How to stay safe and minimize risk while protesting
PG. 14
FEATURE
Rallying to Resilience
OFF THE BOARD PGS. 8-9
My support for Palestine is rooted in, not opposed to, my Jewish identity
PG. 5
Hundreds call for greater action on climate change in annual Montreal-wide march
Eliza Lee News Editor
Over 400 people gathered at Monument à sir GeorgeÉtienne Cartier for Montreal’s annual climate march at 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 27. Ensemble pour la suite du monde—a collective of unions, activist organizations, and other
groups—organized the march as part of a series of demonstrations happening across Quebec that day.
As the sun set, protestors filled Avenue du Parc, carrying cardboard signs, bikes, and drums. The march took protestors down Rue Sherbrooke, past Roddick Gates, and ended in Dorchester Square at roughly 8:30 p.m., where several speakers took to a small stage to demand that the provincial govern-
Redbirds lacrosse plays third annual Legacy Game, reflect on Indigenous roots
Zain Ahmed Contributor
Lacrosse is a sport rooted in Indigenous history and tradition, and it has maintained a significant place in Canada’s cultural tapestry since its inception. With its roots intertwined in Indigenous communities, lacrosse has long
served as a unifying sport, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity. At McGill, this spirit of unity is honoured through an annual Legacy Game played on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and hosted by the McGill Redbirds lacrosse team.
The origins of lacrosse can be traced back thousands of years
to Indigenous communities across North America; it was played first by the Haudenosaunee. Players participated in the game, often referred to as “The Creator’s Game” or “The Medicine Game,” for spiritual reasons beyond just the physical thrill of sport; they used it as a way to settle disputes and train warriors.
EDITORIAL
ment pursue democratically-governed action to mitigate climate change.
A contingent of students from McGill also attended the march. Among them was Rebecca Hamilton, U2 Arts, who called for greater student involvement in climate justice activism at the university. Hamilton went on to stress the importance of community for collective action against climate change. PG. 2
Solidarity must supersede suppression at McGill
The Tribune Editorial Board
In the past week, Israel has intensified its military actions in Lebanon, killing over 700 civilians and displacing over 90,000 people. Destructive Israeli airstrikes have destroyed densely populated residential areas, including a massive bombing that flattened four buildings in Southern Beirut. Lebanon’s health minister, Dr. Firass Abiad, reported that Israel’s military
campaign in Gaza has killed over 1,640 civilians in Lebanon since its escalation last October. While international pressure builds for an imperative ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed a commitment to continue military actions against Hezbollah.
This period of heightened violence and humanitarian crisis coincides with the approaching one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in the
unconscionable murder of 815 Israeli civilians. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces unleashed brutal military operations in Gaza, killing over 42,334 Palestinians, and unjustifiably displacing over 75 per cent of the population. Quebec’s Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, has called on universities to be “more vigilant and proactive” in anticipating a “climate of tension” on campuses and is urging institutions to prepare for the potential unrest.
(Abby Zhu / The Tribune), PG. 2
Hundreds call for greater action on climate change in annual Montreal-wide march
Contingent of McGill students demand the university increase sustainability efforts
Eliza Lee News Editor
Continued from page 1.
“That’s what brought me out—the desire to be together with other people,” Hamilton said. “I feel excited about being at this broader action because it’s bringing together so many different sectors of Quebec civil society united by a shared vision for a democratic social-ecological transition.”
Hamilton urged the university to do its part to ensure a sustainable future through actions such as changing to renewable sources of heating, transforming its food systems, and subsidizing student passes to public transportation.
Tamara Ghandour, U3 Science, who is involved in climate organizing at McGill, told The Tribune that they have been attending the march for the past several years. Ghandour explained that the climate march is an opportunity to rally students around the cause and to “set a precedent” for such mobilization at McGill. They noted that, although McGill committed to divesting from direct holdings in Carbon Underground 200 fossil fuel companies in December 2023, the university is still indirectly investing in companies contributing to climate injustice.
“[McGill is] still investing in TD, which funded the Coastal GasLink project and a lot of pipeline projects on Indigenous territories in Canada,” Ghandour said. “Then also, obviously, McGill
is investing in the genocide in Palestine, which is causing so much environmental damage. Carpet bombing releases a lot of carbon dioxide.”
A McGill student—who wished to be unnamed and who observed the march pass from nearby Roddick Gates—echoed the way genocide of Palestinians and climate justice are “intertwined.” The student criticized McGill’s inaction on both issues and emphasized that climate change impacts Montreal as well as other parts of the world.
In an email to The Tribune, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) explained that the university has taken several actions which “demonstrate the University’s environmental commitment.”
These measures include McGill’s switch from natural-gas boilers to electric builders, which they estimate will reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 9000 ttonnes CO2e per year. In addition, the MRO highlighted McGill’s support of sustainability initiatives on campus through the Sustainability Projects Fund, and their earning of a platinum sustainability rating under the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, & Rating System in 2024.
The MRO also wrote that McGill’s Board of Governors has mandated the Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility (CSSR) of the Board of Governors to explore divestment from companies that derive the majority of their revenue from the manufacture of weapons. Staff and students can share their opinions on this topic
to the CSSR until Oct. 1 through a webform.
When the march reached Dorchester Square, three speakers took turns addressing the crowd. President of the Fédération du personnel de soutien de l’enseignement supérieur within the Centrale des syndicats du Québec, Anne Dionne, spoke on behalf of the labour movement. Dionne demanded that the provincial government under François Legault listen to citizens and that decision-making surrounding climate justice be democratic.
“As a society, we have a responsibility to protect our environment while guaranteeing decent living conditions for all,” Dionne said. “Workers’ rights advocates [...] play a fundamental role. We have a duty to intervene to ensure that environmental policies are fair, inclusive, and respectful of all.”*
Marie Maltais—a Cegep student at SainteFoy in Quebec City—also took to the stage to represent the youth movement. Maltais argued that, although five years have passed since hundreds of thousands of protestors marched in 2019 to
demand change, institutions—including the Quebec government—have yet to take action. Maltais also denounced collegiate institutions for failing to draw adequate attention to climate justice in many of their courses.
“Now is the time to stop encroaching on our time and that of the next generation,” Maltais said, “We are asking today that yesterday’s promises be kept, that is, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, considerably reduce the production and accumulation of waste, and put in place a real energy transition plan for Quebec, in addition to starting a reform of education.”*
*This quote has been translated from French.
Candace Brunette-Debassige gives talk on Indigenous women’s leadership in Canadian universities
Lecture calls for greater Indigenous representation and structural change
Fabienne de Cartier News Editor
McGill staff and students convened at Donald E. Armstrong Building on Sept. 25 for a talk presented by Candace Brunette-Debassige, assistant professor and Director of Indigenous Education at Western University. Her talk, entitled “Indigenous Women’s Leadership in Canadian Universities,” was organized by McGill’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) as part of the university’s Indigenous Awareness Weeks, taking place between Sept.19 and Oct. 2.
Organizers from the OII opened the event with a land acknowledgement and by inviting Robert Spade, assistant professor at the Schulich School of Music, to sing before introducing Brunette-Debassige.
Over the course of her talk, Brunette-Debassige discussed her research, which implemented an Indigenous story methodology to better understand Indigenous women’s experiences in leadership roles across Canadian universities between 2015 and 2020. Brunette-Debassige compiled qualitative data from 12 Indigenous women’s experiences in administrative university roles, including those of Brunette-Debassige herself, who is a Mushkego Cree iskwew of Peetabeck First Nation (Treaty 9). She found that although Indigenous representation in leadership roles at Canadian universities has been on the rise since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its final report in 2015, Indigenous people
remain underrepresented in these roles and face unique challenges when hired for them.
Borrowing from scholar Tanya Fitzgerald, Brunette-Debassige explained that Indigenous women are caught in a ‘triple bind,’ facing patriarchy, racism, and settler-colonialism. She invoked the teachings of Wisakedjak, the Trickster, to explain how Indigenous women found themselves in “paradoxical, in-between spaces.”
“Trickiness emerged in [...] the difference in the divide between policy and practice, between rhetoric and reality,” Brunette-Debassige said.
“It emerged in how women were simultaneously placed as being a symbol of the solution, but also being told they were the source of the problem, how they were tokenized and hypervisibilized. It even came through in them being both resistant [to] and at the same time complicit in the university.”
Brunette-Debassige also highlighted that Indigenous women are put in an impossible position when given the responsibility of addressing settler-colonialism at universities that perpetuate it.
“The contemporary university continues to be deeply complicit in ongoing settler colonialism, [...] contributing to the othering and erasing [of] Indigenous peoples, our rights, our knowledges and education, through the ongoing privileging of Western knowledges,” she said.
Brunette-Debassige ended her talk by calling not only for greater Indigenous representation in universities’ leadership, but for better practices that look at systemic issues of settler-colonialism within universities. She also spoke to the need for
more research on Indigenous leaders’ experiences at universities, and fielded a number of questions from the audience.
Spade invited students from his Ojibwe Song and Drum class to sing alongside him at the close of the event.
Najib Fenaoui, one of the students who performed, told The Tribune after the talk that Brunette-Debassige led him to reflect on his own experiences with intersectionality.
“I’m not Indigenous, but I can identify moments in my life where I felt in-between. You know, too different, whether it’s [because of] culture or sexuality or gender,” Fenaoui said. “It can be a really uncomfortable place to be in, especially if it’s not acknowledged.”
Annelies
Koch-Schulte, U3 Arts and Science, explained that the lecture drove her to consider McGill’s complicity in settler-colonialism.
Koch-Schulte acknowledged the importance of talks such as the one given by BrunetteDebassige and urged McGill to confront the ways it continues to per-
petuate colonial ideologies, citing their legal battle against the Mohawk Mothers as an example.
“[McGill] needs to decide to have a turning point,” Koch-Schulte said. “Whether that occurs because [of] a change in who’s working in the administration, or whether it’s a change of heart, I think that that change can come at any point if [the university is] open to it.”
During the question-and answer-period of the lecture, Brunette-Debassige underlined the need for structural change at universities.
“Leadership is very individual and it’s not looking at the larger system,” Brunette-Debassige said. “The answer is not only leadership, it’s governance.”
Brunette-Debassige’s talk is based on her newly-released book, Tricky Grounds: Indigenous Women’s Experiences in Canadian University Administration (Fabienne de Cartier / The Tribune)
Last year’s climate march in Montreal took place on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. ( Abby Zhu / The Tribune )
Fiat Lux library project suspended due to funding cuts
Changes in government funding structures halt construction projects at Quebec universities
Daniel Miksha Contributor
Following changes to funding structures imposed by the Quebec government, McGill has decided to suspend work on the Fiat Lux library project. The project aimed to transform the McLennan-Redpath Library Complex to provide students with an expanded study space and modern facilities. McGill President and Vice-Chancellor
Deep Saini publicly announced the project’s suspension in a Senate meeting on Sept. 18.
The Fiat Lux project would have sought to create a library space that meets the contemporary
needs of McGill’s library users by introducing new types of flexible, creative, and collaborative spaces, including a makerspace, media production facilities, and a technology lending program. The project would have also seen the transfer of around 400,000 books back into the McLennan-Redpath complex and would have doubled the existing building’s library space for the McGill community.
During the Senate meeting, Saini communicated that the university is facing significant financial challenges due to changes the Quebec government made to the mechanisms for funding construction and renovation projects, which impose a yearly cap on the amount the provincial government is willing to contribute.
