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What happened last week in Canada?

by Catherine-Laure Juste on

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Canadian penny retires

The Royal Canadian Mint officially stopped distributing the penny on Feb. 4, almost a year after Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty announced the penny’s discontinuation in the federal budget of March 2012. According to CBC News, one penny cost the government 1.6 cents to produce, and a plausible reason for its withdrawal was a drop in its purchasing power. The government expects to save approximately $11 million annually due to the penny’s discontinuation.

Price rounding, which takes place after taxes have been added to a purchase, started the same day as the penny’s demise. Shelly Glover, the parliamentary secretary to the Flaherty, stated that businesses have the final say on whether or not they accept the coin. According to the CBC, “the government recommends rounding the total bill to the nearest $0.05 or $0.10.”

Despite being the smallest denomination of the Canadian currency, the penny has remained in demand in artistic circles. Renee Gruszecki, owner of a jewellery business based in Halifax, has spent the last year saving pennies and turning them into different accessories and designs.

“The maple leaf is synonymous with everything Canadian,” she told the Canadian Press. “We [Canadians] all identify with it.”

Air Canada appeals to court over Aveos facilities

Last Monday, the Quebec Superior Court sided with Quebec’s former Liberal government in a lawsuit against Air Canada. The ruling obligates the airline company to keep their maintenance facilities in Montreal open, following debate on changes to Air Canada’s business model.

In March 2012, Air Canada subcontractor Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. went out of business and announced plans to liquidate the company’s assets. Following this, Air Canada began to eliminate specialized jobs in Canada and replaced them with similar jobs abroad. Quebec’s former government argued that a federal law passed in 1988 requires that the airline keep these jobs in Canada, and that significant changes to Air Canada’s business model can only come about through legislative change.

Air Canada, however, has pointed to contrary legal advice that the company received from the federal Ministry of Justice. The company also argues that it followed the 1988 federal law. They cite a ruling in the Ontario Superior Court, which concluded that Air Canada had respected the law by having its own maintenance operations and overhaul facilities in Canada. According to a spokesperson for Air Canada, the company plans to appeal the Quebec ruling.

Canada scores a ‘B’ in social report card

Canada received an overall “B” grade for economics and public policy in the Conference Board of Canada’s annual social report card. This put Canada in 7th place out of 17 developed countries that the Conference Board assessed. The Board is a non-profit independent organization that focuses on national “economic trends, public policy, and organizational performance,” according to their website.

Although the report found Canada to be successful in areas such as  serious crime and tolerance of diversity, its grade was lowered due to high poverty rates for both children and working-age adults, where it obtained a “D” grade. Growing concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer people and the wage disparity between men and women also played a part in Canada’s results. The study notes that “since 1990, the richest Canadians have increased their share of total national income, while the poorest and middle income groups lost share.”

President and CEO of the Conference Board of Canada Daniel Muzyka stated that a large gap in income levels and high rates of poverty can “mean a weakening in labour force attachment and social cohesion.” Brenda Lafleur, program director at the Board, expressed more optimism, noting that the indicators where Canada has been falling behind could be fixed “through public and political will.”

Government of Canada launches intitiative to improve mental health in the work place

Last week, the federal government announced the introduction of a national standard to help businesses improve their employees’ mental health. This move came in response to a 2011 federal study, which determined that 800,000 workers in Canada are prevented from working by mental health barriers.

With the new standard, the federal government aims to create a healthier workforce and work environment, while also improving productivity. Furthermore, this initiative could potentially reduce the estimated $50 billion spent annually on mental health.

The 2011 study, conducted by Risk Analytica for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, revealed that Canadian businesses lost $6 billion each year in absenteeism (when a worker is regularly away from work without good reason) and presenteeism (when a worker is physically present but unproductive due to health barriers). Deadlines and workloads are contributing factors to an unhealthy and high-stress environment, as stated by researchers at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction.

Federal government to appeal Métis and non-status Indians court case

The Government of Canada announced last Wednesday that it will file an appeal to a higher court following a federal court decision stating that Canada’s Métis and non-status Indians are considered “Indians” under the Canadian Constitution, and therefore fall under federal jurisdiction. The original federal court decision, made in January, follows over 13 years of legal debate on the topic, and affects approximately 200,000 Métis and 400,000 non-status Indians.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan explained that the government has sent the decision to a higher court because “the decision raises complex legal issues.”

