Latest News

a, News, SSMU

SSMU VP Internal by-election results in “No” vote for Alexei Simakov

by Aislinn Kalob on

More in a:

This article was updated on Nov. 16.

Alexei Simakov will not be the next vice-president (VP) Internal of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). The by-election that was held to fill the position vacated by Lola Baraldi in October resulted in 51.7 per cent of students voting “No.” Voter turnout was 16.7 per cent. As a result, SSMU will enter into another by-election immediately.

According to Article 21 of Elections SSMU bylaws, the next election for the VP Internal will include a nomination period of four business days, an election campaign period of five days, and a polling period of two business days. If no candidates run during this nomination period, the decision on whether or not to hold the by-election, or to leave the position vacant, will be left to SSMU Legislative Council.

Simakov stated that he will be petitioning the SSMU Judicial Board (J-Board) over alleged by-law violations throughout the election.

“The J-Boards are not with the purpose of overturning the election,” Simakov wrote in an email to the Tribune. “They are because of numerous infractions of the by-laws to my detriment. Our campaign team is currently in discussion with both [Elections SSMU] and the SSMU VP University Affairs and hope to be able to resolve these concerns in mediation without the need for a lengthy trial process.”

Simakov explained his concerns over the contentious climate of this election.

“I am further concerned about the extremist language, including absolutely unacceptable accusations of Nazism and homophobia against myself and my supporters, that was hosted on the [Unofficial “No” Vote Facebook page],” Simakov wrote. “This wasn't just unpleasant for me, it was hurtful to my campaign team and supporters who felt uncomfortable participating in the public debate. It is exceptionally hypocritical to argue that you are opposed to the election culture of personal attacks only to create a forum for that exact purpose.”

Following Céleste Pagniello’s withdrawal from the VP Internal race on Nov. 12, Simakov ran uncontested. Pagniello cited threats to herself and her family as the reason why she withdrew.

SSMU VP Clubs and Services Kimber Bialik noted that the process of running for student government can be strenuous, especially in light of recent elections.

“Campaigns have gotten uncontrollably aggressive and personal and […] at this point, it’s pretty detrimental to a person’s mental health to be put through that rigorous scrutiny,” Bialik said.  “At this point, it’s not at all sustainable to have people running for these roles. People are not going to run for these roles if they know that’s what they have to put themselves through, that’s not how you sustain an organization.”

The Fall 2015 referendum question on the creation of a SSMU safety network fee passed by a vote of 75.3 per cent, while an increase in the CKUT fee failed by a vote of 54.7 per cent.  The plebiscite questions resulted in “Yes” votes for all three: 79.0 per cent for SSMU involvement in student-run cooperatives, and the two part question on the reforming the Old McGill yearbook by 56.9 per cent and 76.6 per cent, respectively.

Additional reporting by Morgan Alexander.

Changing seasons
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Trib mix: Changing of the seasons

by Julie Vanderperre, Julia Dick, Natalie Wong on

More in a:

Now that the temperature has settled below 10 degrees a dreaded fact can no longer be ignored: The seasons are changing, and winter is coming. The editors at the McGill Tribune are taking this seasonal defeat particularly hard, and have compiled 24 tracks to express their sorrow over the beginning of the end of sunshine. Keep scrolling to find the official “changing of the seasons” playlist.

“Bad Weather" – Superhumanoids

Trudging to the library in the rain can feel like pulling teeth, especially as the semester nears its end. “Bad Weather,” a track off of the Superhumanoids’ 2013 album, Exhibitionists, evokes the mellow lethargy of a dark November afternoon spent studying. It begins with the soft pattering of keys, leading up to the ethereal lilt of the main singer Chernoff chanting, “open your mouth,” as if inviting you to lean back and catch the raindrops on your tongue. She continues, crooning, “No shelter, we can’t deny,” as you duck into the library to find refuge from the downpour.

In the video, a handsome, scruffy young man stands in front of a mirror brushing his teeth. Upon realizing that his mouth is bleeding, he pulls out a large molar. He is shocked at first, and yet he can’t stop. He continues pulling out more and more teeth with blood gushing in large spurts. The feeling of inevitable dread—one shared by many students at this time of year—is aptly conveyed through the music video, and the continuous reverberating of Chernoff’s soft voice echoing, “open your mouth,” takes on a new meaning as you sit down this gloomy November with your books.

