The STM plans to change transit shelters into miniature art galleries, leaving it to the public to decide which of Montreal’s artists will see their art in the city. Voting on the Expo+ competition submissions continues until March 16. Photo by Alex Caban
The STM’s Expo+ contest is letting the public vote on the art gracing bus shelters next winter
Navigating Montreal’s public transportation system in winter comes with its own unique challenges, such as slippery sidewalks, relative bus scheduling, and crammed bus shelters.
The STM plans to change transit shelters into miniature art galleries, leaving it to the public to decide which of Montreal’s artists will see their art in the city. Voting on the Expo+ competition submissions continues until March 16. Photo by Alex Caban
In response to the last issue, the Societé de Transport de Montréal (STM) wants to make a change. With last year’s decision to implement new stylized bus shelters, the STM has initiated another move — art appreciation.
Quebecor Media, in collaboration with the STM, aims to bring about this change. The Expo+ contest, launched in January of this year, seeks to find 20 artistic works to adorn the newly designed bus shelters. According to the organizers, the art itself will serve to enhance the appreciation of these new installations.
In its first phase, the contest was open to all Quebec artists and marketing firms. During this time, over 1100 artworks were put forth for consideration. The organizers themselves have little say in the end result and have turned the decision over to public voting.
The selection of the finalists is ongoing. Voting will be open to the public until March 16 through the contest webpage. It is possible to view all of the entries, divided into general public applications and those submitted by advertising groups. After voting is closed, the four most popular works will be awarded cash prizes totaling $10,000.
As there is no general theme to the contest, the submissions themselves vary greatly. Among these are images of horses, Montreal cityscapes, Hollywood celebrities and abstract concepts, just to name a few.
This large diversity demonstrates what a wide range of artistic ventures Quebecers are engaged in. The variety points to the richness of Quebec’s artistic scene, where not all artists are looking at the same subjects in the same way. This divergence is found, not only in the public offerings but also in the corporate ones.
Surprisingly, none of the advertising company entries feel like promotional material or even focus on merchandise. One must wonder then if the category was made more on the basis of group contributions versus individual productions, instead of the message to be transmitted. Regardless of this division, company-generated art is just as diverse and interesting as the individual submissions.
Arguably, the diversity presented is slightly disappointing as well. It is unlikely that the finalists will share any cohesive element in their material at all. An opportunity was missed to define the new bus shelters as a part of Montreal’s cultural environment. Had there been a defined theme, such as ‘chez nous’ for example, the final product would have had some focus and cultural resonance yet still retain the diversity already present.
It is a rare occurrence when the public is given a say concerning anything to do with collective transport. Given the opportunity now, everyone should vote — whether it be for their favourite artwork, or the for the one they would find the least objectionable to see every day on the morning commute.
Voting will continue until March 16. The top 20 finalists will be announced on March 24. The top four entries will be revealed on Friday, April 4 on the Salut Bonjour! television program and in Le Journal de Montreal and 24 Heures newspapers. For more information and to vote on the art submissions, visit: abribus.ca/en/contest/expo-plus/
Winter’s biggest party hides colorful gems underground
Written by Jocelyn Beaudet and Nathalie Laflamme
While the streets of downtown Montreal are flooded with people – dancing, drinking, socializing and otherwise having a good time, a quieter expression forms, under the concrete where thousands party. Nuit Blanche happens once a year; the metros are open all night, and festivities are thrown all around the city. This is also host to one of the largest art exhibits, spanning the entire ‘underground city’, and beyond. This year, like every other year, I’d opted out of partying all night in favor of tasting the artistic diversity of our local artists. My journey began at metro Places-des-Arts, where the first exhibit that would catch my eye was.
