The McGill Tribune Vol. 42 Issue 8

The McGill Tribune

The Official 2022 McGill Residence cafeteria rankings

McGill swim teams finish first at second Quebec Cup

Home pool advantage gives both Redbirds and Martlets the edge over competition

Eliza Lee Contributor

Harry North Staff Writer

Pull up a stool and listen in. This is the official 2022 McGill Residence Caf eteria rankings. No if’s, but’s, or may be’s—this is it.

Along with the ranking, this also serves as a write-up for the places where McGill provides students with the most important commodity of all. And no, it’s not your education—it’s your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Before we commence, I have one in struction: Go to your music app and look up “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees— I’m serious. Get it up now. You know the song. When I give the signal, press play. This is just to add some rhythm to the piece and, after all, I do seriously want to avoid food poisoning and… stay alive. So, are you ready? Here’s your sig nal: Hit play. Now, sit back, relax, and here we go.

The McGill Tribune)

McGill Swimming hosted the sec ond Quebec Cup league swim meet of the RSEQ season at Memorial Pool on Oct. 29. Both the Martlets and Redbirds teams finished first in their respective men’s and women’s divisions, allowing McGill to beat out the teams from the University of Ottawa, Université de Laval, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. The McGill team secured first place by an impressive margin with a total of 1,058.5 points—293 points ahead of second-place University of Ottawa.

After narrowly coming in second place just 76.67 points behind UOttawa at their first meet on Oct. 7, the Redbirds’ win came as a welcome surprise to the team.

“[The win] was pretty unexpected, I would say. But I think we’re going to keep that ball rolling going through the season,” said Redbirds captain Eric Pelletier in an interview with The McGill Tribune

night

Judge grants injunction to halt New Vic construction in historic win for Mohawk Mothers

Archaeological work put on pause for at least four months

Jasjot Grewal Staff Writer

A Quebec Superior Court judge, Justice Gregory Moore, granted the Kanien’kehà:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Moth ers) an interlocutory injunction on Oct. 27, after a two-day

court hearing for the Mothers’ ongoing lawsuit against Mc Gill over potential unmarked Indigenous graves on the site of McGill’s New Vic. This injunction will effectively halt all archeological work for approximately four months.

An interlocutory injunction is a court order that pre vents a party from performing certain actions until the final

decision in a case has been made. In this case, McGill is still allowed to perform maintenance work on the site, but is prohibited from conducting any further excavation. Arkéos, the archeological firm hired by McGill, had begun excava tion without the Mothers’ consent on Oct.12.

Sit back,turn up the music, and see if your favourite cafeteria came out on top

(Julia Buckle / The McGill Tribune)

Judge grants injunction to halt New Vic construction in historic win for Mohawk Mothers

Archaeological work put on pause for at least four months

Jasjot Grewal Staff Writer

Continued from page 1.

In an interview with The McGill Tribune , anthropologist and associate of the Mothers, Philippe Blouin, emphasized that the Mothers’ win is a historic achievement that establishes an important legal precedent.

“It’s the first time in Canadian history that Indigenous people won without lawyers. This will be jurisprudence for future cases,” Blouin said.

The two-day hearing saw arguments from both the Mothers and McGill, as well as Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray. The Mothers gave a presentation on the historical background of the case and recounted their past efforts. Mohawk Mother Kahentinetha also criticized McGill’s communication with the Mothers, which she described as negligent.

“The only information we get is from McGill University’s Instagram photo-ops,” Kahentinetha said in court.

Kahentinetha told the Tribune that during the proceedings, she voiced her frustration with McGill’s constant dismissal of the Mothers and their methods for handling the court case. Now that the judge has granted the injunction, she is looking forward to non-hostile discussions with McGill in the future.

“We told them that we feel like we are being silenced,” Kahentinetha said. “We

to try to voice their concerns,” Blouin said. “It was taken into account with the final report of the [Office de consultation publique de Montréal].”

On the second day of the hearing, the Court established that it had the responsibility to act in an honourable way toward Indigenous peoples as stipulated by the honour of the Crown constitutional principle. The principle outlines that the government must “act with honour, integrity, good faith, and fairness in all of its dealings with Indigenous peoples.”

In anticipation of the hearings, Divest McGill, a student-run environmental justice group, held events to mobilize the McGill community in support of the Mothers. One of the events was a protest outside of the Palais de justice de Montréal on Oct. 26. About 30 people attended, with some individuals inside the courthouse watching the hearing, while others watched the live stream from outside. Maya Garfinkel, U4 Arts and Divest organizer, believes that students must bear witness to McGill’s litigation in order to hold the administration accountable for its actions.

“McGill’s strategy, as with many issues that McGill faces, has been to sweep things under the rug. So in order to combat that strategy of erasure, we need to do the opposite,” Garfinkel said in an interview with the Tribune . “We need to raise awareness and bring people into the fold who may not be aware of what is happening otherwise.”

Kawawachikamach, was present for the hearing, and condemned McGill’s alleged desecration of graves. She believes that the Canadian legal system is not built for handling issues regarding unmarked Indigenous graves, as there is no previous jurisprudence entailing how to deal with mass burial sites on unceded land.

“I felt obligated to be here because everyone needs a proper burial. Why would you just go and move the bodies of children, especially children,” Mameanskum said in an interview with the Tribune . “I was inside and [...] lawyers said they’re not qualified to make these kinds of decisions because their laws are white laws. He said we’re here because of colonialism. It really hit me [....] I felt chills.”

Following his decision to grant an emergency injunction, Justice Moore commended Mohawk traditions of mediation. He encouraged both parties to uphold those principles instead of adversarial litigation.

“He said that these talks should be inspired perhaps by the way discussions happen in the Longhouse and Mohawk tradition,” Blouin said. “The Mohawk Mothers are not opposing McGill per se. They respect their educational vocation, but […] this is a question of the land there. If McGill is standing on unceded land, it has to be dealt with in a respectful manner.”

most effective and ethical archeological practice for performing work in a way that is respectful to the land and the potential remains.

“We have four months to work out some kind of agreement on each side, so that we understand each other, what we’re trying to do, and just how this is going to be carried out,” Kahentinetha said. “We really want to start a good dialogue. That’s what we’re working towards, a peaceful dialogue with McGill.”

McGill is also preparing for the collaborative discussions. McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle outlined McGill’s next steps after the courtordered excavation postponement in an email to the Tribune

“The archaeological fieldwork […] is completed and the intervention did not lead to any archaeological discovery,” Mazerolle wrote. “Following the court decision this week, granting a short-term injunction to the defendants, McGill will examine the decision thoroughly over the coming weeks and will reach out to the special interlocutor to discuss ways of meeting the concerns that were raised.”

The Mothers urge students to continue to peacefully support their case. In fact, student activism may have made a difference in the Mothers’ case, according to Garfinkel.

explained our frustration with the way we thought we were being mistreated, but it was basically a misunderstanding between us. And now, we’re going to be able to explain to them how we operate, which is very exciting.”

McGill’s attorney, Doug Mitchell, debated with Murray and the Mothers over whether the Superior Court of Quebec was the appropriate setting for adjudicating this case. The Mothers countered that they had exhausted all channels outside of the court to express their concerns, and argued that the courtroom was their last resort.

“[The Mothers] filed another affidavit [on] the first day of the hearing that showed all the different steps that they already took

On Oct. 25, Divest held a movie screening in support of the Mothers, showcasing Kanehsatake, 270 Years of Resistance , a film about the Oka Crisis, or the Kanesatake Resistance—a confrontation between members of the Mohawk Nation and the city of Oka, which called in the Canadian army after trying to expand a golf course into a Mohawk burial ground.

“It is ultimately a story of resilience, and we want to take that message of resilience forward as we continue to act in solidarity with the Mohawk Mothers and the Indigenous peoples in resistance across Turtle Island,” Garfinkel said.

Edna Isabel Mameanskum, a protestor and member of the Naskapi Nation of

Kahentinetha emphasized that the long-standing Indigenous decisionmaking process should be of interest to all parties. She recounted a time when she taught members of the McGill community about the approach and the importance of constructive debating.

“When we taught it the first time at McGill, we were there for a whole day,” Kahentinetha said. “We explained it to them, and gave them a problem to work on. They loved it. They said ‘this is the best decision-making system I’ve ever seen.’ This is not adversarial. This is one where people learn to understand each other. And in the end, people can become friends.”

The Mothers celebrated their win, but quickly returned to preparing for the collective discussions in four months. In the next hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, all parties will collectively determine the

“I was struck by the mentions of student activism and student voices even in the courtroom,” Garfinkel said. “For example, the Mohawk Mothers were able to leverage the fact that many students had spoken out against the issue during their statement in court, making it clear that [...] there are many in McGill’s public, including in the student body, who oppose the way the project has been moving forward. It was clear that this statement had weight in the courtroom and we were proud to have contributed to that possibility.”

The Mothers hope that their win will mark a new era of reconciliation at McGill.

“Real progress can be made from here. It’s wonderful that we’re going to do this,” Kahentinetha said. “No more stress, no more fear, none of that. Can you imagine that after [500 years], we’re now going to be taken seriously?”

The injunction granted by the judge is not the final decision in the case, which will only come once the Mothers and McGill have come to an agreement. (cbc.ca)

McGill began archeological work on the New Vic site before the ruling, and the university’s work in front of the Hersey Pavilion was allegedly completed prior to the judge’s decision. (aptnnews.ca)

Medical students call for comprehensive abortion education across Canada

Shani Laskin Staff Writer

Medicalstudents are pushing schools across Canada for greater abortion education in their curricula as a means to improve access to reproductive health care nationwide. Students are emphasizing the issue in light of the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 24, which has led to the increased scrutiny of abortion access in Canada.

Sex[M]ed, an organization founded by Jillian Schneidman, a third-year medical student at McGill, launched a petition on March 10 calling on various Canadian institutions

to increase their abortion training in medical education. The petition was addressed to the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Medical Council of Canada, the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, and every medical school in the country.

The petition urges institutions to include and standardize curricula on abortion and to ensure students are exposed to abortion practices in a clinical setting. It also calls for institutions to create working groups to monitor the implementation of these goals and to keep the medical community informed about any progress.

Currently, McGill’s medical curriculum dedicates one hour of total lecture time to abortion within a larger fourweek block titled “Reproduction and Sexuality.”

In a statement to The McGill Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle explained that the curriculum is designed this way because counselling patients about abortions and performing

abortions is beyond the level of learning expected of medical students.

“Over the course of their training, students will, however, be exposed to patients with spontaneous abortions (miscarriages) and may see patients who request termination of a pregnancy,” Mazerolle wrote. “This exposure happens within the clinical context.”

While abortion is legal in Canada, whether they will perform the procedure or not is up to the discretion of healthcare providers. Abortion providers are also concentrated in urban areas, making access to the procedure in remote and rural communities difficult. Prince Edward Island, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories all have one abortion provider for the entirety of the respective province or territory, while Quebec has 49 providers.

In an interview with the Tribune, Schneidman stressed the importance of comprehensive abortion education for medical students as it reduces barriers for people seeking the procedure.

“In order to increase this access and ensure that abortion services are available across the country, it really relies on health care providers, including physicians to be educated, trained, and willing to provide the procedures,” Schneidman said. “Equipping medical students with the information, tools, and resources is really the starting point to be able to do that.”

Cheryl Armistead, professor at the Ingram School of Nursing, added that a lack of education leads to the further stigmatization

of abortion. Armistead believes that expanded education can work to shift perceptions as people, particularly medical students, enter the workforce.

“Everyone who’s entering school [...] they’re going in with all the stereotypes and myths they’ve absorbed from society,” Armistead said in an interview with the Tribune. “If they are not given the opportunity in academia to question that, to open their mind, to look at other perspectives, then they are going to exit and go into care and just reinforce all the status quos, inequities, and oppressions that already exist.”

Armistead said that the role of academia reduces the harmful rhetoric surrounding abortions.

“So we have to have open dialogue, we have to have this conversation, we have to stop stigmatizing it. And if we don’t, if we don’t do it in academia, oh my goodness, where [else]?”

Kelly Gordon, assistant professor of political science, and Pearl Eliadis, a lawyer in Quebec, will explore the issue of abortion rights in Canada further during a panel on Nov. 2. The event titled, “Roe v. Wade: A Canadian Perspective Panel,” will be hosted by McGill Medical Students for Choice (MMSFC).

