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a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Deep Cuts: Michel Gondry music videos

by Eric Noble-Marks on

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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

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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

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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

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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

a, News, SSMU

Céleste Pagniello withdraws from SSMU VP Internal race

by Jenna Stanwood on

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On Nov. 11 the Elections Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) announced via e-mail that Céleste Pagniello, a candidate for the vacant vice-president (VP) internal position, has withdrawn her candidacy. The e-mail included a written statement from Pagniello citing threats as her reason for withdrawing.

“Due to personal attacks and threats directed towards my family, and myself, I have decided not to continue with my campaign to be VP Internal of SSMU,” Pagniello wrote. “These messages have escalated far beyond the appropriate level of a student government campaign, and I have decided to end this campaign in order to protect myself and all parties involved.”

The threats followed an anonymous Reddit post accusing Pagniello of blocking a McGill student from her election Facebook event. The other VP Internal candidate, Alexei Simakov, has since announced that it was his campaign that published the original accusation against Pagniello on Reddit.

The post accused her of creating false profiles to forge evidence that she had not intentionally removed anyone from her event, but had instead made an accidental change in the privacy settings of her personal profile that affected the event.

“Our purpose with this was it came to our attention that a student was saying he was blocked from the event which we found to be in bad behaviour by Céleste and we wanted to bring light to this because it would be obviously beneficial to our campaign,” Simakov said. “Afterward she posted this evidence refuting the blocking. Those we found very suspicious [… and] a lot of these accounts [used for evidence] are fabricated Facebook profiles.”

Ballots for the VP Internal by-election will now include a Yes or No vote on the remaining VP Internal candidate. According to the SSMU elections by-laws, if the vote fails, SSMU’s Legislative Council will have several options.

“If a position is vacant after the extended Nomination Period or as a result of withdrawals, the electoral period shall carry on,” reads Article 6.9 of the Elections and Referenda section of the Internal Regulations of the Presidential Portfolio. “To fill the position, Legislative Council may call a by-election, fill the vacancy by appointment, or delegate the responsibilities to a sitting representative.”

Simakov, while not feeling responsible for Pagniello’s withdrawal, is disappointed that students no longer have two candidates to choose from, and hopes that if he is elected, election reform will be brought before SSMU.

“I’m sad that there’s no longer an option in the race,” he said. “Last year I ran [for president] by presenting that [students] should have an option and I was hoping that this would be the outcome. So I don’t feel responsible for it, and all I can do is run. Hopefully someone else would have been running but […] we’re hoping that moving from the future, if we enact electoral reform then we can move away from these types of situations to talk about the issues.

Pagniello did not respond to requests for a comment.

Jose Bautista
a, Baseball, Sports

The Sport Authority Episode 1: Toronto Blue Jays off-season edition

by Elie Waitzer and Aaron Rose on

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This is The Sport Authority, the McGill Tribune sports section's podcast. In Episode 1 Staff Writer Aaron Rose and Sports Editor Elie Waitzer get you prepared for the 2015-16 Toronto Blue Jays off-season amid swirling rumours swirling and a scorching hot stove. Will Marco Estrada be the first player ever to accept a qualifying offer? Should the Toronto Blue Jays fork over the big bucks for David Price? Can you imagine Chris Davis rocking the blue-and-white in between Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki? Could Jose Bautista and Darren O’Day set aside their differences in Toronto? The 2015 season ended in heart break, but with the offense returning intact, the 2016 Blue Jays look poised to return to October. If the Blue Jays can lure a top tier pitcher to Toronto and rebuild the bullpen, new team President Mark Shapiro should be able to erase the name Alex Anthopolous from Blue Jays fans’ memory! Listen on to find out what The Sport Authority thinks:

NFL Fantasy Football
a, Football, Sports

Fantasy football: Week 9 Takeaways

by Josh Blatt on

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With only four weeks to go until playoffs, fantasy football owners are in need of wins now more than ever. Week 9 showed that late-season pickups are the keys to success. Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams, playing in place of injured Le’Veon Bell, racked up 225 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, while Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte’s backup, Jeremy Langford, amassed 142 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion. Time to turn to the key takeaways of this week in fantasy football:

Down goes Dion

New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis went down with a non-contact injury against the Washington Redskins on Sunday afternoon. The team later confirmed that Lewis had in fact torn his ACL and will be out for the season. The Patriots have been unstoppable this season, but losing Lewis and his electrifying game will surely take some wind out of their sails. Expect an even heavier usage of LeGarrette Blount going forward, while running backs Brandon Bolden and James White will slide into Lewis’ role.

