sustainability screens outlined in the five-year ethical investment plan.” 

The new policy was subject to heated debate during the Council meeting, with representatives from the Faculty of Engineering raising concerns over the lack of support for the policy within their constituents, many of whom are likely to pursue careers within industries that the new policy pledges not to support. Despite this, the new policy was passed with amendments.

Support of Fall reading week

On Nov. 5, SSMU Council approved a motion in support of a Fall reading week. The motion allowed SSMU to use its resources to help ensure that a Fall reading week is voted on by the Senate in a timely fashion, which will help facilitate the proposed implementation of the plan by the 2017-2018 school year. 

“Be it resolved, that the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) endorses the proposal for a Fall Reading Break,” the motion reads. “Be it further resolved, that the SSMU mandate the VP University Affairs and Senate Caucus to pursue the approval of this proposal by Senate before the end of the academic year.”

 

PGSS

At its General Meeting on Oct. 24, the Post-Graduate Student’s Society (PGSS) passed a motion of divestment that calls upon the university to remove its investments from fossil fuel industries. The vote was preceded by a presentation by Divest McGill and Victor Frankel, PGSS environmental commissioner. 

“[The motion starts] from the things that are the least contentious,” Frankel said.  “Like [recognizing] that climate change is real, to things that are fairly reasonable like freezing or having a moratorium on any new investments in fossil fuels […] to the more contentious issues […] which says that PGSS strongly endorses divestment from fossil fuel companies and also supports efforts of its senators and members at the board of governors to strongly support divestment.” 

Traditional territory acknowledgement 

 On Sept. 16, PGSS Council approved a motion to include a Traditional Territory Acknowledgement Statement at the beginning of PGSS events and on the society’s website to recognize indigenous land claims to the McGill campus. 

“McGill University is located on land which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations,” the statement reads. “McGill University honours and respects the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this territory on which we gather today.”

Motion in support of students working for private corporations

In November, a private corporation sued a masters student for the destruction of his published work, including his master’s thesis, due to his use of confidential data. The student had completed research with the corporation, which was affiliated with the professor overseeing his research. The case caused the PGSS to pass a motion during its council meeting on Nov. 26 to protect students working with private corporations.

“Be it resolved that Council approves the drafting of a proposed policy regarding the involvement of private corporations in which a supervisor has a financial interest, with the goal of having the policy become an official McGill policy approved by the McGill Senate,” reads the motion. “The policy would be based on the following: the obligation of professors to disclose affiliation with private companies to the university and their students, the requirement of a departmental pre-approval process before students become involved with a company, with clear criteria to protect student intellectual property and rights, [and] the implementation of a university process to protect student rights, notably involving periodic audits of partnerships between professors, companies, and students.”

Internal Affairs Officer resignation

On Nov. 11, Sahil Kumar, the sitting Internal Affairs Officer (AIO) of PGSS announced his resignation. He cited academic obligations as the reason behind his resignation. 

“My trajectory through graduate studies has taken a new turn, and now requires a greater time commitment,” Kumar said. “I did not want to see the portfolio suffer and have decided that this would be the best option to move forward. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with [all] of the PGSS executives and commissioners over these last seven months.”

Mina Anadolu was elected as Kumar’s replacement, and took office shortly after his term officially ended on Dec. 3. 

 

MUS presidential byelection

The Management Undergraduate Society (MUS) announced the resignation of its president, Élie Lubendo, this past October. A letter released by MUS cited personal reasons from Lubendo’s resignation. 

“Due to personal reasons, Élie, elected as the President and Chairman for a one-year term in February of 2015, tendered his resignation from this role on October 20th, 2015.”

The letter described the contributions Lubendo had made to the MUS throughout his time as president.

“During Élie’s tenure, he laid the groundwork for substantial positive change and significantly contributed to the Society as a whole,” the MUS letter read. “Élie will be greatly missed as a member of the team and the MUS greatly thanks him for his service to the Society.”

A nomination period for new presidential candidates opened on Oct. 28, with all the responsibilities of the former president being taken on in the interim by VP Academic Affairs, Aarushi Kumar. 

“Fortunately, the Academic portfolio has a considerable amount of overlap with the presidential role already,” said  Aarushi. “Our constitution states that the VP Academic will take over should the president ever resign, and thus the role was designed to be able to make the transition with very minimal difficulty.”

At the end of the nomination period, three candidates were named: Michael Fishman, Aarushi Kumar and Alan Liu. Following a six-day voting period, Fishman, a U2 Honours Investment Management student, won the election. Fishman has held the position since Nov. 16 and will end his term on April 30, 2016. 

 

SUS Burnside renovation

Over the past semester, the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) has continued to develop its plans for the renovation of the Burnside Basement. SUS hopes to transform the current study space into a more student-friendly area. The renovations were originally set to take place during the summer months, however they have yet to be completed due to the prioritization of other consruction projects.  

