McGill Tribune Vol. 39 Issue 21

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020 | VOL. 39 | ISSUE 21

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

ARTIST PROFILE

McGill needs to address its colonial legacy

Putting pen to paper

Michael Haze confronts love and loss in his debut EP

PG. 8-9

PG. 5

PG. 12

(Benjamin Joppke / The McGill Tribune)

Winter 2020 season recaps

PG. 16

Bar des Arts faces persistent administrative roadblocks in re-opening attempts Why one of McGill’s student bars has been forced to shut down for the 2019-20 school year Pascal Hogue Staff Writer While construction projects across campus have disrupted the activities and plans of student clubs

and associations, the Arts Undergraduate Society’s (AUS) Arts Lounge, home of the Bar des Arts (BdA), has been hit particularly hard. Normally McGill’s busiest student bar, BdA has been forced out of its space in the Leacock basement since Summer 2019.

Only the bar ’s glowing neon sign remains by the entrance.

BdA and AUS executives were originally informed by the administration that the space would be closed for renovations during the summer of 2019.

PG. 3

Geoengineering is a band-aid solution to the climate crisis

Life as a 1.5 generation migrant

Embracing an in-between immigration status

The controversial climate intervention strategy attempts to limit rising Gwenyth Wren Contributor The conversation around geoengineering, otherwise known as climate intervention or climate engineering, is gaining traction as climate projections remain dire. Offering many salient yet controversial

ways to mitigate Earth’s rising temperatures, geoengineering methods include spraying sulphate particulates into the atmosphere to block out solar radiation, fertilizing the ocean with iron to capture more carbon, and injecting atmospheric carbon dioxide into rock deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

Alaana Kumar Staff Writer

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has increasingly warned that countries must reduce emissions to avoid a two degrees Celsius jump in temperature, which would result in widespread social inequality and environmental degradation.

PG. 10

Everyone seems to have labels for each other, often used as a means to define every characteristic of an individual. One universal label—“immigrant”­—is used to define someone who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. This categorization can follow a family years after their an-

cestors migrated and is often broken down into three categories: First-, second-, and third-generation immigrants.

The first generation was born outside Canada and moved here as adults; the second is the Canadian-born children of the first generation; and the third is their grandchildren.

However, these terms often fail to include the experiences of those who were not old enough when they moved

here to be classified as firstgeneration immigrants nor young enough to be considered part of the second generation. For those individuals in the middle comes, the question “Where are you from?” can be difficult to answer.

The first-generation and the second-generation often refer to the country they were born in; for those in the middle, like me, however, the answer feels more complicated.

PG. 13

2

NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

SSMU Indigenous Affairs prepares to host academic conference

‘Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency’ to welcome renowned Indigenous voices Kyle Dewsnap News Editor The Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Indigenous Affairs Committee (IAC), in partnership with the Indigenous Law Association, the Desautels Indigenous Business Society, the McGill students chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and the Indigenous Student Alliance, is preparing to host an academic conference. On March 14 and 15, the conference titled ‘Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency’ will host a total of 14 events including panels, workshops, and keynote speakers.

According to SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek, the conference hopes to highlight Indigenous approaches to teaching and learning. “[The conference has] focussed on different themes over the years,” Jirousek said.

“This year, we chose to focus on intergenerational strength and resilience through an academic conference, but not specifically the type of Western conferences that we constantly refer to in academia [....] We have activists coming in, we have elders, we have politicians. There’s a lot of really cool different kinds of knowledge bases that we’re bringing together.”

Roméo Saganash, who will be delivering one of the keynote addresses, has been lauded for his activism for Indigenous issues. Saganash, from the Cree community of Waswanipi,

slid into his DMs,” Galbraith said in a message to The McGill Tribune “Roméo is one of those figures that is pretty beloved amongst Indigenous youth—he’s pretty famously called other politicians out on their bullshit, and that type of refusal is super empowering to watch.”

Galbraith referred to Saganash’s use of an expletive during question period in the Canadian House of Commons: In September 2018, Saganash denounced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s support of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, a project that has not yet received consent from the Squamish Nation on TsleilWaututh in British Columbia. Jirousek praised Saganash’s ability to remain resilient during his eight year tenure as the MP for Abitibi— Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou.

“Roméo got right involved in the mud Saganash is the first Cree person to receive a law and the muck of [politics],” Jirousek said. degree in Quebec. (Isabelle Zwicker / SSMU IAC) “And so you’ve seen him be this passionate, is the first Indigenous Member of Parliament powerful voice for Cree people in his own (MP) to hold a seat in Quebec. A survivor of riding [...] in the House of Commons, and his the residential school system, Saganash has work speaks for itself. I remember [...] last spent over 20 years furthering the legal and year when he called up the Prime Minister and constitutional rights of Indigenous people, said ‘You don’t give a fuck about Indigenous including his contributions to the United Na- rights.’” tions Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous In addition to Saganash, another keynote Peoples. Catie Galbraith, a member of the address will be given by Cindy Blackstock, a IAC and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Gitxsan social worker who was spied on after Oklahoma, expressed their excitement over suing the federal government for discriminatSaganash’s visit. ing against First Nations children on reserves “[The IAC was] able to get in touch by underfunding social services. Nakuset, the because Roméo follows our Vice-President Executive Director of the Native Women’s Events, Janelle Bruneau, on Twitter and she Shelter of Montreal, will also be delivering a

talk. Jirousek cited both Blackstock and Nakuset as inspirations for his activism. “[Blackstock and] Nakuset have been really big role models for myself over the last couple of years,” Jirousek said. “Anytime I have an event, I reach out to Nakuset. I can’t remember the last time that I’ve actually done something of significance without Nakuset there by my side.”

To Claire Grenier, the SSMU’s Community Affairs Coordinator and a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, events like these are important to fostering a dynamic and diverse community of Indigenous students.

“Administration [and] Enrollment Services are really pushing [for] Indigenous students to enroll at McGill,” Grenier said. “But there’s no support or community that’s really pushed to them, or there’s just nothing there that lets them know that there is a community, that there’s a space for them to learn and to keep Indigenous identity, even in a city like Montreal that’s so urban [....] I think this conference [...] to have this as a really distinct moment in the year for Indigenous youth to come together and kind of reconnect and really even get to know other Indigenous students at McGill that they can get involved with, that they can become friends with and share their experiences with, I think that’s really important.”

Interested students are encouraged to visit the event’s Facebook page to view a list of events, and to reserve their tickets for the keynote address on March 15 at 5:00 pm.

AUS rejects Motion to Acknowledge Role of Blood Collection Services on Campus Blood boiled over concerns about Héma-Québec collection policies

Kate Addison Staff Writer The Arts Undergraduate Society of McGill (AUS) held its fourth legislative council meeting of the semester on Feb. 27. Concillors debated the concerns presented by Héma-Québec’s blood drives on campus and policies restricting donations from men who have sex with men through a three-month deferral period.

Several members of the council expressed dissent following the introduction of a motion on Feb. 27 to Acknowledge the Role of Blood Collection Services on Campus and to Encourage the Continued Advancement of Non-Discriminatory Policies. In response to a motion presented during the AUS’s last general assembly condemning the presence of HémaQuébec on campus, this new motion regarding Héma-Québec sought to condemn only the organization’s discriminatory policies while continuing to make them feel welcome at McGill.

Many AUS representatives believe that this new motion was not in the best interests of McGill students and feared the repercussions of creating spaces on campus for an organization that possesses discriminatory policies toward 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

The motion brought forth by the

Society of Linguistics Undergraduates at McGill Vice-President (VP) External Mathieu Hergett-Rozier, and seconded

by The Canadian Studies Association of Undergraduate Students (CSAUS) VP External Brent Jamsa, was intended to recognize the importance of student blood donations for life-saving services and create a comfortable atmosphere for those facilitating collections on campus.

“I think it is important to also recognize the contributions made by these organizations and make them feel welcome because they do save people’s lives,” Hergett-Rozier said. “I don’t want to foster an environment in which these groups feel threatened because that ultimately correlates to people’s loss of lives [....] Every drop of blood counts.”

Deferral times for blood donations made by gay men have decreased in previous years from an outright ban to five years in 2013 and one year in 2016.

These changes have been implimented in an effort to refute homophobic fears surrounding gay men and HIV/AIDS. Gender, Sexuality, Feminist and Social Justie Studies Students Association External Coordinator Alexandra Smith Taylor discussed how the motion could be perceived as prioritizing blood collection services that continue to uphold these discriminatory policies over Mc-

Gill’s 2SLGBTQIA+ population who may feel ostracized by the collection service.

“I feel like [this] motion suggests that it is more important for us to create a safe space for Héma-Québec [on campus] than a safe space for our students,” Smith Taylor said. “I don’t want to vote in favour of this motion because of the way that it has been written.”

This sentiment was echoed by HSA VP external Dalton Liggett, who stated that failing to adequately condemn Héma-Québec does not adhere to the AUS equity policy.

“While I would like to recognize that the motion is in good faith, [...] the AUS equity policy [...] mandates us to be proactive in condemning processes of marginalization which affect the safety and well-being of disadvantaged groups of McGill,’” Liggit said. “Following consultations with numerous groups, including Queer McGill and the Union for Gender Empowerment, [there has been a] consistent take away and that is that the presence of these blood drives on campus, occupying public space [and] loudly playing music, […] is explicitly and inherently exclusionary to the vast majority of the queer community on campus.”

Following the debate, the motion was voted on by the council and failed to pass.

SOUNDBITE “I don’t feel like I was ‘made by McGill’. I feel like I was made in spite of it. I hope that, going forward, in all the years that follow the first 200, students don’t have to feel like that anymore and that we feel properly supported by the services here [....] I think that [what] I would like to see come out of the bicentennial is actual conversations with students and not just forms.” - RSUS VP external Mo Rajji Courtney in response to a presentation about upcoming bicentennial celebrations.

MOMENT OF THE MEEETING Councilors voted yes to a motion which resolved that the VP Communications send out emails in the coming months regarding upcoming climate justice demonstrations as part of the Arts Undergraduate Societies declaration of a state of Climate Emergency.The emails will include a “Has McGill Divested Yet?” segment to maintain engagement with the issue.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

NEWS

3

Bar des Arts faces persistent administrative roadblocks in re-opening attempts Why one of McGill’s student bars has been forced to shut down for the 2019-20 school year

Pascal Hogue Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

Six months later, in Feb. 2020, photos suggest that visible progress was yet to be made.

BdA and AUS executives spent months attempting to cooperate with the McGill administration in finding alternative sites for the Arts Lounge, but these efforts have proven futile. As a result, by mid-February, BdA executives resolved to send an open letter to the McGill administration expressing their frustration and demanding action.

“Despite attempting to work with the McGill administration to resolve this

Photos taken in October 2019 and February 2020 suggest little work has been accomplished in the Arts Lounge space in Leacock (Grace Jumbo / BdA) issue, consult on alternative options, or simply inquire about the work being done in the Arts Lounge and its tentative timeline, we have continuously been met with dead ends and reluctance to find alternative venues,” the letter stated.

The letter garnered over 800 signatures from students across several faculties.

Within a week of sending the letter, Deputy Provost of Student Life & Learning (DPSLL) Fabrice Labeau met with AUS executives, guaranteeing a construction end date of April 30 for the Arts Lounge.

AUS VP Social Affairs Kim Yang noted that the open letter served only as a last resort to express frustration regarding the administration’s lack of transparency. “[We were] really trying to get as many resources and as many answers as possible,” Yang said. “And the problem is that we were just not getting any answers from the McGill administration.

In an email to The McGill Tribune, Labeau described the ongoing construction in Leacock.

“The overall project includes renovation to the structure of the building due to water damages and degradation of concrete and rebar that have occurred over time,” Labeau wrote. “These damages were advanced, and if left unattended could endanger the integrity of the building. In some places, including in the Arts lounge, the underlying structure within the reinforced concrete had begun to show through and was rusting.”

