The McGill Tribune Vol. 42 Issue 9

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022 | VOL. 42 | ISSUE 9

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

OFF THE BOARD

Abolish migrant prisons now

The quiet life of a minor language

My body is not the enemy

PG. 5

PGs. 8-9

PG. 5

(/ The McGill Tribune)

We are the champions, my friend

PG. 16

Cinéma L’Amour: Beyond the merch Discovering Montreal’s beloved erotic cinema Charlotte Bawol Contributor If you have walked around campus for more than five minutes, odds are you have seen someone sporting a “Cinéma L’Amour” tote bag. But what exactly is the Cinéma L’Amour?

Are these people avid viewers of the erotic films played by the cinema or are they just posers?

I decided to find out.

Cinéma L’Amour was originally opened in 1914 under the name “The Globe.” It served as an independent movie theatre at the heart of Montreal’s Jewish neighbourhood and played Yid-

dish films throughout the 1920s and 30s. It changed its name to “The Hollywood” in 1932 but remained a traditional cinema and opera house until 1969.

However, the cinema truly put the 69 in the year 1969 when it changed its name to “Pussycat” and became an erotic cinema.

PG. 7

U2 Architecture students must take 20 credits this fall or stay an extra semester Students report being overworked after School alters program structure Nicholas Hayek Contributor

Over the summer, directors at McGill’s Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture in the

Faculty of Engineering developed a new core curriculum for PG. 3 their BSc students.

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

Charles Bronfman’s $5 million donation to MISC raises concerns about academic freedom

SPHR criticizes McGill for continued relations with Bronfmans despite family’s support for the Israeli state Ghazal Azizi News Editor

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n Oct. 27, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) announced that alumnus Charles Bronfman, LLD ‘90, is donating $5 million to the institute during a special segment at the 2022 MISC Annual Conference.

The donation will help launch an endowment fund for a conference series titled //Conversations, sponsored

by Charles Bronfman// that will gather prominent Canadian and international experts for discussions on social, political, and economic issues the country is facing.

Bronfman’s donation represents a full-circle moment for the MISC; it was his initial gift that established the institute in 1994. Daniel Béland, MISC Director and professor of political science at McGill, is excited about the “game-changing” endowment, given both its size and the “high-profile” nature of the series it will fund.

“It is [...] a gift that, for us, will [...] increase really dramatically our resources as an institute [...] to help [...] foster these conversations outside of the Ivory Tower,” Béland said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “I think it will [...] show our commitment

to really engage with Canadians about the future of the country but in a global way.”

Bronfman is an Honourary Founding Co-Chair on MISC’s Board of Trustees, and as a condition of the donation, he can appoint a member to the Advisory Committee for Conversations. Béland stressed that the committee exists for consulting purposes only and that all final decisions at MISC will be at the discretion of the director—currently Béland himself.

Stakeholders at McGill and beyond, however, have raised concerns about the potential influence that donors such as Bronfman can exert over academic and political conversations on campus.

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill worries about the implications of Bronfman’s donation for student activism and governance, especially surrounding Palestinian liberation.

SPHR condemned the university’s relationship with the Bronfman family due to their alleged support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Zionist agenda. Bronfman co-founded Birthright Israel, was chairman of Israeli investment holding company Koor Industries, and financed Sunday Culture events for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

“With this donation, as with the Sylvan Adams donation, McGill has once again proven that when it comes to filling up its pockets, it will ignore its students’ pleas,” SPHR wrote in a statement to the Tribune. “Accepting such large donations from so-called Zionist ‘philanthropists’ ensures that no pro-Palestine policy will ever be adopted at McGill University. It stifles student activism and governance, as we’ve already seen with the failure to adopt the democratically-elected Palestine Solidarity Policy. It makes the McGill administration puppets to their Zionist donors who can threaten to cut their funding anytime the word ‘Palestine’ is uttered on campus.”

David Robinson, executive director at the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), said that administrations have a responsibility to prevent donor interference in the internal matters of a university, student groups, and student governance. He believes that democratic discussions with students and faculty about donation contracts are crucial for limiting third-party influence over university affairs.

“Have transparency, [show] the contract, [...] debate whether or not it is acceptable that Charles Bronfman will have one person appointed to

Charles’ father, Samuel Bronfman, whom the McGill Faculty of Management’s building is named after, paid $1 million to secure Canadian weaponry for Israel in 1947, before the state’s founding in 1948. (mcgill.ca) this committee,” Robinson said in an in a position to be able to dictate the interview with the Tribune. “It should academic direction of the university or be the academic governance body any of its programs. That is something that makes those decisions in order that we are very clear on.” to protect and preserve academic Nonetheless, Robinson remains integrity.” concerned about a tendency at Derek Cassoff, managing director universities to appease donors, of communications at McGill’s especially those who make significant University Advancement (UA) office, contributions and maintain longinsists, however, that the donation standing relationships. and its terms do not infringe on the “A more subtle, almost university’s or MISC’s autonomy. unconscious bias that is built-in is “We are very careful at McGill that people don’t want to offend the [...] to maintain [...] academic donor, which would cause problems,” freedom,” Cassoff told the Tribune. Robinson said. “It is sort of like the “We certainly do not want to be in old joke [...] that whoever has the gold a situation where outside parties, makes the rules. So the donors do have whether they be donors or other some kind of influence, even if it is not [...] people of influence, would be a direct influence.”

AMUSE elects new slate of executives following two months of leadership vacancy Executives who weathered membership cuts are optimistic about union’s future

Elena Lee Contributor

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he Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) welcomed eight new members to its Board of Representatives (BoR) and five new officers to its Executive Committee at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held on Nov. 2. The SGM was convened to fill the seats left vacant after a contentious ruling by AMUSE’s parent union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC),

that immediately dismissed all but one AMUSE executive. PSAC cited previously unenforced membership eligibility rules as the driving factor in its decision to fire five executives.

According to Aliya Frendo, who has now served on AMUSE’s BoR for seven months, around 27 eligible AMUSE members gathered in the Thompson House Ballroom for the SGM. This was a marked increase in attendance from the Sept. 26 SGM that failed to meet the 15-person quorum.

“I think it was really impressive how many people stepped forward,” Frendo said in an

Senior AMUSE members thanked McGill unions AMURE and MUNACA for their shows of solidarity amidst internal controversy. (Cameron Flanagan / The McGill Tribune)

interview with The McGill Tribune. “People who didn’t even run received nominations, and they accepted. I don’t think that actually ever happened during the time I was here. And the turnout was pretty good, especially among floor fellows.”

The SGM successfully elected members for all vacant executive and BoR positions. The incoming members will serve in these roles until the Annual General Meeting in February 2023. In an interview with the Tribune, AMUSE President James Newman said he was elated by the fact that all positions had been filled.

“I’ve gotten a chance to speak to the people who’ve gotten elected and they’re really top-notch people,” Newman said. “They all seem to be really brilliant, committed activists who are dedicated to fighting for the membership. I’m excited to work with them, and I think tonight was a great example of union democracy in action.”

Outreach and Development Coordinator Tricia Robinson echoed Newman’s optimism for AMUSE’s future, but noted a few obstacles the new leadership will have to tackle together.

“I think that AMUSE has such a big regrowth period ahead of it,” Robinson said in an interview with the Tribune. “There’s a big conversation that needs to be had with the PSAC [about] how they can better represent this union [....] I don’t think these are the types of issues that you should act on swiftly because [AMUSE] is such a big union.

There are 1,300 members. So, the internal structure is super important.”

Robinson, Frendo, and Newman all commented on how PSAC’s negligence regarding

AMUSE’s structure must be thoroughly addressed.

Robinson added that training incoming executives will be difficult without previous office-holders to supervise the transition, but she thinks AMUSE is now equipped for the challenge.

“We’ve been building tools and schedules and priority lists of what they need to know and what they need to be successful in the roles,” Robinson said. “The best scenario is a hand-off from the previous executives [...] but that’s not what we’re working with. So this is the secondbest thing [....] Just talking to folks tonight who were elected, I think they’re probably up for that challenge too.”

AMUSE executives interviewed by the Tribune all voiced regret for the past few months of turmoil amongst the AMUSE leadership, but expressed hopes that the union will learn from the experience and “build back better.”

“There was a lot of tension between us, a lot of mistrust, drama, controversy,” Newman said. “But at the end of the day, the real object of our struggle is McGill. Everyone who has served in AMUSE is a union activist who did as much as they could, and it’s unfortunate everything happened as it did.

It was a very painful, heart-wrenching thing to go through, but we’re focused on the future, and that’s what this meeting was about.”

The incoming executive committee includes Allison Bender, Labour Relations Officer; Crystal Wu, Internal Affairs Officer; Jessica Tian, Treasurer; Aryana Azodi, Communications and Outreach Officer; and Isabelle Reynolds, VicePresident Floor Fellow.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

NEWS

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U2 Architecture students must take 20 credits this fall or stay an extra semester Students report being overworked after School alters program structure Nicholas Hayek Contributor Continued from page 1.

The curriculum changes had unintended consequences for the School’s U2 cohort, whose members were faced with a decision this August: Take 20 credits in one semester this fall or otherwise extend their time at McGill by an extra semester.

U2 Architecture students told The McGill Tribune that they were blindsided when their

schedules were swapped with a 20-credit prescription of new and pre-existing courses. If a student opted to take a normal course load, they could, but it would come at the cost of extending their degree by an entire semester.

A student hoping to stay on track with their expected graduation time would have to adopt a schedule consisting of an intensive, six-credit architecture studio, four departmental courses, and a sketching class. This regimen exceeds the 18-credit limit recognized by the School’s own Program Advising Handbook, which requires “special permission” for students who wish to

The McGill architecture program is one of the oldest on the continent. (Maeve Reilly / The McGill Tribune)

surpass it.

Riley*, one of the affected U2 Architecture students, sat down with the Tribune to talk about the alterations, noting what they thought was a lack of communication on the university’s part.

“The change was made very late, and we were not informed until after the registration date,” Riley said. “It is their responsibility to coordinate with us and the professors.”

The curriculum changes have shaken up the lives of architecture students, who, according to Riley, are given little wiggle room in choosing their courses as is.

“This semester has been impossible to navigate,” Riley explained. “Some students are going to be forced to be part-time students in the coming semester because they have no more classes left to take [.…] Some students who live far away sleep in the studio since they can’t go home, and that is really unhealthy.”

Echoing a sentiment shared by many U2 students, Riley believes that the curriculum directors did not revamp the architecture program in a way that was considerate of their students’ well-being.

“McGill makes a lot of fuss about mental health, so we all thought that they would care more when we mentioned the situation, but all they did was relegate their responsibility,” Riley said.

The Architecture Student’s Association (ASA), which oversees both undergraduate and graduate affairs at the School of Architecture, claims they were not consulted during the restructuring of the curriculum.

“[We] did not receive an invitation to participate in discussions held by the curriculum committee that made modifications to course distributions this past summer,” the ASA wrote in an email to the Tribune.

The ASA is worried about the students impacted by the schedule change, seeing as how the semester has already passed its halfway point and the deadline to withdraw from classes has elapsed. “[We have] exhausted everything within our powers to work internally with administration and faculty to address the weight of the U2 Fall curriculum,” the ASA wrote.

In Riley’s eyes, atonement is still possible. “[McGill should] take some responsibility and just tell us, ‘we fucked up […] we tried to do this and it didn’t work,’” they said.

In a statement to the Tribune, Frédérique Mazerolle, a McGill media relations officer, claimed that the university has been accommodating in light of the situation.

“The School’s leadership has been checking in with students and faculty to address issues related to workload and finding ways to accommodate students,” Mazerolle wrote. “Students have access to several resources through Students Services, including the Student Wellness Hub, the Career Planning Service and Student Accessibility & Achievement. The university’s priority remains to ensure the success, well-being and safety of our students.” *Riley’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

Incomplete paperwork puts international nursing students at risk of falling behind

Students complain about lack of communication and support regarding work and study permits Adeline Fisher Staff Writer

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ue to an alleged lack of communication between McGill and international students at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) about work and study permits, some international nursing students are at risk of being unable to complete their mandatory clinical studies this academic year. Those unable to quickly acquire the proper documentation may potentially fall behind in their courses, forcing them to spend more on tuition in order to complete the program.

Upon admission to McGill, all international students must apply for study permits, which allow them to legally reside in Canada during their time studying at a designated institution.

International nursing students have additional hoops to jump through: They must obtain co-op work permits and submit to a medical examination, which involves completing a medical questionnaire and a physical exam, before they may begin clinical work. Although the basic co-op permit allows international students to work in Canada, nursing students cannot work in the medical field without successfully completing a medical examination.

Several international students in McGill’s nursing program contend that both Immigration Canada and the university did not clearly communicate about the additional steps required during the permit application process. Alex*, a U1 nursing student, is one of these students.

“Immigration had never signalled a problem [....] I think they just expect you to know [to get the medical examination],” Alex said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “McGill noted this clause when they were reviewing documents, and then signalled it, but it was a bit late to signal it.”

