Students walk out of classes to compel McGill to cut financial ties with Israeli state
Walkout ended on Lower Field, defying closure following encampment’s dismantlement
Eliza Lee News Editor
More than 150 students walked out of classes and gathered in front of the James Administration Building at 1 p.m. on Aug. 30 to protest
McGill’s complicity in the genocide of Palestinians and to demand divestment from companies and academic institutions with financial ties to the Israeli military. Protestors filed into the lobby of the Macdonald Engineering Building, where speakers highlighted the Faculty of Engineering’s ties to weapons manufacturing—such as the
What we liked this summer break
The movies, TV shows, books, albums, and podcasts that entertained us all summer long
Jordana Curnoe, Siena Torres, Dana Prather, Charlotte Hayes, Kellie Elrick, Amelia McCluskey
We Are Who We Are (TV miniseries)
Jordana Curnoe Contributor
The HBO miniseries //We Are Who We Are//, directed
by Luca Guadagnino, follows a headstrong army brat from New York City named Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer) who moves to a fictional American military base in Chioggia, Italy. There, he befriends a group of other army brats including Caitlin/Harper (Jordan Kristine Seamón). As they grow closer, Cait -
lin begins to question her gender identity and feels that she cannot exist inside her old world the way she is expected to. The series consists of visually captivating shots of curiously beautiful Italian scenery and awkward but fitting close-up shots of people’s faces.
computational fluid dynamics laboratory, which is funded by arms industry companies Bell Flight and Lockheed Martin. Students ended the walkout by taking to Lower Field, where the Palestine Solidarity Encampment had stood for 75 days from Apr. 27 to July 10.
PG. 3
Military spending fuels oppression, not peace
The Tribune Editorial Board
Canada’s military spending has recently faced increased scrutiny, with the United States urging the Trudeau government to meet the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s defence spending target of two per cent of their GDP. As one of
the lowest spenders on defence among NATO allies, Canada has continuously faced criticism from U.S. officials for its perceived lack of commitment to military investment. In the context of Canada’s pervasive ties to the colonization of Palestine, increased military spending directly furthers Canada’s involvement in violence that contradicts its values of
protecting human rights and promoting peace. Paralleling McGill University’s private investments, Canada’s federal budget allocations directly contribute to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians. Without divestment from the Israeli state and its enterprises, Canada and its complicit institutions—including McGill—will remain bloody-handed.
PG. 5
(Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune), PG. 3
McGill begins fall term without Faculty of Law Law professors resume strike to pressure McGill to return to the bargaining table
By Fabienne de Cartier News Editor
McGill began the fall semester on Aug. 28 with its Law professors on strike.
The Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL) first called the strike in April amidst a stalemate in their collective agreement (CA) negotiations with McGill. AMPL then decided to pause their strike in June when McGill agreed to new bargaining sessions in order to preserve strike funds and grade outstanding coursework. However, with the fall semester looming, the union resumed their strike on Aug. 26 to pressure McGill to cease challenging their status as a union before the courts and to return to the bargaining table before moving forward with arbitration.
The decision to recommence their strike comes after months of fruitless negotiations. Although the parties have settled many aspects of the CA, AMPL asserts that McGill has been unwilling to give up its authority to unilaterally change the terms of the contract after it has been signed. According to the union, this has been the main sticking point in negotiations.
In a public message to students, AMPL explained their decision to resume the strike.
“As the first faculty union in the history of McGill, we know that any negotiated change that constrains the administration’s discretion paves the way for improvements in working conditions not just for us, but for the entire campus. We now use the one method at our disposal—the right to strike—to change the dynamics of the bargaining process,” AMPL wrote.
Two bargaining sessions were scheduled to take place over the summer, the first on June 7, and the second on Aug. 19. However, after failing to make progress at the June 7 negotiations, McGill asked Minister of Labour Jean Boulet to submit the issue to an arbitrator, which would allow a neutral third party to resolve the agreement. On July 19, Boulet granted the university’s request, appointing Maître Allard.
“McGill looks forward to working with Maître Allard to resolve outstanding issues with AMPL and focusing on minimizing any impacts of the dispute on students,” the MRO wrote in a statement to The Tribune
However, AMPL asked the Superior Court of Quebec to suspend Boulet’s decision, arguing that McGill’s pursuit of arbitration aimed to delay the CA’s resolution until a hearing in December where McGill will lobby for AMPL’s decertification. According to AMPL, a delay could have especially high stakes given that McGill has legally challenged AMPL’s right to strike and exist as a union since the Law professors first applied for certification in November 2021.
“If their suit is successful, it will gravely impede the ongoing efforts of professors in other faculties—Arts and Education—to certify their associations,” AMPL wrote in their public message to students. “[McGill] wants to drag out reaching a collective agreement with us to try to kill our union through its decertification proceedings.”
Despite AMPL’s concerns, the Superior Court of Quebec ultimately rejected their request to suspend the Ministry’s decision on Aug. 16.
Kirsten Anker, Vice-President of AMPL, urged McGill to cease challenging their union certification so both parties can willingly move to arbitration. She also questioned McGill’s reluctance to drop the lawsuit against the union.
“The question I’m asked all the time is: ‘What does the university hope to get out of this?’ And I can’t answer that question because [...] we have the right to unionize. Apart from burning McGill’s good will with the public and burning our reputation, and disrupting an incredible amount of learning by students, I can’t see what purpose is served,” Anker said in an interview with The Tribune
In a written statement to The Tribune, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) explained the university informed AMPL on Aug. 18 that they would not be attending the Aug. 19 bargaining session because they did not believe further conciliation meetings would yield any progress. However, Anker told The Tribune that AMPL believed both parties would move forward with the meetings, noting that one of the reasons the Superior Court of Quebec rejected the union’s request to suspend arbitration was that further negotiation sessions were scheduled to take place.
AMPL aims to place conditions on the arbitration process. First, they hope to submit the monetary aspects of the contract to arbitration and finish negotiating the non-monetary issues, which are largely resolved. Further, AMPL has agreed to end its strike if McGill stops litigating against them.
AMPL also claims that the university has been obstructing union activities by communicating with members of the union directly instead of contacting AMPL representatives in an effort to undermine the union’s credibility. On Aug. 26, the same day the strike began, AMPL filed a complaint with the Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT), noting that Robert Leckey, Dean
of the Faculty of Law, had sent several emails to Law professors on behalf of Provost Christopher Manfredi and Vice-President (Administration and Finance) Fabrice Labeau, including one that questioned the union’s approach to negotiations. One such communication was sent shortly before AMPL’s union meeting, where they would vote on a strike mandate.
McGill was informed of the complaint on the day it was filed and was summoned to the court on Aug. 30. The night before the hearing, the university’s lawyers notified the court that McGill would not be able to attend and requested that the hearing be rescheduled. The court rejected McGill’s request that the hearing be suspended, noting that they did not give sufficient notice or provide an adequate excuse for their absence, but agreed to consider the evidence McGill’s attorney had transmitted. The TAT ultimately decided to issue a safeguard order, instructing McGill to “cease all forms of obstruction and to refrain from interfering in union affairs in any way whatsoever.”
The tension between AMPL and McGill has had tangible impacts on students. Jonah Kidd, 3L, told The Tribune that the strike could cause issues for international students with student visas, as well as graduating students and students enrolled in the one-year-long Master of Laws program. He also noted that the strike has serious financial implications for students paying tuition despite most or all of their courses being cancelled. Despite Kidd’s concerns, he stated his support for the strike and questioned the validity of McGill’s argument in their lawsuit against AMPL.
“While there’s definitely a short-term impact
on students, there’s also a long-term impact, not only on professors, but on the students they teach if there’s no proper bargain made between AMPL and McGill,” Kidd said.
Other unions on campus have also expressed solidarity with the Law professors. The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), the union which represents teaching assistants and invigilators, condemned McGill’s attempts to decertify AMPL and their pursuit of arbitration.
“McGill’s reasoning that too much time has elapsed between AMPL’s unionization and the creation of a collective agreement is unfair, as the delays have been largely due to McGill’s unwillingness to negotiate,” AGSEM wrote. “Further, McGill’s request for arbitration is completely inappropriate, seeing as how they have not put sufficient effort into bargaining themselves.”
AGSEM related that they had a similar experience negotiating with McGill when they bargained for their own CA earlier this year. They felt that the university did not take negotiations sincerely and claimed that McGill falsely interpreted the Labour Code to encourage lecturers, instructors, and faculty members to perform scab work while the TAs were on strike in April.
“We take issue with the employer’s callous interpretation of the Labour Code to gain advantage over its employees when this document is designed to allow fairness in a fundamentally unbalanced relationship between employee and employer,” AGSEM wrote. “As usual, we implore the employer to spend less time stalling and litigating and more time negotiating.”
AMPL’s CA has been under negotiation since the faculty first unionized nearly two years ago. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)
Students walk out of classes to compel McGill to cut financial ties with Israeli state Protestors walked to James Admin, Macdonald
By Eliza Lee News Editor
Continued from page 1.
Protestors removed tape and signage stating that entry to the area was closed, which the university put in place while the university oversaw the decontamination of the field following the encampment’s dismantlement.
“We stand here today to make a statement that we are taking back our campus,” a speaker declared to the crowd on Lower Field. “We fund this university. We have a say in what our university is complicit in [....] You must carry this into your own faculty. You must carry this into every class. Boycott, sanction, and divest now.”
Protestors then turned over squares of sod from the field and stood around the patch of exposed dirt, chanting and waving Palestin
ian flags. During the walkout, speakers condemned McGill’s reactions to the encampment, such as filing an injunction in an attempt to remove it and ultimately hiring the private security company Sirco to dismantle it. McGill had covered up the exposed area with sod by roughly 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. As of Sept. 3, the tape and signage restricting access to the Lower Field has not been reinstated.
In an email to The Tribune, McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) stated that the university respects students’ right to freedom of expression, but that it will intervene when behaviour violates their policies or the law. In an update on the McGill Campus Public Safety website, the university stated that the walkout’s disruption of classes in Macdonald Engineering and its removal of grass on the Lower Field constituted a violation of these regulations and unacceptable behaviour. The university called the police to campus to intervene in the walkout at around 2:50 p.m., when protestors first began turning over squares of sod.
“Vandalism is not a legitimate expression of one’s free speech rights and McGill condemns such acts,” MRO wrote. “Our first priority has been and remains the safety and well-being of every member of our community. As such, the university is working to ensure an environment where every member of our community feels welcomed, recognized and capable of sharing views without fear of retribution, regardless of who they are or what perspectives they hold.”
In a statement on July 10, McGill President Deep Saini noted that the university dismantled the encampment after the administration had “worked assiduously for weeks and exhausted all other options to end this occupation of the Lower Field.” Saini cited the presence of individuals from outside the McGill community at the encampment, health and safety threats such as a lack of fire escapes, and the increased vandalism on campus as key reasons for its removal.
Sam,* a student from Concordia and an organizer of the event, explained that the protestors’ route sought to draw the attention of both the administration and other students.
“We started at [James Administration] to get the message through,” they said. “And then [we kept walking] so that all the students can see what’s happening, and all the students— especially the new students—can see what
Engineering, and Lower Field
they’re getting into, who [McGill’s] President is, and what the organization [McGill] is.”
McGill student and representative of the event Alex* explained to The Tribune that the timing of the walkout for the beginning of a new term was also strategic, as it aimed to reinforce students’ sustained commitment to pressuring the university to cut ties with the Israeli state.
“It’s to show that we’re still here, that we’re still ready to protest for what’s right, and that we won’t let McGill’s student repression stop us from continuing to protest,” Alex said.
They added that the student support of the walkout was a testament to the widespread solidarity amongst those pressuring McGill to divest.
“It shows that we’re not a minority, there’s a lot of us here who feel that what McGill is doing is wrong,” Alex said. “We will keep protesting until we get our demands met.”