BdA co-chair Ethan Casey expressed exasperation towards the administration.

According to Casey, McGill provided vague updates about the state of the construction and only informed the BdA staff about electrical wiring work.

Despite the administration asserting that the construction project in Leacock has been proceeding on schedule, photos taken by BdA executives between Oct. 2019 and Feb. 2020 suggest that little work has been completed. Yang believes that this apparent lack of advancement is due to the nature of the construction process. “[The construction company doesn’t] really care about the order things are done, as long as all projects are completed by [a certain] deadline,” Yang said. “When we realized that, we went back to the school and [noted] that in that case, it’s very obvious that the Arts Lounge in Leacock is near the bottom of that list.”

Jumbo claimed that the administration gave limited informatioWn about the status of the Arts Lounge or of its priorities. “[There was a lack of] transparency [from the administration],” Jumbo said. “We have no idea what the construction even is or when it’s going to end.”

Yang shared the discontent of the BdA team, claiming that different people involved with the construction project gave inconsistent explanations for the delays in

the Arts Lounge.

“I don’t know who’s lying and who’s not, because I’ve heard one story from the Leacock building porter, another story from the head of construction, another story from the DPSLL, and [finally] another story from the Dean [of Arts],” Yang said.

“It’s just all over the place. It just seems like everyone was saying ‘The construction is going to be done now, the construction is going to affect all these areas.’ [But] when you use your actual eyes to go and look, for one, construction is obviously not done and two, there is no construction.”

As a result of the sluggish rennovation pace in Leacock, the BdA executives proposed multiple alternatives to the administration for the temporary relocation of the Arts Lounge. The options supported by McGill, however, were consistently problematic. One proposal recommended that the AUS rent out space in La Citadelle residence, which would have been impossible since the BdA is a non-profit student organization. Another alternative involved moving into the McConnell Engineering building—where the BdA hosted one event in Oct. 2019—but the building’s location outside of the Faculty of Arts created administrative problems with the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS). The most feasible option of relocating the BdA to the Faculty of Arts’ Ferrier building became implausible after the administration offered the use of a computer lab, where expensive electronics would be at risk of damage.

Associate Dean (Academic) of Arts Michael Fronda, who worked with the BdA executives on relocating the Arts Lounge, claims spatial constraints limited the administration to a smattering of imperfect options.

“To move the student lounge into the AUS computer lab was not ideal, [but] it was the best we could do [although] that compromises the computer lab and [...] the space in the lab,” Fronda said.

Fronda believes that the struggle to find a space for BdA is symptomatic of a broader problem which are disruptions from campus construction projects.

“I share the [AUS’s] frustration,” Fronda said. “The reality is that we are in a serious space crisis [...] across all faculties. We are short of classrooms, of offices for instructors [and] support staff, [and] of rooms or spaces for students [...] Arts is being particularly hit hard right now.”

Labeau explained that relocating spaces such as the Arts Lounge poses its own set of challenges.

“One of the spaces that [is] the most difficult to find [is] a replacement for the Arts Lounge,” Labeau wrote. “This type of space, open space that can be used for social events, is among the rarest on campus.”

Yang, however, believes that the administration lacked consistency and initiative in addressing the problem.

“The administration [would say] one thing, and then a few months later when we actually [went] back and [showed] interest in learning more, they [would say] ‘No,

According to the administration, the Leacock basement needed renovations due to extensive ground erosion. (Fabrice Labeau) actually this is not happening,’” Yang said.

The extended closure of the BdA has prompted AUS executives to wonder why the administration has not been more proactive in re-opening McGill’s most popular student bar. BdA co-chair Mercedes Labels thinks the reason is simple.

“We obviously [ran] a bar in Leacock every Thursday,” Labels said. “I guess it’s a lot easier for them to just be content with the fact that there is no bar [which] makes their life easier. They don’t have to worry [about] any problems that could result.”

BdA employees and AUS executives believe that the administration did not understand the full impact of the Arts Lounge closure on the student population. Casey hopes that BdA remains a staple of student life for years to come, despite this year’s setbacks.

“Even if it doesn’t happen this year, we can get the AUS lounge back for next year,” Casey said. “Our main goal now is for it to never die. We don’t want it to be forgotten.”

4 NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

SSMU Legislative Council discusses fee increases due to construction Council passes policy to eliminate Food Handling Sales permit for clubs cheaper option of bringing food themselves.”

Arts Representative Adin Chan emphasized the potential of the fee increase to allow student groups to operate effectively.

“While it is important to appreciate that samosas are essential to McGill culture, we should not overlook that clubs rely on the funding [raised by samosa sales],” Chan said. “Having to pay the $25 fee is counterproductive to the very purpose of [a] sale, which is to generate revenue for the good services that clubs serve on campus.”

Following further debate, the motion carried with 14 in favour, six opposed, and three abstaining.

The Legislative Council will reconvene on Feb. 13 in McConnell Engineering 603 at 6:00 pm.

Deisha Paliwal Staff Writer The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council reconvened on Feb. 27 to debate fee increases associated with library renovations and student clubs food sale fundraisers.

The meeting began with a presentation by Dean of Libraries Colleen Cook, who shared the feedback received from consultations with students regarding library improvements. Cook reported that students feel the need for more seating and a better atmosphere in the libraries on campus, and that the university will be funding a six-year project to reconfigure the McLennanRedpath Complex into the Fiat Lux Library Building. The new $13.27 per semester fee, which is currently up for renewal for the next 10 years, according to Cook, will be put towards doubling the amount of study spaces available and purchasing new learning technology.

Cook assured the council that student input is being sought to ensure that the project reflects the needs of the community.

“Each library has an advisory committee, and there is student representation on those, as well as on the Senate Committee on Libraries,” Cook said. “We also actively reach out to students in formal and informal channels.”

SSMU Law Representative Beatrice Mackie challenged Cook about the reality that sections of the library will remain quiet during the renovations and expressed concern for the availability of study spaces during the construction period.

In response, Cook acknowledged that space will be lost within the complex during the construction, but affirmed that temporary study spaces will be available elsewhere.

“I am confident that with all the libraries in our constellation of libraries, we will always have some quiet spaces for students during this project,” Cook said. “In the end, we have to do this.

We are truly far behind.”

Subsidizing the $25 fee will allow clubs and services to operate effectively. (Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) The council meeting also passed the Motion Regarding SSMU Club Fund Fee Referendum Question, which was moved

by Vice-President Student Life Billy Kawasaki. The policy proposes a $0.82 increase to the opt-outable SSMU Club Fund Fee to help eliminate the financial burden of the $25 Food Handling Sales permit. After a SSMU club was reprimanded by the City of Montreal for unsafe food handling last semester, all clubs and services must pay SSMU to use the food handling equipment for all food-related fundraisers.

Medicine Senator André Lametti raised an objection to SSMU’s plans to subsidize this expense of the permit in order to reduce the cost of hosting a food sale fundraiser for student clubs and services.

“I think subsidizing the price of samosas is against our core values,” Lametti said. “It is a progressive tax where all students contribute to people who want to buy food on campus, while the students with [fewer] financial resources have to stick to the

SOUND BITE “No one likes samosas more than I do. In fact, I was one of the only two SSMU [representatives] to go to the protest. But I am concerned that our solution to this is passing another fee. I think there are other avenues we should [pursue] before charging this [fee] to the student body, such as advocating to Montreal Public Health.” - SSMU Music Representative Sebastian Duckett, on the proposed club fee increase.

MOMENT OF THE MEETING Clubs Representative Victoria Flaher ty emphasized the impor tance of subsidizing food on campus by describing a $12 sandwich with a single tomato she saw in the McConnell Café.

SSMU General Assembly receives lacklustre attendance Discussion included sensitivity training for the VP Internal and new Peel Street building members probed the lack of individuals in attendance, the use and misuse of SSMU executive social media accounts, and the reopening status of the University Centre building.

Following the Q&A, the executives took turns presenting a summary of their activities during the past semester as well as their successes and failures in meeting their campaign objectives. SSMU President Bryan Buraga emphasized new renovations which are being carried out on newly acquired commercial buildings on Peel street. SSMU plans to convert these buildings into an “all-in-one wellness center for students” in order to ameliorate many of the Wellness Hub’s shortcomings that students have noted.

Buraga also reported that he had no new information to provide about the reopening of the University Centre.

In Gwiazda-Amsel’s absence, Buraga also delivered the VP External’s presentation.

During VP Sanchi Bhalla’s report, past candidate for Discussion included sensitivity training for the VP Internal and new SSMU VP External Noah Merali asked the VP Internal Peel Street building. (Jonah Fried / The McGill Tribune) whether she had followed up on a promise made on Dec. 16th to seek out intensive allyship training following last seLucas Bird mester’s controversy between her and the SSMU Indigenous Opinion Editor Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek. Bhalla clarified her actions following the promise.

The Student’s Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) “There is a volunteering opportunity in a week and a General Assembly (GA) took place on Feb. 24 and failed to half, and I plan to be there, the last [volunteering opportureach quorum. The assembly missed its 350 member quo- nity] happened while I was away, so I wasn’t able to follow rum by a margin of roughly 300, though the assembly room up until now,” Bhalla said. began to fill as the meeting neared its end in anticipation of Finally, during his report, VP Finance Samuel Haward the SSMU executive candidates debate which followed. All stressed his recent success in shifting the entirety of SSMU’s SSMU executives were in attendance, except notably Vice- financial structure from ScotiaBank to Royal Bank of Canada President (VP) External Adam Gwiazda-Amsel who was (RBC). Haward felt that the change will simplify a significant attending a community caucus in the Milton Parc commu- amount of future financial logistics for SSMU clubs, and that nity. During the initial question-and-answer period, audience the transition was seamless.

“We did a bank transition last week and nobody noticed, which is the best thing ever. You may have noticed if you got a cheque from SSMU recently that it is an RBC cheque [and] not a [Scotiabank] cheque. That should be the only thing you noticed,” Haward said.

SOUND BITE “I can’t comment specifically on what the VP External said [...] but what I will say is that, as a political body, [SSMU works] with a variety of different political organizations from different political perspectives in order to get what we believe is the best result for our students. This may or may not include anarchist groups.” —SSMU President Br yan Buraga, about a statement from VP External Adam Gwiazda-Amsel in which he stated he worked with ‘anarchist groups.’

MOMENT OF THE MEETING After concerns were raised about GwiazdaAmsel’s use of his official Twitter account as a platform to express his political opinions, President Br yan Buraga, wielding a large piece of pepperoni pizza in one hand and a microphone in the other, came to the VP External’s defense, saying that tweets of this nature fit within the scope of official SSMU social media accounts.

OPINION

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

T

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Caitlin Kindig editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Nicholas Raffoul nraffoul@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Abeer Almahdi aalmahdi@mcgilltribune.com Miya Keilin mkeilin@mcgilltribune.com Sophie Brzozowski sbrzozowski@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Kyle Dewsnap, Helen Wu & Delphine Polidori news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Lucas Bird & Johanna Cline opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Emma Gillies scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editor Miguel Principe studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Gabe Nisker features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editor Kevin Vogel & Katia Innes arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Ender McDuff & Kaja Surborg sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Sabrina Girard-Lamas & Winnie Lin design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Leanne Young photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Sarah Ford & Aidan Martin multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Jad Hamdan & Jonathan Colaco Carr webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Keating Reid copy@mcgilltribune.com Social Media Editor Marie Saadeh socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Heela Achakzai business@mcgilltribune.com

OFF THE BOARD

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TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Heela Achakzai, Isabelle Côté, Katia Innes, Caitlin Kindig, Marie Labrosse, Falah Rajput, Shreya Rastogi, Keating Reid, McEan Taylor, Ahmad El-Zammar

ublication is the soleSTAFF responsibility ofThe McGilTri Kate Addison, Makena Anderson, Vanessa Barron, Adam Bur ton, Ruobing Chen, Tasmin Chu, Sarah Farnand, Jonathan Giammaria, Patrick Gilroy, Sophia Gorbounov, Chloë GordonChow, Alexander Hilton, Pascal Hogue, Amir Hotter Yishay, Scott Kennedy, Alaana Kumar, Shaun Lalani, Jackie Lee, Ronny Litvack-Katzman, Kennedy McKee-Braide, Catherine Morrison, Etna Ordonez, Deisha Paliwal, Chloe Marie Rodriguez, Veronika Sanada-Kailich, Taja De Silva, Iman Zarrinkoub, Alex Yue Zeng

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EDITORIAL

McGill needs to address its colonial legacy McGill’s Vice-Principal Academic Christopher Manfredi is very proud of his efforts to advance McGill’s academic commitment to equity and inclusion. Manfredi says so in the McGill Reporter’s recent feature interview “Confronting Colonialism”, where he introduced McGill’s new Provostial Research Scholars in Institutional Histories, Slavery, and Colonialism program. The program will fund two new research positions which will investigate McGill’s historic connections to the transatlantic slave trade as well as McGill’s colonial legacy and its impact on Black and Indigenous communities.

