Director John Greyson said he always believed his contribution to gay activism has been making movies, reported The Vancouver Sun Aug. 4 in a profile of the York film and video professor. “I always saw them as part of an ongoing conversation in the culture that involved us all,” Greyson said. “I guess that’s one thing I insist on: Queer issues are everybody’s issues, whether you’re straight or gay. Not everyone might see it as engaging in a conversation, but that’s their loss.” In more than 20 years of filmmaking, Greyson has gone from making five-minute experimental shorts to full-length feature films, the best-known being Lilies, which won a Genie as the best Canadian film in 1996. Over the years, he’s become one of the country’s top independent filmmakers while maintaining his role as a creative agent provocateur on queer issues. Greyson is a keynote speaker at the 17th annual Queer Film and Video Festival.
Adidas-Reebok combo is a ‘necessary marriage,’ says prof
Adidas, known for its triple-stripe track suits and leafy logo, announced plans Wednesday to buy Reebok International Ltd. for US$3.8 billion, reported the Toronto Star Aug. 4. For one industry watcher, the deal amounts to a “necessary marriage”. Alan Middleton, marketing professor at York University’s Schulich School of Business, said both companies need each other to absorb the enormous cost of advertising. “Nike, they don’t just buy one person, they buy the whole team. That’s the kind of clout you’re dealing with.” Middleton said Reebok simply was not keeping up with Nike, languishing in a no-man’s land between the super-brand and more specialized, niche labels. “To be a sustained middle-size player is almost an impossible position to be in,” he said. “Reebok had to do something.”
Cotler has no plans to block US extradition request for pot activist
The US government is within its rights to request the extradition of British Columbia marijuana activist Marc Emery, and the application will be allowed to take its course in the BC courts, says a Justice Department spokesman, reported Canadian Press Aug. 3. Chris Girouard said Justice Minister Irwin Cotler will not comment on the case while the judicial proceedings unfold. Alan Young, a marijuana activist who teaches at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, said he preferred to fight the request in court rather than rely on Cotler to block it. The minister, he said, has shown no resolve on the marijuana issue. “In the couple of years it may take to take this through the courts we can continue to apply pressure on him and maybe there might be another minister of justice who we might find more accommodating.”
Inattention is a risk on the road
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is becoming an issue in traffic safety, reported The Globe and Mail Aug. 4. In a paper presented to the 2005 Canadian Multidisciplinary Road Safety Conference, a team of researchers from York University said drivers with ADHD display increased risk and are involved in more citations than the norm. “While the severity of some of the symptoms of ADHD may diminish into adulthood, the likelihood of causing personal and public harm is greatly increased when ADHD sufferers enter a motor vehicle,” the paper states. Some of the particular issues identified were distractions, unfamiliar surroundings, fatigue and difficulty evaluating risks.
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