The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019 | VOL. 38 | ISSUE 23
Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University
McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE
EDITORIAL
FEATURE
ELECTION COVERAGE
Base fee increase: Too much, too fast
Alone in a crowd
Referendum and SSMU candidate endorsements
PG. 5
PGs. 8-9
PGs. 2-3; 7
(Gabe Helfant / The McGill Tribune)
Bursting the McGill Bubble
PG. 11
VARS Gene a new link to a harrowing group of brain diseases Sophia Gorbounov Contributor At only two and a half months old, a baby girl named Mathilde Poliquin passed away at the Montreal Children’s Hospital from an unknown neurodevelopmental pediatric disorder. Her head was much smaller than normal, and her brain had
not developed properly. Six years later, a group of doctors from the McGill University Health Centre have successfully identified the genetic mutation that resulted in Mathilde’s death. A defect in the VARS gene, previously unlinked to any human disease, resulted in a genetic kind of leukoencephalopathy, a group of neurodegenerative diseases caused by abnormalities in nerve cells and myelin,
Decolonizing Redpath Museum
Nicholas Raffoul Staff Writer In the past year, The British Museum and other European institutions have come under scrutiny for continuing to display artifacts that have been acquired through colonial violence and military intervention. In response to this global controversy, French President Emmanuel
their families deserve an answer and deserve that researchers work on these diseases.” The study involved conducting both whole exome and whole genome testing in which the researchers scan an individual’s entire genetic code for any imperfections that could be the source of disease. PG. 14
In conversation with Emma Clarke
Investigating Redpath Museum’s ahistorical World Cultures exhibit Macron commissioned a national report calling for the restitution of the artifacts to their place of origin. According to the report, written by French art historian Bénédicte Savoy and Senegalese academic Felwine Sarr, 90 to 95 per cent of Africa’s material cultural objects are held outside of Africa by major museums, validating Macron’s suggestion that European museums should
the white-matter in the brain. “During my residency, I started being interested in neurodegenerative diseases and realized that families who had a precise diagnosis were, in general, grieving better,” Geneviève Bernard, a coauthor of the study as well as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, said. “Patients with rare and ultra-rare diseases and
Documenting the rise of women’s soccer
no longer hold control over African heritage. While the restitution of culturally-significant artifacts has become a media flashpoint among larger European museums, it is easy to ignore smaller institutions that perpetuate the same form of colonial appropriation of heritage objects, including McGill University’s own Redpath Museum. PG. 7
Kaja Surborg Contributor This summer, France will host the eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup. Although historical record shows that women formally organized their own soccer games starting in the late 19th century, it took until 1991 for FIFA to establish a Women’s World Cup. To celebrate the trailblazers who have made women’s soccer everything that it is
today, Gemma Clarke wrote Soccerwomen, her debut book, which will release in April. At the beginning of her career as a sports journalist, Clarke covered men’s soccer. When she started reporting on women’s games, she often compared the players to the men that she had been reporting on. Referring to Kelly Smith as the female David Beckham and Karen Carney as the female Wayne Rooney
placed the game in the only frame of reference that most of her readers were familiar with. Over time, Clarke realized that women’s soccer had plenty of stories, characters, and histories that had not yet been shared. “It was always about finding a good story and finding somebody that I wanted to write about,” Clarke said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. PG. 16
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TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019
SSMU ELECTIONS 2019 President Bryan Buraga:
Kyle Rubenok:
Bryan Buraga, U1 Economics, has served on SSMU’s Board of Directors as an Arts & Sciences Senator and is currently chairing the Ad-Hoc Fall Reading Break Committee. His platform emphasizes student advocacy, financial and institutional reform, and improved student support services. If elected, Buraga hopes to continue working with the administration and with student representatives for the implementation of a Fall reading week and to obtain fair compensation for student staff. Buraga’s platform emphasizes equity and he intends to advocate on behalf of marginalized students by to holding the administration accountable for implementing the Calls to Action in the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Affairs and Education. Additionally, he hopes to further improve the GSVP.
Kyle Rubenok, U3 Computer Science, is running on a platform of improving SSMU’s capacity for long-term projects and improving institutional memory. His initiatives include reworking SSMU health insurance for international students, making general assemblies remotely accessible, and providing study space in the University Centre to help offset the effects of the Schulich Library closure. Rubenok has served as the Computer Science Undergraduate Society’s president, co-director of HackMcGill for the past two years, and, as a member of the SSMU Board of Directors, has sat on the organization’s accountability and finance committees. Rubenok’s other campaign initiatives involve improving SSMU’s communications with its constituents and spearheading the development of SSMU’s proposed wellness hub, a subproject of the current SSMU Master Plan.
Endorsement: Yes with Reservations for Kyle Rubenok Though both candidates have extensive knowledge and experience with SSMU and student governance, Rubenok’s campaign proposals show a greater awareness of the role and scope of the presidential mandate. While Buraga is well-positioned to have great impact on student life in the coming years through his work on the Fall Reading Week committee, his many ambitious proposals and political goals are ill-suited to the primarily supportive duties of the presidential position. Rubenok rightly angles for fostering the development of a successful SSMU executive team and focuses on the most significant organizational challenges that face SSMU such as institutional memory, long-term continuity, and spacing needs. Some of Rubenok’s strategies for addressing these problems, like creating an alumnus position on the SSMU Board of Directors, show promise. However, other ideas, namely his ‘ten-year plan’ proposal and intention to provide study space for students, feel unrealistic. In order to succeed as SSMU president, Rubenok should continue to prioritize the issues he has identified, but consult further with students and SSMU employees to draft effective solutions.
VP Finance Ahmed Bawany: Ahmed Bawany, a U1 Bioengineering student with a minor in Management, cites his experience as chief financial officer of Nixor Hospital, financial analyst intern at Aga Khan Development Network, investor in the stock market, and founder of a startup cosmetic business as qualifications for the position of VP Finance. Bawany plans on creating more sub-departments within SSMU to improve efficiency, hiring additional students to inspect clubs for fraud and mismanagement of funds. He reported that SSMU has $400,000 in unused funds which he hopes to put toward scholarships, financial aid opportunities, and better health insurance. He also hopes to improve institutional memory by uploading financial records and files to computers and training his successor.
Ashar Yahya: Ashar Yahya, U2 Economics and Finance, has served in financial positions with various clubs, including VP Finance of the McGill Students Actuarial Association. His platform consists of three main projects to improve McGill. First, he plans to combine the financial surpluses of SSMU services into a mutual fund, which can be shared between them for large expenses. Second, he plans to hire additional staff for the funding committee. Finally, he hopes to build relationships between faculties, primarily through the creation of an online database on which students and professors can upload course materials and past exams for general use. More generally, he also aims to improve the structure of the financial
system by creating an autonomous program to track clubs’ application process and institute a multistage system for approving applications.
Sam Haward: Sam Haward, U2 Joint Honours Economics and Political Science, has SSMU experience as a Parliamentarian, co-chair and chair of the Accountability and Nominating Committees, and as a member of the Finance and Governance Review Committees. Haward aims to strengthen institutional memory to mitigate difficulties arising from annual executive turnover. Some of his key proposals include continuing to inform club executives about the SSMU finance system with interactive online workshops and recommitting to sociallyconscious investment with a renewed Financial Ethics Committee. Haward wants to revise the Services budgeting process, allowing them to earmark funds for future projects and avoid surpluses like the current surplus of over $400,000 across the 16 student services. Further, he plans to bring international students under SSMU’s Health and Departmental Insurance plan.
Endorsement: Yes to Sam Haward Of the three candidates, Haward’s platform shows the best grasp of the VP Finance position, and his time in various positions at SSMU has given him an excellent understanding of the scope of the role. Ideas such as a Google Classroom for efficient communication and expansion of financial literacy build on the work of the current VP Finance. Furthermore, Haward’s plan to work on international healthcare will help improve campus life for students who are already bearing the brunt of high tuition, and his experience on governance committees dedicated to this will prove useful in the position.
news
TUESDAY, march 26 2019
VP University Affairs
His familiarity with the institutions’ structures will empower him to pursue his goals effectively. Most of his platform focuses on achievable, concrete goals that would meaningfully advance students’ wellbeing.Wilson stated that her ‘combative nature’ and refusal to compromise will be her greatest challenges in the VP University Affairs (UA) position, if elected. This is fundamentally at odds with the VP UA’s mandate, which is to liaise between student groups and McGill’s administration—a process built on compromise. Jamal’s plans are also more rigorous, tying advocacy with actionable policy.
VP Internal
Husayn Jamal: Husayn Jamal, U2 Political Science and International Development, has extensive experience in student governance. He has served as speaker for the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), Science Undergraduate Society (SUS), and Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) legislative councils. He is also a member of the SSMU Governance Reform Committee, which is planning an overhaul of the society’s governance structure. His platform aims to make university governance more accessible and responsive to students by limiting the number of senate committees and beginning to submit annual reviews of the Deputy Provost Student Life and Learning (DPSLL)’s activities on behalf of SSMU. Other platform goals include continuing to streamline the application process for Library Improvement Fund (LIF) and prohibiting professors from requiring doctors’ notes for excused absences from lectures.
Sanchi Bhalla: Sanchi Bhalla, U2 International Management, is running on a platform of developing greater student socialization and encouraging interfaculty co-operation. Currently, she works as the Executive Financial Assistant to VP Finance Jun Wang. Bhalla plans on improving school spirit through ad-hoc, spontaneous events such as a snowball fight on Lower Field. She also hopes to improve communication between faculty bars and implementing a loyalty card to encourage students to venture beyond typical locales. Regarding Frosh, Bhalla suggests that alternative events be added to the pre-existing event structure to accommodate a wider variety of students. Proposed alternative events include a comedy night, a bus tour of Montreal, and café crawls.
Madeline Wilson: Madeline Wilson has two major campaign promises: Student advocacy and increasing academic accessibility.Wilson plans to continue advocating for open educational resources, as well as refocusing the Know Your Rights campaign to educate professors. She intends to focus her advocacy efforts on divestment from fossil fuels, changing the name of the men’s varsity teams, and sexual violence awareness, among other areas, and plans to employ governmental structures like an emergency referendum to adress these concerns.
Endorsement: yes to Husayn Jamal Jamal’s impressive experience with SSMU and McGill governance make him an ideal pick.
Aandrianna Jacob: Aandrianna Jacob, U2 Political Science, has event-planning experience from high school and from serving as VP Events in her high school’s residence hall. She is running on a platform of a more inclusive Frosh, more varied
Faculty Olympics activities, and making campus activities more accessible. She plans to revamp the SSMU app, modify the appearance of the listserv, and implement current VP Internal Matthew McLaughlin’s plan to create a campus calendar. Jacob also hopes to inform students of the help provided by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and mental health services, increasing mental health awareness.
Endorsement: Yes with Reservations Sanchi Bhalla Bhalla has previous SSMU experience and a better grasp on the VP Internal portfolio. Her emphasis on including additional non-drinking events during Frosh indicate realistic and inclusive goals. Her pragmatic approach to event planning and proposed initiatives show promise. However, Bhalla must remember to not let her creativity get the better of her; the logistics behind proposed ad-hoc events and an extended Fac-O point period are more time-consuming than she might imagine. Though Jacob has previously planned events her inexperience in student governance and relative lack of knowledge of current campus affairs make her an unsuitable candidate. Her campaign’s emphasis on improving health resources across campus seems misdirected— such initiatives typically fall under the VP Student Life portfolio.
