The McGill Tribune Vol. 40 Issue 21

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021 | VOL. #40 | ISSUE #21

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Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

SPORTS

McGill 24 overlooks student demands

For the love of indie bookstores

Know Your Athlete: Charlene Robitaille

PGs. 8-9

PG. 5

PG. 15

(Defne Gurcay / The McGill Tribune)

Mile End Ensemble hosts ‘read-in’ protest for S. W. Welch Bookseller

PG. 13

Unravelling the engineering behind the Perseverance landing The McGill Tribune talks to Montreal-born NASA engineer Farah Alibay Youssef Wahba Staff Writer

On Feb. 18, physicists and engineers marked a new chapter in Martian history: A series of radio signals confirmed the touchdown of NASA’s Perseverance rover.

Over seven months, the rover completed a 300 million mile journey to Mars, averaging a speed of about 12,000 miles an hour.

The Perseverance Rover landed on the Jezero Crater, where it will search for signs of life by collecting samples of Martian soil.

McGill Black Mentorship program fosters valuable connections

New MBAA initiative connects Black McGill students with alumni around the world Lucy Keller Staff Writer This past January, the McGill Black Alumni Association (MBAA) launched its newest initiative, the McGill Black Mentorship Program. Since the MBAA was founded in 2016, it has engaged McGill’s Black students by hosting several networking and professional support events. The Mentorship Program was spearheaded by MBAA

co-founder Marilyn Ahun, (BA ‘15), alongside Shanice Yarde, Senior Advisor: Anti-Racism and Equity Education; Adrienne Piggott, chair of the Joint Board Senate Subcommittee on Racialized and Ethnic Persons; and Kavetia Dass, Alumni Relations, University Advancement. In creating the program, Ahun was motivated by the knowledge that she would have benefited from a mentor’s support during her undergraduate studies at McGill.

“Before graduation, I really had no idea how to prepare for life after McGill,” Ahun said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “I did not know what graduate programs I should be applying to, or if I should even be going to graduate school. I would have really appreciated having someone to bounce ideas off and someone who could tell me a general idea of what I should expect once I leave.”

PG. 12

Montreal-born Dr. Farah Alibay is a NASA systems engineer who is part of the operations team for the Mars 2020 mission. The team was responsible for manufacturing, testing, and landing the Perseverance rover.

PG. 10

QS rankings place McGill among the top 50 universities worldwide McGill sees its highest placement in four years Respina Rostamifar Staff Writer On March 3, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings released its annual university rankings, naming McGill University as one of its top contenders with a global ranking of 31.

Thirty-two different

McGill subjects placed within the top 50 university rankings by subject, with three departments—Mineral & Mining, Library & Information Management, and Anatomy & Cell Biology—ranked among the global top 10.

The QS global ranking system is reputed to be among the most

comprehensive ranking systems in the world for higher education.

The system examines six key metrics to determine their rankings: Academic reputation, employer reputation, the faculty-to-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.

PG. 4

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ENDORSEMENTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

2020 - 2021

SSMU EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES

PRESIDENT

Darshan Daryanani

Jake Reed

Mark Morrison

Darshan Daryanani, U3 Arts, has extensive experience in student government, currently serving as an Arts Senator and a member of 12 different SSMU or AUS committees.

As the pandemic continues to restrict on-campus life, one of Daryanani’s top priorities, if elected, is to ensure the successful reopening of student-centred infrastructure and services, such as the University Centre and Gerts Bar, and implement spaces dedicated to prayer and spirituality.

Daryanani hopes to reconfigure SSMU’s current system for institutional memory: Instead of relying on the static documentation of SSMU’s past motions and initiatives— such as exit reports—he hopes to maintain active communication with past SSMU executives to ensure the continuity of major projects from year to year.

Jake Reed, U2 Engineering, currently serves as the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) representative on SSMU Legislative Council and previously sat on the EUS Board of Governors and the EUS Governance Review Committee. Additionally, Reed was the dispatch coordinator for the Montreal Students for COVID-19 Response and Relief initiative. Reed’s platform emphasizes student advocacy and safety; notably, they promise to bring legal insurance coverage to every SSMU member and implement outcome-focussed advocacy measures within SSMU. Reed intends to advocate for continued hybrid learning during the Fall 2021 semester.

Mark Morrison, U2 Science, has no SSMU experience, but is confident that his industry-related work in sustainable development will make up for it. Morrison believes that his practical experience in the workforce allows him to better connect with McGill students, and would help him bring a new perspective to SSMU. Morrison hopes to overhaul SSMU’s governing structure and governing documents.

His platform revolves around student advocacy and inclusivity, and emphasizes that SSMU’s number one job is to advocate for students. Morrison also plans on improving McGill’s relationships with Indigenous groups in Montreal and ensuring the university couples symbolic gestures such as land acknowledgements with tangible action to support marginalized groups.

Our endorsement: Yes with reservations to Jake Reed Jake Reed’s experience with student government and holistic approach to the reopening of campus make them an excellent fit for SSMU President. Morrison lacks any practical experience in governance as well as the institutional knowledge to succeed as president, and Daryanani’s campaign goals, such as a mySSMU app and Welcome Back concert, seem to lack feasibility and cohesion given the circumstances of the pandemic.

Reed’s commitment to strengthening SSMU’s standing with the university administration will be invaluable amid the uncertainty of the Fall 2021 semester; as McGill returns to inperson activities, SSMU requires a dedicated president to help lead the executive team into this uncharted territory. This emphasis on student advocacy and support, however, means that Reed must make up ground in engaging students in SSMU affairs.

VP UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS Claire Downie Claire Downie, U3 Arts, brings a plethora of experience to her candidacy for VP University Affairs (UA). Downie has served as SSMU’s menstrual products coordinator and SSMUnion recording secretary. Beyond

SSMU, she has also worked with the Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE) and the Montreal Student Initiative for COVID-19 Response and Relief. Her central campaign priority is to ensure that the resumption of in-person activities in Fall 2021 will be safe and accessible for all students. Downie also hopes to re-establish compensation for Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) notetakers, increase the availability of menstrual products on campus, improve library services, and send out listserv recaps of governance meetings to better engage students within SSMU.

He also plans to introduce an Asian Affairs Commissioner to SSMU.

Our endorsement: Yes with reservations to Claire Downie

Neel Soman Neel Soman, U3 Arts, is running on a platform covering several issues related to student accessibility. Although he has little SSMU experience, he has been involved in many student groups, including McGill’s Figure Skating Team, and has served on InterResidence Council. As a self-identified queer person of colour, Neel believes his unique

lived experiences will help him advocate for marginalized students. Soman’s platform includes ensuring a safe return to in-person classes, extending the S/U option for at least another semester, updating McGill’s policies on sexual violence, and improving access to services for Francophone students.

Both candidates have demonstrated a strong understanding of the scope and responsibilities of the VP UA portfolio.

However, as the VP UA represents student interests at almost all levels of university governance, Downie’s previous SSMU experience gives her an advantage in student advocacy. Soman’s lack of formal SSMU experience is particularly concerning, as next year’s VP UA term will be tasked with navigating the transition back to in-person academic activities. Even so, Downie’s near-exclusive focus on COVID-19 safety and accessibility for Fall 2021 neglects other priorities concerning equity. Beyond intentions to support the OSD and increase menstrual product accessibility, Downie had few ideas on inclusivity initiatives.

ENDORSEMENTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

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VP STUDENT LIFE Karla Heisele Cubilla Karle Heisele Cubilla, U2 Arts, has served as an executive on the Spanish and Latin American Students’ Association (SLASA) for the past two years as VP Events and VP Projects, an experience she feels has helped her to understand the challenges facing student groups. If elected, she will prioritize mental health initiatives,

family care, and establish certifiable workshops to enhance student resumes.

To help lessen the burden on SSMU’s family care services, which currently subject parents to long wait times, Heisele Cubilla has an ambitious plan to institute a volunteer program where students could gain experience working with the daycare.

Heisele Cubilla intends to continue initiatives, like the WellnessWorld

portal, developed by her predecessor Makheen Akter.

Our endorsement: Yes to Karla Heisele Cubilla Heisele Cubilla’s commitment to supporting McGill’s student body is clear.

Having immigrated to Canada independently and started CEGEP without a strong Montreal

support network, she understands the importance of community involvement.

Heisele Cubilla hopes to help other McGill students facing similar experiences due to isolation caused by the pandemic. While she may lack direct SSMU experience, her work with SLASA along with her role as recruitment director for Alpha Phi McGill will surely help her to thrive as VP Student Life.

VP FINANCE Éric Sader Éric Sader, U3 Arts, is an economics major and math minor. He has experience managing finances as the deputy head delegate of the McGill Model United Nations Delegation Team, where he also oversaw equity, logistics, and budget coordination. If elected, he hopes to work closely with the VP External to advocate for the regulation of international student

tuition fees. Sader also plans to implement reforms to SSMU’s five-year plan for the consolidation of student fees, incorporate bilingualism into the finance portfolio, and improve transparency of financial matters within SSMU. Further, Sader will continue to support the push for McGill to divest from harmful investments and hopes to work with the Financial Ethics Review Committee to prioritize

investments in progressive companies instead.

Our endorsement: Yes to Éric Sader Aside from Sader’s clear enthusiasm for numbers, his experience as deputy head delegate of the Model United Nations Delegation Team demonstrates his qualifications for VP Finance. It is clear that Sader understands the logistical nature of the finance

portfolio, has the knowledge to support crucial student services, and will ensure student fees are allocated efficiently. His emphasis on increasing transparency and student involvement will inform students on finance portfolio operations as well as the direction of McGill’s funding. His plans to reinforce bilingualism as one of SSMU’s core values will also make SSMU more accessible to Francophone students.

VP INTERNAL Sarah Paulin Sarah Paulin, U1 Arts, has several leadership experiences that include serving as a Model UN club executive in CEGEP, a Secretariat member for the Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium (SSUNS), a member of the governing board for the Classics Students’ Association (CSA). Paulin values effective and transparent communication,

both amongst SSMU executives and with the student body. Her platform emphasizes transparency with students regarding safety as they return to inperson classes and activities next year. She also believes that the Francophone Affairs portfolio has been neglected in recent years, and would like it to assume higher priority during her term. In regards to organizing Frosh activities, Paulin plans to create more alternatives that depart from

the typical drinking culture.

Our endorsement: Yes with reservations to Sarah Paulin Paulin shows clear willingness and flexibility to adapt in this role. She has many new and intriguing ideas for a safe return to in-person activities, such as providing a clear timeline of events, and expressed eagerness to support students during the

transition. Additionally, her clear desire to help all McGill students feel connected to SSMU and the Society’s work is admirable. However, despite her leadership roles, Paulin is still a firstyear student, and without experiencing on-campus life, successfully undertaking a major transition will be challenging. Paulin would also be filling a currently vacant seat, meaning she will have no predecessor to help her transition into the role.

VP EXTERNAL Sacha Delouvrier Sacha Delouvrier, U2 Arts, is the director of outreach and student engagement for the International Relations Students’ Association (IRSAM) and has held other leadership positions on organizations such as SSUNS. His platform centers on three main priorities: Ensuring a safe return to in-person classes, supporting local organizations like Meals for Milton Parc and

The Yellow Door, and improving advocacy for marginalized groups. As a Francophone student, Delouvrier plans to work extensively with Francophone Affairs and ensure French alternatives of documentation are available. If elected, he hopes to expand upon previous projects such as SSMU’s initiative for housing advocacy by incorporating the currently absent external portfolio into SSMU’s five-year plan and building

strong relationships with the executive team.

