Office of Indigenous Initiatives kicks off 13th annual Indigenous Awareness Weeks
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The event featured speeches, dance, and singing
Indigenous performers and vendors shine at 23rd annual Pow Wow
Jasjot
Grewal & Editor-in-Chief
Fabienne de Cartier News Editor
On Friday, Sept. 20, the First Peoples’ House and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives hosted McGill’s 23rd annual Pow Wow at the Tomlinson Fieldhouse. The six-and-a-half-hour event saw Métis Jigging, Inuit throat singing, Haudenosaunee social dancing,
and multiple Intertribals, with drumming from the RedTail Spirit Singers, Ottawa River Singers, SpiritWind, and Spirit Wolf. The Pow Wow, open to the McGill community and the general public, also hosted dozens of vendors, ranging from creators selling jewellery to an information and fundraising booth supporting the Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers), who are currently involved in a lawsuit with McGill over potential unmarked graves on the site of
Laws of thought: Investigating factors that lead to transphobia
How local legislation correlates with individual biases
Gregor McCall Contributor
In recent years, both the United States and Canada have borne witness to rapid social progression and conservative backlash, especially regarding attitudes toward transgender individuals. In the U.S., legislators have passed 170
anti-trans bills, of which 125 are already active. In Canada, both Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have passed legislation preventing educators from using a child’s preferred name or pronouns without explicit consent from the child’s parents.
A recent study conducted by Eliane Roy, PhD
student in McGill’s Psychology Department, and her team investigated the relationship between local anti-trans legislation in the US and anti-trans sentiment. More specifically, the paper compared participants’ biases towards transgender individuals and their local legislation affecting transgender individuals.
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the university’s New Vic Project.
The event began with a Grand Entry, in which participants entered the center of the Fieldhouse while dancing, followed by opening words from organizers and the two masters of ceremonies, Lance Delisle and Marie-Celine Charron Einish. The opening also included a Flag Song, which featured the pinningup of flags representing the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Every Child Matters campaign, Pride, and more. PG. 3
Trying out: The McGill novice men’s rowing team
A glimpse into the 10-day endeavour
Reuben Noam Contributor
On Sept. 4, the first day of the McGill novice rowing (NR) tryouts, the Jacques Cartier bridge braids across the sky. The sounds of cars passing drive like nails against what’s left of last night. Then sleep begins to dissipate, finally, from your veins; it joins the shadows forming your wake. It’s
5:55 a.m..
Figures on bikes climb the opposite hill without their front lights on, their tires swaying like they might be dancing. But the sun hasn’t risen yet, and you know they’re not.
The boathouse is reminiscent of a factory in the cloudy predawn, like a figure in rain boots might step out of a loading bay and light a cigarette. The sky, red over the trees, strains to
illuminate the water. A flock of students wiping the sleep from their eyes form most of a circle looking toward the Olympic basin. This year marks the 100th anniversary since the founding of the McGill University Rowing Club (MURC) and the club’s 48th consecutive season. Tryouts, held in early September for the past 48 years, emphasize bringing beginners to the sport.
(Bruno Cotler / The Tribune), PG. 2
Indigenous performers and vendors shine at 23rd annual Pow Wow
The event featured speeches, dance, singing, and vendors
Jasjot Grewal & Editor-in-Chief
Continued from page 1.
Over the course of the day, speakers underlined that the Pow Wow was about joy and community. Amanda James, one of the performers of the Jingle Dance, explained to The Tribune that the Pow Wow is a celebration of Indigenous cultures.
“[The Pow Wow is] for people to have a look into our culture and to see what we’re about, and that we’re still here and we’re still dancing, and our
culture is alive and well,” James said.
Over 25 vendors from across Canada were present at the event. Raphaëlle Langevin was selling earrings, bracelets, and other accessories which she said were inspired by animals and traditional motifs at the event. Langevin explained that her business, Matsheshu Créations, has been following the Pow Wow Trail, setting up booths at various Pow Wows throughout the summer. She noted that the event had the potential to foster connections and learning with non-Indigenous people.
“[A] Pow Wow is a great place to meet both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Part of our mission is to create bridges with non-Indigenous people, and I think that this is a great place for that,” Langevin explained.
Take Back Tekanontak, a group of community members in support of the Mohawk Mothers, were also present at the Pow Wow alongside Mohawk Mother Kahentinetha. Marjolaine Arpin, who was tabling with Take Back Tekanontak, spoke to The Tribune about how she found it ironic that McGill is hosting an event celebrating Indigenous life and culture, whilst simultaneously litigating against the Mohawk Mothers.
“McGill is a colonial institution and it plays [at] reconciliation, [...] Indigenous celebration, and respect. That’s only a facade. So it’s really appalling and disgusting and heartbreaking to be honest, because it’s re-traumatizing,” Arpin said.
Others emphasized that the Pow Wow was an opportunity to learn from each other and learn more about local Indigenous cultures. Spenser Mandy, U3 Music, spoke to the responsibility that non-Indigenous people share in learning about the traditional Kanien’kehà:ka territory that McGill’s campus operates on.
“Since I’m studying in Quebec, I thought I should know a bit about the traditions of the people that are from the land that I’m studying on,” Mandy said.
Giselle Alfred, member of the Indigenous Student Alliance, was tabling for the group at the event. In an interview with The Tribune , Alfred explained that she saw the Pow Wow as an opportunity to learn about Indigenous cultures other than her own.
“I’m very much a guest on this land, just like a lot of others,” Alfred said. “I myself am from British Columbia, and that’s where my Indigenous ancestry comes from. So for me, I’m just grateful to be able to witness and experience [the] beautiful Indigenous [cultures] here.”
Office of Indigenous Initiatives kicks off 13th annual Indigenous Awareness Weeks
Opening event invited Dr. Laara Fitznor to discuss Indigenous philosophies in academia
Shani Laskin Managing Editor
McGill’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) commenced its 13th annual Indigenous Awareness Weeks with an opening talk given by Laara Fitznor, formerly with the University of Manitoba, on Sept. 19. The event, held in the Faculty Club, was titled “Engaging Indigenous Philosophies and Practices for Mutual Respect and Leadership across University Landscapes.”
To open the event, the emcee of the evening, Faculty of Education assistant professor Geraldine King, introduced Faithkeeper Otsi’tsaken:ra (Charlie) Patton to the podium. Otsi’tsaken:ra provide the Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen or the “words that come before all things,” first in Kanien’kéha followed by a version in English. He recognized and offered gratitude to the trees, sky, water, and other elements of the natural world. He also spoke to the diversity of Indigenous cultures across Canada.
“Amongst our nations we all have different ways that we understood [the creation of the earth] in the languages, in the way we sing, in the way we drum, the way we dance. It’s all about giving thanks for what the Creation has given us,” Otsi’tsaken:ra said.
King then invited McGill President and ViceChancellor Deep Saini and Provost and Executive
Vice-President (Academic) Christopher Manfredi to share words of welcome.
“[Indigenous Awareness Weeks] has helped foster an environment in which McGill’s Indigenous community members are represented, recognized and celebrated,” Saini said. “We are a proudly diverse university of which our First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members are an integral part. We have so much to learn from one another and events such as this—which allow us to exchange openly and respectfully on important issues—deeply enrich and strengthen our community.”
The theme of this year’s Indigenous Awareness Weeks is recognizing trailblazers. Fitznor, the keynote speaker of the evening, was a professor at the University of Manitoba and the University of Toronto before her retirement in 2019. Fitznor is a member of the Nisichawaysihk Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba. She spoke about her family history and how it has shaped her understanding of how Indigenous knowledge can be included in academic contexts.
“Family ties [and] reminders of cultural and land responsibilities [are] a backdrop for understanding education,” Fitznor said.
She shared stories about microaggressions that she faced in the workplace and urged allies to show up for their Indigenous co-workers in a tangible way.
“Don’t just say ‘I support you,’” Fitznor said.
“Get involved, but don’t lead the way [....] Stand behind us. Work with us, but never ahead of us.”
She also encouraged the roughly 30 attendees to take the lessons they learned from the talk into their daily lives outside of the two weeks dedicated to Indigenous awareness at McGill.
“I think it’s amazing that we have that focus [...] of gathering minds and hearts for different activities that can be shared with people,” Fitznor said. “Everyone that’s in this room, your work is to take that forward to the other folks around you, whether it’s with your family or friends, your coursework, and your research, and your community work [....] What [will] you do with what you learn?”
Fitznor commented on land acknowledgements saying “Don’t keep them sweet and short. Keep them long and engaging—it’s more Indigenous.”.
“Your life is precious. You are pure, however you are today. You have achieved it already. You have it. We are not deficient, and today is not an accident. You belong. You belong here,” Spade told the crowd.
To close out the event, King invited professor Robert Spade from the Schulich School of Music to perform an Anishinaabe honour song. He introduced the song by saying that it recognizes the gift of life.
The Indigenous Awareness Weeks will continue until Oct. 2 with talks on Inuit education, Mohawk governance, and Ojibwe Anishinaabe art among others. On Sept. 30, the Faculty of Education will hold its sixth annual Skátne Entewathahíta - We Will Walk Together event for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
(Shani Laskin / The Tribune)
Cash prizes of $200-800 were awarded to finalists in the Jingle Special and Ribbon Shirt/ Ribbon Skirt Special.
(Bruno Cotler / The Tribune)
Fabienne de Cartier News Editor
Richard Janda. In fact, the speaker was AMPL Vice President Kirsten Anker. The Tribune regets this error.
(Bruno Cotler / The Tribune)
McGill Senate discusses campus security, freedom of assembly, and expression
McGill announces suspension of Fiat Lux library project in light of government cuts
Eliza Lee News Editor
The McGill Senate convened on Sept. 18 for its first meeting of the academic year, discussing topics such as the suspension of the Fiat Lux Library Project, private security on campus, and freedom of assembly and expression.
Among the first items on the agenda were memorial tributes for Linguistics professor emeritus Douglas Ellis, Medicine professor emeritus Norbert Gilmore, and Pharmacology and Therapeutics professor Barbara Hales, followed soon after by remarks from McGill President, Vice-Chancellor, and Senate Chair Deep Saini.
Saini began by speaking about the university’s enrolment, which he noted was comparable to the previous year’s. This comes despite Quebec’s tuition increase for out-of-province students, which is offset by McGill’s Canada Award for students in most bachelor’s programs. He also shared that there has been an increase of 5.2 per cent in the number of students coming from Cegeps enrolled in bachelor’s programs.
Saini went on to note that the provincial government’s proposed bill seeking to limit the number of international students in the province will be tabled at the National Assembly of Quebec this fall. McGill has asked to present arguments in favour of international students to the government during that time.
“McGill is working in concert with other research institutions in the province to develop key points of common interest to stress in conversations with the Minister, stressing growth and development occasioned by the presence of international students which benefits all Quebecers,” Saini said.
Saini then turned to the provincial government’s new spending limit on capital funding for university construction and renovation projects. Due to these funding changes, Saini announced that McGill has suspended all work on the Fiat Lux Project. Construction for this new library project—which was set to incorporate the McLennan Library Building and the Redpath Library Building—was previously planned to begin in 2026.
“I want to emphasize our collective sadness at this reality, because there was much
excitement about this project, and I want to express our gratitude to the many staff members, supporters, and champions of the Fiat Lux project who have been involved,” Saini said.
Answering a question from Senator David Greene, Vice-President (VP) (Administration and Finance) Fabrice Labeau noted that although project development has been halted, it is possible that the project or a “modified version” of it could eventually be realized. Saini noted that the university is looking into other ways to increase library space and that it is also conducting a review of other infrastructural projects.