According to Saini, these changes in the funding structure were not targeted at McGill and affect all Quebec universities.
“This has forced us to undertake a careful evaluation of all the university’s infrastructure plans, and very difficult decisions have had to be made,” Saini said in the Sept. 18 Senate meeting. “After ex-
tensive deliberations, we have come to the painful decision that we must suspend the Fiat Lux library project.”
McGill’s Vice President (Administration and Finance) Fabrice Labeau noted during the meeting that although the Fiat Lux project has been suspended, an altered or scaled back version may still be completed.
Initially announced in 2019, the first stages of the project have already been carried out, such as the transfer of 2.4 million library items—including books, journals, and tapes—to the newly constructed off-campus McGill University Collections Centre (MUCC) in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. The main thrust of construction was anticipated to begin in 2025 and was expected to last about three years.
McGill librarian David Greene stated that the Trenholme Dean of Libraries, Guylaine Beaudry, informed library staff of the project’s suspension on Sept. 16, two days before the Senate meeting.
“Given the facts we knew already about the changes to the government funding model and how it would impact McGill’s capital projects, we were all prepared for disappointing news about Fiat Lux,” Greene wrote in a statement to The Tribune “McLennan Library dates back to the 1960s and is in serious need of modernization. It’s clearly inadequate for the current needs of McGill students.”
Sydney Schwandt, U0 Arts, reflected on the McLennan Library’s current lack of books following the relocation of the vast majority of its contents to the MUCC.
“It’s kind of unsettling,” Schwandt told The Tribune. “Normally libraries have books, and for it to not have anything just feels off.”
Greene remains optimistic that renovations will be able to continue despite the suspension of the project.
“I’m holding out hope that a modified version of the project can still allow us to achieve [our] goals, and I’ve been assured by our Dean that she is focused on delivering the core of our vision with as few compromises as possible,” Greene wrote.
Despite the financial challenges the university is facing, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) stated that it remains committed to providing vital academic services to the community.
“McGill is exploring options to increase study, research and collaboration spaces in our libraries in order to meet the evolving needs of students and other library users,” the MRO wrote to The Tribune. “We’ve gone back to the evaluation of those needs to come up with other ways to improve spaces for library users.”
Greene highlighted the time and energy already invested in the project by people across the McGill community, and urged McGill not to cancel it entirely.
“[A] suspension and modification of this project is disappointing, but we must accept it given the circumstances,” Greene wrote. “However, should the status be moved to ‘canceled’[...] that would be genuinely heartbreaking and a huge setback for our university.”
Litigator and alumna Lex Gill discusses change, justice, and the law at AMPL teach-in
Students voice support for the union amidst ongoing strike
The Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL) held a teach-in at Chancellor Day Hall on Sept. 25, featuring a talk by McGill Law alumna and lawyer Lex Gill. Gill’s talk, which focused on law and justice, was given in solidarity with AMPL’s efforts to protect their existence as a union and form a collective agreement with McGill amidst the university’s ongoing de-certification efforts. The event was one of several teach-ins the union has organized since it began striking intermittently on April 24.
Richard Janda, AMPL’s secretary, noted that the union has been holding teach-ins so students and professors can continue to learn in the absence of classes.
“We still care about teaching and we still care about turning even this experience into something people can learn from,” Janda said. “So when Lex offered to do a teach-in, we thought this would be inspirational for our students, but frankly, for us as well.”
According to Janda, McGill told arbitrator Maître Jean Allard that the fall Law term could be lost if a settlement isn’t reached by Oct. 1. Janda noted that the union does not “think that’s necessarily true,” but believes there will likely be a settlement from the university.
“The only way we’re going to save the semester is [if] the university talks to us now, and we see things that are moving in that direction. So that too is giving us a little bit of hope, not yet joy, but a little bit of hope, for sure,” Janda said.
Throughout the talk, Gill explored how her career as a litigator has shaped her view of the law and the ways it relates to justice. She explored the tension between using the structures of the law to support an argument, while recognizing the systemic flaws within them and the barriers they pose to achieving justice. For example, Gill noted that the law is an inherently conservative institution because it is built upon precedent, making change difficult. Furthermore, Gill argued that the law should be viewed as a practical tool rather than the starting point for change—change comes not only from the courtroom but from protests, art, and more.
Gill is a course lecturer and has taught classes in the Faculty of Law since 2020, but is not part of AMPL. Brette Thomson, 4L, took a class Gill taught earlier in her degree. Thomson told The Tribune that Gill’s lectures have been formative to her legal education and have pushed her to think about social justice outside of the legal framework.
“We’re all part of a community [...] We’re all part of this movement to make McGill a more equitable and union-friendly place,” Thomson said. “I think that a lot of students think of themselves as customers of the university. And Lex would always encourage us not to think like that [and to instead] think of us as part of this broader project of justice, of unionization.”
Chris Irwin, 4L, echoed Thomson’s sentiment, noting that teach-ins help law students think beyond the legal arguments and understand what’s at stake for the law professors. Irwin also highlighted that the teach-ins are proof of AMPL’s efforts to teach and show up for students outside of the classroom.
“I just think these events where we get to directly hear from the union and where people can be exposed to what they’re fighting for are incredibly important,” Irwin said. “It’s not just some abstract fight that the profs are in or that they don’t care about students [...] If you come out, it’s very clear that they’re still here to teach us [...] even while they’re on strike.”
During the question-and-answer period after her talk, Gill underlined her support for AMPL. While acknowledging that some students may feel
upset that their studies have not begun as normal this semester, Gill emphasized her belief that the law professors would win the judicial review McGill filed against them.
“There’s no doubt in my mind your professors are going to win,” Gill said. “They have excellent counsel. They’re radically organized [....] [And] they’re in an institution that is not equipped for the kind of persistence they’re bringing. So I’m not worried, and I’m not worried for any of you [law students].”
McGill’s libraries host over 10 million items, including 2.4 million in an offcampus collections centre, making it one of Canada’s largest library systems.
( Bruno Cotler / The Tribune )
Fabienne de Carter & Eliza Lee News Editors
Gill is a licensed member of both the Law Society of Ontario and the Barreau du Québec. ( Bennett Jefferson / The Tribune )
Gerts Bar & Café closed due to safety concerns in the basement space
The student cafe and bar is projected to reopen by the end of the semester
Russel Ismael Contributor
The Gerts Bar & Café under the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) remains closed with the start of the school year because of concerns regarding its space in the University Centre. Expected to open by the end of the semester, the café will move to the Centre’s first floor, where Les fermes du marché previously had its store—the bar will remain in the basement space.
SSMU Vice-President Sustainability and Operations Meg Baltes explained in an email on Sept. 24 to McGill undergraduates that “Gerts underwent significant foundational and structural changes, facing several challenges” over the summer. Gerts was overhauled in the summer after encountering infrastructural challenges with the basement space. She clarified these issues in an interview with The Tribune.
“[Electric and network problems are] big issue[s] in terms of how many things we have operating in one space. Like how many things are connected to the network, how many plugs you have—the building details,” Baltes explained. “A lot of [the reason why] Gerts is closed for maintenance is to make sure we have all of the physical space up to code, getting a new dishwasher, glassware washers, and getting the fridges operational.”
Gerts’ point-of-sale systems, which process payments, are currently at system capacity, delaying the venue’s reopening. According to Baltes, a new McGill regulation is also complicating the systems’ improvement as they are
now unable to make purchases under the McGill network. Safety concerns regarding the electric and plumbing infrastructure are further delaying the reopening, as Baltes wants to avoid any harm caused to students by faulty systems.
Furthermore, Baltes stated that this closure was unplanned and only occurred after assessing what the venue needed, impacting employees’ possible return to their job. Due to the closure’s unexpected nature, Gerts employees were unaware until Baltes informed them over the summer.
“None of our contracts are guaranteed,” Baltes explained. “So just because you worked at Gerts last semester, we don’t guarantee any contracts for the [next] semester—that’s just the business model. The [former employees] are aware, and they were as up to date as I was.”
Baltes also apologized for not informing students about Gerts’ closure at the beginning of the semester. She stated she hoped to have new information that would inform her and the student body of an exact timeline for reopening.
Regardless, Baltes stated that she has plans to improve Gerts after it relocates. Her priorities for the new Gerts location are student engagement and safety, as one of the issues Gerts currently faces is the inability to serve anyone under 18, regardless of whether they order alcohol.
“There was a sign next to the register that said ‘please note that we cannot serve under 18,’ even for just the café,” Baltes said. “That was a big barrier to accessibility. If you were a first-year, you couldn’t even get a coffee and hang
out in the space.”
Some students worry that Gerts’ closure, which has been a lively fixture on campus for decades, will negatively impact McGill’s student culture.
“I was disappointed when I heard they were closed,” Ryan Dvorak, U2 Science, wrote to The Tribune . “I was looking forward to watching some local bands play on campus this semester and was even thinking about playing on the stage myself.”
Quang-Hai Francis Dinh, U3 Science, shared the same sentiment as Dvorak, emphasizing that Gerts is a place for students to congregate.
“I do recognize the importance of
having a bar on campus, for socializing, relaxing, and de-stressing,” Dinh wrote to The Tribune . “It’s definitely not a good feeling to lose one of the few dedicated chilling spots on campus [....] Everyone is definitely slightly bummed by [the closure].”
As a student herself, Baltes is committed to prioritizing Gerts’ reopening to reinvigorate student life.
“I’m sad that Gerts is closed, but I’m excited for the new opportunities it will bring when it reopens,” Baltes said. “It’s hard losing such a community hub, but I think that when we rectify all of our maintenance issues, it’s going to be able to better serve the student body.”
An article published in the September 24, 2024 issue “Recap: SSMU Legislative Council Sept.19 meeting” stated that SSMU VP Univ ersity Affairs Abe Berglas’ motion called for the Council to share information on a counter-protest on its Instagram. In fact, this was the amended version of the motion which was passed. The original motion was for the Council to sign on to the September 20 Call to Action put form by P!nk Bloc among other organizations. The Tribune regrets this error.
Gerts Bar & Café has operated since 1974. ( Evelyn Lee / The Tribune )
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Solidarity must supersede suppression at McGill
Continued from page 1.
What Déry refers to as “tensions” points to the ongoing repression of student democracy at McGill. On Sept. 16, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) revoked the club status of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) after McGill threatened to withdraw funding if ties with SPHR were not severed. This decision came months after the university’s unlawful and callous dismantlement of the 75-day Palestine Solidarity Encampment on campus, which stood in solidarity with Palestinian resistance and demanded McGill’s divestment from weapons manufacturing corporations. Though this stance was supported by 78 per cent of voters in a Fall 2023 referendum question regarding the implementation of the Policy Against Genocide in Palestine with record-breaking voter turnout, McGill has continued to
Nell Pollak Opinion Editor
Last year, I was having a conversation with a friend on campus. She shared her sense of internal conflict as a member of Montreal’s Jewish community, and her challenges in reconciling the views she grew up around with the headlines and protests surrounding her. Eventually, she turned to me and said: “But what I struggle with in how you express your views is—do you not care about Jewish people—your people?”
I was startled. Why did my support for Palestine translate to her as a disregard for Jewish livelihoods?
I contemplated how to answer such a loaded question, and was immediately transported back to my hometown in Madison, Wisconsin, seven years ago.
condemn pro-Palestine activity while simultaneously defying the clear demands of its student body.
