The McGill Tribune Vol. 36 Issue 21

A&E “Meaning through movement: McGill’s Alegria Contemporary Ballet Company” pg. 13

FEATURE “About Abortion: Why Canada still needs to talk about it ” pg. 8-9

The McGill Tribune

EDITORIAL: McGILL MUST DO MORE TO EMBRACE MONTREAL’S BILINGUALISM pg. 05

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017 VOL. 36 ISSUE 21

PUBLISHED BY THE SPT, A STUDENT SOCIETY OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY

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Allegations of sexual violence lead to SSMU VP External David Aird’s resignation Organizations and Individuals speak about incidents Calvin Trottier-Chi News Editor

Every year, the festivities of Nuit Blanche summon Montrealers into the winter night, page 12. (Liam Kirkpatrick / The McGill Tribune)

Why I resigned from the SSMU Board of Directors Sean Taylor SSMU Science Senator The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)—who could have expected that such an innocuous-sounding group could elicit such a divisive reaction? And yet, we the student body, are embroiled in yet another series of scandals involving SSMU. SSMU is a body that supplies many services to students that are rarely noticed—it lobbies for an easier

exam deferral system, advocates for sexual assault resources, provides on-call medical services nightly in residences, as well as numerous other services that the student body often takes for granted. The week leading up to the winter break, however, have called into question the judgement and credibility of the society’s leadership. That’s why, before reading week, I tendered my resignation from my position on the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD).

I personally felt disdain for SSMU in my first year at McGill. I saw it as an annoying body that only led to undue

tension and stress on campus, exemplified by Farnangate, the mis-election of Tariq Khan, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) General Assembly motions that caused emotional strife on both sides of the debate. In light of all of this anger and frustration that I and my friends felt toward SSMU, I decided that whining wasn’t going to help anyone. Instead, I involved myself in SSMU to try to find ways to get past the surface scandals and focus on the important services and support networks that lay beneath.

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On Feb. 21, the Community Disclosure Network (CDN), a group of sexual assault survivors and allies, released a statement calling for David Aird’s resignation from his position as Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) External. The CDN wrote that Aird had committed gendered and sexualized violence–based on testimonies from survivors–and called for SSMU to undertake a number of supportive initiatives to address future cases. Aird stepped down on Feb. 22 and issued an apology for his behaviour on Feb. 23, although the apology was removed when he deleted his Facebook account. Aird declined to comment.

The members of CDN came together to protect their anonymity and to provide a collective response to several incidents in which Aird allegedly committed inappropriate acts. CDN published an anonymous form on Feb. 9 in order to collect disclosures while preserving survivors’ privacy.

“CDN was formed when a small group of allies and survivors realized that there was a long history of disturbing behaviour [by Aird] beyond what they had experienced/was disclosed to them,” the CDN wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “CDN began to try and find a way to, as a first step, remove Aird from his position at SSMU in a way that would not require one survivor to go through what, due to his position, would most likely become a very public process.”

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Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Allegations of sexual violence lead to SSMU VP External David Aird’s resignation Organizations and individuals speak about incidents Calvin Trottier-Chi News Editor Continued from page 1.

CDN will continue its work after reading week with an open support group for anyone in Montreal who felt threatened by Aird.

SSMU President Ben Ger clarified at the SSMU Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 23 that SSMU executives were unaware of the severity of Aird’s behaviour. They had instituted educational check-in sessions for Aird to ensure he acted appropriately in a workplace environment after receiving complaints in the Fall about incidents when he made at least two women feel uncomfortable.

As VP External, Aird was tasked with managing student demonstrations on campus through various organizations, such as McGill Against Austerity (MAA). An anonymous member of MAA explained that several MAA members became aware of allegations of sexual assault in November 2016 and soon learned of similar cases in other student groups, including NDP McGill. They were

unable to find a way to remove him from his SSMU position without disclosing the survivor’s identity, and so severed professional ties with Aird under the pretense of differences in politics.

NDP McGill along with the Jeunes néodémocrates du Québec (JNDP)–a youth organization that manages NDP chapters in universities across Quebec–first became aware of sexual harassment committed by Aird in October 2016. Aird had been elected VP Politics of JNDQ in the same month and, while they pressured him to resign by threatening to expose him, JNDQ executives were unable to revoke Aird’s status as a federal NDP card-holder without survivors having to give public testimonies. Like all card-holders, Aird is technically a member of NDP McGill, although Co-President Malaya Powers emphasized that he had stopped participating in events and was removed from all official methods of communication.

“It was just by default, he’s involved with NDP McGill because he’s a federal card-holding member,” Powers said. “[....] We resolved that if [Aird attended an event], we would ask

him to leave at any club event he partook in, and also we just spread awareness amongst our members of his behaviour.”

Powers similarly had difficulty bringing awareness to the issue at McGill because she felt like she could not ensure the survivors’ anonymity when appealing to the SSMU Board of Directors.

JNDQ Co-President Kiana Saint-Macary explained how JNDQ addressed members’ reports.

“We didn’t want to go through any formal processes that would make the people who want to stay anonymous, basically, go on trial themselves because that happens so often with sexual harassment and sexual assault cases,” Saint-Macary, said. “And also we didn’t know the scope of it [....] I don’t think we realized that there was such a large movement of people until [CDN passed around the survey].”

The McGill Tribune met with a survivor who had several close encounters with Aird, which resulted in sexual harassment and coercive consent. Although she notified members of the student clubs she was involved in, public progress was only achieved when CDN

released its statement.

“Seeing that there are so many testimonies [...] is very empowering,” she said. “It tore me apart thinking that there are so many other women, [...] but at the same time [...] that means I can stop feeling so guilty about everything and stop feeling guilty of feeling guilty.”

She said that there are therapeutic benefits of voicing her trauma. Although she previously suppressed memories of the incidents, acknowledging the experience helped her dissociate from it. “[Your] brain is like ‘You don’t want to have to deal with that, doesn’t exist,’” she said. “[But] the more [I] talk about it, the more it’s outside of me kind of [....]”

The survivor pondered how the responses to Aird’s behaviour will impact him and whether he grasps the full implications of his actions.

“There’s no way to make sure he feels sorry, not for himself, but really for us, and that he understands like how this goes way beyond just the event,” she said. “[....] It’s something you carry with you afterwards, and that I think shapes your identity.”

Indigenous McGill lecturer Orenda Boucher’s status card rejected while shopping Incident points to lack of education about Indian Status among many Canadians

Micaela Wiseman Contributor On Feb. 10, a clerk at Kiki & Co refused to recognize McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) Lecturer Orenda Boucher’s Indian status card, denying her the sales tax exemption that is granted to the Mohawks of Kahnawake, to which she belongs, by the Province of Quebec.

According to Boucher, the store clerk did not believe that the photo on the status card was a picture of her. The sales clerk claimed that Boucher did not look indigenous and accused her of procuring the status card dishonestly.

Spokesperson for the Council of Kahnawake Joe Delaronde said that the sales tax exemption is part of the Sectoral Agreements agreed between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the Province of Quebec in 1999. According to Delaronde, the agreements were intended to improve the relationship between Quebec and the Kahnawake, but the Quebec population’s awareness is lacking.

“[The sales tax exemption] is on the [Revenu Québec] website,” Delaronde said.

“So, any retailer [...] can look it up on Revenu Québec. But I think most businesses have an understanding of [how to allow customers the exemption].”

Hadley Friedland, assistant professor of law at the University of Alberta, assisted in organizing McGill’s Aboriginal Law Course and said that the terms of “Indian status” are declared by the Federal Government and provides certain rights for people of indigenous ancestry.

“A status card indicates the Federal Government recognizes the carrier as having ‘Indian status’ under the rules of the federal Indian Act,” Friedland wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “In order to have Indian status, a person must have at least one parent who has Indian status [….] Band status—individual bands can decide on membership criteria that is different from the Indian Act— or residency does not change someone’s Indian status, or anything that flows from having Indian status, like a point of sales tax exemption.”

According to Delaronde, the sales tax exemption does not have any cost to the retailers. “[Retailers are] remitting tax to the government and if it’s indicated on the bill that the customer didn’t pay tax for whatever reason, they’re not liable for it,” Delaronde said.

“It doesn’t really hurt them at all. If anything, it brings people into their store.”

According to Paige Isaac, a coordinator at the McGill First Peoples’ House, the confusion surrounding status cards may be related to more deep-rooted issues related to indigenous stereotyping and prejudice.

“Stereotyping Indigenous people is very real,” Isaac wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “It happens quite often. Dispelling these stereotypes is an ongoing job and many people are making efforts to raise awareness [….] The lack of education and knowledge of ‘Indian’ status and the use of the status card is also an issue. Some people only associate it with the benefits and don’t associate it with treaty rights and colonialism.”

Friedland also said that racial profiling is the cause of many issues surrounding the use

of status cards.

“I am sad to say I have witnessed nonIndigenous people personally attack or question Indigenous people’s identity and ‘right’ to have a status card or live on a reserve, based on their racialized conception of Indigenous people,” Friedland wrote.

Friedland also blames incidents, such as the one experienced by Boucher, on individuals’ ignorance towards indigenous societies.

“Canadians are undereducated about Indigenous peoples, treaty relationships, and the Indian Act,” Friedland wrote. “We need more education and public awareness if we want to promote a greater understanding and dispel myths.”

According to Isaac, it can be challenging to access certain services—such as prescriptions, dental care, eye exams, and sales tax exemptions—due to issues regarding the acceptance of status cards. The First People’s House will be making a list for members of their community of places that accept and know how to process the card, which will be available later this semester.process the card, which will be available later this semester.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Fiat Lux major library upgrade delayed until more fundraising pledges received Construction project is waiting for more financial resources before it can kick-start

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McGill Indigenous Studies Program hosts criminologist Lisa Monchalin Monchalin seeks to unveil colonial mechanisms of justice system in new book

Alexia Martel-Desjardins Contributor

Fiat Lux, which means ‘Let there be light’, is a renovation project for the Humanities and Social Science Library, which includes the McLennan and Redpath buildings. It aims to equip library facilities with state-of-the-art technology, in line with modern needs. The project is estimated to last five years and is to be completed in phases.

In the first phase, a robotically accessible underground storage facility will be built. Then, Redpath hall and library will be revamped, and connected to McLennan. Finally, McLennan library will be renovated.

So far, no date has been set for the start of the Fiat Lux library construction, for which architecture firms ÉKM Architecture (ÉKM) and Shepley Buålfinch published a Master Plan in October 2015. The project seeks to modernize the McGill Humanities and Social Sciences Library with more open architecture. The construction, which is supposed to span a five-year period and is estimated to cost $180 million, requires more fundraising before it can begin.

The lack of financial resources has delayed the call for tenders for the construction contract. Colleen Cook, Trenholme dean of Libraries, is currently working on elaborating the layout of the financing strategy.

“This project will cost $180 million [...], but you fundraise by getting to know people and then after you form a relationship, then you ask [for funding],” Cook said.

The Library Improvement Fund (LIF) is an ongoing initiative that raises money annually to be donated to the library. LIF Commissioner Malcolm McClintock believes potential donors might be more willing to give their seal of approval and to supply financial support if they had the guarantee that students would contribute financially to the project.

“It’s been strongly suggested that [signature donors are] looking for financial support from the students, in terms of a fee,” McClintock said.

Ann Vroom, chair of Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization run by volunteers whose mission is to cultivate interest in McGill’s libraries and to provide support to its services and activities, is also looking for money through different avenues.

“We are hoping [the financing] will be a combination of private philanthropy, university contributions, and some support from the students,” Vroom said.

McClintock is opposed to the idea of students partly financing Fiat Lux, especially since they are not wellinformed about the project.

“I’ve actively said that I think this isn’t something that students should be paying for,” McClintock said. “[....] I see how in terms of fundraising that’s a very good tactic. I think it’s a just a little bit difficult to ask right now because people are so confused about what’s going on with Fiat Lux.” Friends of the Library are using various methods to entice alumni and others to donate to the Fiat Lux project.