He said it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that it is fiscally sustainable to continue programs and support for Aboriginal people. Betty Ann Lavallee, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal People, which represents off-reserve Aboriginals, said she was disappointed by the government’s choice.

“This decision comes at the expense of Métis and non-status Indians, who for far too long have been the ‘Forgotten Peoples’ of Canada, struggling for recognition of their constitutional rights, equality, dignity, self-worth and fairness,” she said in a public statement.

a, Science & Technology

Why do we fall in love?

by Caity Hui on

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For some, the key to success on Valentine’s Day consists of an amalgamation of romantic gestures, boxes of chocolate, and  dinner dates. However, no number of roses, Laura Secord truffles, or Chardonnay can amount to the necessary spark in our brains to fuel love.

While common notions of romance suggest that it is the heart that falls in love, many studies have found that love is a quantifiable process, in which the brain releases measurable euphoria-inducing chemicals.

One such study, conducted by Syracuse University professor Stephanie Ortigue, suggests that love elicits a similar elated feeling to using cocaine. When a person falls in love, twelve different areas of the brain work together to release euphoria-inducing chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, and adrenaline.

Studies of the brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) also show why love causes such remarkable feelings. The earliest fMRIs of brains in love were taken in 2000. These revealed that the sensation of romance is processed in several areas, starting with the ventral tegmental—a clump of tissue in the brain’s lower regions. This region produces dopamine in the body, a chemical that regulates reward.

“This little factory near the base of the brain is sending dopamine to higher regions,” said anthropologist Helen Fisher in an interview with Time Magazine. “It creates craving, motivation, goal-oriented behavior, and ecstasy.”

However, if love can be broken down into a chemical phenomenon—butterflies in the stomach are actually the result of a chemical signal—it raises the question as to why certain individuals can elicit such a response from others.

Contrary to popular belief, love, according to our genes at least, is not a necessary aspect of life. Your principle job while alive is to conceive offspring, provide them with nurture, and then, obligingly, die so you don’t consume resources needed by the young. If our primary purpose is to breed, what drives humans to write poetry, buy flowers, and act impulsively in the name of love?

The answer lies in the fact that, while humans are designed to reproduce often, the survival of their offspring is also important. For this reason, as soon as humans reach adulthood, they begin to look for signs of good genes, and reproductive fitness in potential partners.

Smell is one of the most primal indicators that a potential partner is reproductively suitable. Humans, like all animals, have an intuitive understanding of whether a partner smells right. However, the distinction between someone who smells “good” or “bad” is less of a reflection of perfume, and more of an indication of good genes.

One set of genes that controls the adaptive immune system is known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In terms of genetics, it is more beneficial for people to have diversity in their MHC genes. In fact, conceiving a child with a partner whose MHC is too similar increases the risk of a miscarriage.

In a study conducted by the University of Bern in Switzerland, women were asked to smell different T-shirts worn by anonymous males, and then pick the ones that appealed to them. The results showed that women chose T-shirts worn by men with a genetically different MHC, suggesting that it is the desire for reproductive fitness that fosters attraction. If smell is not enough of an indicator, taste definitely is. Saliva also contains the MHC compound. According to associate professor of psychology at UCLA, Martie Haselton in an interview with Time Magazine, “kissing might be a taste test.”

It seems the hunt for reproductive fitness spurs the mating rituals attributed to falling in love. The elaborate practice of dating can be likened to a screening process—only once the right person has been found does the process pay off. At this point, the euphoria-inducing chemicals are released and love finally hits.

a, Science & Technology

Tech Reviews: Apple Alternatives

by Abhishek Gupta on

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Alien M14x

A true blend of aesthetics and exquisite craftsmanship, the M14x from Dell’s line of Alienware computers is the weapon of choice for dedicated gamers and multi-taskers.

Designed for high-performance gaming, the laptop doesn’t fail to deliver in portability and performance. Under the hood, it packs the latest Intel i7 processor, coupled with 16 GB of Dual Channel DDR3 RAM running at 1600 MHz, as well as a 2 GB DDR5 NVIDIA GT 650M graphics card. This means you could watch a video, use Photoshop, play HD games, run design software, and of course post updates on Facebook— all at the same time.