Our endorsement: Yes with reservations to Sacha Delouvrier Delouvrier is an experienced leader who has already established a working relationship with the current VP External Ayo Ogunremi, and demonstrates a sincere willingness to learn. He has promising ideas for developing a relationship

between McGill students and the Milton Parc community.

He also advocates for Francophone Affairs and hopes to provide job-focused French classes and coordinate the translation of more SSMU documents––both of which Francophone students have been demanding.

However, Sacha lacks practical experience in activism at McGill, which could impede his ability to effectively engage with the advocacy duties of the role.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

NEWS

Legislative Council approves policy against harmful military research

Councillors introduced new motion on a harm reduction policy Vanessa Barron Arts & Entertainment Editor The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council held its biweekly meeting on March 11, where members approved a motion to implement a policy on harmful military technology and introduced a new motion seeking to adopt an official harm reduction policy for substance use on campus.

The policy regarding military technology demands increased transparency about military research at McGill, and mandates SSMU to engage in meaningful advocacy against harmful military research.

While the Legislative Council approved the motion at their Feb. 11 meeting, the SSMU Board of Directors rejected the motion and sent it back to the Legislative Council for further review. The Board of Directors also brought the motion to the Steering Committee to check the factual validity of the citations and potentially add new ones.

Despite that 22 councillors voted in favour of the military research policy at their Feb. 11 meeting, councillors debated it for nearly 40 minutes during the second round of deliberations, and seven council members voted “no” to the motion. Arts Councillor Alex

VP University Affairs Brooklyn Frizzle introduced a new motion regarding a harm reduction policy. (Brian Schatteman / The McGill Tribune)

Karasick critiqued the policy’s unclear scope, but many members, including Vice-President (VP) Finance Gifford Marpole and VP University Affairs Brooklyn Frizzle, argued that the chance to debate the scope of the policy had long passed, already having been debated and approved one month prior.

Maya Garfinkel, U3 Arts student and research coordinator for Students for Peace and Disarmament, explained how the policy relates to the recently approved Divest for Human Rights Policy and encouraged more transparent research on campus.

“If the Divest for Human Rights Policy [had] an external focus, this is more of an inwardlooking policy that unpacks how the research apparatus at McGill operates,” Garfinkel said. “We really do want to focus on maintaining a strong foundation for research so that students in all faculties have the research opportunities that they expect when they come to McGill.

We are more focussed on exactly who is controlling the research that students are participating in.”

The motion passed with 15 in favour, seven opposed, and four abstentions.

Next, Frizzle introduced a new motion regarding the adoption of a harm reduction policy for substance use on campus. Guest speaker Sarah Graham, vice-president of the

Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE), gave a presentation on McGill’s lack of resources for harm reduction regarding drug and alcohol abuse.

The new policy aims to formalize a stance against de facto abstinenceonly practices toward substance use in student residences and separates SSMU from Greek-letter organizations.

Frizzle affirmed the extensive student consultation and research on the harm reduction motion,

which will be debated at the next Legislative Council meeting on March 25.

“Generally speaking, I do believe that SSMU has generally good practices around harm reduction,” Frizzle said.

“Unfortunately, those practices do not find themselves in any policies or internal procedures [....] We believe it is more important now than ever to formalize this stance and show our support for efforts around harm reduction.”

SOUND BITE “Every single month, it feels like [Gerts’ reopening] gets delayed by a month due to government restrictions. I am gonna say [it will open by the] end of April, but take that with a grain of salt because things are changing every day. The reason why I kept Gerts on this budget [...] is just in case it does open. If it does not, then essentially there are no expenses and no revenues in the Gerts area. But [by the] end of April, hopefully—that’s the dream.”

SSMU VP Finance Gifford Marpole, on Gerts’ projected reopening during the question portion of the budget presentation.

MOMENT OF THE MEETING SSMU President Jemark Earle called for a one-minute moment of silence to honor the victims of COVID-19.

QS rankings place McGill among the top 50 universities worldwide

McGill sees its highest placement in four years Respina Rostamifar Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

Kimiz Dalkir, director, and Joan Bartlett, graduate program director, both at the School of Information Studies, attributed the school’s success to the student body and their contributions to research.

“We owe our international reputation firstly to our students, who remain connected to us and act as the best ambassadors, and also to our researchers, who continue to have a great impact nationally and internationally,” Dalkir and Bartlett wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “We remain focussed on the heart of our program, to connect people to information. [This] has been the guiding principle since the School was established in 1927.”

Frédérique Mazerolle, a media relations officer at McGill, said the university was pleased by its performance this year.

“To be recognized is a source of pride for the McGill community,” Mazerolle said. “It is a demonstration of our collective commitment to maintaining McGill’s high standards and ensuring that we remain one of the world’s leading universities.”

Reflecting on the history of innovative research conducted at the university, Mazerolle discussed some of McGill’s most notable discoveries.

“Our institution is recognized globally for the excellence of its teaching and research programs,” Mazerolle said.

“Ernest Rutherford’s Nobel Prize-winning research on the nature of radioactivity was conducted at McGill, part of a

QC rankings took into account academic reputation, employer reputation, the faculty-to-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.

(Brian Schatteman / The McGill Tribune) long tradition of innovation on our campuses that includes the invention of the artificial blood cell and Plexiglass.”

Mazerolle highlighted the university’s involvement in

the field of epigenetics and expressed enthusiasm over recent research developments.

“Today, our professors are building the new field of epigenetics, developing alternative energy sources from crop plants and driving human achievement in every field imaginable,” Mazerolle said.

Brooklyn Frizzle, U3 Science and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President of University Affairs, was less optimistic about McGill’s ranking. Frizzle believes that while university rankings affect the decisions of prospective students, they have an insignificant impact on the lives and academic careers of current students.

“Frankly, the university is far too concerned with courting prospective students and donors with high world rankings, and current McGill students suffer for it,” Frizzle said. “It is an open secret that when applying for tenure, instructors with high-profile research experience, the kind that boosts ranking statistics, are prioritized over instructors who chose to dedicate their time to teaching or campus community involvement.”

Frizzle questioned the extent to which the university prioritizes rankings over the quality of education and student life on campus.

“If you look through the principal’s remarks presented monthly to the Senate, you will find far more mentions of university rankings and illustrious award winners than community initiatives or campus heroes,” Frizzle said.

“That is not to say that the university does not have a clear interest in boosting rankings [as] high ranking universities attract more students, donors, and government support, but rankings should not come at the expense of quality teaching and student wellbeing.”

OPINION

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Helen Wu editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Aidan Martin amartin@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Katia Lo Innes kinnes@mcgilltribune.com Kennedy McKee-Braide kmckee-braide@mcgilltribune.com Sophia Gorbounov sgorbounov@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Maya Abuali, Kate Addison & Sequoia Kim news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Jonah Fried & Sepideh Afshar opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editors Madison Mclauchlan & Shafaq Nami scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editors Alaana Kumar & Leyla Moy studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Kevin Vogel features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Vanessa Barron & Jonathan Giammaria arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Adam Burton & Sarah Farnand sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Ruobing Chen & Chloe Rodriguez design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Jasmine Acharya photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Sarah Ford & Alexandre Hinton multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developer Benjamin Alexandor & Marwan Khan webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Jackie Lee copy@mcgilltribune.com

McGill 24 overlooks student demands The annual McGill 24 fundraising event took place on March 10, with the university calling on its worldwide community—including alumni, faculty, staff and students— to donate. The funds raised contribute to McGill’s larger fundraising campaign, Made by McGill, which was introduced in September 2019 and seeks to raise two billion dollars ahead of the university’s upcoming bicentennial. At the time of its announcement, the campaign attracted significant criticism for its messaging.

Despite that McGill often relies on student labour for soliciting funds and serving as university representatives, the administration has neglected to prioritize funding for causes that students have long been demanding, such as better mental health services. In future campaigns, McGill must make efforts to fund tangible solutions to improve the well-being of its students and better publicize its financial information to live up to its reputation.

McGill has consistently shown disregard for services that are crucial to students’ well-being. Last year, the Office for Students with Disabilities

Adam Burton Sports Editor

something that I did not always enjoy. While my classmates were playing video games or sports, I was stuck at home working on smooth string transitions that seemed to improve little, if at all, in the long term.

It was only when I turned 10—when I started taking lessons from someone other than my mother—that I took ownership of my practice time. I had to practice on my own, and if I did not improve significantly week to week, I faced disappointment and embarrassment.

From an outside perspective, practice appears simple: Just pick up the instrument and play.

I had a rude awakening when I attended my first sleep-away music camp at 12 years old, where tight deadlines and entire days dedicated solely to music challenged me to improve quickly.

Under this pressure, I realized that practice was one of the most exhausting things I had ever done. One hour of intense focus burnt me out and weary. When I asked my friends and teachers how they practiced, my list of tips and

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Helen Wu, Caitlin Kindig, Ezra-Jean Taylor, Tara Alami, Yara Shaheen-Abuelreish, Deana Korsunsky, Sequoia Kim, Kennedy McKee-Braide, Shreya Rastogi, Marilie Pilon, Heela Achakzai

STAFF Reza Ali, Margaret Askey, Zoe Babad-Palmer, Rory Daly, Ella Fitzhugh, Justin Galouzi, Defne Gurcay, Signy Harnad, Zoe Karkossa, Lucy Keller, Deana Korsunsky, Erika MacKenzie, Maya Mau, Adam Menikefs, Ella Milloy, Naomi Mirny, Matthew Molinaro, Jinny Moon, Respina Rostamifar, Brian Schatteman, Noah Vaton, Josephine Wang, Xiaotian Wang,Youssef Wahba, Margaret Wdowiak, Lowell Wolfe, Wendy Zhao

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they do not intend to donate to certain initiatives unless their donations go toward meaningful causes. If alumni continue to donate to the university without questioning its practices, the administration will have no reason to adjust its priorities.

For administrators to continue to receive donations in the current way while ignoring student demands for improved wellness services would be profoundly inconsiderate.

If McGill is concerned with propelling itself into its third century, it can commit to meaningful equity initiatives like swiftly removing its outdated James McGill statue as demanded by its Black students. Students have a right to know where their money goes and to benefit from robust services that affect their actual campus experience. McGill’s rankings may speak to its research accomplishments, but they cannot mask its current students’ dissatisfaction. The administration must prioritize students’ health as it is the best way to set them up for success, ultimately making them more likely to think and speak positively of McGill in the future.

Rediscovering the value of practice

Business Manager Marilie Pilon business@mcgilltribune.com

India Blaisdell, Karan Kumar, Judy Park, Dante Ventulieri, Sabre Conde-Yassin

alumni success despite failing to acknowledge the activism and initiatives students create in response to inadequate support–– as they did with the creation of the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Eating Disorder Resource and Support Centre. If the university were to highlight specific categories dedicated to improving student wellness, donors may be more likely to contribute.

Perhaps McGill’s fundraising practices would be less insulting to students if the university publicized clearer fundraising reports in an effort to promote increased transparency. While donation records exist internally, the McGill Giving website includes only certain figures and a vague list of donors. Allowing for widespread, publicized access to these documents is key to holding the university accountable, but their concealment from students and donors only further ignites suspicions regarding the allocation of funds.

