McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory.
Our Planet is Melting
Concordia Student Union Calls for Cops Off Campus
Childcare Workers on Strike
Student Activism for Palestine Across North America
Yalla Habibti: From Morocco to Montreal Commentary 8
Reflecting on Leonard Cohen’s Legacy in Montreal
• Circle of Fashion Runway Show Compendium!
Redirecting Anger From Protesters to the System
Montreal Café Reviews Horos-cafés
editorial board
3480 McTavish St, Room 107
Montreal, QC, H3A 0E7
phone 514.398.6790 fax 514.398.8318
mcgilldaily.com
The McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory coordinating editor
Emma Bainbridge managing editor India Mosca news editor Sena Ho Adair Nelson commentary + compendium! editor Arismita Ghosh
Youmna El-Halabi culture editor
Eliana Freelund Evelyn Logan features editor Elaine Yang science + technology editor Andrei Li sports editor Vacant
video editor
Magdalena Rebisz
visuals editor
Eva Marriott-Fabre copy editor Luxe Palmer design + production editor Vacant
social media editor
Lara Arab Makansi radio editor Vacant
cover design
Melika Amoueian
contributors
Emma Bainbridge, Sasha Coderre, Lisa Banti, Youmna El-Halabi, Evelyn Logan, Izzy Rudy, Arismita Ghosh, Ingara Maidou, Luxe Palmer, Lara Arab Makansi, Lilia Kreidieh, Auden Akinc, Melika Amoueian
Our Planet Approaches The Melting Point
2024 has been a year of unprecedented climate disasters. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report kicked off the year by predicting extreme weather events as the highest risk to human life and wellbeing for the next ten years. In the past month, we’ve seen disaster after disaster: entire counties devastated in the wake of Hurricane Milton in Florida, USA, hundreds killed by flooding in Spain, and thousands displaced after Tropical Storm Trami in the Philippines.
Global temperatures continue to rise alongside fossil fuel emissions, leading to intensified weather trends and climate patterns. Data released earlier this fall revealed that the ten deadliest extreme weather events of the past 20 years were exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) “is almost certain” that 2024 will surpass the average global temperature record set in 2023. It will likely be the first calendar year where global temperatures have consistently been 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial level. This is the temperature threshold that the Paris Agreement states would bring irreversible damage to our planet if crossed.
Canada has been disproportionately impacted by these trends. Temperatures across the country have been rising at approximately twice the rate of the global average. Highly reflective melted snow and ice causes increased absorption of heat, creating a cycle of warming in northern regions. This phenomenon, known as “Arctic amplification,” is causing the Canadian Arctic to warm three times faster than the global average.
Canada’s Changing Climate Report from 2019 stated the effects of widespread warming will intensify across the country. Humancaused climate change has exacerbated the severity and frequency of recent devastating heatwaves, as reported by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The consequences of these phenomena bring threats not only to our ecosystem but to our health and our lives.
This past summer broke global heat records in Canada and internationally. Temperatures have remained high throughout the fall due to weather patterns intensified by climate change, causing record-breaking temperatures in Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Montreal’s temperature high on Halloween broke the 1956 record at 24.4 degrees, ending the month on an alarming note.
Last winter was Canada’s warmest since 1948. In Montreal, mean temperatures were approximately four degrees warmer than average. El Niño patterns – naturally occurring aboveaverage sea surface temperatures in the South Pacific – led to warmer weather internationally during the 2023-2024 winter. Rising ocean temperatures worldwide have contributed to the intensity of last winter’s El Niño.
What can we expect for this winter? It is likely that we will experience a La Niña winter, which brings large-scale cooling to the ocean surface temperatures and generally lowers global temperatures. Regardless of whether or not we see cooler weather this winter, global temperatures will continue to rise due to the relentless burning of fossil fuels.
time, fossil fuel lobbyists continue to exert influence over Canadian politicians, discouraging the government from adopting more ambitious climate goals. It is imperative that Canada cut emissions and limit new oil and gas projects before it is too late.
The next few months will be especially important for the fight against climate change. The COP29 Climate Change Conference will be held in Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22. At this conference, climate scientists intend to create a stricter timeline for transitioning away from fossil fuels, and increase the funds allocated to help impoverished countries adapt to climate change, such as through climate reparations.
2025 will be a big year for climate policy at McGill: the McGill Board of Governors has promised to divest all direct holdings from fossil fuel firms listed in the Carbon Underground 200, per a vote in 2023. This decision was the result of 12 years of campaigning by Divest McGill, which continues to advocate for the university’s divestment from indirect fossil fuel funds. However, the university’s climate change response leaves much to be desired, especially given that it is not on track to meet its emission reduction goals for 2025. Climate change affects everyone, but it disproportionately affects vulnerable populations in Canada and across the world. Indigenous populations in the Canadian Arctic are facing the country’s most intense climate change patterns, impacting their physical health and well-being, as well as their cultural practices. Climate change threatens Indigenous communities’ access to nutritious food, clean drinking water, transportation pathways, and traditional land-based knowledge systems. Indigenous people make up ten per cent of Montreal’s unhoused population – despite comprising only one per cent of the city’s population – and are therefore more vulnerable to increasingly cold winters. These are just a few examples of how climate crises are contributing to colonial violence. Climate oppression is also a tactic used by Israel to further oppress Palestinians, weaponizing the climate crisis and depriving Palestinians of strategies to adapt to this change in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. Israel has systematically stolen Palestinians’ land and water, limiting their access to food and destroying their natural resources.
Student activism has been key in fighting climate change. McGill has a rich network of climate justice groups, focused on intersectionality and fighting climate oppression as a collective. The Disability Inclusive Climate Action Research Program (DICARP) works with McGill’s Faculty of Law to implement effective climate change policies that protect the human rights of disabled people. McGill Students for Greenpeace, the first university chapter of the Canadian climate justice organization, advocates for sustainability practices around campus and in the Montreal community. Divest McGill continues to pressure the university to cut ties with fossil fuels.
