The Tribune Vol. 43 Issue 10

The Tribune TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023 | VOL. 43 | ISSUE 10

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

THETRIBUNE.CA | @THETRIBUNECA

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

STUDENT LIFE

McGill’s neglect of Indigenous veterans fuels settler colonialism

The hidden opponent: How ACL tears threaten women’s soccer

Magasin le Chaînon opens a new location with style

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PG. 8-9

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(The Tribune) Picketers block access to Scotiabank over 450M USD investment in Israeli weapons manufacturer

Student rally for Palestine calls for a ceasefire and boycotts as Israel pulverizes Gaza Ghazal Azizi Contributor Content Warning: Mentions of war, violence, genocide, and antisemitism

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ontreal students and community members gathered once again on Nov. 9 to demand a ceasefire and protest Canada and McGill’s complicity in the war in

Gaza, as well as Scotiabank’s investment in a private weapons manufacturer in Israel.

In the month after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and took another 242 people hostage according to Associated Press, Israel has dropped 25,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza, cut off the enclave’s water, electricity, and telecommunications, targeted medical infrastructure, and bombed refugee camps. According to Reuters, Israel’s retaliation has killed over 11,000 civilians, more than 4,000 of whom

Redbirds hockey triumphs over York Lions in thrilling 5-3 victory McGill last played against York six years ago Madigan McMahon Staff Writer

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he Redbirds (6–1) faced off against the York Lions (3– 7–0) on Nov. 11 for the first time in six years, securing a decisive 5-3 victory in an intense and physical game.

The game opened with York dominating the

puck, challenging McGill before they could mount their first offensive rush. Play went back and forth, punctuated by defender Thomas Belzile’s shot on goal, sparking a fierce scrum in front of the Lions’ net. When the Lions applied pressure, defenders Scott Walford and Alexandre Blanchard

were quick to intercept and send the puck up the ice to centre William Rouleau.

Three minutes later, York scored the first goal of the game.

McGill intensified its offensive pressure, leading forward Caiden Daley to receive a minor penalty for playing with a broken stick.

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were children, as of Nov. 13. Canada and the United States have refused to call for a ceasefire, citing Israel’s right to selfdefence.

The rally, organized by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill, began around 1 p.m. at the McCall MacBain Arts Building. SPHR McGill member Kareem Abuali presented an opening statement that honoured the Kanien’kehá:ka, the Indigenous inhabitants of the land on which McGill and Montreal are situated.

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Rejection, the meaning of art, and Taco Bell

‘Taco Bell Quarterly’ brings the literary world out of its shell Kellie Elrick Staff Writer

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here’s a cartoon on page 62. Sometime in the future, a robot approaches a hipster and proclaims: “Citizen. My sensors indicate that you have not been living mas. Those who do not live sufficiently mas will be taken to the reeducation centre.”

A woman gives birth the

same day she finds out she’s pregnant. Cartoon raccoons look up at the stars and have an existential crisis. There are crunchwrap supremes.

Nietzsche. Grindr.

Taco Bell Quarterly— which is not published quarterly—is a literary journal with no word limit, no restrictions on medium, and no pretension. There is one rule, and one rule only: All submissions must, in some

way, shape, or form, pertain to the cultural and culinary phenomenon known as Taco Bell. Their forthcoming issue has a 0.86 per cent submission acceptance rate, roughly on par with their foil, and longtime rival, The Paris Review.

Perhaps their Submission Guidelines say it best: “We’re not judgey and pretentious. We’re the Taco Bell fucking Quarterly.”

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

Picketers block access to Scotiabank over 450M USD investment in Israeli weapons manufacturer Student rally for Palestine calls for boycotts and a ceasefire as Israel pulverizes Gaza Ghazal Azizi* Contributor

“The United States, Canada, and other world powers have consistently made themselves complicit in Palestinian oppression [....] In return, Israel has helped these countries oppress their own communities, including Black communities,” Eyob-Austin said. “In 2014, when we protested for Michael Brown, it was Palestinians [...] who [offered] advice on how to navigate the tear gas [...] because it is the same tear gas that is used against them [....] And until one is free, we are not all free.”

Since 2002, organizations like the Jewish Institute for National Security of America have provided counter-terrorism training to American law enforcement officers in Israel. Jewish Voices for Peace’s Deadly Exchange campaign has been opposing these programs since 2018 for perpetuating militarization and systemic racism in policing. The Anti-Defamation League, which also runs trainings for law enforcement, has denounced the backlash as antisemitic for blaming Israel as a scapegoat for centuries of anti-Blackness in the U.S. After a speech by a representative from SPHR Concordia, Abuali returned to the stage to share some personal thoughts.

“One might wonder what it’s like to be a child in Gaza and grow up in a world that is so merciless and so evil [....] How these children grow up to be strong and resilient and blamed for the oppression they experience, and then they get killed,” Abuali said. “And here, you think how much of a disgrace you are for ever trying to appease the apathetic and unfeeling. For engaging in dialogue about terrorism, about religion, about UN resolutions and foreign policy [....] It becomes disgusting.”

When echoes of “Free Palestine” calmed, another speaker from SPHR McGill began listing the names of the massacres that the Israeli state has committed in its 75 years of existence. The speaker then initiated various chants like “So-So-So-

Solidatité, avec, avec, avec la Palestine.”

Around 2 p.m., protestors marched to the Scotiabank branch opposite McGill’s Continued from page 1.

Bronfman Building on Sherbrooke Street, where a group of protestors had formed a Abuali then drew parallels between Canpicket line. Scotiabank is the largest forada’s occupation of unceded Indigenous eign shareholder in Elbit Systems, Israel’s lands on Turtle Island and the Israeli oclargest private weapons manufacturer, cupation of Palestine. holding five per cent of the company’s “We recognize that decolonization is shares (valued at around 450 million USD). not simply a metaphor for social justice Two hours before the protest began, and societal improvement but that it inPrincipal and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini volves a material repatriation and getting sent an email to the McGill community back of Indigenous land and life both in that denounced one of the event’s postCanada and in Palestine,” Abuali said, ers, calling it antisemitic, as it featured an concluding his remarks with “Land Back” image of protestors breaking glass. The chants. event took place on Nov. 9, the anniverA representative from SDHPP sary of Kristallnacht—a series of pogroms UdeM—Solidarité pour les droits huthat Nazi Germany carried out against mains des Palestiniennes et Palestiniens de Jewish businesses, named after the broken l’Université de Montréal—took the stage glass that littered the streets following the next, followed by two members of the reattacks. Saini wrote that he had requested cently revitalized McGill chapter of Indeextra security presence on campus and pendent Jewish Voices (IJV). warned that the protest would only be tol“Palestinian liberation has never been erated if it remained peaceful. The image and never will be oppositional to Jewish that Saini referenced is from 2002 protests safety,” Isaiah said on behalf of IJV Mcat Concordia University that cancelled a Gill. “As Jewish people organizing for speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Palestine, we firmly say that ‘never again’ Netanyahu. means for all people, all times, all over the IJV McGill took to social media to world.” respond to Saini’s email, which the group IJV McGill was last active in Septemcharacterized as “inflammatory” and “reber 2021, based on its Facebook activity. pressive.” In its statement, IJV McGill opIsaiah says that the group resumed activposed the increased security presence and ity this November to offer an alternative rejected the Principal’s insinuation that the community for Jewish students who do not pro-Palestine movement on campus has vialign themselves with the state of Israel. olent intentions.

“We realized that there are [...] a lot of “It’s legitimate to connect the anniJewish students who don’t feel represented versary of Kristallnacht to a photo of broby the mainstream Jewish organizations ken glass [....] I think it’s a bad faith interon campus,” Isaiah told The Tribune. “We pretation to see that as an intentional act of exist in numbers and IJV is restarting so antisemitism. Had it been any other day, it we can mobilize that.” would have been an appropriate image to Méshama Eyob-Austin, U3 Arts, who use,” Isaiah told The Tribune in an interis Ethiopian-Jewish and Jamaican, also view. “I definitely think that the way incispoke at the protest. She stressed the condents of antisemitism have been manipunection between Black and Palestinian liblated to support Israel leaves Jews all over eration movements. the world less safe [....] It threatens Jewish safety in the name of the Zionist cause.”

SPHR McGill has not responded to Saini’s email publicly, but the group reposted IJV McGill’s statement on their Instagram story on Nov. 9. In a statement to The Tribune, SPHR McGill denounced any entanglement of their activism with antisemitism.

“We reiterate that conflating Zionism and Judaism has long been used to promote and amplify Zionist narratives at the expense of both the Palestinian and Jewish community,” SPHR McGill wrote. “Once again, we reject this false association that attempts to undermine the history of On the same day as the protest, Montreal police forcibly removed protestors calling for a ceasefire outside Justin Palestinian student activTrudeau’s Papineau riding office after a seven-hour sit-in. (Sophie Becquet / The Tribune) ism in North America by

weaponizing traumatic historical events and generational grief.”

On the walk to Scotiabank, The Tribune spoke with political science professor William Roberts, who was one of a few faculty members in attendance. Roberts said that he was disappointed in the McGill administration for being “incredibly naive or ignorant.”

“That level of cluelessness and onesidedness from the administration is very predictable, unfortunately, and I really wish that they would [...] get out of their offices and stop thinking that they understand the world just because they got angry emails,” Roberts said.

At Scotiabank, picket line organizer Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch and a Palestinian Youth Movement representative gave speeches. Another organizer led a group singing of “Hey Hey Ya Falastin,” a song by Rola Azar that was dedicated to Shireen Abu Akleh, a journalist who was shot by Israeli forces in 2021.

Around 3:20 p.m., community members from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) marched toward Scotiabank, walking behind a large banner that read “Palestine Libre.” Chants such as “Boycottez Israël, boycottez les criminels” resonated through the streets as the group joined the other demonstrators. The Tribune spoke with two students from the group, both of whom asked to remain anonymous.

“We are here to take a stand against Canada and our institutions’ involvement and encouragement of the genocide that is going on in Palestine right now,” the two said in a joint statement. “UQÀM has a lot of programs in exchange with Israel and we’re asking UQÀM to join the BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] campaign and stop buying products from companies that finance genocide.”

In an interview with The Tribune, El Bechelany-Lynch reiterated the importance of the BDS movement in the fight for decolonizing Palestine and rejected accusations that the campaign is antisemitic.

“People have been protesting peacefully for a long time now, it’s been a month. I think what has changed recently is there’s a shift in focus to think about where the money and weapons are coming from that are killing Palestinian civilians,” El Bechelany-Lynch said. “If you’re boycotting Israel, which is a government like any other government, you’re boycotting the actions of a government that is going against international humanitarian laws, that is killing innocent people. We’re not boycotting Jewish people or Jewish businesses [....] It’s a movement for the liberation of Palestinian people.”

The protest remained peaceful and continued until sundown at around 4:30 p.m. * Ghazal Azizi has no affiliations with the event’s stakeholders. She has, however, signed a petition and appeared at demonstrations calling for a ceasefire. The Tribune does not consider her engagement to be a conflict of interest.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

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AGSEM and McGill’s third bargaining meeting: New demands over collective agreement Pushes for job safety and healthcare improvements mark the latest negotiations Maddie Higgins Contributor

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n Nov. 9, the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) entered its third bargaining meeting with the McGill administration. Since Sept. 21, AGSEM—the union representing teaching assistants (TAs) at McGill—has been negotiating terms for improved working conditions and wages following the expiration of their collective agreement in July. Amidst negotiations, the union’s No More Free Hours (NMFH) campaign focuses on seeking better compensation for extended work hours not covered by TA’s current salaries.

The recent meeting centred on a discussion around job security and healthcare, according to the union’s press release. Representing AGSEM, bargaining committee members Nada El Baba, Dallas Jokic, and Nick Vieira sat alongside Grievance Officer Jean-Philip Mattieu, Mobilization Officer Kiersten Beszterda van Vliet, Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) advisor Sébastien Boisvert, and CSN intern Andrea Cano.

Six additional union members attended the meeting, including Jesse*, a graduate student and TA in the Department of Anthropology. Jesse asserted that McGill supervisors and administrators discourage graduate students with external or internal fellowships and grants from applying for TA positions. In an email to The Tribune, Jesse described how many of their peers received informal emails from administrators requesting that these students “take one for the team” in favour of incoming students without supplemental funding.

“The implicit message was that students with extra funding were greedy for wanting to

take TA positions, even though their external or internal awards amount to an annual revenue that is still under Montreal’s poverty line,” Jesse said.

AGSEM expressed concern that the practice undermines the priority pool rights of those with prior TA experience, a rule ensured in the now-expired collective agreement. Nick Vieira, a third-year physics Ph.D. candidate, wrote to The Tribune in an email, adding that not only does the university hurt the priority pool through discouraging certain students from becoming TAs, it also conflates TA wages with student funding packages.

“In some egregious cases, TA positions are included in students’ funding packages even when the department cannot guarantee that all graduate students will receive TA positions,” Viera wrote. “[Graduate] students are promised that they will receive $X + Y and then told Y is not available to them.”

In the email, Vieira alleged that McGill was willing to ban prohibitory language, where department heads would outright tell students not to apply to TA positions, but would not agree to the union’s proposed language for preventing any discouragement of students looking to become TAs. During the meeting, union members vocalized demands for better healthcare, namely to align their collective agreement with Article 12 of the Quebec Act Respecting Occupational Health and Safety, which states that workers have the right to refuse work if it exposes a worker “to danger to his health, safety or physical or mental well-being.”