For medical students looking to learn more about abortion, MMSFC is an organization that works to destigmatize it and offer more opportunities for abortion education outside of the classroom.

McGill librarians say students regulate volume levels, but not food consumption in libraries

Madison Edward-Wright & Ghazal Azizi Managing Editor & News Editor

Finalsseason is fast approaching, and with them comes extended library hours to accommodate students.

Libraries are a popular study spot and as foot traffic increases, more students have to confront library policies like silent zones and bans on eating.

Anjolie Levêque, U2 Arts, is one of these students. On Oct. 31, Levêque was writing a midterm in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library and said that while it was “packed,” the noise level was not absurd. “I got there around 12 and it was at 50 per cent capacity and I was on the fifth floor [....] By the time I left all the seats were taken,” Levêque said in an interview with The McGill Tribune . “I heard a bit of music coming from people’s earphones but today was actually pretty good. I have had some days where people talk very casually, full voice or constantly whispering in completely silent zones.”

Anaïs Salamon, an associate librarian working in the Islamic Studies Library, and Sonia Smith, the acting head librarian of the Nahum Gelber Law Library, both told the Tribune in separate statements that controlling noise in their respective libraries is not something they have to monitor closely. Students typically selfregulate and respect the other students

trying to work.

“If some students are noisy, they will be silenced by other students,” Smith wrote in an email to the Tribune . “We have [...] very respectful students that come to the Law Library to study, instead of for the purpose of socializing.”

The generally calm atmosphere of the Law Library has not stopped library staff from having protocols in place for handling rowdy students. Ana Rogers-Butterworth, liaison librarian for the Law Library, told the Tribune in an email that librarians are not the only ones around to enforce the rules.

“Library staff is on site during open service desk hours [...] to respond to any complaints and university security responds very quickly if needed. A security guard also does rounds throughout the day,” Rogers-Butterworth explained.

“When the library is open and the service desk is closed [...] there is a security guard stationed at the door and another security guard does regular rounds of the building.”

Back on McTavish, Salamon believes that the atmosphere and floor plan of the Islamic Studies Library is what keeps students quiet while they work.

“We are lucky to be in an environment that is conducive to quiet study: [T]he historical nature of the building, the bookshelves, and the individual study carrels seem to

be enough to enforce the noise policy,” Salamon wrote. “The fact that the popularity of the [Islamic Studies Library] is constantly growing makes it a little more challenging for us to enforce policies, but it remains manageable.”

In the Islamic Studies Library, however, the policy that is most often violated is the no-food rule, according to Salamon. Most libraries have a policy against food because scraps and crumbs attract rodents and bugs, who often turn their attention to books when all the food is gone.

“I wish people would understand that food remains attract rats and mice and that there is a good reason why we ask them not to eat in the library,” Salamon wrote. “When we see users eating, we will ask them to pack up the food and go somewhere else

to eat; but we know that as soon as we are gone people go back to eating.”

Some students, like Anakin McMahon, U3 Nursing, take issue with the no eating policy, especially when they find themselves spending hours at a time working.

“I have never had anyone tell me I shouldn’t [bring food], but I feel like we need to eat,” McMahon said. “For a lot of people who can’t go home between classes, this is probably the best place where they can eat an affordable lunch brought from home.”

McGill’s Faculty of Medicine allocates one hour of lecture time to abortion practices

Some libraries, like the Humanities and Social Sciences Library Complex, have caf eterias where students can eat, instead of between bookshelves. (Maeve Reilly / The McGill Tribune)

Over 74,000 surgical abortions were reported in Canada in 2020. (Kowin Chen / The McGill Tribune)

McGill student and professor host discussion with Peter-McGill Community Council director

Speaker series attempts to bridge divide between McGill students and the city

Lily Cason News Editor

Adiscussion featuring Stéphane Febbrari, the director of the PeterMcGill Community Council, and co-hosted by Megan Uderian, U3 Nursing, and Mary Anne Poutanen, a Concordia affiliate professor who teaches interdisciplinary courses on Quebec and Canada at McGill, took place on Oct. 25 over Zoom.

The event was part of the “Montréal as seen by…” series put on by the Quebec Studies Program (QSP), the Quebec Studies Students Association (QSSA), the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Montreal (CIRM), and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC).

The Peter-McGill Community Council is a bilingual non-profit organization that aims to assess and fulfill community needs through outreach, consultation, planning, and advocacy. Founded in December 2002, the Council represents a swath of downtown Montreal, including the Golden Square Mile, where McGill is located. Uderian asked Febbrari to

explain the Council’s mandate at the beginning of the talk. Febbrari explained that the Council aims to bring people together, listen to the community, and pool resources to effect positive change.

“Our main role is really to be a voice with no filters,” Febbrari said.

“We are an independent group, we have different sorts of funding. So, when we listen to our residents, we try to channel their voice in advocacy to the city and health services or ministers.”

According to its website, the Council currently has committees dedicated to the needs of families, food security, immigration, urban development, neighbourhood life, seniors, and youth action. While the Community Council began as an organization primarily representing older residents and business owners in the neighbourhood, Febbrari said that it has since worked to include a more diverse range of voices.

Febbrari stated that over 40 per cent of the neighbourhood’s residents are living below the government-set poverty line—although he noted that this number is somewhat skewed by international students, who often have unregistered sources

of income. He explained that the Community Council has a number of initiatives and partnerships with local shelters and community organizations to help alleviate the burden families and individuals frequently face while trying to make ends meet. Febbrari also saw the problem worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have a monthly market with [...] products for the families for free, and [...] food also,” Febbrari said. “Those markets started to really boom [during] COVID, and now we keep on developing around [them] because we were seeing a need.”

In addition to food insecurity and the housing crisis, Febbrari touched on immigration, a lack of green space, and the climate crisis in his answers to Uderian’s questions. He also explained that the Community Council is part of a larger coalition that aims to facilitate communication between the different boroughs of the city.

The “Montréal as seen by…” series hosts five to six events a year, all co-run by a McGill student, and aims to connect McGill students with the greater Montreal community.

Poutanen, who has integrated the lecture series into her courses, finds the talks to be an important educational tool that exposes students to a variety of non-McGill perspectives from around the city.

Juliet Morrison News Editor

The Legal Information Clinic at McGill (LICM) aims to help students with anything from accusations of plagiarism to navigating disputes with landlords.The McGill Tribune looked into this campus resource and all the legal issues the LICM’s volunteer staffers can help students address.

What is the Legal Information Clinic at McGill?

The LICM is a bilingual, free legal information service. Located on the first floor of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) University Centre building, the LICM provides legal information first and foremost. It also helps with, student advocacy, such as representing students in disputes with McGill, and community services, such as hosting public legal education popup booths. The LICM’s team consists of approximately 90 caseworkers and student advocates and six directors who manage the clinic, each specializing in an area, including communications, research, community services, human and material resources, and student advocacy and university affairs. Though staffed by McGill law students, the LICM is an independent organization.

What types of legal issues can the LICM help with?

The LICM can provide legal information

on a broad range of issues, including housing, employment, immigration, municipal law and by-laws, and more. Providing legal information is different from advising. LICM caseworkers can explain and cite laws, but are not allowed to recommend any course of action to students. This is because the voluntaree caseworkers are law students and are prohibited from providing legal advice as per section 128 of the Act Respecting the Barreau du Québec.

The LICM does not take on cases that deal with criminal, tax, or construction law. In an email to the Tribune, the LICM clarified that issues in these legal areas are complex and are difficult to answer competently without obtaining specific information and giving advice. However, students can turn to the LICM’s Community Resources webpage that lists relevant resources to address those matters. Students can also email or call the LICM if they are looking for additional resources beyond what is listed on the website.

What type of advocacy can the LICM do for students?

The student advocacy branch assists students with formal and informal dispute resolutions related to McGill. This means everything from helping students navigate McGill’s internal policies, such as the Policy against Sexual Violence (PSV) or the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (CSCDP), to facilitating negotiations between students and McGill or students and student associations. Student

“[The series] is offering an opportunity for students to meet people who look at Montreal and look at Quebec from different perspectives, as well,” Poutanen said during an interview with The McGill Tribune . “It can be somebody who teaches, who has a basketball program, it can be somebody who runs a virtual museum. It’s quite a diverse group of people who have a stake in the city and a stake in Quebec.”

According to the Community Council’s website, first-gener ation immigrants represent 63 per cent of the Peter-McGill neighbourhood’s overall population of around 35,700.

( petermcgill.org )

coordinator for the Quebec Studies Department, stated that the series is centred around practices of experiential and transformative learning.

Stéphan Gervais, scientific

at

advocacy officers can also represent students in hearings with McGill by helping students prepare evidence and supporting documents before proceedings.

The LICM student advocacy branch can also help navigate issues with academic supervisors, grievances against the university, and disciplinary matters, such as representing students facing accusations of plagiarism. The LICM has also participated in the revision of McGill policies. For example, they helped improve the McGill PSV by commenting on it from a student-centric position in 2016 and were also consulted during its recent revisions in 2022.

What can the LICM do for student groups?

Through their Just Info program, the LICM can provide student groups and McGill community organizations with free legal information in the form of presentations. These presentations may be given in English or French and can range from 30 minutes to three hours. Possible topics include most areas of Quebec law, except for criminal law, tax law, and construction. While the presentations are tailored to the needs of the group, caseworkers can only offer basic legal information. As law students, the LICM’s volunteers cannot give specialized answers to certain legal questions a student group may have about their particular situation.

“It [...] goes back to learning about oneself really, learning about being an individual, being a citizen, being a Montrealer,” Gervais said. “We, in a very modest way, we try to make it easy for students, we try to offer them

How can students access the LICM’s services?

Students can sign up for legal information by filling out the LICM’s form on their website. Student advocacy services can be accessed by setting up an appointment through email or by phone.

In January, June, and September, the LICM also sets up pop-up legal information clinics on campus as part of their ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign. Members of the McGill community can walk up to the booth and ask specific legal questions to LICM volunteers, which they will then try to respond to immediately. The specific dates, times, and locations of pop-up booths are posted on the LICM’s social media accounts.

The Legal Information Clinic at McGill can be reached at 514-398-6792

The Legal Information Clinic at McGill is the largest bilingual and student-run legal clinic in Canada. (Maeve Reilly / The McGill Tribune)

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STAFF

Self-determination, not colonial intervention

CW: Mentions of sexual and colonial violence

Amidst endemic gang violence, fuel blockades, and a cholera outbreak in Haiti, the United Nations (UN) Security Council is considering a military intervention to support the Westernbacked central government. Foreign incursions have already begun, with Canada and the United States sending military equipment to Haiti on Oct. 15. These measures have been met with widespread condemnation and protests from Haiti to Montreal.

The West’s military intervention in Haiti’s internal affairs is consistent with its legacy of vicious and sustained colonialism, which is what led to the country’s unlivable conditions in the first place. The effects of colonialism transcend borders, extending to impact the Haitian diaspora through systemic racism, including in Quebec and in Montreal. The Canadian government must end its violent interventions and actively listen to Haitian voices in conversations about what is best for their country.

Haiti was the first Caribbean country to gain independence after its overthrow of French rule in 1804, and the first country to permanently abolish slavery. While independent for over 200 years, Haiti remains

a brutalized target of Western colonialism. The U.S. violently occupied the country in 1915, and it was forced to pay a debt to France until 1947, continuing an economic legacy of French exploitation. More recently, in 2004, a UN military intervention, which included Canadian soldiers, committed widespread rape and sexual abuse and brought a cholera epidemic to the country that killed nearly 10,000 people. The UN faced repeated calls from the Haitian population to leave, but the operation persisted until 2017.

These actions from the West are not coincidental; they serve to reinforce imperialist power and interests. In 2004, Canada supported a coup against the democraticallyelected leader of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, which caused violence and instability in the country. Canada’s recent play for intervention is yet another attempt to exert Western control over Haiti’s politics and economy, and it must be stopped before Haiti’s cycle of suffering at the hands of colonialism is repeated.