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Endorsement: No to Billy Kawasaki While Kawasaki has extensive experience with SSMU and in student governance, his resignation from the role of VP Internal of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) after a short term from Dec. 2018 to Feb. 2019 is concerning in light of the heavy workload and scrutiny that SSMU executives face. Moreover, many of Kawasaki’s projects seem unrealistic for a single-term executive either from a logistical or financial standpoint. The clubs portal is a valuable endeavour, but, in light of the slow progress that has plagued the current VP Internal’s calendar, the portal appears to be too large of an undertaking to complete by Kawasaki’s prospective deadline of Fall 2019. Similarly, his plans to solidify the eating disorder programming within SSMU and address the issue of food insecurity on campus are commendable but lack concrete agendas.
VP External
VP Student Life
Adam Gwiazda-Amseo:
Billy Kawasaki: Billy Kawasaki, U3 Industrial Relations, is the only candidate running for the position of VP Student Life. His platform centres around streamlining SSMU’s relationship with clubs, growing a student network through building management, and addressing larger issues on campus such as mental health and food security. If elected, Kawasaki intends to focus his energy toward the creation of a clubs portal that would host training modules for club executives, post announcements from SSMU, and act as a space to submit documentation such as insurance claims. He also wants to use the portal as a way for campus groups to register for Activities Night in the hopes that a digital platform and record will simplify the organization of the event. As VP Student Life, he also intends to create two new ‘hubs’ for clubs, services, and Independent Student Groups: A wellness hub and a cultural and community centre. Kawasaki envisions grouping specific organizations together will help to foster a stronger undergraduate community.
Adam Gwiazda-Amseo, U2 Philosophy and Economics, comes with a fresh approach to the position of VP External. His platform highlights that the role of a VP External should not be politicized through a singular narrative, but that it should raise all voices on campus. Gwiazda-Amseo intends to serve as both an ally and a facilitator by uplifting the students behind movements which urge a positive change—notably Divest McGill, #ChangeTheName, and the Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy (GSVP). A Montreal-native, GwiazdaAmseo plans to connect McGill to Montreal and provide more resources for francophone students who wish to participate in student life. In light of the dissolution of AVEQ, he plans to either consider the possibility of joining FEVQ or create a new provincial students’ union.
Endorsement: Yes TO Adam Gwiazda-Amseo Gwiazda-Amseo’s approach to the VP External position is favourable as he intends to empower all voices on campus. Nonetheless, he must recognize that the VP External should choose a specific direction to see positive change. Gwiazda-Amseo must strike priorities in his portfolio to mobilize his efforts and accomplish progress within his portfolio next year—but as he listens to students and fosters an accessible space, Gwiazda-Amseo gives himself a good place to start. Disclosure: Bhalla, Buraga, and Wilson have written for the Tribune in the past.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019
Airbnb rentals in the Plateau spark ownership debates
Increase in makeshift hotels in residential areas Delphine Polidori Contributor With its alternative cafés, restaurants, and thrift stores, the Plateau neighbourhood might appear to be a flourishing area for anyone who grew up outside of Montreal. However, in reality, the online short-term renting platform Airbnb has caused long-standing residents to be evicted, housing market prices to rise, and small businesses to close. As a result, two housing committees of the Plateau-Mont Royal and Ville Marie areas are calling for a ban on the platform in Montreal. The platform has enabled an increasing number of buildings to be turned into makeshift hotels with year-round listings. According to the Urban Politics and Governance (UPGo) research group at McGill, 69 per cent of the listings in the Plateau alone are entire homes rather than private rooms. In Dec. 2015, the Quebec government passed Bill 67 to regulate tourist accommodations across Quebec and ensure adherence to Quebec tax laws. Later, on July 21, 2017, Revenu Québec and Airbnb came to an agreement that Airbnb subletters would pay Revenu Québec a housing tax of 3.5 per cent per night rented. Last year, Bill 150 was passed on June 12, 2018 to regulate companies trying to make a profit off of Airbnb. “[Under Bill 150], Revenu Québec is [now] responsible [for] the new inspection program in the sector of tourist accommodation in order to oversee the compliance with tax laws and regulations by operators,” Revenu Québec Public Relations spokesperson Geneviève Laurier wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “Following these
changes, Revenu Québec has deployed a team of 25 people to carry out information and awareness programs across the Quebec province.” To make it easier to distinguish long-term, commercial listings from short-term rentals, UPGo, which is working with the Plateau-Mont Royal Housing Committee to find solutions, has called for Airbnb to make its data on users and rentals available to the Quebec government. Airbnb continues to be reluctant to cooperate. On Mar. 16, the committee held an Airbnb forum at which residents of the Plateau-Mont Royal area could express their dissatisfaction with the online platform. Odile Lanctôt, vice-president of the committee’s administrative council, shared the committee’s latest study on the impact of Airbnb in Quebec. “It is the idea of privatizing the urban space, encouraged by Airbnb, which jeopardizes the community life of central neighborhoods,” Lanctôt said. “It leads to the homogenization of these areas [...] and to the commodification through tourism of cultural, social life [...], [limiting] the access of the lower-income neighborhoods to [...] urban life.” Robert, a tenant who requested anonymity, described the disruptive experience of having neighbours replaced by rentable apartments to the rest of the forum. “I have lived in the same apartment in the Plateau for around 20 years now,” Robert said. “Since this new company has bought the building [...], each time a tenant moves out, the next day the landlord takes over the unit, installs a keypad [...] and completely renovates the unit. [...] So, out of the eight apartments [in my building], we are cur-
Five per cent of the housing market of the Plateau-Mont Royal area is estimated to have been lost to tourist accommodation. (Delphine Polidori / The McGill Tribune). rently only two tenants [...], the rest being Airbnb.” Robert misses the sense of community he used to share with his neighbours. “I have lost a lot of quality of life,” Robert said. “I don’t know how long I am going to be able to live here for because, eventually, all [my landlord] wants is for me to leave [....] But, I love my apartment, I love where I live.” Vicky Langevin, a community organizer of the committee, recognizes that banning Airbnb may impact tenants who welcome the platform’s
practical nature, such as students. Ultimately, though, she believes that a ban is justified as a means to prevent larger companies from acquiring and renting out apartment space. “We understand that [this ban] can have a negative impact on some individuals, but, unfortunately [...], the majority [of Airbnb rentals are from companies],” Langevin said. “We are not at all against people renting out their unit while they are away [...], but, through Airbnb, [the situation] has [gotten] out of control.”
Tribune Explains: The SSMU Base Fee Increase Why SSMU needs more money Kyle Dewsnap Staff Writer In this year’s Winter Referendum, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is asking students to approve a significant increase to their mandatory base fee. The McGill Tribune spoke with SSMU President Tre Mansdoerfer about what SSMU is planning to do with the new funds. Why is SSMU trying to increase the fee? Compared to similarly-sized Canadian universities, SSMU’s student union membership fee is one of the lowest in the country. For example, the base student fee for Western University’s student government was $84.82 in 2018, while the SSMU membership fee was only $44.33. On this semester’s referendum, Mansdoerfer proposes that the fee be increased by $30, bringing the annual base fee up to $74.33 per semester to make SSMU’s membership fee comparable with other U15 universities. In addition to the base fee, SSMU also makes revenue by renting out space within the University Centre and from sales at Gerts Campus bar. However, with the University Building under renovation since March 2018, these sources of income have been unavailable. The closure has also meant that SSMU has needed to rent additional spaces elsewhere for clubs services, and Independent Student Groups, raising the annual expenses of the union. Where is the additional money going to go? To rally support for the fee increase, Mansdoerfer created a SSMU Master Plan to guide future executives in allocating the new funds. When the plan was being built, SSMU considered the common complaints that students levy against SSMU, such as their previous regular scandals and their lack of support for campus clubs. Mansdoerfer said that he designed the plan
around two main goals: Increasing usable student space and increasing the number of SSMU full-time staff. “SSMU’s done a bad job [of] supporting the student body,” Mansdoerfer said. “Over my entire [undergraduate degree], I have been disappointed in the number of scandals [surrounding SSMU executives] and [I have] not seen SSMU make a significant improvement toward student life [....] The purpose of the Master Plan is to have future executives walk into their roles at the beginning of the year with a plan already made for them so that they’re set up to succeed.” How are they going to increase their space? In March 2018, SSMU bought 3501 Peel, a former psychologist’s office next to the First Peoples’ House. In response to McGill’s shortage of resources for student wellbeing, the Master Plan includes plans for SSMU to turn the space into its own independent wellness centre, complementing the new Rossy Student Wellness Hub operated by McGill Student Services. The building will host four psychologists, a nutritionist, a massage therapist, and a physiotherapist to begin with. The master plan also states that $500-700k of the funds collected yearly from the base fee will go toward a Major Capital Improvement Fund (MCIF). The fund will first go towards renovating spaces within the University Centre, such as remodelling Gerts student bar to be more in the style of SuWu and turning the second-floor cafeteria into a kiosk-style food court. The fund will also be used to buy properties around the Downtown campus, increasing the overall availability of space for SSMU clubs and services. Where are they hiring new people? SSMU also plans to create approximately five full-time support staff positions to aid future executives in fulfilling their mandates. One proposal is for SSMU to hire a staff member dedicated to managing the society’s public relations, a job that
is currently managed jointly by the VP Internal and VP External. According to Mansdoerfer, hiring new staff members should be a priority to ensure SSMU’s future success. “There was an article written earlier this week that said that SSMU executives were overworked,” Mansdoerfer said. “We agree. There aren’t enough support systems in place, so we’re setting up [executives] to fail [....] For context, we have around 26 to 28 full-time staff, while Western has around 60. There’s a reason why Western has one of the best-functioning student unions in the country: It’s because they have that amount of support from their staff.”
