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a, Fact or Fiction, Science & Technology

Fact or Fiction: Is it blue and black, or white and gold?

by Lydia Kaprelian on

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#TheDress became a viral sensation at the end of February, triggering heated arguments: Is the dress blue and black, or white and gold? Though the trivial debate was blown tiresomely out of proportion, the disagreements have revealed amazing differences in how our eyes and brains have developed to perceive colour.

To see colours and composite images, wavelengths of light hit the retina in the back of the eye. In the retina, light is sorted by cone cells sensitive to red, blue, or green wavelengths. From there, activated cone cells send action potentials along the optic nerve to the visual processing cortex of the brain. The combination of signals allows our brain to make near-instantaneous judgments on the colours around us.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the time we’ll see the same colours,” Dr. Julia Haller, the ophthalmologist-in-chief at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia explained to CNN. “But the picture of this dress seems to have tints that hit the sweet spot that’s confusing to a lot of people.”

The light from the object that enters our eyes is dependent not only on the object’s intrinsic properties but also on the object’s surrounding illumination. The ability to assign fixed colours amidst changing ambient lighting is called colour constancy. Colour constancy allows us to manage these ambient differences, like sunlight at noon versus at sunset.

“Our visual system is supposed to throw away information about the illuminant and extract information about the actual reflectance,” explained neuroscientist Jay Neitz from the University of Washington. “I’ve studied individual differences in colour vision for 30 years, and this is one of the biggest individual differences I’ve ever seen.”

The discrepancy for this particular image lies in the lack of information about the dress’s surroundings. Though the background appears light in color, the source of illumination is not clear. If the dress appears washed out in bright light, then often the dress is seen to be blue and black. But if the dress is perceived under a dark shadow, it is more likely that the dress is seen as white and gold. When the context of illumination varies, so will visual perception.

What do these differences mean? Why do some view the dress in a shadow while others perceive an overexposed room?

“Why do some people love cilantro and others say it tastes like soap?” Haller responded. “Why do some people have perfect pitch and others are tone deaf? It’s the same with vision—our sensory apparatus is fine tuned.”

Our highly developed sense of colour likely stems from a biological evolutionary advantage. As trichromats—those who have red, green, and blue sensitive cone cells—human ancestors were more likely to perceive a difference in colour between a ripe fruit and its surrounding foliage compared to dichromats—almost all non-primate mammals. Heightened sensitivity to colour differences thus conferred a greater chance of survival to fellow trichromats. Our ability to sense a wide array of color likely means there are slight variations in our visual information filtering. The differences of perceived dress colour is therefore likely the product of evolutionary variability. 

a, News, SSMU

SSMU Council endorses QPIRG referendum question

by Lauren Wildgoose on

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Motion to support QPIRG Winter 2015 referendum

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council passed a motion to support the McGill  branch of the Québec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG)’s 2015 referendum by endorsing a “Yes” vote for a fee increase from the current $3.75 per semester to $5.00 per semester for full-time students. SSMU Vice-President University Affairs Claire Stewart-Kanigan spoke to the motion.  

“QPIRG provides a hub on campus for social justice-related research, advocacy, and organizing,” she said. “But it’s also a great academic resource for the community [….] QPIRG provides an excellent service on campus and there is clearly rationale for the expansion of their resources to continue providing the great services that they do.” 

QPIRG plans to use the $42,000 that would be gained from the fee increase to sustain current programming as well as to fund new initiatives, such as the creation of more work study positions, according to QPIRG student board members Ella Belfer and Cadence O’Neal.

“Over the past few years, our finances have been increasingly unsustainable,” Belfer said to Council. “We’ve been trying to supplement that as much as possible with grants and external sources of funding, but a lot of those sources of funding have been drying up, and at the same time, inflation has made our budget a lot smaller.” 

Among the services that QPIRG has had to cut back on this year are Culture Shock and Social Justice Days, two of QPIRG’s annual event series. Culture Shock, which in the past has run for a full week, was reduced to three days.

