The Grapevine Interview: Comedian Joey Elias Montreal comic Joey Elias is catching up on his reading between his standup gigs these days.This time, he decided to pick up "Joseph Anton", the memoir by controversial novelist Salman Rushdie. Why the choice of this memoir by the British novelist, who gained notoriety for the death sentence ("fatwah") that was placed on his head by the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 for his novel "The SatanicVerses"? Well, a few short weeks ago, a Montreal Metro ticket taker had the audacity to tape a homemade sign on the glass in front of the booth in the subway station where he was working. It said - in French - that "In Quebec, we do everything in French". Not content to just be complacent about another shot fired in the ongoing Quebec language war, Joey decided to do his bit of civil disobedience in response to the ticket taker's stance on language. So he decided Stuart Nulman Grapevine to take a photo of himself, posing in all-Canadian maple leaf shirt, pants and headgear. He then posted it on his Facebook page and announced that he would take his case to that Metro ticket taker in person ... maple leafs and all. Needless to say, his human Canadian flag photo created a media maelstrom. It garnered a great deal of positive responses; however, the storm was fast and swift. Lawyers from Astral Media (the parent company of CJAD, where Elias hosts his nightly "Comedy Show" broadcasts) told him to pull down the photo and all the posts from Facebook and was told to state that his opinions were of his own and did not reflect those of both the station and the parent company.Then he got angry letters from three French language organizations (including the ultra nationalist organization the St. Jean Baptiste Society, which issued a press release on the matter). "It was flattering to think that I'm that powerful and that my picture can incite that kind of reaction," Elias told the Grapevine in a recent interview on the terrace of a local Starbucks. However, he also received several death threats along with all those supportive and angry responses. Hence, the decision to read Rushdie's recently published memoir. "I'm reading it to get some helpful survival hints in case they decide to declare a 'fatwah' on me," he quipped. continued on page 26 Empty Nesters: FREE special report reveals 9 costly mistakes to avoid when selling your montreal home Montreal - Are you an "Empty Nester" who needs a home for the future? Is it time to downsize or to move into another home more suitable for your glorious retirement years? Like thousands of residents in our area, you may be discovering that after years of non-stop child traffic in and out of your doors, toys on the floor, music floating throughout,suddenly you can hear a pin drop over the quiet hum of the refrigerator.Your rooms are filled with pictures and memories of this wonderful time of your life, but there are many empty rooms gathering dust now that your children have moved on. The freer years ahead are exciting ones to look forward to,and it's time for you to move on as well. If you find yourself in this situation, you're in vast and good company. And what that means is that there are many wonderful opportunities for you to create this new chapter in your life...if you know what is takes to get the most out of the equity you've built up in your current home. To help you understand the issues involved in making such a move,and how to avoid the 9 most common and costly mistakes most Empty Nesters make, a new report called "Empty Nester: How to Sell the PlaceYou Call Home" has been prepared which identifies these issues, and shows you how to steer clear of the mistakes that could cost you literally thousands of dollars. To order a FREE Special Report, visit www.SellingMyEmptyNest.com or to hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-232- 9270 and enter 1013. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can fly your empty nest with the most cash in your pocket. This report is courtesy of mark granada real estate broker remax platine real estate agency. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2012 ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ONLY $ 19. 90 /WEEK FOR 50 WEEKS = $995 PER YEAR Call for more details 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 20, 2012 11