Amidst the sea of people, this brightly lit contraption was colorful, and odd enough to make me double-take. There was something that felt so out of place, and yet belonged exactly where it was. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
No further than a few meters away, there was the sound of endlessly echoing human voices, equally unnerving and yet, strangely reminiscent of whale ‘songs’. The sound came from this dome, made entirely out of speakers. Several microphones hung from the inside, where those who climbed in could speak, sing or hum. Usually, this proximity would cause horrible audio feedback, but for some reason, all that escaped was the strange sounds that caught my attention in the first place. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
As I walked further into places-des-arts, I was greeted by what can only be described as a life-sized version of Lite-Brite. The crowd was having fun organizing the pieces around before moving further into the larger part of the ARTV Studio exhibit. I decided to make a small detour into the exhibit and explore it a bit further. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
There was something oddly enchanting about the whole thing, but I didn’t stay put for very long, and moved on deeper inside. Where someone was painting. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
Now this isn’t something I’ve seen very often in my past attendances of Nuit Blanche. Two artists were painting separate pieces. This was the first I saw in action. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
On my way to the second painter though, I was stopped by this ‘statue’. Although hardly made of earthen materials, it reminded me oddly of a clay statue, and some vague recollections of Indiana Jones. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
And here stood the second painter. Equally as impressive as the one before him. I stood by to watch him paint a little further, and moved out of the ARTV Studio exhibit, and made my way towards Complexe Desjardins after making this small detour. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
There’s always some sort of interesting looped film playing in the hallway of place-des-arts, this in itself isn’t particularly new. But this particular looped animation, reminiscent of older cartoons, made me smile and brought back some fonder memories. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
I took a short break once I was inside Complexe Desjardins, for a bit of coffee and because a crowd was gathering around the fountain at the center. By the fountain though, was this ominous monolith. Admittedly, I wasn’t impressed with it at first and opted out of taking a picture of it. But over the few minutes I stood by it, the looming presence of the exhibit grew on me. I barely had the time to snag a picture before the lights dimmed, and the fountain began ‘misting’. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
Accompanied by some beautiful music in the background, the scene felt almost like a fairy tale, straight out of a live-action Disney movie. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
Predictably, the fountain’s spout shot the water all the way to the shopping mall’s high ceiling. Although nothing out of the ordinary for those familiar with the fountain, the colored lights and music made for a more meaningful experience, almost building the whole thing like a crescendo.
As the presentation ended, I began to make my way out of the mall, and further away from Places-des-Arts. Also predictably, this is where things started becoming a little less interesting. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
A bit past Complexe Guy-Favreau’s underground was a piece of wireframe which, when illuminated and projected to the wall behind, created an interesting perception trick. The exhibit itself though, felt ill-placed and easy to pass by, should its presentation not be underway. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
On the way to the Palais des Congres, in the brightly lit tunnels, was this. The odd combination of geometry and art felt like it spoke out me, almost begged for my attention. With that being said, I’m still unsure as to what exactly it represented. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
As we climbed out of the underground, giant replicas of cigarettes piled together like a campfire stood in my way. I’m sure there was a message to convey here, but I’ve missed the point completely. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
Through another hallway, the projection of walking silhouettes on crumpled paper was on display. With the sounds of a busy crowd playing in the background, the shadows on the paper continued along their merry way, even when the hallway was deserted. For some reason, it felt oddly creepy, like seeing and hearing ghosts in the city’s often silent tunnels. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
In the Palais des Congres now, there danced a strange yarn-clad figure. Not seen in the picture is the headphones protruding from its side. After some time spent fearing ghosts in the city’s underground, I didn’t quite feel comfortable around this exhibit and promptly walked away. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
My trip towards the Eaton Centre from here remained fairly uneventful. Exhibits were plenty, but at this point, I felt disenchanted. When we arrived at the city’s busiest mall, the yearly ‘crowd-sourced’ art exhibit was well underway. As the crowd was encouraged to participate and draw its own art on different-shaped canvases. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
And here, my journey came to an end. After spending three hours mulling over several dozen presentations and exhibits, I was about ready to call it a night.
There were several other exhibits that I’ve seen, but not presented, and these represent my favorites – both good and bad – among the ones that I’d seen this year.
As usual though, the furthest I was from places-des-arts, the less impressed I was with the exhibits themselves. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet
At the end of the day though, the whole thing was a fun experience, and many of the exhibits are still available for art lovers to browse until March 14th. That being said, the exhibits may end up being just as busy as this one in the end. Photo by Jocelyn Beaudet.
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Meanwhile, on campus…
Concordia took part in Nuit blanche with their event, Crystaline. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
At the VAV Gallery in the VA building, three artists were given twp square feet of an “interactive film strip” to create pieces that respond to winter in Montreal. This piece was created by Keir MacDonald, and is called Flip-Strip No. 1. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
“Montréal la belle”, by Audrey Dandenault. This piece is made of silk. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
Many projections took place inside and outside the gallery. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
In the MFA gallery, participants were able to try their hand at animations, learning from students as well as professionals, like Concordia professor Erik Goulet. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
Participants got to try animating with puppets, different colors of sand, and cutout papers. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
Participants also got to learn to animate with 35 mm film and sharpies from professor Goulet. The animation projects were later projected, and participants got to keep their ribbons. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme
Some food trucks have refused to let winter get in the way of their new relationship with Montreal. While you can catch some trucks parked in and around the city, food truck owners Pascal Salzman, Jared Dunawa, and Ketan Patel of Le Cheese decided to put a different spin on their tasty wheels during the colder months.
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Le Cheese has opened a pop-up restaurant at Cosmos in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. A pop-up restaurant is a temporary solution for food trucks where they get permission from restaurant owners to rent some space and serve up their dishes.
