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a, Music

Kate Nash: Girl Talk

by Mathilde Milpied on

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Kate Nash seems to embody what London is all about. Although she was born in the northwest of the city, her thrift-shop dresses are more East End and Shoreditch, with their small art galleries and open air markets. When she released her first album Foundations, her distinctive cockney accent and poppy melodies provided an ideal contrast to perfectly polished American tracks

On her third album, Girl Talk, Nash sounds like a woman releasing all the tension and stress after a harsh long day of work. The songs seem a lot less polished than on her previous two records, and Nash displays her real musical personality to the listeners. The record heads in a rock ‘n’ roll direction, as great guitar riffs and strong drumming replace the piano ballads of her two previous albums. Although Nash kept the distinctive poppy sound that made her reputation with songs like “Foundations,” she now seems to have moved from the edgy, colourful, and funny East End, to the punk rock,  Amy Winehouse territory of Camden Town. The album is replete with amusing references the singer makes to her previous song “Mariella,” such as on “Are You There Sweetheart,” while her distinctive vibrato and 1960s inspired style recalls some of her former work. This mix brings a good balance between musical exploration and fidelity to her own style.

Girl Talk embodies the idea of a modern, real-life young woman, trying to make her way in the world. To assist her, Nash has nothing but her cheeky sense of humour and her devil-may-care attitude for what others think.

a, Music

Maston: Shadows

by Diana Wright on

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Frank Maston has created a fast-paced, intriguing, and peculiar album with his band Maston’s latest release Shadows, one calling to mind The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and 2012’s breakthrough act Tame Impala. 

The album is whimsical and dreamy, zipping through to its conclusion before you know it—only one of the disc’s tracks clocks in at over 3:30. Although this quick pace renders Shadows as an easy, breezy listen, a few of the tracks meld into somewhat of an indiscernible blur. Instrumental tracks like opener “Strange Rituals” and “King Conrad” lag and drag the album into a bit of a fog—and not an inspiring, drug-induced one either.

The record has a unique and playful sound, experimenting with brass instruments, and inflections of polka music. Standout tracks “(You Were) In Love,” “Young Hearts,” and “Judge Alibaster” keep the album flowing, and contain a more sincere attempt at dynamic and clear vocals. Still, one of Maston’s major downfalls is the lack of vocal consistency on the rest of his tracks—his voice is often muddled and lost in the echoes and wall of sound that he has created with unnecessarily layered instruments.

Unfortunately, some of the songs on the LP never reach their full potential, and instead of leaving the listener wanting more, the short lengths come across as confusing and under-developed. Despite this flaw, the album is worth a quick listen, if only to conjure a wistful, sunny California day in the middle of this dreary Canadian winter.

a, Arts & Entertainment

What does it mean to be a fan?

by Matt Bobkin on

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It’s a question that is asked hundreds of times per day: “Are you a real fan?” For everything that can be enjoyed, there are those who scrutinize their fellow fans, and attempt to create a distinction between ‘true fans’ and those who are merely capitalizing on the act’s popularity in order to seem cool. 

This artificial distinction is everywhere, including sports teams, television shows and, especially in my daily life—music. Even when I discovered The Who as a teenager, my newfound fandom was met with old anecdotes from my parents and jeers of not being a “real fan.” This is a scenario that many music lovers find themselves in during at least one point in their lives, especially when dealing with bands that are only a decade or two past their heyday.

In early February, legendary alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine released m b v, their first album in 22 years, and the follow-up to 1991’s Loveless. I had heard of the band before, but the first time I listened to them was after the recent surge of publicity sparked by m b v’s release. Even though I chose to listen to Valentine’s albums chronologically, and enjoyed what I heard, was that enough to deem me a fan? I read an essay by Pitchfork writer Jayson Greene discussing the moments leading up to his first listen of the new album, condensing 22 years of waiting into 900 words. The emotional impact for Greene was something that I cannot yet fathom, as I have been alive for less than 20 years.

A week after m b v’s release, some friends and I trekked to Portland, Maine to see reclusive indie-rocker Jeff Mangum, former frontman of Neutral Milk Hotel. At the concert, we noticed the disparity between the adults, who would casually mention that they remembered when his album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was first released in 1998, and the many other college-aged kids, including us, who had only discovered Mangum in recent years. The community of Mangum fans was divided by age and date of discovery, and witnessing this divide in person helped to reignite the debate that had been burning in my mind since childhood.

