The Tribune Vol. 45, Issue 8

Alum Kai Cheng Thom speaks at McGill’s annual Queer History Month keynote

A transgender woman of colour, Thom emphasizes the need to pract ice revolutionary love

Kaitlyn Schramm News Editor

Attendees shed tears of queer solidarity on the evening of Oct. 22 as author and somatics teacher, Kai Cheng Thom, addressed McGill during the university’s annual keynote speech for Queer History Month. The event, ‘Remembering Resilience: Embodying the Queer Legacies in Uncertain Times,’ opened with a land acknowledgement appreciating the night’s rain and emphasizing that humans are not superior to the land they inhabit.

Tynan Jarrett, director of the Equity Team in McGill’s Office of the Provost and Executive Vice-President Academic, then introduced Thom as his previous student at McGill, briefly describing Thom’s activities on campus before commenting on the importance of Queer History Month.

“Queer History Month is more than a celebration. It is a call to honour the lives, struggles, and triumphs [of] those who came before, to connect our struggle to theirs, and to move forward stronger,” Jarrett noted.

Director of McGill’s School of Social Work, Nicole Ives, continued the introduction, outlining Thom’s impressive accomplishments since graduating from McGill.

“[Kai] is [an] award-winning writer, performer, and creative arts facilitator, whose work delves deeply into the themes of revolu-

tionary love, transformative justice, spirituality, and healing from collective trauma,” Ives said. “I know I speak for my colleagues who are here from the School of Social Work, and I speak for myself, saying how thankful we are that she is here to share her vision for how we can transform society into a more socially just and humanist world.”

As Ives concluded the introduction, Thom approached the stage and shared a hug with Ives before addressing the crowd. She began with a prayer centring love: “Love that heals, love that speaks, love that tells the truth, the whole truth, the ugly truth, nothing but the truth, love that sees it all and yet keeps moving anyway.”

Shortly thereafter, Thom admitted her complicated relationship with McGill while offering gratitude for the opportunity to speak at the university. She described the mix of emotions she feels as a trans woman and as a changemaker who has evolved from admiring veteran activists to becoming one of those veteran activists, despite few corresponding societal improvements for the trans community.

Demonstrating her expertise, Thom then led a short somatic practice, instructing the group to find their length, find their width, and find their depth physically within their bodies. She then encouraged attendees to take a moment, breathe, and orient themselves within what they have been noticing about their social landscape. She concluded the

somatic practice, with many participants crying silent tears and loud cries of relief, before continuing to speak on resilience and resistance for queer activists.

“The resilient edge of resistance is a term that comes to us from somatic trauma therapy. It refers to the ability to feel stress and even distress, while remaining grounded, centred, connected, crucially connected,” she described. “And my offer to you about this term resilience, […] is that it can be about resistance having more emotion, actually having more sensation, more feeling, but not in a way that fragments, that leaves us feeling despair, […] [but] in a way that leaves us feeling more connected […] to ourselves. Resilience is not about toughness or being superior to others, and I believe that the great mothers of queer and trans history knew this.”

As her speech concluded, Thom spoke to the feeling of hopelessness common to lifelong activists who fail to see results from their advocacy, quoting Ursula K. Le Guin, who stated that when living under capitalism, its power seems unescapable. But, Le Guin said,

so did the divine right of kings. Thom urged the crowd to remember that human power goes both ways: Any human system can be resisted and changed by human beings. And for human beings to stand strong under pressure and see the change they want to make, she emphasized, they must work together.

“Love survives, love revives, love redeems, love forgives,” she finished.

SSMU LC discusses gender-affirming care insurance, new VP hires, and Fall Referendum

Council hears updates from Black Affairs Commissioner, Chief Offic er of SSMU Elections, and Medical Students’ Society

Devdas Hind Contributor

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council held its fourth meeting of the semester on Oct. 23, with 25 members present.

After the Steering Committee briefly presented a report, SSMU Black Affairs Commissioner Kendra-Ann Haynes gave a presentation. Haynes stated that the Black Affairs Committee is interested in opening a chapter for Black Future Lawyers and expanding the Black Equity Fund to post-

graduate students at McGill.

Next was a presentation from Chief Officer Mike Lee of SSMU Elections. He outlined strategies to increase voter turnout for the upcoming Fall Referendum, including a raffle, flyers, and a stronger social media presence.

“People do vote [when] they feel related to a topic [and] when they feel that things are related to them,” Lee said.

The Conference on Diversity in Engineering (CDE) then presented its request for $25,000 CAD from the SSMU Campus Life Fund to balance its budget. The CDE’s Co-Chair Claire Levasseur stated that sponsors are especially difficult to find this year.

“Three out of the four major [engineering] conferences are being held in Quebec [in 2025], [so] we are all going for the same resources, which has been extremely difficult,” Levasseur reported.

After a unanimous vote in the CDE’s favour, the LC approved the

CDE’s request for funding.

SSMU President Dymetri Taylor then gave an Executive Committee report. Among other things, President Taylor noted that the implementation of a new gender-affirming care student insurance model will be pushed back from the beginning of the Winter 2026 semester to the Fall 2026 semester.

“McGill required roughly six months’ notice to provide information of a secure nature to third parties, [which] is then pushing back implementation of genderaffirming care,” Taylor clarified.

The new hires to the SSMU Vice-President (VP) Finance and VP Internal Affairs positions were next presented to the LC. VP Finance Jean-Sébastien Léger and VP Internal Minaal Mirza both began their roles on Oct. 20.

The Executive Reports continued with SSMU VP External Affairs Seraphina Crema-Black confirming that she will be hosting a Montreal municipal election debate on Oct. 27 in the SSMU ballroom, with confirmed participation from Transition Montréal, Projet Montréal, Futur Montréal, and Ensemble Montréal. The debate will be moderated by McGill’s Associate Provost Angela Campbell. Crema-Black emphasized that there is a form where students can submit their questions for candidates as well.

After Crema-Black spoke, the Medical Students’ Society (MSS) of McGill presented a report. Among other things, MSS SSMU Representative Ling He announced that an emergency MSS General Assembly would be held on Oct. 26 regarding the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) and Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) strikes. The LC concluded by handling a series of motions. Notably, the Council voted unanimously to add Crema-Black and SSMU VP University Affairs Susan Aloudat to the SSMU Board of Directors.