McGill’s prejudiced actions against SPHR are emblematic of its broader strategy of suppression, reflecting a persistent unwillingness to engage with student activism or to acknowledge its institutional ties to larger oppressive structures, like its investment in weapons manufacturing company Lockheed Martin, which supplies the Israeli Defense Forces. Just as McGill avoids reckoning with its presence on unceded Indigenous land, it similarly refuses to recognize the Palestinian cause. Instead, the administration maintains its investments, prioritizing profit over justice. McGill’s tendency to frame sentiments of anti-Zionism as antisemitism, often twisting SPHR’s language and imagery to fit this narrative, allows the university to sidestep the moral imperative of addressing their ties to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
As the anniversary of the devastating Oct. 7 attack approaches, we must unite as a student community to promote collective peace and solidarity. The university must do better— restoring SPHR’s club status and providing culturally relevant mental health resources for students are crucial steps forward. Just as the university has provided institutional support for Ukrainian students in times of uncertainty and conflict, it is essential that they extend the same empathy and resources to those affected by the crisis in Lebanon and Palestine. Though it’s easy to feel discouraged when McGill dismisses student activism, our resistance and mobilization must persist. Our actions, voices, and protests remain powerful tools for change, and we must continue to use them, as we call on McGill to stand on the right side of history.
As students, condemning any civilian massacre, any act of violence, and any form of oppression should be the simplest decision. But if our
community’s shock and distress comes only at the sight of certain brutalized bodies, if our administration speaks out in the name of the horrific violence that took place on Oct. 7, but not when Palestinians are atrociously murdered, abducted and imprisoned, or when Lebanese families are forcibly displaced and bombed, then it is imperative to confront which forms of brutalization our institution deems intolerable and which it does not. Asking for freedom is not a complex demand. Students deserve the right to call for action against genocide and colonialism. Israeli students deserve the space to mourn the horrific day that brought the highest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. Lebanese students deserve the ability to seek active support and mobilization from the community around them. And Palestinians deserve sovereignty, safety, and humanity in the face of systemic ethnic cleansing. If any of those statements make you uneasy, then you must ask yourself why.
My support for Palestine is rooted in, not opposed to, my Jewish identity
In 2017, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the memorial next to my synagogue was desecrated with swastikas and pro-Trump slogans. At the age of 13, I didn’t fully grasp the gravity of the situation or the degree to which escalating acts of anti-Semitism were fueled by white nationalism. But I felt an intrinsically altered atmosphere as I entered the Gates of Heaven synagogue that year. A temple normally brimming with renewed faith and joy was obscured by fear and apprehension, which persisted throughout the High Holy Days services.
In my family, as we fast through Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, we each choose a book to read in its entirety as a method of reflection. That year, I opted for The Book Thief, a novel documenting a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. As I turned each page and the descriptive violence and hatred directed towards Jewish people mounted, tears welled in my eyes. Why didn’t people do more to stop this?/
“And that’s why I will always advocate for Palestinians’ right to peace, sovereignty, and dignity,” I responded to my friend. Being Jewish—being a part of a religious group that has been persecuted and targeted time and time again— means we don’t get to just care
about ourselves. We know what atrocities can occur with that outlook. Unequivocally standing against any crime against humanity is how I honour my Jewish identity.
Right now—today, and every day until liberation—that means standing in solidarity with Palestine, and against the military state of Israel, as it persists in committing unjustifiable acts of genocide and settler-colonialism, under the establishment of an apartheid system where Jews are granted more rights than non-Jews. I will always condemn acts of antisemitism, but I refuse to succumb to the rhetoric that our safety is dependent upon the oppression of others. And I repudiate the dangerous conflation of Israel and Judiasim, which enables accusations of antisemitism to be weaponized, particularly against those advocating for Palestinian rights.
Equating Israel with Judaism—a logic deeply intertwined with the foundation of Israel and deliberately perpetuated by its leaders—exposes the problematic argument my friend expressed: That criticism of Israel and Zionism is inherently criticism of Jewish people—and, therefore, is an antisemitic threat to all Jews. This oversimplification reduces a diverse, multifaceted religion to the policies of a single country. Unfairly linking
Jewish identity to the actions of the right-wing Israeli state manufactures a paradox in which Israel is beyond critique. In doing so, it silences legitimate and necessitated objections to violence, and ironically, fuels antisemitism by using Jewish identity as an impenetrable shield for statesanctioned brutalities. As Jews, we have a moral obligation to resolutely reject any justification of atrocities committed in our name.
Far from offensive, criticizing the extremist Israeli government should be viewed as an act of care that mutually benefits all; the ethnonationalist state that subjugates and dehumanizes Palestinians under the pretext of Jewish safety is antithetical to that very purpose. The Jewish struggle should always be for justice, liberty, and life. It cannot be tainted by hatred. As we face acts of antisemitism, we must counter divisiveness with solidarity, and demand collective liberation. Like other forms of nationalism, we should resist a Zionist doctrine that teaches fear, mistrust, and that the best response to Jewish vulnerabilities is more bullets, a taller wall, a more humiliating checkpoint. I cannot selectively care about Jewish people without advocating for a future where Palestinians can live freely, with sovereignty and dignity. Our lives are all inextricably intertwined.
Jasjot Grewal Sophie Smith, Celine Li
Hayes, Lana Liquard
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Olivia Wallace Contributor
AKeep Calm! Carry on providing students with mental health resources
s the haze of summer subsides and the anticipation of cold, isolating midterms and finals ensue, maintaining and nurturing one’s mental health becomes both harder and ever more critical. On Sept. 6, McGill informed the student body via email that the popular student services once provided through the Students’ Society at McGill University (SSMU)—Calm, an app designed to improve mental health through guided meditation, and Udemy, which gives users access to thousands of online recreational courses— will no longer be accessible to students. To effectively deal with stress—an inevitable aspect of McGill’s rigorous academic environment—students can benefit from the incorporation of regular mindfulness practices, like those offered by apps such as Calm, into their daily routines, making mental health a priority rather than an afterthought. The benefits of these resources cannot be overstated.
Student Support used to provide access to Calm at McGill, but SSMU announced that it would no longer be continuing its professional relationship with Student Support due to “continuing legal and privacy concerns.” As of Sept. 26, SSMU announced that they have re-secured pre-existing
COMMENTARY
Jamie Xie Contributor
Gcontracts with support services Grammarly and Udemy directly, rather than through a third-party organization. Efforts to finalise a contract with Calm remain stalled. SSMU encourages students to suggest alternative platforms via president@ssmu.ca.
These resources should be readily accessible if students are being charged for them and contracts are in place. It’s crucial to recognize that mental health support, such as access to mindfulness apps and educational platforms, plays a vital role in students’ overall well-being, affecting not just their stress levels but also their academic performance, sleep, and social lives. Given this, the removal of access to these resources raises questions as to why the responsibility for providing these essential services has fallen on the student union rather than McGill’s administration, which has an obligation to ensure the health and success of its students. The demand for easily attainable mental health services at McGill is high, as evidenced by student feedback shared on digital platforms, with students noting that their sleep has never been better than when using Calm.
In the future, these services could easily become the foundation for a broader and much-needed improvement in mental health support for the McGill student body. By establishing accessible and reliable mental health resources, the administration
would not only address current deficiencies but also set a precedent for how academic institutions can actively prioritise student well-being. This could pave the way for more comprehensive mental health frameworks, fostering an ongoing dialogue about mental health on campus and ensuring that future students benefit from a more supportive environment. However, to ensure successful implementation, our university must guarantee consistency, not only the existence of these services but also the comprehensive use of them. To achieve this, students must act by asserting the value of these services. Increased information on these resources and how to effectively use them put forward by the administration is also critical in spreading awareness and assuring students that these services are for them.
While students can appreciate the efforts of SSMU to offer these services, there still lingers an ever-present and legitimate question of dependability. The integration of mindfulness into student’s schedules is difficult without reliable resources at their disposal. Not only does the prevailing uncertainty surrounding these crucial mental health services limit access for students who rely on or wish to use them, but the added barriers of accessibility and potential financial costs actively discourage students from integrating mental health care
60 per cent of students voted for continued access to mental health resources in the March 2024 student-led referendum. (Anna Seger / The Tribune)
into their routines. McGill should offer these services to its students, not our student union. The university should not only provide these resources but promote and maintain them for the benefit of the McGill community.
Silent Stones: Revisiting the Forgotten in Montreal’s Cemeteries
raveyards occupy a uniquely taboo space that bridges the gap between the grieved and the grieving. They might almost be considered parks, yet they are not always viewed as sanctuaries. With 41 recognized cemeteries and a rich history of burial rites, Montreal stands as the resting grounds to 1.5 million deceased persons—many of whom, having faced historical discrimination, were often denied the same dignity in death that their more privileged counterparts received.
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, one of Montreal’s most renowned cemeteries, exemplifies traditional cemetery excellence. It features a biodiverse garden of 13,500 trees intertwined with Gothic structures and Roman Catholic design elements. Its placement allows for a perfect instant where the sun slips just past the horizon causing the graves to cast these elongated shadows—a vision I call “seeing the sleeping stretch,” one of Montreal’s sacred experiences.
In many senses, cemeteries act as time capsules of the past: a laid-to-rest reflection of the narratives we tell ourselves about the bygone era in sepia nostalgia. By revisiting graves, we humanize history and confront it with the narrative skepticism it deserves. It’s crucial to acknowledge that not all stories receive equal attention; many marginalized individuals are forgotten in death. As cemeteries garner their utmost traction around the upcoming Halloween season, it is worth considering what they stand for and why we visit them. When planning a visitation, executing proper etiquette is often
just as valuable as having the right intention to respect everyone’s unique relationship to death, especially for those whose lives—and deaths— have been overlooked in the broader narrative.
Recently, there has been a flurry of controversy surrounding “#Gravetok,” a subsection of TikTok dedicated to cleaning graves and telling the stories of the deceased. The concerns primarily arise from questions of consent, damaging the graves with harsh chemicals and some echoing naturalist ideas about the significance and found beauty of allowing memory to wither and fade away as time intends.
It’s a thin line between honouring the past and letting justice slip just out of reach of recent memory—a Sisyphean task where you can’t quite have your grave and clean it too. If there is certain beauty in forgetting then what hope is there for those who never had their stories told in the first place?
As a society, we decide who deserves to have their stories told beyond death. We celebrate the deceased with decorations while often overlooking the discomfort and pain that accompany loss. However cruel we like to imagine the past, it has consistently been more difficult for marginalized groups to gain recognition
and dignity in life and death. What if we were to give these individuals another chance to have their stories revisited? By acknowledging their lives and struggles, we could allow them to be remembered with the dignity they were once denied, ensuring that their legacies are honoured and their voices are heard long after they are gone. This act of remembrance could reshape our collective understanding of justice, compassion, and the value of every life, regardless of societal privilege.
Whether it be a tranquil respite from city life, existential memento mori, or the space to pay respects to those who have endured
hardship, cemeteries have so much to offer the everyman and act as a microcosm of the best mankind has to offer: The very human, ultimate good faith to do well by the past while steadily moving forward towards a brighter future. It is worth challenging our taboos around death. It is worth breaking these cycles of comfort and being critical of the same stories about the same people we tell ourselves. It is the never-ending lesson in empathy, as though to say: “I’m sorry we forgot about you then, but you are loved now.” It is worth celebrating those who have passed and will pass. No one deserves to be unappreciated and forgotten; everyone deserves to be mourned.
