The McGill Tribune Vol. 40 Issue 5

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020 | VOL. #40 | ISSUE #5

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Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

SPORTS

Quebec’s racist health care system needs reform

The violence of exclusionary design

Documentaries for staying in the sports mood

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PG. 5

PG. 16

(Maggie Roberts / The McGill Tribune)

Thousands march demanding “Justice for Joyce”

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Equinox 2020 celebrates BIPOC cultures and identities Creators come together to embrace their heritage Erika MacKenzie Contributor Never Apart’s Equinox 2020 festival, held on Sept. 26, was a one-day digital celebration of BIPOC creators across Canada, merging music, art, ecology,

and food under the theme of “Cultivate.” Never Apart is a Montreal-based nonprofit focussed on bringing about social change and spiritual awareness through organizing culture and music programs. Equinox 2020 featured Q&As, a cooking demonstration, live music sets, and a mini-documentary. The event was a trium-

Cinched for the gods Re-examining the controversial history of the corset Vanessa Barron Arts & Entertainment Editor Whether you’re a Pinterest mom, an Instagram baddie, or a dedicated Vogue reader like myself, you may have noticed one article of clothing taking over celebrity fashion within the past year: The

Vivienne Westwood corset. Worn by the likes of Bella Hadid, FKA Twigs, and Barbie Ferreira, the corset is a rare vintage find from Westwood’s 1980s collections.

Screen printed with baroque paintings, the garment revamps a classic piece of British women’s historical costume.

Corsets, however, come with concerns over health complications and a legacy of patriarchal oppression.

To understand how we’ve arrived at this recent trend, it requires a look into the history of one of the most iconic and controversial garments of Western fashion.

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phant educational experience, demonstrating unity between many BIPOC creators celebrating their culture and identity.

The celebration kicked off with a discussion about the resurgence of two-spirit identities in Indigenous communities.

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Nerdy going on thirty: Soup & Science returns for its 30th edition McGill researchers discuss complex mathematics, astronomical imaging, and giant trees Jonathan Giammaria, Sophia Gorbounov & Ronny LitvackKatzman Arts & Entertainment Editor, Science & Technology Editors The first-ever Soup & Science event, held in 2006, was not an extravagant affair. Professors and students gathered together in the second-floor lobby of the Trottier building to talk science, pass

along research anecdotes, and, of course, share in the event’s eponymous light refreshments. Thirty editions and a venue change later, the Soup & Science lecture series has become a mainstay of McGill’s academic calendar, having hosted over 400 speakers and 10,000 attendees since its inception.

The McGill Tribune covered highlights from the five-day virtual event.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

NEWS

Thousands march demanding “Justice for Joyce”

Demonstrators denounced the mistreatment of Joyce Echaquan by Quebec health care workers

Maggie Roberts Contributor Thousands gathered at Place Émilie-Gamelin on Oct. 3 to participate in a peaceful demonstration, organized by the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal and its Executive Director Nakuset, Iskweu, and Janis Qavavauq-Bibeau, to demand justice for Joyce Echaquan. Joyce was a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman and mother of seven who faced racist verbal abuse from hospital staff while she lay dying in a hospital in Joliette on Sept.

28. The masked and sociallydistanced crowd chanted “Justice for Joyce” as they marched down Rue Berri, calling for legal justice for Echaquan and pushing to eradicate institutionalized racism against Indigenous Peoples across the country.

Joyce Echaquan, who went to the Centre Hospitalier De Lanaudière in Joliette, Quebec because of stomach pains, was the victim of taunts and racist insults by the hospital staff. Echaquan live streamed the incident on Facebook as she pleaded for help, just before her death.

Janis Qavavauq-Bibeau

Crowds of demonstrators protested the mistreatment and institutionalized discrimination against Indigenous Peoples in Quebec. (Maggie Roberts / The McGill Tribune)

was one of the event organizers and is currently the Research Coordinator for the Iskweu Project, an initiative started by the Native Women’s Shelter.

The project was started as a direct response to the increasing number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (including trans and two-spirit) in the province and nationwide.

“Tuesday morning, I watched the video with my boss and my colleague Jess,” Qavavauq-Bibeau said. “My boss asked, ‘what do we

do?’ I said we are going to march [and] we are going to give a voice to Indigenous people who don’t have one.”

The demonstration attracted people of all ages, including Chloe Rodriguez, U3 Arts, who heard about the event through social media.

“It was an emotional space [and] the atmosphere was heavy, but the urgency and necessity of the moment was definitely present,” Rodriguez said.

“The speakers were extremely

powerful. I felt humbled and enraged by their words.”

Speakers at the demonstration represented various Indigenous organizations across Montreal, including the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, the Native Friendship Center, and Quebec Native Women Inc. Political leaders from both the city and Québec solidaire also took part in the gathering, advocating for political leaders to address systemic racism in Quebec.

Alisha Tukkiapik, an Inuk woman and head of the National Indigenous Commission of Québec solidaire, delivered an impassioned speech to the crowd.

“It hurts so much that Joyce had to record to get this attention, because we’ve been dealing with this for hundreds of years and she’s not the only victim that we’ve had and lost,” Tukkiapik said.

Marie-Ève Bordeleau, a Cree woman and Commissioner of Indigenous Relations for the City of Montreal, called on the Quebec government to act and emphasized the importance of unity in the process of dismantling institutionalized racism.

“Together, we need to accept

our differences,” Bordeleau said.

“Together, we can change the system and eradicate systemic racism. Together, we will change the system. Indigenous people, non-Indigenous people, governments: It is time. Let’s not find any more excuses for our inactions.”

Joyce Echaquan’s death adds to the disturbingly high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Quebec and across Canada. Last year, as part of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, a supplementary report gave the province of Quebec 21 recommendations to ensure the safety and well-being of women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA people in the province “For those who are in a position in the health care field, in the youth protection field, in the justice field, read the recommendations [and] apply them,” Nakuset said.

On Oct. 3, Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced that she will be launching a public inquiry into Echaquan’s death and Centre hospitalier de Lanaudière. This investigation is currently ongoing.

Divest McGill signs open letter with divestment groups across Canada The Divest Canada Coalition calls on universities to divest by 2025 Zach Ripka Contributor The Divest Canada Coalition, a consortium of climate action groups at 19 Canadian universities, penned an open letter in September 2020 calling on universities across the country to divest from fossil fuels.

The coalition’s demands centre on divestment, but also address related issues such as the violation of Indigenous sovereignty, the oppression of marginalized communities, and systemic racism in policing.

The letter calls for full divestment of funds from companies that extract, process, and transport fossil fuels by 2025. It emphasizes that nothing short of complete divestment is acceptable, and demands that universities put at least five per cent of its funds towards community investments that “advance racial, economic, environmental, and social justice.”

Divest McGill organizer Zahur Ashrafuzzaman, U1 Arts and Science, believes that the new coalition will connect divestment groups and help to build a collective power.

“This is the first time that this many universities have come together to form a real concrete coalition which we can use as a platform [...] to get the ball rolling on a national level,” Ashrafuzzaman said. “We’re calling for a just recovery from COVID-19, where we want [universities] to start investing in communities and divesting from these corporations, industries, and institutions that cause people harm. [This means] the fossil fuel industry, but also [systems] like the police and the prison industrial complex.”

Since 2012, Divest McGill has focussed its advocacy towards the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR), the Board of Governors committee

which has failed to recommend that McGill divest three times. The Post-Graduate Students’ Society, the Students’ Society of McGill University, the McGill Faculty of Arts, and the McGill Association of University Teachers all take the position that McGill should divest.

Divest McGill’s tactics to lobby the administration have included rallies and direct actions. In February 2020, the group obstructed the James Administration building to put pressure on CAMSR and push for fossil fuel divestment.

SSMU President Jemark Earle is the only McGill student on CAMSR. He has been communicating with Divest McGill to understand how to use his position to amplify their voices.

“I wholeheartedly agree with the points raised in the open letter that was co-signed by Divest McGill,” Earle wrote to The McGill Tribune. “McGill is falling behind in comparison to institutions that have committed to full fossil fuel divestment.”

The new Divest Canada Coalition more closely links Divest McGill to climate action groups across the country.

Clara Sismondo, an organizer with Climate Justice University of British Columbia, explained how the letter demands that universities use the pandemic as a catalyst for transformative social change.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis are both symptoms of colonial, capitalist, and white supremacist systems,” Sismondo wrote to the Tribune. “For us, COVID-19 is a stark reminder that we need massive system change.”

In June 2020, McGill and other major Canadian universities signed the Investing to Address Climate Change Charter (IACCC), a resolution that aims to address environmental sustainability with respect to endowment funds, which universities use to generate revenue through investment.

While the IACCC symbolically places limitations on McGill’s investments, the document sets no concrete

Several university climate action groups unite under the Divest Canada coalition. (Sequoia Kim / The McGill Tribune) restrictions. It only suggests that signatories will “measure” the carbon intensity of investments, “evaluate” their progress, and commit to reducing fossil fuel investments over time.

Pierre Boisseau, McGill’s Senior Director of Institutional Communications, wrote to the Tribune on behalf of Principal Suzanne Fortier. He did not directly address Divest Canada’s open letter. “[The IACCC] is just one of the many ways universities are working to address climate change,” Boisseau wrote.

“McGill [...] has already committed to an ambitious plan of actions that involves its investments, academic mission, operations, governance and management, [including] decarbonization of the McGill Investment Pool [....] [The university] is aiming to achieve a 33 per cent carbon emission reduction of its public equity portfolio versus its equity benchmark by 2025.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

NEWS

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McGill Board of Governors discuss potential declining enrollment rates

Board members reviewed student enrollment and motions from Building and Property Committees Ella Fitzhugh Contributor At their Oct. 1 meeting, the McGill University Board of Governors’ (BoG) passed revisions to the university’s Gift Acceptance Policy, stating that accepting gifts does not mean the university endorses the donor’s positions. It also discussed the status of student enrollment, McGill’s anti-Black racism action plan, and heard reports from four committees, notably the Building and Property Committee, which outlined its request to proceed with the development of the Fiat Lux Library Project.

During the open session of the meeting, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier remarked on concerns about the potential decrease in international student enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She and Associate Provost (Teaching and Academic Programs) Christopher Buddle discussed complications posed by the closure of the Canadian border and its impact on

Principal Suzanne Fortier highlighted the persistent challenges students face to take a fast track to immigration by using the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). (mcgill.ca)

student enrollment for the upcoming Winter semester.

“The decline in enrollment in international students does seem to be mostly in first-year students,” Buddle said. “As the principal said, many of these students enrolled [...] with the hope that they would be able to come to Canada […] sometime during the fall or at least during the winter [...] and the difficulties in getting coordination from the federal and provincial governments on that does raise a real danger that those students will [...] decide that Canada isn’t a good place for them [...] and they’ll go somewhere else.”

Following these remarks, Marc Weinstein, VicePrincipal of University Advancement, presented his memorandum on a revised Gift Acceptance Policy.

Weinstein explained that the policy, which has not been revised since 2014, needs to be updated to take into account the new technologies for donations.

“We’ve seen, over the last couple of years, an increased number of requests from donors to provide potential philanthropy through new giving vehicles, which we didn’t anticipate in the first gift acceptance policy,” Weinstein said. “[With] the fact that there’s more public scrutiny related to McGill’s individual corporate donors, we felt that we really had to revise McGill’s Gift Acceptance Policy.”

The revision to the Gift Acceptance Policy includes a definition of what constitutes a gift, what types of gifts McGill is willing to accept, and the clarification that a gift is irrevocable once given.

“We’ve added mention that the acceptance of gifts does not mean the university endorses or approves of the donor’s views, opinions, or businesses or activities,” Weinstein said. “We clearly specify that endowments should be […] managed by the university.”

SOUND BITE “This week, the McGill’s action plan to address anti-Black racism was shared with the community [.…] It’s being implemented, and there’s been a lot of consultations with our community, particularly our Black community, on this plan [….] There are very important initiatives that are being put in place in response to what we see as continuing racism particularly against Black people.” — Principal Suzanne Fortier, on the status of McGill’s efforts to address antiBlack racism.

MOMENT OF THE MEETING Principal Suzanne Fortier announced a historic moment for McGill: The official opening of McGill’s medical campus in Outaouais. Fortier noted that the program is extensive, allowing those living in the region to complete their entire medical school track at the Outaouais campus, and the program is being delivered completely in French.