In addition to processing power, the M14x is completely customizable. Dell allows users to personalize almost all aspects of their laptops, such as the colour of the hood, controls on the keypad, and the central processing unit.

The colour of the backlit keyboard, along with the lighting of the front-end grill of the computer—it looks like the front of a race car—is also completely customizable. Choices range from Valentine pink to alien green—any colour from the pallet can shimmer through the ergonomically designed keyboard and touchpad.

While the M14x is a bit chunkier than other laptops currently on the market—6.45lbs is on the heavier side for laptops, especially in comparison to the MacBook Air—it sacrifices sleekness in design for dependability, remarkable performance, and sheer capacity.

If you’re looking for a reliable gaming computer, or just one with processing horsepower, Alienware M14x is an excellent choice.

Samsung Galaxy SIII 

Just after Apple wowed us with the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung’s Galaxy SIII transcended the boundaries that define a smartphone.

“Designed for humans,” and “inspired by nature,” as Samsung advertises, this phone has a sleek and minimal design that is reflected in its smooth and gentle curves. The 4.8-inch HD display does a stunning job of displaying crisp photos and videos, and with the recent Android Jelly Bean update, the interface is even more intuitive than before. In other words, the SIII is aimed at helping users quickly access applications without searching through a cascade of menus.

Another feature of this gadget is the robust hardware that resides below the Corning Gorilla Glass screen. The Exynos Quad Core processor ensures that the experience of using the phone is never hampered, even if there are several applications running in the background.

While software makes this phone run well, its features make it stand out. Equipped with an 8 MP camera that can capture burst shots—a multi-frame function whereby the camera takes many consecutive photographs in a single click—the SIII lends itself to beautiful, high quality photographs. It also contains the ability to share large files quickly through a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC) S-beam.

In addition, the phone exhibits an impressive intelligence. Features, such as “Smart stay,” which detects your gaze to maintain the brightness of the screen as long as you are looking at the phone, and “Direct call, ”which dials a selected number automatically when the phone is lifted to your ear, truly epitomize the phone’s tagline “Not just smart. More human.”

Analyses suggest Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill (www.app.com).
a, Science & Technology

A bitter pill to swallow: Zoloft’s inefficacy

by Ilia Blinderman on

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Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in terms of revenue, is being sued by a woman who claims that the antidepressant drug Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill. The plaintiff, Laura Plumlee, alleges that Zoloft failed to alleviate her depression in spite of a three-year treatment course.

Pfizer responded by saying the lawsuit was frivolous. Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), agreed.

“As a class, antidepressant medications are highly effective. They alleviate substantial amounts, if not complete symptoms in 50 to as high as 80 per cent of patients treated who suffer from major depression,” he said in a statement to the Washington Post.

However, Plumlee’s claims have firm scientific grounding. A series of analyses spearheaded by Associate Director of the Program in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School Dr. Irving Kirsch, have cast serious doubts on Zoloft’s efficacy. Kirsch’s research claims that Pfizer released the medication with full knowledge that it is no better than a placebo for treating mild to moderate depression.

In addition to examining all openly available data on Zoloft’s efficacy, Kirsch requested Pfizer’s unpublished data through the Freedom of Information Act. He discovered that, while the company had supplied two studies showing Zoloft’s superiority over placebo, as per requirements of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it failed to publicize the majority of its research, much of which suggested Zoloft’s inefficacy. After taking into account the publication bias—the tendency for significant findings to reach academic journals while non-significant results (those that do not support the research) remain unpublished—into account, Kirsch found that 75 per cent of Zoloft’s effect vanished.

Worse yet, Kirsch believes that much of the remaining effect stemmed from poor study execution. Successful clinical trials are supposed to keep both the clinicians and the patients in the dark regarding who receives the placebo and the real treatment, through a process referred to as a “double-blind trial.” If certain patients discover that they are consuming the treatment, their expectancies regarding its effects may influence their response; Kirsch suspects this is what occurred in Pfizer’s case.

The lawsuit, which was filed in California, asked a California judge to approve two class-action lawsuits—one for California residents, and one United States-wide. It asks Pfizer to reimburse patients for drug costs, and to cease making claims of the drug’s efficacy. While drug companies frequently face lawsuits from doctors and clients, this may be the first instance of a lawsuit demanding reimbursement due to an ineffective drug. The case may face dismissal, however, because of a previous Supreme Court decision stating that an individual may not recover damages they incurred by alleging a drug manufacturer elicited FDA approval for their drug through fraudulent means.