Western political manipulation surrounding intervention extends beyond military campaigns and applies to self-purported “humanitarian” aid as well. The West’s conception of aid is not charitable; it provides development assistance in exchange for political influence and dominance, reinforcing power dynamics created during colonization. Canada and the West

get acclaim for sending “aid” to countries such as Haiti, but then get to dictate how they are supposed to develop, who their leaders should be, and on what terms they can intervene. Aid should never be a political strategy to obtain dominance and control, and its current conception must be reworked to prioritize the self-determination of the recipient countries.

There are approximately 74,000 Haitians living in Quebec, mostly in Montreal, and as is often the case with Black communities in North America, they are subjected to overpolicing, educational inequities, racist barriers to child-care, and severe immigration restrictions. These factors make it difficult to immigrate, and once in Canada, many are unable to receive permanent residency and are deported. Poor labour conditions and economic exploitation of Haitian workers in Canada further exemplify that Black immigrants are seen primarily as commodities by the Canadian immigration system.

Haitians in Montreal have a long tradition of resistance against injustices. During the 1970s and 1980s, there was unfaltering HaitianCanadian activism, including the movement against the deportations of Haitian Canadians and the Haitian taxi drivers’ battle against discrimination. It is time to recognize that the façade of Quebec and Canada as welcoming and humanitarian is a lie. The Canadian government must

Remembering Ammi’s Saree

Shireen Aamir Design Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

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The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University. The content of this publication is the sole responsibil ity of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publica tion de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Sub missions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely pro motional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff.

work to reform the immigration process and to eliminate systemic barriers for the Haitian community. A first step is creating an expedited immigration process for Haitian immigrants and refugees, similar to the one created for Ukrainians immediately after the war. The lack of a similar system highlights a racist double standard and shows that the Canadian immigration system does not prioritize Black lives.

The McGill administration also has a hand in the ongoing oppression of the Haitian community. McGill participates in the economic segregation of Montreal by raising rents in the surrounding area—forcing low-income communities such as Haitians out of neighbourhoods adjacent to campus. Additionally, professors have failed to give proper attention to the crisis in Haiti, despite it being a focal point in the history of the fight against colonialism and white supremacy. While much of the educational onus falls on professors, other lecturers such as teaching assistants also have the power to guide discussions in conferences and get students thinking critically. Without appropriately addressing the colonial crisis, the burden of education will unfairly fall on Black and Haitian students. As future leaders, McGill students have a responsibility to learn about the harms of imperialist intervention and fight to ensure it does not continue in Haiti.

the market, and the other wore her high-school farewell saree, the one I wore was near and dear to my heart. An ancestral piece, it was a silk, black saree with blue and grey rosettes throughout. I adored every second of wearing a piece that had been passed down for generations. As it was my first experience wearing Ammi’s (we call our Nani ‘Ammi’) clothes, I was almost flaunting when I showed her how I styled it. However, it turned out to be the only time I would be able to do so.

One of the most tragic and pivotal events I have ever had to face took place just over a month ago. “Ammi passed away” was the WhatsApp notification that popped up on my mobile screen.

three words shown on the screen, but what was the next step? Do I cry until I feel like I’ll be able to move on? Or do I shut down the idea of mourning the loss? Whatever my choice, it was important to remind myself that I didn’t have to go through it alone. Everyone affected by her death felt a different pain; the only one I can speak for is my own. I felt my grieving was distinct in that we were half a world apart.

get back home in the summer. I have the urge to remember its importance in my life and make sure it’s treated with care. I try to imagine how the image of Ammi wearing her saree would seem now. The idea of safekeeping someone else’s belongings will now carry greater responsibility. The saree’s journey is an ongoing one. However, its different chapters will be frozen in time and pictures.

July

21, 2021, was the only day I ever wore my Nani’s (maternal grandmother’s) saree. After years of putting off the theme, my family finally committed to wearing sarees on Eid Al-Fitr. While one of my cousins bought hers straight from

Experiencing the loss of a family member while being away from home was unfamiliar territory. I didn’t know how to approach it. No one prepares you for it, and I don’t think anyone ever can. The most I could do was read it over again and accept the

I couldn’t escape my endless yearning for a physical goodbye. It was my first waking thoughts that hurt the worst in the weeks immediately after her passing. With time, however, I noticed how remembering certain cherished moments with Ammi became a coping mechanism. One of these memories was of the time I wore her saree. As each day passed, I found it to be of deeper meaning to me. The memory associated with the saree made it an object I would hold onto tightly.

These days, I have the urge to hold the saree as soon as I

I had to deal with the helplessness of my inability to be with Ammi during the funeral rituals. Dealing with loss required a rare approach this time. I needed to remind myself to not push away the emotions, to take my time. The special memory and honour associated with Ammi’s saree will never fade. Grief is definitely not a smooth journey: It’s a bumpy ride with pit stops of flashbacks and recurring memories. July 21, 2021 is one of my pit stops, and I don’t mind staying here a bit longer.

CW: Mention of death and loss of a family member.

The McGill Tribune Editorial Board

Joseph Abounohra, Kareem Abuali, Yasmine El Dukar, Ella Gomes, Sequoia Kim, Shani Laskin, Kennedy McKee-Braide, Madison McLauchlan, Michelle Siegel, Sophie Smith

Julia Buckle, Margaux Chaillou, Kowin Chen, Aimee DeLong, Soraya Ghassemlou, Naomi Gupta, Philippe Haddad, Lauren Hicken, Julie Jacques, Eliza Lee, Maeve Reilly, Maia Salhofer, Joy Sebera

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Margo Berthier, Ella Buckingham, Melissa Carter, Adeline Fisher, Suzanna Graham, Jasjot Grewal, Charlotte Hayes, Monique Kasonga, Chloé Kichenane, Shani Laskin, Zoé Mineret, Harry North, Ella Paulin, Dana Prather, Athina Sitou, Yash Zodgekar

Monique Kasonga Staff Writer

OnOct. 17, Loblaw Companies Ltd.,

Canada’s largest grocery retailer that owns and operates Loblaws, No Frills, Provigo, Maxi, Pharmaprix, among others, announced that it would be freezing prices on all its No Name branded products for the next three months. This means that approximately 1,500 No Name grocery items are now fixed at a set rate. After months of intense grocery price increases, Loblaw’s decision to freeze the prices of only one of its many brands

A price freeze won’t fix inflation

is largely symbolic and won’t help those suffering from rising grocery prices. The No Name price freeze proves that Canada’s major grocery chains operate as an oligopoly, are dishonest about their profiteering, and are completely apathetic to the hardships of working-class Canadians. Especially in a time of unprecedented inflation, the Canadian government, as outlined by their antitrust statutes, should use the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) motion to investigate the grocery giants to regulate grocery prices for all products.

Additionally, universities like McGill should remove mandatory meal plans, reduce prices at on-

campus eateries, and provide resources for finding affordable and nutritious food around campus.

Loblaw’s platform choice in announcing the price freeze is certainly bizarre. Loblaw chairman and Weston Family Corp heir, Galen Weston, sent an out-of-touch email pushing the blame for skyrocketing prices away from his own company. The email did not address Loblaw’s soaring profit margins this past year, with corporate profits hitting an all-time high of nearly 20 per cent in the second quarter of the year. The email and symbolic price freeze make a mockery of the suffering that working-class people have faced this past year, and demonstrate Loblaw’s complete disregard for the Canadians they claim to serve. The price freeze at this point in the year does not help Canadians when the grocery prices have already gone through the roof, not to mention that the timing lines up with a standard-practice annual freeze anyway. The price freeze is clearly a marketing strategy, and not a charitable relief measure. With the top Canadian retailers holding 80 per cent of the market share, market concentration of this kind leads to higher prices. The NDP recently submitted a unanimous motion in Parliament to investigate price-gouging and to lower food prices in the House of Commons. In addition to an investigation into the grocery chain’s profits, the motion could strengthen competition laws and draw attention to how corporate greed is a significant contributor to inflation. .

Students in Canada are particularly affected by rising costs of living and tuition increases. Many students have suffocating amounts of student debt

How to deal with noisy library-goers

Julie Jacques Contributor

r/McGill: u/deskaquatic: “You can’t make this up” u/lolakitty: “If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times?”

u/ragingpoeti: “STFU on the quiet floors of McLennan”

Let’s set the scene.

It’s midterm season. Your four professors convened and decided that the best course of action would be to assign six assessments due next week. You’re struggling to get them finished, so you decide to take advantage of the recently established 24/7 hours at the McLennan-Redpath library complex.

You’ve been avoiding the sun, having been in the library all day, every day, for the past week. You can barely remember what it feels like to sit on a comfortable chair, and have lost count of how many coffees you’ve chugged today. But it’s okay, because all your friends are in the same boat. You band together to motivate each other and create perfect cramming conditions.

Except, wherever you settle, there’s a group of

students who can’t possibly know where they are: The library. They’re catching everyone, and you do mean everyone, up on the latest gossip. Can you believe Chad was practically on his knees begging for another chance this weekend, but he hasn’t texted Brittany since…. What about Stephanie, you should’ve asked me to crash somewhere else and you could’ve had the place to yourself, I bet she would have….SHHHHHH. Here comes Brandon and his band of brothers comparing notes from their various escapades. You might need to brush up on your anatomy, but do it quietly, buddy. Really, this isn’t a laughing matter!

It’s been 10 minutes and you can hear them through the lo-fi mix coming through on your AirPods. They’re ruining all the concentrationenhancing abilities of lo-fi girl! You regret not splurging for the noise cancelling ones.

“We’re working on a group project,” they sneer at your plea.

You can’t take it.

“Well, your boyfriend’s a jerk and the rest of us think you should get a room. Literally! Reserve a room and be as loud as you want in there.”

Can’t they just let the rest of us be bitter and boring, surrounded by the comforting brutalist walls of McLennan?

But put yourself in their shoes. Why does the

library need so many talking floors? It’s the perfect gathering spot—if people need quiet, they can go to a different spot anyways! There’s never any space on the floors where talking is allowed.

Empathy doesn’t work: You’re furious. You see the security guards patrolling the floor and not saying a word. The same security guards who last year yelled at you if your water bottle wasn’t touching your mouth for the entirety of the time your mask was down. You want to scream. Tell him to use his expansive powers for good and kick them out! At least escort them to one of the talking floors. You’re seeing red and imagine the security guard eating them. Was it in Percy Jackson when the teacher became a raging, flying Fury? We should hire them for McLennan. Maybe the talkers would listen to ominous “offenders will be eaten” signs.

You hear the library announcement reminding people to keep it down, but all you really hear is details about so-and-so’s frustrating professor and so-and-so’s disgusting roommate. It’s hell.

Finally, after you sigh, stare, grumble, and even point in their direction, they’re packing their things up to leave. Making their way to the door, talking about how they just have to be at Gerts tonight. Are they actually leaving? It can’t be,

ERRATUM

that remain a burden well beyond their university years. Furthermore, at McGill, where students face a rigorous course load, those who must work often do so at minimum-wage jobs, where they are not typically bringing in enough money to compensate for the price increases.

Further, No Name does not sell fresh produce, an essential part of a balanced diet. Despite Loblaw’s attempt to paint themselves as “generous overlords”, the price freeze is an insufficient measure to address unaffordable costs of living. McGill also has an unaffordable mandatory meal plan, with such high prices in campus eateries that students are unable to have three full meals per day. McGill must provide better support for students by reducing food prices. Additionally, McGill must actively work against the stigma associated with using food banks and other charitable organizations during difficult times, so that university students feel comfortable using these services instead of going hungry. Creating databases with lists of the lowest grocery food prices in areas such as the Milton-Parc or Plateau neighbourhoods could provide students with peace of mind and full pantries.

The negligible relief offered through price freezing simply cannot compensate for the staggering toll inflation has taken on Canadian consumers this past financial year. The Canadian government should use the current investigation into grocery giants to regulate prices and universities like McGill should offer students additional support during a time of record-breaking inflation.

LAUGHING MATTERS

right? But, they’ve picked up their bags, so…. Wait, don’t leave! What will anyone post about on Reddit? You’re sorry; you didn’t mean it. Your studies aren’t that important. Please!

They’re gone. What were you working on again? Math or an essay? You’ll have to actually do it now. Go on now, good luck. Be at peace, in the quiet, with your own thoughts.