Growing COVID-19 case count pushes Montreal into the red zone Partial lockdown restrictions leave students and businesses in challenging situations Michelle Marcus Contributor Quebec’s provincial government announced on Sept. 30 that Montreal is now one of three zones in the province under a red alert due to its rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases. From Oct. 1 to 28, the city will enforce new restrictions on public and private gatherings designed to limit in-person contact in an attempt to minimize the effects of the pandemic’s second wave.

The red zone is the highest level of alert according to Quebec’s colour-coded scale. Zones are determined based on indicators such as regional case count, hospitalization rates, and public health capacities. With 1,107 new cases in Quebec reported on Sept.

26 alone, public health officials recommended a 28-day partial lockdown to promote public health and safety in the Montreal community.

Under the red zone restrictions, various public spaces will be closed, including bars and restaurants. Public and private

gatherings, even outdoors, are prohibited, and residents are expected to limit their social circle to those living in their household.

Although restrictions are currently set for 28 days, the province can extend this timeline if public health experts do not see substantial improvement in the number of new cases and rates of hospital admission. Public compliance with Montreal’s red zone restrictions in the coming weeks will be pivotal in limiting the spread of the virus. McGill Faculty of Medicine professor David Buckridge sees the 28-day period as necessary for calculating the effects of the restrictions.

“There’s a lag between when [an] infection occurs, [when] symptoms begin, and when the next person [becomes] infected,” Buckridge said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Twentyeight days will be about the time we start to see the effects of these restrictions.”

The possible extension of the 28 day restriction period, however, presents challenges for local businesses. McGill Retail

Management and Operations professor Maxime Cohen sees a robust online presence as crucial for small businesses hoping to survive this next stage of the pandemic.

“Hopefully [...] small business owners will understand [the] importance of digitization and moving to the e-commerce world,” Cohen said. “Several smaller [businesses] that still haven’t made [the] switch will unfortunately be hit quite hard.”

Regardless of how long Montreal remains a red zone, the

reduced number of students living in Montreal due to online classes has affected businesses that depend on student traffic. With McGill’s recent announcement confirming that the Winter 2021 semester will be delivered online, many small businesses will continue to depend on government subsidies to make up for lost revenue.

Although closures are intended to prevent unnecessary exposure to the virus, Thom Haghigat, U3 Science, who tested positive for COVID-19 despite maintaining a small social circle, worries that this

As of Oct, 5 2020 Montreal has recorded 35,496 cases of COVID-19. (CDC)

28-day period could backfire.

“When you’re going for a whole month without seeing any people, and then suddenly the restriction is taken off, I feel like a lot of people will end up [socializing] after the whole ‘red zone’ is over,” Haghigat said.

Student disregard for public health regulations has been a serious concern since classes resumed in September. The MiltonParc community has had one of the highest neighbourhood COVID-19 case counts for the past two weeks due to indoor gatherings. Montreal public health physician David Kaiser, however, believes that universities have a responsibility to find ways to safely compensate for the lack of social interaction that comes as a result of online classes.

“There’s a social component to being in university,” Kaiser said.

“It can’t just be up to students to come up with solutions [....] The universities [need to] really help students identify how to make changes over the next few months so that people can stay sane [and] happy [while keeping] the risk of transmission [...] low.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

NEWS

Monmouth University professor leads webinar on Anthropocene accountability Professor Randall S. Abate explored how litigation could help combat fossil fuel pollution Amelia Lang Contributor Monmouth University Professor Randall S. Abate presented a new approach to the fight for climate justice in a webinar hosted by The McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law (MJSDL) on Oct. 2. The central focus of Prof.

Abate’s presentation was on holding “common enemies”— the animal agriculture industry and the fossil fuel industry—accountable for their environmentally destructive practices.

The problem comes from the American federal government allowing these common enemies

to subvert regulation. Without sufficient restrictions, their operations significantly contribute to climate change. “[Climate change] needs to be considered one of the most glaring examples of the perils of unrestrained capitalism,” Abate said. “Litigation is an important tool to hold governments and the private sector accountable for climate change impacts, raise awareness of pressing challenges, and goad legislative responses.”

Litigation is crucial in the fight for climate justice in defending the environment when governments fail to. Emma Sitland, a U2 Law student and Executive Editor of the MJSDL,

Abate argued that strengthening environmental regulations could significantly help reduce fossil fuel emissions. (métromédia.ca)

emphasizes its importance in regulating polluting companies and the governments that enable them.

“These kinds of litigations are such an important mechanism for accountability,” Sitland said. “How are we going to get governments to account for climate change? [....] How are we going to hold corporations accountable?”

During his talk, Abate proposed a new approach to anthropocene accountability: the unification of environmental and animal rights movements. Given the similar barriers they face in the fight against the common enemies, Abate suggests that collaboration between the two movements would significantly advance the quest for climate justice. Particularly, in the work to regulate animal agriculture industries, animal law would benefit from adopting tactics used in successful environmental lawsuits against fossil fuel companies.

“My work generally seek[s] to convey [the message of] the importance of collaboration between the environmental and animal law movements in addressing problems of interest to both [...] such as the need for

more ambitious regulation of the animal agriculture industry and their significant climate change impacts,” Abate said.

Although his legal approach targeted American institutions, Prof. Abate highlighted how the same methods could be applied in a Canadian context. “[The U.S. and Canada] have a long way to go from here,” Abate said. “For many decades, our energy systems have been powered by fossil fuels, and our food systems have been dominated by animal agriculture. Old habits are hard to break.”

Arsalan Ahmed, a U3 Law student and the Editor-in-Chief of the MJSDL, felt that introducing perspectives like Abate’s provides new dimensions to discussions around larger issues that impact Canadians. “[MJSDL speaker events are] about giving you ideas, challenging current assumptions,” Ahmed said. “When we look at the Canadian context [of environmental accountability], I don’t think it’s very clear[....] It’s not particularly well publicized [....] It’s very far down in [this] debate of even beginning to ask, ‘is factory farming a problem in Canada?’”

Abate’s presentation also

addressed how the COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly helped the fight for climate justice.

“When [the pandemic] started [...] I never imagined that [it] would be such an integral part in my environmental scholarship and teaching as it has become,” Abate said.

Abate argued that the pandemic presented significant financial setbacks for the common enemies. Demand for oil hit record lows, and the animal agriculture industry faced huge losses while sales of plant-based meat alternatives rose by 200%.

He hopes that COVID-19 could be a turning point away from the status quo, and for the better.

“I hear all too often this year, ‘I can’t wait to get back to normal’,” Abate said. “Well, I’m not eager to get back to normal [....] Normal is exactly what we need to get away from.

Abate’s solution is part of the larger trend that calls for systemic change.

“If we live every day pondering [the] reality [of climate change] and seeking to do something about it, we may have a fighting chance for a climateresilient and sustainable future,” Abate said.

Collective agreement ratified at AGSEM’s TA General Assembly The agreement’s approval followed two years of negotiations Jack Zimakas Contributor The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) held its Teaching Assistant (TA) General Assembly online on Sept. 30 to vote on the new tentative TA Collective Agreement (CA). After two years of negotiations, AGSEM’s Bargaining Committee presented the tentative contract to the AGSEM Unit 1(TA) membership. The meeting concluded with a secret ballot vote, with 89.91 per cent of members voting in favour of ratification.

TA Bargaining Chair Jessica Rose and elected bargaining committee members Jean-Philip Mathieu and Farid Attar have been in negotiations with McGill University since the previous TA CA expired in June 2018. During the presentation of the tentative contract, the bargaining committee briefed members on various sections of the agreement, including those concerning discrimination, harassment and sexual violence, retroactive pay, union rights, and employment procedures. “[Article 6, on Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Violence] was a negotiation that took a very long time,” Rose said. “Our mandate was to update

this section to include the policy on sexual violence, which did not exist when we were [...] negotiating [...] the [previous] collective agreement. We wanted to expand the language that came from [McGill’s] sexual violence policy to be more specific to TA working conditions and to add additional protection when it comes to relationships between teaching staff and students, which applies to TAs in multiple ways.”

AGSEM will hold an invigilator town hall on Oct. 9 to discuss a new invigilator collective agreement with McGill. (AGSEM.ca)

The two years of bargaining between the union’s committee and the McGill administration escalated to conciliation with a provincial mediator after McGill stalled on equity-related issues and retroactive pay for TAs. Over summer 2020, members of AGSEM’s Executive and Bargaining Committees prepared for the assembly, creating a presentation to help communicate the details of the bargaining process to the union members.

“This [was] a mountainous task, we knew this from the beginning,” Attar said.

With 89.91 per cent of the union’s membership voting in favour, the ratified agreement will now be brought by McGill’s Bargaining Committee to the McGill Board of Governors. Once both parties sign the contract, AGSEM will follow up with current and former union members to inform them of which changes they could be impacted by. In an email to The McGill Tribune, AGSEM President Kiersten van Vliet highlighted that there remains work to be done to improve the working conditions of TAs, and that this round of negotiations has helped set priorities for future agreements.

“A [CA], while such an important document, is never a guarantee without strong enforcement outside of negotiations and there are so many things the union

needs to address that cannot necessarily be codified in that document—things related to changing the culture around this power differential between TAs and their course supervisors,” van Vliet said.

The Bargaining Committee will be preparing a report of recommendations for the next round of negotiations, which will begin after the new agreement expires on July 31, 2023. The committee’s report will also help maintain institutional memory of the most recent bargaining process.

Rose cited higher engagement amongst TAs than ever before, attributing the jump in involvement to the creativity of the tactics that the members of AGSEM employed. In addition, she believes that issues such as the lack of adequate safety precautions and increasing focus on equity have helped to mobilize the student body to participate in the bargaining process.

“There were a number of barriers [...] in this round of bargaining, [and] I expected COVID-19 to be the biggest barrier, but it has not turned out that way,” Rose wrote. “I believe that members voted overwhelmingly to ratify this agreement to affirm what we did achieve, and not to give up on what we have not yet achieved.

As far as TAs are concerned, preparation for the next round of bargaining begins today.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Helen Wu editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Aidan Martin amartin@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Katia Lo Innes kinnes@mcgilltribune.com Nina Russell nrussell@mcgilltribune.com Kaja Surborg ksurborg@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Kate Addison, Pascal Hogue & Sequoia Kim news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Jonah Fried & Kennedy McKee-Braide opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editors Sophia Gorbounov & Ronny Litvack-Katzman scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editors Alaana Kumar & Leyla Moy studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Kevin Vogel features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Vanessa Barron & Jonathan Giammaria arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Adam Burton & Sarah Farnand sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Ruobing Chen & Chloe Rodriguez design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Caroline Shelton photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Sarah Ford & Alexandre Hinton multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Benjamin Alexandor & Sasha Njini webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Jackie Lee copy@mcgilltribune.com

OPINION

OFF THE BOARD

Social Media Editor Marie Saadeh socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Marilie Pilon business@mcgilltribune.com

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

CONTRIBUTORS Eve Cable, Shelby Deegan, Ella Fitzhugh, Miya Keilin, Lucy Keller, Shaun Lalani, Amelia Lang, Claire Latendresse, Erika MacKenzie, Michelle Marcus, Naomi Mirny, Matthew Molinaro, Gabe Nisker, Logan Pecht, Namrata Rana, Zach Ripka, Maggie Roberts, Michelle Siegel, Kyle Tsang, Xiaotian Wang, Mallory Yeates, Jack Zimakas

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EDITORIAL

Quebec’s racist health care system needs reform On Sept. 28, Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman and mother of seven, livestreamed the moments before her death at Joliette Hospital. The widely-shared video shows hospital staff making racist comments towards Echaquan, and sparked outrage across the country.

The horrific situation highlights the deep flaws inherent in the Canadian health care system, which, despite being “universal,” remains inaccessible to Indigenous people, often going even further to actively harm and kill them. McGill, as Canada’s top-ranked medical school, is actively complicit in this. Quebec and McGill must overhaul medical care distribution and professional practice in the province to provide better care, agency, and opportunities to Indigenous communities.