The case may also have important implications for medicine in Canada. While the brunt of prescription occurs in the U.S., recent survey data suggests that Canadian psychiatrists are six times more likely to prescribe sub-therapeutic doses of antidepressants than non-psychiatrist physicians, thereby harnessing the placebo effect.

The lawsuit brings to light a recurring question of accountability in the drug industry. While pharmaceutical companies marketed Zoloft heavily, with very positive-ads targeting consumers, the company failed to publish all of their findings and, as a result, lacks transparency.

Full disclosure: the author is a graduate student whose research dealt with placebo effects.

a, Science & Technology

Science Capsule

by Kieran Steer on

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Building a house out of French fries seems like a bad idea, but fried potatoes and lumber are, chemically, very similar. Only one bond distinguishes the food we enjoy from the wood with which we build.

Potatoes, made from starches, and lumber, made from cellulose, are both derived from the same sugar molecule: glucose. In order to form carbohydrates, the small glucose molecules bond with each other to form large chains of repeated glucose molecules called polymers in a process known as polymerization. Once these molecules are bound together, they form carbohydrates that can be broken down by our bodies into energy.  This polymerization process creates distinct patterns in the glucose chain structure, which is the key difference between the wood we use as lumber, and the food we eat.

When glucose molecules in starch or cellulose bond together to form long chains, they join by either an alpha (α) or beta bond (β), which refers to the configuration of the molecules in the chain. Based on the type of bond formed, the resulting polymers will have an entirely different function.

Starches, known as glycogen in animals and amylopectin in plants, are characterized by alpha linkages between each molecule. This bond ensures that all the glucose molecules in the long chain are positioned in the same direction, facing outwards. Due to this orientation, these atoms can welcome additional bonds in the molecule to form side branches. These side branches grow very large, as more glucose molecules join in; and eventually, the chain forms a giant web of glucose polymers—although not a very strong one.

In contrast, cellulose—the stuff we build houses with—is made up of glucose bound by beta linkages. These bonds, however, alternate the position of each molecule in the polymer, largely blocking any side bonding atoms. Whereas the alpha linked glucose chains in starches welcome side branching, the beta linkages in cellulose are better for packing linear glucose strands side by side. Unlike a starch’s weak glucose web, cellulose is composed of strong linear chains of glucose that pack together like a bundle of pencils.

Thanks to the difference in this single bond, humans can digest French fries rather than wood—even though both of these substances are composed of glucose monomers. The branching caused by alpha linkages results in a starch molecule with weak bonds, meaning it is not difficult for the body to digest starch. Furthermore, humans possess the enzyme amylase (a protein that helps break down starch) to be used in the digestion of glucose. This enzyme only has the capability to digest alpha linkages; meaning humans cannot break down cellulose in wood to use as a source of nutrition.

Therefore, although our appetites appreciate the soft web of glucose in potatoes, our minds and our houses can appreciate the shelter that a strong beta glucose linkage offers in trees.

Melanie Simon, Biology, U2 (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)
a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the Week

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Q: What’s your dream job?

A: This is the nerdiest answer you’re ever going to get—I really just want to work in a lab and do lab things; like wear a lab coat and look in my microscope.

Q: What’s one book you think everyone should read?

A: Obviously, the Harry Potter series. My boyfriend [said], “I hate Harry Potter,” and I [said], “I don’t know if this is going to work out.” I have the whole series on our bookshelf in our living room, and I just love it. It’s like something you grow up with.

Q: What’s your secret talent?

A: I have a bunch of random biology facts that I drop on everyone sometimes. You know when you like someone’s body odour? Like, sometimes people are attracted to body odour….and that’s good because it actually shows that your immune systems would be compatible if you had kids. You recognize the smell of their immune system, so if you’re not disgusted by it, it means that your immune systems are compatible—or different enough—that you’ll have a kid with a really good immune system.

Q: If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would it be, and what would you do?

A: Probably the Long Island Medium. I would just have the biggest hair and be so obnoxious, going up to people in the grocery store being like “Who passed?” And they would cry, and it’d be awesome.

Q: What’s your least favourite sound in the world?