The funny Seven Bullfighting small people Festival of New Cinema: The Good and the Bad L ast week at the International Festival of New Cinema: some of the best and also some of the not so good that we have seen until now. Sergio Martinez Special On the experimental side: "Babeldom" British director Paul Bush presents a collage of images from mostly public buildings in different cities, together with computer generated graphics. By combining these elements he attempts to create the impression of a futuristic urban environment marked by darkness and uncertainty. Although technically well done, Bush however doesn't give his work a focus.At the beginning there are some interesting references to mathematics as a science independent from nature and therefore a purely human creation, but then he jumps into some other topics, including computer generated images of women which make the spectator wonder what the movie is about. Of course this is experimental cinema after all, but even if you want to engage in an experimental search be it formal or thematic, there must be some thread that keeps the narrative together.Bush fails to do that and his movie after a while turns repetitive and nothing but a succession of collages with no real meaning. "Taboo"-A search for the past Shot in black and white by Portuguese director Miguel Gomes, "Taboo" is the story of Aurora an elderly woman living alone with her black maid in Lisbon and whose only friend is a middle-age neighbour, Pilar, a devout Catholic lady. While the first part of the movie goes too slowly, after the death of the old lady and the revelations made by a new unexpected character the story becomes far more interesting.The second half of the film focuses on Aurora as a young, beautiful woman living in what was then a colonial territory in the Africa of the 1960s.The story then turns into a fascinating display of love and passion set against an unsettling background as tension mounts between the colonizers and the Africans who fight for independence. "Dead Man's Burden"-Not the case for a psychological Western The Western, that classical genre set in the Wild West had its period of glory and from time to time it gets new treatments. Some introduce important transformations to the genre, in the case of "Dead Man's Burden" directed by Jared Moshe with Clare Bowen, David Call and Barlow Jacobs in its main roles, the focus given to the story is its psychological dimension. The murder of the father in a farm located in a desolate piece of land near the Mexican border,the return of a family member long thought to have died during the Civil War, and the couple's desire to leave the ranch, could have created a more interesting drama. Instead the director's resolution of the conflict is disappointing and in fact it deflates the psychological drama developed throughout the first part of the story. Somewhere in the middle: "Here and There" "Aquí y allá" ("Here and There") directed by Antonio Mendez Esparza, a U.S.-Spain and Mexico co-production, tells the story of Pedro, who after working for a few years in the U.S. has returned to Mexico to his wife Teresa and his two daughters. continued on page 17 12 OCTOBER 20, 2012 *

First vodka - oyster party hosted by The Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club The Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club is hosting their first Vodka - Oyster Party on Thursday, Oc- Jim Kellett Special tober 25, at the Royal Montreal Regiment - Westmount Armoury, to raise funds for the St. Patrick's Society of Montreal. www.spsmtl.com . The event will be held October 25th at the Westmount Armoury on Ste. Catherine Ste West, from 6PM until 9PM. Tickets are $100 each and tax receipts will be provided for a majority of the ticket price. Corporate tables are also available for $1000 and include 6 tickets plus appropriate event recognition. Tickets available at www.spsmtl.com It promises to be a festive and casual affair with lots of vodka, oysters and live music. Attire is jacket and jeans. There will also be plenty of non-oyster food and non-vodka drink. Open bar and allyou-can eat oysters.We will also have a raffle featuring trips and event tickets. St. Patrick's Society of Montreal was founded in 1834 to unite the members of the Irish Canadian community and to promote the charitable, educational, and cultural interests of the community. Since 1957,the Montreal Irish RFC have been a group of men,women and juniors committed to the sport and their community, from winning provincial championships and hosting internationally attended tournaments to supporting community groups with both money and time. The members of the Montreal Irish RFC are hosting this event to raise money for the community-minded initiatives of our two groups. Generous support for catering from Otago, vodka from Boru and beer from Belle Guelle. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 20, 2012 13

14 OCTOBER 20, 2012 * ʼ

Sun Youth already in the Christmas Spirit! As it is now a tradition for over 30 years, Sun Youth is presently gearing up for its Christmas Basket Campaign which will be feeding some 18,000 people between December 18 and 24th. In addition to providing food for the Holidays, the organization will hand out some 8,000 brand new toys to children 12 years and under whose parents are registered for a Christmas Basket. This whole operation would not be possible without the support of the public and from companies.To this effect, Sun Youth encourages individuals and companies wanting to help to contact the organization (514-842-6822) for information on how to organize a non-perishable food drive. Posters are available and pickups can be arranged for large donations. Sun Youth accepts all nonperishable food items Photo: Nicolas Carpentier Sun Youth Emergency Services Counsellors Suzanne Decelles (left) and Denise Rivard (right) are ready to register people for Christmas Baskets. and hygiene products but is especially looking for the following items: peanut butter, canned fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.), pasta sauce, canned fruits, juice and prepared meals (such as stews, chunky soups, raviolis, etc.). Sun Youth also invites low-income individuals and families to come register for a Christmas Basket.To do so, no appointment is necessary. People need to visit Sun Youth with a proof of address, a proof of income and identification cards of all family members. Registrations are done Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. For more information, contact the Sun Youth Food Bank at 514-842-1214. * OCTOBER 20, 2012 15