Moment of the meeting:

Chief Officer Lee warned that the consequences of not reaching a quorum of 15 per cent during the Fall Referendum means none of the campaigns on the ballot will move forward.

Soundbite:

“We’re [trying] to e-mail professors of large courses for them to remind students [to vote], [while] identifying faculties and programs with the lowest voter turnouts [to] see how we can make sure the target groups can increase their voting.”

— Lee on additional strategies SSMU is undertaking to help reach quorum.

A record five new clubs were formed within the Medical Students’ Society this semester. (Anna Seger / The Tribune)

Thom graduated from McGill’s School of Social Work and has worked as a mental health clinician for trans youth. (Alexa Roemer / The Tribune)

Students face delays in accessing student loans and grants during B.C. public worker strike

McGill community discusses disruptions and funding alternatives in response to the strike

Basil Atari Staff Writer

On Sept. 2, the British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), one of the province’s largest public sector unions, went on strike until Oct. 26. The strike affected most provincial ministries in B.C., including the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, which administers student financial aid programs through StudentAid BC. The BCGEU went on strike when negotiations with the B.C. government for higher wages

in future contracts reached an impasse. Until it was resolved, the strike left some B.C. students who rely on provincial student assistance unable to access their student loans and bursaries. According to StudentAid BC’s website, delays in student aid disbursements occurred until the labour dispute was resolved, and access to its online systems remained unavailable during the ongoing labour action.

Most students who rely on StudentAid BC have received their funding for the fall semester, but the few who have not have been greatly affected by the delays. Students who rely on assistance via BCGEU have expressed that the potential for continued delays during labour disputes may cause them more difficulty, especially with upcoming winter semester payment deadlines.

In a written statement to The Tribune, a McGill student who experienced delays to their B.C. student loans during strike negotiations, who wished to remain anonymous, described how McGill can support students under related financial strain.

“I hope that McGill will be understanding of the difficult situation the strike puts students in, and I hope they will

take into consideration that most students who use [StudentAid BC loans] can not seek outside financial support,” they wrote.

In a written statement to The Tribune, McGill’s Scholarships and Student Aid Office encouraged B.C. students who have experienced financial hardship due to delays in government aid to contact the office for assistance.

“We offer one-on-one appointments with Financial Aid Counsellors who can assess individual circumstances and, where appropriate, provide institutional aid in the form of an emergency interest-free McGill loan to help bridge the gap while students [from British Columbia] await their funding,” the Office wrote. “Additionally, students who have requested a fee deferral due to delayed government aid have until the end of November to pay their tuition and fees. If a longer deferral is needed, our office can assist with arranging an extension.”

On behalf of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), Pearce-Tai Thomasson, the Society’s Vice President of Communications, clarified how the AUS has been aiming to help students affected by the ongoing delays.

The AUS also provided a list of resources for students seeking ways to reduce their living costs, in the face of the burden brought on by the B.C. government’s failure to successfully negotiate to end its public sector strikes. The list includes resources for affordable transportation, on-campus food options, and mental health services.

Another student who wished to remain anonymous expressed frustration with the lack of public communication from the McGill Scholarships and Student Aid Office about the BCGEU strike’s effect on B.C. student aid disbursements.

“[McGill] hasn’t been super transparent. [....] They could have sent an email to all of the [affected] students telling them they were addressing this,” they said in an interview with The Tribune. “[McGill] has a delay on payments that you can apply for through the financial aid application […] and there’s [also] emergency funds, […] which are [resources] that the school definitely could advertise [more].”

Students from B.C. who have been impacted by student aid delays can reach McGill’s Scholarships and Student Aid Office by phone at 514-398-6013 or by email at studentaid@mcgill.ca.

“The AUS […] deeply sympathizes with the affected students and are open to sitting down with students struggling with this issue,” he expressed in a written statement to The Tribune. “While our scope remains limited to our constituents, we can provide students with options and help them navigate potential escalation to [the Students’ Society of McGill University] or the Deans within the Arts Faculty Admin. Students concerned can reach out to us using the Arts Public Directory.”

Dialogue McGill uses funding to retain bilingual healthcare pro fessionals $52 million CAD in federal funding fuels hope for Quebec’s anglophone healthcare accessibility

Sofia Vidinovski Contributor

On Oct. 15, the Canadian federal government announced a budget increase of $52 million CAD, allocated to anglophone health services in Quebec. The funds will be distributed between McGill University and the Community Health and Social Services Network over the next five years. These institutions will lead execution, with Dialogue McGill heading the project on the university’s behalf. They will prioritize developing research, language training, and resources tailored to the needs of both anglophone and francophone professionals, staff, and students to support their experiences within the healthcare system. The budget increase will also sustain initiatives to recruit and employ bilingual professionals across the province.

In a written exchange with The Tribune, McGill’s Media Relations Office (MRO) explained how Dialogue McGill will specifically allocate the university’s funding towards building accessible healthcare for anglophones in Quebec.

“Dialogue McGill received a $20.7 million [CAD] grant […] of the $52 million [CAD] that Health Canada allocated,” the MRO wrote. “The money is planned to be useful in supporting initiatives that maintain and build capacity of bilingual health professionals in Quebec’s public sector.”

The

The Office also highlighted Dialogue McGill’s missions and the services it provides specifically to McGill students.

“[Dialogue McGill’s] programs include free French- and English-language training, as well as bursaries for students committed to working in the public sector post-graduation and funding for research projects that examine relationships between language, access to health and social services, and health-related outcomes.”

This is not the first time Canada’s federal government has outwardly supported an increase in anglophone healthcare accessibility in Quebec. In 2024, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé announced a government di-

rective that would require patients to provide an English-language eligibility certificate to Quebec’s health networks to receive treatment in English. Only when the federal government pressured the Quebec government did Dubé backtrack on the directive.

McGill students who have engaged with Quebec healthcare, especially in the MiltonParc neighbourhood, have described the experience as strenuous. Amélie Evans, U2 Sciences, outlined her experience as an anglophone patient in a Montreal hospital, highlighting how a language barrier can complicate access to safe healthcare in the province.