3480 McTavish St, Room 107
Montreal, QC H3A 0E7
phone 514.398.690 fax 514.398.8318
advertising & general manager
Letty Matteo ad layout & design
Alice Postovskiy
While Canada has made strides in reducing emissions and minimizing pollution, it is not enough. The Canadian government continues to approve natural gas pipelines that pass through Indigenous territories without consent and criminalizes Indigenous land defenders opposing these projects. At the same
Climate change is not just an issue of environmental justice, but an issue of human rights: the attack on our environment is part of a complex system of oppression as a direct result of capitalism and colonialism. In watching temperatures rise year after year, we are seeing the repercussions of corporate greed from fossil fuel companies impact every facet of our society. We must continue to be proactive in our fight to support marginalized communities, and make our planet a better place.
Concordia Student Union Calls for Cops Off Campus
Press conference follows arrests of several students
Emma Bainbridge Coordinating Editor
On November 1, members of the Concordia Student Union (CSU) held a press conference outside the Hall Building, calling for Concordia to remove police presence on campus, especially as a response to on-campus protests. Less than 24 hours before the press conference, two Concordia students were arrested while participating in a non-violent protest against police brutality and academic tribunals punishing students for engaging in pro-Palestine demonstrations.
“In the last few weeks, our students have been arrested, detained, and even physically brutalized, all while conducting non-violent political demonstrations,” said Danna Ballantyne, the CSU’s External Affairs and Mobilization Coordinator. “We deserve to come to campus to learn and to have open dialogue without fearing for our safety.”
In the past semester, Concordia students protesting their university’s involvement in Israel’s genocide in Gaza have faced repression from both the police and the Concordia administration. The CSU reported that the university has charged at least 25 students with academic tribunals and suspensions for Palestine solidarity actions. On September 25, three students were violently arrested and detained in the GuyConcordia metro station following a protest on campus. On October 31, students held a demonstration to protest the aforementioned arrests and disciplinary measures. Concordia responded by arresting two more students.
In addition to brutality by the
Montreal police (SPVM), speakers at the press conference denounced the response of Concordia Security and Prevention Services (CSPS) to student protests. They specifically demanded that CSPS abolish five practices: following students offcampus, conducting citizens’ arrests, physical apprehension and detainment, preemptively coordinating responses to demonstrations with police, and facilitating police brutality and arrest instead of de-escalation.
Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci told the Daily that “SPVM officers are only called by Campus Safety and Prevention Services agents and other community members when necessary and in accordance with Concordia’s policies. CSPS agents are trained in de-escalation, and that is always the primary objective of their response.”
She described the events of October 31 as “a sad example of circumstances deemed to warrant SPVM intervention as an agent was assaulted and others were blocked as they attempted to assist their colleague.”
In a follow-up email, Ballantyne described the CSPS’s actions on October 31 as “extremely escalatory.
[...] Student testimonies from October 31 allege that certain CSPS agents were seen restraining one of their fellow colleagues from accosting student protestors,” she wrote.
“While I can’t speak directly to any claims of assault against these agents, footage of the events that took place on that day only show violence directed towards students.”
Vanessa Massot, Academic and Advocacy Coordinator at the CSU, argued that CSPS’s practices are
Emma Bainbridge | Coordinating Editor
particularly harmful to racialized students. They referenced the 1969 occupation of the computer labs, where the SPVM brutalized Black students protesting anti-Black racism, leading to the death of a student. President Graham Carr only apologized on Concordia’s behalf for their actions in 1969 in 2022. Massot called on Carr to honour that apology by preventing future police brutality on campus.
Massot’s comments were corroborated by Adam, a Black student and former student association executive, who “experienced firsthand the racial profiling and targeted surveillance that persists at [Concordia].” He
described being followed, questioned, and threatened by CSPS for participating in peaceful gatherings.
“The administration continues to champion its commitment to diversity and so-called inclusion,” he said. “But how can those words hold any meaning when students face the same regulatory practices that were echoed all the way back in 1969?”
Abe Berglas, SSMU Vice President University Affairs, told the Daily that criminalizing student protests against the genocide in Palestine “is a really dangerous precedent.” They expressed concern about SPVM presence on Concordia’s campus, given that the Quebec Superior Court
recently found racial profiling to be a “systemic problem” within the force. While security guards are different from cops, Berglas also argued that “they often end up perpetuating the same systems of oppression that cops do.”
When asked about the situation at McGill, Berglas confirmed that students have also faced disciplinary charges and physical aggression from security when protesting the genocide in Palestine. Over the summer, McGill frequently collaborated with the SPVM to respond to student protests, including the dismantlement of the Palestine solidarity encampment in July. Most recently, McGill security and the SPVM used tear gas to shut down a pro-Palestine protest on October 7.
However, Berglas believes that McGill students may have some advantages over their counterparts at Concordia.
“I feel as though McGill gets a lot of public attention because it’s seen as a prestigious school, and that also means that protestors get more sympathy,” they explained. “We are more protected knowing that if we go to the press, they’re more likely to take on our story.”
Concordia students are also looking to the press to share their outrage and demand change from their administration.
“This press conference is a plea to the Concordia administration to take seriously the issue of police brutality on their campus and to instill an accountability mechanism for the administration who has been abusing their institutional power instead of acting responsibly and in the interest of their own students’ safety,” said Massot.