Initially, the addition of these positions seems like a positive step towards McGill addressing its problematic ties to slavery and colonialism.

Initiatives such as the Black Students’ Bill of Rights, put forward by the Black Students’ Network, have made it clear that a number of students feel the university must engage in a public acknowledgement of these realities, and the addition of this program is one way for it to do so. However, the media materials put out to publicize this program largely overshadow the continuous efforts that have been made over

Delphine Polidori News Editor Little dots flicker in and out of my sight. Pixels form a half moon of undulating zigzags in the corner of my vision. My fingers start to feel thick and tingly. A light throb begins in the right side of my forehead. My senses are heightened. I know this feeling all too well: It is yet another migraine.

Having a headache and popping an Advil or two in the library is becoming increasingly normalized, even glamorized, by the ‘busy culture’ pervasive at universities. Taking pain killers, however, is only one of

the past several years by Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) members of the McGill community to shed light on McGill’s colonial legacy. The McGill Reporter article praises Vice-Principal Manfredi for making strides toward inclusion when McGill should instead be crediting BIPOC members of its community for advancing equity at the university.

In 2019, the culmination of years of effort from Indigenous community leaders resulted in the changing of the Men’s Varsity team name.

This semester, Professor Charmaine Nelson is teaching an art history course titled ‘James McGill was a Slaveowner: Slavery and the History of Universities.’ These examples represent only a fraction of the work that BIPOC individuals have done to address McGill’s continued colonial legacy, and these are the endeavours that should be highlighted by the McGill administration.

However, the administration seeks to idolize Vice-Principal Manfredi’s working groups and task forces which, though better than nothing at all, do not yield sufficient structural change.

McGill continues to engage in neocolonial practices: McGill invests in TC Energy, the company behind Coastal

GasLink, the company currently attempting to construct a gas pipeline on unceded, untreatied Wet’suwet’en territory. McGill continues its colonial legacy by deciding how to invest its money, and in doing so, they are not only complicit but actively abetting the contemporary oppression of BIPOC. Moreover, many of McGill’s buildings are named after known racists, such as the Ferrier building which is named after James Ferrier, a Conservative politician who engaged in colonial harms such as illegally buying Egyptian mummies from looters, which remain in the Redpath Museum today.

To fulfill its commitments to diversity and inclusion, McGill must acknowledge and address their current contributions to oppression, rather than making illusory attempts to unveil past instances of it. The administration must also embolden BIPOC members of the McGill community by highlighting classes, such as those taught by Professor Nelson, and publicizing efforts, such as the #ChangetheName movement by Indigenous activists, in their media materials.

McGill should pursue these ends rather than allowing elite, white members of the faculty to take credit

5

for the increased equity of the university community. In terms of its own efforts, the administration should continue to fund research like that involved in the new Provostial Research program, as well as fund the publication of the results of said research.

As it stands, the administration portrays the university’s novel commitment to diversity and inclusion as a way to bolster its image for its upcoming bicentennial celebration. Research programs should not be mere tokens used

by McGill to solicit donations from well-intentioned donors; they should be constructed as substantive efforts to halt the colonial behaviours which pervade McGill’s reputation.

The Tribune calls for McGill to divest from companies that contribute to the continued oppression of BIPOC in contemporary communities, both directly and tangentially.

This includes divesting from fossil fuels, completely and unequivocally. Finally, the Tribune calls for the removal of the James McGill statue from McGill’s campus, with recognition of James McGill’s slave owner status and the implications of his deification in McGill’s institutional history.

Learning to dim my brightness the measures I use, as a chronic migraineur, to make the pulsing in my head stop. Making me temporarily unable to engage in daily tasks, migraines force me to take a few hours of the day off to lie down in a dark room, something that is not always practical with my endless to-do list. At the same time, they serve as a positive reminder to pace myself from time to time.

Migraines are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a primary headache disorder, yet the word gets thrown around, overlooking the trauma of experiencing these disabling episodes. Furthermore, despite having been recognized as a disorder, it is very difficult to get a doctor’s note for a migraine and be excused from assignments and deadlines, as they show no exterior symptoms and there is little societal recognition for their debilitating effects.

Migraines occur in my head, but they affect my entire body. They make me think I’m losing my mind and even my sight. At times, they’ve made me feel like I’m hungover or high.

When I experience a migraine,

it feels like the right-side of my forehead is being attacked from the inside, impairing my ability to fully function. However, from the outside, I just look lost in my thoughts or dazed.

The fact that migraines are invisible is why they felt so scary and isolating to me when I first started having them at the onset of puberty. They were a lot more intense back then, but experiencing them as a young adult is no less isolating. Having to remove myself from social situations, when I was enjoying myself only minutes earlier, is never fun.

There is no convenient time to get a migraine, but they always seem to show up when I least want them to. I have been stuck with a migraine at inopportune times, including in the middle of a midterm; while walking on Saint-Laurent at night; at dinner with family and friends; while at a coffee shop studying; the day before an exam; and while watching a movie on my laptop.

Yet, over the last eight years, I’ve learned to cope with my migraines and the unique pixel filter they place over my vision

a few times per month. I’ve also started to relate to them differently, seeing them more as a symptom of my lifestyle, than a problem, per se. My migraines don’t occur in a vacuum. They usually paralyze my overstimulated brain after having had little sleep for a couple of nights and having stared at a screen for more hours than recommended, usually in preparation for a midterm or after writing a research paper.

It is very difficult in this digital age not to have my migraines triggered when a friend shows me a meme on their extremely bright phone, when my professor turns off all the lights without warning to show us a video, or when the sunrays hit my computer screen and reflect into my eyes, but I have learned to appreciate migraines as a somewhat welcome break from my busy life as a McGill student.

While I rarely experience migraines at opportune times in my day or schedule, living with them has taught me to slow down, even if it means dimming my own brightness once in a while so I can recharge and delay the next episode as much as possible.

6 OPINION

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

It’s time for another Climate Strike Climate Justice Action McGill (C-JAM) Student Organization Sometimes the burden of climate change feels like a futile battle. We’ll use a reusable water bottle, never touch a plastic straw, attend the climate strike, donate to fight Australia’s wildfires, and tweet #FridaysForFuture at our politicians, but still temperatures are rising, pollution is increasing, and our institutions and governments remain complicit. We can’t carry the responsibility of ending the climate crisis by individual actions when our economic and political systems are designed to exploit earth’s resources and allow the hoarding of wealth by an elite few. We need to utilize our collective strength and demand systemic change, or else our future will be annihilated. It’s time for another climate strike.

The Canadian government declared a climate emergency on June 17, but approved the Trans Mountain Pipeline extension the following day, violating the sovereignty and human rights of the Secwepemc nation and other Indigenous communities while cementing Canada’s international role as a climate criminal. The McGill administration has touted carbon reduction and sustainability on campus, but won’t divest from oil, coal, and gas or discontinue its research focused on weapons and the fossil fuel industry.

To members of the McGill administration, whose wealth insulates them from the onslaught of climate change, maintaining an unsustainable and traditional social order is more important than transitioning towards a livable future. To them money is more important than our collective livelihood. To the members of C-JAM, their actions are nothing more than fraudulent greenwashing and attempt to depoliticize the climate crisis. Given the consequences, this can no longer be accepted. We need those abusing their power to feel our shared power.

The fact that some are contemplating or denying that it is time to act relies on a lot of privilege. The fatal conse-

C-JAM insists that non-violent, mobilized action against instiutional authority is the best way to battle climate change.

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) quences of the climate crisis are already here, seen by the recent disasters in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Puerto Rico, the Carribean and more; this will only get worse. The effects of climate change disproportionately impact systematically marginalized groups (including Indigenous, Black, poor, racialized, and Global South communities) who are least responsible for the ecological crisis, while the corporate and political elite emit the majority of carbon and abdicate any responsibility. Due to the ways that systems of oppression overlap and reinforce one another, if we are to combat racism, sexism, classism and other forms of oppression, we must turn to climate justice. For example, those that want to weaken or abolish environmental regulations are the same people who invade Indigenous lands and violently disregard sovereignty rights and Indigenous knowledge. We see this now as Coastal GasLink and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are illegally occupying Wet’suwet’en territory, harassing, surveilling, and arresting land defenders to protect oil and the colonial state. As students with the ability to democratically strike, it is imperative that we mo-

bilize alongside the many activists leading the movement to transform the world at a crucial moment in history. We must envision environmental prosperity in the context of social equity, because no one is free until we all are. It’s time for McGill to stop being complicit.

The protests on March 15 and Sept. 27, 2019 were historic in size, but without sustained momentum, their influence on McGill’s administration and Canada’s government leaders dwindles; their relevance, galvanism, and potential are lost. Together, across McGill’s faculties and departments, students can democratically vote for a strike that will legitimize our demands and increase public consciousness of the urgency of climate change. Our collective power, combined with that of other educational institutions, can force recognition by both McGill and the Canadian federal government. Our privilege to perform intellectual labour roles is shared with our responsibility to forge a future that’s worth earning our education for. As future workers, students provide a vital service to the economy and McGill and without our cooperation, neither will be able to function smoothly. Striking is powerful enough to force the government to listen to us rather than waiting for their insufficient responses to petitions, letters, and speeches. Nothing is as politically empowering within a democratic society than people committing non-violent direct action against institutional authority. Only with collectivized, disruptive, and prolonged action will we progress the fight against climate change.

As millions of people are rising up around the world, it is time for us to take a stand against the systems of oppression that are preventing necessary climate action. It’s with all of this in mind that we’re joining the Coalition étudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES) in their strike week. From March 30-April 3, strike with us and participate in campus protests and actions. Join environmental groups country-wide to collectively take the future into our hands.

Postgraduate education in Canada poses financial barriers for students Makena Anderson Staff-Writer With Reading Week over, many students are in the midst of sending out CVs and graduate school applications. While the students who desire to pursue postgraduate education come from all backgrounds, many Canadian universities continuously fail to accommodate lowincome students in their admissions processes.

In recent years, many postgraduate programs have shifted their focuses toward increasing diversity in admissions, yet despite this, significant financial barriers remain. Beyond the high price of tuition, which can reach up to $35,000 per year for law school in Canada, students from lower socioeconomic groups are often limited due to steep application fees, the high price of studying materials for standardized tests, and expensive interview processes.

It can be very expensive to write required standardized tests like the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and General Management Admissions Test (GMAT). With a price point hovering around $200 per test, many students can only afford to take the test once, further increasing the pressure to score well on them.

Many online forums suggest setting aside at least three months to prepare for these tests, but some students find this unmanageable while balancing jobs and heavy course loads. In fact, many on-campus groups advertise prep classes and implicitly suggest that, in order to succeed, students must purchase the books and courses, like the Princeton Review, which starts at $599

USD. As a result, standardized tests advantage students who can afford to take time away from work and who have the funds to enroll in prep courses and purchase pricey prep books.