In a written statement to the Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle explained that it’s up to students to make sure their documentation is correct before starting their studies at McGill.

“It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have met all the requirements, including proof of medical examinations, and that their paperwork is in order before they begin their studies,” Mazerolle wrote. “This year, it was discovered that a handful of students did not have the necessary paperwork to work in the clinical setting.”

Due to the protracted nature of the medical examination process—and the minimum of four weeks it takes to process results—many international students may not receive the appropriate documentation in time to complete their clinical studies. Alex reports having to put their clinicals, which were supposed to begin in October, on hold until their medical exam has been processed.

“Once you have the exam, the physician has to send it to immigration, and once they send it to immigration, they internally have to process it,” Alex said. “Everything that immigration does takes ages, and they told me that processing times can take from three weeks to six months.”

Alex noted that after Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processes the results of the medical examination, foreign nationals are then required to leave the country and re-enter in order to obtain the correct work or study permit.

“Once [the medical exam] has been processed [...] I have to go to the border and cross out of Canada and into the U.S. and then come back in,” Alex said. “It’s called flagpoling, and because Canadian immigration does not have any offices inside of Canada, they only have them at the border, in order to get your work permit or your study permit you have to cross

Many international students are only able to obtain new work permits by “flagpoling”—which involves having to leave Canada and reenter at a U.S.-Canada border crossing. (Kowin Chen / The McGill Tribune) the border.”

In an email to the Tribune, Kerry Yang, vice-president of University Affairs at the Students’ Society of McGill University, asserted that the university also ought to provide additional support for students whose studies may be delayed as a result of these complications.

“Support shouldn’t just be words and policy, otherwise it gets performative in nature. It should be sustained and committed, and [...] should be given in good faith,” Yang wrote. “It also makes sense for McGill to support any student who has to take extra time to finish their degree because of issues beyond their control.” *Alex’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

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Three Councillors appointed to SSMU BoD during Legislative Council to fulfill constitutional requirement Motion regarding campus media referendums assigned to a committee for revision and resubmission Sarah Farnand Sports Editor

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n Nov. 3, the fourth Students’ Society of McGill (SSMU) Legislative Council meeting of the 2022-2023 academic year was called to order. The meeting featured the nomination of three Councillors to the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD), debate about a motion regarding the ability of campus media to report on referendum questions that concern them, and presentations about several SSMU executive-led projects.

The first order of business was the Motion Regarding the Nomination of Council Members to the BoD. SSMU President Risann Wright insisted that three seats on the BoD, which are reserved for Legislative Councillors, needed to be filled immediately. Wright explained that if the seats were left unfilled, SSMU would be in violation of its constitution and unable to function as an organization.

After roughly 40 minutes of deliberation and encouragement from the President and Speaker of the Council Alexandre Ashkir, Councillor Julia Nam, Councillor Coco Jie Wang, and Councillor Peter Tai put their names

forward for nomination to the BoD. Their selection passed unanimously and their appointment will be submitted for ratification by students during the upcoming SSMU Fall Referendum polling period, which will take place from Nov. 14 to Nov. 18.

Councillor Matthew O’Boyle presented the Motion Regarding an Interim Provision to the Internal Regulations of Elections and Referenda, which aims to allow campus media organizations to be able to spread awareness and information about any referendum question pertaining to them. Currently, per sec. 5 article 2.3 and 2.4 of the Internal Regulations, media groups cannot report in any way about referendums that involve them during the campaigning period. The motion was brought up because the Daily Publications Society (DPS), the governing body of The McGill Daily and Le Délit, is running an existence referendum this semester.

The motion was assigned to a committee composed of a representative from DPS, Councillor O’Boyle, and The McGill Tribune’s Editor-in-Chief for further revision as several Councillors felt its wording needed to be more specific. Councillor Charlotte Gurung pointed out that the motion could be

mobilization efforts during the Kanien’kehà:ka Kahnistensera’s court case to halt construction at the Royal Victoria Hospital site. They specifically pointed to an article SSMU put out opposing McGill’s actions and work on the site.

MOMENT OF THE MEETING

The club committee announced the ratification of four new clubs, including Girls Who Code. (Defne Gurcay / The McGill Tribune) problematic as student media could with the goal of creating a longer-term opine in favour of their own referendum more sustainable program in the future. questions.

Vice-president (VP) Finance “It seems like a policy like this that Marco Pizarro followed Wright with would allow campus media to not just updates on his portfolio. He mentioned report on the referendum questions but that there is plenty of room in the budget report in favour of their own referendum for students with innovative project questions would be a conflict of ideas to receive funds from SSMU. interest,” Gurung said.

“A lot of projects are very Wright followed with an update on interesting,” Pizarro said. “We still have the pilot Grocery Program, which aims a lot of money so don’t hesitate to spread to provide groceries to students facing the word that anyone can apply as long food insecurity—the program will be as you have any project—you don’t financed by a new student fee. She have to have a club.” noted that once launched, the program VP External Affairs Val Masny will help 200 students in the short term, spoke about SSMU’s support and

The meeting began 20 minutes later than scheduled because SSMU executives were apparently “putting the orders in” for food delivery, according to Speaker Ashkir.

SOUND BITE “We have been doing a lot of work with advocacy as well. Each individual committee, advocacy, and outreach committee are looking into many projects, a lot to do with improving the tranquility space within the library but also in working with LWAs [Local Wellness Advisors] for different faculties as well as admin.”

— VP Student Life Hassanatou Koulibaly on the work of the Mental Health Committee

Tribune Explains: Getting a job on campus Positions for students range from research assistants to baristas The McGill Tribune News Team How does one get a job on campus and what positions are available?

McGill’s Human Resources job board, Workday, lists a plethora of job openings for students such as administrative and research positions. Another key job site is MyFuture, which includes both on-campus and off-campus opportunities for students from research and tutoring positions to internships.

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) also offers employment opportunities.

Students can work as a barista or bartender at Gerts Bar and Cafe or as a SSMU commissioner or coordinator under the direction of a SSMU executive. Listings for all SSMU roles are posted on their SmartRecruiters page. Faculty student associations, such as the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), also have paid positions that range from translator to AUS Speaker of the Council.

Students can also work as executives at SSMU, the PostGraduate Students’ Society (PGSS), or at McGill’s many undergraduate faculty associations, but these

are elected positions. So, while executives are compensated for their work, they must run a campaign and be elected to the position by their student constituency first.

Students can consult the McGill Career Planning Service (CaPS) website for additional job opportunities on campus that are managed by the administration.

The service has compiled several resources for job hunting, including a “CaPS Quick Guide to Building your Experience & Finding an OnCampus Job” that lists all the McGill departments that hire students and how to best contact them.

What are the conditions for international students seeking jobs?

If an international student wishes to work, they must have a valid study permit and a Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN).

On campus, an international student is allowed to work an unlimited number of hours as long as they maintain their full-time status. Per Immigration Quebec, international students are only allowed to drop to part-time student status if they are in their final semester of studies.

Off campus, international students are no longer capped at a

20-hour work week. From now until December 2023, all students who require a study permit can work an unlimited number of hours per week.

The federal government removed the original 20-hour limit in response to the current labour shortage in Canada. There may be restrictions on the industries and sectors an international student is allowed to work in, and these are stipulated on their study permit.

What are Work Study positions?

McGill’s Scholarships and Student Aid Office’s (SSAO) Work Study program has job openings for students based on financial need. To be eligible for the program, students must provide documentation that demonstrates financial need, be in satisfactory academic standing, and be receiving the maximum government aid for which they are eligible. Campus employers are incentivized to prioritize hiring Work Study students through a subsidy that the Quebec government helps fund.

International students are required to provide proof of sufficient financial means during the study permit application process, and thus are generally not eligible for Work Study at the start of their

Unless the position fulfills a school program requirement, interns in Canada must be paid according to federal law. (Corey Zhu / The McGill Tribune) degree; newly admitted international What are the resources available to undergraduate students who have those who suspect that their labour been offered an Entrance Bursary by rights are being violated?

McGill are an exception.

The Legal Information Clinic at McGill (LICM), a studentHow much do on-campus jobs pay? run organization located in the Pay varies widely among University Centre, offers free legal campus jobs. If a position is information about employment unionized, the pay depends on the and labour issues. Those looking to union’s collective agreement as access the LICM services can fill out established with McGill. Both the the form on their website.

Association of McGill University Some campus jobs, like Floor Support Employees (AMUSE) and Fellow and Research Assistant the Association of McGill University positions, are unionized. In these Research Employees (AMURE) pay cases, individuals can report to their above Quebec’s current minimum union if they feel an employer is wage of $14.25 per hour. violating the standing collective agreement.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Madison McLauchlan editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Anoushka Oke aoke@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Sepideh Afshar safshar@mcgilltribune.com Matthew Molinaro mmolinaro@mcgilltribune.com Madison Edward-Wright medwardwright@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Lily Cason, Juliet Morrison & Ghazal Azizi news@mcgilltribune.com

Opinion Editors Kareem Abuali, Leo Larman Brown & Valentina de la Borbolla opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Mayuri Maheswaran scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Life Editors Abby McCormick & Mahnoor Chaudhry studentlife@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Wendy Zhao features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Arian Kamel & Michelle Siegel arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Tillie Burlock & Sarah Farnand sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Mika Drygas & Shireen Aamir design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Cameron Flanagan photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editors Wendy Lin & Anna Chudakov multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Sneha Senthil & Oliver Warne webdev@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Sarina Macleod copy@mcgilltribune.com Social Media Editor Taneeshaa Pradhan socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Joseph Abounohra business@mcgilltribune.com

Abolish migrant prisons now The McGill Tribune Editorial Board CW: Mentions of sexual and colonial violence

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n Oct. 25, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) opened a new migrant detention centre in Laval, Quebec. Canadian provinces, often in accordance with CBSA contracts, forcefully detain migrants for “administrative reasons” and continue to incarcerate many for indefinite periods of time. The excuse of administrative detention undermines the violent reality of the centres: People are illegally detained for months or even years, children are either separated from their families or grow up incarcerated, and individuals are being forced into solitary confinement. The grounds for imprisonment often relate to perceived risks to public safety, which are notoriously grounded in racism and ableism.

Black and brown migrants, as well as disabled or mentally ill individuals, are subjected to longer sentences and harsher treatment.

The forceful detention of migrants in the Laval facility, operated by the CBSA, is in violation of international law and is just another iteration of colonial

OFF THE BOARD Sarah Farnand Sports Editor

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph Abounohra, Kareem Abuali, Yasmine El Dukar, Ella Gomes, Sequoia Kim, Shani Laskin, Kennedy McKeeBraide, Madison McLauchlan, Michelle Siegel, Sophie Smith

STAFF Margo Berthier, Ella Buckingham, Melissa Carter, Adeline Fisher, Drea Garcia, Suzanna Graham, Jasjot Grewal, Charlotte Hayes, Monique Kasonga, Chloé Kichenane, Shani Laskin, Zoé Mineret, Chetna Misra, Harry North, Ella Paulin, Dana Prather, Maeve Reilly, Sofia Stankovic, Athina Sitou, Yash Zodgekar

CONTRIBUTORS Reza Ali, Charlotte Bawol, Julia Buckle, Gillian Cameron, Kowin Chen, Noa Garmaise, Soraya Ghassemlou, Nicholas Hayek, Philippe Haddad, Elena Lee, Atticus Simi Ogunsola, O’Rourke Rusin, Maeve Reilly, Renée Rochefort, Joy Sebera, Louise Secher, Sofia Sida, Niamh Stafford, Lauren Strano, Alex Zhou

TRIBUNE OFFICE Shatner University Centre, 3480 McTavish, Suite 110 Montreal, QC H3A 0E7 - T: 519.546.8263 The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University.

The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board.

All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff.

CW: Mentions of disordered eating

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started running competitively when I was eight years old. My earliest memory from that year is a race with my dad where I was kicking toward the finish, shouting, “I can’t feel my legs!” Let me tell you, as a runner who too often feels the ache of every individual muscle in her legs, running so fast that I can’t feel my legs was and

state violence.

Furthermore, the CBSA has no institutional oversight, meaning the agency is free to treat migrants as it wishes without repercussions. This lack of accountability is endemic to the immigration bureaucracy, and both federal and provincial governments who partake in these practices, such as Ontario, must take responsibility for their complicity in human rights abuses. Quebec must end its contract with the CBSA, close all migrant detention centres, and end the illegal and horrifying incarceration of innocent migrants.

Canada, much like the United States, has a shameful legacy of forcing migrants and refugees into detention centres.

Canada’s government has never shied away from kidnapping minors, separating families, and attempting to rid their population of those considered a risk to the white status quo.

Canadian history is scored with violence, from internment camps for Italian-Canadians and for Japanese-Canadians during World War II, to residential schools for Indigenous children. The Canadian government has long operated a brutal border regime on land unceded by its native inhabitants. No one is illegal on stolen land, and for the state to presume otherwise is ardent proof

that Canada’s white supremacist project has continued into the 21st century.

