The McGill Tribune Vol. 39 Issue 8

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019 | VOL. 39 | ISSUE 8

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

TRIBUNE EXPLAINS

It was the landlord, with the lead pipe, in the mouldy basement

This ain’t no way to make a living

McGill Swimming takes second at season-opening meet

PG. 5

PGs. 8-9

PG. 15

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune)

Behind the bar at Poincaré

PG. 10

Student senators call on administration to adjust use of ‘Made by McGill’ funds Vice-Principal Weinstein addressed controversial donations from Sackler family Nina Russell News Editor At the second McGill Senate meeting of the year, Arts Senator Henrique Me-

cabô called on McGill’s administration to increase the allocation of funds raised by the ‘Made by McGill’ campaign for student services. In the next five years, funds from

the campaign will be dedicated into four areas: Bursaries and scholarships, hands-on experiences for students, research and faculty projects, and facility expansion.

PG. 4

Answering Darwin’s ecological

McGill-led research team provide new evidence for centuries-old theory Ronny Litvack-Katzman Staff Writer Rarely does the title of a scientific study live up to the aspirations of its authors.

The BIG Project, however, is an exception. BIG, which

stands for the Biotic Interaction Gradients experiment, is the first endeavour of its kind to explain one of Charles Darwin’s oldest theories: Species interactions play a greater ecological and evolutionary role in regions

closer to the equator.

For decades, various research groups have tried to provide definitive, quantitative evidence for heightened inter-species activity in tropical and low-elevation environments.

PG. 13

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NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

300 Montrealers march against racism and gentrification in Parc-Extension Protestors worry that a new UdeM campus will threaten affordability in the area Lauren Mayes Contributor Foul weather did not deter protestors at the fourth annual Mass Demonstration Against Racism on Oct. 27. The Collective Against Hate and Racism marched through the Parc-Extension neighbourhood in Montreal to protest Bill 21, Quebec’s law banning visible religious symbols, Bill 9, an immigration reform geared toward prioritizing “skilled workers,” and the rise in hate crimes in the province. The march began with speeches by representatives from the Fédération des Femmes Québec, Le Droit d’Enseigner pour Toutes et Tous, Justice Femme, Solidarité sans Frontiéres, Forum Musulman Canadien, and Parc-Ex Contre Gentrification.

Amy Darwish, spokesperson for ParcEx Contre Gentrification, highlighted the importance of the protest’s route shift out of downtown.

“Today’s march is taking place in the streets of Parc-Extension and […] this is no coincidence,” Dawish said. “Parc-Ex has long been a neighbourhood [that the] working class, low income immigrants, and racialized folks call home. [This neighbourhood is] also one where residents have built long standing efforts of mutual aid and a lot of people support each other to get by despite negligent landlords, exploitative

was heavy—there were four Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SVPM) buses were parked on side streets nearby.

The peaceful protest drew a diverse crowd, reflecting the wide range of issues raised by the collective, including many immigrants. One such protester, Marouane Joundi, a student at UdeM, described his disappointment at the lower level of awareness of this social justice march versus the recent climate strike.

“I remembered how a lot of people were here when there was the climate march, and I found it a bit unfair that there is not as much enthusiasm for these kind of social justice marches against racism,” Joundi said. “I wanted a more intersectional In 2017, Quebec saw a 41 per cent rise in hate crimes. (Lauren Mayes / The McGill Tribune) approach and to see [more] people of colour.” workplaces, and exclusionary immigration situation.

Some onlookers video-taped the prosystem. All this is changing with the arrival “It is not acceptable for any govern- testers, peeking out of shop windows while of UdeM’s campus.” ment to shy away from defending the basic organizers passed out flyers titled ‘Why we Despite Parc-Ex’s history of strong rights of women and its citizens,” Majzoub are here,’ outlining the Collective’s grievcommunity ties, the group fears the open- said. “The only thing that will solve [rac- ances in a single page document. For the oring of the Université de Montréal’s (UdeM) ism] is to come together. Our call is not to ganizers, the main priority was to denounce new campus in their neighbourhood and say that we are racist in Quebec, it is to say racism in Quebec. anticipates increased gentrification. Orga- that there is a problem that needs to be [...]

“We will not stop, [because] this is a nizers of the protest believe this is another taken care of very seriously.” human rights issue,” Majzoub said. “We are instance of racism in Quebec, this time afIn a march that lasted around two hours, not giving up and we are very optimistic. It fecting one of its most vulnerable neigh- approximately 300 people circled Parc-Ex is a matter of time. And we believe, as Quebourhoods. Samar Majzoub, president of chanting ‘No one is illegal’ and ‘The people becers and Canadians, we can find common the Forum Musulman Canadien, outlined united will never be defeated.’ Despite the ground in understanding what human valthe need for government response to the protest’s peaceful nature, police presence ues are.”

Samosa sales banned due to sanitation scandal Montreal food inspectors fine SSMU for food serving standards McEan Taylor Staff Writer Samosa sales provide cheap on-campus food for McGill students every year. While the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) has no record of receiving a fine from Montreal Inspection des Aliments for samosa sales before, inspectors shut down and fined a sale in the basement of Burnside Hall on Oct. 22. The inspectors were evaluating the nearby Soupe Café when they noticed the club McGill Students for China Care hosting a samosa sale fundraiser. The club executives requested anonymity in their comments to The McGill Tribune.

“The first thing I remember was asking the two men […] how many samosas they wanted,” a China Care executive said. “Then a badge came out, he waved his hand over the box and said ‘arrêt’. Before we even had the chance to react, they began to demand we cease our samosa sale, stating that the service was not up to regulations [….] He threatened us with a fine of $300.

I asked him where we could find these rules, because if we had known, we would have followed them. He didn’t have a straight answer, saying that we should look it up.”

The China Care executives described their shock after their interaction with the inspectors and questioned whether they were racially profiled.

“I wondered if they would have been more lenient and accepted our changes were we white and francophone as they were,” a China Care executive said. “But instead, we were three young women of East-Asian descent who didn’t speak French. As if looking down on us for not knowing, he barely bothered to explain who he was or what his purpose [was in] confronting us.”

Finance Sam Haward, the amount of the fine, which will be posted in about a month, will range between $2,250 and $54,000. Haward explained that the samosa sale violated safety regulations regarding hygiene and internal temperature.

“The fact that anyone could put their hands into the cardboard box, and [that samosas] were served in a newspaper was unhygienic,” Haward said. “The samosas were well below 60 degrees, which is the law [for hot-food serving].”

SSMU is working to advertise the newly enforced standards to student clubs hosting food-sale fundraisers in the future.

“We have provided signage for groups that are having events this week,” Haward said. “[We reached out SSMU clubs hold over 100 samosa sales per year. to] every club that we know of that is having a food sale (Amanda Fiore / The McGill Tribune) this week [regarding] what we can do to help them have their sale.”

Another executive member described the cause To avoid another fine, SSMU has decided to susof their club and the impact that the inspectors left on pend samosa sales until new procedures are implementthem. ed to address heating and serving requirements.

“I understand that this was a professional doing “For the time being, bake sales will be okay, prohis job, but he really made this tiny student club rais- vided that the groups provide the proper signage for ing money for orphans feel like criminals,” the China allergies [and use] gloves and napkins,” Haward said.

Care executive said. “I was texting someone and I turn “We will be releasing a guide next week [that] outlines around and this adult man is telling us to shut down; it the requirements for preparing and serving food [while was all very sudden. He flashed [...] his ID, and it’s not at] events or [when] tabling.” like I knew what to look for on the badge. Having seamSSMU VP Student Life Billy Kawasaki noted that lessly done a dozen food sales for various clubs, this the updated standards and policies will be enforced on really caught me off guard and I feel like [the inspec- a regular basis. tors] didn’t respect that. Restaurants expect this, but we “We will include [serving standards] in the club aren’t a restaurant.” workshops going forward [and] talk about how clubs SSMU will be covering the fine, as they are the should conduct themselves while doing food sales,” Kaparent organization in charge of McGill Students for wasaki said. “For the time being, we do not have proChina Care. According to SSMU Vice-President (VP) cedures yet, so that is the first part we are addressing.”

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

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SSMU Legislative Council addresses unaffordable housing with committee

The committee will explore developing and expanding student housing options

that] one of our SSMU clubs was in violation with health and safety codes,” Buraga said. “This led to a fine [which could range from] between $2,250 and $54,000. [Because of this], SSMU has taken steps to prevent future samosa sales for the time being until we are able to [...] follow these health and safety codes.”

Tasmin Chu Contributor The Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) fourth Legislative Council meeting of the year saw the long-awaited creation of an Affordable Student Housing Committee, first proposed in February 2019. The motion to create the project in collaboration with the nonprofit housing organization Unité de travail pour l’implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE) passed 24 to 1.

The idea of addressing SSMU rent concerns was introduced last year when a question on the SSMU 2019 Winter Referendum found that 77 per cent of voters were interested in addressing housing accessibility. Students strengthened their concerns in January 2019, when a SSMU-commissioned report by UTILE revealed that McGill students pay the highest rent of any student population in Montreal.

During the debate period, Senator André Lametti raised concerns that parts of the motion did not reflect the original question posed in the Winter 2019 Referendum.

“The question was, ‘Would you like SSMU to further prioritize affordable housing, including, but not limited to, further actions to explore developing student housing?,’” Lametti said. “The way this question was worded was not an unconditional endorsement of SSMU getting into real estate development. I think it was much more cautious in that respect.”

In response, Vice-President (VP) Finance Sam Haward assured the council that the afforable housing issue would be carefully thought-out.

“This is a smart plan,” Haward said. “If you look at what Concordia [University] is doing with the Woodnote [housing project], you’ll see how big a commit-

SOUND BITE Montreal health inspectors issue fine to SSMU between $2 250 and $54 000 (Erin Sass / The McGill Tribune) ment this is. This is a multimillion dollar contribution from just the SSMU, probably. So it needs to be done properly. [...] Especially right now, with the building closure, it’s not like money isn’t necessarily tight.”

During debate, VP Internal Sanchi Bhalla asked if the committee would consider providing temporary housing along with permanent housing. VP External Adam Gwiazda-Amsel said that the idea could be considered.

“No one direction has been espoused yet, mostly because there is no committee,” Gwiazda-Amsel said.

“The strength of something like [creating this committee] is it very much can be adapted to McGill’s needs.

So in the sense that McGill has a much higher proportion of international students than Concordia [...] transitory spaces [for students] could be considered.”

The council moved on to discuss the recent moratorium on food sales, which was instituted after health inspectors shut down a student-club–run samosa sale.

President Bryan Buraga addressed concerns about the effects of the ban on student groups’ finances.

“We were informed [while holding a samosa sale

“The problem is the utter domination of university governance by the central administration and a few key members of the Board of Governors. What is the solution? Greater democracy, and greater transparency [and] also a move toward more local decision making, which I actually think of as an aspect of greater democracy.The general principle being, we should only be governed by those who have our consent.” - Gregory Matthew Mikkelson

FLASHBACK Professor Gregory Matthew Mikkelson, President Elect of the McGill Association of University Teachers (MAUT), joined the meeting to request SSMU’s support for an initiative attempting to reform internal governance at McGill.The initiative, which concerns the appointment of academic deans, would require the selection process to be an open and transparent process and prevent the Principal from chairing her own advisory committee. SSMU’s Legislative Council endorsed the initiative unanimously.

It’s On Us aims to create inclusive space for sexual harassment survivors

The week of action reorients discourse toward survivors Heleena De Oliveira Contributor Between Oct. 21 and 27, It’s On Us McGill hosted a week of action and held events across campus to encourage students to support survivors of sexual harassment. The events included Teal Tuesday, where students wore teal to show support for survivors, a session dedicated to writing love and support letters that will be donated to a Montreal-based support organizations, a self-care crawl where students engaged in therapeutic activities such as colouring and board games, and a dog therapy session.