Loblaw is the only grocery company to implement a price freeze on its products. (News Wire)

The McLennan-Redpath complex is the largest library on McGill’s downtown campus. (Shutter stock)

of

years of groundbreaking research and exemplary leadership

and student presentations

Athina Sitou Staff Writer

McGill’s School of Computer Science (SOCS) made the most of their 50th anniver sary by celebrating notable alumni, students, and professors through an eclectic selection of activities on Oct. 21 and 22. Networking events and fea tured talks complemented undergradu ate and graduate research presentations focused on various computer science (CS) topics, followed by an open cod ing challenge that concluded the twoday event.

The McGill Tribune sat down with SOCS director Mathieu Blanch ette and SOCS co-director of under graduate affairs Brigitte Pientka to dis cuss the School’s past achievements, present challenges, and future goals.

Blanchette highlighted alumnus Alan Emtage, BSc ‘87 and MSc ‘91, for his pivotal role in the creation of the world’s first web search engine, Archie. McGill awarded Emtage an honorary doctorate for his significant contributions to the development of the Internet, as well as his commitment to making his work freely available so

that anyone could benefit from it as quickly as possible.

“The thing that I’m the most proud of is that this School has trained more than 10,000 students, [many of whom] have gone on to impact society [in various ways and have] contributed to making Montreal a hub of research and development in artificial intelli gence,” Blanchette said.

Pientka described the develop ment of the SOCS as truly remarkable. From a nascent department with just a handful of professors, it has grown into a world-class teaching institution with more than 2,400 students, representing 30 per cent of the students in the Fac ulty of Science, according to Pientka.

“Our student population has changed a lot. Computer science is not a fringe kind of thing anymore for really techy people [....] It’s for every body,” Blanchette said.

Women, however, make up a minority of the “everybody” that the SOCS director is referring to. At Mc Gill, the proportion of CS undergradu ate students who identify as women amounts to just over 35 per cent. SOCS is rightfully proud of this percentage, which is significantly higher than the

average 20 per cent at many North American universities.

Pientka’s experience as an under graduate CS student in the early 1990s was strikingly different than that of a woman’s today. The professor shared that she would only spot four to five women in a CS class of 400 students and that she did not have any real role models due to the utter absence of fe male professors.

One of Pientka’s favourite mo ments of the 50th anniversary celebra tion was a talk by alumna Carla Brod ley, BSc ‘85, which centered on ways to extend participation in CS beyond the typical white, male population. Brodley is a world-renowned artificial intelligence (AI) researcher and the Dean of Inclusive Computing at North eastern University.

Brodley’s academic path exem plifies the versatility of the programs offered at SOCS. For instance, she had initially chosen an English major, but she switched to economics before fi nally settling into CS after an introduc tory programming course lured her in.

On Oct. 21, Brodley presented various strategies SOCS could imple ment to further increase accessibility in

CS for women.

“The next step is to increase the participation of [women] in the mas ter’s program and [to figure out] how to fund them because a lot of them are international students,” Pientka said.

The SOCS’s enrollment has sky rocketed in recent years and has attract ed an increasing number of individuals who have been traditionally under represented in the field, particularly women, by offering different pathways into CS such as through the Faculty of

Arts, interdisciplinary programs like Computer Science and Biology, and through the highly accessible 200-level computer programming courses.

Pientka also stressed that addi tional resources from the university would allow SOCS to continue their exemplary work in a more sustainable manner.

“It would be important that Mc Gill recognizes the importance of com puter science, in society and economy, but also for the students,” Pientka said.

Madison Edward-Wright Managing Editor

As we head into the final weeks of the Fall 2022 semester, The McGill Tribune’s Science & Technology section has come up with a list of books to read over the winter break—or while procrastinating on as signments. Take the time to learn about science in a casual environment and don’t worry about an exam at the end of the book.

The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering our Place in Nature (David Suzuki)

David Suzuki is an iconic figure in the world of science. From his time on our screens as the host of The Nature of Things to his environmental activism through the David Suzuki Foundation, Suzuki has made the complexities of nature more digestible for generations of Canadians and others around the world. His book, The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering our Place in Nature, is no different.

Written with the help of Amanda McConnell and Adrienne Mason, Su zuki emphasizes the impacts of global warming on ecosystems and our way of life in a way that gives readers pause. He makes us think about our complic ity in the climate crisis and inspires us to have more respect for the natural world by emphasizing the power of oceans, the importance of soil, and the “engine” of the planet: Fire.

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our World, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures (Merlin Sheldrake)

Named as one of the 100 mustread books in 2020 by Time Magazine, Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

Sheldrake takes readers on a journey through the mostly-unseen world of fungi, proving that such tiny organisms actually play a huge role in maintaining the world we live in. After reading En tangled Life, you might think twice be fore stepping on a mushroom the next

age person knows little about. Ed Yong, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning science jour nalist at The Atlantic does his best to rectify this in his book I Contain Mul titudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life. Yong’s writing style makes the complex world of mi crobes accessible to all those curious about the tiny but essential organisms in our lives.

Yes, nasty germs and bacteria are microbes, but so are the antibodies that keep us safe. Journey down the micro scope with Yong to understand why mi crobes are not as bad as we may think— in fact, you learn about the crucial role the microbiome plays in gut health, and even in preventing neurological diseas es such as dementia.

Superior: The Return of Race Science (Angela Saini)

Angela Saini minces no words in her book Superior: The Return of Race Science, which explores the everpresent racism in science that has been ignored in the name of “progress.”

evolution, white scientists argued that white people were genetically supe rior to any other race to justify white supremacy. Eugenics—the theory that “planned breeding” could be used to maintain “racial purity”—emerged after World War II as a tool to be used to maintain the racial hierarchy There are many more instances that Saini uses to make white people understand that science is being used as a tool to per petuate oppressive systems and uphold white supremacy.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer (Siddhartha Mukherjee)

is a masterful account of the world of fungi. While mushrooms may be the first example that comes to mind there are many, many more kinds—the book explores everything from single-cell organisms like microscopic yeasts to multicellular filamentous moulds.

time you’re in the woods.

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life (Ed Yong)

Just like the world of fungi, the world of microbes is one that the aver

Beginning with an examination of the roots of racism in science that date back to before Darwin published On the Ori gin of Species, Saini traces the ways in which racism influenced many of the major scientific developments and con structed oppressive systems of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Saini provides countless examples of the pervasiveness of racism in sci ence: From the first attempts to track

Published in 2011 and winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for general non fiction, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer delves into the history and science behind the world’s deadliest disease. Siddhartha Mukher jee uses his experience as a widely re nowned cancer physician to craft a riv eting tale about the evolution of cancer, from its first mention in ancient Persia to the future of cancer treatments such as immunotherapy.

While sometimes heavy, the dis cussion of cancer, the damage it has wrought, and our attempts to rectify that damage are important reminders of the progress scientists have made. Crack open this nearly 600-page book for a whirlwind tale of patients who have fought cancer and physicians who have tried to develop a cure.

Jade Raymond, a McGill Computer Science alumna, helped create the Assassin’s Creed video games series. (Maeve Reilly / The McGill Tribune)

THE RADICAL ACT OF LEANING ON OTHERS

In ableist institutions, survival requires self and community care

By Valentina de la Borbolla, Opinion Editor

Ihita slump. By Thanksgiving break of 2021, I could barely get out of bed, make breakfast, or even sum up the strength to scroll on TikTok. Just a couple of weeks earlier, I was planning out every hour of my day, executing all my tasks with flying colours, peaking in productivity and socialization. I did not understand what had happened. It took a lot of rest, extensions on assignments, and breakdowns to recover, and even then, I still feel the threat of it happening again almost every day.

This “slump,” as I called it then, was actually autistic burnout. Autistic burnout is in many ways similar to a depressive episode: You experience a lack of moti vation, an excess of hopelessness, and a lack of energy. But what makes autistic burnout tricky to identify and overcome is that all the tools that typically help depressed people, like going outside, seeing friends, and engaging in hobbies, can make the burnout worse. So basically, you are stuck in your stuckness.

I had experienced this type of burnout before. Just a few months earlier, in the winter of 2020, I was so unwell I could not read, think clearly, or physically take care of myself. I ended up moving back home and taking a leave of ab sence from school. During those months, the thought of doing schoolwork was enough to induce a panic attack. Emails to advisors were excruciating. Although simple, the process to request a leave of absence left me drained for days.

Looking back on these two experiences, what I had thought were depressive episodes were really symptomatic of something entirely different. I fell into a deep spiral of trying to figure out what exactly was “wrong” with me. As soon as I could, I sought out a psychiatrist at home and was diagnosed with ADHD. I had done my research and knew the diagnosis was likely: I experience unpre dictable bursts of motivation, have intense dedication to hyperspecific interests, and struggle with task initiation. ADHD. And yet, as my psychiatrist talked me through my diagnosis and medication—hi Ritalin—it became obvious that she was missing something. According to her, my ADHD induced social anxiety as well as the sensory sensitivities I expressed I had. Nonetheless, I decided to give the medication a try and see what would happen. I was like an overly caffein ated toddler for a few weeks, not sleeping or eating, but I was finally getting my schoolwork done. I guess it was working.

In my follow-up psychiatry sessions, I tried bringing up the aspects of my mental health that were getting worse. I struggled being in public around a lot of people; trips to the grocery store took me down for an entire day, a disruption in my routine felt catastrophic, and if I became overwhelmed, I stopped speaking entirely until I calmed down. My psychiatrist did everything to explain how this was social anxiety and handed me a booklet with instructions for social situations: How to make proper eye contact in a conversation. How to engage in small talk.

I felt mocked. I knew how to do these things—it was just not worth the physi cal exhaustion of performing them. I suspected a more accurate diagnosis for me was Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I took all the tests, memorized the DSM-5—the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual of mental disorders—and painstakingly combed through my childhood memories. At ev ery turn, I found myself discovering a new aspect of my life—of my brain—that I had ignored. Or been forced to ignore. This process was painful. I was peeling back layers upon layers of trauma and masking, realizing no one around me truly knew who I was.

My girlfriend is autistic as well, and so I knew enough from their experience that a medical diagnosis was neither easy to come by nor a holy grail. Most medical professionals do not understand autism through the experiences of neurodivergent people, and most diagnostic tests are based on stereotypes of genius little white autistic boys lining up trains. They therefore fail to accurately assess anyone who is not a little white boy. I also experienced accurately assess anyone who is not a little white boy. I also experienced firsthand people’s reluc tance to accept self-diagnosis as valid. At an earlier time in my life, I would

have agreed that doctors are the best people to provide accurate diagnoses. But eventually I realized that this was a matter of who I was. After seeing psychologists, psychiatrists, and counsellors since the age of six years old who never even thought to assess me for anxiety, I learned that I am the person who knows myself the best.

Despite understanding the importance of self-diagnosis and the inadequacy of the mental health care system, I was still desperate for validation. I waited for someone to tell me that I was autistic, that I had not made it up, and that I was allowed to be in pain. I was seeking this validation from psychiatrists and my parents, but I quickly understood that I was looking in vain.

After speaking to other late-diagnosed and self-discovered autistic people, I learned that I was not alone in my experience. Kate Ellis (BA ‘22), explained that before seeking out a professional diagnosis, they were looking for affir mation from the people around them.

“I mostly just wanted people in my life to like, believe me,” Kate told me. “I wanted the validation of having the words for my experience and wanting people to know me in the way that I now know myself.”

These words struck me, and I was overcome by a deep sense of grief for what my life could have looked like if I had received that validation as a child. This need for acceptance, however, ran deeper. I needed to validate myself first, and to accept the possi bility that my health was more complicated than I thought. When I talked to Ana Dumitra che (BA ‘22), they echoed this sentiment.

“I think I had a lot of inner bias,” Ana said. “And I had to work on myself [through] a lot of self hate, like, not wanting to be different or be perceived as someone less competent.”

Talking to other autistic people led me to a realization I was not expecting. Beyond diagno ses, what is key to our survival in an ableist world is community. When I decided to write this feature, I knew I wanted to ask other people who are disabled, autistic, or neurodivergent how they navigated school, the medical system, and relationships. I was excited to conduct interviews, but I did not realize just how transformative these conversations would be. They went beyond the idealized journal istic dynamic of the “objective” interviewer asking questions to a “subjec tive” individual. I could not easily detach myself from the questions I was asking because they were so deeply linked to my own experience.