Upon graduation, when University Advancement starts sending emails soliciting donations, young alumni can use their voices to send a clear message to the university that

EDITORIAL

OFF THE BOARD

Social Media Editor Marie Saadeh socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com

CONTRIBUTORS

converted its paid notetaker jobs to volunteer positions after years of compensating notetakers’ time and effort. In 2017, the university cut funding to the Eating Disorder Program— an invaluable support service to students struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating. McGill’s insufficient mental health services are also of utmost concern, especially amidst a growing mental health crisis. Many of the university’s insufficient student services could be remedied if the university provides them with proper funding.

When donating to the university, individuals have the option to choose which areas receive their contribution. Most of the categories promoted on the McGill Giving website revolve around research, innovation, and infrastructure projects, with only a few making specific references to opportunities for students. While all of these areas are undoubtedly important, it is surprising that in light of student concerns over a lack of support, more emphasis is not placed on providing better funding for student services as part of these campaigns. The Made by McGill campaign celebrates student and

One of my earliest memories is of my mother handing me a cardboard violin and stick and having me bow along to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. As the child of two classical musicians, I started learning music very early—at the age of two. Every day when I came home from school, I had to devote at least 45 minutes to practice before I was allowed to do anything else.

For much of my childhood, it felt unfair that I was forced to spend this much time on

tricks grew rapidly: Dedicating time to warm-ups and technique drills, dividing what I needed to work on into manageable sections, timing breaks every 20 minutes, and repeating drills were just a few of my strategies. I slowly started to plan my practice sessions through journaling. I eventually realized that practicing is a skill one must develop over many years. It is dedicated time for self-improvement, and if one does not invest effort, the only person cheated is yourself.

It can sometimes feel as though practicing is synonymous with suffering.

While it certainly can appear that way at times, it can also serve as a form of meditation.

The state of mind when one decides to dedicate the next hour to improving is unlike anything else: Time comes to a halt, and everything that was bothering you melts away.

Suddenly it is just you and the task at hand. In psychology, this state of mind is often described as “flow”—the mental state of immersed, energized focus one reaches while performing an activity, being both fully involved and actively enjoyed

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the process. Many attribute greater success and happiness to those who pursue these entrancing activities dubbed “flow activities” such as art, writing, or practicing an instrument.

Since coming to McGill, I have spent a lot less time practicing the violin. Over the pandemic, however, I have resorted to practicing music for solace. Whether it be shooting a basketball, learning a new scale on my viola, perfecting a track on Mario-Kart, throwing a frisbee, learning a yoga pose, or even chopping an onion, rigourous learning is incredibly fulfilling. Although I will not necessarily need or use all of these skills in everyday life, the grounding and satisfaction they provide is invaluable.

My father often says that people who succeed in music find success elsewhere, and while I did not fully understand this at first, I do now. A lifelong work ethic dedicated to improving one’s craft and learning will not only help with success with the task at hand, but can also be applied to being well-rounded and living a more fulfilling life.

6 ENDORSEMENTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

WINTER 2021 SSMU REFERENDUM ENDORSEMENTS INCREASE OF THE SSMU MEMBERSHIP FEE: YES The proposed $1.20 increase to the SSMU Membership Fee would allow the SSMU to provide hourly wages for Student Senators and Legislative Council members. Despite dedicating many hours to SSMU governance, the positions are currently unpaid, except in cases of demonstrated financial need. If approved, the fee would help fund an hourly wage for all Senators and Councillors as of Fall 2021. A “yes” vote to increase the non-opt-outable fee would make positions within student government more accessible to all students, including those who are not eligible for Work Study or who cannot dedicate time to an unpaid position. The Tribune believes that voting “yes” is a crucial step to improving student governance.

RENEWAL OF THE MIDNIGHT KITCHEN FEE: YES Midnight Kitchen is a volunteer and worker-run SSMU service that provides free meals for McGill student groups and individuals in Montreal. In non-pandemic years, Midnight Kitchen serves affordable vegan lunches out of the SSMU building, and currently delivers food from their food bank and co-ordinates prepared meal pick-ups. A renewal of the opt-outable $3.35 Midnight Kitchen fee would support these programs, which prioritize individuals facing barriers to accessing food resources in Montreal. Additionally, a “yes” vote to the allocation of discretionary funding would allow Midnight Kitchen to continue using up to 20 per cent of its fee budget to support projects, initiatives, and events in line with its mandate.

AMENDMENT OF THE SSMU CONSTITUTION: YES

RENEWAL OF THE SAFETY SERVICES FEE: YES

RENEWAL OF THE SSMU ACCESS BURSARY FUND FEE: YES

A renewal of the non-opt-outable $3.97 Safety Services Fee would fund the following campus services: Drive Safe ($0.60), McGill Student Emergency Response Team (MSERT) ($1.50), Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS) ($1.75), and Walk Safe ($0.12). With the tentative return to on-campus activities in Fall 2021, these services will be necessary to support students’ health and safety. If approved, Walk Safe and Drive Safe would provide secure options for students to safely return home at night. MSERT would resume operations and train students in first aid. SACOMSS would continue to provide resources to survivors of sexual violence. The Tribune endorses the renewal of this fee.

PEER SUPPORT CENTRE FEE: YES A vote to renew the Peer Support Centre (PSC) fee of $0.62 per semester would sustain PSC operations, which include free peer-counselling, and provide a supportive space for students. Furthermore, a vote in favour of this renewal would eliminate the current PSCfee as an independent fee and instead include it as part of McGill’s Referral Service fee. The current Referral Service fee provides funding for Nightline, the Union for Gender Empowerment, Queer McGill, and the Eating Disorder Resource and Support Centre. The addition of the Peer Support Centre Fee to the Referral Service fee would increase the cost of its opt-outable fee from $3.35 per semester to $3.97. The Tribune endorses the renewal of the PSC fee.

RENEWAL OF THE MENTAL HEALTH FEE: YES The Mental Health Fee’s renewal of $0.40 per semester would allow for the maintenance of the Mental Health Committee at McGill. A vote in favour would also make this fee non-opt-outable, despite concerns from the student body about the lack of accessibility of mental health services through the McGill Wellness Hub. Proponents of this fund argue that a non opt-outable fund’s increased stability will generate a more predictable source of funding to enable concrete projects such as the creation of an online wellness portal or “Mental Health MyCourses.”

RENEWAL OF THE ANTI-VIOLENCE FEE: YES By voting yes to renew the opt-outable anti-violence fee SSMU members will continue to provide fund the administration of the Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy, which was created in 2018 after allegations of sexual violence were raised against SSMU employess. At $0.45 per term this fund will allow for the expansion of the GSVP including the hiring of two Anti-Violence Coordinators to oversee the implementation of the GSVP. This funding will also allow for the continuation of the GSVP training program and other discrestionary funding for student initiatives including advocacy campaigns and peer led gendererd and sexual violence prevention training. The Tribune endorses the renewal of the Anti-Violence Fee.

A “yes” vote to the proposed amendment to the SSMU Constitution would remove the sentence in Article 8.9 stating that Councillors and Legislators shall not be remunerated for their work, except in instances of financial need. If passed, students holding these positions would be eligible to receive a fair hourly wage starting in Fall 2021. The wages will be funded if the SSMU Base Fee Increase (Referendum Question 1) also gets approved. This amendment would improve accessibility in student government by opening doors to students without the means to accept an unpaid position.

A vote in favour of renewing the SSMU Access Bursary Fund would enable SSMU to continue providing bursaries to students in need of financial aid. The opt-outable fee is $8.50 for full-time students per semester and $4.25 for parttime students. The funds raised by this fee are matched by alumni donations and constitute one of McGill’s largest bursary funds. In the 2019-20 academic year, 367 undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need received a bursary from this fund. Since 1999, more than 2,500 students have received this bursary.

The Tribune endorses the renewal of the SSMU Access Bursary Fund Fee.

RENEWAL OF THE UNIVERSITY CENTRE FEE: YES This non-opt-outable semesterly fee of $8.02 for full-time students and $4.01 for parttime students will increase at a rate of 5.6% annually until Winter 2026. By voting “yes” to this fee, it will continue to fund the rent and utilities for the University Centre on campus, with any surplus directed towards renovation costs for the building.

Students will be able to reap the benefits of this fee as soon as it is safe to be on campus again, with the building renovations projected to wrap up this semester.

RENEWAL OF THE TVM: STUDENT TELEVISION AT MCGILL FEE: YES A “yes” vote to the renewal of the opt-outable $1.50 per semester fee will allow TVM: Student Television at McGill to continue providing students interested in television and film production both a creative outlet and a place to develop their multimedia skills. TVM also live-streams and records events such as the SSMU Candidates Debate for the McGill community. After attending a training session, students gain free access to equipment for personal projects.

TVM also serves as an alternative to a film production program at McGill.

DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FOR QUEER MCGILL: YES A ‘yes’ to this motion will allow Queer McGill to offer up to 10% of its budget as discretionary funding to projects and initiatives in line with its mandate. Queer McGill is a support and educational service that aims to make campus safe for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Queer McGill also offers several resources for safer sex, as well as gender-affirming and menstruation products. This motion would allow for Queer McGill to have greater autonomy in regards to enacting their outreach iniatives.

ENDORSEMENTS 7

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

RENEWAL OF THE ACCESS MCGILL ANCILLARY FEE: YES MSA SERVICE FEE: YES By voting “yes” to the renewal of the non-opt-outable $2.00 per semester fee, the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) will be able to continue providing funding for services and resources that improve accessibility on campus for students with disabilities, mental health conditions, chronic health impairments, or other conditions. Since 1988, the Access McGill Ancillary Fee has provided equipment and services to make campus facilities more accessible. The Tribune endorses the renewal of the Access McGill Ancillary Fee.

RENEWAL AND INCREASE OF THE WUSC STUDENT REFUGEE PROGRAM FEE: YES TO BOTH A “yes” vote to this motion would allow the McGill of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) branch to execute its Student Refugee Program (SRP), which aims to settle three refugee students per year. The program sponsors students’ expenses for one year, and students gain permanent residency after arriving in Canada as a part of the program. A “yes” vote to renew the non-opt-outable fee of $2.00 per semester would allow the SRP to continue sponsoring students. Additionally, a “yes” vote to the fee increase question would raise the fee from $2.00 to $4.00, allowing SRP to sponsor four to five students per year.

The Muslim Students Association (MSA) seeks to create an opt-outable Service Fee of $0.99. The MSA currently offers resources and support to Muslim students at McGill, including prayer services, mental health services, educational classes, professional development services, and social events. A “yes” to the creation of this fee would support existing services and allow the MSA to create new ones.

Additionally, a “yes” vote to allocate discretionary funding would allow the MSA to devote 5.16 per cent of its fee budget to providing Muslim students with financial aid.

RENEWAL OF THE MCGILL WRITING CENTRE ANCILLARY FEE: YES A “yes” to this motion would renew the McGill Writing Centre’s (MWC) non-opt-outable fee of $1.50 per semester. The MWC offers up to seven free hours of individualized writing consultations per term for each student. Tutors are experienced writing instructors with PhDs in their field or McGill alumni with tutoring experience. If renewed, the fee would go towards the tutor and coordinator salaries. Funding will also allow the MWC to increase the number tutoring appointments to meet increased student demand.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Unravelling the engineering behind the Perseverance landing The McGill Tribune talks to Montreal-born NASA engineer Farah Alibay Youssef Wahba Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Alibay detailed the feats of engineering behind the mission, its main objectives, and how Perseverance differed from previous rovers sent to Mars.

(Courtesy NASA/JPL) “We think that about two billion years ago, Mars looked like Earth,” Alibay said. “It had an atmosphere, a magnetic field, [and] liquid water [....]

About two billion years ago, Earth had microbial life. If there was life on Earth back then and Mars looked like that, there could have been life on Mars too, and that is what we are looking for.”