It’s On Us is a non-profit organization founded by the White House Council for Women and Girls under the Obama administration in 2014. A chapter of It’s On Us opened at McGill in 2016, and McGill was the first university campus outside the US to register as part of the organization. It aims to eradicate sexual violence on university campuses and raise awareness of problems pertaining to sexual harassment. Since its inception, It’s On Us has hosted educational events on over 150 college campuses across the globe. Today, however, the organization is considered an non-governmental organization and therefore no longer maintains any affiliations.

Melissa Savoie, U3 Arts and co-president of It’s On Us McGill, spoke to the significance of the week of action and its contribution to raising awareness of sexual violence on campus.

“To people [...] who go to our workshops, we say, ‘anything that’s said stays in this room, but anything that’s learned is taken [away] and applied in everyday situations,’” Savoie said. “To anyone who

gets involved, we want them to be able to share their knowledge, because that’s how change is enacted. We want to start holding one another accountable for our actions.”

Savoie explained that the main goal of these events, and of the organization itself, is to educate and engage with survivors, giving them the ability to take back control over their experience, and to give bystanders of situations of sexual violence the confidence to intervene.

“We have a survivor focus and a preventative focus, as well,” Savoie said. “Sometimes perpetrators want to talk about their role or their intentions. [Instead], we really try to shift the focus [to] the impact [that sexual harassment] has. While we acknowledge [the perpetrators’] intentions, we focus on the impact [of sexual harassment] on the [survivor].”

This year, the organization intends to focus on consent education and helping students understand the destabilizing effects of substance use in conjunction with sexual harassment.

Liam Pantis, U2 Arts and Science and vice-president programmer of It’s On Us McGill, addressed the variety of new projects and collaborations the group plans to undertake. Recently, the group held workshops in partnership with the fraternity Phi Delta Theta.

“As an organization, we understand the importance of peer interaction,” Pantis said. “Oftentimes, if you hear one of your buddies talking about [...] bystander intervention, or survivor support, you’re more likely to [feel] compassionate [about] those things, as opposed to when somebody is lecturing to you. So the goal with [these] workshops is to target the groups on

Eight out of 10 survivors personally know their assailant. (ssmu.ca) campus that we think are [...] socially important so they can spread the word within themselves.”

Rebecca Sideras, U2 Arts, who attended the selfcare crawl, felt that It’s On Us creates the space for people to speak openly about their experiences of sexual harassment and thus contributes to the destigmatization of harmful notions associated with survivors.

“I feel that making [people aware of the problems of sexual assault] might eliminate things like this,” Sideras said. “If [change] doesn’t happen from the bottom-up, it’s not going to be constructively implemented in a top-down [manner].”

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NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

Student senators call on administration to adjust use of ‘Made by McGill’ funds Vice-Principal Weinstein addressed controversial donations from Sackler family Nina Russell News Editor Continued from page 1.

Donations would therefore not be designated to improving student services unless the donor specifically requests it.

“I would not say [that] the problem is that McGill is asking for more money while such essential services are lacking funds, but that McGill, knowing [that] such funds are lacking, suggested donation allocations that do not seem to include student services,” Mecabô wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

In response, Vice-Principal University Advancement Marc Weinstein pointed to the Rossy family, who specifically requested that their $11 million donation be used to fund the Rossy Student Wellness Hub. “I would like to emphasize that the hub model that’s been put forward for McGill is innovative and incredibly interesting, and now [that] we’re seeing better service through that and the support of the university, [but] it doesn’t mean [efforts towards improving mental health are] going to end there,” Weinstein said. “When we know a potential donor, like [the] Rossy family, has had a major interest in making sure students are getting the right [and] appropriate services, we bring these parties together and that’s how we get some of these larger gifts.”

Senator Derek Nystrom inquired about policies for determining whether donations come from ethical sources, referring to donations from the Sackler Family, whose pharmaceutical company contributed to the opioid crisis. Music Senator Sebastien Duckett voiced concerns about whether donations from the fossil fuel industry should be considered morally irresponsible,

SOUND BITE

‘Made by McGill’ aims to raise $2 billion over the next five years. (mcgill.ca) though Weinstein said that the decision was complicated.

“On the one hand, those entities we are referring to are making money legally, so therefore, why would we not accept those donations?,” Weinstein said. “On the other hand, there’s the moral decision, which, without getting into a big debate about it here today, is something that [is] on our minds. But we haven’t really come out with a platform on it [as] it is sensitive and challenging.”

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs Madeline Wilson questioned the impact of accepting donations from companies with ties to the fossil fuel industry on Made

By McGill’s public image. Weinstein asserted that there are specific socially responsible funds that environmentally-conscious donors can contribute to, and said that the administration is sensitive to these issues.

“It’s something that the administration is looking at and understands that it is a challenging situation in relation to becoming hard-line on one end or the other,” Weinstein said.

“We do have the ability for people to invest in socially responsible funds, [like our] fossil-free fund. So we can encourage people to invest their money in various areas of investments. We are not talking about where the money will be used, but how it will be invested, so it follows in their own wishes. Most of our por tfolio is in fact invested in socially responsible, around 80 percent.” —McGill Principal Suzanne For tier

MOMENT OF THE MEETING Ar ts Senator Derek Nystrom addressed controversies surrounding donations made by the Sackler Foundation between 2014 and 2017. McGill has recognized the Foundation in their ‘James McGill Circle’ panels outside of the Leacock building, which lists the names of prominent donors. Weinstein asser ted that there are procedures that ensure McGill has done due diligence before accepting donations.

Tribune Explains: The Men’s Varsity Teams Naming Process Committee Varsity men’s team name set to reflect university values Kate Addison Staff Writer

Following years of activism by Indigenous students, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier announced her decision to rename McGill’s men’s varsity sports teams in an email on April 12. As part of the announcement, Fortier stated that a steering committee would be established to determine a new name that would better represent the school’s values of equity, academic freedom, and integrity. The McGill Tribune looked into how the committee will work and what it hopes to accomplish.

What is the purpose of the committee?

The steering committee was created to establish an open and transparent process and to facilitate community participation. The committee, composed of both students and staff, will gather input from the larger McGill community to make an informed decision on a name that they feel best represents the university’s values.

Who will be a part of the committee?

Currently, the committee is receiving student nominations, which are open until Nov. 6. The administration has called on members of the McGill community to nominate potential student members through their website. Once the nominations have closed, four members of the voting committee, composed of McGill Athletics and Recreation’s acting executive director Phil Quintal, the director of the sports program Geoffrey Phillips, former varsity

How will the committee decide on a new team name?

Once formed, the committee will follow a sixstep procedure to brainstorm and agree on a new name. The first step will be to gather input from the McGill community through an online submission system, focusing on groups that the committee feels will provide valuable input. This will include members of the sports community such as coaches, students, and alumni, as well as those outside of McGill athletics, such as #ChangeTheName campaign organizers. With this input, the committee will decide on the essential qualities for the name and create a shortlist. Finally, they will ensure each proposed name’s viability by making sure that none of the options are trademarked or overused by other athletic teams. Once a preferred name is decided upon, a vote will occur within the committee requiring a A new name and logo will be announced by the 2020-21 athletic two-thirds majority to be passed, and a report inseason. (Sabrina Girard-Lamas / The McGill Tribune) cluding the recommendation for a new name will be presented to Fortier. coach Mr. Hubert Lacroix, and Deputy Provost Student Life & Learning Fabrice Labeau will decide on When will the committee decide on a new 10 final nominees. To ensure the involvement of dif- name? ferent parts of the sports community, these 10 posiWhile no set date has been determined for the tions will be filled by five current student athletes, announcement of a new name and logo, it is expected three alumni from McGill sports teams, and two cur- that they will be decided upon by the 2020-21 athrent varsity team coaches. The committee will also letic season, which begins at the end of August 2020. include non-voting representatives from the Student Students interested in the progress of the committee Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Post- will be able to keep up with their activities through Graduate Student’s Society of McGill (PGSS). their website.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

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

News Editors Kyle Dewsnap, Helen Wu & Nina Russell news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Lucas Bird & Johanna Cline opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Emma Gillies scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editor Leyla Moy studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Gabe Nisker features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editor Kevin Vogel & Katia Innes arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Ender McDuff & Kaja Surbourg sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Erin Sass & Erica Stefano design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Leanne Young photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Sarah Ford & Aidan Martin multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Jad Hamdan & Jonathan Colaco Carr webdev@mcgilltribune.com

OPINION

It was the landlord, with the lead pipe, in the mouldy basement Finding housing in Montreal can be a harrowing experience for students who are not properly informed about their tenant rights.

For this reason, many students find themselves in illegal renting agreements, a scenario that can lead to serious problems such costly repairs which should have been covered by their landlord.

Both the city of Montreal and McGill must offer resources for student tenants to inform and advocate for themselves.

On Oct. 23, the City of Montreal provided an excellent example of the ways such problems could manifest. Mayor Valérie Plante announced that the city will begin the process of forcing roughly 24,000 property owners, including landlords, to replace their lead water pipes.

In the past, Montreal allowed homeowners to replace lead pipes at their own discretion. However, in light of an expanded awareness regarding the dangers of lead poisoning and revised standards about what constitutes safe levels of lead particulates, the city will now finance the replacement of lead pipes for homeowners, and allow them to pay back the cost over a 15-year period. The city’s

OFF THE BOARD

Copy Editor Keating Reid copy@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Heela Achakzai business@mcgilltribune.com Publisher Chad Ronalds

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

STAFF

ublication is the sole responsibility ofThe McGilTri Kate Addison, Makena Anderson, Zoe BabadPalmer, Adam Burton, Jonathan Giammaria, Sabrina Girard-Lamas, Alexander Hinton, Benjmain Joppke, Deana Korsunsky, Alaana Kumar, Ronny Litvack-Katzman, Kennedy McKee-Braide, Taja De Silva, McEan Taylor, Sophia White, Amir Hotter Yishay, Iman Zarrinkoub

CONTRIBUTORS Jack Armstrong, Thomas Bahen, Beattie Bernfield, Joey Caplan, Tasmin Chu, Heleena De Oliveira, Haneen Eldiri, Ahmad El-Zammar, Amanda Fiore, Patrick Gilroy, Chloe Gordon-Chow, Leo Holton, Tomas Jirousek, Zoe Karkossa, Sunny Kim, Ala Koreitem, Lauren Mayes, Doris Tian, ET Wu

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Please recycle this newspaper.

Abeer Almahdi Managing Editor The 2019 federal election was my first experience voting. When I was a child, voting seemed like a distant, adult future; growing up outside of Canada also made that future seem more inaccessible, because my participation in Canadian political issues was always online, thousands of kilometres away.

But finally, this fall, that seemingly distant time arrived.

However, when I found myself at the ballot box on Monday morning, the decision was a lot more challenging than I expected. I found myself going backand-forth, from strategic choices to bold candidates, from the Liberal Party, to the New Democratic Party (NDP), to the Green Party. I started with prioritizing Middle Eastern foreign policy with my family’s safety in mind, to looking at my own safety as a racialized person in

decision to take the issue of lead poisoning into its own hands should be commended, and Plante has correctly framed this process as an issue of public health.

On the city’s website, an interactive map that displays the entirety of Montreal is available; however, the website is exclusively in French, which limits accessibility to anglophone communities. If people search by address, they can click on their residence or apartment building to see the probability that its pipes are lead based. While this map marks McGill residences as unlikely to contain lead, this is not a guarantee.

McGill has the responsibility to inform the student body about their rights and obligations as tenants in Montreal, as well as assuring students that the water they consume on campus, and in residences, is uncontaminated. In addition, Montreal’s municipality has a responsibility to make sure everyone in Montreal has the same level of accessibility to information regarding public health issues.