Vieira expressed that workers in the teaching industry can be subject to pressure from supervisors or be put in compromising situations.

“We reject McGill’s suggestion that psychological danger is any less real or pressing than physical danger,” he wrote.

Alex*, another TA in the social sciences department, stated that “wage theft takes the form of difficult situations,” explaining the pedagogical responsibility TAs feel to help students even while receiving no compensation for spillover hours.

The backdrop of the Quebec government’s newly proposed tuition hikes has created a new impetus driving AGSEM’s NMFH campaign.

With McGill under financial pressure, Alex fears that the tuition hikes will be used as a pretext for austere budgeting.

“It becomes even more important that our basic wage offers some sense of security when everything around us is being chipped away,” Alex said, voicing anxiety that institutional capac-

ities, extra funding, and resources will be stifled by the tuition hikes.

While negotiations have not touched on non-monetary proposals thus far, Vieira affirmed that the union will bring forth the demands of the NMFH campaign in the future.

“If McGill has to make sacrifices, they should fall to high level administrators who make half a million dollars a year, not students or workers trying to make ends meet,” Vieira stated.

Cynthia Lee, McGill’s Associate Director in Media Relations, in response to a statement request from The Tribune, said “McGill will not make any comments regarding the current discussions and will let the negotiation process run its course.” *Jesse and Alex’s names have been changed to preserve their confidentiality.

AGSEM claims McGill steals a million dollars annually in wage theft. ( AGSEM )

Student Wellness Hub faces province-wide healthcare practitioner shortage Students report limited access to Student Wellness Hub’s resources Helen Griffiths-Barnhart Staff Writer

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he Student Wellness Hub (SWH) is a multi-functional program proposed and opened in 2019 to encourage the well-being of students, staff, and faculty members. Since its creation, however, the SWH has faced obstacles in providing care due to a province-wide shortage of practitioners and a requirement that doctors volunteer their time. This has led to limited access to appointments and clinical availability for students across campus.

Lennox Wong-Chor, U1 Music, shared his experience with the SWH in an interview with The Tribune.

“I think realistically, the Wellness Hub is doing everything they can [....] I called the Wellness Hub bright and early, at 8:30, and by the time I called, I was 17th in line, even though I called as soon as they opened,” Wong-Chor said. “In a perfect world, I’d want there to be less of a wait time and more physicians, but I know realistically, it’s not going to happen because it’s not student-run and the doctors are volunteering their time.”

In a written statement to The Tribune, Dr. Hashana Perera, Medical Director of the SWH and a faculty lecturer in McGill’s Department of Family Medicine, explained that Quebec mandates specific amounts of time that doctors have to work in order

to continue working in the province.

“Family physicians in Quebec are required to commit 12 hours per week to certain medical activities to maintain their license to practice in a region [….] Time spent seeing patients at McGill does not contribute to fulfilling these weekly required 12 hours,” Perera wrote. “Consequently, I must maintain a separate family medicine practice with 600 patients and work at a community walkin clinic. While our doctors thoroughly enjoy working with our students, the difficulty lies in finding physicians willing to take on additional responsibilities beyond the government-mandated requirements.”

This requirement has led to a practitioner shortage at universities, including McGill, as doctors have to be willing to volunteer their time.

Additionally, more than 80,000 Quebec healthcare practitioners organized a two-day strike on Nov. 8 and 9, as a result of Bill 15—Quebec legislation that stands to overhaul the existing health system.

Bill 15 includes a proposal to increase the clinical hour requirements to account for post-pandemic labour shortages, which would likely lead to a decrease in practitioners able to volunteer their time at university clinics.

Alice Maitlis, U1 Arts, reports having a smooth experience visiting the SWH despite practitioner shortages, but agrees that there are barriers to access.

“My experience was fairly positive with the have been reduced significantly over the past few Student Wellness Hub, it was efficient, kind and years and we can often connect students with a there was no awkwardness, which was good,” mental health clinician within a few days [...] If Maitlis told The Tribune in an interview. “I doubt hours worked in our clinic were counted as clinic that everyone has equal access to the Hub, due to hours required under provincial legislation for all linguistic barriers or not being encouraged to go by GPs, we would be able to recruit more doctors to friends or family. I’ve only accessed the physical provide medical services for students.” health side of it which seemed very well run, and I assume in terms of mental [health] it [is] too, although those could always be more well funded in facilities like these.”

When asked about student accessibility at the SWH, the Hub responded that they have managed to reduce wait times over the years, but stated that students’ medical experiences could be further improved if provincial legislation allowed for easier practitioner recruitment.

“We’re proud of how we’ve leveraged our team of different clinicians to connect students with care when they need it,” the SWH wrote in The Student Wellness Hub offers one-on-one and group-focused a statement to The Tribune. therapy that centres around artistic creativity and virtual reality“Mental health wait times based healing. (Mason Bramadat / The Tribune)

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PGSS general assembly fails to meet quorum Council meeting discusses opposition to the tuition hikes and efforts to increase attendance Dante Ventulieri Student Life Editor

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n Nov. 8, the Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS) held both its November council meeting and general assembly (GA) at Thomson House. As the GA failed to reach quorum—which is one per cent of PGSS members, or 96 students— no motions could be passed and all items on the agenda were for consultation and discussion purposes only.

The November council was led by Nora Delahaye, the Council Speaker, who explained the new submission guidelines for agenda items. Instead of agenda items being submitted on the Wednesday before the meeting, the new deadline would be the preceding Monday, as the extra time is needed to produce French copies of documents in compliance with Bill 96.

Next, the speaker presented proposals for the library improvement fund, which were approved. External Affairs Officer Ansley Gnanapragasam explained what the two projects, which total over $12,000, entail for the Islamic Studies and Osler Libraries.

“These two projects were submitted last year and sent to the library asking for the quote. We received the quote this year, reviewed it, and we found it reasonable,” Gnanapragasam explained. “[They] are more or less new ergonomic desks and chairs for the two libraries.”

PGSS Secretary General Satish Kumar Tumulu then touched on the motion regarding a PGSS response to Quebec’s proposed tuition hikes. The motion outlined potential actions PGSS could take, including an official statement, endorsement of politicians opposing the hikes, support for protests and demonstrations, and an email template for PGSS members to express their disapproval to provincial politicians. The motion was approved.

The council briefly pivoted to a call for candidates to fill vacancies for representatives on the appointment board before adjourning a few minutes past 6 p.m.

After a half-hour break, the GA began. The first dozen minutes were spent trying to reach quorum by urging people to join the Slido, an online voting platform. However, the efforts proved to be unsuccessful. As a result, it was not possible to vote on motions and the purpose of the meeting was therefore consultative; voting will take place at the winter GA on Feb. 7, provided quorum is reached.

The question period was the night’s greatest speaker-audience engagement. In response to a question regarding how PGSS intends to achieve quorum at the winter GA, the Secretary General acknowledged the lack of success in achieving quorum since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If [each] counselor can bring one extra person then we have a quorum. Right now we have 75 people in both in hybrid and in person,” Tumulu said. “We just need 21 more people to get quorum.

It’s not that hard.”

Tumulu and Gnanapragasam mentioned that if all 122 council members attended, quorum would easily be reached. Various attendees then got up to offer suggestions on how to increase attendance and reach quorum.

David Gallacher, a third year PhD candidate in physics, referenced his own department’s success in achieving quorum at meetings.

“The most effective thing we did was just to go out and invite people in person, like walk around to all the offices, introduce ourselves and invite them to [our] GA,” Gallacher said. “One thing we found is that just sending more and more emails is increasingly less effective. Adding more emails is worse than having fewer emails.”

Other members insisted that the email communication be more direct and easy-to-understand, straying away from acronyms to lower the knowledge barrier and briefly explaining what can be achieved at PGSS meetings. One member even suggested that draws and raffles be used as a way to lure more participation. After acknowledging that the suggestions will be taken into account, the Secretary General dismissed the meeting a few minutes before 7 p.m.

Moment of the meeting: A member commented on the phrasing of Chapter 9, Section 4 of the Society Activities Manual, about how former executives “cannot run for election the same year and the following year,” pointing out that it would mean that they could run during either the current or following year but could only not run for both. After discussion, it was decided the word “and” will be substituted for “or”.

Soundbite: “Please call your friends so we have quorum.”

— Delahaye, urging the crowd to help bring the GA to quorum.

Corrado De Stefano, the administration’s legal counsel, received his Bachelor of Law from McGill University in 1986. ( Allie Harrison / The Tribune)

SSMU Legislative Council approves SSMU statement for empathy and against doxxing Councillors criticized McGill’s reaction to the conflict in Gaza Chloé Kichenane Opinion Editor

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he Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) gathered on Nov. 9 for its fifth Legislative Council meeting of the semester. Members of the council discussed students’ responses to tuition hikes, issues of food security on campus, and a potential statement in response to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

The meeting started with reports by councillors representing the Senate Caucus, the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS), and the Nursing Undergraduate Society (NUS). The Senate Caucus discussed food security, stating that it meets with Let’s Eat McGill biweekly, and met with the Concordia Food Coalition on Nov. 8. The Senate also presented a university-wide survey on food security and encouraged the assembly to share it widely. Nursing Senator Naomi Pastrana Mankovitz explained that data from the survey will be used to write a motion for the creation of a Senate committee concerning food security.

“We need to assess food insecurity so we can better advocate for more security, with data,” Pastrana Mankovitz said.

Student Senators then presented questions they submitted to the McGill Senate in preparation for their upcoming meeting on Nov. 15.

The first question—regarding the ongoing investigation into potential unmarked graves on the New Vic project site—was deferred due to the ongoing court case, but councillors noted McGill’s lack of transparency on the issue as a concern. Student Senators answered another question about the communications sent out by McGill on the Israel-Palestine conflict. As a representative of the caucus, Pastrana Mankovitz expressed its doubts on the decision-making process behind McGill’s communications.

“We are wondering about the consultation process behind the mass emails sent by McGill, their consequences and their apparent one-sidedness,” Pastrana Mankovitz said.

Arts and Science Councillors explained why ASUS decided to

not release a statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict to students in the faculty. Councillors cited the faculty’s relatively small size and its limited resources, which could be allocated elsewhere considering that Arts and Science students already receive communications from both Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) and Science Undergraduate Society (SUS).

The meeting continued with reports from different committees, including the Gender and Sexuality Advocacy Committee’s presentation of its plans to increase the amount of the Queer Improvement and Partnership Solidarity (QUIPS) Bursary—which distributes funds to queer students and recent graduates. If accepted, this would increase the $3,000 currently being distributed to support queer students’ urgent needs and community projects.

The Committee then updated the assembly on its advocacy work, such as their push for the removal of the gender dysphoria diagnosis requirement in StudentCareʼs new Gender Affirming Care policy, which provides coverage and legal assistance for students on their gender affirmation journeys. They also mentioned future projects of counter-protesting events to respond to anti-trans hate on campus.

SSMU executives then briefly reported on their activities. Vice President External Liam Gaither presented a few measures to address the recent announcement of tuition hikes in the province, such as a teach-in held on Nov. 8.

“There will be another protest on November 30th. Follow @ ssmu_ea for more details, and wear the red square,” Gaither said.

Members of the council also approved a motion regarding a Statement on Commitment to Empathy, Respect and Anti-Doxxing on Campus. The statement will condemn doxxing—a practice that broadcasts private information about an individual—and provide resources for students who fall victim to doxxing in an attempt to make campus a safe place for students to express their views. “‘[This] aligns with the SSMU commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment on campus and protecting students from harassment,” councillor Jacob Shannon explained, reading from the official motion.

The council is composed of 30 councillors, elected by specific constituencies, including school and faculty associations, as well as councils representing particular student demographics. (Nell Tov / The Tribune)

Moment of the meeting: The council concluded that McGill’s response to the Israel-Palestine conflict was inappropriate. They specifically expressed concern on the consequences of these mass emails on the student body.

Soundbite: Resources in ASUS are already limited and although we support any statement released by the SSMU, this would not be the best allocation of resources for ASUS.” — Councillor Natan Sakariji on ASUS’ decision to not release a statement addressing recent events in Gaza.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

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Editor-in-Chief Matthew Molinaro editor@thetribune.ca

McGill’s neglect of Indigenous veterans fuels settler colonialism

Creative Director Mika Drygas mdrygas@thetribune.ca

The Tribune Editorial Board

EDITORIAL BOARD

Managing Editors Lily Cason lcason@thetribune.ca Arian Kamel akamel@thetribune.ca Tillie Burlock tburlock@thetribune.ca News Editors Shani Laskin, Jasjot Grewal, & Caroline Sun news@thetribune.ca Opinion Editors Chloé Kichenane, Liliana Mason, & Monique Kasonga opinion@thetribune.ca Science & Technology Editors Ella Paulin & Athina Sitou scitech@thetribune.ca Student Life Editors Abby McCormick & Dante Ventulieri studentlife@thetribune.ca Features Editor Harry North features@thetribune.ca Arts & Entertainment Editors Dana Prather & Suzanna Graham arts@thetribune.ca Sports Editors Anoushka Oke & Julie Ferreyra sports@thetribune.ca Design Editors Drea Garcia & Sofia Stankovic design@thetribune.ca Photo Editor Mason Bramadat photo@thetribune.ca Multimedia Editor Anna Chudakov & Alyssa Razavi Mastali multimedia@thetribune.ca Web Developer Jiajia Li webdev@thetribune.ca Copy Editor Matthew Adelberg copy@thetribune.ca Social Media Editor Sainka Walia socialmedia@thetribune.ca Business Manager Sophie Smith business@thetribune.ca

bserved a few days before Remembrance Day, Indigenous Veterans Day on Nov. 8 commemorates the notable contributions of Indigenous veterans to Canada’s historical military pursuits.