– Julie Vandeperre

“Deadwater” – Wet

Teasing the upcoming release of their LP, Don’t You, “Deadwater” by Brooklyn-based band Wet, is appropriate for any weather—though it’s title does admittedly evoke images of grey, salty sludge at the roadsides in a wintery Montreal. The intention behind their recent humorous tweet, “Putting on long underwear turn up,” encapsulates the tone of their debut single perfectly. It's also hopefully a sign of what is to come in the LP—a testament to the beauty of simple narratives and relaxed, unhurried instrumental layering. Put simply, it's music to listen to while lounging around in an over-sized sweater and waiting for the kettle to boil.

The beginning of the song is reminiscent of a romantic beach scene. Picture a more ethereal, romantic scene from Baywatch—replacing Pamela Anderson with a svelte, indie beauty, likely dressed in a black leather jacket and faded jeans. Lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s voice is a mingling of confidence and vulnerability. Her soothing vocals match the relaxed cadence of the song, contrasting to the uncertainty of what the future will hold following a break up. The relationship may be over, but the singer has confidence that there is something better out in the nebulous ‘there.’ As winter descends on Montreal, this lesson can be taken to heart.

Julia Dick

“The Other Side” – Woodkid

Woodkid’s album The Golden Age (2013), withers into deep, dark territories within the human psyche. This album, echoing the title, is about the end of a golden age, whatever that may be, and the theme emphasizes on escaping a harmful past and attempting to reclaim a sense of pure individuality.

“The Other Side” is the final track, entering with chiming church bells. The piano echoes a mix of major and minor tones, alternating between a positive escape and that of a more sinister path. Singer-songwriter Yoann Lemoine’s vocals and military-like drums enter this path and marches the band towards an eminent end. This leads the audience towards the finale of the album. Background choir vocals add to the orchestral element, and the orchestra gains in momentum with the addition of instruments like the violin.

The orchestra echoes that of a movie soundtrack when a scene features a military marching soundlessly, wordless towards their cold destruction. As Lemoine ends the song with these lyrics, “And in the arms of endless anger / Will end the story of a soldier in the dark,” he accepts his descent into darkness.

Natalie Wong

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Rugby: Boyer’s late try lifts Redmen over Carabins in RSEQ Final

by Aaron Rose on

More in a:

“I  could tell everyone was exhausted,” captain Mitchell Cuillerier said. “But when I looked in their eyes, I could see nobody was going to quit.”

With the RSEQ Championship on the line, the Montréal Carabins (5-2-0) held the McGill Redmen (6-0-1) in check for 80 minutes. But as the clock ticked down in extra time, McGill, trailing 9-3, mustered up one final attack.

“I was just thinking about all the hard work we’ve put in […] since day one,” RSEQ Rookie-of-the-Year Sebastian Boyer said. “Especially for all our graduating players, I just couldn’t fathom losing out like that.”

An offside late in extra time gave the Redmen the ball at the Carabins’ five-yard line. Seconds later, scrum half Quentin Dubois passed it from the back of the ruck to Boyer who burst through the Carabins line for a try.

“One of the [Montréal] players was out of position,” Boyer said. “I just thought, ‘This is it’ [….] It felt unreal—on my birthday, in front of all my friends, my family, and a huge McGill crowd, you just couldn’t have scripted it better.”

Fifth-year centre Thomas Stokes stepped up to kick the title-clinching conversion. As the ball sailed through the uprights, the McGill faithful exploded into mayhem.

“When I struck the ball and saw it go through the uprights I felt relief first, then immense elation,” Stokes said, “My immediate reaction was to run over to my teammates and celebrate the moment with them.”

McGill jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after second-year fly half Kyle Makischuk connected on a 33-yard penalty kick; however, the Redmen struggled offensively with the absence of All-Star centre Augustus Hill. With the ball inside the five-yard line late in the first half, McGill squandered a great scoring opportunity when a costly knock-on turned the ball over. The Redmen held a tight line, but the Carabins’ captain Pierre Constantin converted two kicks to put Montreal up just before the halftime break. Constantin connected again on a 53rd minute penalty kick, but missed kicks in the second half left the window open for McGill’s late-game heroics.

“Credit to them, they put a lot of pressure on us,” Head Coach Ian Baillie said. “They played a very good tactical game.”

After a heartbreaking loss in the RSEQ Finals last season, the victory marked McGill’s ninth conference title in the last 10 years. With nine seniors expecting to depart, the Redmen will have some holes to fill next season, but with the RSEQ Coach-of-the-Year Baillie, and talented underclassmen such as Boyer returning, the future’s bright for Redmen Rugby.