Sam noted that the day was also “very symbolic,” as it marks one week since a student confronted McGill President Deep Saini on campus about police presence on site in response to student activism for Palestine. Since March 28, there have been several arrests of
tration Building on June 6. During the Aug. 22 exchange, recorded and posted to Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) at McGill’s Instagram account, Saini appears to reach toward the student filming and is held back by one of his team members.
McGill did not offer comment on this incident.
Among the students attending the walkout were five student contingents from McGill and beyond: SPHR Concordia, Law Students 4 Palestine at McGill, Independent Jewish Voices McGill, the World Islamic and Middle East Studies Students’ Association at McGill University, and Cegep4Palestine.
A Dawson College student attending the walkout with Al Raya Dawson who wished to remain unnamed told The Tribune that they joined the walkout both to demand change from McGill and to inspire other Cegep students to support the cause.
“We’re here to show that Cegeps are in the fight and the resistance of the genocide in Palestine and that we’re just as interested as all the universities to get the demands that we want,” the Dawson student said. “I think it shows that the youth is involved, it is invested in the cause, and that we want other Cegeps to take part as well.”
A McGill student at the walkout—who wished to be unnamed—criticized the university’s removal of the encampment and their response to student protests for Palestine over the summer. They also reaffirmed the value of protest in creating change, citing McGill’s divestment from the South African apartheid in 1985 in response to extensive student activism for the cause.
“If we, as students, can dictate where our money is going in terms of tuition, I think we should also be able to dictate [...] where McGill can invest their money,” the McGill student said. “I do have faith that eventually they will divest. McGill was one of the first universities in Canada to divest from South Africa’s apartheid. If people keep protesting, eventually we can get there.”
protestors for Palestine on campus, including 15 at the occupation of the James Adminis-
*Sam and Alex’s names have been changed to preserve their anonymity.
Professor Rudi Jurdi Abisaab was among the speakers who addressed the crowd on the steps of Macdonald Engineering Building. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)
(Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)
The Tribune Explains: SSMU’s Gender Affirming Care Plan
SSMU and Trans Patient Union agree plan has potential, but also significant room for improvement
By Mairin Burke Staff Writer
Accessing gender-affirming care at McGill can be overwhelming, intimidating, and time-consuming. As we reach the mid-point of the Change-of-Coverage and Opt-Out Period, which falls between Aug. 14 and Sept. 27—The Tribune brings you a guide to SSMU’s Gender Affirmation Care (GAC) Plan, which was first introduced in Fall 2023.
Who is eligible?
The GAC Plan falls under the dental portion of SSMU’s Student Care Plan, meaning that it automatically covers both international and domestic undergraduate students. Canadian students can change their health insurance coverage between Aug. 14 and Sept. 27, or between Dec. 11 and Jan. 30 if they begin the academic year in the winter term. During this period, Canadian students can unenroll from SSMU’s Health and Dental Plan, or choose to enroll their spouse and/or dependents. This option is not available to international students. Since SSMU offers the GAC, it is exclusively available to undergraduate students at McGill’s Downtown Campus.
What does GAC cover?
The initiative is meant to supplement provincial coverage and the International Health
Insurance (IHI) plan—provided by McGill and insured by Medavie Blue Cross. Therefore, when looking to submit a claim to insurance provider GreenShield for reimbursement, students must first check if their existing healthcare insurance covers it.
The only procedures that are not covered across all 13 provinces and territories and are thus guaranteed to be eligible for coverage through the GAC are vocal surgery and vaginal dilators. However, since gender-affirming healthcare options vary across Canada, students may be able to claim a variety of procedures like breast augmentation, facial
feminization surgery, tracheal shaving, and laser or electrolysis hair removal that may not be covered by their provincial insurance or the IHI plan. Fertility preservation is not covered by the GAC.
The GAC covers a maximum of $5000 CAD per procedure, with claims for reimbursement limited to a lifetime maximum of $10000 CAD.
What are the GAC’s limitations?
To Adrian Neulander, a representative from the Trans Patient Union (TPU), the GAC Plan has two important shortcomings. First, they explained the GAC’s maximum offered coverage is not enough to take care of most procedures not already covered by provincial or international insurance that students are likely to need. Neulander explained that both the maximum coverage per procedure and lifetime maximum amounts are insufficient.
Second, Neulander noted that Greenshield requires students to receive a gender dysphoria diagnosis from a doctor or nurse practitioner before accessing care, despite the fact that it is not a requirement for receiving gender-affirming care via Quebec health insurance.
To be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, patients typically have to experience symptoms for six months. While this creates a barrier to accessing care, Neulander noted that practitioners at the Student Wellness Hub have been willing to work with students and provide diagnoses without waiting for six months.
How can students pursue care?
Neulander stated that the Wellness Hub is a good place to start for students looking to begin receiving gender-affirming care as it provides quicker access to treatments like Hormone Replacement Therapy, since wait times are faster than many other clinics in Montreal. Neulander also suggested that students looking to receive gender-affirming care get in touch with the TPU, which has a number of resources for students and provides one-onone support to people who need help with their transition.
“For a lot of procedures that patients are going to want to get, this coverage is just wildly inadequate. For example, when you’re talking about facial feminization surgery, those costs are measured in multiple tens of thousands of dollars,” Neulander said. “This plan is good for these smaller procedures like hair removal, [but] if you want to get a surgery covered under [GreenShield], they are probably not going to make a huge difference.”
In the Headlines: Week of Sept. 3, 2024
McGill recently rebranded its store, located at 680 Sherbrooke West, from Libraire/Bookstore Le James to Magasin McGill Campus Store. The university presented this new name to reflect the array of products and services that the store offers.
When the store moved to its current location in 2016, it underwent a separate name change from Librairie McGill Bookstore to Le James. The name choice of Le James came after a community consultation led by the university in 2015. This time, however, there was no community consultation. Since 2016, the university’s store has been a staple of the McGill community with course packs, books, textbooks, stationery, and university merchandising.
The university communicated its new name in the Aug. 25 issue of the newsletter what’snew@ mcgill. It explained that this rebranding emphasizes bilingualism while reflecting the store’s diversity of offerings.
“The new name MAGASIN McGILL CAMPUS STORE focuses on the strength of the McGill brand and is not only bilingual, but also reflects the expanded range of offerings (we’re much more than books!), all while reflecting the McGill campus community,” the Media Relation Office wrote. “We are excited to continue serving the McGill community with a wide array of retail and academic resources as well as supporting campus wide events, leading institutional sales of computers and technical equipment, supplying branded apparel for staff and facilities, and more.”
Passengers on a Via Rail train from Montreal to Quebec city on Aug. 31 were left stranded for 10 hours after the train experienced two mechanical issues. People cited lacking access to food, water, and the washrooms on board for prolonged periods of time, CTV and CBC reported.
Via Rail confirmed in a statement that electricity, air conditioning, and washrooms were shut down to allow for maintenance on the train. In the end, what should have been a three-hour train ride, resulted in a nearly 14-hour trek.
Via Rail CEO Mario Péloquin stated to CBC that the initial delay was due to damage to the brake system which “snowballed” into a long delay for passengers.
In the end, another passenger train arrived and the fire department was called to help passengers cross from one train to the other. Via Rail issued an apology to the passengers on Sept. 1 for the inconvenience. Canadian Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez is set to meet with Via Rail leadership later this week.
The roughly 500-person community of Whale Cove Nunavut announced a state of emergency after a fire blazed through the hamlet’s sole grocery store on the morning of Aug. 30. The Issatik co-op was also a local site for purchasing fuel and housed the community’s postal office. According to Nunatsiaq News, while the fire was brought under control in the early afternoon, damage to the store was profound.
The same day, power across Whale Cove was temporarily shut down in order to preserve the area’s limited power infrastructure. Quilliq Energy Corp stated on Friday afternoon that power had been restored to the community but that future outages may be necessary. The exact cause of the fire remains unclear.
The Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Emergency Management are working with the community to find alternative necessities while rebuilding the community’s only store.
Multiple organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and two United Nations (UN) agencies began a mass roll-out of the polio vaccine in Gaza this week. Gazan health authorities confirmed the first case of polio in a quarter century on Aug. 23 in a 10-monthold, unvaccinated infant in Deir alBalah. The polio virus has largely been eradicated worldwide but since Israel’s siege on Gaza began, WHO confirmed a decrease in children’s vaccinations in Gaza.
The WHO and the UN began the vaccination campaign on Sept. 1, with 72,600 children vaccinated in the first day according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The organizations’ goal is to reach 640,000 children vaccinated. According to the UN, Israel has agreed to scheduled pauses in its military offensive while health workers administer the vaccines.
According to the Associated Press, 1.3 million doses were brought to Deir alBalah in August with another shipment of 400,000 doses planned to arrive in Gaza.
(James Knechtel / The Tribune)
Shani Laskin Managing Editor
Titouan Le Ster News Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Jasjot Grewal editor@thetribune.ca
Creative Director Drea Garcia Avila dgarciaavila@thetribune.ca
Design Editors Mia Helfrich Zoe Lee design@thetribune.ca
Photo Editor Rohan Khanna photo@thetribune.ca
Multimedia Editor Brian Chang multimedia@thetribune.ca
Web Developer Roberta Du webdev@thetribune.ca
Copy Editor Matt Adelberg copy@thetribune.ca
Social Media Editor Aliya Singh socialmedia@thetribune.ca
Business Manager Sophie Smith business@thetribune.ca
Military spending fuels oppression, not peace
The Tribune Editorial Board
Continued from page 1.
Canada’s complicity in Israel’s terror reflects a broader issue of military expenditures supporting systems of oppression and colonialism. Meeting the spending target would place a large strain on Canada’s budget, especially while the country faces pressing issues such as high living costs and underfunded social programs including healthcare and education. The choice to spend an already exhausted fiscal budget on the deployment of special officers to support Israel’s killing of Palestinians, rather than prioritizing domestic needs, reflects an interest in the propagation of violence abroad over the wellbeing of its own people.
Historically, Canada has often relied on the U.S. as a shield from international scrutiny. In return, Canada has supported U.S. interests in the Middle East by endorsing Israel as a key ally. As Canada faces a critical decision now, it must confront its historical shortcomings and decide whether to act in line with its so-called “peacekeeping” reputation, even if that means differentiating itself from its neighbours and allies. This decision is pivotal in defining what Canada truly stands for, as well as encouraging its institutions, such as McGill, to act accordingly. By not succumbing to pressures in meeting the two per cent NATO target, Canada will be taking an active step towards ending its complicity in violence.
Students worldwide have frequently been at the forefront of protests against military funding.
In only three months, Canada exported more military goods to Israel than it has in the past 30 years—and Canadians are calling for their country to stop this funding. This is evident in its colonial military expenditures, its extensive history of genocide against Indigenous peoples, and its legacy of slavery.
Jasjot Grewal
Editor-In-Chief
As students have the privilege of returning to campuses across Canada, I can’t help but think of Medo Halimy.
The 19-year-old documented his daily life through the siege on Gaza, bringing awareness to the genocide of Palestinians and sharing moments of Palestinian resilience and joy.
On Aug. 27, Israeli airstrikes killed multiple people in Khan Younis, including Halimy. Today, Halimy’s beautiful message continues to echo through global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movements:
“They’re taking away life, but I’m bringing it to Earth.”
Halimy is one of over 40,000
Palestinians that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have killed in the past 11 months. However, the violence
In 1985, McGill became the first Canadian institution to divest from South African apartheid—a decision that was monumental in the movement against imperialism in South Africa, with a major impact on federal funding towards the apartheid. Decades later, McGill refuses to do the same with respect to the genocide of Palestinians. The contrast between the university’s explicit condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its refusal to recognize the war on Gaza as genocide by Israel—instead referring to the humanitarian crisis as a “geopolitical conflict half a world away”—demonstrates its commitment to upholding structures of white supremacy. With the International Criminal Court convicting Israel of their genocidal operations in Palestine and people worldwide criticizing the actions of the state, Canada and McGill continuing to fund genocidal investments cannot be justified by NATO obligations or other external excuses.
issue, while ignoring transparency about investment allocations, further illustrates McGill’s disingenuous approach. Universities such as McGill have increasingly been operating as businesses, prioritizing lucrative investments in sectors like weapons manufacturing over the values and welfare of their students.