Beyond detention centres, the immigration process is inherently racist and elitist, especially when it comes to Quebec. Language and value tests, established to filter out anyone who does not fit the white Francophone ideal, are just another rendition of the exclusionary vision of a Great White North. The hypocrisy of the state is further exemplified by the admission of immigrants accepted into higher-education institutions, while also luring workingclass immigrants to strengthen Canada’s declining workforce, only to illegally incarcerate many upon arrival. It is painfully ironic to see Canada claim that its doors are open while subjecting many to inhumane conditions and upholding a hostile assimilation system once immigrants settle.

If Canada wants to truly embody the values of benevolence and multiculturalism it purports to have, this country must abolish the current immigration system and its violent border regime.

Simple calls to reform the immigration process fail to recognize the true harm inflicted by the CBSA, provincial jails, and detention centres. The illegal incarceration of Black and brown migrants cannot be addressed by simply installing better plumbing

OPINION

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EDITORIAL in prisons or building shiny new centres. Canadian society must move past reform and fervently support prison abolition. Black American abolitionists like Angela Davis have spoken about how deeply ingrained the carceral system is in society.

Abolition prompts imagination, and to envision a just world in an environment so hostile towards Black and brown lives is an act of resistance.

The government-led mission to cover up the reality of migrant prisons must not prevent the media, universities, and students from looking beyond Canada’s front of multiculturalism.

Universities like McGill have a duty to inform students about the world that surrounds them, and ultimately, to hold provincial bodies accountable. Furthermore, students at McGill have the responsibility to question their positionality in Canadian society and to participate in the abolitionist movement. Not all immigrants are treated equally, and part of the path to abolition is acknowledging the ways in which the state attempts to build a national identity through eugenicist practices. The future of Quebec and Canada must be non-carceral, and it depends on the immediate decriminalization of immigration and the razing of migrant prisons.

My body is not the enemy will always be euphoric.

I joined the track team in middle school and the cross-country team in high school. I started out strong, winning a few races and boosting an ego that was already much too large. However, after injuries from overtraining, I started falling behind my teammates. Desperate to get faster and mad at my body for being so easily injured, I began to dislike what I saw when I looked in the mirror. I tried to lose weight, to not eat as much, to punish my body for growing up. I still loved racing, but running now had an ugly ulterior motive.

As my relationship with my body began to teeter, there were days when the only reason I wanted to run was to lose weight. When my final highschool race ended in an asthma attack that put me in last place, my mental health spiralled. I decided that running and I needed to take a break for a while.

After coming to university, I ran rarely and almost always as a punishment for eating “too much” or for looking a little too bloated when I took a glance in the mirror.

Unfortunately, these toxic thoughts

that had followed me from high school were more normalized at McGill.

Eating with friends became arduous, as they would brag about their own lack of food intake. I could skip one or two meals a day, and no one would question it. I restricted my food intake until my body became so hungry that I would binge extreme amounts of food. And as my relationship with food continued to deteriorate, so did my mental health.

Last fall was an especially difficult time for my mental health and body image, and I decided I needed a trip home for a few weeks toward the end of the semester. During this time, my dad and I became semi-regular running buddies. Running with my dad felt safe and helped me begin to relearn to run for myself. Instead of thinking about how I needed to keep up a certain pace and distance to burn a specific amount of calories, I was focused on chatting with my dad about life and the goings on of the world (as well as trying to figure out how the hell this old man runs so fast). Thoughts of body image and food still plagued my mind, but running with my dad became a slight reprieve instead of an instigating factor.

My relationship with my body hasn’t made such positive strides. I still struggle with body-image issues, and on a daily basis, I fight the urge to fall back into patterns of disordered eating.

I don’t think I have gone a single day in the past seven years where I haven’t thought about my body. And frankly, it’s fucking exhausting. Being constantly surrounded by people telling me how little they ate or how they avoid eating before going out in order to get more drunk feels extremely triggering and often makes me want to book another ticket home. Luckily, running and I have become friends again, and our renewed relationship has taught me that I need to fuel my body for it to perform the way I want it to.

Over the past few months, I have fallen in love with longer runs. I recently ran 10 miles (16 kilometres) for only the second time in my life, and it made me so proud of my body’s capabilities. I feel myself relearning to love running as much as that excited girl who couldn’t feel her legs, and I know that one day very soon, that girl is going to relearn to fully love herself too.

6

OPINION

opinion@mcgilltribune.com

COMMENTARY Lily Cason News Editor CW: Mentions of war, colonial violence, and trauma.

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n Oct. 22, two CF-18 jets sped over McGill’s Percival Molson Memorial Stadium at 4:04 and 4:08 p.m. to mark the start of the Montreal Alouettes’ football game against the Toronto Argonauts. While McGill, the teams involved, and the press all attempted to warn the public in advance, many were still alarmed and frightened by the blistering noise. Flyovers are environmentally

Stop making a celebratory spectacle out of war damaging and expensive displays of militarism that are potentially traumatizing, and we need to scrap them for good.

It is no coincidence that flyovers often happen in tandem with sports games—there is a long history of sports being militarized.

The Alouettes are even named after a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), a fact used to help justify the recent flyover.

Creating a celebratory spectacle out of fighter jets normalizes war and militarism, which is incredibly dangerous. The CF18, manufactured by Boeing and adapted from the U.S. Navy F/A-18 aircraft, is heavily armoured and equipped to carry

In addition to sports games, flyovers are common on holidays such as Canada Day and Remembrance Day (City News Montreal).

LAUGHING MATTERS Noa Garmaise Contributor

I

have come to the conclusion that it’s in my best interest to be honest with you, my dear friend and room inspector.

Though I’ve been hiding my true feelings, I must admit that I’m very worried about the upcoming room inspections of Molson Hall. While I’m not concerned about you finding something that would violate the Upper Residence lease agreement (you will come to find that I’m a stickler for the rules!), I do worry that you may stumble upon my diary and—if I’m not present at the inspection—be tempted to read its contents.

It would, honestly, be cruel of you to read my diary during my room check, especially since I’m not supposed to be there. My diary details my extremely lively and intense inner world, which I often hold close to my heart. In the name of transparency, I’ll tell you where it is so that you don’t have to ransack my room to find it. I believe it’s on my desk—but I can’t be certain. It should be somewhere between my kettle and microwave that also happen to be on my desk. Just so you’re prepared.

I would appreciate if I were there

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

guns, rockets, and bombs. This is a war machine, most recently used to carry out strikes in Libya, Iraq, and Syria, killing and wounding civilians. It is deeply troubling that flying an aircraft with such a legacy of destruction over a football game is not only normalized, but is lauded as a spectacle of patriotism and militarism.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have a dark legacy that should not be celebrated: The institution was in large part created to perpetrate a legacy of colonial genocide against Indigenous peoples, and continues to do so today. In April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau increased defence spending and resources in ‘Canada’s’ Arctic under the pretense of Russian aggression, a move that threatens the sovereignty, wellbeing, and livelihood of Indigenous peoples living in the region.

In addition to perpetuating colonialism domestically, a culture of militarism upholds neoliberal and imperialist practices of military intervention abroad. These oftpatronizing and paternalistic interventions almost always fail, leading to greater suffering and instability. Glorifying the military through flyovers ignores and tacitly condones all of these egregious practices.

Further, for many, flyovers are not just a momentary, shocking loud noise. Rather, the roaring jets can evoke past experiences in conflict zones, potentially triggering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for refugees and veterans alike. According to the Canadian government, 10 per cent of war zone veterans have PTSD, with

many more reporting related symptoms.

It is ironic and distasteful that flyovers purport to honour veterans’ service while potentially retraumatizing them.

The overarching environmental impacts of the military-industrial complex that flyovers advertise are also enormous.

A CF-18 consumes hundreds of litres of fuel every hour. In 2011, RCAF jets burned through 8.5 million litres of fuel during a six-month period as part of “Operation MOBILE” in Libya. The relationship between the climate crisis and security is often neglected, while in reality, they should be recognized as interlocking problems that must be addressed simultaneously. Notably, while promises of environmental action are on the tip of many politicians’ tongues, most have steered clear of addressing the planetary harm stemming from the defence apparatus. This represents a wider trend: The pervasive fear of speaking out against militarism in a post-9/11 world dominated by powerful defence contractors and prowar rhetoric.

Finally, there are many important needs that taxpayer money should and could be funnelled into, and flyovers are not one of them. In 2015, the RCAF spent $2 million on flyovers. Education, fair wages, racial justice, housing, healthcare, climate action, and so many other necessities should take priority. To dismantle the pervasive culture of militarism, protect those who have experienced trauma, and reduce carbon emissions, flyovers must be grounded once and for all.

Why I’m nervous about upper residence room inspections while you inspected my room. That way I would be able to explain what I meant on page six of my diary when I wrote that my good friend Laura is “like a vacuum cleaner that consumes attention.” I know that we both love Laura, and though her raging narcissism can get a bit unbearable sometimes, I would never say something to her face that would hurt her. Also, I feel like I need to be there to make sure that you don’t step on my ant farm. I love seeing that little colony grow!

Truthfully, I’ve been holding on to this deep concern that the harsh, though often beautifully nuanced, nature of my diary will tarnish our growing friendship.

The words I wrote in my diary are fiery, much like the brick pizza oven I store in my closet (such a good midnight snack!). My commentary is also sharp, not dissimilar to the spindle (think of the sewing machine Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on) which I keep at the foot of my bed. While you may notice that I take some risks in my diary—creative, emotional, and otherwise—I would never be that reckless when it comes to our blossoming friendship and the safety of my room. After all, room safety is paramount. Don’t we just get each other so well, inspector?

I want to be upfront with you. No the complexities of the case study. more hiding. Except from monsters and Anyways, ideally I’d be able to introduce ghouls. In my diary I confess to stealing you to them formally. both the ice cream cart from Bishop My respect and love for you as a room Mountain Hall and the phallic-shaped inspector and confidante only continues gourds from Royal Victoria College, to grow, and I just didn’t want you to be which I am sure you will notice all surprised by my diary’s jarring presence. over the floor of my room. But please I have come to accept that you may feel don’t think less of me. You have to compelled to read it, and I hope it moves understand—I just really love fall. you. Just not too far, because then you’ll Fine. I’ll just come out with it. I burn yourself on the smoke signal I set up want to be there when you meet Matt, to communicate with McConnell.

Jaime, Sam, and Rebecca—the four Concordia students currently poring over my desk trying in vain to help me with my Management homework. Yes, I know that technically you’re only allowed to have three guests in your room at a time, but they said they needed The Residence Handbook strictly prohibits keeping drug paraphernalia, pets, Sam for the extra open flames and incense, and cooking appliances in residence. (Alex Zhou/ brain power to The McGill Tribune) truly understand

studentlife@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

STUDENT LIFE

7

Cinéma L’Amour: Beyond the merch Discovering Montreal’s beloved erotic cinema Charlotte Bawol Contributor Continued from page 1.

The story of Cinéma L’Amour and the iconic woman who sits atop their logo began in Hull, Quebec, right across the river from Ottawa. Owner Steve Koltai, who inherited the business from his father, explained that he chose this location because Quebec’s lax censorship laws made it the only province that could play hardcore porn films for audiences. As such, politicians and diplomats would flock from Ottawa to Hull Cinéma L’Amour offers free couples’ nights on Mondays and Tuesdays. (bouldevardsaintlaurent.com) to view films that were banned just over the river in Ontario. also tongue-in-cheek posters, The owner seemed happy operates more as a social club I met with Koltai in the lobby with my personal favourite that so many people in Montreal than anything else. of Cinéma L’Amour which, reading: “5 stars. You Won’t wore the merch that can “People aren’t coming for behind the reflective window Cry. But Bring Tissues.” exclusively be purchased at the the movies, they’re here for the doors, is a lot less intimidating You can buy movie snacks cinema, but did concede that social interaction,” Koltai said. than one would imagine. The as well as various DVDs such these merch-wearers have no The cinema serves as a lobby is punctuated by beautiful as Schoolboy Fantasies 4 and idea what the cinema represents. starting point for those curious vintage porn posters from the Bisexual Cuckold 5 behind the When asked if the clientele wears about anything from voyeurism cinema’s archive, which contains counter. the merch, Steve laughed and to swinging. posters of all movies that have The interview was punctured made it obvious that the clients “You have the liberty to do been played since its inception. by theatrical moans emanating prefer to keep the anonymity whatever you want as long as Many of these originals are from the screening room where granted to them in the dark of the you are discreet and respectful,” available for purchase online at Scream: an XXX parody was cinema room.

Koltai explained. @lamour.art.gallery. There are playing.