The base fee increase will go toward infrastructure projects and hiring five additional full-time staff. (Sabrina Girard-Lamas / The McGill Tribune)
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TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019
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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
Base fee increase: Too much, too fast While students usually skim past referendum questions, on the ballot for the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU) Winter Referendum 2019 is a proposal for a significant mandatory base-fee increase. President Tre Mansdoerfer has suggested a $30 increase, which would raise the current fee from $44.33 to $74.33 per term for full-time students. The substantial proposition is the first since a failed attempt in 2016, when a now relatively minor proposal of a $5.50 raise failed to pass. One justification for the hike is that SSMU’s membership fee is one of the lowest among Canadian universities. Although SSMU’s current base fee is an insufficient contribution given the services it provides, it is unwise of SSMU to ask for such a sudden and dramatic increase of nearly 70 per cent. Mansdoerfer presented the proposed fee increase alongside a ‘Master Plan’ for future projects to help guide incoming executives. Some of the plan’s suggestions are valuable; for example, the plan to hire more
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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 Copy Editor Melissa Langley copy@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Falah Rajput business@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Executives Heela Achakzai, Maharshee Karia, Alessandra Moukarzel 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 Russell, Kevin Vogel
staff Dan Aponte, Peter Ball, Hannibal de Pencier, Taja De Silva, Kyle Dewsnap, Owen Gibbs, Emma Gillies, Sabrina Girard-Lamas, 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 Micah Angell, Zoe Babad-Palmer, Stephanie Deng, Solomon Friedman, Sophia Gorbounov, Kyla Ion, Alaana Kumar, Leyla Moy, Delphine Polidori, Chiso Ufondu, Sophia White
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Johanna Cline Columnist With only a limited knowledge of French needed to thrive as a student in Montreal, it’s unsurprising that most anglophone university graduates enter the labourforce without a working knowledge of Quebec’s official language. For anglophone students looking to start a career in Montreal, Quebec’s bilingualism laws restrict employment options, and recent graduates often end up leaving the city to seek other opportunities. Researchers have dubbed this phenomenon the ‘brain drain,’ and have studied how the exodus of post-graduate degree holders has caused the city to miss out on the valuable skills of Englishspeaking students. The disconnect between English universities and the French workforce not only hinders the city’s prosperity, but also disadvantages anglophone graduates who want to continue calling Montreal home. In 2018, Montreal experienced a net population decrease of
support staff for SSMU’s overworked executives is one the Tribune has endorsed. However, new staff would not be limited to executive assistants— Mansdoerfer has suggested that SSMU hire a full-time public relations specialist to handle their communications. Paying professionals to manage SSMU’s image is not an appropriate use of students’ money. The Master Plan also suggests several expensive, large-scale, and likely unfeasible initiatives. For example, the plan proposes the creation of a wellness hub that would house psychologists and other professionals at 3501 Peel, as well as additional renovations to the University Centre. Rather than hiring medical professionals to make up for McGill’s lack of satisfactory student services, SSMU should focus on fulfilling their key mandate of representing students’ interests to the administration. The hiring of two psychologists, one nutritionist, one massage therapist, and one physiotherapist will not solve McGill’s
mental health crisis; however, pressuring the administration to reallocate proper funds to student wellness might. While this is a well-intentioned undertaking, founding a wellness hub is likely too wide-scale of a project to foist on executives with single-year terms. The theme of admirable-yetunrealistic ambition extends throughout the Master Plan. For example, its suggestion to renovate Gerts to become a more ‘café-style’ bar like SUWU is an impractical goal for a students’ society. The past failure of Sadie’s is proof that investing in a new restaurant may not be the most lucrative addition to the new University Centre. SSMU faced unprecedented barriers this year, particularly considering the University Centre closure in March 2018. Consequently, SSMU’s finances have suffered the loss of revenue from the Gerts Bar, and the renting of additional off-campus space to house clubs and services. However, these additional costs are temporary and do not themselves justify
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EDITORIAL a permanent fee increase.The fact that SSMU’s base fee has not increased since 2007 is unacceptable, and SSMU should work toward implementing a fee that is comparable to those of other universities. However, SSMU should not expect this change to happen overnight. Instead, SSMU should ask for a series of incremental fee increases, an option that students will likely find more palatable. Not only is such a large undertaking overwhelming for an already overworked executive, but such a drastic raise poses financial concerns for many students. Before investing in future projects, SSMU should fix their internal operations. Instead of hiring a public relations staff member, the next VicePresident Internal should consider new strategies to handling communications and outreach. While a fee increase is justified, the amount proposed is not, and neither is the associated Master Plan. For their next proposed feeincrease, SSMU should suggest a more realistic number.
Montreal’s anglophone brain drain over 20,000—the city’s largest in a decade. Despite having over 170,000 students at 11 universities, only 32 per cent of Montrealers aged 25 to 64 hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, one of the lowest ratios of all major North American cities. Last May, McGill partnered with the Quebec government to study the anglophone exodus with the aim of finding a sustainable solution. This partnership is a step in the right direction, and it is vital that the city continue to commit itself to a thorough strategy for rectifying the brain drain epidemic. The linguistic divide between the city’s English universities and its predominantly French labour market can be partly blamed for Montreal’s lack of degreeholding residents. Every year, English universities like McGill and Concordia recruit nationwide and worldwide. Once in Montreal, these students quickly learn that thriving in and around the downtown bubble requires little more than a four-word French vocabulary—je ne comprend pas. This realization, paired with their busy university schedules, means that many students do not have to invest in learning French. Even with an awareness of the French-speaking requirements in Montreal’s job market, students may still rationalize that it makes less sense to learn French when they could work in their mother tongue and save the money and time investments it takes to pick up a new language. In Quebec, companies seek French-speaking employees to meet the government’s legally-enforced
bilingualism standards. Civil service work and jobs at federal institutions both require employees to have French communication skills. Moreover, professionals who speak English and French enjoy significantly larger incomes earn up to 60 per cent more than their unilingual counterparts. No matter how much students may love Montreal, sticking around may not be worth limiting oneself to mostly entry-level jobs. Most graduates crave the fulfilment of excelling in their field of work, and if Montreal does not offer anglophones occupations in their field they will go elsewhere. Preserving the primacy of the French language underlies Quebec’s dedication to maintaining its heritage; reflexively suggesting the end of Bill 101 is not a workable solution to the brain drain issue. At the same time, the Quebec government is setting the province up for a massive disadvantage by not prioritizing the retention of anglophone students.
cartoon Erica Stefano / Design Editor
One solution to brain drain could be investing in strategies to make French more accessible for busy English-speaking students. Currently, the Quebec government offers a variety of subsidized French courses for recent immigrants. Promoting this kind of opportunity more heavily in the university setting and offering more part-time courses would send the message that the government wants to welcome and assist English-speakers in becoming bilingual. McGill could also incorporate French into freshman requirements or offer more seats in French courses. Investing in free French courses for all students and more French scholarships for anglophones are also valuable ways that the Quebec government could retain degree-holders. In partnership with the Quebec government, employers could contribute to improving this issue by welcoming anglophone staff and offering avenues and incentives for improving French skills over time.
“You’ve been away”
6
opinion
Winter 2019
TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019
SSMU Referendum endorsements STUDENT SERVICES FEE INCREASE: Yes, with reservations In response to the inadequate mental health resources on campus, McGill’s Student Services is investing in multiple large-scale projects and renovations. This includes theRossy Student Wellness Hub, a multi-million dollar project that will consolidate counselling, medical, and psychiatric services to promote health and wellness. Besides the Wellness Hub, Student Services plans to use the fee increase to hire more counsellors and medical doctors and to resolve current operating costs. To resolve the ensuing $3 million operational deficit, McGill has agreed to contribute an additional $337,000 to Student Services provided that the fee increase passes. Additionally, the Student Services fee has not increased in six years. The likely alternative to a fee increase would be budget cuts within Student Services, especially in areas such as Campus Life & Engagement (CL&E) and McGill’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life (MORSL). However, if the fee is approved, Student Services must consult students about how the Rossy Wellness Hub can address their needs. An increase in the number of general practitioners, receptionists, and counsellors will better equip Student Services to navigate mental health crises, and the Tribune believes that voting ‘yes’ is a necessary step in the right direction. Still, it is important that Student Services deliver on their promises and continue investing in crucial services like CL&E or MORSL.
Athletics Facility Improvement Fee renewal: No The Athletics Facility Improvement Fee is designed to improve and update McGill’s athletics facilities, which are operating at near or full capacity. If approved, the money from this fee increase would be matched by the university. On March 19, the Tribune published a commentary by SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek in which he asked students to vote ‘no’ to the fee. Jirousek explained that the men’s varsity team name is derogatory, and that its continued presence inside the athletics facilities isolates and excludes Indigenous students. Although Principal Suzanne Fortier has the final decision-making power with regard to the men’s varsity team name, the fee’s failure would put pressure on the administration to change the men’s varsity team name. A ‘no’ vote is a pledge of support to the Indigenous community at McGill, and to #ChangeTheName. The Tribune believes that the student body should finance these improvements, but only once they are accessible to all students.
Creation and restructuring of the SSMU Space Fund Fee: Yes The Space Fee would allow SSMU to collect necessary funds to support club operations and student events. The current $10.37 base fee is shared between nine campus resources, and it would be increased by $1 to accommodate a fund dedicated to renting space for campus events. The fee restructuring will give SSMU more money to rent spaces, a necessary provision given the prolonged construction on the SSMU building. Since the SSMU building closure, much of the Campus Life Fund has been depleted to pay for additional space, which is financially unsustainable. Though the reopening of the SSMU building will ultimately alleviate this stress on the Campus Life Fund, additional money is necessary to secure spaces in the interim.
SSMU Health and Dental Plan Fee increase: Yes SSMU’s health and dental insurance plan is an important service for many students on campus, particularly international students, who currently do not benefit from dental care under the Blue Cross International Student Health plan. The proposed Health and Dental plan fee increase responds to the rising cost of health care while expanding coverage for students. In particular, the new fee would increase coverage for psychological services, introduce coverage for massage therapy, and eliminate coverage for naturopathy. Additionally, the increase in the Dental Plan fee will cover the cost of rising dental insurance premiums. A ‘yes’ vote to increase the opt-outable Health Plan fee by $50 and the opt-outable Health and Dental Plan fee by $50 will help SSMU to continue providing comprehensive coverage.
Restructuring of the SSMU Service Fee: Yes Currently, SSMU collects fees to fund services on campus on an individual basis, with separate fees for 13 student services such as the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), Television McGill (TVM), and the Arab Student Network. For the last several years, SSMU has posted significant bulk of student fees collected for some services, most recently a $325,702 surplus in 2018; while some services, like McGill Student Emergency Response Team (MSERT), still suffer extreme deficits. The question proposes putting such surpluses into a new Student Life Fund, which would be accessible to current services so that they can engage in large capital expansion projects and help pay for administrative overhead costs. The Tribune endorses voting ‘yes’ to the creation of this fund. Creating a mechanism to redistribute surplus revenue across a set of services with highly varied operating costs would maximize the utilization of existing funds and help bring SSMU into compliance with standard not-for-profit accounting practices.
Restructuring of the SSMU Safety Service Fee: Yes The current $3.97 Safety Network Fee funds the operation of four on-campus safety services: SACOMMS, MSERT, DriveSafe, and WalkSafe. Currently, the fee’s distribution allocates $0.75 to MSERT, $2.50 to SACOMSS, $0.60 to DriveSafe, and $0.12 to WalkSafe. The motion proposes that this distribution be adjusted to account for the services’ respective financial situations: SACOMSS has consistently run surpluses over the past three years, while MSERT suffered an approximately $15 thousand deficit in 2018 and does not have the capital to sustain its operations. SSMU Vice-President (VP) Finance Jun Wang has proposed that the structure of the $3.97 fee be restructured as follows: $1.50 for MSERT, $1.75 for SACOMSS, $0.60 for DriveSafe, and $0.12 for WalkSafe. The Tribune endorses this change to the fee structure to ensure that fees for services to meet their varied needs.
