The McGill Daily Vol. 111 Issue 01

Volume 111 Issue 1 | Wednesday, September 1 2021 | mcgilldaily.com so fake worstie since 1911

The Disorientation Issue

The McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory.

Published by The Daily Publications Society, a student society of McGill University.

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table of Contents

September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

Table of Contents 3

editorial • On Mandatory Vaccinations

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4 • News Student’s Thoughts on Fall 2021 • Line 3 and Extinction Rebellion McGill

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Disorientation • Anti-Colonial Organizations at McGill • McGill and Montreal Resource List

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culture • On Dark Academia • Editor Summer Book List

cOMPENdIUM! • Horoscopes • Crossword • Comic

EDITORIAL

Volume 111 Issue 1

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editorial board

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Eve Cable

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Eve Cable

contributors Mya Ker, Abigail Popple, Emma Hébert, Disha Garg, Kate Ellis, Eve Cable, Viola Ruzzier le délit

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Published by the Daily Publications Society, a student society of McGill University.

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ISSN 1192-4608.

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There Is No “Back To Normal”

hile many post-secondary institutions move toward enforcing mandatory vaccination for the return to campus in Fall 2021, McGill University has chosen not to mandate vaccination, thereby putting students, faculty, and the communities in which they live at risk. In a letter to the McGill community released on August 19, titled “The question of mandatory vaccination,” Provost Christopher Manfredi attempted to address the growing concern over McGill’s return to campus. Within this letter, Manfredi details why McGill University will not be implementing a vaccine mandate, citing Quebec law as the main inhibitor in putting forward such a policy.

However, members of the community, including 35 members of McGill’s Law faculty, pointed out glaring inconsistencies in Manfredi’s and the university’s reasoning, such as a definite absence of legal precedent to justify lack of mandated vaccinations on campus. McGill’s administration has chosen to prioritize profit over public health, blatantly disregarding the safety of the school and the Montreal community.

The potential ramifications of returning to campus without required vaccinations are serious and dangerous for all community members, but especially for individuals with an increased risk for both contracting COVID-19 and suffering severe symptoms. These conditions include but are not limited to: “diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic lung disease, severe heart conditions, chronic kidney disease, obesity or a weakened immune system.” In addition, the effectiveness of vaccines in immunocompromised individuals is significantly lower; only 50 per cent show an antibody response after being fully vaccinated.

As case numbers continue to increase across Canada, the responsibility of facilitating a safe return to campus has been largely left up to individual post secondary institutions. Seneca College was the first post-secondary institution in Canada to lay out a comprehensive vaccination policy, requiring individuals on campus to produce proof of vaccination. Included in this policy is a grace period to receive a second dose of the vaccine.

However, Canada’s top research universities are lagging in producing actionable vaccine requirements, as evidenced by a list created by Western University’s Health Ethics, Law and Policy (HELP) lab. Of the 15 universities listed (of which McGill is one), only six have concrete vaccination mandates.

However, a vaccine mandate must not disregard systemic barriers; many marginalized communities have more difficulty accessing vaccination services, while others experience greater risk of abuse within the healthcare system. To accommodate these inequities, an integral aspect of a mandatory vaccination policy at McGill is an online learning option. In recognizing that the reasons for remaining unvaccinated are often complex and varied, it is important to acknowledge that those who do not wish to be vaccinated for any reason are still entitled to an education. Online alternatives that do not require reason or proof to receive accommodations are integral to providing McGill community members with a voice in their own health and education.

Currently, McGill requires all students to be on campus, regardless of their situations. Many international students who returned to their home countries during the pandemic are

now expected to return to Montreal, despite travel restrictions imposed by Canada. The only accommodation provided by McGill – which is also not guaranteed – is allowing these students to ask their professors for online alternatives during the first two weeks of school, with little consideration for how they might continue their studies for the rest of the semester. This potentially forces students to take dangerous and often expensive travel routes to return in time for their studies. For instance, Canada has imposed a ban on direct flights from India since April 21, announcing no definite date of when the ban would be lifted. With a lack of online alternatives, their only other option is to disrupt their studies and take a leave of absence, thus delaying their graduation and negatively impacting their future plans, such as applying for Post-Graduate Work Permits.

On their frequently asked questions page, McGill shows a complete disregard for ensuring that educational access is fair and equitable. Instead of supporting disabled and chronically ill students who cannot return to campus, McGill stated the following: “An inability to come to campus this Fall may require students to adjust their registration, defer, or take a leave of absence.” McGill is forcing disabled students to leave school by denying them accommodations.

SSMU has also voiced concerns over the administration’s approach to the return to in-person campus activities. In an open letter released on August 11, SSMU called to question both the policies the administration has put forward as well as their transparency in implementing those policies. Amongst the demands listed in the letter are providing clear guidelines and accommodations for students, staff, and instructors who are immunocompromised, vulnerable to COVID, or otherwise unable to attend in-person activities. The accommodations listed in the letter would greatly increase equity in the return to primarily in-person schooling, such as the prohibition of mandatory in-person attendance, mandatory lecture recordings and learning materials, and increasing student representation in meetings where COVID guidelines are being decided. The policies outlined by SSMU in this letter are not only timely but essential if the university wants to ensure accessibility and education in the coming months.

The rhetoric of “getting back to normal” disregards the inequities faced by many marginalized groups prior to the pandemic and prioritizes the comfort of the privileged – specifically those who are able-bodied, economically secure, and white. The pandemic is not over, and the potential harm of returning to campus affects marginalized communities at a far higher rate.

It is important to remember that viewing health on an individual level, rather than as a collective, harms the community.

Prioritizing safety for all includes advocating for the rights of the oppressed and those who are at a greater risk of harm.

It is equally important to continue following public health guidelines: limit in person interactions, socially distance, wear masks whenever possible, and get vaccinated. If you can, attend the protest being organized by SSMU today, September 1, at the James Administration Building to demand a safe, accessible learning environment.