The cinema, I discovered, Koltai’s son Devyn

represents the third generation to manage the cinema. He is breathing new life into the cinema, with hopes to make it accessible to more traditional audiences, and has started hosting events using Cinéma L’Amour as a venue under the banner “Cinéma Erotica.” Their most recent Halloween event featured a screening of the art film “The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover,” followed by a rave with live DJs. Overall, my experience at the cinema was very positive, even if I chose to abstain from the sexual experimentation aspect.

It feels like any other familyrun business, and it’s obvious the staff care greatly about their clients and want them to have the best experiences possible. So whether you are curious about what the cinema has to offer, want a tote bag to add to your collection, or a vintage poster to decorate your apartment, Cinéma L’Amour is the place to go.

Cinéma Erotica’s next event is planned for February, which will be hosted in Cinéma L’Amour and available through Eventbrite.

What are you doing 2nite?

The new social networking platform that’s transforming event-going and throwing

Simi Ogunsola Contributor

W

hat are we doing tonight?”

It’s the question McGillians have been asking each other since the dawn of time. The answer comes to us now in the form of a social networking app taking Montreal, and soon enough, the world, by storm: The 2nite app.

2nite is a social networking app that is making organizing and attending events much easier. I sat down with the app’s founders, Antoine Delarue, U3 Management, and Ludovick BernierMichaud, U3 Science, to learn more about it—and also just so I can tell my future kids that I knew them once.

The idea for 2nite was brought about, Delarue tells me, by three specific frustrations: 1. When travelling in Spain with his friends, he noticed that all of the websites they looked up to find events were sorely out-of-date.

2. As an avid event organizer himself, it was hard to coordinate guests, sell tickets, and promote events across so many different apps.

3. Throughout his first year at McGill, he struggled to get involved in groups and events because information was so spread out.Information about clubs, parties, and events, Delarue says, was “everywhere and nowhere.”

So, Delarue set to work. When he got back to Montreal, he started working with an app developer to make his partyorganizing dreams a reality. Delarue teamed up with Bernier-Michaud, another passionate event organizer and one of his best friends. In one year, a couple of paper drawings and a whiteboard had turned into an app that is revolutionizing the way parties come to be. They tried, tested, and tweaked the app until Oct. 3, when they launched 2nite on the App Store and the party really got started.

2nite allows you to look for parties and events based on your location or ones tailored to your interests. It even lets you search an interactive map for events.

For both the party-goers and the partythrowers, Delarue says 2nite is “one central platform for everything to do with your nightlife.” As an organizer, you can make a post, create a guest list, sell tickets, and gain a following and a reputation for your killer events.

As a party-goer himself, BernierMichaud emphasized that the app can be used to expand your social scene.

“You land in another city, you have no idea what’s going on, you’re with a couple of friends, you open up the app [and] all of a sudden you have access to all these events [...] happening around you,” Bernier-Michaud told the Tribune.

The two founders explained that coming to McGill as international students, they often found themselves not knowing

where to go on a night out, and this app Mark Zuckerberg. These self-described aims to make the university social scene “two guys who don’t know anything more inclusive and accessible. about tech” wanted to bring people ”Beyond how fun and exciting it is to together post-pandemic and create a onehelp organize events, I think we genuinely stop-shop for events was their way to do think that it can make university life and it. the student experience even better and even So, what are you doing 2nite? easier,” Bernier-Michaud said.

While many students use the platform to discover Montreal’s nightlife scene, Delarue pointed out that it can be used to find other, more lowkey social events. “[You] could be doing yoga in the park, could be getting people together just for the social aspect, getting people together monetarily, you know, if you’re fundraising, whatever it might be, the applications are endless,” Delarue said.

DJ and McGill student Emily Sofin, U2 Arts, explained that the app has been amazing for helping her create guest lists for her sets and keeping everything organized in one space. When asked if she would recommend the app to others, she turned to the brand’s slogan: “2nite I can do anything.”

The 2nite app, created by McGill Students Antoine Delarue and Our entire chat felt like Ludovick Bernier-Michaud, is transforming the student event talking to two 2022 versions and nightlife scene. (2nite.app) of a more caring and in-touch

The quiet life of a minor language 心の中に眠っていた日本語

Written and designed by Mika Drygas, Design Editor

T

here was a time in my early childhood when I could easily have been described as bilingual. My parents briefly committed to the one-parent-one-language system—my mother spoke only Japanese with me, and my father only English. As a child in Toronto, Japanese never took prominence in my everyday speech, but I do have memories of a time when my skill level in both languages ventured close enough to parity that I’d occasionally, and accidentally, mix Japanese words into an English sentence. I even had enough of a vocabulary to partake in speech contests at Japanese school. But I never gave the language much care. When my mom spoke to me in Japanese in my elementary schoolyard, I remember making a point of always responding in English, hoping to demonstrate my belonging in the largely monolingual, monocultural world of my white peers.

When asked if I spoke Japanese as a kid, my parents typically responded: “She understands it better than she speaks it” and “Usually she replies in English.” There was an ambiguity in these statements, a sense of incomplete bilingualism, that became irreparable as I grew to identify more and more with a separation from “full Japaneseness.” I stopped going to Japanese school when I was eight, and my vocabulary sank into latency as my English developed. In the back of my mind, I held onto the belief that if I really tried, I could still speak Japanese—I could still understand it, so how could I not? In my Montreal apartment last April, I tried using Japanese to think to myself and the severity of my regression hit me—I couldn’t dig up even the simplest of words. What had once been a choice had become a cemented truth.

Immigrant and mixed-heritage families can be susceptible to acculturation as their children embed themselves in their surrounding social environments. I contributed significantly to the quiet, yet drastic, waning of Japanese use in my household conversations over time. At a similar age, Lee Kim, BA ‘21, experienced a sudden insight regarding their family’s distancing from Cambodian culture and the Khmer language.

“It really clicked for me, I think once I moved out, so when I was like 18,” Lee told me in an interview. “And I would say I definitely took part in it too, in some way with my own internalized racism and wanting to be like, ‘normal’ and just doing more things that my other white classmates were doing.”

People like Lee and myself can be classified as heritage speakers: Individuals who grow up with a minority language spoken in the home

but never reach a native speaker’s degree of fluency because they come to privilege the dominant language of their social setting. In cases such as mine, the evolution of the home environment can let one of the child’s first languages slip into passivity—capable of being received, but not used. When I hear Japanese, a distinct hum resonates in the innermost part of my brain—it feels as though the language is situated deep within me, so deep that I can’t actually reach it myself. If someone were to speak to me in Japanese, I would want to tell them, “I understand you in a way that feels so inexplicably precise and whole,” but all that I’d be able to come up with would be the outlines of a sentence, a sense of the intonation, words muffled just enough to be inaudible.

Dylan Seu, U2 Management, learned Korean first and English second, but now experiences a similar block when it comes to expressing himself verbally in Korean. “Right now, my Korean is at a point where, like, I can understand it fluently,” Dylan said. “I can read slowly. Writing, I can only do if things are spelled exactly how it sounds, you know? And speaking, for some reason, it doesn’t really work.”

When you lose touch with a language as you grow up, your relationship to it is often defined by mutually reinforcing feelings of intimacy and distance. The vast dissonance between my passive and active grasp on Japanese renders me capable of absorbing it deeply while remaining undeniably detached from it. As a second-generation immigrant, I retain close ties with my mother’s home country, yet for most of my life have been unable to hold a conversation with the entire side of my family that still lives there.

The lines connecting me to them feel unidirectional, riddled with inaction and guilt. It is this detachment, however, that keeps the language safely tucked away in an undisturbed pocket of my mind. Because my experience with Japanese was largely constrained to the context of my family home—and stayed behind in it as I grew into the world—the sound of the language is wrapped up in memories of my childhood, carrying with it the simple comfort of that time.

This is a large part of what has drawn me back to learning it.

My lack of formal education in Japanese contributed to the comforting feeling it brings me. I was never made to memorize thousands of Kanji or stay up all night studying it—the language just floated softly around my ears, never asking that I give it much in return. But this also meant that I was an awkward fit for any level of language class because of the great

disparities that existed between my listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Lavanya Huria, an MSc student at McGill, feels the same way about her heritage language.

“For Hindi, I can speak it because I speak it with my family. But I can’t read or write [it],” Lavanya said. Because heritage speakers’ capacities are entirely shaped by their individualized home experiences, each has needs which cannot be easily met through resources designed for second-language learners.

Professor Tomoko Ikeda, who teaches several levels of Japanese language courses at McGill, explained to me that uneven competencies in different areas of the language, with reading and writing as the weakest points, are common among heritage speakers because they “have never had the gakkou no nihongo [school Japanese].” These types of students guided the development of the just-above-beginner-level courses EAST 241 and 242 and the just-below-intermediate-level EAST 341 and 342, designed to help students who have some background in Japanese focus on refining their writing. “[With] all university language courses, if you have a background a little bit, maybe you can’t join the super beginner class, and even if you speak fluently but have no knowledge of the writing, you can’t join an intermediate class,” Ikeda said. “That’s why we created the writing courses as a bridge.”

Finding this bridge to reconnect with a heritage language can be far more difficult when learning spaces that account for the historical, and often traumatic, conditions of language

l oss are rare. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee was unable to find even a mildly tolerable learning resource for Khmer.

“I bought Cambodian language books, but often they’re written by French scholars who lived in Cambodia, or just people who are there because of colonialism [....] They were always just straight up racist.”

Finally discovering an instructor who met their needs was immensely gratifying.

“When everything went online, I was able to find a teacher in California that was giving classes and that was really special, because it was the first time I was able to take a class,” Lee said. “The teacher is Cambodian [….] He was also queer, non-binary [….] It was really amazing to all of a sudden have this opportunity to learn in such a trauma-informed, holistic, anti-colonial space that really felt like it was getting to the core of not only just learning the language, but also the culture and everything.”

Once you locate a suitable mode of learning, the deliberate study of a language that has surrounded you since birth feels endlessly illuminating. Figuring out how to effectively employ the passive knowledge I had of Japanese to teach myself to speak it was the task of my summer. Slowly climbing out of the fuzzy depths of my muteness felt so restorative: Every time I sat down to write a journal entry in Japanese or repeated a silly phrase uttered by a Japanese reality TV star, I felt like I was doing myself some kind of justice, nurturing something central to my being. Upon hearing Japanese, joy would overcome me. This feeling motivated me to continue confronting the disjointed frustration of being unable to express myself in a language that felt so familiar. The intensity of the pull back to my heritage language is born out of distance—I know that if I had not moved away from my parents’ house, the only natural source of Japanese in my daily life, I would not have been so intensely driven toward reclaiming it.

Adolescence is a precarious time for heritage languages. As children begin to prioritize

their peer relationships over family ties, the language of peer interactions will inevitably take precedence. A vocabulary in the dominant language builds up––topics discussed in informal environments––that do not develop in the heritage language. And, of course, in these early teen years, institutions and interactions aggressively amplify the pressure to conform, potentially triggering an outright rejection of the heritage language if there is not enough social value associated with its use. The transition out of adolescence, transfixed on a goal of “finding oneself,” places new value on individuality, which can be complicated if you have spent your youth severing yourself from a portion of your linguistic identity. In my case, entering the highly international and multilingual environment of McGill and Montreal has prompted new reflections on how I have understood my Japaneseness throughout my life. It turns out, this shift in perspective is a shared experience.

Finding a cultural community away from home has helped Lavanya bring Hindi into her expanding world.

“I think I used to compartmentalize because I didn’t have that many South Asian friends,” Lavanya said. “The only people that I spoke to in Hindi were my family. And I’ve moved here and like, I’ve only recently started making South Asian friends. And it’s through this spiritual organization that I’m a part of [....] I met so many people who were Indian, who were speaking the same language as me. And so I think that as I grow older, I’m doing less of that compartmentalization.”

Finding such a community offered Lavanya the space to express herself more fully. “I know that if I’m angry, things are gonna come out in Hindi, if I’m tired, or if I’m being vulnerable, things are gonna come out in Hindi. And if I’m upholding this image, if I’m being professional, or if I’m trying to be very, very articulate, or very, very graceful, or very, very put together, it’s gonna come out in English because I have a lot of confidence in English.”

For Dylan, joining the McGill Koreans Educational & Cultural Association (MECA) after coming to McGill was an eye-opening experience that initially gave him a sense of alienation.

“When I first met them, I was like, ‘Whoa, how am I even going to interact with anyone?’”

Dylan said. “When people speak multiple languages, their personality kind of changes for each language [....] At first, I felt like, ‘Wow’, I should definitely learn Korean just so I can really get to know these people better. But now I’m just friends with them. And I don’t really care.

Now I just want to learn Korean for myself, because I want to be able to go to Korea and not be a tourist.”

Those of us who return to the languages of our childhood as we cultivate our adult identities should remember that we are coming out of a stage where fitting in was paramount. It is easy to feel discouraged for having discarded a part of yourself in which you finally see value, but leaning into both the sweet, warm aspects and the icky, regretful aspects of reminiscing

can reveal ways to shed layers of self-rejection.