“It’s really important that SSMU is vocal in supporting QPIRG,” Belfer said. “One of the valuable things that we’ve been able to provide to the campus is an alternative space for people who don’t necessarily feel like they’re included in a lot of typical McGill activities, anything from frosh to ongoing programs, clubs, and events.”

Motion regarding interim changes for Board of Directors elections

Council also passed a motion regarding interim changes for the Board of Directors elections. The motion allows elections for the Board of Directors to take place earlier in the year, institutionalizes the responsibility of being a councillor on the Board of Directors during the summer period, and gives SSMU permission to run a referendum to approve Board of Director nominations outside the regular approval timeframe, according to the motion document and its mover Stewart-Kanigan. 

It also mandates outgoing Executive Committee members to inform incoming councillors of the opportunity to sit on the Board of Directors and train the elected councillors to be informed of the opportunity before June 1.   

“The benefit [of this motion] is that the Election Committee will actually be able to do work during the summer,” Medicine Senator David Benrimoh said. “This will actually end up with a better Board of Directors that’s better trained and knows what it’s getting itself into.”

Notice of motion to support family care

Stewart-Kanigan raised a notice of motion regarding the SSMU Policy of Support for Family Care. The motion, if passed, would have SSMU adopt an ongoing stance of support for current and future efforts to expand child care services for SSMU and McGill community members. SSMU would also participate in advocacy efforts to lobby the Quebec government to expand the provision of limits on daycare licenses granted by the government.

“[Family care] has been an ongoing challenge on campus,” Stewart-Kanigan said. “The daycare needs are dramatically underserved, with over 700 children currently on the waiting list with the McGill Childcare Centre [….] These are longstanding issues that are going to require multi-year advocacy, and it’s important to have a policy that stands through for those series of years.”

The motion will be brought to Council on March 12. 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Lose your language to dance with Le Couleur

by Audrey Carleton on

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Montreal-based trio Le Couleur is back in town promoting their latest EP, Dolce Desir. The drummer of the electro-dance-pop group, Steven Chouniard, took time to speak with the Tribune in the midst of their tour, which began in New York City and will be continuing up to Quebec City.

For a group singing entirely in French, playing for predominantly English-speaking audiences in anglophone cities like New York and Toronto may seem like a risk. As Chouinard explained, it’s quite the opposite.  

“I didn’t expect anything like this,” Chouinard admitted, describing the success of their tour thus far. “We’re singing in French [for mostly] English people, so you don’t know what [to expect]. But it went really well, actually. The American people are very open [to] this language.” 

The band also attributes its success within anglophone audiences to the style of music it plays. 

“We are doing this kind of dance-y house disco music that can take on any language,” Chouinard said.

When prompted with the question of defining the band’s music, however, Chouinard paused. 

“That is a hard question actually, because we don’t like to categorize our music,” Chouinard explained. “No artist likes to categorize [his or her] music [….] I would say, like I said earlier, it’s dance music. We want to make people dance.”

In defining the impact he wanted to have in the music world, Chouinard responded humbly: It’s not about the fame, it’s about the music. 

“We just want to to play our music in front of people,” Chouinard said. “And the more people [that are] there, the more happy we are [….] You put all your passion, all your money, all your time, all your heart in those songs […] The goal is just to play in front of more people, and just live with your music, live with your passion.”

 Le Couleur’s passion about their music means they rarely have time to do anything else, but when the members of Le Couleur do find free time, they enjoy tracking down musical gems—particularly vinyl records. It’s difficult for the group to find spare moments like these while on tour, however. Chouinard acknowledged the difficulties that come with constant travel.

“You arrive [at the city you’re performing in], you’ve been driving all day, you get to the venue for the soundcheck, you have some time between the soundcheck and the performance, you eat—sometimes you don’t have time, so you don’t eat,” Chouinard lamented. “In the morning, you pack up the set and you get to the other [venue].” 

