McGill Tribune Vol. 38 Issue 15 by The Tribune

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 | VOL. 38 | ISSUE 15

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

Keeping Montreal’s transportation on the track to accessibility

Pipelines, blockades, and sovereignty

PG. 5

PGs. 8-9

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

SPORTS Martlet basketball falls short against Concordia PG. 16 (Gabe Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

Arisha Khan named McGill’s 145th Rhodes Scholar for Youth Welfare Advocacy

PG. 3

McGill misses provincial deadline for sexual assault and violence policy Nina Russell Staff Writer The McGill administration missed the Jan. 1 deadline set by the Quebec government to adopt an updated sexual assault and violence policy. The deadline was part of Quebec’s Bill 151, which was passed in Dec. 2017 and requires all higher education institutions

to revise their sexual assault and violence policies in accordance with a new set of regulations. McGill’s Policy Against Sexual Violence was ratified in 2016 and is currently under revision to reflect the provincial government’s new requirements. As it stands, McGill’s policy fails to adhere to some of the requirements of Bill 151, such as the existence of a stand-

Local gin and geniality

At the southwest warehouse of Montreal’s star micro-distillery Cirka Distilleries, rows of awards line a public tasting counter. Cirka’s sleek website echoes this artisanal aesthetic and invites guests to peek behind the curtain by touring their space, breaking the seemingly intricate process of distillation down into simple steps. The Cirka building is an open warehouse with high

ceilings and is filled with the sweet, heady smell of gin botanicals. Weaving in between barrels and past humming machines, distiller Isabelle Rochette expertly explains the three steps of the distillation process to visitors: Cooking the grain, turning starch into fermentable sugar, and then fermentable sugar into alcohol through fermentation with yeast, and, finally, extracting and refining the alcohol. From start to finish, production takes place between three rooms; the bottling line is laid out a stone’s

with Quebec, [and], through our schedule, we’re going to look at what adjustments we need to make to be 100 per cent in agreement with the Quebec policy. In fact, we were the first to [have a policy] in 2016, so I think the journalists in some of these cases did not do the full work of really looking at the facts, but we did not miss the deadline in terms of the big policy.” PG. 3

Soup & Science: Animal edition

Cirka Distilleries welcomes visitors

Leyla Moy Contributor

alone policy and clearly-defined regulations regarding professor-student relationships. Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier denied that McGill had missed the deadline and suggested that media coverage claiming otherwise lacked nuance. “McGill had a sexual violence policy in 2016, so we didn’t miss the deadline,” Fortier said. “Our schedule didn’t work perfectly

throw from where the grain is cooked at the beginning of the process. In the back is what Rochette refers to as the ‘controlled chaos’ warehouse, which houses everything from bottles, grain, product packaging, and whiskey barrels. Whiskey needs to be aged for three years to be labelled as such in Canada—the same standard as in Scotland—and Cirka plans to release their first batch by the end of the year. PG. 7

McGill researchers discuss their fields in open sessions Kate Lord, Celia Hameury, Krithika Ragupathi, Grace Hu Contributors

At McGill’s biannual intersection of science and lunch, Redpath Museum hosted Soup and Science, providing students with a look into some of the most interesting and exciting research currently underway at the university. In a se-

ries of short, three-minute presentations last week, professors from a wide array of scientific disciplines spent their lunchtimes sharing their passion for research and describing how undergraduate students can get involved. The McGill Tribune reports on their favourite presentations. Neural cell torpedoesMonday, January 14 -

Celia Hameury In her presentation on cellular changes in the cerebellum, a section of the brain crucial for sensory coordination and motor movement, Alanna Watt, associate professor in the Department of Biology, discussed the dramatic changes scientific hypotheses can undergo over the course of experimentation and research. PG. 13

news

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Montrealers gather for the third annual Women’s March to end violence against women Marchers undeterred by below freezing temperatures Elizabeth Kearney Contributor On Jan. 19, the Manif des Femmes Montréal, or Women’s March of Montreal, returned for a third year. Despite temperatures of negative 24 degrees celsius, Montrealers gathered at Place Émilie Gamelin to participate in a rally and take a collective stand against violence towards women. The first march, held in 2017, was in a largely in response to Donald Trump’s inauguration and its impact on women’s rights globally. In 2018, the conversation shifted to the emerging #MeToo movement, focusing on those excluded from the conversation on sexual misconduct and recognizing the importance of diversity and equality within feminist movements. This year’s march continued to strive for intersectionality between movements while also expanding the discussion to include victims of domestic or systemic abuse. Sarah Barone, one of the march’s organizers, reached out to local groups that work with survivors of violence to ensure that their testimonies were heard. “At the marches this year, we will collectively put a foot down and bring awareness to the prevalence of violence in our communities,” Barone said. “We, in Montreal, are working to intersect this global discussion with our local advocacy groups, culture workers, and organizations that are out there

in our community, everyday, trying to recognize what violence is and can be.” Georgette Pascual, another organizer of the march, shared statistics about the disturbingly-high number of female victims of violence and noted the prevalence of abuse among the march’s attendees. “One out of three women experience violence in their lifetime,” Pascual said. “Raise your hand if you have been a victim of domestic or systematic violence, mental or emotional abuse, physical or verbal abuse, virtual abuse, financial abuse. Look around you. Each hand is one too many.” The Native Women’s Association suggested that participants of the march wear a red scarf to raise awareness for the disproportionate violence that indigenous women and two-spirit peoples face in Canada. An assortment of handmade signs and dozens of red scarves populated the crowd. Laura Camille Cyr, a law student at the Université de Sherbrooke, explained her decision to don a scarf. “Whilst the government says it’s trying to provide support, it’s not doing enough for these women, and, therefore, our show of solidarity today is crucial,” Cyr said. Due to the unforgiving temperatures, organizers of the march suggested postponing it until a later, warmer date. A poll on Facebook, however, showed that an overwhelming majority voted to uphold the original plan and face the cold. Explaining her decision

The Montreal Women’s March occured simultaneously with marches in Toronto,Washington, Berlin, and other cities across the world that demanded the advancement of women’s rights. (Sofie Farkas / The McGill Tribune) to march in spite of the low temperatures, Cyr expressed that women should strive for equality no matter the weather. “We constantly say to the people around us that we are providing a voice for women’s rights, but we also have to match what we say with action, and today is no exception,” Cyr said. “The least we can do is to be out here in the cold for a few hours when women’s rights are being repressed.” Reflecting on previous iterations of the

march and thinking forward to next year, Barone highlighted the importance of continuing to expand the focus to include more women who have previously been excluded from the discussion on equality. “That’s what’s great about shifting the conversation every year, you can open doors to more people in the community you didn’t know about and more people who can help us write more inclusive definitions of these words,” Barone said.

Demonstration of solidarity with Unist’ot’en camp on campus

Wet’suwet’en Nation protests the construction of a pipeline across their land Laura Oprescu News Editor Around 70 students and members of the Montreal community gathered at the Y-intersection on Jan. 14, joining tens of thousands across the country to show solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation’s fight against pipeline expansion in British Columbia (BC). Members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation have set up checkpoints along the proposed route of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which would run through the BC interior across the territory of 20

A complex legal challenge casts ambiguity over Coastal GasLink’s right to build on the proposed route. (Laura Oprescu / The McGill Tribune)

indigenous bands. One of the checkpoints, the Unist’ot’en camp, garnered significant media attention after the RCMP arrested 14 protestors at the site on Jan. 7. Although elected chiefs from the 20 bands have approved the pipeline, members of some nations have contended that this does not constitute sufficient consent from all of the indigenous peoples that will be affected by the pipeline project. Hereditary chiefs from the Wet’suwet’en Nation have publicly opposed the pipeline. Ella Martindale, co-chair of the indigenous Student Alliance (ISA) at McGill and member of the Cowichan First Nation, emphasized that the protest was a demonstration against threats to indigenous sovereignty across Canada— not just an anti-pipeline protest. “This demonstration should serve to acknowledge indigenous sovereignty over all else while standing strong against the imposed settler-colonial state that continues to cause harm to indigenous peoples and their land,” Martindale said. Tomas Jirousek, member of the Kainai First Nation in Alberta and vocal advocate for the #ChangeTheName campaign on McGill’s campus, believes that the issue of sovereignty extends beyond the pipeline. “This is about indigenous nations being sovereign,” Jirousek said. “This isn’t about a pipeline for us. This is about every indigenous nation having a right to decide for themselves, as sovereign people, as autonomous people [...] what to do with their own territories.” According to Jirousek, construction on indigenous lands without extensive consultation is a violation of consent and indigenous sovereignty. “When this country was founded, we never gave up the right to be sovereign people, to maintain our own chiefs and

councils, [or] to maintain our own ways of life,” Jirousek said. “So, this isn’t just about the pipeline. Some nations will support pipelines. Some won’t. But it isn’t for nonindigenous people to force something on us that we don’t want ourselves, and that’s what’s happening here.” Nakuset, executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal and member of the Cree First Nation in Saskatchewan, urges anyone looking into the dispute to think critically about how consultations with indigenous peoples are conducted. “What these big businesses have in mind is just meeting with a particular chief and then signing off on [the pipeline],” Nakuset said. “So, when people say ‘consultation,’ they better really look into what exactly happened at that table and who was at that table.” According to Nakuset, Coastal GasLink is not considering the impact of the pipeline on future generations. “There’s something called the seven generations, [which] is a prophecy where we don’t think about the next generation, but we think about how we’re going to keep this land in a good way for the next seven generations,” Nakuset said. “The people that want to build the pipeline are not thinking about that. They’re thinking about now and how they’re going to fill their pockets now.” Nakuset explained that a clash of values is central to the conflict between corporations like Coastal GasLink and First Nations. “Indigenous people are really concerned about the next seven generations, and this is the difference between our values as indigenous people and those that are more into the money,” Nakuset said. “The values are so completely different, and, if we don’t bow down to them, they find ways of pushing it forward.”

news

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

McGill misses provincial deadline for Arisha Khan named McGill’s 145th sexual assault and violence policy Rhodes Scholar 2016 policy received failing evaluation from sexual violence prevention group Nina Russell Staff Writer Continued from page 1. According to Our Turn, a studentled initiative to end sexual violence on university campuses, McGill’s current policy is far from sufficient. In their rating of over 60 Canadian post-secondary institutions based on criteria such as accessibility, scope, and intersectionality, McGill’s policy received a grade of C-. Its poor grade is due, in large part, to the fact that, rather than being a selfcontained document, the policy refers to other regulations, such as disciplinary procedures outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, which are not specific to sexual assault. Connor Spencer, former Vice-President (VP) External for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and national chair of Students for Consent Culture Canada, expressed disappointment with the lack of enforcement on the part of the province. In addition to McGill, L’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) and 26 of Quebec’s 48 CEGEPs have yet to provide an updated policy to the Quebec government. “There is an assumption of good faith that is not warranted on the part of the province,” Spencer said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “We actually need to implement a robust oversight mechanism to ensure that there’s a way for students to report their universities for being in violation of either provincial legislation or their university’s own policies.”

Spencer added that McGill’s failure to introduce a more comprehensive policy in spite of active student mobilization suggests a concerning trend of treating measures against sexual violence as boxes to be checked, rather than genuinely attempting to change the circumstances which allow for sexual assault to occur. “McGill’s unwillingness to engage with student criticism and concerns [...] over their policy against sexual violence [...] points to the fact that, even though supports have gotten better over the past couple of years for student survivors, [...] the underlying willingness to change the rape culture that exists on campus from upper administration is not there,” Spencer said. Yasmine Mosimann, who works for SSMU as a sexual violence mobilization and advocacy commissioner, emphasized the importance of implementing the proposed changes quickly. “I will say [that] a concrete and simple measure that McGill should be undertaking is listening to its students,” Mosimann wrote in an email to the Tribune. “It is often the case that there is a great discrepancy between the final reports and what students have said. Yes, there is a review committee in session, but these changes need to be made in real time. Individuals will face sexual and gendered violence between the January deadline and the several months it will take for the reviewed policy to be completed, presented, and voted upon, and not having a strong policy for [those students] is unacceptable.”