Redbirds lacrosse plays third annual Legacy Game, reflect on Indigenous roots
The game is played on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Zain Ahmed Contributor
Continued from page 1.
The Haudenosaunee believed that the lacrosse stick, a symbol of the sport, had healing properties and used it in ceremonies and rituals.
In the 17th century, French settlers and missionaries witnessed the game and began playing it with modified rules. The 1994 National Sports of Canada Act established lacrosse as one of the county’s national games, along with ice hockey. The legacy and ongoing effects of colonialism—including residential schools and forced assimilation—has had a profound impact on Indigenous peoples and their relationship to their culture and traditions. Lacrosse, however, has emerged as a powerful tool for reconciliation and resistance.
In the buildup to the third Legacy Game held at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Midfielder John Miraglia, U2 Arts, of the Redbirds lacrosse team sat down with The Tribune to discuss the depth of lacrosse as a cultural and spiritual sport and the importance of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Indigenous lacrosse players and teams have played a crucial role in raising awareness of issues impacting Indigenous communities and in promoting cultural pride. They have used the sport as a platform to share their stories, challenge stereotypes, and inspire younger generations. Non-Indigenous players must build these relationships by taking a more powerful role in raising awareness and promoting equity within the sport, on and off the field.
Mirgalia spoke on the energy in the locker room leading up to this year’s match.
“The Legacy Game first started in my first year at McGill, and every year there is an atmosphere around the game of importance, pride, and excitement,” he said. “We know the varsity lacrosse game is not the same as the traditional lacrosse game, but we hope to honour the sport by playing as a team and for the entire community surrounding the Legacy Game.”
Mirgalia underscored the initiative from Attacker Isaiah Cree in the establishment of the Legacy Games.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Isaiah Cree when talking about this game,” he said. “He really took the initiative to get the game started back in 2022 and set an amazing example of educating our team and honouring
“Celebrating Truth and Reconciliation Day is important to me because it reminds me how much bigger the game of lacrosse is than any individual player or team,” Miraglia said. “It’s part of a culture and helps us spark real conversations about Truth and Reconciliation.”
the origins of our sport. He scored a hat trick in that first Legacy Game, and I will always remember that as a really special moment.”
Following Truth and Reconciliation Day, it is important to recognize the role that lacrosse has played in fostering reconciliation while also acknowledging the road ahead toward a truly inclusive and equitable society. With the role of lacrosse in developing a nation’s spirit, Canadians have a duty to uphold the integrity of Indigenous peoples,
their sport, and their cultures beyond designated days of commemoration. By understanding the history and cultural significance of lacrosse, non-Indigenous Canadians can deepen their respect for Indigenous traditions and work towards a brighter future for all Canadians.
The Redbirds (7–0–0) won against the Carleton Ravens (3–4–0) on Sept. 30 for the Legacy Game with a score of (8-4).
Chelsea FC Ltd.’s most recent financial gambit
The franchise is no longer co-owned
Reuben Noam Contributor
This past May, Chelsea Football Club was a bustling machine of termination and change. For the second consecutive season, the men’s team saw a finish outside of the English Premier League’s (EPL) top four—something that had not occurred since the league’s first two seasons—1992-1993 and 1993-1994. The women’s side stood in victorious contrast, having secured their fifth consecutive Women’s Super League title (WSL). Just one weekend before, Mauricio Pochettino left his men’s-side managerial role, later to be replaced by former Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca.
Media and fan discussion continued to report largely on Chelsea FC’s stumbles, and experiments were being made company-wide. In what was framed as a celebration of the women’s achievements, Chelsea released a club statement announcing a restructuring that would position Chelsea Women “alongside, rather than beneath” the men’s team. This news prodded reluctant ambivalence from fans—even in hindsight, the vague language of the statement seemed to underscore a lack of meaningful change.
The true motivation became clear the following month, when the decision was not so much backtracked as it was obliterated from relevancy: Control of the women’s side was transferred from Chelsea FC Holdings to BlueCo, the former’s parent company. Thus, effective June 28,
the men’s and women’s sides were no longer registered under the same holding company—a complete split in their financial assets, losses and profits, except for what Holdings might stand to gain from the sale of the women’s team. The teams became separate entities.
This shift came just before the yearend accounting cutoff on June 28. Under the EPL’s profitability and sustainability rules, clubs cannot exceed a £105 million loss over three years. Chelsea’s lavish spending during transfer windows under the collaborative ownership of Chairman Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has brought them perilously close to breaching these limits. For instance, take Enzo Fernández, Wesley Fofana, Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Moisés Caicedo—all are transfers in excess of €70 million that have occurred within the past three years. The examples of these exorbitant transfers is unique in the world of football at large, and unheard of in women’s football, which never reaches these prices. By moving the women’s team off Chelsea FC Holdings’ books, the club reduces the financial burden on the men’s side. Though it was publicized as an opportunity for the women’s team to operate its own management and facilities, it is glaring that the move allows Boehly’s men to skirt potential penalties while keeping their focus on navigating the next season’s/quarter’s challenges, or potential profits.
Chelsea Women’s impressive success has been undermined by this financial maneuvering. What was painted to look
like a strategic repositioning for equality over months of manipulative statements proved to be a way to grease the gears of the Men’s operations. The women’s team, despite their achievements, has been made a vehicle for financial futures—lest we forget the men, though better compensated, also essentially serve the same purpose for the financial suits.
The women’s side has already undergone significant change since May. Emma Hayes, London native and winner of 16 trophies with the club as manager, departed for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Head Coach role. She is succeeded by former Olympique Lyonnais Féminin’s former manager, Sonia Bompastor. This is part of the broader reshuffling of Chelsea’s internal structures—another sign that the women’s team is adapting to fit the new order, rather than driving it.
The long-term effects of this financial separation, of course, remain to be seen. The immediate benefit for the men’s team is clear, their
path to financial compliance is indubitably smoothed no matter the valuation of the acquisition (as yet unknown). But the impact on the women’s team is murky and uncomfortable in light of that fact. What happens when a highly successful team, like Chelsea Women’s, is repurposed to serve the financial interests of a less stable component? Can they continue to dominate? Time will tell if they are able to take advantage of their new independence, or if the shift in priorities undermines their momentum.
Chelsea FC has the highest net spend of all EPL clubs in the past five years with £ 795.24 million. ( Zoe Lee / The Tribune )
Though French missionaries coined the name lacrosse in 1636, the sport has been a traditional game played by Indigenous peoples since the 12th century. ( Bruno Cotler / The Tribune )
RALLYING to RESILIENCE
Falling back in love with university
My sweaty palm grips the racquet, the noise around me blurring. I can hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears. I step onto the court and focus on hitting my targets in the warm-up, listening to the sound of the ball making contact with the front wall. Bam. Bam. Bam. I notice the details of each shot. Where is my racquet making contact with the ball? How is the height and the pace? How can I adjust? The referee calls time, and warm-up ends. The racquet spins, dropping to the ground and landing on the down symbol. I have the first serve. I step into the service box, bouncing the ball three times, each time reminding myself that I am ready. I know where to place the ball and what to do. I toss the ball and my racquet makes contact. The match begins.
Ever since I can remember, sports have been a huge part of my life. From gymnastics to karate, to running, basketball, and squash, I was always the kid in school joining every sports team. My dad introduced me to squash—he picked it up in his 20s recreationally, and by the age of seven, I picked up my first racquet. My brother then got involved in squash
at our local squash club, and soon after, I followed in his footsteps. I played my first tournament at 10 years old—although I lost almost every single match, I was mesmerised by the sport. I remember watching the older players compete for provincial and national championships, particularly the under-19 girls division. I kept thinking,“I want to be this good someday.”
From my first tournament, I was hooked. I started playing a couple of times a week in my local squash program and playing more tournaments, determined to improve my game. I moved up to playing provincially, then nationally, and now at McGill. Along the way, squash became a core part of my identity. When I was asked to introduce myself or say a fun fact or favourite hobby, the first thing that came to mind was squash. Squash also became a sort of family tradition. My parents, brother, and I would go to our local squash club every Christmas and New Year’s Day. If you walked into our dingy hole-in-the-wall club on an empty Christmas day you’d be sure to find us fiercely battling it out on court. These were also usually the only times my brother and I would let my dad win (he would say otherwise).
Throughout my middle and high
school years, I played and competed at a high level, representing B.C. and Canada at competitions. My fondest memory was travelling to Amsterdam to represent Canada in the Dutch Junior Open, playing against top-level junior players from around the world. It felt amazing to be surrounded by other athletes playing the best they could. I was inspired and full of motivation. Along the way, I’ve watched my peers drop like flies at each level. I’ve wondered: What has kept me playing?
In that moment, I remembered why I love to play.
Like many athletes, I’ve hit roadblocks and points of burnout in my sport. COVID-19, which halted group practices and competitions, was detrimental to every student-athlete.
Ava Bicknell, U2 Arts and Co-Captain of the McGill Women’s Squash Team, told The Tribune, “I couldn’t train during COVID. I didn’t play for two years so I lost interest in the sport. I found it hard to be motivated because I couldn’t play.”
For many athletes like Ava, this was a harsh reality. The pandemic deeply affected athletes’ motivation and interest to keep going, making many lose their momentum. The pandemic was also difficult for young woman athletes in particular. Even before the pandemic, one in three girls in Canada quit their sport during their late teenage years. The loss of community exacerbated the high dropout rate of woman athletes.
COVID was also a time of reflection for many athletes. For me, the pandemic was the first time I was forced to step back from my sport. It made me realize how much I love to play, but also how stressful and anxiety-inducing tournaments could be. My teammates seemed to be reevaluating their interest in squash too—many quit after the lockdown. I had to ask myself the hard questions: Do I want to keep playing? Do I miss playing or is this feeling a longing for an old habit? In this time of reflection, I realized how much I had grown to love squash and training towards a new goal, tournament, or ranking. I did not want to stop. I worked with my coach online to do as much off-court training as possible, improving my game’s physical aspects, speed, strength, and endurance. Once lockdown ended, I realized that I had been longing to get back on court.
However, just two months after I start-
ed training again, I block—the nightmare Injury. I sprained my couldn’t play at my six months. The two court felt gruelling. to the squash club and ing while I watched my best in a practice able to walk off the from squash reinforced my sport, motivating work smarter and play Getting back to titions months after lenging. I was behind be. I was also gearing year, where I would es in the U.S. about squash. I was extremely performance and my my injury. My love fade. Recruiting wasn’t With the long-term ic, it was harder to al tournaments and American players who sure to college coaches. it would work out, and goal of playing Division in the end, it didn’t. is what everyone I was wanted; why couldn’t
My frustration carried year of high school. end of my junior squash feeling burnt out. I didn’t anymore. What was centivized to play because was no future for me of this struggle, many quit, altering the social ing training less enjoyable. provincial championships, voluntary break from training five to six days rest, and distanced myself I came to McGill would join the Women’s brother was already on I hoped it would be
RESILIENCE university sports
faced my biggest roadnightmare every athlete dreads: my ankle in practice and maximum capacity for two weeks of not being on Every day, I would go and spend my time bikwatched my teammates practice. I was devastated. I felt like all my progress had been lost from one stupid mistake. I went from feeling like I was playing practice match, to being uncourt. My time away reinforced the love I had for motivating me to push myself to play harder. to training and compeafter my injury was chalbehind where I needed to gearing up for my recruiting begin talking to coachplaying Division One extremely frustrated with my my recovery time from love for squash began to wasn’t going well either. effects of the pandemto get into internationand to compete against who already had expocoaches. I kept telling myself and I would achieve my Division One squash, but I was devastated. This was competing against couldn’t I have it too? carried on into my last As I began to near the squash career, I started didn’t enjoy competing the point? I felt disinbecause it felt like there me in the sport. On top many of my teammates had social dynamic, and makenjoyable. After my last championships, I took my first from squash. I stopped days a week, let myself myself from the sport. McGill last fall, knowing I Women’s Squash Team. My on the Men’s team, and a positive social expe-
Written by Lialah Mavani, Sports Editor
Designed by Mia Helfrich, Design Editor
rience, but I assumed it wouldn’t be such a big part of my life anymore.