In March, 2015 the SUS launched a crowdfunding campaign on McGill’s Seeds of Change fundraising platform, with the goal of raising $6,000. The campaign closed on June 18, after having raised $2,282. 

According to the project’s Seeds of Change page, the renovation is intended to transform the dimly-lit basement into a welcoming, all-access space for students. 

“Investing in efficient lighting, group study areas, and the installation of whiteboards to promote collaboration and progress group work will offer small but impactful changes to this student space,” the website reads.

The plan additionally cites the mental health benefits that the new space will offer. 

“For students, having a comfortable place to go and unwind, study, or simply interact with peers can have a huge impact on the quality of daily life and mental health,” the page reads. “The study space in Burnside Basement is currently limited to a handful of built-in desks and dated sofas purchased back in 2001.”

During the Oct. 28 General Council meeting, VP Finance Sibat Anam spoke to President Jeremy Goh’s efforts to move the project forward.

“[Goh is] currently working on the Burnside [Hall] Renovation Committee, [but] they’re just working through a lot of hoops and it’s backed up [behind other construction projects on campus],” Anam said. “He met with McGill Spaces and Campus Planning to […] draft a proposal as soon as possible.”

At the Nov. 25 SUS Council meeting, Anam announced that the final designs for the renovation were nearing completion. 

“[The president] is scheduling a meeting with the dean  of Science to talk about the final designs,” Anam said. “Of the three initial designs, two of them are ready to go and they’ll probably make the deadline for the final design plans.”

 

AUS makes progress on SNAX and election reform

 

Election Reform

On Nov. 27, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) referendum question regarding constitutional amendments to modify the AUS vice-president (VP) Finance screening process passed with 91.3 per cent of the vote. The changes to the process, which were first discussed at the AUS General Assembly (GA) in February 2013, now require a selection committee to screen and approve candidates before they can run for the position of VP Finance. 

“Eligibility to stand for election to the position of AUS Vice-President Finance shall be on the basis of candidates being sufficiently qualified for the duties and responsibilities required of the AUS Vice-President Finance, as determined by a two-thirds majority vote of a committee struck for these purposes,” the question read.

According to AUS President Jacob Greenspon, the changes came in response to issues AUS had in the past from delayed tax filing and audits.

“AUS did not file taxes from 2008 to 2012, resulting in the government freezing $120,000 from the AUS bank account,” said Greenspon. “AUS also [failed] to send McGill its audited financial statements in that time period [….] As a result, McGill withheld our student fees.”

SNAX MoA

In January 2015, SNAX was mandated to discontinue the sale of sandwiches due to issues of food safety, as outlined in their Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with McGill. This decision received noticeable backlash from students, resulting in a sit-in at SNAX in March to raise awareness of the issue. 

SNAX’s MoA with McGill, which forbids the sale of sandwiches, came to an end in 2015, opening up the floor to negotiate changes for a new MoA. According to Greenspon, McGill agreed in November to allow SNAX to resume sandwich sales in the new MoA.

“McGill has recognized the arguments behind most of our positions, and fortunately, has moved to cooperate on many issues, notably SNAX selling sandwiches,” Greenspon said. “We are not yet at an agreement, but I believe we are closer than we have been in the past to signing the MoA and again selling sandwiches at SNAX.”

a, Football, Sports

McGill Tribune’s NFL Awards

by Joe Khammar on

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Coach of the Year

Bill O’Brien—Head Coach, Houston Texans

The 2015 NFL season has seen extraordinary efforts by a multitude of head coaches around the league, all deserving of the award. Unfortunately for them, Bill O’Brien of the Houston Texans had a masterful season and deserves to be named Coach of the Year. The Texans were not expected to make any rumblings in 2015.  When the pre-season ended, Bleacher Report ranked the Texans 28th on their power rankings, way behind their AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts who were at no. 2. It turns out the predictions were dead wrong. O’Brien was a quarterback whisperer this season and coaxed a career year from starting quarterback Brian Hoyer and won games with backups Ryan Mallett, TJ Yates, and Brandon Weeden. This quartet of journeymen and backup quarterbacks should never have been able to lead a team into the playoffs in today’s NFL—somehow O’Brien managed that monumental feat and wins Coach of the Year because of it.

Rookie of the Year

Todd Gurley—Running Back, St. Louis Rams

Forget Jameis Winston as rookie of the year, Todd Gurley ran away with this award. Despite missing the first three games of the season due to a lingering ACL tear, the first year running back finished third in NFL rushing yards with 1,106 yards on the ground. What’s more impressive is that Gurley managed to accomplish this feat playing on possibly the worst offence in the NFL. With the uninspiring tandem of Nick Foles and Case Keenum taking snaps at quarterback, the Rams ranked 32nd in total offence this year. Gurley undoubtedly deserves rookie of the year for establishing himself as a top-five talent at the running back position on a team seemingly doing everything it could to hinder its own offence.