A: You know those winter jackets you used to have as a kid that were really starchy and hard? Those big colourful kids jackets that are really rough and hard to touch? The sound that they make when they rub together. It’s the worst sound. It actually makes me so uncomfortable; it makes me want to throw up.

Q: Describe midterm season in three words.

A: Anything but studying.

Q: If you could create a new national holiday, what would it be?

A: Apparently, last week was national Pancake day in the US, and IHOP was giving out free stacks of pancakes; I would be down to do that in Canada.

Q: What word or phrase do you most overuse?

A: I’m going to have to say ‘poo.’ Usually I use it to censor myself from saying other words though, to be fair.

Q: What technological development do you hope to see in your lifetime?

A: Selfishly, teleportation. The thing is, I always leave for class late, and I live like two seconds from campus, so it’s not fair that I do that. It’s not okay, because I’m always there at 10:36 when I could have been there before the class started. But [more altruistically], I would say cures for diseases.

Q: If you were an alcoholic beverage, which one would you be?

A: I would be a Corona with a slice of lime on a hot day.

Q: What’s one thing you would change about McGill?

A: More tunnels. Heated in the winter, and cold in the summer. With maps everywhere. And an app [with a map] that you can check in the tunnels, and Wi-Fi in the tunnels. There you go.

Q: What’s your lucky charm?

A: I always use the same pencil to write all my notes for a final, and [then] I use it for the final.

Q: What happens if you lose the pencil?

A: Disaster. Apocalypse.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: Give me forty years, and I’ll be perfect for Extreme Cougar Wives. Or Keeping up with the Kardashians. I want to be one of the Kardashians.

Q: Who would star in the story of your life?

A: One time a guy told me I looked like Natalie Portman, as like, trying to hit on me, and I laughed for like ten years. So probably not Natalie Portman. Ellen Page? No that’s bad, I don’t like her that much. April from Parks and Rec. Aubrey Plaza.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: I’m the largest revenue builder for Sinfully Asian.

a, Recipes, Student Life

Recipe: Cheese (cup)cakes

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 box graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup margarine, melted

1 1/2 packages of cream cheese [8 oz. packages], softened

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ eggs

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

1 package chocolate chips (for garnishing)

12 cupcake liners

Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Mix together melted margarine and graham cracker crumbs following the directions on the graham cracker box for exact ratio.

In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and white sugar using a large spoon, until mixed fairly well.

Add in eggs and vanilla extract, and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Spoon a thin layer of graham cracker mix into each cupcake liner, and pack down firmly.

Pour cheesecake mix into each cupcake liner, but leave a little bit of room for cupcakes to rise in the oven.

Add chocolate chips to the top of each cupcake, or substitute any other topping you prefer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking often. Cupcakes should look a little undercooked when they come out of the oven, as they will set further as they cool.

Cool to room temperature, and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

The Shag Shop
a, Student Life

McGill hosts first ever “Sex Week” on campus

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Monday, Feb. 11 marked the start of McGill’s first ever Sex Week, presented by the Shag Shop. Despite her hectic schedule, the event’s organizer, Monika Viktorova, found time to sit down with the Tribune and give us a rundown on exactly what we can expect from the event.

McGill Tribune: How long has Sex Week been held at McGill? How did it begin?

Monika Viktorova: The health promotion team at the Shag Shop has had sexuality fairs in the past. But … this is kind of the first year we’re branding it ‘sex week.’ A bunch of other universities do have ‘sex weeks.’ The most famous ones are Harvard’s and Yale’s, because they get a lot of controversy. Last year Harvard’s almost got shut down—there’s just a lot of controversy about workshops they were running. It’s usually in that time period, that first couple weeks of February, to coincide with Valentine’s Day and make it romantic.

MT: Do you know what in particular was controversial about Harvard’s Sex Week?

MV: When I took a look at the programming for some of the sex weeks in the States, [I saw that] some of them centre around sex and religion. It’s a topic that’s kind of more specific to the States, and more controversial in the States; so I think that’s where some of the controversy arose.

MT: How does McGill’s Sex Week programming compare [to Harvard’s]?

MV: I have to say it’s not anything like it. When we were first kind of starting to sit down to plan Sex Week, we wanted to look at other models for how they were run. What we found was that the issues discussed [at Harvard and Yale] were campus specific … so we wanted to make sex week specific for the McGill community and the Montreal community.

