The McGill Daily: Volume 113, Issue 1

editorial board

3480 McTavish St, Room 107 Montreal, QC, H3A 0E7

phone 514.398.6790

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mcgilldaily.com

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

coordinating editor

Olivia Shan

managing editor

Catey Fifield

news editors

Emma Bainbridge

Zoe Lister

Robert Muroni

India Mosca

commentary + compendium! editors

Zoe Mineret

culture editor

Eliana Freelund

features editor

Vacant

science + technology editor

Vacant

sports editor

Vacant

video editor

Vacant

photos editor

Genevieve Quinn

illustrations editor

Vacant

copy editor

Abe Berglas

design + production editor

Vacant

social media editor

Frida Morales Mora

radio editor

Vacant

cover design

Eric Duivenvoorden contributors

Eve Cable, Emma Bainbridge, Zoe

Lister, Eric Duivenvoorden, Ariane

Fournier, Abe Berglas, Abigail Popple, Olivia Shan, Genevieve Quinn

An Uncertain Future for Canadian Journalism

On June 22, the Canadian government ratified the Online News Act. The Act, also known as Bill C-18, mandates that “dominant digital news intermediaries” compensate Canadian news organizations when they show links to news on their websites. Bill C-18 is the reason you can no longer view content from the CBC, The MontrealGazette, TheMcGillDaily, and most other Canadian news organizations on Facebook and Instagram. It is also the reason you will soon be unable to access this content on Google. A law that was as ill-prepared as it is inconvenient, Bill C-18 delivers a heavy blow to Canada’s already crippled journalism industry.

In an era where more people are consuming their news online rather than in print, and due also to the monopolies held by Meta and Google, news organizations have become heavily reliant on these platforms to distribute their content. According to Parliament, Bill C-18 was intended “to regulate digital platforms that act as intermediaries in Canada’s news media ecosystem in order to enhance fairness in the Canadian digital news market.” It hoped to support negotiations between “dominant digital news intermediaries” – namely, Google and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) –and news businesses to ensure fair compensation. However, no such negotiations have taken place: first Meta and now Google have decided to remove links to Canadian news from their platforms rather than compensate news organizations.

Meta says the legislation “is based on the incorrect premise that Meta benefits unfairly from news content shared on [its] platforms, when the reverse is true” – in other words, Canadian news organizations need Meta more than Meta needs them. Meta blocked access to Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram on August 1.

Google, meanwhile, has referred to Bill C-18 as a “link tax” that could potentially expose the company to “uncapped financial liability simply for facilitating Canadians’ access to news.” Google also says it tried to negotiate with the Canadian government over Bill C-18 and that it is willing to support Canadian journalism in other ways. Canadian news will be removed from Google’s Search, News, and Discover functions by the end of this year.

How does all of this impact the Daily? The Daily’s Instagram account – a critical platform for us to promote our content and interact with readers – is currently unviewable to users in Canada, as is our Facebook page. Unless the Act or the approaches of Meta and Google change, we expect that our website will be unsearchable on the world’s biggest search engine by the end of the year.

the Canadian government (and the academics and policy experts that guide its decisions) ought to have predicted that Meta and Google would react in this way. In 2021, the same year that Bill C-18 was introduced in the House of Commons, Australia passed a similar law that received similar backlash. The difference between Bill C-18 and the Australia law, the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, is that the Australian government could impose deals between tech companies and news organizations if they refused to collaborate – this brought Facebook and Google to the negotiation table. Since the Canadian government didn’t implement such a measure, it should have expected that Meta and Google would simply block Canadian news.

Despite the government’s aim to “enhance fairness in the Canadian digital news market,” Bill C-18 has affected every Canadian news organization differently. The censoring tools of Meta and Google are not perfect: at the time of writing, for instance, the Instagram accounts of the Daily, Le Délit, and The Bull & Bear have been blocked, while that of the Tribune remains visible. The Daily is lucky to be able to distribute print newspapers on and around McGill’s downtown campus, but many Canadian news organizations now operate entirely online. When the content of online-only news organizations isn’t viewable on Facebook, Instagram, or Google, they will struggle to reach new readers and retain current ones.

Perhaps even more concerning is that the decreased availability of reliable Canadian news sources may aid the dissemination of misinformation and extremist content. While both Meta and Google have promised to continue providing information related to emergency situations in Canada, such as SOS Alerts on Google searches and maps, access to trustworthy news on everyday developments in Canadian politics and society is hardly unimportant.

As long as Bill C-18 hangs over our heads, you can continue to support the Daily by: reading our print newspapers (published every Monday); subscribing to our newsletter (details to be announced in our next issue); and, after Google’s block has come into effect, accessing our website on search engines such as Bing and DuckDuckGo. For the foreseeable future, we’ll be relying more heavily on the power of posters to advertise elections and events, so look out for the Dailylogo on cork boards around campus!