Quotable

“The greatest part about playing Redmen Rugby is the connection and bond you make with your teammates.” –Captain and hooker Mitchell Cuillerier on the Redmen’s team culture.

Stat corner

McGill has been to 15 consecutive RSEQ Finals since 2000.

Moment of the game

After his game-winning try, Boyer was mobbed by his teammates, who lifted him onto their shoulders and carried him off the field.

a, Editorial, Opinion

SSMU VP Internal endorsement: Alexei Simakov

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

More in a:

In order to present the most informed endorsements as possible, we attended the debate and conducted an interview in person with the candidate. The Tribune Editorial Board debated and discussed the candidate in depth and voted on our endorsement for the position. The endorsement required a two-thirds majority vote. Should you have questions about our endorsement process, please email us at [email protected].

Endorsement: "No"

According the Vice-President (VP) Internal portfolio, the role of the VP Internal is to act as the chief programming and communications officer for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). This person promotes student interests at the executive level, engages students in various ways, including through the hosting of events, and is the primary point of contact between students and SSMU. The Tribune endorses a “No” vote for Alexei Simakov’s candidacy for the Vice-President (VP) Internal position because of a clear disregard for its core tenets.

Simakov’s desire to promote change within SSMU and speak on behalf of students whose voices aren’t heard—evidenced by his tenacious campaigning for a position within the SSMU executive—is laudable. A large portion of the student body is dissatisfied with SSMU as an institution. However, his continued efforts to join the SSMU executive team in any capacity show that his intentions do not lie in fulfilling the duties of the VP Internal as laid out by the executive contract. Instead, his platform features a preponderant focus on issues outside of the scope of the VP Internal position, such as reforming SSMU’s electoral system and the promotion of free speech on campus.

Reforming SSMU elections is necessary to improve the democratic process and representing the best interests of all students; however, successfully enacting change would require a large amount of time and coordinated efforts which are not the priority of the VP Internal. Working on electoral reform as VP Internal would detract from his ability to perform the duties which are mandated within his contract.

If elected, Simakov intends to limit his focus on event planning, favouring the delegation of these responsibilities to event coordinators.  The VP Internal is responsible for planning events such as Orientation Week and 4Floors. While these events have already occurred this school year, he has not demonstrated that he will lay the groundwork for the next VP Internal during his extremely short term in office.

Simakov has stated that he doesn’t believe that listservs, one of the main responsibilities of the VP Internal, and the primary communication method of SSMU, are effective at engaging students; however, his suggestions for how SSMU can communicate important information to the general student body who remain disengaged with campus politics are lacking.

The VP Internal also has the responsibility of coordinating the meetings of the Commission des Affaires Francophones, which serves an important role in promoting the use of French language on campus. Simakov has justified a lack of attention to this aspect of the portfolio by citing the fact that no one has raised the relative invisibility of Francophone affairs as an issue to him directly. This mindset ignores the responsibility that he would hold as VP Internal to oversee this issue and determine how the visibility of French on campus could be improved.

Delegating tasks will not meet the needs of the portfolio. Student staff who are not executives are restricted to a certain amount of hours, and hiring more staff is an arduous process. Simakov has stated that the current efforts by SSMU to oversee and implement equity and inclusivity are sufficient without articulating how he envisions his own role within that process. In short, Simakov will have to fulfill aspects of the VP Internal position that he is currently assuming he will be able to delegate.

The only pillar of his platform that directly touches on the position’s responsibilities—reforming the funding structure of the Old McGill Yearbook—is largely borrowed from the plebiscite question in the Fall 2015 referendum period. During our interview with Simakov he was unaware that his plan and the plan proposed in the plebiscite had an opt-outable fee, one feature he said differentiated his plan from the plebiscite.

At the end of the day students are voting for the next VP Internal. With this position comes certain duties; shirking these core responsibilities under the guise of limiting micromanagement, and instead favouring other projects, defeats the purpose of filling the position.

Justin Trudeau
a, Letters to the Editor, Opinion

Letter to the Editor: The balancing act of gender parity in cabinet

by Greta Hoaken on

More in a:

I distinctly remember the day this summer that then-leader of the third party Justin Trudeau announced gender parity in cabinet as a campaign promise. I also remember rolling my eyes, and muttering something about merit and tokenization, deciding this would just be a campaign promise I disagreed with. Now that the dust has settled, and Prime Minister Trudeau and his cabinet have been sworn in and are hard at work, I cannot help but reflect on how wrong I was.