Despite official recognition since the day’s establishment in 1994, the broader acknowledgment of Indigenous contributions remains insufficient, and the lack of care provided to Indigenous veterans is abominable. The failure to widely recognize the invaluable role of Indigenous peoples in Canada’s military fuels settler colonialism, while excluding Indigenous resistance to violent nation-building.

The treatment of veterans in Canada has historically rendered one truth: Canada fails to provide sufficient support for its veterans, especially Indigenous veterans. By the end of World War II, over 3,000 Indigenous soldiers, sailors, and air crew members served in the Canadian Forces. However, upon transitioning back to civilian life, many faced racism and encountered systemic obstacles to gaining rights and personhood.

Until 1960, the Canadian government did not afford Indigenous soldiers the same rights and benefits after service––such as access to housing and financial and health supports––as non-Indigenous veterans. The general neglect of Canadian veterans is evident to this day as many returnees, grappling with various forms of trauma, confront mental health issues, houselessness, and drug addiction.

When compounded by the enduring effects of intergenerational trauma and colonial violence that Indigenous peoples experience, the Canadian government’s neglect yields perilous consequences. McGill’s failure to acknowledge Indigenous Veterans Day illustrates the institution’s hypocrisy, erasing the diverse military experiences that form Canadian history.

The decision of many Indigenous individuals to enlist in the military stems from inequality and injustice.

The military, functioning as a business, strategically targets those from lowerincome communities, enticing them with promises of financial and social benefits that many never receive.

Historically, some Indigenous peoples have chosen military service as a means to escape the exploitation they face within Canada, only to encounter further exploitation and discrimination within the military.The military must

OFF THE BOARD

Learning to go slow

Content warning: sexual violence, settler colonialism

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Lily Cason Managing Editor

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ghazal Azizi, Ella Gomes, Shani Laskin, Matthew Molinaro, Jacob Northfield, Ella Paulin & Sophie Smith

STAFF Ali Baghirov, Ella Buckingham, Roberto Concepcion, Kellie Elrick, Maria Gheorghiu, Ellie Griffiths-Barnhart, Naomi Gupta, Charlotte Hayes, Eliza Lee, Madigan McMahon, Atticus O’Rourke Rusin, Jayda Smith, Solenne Trequesser, Isla Vaillant, Eliza Wang, Katherine Weaver, Abby Zhu

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This past summer was a summer of long drives. I would put on a podcast, occasionally find a passenger, and hit the road in my beat-up blue Subaru. Ironically, at some point, while speeding on long stretches of Route 175, I also came to embrace moving slowly.

I have always been bad at slowing down. Even as a kid,

I would immediately pick an ambitious project or set a new goal when presented with a break from school. I would take up knitting, train for a race, or fix a broken clock that I was determined not to replace.

No matter what, I would pour my all into something that would give me tangible results and stave away the awful feeling of having wasted precious free time by simply relaxing.

As I got older, hobbies turned into using my time off to plan for the future, but my fears of misusing time persisted. My calendar was meticulously organized in order to prevent a wasted moment. Breaks may have been about taking a pause from school, but they certainly were not about rest.

This summer, I was woefully unoccupied. The winter semester had been difficult for me, marked by burnout and depression. (It turns out that balancing a part-time job, working at a student paper, and being a full-time student are not conducive to a peaceful lifestyle.)

So, there I was at the end of April,

cease targeting Indigenous people to serve for a settler colonial nation that does not provide them adequate care nor recognizes their need for support and redress. Urgently required is the establishment of culturally-responsive trauma and healing services for veterans, addressing the unique needs of Indigenous veterans and fostering genuine healing in the aftermath of war.

This oversight extends to the additional lack of recognition toward Indigenous women veterans.

With the Canadian military being a ‘brotherhood’ predominantly composed of white cisgender men, their interests consistently take precedence.

This results in a perpetuation of sexual violence, particularly toward women of colour. The Canadian justice system, built on the exclusion of Indigenous peoples under the Indian Act, habitually overlooks cases of sexual violence in the military. Disturbingly, this form of violence disproportionately affects Indigenous women, who are sexually assaulted at three times the rate of nonIndigenous women and represent 16 per cent of all female homicide victims while only comprising 4.3 per cent of the population of Canadian women.

Canada must intensify its efforts to mitigate this violence and protect Indigenous women in the armed forces

with my biggest fear about to be true: I had no summer plans. As friends left Montreal to take on impressive internships, network, and make money to save for the future, I quit my job at a restaurant and mindlessly travelled in the months to come.

Going into the summer, I was worried—given my track record with unconstructed time—that my mental health would go downhill. Of course, I panicked at times, feeling as if I was dooming my future, but I pleasantly surprised myself with my ability to lean into rest and let the open road take me anywhere.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve also always been overly selfjudgemental. I would tell any friend that they should relax and let loose— after all, we are only young once, and there is plenty of time for everything.

But I never included myself in this and always felt guilty once I inevitably burnt out and was forced to take a break anyway. I am not going to lie and say that is no longer the case, but this summer was new for me. I let myself be thoroughly and unapologetically impractical,

OPINION

EDITORIAL

5

and beyond.

The absence of any mention of Indigenous Veterans Day in McGill’s communications adds another layer of insensitivity, raising questions about the institution’s commitment to decolonization. McGill’s performative and hypocritical actions toward the Kanien’kehà:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers) fails to address the concerns about unmarked graves that the Mothers have raised.

Acknowledging Indigenous Veterans Day goes beyond honouring the bravery of veterans; it means confronting war’s inseparable connection to colonialism.

The acknowledgement of Indigenous Veterans Day must involve a confrontation with the violence that institutions have continually and historically inflicted upon Indigenous peoples—a reality in which McGill participates. For the university to stand with Indigenous peoples, it must go beyond superficial gestures, such as sending out emails selectively, and work toward a meaningful recognition of the diverse contributions Indigenous communities have made.

True improvement in the university’s relationship with Indigenous communities cannot be limited to public relations strategies and requires substantive actions, conversations, and attention.

and boy did it feel good.

I got lost alone in Venice at 2 a.m. with a dying phone, watching the water lap at the edges of beautiful buildings, feeling elated and free. I drove five hours from Saguenay to Montreal just to spend four hours with someone I love before promptly driving back. I let myself pull off of the highway in upstate New York to see a park that looked beautiful and take a nap in a hammock.

Sure, I made some calls that hurt the next day—mostly due to sleep deprivation—but I wouldn’t go back and change a thing.

I am now staring down the barrel of graduation next semester, and July feels like pure fiction. In a sea of students imbued with productivity mindsets and competitive ambition, it is hard to hold myself to taking it slow and being kind to myself.

But in moments when I feel so overwhelmed that I want to run away and never look back, I remember the feeling of driving through the forest, windows cracked, and a sense of calm contentment rolls over me like a wave.

ERRATUM An article published in the November 7, 2023 issue (“Jewish students and allies rally against surge in antisemitism”) stated that “Eli Elias” was sung. In fact, the song was “Eli Eli”.

OPINION

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COMMENTARY Lulu Calame Contributor

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ontreal, like so many other cities, has seen a steady rise in inflation of grocery prices. The grocery inflation rate is sitting at about eight per cent, and is expected to increase further throughout 2023. Canadians find themselves on tighter budgets, unable to buy the amount and quality of food that they once could, especially when it comes to fresh produce.

Bio Locaux––a recentlyopened local-only grocery store between Montreal’s Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and Plateau-MontRoyal neighbourhoods––is combating these intensifying economic constraints by removing the “middleman” of production, that is the processes and costs associated with getting produce from the farm to the store. All of their produce is from local farms, meaning that the cost of transportation and packaging is less of a factor, allowing produce to be fairly priced and much more accessible.

Inflation in the Canadian grocery economy is upheld and exacerbated on all sides: The Canadian wildfires and climate-change-re-

COMMENTARY Rebecca Winkelaar Contributor

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he Quebec government’s recent announcement of new measures to avoid psychiatric hospitalization emphasizes the importance of patient-centric and holistic mental illness treatment. However, it is also—put bluntly—too little, too late. Both the imminent introduction of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) as a care service for those struggling with severe mental illness and the regional inaccessibility of these new measures diminish the impact of this shift toward improved mental healthcare. The government will likely struggle to provide proper justification for offering MAiD to those suffering from mental illness when they have only recently invested in mental health crisis-related de-escalation and recovery.

Proposed as part of Quebec’s 2022-26 interdepartmental mental health action plan, the new intervention-focused program aims to deliver treatment within each patient’s home environment with three key initiatives. First is the deployment of specialized rapidresponse teams to support patients experiencing crisis episodes fol-

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

opinion@thetribune.ca

Bio Locaux invests in the necessary model for Canada’s produce market lated devastation are damaging the land and the supply chain, making certain products more scarce, and therefore more expensive. The war in Ukraine has significantly impacted gas prices, increasing transportation costs. And, finally, the economy of grocery stores is becoming more concentrated during the pandemic, with about 80 per cent of the market controlled by just four companies: Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, and Safeway. The grocery economy of Canada is effectively trapped in an economic oligopoly, where prices rise in response to climate factors, transportation, controlled by the overwhelming individual market power of a few corporations.

In Canada’s increasinglyconcentrated grocery economy, Bio Locaux’s market model is an optimistic triple threat. Beyond its fundamentally fair prices and nutritious produce, its support of local farmers inherently sustains the environment. Oil and gas extraction makes up the largest percentage of carbon emissions in Canada. Supporting local farmers mitigates gas consumption as major transportation is no longer a factor of production. Such systemic decrease in gas usage massively progresses the world toward decreased carbon

emissions and is vital in creating a sustainable future.

On an individual level, high grocery prices have led many Canadians to sacrifice nutritious foods such as dairy, meat, and produce for cheaper, less nutrient-dense foods.

Bio Locaux sells the very products that have become too expensive for many Canadians, providing a critical supply of healthy food in an economy where such products are becoming too difficult to buy.

Unless the powerful grocery firms of Canada make a similar attempt to get rid of the middleman of production, they will continue to out-price their customers, forcing them to turn elsewhere for affordable options. While a single store like Bio Locaux is far too small to supply even a fraction of the produce that the Canadian population requires, consumers should continue to support this local market structure as the solution to the crises that overpowering grocery firms spearhead.

Despite the impracticality of expecting local stores to replace firms such as Sobeys and Loblaws overnight, innovators and grassroots food activists will likely adapt the Bio Locaux model within Montreal and beyond. When local

SSMU also runs a free grocery program offered to members of the McGill community who are facing financial constraints due to rising food costs and inflation. (Clara Farhat / The Tribune) produce and decreased international food trade become a priority for the Canadian government, funding could be allocated toward larger greenhouses and growing facilities. Such reallocation would be especially successful in light of McGill’s food insecurity, where students are generally less inclined to buy healthy produce due to expenses. An accessible produce business such as Bio Locaux would likely receive a large number of student customers and benefit the health of the large student population.

Bio Locaux, while small and still developing in Montreal, presents a hopeful model for the future of Canadian food accessibility— for students and Montreal locals alike—in a time when the larger grocery economy is increasingly inhospitable. Such initiatives have already begun in places such as the University Centre, with its new independent grocery store Les Fermes du Marché. The future prospects of small-scale affordable produce look possible, and Bio Locaux is helping realize it.

Quebec falls just short of a proactive response to postpandemic mental health crisis lowing their discharge from the emergency department. Then, the introduction of psychiatric intervention units providing short-term stays (48 to 72 hours) will facilitate a return home during a crisis episode. Finally, the provincial government promises that they will implement intensive home treatment to avoid the potential for hospitalization-related trauma.

If effectively implemented, these transformative shifts have the potential to empower those experiencing mental illness to maintain their autonomy throughout their recovery. However, all new measures introduced on Oct. 30 are accessible only to those in the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centres (CIUSSS) in the West Island and the Centre-Sud regions, leaving them largely inaccessible for many communities. While a step in the right direction, this lack of accessibility undermines the efficacy of these measures entirely.

This investment into the treatment and prevention of mental illness is both timely and absolutely critical, given the broader mental health crisis. However, the regional inaccessibility of these measures is far from their greatest flaw. The introduction of MAiD is highly

controversial, as many in Quebec debate whether the “intolerable suffering” of mental illness is enough to justify its inclusion in the program. Introducing the option of MAiD to those suffering from mental illness before fully implementing and investing in improved mental health treatment could significantly dampen the new measures’ positive impact.

The complexity of layered approaches to mental health sparks tense discussions among psychiatry experts and mental health advocates alike, despite their united goal of providing the best care possible to those struggling. Many, including elements of the federal government, that argue for the perception of mental illness as equal to physical illness are largely supportive of MAiD for individuals with severe mental conditions, similar to those with terminal illnesses such as cancer.

However, this overgeneralization contradicts claims to a progressive, comprehensive conception of mental illness. It is uniquely challenging to diagnose, treat, and articulate mental illness, and the implication might even be that it is reductive to equate it to any other medical condition. MAiD has al-

The Quebec government announces a plan to deliver mental health treatment within each patient’s natural environment in lieu of hospitalization.