Perseverance shares many common technical features with its predecessor, Curiosity. Although Perseverance is almost 100 kilograms heavier than Curi-

osity, it cost almost 300 million dollars less to build. Other paramount differences between the two rovers include an upgrade in the number and quality of cameras on Perseverance.

“Perseverance has an additional computer onboard and that is the Vision Compute Element, which allowed us to land on the Jezero Crater,” Alibay said.

“The computer was taking images as we were landing, comparing them to a map, [and] allowing the rover to make decisions on board on how to divert the rover and to land.”

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) also implemented a thicker aluminum wheel with a greater diameter, but a narrower width, allowing Perseverance to overcome the sharp Martian terrain.

Perseverance is equipped with six more cameras than Curiosity and was designed to collect rock samples in a different manner.

“Perseverance has a robotic arm that contains a set of instruments located on its end,” Alibay said. “One of which is a coring drill that will drill out a sample and transfer it to the Sample Caching System. Another robotic arm then inserts the samples into tubes and seals them.”

One of the main goals of the mission is to test out a new technology: The Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE).

MOXIE aims to take in Martian air rich in carbon dioxide and pass it

Perseverance is the tenth robotic, unmanned spacecraft to set foot on the red planet. (NASA) through a series of pumps that carries the gas to an electrode that extracts the oxygen.

“If we are ever to send astronauts to Mars, then they are going to need oxygen,” Alibay said. “Not just to breathe, but as a rocket fuel to bring them back home.”

Aboard Perseverance is Ingenuity, a four-pound helicopter set to carry out the first controlled flight mission on another planet. The 0.49 metre-tall helicopter is powered by solar energy and will have to overcome a plethora of obstacles, like low atmospheric pressure and rocky Martian terrain, to carry out a successful flight.

“If you are having only one per cent of atmosphere then you are not getting as much lift, so we had to come up with a system that is both really light but also rugged to survive the Martian environment,” Alibay said. “We are currently looking for a site to drop off the helicopter and once we have done that, we will drop it off, do the initial commissioning and then fly it. I am hopeful that will happen within the next couple of months.”

It has been decades since humans last set foot on a celestial body. Without a doubt, the Mars 2020 mission brings us one trip closer to a human mission to the red planet.

For the love of indie bookstores A look into how Montreal’s small bookshops have been coping during the pandemic Madison McLauchlan Science & Technology Editor Entering a small bookstore is like dropping a pebble into a calm pond. The ripples start immediately: The door bells chime a sound of greeting, prompting the lone cashier to look up and drawing disinterested glances from other customers. Outside air whooshes in, momentarily ruffling the pages of books on display.

Brief greetings are exchanged as one settles in to browse the shelves of beloved novels, and the bookstore regains its serenity.

Such was the scene at S.W. Welch, an independent bookstore in Montreal’s Mile End, on a cold March afternoon one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the capacity was capped at eight and customers were careful to respect social distancing in the store, the magic of searching through shelves of books for hidden gems remains an enchanting experience.

This atmosphere of literary love in Montreal has been overshadowed by the looming threat of gentrification for several years. On Feb. 27, S.W. Welch’s owner, Stephen Welch, announced that an exorbitant rent hike may force the store to close. The news of the potential closure came as a shock to Montreal’s small nonessential businesses, which were only allowed to reopen stores on Feb. 8 after an extended lockdown.

Before the pandemic, indie bookstores were already facing competition from bigbox retailers that offer books alongside a range of other essential products.

According to Charles de Brabant, executive director of McGill’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management, the retail industry had been diverging into two extremes for years. At one end of the spectrum are companies like Walmart and Amazon, which prioritize efficiency and convenience; at the other end, small, independent businessesbookstores focus on customer experience and loyalty.

Big-box book retailers like Indigo and Barnes & Noble found themselves stuck in the middle of the spectrum and shifted their focus to customer experience, competing withcutting into the market for small bookstores.

“During the pandemic, what ended up happening is that the convenience efficiency extreme thrived because those were the essential goods,” de Brabant said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Experience was mostly non-essential.”

imposed mandatory lockdown, The Word quickly set up online alternatives, selling Indie Book Boxes with surprise titles and bookish goodies that ship all over the Island of Montreal.

Brendan King-Edwards, manager of The Word and son of the original owners, explained how measures to contain the pandemic forced their business to pivot online.

“What we ended up doing is selling a lot of surprise book boxes, and having people purchase books online and doing a lot of deliveries ourselves,” KingEdwards said in an interview with the Tribune. “Then eventually we started doing deliveries through a courier service. The challenges were [...] definitely logistics, on the website end of things, communicating with our customers, and figuring out the best ways to do delivery, which we weren't doing previously at all.”

Despite the challenges of extended closures and pandemic restrictions, The Word prioritizes giving back to the community.

Ten per cent of Book Box sales in February 2020 and 2021 went toward #DareEverySoultoAchieve a

Although all non-essential retailers were forced to close their doors, indie bookstores had the disadvantage of weaker online presences compared to big-box stores, both essential and nonessential. Venturing out to chat with book lovers and discover new reads became a luxury of the past.

Montreal boasts a rich diversity of independent bookstores, both French and English, that are sought out by students, neighbourhood natives, and tourists alike.

These bookstores continue to lend character to the city’s different boroughs despite the ubiquity of online retailers and e-books.

The Word, located just a few blocks away from McGill’s downtown campus, is lined floor to ceiling with books: New, used, and rare.

From English poetry to philosophy textbooks, the bookshop has been serving the Milton-Parc community for almost 50 years.

When the government first

(DESTA), a Montreal community group that helps Black youth achieve professional goals.

“We've gotten a ton of community support, both online and in person, and especially right at the beginning,” King-Edwards said. “People were generally genuinely concerned about how we are doing. We've definitely felt a lot of love from the community.

That has really helped sustain us as well for the last year.”

Argo Bookshop, the oldest independent English bookstore in Montreal, was equally affected

by COVID-19 restrictions that limited customer capacity and discouraged non-essential shopping. Moti Lieberman, coowner of Argo, noted the shift in ambience within the store.

“The nature of the business has changed a lot with the pandemic, as even when we've been allowed to let people in the store, fewer people have been out and around,” Lieberman wrote in an email to the Tribune. “A lot of the enjoyment of the store is in getting to talk with people about what they're interested in and about the books, so that's been fairly dispiriting.”

The tiny but welcoming shop in Shaughnessy Village prides itself on promoting books by racialized

and queer authors, as well as indie reads that may not appear on bestseller lists. What used to be a lounge area for Montrealers to relax with a book or catch up with friends has been empty for months; now, author events and literary discussions have moved online.

In Mile End, Librairie Drawn & Quarterly and its second store for young readers are unique additions to the literary scene, selling both English and French books as well as graphic novels from the Quebec-born D+Q publishing imprint. Kennedy Rooke, the flagship store manager, and Luke Langille, the product buyer, described the difficulty of adapting to the current restrictions.

“With consecutive waves of the pandemic here in Montreal, we’ve gone through permutations of closures, partial closures, and limited in-store browsing,” Rooke and Langille wrote in an email to the Tribune. “We went from being a bookstore which mainly served customers in-store, to what sometimes feels like a logistics company.”

A popular misconception is that online retailers like Amazon are driving small, independent bookstores out of business. King-Edwards feels that this belief ignores the nuances of what customers are seeking in their shopping experience.

“We have a niche clientele, and [...] we're not interested in selling a million copies of Harry Potter,” King-Edwards said. “As far as what's going on online, what we've seen during the pandemic is hopeful in the sense that people are becoming increasingly aware of their local businesses and [...] not immediately shopping online for something they can get right around the corner.”

According to Lieberman, many customers are choosing to support local businesses over larger corporations.

“I think as awareness of Amazon's practices has grown, and particularly a lot of messaging from publishers, authors, and just grass-roots community efforts during the pandemic in favour of supporting small bookstores has sunk in, [business] has become steadier,” Lieberman wrote.

Another misleading stereotype is that young people do not read books anymore. Although millennials and Gen Z consume more news through online outlets than previous generations, print books are still favoured over e-books in these age categories. When the pandemic hit, many students turned to offline activities such as reading to escape from the constant, all-

consuming demands of online school, remote work, and social media.

“Really, the numbers did not go down at all, you know, people kept buying the physical books,” King-Edwards said. “Clearly, people who are studying humanities and philosophy and all this stuff that we're carrying still prefer to have the physical books. And I think now even more than ever, people need a break from their screens.”

There is something special about visiting a small bookstore that online discounts or free shipping can never replace. For many readers, interactions with strangers, like store clerks, can ease pandemic-induced isolation and have been shown to boost overall happiness.

“Amazon probably knows me better than any bookseller would know me,” de Brabant said. “[But] it’s nice to talk to [...] empathetic, genuine people that love books, right? For me as a consumer, I love to come in [...] and see you smiling at me.”

In Canada, the numbers seem to reflect an increase in sales for independent bookstores in 2020, challenging the notion of a “failing business model” invoked by landlords such as Danny Lavy, who insinuated that bookstores are as outdated as video stores. Lavy is co-owner of Shiller Lavy, the company that owns the building S.W. Welch rents from.

However, the success of independent book stores during the pandemic would have been impossible without government assistance.

The federal government offered interest-free loans up to $60,000 through the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and more than 840,000 small businesses applied for help. These incentives played a crucial role in keeping smaller establishments afloat during extended shutdowns, especially those facing pre-pandemic debt and loss of earnings.

“I think the Canadian governments at all levels realized that if you are going to ask people or companies to stop their activities for a period of time, because of things that are beyond their control, you owe it to them to help them,” de Brabant said.

Although government rent moratoriums and wage subsidies also provided a certain level of cushion for many companies, this could not protect every small shop. In Quebec, building owners renting out commercial spaces have no limits on raising rent, which has forced out businesses in rapidly gentrifying areas like the Mile End. Booksellers across the city believe that unchecked rent hikes are the main threat to the indie bookstores that shape Montreal’s literary hub.

“The government needs to impose regulations on landlords,” Brooke and Langille wrote. “We should have taxes on vacant commercial buildings.”

Lieberman added that Argo’s building owner has been sympathetic during the pandemic and has worked with them to preserve the shop, but this level of understanding by landlords is not the norm in Montreal.

“If we want there to be character to our neighbourhoods, [...] we need to be protective of what small shops can offer,” Lieberman wrote.

“While we've had a good relationship to date with our [landlord], to be more at the mercy of the landlords in the face of a changing city is a sobering thought.”

The love of Montreal’s small bookstore community can triumph over greed. In a Facebook post on March 8, Stephen Welch announced that renegotiations with his landlord had yielded an agreement on lower rent, allowing the store to stay open for another two years, after which Mr. Welch plans to retire. Welch attributed the revision to a combination of media coverage and community support for the Mile End bookshop. In fact, Mile End Ensemble led a read-in protest on March 13, where participants each brought a book to read in line to showcase the importance of small bookstores.

“The outpouring of love and concern by so many people to our plight has been amazing and in the end effective achieving this result,” Welch wrote in his post. “I will endeavour to stock the store with unexpected titles, great reads, and unusual finds.”

S.W. Welch’s success story serves as a cautionary tale for realtors who underestimate the power of indie bookstores to forge community connections and to define the spirit of a neighbourhood.

“Bookstores serve as a focus for the local community, a place for people to come together, meet, and have discussions,” Lieberman wrote. “We also can help draw attention to issues or authors through what books we have to offer in the store, so we offer a lot of books on queer studies, social justice issues, and more. [With] a diversity of stores and viewpoints, we can help to represent people's thoughts in the city.”