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The Daily acknowledges that Bill C-18 was a wellintentioned effort by the Canadian government designed to protect news organizations amid falling subscriptions and declining revenues. It is equally true that compensating Canadian news organizations would make hardly a dent in the fortunes of Meta and Google, whose combined net worth is almost $2.5 trillion USD at the time of writing. But

Floor Fellows File Grievance Against New Room Accommodations

Union accuses McGill of bargaining in bad faith and violating conditions in collective agreement

Emma Bainbridge Coordinating News Editor

With the new school year comes a completely new living standard for McGill’s Floor Fellows. In March 2023, Student Housing and Hospitality Services (SHHS) communicated to Floor Fellows that instead of being housed in the biggest rooms in university residences as previously done, they would now have to stay in the smallest rooms.

A statement from McGill’s Media Relations Office explained to the Daily that this decision is in response to a growing demand for student housing in which “the number of housing applicants far exceeds the available capacity.”

The rooms previously occupied by Floor Fellows will be “modified/ renovated into multiple rooms to increase [the] capacity of students”, according to an email obtained by the Daily. This would in turn generate additional revenue for SHHS as they would be able to

house more students or charge more for larger rooms with more amenities.

In response, the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE), which represents floor fellows, has filed a grievance against the university on the grounds that this new plan goes against the terms set out in the Floor Fellow Collective Agreement.

“We’re going to see a really big reduction in floor fellows’ privacy, in our comfort, our ability to ever take a meaningful break from working, and also just a really big decline in the quality of care and service that we offer to our residents because of these adjustments,” explained Graeme Scott, AMUSE’s VP Floor Fellows.

This news came less than a year after AMUSE negotiated a new collective agreement with McGill in April 2022. The agreement was only reached after a bargaining process lasting since June 2020 and culminating with a strike in March

2022. According to both Scott and AMUSE president James Newman, the possibility of these new living accommodations were never mentioned during the negotiations, despite documents obtained by the Daily indicating that this plan has been in the works for five years.

McGill’s Media Relations Office issued a statement to the Daily explaining that “The renovations were not a factor in the negotiations with the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) and are a separate project that does not affect the terms of the contract.”

Nevertheless, the union is accusing its employer, McGill, of bargaining in bad faith: “I think it would have radically changed the bargaining process,” Newman, who was on the bargaining committee, told the Daily. “Had we known about this policy, this definitely would have been something we would have spoken very passionately about.”

Cable | Illustrations Contributor

Scott agreed: “They knew that [these arrangements] would be perceived negatively by the Floor Fellow community. They chose to withhold those plans from us and then strike at a time when I think they felt we were vulnerable.”

AMUSE filed a grievance in May 2023 on the basis that this was a significant change in their working conditions established by the collective agreement, a violation of their right to a 36-hour rest period, and that McGill bargained in bad faith. To both Scott and Newman’s knowledge, Floor Fellows were

never consulted at any point when the plan was being developed. Within two weeks of filing the grievance, McGill responded that it was unfounded, arguing that the new accommodations were a “purely operational decision” according to a statement made to the Daily. AMUSE has now referred the grievance to their parent union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)’s legal team. Scott said that if this case gets taken to court, “we’re confident that we will have a positive outcome for the Union.” However, this process

Eve

“Had we known about this policy, this definitely would have been something we would have spoken very passionately about.”

- James Newman, AMUSE President

could take months to years to be resolved.

In the meantime, AMUSE asked SHHS for some informal accommodations to improve the Floor Fellows’ quality of living, such as designated bathrooms for Floor Fellows only. They were told that such accommodations were logistically infeasible in an email shared with the Daily. However, SHHS agreed to some minor changes, such as adding towel hooks in shower stalls so that Floor Fellows wouldn’t have to walk around naked.

What will the working conditions look like?

Floor Fellows are upper-year students who live in residences alongside first-year students. Their job is to provide support to first-year students and help them with the transition to university, — they’re often the first person residents come to when they’re experiencing problems. According to Scott, living alongside first-year students can make it hard for Floor Fellows to maintain a healthy worklife balance, given that they have to maintain a professional demeanor whenever they might encounter a student. Having larger rooms with more amenities such as private kitchens or bathrooms allowed a certain degree of privacy and separation that won’t exist with the new living accommodations. Now, floor fellows have to share kitchens and bathrooms with their residents, many of whom may still be underage.

This is particularly concerning

systems are being taken away.”

Shared bathrooms with residents have long been a reality in some McGill residences, such as the Upper Residences and Royal Victoria College. Scott was able to gather testimonies from Floor Fellows who had already lived in this situation to better understand what it was like. Most testimonies showed that floor fellows sharing kitchens or bathrooms with residents were often put in very uncomfortable situations, especially when sharing bathrooms with the opposite gender, that negatively affected their relationship with their residents and undermined their authority. In some cases, respondents even expressed concern that this arrangement opened up possibilities for floor fellows to be assaulted or harassed.

