Hello there! We’ve spent the past few months making the book you have in your hands the most informative, beautiful, easy-to-read guide to life at McGill there is. We know – those are strong words. But we think that the 2010-2011 SSMU Handbook lives up to them. Being at McGill student can, at different times, be intense, wonderful, frustrating, satisfying, and everything in between. We want this guide to be a tool to help you navigate through your time here so that the wonderful, satisfying parts outweigh the intense, frustrating ones. In the following pages you can find information about the structure of McGill’s administration and about how to seek advising about your degree program. You can read up on SSMU, your student union, and how to get involved in the many clubs and services that fall under SSMU’s purview. We’ve also given you information about staying healthy, and about exploring this glorious city that you’ll call home for the next four years. And that’s just the beginning. While we hope you study up on all the little details about McGill life that you’ll find in this book, we also hope that reading it helps you realize what a vibrant community you’ve joined, and how many possibilities it offers students. McGill feels big and overwhelming at times, but all you have to do is head down to the Farmers’ Market, step into the office of your favourite campus paper, or show up to a GA to remember that the university is just a bunch of interconnected microcosms waiting to welcome you. We hope you enjoy it for all it’s worth.
Best of luck,
Amelia Schonbek and Will Vanderbilt Editors
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contents
Table of Contents 6 Essentials 6 What is SSMU? 8 Your first week 10 Getting around 12 Emergency resources
15 Your students’ society 16 Letter from the executives 18 How SSMU works 20 The Shatner building 21 SSMU clubs 22 SSMU services 24 SSMU on the issues
25 Your university 26 Key administrators 28 Governance 29 Grading 30 Student rights 32 Finances 34 Libraries 35 McGill services 36 Academic advising
CONTENTS
39 Student life 40 The student movement 42 Sustainable living 45 Queer student life 46 Finding your own place 48 Volunteering 49 La vie francophone 52 Campus eats 54 Culture on campus 55 Athletics 56 Campus media 58 Finding a job
59 Your health 61 Nutrition 62 Mental health 63 SSMU health & dental plan 64 Safe sex & STIs 67 Sexual assault 68 Alcohol 69 Drugs
71 Montreal life 72 Neighbourhoods 74 Bicycling 75 Transportation 76 Film 77 Music 78 Art 79 Dance and theatre 80 Festivals 81 Other fun activities 82 Montreal Media 83 City politics 84 Restaurant reviews 96 Bar reviews
99 Agenda
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Connect With Your SSMU Health & Dental Plan Your Benefits for 2010/2011 Health prescription drugs, chiropractor, physiotherapist, medical equipment, ambulance, vaccinations, and more...
Dental cleanings, checkups, fillings, root canals, gum treatments, extractions, and more...
Vision eye exam, eyeglasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery
Travel travel health coverage for 120 days per trip and up to $5,000,000, trip cancellation, trip interruption
Networks Enhance Your Benefits and Save You Money Get even more coverage by visiting members of the Dental, Vision, Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Networks.
Find a health practitioner at www.ihaveaplan.ca. Why a Health & Dental Plan? The Plan is a critical service of SSMU designed to fill the gaps in provincial health care. As an undergraduate student at McGill University and a member of SSMU who is paying tuition fees at either the Canadian or Québec rates, you are automatically covered by the SSMU Health & Dental Plan. International undergraduate students are automatically covered by the Dental Plan only. The cost of the Plan is part of your student fees.
Covered by Another Plan? Weigh the Costs and Benefits. Being enrolled as a dependant in a parent or spouse’s employee benefit plan usually requires your family member to pay additional costs to cover you. The SSMU Plan may provide better value. You can also combine it with your other plan to maximize your overall coverage—up to 100%—and eliminate out-of-pocket costs. Alternatively, you can opt out of the SSMU Health and/or Dental Plan.
Change-of-Coverage Dates All enrolments and opt outs must be completed between Sept. 1 - 29, 2010. Only new Winter semester students can enrol themselves and their spouse/dependants between Jan. 13 - 27, 2011 for coverage from Jan. 1 - Aug. 31, 2011.
Is This Your Last School Year? Discover Continuum, an affordable health, dental, vision, and emergency travel assistance Plan designed for students who are completing their studies. Visit continuumplan.com for deadlines and details on applying without providing proof of good health.
Save Even More Money with the Provider Networks You’re covered for the insured portion of your SSMU Health & Dental Plan regardless of the health practitioner you choose. By consulting a Network member, you will get additional coverage*. *At the time of printing, the Network rebates were subject to change. Please visit www.ihaveaplan.ca for up-to-date information.
Find a health practitioner at www.ihaveaplan.ca. Vision Network
$150 in Savings for Prescription Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses from Montreal Vision Network Members Your Health Plan covers eyeglasses or contact lenses up to $75 and eye exams up to $30. Optometrists and opticians who are part of the Montreal Vision Network charge no more than $50 for eye exams and offer $75 off the regular price of prescription eyeglasses (lenses with frames) or contact lenses. By combining these savings with your Plan’s insured coverage, you save $150 on eyeglasses or contact lenses and you will pay no more than $20 for your eye exam. They can also process your coverage directly with the insurer so you won’t have to pay up front.
15% Off Prescription Eyeglasses and Sunglasses at Greiche & Scaff $150 in Savings for Laser Eye Surgery from LASIK MD Dental Network
Get Up to 100% of Your Dental Costs Covered by Visiting a Dental Network Member Your Plan covers many dental services such as checkups, cleanings, fillings, and wisdom teeth, for 60% - 70% of the cost, to a maximum of $750 per policy year. The Dental Network provides an additional 20% - 30% in savings, so your total coverage is up to 100% of your dental costs.
Chiropractic Network
No More Than $25 from the Second Visit Onwards Physiotherapy Network
Up to 25% Off Your Evaluation and Treatment Visits The Member Services Centre is there to assist you from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays. (514) 789-8775 Toll-free: 1 866 795-4435
ihaveaplan.ca
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ESSENTIALS
What is SSMU? SSMU is the Students’ Society of McGill University – ou l’Association Étudiante de l’Université McGill (l’AÉUM) – and if you’re an undergraduate, you’re a member. Unlike at some universities, where student politicians are elected to do little more than throw parties and organize charity events, SSMU, at its best, operates more like a union – defending your interests, providing you with resources and opportunities, and making sure the substantial chunk of cash it takes from you is actually put to good use. In practice, of course, this is not always the case, but that’s where you come in. You elect your SSMU representatives and pay their salaries, so it’s up to you to hold them accountable. To help you do so, here’s a quick introduction to SSMU’s four major focuses: representation, operations, campus life, and services.
ESSENTIALS Representation
Perhaps SSMU’s most important function is representing students to other groups like the McGill administration and the government. At the university level, this means making sure that undergrads have a say in decision-making. Stuck in McGill’s web of red tape? Pissed off that your classes are so big? Angry that the administration wants you to pay higher tuition? This year, Joshua Abaki is SSMU’s VP University Affairs, and he’s paid to lobby McGill on your behalf. Outside McGill, SSMU plays a role in the Quebec and Canadian student movements. For VP External Affairs Myriam Zaidi, this involves organizing students around important issues, working with other student associations, and lobbying the municipal, provincial, and federal governments. This year will see big things for the External Affairs portfolio, with the possibility for a major tuition hike on the horizon for Quebec students.
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Operations
SSMU operates the William Shatner University Centre, better known as the Shatner Building. In it you’ll find the offices of campus clubs and services, places to eat, drink, and relax, and much more. SSMU also provides a student health and dental plan, space for student events, and a day care service. VP Finance and Operations Nicholas Drew oversees the management and allocation of SSMU money, so hassle him to find out more about where your hard-earned cash is going.
Campus Life
VP Internal Tom Fabian is responsible for making sure that all undergrads – drinkers and non-drinkers alike – have a good time at McGill. In addition to crowded boozefests like Frosh and OAP, SSMU organizes nonfor-credit courses on topics as varied as guitar playing to kick boxing.
Clubs & Services
There are tons of SSMU clubs for you to join, and they come in all shapes and sizes: political, ethnic, athletic, culinary, artistic, and so on. And if you still can’t find your niche, you can always start your own club. SSMU also provides a number of student services to help you out, like Queer McGill, the Union for Gender Empowerment, the Sexual Assault Centre, and more. Want details? Talk to VP Clubs & Services Anushay Khan.
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ESSENTIALS
Your first week Hello, babies. Welcome to McGill. Your first week of McGill life can be one of your most memorable, or one of your haziest, depending on how you play the game. You’re likely already familiar with the various Frosh options, which are great. But there are also a few realworld-related things you should hop on, you know, now.
Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22 Move in to rez! Your move-in date is determined by your last name or the hall to which you have been assigned; see your arrival information sheet or
mcgill.ca/residences/undergraduate/ admissions/movein for information
about where to go and when to show up.
Monday, August 23
Go to Rez Fest, an all-day event where you’ll be able to meet and bond with your floor fellows and housemates. There’ll be live music, games, activities, and a hall meeting in the evening where your floor fellow will go over a bunch of important rez life details. Also be sure to check out the Life in Residences handbook, available online at mcgill.ca/residences/undergraduate/life/handbook, which will tell you everything you need to know about having a great year in rez. You can also use part of today to get some necessary things done before frosh craziness begins. You can get your student ID card at the Service Point in the McLennan Building; be sure to bring your McGill ID number (provided on your letter of acceptance), a piece of government-issued ID, and certain other legal documents – visit mcgill.ca/legaldocuments to find out which ones you need based on your status.
ESSENTIALS Tuesday, August 24 Discover McGill is today; it’s a oneday, campus-wide orientation. There, you’ll learn about McGill’s resources for academic and personal success, about Student Services, and about SSMU. You’ll also tour the campus with other new students from your faculty, meet and chat with upperyear undergrads, and learn how to get involved in student life.
Wednesday, August 25 through Friday, August 27 Starting today, through the rest of the week, you can meet with an advisor who will help you decipher which courses to take, how many credits you need, and more. Refer to your Welcome to McGill book to see your faculty’s schedule. Also starting today, you can visit the First Year Resource Room, in the Brown Building room 2100, for access to phones, computers (in case you still need to register for courses), and all manner of other assistance from friendly, knowledgeable folks. Today is also the first day of Faculty Froshes, which run through the 27th.
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Saturday, August 28 and Sunday August 29 This weekend, Rad Frosh and SSMU Frosh activities are held.
Wednesday, September 1 Classes begin! Keep in mind that the first couple weeks of school are known as the add/drop period; during these two weeks you can change your course schedule to your heart’s content. So go to courses, look over syllabi, and decide whether they seem as good in person as they do on paper. Just make sure you get your schedule set by the add/drop deadline, September 14, and remember that you sometimes don’t have a choice about whether or not you take certain requirements, so keep your program guidelines in mind. Once you’ve settled on a schedule, buy some books. While everything’s available at the McGill bookstore on McTavish, you can often find cheaper second-hand books at the Word (469 Milton) or through McGill’s classified ads.
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ESSENTIALS
Getting Around The OPUS Card
A few years back, Montreal’s public transportation changed from a ticketbased system to using the OPUS Card. OPUS is a smart card that you can use on all forms of public transit in Montreal – buses, the metro, trains – as long as you have the correct fare. You just buy the card, for $3, and then you load with fares as necessary; it works on a declining balance. For more information, visit carteopus.info.
Key Bus routes
The 80 runs on Avenue du Parc from Place des Arts metro all the way north to Parc metro and comes very frequently throughout the day. It stops at Milton, just a few blocks from the Milton gates, as well as in front of Parc Jeanne-Mance and at cross-streets all the way up to Mile-End and beyond. The 24 runs east-west along Sherbrooke, stopping at the Roddick Gates and westward in Westmount and NDG,
BIXI
BIXI is Montreal’s bikeshare program. Citywide, there are 300 BIXI stations and 3,000 bikes. It’s simple to use: you take out a bike at one BIXI station, and you can return it at any other station in Montreal. The amount you pay depends on how long you have the bike, and the first 30 minutes are free. Visit montreal.bixi.com to get more details.
and eastward near Parc Lafontaine and just north of the Village. The 165 will take you from Guy-Concordia metro, downtown, all the way to TMR. It makes stops all along Côte-desNeiges and runs frequently during rush hour. The 51 runs from far-western Montreal all the way to Laurier Metro in the east. Eastern Plateau-dwellers can take the 51 to Parc and then connect to the 80 bus to get to campus.
ESSENTIALS
Hop on aboard Montreal’s fantastic metro system, which will take you anywhere for $2.75
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12
ESSENTIALS
Emergency resources Hopefully, you’ll never need to use these resources during your time in Montreal. But if something goes wrong, these are the people and places that can help you out. In case of emergency, dial 911
Hospitals
Places to sleep
Royal Victoria Hospital
If you find yourself without a place to lay your head, try these addresses:
Montreal General Hospital
Auberge Alternative du Vieux Montreal
Montreal Hotel-Dieu Hospital
Montreal Youth Hostel
Montreal Jewish General Hospital
Women’s shelters
678 Pine W. 514-842-1231 1650 Cedar 514-937-6011
3840 St. Urbain 514-843-2611
3755 Chemin Côte-Ste-Catherine 514-340-8222
St. Mary’s Hospital
3830 Lacombe 514-345-3511
358 St. Pierre 514-282-8069 $20 a night 1030 Mackay 514-843-3317 $28 per night. For a complete listing of shelters, please contact main@sacomss.org.
ESSENTIALS
Phone Lines Campus Security
Emergencies: 514-398-3000; general information: 514-398-4566
Nightline
514-398-MAIN Open 6pm to 3am, 7 days a week. A confidential listening, information, and referral service operated by students.
Queerline
514-398-6822 Open 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday. A non-judgmental listening, support, and referral service.
Walksafe
514-398-2498 Red-Jacketed volunteers can walk you home from anywhere on the island.
Drivesafe
514-398-8040 Similar to walksafe, but with a car. Operates most Fridays, and for special events throughout the year.
Info-Santé
811 Call anytime to be connected to a nurse who can give you health advice and information on nearby resources.
Urgence Toxico
514-288-1515 24/7 information on drugs, alcohol, and gambling.
Suicide-Action Montreal
514-723-4000 A support service for anything to do with suicide.
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Medical Appointments and Drop-in Clinics McGill Student Health Services
3600 McTavish, Suite 3300, 514-398-6017 Health Services is where you’ll wind up for most of your health problems while you’re at McGill, since it’s convenient, offers most things, and is totally free for full-time students. You can call and make an appointment or, if it’s urgent, go to drop-in hours between 9am and 4pm, Monday through Friday. Show up early, because there’s always a long line, and patients are seen on a first-come, firstserved basis. Health Services is also the most convenient place to go to get medical notes if you’re too sick to take a test – remember that you have to get the note on the day of illness (professors’ decisions are not bound by them), and you’ll only get one if you’re actually sick. Also at McGill are a Dental Clinic (514-398-3155) and Mental Health Clinic (514-398-6019), both on the fifth floor of the Brown Building. The Office for Students with Disabilities (514-398-6009) is on the third floor of the Brown Building, and\ there’s also a Sports Medicine Clinic in the gym (514-398- 7007, 475 Pine W.).
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ESSENTIALS
The CLSC
If Health Services is closed or extremely busy, CLSCs may be your best bet. They’re the main source for health and social services in Quebec, and most of them offer appointments and drop-in hours. If you’re from outside Quebec, be sure to tell the clinic staff – they may need additional paperwork or require payment up-front (to be reimbursed by your insurance provider). Every neighbourhood has a specific CLSC which serves people from its defined area. The three locations closest to McGill are CLSC Metro (1801 Maisonneuve W., 514-934-0534), Clinique Medicale de la Cite (300 Léo-Pariseau, 514-281-1721), and CLSC Plateau Mont-Royal (4689 Papineau, 514521-7663), which only offers appointments. You can afind a full lisiting at indexsante.ca/CLSC/Montreal.
Sexual Assault Resources
Your first resource in emergencies is always 911, but there is also a network of sexual assault services in Montreal. For more complete listings, e-mail main@sacomss.org. SACOMSS helpline
514-398-8500 S.O.S Violence conjugale 24/7
514-873-9010 or 1-800-363-9010 Montreal Sexual Assault Centre
1801 Maisonneuve O., Suite 400 514-934-4504 Groupe d’intervention en violence conjugal chez les lesbiennes
514-526-2452 givcl.qc.ca
Head and Hands
5833 SherbrookeO. 514-481-0277
info@headandhands.ca
CLSC Metro
1801 Maisonneuve O., Suite 400 514-934-0354 (helpline at 514-934-4504) clscmetro.qc.ca
Hotel de Dieu Montréal
3840 St. Urbain 514-843-2645 Montreal General Hospital Emergency Department
1650 Cedar 514-934-8090 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.
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YOUR STUDENTS’ SOCIETY SSMU is your student union – the body most responsible for safeguarding your rights and making sure your time at McGill is excellent. In the next few pages, learn how to take advantage of all that SSMU offers, as well as how to get involved if you think something’s lacking.
16 Letter from the executives 18 How SSMU works 20 The Shatner building 21 SSMU clubs 22 SSMU services 24 SSMU on the issues
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SSMU
Zach Newburgh President
Myriam Zaidi VP External
Joshua Abaki VP University Affairs
president@ssmu.mcgill.ca
external@ssmu.mcgill.ca
ua@ssmu.mcgill.ca
Your SSMU Executive On behalf of the 2010-2011 SSMU Executive, welcome to McGill, and thank you for taking the time to read our new student handbook. Before you delve into student life at McGill, it may be helpful to gather some useful information that will help you get acquainted with the basics of our student union. The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is the official representative body of the undergraduate students of McGill University, and is housed in the Shatner University Centre on McTavish
Street. The SSMU was founded in 1908, and has since grown into a reputable organization that services over twenty thousand undergraduates each year. SSMU coordinates and facilitates a Freshman Orientation program, allocates funding and other resources to over two hundred student groups and services, represents student interests to the McGill Administration and the provincial and federal governments, and ensures adequate study and social space on campus for students. The SSMU is comprised of three primary branches of governance: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Executive, elected by students on an annual basis, is the branch responsible for SSMU’s dayto-day operations; the Legislative Coun-
SSMU
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Nicholas Drew VP Finance & Operations
Tom Fabian VP Internal
Anushay Khan VP Clubs & Services
operations@ssmu.mcgill.ca
internal@ssmu.mcgill.ca
cs@ssmu.mcgill.ca
cil, also elected by students, is comprised of representatives from faculty associations, in addition to representatives from clubs and services at McGill. The Judicial Board is responsible for settling disputes that require an official interpretation of the Constitution, Bylaws, and/or SSMU’s Policies, and is comprised of students who are members of the Law Faculty. Some of SSMU’s most famous operations consist of our diverse array of social events, including Frosh Week, Activities Night, the “4Floors” Halloween Bash, Gerts – the student-run bar where many McGill students spend their evenings in order to get away from the stress of schoolwork – and the SSMU Daycare for student parents.
In short, SSMU is the home of student life at McGill University. Over the course of this coming year, the SSMU Executive is excited to work with you to provide the best university experience that we have to offer. If you’re interested in getting involved, please do not hesitate to dropby the office or send us an email. We are always looking to engage new students in new ways, and to provide everyone with a means by which they can leave a lasting impact on our campus. We a`re looking forward to an unbelievable year ahead of us, and to sharing it with all of you. The 2010-2011 SSMU Executive
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SSMU
How SSMU Works Confused by SSMU and how it gets things done? Below is some information about the way the organization functions, as well as a few basic ways for you to get involved.
Council
SSMU Legislative Council is the Board of Directors of SSMU. It’s SSMU’s highest governing body and is responsible for
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all the Society’s deciSEPtember sions. Council is made up of 35 representatives, from each faculty as well as from Athletics, first council Residences, First-Year students, Clubs & Services, the Senate Caucus, and the SSMU executive. Council meets every other week in the Lev Bukhman room on the second floor of the Shatner building. You’re welcome to sit in the peanut gallery and take part in the proceedings: you have the right to ask questions, as long as you do so at the appropriate times.