Defensive Player of the Year

J.J. Watt—Defensive End, Houston Texans

The only reason to not give this award to Watt every year is to break up the monotony and give someone else a chance. With a league-leading 17.5 sacks, J.J. once again proved he is the best player in the entire NFL. No longer able to fly under the radar, Watt told the Tampa Bay Times that he has been attracting more triple-teams this season than ever before. Think about that for a second; most teams use five linemen and one or two tight ends at any time. In a basic four-man rush, J.J. Watt is attracting up to three of those five linemen, leaving the three other rushers free to attack the quarterback. Despite the triple-team, Watt still led the league in sacks. This complete and total domination of the NFL assures Watt this award not only for this year but for many more to come.

Offensive Player of the Year

Deandre Hopkins—Wide Receiver, Houston Texans

2015 was surely the year of the wide receiver. Twenty-seven different receivers posted 1,000-yard seasons and four different receivers went for over 1,500 yards. One of those four stands above the rest: Deandre Hopkins, who played on a team that lacked any credible threat under centre. Receiving passes from four different quarterbacks, most would not expect much from the Texans passing offence.  Hopkins’ 111 receptions for 1,521 yards this season was the engine that kept the offence going week in and week out. He dominated on a regular basis regardless of the competition. In a week 11 matchup against the Jets, Hopkins outcompeted Darrelle Revis to the tune of five receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. No other receiver has Hopkins’ combination of route running, speed and circus catch ability. He combines the best parts of Odell Beckham Jr. and Antonio Brown to create the ultimate pass-catcher and is 2015’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Most Valuable Player

Cam Newton—Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Could it be anyone else? While Tom Brady and Carson Palmer might look better on paper, it’s what Newton does on the field that puts him ahead of the pack. Leading a Carolina Panthers team that finished with a league best 15-1, Newton took a team that features punt returner Ted Ginn Jr. as its number one target and drove it to historic status. With a grand total of 45 touchdowns in 2015 (35 passing and 10 rushing), he leads the league by a sizeable gap. But Newton doesn’t just put up points, he also inspires his team to be better with his animated personality and leadership skills. Always making the NFL seem fun, Newton encapsulates what it means to be an MVP, combining historic production, a great team, and leadership skills that inspire those around him to play better. Newton might never get another MVP award in his career, but this one is special because he earned it from his ability to win rather than gaudy statistics.

a, Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: For a 21st Century education, McGill must focus on the present

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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The plans for the new McLennan-Redpath library, referred to as Fiat Lux, are ambitious. Although the university hopes that this impressive crystalline addition will epitomize the 21st century, propelling the university into modernity will take more than a shiny design. The most wide-ranging consultation with students took place on whiteboards across the campus, showing an administration out of touch with the needs of current students. Since releasing the renovation plans, little has been done to educate students further about what disruptions may be expected, and how the changes will be beneficial. The obvious question for students, professors, and researchers alike, then, is: What are the renovations meant to achieve? Believing that a new building will modernize the campus cannot feel like anything other than a band-aid solution to the more pressing but typically ignored maintenance problems. The university would do well to recall that the 21st century is here, with or without Fiat Lux.

Of course, Fiat Lux has not come entirely out of the blue. It is surely intended to improve the financial prospects of McGill, as well as its academic rank as more modern infrastructure may attract higher calibre students. But the fact that students can only speculate as to why this is the next big thing on McGill’s horizon is indicative of a lack of consultation. The university does not have a good record when it comes to construction and renovations; current students know only too well how long it took to complete the past renovations in a myriad of locations on campus. A new library is not an issue in itself—in fact, it is exactly what universities should provide—but it is an issue when placed in the context of the other infrastructure problems on campus.

The façade of the Arts Building, a quintessential image of campus, has been under construction for a month longer than anticipated, and the construction was put off for years. Library spaces, which are actually numerous, are being reduced as hours are restricted and access limited to members of certain faculties, or, in the case of McLennan, to certain floors past midnight. This is certainly an issue for night owls. While these concerns are individually small, together they create a bigger picture of an administration that has adopted a macro perspective at the expense of current students who will not necessarily be around to see the benefit.

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The administration must therefore balance the needs of the present with the objectives for the future. This can be done by working on creative solutions to current problems and downsizing the scale of the McLennan renovation plan. The plans cause some to worry that creating a centralized mega structure will suck the resources otherwise spread across libraries, and will reduce access to the smaller libraries even more. Flexibility, however, must be incorporated into the process in order to accommodate the needs and concerns of both the current and incoming generations of students. The risk: Alienating the immediate pool of alumni already bruised by years of austerity and tuition increases, to whom this plan feels like a grand irony.

The solution: Compromise. Advertising, and extending the hours of, other study spaces would go a long way to helping the current accessibility and space problems. These solutions are minor, and would alleviate the micro inconveniences without limiting the school from sustaining and improving its reputation in the long term.

