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a, Editorial, Opinion

Time to leave TaCEQ

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Last week the Regroupement des étudiants de maîtrise, diplôme et doctorat (REMDUS), the postgraduate student association of the Université de Sherbrooke, took the initial step towards leaving the Table de concertation étudiante du Québec (TaCEQ), a provincial federation of student associations of which the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is currently also a member.

SSMU has had a turbulent relationship with the organization for most of TaCEQ’s five-year existence, and there have been questions as to whether the organization is worth the $17,000 our student association is paying this year to the federation—questions that have intensified in the wake of a Tribune investigation into the organization this past October. In an editorial at the time (See Oct. 29: “TaCEQ a waste of SSMU funds”), we expressed some uncertainty as to the course of action that should be taken; recent events have brought clarity to the situation.

Our issues with TaCEQ have been previously documented, but there is value in summarizing them here. Since its founding in 2009, TaCEQ has been only a marginal player in just about every student-related political issue in the province. A big part of this irrelevance has been the federation’s inability to achieve official provincial  recognition, which requires having four different associations on four different campuses (two of TaCEQ’s organizations are from the University of Laval).

This lack of official status deprives TaCEQ of additional government subsidies and influence compared to other federations of student associations. Additionally, its highly decentralized structure—each member can veto initiatives—makes it harder for the federation to work towards common goals. Lastly, linguistic tensions—the other three student unions in TaCEQ are from francophone universities—have hampered the efficiency of the federation. REMDUS, according to accounts from current and former SSMU VPs External Sam Harris and Robin Reid-Fraser, respectively, was the association with which SSMU had the most productive relationship. With its departure, SSMU risks being left in the lurch of a fast-sinking, expensive ship.

So what should SSMU do now? As a first step, and in light of the ongoing issues with TaCEQ, SSMU Council should take the time to reflect on the implications of leaving TaCEQ; while the organization right now adds little value, being completely unaffiliated may present its own set of problems. The clearest path would be to initiate a referendum to withdraw from the federation. These referenda can be either student or Council initiated; student initiated referenda require 500 signatures to get on the ballot.

One of the many reasons why SSMU has had trouble staying in a single federation is because of the unique position McGill is in—that of an English-speaking university that draws a very high proportion of out-of-province students. This position places it at a disadvantage in allying with other student groups; McGill has notably different needs and resources from its provincial brethren, and often has been ill-served by the other federations. In the past, SSMU has been an ‘on and off’ member of the larger Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ). One of its more high-profile departures from the organization stemmed from a dispute over its stance on the 1995 referendum for Quebec to separate from Canada; SSMU abstained from supporting FEUQ’s resolution in support of separation, but was listed on FEUQ’s resolution anyway. However, the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) is currently part of the FEUQ, and seems to have had fewer issues.

The question of TaCEQ is one that demands immediate action from the SSMU executive. While some evaluation needs to go into looking at alternative avenues for advocacy at the provincial and national level, it is clear that the status quo with TaCEQ is now untenable. SSMU’s membership is no longer to its own benefit, or to that of the student body it serves.

a, Student Life

Rental repairs, responsibility, and the Régie

by Rebecca Dawe and John Hutchings on

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If you’ve ever rented an apartment, you have likely dealt with a leaky faucet, burst pipes, busted heater—the list could surely go on. As students begin giving up and picking up leases, winter is a good time to discuss information on a tenant’s rights and obligations under Quebec law when dealing with pesky repairs in a rental apartment.

Who is responsible for repairs? 

The law in Quebec states that lesser maintenance repairs of a dwelling are the responsibility of the tenant; however, the tenant is not responsible for repairs that result from the normal aging of the property. The tenant must also maintain the rental dwelling in clean condition and, at the end of the lease, the tenant must return the dwelling in the same condition in which it was received (notwithstanding changes that result from aging or fair wear and tear). This obligation may require the tenant to complete some work or repairs.

Anything other than lesser maintenance repairs are the responsibility of the landlord. The law also binds the landlord to make all “necessary” repairs to the property during the term of the lease—not necessarily any and all repairs that the tenant requests. The lease itself may outline other repairs the landlord has agreed to make.

The Régie du logement 

When a landlord and tenant are unable to resolve a dispute, either side may file an application at the Régie du logement, the specialized tribunal that handles issues arising from residential leases. The Régie operates like a court in that a hearing is held before a commissioner who listens to all of the evidence, witnesses, and arguments of both parties before making a decision.