The Senate later turned to a question on demonstrations on campus, which was submitted by Senator and Students’ Society of McGill University VP University Affairs Abe Berglas and Senator Nicholas Chow. The question asked whether the Charter of Student Rights was upheld while campus was restricted from mid-July to Aug. 5 following the dismantlement of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on the Lower Field. The question also asked how security personnel were trained to intervene in demonstrations during that period and going forward. During the meeting, Berglas also stated that a student had reported to them that a security guard had instructed the student to leave campus for carrying a flag, stating “no protesting is allowed during this period.” Berglas then reiterated their question on whether the university had respected the Charter of Student Rights in light of this student’s experience.
Senator, Provost, and Executive VicePresident (Academic) Christopher Manfredi responded that he was unaware of any formal complaint like what Berglas described, and that the Charter of Students Rights was upheld throughout the period specified.
Labeau also drew attention to the last paragraph of his and Manfredi’s written response, which notes that McGill hires private security, who they do not train on all university policies. These private security guards work under the university’s permanent security team, who supervise all operations and who McGill trains on their policies.
“We of course train our staff in the best possible way [...] sometimes these mistakes can happen, but definitely that’s not policy,” Labeau said.
This was followed by an open discussion
on the university’s policies for freedom of expression and assembly, particularly in relation to “political activism” on campus.
Saini began this period by stating that over the past year, McGill administration has had to make decisions regarding student demonstrations in “extremely challenging circumstances.” Saini emphasized that actions on these matters should be guided by governance bodies such as the Senate, not just senior administration.
“It is our collective responsibility, and indeed duty, as a Senate to discuss and debate these difficult matters and to come together to chart a course that serves the best interest of our institution and its mission,” Saini said. “The goal of today’s open discussion is therefore to give us all a chance to examine collectively and collegially some of the difficult questions we have encountered over the last months.”
The Senate’s previous meeting was on May 8, 2024. (
Senators then broke into smaller groups to evaluate fictional case studies and to discuss which of McGill’s policies might apply to these examples to best steer decision-making. The groups then briefly shared their findings with the entire Senate.
Following a report providing updates from the Board of Governors (BoG) given by Senator Edith Zorychta, Senator Marc Richard asked for more information on an item stating that at the request of the donor, the board had rescinded the renaming of the Leacock Building to the ‘Rimer Building.’ In 2021, McGill reported that donations totalling $13 million CAD from alumnus Gerald Rimer and the Rimer family would go towards a number of initiatives on campus, including the renovation of the Leacock Building and its renaming. Sen-
ator and VP (University Advancement) Marc Weinstein explained that donations allocated towards the renaming will now go towards scholarships for McGill students.
Drawing from a report item on McGill’s approval of a contract extension with the private security firm Garda, Senator Ipek Türeli asked about any ongoing contracts between McGill and Sirco, the private company that it hired to dismantle the Palestine Solidarity Encampment. Türeli stated that some have reported Sirco taking photos and videos of student protestors, and asked for McGill to describe the cost of these services and its broader decisionmaking process for hiring private security. Labeau responded by saying that the university does have a contract with “an additional security service” other than Garda, and that the university does not have a timeframe for when this might change.
Moment of the meeting:
While the Senate was discussing the training of private security on campus, Senator Catherine Lu suggested the university offer students a way to report incidents with security guards in an informal capacity. Students can file formal complaints through the Code of Student Grievances.
“It already seems that we know that there is defective or incomplete training. Perhaps there’s a way in which we can give students and others who have encounters with security an avenue to report any incidents [...] so that we have an actual empirical record of the kinds of problems that people face,” Lu said. “Because we all want to have a community where people are able to exercise their rights respectfully and not be disciplined or fear that they will be on the campus.”
Soundbite:
“[The BoG Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility (CSSR)] has to present a report with any recommendations to the board by their meeting in December 2024, so that’s fairly soon. CSSR has sent an email [...] whereby you can send a response to the committee. The committee will take in all of the input from the university community and has also looked into a lot of information [...] and it will work very hard to come up with a report by the designated time.”
— Senator Zorychta, on the CSSR’s mandate to evaluate “the question of divestment from direct investments in companies that derive a dominant portion of their direct revenues from the production of military weapons regardless of the countries in which they operate.”
Rohan Khanna / The Tribune)
(Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune)
Geoffrey Nelson Contributor
TRecap: SSMU Legislative Council Sept. 19 meeting
Council reviewed summer projects, addressed call-to-action motion
he Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) met for its first Legislative Council meeting of the semester on Sept. 19. Speakers discussed various departments’ progress on projects throughout the summer, reviewed the McGill Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF), and addressed a motion for a call-to-action to advertise a pro-2SLGBTQ+ demonstration.
The SSMU Executive Committee began the meeting by providing updates on its work over the summer. The Committee noted that it worked with the Dental Students’ Association and Macdonald Campus Students’ Society to adopt a new online voting system with Simply Voting now that the groups’ elections are no
longer supported through myInvolvement. Additionally, the Committee explained that it has been working to bolster student engagement. Lastly, the Committee discussed amending the SSMU Constitution with the aim of addressing issues within the Judicial Board. The proposed amendments would give the Judicial Board power to produce binding decisions on SSMU governing documents and create a process for appeals.
The meeting then turned to the SPF’s summer activities. The SPF approved numerous projects including the distribution of compost bins and materials for Science Frosh and the creation of a sustainable materials library for students in architecture and engineering. Budgets for the SPF’s projects ranged from $500 to $5,000 CAD.
Lastly, the Legislative Council heard a call-to-action proposed by Vice President
University Affairs Abe Berglas. Berglas asked that SSMU share information on its Instagram story about a pro-2SLGBTQ+ protest organized by P!NK BLOC, a Montreal-based queer revolutionary collective, on Sept. 20. The demonstration was organized in response to calls for national protests by Hands Off Our Kids, an organization advocating for the regression of civil education and free expression, and Ensemble Pour Protéger Nos Enfants, a Quebecbased group that champions similar ideas. Berglas’ call-to-action requested SSMU
to share counterprotest information. With a slight amendment to the final section of the call-to-action, the motion passed 15-0 with four members abstaining.
The Tribune Explains: SSMU and UTILE affordable student housing
Le Méridien will offer 170 apartments to downtown undergraduates
Titouan Le Ster News Editor
The island of Montreal’s apartment vacancy rate dropped to 1.6 per cent in 2023, with neighbourhoods like Plateau-Mont-Royal plummeting to 0.6 per cent, according to the 2024 report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In parallel, the average rent price for a two-bedroom has increased by a recordhigh of 7.9 per cent between 2022 and 2023. The rising costs are inhibiting students’ ability to access affordable housing. To combat this, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is working with L’Unité de travail pour l’implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE) to break ground on Le Méridien, an affordable housing development catered to students. The Tribune unpacks the development of this partnership and what it means for present and future students.
What is UTILE?
UTILE is a social economy enterprise, a nonprofit dedicated to developing affordable student housing across Quebec. Founded in 2012, they collaborate with student unions to create affordable housing projects specifically designed to meet student needs.
As housing costs in Montreal continue to rise and affordable options become scarce, UTILE’s projects present an alternative to for-profit housing for students. UTILE has previously worked with the Concordia Student Union, leading to the construction of the student affordable housing building The Woodnote. The nonprofit has four buildings for rent and nine more projects underway in the province.
How did SSMU get involved?
SSMU began working with UTILE in 2014 when they partnered on a survey about key indicators of student housing, seeking to understand the reality of housing for students. In January 2019, UTILE presented its model and project to the SSMU Legislative Council. SSMU then proposed a question on the 2019 winter referendum, where 77 per cent of participating SSMU members voted “Yes” for the SSMU to “further prioritize affordable housing, including, but not limited to, further actions to explore developing student housing.” In October 2019, SSMU approved the creation of the Affordable Student Housing Committee (ASHC), aimed at exploring ways to secure and promote affordable housing for students and advise developers on students’ housing needs.
The final step in securing SSMU’s involvement with UTILE happened during the 2020 winter referendum when the undergraduate body voted to create an affordable housing fee of $6.53 CAD. The core mission of this fee is to fund about 300 units and create the infrastructure for fu-
ture projects. The levy allows SSMU to collect $1.5 million CAD that goes to UTILE’s Popular University Student Housing Fund, which itself helps fund the $47 million CAD tower dedicated to McGill undergraduates, Le Méridien.
What is the state of housing for the McGill student population?
The ASHC published its final report in May 2023, presenting the state of housing for students at McGill. The review highlights that McGill’s own residence fees are considerably higher compared to other local universities and the private rental market. With the average cost of McGill’s residence rooms being 23.8 per cent more expensive than that of a room in a three-bedroom in the Plateau-Mont-Royal according to the ASHC report, many students are left struggling to find affordable accommodation.
The report also points to a broader issue of housing affordability, exacerbated by rising rents in Montreal. Many students, especially those with limited financial support, find it difficult to secure affordable housing close to campus, which intensifies
the pressure on the private rental market and contributes to issues of gentrification and studentification.
What is Le Méridien?
Le Méridien is an upcoming student housing project, resulting from the collaboration between SSMU and UTILE. Located on Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Ontario Est and scheduled to open for the 2026-2027 academic year, Le Meridien will offer 170 apartments to about 281 residents, primarily SSMU members.
Thanks to a successful reclassification of the plot in the urban fabric of the Quartier des spectacles, the building will offer a number of units that aligns with the range of 200 to 300 originally contracted. Each new project UTILE completes helps fund future developments, as the organization’s status as a non-profit requires that it reinvest any surplus earnings. While rent prices for the building have not yet been finalized, they will be 15 to 30 per cent below market rates as per the contract between SSMU and UTILE.
Le Méridien is also funded by the city of Montreal and the Fonds immobilier de solidarité. (Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)
Gerts Cafe will be moved to room 130 of the University Centre given that it has outgrown its space in the bar location. (James Knetchel / The Tribune)
Editor-in-Chief
Jasjot Grewal editor@thetribune.ca
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Photo Editor Rohan Khanna photo@thetribune.ca
Multimedia Editor Ian Chang multimedia@thetribune.ca
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Copy Editor Matt Adelberg copy@thetribune.ca
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Business Manager Sophie Smith business@thetribune.ca
Voting is vital to combat regressive politics
The Tribune Editorial Board
The United States is anticipating its presidential election on Nov. 5, and national polls overwhelmingly suggest a tight race between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump. There are about 600,000 voting-age U.S. citizens residing in Canada, more than 2000 of whom attend McGill. The election’s outcome intertwines heavily with Canadian politics, through ever-contentious issues such as immigration and trade, and because of the current downward spiral of the Canadian liberal party and the rise of Canadian nationalism. The outcome of the U.S. election will affect all Canadians, and the overlooked force in this race is the American overseas population, of which McGill houses an important fraction.
The race between Harris and Trump represents a stark ideological divide that echoes across our borders. Historically, U.S. elections have wielded considerable influence over Canadian politics, economics, and social dynamics. After the 2016 U.S. presidential election, there was a surge in far-right rhetoric and extremism in Canada, exemplified
Fabienne de Cartier News Editor
This summer’s Olympic and Paralympic season abounded with incredible feats of athleticism. As a disabled journalist, I was pleased to see Paralympic athletes garner significant media coverage across Canadian news outlets. But while some media agencies got disability coverage right, others perpetuated harmful stereotypes, framing disabilities as obstacles to be overcome.
Although I never deliberately try to hide the fact that I’m an amputee in my everyday life, it’s fairly easy for me to do so. My below-theknee prosthesis is slim, coloured to my skin tone, and easily concealed
by the rise of groups like the Proud Boys and increased incidents of hate speech targeting minority communities. As Trump emboldens the far right’s extremism, there is potential to further radicalize a population already swayed by antidemocratic sentiments, as seen in the establishment populist parties like the People’s Party of Canada, which promote exclusionary policies and rhetoric.