In a piece published by the Tribune on Nov. 3, “Justin Trudeau’s gender equal cabinet quota is not ‘Real Change,’” Alexandra Harvey claimed “women deserve to be in office because of their unique skills and experiences as people, not just as women.” In theory, this makes sense, but in practice we see too many deserving and capable women who are passed over in favour of their male counterparts. Women are more often not in cabinet because they are women than they are in cabinet because of their gender.

A lot has been said about the new cabinet, but one concept has stood out among the cacophony of opinion pieces and blog posts: Merit. For all its use, it is a word that very few have actually tried to unpack. What does it mean to merit a cabinet position? Looking at the Trudeau cabinet, I cannot help but be impressed by every individual's experience and energy. That’s not to say that other individuals would not have also done a good job—such is always the case when a caucus is stacked with intelligent and impressive individuals. That being said, every individual who was sworn in on Nov. 4 brings something different to the table and has a remarkable background.

What most commentators seem to miss in their critiques is that gender parity in cabinet is actually a way of recognizing meritorious individuals who, because of traditional bias and systemic obstacles, might otherwise be overlooked. It recognizes that for a man and a woman to get to the same place in politics, the latter has, on average, likely faced greater obstacles and has had to work harder. It puts women in positions of power, which allows them to prove their worth and their merit. Many were surprised that Judy Wilson-Raybould was named to the position of Minister of Justice, and yet she brings with her a resumé and breadth of experience—not to mention a personal perspective that has been historically misrepresented or unrepresented in her portfolio.

If we really want to discuss merit, there are far better evaluations and criticisms. Cronyism—namely the appointment of personal friends and favorites of the prime minister—is a much better target of our anger. And yet, the flurry of op-eds on the issue has noticeably avoided this consideration.

Gender parity in cabinet also recognizes that considerations of what constitutes being the ‘best candidate’ for an individual position must be weighed against what is the best choice for the cabinet overall. Canadians have generally valued regional representation in cabinet because we understand the need to have different voices at the table that represent the geographical and cultural differences of our country. Out cabinet is ‘better’ for this diversity, and this improvement through breadth of representation is only furthered through a gender quota

Cabinet should represent Canadians, and part of representation is physically being at the table. I would argue that a good cabinet is one that achieves this. In short, it isn’t about ‘deserving’ a position, it is about who is best going to serve Canada—representation is a huge part of that. The makeup of cabinet should not be reflective of an entitlement for those who meet certain criteria as the only qualification (although they must of course be capable individuals)—rather, it must be about building a team that will represent and serve Canadians properly.

If we want women’s voices at the table, we have to put them there, and recognize the aforementioned obstacles they face. The dust has settled, and while those crying merit have largely calmed their protests and moved on, the women appointed are still at the table, making decisions, and showing Canadians that women can (and should) belong in politics, including in important roles.

Greta Hoaken is the president of the Liberal Party of Canada at McGill University.

Drake and the Smiths
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Past vs. Present: “This Charming Man” vs. “Hotline Bling”

by Alfie Crooks on

More in a:

On the evening of Oct. 19, 2015—a night when Canadians voted overwhelmingly for a party with a Hollister model as its leader and the Toronto Blue Jays scored 11 runs to win their first game of the ALCS—Drake dominated the internet. Now weeks removed from the initial release, vines of Drake’s gyrating body aptly photoshopped with lightsabers or ads for pizza still continue to filter through social media as the “Hotline Bling” fever fails to cool.

More than 30 years ago, in 1984, a very different video by a very different group was released. “This Charming Man”—a chart-topping release from The Smiths—was accompanied by a video of the band performing on a bed of flowers. Truth be told, there isn’t a huge amount of things that links a group of white guys from Manchester playing music and ‘Champagne Papi’ at his most exuberant; however, the self assurance from the stars of the videos is what truly connects these pieces and make both incredible viewing experiences.

The video begins relatively calmly: It looks like a group of dudes, hanging out, playing music, all being very cordial and very boring. A nice 'chill sesh.' Then the maniac that somehow became lead singer, also known as Morrissey, comes into this floral set up, and absolutely lets loose. He opens up completely, unhinging his jaw in physically impossible ways to moan out some lyrics, while waving flowers over his head in some kind of performance mimicking the tantrum of a 3rd grade child. It’s really just passionate bedroom dancing. But instead of his bedroom, he has a set of bandmates and directors, all doing what they should be to make this video work. In this, the performance echoes the voice of Mr. OVO himself.