I was wrong. As soon as I stepped back on the court, my heart pounded out of my chest, my palms turned sweaty, and butterflies swirled in my stomach. In that moment, I remembered why I love to play.
But, while many athletes come into university with this same mindset, their ability to follow through and continue playing is dependent on many factors. What makes or breaks someone’s experience with sports, especially in university?
For many athletes, including myself, the likeability of the sport is tied to the team’s dynamic. Lilly Breton, U3 Arts and a former player on the McGill Women’s Field Hockey Team, told The Tribune that after her first year, she “just felt like it was a different dynamic with the girls, and I didn’t really like to feel in competition with my teammates, like we’re a team, but it was […] a super stressful and anxiety-inducing environment.” Players like Breton often decide to leave their teams, rather than continuing in unpleasant conditions.
On the flip side, the strong community in the squash team brought me back to the sport. My love for squash stemmed from my teammates. I loved being in my first allgirls team, having strong woman athletes around me, all training for a mutual goal. I got lucky enough to join a team where I met some of my best friends.
McGill Tennis Coach Lutwin de Macar told The Tribune that athletes’ relationships with their sport are “about the people, about the energy, about the atmosphere; whether you’re varsity, whether you’re not, […] you could still make a great experience out of it.” As de Macar reflects, at any level of sport, the community and the energy athletes are surrounded by can make or break their motivation to play.
the squash team, I’ve been able to balance my training and my game around my priorities. Now I not only play for McGill but also for Team Quebec. Seeing how all these small adjustments improve my game pushes me to keep going. I love reflecting upon how much I have improved by staying consistent, and how much the hard work has
[in] a team, they have all these different resources. So at least for field hockey, I think that’s why a lot of girls dropped out […] there was just no point.”
Breton emphasized that Mc-
paid off.
...finding a sport where you love to compete and can’t imagine your life without it makes everything worthwhile.
Finally, falling back in love with my sport has been tied to having a competitive challenge. While McGill’s squash team isn’t varsity, we compete at a varsity level against other Canadian teams in the Ontario Jesters University Squash League. The McGill women’s team won the Ontario University Association (OUA) League for the first time in McGill history, beating the crowd-favourite Queen’s University.
Now, every time I walk past the courts, I smile when I see our first-place banner hanging. We may not be receiving the recognition or funding we aspire to have from McGill Athletics to become a Varsity team, but we are competing at a high level.
Gill Athletics and their lack of support for women’s sports teams can affect how woman athletes view themselves and their relationships with the sport, especially when men’s teams take precedence. Support from institutions can be a huge incentive or a massive hardship, which can be a deciding factor for young women already struggling to stay in the game.
Also, the flexibility with my training and keeping a good balance between school, sports, and socializing has been crucial. With just team practices, I could play as little as three times a week, allowing me to focus on my school and social life. But the entire team drives one another to improve, and nearly every day, I’m either training on the court with my teammates or hitting the gym alongside them. With
Institutions play such an important role in how athletes view their relationships with their sport, especially in university. For young woman athletes, this can be the ways in which our school represents and supports us—in funding or spirit.
Breton discusses how with field hockey, “There’s no extra support, especially when it comes to funding […] It all comes out of pocket. It’s super expensive compared to the men’s high-level sports, [because] they have funding. They have […] five physios
For all athletes, love for your sport comes and goes, and sometimes the sacrifices we make feel bigger than our return on investment. But finding a sport where you love to compete and can’t imagine your life without it makes everything worthwhile. Being surrounded by teammates who are just as excited to win that big match or help you pick yourself up after a tough loss is what makes it worth it. So to you, squash might just be hitting a ball against a wall, or that court you walk by on the way to the B2 Gym. But for me, squash is my challenge. It pushes me to be mentally and physically tough, a sport that has brought my family closer and has allowed me to form some of my closest and most meaningful friendships. This is what has shaped my relationship with my sport.
How are Canadians who have legally used psilocybin faring?
Exploring effects of real-world psilocybin use for end-of-life patients
Ella Paulin Managing Editor
While psilocybin, the active psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, is illegal for both medical and recreational purposes in most countries, studies are increasingly pointing to its potential uses in psychotherapy, especially for relieving anxiety and depression in patients who have terminal illnesses. Canada, alongside Australia, is currently one of only two countries in the world allowing psilocybin prescription through what is known as “compassionate access” for patients without other effective treatment options.
Although Canada has allowed psilocybin use in limited therapeutic contexts since 2020, there is a lack of research on how psychedelic experiences have affected real-world patients. According to Sara de la Salle, a postdoctoral fellow in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and first author of a recent study following eight real-world patients after their psychedelic experiences, there is even a lack of data on how many patients have accessed psilocybin.
“I’m sure Health Canada knows how many they’ve approved, but there’s no public information on this process,” de la Salle commented. “What prompted [our study] was just to have any type of information on what these people were going through, because there’s nothing. There’s no reports.”
Her research aims to address this lack
of information through a voluntary survey completed by patients who received psilocybin through legal means between 2020 and 2022.
The day after participants’ psilocybin treatment session, researchers looked at factors like how safe they felt during the session, what side effects—nausea, vomiting, etc.—they experienced, and how meaningful they perceived the session to be. In addition, they used two assessments that are common in psychedelic research: The Mystical Experiences Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Emotional Breakthrough Inventory (EBI).
“Those two are very prominent measures in psychedelic studies, but usually not so much in more traditional treatments for depression,” de la Salle said. “They’re trying to capture things that are difficult for people to describe, like transcendence of time and space, or ineffability.”
Of the five participants who filled out this portion of the survey, one considered it to be the most meaningful experience of their life, and two said it was the most spiritually significant experience of their life. The aver-
age MEQ score was 64.3—for perspective, the threshold for having a ‘complete mystical experience’ is a score of 60 on all sections of the questionnaire—and the average EBI score was 63.4 out of 100.
In addition to this data, eight participants filled out the survey two weeks after their treatment session. This part of the study compared patients’ self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, pain, and overall well-being to their pre-treatment levels.
“We wanted to mimic what is being looked at in clinical trials to see: Are the ben-
efits the same? Because we don’t really know what is going on with people who are getting special access,” de la Salle explained. “And we did, in fact, see very similar benefits.”
A majority of participants noticed some improvement in their symptoms of depression, spiritual well-being, and relationships with family and friends. On the other hand, six patients reported no effect on their pain levels, and four patients found no effect on their fear of death. Additionally, one of the eight patients experienced generally worsening mental health after the session.
Interestingly, the study also asked participants to predict how they thought the intervention would impact them. While the actual results were generally positive, they underperformed compared to the predictions, indicating that it may be worthwhile to temper patients’ expectations of psilocybinassisted psychotherapy.
While the study is limited by its small sample size and lack of in-person contact with patients, de la Salle believes it is an important addition to real-world psilocybin research in Canada.
“It was a good step in the right direction. There are more attempts to collect information, but really we just wanted to send the message that [psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy] can be beneficial, but we don’t have any information,” de la Salle said. “And since Health Canada grants these approvals, it would be very easy for them to have some way of collecting information.”
McGill research explores how an arthrogryposis diagnosis affects families
Uncovering caregivers’ experiences and perspectives
K. Coco Zhang Science & Technology Editor
In Canada, over 30,000 children with disabilities are being cared for at home.
Caregiving for children with disabilities requires providing support in various activities of daily life, such as bathing, dressing, managing finances, shopping, and providing transportation.
While care can be rewarding, caregivers are at higher risk of experiencing negative health effects, including mental health issues such as depression. Rare diseases such as arthrogryposis—a condition in which multiple joints are unable to fully or partially extend or bend—pose additional challenges for caregivers due to the complexity of the disease.
“Arthrogryposis is a congenital condition that affects joints from birth. It is different from conditions like joint stiffness and muscle weakness, which can develop over time,” Rose Elekanachi, PhD candidate in McGill’s School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, said in an interview with The Tribune Arthrogryposis commonly affects the wrists, hands, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. In severe cases, this condition may also affect the jaw and spine. Causes of arthrogryposis are variable and may include genetic, parental, and environmental factors, as well as fetal anomalies—unusual conditions in a baby’s development during pregnancy.
The experience of providing care for arthrogryposis remains largely understudied. In a recent paper, Elekanachi and her team explored the lived experience of caregivers of children with arthrogryposis, emphasizing the financial and societal challenges caregivers encounter.
“The term ‘caregivers’ is used to refer to both paid caregivers and parents,” Elekanachi noted.
Through her research, Elekanachi aims to raise awareness of arthrogryposis among healthcare professionals and caregivers, and guide local policymakers in improving service provisions to meet the unique needs of caregivers of children with this condition.
The initial financial burden for families is considerable due to the need for numerous diagnostic tests and consultations.
“Immediately after childbirth, caregivers have to go to several healthcare professionals to receive a reliable diagnosis because this condition was very rare and [little known] a couple of years ago, and these expenses come at a significant out-of-pocket cost,” Elekanachi said.
Furthermore, the cost of caring for children with arthrogryposis varies depending on the child’s specific needs.
“For example, the child may need a walking aid, arm splints, ramps for stairs, or adjustments for beds, and things like that. Depending on the location of the affected joint,
the level of financial commitment is different,” Elekanachi explained.
Arthrogryposis occurs in one out of every 3,000 live births worldwide.
( Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune )
According to Elekanachi, the caregiving experience is complex, as this condition often requires multiple types of care, including rehabilitation, speech therapy, and orthopedics—surgeries treating conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerve structures.
Elekanachi also discusses the societal challenges surrounding the condition, including accessibility issues in public spaces, and highlights the need to allow people with arthrogryposis to speak up for their unique needs and advocate for themselves.
“We still have a society that may not be completely accessible to children with disabilities, such as classrooms, metro stations, and bus stops. Sometimes, the school may not have adequate equipment or accommodations for these students,” Elekanachi said.
In addition, the study highlighted a correlation between the caregiver’s health and that of the child. The multiple challenges caregivers face can increase their risk of poor health, reducing their ability to care for their child, which has been associated with increased hospitalizations.
“Going forward, future studies need to shift focus from the condition itself to [include] the secondary piece that affects the condition, such as caregiver experiences,” Elekanachi stated. “Healthcare professionals and researchers need to understand caregiving experiences across conditions and share comprehensive resources with caregivers.”