McGill, UQÀM, and 26 of Quebec’s 48 CEGEPs are the only Quebec institutions that have not provided updated policies in time. (ssmu.ca)

Khan awarded for her leadership in improving child protection and support policies Jacqueline Yao Staff Writer The Selection Committee for the Rhodes Global Scholarship has chosen Arisha Khan (U3 Arts) as McGill’s 145th Rhodes Scholar. Rhodes Scholarships fund at least two years of postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford and are awarded to promising young leaders motivated to tackle global challenges. Khan’s focus on the intersection between health services and child-welfare policies stems from her own experiences in the Ontario foster care system. Raised in the foster system, Khan lost financial support at the age of 18 after the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) deemed that she was not following her plan of care, a guideline developed by a child’s foster parents and OACAS to determine their future living situation, by choosing to work full-time as a high school student. According to Khan, the privatized and decentralized nature of the child protection system makes it difficult to hold accountable. “The volume-based funding model [of the Ontario foster care system] is a profit-seeking game because, instead of [providing] continued care for the young person, it becomes about keeping the youths in as long as they are making money for the [foster care] agencies,” Khan said. “There is really no way to seek recourse and justice unless you have the resources, and when you’re that vulnerable [as a foster child], you can’t.” From 2013-2016, as a high school student, Khan was an appointee on the Premier’s Council on Youth Opportunities (PCYO) where she advised the Ontario Premier and Ministry of Children and Youth Services on youth-oriented policies and programs. Since 2016, she has been the Vice-President (VP) of Youth in Care Canada, a national charitable organization that promotes a national strategy for child welfare and provides legal education for youth. “When I was on the [PCYO], I [saw] how a single line in a policy can impact so many people because it can enable [someone’s access] to a service, or it can restrict someone from accessing vital [support],” Khan said. “Youth in Care Canada is uniquely run by and for youth in care [...], and I’ll be wrapping up my work there before I go to Oxford.” While working on policy development for Ontario youth mental health systems, Khan became involved in technical policy work. At McGill, Khan pursued her interest in funding models by serving as VP Finance of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) in 2017. Khan also analyzed healthcare systems and integrated care for aging populations at the McGill Observatory on Health and Social Services Reforms under the super-

Khan will study interdisciplinary health and social policy at the University of Oxford. (Alison Gu / McGill Reporter) vision of Daniel Weinstock. Weinstock, also Khan’s program advisor, noted her resourcefulness and determination in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “When I heard that Arisha got the Rhodes Scholarship, I was not surprised at all,” Weinstock said. “She took the difficult task of coming up with her degree [Comparative Health and Social Policy] that fit her purposes and is incredibly engaged to a level that is rare even among McGill students.” Khan will enroll in the EvidenceBased Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation Master’s program at Oxford in Sept. 2019. Her thesis will focus on the impact of child protection health services. She hopes that recent publicity of her winning the Rhodes Scholarship will deter the media from underplaying what she believes are serious inadequacies in the current Canadian foster care system. “When people tell me ‘you pulled yourself up by the bootstraps,’ it’s harmful because we shouldn’t be expecting kids [in foster care] to do that,” Khan said. “[Many media outlets] just want to sell a story about the first foster kid to win [a Rhodes Scholarship], and it’s a harmful narrative because it pats the [foster care] system on the back.” In an email to the Tribune, McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier congratulated Khan on her accomplishments. “[Khan] is committed to making a positive impact on the world and to giving back to others, and has done so right here at McGill with a project aimed at offering scholarships for students from the foster care system,” Fortier wrote. “She has a strong sense of purpose, and I have no doubt that she has the qualities, commitment, and character to lead lasting change.”

news

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Former Royal Victoria Hospital reopens as an emergency homeless shelter Four Montreal homeless missions collaborate to provide warm beds Helen Wu Staff Writer As a polar vortex grips Montreal this week, the Ross Pavilion at the former Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) opened its doors on Jan. 15 as an overflow homeless shelter. Spearheaded by four Montreal homeless missions—Old Brewery Mission, Welcome Hall Mission, La Maison du Père and Accueil Bonneau—this temporary shelter will accommodate up to 80 people on cots provided by the Canadian Red Cross. Visitors are also welcome to bring their pets. and the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will be available to care for animals. Matthew Pearce, chief executive officer (CEO) and president of the Old Brewery Mission, described the overcrowding that plagues Montreal shelters during these frigid winter nights. “We have tried to accommodate the increased demand once our beds are full by letting people in anyways,” Pearce said. “We let them come in and put them wherever we can in hallways, inside the cafeteria, sleeping on the floor. We did that to avoid people

dying outside, but we found it very arduous. It was exhausting for the staff, and it was unhygienic. It was undignified and inhumane.” Sam Watts, CEO and executive director of Welcome Hall Mission, explained that the four organizations proposed an overflow facility downtown as an ideal solution to the lack of space. “We said to ourselves, ‘what if there was a facility somewhere in the downtown core that was heated and we can put beds in and that would have washrooms?’” Watts said. “If somebody can provide that for us, then we can very quickly turn around and make something happen for the needs that exist here in the city.” When the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services granted the space at the former RVH to meet the demands of the collaborating organizations, both the provincial and municipal governments agreed to fund the $228,000 project. The funds will go toward the general maintenance of the shelter, such as the cleaning services that Maison du Père will be responsible for and the day-to-day management provided by the Welcome Hall Mis-

sion. On Jan. 17, the shelter invited in the media, with Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante in attendance to comment on the importance of the project. “We take this situation seriously,” Plante said. “No one should be outside right now in the cold. Everybody deserves a roof.” The new shelter, which will be open every night of the week from 9 p.m to 7 a.m., will serve strictly as a facility to sleep in. A shuttle bus provided by the Old Brewery Mission will take clients from homeless day centres up to RVH. In the morning, the shuttles will take clients to Accueil Bonneau where they will be served breakfast. Pearce emphasized the inclusivity of the new shelter for homeless from all backgrounds. “It is open to men and women, indigenous peoples and non-indigenous peoples,” Pearce said. “It is open to transgender people. It is open to homeless people with pets. So, it is trying to catch all, including the people who don’t fit easily into the existing services.” Pearce estimates that 12,000 Montreal residents experience

The temporary shelter at RVH will accommodate 80 people. (Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) homelessness each year. For 75 to 80 per cent of this population, homelessness is only temporary. “The really problematic part of the equation is much smaller,” Pearce said. “It is only about 10 per cent that are chronically homeless, but, in a city like Montreal, we should be able to manage them. We should be able to get them housed.” Watts urges those who want to make an impact on homelessness to support the organizations that have the resources to help them find permanent housing so-

lutions. He believes that there are better ways to help the homeless than giving out spare change. “I hate speaking against basic human kindness because human kindness is something we all need,” Watts said. “But we are not helping by giving them a blanket because I don’t want him to stay on the street with a blanket. It’s not going to help [....] The real help the public can provide is to help fund the organizations that are trying to help people get out of those situations, and that’s what we encourage.”

The Tribune Explains: SSMU Budget Where the money comes from and where it goes

Jacqueline Yao Staff Writer Sometimes, while lamenting their tuition fees on Minerva, students learn that they also need to pay fees to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). Each undergraduate student pays a base membership fee, which varies according to their program and credit load, in addition to fees for the Society’s services, funding committee, insurance plans, and other miscellaneous benefits. SSMU’s General Manager Ryan Hughes, Comptroller Desmond Rodrigues, and the previous vice-president (VP) Finance Esteban Herpin drafted the 2018-2019 budget, which features a significant revenue decrease due to the University Building closure. Where does SSMU’s revenue come from? SSMU’s main source of revenue is the base membership fee paid by all undergraduate downtown campus students. The fees charged are scaled by inflation, and the overall base fee revenue depends on enrollment in the university. Due to an increase in total enrollment in Fall 2018, the projected revenue from base fees is $1,711,000 for the 2018-19 academic year, a $33,000 increase from 2017-18. Undergraduate students in the faculties of Law, Dentistry, and Medicine pay a base membership fee of $32.49 per term if they are enrolled for nine or more credits and $15.37 per term for fewer than nine credits. Students in all other programs pay $43.93 per term and $21.11 per term, respectively.

SSMU also usually generates revenue from Gert’s Campus Bar and space rentals for events in the University Building. However, with the SSMU building closure extending beyond the original Winter 2019 deadline, these sources of funding are currenlty unavailable. How are funds allocated? The majority of the base fee pays for administrative costs, which can be divided into three categories: General administration, information technology (IT), and executive administration departments. General administration expenses mostly go toward permanent staff salaries, while executive administration costs are mostly allocated to executive salaries. IT costs are mostly subscriptions for software such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Illustrator, and MailChimp. For the 2018-19 year, SSMU allocated funds toward rental fees for student clubs and services previously housed in the University Building. TV McGill, Muslim Students Association, The McGill Tribune, The Daily Publication Society, and several other students clubs, groups, and services moved into 2075 Robert Bourassa in March 2018. Starting in late January, SSMU will relocate most of them to 688 Sherbrooke, a building acquired by McGill in fall 2017, in order to save over $80,000. All other services and student clubs are now housed in 3471 Peel Street, a former MORE house. SSMU budgeted $26,000 for utilities and general maintenance for 3471 Peel Street and $275,000 for renting 2075 Robert Bourassa.

Outside of club relocation, SSMU acquired 3501 Peel Street to provide SSMU resources; SSMU will pay for the building’s mortgage principal, taxes, and interest over 20 years through its Capital Expenditures Reserve Fund (CERF). SSMU withdraws money from CERF to fund maintenance, purchase capital assets, and cover other unanticipated financial losses. SSMU events such as Faculty Olympics, Frosh, Activities Night, and Awards Banquet usually break even but may incur costs, which are then funded by the base fee. SSMU also receives sponsorships, usually from local restaurants and external companies, to bring in $25,000 in revenue to cover deficits in other programs. What do the other SSMU student fees do? SSMU services, funding committee, insurance plans, and other miscellaneous fees expire after a given period and must be renewed through referenda. SSMU services, which include Midnight Kitchen and the Black Students’ Network, are student-run groups that provide all undergraduate students with resources and support. The annual budget for each service is drafted by its members and must be approved by SSMU Council.