The high-speed, high-intensity nature of going on tour is just part of the job. Outlining his hectic schedule for the past few days, Chouinard explained how he had only gotten three hours of sleep the night before. Playing shows at night had kept him up late, only to wake up several hours later in the early morning to travel to the next stop on tour. However, Chouinard noted that type of hard work and motivation is essential to finding prosperity in the music business. 

“You have to work very, very hard, and you don’t give up, you keep going.” 

a, Opinion

Commentary: Pinkwashing event ignores LGBTQ progress in Israel

by Isaiah Grossman on

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I got off the bus at the station and eagerly looked around. Excitement rushed through my veins as I saw him. With a huge smile on my face, I fell into his arms; this was my boyfriend. We walked along the water’s edge, hand in hand, as people passed us with hidden smiles of pride and support. I wasn’t used to that, but then I reminded myself: I was in Israel.

As a person who has benefitted personally from the LGBTQ rights that Israel upholds, I was deeply offended when I found out about McGill’s Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights’ (SPHR) Pinkwashing event, “Palestine is a Queer Issue: A Workshop on Israeli Pinkwashing and Homonationalism,” a workshop which seeks to inform students about alleged Israeli pinkwashing. Pinkwashing is the idea that Israel has and promotes LGBTQ rights in order to distract from its treatment of Palestinians. It does not take into account the fact that hundreds of thousands of citizens of Israel, and tourists like myself, are actually benefitting every single minute of every single day from these rights, which are in place because Israel was founded on principles of equality

As stated in the Declaration of Independence, Israel upholds equal rights for all inhabitants regardless of religion, race, or sex. Israel holds regular free and democratic elections and has an independent judiciary. All of these are the requirements and fundamental aspects of a liberal democratic country. Furthermore, Israel is a proud supporter of LGBTQ rights, unheard of in the Middle East and still uncommon throughout the world.

LGBTQ rights are human rights and should never be reduced to claims of political scheming.

The attempts of naysayers to turn around the progress of LGBTQ citizens’ rights in Israel and use it as an attack on Israel is astounding. The term pinkwashing is offensive to all those who fought hard for equal LGBTQ rights in Israel, to all citizens and visitors of Israel who have directly benefited from these laws, and to anyone who earnestly defends and promotes LGBTQ rights anywhere in the world. To shame Israel, or any country, for having progressive laws protecting a minority is appalling.

Israel promotes its LGBTQ rights, along with all of its citizens’ minority rights, not to distract from the Palestinian’s plight, but out of pride of being a liberal democracy. In fact, the first step towards LGBTQ rights, namely not enforcing previous bans on homosexual activity, occurred in Israel in the early 1960s. However, having LGBTQ rights does not make Israel the democracy that it is. Israel’s regular representational elections and independent judiciary do that. Instead, LGBTQ rights are just one example of how Israel extends human rights to all of its citizens.

Unfortunately, Israel has legitimate security concerns, and has the responsibility as a democracy to protect all of its citizens including Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze and LGBTQ. Israel ensures that it upholds the fundamental human rights of each of these groups. Both Palestinians and Israelis have committed reprehensible acts, and as such, claiming one to be an innocent victim is not helpful. Clearly, this discussion is complex, and not the simplistic case of aggressor versus innocent victim, and adding the claim of pinkwashing into the mix is egregious. LGBTQ rights are human rights and should never be reduced to claims of political scheming. They should only be used as a beacon of hope for equality, much needed in the region. The only way forward is open, two-sided dialogue—not one-sided censures, divestments, or movements such as the offensive pinkwashing event, which are not helpful for the pursuit of reconciliation or peace.

 

Have your say, write for opinion. Email [email protected]

 

a, Science & Technology

Protecting against piracy using DRMs

by Clare Lyle on

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Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology has permeated our phones, our computers, even our coffee makers. In theory, DRM is meant to protect content creators from piracy; however, its critics are quick to disagree. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, DRM technologies “impede innovation, security, and basic user rights and expectations, while failing to inhibit copyright infringement.” 