“I’ve had moments where language created misunderstandings,” she said in an interview with The Tribune. “For example, during one visit to the hospital, a nurse misunderstood part of what I was explaining about my symptoms because I wasn’t sure how to phrase it correctly in French. It didn’t cause serious harm, but it made me realize how critical it is to have clear communication in healthcare.”

Furthermore, Evans hopes that this budget increase will aid English-language communication in Quebec’s medical system.

“I think the first priority [for funding use] should be expanding bilingual training programs and ensuring every major clinic has at least one English-speaking staff member available,” she stated.

To track the funding’s progress, the federal government of Canada will receive annual reports from the project’s leaders on its outcomes. In an interview with The Tribune, Mark Johnson, spokesperson for Health Canada, explained the measurable outcomes and performance indicators that McGill will use to ensure the budget is effectively applied.

“McGill University [will report] on the number of health professionals who have both enrolled and completed their language training program, the number of bursaries to recent graduates to retain them in the public system in an underserved region in Quebec, as well as research projects and knowledge products that have been produced and offer new data on [official language minority communities] in health,” Johnson said.

Some of the educational institutions BCGEU members work for include community colleges and the B.C. Institute of Technology. (Zoe Lee / The Tribune)

Montreal region currently holds the record for the largest anglophone population in Quebec, with the Eastern Townships holding a close second. (Anna Seger / The Tribune)

McGill hosts ‘Building Bridges: Insights from Hispanic and Latin American Diplomats’ panel

Hispanic diplomats and students discuss foreign affairs and Lati n American culture

Katherine Dale Contributor

On Oct. 24, McGill’s Spanish and Latin American Students’ Association (SLASA) and McGill’s Caribbean and Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies Association (CLASHSA) collaborated with McGill’s Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures to host the ‘Building Bridges: Insights from Hispanic and Latin American Diplomats’ panel, in honour of Latin American Heritage Month. The event provided McGill students, staff, and community members with dialogue on the field of diplomacy, and on ways to embrace Hispanic and Latin American culture in Montreal through organizations like SLASA and CLASHSA.

In an interview with The Tribune, Sophia Newmann, U3 Arts and Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SLASA explained why Latin American cultural groups and heritage months are important to diasporic students at McGill.

“SLASA provides a place of friendship, family, and home,” she said. “When you’re with people of the same ethnic background as you, you are able to share the same food, interests, and worldview. For Hispanic Heritage Month, it is really important to celebrate [Latinx people] because we’re a really unique

group of people who have a unique way of looking at the world.”

SLASA holds a variety of different events throughout each academic year, including reggaeton parties and Spanish-language-learning social gatherings. This fall, in an effort to expand its offerings, the club hosted Oct. 24’s diplomatic panel. The panel was moderated by Víctor Muñiz-Fraticelli, associate professor in McGill’s Faculty of Law, and featured Victor Manuel Treviño Escudero, Montreal’s Consul General of Mexico, Mauricio Baquero Pardo, Montreal’s Consul General of Colombia, Gerardo Ezequiel Bompadre, Montreal’s Consul General of Argentina, and Carlos Ruiz Gonzalez, Deputy Ambassador of Spain in Ottawa.

Throughout the panel, the main points of discussion included what the daily life of a diplomat and their duties look like. The panel participants also described how their experience in Canada differs from their postings in other places, and the most challenging aspects of their profession, like working to build what Treviño described as “bridges of understanding” with host countries.

Bompadre of Argentina spoke about the continuities and changes of the job.

“It is important to find opportunities for your country and your people and to make your country known [where you are posted],” Bompadre said. “Diplomacy has changed

quite a lot, our ancestors of this field had it differently, and now it is less autonomous.”

Specifically, Bompadre noted emergent technological networks as one of the primary changes of the job. In the digital world, diplomats now have more opportunities to receive advice from their nation’s capital on foreign policy decisions.

All four diplomats explained the initiatives they have in place for students, including networks of exchange for undergraduates.

“We found that there is a greater interest for students studying here to come to Spain and study for a year,” Gonzalez said. “The [Spanish] embassy tries to ease the path for them to get in touch with the local people here in order to empower those kinds of agreements.”

The diplomats also explained how they seek to empower all members of the Hispanic community in their respective posts, including students.

“As a member of the foreign service of my country, it is important to empower stu-

are

dents after they finish university to join this career and open doors to provide different kinds of advice,” Treviño stated.

Newmann emphasized how students can learn new perspectives on international diplomacy through participating in events like these.

“It is important to look at what diplomacy looks like outside of [just] North America or Europe,” Newmann said. “Diplomacy means something different in the context of Latin America, and I think this event provides students with the ability to see those differences, and how that plays out in international relations.”

Cara Chellew leads workshop, showcasing walking as a research m ethod Culture Shock 2025: QPIRG hosts workshop exploring Milton-Parc’s hostile urbanism

Asher Kui News Editor

On Oct. 23, the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) McGill hosted the “Walking as method: Exploring hostile design in Milton-Parc” workshop as part of its annual Culture Shock event series. This exploration was led by Cara Chellew, PhD candidate in McGill’s School of Urban Planning, as well as Jonathan Lebire, co-founder of coaching organization Agence Dragonfly.

The event kickstarted at QPIRG’s office on av. du Parc, with a group of around 15 people making their way to the street’s intersection with rue Prince-Arthur Ouest. Chellew pointed out bright white light bulbs placed above benches at the intersection.

“Across the street, there’s another light, and you’ll see […] it’s actually blinking,” she observed. “For the longest time, I thought it was malfunctioning. [....] [But] it’s blinking very steadily. It’s been happening for a couple months now. [....] These interventions are meant to really target certain behaviours like trying to sit too long or sleep in public.”

Chellew continued to explain why these acts of hostile urbanism—architectural attempts to restrict certain social groups from enjoying public spaces—are meant to be kept subtle and unnoticeable.

“Often when [hostile urbanism is] really noticeable, […] there’s outrage, rightfully

so, and then sometimes, things get removed,” she said. “[Hostile urbanism] is meant to target these kinds of behaviours, but also not be very noticeable to everyday people.”

The group then ventured inside Les Galéries du Parc, where Lebire highlighted the neighbourhood’s lack of third places.