The Shatner Building closure has left SSMU without revenue from Gerts and space rentals.(Sabrina GirardLamas / The McGill Tribune) The funding committee levies fees to provide student groups with financial support. As few groups apply for grants such as the Environment Fund and the First-Year Fund, there is often a surplus rolls over to the next year. The funding committee also absorbs salaries for casual staff, such as club auditors and mental health commissioners. L’Alliance pour la santé étudiante au Québec (ASEQ) is a health insurance agency that provides Quebec and out-of-province students with health-care services which the provincial healthcare plan does not cover. McGill’s International Student Services, rather than SSMU, administers the Blue Cross International Student Health Plan for international students.

opinion

TUESDAY, January 22, 2019

editorial board Editor-in-Chief Marie Labrosse editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Elli Slavitch eslavitch@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Ariella Garmaise agarmaise@mcgilltribune.com Stephen Gill sgill@mcgilltribune.com Calvin Trottier-Chi ctrottier-chi@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Andras Nemeth, Caitlin Kindig & Laura Oprescu news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Keating K. Reid & Abeer Almahdi opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Katherine Lord scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Emma Carr studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Dylan Adamson features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Katia Innes & Sophie Brzozowski arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Gabe Nisker & Miya Keilin sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Arshaaq Jiffry & Erica Stefano design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Gabriel Helfant photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editor Tristan Surman multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Luya Ding webdev@mcgilltribune.com Tristan Sparks online@mcgilltribune.com

Keeping Montreal’s transportation on track to accessibility Many commuters, including students, rely on infrastructure like public transit, sidewalks, and bike lanes to get around the city. But, sometimes, infrastructure fails: On Jan. 9, three out of four metro lines were closed due to a pepper-spray incident, and, on Jan. 17, the blue line closed due to an electrical explosion in Rosemont station. Even when everything is functioning properly, access to Montreal’s transit system is inequitable, and physical and structural barriers render the city’s infrastructure inaccessible to many Montrealers. According to a study published by the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) last Feb., 65 per cent of people in the Greater Montreal Area still commute by car, a figure that is increasing as bus ridership faces a steep decline. The effect of this statistic is visible in Montreal’s intense congestion and traffic problems. That car usage is increasing while public transit remains more affordable suggests that public transit remains a less-viable option for many Montrealers, and, for some, an impossible one. One in 10 Quebecers have a physical disability, and Montreal

OFF THE BOARD

Copy Editor Melissa Langley copy@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Falah Rajput business@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Executives Declan Embury, Maharshee Karia, Sara Al Sharif ads@mcgilltribune.com Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors Abeer Almahdi, Becca Hoff, Jeeventh Kaur, Marie Labrosse, Katherine Milazzo, Daniel Minuk, Falah Rajput. Nina Russel, Kevin Vogel

staff Peter Ball, Hannibal de Pencier, Taja De Silva, Kyle Dewsnap, Owen Gibbs, Emma Gillies, Sabrina GirardLamas, Mary Keith, Sunny Kim, Sydney King, Winne Lin, Ronny, Litvack-Katzman, Ender McDuff, Gabriela McGuinty, Sofia Mikton, Nicholas Raffoul,, Nina Russell, Julia Spicer, Leo Stillinger, Bilal Virji, Kevin Vogel, Tony Wang, Helen Wu, Jacqueline Yao, Leanne Young

Contributors Sanchi Bhalla, Gareth Black, Johanna Cline, Thèo Farineau, Sofie Farkas, Keli Geers, Jonathan Giammaria, Celia Hameury, Grace Hu, Elizabeth Kearney, Océane Marescal, Paul McCann, Leyla Moy, Miguel Principe, Krithika Ragupathi, Alec Regino, Keira Seidenberg, Kaja Surborg, Janine Xu

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Marie Labrosse Editor-In-Chief In the first few sessions of every graduate seminar I’ve taken at McGill, a particular routine has unfolded without fail: The class goes around the table introducing themselves, their progress in the program, and how their research interests relate to the course. When my turn comes, I take a deep breath, and prepare myself for the plunge. “Hi, my name is Marie, I’m in the first year of my Master’s, and I’m interested in researching creation myths in post-disaster science fiction.” I exhale, winded from the length of my statement, but contented by the accompanying knowledge that I have found a place in the academic

currently does little to provide them with transport services: Only 14 out of 68 metro stations are wheelchair-accessible, and they are all on the orange line, with one at the green-orange transfer station Berri-UQÀM. The inaccessibility of other green-line stations like McGill, Peel, and Place des Arts means that McGill students with physical disabilities have few transit options for commuting to school. The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) does have some dedicated transit services, like Paratransit and busramps for wheelchair users, but these services are also unreliable, as many report faulty ramps, inefficiencies, and limited options for travel times. For example, after Montreal received 23 cm of snow on Jan. 20, the STM released a statement warning that buses may be unable to extend wheelchair ramps at usually-accessible bus stops. Montreal should look to neighbouring cities, like Toronto, which is planning on having stepfree stations by 2025. The STM’s accessibility issues are indicative of broader flaws in Montreal’s public infrastructure. Poor sidewalk snow removal and constant construction leave much of the

city beyond the reaches of those with reduced mobility. McGill’s campus is full of similar barriers due to inefficient surrounding construction, inaccessible campus buildings, and, sometimes, a lack of necessary accommodations for students. Besides increasing physical accessibility, there are other ways the system can better serve Montrealers. For example, to increase safety, metros and bus lines should run later on weekends to accommodate people who are out late: Public transit is safer than walking home alone at night. Although the chairman of the STM has said that it is ‘impossible’ to keep the metro open for 24 hours, cities like London, Copenhagen, Vienna, and New York City all have 24 hour service, at least on weekends. To improve bus ridership, the STM can focus on increasing the number of buses to relieve overcrowding on popular lines, as many commuters report waiting for up to 30 minutes for a bus empty enough for to board. The STM could also consider introducing more payment options, including debit and credit contactless tapping, or even creating an app to add money to

EDITORIAL OPUS cards. Increased investment can fix many of these problems. Building elevators, new metro lines, or increasing the number of buses all require large investments, but these are all necessary and, in the case of physical accessibility, a human rights issue. Initiatives like Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s Pink Line are crucial—albeit costly—undertakings to help commuters in the West Island and Montreal-Nord better access the city. In the meantime, commuters can do their part to make the public transit system more accessible. Going to the back of the bus, making space for people in wheelchairs to get on the bus, and giving up their seat to those who have priority all contribute to making the STM’s infrastructure a more viable transportation option for all. The inaccessibility of the public transit system is indicative of broader issues throughout Montreal’s public infrastructure, including McGill. Montreal is failing to meet the needs and uphold the rights of people with reduced mobility, and the city must be held accountable for fixing that.

Light your academic fire ecosystem. That satisfaction is underscored by the fact that I haven’t always felt a sense of belonging at McGill, particularly in the classroom. I find reassurance in having an identity within the confines of the university’s walls, which I can use to navigate its systems and networks. As an undergraduate student and a part of the largest student cohort at McGill, I felt that I rarely shared the privilege of asserting an academic identity. Defining and taking pride in one’s academic passion is an investment that takes time and effort. However, neither are luxuries that a student has in particular abundance, preventing them from committing themselves to finding a passion to define their academic experience. I stumbled upon my own desire to study science-fiction literature somewhat by accident. The genre wasn’t included on any of my course syllabi, but I had always enjoyed reading it in my own time. University is touted as a place for reinvention where young adults living independently, often for the first time, discover who they are. The best way to learn how to navigate the educational landscape is finding a way to adapt it to one’s own educational goals. Having a research interest allows students to interact with class material in more depth by providing them

with an appealing lens through which to approach it. In graduate school, students are actively encouraged to make links between their personal research and the classes they take, which may not necessarily directly overlap with their interests. By trying to connect science-fiction texts with 19th century American literature, I have uncovered unlikely parallels between their plots which have informed the direction of my research. Still, few universities extend undergraduate students the opportunity to develop an academic personality defined by their own unique curiosities beyond semester-long independent reading courses and honours programs. Without opportunities for research accessible to all students, finding an academic passion and identity is almost impossible. Finding a calling and refining it is a lengthy process; it takes time to come up with a valuable question to research and even more to hone it into a manageable and useful project, an operation that often takes a student in a completely different direction than the one in which they were initially headed. With every new seminar that I take, I uncover a new angle to pursue in my research from an author I didn’t know to a whole range of themes. The knowledge that, with every passing

day, I can find a way to broaden my project and interests without feeling rushed to do so has made my experience as a graduate student much more engaging than my undergraduate studies. By presenting research as a one-time activity rather than a long term project that spans the length of an academic career and informs its progression, institutions mirror a contemporary approach to higher education as a requirement for a professional future where the piece of paper students obtain at the end is more important than the critical skills they acquire. It’s no wonder that students struggle to feel an attachment to their institution and class materials if they can’t see its broader purpose and aren’t encouraged to do so. My own willingness to discuss my research interests is newfound and still developing. I struggle sometimes to explain what interests me about English literature when I am outside of the classroom. I broach the topic gingerly, a little embarrassed to admit that I have found a passion and a place for myself at an institution that sees tens of thousands of students rush in and out of its revolving doors. But, with the encouragement of my peers and faculty, I am starting to take pride in my academic passion.

opinion

Commentary

Sanchi Bhalla Contributor This month, the McGill community suffered a great loss. We received news of the beloved Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering’s impending closure. Home to stressed students and a couple of bookshelves, this 24-hour study spot will be missed. Though moving on seems hard, it is not impossible. One cannot describe the beauty

commentary

Johanna Cline Contributor For many students, the return from winter break marks the start of an annual scramble to track down that internship deemed crucial to curated resumes. The scarcity of paid internships limits opportunities for students who rely on a summer income, meaning that many undergraduate students are unable to acquire work experience in their field of study, leaving them without an understanding of what future jobs might entail. While McGill has some organized initiatives to mitigate this issue, like the Arts Internship Awards, a solution to the problem of unpaid internships will require government intervention and leadership. Today, internships represent an integral part of the university trajectory. Even in their first year, students are expected to begin working in their field of study to beef

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

laughing matters

Schulogy for the library of the recently deceased without mentioning its stark white, asylumlike walls, uncomfortable polyester seats, and drab grey carpets, which are perfect for camouflaging your third breakdown of the hour. Many a time, with tears in my eyes and stress gripping each breath, I have retreated to that corner to cry—only to find it occupied by another student in the same sorry state. After all, community building is what hygiène de vie is all about. I don’t know a single student who hasn’t fallen in love with the coffeeless, food-free, asbestos-filled building that was Schulich library. Some of my best first-year memories took place in there: Curling up in a ball on the floor, starving, but unable to leave my seat in case an eagle-eyed engineer stole my spot, all without having seen sunlight for two days straight. Oh, to be a froshie again. The Engineering Undergraduate Society will be hosting a memorial service at Blue’s Pub this week. Dear Ol’ Schu drove many of its inhabitants to drink, so it’s the only way to truly honour its memory.

Schulich library is survived by loving siblings McLennan-Redpath and Bronfman. (Daria Kiseleva / The McGill Tribune)

Stuck between income and internship up their CVs. The lack of relevant positions can be panic-inducing for many. After hours of cold calling, in-person meetings, and feverish LinkedIn updating to no avail, students can feel disheartened. Organizations and societies at McGill have taken steps to help students gain work experience in their fields of study. Resources like the Arts Internship Oasis (AIO) and myFuture offer undergraduate students exclusive access to postings through which they can apply directly for positions and funding. McGill’s Career Planning Services also offers students workshops on resume writing, LinkedIn best-practices, and interview techniques to boost their chances of securing employment. Despite these initiatives, McGill simply cannot cater to the 27,000 undergraduates in need of work. In addition to a shortage of opportunities, even the students who succeed in securing employment through McGill still face the dilemma of insufficient income. On the AIO website, for example, it states: “the majority of internships are unpaid, and many of our students are selffunded.” It is unclear exactly what ‘self-funded’ means—likely it refers to students with generous parental support. And, while the AIO does offer some successful applicants up to 5,000 dollars to offset expenses, those who receive this funding are few and far between. To give all students a chance to gain the work experience they need for successful professional futures, employers, governments,

universities, and students must all coordinate to counter underpaid internships. McGill students have already recognized the need for compensated labour. This past November, 54,000 students took part in a week-long protest against mandatory unpaid internships across Quebec. In response, provincial Minister of Education and Higher Education Jean-François Roberge iterated that he plans to address the issue in the near future. While McGill should feel a duty to assist its students in securing employment, the government is the main body that needs to subsidize internship opportunities. There are already some instances of government-sponsored internship opportunities across Canada: In New Brunswick, for example, the government-run Student Employment Experience Development (SEED) program subsidizes companies to create internship positions for youth. Students can enter a lottery to receive access to these positions and apply to relevant summer jobs. This random lottery circumvents the access barriers which privileged networks like Panhellenic societies uphold. Moreover, by paying companies to offer internships, SEED not only creates more relevant work experience opportunities for students, but it also provides a source of income for those students so that they can afford to take the positions. Currently, Quebec does not offer any programs like SEED, but Roberge’s response to the November protests offer a glimmer of hope for

students. However, if the Quebec government aims to resolve the issue of inaccessible employment for students, it must go further than just paying interns out of pocket and

look to increasing the overall number of internships while ensuring that they are accessible to students of all backgrounds—not just those born with advantageous connections.