Sammy Watkins rises from the dead

In his first appearance since Week 6, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins exploded for eight catches, 168 yards, and a touchdown in a win over the Miami Dolphins. Watkins has only suited up for five games in an injury-plagued season, but has proven to be a difference maker when healthy. With the Bills facing the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football in Week 10, Watkins presents an intriguing boom-or-bust fantasy option as he matches up against premier cornerback Darrelle Revis.

The Red Rifle keeps firing

There may be no player in the NFL with more critics than Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. The fifth-year signal caller has had an up-and-down career that led many to question his poise under pressure and his viability as a long-term solution in Cincinnati. Now nine weeks into the 2015 season it appears those questions have been answered. Dalton’s three touchdown performance against the Browns this past Thursday puts him on pace for a career-high 4,452 yards and 36 scores. The Bengals will look to extend their record to a perfect 9-0 versus the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. The time may have passed to buy low on Dalton, but owners can expect top-five production going forward.

Allen squared

Danny Woodhead’s big day With wide receiver Keenan Allen on Injured Reserve, San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead assumed a larger role in the offence on Monday Night Football. Although the Chargers fell to the Bears in the final drive of the game, Woodhead’s shifty moves and pass-catching abilities kept the Chargers afloat through most of the contest. Woodhead rushed six times for 33 yards, and caught six passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He should continue to see an expanded role in the offence when the Chargers emerge from their Week 10 bye.

Scrivener Creative Review
a, Campus Spotlight, Student Life

The Scrivener Creative Review reclaims its place in McGill’s literary heritage

by Keara Campos on

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The Scrivener Creative Review is no stranger to the literary giants of this generation. Established in 1980, the journal has published the works of writers such as Leonard Cohen, Michael Ondaatje, Margaret Atwood, Louis Dudek, and Seamus Heaney; and contemporary writers like Sheila Heti and Sean Michaels. As one of McGill’s oldest literary reviews, it has incorporated fiction, poetry, art, black and white photography, interviews, and book reviews, into its publications. Yet despite its legacy of famous contributors, Scrivener has found itself somewhat forgotten within McGill’s literary community.

“I don’t know how we got lost,” Natalie Coffen, U1 Arts and managing co-editor of Scrivener, said. “We’ve published interviews with or the works of authors who have won the Giller Prize and the Booker Prize [….While] we have published important Canadian literary figures, we also publish emerging young writers.”

Scrivener is currently undergoing a revamp in order to reclaim its relevancy both inside and outside of the McGill community. This year, they have forgone their online issue in order to focus on a bigger and better issue in print that will be published in colour—a first for Scrivener.

“We’re really trying to rebrand […] Scrivener, since a lot of people don’t know about it,” Coffen said. “[We want] to get the word out. Especially, because [there] is really good quality [content] in the journal, it’d be nice if more people read it.”

In addition to its print issue, Scrivener has created a new logo and has redesigned its website. This website will also soon feature scans of the review’s old issues. This is to make the content more accessible while also preserving it for generations to come.

Scrivener Creative Review Logo
(Photo courtesy of Scrivener Creative Review)

“[The revamp] is coming at a time when online platforms are taking precedence over print publications,” Coffen said. “We think Scrivener’s history gives us an edge that should be accessible to everyone."

Although the review undeniably still embraces its McGill roots, the group is working this year to create something that will engage more than just the McGill and Montreal community in their literary production and history. In fact, Zain Rashid Mian, U2 Arts and the other managing co-editor, stressed that what makes Scrivener different from other journals on campus is its submission process, which draws from more than just the McGill and Montreal community.

“We don’t just publish McGill stuff—we publish internationally as well, so anyone can submit to Scrivener,” Mian said. “We do try and make it include as many people from McGill and Montreal as possible, […] but it is nonetheless open to pretty much anybody from anywhere in the world.”

The team has also been coming up with new types of ideas to engage students who would otherwise not be interested in coming to literary events. On Nov. 11, Scrivener combined forces with McGill Improv for an event that incorporated improvisation and poetry in the same performance. Poets had the titles of their poems, which were then used as a prompt for performers.