Considering recent events like the forceful dismantling of McGill’s Palestine Solidarity Encampment and the administration’s violence against students, it is evident that student action towards divestment is imperative. Given that student tuition funds enforce McGill’s ties to Israel, the university’s decision to solely focus on tuition hikes as a student
To implement meaningful change, McGill’s leadership must align their investment practices with ethical standards and engage with student movements, not just in promise but in practice. This will not only compel the Canadian government to acknowledge that one of its leading institutions rejects genocide, but it will also forge a transformative new legacy for the university. Students, particularly incoming freshmen, have a vital role in this process. They should educate themselves about ongoing campus issues, join activism efforts, and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of their institution. By staying informed and engaged, students have the power to guide our surrounding institutions toward a future where spending reflects a prioritization of morality over exploitation.
With great power comes great responsibility
against Palestinians exists beyond the confines of Gaza. Globally, institutions including McGill University have the blood of Palestinians on their hands.
Our university is complicit in the colonial Israeli state’s systematic ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Corporate universities— motivated by donor funding, their international status, and unappreciated student and faculty labour—refuse to adequately acknowledge and rectify their ties to colonialism. As an institution founded on imperialism that continues to reap the benefits of transatlantic slavery and a centurieslong genocide of Indigenous peoples, McGill’s management of the 75 day-long Palestine Solidarity Encampment was dismally predictable. The administration’s brutal dismantlement—with aid from private security firm Sirco, the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal, and Sûreté du Québec—as well as its months-long mistreatment of Palestinian support groups on campus, has sent a clear message: McGill does not tolerate revolution.
McGill refuses to cut ties with the Israeli state so as to “not interfere with the academic freedom of individual members of the university community to engage or partner with an institution simply because of where it is located.” Yet, the administration did not think twice about condemning Russia and
cutting ties with Russian academic institutions after the Kremlin’s horrific invasion of Ukraine. In fact, McGill promptly shared that the war was a reminder of “the fragility of life as we witness lives disrupted, refugees fleeing their homes, and atrocities visited upon civilians and their communities.”
In Gaza, the IDF has killed an innumerable number of civilians. Israeli forces have deliberately halted critical aid to Gaza, including oxygen tanks, generators, refrigerators, and vital medical equipment. Starvation and famine have run rampant across the strip. Israeli forces have displaced almost 2 million Palestinians from their homes, violently forcing them out of land that is Indigenous to them.
Media coming out of Gaza documents the disgustingly brutal reality of IDF soldiers’ violent methods— methods which colonial powers have used throughout history to oppress marginalized groups—including sexual abuse of Palestinians, daily murders of hundreds of children, systemic killings of journalists and medics, and destruction of entire systems infrastructure, to name a few.
So, McGill, is this not evidence of the supposed “atrocities visited upon civilians and their communities” that you claim to stand against? Or will you continue to hide behind the facade that these are the unfortunate consequences
of war?
With great power comes great responsibility. McGill, a globally recognized and renowned institution, has proven time and time again it is unafraid to use violence against its students when the university’s authority is challenged. However, responsibility does not halt at the level of our university’s leaders. Student movements have historically had monumental impacts. At McGill, student-led protests compelled the university to divest from South African apartheid in 1985 and more recently resulted in McGill’s divestment from fossil fuel.
Incoming and returning students alike, it is your responsibility to educate yourself on the genocide of Palestinians. Claiming you do not know enough about the occupation of Gaza is simply not an excuse not to take an active stance against the military state of Israel. Palestinians should not have to publicly document their own deaths for the world to acknowledge their humanity. Recognize that the violence in Gaza is a genocide and learn that it did not begin in October 2023. As students, we must never simply accept McGill’s shameless complicity in an active genocide.
For Medo Halimy. For Hind Rajab. For Mohamed Abd Rabbo. For the martyrs across Palestine. The resistance will persist.
Holden Callif , James Knechtel, Abbey Locker, Sophie Schuyler, Dante Ventulieri
Feeling lonely? Montreal researchers recommend sex robots as an antidote
Yusur Al-Sharqi Managing Editor
One of my all-time favourite films, Her , follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely divorcée who finds himself falling deeply in love with the virtual assistant on his phone. When it premiered in 2013, it seemed like an outlandish sci-fi fantasy; who would want to date a computer program? Yet, here we are—and our reality is even scarier than the movies.
On Aug. 24-25, researchers at the University of Quebec à Montreal (UQÀM) hosted a conference titled “Love and Sex with Robots.” The conference was led by researchers from across the province to explore the use of “erobotics”—eroticrobotics—spanning from “intimacy dolls” to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots that can simulate a human partner.
Creators of the event claim that the use of technology to replicate romantic and sexual relationships is inevitable and, therefore, merits exploration. It’s hard to argue that any topic is unworthy of research, but there is reason for concern about the direction in which this research is heading.
Not long ago, a relationship as detached from reality as one with a doll would have been a red flag for many mental health professionals; when did disengaging
COMMENTARY
Amelie Dryer Contributor
Afrom reality and retreating into a fantasy world become a recommended practice? It raises troubling questions. Why are people turning to technology to fulfill their most basic human need: Connection? Is it because they find it easier to interact with a machine with no human needs, boundaries, or capacity for disagreement? Are we becoming so accustomed to relationships that exist on our terms alone—relationships we can control, pause, or shut down— that we are losing the skills to navigate fundamental human interactions?
Rather than funding and pushing forward innovations that use technology to simulate intimacy, we should focus on the fundamental issue at hand: The loneliness epidemic that has only been worsened by our reliance on virtual interactions. Prescribing technology as an antidote to a problem that is, in large part, caused by technology, is absurd. Research shows that as people feel more connected online, they can begin to neglect the real relationships that they have all around them and, slowly but surely, feel less confident socializing in person. Then, when it is time to turn off the screens, they find themselves lonelier than before.
Proponents of “erobotics” suggest it could help individuals become more comfortable with their sexuality or serve as a tool for sex education. Still, this view misses a critical point: Technology
designed to fulfill personal desires creates a controlled environment that cannot replicate the complexity of genuine relationships. Human relationships are inherently messy. They require vulnerability, reciprocity, and an acceptance of imperfection—all things that technology, no matter how advanced, cannot simulate.
To its credit, the conference did tackle some ethical implications of erobotics. However, this only further demonstrates how easily this technology can take a dark turn. Consider deepfakes—AI that can alter images and audio to create convincing but fake representations of real people. Sometimes, it can be amusing—such as videos of politicians saying silly things— but more often, it’s downright horrifying— like blackmail and revenge pornography.
The horror goes beyond screens, as dolls like Frigid Farrah enter the market, designed with “resistance settings” that allow users to simulate rape; other dolls are even designed to resemble children. At best, this technology pushes people further into self-isolation and loneliness; at worst, it enables terrifying, violent behaviour.
The conference featured a wide range of keynote speakers, from mental health professionals to members of the doll community (Holden Callif / The Tribune)
Technology has made it increasingly easy to retreat into self-isolation. Rather than attempting to fill the emotional gaps in our lives with new technology that only further enforces isolation, the countless hours (and dollars) put toward “erobotics” research would be far more effective if it were aimed at enforcing what will truly fix the problem: Love, community, and the irreplaceable value of human relationships.
Spoiler alert: By the end of Her , Theodore realizes that AI can never replace real human connection. The hope is that we all come to that same conclusion, too—sooner rather than later.
Sowing the Seeds of Health: Macdonald campus practices should spread to downtown
s the fall term begins, so does the reality of budget-conscious student eating, which is exacerbated by the lack of fresh produce on students’ plates. Whether that is due to their longevity or expense, many students encounter barriers when buying fruits and vegetables. But what if quality fruits and vegetables are more accessible to McGill students than it seems?
While there are vegetable baskets available at the downtown campus through the McGill Farmers’ Market every Thursday until October, the Macdonald campus’ efforts towards accessibility and visibility for local produce are undoubtedly superior.
Located only 32 kilometres away from the downtown campus, the Macdonald Campus Farm boasts 240 hectares of land—it is McGill’s own living laboratory. Graduate and undergraduate students alike are taking their plant breeding research beyond the lab to the field to foster produce of better quality and higher yield, while simultaneously integrating pest management control. Genetic improvements are leading to better colour, taste and shape of fruits and vegetables—integral factors in consumer decision-making. This work is predominantly based at the Horticultural Research Centre, a space consisting of
orchards, vegetable research plots, fruit grading equipment, and cold rooms. It has also sparked the McGill Feeding McGill project that supplies 25000 kg of fresh produce—including green peppers, red peppers, butternut squash, and strawberries—each year across Montreal. Furthermore, the Macdonald Student Ecological Garden (MSEG) grows their own produce for their weekly market stall at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue farmer’s market and for their basket subscriptions to Montreal communities.
The projects led by McGill’s Macdonald campus are increasing agricultural awareness and promoting agricultural education. They encourage local consumption of improved produce and avoid the excess packaging often seen in supermarkets. However, the wide-scale accessibility and visibility of the projects have not been adequately broadened to the downtown campus.
Such projects are certainly benefitting Macdonald campus students socially, financially, and environmentally. However, the same cannot be said for students based downtown. Innovations so close to home remain out of reach. Such efforts must be made accessible to students across both of McGill’s campuses through increasing mobility between the two, raising the Macdonald campus profile, and providing more opportunities for Macdonald campus representatives and speakers downtown to make the
Research shows that nine out of 10 college students consume less than the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. (Abbey Locker / The Tribune)
presence more known. A shift in attention could prove critical, as around 37,000 of the over 39,000 students enrolled at McGill are based downtown. If anything, this statistic highlights the importance of knowledge, accessibility, and visibility in reaching each and every student in every faculty at McGill, not just those based at the Macdonald campus.
While the tradition is wonderful, the weekly McGill Farmers’ Market isn’t
enough to point students in the direction of the organic, affordable produce coming from the Macdonald Campus Farm. Eating sufficient fruit and vegetables plays a crucial role in a healthy lifestyle, especially for students. So, let’s hope that soon the secret wonders of the Macdonald campus will move those 32 kilometres downtown, or else our shopping baskets will remain a little less full and our platefuls the same boring beige.
The Tribune Predicts: Back-to-school season horoscope
What’s coming your way this semester
By Auxane Bussac Student Life Editor
While the beginning of a new school year is usually synonymous with the unknown and doubts about what’s to come, the stars may already have a glimpse of what this semester will look like for you.
Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19): Get ready to enter your fashion era. Like leaves changing colour at the beginning of Fall, this season is going to hold a shift in style with new outfits to surprise your fellow classmates. Thrift shops are your ally this semester.
Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20): Be careful where you walk, Taurus! You tend to be a little distracted, already missing summer and constantly searching for the sun in the sky. But with the amount of construction happening on campus, you should watch your step to avoid a dramatic fall.
Gemini (May 21 - June 21): Success is on its way! Your new nickname is “academic weapon”. Straight A’s are coming for you this semester, and you’ll deserve them. Office hours hold no secret for you, and you’ll have absolutely no trouble locking in.
Cancer (June 22 - Jul. 22): New motto
unlocked: “A healthy mind lives in a clean space.” Cleanliness will be your strong suit this semester. Your personal space will always look brand new and feel cozy. This will take a huge burden off your shoulders and allow you to be fully invested in your activities, much to the relief of your parents.
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Remember, patience is key. Things might not always go your way this semester, but it is only a matter of perspective. If you survived the line for OAP, you can overcome frustration without a doubt. You’ll do great in every aspect of your life as long as you are willing to take a step back and not rush into things.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): Luck is on your side! All your classes are recorded, your exam dates fit your hopes to a T, your profs are nice and engaging, you don’t have a class up the hill, and life is good. Enjoy this break—it won’t last forever!
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 23): While school is not necessarily your priority this semester, your social battery will never run dry. You’re about to become an expert in BdA, 4à7, and Blues. Be prepared to have a buzzing social life.
Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21): Just like the
delicious smell of grilled cheese in the Leacock basement on a Thursday night, love floats around you. You’ll be the remaining rays of sunshine when the fall clouds kick in, and everybody’s going to want to feel your warmth.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22Dec. 21): You and the libraries are going to be the most iconic duo this Fall. Birks is your new home, and it will make your study sesh look like a Pinterest board 24/7. However, you may sometimes forget that you need to actually do work there, so keep your eyes on the prize.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): With a Tim Hortons cup in your right hand and a reusable water bottle in your left, balance is the key word for Capricorn. You’ll have absolutely no trouble going from a hectic party at Gert’s to a study session in Schulich at all. This semester is going to check all the boxes!
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): Hibernation might start a little early this year.
The stars are expecting power naps regularly and full 10-hour nights of sleep. All-nighters and excessive consumption of caffeine are not on your agenda. Both your physical and mental health will thank you in advance.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20): Pisces rhymes with coffees—and yes, that’s plural. Montréal overflows with cute and trendy coffee shops that you’ve never tried, despite your friends’ constant recommendations. This never-ending cycle is finally over. Fall 2024 will be the coffee season you’ve been dreaming of.
Navigating add/drop period with confidence
How to avoid beginning-of-semester
panic
By Auxane Bussac Student Life Editor
Choosing classes at the beginning of a new semester is always challenging. Whether this is your first or last year at McGill, the vast array of course options can easily be overwhelming. Luckily, the add/ drop period gives students the opportunity to add and drop classes from their schedule after trying them out. This year, it ends on Sept. 10. While this extra wiggle-room can be a lifesaver, the first few weeks of classes often end up being a time of stress as students shuffle around their classes, obsessively refresh Minerva, and ask themselves how early they really are willing to get up in the morning. However, with the right approach, add/drop can be an occasion to make choices based on experience, rather than rushing blindly into the semester. Here are a few tools to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Trying
out classes
Add/drop is a two-week period designed for students to find the classes that best match their interests and expectations. For first-year students, it’s also a way to try out different major and minor options before having to settle—at least for the semester. While most students register for classes as soon as registration opens, you are still allowed to attend classes you have not officially registered for. Make the most of those two weeks by going to as many classes as possible. This will avoid potential regrets later in the semester!
Talking to professors and students
Sometimes, going to the first class will not give you all the information you need about the course. To get a full picture, it helps to talk to students who have taken the course you aim for before. You can either approach students in person or find comments on websites like Rate My Professors. Sources like these can give information from the student perspective on the courses’ content, grading scheme, and everything else you need to know. On the other hand, the professor usually has the most up-to-date information about the syllabus, course goals, and exams for the current semester. Don’t be afraid to reach out to professors and TAs to get more in-depth insights.
Seeing an advisor
Add/drop period—and the beginning of the semester more generally—is a good time to organize or reorganize your degree. Choosing your classes wisely is a big part of that process. Although they can be difficult to schedule, it’s worth it to get an appointment with a faculty advisor to make sense of your degree and figure out what classes you need to complete as prerequisites to get full credit. Advisors are there to reassure you, as it can be confusing to have so many course options available to you. You can also ask them for help if you’re not sure what major and/or minor would be a good fit for you. An appointment with an advisor is the best way to start the year with a clear idea of the path
you are about to take.
Using Seat Alert
Sometimes, you are going to want to register for a class that is already full. This is frustrating, but there are ways to overcome this issue other than spending the whole day on Minerva waiting for someone to drop the course. One solution is to use Seat Alert— a platform on which you can select a course
that you want to register for and, for $2 CAD, you’ll receive a notification by email every time someone drops the class. This way you don’t have to see your screen time on Virtual Schedule Builder go through the roof! If all else fails, you can send an email to the professor. Usually, they are not the ones in charge of class capacity but they might refer you to someone who will be able to give you a spot.
The stars have spoken, and… (Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune)
In Search of Silence
Features Editor In Search of Silence
By Amalia Mairet,
Who ever sits in silence anymore?
Imagine me in bed. It is past midnight, dark but never perfectly dark. The curtains glow ghostly white in the columnar light of my phone screen. Streetlight pours over my static body. I am lulled by the sound of Seinfeld, the sitcom dialogue running like a current through my headphones, the laugh track looping until I lose consciousness. This is how I sleep.
Imagine me in the shower. Any time of the day or night, the bathroom is transformed by warm LEDs into
someone else is “really fake, right?” I smile at the cutting board and shake my head, detached, tethered to the present moment only by the smell of toasting spices and the slicing knife’s haunting sharpness. This is how I cook.
Imagine me on the sidewalk. There is a hat over my ears or a scarf against my cheeks, protecting me from wind, cupping the frozen mist of breath against my face. The muffle of headphones softens my footfalls.
Between my ears, two women dissect Canadian politics, a mortician deadpans an unsolved murder case, a twenty-fiveyear-old reads his old tweets and laughs aloud. This is how I walk.
a pseudo golden hour. My phone rests upside down on the metal grate of a shower caddy, sprayed with droplets from the busted showerhead. YouTube videos play on shuffle. I am only half listening; waterfall drowns everything into a murmur. This is how I shower.
Imagine me making dinner. I cut onions, grate garlic, open cans of beans with firm twists of the wrist and hand. Vegetables sweat and simmer on the stove. My eardrums thrum with the rhythm of a reality television argument. A woman decides she hates her boyfriend. Someone says
I have rarely felt silence in almost three years.
My need for constant enter-
tainment began in high school. While applying for university, the pressure of GPAs, admission averages, and potential rejection caused me to have what my doctor called ‘a bit of an episode.’ As I started to spiral, I adopted some ironclad coping habits. I struggled to get out of bed in the morning, so I let myself watch Netflix once I left my room. I struggled to shower, so I played podcasts or YouTube videos from my phone speaker. I struggled to sleep, so I stayed up watching Family Guy reruns until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The common theme was noise. For months, I worked diligently to ensure that I didn’t spend a single waking
moment in the terrifying emptiness of quiet. I was never fully feeling, never fully living, always distracted.
During that time, thinking was a risky ordeal because I suffered badly from intrusive thoughts. Silence posed an opportunity for my brain to fill in the blanks—even innocuous moments, like waiting for class to begin or riding the bus or shaving my legs, were an opening for some devious mental popup. Chain-smoking endless streams of content felt like the best form of protection. Being constantly entertained didn’t come without costs: these practices alienated me from myself and the tertiary experiences of my life. But the habits allowed me to go through the motions and maintain my sanity. After a few months, I got a diagnosis, started on meds, and became less miserable. Still, my need for noise stayed.
ing, you have had an intrusive thought. They only become dysfunctional when you can’t turn them off.
Constant entertainment was not just my personal depression life hack—it’s a scientifically vetted strategy. Experiencing occasional intrusive thoughts is not uncommon, but when intense and frequent, they quickly become distressing. If you’ve ever sat in a quiet meeting and felt you might start yelling uncontrollably or gotten the overwhelming sense that you might hit someone while driv-
I have rarely felt silence in almost three years.
How do you cope with a stream of distressing thoughts you can’t seem to stop? A study on OCD found that using “distraction as coping behaviour is an effective technique for managing clinically significant intrusive thoughts.” Scientists determined that people’s ability to distract themselves from intrusive thoughts was essential in their ability to function. Instead of enduring the cycle of becoming upset and calming themselves down, patients could shift their attention before they had begun processing an emotional situation. While they couldn’t fully work through whatever had upset
them in the moment, the strategy was adaptive, allowing participants to continue operating without becoming inconsolable. Luckily for stressed-out people craving distraction, there is an endless variety of options to choose from, ranging from a minor auditory earworm to a fully immersive virtual world where no real-life stressors can intrude. We all know intuitively that music is pleasant, television and podcasts are engaging, but nothing shuts your brain off completely like a TikTok or a Reel—they are a perfect trifecta of sound and image and text. Even better is combining multiple kinds of distraction at once, scrolling TikTok while you watch a show and online shop in a second tab. There are a million jokes on Twitter about con-
suming five different types of content to eliminate the possibility of a single thought, but they are only half-joking. Distraction can feel more silent than actual silence, because it may be the only time that you get peace from your internal monologue.
Echoing this sentiment, Gianna Mountroukas, U3 Arts, said “Not only do I have music playing at all times, but playing it out loud feels too far away… so I keep my headphones on... I usually fall asleep to TV if not music.” When I asked why, she admitted she’s “tired of thinking” constantly—she feels like she’s “never in silence” even when the music is off. Like me, she is hungry not just for physical quiet but moments of internal peace, respite from a tireless stream of consciousness. These can be difficult to achieve without the aid of distraction.
Although the studies I discussed deal with mental illnesses, this process can exist with any kind of stress for any kind of brain. Even if you’re predisposed to mental wellness, just checking the news is enough to send anyone into a spiral. There is an endless list of things that you might want to avoid thinking about. Accordingly, many of my peers reported complicated relationships with silence.
Several of the people interviewed for this article described a love for background noise. Rowina Debalkew, U3 Arts, said that silence “can be both comforting and disturbing” depending on the circumstance, but she “can’t walk anywhere without music.” Theo Shouse, U2 Arts, said “Silence only for sleep. Otherwise, I require constant podcasts and music.”
Alvise Ceolato, U2 Arts, explained he only enjoys silence while smoking, as he’s forced to “listen to the pace of [his] breath.” Otherwise, silence makes him “feel like [he needs] to judge [himsself] and try to look at [his] own true colours.”
These reports indicate a
widespread use of distraction as a coping mechanism. Dismissing our collective obsession with entertainment as stupidity or sloth is an incomplete conclusion—clearly, something deeper is going on. Still, recognizing that we distract ourselves for a good reason does not mean the practice is beyond reproach. Personally, I began to wonder just how much I was blocking out. It had been too long since I sat with myself and puzzled through any big questions because I’d learned to avoid mental pathways that could end in anxiety. But over the summer I decided I wanted to reconnect with myself, with that internal monologue I had been blockading. I needed to reflect: What am I like when nobody else is around? Am I happy with how I’m spending my time? What are my dreams?
You can’t work these questions out with yourself in a 15-minute rap session. They require time and deep attention, the cumulation of many little ideas and realizations during the passing moments of your life. I got worried that I had robbed myself of many such moments because I was scared of what I’d feel along the way. The more time I spent in quiet, growing less and less afraid of what awaited me there, the more I felt the floodgates open. Instead of coping by preventing the upset before it began, I tried to complete the emotional cycle. I let myself fully experience my thoughts, fretting and crying and whatever else I needed to do to process them. Once I learned to sit
with the discomfort, my brain became more peaceful. Silence became soothing. Being deeply connected to my surroundings allowed me to ground myself in times of stress and refocus on what was happening in the world outside my head.
I’ve seen promising signs of others reconnecting with their ability to exist without digital distraction. There was that New York Times article about the Neo-Luddite teens, who meet up to paint watercolours in the park instead of going on their phones. There’s the You Don’t Need a Smartphone pamphlet by New York indie writer August Lamm, who is trying to help others reclaim their attention and time. And there are the men ‘raw-dogging’ long flights, braving nineteen hours with no entertainment. A BBC news article identifies the trend as a result of “collective yearning for balance as people seek to reclaim mental space and foster a deep connection with their inner selves.” Mc Gill student Gaby Godfrey, U4 Arts, described this practice on a smaller scale—whenever they fly home they “have to sit alone with [their] thoughts for a minimum of 45 minutes,” if only to prove they can. Instead of using quiet moments as op portunities for distraction or productivity, I see a growing re spect for the ability to unplug. Granted, it’s strange that doing nothing is not just a normal part of everyday life, but a bizarre enough practice to warrant a ‘trend’ and a place in the news cycle. Still, I’m glad the idea is coming to the fore.
ening accounts of my peers taking back their quiet time too. Sam Batson, U3 Arts, used to feel the urge to “consume media at every given moment,” before she concluded that this habit “increases stress rather than soothes it.” Now, she loves “just chilling in all the natural noises of life.” Instead of constantly listening to music, Celia O’Hara, U3 Arts, has begun taking silent walks—she finds them better for reflecting and reconnecting with her sensory environment. And when I asked Johnny Carter, U3 Education, about quiet, he said it makes up a significant portion of his normal day. He missed it badly at summer camp, where the kids prefer constant music blasting.