Renewal of the Campus Life Fund Fee: Yes The Campus Life Fund fee supports projects, events, conferences, publications, productions and athletic teams run by students. Full-time students currently pay $2 per semester while parttime students pay $1 per semester, and it is essential that they continue to support student-run initiatives. The fund allows for the spontaneous development of new projects that may not have been budgeted for at the beginning of an organization’s fiscal year and encourages groups to provide for the community regardless of their financial limitations. The fee is especially beneficial to Independent Student Groups and other groups that do not have club or service status within SSMU and therefore cannot access the Club Fund. The fund has also benefited groups during the University Centre’s closure by prioritizing applications that needed assistance financing rentable spaces.
The realities of social anxiety on campus Erica Stefano Design Editor
W
hen I was 17, my therapist told me how excited she was for me to go to college. It would be a clean slate—a new opportunity to make friends with similar interests and to get myself out of my comfort zone. Throughout my teenage years, the therapist’s office had become an all-too familiar environment to me: Sun-lit, with a view of the public library, filled with quiet classical music, children’s toys, and gaudy, celebrity-clad magazines. I was hesitantly optimistic—high school had been defined by my virtual invisibility in classes and seemingly perpetual identity as an outcast. For me, like for many others, college was promised to be an opportunity. I soon realized my naivety during my first months at McGill. I told myself that I would become what I had perceived as ‘normal,’ make friends, join clubs, and go to events. What became of my determination was one-time attendance at clubs, excessive amounts of time spent in corners kept company by only a plateful of free food, and fleeting relationships that would soon disappear once the semester ended. The feeling of living with some 744 people in New Residence Hall did nothing to curb the void of loneliness I felt. Julia* U1 Science, describes her initial experiences at McGill in similar terms. “During my first semester, I [had] barely gone to class, and I was always stressed out and anxious to go to classes if I had to,” Julia said. “It seemed that people already had groups of people they sat with and [were] uninterested in socializing any further. As a result, I isolated myself further by eating alone, rarely going out, feeling depressed, and doing nothing about it.” The phenomenon of social anxiety is relatively common. Most students can relate to the cold sweat before a class presentation or an itchiness when in large crowds. Social phobia, defined by Statistics Canada as “a disorder characterized by a fear of situations in which there is potential for embarrassment or humiliation in front of others” is listed as one of the most common anxiety disorders by Statistics Canada. Helen Costin, a clinician at the Rossy Student Wellness Hub, spoke to The McGill Tribune about the prominence of social phobias on McGill campus. “Twenty to thirty per cent of the clients I see struggle with issues pertaining to making friends, handling social interactions, and [the] fear of being rejected by their peers” Costin said. As social interaction is an integral part of the human experience, social anxiety can have a profound effect on one’s life. Those who suffer from social anxiety avoid job interviews, presentations, and class participation at all costs. Not only is it difficult to be around and talk to others, but common tasks such as going to the grocery store also require mental preparation. Jason Arnold, U2 Arts, describes social anxiety as a constant presence. “It means that plans come with asterisks, that being around people is an activity which requires an exit strategy, and, more than anything, it comes with the unpleasant sensation of being aware of your own irrationality without being able to correct it,” Arnold said. A common misconception is that Social Anxiety Disorder can be equated with introversion. As a result, loved ones who may have the best intentions will frequently push a socially anxious person into uncomfortable situations, urging them to make friends and open up. Teri Phillips, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, explained the important distinctions between common shyness and social anxiety. “Those students with Social Anxiety Disorder are experiencing a level of fear with regard to social interactions that are, by definition, preventing them from developing their relationships and/or academic career fully,” Phillips said.
Social anxiety, like many other mental illnesses, presents barriers for those who suffer from it at McGill and beyond. Many arts classes, for example, include a mandatory participation component in weekly conferences. Social skills are considered vital to both academic success and to obtaining a job later on. Costin spoke to the profound effect social anxiety has on decisionmaking processes. “A person with social anxiety may go to great lengths to avoid social interactions and will make choices based on avoiding these interactions,” Costin said. “For example, a person who has social anxiety may avoid social interaction altogether for fear of being negatively judged by others.” For those living with social anxiety, avoidance can become a vicious cycle leading to
“Twenty to thirty per cent of the clients I see struggle with issues pertaining to making friends, handling social interactions, and fear of being rejected by their peers”
complete isolation. When one repeatedly has negative interactions with others in which they feel they are left out or judged, they will naturally avoid others, reinforcing their belief that they are, indeed, completely and utterly alone. Perhaps the worst part is when the person realizes they have no one but themself to blame. “[Social anxiety] is that [...] feeling of inevitability, the Sword of Damocles reminding you that, at some point, you will say or do something horribly, irreversibly, inescapably wrong,” Arnold said. “It is the awareness that you are about to be the cause of your own ostracization, the tension that comes as you wonder whether or not it would have been better to leave sooner. It’s waiting for a horror that will never materialize.” It wasn’t until some two years after arriving at McGill, when just going outside, let alone confronting others, had become unendurable to the point of contemplating taking my own life, that I received a diagnosis for moderately severe Social Anxiety Disorder. This was only after a month of waiting after being referred to Psychiatric Services from my initial safety appointment with Counselling Services. I was lucky to have my crisis after finals season. During the regular school year, wait times for Counselling Services alone infamously often span weeks. With resources stretched thin, these preliminary wait times are combined with two months or more for an appointment with a psychiatrist after referral. The lack of efficient and effective resources for those struggling with social anxiety and isolation as a whole becomes of particular issue when examining its growing prevalence at McGill and other universities. Vera Romano, director of the Rossy Student Wellness Hub, spoke with the Tribune about the growing phenomenon across post-secondary institutions. “What we’re seeing in the data is that students across Canada and the United States are reporting increasing feelings of loneliness and anxiety,” Romano said. “It’s a phenomenon that touches all university campuses, not just McGill.” One does not have to go past the front page of the McGill subreddit to find posts by students feeling lonely and otherwise isolated from the broader McGill community. “Why the McGill experience is so lonely?” one post asks, “McGill students with friends, how did you make them?” ponders another. “McGill is a fairly large community,” Julia said. “It can be intimidating and difficult to maintain relationships with people. It’s not a tight community like some other schools are, meaning there’s less school spirit and more individual life. It takes more effort and initiative to find people that have similar interests and personalities.” In particular, McGill Counselling Services offers group therapy for those with Social Anxiety, or those “who experience intense anxiety in either social or performance
“[Social anxiety] is that [...] feeling of inevitability, the Sword of Damocles reminding you that, at some point, you will say or do something horribly, irreversibly, inescapably situations due to a fear of humiliation or embarrassment.” However, these groups are intended to be short-term solutions, lasting only one semester or less. McGill Psychiatric Services offer no individual, one-on-one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), leaving it up to students to find help outside of McGill. Many outside clinics are inaccessible to international students, who have to find clinics that are covered by insurance. Julia recently created the subreddit /r/lonelymcgill, dedicated to helping others who feel similarly isolated on campus. “I believe that, by talking about the issue, discussing thoughts and coming up with solutions in an anonymous environment could help people take initiative to be more involved in the social scene at McGill,” Julia said.
The McGill subreddit also holds meet-ups, hoping to aid those who have a hard time making friends and confronting the social scene at McGill. However, for those with social anxiety, simply putting oneself out there is not enough. It’s a constant, self-perpetuating cycle that requires tangible effort and help—whether it be from therapy or medication—to even begin to have the courage to break. Most importantly, Arnold asserts, it requires patience from those around them. “Even though [social anxiety] affects their lives in ways they don’t want, it doesn’t mean that person is any less worthwhile or interesting or pleasant.” Arnold said. “They just need a little understanding, sometimes.” *This source was granted anonymity at their request.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday, march 26 2019
7
Decolonizing Redpath Museum
Investigating Redpath Museum’s ahistorical World Cultures exhibit
The Redpath Museum is home to many a hidden history. (Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)
Nicholas Raffoul Staff Writer Continued from page 1. The World Cultures Collections at the Redpath Museum includes approximately 17,000 archaeological and ethnographic objects from a wide array of origins including Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and South America. The collection features over 2,500 objects from Africa, specifically Angola, Egypt, and the Congo which were collected circa 1900. Of the Redpath’s African collection, two thousand more objects originate from Egypt, and the Redpath Museum currently holds and displays three human mummies as well as other religious and decorative cultural items. While it is admirable that McGill is showcasing so many of these works, many of the artifacts, including the mummies, were acquired through theft or illegal trading. In 2016, Barbara Lawson, who previously held the position of World Cultures curator at the Redpath Museum, published an article in Fontanus McGill discussing how McGill chancellor James Ferrier illegally obtained the mummies in 1859. Ferrier likely acquired the artifacts from Mustapha Agha Ayat, a well-known trader who was also a major figure in the illicit antiquities market. Due to the dubious exchanges surrounding the acquisition of the mummy and other items, it is unlikely that Redpath Museum will ever determine the source of the mummies, making their potential return much more complex. Thomas Roddick donated one of the three mummies in 1895 after his travel to Egypt to participate in a colonial British military mission following his participation in the AngloEgyptian War of 1882. Similarly, the exact origin of the mummy is unknown. Khalid Mustafa Medani, graduate program director and associate professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Islamic Studies, explains that the way the museum displays its artifacts is unethical, and propagates an imperialist experience that advances the notion of Western superiority. In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Medani drew particular attention to the texts that accompany the mummy display. “[Artifacts] are displayed out of context,” Medani said. “They are displayed in ways that diminish and devalue the people who made the artifacts, giving little historical context.” On the third floor of the Redpath Museum, the descriptions accompanying the mummies vaguely cite how the works were sourced, presenting an incomplete and hazy history of the provenance
of Redpath’s collected human remains. “The mummy was brought to Montreal from Thebes in 1859 by James Ferrier,” one of the texts reads. “[It was] brought back from Egypt in 1859 and donated to Montreal Redpath Museum.” Despite trying to clarify the artifact’s history, the text still leaves much unclear. The plaque does not detail Ferrier’s motivations for his trip, nor does it provide information about the illegal transactions that allowed him to take the mummy. Medani also discussed Western curation practices, many of which reflect a belief that the West has the right to display culturallysignificant objects from around the world. “It is a philosophy that it’s Western museums and the Western world that can curate world art,” Medani said. “One of the trustees of the British Museum said very affirmatively ‘We are a world Museum for the world.’ [Western museum] understanding is that the epicenter, the most-elevated and advanced population, resides in the West and that [museum curators] have a legitimate right to curate art of the [entire] world.” However, even if viewers take the initiative to look beyond exhibitions and search for artifacts’ contexts, obtaining such information is no easy feat. Annie Lussier, the current World Cultures curator at Redpath, described the process of finding more details about the origins of certain objects as extensive. “Archives related to the collections are accessible to researchers only by request,” Lussier said, noting that researchers can only contact the Redpath Collection Manager, the Director of the Museum, or herself. While research is possible, there are frequent barriers to accessing information, especially for the majority of Redpath visitors who do not have the necessary credentials to gain admission to the Museum’s archives. “[The Redpath Museum] has a sensitivity to the ethical issues related to preservation, exhibition, and restitution of cultural heritage,” Lussier said. According to Lussier, the Redpath Museum is currently working on updating their collection management policy, which will include a new section on restitution and will be available online. She also noted to improve cultural awareness, curators and historians should consult with relevant communities prior to the exhibition of objects. “It’s a conversation we need to have as people from museums, but also with communities too, to find out what their needs are, and so listening is very important for us, especially listening to different voices,” Lussier said. However, the Redpath Museum has not contacted any of
the communities for which their displayed objects have cultural significance, nor do they have any concrete plans to do so. Gloria Bell, an assistant professor of Indigenous Arts in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies at McGill, has visited the World Cultures exhibit in recent months and believes there’s room for improvement. “[The Redpath Museum] has a historicizing, outdated, primitivizing display [and employs] a very old school strategy,” Bell said in an interview with the Tribune. Bell noted that the museum is understaffed and in dire need of more employees to begin the extensive process of reconstruction. Bell also discussed the possibility of the Redpath Museum asking contemporary artists to display their work in order to highlight up-todate works rather than showcasing world cultures of the past. Medani presented a variety of different solutions to remedy the issue of stolen objects: The immediate restitution of cultural objects, and the possibility of loans to African museums. The advantage of loans is that objects can be returned, and with less red tape. “It is a temporary resolution, but it has already been happening in museums in Benin City and the Nigerian National Museum,” Medani said. Medani also evoked the Benin Dialogue Group (BDG), which was established in 2007 to address restitution claims, as a possible solution to loan objects.The BDG is a consortium of representatives from a handful of European museums, the Royal Court of Benin, Edo State Government, and Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments. “That is a way to curate these exhibits in a joint-fashion, where you have the full participation of curators of African museums,” Medani said. “I believe that this is a first step.” Medani cited Savy and Sarr’s pivotal report when discussing the spiritual cultural implications of keeping heritage objects in Europe and North America for African youth. “The report said that this issue led to the spiritual impoverishment of Africans themselves, alienating them from their own culture and history,” said Medani. “African actors are emphasizing a very important note: It is crucial that a continent where 60 per cent of the population is under 20 to have the opportunity to have their own history exhibited and to own the exhibit.” Engaging communities in the exhibition of their cultural artifacts is pivotal for the Redpath Museum going forward. “These are arguments that Africans have been making for a long time,” Medani said. “Now, they are gaining traction because there is a global consciousness that this issue is important.”