Childcare Workers on Strike
Future of childcare workers remains uncertain as members of the CSN demand better pay and conditions
Sasha Coderre News Contributor
This month, 12,000 childcare workers in Quebec will vote on a strike mandate amidst ongoing disagreements over salaries, leaves of absence, and workload amounts. The strike mandate comes as the province grapples with a significant shortage of childcare professionals. The Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN), is pushing for a mandate to initiate a five-day strike, reflecting their frustrations with the current state of childcare services and their unfulfilled negotiations with the Quebec government. Family daycare
managers, members of the Federation de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (FSSS) and unions affiliated with the CSN voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
In an interview with the Montreal Gazette, Stéphanie Vachon, a representative of the Early Childhood Education sector, spoke about the current state of childcare workers in Quebec and the ongoing negotiations with the Quebec government. “Right now, the government should ask us what it can do to keep the staff in place. We hope that this will put pressure to obtain more dates for negotiations, more serious discussions and a commitment from the employer to really resolve the staff shortage in the
long term,” Vachon said.
During a rally in Montreal, Vachon further emphasized the importance for the Quebec government to recognize the vital work childcare workers conduct in the public sector. “I think there’s an emergency to react, for the government to realize that it’s a profession that needs to be respected,” said Vachon.
As of right now, the biggest concern for childcare workers in Quebec are salaries. According to Lucie Longchamp, vice-president of the FSSS, the average childcare worker in Quebec is paid between $42,000 and $44,000 per year. “It’s not a big sum of money for the important work they do. They make a big difference
in children’s lives,” said Longchamp at the Montreal rally. “Children who are well-equipped in a quality educational service will enter school one step ahead. [...] The network is suffering a great deal at the moment, and they need to understand that enough is enough.”
On the bargaining table, the Quebec government is offering childcare workers a 12.7 per cent pay increase over the next five years, while a counter-offer from publicsector unions demanded a 17.4 per cent raise over the same time Longchamp explained that the strike mandate will adapt to the context of the negotiations. The strike could shape into later daycare
openings, earlier closures, or even full days’ absences. However, Longchamp made it clear that the strike would last up to five days. To provide fair warning and ensure parents are adequately prepared, strike dates and hours will be announced at least ten days in advance.
A province wide-strike in the childcare sector looms over Quebec in the month of November as negotiations continue between the CSN and the Quebec government. The future of childcare services in Quebec remain unknown.
Student Activist Efforts A Year After October 7
A year of protests, divestment calls, and academic tensions amid ongoing humanitarian crises
Lisa Banti News Contributor
In response to Israel’s bombardment of Palestine and Lebanon and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, student activism has intensified internationally to call for justice and accountability. On October 5, a coalition of over 12 proPalestinian activist groups –including but not limited to the Palestinian Youth Movement, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, National Students for Justice in Palestine, Palestinian Feminist Collective, The People’s Forum, ANSWER Coalition, and others – gathered across North America under the flag “One Year of Genocide, One Year of Resistance,” to protest the ongoing violence against Palestinians. Recent activism on university campuses, from Montreal to Los Angeles, has showcased students’ resilience and highlighted their active response to the genocide in Palestine and crisis in Lebanon.
At McGill, on October 5th, Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) organized a rally at Roddick Gates to emphasize the urgency of solidarity and action for Palestine. These demonstrators joined a Montreal-wide protest at Place des Arts, rallying for Palestinian rights and collaborating with organizations like the Palestinian Youth Movement and ANSWER Coalition, among others.
Hundreds attended the protest outside of campus, bringing to light the number of students advocating for Palestinian rights against Israel’s violence and calling for change from the McGill administration. A counterprotest in support of Israel added to the tense environment, demonstrating the divided opinions on campus. As violence in Gaza has escalated, McGill has seen a surge in student activism – further fueled by the recent violence in Lebanon. From September 11 to October 1 of 2023, the McGill Board of Governors’ Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility (CSSR) invited community input on divestment from military-linked companies through a webform. Many students and groups such as SPHR viewed the CSSR’s invitation for community
input as a superficial gesture, reflecting institutional resistance to meaningful action on social justice issues, especially given that McGill had previously initiated similar surveys without
regarding the administration’s response. This encampment was established on campus for 75 days throughout the summer, rallying for Palestinian rights, until it was forcibly dismantled by police and private security
Western media narratives and address concerns about transparency. Support from groups such as the McGill Indigenous Student Alliance, Independent Jewish Voices McGill, and Divest McGill
making concrete commitments to divestment. A student referendum from Fall 2023 showed 79 per cent support for the University’s divestment. This said, the administration’s injunction to prevent the policy’s ratification has only bolstered activists’ resolve.
The encampment on campus at the end of last semester highlighted strong resistance to McGill’s ties to military corporations, prompting intensified discussions on divestment and student opinions
hired by the university.
Social media, especially Instagram, has been pivotal for student activist groups like SPHR in spreading information about protests and rallying support on campus. Platforms like Instagram allow these groups to share updates, testimonials, and calls to action, amplifying their message within the McGill community and beyond. Hashtags like #PalestinianRights have broadened visibility, empowering activists to critique
have further boosted visibility, demonstrating how solidarity among different movements on campus amplifies engagement for the Palestinian cause and strengthens the sense of community.
National and international student organizations called for a “Week of Rage” from October 7 to 11, encouraging students to walk out, rally, and disrupt classes in support of Palestinian justice. Many viewed participation as a moral
obligation, framing it as essential for awareness. In response, McGill sought an injunction from the Quebec Superior Court against SPHR, granted on October 8, restricting protests near university entrances. McGill’s actions exemplify how institutions respond to student activism with legal measures, galvanizing activists further in their calls for accountability.