Certain Canadian schools, including McGill, are beginning to recognize the weaknesses of standardized tests. As a result, many Canadian postgraduate admissions councils have started to give extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and past experience the same weight as Grade Point Averages (GPA) and standardized tests to diversify the applicant pool. Some have even omitted portions of these tests altogether, like McGill which does not require LSAT or MCAT to apply for law or medical faculties, respectively. However, not all schools follow suit.

Some Canadian law schools, such as University of Victoria, weigh LSAT results nearly as heavily as students’ grade point averages. As such, some admissions boards essentially equate four years’ worth of undergraduate education with a three-hour test. The pressure to perform is immense and enough to dishearten some students.

Even with admissions initiatives to consider applicants more holistically, experience on one’s CV often comes at a steep price, and unfortunately, part-time jobs often do not bear as much weight on an application as unpaid experience might. Similarly, extracurricular activities and volunteer work often require significant time away from school and work, which can affect students both financially and academically.

Furthermore, for some postgraduate programs such as medical school, students are expected to travel from coast to coast to participate in interviews. For many applicants, this venture is a

Financial barriers to access harms the diversity of many post-graduate programs.

(Lauren Benson-Armer / The McGill Tribune) significant time constraint, but for others it represents an insurmountable financial obstacle.

Issues with diversity are far from being solved. For example, medical schools in Canada feature more minority groups than the Canadian population. However, the distribution remains skewed: Some minority groups are drastically underrepresented, while others are overrepresented. Canadian students of higher socioeconomic status are overrepresented as well.

Canadian postgraduate programs, including those at McGill, have a long way to go in terms of prioritizing both socioeconomic and racial diversity in their classrooms. Univer-

sity of Calgary shows merits in its Pathways to Medicine Scholarship, which is geared toward low-income applicants and provides $21,000 of financial assistance and a paid internship. Similarly, both McGill and the University of Toronto offer bursaries and targeted application processes for Indigenous students. Yet more work needs to be done to ensure that distribution of races and socioeconomic statuses remain representative of the country and demonstrate that all students are welcome in Canadian postgraduate programs. Instituting more holistic admissions processes that are more considerate of socioeconomic privilege and disadvantage is crucial for achieving equity.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

7

In conversation with Laura Pavelka

How a love of chemistry and teaching led to a position at McGill

A Canadian study found that 44 per cent of entering STEM undergraduates identify as female, a number that drops after the first year. (mcgill.ca)

Thomas Bahen Contributor International Women’s Day on March 8 recognizes the accomplish-

ments of women in various fields all over the world. The International Women’s Day website describes the day as an opportunity to “[celebrate] the social, economic, cultural and po-

litical achievements of women.” While all of these are important pursuits that should be celebrated, there is a strange and frustratingly common omission of the word ‘scientific’ from the list. At McGill, female scientists like Laura Pavelka, a faculty lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, are proving that International Women’s Day should not overlook the scientific endeavours and successes of women in science.

Pavelka discussed CHEM 110 and other chemistry courses she teaches, her career in academia, and how her perspective has shifted as she has transitioned from student to professor in an interview with The McGill Tribune. As a teaching professor, Pavelka focusses on communicating her courses’ materials in an exciting and informative way.

“Definitely at McGill, we have really talented undergrads who will get bored if you are not challenging them enough, no matter how interesting you make it,” Pavelka said. “It is a line that I am constantly playing with.”

The difficulty of a course, particularly CHEM 110, can be a foundational moment for students’ appreciation of the subject. For Pavelka, the largest classes of her undergraduate experience were the most intimidating, and she hopes to change that for her

students. She remembers when professors took time to answer questions during office hours or after class and values this kind of attention for her students. She cites her passion for chemistry as a major component to her continued success as a teaching professor.

“I was not a 10-year-old who had a chemistry set,” Pavelka said. “When I got my first chance to work at a lab in my undergrad, that’s when I first fell in love with chemistry.”

From there, it was easy for Pavelka to take the leap to graduate school.

During her PhD at Western University, Pavelka met Kim Baines, her biggest professional influence and supervisor.

“She did everything,” Pavelka said. “She was one of these people who just seemed to be able to do research, family, teaching. She juggled everything seemingly effortlessly. I know that I learned so much from her during my PhD, and she just happened to be female. For me, it was like, okay, this is possible, [...] you can do it all.”

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related fields (STEM) is well documented starting at the undergraduate level.

Statistics Canada published a study last year that found that, out of the

undergraduate cohort of 130,000 students entering their first year in 2010, 44 per cent of first-year undergraduate students in STEM programs identify as female. Importantly, the study found that 17 per cent of women left a STEM field of study after their first year. Compared to men, women were more likely to leave earlier on, although if they did stay, they persisted in the field longer.

During Pavelka’s PhD, only two out of the 35 faculty were women.

Since then, the numbers have gotten a bit better: At McGill, Pavelka is one of 12 women in a faculty of 35. Despite her increasing accomplishments in the academic world, she did not imagine herself becoming a professor until she got a job offer at McGill, admitting that her younger self would still be surprised to see her teaching several hundred students at once.

Taking these experiences to heart, Pavelka has advice for any young undergraduate reaching their first major hurdle.

“Regardless of gender, your path is not going to be a straight line,” Pavelka said. “Stick with what you are doing at the time. Take opportunities as they come. Maintain some level of challenge and see where it leads you.”

The science behind back injuries

Back injuries can range from mild strains to serious spinal cord damage

Sophia Gorbounov Staff Writer Canadian health organizations are increasingly pushing people to become more active. Groups such as the Canadian Paediatric Society are promoting programs like Active Kids, Healthy Kids, while the Canadian government is implementing programs that encourage activities such as dance and running.

As sports and fitness become more popular, the risk of injury grows as well. In the US alone, more than 3.5 million children injure themselves every year from sports-related activities.

Though not the most common, back injuries are still a cause of frustration for many athletes, young and old.

Richard Preuss, an assistant professor for the McGill School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, explained that it is difficult to establish a pathoanatomic diagnosis—a diagnosis based on studying a specific tissue, joint, bone—for most back injuries.

“Current clinical practice guidelines for back pain indicate three triage categories: [...] Specific pathology, radicular syndrome, and non-specific back pain,” Preuss said.

According to Preuss, non-specific back pain accounts for 90–95 per cent of all back injuries. In sports, specific pathology usually means a fracture, and radicular syndrome refers to injuries affecting the nerves.

When it comes to back injuries, there is an important distinction between the spinal column and the spinal cord. The spinal column is the vertebrae: 33 bones stacked up and attached by the intervertebral disks and ligaments, allowing it to bend and move while protecting the nerves. The spinal cord is the neural tissue that runs from the brainstem to the bottom of the spinal column and branches out to relay messages between the brain and the muscles.

Preuss emphasized that injury to the spinal column is like any other broken bone.

“Fractured vertebrae will heal very well but will be treated

with great caution to ensure that the spinal cord remains protected,” Preuss said. “In the back, most fractures are associated with low bone mineral density. In healthy athletes, it would take a very high-energy impact to cause a fracture, and acute fractures of the vertebrae are rare.”

On the other hand, spinal cord injuries, while rare, are very serious and can lead to partial or complete paralysis of the region below the injury, with limited potential for recovery.

Spinal cord injuries in the neck can be fatal, while injuries to other spinal nerves often lead to radicular syndrome.

Spinal cord injuries most commonly occur in sports where forces to the top of the head can compress the spine, such as football, ice hockey, skiing, and snowboarding.

The most prevalent back injuries in athletes are sprains and strains. Usually, these are caused by muscle or ligament overuse, improper body motion or technique, or lack of proper stretching or conditioning. These are diagnosed when the athlete experiences pain while exercising and relief while resting.

In sports that require a lot of extension and twisting like gymnastics or diving, spondylolisthesis is common. This is a condition where the vertebra at the bottom of the spinal column slips forward onto the one beneath it. Though the symptoms are similar to those of a sprain or strain, medical imaging can be used to confirm the source of the pain. Nonsurgical treatments include wearing a back brace, physiotherapy, or using epidural steroid injections. For more severe cases, or if the vertebrae are pressing on the nerves, treatment requires spinal fusion surgery that joins two vertebrae together into one bone.

For less serious back injuries, the main treatment is rest.

Ice and pain medications, particularly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, can also be used to ease the pain but should be used sparingly. In the case of muscle spasms, heat can be applied.

Although they are not as common as other sports injuries, back injuries have a wide range of severity and still pose a risk in all areas of physical activity. According to Preuss, it is most

important to practice proper sports techniques, take breaks to prevent overexertion, and seek help if any injury occurs. Virtually all back injuries are treatable, and with proper care, complete recovery is possible.

Non-specific back pain accounts for 90–95 per cent of all back injuries. (Zoe Countess / The McGill Tribune)

Putting pen to paper Navigating the changing journalistic landscape in Montreal Lucas Bird, opinion editor

The New York Times headline glared out on my screen. The words reflected a phenomenon all too common on many progressive, university communities across North America.

“News or ‘Trauma Porn’?,” it began.

“Student Journalists Face Blowback on Campus.”

The Nov. 14, 2019 article by Julie Bosman, Mitch Smith, and Kate Taylor highlighted a controversy on Northwestern University and Harvard University campuses after student-run publications at both

(WINNIE LIn / The MCGILL TRIBUNE)

schools received criticism from students alleging a lack of sensitivity in their reporting practices.

These conflicts represent a growing tension between ‘traditional’ objectivityfocussed journalism practices and the increasing demand for empathetic approaches. These demands are becoming more pervasive as standards of best journalistic practice and cultural awareness of sensitivity continue to evolve. Such sentiments underpinned many of the events surrounding the Northwestern incident.

“Activists were trying to challenge journalistic norms and push for a more sensitive approach to reporting that considers the vulnerability of the people whose lives are portrayed,” the three Times journalists wrote.

Student journalists in Montreal find themselves in a similar position to their American counterparts.

Schools across the city have been hotbeds of student-led activism, protests, and struggles for equity and social justice

over the past several years. Accordingly, the evolving standards of journalistic practice are as visible in Montreal as they are at Harvard or Northwestern.

Mainstream media have not always succeeded in addressing these novel expectations of sensitivity, especially when financial priorities incentivize outlets to sensationalize events. In fact, over the last decade, news media has become increasingly commodified and polarizing. However, student publications have a unique relationship with their audience, one which makes the stakes of reporting much higher. These circumstances have required student journalists in Montreal to adapt their reporting styles. Additionally, other unique structural factors give members of the student press the freedom to operate in a way which mainstream media can not. Student publications are often independently funded and have incentives such as educational mandates which influence both reporting styles and a paper’s relationship with their readers. Accordingly, student journalists at both McGill and Concordia have sought to exercise a novel approach to reporting, one which focusses on how the narrative a journalist is creating intersects with the identity of the persons it concerns.

Over the last 20 years, the profitability of mainstream news media has led to the increased sensationalism in reporting. When the events or experiences of individuals are commodified, it can not only distort the audience’s perception but it can also be harmful to the individuals themselves. Student journalists are not immune to this phenomenon, however they are differently positioned to address this kind of challenge. Katelyn Thomas, Editorin-Chief of Concordia University’s The Concordian, recognizes and values the comparatively independent, unfiltered, and measured point of view student papers can uniquely provide. The Concordian, like publications on McGill’s campus such as The McGill Daily and The Bull & Bear, is independently student-run and studentfunded. Thomas expressed how this agency differentiates student journalism from mainstream reporting.

Thomas noted that although The Montreal Gazette, for example, often does excellent coverage of minority groups and issues, they are owned by Postmedia. During the last Canadian federal election, Postmedia publications across the country ran an ad for Conservative Party candidate Andrew Scheer, an endorsement which, to some readers of the Gazette, might seem like an odd pairing for the paper’s often decidedly left-leaning takes. These are the sorts of private interests that Thomas believes are critically absent from independent, student-run papers.