SSMU Elections McGill
Elections McGill governs and monitors SSMU’s elections. The Society is known for having some of the strictest electoral by-laws of any student union in Canada, which keeps things calm – or calmer than they would be – during election periods, which usually take place in late February or Early March. If you’re interested in running for a SSMU position, contact Elections McGill (ssmu.mcgill.ca/elections) to get all the necessary information.
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If Council makes a decision you think is unconstitutional, or the elections period goes to hell in a handbasket, you can contest these things at the J-Board. Go to Student Advocacy, on the main floor of Shatner, to get an advocate to help you through the process.
Referenda
Want to “be the change?” One way to do work for change at SSMU is to put forward a referendum question. A Referendum Question can propose just about Portfolio Committees anything – even amend the constituEach SSMU exec has a Portfolio tion – but can only levy a fee if approved Committee, theoretically charged with by SSMU Council. Before submitting a overseeing the finances and duties of the question, talk to the Chief Electoral Ofexecutive in question. If there’s something ficer (CEO) of Elections McGill to make you really want to see happen, this is your sure your question is permissible and that best shortcut: figure out which executive it accomplishes your goal. portfolio it falls under and get on their Once you have a question, you’ve got to committee. After all, keeners make the collect the requisite number of student world go round. signatures and submit them by a set deadline. You can then form a “Yes” comSenate Caucus mittee (which requires following some additional rules … remember what we said This is where the VP University Affairs about SSMU’s rigorous electoral by-laws?) sits down with the student Senators, to campaign for your question to pass. who are elected by students to sit on the University’s highest academic body. Together they decide which tough quesGeneral Assemblies tions to raise at Senate meetings and how The other way to get involved with to amend motions that are going to the SSMU is by submitting A General Asfloor. They also advise the VP on what is sembly (GA) motion. SSMU has to hold happening in university and faculty com- one GA each term, but students can call mittees. special GAs to address specific issues. The Speaker of SSMU Council is your go-to J-Board person for information here; as with refThe Judicial Board, or “J-Board,” is the erendum questions, you’ll need to gather final interpreter of the SSMU Constitustudent signatures in support of GA tion, by-laws, electoral disputes, and motions, so get in touch with the Speaker other legal matters. Five upper-year law (speaker@ssmu.mcgill.ca) for information students sit on J-Board; they’re appointed on relevant dates and regulations. by the previous year’s SSMU leadership.
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SSMU
The Shatner Building If you get involved with student life at McGill in any way, the Shatner Building (3480 McTavish) will likely become your second home. Since you’re going to be spending so much time there, let’s take a look around, shall we?
Basement
Go to Gerts Bar, named after Gertrude Stein, for a beer-soaked study break. Gert’s also houses al-Talib, a cheap Lebanese restaurant that serves pizza, pitas, and the like. TV McGill (tvmcgill.com), McGill’s television station, has their office/studio/ cutting-room in B-23. The McGill Daily (mcgilldaily.com), and its francophone sister paper Le Délit (delitfrancais.com), are two of your three campus papers. Stop by their offices in B-24 and you’ll find a Mac-based design shop and scores of budding journalisttypes who’d be happy for you to join their ranks. The Sexual Assault centre of McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS; sacomss. org) is open to anybody looking for support, information, or who is interested in volunteering. Drop by B-27 or call 3988500 for more information.
First Floor
Café Supréme is your go-to spot for expensive sandwiches, salads, and coffee. The SSMU lounge has comfy couches and dim lighting that lends itself well to between-class naps; you can also take advantage of wireless internet to do some studying.
The McGill Legal Information Clinic (mlic.mcgill.ca/MLIC.html) is a free service for students run by volunteers from the Law Faculty. Go there if you’re getting bullied by McGill, your landlord, or anyone else. Voyages Campus (voyagescampus.com) is an on-campus travel agency. You can also go there to get your International Student Identity Card. The McGill Tribune, (mcgilltribune. com) formerly SSMU’s official newspaper, is headed into its first year as an independent paper this year. Stop by their offices to see how they’re faring.
Second Floor
The Shatner food court houses Franx Supreme, Tiki-Ming, and Cultures. Stop by the Plate Club, generally set up outside the food court doors, to borrow a reusable dish for your lunch. SSMU Council meets every other Thursday in the Lev Bukhman conference room.
Third Floor
The Shatner Ballroom is used for large events and minicourses. Players’ Theatre (ssmu.mcgill.ca/ players) is one of McGill’s many on-campus Theatre companies. Midnight Kitchen (themidnightkitchen. blogspot.com) serves a vegan, pay-whatyou-can lunch every day; locations vary, but MK can generally be found at 12:30 in room 302.
Fourth Floor
Here you’ll find office space for clubs and services, as well as an open clubs lounge and a couple of meeting rooms that students can book.
SSMU
Clubs
clubs-services/clubs/how-to-start-aclub) or at the SSMU front desk.
From the Pre-Law Society to the Europe Club, and Amnesty International to New Earth Voices, there are clubs for everyone at McGill. You can find a full list at ssmu.mcgill.ca/clubs-services/clubs. Student involvement in clubs, services, and publications is a big part of student life on campus, and it’s really easy to get involved. Here’s a quick run down of everything you need to know to find your niche.
Activities Night
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SEPtember
14/15
Activities Night is the best opportunity to browse around all the activities night clubs and services out there and talk to representatives about joining up. Generally held once in midSeptember and again in mid-January, Activities Night means that tables are set up over every inch of the Shatner building; each club or services has a table and you can shop around, visiting club executives and signing up for mailing lists.
How to Start a Club
If you swung by Activities Night and nothing caught your attention, there’s a simple solution: start a club of your own. Here’s a guide to doing it yourself, in five easy steps: • Find at least five friends who share your interest • Prepare a constitution for your group that includes its name, mandate, executive structure, and membership. Your constitution should follow the Sample Club constitution, which is available online (at ssmu.mcgill.ca/
• Review your constitution with the Interest Group Coordinator (igc@ssmu. mcgill.ca) to ensure that your constitution doesn’t conflict with the SSMU constitution or overlap with any other SSMU group. • Submit your final interim status application, which consists of a cover letter, a constitution, and a member list, to igc@ssmu.mcgill.ca. • Your application will then be reviewed by the Clubs & Services committee. Once a group is granted interim recognition, it maintains that status for 3 months. During that time, you will need to sign up 25 members and fill all Executive (or other) formal positions mentioned in your constitution through the appropriate channels. You must also host at least 3 substantial activities during that time. After 3 months of being an interim status club (or more if necessary), if the club has met the above requirements, you may apply for full status by submitting a Full Status Application, which consists of a cover letter, a member list of at least 25 members, and the details of three events you have held. If more than 3 months elapse after the approval of the club for Interim Status and the VP Clubs and Services is not contacted, the club may lose its status. If more than 3 months are needed, please contact the Interest Group Coordinator with an estimate of when the group will be able to apply for full status. All the forms necessary to complete this process can be found online at ssmu.
mcgill.ca/clubs-services/clubs.
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SSMU
Services
McGill Mature and Re-Entry Students’ Association
SSMU provides many valuable services for students. Here’s a look at some you might want to take advantage of. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, keep in mind that McGill also offers various non-academic services to students; check those out on page 35. You can also head to ssmu.mcgill.ca/clubs-services/ services/ for more SSMU service-related info.
MRSA is an informal social network for Mature and Re-Entry students at McGill.
Black Students’ Network
Midnight Kitchen
ssmu.mcgill.ca/bsn
Shatner Building room 414; themidnightkitchen.blogspot.com
The Black Students’ Network offers social and political events by and for black students, as well as hosting discussions and providing mentoring and resources.
ssmu.mcgill.ca/mrsa
McGill Nightline 514.398.MAIN
The nightline offers confidential listeners who will lend an ear, and who can also provide general information about anything from health services to restaurant phone numbers.
Midnight Kitchen serves a vegan, paywhat-you-can lunch to students every Monday through Friday.
The Flat
Organic Campus
Shatner Building room B-02; theflat. wordpress.com
“Organic Corner” on the second floor of the Shatner Building; organiccampus. blogspot.com
The Flat is a bicycle collective that seeks to make cycling more accessible through the sharing of knowledge and tools.
McGill First Aid Service Shatner Building room 418 (daytime) or Molson Hall room 100 (nighttime); mcgillfirstaidservice.org
McGill First Aid Service (MFAS) is a volunteer-run organization that provides emergency, First Responder care to students. They’re on-call in Upper Rez from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every night during the school year.
McGill International Students’ Network
Shatner Building room 1100; misn.ca
MISN organizes events to welcome and support international students.
Head to the organic corner on Tuesdays to buy produce and baked goods from local, organic farms.
The Plate Club ssmu.mcgill.ca/environment/?q=groups-1
The Plate club provides reusable dishes that can be rented (for free) for lunch in the Shatner food court or for campus events.
Players’ Theatre Shatner Building second floor; ssmu. mcgill.ca/players
This black box theatre produces several shows a year that are acted, directed, and produced by McGill students.
SSMU
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The Flat, SSMU’s bike collective, is located in Shatner B-02, right next to Gerts.
Queer McGill
Union for Gender Empowerment
Shatner Building room 432; queermcgill.ca
Shatner Building room 413; unionforgenderempowerment.wordpress.com
Queer McGill is a political, social, and support service for queer people and their friends.
Sexual Assault Centre of McGill Students’ Society
Shatner Building room B-27; sacomss.org
SACOMMS offers anonymous, nonjudgmental, and confidential helpline and drop-in services to survivors of sexual assault of all genders and sexual orientations. They also coordinate support groups and accompaniment through McGill sexual harassment and discrimination procedures.
UGE is McGill’s campus centre for gender advocacy. They maintain a huge library and a pro-woman and trans- and queer-positive lounge space.
Walksafe walksafe.ca
Walksafe provides accompaniment for students who do not wish to walk home alone at night. Call them at from anywhere in Montreal at 1-877-WALKSAFE.
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SSMU
SSMU on the Issues There are tons of important issues that affect students every day, and it’s your students’ society’s job to lobby around those issues on your behalf. Don’t forget – SSMU is there to represent your interests and opinions. Below we’ve had your new SSMU executive write up position summaries on a few issues that we think are going to matter this year. Read them and consider what they say. That way, you can get behind SSMU’s initiatives if you think they’re spot on, or get involved if you think there’s something they’re missing.
Underfunding and tuition hikes
Last spring, the Quebec government announced that university tuition will increase in 2012; an important issue this year will be the fight against these increases. While it is clear that our universities are underfunded, we need to make the government understand that there are other ways in which this underfunding can be resolved, without affecting students, who already have huge amounts of debt and who often struggle to afford living costs. This year, SSMU will gather its energies and join many other student associations across the province to fight for education that is accessible to all.
Renegoitating SSMU’s Memorandum of Agreement with McGill Over the course of this year, the SSMU will be renegotiating its Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the McGill Administration. What, you say, is an MOA? This document defines the relationship between the University and the Society, and establishes official procedures, in order to prevent disputes from arising out
of misunderstanding. Almost all faculty associations have an MOA with the University, as do a few other groups that exist on campus. Due to the quantity of MOAs that exist, renegotiation over the terms will not likely be as hectic as they have been in the past, but I guess we’ll see about that!
The Student-Centred University
McGill says it is a “student-centered research intensive university.” Being student centered means seeking and putting student interests first in decisions the administration takes. As your student representatives this year, SSMU is committed to making sure that McGill is not only a student centered University in word, but also in deed. We will work with the administration, faculty and staff to improve life and learning, and to ensure that we get your feedback on important issues so that we can best represent you. Help us put the U in University by getting involved in committees, filling out surveys, your course evaluations, talking to your senators, attending GAs or dropping us an email about your concerns. We love it when you do that!
Student Apathy
Over the decades McGill has quietly become one of the most diverse universities in North America. And in conjunction with these changing norms, SSMU has been working tirelessly to reach out to all of the new student groups and communities. It’s hard enough to maintain student interest in the downtown hub of Montreal; when combined with the variety of interests of diverse groups, it has increasingly difficult to combat student apathy. This year’s executive will be bringing to you the “Get Ready” Campaign spark interest and revive the once endangered life of the common McGill undergrad. Get Ready.
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YOUR UNIVERSITY These hallowed halls are going to be your academic home for the next three or four years, so you’re going to want to make yourself at home. Turn the page for information on the ins and outs of Old McGill.
26 Key administrators 28 Governance 29 Grading 30 Student rights 32 Finances 34 Libraries
35 McGill services 36 Academic advising
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McGill
MUNROE-BLUM
MASI
MENDELSON
McGill’s Administration In recent years, the people who run McGill have evicted student groups, passed restrictive protest policies, and become increasingly tough on studentrun groups and services that wish to include “McGill” in their name. That’s not to say they haven’t done some good things, like throw their support behind the Office of Sustainability, too. Here’s some basic information that should help you keep them accountable, and admin phone numbers, in case you’ve got a bone to pick.
McGill Principal and Vice Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum; 398-4180
Recently appointed for a second term (until 2012) as the head of McGill University, Munroe-Blum has proved a controversial leader. She has been a board member of mining giant Alcan and has described herself as “the CEO of one of the city’s major enterprises.” Shortly after her first appointment she set about restructuring the university’s administration and decision-making structures and pumping money into McGill’s PR efforts. She remains focused on fundraising initiatives and external representation, and has been concerned with combating McGill’s perennial underfunding. After lobbying all levels of government for a reinvestment in post-secondary education, she turned her energies toward forging public-private parternerships, de-freezing tuition, and attracting donors. The biggest project to date is the Capital Campaign, an attempt to raise $750 million for the univeristy.
Provost Anthony Masi; 398-4177
Second in command, Masi oversees, well, everything, from the university’s budget to the use of space on campus. He has been teaching at McGill since 1979, has been an administrator for ten years, and has just received a second appointment as Provost that lasts until 2015.
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson; 398-3109
A McGill psychology professor, Mendelson was appointed in 2006 to oversee student life at McGill, and he’s got his work cut out for him. Mendelson oversees the miles of red tape associated with academic
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advising, financial aid, course feedback, residence life, exchange programs, and whether student groups can use the word “McGill” in their names.
Interim Vice Principal (Administration & Finance) Michael L. Richards; 398-6037
Richards prepares and maintains McGill’s annual billion-dollar budget. In addition to joining the admin, he’s a senior partner at one of Canada’s swankiest law firms, where he protects the interests of huge corporations.
Vice Principal (Development and Alumni Relations) Marc Weinstein; 398-3575
After the controversial hiring and firing of former Maclean’s journalist Ann Dowsett-Johnston – who managed to make over $700,000 in less than two years working at McGill – Weinstein now heads McGill’s capital campaign and fundraising efforts.
Interim Vice Principal (Research and International Relations) Rima Rozen; 398-3993
Appointed in March of this year, Rozen has been a professor in McGill’s Human Genetics and Pediatrics Department and the Deputy Scientific Director of the McGill University Health Centre. She oversees McGill’s research policies – including private-public partnerships, animal testing, and military contracts – and is also in charge of McGill’s current restructuring of research services.
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McGill
University Governance
Board of Governors
The Board of Governors deals primarily with the interests of McGill as a corporation and is technically the highest authority at the University. They primarSenate ily address legal, financial, and human Senate is a huge governing body that resources issues. The “BoG” is composed handles the policies and guidelines govof 25 voting members, and 2 non-voting erning most of the University’s activities. student observers (one representative It is an essential forum for information from the McGill Association of Conand consultation. While it may be made tinuing Education Students and one up entirely of professors, students, admin- representative of the Macdonald Campus istrators, and union members, it can be a Students’ Society). bit insulated from the rest of the McGill community. The composition of BoG is as follows: Senators will proudly tell you that Sen• Chancellor, ex officio ate runs on a collegial model. • Principal and Vice-Chancellor, ex officio • 12 members-at-large Col-le-gial: (adj) of or characterized • 3 representatives of the McGill by the collective responsibility shared by Alumni Association each of a group of colleagues, with mini• 2 representatives of Senate mal supervision from above. (Dictionary. • 2 representatives of the academic staff com Unabridged v 1.1) • 2 representatives of the administrative and support staff Concerned? Get to know who your • 1 representative of the Students’ Socirepresentatives are and let them know ety of McGill University what matters to you. Better still, come see • 1 representative of the Post-Graduate Senate for yourself! Senate meets once a Students’ Society month during the academic year. You can find the schedule of Senate here: http://www.mcgill.ca/senate/ Chancellor: H. Arnold Steinberg Most students’ only interaction with the Chancellor is at their graduation. Chancellor Steinberg was newly appointed Chancellor in the Spring of 2009. He has an extensive past as a Montreal businessman and philanthropist. To learn more about the other members of the BoG check out: http://www.mcgill. ca/boardofgovernors/membership/ .
McGill
Grading At McGill, grades matter, so some of you will likely spend the next four years living and dying with each tiny change in your GPA. Others will coast through with gentlemen’s Cs. What does any of this mean? Listen up now…
Your GPA
Your GPA is your grade point average, or the average of all the marks you’ve gotten in a given term, once they’ve been translated into the four-point system (see below). You can find your GPA on Minerva, where it’s listed in your unofficial transcript. Remember that your GPA refers only to one semester. It’s your CGPA, or cumulative grade point average, that calculates your overall average for all the courses you’ve taken at McGill.
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The Mcgill Grading Scale A A- B+ B B- C+ C D F
4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.0 0
85-100% 80-84% 75-79% 70-74% 65-69% 60-64% 55-59% 50-54% 0-49%
concentration), you can choose the S/U option in Minerva and all you have to do is get a C to pass the course. S/U courses will be listed on your transcript – instead of an A or B you’ll see an S if you pass or a U if you fail – but they won’t get factored into your GPA, so you can proceed worry-free.
Grading Letters
You’re probably wondering what all of the letters past F mean on your transcript. A quick note about getting kicked out of Some affect your CGPA and some don’t, school: while you can indeed coast by on so pay attention. A “J” indicates that Cs, if your GPA falls below a 2.0, you will you were absent for the final exam, and be put onto academic probation, which counts as an “F” in your GPA. A “K” looks pretty bad and means you’ll need to means that you have been given an extenpull your average up to a 2.5. If you fall sion on the deadline for the submission of below a 1.5, you’ll be placed in unsatisfac- a course assignment. “K”s will not affect tory standing and you’ll have to request your GPA, assuming that you complete readmission to your program if you want the missing assignment in the time you’ve to continue. been given. An “L” means you have deferred a course exam, and will not affect The S/U Option your GPA as long as you take the exam Lest worries over your GPA get in the during the appropriate deferred exam peway of you taking elective courses you’re riod. You’ll see a “Q” on your transcript if interested in but not sure you’d do well you’re taking a full-year course that’s only in, McGill has a Satisfactory/Unsatisfachalfway done, and a “W” indicates that tory (S/U) grading option that you can you’ve withdrawn from a course. take advantage of. When you register for an elective course (that’s one that’s not go- For further information about grading, ing to count toward your major or minor visit mcgill.ca/oasis/general/grading.