“Poetry readings aren’t for everyone,” Coffen explained. “Sometimes you’re just sitting there and you can get a little bored hearing people read for 10 minutes—it can get a little dry. That’s why we tried to think of something that would make it more accessible to all McGill students.”

As the Scrivener Creative Review opens up its submission procedures, enhances the print publication, and widens its online presence to reach to as many readers as possible, it is hoping to find its footing again and uphold its legacy within the McGill literary community.

This article was upated on Nov. 16.

a, News, SSMU

SSMU GA fails to meet quorum

by Sara Cullen on

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Quorum was not met at yesterday’s General Assembly (GA), held by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). With less than 100 attendees, no motions were brought forward from the floor that required voting.

The Winter 2015 and Fall 2014 GAs saw attendances of 550 and 700 students respectively. Kareem Ibrahim, SSMU president, commented on the low attendance of the GA, stating that promotional efforts were not prioritized.

“Admittedly, we could have done a better job of promoting,” Ibrahim said. “[With] the absence of the general manager and the [vice-president (VP)] internal and other tumultuous things in the SSMU office this year, we really had to put more emphasis on things that are very pressing.”

Ibrahim continued to mention that the abolition of the GA has been repeatedly discussed in past executive reports.

“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,” Ibrahim said. “In terms of my thoughts, I think it’s on the table to have one annual GA per year.”

Ibrahim noted that more efforts would have been made to promote the GA had there been more pressing issues on the agenda.

“I’m not terribly upset that we didn’t meet quorum today because there wasn’t anything that we needed to get approved,” Ibrahim said. “If there were, I definitely would have put a much stronger effort into promoting this [….] With all the things that are on the table right now […] I don’t feel that as an executive, it would have been a wise way to spend [our] time to promote a GA where there’s nothing to approve.” 

Despite this, the GA agenda was approved and continued as planned.

Frosh and 4Floors 

VP Finance and Operations, Zacheriah Houston, stated in his executive report that in terms of finances, the planning and execution of Frosh went well.

“Frosh […] took up a lot of time, and this year, we ran things a little differently,” Houston said. “I was a lot more involved with the VP Internal and [Integrated Orientation Committee (IOC)] in terms of planning Frosh,” Houston said. “We don’t have the final numbers yet—we’re still waiting on the invoices from McGill—but it looks like Frosh is going to be a balanced budget.”

Houston also stated that 4Floors did not sell out this year, resulting in an overall deficit for the event.

“[4Floors] went pretty well in terms of finances, until we didn’t sell out,” Houston said. “We were able to cut a lot of expenses, but at the end of the day 4Floors ran a deficit. Unfortunately, I don’t have the number yet, but it looks like 4Floors lost probably two to $4,000.”

VP External Emily Boytinck also mentioned in her report that 4Floors had low ticket sales. François-Paul Truc, U3 Science, asked Boytinck to elaborate on the reasons that the event ran over-budget.

“We started [planning] a little bit later this year,” Boytnick said. “It took us […] longer to pick the theme and get the event up [….] We also switched to online ticket sales this year [.…] We thought […] that this was a great idea—that the line was going to go away and that this would be so much more convenient for students. But we realized that the line itself was a major form of promotion, and so we found that the online ticket sales […] lost the urgency.”

Despite not staying within budget, Boytinck expressed that the event was a success overall.

“We ended up selling about 600 [tickets, when] last year, they sold about 900,” Boyntick said. “So it’s unfortunate that we didn’t […] sell out, but I still think that everyone who came had a great time and [the] equity complaints were zero.  There were [also] no issues with [McGill Student Emergency Response Team] M-SERT. It was in general a very positive event even if it was less attended.”

Fall reading week 

VP University Affairs, Chloe Rourke, stated in her report that a possible change to the academic calendar to include a Fall reading week would not be made for several years.

“A survey was sent out to all undergraduate students last winter, and it came back that 71 per cent of students were in favour of Fall reading week, and the majority preferred a five-day break in conjunction with Canadian Thanksgiving,” Rourke said. “So, that’s something that we’ll really be pushing for this year, and hopefully we’ll have it implemented by 2017-2018.”

Rourke expressed uncertainty over the timeline of incorporating the new reading week. 

[It is] still to be determined if it can be [implemented] that early,” Rourke said. “That’s the nature of university—that things are often very slow-moving and decisions are often made about the academic calendar very far in advance.”