“How the Fiat Lux project will be financed is what is being studied right now,” Vroom said. “[....] Through a series of salons in alumni homes across North America, where the Dean [Colleen Cook] can engage people with her story of the enduring value of libraries through the ages, we are lighting a fire of excitement about McGill’s plans for a re-envisioned library.”

No plans have been elaborated yet to compensate for the noise and lack of space that will result from the construction.

“I anticipate that it won’t be any worse than what people have experienced already,” Cook said, referring to the construction on McTavish.

François Emond, an architect from ÉKM, explained the first phase of construction. It consists of transferring the library collection to the Automated Storage and Retrieval System, a storage section under the Lower Field where students will be able to send robots to retrieve books.

“The storage unit is the facilitator, that’s the thing that allows us to maintain the functionality of the library while all of the work goes on,” Emond said.

Cook estimated that the noise caused by the digging for the storage unit will last for a short time. The library will try to keep its services as accessible as possible.

“It would only be a day, when you dynamite the bedrock,” Cook said. “[....] There will be some disruption, but [...] we will do our absolute best to keep the buildings open and to mitigate the construction to all our users.”

Both McClintock and Emond have expressed their desire for students to be involved in the designing process of the new library.

“We try to get as much student feedback as possible and I think we’d be able to use the research we’ve got this year and the years to come to better manipulate what the Fiat Lux would be,” McClintock said.

Student feedback will be used in the design for the new library, which does not yet have a projected completion date. (mcgill.ca)

Monchalin said that the colonial foundation of the Canadian government will make it difficult to enact change.

(Natalie Vineberg / The McGill Tribune)

Rime Abdallah Contributor On Feb. 24, the McGill Indigenous Studies Program hosted Lisa Monchalin, criminology professor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the first indigenous woman in Canada to receive a PhD in criminology, for the presentation of her new book The Colonial Problem: An Indigenous Perspective on Crime and Injustice in Canada.

“As a criminologist with an indigenous justice lense, I define injustice towards Indigenous People as a crime,” Monchalin said.

“I don’t rely on the state definition of what crime is because I believe that the Canadian state itself has been built on crime [....]

Very often, I get asked by students, ‘Why are indigenous people so overrepresented in crime?’ In reality, they are three times more likely to be victims of crimes.”

In addition to describing the content of her book, Monchalin also relayed her personal journey as an indigenous woman.

Monchalin said she struggled in her youth to assert her identity against the prejudice of others.

“Being native in our family was always a source of shame,” Monchalin said. “This book is an act of resurgence against that shame.”

During her career, Monchalin had to overcome academic obstacles to make her voice heard. While lecturing, she was often challenged by her students and was accused of teaching propaganda.

“Once, I even had to invite a non-native colleague as a guest speaker to talk about abuses in Residential Schools because my students wouldn’t believe me,” Monchalin said.

Monchalin seeks to legitimize and assert the indigenous perspective in criminology by unveiling the colonial mechanisms embedded in the Canadian judicial system.

Specifically, Monchalin criticized authorities’ lack of response to incidents involving indigenous Peoples.

“In 2014, the RCMP documented about 1,200 cases of missing or murdered native women between 1980 and 2012,” Monchalin said. “[....] It was only in 2015 that the

call for a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was finally answered.”

Despite recent improvements made by the Liberal government, such as the creation of the National Council for Reconciliation to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) 2015 Final Report’s recommendations, Monchalin is not optimistic about future change.

“This is still a colonial government and I don’t really think that working within this system is going to do much,” Monchalin said.

Indigenous Studies Program Chair and Assistant Professor Allan Downey in the McGill Department of History assigned Monchalin’s book in his Interdisciplinary Seminar in Indigenous Studies INDG 401 and praised academics, like Monchalin, for making a difference in the fight for recognition.

“Indigenous people have been fighting for [the TRC’s goals for] many years and now it has started to get some public acknowledgment,” Downey said. “[.... Many] natives, like [...] Monchalin, have done some incredible improvements through their activism, their scholarship, [and] their art.”

While McGill launched the Indigenous Studies Program in January 2015, Hanna Jevne, U4 Arts and a student in Downey’s seminar, believes there is still room for improvement. Jevne argued that the University should offer more options for indigenous studies.

“Unfortunately, at McGill there is only a minor available for indigenous studies,” Jevne said. “[Universities in Western] Canada [have] way more programs than McGill does.”

According to Downey, in its short existence, the Indigenous Studies Program has already seen a positive response from students and the university.

“Students called the administration, asking them to establish a program that had been established throughout the country since the 1960s and 1970s,” Downey said.

“McGill was very late to it [....But since its opening, the program has] really had some great success, a lot of students were interested in it and the administration started to support it.”

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Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Université Laval first university in Canada to divest from fossil fuels

Student activists’ successes in sustainability have impacts on Divest McGill movement Audrey Carleton Student Living Editor On Feb. 15, Université Laval became the first Canadian university divest to its endowment fund from fossil fuel-related companies.

Fossil fuel investments made up an estimated five to 15 per cent of the university’s total endowment—equivalent to $11 to 30 million— according to Alice-Ann Simard, founder of ULaval sans fossiles and Master’s student in Business Administration at Université Laval.

This outcome for ULaval sans fossiles came after a three-month campaign, during which the activist group held talks, handed out buttons and stickers, and sparked conversation on campus about divestment from fossil fuels.

After the activists garnered support from the general student body, undergraduate and graduate student associations, and the Quebec Chapter of the David Suzuki Foundation, the university administration asked to meet with ULaval sans fossiles. According to Simard, members of the administration discussed the university’s commitment to sustainability and expressed their willingness to divest from fossil fuel companies.

The ULaval sans fossiles campaign was identical to those at other universities across Canada, such as Divest McGill and Divest UBC, but achieved its goal very quickly. According to Simard, the difference for ULaval sans fossiles was that their message fell on receptive ears. Ranked second in the world in sustainable development on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) index, Université Laval has already

necessary courage to take action for justice; to take the community’s longstanding calls for divestment to heart and commit to a more ethical endowment fund.”

Divest McGill Organizer Julia Bugiel, U3 Arts, said that because Université Laval is now credited as the first Canadian university to divest, what remains for other universities is a race to avoid being the last to do so.

“Divest McGill has been asking McGill’s administration for years to put their money where their mouth is and to be the leader [in sustainability] that they always say they are,” Bugiel said. “McGill has lost that chance [...], but they still can follow in the footsteps of schools, like [Université Laval], that are making those forward-thinking steps.”

On March 7, the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR) met for the first time since its decision not to divest from fossil fuels in March 2016. According to Bugiel, this meeting served as an important resurgence into the public eye for Divest McGill, which held a rally outside the James Administration building at the same time.

“I think that ULaval sans fossiles and their campaign [sends] a strong message to the [McGill Board of Governors]–the only difficulty is how do we make sure that every single member of the Board of Governors is receiving that strong message,” Bugiel said. “[....] A very important thing coming off of this [Université Laval] divestment decision is to use that to strengthen [students’] efforts towards divestment and to remind the community that Divest McGill will hold a rally on March 7 during the CAMSR meeting in James Administration. (Elli Slavitch / The McGill Tribune) Divest McGill is still here.”

worked to become a carbon-neutral campus. “[The university administration] saw this opportunity to become leaders in the divestment movement in Canada and it was really [in alignment] with their image,” Simard said. “[....The administration] saw this wonderful opportunity to commit [to divestment] and to be the first to commit, because that’s in their values and in the university’s values.”

Despite the rejection of their petition calling McGill administration to divest from fossil fuels in March 2016, climate activist group Divest McGill continues to actively

lobby the university to reverse this decision.

According to a statement released by Divest McGill following Université Laval’s choice to divest, ULaval sans fossiles’ success has only served to heighten Divest McGill’s energy.

“It is incredibly encouraging for us to see university administrators elsewhere in Canada finally side with students and science over the interests of the fossil fuel industry,” Jed Lenetsky, U2 Environment and Divest McGill organizer, was quoted in the statement.

“Hopefully, this brave first step by Université Laval will give McGill administrators the

UPenn professor presents study on American and Canadian trade opinions Comments on value of visiting international universities Julia Metraux Staff Writer On Feb. 24, Diana C. Mutz, a professor of Political Science and Communication at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), gave a presentation at Thomson House on her study “Mass Opinion Toward Trade in the United States and Canada.” The event was sponsored by the Centre for

the Study of Democratic Citizenship and was open to the public.

Political science postdoctoral researcher at Université de Montréal (UdeM) Valérie-Anne Mahéo introduced Mutz, explaining that the professor’s work focuses on the instability of opinions on international trade.

“We know now how this is such an important topic and is covered so much in American

Mutz said that education level and personal prejudices can have an impact on attitudes towards international trade. (Julia Métraux / The McGill Tribune)

politics,” Maheo said. “A few years back, [Mutz] started to look at globalization of trade. Now, we see how hot of a topic this is and we have [U.S. President] Donald Trump and [Canadian Prime Minister] Justin Trudeau talking daily on the phone about that.”

Mutz said there are many factors that influence opinions towards trade in the U.S., including peoples’ level of education. “[...Education] is a huge predictor of trade support,” Mutz said. “People who are more educated are more supportive of international trade and that is true across many different countries.”

Racism or prejudice can also impact attitudes towards trade, according to Mutz. Her study found that racial minorities are more likely to support international trade due to fewer racist attitudes in those groups.

“Measures of domestic racism predicted trade attitudes,” Mutz said. “If you ask Latinos, Blacks, and Whites on how they feel about each other, that’s a really strong predictor of attitudes towards international trade. Peo-

ples’ opinions towards ‘others’ tends to generalize and that can relate to foreigners as well.”

Mutz plans to expand her research to examine U.S. trading partners other than Canada. Mutz started to research Canada due to its proximity and perceived differences in opinions on trade found in other studies.

“I am interested in looking at all of [the U.S.’s] trading partners,” Mutz said. “[....] I also knew from the American context that it would be good to have a place with different attitudes towards trade as a whole. Canada is far more positive towards trade.

The main difference is that the [U.S.] values competition to an extreme extent, it is unmatched.”

Mutz elaborated that the survey she gave to Americans and Canadians tried to be nationally representative of each country.

As part of her study, she found that a higher percentage of Americans supported isolationism than Canadians.

“The studies themselves were a two-part design, virtually the same,” Mutz said. “I did a nationally representative survey

in both the [U.S.] and Canada.

They were not [conducted at] exactly the same time, but both were pre-Trump. We did it on 3,000 people, then we went back to those people and ran a survey experiment.”

According to Mutz’s survey results, the high competitiveness of Americans can be seen through their opinion of the ideal outcome with a trade partner.

“We found the Americans were in favour of a win-lose situation, where the [U.S.] would win and another country would lose, while Canadians were in favour of a win-win situation, where Canada and its trading partner would both benefit,” Mutz said.

Mutz also gave presentations at Univeristié Laval on Feb. 21 and UdeM on Feb. 23, and said that visiting Canadian universities is crucial to further understanding the population’s perspective.

“It is important [to go to universities, like McGill] because people here have a lot more expertise of Canadian views,” Mutz said. “It’s good to understand each other.”

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

OPINION 5

editorial Editor-in-Chief Julia Dick editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Natalie Vineberg nvineberg@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors April Barrett abarrett@mcgilltribune.com Nicholas Jasinski njasinski@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Holly Cabrera, Sara Cullen, Calvin Trottier-Chi news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Jackie Houston & David Watson opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Lydia Kaprelian scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Audrey Carleton studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Albert Park features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Selin Altuntur & Evelyn Goessling arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Joe Khammar & Aaron Rose sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Domitille Biehlmann & Daniel Freed design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Lauren Benson-Armer photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editor Noah Sutton multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Clare Lyle webdev@mcgilltribune.com Daniel Lutes online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Areni Nicoghosian copy@mcgilltribune.com

McGill must do more to embrace Montreal’s bilingualism The QS 2017 Best Student Cities 2017 recently named Montreal the best city in the world for students. While this is certainly reason for McGill and its students to celebrate, it is also an opportunity to reflect on the university’s relationship with the predominantly French city that it is situated in. A key aspect of Montreal’s appeal to students from Canada and is its bilingual culture.