cartoon

Add drop deadline Everything was peaceful in the McGill bubble,

Sabrina Girard-Lamas Staff Illustrator

until one day...

student living

TUESDAY. JANUARY 22, 2019

Local gin and geniality Cirka Distilleries welcomes visitors

Leyla Moy Contributor Continued from page 1. Though it is only their latest release, whiskey is the driving force behind Cirka. Namesake Paul Cirka worked as a botanist and in the IT industry before deciding that producing whiskey was his calling. With a couple of friends on board, he decided to try to put Quebec whiskey back on the map. The team knew that they had a couple of years of waiting time before coming out with their whiskey, so they began by distilling gin and vodka to debut the brand and build consumer confidence. “If we [make] good vodka and good gin, [then people will] know we’ll be making good whiskeys,” Rochette said. Rochette joined the team in 2015 after returning from a motorcycle tour across Canada and the US, trying out distilleries, wineries, and breweries. Rochette, who previously worked in video game development before training as a sommelier, initially planned to open a wine tasting bar in the city when she was connected with Cirka. Both were drawn to Montreal as a home base for a spirits business. “We really love the energy of Montreal,” Rochette said. “It’s a super curious, epicurean city. We’re lucky in Quebec to have access to really good grains, so that’s why even our rye is local.” Cirka likes to preserve a local flair in their spirits. Their current lineup includes one vodka and two gins, each made from a base of 100 per cent Quebec corn and the latter two filled with a plethora of regional botanicals.

These infusions create a final product with a more complex flavour profile than the overwhelming ‘uppercut of juniper’ that Rochette often tastes in the mass-produced spirits. The company flagship, Gin Sauvage, is distilled using a botanical basket that allows warm vapours travelling upward to infuse the gin with essential oils from the 30 plus botanicals it contains. In creating the second, limitededition Gin375, the micro-distillery challenged themselves to replicate centuries-old flavours in honour of the city’s 375th anniversary. “[In developing Gin375] we went to the Château Ramezay in Old Port, [...] met with a historian, and asked what [historically] was in the orchards and the medicinal plants that were used, and that’s where we got our inspiration,” Rochette said. “For the base, we dehydrate sour cherries and cranberries, and, once we proof it, down we add [local] honey. [It’s limited edition] because I can only make it twice a year since it’s [made from] all foraged ingredients.” Cirka is in good company in Quebec, where the local micro-distillery business has boomed in recent years, equally dedicated to creating a unique and well-crafted product. They see themselves as part of a family of local businesses and welcome questions, even from potential competitors. “Most of the distilleries that are open right now [...] passed through here, visited, and talked to us,” Rochette said. “We’re one of the few that are open [for tours], and we like to [explain] the process so people can understand [....] The fact that they want to know more about the industry, about us [makes me] more than happy to do the tours and answer the questions.”

Université d’Ottawa

University of Ottawa

Luminothérapie lights up Quartier des Spectacles Interactive installation brings people together Gabriela McGuinty Staff Writer Walking around Montreal in the winter can be lonely. In an effort to bridge the gap between the city’s residents during the season, Le Quartier des Spectacles put on its ninth edition of Luminothérapie, Quebec’s largest public art competition. Local design agency Ingrid Ingrid created this year’s winner Effet Domino, an installation composed of 120 giant, coloured musical dominos. The work conjures community interaction by encouraging collaboration between strangers during the winter season. In their work, Ingrid Ingrid attempts to create art that engages the public. To that end, the firm designed installations that work to unite people and celebrate the beauty in human interaction. “At Ingrid Ingrid, the centre of our activities are very often directed [towards interactive] activities with people and [...] and working with content in a public space.,” Genevieve Levasseur, founder of Ingrid Ingrid and Creative Director of the installation, said. “We wanted to not [do] something in a traditional park because there [are] a lot of projects like that, which are very good, and we just wanted to do another thing.” Effet Domino invites the public to play with a set of 10 dominos which guests can rearrange into fun, creative patterns. Each set of dominoes illuminates and erupts with musical sounds when players topple them over. According to Levasseur, the project encourages cooperation between participants. “We realize that [playing dominos] is a very solo game, but when we play with it in a large scale it becomes something [that is made easier and more fun when] we work together,” Levasseur said. Bringing together families and university students at the epicenter of Montreal’s arts community, the interactive component of the project makes it attractive to curious minds

PhD IN SOCIAL WORK Available in both English and French

Luminothérapie encourages Montrealers to engage with their neighbours. (Floortherapy.com) no matter the age. According to visitors, the exhibition has been successful in forming bonds between strangers. “ [Effet Domino] brings, especially in this neighbourhood [that is] made for people to come and enjoy culture, [...] diversion and stuff to bring them up from the cold,” Maelle Jacqmarcq, U2 Political Science, said. “Since it’s a community piece, the ‘domino effect’ [can be interpreted as] bringing together everyone. If one person is happy, multiple people can be happy”. Effet Domino highlights the interconnectedness of a community while accentuating the sometimes-ignored or hidden beauty of the neighbourhood. The public can visit and interact with the dominos until Jan. 27. During this run, Levasseur hopes that the exhibit will encourage passers-by to create memories with the strangers around them. “[ Participants are] laughing, [they] use it [in ways that we had not envisioned],” Levasseur said. “It’s very important for me to [do justice to the] the optimistic vision of the project [....] [I want people to take away that] when you do something and you need help, there [are] other people there for you. I think it’s a subtle message, but, subconsciously, it works very well.”

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Pipelines, blockades, and sovereignty Protesters at Wet'suwet'en fight a familiar struggle

Calvin Trottier-Chi, Managing Editor Much to journalists' chagrin, progress doesn’t come in satisfying narrative arcs. It is unsteady, disjointed, unpredictable, and ongoing in a way that frustrates the limits of news coverage. The indigenous protests at Standing Rock captured the world’s attention for weeks in early 2016, but few reporters were on the scene when the constructed pipeline leaked 84 gallons of oil on Apr. 4 and 6 the following year. This familiar narrative is playing out in Canada, and the eyes of the nation are on the indigenous Wet’suwet’en Nation, where the Unist’ot’en Camp is blocking a pipeline route. It is only the latest flashpoint in the ongoing struggle for indigenous land ownership, but media attention has brought this protest to the front of Canadian consciousness. The subject of the protest is the new Coastal GasLink pipeline, a $6.2 billion initiative, that was intended to go through Unist’ot’en Camp and traditional Wet’suwet’en Territories in British Columbia (BC). The Camp, established in 2010, has other plans, though, and has since set up a checkpoint blocking the route. Coming off of the Federal Court of Appeal overturning Ottawa’s approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline, environmentalists and First Nations activists have been granted little respite as the push to build more pipelines continues. This move to increase oil industry infrastructure stands in stark contrast to the United Nations advising Canada to cut its emissions by half within 12 years to prevent catastrophic ecological destruction. The dangers of imminent climate disaster are already becoming apparent: Scientists say that climate change contributed to the Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016, which left over 88,000 people displaced, and that we can only expect worse disasters at current trends. As the world’s third-highest emitter per capita of greenhouse gases, Canada certainly has room to reduce its carbon footprint. Reduction, rather than stagnation, is the strategy that McGill Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Christopher Ragan promotes, alongside many advocates for pipeline construction across the nation. Ragan believes that fossil fuel use will trend down but that, realistically, there will still be a demand for it in the near future. By that logic, if Canada is to continue to supply and profit from this demand, declining to leave its oil in the ground, more pipelines are in order. He argues that it is more efficient to fight for the implementation of a carbon tax system

than to fight pipeline construction. A carbon tax would levy an additional tax on carbon consumers, including both corporations and individuals, in the hopes of curbing the demand for fossil fuels in the long term while proceeding with the extraction and transportation of fossil fuels in the interim. “Even if we start today to transition toward zero fossil fuels over 50 years, we’re using 97 million barrels a day, and that number will continue to fall gradually, but not instantly,” Ragan said. “So, in my view, we should do both of these things. We should build new pipelines to get our product to market, because the economic benefits are enormous. But, at the same time, we should have a very aggressive and well-designed set of climate policies, and, I would say, front and centre to that, should be a very well-designed carbon price.” Beginning this April, Justin Trudeau’s federal government will enforce a carbon tax across the country. The provinces of Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba, and New Brunswick, however, did not sign off on the plan and intend to fight the constitutionality of being forced to abide by it. Clearly, Canada presents far from a unified front against what could be the greatest threat of our generation. The pipeline is not only an environmental problem, but, more relevant to the protesters, an issue of indigenous sovereignty. While the exploitation of resources on indigenous land is a recurring issue, environmental and indigenous concerns are not necessarily parallel, and, to support the latter, it is important to recognize it in its own right. “A lot of times, people kind of cling to ‘indigenous people all hate pipelines, we’re anti-development, that’s who we are,’ and that’s not the truth,” Tomas Jirousek, Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Indigenous Affairs commissioner and organizer of the recent protests against the men’s varsity team’s name, said. “My nation is in support of pipeline development, [and] we’re looking for ways to purchase part of the Trans Canada pipeline. But it’s about educating yourself on the fact that the Wet’suwet’en Nation have sovereignty, have title over this territory, and they decided not to pursue a pipeline, and, so, we need to respect that.” Today, most indigenous nations are governed by ‘bands,’ representative councils that handle administrative tasks, policies, and programs related to their Nation, typically with some degree of federal funding. The band system was introduced in the Indian Act of 1876 and was designed to replace traditional forms of governance with a more European, municipal-style structure. Titling the elected leader of the band system “chief” was an attempt to diminish the legitimacy of other leadership roles. Yet, in many nations, traditional ways have persisted: Most relevantly, the position of hereditary chief, who is tasked with preserving culture. “When it comes to hereditary versus elected chiefs, each nation has a bit of a unique relationship between the imposed band council system and the hereditary chief system,” Jirousek said. “This band council situation is still an imposed system, […in contrast with how] indigenous people and the Wet’suwet’en of northern BC have been looking to the hereditary chiefs for leadership. And [the hereditary system is] far [better] recognized by indigenous people [....] We’ve been doing this for thousands and thousands of years, and this is where we look for guidance and leadership in these times.” As it relates to the recent pipeline impasse, all five elected bands of the Wet’suwet’en Nation have signed on with Coastal GasLink alongside 20 other elected bands across Canada. However, at

“The band council system, for the longest time, for a hundred years at this point, has been used as kind of a puppet for the federal government,” Jirousek said. “My grandpa served six terms on our band council back in southern Alberta, and I know that it’s kind of an echo chamber for the federal government in a lot of ways, and they rarely have the strength to push back on a lot of key legislation.”