This type of scenario, one which involves ambiguity about whose responsibility it is to make costly repairs, poses an

issue for student tenants. Tenant rights in Quebec are robust but students must also be informed and understand those rights. One resource McGill students have is McGill’s student housing website that breaks down both tenant and landlord rights and obligations.

The power dynamic between a landlord and tenant can make it extremely difficult for residents to advocate for themselves, even if they are informed about their housing rights. Racialized tenants are particularly vulnerable, since racial and social discrimination is a prevalent issue in Montreal.

Further, international students who may speak English or French as a second language face additional challenges when it comes to navigating illegal or unjust behaviour from landlords.

Students should also know how to make use of alternative resources in navigating housing situations. One such resource is the Legal Information Clinic at McGill, which helps break down robust legal jargon for students.

Additionally, websites like shouldyourent.com and groups like Chez Queer Montreal can help students and marginalized individuals find safe living spaces

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EDITORIAL and landlords.

For students who do find themselves in unlivable circumstances, whether it be due to the environment or their relationship with their landlord, it is crucial that McGill is able to offer them support and resources.

Having temporary housing available is a crucial step that the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) should take, especially in the case of international students who may have no other options if they are forced out of a living situation. The Unité de travail pour l’implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE), a cooperative student living space, would be an effective way to provide accessible housing to students.

The lead pipe replacement issue is an example of the ways in which rental relationships in Montreal can be challenging. It is imperative that the city offer the necessary resources, information, and support to its residents so that they may safely and comfortably advocate for themselves. Finally, McGill also has a moral obligation and professional responsibility to continue supporting student tenants.

Reflections on racism from the election Canada, and as a woman. Every choice I made, there was a policy or issue I felt I was neglecting, so I would start over.

Despite spending 20 years building my anticipation, the whole election cycle was emotionally draining.

In particular, the rhetoric surrounding racism, xenophobia, and discrimination were sore spots for me.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the NDP, is the first racialized person to lead a major federal party in Canada; he also wears a turban. In Quebec, Bill 21 was passed in June, legislation that prohibits ‘public servants in positions of authority’ from wearing religious symbols like Singh’s turban. For Quebecers like myself grappling with Bill 21 and the subsequent increase in hate crimes, Singh became a beacon of hope during the election. While he was campaigning in Montreal, a man told Singh to “cut off” his turban to “look like a Canadian” in the middle of the Atwater Market. As someone who has been a victim of hate crimes in the past, having a figure like Singh demonstrate immense strength throughout his campaign was empowering, but the backlash against him shows how much further we have to go in order to adequately address hate in this country.

Additionally, the Bloc Québécois saw major gains adding 32 seats: 1.4 million Quebecers voted for the party on Monday. Coupled with their support of Bill 21, the Bloc’s rising popularity

shows how far Quebecers specifically still have to go to address hate in the province.

This was also an election featuring an alt-right candidate, with Maxime Bernier leading the People’s Party of Canada. Although Bernier did not even win his own seat, the damage was already done; he had his chance to spew his hateful racist and anti-immigrant throughout his campaign, at the debate, and on Twitter. Seeing posters of his candidates go up outside my window and seeing thousands of people across Canada actually vote for this party is evidence of the rising far-right sentiments across the country, even in Montreal.

I remember when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s old blackface and brownface pictures were leaked; despite clear evidence that Trudeau participated in a centuries-old racist caricature, Liberal candidates first response was to defend him, instead of apologizing to Black and Brown communities affected by his insensitivity. Of course, Trudeau’s blackface and brownface is only a symptom of the larger issue of systemic racism in Canada, but the response was the most disorienting part for me. From a government that has paraded diversity, the first step to allyship is accepting blame and reflecting on one’s own mistakes; although Trudeau apologized, his party did not deliver.

Unfortunately, even with the release of the final report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in June, or the recent ruling by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to pay reparations to First Nations children traumatized by the child welfare system, Indigenous issues were not a major platform or point in the election.

Scandals like Trudeau’s brownface and blackface exist in a larger conversation of systemic racism, discrimination, and settler-colonialism in Canada; therefore, Indigenous peoples should have been placed at the forefront of platforms.

Despite the lower points of this election, continuing to support local social justice movements is necessary.

At McGill, students should continue supporting student organizations like the Black Students’ Network, the Muslim Students Association, and the Indigenous Student Alliance. Students should also demonstrate proper allyship for Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour by showing up to demonstrations on-and-off campus.

This election period is over, and with the newly-elected Liberal minority government, new challenges arise in tackling systemic racism in the country.

For Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, elections have historically always been a disheartening time.

Regardless of the outcome, and even though not much has changed, we can still learn from the events of this cycle.

6

OPINION

COMMENTARY

Tomas Jirousek SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner The “Redmen” name was a visible and constant reminder of McGill’s historical discrimination against Indigenous students. It is with great pride that I can say that, after years of Indigenous student activism, we have successfully changed the name. While the #ChangeTheName campaign demonstrated Indigenous resilience and strength, it also rallied a tremendous level of allyship and support from our non-Indigenous peers. Our campaign would have been significantly more difficult without the support of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) team in particular. I reflect on this last statement with both optimism and hesitation.

SSMU is an unreliable institution

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

Open letter on Indigenous affairs at SSMU that fails to provide consistent support and allyship to Indigenous students.

It only takes one oversight—like failing to send an email—from a SSMU executive to remind us, as an Indigenous student community, SSMU is still a body that we cannot readily depend on. Some may argue that this single oversight, that this independent transgression by VicePresident (VP) Internal Sanchi Bhalla, may be insignificant enough that it fails to merit a response. However, regardless of the size or publicity of such an oversight, this lack of action serves to remind Indigenous students of the institutional barriers that force us to rely on non-Indigenous members of the SSMU executive. The failure of a SSMU representative to act in allyship reminds us of our own powerlessness within the institution, and leads us to question whether we can rely on SSMU in future circumstances or not. While VP Bhalla has explained her lapse as a “technical error” and a simple reality of bureaucracy, what is important are not the causes of her actions but their result. This event, voluntary or not, reaffirms Indigenous students’ lack of trust in the SSMU executive, and accordingly it must then fall to us as Indigenous students to take control over our own affairs without being forced to rely on student executives who are incapable of providing allyship.

I believe Bhalla when she explained that she was incapable of

supporting Indigenous students with regards to our recent protest against the treatment of First Nations children in the child welfare system. I also believe that SSMU as an institution is not structured in a way that easily affords the executive the ability to provide the type of allyship that we require as Indigenous students. While we can understand Bhalla’s failure to provide allyship to Indigenous students as a symptom of a larger institutional issue, that merely explains, and does not excuse, the structural failures of SSMU that prevent it from prioritizing Indigenous student voices. As such, it is time that we reformed SSMU in a way that works to prioritize the needs of Indigenous and marginalized students. Indigenous student activists require a three-step reform to ensure our independence and autonomy in mobilizing to promote Indigenous issues at McGill.

First, Indigenous student activism requires fiscal autonomy, distinct from discretionary funding provided by the SSMU executive. I began the #ChangeTheName campaign without any funding and consistently relied on discretionary support from SSMU. This structure meant that I, as the head of the campaign, couldn’t plan future action without being forced to ask ‘permission’ of a non-Indigenous student executive. Indigenous students should not have to rely on the charity of SSMU when challenging an institution, especially if that institution

happens to be SSMU itself. As such, I am excited to announce our proposed Indigenous Equity Fund, which Indigenous students will campaign for in the upcoming Fall referendum period.

Second, power dynamics within SSMU need to be reformed in a way that makes the Indigenous Affairs Commissioner accountable to Indigenous students, rather than the SSMU executive. The role of the Indigenous Affairs Commissioner should be to respond to concerns of Indigenous students and represent those concerns within SSMU. The Indigenous Affairs Commissioner needs to be able to hold the SSMU executive accountable if Indigenous students become anxious or feel disrespected due to the conduct of the executive. Moreso, the Indigenous Affairs Commissioner needs the flexibility to challenge the institution without feeling pressure from SSMU executive. Subverting this power dynamic means shifting the Indigenous Affairs portfolio out from under a SSMU executive, and providing an independent platform where the Indigenous Affairs Commissioner can act without concern of retaliation from the SSMU executive team.

Finally, Indigenous students require access to resources that enable rapid mobilization on issues affecting our community. By reforming the SSMU Indigenous Solidarity Policy, we can ensure that useful tools

such as the SSMU listserv, room booking privileges, and seats on administrative committees are allotted to Indigenous students without having to rely on a SSMU executive. With the understanding that SSMU is simply incapable of providing the allyship that Indigenous students need, it is necessary that we acquire the means we need to help ourselves.

I firmly believe in the power of solidarity. Solidarity, community, and reciprocity are some of the most powerful methods that we have as students when challenging McGill as an institution and fighting for student rights. At the same time, I recognize that sometimes this solidarity is difficult to achieve. This fact should not bind or limit marginalized voices from acting on our own behalf. There will be those who perceive Indigenous student actions as unnecessarily divisive and overreaching. Those who make these claims simply seek to undermine and belittle the legitimate anxiety that Indigenous students feel on an everyday basis.

Instead of promoting divisiveness on campus, our plan is to increase solidarity and allyship, to promote Indigenous student autonomy, and to provide increased support for future Indigenous students. We can achieve this by striving for an increase in financial autonomy, a shift in power dynamics, and establishing control over resources that SSMU withholds from Indigenous students.

How I watched my country’s revolution from McLennan Haneen Eldiri Contributor I am human. I am distraught, disorganized, and disillusioned. I can barely attenuate how exhausting and disorienting this week was into coherent words.

On Friday, it was my birthday. My friends and I hosted a potluck on Sunday. The long weekend ended with a pleasant dinner at my roommate’s family’s house in west Quebec. Over 100 forest fires took ablaze the following days.

There is no transition. I am engulfed by a demanding sadness. I close my laptop for an hour. Then there is revolution. Revolution smells like rubbing sunscreen into the rotting stench of trash in the heat.

It smells like accumulated sweat because there isn’t enough electricity to turn on the AC. Revolution smells like a burnt valley. It reeks like the McLennan midterm feet-stink that I sit in as I pretend to preoccupy myself with miscellaneous tasks in an attempt to disentangle my thoughts from the knots on social media.

Lebanon began a collective march on Oct. 17. Over one million people are currently protesting the Lebanese government. These chants ring out from a multitude of districts, across religious sectarian divides, and political spheres. They demand those in office to resign. The Lebanese government functions as a confessionalism system; this means that they proportionally represent the religious distribution of the country.

The Lebanese people have, for the first time in history, let go of all sectarian and religious divides to fight for a better living standard. The Western media coverage has done this revolution no justice.

The country is drowning in a debt pool created by

Over one million people are participating in the protests.

(Ala Koreitem / The McGill Tribune) stealing and conniving criminals who have spent years pulling at the very last heart strings of the vulnerable.

We do not have clean drinking water. We do not have full-time electricity. We do not have basic public services like adequate firefighting fleets. Many parents find it difficult to fund their children’s education. Admirably, the Lebanese people have yet to stop dancing, singing, and supporting one another throughout the revolt. This revolution is an example of tenacity and luminosity that should be internationally esteemed.

Sahat El-Nour is found in the centre of Tripoli, where a large amount of the population is unemployed.

The city has a reputation for being dangerous and hostile, but I believe the country’s social structure is currently undergoing rapid, drastic change. Last Saturday,

the mass crowd with a bad reputation demonstrated this change as they danced in numbers reaching the thousands as DJ Madi Karimeh vamped techno beats.

I cannot stress this enough: I would much rather be there.