It is in the interests of both the school and students to make this bilingualism part of the McGill experience and to work to better integrate the English and French sides of Montreal.

The administration has been recently making efforts to raise the profile of French on campus.

Last March, the university launched a campaign to promote the “French side” of McGill.

Other Canadian universities also work to incorporate French into their university experience: The University of Ottawa is bilingual, offering 90 per cent of its courses in both French and English.

Concordia, meanwhile, offers a university-facilitated French conversation program, which is specifically designed to foster French use in professional and

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Time at the university doesn’t necessarily prepare students for a future in Montreal, as students at McGill can earn their undergraduate degree without ever needing to pick up French.

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While Montreal clearly has much to offer students, keeping them here after graduation remains an issue—between 2000 and 2015, fewer international students stayed in Quebec than in any other province. Part of the challenge is the language barrier: The reality that many Montreal jobs require fluency in French discourages international students

from working in the city after graduation. Time at the university doesn’t necessarily prepare students for a future in Montreal, as students at McGill can earn their undergraduate degree without ever needing to pick up French.

As Principal and ViceChancellor Suzanne Fortier has argued, Montreal only stands to benefit by doing more to recruit and retain its international students. This is in McGill’s interest as well.

If the university is committed to seeing its students succeed in the career field and locale of their choice, it should address the language stumbling block currently deterring many students from staying in Montreal.

McGill’s status as an English university in a Frenchspeaking province presents a unique opportunity for students to experience both sides of Canadian bilingualism and potentially pick up a different language. Anglophone students who restrict themselves to the language that they came to McGill speaking deprive themselves of this opportunity. It is valuable that students can get by in English alone at McGill, since this allows

monolingual students from English areas to succeed at the university. But this does mean that for many, meaningful immersion in the city’s bilingual culture is a largely untapped aspect of the Montreal—and by extension, McGill—experience.

In addition to McGill’s efforts, students have also taken steps to address the language gap on campus: Students can learn French through choosing to enroll in language courses, SSMU MiniCourses, or in student-run French conversation circles.

Learning a new language at university is a challenging endeavour—meaningful language acquisition requires dedication, social interaction, and regular use.

But the university can still work to encourage those students who are interested in learning French, and provide them with helpful resources. Students should be aware that learning French is a part of the Montreal experience, and is essential for those interested in pursuing a career in Quebec after graduation. Through French, students can tap into the rich bilingual culture that helps make Montreal the best city in the world for students.

L e t t e r t o t h e E d i t o r SSMU’s independence should not come before student safety

Business Manager Mingye Chen business@mcgilltribune.com

Andy Wang, Alexandra Gardiner, Ariella Garmaise, Arman Bery, Ava Zwolinski, Cherry Ng, Daria Kisleva, Domenic Casciato, Elli Slavitch, Eric Noble-Marks, Flaminia Cooper, Gabriel Rincon, Hannah Taylor, Izze Siemann, Julia Métraux, Morgan Davis, Nicole Spadotto, Patrick Beacham, Rebecca Zhuang

social environments. These could serve as inspiration for future initiatives at McGill.

Norman Yallen McGill B.A. ‘16 I respectfully disagree with the Feb. 21 editorial, “McGill Administration must support independence of student societies.” Igor Sadikov advocated for violence toward Zionists, which includes Zionist students at McGill. I am a proud Arts Graduate of McGill, and I identify as a Zionist. I know many others at McGill who would say the same. Sadikov advocated violence against students that he represents, and the administration was right to speak out against it.

Igor Sadikov tweeted, “punch a zionist [sic] today,” and in doing that he called for

violence against many McGill students. He has since resigned from the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Board of Directors, but remains on an Arts Undergraduate Society as a SSMU representative. The job of Arts Representative to SSMU is to represent the Faculty of Arts to the student government. Sadikov cannot do that job because he called for violence toward many of the students he supposedly represents. He cannot be allowed to represent student interests anymore.

The editorial argued that the administration imposing a course of action on SSMU violates the independence of the student society.

However, student representatives do not have unlimited power. Igor Sadikov was elected Arts Representative to SSMU. His job is to represent the Faculty of Arts. This entitles him to advocate on behalf of the Faculty of Arts to the student government. It does not allow him to advocate violence towards students. When Sadikov overstepped the bounds of his job to advocate violence, it meant this was no longer a student society issue but a safety issue. Students at McGill have

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Maintaining the independence of SSMU would be ideal. However, there are some things that are more important than the independence of student societies.

chosen to attend this university, but students do not have a choice to join SSMU—SSMU fees are mandatory. If McGill mandates that students join a student society, then SSMU must represent the interests of every student. While SSMU cannot do a perfect job, students have a right to be represented by someone who does not advocate violence against them. If SSMU is not willing to protect students from the violent threats of their representatives, it is the administration’s duty to step in.

Maintaining the independence of SSMU would be ideal. However, there are some things that are more important than the independence of student societies. Violence cannot be permissible from any McGill student—let alone a student government representative. Sadikov does not have an unconditional right to serve as Arts Representative, this was a privilege granted by his fellow students. He lost that privilege when he advocated violence against Zionist students. Students must feel safe from violence at McGill. If the student society will not step in, the administration must. Violence against a religious or political group cannot be condoned in any way at McGill or any university campus.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

6 OPINION

O f f t h e Bo a r d

Jackie Houston Opinion Editor In my first high school political science course, I had a friend who was very clever and well-informed—the kind of self-identified young intellectual that read the New York Times like scripture. One class, he got into an argument on electoral reform in Canada with another very clever and well-informed student. I sat silently between them, surreptitiously Googling, “Is single-member-constituency bad?” and, “What does singlemember-constituency mean?”

It did not occur to me to ask out loud.

It’s hard to ask questions.

c omm e n t a r y

Sean Taylor SSMU Science Senator Continued from page 1.

I personally felt disdain for SSMU in my first year at McGill.

I saw it as an annoying body that only led to undue tension and stress on campus, exemplified

by Farnan-gate, the mis-election of Tariq Khan, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) General Assembly motions that caused emotional strife on both sides of the debate. In light of all of this anger and frustration that I and my friends felt toward SSMU, I decided that whining wasn’t going to help anyone. Instead, I involved myself in SSMU to try to find ways to get past the surface scandals and focus on the important services and support networks that lay beneath.

I was elected to the position of

We need to keep asking stupid questions This is especially true at McGill— at the Harvard of the North, no one wants to admit when they don’t understand something. With the wisdom of the Internet constantly at our fingertips, students often don’t have to. We can speak—or rather, remain silently confused— first, and Google later. This is true inside the classroom, but also in political discourse on campus. Political conversations are rife with answers, in the form of generally-agreed-upon soundbites about Justin Trudeau’s brand and the current political trajectory of the United States, but deficient in questions. If students are committed to becoming educated citizens and engaging in productive political discussion, we should ask more and assume less.

From kindergarten, students are told time and time again that there are no stupid questions. As kids become adolescents, however, this message is qualified: There are no stupid questions, but don’t look like an idiot. For young adults, it is less a truism than a heavily asterisked conditional: Actually, there are a lot of stupid questions, as well as offensive questions and delicate questions and divisive

questions, and seriously, don’t look like an idiot.

This hesitancy to ask is heightened in an environment like

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If students are committed to becoming educated citizens and engaging in productive political discussion, we should ask more and assume less.

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McGill. While it’s a privilege to study among peers who reference Noam Chomsky and use words like “dichotomy” off the cuff, if

one happens to be unfamiliar with Chomsky or dichotomies, it can also be highly intimidating. Whether in lecture or in conversation about the Conservative Party leadership race, it’s easier to nod in agreement than to be the one person who needs further clarification.

In an age with unprecedented access to information, political conversations on campus seem to operate under the assumption that everyone involved is equally educated on the issue at hand.

If they aren’t, they should be, because all relevant information is now available at the click of a button. Questions have no place when everyone already seems to have all the answers.

However, this simply isn’t the case. Nobody has all the answers, and when it comes to politics, few even come close. Despite rising levels of education and the Google search bar in our corner, political knowledge remains low amongst young Canadians: In a 2007 study, Canadians aged 15 to 25 correctly answered an average of 2.6 out of 7 common questions on Canadian politics, scoring only slightly higher than their American counterparts. Perhaps

all relevant information is now available at the click of a button, but it seems young adults are no more politically informed for it.

Whatever the explanation for this enduring ignorance—the quality of information available, the echo chambers we so often confine ourselves to in our online research, or perhaps just the persistence of the “rationally ignorant” voter— as students and as citizens we do ourselves a disservice by pretending otherwise.

On a campus where one of the worst things you can be called is “ignorant” or “uninformed,” it’s difficult for students to admit when we’re lost in a conversation.

But apparently, or at least when it comes to politics, we’re often not alone in this confusion. In these cases, it is important that we ask questions—especially stupid ones.

It’s in the absence of apparently stupid questions that we get dual narratives and alternative facts—when people don’t know what’s going on, they fill in the gaps for themselves. A Google search can only take us so far. The next step is critically engaging with the information that we are presented—and with each other.

Why I resigned from the SSMU Board of Directors Science Representative to SSMU in 2015-2016, and Science Senator this year. I was also nominated to a seat on the Board of Directors (BoD) of SSMU, which I have been a member of since Fall 2015. During these past two years, I have sat through hours upon hours of council, senate, senate caucus, committee, and board meetings, and have gained an understanding of governance documents, compromise, respectful discourse, and the beloved and bemoaned Robert’s Rules that dictate how meetings should be run.

There have been ups and downs, but overall, it has felt like the governance bodies were working towards the betterment of the student society.

Unfortunately, as of recently, that feeling has changed drastically for myself and other students.

The reputation and image of the BoD and Legislative Council have been dragged through the mud by students and media as a result of the actions of Directors Igor Sadikov and David Aird. The Board was not notified of the concerns over David Aird’s conduct until the Community Disclosure Network (CDN) released its findings to the public. The decision of SSMU executives to proceed with “checkin meetings” as the most appropriate way to address Aird’s behaviour is an insult to the standards that SSMU aims to maintain and promote on campus, and to the experiences of those who spoke out against Aird.

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Director Sadikov’s tweet, which incited violence against a political identity espoused by a number of people on campus, was unacceptable and required more to remedy the situation than SSMU’s promises to have one-on-one discussions with those affected by his comments. The Board decided not to impeach him, but he has since resigned from his position as a director.

The hypocrisy exhibited by these two members who, as directors of SSMU, have a mandate to promote safety for all its members, is shocking. Despite the efforts by myself, some other executives, and members of the BoD to repair the reputation and accessibility of SSMU, a few of the members on the BoD and the executive committee focused unduly on the persecutions of political identity and alleged strong-arming by the McGill administration, delegitimizing

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The selfishness and misconduct demonstrated by Directors Aird and Sadikov, along with those that would further their personal and political agendas over the interests of the society, has led me to lose faith in the Board of Directors as a whole.

the executive committee’s call for Sadikov’s resignation and undermining the discussion on the appropriate conduct of students in leadership positions. The selfishness and misconduct demonstrated by Directors Aird and Sadikov, along with those that would further their personal and political agendas over the interests of the society, has led me to lose faith in the Board of Directors as a whole. I see no other course of action than to resign from my directorship.