“You want to cry, you want to yell, […] something bad happened in your life, you don’t want to be seen crying. You’re going to transit to your house as soon as you can. But normally there should be what you call ‘third spaces,’ […] to kind of temper having a bad day at the job,” Lebire said. “There should be a way to use this architecture to make sure people have places to take a minute.”

Chellew then added that spaces where people cluster and socialize are crucial to a neighbourhood’s quality of living. She then talked about the intersection of av. du Parc and rue Milton, where an abandoned lot has been heavily restricted to keep Milton-Parc’s unhoused population out, effectively depriving them of third places.

“We’re purposely not going down [av. du Parc] because I want to give our friends a little bit of privacy,” she said. “There’s this lot that folks used to hang out [at]. [....] I call it ‘ground zero’ because it’s really the most heavily fortified spot in the neighbourhood. It just shows every little space here […] is restricted from people accessing [it].”

Chellew and Lebire continued the tour, pointing out benches that were designed to

be uncomfortable, with unnecessary armrests meant to keep sleepers away. Such benches could be found at intersections of rue Sherbrooke and rue Jeanne-Mance, and rue Sherbrooke and rue St.-Urbain.

The tour ended at Jardins du Monde et des Premières Nations at the corner of rue St.-Urbain and rue Milton, as Chellew encouraged McGill students to look out for signs of hostile urban planning.

This perforated ‘roof,’ located in the Jardin du Monde et des Premières Nations on rue St.-Urbain, is an example of hostile urban planning as it fails to provide shelter from adverse weather. (Asher Kui / The Tribune)

through various anti-oppressive perspectives.

“There are certain things that you can kind of look out for. When you’re checking out a space, are there places to sit? Does the space feel comfortable? Does it feel uncomfortable for some reason? Why is it uncomfortable? Is it too bright or too loud?” she emphasized.

In an interview with The Tribune, Joseph Liang, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Popular Education Events Coordinator, explained that this year’s Culture Shock aims to examine the McGill and Montreal community’s relations to the land

“For example [.…] with the Migrant Justice Panel [Culture Shock event], we look at land in terms of […] border regimes that are imposed on land,” they said. “I think [this land theme] is particularly relevant in the context that we’re living in. The settlercolonial occupation that we see happening in Palestine, that is fundamentally an issue of land, an issue of occupation of land. Here in Quebec, the PL 97 was a law that granted a lot of [Indigenous] land in northern Quebec to forestry companies. [....] I think land is sort of at the center of a lot of struggles that we are seeing right now.”

In Montreal, there

66 diplomatic missions from six continents, which help manage their respective countries’ consular affairs and foreign policy in Quebec. (Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)

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McGill must get on the right track and prioritize accessibility—not anti-unionism

The Tribune Editorial Board

This October, employees of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) filed strike notices that will disrupt bus and metro services throughout November. The Syndicat du transport de Montréal-CSN, which represents maintenance workers, has pledged to strike from Oct. 31 to Nov. 28. The Syndicat des chauffeurs, opérateurs, et employés des services connexes (SCFP 1983)—representing drivers and operators—also plans to strike, instead on Nov. 1, 15, and 16. Their decisions to strike follow over 100 failed negotiation efforts between the unions and the STM, in which the employees sought a 25 per cent wage increase and compensation for the hours they spend on tasks adjacent to their primary responsibilities, such as moving from station to station. This strike, critical for livable pay and fair working conditions for STM employees, will bear an impact on individuals across Montreal, including McGill students, faculty, and staff. As such, it is crucial that McGill, and other public institutions whose communities rely on public transit, prioritize supporting the strike by

offering reasonable accommodations for those impacted—not demonizing the strike as an inconvenience.

This will mark the third and fourth strikes by STM unions this year, following a two-week strike in September and an earlier strike in June. Yet, the prospects of achieving improved pay structures seem low; the STM has communicated a plan to cut over 300 jobs to offset its severe budget deficit, a fiscal antithesis to the wage increases its unions are demanding.

The STM serves over 1.7 million riders daily, many of whom take the metro out of necessity. Low-income Montrealers who cannot afford a car or alternative transit options will be particularly at risk if the metro shuts down, alongside commuters, senior citizens, and workers with precarious employment circumstances or irregular working hours. Furthermore, given that the strike measures extend to the closure of metro stations themselves, unhoused populations who rely on stations as a respite during the colder months will be forced into life-threatening conditions.

The McGill community too relies on the services the STM offers: Approximately 50 per cent of students and faculty and 70 per cent of staff use public transit or shuttle

bus options to access campus. When strikes disrupt service, students face long waits or are forced to opt for more costly, less sustainable alternatives. Yet when the STM unions went on strike just a month ago, the McGill administration’s only response was a brief memo directing students to consult the STM website and anticipate longer commute times, encouraging faculty to “be flexible” with students who may be impacted—without providing any tangible guidance or institutional support.

Nowhere in the memo did McGill set standardized expectations for professors and students navigating the strike. Administrators did not mandate classes go online or be recorded, resulting in a confusing mix of responses and varying degrees of flexibility. As a result, the burden of reliable support for the McGill community amidst STM closures fell on Students’ Society of McGill University services such as DriveSafe, while the McGill administration absolved itself of all responsibility to ensure campus accessibility.

Furthermore, the communication memo lacked any information regarding why the strike was taking place, effectively encouraging the McGill student body to redirect

Francois Legault’s climate policy is an unforced error

Max Funge-Ripley Contributor

Anxious about his plummeting approval rating, Quebec

Premier François Legault is shrinking away from one of his strongest positions: Fighting climate change. Earlier this month, Legault’s government announced it will end funding for the Climate Action Barometer (CAB), an annual survey that allows Quebecers to voice their opinions about their municipal, provincial, and federal governments’ environmental policies.

Curtailing this communication channel removes agency from a populace that has been clamouring for climate action. Meanwhile, Legault has hinted at more potential rollbacks— such as cutting the gasoline tax—at a time when climate action policies need to be front and centre.

Annual average surface temperatures are rapidly rising, and the frequency of extreme weather events is increasing. Tropical storm Debby was a brutal reminder of this for Quebecers. In 2024, the freak inland tropical storm killed an elderly man and became the costliest weather event in the province’s history.