Last week, I walked home from Montreal’s protest in solidarity with Lebanon by myself. Hope taunts, and sometimes, hope hurts. I wondered what people on the street expected me to be crying about. I want so badly for this to keep going well: I want to go home to Lebanon. I graduate this December and have spent five and a half years separated from my family by country lines.

I have missed too many of my younger brother ’s birthdays, and now, he is a foot taller than me. I am tired, but, I have never been so hopeful for my country. My mom sent me a video of her at the protest in Tripoli; she is screaming at the top of her lungs to a chant with a crowd of thousands of voices; she stops for a second, turns to the camera and says “Hanouna, you are my heart.”

I am human; I am distraught, disorganized, and disillusioned. I will not regurgitate the history of Lebanon. Here is my dream the revolution has finally given me hope for. As an international student, watching the news is checking up on my family; I have to process, mourn, and resist on a foreign campus, twoplane rides from home.

Last summer, some friends from United World Colleges Dilijan and I gathered for the first time in two years. After high school, each of us had gone to separate corners of the world that promised us opportunity. Sipping coffee on a Beirut balcony, my friend says, “One day, we’ll be grown old, and you’ll be home here in a free Beirut and I’ll be in mine in a free Syria.

We’ll visit each other, just a 30-minute drive away.”

STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

7

Ask Ainsley: I think I need help Dear Ainsley,

I’ve been denying that I need help, but I don’t think I can anymore. Over the last few months, I just don’t get excited about the things I used to enjoy, I’m struggling to even get out of bed, and I feel numb, like I’m running on autopilot. But every time I consider seeking help, I put it off because it’s just another task, and there’s something in the back of my head telling me that I’m just being lazy and don’t really need it. What should I do?

Sincerely, I Think I Need Help (ITINH) Dear ITINH,

Seeking help can seem like a Herculean task, especially when you’re lost in the throes of the issue. Here are a few approachable first steps you can take on the journey to recovery.

What should I do right now?

First, acknowledge that you need help.

You can’t tackle a problem without first acknowledging its existence. It’s tempting to deny the issue, to minimize it, or to believe it will just get better by itself. You might tell yourself “I am overreacting, it is not actually a big deal, it will just go away.” If your low point is ongoing past a couple weeks, psychologists suggest that it likely will not fix itself. This isn’t a storm you can weather; it is a flooded basement that you need to roll up

your sleeves and deal with.

Next, tell someone else. Opening up about sensitive issues is always difficult, especially if you come from a family, culture, or social context that particularly stigmatizes mental health issues. Once again, these barriers will make it tempting to brush off or minimize the issue, but don’t. There is no right person to tell first. Your parent or guardian, best friend, and roommate are all good options.

Alternately, consider the Peer Support Centre (PSC), where a secretary can direct you to a 45-minute support session with a trained peer supporter free of charge. Many students who use the PSC are already seeing a mental health professional, but drop in for a non-judgemental ear or to feel listened to.

Take baby steps. Although it may seem minor to work on your sleep schedule, not taking care of yourself will only exacerbate things. You cannot fix everything all at once, so try to fix something small. Eat something quick and filling, because it will fuel your body; go to sleep an hour earlier, because every minute counts; make your bed, because it will make your messy bedroom feel that much more liveable.

Finally, find professional help. The most straightforward way is to make an appointment with a mental health professional. You can call to make an appointment at (514)

dents with the appropriate health resources, who can help you find off-campus care. You can also ask a friend for a recommendation or use an online directory, like that of the Ordre des Psychologues du Québec, to search for therapists in Montreal. Although the up-front cost of a session can be daunting, remember that SSMU-provided health insurance covers 80 per cent of psychologist visits, up to an annual limit of $1,000. Canadian students can find more information about coverage and how to submit a claim at studentcare. ca. International students can consult the International Student Services page on how to make a claim and can submit them on the Medavie Blue Cross website.

Searching for help while in crisis is often difficult but worthwhile.

(Erin Sass / The McGill Tribune) 398-6017, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, check out the McGill Student Wellness Hub website.

What should I do in the long term?

If you think that you need long-term care or prefer not to go through McGill services, book an appointment with a private therapist. McGill has 12 Local Wellness Advisors (LWAs), clinicians trained to connect stu-

Will things ever get better?

As you search for help, manage your expectations to keep them realistic. You cannot turn your life around in one day, and that’s okay. Learning how to manage mental illness is slow, challenging work, but it is worth it.

Even in seeking help, there will likely still be bad days when it feels nothing has changed or ever will, and that’s alright. Take a breath and do something nice for yourself—you have made it through every worst day of your life so far, and you can make it through this one too.

With love, Ainsley

Café Zenoli is a gem hidden in plain sight

A downtown café and boulangerie with heart and without time limits Alaana Kumar Staff Writer Living in Montreal offers students a unique learning experience, as the city is filled with a multitude of cultural and artistic opportunities. Yet, many Montrealers find themselves at the same well-known franchises, succumbing to the saturation of chain restaurants and coffee shops. For those looking for alternative places to have their daily dose of coffee, the familyowned Café Zenoli in downtown is a perfect spot.

In 2017, Robert Chechile and Leonardo Caldarone opened Café Zenoli at 250 rue Sherbrooke, a corner frequented by many pedestrians on their way to school or work. With an assortment of pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, calzones, and speciality breads, the café is particularly attractive to passersby looking for a casual meal or mid-day snack. Zenoli is a combination of the names of the café’s two signature pastries: Their cannoli—which was recently ranked among the best in the city—and their zeppole. The name reflects the owners’ Italian roots, love of food, and even greater love of feeding people.

“It comes from my mom

Zenoli is named for the cafés two signature pastries, the cannoli and the zeppole.

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) and her sisters,” Chechile said. “[The] first thing they would do is sit down and fix you something, [...] so I always try to bring a bit of that hospitality here. I love making people try what we have. It’s a nice feeling, [...] and the clients appreciate it. That’s the environment I try to build here with my clients and my staff.”

The easygoing Zenoli staff

only add to the experience of dining at the café. Unlike several downtown cafés, Zenoli employees do not insist on a minimum purchase to dine-in or a time limit per table. Students looking for a serene place to work are not forced to break their budget or rush their tasks.

Regulars often return to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city and to spend an hour in a space

with a sense of community, as the café offers a cozy space to sit and read, catch up on emails, or just chat with a friend. This comfortable and friendly dynamic among the staff is evident to their customers.

“People come back to a place because of how you make them feel,” Chechile said. “[With] regular customers, [...] you get to know them, and they

tell you about their families and what’s happening [....] That’s the biggest difference between [being] a small business owner that is actually here and one of those franchises. It’s a whole community. If I’m in the back and I see a client I know, I have to come say ‘hi.’”

In addition to friendly service, Zenoli provides food to-go and catering services. The café also prides itself on its zerowaste policies, donating all leftover food to a local rehab center. The focus on hospitality and generosity extends not only to customers, but also the community.

“My wife helps out. Her vacation time was spent here, and my partner’s wife’s too,” Chechile said. “It’s really a partnership. I’m not here to make millions of dollars, I just enjoy what I am doing, and a bonus is I get to see my kids so much more now too because they come in and give me a hand, [...] and their friends come by too. It’s a little family we have here.”

With their home-style Italian pastries, friendly staff, and hospitality, Zenoli makes for an optimal place to take a break from everyday stresses and enjoy the finer things in life: Coffee, food, and community.

This ain’t no way to make a living Student workers need more than just money Kevin Vogel

Arts & Entertainment Editor At an academically rigorous institution like McGill, schoolwork is just one of many intersecting obstacles to success, especially for students in financially precarious situations. According to recent National College Health Assessment (NCHA) surveys, 26 per cent* of McGill students reported that their finances had been traumatic or difficult to handle in the past 12 months. For those students, finding a job outside of class time is imperative in assuaging these concerns. Yet, working while studying at university acts as a catch-22 of sorts: In the same NCHA surveys, 13.5 per cent* of McGill students reported that work had negatively impacted their academic performance. Even if having a job is necessary to sustain personal finances, it can come at a significant cost to one’s overall well-being.

For Ava**, having to financially support herself while in school came as a sudden surprise. Ava’s father, who had handled family finances all her life, lost his job and filed for bankruptcy shortly before her arrival at McGill. By Ava’s second year, her father could no longer help pay for rent and tuition.

“I was like, ‘Okay, I need to make money right now,’” Ava said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “I found [steady employment on campus], and then I got obsessed with [it] and I worked there way too much. But I was really worried about having enough money [to pay for living expenses].”

The demand to make ends meet led Ava to work as many hours as possible at the expense of focussing on academics. “[Working] made me put schoolwork on the backburner [for] a bit. I was very focussed on just having enough money to live,” Ava said. “The fact of the matter is that if I don’t make money, I can’t be here. If I can’t pay rent, I can’t be here. And that [pressure] seemed more immediate to me than ‘Oh, if I don’t study this much time today I’m going to do poorly in my classes.’ It’s not as tangible.”

Because many student workers rely on their jobs to pay for basic

needs, they often worry that asking for better conditions, advocating for their rights, or being a less-than-perfect employee would impact their employment. As a result, these student employees find themselves in vulnerable positions where their hours, remuneration, and long-term job security are at risk. Delali Egyima is President of the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE)—the union representing McGill’s non-academic temporary workers. According to Egyima, the fact that many students are hired as contract workers only adds to their precarity.

“These contracts are really short because students are seen as replaceable,” Egyima said. “There [are] thousands of students on campus who need jobs, and if you can’t do it, then there’ll just be somebody else who can.”

Without structured protections, students trying to meet their basic needs often acquiesce to exploitative workplace conditions. Despite McGill’s substantially higher international tuition, Canadian study permits mandate that someone like Ava, who is an international student, cannot legally work more than 20 hours per week. Working beyond this limit is grounds for deportation, yet when one of Ava’s coworkers took several weeks off and another was himself deported, she made an arrangement with her boss to be paid under the table so that she could work more hours without fear of alerting immigration officials.

“I was [working] 40-hour weeks,” Ava said. “I needed as much money as possible.”

The insecurity of student labour is exacerbated for students in the School of Social Work. To receive a Bachelor’s of Social Work, McGill requires students to complete at least 800 hours of labour in field placements in government and community organizations. Though last year’s student strikes saw some progress in mitigating the effects of this requirement (U3 students can now apply to receive $2700 compensation for their final-year stage), the vast majority of this work remains either unpaid or undercompensated. According to Kayla Bakos, the Social Work Student Association (SWSA) equity coordinator, the double burden of schoolwork and 16 hours of unpaid stage—another commonly used term for field placement—per week can often lead to student burnout.

“Stage can be heavy sometimes,” Bakos said. “[In] a lot of these organizations you deal with heavy things that you end up taking home with you. But you

have to come to school the next day and reset that [...] you have to deal with it or else your grades slip [or] you don’t pass your stage.”

Bakos noted that the lack of remuneration for social work internships reflects a broader undervaluing of feminized and care-centred jobs. For other professions, notably those in engineering—which are primarily male-dominated fields—internships are more likely to be compensated with stipends.

“How do you come to school every day and go to stage knowing that essentially your time is being taken advantage of for free labour?” Bakos said. “What we’re doing is we’re paying our tuition to have our time and labour exploited for free [...] All [McGill] is doing is teaching us that our time and labour isn’t worth as much as an engineering student’s.”

For context, McGill’s Department of Social Work offers over $100,000 in donated awards, bursaries, and scholarships. Meanwhile, several multi-million dollar initiatives from alumni are available for Engineering students.

A lack of formal protections for unpaid internships like those required by the School of Social Work puts students further at risk of workplace abuse. Quebec’s Act Respecting Labour Standards, which establishes basic rights to adequate working conditions, a workplace free of harassment, and a minimum wage, only applies to employees in contracted or otherwise remunerated positions. While Bakos notes that the School of Social Work has some policies in place, such as providing an avenue for students to leave their placement within the first four weeks, not finding a new placement to switch into could delay their graduation. As a result of the long process of finding a new placement, students might have reservations about advocating for their needs.