It is a shame that the actions of a few have tarnished the image of other members of both the board and executive committee who have worked incredibly hard to improve the society. I wish them the best and have faith they will do their best for the SSMU; sadly, I can no longer justify putting my time and effort into something which now seems to have such little internal respect for its integrity and well-being.

ERRATUM The editorial in issue 21 titled “McGill administration must support the independence of student societies” included a note from several editors who disagreed with one aspect of the editorial’s argument. In addition to the names previously listed, Joe Khammar and David Watson also differed on this point.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

science & technology 7 from the brainstem

Bias means that fact-checking Trump might not work Gabriel Rincon Staff Writer In July 2016, Newt Gingrich offered a prime example of cognitive dissonance in a CNN interview. Gingrich argued that statistics showing declining crime rates were wrong because people didn’t say that they felt safer. His argument demonstrated the strong role that feelings play in the way people determine which data and arguments they choose to believe. The term “alternative facts” was first introduced by Kellyanne Conway in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Jan. 22, where she defended inflated inauguration attendance numbers. Gingrich’s and Conway’s interviews can help reveal the thought process behind why so many people believe blatant falsehoods. If President Trump’s supporters truly think that the large crowd size is correct and don’t consider themselves to be safe despite crime statistics, no manner of reasonable arguments based on data will convince them otherwise.

Dr. Donald Taylor, a McGill professor in the Department of Psychology, explained that people are inherently biased, rather than logical. Taylor pointed out that this isn’t a novel insight and, furthermore, that peoples’ biases can be anticipated.

“People will bias their interpretation of events […] in a fairly predictable way,” Taylor said. “[They will] bias towards it fitting with what they already believe or making [themselves] look good.”

Due to the level of subjectivity involved, this pattern is especially pervasive when one makes ethical or policy judgements. The subjective domain depends on other people and a social consensus, leaving substantial room for biases to produce alternative

analyses. According to Taylor, the larger societies become and the more interests and complexities there are to balance, the easier it is for biases to take over decision-making.

“I have a sense [that] the more complex life becomes […] the bigger this social reality is, the harder it is to force people out of their biases,” Taylor said. “When you’ve got information overload, you’re just paralyzed and then that just makes it easier to put your own spin on [information].”

In the age of digital media, there is a

never-ending flow of information available, making it impossible to digest it all.

When extended to a democratic process as complicated as the American system, the subjectivity of some truths lends itself to alternative facts that fit peoples’ narratives better—especially when there is a demagogue who plays into peoples’ fears, prejudices, and mistrust of government for his own cynical purposes. The level of complexity of the relationship between terrorism and immigration, combined with institutional

People often come up with alternative analyses to justify their opinions. (Daria Kiseleva / The McGill Tribune)

distrust, lends itself to people feeling unsafe and accepting falsehoods that justify those fears. For example, in a recent survey by Public Policy Polling a majority of Trump voters cited the fake “Bowling Green Massacre” as a justification for the travel ban.

There is the troubling issue of whether it is even worthwhile to fact-check Trump if the facts produced are unconvincing to his voters. Acting Chair of McGill’s Department of Economics Dr. William Watson would argue it is. He remains confident in the ability of data to reflect real life conditions: The issue is choosing the right data.

“I don’t think we should give up [trying to] figure out what the facts really are, even as we recognize that some facts are hard to establish and that there can be debate on what the facts really are,” Watson said. “It’s not inconsistent that U.S. GDP might be going up, but people in Pennsylvania […] are having a lousy time, but I suspect the state GDP and income numbers will show that. So, I wouldn’t despair of those numbers.”

It is very troubling that the White House is now giving a platform for vitriol masquerading as news from online sources, including Steve Bannon’s Breitbart and Alex Jones’ InfoWars. As Watson explained, Trump should not discourage anyone from finding the truth. Likewise, the news media and Democrats should not trick themselves into thinking that fact-checking is diminishing Trump’s cult of personality. Polls show that, among Republicans, Trump’s approval numbers are consistent with historical trends for other presidents among their supporters.

The inconvenient fact remains: Parts of Trump’s narrative, however false, are relatable and mesh with his supporters’ worldview, and no amount of fact-checking will change that.

Can respecting your circadian rhythm decrease your risk of cancer?

Douglas Mental Health Institute identifies new target for slowing cancer growth

Angelina Giordano Contributor Postdoctoral student Silke Kiessling and McGill Psychiatry Professor Dr. Nicholas Cermakian conducted a study out of the Douglas Mental Health Institute to better understand how people’s biological clocks affect cancer cells. Specifically, they examined whether cancer cells’ growth can be inhibited by targeting the biological clock.

The study was published in the journal BMC Biology in February.

It was based on a simple question: If the circadian rhythm of a tumour cell is fixed, will it slow its growth?

Tumour cells are different from healthy cells because their growth is unconstrained. Most healthy cells consistently divide every 24 hours due to their circadian clock. Also known as the “biological clock,” the circadian clock governs the body’s sleepwake cycle, as well as regulating many physiological processes. The circadian clock can influence how

and at what speed cells divide.

Cancer gives rise to daughter cells in a way that’s not controlled.

This is the first study to show that the development of a tumour cell is remarkably slowed when its biological clock is targeted.

The first experiments to prove the hypothesis took approximately a year and a half to complete, but the follow-up experiments to disprove that other variables might be affecting the results took over three years. “[There were] many experiments to rule out other explanations,” Cermakian explained.

Previous research has shown that a circadian disruption in an individual, such as a shift worker, can increase his or her risk of cancer.

When the researchers discovered that there was a correlation between the circadian clock and tumour growth, they wanted to understand how to inhibit that growth.

The research team worked with skin cells and colon tumours in mice and activated the circadian

clock in these cells to compare cell cycle gene expression, cell cycle phase distribution, and tumour growth.

Cermakian emphasized that this experiment will affect cancer treatments by, hopefully, leading to preventative therapies and giving patients more time to fight the disease.

“You, me, and everyone in the population have disturbed rhythms,” Cermakian said.

While nobody’s circadian clock is perfect, this insight could lead to new targets for cancer treatment.

Now that there is a proven link between circadian rhythm hygiene and cancer risk, the hope is that the general population will do more to prioritize regulating their sleepwake cycle.

The next step for this study is to see how the treatments used on cells in mice could be applied to humans, but it will take many more experiments before the researchers can get to that stage.

In the meantime, there

are steps everyone can take to improve their circadian rhythm hygiene. Often, the first step is following the advice parents have told their kids for years, such as maintaining a uniform eating schedule, limiting screen time before bed, and sleeping at night as opposed to taking naps during the day.

The biological clock may hold the key for treating cancer. (Felicia Chang / The McGill Tribune)

About abortion Why Canada still needs to talk about it

By Lydia Kaprelian, Science & Technology Editor “Honestly when you called me I said, ‘Why, you know, why write about abortion, why write about it in Quebec?’” said France Desilets, director of Montreal’s Morgentaler Clinic. “We don’t want to focus on it, in the sense that access has been achieved in reproductive choices, but we still need to talk about it. I mean, we can’t make it a taboo subject.”

Abortion is a divisive topic, often caught between two passionate crusades. Consequently, it can sometimes be difficult to find space to talk about the issue, but university students and young people are in a unique position to change the conversation. With International Women’s Day on March 8, there are opportunities to be involved with the celebration and reflect on the state of women’s rights and reproductive choice. This year’s theme, #BeBoldForChange, emphasizes the importance of change for forging a more inclusive and equal future.

“This day is a great opportunity for university students to engage in an inclusive dialogue about the right to abortion access for people of all genders and orientations,” said Dr. Sarah Munro, a post doctoral fellow in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Historically, university students have played an important role in leading conversations about abortion in Canada. In 1968, McGill undergraduate students Allan Feingold and Donna Cherniak illegally produced and published the seminal “Birth Control Handbook,” as a result of a motion passed by the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU). Distributed on college campuses across North America, the handbook provided answers on sex education and reproductive health—including information about abortions—for an information-starved audience.

Access to information and discussion are key components in reproductive health. However, as one of his first executive orders, U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated and expanded a controversial global gag rule eliminating funding for global organizations that provide information about abortions. The gag rule has been criticized by many worldwide, who think that impoverished women will face the brunt of the policy’s impact. In response, on March 2, Canada pledged to donate $21 million to international organizations to fund reproductive health services, including abortion.

Presumably, Trump’s policy was put in place to limit the number of abortions. The truth of the matter is that in order to decrease the number of abortion, conversations about abortions and why women get them, need to continue. Not talking about abortions doesn’t mean they won’t happen.

“In abortion literature, there’s something they call

‘decision certainty,’” McGill Department of Epidemiology PhD candidate Nichole Austin explained. “If a woman is pregnant and decides to terminate the pregnancy, she will typically find a way to do it [….] These women will always seek abortions out if they need them, it’s not a question of getting rid of that need.”

In order to reduce the number of abortions, it’s necessary to decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies.

This requires widespread open knowledge of and access to contraception.

“I think people often focus on abortions and how many abortions there are, but they don’t consider why there are so many unplanned pregnancies,” said Desilets.

Unless contraceptive measures are available and accessible, unwanted pregnancies—and abortions by extension—will continue to occur. Trump’s global gag rule is antithetical to this strategy of contraception access. Not only will the policy reduce funding to family planning nongovernmental organizations, it will decrease funding for all global health organizations that receive any U.S. funding.

This includes organizations that aim to bolster contraceptive access and information.

While Canada’s southern neighbour has been embroiled in a high-profile and relentless fight over freedom of choice, the issue of abortion in Canada has not made nearly the same number of media headlines. However, while the battle scars may not be as fresh, that’s not to say the struggle for abortion rights wasn’t hard-fought.

In Canada, abortions—along with the sale, distribution, and advertisement of contraceptives—were illegal under the Criminal Code until 1969, when the former prime minister Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal government amended the code to decriminalize contraception and legalize abortion under strict provisions. At this point, abortions were illegal except in cases when pregnancy endangered the life of the pregnant woman. Moreover, these provisions meant the procedure could only be performed in hospitals, and only if the woman received approval from a Therapeutic Abortion Committee (TAC). These tribunals required three medical doctors—nearly always men—to decide whether the abortion was justified or not.

The TACs led to unequal access to abortion across Canada as hospitals were not required to have these committees on hand. By the mid-1970s, only 20 per cent of hospitals had formed a TAC, hindering the possibility of a legal abortion for the majority of Canadians.

Enter Dr. Henry Morgentaler, the namesake for the Morgentaler Clinicl. After immigrating to Canada from Poland following the Second World War, Morgentaler opened a medical practice in the east-end of Montreal.

There, he became one of the first doctors to perform vasectomies, insert intra-uterine devices (IUDs), and

“

Listening to people’s experiences and finding space to talk about abortion is critical for furthering the dialogue and promoting a culture for freedom of choice.

provide birth control pills—even to unmarried women, something that was unheard of at the time. For Morgentaler, a survivor of the Dachau concentration camp, anti-abortion laws were unjust because they placed unnecessary burden and suffering on women seeking abortions. After illegally opening an abortion clinic in Montreal in 1969, Morgentaler faced multiple legal charges and was jailed three times between 1970 and 1984.

Across Canada, abortion became part of a larger public conversation over reproductive health and women’s rights.

By 1983, public opinion was shifting: Seventy-two per cent of Canadians believed the pregnant woman and her doctor should have the sole responsibility for deciding whether the pregnancy should be terminated.

In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the restrictions on abortions, including the TACs, in its R v.

Morgentaler decision. With the decriminalization of abortion, Canada is one of the only countries in the world without a law restricting the procedure.

“There isn’t a law in Canada. Since the R v. Morgentaler [decision], there is no legal document surrounding abortion saying when can a woman abort—there’s nothing like that.

It’s between a woman and her doctor,” Desilets said. “You know, it didn’t happen overnight. There were fights and there were struggles, but for a long time now it has been accessible for women in most provinces, particularly in Quebec, which has, I would say, the most points of access in the entire world.”