Since legal channels for medical use of psilocybin were created in Canada in 2020, researchers estimate that over a hundred patients have taken psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. ( Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune )
The science behind Ozempic’s triumph
Two experts speak at the Annual Trottier Public Science Symposium
Daniel Pyo Contributor
On Sept. 23, McGill’s Office for Science and Society (OSS) organized the Annual Trottier Public Science Symposium, aiming to increase understanding of Ozempic and its deeper implications. Moderated by Joe Schwarz, professor in chemistry and Director of OSS, the event featured two experts in the field.
Research leading to discoveries of GLP-1 and Ozempic
Patricia Brubaker, professor in University of Toronto’s Department of Physiology and Medicine, began by discussing the promising role of glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1)—a hormone that helps stabilize blood sugar levels following meal consumption—in diabetes management and weight reduction.
Initially discovered in 1987, GLP-1 not only prevents the release of glucagon, which raises blood sugar levels, but also slows stomach emptying and reduces appetite, contributing to weight loss.
“Ozempic isn’t GLP-1 itself; it is a synthetic analogue of the naturally occurring hormone that acts to agonize the effects of GLP-1 inside our bodies,” Brubaker noted.
Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists have proved effective in managing Type II diabetes, a chronic condition that affects insulin regulation and metabolism, by improving insulin secretion within the body.
Unlike other medications for diabetes, Ozempic stays in the body for a longer period, with a half-life of about one week. This means that if an individual takes roughly two milligrams of the drug on Monday, there will still be about one milligram remaining in their body the following Monday. Once its biological mechanisms are activated, it facilitates weekly dosing, making it easier to take consistently than a daily medication.
Brubaker is cautious about the potential side effects, which require careful monitoring and titration—a process to make sure that people adjust to the drug gradually—of dosages.
“There have been emergency cases of
people overdosing themselves with multiple injections in a day to drastically lose weight, but keep in mind this is lethal,” Brubaker explained.
Therefore, selfinjection of Ozempic can be dangerous for those aiming to lose large amounts of weight very quickly, or those aiming to immediately suppress their appetite. Taking necessary health precautions is crucial to preventing hormonal imbalance.
Do dietary supplements truly match their claims?
The second speaker of the night was Peter Cohen, associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His advocacy in the medical field has led to the banning of multiple drugs and warnings for inaccurate drug advertisements.
In contrast to Health Canada’s stringent regulations on dietary supplements and pills, the sale of supplements and vitamins is permitted by default in the States until the FDA takes action to ban or restrict them. This lack of this oversight has led to drug abuse and the spread of misinformation about dietary supplements,
often propagated via social media.
“Because of social media these days, it’s very easy for people to believe a testimony after taking supplements that will suggest to audiences that the drug in fact magically works,” Cohen said in his talk.
Cohen highlighted that numerous patients have unknowingly consumed supplements that have been detrimental to their health, causing allergies or temporary health issues that resolve after they stop taking the supplement.
Physicians play a crucial role in reporting adverse effects to the FDA, but the reliance on manual reporting means individuals can obtain specific supplements without strict prescriptions. While the FDA has no other means of tracking supplement safety, it is their duty to remove any harmful substances.
“We see a crisis happening with Ozempic as well. It is still a relatively newly-discovered drug, and it could be a supplement for those who are suffering from obesity with serious health implications, not for casual use,” Cohen said.
The symposium emphasized the vital role of credible science communication in ensuring that modern medicine’s benefits are not overshadowed by misuse. It concluded with a call for greater awareness and responsibility from both the scientific community and the public.
While drugs like Ozempic show promise, they are not quick fixes and require careful consideration. In a time when misinformation prevails, events like this are crucial for navigating the future of medication use in our society.
The hidden risks of malnutrition in presurgical patients
Improving surgical outcomes through better nutrition screening
Lana Liquard Staff Writer
In hospitals across Canada, medical staff often overlook a critical factor in surgical success: A patient’s nutritional status. While surgical teams meticulously plan for every detail of an operation, something as simple as inadequate nutrient intake can quietly undermine even the most carefully orchestrated procedures. Despite its profound impact on recovery and surgical outcomes, malnutrition remains an invisible problem for many patients.
Chelsia Gillis, assistant professor at McGill’s School of Human Nutrition in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, recently published a paper in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism highlighting Canada’s lack of preoperative surgical nutrition practices.
The study addresses the importance of malnutrition screening before surgery and its ability to significantly improve patient outcomes, including reduced length of stays and fewer surgical complications. However, the study reveals that screening for malnutrition is not a consistent practice across healthcare facilities.
“Malnutrition is an unbalanced nutritional state that modifies body mass, body composition, and function,” Gillis wrote in an email to The Tribune
For surgical patients, malnutrition often manifests as unintentional weight and muscle
loss, compromising recovery, immune function, and overall health.
“Preoperative malnutrition is associated with poor patient outcomes including prolonged length of hospital stay, surgical complications, and survival,” Gillis explained.
Despite the well-documented risks, the study’s survey still found that only 65 per cent of healthcare professionals (HCPs) reported actively screening for malnutrition in surgical patients, with dietitians leading the charge.
“The good news is that malnutrition is modifiable,” Gillis wrote. This means that there is a real opportunity to make a difference if this issue can be addressed early in the patient’s surgical journey.”
The study surveyed 225 HCPs across Canada, including dietitians, physicians, and allied health professionals. While 96 per cent of respondents agreed that malnutrition is a modifiable risk factor and a treatment priority, many noted practical barriers that prevent them from routinely screening patients.
“Clinicians don’t have the opportunity, [whether that’s] time [or] resources, to screen for malnutrition,” Gillis said.
The study found that lack of time (according to 57 per cent of respondents), resources (according to 40 per cent of respondents), and support (according to 38 per cent of respondents) were the most frequently cited barriers to screening. These challenges were particularly evident among physicians, who were less likely to conduct routine screenings compared to dietitians.
Interestingly, 20 per cent of HCPs stated that they did not view nutrition risk screening as their responsibility. Gillis countered this notion, arguing that malnutrition screening should be a collective responsibility.
“It is everyone’s responsibility. Make every contact count,” Gillis stressed. Nonetheless, the initial nutrition screen is performed by nurses in most settings.
Gillis also suggested some practical solutions to address the barriers.
“Patients can self-screen for malnutrition risk, which would save time for clinicians,” Gillis proposed. “Malnutrition treatment should occur on a risk-stratified basis, meaning that the majority of resources are dedicated to those who would benefit the most, such as severely malnourished patients.”
In 2020, the median wait time for a priority surgery in Canada was between 18 and 102 days.
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The study also noted that many HCPs relied heavily on physical traits like weight and muscle appearance to assess malnutrition. Gillis, however, warned against this approach, noting that malnutrition is not always obvious.
“The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force [...] found that 32 per cent of patients suffering from malnutrition had a body mass index over 30,” Gillis explained. “The phenotype of malnutrition includes unintentional weight loss and loss of muscle mass, which is not necessarily obvious by looking at the patient.”
The study’s findings also highlight the need for systemic changes in how hospitals approach preoperative nutrition. The study calls for the use of standardized screening protocols, like the Nutrition Care Practice Model, and recommends incorporating nutrition screening into electronic health records to ensure consistency.
Moving forward, Gillis and her team are working on creating toolkits to help busy HCPs integrate malnutrition screening and treatment into their practices. These toolkits are part of a larger effort to bridge the gap between knowledge and action regarding nutrition care in preoperative settings.
The global dietary supplements market size was valued at $177.50 billion USD in 2023. ( Mia Helfrich / The Tribune )
Bruno Cotler / The Tribune )
Spike Lee inspires at Montreal International Black Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala
The celebrated filmmaker illuminates the challenges and successes of Black filmmakers at the
Mia Zdrale Contributor
The Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) celebrated its 20th edition from Sept. 25 to 29, shining a powerful spotlight on the richness of Black cinema and emphasizing the importance of diversifying the cinematic landscape. MIBFF is the largest film event dedicated to Black cinema in Canada as well as the only bilingual Black film festival in North America. This year’s festival aimed to inspire attendees by illuminating Black filmmakers and offering a platform to advocate for Black storytelling within the industry. Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee was named the Honourary President of this year’s festival and took part in an intimate interview for the Opening Night Gala.
Founded by Fabienne Colas, a director and producer who presides over 12 other arts and film festivals, MIBFF amplifies Black filmmakers and honours diverse narratives. The festival serves as a beacon for the importance of representation and inclusion on and off the screen. At the Opening Night Gala, Colas urged the industry and audiences to continue fighting for equal funding and grants for BIPOC organizations.
Through his inspiring and stimulating conversation with Colas, Lee highlighted the persistent challenges that Black filmmakers face in gaining visibility for their projects as well as the need for increased representation behind the camera. Lee addressed the systematic obstacles faced by Black filmmakers, drawing parallels between the 35th anniversary of his radical film Do The Right Thing and the ongoing prevalence of racial injustice and police brutality, notably in regard to recent events such as the murder of George Floyd. While Lee’s filmography is distinguished by his urge to confront and raise awareness of social injustices, he also acknowledged the need for contemporary filmmakers to portray what resonates with their personal journey. When asked if he believed filmmakers today have a mission to raise awareness, Lee said that everybody has “different stories to tell.”
There was a tangible sense of commu -
The crowd eagerly welcomed Spike Lee, a renowned filmmaker in the industry for over 45 years, upon his fourth appearance at MIBFF. Known for his thoughtprovoking body of work, the energy in the audience was palpable as Lee provided insight into the filmmaking process and industry. Lee’s approach is reflected in his unwavering passion to tackle social injustice, an aspect of filmmaking that is often overlooked.
nity and a shared purpose felt amongst the audience, with Lee’s candid nature serving as a refreshing view of the current film landscape. Having spent decades pushing the boundaries of storytelling within the industry, Lee shared invaluable advice to aspiring filmmakers, discussing the modern-day tools available to budding creatives as well as the importance of physical screenings. Proclaiming that “you have the tools,” Lee emphasized collaboration, maintaining that community and perseverance lead to success. Furthermore, he honed in on the need for Black creatives to occupy positions of authority behind the screen, rather than being outside the ‘room where it happens’.
Lee’s personal anecdotes provided a glimpse into his journey, starting from watching classic Hollywood movies with his mother as a child to his current status as a legendary filmmaker. He also shared his most influential movies—highlighting Crooklyn as a personally significant project due to the family effort involved in the writing process and his own upbringing in Brooklyn; Lee confidently proclaimed that “ Crooklyn beats everything.”
Spike Lee delivers a candid conversation at MIBFF’s Opening Night Gala, sharing his perspective on his breakout film Do The Right Thing, with a screenplay that took just two weeks to write.
( Meredith Cloutier / The Tribune )
The festival serves as a testament to the importance of upholding Black cinema and the need to continue pushing for greater inclusion and representation within the film industry. As noted by Lee, events like MIBFF create crucial spaces for celebrating individual voices and serve as a call to action for both filmmakers and audiences to embrace their unique narratives.