“[We] approached a few breakfast restaurants with the proposal to rent their space in the evenings and use their equipment and to cook our food,” explained Salzman.
Cosmos is open for breakfast during the day, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., after that, the space is ready for Le Cheese to do business.
The concept of a pop-up restaurant came from Montreal food truck, Grumman 78, who had their own pop up at Nouveau Palais. After its success, “we figured we’d give it a shot,” said Salzman. Even in the winter, party-goers are looking for a late night food option. That, along with the familiarity of the NDG area, helped Le Cheese move indoors.
“Having a pop-up restaurant gives us a chance to offer customers a sit down experience,” said operations/marketing manager, Benjamin Carter.
After the great response they received this past summer, the team wanted to keep that same momentum without having clients wait in the cold, explains Carter.
Dunawa and Salzman have been regulars at Cosmos, and couldn’t think of a better place to call home for the winter.
“We were extremely fortunate our favorite neighborhood spot agreed to our proposal almost immediately,” said Salzman.
Owning a food truck comes with its challenges, specifically a business whose main vein runs through the summer season. For Le Cheese, one of the challenges was keeping up the energy to allow for a smooth transition come winter.
To suit the season, some winter-inspired dishes have been added to the menu. Montrealers can warm up to a parmesan-infused tomato soup, or beef chili with cheese curds. However, it was important for the owners that the menu stay more or less the same as their summer one.
“We wanted to create as many parallels as possible between the food truck and our pop-up,” said Salzman. “So only a few modifications were necessary.”
Despite the cold weather and buckets of snow, Le Cheese is among the many who understand that the life of a food truck in Montreal means adapting to the seasons. If you get hungry for food truck eats, keep an eye out for Das Food Truck and Gargantua parked around the Loyola Campus.
The Le Cheese pop-up restaurant is open at Cosmos on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., located at 5843 Rue Sherbrooke W. Montreal.
At the bottom of the ski hill, sitting on the couch, Alexandre Bilodeau’s hands are clenched to his face as he looks up anxiously at the big screen. The last skier is making his final run down Cypress Mountain, and Bilodeau is just waiting and waiting. Finally, France native Guilbaut Colas’ run is over, and fate is left in the judge’s hands.
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Sixth place, reads the jumbotron. That’s where Colas would finish in the standings, with a score of 25.74 points.
Jolting up from the couch in celebration, a victory party for Bilodeau was underway at the foot of the mountain, while history was being made.
“I knew [Colas] didn’t have the run to win. But I couldn’t believe it still, until I looked at the board and [he finished] number six, and I’m like ‘I’m first, I won the Olympic Games.’ I couldn’t believe it,” recalled Alexandre Bilodeau. “Everybody trains [for] four years, or all their lives, for that day, and I’m the only one [who] really worked out that day.”
The 26-year-old Rosèmere, Quebec native won Canada’s first of 14 gold medals at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games that day, and became the first Canadian athlete to win gold at any Canadian Olympic Games held on home soil.
“To be in the Olympics is an amazing experience, but having that chance to compete on home soil is something that not many people [get to do],” said Bilodeau. “I was fortunate to have one of the best performances of my life at the right moment. There’s no word to explain that… it’s amazing. It will stay with me all my life.”
The freestyle skier, who will be competing in his third and final Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, this coming February, said there isn’t anything that can top that gold medal win in Vancouver.
“Whatever the result will be in Sochi, even if I win, it’s not going to be the same,” said Bilodeau. “The experience in Vancouver was out of this world.”
Bilodeau attributes a lot of that gold medal win to his brother, Frédéric, who suffers from cerebral palsy.
“He’s my everyday inspiration. He has dreams in life, and most of his dreams are not realistic. He doesn’t have the ability to make it happen,” he said. “I need to go after my dreams. I don’t need to realize them, but I at least need to try [because] he lives his dream through me,[and] through my sister.
“To have him on the front stage with me in Vancouver, it was amazing to see his joy, to see how proud he was. It’s crazy how my mom drove me when I was a kid, to all these mountains, to all these competitions, and he was always in the car, waiting for me. He has done as much work as my mom to get me where I am now. He was a big part of that medal.”
As a kid, Bilodeau both skied and played hockey, but at the age of eight, hockey was out of the picture and everything was about skiing.
After watching Jean-Luc Brassard, another Quebec freestyle skier win a gold medal at the 1994 Olympics, Bilodeau was hooked on freestyle skiing.
He eventually chose to focus on moguls which is a branch of freestyle skiing.
In 2006, Bilodeau became the youngest man to win a World Cup event in Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) history at Mont Gabriel in St. Sauveur, QC. He won five gold medals during the 2008-2009 World Cup season and has now won three gold medals in a row, heading into the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in February.