In addition to being Morgentaler’s home base, Quebec also had a powerful feminist movement and political support in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Today, there are over 50 points of service in the province, according to Desilets, largely as a result of these factors. However, like many services in Canada, there still exists an accessibility gap between urban and rural regions. Moreover, issues of misinformation and procedure choice in Canada are still germane.

“I think a lot of people, when they first start learning about abortion trends, are surprised to learn how common it is,” Austin said.

While abortion rates are declining in the U.S., according the Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 30 per cent of American women will have an abortion by age 45. Yet, it is difficult to make these kinds of statements in the Canadian context, as the States has much more robust data collection requirements.

Munro works on the national Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART) at UBC, in Vancouver, and uses data on abortion rates for her research on patientcentred interventions.

“Approximately 31 per cent of Canadians will have

an abortion in their lifetime,” Munro said. “This data comes from Statistics Canada, but the estimate may be low for two reasons. First, people may underreport their personal history of abortion at the time they are seeking one. Second, Statistics Canada does not capture data for approximately 10 per cent of abortions.”

Not all abortions are reported in official data collection.

Clinics, as opposed to hospitals, are not required to disclose the number of abortions they perform. In Quebec, the majority of abortions are performed in freestanding clinics, or CLSCs. As a result, the statistics gathered by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) are woefully inaccurate.

Moreover, medical abortions are not included in CIHI’s official data count.

Medical abortions refer to a combination of medications a person can take to terminate a pregnancy. While medical abortions are available in over 60 countries worldwide, Myfegymiso (mifepristone), also known as RU-486, has only recently been approved by Health Canada, after spending nearly three years in the approval process. As of January 2017, Myfegymiso is available in only a few provinces—not including Quebec, despite its listing on the World Health Organization’s index of essential medicines.

“I think women need to know that it’s not just a pill that magically makes a pregnancy go away,” Desilets cautioned. “[But] it’s going to help women all over Canada in terms of access, especially in the rural regions and it’s going to provide women with another option.”

While many women experience considerable sideeffects after taking the “abortion pill,” it is a vital service— especially for women who are in the early stages of pregnancy or women who have difficulties accessing a clinic.

Many medical professionals and consumers have criticized Canada’s slow adoption of the drug and its uncoordinated efforts to release it.

“Governments can support abortion access by making it easy for family physicians to offer medical abortion,” Munro said. “The way the drug has been rolled out has caused confusion in the medical community about where to get the training, how to order the drug from the manufacturer, and how the drug is covered by health care plans.”

Melissa Fuller, founding member of the newly-formed Montreal Abortion Access Project (MAAP), explained that while abortion may be accessible on an institutional level, there is still room for improvement when it comes to enhancing an individual’s experience and access to information.

“While abortion is accessible in the sense that it is covered by RAMQ [Quebec Health Insurance Plan], and

Abortions in Canada and Quebec

there are several public and private sites in the city, there are many misconceptions about access and abortion procedures,” Fuller explained. “Too much [responsibility] is put on the individual to inform themselves.”

Without a centralized resource, public information can be hard to find, making it difficult for women to make an informed decision on where to go and what to expect.

Furthermore, for individuals who are in Quebec, but aren’t covered by RAMQ, Fuller explained that it can be really difficult to locate the needed resources. MAAP seeks to address these issues by offering education and information on rights to access, abortion providers and procedures, and support before, during, and after an abortion at no cost.

Fuller highlights that it is easy to lose sight of the individual in these discussions. Listening to people’s experiences and finding space to talk about abortion is critical for furthering the dialogue and promoting a culture for freedom of choice.

“Conversations about abortions tend to get stuck in the hypothetical, which often means failing to see or make space for the people who have direct experience with abortion,” Fuller said. “I think a great place to start is working on the stigma that continues to be associated with abortion.”

Despite these challenges, the state of abortion access in Canada does not face the same kind of existential threat that is prevalent in the U.S..

“I don’t see how we could go back in terms of access and in terms of care,” Desilets said. “So, issues surrounding abortions are going to pop up, but I think we have the political, institutional, and societal support to make sure that nothing makes us regress with the rights that we have achieved.”

Nevertheless, the dialogue on abortion, in the context of women’s health and right to choose, has many opportunities to evolve. While Quebec has made a lot of progress, it can continue to serve as a model by pushing past decriminalization and onto the equally difficult process destigmatization.

If you are interested in learning more about local resources contact: The Montreal Abortion Access Project at abortioninmontreal@gmail.com The Morgentaler Clinic, as well as other abortion clinics in Montreal, provides free abortion services with a Quebec Medical Card.

The Union for Gender Empowerment, at their office in the SSMU building, has a resource library on abortion services on campus.

6 in 10 Canadians support abortion under any circumstance.

Quebec has 50 points of service for abortion care.

Abortion services are free under Quebec Health Insurance plan.

At least 31% of Canadian women will have an abortion in their lifetime.

Canada is one of the only countries without a law restricting abortion.

Infographic by Domitille Biehlmann.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

10 science & technology

Seven newly-discovered planets hold promises for life What to make of NASA’s recent announcement

is in the infrared spectrum, requiring specialized infrared telescopes to observe it.

TRAPPIST-1 stands for Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope, but the astronomers chose the acronym to match their favourite Trappist beer, made by a cloistered religious order of Catholic monks of the same name.

The Planets Seven planets orbit TRAPPIST-1.

Importantly, researchers have calculated the densities of these planets and think that they are most likely rocky and therefore potentially habitable. Three of the seven planets orbit in the “habitable zone”—an area of ideal temperature for liquid water, also known as the Goldilocks zone. All seven planets range from about Earthsized to slightly smaller.

Surprisingly, the planets were never The prospect for discovering new alien life is closer than ever before. (Daria Kiseleva / The McGill Tribune) directly observed. Instead, scientists used the Three of these seven planets are located in the “transiting method” to detect them, which Oceane Marescal “habitable zone”—not too hot, not too cold— involves measuring dips in star brightness that Contributor occur when a planet passes in front of it. and could potentially harbor life.

Here is everything you need to know about What do a beer, a Roman Catholic religious Living on these planets order, and a newly discovered planetary system the TRAPPIST system: You’d be a centenarian within 150 days. All have in common? They are all named Trappist, seven planets orbit within a range much closer The Star but only one of the three could potentially hold TRAPPIST-1 is an ultra-cool dwarf than that of Mercury around the sun. This means the key to life beyond Earth. On Feb. 22, NASA announced the groundbreaking discovery of star located in the Aquarius constellation. In that one complete orbit around TRAPPIST-1 is seven new exoplanets—planets found outside comparison to our own sun, TRAPPIST-1 is only one and a half Earth days for the closest our solar system. They rotate around a dwarf 10 times smaller and about two and a half times planet and about 20 days for the furthest one.

The sky would look pretty crowded. The star named TRAPPIST-1, located only 40 light- cooler. Instead of emitting light in the visible years (235 trillion miles) away from Earth. range, most of the radiation from TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets are all very close to each other,

which means that if you were to look up from the surface of one planet, you would be able to see several of the other planets in the sky. These would look significantly larger than our moon and you would actually be able to see clouds or geological features on the neighbouring planets.

You’d have to travel to the other side of the world to see the night sky. Researchers think that the planets are tidally locked. This means that one side of each planet is permanently facing the star. In other words, one side of the planet is constantly bathed in light and the other is perpetually plunged in darkness. One obvious consequence of tidal locking is that there would be a large temperature difference between the two sides, meaning that if life were to exist on these planets, it would most likely be found in the region between the two sides, called the “terminator line.” Another likely consequence of the temperature difference would be some drastic weather patterns, such as strong winds blowing from the day to the night side.

What’s next?

The next step for astronomers is to determine the habitability of these planets. A new NASA telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be able to detect any traces of water, methane, oxygen, ozone, and other components of a distant planet’s atmosphere. It will also be able to gather data on the planets’ temperatures and surface pressures. By 2018, astronomers might be even able to know if other habitable planets could be within reach.

Zoos: Prisons or protection?

Considering zoos in the spectrum of wildlife appreciation Emma Gillies Contributor Animal lovers everywhere can relate to the excitement and wonder associated with going to the zoo. However, many are also dismayed by the small enclosures and the often oppressed and miserable-looking animals trapped inside.

Not surprisingly, animal welfare organizations, such as PETA, have spoken out against zoos, condemning their push for profits, as well as the unnatural and depressing environment in which many animals live.

They have a point, but PETA tends to paint the issue as black and white when, in fact, the reality is far more complex.

In contrast, organizations, such as the American Humane Association (AHA), are intent on elevating the welfare standards of zoos and aquariums worldwide. While the AHA acknowledge the problems in the system and the existence of notorious “bad actors,” like roadside zoos, they claim that, in general, zoos “ultimately enrich and protect the lives of animals.”

Dr. Jonathan Davies, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Biology, explained that it’s important to remember that life in captivity doesn’t impact all species equally.

“Invertebrates might be largely unaware they are in a zoo; whereas large vertebrates, especially primates, may suffer disproportionately,” Davies wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

Davies said that zoos may benefit

individual animals, such as those rescued from private collectors or those injured in the wild that are no longer able to survive by themselves. In addition, zoos act as hubs for important research and can aid in captive breeding programs that increase the

extinction. The Biodome in Montreal is involved in numerous research projects, ranging from the conservation of the golden lion tamarin in Brazil to the creation of a network of acoustic inventories of Quebec bats.

While zoos offer opportunities for us to engage with wildlife, it is important to consider the welfare of the animals.

(Alissa Zilber / The McGill Tribune)

population numbers for reintroduction to the wild.

Captive breeding programs have saved numerous species, like the European bison, the red wolf, and the Arabian Oryx, from

Still, most animals in zoos are not endangered and captive breeding programs are often not very successful. This is partially due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to release species back into the wild.

Some argue that the money used for merchandise and enclosure renovations might be better spent on protection efforts in the wild. Zoos often seem to place economic gain and entertainment above the welfare of the animals. “[Zoos] can give the impression that animals can be treated as commodities and that their purpose is our entertainment,” Davies said.

The suffering of individual species that are sensitive to captive environments is also an apparent shortcoming.

“Some species should perhaps never be kept in captivity,” Davies said. “Zoos should never be seen as an alternative to preserving the natural environment.”

Extremely social animals, such as elephants and primates, as well as ones that roam, such as polar bears, do not do well in captivity. Great white sharks simply refuse to eat–the record length of time that a great white has been kept in captivity is only 44 days.

Still, zoos can instill a desire to help preserve biological diversity and connect people to the natural environment, albeit in artificial settings. Beyond zoos, it’s important to remember that the natural world has more potential for wildlife education, research, and conservation.

“You can think of a spectrum from books with pictures and wildlife documentaries, through natural history museums to wildlife safaris and the game parks of Africa, and finally to ecotourism that can allow us to see species in the wild,” Davies said.

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Concordia Write Nights: Solidarity in creative writing Finding inspiration in unlikely places

Flaminia Cooper Staff Writer Inspiration can come from anywhere, and Concordia Write Nights aim to help writers access it. The student-founded group organizes workshops, events, and writing groups in a variety of unusual locations across Montreal for anyone looking to develop their writing.

Started by the Students’ Association for Graduates in English (SAGE) at Concordia University in 2015, Write Nights allow writers to work in each others’ presence while drawing creativity from an unconventional environment, such as a museum or historical site. At any given event, attendees’ level of participation with the group is left completely up to them; writers have the choice to work in solitude and silence, or to engage with other writers and seek out constructive criticism on their work.

According to Liam McKenzie, a Master’s student in Creative Writing at Concordia University and an organizer of the Write Nights, one of the goals behind the event series is to push local writers out of the comfort of their writing routines, and, in turn, mitigate their creative block. The offbeat locations where these events are held provide a respite from the usual spots in which many writers tend to work, like libraries and offices, which can grow stale with time, and negatively affect their writing.