Unlike some of my fellow concertgoers in Maine, I hadn’t been waiting for 15 years to see Mangum. The timeline of my first listen of m b v, immediately followed my first listen of Loveless, was unlike the decades traversed by Greene, and many other Valentine fans. But with that understood, can my contemporaries and I still achieve true fandom?

My answer: does it really matter? While I’m sure that not all of the adults who saw Mangum with me that night appreciated the horde of teenagers singing along to every word, or potentially reducing the number of tickets available for their friends, they must also be aware that enjoyment transcends time. While the factors surrounding someone’s appreciation differ from person to person, it is not necessary to create a hierarchy of true fandom. Especially in the aforementioned cases, where chronology is a major factor in separating groups of fans, what’s the point of creating this distinction ,other than to further one’s own social standing? Classifying fandom brings the classifiers down to the level of those who they attempt to belittle.

Rock mainstays, Queens of the Stone Age performed their 1998 self-titled debut record in its entirety during a handful of 2011 tour dates, despite most of the performing band members not being present during the album’s recording 13 years prior. Reviews of the tour were positive, uniting fans old and new, and allowing them to ultimately listen to good music together.

Having seen bands such as Arcade Fire, Japandroids, and The Black Keys before, and after their mainstream breakthroughs, I somewhat understand the plight of the older fans. The venues are bigger and less personal, and the newer crowds are rowdier and more prone to shouting obscenities in between songs. But few things beat the feeling of everyone staring wide-eyed at the artists who have caused such joy in the lives of all the attendees. For just a few moments, it doesn’t matter when and how one discovered the artist, all that matters is that everyone is enjoying them together. Pretension makes way for sheer musical enjoyment, and that’s what it’s all about in the first place.

a, Sports

Sun, sports, and snowbird seniors

by Joshua Freedman on

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While the city of Montreal is caught up in the excitement of a dominating start for their Canadiens, I caught up on some Grapefruit League spring training baseball in Florida during reading week. Spring training is a time for seasoned ballplayers to shake off any rust that may have accumulated over the winter; it also represents a chance for young prospects to make a name for themselves.

The first game I attended took place in Jupiter, Florida—home to the St. Louis Cardinals. Located on the grounds of Florida Atlantic University—which also boasts a stately golf course—Roger Dean Stadium provided an intimate setting for an interleague matchup between the mighty Cardinals and the lowly Minnesota Twins. While most Cheap Seats writers watch games sitting in the nosebleed sections, spring training tickets provide great seats for dirt-cheap. For the reasonable price of $30, yours truly found himself sitting in the second row, behind home plate.

After a booming rendition of the national anthem, I finally had a chance to look around. The crowd was mostly made up of retirees, thrilled by the opportunity to see an afternoon ball game in 70 degree Fahrenheit weather—characteristic of most spring training contests. Though the Cardinals played most of their starters, while the Twins primarily suited up prospects, Minnesota surprisingly dominated the game 7-0. Nevertheless, the relaxing environment was the perfect way to take in a pre-season baseball. Plus, it was great to see Cardinals Canadian wunderkind Oscar Tavares look sharp in the outfield.

The next stop on my baseball tour took place in Fort Myers, Florida, where I had the chance to see the Boston Red Sox take on Team Puerto Rico in an exhibition game. Playing in the brand new facility at JetBlue Park, the Red Sox have built a near perfect replica of Fenway Park, complete with an imposing “Green Monster” in left field. As opposed to the quiet afternoon crowd of the previous day, the nighttime atmosphere at JetBlue Park was buoyed by a contingent of passionate Puerto Rican fans. The game felt a lot livelier, with coordinated cheers and music being played in the crowd. Sporting $15 tickets three rows above the Puerto Rican dugout, the Blue Jays fan in me recoiled at the sight of Alex Rios, but reveled at the sight of one of my childhood heroes, Carlos Delgado. The game itself was a back-and-forth affair, with Boston finally pulling out a 4-3 victory on the backs of Will Middlebrooks and Mike Napoli, who each hit monster home runs over the replica Green Monster.