It is up to the administration to envision the future of the university, and ensure that it remains a competitive institution. Attending a university with a strong reputation is a perk of being a McGill student; however, the small daily grievances should not be overlooked when attempting to reimagine McGill as a 21st Century school. If the Class of 2016 or 2017 were instead the Class of 2026 or 2027, students would most certainly appreciate a modern, functional library with big windows to the current decrepit infrastructure. The standpoint from which students launch critique should not, however, be a point of discredit. Instead, it should be a basis for compromise so that future alumni and contributors to the community are not alienated by disconnected ambition.

If McGill is going to convince students that it can afford Fiat Lux, it must do more than ask us to trust it. It must show that it can provide more than the minimal amount of maintenance, end cuts to courses, and restore optimism within the McGill community. Fiat Lux appears to be the result of idealistic tunnel vision rather than a pragmatic course to 21st Century education, leading one to question who matters the most in creating McGill’s priorities. This is a question that the administration must address urgently.

Abominable Bride
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Sherlock’s “The Abominable Bride” leaves fans hungry for more

by Morgan Alexander on

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Warning: This review contains spoilers

Sherlock, by its very nature, is designed to keep fans feeling constantly under-satisfied and begging for more. In the six years since its first season came out, Creators and Executive Producers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have blessed viewers with just nine actual series episodes, each hovering around 88 minutes. Each is so intricately complex and captivating that binging each series in full is almost an insult to the art, prohibiting viewers from obsessing over every twist and turn that makes the show so entrancing. After a nearly two-year hiatus—each new season premieres a minimum of a year after the former—Moffat and friends committed the greatest affront to viewers’ decency: They released a special episode into British cinemas on New Year’s Day and then to U.S. theatres on Jan. 5 and 6. Only afterwards, on Jan. 10, would the show be available for worldwide online streaming on BBC’s website, illegal streaming notwithstanding. The obvious question that arose from all of this gaudy cinematic flair and taxing delayed release dates is: Was the special episode worth it?

Of course, the answer is yes.

For the first time, Sherlock opened in Victorian-era London, where the original stories were set. Incidentally, The Abominable Bride is not based on any actual Holmes story. Along with the other episodes in the series, it is inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works and specific passages from his many books. In this case, the title and the idea come from Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual,” in which there is a line speaking of “Ricoletti of the clubfoot and his abominable wife.” The episode itself begins simply enough; it’s another case in another era, presented in such a way that viewers would think the special episode was just that—a fun foray away from the actual plot— an amusing one-off to satisfy fans while the cast filmed the real show. The revelation about two-thirds through the episode is that the period setting was in fact a delusional projection of a drug-addled Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch)—still seated in the plane seat where viewers last left him at the end of season three—made it that much more exciting. 

As could be expected, the script was incredible, the cinematography divine, and the score the perfect mix of time-appropriate and heart-poundingly scary when necessary. The bits of humour that are always scattered throughout this show were equally wonderful, as viewers got a glimpse at a grossly obese Mycroft (Series Creator Gatiss) gorging himself as a result of a bet with his little brother as to how long it will take him to die, and an eager Watson (Martin Freeman) poorly signing to a front deskman about a potato. What really made this special so ‘special’ was its cleverness in tricking the audience into distancing themselves from the main plot before being thrust back into centre stage, just as confused as Watson, and as desperate for answers as Mycroft. 

The Abominable Bride perfectly whet the appetites of every fan without unduly releasing the full course. Sherlock could have done itself in by releasing a major plot point and leaving fans on a cliff-hanger, considering that Series 4 isn’t expected to air until 2017 (Moffat has said that filming wouldn’t even begin until this spring). Instead, the producers released an episode that was equal parts creepy, intriguing, and banal in the long-term, making it the perfect placeholder to keep people interested without making them antsy, or worse, irritated. In a way, the show did answer one climatic question that eclipsed the end of Series 3, but it did so in such a way that felt natural and exciting, not forcefully explosive. It didn’t give viewers much to ponder over, but it will certainly make them want to rewatch the previous seasons to get excited for what’s to come.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Star Wars: The fans awaken

by Luka Ciklovan and Anna St. Clair on

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The force is strong with this one

Ten minutes into The Force Awakens, viewers witness a stormtrooper’s moral struggle between right and wrong, and it’s here where the question on everyone’s mind is answered: The Force Awakens works. Showing how stormtroopers deal with morality just as much as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo is totally new ground for the Star Wars saga, and yet it fits perfectly with the themes of the franchise and all that it stands for. The Force Awakens embodies the spirit of the original Star Wars trilogy, but also manages to go deeper, show us what we have never seen before, and create a strong setup for the next two films.