As more and more of our population is vaccinated against COVID-19, the light at the end of the tunnel for small businesses continues to brighten. The eventual return of in-person events will inspire readers once more, and bookstores will experience a resurgence of chatty customers dropping in on a whim, for one essential that cannot be bought or sold: A love of reading.

Design by Ruobing Chen, Design Editor

10

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

Exploring the medical uses of recreational drugs

LSD, psilocybin, and cannabis can help with certain mental illnesses

Justin Galouzi Staff Writer Rates of mental illness in youth have risen significantly in recent years. However, conventional treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) do not work effectively for every patient.

Recent research suggests that recreational drugs can treat mental illnesses such as anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While the use of recreational drugs as medicine has been met with controversy, new research on psychopharmaceuticals is redefining the limits of mental healthcare.

LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a mind-altering substance that induces “trips”, which are characterized by hallucinations as well as time distortion.

Discovered in the 1930s, LSD was widely used recreationally in the 1960s as an integral part of hippie culture. More specifically, the drug affects the serotonin receptors in the brain that are responsible for stabilizing mood and emotions. Disruptions in the functioning of these receptors are often associated with psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety.

LSD has been shown to improve social behaviour, as measured by the number of interactions between individuals.

According to Dr. Danilo De Gregorio, a postdoctoral fellow in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, the drug could mitigate many psychiatric diseases, such as autism and social anxiety, of which symptoms include a lack of voluntary socialization.

“Hallucinogenic compounds such [as] LSD being able to increase sociability may help to better understand the pharmacology and neurobiology of social behaviour and, ultimately, to develop and discover novel and safer drugs for mental disorders,” De Gregorio wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

However, De Gregorio’s research on LSD yielded no evidence of its efficacy as an antidepressant. The use of LSD in minuscule doses could alleviate social anxiety, but shows little potential as a treatment for depression.

LSD targets serotonin receptors found in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an area of the brain that regulates social information as well as memory. When studying the

injuries to different areas of the mPFC, researchers found that lesions to the cortex led to social apathy. When administered to mice, LSD causes short bursts of activity in specific neurons that activate a protein complex called mTORC1, which may be blocked in individuals with social anxiety.

“We found that LSD exerts prosocial effects via a protein complex, the mTORC1, which we previously demonstrated to be dysregulated in pathologies with social deficits,” De Gregorio wrote.

Ketamine, a non-psychedelic drug used for anesthesia—and recreationally—was also shown to exhibit antidepressant effects through the activation of mTORC1.

Psilocybin Psilocybin is a psychoactive drug that causes visual and auditory hallucinations. Like LSD, it is classified as a psychedelic and has similar mind-altering properties. As one of the main compounds in magic mushrooms, psilocybin has been studied since the 1990s for its ability to treat psychiatric diseases.

Psilocybin, like LSD, works by targeting serotonin receptors in the brain. More precisely, it increases the activity of specific serotonin receptors which are associated with somatosensory inputs and controls the way a patient processes sensory information. One study suggests that this alteration to sensory regions could help to mitigate

(Pngimage) The drug can also rewire the brain by changing neural firing patterns, or the groups of cells that are transmitting information at a given time.

“In parts of the brain that usually do not communicate together, [the neurons] will fire together [when psilocybin is given],” Dr. Natalie Gukasyan, a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins’ Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, said in an interview with the Tribune.

Psilocybin also changes the way the thalamus, the part of the brain responsible for relaying sensory information to different processing regions, responds to different inputs.

While the substance can induce a “bad trip”, hallucinations about

clinical setting, the results are promising. Without the support of healthcare professionals or dosage control, the drug can exacerbate a patient’s mental health problems.

This treatment could alleviate conditions such as PTSD by dampening the fear response associated with traumatic memories.

Future research is needed to determine the appropriate dosing of this psychedelic. Too little does nothing to help the patient, yet too much could be dangerous for their health. Further studies are necessary to investigate the antiinflammatory effects of the drug and how this property could be used to treat several inflammatory and auto-immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

CBD oil is also used to treat dogs with chronic pain or arthritis. (cannamd.com) substance abuse disorders.

While psilocybin and LSD target the same receptors, they have different effects on mPFC neurons. LSD was found to control parts of the brain involved in emotional processing, including the mPFC-amygdala circuit. Psilocybin desynchronizes the activity between the mPFC and the posterior cingulate cortex, reducing their functional connectivity and contributing to different perceptions of reality.

a physically uncomfortable or anxiety-inducing experience can assist patients in overcoming it.

“In most cases [...] it does not mean that the [patient] will have a negative long-term outcome [....]

They might come out with a sense of mastery [of their experience],” Gukasyan said. “However, a challenging experience in the lab or in a clinic is different than [one] in a non-supported environment.”

When psilocybin is administered in a monitored,

Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is a derivative of the Cannabis sativa plant that has been shown to affect serotonin transmitters and reduce anxiety symptoms in rats.

Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive component of cannabis, CBD does not induce paranoia or hallucinations.

It is currently commercially available across Canada.

One study found that CBD blocks receptors that mediate pain sensations. CBD made the serotonergic neurons less likely to be activated and produced an antianxiety effect on the model rats.

Much of the research on CBD, however, has only been performed using animal models.

Dr. Irina Kudrina, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Family Medicine, notes that it is difficult to parse out CBD’s specific effects on humans.

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many plant-derived biologically active molecules that, when a

cannabis-based product is used, act synergistically,” Kudrina wrote in an email to The Tribune. “This synergy makes a ‘pure’ CBD effect difficult to discern. As cannabis research in humans is still in its infancy, our understanding of how this specific plant molecule interacts with the animal neurochemical system is quite limited.”

One study suggests that single, high doses of CBD have little effect on anxiety, depression, or psychosis, but if given at low doses for a limited period of time, it could have therapeutic properties.

In a different study, CBD was also shown to decrease the stress response symptoms of PTSD by blocking the reconsolidation of traumatic memories and modulating the endocannabinoid system, which contains builtin receptors to CBD and regulates memory and anxiety. “[O]ur endogenous cannabinoid system constitutes one of the biggest and complex neuro-endocrine systems playing an important role in the development and further functioning of the human memory, learning, sleep, [and] emotional and behavioural mechanisms, to name a few,” Kudrina wrote.

CBD also inhibits regions of the brain that are hyperactive in PTSD patients, such as the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the body’s fear and stress responses.

Further research is required to destigmatize the recreational use of CBD and expand upon existing treatments for mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders.

“To date, the data pointing at some anti-stress and antianxiety properties of CBD are still insufficient and controversial,” Kudrina wrote. “Nonetheless, the body of research on the clinical usage of CBD in these areas is growing quickly.”

STUDENT LIFE 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021

The dark side of studying nutrition

Disordered eating and lack of cultural diversity plague the Canadian nutrition field

Josephine Wang Staff Writer CW: Disordered eating I entered my freshman year at McGill with the dream of becoming a dietitian.

After struggling with negative body image and disordered eating during high school, I vowed to dedicate my career to helping those experiencing the same challenges.

I also thought that studying nutrition on a scientific level would improve my own relationship with food. I soon realized that while studying nutrition and dietetics comes with benefits and opportunities, there is a dark side to the field.

The classes and environment that I envisioned myself thriving in soon led to an overexposure to information about food and exercise, ultimately causing more harm than good. I constantly questioned my ideas and perceptions about food, weight, and even what the ideal of health looked like.

Growing up in a Chinese-Taiwanese household, my diet consisted of all kinds of food, from white rice, to red meat, to colourful vegetables. However, as I began my classes in nutrition at McGill, I was taught to consult educational resources like MyPlate, which recommends meals with salmon, brown rice, and steamed vegetables, but not the beef noodle soup and scallion pancakes I grew up enjoying. I started internalizing the idea that anything that was not chicken, steamed broccoli, or whole grain was ‘bad’ for me, and I felt guilty for not eating the foods that I was

“supposed” to.

Given the hyper-scrutiny I internalized from diet culture and my nutrition education, I pressured myself to eat healthy all the time. As a nutrition student, I believed I had to look and act a certain way in order to be taken seriously, and feared that I could not become a dietician if I did not appear slim and fit. This led to a vicious cycle of food restriction and binging, which made me feel even more ashamed. I wondered how I was supposed to give nutritional advice to others when I was struggling with these issues myself.

Further, telling others that I study nutrition prompted them to scrutinize my dietary choices. The pressure from the expectations of my family, my peers, and even strangers significantly impacted my eating patterns.

Although some of the pressure I felt was self-imposed, much of it also came from external factors. On social media, I noticed how body-shaming insults were hurled at dietitians who were not skinny.

The public assumes that nutritionists and dietitians represent the perfect picture of health, without realizing that “health” comes in many different shapes and sizes.

“There is definitely an image associated with the success of a health practitioner, and that image is thin,” Hayley Mauricio, U3 Science, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “This expectation further bleeds into social media. There is a world of health and fitness gurus that we look up to because they look good. But of course, social media is not representative of real life.”

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I have internalized many of my struggles, believing that I had to be the person with the answers, not the problems. To my surprise, I eventually learned that I was not alone with these feelings. Eating disorders are of concern in nutrition faculties around the globe: A study in 14 countries revealed that 77 per cent of nutrition professionals, including professors, teachers, and dietitians, felt that developing eating disorders are a concern for nutrition students. A 2015 study echoed these findings, reporting that female nutrition students experienced higher eating restraints and binge eating levels compared to non-nutrition students.

Although these findings are not always consistent, there is a body of evidence to suggest that dietitians and nutritionists throughout the world may be at greater risk for disordered eating behaviour, binge eating, and orthorexia nervosa when compared to other professionals.

Among the public, there is a stigma that nutrition practitioners should be free from food-related issues, such as orthorexia, by virtue of their training and expertise. Truthfully, we all harbour some expectations for professionals in any field of work: Many people would not trust a doctor who smokes. However, these expectations put an enormous amount of stress on students and professionals to look and act a certain way, without realizing that doing so can induce devastating health outcomes.

“I felt that I had to eat healthier to gain some credibility,” Michelle Hsieh,

Many nutrition resources, like the Canadian Food Guide, showcase mainly western food and reveal a lack of knowledge about non-western eating patterns in the nutrition field. (verywellmind.com)

U3 Nutrition, said in an interview with the Tribune. “I remember people coming up to me and saying, ‘Wow, you’re in nutrition and you still eat so much junk food?’ This kind of pressure to always eat clean is not only damaging, it is also not right.”

Although nutrition is a science, food is personal––healthy eating is certainly not one-size-fits-all. One obvious solution to having a more inclusive approach to health is encouraging better representation among leaders in the field.

“The health and wellness industry has, since its inception, perpetuated the image of a white, thin, cisgender, and affluent woman,” Tarini Gupta, U3 Nutrition, said in an interview with the Tribune. “Needless to say, this image is extremely harmful, especially to young, impressionable girls, and needs to be changed.”

For several years, racialized individuals have been underrepresented in the fields of nutrition and dietetics, particularly in leadership ranks.

According to the Commission on Dietetic Registration, over 70 per cent of dietitians in the U.S. are white. Although Canada lacks substantial race-based data in this field, the results from a 2018 study highlight the need for the Canadian dietetics field to address systemic barriers that prevent ethnic minorities from becoming registered dietitians. These barriers exclude many individuals who do not identify with the Western-centric narrative of health, as seen by a lack of diverse food choices within the Canadian Food Guide.