“I always want to write different things,” McKenzie said. “So, if I’m always writing in the same places, I’ll probably end up writing stories that have already been written in a way [and] it misses a lot of the senses.”

Concordia Write Nights strive to bring local writers out of their routine working environments.

(Cordelia Cho / The McGill Tribune) On Feb. 19, Write Nights spent the afternoon through the atypical writing spaces, Write Nights in Crew Cafe, a historic bank-turned-coffee shop in aim to bring the writing community together. the Old Port. Known as a beautiful and productive Writing can be an isolating activity, but these space with chandeliers hanging from incredibly events make the practice more social, even without high ceilings, McKenzie chose this place for its pressuring attendees into active conversation. In unique design, rich history, and dual use as a coffee turn, the event creates a feeling of mutual support for those who are passionate about creative writing. shop and workspace.

“It’s an interesting dynamic because you “I’m interested in how settings affect what we write if we’re trying to do stuff that’s not don’t really know how many people are in these conventional,” McKenzie said. “There’s a norm [events] with me unless they specifically come that to write you need to read and sit in quiet spaces up and talk to me,” McKenzie said. “A lot of and I disagree with that. To me, the writing will people are wanting to write on their own. It’s like come out very visual if you’re [just] sitting and a community, but not necessarily everybody [has] looking, [...] but [there is] rarely sound and smell to work with each other and talk. So, it’s like the and taste. I think those are really important things. introverted sensibilities of writers really, in the And like in a cafe, I’m very aware of [these other group settings.”

While remaining inclusive for all personality senses].”

In addition to unlocking potential inspiration types, Write Nights also hopes to make the practice

of writing more accessible to anyone in Montreal looking to write, not just writing students or published writers.

“There’s like an idea that if you don’t identify as a writer you can’t write,” McKenzie said. “[I think this] is wrong, so [Write Nights] is to open up the space in playful areas rather than writing alone.”

Making these events accessible socially is one thing, but inclusivity also means choosing spaces that are easy to access for those with disabilities.

In planning the most recent event, McKenzie was worried about the amount of stairs in Crew Cafe, and how it could prevent writers with physical limitations from attending. Thus, for the next event, which occurred in the Biodome on March 5, he made sure it was handicap-friendly to allow access for those who needed it.

Alongside Write Nights, SAGE holds writing workshops several times a month, covering topics ranging from the whimsical and creative, such as lyric writing, to the logistical, such as how to get work published.

Furthermore, SAGE creates its own chapbook—a small paperback of approximately 30 pages—which publishes the pieces that have been written during the Write Nights. They are currently taking submissions, providing a publishing opportunity for aspiring writers, as well as cash prizes. This allows writers who struggle to get their work published to reach a larger audience.

Whether it’s through workshops or writing groups held in original spaces throughout the city, Concordia Write Nights provides writers of all backgrounds a creative outlet in which to open their writing to new sources of inspiration.

The rise of ‘self-care’ in the age of high-stress

Is it as simple as a face-mask? How some McGill students are interpreting the trend

Grace Bahler Contributor

Arising out of a culture that values self-love and depreciation of stress, the concept of “self-care” is vast and multifaceted. Though there are a myriad of ways to interpret and implement the practice, one common theme underlies them all—a notion of breaking away from stress and sadness to find comfort, peace, and happiness in something.

Under the umbrella of self-care are various interpretations that manifest in popular philosophies. Among them is the “treat-yo-self” trend, originating from NBC’s Parks and Recreation.

This emerging lifestyle is one of occasional indulgence, in which the cure to stress and sadness can be found by simply spending some money.

Whether it’s getting brunch with friends, buying a nice leather jacket, or booking a vacation, the treat-yo-self mantra dictates that everyone deserves a treat, and often, after forking over some cash.

However one may go about selfcare, there are loads of mechanisms for de-stressing from which to choose. This is the age of bath-bombs and facemasks, vino and chocolate, and candles and comfort. Yet one can’t help but wonder, is self-care really as simple as a trip to the spa, or as superficial as a face-mask?

Though material items have their perks, the self-care movement seems to give them a great deal of central importance.

This begs the question: What do scented candles and nail polish do for mental health, given that one can afford them?

Melissa Montana, U2 Arts, is one among many students who incorporate a self-care routine into their lives. A fan of the treat-yo-self philosophy, she views self-care as finding a balance between a demanding academic life and staying physically and mentally healthy.

Even so, she affirms the importance of occasional extravagance, enjoying her share of bath-bombs and restful nights.

“Self-care means knowing that doing well in school is important, but also making sure that you take time for yourself,” Montana said. “Take those bubble-baths and listen to Beyoncé and do the things that bring you back down to earth.”

Montana is a strong advocate of allocating time just for oneself—a pertinent part of self-care—and she often spends that precious time in the gym or reading a book before bed. To her, taking care and loving oneself is about working in moderation, while leaving room for a sprinkle of indulgence in her routine.

“It’s the little things, the little pickme-ups [that matter most],” Montana said. “You don’t need to do the whole, ‘I’m engaging in self-care’ [thing because] it’s the little things that make you happy.”

Like Montana, Ben Cantor-

Adams, U2 Arts, also believes the little things really are part of the bigger picture. Being happy and healthy are the cornerstones of his own self-care practice. Instead of treating self-care as an indulgence, he focuses on cultivating sustainable and small routines, like adequate hydration, a healthy diet, and getting as much rest as he can.

Cantor-Adams’ practice is unique, as it strays away from the pressure to spend money to be happy. Often, material goods are portrayed as essential to self-care, which poses an unrealistic financial burden for many who seek mental wellness outlets. Cantor-Adams focuses on managing his time and maintaining a realistic workload to achieve both strong mental health and academic success.

“For me, it’s mainly about knowing my own limits and trying to respect those limits while also getting work done,” Cantor-Adams said. “I guess the way that I practice self-care is to always make sure that I’m keeping track of how much time it realistically takes me to do things, and making sure that I have enough time for everything that I’m trying to do.”

As a university student, CantorAdams values his time. Like every undergraduate student at McGill, he is often inundated with papers and tests, barely finding the time for a regular shower and enough sleep.

With the rise of self-care rhetoric, students find value in different routines.

(Erica Stefano / The McGill Tribune) “Something that I’ve learned, The fact that it is so novel to do so says being in university, is that time is a lot about the pressures of university everything and everything takes time,” life, in which mental health and levels Cantor-Adams said. “[…] It’s not of happiness are often eclipsed by necessarily how you spend the time, academic pressures and life stressors. it’s that you’re taking that time to Yet self-care offers a respite from these relax, to do something you enjoy, to do and other lows of life, serving as a something that’s not necessarily work or unique glimpse into the good. a source of stress. It’s letting yourself do Though self-care practices can be things that feel good without necessarily valuable for maintaining good mental feeling bad about it.”

The rise in this love-yourself health, this is not a substitute for formal and treat-yo-self rhetoric is only the treatment, such as therapy or medication. beginning of the self-care sensation—in To find out more about mental health a stressful university environment and services available on campus, visit the a seemingly eternally-cold northern McGill University Health Centre at climate—taking time for oneself is www.muhc.ca, or the Peer Support essential to creating a balanced life. Centre at www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/psc/.

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Viewpoint: Nuit Blanche

A first-timer’s look at the annual arts festival

Janine Xu Contributor Every winter, the streets of Quartier des Spectacles in downtown Montreal light up in celebration of Montreal en Lumière, one of the largest winter festivals in the world. The festival began in 2000 as a way of introducing people to Montreal’s winter scene. Combining performance art, gastronomy, unique art exhibits, and familyfriendly activities, Montreal en Lumière showcases the best of Montreal’s diverse culture over twoweeks. Nuit Blanche, which literally translates to “White Night,” is a night-time festival that wraps up Montreal en Lumière each year. On March 4, over 200 events occurred in tandem in many different locations around the city, sending a pulse of energy through Montreal’s already bustling nightlife for the evening.

Despite the sub-zero temperatures and chilly winds blowing in my face, I was determined to make the most of Nuit Blanche. I started off the night at Atrium le 1000, an indoor skating rink inside the building 1000 de la Gauchetiere.

Although I hadn’t skated in nearly eight years, and the prospect of going on the ice was daunting, I squeezed on my skates and made my way to the ice. The rink was lit up in hues of neon light— bright greens, pinks, and blues and, combined with the Beatles music playing overhead, the setup

resembled a retro roller skating rink.

The actual skating part was difficult at first but I found myself more enthralled watching the people who were on the ice on a Saturday night. A mix of teenagers, young children with their parents, and couples were skating around in circles under the bright lights. This diversity gave the arena a very welcoming feeling, pointing to Nuit Blanche’s unique ability to bring out many different demographics on this singular winter night. Not long after I found my balance, the rink became incredibly full, which I took as my cue to move on to my next stop for the evening.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was my next destination. It hosted a stained glass workshop inspired by the museum’s current main exhibit, Marc Chagall’s Colour and Music, a multidisciplinary exhibit heavily influenced by Russian music and folklore. The workshop took on an arts and crafts approach, giving people the freedom to paint their own makeshift stained glass using plastic film and acrylic paints. The stained glass workshop included a free vodka and pretzeltasting session, as well as live jazz performances.

Although the lineups were incredibly long— especially for the vodka—the mood was festive.

With the jazz ensemble playing in the background, people in line danced along to the music. While was fun, what was notably missing from the evening was an educational aspect, and I left with a

Every year, the festivities of Nuit Blanche summon Montrealers into the winter night. (Liam Kirkpatrick / The McGill Tribune) desire for more information on how stained-glass is actually created.

I ended the night at Place des Festivals, an outdoor area that hosted many different activities.

The area was full of attendees: Crowds danced to EDM, waited in line for the ferris wheel, and sipped coffee inside the warmth of tents. The winter weather encouraged a communal atmosphere among the festival’s attendees, as people crowded around fire pits with sausages and marshmallows to roast over the open fire. I enjoyed chocolate stuffed

waffles from a food truck with hot chocolate, and suddenly the cold didn’t seem so biting anymore.

Despite the chilly weather and long lineups, my first Nuit Blanche experience was incredibly interesting, and I left feeling a stronger sense of community with fellow Montreal residents.

I got to see a fun, artistic, and cultural side of Montreal, meeting new people at each of the events I attended. The one downside is that it only occurs once a year—now all that’s left is to wait for next winter.

Cafes that are actually conducive to studying: Plateau edition Four cafes and their potential as study spaces

(Flaminia Cooper / The McGill Tribune)

(Flaminia Cooper / The McGill Tribune)

(Flaminia Cooper / The McGill Tribune)

Catherine Morrison Contributor

music, can make dense textbook pages seem less dreadful. The counter space along the window is large enough to allow you to spread out your work in front of you. Overall, this is a great café, but because it faces a portion of Avenue Duluth that becomes rather isolated in the winter, I found the atmosphere a bit too quiet and uncomfortable.

Yelp rating: 4/5 Tribune rating: 4/5

the window to make any type of worker feel comfortable regardless. While window seats can be distracting for those who tend to lose focus on their books by what’s going on outside, it is perfect for those who like to work in sunlight.

Yelp rating: 4/5 Tribune rating: 5/5

With Montreal’s abundance of cafés, it can be extremely difficult to pick one to go to in order to get some studying done. As it is always frustrating to get to a café only to discover it is not the kind of atmosphere in which you work best, The McGill Tribune has compiled another short guide to cafés for people of all different study styles—this time, in the Plateau area.

Café Barcelona:

Address: 80 Avenue Duluth E This Spanish-inspired café is an ideal place to dive into your books during midterms. Located on the pleasant Avenue Duluth, this café is not too busy, making for a calm atmosphere that is great for a long day of intense studying. Barcelona Bar Espresso has strong Wi-Fi, large tables, and many power outlets spread across the space to ensure a steady laptop charge for a full day of studying.