McGill’s Deputy Provost Angela Campbell and VicePresident Fabrice Labeau voiced concern and support for students’ protest rights, while simultaneously framing the injunction as necessary to maintain academic integrity. This mirrors broader trends across North America, where university administrations are balancing support for student activism with enforcing institutional policies. On October 7, protests also erupted at several universities in the U.S. Students from institutions including Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and others voiced opposition to administrative decisions they saw as hindrances to justice-oriented movements. At Columbia, students rallied in support of Palestinian rights, urging the administration to take a stronger stance. Similarly, at UC Berkeley, students expressed frustration with perceived inaction by their leadership, highlighting a shared tension across campuses as students continue to advocate for social justice causes despite institutional challenges.
Over the past year, student protests have highlighted a growing commitment to social justice, often in alignment with broader global movements. At McGill, organizations like SPHR have worked to sustain this momentum by collaborating with faculty initiatives such as Profs4Palestine to host public discussions and conferences. These efforts echo actions at other campuses, where student groups have united under the shared goal of advocating for Palestinian rights as part of a larger push for global justice. One activist remarked to the Daily that “being here today is about standing up for justice and showing that we won’t be silent.”
Lilia Kreidieh | Visuals Contributor
Yallah Habibti: From Morocco to Montreal
Sarah Oirdighi is making her dreams come true, one step at a time
Youmna El Halabi Commentary Editor
“ After a big burnout at work, and the loss of my father, I made a radical change. I needed more freedom. More experiences to live. More purpose.”
Sarah Oirdighi has just turned 30, and has already crossed out 15 major life goals. She has lived in four countries, given a TedxTalk, shot a short film and won an HEC Cinema Prize. Her most recent achievement? Launching a podcast.
Yallah Habibti was created to give Arab and Middle Eastern women a platform to present themselves and discuss taboo subjects that their cultures, and even the West, refuse to tackle.
It is no secret that pop culture, in particular Hollywood movies, falls short when it comes to Arab and Middle Eastern representation. When films include Arab or Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) characters, they often tend to represent these characters as terrorists. Whenever MENA culture is actually included, it is often commodified, with films having no Arab actors present in the cast — such as in Dune (2021).
Dune is a 1965 epic science fiction novel by American author Frank Herbert, with the movie adaptation starring Timothee Chalamet released in in 2021. Herbert was inspired by many cultures while writing his novel, showing a great interest in messianic religions and Arab culture. The book is an obvious allegory for Western imperialism and environmentalism in the Middle East, drawing up heavy inspiration for the fictional Fremen of Arrakis from Middle Eastern culture.
And yet, Hollywood did not see it appropriate to cast a single MENA person in the franchise, going so far as representing a mangled version of the Arabic language and casting a white man as the lead. Unfortunately, this did not come as a surprise to any Arab or Middle Eastern person.
Yallah Habibti tackles this alienation. “Growing up, Arab and Middle Eastern women never had a chance to be represented to get some guidance,” Oirdighi says in her podcast introduction.
“Our communities are either marginalized, sexualized, or not represented at all.”
When she was 20 years old, Oirdighi was completing a master’s degree in digital marketing from KEDGE Business School in Marseille, France. Creative and adventurous by nature, she was attracted by the opportunity her university offered to complete two semesters abroad.
It is no secret that pop culture, in particular Hollywood movies, falls short when it comes to Arab and Middle Eastern representation. When films include Arab or Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) characters, they often tend to represent these characters as terrorists.
Oiridighi was born and in Tangier, Morocco, and lived in three other countries prior to moving to Montreal in 2016.
Her first country of choice was Sweden. There, she encountered two Montrealers who encouraged her to
complete her second semester in Montreal.
“There are so many cultures [in Montreal],” she says. “I felt represented and accepted for the first time in a long time. I immigrated to three different countries, and [Canada] was the first country where I felt like I belonged, even if it isn’t my home country.”
Once her student visa expired, Oirdighi had to go back to France, but she wouldn’t stay for long. At 22 years old, she packed up her bags, kissed her mother and aunties goodbye, and embarked on a journey to one of North America’s coldest cities to hone her creativity and pursue her dreams.
“There is a big sense of freedom in Montreal,” Oirdighi says. “A freedom of what to wear, where to go, of being safe on the streets, and a feeling of whatever you put your mind to it you can do. The city really helps with the motivation. People aren’t judgemental here, they’re
very welcoming. It didn’t feel like that in France.”
She explained that Montreal’s authenticity and freedom allowed for her creativity to flourish, and ultimately inspired her to create her own content. To see artists everywhere in the streets led her to tap into her own artistry and focus on what she truly loved to do.
Once settled, Oirdighi threw herself into many content creator jobs, climbing the corporate ladder and achieving goal after goal – eventually burning out, handing in her resignation, and focusing on healing.
“I was so disgusted with anything that had to do with work. I needed to take a break, to feel like myself again,” she says. “I didn’t have any creativity in me anymore and that’s when I knew I wasn’t myself.”
As she attempted to navigate her loss of creativity while also managing her finances, Oirdighi took on another job working at Cirque du Soleil, a position that helped her get back on her feet.
“[Cirque du Soleil] was an amazing experience, and I learned a lot,” she says. “I mean it’s Cirque du Soleil, you know, it’s the literal circus. I got to see people hanging from the ceiling, and performing, and it was great! But when I took that job, I already knew I wasn’t going to stay, because I had made a promise to myself: to never let anyone else be responsible for the happiness I feel from my work.”
That’s when she started drafting a business plan to go out on her own, eventually launching her own business, Le Pouce Bleu (The Blue Thumb).
Le Pouce Bleu is a social networking platform that helps up-and-coming entrepreneurs shine on social media, grab as many opportunities as they can, and help them become the best versions of themselves.
“I wanted to help anyone find their voice, and be able to use it,” Oirdighi says. “To shine on social media, and grab as many opportunities as they can. Because to me, ultimately, that’s what we’re
Eva Marriott-Fabre | Visuals Editor
here for: to be the best version of ourselves.”