“There is more room for an advocacy-based approach in student journalism [...whereas with mainstream media] you’re funded by a company. Obviously, that does place some restrictions on you,” Thomas said. “In student press, where I most see it [as successful] is when we are able to be critical of the university in particular.”

Thomas stressed the importance of a more intimate relationship between a campus paper and the university community. She believes that if resistance comes from the student body regarding a particular piece or perspective of the paper, it results in a more genuine engagement between the reader and the author than in cases where an endorsement of an individual or idea has been driven by private interests. Because student journalists have an ability to connect with members of their audience in a more direct way, if only because campus communities are more tight knit, it puts them

in a position to respond to and deal with criticism.

“We have more liberty to talk about whatever we want to talk about,” Thomas said. “So, the backlash that we face is purely because some people [in the university community] are upset about looking like jerks rather than us actually having our arms tied behind our back.”

Student journalists have a unique opportunity to craft a narrative for a very specific group of readers. Accordingly, most still appreciate being held accountable for their work when encountering criticism from their audience. In a separate capacity, and in the case of a university like McGill, which has a plethora of student activist communities, student journalists can provide an important platform to activists if they mobilize properly. Emily Black is a News Editor for The McGill Daily, a publication which takes a unique, socialjustice oriented approach to journalism. Black expressed the importance of facilitating the self-told stories of marginalized communities and avoiding sensationalism.

“We try our best to make sure we are not just picking up stories when they get intense and [...] leaving them there,” Black said. “It is so important to make sure that, as a reporter, you’re following up and making sure that you’re [promoting] the voices of those communities.”

Black believes that there is no such thing as true objectivity in journalism. Accordingly, she stressed the necessity of doing on-the-ground reporting in a non-invasive way. In the case of protests, for example, this means providing coverage in a way which does not take away from the space occupied by activists who are members of the relevant communities.

“When you’re going into demonstrations, remembering your positionality and understanding what space you’re taking part in and what space you’re taking up is crucial,” Black said.

Black spoke to some of the more tangible ways that the Daily has evolved their reporting style to focus more on echoing the stories already being told by members of communities, such as those messages put forth by Indigenous community leaders at the recent Holding Space event held in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. Black explained the logic behind their strategy for covering an event like this one.

“Rather than typing up a full article, [...] we’ve tried to focus on representing the speakers and the people at the demonstrations themselves,” Black said.

“The idea is that rather than an 800 word article that I’ve written, what appears is a page filled with photos of the speakers and the words of the speakers themselves. [....] What we don’t want is a situation where members of these communities feel we are speaking for them.”

It is the awareness of reporting strategies like these which have allowed student publications at McGill and Concordia to take a more delicate approach to journalism, one which pays particular attention to whose stories are being told. This aspect is especially important given news media’s legacy of overlooking Indigenous, Black, disabled, queer and other marginalized communities.

At both McGill and Concordia, student news publications are a community largely dominated by white students. Nonetheless, student journalists at these institutions, as well as journalists in mainstream publications, seek to facilitate the stories of historically oppressed communities, communities which they are not necessarily members of themselves. Sarah Farb, the Executive Editor of The Bull & Bear, the Management

Undergraduate Society’s student-run news magazine. Farb recognized the meticulous care required to adequately cover issues while recognizing one’s own privilege.

“Our perspective [at the Bull & Bear] is not in a total monolith but, you know, [our position] is obviously something we are mindful of,” Farb said.

“It is something that I, in leading discussions, often find myself having to step back and remind myself of.”

Becoming involved in journalism on campus itself comes with barriers to access. Many editorial positions demand time and energy while not offering any kind of, or extremely minimal, remuneration. Consequently, student journalism is a field that is implicitly privileged.

Farb described that the ability to reorient oneself and recognize the plurality of others’ experiences is crucial to responsible journalism. She says that this awareness always frames how her reporting is undertaken.

“In approaching writing or coverage, I try to specifically investigate what other people think, particularly people who don’t have the same experiences that I’ve had, it is something I think which centres around having careful judgement in each case rather than institutionalizing some policy,” Farb said.

In a similar vein, Thomas described the difficulty of covering events and stories that she feels may be inappropriate to occupy as an individual who doesn’t share the lived experience of the individual whose story they are telling. Many student journalists feel that increasing the diversity of newsrooms would help to solve this problem.

“I’m really interested in telling stories that I find mainstream media doesn’t tend to focus on,” Thomas said. “But at the same time, I struggle a lot with the fact that I am a white person and I want to tell these stories but I don’t want to take away the space from somebody else to tell their own story.”

Although Thomas felt guilty for a long time about this aspect of her job, an encounter with Wameesh Hamilton, a CBC journalist and a member of the Hupacasath First Nation, at a student journalism conference helped shift her perspective. Hamilton’s point was that until newsrooms reach parity and there are more Indigenous reporters to tell their own stories, it would be irresponsible for settler journalists not to write about these things.

However, she also said that because of the discordance between identity and narrative, the team at The Concordian exercises extreme care when putting together sensitive pieces. This attitude towards sensitivity is one way that privileged individuals hoping to share the stories of others can practice journalism which uplifts marginalized communities rather than drowning them out.

“We make sure that anything that could be interpreted in a way that we don’t mean it to be is flagged,” Thomas said. “That’s not just for minority groups. We would do the same thing if someone wrote a piece on domestic violence, for example.

Any sensitive topic we are very particular about.”

University campuses are contributing to a changing cultural environment where identity and experience have become guiding principles for how journalism is carried out. In adapting to the cultural consciousness of campuses, student journalists like Thomas, Black, and Farb are working within an emerging methodology in reporting.

For Farb, her job ultimately comes down to two simple and necessary questions.

“In the end, it is just about asking, ‘Are you willing to be considerate?’ and ‘Are you willing to be open minded?’”

10

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

The social consequences of AI

AI’s fictional narrative may be moving closer to reality Shafaq Nami Contributor Upon hearing the words “artificial intelligence” (AI), people tend to have mixed reactions. Science fiction’s favourite trope is AI taking over the world, and literature has been portraying such ideas since at least 1921, when Karel Čapek introduced the word ‘robot’ in his famous play R.U.R. The powerful applications of AI today often invoke thoughts of a utopian world where humans can do anything at the press of the button. As this narrative moves closer to reality, academics, computer scientists, and the general public are forced to ponder AI’s societal implications.

McGill’s Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist studies hosted a research talk on Feb. 20 as part of their Feminist and Accessible Publishing and Communications Technologies Speaker and Workshop series. The talk entitled ‘Why AI needs Collective Action’ was presented by Meredith Whittaker, the Co-Director of New York University’s AI NOW Institute and founder of Google’s Open Research Group.

Many are right to think that AI taking over the world is a far-fetched idea. As Whittaker pointed out, this is because AI isn’t a self-conscious machine; rather, it is an assembly of knowledge and skills in the hands of those in power. “[AI] is a set of technical capabilities that are being recklessly integrated in social domains such as healthcare, education, criminal justice, and almost everything we can think of,” Whittaker said.

According to Whittaker, when we talk about AI, we must also confront issues of power imbalances. AI has become popular in recent years largely because modern hardware has the massive computational power necessary to

handle large amounts of data.

“Major tech companies happen to have all of the necessary equipment [and] a lot of social data alongside a power structure designed to collect and record [these] data,” Whittaker said. “Current AI, the one touching our lives, is more or less from corporate companies, and only five companies in the West have these resources to develop and deploy AI [.…] If you ask any AI start-up, they will tell you that they are renting their computational power from one of the three major tech companies, [...] Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, [who] resort to shady techniques to get [the] data.”

Whittaker explained how current AI data collection practices can violate privacy. For example, HireVue uses an algorithm to predict the best potential hire, a shoplifter prediction software used by stores in Japan analyzes people’s behaviours to predict whether they will commit a crime, and Amazon Ring has partnered with police to essentially make a privatized surveillance system. As there are no current checks on this power, Amazon can push new features without regulation.

“Because [these technologies are] primarily developed by private companies, socially significant decisions are made behind a veil of corporate secrecy,” Whittaker said.

“Most of what the world does know about AI is through corporate marketing and PR departments [.…] The truth is hidden from the public and even the workers, [and] in a lot of cases, what we know is through investigative journalists and whistleblowers.”

Whittaker, who previously worked at Google, was one of the organizers of the 2018 Google walkouts.

“As workers, we didn’t have access to a lot of information, and there was a whole network we had to set up,”

Whittaker was one of the organizers of the 2018 Google Walkouts against gender inequality and systemic racism. (telanganatoday.com) Whittaker said. “Problems of bias and justice are fundamental issues and require us to examine structures of power and look at who is benefitting and who is harmed.”

Whittaker explained that AI can be used by people in power to isolate or discriminate against certain groups of people in situations ranging from hiring employees to being labelled a criminal.

“No one is [being asked] to stop doing science, but the system requires change,” Whittaker said. “We need to add starting collective addition at the front of our AI [...], a kind of system able to check the power of a tech before it’s too late.”

Geoengineering is a band-aid solution to the climate crisis

The controversial climate intervention strategy attempts to limit rising temperatures

Gwenyth Wren Contributor Continued from page 1.

Despite these warnings, emissions continue to rise, pushing scientists like Nigel Roulet, the Chair of the Department of Geography at McGill, to consider emissions-curbing experimental methods.

“There are two areas of geoengineering, and the distinction is important,” Roulet said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Soft geoengineering [includes methods] that we can do that could enhance processes that are already going on to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as increasing forest growth or having white roofs. Hard geoengineering [includes] methods that involve trying to intervene in the climate system.”

Most techniques that people associate with geoengineering fall into the hard geoengineering category, a form that Roulet considered quite dangerous for two reasons. “[First of all], we are not equipped with such an advanced understanding of the climate systems to forecast the possible consequences and externalities of hard geoengineering techniques,” Roulet said. “The second [worry] is the possible geopolitical consequences [....] If one state had access to geoengineering technology [...], what would that mean for the global system and global effects?”

Geoengineering is often not discussed in a way that differentiates between pure climate intervention and techniques that simply enhance processes that are already occurring.

Roulet believes that geoengineering merits closer examination and cannot be accepted as a quick fix to the climate crisis.

However, it is possible that as soon as geoengineering takes off, it could drain attention from examining human overconsumption.

“We have massive problems in our society that are associated with overcon-

sumption,” Roulet said. “Thinking that technology is going to fix our problems is delusional. We need to reduce our consumption [by] a tremendous amount and ask ourselves questions like ‘How many people can the planet support with reasonable wellbeing?”

According to Roulet, geoengineering cannot possibly address the fundamental problems of climate change, such as social inequality, exploitation of people and resources, and overconsumption. Geoengineering simply masks the symptoms.

Roulet compared the danger of relying

Hard geoengineering techniques directly intervene with the climate system, while soft geoengineering methods enhance existing methods of climate change mitigation.

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune)

on geoengineering to taking a Tylenol when you have a cold. The difference is that Tylenol does not generally result in significant negative side effects, whereas geoengineering could have harmful consequences like altering the oxygen levels in oceans, decreasing biodiversity, and changing rainfall patterns. Scientists simply do not know enough—and might never know enough—about large-scale atmospheric processes to predict what sequestering carbon dioxide or trying to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth would do at the global scale.

“Some methods of geoengineering are like jumping out of a frying pan into the fire, such as spraying sulphate particulars in the air,” Roulet said.

Technology will be part of the climate solution, but it cannot be the only fix. Geoengineering targets large sources of carbon dioxide like transportation and animal agriculture but does not address the smaller ones that humans emit every day.

“Humans are not well enough evolved to handle overwhelming questions,” Roulet said. “If there are readily available geoengineering solutions, we will not be forced to sit down and look at ourselves.”

Geoengineering suggestions are as diverse as they are fanciful. If humans have such a big imagination when it comes to technology, then the same could be possible for our ability to conceive different ways of implementing social and institutional changes.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

11

‘Collector’ is just fine

Disq’s debut album is a familiar take on fresh material

Sophie Brzozowski Managing Editor “Plugged in, something’s wrong,” sings Disq frontman Isaac DeBrouxSlone on “D19,” the fourth track off of the alt-indie band’s debut album Collector.