Notifying the landlord

The tenant is responsible for informing the landlord of any serious problems with the dwelling within a reasonable time. The Régie recommends that tenants deliver notices with proof of receipt, such as by registered mail or person-to-person with confirmation. The Régie also recommends that tenants keep a copy of any written notices they have sent and keep track of dates and times of phone calls.

Allowing the repairs to be carried out

The law requires that the landlord provides a notice of his or her intention to carry out work 24-hours ahead of time, and the tenant can deny the landlord access to do so between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. In the event that the work is urgent, these requirements do not apply.

When the landlord does not respond or does not act to carry out the repairs

When the landlord fails to carry out repairs while he or she legally required to do so, the tenant can apply to the Régie for authorization to go ahead and carry out the repairs. If the Régie agrees with the tenant, it will set conditions and maximum monetary amount that can be spent on repairs, which are later deducted from the rent.

The “urgent and necessary repairs” standard

The law allows for an additional option where the repairs in question are considered “urgent and necessary,” and is only available where the repairs are required to “ensure the preservation or enjoyment of the leased property.” The Régie calls this an “exceptional measure” and urges tenants to exercise great caution in applying it. This recourse allows the tenant to undertake repairs or incur expenses without the Régie’s authorization. The tenant has to have informed—or attempted to inform—the landlord, but the landlord has not acted in due course. The landlord can intervene at any time to continue and complete the work, and the tenant can be reimbursed only for the reasonable expenses incurred.

What constitutes “urgent and necessary” is vague, since the law does not specify it, nor what are considered reasonable expenses. It is possible that the tenant, the landlord, and the Régie will not agree on what is “urgent and necessary,” but the Régie provides some useful examples on its website www.rdl.gouv.qc.ca.

 

The above information is of a general nature, and is not a legal opinion or legal advice. If you require legal advice, the Legal Information Clinic at McGill can assist you with referrals. To obtain free legal information on a specific question, you can call or come by the office to make an appointment, located on the main floor of the SSMU Building.

a, Student Life

Student of the Week: Joey Haar

by Laura Hanrahan on

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Despite not knowing any good jokes off-hand, U3 Arts student Joey Haar considers himself to be a budding comedic writer. When he’s not working on completing his English major, he’s writing, creating, and editing videos as the series producer for TVMcGill Student Television (TVM).

TVM, McGill’s channel for student-run television and film media, offers a wide variety of video content. Initially a movie-making club in the 1990’s, TVM became one of SSMU’s official media outlets in 2001 and now covers everything from current news events to prank videos.

Haar’s work with TVM is helping to further his aspirations for his future career.

“I like TV shows, and that’s what I’d like to create, more than I would [want to] write a film,” Haar said. “Right now what I’m looking at is trying to find a way to get into TV writing.“

Having first been introduced to TVM at the end of his second year through a friend who was producing a series at the time, Haar became involved in the club in his third year. He was initially attracted to the idea of being able to write his own video content.

“My interests were [in] writing more than anything else,” he said. “I’m a writer at heart all the way through, so the writing process is definitely my favourite part [….] It’s all very creative and interesting.”

As the series producer, Haar oversees the production of all video content within the “series” category, in addition to coming up with new ideas for projects.

“I’m in charge of my own personal series that I’m doing [called Bits], as well as making sure the other series of my associates get made,” he said. “So they’re checking in with me and making sure that everything runs smoothly.”

According to Haar, creating these videos requires dedication and planning from start to finish.

“I spent all of last semester doing my shooting, so I was taking out equipment all the time and getting my actors together,” he said. “This semester, I’m in post-production so I’m going to just be sitting in the office staring at a computer for hours and hours at a time, but it’s fun!”

Haar’s talent isn’t restricted to the small screen; currently, he is also involved with the live comedy troupe, Bring Your own Juice, which puts out new sketch videos through the TVM website and also performs two live shows a year.

“Last semester I did writing for them and this semester I’m going to write and perform in the show,” he said.

Outside of TVM, Haar occasionally does stand-up comedy, which will be integrated into his series along with other short sketches.

He began doing stand-up after second year having watched a few live shows.

“After I saw it, I thought ‘How hard could that really be?’ Turns out it’s like, really, really insanely hard,” Haar said.