A strong desire to uplift people is a gift Oirdighi inherited from her late father, who passed away six years ago.
“My dad spent his entire life working to give [my siblings and me] this ability to have a future,” Oirdighi says. “He grew up super poor, and had to take care of his whole family, and didn’t get any opportunity to enjoy the life he built. But he always encouraged me to believe in myself, and to share that belief with people.”
Le Pouce Bleu is a way for Oirdighi to share her ambition and creativity, and inspire the online community she built to take the same leap of faith she is a way for her
take matters into her own hands.
“If I work for someone who doesn’t even want to give people a chance to be represented when they claim to the world that they
me do the work. Let me help somehow, let me give a voice to these women who are dying for representation and represent them.”
“As an interviewer, I don’t speak much and I love that [...] I’m here to point some direction but I’m also here for the woman to speak. And I see a mirror. She’s talking about her traumas — the positive, the negative [...] It helps me grow and it helps me heal because I feel like [Arab and Middle Eastern women] have so much in common that we never talk about.”
— Sarah Oirdighi
inspiration and role models she desperately sought when she was younger.
“As an interviewer, I don’t speak much and I love that,” she laughs. “I’m here to point some direction but I’m also here for the woman to speak. And I see a mirror. She’s talking about her traumas — the positive, the negative — and I needed that so much when I was a kid. It helps me grow and it helps me heal because I feel like [Arab and Middle Eastern women] have so much in common that we never talk about. I really like the way [the podcast] helps me create links between different women, cultures and generations.”
Sarah Oirdighi’s story with Montreal is not unlike that of many immigrants. To be
McGill Daily P I T C H M E E T I N G
visit my family, the experience was so different, but the same at the same time. Because when I see the women around me and the people I’m talking to about this project, I see how everything is connected. And that’s why I love the internet so much. Because it’s like this online space where everything can happen and everyone can share their thoughts. I feel like this project helped me connect the dots between my life here and my life there, and I hope I get to create more projects in the future to try to reconnect my cultural heritage with this new life that I’m creating here.”
To know more about Sarah Oirdighi’s story and keep up with any future projects, follow her
WEDNESDAYS @ 6:00 PM
Leonard Cohen Holds the Mirror
Reflecting on the legacy of love Cohen left in Montreal
Arismita Ghosh Commentary Editor
Leonard Cohen was the first man I met in Montreal. Walking down Rue Crescent on a windy August evening, new to the city, I was entranced by the kind face smiling down at me with a hand placed over his beating heart. I didn’t know who he was at the time. (My friend tried telling me it was a mural of Anthony Bourdain.) It would take a few more months for me to stumble across Cohen’s first poetry collection while browsing the shelves at Paragraphe Bookstore. In that first moment, I felt a strange sense of comfort, and I knew that this city would be kind to me.
November 7 marks eight years
described himself as a fan “addicted to Cohen,” lucky to have the opportunity to interview Cohen throughout his career and eventually write several books about him. During the talk, Graf provided a detailed account of Cohen’s life here, saying that “Cohen is intrinsically connected to Montreal; he is built into the very fabric of the city.” Audience members were also invited to share their memories of the singer. Though my friends and I were too young to contribute, it was extremely eye-opening to hear from people who had seen him in concert as far back as 1966. Some attendees had even been in Montreal long enough to remember when Cohen would walk up St. Laurent for his daily breakfast bagel, waving hello to his neighbours
It feels like his ghost is following me wherever I go: walking down the Plateau, where he used to live; going to English classes in the Arts building, where he used to study; even writing this article for The McGill Daily, where he used to contribute. It is impossible for me to separate my experiences in this city from his.
since the death of this wonderful poet, singer, and ladies’ man. On September 21, I had the lovely opportunity to celebrate Cohen’s ninetieth birthday at a special event held by The Word Bookstore. Guest speaker and biographer Christof Graf gave a talk entitled “Memories of Leonard Cohen,” during which he shared his experiences accompanying Cohen backstage at his concerts. Graf
and to those who recognized him on the streets.
In the weeks since I attended this celebration, I have spent a frankly absurd amount of time listening to Cohen’s music and reflecting on the legacy of love he has left behind in Montreal. It feels like his ghost is following me wherever I go: walking down the Plateau, where he used to live; going to English classes in the
Arts building, where he used to study; even writing this article for The McGill Daily, where he used to contribute. It is impossible for me to separate my experiences in this city from his. Part of why I am so submerged in Cohen’s legacy at the moment is because I’ve spent half of my semester analyzing his writing for a class on Canadian poetry. I was reintroduced to “Suzanne,” a song I knew and loved long before I knew anything about its singer. As I heard him sing the lyrics softly into my earphones for
the hundredth time, I realized that Cohen himself had put into words what I’d been feeling for him: “She shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers / There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning / They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever / While Suzanne holds the mirror.” Cohen’s poetry is a way for me to reflect on my relationship with Montreal. The more I read and hear from him, the more I feel my bond with this city strengthening. Though his work is rarely explicitly about Montreal, those who have lived here can easily identify what he’s talking about – “our lady of the harbour” in “Suzanne,” images of downtown streets like St. Catherine sprinkled throughout Parasites of Heaven. It’s no wonder that the city is so proud to be known as Leonard Cohen’s hometown.
“I feel at home in Montreal in a way that I don’t feel anywhere else,” Cohen shared with an interviewer in 2006. Similar to his nomadic lifestyle, I myself have moved around many cities over the course of 20 years, never quite feeling tied down to one particular place. Living in Montreal, however, I have made this place my home on my own terms. I’m sure most people who have moved here from another city would agree with me when I say that there’s something about Montreal that you can’t find elsewhere – whether it’s the people, the distinct subcultures, or the strong sense of local identity, it’s the kind of place that makes you want
to stay forever. Cohen put it best when writing the introduction to The SpiceBox of Earth in 1961: “I have to keep coming back to Montreal to renew my neurotic affiliations.”