PJ Harvey embodies all that she creates
With her first North American shows in seven years, Harvey makes a triumphant return to Montreal
Annabella Lawlor Contributor
Content warning: Mentions of sexual assault
Echoing bass drums underscore the whirring guitars howling from the speakers. Every note engulfs the concert hall, transforming its industrial architecture into a mystical unknown of looming trees contorted over muddy paths, mutating its narrow aisles into a shadowy trail, flanked by a curling mist. The wind becomes a voice of whispers, disheveling all that crosses its dusky path. Lambs bleat on the distant stage; birds coo from seeming nothingness. Down the sonic path, there appears a forest of possibility: A narrative of adolescent discovery; a contemplation of God’s existence on Earth’s barren landscape; a harkening back to England’s past. This is the auditory landscape of PJ Harvey’s I Inside the Old Year Dying
On Saturday, Sept. 21, PJ Harvey electrified audiences with her first Montreal show in seven years. The tour is in support of her 2023 record, I Inside the Old Year Dying , a concept album inspired by her epic poem, “Orlam,” from the previous year. On stage, Harvey assumed the moniker Ira-Abel, a nine-year-old girl traversing into the Gore Woods, the fictional
landscape setting for both the album and the poem. “Orlam” presents the woods as a narrative metaphor for Ira-Abel’s sexual assault and the subsequent world she imagines for herself in understanding the social implications of this experience. Harvey played the album in its totality, emphasizing the symbiotic nature of these songs. She embodied the burdening emotion of the young girl with her exaggerated stage presence, contorting her arms to musical beats into shields for what lies ahead, both mentally and physically.
Even in their most understated performances, such as the album’s title track, the band’s compatibility captured the essence of the physical land with seeming ease. Harvey played alongside her collaborator of 30 years, John Parish, whose whooshing guitar accompaniments coursed through the space like comets. The steady drums, sombre violin, and moody keyboard provided space for Harvey’s whistling vocals and spatial deformations to expand across the stage. Her lyrics, performed in the almost-lost Dorset dialect, warble through the still audience: “I laugh in the leaves and merge to meesh, just a charm in the woak with the chalky children of evermore.” With words taken directly from her poem of the same title, she provides the English translation beside the original in the book, which reads, “I laugh in the leaves and merge
into moss, just a song in the oak with the chalky children of evermore.” Somehow, the meaning of the Dorset language is not lost to many ears, for Harvey fervently embodies the significance of every spoken word. The physicality of her performance was evidently symbolic of Ira-Abel’s girlhood as an object not to be lost but to be strewn into the nature of surrounding life.
With the climax of the album, Harvey’s performance was only half-done. She embodied each era with a passionate fashion of movement and vocal choice. She wielded her guitar as if a sword on early tracks like “Man-Size” and “Dress,” contrasting this vitriolic resentment with personifications of the ethereal “Angelene” and the lovelorn narrator of “Send His Love To Me.” Harvey’s effervescent delivery of these older tracks ignited the energy of the hall into that of nostalgia and elation. Crowds stood, chanting every word, just as they had done 30 years prior.
The whole night, PJ Harvey shapeshifted into figments of her songs, transporting the audience into unknown territory with each lyric. Her power as a storyteller lies in her embodi -
ment of all that she produces; the music flows within her, extracting itself with every movement and note cast down from the stage. Harvey’s talent as a songwriter and performer is evident, for the language of her music bounds into phantasmal realities similar to no other.
PJ Harvey’s music can be found on all music platforms
PJ Harvey is the only artist to win the prestigious Mercury Prize twice, with her 2004 record Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea and 2010’s Let England Shake ( Zoe Lee / The Tribune )
Bring more big-name musical acts to Montreal
Nell Casey & Jeanne Le Roux Contributors
Montreal is often overlooked when it comes to big-name concert tours. Despite its vibrant music scene and energetic crowds, many artists don’t think to stop in Montreal when booking their Canadian tour stops. Meanwhile, cities like Toronto and Vancouver are popular tour destinations. What do other cities have to offer that Montreal does not?
Popular artists such as Olivia Rodrigo have commented on the electrifying energy and enthusiasm that Montreal’s crowds bring to a show. The city also hosts a wide variety of concerts and festivals, from techno events such as Piknic Électronik, to the annual Montreal Jazz Festival, to festivals highlighting Francophone artists, demonstrating that there is an audience for any artist, regardless of style or genre.
Montreal hosts millions of spectators every year at these festivals, and their popularity is only expanding over time. However, the city’s enthusiasm for its music scene extends beyond festivals; local scene bands, live music in bars, and concerts by big and small artists alike captivate its residents year-
round. It is this open-mindedness and vast interest in live music that makes Montreal a city eager to receive larger artists.
Furthermore, Montreal’s geographic location is ideal for hosting out-of-town audiences from smaller cities in Eastern Canada and even those from the U.S., in places like Boston and New York City. While it might seem far to have to travel from Montreal to Toronto to see a popular artist or band perform live, it is nothing compared to the distances those who live in Quebec City, or even in the Maritimes, must travel. Such trips are long, pricey, and often unfeasible for the average concert-goer. By adding tour stops in Montreal, top-tier artists can increase accessibility for fans across Canada.
In general, Montreal is a more affordable city than Toronto, with prices being on average 10 per cent lower. For the artist, this can mean spending less on venue rental fees and on hiring production staff. For the audience, it means that finding transportation, lodging, and food won’t be as costly, leaving more of their budget for the concert tickets themselves. This price difference between the two cities can be reflected in ticket prices as well. Montreal is likewise well-adapted and accustomed to hosting substantial crowds while still offering reliable services. The city is home to Place des Arts,
Reading your way through the
Charlotte Hayes Staff Writer
As much as I love Montreal summers for their longer days, warmer weather, and seemingly endless stream of festivals, I spent most of my June and July longing for the fall months to come. This summer, to balance out the endless monotony of an office job, I took on a personal project—reading my way through the great campus novels. As one would expect, campus novels take place on a university or college campus; they’re typically set in the fall, often involve secret societies or some grand mystery, and can always be counted on to deliver drama at the highest level. So, to help you get in the autumnal mood, here are my top three recommendations for campus novels to read this fall.
‘The Art of Fielding’ by Chad Harbach
As the baseball season comes to a close, The Art of Fielding makes the perfect early-fall read for sports fans and gossipy liberal arts colleges alike. The book follows Henry, a prodigious shortstop for the Westish Harpooners, a fictional Midwestern college team. Henry is a star—his entire team expects him to go pro, but just as his career seems to be taking off, he messes up a routine throw. The disastrous fallout irrevocably changes the lives of five people on campus. Through switching character per-
a large concert hall located in the Quartier des Spectacles, which has a total capacity of 8000 seats and hosts many performances and artists every year.
Centre Bell is another notable venue that can welcome bigger artists. The recent Charli XCX and Troye Sivan Sweat Tour held in this arena transformed the space’s stage with different light displays and impressive set pieces made of scaffolding. The result was an outstanding experience for the fans, and it illustrated the city’s ability to organise thrilling and remarkable concerts. This makes Montreal a city capable of—and accustomed to—organising distinguished cultural events.
Not only does Montreal have the capacity to coordinate important concerts for bigger artists, but its population is also adapted and open to them. With a metro area population of 4,342,000 people in 2023, Montreal is the second largest city in Canada—and inhabitants aged 25 to 34 years old are the city’s largest age group. Younger people tend to attend more concerts as they are usually up-to-date on trendy artists and follow pop culture through social media. The social aspect of concerts also tends to
campus-novel canon
spectives each chapter, author Chad Harbach masterfully balances ‘inside-baseball’ jargon with a gripping college narrative. Addressing a range of topics from performance anxiety and addiction to the melodrama of varsity athletics, The Art of Fielding is a thrilling read, regardless of your affinity for baseball.
‘The Idiot’ by Elif Batuman
Author Elif Batuman’s debut novel, The Idiot , tells the story of Harvard freshman Selin as she embarks on a journey of self-invention. As she goes about her first year, she, on a whim, signs up for a beginner Russian class and meets Ivan, a charming mathematics graduate student from Hungary. Despite limited conversation, they start an increasingly cryptic email exchange, with Ivan using, nearly exclusively, metaphors from their readings. Her growing infatuation and desire to spend the summer abroad drive her to teach English in the Hungarian countryside, hoping to understand Ivan and his background better.
The Idiot unfolds over the course of an academic year, with the first two-thirds following Selin through her fall and winter semesters and the final section focusing on her summer. By grounding much of the novel on Harvard’s campus, the book vividly captures the bitter awkwardness of being a freshman and the rapid changes experienced from month to month. Batuman’s writing immerses readers in Selin’s discomfort, rarely diverting to side plots; she compels us to confront Selin’s anxiety, thrills,
appeal more to younger generations, making them the perfect target audience for big tours.
Montreal’s demographics, its location, its passion for live music, and its ability to organise larger events while maintaining a reasonable price for its services make it a hidden hosting gem for the worldwide famous artists that tend to overlook this city.
and heartbreak directly. The journey of her growth and the ultimately unfinished nature of her personality make this novel a compelling read.
‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt As the most widely-read book on this list, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History has cemented itself as an autumnal classic, with an experience that’s only heightened by being read on a university campus. The story is set (unsurprisingly) at a small, elite liberal arts college in Vermont and tracks an insular group of six Classics students under the influence of the menacingly charismatic Professor Julian Morrow. As his hedonistic lectures turn the group’s morality askew, they end up murdering one of their own.
Now don’t worry, this isn’t really a spoiler—the story starts with confessional narration from protagonist Richard just days after the murder before flashing back to the beginning of his time at college to explain just how he might have become complicit in the death of another student.
Starting as a fairly standard murder (without the) mystery, throughout its nearly 600 pages, the novel descends into utter stomach-churning madness, never truly satisfyingly resolving anything yet leaving the reader wanting more. Its dark fascination with academia combined with the setting of a Vermont fall and winter makes this the perfect book to accompany your first semester.
Montreal’s Olympic Stadium can hold up to 60,000 visitors, a capacity that is on par with stadiums used in large-scale concert tours. ( Drea Garcia-Avila / The Tribune )
The fictional Hampden College in ‘The Secret History’ is a stand-in for author Donna Tartt’s alma mater, Bennington College. ( Bennett Jefferson / The Tribune )
How to stay safe and minimize risk while protesting
Protecting yourself and your rights
Auxane Bussac & Malika Logossou Student Life Editors
Protesting plays a vital role in student life. Standing up for your rights, advocating for those of others, and raising awareness for causes that you hold dear are powerful ways to make your voice heard. Currently, we are witnessing one of the biggest waves of student activism since the Vietnam War. Recent movements on campus such as the Palestinian Solidarity Encampment from Apr. 27 to July 10, or the trans-rights protest march on Sept. 20, highlight the rise in student-led protests. Racialized people, queer and trans people, and other minority groups are particularly at risk, especially when it comes to injuries, violent interactions with police, and getting arrested. In response, The Tribune is committed to providing you with the best information and tools to minimize risk while protesting.
Wearing practical clothing
Wearing comfortable shoes that you can walk and run with is a must. Protesting often requires standing and walking for long periods of time so it is best to be appropriately dressed for movement. Aim for simple and comfortable articles of clothing that covers skin as much as
possible—this includes hoodies or longsleeved shirts as well as pants rather than shorts. This comes in handy in case you fall or get hurt. Bringing extra clothes is important as well, so that you have something to change into if you are exposed to dangerous substances, or are splashed with a substance like paint or water.
To avoid being recognized for privacy reasons, cover identifiable tattoos or visible marks. If you have dyed hair, you may want to conceal it, and if you have long hair, tying it up can prevent it from getting caught or causing unnecessary discomfort. Wearing facemasks, scarves, or bandanas to cover your face is the best way to protect your identity.