In July 2020, premier Francois Legault doubled down on his position that systematic racism does not exist in Quebec and that the majority of Quebecers are not racist. Time and time again, however, both of these statements have proven to be unequivocally false. Published in 2019, the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls included an almost two hundred page supplementary report dedicated to

Pascal Hogue News Editor There’s a famous scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest, who has spent all day in his sleepy Alabama home staring into a void, dons his cap, springs out of his rocking chair, and for no particular reason, starts running. Forrest runs first to the end of the road, then to the edge of town—and once he has reached the edge of his county, he figures he might as well run across his state.

Forrest keeps running for many years, eventually criss-crossing the United States. One day, running as usual, a crowd of journalists assails him with a barrage of questions: “Why are you running? Are you

Quebec. The document includes a section on the province’s inadequate health and social services, and condemns Quebec’s failure to address these issues.

Indigenous people in Quebec tend to have traumatizing experiences with the health care system that range from inadequate to deadly outcomes. This is due to factors such as a lack of services in remote areas, racist encounters with non-Indigenous health care workers, and a lack of Indigenous health care providers who possess the cultural understanding necessary for adequate treatment, especially when it comes to mental health services. Those who cannot access a particular service within their area must travel to city centres, placing the onus on Indigenous people living in remote areas to go out of their way to access care. This leads to disastrous health outcomes; for example, tuberculosis rates among Inuit are 300 times higher than in non-Indigenous Canadians. When accounting for these discrepancies, it is impossible to ignore the systemic racism that lies at the heart of this province.

As a leader in medical training, research, and provision, McGill is also responsible for this anti-Indigenous institutionalized

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racism. A Mi’kmaq woman named Kimberly Gloade died only two years ago after being turned away at the McGill University Health Centre because she did not have a health card, illustrating yet another structural factor limiting access to health care for Indigenous people in Quebec. If one is denied care at the first point of contact due to this kind of systemic problem, they will be far less likely to see treatment in the future.

As a response to these inequities and ongoing calls to action from activists, medical schools have taken steps to place a greater emphasis on Indigenous health care and healing, leading to the creation of new courses and programs in recent years. McGill’s Department of Family Medicine recently introduced an Inuit health module that seeks to incorporate Inuit understandings of health as holistic, with spirituality as a vital component. The module is not mandatory, however, and will only be offered within Family Medicine for the time being. While this kind of education is crucial, an even greater emphasis must be placed on outreach and support for Indigenous students to increase the number of Indigenous health care professionals in Quebec. In 2016, less than one per cent of specialists

and general practitioners in all of Canada identified as “Aboriginal.”

Governments and educational institutions must provide Indigenous people with the agency to administer care within their own communities. This starts with financial and academic support for Indigenous youth.

While Quebec and McGill must act, only so much reform is possible within a colonial state that continues to commit genocide against Indigenous Peoples. The federal and provincial governments have repeatedly proven that they have no tangible regard for Indigenous life and are committed to power and profit above all else. As a result, nonIndigenous and particularly white McGill students should provide financial support when they can to Indigenous activists and uplift land back movements while working to unlearn their own internal colonial and eurocentric biases. Students must also support programs that increase access to education for Indigenous students and continue to listen to the needs of Indigenous students on campus. If systemic racism did not exist in Quebec, what happened to Joyce Echequan would not have happened. It is time to finally face these issues rather than continuing to deny them.

Running for running’s sake doing this for world peace? [For] the environment? [For] the animals?”

Forrest, incredulous, tersely admits, “I just felt like running.”

Similarly, for no particular reason and with nothing better to do, I began running on a frigid afternoon in late March. I had none of Forrest’s boundless stamina, unfortunately, and my first outing of the pandemic was a dismal experience, as I found myself incessantly panting and stopping during the entire five-kilometer loop.

Two days later, still without thinking much of it, I was running again—the same five-kilometer loop, still panting and stopping, but for briefer stretches of time. Two days after that, I ran again.

Before long, running became a habit. Every other evening, I would go outside and run, with no exception for Saturdays or Sundays.

It took me a few weeks to master the five-km run—once I could do that distance in a single stretch, I added an extra two kilometers and made it a seven-kilometer run. A few runs later, when I had mastered that one, I added a bit more and made it a nine-kilometer run.

In those early months of the lockdown, each day felt the same as the day before it. I would wake up

late, barely touch my class material, then veer into existentialist rabbit holes while reading the news. But at least I ran in the evening. And I was content with having done at least one productive thing with my day.

Eventually, what began as a mindless habit to spend time became one of the few anchors that kept me level-headed in day-to-day life. With running, I could clear my mind of global events, keep track of the changing seasons, and focus on reaching ever-longer distances.

My absurd objective—which I whole-heartedly believed was unattainable—was to reach the distance of a half-marathon. But by mid-May, I’d run a string of 17-kilometer loops at decent times, and one balmy Wednesday night, I ran the full 22 kilometers in a single stretch.

Absolutely drained from my experience and now detesting nothing more than the idea of running in vain circles, I decided

that very night to retire from running.

But Forrest Gump, crossing the United States, didn’t stop when he reached one of the oceans; he merely turned around and kept running. It didn’t take me long to follow his lead—three days after my half-marathon, I sprang out of “retirement” and kept going.

Running was enjoyable as an end in and of itself.

The pandemic—much like running—has been a big test for our stamina. As we brace for a second wave that seems destined to look much like the first, my new pastime has taught me a few things about living through dull, monotonous days. Most important is to set markers that demonstrate progress in our day-to-day, whether that be reading a few pages of a novel every day or aiming for longer distances every evening, so that we don’t feel like we are perpetually trudging on a hamster wheel.

ERRATUM An article published in the September 28th issue titled ‘‘‘Sisters, Dreams and Variations’ brings a gust of Icelandic artistry” incorrectly stated that Jasa Baka was the violinist of Singya, and that Tyr Jami was a visual artist. Baka is a visual artist, and Jami was the cellist of Syngya. The Tribune regrets this error.

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OPINION

COMMENTARY

TUEDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

The pandemic demands a more accessible McGill BoG

Mallory Yeates Contributor For years, McGill students have fought for change through protests, rallies, and other physical demonstrations. Protests, such as those led by Divest McGill against the occupation of Wet’suwet’en territory and the Indigenous students behind the “Change The Name” campaign, have been crucial to drawing attention to issues on campus and effecting change at McGill.

COVID-19 has restricted students’ ability to mobilize for issues that matter to them.

The McGill Board of Governors (BoG), which has final authority over all academic, financial, and investment affairs, needs to ensure that students are given the opportunity to put forth their grievances.

With tuition fees increasing for the 2020-2021 academic year and longstanding resentment against McGill’s investments in fossil fuels, student voices must have a platform. The BoG leaves little opportunity for students to ask questions or share their concerns on the topics discussed. The Board holds bi-monthly closed meetings, with four student representatives and two student observers, who do not vote but still attend the meetings on behalf of student associations. While student representatives are invaluable, the ratio of six representatives to over 40,000 students simply does not accurately reflect all student concerns. Community sessions are held after every other meeting—so, every four months—in which students and staff can submit questions for the Board.

However, participating in such sessions

COMMENTARY Logan Pecht Contributor McGill welcomed hundreds of new students to its campus residences this fall, despite delivering classes remotely. McGill Student Housing and Hospitality Services (SHHS) must now balance students’ urge to socialize while protecting the community’s health and safety amid the pandemic. As the number of daily cases continue to increase in Quebec, residence staff must be prepared to implement containment measures as necessary. Although SHHS claims to prioritize students’ health and safety, their lax approach is insufficient to stop a potential outbreak. Even though public health officials warned of a second wave well in advance, SHHS failed to draft more stringent protocols to protect the physical health of students in residence and the surrounding community. Now, with Montreal in a red zone, poor communication and limited enforcement will only exacerbate the risk of

is not as easy as it sounds. Community members must submit questions 15 days before the meeting. Questions are then vetted by the Board to ensure that they cover matters that the Board wishes to address. Even if a question survives this process, it will only be allotted a maximum

transparency. Since in-person protests are now unsafe, it is increasingly difficult for students to make their voices heard. The McGill administration’s failure to adapt to the restrictions placed on students this year displays their flagrant disregard for student well being.

The BoG, McGill’s highest governing body, has repeatedly ignored student concerns by refusing to divest from fossil fuels. (Caroline Shelton / The McGill Tribune) of five minutes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has made in-person protests unsafe for many, the BOG must adapt their current system to ensure that student concerns are addressed.

In the past, students have used physical forms of protest like rallies and sit-ins to compensate for the Board’s lack of

The BoG is set to host one student forum for this academic year in January.

Forums differ from community sessions as they allow students to engage directly with the BOG as opposed to written and submitted questions. All members of the McGill community must be heard, but with little to no ability to protest and only one

opportunity this year to address the Board, individual students are silenced. The Board of Governors must adapt their current meeting system to allow ample time and care to manage the concerns of students.

Live streaming meetings through websites such as Youtube Live would allow students to tune in and hear in real-time decisions made regarding their tuition, academics, and the BOG’s investment choices.

In addition, a live community session system would allow for an open forum at the end of every meeting instead of the submitted and reviewed questions, whereby questions could be submitted in real time. With this in place, questions that challenge the Board are more likely to be addressed, and more students will be able to put forth concerns regarding their welfare. On top of this, a live comment section would mitigate the barrier of submitting questions to the Board 15 days before the scheduled meeting.

Though in-person protests are currently unsafe, students can take a number of different approaches to fight for their rights. Amplifying online components of student movements, such the Black Student Networks’ (BSN) #TakeJamesDown online video series and letter writing initiative, is one way to push for change on campus if you are unable to physically protest. Moreover, by contacting board members individually, students can direct their demands to the source. Unprecedented times call for adaptations by the McGill administration, and turning a blind eye to student concerns is not a viable option.

McGill must do more to protect students in residence an outbreak within residences.

When Quebec Premier François Legault announced the new red zone restrictions on Sept. 28, SHHS made quick adaptations in order to comply. The closure of common areas and a ban on any indoor gatherings seemed sudden, given that SHHS made no adjustments weeks prior. Additionally, the COVID-19 tracker does not specify where on campus transmissions occurred, fueling rampant speculation. The information currently posted online offers a protocol for students who have symptoms, but it is unclear what measures will be put into place if there is an outbreak. SHHS must prioritize implementing thorough guidelines and structure for any attempt to stop the spread of COVID to be effective.

Those who enter New Residence Hall are greeted by a handwashing station and someone enforcing mask ordinances.

Although handwashing is an important sanitary measure, SHHS must extend their enforcement to address violations of occupancy

limits. Frequent gatherings in individual rooms pose a greater risk for transmission. It is naïve to assume that first years will limit their social interactions to a select group of people, which is recommended by health officials. Students in residences have reported inconsistent enforcement and rule defiance. It is not uncommon to hear loud gatherings persist throughout the night, undisturbed. To reduce the risk of transmission, Students claim that Student Housing and Hospitality Services is not doing SHHS must increase its enforce- enough to enforce public health guidelines in residences. ment beyond areas under public (Laurie-Anne Benoit / The McGill Tribune) view.

With poor communication sist. With no serious conse- welcomed into their residences and flawed safety measures quences for those violating the and subsequently into the comin place, the lack of disciplin- rules, the SHHS is only tolerat- munity. Montreal public health ary enforcement is no surprise. ing students hosting gatherings. director Dr. Mylène Drouin atWhereas other Canadian univer- While students must play their tributed the second wave of insities have garnered attention for part in keeping those around fection, which led the city to making stern statements and im- them safe, SHHS must do a bet- impose stricter restrictions, to posing stricter guidelines after ter job setting a precedent for social gatherings organized pristudents violated restrictions, what constitutes irresponsible marily by young people. Given McGill’s approach is passive behavior. the demographic that they serve, and weak in comparison. SHHS One may claim that McGill SHHS must show a greater will implemented a strike system for cannot control what students to break up social gatherings those who violate the rules, but do off-campus, but it is still and implement better measures the informal parties that occur responsible for the safety of to track and reduce the virus’s every weekend continue to per- the hundreds of students that it spread.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

7

Nerdy going on thirty: Soup & Science returns for its 30th edition McGill researchers discuss complex mathematics, astronomical imaging, and giant trees Continued from page 1.