Even as I continue romanticizing the city through the lens of Cohen’s work, however, I am careful not to romanticize the man himself. I know there is a lot we differ on in terms of political ideology, with much of it being a product of his time. His background as an uppermiddle-class, Westmount-dwelling Montrealer is ultimately quite alien from my experience as an immigrant in Canada. What is important to me beyond these differences is that I am still able to learn more about myself through his work. Both his poetry and songwriting actively engage the audience, inviting them to question their own ideologies as they confront his. He is not interested in making his reader comfortable or catering to their tastes. He only wants us to face our own truths. To borrow Cohen’s words from his poem “What I’m Doing Here,” he is waiting for each one of us “to confess.”
I’ll confess first: I love Leonard Cohen because I know we share the same love for a city far bigger than either of us. I can feel that love while listening to a song recorded in the 1960s, and I can feel it if I go for a walk down Rue Crescent today. I can feel that love in the legacy he has left behind in Montreal every single day.
Circle of Fashion (COF) show, we were taken aback by the grandeur. On Friday, November 1, the club hosted their fourth semi-annual fashion show in the lobby of the Montreal Biodome. Show attendees were greeted with swanky house music, a luxe atmosphere, and dramatic lighting. The dress code was decidedly black and elegant, with most attendees donning knee-high boots, sleek silhouettes, and off-the-shoulder tops. Everything about the venue oozed sophistication. As muted chatter began to fill the space, we eagerly watched fellow fashion enthusiasts settling in before the show.
The models emerged one by one from a cavern of white walls with floor lights illuminating them from underneath. The designs floated down the runway as the models waltzed into a crowd of friends, families, and fellow fashionloving students.
Circle of Fashion is a club at McGill that centres around all things fashion focusing on encouraging students’ fashion interests and creating a community around those interested in self expression through clothing. COF’s guiding mission is to be a space “where students can express their fashion creativity.” The club was founded in 2022 by Manon
This evening wasn’t just about the clothing, it was also about the storytelling, theatricality, and performance that comes along with putting on a runway show.
Ashida and has seen exponential growth in the last two years. COF now has an expansive executive team, a podcast, and events every semester including clothing swaps and pop-up markets. Additionally, COF publishes a print magazine, Pamplemousse, every semester, along with regular additions to their online blog.
COF also puts on a biannual fashion show. No two are alike, with each show featuring different locations and designers. Last year’s fall fashion show took place at Montreal’s Olympic swimming pool, while the Winter 2024 show was presented in a gorgeous, gothic church, Chapelle Notre Dame de Bon Secours, located in Old Montreal. The show on November 1 had an air of professionalism and shared vision that permeated the evening. Their dedication to the production value and to creating an all-encompassing, intentional experience made it all the more enjoyable to watch. There is something special about a group of students not only conceptualizing, but actualizing an evening where designers, students, and fashion enthusiasts alike can come together and celebrate storytelling through fashion.
The materials and silhouettes were the stars of the show. Crocheted knits, buttons, silks, and flowing chiffon jumped off the runway. Viewers couldn’t help but appreciate the intricate skills and craftsmanship these students and artists poured into their creations. Floral motifs and micro-mini styles dominated the evening. Each collection had its own unique flavour, reflecting the personal style of the designers. Whether it was through colour palettes, styling, or the persona they wanted their models to embody, each artist conveyed their distinct and powerful visions.
The thread connecting all the showcased collections is the showrunners’ obvious passion for creating and designing. The show concluded with a collection that directly reflected the ambiance of the sophisticated setting. Francis Hoang’s collection was filled with three stunning all-white looks that seemed to glide down the runway. In an Instagram post about his vision, Hoang said that he wanted his designs to have a certain “flowiness,” emulating “air, leaves falling, water […] something that moves elegantly.”
This evening wasn’t just about
the clothing, it was also about the storytelling, theatricality, and performance that comes with putting on a runway show. Some models didn’t just walk through the space – they played a
interested in fashion and clothing to come together.”
Overall, Circle of Fashion’s Fall 2024 show was a celebration of student craftsmanship, uplifting artistic interests that fall
The materials and silhouettes were the stars of the show.
Crocheted knits, buttons, silks, and flowing chiffon jumped off the runway.
character. Their approach called to mind models like Leon Dame who walk with a certain persona in mind.
On behalf of The McGill Daily, we spoke with model Max Freedman and designer Olivia Dunkley to get a full picture of what the COF show was like from behind the scenes.
Freedman, first-time model but long-time lover of fashion, was one of the first models to walk.
“It was a little nerve-wracking as I have never done anything like that before,” Freedman noted. Despite these nerves, when asked to summarize the experience in three words, Freedman described it as “exciting, collaborative, and new.” Amidst a post-midterm frenzy, the show was a welcome creative outlet for Freedman.
Dunkley, a returning designer, shared her experience being backstage during the show saying, “The environment is really fun and [it] allows people who are
Evelyn Logan| Culture Editor
outside the scope of school and coursework. The experience was one of collaboration and symbiosis: the designers were able to showcase their creations while attendees had the joy of getting dressed up for an evening out. The COF team created an unforgettable evening that is sure to have a lasting impact.
If you want to keep up with Circle of Fashion, you can follow them on Instagram @circleoffashionmcgill.
Izzy Rudy| Culture Contributor
Redirecting Anger
Exercise understanding, not judgement, toward social movements
Ingara Maidou Commentary Contributor
Acts of civil disobedience are often met with hostility from the public. During the PATCO airline strike in 1981, travellers directed their anger towards the workers fighting for higher pay instead of the Reagan administration, who forced strikers to accept poor wages. White people in South Africa were in support of the government bans on anti-apartheid activists and protestors, in order to protect their own interests. During the Gilets Jaunes protests, Parisians complained not about the rising taxes but about the increased law enforcement responding to the protests.