At first this frightened me: What if I was breaking some sacred journalistic code of honour? Or what if I ended up submitting a glorified rant session? But as my inter views progressed, it became apparent that being part of the story I was telling was only strengthening my piece—I write what I know and ask about what I don’t.

What all the people I interviewed and I know is that the institutions and systems that we navigate daily, like the university and the health care system, are inad equate and actively harm neurodivergent people. Alex*, a U4 Science student has experienced barriers to accessing McGill’s resources. They have ADHD, but have not been able to get an official diagnosis because of the exorbitant amount of money they would have to pay upfront just to get an assessment. “If you don’t have a diagnosis, there is no solution for you,” Alex said.

Kate had a similar experience. They chose not to pursue a path of accommo dations with Student Accessibility and Achievement, formerly known as the

Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), because the process was not accessible to them. Even after Kate submitted an autism diagnostic report, the school required more documentation to grant them accommodations.

“I didn’t feel comfortable going to the psychologist that diagnosed me to fill out an OSD form,” Kate said. “And I don’t have [a] family doctor, I didn’t have a therapist at the time. And McGill, at least at this time, did not accept just my diagnosis report. It would have had to be the particular form. And so that was a big barrier to me.”

Without the official avenues easily available, disabled and neurodivergent students are left to hope professors will be understanding and give them the accommodations they need. Luckily, for Kate, Ana, Alex, and myself, our experiences with professors have been mostly positive. This, however, does not undermine the fact that we have to disclose personal information and risk being invalidated every time we reach out to a professor for accommo dations. For the university to truly be accessible, it needs to build in flexibil ity into its courses, rather than put the burden of disclosure on students. On the other hand, Alex highlighted one university measure that proved very helpful to them when they were depressed. Being able to defer exams their first time without official documentation allowed them to continue their education while also taking care of their mental health.

“It gave me the room to actually go through my mental health issues and not have to drop out of college because I had one bad month or one bad semester,” Alex said.

Beyond the university, Quebec’s health care system has severe shortcomings when it comes to providing care for neurodi vergent and disabled people. When Kate was undergo ing their assessment, they were constantly mis gendered even after reminding the medical professionals they were non-binary. In addition, they were tested for their IQ and even tually given an Asperg er’s diagnosis. Kate expressed their discomfort, knowing that IQ tests are deeply ableist, racist, and inaccurate measuring tools for intelligence. Similarily harm ful, Asperger’s Syndrome no longer makes up part of the DSM-5, failing to accurately represent the autism spectrum and taking its name from a Nazi doctor.

“I emailed saying I was seeking an autism diagnosis and the whole time he was talking about it as an Asperger’s diagnosis. Which is not language that is recommended anymore and doesn’t align with the language of a lot of autism self advocates.”

Oftentimes, autistic people are forced to compromise parts of their identity and even their values to receive some form of medical care, of quality or not. The implications of this are even greater for autistic and disabled people of colour, who are often not granted the right of medi cal care in the first place and are policed and surveilled instead.

Many racialized disabled educators on social media, however, have spoken out about this omission in the conversation, stressing the need for commu nity-based and anti-racist approaches to mental health. After hearing from these educators, like Imani Barbarin (@Crutches and Spice), I started to think about the need for and meaning of community. Barbarin created the hashtag #MyDisabledLifeMatters to highlight how quickly the U.S.

government forgot about disabled people in their COVID-19 re sponse. This hashtag is an example of resisting through community, but also a bleak reminder that disabled people, particularly Black peo ple and Indigenous peoples, have to fight for their lives to be seen as worthy. When the institutions that are supposed to care for you con sistently fail you, community avenues of care become indispensable.

The capitalist and toxic culture of productivity we live in can be deadly for disabled people. But understanding community care solely as a response to capitalism reflects my positionality in the world as a white person in North America. For many marginalized people, community is not an alternative to the system. It is the system. It is important to remember that white people too often take credit for movements they did not initiate, such as the #MeToo movement started by Tarana Burke or the Stonewall uprising led by Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. This awareness paves the way for us to reclaim concepts co-opted by white and capitalist cultures that harm disabled people and how they interact with the world. Definitions of relationship dynamics like codependency, for instance, have been demonized in favor of self-reliance and independence. These “autonomous” ways of living, however, are often impossible for disabled people. Being codependent can also mean survival and community.

“To neurotypical people, that would be seen as codependent behaviour,” Kate said about their relationship with their girlfriend. “But to us, it’s interdependent—we’re meeting each other’s needs and helping each other thrive.”

Allowing ourselves to depend on each other and have others depend on us while also maintaining boundaries is a beautiful act of love and care. But care can also look like accommodating ourselves. Alex explained to me that so much of how they cope in difficult periods is simply listening to themselves and catering to their own needs. Some times, this looks like wearing headphones in a loud environment or sunglasses inside when it is too bright. Other times, it looks like isolating themselves and cancelling engage ments. Ultimately, a significant part of living as a neurodi vergent person comes down to finding ways to survive.

I focused much of my interviews around the difficulties of being disabled, neurodivergent, and/or autistic. Although it is important to highlight the social and institutional barriers that plague our lives, it is just as important to highlight disabled joy. I ended my interviews with Ana and Kate by asking them about what brings them happiness.

For Kate, finding joy is allowing themselves the time to engage in their special interests (currently the De scendants movies and the comedians Dan and Phil), taking a step back from school, calling their girl friend, and playing video games with their dad.

Ana feels joy when exploring their hyperfixations and kayaking in the summer.

I find joy when I spend time with my girlfriend—mostly when we let ourselves be and we see how amazing our autistic brains truly are.

I am the most caring towards myself when I feel cared for by other people. Having autistic people around me is about surviv al, but also about being able to share the bliss I experience in the world. For disabled joy to exist, community is indispens able. So how do you find joy? How do you take care of yourself?

For more resources, my girlfriend, Lou Secher created this document filled with autism and self-assessment resources. For more autistic-writ ten information, I recommend the Embrace Autism website.

*Alex’s name was changed to preserve their anonymity.

Design by Shireen Aamir, Design Editor

Mayuri Maheswaran

SciTech Editor

Ifyou have ever watched the television series Monsters In side Me, you may be familiar with parasitic worms. Each episode features a dramatization of an infec tious disease case, with an accom panying explanation of its cause. Cases dealing with parasitic worms range from a teenager infected with the parasitic worm, Trichinella spi ralis, after eating uncooked meat, to a man with worms feeding in his brain. A common question that al ways arose in my mind was the fol lowing: “How do these worms man age to survive?”

A recent study published by a group of McGill researchers in the Journal of Experimental Medicine aimed to answer that very question.

Irah King, an associate professor in the Department of Microbiol ogy and Immunology, led the study along with his lab at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).

Parasitic worms, also called parasitic helminths, are known to evade the immune system of the in dividuals they infect. Many of these helminths begin their attack in the gut epithelium—a layer of cells that

line the intestines—before progress ing to other areas. The epithelium is made up of many cells, includ ing intestinal stem cells (ISCs). These cells are “fetal-like” in that they have the capability to develop into various cell types, compared to the other more rigid, stuck-in-theirways, “adult-like” cells in the intes tine.

The gut epithelium also has some innate defence and repair mechanisms in response to for eign invaders. The primary defence mechanism is the type 2 immune response in which goblet cells, a cell important for nutrient digestion in the intestines, produce mucus to trap the invader. This type 2 immune response is activated by cytokines,

molecules that increase the body’s immune responses, such as IL-4 and IL-13. During the injury process, the epithelium may undergo severe damage, which mostly leads to a se vere decrease in ISCs. The epitheli um repairs itself by reprogramming the “‘adult cells” into “fetal cells” so that more cells can be generated.

But while these repair and de fence mechanisms are well-studied, it is not known how they are affected during a helminth infection.

To study this, King and his team infected mice with a roundworm called Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri (Hpb). They removed the in testine cells from the animal models and grew them in Petri dishes until they formed organoids—three-di

mensional cell cultures derived from animal or human tissues. They then looked at the gene expression within the organoids and found that the gut cells of the infected mice had more helminths than non-infected mice and expressed fetal-related genes.

Their finding shows that hel minths trigger the repair process in the intestine by activating fetal genes. However, researchers also found that helminths suppressed the type 2 immune response. Mice that were genetically engineered to have lowered type 2 response had increased fetal gene expression in their organoids after Hpb infection. Those with a normal type 2 response did not show any fetal gene expres sion.

The results reveal two inter esting ways those pesky helminths manage to evade immune responses: The worms first evade immune re sponse by decreasing type 2 immu nity in the body of their host. They also reprogram the intestine, so it goes into a repair state, while allow ing the helminths to persist within the intestine.

“This study establishes the fact that helminths are able to directly regulate their host epithelium. Since the epithelium is at the forefront of host-parasite interactions, this sug gests that manipulating these inter actions can result in the discovery of new anthelmintic drugs,” Danielle Karo-Atar, a postdoctoral fellow at the King lab and first author of the study, wrote in an email to The Mc Gill Tribune

However, Karo-Atar notes that more progress is needed before these new pathways can inform any kind of treatment.

“Future directions for this study will be to identify the mo lecular mechanisms responsible for this worm-induced fetal-like rever sion of the epithelium,” Karo-Atar wrote. “In addition, we would like to understand if and how worms are enhancing intestinal resilience and identify the pathways responsible.”

Tapeworms can

for up to 30 years. (RI-MUHC)

Word on the Y: Spooky stories that will keep you up all night

investigation of students’

Julie Jacques Contributor

While Halloween itself has officially passed, the Halloween spirit continues to thrive on McGill’s downtown campus. In a city as old as Montreal, there are bound to be some spooky spectres floating around and frightening citizens. Or, if you’re more into ghost stories, there are bound to be some rumours of spectres. For example, you may have heard that fur trader Simon McTavish’s ghost roams Mount Royal, or that the halls of the Allan Memorial Institute, formerly Ravenscrag, (seriously, Ravenscrag?), are haunted by the exploited victims of the notorious MK-Ultra experiments. How about friends and family members who swear they’ve seen the ghost of a loved one, or psychics who are a little too on the nose? The McGill Tribune asked students to share spooky stories they think can only be explained through supernatural means.

Dreadful Doll

“At my tenth birthday party, a bunch of girls and I were in my basement, and there’s this doll that I have that hangs on the ceiling and doesn’t move. It started swinging on its own, so we were all freaked out and started screaming. I don’t know if I believe in ghosts, but it was probably a ghost.”

– Laura Gervais, U2 Science

Visions of the Future

“I went to a psychic with my sister when she was 16 and I was 13. When I tell you it was the most specific reading of my life, I’m not kidding. It all came true. The psychic told me I would get an injury on my right knee, and two years later, I had to quit gymnastics because of a gym injury. She was spot-on! She also predicted my sister would get proposed to when she was 24. She’s 24 now and her boyfriend, who she never told about this, gave

her a promise ring for her 24th birthday. It wasn’t just [any] ring either––it was his grandmother’s engagement ring. We initially went [to the psychic] as a joke, but I’m convinced that she was the real deal.”

– Karine Faingold, U2 Arts

Pet Cemetery?

“I’ve never experienced anything ghostly, but one of my friends told me about how she was walking her dog near a cemetery, and her dog started barking and freaking out. She turned around and saw three headstones, and she swears to me that around the headstones, she saw three spirits talking to each other and mingling. She says they noticed her dog and turned to look at her.”

– Alexandria Sasso, U1 Arts

Datamatch Horror Story

“One time, I got ghosted by a girl who knew too much about the Unabomber. That’s pretty spooky, I would say.”

– Alex Barbeau, U2 Science

Sitcom Scare

“One time, my parents were out for dinner pretty late, so I was home alone. I kept hearing these weird noises, so I went down to the living room to investigate, and when I got there, the TV just turned on by itself. I was confronted by the Golden Girls loudly blaring through the house, and it scared the crap out of me. To this day, I’m convinced it was the ghost of one of the Golden Girls telling me to keep their ratings up.”

– Mia DiMatteo U2 Arts

A Voice from Beyond

“When I was about 12, I was home alone and thought I heard a voice––for some reason, I thought it was my dead grandmother’s voice, even though I never met her. I ignored it at first but then it started saying my name, so I started to panic. I called my mom and the voice got louder so I started screaming and my mother started panicking too. Needless to say, I ended up going over to my neighbour’s house to escape the voice of my dead grandmother.”