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September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

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NEWS

McGill Returns to In-Person Schooling Students express their concerns over University COVID-19 Guidelines

Mya Ker News Contributor

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n February 23, university administration informed students that many in-person activities will resume in the Fall 2021 semester regardless of the status of coronavirus in Montreal.

This early announcement follows a tumultuous year of unpredictable lockdown measures. While it seems like a step towards normalcy, the Daily spoke with many students who feel it is a risky decision on the part of the university.

McGill’s awareness for student’s [...] health needs has historically been unreliable, [making] students wary [of] attending in-person activities.

With McGill being one of the most international schools in Canada, it must accommodate

Eve Cable | Illustrations Editor students worldwide. McGill’s announcement to increase in-person activities has several international students uncertain about getting into Canada to access in-person teaching due to border restrictions. Sharon Orkeh, a first year international student from Nigeria, told the Daily she plans to stay in Montreal for the summer, fearing she won’t be able to return for the fall semester.

Despite Associate Provost Christopher Buddle’s claim that the university will work with faculties to accommodate students who are at risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms, it is unclear how the university will accommodate students’ needs.

In an interview with the Daily, 2020-2021 SSMU president Jemark Earle expressed that while in-person activity may improve the mental health of the majority of students, those who are unable to attend in-person classes may feel excluded from the McGill community. Earle speculated that this could lead to a decline in their mental health. Sophia*, a second-year psychology student, was unsure that the return to campus would have a positive impact on students’ mental health: “I can’t imagine the adjustment struggles and stress it will put on students’ mental health and grades (as well as my own) come in-person teaching in the fall.”

Furthermore, Sophia claimed that most students and professors

“have adjusted at this point,” so a return to campus may not yield significant mental health benefits. Earle expresses that lots of planning will be necessary in order to fulfill McGill’s vision of increased in-person activities in the Fall 2021 semester but is not quite sure what this will look like yet. Additionally, SSMU president-elect Darshan Daryanani claimed that there has been a “lack of consultation with student groups” as university administration plans the return to in-person activities.

Other students are simply cautious to trust McGill’s commitment to in-person activities. Annabel Hayes, a firstyear science student, told the Daily that she is excited at the prospect of increased in-person activities, but said that it has “been a year of let downs” causing her to have reservations.

In an email to the Daily, Sophia expressed that McGill made the announcement too soon and said that the university should have followed Concordia’s lead to wait until May for a decision. They pointed out that the reopening of schools in Quebec has led to an increase in COVID-19 cases, and worried that reopening McGill may similarly cause a rise in cases: “I can only imagine the severity of the consequences should we open up a school like McGill with 40,000 students.”

The announcement also left some SSMU representatives shocked, as they were not informed of

the university’s decisions prior to the announcement. This left Earle unable to respond to student’s questions and concerns immediately following the announcement. Daryanani highlighted that town halls and SSMU Senate meetings have often left students with “more questions than answers” about the fall semester.

Finally, the most concerning aspect for many students is the safety precautions the university will take. McGill’s awareness for student’s physical and mental health needs has historically been unreliable, which makes several students wary that attending in-person activities won’t be safe.

With the vaccine rollout for the fall so uncertain, and rising cases in Quebec, Sophia suggested the university wait “until [a] minimum of Winter 2022” to return to in-person activities.”

Sophia says that safe schooling “relates to how safe Covid measures are and how many cases there are”. Sophia doesn’t think these indicators suggest that it is safe to make promises about in-person teaching for the 2021 fall semester.

However, several students, while cautious, are pleased by the announcement as it shows a turn in the tides of the brutal situation the university faces.

First-year student Sharon Orkeh expressed excitement about the “possibilities” that will come along with in-person activities.

Another student, Emily Roest,

says she “has faith it will be somewhat better than this year.”

According to Daryanani, all that students know for certain is that the Fall 2021 semester will not look like Fall 2020, but “neither will it look like Fall 2019.”

“I can only imagine the severity of the consequences should we open up a school like McGill with 40,000 students.”

- Sophia To address the needs of the student body, Daryanani plans to host town hall meetings as “an open channel for feedback from students.” Additionally, SSMU recently circulated an open letter calling on university administrators to prohibit mandatory in-person lectures, increase transparency regarding masking policies, and provide a remote option for the Fall 2021 semester, among other things * some names have been changed for anonymity

September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

News

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Solidarity Protest against Line 3 “RBC funds climate crisis,” organizers say

Abigail Popple Coordinating News Editor

a long-lasting effect on Indigenous communities; by tainting the land and water of Indigenous communities, the content warning: police violence, pipeline would threaten these communities’ ability to sustain anti-Indigenous violence themselves. That threat, according to On Friday, August 20, organizers Galbraith, makes pipelines more than clad in jean jackets and bandannas just a money-maker for RBC – they can which read “We are here to protect the also serve as a tool of dispossession. water, stop Line 3,” gathered outside of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) at Place Ville-Marie. Their purpose was to bring awareness to RBC’s substantial funding of Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline in Mní Sóta Makoce, or what is currently Minnesota.

Though the pipeline has recently been publicized due to the Line 3 replacement project and the protests associated with it, Line 3 has been in existence since the 1960’s – it was the cause of America’s largest ever inland oil spill in 1991. Thus, demonstrators wrote the slogan “RBC funds climate crisis” in chalk outside of the RBC building to draw attention to the disastrous effects that pipelines have on the environment.