“It’s challenging, it keeps you on your toes, it keeps you interested…mentally [….] It’s like an addictive drug-type experience; you go up on stage and you make people laugh and adrenaline just runs.”

 

What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?

Probably a pizza. Realistically, it’s going to be something low-key.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

The old, big maid from Gone With the Wind.

Breakfast food or dinner food?

Dinner food because it’s pretty much any food except breakfast food, so you have more options.

If you had a theme song that played whenever you walked into a room, what would it be?

My bar mitzvah [torah reading], performed by me at 13 years old.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Flowers in the Attic comes out wilted

by Zoe Hoskin on

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Flowers in the Attic, the made-for-TV movie adaptation of the eponymously titled novel that premiered on Lifetime Network last weekend, resembles a mash-up of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the most disturbing rendition of The Little Red Riding Hood you can imagine. The plot, originally penned by V.C. Andrews and published in 1979, is relentlessly sad because of themes such as disturbed families, destructive cycles, and damaging childhoods—and the movie was just as difficult to get through as the book.

For better or for worse, the movie is very true to Andrews’ novel. It has a jumpy, fast-paced quality, likely the result of translating the 600-page cube of a novel into film. Similarly, the writing of the book is simple, bare, and plot-based; both the book and film place more emphasis on story than style.

The movie’s lack of artistry shows up in many elements; the acting is poor, the cinematography ordinary, and the characters are all stock stereotypes. There is the disapproving mother and the unforgiving daughter, the young man who falls victim to his sexual desires, and the complaining twin toddlers. Nor is the soundtrack redeeming—every musical accompaniment is an eerie piano song that sounds like a carbon copy of the previous one.

The filmmakers had to grapple with translating a highly controversial book into the sensitive environment of present-day media. After its publication, Andrews’ novel was banned unanimously across North American schools for its depiction of incest. Today, most of these bans have been lifted.

In re-creating the story, the filmmakers make some interesting choices with regard to theme and plot. For example, the book’s protagonist Cathy (Kiernan Shipka) often shames her mother for going out and getting a career—typing of course, as it was one of the first accepted careers for women in North America—instead of taking care of her children. In the movie, Cathy’s mother (Heather Graham) doesn’t have a job at all, and instead seduces her father’s rich attorney as an attempt to come into even more money than her father’s will would give her.

The movie includes the novel’s frequent mention of the inherent goodness in a family name, which relates to the idea of being born into privilege and the ‘natural’ superiority of some people over others. Christopher (Mason Dye), the older brother, is known to say—in both print and on film—“We’re Dollangangers, we’ll be happy forever.” His comment, along with the frequent cinematic focus on the family’s blond hair, beauty, and wealth, may strike the audience as being classist and racist. In the movie uniquely, Christopher adds “We’ll be fine, we’re the Foxworths,” after he learns that his mother has been lying about his family name and history. This added comment showcases and mocks Christopher’s blind faith in his slew of privileges by birthright. The creators of the film would like to remind us that there is no basis for Christopher’s feelings of superiority; rather he carries them to whichever family line to which he thinks he belongs.

The filmmaker unabashedly brings out the Christian overtones of the book. In both film and text, the grandmother’s rules for her grandchildren’s conduct remind us of the Ten Commandments in their rigidity. They all centre around not engaging in incest, yet she forces her grandchildren closer and closer to it by constantly accusing them of being dirty, and locking them up together so that the act seems almost inevitable when do they commit it. In both renditions of this story, Christianity is put under a doubtful lens, its members portrayed as cruel and destructive.

This movie seems to be a collage of literary, cinematic, religious, and cultural traditions, with an off-the-wall plot portrayed in a plain style very similar to that of Andrews’ novel. If there is a message to this movie, it seems lost among the agglomeration of heavy themes and racing plot lines.

a, News

Canadian UN ambassador speaks on role of the United Nations, reform

by Lauren Wildgoose on

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The changing role of the United Nations (UN) was the topic of a speech by Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations Guillermo Rishchynski on Jan. 23.

A McGill graduate, Rishchynski served as a trade commissioner in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development as an ambassador to Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico before becoming the representative of Canada to the United Nations in 2011.

Rishchynski’s address responded to commonly held criticisms of the UN at the opening ceremony of McGill’s 25th Model United Nations (McMUN) conference.

“The reality is that the United Nations is a consensus organization,” Rishchynski said. “It’s an indispensable institution that seeks to do the best that it can—the best humanity can—to address humanity’s problems.”