MT: What kind of events does McGill’s Sex Week offer? 

MV: We’re running a bunch of hour-long workshops that we do in the residences. The Shag Shop has a bunch of workshops developed. On Monday [we held a workshop on] sex positivity; just kind of breaking the barrier of talking about sex, discussing sexual stigma, and discussing health and contraception choices. Then, [today, on] Tuesday we’ve got a trans 101 workshop, which Queer McGill is running for us. Again, just breaking down stigma and opening up dialogue, so people are aware of transphobia. Wednesday, we’ve got a talk by the head of the IGSF, the Institute for Gender Sexuality and Feminist Studies, Professor Groanfeld, and she’s talking about sex and disability. So again: just de-stigmatizing the many different sexualities that are out there. And Thursday, we have a really cool workshop on kink and consent. So if people are thinking about kink, or are involved in the kink community, [they can] discuss consent culture. Then on Friday, we have a polyamory workshop. The facilitator of the workshop is coming in to talk about her experiences with polyamory; her relationships, and how she manages them. [We’re trying to] open up a conversation about what [people] think polyamory is, and the normative nature of monogamy in society.

MT: Can you tell me more about ‘One Night Shag?’

MV: One Night Shag is our grand finale for Sex Week. It’s on the Friday evening at Gerts at 8 p.m. Our colleague Kristin has been organizing it, and she’s very involved in it. It’s kind of an evening of performance, so a lot of the dance groups on campus are coming out to perform. All of the donations are going to support the ACCM which is an AIDS organization in Montreal.

MT: Had there been a pre-existing collaborative relationship between the Shag Shop and these other organizations?

MV: Some of the groups we’ve worked with before. Queer McGill we’ve worked with in the past, and they’re fantastic; so I really wanted to bring them in, so that the week was queer-friendly. In terms of getting in touch with speakers and stuff, we reached out to a bunch of different people. We wanted to make it as broad as possible….I’m definitely hoping that as we see how the event goes, and decide about whether it becomes an ongoing thing year to year, [as] we get more of the groups on campus involved with us, and kind of make it a very collaborative effort.

MT: What do you hope Sex Week will accomplish this week?

MV: I guess the overarching goal is the de-stigmatization of having a conversation about sex. That’s something that’s really important to me, and to everyone who works at the Shag Shop. We kind of work towards that, to just have open and honest dialogue about sex, and that’s something I think McGill could use.

MT: Where can students go to get more information?

MV: If they just look up ‘Sex Week at McGill’ on Facebook, it’ll come up with the whole event page. We’ll also be handing out little cards with schedules on them all of this week.

Sex Week runs Monday Feb. 11 to Friday Feb. 15. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/129897910512965/

Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune
a, Student Life

X vs. Y: Two of Montreal’s best burrito joints go head to head

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Mission Quatre

Ilia Blinderman

One of my longstanding gripes with Montreal’s claim to the title of ‘City of Culinary Delights’ (and I have many—try experiencing food in Australia, and then talk to me) is the dearth of Mexican food. I don’t necessarily mean authentic Mexican; I’m neither a purist, nor a connoisseur, nor even a former visitor to Mexico. My criteria are more ‘Growing Boy’ than ‘Michelin Star’: quick, filling, and delicious, along the lines of the chain of Chipotle Mexican Grills in the U.S. With Mission Quatre (M4) Burritos’ opening last summer, I happily abandon my former criticism.

For anyone who’s been to Chipotle, M4 will be a familiar sight. The aesthetic is brightly lit, industrial chic, with sharp lines, orange seats, and steel all coming together into an environment which seems perfectly adequate for a fast-food eatery.  The menu, which forms the basis of the name, is simple: choose the type of dish, the meat, the salsa, and the sides. Choosing a burrito which I found best suited to my array of skills, I opted for the chicken with a medium-hot salsa.

With prompt service and polite staff, the transaction proved to be a painless endeavor. I received a large burrito bursting with chicken; I feared that incorrect handling would lead the volatile food pocket to burst, but managed to sate a sizeable hunger without making a mess. I happily report that it was, despite its chain-like feel, a highly palatable experience.

Burrito Shop

Sam Reynolds

Burrito Shop is exactly the kind of Mexican restaurant one would expect to find in Southern California. Its location on Saint-Laurent is small and inconspicuous; its prices are incredibly cheap, and its food is spectacular.