By ending the democratic outlet that the CAB provided, Legault

alienates his constituents. Most CAB respondents support climate action; in response, he chooses to throw the survey out. This is not just a poor policy choice—Legault is silencing a mechanism that allows citizens to hold their government accountable. However, it does not have to be this way. Working with Quebecers to implement climate action is a ripe opportunity for Legault to regain some of the public faith he has lost, and it is imperative in the context of rampant global warming.

One of the shining stars of the Legault government has been its energy in fighting climate change. Thanks to his government’s investments, Quebecers around the province—from pilots-in-training in Gatineau to CEGEP teachers in Montreal—have tested commuting on electric bicycles through Equiterre’s Velovolt Program.

Last year, the Fonds d’action québécois pour le développement durable (FAQDD) provided $1.5 million CAD to support thousands of farmers in a collaborative project called Agriclimat, which helps farmers adapt to climate change and modify their farming techniques to lower carbon emissions.

This progress has sparked international acclaim, notably for Quebec’s hydroelectric power system

their frustration towards strikers. McGill has an extensive history of suppressing labour movements on campus, most recently during the 2024 strikes hosted by its Faculty of Law, during which administrators dragged out negotiations and insulted students who supported the striking faculty members. McGill must abandon its provocation of antiunion sentiment and blame-shifting among community members, and instead prioritize accessibility during all strikes, STM, faculty union, or otherwise.

McGill must standardize a university-wide response to STM closures, complete with genuine, effective accommodations that do not shift responsibility to the discretion of faculty. Without a cohesive, integrated response, community members are left disadvantaged and resentful of critical union activity, while the union’s efforts themselves are vilified. Students too must hold in high regard the rights of striking workers and avoid viewing metro closures as an inconvenience rather than a rightful protest tactic. STM employees have a right to strike; McGill has an obligation to support union activity and accommodate its affected students, faculty, and staff.

and research on circular economies of reuse.

If battling climate change has been such a bright spot for Legault, then why is he retreating from it?

The answer is affordability. He wants to recoup his losses in favourability with Quebec residents who are frustrated by his spending mistakes, like the $1.1 billion CAD spent on the well-over-budget SAAQclic project, and the $500 million CAD spent on the never-built Northvolt factory. In response, Legault is attempting to make a big deal of cutting the CAB, which costs one fivethousandth the cost of that nonexistent Northvolt factory. This is a mistake— for Legault and for the environment whose preservation he is choosing to neglect.

Counter to Legault’s rhetoric about affordability, cuts in environmental programs, such as the CAB, do not rest on sound economic logic.

Taking public transportation costs half as much as driving, and biking costs only one-seventh the cost of driving. Quebecers’ electricity bills are the cheapest in the nation— and it is not close. Environmentallyfriendly options are often cheaper for individuals than high-emission ones, so building up eco-friendly options would make life more affordable for

everyday people.

The strong support for climate action shown in the CAB study results should—and still could—be great news for François Legault. His government has a track record of delivering on community-focused environmental projects, so he should capitalize on this opportunity to further Quebecers’ climate priorities.

Quebec has worked hard to integrate clean energy and multimodal transportation, making many everyday necessities more affordable for residents while fighting for our planet.

Legault must not turn his back on his own progress. Defunding the CAB is detrimental to his party, his constituents, and the democratic process in which they participate, not to mention the environment as a whole, which is deteriorating and in need of swift action. Legault should play to his strengths and continue to set the pace for clean energy, sustainability, and public engagement in climate action.

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Simona Culotta, Defne Feyzioglu, Alexandra Hawes Silva, Celine Li, Lialah Mavani, Nour Kouri, Laura Pantaleon

TPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Norah Adams, Zain Ahmed, Eren Atac, Basil Atari, Rachel Blackstone, Amelia H. Clark, Samuel Hamilton, Merce Kellner, Antoine Larocque, Alexandra Lasser, Lialah Mavani, José Moro, Jenna Payette, Alex Hawes Silva, Jamie Xie, Michelle Yankovsky, Ivanna (Ivy) Zhang Sahel Delafoulhouse, Lilly Guilbeault, Emiko Kamiya, SeoHyun Lee , Alexa Roemer

Loriane Chagnon, Guillaume Delgado, Dylan Hing, Joshua Karmiol, Anna Roberts, Sabiha Tursun, Jeremy Zelken, Sophia Angela Zhang

Sophie Schuyler, Kate Sianos

Canada must criminalize coerced sterilization and confront its propagation of colonial violence

it reached House debate.

Ellen Lurie Opinion Editor

In 2005, Montreal practitioners performed a nonconsensual hysterectomy on Quebec Senator Amina Gerba, resulting in irreversible infertility. Gerba would not learn she had undergone this procedure—a clear violation of her medical rights and autonomy—until over a decade later, when, during an unrelated procedure, her gynecologist discovered she lacked a uterus. This phenomenon, known as coerced or forced sterilization, constitutes an international human rights violation and has been perpetrated against women—particularly of marginalized backgrounds—throughout Canada since the 1800s.

Despite centuries of evidence of nonconsensual hysterectomies, Canada has failed to criminalize this violating, dangerous practice. The persistence of forced sterilization testifies to how systemic anti-Blackness and colonial violence continue to shape Canadian healthcare systems, propagating the denial of Black and Indigenous women’s reproductive autonomy.

Senator Gerba shared her story when testifying in support of Bill S-228, an act to amend the Criminal Code that would criminalize coerced sterilization in Canada. An equivalent bill—Bill S-250—was introduced to and passed by the Senate in 2024. However, the proroguing of Parliament in advance of the 2025 Federal Election forced the termination of the bill before

Bill S-228 brings forced sterilization to the forefront of the legislative agenda, opening a window for overdue systemic change: Affording //legal// reproductive rights to women across Canada. In her testimony, Senator Gerba noted the intersectional nature of prejudices against Black and Indigenous women in the Canadian healthcare system, particularly in regard to gynecological interventions. In healthcare settings, medical students and practitioners alike frequently dismiss the pain of Black women patients due to the harmful and racist misconception that Black women have a higher pain tolerance. Such misinformation amounts to an undeniable truth: North American healthcare institutions are failing Black women.