–Jessica Gearey, U2 Arts

A sticker is worth a thousand words: Laptop stickers, explained

Students share their laptop stickers do’s and don’ts

Naomi Gupta Contributor

As we reach the peak of midterm season, campus libraries are jam-packed with students scrambling to get all their work done. Although everyone is essentially there for the same reason, let’s face it: Some students simply look cooler than others. Could this be the result of their carefully curated fall outfits? Their brand-new $800 AirPod Maxes? Or is it their

aesthetically decorated laptops? I would argue that it’s the latter.

I had the chance to chat with some students about the increasingly popular phenomenon that is covering your laptop with stickers. Being fairly new to the trend myself, I learned a lot about the thought process behind it and how it varies from student to student.

Maximalist or minimalist?

Students love to show off the cool stickers they pick

up at trendy brand stores, cute cafés, or clubs to promote their extracurricular activities and showcase their personalities. But how does one select which stickers make the cut? This is a widely debated topic amongst sticker fanatics. Some attempt to fill up every inch of their laptop cover, whereas others prefer a smaller, more meaningful set of stickers. Those who favour a more minimalist approach, like Alex Toca, U1 Management, prefer to have about 50 per cent of their cover coated.

“Less is more,” Toca said. “Many stickers make a laptop cover look too crowded.”

Others disagree with this: A laptop cover is meant to be as decorative as possible. After all, why waste space? Having more stickers makes a laptop cover much more captivating to the eye.

What’s the motivation behind laptop stickers?

I received multiple answers to this question, but one in particular frequently came up: Laptop stickers are an excellent way of exhibiting one’s various interests, as well as giving people a taste of their personalities. In general, students seem to select

stickers that hold some meaning for them.

Anastasia Van Ryswyk, U1 Arts, shared the significance behind her laptop stickers in an interview with The McGill Tribune

“Some of them are school logos from universities of my state of residence, which reminds me of home,” Van Ryswyk said.

Better to showcase a smaller or larger number of interests?

Luca Lexham Cianciaruso, U2 Management, explained the importance of sticker diversity.

“Just like computers are used for a variety of purposes, stickers are meant to showcase a variety of interests,” Lexham Cianciaruso said.

This is pretty much a consensus among students: It’s better to display various topics of interest as opposed to one. The way students approach this, however, differs. Some will go out of their way to buy stickers and make their laptop cover as diverse as possible to ensure they display every aspect of their overwhelmingly interesting personalities. As such, they’ll pay extra attention to ensure a variety of topics are represented amongst

the stickers they choose.

When “many” becomes “too many”...

Although the sticker decorating process may seem fun, it can get quite crowded with multiple stickers. Moreover, attempting to remove stickers is a tricky process, as it can easily result in a sticky, dirty-looking laptop if not executed with steady hands and laser focus so it’s important to be meticulous when removing them. The best trick, apparently, is to use nail polish remover. This sounds dubious, I know, but students swear by it: Once the remover makes it soft enough, they say you can use a credit card to scratch the remaining residue off to make your laptop cover as good as new. Others, like myself, however, cannot simply rely on word of mouth and turn to Google for a lesson on the art of laptop sticker removal. To my dismay, it turns out that the first suggestion that pops up when you Google “How to properly remove sticker residue from your laptop” isn’t entirely reliable. Don’t use vinegar to remove sticker residue and if you don’t believe me, I’ll gladly show you the current state of my laptop.

Several buildings

McGill campus, such as the Allen Institute,

Buckle / The McGill Tribune)

Which winter boot are

Joy Sebera Contributor

Did you all enjoy the brief intermission of 20-degree weather last week? Well, too bad—we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. Remember that the temperature drop means that we’re barreling toward the moment no one has been waiting for: Winter.

Yes, winter is coming, and it’s important to be prepared when the harsh cold arrives (and inevitably overstays its welcome). Some of the most essential items to invest in are winter coats, gloves, hats, and, of course, winter boots. If you’re new to Montreal and don’t have boots, or if you do have boots and you’re looking to upgrade, look no further because The McGill Tribune has you (and your feet) covered.

Music

Music majors march to the beat of their own drum (literally), and anyone sporting Moon Boots would be no exception. These

out-of-this-world boots are certainly more of a statement than others, but if you’re going to be wearing the same pair of shoes for the next six months, you might as well showcase your creativity and personality. The Moon Boots come in multiple colourways, as well as tall and short versions, giving you the freedom to style your shoe any way you want. In fact, the unique shape of each shoe is designed such that the right and left shoe are interchangeable, and you can even mix and match the colours.

Management

Business majors are most likely to keep up with what’s up in trends—and probably the stocks, too. While puffer jackets have been a staple for the past few years, puffer boots are only now starting to make an appearance, and there’s no better time to make an investment than before a trend hits the mainstream.

North Face’s Nupste Mules are the perfect choice. While they do exist in a high-rise version, we all know Desautels students don’t leave Bronfman and don’t have to brave the cold between

classes, so what’s the point?

Engineering

For our engineering friends, Columbia’s Ice Maiden Boots perfectly balance comfort and structure. The rigid framework with a square-toe shape provides good support while the cushioned lining ensures comfort and warmth. These boots are a

serious and sensible choice for the engineering student who spends a lot of time on their feet and in distress.

Bio/Life Sciences

For those long treks up to McMed and/or Stewart Bio braved every day by biology and life sciences majors, Line Ski Booties are a mountain

The Official 2022 McGill Residence cafeteria rankings

Harry North Staff Writer

Continued from page 1.

4th: Carrefour Sherbrooke

In last place is Carrefour Sherbrooke (C4). What can I say: You knew it was coming. It’s a cave of a cafeteria, with cluttered decoration, cramped seating, and a serving area that’s perfect if you want someone breathing down your neck.

They have two hot serving counters, one by McGill and another by the burrito chain, Quesada—that’s when you know McGill is out of ideas. The McGill one has a burger area and a hot food option at the far end, which always looks lonely. And when the beef tacos look like shovelled mouse droppings, you can tell it isn’t the best. Even biting your fingernails becomes inviting.

Food: 2/5

Seating: 2/5

3rd: Bishop Mountain Hall

Onto the podium: In third is Bishop Mountain Hall (BMH). First, the positives: The seating area is magnificent—sufficient, spacious, and with a view of Montreal’s skyline. I mean, now we’re talking. The serving area is also enormous and has an extensive selection of cold food options, as well as pastries.

So, what’s the problem? The hot food—it’s shockingly poor. I got the fish and chips last week and I think it’s the first time I could literally feel each mouthful peristaltically congesting my guts—as well as my will to live. If you can’t serve decent hot food as a residence cafeteria you might as well dance with scallops on your head—we’ll cook ourselves.

Food: 2/5

Seating: 5/5

climber’s dream. These boots have a mouldable foam insole that will provide comfort for long walks up and down the hill. With Michelin outsoles (yes, like the tire brand) and cinch laces to secure your feet, there’s no need to worry about slipping.

Boot grips are not necessarily required for these stompers, but why not? Might as well bring an oxygen tank in case of altitude sickness.

Political Science/International Development Studies

Don’t worry, we can’t forget about our fellow Arts students. The ever-popular and, at this point, classic Doc Martens would be a great choice for such popular majors as poli sci and IDS. Originally a British brand, Doc Martens’ reach around the world exemplifies the boot industry’s globalization. And if this model is not to your taste, the boots come in other varieties including lowrise and fur-lined boots. There is even a vegan equivalent, which is a more sustainable choice and can help us all march one step closer to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2nd: Royal Victoria College

In second place is the Royal Victoria College (RVC) cafeteria. Some of you might have expected RVC to have come

out on top—well, not so fast.

Walking through the RVC corridors feels like the underpass at the end of the world. Inside, it smells like pompous RVC first-years, which certainly is not one of my favourite smells. This is made frightfully worse by the fact the hall is actually full of them.

RVC has the second-best seating area, behind Bishop Hall, as well as a ton of food options. And this is where it comes into its own: From customizable pizzas, to beef and chicken burgers on the grill, to a make-your-own pasta bar. What brings it down is the quality. It’s better than BMH, sure. But value for your buck is still in question. Take the $10 burgers without fries— pre-made and tasting like yesterday. Or the $11 pizzas—on the small side and could well have you shot in Rome. But after all, this is university cuisine, so it slots in second.

Food: 3.5/5

Seating: 4/5

1st: New Residence Hall

How’s the music going? I think it’s working, I haven’t dropped dead yet. Now, for our first place, at the top of the tree is New Residence Hall (NRH).

NRH’s seating area isn’t as large as BMH and the food options aren’t quite as expansive as RVC— their seating area does suffice, though, and there’s certainly enough choice to beguile any MacBook warrior student.

The reason NRH is top is simple: They have the highest quality of food—this is what matters most. Or to put it differently, why does NRH beat RVC? Fewer grimaces. So squabble all you want. We go to these dining halls to eat. And with fairly fresh, relatively nutritious, and, crucially, enjoyable foodmost of the time, NRH must—must––take the gold.

Food:4.5/5

Seating: 3/5

Turn up the music, sit back, and see if your favourite cafeteria came out on top

Beyond the Blundstones, Columbia boots offer something new for students across faculties.(outdoorgearlab.com)

McGill’s Bishop Mountain Hall overlooks the Montreal skyline. (rea dytotrip.com)

Another day, another vampire slay

Aimee DeLong & Suzanna Graham Contributor and Staff Writer

Imagineif a teenaged Wattpad author wrote the classic 1897 novel Dracula. Now, imag ine that this sexy retelling is actually funny. This is the concept behind the Segal Centre’s newest play, Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors Co-written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, the play features five brilliant actors who collectively assume over a dozen roles— and make it look easy. While the basic plot of the novel is unchanged, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors raises the melodramatic stakes. Sexy vamps, special effects, and slapstick comedy brighten up the gothic stage, making this the perfect show to delight in this spooky season.

The play follows Jonathan Harker (Colin Simmons), a nerdy 19th-century realtor who sells multiple London properties to the excep tionally thirsty Count Dracula (James Daly).

After seeing an image of Harker’s beautiful fiancée Lucy (Naomi Ngebulana), Dracula de cides he must attend the couple’s engagement party at Lucy’s family mansion, a transformed mental asylum that employs—yet underpays— the patients who live there. Here the play in troduces Lucy’s father, Dr. Westfeldt (Ellen David) and sister Mina (David Noël), who, de spite her luscious ginger beard, deserves love just as much as the more conventionally beauti ful Lucy. Hijinks ensue as a love rhombus un

folds—because every character is a sucker for a sexy shirtless vamp.

When thinking of the hottest undead bloodsuckers around, a few key players come to mind: Edward Cullen, Spike, and Damon Salvatore. Now, thanks to Greenberg and Rosen, an underdog has joined the ranks—the fangtastic Count Dracula. The play cleverly caters to the audience by displaying Daly’s washboard abs, leaving both characters and audience members alike down for the Count.

While his dashing performance was undoubt edly a highlight, Dracula is not the only eligible bat-chelor making his rounds in Whitby, Eng land. The timid Harker shares some intimately hilarious moments with his fiancée, Lucy, in cluding one involving a cheeky candle-related innuendo.

Meanwhile, the play does not shy away from adapting to the times. The scenes are filled to the brim with allusions to present-day pop culture, like Uber drivers and The Beatles. Moreover, the production leans into contempo rary gender roles by having Lucy hold the reins in her relationship with Harker. The couple pushes each other to be their best selves and is ultimately able to resolve their relationship issues without any bad blood. Another notable decision was making Dr. Van Helsing a woman instead of a man, adding nuance to the character with subtle feminist subversion.

Wigs and physical comedy, though, are

the true MVPs of the play. Due to the bite-sized cast, each actor projects their talents through costume and wig changes that cloak their previ ous personas. David Noël is a particular sucker for quick changes. He seamlessly switches from cougar sister Mina to Van Helsing, a stoic and matriarchal German doctor who understands

Pop Dialectic: To binge or not to binge?