(Martha Dominguez de Gouveia / Unsplash.com) ready erred dangerously close to the line of eugenics, as the government has been accused of using the service as an alternative for providing aid to disabled individuals.

Keeping this in mind, the government has a responsibility above all to invest extensively in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. Before turning to MAiD as an alternative care practice, the Quebec government must ensure that other measures are widely accessible for communities all across the province.

Although the provincial government has undeniably illustrated a better understanding of the mental health crisis in its recent announcement, this is just the beginning. The introduction of MAiD as an option for those struggling with mental illness signifies a potential paradigm shift in mental health treatment, demanding careful navigation. The journey toward all-inclusive mental health reform is an ongoing commitment that requires dedication and vigilance to build a caring system that leaves no one behind.

studentlife@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

STUDENT LIFE

7

Word on the Y: Quebec’s proposed tuition increases

McGill students voice concerns about out-of-province and international fee hikes Abby McCormick Student Life Editor

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n Oct. 13, the Quebec government announced a new tuition model under which the province will no longer partially subsidize out-of-province and international student fees. The changes will increase out-of-province tuition from $8,992 to approximately $17,000 and raise international tuition to upward of $20,000. According to Quebec’s Minister of the French Language Jean-François Roberge, the tuition increase—which is set to come into effect in Fall 2024—will help to combat the decline of French in the province. The changes will not impact current students, who will have five years to finish their degrees under the existing tuition model.

Quebec’s English-speaking universities have reported that these changes would have devastating consequences on their institutions, including a revenue loss of up to $94 million and up to 700 job cuts for McGill. As a result, the province’s three English-speaking universities—McGill, Concordia, and Bishop’s—proposed a deal to Premier François Legault in a meeting on Nov. 6, which included mandatory French language courses for anglophone students in lieu of the tuition increase. Students at English-speaking universities have also been advocating through protests and petitions since the announcement of the changes.

While the Premier’s office agreed to make a full exemption for Bishop’s because the tu-

ition increases put the institution’s survival at risk, it declined the universities’ proposal to replace the tuition increase with mandatory French courses within hours of their meeting.

After the deal’s rejection, The Tribune talked to McGill students about how these proposed increases would impact incoming students and the institution’s future.

“It is an embarrassment on the part of the Quebec government to raise prices, as it places an unnecessary burden on students and their families. Quebec wanting to preserve the French language is holding the province back, [like] in the ‘70s when [it] introduced Bill 101, [and] Quebec lost hundreds of businesses to Ontario. While Legault’s government may not see it, this is a decision that will severely impact the province economically for years to come. I love McGill, and I love what its multicultural student body brings to it. It would not be the same without them.” — Emma Gallanti, U3 Arts, Quebec Student “I think that there is this widespread misconception about the types of out-of-province students who choose to attend McGill, and that part of it comes from a disconnect between Legault’s government and anglophone student populations at English universities.

Students here are not interested in gnawing at the foundations of francophone society in Montreal; students choose to come to McGill despite or in light of, the French language barrier [....] The tuition hikes are only hurting the Canadian students who are the most likely candidates to stay and reside in Quebec. These are the students who chose the French atmo-

sphere in Quebec as opposed to other schools [and] cities. It is not the French language that deters me from building a life in Quebec, it is the constant influx of political messages that overtly demonstrate that non-Quebecers are not welcome in this province [....] It is a shame that this political game is coming at the expense of Canadian students, their future, and the future of this city as well.” — Nkwanzi Banage, U2 Arts, Out-of-Province Student “The writing’s on the wall—these tuition hikes are not for the reasons the CAQ [Coalition Avenir Quebec] says. Otherwise, they would have accepted the deal to have anglophone students grow in Quebecois culture.

Instead, their policy is blatantly xenophobic, threatening the multicultural foundation McGill is built off of by restricting [admission] only to the wealthiest.” — Domi Wong, U0 Science, Out-of-Province Student “I have tried my best to both learn the language and familiarize myself with the culture here and now feel like no matter what I do, I am not welcome. I also feel bad for all the prospective students who would not be able to partake in what McGill has to offer due to the heightened costs, especially as this university has had such a profound impact on myself, my friends, and my fellow students.” — Amanda Klunowski, U2 Arts, Out-of-Province Student.

According to McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini, the Quebec government’s proposed changes will put the Schulich School of Music in jeopardy. (Jay Lauzon / The Tribune)

Winter on wheels: BIXI attempts its first-ever year-round bikesharing program BIXI will remain open amidst the snow, slush, and ice Naomi Gupta Staff Writer

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ovember usually marks the beginning of the frigid, seemingly everlasting Montreal winter. Dropping temperatures and the end of Daylight Savings Time are usually a wakeup call for city-dwellers to finally say goodbye to their bikes. But as Montrealers everywhere prepare for hibernation, BIXI bikes will sit—or ride—this one out. Last April, Montreal’s only public bicycle-sharing system announced an extension of its services through the winter months. Although the company usually ceases its operations in midNovember, its new year-round program will allow residents, for the first time, to BIXI during the colder months. This new initiative follows those in other North American cities such as Toronto and Chicago, where citizens experience similar, albeit milder, winters.

Bikes at every corner? Think again.

For those used to readily available BIXIs, the company’s winter program will work a little differently: Bikes will only be accessible in seven of the cities’ boroughs. These include Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Plateau-Mont-Royal, Ville-Marie, and the Southwest. BIXI’s year-round station map, available on its website, pinpoints the exact spots where bike stations will be located. Unsurprisingly, they are mainly focused downtown and

adjacent to certain metro stations in the Plateau.

So, will students turn to BIXIs? The extension of BIXI’s regular services into the colder months of the year is a game-changer for students who rely on public transportation to get to and from campus each day. As great as all of this sounds though, an obvious barrier remains: Montreal’s biting weather conditions.

After all, there is a reason that BIXI refrained from introducing this initiative for so long. The city’s weather pattern of strong winds, blizzards, and iced pavements is difficult enough to cope with on two feet… let alone on two wheels. However, BIXI seems committed to overcoming that challenge. Its regular bikes will be equipped with studded tires and non-slip pedals—features which are essential for safe winter biking. Electric BIXIs, for their part, won’t make a reappearance until next spring.

Despite BIXI’s plan to provide Montrealers with safe equipment, the city must also be committed to regular road and bike path maintenance.

Cyclist safety remains an ongoing issue in Montreal as the city saw a 22.7 per cent increase in bike-related injuries in 2022. These numbers only threaten to increase as layers of snow, ice and slush appear are added to the equation.

Is “BIXI-ing” truly a worthwhile option?

Unlike the Société de Transport de Montréal’s (STM’s) public transportation services, which offer discounted student passes for bussing and

taking the metro, BIXI has yet to introduce a student-friendly discount on their services. Monthly memberships are currently priced at $20, and seasonal memberships amount to $99.

This is somewhat justifiable, considering that BIXI’s summer services are extremely reliable: with over 884 bike stations, customers are almost always guaranteed to find bikes within walking distance during the regular season. However, BIXI’s new year-round program is set to reduce the number of bike stations available during the winter months: Only 150 stations will continue their operations—18 per cent of the company’s

usual number of available stations. Despite this, membership rates are somehow identical to those applicable during the regular BIXI season. This raises the question as to whether these costs will end up being worth it, as access to the service will certainly change.

Montreal’s everlasting winters have become synonymous with over-crowded buses and metros, but year-long biking suggests that, perhaps, Montreal’s public transport scene will look a little different in the future. The question remains, however, as to whether Montreal’s spring-and-summer-only bikers will be persuaded by this change.

Montreal has been announcing ever-increasing bike infrastructure projects, including the expansion of secure bike paths. (Chiara Quintela / The Tribune)

The hidden opponent: How ACL

ACL injuries are sidelining women and girls

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s the 2023 Women’s Soccer World Cup kicked off Down Under, a shadow loomed over the tournament for players and fans alike: The absence of many of the game’s most electrifying stars.

Notable absentees included Canada’s Janine Beckie, England’s Leah Williamson, and the United States’ Catarina Macario.

They were missing not due to a lack of skill or determination, but by a common and devastating injury: A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The injured stars were just three of the many players who had torn their ACL during their club seasons, thereby side-lining them for the international tournament. They are just a small part of a concerning trend with ACL injuries disrupting women’s soccer.

ACL injuries in women athletes The ACL, a ligament located in the middle of the knee, connects the patella, or kneecap, to the tibia, the shin bone. Its main function is to ensure knee stability and balance, which is crucial for movement. However, the ligament is susceptible to tearing, a common yet serious injury typically resulting from rigorous physical activity. For instance, when running, stopping quickly and changing directions can cause an ACL to tear.

Sustaining an ACL injury is devastating for an athlete, frequently requiring surgery to reconstruct the ACL to prevent future injury and thus pushing them out of action for some nine to 12 months. The recovery period is so long because following surgery, athletes face the daunting task of regaining lost muscle mass, restoring mobility, and overcoming psychological hurdles from fear of re-injury. Avoiding surgery also runs the risk of sustaining another injury because daily activities such as walking up the stairs or stepping off the curb can lead the knee to buckle, causing the injured person to fall.

“You need an ACL reconstruction because your knee is unstable,” Dr. Moreno Morelli, a faculty lecturer in McGill’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, explained. “An unstable knee also causes a lot more stress inside the joint, so there’s a greater risk of having additional damage to the inside of your knee.”

In my years of playing youth soccer, my coaches consistently drilled the heightened risk of ACL tears in women and girls into our heads.

Experts from Yale Medicine state that women are

Written by Anoushka two to eight times more likely to experience an ACL tear than men are. When I stopped playing soccer after my sophomore year of high school, the fear of sustaining the injury stopped lingering in the back of my mind.

“As [people assigned female at birth] start to grow, [the] pelvis changes shape, and it changes the alignment of [the] legs,” Morelli said. “So it puts you more into what you call a valgus position or knock-knees alignment, and that kind of alignment puts more strain on your ACL. As soon as you push off the limb or land on the limb when the leg is in that knock-knees position, it puts more strain on the ACL, and it could rupture.”

This strain becomes exacerbated by a larger Q angle in women—normally around 17 compared to 12 degrees in men—due to pelvis shape differences. The Q angle measures the angle between the line from the knee up the femur and an imaginary line connecting the knee with the bottom part of the pelvis. This larger angle also puts more pressure on the ACL, increasing the risk of injury.

Research from 2017 also suggests that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle increase ACL tear risk, as it has been shown that elevated estrogen and progesterone cause the hormone relaxin, which loosens ligaments, to be more active. The greater ligament laxity, or looseness, makes the joint less stable, increasing the risk of injury. However, despite this observed connection between the menstrual cycle and increased ACL tears, we still lack definitive evidence.

Research gaps A deficit in data and research on the increased ACL risk among women leads athletes to keep getting injured. According to Alireza Monajati, a senior lecturer in the University of East London’s Department of Bioscience and Sport, there is currently not enough data related to the circumstances surrounding ACL injuries. These gaps in the research make it more difficult for doctors and trainers to analyze the causes of the injury. There are also limited studies with high internal validity that detail ACL injuries in elite female athletes, so how can we find available research that could be used for preventative measures?

More data on elite female athletes will help develop better training and nutrition plans.

For instance, should evidence conclusively establish a link between ACL injuries and the menstrual cycle, it would provide compelling cause for managers at elite clubs to tailor menstruating players’ training and match loads based on their cycles. However, this approach might also overreach into players’ intimate lives, giving coaches too much access to their bodies; in the pursuit of more complete data, research ethics is also crucial.

In an interview with The Tribune, Monajati discussed the challenges in gathering data on ACL injuries among athletes.

“Experimental research on professional [athletes] is limited because of their availability, but in terms of the type of research, it doesn’t always have to be experimental research [where] you bring the professional athlete to the lab,” Monajati said. “Sometimes it’s just gathering the data around the event where the injury happened, and when you have a big pool of data, then you can make the right decisions.”

To enhance this process, Monajati proposed a procedure that he believed would enable greater collection of such data in women’s soccer, inspired by the existing protocols for cardiac risk management in soccer. According to these protocols, set by governing bodies like the FA and UEFA, players participating in European or FIFA competitions are required to undergo cardiac screening every two years as a condition to play.

Monajati believes a similar approach can be done for ACL tears.

“They should undergo certain screening every one or two years, and when injuries happen, the data of that must be reported by the medical team to the FA. The data can involve so many things, [like] the load of the training, the surface where they’re playing, [and] the menstrual cycle phase they’re in. All of this data can be gathered so that you have a big [set of] data eventually, and with big data, you can then apply statistical analysis to process and find the patterns.”

Professionalization and inadequate medical care Beyond gaps in data, women’s clubs’ frequent lack of sufficient resources puts players at risk of increased ACL tears.

In theory, the more at-risk demographic should be offered extra protection and preventative measures, such as supportive exercises and nutrition.

However, this is not the case.

A typical women’s soccer regular season is between 20-30 games depending on the number of

Designed by S

Design

tears threaten women’s soccer

s from the World Cup to the playground.

a Oke, Sports Editor

teams in the league—National Women’s Soccer League (United States) teams play 28 games, while the Women’s Super League (England) and the Frauen-Bundesliga (Germany) play 22. This doesn’t factor in extra tournaments, like domestic cup games or the Champions League, and the intensity only heightens for players who also compete with their country’s national team. Samantha Kerr, one of the best women’s soccer players, competed in 38 games for Chelsea in the 2022-23 season and 12 games for Australia in 2023.