The response to the past year of pro-Palestine activism at McGill University is no different. Whether it is online or in person, it is likely that you have encountered at least some frustrations with the increased
security presence or cancelled classes – actions taken by the university to dismantle encampments and protests this year. Disagreements on the means used to achieve a common goal are nothing new, as they are a way to promote change and improvements. However, completely ostracizing the protesters demanding for McGill to divest from arms manufacturers can prevent productive discussions from taking place.
When discussing the demands of the pro-Palestinian protests, people often argue that large enterprises are not willing to lose economic gains by severing relationships to violent corporations. In response to this, there are different actions citizens will take to pressure enterprises to divest. Some will act on an individual scale by refusing to consume certain goods or services that have ties to unjust regimes. They will do what they can to not
be complicit or contribute to these businesses. Sometimes, they may encourage others to do the same, such as when the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement was launched to economically pressure corporations in occupied Palestinian territories. Others may attempt to sever these relationships through negotiation, working with committees and writing reports. Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) initially took this approach to discuss McGill’s divestment from arms manufacturers. Nevertheless, after almost two months, the bureaucratic process was abandoned when McGill called off negotiations with SPHR in June. Since then, McGill has taken additional measures to restrict SPHR organization. In September, the university demanded that SSMU withdraw SPHR club status. The following month, McGill was granted a temporary injunction banning
Auden Akinc | Visuals Contributor
SPHR demonstrations. Due to these actions, SPHR amplified pressure on McGill to divest. They organized walkouts, blocked classes, and informed new students about the movement.
As a response to these actions, many people may claim that disruptive demonstrations can reduce the university’s willingness to reopen negotiations. Yet, the purpose of civil disobedience is to urge authority figures to meet a group’s demands.
For example, in March 2011, Quebec’s provincial government launched a proposal to incrementally hike student tuition over a five-year period. This proposal led to student advocacy against this raise between 2011 and 2012. Over time, protests grew in size and strength to combat the government’s attempts to end the student movement, such as Bill 78. By requiring students to inform the authorities about upcoming protests, this measure intended to restrict the scale of demonstrations. However, the bill actually resulted in more assertive civil disobedience to exemplify student resistance. Although the protests led to violent escalations with law enforcement, these demonstrations turned out to be some of the largest student protests in Quebec’s history. The unflinching nature of the student movement eventually led to the cancellation of the student tuition increase and the revocation of Bill 78.
The decision to partake in a more forceful method is never made lightly. Protestors understand that by taking on a more confrontational approach, they risk losing the general public’s support and face a crackdown from the authorities. However, despite these two consequences, deviations can open the door for constructive dialogue. A thorough set of demands can enhance the depth and breadth of topics brought up at the negotiation table. Without mass mobilization, the strength of social justice movements will be weakened. Without these positions, we can fall victim to unsatisfactory compromises that fail to address
The unflinching nature of the student movement eventually led to the cancellation of the student tuition increase and the revocation of Bill 78.
structural violence.
Protests or acts of civil disobedience are meant to disrupt your day. They are meant to take socio-political issues out of the negotiation office and include the public. When directing anger to those with a common goal but a different method of achieving it, one can forget that the core issue is not with the different approaches to achieving justice but the issue of injustice itself. There is so much space for meaningful exchange that can take place on the nature, approach, and goal of student civil disobedience, and we need to ensure that it is being utilized.
It’s okay to be a little upset when a protest disrupts your plans. However, if all acts of resistance were tailored to every individual, nothing would ever get done. Prioritizing comfort and convenience will undermine the primary objectives of a political organization. Therefore, the next time you complain about protesters interfering with your schedule, I ask you to think about how much this disturbance will impact you in the long run. Although you will eventually be able to recover from it and carry on with your daily life, the victims of war, violence, and exploitation that protests are fighting for may not.
“Protests or acts of civil disobedience are meant to disrupt your day. They are meant to take socio-political issues out of the negotiation office and to the public.”
Cozy Cafes and Reliable Restaurants
Four Montreal Eateries You Should Know About
September Surf Cafe
The month of September often clings to the last of summer’s warmth, with sun-kissed days and crisp evenings, slowly introducing comforting breezes and sweater weather. As co-owner Mitch Martin exclaims, “It evokes good feelings!” Arguably my second home, September Surf Café embodies just that. Big windows and conversation-filled air make this Little Burgundy nook the ideal spot to gather, soak up the energetic atmosphere, and eat delicious food. The seating is thoughtfully arranged to create a sense of intimacy and community, making it ideal for catching up with friends. Yes, it gets busy. In my opinion, the bustle adds to its warm and friendly charm (and the line moves fast). Pop by on a weekday for a calmer visit. Start your brunch off with a coffee – or in my case, a rich and delicious matcha. Order the Classic Pancakes if it’s the very last thing you do. Golden, fluffy, with slightly crispy edges, the pancakes sit stacked atop a bed of maple syrup, kissed with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt – they are truly an experience. The Deluxe Breakfast Sandwich is equally as delightful. Fried egg, smoked ham, and pickles make this savoury treat perfectly balanced and satisfying. What makes September Café so special is that it emulates a feeling of calm and excitement – the kind of feeling that comes back at the start of a new season. The familiar sights of friendly staff, scents of coffee grounds and butter, and sounds of ever-changing conversation evoke a comforting feeling of routine while sparking curiosity about what’s to come.