Aimee DeLong & Charlotte Hayes Contributor and Staff Writer

Sincethe dawn of time, many great conflicts have arisen—from religious crusades to World Wars. The most po larizing? Whether streaming services should release episodes every week or all at once. While the introduction of platforms like Net flix boasted users’ ability to binge new content rather than wait, many have returned to stag gering the release of episodes. The McGill Tri bune weighs in: Which is better?

Same service, different font — Aimee De Long

Whether it is online shopping or scrolling through social media, Gen Z, unlike older gen erations, has become accustomed to immedi ate access to everything. Since there seems to be an ever-growing laundry list of things we can access in a matter of seconds, why stop at Netflix?

Largely, the appeal of streaming ser vices is the ability to watch whatever you want, whenever you want—from comfort shows to streaming services originals. When watching a high-stakes show like Stranger Things, ac cess to the entire season on-demand prevents the anxieties of cliffhangers from lurking in and consuming people’s minds. The return to the week-by-week model of releasing episodes raises the question of why we bothered giving up cable in the first place.

We cannot deny that these media companies, despite critiques of instant gratifi cation, formed their identities in competition with cable. Conversely, they now find them

selves doing exactly what these broadcasting corporations do—release content weekly and drop periodic promo material. With the binge model, individuals retain freedom of choice, streaming content in a way that fits their needs. Meanwhile, with the week-by-week release, viewers must tune into the show as quickly as possible to avoid being bombarded with spoil ers online. If you don’t watch the latest episode of popular Disney+ shows like She Hulk the moment it comes out, Instagram will be sure to shove the plot in your face with painstaking detail.

In the end, people will choose the meth

od of watching television that works best for them. Yet, forcing the weekly release schedule on streaming services revokes choice, render ing any platform virtually identical to cable. I’m not telling you to watch all seven years of New Girl in one sitting—I’m just telling Netf lix to stay in its lane.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! — Charlotte Hayes

To compete with Netflix, legacy media companies are keeping or reinstating weekly episode drops for original content. HBO Max (or Crave) has kept the weekly release model

the high stakes of vampire slaying and uphold ing feminist values. But as Van Helsing tends to Mina amidst a mysterious illness that makes her go batty, the audience asks—how can one actor play two characters at the same time? Fear not! A ginger wig attached to a pillow and stra tegically placed fake arms cover up any visible discrepancies.

The actors zhoosh up their performance with montage magic and jester tricks. As the characters journey across Europe, they use common modern objects like hobby horses and Axe body spray—signifying the foggy air sur rounding their weary travels. The faux fog is incredibly convincing, and the audience can al most smell the high-school locker room stench. To explore Dracula’s chambers, Harker leads the group down several flights of stairs, using the classic mime trick that fully deserved the giggle the audience gave it. All in all, the play is a delightful romp that sinks its teeth into the absurdity and drama that is missing from the original novel.

With incredible acting and an unprec edented comedic angle, this stage production of Dracula: A Comedy of Horrors is not one to be missed. The work that both cast and crew infused into the play is clearly not in vein. So sit down, Buffy—this production is already a slay. Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors is running at the Segal Centre from Oct. 23 to Nov. 13. Stu dent discounts are available.

for on-air HBO shows and its exclusive stream ing content. Subscribers don’t have to wait until a show has wrapped its season to have access to it digitally, and can synchronously log on to watch as it airs live on television. It’s nothing revolutionary, but the power of the weekly release model lies in its simplicity of access and appeal to community anticipation.

The week-to-week model is precisely the return to form we need. This model brings back water-cooler conversations, a quintessential el ement of media consumption. Weekly releases afford fans the opportunity to discuss shows as they progress, enjoying every episode rather than the larger, season-wide discourses. In stead of rushing through a show and dodging spoilers on your Twitter timeline, viewers can watch and take in an episode––its theories, de signs, elements, and gags––on its release day.

Shows made for the binge model can feel rough and unpolished as showrunners scram ble to keep up with the unrelenting demand of younger, chronically online audiences. In an ironic twist, the hyper-connectivity of the internet is cheapening the experience of watch ing our favourite shows on these digital plat forms. It strips all the enjoyment out of every episode, reducing the experience to simply a race to find out what happens first. In this way, the binge model feels distinctly pro-consump tion and very anti-art.

The weekly release model has been in place for years—it’s what makes television such an exciting medium, distinct from film. Showrunners intend their art to be seen and savoured at every interval. The weekly model is not only better for the viewer, but for their community connections.

debates the best way to feed television to the hyper-online Gen Z

Segal Centre’s ‘Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors’ takes a bite out of the classic ‘Dracula’ story

‘Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors,’ directed by Gor don Greenberg, was originally released as a radio drama in May 2020. (The Segal Centre)

Arctic Monkeys return to earth with grandiose

Yash Zodgekar Staff Writer

Arctic Monkeys are no strangers to reinvention, having pursued a range of musical directions since emerging as part of the mid-2000s garagerock revival. On The Car, however, the band continues down the path set out on 2018’s left-field, lounge-infused Tranquil ity Base Hotel & Casino, refining their ap proach with new baroque-pop influences to produce a lavish-sounding record.

Lush and orchestral strings fuse

with Alex Turner’s falsetto vocals to add a sense of grandeur to the proceedings.

Though swirling retro synths and pianos take precedence, the band’s characteristic sharp guitar leads cut through this air of mystique in calculated moments, such as the uptempo “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am.”

Lyrically, the album marks a depar ture from the cryptic musings of Tran quility Base, set in a fictional space hotel. “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” epito mizes this more grounded approach, seeing Turner speak directly to a distant lover, la

menting their cynicism over a Bond-themeesque soundscape. Turner also refocuses his metaphors surrounding a relationship in “Jet Skis On the Moat,” comparing nostal gic images of CinemaScope films with the “drying paint job” of a dying relationship.

The Car will not suit every Arctic Monkeys fan’s taste, particularly those wishing for a return to the raucous indierock of their early career. Rather than rem iniscing debaucherous nights out in Shef field, Turner admirably looks to the pres ent, reflecting on his glitzy surroundings as an L.A. resident. This manifests both in the record’s grandiose stylings and in lyrical themes of artifice and glamour, such as the titular conceit on “Body Paint.”

Despite these sonic and lyrical mer its, The Car tends to get lost in its own richness. Songs like “Big Ideas” and “Mr. Schwartz” revel in their extravagance, meandering through their run times with out substantively developing the enticing melodies they initially present. At its most focused, The Car deftly combines evoca tive lyricism and serene baroque-pop. It’s a shame the band doesn’t sustain these mo ments, resulting in a record characterized more by its style than its substance.

‘The Car’ is available to stream on all platforms, and Arctic Monkeys will perform at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Nov. 9, 2023.

CINEMANIA Film Festival

The 28th annual franciphone film festival, with English subtitles, is presenting 112 films from among the year’s best Frenchlanguage productions.

November 2nd-13th

Cinéma Impérial, Cinéma du Musée, Cinéma du Parc and the Cinémathèque québécoise

Youth tickets (25 and under): $12.50, regular admission: $13.50

Rising from our Roots Community Wellness Market

This indoor wellness market supports BIPOCQT businesses, artists, and healers and will feature over 15 different vendors. Admission is free, though 30% of all funds raised through donation at the door will be allocated towards Resistance Montreal and Project 10.

Saturday, November 5th (12pm-5pm)

Isla Studios (5455 Rue D’Iberville) Free entrance (donation suggested)

International Student Services presents Winter 101

Join this free online seminar to learn all the tricks you need to survive the winter season including shopping for winter clothes on a budget, fun outdoor winter activities, and how to take advantage of Montreal’s underground city!

Thursday, November 3rd (12pm-1:30pm)

Online via Zoom (free)

Visit http://mcgill.ca/x/3AR for more information.

If My Body Had a Name (Hoor Malas)

An individual dance performance incorporating the artist Hoor Malas’ experience with Syrian dance and movement practices, this piece captures a female figure finding her way through conflicting journeys while consistently dealing with the hierarchical order of body and mind.

November 3rd, 4th, & 5th (7:30pm-9:00pm)

MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), 3680 Rue Jeanne-Mance

Student: $22.00; Regular: $28.00

birds find their way back home in new documentary

Ella Buckingham Staff Writer

Daughter of a Lost Bird, di rected by Brooke Pepion Swaney, debuted in 2021 and premiered as part of a film series called ‘Body and Land,’ presented by Cinema Politica, a non-profit media arts organi zation with a mission of supporting the work of independent, politically-mind ed filmmakers. The term “lost bird” re fers to people who have been adopted from Native reservations and grow up not realizing they are Native Ameri can. Daughter of a Lost Bird focuses on Kendra Potter, a Lummi woman adopted into a white family as a baby. The audience follows her journey as she meets her birth mother, April New comb, and is introduced to the Lummi Nation of Bellingham, Washington, for the first time. Moviegoers also learn about Newcomb, who was herself an adoptee, and her story about overcom ing addiction and reconnecting to the Lummi Nation in her own way.

The film opens with a phone call. A familiar Apple ringtone echoes loudly in an empty room while a young woman sits cross-legged on a rug with the phone pressed to her ear. Her anx ious expression makes the audience

sit forward slightly, on edge. The call clicks to voice message, and the woman says in a halting voice, “Hello April. This is your birth daughter, Kendra.”

She adds she will be awake for another hour if April wishes to call her back. April hangs up and laughs with the people off-screen about the awkward ness of the voice message. The scene jumps to later that night, when Ken dra’s phone is ringing—April is calling her back. Most parents with children in the adoption system do not want to or have the opportunity to reconnect with their children, making Kendra’s story a

rare one.

Daughter of a Lost Bird depicts the intensely emotional process through which many Indigenous families, torn apart by colonial policies of cultural as similation and generations of trauma, reconnect and learn about each other for the first time. Kendra’s story delves into the intimate control governments had over Indigenous life and communitybuilding, exemplifying the 19th and 20th century settler-colonial and gen dered phrase: “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Although she was never taught

about her culture growing up, she was raised as part of a loving, upper-middleclass white family and felt no grief over the absence of Native American culture or family in her life until her discovery.

Telling a simple yet complex story, the film tackles the emotionally fraught and lasting results of colonial control and reach over Indigenous peoples in North America. With an emphasis on care, healing, and accep tance, Daughter of a Lost Bird por trays the values the Lummi Nation, among other Indigenous peoples in the Americas, place on the importance of

family. Viewers watch throughout the film as Kendra goes from feeling over whelmed and slightly out of place in her newfound community to passionately embracing her culture and lost com munity. The significance of the Lummi Nation’s welcome cannot be overstated. On Kendra’s first visit to the Nation, she is hugged by people she has never met, who warmly tell her: “Welcome back home.”

Kendra’s story of reconnection with her birth mother and community is an essential watch. White families adopting Indigenous children is com mon, Brooke Pepion Swaney, the film’s director and a member of the Blackfoot Nation, explained during a Q&A after the film. Swaney felt that most Native birth parents who have given up their children for adoption do not want to meet them. This in turn creates a cycle of Indigenous trauma from children entering the broken foster care system, which can extend for generations. By giving a voice to these stories of recon nection, the film works to facilitate the redress of intimate forms of justice and reconciliation for Indigenous peoples.

‘Daughter of a Lost Bird’ played at Cinema Politica on Oct. 24 as part of their Body and Land series. Movies from this series will be playing every week until Dec. 5. A suggested donation of $5-10 is encouraged.

Content warning for colonial violence

into

without

‘The Car’ is produced by James Ford, who has worked with the band since their sophomore album. (rollingstone.co.uk

According to the film’s director, April Newcomb enjoys rewatching the reunion scene between her and her daughter, saying how lucky

to

footage

this moment. (allpointbulletin.com)

On Oct. 10, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) released its findings from an investigation into possible 2021 cost cap violations. Aston Martin was found guilty of a procedural breach after providing inaccurate financial documentation to the FIA. Red Bull was found guilty of both a procedural breach

and a minor financial overspend, representing less than five per cent of the cost cap.

In 2021, the FIA set the cost cap at $145 million in an attempt to reduce the gap between teams that were able to spend several hundred million and teams who could barely reach the cost cap. For example, Haas spent a total of $80 million for the 2020 year while Mercedes spent $450 million and even had to fire some employees to meet cost cap regulations.