“There have been instances of stages going wrong in whichever way, but it ends up being a burden on the student,” Bakos said. “[Then, the students have] to deal with the consequences, even though it’s not really their fault.”

Maeve Bothman, AMUSE’s vice president floor fellow, acts as a liaison between the floor fellow community and the union. According to Bothman, the lack of formal recognition for student labour represents a broader ‘casualization’ of the workforce.

Since many student workers work part-time, they do not receive benefits from their employer or have guaranteed paid sick leave. “[The lack of benefits] puts people in more precarious positions, because they’re [only] getting their wages and they’re often working multiple part-time jobs,” Bothman said. “It might seem weird for McGill to be giving benefits to [its] student workers, but it’s not really that [far-fetched]. They’re doing a job and benefits are a normal thing.”

Bothman noted that the lack of broader support for many student workers comes in part from harmful generalizations about who they are and why they choose to work in the first place. “[When] talking to people in administrative positions at McGill, I [have found that] there’s this underlying expectation where [many of them think] ‘Yeah, students are working, but they don’t really need the money. They’re doing it for experience and because they like it,’” Bothman said. “We think about student workers as people who are maybe working 12 hours [per] week and have financial support from their families and are able to keep up with their classes, but that’s not the case [for a lot of people].”

While McGill’s Scholarship and Student Aid Office supports students in financial need, offering need-based bursaries and managing the Work Study Program, gaining access to those resources comes with its own barriers. Only the highest-achieving students—who are already more likely to come from privileged backgrounds—qualify for merit-based scholarships, and applying for need-based bursaries and the work study program require extensive applications and an in-person appointment with a financial aid counsellor. During these appointments, many students

feel that they have to go above and beyond to justify their situation.

“You have to pour your whole heart out in order to be considered [for need-based programs],” Egyima said. “Why [does McGill] need to know my whole life story in order to think that I need this work? Why can’t I just say that I need work?”

Ava’s experience applying for in-course aid reflected a similar process of recounting details of her personal life to McGill administrators. While her financial statements adequately documented her situation, having to verify the details in-person made her feel that she had to perform to fit someone else’s definition of need. “[Getting help from the Student Aid Office relies in part] on how sad of a story you can spin [for the financial aid counselors],” Ava said. “I don’t really understand why that’s such an important part of it, but if you can hit their sympathies, you can really get money.”

Bothman believes part of this phenomenon stems from a degree of elitism in McGill. While it may provide vital resources for students from the lowest income brackets, the financial aid process does not offer the same degree of respite to middleincome students, who also experience financial precarity. Outside of the administration, conversations about finances that occur between students can minimize the issues at hand.

“There’s such a weird campus culture where people don’t talk about money [or] a lot of people say things really trivially, [like] talking about being broke when they’re not [actually] broke,” Bothman said. “I think [that makes it] hard to have conversations [about financial precarity] and that can be isolating for people.”

McGill’s elitist culture directly inhibits workers on campus who try to advocate for better conditions. Because many people in positions of power hold assumptions that student poverty is not a significant issue or that students find jobs simply to earn some spending money, they may be less willing to engage in productive conversations around these issues.

“How are we supposed to advocate for better pay or better conditions when there’s this expectation [among McGill administrators] that it’s not that important?” Egyima said.

Supporting student workers, and students from low-income backgrounds in general, does not have to be a complicated process. Employers can start by paying their workers and interns a living wage. Nobody deserves to live in impoverished conditions; inadequate compensation with a lack of workplace benefits only makes employees in already precarious situations more vulnerable. In a broader context, Canadian immigration regulations need to better consider foreign students’ situations— threatening to deport students for working too much only forces them to seek out unprotected, under-the-table arrangements. Further, McGill can invest more money in its need-based bursary programs and work to reduce the cost of education. When students do not have to stress over paying tuition fees, they may feel less of a need to move their focus away from school to feed themselves.

“If McGill wanted people to not be in precarious positions, they could just do it,” Bothman said. *Averaged from 2013 and 2016 surveys. **Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the source.

(Erin Sass / The McGill Tribune)

10 STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

Behind the bar at Poincaré

A Chinatown hangout featuring craft beers, low-intervention wines, and fermented foods ET Wu Contributor Located in Chinatown, local and environmentally-conscious Cantine Poincaré is a hidden gem to enjoy on a chill night out with friends. The selection of craft beers and fermented snacks offers a unique, genuine Quebec pub experience. The McGill Tribune sat down with chef and co-founder Jeremiah Bullied, who also teaches fermentation classes at Concordia University. He spoke on the relationship between Quebec and craft beer.

“I think craft beer in particular is something that really reflects Québécois culture a lot,” Bullied said. “I feel like craft beer is like the wine of Quebec—it is something that people take to.”

The three other owners of the restaurant are experienced in the craft beer industry: The team consists of Hugo Jacques, a sommelier from Montreal microbrewery Isle de Garde; Francis Melançon from Gaspesian microbrewery Pit Caribou; and Samuel Boivin Provost, from the local staple brewpub Dieu du Ciel.

Their expertise is evident in the attention to detail in the products they serve. Anyone should be able to find something to enjoy, from their tasty double IPA to their exotic Chardonnay cider.

“A lot of people [who] come in after work or during lunch [...] are young, [...] have good taste in food and music, [and] appreciate a weird little spot like this,” Bullied said.

Not only does Poincaré have a wide range of unique beverages, they also have a range of fermented and cured snacks. The Poincaré experience is best defined by the seasonal fermented menu, which reflects Bullied’s expertise in fermentation and natural methods of food preparation.

“Fermenting [...] ticked a lot of boxes for me [...] because it is a low intervention way of transforming food,” Bullied said. “You still have to prepare [ingredients], but they kind of transform themselves, [...] and to me, there is an element of magic to that. There [are] a lot of cool flavours and a lot of cool textures that are unlocked.”

The fermented snacks, including pickles and chorizo, are a tasteful companion for any drink or conversation.

“There’s definitely a notion that these are good bar snacks,” Bullied said. “It is something you can dine on casually without having to eat a meal. [Poincaré is a place for] people who [...] want to party but with good wine [...] in a place that isn’t a club but isn’t boring either [....] Even though it is very casual, there are some fine dining elements, and there really is some quality in

Poincaré boasts a large menu of fermented and cured bar snacks.

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) [the ingredients].”

Without a doubt, quality is all the owners’ primary focus, and they are committed to giving their clientele the best experience that they can possibly offer.

“In the [service] industry, [...] it is about how you make people feel,” Bullied said. “People that come here want to feel cool. They want

to feel that they received a product of quality, and attention, and effort. You have to communicate a certain amount of attention to detail, and you kind of have to be having a good time.”

Students in search of a trendy new hangout spot should check out Poincaré for funky and well-made food and drinks in an industrial space.

Obscure McGill Halloween costumes

Get-ups that might take some explaining Leo Holton Contributor

quaintance that you weren’t asked to rush your frosh leader’s frat.

Are you dreading yet another late-October decision between angel, devil, and Hugh Hefner?

Could this be the year you finally say no to the Magic Mike squad theme? If you’re ready to be the quirkiest person at any party, take a look at The McGill Tribune’s list of obscure Halloween costumes that are guaranteed to leave your peers speechless.

Mind-Body Dualism After spending Halloween fully silent, reveal to your concerned friends that you left your mind and consciousness at home while your body seized the night.

If they’re still worried about you, they clearly have not read and understood Descartes.

Not-Intended-to-be-Suggestive RVC Asian Pear After somehow making yourself round and gold, wrap yourself head-to-toe in revealing white fishnet. Be clear with everyone who asks; you are not a sexy Teletubby. On the contrary, you are a fruit with the crisp texture of an apple, but the flavour of a pear, accurately cradled in protective foam.

Froshie Who Slept Through Beach Day Pull up to your Halloween function in full frosh gear. Do not let a conversation finish without confirming that beach day wasn’t really that much fun, right? But you did have a crazy time on boat cruise. To stay true to the costume, you should be thoroughly loose by 9 p.m, get lost on your way back to your dorm, and make sure to tearfully confide in an ac-

Brønsted-Lowry Base You need everyone to know that you are capable of accepting a lone pair of electrons. Balloons, cardboard tubes, and a permanent marker should be enough to get your message across, but a precise structure true to molecular orbital geometry will impress your friends that much more. Whatever you do, do not accidentally dress up as a Lewis Base! It’s already been done a thousand times.

Big Suze’s Sorority Little McGill’s principal and vicechancellor has never been forthcoming about which sorority she rushed, or what Twisted Tea flavour she prefers. These mysteries aside, this costume is simple: Throw on a pair of Lululemon leggings, translate your Instagram bio to Greek, and erect a large image of Big Suze above your head. Try to show her some fun, but don’t get too crazy—the future of our school rests on your

shoulders.

James Naismith The McGill alumnus and inventor of basketball is easily recognized by his thick lampshade mustache, spectacles, and centre part. Those you can nail with a trip to Dollarama and a mirror; the real trick to this costume is embodying Naismith’s guiding belief of muscular Christianity. Naismith swore by this philosophy. You will need to be absolutely ripped and hold a strong conviction in the power of sports to pull this one off, but actual Christian faith is optional.

CARTOON

McGill’s Divestment Policy Do not leave your room on Halloween. No revelry allowed. If your friends ask the next day, explain that for twenty-four hours, you did not exist.

Samosa Sale Same execution as McGill’s Divestment Policy, but in an earlier stage of grief.

Gert’s Same execution as Samosa Sale, but if anyone below thirdyear asks about your costume, tell

them that they wouldn’t understand.

McGill Mental Health Services Commit to plans with as many people as you can. Make it clear that you care about them and want to spend time with them. Of course you’ll dress up as a threehole-punched Jim Halpert with the girls! Yes, you would love to be a SoundCloud rapper with the lads! Then cancel all plans on Halloween day and proceed along the lines of McGill’s Divestment Policy, Samosa Sale, and Gert’s.

Sunny Kim / Contributor

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

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In conversation with Stefani Bondari McGill music student has found her voice Patrick Gilroy Contributor A soft cymbal joins a lonely bass as Stefani Bondari sings: “It will be, it is, it was.”

These lyrics both open and close the song “Winter,” the fifth and final track from Bondari’s song suite Seasons. In only seven words, the line reveals a motif that Bondari says had bearing over the whole project.

“The premise of [the project] was change throughout one’s year, and how it’s cyclical within a year,” Bondari said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

“I think change is a thing that inspires everyone. I don’t think it’s specific to me at all, but it’s what I know and what I reflect on. I don’t know enough about love.

I don’t know enough about having my own family. I don’t know enough about having a career or money. So, I write about change, which is something very universal, and something [that] I can reflect on honestly.”

Honesty is important to Bondari, as the artist strictly writes about her own experiences. This was not always the case. “[When I wrote songs] in elementary school it was like, ‘I’ll be Romeo and you’ll be Juliet’,” Bonardi said.

These lyrics, typical of many tweenage musicians eager to show off their

Bondari chose her stage name to honour her grandmother.

(Sophia White / The McGill Tribune) songwriting gravitas, have since matured.

Today, her music is very personal. Aside from simply growing older, Bondari mentions the death of her grandmother as sparking a tonal shift in her style. In fact, Bondari, otherwise known as Stefani Recheshter, chose her stage name in her grandmother’s honour, Bondari being her family name.

“We were very close when I was young, and she passed away when I was twelve. I think the way I was able to [fully grieve was by] writing songs,” Bonardi said. “ I think that helped me focus in on

what really matters to me, and I started finally being able to write about what I knew because this grief was what I knew really prominently.”