Academic Standing
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McGill
Your Rights
past, required the use of what the university calls “text-matching software” to “prevent” plagiarism. Basically, a piece of As a student at McGill, you are entitled software reads your paper and compares to enjoy all the rights and freedoms recog- it to a database to see whether there are nized by law. This includes the Canadian portions of it that match any text in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the database. It also adds your paper to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and database, in what can be considered a Freedoms. These documents protect, for significant infringement of students’ intelexample, your religious freedom, freedom lectual property rights. You do not have of expression, and freedom of association. to agree to this requirement. Instructors who use the system are required to inform the class in writing of the use of textYour Rights as a Student matching software, and of the possibility As a student, you have important of using alternative methods to “attest to rights and freedoms that the University the authenticity of their work.” recognizes. You can, for instance, submit written work and write exams in either Students with Disabilities English or French (except, of course, Students registered with the Office for in language courses), and you have the Students with Disabilities are entitled to a right to accommodation on religous specific set of rights, such as the right to a holidays. These rights are recorded in the barrier-free environment, to any necesso-called Green Book, officially known sary modifications in a course’s evaluation as the Handbook on Student Rights and proccess, and to use services like noteResponsibilities. The book can be found takers and readers. For more information online at mcgill.ca/files/secretariat/ visit mcgill.ca/osd/stu_rights. Student-Handbook-2009-English.pdf. It’s also available at the Office of the Dean of Your Resources Students. Do you feel that you’ve been wronged Sexual Harassment Policy or that your rights have been overlooked? In 2005, McGill adopted a “Policy on Use these resources to find out more Harassment, Sexual Harassment and about your rights and make sure they’re Discrimination Prohibited by Law.” This respected. policy outlines procedures for addressing an allegation of sexual harassment. If you Peers make an allegation of harassment, sexual Many students have had run-ins with harassment, or discrimination, your administrative red tape. If you need complaint can spark an investigation, but someone to help you out through the your name cannot be made public by the process, contact SSMU’s VP University person investigating the claim. Affairs, Joshua Abaki (ua@ssmu.mcgill. ca).
Text-matching Software
Some professors at McGill have, in the
McGill
Ombudsperson for Students The Ombudsperson, who is independent of University structures, tries to resolve conflict through informal mediation. The ombudsperson is also an excellent resource for finding out more about the university’s rules and regulations. Get in touch at 398-7059 or ombudsperson@
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Your Responsibilities Doing You Own Work
You might have gotten great training in high school about plagiarism and doing work that is fair. Then again, you might not have. Either way, you can get in serious, serious trouble – maybe even expelled mcgill.ca. – for plagiarism or other academic offenses, like cheating. To plagiarize, accordGrievance Procedures ing to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, is You can lodge a grievance with the Senate to “take and use [the thoughts, writings, Committee on Student Grievances if you inventions, etc., of another person] as one’s believe your Rights under the Charter own.” McGill defines it as representing of Students’ Rights have been infringed someone else’s work as your own. Basically, upon by a university official in a position it’s not being honest about where ideas, of authority. Your first step should be to phrases, and other things originated. go through informal conflict-resoluation So how can you avoid it? First of all, do procedures (for example, talking to the your own work. Second, make sure you know where Ombudsperson for students, or going to your information has come from. Third, your department or faculty or the Dean and most importantly, give credit to all of Students). The grievance procedure is the people whose work has informed like a court case: you, (the complainant) yours, generally by using properly forand the person who is the subject of your matted citations. Helpful tips on citing complaint (the respondent) will be called sources correctly can be found at mcgill. to the Committee on Student Grievances ca/library/library-assistance/how-to-cite/. and will present your cases, after being provided with an advisor from The McGill See mcgill.ca/integrity for further details Legal Information Clinic’s Student Advoon what is acceptable and what isn’t. cacy Prvogram. The Committee will hear your case and decide on an appropriate action to take.
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McGill
Finances (Tuition, Fees, and Aid) It costs a lot of money to attend McGill. Here, we’re going to tell you who’s taking it, and where it’s going. Undergraduate tuition at McGill varies depending on a student’s nationality and place of residence. There are three categories: Quebec residents (who pay $2,067.90 in tuition), out of province Canadian residents (these students’ tuition costs $5,667.60), and international students (international students in the Faculties of Arts and Education pay $14,461.80, Music students pay $16,159.50, Science and Engineering kids pay $21,600, and Management students pay $24,840). Yearly tuition depends on the number of courses taken throughout the year; the prices above are for full-time study, which is typically 8-10 courses over two semesters. You can find information about how much money you owe McGill on Minerva, on your Student Accounts Menu page. You’ll be able to access things like your online bill and make payments over the Internet. You can also get information by visiting the Student Accounts Office, in room 201 of the James Administration Building.
Compulsory Fees
Alongside tuition, McGill charges students a series of fees that finance many of the services provided by the university. These fees usually add up to $500, on top of your tuition each semester. They’re
subject to regular increases. McGill defines part-time students – who often pay decreased fees – as taking less than 9 credits per term. Student Services Fee (full-time: $133 per term; part-time $80 per term)
This fee funds nearly every service offered in the Brown Building, from Student Health to Career and Placement Services. Athletics Fee (full-time: $120.50 per term; part-time $72.91 per term)
This money goes toward athletic facilities, campus recreation programs, and intercollegiate sports. Registration Charge ($7.18 per credit) Information Technology Charge ($7.01 per credit)
This funds all IT services provided by McGill. Transcripts and Diploma Charge ($1.28 per credit)
Students are entitled to freely order transcripts throughout the year. This fee covers that expense, as well as costs associated with graduation. Copyright Fee ($0.83 per credit)
These fees cover the costs of photocopying copyrighted material. The SSMU Base Fee (undergraduate full-time: $41.45 per semester; undergraduate part-time: $20.70 per semester; professional schools full-time: $31.05 per semester; professional schools part time: $15.49 per semester)
McGill
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Aid menu on Minerva as of August. McGill loans are interest-free until their due date. The Work Study program is another option; it provides students who demonstrate financial need with jobs on campus Students must be registered full-time, in satisfactory academic standing, and must apply for the maximum government aid they are eligible for. To find out more about the program visit:
SSMU Finances itself primarily through student levies. As with McGill fees, parttime students pay less money in fees than full-timers do. The Base Fee pays for all expenses incurred by the Society’s three main focuses: leadership, representation, and services. These include general administrative expenses, maintenance of the Shatner building, governance, operations like Gert’s, and all the clubs services that SSMU oversees.
mcgill.ca/studentaid/workstudy/students/
Other Fees
Government Aid
Beyond the SSMU base fee, you pay a few fees to support SSMU groups and independent organizations. These fees fund the following: CKUT Radio ($4/$2 sem.) Daily Publication Society ($6 sem.) McGill Tribune ($3 sem.) Legal Aid Info Clinic ($3.25 sem.) QPIRG McGill ($3.75 sem.)
McGill Aid
McGill offers merit-based entrance scholarships to students going into their first year of studies at McGill. These are few and far between, only available to the crème de la crème of the entering class. In-course scholarships and prizes for students currently studying at McGill are more plentiful. These scholarships are awarded through academic departments and you should check the Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Calendar for full details. The university also offers an in-course financial aid (loans/bursaries) to full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. These applications must be made for the current academic year, and are usually available under the Financial
Government aid, through the Canada Student Loan Program, is the most popular source of funding for undergrads. To find out more about government aid go to mcgill.ca/studentaid/government. Applications should be made before June 30 by Canadian students to ensure that their aid arrives in time.
The Bank
If you don’t qualify for government aid, or if you find that government aid is insufficient, you can look into opening a line of credit with your bank. Banks sometimes require a cosigner. Contact your financial institution for more details.
Awards
If you’re aiming high and looking for big money for further studies, scholarships like Forces Avenir and the Rhodes are administered by the Office of the Executive Director of Services for Students. Visit mcgill.ca/deanofstudents/recognition for more details. For a comprehensive guide to financial aid at McGill, visit mcgill.ca/studentaid/
faq.
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McGill
Libraries
The Internet has given us infinite amounts of information at our fingertips, but sometimes there are still things that you can only do in a library. McGill’s library system has a collection of over six million items, which includes not only 2.5 million books, but constantly updated collections of literary journals, films, music, and archives. Here’s a brief introduction, but you’ll probably want some more information: finding your way through the collection can be daunting. The library offers orientations and workshops in useful skills like research and proper citation of academic sources, which we recommend. At the very least spend some time on their website, mcgill.
ca/library.
Humanities and Social Sciences: It may be a depressing, brutalist structure, but if you’re in the Faculty of Arts then all the books you’ll ever need will be spread over McLennan-Redpath’s six floors.
Schulich Library of Science and Engineering: Often much quieter than McLennan, Schulich has lots of independent study space as well as a floor designated to group work stations.
Marvin Duchow Music Library
This minimalist space has a huge vinyl collection on the second floor, as well as quiet study space and audio-visual rooms.
Howard Ross Management Library Group study space abounds at this library in the Bronfman building.
Nahum Gelber Law Library
There are lots of electrical outlets and individual desk lamps in this beautiful space.
Birks Reading Room
Ultra-quiet, peaceful space with a rigid set of rules (no shoes, water bottles must be kept on the floor).
Islamic Studies Library
Another quiet, beautiful space where you can often find students staring at the stained glass instead of their books.
Blackader-Lauterman Library of Architecture and Art One of the only places in the McLennan-Redpath complex with windows, this small library is filled to the brim with artsy types. For a map of these libraries, and a guide to McGill’s vast electronic resources, visit mcgill.ca/library
McGill
McGill Services Your McGill fees pay for a number of services offered by the university. The Brown Student Services Building, at 3600 McTavish, is where most of this good stuff is located.
Career Planning Service (CaPs) (Brown Building suite 2200)
CaPs assists students in their career development and will help you find permanent, part-time, or summer jobs, as well as internships. They also hold workshops (how to put together a CV, for instance), offer individual advising, and maintain a job posting service.
Chaplaincy Services (Brown Building suite 4400)
Here you’ll find Christian, Jewish, Sikh, Muslim, and Buddhist Chaplains who are happy to provide guidance, support, and a welcoming community to students at McGill.
Counselling Service (Brown Building suite 4200)
The McGill Counselling Service assists students in dealing with personal, academic, and vocational concerns. The service is confidential and free of charge.
First-Year Office (Brown Building suite 2100)
The First-Year Office offers workshops on things like study skills and paper writing, can advise you on financial concerns, will give you tips on discovering Montreal, and more.
Mental Health Service (Brown Building suite 5500)
McGill’s Mental Health Service offers by-appointment psychological and psychiatric services for all students.
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Off-Campus Housing (3473 University)
Off Campus Housing offers advice to help students in their housing search. They also provide access to an online apartment rental listing, and their website, mcgill.ca/offcampus, offers an excellent section on Tenants’ Rights and Obligations and a comprehensive guide to leasing an apartment in Montreal.
International Student Services Office
(Brown Building suite 3215)
Pay ISS a visit if you need help with Immigration issues, language support, or to sign up for the buddy program, which pairs new international students with current McGill undergrads.
Office for Students with Disabilities
(Brown Building suite 3100)
The OSD helps students with documented disabilities by offering academic planning and support, classroom support services, and learning support resources like note-takers and readers.
Scholarships and Student Aid Office
(Brown Building suite 3200)
This office can help you find information about government aid programs, McGill loans and bursaries, scholarship funding, debt management, individualized budget counseling, and the work study program.
Student Health Service (Brown Building suite 3300)
Student Health offers a drop-in clinic as well as the ability to make appointments with doctors and nurses. You’ll also have access to a dental clinic and the Shagalicious Shop, a safer sex boutique.
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McGill
Academic Advising Faculty Advising
Faculty advisors provide you with overarching information about planning and completing your faculty program. They can advise you on just about everything, including freshman requirements, course loads, studying abroad, transferring faculties, and scholarships. And if they’re stumped by a questions, they can send you in the best direction to get further info. All students are assigned a faculty advisor when they enroll at McGill. Your advisor’s name can be found at the top of your unofficial transcript, and you should have received an e-mail from them over the summer outlining their availability for meetings.
Departmental Advising
This advising is program-specific, and is helpful for sorting out departmental course equirements, pre-requisites, and the like. Your departmental advisors can be found on your department’s webpage, and have
The Service Point Just this summer, McGill opened a shiny new Service Point at 3415 McTavish, in the McLennan Building, where students will be able to access a variety of administrative services in one centralized place. This is where to go to get a McGill student ID, to pick up copies of your official transcript, and get help with Minerva, among other things. Two of the service point’s main functions? Providing faculty advising (to students in the Faculties of Arts and Science) and study abroad info. the potential to change during your undergraduate career. This is the person you’ll see to get course approvals to meet departmental graduation requirements, and they have the power to grant you credit for classes not normally under departmental regulations. Meet with them often so they can track your academic record in your program and help you with scheduling. They can also advise on internships, specific study away programs, honours programs, and can help juggle any specific courses you would like to add into your program.
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STUDENT LIFE
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Studying at McGill may be the reason you’re here, but we don’t want it to take over your entire life. There are lots of diverse and interesting aspects of student life at McGill that go beyond days in the library. Read on to find out about some of them.
40 The student movement 42 Sustainable living 45 Queer student life 46 Finding your own place 48 Volunteering 49 La vie francophone
52 Campus eats 54 Culture on campus 55 Athletics 56 Campus media 58 Finding a job
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Student Life
The Student Movement
The tuition hike issue goes hand in hand with another thing that affects students at McGill – persistent government underfunding. Quebec’s universities are vastly under-funded, and it undermines post-secondary education in the province What is the student movement? We’re tangibly. There’s no way that mere tuition glad you asked. Simply, the student movement is activism by students around hikes can solve this problem; government investment is what’s needed, and students the issues that affect them. On a micro and their representatives will likely be saylevel, that means that students organize and advocate for the issues that matter to ing just that to the government as things them. Part of this is students making their progress. opinions heard to their student union officials, who are elected to represent them. The Canadian Scene Working up the scale, individual univerIn the past, SSMU has been associsities’ student unions can choose to be ated with the two main federal student members of lobby groups – either at the lobby groups: the Canadian Alliance of provincial or national level – if their posi- Students’ Associations (CASA) and the tions on issues jive. These groups lobby Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). the government on behalf of their memAlthough McGill undergraduates helped bers. Sound complicated? Read on to find found CASA, the two parted ways in out who does what and how McGill fits 2005 when CASA was deemed ineffective into the broader student movement in by SSMU Council. Canada and Quebec. That led to a brief flirtation with the CFS, which then refused to grant SSMU The Issues, Briefly full membership in the fall of 2007, after With the province of Quebec nearing some very public bickering. Undergrads the end of a 13-year tuition freeze, tuition should be thankful it didn’t work out – cost and access to education is going to be in the last year, numerous graduate and what everybody’s talking about this year. undergraduate student unions have voted to leave CFS amid accusations that the Many think that McGill may be leanorganization is corrupt and resistant to ing toward a self-funded tuition model. change. McGill’s MBA program has made the SSMU’s bad breakups were only agswitch to the self-funded model already gravated by subsequent lawsuits, which – the shift meant that students will see make it unlikely that SSMU will let itself fee increases of between 48 and 1,663 be wooed (or jilted) by another national per cent. Whether the self-funded model student lobby group anytime soon. becomes the status quo or not, though, McGill’s location in Quebec, where eduthe Liberal Party of Quebec has a long cation is an almost exclusively provincial history of favouring increases in tuition jurisdiction, means that federal representaover increases in provincial funding for tion is arguably less crucial than provincial education; you can expect that the province’s students will be mobilizing heavily representation – although the University against this policy in the coming months. does rely heavily on federal funding.
Student Life
The Situation in Quebec
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pour une Solidarité Sydicale Étudiante (ASSÉ). They’re smaller and more radical Quebec universities have the lowest in-province tuition in Canada, in part be- than FEUQ, with a focus on activism and cause of the province’s vociferous student demanding free tuition. And as of last year, there’s a new player on movement. In 2005, for example, many the scene. SSMU is a founding member students went on strike to protest changes of the Table de concertation étudiante de to education funding proposed by the Québec (TaCEQ) along with a handful of Charest government. other Quebec universities, including the There are two main provincial student the University of Sherbrooke. There’s a lot associations in Quebec. The largest is to like about TaCEQ – it’s less bureaucratic the Fédération Étudiante Universitaire and can fund itself through government du Québec (FEUQ). Founded in 1989, grants, thus making it less of an institution FEUQ focuses on lobbying and detailed and more of a means to a common end for policy research. However, the organizaQuebec students. The organization has tion has lost many members in recent also indicated it will take a stand against years, and McGill undergraduates voted tuition increases, expressing issues with the to leave FEUQ in the fall of 2006. self-funded tuition model introduced for The other main player in the Quebec McGill’s MBA program last year. student movement is the Association
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Student Life
Sustainable Living
Repurposing
Doing some spring cleaning and emptying out your closet? Don’t throw out all those old clothes. Sun Youth, the Salvation Army, and other organizations It’s actually pretty easy to live sustainthroughout the city are always taking ably in Montreal and at McGill. Below, clothing donations. a primer of tips and advice on how to If you do end up buying packaged food minimize your footprint. products, try to reuse the containers they come in. Plastic lettuce boxes can make Reducing Waste great storage containers. Yogurt containTry composting to reduce the amount of ers can also make handy tupperware. And organic material you throw out on a daily when bringing a lunch to campus, use basis. Gorilla Composting is an excelreusable containers. lent place to start. Members just drop off compostables in the Shatner basement. Cleaning Supplies and Hygiene For info on joining up, visit gorilla. There are multiple green-friendly stores mcgill.ca. across Montreal that carry natural cleanBringing reusable bags when you go ing products, and even large chain stores shopping in another good way to cut are starting to catch on and do the same. down on waste. And cut down on packFor your body, try buying biodegradable aging too: Buying in bulk is a good way all-natural shampoos, soaps, conditioners, to do this; another hint is to stay away and toothpastes. Using natural products from prepackaged fruits and veggies. helps prevent water contamination, and Another important tip is to stop buying it’s friendlier to your skin. Rachelle-Bery bottled water. Montreal’s tap water is always has a good selection (rachelle-bery. good to drink and it’s free. Much bottled com). When cleaning clothes and dishes, water these days originates in the tap any- use eco products like Method or Ecover. way; if you’re still not sold, buy a water Look for them in the cleaning aisles or filter and a reusable bottle, and you’ll be natural food sections of major stores or good to go. smaller organic epiceries. Sometimes these products can be a bit more expensive; if that’s an issue, try making your Recycling own cleaning supplies. For an all-purpose Being cognizant of what can and can’t be recycled is important. Don’t throw out surface cleaner put about half a cup of baking soda into a spray bottle and add paper products, but recycle them, along water until it dissolves. Slowly add a cup with cardboard and any plastics, metals, and glassware you have. If you’re not sure of vinegar to the mix. Plain baking soda can be used to scrub sinks and bathtubs how to recycle in your neighbourhood, too. check out ville.montreal.qc.ca and click on your bourough for more information. Keep in mind that you can pick up free recycling containers provided by the city at your local Éco-quartier.
Student Life
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McGill’s office of sustainability offers support to campus groups and researchers.
Responsible Shopping
Buying locally-grown organic food is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, and there are a lot of ways to do this in Montreal. You’re first stop should be Organic Campus, a SSMU service dedicated to providing locally-grown organic food to the McGill community. They can be found every Tuesday of the year outside the Shatner Building (when it’s warm out) or in the second-floor cafeteria. If you can’t seem to find the organic section when shopping at major grocery stores like Metro or Provigo, look at where the produce is grown. If it’s local, that’s the next best step. There are also natural food stores, like Rachelle-Bery (see above), Bio Terre (bioterreepiceriesante.ca), Eden (3575 Parc, at PrinceArthur), and Frigo Vert (lefrigovert.com), that have good selections of organic items. And the Atwater and Jean-Talon markets are great places to buy local and sometimes organic meat, produce, and cheese.
School Supplies and Printing
When buying school supplies, try to purchase pens with refillable ink cartridges. Buy paper that is post-consumer recycled. Make sure to use scrap paper, read as many articles as you can on the computer, and if you need to print, do it double-sided or on scrap paper. When printing or photo-copying, use recycled paper and support shops with good recycling practices, like McGill Copy Service (in the basement of Redpath).
For more resources…
Équiterre (equiterre.org) is an excellent local organization that specializes in all things sustainable. Their services cover all the bases, from maintain a listing of community supported agriculture farms, to helping Montrealers build LEEDcertified homes. Contact them for any information you might need about living sustainably in Montreal, and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
Student Life
45
Queer Student Life
(accmontreal.org) and Head & Hands (headandhands.ca) are queer-friendly health and education centres that are worth looking into.