In recent years, women’s soccer has been working toward greater professionalization to bring it up to the standard that men’s teams play at. In that process, the women’s teams have been playing a growing number of matches. Several global invitational tournaments that women players can compete in have grown in the past ten years, from the Arnold Clark Cup (2022) to the Cup of Nations (2019) to the SheBelievesCup (2016).

Pre-existing competitions have also welcomed more teams, increasing the game count. In 2011, the World Cup featured 16 teams; the 2023 World Cup included 32.

However, as playing time increases, medical support has failed to keep pace. According to a FIFA report from 2021, more than 25 per cent of first-division women’s soccer teams did not hire a physio or a team doctor. Christina Le, a physiotherapist at the University of Alberta’s Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic and a passionate Arsenal fan, discussed the state of medical staff availability at women’s soccer clubs in an interview with The Tribune.

“Even clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea are just now starting to support their women’s sides better. I don’t think there were any fulltime physios and stuff like that that were part of the [women’s] clubs until maybe the last couple of years,” she said. “So I think that’s a big thing: Just trying to get a steady medical team instead of contracting a physio just for the season or just for like three months, [because otherwise] you have to build a whole new relationship with somebody else who comes in and takes over that role and maybe has a totally different treatment approach and style.” n Editor

Sofia Stankovic,

Le believes the lack of permanent staff members is largely tied to the way that soccer fans and even club employees still see the women’s game as second-tier to the men’s.

“When they’re trying to pursue these sports [medicine] jobs, there are a lot of people who look at the women’s league as a stepping stone to get to the men’s league,” Le said. “That is not how this should work. They are different entities, and the women’s game should be the end goal for somebody. It shouldn’t be like people get their ‘in’ at a club by helping out with the women’s team and eventually get a promotion to the men’s side.”

Similar pressures appear in the coaching context. The media linked England Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman to the England men’s coaching job in August, while broadcasters repeatedly asked Chelsea F. C. Women manager Emma Hayes if she would switch to coach in the Men’s Premier League. In both cases, the move to the men’s side is seen as a step up by the media and by fans—despite the fact that their teams had more successful years than the corresponding men’s teams.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Lioness Georgia Stanway responded to rumours of Wiegman being linked to join men’s soccer coaching roles by emphasizing that managers enjoying their roles in women’s soccer is what will allow it to continue to grow—they should not view women’s teams as a stepping stone.

Hayes had a similar reaction to the rumours, telling an interviewer that Wiegman’s role as a women’s coach is important in and of itself and that women’s teams deserved top-tier coaches just as much as men’s teams do. Similarly, women’s teams also deserve top-tier medical staff.

by about 80 per cent.

They carried this study out over two years, and in the second year, it reduced by 70 per cent.”

But to build a solid foundation, young women pursuing elite soccer need adequate exposure to high-level training early on. Bad running form, for example—which entails habits like heel striking and overstriding— can lead to running-related injuries. Training that builds good patterns related to form and strengthens players’ bodies in a way that fortifies them against ACL injuries is essential.

“There’s a lot of attention put on the biological pieces, and I think it absolutely makes sense to integrate a part of that, but I think the tricky part with the biological pieces is that they’re not modifiable,” Le said.

She explained that non-biological factors like having a medical team and access to proper strength and conditioning help.

“In England at all of these big clubs, there are boys who are like nine and ten years old being signed to academies and then getting exposed to strength and movement patterns at that age. There’s not much of an academy for a lot of the women’s clubs, and if there are, they are a little bit older, maybe 15 or 16.”

According to Monajati, an injury-prevention program targeting ACL tears combines improving coordination, balance, and strength.

Prevention Strategies “The framework of that is basically these To address the disproportionately high risk three aspects: The technique during landing and of ACL tears, experts and sports professionals changing directions, which is something that alike are emphasizing the need for comprecan be taught, the balance in the lower limb hensive medical support. This focus pushes to muscles, which comes from strength and conovercome the physiological factors that unique- ditioning, and perception exercises, to improve ly, adversely affect women. A starting point is coordination,” Monajati said. incorporating preventative exercise programs, Physiological factors that increase womwhich have demonstrated efficacy in reducing en’s risk of ACL tears are not an excuse for ACL injuries. the elevated frequency of the injury in the “There are several studies that have looked women’s game. Rather, they offer a call for [at] specific exercise programs with the intent increased attention, research, and data related of decreasing the incidence of ACL tears,” Mo- to professional women’s soccer that will allow relli said. “There’s a big study out of Los Anfor the establishment of more adequate pregeles that was published almost ten years ago ventative measures. where they looked at about 1500 [14-18 year Without preventative measures that target old female athletes] who did a specific exercise ACL tear risks, women soccer players will program and compared [them] to those who continue to miss out on momentous opportudidn’t do the exercise program, and the exercise nities like the World Cup—devastating both program reduced the incidence of ACL tears players and fans.

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STUDENT LIFE

studentlife@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

Caring for your leafy buddies

A guide to looking after your indoor plants during these trying times Maria Gheorghiu Staff Writer

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here’s no doubt that the change in seasons affects many of us. With the days getting shorter and trees getting barer, the absence of luscious greenery from summer days can leave a leaf-shaped hole in your heart. But fear not: You can keep those good vibes going from the comfort of your own home. Indoor plants offer many health benefits, including stress relief, mental health boosts, and air quality improvements.

Taking care of houseplants doesn’t have to be a daunting task. As someone who has acquired a reasonable amount of knowledge from years of trial and error, here are some plant care tips that have worked for me.

It’s okay if your plant dies Perhaps the most important piece of advice I can offer you is that it’s okay if your plant wilts and shrivels. This doesn’t mean you’re a bad plant parent, or that you’re doing something wrong! Some plants are harder to take care of than others—there’s something about cacti and succulents that I’ll never understand. Sometimes, choosing less care-intensive plants is the solution.

My personal favourites are snake plants and pothos: The latter, in particular, will literally never stop growing, while the former seems to thrive on neglect.

Plants need to stretch their legs too Staying active and moving around is important, even when the weather isn’t being cooperative. Just like you, your plants need their space to thrive. Sometimes, if a plant isn’t doing well, it might be because your pot is too small. This is especially common for older plants

whose root networks have expanded over the years. So, treat that plant you’ve had in the corner of your room for years to a new pot and some fresh soil. Not only will this provide it with more nutrients and space to expand its roots, but getting your hands in some dirt might be more therapeutic than you think.

your mental health flourish. Remember, if you help your plants, they can help you too.

Know when your plants are thirsty The indoor conditions of your home aren’t always the same as the ones at the plant nursery. Your room might be drier, or the soil might have changed from the time you got your plant, especially if you repotted it.

Regardless of what it says on your plant’s care sheet, there’s no universal guide to watering plants, but a helpful rule of (green) thumb is checking the topsoil with your finger: If it feels dry, give it a good gulp of water, and take this opportunity to ask yourself when you last had one, too. Tropical plants also love a good misting every once in a while. Test out different misting frequencies and see which one your leafy friend thrives under.

Learning to let go of brown leaves You’ve had your plant for years and it’s been with you through the ups and downs of life, or maybe you just got it and you simply can’t accept that its leaves are already falling out. That’s valid. But as hard as it may seem, you need to take your shears out and start pruning. Cutting off dead leaves will allow your plant to both grow fuller and look nicer. You can also choose to remove good branches or leaves and propagate them, allowing your plant to grow in a more balanced way (and the clippings make great gifts to friends).

Taking care of your plants can be very meditative, and seeing them thrive in your environment can make

Taking care of your plants can be fun, easy, and beneficial to your health. (Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune)

Magasin le Chaînon opens a new location with style

Beloved thrift store with a charitable mission expands in the Plateau Katherine Weaver Staff Writer

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n Nov. 2, beloved Plateau thrift store Magasin le Chaînon opened a new location at 4461 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, closing the doors at 4375 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, where it was based for over 20 years.

The grand opening was originally set for Wednesday, Nov. 1, but was postponed to the following morning due to a technical outage. However, once the doors opened on Thursday morning, the eager crowd filled the redesigned boutique to the brim.

By 10 a.m., the store was practically buzzing. Clean, organized racks and shelving units allowed for accessible browsing of a variety of items, from fur coats to household knick-knacks.

The details of the new store, such as its generous lighting, exposed wood panelling, and coherent floor plan, make it feel like a boutique. You could almost forget that the stock is, in fact, second-hand.

Magasin le Chaînon’s original location was opened in 2000 as a major fundraising arm for Le Chaînon, a group of women’s shelters in Montreal. Le Chaînon was founded in 1932 by Yvonne Maisonneuve, who ran a small women’s shelter on Avenue Fairmount.

The organization has expanded since then to operate three shelters in Montreal for various lengths of stay, but it stays true to the original mission: To provide judgement-

free support for any woman in need.

Store Director Stéphane Lamarche explained that how donations are selected and priced is central to the success and mission of Magasin le Chaînon. Lamarche wants to push against the idea that second hand stores sell items that are always dirty and in disrepair.

“We have great respect for the merchandise,” he said in an interview with The Tribune. “You go to other thrift stores and find holes and dirty merchandise all the time. Not here.”

Lamarche explained how the store’s corps of over 75 volunteers combs through public donations and adds new items daily.

The first rounds of donations are given straight to the shelters, while the items left over are sold at the store.

Valérie Tondreau, Director of Marketing, was quite busy the morning of the opening, coordinating on-floor operations and even jumping in behind a register to help shorten the checkout line that stretched the length of the shop. Despite the air of cheerful chaos throughout the store, Tondreau was not at all surprised by the turnout.

“When we would open up at 10 a.m. at the old store, there would already be people lined up outside every day,” she remarked.

The store sometimes undergoes multiple restocks in one day, meaning some Magasin le Chaînon fans will visit the store two or three times a day, according to Tondreau. These fans followed the trusty Plateau thrift store as it moved a couple

of hundred metres down the block to the location formerly housing luxury furniture store Dubois. Lamarche was adamant that the store’s stock, prices, and mission did not change despite its distinct facelift.

Julia Michaud, U3 Management, would visit the old location almost every day. She explained she had counted down the days until the opening, and on Thursday morning, she and a friend were browsing the knickknacks.

“I think the space is great. I think it looks more cohesive. It’s definitely a nicer space. I kinda miss how eclectic the other store was, but it’s got all the charm, just a little bit nicer now,” Michaud said.

Le Chaînon plans to open up a second store in Villeray at 8601 Boulevard SaintLaurent in December 2023. This location will be the operation’s sole donation collection point.

In 2021, 37 per cent of Le Chaînon’s overall funding came from sales at Le Magasin du Chaînon.

(James Knechtel / The Tribune)

arts@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Rejection, the meaning of art, and Taco Bell ‘Taco Bell Quarterly’ brings the literary world out of its shell Kellie Elrick Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

Their 74-page sixth issue was published earlier this year. Pieces include poetry, short stories, cartoons, watercolour illustrations, and art. One artwork is composed entirely of photos of burrito wrappings and up-close nachos, inscribed with “Live Mas” (with nacho cheese and hot sauce used as paint and a chip as a paintbrush, naturally). Some go all in—Taco Bell is their muse. Some include only a passing reference to a character eating a fiesta potato. Titles range from “Ode to My Mother Pissing into a Mountain Dew Baja Blast Cup” to “Tacorotica: A Fire Sauce Seduction.”

The eponymous Taco Bell has been featured in similarly fantastical media activity lately. The company recently won a legal battle to remove the trademark of the phrase “Taco Tuesday” and had a takeout order stolen by a bear—who later returned to steal their pop. The relationship between Taco Bell and its Quarterly seems to be friendly. As Editor-In-Chief M.M. Carrigan said in a 2022 interview with Chron, “They follow us on Twitter.

They don’t sue us.”

Now that the publication’s seventh

issue is ramping up, people have started to receive their rejection letters. These rejections have sparked inspirational genius on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Due to Taco Bell Quarterly’s personalized rejection letters, people are turning said personalized letters into blackout poetry.

The lyrical, romantic lines include: “You felt too invested in this. It’s a wonder you try” and “Thank you for submitting to rejection. I enjoy beats. I consider your name out there in the lit world!”

There’s a current climate of seemingly waning public enthusiasm about literature, where a future in writing has become increasingly unattainable and precarious, and increased horror abounds at the prospect of dedicating your life to something only to find out that you’re not that good at it. So, how can rejection be anything but demoralizing, despite being an inevitable part of art?

But Taco Bell Quarterly has done it: They’ve made rejection fun, even something to look forward to, something to create something else out of. New art.

The other day, my friend recounted a story his professor told in class. He was walking through an art gallery and meandered through rooms full of contemporary art of the experimental sort (A toilet, blank canvases, etc.) before coming to a

Taco Bell Quarterly offers contributors $100 (American dollars) per piece. (Mason Bramadat / The Tribune) room with a red ladder leading up to a hole in the ceiling. He stayed and looked, along with others, for a few moments— then the gallery maintenance worker walked in, climbed the ladder, changed a lightbulb, and took the ladder away.

What makes something art, or even worse, “good” art, when we strip away the walls of esteemed museums or the pages of prestigious journals?

Blackout poetry on X, rejection let-

ters, poetry, cartoons, contemporary art, coincidentally placed maintenance equipment, and Taco Bell all push the boundaries of what it means to create, inspire, and enjoy. Maybe Taco Bell Quarterly is exactly what the arts need: Absurd, frothy, fun, and literary all at once.

Live más.