Organizers drew a connection between the fossil fuel industry After Galbraith, Zahur and colonialism: “We recognize the Ashrafuzzaman spoke about his connections between fossil fuels, experience at a Line 3 resistance colonialism, and extractionism,” they camp and the environmental stated in a land acknowledgement. The impact of pipelines, which he land acknowledgement was followed witnessed firsthand (though by three speakers, each of whom spoke he clarified that, as he is not about the impact Line 3 would have on Indigenous, he cannot be a voice Indigenous communities and RBC’s role of the front lines). He described the in the construction of the pipeline. effects of dewatering – the removal Catie Galbraith, a geography, of groundwater from a construction environment, and Indigenous studies site – on Indigenous communities student, reflected on the varied living near Line 3. In June, Enbridge dimensions of the pipeline’s impact. obtained a dewatering permit which “Pipelines like Line 3 are deliberately allowed them to remove 4.9 billion routed through Indigenous gallons of water, despite the extreme communities,” they said, “where they drought conditions Minnesota inevitably poison water and land.” They was already weathering. Wild rice pointed out that this damage would have depends on wet conditions, and

By tainting the land and water of Indigenous communities, the pipeline would threaten communities’ ability to sustain themseselves.

Abigail Popple | Coordinating News Editor Indigenous communities near Line 3 depend upon wild rice, Ashrafuzzaman pointed out – thus, dewatering puts the livelihoods of Indigenous people at risk.

He recounted the check-in visits which water protectors conducted to ensure that nearby Indigenous communities were still surviving: “it looks like [the community members] are dying,” he said, because the rivers are so low.

Ashrafuzzaman then turned to RBC’s complicity in these environmental disasters. He spoke of RBC’s apparent support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as they had sponsored Truth and Reconciliation Week 2021.

However, he continued, “there can be no Truth and Reconciliation as long as there is extractionism.” As long as RBC continues to fund the pipeline, he concluded, they cannot support truth and reconciliation.

Abigail Popple | Coordinating News Editor

Alongside the environmental damage wrought by pipelines upon Indigenous communities, the police force at protests also posed an imminent threat to water protectors, according to Ashrafuzzaman. “The procedure of arrest is designed to strip human dignity,” he said, as he described the treatment which police subjected him and other resistance campers to. They utilised rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper balls, he claimed; “the whole project is genocidal violence.” He again reflected upon RBC’s supposed commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, asking, “how many of those bullets did RBC take?”

Ultimately, the construction of pipelines is part of a larger colonial project by a violent colonial entity, he explained.

Ashrafuzzaman concluded his turn by leading chants against the pipeline: “Step it up RBC, defund Line 3!”

Finally, Greg Mikkelson, a former McGill professor, spoke about the ways in which people can combat RBC and pipelines in general. Mikkelson argued that one of the best ways to fight Enbridge is to raise the costs of building pipelines: for example, calling on the company to dedicate more money to leak detection would disincentivize pipeline construction.

He recommends visiting stopline3. org and rbcrevealed.com for more information on the pipeline construction; he also advocates for people to stop banking with RBC, CIBC, and the Bank of Montreal and to move their money to credit unions instead. For Montrealers in particular, he encouraged raising awareness of Line 9, a pipeline which runs from Quebec to Ontario.

As Montreal’s mayoral elections will be taking place this fall, Mikkelson believes that raising awareness

of Line 9 may prompt municipal politicians to commit to defunding pipeline construction.

Mikkelson also explained the legal arguments against Enbridge pipelines. He mentioned the “rights of nature” approach, which confers rights upon the environment rather than treating land, water, and crops as property. For example, one recently-filed lawsuit lists wild rice as a plaintiff, as wild rice is endangered by pipelines. Mikkelson continued that ecosystems have been gaining legal rights in Indigenous nations, allowing Indigenous people to sue on behalf of the environment to protect resources. However, the next Wednesday, August 25, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied Indigenous activists’ petition against the Court of Appeals decision which allowed Enbridge to continue construction of the Line 3 pipeline.

The demonstration concluded with a screening of First Daughter and the Black Snake, a documentary chronicling the efforts of Winona LaDuke, an Anishinaabe activist who organized attempts to stop Line 3’s contruction. Organizers encouraged attendees to donate to a fundraiser for Taysha Martineau, another water protector fighting against its construction.

Additionally, organizers encourage donating to The Open Door, Native Women’s Shelter, and the First Peoples Justice Center of Montreal.

Additionally, a march was held on Saturday, August 28, to stand in solidarity with Fairy Creek. Activists at Fairy Creek, a watershed in British Columbia where old-growth logging is conducted, aim to resist the deforestation of the province.

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September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

Anti-Colonial Actions at McGill Acknowledging our colonial past isn’t enough

Emma Hebert Features Editor

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021 marks 200 years since McGill University was established on Haudenosaunee land. While the bicentennial has been championed by McGill’s principal, Suzanne Fortier, as “a momentous milestone” that invites the McGill community to “reflect on our past, celebrate our achievements and look to the future,” the actions of the university support a different story. On the contrary, it seems that McGill University has no intention of truly reflecting or reckoning with its colonial past; rather, the administration prefers to sweep it under the rug to protect the university from due criticism and demands for material change.

McGill University: Bicentennial Recommendations,” with the help of some of her students.

Amongst larger historical overviews of slavery in New France and Western universities, the report also included a critical biography of James McGill as a slave owner and multiple sections of recommendations to redress McGill’s colonial legacy.

The critical biography of James McGill, written by Lucy Brown and Emma Risdale, is especially important in the context of the bicentennial.

While the University celebrates its history, the critical biography offers a counterpoint that asks the essential question: what history is the university really celebrating as it marks 200 years of existence? The report shows that the history being celebrated is not that

The bicentennial has been used as part of an ongoing campaign to glorify the university amidst renewed efforts to show the university as it truly is: a colonial, white supremacist institution that refuses to acknowledge, much less reckon with, the past.