“I was not able to resonate with the tools and resources I was taught in class, such as the Canadian Food Guide,” Gupta said. “I grew up eating traditional Indian cuisine. While studying nutrition, I realized that my meals did not look like the ones illustrated in this guide, which made me feel like I was not eating correctly.

Though the Canadian Food Guide has made efforts towards inclusivity [...], it is still limited in terms of ethnic food accessibility, financial barriers, and an in-depth knowledge of non-Westernized eating patterns.”

As I continue my studies, I have realized the need for conversations surrounding culinary diversity, representation, and eating disorders in the nutrition field. To properly serve Canadians of all backgrounds, our training must reflect the diverse society we currently live in.

The current disparity in nutrition promotes a narrow definition of health, one that is unrealistic and damaging to both the patient and the provider. By dismantling systemic barriers and training experts in the field to understand diverse backgrounds, we can begin to shift conversations surrounding health without sacrificing one’s culture and traditions or subjecting them to food guilt.

For those struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, services such as the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline or SSMU’s Eating Disorder Resource & Support Centre may be able to help.

12 STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

Exploring Montreal’s funkiest architecture

The Tribune’s picks for the most captivating buildings in the city Dante Ventulieri Contributor

Hôtel de ville de Saint-Louis

Some consider Montreal to be the mecca of culture in Canada—a city unafraid of risks—and its architecture reflects that. From lesser-known gems to cult classics, each building has its own unique history and style. With the weather warming up, but the lockdown still in effect, The McGill Tribune has compiled its list of funky buildings that are worth a visit during routine walks.

La Maison Coloniale For over 30 years, La Maison Coloniale has been one of the most polarizing homes in the Plateau. Designed by architect Jacques Rousseau, this house is known for its imposing concrete structure, complete with clinging vines and embossed details. Its menacing size and cold exterior cleverly contrast the quaint multiplexes that surround it. This eccentric home sits on the corner of Avenue Coloniale and Rue Marie-Anne, a quick detour from Saint-Laurent Boulevard.

2-22

Constructed in 1905, the building previously served as a police station, fire station, post office, municipal court, and town hall for the former city of Saint-Louis. The architects and elected officials behind the project paid homage to French Renaissance castles by incorporating turrets, dungeons, and machicolations.

Though it was originally conceived to be an unpretentious civic centre, its intricate architecture and masonry led to final costs being double that of estimates. Its expensive construction indebted the city, with Montreal annexing the municipality only five years after the building’s inauguration. Today, the building houses a fire station, an auxiliary firefighter dispatch, and the Museum of Montreal Firefighters.

Pink House

Habitat 67 Known as one of Montreal’s most unique buildings, Habitat 67 has maintained its allure for over 50 years. Nestled along the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, the building consists of 354 prefabricated concrete modules connected via walkways and landscaped terraces. Habitat 67 was conceived by Moshe Safdie, who submitted the design as part of his master’s thesis for the School of Architecture at McGill. This architectural icon was originally built to house Expo 67 visitors, but has since been converted into luxury condos. Habitat 67 is worth the visit, and the walking tour is a must for those who want to experience the building up close post-pandemic.

2-22, located at the intersection of Rue Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Laurent Boulevard, is the most modern entrant on this list. The building was completed in 2012 to revitalise the area, which had been known for decades as the Red Light district of Montreal. This six-storey building is a dedicated cultural hub whose tenants include a radio station, an information centre, a documentation centre, an arts centre, and a bistro. The most eye-catching aspect of the building is its recessed glass entrance which not only enhances the look of the building, but also allows more pedestrians to walk along the busy street. At night, the building is illuminated by multimedia presentations that are displayed on the unique facade of its double wall structure.

Though polarizing, the uniqueness of la Maison Coloniale is undeniable. (Dante Ventulieri / McGill Tribune)

At first glance, the abandoned Canada Malting Co. plant in Montreal’s Saint-Henri borough looks like any other decrepit industrial tower. In late 2019, the two cabins on top of the building were painted pink and red and decorated with green curtains. During the holiday season, the cabins feature a Christmas tree along with other decorations. The person or group behind the painted cabins is unknown, and the display remains shrouded in mystery. According to one of the building’s owners, a trek to the top entails a dangerous 40-foot climb on a ladder. Since being abandoned in 1985, the owners have attempted to discourage intruders, but to little effect: The facility remains popular in the urbex community, which is comprised of people who share a common interest in exploring the built environment. With demolition or renovations expected in the future, a visit here should be done sooner rather than later.

McGill Black Mentorship program fosters valuable connections New MBAA initiative connects Black McGill students with alumni around the world

Lucy Keller Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

The program, which began its first cohort in January, will pair current McGill students with alumni, staff, and faculty for an eight-month long period.

While McGill has a general mentorship program, Ahun believes that a space dedicated for Black alumni, students, faculty, and staff is important to account for their unique circumstances: MBAA events help Black students navigate and combat challenges such as anti-Black racism on campus. The mentorship program strives to create a more intimate and personal setting to address these and other factors.

“Whether we want to admit it or not, we experience life differently,” Ahun said. “There are some experiences a mentor could really help me with for my area of study, but their experiences won’t necessarily be the same as mine. I really wanted to create a program where alumni, faculty, and staff could help guide students as they navigate their lives in McGill and [...] prepare for life after McGill.”

Mentors and mentees meet

Although McGill has a general mentorship program for all undergraduate students, the Black Mentorship program will serve as a dedicated space for Black students, alumni, faculty, and staff. (Sabre Conde-Yassin / The McGill Tribune) once at the beginning of the eight-month program and once at the end, though MBAA encourages students to connect with their mentors more frequently.

Program organizers have created guidelines for both the mentors

and mentees, but Ahun hopes that students and professionals will continue their relationships after the eight months.

The program is currently facilitating its first cohort of matches, with 100 students cur-

rently matched to over 80 mentors. While the majority of mentors are alumni, MBAA welcomes any staff, faculty, or even graduate students to become mentors. Mentors work in a wide variety of fields including

medicine and healthcare, NGOs and engineering. The majority of current mentees are from the Faculty of Arts or Science, but MBAA hopes that the next round, set to launch in August, will see participants from even more fields.

The ongoing pandemic has forced the initiative to operate at a distance, with meetings between mentors and mentees mainly restricted to online platforms. While connecting virtually is not ideal, an online platform has likely increased participation in the program, as it has expanded its reach to participants located outside of Montreal. Though she is excited for future in-person meetings, Ahun is grateful for the online format, which has facilitated connections between Black students at McGill and alumni from around the world.

“Obviously this is not a great situation and we hope to be in person soon, but it is nice to know that people across the world who are a part of the McGill community can participate,” Ahun said.

To learn more and sign up for the program, check out their Facebook, website, or information pamphlet.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

Mile End Ensemble ‘read-in’ celebrates small victory against gentrification Attendees spoke out against predatory rent increases Cassandra Betts Contributor On March 13, approximately 100 people lined up outside S.W. Welch Bookseller to celebrate the survival of the business after its owner, Stephen Welch, had announced its closure, and to protest gentrification in the Mile End neighbourhood.

The “read-in” protest was organized by Mile End Ensemble, a group that formed after news circulated online that the bookstore’s landlord, Shiller Lavy, was forcing its closure with a 150 per cent rent increase. Patricia Boushel, a member of Mile End Ensemble, noted that the neighbourhood was quick to organize upon hearing the news of S.W. Welch’s closing.

“I heard about [the closure] through Taras Grescoe’s Twitter,” Boushel said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “He’s a local writer who took a photo of the ‘for rent’ sign in [the bookstore’s] window and then got the info circulating. A bunch of people started chiming in, especially that it was a Shiller Lavy ‘for rent’ sign. Many of us have watched that company make its way around the neighbour-

hood in a devastating way. Just seeing that sign was an omen of terrible things.”

Shiller Lavy’s steep rent increase continued to garner media attention, with major news outlets such as CTV Montreal and CBC News picking up the story. Meanwhile, 50 members of the community began to mobilize by holding an impromptu protest on March 1, followed by the official creation of Mile End Ensemble, which then spurned March 13’s “DOES ANYBODY BUY BOOKS TODAY? (A Read-In).”

The public outcry successfully pressured Shiller Lavy to lower the rent for a duration of two years. Although the attention helped S.W. Welch remain open, Boushel says that the issue of gentrification goes beyond the particular barrier of rent hikes.

“It’s not just an isolated case of a rent hike, it’s a symptom of a really big interconnected problem,” Boushel said. “If we have these businesses that do not have skyrocketing rents, then our groceries can remain affordable. It’s all connected. We’re really acting out of a desire to retain accessibility and equity in our neighbourhoods.”

S.W. Welch is not the first local business to be driven out of the Mile End by gentrification. Boulangerie Clarke, a bakery known for its fivedollar sandwiches, was forced to close its doors in 2015, when their rent unexpectedly tripled after 35 years in business. Café, co-op, and queer space Le Cagibi relocated to Little Italy in 2018 when their rent more than doubled. The former spaces of these small businesses are still owned by Shiller Lavy. Ian Rogers, a long time resident of the Mile End who attended the protest, has witnessed the gentrification of the neighbourhood over the years.

“I’ve been living in this neighbourhood for a long time,” Rogers said. “It has been about 30 years now. It’s changed a lot over that time, but just over the last 10 [to] 15 years, it started to become very gentrified, especially when Shiller Lavy started buying up so many properties on St. Viateur.”

Mile End Ensemble, Rogers, and other protesters hope that the read-in signals to government officials that action needs to be taken against predatory rent practices. “[The municipal government] says their hands are tied but they control zoning,” Rogers said. “They

Although the attention helped S.W. Welch remain open, the issue of gentrification goes beyond this particular incident. (Defne Gurcay / The McGill Tribune) control property taxes, they control licenses, they control inspections, and they’re doing nothing. This is one of their core neighbourhoods, but if they do not do anything maybe this next election we will vote for someone besides Projet Montréal.”

As for Welch himself, he is simply happy to live in a supportive neighbourhood.

“It makes me very gratified to see it,” Welch said. “I live in an art co-op, so I know very well the power of collectivity.”

In ‘Nomadland,’ there is no such thing as goodbye

Chloé Zhao’s third feature film toes the line between politics and emotion India Blaisdell Contributor It is no secret that the distinct American brand of late-stage capitalism is pushing its working class into even deeper levels of poverty. The exorbitantly high cost of health care and housing, tied with low-yield retirement benefits and a weakened welfare state,

has forced many elderly Americans to adopt a neo-nomadic lifestyle. Jessica Bruder examines this phenomenon and its political context in her 2017 nonfiction book, Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.

Bruder interviewed older Americans who live out of their vans and RVs, travelling across states to find seasonal work. Some of these Americans were cast as fictionalized versions

With McDormand’s raw and powerful performance paired with Joshua James Richards stunning cinematography, Nomadland paints a heart-wrenching portrait of grief and impermanence. (indiewire.com)

of themselves in Nomadland (2020), written and directed by Chloé Zhao. The film recently won Best Picture – Drama and Best Director at both the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards, and is Zhao’s third featurelength film.

Nomadland follows Fern (Frances McDormand), a 60-something nomad, as she drives from South Dakota to California and back again, working at Amazon warehouses, fast-food chains, and National Park campsites along the way. Fern’s character is based on an ex-resident of the real town of Empire, Nevada, which was wiped off the map after the sole source of its local economy—a gypsum mine—shut down after the 2008 recession. In contrast to its source material, Nomadland is much more about its own postscript—Dedicated to the friends who had to depart—than the scenes inside factory warehouses. Despite the book’s focus on socioeconomic factors, the film, in fact, does not address these issues at the foundation of the plot, perhaps to its detriment. To Fern, working for Amazon and various farms are just parts of her macrolevel routine of driving around in search for odd jobs, and audiences who anticipate a takedown of the gig economy in Nomadland will find it lacking.