Although DRM is not at the front of most people’s minds when they read a book on an e-reader or listen to music on an iPhone, it plays a major role in how media is consumed and what sources it can be accessed from. DRM ensures that eBooks bought from Amazon can only be read on a Kindle, and Microsoft can limit the number of computers that can run a single licence of Office. 

While it’s possible to get around DRM and, for example, read books from the Kindle store on a Nook, the expertise and time required to do so provides enough of a barrier that the average consumer is forced to either own two different devices, or purchase content from only a single provider. The pervasiveness of DRM turns it into something to be assumed rather than questioned.

Occasionally, DRM does win the spotlight. When Microsoft initially unveiled the Xbox One, gamers were outraged because of the “always-online” functionality that prevented players from borrowing games from friends or purchasing second-hand editions. The reaction of the Xbox community was so overwhelmingly negative that Microsoft ended up scrapping the concept. 

Ignoring consumer opposition to DRM can land a company in hot water, as Keurig has recently discovered. The coffee machine giant released its ‘Keurig 2.0’ in 2014, quietly adding a feature that prevented new machines from reading K-cups that it hadn’t produced. Despite consumer backlash, Keurig has stood by its decision to add DRM to the coffee industry. It saw a 12 per cent decline in revenue in Canada in the financial quarter following the Keurig 2.0 release.

DRM opposition can be seen as being moral. Opponents think that the practice goes against individual rights and gives too much power to large corporations. On a more practical level, DRM can also lead to major security vulnerabilities. In the early 2000s, Sony used software called XCP to restrict customer use of the music on CDs produced by the company. It was later revealed that this software left users’ computers vulnerable to third-party attacks. 

DRM is also criticized for its inefficacy. In theory, the technology is intended to prevent piracy. In practice, it is still possible for users to circumvent these restrictions. In fact, many methods of doing so can be found with a quick Google search; typing “Keurig 2.0” into the search engine prompts “keurig 2.0 hack” as one of the first suggestions. Jailbroken iPhones, an array of file conversion software, and programs that rip movies off of DVDs are all examples of how easy it is to get around DRM.

For most, DRM is little more than an inconvenience, like traffic jams. Its ubiquity causes it to fall off of the radar, except for the occasional media frenzy. This becomes a problem when the inconvenience turns into a liability, as was the case with Sony in 2005. Without an informed consumer base, it’s easy for DRM to be used in such a way that consumer rights are compromised. This leads to DRM’s greatest danger: It’s everywhere, but no one realizes.

Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois addresses her supporters in victory rally, minutes before fatal shooting. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
a, Opinion

Commentary: Language requirements necessary for Quebec’s culture and economy

by Albert Park on

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Quebec’s incessant language war found new fuel as McGill and Concordia recently released statements criticizing the province’s strict French language requirement for granting permanent residency, which was introduced in 2013 by the Parti Québécois (PQ). The universities claim that strict rules requiring proficiency in French are making it difficult to attract foreign professors.

The Liberal Party of Quebec responded to these complaints and instituted changes in December 2014 to make it easier for candidates with doctoral degrees to gain permanent resident status by giving them more ‘points’ in the immigration process. It would not be fair or necessary to implement further changes to make it easier for foreign professors to come to Quebec. The provincial government subsidizes universities with taxpayer money. Considering that the majority of taxpayers in Quebec are French-speaking, it is safe to assume that it wouldn’t represent the majority’s wishes to allow easier immigration for non-francophones to teach in Quebec’s universities.

Many anglophones have continued to demand that the government reform language laws to make it even easier for professors to bypass the requirements, in the hopes that this would allow universities to obtain the best talents possible. However, this mandate fails to look at the issue from a wider perspective. The clear goal of the strict language standards is to protect the French language in Quebec. All Quebec institutions—including McGill and Concordia—have a lot to gain from the preservation of the native language in the long run, which is what attracts many students to Montreal and to their universities. Therefore, the regulations are best left alone.

“All Quebec institutions […] have a lot to gain from the preservation of the native language in the long run.”