I’ve been rejoining the
this pervasive issue, I think we must first give ourselves more credit, recognizing that we do these things for a reason, to make ourselves more comfortable and our lives more livable moment-to-moment. Understanding this behaviour for what it is–a coping mechanism–helped me unburden myself of guilt for what I thought was laziness or a character flaw or me wasting my own time. Once we correctly identify the problem, we can start to regard coping strategies like distraction with appropriate criticism, and effectively weigh the short-term comfort against the long-term costs.
I’m not suggesting we all throw away our headphones and embrace a monk-like reticence. That would be hypocritical—I’m listening to music as I type this. But I think that the ability to sit with your thoughts, to be bored, to endure the joy and discomfort of every tedious and terrifying and wonderful moment of your life, is an undervalued skill. If you, like me, crave distraction, don’t just slap yourself on the wrist when you see your screen time report—try to identify what you’re avoiding. If you want to nurture this skill, start small. Sit on the bus or an airplane or the curb and look around, notice everything you can, listen to what hap
Ask The Trib: Your guide to thriving socially in your first semester at McGill Kick off the semester without stress
By Malika Logossou Student Life Editor
Dear
Tribune,
I’m starting my first year at McGill and am struggling to figure out how to connect with people and make friends, whether in my program or elsewhere on campus. I feel lost socially and worry that this might prevent me from fully enjoying and making the most of my first year.
Do you have any tips on how I can navigate this new environment?
Sincerely,
Socially Overwhelmed Student (SOS)
Dear SOS,
Your feelings and concerns are completely valid and resonate with many incoming students (we’ve all been there). Making new friends and meeting people in a large environment like McGill can be overwhelming. Whether you’re a newcomer or a returning student, navigating campus life and building connections can feel daunting. However, there are many ways to form longlasting connections at McGill without getting stressed.
Making friends in your program
The first few weeks can be a bit tricky. Many students might be dropping or switch-
Top-tier terrasses
ing classes, which can make it harder to find a steady group on campus. However, don’t let this discourage you. In the meantime, try sitting near someone alone in your classes. Fellow students are often in the same position as you—feeling a bit lost and looking to make new friends. Starting a conversation can be as simple as asking questions about the course material or the professor. This approach not only breaks the ice but also helps you find common ground with your peers.
When it comes to meeting people in your program, try not to stress too much. You have the entire year to connect with classmates, and it’s natural for friendships to develop over time. Even if you don’t chat with people on the first day, it is never too late to do so. Sometimes, your closest friendships may form just weeks before the semester ends. Stay open to meeting new people and avoid putting pressure on yourself or comparing your social progress to others.
Attend campus events
If you’re part of a faculty, make sure to follow their official social media page, as well as the page for their undergraduate student association. Faculties at McGill organize tons of events on and off campus yearround, and sometimes even host meet-ups in local pubs and bars. What better way to meet people and be more involved on cam-
pus than by embracing opportunities offered by your own faculty? These events provide valuable opportunities to connect with faculty members and students in your field of study.
Another way to meet new people on campus is by attending events hosted by McGill. The school often hosts intramural and varsity football, soccer, hockey, and basketball games where university teams compete against each other and other schools. Keeping up with the latest updates from The Tribune’s Sports section is a great way to stay informed about athletic events.
Explore clubs and volunteer opportunities
While it may sound cliché, one of the best ways to make friends on campus is to step out of your comfort zone. With over 250 clubs, there’s undoubtedly a match for everyone’s interests at McGill. Whether you’re into fashion, writing, social activism, or sports, there’s a club waiting for you. Explore club listings on Instagram to connect with student groups and organizations, enriching your McGill experience. Don’t miss out on the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Activities Night on September 11-12, where many SSMU groups showcase their offerings, providing a chance to interact with executive members and sign up. You could also find community in identity-based organiza-
The best dining and drinking spots to unwind in style
By Celine Li Contributor
Montréal truly comes alive during the warmer months, when restaurants swing their doors—and ceilings!—open to transform into al-fresco dining rooms. These charming outdoor spaces attract both locals and tourists alike; enjoying delicious dishes and refreshing drinks while soaking up the precious sunlight is an unparalleled experience. The Tribune presents our favourite spots for you to try for yourself.
1. Taverne Atlantic
Step into this Art Deco tavern in the Mile-Ex and you’ll instantly feel like a character straight out of a Wes Anderson film. The trendy ambiance, unpretentious meals, and extensive list of sumptuous refreshments accommodate solo dinners, dates, and a friends’ night out. For cocktail enthusiasts, the Royal Daïquiri and the Indian Summer are a must. If you’re feeling peckish, they offer gourmet pizzas, hot dogs, and poutines. Don’t forget to make your way to their rooftop barbecue where beer, music, and food lovers reunite to enjoy picturesque views of the neighbouring post-industrial landscape.
Address: 6512 Park Ave
Hours: Every day 4 P.M. –1 A.M.
Price : $-$$
2. Poincaré Chinatown
If you’re a fan of fermented foods, there is no better place than Poincaré’s
rooftop. Start with any of their curated low-intervention wines, artisanal liquors, or mocktails. While clinking glasses, make your way through their house-made confectionaries—sourdough, kimchi, and sevenday lacto-fermented fries with confit shallot mayo are must-try dishes. This breathtaking rooftop terrasse fizzles with love and care, and you’ll likely make a point to come back for their sleek seasonal creations every time you’re near Chinatown.
tions like the Black Student Network, the Spanish and Latin American Students Association, and the Arab Students Association, among many others.
Additionally, searching for volunteering opportunities at Activities Night or through the McGill website is a fantastic way to engage with the campus community and meet like-minded students. Not only will it strengthen your academic CV, but it will help you make friends.
Don’t forget to be yourself
At the end of the day, the best way to meet new people and make the most out of your academic year is by being yourself. By remaining authentic, you will attract the right connections and opportunities. Trying to fit a mould or certain expectations can be exhausting, so take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your new year at McGill.
3. Club Social PS
Although most Montréalers have heard a thing or two about the sophisticated contemporary Italian eatery Elena , few know that by day, it transforms into a haven for promenaders seeking to escape the Notre Dame strip. Discover the charm of Club Social PS in Saint-Henri by savouring Elena’s famous Caesar salad, the “M. Funguy” wild mushroom and taleggio pizza, or their mouth-watering mafalda pasta. This is exactly what makes Club Social PS the perfect spot for a laid-back lunch accompanied by a bottle of wine. This relaxed yet refined terrasse combines casual elegance, welcoming staff, and top-notch flavours.
Soon enough, you’ll understand why this superb restaurant consistently receives high ratings from world-renowned critics like Claire Saffitz.
Address: 5090A R. Notre Dame O, entrance by Parc Yamaska (Located behind Elena and accessed from around the back)
The attentive staff, hints of the West Coast, and globetrotting wine list make Perché a standout from all the ultra-popular contenders in the Old Port. Nestled on the fourth floor of Hotel William Gray, their stellar menu screams summer, and their vibrant cocktails will make you feel like you hopped on a plane to California. For the ultimate beach resort experience, we suggest ordering their guacamole, peach salad, and salmon tartare while washing them down with a Ungava gin and tonic. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area on a Wednesday or Saturday summer evening, world-class fireworks accompany this unforgettable outing. We promise that by the end of the night, you’ll be thankful to have chosen the lesser-known of the two terraces in the elegant Hotel William Gray.
Address: 153 Rue Saint-Amable, fourth floor in Hotel William Gray
Kick off the semester without stress. (Dante Ventulieri/ The Tribune)
Before 2006, public alcohol consumption was outlawed in Montreal, meaning that serving alcoholic beverages on public-facing patios was strictly prohibited. (Rohan Khanna/ The Tribune)
What we liked this summer break
The movies, TV shows, books, albums, and podcasts that entertained us all summer long
Continued from page 1
Although few questions are fully answered, the story demonstrates the importance—and cost—of being unashamedly yourself. Each of the characters tries to accept that they cannot change themselves or what they’ve experienced; they simply are who they are.
Interview with the Vampire - Season 2 (TV show)
Siena Torres Contributor
The AMC television adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire is the queer vampire show we all needed. Set in the dual timeline of present-day Dubai and 19th-century New Orleans, the story of Louis (Jacob Anderson) and his complex relationship with his creator and lover, Lestat (Sam Reid), unfolds through flashbacks as he narrates it to a reporter. Through stellar performances ranging from comedic to deadly, this show does not hold back with gore, nudity, or the darkest parts of its “failmarriage.” The second season premiered this summer, raising the stakes as the consequences get deadlier when Parisian vampires and engrossing theatrics merge. The third season has been teased with Lestat as a Chappell Roan-inspired rockstar vampire (yes, you read that correctly), so no need to fret— your new favourite show will be back in no time.
Gayotic with MUNA - Season 3 (podcast)
Dana Prather
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Gayotic with MUNA is back, and it’s here to save the (podcasting) world. Hosted by indie pop band MUNA’s Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson, the podcast is a freeform gabfest covering everything from the artists’ personal lives and artistic processes to their political takes and favourite memes. Thanks to the band’s (and by extension, the podcast’s) growing popularity, the show’s third season offers new video episodes alongside the tried-and-true audio-only format. The result? A front-row seat to all the unbridled chaos and unabashedly queer content the show’s name would suggest. While the podcast certainly benefits from its
wide range of special guest appearances—fanfavourite drag queen Trixie Mattel, singersongwriter and guitarist extraordinaire Towa Bird, and Oscar-winning producer FINNEAS are just a few of the stars that have graced the studio this season alone—Gayotic is at its best when it returns to its roots: Solo episodes featuring the trio’s constant chatter and jokes that will make you feel like you’re yapping along with your best friends.
Dìdi ( ) (film)
Amelia McCluskey
Contributor
Sean Wang’s debut feature Dìdi ( ) depicts coming of age in 2008 with nostalgic delight. Attempting to pass the time before the first day of high school, thirteen-year-old Chris (Izaac Wang) watches kissing tutorials on YouTube, practices kickflips in the garage, and swipes Paramore t-shirts from his older sister’s closet. While the film is funny and whimsical—full of talking fish, reanimated squirrels, and some of the most realistic middleschooler dialogue I’ve ever heard—Chris struggles with a sense of profound loneliness. Dìdi ( ) earns its comparisons to films like Lady Bird and Eighth Grade with its deeply heartwrenching moments as Chris desperately tries to fit in. After changing his ringtone to impress his crush and berating his mom in front of his friends, he only finds himself further ostracized by his peers. Through its unexpected combination of drama and humour, Dìdi ( ) provides a fresh perspective on familiar themes, producing a story that feels universal, yet wholly unique.
The Road to the City (novella)
Kellie Elrick Arts & Entertainment Editor
Delia is seventeen and ashamed. She has lofty dreams of life as a housewife in the city. She hates her family’s rotting red house in the village, solacing herself with walks along the road by the river into the city, where there are orchestras and women who want to be seen. Her distant cousin Nini walks with her; he is in love with her. Natalia Ginzburg’s The Road to the City was published in Italian in 1942 under the pseudonym “Alessandra Tornimparte”—Ginzburg was Jewish, and
Mussolini’s racial laws forbade her from publishing. Her prose is cold, but it plunges into the deep, bubbling underbelly of disgust and desire: Delia looks at her greying mother and thinks, “If I had met her in the city I should have been ashamed.” Delia is poor, then pregnant, then married, then rich. One day, it appears that she is living as she wished—with a maid and a big house in the city and a velvet blanket—but Nini is gone, and the house, and the days, seem to empty out into the past.
brat (album)
Charlotte Hayes Staff Writer
To be ‘brat’ is to embrace your flaws, mess, and ego—at least according to British singer-songwriter and DJ Charli XCX. Her summer release brat is an intensely energetic yet emotionally vulnerable electronic dance-pop album which embodies the essence of breaking down and then getting back up to party again; revelling in the emotional complexity that comes with growing up, while never
letting it get in the way of having a good time. Blunt, honest, and volatile, brat is the album to tease the party animal out of your sad-indie-bedroom pop-loving soul. Even though the album is well worth highlighting on its own artistic merits, it exists within a larger cultural context of trends this summer. While we were all in the throes of having our own ‘brat girl summer,’ another unlikely figure joined the brat-iverse: Kamala Harris. Following Joe Biden’s termination of his presidential campaign and subsequent endorsement of Harris, Charli posted a tweet that irrevocably linked her album with the upcoming U.S. election. Somehow, this club-track-packed album has gone from songs about partying every single day of the year, to unpacking generational trauma, and now… to becoming invested in the political future of your country? The campaign’s decision to lean into the support from the British pop star is one that has great potential to bring in a new generation of voters by using a vocabulary that they find more engaging or approachable. However, they could run the risk of leaning too far into the joke at the expense of the promotion of any substantive policy.