Indigenous women have also been the historic and current targets of this procedure. In the 1970s, Canadian practitioners facilitated approximately 1,200 cases of coerced sterilization of Indigenous women as part of a broader eugenic, colonial effort to eliminate Indigenous persons. By systematically sterilizing Indigenous women without their consent, these practitioners—acting on behalf of the colonial state—sought not only to control individual bodies but to exterminate future generations of Indigenous peoples. This practice amounts to one of the five acts encompassed within legal definitions of genocide: The deliberate imposition of measures intended to prevent births within a group.

The UN Committee Against Torture issued

a statement in 2018 calling on Canada to end this abhorrent practice. Yet Bill S-228 remains under debate, and organizations like Amnesty International Canada continue to observe extensive evidence that the practice persists today.

In Quebec, 35 Atikamekw women have brought forward a class action lawsuit against the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de Lanaudière (CISSS) for forced sterilization, citing at least 22 cases of the procedure between 1980 and 2019. Some of these women were misinformed, told sterilization was reversible. Others were falsely told that the health of their future children could be at risk should they fail to undergo the procedure. Still more were told the procedure was unavoidable in the maintenance of their long-term health.

An estimated 20 other women are pending approval to join the class action lawsuit; the youngest survivor was merely 17 years old at the time of her nonconsensual gynecological intervention. Clearly, Canada has subjected the reproductive rights of women—disproportionately Black and Indigenous women—to systemic disregard through its ongoing failure to implement policy prohibiting this medical practice.

In a report published by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights in 2022, representatives offered clear steps that the federal government must take to achieve the end of this abhorrent and violent practice. Foremost among these

recommendations were three key obligations: To criminalize forced and coerced sterilization; to implement measures heightening standards of informed consent and cultural competency in medical training; to collect data on sterilization to inform future policy and reconciliation efforts.

As Bill S-228 now awaits approval by the House of Commons, lawmakers, healthcare institutions, and the general public must call for the swift passage of this bill and for effective, comprehensive implementation. Evidence of forced sterilization is extensive and undeniable; its consequences for future generations of Black and Indigenous women are grave. Canada’s government must wait no longer to enshrine humane reproductive healthcare standards in the legislature.

Nobody is running for mayor! The death of municipal democracy in Quebec

Noah Bornstein

Contributor

On Nov. 2, Quebec will hold municipal elections—though in 87 cities throughout the province, the results of these elections are already decided. In the 2025 Quebec municipal election cycle, over 4,500 municipal candidates ran unopposed. In a process known as acclamation, candidates who are running unopposed bypass the election cycle and are automatically awarded the title. One of these constituencies is Terrebonne, a city of more than 120,000 residents. If Canada wants to maintain its democratic capacity at all three levels of government, then federal leaders need to treat municipal government with equal importance as they do provincial and federal governments

If nobody is running against incumbents, maybe constituents are simply happy with their current municipal leaders. That is what Terrebonne mayor Mathieu Traversy believes, and in his case, it might even be true. Traversy is a well-liked mayor and has a diversity of political viewpoints in his government. Nonetheless, he still ought to have an opponent for the sake of democracy.

It is abnormal for a city the size of Terrebonne to have zero competition in a mayoral race. In 2021, three candidates ran for mayor, and four candidates ran in 2017. The lack of competition for Mayor Traversy is a sign of political apathy and a weakening of local democracy. In a representative democracy, the primary way for citizens to influence policy is through elections. Without

elections, representative democracy fails to give its citizens a voice. Without a civic voice, democracy does not exist. In Terrebonne, there is no election, and consequently, no democracy.

While uncontested elections are concerning in cities like Terrebonne, they become even more troubling in small towns where municipal government roles are often thankless jobs. Faced with mounting tasks, these mayors often get lambasted on social media for minor problems that they have little power to fix. Yet, election by acclamation is most common in these districts. Of smaller municipalities in Quebec, almost a quarter of districts with less than 2,000 people elected an all-incumbent council this cycle. Normand Marin, former mayor of Pointe-Lebel in the Côte-Nord region, describes rural mayoralty as an impossible task because mayors of small towns tend to be overworked and criticized heavily on social media. The meagre salary makes the job even less desirable.

With immense censure and low salaries, it is no mystery why there are so few candidates for municipal politics. In the ChaudièresAppalaches region, four municipalities— Sainte-Cyrille-de-Lessard, Saint-Benjamin, Lac-Frontière, and Saint-Phillibert—currently have no mayoral candidates. Yet a robust democracy, especially at the municipal level where every vote counts, is reliant upon competition. The question, then, is how to make small-town leadership sustainable and appealing to would-be political candidates.

One potential solution for some of these smaller municipalities could be to merge with neighbouring towns. A municipality

such as Saint-Phillibert, which is closer to larger towns, could easily be added to the municipality of either Saint-Prosper or SaintGeorges. Declining local autonomy would be a necessary trade-off, as Saint-Georges has almost 33,000 people and a budget to match. Many of the administrative duties of a mayor could be absorbed by a larger, better-resourced municipal administration.

However, municipal mergers are not viable for every community. If Lac-Frontière merged with its neighbouring municipality, Sainte-Lucie-de-Beauregard, the new territory would span over 130 square kilometres with a combined population of just 450 constituents. Merging such remote, sparsely populated areas would only intensify logistical challenges, as servicing a large, spread-out region is far more difficult than managing a compact community.

Combining two municipalities of such a small size would only exacerbate the problems that sparsely populated municipalities already face.

Although merging municipalities represents a compelling potential solution to the crisis of Quebec’s uncompetitive municipal elections, the deeper issue is that local governments are chronically underfunded and understaffed. Government programs to mobilize capable university graduates into voting in municipal elections could offer a means to improve the province’s democratic capacity.

The provincial government cannot force people to run for office, but it can make running for office more appealing. A first step would be to properly fund and staff rural communities by bringing municipal government to parity with the provincial and federal levels.