Hailing from New York City, Bondari has been playing and writing music for almost her entire life. After taking lessons as a child and concentrating in classical piano in her high school’s music program, she chose to study Jazz Voice at McGill. It has not always been the easiest transition, as she notes she lacks the jazz background of other students.

“I came to McGill [having studied]

Kanye West’s ‘Jesus is King’ is both unexceptional and transcendent

jazz for one year and then [having gone] to conservatory where people have been jazz musicians their entire life,” Bonardi said. “It was very isolating. I would just play alone [...] and just write all the time. I wasn’t going to sit idly by waiting to play bebop with people, so I just started writing my own stuff.”

This drive to write was a blessing in disguise, as Bondari was able to find friends who were interested in her compositions and supportive of her creative efforts. A little over a year ago, she started playing shows around Montreal. Since then, she has developed a close bond with her friends in the music community, such as guitarist Zach Bachand, with whom she plays often.

Currently, a live recording of “Winter” is the only song on Bondari’s bandcamp page, but she says she is planning on releasing more material soon. In the meantime, she will continue to play shows across Montreal. Instead of spending this time trying to find her voice, she intends to develop what she has already found. “[Music] is the only thing I want to do,” Bonardi said. “Even though I’m grateful for what I’ve learned [at school], I think I [have] kind of found my voice.”

Stefani Bondari plays with New Hermitage and François Zaidan on November 11th at Casa del Popolo. Tickets are $15 or PWYC.

ALBUM REVIEW

West’s latest project reinvents his image—for better or for worse

Joey Kaplan Contributor Kanye West may be a problematic, belligerent, and generally irritating person, but many consider him to be one of the most gifted artists of his generation. On Oct. 25, West finally released the long-awaited album Jesus is King, his ninth solo project, alongside a half-hour film by the same name. While his previous album, Ye, looked like the beginning of a decline for Kanye due to an uncharacteristic lack of innovation, Jesus is King is a refreshing, albeit imperfect album complemented by a film that reveals Kanye to be not just a talented rapper and producer, but a filmmaker as well.

West’s latest reflects the strengthening of his religious faith. The album starts out strong: “Every Hour” is performed entirely by The Sunday Service Choir, Kanye’s secretive gospel chorus, and is a delightfully upbeat track. “Follow God” and “Selah” perfectly blend the classic, adrenaline-charged beats Kanye is known for with gospel samples and original recordings.

Other songs, including “Everything We Need” and “Hands On,” feel too jarring in their gospelrap blend.

However, where the album truly struggles is in its lyrics. West’s outlandish, taboo sense of humour shines through in his music. It’s what makes Kanye one of the most quotable rappers of all time. Jesus is King depicts West veering off the path of vulgarity and onto the path of God— to the detriment of his songwriting. This watered-

down version of West would be completely acceptable if he replaced his usual crassness with nuanced lyricism, but each song features the same message: I love Jesus, and you should try it, too.

The film Jesus is King does everything it can to make up for the album’s shortcomings, and inspires a complete reassessment of Kanye’s intentions. Kanye is known for making everything all about him, and while the album does not stray far from this tendency, the film constitutes a rare case of Kanye putting aside his self-centered attitude and creating a work dedicated to one man: Jesus.

Jesus is King, the film, is a glorious, entrancing visual gospel performance set in a sleek, dreamlike structure—an abstract interpretation of heaven. The film features surprisingly few songs from the album, instead opting for either entirely gospel versions of the album’s tracks, original gospel songs, or covers of others’ songs. Jesus is King concludes with a beautiful, melancholic rendition of “Street Lights” from 808s and Heartbreaks, an ending that solidifies Jesus is King as a worthwhile piece of cinema and music.

Despite West missing the mark in some respects, Jesus is King deserves at least a few replays and is elevated far higher by its companion film. The project’s biggest success is the film, a magnificent celebration of Jesus rather than a celebration of Kanye’s love for Jesus. Jesus is King is the most cohesive project Kanye has put out in years, and though it lacks some trademark Kanye charm, the album is yet another successful musical innovation for Yeezy.

‘Jesus is King’ represents Kanye veering off the path of vulgarity and onto the path of God. (yahoo.com)

Album: Movie:

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

Walls don’t talk, but archives do

A glimpse into the rich history of McGill’s Visual Arts Collection Ahmad El-Zammer Contributor Few students are likely aware of the value and history of McGill’s extensive art collection. At a talk hosted by the McGill Library’s Rare & Special Collections, Osler, Art, and Archives (ROAAr), and The Friends of the McGill Library, the collection’s curator Gwendolyn Owens shed some light on the university’s visual arts collection at “If Walls Could Talk: A Short History of McGill’s Art Collection” on Oct. 17.

“The visual arts collection has over 3,000 works of art, we’re on two campuses, plus the golf estate, [and] in 90 buildings,” Owens said.

Hailing from every continent but Antartica, objects in the collection range from paintings to tapestries. Some works, Owens admits, might seem strange and out-of-place at a university. While historically significant portraits are a staple in university archives, one may wonder why McGill also has three naked men holding up a shell in front of the Arts Building—the goodwill fountain, also known as The Three Bares, by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitne.

The sculpture had unlikely origins, unveiled in 1932 in an event marking the friendship between the US and Canada. The Three

researching the archives, she stumbled upon a letter written in 1946 by Principal Cyril James to Arthur Lismer, a famous painter who also taught sketching to McGill’s architecture students, requesting that he catalogue the university’s art collection.

“I’m pretty sure Lismer declined the task as we don’t have a 1946 catalogue for the collection,” Owens said. “But more than that, [the letter demonstrated] that someone recognized as early as 1946 that [McGill had] a lot of art, and somebody should [create an McGill’s Visual Arts Collection holds over 3,000 works of art. archive].”

Owens also found evidence (Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) of exhibitions showcasing valuable Bares, carved in Paris in 1913, The first major art donation to art around campus until well never made it to the Washington the university came in the 1960’s into the 1950’s. Students could D.C. hotel lobby for which it had from construction magnate and showcase paintings on loan from been commissioned because the McGill alumnus Sidney Dawes. the National Gallery of Canada, hotel was never built. Instead, His persistent efforts to create for instance, like Tom Thomson’s the sculpture remained in a New the ill-fated McGill Museum of Northern River.

York studio for years until a young Canadian Art are well-documented Ownes has been working with graduate of the McGill Music in the McGill Library’s journal collectors and colleagues to expand School, Ellen Ballon, met Whitne Fontanus. Dawes’ wish never came the collection of Indigenous art, and proposed the idea of giving the to fruition, but his donation set up a like Nadia Myre’s 2013 series gift to McGill. The unveiling of the foundational Canadian collection Meditations on Red, which can sculpture was no small event. In the for McGill and was the catalyst be found on the main floor of the presence of dignitaries from both for creating the arts committee McLennan library. countries, the Governor-General of responsible for the collection until Though Arthur Lismer likely Canada, the Earl of Bessborough Owens’ appointment in 2013. declined Cyril James’ request over accepted the gift from educator Despite the art collection’s half a century ago to catalogue and New York Times editor John long history, stretching back to McGill’s art collection, Owens and Finley, presenting the statue on the 1870’s, Owens is McGill’s her team are now pursuing this long behalf of the Americans. first full-time art director. While overdue and worthwhile task.

Interview With a Vampire Screening

What better way to get into the Halloween mood then by going to a screening of a vampire thriller?

Oct 29, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Bar Le Ritz $5

Haunted McGill Walking Tour Discover all the spooky history behind the downtown campus— not your typical campus tour!

Oct 30, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Redpath Museum PWYC

Author Talk With Sylvia Vetta Join author Sylvia Vetta as she discusses her creative process and latest novel, “Sculpting The Elephant” Oct 30, 6:00 p.m.

Arts 230 Free

McGill Wind Orchestra Concert

Support McGill’s Schulich School of Music and listen to some wonderful woodwinds!

Nov 1, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Pollack Hall $15 for students, $20.30 for general admission

PUP don’t care about nothing

Toronto punk quartet rocked out at Corona Theatre Gabe Nisker Features Editor Early into their Oct. 22 concert, the Toronto-based punk rock band PUP halted their performance; lead singer Stefan Babcock pointed to the mosh pit and said a few words to the soldout crowd at Corona Theatre.

“Someone lost a shoe,” Babcock said.

“Whose shoe is that?”

The shoe found its way to its rightful owner, passed between the grimy claws of sweaty teens.

“Great teamwork,” Babcock added. “This next song is about doing the right things for all the wrong reasons. And because it’s a PUP song, it’s also about being a miserable piece of shit.”

The band launched into their song “See You at Your Funeral” off their latest album Morbid Stuff. The energy in the venue was palpable.

Heads nodded to the rhythm all night; it was a punk show after all.

But, this particular moment felt like an apt description of the band: Within and beyond their musical endeavours, PUP aims to foster inclusive spaces. Before starting their set, they asked fans in the mosh pit to help each other up if they fell, and, outside of their concert, they even partnered with a local legal defense fund for Indigenous peoples, RAVEN, to give back to the community. On stage, the band lead loud, angsty, and cathartic sing-alongs. From the mo-

ment they took the stage following their opening act, the Montreal punk quartet NOBRO, the boys of PUP owned the night with their determined demeanour.

The band breezed through a selection of songs off Morbid Stuff, as well as deeper cuts from past releases. A particular standout punctuated a halfway point in their set: Babcock led the crowd in a singalong of “Scorpion Hill.”

The song features some of their most narratively-focused lyrics: Its bleak story of a man who struggles to get his life in order is darkly funny.

Bathed in a simple green light, Babcock and the band began with the country-guitar twang and harmonies—the song begins almost ballad-like. About a minute into the track, the punk pace and heavy guitar riffs kicked in, and fans returned to moshing.

Alongside the loud guitars and drum beats, the band’s stage presence includes clever, dry repartee with each other and the crowd. Babcock and guitarist Steve Sladkowski tried their hand at speaking French, with Babcock using Sladkowski’s love of the Toronto Raptors basketball team as a talking point.

“Tu aimes les Raptors,” Babcock said.

“J’aime les champions,” Sladkowski said, wearing his favourite team’s jersey on stage, reminding his bandmate of the team’s championship victory.

PUP went from song to song with crowdpleasing ease, until their least popular decla-

PUP stands for “Pathetic Use of Potential.” (Bad Feeling Magazine) ration of the night, when they announced that they didn’t do encores. Babcock said that since it had been a while since they had performed a Montreal headlining show, he felt that he had to explain himself. There are two reasons bands do encores, he explained: One is to pee (PUP claim they sweat it all out on stage) and the other is to do cocaine (they don’t).

With that on the table, Babcock informed the crowd that there were two more songs before the night was over. PUP performed the first two tracks from their 2016 album The Dream is Over: “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will”

and “DVP.” The two seamlessly transitioned together—not only do the softly plucked strings which introduce “If This Tour” build into a boisterous transition to the anger invoked in “DVP,” the songs also thematically click, emblematic of the larger PUP oeuvre. The songs evoke coming-of-age and finding-of-place, displeasure and anger, and their tough lyrics come from a seemingly heartful place. As Babcock yelled his way through the first of these final two songs, one lyric stood out, echoing the sentiment of the earlier mosh pit moment: “Why can’t we just get along?”

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

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Granting computers sight

Innovation in the fields of image processing and computer vision

Thomas Bahen Contributor If computers could tackle the difficult tasks of processing and understanding images, they could revolutionize how people shop, make movies, and drive—or rather not drive—cars. With artificial intelligence (AI), computers can actually ‘understand’ images. Within AI, one of the most promising methods of teaching computers to ‘see’ is deep learning, which gets its name from the many stages where the computer must make decisions when processing an image.