Despite all of his success in skiing, Bilodeau said that hockey is his “favourite sport for all time,” and like many Montrealers, he cheers for the Habs.
Bilodeau is also a student at Concordia, studying accounting at the John Molson School of Business (JMSB).
He said he chose Concordia because Judith Woodsworth, a former President of Concordia, was the first to convince him that JMSB was the best fit. Although Bilodeau is Francophone, he decided to study school in English because he felt that being fluent in English was important for the business world.
“[JMSB] is an amazing school, great people there, great teachers that helped through these four years,” he said. “It hasn’t been an easy four years for me, always travelling, not there for the mid-term, not there for the final. This December, I wasn’t there for the whole period of the finals and I went to write an exam [in my teacher’s office] close to Christmas.”
Bilodeau added that with his hectic travel schedule during his competitive season, which falls from December until the end of March, he often doesn’t get to travel around and see many of the countries he visits. He will be leaving for Sochi on Feb. 1 after another competition in Norway. So, who will he be cheering for when he gets there?
“Team Canada,” he said with a laugh, adding that he’ll be attending some of their hockey games when he can. He’ll also be cheering for good friend and fellow skier, Erik Guay.
“I wish him the best, he deserves it,” Bilodeau said. “It’s amazing to live the Olympics with people you grew up with.”
So Montreal, you’ve got a thing for Bon Jovi, don’t you? Well, apparently Bon Jovi has a thing for Montreal since they’ve performed numerous sold-out shows here, and the world over, countless times.
Photo by Mark Kent
The New Jersey rockers have been around since 1983, and hold the record for most sold-out shows for every single one of their tours. Their Because We Can tour marked a celebration for them—30 years of great rock n’ roll music and success. In fact, they continue to tour around the world for the simple reason, “because they can.”
No matter where Bon Jovi goes, no matter which country, which state or province, no matter which venue, inside or outside, center or stadium, they sell every single ticket. Now why is this? Is it because people have always been so in love with the band’s great looks and powerful anthems and ballads, or is it simply because they have stayed true and relevant to who they are, and who they have been from the start? The answer to that is both and so much more.
Since 1983, the band’s songs became about the people that listened to them, and as Bon Jovi grew, their fans grew with them.
The fans trust that at every single concert the band will give it their all, and they do. They’ve evolved, but still remain true to who they were and what they are and that is why until this very day they are still able to be at the top of the top.
As fans, we know that we can trust them and their music, through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs.
Bon Jovi hones and perfects the ideal arena rock experience each and every time. Enter a Bon Jovi concert and you get extreme passion, high energy, positivity, freshness, stage spectacle, and audience engagement.
Combine all of this together, and you leave the show speechless after three hours of nothing but pure rock n’ roll music coming from the heart and soul.
They assure you that you will come back and see them again because just once is not enough. There is an infectious enthusiasm in every single aspect of the show that takes you back to the ‘80s, puts a coin in the jukebox, and then comes back to the present—always leaving you wanting more.
On stage, they seem ageless, as if time never changed them; whether it be Jon Bon Jovi perfecting each and every high note while dancing with emotion, Richie Sambora hitting every guitar solo with his funky ‘80s outfits and priceless facial expressions, Tico Torres banging on the drums like there is no tomorrow or David Bryan playing on the keyboards—they have it all.
They infuse each show with plenty of life, and if you ask any Bon Jovi concert attendee, there will be no flaws noticed, as they make sure to make the crowd go wild with power anthems “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” or “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
Their songs have always been about the real world, with words people can relate to. This is why they sell out every single concert everywhere they go. They give consistent entertainment and will make sure they beat the standard of their last show each time.
If you want to see a band that has consistently done their thing, and been consistent to their music style, Bon Jovi is the band to see, and that is why they’re still here.
The only Canadian museum exclusively dedicated to contemporary art just got itself a new director. Concordia University graduate, John Zeppetelli, is the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal’s 13th director.
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Zeppetelli’s travels abroad have given him the opportunity to embrace all kind of arts, but this opportunity is specific to contemporary art. After completing his studies at Concordia, Zeppetelli left for England. This was the turning point in his career. At the Institute of Contemporary Arts, he worked with Iwona Blazwick who went on to create the Tate Modern, Britain’s national gallery of international modern art in London.
In New York, Zeppetelli graduated from the Whitney Museum of American Art’s independent study program; a prestigious curriculum wherein only 15 students get the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of cultural organizations.
Upon returning to Montreal in the mid ‘90s, Zeppetelli worked as a librarian in Hampstead, Montreal, and often lectured for art history and design at Concordia. In addition, Zeppetelli took on the position of curator at the Saidye Bronfman Center. Afterwards, he worked as the art director and chief curator of the DHC/ART foundation for contemporary art for the next six years.