The sixth edition of Taco Bell Quarterly is currently available online. The seventh edition will be released when its editors feel like it.

Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla’ dethrones the King of Rock and Roll Priscilla Presley’s autobiography is brought to life with new motion picture Sofia Stankovic Design Editor Spoilers ahead for Priscilla.

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ofia Coppola’s latest cinematic endeavour, Priscilla, explores the lesser-known life and story of Priscilla Presley. The film is based on Priscilla’s autobiography Elvis and Me. While numerous portrayals of Elvis Presley cast the rock-and-roll icon in a positive light—such as Austin Butler’s portrayal in Elvis (2022)—Coppola’s film provides a nuanced take on the couple’s intricate romantic dynamic. Despite Priscilla herself serving as a producer on the movie, the film drew criticism from some family members, including her late daughter Lisa Marie, who feared it would tarnish Elvis’ reputation. But why should women remain silent to preserve the legacies of abusive men?

While acknowledging Elvis’ violent and controlling behaviour towards Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny), the film presents something beyond a simplistic, blackand-white narrative. Instead, Priscilla depicts their relationship as a nuanced tapestry woven with threads of love and solace, recognizing the complexities that permeate even the most intimate bonds.

The brilliance of the casting choices in the film becomes evident in the face of initial scepticism. Despite critics questioning Jacob Elordi’s resemblance to Elvis and his limited knowledge of

the icon, gleaned mainly from Lilo and Stitch, Elordi transcends doubt with a performance that radiates authenticity.

While subtitles may have been beneficial to understand the accent, Elordi clearly worked hard to perfect Elvis’ unique mannerisms without needing to undergo intense method acting. His ease and adoption of Elvis’ characteristics in the role have undoubtedly left Austin Butler shaking in his blue suede shoes.

Coppola’s choice to cast Elordi is particularly shrewd, tapping into his contemporary heartthrob status to replicate the admiration girls of the past felt for Elvis. Cailee Spaeny—in one of her first major roles—displays excellent acting prowess, deftly manipulating her facial expressions and physicality throughout the film. Her non-verbal acting contributes to the authenticity of Priscilla’s character, elevating the narrative. Through Coppola’s lens, the film unearths the challenges of being in the public eye, dispelling the glamorous illusions that often cloak the life of a rock star’s girlfriend.

Coppola employs clever narrative techniques to illustrate the jarring age gap between Priscilla and Elvis, underscoring the disparities in their respective worlds.

Their initial encounter occurs when Priscilla is a 14-year-old, and Elvis is 24.

Priscilla neglects her algebra homework, opting to compose affectionate letters to her famous boyfriend. While her peers concentrate on prom dates, she delves into tabloids to uncover details about

Elvis’ affairs. At 24, Elvis assumes an uncomfortably paternal role, orchestrating Priscilla’s relocation to a Catholic school in Memphis, blurring boundaries between boyfriend and guardian. This dependency becomes a coercive force, compelling Priscilla to endure his mistreatment and abuse within the relationship.

Complementing its visual elements, the film’s soundtrack emerges as a powerful and integral component of the cinematic experience, mirroring Priscilla’s diverse emotional states throughout the movie. One particularly noteworthy moment is when she makes the courageous decision to leave Elvis, and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” echoes in the background. This song choice goes beyond beauty. The lyrics refer to what Elvis told Priscilla when their divorce was finalized at the courthouse, but the song also gives a symbolic nod to Dolly Parton’s autonomy.

It’s a well-placed reminder that Dolly never allowed Elvis to record this iconic song, preserving her artistic independence and royalties. This deliberate selection amplifies the film’s message, celebrating Priscilla’s emancipation from her abuser and underscoring her newfound agency to share her own narrative.

Ultimately, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla offers a nuanced perspective on the relationship between Priscilla and Elvis Presley through the former’s eyes.

The impeccable casting choices and soundtrack breathe life into the characters, capturing the tumultuous emotions of

Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi perfectly embody the essence of their characters with their authentic wardrobe and mannerisms. (imdb.com) Priscilla’s journey. The film emerges as a poignant cinematic achievement, urging audiences to reconsider the untold stories behind cultural icons and challenging the perpetuation of idealized narratives.

Priscilla is now playing in theatres.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

arts@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

Pop dialectic: AI and The Beatles’ “Now & Then” The recent release has sparked discourse over AI’s evolving role in the music industry.

Could be Good

In defence of AI As a life-long, deeply committed fan Shani Laskin of The Beatles—no, seriously, my first News Editor ever words were “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”—I was elated to hear one last Lily Dodson song. While concerns about exploitation Contributor in AI-created music are certainly real and valid, this is not one of those cases. Instead, he Beatles released their latest and “Now and Then” represents the amazing final song, “Now and Then,” on Nov. potential for AI in the music industry when 2, over sixty years after the release of it serves to aid in the technology behind their last album. The remaining Beatles— music production rather than make original Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr—used music. artificial intelligence (AI) to splice together When Yoko Ono handed three of John old demos with new recordings. The Lennon’s demos to the three remaining resultant song presents the four Beatles, Beatles in 1994, the technology available dead and alive, singing together one last The other two demos, “Free as a Bird” and “Real at the time could not salvage the “Now and time. But what does this mean for the future Love,” were released in 1995. (Sofia Stankovic / Then” demo. With the rapid development of AI in music production?

The Tribune) of AI, producers used machine learning, a subfield of AI, to recognize and isolate artist—resulting in an album made totally AI has no place in the music industry Lennon’s voice in the original demo. This of AI. Most artists who have passed away “Now and Then” highlights just how technology allowed producers to fix the powerful AI is becoming. I’ll admit that I never consented to have their voices used volume of the background piano to better was impressed with the lyrics and overall in AI-created music, thus showing its fit the voice on the track. What resulted is a message of the sign, and the music video potential to strip the artist of their creative deeply nostalgic collage of Lennon’s original autonomy.

Music created by artificial brought a tear to my eye. Yet, I still believe intelligence lacks the magic of artistry. Is demo from the nineties and present-day clips. this release was unnecessary.

AI is becoming increasingly prominent, As someone who is reasonably and the next step going to be AI concerts? and there is no question to me that it will Despite my immense love for The unreasonably paranoid over AI’s rise, this become as integral to our lives—if not more— Beatles, I’m fully satisfied with the further cemented my fears. Watching as the internet. Learning how to harness it in unaged John Lennon and George Harrison work they’ve released. I don’t need–or useful and creative ways is essential. “sing” alongside an old Paul McCartney want–any more “unreleased” songs to Of course, Harrison and Lennon and Ringo Starr was frightening and come out. This new music that could could not give consent in their lifetimes be created using AI software will most shows the extent to which AI can take for their voices and recordings to be images and make them into realistic likely feel phoney, much like a cash-grab opportunity. To me, it will never feel as used in this way, but I trust their former moving pictures. bandmates, closest friends, and loved ones While this is definitely not the most authentic as The Beatles’ original music, to make the decision of what is or is not which most fans are still yearning for. exploitative use of AI, this opens the ethically sound. In the end, McCartney door to more artificial music, with the Even though it’s a tough truth, we must and Starr made the choice to bring back to possibility for it to become exploitative. accept that they stopped making music light the music of two of the most beloved People with access to this advanced together in 1970, so we’ve had over 60 musicians from the last century and I, for years to get over this loss.

It’s time to let technology could decide to make “new” one, am glad that AI could help. music from The Beatles—or any other dead bugs lie.

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Drag Show + Workshop Trivia Night at Gerts Come meet other drag performers and workshop your A general trivia night presented by P[h]assion act!

Space and supplies tothe do makeup hairstyling, with a secret prize for winning&team of five.a changing room, a photoonline. booth to take pictures will RSVP and buy&tickets be provided.

Where: BarNov. Milton-Parc, 3714p.m.

Parc ave Tuesday 30, 6 p.m.-9 When: Nov. 23rd, 6-11pm Gerts Bar (3480 Rue McTavish) Price: $10 Free per person Sign up at http://bmp.coop

Screening of ‘Close to You’ In collaboration with Image+Nation queer film festival, Cinema Imperial will be hosting a cocktail reception followed by a screening of ‘Close to You’.

Where: Cinema Imperial When: Nov. 18th (Cocktail reception at 6PM, Screening at 7PM) Price: $14

The Society Of The Spectacle – Montreal Premiere followed by a discussion with the director

Guy Debord’s prophetic theory from nearly six decades ago is interpreted through a mosaic of contemporary consumer spectacles.

Where: 1455 Boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest, Room H-110 When: Nov. 27, 7:00pm Tickets at the door Price: By donation (suggested: $5-$10)

Norwegian Christmas Sale Visit the market selling Norwegian food, crafts and gift items. The Norwegian Association of Montreal will also be serving traditional Norwegian smørbrød, waffles, marzipan cake, and coffee.

Where: Norwegian Church and Community Center, 5065 Rue Sherbrooke When: Nov. 17th from 5:00pm – 9:00pm and Nov.18th from 11:00am – 3:00pm.

Price: Free

Bonding over books Read Quebec Book Fairshowcases English-language publishing in Quebec Ella Buckingham Staff Writer

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he McConnell Buildings on McGill University’s and Concordia University’s downtown campuses appear inconspicuous, their exteriors giving no sign of what dwells within. This proves true with the one at McGill (did you know there’s a bar in the basement?), but was especially apparent at Concordia’s McConnell Building on Nov. 3 and 4.

On these dates, entering through the building’s front doors and turning into the Atrium would have led you to the 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair, a cozy bazaar representing the breadth of English-language publishing in Quebec. People milled around, dressed in business-casual or university-student attire (complete with backpacks adorned with red squares in solidarity with tuition fee increase protests), and chatted with booksellers and publishing houses such as Drawn and Quarterly, the Montreal Review of Books, the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ), and Metonymy Press. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming—the attendees’ shared love of books eased the usual awkwardness of introductions.

The fair included events like “Eight Voices: Finalists for the Quebec Writers’ Federation Spoke Word Prize” and a live podcast recording of Getting Lit with Linda. The range of offerings brought together aspiring writers for “Perfect Your Pitch” workshops, families with children eager to make their own comics or write postcards to the future, and even film lovers with a screening of Scarborough, adapted from the 2017 novel of the same name.

“I remember […] putting pen to paper trying to tell the stories of what it was like to be a low-income person in Scarborough and seeing communities being affected by political whim,” Catherine Hernandez, author of Scarborough, said in an interview with The

Tribune “To have people feel like […] their lives are seen, it was really profound for me.”

Not only do book fairs and events such as these allow authors, booksellers, and publishers to connect with the community, they also centre local writers’ voices, giving them a platform to display their literary talents.

“For authors, the great thing about a festival is that people don’t just want a book, they want to know the person behind the book. [Audiences] get to see the passion you have as an author,” Hernandez said.

Another notable aspect of the fair was the variety of English translations of Quebec books written in French. According to Robin Philpot, publisher at Baraka Books, this was a deliberate move to introduce Quebec literature to anglophone readers.

“For a long time, nobody in English Canada or the United States knew there was a Quebec literary world,” Philpot noted in an interview with The Tribune. “[T]hen there became a certain interest in Quebec fiction because […] [of] its different worldviews than English Canada or the US.” Baraka Books, he explained, was created specifically to publish translations of Quebec literature, ranging from fiction, non-fiction, and history books, so that readers could explore the province’s unique worldviews from the source.

“Often people tell the story of Quebec but they tell it from Toronto or from people who hardly speak French.”

The importance of engaging with local publishers, discoverable at events like these or at independent, communityoriented bookstores such as Librairie Drawn and Quarterly, cannot be overstated. They centre regional writers and their diverse worldviews, creating a starting point for dialogue and understanding.

“We created an imprint [called QC Fiction] of younger writers who do interesting writing in Quebec, but [whose writing is] not

Other notable attendees include the McGill-Queen’s University Press as well as Concordia University Press. (Québec Book Fair) known about. If the author’s not known, it’s hard to make a move in the English-speaking world. They don’t know the French-language writers in Canada,” Philpot said.

He added that while it is a challenge, Baraka Books chooses titles it feels are representative of Quebec literature.

The fact that some of these books have been adapted for English-language courses in Canada makes Philpot and his staff feel all the more successful.

By giving a new audience—one who might otherwise be hindered by the language barrier—access to Quebec’s rich culture, the literary world becomes more representative of various lived realities. Read Quebec Book Fair look beyond the fan favourites of #BookTok, head to the nearest local bookstore, and introduce ourselves to the talent residing in our communities.

scitech@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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Inaugural Business Ethics Conference discusses a more inclusive healthcare system McGill experts challenge the status quo in health equity K. Coco Zhang Contributor

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n Nov. 10, McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management organized the Inaugural Business Ethics Conference. This fullday conference featured three insightful panel discussions centred around ethical management in the context of systemic challenges, with a focus on the healthcare industry.

In the panel titled “Promoting Inclusion and Equity in Healthcare,” global health experts shared thoughts on the status quo in health equity from the perspective of marginalized groups such as Indigenous and queer communities.

Marcia Anderson, Vice-Dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Science at the University of Manitoba, began by highlighting the health disparities for Indigenous peoples that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated.

“Not only were First Nations people at a higher risk of COVID19 but they were also at a higher risk of severe outcomes due to COVID-19 at significantly younger ages,” Anderson noted. “The median age for hospitalization for First Nations people was a full 15 years younger than that for the general population.”

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Anderson also discussed the intertwining relationships among various social determinants of health—the non-medical factors that influence health, including race, income, education, employment, housing, and access to quality healthcare.