Proposal to restructure the SSMU executive committee

The GA concluded with a discussion on the expanding roles of SSMU executives and the need for restructuring within the SSMU executive committee. According to Ibrahim’s report, one of the ideas for change would be the addition of a seventh SSMU executive position. 

Lauren Toccalino, U3 Music, inquired how the creation of new executive positions would affect the budget.

“It is unlikely that the executive salaries would be affected, because they already make […] about five to six dollars an hour, if you divide the actual work they do by their salaries,” Houston said. “I was asked at Council if we could afford to pay a seventh executive, and the answer is certainly yes; the money is there if you want to start cutting other departments. It becomes a question of priorities, and at this point in time, I am not confident in saying that we can pay a seventh executive the salary that we pay executives now without significant cuts that would affect the services that we provide to our members.”

Zack Kassian
a, Behind the Bench, Hockey

The NHL has a character crisis

by Emily Wang on

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“Character” and “leadership” are terms thrown around a lot in professional hockey. Hockey culture expects players to fit into a specific mold of physical and mental toughness, applauding those who play through pain and injuries. Unfortunately, these expectations can condone violent, harmful behaviour while castigating players for things outside of their control. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the NHL doesn’t have a clue what good character is. 

“I’m not sure for us there is any need for any code of conduct other than our players, who overwhelmingly conduct themselves magnificently off the ice,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a press conference last October. “We deal with it on a case-by-case basis. I don’t think we need to formalize anything more. Our players know what’s right and wrong.”

Recent events, however, contradict Bettman’s statement. In an interview with newspaper Södertälje this off-season, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Viktor Lööv said that, “In the NHL, there is a lot of cocaine […] if you have money ,you probably have easy access.” A couple weeks later, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly admitted that cocaine use is on the rise in the league; New York Rangers centre Jarrett Stoll was charged for cocaine possession in April. Former Los Angeles Kings centre Mike Richards was arrested at the Canadian border for possession of oxycodone in June. Ryan O’Reilly, centre for the Buffalo Sabres, drunkenly drove his car into a Tim Horton’s in July. Most recently, Montreal Canadiens winger Zack Kassian was involved in a car crash and admitted into Stage Two of the NHL Players Association’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program. In the aftermath, Habs General Manager (GM) Marc Bergevin said that Kassian showed a “lack of character” when talking about the car accident.

The media in particular like to use “character” to explain team success or failure. Prior to last season, for example, many were quick to praise the Los Angeles Kings for their great leadership. That was before defenceman Slava Voynov was arrested after hitting his wife at a team party. Following this, he was allowed to skate with the team while still being investigated by Los Angeles police for domestic violence. They said the same things about the Chicago Blackhawks—but that was before the Buffalo police investigated winger Patrick Kane for sexual assault; Kane was welcomed back into the team with open arms, even before the investigation ended.

In contrast, players like Evander Kane of the Buffalo Sabres and Phil Kessel of the Pittsburgh Penguins have had their character questioned by media for years. Evander was blasted for posting a picture of himself posing with a large stack of money in Las Vegas during the lockout. Kessel was called lazy and out of shape when he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs by the press for years because he doesn’t have the physique you’d expect of a world class athlete. He was called a ‘locker room cancer’ because he wasn’t able to turn the Leafs into a good team on his own.

This is what these words really boil down to: Teams that win have good character and leadership, and teams that lose don’t. It’s not surprising that the criticism of Evander and Kessel came when they were playing for awful teams in Winnipeg and Toronto. It’s a shallow definition that puts winning above all else.

Kings GM Dean Lombardi said that Richards’ substance abuse problems were “traumatic”—for Lombardi. Lombardi ended up using Richards’ arrest to justify terminating one of the worst contracts in the league. Meanwhile, O’Reilly, a first-line centre in Buffalo, does not seem to have faced any consequences for his drunk driving. The way teams and the league respond to substance abuse and addiction should not depend on how skilled a hockey player is. 

It’s become clear that the league’s attitude of valuing wins above all else needs to change. The term “character” has become worse than meaningless—its used to condone and encourage harmful behaviour from hockey players. 

In the year since Bettman’s comments, multiple players have been accused and/or convicted of crimes against women. Multiple players have run into problems with substance abuse. GMs have been unequipped with handling either situation, seemingly unconcerned with crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence, missing the point when it comes to issues of substance abuse and addiction. The NHL needs to do better.

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