What to bring to a protest
Always carry water as protesting outside, especially on a sunny day, can be dehydrating. Additionally, if you get hurt during a protest, applying water to your wound will help you avoid infections. Bringing a snack can also be a good idea to avoid fatigue. To carry those items, a backpack is often more convenient than an over-the-shoulder bag for comfort. It’s also a good idea to bring some cash, in case you unexpectedly need it for transportation.
Make sure to protect your eyes for
Spicing up college cooking
A guide to having fun in the kitchen
Tamiyana Roemer Contributor
After a taxing day of conquering marathon lectures and navigating dense readings, you return to your apartment with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, the relief of your homecoming is short-lived. Student life has yet another trial in store for you: Dinner. For many university students, the never-ending to-do list turns cooking into a tiresome obligation. But what if preparing meals could be a fun and rewarding part of your routine, rather than a chore? Here’s how to transform your next cooking experience into an activity you might actually look forward to.
Cook seasonally
Cooking seasonally can inspire you to connect with the rhythms of the year. As the seasons change, so do the ingredients, inviting you to experiment with fresh produce. Spring’s vibrant greens, summer’s juicy fruits, autumn’s hearty root vegetables, and winter’s cozy flavours each offer a unique culinary experience, turning your kitchen into a celebration of the natural world’s cycles. Seasonal cooking encourages creativity and mindfulness, making each meal an opportunity to savour the distinct tastes and textures that define each time of year. The McGill Farmers’ Market is a great place to discover what’s in season. From July to October, you can find it on
safety reasons with shatter-resistant eye protection like glasses—they can also help you protect your identity for safety. If possible, avoid wearing contact lenses and makeup, as those can trap irritating chemicals.
If you require any medication, such as an inhaler or EpiPen, make sure to carry it with you in case of an emergency or arrest. Also, you might want to wear a medical alert bracelet with information about any medical conditions or allergies you might have.
Know your rights and protest in group
Last but not least, when attending protests, it is important to always know your rights. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms grants you the right to participate in peaceful protests, protest on public streets, camp in public parks, and wear masks. However, your right to protest differs if you are on private property and does not protect riots or the right to blockade lawful activities. Knowing your rights under the law is crucial, especially if you wind up en -
Rue McTavish every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have time to take a longer trip, make sure to check out JeanTalon Market and Mac Market on the Macdonald Campus.
Pick up a cookbook
The internet is overflowing with recipes, which can lead to decision fatigue. Cookbooks simplify the decision-making process through their curated selections, and further narrow the scope of choices through their organization by theme, cuisine, or meal type. Unlike the isolated TikTok recipe on your feed, cookbooks walk you through a broader culinary journey, which allows you to choose recipes that complement each other. Since cookbooks typically have a central theme, you’ll also find that they not only expand your repertoire of cooking techniques and methods but reinforce them to the point of proficiency. As you start to build confidence in the kitchen, you may even find that the newfound ease allows for some joy in the process.
Set the mood
Your cooking experience doesn’t have to feel like a scene straight out of The Bear . After all, you’re not a fictional chef spiraling into the frenzied rhythm of a professional kitchen. Cooking can be a chance to relax and escape the chaos of student life. Light a candle, play some music, and embrace the potential for food prep to be a comforting ritual. Of course, your schedule may not allow for this lux -
gaging with a police officer.
The Tribune also recommends that you avoid protesting alone. Knowing other individuals at the protest is the best way to stay safe, ensuring you have support if any issues arise. It is also a good idea to have a pre-planned location to meet up with others in case anything happens, and to make sure your phone is charged for communication purposes. After the protest, debriefing with your group and talking about what you experienced can be a valuable way to process the event together.
64
ment to certain groups when dealing with protests.
ury every night, which is where meal prepping comes in. One session in the kitchen can yield multiple meals to enjoy throughout the hectic week, and this way, you can preserve cooking as a comfort rather than a draining daily labour.
Serve with style
A nicely plated dish can elevate the cooking process into a true labor of love. While looks aren’t everything, presenting your meal with care can help you admire your hard work with pride. Arrange your food neatly, add a garnish, or even curate a small collection of thrifted tableware to enhance your experience. This way, sitting down to enjoy your creation can feel like a celebration of your efforts.
Food for the soul
Canadian households spend approximately 30 per cent of their food budget on meals and snacks from prepared food sources. ( Sophie
)
Montreal may have an incredible food scene, but restaurants are not the
only place where food brings people together. Inviting someone to cook with you allows your kitchen to transform into a site of strengthened relationships and fond memories. Collaborating on a shared goal naturally fosters communication and support, with easy conversations making their way into the kitchen cacophony of chopping, stirring, and boiling. A shared culinary endeavor can create a delicious meal and a deepened bond, leaving both your body and mind nourished.
per cent of Canadians say the police give preferential treat-
( Abby Zhu / The Tribune )
Alzona / The Tribune
Budgeting tips for McGill students
Helping students navigate Montreal’s vibrant but costly lifestyle
Simona Culotta & Jeanne Le Roux Contributors
Montreal is a unique and vibrant city filled with countless activities, events, and festivals occurring all year round. The city also contains an abundance of aesthetically pleasing cafés and restaurants, with exciting ambiances and delicious food. It is tempting, when surrounded by energetic city life, to go out and take advantage of the fun every weekend. However, the city’s charms come at the cost of both money and time, making budgeting difficult.
In particular, students who are transitioning from campus residence to an apartment face significant lifestyle adjustments. Acknowledging the challenges of this transition, we gathered student insights on making the switch, as well as how they budget their money and manage time while handling academic responsibilities.
Nicholas Coffin, U2 Arts, shared how his busy class schedule limits his ability to grocery shop, cook, and clean up. As a result, he says that he often opts for takeout, “less so for the food itself but more so for the convenience of it because I gen -
erally don’t have a lot of time to do much of anything due to how busy I am.”
Meal prepping offers another option, saving both time and money. Though it requires some effort upfront, preparing meals for the week can ultimately save a lot of time. Focusing your cooking time into one afternoon minimizes the number of trips you need to make to the grocery store. Furthermore, the planning involved in meal prep allows you to buy food in bulk, which is more cost-effective than purchasing smaller quantities.
While cooking at home may be more budget-friendly, it cuts into valuable study hours. By being aware of your workload and keeping up with all your assignments you can not only save time but also easily prepare ahead of time for the expenses you are going to make.
Similarly, constraints due to students’ academic workload often lead them to spend money on convenience services or quick meals, allowing them to focus on their studies without losing precious time. Ultimately, while choosing between time and money may offer temporary relief, learning how to balance both effectively is a vital life skill that will serve students well beyond their academic years.
Francesca Fogelberg, U3 Arts, stated that she was “working a bit part-time while doing school” and that she “worked during the summer to make sure that [she] can afford to do some fun stuff.” Likewise, Madison Bass, U1 Science, explained how limiting her day-to-day expenses to essential things such as grocery shopping allowed her to save money for other activities such as going out.
For students facing similar challenges, one approach to stretching their budget for social activities is taking advantage of affordable options on campus. For instance, the General Store in the Engineering Building offers one-dollar coffee and cheap sandwiches. For Bass, taking advantage of her oneCard money has been an important strategy in her budget management. Your oneCard money is a valuable way to save money on campus since many places such as Mezze and the Soupe Cafe offer meals that you can buy with it. You can also use your OneCard to purchase school manuals at Le James, making it a versatile tool for managing both your meal budget and academic expenses—offering a convenient way to save while navigating student life!
One effective way to improve money
management is by using a banking app, which offers detailed data and insights into spending habits. By tracking patterns and identifying peak spending periods, students can develop better strategies to manage and control our expenses. However, it can also be easier and clearer to use Google Sheets to track and monitor your spending habits. Another way to be more aware of expenses is to separate your savings and chequing accounts. By weekly transferring your money from your savings into your chequing account, you can control the money you spend and make sure you stick to your budget. Don’t forget to reward yourself from time to time though!
Beep! Beep! Why you should be using this bright yellow student service
MustBus offers affordable transit for McGill students
Geoffrey Nelson Contributor
Often, I recall the childhood excitement of the morning before a school field trip. I practically leapt from my bed, because the day was not like most. Quickly, I ran to the kitchen and packed my lunch for the journey ahead. One shoe, followed by the other; I moved through the front door. The morning dew was cold, the sun radiating onto the grass. I walked to the street corner and waited, the excitement making the minutes feel like hours. Suddenly, a large yellow vehicle came to whisk me away from my boring school life and into an adventure. As I embarked, I not only felt the start of a new day but the start of a new journey. I now reflect on that childhood whimsy and recognize how laborious being an adult truly is. Maybe the magic is gone; or maybe it’s just four wheels away.
Leaves changing, chapters turning, and midterms ever encroaching. While it is hard for students to think ahead to the upcoming reading week, here is a service to make transit during breaks easier. MustBus Co-Op is a Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)-funded student-run transit operation with the goal of making transportation affordable and efficient for McGill students.
If you are from Ottawa, Québec City, Toronto, Boston, or New York, MustBus is offering transportation to and from these cities during reading week. One advantage of taking a MustBus trip is that the service picks you up
on Rue McTavish—conveniently close to the center of campus—as opposed to the Gare d’autocars on Rue Berri for Greyhound buses. As Drew Cassetty, U3 Arts, Co-President of MustBus says of his own experiences with Greyhound: “Vibes were just horrible.” The MustBus service also provides the same coach bus vehicle type as Greyhound at a fraction of the price. In addition to the considerable financial and time savings, there is a sense of comradery and safety traveling with a group of McGill students which also makes it a great opportunity to make new friends.
A trip with Greyhound from Montreal to New York takes 15 hours and costs around $230 CAD; whereas MustBus takes eight hours and costs $140 CAD. The savings are considerable and worth taking advantage of for students.
If you are not planning to travel for reading week, MustBus also provides Day Trip opportunities. In the past, the organization has gone to Mont-Tremblant, Niagara Falls, Tadoussac, and Sutton for various activities including hiking, apple picking and whale watching. These trips are a great opportunity for international and out-of-province students to explore the vast and beautiful landscapes of Canada.
Looking to the future, in an interview with The Tribune , Cassetty and the other Co-President, Henry Shapiro, U4 Management, discussed an ambitious plan of action for the organization. The two talked of expanding the service to other universities in Montreal by start -
ing a chapter with motivated groups of students at institutions like Concordia.
MustBus allows students to travel in large groups, an incentive for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to because of the cost. Additionally, the service opens up opportunities of travel for international students who aren’t able to rent a car. Shapiro additionally stated that they are trying to increase engagement amongst McGill’s international student population.
“[Generally speaking,] international students are more likely to travel solo,” Shapiro stated.
For Cassetty, one of the main pur -
poses of MustBus is for students to form a strong bond around their common McGill identity, which provides a good opportunity for both international and local students to explore Quebec and access affordable transportation, all while meeting other McGillians.
“Being a McGill student and going on this [MustBus day trip], you already have a base level of things in common,” he added.
Whether you want to explore “la belle province,” return home for school breaks, or just relive high school nostalgia, MustBus provides a service to fit those needs.
Cafés on campus offer discounts if you bring your own cup! ( Bruno Cotler / The Tribune )
Each ticket entitles you to one larger piece of luggage (which will be stored in the bus’ compartment underneath) and one personal item. ( Geoffrey Nelson / The Tribune )