The two-party system in the U.S. leaves many voters feeling disillusioned, particularly when faced with candidates whose values may not align with their own. Some eligible voters are opting to abstain from voting as a form of protest in this context, but choosing not to vote undermines democracy and increases the public’s distrust in government. Furthermore, abstaining from voting is rooted in privilege, since it involves overlooking the stakes at play for marginalized communities— immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, women seeking abortion access— who have to rely on electoral outcomes to safeguard their fundamental rights of safety, security, and bodily autonomy. While both parties are deserving of criticism, not voting undermines opportunities for meaningful change and fuels
indifference towards critical issues. It ignores the reality that many Americans, particularly those disenfranchised by systemic racism and restrictive laws, lack the privilege to opt out.
The rise of polarized political systems threatens democracy and equality. In Quebec, Islamophobia is particularly destructive, with xenophobic policies often disguised as ‘French nationalism’ and ‘language preservation.’ When exclusionary, hateful discourse is embraced at a national level in the U.S., it sets a dangerous precedent for governments like Quebec’s, which use ‘selfdefence’ and ‘religious neutrality’ arguments to justify xenophobia.
A recent example of this dangerous trend is former President Trump’s dehumanizing remarks about Haitian immigrants. These comments fueled divisive rhetoric that alienates minorities. Haitian immigration has largely shaped Montreal’s cultural landscape, yet Haitians continue to face discrimination and underrepresentation in the workforce. Mobilizing American students in Montreal means helping them understand the historical context of Haitian immigration to the city and how their votes can directly impact those communities.
Encouraging students to reflect on their responsibility as voters in the U.S. can help them recognize that the consequences of their choices transcend borders, impacting not just policy but the lives of individuals in already marginalized communities both at home and abroad.
In the digital age, media plays a crucial role in mobilizing younger populations, especially American students abroad. At McGill, these platforms can serve as powerful tools for information accessibility and civic engagement, but they must be used responsibly. Student journalists and community members can offer unbiased, factual content to inform and inspire action, avoiding the sensationalism that pervades media narratives. By focusing on the facts— such as voter registration processes and important political events— McGill students can effectively empower action by encouraging their peers to engage with the electoral process and address concerns about voting relevance or participation. While the discourse may be fraught, advocating for informed participation must be at the forefront of our efforts. In this critical moment, it is everyone’s duty to engage and advocate for an inclusive, democratic future.
Disabled athletes deserve better media coverage
“My amputation is something I work with, not something I work against.”
under pants. Whenever I go running, however, my amputation is on full display. The shape of my running prosthesis—a slim socket attached to a curved running blade—makes it impossible to hide. While running, strangers not only keep their eyes trained on me, but frequently come up to me to ask invasive questions and praise my courage, charisma, and resilience. I am routinely subjected to an uncomfortable excess of attention. Although strangers generally mean well, their celebration of my character is misguided; after all, they don’t know me.
Despite rarely explicitly mentioning my amputation, it’s clear that these individuals praise my running because they see my amputation as a barrier I have to surmount. Of course, it is harder to run as an amputee. Not only is it something I had to re-learn how to do after my amputation, but it’s more painful for me to run than for many of my able-bodied peers. Friction between my leg and running prosthesis creates skin irritation, and running with the prosthesis itself often leads to pain at the bottom of my stump and lower back. Moreover, it can be difficult to find accessible
routes amidst Montréal’s worn-down and often uneven sidewalks. Still, my running is more ordinary than it is inspirational. Framing my amputation as an obstacle places me in opposition to a fundamental part of who I am, an aspect of my everyday life. My amputation is something I work with, not something I work against.
Journalists often make the same mistake of portraying disabilities as obstacles. Of course, my sweaty, tomato-faced runs around my Montréal neighbourhood are hardly comparable to the athletic performances seen at the Paralympic level. Unlike my ordinary runs, Paralympic athletic achievement is inspirational. Nevertheless, media coverage of the Paralympics often portrays disabled athletes’ victories as being achieved in spite of their disabilities. Presenting disabilities as obstacles only perpetuates the cultural narrative that disabled people need to be cured—that we are not welcome to exist in this world as we are.
Disabled athletes not only deserve greater visibility, but more persistent coverage year-round.
Although the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games were the first in history to
receive some coverage of all 22 sports played, writing about disabled athletes only once every Paralympic season falls short of consistent representation. Similarly, news agencies overwhelmingly favour coverage of man athletes, and must also work to rectify the unequal representation of woman athletes in sports journalism.
We have a responsibility as journalists to lead by example. Media coverage shapes our values and worldview, and how the media represents disabled people inevitably influences how individuals interact with disabled people in the world. When we are simply going about our ordinary lives, we deserve to be represented as just that—ordinary— rather than as reductive objects of inspiration or feel-good stories for able-bodied audiences. As journalists, we should strive to let disabled people tell their own stories, rather than force stereotypical narratives onto them. By asking questions rather than making assumptions, we can more authentically represent disabled people’s stories. Ultimately, our responsibility as journalists to inform the public is rooted in an even greater responsibility: To truly listen.
Shatner University Centre,
Jasjot Grewal Sophie Smith, Celine Li
TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mairin Burke, Charlotte Hayes, Bianca Tri CONTRIBUTORS
Aidan Hotte, Amelia McCluskey, Carmen Faria, Daniel Pyo, Galia Pakman Arrojo, Geoffrey Nelson, Gregor McCall, Lily Dodson, Luken Castenada Garces, Madigan McMahon, Reuben Noam, Tamiyana Roemer, Zain Ahmed.
Bennett Jefferson, Bruno Cotler, Evelyn Li, Holden Callif, James Knechtel, Meredith Cloutier, Nour Khouri, Sophie Alzona, Sophie Schuyler, Téa Texier
Luken Castaneda Garces Contributor
PDitch the screens. Paper is better for your brain.
aper notebooks are making a comeback. A glance around one of McGill’s overcrowded lecture halls reveals the sheer number of people writing on one of those studio notebooks from Dollarama. Some might even gravitate towards the beautiful but ostentatious Moleskine journals. One may have even taken a class where the professor prohibited the use of laptops for note-taking. The argument educators use to encourage their students to ditch the screen normally goes the following way: Humans can type much faster than they can write. Consequently, students who opt for laptops during lectures tend to write notes from what professors say verbatim. This is detrimental to the learning process because a key component of retaining lectures entails synthesizing the material in one’s own words, which is particularly difficult to achieve using laptops. What’s more, laptops foster inattention because of the ease with which one can browse the internet as soon as the lecture gets boring. This inattention and internet use in class correlates to poor performance on final exams.
The general consensus is that laptops are not ideal modes of note-taking, but what about iPads or one of those fabulous tablets such as Remarkable? Do these options truly offer an advantage over laptops?
Tablets and styluses are preferable to laptops, as the tangible motion of writing is
COMMENTARY
Yusur Al-Sharqi Managing Editor
Fproven to be better for retention than typing; however, they are not as beneficial as writing on paper. Old-fashioned paper note-taking offers an added benefit that screens do not— its physicality. The physical act of putting lead to paper triggers more potent brain activity compared to screens. A 2021 study by University of Tokyo Professor Kuniyoshi L. Sakai demonstrated how writing on paper leads to improved memory an hour after a lecture because of the uniquely complex tactile and spatial information that notebooks have. Physical paper has a palpable presence that tablets lack. Screens do not have a perceptible position in our spatial world—instead of tangible pages we are left with an endlessly scrollable screen; the notebook’s corners are not folded, and digital notes disappear into the elusive ‘cloud’ as soon as students close the app.
Paper notes elicit a particularly strong brain response in areas associated with language learning, imaginary visualizations, and creative endeavours. For this reason, many musical artists choose paper as their preferred medium for creative work. In a recent interview, pop sensation Charli XCX revealed that she wrote the entirety of Brat using a paper notebook, whereas she used the Notes app on her iPhone for her previous songwriting. Some might argue that the decision to write the album entirely on paper contributed to the creative process behind Brat, which many consider her most accomplished work to date.
We live in a digital era where large tech companies are constantly fighting to get
a hold of our attention. Being bombarded by notifications 24/7 already makes it incredibly difficult to concentrate, so why bring screens to the classrooms when we can opt for pen and paper? We tend to associate screens with entertainment and socializing, making such devices inconducive to learning. As scholar Maryanne Wolf points out, our brains react very differently to screens versus paper, not only while taking notes, but also while reading. When we read on screens, we do so to acquire data and information, but not for the purpose of
deep comprehension. This is where the power of paper lies. Paper pushes us to understand and grapple with difficult questions in ways that screens cannot, because we are forced to give our undivided attention to the physical text. As university students we have a responsibility to use our education for the betterment of ourselves and society, but we can only reap those benefits to the full extent if we engage with the material we learn in the classroom thoughtfully. Paper can help us do that.
The people-pleasing is not pleasing the people
or many students, university marks the first leap into adulthood—living with strangers, assuming leadership roles, and meeting people from all walks of life. In both a university and workplace setting, young adults begin learning how to communicate with people they might not necessarily get along with, or even like. In these situations, conflict is not just a possibility; it’s a certainty.
Just last week, my colleague and I were discussing how to resolve an issue of poor communication when he shrugged and said, “It only becomes a problem if we talk about it.” I couldn’t help but think, “But it’s already a problem for me!” The reality is that issues don’t disappear when we stop talking about them; they fester and grow beneath the surface instead.
Somewhere along the way, Gen Z developed the belief that pretending everything is fine makes everything fine. In reality, conflict avoidance is not a virtue; in fact, it becomes more damaging than facing conflicts head-on. We’ve created a generation of people-pleasers who think that staying neutral and avoiding disagreement keeps everyone happy. But, under pressure, this shallow contentment is quick to fall apart. The truth is, if a relationship can’t withstand honest communication, then it probably wasn’t built on solid ground to begin with. Healthy relationships are strengthened by addressing disagreements, not by pretending they don’t exist.
Whether it’s through changing the subject, delaying important conversations, or ghosting, conflict-avoidant behaviours are not only ineffective but downright harmful—especially for a generation already struggling with high
A 2013 study showed that emotional suppression is associated with an increase in premature death, including from cancer. (Rohan Khanna / The Tribune)
rates of anxiety and depression. A 2021 study revealed that individuals who confront and resolve daily conflicts tend to experience lower stress levels and a more stable emotional state. Conversely, suppressing emotions has been linked to an increased risk of serious health issues, including premature death. Additionally, relying on nervous laughter or fake smiles rather than addressing distress can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression.
Conflict avoidance can also have detrimental effects on interpersonal relationships. It can lead to gunny sacking, a term used by psychologists to describe the unhealthy practice
of storing up unresolved grievances and negative feelings about someone or something instead of addressing them as they arise. Over time, this buildup creates a metaphorical “gunny sack” filled with complaints, which can lead to explosive confrontations when the person finally reaches a breaking point.
Worse, avoiding conflict often leads to passive-aggressive behaviour—where people express their frustration indirectly, through sarcasm or subtle digs—because they don’t know how to confront it directly and lack effective conflict-management skills. The discomfort of long-term, underlying resentment has much more
dire effects than the uncomfortable experience of direct communication.
There is a prevailing notion—especially in Canada—that being “nice” means never taking a stance that might upset someone else. But niceness is not the same thing as kindness. Niceness is surface-level, often driven by fear of judgment or rejection, while kindness involves deeper understanding, honesty, and sometimes difficult conversations. Direct communication is a genuine act of care; these conversations imply that someone is willing to embrace the discomfort of vulnerability and open dialogue to strengthen the relationship because they want it to work. In doing this, we offer others the chance to change their behaviour and extend them grace. We need to recognize this kind of communication as an expression of love. I would choose this kind of kindness over mere “niceness” any day.