Speaking or recovering one’s heritage language is not universally existential or necessary to the cultivation of identity, but tending to my little seed of knowledge has been a wonderfully tangible way of collecting my sense of self into a comprehensible whole. In the space that exists between me and Japanese, I can cultivate a world of my own.

Such a direct turn inward can be difficult under calls to assimilate. Immigrant parents often face pressure to prioritize their children’s acquisition of the more pragmatic language of their new home over their family’s heritage language. A study of the views on language held by Japanese-descent mothers in Montreal found a prevalent belief that teaching a heritage language would hinder their children from becoming “good” Canadians. To wallow in the nostalgia of your heritage language when it provides you with no economic advantage feels self-indulgent and ridiculous, branded with a feminine sentimentality.

But nostalgia can be essential to the health of diasporic communities, strengthening relationships through the appreciation of shared histories. Under the Canadian state, economic and social insecurity stifles opportunities to engage in the time-consuming task of intergenerational language transmission. A lack of government funding forces heritage language schools and Indigenous language revitalization efforts to rely predominantly on community labour. In Quebec, Bill 96 requires new immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers to learn French within six months of their arrival.

“I definitely don’t blame people for the utilitarian perspective of language,” Lee said. “I think in a way, being able to push past a survival mode is a privilege. And because we exist within a capitalist society, you know, it’s almost like culture becomes a luxury.”

The Japanese word most analogous to “nostalgic”, natsukashii, denotes a sweet, smiling type of longing, a less overtly depressing reminiscence. This tender affection for the past is what motivates my autonomous language study, rather than a sensible future goal. Gaining the ability to have basic conversations with my Japanese aunts this summer gave me a taste of the joy I could cultivate by continuing my study.

There is nothing to be gained from this work but love.

Making amends with the impracticality of my Japanese—the passivity of my knowledge, the fact that my aspirations for improving it come from a wholly emotional place—has helped me understand the Yes/No question, “Do you speak it?” as irrelevant. My personal connection with the language doesn’t have to manifest in a productive, demonstrable way.

Oddly, this acceptance of indefiniteness makes my long journey toward active fluency feel more manageable—perfection does not have to be the expectation.

Nowadays, I’ll sometimes catch a Japanese word flying into my head before an English one, just like when I used to mix the languages up as a little kid. Natsukashii.

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STUDENT LIFE

studentlife@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

The quest for Montreal’s best donut Find out which donut shops in Montreal should be at the top of your list Lauren Strano Contributor

typically focus on selling sustainably sourced coffee, but at their Montreal location, their main attraction is ‘Lucky’s Beignes,’ a donut kitchen tucked away towards the back of the café. Glass walls that enclose the kitchen offer a glimpse into a world of handcrafted and fresh donut-making. 49th Parallel offers a core set of donuts year-round which include classics like vanilla-glazed and chocolate-covered donuts, as well as seasonal flavours like the pumpkin donut my friends and I tried. Despite being on the pricey side, the synchronicity of the cream cheese glaze and pumpkin filling crafted the perfect fall donut.

Originality: 8, Taste: 8, Price: $4 - 4.40/donut, Overall Score: 16/20

Tunnel Espresso - 705 St Catherine St W Part of the Time Out Market at the Eaton Centre, Tunnel Espresso is the last place I would go to get a donut. Their slew of elaborate Located on St. Denis Street, La Beignerie is known for its creative donut flavours, including Earl Grey, lime, and crème brûlée. flavours may initially draw your attention, but they are no different (Lauren Strano / The McGill Tribune) from your regular donut. All are made 49th Parallel - 488 McGill St of the same simple plain dough with a flavoured Located in Old Montreal, 49th Parallel is a glaze and they’re not worth the $4.50 they charge, Vancouver-based chain of small cozy cafés that plus tax and tip. Luckily, I spotted their cookie are mostly known for their coffee roasting. They selection which made up for my lack of donut

satisfaction. Tunnel Espresso, your s’mores cookie was delicious, but your ‘Salted Brownie’ donut will probably remain unfinished at the back of my fridge for the next couple of months.

Originality: 6, Taste: 4, Price: $4.50/ donut Overall: 10/20 Krispy Kreme - 375 St Catherine St W Downtown and looking for a cheap snack?

Krispy Kreme’s $2 donuts might just be your best bet. Donuts are what they do, and they can do them well. Coated with two different types of maple glaze, their maple donut was a classic—everything it needed to be. A simple donut done well can be as good as (or better than) an extravagant donut embellished with creams, toppings, sprinkles, and fillings. With a choice between the classics and rotating specials, Krispy Kreme offers variety and is a fast, effective donut stop to alleviate a sweet craving and get your sugar fix for the day.

Originality: 8, Taste: 8.5, Price: $1-2/ donut, Overall: 17.5/20 (+1 for price) Trou de Beigne - 30 St Catherine St W This one is tough. The best donut we tried, ‘Blizzard,’ was an Oreo donut. The soft interior working in conjunction with the crispy texture of Oreo crumbs that covered the entirety of the donut was nothing short of heavenly. It was, however, the most expensive donut we tried and smaller than the palm of my hand. With a

limited selection of more ornate flavours, Trou de Beigne is definitely a gourmet donut shop, which aligns with their tiny portion sizes. Trou de Beigne also happens to be the only donut shop we explored with solid vegan options.

There’s a second Trou de Beigne location in the Plateau (156 Rue-Zotique E) where you might get your money’s worth as it serves a larger version of each donut. Bottom line: If you’re feeling fancy, head over to Trou de Beigne–– maybe money really can buy happiness.

Originality: 9, Taste: 9, Price: $2.50 3.50/donut, Overall: 17/20 (-1 for price) La Beignerie - 3979 Saint Denis St Overall, the best donut we tried in Montreal.

Selling original flavours like Earl Grey, lime, and crème brûlée, but also the classics like the powdered donut and the Boston Cream, La Beignerie offer a good-sized, tasty, and affordable donut with a chill vibe in the Plateau—miles away from the swarms of people scampering on Ste. Catherine. A quaint porch is set up outside the shop, great for people-watching while we ate our donuts. There was literally nothing on the menu other than donuts. La Beignerie puts all of their focus into the deliciousness of their treats, and it pays off. They have both the best array of flavours, and we also agreed they had the best recipe for their actual donut dough.

Originality: 10, Taste: 9, Price: $4 -5/ donut, Overall: 19/20

Jeans Jeans Jeans is a one-stop shop for students on the denim hunt Unconventional warehouse is a jean-ius shopping experience Melissa Carter Staff Writer

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eans Jeans Jeans, as the name implies, is a 6,000-squarefoot jean warehouse packed from top to bottom with every cut, colour, size, and style of denim. The store, at the intersection of Casgrain and St. Viateur Street, is an unconventional jean shopping experience defined by enormous variety, low prices, and spectacular customer service.

At Jeans Jeans Jeans, the long and burdensome task of jean shopping boils down to this one, all-encompassing store. The warehouse drips with racks dedicated to every brand you could imagine, from Levi’s and Dickies to Guess and Wranglers. Not only are the store’s offerings diverse, but the storefront is aesthetically designed: Shades of denim decorate the store like an indigo rainbow, ranging from acid light wash to inklike navy.

Great customer service makes purchasing denim at Jeans Jeans Jeans a lovely experience. Store owner Borys Fridman shared his vision for the store in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

“We wanted to offer an experience where people could come in, and they didn’t really have to worry about choosing [the right pair of jeans],” Fridman said. “We wanted to have qualified people who understood jeans and understood customers and understood how to bring the two together.”

Fridman succeeded in tailoring the environment of his store, as customers are seamlessly guided through their shopping experience. Upon entering the store, the Jeans Jeans Jeans staff help you pick out your preferred style and find your correct size. After recommending 10 or 12 pairs of jeans, you are whisked into the changing rooms, where a new crew, known as the surgeons, offer input as to the fit and style of the jeans.

“[The surgeons] can pinpoint what needs to change, if another model will fit better, or if another brand will fit better. Where we really excel is the dressing room area,” Fridman told the Tribune.

After the surgeons have helped you pick the perfect pair, Jeans Jeans Jeans also offers complimentary hemming on-site.

“Sometimes you have to pick darts or tailor the waist [with other jeans] but [at Jeans Jeans Jeans] they do it for you,” said Ruling He, U2 Engineering.

These all-inclusive opportunities are a game- Located on the corner of Casgrain and St. Viateur Street, Jeans Jeans Jeans offers a wide variety of changer for long-time cuts, colours, sizes, and styles to suit every student’s taste. (LaPresse.ca) customer Joanne Fisher.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” Fisher declared. me to try on, I try them on, and I go to [Fridman], and Although the jeans are bought directly from retail he’ll say to me, good or go back, and I will never look [in companies, Fridman proudly explained that his jeans the mirror] because of that,” Fisher said. “He’s better at are typically sold at only 30-35 per cent of their original it than anybody else. And that’s really unique.” price.

The combination of variety, fair pricing, and But customers and staff insist that the incomparable supportive staff make shopping at Jeans Jeans Jeans an customer service is what distinguishes Jeans Jeans Jeans exclusive experience. Murray Frankel, another longfrom its retail competitors. The personalized assistance term customer, raved about the one-of-a-kind store in an instills trust between customers and staff, as Fisher interview with the Tribune. illustrates with her several positive experiences with “There’s an atmosphere [at Jeans Jeans Jeans] set Jeans Jeans Jeans over the years. by the owner. It has flavour, and the staff are trained “You never have to look in the mirror [when you go differently,” Frankel said. “It’s a buying experience, to Jeans Jeans Jeans]. Because when I go in and buy jeans, which is why I’ve never even looked at a price here. I [the staff] look at my rear end, they go get some jeans for just come to get the experience.”

arts@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Quinni of ’Heartbreak High’: Finally, a successful example of autism representation

Autistic actress Chloé Hayden gives hope to audiences on the spectrum Louise Secher Contributor

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n Sept. 14, Netflix released Heartbreak High, a remake of the 1994 Australian coming-of-age TV show of the same name. Critics praised the series for its realistic portrayal of high school and the diversity of experiences the show depicts. The series remained in Netflix’s Top 10 list in 43 countries for a month after its launch, and the streaming platform quickly renewed the show for a second season. After the show’s release, the autistic community flooded the media to applaud the series’ autistic representation.

Set in the fictional Hartley High School, a handful of students are forced to follow a sexual literacy course after their names appear on a “hookup-map” on school property. The cast navigates the ups and downs of friendships and relationships, and develops a sense of identity while also dealing with racism, structural violence, sexuality, and neurodivergence.

Behind the acclaim is Quinni Gallagher-Jones (Chloe Hayden), an autistic Hartley High student.

Hayden, herself an autistic person, writer, and disability rights activist, is one of the first openly autistic actresses to play an openly autistic lead. She collaborated closely with Heartbreak High’s writing team to create Quinni, and her success stems from the initial possibility of playing herself. A character like Quinni on a platform like Netflix is more than

riveting: It is a celebration of the autistic neurotype and the possibility of feeling seen for a group that has been historically misunderstood and marginalized. The potential impact of positive and meaningful representation for young autistic people––who often report feelings of loneliness and alienation–– isn’t just refreshing, it’s “life-saving.”

Quinni is one of the first notable examples of an autistic TV character outside of the stereotypical white boys who are savant geniuses and—you guessed it—played by non-autistic actors. A disturbing recent film is Sia’s Music, an infantilizing attempt to represent autistic folks that forgoes the notion of agency to uphold mockery and harm.

Allistic actors only mimic autistic behaviours and ways of being, which can echo painful feelings of being mocked and essentialized. On the other hand, Quinni reflects an accurate experience of the spectrum. She stims to self-regulate, copes with sensory processing difficulties, relies on routines and schedules to function, masks her autistic traits to fit in, always remains honest, and loves to engage with her special interest. TV shows and films rarely depict these autistic attributes accurately. But the portrayal of Quinni’s traits conveys humanity and honesty, allowing viewers on the spectrum to see themselves in the young student.

Quinni’s role in the show remains meaningful because her autism is not her entire storyline and is neither exploited nor instrumentalized. Quinni explores flirting, dating, sex, and her queer iden-

tity while advocating for herself and her relationships. Folks on the spectrum are more likely to be LGBTQIA+ and often emphasize how intertwined these identities are. The depiction of Quinni’s intersectional experience opens up Quinni’s challenges and joys as she navigates a world built for neurotypicals are the possibilities of restorative.(us.knews.media) representation for autistic audiences. She develops two meaningful rela- out how Quinni’s experience does not reflect theirs tionships—one which exemplifies active support, “at all.” Folks on the spectrum come with differand the other, adversity. Darren (James Majoos), ent expressions of autistic traits and across all ethQuinni’s best friend, demonstrates how to actively nicities, races, ages, genders, and classes. They all support someone who is autistic: They accommo- deserve to see themselves represented across TV date Quinni’s needs when she has a meltdown and shows, movies, books, and other media. The castaccept her when she has a non-speaking episode. ing of Chloé Hayden should not be understood as Quinni’s love interest, Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran), a perfect representation—there is no such thing. struggles to truly understand Quinni and infantiliz- Despite this, Quinni is an embodiment of hope es her. The series addresses Sasha’s ignorance and and represents new avenues for autistic portrayal ableism, portraying its impact on Quinni and how in media, mirroring the true diversity of people on the couple nurtures their growing relationship. the spectrum Quinni, however, cannot and should not represent the entire spectrum, as she is one autistic Heartbreak High is available to stream on person. Black autistic activists online have pointed Netflix.