- Lara Arab Makansi, Social Media Editor
Pizzeria Napoletana
“If you know, you know. Ceux qui savent, savent,” says Felix Lam, co-owner of SavSav and former project member of well-known Montreal classics, BarBara and Crew Collective Café. With seven-meter-high ceilings, long plywood communal tables, and funky eats, this Saint-Henri hidden gem is becoming less and less of a secret. SavSav hides at the end of a corridor in an unassuming office building on Brewster Street. Despite its concealed location, this café is a vibrant and eclectic spot that captures the essence of creativity. At first glance, you’ll find people studying, chatting, and relaxing on the comfy velvet couch. The large central island houses a tempting array of pastries, ready to pair with locally roasted coffee or a beautiful ceremonial-grade matcha. Giant windows flood the room with light on sunny days, and the picturesque gold ceiling piece is truly an eye-catcher. Be sure to check out their unique food menu as well: my favourites include the Chicken Salad Toast on crispy brioche, Breakfast Sando with homemade sausage, and the SavSav Bowl with spiced yogurt and thyme-marinated berries. Looking for fresh ingredients and creative chefs? You’re in for a treat. Savsav is the young, modern spot for your next study session or a midday work break. You may get lost on the way and need to ask for directions, but it’s worth it. A true hidden gem! - Lara Arab Makansi, Social Media Editor
One cannot visit Little Italy without dining at an Italian restaurant – it would be akin to visiting New York and not eating a bagel (or Montreal, for that matter). The charming neighbourhood lives up to its name, and the extent of Italian restaurants is large. However, it would be difficult to go wrong at Pizzeria Napoletana, a restaurant started in 1948 by some of the first Italian immigrants to Montreal. If the mile-long menu frightens you, let me suggest a few courses: start with the burrata, a recipe originating from Bari, Puglia. The decadent ball of burrata is laid on a bed of creamy olive-oil-infused artichokes and ringed with charred red peppers, all of which meld together into a light, bright, and balanced flavour to adorn the complimentary bread knots. Napoletana’s namesake pizzas are modest with their toppings, pairing a few quality ingredients atop thin Neapolitan-style crusts. If pasta strikes your fancy, their Cannelloni Caruso is a stand-out dish: pasta tunnels encasing a meat and ricotta sauce, topped with mozzarella and thick smoked prosciuttino. One cannot dine at an Italian restaurant without capping off the night with a cannolo. If you weren’t aware, the singular form of cannoli is cannolo, though I doubt you’ll be ordering just one. The restaurant is bring-your-own-vino, made easy by their next-door wine store, Miss Napoletana. One could spend a lifetime trying all that Pizzeria Napoletana has to offer – judging by its history, it will continue to remain an institution in Little Italy. - Luxe Palmer, Copy Editor
At the end of Duluth Avenue, Le Santropol stands unassuming on the corner, beckoning you in with the aromas wafting from the wood doorframe. Inside the tiny storefront is a deceivingly large treasure trove of little nooks and crannies for you to make yourself at home. The restaurant was founded in 1976, saving a building slated for demolition, and has been a beloved institution ever since. The plant-forward menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches makes room for all types of eaters, vegetarian and vegan included. The Duluth sandwich – sliced pears, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, arugula, and lettuce stacked atop two slices of the softest brown bread – is intimidatingly tall, yet unexpectedly light and refreshing. The Thai vegetable soup, part of their soup du jour rotation, is the kind of soup you dream about on a cold day or while lying in bed under the weather. The savoury broth is just the right amount of spicy – enough to reinvigorate a weary soul, though not enough to make the nose run afresh. Santropol’s chai is perhaps one of the best chais I’ve had outside of an Indian restaurant. It is clear that they use a homemade spice mix made from whole spices. It is balanced flawlessly: not too milky, richly flavoured, and paired with a sharp kick of ginger that many chais shy away from. It is served in a glass-handled tankard, which is now what I want to drink all my chais from. Le Santropol’s original foundation as an act of love lives on in the attention they give to every detail, from the carefully crafted menu to the warmth and homeliness of the restaurant itself.
Copy Editor
SavSav
Le Santropol
- Luxe Palmer,
Aries (Mar 21Apr 19)
you should Go to Cafe Sfouf this week! Try their famous Cake, It’s Amazing!!
Cancer (Jun 21Jul 22)
YOU’VE BEEN WAITING TO ASK THEM OUT FOR COFFeE? BRING THEM TO CHEZ JOSE CAFE. I’m Sure they’ll love it!
Libra (Sept 23Oct 22)
IT’S TIME TO LEAVE THE MCGILL BUBBLE! CAFE ORR IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO CHILL OR STUDY AND ITS RIGHT NEXT TO the beautiful PARc LAURIER!
Capricorn (Dec 22Jan 19)
NEED A BREAK FROM STUDY CAFES? CAFFE GRAZIE MILLE IN THE MILE END IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO GRAB A GOOD COFFEE AFTER SOME GNIOCCHI AND THRIFTSHOPPING :)
HOROS-CAFES
Taurus (Apr 20May 20)
IN NEED OF A SWEET TREAT?? SANTROPOL HAS THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE AND THEIR LATTE WITH MAPLE SYRUP IS TO DIE FOR!
Gemini (May 21Jun 20)
I’M SURE I’VE SEEN YOU AT REPLIKA BEFORE.
Leo (Jul 23Aug 22)
FEELING UNINSPIRED ABOUT WHERE TO STUDY AROUND CAMPUS? CAFE NOCTURnE IS A GREAT SPOT CLOSE BY.
Scorpio (Oct 23Nov 21)
You’ve been drinking too much coffee! Try Chai for once. ChaÏ ShaÏ Is a great spot to check out.
Aquarius (Jan 20Feb 18)
cafe olympico: some go there for the football, I prefer going for the crazy good italian pasteries! Try the Nutella bombolone. you’ll thank me later!