Campus Resources
Being Queer in Montreal
Queer McGill (queermcgill.ca) is a student-run organization for those who identify as queer and their allies. There’s always something going on, be it social, political, or both. The QM office on the fourth floor of the Shatner building is a hang-out space and a great place to meet new people. If you’re intimidated, you’re not alone. Check out QM’s welcome sessions for new students, or the Coming Out discussion group, held weekly. Queer McGill also runs Queer Line (514-3986822), an anonymous and confidential peer support line. The Union for Gender Empowerment is another popular hang-out space. Their chill office and huge library make for a good atmosphere. If you’re looking for a more political Organization, the Q-Team (a QPIRG working group). There’s also the McGill Senate Equity Committee on Queer People, which advocates on behalf of queer and trans students, faculty, and staff. Check it out at mcgill.ca/queerequity; all are welcome to attend the monthly meeting and voice concerns.
While violence is not unheard of, Montreal has one of the largest queer-positive populations in North America. In most neighbourhoods, no one will look twice if you’re holding hands or making out with someone of the same sex or gender. That said, if you do experience a hate crime, report it to the police, as long as you feel comfortable doing so. Also keep in mind that the word “queer” does not translate into French. Similarly, gender-neutral pronouns and genderqueer terminology can be difficult to navigate in French. This doesn’t mean there’s a huge divide within the queer community, but you’ll notice it if you volunteer for certain organizations in Montreal.
Chilling and Partying
Some of the most popular party spots include Le Drugstore (1366 St. Catherine E.), a six story bar with huge terraces and lots of pool tables. Club Date (1218 St. Catherine E.) is a low-key karaoke venue. If you like dancing, check out Parking (1296 Amherst) on Thursdays and Unity (1171 St. Catherine E.) on Fridays. Sky (1474 St. Catherine E.) Community Organizations has both dance floors and a terrace for Many organizations off-campus also chilling out. There are also great bars have services available or offer volunteer scattered around the city - the Village opportunities. Project 10 (www.p10.qc.ca) isn’t the only place to hang out. Try Le is a support service for queer youth that’s Cagibi (5490 St. Laurent) in Mile-End always looking for volunteers. AlterHeros for a coffee, a vegetarian meal and a (alterheros. com) is another volunteer healthy population of hipster queers. support organization you can get involved Mile-End is also home to Up Yours! – a with. AIDS Community Care Montreal monthly queer dance party.
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Student Life
Finding Your Own Place
living room, kitchen, and two bathrooms would be listed as a 9 ½.
The nitty gritty
Most apartments have leases that begin on the first of the month. Near McGill, May 1 is a huge moving day, while much of the rest of Montreal moves on July 1. There are always apartments available between these dates as well. And since in Quebec tenants need to notify their landlord whether they’ll be staying on three months before their lease is due to Where to look first expire, you can start looking for a May 1 Looking for an apartment can be a apartment as early as February. long process, and you want to make sure When you’re touring possible places, you’ve seen a few different places before there are some key questions to ask. Are you make a decision. Never go with the utilities included in the price of the rent? first place you see – you’ll have nothing Are appliances included with the apartto compare it with. To find a bunch of ment, or will you need to bring your own? How noisy is the building? Are options, scour the following sources: • McGill classifieds (mcgill.ca/classified/ there any special rules that apply, like no housing) pets or no painting the walls? If you’re looking for an apartment in • Concordia classifieds (hojo.csu.qc.ca) the McGill Ghetto, be aware that certain • The McGill Off Campus Housing asshole tenants will try and charge you Office’s listings (mcgill.ca/offcampus/ listings) a “finder’s fee” before they will pass the apartment on to you. This practice is not • Craigslist (montreal.craigslist.org) only illegal, it’s also appalling. Under no • The “à louer” signs posted outside of apartments in the neighbourhood you circumstances should you pay a finder’s fee, no matter how nice the place is. want to live in There are other nice places. Trust us. Also be aware that much of the MiltonKnowing what you’re looking for In Montreal, apartments are classified as Parc (Ghetto) and Plateau belong to a few 1 ½ , 2 ½ , 3 ½ ,and so on. The number landlords, some of whom are slumlords. signifies the total number of rooms in the Contact the Régie du logement (Quebec’s apartment, counting the first bathroom as rental board; rdl.gouv.qc.ca) if you’re a half room. So a standard two-bedroom unsure; they keep a blacklist of landlords apartment will be advertised as a 4 ½ and who get frequent complaints. will contain two bedrooms, a living room, Once you’ve found your place, you get kitchen, and one washroom. More exam- to sign the lease! Exciting! For helpful tips ples: 1 ½ is a very small studio with just on the process, visit mcgill.ca/offcampus/ rights/lease. one main room and a bathroom, while a five-bedroom place with a laundry room, Rez is great, but soon you might want to strike out on your own. Finding an apartment and living on your own is a big step, but also a really fun one. Here’s some helpful information to aid in your housing search and ensure that the process is as stress-free as possible.
Student Life For more detailed information on the apartment search, visit McGill Off Campus Housing’s excellent information page, mcgill.ca/offcampus/start.
Tenants’ Rights
Just because you’re living in your landlord’s building, it doesn’t mean that he or she has infinite power to do whatever they want. Quebec has a pretty good rental board, the Régie du logement, that has a system set up to protect tenants’ rights. Landlords will often try to do whatever they please, and make demands of you that are illegal, so it’s important to know your rights so that you can avoid being taken advantage of. We’ve included the basics here, but Off Campus Housing maintains very helpful information pages on Tenants’ Rights. Visit them here: mcgill.ca/offcampus/
rights.
What your potential landlord can and can’t do Some landlords require potential tenants to sign an application for the apartment. Often this becomes legally binding if you are accepted, so don’t sign more than one. The landlord is also entitled to perform a background check before you sign a lease. But landlords are not entitled to ask for certain personal information like your bank account number or social insurance number, so feel no pressure to provide it. The only advanced payment the landlord can require is the first month’s rent. Landlords cannot ask for a security deposit, the last month’s rent, a key deposit, or any other extra cash. These things are prohibited by law. The Regie sets a cap on how much your
47
landlord can increase the rent each year; report any action that contravenes this rule. Also, your landlord must inform you in writing three to six months beforehand if he or she intends to hike your rent, and you have thirty days to respond. Keep in mind that no response equals agreement.
You are entitled to….
…Sublet your apartment. Your landlord cannot reject a sublet without significant cause. You are also allowed to transfer your lease, which means assigning it to new tenants mid-way through the lease term. Again, a landlord must have a significant reason to reject an application to transfer the lease. Visit mcgill.ca/offcampus/subletting for detailed information on subletting and lease transfers. …Ask your landlord to make necessary repairs. The landlord is responsible for repairing defects in the apartment, and is also responsible for appliance repairs if the appliances are included with the place. But if you punch a hole in your wall, don’t expect your landlord to come to the rescue. …24 hours notice if your landlord needs to visit the apartment. This includes showing the apartment to prospective tenants if you’re moving out, or doing any repairs. We’ve tried to include all the necessary info above, but there’s still a lot more information you should know. Please read Off Campus Housing’s excellent resources before beginning your apartment search, or when problems arise. And visit the Regie’s site as well, for bilingual, easy to understand info about what’s legal and what’s not.
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Student Life
Volunteering at McGill and in Montreal Many Montreallers see McGill students as insular and uninterested in the Montreal community. Prove them wrong. There are scores of great organizations around campus and around the city that could use your help. Below is a sampling of different, worthwhile groups, but our list is only the beginning. Contact the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal (cabm. net) for more information; you’ll be able to meet with a volunteer advisor who can help match you with an appropriate organization based on your strengths. And for on-campus opportunities, remember that most clubs and organizations at McGill set up tables at Activities Night in early September, so you can talk to groups about volunteer opportunities then.
McGill, Gorilla Composting, or Organic Campus are good places to start. They’ll all have tables up at Activities Night where you can find out more.
Further Afield
Santropol Roulant (santropolroulant. org) is a very well organized meals on
wheels programs that’s run by volunteers. Dans la rue (benevolat@danslarue.org) provides a safe space for street kids; they are always looking for volunteers to help them with crisis intervention or other activities. If you like working with kids, the Little Burgundy Community Centre (tyndalestgeorges.ca) has an Early Education program that’s another option. The Mile End Mission (mileendmission.org) is a drop in centre that provides many essential services to the community, from meals to legal clinics. The Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (nwsm.info) provides native women and their children with a safe space in the city, and they’re often looking for volunteers for kitchen help and child care services, Close to home among other things. The Yellowdoor (yellowdoor.org), AIDS Community Care Montreal (accmontreal.org) trains volunteers to give located on Aylmer in the Ghetto, hosts a range of events, including their elderly informative presentations about HIV/ visitation program. AIDS in local schools. You can also lend your services to the Action on Mental Illness Quebec Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Stu- (amiquebec.org) trains volunteers to dents’ Society (sacomms@ssmu.mcgill.ca), help out with their varied programming, a vital organization that serves the McGill which includes support groups and educommunity. cation programs. Or, you could join Community OutThe St. James Drop-in Centre (stjamesreach for Immigrants (mcgill.cofi@gmail. centre.ca) offers support and a variety of com) and help newcomers by offering art-based programs to Montreal’s homeemotional support, language help, or less population. cultural orientations. If you’re interested in environmental work, organizations like Sustainable
Student Life
La Vie Francophone
49
de l’AÉUM est un comité permanent regroupant divers clubs étudiants ayant pour objectif premier l’amélioration de la situation du français à McGill. Que ce soit par des activités, événements, Être francophone à McGill, c’est faire résolutions, ou par la Francofête, la CAF partie d’une minorité plus ou moins fait tout en son pouvoir pour accroître la visible au sein d’un Québec à majorité visibilité des francophones sur le campus. francophone. Mais n’est-ce pas une conLa Francofête est une célébration de tout tradiction? ce qui est en lien avec la langue française En tant que francophone, lorsque je ou la Francophonie. Il s’agit donc de passe par les portes Roddick, j’ai toufaire savoir aux francophones qu’ils ne jours l’impression d’entrer dans un autre sont pas seuls, mais aussi de rappeler aux monde. Dès mon premier semestre à anglophones que nous existons. Outre la McGill, j’ai tout de suite su apprécier ce CAF, qui est l’organe principal de la vie dépaysement. Malgré tout, je n’ai jamais francophone de l’AÉUM, plusieurs clubs oublié que j’étais avant tout une étudiante francophones, bilingues, ou tout simplefrancophone au sein d’une université an- ment à saveur francophone existent à glophone qui octroie certains droits à une McGill, tel que le comité souverainiste, minorité francophone. En effet, les 17% l’action indépendantiste, le PLQ-McGill de francophones présents à McGill (soit et le NDP-McGill. Dans une optique un dit en passant que ce pourcentage a déjà peu moins politique, le French Students’ atteint près du quart des étudiants) ont Society (FSC), le International Students le droit de rédiger leurs examens, thèses, Network (MISN) et le McGill African et dissertations en français ou en anglais. Students’ Society (MASS) ont tous Désormais, l’article 15 de la Charte quelque chose en commun avec la culture des droits des étudiants de l’université francophone. Sur un plan plus artistique, McGill apparaîtra sur tous les plans de le Théâtre de la Grenouille et le journal cours. C’est beau toutes ces statistiques et le Délit français, publié par la Société informations officielles, mais qu’en est-il des Publications du Daily, vous offrent de la vie étudiante francophone? Une la chance de vous exprimer en français. grande partie des mcgillois francophones Peu importe la façon que vous choisirez n’habitent pas sur le campus. Ils ont de vous impliquer, ce qui est primordial, souvent un réseau d’amis à l’extérieur du c’est de s’impliquer. C’est la meilleure campus et ne sentent donc pas le besoin façon de vivre pleinement votre passage à de s’impliquer dans la vie étudiante. McGill en tant que francophone. Par contre, une autre partie de ce 17% s’investit grandement dans la communauté étudiante. En tant que commissaire francophone de l’Association Étudiante de l’Université McGill (AÉUM), j’ai eu la chance de rencontrer des francophones passionnés et impliqués. La Commission des Affaires Francophones (CAF)
McGILL MARTLET & REDMEN
VARSITY ATHLETICS Twenty-eight different varsity sports teams represent McGill University in four different conferences. Our student-athletes are known for their competitive spirit, sportsmanship and academic success. We encourage you to be a part of our varsity sports program by becoming an athlete, student-manager, fan, or volunteer.
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Visit the Redbird Sports Shop and take a look at our new selection of clothing and accessories. Styles include lines by American Apparel and adidas.
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CAMPUS RECREATION ATHLETICS & RECREATION
THE PROGRAM WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
INTRAMURAL SPORTS Intramural Sports offers McGill students and staff and alumni with Sports Complex memberships, the opportunity to participate in competitive sport. Depending on the sport, most intramural games take place on week-nights after 17h00, and on weekends beginning at 9h00. Team sports include ball hockey, basketball, flag football, ice hockey, indoor & outdoor soccer, ultimate disc, volleyball, and innertube waterpolo. Teams are taken on a first come, first served basis. If you are looking to join a team, attend the "Free Agents" meeting for your sport. Refer to our website for dates and times.
FITNESS & RECREATION CLASSES Be it aerobics, dance, martial arts, or horseback riding, McGill students, faculty, staff, and the community can work up a sweat while participating in any one of over 100 courses led by experts in their field. Drop in or register in advance (on-line or in Client Services) for weekly classes during the fall, winter, or spring semesters.
SPORTS CLUBS Sports Clubs offer students the opportunity to compete in external leagues and tournaments. This student-run program is a great way to compete at a level higher than intramurals but without the time commitment required at the varsity level.
DROP-IN RECREATION Facility time is reserved for students wanting to drop by the Sports Complex for a quick game of pick-up. If you are looking to meet people and get some exercise, times are allocated for volleyball, basketball, soccer, badminton, ultimate disc, and ice hockey to name a few. Refer to our website for dates and times.
www. mcgill.ca/athletics/recreation Campus Recreation: (514) 398-7011
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Student Life
Campus Eats
Student-Run
Architecture Café (Basement, Macdonald Harrington building). Although it’s Campus has an array of places to now operated by Food Services, the Arch find food, from overpriced cellophaneCafé still maintains its student-friendly wrapped sandwiches to vegan gumbo to atmosphere. It serves fair-trade coffee and wonton soup. Read on if you’re hungry... wonderful locally-made delights (includMcGill students have a history of sparing samosas, zatars, calzones, and baked ring with the McGill administrators goods). over the right to decide which food is Midnight Kitchen (3rd Floor, Shatner). served on campus. MK runs the kitchen on the third floor of Shatner, pumping out hot vegan meals on Aramark a daily basis. Volunteer-run, the kitchen Most campus cafeterias are run by an serves lunch from 12:30 until they run externally-owned provider, next year out. Bring your own tupperware and a Aramark will make its debut as the opera. donation of a few dollars, if you can. You can find them at Redpath, the BookThe Leacock Hallway. During the week store, Bronfman, McConnell, Trottier, you will find an array of food sales, rangEducation, Law, New Rez, C4, etc. ing from samosas to grilled cheese, in the Leacock hallway. Lunch can easily be Shatner Eats purchased from the student vendors (who SSMU leases many food service spots are usually fundraising for a cause or in the building to external vendors. organization) for about $3. These vendors fall under the jurisdiction Frostbite (McConnell Eng) - Run by of SSMU and are not related to McGill the Engineering Undergraduate Society, Food Services in any way. The second this tasty little stand sells ice cream. Look floor cafeteria is home to Tiki Ming, out for toonie Tuesdays, and if you score Cultures, Franx Supreme, and Organic below 30% on a test, your treat is free! Campus. Gerts houses the cheap and You can also try the McGill Farmers’ delicious Al Taib, and the first floor boasts Market, which provides students, McGill Liquid Nutrition and Café Supreme. employees, and neighbourhood residents with the opportunity to buy fresh, Eating Kosher and Halal healthy, organic, and local food directly Kosher products are available at most from the farmers who produce it. The Chartwells cafeterias. Al Taib in Gerts is market is open every Tuesday in Septemhalal, and they also offer food that can be ber and October, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 consumed by those keeping kosher. Also p.m. at Three Bares Park. You can contact check out Hillel House on Stanley, which them at mcgillfarmersmarket@gmail.com. has a restaurant dedicated to Kosher eats (Yoel’s Dizengoff Café). Basha (Sherbrooke and University) also serves up Halal fare.
Student Life Relaxing on Campus
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Arts Lounge
Brought your lunch to campus? Looking for a spot to eat or maybe grab a beer? Need a cozy nook to read your course pack or meet up with a friend? Below you’ll find some popular spots on campus.
Where: Leacock Basement Pros: Free Pool, wicked sound system, computer lab. Cons: Bad sleeping sofas; only for arts students.
Three Bares Park
Where: Burnside Basement Pros: Open 24 hours (for science students only), free printing, vending machines. Cons: Short on comfortable seating; more of a study space than lounge.
Where: East of Redpath Museum Pros: Beautiful fountain and shade. Cons: Not so happening come winter or rain. Stairs to Nowhere
Where: In front of Burnside Hall Pros: Often Sunny; back support. Cons: Same wintry problems as above Lower Field
Where: In front of Redpath Museum Pros: Everyone you know will be hanging out when the sun is shining. Cons: Rain leaves the ground moist; a lack of shade sometimes makes the heat unbearable. Reservoir
Science Lounge
Architecture Café
Where: MacDonald-Harrington Building Pros: fifty-cent off coffee if you bring your own mug, lovely atmosphere, cheap and delicious food, piano. Cons: Always busy, sometimes runs out of the food you’re craving. Gerts
Where: Shatner Basement Pros: Cheap beer, cheap beer, two-forone whiskey, cheap beer. Cons: Early 90s nightclub décor, unreliable “food” hours.
Where: East of the Education Building Pros: Great for sports and panoramas. Cons: Softball games and soccer matches take up most of the field, and it’s prone to Thompson House mud post-rain Where: McTavish Street above DocteurPenfield. Shatner Lounge Pros: Fun university lounge atmosphere, Where: First Floor Shatner cheap restaurant and beer. Pros: Some of the best couches on camCons: You have to be a grad student to pus; good for group study or a nap. get in, or be invited by one. Best of luck Cons: No food allowed with that.
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Student Life
Campus Culture McGill doesn’t have many fine arts courses – the Schulich School of Music being the main exception – so creative students have to form their own artistic communities within McGill. Luckily for all involved, they’ve been pretty good at it. Below are some of the cultural offerings available within University walls.
Creative Writing
Apart from the McGill Daily’s Literary Supplement, there are a few studentrun literary magazines at McGill. Steps is published quarterly, and welcomes submissions of poetry and short fiction a few times a year. Each issue is centered around a theme, and is distributed for free across campus. You can also read pieces or get involved by visiting stepsmagazine.wordpress.com. Another campus publication, the Scrivener Creative Review, began as a Canadian literary review published by the English Department, and now attracts international contributors. They’ve also interviewed famous writers like Leonard Cohen and Margaret Atwood. Scrivner publishes only once a year. They can be found online at scrivenerreview.com, and you can pick up issues for sale at bookstores around Montreal.
Theatre
McGill’s English department actually offers a Drama and Theatre option that features practical classes in performance, stage scenery, voice, and more. Outside of the classroom, there’s also a vibrant extracurricular theatre com-
munity at McGill. Both Players’ Theatre and Tuesday Night Café have year-long seasons, not to mention the McGill Drama Festival, ARTifact, or the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s big-budget musicals. Whether you’re looking to get involved or just see a show, the information you need can be found on the drama bulletin board on the main floor of the Arts Building (it’s on the left after you come through the main doors).
Music
The Shulich School of Music always has an active concert schedule, and most of the time shows are free. Head over to the music building and pick up a schedule, or check it out on the Internet at mcgill.ca/ music/events/concerts. There are also a number of choirs and acappella groups at McGill that perform year-round and typically recruit new members at Activities Night.