Of course, this doesn’t mean every minor inconvenience requires a major discussion, nor should we jump to criticize someone for every small misunderstanding. In some cases, if someone is particularly unreceptive, it’s healthier to step back rather than push for a conversation. However, more often than not, people are more open to communication than anticipated. If an issue can be resolved through dialogue, we should engage in that conversation.
For a generation that has the capacity to turn anything into a joke, it’s time to get serious. The key lies in learning how to approach conflict constructively without making it personal or hurtful. This means being honest, maintaining a solution-focused mindset, using “I” statements rather than “you” statements, and leading with compassion and empathy. This direct communication, as opposed to avoidance, is what truly pleases people.
Writing on paper activates both hemispheres of the brain, with the left side handling logic and grammar while the right side enhances creativity and visualization. (Bruno Cotler / The Tribune)
Demystifying sports injuries for effective prevention and treatment
Highlighting the impact of knowledge in injury classifications
Daniel Pyo Contributor
Sports and physical activity are vital for health, offering benefits such as reduced risk of chronic diseases, lower morbidity, and better mental health. However, excessive exercise can lead to injuries and affect the musculoskeletal system, resulting in prolonged recovery, increased risk of further injury, and stress.
A recent review published by Chinchin Wang, a PhD graduate in epidemiology, and her team under the supervision of Ian Shrier, an associate professor in McGill’s School of Population and Global Health, aimed to provide epidemiologists with a concise introduction to musculoskeletal (MSK) sport injuries. Wang, who also currently works as an epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada, focused her research on gaps in how epidemiological standards of injuries describe MSK injuries.
“I spend a considerable amount of time doing endurance training for myself, and I am aware that injuries often occur when you push yourself too hard. I think that’s how my pursuit of knowledge in studying MSK injuries and their preventive measures began,” Wang said in an interview with The Tribune
The definition of “injury” varies widely. From a biological perspective,
an injury is broadly defined as tissue damage resulting from forces that exceed the tissue’s load capacity, causing deformation and stress. However, researchers in sport injury epidemiology take a different approach. They instead define an injury based on its impact on a patient’s ability to participate in sports while undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for the injury. These injuries are typically categorized as any “complaint” injuries, “medical attention” injuries, or “time-loss” injuries. This categorization emphasizes the functional consequences of the injury and the necessity for medical intervention or time away from sports.
“Ideally, we aim to enhance our understanding of how epidemiologists categorize injuries and their severity in subject groups by incorporating more scientific background into the classification process,” Wang elaborated.
While acute injuries are commonly associated with MSK injuries, the accumulation of microtraumas—microscopic tears on muscle cell surfaces—can also significantly contribute to prolonged recovery periods following intense physical activities.
Microtrauma injuries represent early stages of tissue injury that can accumulate over time, potentially leading to more significant injuries if not properly managed. Understanding these processes can help
individuals better identify risk factors and develop strategies to prevent sports injuries.
Recognizing microtraumas also allows for the assessment of injury mechanisms and the impact of repetitive loading—applying a force repeatedly to a tissue over days or weeks, which is crucial for designing interventions to enhance athletes’ safety and performance.
“Neglecting little problems often leads to more stress in life afterwards. That’s how it works with muscles too,”
Wang said.
The review also provides a precise outline of muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries, the most damaging of which are joint injuries—problems that arise in parts of the body that connect bones together.
Joint injuries are common because joints are complex structures that endure significant stress during physical activities, especially in sports that involve high-impact movements, twisting, or sudden directional changes. These stresses can lead to acute injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament tears in the knee that often need surgery for repair.
Adding further obfuscation, pain is often attributable to nerve impingements and damage rather than being solely related to muscle injuries. As a result, clinical studies often struggle to predict the outcomes of individuals who report similar damage from sports injuries but have different causes of trauma.
Wang’s contributions establish the necessary foundation for applying epidemiological methods to identify the most efficient strategies for preventing and treating sports injuries and their related health consequences. Further research in this field may shed light on the possibility of developing targeted interventions and tailored rehabilitation programs that can minimize the risk of injury, optimize recovery, and enhance long-term health outcomes. A stitch in time saves nine.
Laws of thought: Investigating factors that lead to transphobia
How local legislation correlates with individual biases
Gregor McCall Contributor
Continued from page 1.
Roy measured individuals’ explicit and implicit attitudes towards transgender people, state-level legislation affecting transgender people, participants’ demographics (including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex assigned at birth, country of residence, and political orientation), individual-level conservatism, and state-level conservatism.
To measure implicit attitudes, researchers used the Implicit Association Test, which measures individuals’ reaction times when associating a label like “transgender” with a positive or negative valuation. The researchers used self-reporting metrics to measure participants’ explicit attitudes towards transgender people and individual levels of conservatism. They calculated state-level conservatism using the state’s total vote count towards the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, in the 2020 election.
The study found a strong correlation between anti-transgender legislation and individuals’ explicit and implicit prejudice against transgender people. This correlation held stable when controlling for demographic factors.
“Somehow, either the attitudes were shaped by the normative dictating nature of these policies, or the opposite, that people’s mindsets or associations really changed the policy and landscape. For me, that was really interesting,” Roy said in an interview with The Tribune
While the study makes no causal claim as to whether individuals’ attitudes influenced state legislation or the reverse, it speculated that the relationship could be bidirectional.
Existing research has noted that implicit biases against other minorities have begun to move from more negative attitudes towards neutrality in recent years. Researchers have also pointed out that attitudes towards gay men and lesbian women became positive at a faster rate after the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Roy is optimistic about the same trajectory being possible with public opinion towards transgender individuals.
“If there’s another way of enacting change by just saying, ‘Hey, as a society right now, we’re just not accepting this behaviour, and we’re not accepting you not respecting people’s rights,’ [...] I think it would be helpful,” Roy said.
Ultimately, Roy’s research speaks to the importance of institutional policy and how closely entangled it is with individual attitudes. As members of the
McGill community, it is our responsibility to question whether policy decisions at the university-level match our social convictions. In 2023 McGill hosted a talk by Robert Wintemute, a man whose work inspired the foundation of the LGB Alliance, an organization which lobbies against transgender civil rights. In an open letter amid the AGSEM strike of March 2024, transgender Teaching Assistants and allies criticized the AGSEMMcGill deal for dropping protections against misgendering and dead-naming as a part of their agreement. Roy believes that people’s minds have the capacity to shape or be shaped by an institution’s decisions.
“It’s important, when you’re looking at the documents that you receive from McGill, the emails you receive from McGill, or anything that’s put out by McGill, to pause yourself, read it, and then think, ‘Okay, is this representative of how I feel, how I think about these things?’ and if not, ‘Is there something that I can do myself to actually say, ‘You’re putting this out there, but I don’t believe that’s
rect?’” Roy added. Being both critical and aware of our individual biases and how they interact with wide-reaching policy allows us to actively work against the correlations Roy found, and take a critical approach to anti-transgender legislation. Injustice and hate have the power to permeate our socio-political landscapes unless we, as a community, challenge them.
cor -
Over 600 skeletal muscles account for about half of our body weight. ( Drea Garcia Avila / The Tribune )
Around 30 per cent of the 658 attempted anti-trans bills in the U.S. target student rights and educational content, making it the largest subject of anti-trans legislation.
( Evelyn Li / The Tribune)
Carrying the Weight of Two Worlds
Content warning: Mentions of depression, eating disorders
me, “I don’t like being a burden on others, which is why I tell them not to worry about me, even though there are so many people around me who are always willing to be there for me.” Her words struck a chord because we share common ground. As eldest daughters in immigrant families, we both feel like our struggles are ours to carry alone. This burden isn’t just about the tangible tasks or responsibilities; it’s the mental load I’ve been shouldering for years. I didn’t even realize the weight until I hit my breaking point. My inability to care for myself while simultaneously pushing others away turned into a vicious cycle of isolation, one that’s hard to break when you’ve convinced yourself that being a burden is the worst thing you can be.
On the surface, I had a privileged upbringing— my parents provided everything I needed. But beneath that, I was pushed into a role demanding more emotional labour than most kids are ready for. It distanced me from the typical “child” role, forcing me to see my parents as flawed individuals, not the infallible figures I once believed they were before I turned 13.
Between our emotional distance and vastly different life experiences, it often felt like my parents and I were worlds apart. They couldn’t understand why I spent hours on the phone with my friends. They disapproved of me watching Disney Channel, fearing it was a “Westernizing force” that replaced “mama” with “mom.” Looking back, I can sympathize with their concerns—the fear that I was chas-
left to bridge the emotional and practical gaps caused by parents focused on building a better future, which strains family dynamics.
The weight of my parents’ sacrifices cast a long shadow over our relationship. They expected me to understand the enormity of what they’d given up by the time I was 13. But at that age, my mind was more occupied with Superwoman YouTube videos, Vines, and sneaking onto Games2win. This created a disconnect between the world they lived in—a world shaped by sacrifice and tradition—and the one I was growing up in, with all its modern distractions and differences.
As the eldest daughter, I found myself balancing a dual role. On one hand, I felt a duty to protect my younger brother from the shortcomings of our upbringing. On the other, I took on the task of reparenting our parents. While they showed their care for me in tangible ways—staying up late while I studied so I wouldn’t be alone, cutting fruit and leaving it by my bedroom door, stocking the pantry with my favorite snacks—I cared for them in intangible ones. I became the mediator, teaching my parents that yelling or using physical discipline wasn’t the best way to build a nurturing relationship with their children. I became the emotional buffer, responsible for maintaining peace, and guiding my parents through the more nuanced aspects of parenting— all while still growing up myself. This sense of responsibility distanced me from my family in ways that felt deeper and more isolating with time. I
She was living her life in a new country with new experiences, while I stayed behind, stagnant, with the same responsibilities. Instead of dealing with my feelings, I pushed her away. I didn’t want to hear about her new iPod or her friends with pink streaks in their hair. Losing her, the one person who truly understood me at the time, made me retreat further into myself. By seventh grade, I was facing relentless bullying for being underdeveloped. While my peers grew taller, stronger, and more mature, I stayed small and thin. Classmates I had hoped to befriend called me names like “door” and “boy.”
The bullying, paired with losing my best friend, increased my sense that I had to rely on myself. I didn’t want to burden anyone with my pain and to be honest, I wasn’t sure who to turn to. My dad was always working, my mom and I were probably in the middle of one of our endless fights, I was avoiding my best friend, and my little brother was glued to “Doc McStuffins.” Between the ages of 13 and 17, I decided it was easier to handle life and all its shortcomings on my own.
Things started to change around 16. I switched schools and met what would become my new best friend. She became my lifeline. We shared everything—parent troubles, crushes, the latest teen angst. For the first time, I had someone I could rely on. I opened up about everything: My fear of not being good enough, how I played therapist every time my parents fought. She knew my family; I knew hers. Our birthdays were even merely a day apart.
How family sacrifices and cultural expectations forged my independence - but left me isolated
Written by Aliya Singh & Designed by Zoe Lee
as cathartic as social media wellness gurus make it out to be. Sometimes, being angry is okay. Eventually, the cracks in my armor became visible. I started losing weight, shrinking physically just as I had emotionally. I became a smaller, angrier, lonelier version of myself. I wasn’t just angry at the world—I was furious with myself. Why couldn’t I get it right? I fixed everything on my own, took care of my brother, handled my parents—why couldn’t I just make myself okay?