Take the beautiful background in the “Hotline Bling” music video, or the rich colours in the outfits designed and the amazing dancers who have all gone through painstaking auditions just to get their big break to dance in one of the biggest rap videos of the year. Think about how much time and money and planning was devoted to creating such an aesthetically pleasing set.

Then there’s Drake’s dancing, seemingly unchoreographed and questionably good. The way in which he attacks the cha-cha and shakes his legs indicate a preference for passion over coordination. Drake looks like he showed up on set, put on his finest pair of Timberlands, and busted out his dance moves reserved exclusively for use after finishing one too many tequilas. Everyone else had to spend time to get the video to where it was, while Drake steals the show with his spontaneous moves.

This overlap is crucial in figuring out what the appeal is of “Hotline Bling.” There’s something incredibly attractive about thinking that a performer needs no preparation. That at any spontaneous moment, they could break out and do exactly what you want them to do. It’s all just so natural and unforced, like they woke up, drank a cup of coffee, and decided that their bedroom dance is what the people were really itching for.

Maybe hard work isn’t valuable anymore. Maybe the time and care put into making something creative has become ‘uncool.’ But it’s also not as if the stars in these videos aren’t putting in work, rather the appeal is that these performers are being true to themselves. They’re not taking themselves too seriously, they’re not manufactured by a team of creatives, they’re just being themselves. And no one wants to live in a world where Drake is too embarrassed to cha-cha.

around the world daft punk
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Deep Cuts: Michel Gondry music videos

by Eric Noble-Marks on

More in a:

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, the music video was being redefined. A series of visionary directors were beginning to imagine the music video as more that just a means of promotion, but as an opportunity for artistic expression in itself. Last week, the Tribune took a look at some of Spike Jonze’s best work. This week, French Director Michel Gondry is under the spotlight.

“Everlong” – Foo Fighters 1997)

Equal parts Evil Dead (2013) parody and surrealist dreamscape, “Everlong” is an introduction to the snappy editing and camera tricks that Gondry would later perfect in 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. A suburban bedroom, a cabin in the woods, and a crowded party scene are blurred together as Dave Grohl and the gang seamlessly shift through space and time. It’s a little bit like an alternative rock Alice in Wonderland—and don’t even try to deny that Taylor Hawkins looks good in pigtails.

”Let Forever Be” – The Chemical Brothers (1999)

If you think “Everlong” is trippy, “Let Forever Be” is positively kaleidoscopic. The video follows the dreams, nightmares, and everyday experiences of a young woman in possibly the least ‘everyday’ way possible. Simple, mundane scenes seem to explode in every direction. A simple visit to the drug store becomes a dizzyingly choreographed dance routine. A street drummer seen outside the protagonist’s window suddenly appears in her bedroom. Technically cutting-edge and visually captivating, “Let Forever Be” is arguably Gondry’s most ambitious video.

”Fell in Love With A Girl” – The White Stripes(2001)

How much time must this have taken? In “Fell in Love With a Girl,” Gondry animates an entire world out of LEGO bricks, frame by frame. Despite its status as the definitive White Stripes music video—“The Hardest Button to Button”, also directed by Gondry, is a close second—“Fell in Love With A Girl” almost never happened at all. According to Jack White, Gondry was actually hired by accident after the record label mistook him for Mark Romanek. White, who was a fan of Gondry’s work anyway, decided to go ahead with the video. The rest is history.

“Around the World” – Daft Punk (1997)


Like Daft Punk’s best music, the video for “Around the World” is a simple idea, done really, really well. A departure from Gondry’s typical camera trickery, “Around the World” instead features a continuous shot of five sets of dancers, each representing a different element of the song. For example, men with tiny prosthetic heads boogie to the pulsing bass while the task of interpreting a bouncy synth line is given to group of women in synchronized swimming outfits. The choreography, initially devised by Gondry and amended by Spanish choreographer Blanca Li, is as impressive as it is weird.