The menu is straightforward; if you don’t want a burrito, you can get tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, or tortilla soup. The owner, Jacomo Del Rosario, recommended I get the ‘cocinita pibil,’ or marinated pork.

The food seems very simple, but the preparation is complicated. Jacomo wakes up early to prepare the meats fresh every morning. He told me that my cocinita pibil was left overnight in a mixture of orange juice and achiote, then covered with banana leaves and roasted in the oven.

The second time I went to Burrito Shop, I ordered the carnitas—caramelized pork. As the name implies, the pork is caramelized and left to soak overnight in herbs and milk. In the morning, Jacomo fries it with juices, oranges, and coca-cola.

The shop also offers a homemade Jamaica (pronounced ha-mai-cha), a Mexican tea with hibiscus leaves and sugar that tastes like a mild cranberry juice.

What’s most impressive about Burrito Shop is that it brings local, homemade burritos to a city with a blatant lack of Mexican food. Jacomo moved from California to Montreal and was hesitant to open up a restaurant. He originally wanted to call it California Shop because of that simple, cheap, and delicious style of burrito the West Coast is known for, but was unsure how Quebeckers would respond. He opened the store, but changed the name, and business has been impressive ever since.

The first time I went to Burrito Shop, I was shocked that my burrito and Jamaica were under $10. Better yet, students get 10 per cent off their meal with a valid I.D.

Winner: Burrito Shop

For bringing authentic Southern Californian cuisine to the great white North, Burrito Shop takes the title. But both are inarguably worth a visit.

a, Student Life

Fashion Week Montreal

by Karen Chen on

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As a fashion-obsessed U0 in my first year in Montreal, it was only natural for me to pounce on the opportunity to score a ticket to Montreal’s annual Fashion Week. Upon browsing the website, I was ecstatic to find that not all of their shows were exclusive, and that some were available for general admission. The ticket prices weren’t through the roof either—tickets ranged from $15 to $25 (plus taxes and fees), depending on the designer. The line-up featured mostly unknown designers, but Martin Lim’s collection preview caught my eye. Well-known or not, the fashionista within me squealed with joy as I purchased my ticket.

Showtime was approaching, and I hurried out to catch a taxi—there’s no such thing as being fashionably late to a runway show! The venue was at Montreal’s Arsenal, a converted shipyard built in 1846 that now showcases contemporary art on the west side of the island along the canal. The Arsenal whisked me out of the cold, unwelcoming Montreal winter and into a world of style and glamour. Pieces of art adorned the walls, chic furniture filled the room, and impeccably dressed guests chatted along an open-concept bar at the back of the venue. Martin Lim’s show was to be held in the Main Hall, and the queue for the much-anticipated collection was buzzing with excitement.

I was lucky to secure a seat in the third row even with general admission. Electronic, trance-like music opened the runway show, and soon, models filled the stage—at first two by two, then, one by one. The collection began with a flourish of eclectic pieces, and foreshadowed the fringe fest to come; fringe, as well as silk cords and flaps, adorned countless pieces in cool, refined shades from grey-mauve to vivid cerulean. For footwear, each model sported the same chunky wedge wrapped in grey fabric, providing an element of consistency among the wide and creative range of clothing.

The minimalist clothing and barely-there makeup on the models stood in stark opposition against their extravagantly styled hair. As a finishing touch of femininity, Martin Lim’s signature free-flowing layered evening dresses appeared near the end of the show, showcasing the designer’s great attention to detail. I particularly liked the high-low evening dress in black and cerulean silk chiffon, with a low back tastefully cut in a V.

Martin Lim’s Fall 2013 show comprised of a modernist, chic rendition of style. Lim refers to the fringe as a look back in time, referring to the flapper fashion trend of the roaring ‘20s that has been bordering the attention of many designers for a few seasons recently. The ambiance of the show was one to remember, and the image of a smoky runway bathed in a wide array of cool colours lingered in the minds of its audience. The promising work of these young up and comers keeps the fashion crowds waiting for his next collection—what will Martin Lim offer for Spring/Summer 2014? Here’s to another queue of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming season. Living in such a vibrant city certainly has its perks, fashion or otherwise, so get out there and take advantage of it.

Photos from Karen Chen and urbanexpressions.ca

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