McGill University as a whole has failed to adequately address its history of colonialism, despite the consistent appeals of student groups, activists, and academics. The University could have used the bicentennial as an opportunity to truly reflect on the past – to establish more inclusive iconography (e.g., replacing the statue of James McGill, who gained his wealth from the exploitation of enslaved people) and listen to the demands of BIPOC students to address systemic racism at the university. Instead, the bicentennial has been used as part of an ongoing campaign to glorify the university amidst renewed efforts to show the university as it truly is: a colonial, white supremacist institution that refuses to acknowledge, much less reckon with, the past and its continuation into the present and future.

Dr. Charmaine Nelson, former Art History Professor at McGill, released a 98-page document on June 22, 2020, titled “Slavery and

of a self-made, enterprising James McGill (as is so often championed), but rather that of an exploitative enslaver who built the university from the wealth amassed from the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

James McGill began his career in the fur trade and later expanded into the transoceanic and West Indian trade. With this expansion, McGill’s trade empire relied almost entirely on plantation crops and goods that were produced by enslaved labour. This meant that the mercantile business that provided James McGill with his prosperity, that allowed him to donate land and funds for the establishment of McGill University was entirely reliant on the labour and expendability of thousands of enslaved people throughout the West Indies. In addition to owning a trade empire that relied on the exploitation of enslaved Black and Indigenous people,

James McGill himself was a slave owner and trader, and at various points in his life “he owned at least five people of both African and [I]ndigenous origins.” McGill also proctored a significant number of sales of enslaved people throughout his lifetime. Upon his death in 1813 and subsequent endowment of land and funds to establish McGill University, James McGill solidified his position as part of the wealthy, elite “white men who used their wealth made from the exploitation of enslaved people and colonial trade built upon Transatlantic Slavery to found academic institutions throughout the English colonies and North America.”

Even within this brief summary of the life and death of James McGill as well as the subsequent establishment of McGill University, it becomes apparent what his real legacy is. Despite this, McGill administration seems content to celebrate the legacy of James McGill as one of ‘complexity’ that “included different dimensions, some positive, others not so,” according to an email sent by principal Suzanne Fortier following the defacement of his statue in July 2021. This reduction is nothing short of institutional violence against BIPOC students on campus, especially following the movement to remove McGill’s statue from campus altogether.

Even though removing the James McGill statue would only constitute one symbolic step in fighting systemic racism on campus, it is a step that the administration refuses to take nonetheless.

In doing so McGill University only reinforces the sanctity of its colonial record while actively ignoring calls made

by BIPOC students.

Furthermore, McGill University only seems committed to taking halfmeasures that preserve its future as a so-called ‘diverse and welcoming institution while obscuring its perpetuation of settler colonialism. James McGill’s statue was quietly removed following its defacement to be repaired, and Fortier has said that the fate of the statue, once repaired, remains to be decided. Aside

from the lack of willingness to commit to the removal of the statue, McGill University has also failed to heed the calls made by Dr. Nelson in the aforementioned report: namely, the creation of a Department

past year, McGill University once again refused to divest from corporations complicit in the violence enacted by the settler-colonial Israeli regime in Palestine. In both of these instances, the University

McGill University has also failed to heed the calls made by Dr. Nelson in the aforementioned report: namely, the creation of a Department of African and Black Diasporas Studies and an Indigenous Studies department. of African and Black Diasporas Studies and an Indigenous Studies department. While the University has frequently publicly referenced its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategic plan, it has failed to maintain transparency throughout its process and so far, little has materialized from its adoption, particularly in regards to equitable representation and resources for BIPOC staff and students.

It’s essential that McGill students not only acknowledge these fundamental truths about the University’s past, but also take action.

Outside of explicit calls to address systemic racism at McGill University, the administration continues to financially support settler colonialism both domestically and abroad. The University has downright refused to divest from fossil fuels, an industry that enacts violence against Indigenous people in Canada through environmental and cultural destruction. On the international level, just this

has prioritized profit over any rejections of colonial atrocities, and through such continues to perpetuate these systems of violence. Time and time again, McGill University proves its interests lie in maintaining its position as a profitable colonial institution while paying lip-service to the communities impacted most by its actions.

In the face of institutional harm and disregard for the demands of BIPOC, it’s essential that McGill students not only acknowledge these fundamental truths about the University’s past, but also take action in a way that produces change in the future. One easy step is to sign the petition to replace James McGill’s statue with a tree. Signing the petition is, as previously stated, only one step in addressing systemic racism at McGill. Another essential step is for students to read Dr. Nelson’s report and call on the University administration to follow the faculty and student recommendations to redress McGill’s colonial legacy, including but not limited to the expansion of Black and Indigenous faculties and full oversight of equity, inclusion, and diversity policies by an appointed advocate.

Another step towards action is to support the student organizations who have consistently put in the work to bring McGill’s colonial legacy to the forefront. Some of these organizations are detailed on the following page.

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September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

Black Students’ Network From their website: “The Black Students’ Network (BSN) is a service provided through the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU), and is available to all McGill students who are interested in the affairs of Black students and those of the larger African Diaspora.

We host a range of social and political events by and for Black Students, in addition to hosting discussions and providing mentoring and resources. This includes Soul Food Fridays, Blacktivities, Book Club, Youth Day, Skillshares, workshops, Hair Day, Movie Nights, Parties, Mentorship Programs, alumni events, panels, and more!”

What the BSN does: “Our mission is fundamentally to sensitize the McGill community to issues faced by Black people both historically and presently. While acknowledging these challenges, BSN endeavours to make McGill’s campus safe and accessible for black students in order to support their academic success as well as mental and physical well-being. While dedicated to addressing the needs and interests of Black students, all interested students, irrespective of race, culture or creed, are encouraged to participate in the organization’s numerous events and activities.”

Why BSN’s work is important: “The BSN is necessary at a university with an overwhelmingly small percentile of Black students and professors. The services provided by BSN fundamentally aim to maintain the rights of Black students and to ensure that all students of the African Diaspora feel they have a community to turn to. The BSN’s work thus pertains to establishing the foundations of complete equity at McGill and creating institutional memory which commemorates Black peoples’ contributions to the university.