In my last year of high school, my cousin Ambika called me.
In the middle of our conversation, she asked me a question that has haunted me ever since: “Are we allowed to care about you?”
At first, I thought, ‘no.’ No one is allowed to care about me. If they do, they might help—and I’d seen how that turned out. My life had felt like a montage of pushing through rock-bottom moments alone, only to emerge victorious on the other side. Regardless, Ambika’s question wouldn’t leave me. It stuck with me, gnawing at the foundation of the worldview I had constructed for myself. Should people be allowed to care about me?
At first, I couldn’t answer that. For years, I had prided myself on being self-reliant. It felt like I had always been my own lifeline. Sharzhad Islami, a fourth-
when my depression hits hard, making sure I get some sunlight. My mom sends me care packages from Dubai, knowing that even a small gesture like a new hair straightener for my unruly curls can make a big difference. My dad texts me pictures of our cat hiding on top of the refrigerator because he knows it’ll make me smile. These moments of care have helped me far more than I ever realized. Somewhere along the way, I let people in—even if it was done reluctantly.
Pretending that everything is fine when your world feels like it’s on fire isn’t heroic. It’s self-sab otage. It’s like running a marathon while ignoring a sprained ankle—it only makes the injury worse. This self-reliance reflex is something I still wres tle with. But when I feel it creeping up, I remember Ambika’s question: “Are we allowed to care about you?” The more I reflect on it, I realize that letting people in doesn’t mean I’ve failed—it means I’m hu man. It’s the recognition that, while I’ve faced many challenges alone, I don’t have to do so forever.
So, maybe, I’m not the burden I feared I am. While I still grapple with that nagging feeling of be ing an inconvenience, I’m beginning to understand that the people who love me want to be there. They want to listen, just as much as I want to be cared for. That’s not to say it doesn’t hurt to admit when I need help—it still does. And I’m not saying you can’t do ev erything on your own; you probably could, at least for a while. Accepting help isn’t about giving up my independence or relying on others for everything—
people at arm’s length, though, only keeps the help out of reach too. The reality is, life is full of imperfect people. People will let you down eventually, and sometimes, the person letting you down will be you. But I’ve come to realize that I can’t let my trust issues and my fear of being vulnerable stop me from living fully. I’ve come to understand that allowing others in doesn’t make me weak. It allows me to face my struggles with a little more ease, knowing that I don’t have to carry the burden all by myself. Life isn’t meant
Six must-see items at the Maude Abbott Medical Museum
A tour of the collections, from the fascinating to the grim
Ella Paulin Managing Editor
The Maude Abbott Medical Museum is one of the hidden gems of McGill’s downtown campus. Chock-full of real anatomical specimens, tools from bygone eras of medicine, and unnerving 20th-century medical models, the collection is not for the faint of heart, but if you have a strong stomach, it’s worth the trip to the Strathcona Anatomy and Dentistry building to check it out. Here are six items to make sure you see on your visit!
Aviation medicine research helmet
This helmet and control box were part of research carried out by Dr. Geoffrey Melvill-Jones, a physiologist who taught at both McGill and the University of Calgary during his career, and served as a long-time director of McGill’s Aerospace Medical Research Unit (AMRU). During the 1960s and 70s, the AMRU was also involved in early in-orbit experiments and helped to train NASA astronauts to perform experiments during their flights. This particular experiment, which was conducted in 1962, focused on nystagmus—a condition involving uncontrolled eye movements—among pilots.
Miner’s lung specimens
There are actually two exhibits showing the effect of prolonged exposure to mining conditions in the museum. One displays an actual miner’s lung, preserved in 1910, be-
longing to a miner who suffered from anthracosis—more commonly known as black lung disease. The other is a series of extremely thin slices of miners’ lungs, collected during the 1950s, which are just four micrometres thick and are mounted to filter paper. These crosssections show the effects of anthracosis and silicosis—a long-term lung disease caused by inhaling fine dust containing silica over many years.
Wax model of vessels and nerves on skull surface
Produced by Maison Tramond, a Parisbased workshop that created anatomical mod-
els from wax and bone during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this skull is one of several jarringly realistic wax models housed in the museum collections. At the time, medical schools were beginning to transition away from using only real specimens and towards more anatomical models, which could be specially produced to illustrate specific maladies and were easier to store and manipulate than organic tissue. This model in particular illustrates what’s going on underneath the skin, highlighting the role of blood vessels and the nervous system.
Aspirated peanut
One of many organs showing medical anomalies and fatal conditions in the museum collections, this preserved specimen shows the trachea and lungs of a young child who breathed in a peanut, which became caught in the airway and ultimately caused their death. This specimen, although morbid, is a wellknown holding from the collection and a good illustration of the choking hazard posed by having small objects accessible to young children.
Anatomy dissecting lab logbook
Tucked to the side of the museum, this logbook lists the actual names and descriptions of the people whose bodies were donated to McGill’s dissecting lab in the 19th century. The patients cataloged had died of complications from tuberculosis in May of 1896. It goes on to list their ages, religion, and the cemetery they were buried in, all in curly Victorian longhand.
Bonus: Nosce Te Ipsum exhibits
Before you even reach the museum, you may notice that there are several mini-exhibits dotted around the Strathcona Anatomy and Dentistry building, housed inside old fire-extinguisher boxes. It’s hard to miss their brightred casing, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see that they contain skeletal models, historical drawings of human anatomy, and QR codes if you’re interested in learning more. Each case also sports the motto Nosce Te Ipsum, which means “know yourself” in Latin.
Dress to impress: How attire shapes perception and identity McGill
research explores the psychology of dress perception
Jenna Durante SciTech Editor
Clothing is much more than fabric—it’s a form of self-expression, a cultural marker, and a powerful communicator of identity. From job interviews to social gatherings, fashion often determines the first impression we make on others. But just how much does clothing influence perception, and why is it so important?
Eric Hehman, an associate professor of Psychology at McGill, studies the dynamics of prejudice, group interactions, and how we perceive others. In a recent study, he explored the critical role that clothing plays in shaping impression formation—a continuous process in which individuals develop and update their perceptions of others, such as beliefs, stereotypes, and attitudes.
Hehman proposed a working model that incorporates dress as a key component of person perception—the cognitive processes involved in making judgments about people and their behaviour. The first step in this process is defining what actually counts as “dress” and what is just an aspect of someone’s body.
“We define dress in the paper as everything you can add to your body that is not natural,” Hehman explained in an interview with The Tribune. “Hair is not dress, but styling your hair, we do consider dress because that’s a choice, and it conveys information. If I have a mohawk versus a shaved head, versus super long surfer hair, those are choices that
I’ve made that are conveying different sorts of things about me. Your earrings would be dress, necklaces would be dress, makeup, possibly even tattoos.”
While we often turn to faces to make initial judgments about qualities like intelligence and confidence, Hehman’s research reveals that dress communicates much more. In the model, impressions are formed by analyzing three main components of a person: their face/ body, dress, and context. These are processed through the lens of the perceiver’s own beliefs, stereotypes, attitudes, and cultural knowledge.
He identifies four factors that observers may infer from a person’s attire: social category, cognitive state, status, and aesthetics.
The first category relates to how clothing reveals a person’s social identity. While faces offer clues, Hehman is concerned with what lies beyond this trait-level perception.
“If you add clothes to the mixture, it adds way more information,” Hehman said. “Cultural clues from what people wear can reveal their sexuality, political affiliation, or what subculture they are part of.”
Subtle choices in attire—like colour scheme, accessories, or overall style—signal cultural affiliations and preferences. For example, someone at a concert may use their clothing to implicitly indicate loyalty to a particular genre or band.
The second category focuses on cognitive states, where dress informs inferences about mental states, goals, or intentions. Perceivers can gauge whether someone is attending a
formal event, seeking attention, or avoiding harm based on their clothing.
For instance, role theory in dress suggests that clothing can communicate expected societal roles, such as uniforms indicating authority, while further setting up expectations for specific behaviours.
The third factor, status, concerns how dress signals one’s place in social hierarchies. Clothing can indicate wealth, class, or professional standing.
“Wealthy folks have a lot of avenues for self-expression, while those with fewer resources often face limited opportunities. Even within, say, Canada, there’s rich and poor, and the richer folks just have more ways that they can customize their existence,” Hehman explained. “So [wealth] might manifest more for those folks in their appearance and what they can modify.”
In modern neuroscience, the working definition of perception adapted from philosophers Berkeley and Hume is “The action of the mind by which it refers its sensations to an external object as their cause.” ( Holden Callif / The Tribune )
The fourth category, aesthetics, focuses on the visual appeal of clothing and how it impacts judgments about someone’s personality or taste. Fashion choices are often tied to values like creativity or conformity. However, Hehman emphasizes the challenges posed for research by the subjective nature of aesthetic appreciation.
The field of dress perception remains un-
derstudied due to its complexity and variability and the challenges in running formal tests. By developing a structured model, Hehman emphasizes how clothing is an important part of social perception, offering opportunities to have a better understanding of how attire shapes our identities.
Maude Abbott, an early curator of the museum, was one of the first women to receive a BA from McGill University. ( Marco Lanza / The Tribune )
Beyond the McGill bubble
A guide to an afternoon of shopping in Mile End
Tamiyana Roemer Contributor
The McGill bubble is a perpetual plight. When a semester ends and the most recent round of exams is behind us, we often come up for air only to realize that we’ve seldom escaped the same few blocks between Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Sherbrooke. Despite living in a lively, ever-evolving city, it can be hard to break out of routines and find new adventures in Montreal. Exploring beyond the bubble doesn’t have to be complicated. Here is an afternoon itinerary of shopping and snacking in Mile End.
Boulangerie Guillaume
5170 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Start your time in Mile End with a trip to this esteemed Montreal bakery. Inside its signature industrial-style space, you’ll find an array of unique artisanal loaves of bread and pastries to choose from. Pick up a snack— such as the white chocolate and vanilla mushroom-shaped brioche—and don’t leave without selecting fresh bread to bring home. Arrive early to claim their popular fig cheddar baguette before it sells out! Price: $
Seconde
5274 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Seconde is an upscale vintage clothing store that perfectly captures the Montrealchic you’ve been admiring around campus. With its elegant selection of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, each item is curated with impeccable attention to detail, making their collection truly stand out. Price: $$
Annex Vintage
5364 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
This Mile End gem blends vintage boutique and gift shop to create a haven of second-hand clothing, local art, self-care products, and fragrant home items. This is the perfect spot to find affordable, one-of-a-kind fashion, and charming gifts. Price: $$
Brookies
162 Rue Saint-Viateur Ouest
After browsing numerous clothing racks, you may be ready for a pick-me-up. Brookies—true to its name—offers a variety of cookies, from their signature marriage of brownie and cookie to unique flavors like raspberry matcha. Made with high-quality ingredients, these treats couldn’t be better for indulging in a sweet break from a busy day. Choose one—or a few—of their delicious offerings to fuel up for the exploring ahead. Price: $
Boutique Take 3
5594 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Mile End’s artsy boutique culture is epitomized in Boutique Take 3, where the racks shine with an expert mix of eclectic and chic clothing. The store’s selection exemplifies a careful curation of items and a conscious commitment to supporting local artists. Their unique offerings promise an experience that is both elegant and effortlessly stylish. Price: $$
Dragon Flowers
173 Rue Bernard Ouest
With the help of her daughters, Tamey has run this beloved Mile End staple for over 30 years. Whether you’re looking for a skillfully arranged bouquet or a brand new houseplant to brighten your space, Tamey will be knowledgeable, helpful, and remarkably kind. Treat yourself or someone you love to a nice flower arrangement—it’s a guaranteed feel-good. Plus, supporting a small business will make your purchase feel even more rewarding. Price: $$
Empire Exchange
5225 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
As Annex Vintage’s sister store, Empire Exchange serves as another gorgeous stop to browse a melange of old and new. The
front of the store offers eco-friendly kitchen products, gorgeous glassware, and colorful candles. Toward the back, you’ll find radiant racks of second-hand goods, including a section of affordably priced designer brands. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, you can call ahead and reserve a spot to exchange your clothes for cash or credit. Price $$
Argent Tonic
5171 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Argent Tonic’s handmade gold and silver jewelry showcases gorgeous natural stones, which make for exquisite eye candy. With their inventive designs and slightly hammered finishes, the pieces are undeniably special. Due to the craftsmanship, the products come with a higher price tag, but they’re perfect for a special occasion—or a window shopping session! Price: $$$
Reviewing Canada’s No. 1 rated restaurant: Vin Mon Lapin
With the Michelin guide
coming to Montreal, will Vin Mon Lapin make the cut?