At that point, Zeppetelli had cultivated a wide contact roster that has now become valuable to his new directorial career.
His nomination as the head of the Montréal Contemporary Museum is something of a revolution in the museum’s history. He is the first amongst the museum’s 13 directors in 50 years not to come directly from within the organization.
Zeppetelli is excited about the large undertaking of renewing the museum’s physical space. With help from the board of directors, the museum will receive funding of $35 million for expansion that will double the gallery space, and create a new entrance on St. Catherine Street.
“If everything goes well, in one year or so, construction should start,” said Zeppetelli. The museum renovations would be ready in 2017 for the 375th anniversary of the city of Montreal.
“It is important to offer platforms to exchange ideas, debate, discover. We do it but I want more. Presenting conferences, movie projections, this is my new vision of the museum,” said Zeppetelli
He wants to combine and continue to use the museum to welcome the Jazz Festival, POP Montreal, Nuit Blanche as well as welcoming electronic music.
Respecting the museum’s original mission is also important for Zeppetelli, adding that it is imperative that they “promote and preserve contemporary Québec art and to ensure [there is] a place for international contemporary art through acquisitions, exhibitions.”
The Montréal Biennale of 2014 is an event the museum looks forward to participating in. It is Zeppetelli’s goal to put his museum back on track and position it at the forefront of the world’s contemporary arts stage.
With the Nov. 3 election day fast approaching, Richard Bergeron, Mélanie Joly, Denis Coderre and Marcel Côté spoke about the changes that needed to be implemented by Montrealers in order for the city to prosper at its full potential.
Photo from olc.spsd.sk.ca
On Friday Oct. 25 Montrealers gathered at the Loyola campus, where CJAD Radio and The Gazette had organized a debate with the Montreal mayoral candidates, in order to raise awareness of the importance of politics among young voters.
Mayoral candidates debated in English, addressing the future of the city of Montreal. The discussion opened with a question on reforming the municipal administration. Coderre started off by saying transparency and a zero tolerance policy needed to be implemented, and Joly added that making information public should be mandatory..
“The best defence against corruption is a well managed organization,” said Côté.
Bergeron pointed out that compliance among civil servants is a concern.
Tightening the belt in regards to possible increases in revenues was foreseen by Côté. Joly, however, pointed out that 70 per cent of Montreal’s revenue comes from property tax, while only 39 per cent of Toronto’s revenue comes from property tax.
Bergeron spoke about the 25 years of economic drama in Montreal. He explained that as a result, in the last 12 years, Montreal had lost 22,000 people and between 6,000 and 8,000 young families.
“2.5 billion dollars a year are invested by Montrealers outside of Montreal,” said Bergeron. He suggested that increasing the number of collective transit operations might keep young families from moving away to the suburbs.
The candidates also addressed multiculturalism, although it was bilingualism that received the most controversy from the audience.
“Montreal has to be run by all Montrealers,” said Côté when alluding to what some English speakers in the city consider to be strict policing on language. “We cannot let the Quebec government be the only actor.”
Bergeron, on the other hand, considered that linguistic balance has prevailed in the municipality.
“We need all to be united and work together,” Kofi Sonokpon, mayoral independent candidate, told The Concordian after the event.
“We need to have a massive turnout at our pools because this is the deciding moment for Montreal […] this is not the time to be cynical — cynicism is a trap that we need to avoid.”
Sonokpon urged people to find the right leadership that can raise the spirit of the city and change it for the better.
Julia Vera, a political science student at Concordia voting for the first time in municipal elections, sees hope for Montreal.
“In every society there are issues,” said Vera. “By going to the elections and seeing the candidates’ positions is the only way to know there is actually a solution and a way to find it.”
Christian Arsenault, 25, is the youngest Projet Montreal city councillor candidate running for Loyola’s district and shares Vera’s sentiments.
“A lot of young people tend to overlook [municipal politics], [but] it’s here at the local level that people can make big changes,” said Arsenault.
Arsenault is currently working on means to increase walkability and active means of transportation at Loyola, along with finding solutions for the needs of residents in the Walkley/Fielding area — one of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce’s poorest neighbourhoods — and Summerland Village.
In an interview with The Concordian Arsenault admitted that it was the corruption and administration problems in city hall that lead to his candidacy.
“There are so many important things that need to be looked at in the Loyola district that used to be ignored.”
In 2012, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to denounce a controversial policy and a government they were dissatisfied with. After 14 years of leading the Quebec Liberal Party, Jean Charest resigned.