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday, march 26 2019
MUPSS 2019: A tour de force of student art
Annual exhibition displays variety and quality of student photography Kyla Ion Contributor On March 21, the McGill University Photography Student Society (MUPSS) hosted its 2019 Annual Exhibit at Gallery Parfois. MUPSS’s exhibition aimed to encourage an exploration of art and expression by highlighting a diverse selection of student works. The photographs on display varied in subject matter and tone, ranging from ethereal landscapes to portraits, and effectively communicated both human fault and vitality. Submissions to the exhibition were not restricted to MUPSS members or McGill students, allowing for a wide range of pieces on display. This year, the exhibition did not revolve around a specific theme; instead, photos were selected based on their artistry and impact. “We [received] a thousand or so submissions and [chose] according to what we thought had a message, or [what] we found had very powerful imagery,” Margot Chambon, Vice-President (VP) Communication of MUPSS, U2 Arts said. “We always try to find new photographers and new kinds of eyes, extending our reach on the types of art we show.” The exhibition was well received and expertly presented, and, despite no overarching theme, the photographs were arranged based on either their colour palette or the tone of their intended message. Though there was no overarching ideology
behind the exhibition, the arrangement of the works within the space provided the room with a sense of cohesion. Since the intention of the gallery was left to the viewer’s interpretation, the photos on display acted as an exploration into the self. The thematic open-endedness of the exhibition allowed the viewer to interpret each photograph at first as an independent work and then again as a piece of the whole. Over the course of the evening, viewers would often return to their favourite pieces. According to Chambon, the social quality of the gallery was a priority in its development. “We tried to create a space that’s for conversation, for discussion of the artwork,” Chambon said. “Not just coming to look for a few seconds and then [leaving], it’s more about meeting each other, talking, and discovering new works and new people.” Constructive debate and involved conversation act as a fundamental part of the creative process, especially for McGill students who lack access to a fine arts program. Student organizations and initiatives, like the exhibition put on by MUPSS, represented one of the few opportunities in which students get to
hone and showcase their craft. Chambon was also featured as one of the exhibiting artists and finds that such an environment can dramatically improve the quality of future work.
PRISM - Nuit Blanche 2019
The AUS Fine Arts Council features McGill-based dance, music, theatre, and visual arts groups. Mar. 28, 7 pm.-12 a.m.; Thomson House Restaurant Free.
Opportutoring Live Exhibit
Opportutoring, a McGill non-profit, hosts live painting, DJs, rappers, and visual artists to raise funds for refugee education. Mar. 29, 8 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.; 4324 Boul. Saint-Laurent; $12 on Eventbrite.
SynesthASIA Charity Fashion Show MUPSS’ latest exhibition inspired community and discussion. (mupss.ca) “To share work with others and get some insight in the form of both harsh and constructive comments helps your work get better and helps you see what you should keep doing and what you should change,” Chambon said. MUPSS’s 2019 Annual Exhibition allowed for the exploration of student talent and for engagement within the artistic community. It represents an essential part of the McGill student body, rewarding the hard work and dedication of the artists exhibited.
McGill students showcase local designers and artists to support sustainable water initiatives in India. Mar. 29, 7 p.m.-2 a.m.; Montreal Science Center; $25 general admission.
Malena Szlam at Cinema Moderne
Chilean filmmaker and artist Malena Szlam will present selected works from her oeuvre followed by a Q&A session with the Department of English Students’ Association. Mar. 27, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Cinéma Moderne; Free.
Maggie Rogers gives more than a little MTelus shakes to the tune of ‘Heard It In A Past Life’ Solomon Friedman Contributor Some artists shine the brightest on their records and others on stage. On March 22 at MTelus, Maggie Rogers did both, breathing new life into her performance of the songs from her major label debut, Heard It In a Past Life, further electrifying the already impressive recorded tracks. In this triumphant concert, the Maryland artist had thousands sweating and dancing until they were sore. The show opened with a set by emerging Tennesseebased artist Melanie Faye. Despite having only officially released one song, Faye has already played with the likes of Mac Demarco and Noname. Faye captured the attention of the giddy crowd for the entirety of her set. She began on stage alone, playing her guitar as if there weren’t thousands of eyes on her, highlighting her talent as an instrumentalist. She moved seamlessly from strumming playfully to shredding intensely, delivering each note with a look of determination and passion. When Rogers finally appeared, she did so while her band played the shimmering opening notes to “Give A Little.” Dressed in a zebra print jumpsuit because, in her words, “it’s Friday,” Rogers jumped around the stage outshining even the bold vocals showcased on the studio version. Rogers’ second song “Burning” proved aptly descriptive of both the temperature and the energy in the venue. Following the theme of moving past pain and darkness, Rogers introduced “Retrograde,” by announcing that the song is “about being in your deep dark shit,” and that, thankfully, “Retrograde is almost over.” At times, Rogers’ album sounds a tad over-polished,
but performed live, ruggedness and energy broke through its sheen and invigorated the songs. Rogers approached “On + Off” with a new drama and animation. “Back In My Body” felt complete with the roars of the crowd in the background and a stream of hundreds of bright white lights bursting out behind Rogers. She then introduced the single “Light On” as a song about finding the space on stage to escape and embrace her overwhelming life. Constant dancing and a sense of freedom characterized the night. The undeniable groove of “The Knife” turned fans into a dizzy mess of flailing limbs while the jangly bliss of “Dog Years” caused everyone to sway in unison. Each coo in “Alaska” seemed to erase any stress carried by audience members and allow them to feel liberated. “Say It,” which Rogers sang while bathed in a lilac light, cast a spell over the crowd. The spellbinding quality of the song and the tranquil atmosphere were enough to make any viewer fall for Rogers’ charm. During “Overnight,” fans proved their adorationbordering-on-obsession by wearing masks of Rogers’ face, causing the singer to laugh throughout the second verse. The set’s only misstep was a faceless and uninventive cover of Taylor Swift’s “Tim McGraw,” though it was easily overshadowed by the show’s innumerable highlights. In contrast to the uncontrollable dancing during most songs, Rogers commanded the room with ease during “Past Life” and her a cappella version of “Color Song.” The latter was performed as an encore, which fans demanded by jumping and chanting in unison. Rogers’ ability to entrance each concert goer and push them to experience liberation and catharsis to the sound of her voice shows that she was born to be onstage.
The Maryland artist hypnotized the crowd on March 22. (Amanda Fiore / The McGill Tribune)
student living
TUESDAY, march 26 2019
Bursting out of the McGill bubble The ultimate itinerary for a staycation in Montreal Sophia White Contributor Montreal is a bustling city with some of the best food, music, shops, and art in North America. Many students spend most of their time in the areas surrounding McGill and the Plateau, which offer no shortage of places to see and things to do, but there are so many other destinations beyond these frequented neighbourhoods. Inspired by the New York Times’ ‘36 Hours’ series, here are a few of The McGill Tribune’s suggested activities for students in need of a staycation and those looking to make the most of their time in Montreal before the semester ends.
EAT Brunch at CafE Parvis
Situated in the heart of downtown Montreal, Café Parvis is a hidden gem with a rustic, cozy ambiance and an abundance of indoor plants. The café serves coffee, pastries, pizzas, salads, and other tasty brunch options and is conveniently located near some of the most popular shopping destinations in the city, fea-
dedicated to showcasing work addressing timely socio-political issues, and it hosts a range of performances, film screenings, and interactive exhibitions. A virtual reality exhibition entitled The Horrifically Real Virtuality is currently open to the public. The display is a unique, immersive experience that combines virtual reality, cinema, and audience participation.
Montreal Botanical Garden
Just outside of the McGill bubble there are plenty of exciting sites to explore. (Felicia Chang / The McGill Tribune) turing easy metro access to other neighbourhoods such as Old Port and the Gay Village.
Lunch at Chez José Café
Stop for a midday bite to eat and try a taste of local culture at this quirky Portuguese café located on Avenue Duluth in the Plateau. Chez José serves pastries, crêpes, sandwiches, and coffee at affordable prices, but remember that the restaurant accepts cash only. It is also vegan and vegetarian friendly, so there are plenty of options for everyone.
Fine Dining at Perles et Paddock
Located between Griffintown and Little Burgundy, this
modern French restaurant specializes in craft cocktails and creative dishes, including a variety of small plates for sharing. The space has a minimalist, fresh ambiance. The surrounding Griffintown is a hip, creative neighbourhood bordered by the Lachine Canal, which is perfect for post-meal exploration.
SEE The Phi Centre
Most art enthusiasts visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts or the Musée d’art contemporain (MAC), but a lesser-known venue is the Phi Centre. Located in Old Montreal, the Phi Centre is an arts and culture venue
Enjoy summer weather early by touring the Montreal Botanical Garden, an oasis buried in the city. The garden is recognized as one of the best botanical gardens in the world and showcases plants from every corner of the planet. Located in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood near station Pie-IX, it is easily accessible by metro. The garden has a range of thematic greenhouses and gardens, and, as a bonus, it’s situated near the towering Olympic Stadium.