The urgency of the decline of the French language in Canada is another main factor necessitating strict language regulations. According to Statistics Canada, in 1981, 25 per cent of Canadians reported using French as the main language in their home, and in 2011, this percentage shrank to 21 per cent. While this drop is alarming enough for francophones, the truly worrisome part is that the decreasing use of French in Quebec itself is contributing to the decline rather than offsetting it. While there are many factors contributing to this decline of French in Quebec, the influx of non-French speaking immigrants constitutes a large part of the decline in French usage.

The Quebec government seeks to stop the movement away from the French language. Unless the movement away from using French is slowed, division and hostility between anglophones and francophones will reach a boiling point. According to some, political division and threats of separation are already key players behind Quebec’s poor economy. Investors and researchers do not want to put time or resources into a province that is as politically volatile as Quebec. Therefore, preserving the native language and maintaining political stability by keeping the majority happy is one way for Quebec to attract more business in the future, which will, in itself, attract more foreign workers and professors.

Furthermore, the idea of bringing in foreign professors and other workers at the cost of Quebec’s language and culture is counterproductive. Many people come to Quebec for the distinct lifestyle it offers—some even come to learn French. As McGill Principal Suzanne Fortier said in 2013, “McGill can attract the best professors and the best researchers because it attracts the best students. And we can attract the best students because they are attracted to Quebec.” Quebec’s identity is based around being the only French-speaking province in Canada, and if the language continues to get phased out, the province may not attract as many newcomers. While the strict language requirements may seem harsh, they are an efficient way to ensure the survival of the French language in Quebec, which will improve its economy and preserve its identity in the long run.

Have your say, write for opinion. Email [email protected]

a, Off the Board, Opinion

Off the board: Broadening the feminist scope – In defence of Lana Del Rey

by Jack Neal on

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In a now-famous interview with Fader Magazine, Lana Del Rey was quoted saying, “For me, the issue of feminism is just not an interesting concept,” and that she is “more interested in intergalactic explorations.” This resulted in backlash, harsh criticisms, and a firm ‘anti-feminist’ label on her and her subsequent album, Ultraviolence.

At first, it’s not hard to see where this backlash stems from. Del Rey’s entire musical persona is that of a damsel-in-distress, stuck on the wrong side of the American dream, in which she was so brainwashed and confused between love and abuse that her ‘lover’ “hit [her] and it felt like a kiss.” Thus, critics such as Nolan Feeney the New York Times insisted that Del Rey was not only anti-feminist, but also glorifying domestic violence. Even Lorde weighed in on the controversy, stating that, “This type of shirt-tugging, don’t leave me stuff just isn’t healthy for young girls to hear.” It is true that Del Rey’s drug and sex-filled lyrical themes don’t paint the most traditionally empowering image of the modern woman. 

However, her outspokenness against the traditional feminist image of a powerful, independent woman is what makes Del Rey not only a controversial figure, but also an easy target. Strong, independent, and charismatic women such as Beyoncé and Lorde are the poster girls for the feminist movement. They are people who strive for a dominant position within society, and this shows in their music and how the public perceives them. Del Rey, on the other hand, comes across as a lonely, depressed, and desperate character; unsure of herself and lost in a whirlwind of American flags, red dresses, and men. Beneath the makeup and ’60s-bouffant hair, however, Del Rey is a reflection of our own loud voices, ideas, and frustrations. Silenced by her critics and feminist detractors, she is a model onto which society projects and pins up its own dangerously skewed perceptions. 

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Kim Gordon, founder of the band Sonic Youth, discussed the issue that many critics have with Del Rey: “Lana Del Rey […] believes women can do whatever they want, which, in her world, tilts towards self-destruction.” Del Rey is labelled anti-feminist because she is accused of undermining everything that women have worked hard in order to move away from. Therefore, her wallowing around in a lonely room of drugs, depression, and dependency is seen as detrimental to the feminist movement. 