“There are several Floor Fellows who are not returning this year entirely because of the renovation situation,” said Scott. “These were employees who were in good standing, they were very passionate about their jobs and they gave a lot to [...] their residents. I think that it’s a real shame that we’re seeing a lot of really passionate and experienced portfolios being driven away from the position because of this policy.”

To acknowledge the downgrade in Floor Fellows’ living, SHHS has provided free laundry services and an unlimited meal plan, addressing previous points of contention for Floor Fellows.

Nevertheless, the testimonies indicated that sharing bathrooms and kitchens with residents will

continue to document its members’ concerns to ensure that they don’t get “swept under the rug.” He encourages Floor Fellows to continue to make their concerns heard to SHHS.

According to Newman, McGill

has maintained that these concerns should be brought to the Labour Relation Committee (LRC) meetings. However, he claims that when the Union does take matters to LRC meetings, the people with the power to address

them aren’t present.

“It’s very unfortunate, we would have loved to have been part of the consultation process for this,” he said. “We would love to discuss our concerns and maybe work out something together.”

to Scott, who was previously placed on a floor with all female residents, which, being a man, made him feel uncomfortable.

Although he said that this type of situation is not supposed to happen, “it still happened due to various administrative oversights and mistakes and the problem was never addressed.” He says that this situation would’ve been even worse if he’d had to share bathrooms with the residents on his floor.

However, he added that “it’s the kind of situation that would not be a problematic situation, if there were systems in place to make sure that floor fellows could maintain legal boundaries and privacy.” Thanks to the new living arrangements, he explained, “those

likely reduce Floor Fellows’ privacy and their ability to maintain professional boundaries, which in turn takes a toll on their mental health. Floor Fellows play an important role in helping first-year students transition to university life, and may have to deal with serious situations such as mental health crises and sexual assault. Living arrangements that negatively impact their mental health carries over to the quality of care that floor fellows are able to provide to their residents, according to Scott.

What’s next?

Aside from pursuing the grievance, Scott says that the Union will

“We’re going to see a really big reduction in floor fellows’ privacy, in our comfort, our ability to ever take a meaningful break from working, and also just a really big decline in the quality of care and service that we offer to our residents because of these adjustments.”

- Graeme Scott, AMUSE VP Floor Fellows

“There are several Floor Fellows who are not returning this year entirely because of the renovation situation,” said Scott. “These were employees who were in good standing, they were very passionate about their jobs and they gave a lot to [...] their residents. I think that it’s a real shame that we’re seeing a lot of really passionate and experienced portfolios being driven away from the position because of this policy.”

Abigail Popple | Photos Contributor

Floor Fellows on strike in 2021

Residence move-in started on August 19. Emma Bainbridge | Coordinating News Editor

Archeological Work Resumes at Royal Vic Parties reach an agreement surrounding security at the site

Zoe Lister News Editor

The McGill administration has been making advancements over the summer to further the New Vic Project, a redevelopment of the former Royal Victoria Hospital into a new research and teaching facility. Since last fall, the Société Québécoise des Infrastructures (SQI) and McGill have faced heavy criticism and have engaged in a legal battle against the kanien’kehá:ka kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers) over the likely presence of unmarked graves of survivors of the MK-Ultra mindcontrol experiments conducted at the Allan Memorial Institute on the Royal Victoria site.

Excavations of the Royal Victoria Hospital site were first halted in November of last year when the Mohawk Mothers won in court, but by the end of April, the injunction was lifted. The terms of the resumption of the project included an archaeological survey of the

Human detection dogs detected the scent of historic human remains at the Royal Victoria site on June 9. Following this, McGill announced a full archeological investigation [.]

project site for unmarked graves as well as the presence of cultural monitors to observe the work and conduct ceremonies.

Human detection dogs detected the scent of historic human remains at the Royal Victoria site on June 9. Following this, McGill announced a full archaeological investigation of the area which spans a tenmeter radius. This portion of the site is outside McGill’s project site which takes up about 15 per cent of the land. In a July 26 update surrounding the project, McGill disclosed

that ground penetrating radar was used between July 10 and 12. In an interview with the Daily, Executive Director of the New Vic Project Pierre Major explained that this technique was in accordance with what the panel of archaeologists recommended to deploy on the site – each zone is colour-coded on a map to indicate which archeological technique will

be used. Last fall, the Mohawk Mothers repeatedly requested remote sensing technologies to be used on the site to protect any cultural significance that is buried. Now, as part of the agreement, the Mohawk Mothers are updated every two weeks on the archaeological techniques deployed.

On August 3, McGill disclosed in an email sent to its students

Campbell told the Daily

and faculty that there had been an incident regarding a security officer and the Cultural Monitors at the site. On July 25, a security guard at the site made offensive remarks towards the Cultural Monitors after the work day had ended. The security guard also inappropriately directed the Cultural Monitors to leave the premises. Since the SQI is in charge of security at the site, they took action against the security guard.