According to Anderson, racism is a major driver of unequal access to education, employment, and healthcare services, resulting in substantial health disparities among certain populations, such as Indigenous peoples, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and Black Canadians. Given that, Anderson emphasized the urgent need to invest in equity-focused and ethical public policies to improve

health outcomes and create a sustainable healthcare system.

Following Anderson’s speech, Richard Budgell, assistant professor at McGill’s Department of Family Medicine, moved the conversation forward by expressing concerns regarding the underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples, especially Inuit people, in healthcare professions.

“If we do not have Inuit within the healthcare system, then we are not making recommendations that are informed by the Inuit. That means the form of healthcare that the Inuit receive is not the form [they prefer], and that’s a problem,” Budgell said.

For Budgell, the problem lies with the difference between Western and Indigenous approaches to care. Western medicine mainly focuses on the physical aspects of health, whereas Indigenous traditional healing embodies a holistic approach that takes into account a person’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual well-being.

Subsequently, Seeta Ramdass, associate director of the Office of Social Accountability and Community Engagement at McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, expanded on the importance of racial and ethnic diversity in the healthcare workforce.

“If you are an Indigenous patient, and you happen to have on your healthcare team someone who is also Indigenous, then there is a language and cultural understanding, which can put the patient at ease right away. That actually leads to easier interactions and better health outcomes,” Ramdass explained.

Digital literacy is another barrier that makes healthcare less accessible for Indigenous populations. Due to a variety of systemic factors including lack of funding for Internet access on reservations, a 2017 report by the Brookfield Institute found that Indigenous peoples living in rural areas generally face more barriers to acquiring digital literacy than the rest of the Canadian population.

Finally, Timothy Evans, director and associate dean of McGill’s School of Population and Global Health and Associate Vice-Principal,

Indigenous people experience disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, substance abuse, mental health illnesses, and overall mortality compared to the general population.

(Jonathan Borba / pexels.com) commented on future perspectives of the education of healthcare professionals. These new approaches take seriously the consequences of various social changes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing concerns about health disparities, and healthcare globalization—a trend where organizations worldwide work collaboratively to tackle pandemics. “[The global demographic change has resulted in] situations where countries have decreased fertility and aging populations, meaning they don’t have a productive workforce that meets their needs for all services, inclusive of healthcare services,” Evans said.

To address the healthcare system’s overall performance, Evans pointed to the need for instructional and institutional reforms in the education of healthcare professionals by encouraging the inclusion of formative and transformative learning: The development of leadership skills that allow healthcare professionals to facilitate change.

Concrete’s sandy underbelly and hidden carbon costs CarbiCrete offers one solution to the growing environmental problems of concrete Atticus O’Rourke Rusin Staff Writer

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s McGill students, we might not find the sidewalks we walk on during our daily walks to class particularly interesting. And yet, concrete is a major pillar of our society— quite literally. Its use and production affect our lives in innumerable ways. The construction industry uses more concrete than any other material on Earth. Society depends on it, from constructing skyscrapers to paving sidewalks.

However, with the universal necessity of concrete comes a steep environmental cost. Its rigid construction amplifies the effects of floods, leaving pools of water on our streets and sidewalks. By some estimates, concrete is responsible for four to eight per cent of CO2 emissions. Water is also an integral component in concrete production, depleting this valuable resource in regions that need it most.

CarbiCrete, a concrete technology company based in Montreal, has an interesting approach to limiting the negative impacts of concrete use: They produce carbon-negative concrete. In other words, the company’s method of

production not only limits carbon dioxide emissions, but also captures carbon from the atmosphere during the process. Along with water, a mixture of aggregates— like sand and gravel—make up concrete with cement binding everything together. CarbiCrete licenses their technology to concrete producers, who then implement it in their production process.

“Typically, in the cementbased process, you take aggregate, water, cement; you mix those together. You mold them into whatever product it is you want to create. And then you cure the product with either heat or steam,” Yuri Mytko, CarbiCrete’s Chief Marketing Officer, said in an interview with The Tribune. “With our process, we replace the cement with steel slag [a by-product of the steel smelting process] […] but then when it comes to curing, we cure our products with carbon dioxide.”

This process simultaneously recycles a by-product of the steel industry and, during the curing process, uses carbon dioxide that likely would have been released into the atmosphere. Incorporated in 2016, the company first brought its technology onto the market this September. They are working to license their technology with es-

tablished concrete companies and expanding their operation.

“We’re constantly being inundated with requests […] there is a lot of interest. Our focus has really been on standing up this one facility in Drummondville. Basically, we had a pilot project set up at their facility that has essentially been turned into a commercial operation,” Mytko said.

With CarbiCrete up and running and growing their business with investors, The Tribune spoke with Mette Bendixen, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Geography, to better understand what issues the industry of concrete production still needs to address.

According to Bendixen, the aggregates that are mixed with cement or, in the case of CarbiCrete, with steel slag, opens up a whole new can of worms centred around another seemingly inconspicuous resource: Sand. Although most people do not think of sand as a critical substance, it is the most mined resource on Earth, and sand excavation is eroding ecosystems worldwide. Demand for it has even resulted in “sand mafias”— individuals vying for control and profit in the sand trade. Its scarcity has also forced countries such as

More concrete was consumed by China in three years than the United States in the last 100 (Christian Fleury / CarbiCrete) the United Arab Emirates to import sand from other countries, including Belgium. “[Sand excavation] naturally erodes the river banks […] meaning that we have houses falling into the rivers. It has huge consequences when you start digging that sand,” Bendixen said.

Bendixen noted the carbon negative aspect of the technology, but also highlighted the lack of green initiative with regard to the aggregates used.

“What might be lacking in that story […] is are they even addressing this point about aggre-

gates. Is that something that’s considered?,” Bendixen asked.

As CarbiCrete further establishes itself in the construction field, with interest in the company increasing exponentially, it will be important to address other areas of concrete production according to Bendixen. Of course, CarbiCrete has brought about a brilliant new technology. It will need to take more initiatives that are equally as forward thinking, however, to address the other issues our environment faces, even in industries as superficially ‘boring’ as sand.

14

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

scitech@thetribune.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

Innovation ignited at McGill’s 8th Annual Physics Hackathon A team of CEGEP students took home first place by simulating space-time distortion!

Athina Sitou Science & Technology Editor Arian Kamel Managing Editor

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midst the vibrant hum of friendly competition, close to 150 students gathered in the Rutherford Physics Building on Nov. 3 for the eighth Annual McGill Physics Hackathon. An enduring event, the hackathon has persisted seamlessly, even switching to virtual hacking during COVID-19. In its current edition, participants form teams of two to five and engage in a 24-hour creative sprint over three days. Their task: Craft a project intertwining computer programming and physics.

David Gallacher, the lead organizer of the hackathon and a Ph.D. candidate in physics at McGill, spoke to The Tribune about the event’s purpose.

“The main motivation for the hackathon is to inspire and encourage students to use computation alongside their physics knowledge that they’re going to develop throughout the undergraduate [program] or that they’re learning in CEGEP, or high school physics. To combine computing and software with physics because that’s something that doesn’t get emphasized very much.”

This year saw a surge in demand, prompting the hackathon to sell out two weeks prior to the event. To accommodate the overwhelming interest, the organizers released a second round of tickets, which packed the venue to capacity.

The academic background of competitors was especially diverse, with 50 per cent pursuing bachelor’s degrees, approximately 40 per cent from CEGEP, and the remaining attendees comprised of graduate and high school students.

“The way we view it is because, at the research level, [...] it’s kind of expected for you to know how to code in order to do most of the physics research. This is kind of an opportunity to get people excited about learning new things, and to get some practice,” Gallacher said. “We give them support in terms of mentors and volunteers, who

are graduate students, or postdocs, or sometimes alumni who are working in industry.”

The organizers of the McGill Physics Hackathon based their evaluation of different teams on three distinct criteria: Technical implementation, effective storytelling, and aesthetics.

Gallacher further elaborated on what exactly the judges were looking for during the two project pitch presentations that all teams had to do. “[We assessed] how challenging was the problem you were trying to solve? How was your solution to solve the problem?”

Gallacher explained.

He also raised the inclusion of science communication as one of the competition’s foremost benchmarks.

“We judge them on their communication, their ability to tell a story about the project, and they have five minutes to present at the end of the hackathon,” Gallacher said. “And then we have a third category, which is aesthetics/visualization.

Some projects have much more aesthetic connectedness, because they’re a demo or interactive, like a GUI where you have to play with some knobs and change some physical parameters to teach a physics concept.”

The winning project, SingularIO, was a simulation that displayed technical expertise and effective storytelling in addition to beautiful aesthetics. The team consisted of three first-semester computer science and mathematics students from Vanier College. Marco Alturk, Le Tuan Huy Nguyen, and Justin Bax enthusiastically signed up for the McGill Hackathon together after knowing each other for only two months.

They discussed their exciting project, their individual perspectives on metaprogramming, and what they will take away from this unique experience in an interview with The Tribune.

“We got inspired from this game called Agar.io. We made these masses that float around. And we used Newtonian physics [fundamental branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of objects detailing physical facts such as inertia and the relationship between force and acceleration] to calculate the acceleration to

2023 is the first year that as many as eight high school students competed in the hackathon.

(Elika Teimoori Barakoohi)

In 1961, Professor R. E. Bell and his student R. Barton at the McGill Radiation Laboratory discovered a new form of radioactivity known as delayed proton emission. (Elika Teimoori Barakoohi)

be able to simulate how it would look like in real space, how they would orbit around greater masses and how they would collide into each other and become bigger,” Alturk explained. “One thing that was more complicated was the simulation of space-time visualization, like the distortion of spacetime around greater masses.”

The team paid extra care to their project’s visual presentation, even drawing parallels between the pleasing physics aesthetics and life more broadly.

“We spent a solid ten minutes, just the three of us admiring the orbits and wondering if the n-bodies are going to fall in or if they’re going to orbit. So it’s really beautiful within both our application itself, but also the physics behind it, because our simulation is aiming to show people how physics, astrophysics and the dynamics behind them can create useful things, both chaotic and not chaotic,” Bax said.

With the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as ChatGPT, the organizers faced a particularly challenging task in defining necessary guidelines. Striking the right balance between testing a group’s capabilities, but also not ignoring the practicality of AI as an increasingly essential tool posed a unique challenge according to Gallacher.

“From my experience, and from talking to colleagues, we’ve always viewed computation as a tool to help us do more physics,” Gallacher explained. “There is definitely a place for them in my research, and as a programming assistant. And it really can speed up the development process quite a lot. I think it would be silly to not encourage people and to not tell them about these tools.”

However, the practicality of AI technology does not seamlessly translate to its appropriateness in various programming competitions.

“The approach that we took is that by design, our event is already fairly resistant to that kind of thing [AI] being a dominating factor. Because we don’t evaluate participants or their teams on their code, on the execution of their code, or on really anything to do with their actual program,” Gallacher said.

All three members of the winning team shared some of their perspective regarding the use of ChatGPT during the hackathon.

“I think we barely used ChatGPT except for image generation. I personally don’t find the need to use it,” Bax noted.

Nguyen then provided additional nuance by discussing ChatGPT’s degree of helpfulness according to the context where a programmer would use it.

“I think it is a tool that can definitely help. But I’d say 90 per cent of the work is you just toying around with whatever you’ve got, and you’re trying to build from what you have. So I’d say sometimes it can be a bit of a hassle to even use it, but can definitely be useful,” Nguyen said.

Alturk also provided a specific instance where AI can be more of an obstacle than an aid.

“If you give it the wrong prompt or it misunderstands it, it makes a lot of errors, especially in programming. And I think that decreases your productivity, because now you have to fix the code that it gave you instead of writing it yourself. So for things like physics, or the optimization that we did, we didn’t use ChatGPT,” Alturk said.

To create a program worthy of the first-place award title, the three CEGEP students toiled over SingularIO with great persistence and admirable collaboration.

“The total time it took us was maybe 30 hours in total, because we would come to McGill, we’d work on it, and then we would go back home, and continue brainstorming ideas until 2:00 a.m.,” Alturk shared.

In response to reflecting about the three-day long excitement filled with physics, coding, camaraderie, and amicable rivalry, Bax illuminated the team’s biggest takeaways with bonding being a big one.

“The people around this, in my opinion, really made the hackathon enjoyable,” Bax added. “We were very inexperienced and otherwise all around us, we had teams of undergraduates or even graduates writing super complex equations on blackboards. We learned a lot of things.”

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

sports@thetribune.ca

SPORTS

15

Redbirds basketball lose valiant home opener against Gaiters McGill loses 77-69 despite scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter Liliana Mason & Elie Damey Contributor Opinion Editor

7:48 left in the quarter. Despite falling behind early on, the team continued to play energetically throughout the half, putting edbirds basketball (0–3) faced off up a very physical game and a solid defense. against the Bishop Gaiters (2–0) in Forward Zachary Lavoie-Toure made a a thrilling home opener on Nov. 9 tough midrange fadeaway shot that amped at McGill’s Love Competition Hall. The up the crowd, but the Gaiters remained the Redbirds had a rough start, ending the more aggressive team, with 15 free-throw first half down 40-21, however, the team attempts at the break compared to the showed their tenacity, fighting to the very Redbirds’ four. With the addition of their end,scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter six threes in the half, the Redbirds faced a and narrowing the loss to 77-69.

19-point deficit at the break.