The next day I was back at JetBlue Park, ready for a matinee game between Boston and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The crowd was packed with AARP members, most of whom left at the end of the sixth inning, presumably to score an early bird special on dinner. Although the game itself was uncompetitive—and former Jays prospect Travis Snider went 0-2—it was hard not to enjoy myself in such a beautiful setting. Another plus of the ballpark was its free SPF 50 sunscreen dispensers, which were just ripe for overuse.

If you’re ever in Florida over reading week, definitely try to attend some of the spring training festivities. The games were all very cheap, were free of drunken hecklers, took place in great weather, and featured prospects and reclamation projects that you never get to see during the regular season. I’m hoping to go back to Florida—or even try out Arizona, home of the Cactus League—to take in some more preseason baseball next year.

a, Sports

Around the Water Cooler

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 In case you were too busy enjoying your reading week or travelling to North Korea with Dennis Rodman, here’s what you missed this past week in the world of sports …

BASEBALL — The World Baseball Classic got underway this past week, as most of the world’s best are competing for their countries in baseball’s only international competition. Canada opened the competition with an embarrassing loss to Italy, 14-4, but quickly bounced back by defeating Mexico 10-3. However, the real story from Canada’s second game was the wild brawl that broke out between the teams during the ninth inning, to which we all thought, “c’mon guys, let’s be friends for Nafta, ok?” The Canadians were unfortunately eliminated from the tournament after suffering a 9-4 loss to the United States. The remaining teams in Pool 1 include Japan, Netherlands, Cuba, and Chinese Taipei. Team USA, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic make up the second round Pool 2 participants and will battle for the right to advance to the Championship round on Mar. 17-19. Also, the MLB regular season opens in just over two weeks, so get excited.

HOCKEY — We’re more than halfway through the shortened 48-game NHL schedule. To no one’s surprise, the Chicago Blackhawks went their first 24 games without losing in regulation, collecting 45 out of a possible 48 points—like, no big deal. They’ve since lost two straight regulation games, so maybe it’s time to panic—or not. Also to no one’s surprise (at this point), the Montreal Canadiens lead the Eastern Conference with 38 points, backed by strong scoring depth and a hot goaltender, Carey Price. If they keep this up, retailers on Ste. Catherine may want to board up their windows come playoff time.  Finally, the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals are stuck outside the playoff picture, while the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and the defending champion Los Angeles Kings are all struggling to separate themselves from their lottery bound Western conference foes. Maybe we should reconsider; this is all very surprising.

FOOTBALL — The fun has just begun for NFL fans. The draft combine came and went, as teams scouted and interviewed some of the league’s future stars, while free agency opened on Tuesday afternoon. Some of the big names on the open market this year include: Steven Jackson, Reggie Bush, Dwight Freeney, Greg Jennings, and Mike Wallace—although all reports suggest that Wallace will sign with Miami. While the destinations of most of these players remains uncertain, two major trades involving star wide receivers occurred on Monday. First, Minnesota traded all-purpose threat Percy Harvin to Seattle for a slew of draft picks. As a result, we’re for putting money on 2012 MVP Adrian Peterson putting up over 3,000 yards next season. Second, the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens traded Anquan Boldin to the team they beat in the big game, the San Francisco 49ers, for a measly sixth round pick. We imagine Boldin is excited to get a chance to play under Coach Harbaugh. 

The Carabins shut down Darragh Hamilton and the rest of the Martlet attack. (Remi Lu / McGill Tribune)
a, Sports

Martlet hockey season comes to stunning end in final

by David Stein on

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After a devastating loss in Game 2 of the RSEQ women’s hockey finals, the McGill Martlets were back at McConnell Arena on Mar. 3 to battle the Montreal Carabins in the deciding game of the series. Thanks to hundreds of fans who made it out to support their beloved Carabins, the atmosphere was charged with passion and intensity both on the ice and in the stands. Unfortunately for the Martlets, the Carabins were able to feed off this support en route to a shocking 2-1 victory, clinching a berth for the CIS national championship.

Following a scoreless first period with few chances and some chippy play between whistles, both teams looked more focused and determined to start the second period. Just two minutes in, Carabins forward Josianne Legault opened the scoring with a power play marker after the Martlets were able to survive several shorthanded sequences.