When asked about the security incident, Associate Provost

Angela Campbell told the Daily in an interview, “We’ve [...] been very categorical that what happened was unacceptable. It never should have happened, and it’s being dealt with.” Campbell did not provide any further detail on the subject but did note

that the SQI hired GardaWorld, a new security firm. The August 23 update provided by McGill did not mention this switch of firms made by the SQI. Archeological work was halted for approximately three weeks following the security incident until McGill, the SQI, and the Mohawk Mothers could reach an agreement. On August 23, McGill announced that this had been achieved and archeological work would be resumed. As part of the agreement, the Mohawk Mothers were offered the opportunity to appoint their own security representatives to be present at the site. However, the appointees do not have the proper security licensing, so their purpose is to accompany the cultural monitors, according to Campbell.

Emma Bainbridge| Coordinating News Editor

When asked about the security incident, Associate Provost

Angela

in an interview, “We’ve [...] been very categorical that what happened was unacceptable. It never should have happened, and it’s being dealt with.”

Emma Bainbridge| Coordinating News Editor

Now that archaeological work has resumed, the Mohawk Mothers continue to demand clear and efficient communication surrounding archeological work. Blue netting was recently put up around the perimeter of the work site, obstructing the view from people passing by. Upon questioning the reason behind this, Major told the Daily that it is common practice to put up netting at construction zones for safety purposes to block debris from entering sidewalks or nearby roads and that this was approved by Pomerleau, the construction company at the site. Major noted that the netting was transparent, but he told the

Daily that this was disputed by the Mohawk Mothers and that “[McGill] informed them on that same day that we would take it down.” When asked if the now-exposed construction site would be a safety hazard, Major responded to the Daily by saying, “we will have to put it back up at some point, but we will wait for archeological work to be done.”

In early August, the Mohawk Mothers explained that they felt McGill was trying to “control” the process of finding unmarked graves, and they felt they were being excluded from much of the information.

Kahentinetha, one of the Mohawk Mothers, told APTN

As part of the agreement, the Mohawk Mothers were offered the opportunity to appoint their own security representatives to be present at the site. However, the appointees did not have the proper security licensing, so their purpose is to accompany the cultural monitors, according to Campbell.

Mothers. According to the report, nine potential grave sites were identified within the area that McGill intends to excavate. McGill emphasized that “potential” did not indicate that they were “likely.” Archeologists also uncovered children’s shoes and a women’s dress which appears to date back to the 1940s. McGill failed to include this finding in their August 3 newsletter. The Mohawk Mothers have published a list of false narratives about the project on their website to provide clarity on the progress of the archeological work being done.

Campbell told the Daily, “there’s a lot of [...] conjecture and attention [about the New Vic Project] which is normal and good.” She added that the project involves a “really crucial part of making sure that things are proceeding in a good way [...] with Indigenous Nations that are close to the [...] campus. It’s challenging, but we’re doing things very methodically, carefully, and with extensive consultation.”

news that the archeologists on-site had been very informative, but there was often a delay in the Mothers receiving important reports. “The only way we can find out is to be right there, because we are not told and I don’t know why the material goes to them, and then they distribute it in the way they want and eventually we get a copy of it,” she said. “It seems like this is violating the court order.”

Campbell told the Daily, “ [The Mohawk Mothers] are at the site every day, and so they’re getting kind of updates in real-time faster than [McGill]. But, of course, there’s also a requirement in the agreement that every two weeks there’s an update of every [archaeological] technique.”

The Mohawk Mothers are not the only ones questioning McGill’s actions and the New Vic Project. On August 28, SSMU sent a letter to the McGill community demanding transparency from McGill about the project. The letter deems the communication surrounding the New Vic Project largely inadequate, pointing out discrepancies between the information provided by McGill and the Mohawk Mothers about archaeological work. One of these discrepancies was about the findings of the ground penetrating radar survey which were published without the consent of the Mohawk

The Mohawk Mothers continue to fight for better action taken by McGill and the SQI, writing in an August 11 press release that “the process can no longer by any means be considered ‘Indigenous-led,’ as the SQI and McGill attempt to control the whole process, reducing the role of Indigenous people to performing ceremonies on the site.” The Mohawk Mothers were

hopeful that there would be “an amicable and open dialogue to resolve the disagreements in implementing the Settlement Agreement,” but Mohawk Mother Kwetiio states that, “it is not acceptable to our people that Quebec and McGill entirely control an investigation searching for the unmarked graves of potential victims of those institutions in the past.” Archaeological investigation in priority zones is scheduled to be completed this fall, according to Major. Since no archaeological work can progress in the winter, Major told the Daily that work on the rest of the Royal Victoria site will likely resume next year.

Emma Bainbridge | Coordinating News Editor

“the process can no longer by any means be considered ‘Indigenous-led,’ as the SQI and McGill attempt to control the whole process[.]”