From a strictly formal perspective, McDormand’s raw and powerful performance and Joshua James Richards’ stunning cinematography paint a heart-wrenching portrait of grief and life’s impermanence. Fern, surrounded by the unforgiving, expansive, yet majestic American landscape, is chiefly a nomad because everything that provided her

stability and security in the past has dissipated––her husband, Beau, has recently passed away, leaving her with no children, and she is forced out of her hometown. Throughout the film, Fern staunchly rejects offers from her friends and family to stay with them. Fern is unable to sit still and only feels truly at home in her van, where she can easily pack up and head to a new destination. Much like other characters in grief-centred films, especially Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) of Manchester by the Sea (2016), Fern is stubbornly self-reliant and cannot let go of the trauma she carries. She is unable to commit to something permanent despite her ability to acknowledge that other people foster that desire. Fern encourages Dave (David Strathairn), another nomad, to return home to his son and grandchild, yet when she visits them later on, she flees without saying goodbye. In a subsequent conversation, Bob (Bob Wells), the de facto leader of the van-dwelling community, voices something Fern has believed for a while.

“I don’t ever say a final goodbye,” Bob tells Fern. “I always just say, ‘I’ll see you down the road’. And I do. And whether it’s a month, or a year, or sometimes years, I see them again.”

The film’s incredible depth and power come from such moments, showing the audience what it means to accept the grief and loss with open arms. Without emphasizing fear, guilt, or shame, Nomadland reminds audiences that relationships are the most fluid and impermanent parts of existence, and ultimately, that our lives are filled with person-shaped holes.

14 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

MMFA lecture examines Riopelle’s Arctic inspiration

Exhibit explores the Québécois artist’s relationship with Indigenous cultures Lowell Wolfe Staff Writer On Mar. 10, Roy Ellenwood, a retired professor from York University and translator of Québécois literature, presented “Riopelle and Indigenous Art: The French Connection,” an online lecture with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA). The presentation, which complemented the exhibit Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures, elucidated the artwork’s historical and multicultural contexts.

Until Sept. 12, 2021, the MMFA will feature a major in-person and virtual exhibition dedicated to one of Quebec’s most renowned artists, Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923-2002). Riopelle showcases over one hundred of the artist’s works, juxtaposing them with their sources of inspiration—Indigenous artworks, artifacts, and anthropological documents. By displaying Riopelle’s art adjacent to its inspirations, the exhibit connects his fascination with Indigenous art to his work.

The exhibit’s free virtual tour shows hundreds of Riopelle’s works alongside Inuit masks, sculptures, tools, and other objects that tell the story of their creation. One room, Icebergs, features walls covered in monolithic, white canvas paintings. A sculpture looms in the room’s center, alongside a case displaying Inuit tools, carvings, and postcards from Riopelle’s trips to the Arctic. The concomitant placement of Riopelle’s art with Inuit art and history demonstrates their correlative existence in Riopelle’s artistic processes.

“It was in 1955 that Riopelle first began to make reference in his titles to the masks and sculptures of [Indigenous] artists of the Canadian Arctic and West Coast,” Ellenwood said.

“These three paintings, in spite of their significant titles, are not representational [of Indigenous art] in the usual sense of the word [....]

Without their titles, they would be hard to distinguish from other abstract works on paper of the same period. The point is that these paintings do not depict masks, they respond to them.”

Although Riopelle’s paintings do not exhibit visual similitude to Indigenous sculptures, masks, or carvings, they express Riopelle’s feelings upon viewing them. Ellenwood then explored the circumstances that fostered Riopelle’s fascination with and eventual exploration of Indigenous visual cultures, and how they became part of his artistic process. During and after World War II, Riopelle’s interactions with figures of the surrealist art movement, such as French art critic Georges Duthuit, inspired his craft.

“Since the 1920s, the surrealist movement had been publishing articles on and photographs of Indigenous art, arguing that it deserved to be

The exhibit sheds light upon the artist’s fascination with non-Western art. (thesuburban.com)

seen as more than mere anthropological evidence,” Ellenwood said. “[They argued] that it was great art in its own right, representing an alternative to the impoverishment of European culture, a possibility of renewal in times badly in need of what they called ‘a new myth.’”

Ellenwood’s presentation offered a small, representative glimpse of the art exhibit’s featured works, with oil paintings and lithograph prints that exemplified how Indigenous cultures influenced Riopelle’s creations. Many pieces, such as Tyuk, featured string-like patterns that referenced Inuit string figures and games which were popular across the Arctic.

“Inspired by the Inuit game of making shapes by manipulating a loop of string around the fingers of both hands, [Tyuk] refers to the sound that was traditionally made by the manipulator of the string as the knots, each representing a bird, were pulled, one-by-one, and came apart, representing the bird flying away,” Ellenwood said.

Other interesting pieces of information in the exhibit included letters sent from Riopelle to his companion, Joan Mitchell, and photos and postcards from Riopelle’s excursions to the High North. Ellenwood explained how Riopelle’s personal life, including his hobbies and relationships, was inseparable from his artistic activities and persona.

“His excursions included several to Pangnirtung on Baffin Island, one of which occurred in the summer of 1977,” Ellenwood said. “During that trip, he sent a half-dozen postcards to Joan Mitchell in France, keeping in mind that she did not appreciate his new Quebec residence, and as an animal lover, hated his enthusiasm for hunting and fishing. It is hard not to read some of these notes on these cards as teasing gibes.”

Asian Arts Festival - Asian Arts Festival 2021

Tune into the live broadcast of South Asian music and dance; from Bhangra to Classical.

March 20, 2021, 1-6 p.m.

Virtual Free

Arsenal Contemporary Art - Jean-Michel Othoniel, WILD KNOTS

Visit the Borromean knot-inspired glass landscape of French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel.

March 3 - Apr. 30, 2021 2020 William St $12

PHI Centre - Parallel Lines

Interact with the exhibitions of 10 local artists in virtual residence at the PHI Centre!

Feb. 24 - June 15 315, Saint-Paul West $10 - $30

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures

View the expansive collection of Canadian artist Jean Paul Riopelle at the MMFA. March 5 – Sept. 12, 2021 1380 Sherbrooke St W $0 (< 20), $16 (21+)

‘It’s A Sin’ breaks your heart—and it should

Russell T. Davies’ HIV/AIDS series is explosive in its complexity and heart Naomi Mirny Staff Writer Gutsier than The Inheritance, gentler than Angels in America, younger than The Normal Heart, crueler than Falsettos, yet more hopeful than 1985: It’s A Sin is a revolutionary depiction of the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The historical mini-series created by Russel T. Davies (Doctor Who, Queer As Folk) centres on a group of young people living in Thatcher-era London. Set between 1981 and 1991, the show follows actor-to-be Ritchie Tozer (Olly Alexander), first-generation immigrant Roscoe Babatunde (Omari Douglas), and Welsh-accented wallflower Colin Morris-Jones (Callum Scott Howells) as they delve into the city’s nightlife. By the end of the pilot episode, all three characters end up sharing a flat dubbed the “Pink Palace,” with Ritchie’s sweet-hearted classmate, Jill Baxter (Lydia West), and his friend-with-benefits, Ash Mukherjee (Nathaniel Curtis).

Davies explores his characters with such nuance and care—combining fumbling anxiety and insecurity,

intense rage and liberated desire, inexperience and limitless ambition— that each one becomes deeply relatable. We can recognize traces of these young people in our classmates, family, friends, and even in ourselves.

But as these young men develop their careers, switch college majors, and party through London’s bustling queer nightlife, the audience knows what they do not—that the shadow of HIV/AIDS hangs over their lives.

Colin, who struggles most of all to find a sense of community, seeks the mentorship of an older gay coworker, Henry Coltrane (Neil Patrick Harris), only to see him disappear from work soon after. Colin finds Henry weeks later, forcefully separated from his partner, and locked in an isolated hospital room unexpectedly diagnosed with lung cancer. Simultaneously, Roscoe is hired as a club manager tasked with kicking out older gay men for distributing information pamphlets about “GRID” (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency)—an early term for HIV/AIDS. Aside from its unprecedented U.K.-centric focus, It’s A Sin is a unique addition to AIDS-era media

Davies treats his characters with profound nuance and care—combining fumbling anxiety and insecurity, sharp rage and liberated desire, inexperience and limitless ambition. (nbcnews.com) for its exploration of mass confusion and miscommunication-fueled fear.

For such a tragic topic, Ritchie makes for an unusual protagonist as a brazen party-boy. Flitting from pub to pub, Ritchie is seen mocking the notion of a disease that only kills gay men. He disputes his friends, cheekily laughing at a disease that can supposedly calculate someone’s sexuality or target H-named demographics (Haitians, Homosexuals, Hemophiliacs).

The monologue ends with Ritchie, arms open and about to kiss a

random club-goer, yelling to the camera, “How do I know [AIDS] is not true? I’m not stupid!”

Months later while Ritchie is out partying, his friend Gregory dies alone in his apartment.

While most contemporary queer storylines continue to be dominated by gay white men, the show masterfully incoporates an intersectional analysis of systemic oppression.

Through Roscoe’s character, a firstgeneration Nigerian-British gay man, the show explores queerness in im-

migrant households and touches on issues of racism and classism. At one point, Roscoe works as an escort for the racist and elitist Tory MP Arthur Garrison (Stephen Fry). The power imbalance between the two begs the question as to why Black, Indigenous and people of colour within the queer community have to work harder to obtain a smidge of the wealth and power afforded to straight-passing white aristocrats.

Although the show is not wholly perfect—and there is something to be said about the underdevelopment of Jill’s character and the exclusion of queer women who helped in the fight for HIV/AIDS research—it is, overall, a tour de force. Timely in its release during our own pandemic and magnificent in execution, the magic of It’s A Sin lies in its humanity; never are the characters given the relief of being political heroes or melodramatic martyrs. Without romanticizing their death, it insists on remembering them—and the people they represent—for the friendships they fostered, the fun they had, and above all, the love they shared, even if only for a moment.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

15

Professional athletes play an important role in political activism Ibrahimovic hypocritically shuns James for long standing community advocacy Karan Kumar & Reza Ali Contributor & Staff Writer Currently in his 18th NBA season, LeBron James became the third player in league history to score a cumulative 35,000 points, joining Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Karl Malone and cementing his place as one of the greatest players of all time. Alongside his NBA career, however, James has also been recognized for what he does off the court.

James often uses his large platform to tackle racial injustice. In June 2020, James commented on the death of George Floyd, making a post on social media with a photo of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick taking a knee before an NFL game. The photo, which was captioned “This… Is Why,” commends Kaepernick’s continued efforts to speak out against racial discrimination and police brutality in the U.S. despite receiving backlash for kneeling during the national anthem.

Despite all he has done for his community, James still receives judgement for his role in activism. In a recent interview for UEFA with Discovery+, soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic criticized James’ social and political involvement. “[LeBron] is phenomenal at what he’s doing, but I don’t like when people have some kind of status [so] they go and do politics at the same time,” Ibrahimovic said. “Do what you are good at [....] I play football because I am best at playing football [....] Just do what you do best, because it doesn’t look good.”

James was swift to highlight Ibrahimovic’s hypocrisy.