McGill students can access countless books, shows, and movies online for free through the McGill Library. ( Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)
(Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)
(Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)
Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools subverts time
The exhibit’s Flemish artworks are a manifestation of life, desire, and sin
Annabella Lawlor Contributor
Standing in the final room of Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools , I find myself transported into an era abundantly different from my own. My eyes glance over the drapery of richly pigmented paint layers, taking in the synthesis of colour, subject, and function. On the walls hang over 20 paintings, with sculpted borders of golden wood and gilded frames just inches apart. I stand in a recreation of a 16th-century “Cabinet of Curiosities,” a private collection of artifacts used to convey a vast knowledge of the universe. The show recaptures a time when paintings like these were hung in private homes, plainly tacked onto wooden walls, only glanced at casually while walking from room to room. We stand in the art cabinet as if beings from the past, in swooping historical silhouettes, assuming the role of a 16th-century noble to shoulder the fears, desires, and cultural anxieties of this early modern Flemish population.
The exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools has been on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts since June 8. Organized in collaboration with The Phoebus Foundation, the curators include Chloé M. Pelletier, known for her focus on pre-1800s European art, and Phoebus’s own Katharina Van Cauteren. It is a pictorial navigation through the cultural
foundation of the Low Countries and a glimpse into the Flemish psyche, one of anxious consternation of the looming afterlife ahead.
Upon entering the first room, entitled “God is in the Details,” we are greeted with an extension of diverse visual mediums: A wooden statue of a saint, an ornately decorated illuminated manuscript, two triptychs, and several paintings, all of religious sentiment. The divinity of these images is accentuated by the use of gold leaf and rather surrealist imagery. Following the toils of the Black Death, the Low Countries found salvation in contemplating the world that follows life; art became a medium of cultural exploration, both for use in spiritual practices and an examination of anxieties surrounding death.
The room’s highlight comes in the
form of a painting, a surrealist representation of a fiery afterlife: 1540’s “Hell,” painted by a follower of Hieronymus Bosch. The imagery is all-consuming, engulfing the viewer in its rabid eccentricities to convey the overarching presence of religious fear in the Southern Netherlands. In one corner, a beaked creature devours a human; in another, dogs gnaw hungrily at the stomach of a knight while a flying fish impales five souls right beside. These depictions of anguish and suffering exhibit themselves in this surreal landscape as a manifestation of the nation’s restless uncertainty about what accompanies death. Its inclusion is a masterclass in curation, elevating a placated religious apprehension that, after its viewing, accompanies all other artworks in the room.
The symbiotic flow of galleries con -
Trigger warnings: Are modern audiences too soft?
tinues as subject matter ebbs and flows, highlighting noble portrait art, the sins of societal “fools,” scientific discoveries, and the ever-changing progression of the Flemish spirit in times of war and struggle. Notable works of Anthony van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens adorn the walls alongside works from the MMFA’s own art collection.
The Montreal leg of this exhibition contains several pieces owned by the museum, including Lucas van Valckenborch’s astounding 1595 scene, A Meat and Fish Market (Winter) . While it typically hangs in the Pavilion for Peace’s third floor, the work is brought to life amongst these complementary Flemish works. These selected paintings are exceptional additions to the show, contextualizing many pieces seen regularly by the Montreal community in a culturally congruent space.
The selected works of Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools solidify curation as an art form in itself. Every room, every wall, and every painting holds resonance in defining a Flemish identity. Immersing oneself in this culture and exploring the emotions of the period allows for seeing a rendered beauty in its fear and trepidation. It redefines art as cultural remedy and illuminates emotions long forgotten.
Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools runs until October 20, 2024. Tickets are available online or in person at the MMFA.
A dive into the origins of trigger warnings and their use (or lack thereof) in media
Bianca Sugunasiri Contributor
Content Warning: Mentions of domestic abuse including rape, violence, and sexual abuse
Language is one of the most illusory human creations. We trust that words will remain objective and unchanging. Thus, we are often ignorant of the ways they can distort before our eyes. In a momentary sleight of hand, a word’s meaning can slip away, adopted anew by generation after generation. We use words primarily within context, with definitions existing in the periphery. As such, the meaning of a word can quickly become obscured. Examine the following definitions:
trigᐧger warnᐧing (Noun: trigger warning; plural noun: trigger warnings): a statement at the start of a piece of writing, video, etc., alerting the reader or viewer to the fact that it contains potentially distressing material (often used to introduce a description of such content)
trigᐧger warnᐧing (Noun: trigger warning; plural noun: trigger warnings): a chronically online and misused phrase, often serving as false consideration before presenting derogatory statements or as a form of defence for one presenting a controversial opinion
The first definition, taken from the Oxford Dictionary, provides the intended conceptualization of the word. The second aligns more with its practical misuses. “Trigger
warning,” or “content warning,” has become a buzz-phrase that is excessively misused in several ways—to precede a reprehensible statement in a futile attempt to justify it; to defend oneself from being cancelled for expressing an opinion that deviates from the majority; or even simply to appear more considerate of others, seeking praise online. These misuses unwittingly undermine the purpose of a trigger warning: To situate and inform an individual to mitigate unnecessary psychological harm.
Despite the term’s blatant unnecessary amplification in social media, trigger warnings are lacking in the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, English actor and film producer Ralph Fiennes presented a brash outlook on trigger warnings, stating that theatres ought to scrap trigger warnings so that audiences might engage more immersively with productions. He maintained that trigger warnings would prevent an audience from being shocked and disturbed by violent or sexual themes. He asserted that the modern audience has gone “soft.” However, the accuracy of this statement is irrelevant; whether or not audiences have become too sensitive, the purpose of the entertainment industry is to entertain. It is not the artists’ job nor their place to “toughen up” audiences.
Fiennes’ idea that information has to be withheld to avoid marring the impact of a film is contradicted by every mainstream marketing strategy. Entertainment looks different for any individual, so the entertainment industry
provides its audience with information prior to a viewing so they can determine what would best suit them—trailers, plot summaries, or maybe avoiding a viewing altogether. This secures a more attentive audience than attempting to generalize across individuals. Take the horror film IT; what if it was marketed as an animated princess film? Would it be a sensation? Or would it precipitate an influx of child trauma? If two-to-three-minute trailers are released for every film, it is difficult to believe a two-sentence trigger warning would be what dismantles the multi-billion dollar industry.
Consider the recent film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends with Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The film is marketed as a floral romance despite its portrayal of domestic abuse—and provides no trigger warning. Although the intended message of the story appears to advocate for ending the cycle of abuse, it is easily masked by the perfume of roses. With its misleading marketing, one could easily walk into the theatre prepared for a heartwarming two hours only to emerge feeling deceived. Some might argue that this is an exaggeration. However, one in three women and one in four men in the US alone have experienced some form of domestic abuse.
While the word “trauma” has been diluted from overuse (and sometimes, misuse), it is critical not to undermine the genuine pain and experiences of survivors. Millions of people’s shared trauma warrants a couple of sentences from a multi-billion dollar corporation. Regardless of whether or not you have experienced domestic violence firsthand, no one deserves to be made ignorant of something that may likely cause psychological damage. If you or someone you know is going through a traumatic experience, including domestic violence, please refer to the resources below.
SOS violence conjugale 24/7: 1-800-3639010 Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
In the Netherlands, art served as conversation pieces for the home and its guests. ( Dante Ventulieri / The Tribune)
Cortical thickness: A promising predictor of eating disorders McGill research explores correlation between brain structure and childhood eating habits
K. Coco Zhang Science & Technology Editor
Content Warning: Mentions of eating disorders
Global eating disorder prevalence nearly doubled between 2000 and 2018. According to data reported by mothers in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, around a third of all children born in Quebec had exhibited overeating behaviours by the age of five. Furthermore, roughly a fifth of preschoolers exhibited what are classified as “picky eating” behaviours.
Eating disorders are conditions characterized by abnormal eating behaviours that adversely affect physical, psychological, and social function. Past research suggests that maladaptive eating habits in childhood, such as overeating and picky eating, might predict the development of eating disorder symptoms later in life, yet the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown.
In a recent study, Linda Booij, a professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, and her team investigated the correlation between brain structure and children’s eating behaviours.
“The goal of the study was to investigate how specific eating patterns in children were linked to their cortical thickness,” Booij said in an interview with The Tribune Cortical thickness refers to the thickness
Alzheimer’s
of the brain’s outermost layer, the cerebral cortex. Although the cerebral cortex is typically only a few millimetres thick, it makes up approximately half of the brain’s total mass. It contains between 14 and 16 billion nerve cells and carries out essential functions of the brain, including memory, problem-solving, and sensory functions.
Booij’s study focused on two types of eating behaviours: “Picky eating” and “emotional overeating.”
Systematic scientific research on the cerebral cortex began in 1870. (Drea
According to Booij, picky eating, in a clinical sense, means consuming a limited amount of food and refusing to eat certain types of food based on their texture, taste, smell, and appearance. In contrast, emotional overeating refers to eating abnormally large amounts of food in response to negative emotions, such as anxiety.
“Overall, children who display picky eating behaviours have a thinner cortex in parts of their parietal cortex, [one of the four major regions in the cerebral cortex],” Booij explained. “We found that the association between cortical thickness and these two eating patterns, [picky eating and emotional overeating], was dependent not only on the sex
disease:
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of the child, but also on the age of the child.” Booij also highlighted the impact of sex and age on the association between childhood eating behaviours and cortical thickness in the frontal cortex—regions of the brain responsible for the performance of motor tasks, judgment, creativity, and maintaining social etiquette.
“During early childhood, the thickening of certain parts of the frontal cortex was associated with more picky eating. But in adolescence, the association was the opposite to what we saw in early childhood, so teenagers who go on to display picky eating at that age had a thinner cortex,” Booij said. “We did not find any link with sex [in the case of picky eating], so there was no difference in
this association between [biological males] and [biological females].”
Conversely, sex has a role to play in the relationship between cortical thickness and overeating.
“For [biological females], more emotional overeating was associated with a thinner cortex in parts of the parietal cortex, and this association showed an opposite pattern in [biological males],” Booij said.
Although the study included both sexes and used a standardized imaging protocol, Booij acknowledged the potential for bias and suggested that future studies could benefit from a larger sample size.
Booij’s research makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on eating disorders. Most studies to date have focused on the link between brain structure and weight or food choices, rather than on eating disorder symptoms across different stages of life.
“Hopefully, this study could help to better understand early risk factors for eating disorders and help to develop ways in preventing eating disorders early,” Booij said. “Our study was done on children and younger teenagers, so it would be interesting to know what happens afterwards. Will these children who exhibit picky eating or emotional overeating behaviours go on and develop eating disorders? This is an important research question for future studies.”