In 2011, The Charbonneau Commission came to life, shedding light on alleged illegal awarding of municipal contracts in Montreal. Two mayors have since resigned due to allegations of corruption, and Montrealers are invited to the polls on Nov. 3 to initiate more change.
Voter turnout has reached record lows in recent years. In 2009, Gerald Tremblay was re-elected as mayor with only 39.4 per cent of Montrealers casting a ballot. However, as a result of the amount of attention that has been given to the scandals by the media,the city’s visibility has increased, so perhaps this time will be different.
Concordia Journalism professor, James Mclean, said that because candidates have used the corruption scandal as their central campaigning theme and due to increased media coverage of municipal affairs, the upcoming election voter turnout might be an anomaly.
“Usually what you get is political parties looking for a way of differentiating themselves from the other candidates, what we’re getting here is a great source of emotionality, this thick pride has been tarnished,” said Mclean.
“Having said that I’m not so sure how that’s being accepted and circulated among people who are 18 to 35.”
It’s been said that the younger generation is the most challenging to engage come election period. In the 2011 federal election, only 38.8 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 cast a ballot, while 45.1 per cent of the 25 to 34 age group voted. Lack of interest in politics, lack of time, lack of information, and lack of confidence have been cited time and time again as justifications for the 18 to 35 age group to abstain from voting.
Mclean also said that because the municipal government collects most of its revenue through property taxes, and that people who are 18 to 35 for the most part don’t own property, it makes it so they don’t feel directly affected by municipal politics.
This may not be the right mentality for young eligible voters. Ever wonder why rent goes up every year? That’s because property taxes go up. Montreal’s commercial-to-residential ratio reached 4.40 per cent in 2013, compared to Vancouver at 4.35 per cent and Toronto at 4.07 per cent.
Alison Houle, an Anthropology major at Concordia University, said she hasn’t taken the time to look at the different candidates’ platforms since the beginning of the campaigns in September.
“I’m not optimistic about the ‘change’ that will happen when one of these candidates is elected,” she said.
“I feel as if temptation is too strong for those in office to do the right thing for the city, as opposed to the right thing for their pockets.”
That has been one of the biggest challenges of the current mayoral candidates: to gain voter confidence back. Whether or not they’ve succeeded in regaining public trust, and whether or not they deserve it has yet to be revealed.
The vast mobilization that occurred during the student movement demonstrated the power that younger generations have to shape change in the province of Quebec. Why not do the same at the municipal level?
Having the privilege to actually have influence over the city’s future shouldn’t be taken for granted. Everyone that is eligible should go out and vote. It’s important to take the time to get informed about the people who are competing to run our city. Political candidates need to appeal to the interests of young voters, but it’s also up to the younger demographic to mobilize over the issues that matter to them.
Those who choose not to vote shouldn’t be allowed to complain about the pitiful state of Montreal roads, the language issues, the costs of their parking tickets, and rent being high. There’s no guarantee things will improve with this new mayor, but we won’t know unless we try.
Spencer Edwards encourages a tasteful mix of pastel colours and patterns to create the perfect look.
Having been raised in the small village of Coteau-du-Lac, approximately an hour West of Montreal, I had always seen Montreal as the big city where everything can happen. When the time finally came for me to move out of the family home for university, Montreal was first on my list. Ever since I made the move, I haven’t regretted it for a second.
Montreal did not make the list of the top 10 most liveable cities in the world released by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit. However, three Canadian cities, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, did. Despite this, Montreal could easily grab a spot in the top three of the most student-friendly cities in Canada, for many different reasons.
First of all, Montreal universities make it a priority to ensure that your university years are never forgotten.
“Frosh is an incredible way to meet people,” said former Concordia student Joel Balsam, originally from Ottawa, Ontario.“The fact that you are pretty much with the same people for five straight days going camping, to the water park, to movie nights and, yes, drinking, creates long lasting friendships that you may never lose. We don’t have this in Ottawa.”
To top it all off, Montreal universities, are big on clubs of all kinds. They organize after school activities to suit everyone’s interests. Concordia has everything from student associations to a wide array of sports, arts, and cultural clubs.
When it comes to tuition, with all the protests that took place in 2012, most people know by now that Quebec is the province with the lowest fees in Canada. Talk about student-friendly. However, these fees are not as low for out-of-province students. According to the tuition fee calculator on Concordia University’s website, out-of-province students pay a little bit more than twice what Quebec residents pay for their tuition. A full year’s tuition for an undergrad from Quebec costs around $3,540.00, with health insurance. For an out-of-province student, it jumps to about $7,230.00.