The latest film in the franchise takes place about 35 years after Return of the Jedi (1983). While the Empire has been defeated, a new authoritarian regime called the First Order has taken root. It’s led by the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke (played by Andy Serkis through motion capture) whose paleness and snake-like face suggests a Lord Voldemort-type villain. Under his command is Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who is more angsty teen with anger issues than ‘terrifying villain.’ Ren’s character is particularly well done. He’s obsessed with carrying out the legacy of Darth Vader, yet is clearly trying too hard. Where Vader wears his suit and mask for survival, Ren dons it merely to look badass. The scene where Ren lifts his mask, revealing a perfectly normal face definitely results in a few snickers from the audience.

With new villains come new heroes. Rey (Daisy Ridley) is an orphaned scavenger on the desert planet Jakku, where she lives a desperately lonely existence. Ridley plays Rey as quick thinking, tough, and a bit emotionally distant, making her a compelling hero for the new trilogy. Finn (John Boyega) is a rogue stormtrooper who chooses not to be a pawn to the First Order and reluctantly joins up with the Resistance. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is the dashing Resistance X-wing pilot. He’s a political fighter and passionate about the Resistance cause to the last. Much has been said about the main heroes being female and black, respectively, and the diverse cast is overdue. The Star Wars saga has always been about how anyone can be a hero, yet the rebels of the original trilogy were overwhelmingly white and male.

Along the way, the new heroes receive help from the old ones. Harrison Ford returns as Han Solo to guide Rey and Finn, functioning as a much cooler Obi-Wan Kenobi. The decision to make Han Solo a major character in the film shows that Director J.J. Abrams can please fans without sacrificing quality. Solo has always been a favourite character and it’s Ford that gives both the new and old films their reckless and adventurous spirit, juxtaposed to the pious journey of the hero. Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) also returns and now leads the Resistance against the First Order, dropping the ‘princess’ title for ‘general.’ Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has become a mythical hero throughout the galaxy but has since gone MIA.

Abrams also shows that he can bring the humour and light heart along with the deeper themes. The Force Awakens is fast paced and doesn’t shy away from visual comedy, especially in regards to the new lovable droid, BB-8. Where the prequel trilogy often went overboard with CGI and effects, The Force Awakens uses them skillfully to create beautiful, colourful, and emotional images. Shots of Rey scavenging through a ruined imperial starship, half sunken in sand are hauntingly beautiful and sad.

Probably the biggest criticism of The Force Awakens is that it is nothing more than a remake of the original 1977 Star Wars Episode VI: A New Hope. The plotline of The Force Awakens clearly and deliberately echoes the plotline of Star Wars, yet the similarity only shows off Abrams and screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Ardnt’s skill. The characters, the emotions and the motives couldn’t be more different from A New Hope and where the original film could often feel campy, The Force Awakens brings a darker and serious tone.

—Anna St. Clair

$TAR WAR$: Nostalgia at a price

Given the sheer force surrounding Star Wars (cultural, not midi-chlorian) the notion that J.J. Abrams’ latest entry into the saga did not live up to the hype is dangerous ground to tread on; however, the heavy-handed nostalgia, the pervasiveness of one-dimensional, flat characters and settings, and a fear of expanding upon what little novelty is presented, arguably posits Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens as a film fuelled by a thirst for profit rather than the imagination and wonder that drove Creator George Lucas’ works. Before the ‘bantha poodoo’ hits the fan, it is important to acknowledge that Star Wars, despite whatever childhood or nostalgia might be tangled up with it, can and must be critically examined like any piece of art in order to better understand the work itself and the medium it belongs to.

One of the most notable features of the newest entry into the Star Wars canon is how much it borrows from the pre-existing films. At best, Abrams’ appropriations come off as necessary tools to ease the audience into the reboot of an old classic; however, in actuality, the film’s borrowing extends far, far beyond merely preparing the audience for new material, as it simply revamps the exact plot of Lucas’ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, albeit with some name changes and flashier special effects. This time around, the Death Star is bigger, shoots multiples lasers at a time, and looks a hell of a lot more high definition. As the film progresses, it increasingly seems to take on the form of a ‘hype man,’ in a sense, presenting familiar faces and places to pump up the audience instead of trying to explore a new dimension of the vast Star Wars universe. There certainly is a magic to seeing Han Solo and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) aboard the Millennium Falcon again, yet that in itself does not a good movie make.

This over-reliance on nostalgia found in Episode VII is intimately tied to its very surface-level settings and characters. The film’s portrayal of desert planet Jakku, a conscious callback to Lucas’ Tatooine, stands as perhaps the best example of the vacuous settings that pervade the film. Tatooine, in Lucas’ films, comes across as a living place where we can truly empathize with the plights of either Anakin, under the yoke of his master Watto, or Han Solo, in his deliberations with the greedy gangster Jabba the Hut. Lucas gives us a tangible, emotive face to the alien world of Tatooine, and thus allows us to better connect with the protagonists as they confront dynamic characters who oppress them. Abrams’ version of Jakku provides the necessary template for such a conflict, but with no dynamic characters for the audience to form meaningful relationships with. Pinning Abrams’ characters on a planet that, only in the background, has slavery and sand simply cannot inspire the same amount of character intrigue and attachment that Lucas’ Tatooine did.