Starting off the first quarter, the Coming back with a bang, the second Redbirds were struggling to sink shots, half started off with an impressive stealwith McGill’s first point coming from dunk combo from Padhy, followed by two first-year forward Saransh Padhy with fast break layups from point guard Sean Herscovitch. This ignited a clear shift in momentum for the Redbirds, who increased their energy and put the defensive pressure on the Gaiters.

As the Redbirds rolled out of the locker room for the second half, assistant coach Michael Moody encouraged the team to to turn up the aggression on defense, and avoid giving up any open shots.

“We knew we had to The Redbirds were handed 24 personal fouls, while Bishop’s took climb back,” Herscovitch told The Tribune. “We had just 13. (Abby Zhu / The Tribune)

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to pick up the intensity on defense and start executing better on offense. [As a point guard,] I have to hold my guys accountable and be the coach on the court. Be that second voice for the guys.”

Although both Herscovitch and Joshua Soifer, a recent graduate from the University of Oxford and current McGill law student, put up 20 points, the Gaiters held their ground and handed McGill a 7769 loss.

In an interview with The Tribune, Moody provided some insight into the team’s mindset going into the second half of the game that helped them turn the energy up. “[We had to] step up, you know,” Moody explained. “We were doing a good job of executing, we were still getting good shots, we just weren’t knocking them down.”

He emphasized that moving forward, the team would have to focus on playing their A-game right off the bat rather than waiting until the last quarter.

“One thing you can expect from us is to be gritty and give it a tough game,” he said. “And I think we did that tonight.”

Looking to the future, Herscovitch explained the team would not be deterred by the loss.

“There’s a lot of positives that we saw in the second half,” Herscovitch said. “We

Moment of the Game: With 14 seconds left on the clock, firstyear guard Benjamin Onyenwosa drilled a three-pointer on a pass from Joshua Soifer, cutting the deficit to five and causing the crowd to erupt in cheers.

Stats Corner: The Redbirds’ top scoring players were Sean Herscovitch and Joshua Soifer with 20 points each, followed by Zachary Lavoie-Toure with eight points.

Quotable: “I knew we had to keep pushing and being aggressive. If you start losing your edge there, then you’ve basically given up.”

– First-year forward Joshua Soifer on his mindset going into the second half

saw that we’re very capable of playing defense [...] of finishing out possessions on defense, grabbing the rebound and getting the ball up quick.”

The Redbirds lost 79-62 against the Concordia Stingers on Nov. 11 and will play next against the Laval Rouge et Or on Nov. 18

Redbirds hockey triumphs over York Lions in thrilling 5-3 victory

McGill last played against York six years ago Madigan McMahon Staff Writer

the game.

McGill intensified its offensive pressure, leading forward Caiden Daley to he Redbirds (6–3–1) faced off receive a minor penalty for playing with a against the York Lions (3–7–0) broken stick. Despite having a power play, on Nov. 11 for the first time in six York could not break through McGill’s years, securing a decisive 5-3 victory in an defence. Goalie Fabio Iacobo briefly left intense and physical game. the goal unattended before another scrum The game opened with York dominating ensued, this time involving team captain the puck, challenging McGill before they Taylor Ford. York continued to battle before could mount their first offensive rush. Play right wing Charles-Antoine Dumont scored went back and forth, punctuated by defender McGill’s first goal with 3:33 remaining in Thomas Belzile’s shot on goal, sparking a the period. The Redbirds’ pressure would fierce scrum in front of the Lions’ net. not wane until the end of the period for When the Lions applied pressure, defenders another goal.

Scott Walford and Alexandre Blanchard The second period saw play go endwere quick to intercept and send the puck to-end until York eventually scoring their up the ice to centre William Rouleau. Three second goal with 11:07 minutes remaining. minutes later, York scored the first goal of After a long struggle to get the puck in the net, centre Mikisiw Awashish scored his first goal of the season, equalizing the score at 2-2.

“I think just trying to find ways to get inside of them,” Ford said in an interview with The Tribune, reflecting on the game’s challenges.

“They had some big bodies back on defense. I’ll give The Redbirds came back strong following their loss against Concordia the the forwards credit. previous day. (Abby Zhu / The Tribune) They were trying hard

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to get inside and I think that paid off a little bit toward the middle of the game and we ended up scoring.”

The final period saw heightened tensions, with both teams applying relentless pressure After forward Patrick Larkin received a penalty just under four minutes in, Brandon Frattaroli intercepted a pass and scored a goal, unassisted, on a breakaway.

With four minutes remaining in the game, McGill put a lot of pressure and had several shots before forward Eric Uba scored another goal with 3:54 remaining, bringing the score to 4-2. After a time out, McGill had a few shots on goal, but York were able to defend them despite pulling their goalie. York returned the pressure and scored a goal with two minutes remaining to make it 4-3.

York attempted to get one last rush in the final minute of play before centre Xavier Fortin scored the final goal on an empty net with an assist from defender Maxime Blanchard. With seven seconds remaining, both teams erupted into a physical battle of pushing and shoving, resulting in two York players being penalized for roughing. The game ended 5-3 on a McGill power play.

After the victory, Frattaroli reflected on the team’s performance following their 11-5 loss to the Université du Québec à TroisRivières (UQTR) Patriotes on Nov. 11.

“You know, it wasn’t a pretty game,” Frattroli said. “It was a tough loss against [UQTR] that we wanted to come back and we wanted to win really badly. It was a must win [....] I’m just happy. Simple game today

that the boys figured out and got the W, so that’s all that matters.”

McGill’s next challenge is an away game at Waterloo on Nov. 17, where they will face off against the Laurier Golden Hawks (3–72).

Moment of the Game: During York’s power play, Dumont’s stick broke, leaving him defenseless on the ice.

Dumont proceeded to get down on the ice and hold the puck until his team mates arrived to help relieve the pressure.

Stats Corner: With seven seconds remaining in the game, three players received penalties for roughing: Two on York’s team, and one for McGill.

Quotable: “There’s no easy games in this league. So knowing that, despite the difference in the rankings in the two teams, [we] knew that was gonna be a tough game. And it’s really good to see us bounce back after our game on Wednesday [against UQTR] [....] we’re a team that has success when we play with our structure and systems.”

— Head Coach, David Urquhart on how he felt going into the game and after the first period.

16

SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2023

sports@thetribune.ca

The NHL must clarify its stance on player gambling in the next CBA The league’s current regulations are inadequate and ambiguous Marco Zeppilli Contributor

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n the past month, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Ottawa Senators have made headlines for a slew of undesirable reasons.

One of the sources of controversy involving the club was forward Shane Pinto’s 41-game suspension for sports wagering activities, announced on Oct. 26. This came as a surprise to many players and league personnel for a number of reasons. Not only had the NHL not suspended one of its players for sports gambling activity since 1948, but the league’s investigation also found no evidence that Pinto had wagered on NHL games.

Though the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prohibits players from placing bets on NHL games, no mention is made of the extent to which players are allowed to bet on other professional sports. Given the prevalence of Fantasy Football pools in NHL locker rooms, many players were confused by Pinto’s suspension. Pinto had seemingly not violated the NHL’s gambling policy. However, it has since been reported that the NHL took issue with proxy betting––when one party places wagers on behalf of another party––on Pinto’s sportsbook account in his home ofNew York. Professional athletes’ sportsbook accounts are monitored by sportsbooks for suspicious activity and can be flagged in the event of a proxy bet.

The league is within its right to negotiate

such a hefty punishment with the NHL Players’ Association––a CBA provision affords the Commissioner the right to impose discipline for conduct deemed detrimental to the league and the sport. However, this all-encompassing provision should make specific mention of what constitutes detrimental conduct.

The current CBA was first ratified in 2013.

Until 2018, just one per cent of the population of the United States lived in jurisdictions where sports gambling was legal. Similarly, when the CBA was ratified, the Canadian Parliament had not yet legalized single-event betting. Today, the industry’s landscape looks much different: Sports gambling is legal in 38 of 50 states and counting, while Canadian provinces are now free to regulate single-event sports betting at their discretion.

Therefore, given the rapid growth of sports gambling in North America since the most recent CBA came into effect, a new set of explicit rules is needed.

A recent NHL memo to players provides some semblance of clarity, but it insufficiently addresses several questions. For instance, to what extent are players responsible for data breaches and hacks to their betting accounts? If NHL players encounter insider information on other sports through friends or acquaintances in other leagues, would they then be prohibited from placing wagers on those sports? Proposition bets on in-game events that do not directly affect the outcome of the contest are no bueno, but what

is the league’s stance on long-term bets such as Betway and the NHL partners with BetMGM and “Who’s going to win the Art Ross Trophy this FanDuel. This development enters an ongoing year?” These are worthwhile questions that the debate in the world of sports pertaining to whether next CBA must clearly address. corporate partnerships between leagues and At the same time, the NHL must also clarify sportsbooks threaten the integrity of the games its rules governing hockey writers, who cast that we all enjoy. However, when leagues do ballots for some of the league’s most coveted not specify rules that govern sports gambling, awards—including the Hart Memorial Trophy, they exacerbate the potential for unintended awarded yearly to the league’s Most Valuable wrongdoing from their players. For the benefit of Player. A writer with insider knowledge who casts the league, its players, and its fans, the NHL ought an MVP ballot should not be able to place a wager to clarify these uncertainties promptly. on the winner of said award.

In an attempt to remove any semblance of impropriety in anticipation of the release of their new sportsbook app, ESPN recently released a memo to its staff prohibiting them from placing wagers on sports that they regularly cover. While a step in the right direction, these rules should be clearly outlined in reporters’ and insiders’ contracts, if they are not already.

Some might point out the irony that Pinto received a suspension while the Senators actively promote While necessary, Shane Pinto’s suspension should not have created sports gambling through a confusion about the extent to which players and league insiders are corporate sponsorship with allowed to bet on pro sports. (Irina Zhang / The Tribune)

Voided races, national defection, and the mess that was the 2023 Pan American Games

The Tribune runs through key moments of the 2023 Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile.

Julie Ferreyra Sports Editor

F

rom Oct. 20 to Nov. 5, Chile hosted the 2023 Pan American Games (PAG) in Santiago. The competition included a total of 33 sports, with 28 being part of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The PAG are held every four years among athletes from North, Central, and South America in preparation for the Olympic Games, with the PAG serving as a direct qualifier for almost half of the sports held. All in all, the 2023 Pan American Games saw more than 1379 medals awarded, with the USA being the most decorated nation with 124 gold out of their 286 medals.

Canada arrived at the top of the podium, earning a new record of 164 medals: 46 gold, 55 silver, and 63 bronze. However, the Games did not unfold without numerous setbacks noted by fans and administrators alike.

In Aug. 2023, the Canadian women’s national soccer team announced their withdrawal from the PAG citing scheduling issues. This decision disappointed fans, as they were eager to see the team play after their lacklustre performance and early exit in the Women’s World Cup this past July.

Attendees might have noticed that several athletes were competing under a neutral flag, still hoping to participate. The Guatemalan delegation was unable to compete under its national flag, as the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had suspended the Guatemalan National Olympic Committee

(GOC) on Oct. 15, 2022. The Guatemalan Constitutional Court had raised concerns about some provisions of the GOC and subsequently invalidated the GOC election in 2022. After having warned the GOC, the IOC effectively withdrew its recognition of the committee. This suspension prevents athletes from officially representing Guatemala and does not allow the GOC to receive IOC funding. 100 Guatemalan athletes were still able to compete under a neutral flag, allowing them to perform and, for some of them, like Adriana Ruano, secure points toward Olympic qualifying.

Outside of the large number of athletes competing under neutral flags, there were also a number of hiccups throughout that led the PAG to run far less smoothly than usual. To begin, the women’s 20-kilometre race walk on Oct. 20 left many people scratching their heads. The athletes’ times were voided after it was revealed that the course was three kilometres shorter than regulation. The officials only realized the mistake once Peruvian gold medallist Kimberly Garcia crossed the finish line in 1:12:46, beating the world record established by China’s Jiayu Yang by over ten minutes. Garcia supposedly realized the anomaly from the start when it was clear that her pacing did not match her splits through the race and had raised her concerns to officials. After investigation, organizers redrew the route to fix the issue for the men’s event.

This mistake cost several athletes the chance to secure crucial points in an attempt to qualify for the Olympics, as the rankings are determined by finishing position times and bonuses. Although

the Pan American Athletics Association (APA) took full responsibility for this mishap, the athletes remain robbed of a crucial opportunity.

This event begs the question of how such a mistake could have happened at such a regulated international competition.

The Games also saw a number of political incidents facing the Cuban team, as six members of Cuba’s women’s field hockey team requested asylum in Chile, fleeing from their home country. Those players were joined by a seventh Cuban athlete competing in the 400-metre hurdles event. Earlier this year, three male rowers also defected from Cuba during a qualifying event for the PAG in late April as

well as three members of the women’s hockey team, who remained in Barcelona, Spain in early May. Three male field hockey players had also left during training camp in Chile in late May. Those desertions contribute to the growing list of Cuban athletes who have decided to abandon their teams and flee their home country. By some estimates, up to 63 athletes have defected in 2023.

As the Games drew to a close, the audience, athletes and administrators alike turned their attention to Barranquilla, Colombia, who will host the 20th edition of the Pan American Games in 2027. In the meantime, some athletes will hopefully reunite at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

This was the first time Chile hosted the Pan American Games and the eighth time they were hosted in South America. ( Maïa Salhofer / The Tribune)