the time of the injunction against the checkpoints, none of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs were reportedly consulted. All five of them continue to take a stand against the pipeline today. “The band council system, for the longest time, for a hundred years at this point, has been used as kind of a puppet for the federal government,” Jirousek said. “My grandpa served six terms on our band council back in southern Alberta, and I know that it’s kind of an echo chamber for the federal government in a lot of ways, and they rarely have the strength to push back on a lot of key legislation.” While the distribution of power between elected band and hereditary chiefs remains contested,

the topic of land rights has legal precedent in Canada. Two relevant legal cases have aimed to resolve disputes over land ownership: The 1997 Delgamuukw case and the 2014 Tsilhqot’in case. In the Delgamuukw case, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that, if nations have retained exclusive possession of their land since Canada first drew its borders, they have a constitutionally-protected title to it. The subsequent 2014 Tsilhqot’in case clarified that it is, indeed, the nation that has title over unceded lands, not the imposed band council system. Given that the traditional land of the Wet’suwet’en remains unceded to Canadian government, they still retain legal control over it. However, in the Delgamuukw case, the justices noted that indigenous land rights can be overruled for the sake of economic development in the interior of BC. Though he is the leader of an NDP-minority government reliant on the support of the Green Party, BC Premier John Horgan remains relatively non-committal on the issue, simply stating that he expects a peaceful and respectful resolution. However, the crisis has developed quickly. On Jan. 7, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided the Camp’s checkpoint, carrying out a BC Supreme Court injunction from December ordering the removal of pipeline obstructions. In the days following the raid, the parties have reportedly come to an agreement. Company workers will be allowed to cross, while members of the First Nation will not face arrest and the actual camp at Unist’ot’en will not be torn down. However, it is seems evident that the negotiations were likely coercive, given that the RCMP have previously referred to the Unist’ot’en as a radical extremist group and marched into their camp wearing full tactical gear and assault rifles. “[The protesters] are negotiating with a gun to their head,” Jirousek said. “The circumstances that [led] them to accept the peace treaty with the RCMP [make this] a difficult negotiation to hold, and so that puts a different light on the treaty for me, in that the federal government isn’t really giving a lot of room for fair negotiation processes to take place.” With the Paris Agreement commitments still uncertain, Malaysian and Chinese money invested in the pipeline, and various Canadian governmental bodies arguing over jurisdiction, many powerful actors have a stake in the situation’s resolution. “The Unist’ot’en Camp is not a blockade, a protest, or a demonstration,” the Camp wrote on its Facebook page. “It is a permanent, non-violent occupation of Unist’ot’en territory established to protect our homelands from illegal industrial encroachments and to preserve a space for our community to heal from the violence of colonization.” McGill students may be a long way away in terms of distance, but indigenous activists emphasize the importance of spreading awareness. “You guys need to sit down and listen to your indigenous population, you need to listen to us, we’re screaming, and nothing is actually really happening from this,” Vanessa Racine, co-chair of McGill’s Indigenous Student Alliance, said. “So we need to continue screaming, we need you guys to listen, we need you guys to continue to spread the word, and keep helping us, and respecting the sovereignty we have on this land because water is sacred and we need to protect the land that we have.”

student living

TUESDAY, january 22, 2019

Best sandwiches near campus Gabriel Helfant Photo Editor

for its spicy chicken sandwiches and late night eats. Every sandwich goes for just over five dollars, which makes up for the long walk. Recently, Joe’s Panini has appeared on popular food delivery apps, making their sandwiches more convenient than ever.

McGill students are constantly on the hunt for a convenient, affordable, and filling meal in between classes, and sandwiches always fit the bill. The McGill Tribune has compiled a list of the five best sandwiches near campus for when Subway starts to taste a bit bland.

Taste: 4 Stars Cost: 4 stars Convenience: 3 stars

VUA Bánh Mì

A great option for those on the east side of campus, Vua is a Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich shop one block south of the Le James Bookstore. Often, the staff can get customers in and out with a warm bánh mì in under five minutes. In addition to its speedy service and low prices, Vua also offers a great seating area perfect for a leisurely lunch. Yelp reviewers are quick to note that the only thing worth ordering are the sandwiches, while that the rest of their menu is disappointing. However, Vua offers a substantial meal that will not break the bank.

Campo

Campo offers well-crafted Portuguese sandwiches for students willing to splurge (Gabe Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

Taste: 3 stars Cost: 4 stars Convenience: 5 stars

orders in a flash. Diners can get some combination of deli meat topped with cheese and slathered in mayo and mustard, and piled high with tomatoes and lettuce. While this may not excite the average sandwich lover’s taste buds, it is a good alternative for students on a budget.

Super Sandwich

Taste: 3 stars Cost: 5 stars Convenience: 3 stars

Despite its odd location at the counter of an understocked dépanneur, customers receive their

Olly Fresco’s

While Olly Fresco’s is less convenient than other eateries on this list, hungry students willing to brave the cold will not be disappointed. This lunch spot, located in the St. Catherine pavillion in the underground city, is a popular space for the stressed Montreal business elite. This downtown deli is packed with a daily buffet, pasta bar, and a selection of soups. Students can leave with Lebanese, grilled, or wrapped sandwiches, all under 10 dollars. Tasty and budget-friendly,

Olly Fresco’s is the ideal location for stir-crazy library-goers up for a short walk. Taste: 5 stars Cost: 4 stars Convenience: 3 stars

Joe’s Panini

This 24-hour sandwich joint serves up classic grilled sandwiches, which may not be creative, but are always well-made. Joe’s Panini is renowned

Campo is a fast-food chicken shop that serves Portuguese-style chicken in every conceivable form: Sandwiches, poutine, salads, and wings. A grilled chicken sandwich goes for eight dollars and comes with a considerable amount of chicken on a crunchy bun. Located right next to Peel metro station in the heart of the downtown area, the restaurant is located relatively close to campus. While it may not be the most economical choice, Campo is one of the best sandwiches on this list and offer a variety of lunch options. Taste: 5 stars Cost: 2 stars Convenience: 3 stars

Montreal by metro: Blue line edition

Sights, and spectacles from Snowdon to Saint-Michel Miguel Principe and Janine Xu Contributors

Seldom travelled by most McGill students because it does not bypass the McGill area, the blue line presents a unique opportunity to explore Montreal outside its downtown core. From bakery hopping to circuses, the blue line offers a variet overcome the winter blues.

Snowdon

Though downtown Montreal doesn’t offer many fast food options, one of Montreal’s three Wendy’s locations is situated footsteps away from this bustling station. Students craving the nostalgic taste of an ice-cold Frosty or a Baconator burger can make the trek to this stop on the blue line. Nearby is another fast-food staple, the world-famous Gibeau Orange Julep. Dubbed ‘Big Orange by locals, this globe-shaped fast-food restaurant specializes in cheap, greasy comfort food such as hot dogs and poutine. However, it is most famous for its orange milkshake, a treat that tastes like a melted orange creamsicle. In the summer, Orange Julep also hosts vintage cars and motorcycles in its parking lot every Wednesday.

Côte-des-Neiges

Upon exiting Côte-des-Neiges station, head

to Saint Joseph’s Oratory on Queen Mary Road. Originally a small chapel founded by Saint André Bessette in 1904, the historic site was transformed into a monumental basilica between 1924 and 1967. Particularly noteworthy to visitors is the museum’s fifth floor, which houses a collection of sacred art and seasonal exhibitions. Until March 19, the museum is hosting an exhibitions entitled, In Search of the Lost Me and Meaning, a display by Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal, which comments on the themes of identity. Additionally, the Oratory presents NOUVELLEGENERATION.ORGUE, a weekly concert series that showcases young, upand-coming composers every Sunday afternoon.

De Castelnau

The De Castelnau station is located at the intersection of beloved party avenue, St. Laurent Boulevard and the Mile-Ex neighbourhood. A former industrial district transformed by young artists, the area around the station has recently attracted a unique nightlife scene. The most notable venue in the neighborhood is Bar Le Ritz P.D.B., which hosts a variety of weekly events ranging from concerts to themed dance parties. Meanwhile, those in search of a relaxing night out can venture to Salle Miss Villeray. While their classic bar grub and alcoholic beverages are pricey, the sophisticated and warm wood-

Just off of the blue line, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in comfort food and visit historic sites. (Cordelia Cho / The McGill Tribune) furnished atmosphere is worth the splurge. Be sure to visit on a Sunday when the staff organize weekly quiz nights.

Saint-Michel

Located in suburban Montreal, Saint-Michel is a hub for circus arts. In recent decades, the nearby Parc Frédéric-Back has hosted renowned talents, including the Circus Arts City TOHU, Cirque du Soleil, and the National Circus School. In addition to the acrobatic performances and workshops held year round, the area hosts annual summer festivals, including the Montreal Cirque

Festival and Montréal Complètement Cirque. While in the area, be sure to explore the park grounds, a former landfill and quarry that has been transformed into a public space dedicated to environmental preservation. The Saint-Michel area, known as Little Maghreb, is home to thousands of immigrants from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco—the first such neighbourhood in North America. Among the culinary standouts in the area is La Table Fleurie d’Algerie, a gourmet pastry shop that serves North African treats such as baklava, Algerian makrout cookies, and mint tea.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, JANUARY 22, 2019

A look back on art’s historical past in ‘Manifesto’

Cate Blanchett inhabits multiple roles in video installation Keira Seidenberg Contributor Manifesto, one of German artist Julian Rosefeldt’s most internationally renowned video works, ran at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) from Oct. 20 to Jan. 20. The work is comprised of 13 videos—each showcasing Australian actress Cate Blanchett assuming different roles, including that of a teacher, a homeless man, and an anchorwoman. During each scene, Blanchett presents multiple manifestos corresponding to a specific modernist avant-garde artistic movement, such as dada, futurism, and fluxus. An artistic manifesto is a statement of purpose, and, while the term is often associated with political movements such as Marxism, manifestos were similarly employed among the artistic movements that emerged in the twentieth century. Manifestos organized a movement’s ideology and allowed lay-persons to understand the its guiding artistic objectives. In Manifesto, Rosefeldt explores history and temporality through video, a medium associated with technological advancement, thus allowing him to present the manifestos to a contemporary audience. The exhibition examines current receptions of historical manifestos, looking at how the works change once extracted from their original contexts. Rosefeldt also draws on performance art in the 13 videos; while the word ‘performance’ suggests live-action art that cannot be reproduced, Manifesto establishes a unique relationship between video and viewer by allowing Blanchett’s performances to loop infinitely.

Stay long enough and you’ll see all 13 videos synch up. (mac. ca)

“[E]xploring the powerful urgency of these historical statements, which were composed with passion and conviction by artists many years ago, Manifesto questions whether the words and sentiments have withstood the passage of time” wrote Rosefeldt in a statement for the MAC. While, at first, the settings and characters appear to hold only aesthetic appeal, listening to Blanchett read each manifesto demonstrates the ideologies behind the visual content. In the pop art video, Blanchett plays a southern mother leading her family in saying grace while reading Claes Oldenburg’s text, “I am for Art.” While pop art seems inseparable from rows of grinning Marilyn Monroes or Lichtenstein’s comic book characters, the video draws on pop art’s use of the everyday material and manipulation of items, such as the Campbell’s soup can, that appear in the average American households. In the video devoted to surrealism, Blanchett plays a puppeteer crafting a puppet in her own likeness, echoing the absurdity of works by canonical artists such as Salvador Dali or René Magritte. In the video for abstract expressionism, Blanchett is cast as a CEO at a party reading manifestos by artists Barnett Newman, Wyndham Lewis, Wassily Kandinsky, and Franz Marc, contrasting the sterile business environment with the dynamic and spontaneous quality of expressionist art. Rosefeldt’s Manifesto provokes commentary through audience reflection. Rather than using the elaborate scenes to deconstruct the manifestos’ contents, Rosefeldt presents the 13 scenes in such a way that the audience is encouraged to determine for themselves how Blanchett’s characters and environments connect to each movement and to decide whether the artists’ statements remain provocative or whether time has rendered them archaic. The videos are at once utopian and dystopian; it becomes difficult to settle on a single emotional response, as the videos each employ starkly contrasting imagery. Rosefeldt uses Blanchett’s background in acting to its fullest extent: She employs different accents, appearances, and mannerisms within each video. Despite the distracting melee of sounds playing throughout the room, Rosefeldt coordinated the videos to align once every 10 minutes—at that moment Blanchett’s face dominates every screen as she reads from the respective manifestos. While integrating manifestos into video performances at times appears forced, Manifesto is notable for its attention to detail and the history the exhibition honours. While artworks often deploy symbolism or draw influence from the art of the past, Rosefeldt’s work is an explicit tribute to evolving artistic movements and how they engage with the present. Despite demanding that the viewer take the time to watch each 10 minute video to gain a greater understanding of each movement, Manifesto delivers a choreographed and visually engaging video art installation.