However, these criticisms of Del Rey’s work and the lifestyle she chooses go completely against the values that feminist movement should be upholding. Why can’t there be a soft, broken, and vulnerable feminist? 

Society should be accepting of women of all personalities, choices, and lifestyles—not ignoring them because they don’t fit within the standard feminist mould.

Rejecting Lana Del Rey and her form of femininity is detrimental to the movement. Focusing the spotlight on super-women like Beyoncé creates an unrealistic and unachievable model for women to strive for, and deepens the stereotype of a feminist woman as someone who is conventionally ‘powerful.’ Society should be accepting of women of all personalities, choices, and lifestyles—not ignoring them because they don’t fit within the ‘standard’ feminist mould. In the monologue to her music video for “Ride,” Del Rey asks, “Who are you? Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies?” before confidently declaring: “I am; I am fucking crazy…. But I am free.” This notion of being free perfectly encapsulates Del Rey’s stance towards the feminist movement: Women should be free to be themselves, even if that self is flawed, and at times weak and disempowered. In her interview with Fader Magazine, Del Rey expanded on her attitude towards feminism, stating that, “[Her] idea of a true feminist is a woman who feels free enough to do whatever she wants.” She takes her freedom for granted, living the way she wants, with whoever she wants, all while defying the critics of her actions in the process.

Del Rey fills a gap within the feminist movement. She stands for the dark, the submissive, and the misjudged. Her very existence, and the criticism she’s received, is reflective of the anti-feminism that still exists today, but those who are attacking her choices and lifestyle are the very people who also claim to want equality. By accepting one type of woman as the ideal of feminism, the movement narrows itself and becomes unable to branch out and reach the broader range of individuals who are trying to exist, shutting them down because they do not fit into the categories that have been created in the name of ‘progress.’

Have your say, write for opinion. Email [email protected]

a, Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Communication key for student engagement in austerity mobilization

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) recently adopted a joint anti-austerity stance at a summit in the Thomson House that brought together the two student unions. Both groups have put forward their own motions in Fall 2014 affirming solidarity against Quebec’s austerity measures, and further cuts to the university’s budget. While there is clear concern within the student unions regarding the cuts to McGill’s operating budget, the timeline for the current year is running out, and further efforts are required to communicate the severity of the losses to students in order to bring about necessary mobilization in opposition to austerity.

Student executives must continue to increase awareness about austerity and convey the gravity of the cuts to the student body, particularly amidst the relatively quiet discourse on austerity at McGill. If students can see the impacts that the austerity measures will have, not only on the university as a whole, but also on the specific services and resources that they use on a daily basis, it would likely be easier for SSMU and PGSS to mobilize students to take action against austerity.

Actions and conversations regarding the austerity measures taking place within both student societies have included the creation of a SSMU mobilization committee, which has begun strategizing for an anti-austerity campaign, the hiring of an Austerity Measures Researcher, as well as scheduled meetings with l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Etudiante (l’ASSE) and the Fédération Etudiante Universitaire du Quebec (FEUQ) to discuss mobilization.

Despite the attention that SSMU and PGSS have given to the austerity measures, the student body itself has been noticeably complacent about the cuts facing the university, which amount to a sum of $15 million in the 2014 to 2015 year. Student detachment from the issue became a roadblock against progress at the summit when quorum was lost during a motion to mandate SSMU and PGSS to create a Joint Anti-Austerity Mobilization Working Group. This incident highlighted the need for student engagement if SSMU and PGSS are to undertake concrete actions to respond to the cuts facing the university. The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) recently adopted a joint anti-austerity stance at a summit in the Thomson House that brought together the two student unions. Both groups have put forward their own motions in Fall 2014 affirming solidarity against Quebec’s austerity measures, and further cuts to the university’s budget. While there is clear concern within the student unions regarding the cuts to McGill’s operating budget, the timeline for the current year is running out, and further efforts are required to communicate the severity of the losses to students in order to bring about necessary mobilization in opposition to austerity.