Moving forward, Booij aims to study the impact of eating disorders on brain function
computational models reveal Study singles out the impact of interaction between two brain abnormalities
Samathar Senso Contributor
According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, an estimated one million people in Canada could be living with dementia by 2030. Dementia encompasses a range of symptoms associated with declining cognitive function; Alzheimer’s disease is the main form, accounting for 60 to 80 per cent of all cases. Although Alzheimer’s is closely associated with old age, the exact cause of the disease remains a mystery. However, two specific brain abnormalities have been used to characterize the disease since it was first described in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer: Amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Although the impact of each anomaly has been studied individually, computational models are now being used to study the synergistic interactions between these two factors.
In a recent paper, Lázaro Sánchez-Rodríguez, PhD candidate in Neuroscience at the McGill NeuroPM Lab, and his colleagues studied how these plaques and tangles in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients interact with each other and impact disease progression.
Amyloid plaques are accumulations of amyloid beta proteins that are normally found in the brain, while tau neurofibrillary tangles are twisted protein fibres found in nerve cells.
“We know [Alzheimer’s] is characterized by these pathological depositions of amyloid beta and tau proteins that form in the brain,” Sánchez-Rodriguez said in an inter-
view with The Tribune
Sánchez-Rodriguez’s research focuses on how these two anomalies interact with each other to influence cognitive deterioration and memory loss. To do so, he uses computational models, as isolating these interactions in the brain to study them individually remains unachievable. These models can simulate certain aspects of brain chemistry and function by inputting mathematical models and equations into a computer program. Sánchez-Rodriguez and his colleagues also based the model on the brain chemistry of specific individuals by using real-world measurements as inputs for the program.
“[They’re] equations that you write in a programming language such as MATLAB [...] that describe biophysical quantities that relate to processes in the brain,” SánchezRodriguez explained. “When you put that together with the information we have from the participants in the cohort, you have a biophysical model that is created.”
Having the process simulated on a computer allows the tangles and plaques to be the only factors affecting brain activity in the models, whereas in nature, many factors are at play simultaneously.
Using this technique, Sánchez-Rodriguez found that the interaction between amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles directly correlates to the progressive damage of neurons in most Alzheimer’s patients and influences neuronal hyperexcitability—another factor associated with brain damage and memory
loss. This strategy could help create new ways to diagnose early-onset Alzheimer’s.
“If you have a subject that doesn’t have Alzheimer’s yet but is showing signs of cognitive impairment and you see in [brain images] high levels of tau accumulations, then you could probably move that person off the queue where you’re trying to deliver a therapeutic intervention since it could predict that the person is going to develop Alzheimer’s very soon,” Sánchez-Rodriguez noted.
A goal of current Alzheimer’s research is to use a personalized medical approach to design therapeutic treatments to address the unique needs of each patient.
(Drea Avila Garcia / The Tribune)
The results also highlight the impact of epigenetics—how behavioural and environmental influences affect the expression of genes—on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. For instance, while amyloid beta plaques are typically directly related to the disease’s progression, there are people with high levels of amyloid beta in their brains who lack symptoms of the disease, SánchezRodriguez explained. This suggests that while these plaques and tangles are a key part of the disease, various other pathophysiological factors unique to each individual are also at play.
This research continues to demystify Alzheimer’s disease by showing that tau tangles and amyloid beta plaques work in synergy as the disease progresses. More questions remain on how to apply findings like this as we face an emerging aging population who are at risk of developing dementia.
Additionally, the study’s use of computational models is part of a new frontier in brain research. Computational models used in this research on Alzheimer’s disease are being expanded to study neuropathological mechanisms in general. One recently developed model is the Neuroinformatics for Personalized Medicine toolBox (NeuroPM-box), a software for advanced integration of molecular, histopathological, multimodal neuroimaging, and therapeutic data.
Garcia Avila / The Tribune)
Redefining care: A new approach to decision-making for individuals with dementia
Tamara Sussman discusses the challenges of supported decision-making
Rebecca Winkelaar
Contributor
While dementia is commonly most associated with memory loss, research has also linked it to impaired judgment, increased difficulty navigating one’s surroundings, and even failure to pick up on sarcasm. Understandably, the condition can impact a person’s autonomy and independence, but in what circumstances can we attest that a person is no longer capable of making decisions involving them due to their compromised well-being?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted in 2006, established the right of disabled people to receive support in exercising their autonomy. In Canada, several provinces have criticized the existing legal framework for the elderly as being in conflict with the CRPD, prompting nationwide legislative changes aimed at clarifying both a person’s capabilities and the role of those assisting them in decisionmaking.
However, there is a lack of research on how best to support people with dementia in decision-making as their condition progresses.
Tamara Sussman, professor and PhD Program Director at the McGill School of Social Work , submitted a protocol for a scoping review to document the current knowledge on supported decision-making for people with dementia,
Approximately 750,000 Canadians are currently living with some form of dementia. ( Drea Avila Garcia / The Tribune)
aiming to inform future research and practice.
Supported decision-making is based on an individual’s right to autonomy. It involves a process where people with decisional limitations—such as dementia—receive assistance or input from families, friends, and legally appointed decision-makers, with the goal of enabling them to participate as fully as possible in decisions affecting them.
“We have this [misconception] that any of us is really autonomous,” Sussman said in an interview with The Tribune. “When you make a decision, you probably still consult a few people that are important to you. So we all make supported decisions, in a way.”
The quick decision-making required in
the fast-paced healthcare environment often leads the healthcare providers to bypass patients with dementia in favour of someone who can make medical decisions on their behalf.
To address this exclusion, clinicians use the concept of the ‘triadic conversation,’ in which consultations about a patient’s treatment involve the person with dementia, their supporter, and the healthcare provider.
However, achieving this three-way communication may be more difficult than Sussman anticipated.
After completing a preliminary review of the literature, Sussman was surprised to find that families typically want to include their family member with dementia, but feel pressured by healthcare providers to make quick decisions, leading to the exclusion of the person with dementia.
“Families aren’t being offered the time that they need to help consult with their family member. I thought that families also kind of start to exclude [their family member with dementia] early on, but it seems that exclusion is being perpetuated by [healthcare providers],” Sussman said.
Sussman concluded that, while it is clear both families and people with dementia need a more holistic approach to patient care, the primary challenge arises from the largely reductionist nature of the current healthcare system.
“Implementing [supported decision-making] in a clinical setting won’t happen unless we accept that caring for someone is more than a 15-minute consult with your family physician,” Sussman said.
Integrating this initiative into long-term treatment for dementia is part of a broader effort to shift from a biomedically-oriented healthcare system to one that is more personcentred and compassionate.
However, this transformation is not the job of a single doctor or policymaker. It begins with each individual, early on in life, whenever assumptions about a person’s capabilities are made without considering them beyond the context of age or disability-related stigma.
“We all have to get on the bandwagon in our different ways [to recognize] how we’re perpetuating exclusion. In the end, we’re making people sicker instead of better by not viewing them through a holistic lens,” Sussman emphasized.
Ultimately, fostering an environment where supported decision-making is the norm, rather than the exception, requires a collective effort to ensure that the dignity and autonomy of individuals with dementia are preserved throughout their care journey.
Empowering women in engineering: Stories for women, by women Voices of
McGill women in engineering
Jenna Durante Science & Technology
In the evolving landscape of science and technology, women in engineering are driving innovation and shaping the future of the field. Despite progress in gender equality in STEM, women continue to face unique challenges, such as overcoming stereotypes about gender roles and underrepresentation in certain fields.
To gain insight into the experiences of women, I conducted interviews with woman engineering students at McGill, exploring their journeys, the challenges they have faced, and the figures who have inspired them.
Pursuing a Passion For Engineering
Alex* appreciates the versatility of her degree.
“I like the broadness of the degree, and I can go into any industry after,” Alex explained in an interview with The Tribune
For Jordan,* the support she has received from her sister was crucial.
“My sister is a big inspiration for me. She is three years older and she always told me it would be hard but it would be worth it in the end, and you will be accomplished in your life,” Jordan said in an interview with The Tribune.
Each student’s journey into engineering was driven by a different passion or interest.
Blake*,was drawn to the field by her desire to address environmental concerns.
“What encouraged me to pursue this field [was] the environmental challenges in the field
and what we could do to help with those. It gave me a purpose of being there and fighting the climate crisis,” Blake shared in an interview with The Tribune
Challenges Faced by Women in the Field
Students acknowledged the challenges they face in engineering as women. Bailey* pointed out the lack of female representation in her program.
“I noticed that a lot of professors in my program are mostly men, and there is very little female representation,” Bailey said in an interview with The Tribune
While representation remains a concern, Jordan also shared more personal, everyday forms of bias.
“Sometimes I find myself being underestimated or questioned by other men in my program,” Jordan explained.
These experiences highlight the subtle yet impactful ways in which societal gender dynamics can play out in academic settings.
Finding Support and Community
The significance of building a supportive and positive community was a common theme among the students. Alex noted the importance of connecting with women in the field.
“I usually feel more comfortable talking to the other girls in my classes; we try to help each other out because we all know it can be tough to be a woman in engineering,” Alex said.
Interestingly, Blake shared that she did not feel outnumbered in her architecture classes,
which contrasts with her experiences in other engineering fields.
“In architecture, there are actually a lot of girls, so I did not feel outnumbered in my classes,” she said, highlighting the variation in gender balance across different engineering disciplines.
Role Models and Inspirations
Role models play a significant role in motivating and guiding these students through a maledominated field.
Engineers Canada’s 30 by 30 initiative aims to have women make up 30 per cent of newly licensed engineers by 2030 by collaborating with engineering regulators, collecting and sharing data, and advocating on issues relevant to women in engineering. (Zoe Lee / The Tribune)
“Professor Tufenkji has done a lot of work for empowering women in engineering, which I thought was amazing,” Bailey said.
Blake shared that she also found inspiration in her professors. “Naomi Keena is doing research on the circular economy and building life cycles. I had her in my first year of my graduate program and she was great.”
Advice for Aspiring Woman Engineers
Students also offered valuable advice for other women considering a career in engineering.
“Don’t be intimidated and just do it! It is going to be okay,” Jordan added.
Meanwhile, Blake focused on perseverance.
“My advice would be to believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. I think we can achieve anything we want to achieve,” she said. The stories shared by women at McGill demonstrate that, although challenges exist, so do opportunities for growth, learning, and leadership. By sharing their experiences, the women contribute to a community of support and inspiration, shaping a more inclusive and innovative future in engineering.
*Alex, Bailey, Blake, and Jordan’s names were changed to preserve anonymity.
An uneven playing field: The economics of underrepresented sports
At what point does financial support lead to the demise of popular sports’ values?
Zain Ahmed Contributor
Spectator sports have long been a cornerstone of global culture, captivating millions of fans and generating substantial economic value. From cricket and football to golf and rugby, these events have the power to inspire, unite, and entertain. Financial investment plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of these sports, driving growth, popularity, and economic impact. However, excessive investment can also lead to unsustainable growth, compromising the core values and traditions that define these beloved pastimes.
In recent years, cricket, for example, has experienced a surge in popularity and financial investment. In particular, the rise of Twenty20 cricket (T20)—with its fast-paced format, glamorous style, and emphasis on entertainment—has attracted new fans and expanded the sport’s global reach. T20 cricket is currently pioneered by the Indian Premier League (IPL). Players are on higher-paying contracts, teams have cheerleaders and more sponsorship, and therefore more fans. While the IPL already exists and is arguably the most popular variation of the sport from a spectatorship perspective, other formats of large-scale cricket—such as the Cricket World Cup—are increasingly revealing themselves on the global stage. This growth in the game has been fueled by significant investments from various sources: Private equity firms, government bodies, and corpo-
rate sponsors such as JP Morgan, Jaguar, and Samsung, to name a few.
One of the most significant benefits of financial investment in spectator sports like cricket is the potential to increase popularity and viewership. A swell in marketing budgets, enhanced promotion, and improved accessibility can attract new fans and expand the global reach of these sports. The success of T20 cricket’s global expansion and the recent influx of Saudi Arabian investment into the 2024 LIV Golf series are prime examples of how financial resources can fuel growth and engagement.