Orange Julep
This giant, orange-shaped fast-food restaurant is located in the Côte-des-Neiges area and is within walking distance of the Namur metro station. The Gibeau Orange Julep is known for its greasy eats and its famous orange cream drink, making it the quintessential roadside destination.
11
DO Tour the Quartier des Spectacles
There is always something new to see in the Quartier des Spectacles, whether it’s a festival, a performance, or an interactive outdoor art installation. The Montreal Digital Spring, which encompasses various shows and immersive art pieces inspired by the digital age, and the International Festival of Films on Art, which showcases a rich variety of films on art from around the world, are two current exhibitions on view. Known as the arts and entertainment district, the must-see Quartier des Spectacles is conveniently located in the eastern section of downtown Montreal.
Attend a dance party at the Satosphère
The Satosphère dome is the main attraction at the Société des arts technologiques (SAT), a futuristic venue located near Chinatown. The SAT hosts regular gatherings open to the public under the dome. During the events, they showcase spectacular, 360-degree creative experiences with projected graphics. Some of the events are designed to be more relaxed while, at others, a live DJ is present, and dancing is encouraged.
Tribune Tries: Dumpster diving SSMU Environment workshop highlights issues of food waste Leyla Moy Contibutor One event stood out among the typical offerings at the SSMU Environment Committee’s Sustainable Eating Week, held from March 17 to 23: A Dumpster Diving 101 workshop led by McGill student Emma Melis, U0 Arts & Sciences. Melis was introduced to urban scavenging when she learned to reclaim discarded food and cook sustainably from people who dumpster dived their way through school. She grew to embrace the opportunity of offsetting food waste and now emphasizes it in her environmentalist lifestyle. Promotion for the event underscored infrastructural issues that contribute to excess food waste and individual measures to reclaim unused food that would otherwise go to waste. A report by food rescue charity Second Harvest showed that almost 60 per cent of all food produced in Canada is wasted. This constitutes a net loss of over $49 billion per year, which would be enough to feed every Canadian for five months. Melis introduced the workshop to attendees as a way to lift the stigma attached to urban food foraging. The workshop’s unconventional nature attracted more than 20 individuals who followed Melis through rush-hour underground traffic from campus to the Sherbrooke metro station. From there, we walked down back alleys, searching for promising bins. Though our first bin was a bust, Melis encouraged us to stay hopeful—dumpster diving is inherently unpredictable. Many stores change their pick-up schedules, keeping
divers guessing, and bins are often locked. Given all of the variables at play, finding unlocked bins at the optimal time to find the freshest over-packaged produce is an art in itself. Melis told workshop attendees that grocery store bins are best and are more likely to have untouched produce, while those from restaurants and personal homes likely only have scraps. Our successful stops yielded mostly small furniture items, art, and home goods. Reclaiming these perfectly-usable pieces was gratifying; however, Melis focused on food items as a way to combat broader infrastructural issues that contribute to waste such as sell-by dates that cast off usable produce. She also emphasized the need for compassion while dumpster diving as an environmentalist. “Rather than approaching this issue with an attitude of greed, [we should] consider this systemic problem of food waste from a place of compassion and humility,” Melis said. “Although a full dumpster means you’ll have some great finds that day, it also shows how much food waste is going on.” This compassionate approach is evident in dumpsterdiver etiquette—out of courtesy for those who empty the bins, their owners, and future divers hitting the same spot, Melis advised the group not to leave a mess behind. When diving, it is bad form to tear bags; rather, foragers should open them manually and tie them back up when finished. Along our route, Melis also noticed trash mixed in with recycling and vice-versa and encouraged us to move these misplaced items when we could. Throughout the course of the workshop, we gained a
Local dumpster divers turn trash into treasure. (Erica Stefano / The McGill Tribune) wealth of dumpster-diving knowledge, but, for posterity, members of the community have collaborated on a map which gives potential divers a sense for the lay of the land. The emergence of these sorts of online dumpster-diving forums are a relatively new phenomenon and allow regular divers to share tips and adapt to the fickleness of garbage pick-up. Many attendees asked about the legality of dumpster diving. Dumpster diving in Canada is legal as long as the garbage in question is not on private property. Melis advised us to stay calm, stop, and comply if confronted by law enforcement given that diving itself is not a punishable offence.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2019
Toward a more just judicial system Conference initiates conversation on mental health and the law Alaana Kumar Contributor The first Mental Health and Law Conference will take place on March 30 at McGill to facilitate discussion and bring awareness to the links between two prominent fields of study: Law and psychology. The Thomson House event will host researchers from around Montreal who will facilitate a conversation on how lawmakers can reform Canada’s judicial system to better accommodate offenders suffering from mental illness. Lawyers often work for clients who suffer from mental health issues including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and addiction. Despite their illnesses, the Canadian judicial system often places these individuals in correctional facilities, rather than mental health institutions, and further compromise their mental health. Nina Fainman-Adelman, co-chair of the Mental Health and Law Conference, has found that those in both law and psychology are often frustrated by the lack of cooperation between the two fields. “When some lawyers work with clients who have mental health issues, sometimes they
are not properly trained to deal with those types of situations,” Fainman-Adelman said. “On the other hand, a lot of psychologists are called into courtrooms to testify, but they don’t understand how the legal system works.” Access to a trained psychologist would help lawyers understand the reasons behind their clients’ crimes. Research suggests that those living with certain mental health conditions are more likely to engage in violent and criminal behaviour. In United States prisons, nearly half of the inmates who died by suicide suffered from serious mental illnesses and were refused necessary care and support. In Canada, many mentallyill inmates are held in high security prisons, including solitary confinement. Studies show that sentences are generally longer for mentally-ill inmates than for non-mentally-ill ones; the former often find it difficult to comply with facility rules. The conference’s organizers hope to shed light on the mistreatment of the most vulnerable individuals. Researchers have found that more minority-identifying individuals are placed into prison systems instead of mental health facilities, further illustrating a need for
The Mental Health and Law Conference will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. (The McGill Tribune) psychologists to take on a more active role in the judicial system. The link between the two disciplines has gone largely ignored in popular discourse, and, in turn, the conference hopes to underscore how society can more accurately portray the experiences of mentally-ill defendants. Media reporting is often a direct cause of public misconceptions surrounding the intersection of mental health and law. Nowadays, media coverage of high-profile trials often presents these issues as black-and-white cases, leaving little room for nuanced debate.
Currently, in Canada, the recent development of mental health courts, which adapt to accommodate the psychological health of the defendant, has received an abundance of media coverage debating the pros and cons of this alternative judicial process. Fainman-Adelman described the destructive potential of one-sided media coverage, as the public does not receive the necessary information to create a nuanced, informed opinion. According to the organizer, the media coverage would benefit from acknowledging the overlap of the two issues and educating
society in the process. “Our goal in this conference is to present a range of opinions and perspectives,” FainmanAdelman said. “We hope to try and get people to think about these topics more critically and recognize that it is always a grey area.” Those studying the relationship between the two fields hope that the legal community can use its resources to assist individuals who otherwise would not have been diagnosed. For some inmates, courts offer their first access to mental health resources and should be a means to receive support. The Mental Health and Law Conference will reinforce the interconnection of the two fields and emphasize the need for support through their keynote speakers, panel discussions, and volunteers from McGill’s Peer Support Centre. Arianne Kent, co-chair for the event, hopes that these resources will lead individuals to continue to explore this topic and create networks between the two fields of study on and off campus. “There is so much to unpack, and we hope the conference encourages and inspires people to explore it further,” Kent said.
Inside College Insiders Podcast addresses post-graduation anxiety Gabriela McGuinty Contributor University students are routinely stressed about their postgraduate futures and asking for guidance on career plans can be daunting. In an attempt to address the fear that completing university can induce, Karming Chin, U3 Management, created the podcast College Insiders in Feb. 2019. In this weekly production, listeners hear from experts in a range of industries, who discuss their career paths and offer advice to those preparing for post-grad life. Chin’s studies in the Faculty of Management first exposed him to the financial and accounting sectors. As his passion for these industries grew, so did his curiosity. This pushed Chin to investigate media outlets outside of McGill where experts discussed their career journeys in depth. “I’ve always been really interested in finance, but I haven’t taken any courses, so I tried to find another outlet to find more about finance, and, there, I stumbled on podcasts,” Chin said. Although Chin found numerous podcasts that discussed career paths and interviewed experts in specific fields, he had trouble finding one that addressed the transition from university to the workforce. He started College Insiders to fill that gap, nurture his interest in certain professions, and receive career advice from experts. “The podcast I used to listen to focused a lot on people’s careers, and I wanted it to focus more on the transition from school, what [the interviewee] stud[ied], and
how did they transition from school into their careers,” Chin said. “So, I made that connection [and] found it useful for people to listen to what others say about the careers they’ve had [and how they’ve gotten there].” With no prior experience in podcasting or interviewing, Chin first began cold calling McGill alumni to ask if they would be interested in sharing their stories and advice with students. Over time, he slowly accumulated a list of contacts to sustain the show. “I don’t have a technology background, so I found the startup [phase] very hard in the beginning,” Chin said. “I had to google everything, and that took quite a while. I was [also] trying to accommodate [my guest’s] schedule while still committing time to my own, so it was pretty hectic. To make College Insiders interesting to a diverse array of students, Chin interviews people working in a variety of industries, including law, banking, and software engineering. He believes that the differences in people’s stories highlight the varying paths that students can choose to take after graduation. Thus far, Chin has explored the benefits of post-graduate education and exploring career options outside students’ majors. “Initially, I just wanted to help the people that were close to me that were having this [doubt] of, ‘is this all I’m getting out of my classes?’ and ‘where am I going from here?’,” Chin said. “I soon realized that everyone has these sort of doubts and that they needed to be talked about more. My podcast [focuses] on addressing the crisis of not knowing what to do and [gathers].”