This spot serves reasonably-priced home-brewed coffee ranging from two to four dollars. Their food menu includes substantive meals to keep you going all day, with traditional spanish dishes such as spanish omelettes, pan con tomate y tortilla, soups, and sandwiches. The price range for food is closer to $10, which can be a bit expensive for a student budget, especially when you’re tempted to taste from their wide range of delicious options.

This study spot is perfect for working on readings, as sitting at the benchside window provides a nice view that, when paired with some relaxing

Café Névé:

Address: 151 Rue Rachel E Upon entering Café Névé, you will undoubtedly feel welcomed by the friendly staff, relaxing ambient music, and the scent of coffee and toast. Because this café is located on the bustling Rue Rachel, it is a pretty busy spot, filled with the sounds of coffee machines and people. Buzzing with energy, this café might not be ideal for intense work that requires heavy focus, like essay-writing, and is a better choice for doing lighter work, such as sending emails or reading short articles.

Though Névé is known by locals for its avocado toast, nutella lattes, and cookies, with food options ranging from eight to twelve dollars, this café has a full, diverse menu that also includes banh-mi sandwiches and large salads to keep you energized and focused all day. As this café does not have many outlets, you should make sure to charge your laptop and phone before going or print out your work in case your computer dies. However, the café has Wi-Fi and many different seating options such as sofas, large tables and counter seats against

Café Myriade:

Address: 4627 Rue St-Denis Although it is located right on the bustling Rue St-Denis, Café Myriade maintains a very calm environment. With good lighting and many large tables allowing you to spread your books and devices out, this is the ideal spot to settle down with your books and do some studying. This café also has fast internet and many outlets, making it perfect for spending the day doing the research and writing for an essay. With lots of small pastries, such as banana bread, vegan muffins, and croissants and reasonably priced coffee ranging from two to four dollars, this café is good for a quick bite. Yet, Myriade’s menu does not include many full meals, which could leave visitors running on empty after a few hours of work there.

Although this café has all the amenities to keep those who like studying in silence focused all day, it was not my cup of tea, as I found the quiet atmosphere too harsh. However, this café earns bonus points for its patio, ideal for doing readings once the weather warms up.

Yelp rating: 4/5 Tribune rating: 3/5

(Hannah Taylor / The McGill Tribune)

Cafe Plume:

Address: 123 Avenue Mont-Royal W. Overlooking Parc Jeanne-Mance, this café provides a cozy atmosphere with bright lighting and calming music to make even the toughest assignments seem manageable. The counter seats by the window provide a great view of Avenue Mont-Royal while studying, but these fill up quickly throughout the day, so it is wise to arrive early to grab one. Café Plume has the widest variety of coffee drinks among this selection, all ranging from two to five dollars, as well as filling meal options, such as soups, Fairmount bagels, and their own local favourite fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

Along with its cute window seats, outlets, and speedy internet throughout the café, which makes this spot great for doing online research, sending emails, and other Internet-heavy work.

However, the tables are all pretty small, which can feel constricting. In addition, on weekends, laptops are only allowed at the counter seating at the front of the café, so I would advise bringing a pen, paper, and print-outs of your readings in case it’s busy.

Yelp rating: 4.5/5 Tribune rating: 4/5 No matter where you choose to get your studying done, it’s always a good idea to get out and explore your neighbourhood establishments; you may discover some of the hidden gems that the Plateau, and Montreal, have to offer.

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Meaning through movement: McGill’s Alegria Contemporary Ballet Company puts on multimedia performance Calvin Trottier-Chi News Editor

To think of dance purely as footwork is to underestimate the scope of the expression.

To dance is to move, and to move can be interpreted in a variety of ways. On Feb. 23, the Alegria Contemporary Ballet Company, the only one of its kind at McGill, presented MOVE, a collaboration between fine artists, dancers, and even audience members.

Alegria’s project stretched the bounds of dance, as the participating philosophers explored the meaning of movement.

Representative of the informal connections among members of the art community at McGill, five local artists (Sarah Ballentine, Flloral, Alissa Zilber, Olivia McFarlane, and Sivan Rotchin) had previously been invited to interpret Alegria rehearsals. Rapt in the tireless practice and echoing the personal approach that Alegria seeks to cultivate, each artist drew unique inspiration from the dances. The ballet company acted both as the muse and the audience, as MOVE marked their first time seeing the artists’ products.

Paintings and multimedia art pieces were displayed around the room, with audience members and Alegria dancers free to move around. The dancers were quick to incorporate the artistry into their work.

Of particular interest were several hanging shrouds of blush-coloured fabric, with Alegria

performers using them as props—entwining with them as they danced. Conceptualized by Ballentine, these veils represented the gentle flow of dance. At one end of the room stood a pair of paintings in shades of red, alongside graphic instructions for dancing “The Bunny Hop.” At the other end, works of art included streamlined dashes of Japanese ink, a surprise appearance of Spirited Away character “No Face,” and a series of black-and-white stills of the dancers performing—their black leotards sharply contrasted their paler skin while pictured in increasingly contorted positions.

Although MOVE was an interdisciplinary and interactive experience, the dance performance was the main event of the night.

The dancers improvised, taking to the stage in the spur of the movement. There was no formal schedule or announcements. The start of each performance was signaled by a hush falling over the room. In turn, the dancers treated the entire room as their stage, through which audience members were free to roam around as they wished.

Although they regularly mingled with the spectators throughout the evening, the performers demonstrated unshakable concentration during their routines. Some played off one another others formed their own path; some moved in a precise, calculated fashion; others were more sporadic. All moved with a consistent personal narrative.

Having been thoroughly inspired, by the end even audience members were moving in tune

(onionstatic.com)

Alegria’s dancers spontaneously improvised their moves, incorporating individual stylistic elements. (Calvin Trottier-Chi / The McGill Tribune) alongside the company.

Overall, the occasion conveyed a surreal atmosphere. Artists and dancers emanated grace, and the individual parts smoothly came together. Alegria Director Eden Schwartz felt that MOVE accomplished its goals of hosting an innovative performance and inspiring

participants.

“As I walked around the gallery I heard people talking about the art and movement and dance,” Schwartz said. “[....] I truly hope that everyone there, those who consider themselves artists and those who don’t, were inspired to go out and create!”

The Atwater Poetry Project ‘tells the truth’ through poetry Avleen K Mokha Contributor Most people rarely experience poetry outside of educational contexts—an AP Literature course in high school or a mandatory poetics course taken to fulfill requirements at university. The Atwater Poetry Project is changing that, just three metro stops from campus. Founded 14 years ago by poet and translator Oana Avasilichioaei, the initiative was a joint collaboration between her and the Atwater Library. Now, the 2017 season opens, with Coordinator Deena Radford leading the way.

“This [effort] is to bring poetry from Montreal and Canada to the neighbourhood,” said Radford. The sessions offer a means for poets to present their work in front of an audience.

Readings are held monthly at the Atwater Library at 7:00 p.m. and feature two or three poets in one evening. After the readings are over, the floor is opened for a Q&A with the audience.

Radford elaborated on her choice of picking which artists to feature.

“It’s a really fun process. There’s a mix [...] of ways in which I try to seek out poetry,” Radford said. “There were ongoing conversations with the previous coordinator and other poets. I would bring those people in, and then from my personal reading of poetry and from conversations with people who attended, I gathered suggestions.”

The 2017 lineup is noticeably diverse.

The Atwater Poetry Project’s lineup is notably diverse. (Cordelia Cho / The McGill Tribune) The speakers for this year’s inaugural season, held on Feb. 23, were Gwen Benaway, a Two-Spirited Trans poet from Huron County, and Adebe DeRangoAdem, a mixed-race poet from Toronto.

Both poets presented work deeply influenced by their personal experiences, covering themes such as lost love, the desire to belong, and the desire to change.

“I feel it’s important to bring in different kinds of poets from different genres and different communities,” Radford commented. “I feel that artists and poets do important work in often talking about issues more intimately than is discussed in popular media or popular

culture. We look towards artists for inspiration, for salvation, for all kinds of reasons. I think it’s really exciting to hear about a range of people’s experience.”

The Atwater Poetry Project prioritizes accessibility. The venue is a block away from the metro station, and the public is encouraged to attend.

“It’s a real gift, [...] an offering to the community,” Radford said. “There’s always work to be done to spread the word.”

In a time of unprecedented political instability, poet DeRango-Adem feels strongly about defining the need for poetry.

“My main challenge is consistency [.... to] carve out time for writing. To make it sanctuary time,” she said.

Benaway also stressed the spiritual aspect of poetry.

“Writing poetry is not just cathartic, but rather an exercise in prayer,” Benaway said. “When I repeat a poem at multiple locations, it becomes a mantra. That’s the powerful thing about poetry, its connection to meditation and framing in language.”

Both poets also emphasized that poetry must be truthful to its inspiration, whether it be a personal dilemma or a social injustice. Benaway referred to a quote by Adrienne Rich: “When a woman tells the truth, she creates the possibility for more truth around her.”

“I think in life and poetry, we have to make space for more truth,” Benaway explained. “So, that’s what I always try to do when I go on stage, to try and tell the truth.”

While ‘fake news’ already seems to have become the buzzword of the year, the Atwater Poetry Project provides a vital authenticity. Its sessions are accessible and aim to foster communication between artists and the public. “[It’s] truly a place where we can listen to and celebrate what artists have to say,” Benaway said.

The upcoming session will feature readings by Kelly Norah Drukker and Carolyne Van Der Meer, and will be held on March 23 at 7 pm at the Atwater Library and Computer Centre.

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Cinema du Parc gives back to the community Jordan Foy Contributor Cinéma du Parc is a small theatre, tucked away in the lower levels of the Galeries du Parc mall, but once in the shopping complex it is hard to miss. Its movie posters decorate the mall walls and the delicious smell of popcorn often wafts its way up to shoppers. Upon entry, one is immediately pleased by the look of the cozy theatre, and at a glance it seems as if the establishment is simply a cute cinema that showcases independent films.

Jean-François Lamarche acts as the assistantdirector general and director of programming at Cinema du Parc. Lamarche elaborated on the history of the theatre, and its community-oriented mission.

“The base of our philosophy and our mission [is that] we are a social economy. [We’re] really about giving back to the community and to our employees,” explained Lamarche.

Beyond simply showcasing newly released films, Cinema du Parc offers opportunities for community involvement in the form of festivals and educational documentary screenings.

The theatre was constructed at the same time as Galeries du Parc in 1977. According to Lamarche, the theatre drew in customers for a very different reason back then.

“It was officially the first multiplex [in Montreal]. Before that, the theatres were big halls with a thousand seats, [and Cinéma du Parc] was the first one with three screens,” Lamarche said.

“Right now, it’s the smallest theatre in [Montreal].”

Over the years, the ownership and name of the theatre changed multiple times. Originally named Cinema La Cité, the name was changed to Cinéma du Parc in the 1990s.

Today, the theatre is non-profit and showcases films from a wide variety of genres and countries.

The theatre also holds special events and festivals— such as the International Children’s Film Festival, which aims to get future filmmakers interested in the industry.

The theatre mostly shows independent films—films that are produced outside of the major film studio system and produced and distributed by independent entertainment agencies.

Of the many kinds of films shown at Cinéma du Parc, the most popular are still the bigger American productions.

“What works the [best] is the big independent American titles […] for example, right now we have La La Land, Moonlight, [and] Manchester by the Sea,” Lamarche said.

Even so, the theatre has a unique approach in showcasing these kinds of films, in that it plays movies in the language they were originally filmed in, in this case English, with French subtitles.

“The difference [between us and the] other multiplexes in Montreal showing [these kinds of films] is we have French subtitles, so we can reach out to both the English community, with the fact that the film is in its original language, and [to] the French, with French subtitles,” explained Lamarche.

Cinéma du Parc does this intentionally to respect and maintain the original film. Other films in other languages are also treated this way, and are shown in the original language, with either English or French subtitles.