Smile of the week! Members of the Montreal Celtic Society with Youppi after proudly participating in Canada's First Color run on Saturday, October 13th. Proceeds went to support the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation! Please send in your photo along with a caption to: info@westendtimes.ca ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR 9 weeks for only $ 795(plus taxes/total for 9 weeks) Limited space available! Call now! 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca 16 OCTOBER 20, 2012 *

Discover Old Montréal's gruesome side Join the Ghost Hunt Halloween Special... continued from page 12 After a period of adaptation which is not easy, especially in his relationship with his older girl, things seem to go well. Pedro who in his spare time is also a musician seems happy to be back. However, the arrival a new child and job instability would lead him to return to"el norte" leaving his family once more. The director used non-professional actors who "play themselves" in the story.That gives the film a candid look almost as if we were seeing a documentary. On the other hand however, the narrative is too slow and some scenes could have benefitted from a more decisive editing. A Spanishflavoured look at an old story: "Blancanieves" "Blancanieves" (Snow White") directed by Pablo Berger is Spain's entry for the Foreign Language Oscar. Shot in black and white and using the technique of the silent movie that was so successful in last year's winner "The Artist," this movie sets the story of Snow White in Spain during the 1920s and in the world of bullfighting. Unlike the classic story, there is no Queen, but rather Encarna (Maribel Verdú), the wife of a bullfighter who had been seriously injured and whose daughter Carmen (Angela Molina) is mistreated by the cruel stepmother. When Carmen manages to escape death and is saved by the Seven Bullfighting Dwarfs, she becomes a bullfighter herself. In this rendition of the classic story there is more humour, but the ending is also different. An original approach to the story of Snow White, although its silent movie format may make comparisons to "The Artist" inevitable. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca Download your West End Times app for your ipad today! Click on the link below or go to our website at: www.westendtimes.ca http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app.westendtimes -reader/id522115433/mt=8 Come meet M o n t r é a l 's Ghosts this coming Halloween and get ready for a unique and memorable experience with family, friends or colleagues! Join the Ghosts on either October 26, 27, 30 or 31st in the fascinating ambience of Old Montréal. Hear all about the grim lives of witches, or the sordid affairs of criminals and charlatans waiting for you in the dark corners of the historical district. According to Louise Hébert of Montreal Ghosts, this is a Hal- loween event not to be missed: "Whether costumed or not, people turn out in large numbers year after year and we expect this 2012 edition to be no exception. It's THE happening that will make your Halloween an unforgettable event, and all in an unparalleled festive atmosphere!'' enthuses Louise Hébert. Separated into groups of about twenty people and carrying a map, participants must go and find the ghosts in their various hiding places, throughout the streets and dark alleys of Old Montréal. During this 90-minute activity, participants will hear the stories of four different ghosts, each performed by a professional actor. "Since the stories are inspired by actual events, participants will genuinely get goose bumps,'' explains Louise Hébert. Reservations are required as places are limited. The Montreal Ghost Hunt Halloween Special will take place on October 26, 27, 30 and 31st at 6:30 pm and also at 8:30 pm on the 27th. Prices are $22 per adult, $18.50 per student, and $12.50 for children. Pri- vate events are also possible during October and throughout the year. Created in 1999 and presented by the firm Guidatour, Montreal Ghosts offers its guests a unique adventure. For more information or to reserve your tickets,you can visit the www.fantommontreal.com, call at 514 844-4021 (or toll free at 1 800-363-4021) or send an email at: info@ fantommontreal.com. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 20, 2012 17