The ambassador also discussed potential reform of the UN.

“The United Nations has remained static, in my personal judgment, for far too long,” Rishchynski said. “It needs to reform. It takes catharsis at times to get the UN to change itself.”

According to Rishchynski, the UN needs to adapt due to factors such as urbanization, technology, changing demographics, and a shift in the nature of conflicts from erupting between states to within states.

He also commented on shifts in the dynamics of international relations.

“We are seeing a total rebalancing of political and economic power taking place as it shifts from the west to east toward Asia, which will be the nexus of power over the course of the next 50 to 100 years,” Rishchynski said.

He emphasized the importance of the role Canada plays in the UN, explaining that the country’s financial contributions to the UN’s budget—$75 million per year— make it the eighth largest contributor in the world.

“For Canada, it’s important that, as a founding member of the UN, we try to play as active a role as we can to protect and promote our values and advance our interests in the context of consensus,” Rishchynski said. “What are those Canadian values that we seek to promote? Freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.”

Rishchynski’s speech was addressed to the delegates at the opening ceremony for McMUN 2014, which was attended by over 1,400 delegates from universities around the world. Henry Duventhal, a delegate from Alfred University in New York, was one of the attendees.

“[Rishchynski’s speech] was really easy to get behind,” Duventhal said. “It really reinforced what I knew about the UN and what Canada’s role in it is.”

a, News

Revised MUS constitution to introduce new executive positions

by Danny Jomaa on

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The Management Undergraduate Society (MUS) has passed changes to its constitution following a referendum that concluded Jan. 20. Changes from the referendum, which passed with a quorum of 29 per cent, include the creation of the MUS council and three new executive positions.

The referendum voting period ended Monday Jan. 20; the results were released Tuesday.

According to MUS President Joël Taillefer, the new constitution aims to improve the MUS’ governance structure.

“It’s not just how it looks,” Taillefer said. “I wanted to restructure the way you’re able to interpret the information in it.”

Taillefer said the decision to change the constitution was made by the entire executive team.

“It was a team consensus [to change the constitution],” Taillefer said. “We started talking about […] how outdated the constitution was. We implemented it in 2011, and it hasn’t really changed since.”

The updates to the constitution largely target five areas of MUS governance that the current executive team has recognized as avenues of improvement, including changes to the structure of the executive committee.

According to the new constitution, three new executive positions—VP Corporate Relations, VP Conferences and Competitions, and VP Events—will replace the current positions of VP Engagement and VP External Affairs. The portfolios of these new positions will detail their responsibilities, which have so far not been the sole duty of any member of the Executive Committee.

Julie Morrissey, U2 Management, said she supports the changes to the MUS Executive Committee.

“I’m glad they [will elect] people for corporate relations and conferences and competitions,” she said. “With other people focusing on that aspect in its entirety, MUS is likely to be more efficient in other areas, which should enhance student life in Bronfman while still collecting the necessary support that MUS depends on.”

In addition, the new constitution creates an MUS Council, which will be the highest decision-making body for the policy and governance affairs of the MUS, meeting eight times per academic year.

“Responsibilities of the council shall be to define the long-term strategy to fairly and efficiently achieve the mission of the MUS [and] foster transparency of all MUS activities for the entire Desautels BCom student body,” the new constitution reads.

Council will include voting and non-voting members. The Board of Directors (BoD) will comprise the nine voting members of council—that includes the president, the Management senator, two  SSMU representatives, two U0 representatives, and one representative from each of U1, U2, and U3. Of these voting representatives, the two SSMU reps will share one vote, and the two first-year representatives will share another.

MUS students will elect the  members of the BoD, after which the BoD will nominate the non-voting members of Council—including the ombudsman, members of the Alumni Council, presidents of MUS clubs, faculty representatives, and the remaining members of the executive board.

According to Taillefer, the changes will increase representation and streamline communication.

“In the past, we only had the BoD and the VPs that would meet with the President,” he said. “We also want to get more constituents of the MUS in the decision-making [….] It’s an idea of integrating all the constituents of the MUS together and make them work at the same time; it’s improving the communication of the organization.”

Taillefer said, the constitution will be implemented immediately.