Art
The visual arts are less strongly represented, but the Fridge Door Gallery (fridgedoorgallery.blogspot.com) hosts quality exhibitions of student artwork a few times a year. Student artists can also submit work to the McGill Daily’s Art Supplement. And if photography’s your thing, check out the McGill Undergraduate Photography Society (MUPS; sites.google.com/ site/mupsmcgill). They run photography contests and have a fully equipped studio (with darkroom) for members.
Student Life
Athletics at McGill
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a ridiculous team name, choose your skill level, pay the registration fees, and you’re good to go. Who knows, your team may even walk away with a cherished intramural mug. If you can’t put together a team, Facilities not to worry – there is a free-agents’ night You already pay a base fee for athletics each semester to allow for team recruitthat gives you access to a weight room, ing. For more information and times, the field house, the pool, and much more. visit mcgill.ca/athletics/intramurals. For about $15 a semester you can upgrade your membership to have access to Varsity Sports the McGill Sports Centre. The schedules Most of McGill’s teams have try-outs in and opening hours are all posted on the mid-August. Exhibition games, regular McGill Athletics webpage, so make sure games, and training camps begin at the you check out mcgill.ca/athletics before end of the month. If you’re playing on a heading down to the gym to work out. big-budget team like hockey or football, chances are you’ve already been recruited. Equipment Rentals and Classes If you think you’re talented and have been McGill Athletics offers a rental service overlooked, or didn’t think to contact for a many types of sports equipment. teams ahead of time, it’s never too late Drop-in hours are available for sports check out the coaches’ pages and get the like soccer, basketball, and volleyball with ball rolling. equipment also available for rent through a card system. If you feel like doing some- Fandom thing a little outdoorsier, you can rent If you’re not the most athletic of the everything from snowshoes to cross-coun- bunch, but still love to hoot and holler try skis for winter sports. And, if you’re in the stands while decked out in red and into squash, there are courts available for white, then being a fan is for you. Atrent. McGill Athletics also offers a whole tending varsity sports games is a favourite host of gym classes, from salsa dancing to pastime at McGill – most games are free power yoga. Check out the schedule in or cost under $5 to attend. If you really the McGill Athletics magazine (available feel like cheering on the red and white, at the Athletics desk or in the Brown then you should consider joining Red Building), or their website, for more Thunder, the new McGill Athletics fan information. club, operated by SSMU. If you pay the $25 membership fee, you get free admisIntramurals sion to certain games throughout the year SEPtember Not ready to com- it’s a fantastic deal!v mit to the varsity team? Give intramural sports a try. Pick up an Athlet- free agent mtg. ics magazine to check out this semester’s intramural schedule. Then grab a motley crew of friends, pick
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Student Life
Campus Media
Le Délit delitfrancais.com
There are several media outlets at McGill, and they range widely in quality and approach. Read on to pick your news source.
Le Délit is the only French-language newspaper at McGill, and it’s been around for more than thirty years. Look to the once-weekly publication for coverage of news, the arts, and commentary.
The Bull and Bear
The Red Herring
bullandbear.ca
theredherring.net
The Faculty of Management’s official newspaper. Published monthly, each new issue brings you lots of Management content, typos, and general vapidity.
The Red Herring is a student-produced humour and satire magazine at McGill University. Calling itself the university’s “only intentionally funny student publication,” it has been in existence since 1988 and publishes bi-monthly.
CKUT Radio ckut.ca
Back in the day CKUT was Radio McGill. These days, it’s got an FM license and a continued commitment to lowadvertising, alternative radio. The station offers training in radio journalism for students, and its non-hierarchical structure make it easy to get involved. The station’s range of programming is varied and interesting, and evidences CKUT’s support for local artists and organizations.
The McGill Daily
The McGill Reporter mcgill.ca/reporter
McGill’s official organ of propaganda, you get what you’d expect from this bi-weekly rag: pics of a grinning MunroeBlum, the latest research breakthroughs, and softball interviews with McGill admin.
The McGill Tribune mcgilltribune.com
Formerly SSMU’s official newspaper, the Trib is striking out on its own this year, One of the oldest, largest, and mostwhich will be its first as an independent respected student newspapers in Canada, publication. The paper is published oncethe Daily is an independent, twice-weekly weekly, and you should read it if you’re paper. The publication has won numerlooking for mainstream views on campus ous awards from the Canadian University events, sports, and big-budget culture. Press for its coverage of campus news and local culture. It maintains an alternative TV McGill point of view and a commitment to criti- tvmcgill.com cal, in-depth coverage of the issues. The only student-run television and film production team at McGill. They offer some kind-of-newsy stuff, mixed in with television series like cooking shows and McGill’s version of the Bachelorette. mcgilldaily.com
Catholic at McGill - Holy Mass: Saturdays 6pm & Sundays 5pm - Courses, Bible studies, Discussions - Meals and social activities - Volunteering, Social Justice - Daily Mass, Confession
Newman Centre
McGill’s Catholic Community
3484 Peel (between Dr Penfield and Sherbrooke, one minute from campus) (514) 398-4106 Supported by Pillars’ Trust
w w w . n e w m a n c e n t r e . o r g
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Student Life
Finding a Job From rent to food to tuition to bills, making ends meet can be really tough as a student. So before you resort to participating in remunerated medical studies, scan the job-finding resources below.
generally needed throughout the year.
Further Afield
CaPS McGill’s Career and Planning Services offers one-on-one career advising and resume help, as well as career workshops throughout the school year. You can find them in the Brown Building in Suite 2200. Job listingscan be found at On Campus the CaPS “myFuture” site. Work Study McGill will help set you up Faculty Internships and Career Ofwith an on-campus job if you have suffices The Faculties of Engineering and ficient need. To enroll go to the Student Management both have great job fairs Aid Office (Brown Building, Suite 3200) and career workshops throughout the for an application, or apply on Minerva. year, with some very prestigious compaCafeterias BMH, RVC, and Douglas nies. The faculties of Arts and Science Hall are frequently in need of cafeteria also have grad and career fairs in the fall workers. This is one of the best on-camsemester. The Arts Internship Office helps pus jobs – it offers free meals, good pay, place students in great positions over the and a friendly work environment. Visit summer. BMH to find out more details. The McGill Classifieds The jobs can be Floor Fellows This is the job for anyone sketchy, but the classifieds are another who feels suited to shepherding along great place to check for work. young McGill first years. Applications Facebook, Craigslist, and Workopolis If are due in late January. The job perks you’re looking for work in the city instead include free room and board, but the job’s of at McGill, free online job listings are a a tough one – you’re helping first years great place to start looking. Keep in mind adjust to life at McGill and deal with the that if you’re an international student, realities of life on their own in Montreal. you’ll need a work permit to work offAthletics The gym is frequently hiring, campus. usually for referee and intramural facilitator positions. These are great jobs if you Networking make the cut. Benefits include good pay, The McGill Alumni Association and flexible hours, and low time commitment CaPS collaborate to offer a mentorship requirements. Stop by the Client Services program where you’re paired with a office (in the gym, at 475 Avenue des McGill Alum working in the field that Pins) to fill out an application. interests you. Your mentor will be able to SSMU SSMU is always looking to employ advise you on your career path and perStudents. Available positions are always haps will be a good future connection. posted on ssmu.mcgill.ca/jobs, and are sometimes mentioned in SSMU listservs. The Alumni Association also offers “BackMost hiring is done in the months of April pack to Briefcase” workshops in the winter and May for the following school year, but semester, with feature recent McGill alumni web designers, DJs, and researchers are speaking about their work experiences.
YOUR HEALTH
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Now that you’re living on your own, you should probably pay some attention to your own well-being. Toward that end, here’s bunch of health- and wellnessrelated info (and resources!) for you to study up on.
61 Nutrition 62 Mental health 63 SSMU health & dental plan 64 Safe sex & STIs 67 Sexual assault 68 Alcohol
69 Drugs
Health
Nutrition You’ve probably heard so much about food and eating well in the run up to university that you never want to discuss it again. But we’ve all had one first-year friend living in rez who got scurvy after going several months sans fruit and vegetables. Don’t be like that guy. Here are some tips to help you avoid his fate.
What to eat
Michael Pollan said it best: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables (you should be getting 8 servings a day) is the surest way to a healthy diet, as long as you add in some dairy for calcium, some protein – lean meat, beans, tofu, and the like – and complex carbohydrates (read: whole grains). When you’re stressed and spending long days in the library with only Tim Horton’s to sustain you, it can be easy to load up on salt, sugar, caffeine, and saturated fat, but these are the types of things you should be avoiding. For more information on healthy eating, Fit @ McGill has a good nutrition primer online at mcgill.ca/fitatmcgill/nutrition.
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uncomfortably full, often preceded and succeeded by feelings of depression and guilt. Myth: Eating disorders are a teenage girl thing Fact: Men, older women, and even children also suffer from eating disorders. Myth: Eating disorders are only about food and body image. Fact: Although eating disorders are manifested by unhealthy eating practices, they are often indicative of underlying issues, such as depression, anxiety, or obsessivecompulsive disorder. Myth: Bulimic people always purge by vomiting. Fact: Bulimics may also purge using laxatives, excessive exercise, or fasting. Myth: You can only have one eating disorder at a time. Fact: People after suffer from some combination of bulimia, anorexia, and compulsive eating. There are varying degrees of each.
In Canada, 70 per cent of women and 35 percent of men say they are dieting. Eating Disorders As well, one to two per cent of youth Eating Disorders are illnesses that cause between 19 and 25 suffer from ana person to adopt unhealthy eating habits. orexia, and 3 to 5 per cent from bulimia. Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological illMcGill’s Eating Disorder Unit offers ness characterized by an obsessive desire treatment and support groups; call them to lose weight by refusing to eat. It can at 514-398-2566. You can also call the be fatal. Bulimia Nervosa is an emoDouglas Hospital Eating Disorder Unit at tional disorder in which bouts of extreme 514-761-6131 (ext. 2895). overeating are followed by depression and self-induced purging. It too can be fatal. Compulsive overeating is a disorder characterized by an addiction to food and the tendency to eat until more than
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Health
Mental Health Good mental health services are really, really important. Here are some resources that you should take advantage of if you think you might want somebody to talk with, a bit of help working through a tough issue, or just some extra support.
What are my options on campus if I need to talk to someone? Your faculty advisor is a good resource if you have questions about your academic path. This person is assigned to help you complete your degree in a way that works with your interests and talents, and to inform you of your credit obligations in a clear and expedient manner. Some advisors are helpful, some aren’t. Remember that you can always change advisors, and that there are other options if you don’t feel like you’re getting the help you need. McGill Counseling Services is a good resource for people who have general vocational concerns, who want help in managing a particular area of life that is problematic, or who are facing sudden relational, social, identity, or mood-based concerns. The counselors at McGill Counseling Services are trained to listen to you and to help provide you with tools and perspectives on managing your life. McGill Mental Health is notoriously understaffed, but it may be helpful to certain students. The clinic offers appointments with psychologists or psychiatrists, and although they do provide talk therapy, what they consider to be the most important are therapies that encourage people to empower themselves in the present instead of focusing solely on the past. Though Counseling Services will often follow the same student for years, Mental Health Services tends to focus on shorter time periods.
What if I don’t have a diagnosable mental disorder? Should I really be seeing a therapist? You need not have a diagnosable mental health disorder to see a therapist at Counseling or Mental Health Services. Anyone who is experiencing stress or difficulty managing life situations, who is seeking guidance or experiencing insomnia, who is over- or under-eating, or who is suffering from low self-esteem, anxiety, malaise, or grief shouldn’t hesitate to seek these services if necessary.
What if I want to seek help outside of McGill? This can be a really good option, though many private counselors in Montreal charge fees for multiple sessions. These fees are often placed on a sliding-scale based on your income. One group that exists in Montreal is Head and Hands. They offer free services for youth from age 12 through 25, have a queer-positive mandate, and work based on “humanistic principles of equality, confidentiality, and client self-determination.” For more information on their services, which include legal counseling and a young parents program, visit headandhands.ca. You can also try Headspace, a non-hierarchical student collective looking to improve the way issues surrounding mental health are dealt with on campus and in society as a whole. They believe that people benefit from forming a community of support and friendship, and that dialogue about our problems should not only be dealt with in a therapist’s office, but when situations pop up in our everyday lives. If you’re interested in non-judgmental peer support, a resource library, information about Montreal and McGill Mental Health Services, get in touch at safe.minds.mha@gmail.com.
Health
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The SSMU Health and Dental Plan
• Dental checkups and cleanings, fillings, extractions • Physiotherapists, chiropractors, naturopaths • Travel health coverage, including trip cancellation and trip interruption in the event of a medical emergency
The SSMU Health and Dental Plan provides extended health and dental coverage designed specifically for students to fill in the gaps left by provincial health care and other private health coverage. Read up, because there are a lot of benefits you can take advantage of if you’re familiar with the plan. More detailed information is always available at ihaveaplan.ca.
You can enhance your benefits by visiting health professionals who are members of the ASEQ Dental, Vision, Chiropractic, and Physiotherapy Networks. You are covered for the insured portion of care regardless of the health professional you choose, but by consulting a member of the ASEQ Networks, you will get additional coverage. Please note that at the time of printing, the benefits for 2010-2011 were still subject to change. For a complete list of benefits and details, as well as fee information, visit ihaveaplan.ca.
Who’s covered?
All undergraduate students who are members of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and who are paying tuition fees at either the Canadian or Quebec rates are automatically covered by the SSMU Health & Dental Plan. New students starting in the Winter semester are not automatically covered, but may enroll themselves and their spouse or dependants during the January Change-of-Coverage Period. International undergraduate students are automatically covered by the Dental Plan only. If you’re not sure of your coverage status, contact the Alliance pour la Santé étudiante au Québec (ASEQ).
What if I’m already covered?
If you’re already covered by another plan (i.e. parent or spouse’s employee benefit plan), you can combine this plan with the SSMU Health & Dental Plan to maximize your overall coverage and eliminate out-of-pocket costs. Alternatively, you may choose to opt out of the Health and/or Dental Plan and receive a credit to your student account for the amount of the plan. All opt outs must be completed within the Changeof-Coverage Period. Visit ihaveaplan.ca What’s covered? and follow the on-screen instructions for The following are covered by the Health opting out. and Dental Plan: For students starting in September, the • Prescription drugs, vaccinations, change of coverage period is Sept. 1 – 29, ambulance, medical equipment, 2010. If you begin in January, it is Jan. 13 hospitalization – 27, 2011 (only for new Winter semester • Eye exams, eyeglasses or contact lenses, students who wish to enroll themselves laser eye surgery and their spouse/dependants)
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Health
Safe Sex and STIs Sex! Now that we have your attention, listen up. Whatever your experience, preference, likes, or dislikes, keep in mind that sex can be fun, but sometimes the consequences are itchy, blotchy, or incurable. Know your partner, always use precautions, get tested, and don’t be careless. No matter the sex act, it’s important to practice precautions. STIs are always a risk, even with oral and anal sex. Anal sex also has the added risk of bacterial infection, and fisting and fingering can lead to torn membranes and the increased STI risk that follows. Remember that condoms, dental dams, latex gloves, and lube are your friends, so use them. And if you’re sharing sex toys, clean them before you use them, or use them with a condom. Condoms can help effectively prevent the transmission of any STI infection, but it’s important to be aware that condoms are never 100 per cent effective. And you or your partner can have an STI without ever knowing it – certain infections, like Herpes, have dormant periods; other infections show limited symptoms in certain people but are more pronounced in others. The point is, if you’re sexually active, or have been in the past, you should get tested frequently – you can make an appointment at Student Health Services by calling 514-398-6017. If untreated, some STIs can have serious symptoms, so it’s really better to get tested and get the medications you need. For more detailed information about STIs, you can drop by the Shag Shop and ask them in person,
or visit their info page at mcgill.ca/studenthealth/boutique/sti. McGill Health Services also maintains an STIs FAQ page at mcgill.ca/studenthealth/ask/sexhealth/
stis.
Contraceptives and Unplanned Pregnancy Sex is much more fun when you’ve not worrying about the unknowns. Protect yourself and your body with these common precautions. xx Contraceptives xx Hormonal Birth Control This includes the pill (a.k.a. the Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill). When taken properly every day, the pill is 99.9% effective. The birth control patch, worn externally, and the birth control ring, which is inserted into the vagina, appear to be just as effective as the pill. The pill isn’t for everyone though, and is not recommended for smokers or women who are prone to blood clots. If you fall into these categories, the mini-pill (a.k.a. the Progestogen-Only Pill) might be a good option. The mini-pill has to be taken at the same time every day to be effective so it requires a bit more attention, and is also only 95 per cent effective in protecting against pregnancy. If you don’t want to take a pill every day or if you’re finding it difficult to remember your pills, you can get the same hormones from a Depo-Provera injection given by a doctor every three months. It’s also 99.7% effective and you only have to think of it four times a year. Remember that these hormonal methods of birth control do not protect against STIs or HIV, so it’s wise to use them together with a barrier method of birth control. Barrier Methods of Birth Control The most popular barrier method is the male
Health condom. They’re easy to use: a condom is rolled over an erect penis and functions by preventing the release of ejaculate. This means that the condom protects against pregnancy, STIs, and HIV with 97% effectiveness when used properly. Women also have the option of using the female condom. It can be inserted into the vagina hours before sex and operates as a barrier in the same way as the male condom. It is slightly less reliable (95% effectiveness) but it protects against the same things. You can also be fitted for a diaphragm by your doctor. Diaphragms are also inserted before sex and have a 4-8% failure rate when used properly. Other woman-controlled barrier methods are the contraceptive sponge and the cervical cap, which prevent sperm from entering the cervix. The contraceptive sponge has a failure rate of 10% when used alone, and 2% when used with a male condom, and the cervical cap has a failure rate of 10-13% even when used perfectly. Because of this, the cap and the sponge are often paired with spermicide foams or creams that destroy sperm on contact. The failure rate of spermicides can be between 6% and 21%, and they don’t protect against STIs or disease, so pair them with another barrier method. Women can also use Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs) to prevent pregnancy. They are small, cross-shaped devices that are inserted into your uterus by your doctor once every five years, and are 99 per cent effective. No method of birth control is 100 per cent effective, and it’s good to know your options should you be faced with an unplanned pregnancy. These options are very personal and the realities are different for everyone.
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Keeping your pregnancy to term
Daycare There are many options should you decide to keep your pregnancy to term. Recently SSMU opened the “Baby Bears,” nursery which has eight spaces for undergraduate students’ children under the age of 18 months. SSMU also has a daycare for children aged 18 months to five 5 years. Additionally, there are many governmentsubsidized daycares throughout the province (you only need to pay about $7 per day). To learn more about SSMU’s daycare options, visit www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/daycare. Adoption All adoptions in the province of Quebec are run through the office of Social Services – Association des Centres Jeunesse de Québec. To find out more about carrying your pregnancy to term and putting your child up for adoption, visit centrejeunessedequebec.qc.ca/Afficher. aspx?page=1722.
Terminating your pregnancy
Is it legal in Quebec? Abortions are legal in Canada and are funded by Medicare. Abortions are available in Quebec until the 22nd week. Is abortion safe? Though no medical procedure is without risk, abortion is considered a minor medical procedure and has a low rate of complication. Where do I go? You can choose to go to either a public or private clinic. In public clinics, the procedure is free with valid Quebec health insurance, but you may have to wait as long as ten days for an appointment. Private clinics charge between $200 and $400, but you can expect a shorter wait. What about the morning after pill? The morning after pill can end a pregnancy within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. Also called “Plan B,” you can get the morning after pill over the counter at most pharmacies and public clinics.