“Bachelorette” – Bjork (1997)

“One day I found a big book buried deep in the ground,” said Bjork at the beginning of the video for “Bachelorette.” To Bjork’s surprise, the book begins to write itself, setting off a chain of events that chart the course for this mind-bending Matryoshka doll of a music video. While “Bachelorette” lacks the dazzling visuals of “Everlong” or “Let Forever Be,” it more than makes up for its shortcomings with a stronger narrative than some of Gondry’s feature films (looking at you, Green Hornet). Watch and be amazed.

a, McGill, News

Remembrance Day ceremony met with protest by Demilitarize McGill

by James Ward on

More in a:

On Wednesday Nov. 11, students active in the Demilitarize McGill campaign unravelled a banner from the roof of the McLennan-Redpath Library Complex during the Remembrance Day Ceremony held by the Royal Canadian Legion on McGill’s Lower Field.

“Canada kills: Colonialism here, imperialism abroad. End occupation, resist Canada,” read the banner, which failed to completely unfurl, but was widely visible before being removed by McGill security.    

Demilitarize McGill issued an official statement on its website, citing Canadian colonialism and imperialism as the impetus for the banner.

“The ceremony is designed to manufacture sympathy for the Canadian Forces despite their inherently imperialist and colonialist missions and their continued perpetration of atrocities and genocide both here and abroad,” the statement reads.

The ceremony, which was held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.,  included a military parade and helicopter flyover. Local and national dignitaries laid wreaths at a temporary memorial and the Act of Remembrance, a stanza from the poem “For the Fallen” by Laurence Binyon, was read. A 21-gun salute was fired throughout the proceedings.

Chelsea Cureé, Montreal resident, attended the event to reflect on what it represented.

“I think it’s important to think about something bigger than ourselves and to think about the sacrifices that were made for our freedom,” said Cureé.

Ken Helfer, a Montreal resident whose son marched in the parade, agreed with Cureé.

“I thought it was a great ceremony,” said Helfer. “It’s fantastic to commemorate both those who are with us and those who are no longer with us, and I think it should be done every year.”

While objecting to the demonstration itself, Helfer additionally defended the activists’ right to protest.

“Everyone is allowed to express their opinion; however, I don’t feel that it’s appropriate at a time when you’re commemorating the people who have given their lives for their right to do that,” Helfer said.

Responding to accusations of disrespect, Isaac Stethem, a student invovled with Demilitarize McGill, said that the limited focus of Remembrance Day ignores those outside of the military who have lost their lives in battle.

“The absence of the victims of Canada’s colonial and imperial violence from Remembrance Day—and official discourse as whole— is not only disrespectful, but a denial of history,” Stetham wrote in a statement to the Tribune. “Our objection is not to the mourning of individuals that have [been] lost in wars, but to the selectiveness of whose memory is worthy of official commemoration, and in what context.”

Master Corporal Jack Milly, who was involved in logistics for the ceremony, defended Demilitarize McGill’s right to undertake these actions.

“I believe in freedom of speech, and if people have messages they want to put out [then they should be able to],” said Milly.

In its statement, Demilitarize McGill specified a number of issues that the organization sees as ignored.

“By dropping a banner [the activists] seek to highlight the histories and voices absent and forgotten in nationalist Remembrance Day ceremonies,” the statement reads. “These include the Indigenous women and girls who have been disappeared, murdered, and/or sexually assaulted, the theft from the Kanien’kehá:ka of the lands on which McGill is located, and of the waters into which the City of Montreal, with federal government approval, now wish to dump eight billion litres of raw sewage. These also include those affected by Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, by Canada’s […] support of Israel’s apartheid regime, and by […] Canadian mining companies across Latin America.”

Students active within the Demilitarize McGill campaign have undertaken similar actions in the past. During last year’s Remembrance Day ceremonies, the organization held a rally on the steps of Redpath Museum which provoked controversy in the McGill community, with some arguing that the rally discredited the organization whose primary goal is to oppose and disrupt military research at the university.

This article was updated on Nov. 17.

a, Basketball, Sports

Takeaways from the start of the NBA season

by Arman Bery on

More in a:

1. Stephen Curry and the value of pace and space

Stephen Curry has by far been the most entertaining player of the opening week of the NBA. Through the first week he recorded a 28-point quarter, a 24-point quarter, a 21-point quarter, and 25 three pointers through his first five games—an NBA record. Curry and his “splash brother,” Klay Thompson, have led the Golden State Warriors to a pristine 6-0 record, all with Head Coach Steve Kerr away from the team recovering from multiple back surgeries.

Some have called the defending champions lucky because they faced an injury-riddled Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s NBA Finals, but when you recognize how dominant they were in last year’s regular season as well, it’s difficult to dismiss this team’s greatness. If the start to this season is any indication, Golden State will be storming deep into the post-season.