Despite this, the price is only slightly higher than the regular in-province fees for many cities around Canada, such as Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary. According to the Association of Universities and Colleges Canada (AUCC) webpage, University of Ottawa students pay an average of $5,665 a year in tuition, Ryerson University students pay between $5,605 and $5,686 and University of Calgary averages $5,333. So out of province students in Quebec pay approximately $2,000 more in tuition.
With regards to rent data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, cities like Toronto, Halifax and Ottawa had an average rent of about $1,100 a month for a two-bedroom apartment in 2012, which can be a little pricy for students. The friendliest city in this regard is actually Sherbrooke, which is a small student city, offering considerably lower rents in 2012 of more or less $575 a month for a two-bedroom apartment. A price one can hardly find for a one-bedroom here.
Montreal stands in the middle; in 2012, you could get a two-bedroom apartment from as low as $590 a month in Montreal-North, but price and quality really depends on the area of the city you live in. Apartments in the core of downtown are priced more or less the same as the other cities, for an average rent of $1,350 a month. Students who chose to live a little bit outside the downtown area can catch a bit of a break, that’s where prices average $800 a month.
Every student needs to get around. Public transit is one of the most practical things about Montreal. Take it from someone who owns a car, with all the traffic there is at all times of the day, the Metro system is a good alternative. Yes, it is old and breaks down often, but most of the time it’s on schedule.
A monthly pass for students is $45. The price is much higher in Toronto ($106) and Ottawa ($99), and once again the big winner here in terms of service/price ratio is Sherbrooke, with a bus pass costing only $27 and being charged directly in the student’s tuition fees, with routes serving the most strategic points in the city.
For all the costs that living in the city entail, such as paying rent, bills, and having extra money to go out and party with friends, students usually need a steady cash flow.
Taking into account the somewhat pricy Montreal bars, with a drink costing on average around $7, and sit-down restaurants serving meals from around $15 a plate, most students will need to find a job to finance their lifestyle. Cheap alternatives for food are the ever-growing healthy fast food restaurants, such as Cultures, or better yet small cafés that make their own recipes. If one doesn’t want to spend too much, getting a drink during 5 à 7 before heading to the movies half-price on Tuesdays can be a good alternative. This is among many specials offered by bars on different days.
As for job opportunities, many cafés, fast-food restaurants and bars are open to hiring students to work-part time, as long as they have a working knowledge of French.
“Montreal as a whole is more student friendly in terms of atmosphere,” said former Concordia student Erica Commisso, who now lives in Toronto.“Toronto is very business-oriented in comparison. In Montreal, people generally tended to be more understanding of student life, and generally more accepting of budget living.”
Overall, Montreal rates among the lowest in rent and tuition for residents of Quebec, but is slightly more costly for out of province students. However, public transport is cheaper in comparison to other big cities and drinking and entertainment costs are reasonable. There is always something to do, and new people to meet.
Montreal’s ComicCon has grown tremendously over the past few years. From a once dinky collection of booths, it has become a massive convention with more than a few things to keep attendees entertained for hours.
The three-day geek culture convention brings together one of Montreal’s massive communities. There are over two- dozen booths filled with comic book artists who are ready to draw up an original piece on the spot, or for a lesser price, you can purchase a high quality print instead. These guys and gals are fantastic at what they do, and watching them work is a real treat.
Photo by Alex Melki.
You can buy anything from your favourite TV show/video game/movie, from comic books, to t-shirts, to figurines. Here’s a tip: withdraw some cash and spend only that. The temptation to dish out cash for some unique collectibles is a strong one.
Sony was on the scene as well, with live demos of their upcoming PS4 next-gen gaming console, and if the wait to play wasn’t 45 minutes, I might’ve even tried it out!
One pet peeve I’ve always had with ComicCon however is that while celebrity attendance is always a crowd pleaser, you can’t even walk up, talk to, or photograph celebrity guests unless you’re paying for an autograph/picture. Which will run you about $40 or more. Sure it would be awesome to meet Lou Feriggno (The Incredible Hulk), Christopher Lloyd (Back to The future) , and George Takei (Star Trek), but not at the cost of being broke. Yet one actor, Jason Mewes of Jay and Silent Bob fame, was present and was not shy of the camera.
Doctor Who fans were able to take a picture next to the famed TARDIS, Star Wars fans witnessed Darth Vader and entourage making the rounds on the convention floor, and Ghostbuster enthusiasts could have their photo taken with the Ectomobile. All in all, there is something for everyone.
But the best part of ComicCon is, and always has been the cosplay. Cosplay, is simply an abbreviation for “Costume play” and involves dressing up as a fictional or non-fictional character. Basically it’s Halloween! And some of the work these cosplayers put into their costumes is extraordinary.
So here is a taste of what Montreal’s ComicCon has to offer!
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Press photo.