Spring Awakening

Check out the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s first play of the year. Jan. 24-26, Jan. 31-Feb. 2; 7:30 p.m.; Students $15; Moyse Hall, 853 Sherbrooke Ouest.

Open Minds // McSWAY for women/femme/nonbinary

McGill’s finest femme-POC spoken word poetry, with snacks included! Jan. 29; 6-8 p.m.; Building 21.

COVEN - Creature Feature Tour

A drag show featuring some of Montreal’s spookiest, most glamourous witches. Jan. 25, 10 p.m., The Diving Bell Social Club, 3956 St Laurent Blvd.

Lux Magna Festival 2019

Lux Magna is back for a second edition, featuring more music, visual arts, dance, and spoken word poetry from local performers Jan. 24-28, Various venues in Plateau MontRoyal.

Sharon van Etten is ethereal in ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’ New Jersey sad-girl trades in melancholy for motherhood Gareth Black Contributor

Sharon Van Etten has never shied away from vulnerability. Her music is often associated with a certain melancholy, characterized by honest lyrics on love, inevitable heartbreak, and the self-reflection that follows. However, on her newest record Remind Me Tomorrow, Van Etten shifts away from her usual brooding depictions of love. The album follows her journey into monogamy and motherhood, and the singersongwriter’s sound has changed accordingly. She is not angsty here, rather, Remind Me Tomorrow is a reflection on growth and power in what is sure to be a candidate for album of the year. Vulnerability and contemplation remain common themes on this LP. However, Van Etten trades in her signature guitar-based tracks for a darker, more experimental sound with the use of synthesizers and drones. “Memorial Day” evokes mystery with its unconventional beat structure and layered echoing vocals. “Jupiter 4” is the album’s extra-terrestrial centrepiece, a track that could easily find its way into a science-fiction film with its eerie pulsation over warped synths.

The opening track “I Told You Everything” is a piano-driven number that finds its groove halfway through. Here, Van Etten recounts the night that she shared the story of a near-death experience with a would-be lover. Although the instrumentation throughout the album is gloomy, Van Etten successfully juxtaposes it with hopeful and confessional lyricism. Much of Van Etten’s earlier works showcase the singer’s search—for love, happiness, and autonomy. However, in Remind Me Tomorrow, Van Etten has seemingly found what she’s been looking for. “Want your whole star to shine on in / One star, one light / The meaning of life,” she quietly sings in the closing track “Stay,” an intimate dedication to her son. Romance can be temporary; however, the love between a mother and her child is permanent, and Van Etten has never sounded more confident expressing this unbreakable connection. Even in the midst of the chaos that is motherhood, she is a voice of reason, and Remind Me Tomorrow is a testament to the importance of the destination after a long journey.

Essential tracks: “I Told You Everything,” “Seventeen,” “Malibu,” “Stay.”

Van Etten broaches more mature subject matter in her latest album. (stereogum.com)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, JANUARY 22, 2019

Fired up with Fireball Kid

Montreal musician is nothing without his friends

Dylan Adamson Features Editor Just over halfway through Fireball Kid’s “Be Friends” (with Magi Merlin, Ura Star, and Big Friends) a distorted guitar solo rips through the production. Sparkly pop textures, autotuned falsetto verses, and Magi Merlin’s lush, commanding hook suddenly fall off, and, for a second, it sounds like someone tripped over a cord. Out of nowhere, this shimmering, SoundCloud object becomes oddly physical. Just as quickly as this uncanny revelation hits, though, Fireball Kid reassembles his toolkit, and the guitar riff is cleaned up, looped, and inserted neatly back into the beat. “I used to play in bands, little baby boy bands, through our teen years,” Fireball Kid, otherwise known as Colin Ratchford, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Then, I got all edgy and bitter because we played in so many for so long and I was all like ‘Man, guitars are over. Guitars are done.’” “Be Friends” is the second

track from Fireball Kid’s previous EP, Speedrun, released at the end of last August. On Jan. 20, alongside his best friends and close collaborators Ura Star and DvD, Fireball Kid celebrated the release of Starfire. Though the project bears only Ura Star’s and Fireball Kid’s names, Ratchford insists that all three friends contributed equally. Stepping onstage after a slew of openers from all corners of Montreal’s pop scene, including Margo and Magi Merlin, as well as Rare DM, a touring artist from New York City, the trio opened with “Be Friends,” an ode to the awe inspiring power of friendship, guitars, and beat pads. “We made beats for a few years, and I was like ‘I wanna put some guitars on this,’” Ratchford said. “Like, I want to subvert using guitars. But it’s not a subversion at all, it’s just, like, good pop music where I’m not scared to use all the tools at our disposal.” If the gnarly solo tearing “Be Friends” in half indicated a shift in Fireball Kid’s approach to music production, Starfire

finds him and Ura Star straddling these superficial boundaries in bold, cowboy-like fashion (“I’m a heartsick cowboy,” he croons on “Whole Body Mood”). They followed “Be Friends” with “Starcross,” Starfire’s opening track, which features real drums, bass, guitar, and an unmistakably pop-punk lyrical flare. But, in Fireball Kid’s energized landscape, these archetypes are teeming with new possibilities by virtue of their unification. He and Ura Star pepper their lyrics with images of cowboys alongside dancers alongside wrestlers. “Our vision of a cowboy has nothing to do with what cowboys are supposedly all about,” Ratchford said. “Cowboys are people who are honest about their feelings. They are open with people. Cowboys cry. They tell their friends they love them. Cowboys pick up a flower and smell it once and then shed a single tear. A cowboy is whatever you want it to be as long as you’re open with yourself and true to yourself. Same with a dancer. All cowboys and dancers

Local Montreal pop artist reimagines the cowboy and his craft. (Colin Ratchford) are kind of interchangeable for me. A cowboy would fight you, as would a dancer, if you fucked with their friends.” As tempting as it is to term Ratchford’s music “Boybandcamp” (or “ROCKHampton” as he called it in our interview), Fireball Kid and Ura Star aren’t trying to build a metaphorical bridge between Bandcamp and SoundCloud. For Ratchford, honesty, earnestness,

friendship, collaboration, and good, fun pop music can overcome any boundaries. “Pop is just fun, that’s it,” Ratchford said. “It’s pop because it gets you goin’. It gets you fired up. I just want to write a fun, happy, pure song. I think at its most peak and distilled form, pop is just going to be fun.” Starfire is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Dance takes centre stage at the MAC Experts discuss the medium’s identity in the art word Jonathan Giammaria Contributor On Jan. 11, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) held a series of events as part of their current Françoise Sullivan retrospective, including a panel and a separate exhibition. Aptly titled the Dance and Visual Arts Study Day, the MAC invited a host of educators, artists, and theorists to share their ideas on the role of dance within the realm of the visual arts. Montreal-born artist Françoise Sullivan, whose own work has famously combined film and dance, was in the audience, giving the presenters the opportunity to reflect on the icon’s influence on their own works. Among Sullivan’s better-known pieces is the watershed work Danse dans la neige, a 1948 film that features the artist dancing in different seasonal landscapes. During the first presentation, the panellists explored dance’s uncanny inclusion in the context of the exhibition. Given the multidisciplinary backgrounds of the collaborators, it came as no surprise that their approaches vastly differed from one another. Flutura Preka and Besnik Haxhillari, the performance artists comprising The Two Gullivers group, discussed their neologism “performography,” which refers to the role that dance takes on in the context of the exhibit: The designer is tasked with creating a comprehensible whole from a string of separate and mutable pieces. Meanwhile, Simon Grenier-Poirier, a conceptual researcher with a broad focus on relational art, and Dorian Nuskind-Oder, a choreographer and performer, shifted their focus to the audience’s dynamic role in the exhibition. During a traditional theatre experience the audience is stationary, whereas, much like a dancer, an exhibit viewer is able to move through the designated artistic space. Unlike a theatre, a museum does not limit the audience’s focus, instead allowing the surrounding art to contextualize the dance within the accompanying exhibit. These reflections were particularly striking for audience members, informing them of how they might alternatively experience the conference, which itself took place in a room that featured some of Sullivan’s work. In a second talk, artist and educator Paul-André Fortier discussed his own views on the subject. Fortier expressed a conflicted attitude toward the fleeting temporality of dance. On the one hand, he lamented the fact that all of his performance existed only in the moment during which they unfolded on stage. On the other hand, he remarked that any wishes to index dance, such as a museum’s attempts through photography or video, would strip it of its spontaneity, framing recording as an affront to the body’s ability to create something irreproducible. It seems impossible to reconcile the ephemera of dance with the static nature of traditional visual art. By the end of the panel, however, each contributor’s eclectic ideas harkened back to a common concern— dance as a dynamic artform. Whether through the perspective of time, place, or person, the talks presented dance as a visual art that stresses the processes of motion and change.

Sullivan was present for retrospective panel on dance. (aci-iac.ca)

science & technology

tuesday, JANUARY 22, 2019

soup& & science: animal edition

McGill researchers discuss their fields over lunch

Kate Lord, Celia Hameury, Krithika Ragupathi, Grace Hu Editor and Contributors Continued from page 1. Watt’s research focuses on axonal torpedoes, which are rounded swellings of the Purkinje cells, a subset of neuronal cells that constitute the cerebellum. Scientists had previously observed that axonal torpedoes were often more likely to occur in people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, and they hypothesized that axonal torpedoes must be a root cause of these diseases. Knowing that axons are responsible for the electric currents and subsequent neuronal communication in the brain, Watt and her team analyzed the electrical currents in axons with torpedoes. She noticed that normal axons occasionally fail to relay electrical signals. Axons with torpedoes, however, failed much more rarely. Moreover, increased failures lead to the formation of torpedoes, which helped reduce the failures and strengthen neurological paths. As a result, a new hypothesis emerged: axonal torpedoes are the body’s way of creating a balanced response to axon failures. Watt’s research is an exciting reminder of how, in science, things aren’t always as they first appear.

The birds and the other birds Tuesday, January 15 - Kate Lord

Mélanie Guigueno, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, gave Soup and Science attendees insight into the curious ecological phenomenon of avian brood parasitism, in which certain species of birds rely on other species of birds to raise their young. In particular, Guigueno’s research focuses on the brownheaded cowbird, which forgoes the energy-draining task of bringing up their offspring by dumping their eggs into the nests of other birds. When they have found a suitable host nest, cowbirds will typically wait until the resident bird is away before depositing a couple of their eggs and removing or damaging an equivalent number of host eggs. At the expense of their own young, the foster parents will then unknowingly raise the cowbirds. “What’s interesting about brownheaded cowbirds, specifically, is that, with this species, only females search for host nests […] without being aided by males,” Guigueno said. “As such, females have more complex space use than males. This is a pretty neat system, as many [...other]

systems show a male-bias in the complexity of space use. Few systems see a female-bias sex difference in space use.” Guigueno and her lab are particularly interested in the relationship between animal behaviour in its natural environment and how the brain is functioning. “In [cowbirds], we see that females have higher levels of hippocampal neurogenesis [neural growth in the brain’s hippocampus] than males,” Guigueno said. “This suggests that, in females, the hippocampus is specialized for the brood parasitic mode of reproduction. So, what happens [in] the brain is associated with their behaviour in the field.”