Bianca
Tri Staff Writer
The Tribune took to the streets to explore the famous French and Italian-inspired restaurant, Vin Mon Lapin, ahead of rumours about the Michelin guide making its way to Montreal in 2025. The guide covers top gastronomic destinations around the world to help you discover the best restaurants and upcoming talents. Mon Lapin has graced the number-one spot on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List for the past two years. The obvious question now is whether co-owners and chefs—Jessica Noël and Marc-Olivier Frappier—will receive a star in the coming months.
Mon Lapin is located in Little Italy on the corner of Casgrain and Rue StZotique. Contrary to what one might imagine when the words “best restaurant” are put together—white table cloths, stuffy vibes, waitstaff in suits— their building is extremely unassuming.
Upon entering the restaurant, however, you can expect to be greeted by a lively interior. The vibe is relaxed, the dining room small, and the clientele very hip. Rabbit paraphernalia punctuates the space where you’d least expect it.
What’s notable about Mon Lapin is that their menu changes every day according to available local produce. But fear not, they rotate through their signature dishes with each iteration bringing
something new and unexpected. Their plates are described so scantily on paper that we had to ask our waiter for clarifications. For example, when we asked what the “tomato cherry, cherry tomatoes” was, our waiter described it to us as “cherry tomatoes and cherry vinaigrette, candied cherries like a tomato, candied tomatoes like a cherry, cherries with tomato water,” and so on.
We settled on five sharing plates.
Le croque-pétoncl e: A scallop sandwich served with green onion dipping sauce. It wasn’t hard to understand why it’s one of Mon Lapin’s specialties. The scallop had great texture and paired nicely with its mayo-esque dip.
Beef tartare : It was pretty tasty—if raw beef is your thing, that is.
La tarte aux tomates with mustard chantilly: This dish felt disjointed. On one hand, a refreshing tart with a gorgeous heirloom tomato slice on top. On the other, a rather astringent mousse that overpowered the other flavours on the plate.
Cavatelli with polpettine in Sungold tomato sauce: The pasta had a great mouth feel, and each little meatball packed a lot of flavour.
Porchetta Beaurivage, served with green beans and anchovies : The meat was reminiscent of classic Chinese BBQ pork, and the porchetta was a great way to end the main courses.
Throughout the night, we enjoyed two cocktails: The Bitter Sour and the
Cherry Bomb. While pleasant, Mon Lapin’s drink menu is better known for its wide selection of organic wines.
At last, we enjoyed two desserts: Their Gâteau Sarrasin—a buckwheat cake—and their Mille-fleurs, which tasted almost exactly like funnel cake but more delicate and made with zucchini flowers.
After eating seven plates, it makes sense why Mon Lapin is so beloved by some and considered overrated by others. Your perception of what a highranking restaurant should be matters. If you’re looking for the kind of dining experience you’ve seen on MasterChef,
this isn’t the place for you. Rather, Mon Lapin is a love letter to the culture that surrounds it, from its ingredients to its French-only menu. It goes to show that good food can be straightforward and ephemeral—like a mother’s recipe that’s slightly different every time but consistently delivers the feeling of joy. That being said, it’s hard to tell whether Mon Lapin will receive a star or not. They need to improve their plating style to be on par with other Canadian restaurants currently on the Michelin Guide. Only time will tell if their plates are good enough to be considered excellent.
Mile End has a population of roughly 26,000 people. (Bruno Cotler / The Tribune)
Vin Mon Lapin opened its doors in 2018. (Téa Texier / The Tribune)
Putting down roots: An introduction to Little Forests McGill The club planting trees for a greener Montreal
Galia Pakman Arrojo Contributor
The lush canopies of Mount Royal may be the most quintessential of Montreal’s renowned green—and soon to be red and orange—spaces; but thanks to one McGill club, students and city residents alike may soon have new woods to admire in their downtown backyard.
Little Forests McGill, a student association founded in 2022 with the goal of integrating nature into urban areas, is working to plant one of Canada’s few Miyawaki Forests in Montreal. Originally pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, these forests were conceived as densely planted, biodiverse hubs of multi-layered greenery. Designed to be tailored to a specific region’s native species, climate conditions, and available land, these forests are ideal for cities’ often-limited horizontal space. Once planted, they require only up to two years of watering and weeding before becoming entirely self-sustaining. Not only do Miyawaki forests provide birds, pollinators, and other local wildlife with sustenance and shelter, residents also benefit from carbon dioxide absorption, reduced noise and air pollution, and cooler temperatures.
Two cozy
While most popular in Japan and India, Quebec has gained several Miyawaki forests over the past decade. Since 2021, community initiatives in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, PierrefondsRoxboro, Boisbriand, and Verdun have successfully planted Miyawaki or other similar micro-forests in Montreal and its surroundings.
In an interview with The Tribune , club president Kimsoo Gopnik described the club’s efforts to jumpstart one of these forests. The first two major steps of their initiative have been to find an available plot of land suitable for planting and to secure funding from sponsors—steps that the group hopes will be completed in time for this spring when they can begin soil testing, sapling purchasing, and ultimately, planting. Thus far, finding a planting site has proved to be easier said than done.
“The ideal area [of a Miyawaki forest] is 100 square meters but that’s harder to find in a busy city,” Gopnik explained. “Technically it can be done in as little as three square meters but it’s just not going to have the same benefits as the larger forest does.”
Nonetheless, Gopnik expressed that the club was entering a promising period of discussions with holders of two sites, one bordering McGill’s Macdonald Cam -
pus and the other downtown.
“We have very optimistic landowners who are open to work with us, to collaborate, so that’s very very exciting,” she added.
Finding sponsors from local businesses is also challenging. While they generally receive positive first responses, Gopnik shared that many businesses are hesitant to commit to collaboration until specific budget estimates can be provided; estimates that will only become available once a planting location is settled on.
Nonetheless, Little Forests has succeeded in obtaining sponsorship from Services d’arbres Primeau—a treeplanting company that has agreed to provide the project’s wood chips, compost, water supply and expertise once tree planting begins. The club’s funding team has also begun the process of grant-writing and considering McGill’s Sustainability Projects Fund, which awards community applicants working on sustainability projects with funding of up to $400,000 CAD.
For students looking to contribute to the Little Forest project, Gopnik recommended applying to one of the newly available executive positions posted on the club’s Instagram page, including sponsorship, finance, and event-plan -
recipes to start the fall off right
Hopping on the cinnamon spice bandwagon
Auxane Bussac & Student Life Editors
Now that the Fall equinox has officially passed, it’s time to head to the store for some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to make sure your kitchen smells better than a pumpkinspiced latte.
For those who need a dose of sugar to start the day off right: Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
As I returned to Montreal for the new school year, I wanted to change up my regular diet, which was made of the same ingredients used over and over again. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I decided that my transformative journey would start there. The fact that fall is about to enter the scene got my cinnamon addiction running again. Here are some ideas The Tribune recommends trying.
As a snack, dessert, or for breakfast, cookies can never go wrong. Chocolate chip cookies are basic, but what if you were to add oats to change the texture? Here is a quick and easy way to rediscover chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ cup of flour
• 2 cups of oats
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• 6 tbsp of melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of chocolate chips
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Mix the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter and pour the mixture into the first bowl with the dry ingredients.
4. Mix and add a bit of milk if necessary.
5. Separate the mixture in tablespoon scoops and shape it into balls. Place 4 cm apart on a sheet of parchment paper.
ning roles. Options for more laid-back involvement include attending the club’s monthly general meeting and subscribing to the club newsletter. Most importantly, once tree planting starts, the club will call for volunteers on all their platforms.
6. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes.
For those who cannot wait for the season to kick in: Apple Cake Nothing screams fall more than an apple-based recipe. Whether you’re hosting a gathering with friends and family or simply trying to enjoy a delicious dessert, an easy and quick cake recipe is the perfect way to embrace the new season. The Tribune presents a homemade apple cake recipe that truly captures the essence of fall.
Ingredients:
• 2 large apples or 3 small apples (the number of apples depends on your personal preference, however, The Tribune recommends adding a maximum of three large apples for the
best flavor)
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• ½ cup of unsalted butter
• ½ cup of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda or powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of ground cinnamon
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Peel your apples and cut them into small cubes.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.
4. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Then, add your all-purpose flour, baking soda, honey, salt, ground cinnamon, and diced apples.
5. Spray an eight-inch rectangular cake pan with baking spray and transfer your mixture to the pan.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until wellcooked (insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, your cake is ready).
7. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes and taste it! The Tribune recommends eating the cake hot. You may also remove the cake from the pan after 15 minutes and place it on a serving plate.
Note: You may also add pecans to the recipe and/or substitute the granulated sugar with brown sugar for a different flavor.
Miyawaki forests can grow up to 10 times faster than typical man-made forests. (Sophie Alzona / The Tribune)
Oats are associated with lower blood cholesterol. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)
Malika Logossou
Redbirds lacrosse secures win by five point margin against Trent
McGill crushes number one team in CULFA rankings
Madigan McMahon Contributor
Following their three-point win against the Carleton Ravens (1-3) on Sept. 15, the Redbirds lacrosse team (4–0) took the field again to face the Trent Excalibur (4–1) on Sept. 21. Simply comparing McGill and Trent’s game statistics, the game was predicted to be a tough one. Trent held the first standing in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) rankings with 56 goals for and 27 goals against, resulting in a 29-point difference. In comparison, McGill has an 11-point difference, with 31 goals for and 20 goals against. Furthermore, Trent scored higher than Queens, which seemed to be McGill’s toughest
game to date this season. However, both Trent and McGill came away from Carleton with the same score, providing some hope for the Redbirds.
Fourth-year midfielder and faceoff specialist Samuel MacDonald reflected on the game in an interview with The Tribune
“This year we’ve been pretty focused. And we came ready. We didn’t want to let them win and run over us again, so we brought it to them and pulled out a win,” he said.
The game started off slow as each team had trouble breaking the other’s line of defence.
While Trent scored first, first-year attackman Liam Miletich quickly tied it up within the minute before MacDonald won the face off and carried the ball down the field to sink his own goal.
“I honestly just try and stay focused as best I can, [and to] not let whatever’s going on around us [affect me], whether we score, they score, we kind of just want to win the ball,” MacDonald said, reflecting on his mindset during the goal.
“Then whether they
Know Your Athlete: Chloe Renaud
Renaud’s performance for Martlet’s soccer has
weeek
Zain Ahmed Contributor
Chloe Renaud, U3 Arts, is a talented midfielder on the McGill women’s soccer team who has been making her mark both on and off the field. Having been named the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Player of the Week within the first week of the season and the McGill Player of the Week two weeks in a row, Renaud is undoubtedly a star on the Martlets squad.