McGill answered just over a minute later when Joanne Cagianos deposited her first goal of the playoffs, completing a beautiful three-way passing play spearheaded by Leslie Oles and Mélodie Daoust. However, with less than five minutes to go in the third period, Legault tallied her second of the game, and third of the playoffs, to put a stranglehold on the series.

Despite McGill’s valiant effort to force overtime, Carabins goaltender Elodie Rousseau-Sirois continued to stand tall, capping off a 37-save performance and ensuring her team’s victory.

(Remi Lu / McGill Tribune)
(Remi Lu / McGill Tribune)

With their loss, the Martlets were eliminated from advancing to nationals to compete for a CIS title, a disappointing result after an undefeated regular season. McGill watched as the Carabins skated around with the RSEQ championship banner on McConnell ice—an experience that garnered several teary eyes on the Martlet bench.

When the dust settled, Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith indicated that his team was fighting nerves during the final two games.

“Well, I thought that we were a very nervous group on Friday night,” he said about the loss. “They had nothing to lose; they threw it all out there, and they played real well,” Smith said, speaking about the Carabins’ upset victory. “Today, it was a heck of a hockey game. I thought lots of good things happened, [but] we just didn’t seem to get a bounce going our way. It probably would have been good. … But I’m really proud of the team.”

Smith also mentioned that he encouraged his team to stay calm, even when it seemed like the officials missed a few calls.

“I told them to try to keep an even keel, try and stay focused on the things that we can control, and to stay away from getting emotionally involved with the officiating,” he said. “I reminded the team that the officials were doing everything that they were capable of.”

Team captain and fourth-year veteran Darragh Hamilton believes that this experience will benefit the Martlets in the future.

“I think we played great today. We really pushed the puck forward all the time,” Hamilton said. “We got lots of shots on net, [but] just didn’t get the bounces. If we got a couple bounces here and there, it could have been a totally different game. It stings right now, but it will just make us stronger next year.”

Smith noted that he is very proud of his players, despite the crushing result.

“I told them that I’m real proud of them. Not just for this game, but for the whole season. I told them to remember everything about this season. All the good stuff, because there was a lot of good stuff that happened,” he said. “It was a great team. They work hard; they’re young, impressionable, and coachable, with great leadership. But I told them to remember everything, including standing on that blue line, watching the other team get that trophy. If that doesn’t inspire them, then nothing will.”

Now that their season is over, the Martlets will have a few months to reflect on the loss and prepare for next year. While there might be some fresh faces in their lineup next season, the core members will return—hungrier than ever to complete their mission of winning a national championship.

Battiston impressed at nationals. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Athletics)
a, Sports

McGill disappoints at national championship meet

by Jeff Downey on

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“As long as our present group continues to strive for excellence, we should be in good shape next year and beyond,” McGill track and field Head Coach Dennis Barrett, said. “It will indeed be exciting with the talent we presently have.”

His comments came in light of the general enthusiasm for the future of his program, as the 2012-2013 campaign ended last weekend at the CIS National Championships in Edmonton, Alberta.

McGill sent a total of 20 athletes to the event, and finished 19th of 21 and 22 competing teams, in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Despite the mediocre result, Toronto native Alana Battiston finished an impressive fifth overall in the Pentathlon on the first day of the meet. Her result broke her previous McGill record of 3515 points—which she set last week at the RSEQ championship, by amassing a total of 3558 points.

“It was a very spirited performance,” Barrett said. “Alana’s fight and determination surely was motivating for the team; she ran a very strong 800m to finish her [pentathlon].”

The Martlets in particular were searching for more, having been crowned RSEQ champions just two weeks prior. Yet, despite their early success, the team failed to convert Battiston’s spirit into any additional top finishes over the next two days of competition.

On the men’s side, the lone highlight for McGill came in the form of the 4×800 metre relay team, comprised of Benjamin Raymond, Nathan Goldstein, Michael Abramson, and Vincent Parent-Pichette. The team clocked in at 7:54.15, good for sixth place.

But, in the end, the day belonged to the Guelph Gryphons and the Calgary Dinos, who claimed the male and female divisions, respectively. The Gryphons ran clear of the competition, en route to their third title in seven years, while the surprising Dinos reached the top of the podium for the second time in six years. To go along with her team gold medal, Calgary’s Rachel Machin also earned the title of most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet, after turning in a four-medal performance with two golds and two silvers. On the men’s side, Sherbrooke leaper Olivier Huet captured the award, with a gold in the triple jump and a bronze in the long jump.