A venom worse than death Tuesday, January 15 - Kate Lord

Reza Sharif-Naeini, associate professor in the Department of Physiology, presented a thought-provoking account of how his lab began investigating the nervous system of an invasive species along North America’s western coastline—the lionfish. “The story around this project starts in 1995 when divers off of the coast of Florida spotted some lionfish during their dive, which is not normal since this isn’t their natural habitat,” Sharif-Naeini said. “These fish belong to the Indo-Pacific region, where their growth is limited by the local predators such as the sharks.” In the warm Atlantic waters and without a natural enemy, lionfish were free to reproduce at astronomical rates as, according to Sharif-Naeini, females can lay 15,000 to 30,000 eggs every four days. “If you fast forward to 2015, the fish have invaded all of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic coast all the way up to Rhode Island,” Sharif-Naeini said. “It’s an ecological disaster because they eat anything smaller than half of their size, which means all the young of other species are being eaten.” Beyond the devastating effects on local aquatic food chains and local marine industry economies, the venomous spines on lionfish pose an extremely painful health threat to people. “Divers, snorkelers, [and] local fishermen often get stung by these fish, and the way they describe the pain is that, [while] it doesn’t kill you, you wish you were dead,” Sharif-Naeini said. “There is currently no antidote for this pain, so the

At the beginning of the fall and winter semesters, students have the opportunity to listen to professors present on some of McGill’s most exciting research. (Kate Lord / The McGill Tribune) only thing someone can do is immerse their stung limb in hot water in hopes of degrading the peptides [responsible for the pain].” Sharif-Naeini’s lab was inspired to investigate the pain-sensing neurons activated by lionfish venom based on the determination of Stéphanie MouchbahaniConstance, an undergraduate student in physiology. “This [project] was really spearheaded by Stéphanie,” Sharif-Naeini said. “Just like you, she was an undergraduate [student], and this study would not have been done had she not come to me and expressed her interest [in doing research].”

From shells to shelves

Wednesday, January 16 - Krithika Ragupathi Over five trillion pieces of plastic currently litter the ocean and pose a serious threat to its ecosystems. While initiatives such as the Ocean Cleanup Project, which employs large floating robots to sequester plastics in the Pacific, help remedy the issue, they do little to tackle the actual reliance on plastic. Audrey Moores, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at McGill, explained that McGill researchers have developed a biodegradable, alternative plastic. Chitin, a polymer found in the rigid shells of insects and crustaceans like lobsters and shrimps, is converted into chitosan, a compound which researchers have used to make plastics. While chitosan is ordinarily difficult to create in large enough

quantities for manufacturing use, the McGill team has managed to create longer, more durable chains of the compound. Moores explained that the conversion process does not require much material. “We just mill [the shells] in a solid phase […], and, by letting them age in humidity, […] we have been able to make plastics,” Moores said. Their lab is working on making the plastic product more flexible.

Matching data

Thursday, January 17 - Grace Hu The standard machine learning process, useful for anything from emails to medical X-rays, takes spatial data points and then classifies them or uses them to make predictions. William Hamilton, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, described how machine learning can be used to explore the relationships between independent data points in a dataset. This type of analysis has applications in both the biomedical sciences and in analyzing social networks on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. His algorithms currently power the Pinterest recommendation system, and it’s an exciting reminder of how websites that millions of people browse everyday are based on research conducted at McGill. Hamilton stressed that students can get involved in such research, explaining that he himself started off as an undergraduate researcher at McGill, and his experience is inspiring for students unsure of how to start.

science & technology

tuesday, JANUARY 22, 2019

Ebrahim Noroozi recognized for sustainable lab initiatives

Reducing and reusing chemicals in research Ronny Litvack-Katzman Staff Writer The only thing that makes Ebrahim Noroozi salivate more than food is its sustainable practices. As lab supervisor, he clearly takes pride in making his experiments more environmentally friendly. He carries with him a seemingly endless list of the many innovations he has implemented in the Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, like a badge of honour. This fall, Noroozi received the inaugural Sustainable Lab Award—the most recent of many formal recognitions for his service to the McGill community. Amongst nearly 800 research and teaching labs currently operating at McGill, Noroozi’s lab was selected by the McGill Sustainable Labs Working Group for its environmentally-conscious chemical purchasing policy of buying supplies in reduced amounts, its novel system to recover and reuse chemicals, and other uniquely-sustainable lab practices. The award, presented to a lab which demonstrates “a commitment to integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into the way they work,” is one of many initiatives proposed in McGill’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, a framework to increase the university’s dedication to sustainability. “Mr. Noroozi has consistently demonstrated the utmost regard for [the] best practices around health, safety and sustainability in the laboratory he operates,” Vice-Principal (VP) of Administration and Finance Yves Beauchamp wrote in a statement toThe McGill Tribune. “He goes above and beyond the call of duty by making use of his expertise as a chemist and a safety professional in providing guidance to others in the Faculty around chemical safety, hazardous waste disposal, spill response, and

Award presentation on the downtown campus, from left to right: Associate Vice-Principal (Facilities Management and Ancillary Services) Robert Couvrette, Sustainable Labs Award winner Eby Noroozi, Associate Vice-Principal (Research & Innovation) Sylvain Coulombe, and Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Yves Beauchamp. environmental protection in general.” From eliminating thermometers containing mercury to using small containers to reduce commercial alcohol use, Noroozi’s success is credited to his eye for identifying ways in which the lab can be improved. In the case of alcohol storage, Noroozi noted that the 200litre containers they used previously were easily contaminated because of their large size. “By purchasing smaller, 25-litre containers, the amount of waste product due to cross-contamination [when performing

experiments] was drastically decreased,” Noroozi said. “I try to teach students good lab practices, [such as] the difference between which substances are waste and those which are recoverable and can be used again for teaching purposes.” When students brought to his attention that the rubber lining in one apparatus was wearing down, Noroozi purchased stainless steel ones to replace them. As a more durable material, stainless steel equipment can be used for longer periods of time without needing to be replaced. Noroozi has also started multiple internal initiatives, including the promotion of sharing chemicals between labs and buying products that meet modern environmental standards. McGill currently employs ‘lab-packs,’ a series of steeldrums which help to safely dispose of unwanted, dated, or contaminated chemicals. When Noroozi realized the lab-pack system did not account for leftover reusable chemicals, he offered an alternative solution. “These chemicals are not necessarily bad,” Noroozi said. “[It] could be from a lab which has been retired or from a researcher who had a surplus of one product. Before I get rid of [the chemicals], I let my colleagues know what I have and they can then come and pick-up what [they need].” Under his leadership, Noroozi estimates the faculty has spent upwards of $100,000 on safety equipment over the last two decades to improve health and safety features across the Macdonald Campus. “An institution of McGill’s size owes it to the environment to have laboratory practices that are sustainable,” Noroozi said. “Our research has the potential to carry a lot of biological, chemical, and physical harm. If we are careful with the way in which we implement our laboratories, then society can benefit from our research without the imposition of environmental consequences.”

Revolutionary developments by McGill researchers in the past year McGill researchers feature heavily in top 10 scientific achievements of 2018 Oceane Marescal Contributor Quebec-based researchers publish over 16,000 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals on an annual basis. For the past 26 years, the magazine Quebec Science has taken on the difficult endeavour of choosing which of these thousands of discoveries deserves to be honoured for both their methodology and impact on the scientific community. In 2018, the magazine highlighted 10 major findings, some of which were completed at McGill University. Earth before the arrival of animal life When atmospheric oxygen reacts with pyrite, a common mineral, sulfate salts form. These salts contain the oxygen atoms found in the atmosphere at the time of the reaction’s occurrence. Using this information, Peter Crockford, then-graduate student at McGill, measured oxygen isotope values from samples of 1.4 billion-year-old lake deposits to determine what the Earth’s ancient atmosphere and biosphere contained prior to the emergence of animal life. Based on these measurements, Crockford and his team found that primary production, the production of oxygen and organic matter by cyanobacteria, algae, and other organisms, was extremely low 1.4 billion years ago. These findings suggest a limit for the complexity of life that could have existed during this period based on the amount of organic matter available. For Crockford, the publication was a culmination of long days in the lab measuring oxy-

gen isotopes in the sulfates. “[The process] begins with weighing out samples and putting them into a chamber,” Crockford wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “We then add a reactive gas to get rid of any oxygen in the chamber. Then, we shoot our sample with lasers to liberate oxygen from sulfate ions and, finally, purify the oxygen and measure it on a mass spectrometer.” According to Crockford, published findings are only the beginning. Having an established effective methodology allows for scientists to apply the same strategy to over 40 other geologic formations, which, together, span time periods from 2.5 billion years ago to 500 million years ago and account for over half of the Earth’s history. A treatment for cerebral malaria Every year, over 500 million people are affected by malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by a parasite from the Plasmodium family. One of the most drastic manifestations of malaria is cerebral malaria, a severe neurological effect characterized by brain swelling, coma, and often death. Surviving patients, often children, sustain brain injuries and permanent neurological impairments. A recent study published by McGill researchers found that a natural product called rocaglate, which is derived from the aglaia plant species, was able to block the replication of blood-stage parasites in mice, presenting a possible treatment to prevent malarial parasite proliferation. In these mice, rocoglates were

McGill researchers and their projects celebrated as some of Quebec’s top scientific achievements for 2018. (reporter.mcgill.ca) able to reduce neurological inflammation and increase survival of those rodents infected with drug-resistant parasites. Although not yet tested on human subjects, this essential research shows the immense potential of this class of compounds for the treatment of cerebral malaria. PapSeek: Early detection of ovarian and endometrial cancers Early detection is an important part of cancer treatment, especially in the case of ovarian and uterine cancers. A pap smear is an essential test that most women should begin receiving

every three years starting at age 21. Usually, a normal pap smear will collect cells from the cervix to detect cancerous cells in this area. Lucy Gilbert, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Oncology, developed PapSeek, a test that collects samples not only from the cervix, but also from the uterus. The technique extends a brush into the uterus to collect cells closer to the region where cancers could originate, increasing the sensitivity of the test and the likelihood of detecting cancer from the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.

sports

TUESDAY, January 22, 2019

Can’t miss: Luka Dončić redefines scouting

Rookie Mavericks guard off to predictably-quick start Alec Regino Contributor At 19 years old, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić may be one of the most accomplished teenagers of our generation. Just a year ago, ‘Wonder Boy’ was a young basketball phenom for Real Madrid, leading the club to a Euroleague championship and earning league and championship MVP awards along the way. After landing in Dallas as the third overall pick, Dončić is already a star. He is the unquestionable front-runner for Rookie of the Year, an elite crunch-time scorer, and has more All-Star votes than both Steph Curry and James Harden. ‘HalleLuka’ indeed: It looks like the Mavericks have found their star to carry them through the post-Dirk Nowitzki era. Dončić’s immediate success in the league, however, was not a certainty—at least, not to everybody. Prior to the draft, league executives balked at what they perceived to be major red flags, such as Dončić’s Euroleague background, and his apparent lack of athleticism. One analyst even likened Dončić’s physique to that of a “7/11 employee.” The ghosts of past European draft failures such as Darko Miličić and Andrea Bargnani, often labeled as ‘soft’ or ‘products of weaker competition,’ clearly weighed on analysts’ minds leading up to the draft.