Renaud’s love for soccer began at a young age, drawing inspiration from her older brother who played before her. At the age of six, she joined her first team, Club de Soccer Spatial de St-Hubert. She developed skills quickly and rose through the ranks of her local team, eventually representing both Quebec and Canada at national and international levels between the ages of 15 and 18.
“Eventually I started to get better, more competitive, so all [of] my high school and Cegep, I worked towards a [sports academy] before I came to university to be a varsity athlete,” Renaud told The Tribune
The Martlets soccer team is starting the season strong with a current record of 5–0–0. Renaud believes the team has shifted its mindset from previous seasons and is determined to compete for a
let me go [through the defensive line], sometimes they don’t, but I had the space there, and I just shot and got lucky.”
Just 30 seconds after MacDonald’s goal, third-year midfielder John Miraglia scored his own. With a minute left in the quarter, first-year attackman Zach Bye buried the ball into the net, setting the score at 4-1.
Set up with a pass from third-year midfielder Joshua Jewell, first-year midfielder Torsten Blodgett brought the Redbirds’ goal tally to five in the second quarter. Minutes later, Jewell got a good look and scored an unassisted goal. Trent attempted to tie up the game, earning three points and starting the third quarter 6-4.
Four minutes into the second half, Jewell scored yet again before both teams resumed the struggle to make a successful shot. Eventually, breaking through Trent’s defensive line and ripping a shot, Bye scored the final goal of the first half with just seconds left.
“Zach Bye wants to score as many goals as possible, and it doesn’t even need to be him,” said Head Coach Nicolas Soubry when asked about the freshman. “He just wants our offense to score as many goals. He hates losing the ball.”
With the score at 8-6, both teams continued to grapple for the win. After five minutes of back and forth, third-year attacker Mark Symon caught a high pass and immediately threw it into the goal. In that same minute, fourth-year midfielder
Alexander Erbstein saw an opening to score unassisted and seized it. Just outside the crease, Bye fell hard in the seventh minute of the quarter before getting his revenge by scoring his third goal of the game. Bye explained his philosophy on bouncing back from a tough hit.
“The game’s only 60 minutes, and there’s only one a week,” he said. “So it’s like, try and give everything I have during the game, and then I have enough time to recover for the next game.”
Moment of the game:
With seconds left in the quarter, Bye fell, got up, and successfully made a Hail Mary, giving McGill a two-point lead over Trent for the first half.
Quotable:
“[Zach Bye is] a stud. He’s been really good this whole year, and today they locked him off. But whether he was scoring goals or not, he still fed our other guys and we got goals and made offense otherwise.”
— Faceoff Sam MacDonald.
Stat corner:
The Redbirds have started their 2024 fall season off strong with a conference record of 4–0.
The Redbirds (4–0) will play next on Wednesday, Sept. 26 against Bishop’s University (4–1).
been critical as they go into another undefeated
spot at Nationals. Despite settling for a draw against Laval—the best team in the league last year—on Sept. 15, the Martlets put their best foot forward, with Renaud at the forefront of their 1-1 tie.
“I think we gained a lot more confidence,” she explained. “I remember before playing Laval on Friday, we played Bishop’s, and we scored the first goal, and then just before going to the half break, they scored. Last year, if we got scored on just before going to the second half we would have been a little bit shaky and [maybe] started to doubt ourselves. But this Friday, we felt a sense of calmness, like, ‘okay, we got this, we’re gonna score.’”
Balancing her studies in psychology and soccer commitments has been no easy task for Renaud. The demands of highlevel soccer training and competition, combined with the coursework required for a university degree, can be overwhelming. However, she has managed to excel in both areas through careful planning, time management, and a strong support system.
“It’s definitely tough to juggle everything, but I’m passionate about both soccer and psychology,” Renaud said. “I’m grateful for the support of my family and friends who have helped me stay focused and motivated.”
Renaud’s dedication to her goals has
not gone unnoticed. She often finds herself in the spotlight for her performances on the field, like with recognition by the RSEQ and McGill Athletics in recent weeks.
As Renaud looks to the future, she is excited about the potential for growth in women’s soccer in Canada. The upcoming Canadian professional women’s soccer organization, the Northern Super League, represents a significant step forward for the sport, offering woman athletes new opportunities and increased visibility. She believes that this league will inspire more young girls to pursue their dreams in soccer and will help to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for women in sports. It is also her aspiration after university to join the league as a professional soccer player.
“There’s a pro league in the U.S. and also [a few in] in Europe, but we don’t have one in Canada, and that’s when we lose a lot of talent, because everyone’s going to the U.S. or Europe.” Renaud said. “So this lets them develop assets within the country and keeps them within the country.”
To young woman athletes
looking to continue their athletic journeys in university, she imparted some words of wisdom: “If you know that this is what you want to do, then just work your ass off, and every day it will pay off.”
Renaud has already tallied four goals this season. ( Drea Garcia-Avila / The Tribune )
Lacrosse team rallies together to outmaneuver Trent University, resulting in a win. ( Nour Khouri / The Tribune )
Video games can drive passion for women’s sports
The shift to include women in sports video games has been slow but promising
Anoushka Oke Sports Editor
Five weeks into the Premier League season, the league rankings are beginning to display preliminary trends: Manchester City and Liverpool have started an early battle for the top spot, Chelsea has been fighting its way into the top four despite a rough start, and struggling Everton has found itself sitting in the relegation zone for weeks. Although the league rankings are all-important, there is another ranking system that many fans are devoting almost as much attention to: The rankings of their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams.
Every week, myself and 11 million other FPL managers agonize over the changes—or lack thereof—that we want to make to our team based on the previous week’s results. FPL players are given a £100 million budget to work with, and distribute this money among 15 Premier League players of varying positions who they think will yield the highest number of points. One player can be transferred for free (without losing points) each week, making strategic decision-making, careful research, and the prudence to update one’s team on time crucial.
I started playing FPL last year, and have found it captivating to compete against the other managers in my league and compare myself to the overall rankings. Beyond being an enjoyable experience, the video game impacted how I interacted with the sport itself. Although I love watching soccer in general, I found it very difficult to make myself care about
domestic league games unless my team, Chelsea F.C., were either playing or were otherwise impacted by the result. Now, I am finding myself heavily invested in a mid-table clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford because Pedro Porro is in my FPL team (no, I am not doing okay).
The video-gamification of sports has power in its ability to expand the scope of sports fans’ interests. Raising the stakes and immersing people in the competition piques their interest in something that they may not have otherwise went out of their way to pay attention to. This makes it a great tool to help grow women’s sports. Having women players represented in popular video games like EA FC (formerly FIFA) that are played by thousands of worldwide users of every demographic normalizes the presence of women within soccer media and soccer fandom—even in spaces that aren’t specifically targeted at women or at women’s soccer fans.
Representation in video games could help emerging leagues outside of soccer like the Professional Women’s Hockey League garner greater support. ( Mia Helfrich / The Tribune )
lent to FPL, even though the game has a high potential for getting fans invested in Women’s Super League (WSL) games.
Although soccer has recently seen an exciting trend of increasing the representation of women athletes in video games, progress has still been slow. Released in late 2015, EA Sports’ FIFA 16 game included women’s national teams, but club teams were not added until seven years later in FIFA 23, and the option to include women players in ultimate teams was nonexistent until EA FC 24. As of now, there is no officially-recognized equiva -
Such a slow rate of progress can be discouraging, but the passion from dedicated fans who want women soccer players to experience the recognition they deserve is inspiring. 50,000 people signed Spanish player Verónica Boquete’s petition to include women in FIFA video games, emphasizing the strong support behind the women’s side of the game. And although the WSL does not have an official fantasy game, fans created an unofficial game that essentially follows the
Trying out: The McGill novice men’s rowing team
A glimpse into the 10-day endeavour
Reuben Noam Contributor
Continued from page 1.
MURC invites interested students to utilize its world-class facilities during the 10-day trial period. Coaches begin tryouts by running the crowd around the perimeter of the over 2,000-square-metre basin, which they tell prospective team members is the only one of its kind in North America. The students line up to take turns in the indoor practice boat, a contraption called The Tank. The rest sit down on ergometers, ergs—simulation rowing machines that, in the off-season, sculpt racewinning skills.
About 80 athletes are vying for 20 spots: 16 novices and four spares. While the first three days are spent on inclusive fun, the news eventually breaks that the shell is going to fill up: On Monday there will be a test, and that will be the end of the lane for some. But MURC is a welloiled machine of motivation; the promise of Saturday’s late wake-up (9 a.m.) on the mountain for a fun run with the varsity athletes (celebrities) provides some relief.
The test on Monday morning, 2,000 metres, leaves some in the group less de -
stroyed than others.
Tuesday arrives. The remaining 25 enter the hangar, among varsities for the first time. Getting from the loading bay to the launching dock takes 45 minutes at first—after two tries, it’s done in less than 10.
Three (up from zero last year) coxswains are auditioning for two places on the team, meaning steering is in novice hands as well. Coxies repeat instructions yelled, sometimes rather urgently, by a coach on a bike. Jogging behind are three or four boys, to be swapped into the boat halfway through practice.
The narrower margins of the second half of tryouts bring an air of competition. A crew member who is unsatisfied with his performance on day nine refuses to relinquish his seat for the spare. As the coaches introduce drills to be done in half-boats—stern and bow—unnecessary initiative sometimes tips the boat off its set. Varsities speed out of the mist and past, heads turn and the boat careens toward the basin wall. Everybody is eager to learn, but eagerness can’t replace the two short weeks of work needed before the new MURC novice boats can race, in Ottawa, on Sept. 29.
It’s hard to deny that the NR tryouts
same rules of FPL, but with WSL players. As more women’s leagues emerge, video games are a fantastic way to integrate the teams and players into the sport’s culture. Sports—particularly women’s sports—typically see a disparity between the domestic club seasons and nationallevel competitions where fans throw their support behind a sport when their country is competing in it but do not transfer their passion over to games outside international competition. Including women’s domestic leagues in video games can remind fans about these players, encouraging the viewership of these leagues.
feel like an unparalleled opportunity at the end of that first morning. Having a sense of completion about you at 8:00 a.m. is an addictive feeling. It almost tricks you
into thinking that there is no other way to live. It seems easy to keep up—until it fades, and you’re dead asleep in a 10 o’clock lecture.
A team of two McGill rowers won silver at the 2023 Canadian University Rowing Association championships. ( Zoe Lee / The Tribune )
‘The Substance’ is difficult to stomach
Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film elevates gore to astonishing levels
Amelia McCluskey Contributor
I’d never been to a movie by myself before, so when I discovered that the Québec premiere of The Substance at Cinéma Du Parc sold out before my friends had bought their tickets, I listened to their encouragement about the “peaceful” nature of solo movie-watching and decided to go alone. Midway through the movie, as I witnessed no less than five walk-outs and heard the man behind me whisper, “I think I’m going to pass out,” I realized this might not be the cozy viewing experience that I’d had in mind.
Director Coralie Fargeat’s sophomore film is disgusting to the point of absurdity. After Hollywood studio executives fire Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) from her long-term aerobics show on her 50th birthday, she is forced to reckon with her middle age. This is when she learns about “The Substance:” A black-market drug that promises to unlock a younger, better version of its user. After following the concerningly vague instructions that accompany the drug, Elisabeth spawns Sue (Margaret Qualley), her younger, shinier counterpart, who takes her place every other week through a gruesome spinal tap. At first, both women seem satisfied with this arrangement, but as Sue bends the rules of their symbiotic relationship,
Elisabeth begins to undergo a monstrous transformation that rivals David Cronenberg’s The Fly or Julia Ducournau’s Titane
Fargeat’s visceral gore is elevated almost to the level of camp. Extreme close-ups snap in on bloody stitches, sagging skin, or two mutated eyes battling for dominance inside one socket, while ASMR-like sound effects punctuate every moment. In one scene, as a man masticates a pile of shrimp, I could only imagine that the Foley artist was slapping a plate of jello to produce such revolting sounds.