Through doing so, we hope to be instrumental in helping Black students achieve success throughout their university experience and more importantly, leave behind a legacy for other Black students to follow.”

Indigenous Student Alliance From their website and Facebook: “The Indigenous Student Alliance (ISA) is a community of Indigenous students and allies based at McGill University. The ISA aims to foster Indigenous community growth, unite Indigenous students and allies, and develop relationships with other marginalized communities. The ISA’s work is in constant conversation with the ideas and hopes presented by Indigenous students, with the goal of bringing them into being. All are welcome!”

What does the ISA do: “The Indigenous Student Alliance provides integrative support for Indigenous peoples attending McGill University and helps connect and share our unique, authentic indigenous ways of knowing with each other and with non-indigenous peoples within the community. Our vision is to develop and maintain on-going networking and partnerships with University student groups and organizations through learning–teaching relationships that foster real and meaningful human development and community solidarity. As a small group encompassing undergraduates, graduates, and professional degree students, we have chosen to be based out of the First Peoples’ House at McGill University.”

For more information on the ISN and their events see their Facebook page: @Indigenous.Student.Alliance

For more information on the BSN, visit www.bsnmcgill.com

Divest McGill From their website: “Divest McGill is an environmental justice campaign calling on McGill University to acknowledge and address the urgency of the climate crisis by withdrawing the direct (segregated) investments of its endowment fund from the fossil fuel industry.

It is also a team of 150 students who have, over the last 7 years, committed time and energy into research, education and mobilization to demand better of their University.”

Goals:

Students in Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill From their Facebook: “SPHR is a non-hierarchical student organization that advocates to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people in the face of human rights violations and all forms of racism, discrimination, misinformation, and misrepresentation.”

For more information on SPHR McGill and their actions see their Facebook page: @sphrmcgill

1. Complete and transparent divestment from the top 200 fossil fuel companies (globally, by reserves) 2. Mobilize our supporters in solidarity with Indigenous and other marginalized students on campus, in Montreal, and in Canada 3. Educate and mobilize the McGill community (administration, staff, and students) in support of bold and justice-oriented climate action such as carbon neutrality and pipeline resistance

Why is Divestment important: “More than $9.94 trillion is being divested from the fossil fuel industry all around the world, and 15% of that comes from educational institutions. We began our campaign in the Fall of 2012, and we’ve been building a strong coalition ever since. Through petitions and formal endorsements, we’ve gained the support of thousands of students; several faculty and staff members (see the McGill Faculty and Librarians for Divestment); as well as major student associations, faculties, and the McGill Senate.

High-profile institutions have a duty to lead the much needed green and just transition of our economies. This starts by removing the moral license to operate given to the fossil fuel industry, an industry with a powerful lobby and a vested interest in preventing emissions reductions.”

For more information on Divest McGill, visit www.divestmcgill. com

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September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

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Resources in the McGill and Montreal Community Mutual aid, food security, and more

Kate Ellis Staff Writer

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oming to an unfamiliar city, while exciting, can be difficult. It can be hard to figure out what communities and support services are available for you and how to access them. This is why the Daily has created a list of resources and communities that may be useful to students.

The list is divided into the following categories:

While care was taken to find the most recent information possible, some information provided here may not be up-to-date and events are subject to change depending on public health guidelines. For the most accurate information, please consult groups’ social media pages or contact them directly.

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students Resources for Students of Colour For information on the Black Students Network and Indigenous Student Alliance, see pages 6-7.

Pan-Asian Collective (PAC)

The Pan-Asian Collective is a group that intends to uplift and encourage “meaningful engagement in Asian history and culture” at Montreal-area universities. They host a number of community events, including relaxed BIPOC gatherings, movie screenings, and potlucks, as well as a discussion series called Un(PAC)k.

They also operate a closed Facebook group for Asian-identifying folks, which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/656651661411226 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/pacmcgill/ Email: panasiancollectivemontreal@gmail.com

First Peoples’ House

The First Peoples’ House “attempts to provide a sense of community and a voice to Indigenous students who have left their home communities in order to pursue higher education.” They provide academic and cultural support to Indigenous students, including in-house tutoring support, soup and bannock lunches each Wednesday at noon, a drum circle, and the ability to meet with an elder in residence.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/6063708337/ Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/fph/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpeopleshouse/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FPHMcGill

Chez IBPOC-Tiohtià:ke/Montréal

Chez IBPOC is a Facebook group by and for “individuals who identify as Indigenous, Black, and/or people of colour EXCLUSIVELY and are seeking accommodation or housing to rent (short term or long term), rent out, buy, or sell, or looking for or sharing other information related to housing and shelter in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal.”

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/303182606783952/

Queer McGill (QM)

QM is a student-run service with drop-in office hours which offers resources including a queer library (English only, online library available on their website), safer-sex supplies, and gender-affirming products. QM also offers events focusing on queer students, including Rad Sex Month, games nights, and open mics. They also publish a zine featuring work from queer students.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QueerMcGill/ Website: queermcgill.org Email: admin.qm@ssmu.ca

The Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE)

The UGE is a “trans-positive, anti-racist, feminist” organization that provides services to “any person who identifies with [their] anti-oppressive, feminist, and trans-positive principles, regardless of gender identity.” Its co-op offers safer sex supplies, gender-affirming products, and eco-friendly menstrual supplies on a pay-what-you-can (PWYC) basis. The UGE also co-runs an alternative library with Queer McGill, runs educational workshops and other programming, and has dropin office hours (which are currently being held online).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UGEMcGill/ Website: https://theuge.org/

Chez Queer Montreal

Chez Queer is a Facebook group “for all the queers and queer allies of Montreal to help queers find safe happy homes.” Visit this group to browse queer-friendly apartment listings, seek out roommates, or post your current place for a lease transfer.

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chezqueer/

Gender Neutral Bathrooms

McGill has a number of gender-neutral washrooms across campus.