This phenomenon pervades the entire film: Poe Dameran is simply an awesome badass good guy, not because we witness some strength in his character or moral growth in the face of adversity, but simply because. The destruction of the Republic by Starkiller base is emotionally trivial when compared to the destruction of Alderan in Episode IV, as the Empire’s torture of Leia and the relationship we develop for her throughout the movie gives us a reason to care about Alderan. Abrams’ work goes through the motions of Star Wars, but isn’t really a Star Wars his film makes viewers care about, aside from the fact that it’s Star Wars of course.

The movie does however, provide a glimpse of some very interesting and promising stories. Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), aside from delivering some of the strongest acting in the movie, offer interesting and never-before explored sides of the Star Wars universe. Watching a stormtrooper defect from his platoon, musing on Rey’s origins, and watching the dynamic between Han and villain Kylo Ren were truly fascinating moments, but the film ultimately only scratches the surface on these tales and instead chooses, in the all too literal words of Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o), to make them a ‘story for another time’ and another $13 movie ticket, presumably.

Ultimately Episode VII seems to be preoccupied with finding widespread commercial success, comforting audiences with familiar faces and cashing in on the success of prior films, rather than standing truly on its own as the first episodes of the prior trilogies do.

—Luka Ciklovan

a, Sports

10 Things: Cross-Country Skiing

by Nicole Spadotto on

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  1. Cross-country skiing has a bit of an obscure beginning, but experts agree the sport is quite ancient. It is believed to have originated in what is now France as a method of hunting over 22,000 years ago. In present-day China, it is used as transportation. By the time cross-country skiing permeated into Scandinavia, it was bequeathed the current vernacular name of “skiing.” Tax collectors in Norway in the 10th century were actually sent out on skis to collect taxes from laypeople, and  by the 13th century, cross-country skiing was used by troops in war.
  2. Physicists rejoice! Cross-country skiing relies solely on the locomotive ability of the skier to propel themselves using hand-held poles and forward-pushing leg movements, rather than the gravity of downhill skiing and motorized assistance like ski lifts. As a result, cross-country skiing is practiced mainly on flat terrain or small hills.
  3. Much like sprints and distance running, cross-country skiing races have varying lengths, ranging from a 1.5-kilometre sprint to a 50-kilometre marathon. Events can be individual races or team-driven relays.
  4. Cross-country skiing became an Olympic sport in 1924  at the inagrual Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. Events in the Olympic repertoire have since expanded to include team relay, separate classical, and freestyle races. Cross-country skiing is the only event present at every single Winter Olympic games. 41,000 athletes identify themselves as cross-country skiers worldwide, lending to the growing popularity of the sport.
  5. Different types of cross-country skiing exist, with different types of skis needed for each. The two most popular categories of cross-country skiing are classical, using poles and skis in a linear fashion within constrained track parameters; and freestyle, employing skating-like techniques with skis used as a type of long blade to gain momentum across terrain.
  6. The Globe and Mail reports that the benefits of cross-country skiing outweigh almost every other type of exercise. Skiers have almost twice the cardiovascular and muscular fitness than other athletic individuals, and skiers have the lowest mortality risk of the entire population.
  7. Raisa Smetanina, a cross-country skier from the former Soviet Union, is currently tied for the most Olympic medals won by a woman at the Winter Olympics (her last Olympics was in 1992). She was the first woman to win 10 medals, and at the time of her last medal, she was the oldest woman to ever win a Winter Olympic gold at 39 years old. The torch was passed onto Stefania Belmondo of Italy who tied the Russian powerhouse with 10 gold medals won—her medal torrent commencing the same year Smetanina won her last gold.
  8. Whilst cross-country skiing is pretty contingent upon snowfall, avid skiers have found a technique to continue dry-land training. Invented in Italy, roller skiing is the tarmac equivalent of cross-country skiing. Wheels are attached to the ends of the skis, allowing for a similar technique to snow skiing. Roller skiing has developed into a sport in its own right, with competitions popular in Northern Europe.
  9. The biathlon is built upon cross-country skiing, with the added element of shooting to create a new event. The most decorated Winter Olympian in history, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway, has won 13 medals in the biathlon. Interestingly, Norwegian cross-country skiers Bjorn Daehlie and Marit Bjorgen rank as the second- and third-most decorated men in Winter Olympic history, with 12 and 10 medals respectively.
  10. Cross-country skiing was introduced as one of four Special Olympics snow sports in 1977. Canada has a strong Special Olympics cross-country skiing program in place, with offerings ranging in location from Nova Scotia to Alberta, to Yukon. 
a, Opinion

Does intersectionality benefit activist movements?

by Kyle Dolph on

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Campus organizations frequently work together on political and social justice issues. Last Fall, Divest McGill worked with Aboriginal groups on campus during the simultaneous Fossil Free and Aboriginal Awareness Weeks, and Divest McGill and Demilitarize McGill oftentimes collaborate. While the methods of each of these organizations have been criticized and praised in kind, less has been said on the intersection of these groups. At the start of a new semester, with many opportunities for collaboration on the horizon, it is important to consider whether such ties are effective or deleterious for these movements.