At McGill, deep learning has been applied to computer vision and digital image processing, among other applications. James Clark is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and general chair of the biennial International Conference of Computer Vision (ICCV) that will take place in Montreal in 2021. Clark outlined cutting-edge deep learning research at McGill and explained what computer vision and image processing entail.

“Image processing is trying to improve the image or make it look different,” Clark said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Whereas in computer vision, we are trying to understand what is in the scene.”

Most people are likely more familiar with image processing, which is very commonly used in the film industry. Contemporary blockbuster movies often employ green screens, allowing objects in the foreground to be imposed on backgrounds that are filled in during post-production. Recent research at McGill’s Centre for Intelligent Machines has developed methods to move foreground objects without a green screen. For example,

a person in front of a waterfall could be pasted onto an office background. The process involves making a rough cutout of a foreground object and cleaning up the edges of the object to blend it into the new scene. Clark noted that pasting objects can be challenging but that AI can play a role in alleviating such difficulties.

“Even with the green screen, it is a difficult problem,” Clark said. “Often, you would have artists go in and fix up the edges [.…] Now, you can have these AI techniques that do recognition and cutting out and then refining.”

The recognition stage, a computer vision task that has become dramatically easier in recent years, is a key step in allowing computers to see. A common way to quantify this approach is to simply ask a computer to identify the main object in an image based on a large set of images that it has already seen. In 2010, humans could still recognize and categorize images much better than computers. Just two years later, with the application of deep learning techniques to a well-known image recognition challenge, computers were suddenly better than humans. Clark sees this as a turning point for computer vision.

“Basically after three years of [deep learning techniques], the machines were better than humans at five per cent [error rate],” Clark said. “If it’s useful for this very difficult problem, it’s useful for a lot of problems.”

Researchers are using deep learning as a starting point to develop new techniques for niche applications.

For example, Clark recently developed a deep learning network that uses the social cues of eye movement to detect the important objects in an image.

As the field grows over the next few years, McGill

Clark developed a method for computers to detect important objects in an image using the social cues of eye movement. (flickr.com) students may soon get a taste of these technologies firsthand. Clark is working with the Faculty of Management to create a lab for testing AI in retail. While an official announcement has not yet been made, Clark is excited for what could come out of the old Bronfman Cafeteria space.

“There will be an element of the Amazon Go stores,” Clark said. “We’ll do a lot of things [….] Stay tuned.”

Answering Darwin’s ecological questions

McGill-led research team provides new evidence for centuries-old theory Ronny Litvack-Katzman Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

However, they struggled due to the limited geographic scale of their experiments.

The brainchild of Anna Hargreaves, a professor in the McGill Department of Biology, the BIG project overcame such restrictions by employing a group of over a dozen researchers working from the High Arctic to the equator. Her team set up more than 7,000 seed depots—small caches of a few dozen sunflower seeds— along 18 mountains across the Americas. Researchers then observed how many seeds animals consumed and in what environment. In a paper published in February 2019, Hargreaves and her team provided conclusive evidence that latitude and elevation play an essential role in determining species interactions.

“The purpose of the project was to test this hypothesis directly,” Hargreaves said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “If we did the same experiment everywhere, using the same material and analyzing the same interaction, we could actually see if the interaction was stronger in

Hargreaves and her team found that species interactions depend on latitude.

(Chloe Gordon Chow / The McGill Tribune) the tropics.”

The authors found that seed predation, the metric that they used to test species interaction, was greatest toward the equator.

Moving from north to south, seed consumption increased by 2.6 per cent for every 10 degrees of latitude.

Whereas other meta-analytical studies use a variety of parameters to assess the relationship between biological diversity and latitude, the BIG project employed a much simpler methodology. For Hargreaves, it was important that the experiment was

easily replicable so that researchers across the globe could follow a standard protocol.

Hargreaves’s biggest concern was capturing latitudinal interaction while biological variation and other variables were at play.

“One way to counter that is to reduce variation experimentally,” Hargreaves said. “If you take out the mammals and birds, you are looking at a smaller, more targeted group of species eating the seeds.”

To limit the influence of variation, some seed depots were

enclosed within cages, restricting the types of animals that could consume seeds. This modification allowed Hargreaves and her team to look at predation data from larger vertebrates and smaller invertebrates individually.

The results were intriguing to the authors because the expected pattern of species interaction was driven largely by invertebrates. Excluding vertebrate species who fed upon grain reduced seed predation, but it did not change the overall geographic trends in interaction strength.

“It’s a huge, global, biogeo-

graphical pattern that is driven by the smallest animals we were looking at,” Hargreaves said. “It was quite unexpected.”

Santiago David, a UBC zoologist who placed seed depots for the project in South America, recounts some of the other challenges in completing an experiment of this scale.

“We worked in Colombia along two separate transects that aren’t accessible by car at all elevations,” David wrote in an email to the Tribune. “That means we had to hike up trails that were 1,000 metres in elevation, two days in a row, carrying all the equipment and fighting against time to set everything up. It was hard work but also very rewarding.”

Now, Hargreaves and her team are turning their attention to another Darwinian query that examines whether the strength of interactions lead to stronger competition.

The BIG experiment represents a model way in which researchers can approach the largest questions of evolutionary ecology. As long as big questions remain about interactions of natural populations, the BIG experiment will be there to provide answers.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

Obeying the biological clock

McGill research finds that time of day affects immune system function Doris Tian Contributor In the future, patients may be faced with a very curious question at the doctor’s office: What time are you?

This puzzling question is becoming increasingly crucial in the study of vaccines. More specifically, medical professionals are looking for a link between people’s ‘biological clock’ and their immunity response.

Researchers Dr. Nicolas Cermakian of McGill’s Douglas Research Centre and Dr. Nathalie Labrecque of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre recently carried out a study to discover whether immune systems respond more effectively to threats at certain times of the day.

According to Cermakian, there are ‘clocks’ all over our bodies. This clock gene regulates all bodily functions, including digestion, body temperature, and hormonal cycles.

T cells are responsible for attacking and ridding the body of abnormal cells, such as viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. Using mice as their test subjects, Cermakian and Labrecque delivered abnormal cells to T cells at different times of the day. They found that the T cells functioned very differently depending on the time.

“We realized that T cells were responding much faster [and] much more strongly when [the test] was done in the middle of the day,” Cermakian said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

The T cells’ performance during the day were more

than twice as efficient as their performance during the night. While Cermakian explained that these results may not translate identically to humans, these results should be significant enough to influence the time at which vaccines are administered to patients.

More generally, Cermakian emphasized that the time of day must be considered when designing treatments for patients, including cancer therapies.

“For some cancer treatments, […] it has been found that some times during the day are more efficient than others, and there are [fewer] secondary effects when you do it at the right time [of day],” Cermakian said.

However, this does not necessarily mean that doctors should always administer vaccines within a certain time period. Cermakian pointed out that circadian rhythms, like many other aspects of the human body, differ between individuals. This biological clock regulates our sleep-wake cycle that varies from person to person.

“We have to realize that […] our clocks don’t all run the same way,” Cermakian said. “Some of us are morning people, some of us are late people.”

Even if researchers come up with a time period that, on average, produces the most efficient T cell response, Cermakian suggested that this average time period may not be helpful in practice. For many people, the ideal time may be a few hours earlier or later, and it will be the responsibility of researchers and physicians to take these differences into account.

“We are not all the same, […] and we have to de-

Clock genes regulate sleep cycles that vary from person to person.(piqsels.com) sign the treatment according to that,” Cermakian said.

“As with many other parts of medicine, it’s important to tailor the treatment to the particular person.”

Cermakian noted that greater personalization in medicine is filled with possibility. Currently, there is no reliable way to efficiently determine a person’s circadian rhythm. However, ongoing research from the Douglas Research Centre points toward a future where doctors can evaluate patients’ circadian rhythms by taking a quick blood or inner-cheek sample. By analyzing patients’ metabolic rates with information from these cell samples, doctors can attempt to devise treatments that are specifically tailored to their patients’ unique time, creating personalized and effective health care.

HackMcGill event covers AI, smart cities, and internet privacy Speakers presented on the ethical implications of technological advancement Zoe Karkossa Contributor In the last few decades, technology has evolved at a staggering pace and has become so deeply enmeshed in everyday life that removing it would throw society into shambles. While new technologies are immensely important to modern society, there is little regulation to keep mega-corporations like Amazon and Facebook in check. HackMcGill’s recent talk “TechTalks: Ethics in Tech” addressed these issues.

“AI & Machine Learning,” presented by Valentine Goddard, CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Alliance Artificial intelligence (AI) is often seen as a threatening invention that will devastate jobs and privacy, but, as with most innovations, it can be put to good use. Goddard’s work focuses on using AI and related technologies for social good.

According to her, civil society organizations (CSOs), nonprofits working on issues such as human rights, social justice, and education access, can accomplish their goals much more effectively if they learn how to integrate AI. “You have data already, so here’s an opportunity to create positive social impact out of [those] data,” Goddard said.

Potential positive applications of AI include University of Sherbrooke researcher Hélène Pigot’s work, which involves using AI monitoring systems to help the elderly stay safe in their homes.

Further, Los Angeles-based project led by Milind Tambe identifies members of the

To see who is getting the information that you give out online, Mendelsohn advises simply search for ‘third party’ in the terms and conditions. (Zoe Karkossa / The McGill Tribune) homeless community who can best communicate information about AIDS to their peers.

“Smart Cities,” presented by Stéphane Guidoin, director of the Urban Innovation Lab of the City of Montreal Tech companies are increasingly shaping the economy, and Guidoin is concerned about how they are trying to shape cities as well. Sidewalk Labs Toronto recently presented the IDEA (Innovative Development and Economic Activation) district, an elegant, futuristic conceptual city design that features a staggering

amount of data collection; from tracking pedestrian walking speed to widespread video surveillance, anything is fair game.

“For me, the main issue [...] is collecting data in the public space,” Guidoin said. “The notion of consent more or less disappears.”

Toronto citizens were not consulted about the potential design. Guidoin states that there is currently a large democratic gap and no easy way to discuss these issues with the people most concerned. Unfortunately, there are not any laws that prevent private companies moving forward at full steam.

“Security and Privacy,” presented

by Allen Mendelsohn, internet law specialist and sessional lecturer at the McGill Faculty of Law An expert on internet law, Mendelsohn’s life work will never be read— it’s hidden deep in those infamous terms and conditions that nobody reads.

“You, by clicking that box, are assuming that that organization is being ethical in everything that they reveal in that privacy policy,” Mendelsohn said. “I can assure you [that] they are not.”

Part of the reason for organizations’ lack of ethical behavior is the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the current Canadian legislation that governs data protection. Mendelsohn described the legislation as ‘toothless’ compared to the EU General Data Protection Regulation, which provides governments the power to fine non-compliant companies. For those interested in reading the next terms and conditions they see, Mendelsohn recommends to simply searching for ‘third party’ to see who else is getting the information the user is giving out.

As private tech companies show no sign of stopping their expansion, moderator Karina Kesswewan, a lawyer who focuses on Indigenous rights, ended the talk by pointing out that it is dangerous to simply wait for companies to start regulating themselves or to assume that they will find it more profitable to behave ethically.

“What if it’s not?” Kesswewan said.

“What if we prove that not caring about ethics [...] is more profitable?”

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

15

McGill Swimming takes second at season-opening meet Swimmers take home medals and qualify for Nationals

going into the rest of the season, hoping to go farther than they have in 15 years.

“As a team overall, [...] we’re looking to win the combined [RSEQ] banner,” Pittinger said. “We’re just trying to remember our purpose.”

McGill’s next meet is an invitational at Dalhousie University in Halifax from Nov. 15-17.

Zoe Babad-Palmer Staff Writer McGill Swimming excelled in their first meet of the season on Oct. 26. The men’s team came first of the six teams competing, while the women took second. McGill finished second overall, only 37 points behind Université de Montréal (UdeM).