Against the backdrop of a trebly acoustic rhythm guitar, DeBroux-Slone’s aching vocals sound wistful as he sings of a brief but torrid affair with a faulty D19 microphone. “D19 could have been my queen/ Prettiest mic I’d ever seen,” he howls during the chorus, while the instrumentals swell behind him in an appropriately maudlin fashion.

Released on March 6, to Saddle Creek records, Collector was received by a small but loyal fanbase who had eagerly awaited the Wisconsin natives’ first LP. Adapted from a handful of demos written by all five members of the band over the course of several years, the songs are eclectic yet cohesive as a collection. Working within a long-established and much revered tra-

dition of quirky, midwestern, DIY, folkrock, Disq’s sound feels classic. The album has inspired comparisons to many of the 23-35 year-old white, male, guitarbased indie musicians that came to define the genre in the early 2000s—early Beck or late Stephen Malkmus, to name a couple.

Lyrically, however, the band have updated familiar songwriting tropes to suit the current decade. On “Daily Routine,” DeBroux-Slone sings of a technological ennui, brought on by hours of scrolling and staring at screens—a familiar breed of melancholy for many a modern listener.

To their credit, as well, the band seems quick to poke fun at their own doldrums.

“Drum in my head/ Fill up on bread/ What do I need/ To make it complete?” goes the second verse of “Drum In.” Indeed, those artists who deign to write guitar-based music about nothing much at all in the year 2020 should all take a page out of Disq’s book and approach their craft with a sense of humour.

‘Collector’ draws from a handful of past demos (pastemagazine.com).

Stuff we liked this Reading Week Everything we did instead of our readings

R

eading Week opens up doors of possibilities for McGill students: It can lead to a tropical vacation, a time of productivity and self-reflection, or a much needed moment to simply relax and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Rest assured, The McGill Tribune did a ton of relaxing, which involved catching up on our favourite movies, music, and vlogs.

Emmymadeinjapan Brianna Cheng

For the past three years, Reading Week for me has meant returning home to my family and watching movies with my parents, only for my mom to fall asleep 10 minutes in. Though we are (usually) best friends, we often fail to agree on our viewing preferences. But, this year, we sat elbow to elbow every day watching emmymadeinjapan. At 1.85 million subscribers, emmymadeinjapan is a Youtube channel that documents the culinary adventures of Emmy, a home cook from Rhode Island who finds joy in creating or recreating unthinkable recipes or testing widely unknown ingredients. Some of her videos include making a cake out of instant ramen, shaping ice cream into the shape of fried chicken, and creating edible towels. Emmy is hilarious, inventive and heart-warming. But most of all, Emmy’s channel is something my mom and I can enjoy together in my sliver of time away from McGill.

Beanpole

Joey Caplan Everyone is talking about Portrait of a Lady on Fire, but the only essential 2019 foreign historical fiction film revolving around the relationship between two women is Beanpole. The film is both an exploration of how WWII devastated the landscape of Russia and a complicated story of obsession, power, and guilt. Its disturbingly explicit take on some of the subject matter involved makes Beanpole a difficult but rewarding experience, which also sums up my Reading Week spent catching up on overdue assignments.

‘Stupid Love’ by Lady Gaga Jonathan Giammaria

For days the anticipation for Lady Gaga’s new single, “Stupid Love,” built up. At midnight on Feb. 27, the single dropped.

It’s an eclectic bop where Gaga’s belts out her pleas for love amidst electronic synth riffs. The next day, Gaga released the accompanying music video. In it, pink Kindness Punks dance it out to impeccable choreography to bring peace to warring, polychromatic desert tribes and restore balance to CHROMATICA. “Stupid Love” is hectic and absurd. It’s the melding of auteurism and pop that Gaga has striven for throughout her entire career. It’s a bizarre fever dream, a return to form for Mother Monster, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since its release.

Instead of reading, we caught up on our favorite vlogs, shows, and music (Winnie Lin / The McGill Tribune).

Gaga, as we came to know her in the early 2010’s, is back.

When Harry Met Sally Lydie Hua

Having never been to New York City, I felt like I needed to prepare myself mentally for the trip I was to take this Reading Week, and think about what it is I really knew about the fabled metropolis. Most importantly, I knew that this city was where my parents met and where they got married exactly 20 years ago on March 6.

This notion brought me back to the classic that is the movie When Harry Met Sally.

One of the wittier Rom-Coms of the late 1980s, I found that when rewatching it on the ride there, this movie was still just as good as I remembered. For the rest of the week, I found myself exploring Washington Square Park, and looking for where in the Metropolitan museum, Harry asks Sally on a date, or for the streets Harry runs through at the end of the movie.

Much to my disappointment though, the final and best scene of the movie was actually shot in Los Angeles

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

Nuit Blanche 2020 provides the antidote to the winter blues

Annual festival showcases Montreal’s cultural and artistic capabilities

Nuit blanche sponsors a night of Montreal art and music each year (montreal.ctvnews.ca).

Lydie Hua Contributor As the leap day came to an end, Montreal found another way to overcome the lack of daylight and the harsh weather.

Montreal’s Nuit Blanche, a famed annual tradition, took place from Feb. 29 into the early morning of Mar. 1. Nuit Blanche offered Montrealers something to look forward to amidst the winter gloom. The event, which was filled with music, art installations, and significantly, brightly colored lights, fell in the middle of one the most depressing time of the year. For audience members who had attended the event in previous years, 2020’s iteration of the festivities did not disappoint. The exciting mixture of art forms attracted more than 300 000 people, all of whom were eager to see the hundreds of attractions spread out

across the area.

This year’s theme was “Nuit Blanche verte,” and some notable sights included the light displays and shows part of the “Montréal en Lumière” in the Quartier des Spectacles, which included a Ferris wheel covered in neon lights and an enormous slide at the center of the whole festival.

On top of these attractions, the night also featured artists who played with the colour green through various exhibitions of green-themed artwork while others used it as an opportunity to spread messages of warnings about global warming. An important example of this was “From the Big Land.” This piece of visual art, displayed at Concordia, plays with sound and images to create a kaleidoscope of enchanting scenery as images from Glenn Gear’s (a Newfoundland-born and Montreal-based filmmaker and visual artist of mixed Inuit

ancestry from Nunatsiavut) photographs of Labrador’s nature as well as beadwork and sealskin, mixed with images from archives of other Indigenous artwork. The installation explores the way in which we think about the planet, Indigenous land, and its cultural and historical contexts.

To add to this environment, several DJs played music throughout the night, which made for an overall positive mood.

Meanwhile, McGill came alive for the night, with installations set up across campus. The Redpath Museum went dark, shuttering its lights to allow for visitors to wander its halls with a flashlight, in line with the Montréal en Lumière theme. The museum being something students rarely take advantage of, this was an extra exciting opportunity to discover what this McGill landmark has to offer. Even the Schulich School of Music had a series of musical chairs set up, while the Otto Maass Chemistry Building, which demonstrated feats of green chemistry. Organized by the Chemistry Outreach Group, the exhibit featured several impressive explosions.

Students might have also enjoyed night clubs that night which also participated in the Nuit Blanche like Café Campus organizing a themed night “Retour à la Jungle,” while some bars were allowed to serve alcohol until 6:00 am.

Overall, Nuit Blanche is definitely an event worth attending. Even while you are in the midst of midterms and essays or endless labs and lectures, this festival reminds students as well as all Montrealers that there are several ways to take a break from our bustling lives. This year’s ‘Nuit Blanche verte’ offered an escape from our very restricting bubbles.

Poetry Share

Hang out with the McSway Poetry Collective to workshop and present your poetry in a relaxed environment.

March 13, 6-8 p.m., 651 Sherbrooke W. Free

Introduction to Photography

The MUPSS hosts a film photography crash course. Learn about aperture settings, shutter speeds, and ISO. All equipment provided for.

March 11, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Burnside Hall, 805 Sherbrooke W. Free

Tuesday Night Life Drawing

Break out the sketchpad and visit Gallery Parfois for their weekly workshop in still lifes. Any level of experience is welcome.

Every Tuesday, 7-9:30 p.m., 4064 St Laurent Blvd $5

Fokus Film Festival

Attend McGill’s only student-run festival for a chance to see peers’ short films in a variety of genres.

March 19, 7-9 p.m., Cinéma du Parc, 3575 Parc Ave. $10

Michael Haze confronts love and loss in his debut EP ‘MICKEY’ blends mellow beats with smooth vocals

Haze strives for a balance of high and low tempo music (bonsound.com).

Jonathan Giammaria Staff Writer “CANCER,” Michael Haze’s second track on his debut EP MICKEY, opens with the crackle of a vinyl record followed by a spare guitar riff. The melody is simple, a two note progression whose deeper half is echoed by a soft and higher strum. Subdued

and sparse beats accompany the low tempo intro to create an understated ambience which welcomes Haze’s equally soft vocals.

Though he maintains a higher register through most of the track, he, at times, dips into his lower range, melding his voice with the instrumentation that supports him. Haze’s singing, which recedes with each repetition of the guitar riff, holds an effortless transience that echoes the track’s subject: Haze’s resurgent memories of his ex-girlfriend.

MICKEY is a sombre meditation on a breakup’s fallout, a study in a relationship’s fleeting moments, whose reverberations haunt the psyche long after the moment of their occurrence. Despite the fact that Haze produced the EP in his basement, all five tracks’ cohesive sound and poetic lyricism mark his reach and potential for the heights of professional, contemporary R&B music.

Currently studying at McGill University, Haze, U3 Arts, showed an interest in music from a young age. During his early education, he took up the guitar and joined his school’s choir, as well as performing in talent shows. Before he produced his own music, Haze would often gravitate to pop and indie rock musicians’ work. Artists such as XXXTentacion informed Haze’s early attempts at songwriting, though he remarked how he had to rely less on other artists’ voices if he was to come into his own.

“When you first start making music [...] I think the best way to go about it is to make music that sounds like people that inspire you already,” Haze said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “But then a lot of it just sounds faux. It sounds copied until you find your own sound. I guess that’s where I’m at right now.”

Haze starts making his tracks either by writing a few verses

or developing a beat. Whichever comes first, he frames its counterpart so that it resembles the atmosphere and theme of the initial creation. Though MICKEY excels because of its meditative production, Haze expressed how he’s looking to produce more varied music in the future.

“I go to concerts a lot and I love down tempo. But I also love a mosh pit, like in up tempo concerts. So I’m really trying to incorporate a lot more of that in the [next] project, but still have the same ethos as the EP,” Haze said.

MICKEY’s last track, “PHONEY” best encapsulates Haze’s aim at a balance between lively and moody music. Its opening is a percussive assemblage of deep synth vibrations that lead into a kinetic trap beat. Haze contrasts the track’s heightened energy with his signature smooth vocals, though his lyrics’ about his ex coalesce with the background’s bold audio. The track’s forcefulness dissipates midway, though, when artist Shenny delivers a spoken word poem. With a subdued musical accompaniment, Shenny’s words conclude MICKEY in a moment of stark vulnerability. His poetry, reflective of the EP in its entirety, both celebrates the trust that love cultivates between two people as well as its subsequent betrayal as a result of the aftermath of a separation. The EP’s bittersweet ending, an attempt at reconciliation of that which inspired the EP, is a marker of Haze’s hopes to take his music elsewhere.

“I grow weary of making the same type of music, or about the same type of things,” Haze said. “The next project may still be about love, but a different aspect of it. Love that isn’t intimate.”

MICKEY is available on all streaming services.

STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

13

Life as a 1.5 generation migrant

Embracing an in-between immigration status Alaana Kumar Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

To shed light on the experiences of those who migrate before or during their early teenage years, American sociologist Ruben Rumbaut coined the term ‘1.5 generation’ in the 1960s. He developed this distinction to refer to individuals like himself, who he saw as “stuck in-between” cultures as they were not quite first or second generation migrants. 1.5 generation immigrants bring with them characteristics of their country of origin while still assimilating to their new home more than their parents. These individuals have a unique perspective of migration—one that is often not recognized.