While intersectionality focuses on where social categories and social issues overlap and interrelate, pure inclusivity runs the risk of blurring the important distinctions between these categories and causes. A discussion that works to ensure a balance of these forces must take place on this campus, especially within and between activist movements.

It’s easy to frame the discussion into the classic dichotomy of breadth and depth. On one hand, attempts to link seemingly distinct causes is one way of building a broad coalition. For example, in an article published by the McGill Daily, one member of McGill Against Austerity stated that provincial cuts to social welfare programs disproportionately affect women. The argument is that such connections between the groups affected by austerity­—such as women, students, and public sector employees—is essential to mobilization against the provincial policy. Divest McGill has collaborated with Aboriginal rights groups, citing the negative effects that the industrial activities of fossil fuel companies and the provincial government’s Plan Nord have had upon Aboriginal communities. Intersectionality is therefore effective in bringing both more breadth of support and depth of policy to a movement.

While intersectionality focuses on where social categories and social issues overlap and interrelate, pure inclusivity runs the risk of blurring the important distinctions between these categories and causes.

In order to succeed, a social movement must have broad support, as well as an informed and comprehensive agenda. Intersectionality broadens support by connecting advocates from distinct groups. Thus, those inclined to activism benefit from sharing their causes with one another as they gain lobbying and staying powers. Not all activist movements are large, but people power can be the difference. And this power is easier to accumulate when the issues are more clear cut, such as with tuition hikes. For students, increasing the tuition is clearly a negative proposal; thus, mass protests ensue. For issues of austerity, divestment, demilitarization, Aboriginal awareness, etc., the causes and consequences are far less clear-cut. Intersectionality thus provides thoroughfares between these issues, and connects groups who share similar perspectives and objectives.

However, intersections may be taken too far, and so limit the benefit of such connections. An organization’s message of inclusivity can sometimes reach too far beyond the beliefs of the majority of its supporters, and the resulting linking of two causes has the potential to alienate would-be supporters. Such is certainly the case where mainstream movements work in tandem with more radical ones, such as when McGill Against Austerity marched alongside communists and anarchists shouting “1-2-3, fuck the bourgeoisie [and…] class war” as part of a collective strike in early November. In such situations, an association can easily blemish the movement as a whole in the eyes of a less-informed, more moderate observer.

Campus activists are thus in a quandary. Isolate themselves, and they lose the power of collective voice. Expand their message too much, and it may well appeal to a substantially smaller proportion of people. The solution is a pragmatic one. Theory, in activism, much as anywhere else, should only be applied to the degree that it obtains results. This means that groups should make careful decisions based on Realpolitik—decisions based on real circumstances rather than on ideological precepts—before lending support to any movement. The calculation of such considerations may fly in the face of the idealism that serves as a foundation for many of these movements, and as such, may be difficult to reckon for those with many strong sympathies; however, leaders of such movements must be both passionate and strategic, and wager small victories against grand defeats.

 

 

 

@McGillTribuneOp | [email protected]

 
a, Basketball, Podcasts, Sports, The Sport Authority

The Sport Authority EP. 2: The evolution of small ball

by Aaron Rose on

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[audiotrack title=”The Sport Authority Ep. 2: The evolution of small ball” songwriter=”Aaron Rose” date=”January 12, 2015″ width=”700″ height=”200″ src=”https://24f2041bb5b609d25f1a97039f71682cc9154421.googledrive.com/host/0B9rQxTeDv2duM0FmSjBSYkZFS1k/Sport%20Authority%20episode%202%20small%20ball.wav” autoplay=”on”]

At 35-2 the Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA by far. They’re revolutionizing the game in a way never seen before. For decades bigger was better, but now that’s not necessarily the case. Basketball fans are seeing a confluence of two phenomena: A heightened value on the three-point shot and taller players becoming more skilled. In 1999, Dirk Nowitzki transformed the game, becoming the first seven-footer to attempt 300 three-point shots. Now, it seems common place for teams to have their big men shooting outside the paint, sometimes from beyond the 3-point arc. 7’3” rookie Kristaps Porzingis has taken the league by storm, shooting a quarter of his shots from 3-point range. 

It is interesting to note, however, that while ‘small ball’ has only become popular recently in the NBA, collegiate teams have been trotting out squads with three or four guards for decades.