SSMU […] needs to initiate further conversations with students if it wants to mobilize united and fully-informed faction of students to combat the austerity measures.

Student mobilization en masse is necessary to effectuate changes regarding austerity. One-sided lobbying undertaken by student societies lack clout without the support of large swaths of the student body.

Two upcoming events—“Put Your Politics Where Your Mouth Is: Austerity Bites,” hosted by the Midnight Kitchen, and “Anti-Austerity Activities Night,” which is being hosted by SSMU—are seeking to bridge the gap between students and their representatives regarding conversations about austerity. Both seek to inform students about the austerity measures imposed on McGill and to encourage them to mobilize against the cuts. SSMU is collaborating with the students hosting both events, but needs to initiate further conversations with students if it wants to mobilize a united and fully-informed faction of students to combat the austerity measures.

The terms that student society executives spend in office pass by quickly. The fast turnover rate of executives therefore necessitates shorter consultation periods with students in order to leave more time for executives to implement changes.

Moving forward, SSMU and PGSS need to engage students in order to make progress against the austerity measures. In addition to the oft-cited need to improve communication with students, the student unions can improve the visibility of the actions that they are already undertaking unilaterally to combat austerity. The turnover rate of student society executives is substantial, and improving the visibility of the actions that have been taken or are in progress will help to keep students engaged in combating austerity from year to year. If made aware of the constructive and ongoing steps that their student unions have taken, students will hopefully be more likely to become engaged in supporting the movement against austerity themselves.

This article was corrected Tuesday, March 10, 2015.

Have your say, write for opinion. Email [email protected]

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Basketball: Redmen season ended by Bishop’s in RSEQ Finals

by Aaron Rose on

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McGill Redmen
63

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop's Gaiters
68

 

 

 

 

It was too little too late for the McGill Redmen on their quest for their third straight RSEQ Championship. After trouncing the fourth-seeded Concordia Stingers 74-60 on Friday night, the Redmen faced off against the third-seeded Bishop’s Gaiters in the RSEQ Finals in front of Bishop’s home crowd. The Gaiters were looking to “exorcise their McGill demons,” as the Bishop’s commentator repeatedly explained, after watching his team fall to McGill in back-to-back championship games over the past two seasons. This time, the veteran Gaiters squad came out firing, downing McGill 68-63 and moving on to the CIS Championships.

McGill started hot against Concordia in the semifinals, jumping out to a 25-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Redmen upped their lead to 22 in the third on a red-hot 53 per cent shooting percentage in the second half. Second-year forward Michael Peterkin led the way for the Redmen, scoring 16 points while shooting 70 per cent from the floor.

“I just played with confidence and a lot of emotion,” Peterkin said. “I wanted to help my team out in any way I could.”

Senior guard Ave Bross logged significant minutes off the bench, recording 10 points and eight boards–just two rebounds shy of what would have been his first career double-double. RSEQ Defensive-Player-of-the-Year Dele Ogundokun recorded 14 points and a pair of steals, while second-year guard Jenning Leung finished in double-digits with a 10-point game.

Unfortunately for McGill, the fun didn’t last long.  In the final, the Redmen started slow against the Gaiters, shooting 39 per cent from the field and a pitiful 12.5 per cent from behind the arc in the first half. Bishop’s took advantage, connecting on 56 per cent of their shots, including four from deep, to grab an eight-point lead heading into the half.

The Gaiters stretched their lead to 20 late in the third before the Redmen came storming back on a 25-5 run to tie the game up at 60.

“We knew if we got it close in the fourth, we would have a chance to win,” RSEQ Rookie-of-the-Year Noah Daoust said. “We kept our focus and believed in our abilities.” 

Daoust finished off his impressive rookie campaign with 17 points off the bench for the Redmen, including a big three-pointer to tie the game up at 63.

McGill regained the ball down by three with 40 seconds left. Although it’s tough to doubt the game-time decisions of two-time RSEQ Coach-of-the-Year David DeAveiro, it was strange to see two of McGill’s best three-point shooters, Thomas Lacy (33 per cent) and Regis Ivaniukas (31 per cent), on the bench for that possession. DeAveiro decided to play four of his five starters and replace struggling centre Francois Bourque with the red-hot Daoust in the final seconds. 