2. All the huge personalities on and around the Sacramento Kings

Rajon Rondo, Demarcus Cousins, George Karl, Vlade Divac, Vivek Ranadive—these men possess egos big enough to fill a Wall Street firm. These very egos were too big during a summer league game, where Cousins and Karl disagreed to the point that they had to sit on opposite ends of the court. Hopefully Rondo, Karl, and Cousins can develop chemistry, but when you have an impulsive owner like Ranadive it makes the process much more difficult. The enigmatic point guard, the supremely sensitive cornerstone centre, the stubborn and opinionated head coach, the inexperienced general manager, and the controversial owner all combine to make the Kings one of the most entertaining franchises to watch.

3. Defensive calamity, offensive monotony: The Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers Nation has long used Kobe Bryant as a trump card to argue that the Lakers are better than everyone else—an argument now met with outright mockery. Fans, management, and even Bryant have gravitated away from talk of ‘chasing championships’ and ‘building dynasties’ to mentioning the ‘process’ and preaching patience. D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle are budding stars, but the Lakers still hurt their rebuilding process this past summer by missing out on marquee free agents. The allure of L.A. and the tradition of the franchise are not what they used to be, especially with an incompetent owner such as Jim Buss at the helm, and the recent history of high coach turnover. The apparently ‘defensive-minded’ Head Coach Byron Scott continues to confuse fans nightly while the Lakers have a consistently porous defence.

Scott  stated that he prioritizes players with experience over promising young players, and that he doesn’t believe in analytics. The Lakers are in flux, and once Bryant retires, the team will lose what little winning identity and edge it has left. This will leave the difficult burden of developing a similar identity for the team in the young hands of Russell, Randle and Jordan Clarkson.

4. Is there an ‘alpha male’ between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and does it even matter?

Most of Kevin Durant’s 2014-2015 season was lost to a Jones fracture in his right foot; this season he is back with a vengeance while playing alongside superstar teammate Russell Westbrook. The duo have exploded out of the gates and currently are respectively the second and third leading scorers in the league, dominating the Orlando Magic at the start of the season.

There has been a ceaseless debate in NBA circles about who the true leader is on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The early results of this season suggest that Westbrook and Durant are not very concerned about making such as a distinction and genuinely love playing alongside each other.  

As long as they keep up the chemistry, the Thunder will go very far this season on the backs of their two superstars.

5. The ever changing roles and responsibilities LeBron James imposes unto himself

The Cavaliers entered the 2015-2016 NBA season as odds-on favourites to win the championship. Owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager David Griffin, however, understand they cannot waste LeBron James’ second tenure in Cleveland. James is entrusted with unprecedented control of the Cleveland’s decision-making, both on and off the court. With injuries to Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert, James has the to pick up the slack while also facilitating a bigger role on offence for Kevin Love, who signed a five year deal with the Cavs this summer.

The early results are promising, as after their opening night loss to the Bulls, the Cavs have rolled onto a 4-1 start. James has realized that he must concede ball handling duties to Mo Williams and the other guards, make sure Kevin Love is consistently aggressive, and keep his big men Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson happy. He also has to  play great defence and provide whatever combination of scoring, passing, and rebounding that the team needs on a given night. James is also integral to ensuring that the new Cavaliers embrace the team’s system, while adding to the team’s overall chemistry instead of taking away from it. His role ever-changing and evolving; his greatness is how consistently and seemingly effortlessly he has been able to do this throughout his illustrious career.

6. The constant progression of the San Antonio Spurs

Head Coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs have been a model of consistent success for the past two decades despite an ongoing evolution of their offensive and defensive identities. This summer, they were able to to cash in on some of the ‘respect capital’ that they have generated around the league in order to sign the coveted LaMarcus Aldridge. As the big three of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan head into the twilight of their careers, more responsibility will shift onto the shoulders of Kawhi Leonard and Aldridge, with Danny Green also playing a vital role. Popovich made a promise to Aldridge that he would continue coaching the Spurs at least until the end of Aldridge’s contract, which is great news for the Spurs and the NBA as a whole. Through Popovich, San Antonio has been able to change their team identity from defensive juggernaut in the early 2000’s to an openly flowing offense that is the NBA’s gold standard. Their style of play helped revolutionize the modern game and helped bring the idea of pace and space to the forefront of the NBA; many other top teams, such as the Warriors, are emulating that standard. The Spurs will have an adjustment period as they incorporate Aldridge into their offence, but their adaptability is well-chronicled and thus the offence will be back at full force soon.

a, News, SSMU

SSMU VP Internal profile: Alexei Simakov

by The McGill Tribune on

More in a:

Alexei Simakov is a U4 International Development Studies student running uncontested for the position of Vice-President (VP) Internal of the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU). 