Health
Sexual Assault SACOMSS defines sexual assault as any unwanted act of a sexual nature, or any type of sexual activity in which one partner does not consent. Sexual assault is first and foremost an act of violence. It is not natural, and is not the result of some uncontrollable urge. No one ever asks to be sexually assaulted. Sexual assault happens to people of all experiences and backgrounds. It often reflects power imbalances based on race, class, gender sexuality, ability, age, religion, ethnicity, education, citizen status, political views, occupation, and physical appearance. There is no such thing as a stereotypical example of sexual assault.
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lence are obvious forms of power that an assailant may wield, but they are not the only ones. Many forms of power are much more subtle and difficult to perceive. Not struggling or screaming in no way means that someone “asked for it,” and a physical response doesn’t mean that they enjoyed it. Sexual assault is the most underreported crime, and has the same rate of false accusations as any other crime.
Boundaries and Consent
It’s important to recognize differences in people’s boundaries. Different people have different ideas of what is comfortable, what is intimate, and what is enjoyable. Even simple activities such as making eye contact, holding hands, or hugging, may have very different meanings to different people. Communicate: find out what your Myths partner enjoys and be clear about your Here are some common myths about own boundaries. Always get consent. sexual assault: Help is available. You have the right to • Rapists are most often strangers and make your own decisions about your body. sexual assault occurs in dark deserted That being said, if you are sexually assaulted, places, like alleys and parking lots. you may want to address your immediate • Men can’t be raped. health and safety by calling 911 or seeing a • Women are incapable of committing health professional. The CLSC Metro (514934-0354) is one of the clinics in Montreal sexual assault. • If a male experiences erection or ejacu- where anyone can get care, even if they have lation during sexual assault, he “really no health insurance card or money. Seeking medical help does not obligate you to discuss wanted it” or consented to it. the assault or to report it to the police. If you • It is not a real assault if there are no seek medical help, nurses and doctors are weapons or physical violence. • If someone didn’t scream and struggle, able to collect evidence, but will ask for you consent during those steps of the procedure. they must have secretly wanted to be SACOMSS offers a phone line, support raped. groups, accompaniment through the McGill • People frequently lie about being harassment procedures, and information and raped. workshops about sexual assault. They are These are all myths. In fact, sexual assault open to individuals of all communities and occurs most often in a familiar place with can be reached at (514) 398-8500, main@ a familiar person. Anyone can be sexually sacomss.org, in room B-27 of the Shatner assaulted. A weapon, physical size, and vio- Building, and at www.sacomss. org.
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Health
Alcohol You don’t have to drink in university, but a lot of people do. If you chose to, be smart and be responsible. Below, some tips to send you on your way.
friend or finish your drink before hitting the dance floor. Alcohol makes you feel warm, but it actually lowers your body temperature. This is particularly problematic during cold Montreal winters, so make sure to dress appropriately when you go out.
General Alcohol Safety
Also good to know…
So you’ve never had more than half a bottle of Bud Light before, and now you’ve been challenged to chug a sixpack. What do you do? Well, that’s up to you. But if you do end up getting a little tipsy, here are some ways to prevent the worst effects: Drink water in between alcoholic drinks – this dilutes the alcohol that your body is processing and will prevent you from getting drunk too quickly. Hydrating yourself before falling asleep will also reduce the effects of a hangover, so have some water before you go to bed. Eat before and after drinking – consuming alcohol on a full stomach will prevent it from hitting you all at once. And eating something is a good idea before you go to sleep after a night out too. You’ll thank us the next morning. Don’t leave drinks unattended – it’s always best to be safe when it comes to this. Either leave your glass with an attentive
Rumour has it, your body metabolizes about a drink an hour. Drinking from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. is not uncommon at McGill, and having five drinks an evening every day of the week just isn’t healthy. Know your limits, okay? Drink with friends. Make sure you’re with people you trust so that if you don’t take our advice and things get out of hand, your friends can wrestle your body into a cab before you get in a bar brawl / go home with someone you don’t want to / pass out. Think about the big picture. Watch out for emotional and cognitive performance problems. Next time you get mad at your roommate over something totally inconsequential, consider whether it’s withdrawal symptoms talking. Add up all the money and time you spend boozing and think about whether it’s going to compromise your academic, emotional, or financial stability.
Health
Drugs We’ll say the same things as we did about alcohol: some folks take drugs while at McGill, and others don?t but whether you do or not, we want you to be safe. The SSMU, proper, does not encourage/condone/applaud/“monkey around with” illegal drug use or even legal drug overuse. They are not all the same, and there are a few things to consider before diving into them as the information regarding their long-term effects is incomplete. Below are a list of common drugs on campus, and some generally accepted precautions to keep in mind.
Marijuana
While there’s no medical proof of marijuana’s neurotoxicity, habitual use has the potential to cause lethargy, a loss of words, and general spaciness. Marijuana also has four times as much tar as tobacco. Although THC’s anti-carcinogenic effects mean that marijuana users may not develop lung cancer, breathing troubles like bronchitis can result from habitual marijuana use. Marijuana also decreases circulation, lowering your immune system’s capacity. It is important to consciously regulate your marijuana use, since its cheap price and lack of hangover can lead to a dependency that may hinder daily life.
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and cocaine results in a totally different substance – cocaethylene. In rats, cocaethylene is associated with seizures, liver damage, and the compromised functioning of the immune system.
Study Drugs
If you choose to use study drugs, there are ways of reducing potential harm. Snorting, smoking, or injecting these substances will make you too spun to do any work. Swallowing them will make them last for the longest possible time at the lowest possible level. If your task is impossible, avoid study drugs. Go talk to the professor and try to get an extension. You’ll quickly figure out that sleeping before an exam and organizing your time will always win out over drug use.
Ecstasy
The repercussions of long term use of MDMA, or ecstasy, are not extensively known due to the drug’s more recent arrival on the scene. However, in the short term, MDMA prevents the re-uptake of serotonin on a large scale, and to a lesser degree, dopamine. This puts a lot of undue stress on the body, which can be minimized by taking lots of anti-oxidants, such as Vitamin C, before, during, and after MDMA use. Five-hydroxy-tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin capable of passing the blood-brain barrier, also helps restore previous serotonin levels, and can Cocaine be purchased at any pharmacy. If you are Taking coke repeatedly in higher and taking an MAOI or SSRI for depression higher doses leads to irritability, restlessor anxiety, it is extremely important that ness, and paranoia. Hallucinations, terror, you do not take MDMA. The combinaand other uncomfortable sensations area tion can cause irreversible brain damage. also associated with cocaine use. Keep in Also, stay hydrated with water and Juice. mind that the simultaneous use of alcohol
continued on page 72
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Health
Mushrooms
Though there is no indication that mushrooms are neurotoxic or physically dangerous, their effects on the psyche might be hard to grapple with. For this reason, it’s important that mushrooms be used in a comfortable setting with a trip sitter – a trusted friend who will stay sober to ensure your physical and mental health. If you choose to use mushrooms, start your dosage small, at about half of an eighth, to see how you react to the drug. You may wish to take higher doses. If you do venture to these depths of subconscious illumination, use caution – high doses lead to emotional disturbances, terrifying revelations, and potentially harmful consequences.
LSD
With all drugs, but especially with hallucinogens like LSD, it’s a good idea to have a trip sitter. A comfortable, safe space with plenty of music is an ideal setting. Initial states of depression and anxiety often become overwhelming after consuming hallucinogens, which can lead to a bad and possibly dangerous trip. Always start your dosage low – you can always increase it. There is no way to know how intense a hit could be, so begin conservatively with an unfamiliar source. You should avoid LSD if you have a history of mental instability in your family, as it has been known to trigger latent schizophrenia and psychosis. Approach the Harm Reduction Centre or visit www.mcgill.ca/studenthealth/information/drugs if you feell lost on the subject.
Enfin la carrière que vous cherchez! Finally the career you are looking for! Professionnel(le)s de la santé recherché(e)s Health professionnals wanted www.hjr-jrh.qc.ca
RÉPUTATION REPUTATION An established reputation for more than 50 years!
Une réputation établie depuis plus de 50 ans !
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MONTREAL LIFE One of the greatest things about McGill is getting to live in Montreal during university. Don’t make the mistake of getting suck in the McGill bubble – strike out and explore this great city of ours! In the following section, we’ve got some favourite spots to get you started.
72 Neighbourhoods 74 Bicycling 75 Transportation 76 Film 77 Music 78 Art 79 Dance and theatre
80 Festivals 81 Other fun activities 82 Montreal Media 83 City politics 84 Restaurant reviews 96 Bar reviews
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Montreal
Your City’s Layout In an effort to make our decision about where to live and where to spend your time as stress-free as possible, we’ve prepared the following series of massive generalizations and over-simplifications about some of the city’s neighbourhoods. Enjoy!
The Milton-Parc Community (Ghetto)
directly to the east of campus, is home to those students willing to pay outlandish rents for sub-standard housing quality. Downtown is full of shiny designer stores, tourist-centric bars and restaurants, and a notable lack of character. The Plateau’s quiet, residential streets are home to lots of young families, artists, and students who enjoy the bright architecture and ever-increasing gentrification. Mile End, home to hipsters and Hasidic Jewish folks, has the city’s best bagels, vintage shops, and quirky cafes. Parc Extension, or Parc Ex, is a workingclass immigrant neighbourhood with the best Indian food around and an everincreasing population of hipsters trying to outrun gentrification.
Montreal
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Outremont is a bastion of Montreal’s wealthy, francophone elite; its beautiful, residential streets and parks make for a lovely weekend walk. Westmount is the breeding ground of rich anglophones, shiny German cars, and lapdogs. St. Henri is a rapidly-gentrifying area where cheap housing can still be found and old factories are being turned into condos as we speak.
Notre-Dame-de-Grace, or NDG, is a really varied western hood that’s a mix of anglo Montreallers, students looking for less expensive rent, and an increasing population of immigrants. The Latin Quarter is a business-heavy neighbourhood that has some housing, a lot of it occupied by students from nearby UQAM. Verdun is heavily working-class, residential, and francophone – it’s your place if you like open skies and quiet nights. Rosemont-La Petite Patrie is an eastern area that includes Little Italy; its residential streets offer less expensive housing and are far less gentrified than the neighbouring Plateau and Mile End.
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Bicycling in Montreal Montreal is a great city for biking. With a working bike, the right clothes, and some savoir-faire, you can get around the entire island in all seasons on just two wheels. Here’s how to get a bike, keep a bike, and stay out of the hospital.
sonneuve O.). There you’ll have access to all the tools you need, as well as people to help you learn the necessary skills. If you have a good bike and want it fixed well, take it to Vélo Villeneuve – they’ll guarantee their work. Or try La Bicycletterie J.R. (labicycletteriejr.com).
Winter!
If there’s no snow or ice on the ground, you can safely bike in the winter without any exceptional equipment, but you’ve Buying one! got to have your entire body covered The bike you choose should depend on and have a good, warm pair of gloves. how hardcore you’re going to be about Layering, as in cross-country skiing, is cycling. If you want to use a bike as your really key. It’s worth getting tips from sole means of travel around the city, you’ll somebody with winter cycling experience need a bike that’s a lot different from the before giving it a try. one you’ll get if you just want to use it When ice and snow are in the mix, to avoid the occasional bus fare in the you’ll want special tires, though not studs. summer. You may also want special pedals that For a very good, custom-made bike with your boots can grip on to. It’s important a lifetime guarantee on the work, go to that your boots have very good traction, Vélo Villeneuve (velovilleneuve.com) a as they will be holding you upright at Plateau shop with a super-friendly staff. stoplights. Goggles are also recommended Expect to pay upwards of $500. A similar to protect your eyes. Generally, be prepared to go slow, fall over a lot, and be type of bike at a lower cost can be found extra aware of your surroundings. at SOS Vélo (sosvelo.ca). If you want to go really cheap, visit Vélomakak (velomakak.com). You won’t find a better deal, Staying alive! but it’s a good idea to have a mechanic Always use a flashing light at night. check the bike over after you buy it to Remember to look in every direction – make sure everything’s in order. Montreal’s drivers and pedestrians often Keep in mind that almost everyone don’t follow the rules of the road. Check you meet in Montreal has had their bike brakes and oil your chain frequently. Be stolen at one point or another. To avoid careful of slick roads in the rain. Watch a similar fate, invest in a good lock and for drivers opening car doors in front of keep your bike inside overnight. you. And have fun!
Fixing Your Bike!
If you want to learn how to maintain your bike, you can join McGill’s cycling collective, The Flat (Shatner room B-02) or Concordia’s Right to Move (1500 Mai-
Montreal
Transportation The Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Montreal’s public transit system, the STM (www.stm.info), will take you pretty much anywhere you need to go on the island. The Metro’s four lines run right through the downtown core and stretche across to much of the island, while buses go almost everywhere else. The STM does offer reduced student fares to full-time students who are 25 or younger; for more information about obtaining a reduced-fare card, visit stm.info/ English/tarification/a-etudiants2.htm.
The Metro is open from 5:30am to 12:30am (weekdays and Sundays) or 1:00am (Saturdays). Trains come about every five minutes during peak weekday hours, and slightly less often at night or on the weekends. Bus schedules vary - some of the busier routes run until around 1:00 am, and there are several all-night routes, though they generally only depart every 60 minutes during the wee hours of the night.
Buses
There’s a Greyhound terminal at the corner of Berri and de Maisonneuve, accessible from the Berri-UQAM Metro station. Student discounts are available when you show your McGill ID card, and if you buy tickets a week or two in advance, they cost significantly less.
Trains
Trains come in to the Gare Centrale, on the corner of Rene-Levesque and University. For students, ISIC cards are available for $16 from Voyages Campus or at any VIA Rail station, and they qualify you for a 35% student discount. You can also buy a “6 pak” of tickets back and forth from the same destination, which will get you an even larger discount.
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Air Travel
First, you need to get to your plane. Taxis are an option – there’s a $38 fixed rate for a cab ride from anywhere in downtown Montreal to Trudeau Airport in Dorval. But you can also catch STM’s shiny new 747 bus, which goes from Berri-UQAM to the airport for a mere $7. The bus runs 24/7; schedule times are available online.
Rideshares
Find a rideshare online at
montreal. craigslist.org/ride. Passengers are
expected to split gas costs, but be sure to ask about the arrangement before the trip. And take precautions before hopping into a stranger’s car. Try to travel with a friend, let someone know your itinerary, and don’t get in the car if you’re not comfortable with the driver.
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Montreal Film AMC Forum 22 2313 St. Catherine O.
Simply put, it’s huge – this theatre is in the building that used to house the Habs. As the name suggests, the Forum has 22 screens which usually show standard blockbuster fare, but sometimes feature foreign, francophone, or independent films.
Cinema du Parc 3575 Parc
Once upon a time, this humble grotto in the basement of the La Cité complex held midnight screenings of Italian zombie flicks and seventies space porn. These days the place shows glorious (and some not-so-glorious) independent flicks, cult classics, and the occasional mainstream movie. The prices are more affordable than the big movie chains, so pick up a monthly schedule and go crazy.
Cinéma Parallèle 3536 St. Laurent
Located in the Ex-Centris production complex, this theatre is the place to go for art house film in Montreal. Cinéma Parallèle supports independent filmmaking from Quebec, Canada, and young filmmakers from around the world, and you can find films here that you won’t be able to see anywhere else.
Cinémathèque Québécoise 335 du Maisonneuve E.
Supposedly modeled after the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, the CQ is your one-stop-shop for recycled obscurities from the nouvelle vague. The screen
is small and the projector hisses like a snake shot out of a cannon. But a couple of times a month they’ll screen a silent film accompanied by piano. And on those nights, the Cinémathèque Québécoise is the best joint in town.
NFB Cinérobothèque 1564 St. Denis
Operated by the National Film Board, this cinema has thousands of documentaries, animated films, shorts, and narrative films that cover the entire span of Canada’s cinematic history. You pay two dollars for an hour’s use of a personal viewing station with a recliner and headphones ; pick your poison, and a robotic arm will grab the film you’ve selected and start it up.
Dollar Cinema 6900 Décarie
It’s finally happened: Dollar Cinema has betrayed their name and upped admission; a trip to this theatre will now set you back a toonie. Getting here takes a bit of effort, but $2 is pretty good compared to the Forum’s ticket prices. But be sure to check the schedule online first to see what’s playing, though it may not help you much: Dollar Cinema notoriously seems to start movies whenever the guy who works there feels like it, so be prepared for a bit of craziness if you make the trip.
Scotiabank Cinema 977 St. Catherine O.
Scotiabank’s got many floors, big-budget blockbusters, and overpriced concessions, just like the Forum; The main draw of this multiplex cinema is its $5 Tuesdays. If you need to know what’s playing, cinemamontreal.com carries full listings for the city’s movie theatres.
Montreal
Music in Montreal Montreal’s music scene is widely considered to be one of the most interesting there is. And while most people associate our fair city with legends like Leonard Cohen or Arcade Fire, the scene is much more complicated than that. Here are a few venues and promotion companies to check out to get your feet wet.
Venues Barfly; 4062A St. Laurent
This dive has a legendary bluegrass night every Sunday, and also has other shows throughout the week. Dièse Onze; 4115-A St. Denis
Skip touristy jazz spots like House of Jazz or Modavie in favour of the real thing. Le Divan Orange; 4234 St. Laurent
There aren’t any orange couches here. Weird, huh? But you can consistently see good bands here without paying a lot for cover, so we’ll let the whole orange couch thing slide. Friendship Cove; 215A Murray
Friendship Cove will make you want to start having shows in your living room too. The place is a bit of a trek from downtown, but just so hip… Le National; 1220 St. Catherine E.
La Tulipe; 4530 Papineau These places both rock the old-theatre aesthetic, which makes them more intimate and warm than your average large venue.
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La Sala Rossa; 4848 St. Laurent Casa del Popolo; 4873 St. Laurent Il Motore; 179 Jean-Talon O.
All under the same ownership, these are some of the best venues in town. If you’re a dedicated concert-goer they’ll likely become your second homes.
Promotion Companies Blue Skies Turn Black; web.blueskiesturnblack.com
BTSB is responsible for tons of shows each month, and they feature consistently great bands, both from Montreal and elsewhere – think Tune-Yards, Wavves, or Deerhoof. Visit their website to scroll page after page of concert listings. The Pirates of the Lachine Canal; myspace.com/piratesofthelachinecanal
This promotion group puts on shows mostly in Southwest Montreal, a lot of them at Friendship Cove. They’re also responsible for a punk DJ night every Thursday at Black Jack in St. Henri. Indie Montreal; indiemontreal.ca
Indie Montreal focuses on independent Canadian artists. They feature a lot of home-grown talent, and their shows are good places to see really excellent but asyet-unknown bands.
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Art in Montreal From big musems to small DIY spaces, Montreal’s art scene is interesting and varied. Here are some of our favourite places, but they’re truly only the beginning – there’s tons more that we didn’t have space to include. For more leads, can your student papers (and the ones at Concordia), look at listings in free publications like the Mirror or Hour, and keep your ear to the ground.
Museums Montreal Museum of Fine Arts 1379 and 1980 Sherbrooke W.
It’s worth visiting the museum’s permanent collection of art and design, which is entrance by donation. The temporary exhibitions can be great or can be fluffy; it’s worth reading a review or two before shelling out the entrance price. Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal 185 St. Catherine W.
The city’s other world-class museum that merits regular visits. It attracts international exhibitions but devotes the majority of gallery space to Canadian and Quebec-based artists. And admission is free on Wednesday nights. Canadian Centre for Architecture 1920 Baile
This museum defines architecture broadly; exhibitions range from the literal to the theoretical. Some can be truly excellent, so stop by on a Thursday night, when admission is free, and check out the latest.
McCord Museum 690 Sherbrooke W.
Housed in the old McGill student union building and directly across the street from campus, this museum is devoted to the history of Montreal and is packed with Canadiana.