You can view an index of washrooms here: https://www.mcgill.ca/equity/resources/ gender-sexuality/gender-inclusive-washrooms

SSMU Gender and Sexuality Commissioner

The SSMU Gender and Sexuality Commissioner can provide support to students facing issues due to their LGBTQ+ identity, including (but not limited to) being deadnamed by university staff, homophobic or transphobic material in class documents (including syllabi), or facing barriers to accessing the Student Wellness Hub. To contact them, email gsc@ssmu.ca.

DISORIENTATION

September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

9

Support for Sexual Violence Survivors Food Security and Financial Aid

Sexual Assualt Centre of the McGill Student’s Society (SACOMSS)

Midnight Kitchen

Midnight Kitchen is “a non-profit, worker and volunteer-run collective [...] dedicated to providing accessible food to as many people as possible.” Besides providing support to students and community members facing food insecurity, they provide free catering for events that align with their political mandate (under certain conditions), host educational workshops on different topics around food, and provide discretionary funding for certain projects.

Applications for their bi-weekly prepared meal program are currently closed, but students may email midnightkitchencollective@gmail.com to be added to the waitlist. More information is available here: https://midnightkitchen.org/mealprogram.

Students may also apply for a one-time emergency grocery gift card here: https:// midnightkitchen.org/emergency-grocery-cards.

Midnight Kitchen also provides information on services for people facing food insecurity here: https://midnightkitchen.org/new-index.

Website: http://midnightkitchen.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midnightkitchencollective Email: midnightkitchencollective@gmail.com

Montréal - Tio’tia:ke - Entraide - Mutual Aid

This Facebook group accepts mutual aid requests for things like food, delivery, legal help, housing, and more.

Join the group and learn groups/1005041203222884.

more

here:

https://www.facebook.com/

SACOMSS provides support to survivors of sexual violence and their allies through “direct support, advocacy, and outreach.” The volunteer-run organization offers support groups (currently held online), an English phone service (Drop-In and Line or DIAL), and facilitates workshops and trainings around sexual violence. Volunteer training occurs in September/October – keep an eye on their Facebook page for more details.

They also have a page of resources for immediate survivors (those who have faced sexual violence in the last five days) which can be accessed here: https://www. sacomss.org/wp/resources-for-immediate-survivors/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacomss/ Website: https://www.sacomss.org/wp/ Email: main@sacomss.org Phone/DIAL: 514-398-8500

Office for Sexual Violence Response Support and Education (OSVRSE) OSVRSE is a service that “provides confidential, non-judgmental and non-directional support” within a survivor-centred, intersectional approach to members of the McGill community who have been impacted by sexual or gender-based violence.

Survivors can access support services and short-term counselling, receive assistance with resource coordination (e.g. obtaining accommodations, accessing support services, and safety planning), and discuss reporting options.

You can currently book a support session with OSVRSE here: https://outlook. office365.com/owa/calendar/ OfficeforSexualViolenceResponseSupportandEducation@McGill.onmicrosoft.com/ bookings/ or via email.

Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/osvrse/ Email: osvrse@mcgill.ca

Health, Wellness, and Care AIDS Community Care Montreal (ACCM)

ACCM is Montreal’s only English-language volunteer driven community “organization that provides support services and treatment information to people living with HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis C.” The organization provides social and support services such as discussion groups (currently held via Zoom), 1-on-1 support, and practical assistance to people living with HIV and hepatitis C, such as information about treatment, symptoms, and medical coverage. They also run a number of educational programs to “decrease the transmission of HIV, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections.” These programs include sexual health kiosks, workshops, and SextEd, a free anonymous texting helpline for youth seeking information about sex and dating.

SextEd Phone Number: 514-700-4411 ACCM Phone Number: 514-527-0928 Website: https://accmontreal.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACCMontreal/

Free and Inexpensive Menstrual Products

SSMU provides free pads and tampons to students in a number of campus buildings. You can see the map of locations here: https://ssmu.ca/resources/ menstrual-hygiene-products/.

Students can also access Pay What You Can reusable pads and menstrual cups from the UGE’s co-op. More information is here: https://theuge.org/services/co-op/.

Family Care

McGill Family Care provides resources to student parents and caregivers, including information on childcare, a map of family-friendly spaces on and around campus, and a list of policies that pertain to student parents and caregivers.

Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/familycare/

Montreal Queer Spoon Share

Montreal Queer Spoon Share is a Facebook group that “help[s] spoonies (people who are chronically ill or disabled, including people with brain-based illnesses, various impairments, assistive technology users, etc.) through mutual aid and support.”

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mtlqueerspoonshare

Resources for 1st-Gen and International Students International Student Services (ISS)

ISS provides services to international McGill students, including the buddy program for new students, workshops and webinars, and the iSTEP life prep program. They also have a number of resources for international students on topics like immigration, filing taxes, and document translation.

Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/ Service-specific contact information: https://www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/contact-us

First Generation Student Support

McGill Campus Life and Engagement (CL&E) and the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) offer a number of resources for first-generation university students. One of their programs is 1st Up, a peer support group by and for first-generation university students.

They also published a guide for first-generation students in 2020, which you can access here: https://www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/files/firstyear/first_gen_ guide_2020_0.pdf.

Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/firstgeneration/ 1st Up Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/410525029814520/ Email: firstgeneration@mcgill.ca

CEEC Map-real

McGill’s residence Community Engagement and Equity Committee (CEEC) has created a map of spaces in Montreal, including cultural and community centres, places of worship, and grocery stores, to help students find familiar spaces in Montreal.

You can view the map here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1gqVtl9goeYvCpigbcsBc5tF3hHPBIaO&fbclid=IwAR3Z_LiBiSBjL_W4SfgYoZlrZGuCwVQOpNa9sWHX PkTXkeBUHIeoXuuo1qM&ll=45.520002456481635%2C-73.66625385&z=11.