Two films recently released are getting a great deal of attention. Let's take a look at what they bring to the spectators. Sergio Martinez Special "ANTIVIRAL" -Exploring (and exploiting) the disgusting The cult of celebrities is everywhere: movie stars, supermodels, pop musicians, they all get a large following of fans ready to get everything that put them close to the objects of their admiration. How close? Well, the movie explores the ultimate approximation to a celebrity a fan can experience: getting infected with the same illnesses that affect their favourite celebrities.This is basically the premise of this movie. Surprisingly, a movie that was voted the most popular Canadian first feature at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, and it also got a warm reception at the Cannes Festival. Of course the fact that the director of the film, Brandon Cronenberg is the son of famous horror filmmaker David may have helped in the sudden popularity of this film. In my view, however, this is a movie that exploits the morbid curiosity that some illnesses, especially the ones with more explicit symptoms may cause, if there is such thing as curiosity for blood and body disfiguration. Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones) is a strange, androgynous looking, introverted technician working at a clinic that specializes in harvesting viruses from sick celebrities which are later injected into fans who pay to get the same illnesses of their admired idols. Syd becomes involved in a scheme to sell some of the viruses in a kind of black market conducted-of all places- in the back of a butcher shop; to do that he injects himself with the viruses which would eventually make him sick. One of the viruses Movie Review by Sergio Martinez Between the disgusting and the thrill of a known story Ben Affleck acted and directed "Argo" had killed superstar Hannah Geist (Sarah Gadon) and that made him not only very sick, but also a target for some criminals. This is not the kind of film that one would enjoy watching since shocking the audience is the main goal of the filmmaker; in my view, a mere sensational exploitation of the disgusting. If there is something to remark however that is the excellent ambience created by the cinematography: the white backgrounds of the clinic and the very basic settings of most scenes contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of uneasiness in the spectator. The acting, especially that of Jones, is also quite convincing for a story that certainly is totally farfetched. "ARGO"-A political thriller of high quality It is not easy to make a thriller based on a story whose ending we all know but that is just one of the merits that one can find in this movie directed and acted by Ben Affleck. "Argo" tells the story of the six American diplomats that managed to escape the invasion of their embassy by Iranian demonstrators in 1979 and who were sheltered at the Canadian embassy.The problem facing both Canadian andAmerican government officials was how to smuggle the six out of the country at a time of great political tension. CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) was charged with the difficult mission and the "best bad idea" as he and his boss Jack O'Donnell (Brian Cranston) put it, is to try to make the six diplomats pass as members of a Canadian crew making a sciencefiction movie in the desert of Iran. For that Mendez manages to get the help of Hollywood producers John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). The film is certainly a solid candidate for an Oscar. In an important clarification-especially for those many Americans who may not know why the animosity between Iran and his country-in its initial images it mentions in a succinct manner, the historical context of American intervention which had set the tension between Iran and the U.S. The movie specifically mentions the U.S.support for the coup d'état against the Iranian prime minister in 1953 and the installation of the brutal dictatorship of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who ran the country until 1979. Some may find that where the movie is not very fair is in portraying the Canadian role in the whole episode, at times seen as a mere temporary residence and provider of booze to the six Americans. In fact then Ambassador KenTaylor (Victor Garber) risked his own life and that of his subordinates by giving refuge to the diplomats and Canada's role was more active than what is presented by the movie. Anyway, this is Hollywood after all, nevertheless "Argo" is a very good film. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca 18 OCTOBER 20, 2012 *

ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR ADVERTISE IN COLOUR 9 weeks for only $ 795(plus taxes/total for 9 weeks) Limited space available! Call now! 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 20, 2012 19