The meet is McGill’s only home competition of the season; it was originally scheduled to be the second contest of the year, but the Oct. 11 clash at the University of Ottawa was postponed. The change in schedule did not hurt McGill’s effort though, as the team held an in-house time trial in its place, competing against themselves for extra practice.

“We raced the events that [the team] did today two weeks ago, so then they got a chance to do it again, and I think that probably helped us,” Head Coach Peter Carpenter said.

McGill’s performance is even more impressive considering several swimmers on both the men’s and women’s rosters were unable to participate.

“We had a bit of adversity to overcome,” Women’s Team Captain Isabella Pittinger said. “But, we were still able to finish strong, and not only strong, but we also had a lot of best times on both sides.”

The team stayed focused on their own races and their strategy paid off. The men’s 4x50m freestyle relay came within 0.24 seconds of the RSEQ record, and McGill swimmers qualified for the U Sports National Championships in eight events. Among the qualifying athletes was secondyear Clement Secchi, who was also named the Men’s Athlete of the Meet.

McGill’s athletes leveraged their familiarity with the

MOMENT OF THE GAME

McGill swimmers started the season strong with an overall second-place finish at their home pool.

(Carson Sargeant / University of British Columbia) home pool to the fullest.

“We know the walls better than anyone,” Men’s Team Captain Kade Wist said. “So we have that advantage. [With the starting] blocks, [it’s the] same thing.”

Carpenter believes that the home advantage was even greater at this meet than in previous seasons.

“I think it actually helped us a lot more this year than it has in the past,” Carpenter said. “We got new blocks this year, and that [makes a huge difference] for us.”

However, McGill’s swimmers are not content to sit back and coast. This early in the season, they are still looking to iron out technical issues, so that when Nationals arrive in February, they can focus on fine-tuning details.

Both captains are optimistic about their team’s potential

First-year Daphne Danyluk remained steady throughout her 50-metre backstroke, finally pulling ahead to take first in an extremely close race. Her time of 28.86 seconds qualified her for Nationals.

QUOTABLE

“We have a really strong team this year [....] To be able to produce the results that we did produce this early in the season at our first meet is really impressive, so I think we’re looking pretty good.” – Third-year Women’s Captain Isabella Pittinger on her team’s performance.

STAT CORNER

McGill athletes held the top three spots of men’s multiple-medal athletes and the number two spot in the women’s competition: Secchi won three gold medals and one silver, first-year Tengbo Yu won two golds and one silver, third-year Marius Collin won two golds and one bronze, and Danyluk won three golds and one silver.

Martlets win with electrifying late-game heroics Fourth-quarter rally cuts down Axewomen’s chances at victory

those in attendance and bodes well for the season to come.

“I’m excited to start the season, to see what the competition is like,” Diarra said.

“I know there’s been a lot of additions to other teams, and I’m feeling really good about our season.”

Adam Burton Staff Writer The Martlet basketball team (4–4) defeated the visiting Acadia University Axewomen (1–2) on Nov. 22 by a resounding final score of 79–67. Despite strong defensive efforts from Acadia in the second half, the Martlets rallied to secure the win for a boisterous crowd.

The first quarter saw McGill take a 23–16 lead over Acadia. Fifth-year guard Gladys Hakizimana led the way with a quick eight points on three-for-three shooting, disheartening the Axewomen.

The Martlets’ defensive efforts were also strong, playing with a tenacity that forced four turnovers and limited the options for Acadia’s post-centric offence.

In the second quarter, the Martlets furthered their lead with a more reboundoriented offence. Fifth-year centre Sirah Diarra led these efforts, posting her second straight double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and all four of the team’s blocks. The Martlets tallied 45 against the Axewomen’s 35 by the end of the half.

The dominance from the Martlets, however, did not last. Acadia came out in the second half with a rejuvenated defence that forced the Martlets to take ill-advised, off-balance, and contested shots toward the end of the shot clock. Their strong defence worked, and the Martlets only managed 10 points in the third quarter, all from three-pointers and free throws, with the Axewomen well on their way to tying the

MOMENT OF THE GAME

McGill beat the Acadia Axewomen with a masterful shooting performance, going 45.8 per cent from three point territory.

(Iman Zarrinkoub / The McGill Tribune) game.

“The girls they had were much bigger than me, and played really physical,” Diarra said. “I needed to play stronger.”

The game did not look good for the Martlets going into the fourth quarter.

Only two points ahead of the Axewomen at 55–53, the Martlets had no momentum and seemingly few solutions for Acadia’s physical defence. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats as the Axewomen chipped closer and closer to breaking the Martlet’s lead. However, the closest they came was a 63–63 tie with 4:45 left in the quarter.

Hakizimana ultimately came to the rescue: She buried three soul-crushing threes to close out the game, rallying the team and inspiring chants of “defence” from the crowd.

“The fact that she made that big shot, it really set the tone for other players to play better too,” Diarra said.

McGill closed out the game with sharp-shooting, going 53.3 per cent from the field, tallying a game high 24 points for the fourth quarter to reach a seasonhigh 79 points and claim the victory over Acadia, 79–67. The late game heroics made for an electrifying experience for

Midway through the fourth quarter, fifth-year guard Gladys Hakizimana hit a deep three to break the 63-63 tie. The shot rallied the team to go on a 16-point scoring run in the last five minutes of the game to close out the win.

QUOTABLE

“I think my favourite part of being on the team is just being with the girls.

Every time we step out on the court, we’re like family, I love them so much.”

- Fourth-year centre Sirah Diarra on team dynamics.

STAT CORNER

The Martlets shot away Acadia’s chance at winning with an incredibly efficient 46.6 per cent from the field and 45.8 per cent from behind the arc.

16

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2019

10 THINGS: CREATIVE SPORTS HALLOWEEN COSTUMES Stand out from the crowd and represent the best of sporting culture

Jack Armstrong, Beattie Bernfield, Zoe BabadPalmer, Adam Burton, Ender McDuff, Kaja Surborg, & Miya Keilin Contributors, Staff Writers, Sports Editors, & Managing Editor Halloween is an exciting time for everyone, but finding a costume that is affordable and unique can be challenging. This year, The McGill Tribune’s sports writers put together a list of costumes for fans looking to do something more interesting than just wear their favourite athlete’s jersey. These ideas turned the best sporting traditions into Halloween costumes that are sure to make an impression at any party this weekend.

GROUP COSTUME: SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

Grab eight of your closest friends and the largest trench coat that you can find at Eva B: It’s time to stack up three by three, glue on a fake goatee, and shave your head. That’s right, you’re going out as Shaquille O’Neal. All you need to do now is to prepare some mediocre basketball commentary and practice ducking under doorways. You’ll be the life of any party.

Bonus tip: If your costume is convincing enough, cover to get into clubs is one-for-nine.

THE STANLEY CUP

We have to face the truth at some point: Going as your favourite athlete for Halloween is pretty basic. But going as the trophy from your favourite professional sports league is unique and eye-catching. This Halloween, wrap yourself in tinfoil and attach a small silver bowl to a headband for the perfect Stanley Cup costume. This outfit is perfect for the hockey fan who wants to stand out from the crowd while staying on a budget. However, if your team hasn’t won the Cup in a while, be warned that you may be mercilessly mocked.

people you have in your group, the wider the variety of tacos you can represent. For LeBron James—preferably the tallest person in your group—you will need a jersey, shorts, sneakers, a shooting sleeve for the left arm, and a headband. For the tacos, simply buy or make taco costumes. Try to make sure you can still dance in them, though. The final touch will be ensuring that the LeBron periodically yells “It’s Taco Tuesday!” at the top of their lungs throughout the night.

THE GHOST OF THE MONTREAL EXPOS

For a costume that evokes both nostalgia and tragedy, try the ghost of the Montreal Expos. Since Montreal lost its MLB team in 2004, the phantom of the Expos has haunted sports bars around the city. Borrow an old jersey and cap from one of the fans still holding out hope for the team’s return, throw them on over a classic white sheet, and mutter the names of Expos legends like Vladimir Guerrero, Andre Dawson, and Pedro Martinez.

DRAYMOND GREEN WATCHING FERGIE SING “THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER”

At the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, Fergie delivered an interpretation of “The Star Spangled Banner” that was so awful that people laughed mid-performance. Notable among those unable to conceal a smirk was Draymond Green. The three-time All-Star knew he was on camera, but still couldn’t mask his reaction. Initially, his mouth was half-open, and he looked like he was about to sneeze; then, the corners of his mouth turned up, giving way to a cheeky grin. Recreate the look by pairing the expression that perfectly summarized everyone’s thoughts about that performance with a black warm-up jacket and your best buddy Steph Curry giggling right beside you. Add a portable speaker to the costume to bump the Fergie National Anthem remix all night long!

GROUP COSTUME: LEBRON JAMES ON TACO TUESDAY

If you and your friends are looking for a fun group costume this Halloween, LeBron James and his tacos could be the perfect fit. For this getup, you will need at least two people, but the more

(Erica Stefano / The McGill Tribune)

COUPLES COSTUME: AARON JUDGE AND JOSÉ ALTUVE

There finally exists the perfect couple’s costume for that pair with a drastic height disparity: Aaron Judge and José Altuve.

Once you find someone with a big enough height difference, the rest is simple. However, if your difference is not 33 centimetres, extreme methods like crouching can help your costume look more authentic. Finding uniforms for this costume is important, but what matters most is that you show that baseball doesn’t care about size, only talent and the opportunity for a hilarious photo op.

COUPLES COSTUME: DEFLATEGATE PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES LOGO

When the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games logo was announced on Oct. 21, the internet immediately had one unified response: Why is it so attractive? While the seductive lips atop an Olympic flame/gold medal logo may be problematic for the Paralympic Games, it is ideal for the Halloween reveller who wants this season’s most timely and sexy Halloween costume. To begin, either pull out your Vancouver 2010 Olympic shirt or start from scratch by drawing the Olympic rings on a dollar store white tee. Add a golden-blonde wig and gold lipstick, and you’re ready to be the center of attention during your night out on the town.

GROUP COSTUME: MICHAEL PHELPS AND HIS 28 OLYMPIC MEDALS

This one is for all you floor fellows looking to find bonding activities for your students. Get a swimsuit and a pair of goggles for yourself and have a party to make medals from recycled cardboard and gold paint. This is a perfect opportunity to get rid of those boxes that have just taking up space since you moved in. Get detailed by making the medals match the years and events of all of Phelps’s wins. This group costume is also great for making sure that you don’t get separated on your big night out. After all, who could miss 23 gold circles, three silver circles, and two bronze circles running around Saint-Laurent.

We all know at least one annoying Patriots fan who will not stop talking about Tom Brady’s greatness. That’s why, this Halloween, you and anyone else this Pats fan has been driving up the wall will go as Deflategate, also known as Tom Brady and a deflated football. Play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to go as Brady and comfortably wear a number 12 Patriots jersey all night long. Unfortunately, the loser will have to don an inflatable football costume, which may be a little less suited to the dance floor. But, not to worry, because once you have brought this costume together by visually deflating the football with some tape, the looks of disgust on the faces of Patriots fans everywhere will make your effort worth it.

ARSENE WENGER’S ENDLESS STRUGGLE WITH THE ZIPPER ON HIS PARKA

It’s a tale as old as time: Arsene Wenger and his parka.

Every Arsenal fan has, at some point, watched as Arsene stood on the sidelines and battled a zipper that never seemed to cooperate.

While he commanded respect from his players and many others within the soccer world, he was never able to get that zipper under control. For this costume, you will need a suit, with a red tie, and a long parka. Stand off to the side for most of the evening while you try to zip up your coat. You’ll never manage to get that zipper up, but it’s bound to be a conversation starter when people inevitably ask you what you’re doing.