10

September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

CULTURE

The Sins of Dark Academia A deep dive into dark academia, Dead Poets Society (1989), and the English literary canon

Disha Garg Copy Editor

Y

ou may have come across posts on Instagram and TikTok of people wearing long coats, dark-coloured sweaters, round glasses, and plaid bottoms. Or perhaps mood boards featuring literary classics – like Homer’s Iliad or Shakespeare’s plays – casually strewn about a dark, wooden desk, adorned with half-melted candles and old typewriters. The dark academia aesthetic has taken social media by storm.

[...] Dark academia’s aesthetic is not the problem, but its ideology is – the English literary canon is glorified as the master narrative.

films such as Kill Your Darlings and Dead Poets Society, novels such as Ninth House – showcase exclusively rich, white, cis men as the intellectual protagonists.

For instance, Dead Poets Society features an all-male cast and is set in all-male, elite prep school.

The boys are taught to appreciate canonized poetry by their English teacher’s unorthodox methods.

In an article published in The Atlantic, Dr. Dettmar, Professor of English at Pomona College, claims that the film is the “literary equivalent of fandom.” By merely glorifying (white) British and American literary texts, the film is a shallow account of what academia in a university setting looks like. Dettmar notes the several instances where Keating conveniently leaves out important verses from poems like Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and Walt Whitman’s “O Me! O Life!,” misinterprets their meanings, and places them on a pedestal. Dettmar argues that Keating does not ask his students to question the poems, but instead simply (mis)quotes “the Greats” to serve his overthe-top and slightly unrealistic philosophy of free thinking and “carpe diem.” While the film loosely translates “carpe diem” as “seize the day,” the idea can be traced back to a handful of 18th century English poets – in John Donne’s “The Flea,” for example, the speaker uses overdrawn logic to convince his lover to “seize the day” and sleep with him, despite the lover’s constant refusal. These texts are not analyzed or criticized, but instead romanticized in the film— an issue reflected in dark academia.

The concept of dark academia emerged in 2015 on Tumblr, originating as a book club where people recommended classic books and gothic novels to each other. The club paid homage to Donna Tartt’s 1992 novel The Secret History, a book which revolves around a group of six classics students who get caught up in “dark” murders and mysteries. The novel glorifies “classics” of the literary canon as superiorly intellectual, mirroring the privileged views of the rich students who discuss and refer back to them throughout the novel. Eventually, this book-club style of dark academia evolved into an aesthetic that spread quickly through current popular social media platforms.

Followers of the trend, however, have since raised concerns over its origins and the ideology it promotes. The aesthetic, largely inspired by Ancient Greek, Roman and Western classical texts, idealizes writing, reading, and intellectualism. The fault lies not with the aesthetic itself, but rather with the message it inherently perpetuates –­that Western study and classical literature is the I emphasize that dark epitome of academia.

Most media from which dark academia’s aesthetic is not the academia draws inspiration – problem, but its ideology is – the

66.5 per cent of the texts were by Caucasian writers, while the other 33.5% of texts were authored by writers identifying as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, and Hispanic.

Eve Cable | Illustrations Editor English literary canon is glorified as the master narrative. A set of certain texts, most of which are written by white, male authors, are considered the “authentic” texts that represent English literature, excluding writers of colour, writers from non-Western parts of the world, writers identifying as non-binary, and anyone else who does not fit the Eurocentric ideal of authenticity.

Dark academia inspires the reading of these canonized texts.

It specifically leaves out works that have not “made it” into the literary canon, not because they are not important, but because they are not considered important.

Dark academia therefore falls in line with the oppressive history of Western institutions, like universitives, which have historically discouraged any dissent against the dominant male, white narratives. Subtly but surely, this aesthetic feeds into the formation of the canon and master narratives. Should one choose to study English Literature, most American universities will offer mandatory, introductory courses which cover mostly British and American literature (like the English Literature department at McGill, which offers few optional choices for non-British literature even after the introductory level).

In an analysis of three books from the Norton Anthology of American Literature series published in 2017 – an anthology widely used for students at the introductory level and which forms the basis of students’ understanding of literature – it was found that almost 66.8 per cent of the texts were by men, with zero texts by transgender

authors. Further, 66.5 per cent of the texts were by white writers, while the other 33.5 per cent of texts were authored by writers identifying as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, and Hispanic.

Postcolonial literature from African countries and India, where the imposition of the English language has resulted in a generation of people growing up speaking and writing in English, is not a required subject of study across high schools and universities – a literature student will be considered “knowledgeable” even without studying these “other” voices. As Ingrid Johnston notes in a study titled “Postcolonial Literature and the Politics of Representation in School Programs,” throughout the 20th century, Western-centric texts have dominated high-school English classes in Canadian schools.

It is only now that there is more representation of voices, though even the new system contains gaps.

The aesthetic extends itself to areas other than academia.

Fashion, for instance, forms a huge part of it. Pictures of people dressing up the “intellectual way” flood the Instagram hashtag #darkacademia. The “intellectual way,” like the rest of the aesthetic, mirrors a style associated with the English elite; they give the wearer the impression of studying at an Oxbridge university in the early 20th century – plaids, turtleneck sweaters, brown and mossy green clothes.

E-commerce stores especially dedicated to selling dark academia clothes highlight the extent to which the “Western” ideal of intellectualism pervades fashion choices, let alone just academia in universities.

But what if we emphasized aesthetics which revolve around other voices – voices other than just those of rich, white, male characters? As Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once said, “Start the story with the arrows of the Native Americans, and not with the arrival of the British, and you have an entirely different story. Start the story with the failure of the African state, and not with the colonial creation of the African state, and you have an entirely different story.” What we need is a multitude of aesthetics reflecting a multitude of ideologies, rather than one dominant aesthetic which overshadows “others.”