SUKO Magazine seeks to uplift artists and foster a collaborative artistic community Concordia students give voice to grassroots artists with new magazine

Ella Buckingham & Dana Prather Staff Writers

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rnate lines intersect and intertwine in an eye-catching design, etched in a variety of burgundy, gray, green, and purple hues. Designed by visual artist William Mora, this intricate image, pulling inspiration from the artist’s Colombian roots, serves as a gateway to SUKO Magazine’s glossy 100-page spread featuring interviews with and creations from 10 diverse artists.

An ambitious artistic endeavour, SUKO Magazine was conceived by Concordia students Sophie Dixon and Kioni SasakiPicou. The name comes from Sasaki-Picou’s middle name “Satsuko,” meaning “child,” and with the pair’s goal for the publication to be a non-judgemental space reflective of the curiosity and creativity of children, SUKO was the perfect fit.

Developed from passionate conversations between the two friends, SUKO Magazine seeks to provide a safe and uplifting platform for artists. In particular, Dixon and Sasaki-Picou want to highlight work from Black artists, Indigenous artists, queer and trans artists, and other marginalized individuals that are often misrepresented, un-

derrepresented, or outright excluded from traditional artistic institutions.

“We didn’t really see a space where people felt like they weren’t being pigeonholed in an institutional sense,” Dixon explained in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “A lot of artists we know have had experiences where SUKO’s first edition features 10 contributing artists as they gallerists or dif- address the exclusionary practices of art institutions, exploring their heritage and supportive social networks in the proferent people of cess. (instagram/@sukomag) authority don’t allow freedom of galleries or boutiques to provide expression in their artwork.” featured artists with professional SUKO offers artists an av- exposure. enue for sharing innovative pieces “[We are aiming for] grassand grants them creative control— roots combined with the more which they may lack in a gallery corporate [aspect] to be able to space—without sacrificing formal have the best of both worlds [....] aesthetics. Dixon and Sasaki-Picou Many grassroots [projects] never collaborated with a hardworking get the attention, and many corpoteam of editors and designers to rate [projects] get all the attention create a finished project that mar- but lack a lot of the soul and pasries soulful, artistic content with a sion that goes into it,” Sasaki-Picou sleek design that could be sold in said.

The pair aims to foster a sense of artistic community through SUKO’s collaborative creation process. Starting in fall 2021, they gathered a group of creatives whose artistic processes aligned with the publication’s values, hosting interviews and photoshoots with the artists throughout the year. The team gave artists ample time and space to consider which pieces they wanted to present and how to display them in the publication, allowing them to come to a conclusion on their own terms. The first edition was released in October 2022, two years after Dixon and Sasaki-Picou had the idea; however, by taking their time with the creation process, they hoped to push back against the pressures of “hustle culture” and notions of the artist as a solo creator.

“Growing up in Toronto there is such a saturated community of artists who do so many things [....]

You have this pressure to have hustle culture and be doing everything yourself,” Sasaki-Picou said.

“I think [SUKO] definitely was the opportunity for us to give space to other people.”

The magazine’s second issue is slated for release in August 2023, though both Dixon and SasakiPicou hope to turn SUKO into a bi-annual publication. Other aspi-

rations include featuring a greater number of artists, opening artist submissions to those from outside of Montreal and potentially even outside of Canada, and producing a theme-based issue.

While anticipation for what’s to come is high, the SUKO team wants to give themselves time to curate and publish the next iteration. The team consists of students and artists who impressively juggle their studies with work and their own artistic endeavours. The process of collecting submissions, interviewing artists, formatting the magazine, and publishing is a timeintensive labour of love.

It’s all worth it in the end, though, as Dixon points out.

“A lot of artists we have worked with […] have told us they’re happy to be a part of the project [which] is so uplifting to hear and also to inspire other people to do their own creative projects.”

Artists wishing to work with SUKO can contact them via email at sukomagazine@gmail.com .

Artists who identify as people of colour, Black, Indigenous, or belonging to other marginalized communities will be prioritized in the application process. Volume 1 of SUKO is currently available for purchase.

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arts@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

Kanye West and the spectre of toxic masculinity on Twitter The platforming of hateful rhetoric that puts violence into practice Sofia Sida Contributor Content Warning: Discussions of hate speech, bullying, and harassment.

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ince the inception of social media, online bullying and harassment have abounded, with platforms being used by certain figures to hide behind a screen without facing consequences head-on. At the scale of celebrities, the impacts of such bullying are magnified. People like Kanye West, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump can and have incite violence among not only their supporters but susceptible young users as well.

These celebrities are all convinced that their right to “free” speech is being infringed upon, and then they double down and use this as a justification to spread hate speech.

Violence and power are core tenets of the patriarchy and reinforces toxic masculinity, and a fear of being weak leads men to seek control by enacting violence on others, manifesting as online bigotry. Many men are taught from a young age not to express their emotions or to be vulnerable, an unfortunate fact that only heightens social media’s role in radicalizing them.

Since the start of Kanye’s numerous controversies, it has been hard for social media users to look away from the ensuing car crash. Just in the last month, he wore a White Lives Matter shirt, made atrocious anti-Semitic comments on Instagram and Twitter, and falsely claimed that George Floyd’s death was from a fentanyl overdose. So many horrendous statements have come before these, but those were met with surprisingly few consequences for his career. Because of his anti-Semitic comments, West has been dropped from many collaborators, including Adidas and Balenciaga.

Many commentators and fans have used Ye’s bipolar disorder as an excuse for his violent statements in the past few years, a line of argument that incorrectly associates bi-

polar disorder with racism and alienates racialized people with mental illnesses. On SiriusXM radio, Howard Stern voiced his opinion: “If he’s so mentally ill, why don’t they appoint a conservator as they did with poor Britney Spears?” Stern brings up a good point about sexism: Historically, male celebrities are able to get away with much more than women. For example, in the past, Taylor Swift has been put under much scrutiny for her personal and dating life, while male celebrities are not typically criticized and even idolized. A core aspect of toxic masculinity is the treatment of women on the internet, seen in the rising threat of incel behaviour created by the patriarchy.

West has since been banned on Twitter and Instagram, and amidst all the controversy, Musk, an enabler of right-wing ideologies, has bought Twitter for $44B. Now in control of such a popular app, he has publicly spoken of his intent to limit censorship, which has already led to a spike in online violence and the use of slurs in tweets. Moreover, Musk is planning on unbanning Trump, whose account was removed following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. These men enjoy exploiting their influence and controlling narratives, and they are doing so by purchasing social media apps. They are able to reinstate themselves despite their harmful rhetoric and keep themselves relevant through their money and influence.

With such a concentration of echo chambers online, the ideas or political views individuals may hold are what they are typically exposed to, as online conAfter being removed from Twitter and Instagram, Kanye West has tent is catered explicitly toward reflecting one’s existing beliefs. Bigoted opinions expressed by wealthy, power- offered to buy the right-wing social media app Parler. (Madison ful men run the risk of resonating with other people with McLauchlan/Midjourney AI) similar views, who will feel empowered and justified in fact and puts them into practice. This online activity has the their hate, leading to violence offline. The influence and the power to further incite hate against women, queer and trans real impact that people like West, Musk, and Trump pos- people, and racial minorities. In turn, this gives more power sess proves the real issue with toxic masculinity in social to those who already have it and further marginalizes those media: It places xenophobia, sexism and hatred as social with smaller voices and lesser platforms.

Look out for ‘The Mole’: Among Us, but in real life The Mole presents an exciting series of challenges brimming with mystery and doubt Joy Sebera Contributor

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etflix’s newest reality show The Mole refreshingly reinvents the group-challenge show that The Amazing Race or Big Brother brought into the limelight.

This series is a reboot of the 2001 show of the same name, which was cancelled after five seasons. Luckily for audiences, Netflix seized the opportunity to bring it back for another generation to enjoy.

The Mole follows 12 contestants as they complete multiple challenges—challenges that include a prison break, a bank robbery, and a treasure hunt—across Australia, guided by their host, Alex Wagner. But there is a catch: One of the contestants, the eponymous mole, is actively working against the group to sabotage the missions. No one in the group can fully trust anyone else, and yet, the contestants have to work together to successfully complete the challenges and bring in money for a prize pot that only one of them will take home.

This dynamic of needing each other without being able to trust each other only heightens the show’s tension and

entertainment value. Each of the exciting challenges raises new suspicions about the identity of the mole, creating drama because certain players are purposely causing more chaos and confusion than others.

Winning challenges is important, but unmasking the mole is the true goal. In addition to the day’s challenges, each episode features an elimination round where one player is sent home. The process of elimination consists of a quiz that every player takes individually after a group dinner and a debrief of the most recent challenges. Wagner, the host, then releases the players to take the quiz and answer questions about who they think the mole is. But the quiz itself underwhelms viewers, especially since the show hides the majority of questions and the answers to specific questions are divulged off-camera. The person with the most wrong answers is eliminated, and naturally, the mole remains because they already know all of the answers.

It’s the elimination factor that makes this show so unique and engaging. The elimination reveal creates an intense atmosphere because nobody knows who’s at risk until their name is

called. Unlike vote-oriented competitions like Big Brother, winning is not dependent on player or audience votes, so there is not as much pressure to be likable or popular.

In fact, some of the players quickly realize that impersonating the mole and purposefully sabotaging the challenges gives them an advantage.

Players who use that strategy become suspicious to others, causing their opponents to answer incorrectly in the quizzes. This element distinguishes The Mole from other competition shows because there is no real disadvantage to messing up or costing the A determined cast of 12 contestants must play both with and against each other to find the group money. When a mis- traitor and win the prize pot. (netflix.com) sion goes wrong, neither the risking getting it wrong. duces new potential suspects until they viewers nor the other players can tell In future seasons, it will be inter- are narrowed down to the final two: for sure if the person responsible is esting to witness what strategies the The real culprit, as well as the winthe mole, is impersonating the mole, mole uses to stay hidden and if the ner of the prize pot of over $100,000. or is simply incompetent. As a result, other contestants decide to purposely Ultimately, The Mole provides a great certain contestants are eliminated just sabotage the missions. Additionally, challenge for its contestants and viewbecause the impersonators got to their the shroud of mystery around the quiz, ers alike in the search for the real saboheads. The players who are most suc- the only elimination factor, could be teur. cessful in the quizzes spread their an- cleared to prevent viewers from being swers out to implicate a few people kept in the dark. Each episode intro- The Mole is currently streaming on rather than targeting one person and Netflix.

scitech@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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WebMD is not all it’s cracked up to be

Looking for a medical diagnosis on the internet is a slippery slope of misinformation Atticus O’Rourke Rusin Contributor

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andemic-era health care has forced self-diagnosis into almost every aspect of life; figuring out whether your runny nose is a sign of seasonal allergies or COVID-19 often spells the difference between a fun night out or a dreaded two weeks of isolation. Even before the pandemic took over our lives, websites that allowed individuals to search up symptoms and determine possible causes were raking in hundreds of millions of dollars from the hordes who frequented their pages.

This begs the question: Why do so many people use online sources for diagnoses rather than set up an appointment with a doctor?

The most famous of these symptom checkers, WebMD, was visited 174.5 million times in September 2022 alone. This self-described source of “credible and in-depth medical news” allows users to input their age and symptoms, then rapidly spits out a diagnosis. Users spend an average of six minutes on the website per visit. As this is a much speedier timeline than that of traditional medical appointments, WebMD has become a tempting alternative.

Unfortunately, this quick fix is far from infallible. Although it can at times provide valuable information, a query on WebMD can also lead users down a rabbit hole, dramatizing the apparent diagnosis and causing more concern than is warranted. WebMD also runs advertisements and sponsored content for hospitals, health services, and pharmaceutical companies; in other words, the website you use to determine what horrible disease you have is bankrolled by the same entities that make money treating these diseases.

Dr. Anne Andermann, a family doctor and public health physician in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill,

explained in an email to The McGill Tribune that there is another reason to be skeptical of what we read on WebMD and sites like it.

“The public should be wary of health information they find on the internet since there is a tremendous variability in the reliability of content available online,” Andermann wrote.

As an independent for-profit company, WebMD is not held to the same level of accountability or credibility as other health sites such as Mayo Clinic—a website run by the Massachusetts medical institute of the same name—whose articles are reviewed by three health professionals before publication.

All this is not to say that WebMD doesn’t have its uses.