“It’s funny that [Ibrahimovic] said that,” James said in an interview with ESPN. “In 2018 he was the same guy who said when he was back in Sweden [...] he felt like there was racism going on when he was out on the pitch.”

James was referring to a 2018 interview with Canal+ during which Ibrahimovic

professional athletes to take part in social and political advocacy.

In June 2020, James launched More than a Vote, an initiative aimed at improving voter turnout and reducing voter suppression in the Black community in the U.S. Since its inception, the campaign has recruited more than 42,000 volunteer poll workers. Currently,

Lebron James’ ‘More than a Vote’ campaign has recruited more than 42,000 poll workers.

(Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports) claimed to be facing racism for his “nonstandard” Swedish last name.

Ibrahimovic’s comments come as James continues his advocacy for social justice and racial issues, something the NBA superstar has been committed to for almost a decade.

James’ initiatives have seen actionable change, and demonstrate the need for

the program continues to do important work combating racism and educating the community.

James also founded the “I Promise” school in collaboration with the Akron Public Education system in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The school provides after-school tutoring, attendance incentives, and free

transportation for students within a two-mile radius.

“I know what these kids go through,” James said at the opening of the school in 2018. “The most important thing for them is a structure and that we care for them. These kids [now] have the same opportunity as others. No matter where I play, Akron, Ohio will always be my home.”

James is one of many athletes involved in activism. Other athletes like Jaylen Brown and Marcus Rashford have also spoken on social issues in their communities. Brown is involved in James’ More than a Vote campaign and is also taking on his own initiatives, including teaming up with Dove Men+Care and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to promote respect, support, and protection for Black men in society. Additionally, Rashford earned the prestigious Master of British Empire (MBE) award from the Queen on his campaign to feed underfed children in the United Kingdom.

In the WNBA, the Atlanta Dream played a key role in the election of Senator Raphael Warnock, after his opponent and Dream former owner, Kelly Loeffler, made statements against the Black Lives Matter movement.

The decision between sports and activism is not a partisan one. Athletes from a diversity of professional sports must continue to speak out against historical inequities in underrepresented communities that deserve recognition. Their successful careers provide them with a platform to give a larger voice to underrepresented communities.

Know Your Athlete: Charlene Robitaille

Robitaille has learned the importance of routine through volleyball Sophia Gorbounov Managing Editor For Charlene Robitaille, U3 Science, athletics are about the spirit of the team and the pure excitement of each game. Along with her sister Myriam, Robitaille sits near the top of the women’s volleyball team leaderboards, ranking in the top five of every category.

However, the esteemed middle blocker did not seriously pursue volleyball until late in high school.

“At first, my big sport was soccer, but then my best friends were playing volleyball and they told me to come [join them],” Robitaille said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “In my fourth year [of high school], I [switched] to a school with a better trainer and a better team so I could learn more.”

Robitaille played through her final years of high school, developing her skills and her strength. She remained committed to volleyball at CEGEP Edouard-Montpetit and competed in the 2014 Jeux du Québec tournament, where Robitaille and her team took the victory.

Robitaille has played on McGill’s volleyball team for three years, although she has not competed yet this year due to the suspension of all university sports. Robitaille reminisced on the energetic atmosphere that came with being surrounded by fellow athletes and enthusiastic fans. “[The in-person games] are the thing I miss the most,” Robitaille said. “All the

people there, all the other sports [teams]. We are friends with a lot of the other [teams]. The Friday nights were my favourite, [with] all the energy and all the spirit.”

Robitaille especially enjoys the camaraderie within sports teams at McGill and the supportive atmosphere on and off the court.

“I like the relationships between every sport,” Robitaille said. “We go to see all the other sports teams play, they [attend] our games, [and] we get all this publicity on [social media]. I really love the atmosphere this creates.”

As heavy lockdown measures in Quebec continue, Robitaille emphasized the importance of creating a schedule and following it.

“I am doing a lot of training by myself, every day or every two days,” Robitaille said.

“I do upper body, lower body, and I have weights as well. Training at home has always been something very important [to me]. I am doing it for my sport but I am also doing it for myself.”

However, pandemic restrictions have also allowed Robitaille to focus more on her academics, especially in a year as mentally taxing as this one.

“I’m really trying to focus on school,” Robitaille said. “I’m trying to be attentive in all my classes and avoid only watching recordings [....] I tried last semester to only watch the recorded lectures and it really did not work, so I’m keeping to my schedule.”

Robitaille explained how her major in

Robitaille lives with her best friends and fellow athletes, Catherine Vercheval and Gabrielle Cloutier, where they continue to foster a positive spirit despite lockdown restrictions. (Olivier Ouimet / Photo Voltaic) sports nutrition has positively impacted her athletic performance as she progresses to more advanced courses.

“Before, [my classes] were very general, like food chemistry and learning about proteins and enzymes,” Robitaille said. “This semester, I feel that [what we are learning] are things that I can use myself.”

Learning about the roles of macronutrients has helped Robitaille improve her eating habits.

She explained how she modified her protein and carbohydrate intakes to fuel her activity

and training levels.

Robitaille admits, however, that she has room to improve when it comes to cooking.

“I cook a little bit,” Robitaille said. “I like to eat, but [...] I did not have much time [for cooking] and was a bit lazy, but now I am trying to do a little bit more [....] I am in sports nutrition, so I need to be able to cook.”

Although university athletics remain uncertain for the upcoming year, Robitaille expressed her excitement to return to in-person practices and games.

16

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 2021

SPORTS

Proposed restrictions in U.S. sports legislation are openly transphobic Lawmakers in several states introduce bills to ban transgender athletes Zoe Babad-Palmer Staff Writer The beginning of 2021 has marked social progress for queer rights in the United States: Democrats have taken steps to pass the Equality Act, a bill that would include sexual orientation and gender identity in civil rights protections, and U.S. President Joe Biden signed two executive orders to combat anti-2SLGBTQIA+ discrimination, particularly within the education system.

These legislative decisions, however, have sparked pushback from conservatives.

Since the start of March, Republican legislators in 24 states have introduced bills that would prohibit transgender women from competing in women’s sports in schools and universities. One such bill, the “Mississippi Fairness Act,” passed the state House 81-28 and the Senate 34-9, and is expected to be signed into law by the governor within the month.

Similar bills have been introduced in previous years, with one passing in Idaho in 2020 before being blocked in court. Recently, more and more states have been attempting to limit trans students’ participation in sports. The number of such bills that marginalize 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals created in 2021 has already surpassed last year’s total of 19 and represents a coordinated push by conservative hate groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom to harshly limit the freedoms of queer individuals.

Proponents of these bills have tried to justify them as an attempt to protect women’s sports, citing concerns that transgender women have an unfair advantage over cisgender women. Legislators, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, say that the Equality Act and President

This rhetoric against trans women is based in fearmongering and has no basis in science or fact. Not only are the legislators behind these bills unable to reference instances of transgender athletes causing unfair athletic competitions, but there is no evidence that transgender athletes have an

Protests across the US followed the passing of bills prohibiting transgender women from competing in women’s sports. (Jake Crandall / The Montgomery Advertiser) Biden’s executive orders are an attack on women. They have falsely claimed that the executive orders would withhold federal funding from educational institutions that do not allow trans women to participate in women’s sports. This, however, is untrue, as the order in question has no bearing on federal funding.

advantage over cisgender athletes. Athletic ability varies from person to person, and to ban transgender athletes from competing against other women would be like excluding basketball players who happen to be extremely tall—or banning Michael Phelps from swimming because of his scientifically proven biological advantages.

Moreover, most of these legislators have shown little to no support for women’s sports, and have instead weaponized them to harm trans youth.

Bills targeting trans youth often focus on trans women, and have a disproportionate effect on athletes of colour, cisgender and transgender alike. One recent instance of discrimination is the case of Caster Semenya, an Olympic champion runner and Black woman who was required by World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics, to take medication that lowers testosterone levels. Additionally, stereotypes frequently label and profile women of colour, particularly Black women, as unfeminine.

Professional female athletes, in contrast to conservative lawmakers and pundits, are broadly supportive of transgender athletes in their sports. Jessica Platt, a trans woman and professional ice hockey player, played in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and has discussed the positive atmosphere she experienced on the team. Layshia Clarendon, a trans and nonbinary WNBA player, announced their top surgery to the full support of their team and the players’ union and has spoken about the harm of targeting trans athletes.

It can be disheartening and tiring for trans athletes to constantly fight against nonsensical, bigoted rhetoric and legislation for their right to merely play sports, but they are not alone. They have activists, lawmakers, and teammates alongside them.

Coaching changes for Montreal Canadiens must foster improvement After the firing of three top Canadiens coaches, the Habs continue to lose Sarah Farnand Sports Editor On Feb. 24, the Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Claude Julien and associate head coach Kirk Muller.

The decision came directly after the Canadiens lost two games in a row to the last-place Ottawa Senators. Julien, who had been with the Canadiens since 2017, was immediately replaced by assistant coach Dominique Ducharme, who has been with the Canadiens for two seasons.

The replacement of Claude Julien was a necessary move—his coaching decisions did not hone the skills of his players.

Hours after dismissing Julien and Muller, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin thanked the coaches for their service, but emphasized the need for change.

“I would like to sincerely thank Claude and Kirk for their contributions to our team over the past five years during which we worked together,” Bergevin said. “I have great respect for these two men whom I hold in high regard.

In Dominique Ducharme, we see a very promising coach who will bring new life and new energy to our group. We feel that our team can achieve high standards, and the time had come for a change.”

On March 2, following Julien’s departure, goaltending coach Stephane

Waite was dismissed after eight years with the Canadiens. Waite helped Carey Price develop into the star goaltender he is today—but Price’s recent lacklustre performances indicates that change is necessary and will hopefully reinvigorate the goaltender.

Price, who took home gold in the 2007 Ice Hockey Junior World Championships, the 2014 Winter Olympics, and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, is the backbone of the current Canadiens team. In July 2017, Price signed an eight-year, 84-milliondollar contract extension with the Canadiens, becoming the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL. With such a high salary, the Habs expect a lot from their goaltender. From Prices’ 45 goals against in 17 games, it was clear that Waite was not effectively coaching Price.

Ducharme, who was hired to create the spark necessary to win games, is off to a bad start—the Canadiens have lost six of their past nine games. Losing streaks are becoming a standard for the Habs: In 2019, they suffered two eight-game losing streaks, and lost seven games in a row after winning the first in 2017. Later, in their last 34 games of the 2017-2018 season, they only managed nine wins.

While the Habs had promising performances at the beginning of this season, winning five of their first seven games, the team has entered yet

Claude Julien, who was with the Canadiens for four years, had a record of 129-123-35. (NHL.com) another losing streak. Their current 128-7 record places the team fourth in the North division, putting them in playoff contention. However, the fifth place Calgary Flames are only two points behind, and have beaten the Canadiens in three of their past four meetings. It is possible that the transition is responsible for the continuous losses, and the Habs will begin winning more consistently once they settle into a new routine.

This is a crucial season for the Habs to make it to the playoffs. Time is running out for stars like Carey Price and Shea Weber, who are nearing the

end of their careers, and key players like Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar, who have contracts set to expire this year.

As the Flames close in on fourth place, Ducharme must lead the Habs to wins immediately. With half of the shortened season underway, the Canadiens need to secure victories to gain the confidence necessary for the playoffs. Playing in a less competitive division with only seven teams, all of which they have previously beaten, gives the Canadiens a better chance of making the playoffs, and the team must not let this opportunity slip through their fingers.