-Mohawk Mothers

Emma Bainbridge | Coordinating News Editor

PGSS Council Adopts Secretary-General’s Proposal Proposal and Motion Aims to Lessen Executive and Commissioner Burnout

The Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) council meeting on May 17 approved a motion to treat a proposal to restructure the executive and commissioner roles as a priority. The proposal, created by the 2022-2023 Secretary-General Kristi Kouchakji, was originally presented at a general meeting in March. In spite of the impact of the motion on the future of PGSS governance, the council meeting got off to a slow start. It took 24 minutes past the scheduled start time to achieve quorum. Once the meeting began, the council was unable to fill three councillor seats on the board of directors, as only one candidate volunteered. Despite the lack of any competition, the lottery process used to determine the three seats continued as planned with only one name in the hat. Although council members are encouraged to bring motions to be considered at council meetings, all motions presented that evening were brought by executives or commissioners.

Attendees discussed a motion called “Motion to Establish Remedies for Structural Portfolio Issues as a Priority for 20232024” which includes Kouchakji’s aforementioned proposal. It calls for the executives and commissioners of the upcoming year to prioritize this proposal, which outlines some suggested changes to the portfolios of executives and commissioners. The resolutions in the motion compel the executive-commissioner caucus to develop a workplan and provide updates to the council on the implementation of the proposal. Kouchakji noted during the meeting that the proposal is simply meant as a starting point in a larger conversation.

The current composition of the executive and commissioner caucus is six executives and nine commissioners. The proposal replaces these positions with six executives, all with slightly varying titles or duties, one deputy, and seven commissioners. If the proposal was implemented, the SecretaryGeneral position would be renamed to an Internal Governance Officer and would have a larger focus on inward facing tasks. In her defence of the motion, Kouchakji argued that the Secretary-General juggles too many roles: being a spokesperson, administrative coordinator, and governance officer.

Other executive and commissioner roles would be slightly adapted, in name, responsibilities, and seats on committees. Kouchakji described some of these changes as “little tweaks which makes roles more legible for people who might want to run for them.”

The executive position of the Financial Affairs Officer was dissolved and replaced by a Fees and Grants Deputy. The concept of a deputy role was justified by Kouchakji as a middle ground between the 12-hour work week of an executive and the 4-hour work week of a commissioner - a compromise which has been shot down in the past, according to her. The proposal gives no recommendation as to whether this position be elected or appointed, but it does acknowledge that this issue warrants later resolution.

In a letter to the Daily, Kouchakji said that “we’re stuck in a structurally enforced situation of inequitable work distribution,

inequitable compensation, burnout, and frustration”. These concerns are also found in the proposal’s claims of areas it intends to improve. The motion accompanying the proposal contains 19 whereas clauses, and it establishes a context of unbalanced executive and commissioner portfolios. One whereas clause states that some roles demand more hours than those calculated in determining the annual salary. Another clause states that “a significant amount of work is not undertaken as it does not appear to be understood as necessary by the individuals in the roles.” It is unclear why these individuals are purposefully forgoing responsibilities without the direction of the council.

The 2022-2023 university Affairs Officer Houssein Poorhemati asked Kouchakj if she had spoken to the executive team about her proposal. She replied that she had not, as the executive team is answerable to the council. In a letter to the Daily, Kouchakji acknowledged that she did not involve her colleagues due to not wanting to “put anyone in a potential conflict of interest situation” and added that, “I did take into account their comments during mid-year reviews and at Council to help identify lessobvious stumbling blocks to addressing our structural issues and help shape potential solutions.” To

write the proposal, Kouchakji also looked back on her notes from midyear reviews and considered other proposals that she had made over her year as Secretary-General.

The resolutions of the motion were split between how to implement the proposal and who will oversee its implementation. One confusion that arises is who will undertake the work of the proposal implementation. The proposal itself assigns responsibility to the Policy and Advisory Committee. Meanwhile, the 16th whereas clause cites councillors, members at-large, the Governance Committee, or the Policy and Structure Advisory Committee as candidates for implementing the proposal. This is followed by the clause which notes that the two committees are “often not seen as a priority for recruiting members to serve”. It is then suggested, in the following clauses, that executives and commissioners take on these responsibilities, effectively removing members from the decisions about internal structure.

Poorhemati pointed out during the council meeting that while a whereas clause in the motion states “the outcome of [the general meeting] discussion was a generally favourable disposition among members towards the proposed changes,” one could equally argue that there was a

generally unfavourable disposition among members. To this, Kouchakji replied that whereas clauses are typically not debated.

The motion passed with 20 votes for, 7 abstentions, and 2 against, despite the motion prompting mostly critical debate. That being said, it was the only motion of the evening to not be passed unanimously. Koulchakji’s term as Secretary-General has just ended, and as of now, there is no replacement. PGSS is currently undergoing its second by-election for the Secretary-General position. Koulchakji stated in the council meeting that the council needs to have a significant degree of participation in the execution of the proposal, but in her motion she predicts the need for executives and commissioners to take on the majority of the work.