Montrealers love their thrift shops. St. Laurent Blvd. among many locations makes for an easy thrift shop-hopping experience with places like Friperie St-Laurent and Founderie.
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Press photo.
Thrift shopping boutiques have proved that shopping for used clothing doesn’t have to take place in a clustered room full of musty smells and pushy old ladies. Instead, this trend is considered upscale and can get you looking fashionable at an affordable price.
However, the treasure hunt for good finds is not for everyone, which is why the brand new event called, Walk into Our Closet, taking place on Sept. 15 stands out as an interesting alternative.
Best friends Anabel Mayer and Sofia Cafaro have created an event where shoppers will have a chance to go through a variety of “closets,” where vendors will be selling lightly worn clothing, shoes and accessories at a fraction of the paid price.
“Every piece for sale was once a coveted item in someone’s closet and now that it ran its course on someone, you can turn it into your own signature style,” said vendor Jonathan Panetta. Panetta will be among many other vendors emptying their personal closets, including Montreal fashion bloggers Gabrielle Lacasse, writer of Dentelles et Fleurs, and Concordia’s own Christina Monticcioli, writer of The Boho Flow.
“This will benefit everyone regardless of their age or salary. Everything at this sale is marked down, even the designer pieces will be hundreds of dollars less and that is simply amazing,” said Panetta. “It is great to see people turn their love of fashion into a productive skill that brings people together over a common interest.”
It’s through their common interest in fashion that Mayer and Cafaro came up with the idea of Walk Into Our Closet.
“We spend a lot of our hard earned money on clothing, shoes, and of course, accessories that are sadly only worn maybe once or twice,” said Mayer. “Our solution? Creating an event where people can either sell their pieces or have the opportunity to buy practically new clothing for a great price.”
It’s a great event for those on the fence about thrift shopping. The merchandise is new to lightly worn, and they are also offering sneak peeks at the items vendors will be selling on the Walk into Our Closet Facebook page as well as their Instagram
, allowing potential shoppers to see what’s in store.
There is something fun about peeking into someone else’s closet and this event makes it possible that if you see something that you like, it can be yours.
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..
Have you ever realized you’ve gotten lost walking or biking around Montreal’s countless little streets? Did you then try to visualize yourself on the map? Perhaps you were successful. But have you truly found yourself on the map? Studio Beluga hopes you find the answer to this question during their latest exhibition, Progression.
Studio Beluga was founded in 2009 with the goal of advancing the creative practices of emerging artists. Initially, the studio invited young artists to do a four month residency, working on any art form or subject of their choosing and then converting the studio into a gallery space to showcase their final products. Alina Maizel, a Concordia alumna, is one of the founders and directors of the studio. “It exists as a collective of people who love art, both artists and art amateurs, and we all just work together,” she said. Previously, Studio Beluga had locations in St. Henri and Mile End, but recently she, along with the other founders, many of whom are also Concordia alumni, wanted the studio to no longer have a physical location, focusing instead on pop-up events. “Instead of being restricted by the physical venue, [we felt that] we could really challenge people’s conventional idea of what an art gallery is by bringing them to outside spaces and saying: this is an art gallery,” Maizel explained.
The theme of the exhibition is the urban environment and it will be an attempt at mapping it, using cartography and conceptually examining what a map means. “Curatorially, it would be most fascinating to take that concept all the way through and have the exhibit outside on the streets. Further even, instead of having it on the streets, which is what a map usually outlines, we decided to put it in the inverse of what a map outlines, which is the alley, the part of the city that is not mapped,” Maizel said.
Exhibiting his work in the alley is Montreal artist and poet Cam Novak. A year ago, Novak was running a courier service which put him in close connection with the city of Montreal’s map, an essential tool for dispatching and delivery. “I had a map of Montreal over my desk that I would use to help dispatch my couriers … it was this weird ‘I hate you but I love you’. So I took it down off my wall and drew on it and it was like a fuck you to the map,” said Novak, adding “you [the map] were dictating what you wanted to me, my whole career, and now I am dictating you… it felt right.”
While Novak’s relationship to the Montreal map is still turbulent, the year spent preparing for the Progression exhibit has introduced a new fascination with issues of identity, particularly his own.This evolution of his art was the inspiration behind a five-foot high installation of a giant head with parts of the map embedded in it, which he has prepared for the exhibit.
“Instead of saying fuck you to the city, I am acknowledging that it has been an intrinsic part of who I am as an individual, and it has built who I am. And hence, progression,” Novak explained.
Along with Novak, Montreal-based FredC and French artist Joanathan Bessaci will be showcasing their work at the exhibition that will be held in the garden behind 16 St. Viateur West, the alleyway entrance.
Progression will take place for one day only on Sept. 7, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Admission is free.