On top of maintaining the originality of each film, Cinéma du Parc’s approach to film screening goes beyond the film itself. The theatre offers a more hands-on, educational experience, especially in screening documentaries.

Cinema du Parc was the first multiplex in Montreal. (Liam Kirkpatrick / The McGill Tribune) “We try to show a lot of documentaries on subjects that matter to us, and we do a lot of Q&A’s with [directors], or if we don’t have the director, sometimes we get a professional [who is knowledgable on] the subject […] do Q&A’s on certain nights,” said Lamarche.

The theatre often participates in festivals connected to cultural communities within Montreal. “If we have a Turkish film, we are going to reach out to the Turkish community,” Lamarche said, “[and] they can come and be welcome.”

Cinéma du Parc provides an environment that enhances the theatre experience, creating a place where moviegoers can congregate to enjoy and discuss films with other cinephiles.

“People can go out, and they can meet, and

talk together, and we have our employees [that] know the films and they can talk to you about [them],” Lamarche said.

In the future, the theatre aims to cater to the nightlife crowd, potentially including a small restaurant and a liquor licence so that moviegoers can enjoy a good beer with the show.

Cinéma du Parc is undoubtedly a special place in the Montreal cinematic community, and through its endeavors in food and entertainment events the theatre will continue to innovate and enhance its film-viewing experience in the years to come.

Cinéma du Parc offers a youth price of $11 for ages 18-25. On “Cheap Tuesdays” general admission is $10.

‘Get Out’ busts the post-race myth with sharp satire Dylan Adamson Contributor Jordan Peele, the comedian behind modern day classics such as “Key and Peele - Substitute Teacher” and “Key and Peele - East vs. West Coast Bowls,” caused a moderate stir last year when he announced that his directorial debut, entitled Get Out, would show him experimenting in the horror genre.

Following Peele’s action comedy Keanu (2016), Get Out, released Feb. 24, is one of the most well-crafted, genuinely unsettling, and thought-provoking horror films in the past decade.

The premise is conventional enough, but the film’s horror emerges in the racial tensions underlying everyday interactions.

A young black photographer, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), visits his white girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) parents’ country estate for a weekend. Rose’s parents are allegedly unaware of his race, and claim to be an adamantly progressive couple—Rose’s father (Bradley Whitford) repeatedly mentions his undying love for the Obama administration. Awkward moments are obligatory with any meet-the-parents situation, but as

Chris makes a series of increasingly alarming discoveries, the family’s casual racism is revealed to be something of a much more sinister variety.

This is not horror in the vein of Paranormal Activity. It doesn’t rely on slow pans, mirror tricks, or other lazy jump scare conventions to build suspense. Rather, Get Out weaves together dark humour, cutting social satire, and an inescapable, bubbling dread to place the viewer directly into the protagonist’s uncomfortable perspective.

The perpetual prospect of sudden violence being inflicted on black bodies is at the heart of

She criticizes her parents’ microaggressions, and confronts racial profiling when a cop asks for Chris’ identification after they get into a car accident—even though she is the driver. Her progressive, role in their interracial relationship is played to conspicuous perfection, giving just enough clues as to her true motives, but never revealing too much.

Get Out maintains a taut balance of suspense through to its final act, and the carnage that follows is nothing short of cathartic.

‘Get Out’ subverts slasher film tropes, delivering scares with conspicuous contraint. (jetmag.com) While conforming to the constraints of the horror genre, Peele seamlessly Get Out’s horror. The bulk of the film in the past 20 years. With the weaves in his distinct comedic movie’s satire, though, is derived added racial subtext, it’s all the voice. The scares are deployed with from the ways through which more unsettling in the post-Trayvon careful restraint, adding to the larger commentary rather than distracting racism manifests itself in everyday Martin era.

The superficiality of a “post- from it. Get Out’s mission is not to situations. Right from the opening scene, the audience is thrust into the racial” America—Get Out was make your heart pound over its 103 heightened sense of awareness and written during the Obama years—is minutes,—although it accomplishes danger that persists throughout the highlighted by Peele’s impeccable this with ease—but instead shake film. Get Out opens with a young comedic timing, but also by the up your conciousness about racism black man (Atlanta’s LaKeith two seamless performances from in America. This is not a film that Stanfield) deciphering MapQuest its leading couple. Kaluuya’s conceals social allegory beneath directions, which have led him to Chris is wary, observant, and layers of metaphor—the source of the heart of white suburbia. As a eventually filled with righteous the horror is crystal clear. Peele’s refreshingly succeeds car slowly inches up beside him, fury—effectively subverting the movie destabilizing perspective, he expresses panic, but continues slasher film trope of killing the in shocking viewers into nervously walking. This scene will black character first. Opposite him, and feel familiar to anyone who’s seen Allison Williams works wonders as understanding the horrific facade of Halloween, or any other slasher Chris’ socially conscious girlfriend. the myth of “post-race” America.

SPORTS 15

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

PK’s back, back again

The toast of the town returns to teary standing ovation André Morin Contributor Eight months after the infamous trade that sent shock and anger throughout Montreal, former Habs fan-favourite P.K. Subban returned to the Bell Centre on Thursday, March 2. Tensions between Subban and the Montreal Canadiens’ front office boiled over last June, leading the Nashville Predators and Habs to swap their marquis defencemen. The trade prompted an outcry from the Habs faithful: One season ticket holder, “Dr. CK,” was so emotional about the trade that he decided to purchase a full page ad in the Montreal Gazette with a letter thanking Subban and lambasting the Habs coaching staff and management. He explained that he would boycott all Canadiens games at the Bell Centre, except for one: When the Predators and Subban returned to Montreal.

In a tightly contested game, the Canadiens pulled out a 2-1 win with a goal in the dying seconds. The game was satisfying for every Habs fan watching around the world—they were able to see their old star shine with an assist, but not at the cost of a Canadiens’ victory.

Since Subban’s departure, Habs fans have been itching for the defenceman’s return to see what kind of reception he would receive from both the spectators and the organization. Unlike the typical booing and bashing that fans give their departed

stars, Montreal treated Subban to a hero’s welcome.

From the moment he stepped onto the ice during team warm-ups, the cheering began. After a brief tribute video, the thunderous clapping continued for the 27-year-old defenceman while he held his stick high to honour the fans, tears welling up in his eyes. His father, certainly emotional too, looked on from a private box, taking pictures of the ceremonious events.

The video tribute, the ovation, and Subban’s tears were all indications of the kind of impact he made on the fans of Montreal–a relationship few athletes have ever truly achieved. After being selected 43rd overall by the Canadiens in 2007, he quickly made a name for himself through his emphatic goal celebrations and end-to-end rushes with the puck. While his highlight reel goals and passion for the game made him a fan favourite, he was also a polarizing player, one who broke from the traditional hockey mold. Those who detested him claimed his style of play led to too many turnovers, or that he was a show-off who spoke his mind too often. It was hard to be indifferent when it came to Subban: Fans either loved him or loathed him.

Off the ice, Subban took his idol status seriously and his attachment to Montreal went beyond his play. He pledged $10 million to the Montreal Children’s Hospital in 2015. He made efforts to learn French and frequently addressed Bell Centre crowds in post-game interviews with “Bonsoir.”

He regularly spoke of the pride he felt in playing for a storied franchise, like the Canadiens, and the love he had for the city of Montreal. Seeing a player with such a passion for the city traded away was difficult for many fans. The outrcy was nothing against the other half of the deal–Shea Weber, one of the best defencemen in the league. Rather, it stemmed from the adoration Habs fans had for the charismatic young P.K. Eight months after being traded, Subban’s return to Montreal emphasized that neither the team nor its fans have forgotten his accomplishments, contributions, and commitments to the city. Subban

1.

(sportsillustrated.com) holds a special place in the Montreal Canadiens’ history. There’s no doubt that some fans, like Dr. CK, are still upset about the trade. But when the Habs are playing well, hockey fans in Montreal are willing to watch games regardless of whether P.K. is there or not.

That’s because no matter who is on the team, the most important thing is winning. As much as this city loves Subban and cares about his success, the team is doing well without him. After all, the Canadiens are still currently first in the Atlantic Division and Weber is third in team scoring with 15 goals and 38 points.

5.

The Detroit Tigers traded a half-dozen prospects to the Florida Marlins for future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera. In his nine years in Detroit, he has continued to belt home runs and became the first player to win the prestigious triple crown—leading the league in RBI’s, batting average, and home runs—since 1968.

On Feb. 10, 2000, the Seattle Mariners sent Ken “The Kid” Griffey Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds for four mid-level assets. During his 11year reign in Seattle, “The Kid” won 10 Gold Gloves, made 10 All-Star appearances, took home seven Silver Slugger awards, and was named the 1997 AL MVP.

8.

After he led the Edmonton Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup in five years, the team traded the Great One—Wayne Gretzky—to the Los Angeles Kings on August 9, 1988, reshaping the NHL hierarchy.

(sportsillutrated.com)

10 Things: Trades Wasif Husain Contributor

(amazonaws.com)

2.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ acquisition of legend Wilt Chamberlain in 1965 set the stage for many classic matchups against the Boston Celtics. He was added to a star-studded roster built to go head to head against the Celtics, changing the course of the Lakers franchise forever while losing only three insignificant players to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange.

With the passing of the NBA and NHL trade deadlines, along with the NFL’s new league year, here are ten trades that changed their sports’ landscapes.

3.

After wearing out his welcome in Minnesota, the Vikings deemed wide receiver Randy Moss moveable for a top-10 pick in the draft from the Oakland Raiders. Moss ended up disappointing in Oakland before being shipped off the to New England Patriots in 2007.

4.

In 1965, the Reds made the mistake of trading future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for three insignificant players. In 1966, the outfielder was named World Series MVP en route to leading Baltimore to its first-ever championship. He was also named AL MVP after winning the Triple Crown batting title in 1966.

6.

The Lakers acquired yet another Hall of Famer in 1975 when they traded a package of four irrelevant players for Kareem AbdulJabar and Walk Wesley from the Milwaukee Bucks. Abdul-Jabbar was already a superstar and had led the Bucks to the team’s only title in 1971. Milwaukee’s loss was L.A.’s gain: The Hall of Fame centre spent the next 14 seasons there and led the Lakers to five NBA titles.

7.

The Hartford Whalers traded away three-time All-Star Ron Francis, sending their star centre to the Pittsburgh Penguins with just 14 games left in the 1990-91 season. While in Pittsburg, he helped lead the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

(sportsillustrated.com)

9.

Goaltender Patrick Roy’s split from the Montreal Canadiens sent shockwaves through the NHL. After letting in nine goals in an infamous 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Roy told the Canadiens he would never play for them again.

He was then traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he won another two Stanley Cups.

10.

The Indianapolis Colts’ acquisition of Eric Dickerson, one of the most lethal running backs in NFL history, from the L.A. Rams shocked the world. The stud ball carrier was traded in a three team, four player, and six draft pick deal after a contract dispute in Indianapolis.

R I T C A K P ’ S T S at Gerts

FRIDAY MARCH 17 DOORS OPEN 10AM

SPECIAL GUEST DJ GIVEAWAYS & DRINKS

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GERTS’ SPECIALS

Boissons mélangés avec Tequila à 2$ $2 Tequila Drinks Steins toute la soirée à 7,50$ Steins All Night $7.50

PBR Tallboys à 3$ PBR Tallboys $3 Bouteilles à 3$ Bottles $3

Pichets de Sangria à 12$ (avant 20h) Pitchers of Sangria $12 (before 8pm) Pichets de Sangria à 14$ (après 20h) Pitchers of Sangria $14 (after 8pm)

(TNT)

Boissons mélangées, demi-pintes, et shots à 3$ Mixed drinks, half pints, and shots $3

Pichets de bière en fut domestique à 10$ Pitchers of domestic draft beer $10

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