Without the explicit support of the rest of the executive team, it is unclear whether Koulchakji’s proposal will amend some of the current PGSS governance issues. It is also unclear who will conduct that work, and how they will ensure a council-centered decision making process.

If regular members are interested in learning more about the meeting, the PGSS Bylaws mandate that the minutes of council meetings are available upon request.

Abe Berglas

Copy Editor

Kouchakji argued that the Secretary-General juggles too many roles: being a spokesperson, administrative coordinator, and governance officer.

Emma Bainbridge | Coordinating News Editor

What the Daily Read This Summer!

TheTravelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

This novel paints a captivating picture of life, death, love, and loss that has stayed with me since turning the first page. Arikawa tells the story of Nana, an injured street cat who is taken in by Satoru, a middle-aged bachelor with a heart of gold. The reader experiences their blossoming bond through the episodic road trips Satoru and Nana take along the Japanese countryside. Arikawa’s prose is both poetic and humorous, as she alternates between Nana the cat’s sassy first-person perspective and a lyrical, omniscient narration of events. TheTravelling Cat Chronicles is truly Studio Ghibli meets Pixar’s Up with its heart-wrenching exploration of the human condition and what it really means to live a fulfilling life. I would recommend this novel to anyone who has ever loved an animal; Arikawa captures that connection in a way that will reach you like nothing else.

– Eliana Freelund, Culture Editor

Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-Black police violence, Benjamin explores how intricately anti-Black racism is embedded in North American society. The novel aims to offer insight into how we might go about transforming these oppressive structures. Often drawing from her own life experiences, Benjamin examines how these larger systems manifest in the lives of individuals by showcasing people who are already working to create a better world. I recommend this book to anyone looking for inspiration as to what a more just and liberated future could look like.

– Emma Bainbridge, News Editor

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Although this cult classic novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981, no one I’ve spoken to seems to have heard of it. The novel was published 11 years after the death of its author, John Kennedy Toole, at the behest of his mother. There is nothing especially inspiring, captivating, beautiful, or lyrical about this novel, and I don’t believe its main character has a single good quality. However, A Confederacy of Dunces is the funniest book I’ve ever read. Thirty-year-old Ignatius J. Reilly is an unemployed medievalist who lives with his mother in New Orleans. A series of unfortunate events force Ignatius to take a job at a pants factory. The characters and circumstances he encounters in his confrontation with 20th-century capitalism – from the cowardly Patrolman Mancuso to the conniving Myrna Minkoff – colour the pages of Toole’s novel in ways that’ll have readers crying with laughter all the way through.

– Catey Fifield, Managing Editor

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

This novel follows the story of a woman named August who recalls growing up in1970s Brooklyn. She and her best friends, Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi, each have their own unique experiences, yet themes of womanhood, friendship, family, Black migration, and death intersect all of their teenage years. The girls dream of a better future for themselves and for Brooklyn. They hope for a world where they do not have to face such dangers growing up as young Black women. The novel is an excellent portrayal of growing up as a woman and how female friendship shapes this process. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a coming-of-age story which beautifully depicts the power of female friendship and the hope for a better future.

– Zoe Lister, News Editor

On Earth as It Is in Heaven by Davide Enia

Set in 1980s Palermo, this book tells the story of Davidù, a young boy who dreams of becoming a boxer. Enia tells Davidù’s tale through exploring his various dreams and fears, which all tie into his family history. Every summer for the past five years, I have picked up my worn-out copy of this book and plunged back into this story. Enia’s gritty, vivid writing transports readers across Italy and Africa; you can almost smell the freshness of the lemons and taste the tang of the salt. Family is at the core of this novel as complex and endearing characters navigate their relationships in an Italy still plagued by maschilisimo. Enia’s perplexing characters experience a range of emotion as they navigate both the happiest and the darkest parts of life. This book is unlike anything I have ever read and it allows me to travel to the world of 1980s Palermo without leaving my chair. I recommend this book to readers who want to escape into the world of travel when they read.

– Zoé Mineret, Commentary Editor

Venice and Telluride and Toronto, Oh My!

Will Hollywood labour strikes affect the film festival circuit?

On May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) declared a strike over an ongoing dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). On July 14, 2023, they were joined in solidarity by the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). For weeks now, both unions have called for higher salaries that take into account inflation, greater residuals from streaming media, and stronger protection against artificial intelligence. While the WGA’s guidelines prohibit their members from writing, revising, or pitching a project to the AMPTP for the duration of the strike, SAG-AFTRA forbids their members from working on television, film, or streaming projects. Moreover, actors are not allowed to participate in any promotional activities related to productions they are involved in. This means no taking part in press junkets, no sitting down for panels, and no attending glamorous premiers. With no end to the strike in sight, important film festivals are scheduled to open in cities such as Venice, Telluride, and Toronto in just a

few days. The absence of crowdpulling movie stars is sure to be noticed, but just how heavily will their nonattendance weigh on this fall’s film festival circuit?