Many of the published articles on the site are well-researched and informative, providing individuals with information to help them make more informed decisions. Where problems arise, though, is when patients decide to pursue treatment or home-made remedies based solely on harried web searches, rather than using these resources in combination with other, more reliable ones.

“Even when using reputable sources of medical information, this cannot replace a relationship of trust with a family doctor who understands both your medical history and the broader health system context,” Andermann wrote. “The upheaval caused by the pandemic has led to an increase in unmet health needs, both in terms of physical health and mental health, particularly for young people, therefore access to a family doctor or student health service is extremely important to address any health concerns in a timely way, and avoid potentially being misled by information found online.”

At McGill, however, it isn’t just about how accessible internet diagnoses are, but rather how difficult it can be to schedule a doctor’s appointment. For international students, especially, the process can be incredibly involved. There are several important considerations for students, such as who

WebMD is the most popular source of online health information in the U.S. (Google Play) provides coverage, what is covered, and how to access their insurance. Even if students are comfortable with the insurance system, the wait times at McGill clinics vary wildly.

“I can understand why one would want to consult online resources,” said Angelina Low, a second-year student in Medicine at McGill, in a written statement to the Tribune. “When I was in pain with a stomach ache and I saw on WebMD that it could be an incurable chronic condition that requires surgery, I was scared. My mind went to the worst-case scenario. It turned out to just be a stomach ache [....] I understand the temptation to turn to online resources, but if you are in pain, please seek a medical professional.”

Let’s talk about poop: McGill student won’t let Crohn’s disease stop her from becoming a doctor Taylor Morganstein discusses her journey as a medical student with Crohn’s Niamh Stafford Contributor

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oop. There’s no shame in talking about it. We all need “to go” in one form or another and it’s completely normal.

However, bathroom breaks affect some people’s lives more than others. Taylor Morganstein, a first-year medical student at McGill, wants to talk about poop more openly to start the conversation about Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that presents itself as swelling of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is a chronic illness where the body attacks the inner lining of its own GI tract. Crohn’s can cause extreme abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and malnutrition. Approximately 300,000 Canadians live with Crohn’s disease and, yet, it is rarely spoken about in mainstream media.

Morganstein was in her last year of her BSc in Pharmacology at McGill when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s. She had experienced some symptoms for a while but had not paid much attention to them until Dr. Edward Wild, a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a practicing clinical gastroenterologist at the McGill University Health

Centre, brought up Crohn’s disease during an EXMD 509 lecture. As he went through a list of symptoms associated with Crohn’s, a light went off in Taylor’s head. After class, she contacted her family doctor who then ran some tests which pointed to

Morganstein, being a patient in the hospital was a “really tough experience” that “made [her] never want to be in the hospital again.”

“My personal experience showed me how important diagnosis is,” Morganstein said in an inter-

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term for both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The former can strike anywhere along the GI tract whereas the latter mostly affects the colon and rectum. (Soraya Ghassemlou / The McGill Tribune) Crohn’s.

Morganstein always wanted to pursue medicine, but Crohn’s has had a huge impact on her journey to becoming a doctor. According to

view with The McGill Tribune. “It made me motivated to learn how to be a good doctor.”

Due to Crohn’s symptoms, Morganstein fell behind in her nurs-

ing studies—she would later transfer into McGill’s medical school.

During more manageable flare-ups, Morganstein would participate in class virtually, but circumstances changed during the Winter 2022 semester.

Severe complications forced Morganstein to undergo surgery for a bowel obstruction, which are fairly common in patients with Crohn’s disease: Their GI tract can swell up and form scar tissue which narrows the tract. This can sometimes cause blockages requiring surgery to remove the obstruction.

Morganstein had an added stress while preparing for her surgery: She was in the process of applying for medical school. Her surgeon scheduled the surgery around her medical school interview, and while in recovery, she found out that she got in. Getting into medical school is one thing, but being able to work long hours is another.

“When you have Crohn’s, you may not be able to stand in one place for a while so having, like, a cashier job is hard,” Morganstein said.

She isn’t alone. Many people with Crohn’s worry about their employment. To help alleviate some of the financial concerns for students with Crohn’s, Crohn’s and Colitis

Canada, a registered charity dedicated to supporting those impacted

by Crohn’s and colitis, partnered with AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, to give out 15 grants to Canadian students impacted by IBD in 2022. Morganstein received one of the 15 grants. “[The grants] are a yearly reminder that there are 15 students [with Crohn’s] that put in so much work and get into amazing programs,” Morganstein said. “The grant gave me peace of mind.”

Morganstein works closely with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and will often attend events to speak about her experience. She explained that her work with the organization has helped her connect with others diagnosed with the disease and feel supported by the Crohn’s community.

Crohn’s is an invisible disease and yet inflicts so much suffering. Morganstein insists that people should “be kind to others even if it’s not visible.”

She also believes that Crohn’s shouldn’t stop anyone from pursuing their passions. In the future, she plans on specializing in pediatric gastroenterology to help kids living with inflammatory bowel diseases.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

scitech@mcgilltribune.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

SciLearn helps connect students with course material outside the classroom RVC cafeteria hosts peer study sessions every weekday Gillian Cameron Contributor

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n a Monday afternoon during midterm season, the cafeteria of Royal Victoria College (RVC) is the place to be. It’s buzzing with energy, full of people eagerly discussing a wide variety of topics—and no, they’re not there for the food. The students are there for the SciLearn Peer Collaboration, a program offered by the Office of Science Education to help students ace their courses by working together.

It’s no secret that intro-level science

classes can be isolating: Not only is the material difficult, but in a large class, it’s easy to feel like just another face in the crowd. When you’re looking to get help for an exam or an assignment, it may seem like there’s no one to turn to. SciLearn Peer Collaboration was born from the desire of both students and instructors to have a space outside of lectures to collaborate and connect in order to combat the sense of isolation a student might feel. SciLearn offers a wide range of programs, including workshops and collaborative study sessions for topics like chemistry, math, and physics throughout the academic year.

Some participating science courses have practice problems exclusive to SciLearn sessions. (Gillian Cameron / The McGill Tribune)

“The main objective [of SciLearn Peer Collaboration] is to provide a social environment between classmates and a mentorship environment for students,” Ezelbahar Metin, a student engagement administrator for SciLearn, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

In Fall 2022, SciLearn merged with FRezCa (First-year Residence Cafeteria), a program designed to create a supportive environment for students in large firstyear science classes, to form the current SciLearn Peer Collaboration program.

“SciLearn focused on giving [students] strategies for learning, FRezCa focused on putting them into action, so the merger made sense,” said Kira Smith, student engagement officer at SciLearn Peer Collaboration, in an interview with the Tribune.

Metin began working for FRezCa as a data collector during her second year of her bachelor’s degree. She stayed on while the program went online and through the merger with SciLearn.

“It’s been fun seeing the changes and different forms FRezCa has taken,” Metin said. “I got involved and never left.”

Students looking to ask questions or work with classmates can find help for a number of the most challenging courses, such as BIOL 200, CHEM 110, and MATH 133. When the Tribune visited SciLearn, the CHEM 110 table was packed with students preparing for an upcoming midterm.

Professors from participating courses will either have a designated TA attend peer collaboration sessions or have their TAs conduct some of their office hours at the collaborative study sessions. Also present at SciLearn gatherings are student mentors—upper-year student staff who have taken the courses associated with SciLearn and lend their expertise to current students.

Marie Walker first participated in SciLearn as a student in a workshop. Even though the first workshops she attended were online, Walker was able to form connections with her classmates and has since become a student mentor.

“Now that it’s in person, it’s a really great way to meet your classmates, especially in science, where there might be 300 to 400 people in a class,” Walker said.

SciLearn Peer Collaboration currently operates out of RVC Monday to Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The program has expanded its list of participating courses lately, as well: PSYC 100 is one of its recent additions. For many undergraduate students, SciLearn Peer Collaboration sessions have become a staple resource for their studies. Whether it’s chemistry, physics, math, or psychology, sometimes the best way to learn is together.

For more information, visit the SciLearn website at https://www.mcgill.ca/ose/initiatives/scilearn.

Expanding the surgeon’s toolkit: Machine learning in the operating room

Pierre Jannin discusses deep brain stimulation during Feindel Brain and Mind lecture

Athina Sitou Staff Writer

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ata science and machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence (AI), may soon be making their way into operating rooms as integral parts of the surgical toolkit. The Feindel Brain and Mind Lecture Series tack-

led this cutting-edge development at its Nov. 2 event hosted at The Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital.

Pierre Jannin, a L’Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) research director working at the University of Rennes medical school, discussed AI in relation to deep brain stimulation (DBS), something he has worked on extensively.

Even though data science can greatly benefit a surgical procedure like deep brain stimulation, the surgeon is still the one who calls the shots. (Sofia Stankovic / The McGill Tribune)

DBS involves implanting an electrode in the brain that continuously provides high-frequency electrical stimulation. It can help patients with neurological movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, and treat debilitating symptoms like tremors and movement issues that cannot be alleviated using medication.

During a typical DBS procedure, the surgeon is assisted by a team of experts, including nurses, an anesthesiologist, and an electrophysiologist, and devices like an anesthesia machine and an EKG machine. Despite all of these external resources, the surgeon must monitor essential information such as the position of the electrode and the patient’s vital signs all on their own.

“The visualization and interaction approaches are very important [...] for surgeons who are dealing with images and information. We have to help them in digesting all this information,” Jannin said.

Jannin explained that surgical data science can optimize the surgical workflow by helping surgeons use all of the tools at their disposal more efficiently. The ultimate goal of using data science before, during, and after the procedure is to facilitate the surgeon’s decision-making and to optimize the clinical outcome of the patient.

“To summarize the idea of surgical data science, you have three main flows. First, you learn from patient data. Second, you instantiate this new information to generate new knowledge, and third, [the application of surgical data science] is a continuous process,” Jannin said.

With the help of his team, Jannin has established a machine learning model to extract information about a patient’s age, gender, and potential cognitive deficits from their medical records. This information is then added to a data repository and analyzed to generate models for treatment that can be applied to a wide range of patient cases.

The team thus develops generic knowledge-based templates that can be used to create patient-specific models.

Jannin noted that one possible application of this model is predicting the clinical outcome of DBS in a patient.

“We aim to improve the quality of surgery, of the healthcare, and [...] of course, it is about the patient outcome, the clinical outcome, but [...] also [...] the working conditions of the professional,” Jannin said.

Jannin mentioned a few obstacles that surgical data science could help physicians overcome. For instance, surgical data science can increase the

accuracy of brain region targeting in the preoperative stage, which is crucial because the electrode’s placement corresponds to the brain area that will be stimulated. When it comes to Parkinson’s, DBS targets the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a small structure important for motor function.

Typically, during surgery, the electrophysiologist, an expert in the electrical phenomena of the nervous system, listens to the neuronal signals of the STN neurons to locate the STN. “We recently developed a deep learning based approach that can recognize the STN’s auditory signal in a more objective way and [its accuracy] is roughly the order of uncertainty of the electrophysiologist,” Jannin explained.

Once an operation is done, researchers feed different clinical scores for factors like motor skills and quality of life into the software to compare patients’ results and to verify DBS’s efficacy.

“It’s important to demonstrate how this kind of decision support system will bring added value,” Jannin said. “So it’s great to put AI tech everywhere [...] but it’s also important to discuss with the clinicians themselves and see if they will trust this kind of technology and where exactly it could be useful.”

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

We’re talking about the Fightins!

Inside the Philadelphia Phillies’ improbable World Series run Reza Ali Contributor

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n June 3, with a record of 22–29, Joe Girardi was fired from his job as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. Five months later, the Phillies would face off against the domineering Houston Astros in the World Series, culminating in one of baseball’s greatest Cinderella stories.

Being an underdog is somewhat of a Philadelphian trait. The Rocky franchise.

The Flyers’ 3-0 comeback against the Boston Bruins in the 2010 Conference Semifinals.

The German Shepherd mask that catalyzed the Eagles’ magical Super Bowl run in 2018.

The comeback city holds pride in being an underdog. Yet, even with this background, plenty of Philadelphians are still surprised their Phillies made it this far.

“It’s been an interesting season because they had a bit of a rocky start in the spring,” said Phillies fan Madeleine McGrath, U2 Arts. “It is really special to see how far they’ve come when no one really expected them to get here.”

The turning point for the Phillies came when Rob Thomson took over as interimmanager on June 3. Affectionately known to Philly as “Topper,” Thomson led the Phillies to a 65–46 record after their poor start, edging out the Milwaukee Brewers by a single win for the last wildcard slot in the expanded 2022 playoffs.

In the Wild Card series, the Phillies quickly dispatched the St. Louis Cardinals

in two games. Next, they would face the 111-win Atlanta Braves, last year’s World Series Champions. The Phillies dethroned the reigning champs in four games of the best-of-five series, averaging a remarkable six runs per game. The Phillies faced the San Diego Padres with the chance to win the National League Pennant and make it to the World Series. Once again, against all odds, the Phillies won the best-of-seven series in five.