Galleries
If you’re looking for contemporary art, you should head to the Belgo Building (372 St. Catherine W.); some of the city’s best galleries are housed on its upper levels. Also check out the Concordia student-run VAV Gallery (1395 RenéLévesque W.), which exhibits new works by fine arts students. Two more Concordia-affiliated galleries, the Leonard and Bina Ellen Gallery (1400 Maisonneuve) and Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery (1515 St. Catherine W.), are also worth a look. Further north in Mile End, you can find a set of smaller art venues that specialize in abstract work, performance art, and a DIY aesthetic. Artist-run articule (262 Fairmount) is one of the best. Red Bird Studios (135 Van Horne) is another artist-run space that’s worth checking out. Though it’s in the other direction, the Darling Foundry (745 Ottawa) is also not to be missed; it features an always-good stream of new, avant-garde works. Some galleries on and around St. Laurent also specialize in photography (VOX Comtemporary image, 1211 St. Laurent), emerging local artists (Gallery Gora, 279 Sherbrooke W.), and not-for-profit artistrun exhibitiions (La Centrale Gallery Powerhouse, 4269 St. Laurent).
Montreal
Dance and Theatre in Montreal
Infinitheatre
Montreal is one of the best cities in the world for contemporary dance, with tons of shows and frequently cheap ticket prices. The theatre scene here is less renowned but still interested. Below are a few of our favourite performance spaces to get you started. For more comprehensive dance listings, visit the “calendrier” section of quebecdanse.org. For theatre listings, an up-to-date copy of the Hour or Mirror should do the trick.
usine-c.com
Espace Libre espacelibre.qc.ca
This downtown theatre is committed to challenging, intellectual theatre. It’s dedicated to experimental, avant-garde work.
Montreal arts interculturels (MAI) m-a-i.qc.ca
This space hosts art exhibitions as well as dance, theatre, and performance art from emerging and established artists. Part of the space’s mandate is to create a space where art can facilitate dialogue on cultural diversity.
Theatre Sainte-Catherine theatrestecatherine.com
Small venue that hosts both anglo and franco productions. Companies using the space tend to be edgy, young, and resourceful; recent graduates of McGill, Concordia, and the National Theatre School often appear here.
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infinitheatre.com
An independent anglo theatre company that’s devoted to bringing new works to the stage.
Usine C This beautiful space is a multi-disciplinary centre for the arts housed in a renovated factory that everyone should visit at least once. On offer is avant-garde theatre and experimental dance, as well as visual art exhibits.
Agora de la Danse and Tangente agoradanse.com and tangente.qc.ca
Both these spaces are housed in the same building at 840 Cherrier, and they both schedule consistently excellent dance shows. Both are dedicated to emerging Canadian dancemakers, and they’re often the first place you’ll see the next big thing.
Cinquième Salle cinquiemesalle.com
This small space within Place des Arts presents a diverse range of young theatre and dance artists, as well as the occasional musical performance. Here, the shows are always fresh and high quality, but the ticket prices are lower than in other PDA spaces.
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Festivals
Expozine (mid-November)
Montreal is often called the Ville des Festivals, and the moniker is pretty accurate. There are festivals going on here year round, with the highest concentration happening in the summertime. Read on for a few highlights.
From the doggerel to the divine, this event is North America’s largest independent publishing expo. Glossy Drawn and Quarterly graphic novels cohabit with homemade handbooks on sex, drugs, and urban exploration. Check your high art pretentions at the door and have fun.
Pop Montreal
Art Matters
(early October)
(early March)
Pop Montreal is the city’s version of SXSW; the festival features canonized Pitchfork staples, Canadian indie heroes, and the best local small-timers. The fiveday festival also features film, art, and fashion events, and a short lecture and conference series.
This little festival was the brainchild of several Concordia students a few years back. Since then it has ballooned into a huge exposition of the Concordia community’s fine arts scene. Diverse and student-y, there’s always something new.
Festival de Nouveau Cinema (Mid-October)
Nouveau Cinema is Montreal’s largest world cinema fest. It doesn’t yet have the stature of TIFF, but it features all the critically acclaimed selections making the international festival circuit, as well as short films, fringey cult-creepers, and tons of other offerings from the art house scene. And because the rest of the world hasn’t caught on yet, the festival is dirt cheap – for now.
Nuit Blanche (late February)
In Spain, they say the parties go all night long. But in Montreal they go till about 3 a.m., when the lights flash on and the magic dies. But Nuit Blanche is the exception. At the yearly winter all-nighter, there are literally hundreds of activities, from free shows to museum tours to live performance art, that you can take part in through the wee hours.
More Festivals! Festival international du film sur l’art (April). A festival of films about art. Festival TransAmeriques (late May, early June). New works in theatre and dance. Francofolies (June). Music! In French! Lots of it! Montreal Fringe Festival (June). A small-scale, independent performing arts festival. Mondiale de la Biere (May) International beer! Lots of it! Montreal Jazzfest (July) Two weeks of nonstop Jazz, ourdoors and in. Just for Laughs (July)
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Other Fun Activities!
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Climb the Mountain
The hike to the top is long enough to feel like a workout, but not so much that it really tires you out. And the view from the top is wonderful; once you’ve taken it in, spread out a blanket and picnic or read a book near Beaver Lake.
It’s true – there are aspects of Montreal life that are not eating, drinking, and going to shows. If you’re getting tired of the above pastimes, here are some alterna- The Botanical Gardens tives. Large expanses of beautiful gardens make for a lovely walk, or return in the Apple Picking fall for the Chinese Lantern festival. If you don’t have two hours to spend riding the bus each way, head up to the Swimming North Shore, where rue Principale is just On a hot day, make for Oka beach (45 laden with orchards, and it should only minutes west, with nudity), Jean-Drapeau take half as long in travel time. If you’re beach (closer, but $7.50) or public pools up for more of a schlep, the Montérégie like the one in Laurier Park. region, south-east of Montreal, is where it’s at. Graveyarding The Mount Royal graveyard is beautiful, Skiing and Snowboarding and if you look hard enough you might Join McGill’s ski and snowboard clubs be able to find Mordecai Richler. The for deals, friends, and transportation, NDG graveyard is the biggest in Canada, or strike out on your own. Check out and is home to Rocket Richard and Pierre leskieur.com for an overview of the hills. Trudeau.
Tam-tams
Drums, dancers, circus performers, pot-smokers, hawkers, tanners, and more converge at Rachel and Parc every warm Sunday afternoon. Fun!
Skating
In winter, you can skate down the sidewalk if you want. Or try one of Montreal’s outdoor rinks. The one at Parc Lafontaine is the nicest.
Montreal’s Public Markets –
Farmers galore, free samples, and food that’s locally grown make for a wonderful weekend afternoon at the Jean-Talon or Atwater markets.
Shakespeare in the Park
Each summer Montreal’s Repercussion Theatre (repercussiontheatre.com) tours the city’s parks with a different Shakespeare play. It’s free, outside, and lovely.
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Montreal Media The Gazette is Montreal’s anglophone newspaper, and is part of the CanWest syndicate. It’s an unremarkable paper by national standards, but it’s your only real option for daily coverage of Quebec politics in English. Francophone La Presse offers daily coverage of political news, sports, and international affairs. Some love it, some hate it; either way, the level of French is fairly accessible. A better French-language option is the thin-but-trenchant Le Devoir. It can be a bit high-brow, but it’s the biggest independent paper, circulationwise, in Quebec. There are also a few free papers in Montreal: Hour, the Mirror, Voir, and Ici all cover Montreal news and entertainment. Though they’re free, these papers are no longer independent; they’re all owned by large media conglomerates. Place-Publique, though, a bilingual biweekly paper that caters to the Milton-Parc neighbourhood, is actually independent and is worth keeping an eye out for. There are also tons of zines and magazines published in this fair city. Maisonneuve is by far the biggest, and offers a quarterly selection of cultural criticism and off-beat reporting. You can also pick up The Dominion, an alternative monthly magazine-paper hybrid focused on advocacy journalism. If you prefer to read your news on the web, your first choice should be the Montreal City Weblog, which provides overviews and links to every important
story happening in Montreal, and is updated throughout the day. There’s also Rue Frontenac, a website founded and maintained by a group of Journal de Montréal staffers who’ve been locked out of their jobs due to a labor dispute with the corporation. For more arts and events-related coverage, you can read Midnight Poutine, a local blog that covers Montreal’s music, arts, and food scene.
Living Cheaply If you’re really into newspapers but don’t want to pay for subscriptions, the McGill Library subscribes to a great service called PressDisplay. It’s a website that allows you to access newspapers from around the world in their print format, so you can see all the photos and browse the paper just as you would with a print copy in your hands. PressDisplay has images of newspapers from more than 70 countries, and you can access it from any computer at McGill or from your laptop, as long as you connect to McGill’s VPN. The library also has hard copies of numerous world papers; you can read them within the library building if you’re not into reading on a computer screen.
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Politics in Montreal
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as exemplified by its victory in the mayoral race of the famous Plateau borough.
Key Issues
Montreal has recently committed to extending the Metro, increasing bus service, and building new tramway lines, but the recent economic downturn may have thrown a wrench in these plans. Controversy surrounding police interaction with immigrant communities – some allege widespread racial profiling within the Montreal police force – has also risen to the surface in recent years. The issue has received increased attention since the 2008 Fredy Villanueva shooting, in which an unarmed teenager was killed by Major Players a montreal police officer. Unlike most Canadian cities, Montreal’s Prior to the 2009 municipal elections, city politics are party-based. Current corruption in City Hall became an explomayor Gérald Tremblay’s Union Montréal sive story. Somehow, though, Tremblay’s administration held on despite allegarose to power in 2001, achieving suctions of links to the mob, kickbacks, and cess following the backlash against the conflicts-of-interest in awarding city conmunicipal mergers. He was reelected in tracts. Though they’re getting less media 2005. attention these days, it’s safe to say these Tremblay’s strongest opposition is from issues didn’t disappear when the election Vision Montréal. They’ve lost steam in recent years, but following a 2009 leader- campaigning was through. Also on the municipal political map ship reshuffle, former PQ minister Louise is the Turcot Interchange, a large piece Harel was chosen to lead the party. of highway infrastructure that’s rapidly In practice, it’s hard to tell the two falling apart. Situated in St. Henri, the major parties apart. They serve the Turcot needs attention, and how to solve mayoral campaigns of specific politicians and therefore tend to be driven more by the problem is the subject of much depersonalities than by policies. bate. The provincial government wants to The exception is Projet Montréal, which rebuild the interchange to make room for was founded on an ideas-based platform, more vehicles, but to do so would mean rather than to prop up a mayoral camthe destruction of homes and increased paign. A relatively new party focused “sus- separation between working-class St. tainable urbanism,” it’s headed by Richard Henri and more affluent Westmount. Bergeron, an urban planning professor. Opposition plans detail a way to make The party performed well in the most rethe area more sustainable and integrated, cent municipal elections, establishing itself but selling the plan to Quebec has proved as a strong third contender in city politics difficult so far. The City of Montreal is organized on a two-tier model. At the bottom are the 19 boroughs, each of which covers a specific neighbourhood and is headed by a borough mayor. Boroughs are responsible for local issues like snow removal, park maintenance, and issuing permits. Above the boroughs is the city council and administration, which deals with overarching issues like transportation, long-term planning, and policing.
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Restaurant Reviews Montreal is undoubtedly a great place to eat – it seems like every type of food imaginable can be found somewhere in the city. The places listed below are some of our favourites, but when you have a bit of time to spare and a few dollars in your pocket, go explore for yourself. You’re sure to find a hidden gem or two that we’ve missed.
Afghan Khyber Pass
516 Duluth E.; 514 849 1775
Navigating the
REVIEWS: $: a meal for one for less than $5 $$: $5-10 $$$: $10-20 $$$$: $20-30 $$$$$: $30 and up.
sine, which is from l’Île de la Réunion, is delicious. If you’re in the mood for shark curry, this is your place. $$$$-$$$$$
A warm an intimate BYO place whose Breakfast flavourful stews make for the perfect winter meal. The vegetarian options are as Arts Café delicious as the more traditional lamb and 201 Fairmount O.; 514 274 0910 beef dishes. $$$ This Mile End hipster hideout has nice ambiance and makes a good breakfast African that’s less greasy than some of the other spots on this list. Each dish is named after Le Nil Bleu a different artist, and you can’t go wrong 3706 St. Denis; 514 285 4628 with one of the varieties of eggs benedict If you’ve never tried Ethiopian food they offer. $$ – which you scoop up with a piece of spongy bread and your hands – it’s an experience worth having. The food at Nil Bleu is good and the portions are big, meaning you can save money by splitting dishes with friends. $$$
Le Piton de la Fournaise 835 Duluth E.; 514 526 3936
Le Piton may be pricey, but the restaurant is bright and cheerful and the cui-
Bagel Etc.
4320 St. Laurent; 514 845 9462
Rumor has it that Leonard Cohen frequents this place when he’s in Montreal. We’ve never seen him, but maybe it’s just because we sleep in. With Leonard or without him, though, Bagel Etc. serves one of the best breakfasts in the neighbourhood, as evidenced by long week-
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end lineups. When you finally make it through the door, try the huevos rancheros or the challah French toast. $$
Cafés
Beauty’s
The best espresso in town, hands down, and an impressive selection of Italian juices and sodas as well. This Mile End hangout feels like a European café – that is, it feels kind of like a bar, and there’s always a soccer match playing on TV. In the warmer months, take your iced latté onto the patio and bask in the sun. $
93 Mont-Royal O.; 514 849 8883
Beauty’s is a Montreal landmark that’s been around since the ‘40s, and the wonderfully retro inside probably looks the same today as it did then. Some say it’s overrated, but the Special (bagel, lox, cream cheese) is the best in the city, and that’s that. $$
Café Joe
3068 St. Antoine E.; 514 933 3821
Great coffee, great breakfast, great staff, great ambiance. A dollar or two more than Green Spot, Café Joe is a great place for anything you can think of involving food or coffee, and is a favoured breakfast spot among Solinites. $$
Chez José
173 Duluth E.; 514 845 0693
Cramped, loud, and gaudy, you might not think Chez José is the ideal place to drag your hung-over self first thing in the morning, but it’s worth it. A delicious selection of omelettes is made even better by the option to turn yours into a sandwich, and the café au lait is some of the best in town. $$
McGill Pizza
625 Milton; 514 845 8011
You can get eggs and bacon here for $4.25, but we’re pretty sure the “orange juice” is actually Tang. $
Café Olympico
124 St. Viateur O.; 514 495 0746
Le Cagibi
5490 St. Laurent; 514 509 1199
Some think this place embodies the contemporary Montreal zeitgeist, with mismatched vintage furniture and a healthy dose of kitsch. Whether or not you agree, the free wireless, quiet back room, and possibility for an endless supply of good vegetarian food make this café a packed study spot on weekends. $$
Cha Noir
4646 Wellington; 514 769 1242
This Verdun café has some of Montreal’s most delicious tea. And cross your fingers that they have the seasonal special chai crème brulée when you go – it’s unbeatable.