First in line is the Venice International Film Festival, which opens on Wednesday, August 30. It will, for the most part, be unaffected by the strike. SAGAFTRA is an American labour union, which means international actors are not affected by its protest. Actors who worked on independent films are also exempt from the injunction.

Alberto Barbera, the festival’s artistic director, has stated that despite losing their opening film, Luca Guadagnito’s Challengers , the impact of the strike has been “quite modest.” Their planned lineup, which will run until September 9, remains unchanged despite the absence of Hollywood actors. Ava DuVernay’s Origin , an adaptation of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents , Bradley Cooper’s Maestro , a biographical drama about American composer Leonard Bernstein, and Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla , based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley, will be among the films competing for the Golden Lion, the festival’s top prize.

The Telluride Film Festival (TFF) will take place concurrently, starting on Thursday, August

31. Since it operates on a much smaller scale, it too should not be greatly affected by the disputes. TFF only reveals their programming at the very last minute, once their attendees have gathered on the western flank of the San Juan Mountains, making it impossible to know if their lineup was disrupted by the ongoing negotiations. What’s more, the festival is not intended to be a competition, but rather a celebration of cinema. This means no prizes are awarded, no press conferences are held, and no sit-down talks are organized. In other words, Telluride is a place where celebrities can lay low and blend in with the crowd. They could technically show up to screenings as fans, however it is unlikely they would risk being identified as strike-breakers. The festival, which will close on September 4, has become an important touchstone of the fall circuit thanks to its quirkiness. Many acclaimed filmmakers have premiered their work in Telluride, including Ang Lee ( Brokeback Mountain , in 2005), Barry Jenkins ( Moonlight , in 2016) and Greta Gerwig ( Lady Bird , in 2017).

This leaves us with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which will take place after Venice and Telluride close,

starting Thursday, September 7. The festival, which prides itself on being an event put on for the public, has been associated with big American premiers in past years. Roaming the streets of downtown Toronto to rub shoulders with A-listers is a big part of the TIFF experience, one which movie lovers will have to do without this year. The festival did manage to secure Hayao Miyazaki’s hit animated feature The Boy and the Heron for its opening night. They have also announced that Hong

Kong actor Andy Lau will be in attendance for a moderated conversation, as will writerdirector Pedro Almodóvar. Set to premiere are Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, a comedy-drama film about the 2021 GameStop short squeeze, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, which won this year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, and Hitman , Richard Linklater’s new film starring Glen Powell. While film festivals are not all about pageantry, red carpets and celebrity appearances are a huge part of their appeal. Photo calls generate lots of excitement and remain an essential promotional tool for studios. The absence of actors from the festival circuit – no matter their level of fame – will certainly reduce media coverage, and in turn, lower cinema attendance. If the strikes are still ongoing during these high-profile events, the potential loss in revenue could put additional pressure on the WGA, the SAG-AFTRA, and the AMPTP to come to an agreement quickly. Although the settlement of labour disputes involves complex and strenuous negotiations, one can only hope that the spotlight cast on these festivals will amplify the need for a quick and equitable resolution.

Ariane Fournier Culture Staff Writer

The absence of actors from the festival circuit – no matter their level of fame – will certainly reduce media coverage, and in turn, lower cinema attendance.

Genevieve Quinn | Photos Editor

The Ultimatum: Queer Love Doesn’t Have Much Love Behind It

A changed narrative about reality TV shouldn’t absolve it of responsibility

Abe Berglas Copy Editor

The Ultimatum: Queer Love was released in three batches on May 24, May 31, and June 7, and promptly made it onto the top-10 list of shows on Netflix in 23 countries. Ever since reality shows like An American Family and Cops first aired, in 1973 and 1989 respectively, the public has been fascinated by clashing personalities and heavy-handed interpersonal drama, aided by ludicrous situations and choice editing. In the epochal shows of the 90s and early 2000s Survivor, Big Brother , and Idols participants battle for ridiculous sums of money as a way for the show to induce high stakes. Meanwhile, the most popular reality shows of today use love to fuel drama. Three out of five of Netflix’s most popular shows concern romantic relationships, according to a ranking system dependent on Netflix’s weekly top-10 list. The first season of The Ultimatum is ranked fourth on this list.

T he long-term ramifications of these shows — especially the meddling in the private lives of participants — are rarely acknowledged in the media’s response. The Ultimatum goes further than introducing a love interest to participants’ lives: they manipulate pre-existing romances. In each of the five couples on the show, one person is ready for marriage, while their partner is unsure. After a week of speed-dating, participants

pair off into new, temporary relationships, and undergo a three-week “trial marriage.” They then return to their original partners for another three weeks, before they propose to their original partner, propose to their recently made connection, or break up.

Although a trial marriage with a stranger on live television isn’t a healthy choice when it comes to assurance in a relationship, The Ultimatum posits itself as helping participants in their self-growth journey. Netflix writes that participants “date other people in an attempt to figure out what they really want.” Talk about selfdiscovery, fruitful introspection, and self-love abounds, even as participants are frequently brought to tears by the tense social situations they’re forced into.