Satellite imaging Panama’s tropical forests to find “carbon refuges” Jonathan Giammaria, Arts & Entertainment Editor Because most forest trees tower into dense foliage, their heights are often impossible to measure accurately from the ground. In 2018, a team led by Dr. Catherine Potvin, professor in the Department of Biology, discovered a fallen tree in Panama’s tropical forests. The tree proved to be a rare find, allowing the researchers to obtain an exact measurement of its height. “[The tree] measured 71 meters in height, which is amazing because it’s about twice the height of the reported forests of Panama,” Potvin said.

Trees are essential for naturally reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Through photosynthesis, they can store large amounts of carbon dioxide in their trunks for extended periods of time—a process known as carbon sequestration.

“Now that we were able to measure it, we know it contained 50 [tonnes] of carbon,” Potvin said.

That’s [in] a single tree. In the temperate forests [of Quebec], there are 40 tonnes of carbon [...] in one hectare of forest.”

Potvin stressed the importance of developing novel methods, such as satellite imagery, for measuring these abnormally tall trees, and mapping areas where they grow en masse. Dubbed “carbon refuges,” their preservation would help to maintain stable levels of carbon in the atmosphere.

Applying a niche mathematical concept to calculate infinite values from finite points Ronny Litvack-Katzman, Science & Technology Editor

Dr. Anush Tserunyan, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is a mathematician with a keen eye for deducing the logic behind complex systems. Ergodicity, the focus of Tserunyan’s research, is a branch of mathematics that studies the statistical properties of dynamic systems.

Tserunyan compared ergodicity to a well-mixed cup of milk and coffee. In this example, the movement of any given drop of milk in the coffee—here, an individual “point”—can be used to model the mixture’s movement over time.

The ergodic theory stipulates that studying an individual’s trajectory across time is the same as observing a collection of individual trajectories at a single time point. “[Finding the] averages over infinitely many points is impossible to compute, and pointwise ergodic theorem gives you a way to measure it at finite points,” Tserunyan said. “The average you compute will be very close to the actual average.”

Although it can be hard to imagine ergodicity’s realworld applications, Tserunyan commented that ergodic theory is foundational to other branches of mathematics, including those used to conceive climate models.

McGill physicists are escaping radio frequency interference at the world’s northernmost research station Sophia Gorbounov, Science & Technology Editor In a talk titled “Radio frequency interference at the McGill Arctic Research Centre,” Taj Dyson spoke about imaging the Universe during the Cosmic Dark Ages, just before the formation of the first stars. Dyson, U2 Science, explained his work with Doctors Cynthia Chiang and Jonathan Sievers to detect neutral hydrogen signals from one of the oldest but least-studied eras of the Universe.

Soup and Science allows McGill professors and students across all disciplines to talk about their research.

(Chloe Rodriguez / The McGill Tribune) “The only signal that comes from the Dark Ages comes from neutral hydrogen, which faintly glows at around 1.4 gigahertz,” Dyson said. “But, by the time that signal reaches us on Earth, it has been redshifted down to 100 megahertz, which is pretty much exactly the frequency of FM radio broadcasts.”

This, Dyson explained, results in significant interference and becomes a serious problem when trying to image hydrogen signals.

The simplest solution is to position oneself as far away from radio signals as possible. Located at 80 degrees North, the McGill Arctic Research Centre is easily the best option.

After hunkering down in this small research facility, Dyson observed the data and determined the magnitude of interference still being received from Dark Age hydrogen molecules. With much significantly less radio frequency interference, Dyson concluded the Centre was a prime location for examining incoming signals.

Exploring how artificial intelligence could redefine health care The current need for data-driven, adaptive technologies in medicine Namrata Rana Contributor Before Siri and Alexa, programmers created Eliza. Developed in 1964, Eliza was the first chatbot capable of recreating conversations between a psychotherapist and a patient.

This chatbot pushed the boundaries of artificial intelligence (AI), a still-emerging field at the time, into the domain of health care. Despite researcher’s best efforts, the integration of AI into medicine was slow in the following decades. This slow progress accelerated, however, when the global COVID-19 pandemic challenged health care systems’ abilities to treat larger populations in need of immediate attention. AI-augmented care has emerged as the leading solution to efficiently manage patients and apply the ever-growing collection of data to diagnostic medicine.

Dr. Samira Rahimi, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill, is using AI to monitor senior residents in long term care (LTC) facilities in Montreal and Toronto. Her ongoing project, AiCoV19, funded

by Roche Canada’s COVID-19 Open Innovation challenge, uses biosensors in smartwatches to continuously track potential COVID-19 symptoms in elderly patients.

“The goal is to integrate data from these sensors into an algorithm that can detect ab-

When AI and humans worked together to write the same exam, the average score increased by five per cent and 15 per cent compared to the independent scores of AI and humans, respectively.

(Lynn Shellcross / Getty Images) normalities in vital signs and predict an infection earlier,” Rahimi said in an interview with //The McGill Tribune//. “The biggest advantage of AI-based, real-time monitoring is how quickly a health care professional can be alerted upon detection of concerning signals.”

AI is often glorified as a solution to numerous problems, however it is not yet capable of spontaneous consciousness. Instead, AI learns within the algorithms it is given.

“What makes AI so powerful is its capacity to translate big data into an automated algorithm that captures complex relationships and trends,” Rahimi said.

One of the most challenging obstacles facing doctors and nurses on the front-lines of

COVID-19 is the inability to process the magnitude of data constantly being collected and updated worldwide. Deep learning is a specialized category of AI that loosely resembles networks of neurons in an attempt to mimic human intelligence and complete tasks that require layers of information processing. AI has become the basis of multiple global tools being used to tackle the pandemic. One such tool was created by MIT data scientists to forecast infections and deaths. Leaving computers to the task of reading research papers on COVID-19 as well as collecting and predicting future trends provides physicians more time to look after patients.

With mounting evidence supporting the

benefits of AI in diagnostic support, patient monitoring, and personalized care, its strongest proponents still wonder why it has yet to be embraced on a wider scale. The answer to that question is complex, but for many, this hesitation can be attributed to open debates surrounding the right to information security and the further questions of ethics that come with big data projects.

“Data access continues to be a barrier in AI adoption in health care,” Rahimi said. “AI project proposals undergo [a] rigorous process to seek approval. There is a lack of opensource data available to researchers, which is the most valuable asset for any developer. AI continues to be part of the few scientific fields where the practice of open-science is still heavily debated.”

Although the global pandemic has revealed the necessity of AI in health care, it is important to reflect on the long term opportunities for AI-augmentation in tackling healthrelated problems. According to the World Health Organization, the expected shortage of health care workers in North America is projected to exceed 14.5 million by 2030. Rahimi points out that the incorporation of AI technology can resolve some of these anticipated issues by expanding health care access, improving administrative efficiency, and providing insight into selecting the most appropriate treatment paths for each patient.

The violence of exclusionary design How Montreal’s public spaces are designed to police themselves Kate Addison News Editor Hostile architecture, also known as exclusionary or defensive design, is an intrinsic component of Montreal’s urban spaces—you just may not have noticed it. For most people who call this city home, experiencing urban public spaces is risk-free and innocuous, be it riding on the metro, sitting in the park, or simply walking down the street.

This comfort, however, is not the reality for all. For the over 3,000 unhoused residents of Montreal, urban public spaces are exclusionary and dangerous.

Whatever you may call it, exclusionary design exists throughout Montreal.

Exclusionary design may be blatantly obvious or more discreet, controlling how we move through and interact with the urban landscape. Seemingly innocuous are, for example, the blue lights that illuminate the interior of Montreal’s public busses. While often unnoticed, this cool-toned lighting makes it more difficult for intravenous drug users to locate a vein, thus deterring drug use on public transportation by those without a more private alternative.

More noticeable, however, are the benches found at metro stations or in parks that encourage brief and orderly use through shallow seats and dividing armrests. It is through these design elements that the public is told in no uncertain terms: Don’t get comfortable.

While the effects of exclusionary design may be nonconsequential or even beneficial to those with secure housing, these design choices are actively harmful to those without a private space to call home. Hannah Brais is the research coordinator for Montreal’s Old Brewery Mission and a graduate of Concordia University with an undergraduate degree in urban planning and a Master’s of Science in Geography, Urban and Environmental studies.

Brais explained the impact of exclusion from the public sphere on the psyche of Montreal’s unhoused population.

“As a homeless person, [...] you're constantly restricted from spaces, and having architecture or design that is [intended] outright to not welcome you is just a reminder of how the rest of society and space treats you,” Brais said. “For a lot of homeless people, [exclusionary design] is an embodiment of just exactly the social exclusion that they already live [....] It's just another clear instance where somebody's saying, ‘No, you don't belong here.’”

The concept of exclusionary design emerged through the broken window theory, a criminology thesis published in 1982 by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling.

McGill professor of Sociology Jan Doering explained the controversy behind the broken window theory.

“The [broken window] theory argues that serious crime emerges out of small crimes and even [from] things that are not criminal in and of themselves, but that may be perceived as disorder,” Doering said. “These things are sometimes called ‘quality of life’ issues. It could be things like public urination, or graffiti or littering, and the argument that [Wilson and Kelling] made is that when people see these things occur in a particular public space, they believe that there’s no one taking care of this space [....] It’s not managed, it’s not surveilled.”

As a result of these signs of supposed social

Shallow bench with protruding wall at Mont-Royal Metro Station. disorder or “broken windows on a building”—the imagery for which this theory is named—Wilson and Kelling argued people would feel more comfortable committing crimes as their so-called “disorder” would be more likely to go unnoticed. “[A perceived lack of surveillance] might invite people to consider committing crimes because they wouldn’t be at risk of being apprehended, and so there’s this negative spiral that these scholars expect,” Doering said. “[In this theoretical spiral] small things facilitate more serious [crimes] up to things like homicides, gang presence, shootings, and robbery.”

Like many North American cities, Montreal seems to have internalized the broken window theory, controlling citizens’ actions in public spaces through exclusionary design. For many, the presence of unhoused people in public areas is regarded as a symbol of disorder, and is thus seen as conducive to criminal activity. Unhoused people are in fact, less likely to commit violent crimes and are far more at risk of victimization than those with shelter. However, according to a study on disorder and public spaces in Montreal, by 2008, the problem of the “occupation of urban space” was a challenge heavily prioritized by the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). To handle this issue, the study states that the SPVM relied heavily on urban planning changes to aid in preventing this type of public disorder.

During the 1990s, the City of Montreal began to implement changes to public spaces to more effectively control their use. In addition to changing many urban areas such as the former Berri Square into parks—as bylaws allowed for the enforcement of curfews on those occupying parks—the city closed off many other public

spaces by constructing walls a n d fences.

In 2008, the mayor of Ville-Marie Borough, Benoît Labonté, announced the installation of a new style of park bench trisected by metal armrests in his neighbourhood. This bench was lauded for its innovative design allowing upright seating while preventing unhoused people from using it as a makeshift bed.

Cara Chellew is a public space researcher and advocate located in Toronto. She has gained attention for her project defensiveTO, which maps instances of hostile design found in urban areas. Chellew noted in an interview with The McGill Tribune that in recent years, defensive architecture has become the status quo in North American cities.

“It seems like defensive architecture has been embraced as a best practice amongst the design community, it gets put into these new public spaces before any [...] conflict happens,” Chellew said. “[Before] defensive architecture [...] a bench would be removed because neighbors didn’t want people loitering [....] But now we see these [designs] Metal Brackets put in on cement bench these new public spaces

by Musee des before any [...] conflict happens,” Beaux-Arts.

neighbors didn’t want people loitering [....] But now we see these [designs] put in place before there's any sort of conflict in the use of space.”

Like controversial policing tactics such as “stop and frisk” and foot patrols, exclusionary design directly results from the belief that signs of disorder must be prevented from ever occurring to halt a neighbourhood’s descent into serious criminal activity. These notions, which define modern policing, have been widely criticized for being both inaccurate and racist. Contemporary urban planning scholars argue that it is discriminatory towards low-income and minority neighbourhoods that may not receive the same public or private services as more affluent areas.

“By and large, I would say that the evidence does not support the argument [made by the broken window theory],” Doering said. “There’s some evidence that robbery might be encouraged by [public] disorder, [but] these are results from individual studies. Most people who’ve looked at the theory and tested it empirically have not really found much to support it. It’s not one of the more successful explanations of crime.”

The executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, Nakuset, is an advocate for creating more inclusionary public spaces. In July, she successfully brought attention to the installation of benches with armrests and time limits in Cabot square, an area frequented by many unhoused people. Nakuset explained to the Tribune how the existence of exclusionary design is noticeably more prevalent in Montreal’s lower socio-economic neighbourhoods.

“Around Cabot square [there are] benches that have the bars in between [seats], so you can't lie down,” Nakuset said. “They [also] have them inside the Atwater Metro. Even the seats are designed like that as well as at Guy[-Concordia station]. But afterward, once you get to Peel and McGill, you don't see [those benches] anymore. [Exclusionary design is only] in certain areas [where] there is a large homeless population.”

The act of violence committed against unhoused people by exclusionary architecture in Montreal, as with all of Canada, is an issue not merely of class but

Stainless steel seating at Sherbrooke Metro Station.

also of race. As a direct result of centuries of colonial violence perpetrated by the Canadian state, Indigenous peoples make up only about five per cent of the Canadian population.

Yet, they are over-represented in urban unhoused statistics, with some estimates stating that one in 15 urban Indigenous people are unhoused. The displacement of a largely Indigenous portion of the population through urban design demonstrates the active role that colonialism continues to play in Canada. “[This type of design] is an issue and it needs to be corrected,” Nakuset said. “You can't just keep displacing Indigenous people. [The government] has been doing it since settlers arrived on the boat, but at some point, it needs to stop. Cabot Square [and Montreal] are going to continue to have an Indigenous population, so the city needs to change their ways.”

It is thus apparent that the goal of exclusionary design is not to prevent disorder, but rather to ensure that affluent members of society are not subjected to interacting with it.

Through design elements, specific city spaces possess the capacity to police themselves, making the mere act of occupying public space criminal and dangerous.

Further, exclusionary design has been a particular detriment to unhoused people in Montreal during the COVID-19 pandemic, as public health restrictions have limited the number of spaces shelters can offer as an alternative to sleeping on the street.

“Through the COVID experience, the homeless population hasn't had enough spaces to rest, [and] pre-COVID there were a lot more beds available,” Nakuset said. “[Because of COVID-19], you can only have 60 per cent of the [former shelter capacity], and so now there's no spaces for [everyone] to sleep.”

While the city has attempted to remedy this issue through the allocation of new spaces for shelter, safe places to rest in Montreal are still hard to find. This issue is only exacerbated by the recent privatization of the Royal Victoria Hospital, which has been used as a shelter during the pandemic. Between inadequate shelter space and continued use of exclusionary design, COVID-19 has revealed not only the city’s disregard, but its active contempt, for the most vulnerable of its residents.

“The pandemic is only highlighting and exacerbating what was a constant living expression of homelessness in the city,” Brais said. “I think [that] access to public spaces is even more important as [this pandemic] is highlighting what so many people already live. How do we talk about social distancing? How do we talk about staying inside for somebody who doesn't have an inside?”

Exclusionary design is not a solution to crime in Montreal, or anywhere else for that matter. Rather, it is an attempt by municipal governments, businesses, and police to push those who are suffering out of the public eye.

“If you're on the streets, something humongous [that is] traumatic has happened to you,” Nakuset said. “You can't understand how difficult it is to be on the streets and to be looked down on. People don't acknowledge you [if you’re unhoused], or if they do, most of the time it's in a really disrespectful manner. It's really hard for [the unhoused] to receive that kind of rejection from the masses all day and all night long.”

Mayor Valerie Plante’s office was contacted to comment on the city’s defensive design problem, but did not respond as of press time.

Photos by Kate Addison, News Editor Design by Ruobing Chen, Design Editor

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

10 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Discussing the necessity of positive rhetoric on climate change Professor Chistopher Barrington-Leigh talks climate change denial and future solutions Shelby Deegan Contributor On Sept. 16, the Trottier Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design held its seventh annual symposium titled “Lessons from a Pandemic: Solutions for Addressing the Climate Change Crisis.”

The first speaker, Dr. Naomi Oreskes, an affiliated professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, discussed why people should trust science. The panel explored the origins of climate change denial and suggested some potential solutions.

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Dr. Christopher Barrington-Leigh, Associate Professor at the Institute for Health and Social Policy and the School of Environment, commented on how the overwhelmingly pessimistic rhetoric that surrounds the climate crisis can encourage climate change denial.

“We don’t have positive stories for the future [because] everything Hollywood produces is apocalyptic,” BarringtonLeigh said. “People behave in very predictable ways when they don’t have [a positive vision of the future], and it’s all to do with closing off socially, [and] thinking defensively [...], not creatively.”

He also pointed out that cognitive dissonance—the discomfort people feel when a behaviour and a cognition contradict one another—plays a substantial role in the

85 per cent of Canadians are certain that climate change is real, but only 78 per cent are concerned about the impacts of climate change in Canada. (Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune) persistent trend of climate change denial.

“The thing with cognitive dissonance is that [...] the more contrary evidence comes, [the worse it gets]. If a little bit of evidence comes along that’s contrary to your belief, you [...] make up more conspiracy stories so [you] can enforce [your] belief,” Barrington-Leigh said. “You raise the stakes even more now [that] your ego is even more [under] threat, [so it can be] a positive feedback [loop].”

Barrington-Leigh claims that even education on climate change, a commonly suggested solution to combat misinformation, can backfire if it puts too much blame on the individual for their beliefs.

“Canada has been [implementing] public education policies about climate change for a generation and a half, and they amount to nothing,” Barrington-Leigh said. “The mistake is often that it’s about individual action, that people are bad or selfish [....] When you say we have to change our consumption practices, everybody starts looking at their own life [and] thinking: ‘Oh, my God, I’m a bad human.’”

Inspiring leadership, BarringtonLeigh suggests, may be the most important factor in constructing productive rhetoric on climate change. “[We need] somebody who frames things the right ways. We understand that

people need a positive story they can buy into, and they need to not feel bad about themselves,” Barrington-Leigh said. “[People] need to have a story that brings them together with other people [...] so they can [...] take positive actions that are good for other people. That’s all any human wants.”

He also pointed out that plenty of progress is being made to combat climate change, and this progress will inspire even more push to combat the issue.

“On [Sept. 23], China [...] surprised a lot of people by announcing it’s going to be carbon neutral by 2060,” BarringtonLeigh said. “China doesn’t come out with goals like that [....] That’s incredible. Now, the ball’s in India’s court, and of course, the developed countries had better move faster.”

Barrington-Leigh concluded by affirming the unique power of youth climate movements to rise above political divides.

“We could have youth parties very suddenly come to power in a lot of countries,” Barrington-Leigh explained. “And they can mostly transcend the existing political partisan boundaries. They just have such a good premise, which is that youth are oppressed and excluded from power [....] If you look at the history of humankind I don’t think there is any time in which the stakes have been so large for young people [....] If you give young people power and let them face the issues, they [learn] faster than if you exclude them.”

When life gives you data, make visual art

How a researcher uses huge amounts of data to create massive works of art Claire Latendresse Contributor People often see art and science as opposing subjects––logic versus beauty, the utilitarian versus the aesthetic. Dr. Kirell Benzi, a data science researcher and data artist, does not share this view. His artwork is created from compilations of data, which he represents using shapes, colours, and movement.

On Sept. 24, Benzi presented his work during an online conference hosted by the Convergence Initiative entitled “When Data Science and Art Collide.” Leading the audience through the mysterious abstractions of his art, Benzi explained that he splits his data art into three categories based on the scientific method used to create them. The first, which he calls network art, features nodes and links amassed into enormous, colourful clouds, or twisted, sinewy shapes.

Of course, the networks are based on real data. A web of excited tweets and retweets about the 2012 discovery of the Higgs-Boson form a piece called “Scientific Euphoria,” while a vast map of performers at the Montreux Jazz Festival, classified by musical style, make up the piece

“Jazz Luminaries.” Benzi explained that these visual representations help people make sense of the massive amounts of data involved.

“You want to transform complex notions, usually numbers or statistics, into something more visual,” Benzi explained. “A large portion of the brain is dedicated to vision, so it really makes sense to try to transform numbers or even text into something that we can visualize, because our brain is wired to interpret those stimuli [....] To me, when you create art, it’s interesting to have both emotion on one hand and cognition on the other hand.”

The second of Benzi’s categories is artificial intelligence (AI) art.

Benzi uses neural networks, which is a way of training a computer to perform tasks by showing it a large number of examples until it can replicate that task on its own. Benzi programs his neural networks to recognize objects based on millions of different pictures and then adjusts how the network generates its own image based on all those that it previously observed. With a mix of seemingly random objects, including bubbles, wigs, geysers, balloons, and jellyfish, he creates pieces like “These Are Not

Flowers,” which, while abstract, still feel oddly familiar. Benzi described AI as an artistic tool that he uses to channel his creativity.

“Sometimes, you put an ingredient in for the colour, but sometimes it’s more about the shape,” Benzi said. “And it’s very difficult to control, actually. But that’s where the

artistic part comes into play because this image was not created at random.

[Although] the image is created by the algorithm, [it is] a tool to put in some of your own creativity and then use it to create new shapes [....] You, as an artist, have to train the network, play with the parameters, tune them, and create the shapes.”

“Artificial Neurotic Cells” (2019) by Kirell Benzi is an AI piece generated by a neural network, featuring elements of seemingly random items such as castles, comic books, nipples, and jellyfish. (Kirell Benzi)

Benzi’s third category of data art is based on fractals, a mathematical and physical phenomenon of geometric patterns that repeat infinitely on different scales. These patterns make for extraordinary artwork that appears progressively more intricate as the viewer looks closer. While displaying his recent piece “Breathe,” Benzi emphasized that these fractals appear frequently in nature, and make his data artwork appear satisfyingly natural.

“If you look closely, you see that we have some repeating shapes,” Benzi said. “I really like this idea because, to me, it looks organic, maybe like a cell structure, but it’s purely math and coefficients of recurring functions.”

Benzi’s artwork fills a gap in our understanding of art and science.

He adamantly seeks to teach others about the possibilities of data science, showing that algorithms can not only process data, but can also give way to emotions and self-reflection. And this doesn’t end with networks, AI, and fractals—science and art overlap all the time, even in our daily lives.

It may be time to accept that the two are connected and finally look for the beauty behind the science.

STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

11

Cinched for the gods

Re-examining the controversial history of the corset Vanessa Barron Arts & Entertainment Editor Continued from page 1.

For over four hundred years, corsets were worn to support and contort women’s bodies into the body shape that was considered ideal. In the Elizabethan era, corsets created a flat, cone-shaped torso, while in the Victorian era, corsets created a dramatic hourglass shape. The ideal silhouette of a woman was just one factor within the

Vivienne Westwood’s corset design reinvented the traditional, restrictive undergarment into a symbol of women’s liberation.

(Westwood Bodies)

ever-changing fashion trends.

Catherine Bradley, Senior Academic Associate and costume designer in McGill’s English Department, noted that the comfort level of the corset-wearer depended on what kind of corset was in style—some more painful than others.

“The Victorian corset was more adverse in terms of physical effects [than the Elizabethan style],” Bradley said. “In this time period, the idea of women as physically frail, with their heaving bosoms and shortness of breath, [came] from the fact that their lungs were constrained and their waists were constricted. I think it inadvertently created this idea of the weaker sex.”

Most people likely associate the corset with such negative physical effects. In one of the most memorable moments in Pirates of the Carribean, Elizabeth Swann faints off the edge of a cliff because of a tightly cinched corset. Along with limiting lung capacity, tightly laced corsets can force organs to shift and cause muscular atrophy over time. When worn correctly, however, traditional corsets are not torturous to wear.

“It’s kind of like getting braces. At first it’s uncomfortable, but then you get used to them,” Bradley said. “I know costume designers who will wear corsets when they’re working long hours and their backs get tired; they wear them for support. And in my many years of putting actors into corsets, they seem to enjoy wearing them. Corsets change your whole physicality.“ Bradley explained that in the 18th and 19th centuries, there was a societal expectation for women

to wear a corset to signal their respectability and moral righteousness. In a sense, this parallels how women are expected to wear bras today. While they do provide support, many women wear them out of a societal convention of modesty, shaping the wearer into an acceptable figure of femininity.