In the 2025 Quebec municipal election cycle, over 4,500 municipal candidates ran unopposed and were thus automatically elected by acclamation. (Anna Seger / The Tribune)

Amina Gerba was appointed as the Independent Senator for Quebec in 2021. (Mia Helfrich / The Tribune)

My Halloween sitcom recommendations A spooky sitcom season

Sarah McDonald Science & Technology Editor

Do you fundamentally refuse to be scared out of your skin for socalled ‘entertainment’ this Halloween season? Have you seen The Nightmare Before Christmas one too many times? Yes and yes again? That’s what I thought. But don’t worry; the Halloween season has more to offer than inspiration for your very own sleep-paralysis demon and overdone, overhyped, over-Halloweened content. It’s the end of October, and I am pleased to welcome you to the season of spiders, skeletons, and sitcoms.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

These Halloween episodes are famous, and for good reason. With a ‘Halloween Heist’ in every season, the squad competes to be in possession of a selected object by midnight, with the winner being crowned ‘an amazing detective/genius.’ These episodes contain some of the most elaborately ridiculous heist plans of all time—from stuffing pigeons into air vents and filling the precinct with characters from The Handmaid’s Tale to hiring previously-arrested criminals as co-conspirators—and the most intense rivalries. Watch a Brooklyn NineNine Halloween Heist episode for Charles Boyle’s (Joe Lo Truglio) terrible and forever un-guessable costumes, outrageous thievery, and to watch friendships be temporarily put aside in the name of glory.

The Office Season 2, episode 5 of The Office brings the reality of a scary Halloween into the workplace. Michael faces the terrifying task of having to fire someone while everyone else prepares for a Halloween party. Michael Scott (Steve Carell) acts as the Halloween Scrooge, and the real scare comes from the decision he must make. This episode reminds us that navigating adulthood is actually the spookiest part of any season.

Friends

Friend s is a staple sitcom for a reason, and its Halloween episode is no exception. Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) may or may not start writing children’s cheques after she runs out of candy, Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) may or may not end an engagement, and the costumes—well, I guarantee they’re worse than yours. I don’t want to spoil too much for those of you who are planning a Friends marathon this sitcom season, so all I’ll say is: Pink. Fluffy. Bunny. Oh, and potato. If you want to be able to treat Halloween as a more-or-less regular day, this is the show for you. It’s lighthearted and fun—the only spooky part is the notion of marrying someone you’ve known for two weeks— making it a great choice for those who are ready for Halloween to be over already.

Superstore

Superstore is a lesser-known sitcom, or so I’ve been led to believe. But wheth-

er you’ve heard of it or not, its Halloween episode is worth a watch. Everyone shows up in costume, except for the company’s resident rule-follower, Dina Fox (Lauren Ash). Dina gets, as you might expect, peerpressured into dressing up. But she changes into a particularly revealing cop costume. Cue the chaos. Suddenly, everyone’s workplace archnemesis is alluring? If you ever reminisce over middle-school friendship dynamics—or just revel in watching middleschool-esque situations play out—then I promise you will be entertained. Her outfit, combined with rumours that someone may

or may not have a crush on someone else, makes the perfect storm for those of you who love to revel in the knowledge that you left high school behind years ago.

If you enjoy any singular aspect of the horror movie experience, you and I are clearly two entirely separate types of people. But you’d best believe that if I’m watching anything on Halloween, it’ll be a sitcom. I’ll laugh and sigh and be unspeakably grateful that Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) won’t ever buy me a Halloween costume.

Breaking ground at new creative collective’s defiant art-expo and rave

Concrete Breaks melds raving and fine art to form a multi-media concoction

Norah Adams Staff Writer

Iwas whisked into Concrete Breaks’ Communal Art-Expo and Rave on Oct. 23 by heavy bass thrumming under my feet and a crush of people bottlenecking behind me. Once through the doors, bright projections of cityscapes flashed to my right while a diverse array of prints and poetry lined the walls to my left. To the far end of the st. Laurent bar Barbossa, the density of event-goers increased until they formed a dancing mass, all crowded in front of one of the rave’s string of DJs.

Concrete Breaks is an offshoot of Nina Rossing, Matt Pindera, and Luke Pindera’s initial creative endeavour Pacific Breaks, “a grassroots electronic music collective” in Vancouver, which similarly hosted a rave. According to their mission statement, Pacific Breaks aimed to “reinvigorate Vancouver’s rave scene with innovative, open-air events and cutting-edge sounds.”

Concrete Breaks wields much loftier goals, evident from its name, which strays from a specific place and instead describes a geographically universal breaking from stasis. In an interview with The Tribune, co-organizer Nina Rossing described the globality of this event, noting artists from Denmark to Toronto. The cosmopolitan nature of the expo aligns with one of its cardinal themes: Connection.

Another facet of the art-expo rave’s broader scope lies in its name, the event being an amalgam of many art forms, breaking beyond just

sound. Concrete Breaks sent out a call for ‘All Medium/All Voices,’ the only directive being that pieces tackle the themes of dystopia, resistance and connection. This expansive breadth of forms came together at Barbossa to produce a mode of art that was completely novel.

The DJ’s beat shook the floor of the bar, causing the videos on the walls to fizzle at the edges while red rave lights cast prints on the wall in new shades. Each piece of art did not merely exist alone in the space, but instead all multiplied to form one new piece of which we were all a part.

Rossing reflected on what she and her team hoped to achieve through the event’s vast array of media.

“I think it’s just creating humanity. [...] The beauty of being human and the beauty of art and of hope, and the power that it holds,” she said.

The night’s goal of humanity was achieved tenfold, with tables sprawled with pens and sticky notes for attendees to place their art alongside the selected artists, a gallery space loud not from music but from conversation, and a dancefloor bouncing beneath jigging bodies.

Concrete Breaks undertakes a return to humanity, especially imperative in our current zeitgeist. As society moves towards extremist radicalization, forging simple connections feels unreachable—people become friends with artificial intelligence or strangers on subreddits.

Rossing emphasized the importance of resisting such a world of alienation.

“We need to connect more, and with that, we become super powerful, and we can turn bad

things into good things,” Rossing said.

Fellow organizer Luke Pindera similarly commented on the importance of the Concrete Breaks’ ideology in this moment. He told The Tribune in an interview that they “want to represent something positive amidst this […] world of chaos.”

Rossing, both Pinderas, the artists, and the attendees came together last Thursday to do just that: Create positivity and good. Everyone gathered, interacted, danced, and left feeling fuller

than when they entered.

The defiant art exposition, alight with inspiration and connection, presents a fresh perspective on the importance of coming together and pushing towards resistance. As proclaimed by Pindera, Concrete Breaks goes beyond just a collective; he described it to The Tribune in terms of a way of life. In this fissured world, perhaps we should take up their mantle: Look down and see how we may break the concrete upon which we tread.