With the year now finished, McGill must come to grips with losing Battiston and long-distance runner Sarah McCuaig to graduation. The departures of both are a huge loss both on and off the track; but with the cores of the teams still intact, McGill may find themselves competing more feverishly on the national scale next season.

“The main aspect [to the national scene], beside the number of athletes, is having top end athletes—which at this point, we do have,” Barrett said. “[We’re still] a very young team, however. With only two graduating … the opportunity is there,”

a, Arts & Entertainment

An accessible opera brings mixed results

by Chris Liu on

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Rather than deter crime, religion may stimulate it.

That is the controversial conclusion of a new criminological study published last month, which found that criminals—sometimes with rudimentary if not outright false understanding of religious tenets—often use faith as a justification for their crimes.

This finding was in the forefront of my mind while attending Dead Man Walking, Opera de Montreal’s uneven but sufficiently provoking production. Composed by Jake Heggie and directed by Alain Gauthier, the story presents a counter case to the aforementioned bit of social science. Based on the real-life experiences of Sister Helen Prejean, the opera follows the nun’s efforts to bring spiritual salvation to death row convict Joseph de Rocher.

Terrence McNally’s libretto coyly plays with the possibility that for Prejean, religious devotion serves to mask personal attraction as the main reason why the Sister seeks to help de Rocher. Despite sharing a Catholic worldview, Prejean and the prison chaplain hold polar opposite opinions on the death penalty. The lighting (designed by Éric W. Champoux) in the final scene ultimately leaves de Rocher’s salvation an open question. In all of these moments, Dead Man Walking exhibits keen and interesting insight, diving below a storyline that is rather uninspired and tedious on its surface. Unfortunately, other intriguing thematic territory, such as the gendered division of labour within the Catholic church, or the arbitrariness of state power, are tantalizingly suggested only to remain unexplored.

Nevertheless, there is much to commend within this production. A work of contemporary opera, Dead Man Walking is decidedly more accessible than most selections from traditional repertoires, a fact reflected in the younger-than-usual audience. The production marks the first time I have heard “f**k” in an opera, or seen classically-trained soloists pull from Elvis Presley’s oeuvre. Frequent, fluid scene changes and humourous American vernacular makes Dead Man Walking at times more musical theatre than opera. Stripped of aristocratic ballgowns and bourgeois language, the production also allows the acting prowess of the all-Canadian cast to truly shine through.

Allyson McHardy is evocative and precise in the role of Sister Prejean. As her character states, “[Jesus] was a hothead, and so am I. A perfect match.” McHardy successfully channels this determinism, while maintaining archetypical ‘nun-like’ compassion. The deep-throated mezzo-soprano seems to border on the quiet side on occasion, though this is made up for by McHardy’s nuanced phrasing.

As Joseph de Rocher, Étienne Dupuis is impressive not just in his vocals, but his theatrical physicality as well. Dupuis’ interpretation is most successful at resisting the libretto’s tendency towards saccharine sentimentality. This discipline, coupled with his broad range of talent, makes Dupuis a performer in the full sense of the word.

Champoux capitalizes on the opportunity provided by a contemporary story with a dynamic lighting design—a refreshing spring breeze compared to the staid stuffiness seen in other operatic productions. Harry Frehner and Scott Reid’s set is multidimensional and effortlessly versatile, turning the prison setting into a Kafkaesque panopticon for the audience’s voyeurism and delight.

Heggie’s score is characterized by a few bars of brilliance (including what I have taken to calling the Jesus motif) followed by swaths of forgettable musical wasteland. Despite containing trace splashes of early American jazz, the music is largely textureless and shapeless. It also has an annoying tendency to clash with the libretto’s vernacular cadence.

Despite this, Dead Man Walking still has merit as a theatrical experience. Considering Opera de Montreal’s previous production was tailored to emphasis accessibility—even going as far as to throw in a Gangnam style dance—it seems clear that the company is focusing on bringing in younger, more diverse audiences. Only time will tell whether the strategy is to succeed, but for those considering expanding their artistic pleasures, Dead Man Down is not the worst place to start.