L’Escalier
552 St. Catherine E.; 514 670 5812
This cute café on the edge of the Village offers great vegetarian fare and fair-trade coffee and tea. The formerly residential space is now a maze of colourfully painted rooms with comfy couches and a bohemian vibe, and it’s a much frequented study spot for Franco students from nearby UQAM. $$
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We’re too cheap to pay for colour, but trust us, it’s orange
Fuchsia
4050 Coloniale; 514 842 1232
This volunteer-run spot feels a bit like your grandmother’s cottage; the friendly staff will only make you feel more at home. In addition to really excellent home baked goods, many of which are gluten free and organic, the café has a prix fixé that gets you a the meal of the day, dessert, and a drink for $10. $$
Lili&Oli
Chinese Maison Kam Fung
1111 St. Urbain; 514 878 2888
This huge Chinatown mainstay is the place to go for weekend Dim Sum. Go with lots of friends, try everything, and your wallet will still be in good shape. $$$
Niu Kee
1163 Clark; 514 227 0464
This is where you’ll find the city’s best hot-and-spicy Szechuan food. The familyThis homey space is a must for St. Henri run joint cooks up dishes that can be residents and Solinities. The coffee’s good painfully spicy, and it’s quick to make and the wifi’s free, which is basically all converts out of patrons. A must-try. $$$ you need. 2515 Notre Dame O.; 514 932 8961
Qing Hua
1767 Lincoln; 438 288 5366
Montreal’s best dumplings, plain and simple. They’re homemade, MSG-free,
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and sixteen of them will only set you back La Paryse about $10. $$$ 302 Ontario E., 514-842-2040 The king of diners. The service isn’t great, but everything on the menu is Diners delicious – particularly their burgers Buns Hamburger House (both regular and veggie). And don’t miss 3673 St. Laurent; 514 759 7799 the chance to top your meal off with a Alright, it’s a minimalist burger joint milkshake. $ rather than a traditional diner, but if you want one of Montreal’s best burgers at French an unbeatable price, Buns is your ticket. It’s open late and located on St. Laurent, Claremont which also makes it a great hangover5032 Sherbrooke O.; 514 483 1557 prevention stop. $ Situated at the border of Westmount and NDG, this is one of the city’s best Frites Alors! inexpensive French restos. From tiger Various locations; fritealors.com shrimp flambéed in sambuca to walnut Belgian fries. Caribou burger. Vegetarian ravioli in a white wine and roast garlic croque-monsieur with goat cheese, avoreduction, anything you see on the menu cado, onions, mushrooms and asparagus. is guaranteed to be unique and tasty. $-$$ Sausages. Tintin. Ten spiced mayonnaises to choose from. Belgian Beers. All that, Cuisine et Dépendance and one of the better poutines in town. $ 4902 St. Laurent; 514 842 1500 Possibly one of the best restaurants in The Orange Julep the city. The menu changes daily and 7700 Decarie; 514 738 7486 prices can range up to $100 per person A Montreal landmark. The food is including wine, so this is a good one to nothing special, but the orange creamsave for when the parents are in town. sicle-esque Orange Julep is what they’re All the dishes are creative and the cooks famous for. If you’re looking for an adand wait staff are always happy to advise venture, hop on the Metro’s orange line, you and talk about the food. Vegetarians get off at Namur, and then walk towards beware: the only thing that you’ll be able the gigantic orange ball. You’ll know it to eat are desserts, but those are amazing when you see it. $ too. $$$
Patati Patata
4177 St. Laurent; 514 844 0216
Everything at this Montreal mainstay is less than five dollars, and it’s absolutely delicious. Go for their tiny burgers, tofu sandwiches, onion soup, fish and chips, and legendary fries. The space might be smaller than your dorm room, but the food makes it worthwhile. $
La Croissanterie Figaro
5200 Hutchinson; 514 278 6567
The ambience here is perfectly French – with marble tables and a patio surrounded by wrought iron fencing – and the cuisine matches perfectly. They offer a lunch menu with great sandwiches and salads, and a dinner that features more traditional hot meals like lamb and tortiere. But be prepared to wait if you don’t have a reservation. $
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The Prince-Arthur cobblestones are lined with so-so greek places that would love to take your money away
Greek Afroditi Bakery
756 St. Roch; 514 274 5302
This Parc Ex bakery is nearly 30 years old, and many think they’ve got the best baklava in Montreal. There are tons of different types to try, so you’ll have an excuse to keep going back. $
Grilladerie Nostos
9530 l’Acadie; 514 388 1981
Patrons consistently rave about the quality of the food at this affordable Ahuntsic spot. It’s not fancy and getting there is a bit of a hike, but it’s authentic and delicious and certainly worth a trip on the metro. $$-$$$
Mythos Ouzeri
5318 Parc; 514 270 0235
There’s often live Greek music playing at this Mile End spot, and it’s not uncommon for folks to start dancing on tables
before the night is up. And, yeah, the food’s pretty great too. $$$$$
Villa de Souvlaki
5437 Sherbrooke O.; 514 489 2039
This place has some kick-ass souvlaki, plain and simple. And it tastes equally delicious cold or hot, so feel free to overorder and put a souvlaki or two in the fridge for later. $$$
Indian Bombay Mahal
1001 Jean-Talon O.; 514 273 3331
This stretch of Park Ex is known for outstanding, inexpensive Indian places, and Bombay Mahal is the best of the lot. The food is so spicy that you’ll break a sweat. Order a generous thali for around $5 and you won’t need to eat for the rest of the day. $$
Montreal’s Premiere Irish Pub 1225 Crescent 514.861.4111
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Le Petit Italien
This Cote-de-Neiges restaurant offers large, perfectly spiced portions of every Indian specialty imaginable. The channa samosas are probably the best you’ll ever eat, anywhere. Be disciplined enough to save room for dessert and you can sample one of the many varieties of Indian sweets on offer. $$
Situated on the strip of fancy restaurants along Bernard – nearly all of which have terrace seating in the summertime – this place is reasonably priced for the quality of food offered, and is a lot less stuffy than certain upscale Little Italy places. Everything from antipasto to tiramisu is traditionally prepared and satisfying. $$$$
5987 Victoria; (514) 733 – 5353
Japanese Higuma
3807 St. Denis; 514 842 1686
The sweet potato rolls at this moderately-priced Plateau spot are reason enough to stop by. Sharing a big plate of sushi with a friend on the restaurant’ terrace in the summer is hard to beat. $$$
Isakaya
3469 Parc; 514 845 8226
In addition to really great sushi, Isakaya offers a number of excellent Japanese salads and small plates that make an equally delicious meal. They offer take-out, so Ghetto-dwellers can stop by and pick up dinner on the way home from campus. $$$-$$$$
Italian Amelio’s
201 Milton; 514 845 8396
Known among students as a good ghetto date spot, Amelio’s is a BYOB family-style Italian spot with a line that often runs out the door, especially when the weather warms up. But the piping hot pizza is a standout in Montreal – a city where it’s hard to find a good pie – and makes standing in line for a while well worth it. $$$
1265 Bernard; 514 278 0888
Pizzeria Napoletana 189 Dante; 514 276 8228
This Little Italy restaurant has delicious, thin crust pizza that’s easily the best in the city. The pastas are also excellent and inexpensive. And while the BYO policy officially only extends to wine, we’ve brought in a bottle of scotch before without a problem. Just saying. $$$
Latin American & Caribbean La Carreta
350 St. Zotique O.; 514 278 5779
If you like Latin American food, this El Salvadoran spot will hit the spot. Go for the great pupusas, which are corn patties filled with various delicious stuffings and then fried. $$
La Chilentia
64 Marie-Anne O.; 514 982 9212
A sort of pan-Latin American place, La Chilenita serves a variety of empanadas, burritos, sandwiches, and soups. There are always Spanish-language periodicals lying around for your perusal, and good music on the radio. $-$$
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Tue & Thur Corona Night! 6 for $19.95 Wed & Sun $6.95 Fajitas visit us at www.carlosandpepes.com prices are subject to change without notice
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Mexican Marché Andes
4387 St. Laurent; 514 848 1078
The closest thing you’ll get to Tex-Mex in Montreal. Try the appetizing taco trios stuffed with vegetarian black beans or meat, and your choice of spicy salsas, avocado, or cheese. The place is also a grocery store, so grab some cold Jarritos Tamarindo to wash the meal down, or pick up some charras and frijoles refritos to make easy tostadas at home. $
Maria Bonita
5269 Casgrain; 514 807 4377
Probably the city’s best Mexican restaurant, if you’re willing to spend the money. The highlight is definitely the cazuelitas, small plates kind of like tapas, but served with tiny tortillas for scooping. The cohinita pibil is heavenly, as are most of the vegetarian dishes. $$
Portugese and Spanish Janos
3883 St. Laurent; 514 849 0646
Delicious Portugese food. Try the simple yet spectacular quarter chicken, with Portugese chips instead of fries. Everything comes with fresh olives and a salad, and make sure you lather plenty of their special sauce on both the meat and the chips. $$-$$
Rotisserie Romados
115 Rachel E.; 514 849 1803
Stand in line, chat with friends. Order a quarter chicken with fries and salad, get your soda, pay, and head to the park up the street for the most mind-blowing chicken this side of the Atlantic. $
Sala Rossa
4848 St. Laurent; 514 284 0122
Montreal isn’t known for Spanish restaurants, but Sala Rossa is one of the good ones. It has the advantage of being open relatively late and serving great tapas, with plenty of vegetarian options. $$
Soup & Sandwiches Casa del Popolo
4873 St. Laurent; 514 284 3804
Every sunny evening not spent on Casa’s back patio with a sandwich and a pint is an evening lost. The happy hour deals are amazing, the coffee’s cheap, and the food is the kind you actually feel good eating. $
Navarino
5563 Parc, 514-279-7725
Although there are plenty of cafés and bakeries in Mile End, this Greek one is fantastic, particularly in the winter. All of their pastries are special, and you can also get very decent (and cheap) lunch and coffee. $
Santropol
3990 St. Urbain; 514 842 3110
Located on the south-east corner of Parc Jeanne-Mance, this café is known for gargantuan and unorthodox sandwiches, all of which contain large quantities of some form of cream cheese. An ideal choice only when you’re not in a rush, because the service is slow, but they don’t mind if you loiter, study, or chat for long stretches of time. The terrace is a must in the summertime $
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Schwartz’s
3895 St. Laurent; 514 842 4813
If you do nothing else while you’re in Montreal, eat at Schwartz’s. There is no smoked meat sandwich better than a Schwartz’s smoked meat sandwich. There’ll be lines out the door but it’s worth the wait. Don’t even bother looking at the menu until you’ve already been here a few times - just order the smoked meat with fries and a cherry cola, and dig in. $
SoupeSoup
Various locations, including 80 Duluth E.; 514 380 0880
If you like soup, this is your lunch place. Even if you don’t, you can get excellent sandwiches. But be sure to arrive before 2 pm, or else you’ll be disappointed: by then, nearly every menu item has been (distressingly) crossed off their wall menu, which is written in chalk every morning. $
Super Sandwich
Basement of Le Carier building, at the corner Sherbrooke and Peel
Close to campus in the basement of Le Cartier, this sandwich counter in the building’s dépanneur has much to recommend it: good prices, a friendly staff who memorize your order after a few visits, and the sandwich maker’s seemingly superhuman sandwhich-making speed. $
Wilensky’s Light Lunch
34 Fairmount W.; 514 271 0247
A landmark immortalized in Mordecai Richler novels, it’s been family-owned for 75 years. The staff can be frank with newcomers, but they warm quickly. Their flagship sandwich is “The Special,” a grill-pressed onion roll filled with assorted meats. Visitors are expected to have one. It must come with mustard. Their old
fashioned frappés and unbeatable sodas are hand-mixed, too. $
Thaixx Ban Lao-Thai
930 Décarie; 514 747 4805
This Ville St. Laurent resto has a menu featuring both Thai and Laotian food, and all of it’s great and authentic. Everything is good; try splitting a few main dishes (usually priced in the $5 to $7 range) with friends. $$
Chao Phraya
50 Laurier O.; 514 272 5339
Chu Chai’s non-vegetarian counterpart, this is the place to go for a nice, sit-down Thai meal. $$
Vegan and Vegetarian Aux Vivres
4631 St. Laurent; 514 842 3479
If you’re vegan, this will be your favourite restaurant in the city. Absolutely everything is vegan, ranging from the tasty vegelox to fruit smoothies. Some of the bowls are a little bland, but try the vegan BLT and you’ll be a convert, easy. $$
Bonnys
1748 Notre-Dame O.; 514 931 4136
Located east of Atwater, this small vegetarian restaurant is a quaint and friendly place for a meal. The mostly vegan menu has something for everyone, and the ambiance, friendly staff, and yummy borscht make it worth the trip, even if you don’t live in St. Henri. $$
Chu Chai
4088 St. Denis; 514 843 4194
This Thai resto on the Plateau is known for their wide array of fake meat, which many swear are delicious. But the place also offers vegetarian versions of Thai standbys like Pad Thai and coconut milk curries, if you aren’t a believer. $$-$$
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Aux Vivres is tough to miss on St. Laurent, just north of Mont Royal
La Faim du Monde
4110 St. Denis; 514 906 0432
With rich, earthy flavours, Faim du Monde satisfies your hunger with a seasonal menu filled with tasty options. The soups and homemade vege-paté are unbeatable, and try the samosas and vegan desserts to go. $-$$
Lola Rosa
545 Milton, 514-287-9337
This gem located only a block away from the Milton Gates offers up vegetarian fare that is fresh and tasty – you’ll never leave with a heavy stomach. The ratatouille is a stellar choice on a cold winter’s night, while the easy-on-thegrease nachos are also excellent. They also do breakfast, providing a delicious alternative to Place Milton any day. $$
Spirite Lounge
Hindu goddesses, and there are a litany of rules to follow once you sit down – no cell phones, no tap water, and if you don’t finish everything on your plate, you get the boot. If you don’t mind a bit of ironfisted fear mixed in with your meal, then go, eat, enjoy. $$$
Vietnamese Le Clafouti
2122 Drummond; 514 272 5339
The widest selection and cheapest prices of any Vietnamese sandwich shop in town. The baguettes are fresh and perfect and the lunchtime lines are indicative of the deliciousness of the offerings. $
Pho Lien
5703 Côte des Neiges; 514 735 6949
Some say the best pho is the city can be found here. The more adventurous can Eating at Spirite Lounge is one of the order tendon in their pho; the rest of us weirdest experiences you’ll ever have, but can choose options like beef or Vietnamthe amazing vegan food makes it worth it. ese meatballs. Either way, the perfectly The restaurant’s décor is a mix of bright spiced soup – and the rest of the restauanimal prints, tinfoil, and pictures of rant’s offerings – won’t disappoint. $$$ 1201 Ontario E., 514-522-5353
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Bar Reviews Montreal is a great place to go out. A lot of the time the drinks are cheap, and the bars are open ’till three in the morning. There are tons of options: you can find anglo or franco places, go dancing or lounging, spend a fortune or spend the night stealing other people’s booze. For tips on drinking, see page 68. For ideas on where to go, hit the street and start exploring. Here, organized by neighbourhood, are a few fine establishments to get you started. The Plateau Barfly
4062 St. Laurent
Possible the most wonderful of the Main’s dive bars, the Barfly plays host to an eclectic cast of regulars and an ever-changing mix of music. Whether it’s roots rock, heavy metal, or the legendary Sunday evening bluegrass sessions, it’s a reliable haunt if you want some tunes with your beer. $
Blizzarts
3956 St. Laurent
Could be the most eclectic crowd in Montreal. Everyone heads here at one point or another because the music is always killer; it’ll become your mainstay when nobody can decide where else to go. $
Navigating the
REVIEWS: $: This place is a complete dive $$: What a typically typical bar $$$: Swanky
Bifteck
3702 St. Laurent
This Montreal institution has been frequented by such rockers as the Foo Fighters and Nirvana in past years, and Bifteck’s cheap pitchers and super-salty free popcorn keeps the clientele satisfied year-round. You’ll be bound to run into everyone you know here at one point or another.
Billy Kun
354 Mont Royal E.
What’s better than drinking cheap beer in an eclectic bar adorned with stuffed ostriches? Doing so while listening to some damn fine jazz music.
Blue Dog
3958 St. Laurent
This new spot has become an instant hit among McGill students. With cheap beer and a retro-funk atmosphere, everyone will be pleased. Sex tape Fridays with DJ Kid Legit are where it’s at these days. $
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Dieu du Ciel
Tokyo
A microbrewery with delicious seasonal offerings, Dieu du Ciel has both great atmosphere and great beer selection. But get there early if you want to relax a bit, as it gets crowded quickly. $
Known for its “Tokyo Thursdays,” this upstairs club has the longest line and the shortest skirts of any club on the Main, and everyone sitting in your Leacock 132 class tomorrow morning is Probably going to be there. If you don’t mind beersoaked floors and an endless line of girls puking into the washroom sinks, then by all means, hit it up. $
29 Laurier W.
Else’s
156 Roy E.
This small bar tucked away from the hustle and bustle of St. Laurent is a great neighbourhood spot – lower Plateau dwellers can often be found sipping a glass of wine or a pint here on weekend afternoons. As the evening progresses the place gets busier, but it’s never loud enough that you can’t have a good chat in a table by the window. $
Frappé
3900 St. Laurent
Huge and always oddly empty. This is the place to go when you want to sit down with a huge group offriends and don’t want to get split up at a more crowded place. $
Snack’n Blues 5260 St. Laurent
There are snacks here, and there are blues. The snacks are in the form of countless little bowls of delicious things to munch on while you drink, and the blues are blues music, which you will most definitely hear coming through the speakers at this cozy Mile-End establishment. What more could you want? $
3709 St. Laurent
The Latin Quarter Bar Baloos
403 Ontario E.
Imagine Bifteck, just twice as large with live music and a dance floor in the basement. The popcorn is just as salty, the beer is just as cheap, and you can ditch the McGill dive-bar crowd in favour of the UQAM dive-bar crowd. $
La Distillerie 300 Ontario E.
A low-key bar that creates amazing concoctions in mason jars that are often stronger than necessary – if there is such a thing. Bring a date here to impress them with how well you know the Montreal bar scene, but expect a line. $-$$
St. Sulpice
680 St. Denis
One of the most popular place to drink in Montreal when it’s warm. It boasts a terrace almost as big as lower field that’s often filled with every type of Montrealer. You will end up here on the last day of exams in April, because it’s the only place that fits everyone you know. Sneak in through the hot dog place on the south side of the bar if the line out front is too long. $
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The Village Le Drugstore
1366 St. Catherine E.
This place has been around for ages and has managed to stay popular while almost every other lesbian-oriented bar has closed. The crowd is truly diverse in every sense of the term (from twinky fashionistas to middleaged lesbians and CEGEP punk-rock dykes) and it has some of the cheapest pitchers in the city on weekdays – not to mention two terraces, a dance floor, and a number of pool tables spread out over six floors. $
Le Parking 296 Amherst
Located in the heart of the Village, Parking’s Thursday nights attract a great crowd of young Montrealers who love to dance. For gals, it’s also the only night you can party in this exclusively male joint. $
Sky Pub 1474 St. Catherine E.
If Thursday nights in the Village should be spent at Parking, then Friday nights are best spent at Sky. This four-floor com- plex has the capacity for thousands, but on Friday the third floor cabaret is where it’s at. With great music that spans the decades, it’s a good spot to get to know the person you’re grinding up against.
YOUR AGENDA
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INSTITUT DE RECHERCHES CLINIQUES DE MONTRÉAL Affiliated with the Université de Montréal
Excellence in biomedical research and training Are you a life sciences student? Are you fascinated by biomedical research? Are you an outstanding, driven student, enrolled in a doctorate or master’s programme? Are you an undergraduate student looking for a summer internship? THE INSTITUT DE RECHERCHES CLINIQUES DE MONTRÉAL CAN FULFILL YOUR NEEDS. Get in touch with us today. If you are accepted, you are guaranteed a scholarship. www.ircm.qc.ca admission@ircm.qc.ca 514-987-5527
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INSTITUT DE RECHERCHES CLINIQUES DE MONTRÉAL Affiliated with the Université de Montréal
Excellence in biomedical research and training Are you a life sciences student? Are you fascinated by biomedical research? Are you an outstanding, driven student, enrolled in a doctorate or master’s programme? Are you an undergraduate student looking for a summer internship? THE INSTITUT DE RECHERCHES CLINIQUES DE MONTRÉAL CAN FULFILL YOUR NEEDS. Get in touch with us today. If you are accepted, you are guaranteed a scholarship. www.ircm.qc.ca admission@ircm.qc.ca 514-987-5527
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TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
november 2010
25
26
27
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
28
SUNDAY
135
136
november 2010
29
30
1
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
december 2010
2
3
4
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
5
SUNDAY
137
138
december 2010
6
7
8
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
SSMU Health & Dental Plan
Travelling Abroad?
december 2010
Your Health Plan includes travel coverage: - 120 days per trip, $5,000,000 per incident - $1,500 for trip cancellation - $5,000 for trip interruption
For more information: (514) 789-8775
9
10
11
ihaveaplan.ca
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
12
SUNDAY
139
140
december 2010
13
14
15
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
december 2010
16
17
18
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
19
SUNDAY
141
142
december 2010
20
21
22
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
december 2010
23
24
25
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
26
SUNDAY
143
144
december 2010
27
28
29
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
january 2011
30
31
1
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
2
SUNDAY
145
146
january 2011
Siamsa School of Irish Music Registration week
Meet the teachers on September 2nd at Marianopolis College
All levels are welcome !
Info at : www.siamsa.org
3
4
5
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
january 2011
6
7
8
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
9
SUNDAY
147
148
january 2011
10
11
12
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
minicourses
january 2011
SSMU Health & Dental Plan
Enrolments
(only for new Winter semester students and their dependants)
Jan. 13 - 27, 2011 For more information: (514) 789-8775
13
14
15
ihaveaplan.ca
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
16
SUNDAY
149
150
january 2011
17
18
19
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
SSMU Health & Dental Plan
Enrolments
january 2011
(only for new Winter semester students and their dependants)
Jan. 13 - 27, 2011 For more information: (514) 789-8775
20
21
22
ihaveaplan.ca
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
23
SUNDAY
151
152
january 2011 MERCREDI 2 FÉVRIER de 16 h 30 à 20 h 30 futursetudiants.umontreal.ca 514-343-6111, poste 4221
24
25
26
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Siamsa School of Irish Music Registration week
january 2011
Meet the teachers on September 2nd at Marianopolis College
All levels are welcome !
Info at : www.siamsa.org
27
28
29
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
30
SUNDAY
153
154
january 2011
31
1
2
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
february 2011
3
4
5
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
6
SUNDAY
155
156
february 2011
7
8
9
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
february 2011
10
11
12
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
13
SUNDAY
157
158
february 2011
14
15
16
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
february 2011
17
18
19
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
20
SUNDAY
159
160
february 2011
SSMU Health & Dental Plan
Travelling Abroad? Your Health Plan includes travel coverage: - 120 days per trip, $5,000,000 per incident - $1,500 for trip cancellation - $5,000 for trip interruption
For more information: (514) 789-8775
21
22
23
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
ihaveaplan.ca
february 2011
24
25
26
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
27
SUNDAY
161
162
february 2011
28
1
2
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
March 2011
3
4
5
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
6
SUNDAY
163
164
March 2011
7
8
9
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
March 2011
10
11
12
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
13
SUNDAY
165
166
March 2011
14
15
16
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
March 2011
Is This Your Last School Year?
Discover Continuum An affordable health, dental, vision, and emergency travel assistance insurance Plan designed for students who are completing their studies. For more information: 1 800 669-7921
17
18
19
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
20
SUNDAY
167
168
March 2011
Is This Your Last School Year?
Discover Continuum An affordable health, dental, vision, and emergency travel assistance insurance Plan designed for students who are completing their studies. For more information: 1 800 669-7921
21
22
23
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
March 2011
24
25
26
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
27
SUNDAY
169
170
March 2011
28
29
30
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
april 2011
31
1
2
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
3
SUNDAY
171
172
april 2011
4
5
6
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
april 2011
minicourses
7
8
9
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
10
SUNDAY
173
174
april 2011
11
12
13
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
april 2011
14
15
16
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
17
SUNDAY
175
176
april 2011
18
19
20
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
april 2011
21
22
23
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
24
SUNDAY
177
178
april 2011
25
26
27
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
may 2011
28
29
30
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
SUNDAY
179
180
may 2011
2
3
4
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
may 2011
5
6
7
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
8
SUNDAY
181
182
may 2011
9
10
11
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
may 2011
12
13
14
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
15
SUNDAY
183
184
may 2011
16
17
18
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
may 2011
19
20
21
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
22
SUNDAY
185
186
may 2011
23
24
25
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
may 2011
26
27
28
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
29
SUNDAY
187
house ad? 2011/12
188
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