The 1.5 generation’s early start to dramatic changes can have its benefits.

For instance, facing various school systems can be a daunting experience.

However, the stress of dealing with such a huge shift early on in life can prove, in the long run, to serve as an advantage for 1.5 generation children. Across the globe, many students struggle with the transition from living at home with family to university life on their own, but the 1.5 generation who have experienced drastic changes earlier in life may find themselves having an easier

time adapting than their peers. Rachel Habrih, U3 Arts, described how emigrating from France to Canada as a child helped her transition to life away from home and how it further enriched her identity as a immigrant.

“Going to university was a transition that I was very much used to,” Habrih said. “I never related to the rhetoric that university was uniquely difficult or daunting [....] The only thing that I find very different from all the other transitions I’ve experienced is that, in university, I know that there is such variety in experiences. There is always someone who can relate to you in some way.”

Although university provides a space in which students can find peers who share their experiences, this outlet does not always exist in one’s early years as an immigrant.

In the first few years post-migration, these individuals may have trouble fitting into a new environment while still trying to maintain the traces of their birth c o u n t r y

her parents made multiple sacrifices when they decided to move to a foreign land.

“For my parents, the transition was much harder because they had spent their whole lives in one part of the world,” Schneider said. “There are so many intricate details you have to learn when it comes to transitioning [...] and integrating into a new culture, I can’t imagine how challenging this must have been for them.”

Although adaptation can be easier as a child, being in the 1.5 generation does not come without its challenges.

For immigrants like Habrih, integrating into a new culture, making new friends, and learning a new language can lead to feelings of separation and marginalization that can impact an individual’s overall cultural

held by their parents. Dealing with this duality has its challenges, but witnessing your parent’s journey as migrants and adapting to a new culture as a family can be a rewarding experience. In understanding each other’s struggles, the process can bring a family closer together.

For Juliana Schneider, U3 Arts, her background as a migrant has helped her better understand that

identity. “ I think being a 1.5 generation kid, for me, means balancing multiple cultures, not just two, and oftentimes having these cultures conflict with each other,” Habrih said.

This deeper identity struggle can further present itself within the most

tumultuous shifts in life, such as the transition to university where one must find a new place of belonging. They often have to determine how they relate to two groups; one being their diaspora who may be more integrated into their heritage and the other being Westernized students who may hold conflicting values and traditions. The process of overcoming this barrier is the task of the individual as they experience these moments and find a sense of belonging between their two homes. As time passes, individuals learn to balance life “in-between” by either embracing both aspects of their two homes or leaving one behind entirely. Lynn Lee, U2 Arts, learned to love her experiences as a migrant and credits it with helping to shape her overall self confidence.

“I think being a 1.5 gen [person] has certainly contributed a lot to my identity,” Lee said. “As a kid, I hated the fact that I would say I was Korean in Canada, and then when I went to visit relatives in Korea, I was labelled the Canadian. Now, I’m a lot more comfortable with the fact that I’m both, and although a lot of other things make up someone’s identity, to me these dual experiences are very important.”

Despite the extra challenges with the often constant tug-of-war between the two cultures, the 1.5 generation has the unique benefit of seeing the dynamics of both first and second generation cultural norms firsthand. This experience allows them to navigate cultural fluidity through learning to embrace both their old and new heritage. Schneider observed that these differing perspectives from her 1.5 generation status helped when meeting new people.

“It’s amazing to be able to connect with other people not only through different languages, but you also know and understand the mentalities of different cultures,” Schneider said.

For many, the adaptation of the term “1.5 generation” has helped them find their identity as an immigrant. Learning this term has helped me comprehend my place as a migrant in this unspoken middle ground. The experience of my sister and me seemed insignificant in comparison to our parents, and it seemed unfair to place ourselves in the same categories as them.

Having a distinction of my own helps to put my story growing up in a foreign land into perspective and understand that I am not alone with my journey as a young immigrant. The 1.5 generation is often overlooked, but in reality, we have a lot to offer as our stories demonstrate perseverance, adaptability, and an ability to overcome challenges while embracing new experiences. So, when I am asked, “Where are you from?” I know it means where my home is. As a 1.5 generation migrant, home is not necessarily one place and coming upon this realization about this core aspect of myself is liberating.

14 STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

The battle for a “clean enough” apartment My four danger zones of mess

By not tackling the monster. my mess ravenously gobbled up stray rice grains, wizened candle stumps, and flecks of salty gravel from my boots. (istockphoto.com)

Zoe Countess Contributor Festoons of random papers and crumpled piles of clothing peppered my apartment. A precarious wasteland of dishes inhabited my sink and a whole nest of wild dust bunnies roamed about in the dark corners of my apartment. Although I was perfectly content to live in utter disorganization, I came to the realization that I could not, for the life of me, keep my apartment clean for more than two days.

I cycled through a process of one giant monthly cleaning spree, but inevitably, my apartment would revert to its previous state. Over the course of a month, the place would become an unrecognizable shamble again.

While it was time consuming to do massive cleaning purges, having a messy apartment also affected my productivity.

It is more difficult to study and do homework when I have to fish around a mountain of disarrayed stuff to find a textbook or papers. Finding clothes takes longer,

too. In general, I found that a disorganized apartment made me feel cluttered and stressed. It made me feel trapped. My apartment was a living, breathing ecosystem in which my mess and I coexisted. The time between cleanings became feeding periods for my mess. The more I sustained this monster, the more it grew and became harder to tame. However, I always, in the knick of time, reeled it back in before it swallowed me whole.

I was growing weary of this terrible house pet. I thought about the popular professional organizer Marie Kondo. She implements a simple system to declutter one’s space. Individuals sort all their items into categories, starting with general characteristics such as clothing and books, then breaking those groupings into further subcategories. One by one, they take an item out in each category and see if it ‘sparks joy.’ If it does not, they thank the item for everything it has done and give it away. I decided tackling my clutter issue with her ‘KonMari method’ would not work since it seemed rather time consuming. I begrudgingly acknowledged I would easily fall prey to starting something and leaving it unfinished. I could not just pull out all of my clothes and sort through them in the middle of a semester and give up halfway.

So instead, I divided my apartment

into four main danger zones of disaster: Bathroom, dishes, floor, and clothing. I chose these four zones because they were the areas that got out of hand the quickest and had the most impact on my life when unregulated. I focussed on putting time away each day to keep these areas tidy by putting things away right after I used them. For the bathroom, I wiped down the sink and tub before I would sleep. I did the dishes at the end of the day if I didn’t have time to wash them right after I used them. I swept my floors at the end of each day, and on the weekend, I vacuumed my carpet. Finally, I resisted the urge to fling my clothing onto ‘that chair’ and instead tossed them into the hamper or folded them. It sounds very simple to take the initiative and clean little by little each day, and since I internalized this practice, my apartment has never deteriorated to a super messy state again.

I can’t say I don’t l have those days when I don’t feel like cleaning, but now I keep my apartment relatively orderly. I round up the dust bunnies and guide them into my dustbin. I no longer allow skyscrapers to be built in my sink. And my papers and clothing are no longer strewn about my apartment, but instead lie in neat stacks in my dresser or desk. Plus, I get along quite well now that my housepetsized mess is manageable.

District Bagel opens a second branch in the heart of the Mile The new bakery is kosher in every way

ET Wu Contributor There is nothing as satisfying as taking the first bite into warm, fresh bread. District Bagel is a bakery that aims to blend this experience with a welcoming hangout spot. With a vast menu of bagels, coffees, and other comfort foods, such as pizza, lasagna, and paninis, the place offers fresh, kosher options for all to enjoy. With the second branch of this 12-year-old bakery opening on Parc Avenue by the corner of Bernard Avenue, customers can now enjoy their meal with the scenery of the iconic Mile End neighbourhood.

“We have a very nice seating area, [...] we have wifi [and] a [variety] of food to enjoy,” Samuel Itzkowitz, the general manager of the branch, said. “You can come over with friends, have a conversation, or just come to study with a view of Parc Avenue. It’s just a very cozy place.”

The interior design of the new District Bagel location differs from other bakeries in the area in that they have a place that bears similarity to a welcoming living room. Patrons can enjoy the bakery’s goods as a complement to their break from busy life, or as a pick-me-up while they get their work done. With widely-spaced furniture and large wooden tables reminiscent of a living room, people

can sit for hours in comfort and enjoy its cozy ambience.

Another reason to stop by District Bagel is the quality of their food.

While the shop is not a traditional restaurant per se, they offer a wide variety of meals and other à-la-carte options that cater to a wide variety of palates, all of which are freshly made.

Itzkowitz discussed the high standards that the chain upholds to deliver quality bagels. “[The bagels are] made every day [...] in the morning,” Itzkowitz said. “They’re shipped here not [lukewarm], but hot [and] are made in a brick oven. The bakers bake until one o’clock, and then [...] they start making the dough for the next day.”

The bakery serves a cornucopia of bagels, with a variety of flavours that are a must-try for those looking for a slight twist on the beloved pastry.

“We produce kosher bagels, [and] we have all kinds,” Itzkowitz said. “We have regular, sesame, whole wheat, multi-grain, jalapeno, cinnamon, all kinds of flavours.”

Being a kosher catering business, the bakery takes these restrictions seriously. Their decision to open a branch in the heart of the Mile End reflects their desire to serve the Jewish communities of the neighbourhood. For Itzikowitz, growing up in an area of trendy restaurants in

Located at 5677 Parc Avenue, District Bagel offers high-quality bagels of all flavours made daily.

(Etna Ordonez / The McGill Tribune) Brooklyn, as well as his experiences working with another kosher joint, was key to creating a hip and inclusive bakery-hangout spot.

“I’m from a neighbourhood called Williamsburg, [where] my grandfather actually worked in a restaurant [there],” Itzkowitz said.

“Then, I got married to a girl in Montreal, so I [moved] here [and]

I worked at Deli 365 on Bernard, [which] is the second [oldest] kosher deli in Montreal.”

For Itzikowitz, the switch from working at a deli to a bakery was a no brainer.

“Kosher food [doesn’t allow us to] mix meat and dairy,” Itzikowitz said. “We are strictly a dairy place, and over [at Deli 365] they are strictly

meat [.... so when] I got an offer from District Bagel. [...] I [knew that I] love bagels more than meat so I took it, and I’m very happy.”

So whether you are looking for a place to hang out with friends over paninis or are finding a delicious restaurant that places a strong emphasis on kosher restrictions, District Bagel is definitely a place to try.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

15

10 things: The best nicknames in sports history The epithet hall of fame

Kaja Surborg, Ender McDuff, Gabe Nisker, Zoe Babad-Palmer, Leo Holton, & Mariam Salaymeh Sports Editors, Features Editor, & Contributors

A

March 4 Jeopardy contestant hilariously, and incorrectly, guessed that the nickname of Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid was “Do a 180.” In honour of this mixup, The McGill Tribune sports section compiled a list of some of our favourite sports nicknames of all time.

Shaquille O’Neal: The Big ____ It is challenging to think of an athlete with more nicknames than Shaquille O’Neal, known universally as ‘Shaq.’ The NBA centre, widely considered one of the most dominant players of all time, was a nickname goldmine. The floodgates opened when a young Shaq told reporters to call him “The Big Aristotle” in reference to the Greek philosopher’s belief that excellence was a habit. Next came “The Big Deporter,” after two players retired to Europe following defeats by Shaq in the 2000 playoffs. “The Big Felon” came to Shaq after a game-sealing steal against his former team, the Orlando Magic. And of course, he dubbed himself both “The Big Cactus” and “The Big Agave” upon joining the Phoenix Suns in 2008. At his peak, Shaq declared he was the MDE (Most Dominant Ever), which is still up for debate. But, he does stand head and shoulders above the rest as the most prolific nicknamer in sports history.