College Insiders offers students career advice on the go. (Dan Aponte / The McGill Tribune) So far, Chin has uploaded six episodes and is looking to keep up his weekly postings. With College Insiders, he encourages students to make the most of their university experience and to not let post-graduation anxiety dissuade them from honing in on their passions.
science & technology
tuesday, march 26 2019
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Stress: A living nightmare
28.3 per cent of students report experiencing sleep paralysis
Abeer Almahdi Opinion Editor In Old English folklore, a ‘mare’ is a mythological demon that disturbs and haunts people while they sleep, giving them bad dreams. Adding the word ‘night’ before mare gave people further association of this phenomenon as occurring during sleep. Even the Universal Etymological English Dictionary, a text published throughout the 1700s, defined nightmares as a ‘disease’ imposing a ‘great weight’ on people while they rest. Many cultures around the world have their own versions of a night or sleep demon. What these myths have in common, though, is a resemblance to the unnerving, immobilizing phenomenon known as sleep paralysis. “[Sleep paralysis is] a discrete period of time during which voluntary muscle movement is inhibited, yet ocular and respiratory movements are intact,” Brian Sharpless and Jacques Barber wrote in their study in Sleep Medicine Reviews. The condition manifests differently in each person. The three basic types of hallucinations are the imagined presence of an intruder, chest pressure, and feelings of levitation or other out-of-body experiences. More rare manifestations include the feeling of falling and fear of dying. For some people, like sexual violence survivors, sleep paralysis can evoke
Stress and sleep disorders are closely interrelated, making students vulnerable. (medium.com) memories of past traumatic experiences, which makes the experience even more horrifying. Although most people report extreme fear, some describe experiencing pleasant feelings during a sleep paralysis episode. Rapid eye movement (REM) is a normal part of the sleep cycle during which the brainstem paralyzes the body by inhibiting motor neurons; since people are usually unconscious for this, the paralysis passes unnoticed. However, if the REM cycle is interrupted in a sleep
paralysis episode, an individual will experience the dreaming and paralysis of REM sleep while fully conscious, sometimes resulting in vivid hallucinations. These episodes can even be multisensory hallucinatory experiences. Initially thought of as solely a symptom of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is now understood as also occurring in individuals without sleep disorders. According to a study from 2011, sleep paralysis is not rare among the general population, with 7.6 per cent of study partici-
pants having experienced at least one episode in their lifetime. However, the researchers found the condition to be much more prevalent among students, with 28.3 per cent experiencing the phenomenon at least once. Stress and sleep disorders are closely interrelated: Each amplifies the other in a positive feedback loop. With the Candian Organization of University and College Health reporting almost 90 per cent of students reportedly feel overwhelmed and more than 50 per cent express hopelessness, it is unsurprising that students are particularly vulnerable to the effects of sleep paralysis. One possible reason for this correlation is that students, due to their stressful lifestyles, experience regular sleep disturbances. Many students find it difficult to maintain regular and consistent sleep schedules because of sporadic class times and intense academic pressure. In a study published in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, student respondents reported several triggers for sleep paralysis, including stressful events, lack of sleep, fatigue, watching horror movies, and daytime naps. With students in Canada increasingly overwhelmed by the stresses of academic life, it is important to recognize that, while sleep paralysis may be a strange sensation, it is not an uncommon one. It also serves as yet another reason to promote social and mental well-being on university campuses.
Using sleep behaviour to predict Parkinson’s Disease Researchers find link between REM-sleep disorders and neurodegenerative conditions Stephanie Deng Contributor Although the specific biological purpose of sleep is unknown, scientists know that it has an important link to proper brain function. New studies suggest that sleep disorders might also be indicative of the development of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s Disease. At night, sleep stages cycle between two states—non-Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and REM. It is thought that dreams occur during REM and are accompanied by physiological changes that include increased brain activity, accelerated breathing, and muscle relaxation, and are achieved by nerve pathways that prevent muscle movement. However, if these neural networks are compromised, individuals may physically act out their dreams in a condition called REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD). RBD is characterized by violent limb movements and, often, vocal expression during the night. However, it differs from sleepwalking, which is often brought upon by sleep deprivation and not associated with any psychological or psychiatric problems. RBD’s association with neurodegenerative conditions classified as synuclein aggregation disorders, including Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy body dementia, and Multiple System Atrophy, has proven useful. Unlike many other neurological diseases, markers for these disorders are quite general; even with a positive diagnosis, it can be difficult to tell which patients will experience worsening conditions. Patients with RBD, however, almost always develop a synuclein-related neurological condition, which means the disorder acts as a strong predictor of disease onset. In the largest study conducted to date on RBD, McGill researchers looked at 1,280 participants from 24 different countries. As opposed to most studies relating RBD and Parkinson’s which focus on only one research centre, this international study allowed for the study of the disease in different contexts. “Parkinson’s is a serious disease,” Ronald Postuma, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, said. “We don’t have any [preventative] treatment [...for] Parkinson’s, but maybe that’s because we’re already too late [when we test them]. Maybe, if we
McGill-led study takes REM sleep behaviour disorder investigations to international levels. (resonea.com) could start testing treatments in these people really early, we could do something about it.” Researchers tested patients for RBD using electrodes to assess physiological changes that occur during sleep. They were then assessed based on 21 baseline variables that included standardized motor testing, olfaction, vision, sleep characteristics and disorders, and physiological functions. During follow-up evaluations, patients were observed for changes in these variables, which allowed researchers to determine the predictive value of each factor in the development of Parkinson’s or dementia. The researchers found that, in 73.5 per cent of participants, RBD progressed to a neurodegenerative condition. Among the baseline variables, irregular motor abilities were most strongly associated with the progression rate of Parkinson’s. Other significant variables in RBD-
patients included decreased sense of smell, mild cognitive impairment, erectile dysfunction, abnormal colour vision, constipation, and loss of muscle relaxation during REM sleep. “There aren’t any clinical trials yet trying to prevent Parkinson’s Disease,” Postuma said. “But, that’s what we’re actively trying to get going.” Currently, while there is no cure for Parkinson’s, these discoveries will ultimately aid physicians in the selection of patients for preventative drugs undergoing clinical trials. “No matter how you look, you see [progression from RBD to Parkinson’s],” Postuma said. “You can look at Japan, you can look at China […], you can look anywhere. And it’s not like it’s different. It’s the same across the world. You expect more variety in this […], and when you see that, it means it’s something really strong.”
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science & technology
tuesday, march 26 2019
Montreal winters unlikely to remain white CBC reveals trend of decreasing snow accumulation across Canada Ronny Litvack-Katzman Staff Writer Some McGill students count themselves lucky for bearing the harsh Montreal winters. Despite what may feel like another long and harsh winter coming to an end, a recent CBC data analysis shows that winters in Canada are only getting milder. Over the last two decades, they have consistently been characterized by warmer temperatures and less snowfall than any other period in recorded meteorological history. Since the 1950s, Environment Canada has been measuring the depth of winter snowfall across the country. In 2016, 90 per cent of weather stations reported a decrease in the number of days on which there was at least one centimetre of snow on the ground. Ninety-nine per cent of the same stations reported an upward trend in average winter temperatures. This past January, the maximum snow depth was half of what it was between 1955 and 1975 in Quebec City and Montreal. Montreal’s climate is very sensitive to even the most minute alterations in winter temperatures. “It’s such a small temperature change that makes the difference between freezing rain and snow or freezing rain and rain that it’s hard to predict a clear answer,” Christopher McCray, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, said. “You may expect to see less freezing rain on the whole, but there is also the possibility that precipitation that falls as snow will instead fall as freezing rain.”
Don’t expect less snow to make your winter commute any more pleasant; rain is on the way. (mtlblog.com) While temperature plays a major role in determining snow accumulation, snowfall itself has a significant impact on reducing daily temperature. During the daytime, snow reflects the sun’s radiation back into the atmosphere. At night, snow releases the heat it accumulates during the day, contributing to the cooler temperatures felt on the ground. With decreased amounts of snowfall, cooling becomes more vulnerable to other variables such as the amount of sunlight and daily temperature. “If you get less snow cover because it is warmer, you, in turn, accelerate that warming in the winter,” McCay said.
McCay stressed that observing rainfall is a statistically significant way to model the effects of Earth’s changing climate. “This winter was the second most rainy since precipitation data started being collected in the 1940s,” McCay said. “[Rainfall] is a very strong trend compared to other variables. The wintertime increase in rain is very steep.” Meteorologists recorded Montreal’s rainiest winter in history only three years ago in 2016. Recent flooding in the American midwest is a stark reminder of the dangers that warmer winters can pose. Whereas typical winter conditions allow for melting snow to
drain into the ground over a period of weeks in the spring, the frozen ground and increased rainfall are ingredients for disaster. As rainwater continued to accumulate on the saturated surface of the ground, the great plains quickly began to resemble the Great Lakes, and more than 450 people were displaced by heightening flood waters. In the town of Norfolk, Nebraska, almost 60mm of rain fell over the duration of less than a week in midMarch. With anthropogenic climate change showing no signs of slowing down, local residents can expect Montreal’s future winters to continue to warm.
VARS gene a new link to a harrowing group of brain diseases Genetic analysis reveals the role of enzymes and amino acids Sophia Gorbounov Contributor Continued from page 1. The study involved conducting both whole exome and whole genome testing in which the researchers scan an individual’s entire genetic code for any imperfections that could be the source of disease. By performing extensive genetic tests on seven unrelated children who all suffered from similar neurodegenerative disorders, the group of scientists was able to identify the mutation in the VARS gene. This gene encodes the enzyme Valyl-tRNA synthetase, crucial for protein building. It also generates a protein containing the amino acid valine, which significantly influences cellular health. If any damage occurs to these enzymes, a number of disorders can arise including neuropathy and microcephaly. “Finding the causal gene is the first step to find[ing] thera-
A new hope for the victims of rare neurodegenerative disorders, and the researchers behind it. (montrealgazette.com) . pies,” Bernard said. “But, before we get there, we need to understand and study the pathophysiology of the disease.” Through more investigative research, Bernard is hopeful
that her team can find potential symptomatic targets for developing therapies. The researchers explained that finding a reduced amount of enzymatic activity in cells prompted the hypothesis
that amino acid supplementation could help in the restoration of the altered enzyme in the children’s brains. International collaboration plays a key role in identify-
ing these kinds of neurogenetic diseases in children all over the world. This study brought together doctors from San Diego, Montreal, and Cairo, which Bernard identified as a key to their success. “For ultra-rare conditions such as this one, collaboration among multiple research institutions is crucial to confirm changes identified in the genetic code that may be common to multiple children with similar clinical symptoms,” UC San Diego neurologist and study co-author Jennifer Friedman said in an interview with the McGill Newsroom. Though a cure has yet to be discovered, the identification of the cause of Mathilde’s disease gave closure and hope to her family. “The diagnosis gave us some closure,” Gabriel Poliquin, Mathilde’s father, said in an interview with the McGill Newsroom. “It felt good to know that our daughter could help other children and the scientific community at large.”
sports
TUESDAY, March 26 2019
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Martlet hockey 2018-19 season recap McGill places second at U Sports National Championships Miya Keilin Sports Editor On March 17, the McGill Martlets (14-6) fell short in the U Sports National Championship game, losing 1-0 to the Guelph Gryphons (19-3-3) to place second in the nation. With a successful, silver-medal season now in the books, The McGill Tribune provides a season in review, looking back at the Martlets’ successful year. The U Sports championship tournament began for the Martlets on March 15, when they defeated the St. Thomas Tommies (22-5-1) in a 10-2 quarterfinal rout. On the following day, a late goal from second-year forward Stephanie Desjardins sent McGill to the championship game with a win over the number-one ranked Alberta Pandas (23-5). Unfortunately, the Martlets’ efforts came up just short in the final game of the season, and an early second period goal carried the Gryphons to a 1-0 victory and the national title. In addition to a silver medal, the Martlets received a number of other awards at the national championship tournament; with five points and four assists, third-year centre Jade DownieLandry was named the tournament MVP and earned a spot on the championship all-tournament team along with first-year centre Valerie Audet. Additionally, four of the tournament’s top five scorers were Martlets, and third-year goaltender Tricia Deguire posted the second best save percentage of all goalies. En route to the championship tournament, McGill put together a 14-6 regular season
The Martlets finished the season with a 14-6 conference record. (Martlet Hockey)
campaign to finish third in the RSEQ standings behind the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins (15-4-1) and Concordia Stingers (134-2). In the first round of the RSEQ playoffs, McGill faced Concordia in a best-of-three series. The Martlets took a 6-2 road win in the first game and completed an incredible comeback on home ice to secure the series victory. The opening match of the championship series against UdeM went to double overtime, but, unfortunately, the Carabins came out victorious by a score of 3-2. UdeM won by the same score the next day to complete the sweep and claim the conference
title. However, because the Martlets were fifth in the U Sports rankings, they still advanced to the championship tournament in Charlottetown, PEI for the chance to compete against the best hockey teams in Canada. Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith praised the team’s dedication and passion throughout the season. “Honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of our group,” Smith said after the championship match. “Over the years, I’ve been privileged to have so many good teams with great character, and this team ranks right up there with the best of them.