This penchant towards excess extends beyond the film’s gore. When Sue steps into a dazzling reality, Fargeat’s visuals magnify her sexy, glamorous lifestyle so that it, too, becomes hard to look at. Through oversaturated colour, Sue’s bubblegum-pink lip gloss appears sickly sweet, and zoomed-in shots chop up her spandex-clad curves into pieces. As Sue’s youthful qualities are made uncanny and strange, both women’s lives are imagined as a double-edged sword of dissatisfaction and self-hatred.
The Substance ’s final 30 minutes are made to be seen in a packed theatre. While the film’s horror is pushed to shocking extremes through slimy prosthetics and practical effects, Moore simultaneously injects each scene with sardonic humour. Culminating in a spectacular, blood-
soaked, reverse Carrie sequence, the entire audience around me was laughing in shock.
Although its sci-fi-ish premise reads like a Black Mirror episode, The Substance is not the nuanced satire on anti-aging that it presents itself to be. The film opens with several clear—yet somewhat unimaginative—examples of sexism in Hollywood: Casting calls for women are marked with strict age limits, while panels of casting agents ruthlessly scrutinize their bodies. In one scene, a patronizing producer spouts phrases like “pretty girls should always smile!” as he ignores the tears in Sue’s eyes, while in another, he refers to the ticking biological clock of women over 25.
Instead of building on these examples, however, Fargeat leaves them behind in favour of focusing on the film’s body horror. Despite continuously identifying Hollywood’s obsession with youth and its impossible beauty standards, Fargeat ultimately positions Elisabeth as the character that we are cringing and laughing at by the film’s conclusion, witnessing her transformation into a monster as she suffers the consequences of her own self-hatred. In this sense, The Substance can’t seem to decide whether the subject of its critique is the patriarchal beauty industry, or the women who buy into it. The Substance ’s commentary may be somewhat simplistic, but Fargeat uses it as a provocative jumping-off point for the rest of the film, which transforms—like its protagonist—into something nauseating and deranged, yet entirely singular. The Substance is now playing in theatres
Brat and it’s the same but it’s in Montreal with Troye Sivan so it’s not
Sivan and Charli XCX wow audiences at the Sweat tour
Lily Dodson
Contributor
Even though I’ve finally had to accept that summer is over, getting to watch the Sweat tour with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Place Bell transported me back, one final time, to the joys of “BRAT summer.” Prior to the show’s commencement, I made sure to get my “SWEAT tour” T-shirt to commemorate what I knew would be a concert experience unlike any other. As soon as Troye Sivan came on stage, he cemented my predictions.
The concert lasted just under two hours, with Sivan making his grand entrance at exactly 8:30 p.m. to perform an energetic rendition of his hit “Got Me Started.” The pair proceeded to trade time in the spotlight, with one of them performing two to three songs, thanking the audience, and then ceding the stage to the other to repeat the cycle. I found it a little strange that the first time they performed together was over an hour into the concert during “1999,” but after that, they shared the stage for multiple songs.
Remarkably, the night felt like two separate concerts in one. When Sivan came on stage, everyone was jumping and dancing along to his more dance-popesque music. Alternatively, when Charli performed, I felt transported to a DJ set where everyone was bumping their heads up-and-down to her style of synth-pop— with the one exception being during the
viral “Apple” dance when the whole crowd immediately started doing the TikTok choreography, with famous Montreal TikToker and McGill student Nadia doing the dance on the big screen.
There were minimal set pieces, though a caged performance area running under the mainstage brought the performers within arms-reach of those in the pit. Both artists employed a variety of strobe lights and projections to captivate concertgoers—including an unforgettable clip of Sivan answering the phone in drag before launching into a performance of “One of Your Girls.”
While these set pieces were great, I strongly believe that the show would’ve been just as spectacular without them due to the strong stage presence of both artists.
While the whole concert was outstanding, there were a few moments that stood out to me. The highlights from Charli’s act were her performances of “Von dutch,” “Club classics,” “Vroom Vroom,” and “Girl, so confusing.” This, however, could be coming from personal bias, as those are some of my favourites from her discography due to their lively, danceable nature. Notably missing from her setlist, though, was her song “B2b,” whose absence saddened me. From Sivan’s performance, “What’s The Time Where You Are?,” “One of Your Girls” (obviously), and “My My My!” were all phenomenal. Yet my favourite part of Sivan’s performance was him shouting “Mon -
treal!” more than 20 times throughout the evening, particularly because the autotune on his microphone made it sound hilarious.
My only wish is that Charli would have brought out a special guest during the show. Whether it be Lorde for “Girl, so confusing,” Billie Eilish for “Guess,” or even Addison Rae for “Von dutch,” I think it would’ve added to the show. Though I
can’t say I’m all that shocked given that she didn’t bring anyone out at her first show— and my hope was fairly far-fetched—it would’ve been an incredible way to make an amazing concert even better. Nevertheless, the concert was truly one of the most incredible live music experiences of my life. I hope everyone, whether a fan or not, gets to see Troye Sivan or Charli XCX at least once in their lives.
The Substance was awarded Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival this year. ( Holden Callif / The Tribune! )
The Montreal show marked the second stop on the Sweat tour and the first in Canada. ( Zoe Lee / The Tribune )
The Dare revives indie sleaze with ‘What’s Wrong
With New York?’
The most debaucherous album of the year is chock-full of dance-punk bangers, in spite of its unoriginality.
Aidan Hotte Contributor
(out of five)
The Dare has been everywhere this summer. He produced “Guess” off Charli XCX’s BRAT , which has gone on to be the album’s highest charting song with a feature from Billie Eilish, and he opened several times for Charli’s tour. After this sudden rise from obscurity, The Dare is looking to take advantage of his current wealth of attention with his debut album: What’s Wrong With New York?
When I first saw The Dare (stage name for Harrison Patrick Smith) live on stage at the inaugural Palomosa Festival, my immediate thought was how much he looked like LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy: Signature black suit, black tie, and sunglasses. It makes sense, then, that What’s Wrong With New York? would be a revival of the indie-sleaze aesthetics of the early-2000s, of which LCD Soundsystem were pioneers. Smith even delivers his vocals in the same whiny, snotty way Murphy was known for, all the while
using suspiciously similar dance-punk instrumentals. Through rich synths, retro drum-machine sounds, and distorted bass transport, the album transports its listeners to the 2005 New York City club scene. The lyrics are desperately debaucherous, as Smith pants about women and drugs. An ode to hedonism in all its forms, the album is limited by its unoriginality, yet still produces a cohesive and entertaining result.
There are some true high points on the tracks “Girls” and “Good Time.” “Girls,” Smith’s breakout hit, is a breathlessly raunchy dance track whose beauty lies in its simplicity, with list-form lyrics about the titular subjects recited over a single catchy synth riff. The result is the horniest, most straightforward song in recent memory, but also one that unfailingly gets stuck in your head. “Good Time” follows the same pattern: Hedonistic lyrics with a confident half-sung delivery, repetitive but catchy synth lines, and even an added chorus. The surrounding production is masterful, leading to a colossal and exhilarating sound.
Unfortunately, the rest of the songs fail to stand out to the same degree. On “Elevation,” Smith tries his hand at sing -
ing, and while his voice isn’t bad, the song is uninteresting and falls flat. It’s the longest song on the album, and it really drags on. The drums are just a repeated eighth-note pattern, the synths are similarly bland and monotonous, and it has perhaps the most predictable chorus of all time. The back half of the album feels somewhat rushed and formulaic, like Smith pumped out the songs to cash in on the success of “Girls.” Each track might have stood well on its own, but after eight of the same songs in a row, it starts to get old.
This isn’t to say the album is bad; it’s hugely enjoyable if you lean into the sleaziness Smith is so obviously trying to evoke. Smith manages this masterfully—the unabashed confidence of The Dare smacks you across the face on every song. The depravity of the lyrics and the griminess of the instrumentals are crafted with drug-fueled nights out well in mind. What’s Wrong With New York? isn’t meant to be anything groundbreaking, and it is best experienced when the listener turns their brain off and focuses on having a good time.
Applause for representation, but can we get an encore?
The Emmys must do more for marginalized artists
Carmen Faria Contributor
Criticism rained down on the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards this past weekend. Only six months after the previous Emmys in January, the ceremony felt repetitive. However, the Emmys have increasingly devoted airtime to recognizing marginalized communities; the Sept. 15 ceremony marked historic wins for Shōgun ’s Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, the first Japanese actors to win in their respective categories, and The Bear ’s Liza Colón-Zayas, who became the first Latina to win Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. These wins lead to a wider variety of voices being shared within a competitive industry. Yet, as this continues, we must raise a critical question: Is representation enough to truly celebrate and uplift marginalized communities?
There is no doubt that representation at awards shows matters. It provides visibility and recognition to historically underrepresented groups such as racialized people, the LGBTQ+ community, and disabled individuals, giving audiences role models to look up to. Coming from a high school in Malaysia, Michelle Yeoh’s historic Oscar win for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once filled me with hope and pride.
However, representation is often seen as the final goal, rather than the starting point for deeper structural change within the industry. The risk behind heaping praise on this recent—and deserved—rise in representation at award ceremonies is
that it becomes tokenistic. If we don’t continue fighting for more meaningful ways to represent marginalized communities, the status quo could become a superficial medium for the industry to appear diverse without addressing the power dynamics that continue to marginalize voices behind the scenes.
While it is exciting to see talents like Sanada, Sawai, and Colón-Zayas gain recognition, the industry frequently prioritizes celebrating individual achievements over systemic change. Award wins don’t address the deeper inequalities that marginalized groups face within the industry such as the hidden difficulties of being a woman or BIPOC director. As a result, representation, while essential, often feels like a checkbox rather than a meaningful step toward greater inclusivity. It seems absurd that audiences should applaud award shows for “making history” while overlooking systemic issues that persist within the industry.
While representation takes centre stage, not nearly enough attention is being brought to the more explicitly political acts and statements at the Emmys. For instance, Oji-Cree actor D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai of Reservation Dogs arrived on the red carpet with a red handprint painted over his mouth: A symbol for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement across the U.S and Canada. Pro-Palestinian protestors gathered outside the awards ceremony, not unlike those who delayed the Academy Awards in March, to protest the ongoing siege on Gaza. These examples of outcry against horrifying violence are only some of many. Amongst the glitz and glamour
of the evening, these political acts are muffled and difficult to find in the media unless explicitly searched for.
The media also often highlights marginalized artists’ achievements over their political activism. This selective enthusiasm highlights the industry’s ongoing struggle to engage sensibly with marginalized communities. Colón-Zayas’ acting in The Bear is rightly celebrated, but when she used her platform to speak out on injustice, ending her speech with “vote, vote for your rights,” she received far less attention. The Emmys’ focus on representation without engaging with broader social issues limits the industry’s potential to truly amplify marginalized voices.
The sheer amount of power and influence the television and film industry has is astounding. To say that it should not be used as a platform for promoting di -
versity and equity is missing the beauty of the art in the first place. The industry should recognize more political activism and aim to highlight actors from marginalized communities who fight for justice and challenge power structures. However, to lead this change beyond representation, the industry must be willing to embrace the full spectrum of what it means to create a more inclusive, transformative celebration of marginalized identities.
The Dare formerly released music under the moniker “Turtlenecked.”