Today, corsets are nowhere near as rigid as the Elizabethan and Victorian ones made of whalebone and coutil. Modern corsets, like the one popularized

by Vivienne Westwood, often include stretchy panels and flexible, synthetic boning, making them much more breathable and comfortable. Westwood’s design reinvented the corset by turning an upper-class undergarment into a sexy, comfortable top, offering a symbolic reclamation of women’s sexuality through a costume of the past.

The recent corset trend will not permanently disfigure you or make you faint off of a cliff. However, the history of corsets highlights an important theme of women’s fashion that continues today: Body shapes go in and out of style just like fashion trends. Instead of wearing corsets, women today are expected to achieve a perfect figure through other means, whether it be plastic surgery, intense dieting, or obsessive workout routines. Even the trend of waist-training comes with all the negative effects of corset-wearing, minus the benefits of lumbar support. Although we are far past the days of corsetry as a fashion staple, maybe we aren’t as far removed from our collective fixation on controlling women’s body shapes as we think we are.

Mastering the art of the pantry meal

The underappreciated glory of non-perishable goods Katia Lo Innes Managing Editor I’m a firm believer in keeping a wellstocked pantry. Upon hearing the word “pantry,” images of massive cold-rooms stocked wall-to-wall with cans of broth come to mind—an impossible feat of space (and organization) for busy students to accomplish.

A pantry, however, does not have to be so daunting. Taking the time to organize a shelf or two of non-perishable ingredients goes a long way for students: Keeping these staples cuts down on grocery shopping bills, minimizes potential food waste, and offers endless creative cooking opportunities. Pantry staples provide a solid foundation for a variety of meals and can be combined with the fresh produce in season. Further, your pantry will look different depending on what cuisines are familiar to you, so seek out culturally specific pantry lists that will keep you physically and emotionally fortified. Personally, as a secondgeneration Chinese-Canadian, I take a lot of inspiration from The Woks of Life.

As we enter peak mid-term season, there will be more time devoted to studying and grinding out papers—which potentially means less time spent grocery shopping or in the kitchen. Rather than relying on frozen pizzas and bags of dumplings (although absolutely delicious) for a quick fix, challenge yourself to maximize the humble staple goods that we so often turn our nose up to. Below, I’ve shared a few key areas to begin building your pantry, as well as my favourite pantry pasta, a vegetarian twist on Allison Roman’s legendary caramelized shallot pasta, created when I ran out of anchovies and also wanted to make something my vegan roommate could enjoy.

Grains Grains are the bones of your pantry: They have long shelf lives and typically only take a few minutes to prepare. Keep a few bags of the grains you rely on the most. My personal staples include white rice, pasta, and rice noodles.

Canned or preserved goods Go crazy with this one: Get your favourite cans of beans, briney pickles, sour kimchi, tinned meats and fish, and jars of saucy tomatoes. There’s really no limit to what you can find as preserves.

A well-stocked pantry shelf, full of dried lentils, pickled vegetables, and sauces, can yield delicious and sustainable meals on a budget.

(Katia Lo Ines / The McGill Tribune)

Dried vegetables Often passed over for fresh produce, dried vegetables offer powerful flavours in small batches, and their nutritional value is virtually unchanged from fresh produce. Dried vegetables that are reconstituted in water, such as lentils or mushrooms, are great additions to stir fries and grain bowls.

Sauces and dressings Wet food is the best food. Have a good selection of cooking oils—olive and grapeseed are reliable, but alternatives such as coconut and avocado oil are having their moments.

For building stir fries, have staples on hand like soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, and honey.

The Classic Pantry Pasta Ingredients: 5 oz of pasta 3 tablespoons Tomato paste Salt (to taste) 2 tablespoons of pepperoncini 1 chopped green olives 3 Shallots or one small onion 2 cloves of garlic Parmesan (to taste) 1 tablespoon butter Olive oil

These instructions provide a solid base to build a delicious and simple pantry pasta, so feel free to swap out the peppers or olives for any canned or preserved vegetables of your choice. The measurements are suggestions. Canned white beans, chickpeas, pickled onions, or tinned fish such as tuna could be fantastic additions, just as long as they’re briney.

1. Boil a liberally salted pot of water and and cook pasta two minutes under the package instructions. Make sure to save about a cup of pasta water.

2. In a pan, heat olive oil on medium-high, adding shallots and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes or until caramelized.

3. Add finely chopped olives and pepperoncini. Add a tablespoon of pepperoncini brine if you prefer spicier pasta. Cook for about two minutes.

4. Add tomato paste and cook for five minutes or until it looks rusty.

5. Add strained pasta to the pan, along with about a third of a cup of pasta water and butter or butter substitute. Mix for about 2-3 minutes until glossy and emulsified.

6. Serve immediately with parmesan to your liking.

12 STUDENT LIFE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

A productive day in quarantine

How to maintain a work-life balance while holed up inside family in the park, or even just sitting on a stoop can help relieve anxiety and may improve some feelings of isolation.

Lucy Keller Contributor With Montreal’s recent re-entry into the red zone, students now find themselves back in quarantine mode. Whether isolating due to exposure to COVID-19, quarantining after testing positive, or simply limiting their contact in accordance with provincial recommendations, students in Montreal will be spending more time indoors during the coming months. Understanding how hard having a productive day in quarantine can be, The McGill Tribune has compiled a list of ways to make the days less dreary with easy tips to maximize time, space, and brain capacity.

Don’t feel pressure to be persistently productive Many students assume that because they are home all day, they should be constantly productive, whether by working out, completing coursework, or applying for internships.

As boundaries between work and leisure begin to blur, remember that pre-pandemic students had downtime commuting, walking to classes, and enjoying wine nights with friends. A great way to relax and feel connected to friends is by scheduling video chats. Be it while students are eating or just hanging in their rooms, scheduling time out of their day for socialization can help break up working hours while still maintaining a healthy worklife balance.

Divide up your day While this may seem tedious, giving structure to your day will help separate school from free time and establish a consistent and healthy routine. Some psychologists have found that people are more productive when they map out their goals and consider how long tasks will take. One way to do this is by using the Pomodoro technique, in which students set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted during that time. After the 25 minutes are up, students can schedule an allotted amount of time for a break. This technique is also great for planning out a day to ensure ample study and free time.

Time management tricks like the Pomodoro technique can help students balance work and leisure.

(Chloe Rodriguez / The McGill Tribune)

Make time to go outside Whether through a porch or outdoor space, it is important to remember to get fresh air daily. Especially with the colder months approaching, ensuring time outdoors will not only increase one’s vitamin D levels, but will also help to refocus the day. Taking a walk, playing frisbee with housemates or

Study outside of bed Separating study space from sleeping space is extremely important for students’ mental well being. The more time people spend in bed, the longer it generally takes for them to fall asleep and the more they tend to associate their bed as a workspace, rather than a place to sleep. Studies also show that working in bed is vastly unproductive, as limited space decreases focus. Studying in bed also creates a negative feedback loop wherein students have trouble falling asleep, and as a

result, struggle to stay productive during the day. By designating an area to study, students will have an easier time staying focussed, and an easier time getting a full night’s rest.

Set limits on social media usage Without the social pressure of judgmental eyes in McLennan or professors banning phone usage in class, it is easy for students to scroll through social media while doing schoolwork from the privacy of their living space. By trying to limit social media usage through their device settings, or tracking their screen time through apps like OFFTIME and Moment, students can improve their focus in class by being their own parents and practicing self-control.

Take time to meditate While this may feel like a waste of time, everyone has an extra seven minutes in their days to set aside. After only a week of meditating each morning, students may begin to see its positive effects. Waking up and meditating by using a guiding app, such as Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer, has been shown to improve cognition, memory, and temper. Additionally, the McGill Student Wellness Hub and The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life offer free online meditation tools. By setting a daily reminder and incorporating this into a morning or night routine, students can improve their work habits and motivation.

Ask Ainsley: How do I network remotely?

Building meaningful connections with employers and professors virtually Dear Ainsley,

I’m a fourth-year Arts student stressed about postgraduation life. I was under the impression that I’d have lots of networking opportunities in my final year of undergrad. However, since classes have gone virtual, I’m finding it hard to make connections with employers and professors. I’m worried I won’t have anyone to ask for letters of recommendation. How do I go about networking now that McGill is operating virtually?

Sincerely, Scared Hopeless Youth (SHY)

Dear SHY, Thanks for sharing, just know that it’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed right now! Although networking can seem more difficult during the pandemic, it’s definitely not impossible. While it’s always hard to get started, a good first step is to get reacquainted with old connections. Reach out to familiar mentors, friends, and professors. Since you’ve already made a first impression, these conversations may feel more natural and lead to new contacts, and even new opportunities.

It may seem daunting to connect with professors virtually, but look at the situation from their point of view—they’re used to seeing their students in person, and now many are teaching to a sea of black screens.

More than ever, professors want to connect with students. Similarly, online office hours make it easier to fit meetings with professors into a busy student schedule, as they cut your commute time down to zero. It’s a good

The remote semester is a perfect opportunity to strengthen your online professional presence by perfecting your CV and LinkedIn. (Virtual Meetings) idea to come with prepared questions, as this gets your professors better acquainted with you and your academic interests. It’s also beneficial to familiarize yourself with your professors’ research beforehand so that you know how they can best help you in your professional pursuits.

If they get to know you and your passion for their field, they’re more likely to write you a strong recommendation letter.

The remote semester can also be a great time to strengthen your online professional presence: Take some time to spruce up your CV, cover letters, and LinkedIn account. The Career Planning Service (CaPS) is a great resource for help with your CV and cover letter, and is currently offering online appointments. LinkedIn is a great tool to get your name on potential employers’ radars. You can start by building a network of people with whom you have something in common: Peers with shared student organizations are great starting points.

Once you have built a network that mirrors your real-

life network, you can begin to leverage it for higher-up connections. Identify some people in organizations or companies you’re interested in getting involved with, and reach out to intermediaries, which you can find through the “How You’re Connected” tool. From there, these intermediaries can introduce you to the people you’re looking to connect with.

Now is also the perfect time to speak to employers outside of your home city, since most calls and interviews are conducted virtually. There are more virtual positions available now than ever, making it a great time to set your sights further afield.

Although online career fairs and networking events may seem awkward or uncomfortable, it is a good idea to attend them anyway. Decreased attendance in comparison from in-person networking can work to your benefit: You’ll have more time to ask questions and build connections. Remember that once you’ve been introduced to someone, it’s always important to follow up! Even just sending a quick follow-up email and putting a face to your name will make you more likely to stay on their radar.

Finally, remember that networking can be a daunting task even in the best of times, so try not to let the difficulty of undertaking it online discourage you. Taking time to strengthen your job application materials or reaching out to professors can help you feel more in control of your future. Don’t worry if networking sometimes falls to the wayside—you can always return to it when you feel able to.

Good luck!

Ainsley

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

Equinox 2020 celebrates BIPOC cultures and identities

Creators come together to embrace their heritage Erika MacKenzie Contributor Continued from page 1.

Dayna Danger, a two-spirit Metis/Saulteaux/Polish curator and artist, spoke with Jade Konwataroni, a nursing student at the University of New Brunswick from the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, about the importance of preserving Indigenous cultures in a colonial country.

Konwataroni discussed the challenges that she faces in balancing her queer and Indigenous identities, as some elders in her community have internalized colonial homophobia. While it is not always easy, Konwataroni has come to value self-acceptance while finding people in her community that respect her for who she is.

“When I figured out that I was going to [...] be exactly who I am, [...] Indigi-queer, two-spirit, [...] that’s when everything started to [...] pick up, and I cultivated lovely relationships,” Konwataroni said.

Danger and Konwataroni also

Ouri, a DJ and multi-instrumentalist, was one of the featured artists in the oneday digital festival. (Never Apart MTL / Facebook.com) discussed the land-based practice of hide tanning: By changing the pH level of an animal’s skin to prevent it from rotting, it can later be used to create leather. Konwataroni explained that practicing hide tanning has fostered in her a greater respect for all animals. The practice has also allowed Konwataroni to connect with other two-spirit people in her community.

“I struggled a lot with [...] who has the right to [...] tan hide,” Konwataroni said. “As Indigenous people, I think we all have the

right to learn how to do something even if we weren’t taught it by our grandparents [....] All the two-spirit people coming out and doing it is really inspiring [...] and it makes it more approachable.”