Opera de Montreal’s production of Dead Man Down is running until March 16 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Student tickets $30 each when purchasing two or more.

a, Arts & Entertainment

Dead Man Down is dead in the water

by Chris Liu on

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In the land of action-thrillers, there is a fence. On one side lies territory that is ‘edgy,’ ‘atmospheric,’ and ‘cool.’ The other side is ‘stifling,’ ‘slow,’ and ‘boring.’ Nicolas Winding Refn found himself on the former side of this fence with Drive and Bronson, and the latter with Valhalla Rising. Fellow Scandinavian Niels Arden Oplev similarly stretches across the divide. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is as brooding and dark as its eponymous anti-heroine, but his latest release—Dead Man Down—lands with a painful thud in a realm of monotony.

The most remarkable thing about the film is the ease with which it moves from stylish to clumsy. The film opens with crime lord Alphonse (Terrence Howard) and henchman Victor (Colin Farrell) making a grisly discovery in a basement freezer replete with macabre tricks taken from Silence of the Lambs. This is immediately followed by a gunfight that is bewildering and bombastic in equal measure. Such sudden shifts come to characterize Dead Man Down, a film filled with long swaths of yawn-inducing scenes meant to pluck one’s tender heartstrings and interspersed with sudden sharp turns of in-your-face action.

Though he is a henchman, Victor is far from loyal. The script takes its time unpacking his backstory, but the audience eventually learns that Victor has infiltrated Alphonse’s organization to avenge the murder of his wife and child, who died by Alphonse’s orders. Complicating the task is Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), a woman who blackmails Victor requesting vengeance of her own, and Darcy (Dominic Cooper), a close friend who begins to dig too deeply into Victor’s past.

Everyone involved in this film is ill-served by J. H. Wyman’s screenplay. One prerequisite of ‘pulse-pounding action’ is the presence of a pulse, but Dead Man Down‘s plotline is so tiresome and formulaic that the film’s most highfalutin set pieces have less kick than one’s morning coffee. In all other moments, the boredom is suffocating.

The brilliance of some of Farrell’s previous roles (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) makes one wonder why his work here is so cringingly bad. Victor’s ‘silent tough guy’ persona never cracks. Underneath the adamantine exterior must be a maelstrom of pain and hatred. The script never offers much of a chance for this to break through, and Farrell doesn’t exactly try. As a result, a film that tries so hard at emotional resonance ends up deadened and flat.

The actor who best escapes this mess is Rapace. Best known for playing Lisbeth Salander in the Millennium trilogy, her performance here is layered and evocative, an anchor of rapturous talent that, quite frankly, was the only thing keeping me from walking out altogether.

Other than Rapace, not much exists that redeems this film. Not much exists, period. The dark colour palette and stark lighting meant to convey moodiness ends up being dull and cheap. Action scenes are often randomly spliced up sequences of millisecond shots, a non-technique that characterizes post-Michael Bay Hollywood. Dead Man Down limps along like an injured animal, whimpering and sedate save the occasional bout of epilepsy. For an average director, the film would be a disappointment. For the director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it’s a cry for intervention.

Dead Man Down is now playing at Scotiabank Theatres (977 Ste-Catherine West.)

McGill Reporter
a, News

Exclusive interview with Suzanne Fortier

by Andra Cernavskis on

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Although many students are currently out-of-town for reading week, Stuart H. (Kip) Cobbett, chair of McGill’s Board of Governors, announced on Tuesday Mar. 5 that Dr. Suzanne Fortier has been selected as McGill’s new principal.

Fortier will be leaving her post as president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), a position she has held for seven years, to join the McGill community. Before serving as president of NSERC, Fortier worked as a professor of chemistry and assumed several senior administrator positions at Queen’s University. In that time, she served as an associate dean of graduate studies and research, vice-principal (research), and vice-principal (academic).

Fortier is a graduate of McGill, and received both her Bachelor’s of Science in 1972 and her PhD in 1976 from the university. She will start her five-year term as principal in Sept. 2013.

McGill Tribune: Why did you apply for the job?