“The constitution starts being in effect technically as soon as it’s adopted but there’s going to be a transition period,” Taillefer said.
“The new VPs will be appointed and the positions will be opened up for next year.”

a, News

Faculty, staff express frustration towards Arts space restructuring plan

by Ariel Montana on

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Awareness of student needs and transparency of administrative decisions were central to the discussion at the student-run Jan. 14 Town Hall regarding the Faculty of Arts’ People, Processes, and Partnerships (PPP) plan.

Hosted by the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) and unaffiliated with the administration, the meeting was attended by approximately 35 faculty members, graduate students, and staff members. The purpose of the meeting was mainly to increase solidarity and awareness in brainstorming ways of opposing the proposal, according to Gretchen King, a doctoral student in the departments of Art History and Communication Studies.

Originally presented in Fall 2012 by Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi, the PPP entails the restructuring of the Faculty of Arts administrative and support staff into four hubs. Each hub would contain reduced support staff, while maintaining two members in management positions responsible for multiple departments.

Many attendees expressed concern regarding the potentially bureaucratic nature of the PPP.

“Management staff are a kind of removed class from the communities that the support staff serve,” English professor Brian Trehearne said. “I think that says a lot about how this proposal has been conceived, because it is very much management from the top-down—managers alienated from the people they should be serving.”

Others criticized what they saw as a lack of responsiveness from the dean regarding past votes and petitions by members of the McGill community to change the plans. David Roseman, Vice-President of Labour Relations at the McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA), described a lack of communication between the administration and the affected departments.

“Outside the dean’s office is where the creative work’s done; inside seems to be a bit of a black hole,” Roseman said. “I’m sure they’re all very busy there, but there really seems to be a disconnect between the dean’s office and what happens at the departmental level.”

King, who facilitated discussion at the Town Hall, emphasized the importance of connecting with all involved parties, but noted the difficulty of doing so.

“The concern that is unanimous among all of the folks who showed up here tonight really shows that the more people get informed, the less they are willing to just let the PPP be forced on the departments,” King said.

King encouraged proposals for action that could be taken by the McGill community to prevent the plan’s implementation. Some proposals included a sit-in and the development of an informational video to increase awareness of the implications of the PPP plan.

“We want the administration to produce academic and intellectual arguments about the virtues of this plan, and we also want to see alternative plans made public,” King said. “We want to know that [they are] going to respond to our conclusions about the PPP.”

a, McGill, News

McGill Residences’ hall director restructuring draws criticism

by Jessica Fu on

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Fall 2014 will see the implementation of a new hall director structure in the McGill Residences system.

The changes to residence operation mark a shift from the current format, where one part-time director oversees each residence, to a system where full-time administrators each will serve groups of multiple residences. Hall directors currently serve as both  faculty or staff at the university, as well as disciplinary officers and supervisors for floor fellows within residences.

According to Managing Director of Residences Life and Customer Relations Janice Johnson, the change, announced first in November 2013, comes as a result of students’ increasing needs and a difficulty retaining directors.

“One of the really great advances of our age is that there’s been so much improvement in mental health support for people,” Johnson said. “So students are coming to McGill—and not just residences—with greater needs around support than they have in the past.”

Since current hall director positions are part-time, switching to full-time directors would help adapt to increasing needs, according to Johnson.

“We have more behavioral issues in residences, we have more discipline cases in residences,” Johnson said. “There is more intervention required in residences [….] That sucks up a lot of hall directors’ time.”

The new model is currently being piloted in a group of three residences—one director is responsible for Royal Victoria College (RVC), Carrefour Sherbrooke, and Varcity515. Next year, the model will be expanded to all residences.

Sean Reginio, a floor fellow at RVC since Fall 2011, said he has experienced both the old and new models.

“When a director is responsible for three buildings, the chance that an emergency is going to occur on a Saturday night in more than one building is quite high,” Reginio said. “So it leaves floor fellows in a really vulnerable position where they won’t have that base support.”

Reginio also reported that the relationship between floor fellows and hall directors has become less personal since the transition.

“Under the current model, one director has to bond with upwards of 20 floor fellows instead of five, six, or seven,” he said. “So it makes it really difficult to bond within your own team and with the director, and that sets the precedent for the entire year, making it harder for the floor fellow to reach out to that director.”

The new model was developed by Johnson in consultation with current Hall Director and Senior Advisor on Residence Life Programs Ria Rombough, and other colleagues at conferences on student housing. Although it has been approved by both Deputy Provost (Student Living and Learning) Ollivier Dyens and Provost Anthony Masi, members of the McGill residences community have expressed concern regarding a lack of consultation in making the change.