This spending gap between teams has

proven to have major consequences on the perceived fairness of races. Max Verstappen, who races for Red Bull, won the 2021 Driver’s Championship. He controversially snatched the win in the final race of the season by overtaking Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in the last lap. In light of FIA’s conclusion that Red Bull had breached the cost cap, coupled with the contentious win, fans were quick to anger, rushing to Twitter to express their frustration with Red Bull’s disregard for the rules. Some fans even went as far as to suggest that the 2021 title should be stripped from Verstappen and given to Hamilton.

But fans aren’t the only ones upset about this perceived injustice. McLaren’s team principal Zak Brown wrote a letter to the FIA and F1 chiefs stating that any breach of the financial regulations constitutes cheating, provoking a fervent defence from Red Bull’s principal, Christian Horner. Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff declared that Red Bull’s breach could not be qualified as minor, explaining that even a $500,000 overspend could heavily influence the outcome of a championship.

On Oct. 28, the FIA announced that Red Bull would receive a $7 million USD fine and a 10 per cent reduction in wind tunnel time, which is used to perfect aerodynamic testing. While Horner has denounced the punishment as draconian, Wolff declared that one of the most significant consequences for Red Bull would be the reputational damages to the team.

However, the Red Bull cost cap situation reflects the FIA’s larger problem with accountability. The lack of clarity in the FIA’s

original announcement of the cost cap breach provoked more than two weeks of speculation about what really happened: How severe was the cost cap breach, and why did Red Bull overspend to this extent?

The murky dealings within the FIA have consistently put drivers’ lives at risk and in some cases have proven to be fatal. During this year’s Japanese Grand Prix, Alpha Tauri driver Pierre Gasly almost collided with a crane on the track deployed to retrieve Carlos Sainz’s damaged car. The dangerous racing conditions were almost identical to the environment Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi lost his life in after hitting a crane on the track during the Suzuka Grand Prix in 2015. The FIA’s investigation of the accident qualified Gasly’s driving as “reckless,” seemingly absolving themselves of any blame. Although the FIA’s investigation also recognized that the deployment of cranes on the track potentially should be delayed, they did not acknowledge their failings in ensuring the drivers’ safety.

The FIA’s constant lack of accountability makes the sport less enjoyable for fans. Having to continuously question the decisions of a sport’s governing body distracts from the breathtaking races and the intricate mechanisms of the vehicles. When the focus is taken away from the beauty of the sport and turned to the FIA’s regular shortcomings, it leaves fans disappointed and disheartened. If the FIA continues to brush serious concerns regarding their provision of safety and fair judgment under the rug, it will undoubtedly push people away from the sport.

Anoushka Oke

Creative Director

After five years with the Martlets varsity hockey team, sixth-year centre Marika Labrecque took her athletic prowess to the next level and joined the varsity golf team.

Originally from Lac-Etchemin, a small town near Quebec City, Labrecque chose to attend McGill both because of its educational and athletic prospects.

Labrecque has played hockey since she was five years old. Growing up playing on boys’ teams, Labrecque made the transition over to girls’ hockey when she was 15, playing for the Honey Bees du Sud in the Ligue de Développement du Hockey M18 AAA du Québec.

Before kicking things off with the McGill Martlets in 2017, Labrecque also played two seasons for the Dawson College Blues, where she logged 22 goals and 32 assists in the 45 games she played. After graduating with a physical education degree in 2021, Labrecque returned for her fifth year of eligibility as a School of Continuing Education management student. Over the course of her four seasons with the Martlets, Labrecque has consistently been one of the top four scorers on the Martlets—she has totalled four goals and one assist over 12 games so far this season.

While hockey has been a lifelong

passion, golf is a newer affection for Labrecque. She was briefly introduced to golf in elementary school through an after-school program that transported students to a golf club where they received lessons. Outside of that, however, she didn’t play much when she was younger. Like many others who found a new love for the game over the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport piqued her interest mainly over the past two summers.

“At the beginning of the year, I sent a message to the coach and just [scheduled] a practice with them, just to see—in comparison to the other girls— where I was at,” Labrecque said in an

interview with The McGill Tribune. “I really love golfing, so I just wanted to see if maybe I have a chance [....] I just wanted to try a practice with them, but I made the team.”

Despite no overlap between varsity seasons, with golf wrapping up at the beginning of October and hockey just getting started, Labrecque finds that being a dual-sport athlete to be a demanding feat.

“After a weekend of golf—we played three rounds—my back was hurting so much,” she said. “I have back problems with hockey, but after turning like 200 times […] it was more difficult to play hockey Monday morning after that.

Golf is not intense, but it is so demanding for our bodies at the same time.”

The golf season was an exciting opportunity for Labrecque, offering her access to a whole new level of competition.

“With golf, I’ve never played against really good players,” she said. “I play with and against players at Lac-Etchemin, but with so many girls that are so good [at McGill], it was so nice to play with them and compete with them. It just shows me that I still have stuff to learn in golf, and playing with them—with so many good players—was the best thing for me.”

Outside of school, Labrecque cannot get enough of sports. Even with a packed schedule, she appreciates that sports give her an opportunity to be competitive. She plays tennis in the summer, and also trains for triathlons. She enjoys being on the water, and one of her favourite things to do in LacEtchemin is to go boating with her friends.

This year, the Martlets will be a relatively young roster consisting of seven first-years and eight second-years. With the 2022-23 season serving as Labrecque’s sixth with the

Martlets, she is a seasoned veteran well-versed in the ins and outs of RSEQ hockey. Labrecque hopes the team can grow and learn from one another, and looks forward to the remainder of a promising final season as a Martlet.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY vs UOttawa L 5-2

WOMEN’S SOCCER vs Laval L 0-2

MEN’S LACROSSE vs Queens W 14-6

MEN’S FOOTBALL vs UdeMontréal L 24-9

MEN’S HOCKEY vs Queens W 6-2 vs Nipissing W 6-1

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL vs Sherbrooke L 2-3

MEN’S BASKETBALL vs Carleton L 88-94

Red

(autosport.com)

The Martlets’ next hockey game is against Carleton at McConnell Arena. (Matt Garies / McGill Athletics)

.

Redbirds rugby squeaks by Gaiters to advance to the RSEQ championship

Gritty team effort secures victory for the ‘Birds in a chirpy 20-18 takedown

Sepideh Afshar & Renée Rochefort Managing Editor & Contributor

On Oct. 29, the McGill Redbirds (6–1) faced off against the Bishop’s Gaiters (4–3) in the RSEQ men’s rugby semi-final. The lively match ended with the ‘Birds edging past their opponents in a tight 20-18 win.

The game had a true playoff atmosphere with the Redbirds attracting their usual rowdy crowd for the do-or-die match. But it was the Gaiters who attacked first. Right out of the gate, the visiting team strung together several solid plays, helped by their strength in the scrum. The Redbirds conceded an early penalty, allowing Bishop’s to take a 3-0 lead. The Gaiters continued to press the Redbirds’ defence and were seemingly in control of the game but failed to convert their second penalty.

McGill broke a bit of back-and-forth action with a try by third-year hooker Evan Tennant in the 16th minute of play. (McGill Athletics and RSEQ incorrectly attributed the try to openside flanker Zachary Auger.) Captain Monty Weatherall then slotted the conversion attempt between the pipes to give the Redbirds a 7-3 lead.

The Gaiters fought back fiercely, and tempers flared on the field as the game devolved into a slow, gritty affair. Towards the middle of the first half, the visitors snatched the Redbirds’ lead away with a penalty conversion and a try in the 33rd minute. The 11-7 lead did not last long, as the Redbirds answered in the 36th minute with a try from Auger. The fourth-year pierced the Gaiters’ defence to help McGill retake a slim one-point lead. Weatherall completed the conversion to add to the Redbirds’ tally. The ‘Birds then hunkered down on defence until the final play of the half, when Weatherall delivered again to put McGill in the lead going into the break.

The start of the second half followed similar patterns to the first: Chirpy comments, physical plays, and strong Bishop’s back play. The Gaiters crept into Redbird territory and scored an early try in the 54th minute. A successful conversion led to an 18-17 lead for the visitors. The rest of the time held much back-and-forth play with close chances on both sides. A few instances of sloppy play from the Redbirds created some tense moments for home spectators, but the team recovered with a hard press to penetrate the Gaiters’ zone.

A penalty conversion by Weatherall rounded out the game’s scoring, but the drama continued till the very last second. In the 78th minute, both Gaiters and Redbirds fans held their breath as Bishop’s was granted a penalty kick. The conversion fell short of the posts, and the Redbirds’ supporters breathed a collective sigh of relief as McGill held on to win 20-18.

“Their best asset [...] was their perseverance, they stayed tough and played hard even with all the adversity that came,” said Redbirds assistant coach Greg Gallant in an interview with The McGill Tribune . “They kept it together and played hard until the end.”

Weatherall reflected on the team’s overall play in a post-game interview.

“I feel relieved. We had a job to do today, and we did it,” said the captain. “It wasn’t pretty, but it doesn’t matter It was still a win.”

Alex Pantis, a tighthead prop with five years on McGill’s rugby team under his belt, emphasized the significance of this upcoming championship game.

“I’ve been here a long time,” he said. “And I haven’t ever felt this good about a team.”

“Everyone should come next week,” added Tennant, who hails from Beaconsfield, Quebec. “It’s gonna be a pumping crowd; we’re gonna put on a show, and we’re gonna win the championship!”

McGill will compete for the RSEQ championship on Nov. 4 at home against Ottawa’s Gee-Gees.

MOMENT OF THE GAME

In a scrum turned around by McGill, Owen Cumming stole the ball and handed it off to Zachary Auger to score the try in the Bishop’s 10.

QUOTABLE

“We knew we had the dominant pack today, and in the second half we really took it to them. We were stronger, we were bigger, and we showed it.” — Third-year hooker Evan Tennant

STAT CORNER

McGill’s Redbirds are ranked first defensively in the RSEQ while Bishop’s Gaiters are ranked first offensively. In both the regular season and the playoffs, defensive superiority dominated as they swept Bishop’s in both games.

McGill swim teams finish first at second Quebec Cup

Eliza Lee Contributor

Continued from page 1.

“We have goals to win the RSEQ banner and to place well at USports.”

The Martlets relay teams were more of an expected success. The teams dominated at the meet, placing first in both the 4 x 100-metre free and the 4 x 100-metre medley

relay. The Martlets also swept the top four spots on the ranking of multiple-medal athletes, with fourth-year Daphné Danyluk and second-year Isabel Sarty tying for first with three gold medals each. Third-year Elizabeth Ling and second-year Cailin McMurray earned the third and fourth most medals, respectively.

Sarty, a master’s student in neuroscience, had a particularly successful meet, and was named the swimmer of the meet by the Quebec Cup and athlete of the week by McGill Athletics, in addition to earning gold medals in both of her individual races and the 4 x 100-metre free relay. Sarty’s 2:02.94 finishing time qualified her for the USports championship, and even more impressive was her 25.89 seconds 50-metre free finish that qualified her for nationals.

Sarty saw being at the McGill home pool as a factor in her success at the meet. She specifically noted the energy that came with the rambunctious audience and teammates.

“I think that really fed into my motivation for my races, and it really helped my confidence,” Sarty told the Tribune . “The team was so close to each other, and there was so much cheering, and I was able to have my friends and family here to watch.”

Head coach Peter Carpenter

attributed the team’s outstanding results to the swimmers’ dedication and hard work over the season thus far, especially in the face of adversity.

“I think [...] they’ve worked extremely hard in the past little while, and [they’ve been] fighting through illness,” Carpenter said. “They’ve managed to push through, so I’m super proud of them.”

The swim team’s next meet is on Nov. 18 at the University of Ottawa.

MOMENT OF THE MEET

In the final event of the evening, the men’s 4 x 100-metre free relay, McGill and UOttawa were neck and neck throughout the race. In the final 50 metres, the Redbirds pulled ahead and won the race to thunderous cheering from their teammates and the crowd.

QUOTABLE

“To be honest, our men, we were more looking at second place as being a more likely result and they managed to win, so that’s a huge, huge result for us.”– Head coach Peter Carpenter on the Redbird’s success

STAT CORNER

The Martlets won the women’s division with 597 points, easily out-distancing second-place Ottawa with 319.5.

This is the second consecutive year that the Redbirds toss the Gaiters out of the playoffs at the semifinal. (Maia Salhofer / The McGill Tribune)