Moreover, these financial investments in sports can improve infrastructure, leading to better facilities and training grounds, as well as enhanced spectator experiences. The plans for the development of world-class cricket stadiums in the United States and the growth of rugby infrastructure in Canada testify to the transformative power of financial support. Increasing grassroots introductions to these sports and augmenting their representation on both a micro and macro level will be transformative. Such investments can simultaneously contribute to talent development, therefore enhancing competition.
However, excessive investment in spectator sports can also pose significant risks. For instance, too much cash flow can create inflated salaries and transfer fees, leading to unsustainable wage growth. In the long run, this creates financial instability and compromises the competitive balance within the sport. The English Premier League has ex-
perienced rapid growth due to large-scale investments, but this has consequently led to concerns about the sustainability of the league’s financial model.
Furthermore, the pursuit of commercial gain can often lead to changes in a sport’s core values and traditions. Often spoken about, the transition of soccer from an easily accessible universal sport to an obscenely overpriced spectator sport and extortionate business model has diluted the public’s love of watching the game. Additionally, the commercialization of cricket has increased scrutiny about the potential erosion of its unique spirit and cultural significance. Excessive focus on financial returns within sports can create pressure on leagues and teams to prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability, increasing the risk of economic instability and even a potential for bankruptcy.
a balanced approach to financial investment in sports, one that prioritizes the long-term health and sustainability of the league.
The Toronto Arrows, a professional rugby team inMajor League Rugby (MLR), provide a cautionary tale. Despite initial success, the team struggled to secure sustainable funding and ultimately ceased operations. This case highlights the importance of
The future of spectator sports will undoubtedly be shaped by the interplay of financial investment and core values. While financial support can drive growth and enhance the experience for fans, it is essential to avoid excessive investments that could compromise the integrity and sustainability of these popular pastimes. By striking a balance between commercial interests and the preservation of tradition, sports can continue to thrive and captivate audiences for generations to come.
Martlets soccer defeats UdeM Carabins in season home opener
McGill
made the game-winning
Anoushka Oke & Shani Laskin
Sports Editor Managing Editor
Martlets soccer victoriously kicked off its season, defeating the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins with a tight scoreline of 1-0. The players battled it out in the Percival Molson Memorial Stadium to energetic cheering from the nearly 800-person crowd.
McGill dominated the beginning of the first 45 minutes, controlling the ball well and consistently bringing it into UdeM’s box. During this time, midfielder Chloe Renaud registered several good shots, shooting some wide and others into the hands of UdeM goalkeeper Andréanne Dubeau.
Midway through the half, UdeM started to pick up the pace, maintaining better possession of the ball and putting pressure on McGill’s net—but with no result, as McGill goalkeeper Sophie Guilmette maintained tight control of her box. The score remained 0-0 for all of the first half, despite a brilliant chance in the 43rd minute in which Renaud received the ball and chipped it over the head of UdeM’s keeper, who was way off her line; the ball was bouncing in the direction of the net until UdeM defender Santy Malanda managed to catch up to it and make a goal-line clearance.
McGill registered a few good chances in the first five minutes of the second
shot in the second half
half. Then, in the 53rd minute, a dangerous shot from UdeM resulted in a masterful save by Guilmette, leading the crowd to erupt into cheers of “Let’s go Martlets” and “UdeM fatigué!”
The score remained level until the 78th minute when forward Arianne Lavoie received a fantastic cross across the face of the net and fired the ball on target; her shot was just saved by Dubeau, but set Renaud up perfectly to hit the rebound into an open net, putting McGill ahead with what ended up being the game’s only goal.
The game went steadily back-andforth throughout the rest of the half, as McGill worked to stay attacking while also defending their one-goal lead. The crowd’s energy remained high, as they continued to chant and used rubber noisemakers to demonstrate their support for the Martlets. Going into stoppage time, they urged the referee to “Blow the whistle!” Despite having lost their previous preseason game, McGill opened their regular season with a win.
“Winning the first game at home against UdeM, which is a really good team, just scoring that goal, it meant everything to start the season on a really good note,” Renaud said.
The team has been training together since Aug. 5, and the home opener featured two rookies: Forward Vanessa Kumar started, and forward Estella Irvine subbed in. In her interview with The Tribune ,
Renaud pointed to the team-building they have been able to cultivate throughout their preseason.
“We’ve had a month to prepare, and throughout all this month we put all the energy together and created that chemistry and I think that today it showed,” Renaud said.
Head coach, Jose-Luis Valdes, told The Tribune that he hopes the team can keep up the spirit they showed in their home opener for the rest of their season.
“The girls did really well,” Valdes said. “[I am] quite happy with how they played and how they went about it. Montreal is a really good opponent, but we managed, we controlled when we had to control, and when it got stressful, the girls still were able to keep their composure and play well.”
“Hopefully in the next games, even if it’s not Montreal and it’s another opponent in the league, we still need to play with that same sort of energy and desire every single minute.”
Moment of the game:
The last play of the match was a UdeM shot that resulted in a shining save from Guilmette. Following the whistle, all of the McGill players rushed to her, carrying the excitement of starting their regular season off with a win. Quotable:
“The people coming in have a great vibe. They’re getting along well, and we have a lot of leaders on the team, so it makes it easier to get a lot of people to help.”— Fourth-year captain and midfielder, Mara Bouchard Stat corner:
Both McGill and UdeM registered 10 shots, but six of McGill’s shots were on goal, compared to only two of UdeM’s.
Cricket is the second most watched spectator sport in the world. (Mia Helfrich / The Tribune )
Martlets teammates celebrate after winning the match (Matt Garies / McGill Atheletics )
The Tribune’s sports moments of the summer
Five Tribune writers break down their favourite events from the past few months
The adrenaline has been high this summer, with several high-profile tournaments and events falling within months of each other. Alongside annual events such as Wimbledon and the Formula 1 Grand Prix that draw tens of thousands of fans every year, this summer also featured the UEFA European Championships (Euros), the CONMEBOL Copa America, the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 Men’s World Cup, and, most notably, the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Paris. Five writers from The Tribune break down their favourite moment from this summer of sports.
UEFA European Championships
Matias Plasencia Sanchez
Contributor
Spain entered the Euros as one of the dark horses of the competition, despite their illustrious history. Their triumphant run from 2008 until 2012, in which they won two consecutive Euros and a World Cup made them one of the best international squads of all time. But a lot had changed since then—most of the players from that squad had retired, and their Tiki-taka style had aged.
That was until December 2022, when the Spanish Football Federation decided to appoint Luis de la Fuente as the new manager of the Spanish National Team. This new head coach had a different approach from traditional Spanish managers in the past, as he ushered in younger, speedier players like Lamine Yamal and Pedro (Pedri) González López over veterans— a strategy that proved successful. Though Spain was not a tournament favourite, they were able to win all of their group-stage matches, beating highly-ranked teams: Croatia, Albania, and Italy.
one Biles, following the scrutiny she had received for withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
I was particularly in awe of Biles’ sportsmanship toward her competitors despite the adversity she has faced. One moment that stood out to me was during the floor competition. After Biles and her teammate Jordan Chiles placed second and third respectively on the podium for the Women’s Floor event, there was a powerful moment in which the two bowed down to Rebeca Andrade, the winner of the event. This act was seen as both a sign of respect and sportsmanship from the two American gymnasts to their Brazilian counterpart for her remarkable skill as one of the few gymnasts to beat Biles on the
tional Team (USWNT) most notably got knocked out of the semifinals of the 2020 Olympics by Canada and out of the 2023 World Cup Round of 16 by Sweden. After the post-World Cup resignation of head coach Vlatko Andonovski—who had often been criticized for the team’s underperformance—and a short interim period, former Chelsea Women head Coach Emma Hayes was hired as the new manager. Hayes’ tenure started strong, and going into the 2024 Olympics, she was yet to lose a game— which, combined with the availability of exciting young players like Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Jaedyn Shaw, offered a beacon of hope for USWNT fans.
The USWNT flew through the group stage and won every game, then handed
score of 72-61.
Sitting in the Climate Pledge Arena, surrounded by both long-time fans and people new to women’s basketball, I felt so grateful to be able to cheer on my favourite team in such a momentous game. Throughout the game, history reels played on the jumbotron highlighting key moments in the team’s history: From the inception of the Storm to Sue Bird’s recruitment, to the team’s four WNBA Championship wins, it was a powerful reminder that while women’s basketball has seen a recent surge in popularity, they’ve been hustling for decades.
After the game, the crowd was encouraged to stay back to watch the top 25 Storm players be recognized for their contributions to the team. I watched as each of the women received their awards, and met the rest of their acclaimed peers on the court. Knowing that current players like Jewell Loyd and Ezi Magbegor were included among the ranks of Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, I’m so hopeful for the next 25 years of Storm history.
Olympic stage.
They later faced off with Georgia in the Round of 16 and beat them 4-1, leading them to move on to face the home favourites Germany, who they narrowly overcame by scoring a late goal to reach the semi-finals. In a thrilling semi-final matchup, Spain edged out France 2-1, thanks to a spectacular goal from the 16-year-old rising star Yamal. They faced England in the final, where a late goal secured Spain’s fourth European Championship title. As a Spaniard, watching my country secure its first major triumph in 12 years was undoubtedly the highlight of my summer.
Biles and Chiles on the Olympic podium
Lialah Mavani Sports Editor
This summer, as everyone around me became consumed by the Olympics, I was equally captivated. Like many others, my eyes were focused on the gymnastics events and on watching Sim -
This moment was very significant to me because this was the first time in Olympic history that there was a podium filled with all Black athletes. Seeing three woman athletes of colour reach the peak of their sport felt pretty incredible, not only because they made history in a traditionally European-dominated sport but also due to Biles and Chiles’ discussions around mental health. The two are constantly proving to the world how resilient they are as both athletes of colour and athletes who have openly struggled with their mental health. Figures like Andrade, Biles, and Chiles are so important in both highlighting the prominence of mental health in sports and paving the way for so many young aspiring athletes of colour.
USWNT wins gold in Olympics
Anoushka Oke Sports Editor
It’s been a rough few years for American women’s soccer fans, years during which the U.S. Women’s Na -
1-0 defeats to Japan in the quarterfinals, Germany in the semifinals, and Brazil in the finals. Seeing the team receive their medals felt like it symbolized the end of an era of heartbreak for American fans of women’s soccer. It was exhilarating to see how competitive the tournament had been—as it is indicative of the fact that more and more countries are investing in women’s soccer. It was even more exciting to see that the USWNT can still emerge successful against such tough competition. I’m so excited to see how the identity of the team continues to be built around this core of young, talented players, led by Hayes and her depth of experience.
Sue Bird’s legacy
Shani Laskin Managing Editor
Iwent to the Seattle Storm’s 25th anniversary game back in June and haven’t been able to shut up about it since. The Storm faced the Connecticut Sun, claiming victory in the end with a
Wimbledon Men’s Singles final Zain Ahmed Contributor
The summer was filled with some headline sports moments—but none quite captured my eye like the Wimbledon Men’s Singles final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. As an avid tennis player in my high-school years, this was a match that had everything a player or fan would want: Thrilling comebacks, stunning individual performances, and a climactic finish between one of the greatest players in tennis history, and his ambitious young contemporary.
The final was a battle of wills between two of the biggest players on the scene today. Djokovic, the defending champion and widely-loved legend of the sport, was seeking his eighth Wimbledon title, while Alcaraz, the rising star, was looking to add another tally to his growing list of accomplishments.
The match was a marathon, lasting over four hours and featuring some of the most spellbinding tennis shots I have ever seen. The final set was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both players forcing each other to their limits. In the end, it was Alcaraz who emerged victorious, securing his first Wimbledon title and cementing his status as one of the best players in the world. The celebration that followed was a joyous occasion for Alcaraz and his team, as they had achieved something truly remarkable.
This moment holds a special place in my heart. Watching one of my tennis idols go toe-to-toe with a young player I have watched ace his way onto the biggest tennis stages was more than just spectatorship; it was a chance for me to reflect on the power of the human spirit, the thrill of competition, and the beauty of sport.
Over 10,000 athletes competed in the Paris Olympics. (Abbey Locker / The Tribune )