“I ended up getting a pass from [Leung] for an open shot at the top of the key,” fourth-year captain Vincent Dufort said. “[I] thought about shooting before I caught the ball and ended up fumbling [it]. [The ball] happened to go to [Daoust], and he had to take a contested shot. It was an unfortunate outcome, but you have to give the Gaiters credit.”

Bishop’s grabbed the rebound and added a pair of free throws to close out the game.

The majority of the Redmen team is expected to return next year, including all five starters. While the loss to Bishop’s will be tough to accept right now, expect the Redmen to bounce back and make some noise in the CIS tournament next season.

“Seeing Bishop’s hoist the championship was tough to watch,” Peterkin said. “It will motivate us to come back and unleash havoc on the conference and the rest of the nation next season.”

a, Chill Thrills, Student Life

Chill Thrills: Nuit Blanche—Fresh Paint Gallery

by Mingye Chen on

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Nuit Blanche kicked off on Saturday, Feb. 28, marking the end of this year’s Montréal en Lumière. The month-long celebration of lights, food, arts, and culture concluded with a full day and night of free art installations, gallery showings, and live music. Nuit Blanche has historically been an event tailored to encourage the people of Montreal to discover a variety of artists and explore new venues. One such gallery embraced this spirit of exploration and discovery. Fresh Paint Gallery, located at 221 Saint Catherine, is a space for talented street artists to display their work. Taking graffiti to the next level, Fresh Paint is a non-profit gallery that is dedicated to showcasing up-and-coming artists.

The murals within Fresh Paint Gallery line the entry into the stairwell of the gallery. The graffiti and tags extend beyond the walls and cover the steps of the stairs as well. In celebration of Nuit Blanche, Fresh Paint Gallery painted over one of its mural walls in preparation for the four artists—MSHL, Isaac Holland, MAG Illustrations, and Cgo—all working to create a new mural with the concept of exquisite corpse-art tag team style. Fresh Paint calls this “Art Attack,” and artists paint directly onto a wall infusing creativity and style in the gallery.

According to Adrien Fumex, Fresh Paint Gallery manager since its conception in 2011, Nuit Blanche generates a much-needed interest in alternative arts.

“Graffiti is not generally associated with positive things. We are trying to destigmatize street art and show that it does have a place in the Montreal arts scene,” Fumex said. “Nuit Blanche is huge every year. We get hundreds of new visitors of all ages throughout the night. Some of which never would have stepped inside otherwise.”

Volunteers run the show at Fresh Paint. Entry is by donation, and all proceeds go towards leasing the location and other administrative expenses. According to Concordia Sociology student Alisa Sou, many students volunteer at Fresh Paint.

“It is very accessible to get involved,” Sou said. “If you want to volunteer here, just come in and say hi. I have only been volunteering here for a month now and the team is incredible. It brings people of all ages together that have never really experienced street art.”

The ephemeral nature of the artwork at Fresh Paint is one of its many charms. Previous work is not preserved, but instead painted over live in a new exhibition, emulating the nature of street art. Every new mural is a risk and a testament to the skill of Montreal’s local artists. At Fresh Paint’s Nuit Blanche event, artists covered the wall over the span of five hours while spectators sat right behind the painters. 

Sarah Faye, a Montreal HEC Business School student and Nuit Blanche spectator, expressed positive sentiments towards her experience at Nuit Blanche.

“For students, what’s fun about Nuit Blanche is that it makes experiencing art in Montreal more fun and more accessible. It’s really nice to see street art and street dance be represented and brought together like this,” she said. “There’s also good wine that is free, so that’s always fun to have in a gallery.”

The gallery is open all year and has Art Attack events every three months. They also host a famous monthly graffiti battle named Beaux Dégâts at Foufones Electriques. 

 

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