The Phillies powerhouse offence has been led by the ‘chosen one’, Bryce Harper, who slashed an absurd .349/.414/.746 throughout the playoffs. Their postseason run revolved around his clutch at-bats, especially Harper’s two-run go-ahead homer that sent them to the World Series. Despite Harper’s outrageous 13-year, $330-million contract signing in 2019, Phillies owner John Middleton now thinks he was underpaid.

The entire city has taken this playoff run to heart, partying after wins and singing the city’s new unofficial anthem “Dancing on my Own,” a Phillies locker room favourite, in perfect unison.

Moreover, the Phillies have been sporting shirts with the number 46,026 emblazoned on the chest during their pregame routines. The number refers to the sum of the stadium capacity and the number of players within the Phillies roster. A video clip of a television interview from back in 2011 has even become the unofficial rallying cry of fans and players alike. The brief clip features a local fan who infamously says,

Over 10 years have passed since the Phillies were last in the playoffs. Not only did they make it by the skin of their teeth, but they almost shocked the league and won it all. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images) “We’re talking about the Fightins!” when asked about the Phillies’ chances to come back in a playoff series, referencing the Philadelphian desire to always fight back.

The Astros, however, stood tall as the Goliath in the path of the Phillies’ attempt to be David, winning the World Series in six games. The 2022 Astros are in the running to be one of the best teams of all time, winning 101 games in the regular season compared to the Phillies’ mere 87. Moreover, the depth of the Astros squad is almost unheard of and is the first in MLB history to post a sub-1.00

ERA with a minimum of 40 innings pitched in the postseason.

Although the Philadelphia Phillies may not have completed the ultimate underdog story this postseason, they remain the only team to even beat the almighty Astros this October. Next season, baseball will look different. Pitch-clocks, bigger bases, and shift bans along with other rule changes are set to roll in with the 2023 season that will change the sport forever. For those who will miss the old game, the Phillies’ drama-filled run provided the perfect way to say goodbye.

Varsity round-up: What you missed in McGill sports from Nov. 4-6 The Tribune Sports Section sums up Redbirds lacrosse and Martlets volleyball action Philippe Haddad and Tillie Burlock Contributor and Sports Editor Redbirds Lacrosse Final: W (v. Queen’s) 13-9, L (v.

Western) 12-5 In a stunning comeback victory over the Queen’s Gaels (7– 4) on Oct. 28, attacker Cameron McGinnis scored eight goals, setting a new single-game record for McGill. After a week basking in the glory of the win, the Redbirds (8–5) headed off to Peterborough for the CUFLA Baggataway Cup championship tournament. McGill faced off against the Western Mustangs (10–2) in the quarterfinals on Friday night. After a back-and-forth first half, the two teams were in lockstep, exiting the first quarter 3-3 and entering halftime 5-5. Less than two minutes into the third, McGill attacker Isaiah Cree potted his fourth goal of the night, giving the Redbirds a lead they would hold onto until the final whistle. Cree again padded the lead less than one minute into the fourth quarter with his fifth goal of the night. The Redbirds rounded out the evening with two goals from McGinnis and two from midfielder Rowan Birrell to

secure a 13-9 victory.

In Saturday’s semi-finals, the Redbirds met the first-seeded Trent Excalibur (9–1). After going down 3-0 early in the first quarter, Cree and midfielder Daniel Chand both found the back of the net, entering the second quarter with the game still in reach at 3-2.

With McGill’s lead goal scorer McGinnis sidelined with an injury, Trent’s offence overpowered the Redbirds and scored five

unanswered goals in the second quarter. Down 8-2 entering halftime, the Redbirds were able to round up some offensive action with goals from Birrel, Cree, and midfielder Luke Dawick, but were unable to answer the call. With a 12-5 final, the Redbirds’ lacrosse season came to a close, but Cree is optimistic about the team going forward.

“It’s going to hurt losing the other veterans going into next

In the Oct. 28 playoff match-up against Queen’s, Cameron McGinnis scored six goals in just over 10 minutes of playing time. (Lexi Thivierge / @throughthelens. bylexi)

season, but I feel like we will be just fine with the core we have moving forward,” Cree told The McGill Tribune. “The young guys are only going to get better, and some took a big step forward in our loss against Trent on Saturday.

It will drive us to become better for next season.”

Martlets Volleyball Final : L (v UQAM) 3-1 (2521, 25-27, 15-25, 21-25), W (v.

UQTR) 3-0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-20) After a disappointing loss to the fifth-seeded UQÀM on Nov. 4, the Martlets (3–2) looked to bounce back at home against the UQTR Patriotes (0–6) on Nov. 6.

The Patriotes jumped to an early lead in the first set, only to be met with harsh opposition from the Martlets. A phenomenal defensive setup led by outside hitter Rachel Leduc and middle blocker Charlene Robitaille walled off the Martlets’ side of the court from any errant spiking efforts from UQTR. Robitaille put on a masterclass of vision as she reached into her bag of tricks to spike, feint, and dump the ball all over the Patriotes’ defence. The Martlets took the first set 25-16.

The second set began much

the same way with a similar defensive stand from the Martlets, but power hitters Victoria Iannotti and Brook Brown each chipped in with authority. They handled their opposing blockers with grace, bullying their way to a 25-10 set as setter Audrey Trottier orchestrated pinpoint play from her hitters.

“We had a good game plan, to be really aggressive […] and very quick on offence, and we stuck to that and were able to split the block well enough that we were able to make good opportunities for ourselves,” Brown told the Tribune.

With a tight 20-19 score in the third set, Martlets’ co-captain Iannotti hammered home a timely spike to set the Martlets up for a run to the finish line. A phenomenal solo block from middle blocker Meaghan Smith cut any Patriotes efforts short as she ended the final set at 25-20 for the Martlets. “[Our mindset] is to play together […] really to stay calm, trust each other, and to celebrate every point,” co-captain Robitaille told the Tribune. “We were playing really sharp today.”

The Martlets play next on Nov. 13 at home in a game against the Université Laval Rouge et Or.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 2022

sports@mcgilltribune.com

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Know Your Athlete: Liam Pantis and Alex Pantis The Brothers Panti rewind the years to recap their storied Redbird careers Renée Rochefort Contributor

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n the eve of the RSEQ Championship game, I sat down with brothers Liam Pantis and Alex Pantis to talk rugby, brotherhood, and mullets.

The Pantis brothers first touched on their sibling bond and the great opportunities that playing together has given them.

“Honestly, the best part about playing on the same team is a lot of great photo ops,” Liam joked. “Everybody seems to love the fact that we’re brothers and we look nothing alike. It’s like a really big thing when nobody believes that we’re siblings.

Also, celebrations on tries are really, really fun. You know, we’ve got a picture of both of us at least three feet off the ground, chest bumping.”

As the duo completes their swan song seasons with the McGill rugby squad, we took a look back at the many memorable moments during their tenure with the team.

The Covo Cup stands out as a highlight for both brothers. Despite 2019 being the tournament’s last edition, it remains beloved by those who still remember it at McGill rugby. “[I] scored a hat-trick in Boston. That was one of my favourites,” said Liam, proudly reminiscing about McGill’s triumph over Harvard in 2018. He shared another special memory of the Covo Cup in [2019].

“The day before the game, the coach told me that I was going to be playing for the second

team and on the bench for the first team. And at first, I was really bummed out [....] [But] it was kind of a moment that made me realize how special playing at Molson Stadium actually is [....] Seeing it from the crowd is so different. And it just kind of puts it all into perspective.”

“Pumping Harvard in front of like 1,600 people,” concurred Alex fondly before adding, “There’s a lot of really good memories, but honestly, everything that’s happened this year has to be part of it.”

This 2022 season has undoubtedly been excellent for the team’s elder statesman and self-proclaimed “forwards captain,” Alex Pantis.

“This is my last year at McGill rugby [...] if this is how McGill Athletics remembers me, it’s just me being a loose guy who has fun and dominates on the rugby field,” said Alex with a laugh.

For both Pantis brothers, the Redbirds team transcends the sport of rugby. It is also a special program that helps its athletes achieve their maximum potential on and off the field.

“We’re two people that like to have fun and joke around. But if anything comes out of this, you know how much McGill rugby means to us,” Alex shared with much sentimentality.

Nostalgic feelings filled the room as the duo recalled one fond memory after another.

They highlighted their strong relationships with their teammates and their support staff.

“The coaches, the players, everybody

The brothers discussed at length their shared refusal to ever try ranch with Hawaiian pizza.. (Siuxy Sports) involved. I think they contribute to every student athlete’s success in being a student as [much as] an athlete,” Liam said, echoing his brother’s passionate words.

Speaking about the championship game, Alex reiterated his total confidence in his teammates ahead of the finals.

“We got a hell of a starting 15. Our reserves are the second-best team [in the league]. We’ve got the best death squad.

We’ve got guys not even in the program showing up to every game. We’ve got a helluva staff. We’ve got the best announcer in the league, and that’s not even close,”

explained Alex. “We will not lose this game.”

A few days later, McGill conquered Ottawa to secure the RSEQ conference title.

Before we forget, we promised a special shoutout to the newly-revived death squad, a special Halloween edition of the Redbirds team. We rounded out our conversation with some rapid-fire questions: The award for best mullet on the team was unanimously given to Jack Tucker, while both brothers collectively named Dominic Russell as the owner of the worst mullet on the team. The McGill Tribune wishes them all the best as they head west for nationals.

We are the champions, my friend Men’s rugby captures first RSEQ title since 2015 Sarah Farnand Sports Editor

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n Nov. 4, McGill men’s rugby (6–1) faced off against Ottawa (6–1) in the RSEQ Championship match. With the bitter taste of defeat still lingering in many Redbirds’ mouths from last year’s championship, the team came ready to fight in front of their home crowd of 1,830 fans—the largest crowd to ever watch an RSEQ rugby game in Molson Stadium.

The air thick with tension, Ottawa struck first, scoring a try in

the first two minutes of the match, putting the Gee-Gees up 7-0.

McGill responded seven minutes later with two penalty kicks by captain Monty Weatherall to bring the score within one. However, unable to score a try, the Redbirds fell behind once again when Ottawa responded with a penalty kick of their own, giving the Gee-Gees a 10-6 lead five minutes before the half. McGill was undaunted by the deficit with third-year insidecentre Alexander Armstrong giving the fans something to cheer for, scoring a converted try and giving the Redbirds a three-point

McGill, Bishop’s, and Concordia have won all but one of the men’s rugby RSEQ Championships. (Maeve Reilly / The McGill Tribune)

lead heading into the half.

Alexandre Laurendeau opened the second half with a try to gain the lead despite the Redbirds being one player down due to a yellow card given to tighthead prop Alex Pantis. Six minutes later, loosehead prop Nicholas Smith received a yellow card as well, leaving the Redbirds with 13 players against the Gee-Gees’ 15. Capitalizing on the Redbirds’ mistakes, Ottawa retaliated quickly with a try. A penalty kick

by Martin Laval put the Redbirds up by four.

A game-sealing try by Laurendeau cinched the game for the Redbirds, despite a final try from Ottawa. Laval made one final penalty kick to punctuate McGill’s victory as the crowd went wild for their RSEQ champions.

Fourth-year Liam Pantis had complete faith in his team’s ability to win, even when down by seven.

“They got up early and we knew that was liable to happen,” Pantis told The McGill Tribune.

“A big part of our game plan is just knowing how to deal with adversity and I mean, if anything showed that, it was this game.

Coming back from a seven-nothing deficit, the guys just showed a hell

of a lot of grit, a hell of a lot of heart and we went out there with a purpose and we achieved it.”

Star of the game and RSEQ Rookie of the Year Laurendeau had similar sentiments to Pantis, emphasizing the chemistry and shared mindset of the squad.

“The boys played together,” Laurendeau said. “All week we’ve been prepping for Ottawa. The word was believe and I think today everybody just had the same mindset going into this from the beginning of the day to right now.”

The next stop for the Redbirds is the University of British Columbia where the 2022 Canadian Championship will be held. Armstrong explained how nationals will serve as a great learning opportunity.

“Nationals [will allow us to] get some good experience for next year,” said the rookie. “It’s going to be great fun seeing some teams we’ve never played before.”

And if you want to know if the team is excited for the opportunity to show the country what McGill rugby can do, just ask Laurendeau.

“We can’t wait [for nationals].

Book our flight, we’re going to B.C., baby!”

QUOTABLE “I only take dubs. I don’t like losing and I don’t lose, so personally, just keeping the streak alive.” —Alexander Armstrong on how he has never lost a game (except maybe the one against Concordia)

MOMENT OF THE GAME In his game-sealing try, Alexandre Laurendeau caught the ball on one sideline before deciding to gun it to the opposite corner, running through the entirety of Ottawa’s backline and earning himself RSEQ Rookie of the Year.

STAT CORNER McGill men’s rugby has never lost a game to the Ottawa Gee-Gees with a current match-up record of 6-0 since 2018.