“[We were notified] the week before finals started,” said  one floor fellow, who asked to remain anonymous. “It was a deliberate decision to exclude floor fellows from consultation until a decision was made [….] The only reasonable way to justify why they wouldn’t want our feedback is either because they legitimately think it’s not valuable [… or] that they wanted to ignore the information that we were going to bring to the table in their decision.”

According to Reginio, consultation with floor fellows could have led to the consideration of other options that would not have resulted in removal of the hall director position.

“If we’re having issues recruiting directors, instead of proposing that we change the director model, maybe we should improve on recruitment tactics,” Reginio said. “Many floor fellows have gotten the impression that our recruitment tactics for directors are really, really lacking, and not very effective.”

In the reorganized model, McGill faculty would no longer have the opportunity to serve as

hall directors, but would have the option of applying to become a Faculty-Mentor-in-Rez. According to the McGill student housing website, faculty in the new position would commit to engaging with the student community a certain number of times during their stay in residence.

Brenda Shanahan, former hall director of New Residence Hall and staff member of the university, acknowledged a growing demand for such services but argued in favour of alternative ways to address it.

“At my time in the residence hall, I recognized that there was a need for increasing professional resources,” Shanahan said. “It was unrealistic to expect part-time hall directors to deal with the full range of problems that were occurring. That being said, it seemed to me that the answer was not to eliminate those who were hall directors […] but to increase professional resources available in the residence life office, in the counselling office.”

Despite criticism, Johnson said that the new model would be moving forward. She encouraged members of the McGill community to join an implementation workgroup, which will decide on specific details of the new model.

“What halls do we group together? What does a Faculty-Mentor-in-Rez do versus what does a hall director do?” she said. “These are the kinds of things we want to think about; that’s the kind of stuff that the stakeholders need to help figure out in this.”

Still, floor fellows expressed concern with the precedent that such a lack of consultation would set. Reginio spoke on possible discussions that floor fellows intended to have in the future.

“We must sacrifice our time to discuss ways in which we can protect the residence system that we believe in,” Reginio said. “This time has proven to be quite taxing, but floor fellows are still eager to push for what is best for our students.”

 

Full disclosure: Carolina Millán Ronchetti, Editor-in-Chief, is a floor fellow at New Residence Hall. 

a, Student Life

Springing into Spring fashion

by Laura Hanrahan on

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With all of the cold and dreary weather Montreal has experienced this winter, it feels as if spring is anything but near. As sales on Winter/Fall collections begin to wind down, we can look back to the spring previews at Spring/Summer fashion weeks in the fall to serve as a much-needed reminder that warmer weather is just around the corner. From new innovative ideas to the resurrection of classics, this year’s shows have given us a sneak peak of what we can expect to see popping up around stores in the not too distant future.

Trends for women

Topshop Mina Sequin Skirt makeupmusicfashion
Topshop.com

Embellished detailing: High-piled sequins, lamé, and paillettes will make for the perfect night-out ensemble next season. With collections ornately decorated from head to toe, subtlety is definitely not the name of the game this season.

Metallics: Bright, shining metallics in every shade are a common trend among designers. From Diane von Furstenberg’s high-shine golden dresses to Max Mara’s sheer metallic tops, there will be no shortage of sheen come springtime.

Sporty-meets-sophisticated: Athletic-inspired clothing seems to be a clear favourite for the upcoming season. Designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs have filled their collections with track, swim, and tennis-inspired pieces that are probably the last thing you’d want to wear to the gym.

Cropped jackets: Loose, cropped silhouettes made their mark on the runways in the fall in a variety of materials and prints. While a stark contrast in respect to length with the popular boyfriend blazer, these jackets are just as oversized and boxy, if not more so.

Printed clothes - red and white oriental print sweatshirt by river island
theguardian.com

Art-inspired prints: “Fashion as art” will come alive this spring in the literal sense, with everything from jackets to skirts decked out in bold, museum-worthy prints. Prada in particular has transported a number of lithographs and commissioned paintings onto their pieces, taking full advantage of this new trend.

Trends for men

Florals: Floral prints in a wide variety of colours will be making their mark next season in men’s fashion. They’ll be appearing on everything from button-up dress shirts to board shorts.

Double breasted blazers: The resurrection of 1940’s era fashion seems to be a theme in men’s spring fashion collections, with double breasted blazers leading the movement. This classic piece is making a comeback, and it’s no longer just for your grandfather.