Suzanne Fortier: Actually, I was asked to apply for the job. I have to tell you that I was very happy in my previous job in NSERC … In fact, I have never applied for a job in the seven years I have been here, but McGill [is] a pretty special place for me. It’s a fantastic university. It’s one of the best in the world. And it is my alma mater, so there is a real sense for me of a strong link with McGill, with Montreal, with Quebec. It’s a place that has given me so many opportunities [and has been] a launching pad in my career, so I am profoundly attached to these places.

MT: Who asked you to apply?

SF: The [Advisory Committee for Nomination of a Principal].

MT: What will you bring to McGill?

SF: Of course, I have a lot of experience. I have been in senior administrative positions at Queen’s University and at NSERC. I hope that what I [will] bring is my commitment, my energy, [and] my enthusiasm. I will work hard and give it my best. [I] really want to work with the community in building on this incredible asset that McGill is. … We are so lucky to have it, and we need to continue to build on that.

MT: What do you see as the biggest challenges of your new position, and how will you deal with them?

SF: I think the biggest challenge facing … all universities is that around the world now, people [are realizing] that the biggest asset we have is in our people of talent. Education [and] research innovation has a very important place in our world, in a world that is very open without borders, and a world that is also very competitive for people of talent. I think that the challenge that universities around the world have to face is to look at their role and their mission in this world, where so much of what we need to do … is based on knowledge, talent, and creativity.

MT: What are your views on tuition increases and the student movement in general?

SF: That’s an important topic, of course. I know I will have a lot of discussions with students and student leadership on these issues. For me, I think I would like to start the conversation with more fundamental topics such as quality of education, the kind of education students need nowadays to be a very active member of this incredible global environment, and also the question of accessibility. … How [do] we ensure accessibility, in particular, to students who [are] of less advantage? It’s a broader question. I’m sure you know as a student that the bigger stuff of attending a university is not your tuition, but your lodging, your food, and all of these other expenditures that you have to make in order to attend university, so it’s a broader question … but I think it’s an important question to see how can we make sure that students have the opportunity to come to such a great university regardless of their financial needs.

MT: What are one or two things that you would like to improve most at McGill?

SF: It’s hard for me at this point to say or to narrow it down to one or two things because, as you know, I’ve left Quebec and McGill for quite a long time, so one of the first things I want to do is, in fact, be there to learn and to listen to … people from the community. And from there, as a community, to find what are those one or two things we need to focus on as priorities, so I don’t want to establish that ahead of having that opportunity to really be connected to people in the community at McGill.

MT: How do you see McGill as being different from Queen’s, and what will you adjust in your administrative managing while at McGill?

SF: McGill shares a lot with Queen’s in that they are both institutions that are highly committed to the experience of their students being [one of] very high quality. Queen’s is a university—and I truly think that McGill would be a university of the same type—where building the student leadership is very important, and so there is a lot in common between these two institutions. [But they are] in different contexts. One is [in] a small town in Ontario, [and] the other one is [in] a big city in Montreal with two cultures living side by side, and of course a lot of other cultures, it being a very cosmopolitan city.

MT: Are you a Montreal native?

SF: No, but I was born in a very small village in Quebec, close to Montreal … so I come from the rural part of Quebec.

MT: So you do, indeed, speak French?

SF: Oui, bien sûr.

MT: Given the tensions between universities in Quebec and the Parti Québécois, how do you see yourself interacting with the provincial government going forward in the next year?

SF: Of course, I will make it a priority to build good links with the government. But [based on] my experience … in areas of education and research innovation, we start from a very solid base of common goals and common values, and that is where the discussion has to start. And then from there, define what we want to do, what we are prepared to do, the kinds of investment both of our time and energy and money that we are prepared to make in order to build on these great assets.

MT: Could you comment on the budget cuts and how you plan on handling that situation?

SF: That situation has been changing weekly, so I know what the situation is as it evolves, but I am not there— so I will talk to you in some general terms because I am not at McGill yet, and I do not have the responsibility [to take care of them] yet. I have certainly, both when I was at Queen’s and in my current job … had to deal with cuts in budgets and the exercise that one must engage in defining … the values, the principles, and the goals that will drive the exercise, [while] making sure that you protect the core, the essential part of your organization. and maybe tightening the belt in other areas where you know that doing so will not create a long-term negative impact, and that you continue to build on once financial situations get better. So I will bring that discipline that I have learned at my previous job to this exercise that [is] not pleasant, but often necessary.

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