As the theme “Cultivate” suggests, Equinox 2020 was aptly concerned with cuisine, and the connection between food preparation and land-based practices.

Jean-Philippe Vezina, a Quebecois vegetable grower of Haitian descent, took the audience on a virtual tour of his garden, Les Jardins

Lakou. Vezina founded Les Jardins Lakou in an effort to reconnect with his Haitian heritage and help other Québécois of Haitian descent to learn about their agricultural and culinary traditions.

Later that afternoon, Marlene Hale, also known as Chef Maluh, demonstrated how to cook traditional West Coast First Nations cuisine. Hale is a chef, educator, and member of the Wet’suwet’en nation. She began the cooking demonstration with a drumming introduction to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season. Hale proceeded to cook a delicious meal of cedar plank salmon, wild rice, grilled vegetables, and bannock focaccia with a side of Labrador tea.

With Equinox 2020 occurring a few days before Orange Shirt Day, an event designed to bring attention to the history of the residential school system in Canada, it was fitting that interdisciplinary artist Adrian Stimson had the opportunity to discuss his pieces.

Stimson’s pieces, which use found materials, expose the experiences

of genocide, loss, and resilience of the Indigenous peoples coerced into Canada’s residential schools.

A member of the Blackfoot nation, Stimpson was forced to attend residential school three times. In an installation entitled “Old Sun,” Stimson placed a blanket of Buffalo fur on the ground and covered it with a tipi made from steel bars resembling a prison cell. This piece highlights the ways in which colonialism has oppressed and demonized Indigenous cultures and values.

Equinox 2020 was an educational multidisciplinary exploration of Indigenous cultures and identities. The event provided a positive and inclusive atmosphere to celebrate a diverse range of cultural beliefs and practices. While platforming challenging topics, Equinox 2020 focussed on the resilience and accomplishments in the BIPOC community in Montreal.

The event is archived on Facebook and available for anyone to re-watch free of charge.

Food YouTube must acquire the taste for a digestible future

YouTube’s creator-based platform provides valuable yet inconsistent representation Matthew Molinaro Contributor If there is one thing in this world that transcends borders and crosses political stripes, it’s food. Closely tied to culture and identity, food acts as an equalizer that strengthens communities and our understanding of others. It is no wonder why so many television programs and networks are entirely dedicated to food—it is entertaining, educational, and motivational.

From Julia Child to the Iron Chefs, worldrenowned cooking celebrities have turned to the small screen to share their recipes with the world. YouTube’s platform and its wide-ranging potential have shaken the food world up harder than a good martini.

Where the Food Network, Bravo, and Cooking Channel have banked on the triedand-true formulas of game shows, celebrities cameos, and renowned James Beard award-winning chefs, YouTube’s content creator platform allows anyone with a kitchen to be the star of their own cooking show.

Long before quarantine began, a younger generation of cooks and bakers had become quasi-celebrities on YouTube as channels like Binging with Babish and How To Cake It amassed millions of subscribers.

One area that YouTube cooking shows tend to excel in is the representation of diverse cuisines often overlooked in conventional network television. For decades, food television has often presented food cultures as homogenous, as white hosts and chefs either presented the same trite European-influenced dishes or appropriated ethnic cuisines. Food comes in many styles,

spices, and tastes, but cooking shows have often neglected African, Asian, and Indigenous cuisines. The people-of-colour who are represented on network television, such as Marcus Samuelsson of Chopped, Sunny Anderson of The Kitchen, and Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef, bring fantastic insights to food, but they are a small minority among the dozens of white show hosts.

In contrast, YouTube’s freelance model gives content creators complete

creative control. Chefs who may not have even been picked up by networks in the first place do not have to rely on corporate approval, which gives individuals the freedom to demonstrate how to cook their culture’s cuisine. Channels like Chef Lola’s Kitchen and Helen’s Recipes offer approaches to cooking that would otherwise be whitewashed: Lola brings her Nigerian roots to the table, and Helen brings a Vietnamese palate to create straightforward, yet vibrant

It’s time for bigger channels to implement bold changes that address representation and equality for their creators and the food they make. (Chloe Rodriguez / The McGill Tribune)

meals.

As YouTube’s bevy of food channels have grown, they have not avoided controversy. Bon Appetit’s YouTube channel recently faced accusations of a toxic culture toward BIPOC staff members, as the channel prioritized white-centric cuisines and exclusively paid white editors for video appearances. After seven of their staff members left, including Sohla El-Waylly, who was the first to speak out against parent company Condé Nast, Bon Appetit responded by instating Dawn Davis, an accomplished, Black publisher as Editor-in-Chief.

Systemic racism is not exclusive to the YouTube food community—in fact, it is a problem endemic to the larger industry of food entertainment. Mario Batali’s sexual assault allegations, Paula Deen’s blatant racism, and the accusations against Jamie Oliver of cultural appropriation for his “punchy jerk Jamaican rice” have been major scandals in the food entertainment industry. These culinary giants and their controversies are intrinsic to corporate power structures and attitudes founded in discriminatory institutions that prioritize white-centric contributions and perspectives.

In order for Food YouTube—and Bon Appétit in particular—to move towards equitable and diverse content, they must go beyond grazing the surface of these issues.

Content creators must implement progressive changes that address representation and equity in their content and the food that they make. They must learn from the mistakes of food television and continue in the right direction. Only then will the great equalizer be truly equal.

14 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

In conversation with Gulfer

Montreal band mixes math rock with classic emo

Michelle Siegel Contributor As a defining concept in popular music, teen angst has manifested in many different ways, from the mid-2000s emo pop-punk bands such as My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, to the emergence of the sad-girl acoustic indie genre, currently spearheaded

by Phoebe Bridgers. Emo music has never truly died out, and as 2020 has proven, angst is not going anywhere either.

Enter Gulfer. The emo revival-math rock group, composed of bassist and vocalist David Mitchell, lead vocalist and guitarist Vincent Ford, drummer Julien Daoust, and backing vocalist and guitarist Joe Therriault, has released multiple EPs and two full-length albums during their eight years together.

Although one might assume that a band would be musically limited by such a specific genre title, Gulfer has constantly found new ways to interpret and experiment with their music.

“I think the music that we’ve released up to this point fits very much within [the emo revival and math rock] genres,” Therriault said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

“In terms of math rock, we have a lot of weirdness in terms of odd time signatures, and Vincent [...] and I do a lot of tapping riffs.

But with this album, we diversify a lot more and maybe don’t fit so neatly in [any] box.”

The band’s latest album, Gulfer, is set to be released on Oct. 13. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed future touring plans for the band, the album’s

2020 has proved, among many other things, that angst is not going anywhere.

(Gulfer / Hivemind PR) production process remained mostly unscathed by the ongoing situation.

“These songs were written maybe two years ago,” Therriault said. “We recorded the album [around] this time last year, so COVID-19 was not the dream in anyone’s eye at that point. When the pandemic hit, the album was finished and it was basically mixed and mastered.”

Even though its production and songwriting were set in stone far before the pandemic, the album feels incredibly timely, capturing an onslaught of anxiety. From the very top of the album, “Blurry” comes in strong, with its big emotional punch bolstered by a snappy and memorable guitar track. The song starts off loud and fast, never really letting up, as it holds on to the familiar angsty

feeling of wanting to shout into the void.

The sound production’s diminished levels of mixing helped to develop a washedout vocal layer on top of the album’s frenetic and experimental guitar riffs. While a strong and distinct vocal track is usually synonymous with the popular perception of emo music, Gulfer stands apart by developing their own brand of emo that lets the math rock-inspired guitar shine the most.

The vocals blend with the instrumentation, contributing to the thematic unity of the mixing and the album itself.

“Our vocals are mixed a little bit lower than some [other] pop [bands],” Therriault said. “Vocals [that are] really high in the mix I think are just cheesy. It doesn’t mean it’s bad, but [I prefer] to have them blend a little more.”

Nevertheless, the album closes out its primary setlist with another standout, “Trips and Falls,” which is anchored by a sharp and syncopated drum beat that defines the building energy of the album’s climax.

Gulfer’s release seems almost serendipitous, given the current climate that we live in—the poignant and angsty sentiments expressed are striking and unmistakable, fitting given the emotional turmoil brought on by the pandemic. Gulfer’s approach to emo music is considerably distanced from the original 2000s scene that many people know and love, but it just might be the 2020 portrait that nobody saw coming.

Gulfer’s self-titled available on Oct. 13.

album

will

be

Fokus Film Festival

Student-run film festival brought to you by TVMcGill Oct. 8 @ 7 PM Online Free

Just For Laughs Festival 2020 Now 100% digital and 100% free!

Oct 9-10, 6 PM to 1 AM Online Free

Portail_PHI

Immersive installation that brings the Montreal public faceto-face with communities from 50 cities across time and space.

Oct 8-10, 3 PM to 5 PM Online Free

Climate & Habitability of Terrestrial Planets: A Live Panel Discussion World-renowned scientists talk about the climates of other planets, finally answering the question, “How’s the weather up there?”

Oct 15, 12:30 PM Online Free

D&Q hosts celebrity cartoonists Jason Lutes and Sophie Yanow

The two authors discussed their work processes, inspirations, and working relationship Naomi Mirny Contributor On Oct. 1, Librairie Drawn & Quarterly hosted a virtual discussion between two distinguished comic book artists, Jason Lutes, author of Berlin, and Sophie Yanow, author of The Contradictions. Despite its virtual setting, the event provided an intimate look into the creative processes and relationship between the two renowned graphic novelists.

Lutes, a New Jersey-born artist currently residing in Vermont, is nothing short of a cartooning celebrity. His comic book Berlin, a magnum opus of over 500 pages and a 22year production time, is a tour-de-force of visual storytelling. Originally planned as a 24-magazine set, the comic chronicles life in Weimar Republic Berlin, from 1928 to 1933.

The book follows Marthe Müller, a young art student haunted by a family tragedy; Kurt Severing, a bespeckled, chain-smoking journalist overwhelmed by his industry’s changing morals; and the Brauns, a working-class family, torn apart by politics. Berlin is made up of three volumes, and in 2018, D&Q published a collected version, framing all three books’ intricately-woven story as one gargantuan epic.

Yanow, an up-and-coming graphic novelist, just released her third book, the Eisner award-winning comic book entitled The

Contradictions, a monochromatic, minimalist masterpiece that follows a younger, fictionalized Sophie at 20 years old. When she moves to Paris to study abroad, Sophie meets Zena, a radical vegan and anarchist activist who encourages her to become more politically engaged. In this semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, Sophie hitchhikes her way across inky European cobblestones, questions her identity, and is forced out of her personal and ideological comfort zone, all in an attempt to discover her place in the world.

“I had this sense that […] this is kind of a coming of age story […] that takes place when a character is 20, because it’s […] that kind of place […] between a more firm adult- Sophie Yanow spoke on how Jason Lutes’ mentorship helped her develop her work in terms of aesthetic and storytelling. (Drawn & Quarterly) hood and […] being a kid,” Yanow said.

And yet, despite the distance between Yanow now and the fictionalized Sophie in tea or how much firewood you need to stack of other characters and creatures. This also her book, Yanow feels that The Contradic- in the back alley to get through winter,” Lutes gave Lutes the skills to develop his characters. tions’s Sophie embodies an intense sentimen- said.

“One was a writer, one was an artist, tal memory. Later, Yanow likened her protagLutes also mentioned how his challeng- that’s comics,” Lutes said. “And then I [...] onist’s maturation to Berlin‘s Marthe Müller, ing upbringing as a middle-child in a quarrel- put them on the stage of Berlin, and then [...] speaking largely of how Lutes’ work had in- ing family forced him to be the family media- watched what they would do. Everything we spired her own, and later asked him how he tor, which taught him empathy. He spoke on make is an extension of ourselves.” found the ability to write characters so distant how he was frequently figuring out what famPerhaps this quality of autofiction makes from himself. ily members needed in order to avoid conflict both of these books so well-loved by readers In response, Lutes described his two-year and understand each other’s intentions and around the globe. In both, there exists a feresearch process prior to writing Berlin. underlying feelings. Later, when Lutes was rocious, universal tenderness in the authors’ “I would read as much as I could [of] in high school, he began participating in role- approach to the lost, wandering characters, all first-person narratives, [noting the] little mun- playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, trying desperately to find themselves in a hundane things […] like how people drink their where he learned to put himself into the minds gry, changing political world.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

Documentaries for staying in the sports mood

Fan-favourite sports documentaries to stay entertained during the off-season Sarah Farnand, Adam Burton, Gabe Nisker, Shaun Lalani, Kaja Surborg Sports Editors, Contributors, Managing Editor Although most sports are currently on hold, staying engaged with the world of sports has never been easier. Here are some of The McGill Tribune’s favourite sports documentaries that will tide you over to the next season.

Athlete A Content warning: descriptions of sexual violence

Graphic

Athlete A is a powerful and important story about the behind-the-scenes abuse that continued for decades at USA Gymnastics (USAG). The Netflix Original documentary highlights not only the abuse by team doctor, Larry Nassar, but also USAG’s ongoing and active participation in concealing it.

Maggie Nichols, or Athlete A, was the first gymnast to report abuse by Nassar, but investigative reporting by The Indianapolis Star encouraged over 150 more women to come forward.

Watching the gymnasts testify during Nassar’s sentencing is empowering and heartening. When Nassar receives his 175-year sentence, it feels as though these athletes finally get some semblance of the justice that they deserve. This documentary sheds light on the corruption of an internationally recognized organization and the power of the athletes’ fight for justice.

The Dawn Wall In this unbelievable tale of perseverance and determination, directors Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer regale the audience with the life of rock climber Tommy Caldwell. The film follows him through his younger years as he becomes one of the best rock climbers in the world.

It is a documentary that tells the story of a man determined to do the impossible: Climb the treacherous Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park in an effort to leave the problems of his life behind. The Dawn Wall is one of the most difficult climbs in the world, and before Caldwell finished his 19-day climb, many had dubbed it insurmountable. In those 19 days, the documentary puts everything on display: The intricacies of rock climbing, the drama between Caldwell and his climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson, and Caldwell’s sheer will and determination–– or borderline insanity––required to complete the gruelling climb.

Women of Troy Cheryl Miller never got to play in the WNBA, yet she is often considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Miller led a stacked University of Southern California Trojans team to two NCAA Championship wins in a row.

When a team is that good, the stories

The Dawn Wall follows American climber Tommy Caldwell as he attempts to climb the Dawn Wall in California’s Yosemite National Park.

(Brett Lowell, Outside Online)

follow. Director Alison Ellwood deftly tracks Miller’s career along with her talented teammates, like four-time WNBA Finals MVP Cynthia Cooper, as well as Paula and Pam McGee, to highlight their influence on both the men’s and women’s games. Women of Troy is a 2020 basketball documentary worthy of attention—it will only take a fraction of the time it took to watch The Last Dance, and audiences will enjoy it just as much.

John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard once said, “Cinema lies. Sport doesn’t.”

The quote serves as the opening to director Julien Faraut’s poetic film about 1980s tennis superstar John McEnroe, and the sport of tennis. The first few minutes of the film are thrilling, with McEnroe setting a serve to the loud sounds of the band Sonic Youth. The film does not let up either, as its use of found footage—reels and reels of 16mm film that did not make the cut for an old instructional video—helps Faraut tell the story of a superstar athlete and his personality. Through innovative techniques, this documentary makes the audience reconsider the way that we watch sports altogether.

Take Us Home: Leeds United Leeds United are the quintessential controversial club of English football.

A hard-nosed physical program, their success in the 70s earned them the title of the country’s most hated club. Marcelo

‘El Loco’ Bielsa is a legendary manager whose charged personality and obsessive work ethic has given him a near mythical reputation in football. In Take Us Home: Leeds United, program and manager combine to create a storyline, the likes of which no screenwriter could script.

From the Spygate Affair—which followed Bielsa’s covert surveillance of rival team’s training sessions followed by a 70-minute impromptu press conference on their tactics—to the bizarre moment when Leeds deliberately scored an own goal following a controversial decision against their opponents, the six-part docuseries has it all.

Take Us Home is the culmination of a club’s 100 years of success and misery, all showcased in a single season. Follow along as Leeds United soar to the top of their championship, only to crash and burn as they once again fail to secure a promotion to England’s top division.

Cheer Cheer follows the competitive cheerleading season of the Navarro College Bulldogs from Corsicana, Texas as they attempt to defend their championship title. Cheerleading is not a sport that traditionally gets mainstream coverage on major broadcast networks or news sites. Cheer, however, illustrates that the physical demands and hard work necessary for success in cheerleading make it as legitimate a sport as any other.

When Netflix released this docuseries in January 2020, it launched the cast into immediate stardom, with many of the

cast members rapidly gaining impressively large followings on social media. It is easy to understand why viewers wanted to know more about these athletes: The series presents heartwarming backstories and characters that, while imperfect, remain relatable. These personal narratives, combined with impressive tumbling and baskets, make for entertaining lockdown watching.

QB1: Beyond The Lights This exciting docu-series follows three football stars through their senior year of high school as they vie for championships and Division I scholarships.

This series provides a deeper look into practices, film sessions and the conversation on the field during games.

However, the focus is not only on football, but also on the daily lives of each athlete.

As the documentary follows the players through their school day and home life, the audience learns about the struggles that go on behind the scenes. QB1 humanizes these star athletes and unravels the stuckup jock stereotype that football players often receive. Whether it’s the anxiety that comes with knowing that without a full-ride scholarship some players cannot afford to go to university or the pain associated with losing a brother, the series captures the emotions of life outside of football.

You do not need to know anything about football to start watching this reallife Friday Night Lights series. By the end, though, you just might become a football fan.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 2020

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MLB 2020 Awards

Celebrating the good things from a weird season young talent, and 21-year-old Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto was a huge part of that. A positive COVID test in July and elbow soreness in September cost him a few games, but he wasted no time reminding us why we all fell in love with him last year.

Two monster home runs in his first series back set the tone for an impressive season: He led the majors with a 1.185 OPS, hit 13 homers, and became the youngest player to ever win the NL batting title. Honourable mentions to Fernando Tatis Jr. (21), Dustin May (23), and Ronald Acuña Jr. (22). They all make baseball better.

Miya Keilin Contributor The 2020 MLB regular season wrapped up on Sept. 27 after two months of unbelievable baseball. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) will, as usual, present their annual awards this off season to those who stood out during the 60 (or 58) games. The McGill Tribune pays homage to the wackiness of this season, however, and recognizes some of the more niche accomplishments of teams and players in 2020.

The “Make Canada Proud” Award: Jordan Romano It’s fitting that the best Canadian player in the majors this year plays for the majors’ only Canadian team. Romano, a Markham, Ontario native, struck out 21 with a 0.886 WHIP in an admittedly low 14.2 innings, helping push the Toronto Blue Jays to the eighth seed in the American League (AL) and their first post-season appearance since 2016. The righty was placed on the injured list in late August and was unable to recover before the Wild Card Series, where the Jays were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Honourable mentions go to Romano’s Montreal-born teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cleveland pitcher Cal Quantrill of Port Hope, Ontario.

The “Dad Strength” Award : Mike Trout New father, Mike Trout, has looked better than ever since coming back from paternity leave.

(The Boston Globe)

The “Congrats... I Guess” Award: Milwaukee Brewers Hours before the first pitch of the 2020 season, MLB announced a new 16-team playoff format. In a season full of weird things, this new format—and the timing of its announcement—was downright befuddling.

Just over two months later, on the final day of the regular season, the Brewers lost 5-2 to the Cardinals and finished with a 29-31 record, but still got to celebrate a thirdstraight post-season berth thanks to the new eighth spot. Despite a losing record and an underwhelming finish in their own

game, they earned the right to get swept by the powerhouse Dodgers in a 2020 postseason series. Congrats, I guess. Honourable mention goes to the Houston Astros, who also clinched a playoff spot with a losing record and swept the now 18-straight playoff loss Minnesota Twins to advance to their fourth consecutive division series.

The “Awesome Young Dude” Award: Juan Soto Despite playing just over a third of the usual amount of games, the 2020 season showcased an enormous amount of

There are so many reasons to honour Mike Trout, and his performance at the plate after becoming a dad this season is no exception. Beckham Aaron Trout was born on July 30, 2020, then, on Aug. 4, 2020, Dad Trout homered in his first at bat back from the paternity list. In fact, in his first seven games after his son was born, Trout hit six home runs with a 1.373 OPS. Unfortunately, Trout’s dad strength was not enough to boost a struggling Angels squad into a playoff spot even with the extended format, but at least he’ll have a longer off season to spend with his kid. Honourable mention to Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who racked up 43 strikeouts with eight earned runs over 32 innings in his five outings after his daughter was born on Aug. 31, 2020.

The five biggest winners if the L.A. Lakers win the NBA Championship An NBA Championship offers a chance at redemption for some players Kyle Tsang Contributor With the Los Angeles Lakers closing in on their 17th NBA Championship against the injuryplagued Miami Heat, The McGill Tribune looks at who would reap the greatest benefits from the Lakers’ potential win.

LeBron James: After a disappointing 2018-2019 season beset by a groin injury, LeBron returns to the finals for a historic tenth appearance, competing for his fourth NBA Championship title. Critics and fans alike have regularly pointed out Lebron’s poor finals record (36) when comparing him to Michael Jordan. While a fourth championship may not place him above Jordan in the GOAT debate, it will make him the only player to carry three separate franchises to an NBA championship.

LeBron knows the significance of this title—regardless of the injuries to key Heat players Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, he will need this fourth ring in his quest to step out of Michael Jordan’s shadow.

Anthony Davis: Davis was ranked first by ESPN out of high school, drafted as the undisputed

number-one pick after winning a national championship at Kentucky, and since the beginning of his professional career, has made six AllStar appearances and warranted three All-NBA first teams. Despite these accolades, Davis never had much playoff success with the Pelicans, losing to the Golden State Warriors in 2015 and 2018. Questions have always risen about Davis’ ability to lead a winning team and now more

than ever, he needs to prove he can win. While Davis did not have much help in New Orleans, barring Jrue Holiday, he currently has a partnership with Lebron James. While Davis may not win the Finals MVP, if the Lakers emerge victorious, his maiden ring in the bubble will distinguish his career from the greats before him who failed to win.

Rajon Rondo: At just 21 years old, Rajon Rondo won his first

From Anthony Davis to Rajon Rondo, several players are looking to prove that they can still contribute to a championship-winning team.

(Draft King Sports)

championship with the Celtics in 2008, beating the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers in six games. Despite losing against the Lakers in a 2010 Finals rematch, Rondo was seen as the future of the Celtics. However, an Eastern Conference Finals defeat to Miami’s Big 3 saw Rondo being traded to the Dallas Mavericks for 3 role players and a first round pick. While his stints in Chicago and New Orleans gave him the nickname “Playoff Rondo,” he was never able to get past the second round. Winning his second ring with the Lakers more than 10 years later would truly solidify his legacy, reminding the entire league that he is still a savvy veteran leader, and one of the smartest basketball players in the league today.

Dwight Howard: Since his 2009 loss to the Lakers, Dwight Howard has failed to make it to the finals. After a short-lived and turbulent season with the Lakers in 2012, his stints in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington saw his career plummet from a franchiseplayer to an unwanted roster liability. After playing a crucial role against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, Howard vowed to ‘take full

advantage” of his return to the NBA Finals. If the Lakers win, Howard could redeem himself in the eyes of Laker fans and prove that he is a valuable defensive anchor on a championship-winning team. The win would show the league that he has grown from his mistakes as he enters what could be the last freeagency of his career.

Rob Pelinka: When the NBA first restarted in the bubble in August, reports surfaced that the General Manager of the Lakers, Rob Pelinka, had little support as the executive of the year, despite the Lakers taking the first seed in the Western Conference standings. Unsurprisingly, the underappreciation of a front office is typical whenever LeBron is on a roster.

However, the Lakers’ performance in the playoffs and finals highlights Pelinka’s success. After missing out on Kawhi Leonard late in free agency, he surrounded LeBron and Anthony Davis with versatile players such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Markieff Morris. Analysts often overlook the efforts of the front office, but Pelinka should deservedly gain respect across the league as an established GM, rather than Lebron’s puppet.