White on white: All-white suits were featured at a wide range of shows from Billy Reid to Brooks Brothers. Mixing different textures of white is key to keep this look from becoming tacky.

old-navy-blue-floral-printed-plainfront-twill-shorts-934-product-1-4151404-573169419_large_flex
oldnavy.ca

Colour blocking: The classic black t-shirt has some new competition. Characterized by contrasting blocks of colours within the same piece, colour blocking gives an edgy, yet casual effect to all types of clothing.

Bomber jackets: This classic and extremely versatile staple piece appeared all over the runway last fall. While 3.1 Phillip Lim’s collection showcased a more futuristic twist on the jacket, Balenciaga offered a throwback to the original WWI pilot design. Whether they’re wool, suede, or leather, these slim fitting jackets will go with just about everything.

Photos courtesy of Polyvore, TopShop, Lyst, and Old Navy.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

The film that cried wolf

by Remi Lu on

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What would you do with a $100 bill?

Deposit it in your bank account, perhaps; or maybe buy that new sweater you’ve been eyeing for a while. If you’re Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), however, the bill is perfect as a crumpled wastebasket ball—or for snorting cocaine. In DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese’s fifth film together, the cocaine lines run long, while, unfortunately, the depth of the experience falls short.

Belfort is the drug-loving lead in Scorsese’s financial caper The Wolf of Wall Street. The film follows the stock wizard as he sweet-talks his way into the pockets of his clients, using the illicit cash for heavy substance-infused sex parties. And yet there’s a cloying sweetness to Belfort’s words. As he stands in the middle of the cash-filled carousels dancing on screen, those around him take on the ugly look of their personalities, even as wads of bank notes fall from the sky.

The movie begins with the sleek visage of a lion—Belfort’s image of choice for his firm, Stratton Oakmont. An animated lion appears on screen, prowling the offices of Stratton in a searching swagger—which is exactly what Belfort does throughout the movie. Money, drugs, pleasure; these are the stimulants that Belfort seeks in this colourful orgy of a film.

Drugs of all kind fill the screen from start to finish: grainy lines of cocaine, habitual pills, and of course Quaaludes, the party drug of choice for the crazed suit-and-tie lechery that follows Belfort in his 25-hour days. Scorsese depicts the blurred minds of the characters perfectly through the antics on screen—office sex parties and drugged helicopter landings are but a few examples of this “Walled world.” Yet the best example of The Wolf of Wall Street’s temperament is Belfort himself. Scorsese has the millionaire walking on a razor-thin edge throughout the movie, with soul-grabbing speeches layered with bouts of manic emotion.

DiCaprio—spectacular as Belfort—is the face of the film, lending his signature voice to the character’s effortless salesman abilities. We are not the only audience DiCaprio speaks to; throughout the movie, he wrenches, twists, and caresses the hearts of the Stratton employees in easy manipulation, raking in cash for Belfort and capturing our admiration in one smooth swoop. Jonah Hill stars alongside DiCaprio as Donnie Azoff, Belfort’s unstable right-hand man. DiCaprio and Hill have an instant chemistry on screen—the two are genuinely funny, adding an extra dimension to the busy scenes.

But beyond the flair of naked prostitutes, fantasy parties, and overpowering drug use, The Wolf of Wall Street falls flat. Even the humour fails to mask the empty message the movie attempts to send. Scorsese and DiCaprio spend so much time having fun on screen that any deeper implications to Belfort’s actions fail to hold any weight. The three-hour film is one hour too long, and is short another key character to balance the script. As it stands, the movie is a DiCaprio monologue, which loses the power of its potential attraction to viewer fatigue.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the real-life Belfort’s memoir by the same name. Belfort spent 22 months in jail, and is now a successful motivational speaker. While it is clear that the film tries to portray his insular financial world as ridiculous and absurd, the lack of a strong denouement only serves to highlight Belfort’s successes and his enjoyable run at the top of the monetary food chain.

Ultimately, The Wolf of Wall Street is a confetti of drugs, prostitutes, and cash that fails to leave any meaningful lasting effect. DiCaprio and Hill are spectacular, but in the end, they are merely the sweet-talking salesmen guiding you through your Quaalude-cocaine-trip. When you emerge from the haze, you are left with nothing but the memory of DiCaprio’s silky voice and a hot blur of confetti.

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