Chef Peter Webster - Bouquet Garni Caramel Apples Ihad two road trips to Muskoka this month. I passed through a lot of towns and villages. The one thing I was surprised to see was not the beautiful showing of fall leaves (which was glorious this year) but was the number of houses fully decorated for Halloween. There was a lot of effort expended in those spooky looking haunted mansions. One of my favourite treats for Halloween and just about any other time, for that matter, is caramel. I'm not talking about the little packaged type of caramels. I'm talking about the combination of butter, brown sugar, 35% cream and vanilla boiled in a pot - that's the caramel I'm talking about! It can be used on ice cream, cake or just by itself. But for a sublime Halloween treat, it can coat an apple and give you a little taste of heaven. Ingredients: for 4 apples * 1 1/3 cups brown sugar * 1/3 cup butter * ½ cup 35% cream * 4 tbsp corn syrup * 2 tsp vanilla * 4 crisp apples, washed and dried * 4 popsicle sticks or clean twigs Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the brown sugar, butter, cream and corn syrup into a heavy based pot. Bring these ingredients to a boil and boil, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer reads 245º F. Cool the bottom of the pot in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Let the caramel cool for a further 5 minutes - if it is too hot it will not stick to the apple. If the caramel cools too much, just re-warm it a little. Carefully dip the apple into the warm caramel, using a swirling motion to get good coverage of caramel on the apple. Place on the baking sheet and let cool. Repeat for the rest of the apples. If there is any leftover caramel - well - that's just the icing on the cake! Comment on this article at:www.westendtimes.ca Karen & Peter Webster Chefs 7 Collège, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec H9X 1W9 514-457-"BRIE" (2743) www.BouquetGarni.com / info@BouquetGarni.com 31/10/12 Photo: ©Les Amis de la Montagne Woman parked at Camillien Houde lookout feeds 13 racoons Feeding racoons now can bring $100 fine Clampdown in Mount Royal Park Racoons, the largest native animals in Mount Royal Park,are getting used to handouts from people. Park authorities estimate there could be some 200 racoons in the 280 hectare (692 acre) park close to John Symon Special downtown. Most of the racoon action population seems to be around the Camillien Houde lookout, a parking lot high on the 233 m (764 ft) mountain. Since 2010, municipal authorities have mounted a public education campaign to discourage the public from feeding racoons. Frustrated with their lack of success, authorities have now instructed police to give tickets. "Sometimes dozens of racoons come out to be fed at the lookout," explains Gabrielle Korn, Director of communications with Les Amis de la Montagne, a non profit organization that partners with the City of Montreal to manage Mount Royal Park. "A lot of people take it as a pastime to drive up and feed them, but they are not doing the racoons any favour. Feeding them poses health problems for humans and for racoons." Mount Royal's racoons are vaccinated against rabies, says Korn. This is a precaution; there have been no documented cases of rabies on Montreal Island."But racoons can still carry other diseases or parasites,some of which can be transmitted to us. More importantly, they have now lost their fear of humans; we hear reports of people being 'nipped' (bitten) by racoons. You don't know how they will react in close contact if there is a loud noise nearby.There is no way ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ONLY $75/ PER MONTH MIN. 6 MONTHS Call for more details 514-457-7656 I would let my kid near them!" Racoons are omnivorous, meaning that they can eat meat or plant material. "There is enough naturally-occurring food for racoons in the park, but it's easier just to wait for handouts," relates Korn. "And some of the racoons are now becoming quite obese from all the junk food. We catch and release the female racoons each spring for their vaccinations. But this year there was one too big to fit into her cage." The animals normally weigh up to 9 kg (20 lbs) but one specimen was recorded at 28.4 kg (62.6 lb) reports Wikipedia. Korn describes the $100 tickets as a "last ditch effort" to try and stop the public from feeding the "cute" racoons. Similar fines of up to $100 apply to people letting their dog off its leash or feeding squirrels and pigeons. She speaks about how important it is to protect the integrity of the wilderness of this "unique forested urban park" which boasts 180 species of birds and 20 species of mammals.Already the park is profoundly affected by an estimated 5 million human visitors annually. "Wild animals, like racoons, are best observed from a safe distance," concludes Korn. "Once again, park visitors are not doing the racoons or other fauna any favour by feeding them." Les Amis de la Montagne, operating out of the Smith House, offers various recreational and educational services for the general public, school groups, and corporate groups. Among these is a guided walk (fees apply) from Mount Royal to the Old Port. 5 1 4 . 8 4 3 . 8 2 4 0 www.lemontroyal.qc.ca Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca 20 OCTOBER 20, 2012 *