Equity, inclusivity, and accessibility

With regards to overseeing and implementing equity and inclusivity at SSMU related events, Simakov believes that current efforts by SSMU and related organizations are effective.

“We definitely have a lot of equity […] as it currently stands,” he said. “We have in place a lot of individual organizations that focus on that: We have the equity commissioner [… and] we have student services. I think in terms of creating infrastructure, I feel more or less comfortable that most of it is in place, and the gaps that I'm sure are there aren't very prevalent.”

Simakov stated that his approach to overseeing equity would be to identify specific concerns, when they are raised.

“I don't see a lot of conversational concern from students,” he said. “If this is risen, we have to address this absolutely [….] I get a lot of concerns being raised on the [Facebook page….] The concern is: What will you do to raise equity and accessibility? Ok, well where do you identify the problems that we need to increase accessibility for? That's a conversation we need to have first. We keep talking about it without understanding what we're trying to fix.”

The Old McGill Yearbook

One of Simakov’s platform planks is to decrease the cost of producing the Old McGill Yearbook. During the 2014-2015 school year, the yearbook had a deficit of $8,468.

“If we create a situation where more students are buying [the yearbook], it allows us to lower costs,” he said. “The best way that’s being discussed is that we have a fee in place […] My campaign promise is to have a referendum [about this] this Winter [….] The advantages of [a fee] is that […] we can predict how much money we’re getting [….] Also, instead of collecting the money at the end of the year, SSMU will have it at the start.”

The creation of a yearbook fee where students would not be able to receive a yearbook if they opted out, is being raised in a plebiscite during the ongoing Fall 2015  referendum period. Simakov explained that his plan was to make yearbook to available to students who had opted out.

“I don't think it's realistic that if a student opts out in first year, that means they're no longer allowed to have a yearbook by the time they graduate in four years,” he said. “I feel our accounting capabilities are enough to work within that range of having students who are going to opt-out.”

Electoral reform

Although not explicitly outlined in the VP Internal portfolio, Simakov seeks to enact electoral reform if elected.

“There's no consistently enforced rules [about campaigning], they are by design arbitrary,” he said. “What I envision is a system [that …] sets out very clear guidelines of what [candidates] can and cannot do without having a [… Chief Electoral Officer] that can arbitrarily […] enforce [rules] of the campaign.”

Simakov would also encourage the formation of slates, where certain candidates can campaign together based on shared ideologies, policy ideas, and goals.

“Another conversation I want to have is about slate campaigning,” he said. “We're clearly not having a surplus of too much people running […] some of the concerns are ‘Oh, what happens if we get like Ottawa, for example, [and have] two parties that are fighting each other, [so] no one else can get in and vote?’ I’d rather have those two parties fighting against each other than no one engaging. It has to be done intelligently [….] If we make slates it’s much easier to understand [candidates’] messages and I think avoids personal attacks [on candidates] because it's more of a slate.”

Francophone Affairs 

Another aspect of the VP Internal portfolio is overseeing the Francophone Affairs commission.

“In terms of promoting bilingualism, I think my position is somewhat similar to the conversation we had about equity and accessibility,” he said. “There's a lot of talk about ‘What can we do?’ But not a lot of talk on what we're doing it about. Are French students feeling uncomfortable on campus? [….] I haven’t really seen that sentiment [….] If they exist, I definitely want them to reach out to me […] because we can't address these issues until they're raised.”

Simokov explained that he did not believe that additional initiatives were necessary for this issue.

“I don't think it's responsible for us to be overly proactive and putting in initiatives to solve problems that don't exist right now,” he said. “We need to be listening to identify the problems before we act on [them ….] We already have a lot of initiatives to promote French, all the SSMU materials are written in French. Some of the concerns [that] were [raised] at the [General Assembly] (GA), if we were to get some translators there, we could have a half French-half English GA. The reality is that McGill is a fundamentally English speaking school and students come here from France, from Quebec to study and live in English. Any other language here, if you have friends in that language, you can speak it with them.”

The Tribune's endorsement for the VP Internal position will be published on Friday evening

1 … 790 791 792 793 794 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue