The Tribune Vol. 43, Issue 8

The Tribune TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023 | VOL. 43 | ISSUE 8

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

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EDITORIAL

FEATURE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Evictions of encampments encroach on equitable housing solutions

Where Have the Queer Men Gone?

The older, the wiser: Why X should be reserved for seniors

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(Jay Lauzon / The Tribune)

Students decry tuition hikes during SSMU town hall

SSMU’s mobilization efforts will prioritize solidarity with other Quebec student unions Eliza Lee Contributor

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n the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 25, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) held a town

hall to discuss the Quebec government’s proposed tuition increases for out-of-province students. Students and organizers voiced concerns over the policy’s impacts on access to education and quality of learning and discussed ways to

mobilize McGill’s population to resist the price spike.

SSMU aimed to gain insight into students’ opinions on the tuition hikes that they will use to inform how they approach subsequent organizing.

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Creating more accurate and realistic spine surgery simulation models Master’s student combines physics and mathematics to capture soft tissue behaviour Jinha Suh Contributor

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efore performing procedures, surgeons must receive step-by-step training. The traditional method, “See One, Do One, Teach One,” asks

trainees in surgical residency to repeat after their instructors. To gain experience, these trainees often practice their surgical skills on cadavers.

Due to the high cost of cadavers and limited availability of resources, researchers have di-

rected their attention to virtual-reality-based surgical simulations.

So far, they have developed different surgical simulator models that imitate various procedures.

However, realistically reproducing human tissues remains challenging.

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

Students decry tuition hikes during SSMU town hall SSMU’s mobilization efforts will prioritize solidarity with other Quebec student unions Eliza Lee Contributor Continued from page 1.

The event drew around 40 students, including certain SSMU executives, and was moderated by Gaither and Alex O’Neill, U2 Arts, an organizer of the Blue Fall Protest on Monday, Oct. 30. The town hall comes after SSMU and the Concordia Student Union (CSU) put out a joint press release on Oct. 19, condemning the proposed increases, citing that they impede the human right of “universally accessible post-secondary education.”

Attendees discussed several issues, including criticism that the policy heightens economic barriers to postsecondary education and will increase student debt. Many students argued that the negative financial impacts of this policy on McGill would degrade the university’s quality of education and could result in the permanent closure of smaller departments.

“For me, having to pay for higher education is a problem, already. I don’t think people should have to pay to go to university.” Chloé Hugla, U3 Arts, said.

“Just increasing tuition is going to hurt people [...] that have less money, [not letting] them come to McGill.”

After some attendees highlighted the potential damage to McGill’s prestige, O’Neill reiterated the importance of promoting solidarity and balancing the

focus between the policy’s impacts at again,” Gaither said. take concrete steps, like the Blue Fall McGill and beyond it.

Vikram Nathan, U3 Science, and protest that’s about to happen, to address “That point of view can lead to president of the McGill Biology Student this,” Nathan said. “I think, also, it was something very exclusionary.” O’Neill Union, talked to The Tribune after the eye opening to hear about the history of said during the meeting. “We need to town hall and underscored the potential this collective action callback and the fact balance those aspects and the greater good for unity across different backgrounds, that this isn’t actually that unprecedented. for access to education, and access to disciplines, faculties and schools in We can advocate for ourselves and we will education from province to province.” opposing the policy. Nathan expressed do it again.”

The town hall included a brief hope, looking both to the past and the presentation on the history of student future.

Coverage of the Blue Fall Protest will protests against tuition raises in Quebec “I just think it’s up to us to actually be available online at thetribune.ca.

by Adam Semergian, a first year Concordia student and communications officer with Coalition de Résistance pour l’Unité Étudiante Syndicale (CRUES). Semergian spoke mainly about the 2012 protests against a proposed university tuition increase under premier Jean Charest.

Following Semergian’s presentation, Gaither highlighted the red square as a symbol of student mobilization against tuition hikes popularized in 2012. Gaither and O’Neill encouraged attendees to pin the small squares of fabric onto themselves to raise awareness and situate their efforts in a longer history of student resistance against tuition increases in Quebec.

“This tuition hike is a reminder of [the 2012 protests] in some ways, and we need to pick up where things have been left off and The red square that symbolizes Quebec student protests comes from the saying that increased tuition will fight for affordable education once put students “squarely in the red” or “carrément dans le rouge.” (Jay Lauzon / The Tribune)

McGill celebrates sixth annual Queer History Month themed “Other Worlds”

Events highlighted the significant role of storytelling in sparking conversations about 2SLGBTQIA+ rights Helen Griffiths-Barnhart Contributor

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hroughout October, the McGill Administration’s Equity Department hosted its sixth-annual Queer History Month, which consisted of panels, meetings and networking events—both online and in-person— for 2SLGBTQIA+ persons and allies. The theme of this year’s Queer History Month at McGill was “Other Worlds,” a concept that examined the role and integration of storytelling into conversations about violence and hatred directed at members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The theme sought to develop a platform for discussing how fictional futuristic utopias can offer insight and serve as a tool for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to process backlash and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ ideology.

Nalo Hopkinson, this year’s keynote speaker and an acclaimed writer of speculative fiction, hosted an interactive workshop as well as a keynote speech where she promoted creative storytelling and writing as a cathartic medium to inspire interpersonal empathy. This workshop also illuminated opportunities for those in attendance to reflect upon how they navigate a time when the identities of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals are frequently stifled.

In the past few years, there has been a prolific rise of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ as well asand antitransgender rhetoric and ideologies throughout Canada. Recent conservative legislative bills in

New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have advocated for legal preferred pronoun discrimination in public education and have sparked protests such as the “1 Million March For Children” initiative that strives for the elimination of gender-neutral safe spaces and washroom facilities in schools.

Andrea Clegg, an organizer of McGill’s Queer History Month and an Equity Education Advisor of Gender Equity and 2SLGBTQIA+ Education in the Office of the Provost and VicePrincipal (Academic), discussed the importance of creating empathetic spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ members of the McGill community to allow them to express themselves.

“McGill Queer History Month events offer a way to come together as a community, to celebrate our talents and achievements and to talk about and share stories of strength and pride,” Clegg wrote in an email to The Tribune. “Within a context of increasing attacks on our basic rights as queer people, having celebratory spaces to gather and connect with each other becomes all the more important.”

One of the most popular events during the month was McGill’s annual Homecoming event, “Return of the Rainbow.” First introduced in 2001, “Return of the Rainbow’’ is an evening for 2SLGBTQIA+ staff members, alumni, and students to network and discuss the intergenerational support networks that arise within, and beyond, McGill’s queer community. Attendees were encouraged to share their experiences with queerness at McGill

over catered food and drinks in an informal, conversational setting.

In an interview with The Tribune, Shannon Wood, a queer-identifying McGill alum and a Sexual Violence Education Advisor at the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education (OSVRSE), emphasized the importance of creating versatile, inclusive spaces for both students and staff.

“While there are a number of student groups on campus, queer-specific support for McGill staff is not as prominent,” Wood said. “Connecting with queer colleagues at events like Return of the Rainbow [...] has been so comforting—especially during a time where parts of our society have taken steps backwards in regards to trans and queer rights.

This reality is what makes the Other Worlds theme so timely, that we, both queer folks and allies alike, must continue aspiring to realities where we are accepted and safe to be who we are.”

In addition to Queer History Month events in October, McGill promotes diversity-focused workshops and year-round consultation support on its Equity website for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and staff members. These informational and supportive networks are provided through administrative and student-led organizations like the Union for Gender Empowerment, OVRSE, Queer McGill, and other major initiatives. However, despite the resources McGill promoted, alumnus Alexander Dow expressed the challenges students face in accessing the support systems offered.

“Access to therapists and psychologists through the mental health program is critically important, especially ones that understand queer issues and support them,” Dow said in an interview with The Tribune. “McGill already does have one of the largest networks for this, however, the system continues to see overwhelming demand that doesn’t meet the needs of all students. Increasing accessibility to these services and trust would be an area for improvement. Ultimately there are more positives than negatives in relation to McGill’s attitude, actions, and support for the Queer Community.”

A Oct. 25 discussion hosted as a part of the Queer History Month at Mcgill programming addressed navigating academia as non-gender conforming individuals. (Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

NEWS

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Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera appear in court, discuss disbandment of archeological panel The Mothers urged transparency and the enforcement of the settlement agreement Jasjot Grewal News Editor Content Warning: Mentions of assault and genocide

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he Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers) appeared at the Montreal Courthouse for a fivehour case management hearing on Oct. 27.

The hearing came as part of the Mothers’ ongoing investigation into McGill’s New Vic Project site—where the Mothers fear that there may be unmarked Indigenous graves—alongside McGill, the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), the City of Montreal, and the Attorney General of Canada.

The Mothers gave the first statement before Justice Gregory Moore. Beginning with Mohawk Mother Kwetiio, the Mothers urged the court to enforce the settlement agreement, which, in Kwetiio’s interpretation, states that all parties are bound to the recommendations of the court-appointed expert archaeological panel. Kwetiio further alleged that McGill had sent contracts to the three members of the panel—which disbanded on Aug. 3—with three-month termination dates.

The Mothers were not informed of these contracts until they had already been signed and were irreversible.

Kwetiio argued that Ethnoscop— the archaeological firm hired for the investigation—did not use appropriate methods to protect the forensic chain of custody of any potential evidence, as they were touching evidence with their bare hands and not using tamper-proof bags.

She also stated that the defendants were

potential anomalies were excavated on the site in rapid time which did not allow for proper significance and care to be given to each anomaly. She said that on one day, nine anomalies were excavated with a mere 45 minutes allotted to each anomaly. Kahentinetha claimed that the soil was not sifted properly, and any bone fragments found were immediately deemed to be of animal origin.

In a written statement to The Tribune, the SQI asserted that all excavation is being carried out in accordance with proper archaeological regulations by expert firms, with proper methods used to ensure soil is not mixed or contaminated.

Kahentinetha also shared that after facing verbal assault from SQI security guards on July 25, the Mothers had asked to be accompanied by Indigenous security personnel from T.D. Security while onsite. However, it took three weeks before the defendants complied with this request.

Kwetiio continued, asserting that the Mothers deserve to be treated with respect on the site and should not be subjected to “uncontrollable anger” from the defendants when they ask questions.

She ended the Mothers’ statement by contending that the defendants had breached every part of the settlement agreement.

The court took a fifteen-minute break, after which Julian Falconer—the lawyer for the Office of the Independent Special Interlocutor, Kimberly Murray—gave his statement, alleging that the defendants were being denialistic. He stated that the Mothers already had an insurmountable burden placed on them throughout this

(Abby Zhu / The Tribune) strategically choosing which information they would share with the Mothers in order to continue the investigation without delays.

“There’s been a lot of cherry-picking of what [the defendants] are going to use to help themselves to further their construction, and not the investigation,” Kwetiio said in a press conference after the hearing.

The court then heard from Mohawk Mother Kahentinetha, who shared that

case, and this burden had “quadrupled” the day the panel was disbanded. He condemned the disbandment of the panel and alleged that McGill and the SQI had replaced the panel with their own archaeological experts so that they could inform the public that they were relying on the advice of experts.

“Today was about bringing back the experts that know how to do this work, to find unmarked burials,” Murray said in a press conference after the hearing. “We

(Abby Zhu / The Tribune)

have a lot of companies that can do scans.

We don’t have a lot of people that have expertise in analyzing the data.”

Later, the court heard from the SQI. Their statement was delivered in French and translated for the Mothers by anthropologist and associate of the Mothers Philippe Blouin. Members of Take Back Tekanontak—an advocacy group in support of the Mohawk Mothers— were stationed outside of the courthouse after the hearing to show solidarity. In an interview with The Tribune, an organizer of Take Back Tekanontak, Diane, who chose not to give her last name, shared her belief that the lack of a court-provided English translation of the SQI’s statement for the Mothers was appalling and oppressively exclusionary.

“The Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera come to court, and they speak Kanyen’kéha, their own language, and their colonial language is English,” Diane said. “It’s not okay to ask them to learn French as a second colonial language, and yet there is no translation provided for them. I cannot believe my eyes.”

McGill’s lawyer, Doug Mitchell, provided the next statement before Justice Moore. He stated that the university believes that it has abided by the settlement agreement wholly and respectfully, arguing the occasional disagreements between parties are not an indication that the agreement is being violated. He asserted that the defendants are bound by the recommendations of techniques by the panel, not to anything else.

Mitchell additionally claimed that Falconer had “theatricized” his speech to the court so that Justice Moore would rule in the favor of the Mothers. He stated that the Mothers needed to take the emotion out of the investigation, alleging that the Mothers and Murray only wanted to enforce their interpretation of the contract and were not suffering any irreparable harm by the way McGill was carrying out the investigation.

Falconer responded to Mitchell’s statement, saying that Mitchell should apologize for asking the Mothers to be less

emotional about the investigation. He also argued that all parties should acknowledge that the panel’s recommendations have not been followed, as the panel itself believes its suggestions have not been entirely executed.

“It is absolutely essential that McGill, the Quebec government, [and the] SQI come to their senses and understand that it is very short-sighted to essentially terminate a panel they agreed to be bound by in order a further a development,” Falconer said in a press conference after the hearing. “I promise you, whatever few dollars [the defendants] make on their development, the [societal cost] and the [further erosion] of trust is absolutely innumerable in terms of the size of the expense.”

Kwetiio also replied to Mitchell’s statement, stating that Mitchell’s words were “deeply offensive,” and reiterating the fact that all parties would not be back in court if the recommendations of the panel had been respected.

“I think it was pretty disgusting that the defendant said ‘Oh, there’s no irreparable harm done here.’ [...] There’s never a situation where any one of us is going to bargain without children of the past, present, and future,” Kwetiio said in response to Mitchell’s comment in a press conference after the hearing.

Justice Moore adjourned court with no decision made, explaining that he would need some time to review all submissions and testimonies. McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle told The Tribune in an email that McGill will provide a comment on the hearing once Justice Moore makes a decision. A tentative subsequent court date is set for Dec. 1, during which all parties will discuss the issue of archives and records related to the investigation.

“We demand that we have a proper best practice investigation for our children and for those that were disrespected on that site,” Kwetiio said. “I think our children are looking for us to find them, and this is what’s important, and I’m so glad that all these people are here today in support.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

QPIRG-McGill’s Culture Shock explores intersection between food and social justice

Panel delves into food insecurity, the politics of food, and rethinking food systems Lily Cason Managing Editor

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he Quebec Public Research Interest Group at McGill (QPIRG-McGill) held their annual Culture Shock event series— dedicated to anti-racism, migrant justice, and Indigenous solidarity—from Oct. 6 to Oct. 27.

The student-run and student-funded organization selected food as the event’s theme, delving into food as a human right, as an aspect of cultural and historical identity, as a social justice issue, and as a form of community-building.

Nelly Wat, an Outreach and Promotions Coordinator at QPIRG-McGill, explained that food felt like an important theme to tackle during this year’s Culture Shock because of the prevalence of food insecurity among both students and the broader Montreal community, particularly in the midst of inflation and rising food prices.

“That was the vision for the theme of food: Thinking about food as something that essentially should be a human right—something that people should have access to—but also something that can bring communities together,” Wat elaborated.

“So, [there were] many different aspects of food that we wanted to explore. We had an open callout for workshops, and people submitted their proposals.”

This year’s Culture Shock was comprised of four events: A panel discussion on food insecurity, a workshop on making elderberry syrup, a cooking event with Community Cooks Collective (CCC), and a community feast. “[We] wanted to introduce students to a variety of ways to actually get involved in their community, beyond just working within your institution, within the university,” Wat explained when asked about the range of events. “Actually going out into the community and finding different ways that you can get involved [and] connecting with people outside of [the] McGill bubble, so to speak, the Anglophone bubble also.”

At the Oct. 6 panel, which kicked off the event series, three panellists and a moderator

spent an hour and a half discussing the different ways that food systems and food insecurity impact peoples’ everyday lives.

“Today we will be covering a topic that affects everyone: Food,” Nat Alexander, Programming Coordinator at Midnight Kitchen and panel moderator, said at the start of the event.

“Each panellist that we have has direct experience with different facets of the food system, from academic research and policy to growing and distribution.”

The panellists were professor Erik Chevrier from the Concordia Food Coalition, a group that aims to reimagine food systems and promote food sovereignty; Sona Sadio from the Sankofa Farming Cooperative at Concordia, a student-run community garden that provides food to Black and Indigenous communities; and Ayub Allene from Sister Sabria, an organization that seeks to provide food and shelter to those in need, particularly women.

“Food justice is a complex topic that interweaves so many disciplines and social issues,” Alexander elaborated. “Issues of income inequality can’t be separated from food justice. Issues of racism and colonialism can’t be separated from food justice. Food is also emotional, it’s a way that we connect, a way that we remember.”

During the event, all of the panellists stressed that existing food systems are not sustainable. Chevrier specifically pointed to the environmental impacts of our current farming and food production practices, emphasizing the need for change.

“Agriculture is a main culprit of actually producing CO2 [carbon dioxide]. So not just about food travelling from one distance to another, but as soon as you start tilling agricultural land, you’re actually releasing carbons,” Chevrier explained. “We’ve actually crossed the threshold of nitrogen and phosphorus being produced [...] we’re actually chemically synthesizing these for farms [...] we’re creating dead zones, we’re actually acidifying the ocean.”

Sadio stressed that food insecurity and

food deserts have disproportionate effects on production are owned by the community.” people of colour and those from lower-income In an interview with The Tribune, Wat neighbourhoods. emphasized that QPIRG-McGill is making a “Grocery stores don’t feel incentivized to concerted effort to be more visible on campus. open up in certain areas that they don’t see as “We’ve always struggled just a little bit profitable for whatever reason,” Sadio said. “And, to reach students, because oftentimes people when we rally around Black lives or Indigenous don’t know who we are and our offices are not lives or talk about policing, and how that leads to exactly on campus, [they’re] on Parc,” Wat said. so much debt, [...] so does this issue with food, it’s “[Through the Culture Shock event series] we’re up there with the main causes of debt.” hoping to bring together a few community groups At one point in the panel, Alexander and some students as well, so that we can, you commended Let’s Eat McGill—a student-run know, share a meal and also get to know one campaign dedicated to tackling food insecurity on another even more.” campus—for its efforts to bring accessible food The final event of the Culture Shock series, options to McGill students. According to Wat, a community feast for activists and community Let’s Eat McGill was also a recipient of QPRIG’s members, took place on Oct. 27. summer research stipend.

“They’re doing some really important work specifically on the issue of food insecurity, the price of food on campus and residences and cafeterias,” Wat said. “We typically fund projects that do community work like [Let’s Eat McGill], or research projects, as well as student research projects related to social [and] environmental justice.”

Chevrier suggested building a coalition like the Concordia Food Coalition at McGill in order to bring change to the university’s food systems.

“If you’re from McGill, you could actually start coalitions in your university to start changing your own food systems,” Chevrier said. “So Concordia, [...] basically what we did is in 2013, [we] formed collective action to figure out ‘how can we transform our campus?’ and ‘how can this spill out into the community so that the community could actually reap the benefits of what we’re up All Culture Shock events were free or pay-what-you-can, to?’ [....] We actually now have the and open to the public. (Ohara Hale) Hive Café, which is a collectiverun organization, the means of

opinion@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

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Editor-in-Chief Matthew Molinaro editor@mcgilltribune.com

Evictions of encampments encroach on equitable housing solutions

Creative Director Mika Drygas mdrygas@mcgilltribune.com

The Tribune Editorial Board

EDITORIAL BOARD

Managing Editors Lily Cason lcason@mcgilltribune.com Arian Kamel akamel@mcgilltribune.com Tillie Burlock tburlock@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Shani Laskin, Jasjot Grewal, & Caroline Sun news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Chloé Kichenane, Liliana Mason, & Monique Kasonga opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editors Ella Paulin & Athina Sitou scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editors Abby McCormick & Dante Ventulieri studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Harry North features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Dana Prather & Suzanna Graham arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Anoushka Oke & Julie Ferreyra sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Drea Garcia & Sofia Stankovic design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Mason Bramadat photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editor Anna Chudakov & Alyssa Razavi Mastali multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Jiajia Li webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Matthew Adelberg copy@mcgilltribune.com Social Media Editor Sainka Walia socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Sophie Smith business@mcgilltribune.com

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s the housing crisis in Montreal persists, neither the city government nor its citizens are addressing the unhoused population with the empathy and urgency they deserve. A coalition of residents from Saint-Henri recently expressed anger over a decision to build a four-storey housing complex for unhoused individuals and a supervised drug use site near an elementary school. This is just the most recent example of a widespread phenomenon of communities opposing the creation of services for the unhoused in the name of “protecting” their neighbourhood. Simultaneously, the city of Montreal has continued forced evictions of encampments around the city, including those living under Route 136 of the Ville-Marie expressway.

These evictions put an already vulnerable group at considerably more risk, and do nothing to address the root of the housing issue.

As the cycle of evictions and displacement in Montreal continues to exacerbate the housing crisis, the number of unhoused people in the province

has almost doubled since 2018, with nearly half reported to be living in Montreal. Eviction epitomizes the personal being political, as the state violently inserts itself into people’s homes and privacy to deprive them of the human right of housing.

Furthermore, unhoused people face significant barriers when practicing their right to vote and thus lose the ability to have political representation, as it is extremely difficult to register to vote without a stable, permanent address. Being evicted also comes with a host of life-threatening dangers. The street is not a safe place to live and, as winter approaches and the temperature continues to drop, it does not afford any kind of protection from the deadly cold.

The municipal government has evicted people from encampments under the guise of “finding long term housing solutions,” but its actions do not reflect this claim. In breaking up encampments through the police, the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) is not only destroying people’s only living arrangements, but is also breaking up communities and networks that are integral to unhoused people’s wellbeing.

By simultaneously dismantling

OFF THE BOARD

Birds: My mortal enemies

A

Suzanna Graham Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ella Gomes, Shani Laskin, Matthew Molinaro, Jacob Northfield & Sophie Smith

STAFF Ali Baghirov, Ella Buckingham, Eliza Lee, Jayda Smith

CONTRIBUTORS Helen Griffiths-Barnhart, Megan Belrose, Isobel Bray, Lulu Calame, Emanuel Curto, Aimee DeLong, Lily Dodson, Clara Farhat, Maria Gheorghiu, Jay Lauzon, Madigan McMahon, Wilder McNutt, Maeve Reilly, Maïa Salhofer, Jinha Suh, Katherine Weaver, Irina Zhang, Abby Zhu

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Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Tribune, its editors or its staff.

I

didn’t see a single bird during the U.S. government shutdown between Dec. 22, 2018, and Jan. 25, 2019.

While the feathery fiends in British Columbia may have just been taking the month off from antagonizing my fellow high schoolers on the frosty coast of Vancouver Island, I choose to believe the conspiracy theory that all birds are government drones, and were turned off amidst the political instability in my home

country. Sure, the theory may be far-fetched, but despite birds’ pea-sized brains, they are smart little gremlins ready to spread evil everywhere they go.

Every time I look a bird in the eye, I consider what nefarious ploys they are plotting. I’m not kidding. These modern dinosaurs may be small, but they’re crafty.

They have access to the sky, the land, the sea, and yet they choose to scavenge for food that humans are actively trying to eat. Some birds understand basic Keynesian economics. Others can literally converse with humans. While the average pigeon you see today might be looking for its next backpack to peck for crumbs, their ancestors were literally war veterans. Now, let loose in an outcry of anarchy, I fear the day the pigeon clusters waiting outside the metro learn how to unionize.

The fact of the matter is that I find birds terrifying. Whether I’m facing off with a robin trying to steal my almonds, or a crow blocking the stairs to my apartment, I would rather be subjected to a Saw trap than their wicked little beaks. There’s

these encampments and failing to implement any effective affordable housing policies, the MTQ is encroaching on unhoused people’s agency and ability to protect themselves. Since the Ville-Marie encampment was disrupted, only four of its former residents were able to move into government-subsidized housing, while the government refused to provide the rest with anything more than lockers in which to keep their belongings.

The not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) attitude held by Montrealers, such as those contesting the construction of the housing complex in SaintHenri and the shelter in Verdun, further exacerbates the issues unhoused people are facing.

Often, NIMBYism deploys language that dehumanizes and demonizes unhoused people, referring to them as ‘dangerous,’ and arguing that children must be protected from them. This outlook indicates an inability to look past one’s personal discomfort to recognize how the creation of shelters and other resources is a step toward fixing the housing crisis and getting unhoused people off the streets.

NIMBYism further antagonizes unhoused people, and exacerbates racial and class divisions. In

a reason that Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on birds and not sharks. They quickly evolved into a diverse network of beasts, each able to spread evil in a multitude of disturbing ways. Pelicans are essentially giant venus fly traps: They trap prey and swallow them whole.

Hawks will pick up fish from the ocean and drop them from large heights. And crows… crows never forget a grudge.

I think the most terrifying thing is that crows (and their bigger yet thankfully rarer cousins, ravens) can recognize and remember human faces. I remember once chasing a crow away from a lovely, peaceful Seattle picnic I was having with my friends. The crow came back, brought friends, and pelted us with acorns. If I had realized that wanting to eat a sandwich without a bird pecking at my fingers was akin to inciting a clan war with the local kings of the park, I would’ve cut my losses and handed my food over.

I still haven’t returned to that spot. I know they’re waiting for me and I refuse to fall back into the same trap.

OPINION

EDITORIAL

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prioritizing neighborhoods over individuals’ well-being, these attitudes solidify the notion that property value is more important than human dignity and life.

Certain communities are disproportionately represented in the unhoused community, including Indigenous peoples, migrants, and people experiencing mental illness. By dispossessing and displacing, evictions perpetuate an ongoing cycle of settler colonial violence on Indigenous peoples. Instead of providing trauma-informed support, the state neglects individuals experiencing mental illness in encampments through the discriminatory structure of their systems and institutions.

McGill is situated in direct proximity to many of Montreal’s unhoused communities, yet students are often dismissive toward unhoused people, avoiding or ignoring them completely.

McGill students must act on the houselessness and housing insecurity crisis, treat unhoused people around them with respect, empathy, and dignity, and advocate for equitable housing for all. The city of Montreal needs to cease evictions of encampments, and provide unhoused people with real, tangible alternatives to living on the streets.

On the other hand, there are some birds that I understand.

I grew up on the West Coast surrounded by armies of Canada’s most ferocious animal: The Canada goose.

My upbringing taught me a lot of things—how to duck and cover during an earthquake, the fact that you should never wear crocs while traversing a blackberry bush, and how to swat a goose. As the younger sibling to my older brother, I was the designated fodder for any threat we encountered. As such, I was always the one to face off against the geese. Geese know they’re evil. They own it. And luckily for me, I feel a lot better pushing a hissing, flying rat than another bird species that retains its innocent façade.

So what’s the moral of this piece? Easy: There is no moral. I am simply here to warn my fellow people of our feathered fiends that we share the sidewalk with.

Don’t trust them. Don’t mess with them. I yearn for the days in 2019 when they disappeared from my vicinity. I fantasize of peace. I know it may never happen, but a girl can dream.

OPINION

6

COMMENTARY Lulu Calame Contributor

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t the start of October, the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) announced that constables in charge of patrolling the Montreal Metro will now be armed with gel aerosol pepper spray.

The STM made this decision in response to a growing number of incidents in the metro system in which constables intervened, often with brute force and the use of batons.

The STM describes the pepper spray as a means of “de-escalating” a situation without using the same physical impact of a baton. However, the addition of gel aerosol pepper spray creates room for more frequent, unproductive hostility, and widens the gap of power between constables and Montreal’s vulnerable populations.

The number of violent incidents and reported safety complaints in the Montreal metro system have increased considerably in recent months. The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) claimed 54 reported assaults in January of 2023 and 53 in February, while in 2022, the highest reported number of assaults in one month was 44.

COMMENTARY

STM Constables’ New Pepper Spray is anti-progress for the Mental Health Crisis The incidence rate on the Metro as a whole has also gone up, with about 42,000 reported interventions on the STM in 2022, compared to just over 35,000 in 2021.

Though there is validity in the intention of reducing the physical harm inflicted during constable interventions in the metro, implementing pepper spray––in addition to the existing batons––attempts to mitigate the houselessness and mental health crisis by attacking people instead of addressing it at the roots. Such development allows for more frequent hostility and intensifies the gap of power, spurring resentment between the constables and the targets of their authority. It also raises questions about the logical consistency of the new policy when STM constables are granted the authority to use this pepper spray, while Canadian civilians are prohibited from arming themselves with it for self-defense, highlighting a disparity in access and usage.

The sparse ten-hour training required in order to carry the pepper spray is time that could go toward training constables in alternate strategies of de-escalation. These approaches would be much more in line with an understanding of the mental

health obstacles faced by many of those involved in the interventions.

While an immediate solution to crime in the metro is a large ask for the municipal government, initiating a discussion of greater awareness in the constables, who come in close direct contact with incidents of crime, is a good place to start.

The metro system in Montreal (and beyond) is one of the most immediately accessible shelters for the unhoused community, making the discussion of mental health and houselessness inseparable from the policies of the STM. Such changes must be acknowledged by policy makers as substantial alterations in the daily experiences and overall well-being of individuals who are unhoused, particularly those who are already grappling with mental health challenges. It is imperative to recognize the profound impact that these types of policy changes can have on the lives of unhoused individuals contending with mental health issues.

Such direct violence toward a vulnerable population solidifies the assumption that addiction, houselessness, and issues of mental health are the fault of the individual, justifying further harm toward them and

Gel aerosol pepper spray can cause immediate discomfort and result in persistent vision problems, including blurred vision and potential long-term damage.

(Maeve Reilly / The Tribune) their situation. Assaulting unhoused individuals with pepper spray as a response to their inability to find shelter is gratuitous and counterproductive; addiction, for instance, is a disease, and houselessness is the result of relentless systemic oppression, not personal failings. Pepper spray does not undo such realities.

Due to their history of abusive power and brute force, especially toward vulnerable and racialized communities, institutions such as the

police department or the STM might be quick to disregard such strategies for crime mitigation. While certainly less glamorous and slightly slowermoving than the implementation of pepper spray, an emphasis on peaceful de-escalation instead of violence is progress toward systemic change that has the potential to mitigate the issue of crime as a whole. The physical harm caused by pepper spray paired with the structure of power that enforces it will not.

The McGill Book Fair: A lesson in institutional apathy

Emanuel Curto Contributor

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

opinion@mcgilltribune.com

espite being heard by few students during the fall of 2022, a death knell sounded marking the end of the McGill Book Fair. Started in 1972 by the Women’s Associates of McGill and the McGill Women’s Alumnae Association, the Book Fair is yet another victim of the McLennan-Redpath complex renovation.

Organizers suggested on a Facebook post that the complex’s closure and a seemingly chronic inability to find volunteers made the event impossible to run. The transformation of the Book Fair from a vibrant community event to university lore demonstrates McGill’s inability to shield its cultural institutions from its relentless attrition.

Over the past 50 years, the Book Fair has contributed 1,948,000 CAD towards McGill Scholarships and Student Aid, generating three bursaries for undergraduate students. Though there is no doubt those bursaries will have supported many McGillians, to talk about the Book Fair solely as a financial conduit is reductionist. The Fair’s ability to affordably disseminate knowledge, foster community, and give participants a space to be intellectually curious meets and surpasses McGill’s own stated mission, a mission whose nebulous framework commits the university to scholarly excellence but not to community or curiosity. Yet, the Book Fair remains an un-resuscitated champion of McGill’s values.

The McGill administration is only in-

terested in domains deemed important by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)–– the company who releases the annual QS World University Rankings. Not every McGill student is willing to volunteer in extracurriculars that are not sexy or employable. If QS made an annual Book Fair a requisite to be a top 50 university, McGill would pour resources into the Book Fair, asserting that the event was “instrumental in delivering on its mission.” If McGill’s Medical or Law school requisitioned volunteering in a Book Fair for admission, to become a volunteer one would have to undertake a competitive entry. The problem is McGill’s neglect for the Book Fair is replicable; this apathy could claim other events. The Book Fair proves that even the most anticipated and successful events can simply cease to exist if they are not cared for.

Admittedly, I might be romanticizing the McGill Book Fair, but universities are romanticized institutions. With the world’s data readily and instantly available, what can a student gain or learn at McGill that they cannot online? Students may garner a community, exchange ideas, and ultimately, have the university legitimate their knowledge. At least two of those ideas are inherently romantic. If McGill cannot find the impetus to preserve the Book Fair, it not only fails to further the values of its mission, but it also fails to preserve the ideals that uphold the institution for students.

I mourn that I will never again arrive to class, albeit 10 minutes late, with a box of books in hand, full enough to gravely harm

McGill is ranked 30th by the QS University World Rankings. (Leanne Young / The Tribune) someone if I were to trip or buckle. Nor will I ever again strut campus gleaming with the knowledge that my purchase cost less than a sandwich and banana would at any McGill cafeteria. Worse even is that soon enough, I will be unable to quench the memory of the Book Fair by walking into McLennan Library and endlessly perusing amongst rows of books as a “study break.”

Though the Book Fair has gone, its end should serve as a reminder to nurture the cultural institutions we participate in. Take the example of Anne Williams and Susan

Woodruff, two McGill graduates who attended the university in the 1960s and who were the latest co-directors of the Book Fair.

They still post regularly on the Fair’s Facebook group, directing students toward book sales around Montreal or encouraging them to donate to the Fair’s bursaries. In this spirit, beyond demanding that the administration care for the culture that defines this university, students must remember that they are McGill’s vital cultural capital. If others cannot deliver on McGill’s stated mission, the onus falls on us.

studentlife@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

STUDENT LIFE

7

The Tribune predicts: Halloween horoscopes Find out what the stars have in store for you on the scariest day of the year Maria Gheorghiu Contributor

T

he leaves are falling, the sun is setting earlier, and the constellations are forming in eerie ways. The little ghosts floating around your astrological signs are telling you what the stars have in store for you this Halloween.

Aries (March 21-April 19): Aries, your energy and ability to take everything as a challenge will come in handy this Halloween season. You’d be really good at trick-or-treating—try running around Milton Parc and collecting as much candy as you can.

Keep the Swedish Fish for Pisces.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): For you, Halloween can be a time to seek comfort. Dress up as a set of arms (you figure out what that means) and walk around the Yintersection giving people hugs.

Good for you, good for the world.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Sign of the twins: Watch out for your double appearing randomly

around you, eerily staring back at you from behind your reflection in the mirror, following you around on campus, hiding under your bed at night. But don’t worry, this should only last for a few hours on Halloween day— consult a medical practitioner if it persists for more than 24.

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Cozy up with a scary movie, spiderweb cookies, and the strange creature that has inexplicably been following Gemini all day. This Halloween, taking some time to yourself (with a cryptid) is just what you need.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Luxury and extravagance are in this Halloween. Your costume should stand out from the crowd, both figuratively and literally: Go for something out of the ordinary, but also eye-catching and fun.

Don’t worry about the people sitting behind you in Leacock 132––having lights and clumps of feathers sticking out of you isn’t a distraction at all.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your creativity and whimsy are all you

need to come up with Halloween costumes for your friends. Here are some suggestions you can bounce off of: Barbie and Ken (fun!); a character from a Pixar movie everyone loves (awww, cute!); Gemini’s likeness (nothing weird about this one!).

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Who cares about Halloween? It’s just a typical Tuesday night for you.

Don’t forget you have a big paper due in a few days, and an exam for that bird course you took that might require quite a bit more effort than anticipated.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You love to keep others on their toes with your mysterious and secretive vibes. This Halloween, try dressing up as one of the extras from a show that only aired a handful of episodes a decade ago. Nobody will know what you are (good).

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarius, you’re always the most loved one at the party, opinionated but kind. This Halloween season, try walking around the room and critiquing everyone’s

The stars are aligning, and so are the cryptic symbols that form around your windows. (Sofia Stankovic / The Tribune)

costumes. Don’t be shy, we all agree that Scorpio’s costume makes no sense.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): For you, Halloween should be about coming out of your shell.

It’s okay to show some emotions and be a bit silly sometimes.

Switch things up for once and impress all your friends by eating the most candy in one go.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Master of the liquids, why not

give mixology a try? Your weird concoctions aren’t all too odd this weekend. Give your closet kombucha the chance to finally be consumed, instead of just sitting in the dark, under shelves of clothes, for weeks on end.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Nobody likes Swedish Fish, but you’re a Pisces, so it’s your duty to take one for the team and eat all of those little chewy, sticky, waxy candies this Halloween.

We’re sorry.

Warming up near campus: The Tribune’s recommendations for soup Good for your stomach and your soul Maria Gheorghiu & Dante Ventulieri Contributor & Student Life Editor

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t’s 6 p.m., the sun has already set, you have 10 pages left to write for your essay, and the t-shirt you left the house in this morning isn’t protecting you from the cold—you need soup. So grab your spoons or chopsticks, as //The Tribune// highlights some nearby soup spots.

Soupe Café Distance: On campus With midterms season transitioning into finals season, you shouldn’t have to take time out of your day to walk across the city for a nice bowl of soup. Soupe Café has three locations on campus: Burnside Hall, the Education Building, and the Sports Complex. Offering a different kind of soup every day, veggie and meat options alike, it’s the perfect place to go to in between classes (or even during your lecture’s 10 minute break).

Vinh’s Café Distance: On campus Another campus icon, Vinh’s has become a go-to option for students looking for delicious but affordable sandwiches. What some might

not know, or at least haven’t yet tried, is that Vinh’s has flavourful pho. With two locations, the Genome Building and the Strathcona Music Building, chances are that Vinh’s is only a stone’s throw away. Just don’t forget to bring your sandwich punch card.

Nouilles Zhonghua Distance: 1 minute on foot A favourite for many McGilians, this Sherbrooke spot specializes in Chinese soups with hand-pulled noodles. Zhonghua offers a wide variety, from beef and pork to vegetarian options like tofu. This establishment is sometimes a victim of its own success, as long lines can form—it’s advisable to go during off-peak hours.

I AM PHO Distance: 8 minutes by transit, 20 minutes on foot Though it may be closer to Concordia than McGill, I AM PHO remains a great choice for Vietnamese soup. Served quickly and portioned generously, the soup packs an umami punch that will leave you satisfied for your impending threehour lecture. Not to mention, they are open from Sunday to Wednesday, until 11:45 p.m. and from Thursday to Saturday, until 2:30 a.m.—making it ideal for those long

nights at the library.

Tsukuyomi Ramen Distance: 10 minutes by transit, 15 minutes on foot Despite the tough competition, Tsukuyomi has some of the best ramen near campus. This establishment is on Bishop, though there are also outposts in the Mile-End and Bois-Franc. It is a great choice for those who want options: From chicken to miso to tofu, there are bowls that cater to everyone’s taste, and plenty of vegan options to boot.

Mandy’s Distance: 5 minutes on foot Believe it or not, your favourite fancy salad restaurant also offers soups. Their selection consists of matzo ball soup, vegan peanut butter and lentil soup, and butternut squash soup, the latter only available in October and November. If one of these three happens to be your favorite, or if you find stress in decision-making, Mandy’s is the soup spot for you.

Olly Fresco’s Distance: 5 minutes on foot Another affordable option merely a few minutes away from campus is Olly Fresco’s, located under the Simon’s on St. Catherine. Simply walk

in and choose your favorite soup from a fairly decent selection of options, including chili, chicken noodle soup, and potato bacon soup. Since you’re serving yourself, you can be in and out in minutes—quick, easy, and delicious soup.

Olive et Gourmando Distance: 15 minutes by transit, 20 minutes on foot Located a bit further away from campus, this Old Port establishment is best known for its sandwiches, but don’t let that fool you; their soup of the day is worthy of the trek. Whether it’s black bean, tomato, or green chili, it’s sure to be comforting on

those cold days.

Dishonourable mention: Tim Horton’s Distance: It doesn’t matter Everyone loves the convenience of the Tim Horton’s on Sherbrooke and University, only a few minutes away from most of your classes. It’s a beloved Canadian classic, good for coffees and pastries, but their meals leave more to be desired. If you need a second warm liquid to complement your caffeinated drink, Tim’s offers a “two birds, one stone.” But come on, we’ve listed other options. You deserve nice things.

Soup is the perfect combination of healthy and cozy as the weather gets brisk. (pexels.com)

Where have the qu

A gay exploratio

By Matt Adelberg, Copy Editor

I

n my

first month at McGill, I got queerbaited. I started talking to a guy right after moving into residence.

As we got closer, he asked with increasing frequency who pinged on my ‘gaydar.’ I had only come out as COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, so meeting other queer men was high up on my 2021 agenda. Naturally, I had a vested interest in seeing where this new connection would lead.

A week and a half later, he expressed his surprise that I had believed him when he told me that he was into men. After throwing myself a commensurate pity party (a lot of sangria and Phoebe Bridgers), I reset my sights on my objective: To find out where the actual queer men of McGill dwell. Three years later, I still haven’t located them. Equally for my sake and for that of anyone else faced with my affliction, I’ve undertaken the task of finding these fabled creatures on campus—if they exist at all.

It’s not as if I don’t know any queer men.

The issue is that these connections are rare, and I tend to meet them one at a time. I don’t feel that I have a community, but rather connections with queer men in otherwise disparate spaces.

Of course, this is my personal experience, and it might not reflect the general sentiment of queer men at McGill—ironically, I don’t know enough of them to get an appropriate sample. Thus, take my words with a grain of salt.

Finding my communities at McGill is, in many ways, easier for me as a white cis guy. I’m also close with many queer women, trans and non-binary people, and I deeply value those relationships and shared lived queer experiences. However, the absence of people who share both my sexuality and gender—those who can most closely understand my experience of these huge parts of my identity—is something that I feel sharply.

I’m looking for social settings centred around McGill undergraduates. Additionally, they must be both offline and communal.

While online relations and communities are certainly valuable, I am searching for physical spaces where connections are organic, not strictly facilitated. I’m not trying to find oneto-one connections, but spaces where one can enter reliably and inclusively to foster them for social, romantic, or alternative endeavours.

This definition excludes dating and hookup apps like Tinder and Grindr. I am not

necessarily searching for love—I am searching for consistent community. If I have engaged with you on one of these and it hasn’t worked out: It’s not you, it’s the app.

With these qualifications established, I now set out into terra incognita: What queer spaces are available to me at McGill?

Much of my information on McGill queer organizations comes from the online-accessible LGBTQIA2S+ McGill Student, Faculty, and Staff Activism exhibit, curated in 2022 by McGill Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies (IGSF) assistant professor Alex Ketchum and Jacob Williams (BA ‘23). Beyond its usefulness to me, it is an excellent jumping-off point for any interested in McGill’s queer past and present.

There is, of course, Queer McGill: The university’s student-run queer organization. They operate and promote a variety of services across Montreal for McGill’s 2SLGBTQIA+ population.

“Our communications coordinator, Frida, sends out a weekly newsletter and is also responsible for our social media. They will frequently boost initiatives led by groups with a similar mandate to ours,” Administrative Coordinator Abe Berglas explained in an interview with The Tribune. “Our events coordinators, Isabel

and Val, are planning a variety of social events so that queer students and community members can congregate. Finally, our resource coordinator Arwyn ensures that our office— room 432 in the SSMU building—is an accessible space for queer folks to exist on campus.”

Some faculties have their own queer social clubs, such as OutLaw at McGill for Law, Queer Engineer for Engineering, and HealthQueer Professionals for Medicine and Dentistry— though unfortunately, there is no such group that I could find in my beloved Arts faculty.

Beyond my definitively social options, there are several academic and activist groups that could bear fruit. The IGSF facilitates the Gender, Sexuality, Feminism, and Social Justice minor, as well as the Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies (GSFS—not to be confused with the GSFS acronym of the minor) major and honours option. These programs provide opportunities to learn about queer history and contemporary theory. However, it would be overly presumptive to suggest that queer people compose their student bases to any great degree; to my knowledge, no census exists that breaks down McGill’s students by sexuality and department.

The Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE) advocates and gives support to all gender identities, emphasizing trans and non-binary allyship and gender-affirming care. Collaborating with Queer McGill, UGE runs the Trans Patient Union, which champions and assists trans and non-binary patients in their medical care experience in Montreal. While these groups are not necessarily social spaces, they are useful for queer, trans, and non-binary McGillians as resources and involvement opportunities.

I have done all this research into these potential community sites. Logically, I should go to all of their events to see if queer men are actually there; and yet, I find myself immobilized by incertitude in my own investigation. Why am I not as enthusiastic about this next step as I feel I should be? Something about my study’s setup feels wrong, but I cannot quite place it, so I run it as a thought experiment before I actually embark.

What if none of these events offer the connection I am searching for? Well, then I must start looking for places that are “queer-inflected,” in the words of IGSF/Cultural Studies associate professor Alanna Thain.

“It seems to me that a lot of [queer spaces are] still very much organized around activism, but also art. Art spaces are [...] those kinds of spaces as well that can foster community in connection

ueer men gone?

on across McGill

Design By Sofia Stankovic, Design Editor with other kinds of community,” Thain explained in an interview with The Tribune.

So maybe I take this next lead and follow it through—I peruse every art space McGill has to offer, I attend every queer activist event I can. What if that doesn’t work? Then I’ll start going to study spaces, bars, see if they’re there. What if I don’t find them there either? Or at the next thing? Or the next?

How many rocks am I willing to upturn for this? I may seem overly pessimistic. Very well; let us flip the results. Let us say that I find an ideal community of queer men at the very first event. Strangely, this also feels unsatisfactory. Queer men are not hidden objects to be found, their sightings reported in the local paper. I would need to ask countless strangers their sexualities as confirmation— an uncomfortable proposition. How would I even qualify a finding? How many queer men would need to be there, what proportion of the room? Above all, no matter the outcome, it wouldn’t address my underlying frustration. I should not—nor should anyone, of any identity—have to wait three years, let alone undertake a journalistic investigation, just to find people who share my experiences.

Such negativity crumples the heart.

I fear that this investigation is a downward spiral, one I wish to avoid myself, much less report to others. I need to change what I am looking for and instead try to address the root of the problem: Why is it so hard to find queer men at McGill?

From the start, there could be a numbers problem. According to McGill’s 2021 enrolment report, our student population is roughly 60 per cent female and 40 per cent male (as a side note for all these statistics, the report only discusses gender in terms of “male” and “female”). This disparity holds true for nearly all faculties, with the exceptions of Engineering (67.5 per cent male) and Music (58.1 per cent male). My faculty, Arts, is approximately 70 per cent women. For those wishing to commit to this numbers-based approach, you can always switch faculties; alas, my passions lie in my English major, even if the men do not.

Regardless, the stats suggest that at least to some extent, queer men are hard to find at McGill because men are hard to find at McGill.

Cultural forces may also be at play.

While in my experience, my home department of English does not shy away from discussions of gender and sexuality, not every department may be so open.

“I feel like my program, [Civil Engineering], is very heteronormative and […] more traditional,” Kiki He, U2 Engineer-

ing, relayed to The Tribune.“I know a lot of men in my program, but [they] are not really open about their private lives,” she explained, adding that international students may be more reticent as well depending on their cultural upbringing. Some may need to strike a balance between cultural communities or organizations at McGill—which might not discuss or even tolerate queerness—and queer ones. Many queer McGill men may be unaware, closeted, or uncomfortable with expressing it publicly—much less willing to form a community—because of the culture around them at home or at school, whether that be academic or otherwise.

Other McGill students may simply be unaware of what opportunities there are, or perhaps those spaces do not provide what they seek.

In an interview with The Tribune, U2 Arts student Gregor McCall said, “When I’ve talked to [my queer friends] about [queer spaces and community], they kind of feel that there aren’t a ton of queer spaces that they feel truly involved in [...] or like, even if they kind of want to be [involved in them].” Obviously, this does not speak for everyone, but I can personally attest to wanting a space that is, as McCall said, “A little more specific [...] so that [my friends] know other people who identify in a

similar way.”

These explanations are evidently anecdotal. However, in the absence of asking the men that I cannot find why I cannot find them, these ideas can compose a workable hypothesis with which to solve the present conundrum. The number of guys at McGill and their cultural backgrounds is outside of student control, but we can change departmental cultures, and we can create new clubs and events, work with old ones, boost their reach to break cultural silences and ensure that all who want to listen can hear.

McGill has had wildly successful queer events before. In the seventies, Gay McGill (a precursor to Queer McGill) ran dances both in the now-SSMU building and at other venues which, according to Thain, attracted a large queer community both from McGill and across Montreal. Similar events have been run in more recent years as well, such as the UGE’s Librarian Dance Party, an event that recurred annually from the 2000s to the 2010s. Gerts, our beloved student bar, was founded and heavily populated by queer men in its early ‘90s.

So, there are some leads to chase on the shortcomings of our current community, and historical models we can build from. Changing faculty cultures is a deeper task, but something that can and must happen from within them. With these rough sketches laid out, perhaps I can find ways to ease the pursuit of a community of queer men at McGill for the future, if not regain the time I have spent trying to find it under the present conditions.

Perhaps a gay Gerts night is in order, or a dance in the SSMU Ballroom, or a club night marketed to queer men. Of course, I would need to get the word far enough out across McGill to compensate for both the low number of men and the cultural barriers I discussed—not to consider the organizational logistics involved.

This is not a one-gay-man task; and besides, midterms are ripping the soul out of me at the moment. Perhaps I will get around to this eventually, or maybe some other brave soul will step up and break the present inertia. Until then, if you are a queer man who does not have a shoulder to cry on, you can find me at The Tribune.

10

STUDENT LIFE

studentlife@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

The revival of McGill’s Community Engagement Day Event connects students with volunteer opportunities across Montreal Katherine Weaver Contributor

H

eld in the University center on Oct. 26, Community Engagement Day (CED). Run by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and McGill Campus Life and Engagement (CLE), CED aims to put students in contact with local McGill and Montreal-based volunteering groups.

This year, the event featured around 30 organizations from the greater Montreal area.

It was a lively scene in the SSMU Ballroom, which was filled with a ring of booths toward one end, and an Art Hive workshop pop-up on the other. Free lunch was provided for attendees, who filtered in and out throughout the afternoon.

Maria Radu, BA ‘22 and the current SSMU Community Engagement Commissioner, helped organize Thursday’s event.

CED was started in 2012 but hadn’t been run at this scale since 2017, as Radu’s current role, Community Engagement Commissioner, was vacant.

“I wanted to bring [CED] back, because it’s a really cool event, and I think that it’s a great opportunity for students to get involved,” Radu said. “I did a very small one last year in the winter, just to kind of test the waters and try it out. And it went really well. We got a lot of great feedback. I wanted to do it on a bigger scale this year.”

Radu aims to hold the event annually and help it grow to a similar size and scale as

Vent Over Tea is a Montreal-based service connecting volunteers with strangers in need of inperson active listening. (Mason Bramadat / The Tribune)

SSMU’s Activities Night.

“There’s a lot of opportunities that I think students don’t know about,” she commented.

“So I’m happy to help promote them.”

Organizations attending this year’s CED ranged from Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization that provides mentors to youth with adverse childhood experiences, to Tel-Aide, a volunteer-run mental health hotline.

Community Cooks Collective (CCC) is a group that seeks to address food insecurity in the Montreal area. Founded in 2020, the project delivers cooked meals to three local food shelters.

“We’re looking to grow the roster of

cooks and build up our organizing team to be able to expand operations further,” Tatiana Townsley, a CCC volunteer explained.

Arabel Morin, U3 Arts, visited CED after finding it on MyInvolvement, a platform connecting students with engagement opportunities at McGill.

“I was looking for more volunteering opportunities this year, just because it’s my last full year at McGill,” Morin explained. “I want to build new connections and do something good every once in a while, and it’s pretty gratifying.”

Concordia student Diego Fraser-delCarpio was running the booth for volunteers

How well do you know McGill?

Test your knowledge with this crossword Lily Cason Managing Editor

Down 1) First Black woman elected to the provincial legislature and McGill grad 2) History museum across the street from McGill 3) Fountain by the Y-intersection 4) Fenced-in social event that happens once a semester 6) Sport invented by McGill grad James Naismith 7) Club that convenes once a year to speedily eat a piece of greenery 12) Popular local bookstore in Milton Parc 15) Where to go for a beer and grilled cheese

Across

10) Location of McGill’s other campus

5) Study space that reopened in August 2023

11)Friday night hangout organized by engineers

8) As of 2022, 60.7 per cent of the student body was

13) “Hallelujah” musician and McGill grad

9) Closed in 2020, reopened in 2023, and will close again in 2024

14) Sherbrooke café with a cult following

at The Refugee Centre (TRC), an organization which aids refugee seekers in Montreal, providing services such as help finding jobs and housing and health and wellness support.

“What volunteers help with most is filling out the refugee claimant application; the first step into getting into the refugee claimant process,” Fraser-del-Carpio said.

Jeanne Marengère, U3 Arts, also shared her experience as a TRC volunteer.

“It’s really cool because we get to hear peoples’ stories from all over the world who are just coming to Canada,” Marengère said.

“Oftentimes their stories are really sad and emotional, but it’s also very gratifying to know that you have helped someone find safety in Canada.”

From internships to clubs to intramural sports teams, there are many ways that university students can become involved in a larger community beyond the bounds of the classroom. With all these opportunities to engage, what makes volunteering as a student special?

“A lot of the time McGill can be quite a bubble, that students have trouble stepping out of,” Radu said. “A lot of organizations in Montreal really want student involvement. A lot of people volunteering at these organizations are out of school and have been for a long time, so they want a fresh student perspective.”

Those who weren’t able to attend can find opportunities on MyInvolvement or check out the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

Boygenius continues to amaze its listeners on ‘the rest’ The new EP marks the band’s first release since March’s ‘the record’ Lily Dodson Contributor

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ince debuting their self-titled EP in 2018, boygenius—the alternative/rock group formed by Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker—has been on everyone’s radars.

After reuniting almost seven months ago to release their first full-length album, the record, the group put out a four-song EP on Oct. 13 titled the rest.

One can either listen to the record and then immediately follow it with the rest, or just listen to the rest independently. Both sound natural since the closing of the record almost perfectly leads into the start of the rest and because the latter touches upon themes explored in the former. “Voyager,” in particular, revisits the lunar imagery that Bridgers touches upon in the record’s “Letter from an Old Poet” and throughout her solo work.

Over the last five years, boygenius has collaborated in a masterful way to show each of the band members’ maximum potential. They have beautiful voices separately, but when combined, their harmonies and lyricism build ethereal melodies.

On this new EP, the opener and closer—“Black Hole” and “Powers,” respectively—showcase the trio’s expertise in collaborating without ever overpowering each other.

While this EP might not blow either boygenius or the record out of the water, it still builds upon the solid foundation the band has established through their previous works. These four new songs have the same attention to detail and quality as their previous works; their lyrics are as poetic

as always, especially on “Afraid of Heights,” and the melodies remain faithful to their classic mix of indie and rock sounds.

To many, boygenius represents friendship, queer love, and acceptance. Their friendship makes every song that they write so pure and inherently relatable. Their openness with their sexuality empowers their fanbase to celebrate alongside them, turning each concert and listening session into a safe space for their fans to be proud of their sexuality. In the face of increasingly widespread homophobia and transphobia across America, boygenius’ music is a defiant expression of the importance of queer joy.

boygenius has been on a steady rise to the top since the release of its first self-titled EP in 2018. (Ted Eytan / Wikimedia Commons )

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Something to give the girls

Troye Sivan’s new album is equally catchy, sexy, and eclectic Amalia Mairet Contributor

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With seductive choreography and Y2K outfits, the visuals draw heavily on early 2000s pop icons like Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé (note the “Single Ladies”-esque black and white scene with the bar). Sivan is taking pop stardom seriously by calling back to its golden age.

The rest of the album is a great mix of slow tunes and uptempo pop. Sivan includes some inventive sampling, such as an electronic hook from Bag Raiders on “Got Me Started” and a clip of Jessica Pratt’s folky warble in “Can’t Go Back, Baby.” Sivan’s increasing comfort with experimentation is paying off—his music has far exceeded its bedroom pop origins.

With a new commitment to choreography and boy toys in tow, Troye Sivan’s new album asserts that he is every bit the pop diva. He has cornered his market with new maturity and confidence, giving people the pop iconography that they want and need.

op music has hit a lull in the past few months. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are busy touring, Dua Lipa is missing in action, and Ariana Grande is busy getting raked over the Twitter coals for her new boyfriend. A few select artists have provided tunes throughout the recent slump—credit to Olivia Rodrigo.

But none have emerged as swiftly and decisively as Troye Sivan, whose new album Something to Give Each Other has revived our appetites for the popstar.

His album release began with “Rush,” a lead single titled after everyone’s favourite brand of poppers. With a house beat and a chant-like chorus, the single lives up to its namesake—an addictive opener. The music video features a sweaty Sivan, hedonistic Euro-summer visuals, and decidedly cheeky choreography. Compared with Sivan’s innocent debut, Blue Neighbourhood, and his less precocious 2018 album Bloom, this release was unabashedly more queer, fun, and sexy.

His second single, “One of Your Girls,” was an instant hit largely owing to Sivan’s bold music video. Featuring former Disney Channel heartthrob Ross Lynch and Sivan himself in incredible drag, the video imme- For the ‘Rush’ music video, filmmaker Gordon von Steiner diately flooded Twitter feeds and flew Sivan to Berlin for a week of nightlife, mischief, shooting, is currently at 8.7 million views. and partying. (Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons)

The older, the wiser: Why X should be reserved for seniors A look into the older side of X, and why we should be paying attention Aimee DeLong Contributor

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ost social media apps have age restrictions. For the majority, you have to be at least 13 to create an account. X, formerly known as Twitter, is no exception. Yet, I firmly believe that this age limit is simply unfair. The minimum age to create an account on X should be changed to 75. Though this may seem strange at first, may I present a shining example for why this should be the case: One Joyce Carol Oates.

Joyce Carol Oates is a criticallyacclaimed 85-year-old American author who has published over 50 novels, including Blonde and We Were the Mulvaneys, not to mention a litany of short stories and poems.

However, the best-written work she has produced undoubtedly exists in the form of her tweets on X. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, and Oates’ recent posts include profound photos such as “Canal.” Not only this, but the author has deigned to share hidden gems from the art world, including a painting that may have inspired Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”

Celebrities of our generation can be rather dismissive of their fans on social media and in real life. Fan pages struggle to get their favourite celebrities to notice them, and the vast majority of love declarations go

unacknowledged. On the other hand, fans of Oates have no shortage of responses from the author. She maintains profound conversations with her fellow users. Recently, Oates was quick to comment on the cuteness of a fan’s dog. Additionally, she has engaged in conversations with those who do not seem overly fond of her, such as her multiple political arguments with several opinionated users.

Although Oates’ X account is certainly worth a follow, she is not the only senior whose thoughts are worth sharing.

Another member of the older population on the app includes Larry King—famed television and radio host—who strove to spread important information to his dutiful followers prior to his death on Jan. 23rd, 2021. His series of tweets, aptly titled #ItsMy2Cents, offers the star’s many hot takes. For instance, his relatable statement that he “has no desire to eat clams” is nothing short of newsworthy.

Even if King is no longer with us today, his opinions will live on forever through his tweets. Sure, the app could be used to share the thoughts of the younger generation, but why not give our elders a chance to immortalize their wisdom on the internet?

Some may say that seniors have problematic opinions, but no two people are alike, and many individuals from previous generations are worth listening to. After all, thanks to

them, we have succeeded in feats such as the moon landing, and life-changing inventions like the lava lamp.

In the end, our generation maintains its monopoly over many social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat. So why not let the seniors have X? It could very well be their last chance to use their voice, and who wouldn’t want to see another cat photo shared by Joyce Carol Oates? We have

no need for another tired retelling of Kylie Jenner having cereal with milk for the first time. Besides, Elon Musk did purchase the platform, and we wouldn’t want to support him long-term—he is known for being a misogynist, and has tweeted a meme comparing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Adolf Hitler. Leave it to our elders to express their opinions and, when they pass away, we can let Musk’s success pass on with them.

Before Elon Musk became CEO of the platform in 2022, X was known as Twitter. (Moe Magners / Pexels.com)

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

Bewitching reads and frightening films

Our Favourite Halloween Media Picks

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ith the scariest day of the year approaching, the season of haunted houses, autumn treats, and ghostly costume parties is upon us. But with Halloween landing on Tuesday this year, how can you be expected to keep up with the holiday spirit(s) while still making it to your 8:30 a.m. class the next day? The answer: Kick back, relax, and spend the day recovering from your Halloweekend while you check out our Halloween-themed media recommendations, courtesy of the Arts & Entertainment team.

Isobel Bray Contributor We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson This eerie tale revolves around the reclusive Blackwood sisters, Constance and Mary Katherine “Merricat,” who live in a grand house on the outskirts of a fictional American town. Six years prior, their entire family was poisoned except for Uncle Julian and their cat Jonas. Since then, the townsfolk have shunned them, believing one of the sisters to be the murderer. Their lives take an unsettling turn when their long-lost cousin Charles arrives, disrupting their routine by expressing an interest in Constance and the Blackwood estate. Shirley Jackson’s concise writing evokes the atmosphere of a dark folktale. For all its grimness, it is also a darkly humorous story. Merricat narrates the novel, and her childlike innocence and witty observations will draw you in, even as the ominous undertones become increasingly apparent. The deceptive simplicity and sinister ambiance were what made me love this book. The final published work in Jackson’s lifetime, the novel maintains the author’s signature style, as a comforting yet scary story reminiscent of small-town Americana classics.

Suzanna Graham Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Scream Franchise The Scream franchise, renowned for Rituals On The Bank Of A Familiar River its unique blend of horror, satire, and Kiki Rockwell self-awareness, has stood the test of time.

This Halloweekend, I’ve been solely interestAcross the initial four installments, direc- ed in a very simple musical niche: Feminine melotor Wes Craven skillfully deconstructed dies in minor keys with enough percussion and and subverted conventional horror tropes, synth to make the hairs on my arm stand on end. offering both a meta-commentary of Luckily for me, I’ve found just that in Kiki Rockthe genre and genuine scares. While the well’s latest album, Rituals On The Bank Of A Faoriginal 1996 film set a new standard, the miliar River. While the album has a lot of gorgeous franchise’s ability to reinvent itself while Celtic musical inspiration, Kiki’s inclusion of hospreserving its core essence accounts for tile chatter, frantic screams, and monotone chants its enduring appeal. The movie follows in the background make me think that I’m hearing Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) as she music directly from women amidst the witch trials battles masked, knife-wielding killers ob- of the high Middle Ages. However, Kiki refuses sessed with phone calls and scary mov- to follow history. “Burn Your Village” includes ies. The first film, which follows high a multitude of women backing vocals and a beat school students in the suburban town of that reflects a quickening metronome, reflecting a Woodsboro, California, is my favourite— group of women ‘witches’ fighting back against partly because of the iconic 90s aesthetic, those who condemned them. Kiki’s music is that of and because of its approach to the genre, haunted women, radical solidarity, and suppressed creating a nostalgic yet relevant horror feminine power. It’s raw. It’s powerful. It’s perfect experience. The most recent releases, for this bewitchingtime of year.

Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, follow a new generation of Woodsboro students, with appearances from some of the original cast. I did not find the recent films particularly terrifying, especially since the biggest jumpscare turned out to be when McGill’s downtown campus stepped in for New York City in the Over 60 characters have been murdered across all six ‘Scream’ sixth film. movies. (Irina Zhang / The Tribune)

Could be Good The Retreat This new Montreal play features a community of people who have chosen to leave the world, shedding all layers of their identity and responsibility to find mental wellness at a retreat.

Bain Mathieu (2915 Ontario St E) Nov 2-6, 7:30 PM and 3:00 PM on Nov 4 and 5 Regular: $25 or pay-what-you-decide

Schulich in Concert | Sung-Won Yang, cello and Enrico Pace, piano Come see the impressive musical stylings of acclaimed South Korean cellist Sung-Won Yang and GRAMMY Award-nominated Italian pianist Enrico Pa. Redpath Hall (3461 rue McTavish) Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7:30 PM Regular: $25, Student: $19.25 CL&E x Art Hive: Plant Pot Painting Take a break from classes and relax as you paint a terracotta pot to house your favourite plant!

Brown Student Services Building, room 500 (3600 rue McTavish) Friday, Nov. 3, 10:00 - 11:30 AM Free Admission

Film Screening: Kite Zo A (Leave the Bones)

by Kaveh Nabatian Join Concordia’s Milieux Institute for a special screening of this sensorial film about rituals in Haiti followed by a Q&A with the director.

1515 St. Catherine W. Room EV 10.625 Friday, Nov. 3, 5:00 - 7:00 PM Free

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is a terrifying masterwork

Martin Scorsese’s latest film poignantly reminds us of historical injustice toward Indigenous peoples Sofia Stankovic Design Editor Spoilers ahead for Killers of the Flower Moon

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artin Scorsese’s latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon was released in theatres this past weekend after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival to a nine-minute-long standing ovation. Known for directing iconic films such as Taxi Driver and The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese moves away from thrilling dramas to delve into the heart of a historical atrocity. Based on a true story, the film is adapted from David Grann’s non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. The events took place in the 1920s, when the Osage Nation of Oklahoma became the richest people per capita after they discovered oil beneath their land. In the following years, the Osage people faced a slow massacre as white settlers began to murder countless members of their community for their oil money. The film shows the devastating consequences of greed and the dark, settler colonial underbelly of the American Dream in the early 20th century. Scorsese achieves this by meticulously portraying the intricate web of cover-ups and betrayal behind the murders and the unsettling nature of their duplicity.

The film centres around Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a man who moves to Oklahoma to work with his uncle William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro). Hale poses as an ally to the Osage community while scheming to take ownership of

their oil money. Following King’s advice, Ernest pursues a romantic relationship with Osage member Mollie (Lily Gladstone). While obviously beneficial for Ernest, this relationship insidiously chips away at Mollie and the entire Osage community.

Dicaprio and De Niro are both excellent in their roles, but Lily Gladstone’s performance truly steals the show. Through her stellar conviction, she captures Mollie’s wide-ranging emotional journey.

Mollie’s family disapproves of her union with a white man, while when she marries Ernest, he is dissatisfied with her steadfast commitment to her Osage heritage and her resistance to Western medicine. Mollie’s storyline is heartbreaking, as she is forced to endure her family’s gradual demise at the hands of her husband’s greed. The film is brutal and honest, refusing to ignore the gore and destruction of the tragedy. Sitting at close to three and a half hours, this adaptation provides the relevant background information, surrounding details, and insight into each character to provide a full account of the real tragedy.

Despite its acclaim, the film has faced criticism on multiple fronts. Many have raised concerns about the predominantly white cast and crew involvement in a movie centred on Indigenous suffering. Kanien’keha:ka actress Devery Jacobs expressed her concerns about the film surrounding the white saviour element and the excessive violence, which in her opinion, detracted from the core narrative. Kate Nelson, an Alaska Native Tlingit commentator affiliated with the BBC, conveyed a similar perspective. Nelson said that while Indig-

enous people can appreciate their stories being told, there is still a strong desire for them to be portrayed from their own perspective. Although Scorsese consulted Osage peoples in making the film, it is still yet another rendition of a white filmmaker telling Indigenous stories.

Simultaneously, this adaptation is one of the most influential and widespread attempts to shed light on an Indigenous narrative.

Killers of the Flower Moon serves as a compelling revelation of a shockingly-overlooked chapter in history.

However, the film also serves as a poignant reminder that these injustices persist; the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people in North America underscores a disturbing, settler colonial pattern of disproportionate violence against Indigenous peoples. And, the police often overlook their disappearances. While Scorsese has consistently demonstrated a penchant for bringing true stories to the forefront, his latest film works to spotlight a marginalized community that endured an exceptionally devastating history. The movie uncovers a long-neglected historical atrocity but also stands Lily Gladstone’s performance steals the show as she as a stark reminder of the ongoing settler coconvincingly conveys Osage member Mollie Burkart. lonial violence that Indigenous peoples face, (themoviespolier.com) urging us to confront these enduring issues.

scitech@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Creating more accurate and realistic spine surgery simulation models Master’s student combines physics and mathematics to capture soft tissue behaviour Jinha Suh Contributor Continued from page 1 In soft tissues such as muscles and blood vessels, it is crucial to replicate their internal dynamics and physical properties, such as viscoelasticity—the tissues’ ability to remain viscous and elastic.

“In practice, [viscoelasticity] means that when you push or pull on tissue, the force it exerts in response is not only dependent on how far that tissue is pushed or pulled, but also, to an extent, how fast,” Harriet Violet Chorney, a master’s student in McGill’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, wrote in an email to The Tribune.

Although researchers have attempted to recreate viscoelasticity, inherent model uncertainties, resulting from imperfect data predictions, presented another problem. Chorney aims to strike the balance between accurate tissue representation and model uncertainty in spine surgery.

With professors James Forbes and Mark Driscoll from the same department, Chorney recently pub-

lished a paper in Computers in Biology and Medicine that explores viscoelasticity in minimally invasive (MI) spine interbody-fusion surgery. During this operation, surgeons make small incisions through which they introduce microscopic cameras to access spinal nerves, vertebrae, and discs. “[MI spine interbody-fusion surgery] is one of the largest surgeries that is associated with low back pain,” Chorney said in an interview with The Tribune. “When preventative measures no longer work, then surgery is what is implemented.”

Simulators can respond to different forces, such as pressure and vibration. This coordination provides valuable information known as ‘force feedback.’ Based on this feedback, simulators for the accessgaining step of MI spine surgery gain high realism, known as fidelity, to replicate as accurately as possible real-world conditions.

To develop a realistic force feedback model for this first step, Chorney built four mathematical models: Maxwell (MW), KelvinBoltzmann (KB), higher-order blackbox (HO), and inverted linear

(IL). Because soft tissue behaves dynamically, simulation models must incorporate the dynamic frequency signals observed during the surgery, including those emitted by surgeons.

“It is important to design dynamic tests to inform the dynamic models,” Chorney explained in her email. “[B]ecause the surgeons may be pushing or pulling the tissue at different speeds, which can affect the corresponding force that is experienced, and we want the models we design to reflect that.”

MW and KB stand out in viscoelasticity, whereas HO shows the best error metrics—the lowest magnitude of errors compared to actual values. Conversely, IL represents soft tissues less accurately because it contains a static spring, and the applied force is in the opposite direction of other models.

Using these models, Chorney conducted an in-person study with 45 participants from the healthcare sector. In conditions with and without force feedback, participants would try to puncture a rubber tissue for a short time. Afterward, they answered two questions regarding the

Lower back pain is a common health problem with a lifetime prevalence between 49 and 70 per cent. (Olga Guryanova / unsplash.com) forces’ and the tissue’s realism.

“The purpose of my tests was to validate the numerical models that we actually built,” Chorney said. “Even though it was only a two or three minute test, it was to validate how many components you need to capture that accuracy, then the tradeoff with the uncertainty in the models itself.”

Overall, the researchers presented HO as the model with the highest similarity to soft tissues, as

indicated by participants and mathematical data. This suggests that a model that better captures dynamic signals created in tissue may also be the most realistic, therefore making it the best to use for training.

“We were trying to develop not only the systems themselves being dynamic because tissue behaves dynamically [...] but also a surgeon behaves dynamically, and in my paper, we capture both of those things.”

is truly interdisciplinary, and offers an exciting window into the future of human-machine interactions. This talk may not give you warm, fuzzy feelings but the title guarantees discussion of fuzzy robots! Registration is available at the CIRMMT website.

This installment of the McGill Biology Department’s Conservation, Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour lecture series will explore the relationship between animals’ sexual patterns and the resulting evolutionary changes. The speaker will be Swanne Gordon, assistant professor at Cornell University’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, whose research focuses on evolutionary diversity using fish, moths, and butterflies. Registration is not required for this event.

Hot science tickets for a cold month An overview of McGill’s scientific events this November Ella Paulin Science & Technology Editor

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he Science and Technology team at The Tribune have gathered around our fall campfires to bring you the best of McGill’s upcoming science-related talks and events this November.

Hand on My Heart: A Journey of Healing and Impact Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 - 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Coming up first, on Nov. 1st, is the McGill Global Health Programs’ book launch of Dr. Maureen Mayhew’s new memoir, Hand on My Heart: A Canadian Doctor’s Awak-

ening in Afghanistan. Dr. Mayhew has worked across the globe, including in Afghanistan and the Northwest Territories. In her book, she shares her clinical experiences and personal transformations, highlighting her involvement in Doctors without Borders in Taliban-occupied Afghanistan. You can register for the event on McGill’s Department of Global and Public Health website.

Probing Human Consciousness and Creativity Through Brain Criticality and AI Monday, Nov. 6, 2023 - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This event, hosted at the McGill Neuro as part of the Feindel Brain and

Dr. Maureen Mayhew is a McGill alumna, having received her Bachelor of Science in 1982. (Mason Bramadat / The Tribune)

Mind Seminar Series, explores the possibilities of using artificial intelligence (AI) to study human consciousness and creativity. Karim Jerbi, a professor in Université de Montréal’s Department of Psychology, will discuss recent research from his lab that uses electrophysiology, signal processing, and AI to study cognition. He will bring together a variety of topics, including the effects of caffeine, anesthesia, and meditation on brain function. If you have been wondering how your caffeine consumption affects your cognition during those unbearable 8:30 a.m. classes, this event may hold the answer! Registration will be available soon at McGill’s Department of Psychology website.

Fuzzy Robots with Feelings: Understanding physical emotional communication Monday, Nov. 13 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Karon MacLean, professor at University of British Columbia’s Department of Computer Science, will be giving this talk in the context of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music, Media, and Technology’s (CIRMMT) distinguished lectures.

She will cover the relationship between emotion and physical touch, something that is extremely hard to replicate with robotic interactions. Her research

Unconventional semiconductors and processes for flexible, stretchable and wearable electronics Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023 - 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

In this seminar hosted by McGill’s Department of Chemistry, Antonio Facchetti, adjunct professor at Northwestern University and cofounder of Flexterra Inc., will provide an overview of new materials and techniques in the field of wearable and flexible electronics. His company, Flexterra, aims to develop soft, flexible electronic devices that can be worn and folded without issue. This involves developing innovative technologies for transistors and visual displays, the chemical techniques and principles for which Facchetti will discuss in his seminar. Registration is not required for this event.

Examining the role of diverse sexual behavior and conflict on eco-evolutionary dynamics Thursday, Nov. 23 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Open Science in Action Symposium Thursday, Nov. 30 - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The McGill Neuro’s fifth annual Open Science in Action Symposium features a variety of events.

Topics will range from data sharing practices, open-source software in neuroscience, and the potential of the open science movement to accelerate drug discovery. Vincent Larivière, the Inaugural UNESCO Chair in Open Science and a professor of information science at Université de Montréal, will deliver the keynote address to open the symposium. You can register for the symposium on The Neuro’s website, where there will also be a livestream provided on the day of the event.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

scitech@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

Gairdner Foundation celebrates new frontiers of biomedical research Demis Hassabis and Lynne Maquat discussed AI and mRNA innovations with the McGill community Athina Sitou Science & Technology Editor Shani Laskin News Editor

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cGill’s Office of Research and Innovation invited two recent recipients of the Canada Gairdner International Award to present their research to the McGill community. Demis Hassabis, CEO and co-founder of Google DeepMind, and Lynne Maquat, J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and professor in the University of Rochester’s Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, spoke to students and faculty about recent biomedical advancements.

Hassabis, a 2023 recipient, gave the first lecture, focusing mostly on his work with DeepMind’s AlphaFold project, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand how proteins fold. His lecture began with a brief history of DeepMind and the achievements that preceded AlphaFold. Hassabis co-founded DeepMind—now owned by Google—in 2010. Since the company’s inception, AI research and capabilities have exploded.

Before AlphaFold, DeepMind made AI history with AlphaGo, a project in which the company’s AI system beat a master Go player in a highly publicized game that had a one-million-dollar bet riding on it.

During his presentation, Hassabis explained that the sheer number of possible combinations of moves in the game made it so difficult.

“One easy way to see how complex Go is is that there are 10 to the power 170 possible positions in

Go, which is far more than there are atoms in the universe,” Hassabis said. “So we had to come up with systems that were much cleverer that learned about the structure of Go and learned heuristics about Go so that we could make the search tractable.”

DeepMind initially introduced AlphaGo to ‘strong amateur’ Go players to learn the game. Subsequently, they honed the model’s skills by playing it against increasingly better versions of itself in a process called reinforcement learning.

Hassabis explained that the projects to build AI that could master complex games were a means to develop technologies that scientists could then apply to more socially-relevant problems.

“Games were just a means to an end,” Hassabis said. “We wanted to develop these ideas, but we wanted them to be very general, so that eventually, once they got powerful and sophisticated enough, we could transfer them to work on real-world challenges. And specifically, my passion was to apply them to scientific problems.”

The next step for Hassabis was to solve the famous protein folding problem: How a protein’s amino-acid sequence determines its 3D structure. Proteins are essential building blocks in biology and their structures can determine their functions. Understanding how even a single protein folds from just its amino-acid sequence, however, can take years of work. In 2020, AlphaFold 2 won the Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction (CASP)—a contest in which teams of researchers compete to predict protein structures. Not only did DeepMind’s model win, but its result

Tatsuaki Kurosaki, a postdoc in Maquat’s lab, identified more than 1000 NMD targets in cells and there are actually more to be found. (Owen Egan)

fell within an atomic threshold of accuracy, leading the CASP organizers to designate the problem as solved.

Today, the AlphaFold database contains over 200 million protein structures predicted by the model.

In 2021, Hassabis founded Isomorphic Labs, a start-up and sister company of DeepMind, focused on using AI for drug discovery.

To conclude his lecture, Hassabis turned to ethical questions surrounding AI. While he sees immense potential for AI to benefit scientific discovery and society, he cautioned against a “move fast and break things” attitude.

“This is too important to work in that way,” Hassabis explained. “I think we should instead use the scientific method to try and plan ahead of time and do controlled experiments and get a better understanding of what [an AI model] is before we deploy it around the world. So I think transformative technology like [Artificial General Intelligence] requires exceptional care, and what we’re trying to do at Google DeepMind is to be both bold and responsible with the technology.”

Once Hassabis ended his talk, Maquat, a 2015 Gairdner laureate, took the stage to present her pioneering discovery of nonsense-mediated messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) decay (NMD). This cellular mechanism degrades abnormal mRNA to regulate cell function in both healthy and pathological conditions in humans.

NMD operates through two primary pathways involving exons— the coding regions of genes located either upstream, closer to the gene’s beginning, or downstream, closer to the gene’s end. The first pathway is reserved for newly synthesized mRNAs that end at a premature termination codon (PTC): A sequence of three RNA building blocks. This process also involves exon junction complexes (EJC)—protein complexes deposited upstream of exon-exon junctions in newly spliced mRNAs. If NMD recognizes a PTC while some EJCs remain downstream, the mRNA undergoes degradation at both the 5’ and 3’ ends. This pathway predominantly targets newly made mRNAs. The second pathway is distinct, terminating translation upstream of a 3’ untranslated region (UTR). Unlike the first pathway, this one also applies to mRNAs in the steady state in addition to newly made mRNAs. Maquat’s lab first described NMD in the context of a condition called mRNA-deficient beta zero thalassemias in 1981.

“What we found were unexpected links between RNA metabolism, the nucleus, and the cyto-

One of Hassabis’ dreams is to create an AI-based virtual cell capable of making predictions about cell dynamics. (Owen Egan) plasm. These links, we showed, are [EJCs],” Maquat said. “The newly made mRNA is poised and ready to undergo NMD should a PTC be recognized in a downstream EJC.” Following this observation, Maquat and her colleagues wondered how the cell distinguishes between translation termination codons that trigger NMD and those that do not.

“We came up with a surprising result and that was that the answer was where the introns resided in the pre-mRNA, which was confusing to a lot of people because the introns are gone from [...] the fully spliced mRNA that is then targeted for decay,” Maquat explained. “And so we proposed that splicing in the nucleus must deposit a mark on newly made mRNAs that persist until the first round of translation.”

The biggest surprise arose when the researchers discovered that NMD targets newly made mRNAs that maintain their association with the nucleus. This challenged conventional wisdom and revealed a new facet of this quality control mechanism.

“We were able to prove that NMD targets newly made mRNAs on the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear envelope,” Maquat explained during her presentation.

In addition to sharing her groundbreaking discovery of NMD and its crucial role in maintaining the integrity of gene expression and proper cellular functioning, Maquat also shared valuable advice for dealing with the pushback that she received when other scientists in her entourage may have doubted the significance of her research.

“I have to say it was really scary for me but I couldn’t think of another explanation for the data. And I think when one gets data that are controversial, it’s really important not to overinterpret the data,” Maquat said.

She also described the specific role of NMD that eliminates mutated mRNAs. This can result in dominantly inherited diseases in which a single abnormal gene from one parent is sufficient for the disease to manifest.

In their exploration of other NMD factors, Maquat’s lab started studying Fragile X syndrome (FXS). “[FXS] is the most common single gene cause of intellectual disability and autism. It affects one in 4000 males [and] one in 6000 to 8000 females,” Maquat explained.

FXS is caused by the loss of Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA-binding protein and translational repressor. Maquat’s lab has shown that in FXS, the absence of FMRP causes global NMD hyperactivation. This leads to inefficient neural differentiation—a process that allows unspecialized cells to turn into neurons—and synapse maturation during which the connections between neurons become more efficient.

After the lectures, Hassabis and Maquat sat down for a Q&A period. As AI is increasingly being applied to biomedical research, Maquat mentioned the potential intersection between Hassabis’ research and her own in response to what she considers one of the most challenging problems that science hopes to solve.

“I think the hard problem is figuring out the networks, and there’s competition within the networks, and they’re gonna change during cell differentiation and development,” Maquat said, addressing Hassabis. “So that is a very difficult problem, and you’re approaching it fortunately, as well as ourselves, and hopefully the two will connect.”

sports@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

SPORTS

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Know Your Athlete: Dylan James

James outlines his lacrosse background and shares his team’s playoff mentality Anoushka Oke Sports Editor

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cGill Redbirds’ Dylan James comes from a lacrosse family.

He followed in the footsteps of his older cousins who played and now his younger brother, Austin James, competes in the same league, playing for the Trent University Excalibur.

Although James played ice hockey when he was younger, he eventually shifted his focus to lacrosse.

“Although I did enjoy hockey, it was much more of a social thing. [Hockey] was competitive and I definitely tried at it, but it was much more about enjoying the sport with friends,” James said in an interview with The Tribune. “With lacrosse, I realized that there was a deeper passion and opportunities in the future that I was looking forward to.”

James dreamed of playing university lacrosse since high school. He completed two years of high school in his hometown of Little Britain, Ontario. However, after tenth grade, he transferred to Virginia Episcopal School, an American boarding school whose representatives he met with after playing a lacrosse tournament in the United States. The school offered him a spot on their lacrosse team in pursuit of playing at a university level.

Until he was 13, James primarily played

box lacrosse because it was the only option available in such a small town. Then, in grade seven, he tried field lacrosse, where he was able to thrive.

Although James originally hoped to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the COVID-19 pandemic pushed him to return home to Canada for university and attend McGill.

Now in his second year of eligibility after the pandemic sidetracked the lacrosse program for two years, James has enjoyed his experience as a student-athlete alongside his teammates.

“Playing a varsity sport is a huge commitment to begin with, but it feels like much less of a commitment when you have the community of guys that we have,” he said. “There are definitely going to be days where you’re a little sore, you’re beat up, you just don’t really feel like playing, but then you have teammates that are willing to put in the work but also want to have a good time––it’s a group of friends.”

His personal goal for this season was to be more of a leader in the attack.

“Last year, I didn’t step in the role that I knew I probably could have filled, whether I want to blame that on injuries or it being my first year—all of those are kind of just excuses,” James explained. “The reality is, I just wasn’t stepping up the way that I thought I should have, and that was a big

thing for me.”

James also wants to make the most of the time he has left with his team in his last year on the team before he graduates, whether that means enjoying the social events more or just hanging out with his teammates outside of practice and games.

“That has honestly made this year much more enjoyable from a practical standpoint because we’re much closer, I think, this year,” James said.

down, we’re not hanging our heads, we’re focusing on getting the next one.”

The Redbirds won their first playoff game 9-5 against Queen’s University on Oct. 29. Next, they will play in the quarterfinals against the University of Guelph on Nov. 3 at the Baggataway Cup.

Outside of lacrosse, James likes to focus on the “student” part of being a student-athlete: He is a McGill psychology major McGill and spends a lot of time studying.

He also enjoys socializing with his non-lacrosse friends or doing anything active, especially going for walks outdoors.

With the team now one game into the 2023 playoffs, James spoke on the team’s mental toughness going into the elimination games.

“I think on paper, we have the opportunity to be the best team in the league,” he said. “But it’s more just making sure that we’re being tough, that we’re being James is in his fourth and final year of studying psychology disciplined, that when we go at McGill. (Wilder McNutt / The Tribune)

An ode to Dusty Baker

The 74-year-old manager retires after 26 seasons across five teams Tillie Burlock Managing Editor

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he creator of the high five. The winner of a Gold Glove, World Series, and two Silver Sluggers. The first African American manager with 2000 victories and the first manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to lead five different teams to division titles. On Oct. 26, following their elimination from the playoffs, Houston Astros’ manager Dusty Baker announced his retirement, prompting many fans to reflect on one of the most illustrious baseball careers imaginable.

While he is largely regarded for his career as a manager, Baker’s career as a player is nothing to scoff at. In the 1967 MLB draft, the Atlanta Braves chose Baker in the 26th round; he then went on to make his MLB debut on Sept. 7, 1968 against none other than the Astros. Baker played in the minors for the following three seasons, finally cracking the Opening Day roster in 1972. Historical moments characterized Baker’s time with Atlanta, such as watching Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run from the on-deck circle. Baker also served in the Marine Corps Reserve as a mechanic in motor transport from 1968 to 1974.

In 1976, Baker was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he not only won his first Silver Slugger and only Gold Glove, but this was when Baker took part in what is believed to be the first-ever high five with his teammate Glenn Burke in 1977.

It was also with the Dodgers that Baker won his only World Series as a player in 1981. Baker then went on to play for the San Francisco Giants in 1984 before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1985, where he finished out his career. During his time with the Athletics, Baker began chewing a toothpick––a staple throughout his managerial career––later revealing they both deterred chewing tobacco and were an “excellent” source of protein. In 1986, Baker also began to wear wristbands–– another fashion mainstay during his managerial career––to wipe the sweat of his forehead.

In 1993, after spending some postretirement years as a stockbroker, the Giants hired Baker as their manager, making him the seventh Black manager of a major league team. In Baker’s first season as manager, the Giants acquired Barry Bonds, who would go on to break Aaron’s home run record under Baker’s management. Baker won his first National League Manager of the Year in 1993; then again in 1997 and 2000, when the Giants won division titles.

Baker’s career with the Giants ended in 2002, but the Chicago Cubs hired him as their manager in 2003. In Chicago, Baker managed through the infamous Steve Bartman incident, and the team’s on-field struggles led the Cubs not to renew Baker’s contract at the end of the 2006 season.

After one year on the sideline, Baker stepped in as manager of the Cincinnati Reds from 2008 to 2013. Baker was then

hired by the Washington Nationals in 2016, and after leading the team to back-to-back National League East titles, the Nationals opted to part ways with him in 2018.

In the aftermath of their 2017 cheating scandal, the Astros brought Baker in to help revamp the team’s jaded image in 2020.

While the players garnered boos from fans on the road, Baker came to be viewed as the only manager capable of weathering the storm. And with a 320-336 record, playoff appearances in each of his four seasons, two American League pennants, and the 2022 World Series victory, Baker proved to be the man for the task.

Baker has been a vital voice in calling out the lack of diversity across baseball. In 2022, Baker was incredibly vocal of the lack of effort by MLB to draw more U.S.-born Black players to baseball, as not a single U.S.-born Black player played in the 2022 World Series for the first time since 1950.

Ultimately, Baker took home 2183 wins (seventh all time), three Manager of the Year awards, three pennants across the American league and National league, and one World Series. His toothpicks and sweatbands will be remembered and as far as we can tell, Dusty’s voice will remain in the baseball world for years to come.

In 1989, when helping Giants’ hitters prepare for game three of the World Series, Baker and the players would experience a major earthquake shake on the ground. (MLB.com)

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2023

sports@mcgilltribune.com

Martlets hockey home opener turns into a frustrating loss against UOttawa’s Gee-Gee’s The game ended 2-0 after a disallowed McGill goal Madigan McMahon & Megan Belrose Contributors

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n Oct. 26, the Martlets’ hockey team (1– 2) suffered a tough loss against the Ottawa Gee-Gees (2–1) in a penalty-filled home

opener.

The Martlets opened the game with a quick shot on goal, followed by forward India Benoit taking a tripping penalty to give the Gee-Gees their first powerplay of the game. The Gee-Gees broke through McGill’s defense in the second minute of play, and pulled off a shot on goal that was saved by goalie Sophie Lajeunesse. Coming out of the

box, Benoit passed to forward Mika Chang before attempting a shot on goal.

Eight minutes in, Ottawa took a tripping penalty to give McGill the advantage. McGill maintained good offensive motion that tested the Gee-Gees’ goalie. A sloppy line change from the Gee-Gees then led to a momentary five-on-zero advantage for the Martlets that excited the crowd.

10 minutes into the first period, four Martlets and one Gee-Gee went down before Meganne Chailler came off in pain––she later returned to the ice. A minute later, Ottawa opened the scoring with the first goal of the game after careless defending from the Martlets left the Gee-Gees center alone in the slot. Despite their sloppy defense, they

Martlets received seven total penalties, totaling 16 minutes in the box. (Maïa Salhofer / The Tribune)

managed to get another solid shot on goal and Lajeunesse blocked an attempt from Ottawa in the last minute of play. Both teams matched in their high aggression, which the referees seemed hesitant to call in the first half of the period. The first period ended 1-0 for Ottawa, with eight shots on goal by the Gee-Gees and the Martlets close behind with seven.

“We will need to be more disciplined and have less penalties,” Beniot told The Tribune. “Playing on the PK [penalty kill] for a long time and getting momentum [created challenges for us].”

Although McGill opened the second period strongly with a shot on goal, Ottawa turned the tide by denying the Martlets on a breakaway and pressuring them with two unsuccessful attempts.

Following a head-contact call, forward Megan Kronwald was sent to the penalty box for four minutes. The Martlets finally found the back of the net after a misplay by Ottawa’s goaltender, but the goal was ultimately disallowed. The teams traded shots on goal in the last half of the second period.

Tensions rose between the players in front of the Martlets net, which led to the referees reprimanding both teams. In the last minutes of the period, Ottawa attempted three more unsuccessful shots on goal, outshooting the Martlets 8-5.

The Martlets started the third period by picking up another penalty, with forward Anika Cormier being sent to the box for tripping in the second minute of play. Ottawa managed two shots on goal during their power play before picking up a penalty of their own. In the seventh minute of the period, an Ottawa player was knocked to the ground in a multi-player collision and skated off the

ice supported by her teammates. McGill defense Mia Giles picked up a penalty for body checking, followed closely by a penalty called on forward Syrine Kacem for holding. In an attempt to even the score, the Martlets pulled their goalie in the last minute of play, but their failed attempts to to put the puck in the back of the net allowed the Gee-Gees to score an empty-netter with eight seconds to go, ending the evening on a 2-0 loss for the Martlets.

The Martlets (2–2) beat the Carleton Ravens (1–1) 1-0 on Oct. 28 and will play Bishop’s University on Nov. 3 Moment of the Game: After deflecting a shot, the Ottawa goalie nudged the puck into the goal before the referees called offside and the goal was disallowed.

Stats Corner: The Martlets received two penalties for tripping, two for hooking and one penalty each for holding, head contact, and body checking. Four of these penalties occurred in the third period.

Quotable: We play against Carleton next. We have practice Friday and we will do everything to prepare accordingly for this game and bounce back hard.”

–Forward India Benoit

Redbirds lacrosse races to victory against Queen’s University Gaels Captain Isaiah Cree scores four goals in 9-5 win Julie Ferreyra Sports Editor

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n Oct. 29, McGill Redbirds’ lacrosse faced off against the Queen’s University Gaels in a single-elimination playoff game to clinch a spot in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) playoff tournament, otherwise known as the Baggataway Cup. Motivated and eager to win, the Redbirds opened the scoring mere moments after the opening whistle sounded when captain and attacker Isaiah Cree scored the first goal just 10 seconds into the game. However, the Gaels quickly

countered with two back-to-back goals to go up 2-1. The Redbirds struck back thanks to another goal by midfielder Rowan Birrell giving the Redbirds evening out the score board. Following a few exchanges, Cree had the opportunity to bury his second goal of the afternoon and tie the game.

The growing goal tally galvanized midfielder Alexander Erbstein, who netted another with under two minutes remaining, and the quarter ended with midfielder Mark Symon’s goal with just 10 seconds left to set the score 5-2.

After a particularly intense first quarter that the Redbirds dominated, the second quarter was quiet until the Gaels shrunk the point gap, scoring with three minutes on the clock. However,

As the cold of winter started to come in, the crow kept warm by cheering on their team. ( Wilder McNutt / The Tribune)

midfielder John Miraglia responded with McGill’s sixth goal with just eight seconds left in the half.

Cree opened the second half of the game with back-to-back goals, giving McGill an 8-2 lead. The Gaels’ frustration erupted into several scuffles. Defender Ryan Badour served his first of four penalties that afternoon for slashing. With two minutes left in the third quarter, defender Kyle Glick suffered an injury following a multi-player collision and had to be escorted off the field.

This change in pace allowed the Gaels to sneak two goals past Boehm to start the fourth quarter, bringing the score back to 8-4. After expert passes between midfielders Rowan Birrell and Massimo Thauvette, Birrell buried the ball past the Gael goalkeeper, restoring the five-goal gap..

After the Redbirds regained possession, Birrell successfully faked out Queens’ defense and passed the ball. Midfielder Owen Howard successfully picked it up, passing it back to Birrell, who narrowly missed.

As the game came to a close, the Redbirds continued to apply pressure to Queen’s defense line in an attempt to extend the goal gap. When the referee’s whistle echoed, the score was settled and McGill secured the 9-5 win.

“I think the big thing today was having our entire lineup really contribute,” assistant coach Maxime Murdoch said in an interview with The Tribune. “It was really a full team effort. We had a couple of guys that were a little more injured, some starters that we had to take out early. And we had some guys that usually don’t play as much get in there and really play well.”

The other team, you know, came back really strong at some point,” Murdoch explained.

“We kind of just had to, had to do our thing. The biggest thing is really just having all these guys, that usually don’t play, get in there and really contribute to score goals.”

This win allows McGill to compete at the Baggataway Cup at the Trent University Excalibur, last year’s champions, on Nov. 3-5. They will face off against the University of Guelph Gryphons, currently second in the Western division, hoping to advance to the semi-finals. The last time McGill won the Cup was 2015.

Moment of the Game: After making an incredible save, Boehm pierced through the field to reach the 49yard line, in front of the Gaels’ goal and passed to a teammate.

Stats Corner: The game saw seven penalties drawn, including four for McGill’s Baroud, and one from Birrell.

Quotable: “We win when we move on, we lose once we’re done. So all of them are make-orbreak,” Cree said. “I really feel like we can really make a run this year.”

— Senior-year, captain Isaiah Cree reflecting on the significance of this buy-in game for the playoff.