Close-mindedness could continue to haunt general managers for years to come. Comparing European players to one another is a lazy tendency that both fans and experts of the game continue to exhibit. Regardless of their prior experience, European NBA players must be either the next Dirk Nowitzki or the next Darko Miličić—a potential franchise cornerstone or a colossal misstep. Somehow, an understanding of the varying levels of competition outside of the NBA is lost in translation. Prior to their drafts, Darko averaged 7.6 points per game (PPG) and 3.9 rebounds per game (RPG) for an unremarkable Serbian club, while Bargnani averaged 11.5 PPG and five RPG in the EuroLeague. While Bargnani was named EuroLeague Rising Star in 2006, Dončić was on another level, racking up an obscene number of accolades for someone his age. The recurring ‘European bust’ opinion comes from pundits who are unable to set realistic expectations for players who come to the NBA outside of the NCAA system. Like any other prospect, these players may need a few years to adjust while some, like Kristaps Porzingis on the New York Knicks, find ways to make an immediate impact. Conflating expectations among players on the basis of their international background is sloppy analysis. There are many variables that may hinder an international player’s success, like

The Mavericks guard is averaging 20 points per game in his rookie season. (sportingnews.com)

the potentially-different game pace or their responses to a new culture and language. It’s more comfortable for teams to pick homegrown talent that their audience is familiar with. But, basketball is an increasingly international sport. If scouts continue to neglect prospects overseas, they may miss out on their next superstar: Giannis Antetokounmpo was the 15th pick of the 2013 draft; Rudy Gobert was picked 27th in that same year; Nikola Jokić was the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. All came up against the concern over how their respective games would translate to the NBA and fell in the draft after teams passed on them in favour of the safe, local prospects whom

they already knew. Unlike these other players, though, Dončić’s potential was never a mystery. Making the Eurobasket 2017 All-Tournament Team alongside four NBA-calibre players at 18 years old is unheard of. No NCAA athlete played pro basketball at age 13 like Dončić did. Dončić has already faced the pressure and adversity of playing at a high level, which is clear in the way he asserts himself against even the best of the NBA. Most international prospects are selected based on the projection that they will be good someday down the line. Dončić is a basketball wonder now. And he’s only going to get better.

Point-counterpoint: Kyler Murray

Two-sport athlete has big decision ahead: Baseball or football? Kyler Murray was drafted ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 2018 MLB draft, but after a stellar season as the University of Oklahoma’s starting quarterback culminating in a Heisman Trophy, the 21-year-old has a chance to make it big in the NFL, too. Now, he must choose between the diamond and the gridiron.

Baseball is the safer, smarter choice Paul McCann Contributor

There is a multitude of reasons for Kyler Murray to pick baseball, but the most important is his safety. Football is an extremely dangerous sport in comparison to baseball. In the short term alone, he has a greater chance of injury in football than baseball, which could shorten or even end his career. In the long term, the biggest threat to a football player’s health is brain health: Football is one of the highest-risk sports in the world for head injuries and concussions. Head injuries can threaten a football career in the short-term, but they could also lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease that can lead to further health complications, including depression, suicidal thoughts, Parkinson’s, and progressive dementia. Meanwhile, the risk of brain injury is almost non-existent in baseball. Further, the future is bright for Murray’s baseball career. Murray was selected ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics. With young stars like

for several years before finding his place with the Oakland Athletics. During this time, Murray would not be paid as much as he would make in the NFL. By choosing football, Murray is more likely to find success sooner rather than later. Further, Murray must choose between playing quarterback and playing outfield. While both make exceptional salaries, NFL quarterbacks on average make $2 million more than MLB outfielders. Currently, the highest-paid player in the NFL is Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Kyler Murray was a top 10 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and won the 2018 Heisman Trophy. (USA Today Rodgers, who made over $75 million this season Sports / abc7news.com) including endorsements. Meanwhile, the highestpaid MLB player is Los Angeles Angels outfielder Matt Chapman and Matt Olson as well as multiple player the Athletics project him to be, Murray Mike Trout, who made over $33 million this year. The only reason Murray might have for top 50 prospects, the Athletics have a promising could eventually sign a free agent contract for over choosing baseball over football would be an future ahead of them of which Murray could be a $100 million. Baseball is the safer decision for Kyler already guaranteed contract with Oakland, thus part. Meanwhile, many football pundits say that Murray could succeed more quickly in football. Murray, both financially and physically. And here, making them the safer destination. However, Murray is fairly certain to find a place in the NFL However, there is no guarantee that this is the case, the safer choice is the better one. that would pay him a higher salary given that it is especially given that he is six inches shorter than extremely unlikely for his drafting team to give the average NFL quarterback. Considering that up on him during his rookie contract. The NFL very few quarterbacks under six feet tall achieve is most certainly a greater gamble, but Kyler NFL stardom, Murray’s road to success faces a Owen Gibbs Murray’s talent is worth betting on. difficult roadblock. Staff Writer Lastly, Murray is already guaranteed $4.66 million if he plays baseball, and, if he leverages his Kyler Murray should stick with the NFL to position correctly, he could end up with as much maximize his athletic potential. Murray appears to as $15 million in his first contract. To build on an be a consensus top-15 pick in the NFL Entry Draft. already-hefty guarantee, his career will likely last The list of quarterbacks selected in that range One thing is for sure: Kyler Murray has a longer in the MLB. The average baseball career is over the past few years is filled with standouts bright future ahead of him wherever he ends up. 5.6 years long, compared to just 3.3 years in the like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. In We want to see Murray choose baseball, though, NFL. Every additional year means Murray can baseball, success would not come as quickly. so he can stay safe for years beyond the end of make millions more in salary. If he becomes the Murray would likely have to toil in the minors what should be a lengthy athletic career.

The money is in the NFL

Editors’ Choice: Baseball

sports

TUESDAY, January 22, 2019

Know Your Athlete: Tia Lore

Martlet soccer star talks leadership and the growth of women’s soccer in Canada Kaja Surborg Contributor Fourth-year Martlet winger Tia Lore is at a pivotal point in her athletic career. With only one season of McGill soccer left, Lore is both reflecting on her time as a student athlete and looking ahead to her post-university future. But before her career in university athletics, the Richmond, British Columbia native grew up surrounded by sports. “My parents were very prosport,” Lore said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “They just wanted me to be in everything, so I did quite a few sports growing up.” It was the close, unique team dynamic, however, that compelled Lore to stick with soccer. “I had great teams growing up, so I was lucky,” Lore said. “It’s a second family, and it really helps you get through things because it’s like you’re all living the same life.” When it came to finding a school where she could continue her soccer career, at first, McGill wasn’t even on Lore’s radar. But, after her coach convinced her to

Tia Lore has been a forward on the McGill Martlets for the last three and a half years. (Derek Drummond / McGill Athletics) visit the school, the team dynamic won her over. “The team was just so welcoming and so caring,” Lore said. “They were interested in me and what I wanted to do [....] At the other schools, the teams seemed more competitive than cohesive, whereas, here, you could just tell it was a family.” During her time at McGill, Lore’s role on the team has evolved. Although she doesn’t wear the captain’s armband, she still tries to be a team leader through her work ethic on and off the field.

“I’ve definitely taken on more over the years with leadership roles on the team,” Lore said. “My involvement on the team has grown because, in first year, you’re still transitioning a lot.” Lore recalled some of the challenges of her own transition from high school to university and how her time at McGill has helped her develop as a leader. “[At first], even just being at every practice was a lot,” Lore said. “I’m definitely more involved now that I’m better at managing my time, so I do more. You get to know how things run and how

much time you need for things. I also started to figure out what I did and didn’t enjoy at school.” A sociology major with a minor in communication studies, Lore has a wide variety of interests for her post-graduation plans. “I think I want to do some kind of event planning,” Lore said. “This year, I’m president of varsity council, which is planning a lot of events for student athletes and creating opportunities for them, which I really enjoy.” As much as she has enjoyed her time with the Martlets, enduring another Montreal winter after graduation is not part of Lore’s plan. “I could see myself working in an athletics department at another university because I’m so closely tied to it right now, just not in this cold,” Lore said. “Maybe the University of Hawaii is hiring.” Since starting to play soccer, Lore has also seen the women’s game grow in Canada. “I [used to] just go to soccer, play soccer, and not really hear about it,” Lore said. “With the World Cup coming [up] and seeing all these other university teams,

[...] you realize how big [the sport] is and how much bigger it can be.” McGill’s Women in Sport initiative has played a part in giving women’s sports at McGill the resources they need to raise the level of the game for female athletes. “They’re really trying to emphasize women in sports, which I think is awesome,” Lore said. “Getting women to realize that they’re just as important [as male athletes] is huge.” In the 2018 season, Lore scored the goal that secured McGill’s spot in the RSEQ playoffs, and, throughout her time with the Martlets, has made significant contributions to the team and the greater soccer community. To cap off this season, she was presented with the 2018 RSEQ Leadership and Citizenship Award for her efforts, including a program supporting the development of soccer in Paraguay for young girls that she worked on as the president of the McGill Varsity Council. Lore has made her mark at McGill and will, undoubtedly, do the same wherever she chooses to go next.

Martlet basketball falls short in rematch against Concordia Stingers steal annual Shoot for the Cure game Théo Farineau Contributor On Jan. 19, the McGill Martlets (4-3) basketball team faced the second-ranked team in the country, the Concordia Stingers (7-2). Unfortunately, the Martlets could not come out on top in their annual Shoot for the Cure game, part of a national fundraiser to help fight breast cancer. The Stingers, both more aggressive and more consistent in their efforts, emerged victorious 5947. McGill never led during the game, even once trailing by 21 points. The Martlet offence struggled despite fourth-year transfer centre Sirah Diarra’s 14 point contribution, including four three-pointers. The Stingers came into the game with a higher intensity than the Martlets, eager to avenge their loss to McGill just two days prior on Jan. 17. That energy mismatch showed in the first quarter of action, as Concordia started on a 10-0 run over the first five minutes. Ultimately, the Stingers built a 13-point lead by the end of the quarter. “When you beat number two in the country [Concordia], they’re gonna come back hungry,” Head Coach Ryan Thorne said. “We didn’t have the same hunger, and they showed why they are that [highly] ranked in the country. They’re a good team, well-coached, and they play with fire. We didn’t play with the same fire.” Diarra agreed that both teams were definitely still feeling the effect of their earlier showdown. “I think there was a lot of emotion from the game we played on Thursday, and it took us a minute to put our head in the game,” Diarra said.

stands—notably a crowd-pleasing block by first-year forward Shayann Laguerre—helped the Martlets cut their deficit back to a mere nine points, with three minutes to play. Even with the strong Martlet effort, the Stingers held on to their lead and came away with a 59-47 victory. Despite the loss, fourth-year guard Gladys Hakizimana felt confident in the team’s ability to gain some momentum and finish out the rest of their season strong. “We need to communicate more and pay attention to the details from the start, so it doesn’t cost us in the end,” she said. “From there, we should be in a good position.” The Martlets will try to bounce back from the tough loss with two consecutive games Charlotte Clayton handles the ball at the top of the arc. (Keli Geers / The McGill Tribune) against the Bishop’s Gaiters (2-8), first on Jan. 24 at Love Competition Hall for Beach Night, then on “Toward the end of the first quarter, we started to In the fourth quarter, some important defensive Jan. 26 in Gaiters’ territory. get ourselves together, and that’s when we started scoring and reducing the deficit.” The Martlets picked up the pace in the MOMENT OF THE Game second quarter and scored almost twice as much Shayann Laguerre showed her unrelenting spirit, blocking a Stingers’ as they had in the first, yet the Stingers continued attempt for the basket in the fourth quarter, giving hope to her teammates to dominate. Concordia’s lead reached 20 points and to the McGill crowd when a come back still seemed possible. halfway through the second quarter, due in part to McGill’s lack of aggression on defense. By the QUOTABLE end of the game, the Stingers had a 38-27 edge “It’s a special game because we are all women, and it gives us a great in rebounds. opportunity to play for an important cause.” -Gladys Hakizimana on playing to The third quarter saw more of the same, raise funds for breast cancer awareness. with McGill’s deficit hovering around 20 points throughout the frame. Even when two threeSTAT CORNER pointers from Diarra in two minutes gave the The Martlets came out cold, shooting a paltry 12.5 per cent from the field Martlets some momentum, the Stingers retaliated during the first quarter. immediately to preserve their lead. However, the Martlets did not give up easily.