By reframing reality TV as an “experience” created for the benefit of participants, we absolve ourselves of the moral ramifications of watching reallife mental breakdowns that are prompted by the structure of the show. In one scene, Aussie Chow sobs and rocks back and forth in distress. In another, Raelyn Chung-Sutton says in a heated argument with her partner, “Do I love myself? Do I deserve to be loved? I’m fucking drowning.”

It takes a huge amount of cognitive dissonance to watch these relationships crumble, and then to write the same snappy, frivolous reviews that populate the internet after the release of any reality TV show.

Even disregarding the premise that generates such moments, The Ultimatum infringes on the basic dignity of participants. The show includes clips of participants having sex, and whenever a participant attempts to leave the view of the camera crew, they are followed. In the reunion episode, host Joanna Garcia Swisher says, “I have so much respect for all of you for sharing this journey. It was really a beautiful thing, and why I think this whole story is so compelling.” The thanks might be sincere, but the most dramatic moments of the show often occurred when participants were trying to evade the cameras. Although participants agreed to be on the show, they are still victims to the hounding of the cameramen past a point of decency, as well as the airing of explicit scenes.

There’s a widespread awareness that reality TV is edited into a narrative, but it’s also true that the moments edited together are real. The final reunion episode, set a year after participants either marry or break up, is an example of how The Ultimatum engages with the most dramatic moments to maximize viewer enjoyment, and then dismisses them with facetious questioning and a feel-

Olivia Shan | Coordinating Editor

good conclusion so that no viewer is left sitting with the discomfort of having witnessed these vulnerable and often destructive scenes. This is most evident when, after Mildred Areli Bustillo admits to being arrested for domestic violence, Garcia Swisher follows it up with, “where are you in the healing process?”. While emotionally shocking, the story of domestic violence is unsurprising considering Netflix’s practices of finding participants. According to Bustillo’s ex-partner Tiff Der, Netflix producers said they were looking for couples in a bad place. Finally, after Aussie and Sam say they’re still engaged, Garcia Swisher reacts with, “it’s great to see your happy ending.” The addition of a happy ending onto an incredibly fraught relationship seems disingenuous, especially considering the emotional pain Aussie endured while filming.

Pop-culture magazines buy into the narrative pushed by The Ultimatum that the show is a heartfelt experiment and, consequently, they contort the show to fit their lighthearted tone. In reference to Tiff and Mildred, a Cosmopolitan article writes, “Tiff walked off-set during the reunion as Mildred and them were arguing about rent being

paid,” erasing the talk of abuse in the relationship, which prompted Tiff to become overwhelmed.

Emma Specter from Vogue writes that she teared up watching Aussie Chau’s journey. Chau’s incredibly vulnerable moments on TV including a quite violent breakdown were moving and real but, more importantly, Chau didn’t consent to this vulnerability.

The cruelty of reality TV is the same if not worse, in the context of social media but our framing around it has changed. It’s in the best interest of The Ultimatum to label breakdowns as moments of self-discovery, and invasive filming as participants choosing to share their lives. And it’s easier for viewers to believe the therapy-talk of the TV host, and to dismiss reality TV as entirely fictional, rather than to see participants as humans in a vulnerable situation. Until The Ultimatum puts policies into place to actually protect their subjects instead of espousing vague goals of helping couples find love, and until viewers start questioning the feel-good narrative of these shows, this new approach to reality TV will continue to be inauthentic and exploitative.

By reframing reality TV as an “experience” created for the benefit of participants, we absolve ourselves of the moral ramifications of watching real-life mental breakdowns that are prompted by the structure of the show.

Aries (Mar 21Apr 19)

Visit the McTavish Farmers’ Market on Thursdays!

HOROSCOPES

Taurus (Apr 20May 20)

Invest in a thermos and stop spending money on overpriced coffees.

Gemini (May 21Jun 20)

The Redpath Museum is a must-see for you this year!

Cancer (Jun 21Jul 22)

This is the year you should try yoga!

Leo (Jul 23Aug 22)

Wanting to eat poutine every day of the week is perfectly normal when you live in Montreal.

Libra (Sept 23Oct 22)

You will Find joy when playing for an intramural dodgeball team!

Scorpio (Oct 23Nov 21)

This year, love will FInd you on the 6th fLoor of McLennan!

Virgo (Aug 23Sept 22)

Celebrating the start of the school year at Muzique will bring you nothing but regret.

Sagittarius (Nov 22Dec 21)

Dropping that 8:30 class will be the best thing you do all year (even better than BDA).

Capricorn (Dec 22Jan 19)

This year, avoid the Redpath salmon poke at all costs.

Aquarius (Jan 20Feb 18)

FREQUENTING The law library seems like a good idea in september, but you will slip down that hill in the winter.

Pisces (Feb 19Mar 20)

This year, check your spelling and grammar before submitting essays at 11:59 p.m.