Maurice and Henri Richard: The Rocket and The Pocket Rocket Quebecers and Montreal Canadiens Maurice “Rocket” and Henri “Pocket Rocket” Richard are two of the most legendary brothers in NHL history. The Rocket’s speed earned him his nickname in 1939, and the Pocket Rocket, three inches shorter, got his nickname when he entered the league 16 years later. Henri holds the record for most Stanley Cup wins by a player with 11 titles, five of which he won with his brother. The Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s regular season top goal scorer, bears the name of the Montreal native. Maurice died in 2000 and Henri passed away days ago on March 6, 2020, but the Rocket and Pocket Rocket will be revered by the hockey world for a long, long time.

Florence Griffith-Joyner: Flo-Jo American sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner, commonly referred to as “Flo-Jo,” still holds the 100 and 200 metre world records that she set in 1988. Joyner also holds the second- and third-fastest times for the 100 metre and the second fastest time in the 200 metre. While her records may be shrouded in suspicion of drug use, there is nothing mysterious about how cool her nickname and personal style were. Known for racing in flamboyant outfits, featuring everything from a one-legged suit to long and colourful nails, Flo-Jo’s status as a household name was well-deserved.

There is no question: Flo-Jo and her name remain iconic.

Early 1900s baseball players Baseball players of the first half of the 20th century almost always had fun nicknames. From catcher Charles “Gabby” Hartnett—ironically nicknamed for his quiet nature, and also later “Old Tomato Face” for his aging complexion––to his contemporaries like utilityman Socks Seybold, the early 20th century was a great time for nicknames in baseball. Pitchers Cannonball Titcomb and Pop-boy Smith, as well as the aptly named third baseman Home Run Baker were classics too. A childhood friend nicknamed shortstop Rabbit Maranville for his bouncy nature.

Pitchers Mysterious Walker and Slim Love threw a handful of innings for their teams over the years. Even Shakespeare had his influence: Pitcher Charles Lear became forever known as King Lear.

Wayne Gretzky: The Great One A hockey legend and Canadian hero, Wayne Gretzky earned his title of “The Great One” from a local newspaper when he scored 400 goals at just 10 years old. Gretzky is widely considered to be the greatest hockey player of all time: At just 19, he became the youngest player to score 50 goals in a single NHL season, and he remains the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer 20 years after his retirement. To list all of Gretzky’s records and accomplishments is a futile endeavour, but ask any Canadian, and they will confirm that “The Great One” is an epithet that he is certainly worthy of.

Alex Morgan: Baby Horse In the early 2010s, Alex Morgan was one of the youngest members of the American women’s soccer team which explains the “Baby” part of “Baby Horse.” The second half of the nickname, so the story goes, is a reference to her long, gallop-like strides as she makes the runs that have distinguished her as one of the best offensive players in women’s soccer. A 15-second video posted to the US Soccer YouTube channel in 2011 shows Morgan feeding what appears to be grass to a small horse. When athletes lean into their nicknames they cement those names, and themselves, as true classics in both the sporting and nicknaming worlds.

Fitz Hall: One Size Fitz Hall’s career in the English Premier League was not particularly illustrious, with no big awards or championships to boast of. But what Hall lacks in sporting glory he makes up for with one of the greatest nicknames the soccer world has ever known: One Size Fitz Hall. The nickname is fairly selfexplanatory; it doesn’t require background information about Hall, his life, or his soccer career. Hall is, in fact, better known for his nickname than his soccer, and that is the sign of a truly great moniker.

Earvin Johnson: Magic For many casual sports fans, the name Earvin Johnson may not carry any meaning. But this was the name of a Los Angeles Lakers great long before he won five NBA championships and three MVP awards for the purple and gold. As a 15-year-old athlete at Everett High School in Lansing, Michigan, Johnson earned the nickname “Magic” from a sports reporter after he carried his team to a 30-point victory over the

league’s presumptive favourite. Johnson tallied an astounding 38 points, 20 rebounds, and 19 assists in that game. The nickname brilliantly captured all that made Magic who he was: A beaming smile, jovial personality, and, above all else, unparalleled passing ability. The nickname stuck, following Johnson to the NBA and effectively supplanting the name “Earvin” for all time.

René Lacoste: The Crocodile For the past century, Lacoste has sponsored an impressive roster of tennis players from around the world. The brand’s namesake, seven-time Grand Slam champion and world number one René Lacoste, was known as “The Crocodile.” The name originated from a 1927 bet where Lacoste requested the alligator skin prize suitcase from the French Captain of the Davis Cup if he won. Once victorious, he was dubbed “The Alligator” by the American press and was later embraced as Le Crocodile by French fans back home. Lacoste then had a logo of the reptile embroidered on his blazer. Tennis whites were once restrictive, but The Crocodile changed the tennis uniform forever.

Gabby Douglas: The Flying Squirrel Gabby Douglas was only 17-years-old when she won the AllAround Olympic gold medal at the 2012 games. The only member of Team USA to compete in all four disciplines of artistic gymnastics, Douglas also won a gold medal for uneven bars. The incredible height Douglas reached on the jumps of this routine earned her the nickname the “Flying Squirrel.” Additionally, her five-member US squad was given a nickname of its own: The “Fierce Five.” Team USA won the team gold medal, making Douglas the first US gymnast to ever win both individual and team events at the same Olympics. Douglas kept flying, helping Team USA repeat victory at the 2016 games.

16

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 10 2020

Winter 2020 season recaps

Reliving the highs and lows of McGill Athletics’ winter seasons Kaja Surborg, Ender McDuff, Adam Burton, Sarah Farnand, & Théo Farineau Sports Editors, Staff Writers, & Contributor Artistic Swimming The McGill Women’s Artistic Swim team started their season off strong, finishing first out of 11 teams at the McGill Invitational in November. Strong performances from sisters third-year Ioana Gheta and secondyear Maria Gheta earned them first place in the duet/trio category. First-year Katherine Demond also performed well, placing fifth for her solo routine. The Martlets continued their dominance with a first place at the Eastern Canadian Championship meet in Ottawa at the end of January. Second-year graduate student Michely Chen earned two gold medals and the Gheta sisters shined once again to come in second for their duet.

Maria Gheta also earned both a solo gold and silver for her experienced solo, missing a second gold by less than 0.3 points.

After an impressive send-off performance at Memorial Pool on Feb. 11, the Martlets headed to the University of British Columbia for the National Championship on Feb. 14. For the second year in a row, Maria Gheta was named All-Around Champion, claiming gold in the duet routine with her sister. McGill captured their 16th National Championship title at the meet. In the novice category, the Martlets dominated with the duet pairing of third-year Christina Wang and first-year Mathilde Lotz capturing gold. Chen went on to earn a silver medal for her solo routine and the individual All-Around title in the novice category.

Men’s Hockey Despite a wave of early-season injuries, the McGill Men’s Hockey team finished the regular season strong, with a 16–10–2 record. This performance earned them the fourth seed in the OUA Eastern conference.

Their success did not continue into the postseason, however, which ended unceremoniously in a three-game first-round loss to the Concordia Stingers. Despite this early exit, this season had plenty to celebrate, with standout players being recognized at the OUA awards. McGill claimed three awards: Third-year Nikolas Brouillard earned the Defenceman of the Year, fourthyear Louis-Philip Guindon was named the

Goaltender of the Year, and fifth-year defenceman Dominic TalbotTassi secured a spot on the FirstTeam All-Star roster. This was the first time since 2011 that McGill collected three OUA awards.

Going into next season, McGill Men’s Hockey is set for a new chapter. With the loss of five seniors, McGill is ready to start anew under the guidance of a rookie coach and a roster full of new talent.

Men’s Basketball The McGill Men’s Basketball team had an unfortunate end to their season, achieving a dominant 12–4 record in league play before losing in the first round of the playoffs. The season started with several tough losses to NCAA teams in preseason play before the team notched their first wins against the Bermuda National Team and the University of Toronto. League play began on Nov. 7 with a decisive 101–78 win over Laval; however, a 94–71 loss to UQÀM in the following game foretold the struggles to come.

Third-year guard Jamal Mayali led the team, averaging 15.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Second- and third-year guards Quarry Whyne and Sam Jenkins added 13.5 and 12.6 points per game, respectively. Behind this scoring, McGill found their groove, winning seven games in a row. A three-game skid briefly halted their momentum, but they bounced back to finish the season on a four-game winning streak that included a 70–65 victory over UQÀM in their final game. They finished the regular season as the top seed going into the RSEQ playoffs.

McGill hosted fourthplace UQÀM in singleelimination play

on Feb. 26 to begin the playoffs. Mayali missed the game due to the flu, however, and McGill’s season ultimately ended early after losing 70–61.

Women’s Basketball Martlet Basketball’s 201920 season was a rollercoaster.

Their preseason opened in October with a loss to the Queen’s Gaels at an exhibition game celebrating the centennial of women’s university basketball in Canada. They bounced back from a four-game losing streak between November and January with a three-game winning streak, largely due to the efforts of fifth-year guard Gladys Hakizimana who scored 20 points for the Martlets in the first of those three wins.

This put McGill back in the running for a playoff berth, and the Martlets sealed their spot in the playoffs on Feb. 15 in a home game against the Concordia Stingers. Fifthyear transfer centre Sirah Diarra and fourthyear transfer forward Nadege Pluviose each recorded a double-double in that decisive game. Their season came to an end for McGill women’s basketball on Feb. 26 with an away loss to the Laval Rouge et Or in the RSEQ playoff semi-finals.

Pluviose earned Second-Team AllStar honours, while first-year guard Jessica Salanon was named a rookie All-Star at the RSEQ awards. Next year will see significant roster changes for the Martlets, with five graduating seniors leaving the squad.

Men’s Track & Field The McGill Men’s Track team had an equally successful winter season.

They qualified seven athletes for the National Championship in Edmonton, after finishing third in the Provincial Championship. Second-year Alex Stathis distinguished himself by breaking his own school record in the heptathlon on his way to

earning a provincial gold medal in Quebec City. The St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec native finished in a remarkable fifth place at Nationals.

Third-years Jose Guerra and Matthew Daly also dominated the RSEQ Championship, striking gold in the shot put and the 60m hurdles, respectively. The 4x400m relay, staffed by Nicolas Bernard, Jack Crosby, Sebastian Danson and Jasper Ross, reached the finals at Nationals after dominating the event in Quebec City.

Women’s Track & Field The standout of the Martlets’ 2020 winter track season was Jorden Savoury.

The second-year psychology student started her campaign by breaking a school record on the 60 metre dash in Sherbrooke.

Savoury went on to beat the record again, twice, at the 25th McGill Team Challenge on Jan. 25. The LaSalle, Quebec native praised her teammates for their support and work ethic.

“Team spirit is what led us to succeed,” Savoury said. “I have never been a part of such an amazing group of athletes that work hard for what they want.”

As a collective, the Martlets track team had a productive season. They finished second at the RSEQ provincial championship, tallying two gold medals by fourth-year Abby Woods on the triple jump and graduate transfer Allison Frantz in the heptathlon. Both athletes earned a spot at the National Championship in Edmonton.

The Martlets also dominated the long jump event: Savoury and Woods earned silver and bronze, respectively, separated by only eight centimeters.

The Martlets’ relays fared well too, earning bronze in the 4x200 metre and silver in the 4x800 metre at the RSEQ championships. The team consisted of Savoury, Woods, Frantz, and third-year Stephanie Susinski. The Martlets did not win any medals in throwing events at the provincial championships; however, firstyear thrower Marika Shafonsky had a strong rookie season, consistently finishing in the weight throw top 10.

The McGill Track Team hopes to build on this success as the outdoor season starts.

Savoury, however, refused to set any ceiling for their performance.

“I don’t believe in limits,” Savoury said.

The McGill Women’s Artistic Swim team dominated all season long, winning every meet they attended.

(Earl Zukerman / McGill Athletics & Benjamin Joppke / The McGill Tribune)