Starting in the late 1930s, Princeton basketball Head Coach Franklin “Cappy” Cappon invented the so-called “Princeton Offence.” Unable to recruit the country’s best big-men, Cappon innovatively predicated his offence on having five players who can all pass, shoot, and dribble at a relatively high level. CIS basketball teams have been finding ways to deal with the same issue for decades. After two seasons as the Redmen’s starting small forward,junior Michael Peterkin has moved to the bench as Head Coach Dave DeAverio has elected to play more ‘small ball.’ This podcast talks with both Peterkin and Coach DeAverio about the recent trend and how it has affected the Redmen.

a, Private, Recipes, Student Life

A healthy smoothie to keep your New Year’s resolution

by Liz Willcock on

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Getting back into the swing of things in the Winter term can be hard after a relaxing holiday break, but it’s even harder if you’ve resolved to be healthy this year. Around New Year’s, after a holiday season of sugary desserts and multiple course meals, a common resolution students make is to get their health back on track. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. When school starts to get busy again, it’s easy to let those resolutions fall by the wayside. Breakfast can quickly transition from a healthy balanced meal, to a greasy breakfast sandwich from whatever café is closest to the first class of the morning. The key to keeping resolutions past the first week of school is making them sustainable. This green smoothie is simple, takes less than three minutes, and can be carried on the go. It’s not laden with insanely healthy ingredients like spirulina or kale, but it is straightforward and easy to keep making when things get hectic. Although a smoothie might seem meagre for breakfast, the peanut butter and chia seeds make this ‘green monster’ filling and will keep hunger at bay until lunchtime. With two servings of fruits and vegetables, this smoothie checks all of the health boxes, and will make keeping New Year’s resolutions a little bit easier. 

Ingredients

1 cup of almond milk or other non-dairy milk

1 cup of spinach

1 large  ripe frozen banana, chopped into chunks

1 tablespoon of almond butter or peanut butter

1 tablespoon of chia seeds 

A pinch of ground cinnamon

Directions

Place  all of the ingredients in a blender, with spinach on the bottom. Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

a, Opinion

Media needs to increase pressure on Liberals to deliver on national policy

by Zachary Carson on

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In the early days of 2016, refugees have dominated the news cycle in much of the world. While in the United States, most Republican politicians seem to be arguing over the best plan to keep refugees out, up North the discussion is the opposite. Canadians are wondering why only 6,000 of the 10,000 refugees promised by Trudeau—a number already lowered from the previous 25,000 refugee target—have made it into our country.

This has largely been seen as a failure on the part of the Liberal government, either because it fell short of its pledge or because it made a promise that it knew they could not keep; however, while criticism is being levelled against the only policy of the new government that has already achieved concrete results no one seems to be talking about how the government is going to fulfill the other promises the Liberals have made: Marijuana legalization, electoral reform, and the inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women. The Canadian public and media must light a fire beneath the government when it fails to deliver on domestic policy in addition to any perceived shortcomings in humanitarian responses.

An earlier article for the Tribune discussed the limitations of political pledges, with specific focus on Trudeau’s pledge to admit 25,000 refugees by the end of 2015. One of the main points was that the fixation on a certain target overshadows long-term policy, policy that would perhaps be more beneficial to the cause. This same logic can be used to debunk the argument that falling short of the 10,000 refugee goal is a political breakdown that requires a response from the government. Though this is a setback, in no way should it be seen as a failure.

 

Of all the promises that the prime minister and the Liberal Party made during the campaign, accepting refugees is the only one that has actually had concrete results so far.

Of all the promises that the prime minister and the Liberal Party made during the campaign, accepting refugees is the only one that has actually had concrete results so far. Over 6,000 refugees have been accepted, and, although the timeframe for admittance has been revised, there is no sign that the government is planning on altering the substance of its refugee policy. The campaign to legalize marijuana is only in its infancy, with the two secretaries to the Minister of Justice who will handle the case only being named last month. On top of that, both election reform and an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women have only been discussed vaguely. Despite this, it is the failure to meet the 10,000 refugee target that has received the most attention.

This is not to completely excuse the government from breaking its promise. The Liberal party pledged to bring 25,000 refugees by the end of 2015. Although the pledge was unrealistic, the policy has yielded results. Refugees are coming to Canada and will continue to do so in 2016. It is time to move on from the fact that not quite as many refugees got to Canada by the end of 2015 as we would have hoped. Trudeau and the Liberals made that promise as outsiders without a full understanding of the political and logistical realities that they would encounter once actually faced with bringing 25,000 refugees to Canada.

Yes, it is now 2016. No, there have not been 10,000—let alone 25,000—refugees admitted into Canada. Trudeau deserves some flak for that. But there are over 6,000 refugees of the Syrian crisis who have been brought to Canada since the new government formed, and more are on the way. Meanwhile, none of the other promises that the government made seem any closer to reality than the day they were announced. Let’s stop nitpicking the time and numbers on which the promises that the Liberals are actually starting to deliver, and begin to question them about the ones that they are not.

 

Zachary Carson is a fourth year joint honours political science and international development student. He enjoys listening to Canadaland podcasts, watching Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and dogs.

 

@McGillTripOp | [email protected]

 
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