We need people expressing their admiration for the myriad of knowledge forms that are out there, rather than the glorification of just the one.

What we need is a multitude of aesthetics reflecting a multitude of ideologies, rather than one dominant aesthetic which overshadows “others.”

September 1, 2021 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

CULTURE

11

What the Daily Read This Summer!

The McGill Daily Editorial Board recommends... educational and recreational MEMOIR - A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott CW: domestic & child abuse, sexual assault, graphic mental illness, graphic racism & colonization

Through a collection of essays, Alicia Elliott, a Haudenosaunee writer, offers insight into the current treatment of Native peoples in North America by engaging with topics such as race, parenthood, love, mental illness, poverty, sexual assault, gentrification, and writing. Elliott draws connections between the big and small, past and present, and in doing so writes a profound work on trauma, oppression, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism at play today.

— Emma Hebert, features editor Doubleday Canada

NONFICTION - We Do This ‘Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba CW: police brutality

Liberation comes through ordinary, mundane, everyday struggles to dismantle the carceral logic that governs modern society. Kaba’s collection of essays and interviews reflect on the work of police and prison abolitionists — theory taken to practice — and how their transformative actions bring hope for the end of the prison industrial complex while imagining what justice can look like beyond punishment.

— Nicole Huang, managing editor Haymarket Books

FICTION - On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong CW: drug use & abuse, addiction, sex, domestic & child abuse.

Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong writes beautifully and heartbreakingly in his debut novel, structured as an auto-fictitious letter to his illiterate mother that he knows she can never read. The novel chronicles the life of Little Dog, the son in a family of Vietnamese immigrants, and how the experiences of immigration — from isolation to intergenerational trauma, figuring out identity in a foreign place, and finding home — affect the love and connections shared within his family.

— Pandora Wotton, coordinating editor Penguin Books

MEMOIR - Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon CW: sexual violence, eating disorder, suicidal thoughts, child abuse

In Heavy, Laymon writes to his mother from a place of both love and frustration, while in the process exploring sex, weight, anorexia, his relationship to writing and an addiction to gambling, rooted in his Black experience. Spanning his childhood in Mississippi to the beginnings of his career as a professor, Laymon dissects how growing up in the US has made him feel physically and emotionally heavy.

Scribner

NONFICTION - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Kimmerer, a Potawatomi woman and environmentalist, writes a collection of essays that combine Indigenous teachings, her botanical and biological knowledge as a professor, and personal stories — a compelling plea for the repair in the relationship between humans and the natural world. At a time when Earth’s future seems particularly dark, Kimmerer’s writing inspired a newfound ecological consciousness within me, and made clear the need to reciprocate the love, care, and knowledge that nature grants us.

— Saylor Catlin, news editor Milkweed Editions

GRAPHIC NOVEL - In: A Graphic Novel by Will McPhail In this debut graphic novel by New Yorker cartoonist Will McPhail, we follow Nick, a young artist who is starved for genuine human connection. A book that could have easily been quaint and forgettable is instead elevated tenfold by McPhail’s lovely artwork as well as the story’s perfect marriage of searing satiric wit and poignant authenticity. At its heart, In takes a long, sobering look at the state of our postpostmodern environement, and how it feeds into our collective feelings of detachment and alienation in an otherwise ultra-connected world. This book will surely resonate with many, especially as we slowly come out of our year-and-a-half long quarantine.

Marnier Books

September 1, 2020 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily

COMPENDIUM!

12

September, Class-Back-In-Session, Hello-Montreal Horoscopes Aries (Mar 21 Apr 19)

You will find friends out of the blue, where you’re least looking for them.

But you also will find ants. The two are not mutually exclusive. It seems that you will be pleasantly surprised by that which you previously hated.

Leo (Jul 23 Aug 22)

You’ll find love at the grocery store, exchange phone numbers with zucchini and summer squash. try out enough recipes, you’ll find one you love.

You might have some trouble establishing a routine, but remember, things are famously -unprecedented-.

Come the end of September, you will ebb and flow with your weekly rituals.

Virgo

This month, you’ll only embarrass yourself in public a couple times.

Mainly because your standard for embarrassment is getting lower. By the end of the month you’ll go on AUX shamelessly.

Scorpio

Libra

(Aug 23 Sept 22) Take a chance!

The stars triple dog dare you. Write in pen instead of pencil...it’s ok to make mistakes... lose the eraser. Less eraser shavings means less to vacuum.

(Jun 21 Jul 22)

(May 21 Jun 20)

(Apr 20 May 20)

Maybe it’s time for a visit to the cat cafe. Or at least, to the grocery store. Self care comes first. The inspiration you need lies on a highway billboard somewhere.

Cancer

Gemini

Taurus

(Oct 23 Nov 21)

(Sept 23 Oct 22)

A pros and cons list may be helpful. But honestly, just flip a coin.

Beware of global warming and overpriced coffee. Avoid Milton Park squirrels at all costs but please do enjoy a donut in the sunniest campus spot before, and after, class.

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

(Nov 22 - Dec 21)

(Dec 22 - Jan 19)

(Jan 20 Feb 18)

(Feb 19 - Mar 20)

You may be in a lecture you hate every Tuesday but at least you are not driving through Ohio. Look on the bright side, a little optimism, eh? Take what you want and leave what you don’t.

A natural wonder puts things in perspective, which might be what you need right now. Go to the MountRoyal forest, a particular bird wants to serenade you.

A swan boat ride at Parc LaFontaine sounds lovely. So does a decades party so realistic it’s borderline annoying. They didn’t have microwaves in the 1920s!

Mildly impractical, yes, but you can do it.

Buying 2-ply toilet paper is valid, especially considering all the beans you’ve been eating. If you want to escape, you can do so on a sailboat but take a friend with you. Beans taste lovely at sea.

Crossword!

Viola Ruzzier | Staff Illustrator

Abigail Popple | Coordinating News Editor