[It is] a special group that worked hard all season. Not many people outside of our dressing room would have thought that we were going to get this far. We battled from start to finish. There was no quit on this team.” Beyond their postseason performances, four Martlet players were recognized for their standout play throughout the regular season, with both conference and national awards. DownieLandry, who had 45 points and a team-high 32 assists, and Deguire made the RSEQ first team all-league and second team all-Canadian. Secondyear forward Kellyane Lecours and fourth-year defenceman Emilia Cotter were named to the second team all-league. Additionally, Cotter won the RSEQ Leadership Award for her community engagement with organizations such as the Shoebox Project and The McGill Students for Best Buddies as well as for her coordination of McGill Athletics initiatives like the Bell Let’s Talk Game. In addition to the award winners, several other Martlets had strong campaigns: Thirdyear forward Lea Dumais led McGill in goals with 21 in 37 games; second-year centre Marika Labrecque finished with eight goals and 17 assists; and fourth-year defenceman Kate Devries, who had 12 assists, was a crucial defensive presence all season long. Captain and fifth-year defenceman Alison Mackenzie is the only Martlet player graduating this year. The team will miss her defensive talent and leadership, but, if this season’s results are any indication of what is to come, the Martlets should have another successful year ahead of them.
Charting the history of Les Canadiennes de Montréal The Fabs are inspiring a new generation of female hockey players
Zoe Babad-Palmer Contributor On March 24, Les Canadiennes de Montréal, affectionately nicknamed the Fabs, lost 5-2 to the Calgary Inferno in the Clarkson Cup championship game despite McGill alumna Ann-Sophie Bettez’s two goals. With four Cups, more than any other team in Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) history, the disappointing loss does not threaten Montreal’s place at the forefront of professional women’s hockey. While the CWHL was only founded in 2007, the Canadiennes’ history stretches back over 80 years. In 1933, the Canadiennes were established as the official francophone women’s hockey team in Montreal. Early on in their history, they formed a rivalry with the Maroons, the local anglophone women’s team. Despite the fact that all players were amateurs, their rivalry was as fierce as the one between their male counterparts, the Canadiens and Maroons of the NHL. Twenty years later, however, the advent of TV broadcasting solidified the public’s conception of hockey as a male sport, and women’s leagues all but disappeared. Approximately 50 years later, the Canadiennes re-emerged in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). The team was called the Montréal Wingstar until
2003; they then changed their name to the Montréal Axion until the league disbanded in 2007. Several Axion players are still involved in the Canadiennes’ organization: Forward Caroline Ouellette is a member of the coaching staff, while forward Karell Emard is still an active player. After the NWHL disbanded, the CWHL immediately took its place as the only professional women’s hockey league in North America until a new, U.S.-based NWHL emerged four years ago. Then called the Montréal Stars in the NWHL, the team saw immediate success from the league’s inception. Through the years, Les Canadiennes, who settled on their current name in 2015, count several Olympians in their history including goaltenders Kim St. Pierre and Charline Labonté as well as current captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, and former McGill Martlet Mélodie Daoust. While the Canadiennes’ history is one of overall success, they have faced significant resistance. In the earliest days of women’s hockey, popular opinion asserted that by playing rough sports like football and hockey, women were harming their families. Detractors still claim that women’s hockey is less interesting and shows less skill than men’s hockey. There are fewer opportunities for female players to develop, and they generally have shorter playing careers, as nearly all of them have
McGill alumna Ann-Sophie Bettez and current Martlet hockey coach Marie-Phiip Poulin are members of Les Canadiennes de Montréal. (Célinas Gélinas / rds.ca) day jobs to supplement their minimal CWHL salaries. In bringing attention to this divide, one of the most critical moments in the Canadiennes’ history was the establishment of the partnership with the Montreal Canadiens. Following the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs’ lead, the oldest and most storied NHL franchise announced in March 2015 that it would back the Canadiennes. Support came in the form of social media promotion, financial assistance, and the ability to use
the Canadiens’ larger venues. They also had the Canadiennes match the men’s team name for better brand recognition. In promoting the sport, it helps that the Canadiennes act as incredible role models for young girls. Players put in efforts, such as staying after games to sign autographs and hosting learn-to-play events and camps, to inspire the next generation of female hockey players. They show girls that they can aspire to be the next MariePhilip Poulin, rather than the ”Sidney Crosby of women’s hockey.”
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TUESDAY, March 26 2019
In conversation with Gemma Clarke Documenting the rise of women’s soccer Kaja Surborg Staff Writer Continued from page 1. Soccerwomen takes the reader through the history of the most influential women in soccer from the 1890s to the present. It features the stories of the most prolific women in the history of the sport, including players and coaches from across the globe. While women’s soccer has been largely dominated by the United States since the mid-1990s, Clarke wanted to make sure that her book reflected the variety in women’s soccer. “I [...] think that there is a slight diversity issue in women’s soccer, certainly in the [United States],” Clarke said. “I really wanted to find out what was happening with other women around the world and to find out what their experience was, not only [with] soccer, but also what their life experience was. [I wanted to] use soccer as a channel to tell their stories.” Clarke documents the current struggles of female soccer players throughout Soccerwomen, particularly with regard to the attempts to professionalize the sport. Despite the quick growth of women’s soccer since the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991, multiple professional leagues have folded since 2000 due to financial troubles and a lack of corporate sponsorships. Conditions for professional players have improved slightly. In the United States, where the culture of women’s soccer is arguably the strongest, the National Women’s Soccer League begins its seventh season next
Gemma Clarke’s debut book ‘Soccerwomen’ shares stories of iconic figures throughout the history of women’s soccer. (Gemma Clarke) month. In England, Barclays recently signed on as a Football Association Women’s Super League sponsor in
a deal worth £10 million over the next three seasons. Players, particularly younger ones, have also been able to attract lucrative brand deals in recent years. There are concerns, however, that these endorsements place players on pedestals, forcing them to act as role models in ways that their male counterparts do not. Furthermore, female players often rely on these sponsorships to make a living since clubs cannot guarantee living wages. Most male players, even if they are below the elite level, can still make comfortable salaries without huge brand deals. “I see so much paid content [from the American women], and I understand that they have to do that because that’s how they make their living,” Clarke said. “It is interesting to look back at the [American] team of 1999 [....] Tiffeny Milbrett actually had more goals that tournament, but it was Mia Hamm [who] became the face of women’s soccer [...], and it comes down to marketability [....] Tiffeny Milbrett was much more of a maverick in the way she wanted to play and be coached, and, at the time, that marked her out as difficult.” There is still a long way for the sport to go in achieving any kind of equality on and off the field, but, since the first international matches in the 1960s, women’s soccer has come a long way. “Even if it seems like there are some things that will never change, like the question of equal pay [...], you can look at the game and say ‘look at what it was 20 years ago, and look at what it might be in [10] years,’ and it all points in a very positive direction,” Clarke said. ‘Soccerwomen’ comes out on April 16.
10 Things: Female athletes who inspire us
Zoe Babad-Palmer, Chiso Ufondu, Micah Angell, Kaja Surborg, & Miya Keilin Contributors, Staff Writer & Sports Editor
Angela James Zoe Babad-Palmer
Few hockey players embody perseverance like Angela James. Despite opposition at every stage of her 20-year professional career, James has left a monumental mark on the hockey scene. Along with Cammi Granato, James was one of the first two women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010 and continues to inspire by coaching young girls.
Clara Hughes Kaja Surborg
Clara Hughes won a total of six Olympic medals between 1996 and 2010 in both cycling and speed-skating. A all-season
athlete, she is tied with speed skater Cindy Klassen for the most Olympic medals earned by a Canadian. She also is a spokesperson for Bell Let’s Talk and is an excellent role model for young athletes. In her 2015 book Open Heart, Open Mind, Hughes opened up about her struggles with mental health issues and explained how sports helped her build a better life.
Manon Rhéaume Zoe Babad-Palmer
Manon Rhéaume shattered countless barriers over the course of her career: She was the first woman to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s regular season, the first and only woman to suit up for an NHL team in an exhibition game, and the first woman to play in a professional men’s league, the International Hockey League, during the regular season. Now, the hockey legend coaches a U12 girls’ team and helps young women in sports get scholarships through the Manon Rhéaume Foundation.
Serena Williams Chiso Ufondu
Serena Williams redefined what it meant to be a female athlete in modern society: Her athletic prowess, coupled with her dominance and longevity in tennis, propelled her to the top of the game and made her an international icon. Growing up as a young black girl, Serena Williams showed me that
someone like me can achieve greatness despite the barriers placed in front of them.
Christine Sinclair Kaja Surborg
Since her debut for the Canadian women’s national soccer team in 2000, Christine Sinclair has become the face of women’s soccer in Canada. Captaining her country to back-toback Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, she is currently second in alltime goals scored in international play with 179. Sinclair has led by example throughout her career and will long be remembered as a Canadian sporting legend.
Jessica Mendoza Miya Keilin
The power-hitting outfielder made her Team USA debut in 2004 and has since become a household name in softball. Mendoza is also paving the way for women in sports broadcasting: As a baseball analyst for ESPN, she sits alongside her male counterparts and challenges the antiquated notion that women cannot work in men’s sports media.
Pandelela Rinong Micah Angell
At the 2012 Olympics, Pandelela Rinong inspired an entire generation of young female athletes in Malaysia when she won a bronze medal in the 10m diving event. She became the country’s first female Olympic
medallist as well as its first medalist in any sport other than badminton. With her success on the world stage, Rinong made a future in sports for Malaysian girls truly tangible for the first time.
Sam Kerr Kaja Surborg
Australian soccer star Sam Kerr is a name soccer fans should get to know. She represents the growth of women’s soccer outside of the historically-dominant European and North American spheres. Her signature backflip goal celebration has made her easy to recognize on the field, and her dominant offensive presence has marked her as a key member on both her national team and club teams over the years.
Elena Delle Donne Micah Angell
Boasting an awe-inspiring combination of post moves, outside shots, and ball-handling skills, Elena Delle Donne is everything that young female basketball players aspire to be.
Jen Kish led the Canadian rugby sevens team to bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. (National Post) When Delle Donne announced her engagement to her long-time girlfriend Amanda Clifton in 2016, she became an idol for the LGBTQ+ community, too.
Jen Kish Micah Angell
When Jen Kish won the bronze medal for Canada in Women’s rugby sevens at the 2016 Olympics, she showed the country that women’s contact rugby is a worthwhile sport. Watching Kish power through tackle after tackle reminded the world that women have a place in contact sports and that they are just as tough as men—if not tougher.