‘The One With The Halloween Party’ is rated 8.4/10 on IMDB. (Zoe Lee / The Tribune)

In 2014, Lady Gaga performed Swine—a song about being raped by a music producer at 19—while an artist onstage shoved two fingers down her throat and vomited rainbow paint across Gaga’s body.

The performance was disturbing. It was also the most precise depiction of the feelings of shame, disgust, and paralysis of sexual violence I have ever seen. She did not merely describe her trauma; she made you feel a fraction of it.

One could reasonably ask what such a projection accomplishes. Disgust does not undo rape, and catharsis does not constitute restorative justice. Some see art that engages with violence as a luxury of those who can afford to aestheticize pain rather than endure it. Yet art’s power lies not in repair but in revelation: It exposes what violence conceals, insists that suffering be seen, and transforms recognition itself into a form of resistance.

In that way, the effects of art are not solely therapeutic or ornamental; they are epistemic. They alter our perception of reality, collapsing the emotional distance between experience and witness that makes apathy possible. Art has the unique ability to transmit the pain of the few into the conscience of the many. It serves as a medium for revelation, transmission, and survival.

Lewis, associate professor in McGill’s Philosophy department, traced the intellectual roots of this repression to nineteenth-century formalism—a European art theory that defined a work’s value by its structure rather than its emotional or social content.

“From my perspective, it’s really hard to see how you could actually imagine art merely to be decorative,” he says. “That really is a product of a particular moment in time in European, North American theorizing about art [....] But it stands in stark contrast to a much longer tradition of viewing art, in some sense, instrumentally, socially and politically.”

Art as revelation

Psychology has long known what politics refuses to learn: Intellectualizing our emotions doesn’t resolve them; it represses them. Therapists call it a defence mechanism—the mind’s way of avoiding what the body already knows. What occurs in the individual psyche also operates at the collective level. Entire nations learn to rationalize horror, to translate it into data and debate. But if emotional repression keeps individuals stuck in cycles of trauma, mor-

CAN ART

WRITTEN BY YUSUR AL-SHARQI, DESIGNED

BY ELIOT LOOSE, ON THE FAILURE AND NECESSITY REVELATION, TRANSMISSION,

Originally aesthetic, formalism rapidly increased amidst the logic of capitalist modernity, which privileges abstraction, exchange value, and efficiency over affective meaning. As art became increasingly commodified, emotion was recast as excess: Something to be managed rather than engaged. What began as a style of interpretation hardened into an ideology that treats feeling as a threat to reason. And when societies learn to distrust emotion, they become easier to govern through abstraction. Politically regressive and reactionary governments have long known this, and that is why they continue to wage a war on empathy—and by extension, on art.

“One of Hitler’s very first proclamations upon being made chancellor was to ban what was called at the time, ‘Negro art,’ [...] You know, in 1969 in the aftermath of the Paris student riots in France, the French banned a jazz and new rock music festival, fearing that would reignite the kind of protest movement,” Lewis said. “Going back in the western philosophical tradition [...] Plato literally bans certain musical modes because he believes they incite turbulent emotions that could yield in violent and active behaviour.”

Yet the capacity of art to move people is what makes it politically indispensable. By collapsing the distance between viewer and subject, art does what reason cannot.

“One thing that has to happen in order to convince folks to not just cognitively believe in anti-racism [...] but to get them to actually modify their own behaviours [...] requires somehow

ing, that Jean Michel Basquiat is very good at doing, that Nikki Giovanni is very good at doing.”

Palestinian artist Khaled Hussein is a prime example of how art anchors social change in care for the individual rather than allegiance to an abstract ideology. Hussein’s exhibition features various sculptures of legs, unassuming at first glance—mere limbs suspended in space, painted in muted tones—until one looks closely and reads the title: i miss you so much. The sculptures represent parts of bodies that no longer exist. Gaza has the largest number of child amputees anywhere in the world—a fact too easily diluted to numbers, until Hussein’s art renders it human again.

“It is true that amputees are everywhere, but a large portion of these victims are confined to their homes, reliving their physical and psychological pain, away from the eyes of others,” Hussein said in an interview with ArtZone Palestine. “I wanted people to recognize that something unseen can still wound us.”

His work takes mass tragedy and scales it down to an individual wound, pulling the viewer’s focus away from debates about the definition of genocide and ‘who came first’ and instead toward the innocent people at the heart of it all. Sadly, the violence he confronted in his art did not spare him: Israeli occupation forces bombed his house and Gallery 28 in Rafah, displacing him and reducing his art to rubble.

A representative of Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) at McGill, who wished to remain anonymous, reiterated Hussein’s sentiment about focusing on those directly affected by tragedy. For SPHR, discomfort is not a weakness of art, but its ethical function—it reminds us that no amount of physical distance from the genocide absolves us, and our institutions, of complicity.

“When images of the occupation and genocide are used, we need to remember

SAVE US?

NECESSITY OF ART FOR TRANSMISSION, AND SURVIVAL

AL-SHARQI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LOOSE, DESIGN EDITOR

ly funding, and it should absolutely make us uncomfortable.”

A similar idea plays out in Ibtisam Azem’s The Book of Disappearance, in which every Palestinian vanishes overnight. The premise may appear speculative, but Azem’s realism lies in the details; after all, the book imagines a reality that some already wish for, and that history has made possible in increments.

The novel’s Israeli narrator—a “friend of the Palestinians”— slowly inherits what isn’t his: His friend’s apartment, his coffee, even his words. Erasure here is not a single event but an accumu lation of small actions—the choice to call it ‘Tel Aviv’ as opposed to Jaffa, or to sign a lease for a home whose ‘owners left in 1948.’

The novel thus collapses the moral dis tance between complicity and atrocity, reminding readers that the scale of destruction we see today is sustained by millions of such minor, plausible gestures.

Art as transmission

The moment art leaves the page, the screen, or the gallery, it begins to circulate. As it weaves itself into conversations, gatherings, and protests, it transforms private emotion into public action.

In an interview with The Tribune, Montreal-based photographer William Wilson emphasized the importance of art in shaping public opinion and propelling activism.

“The level of grotesque violence that you see [...] does inform the political opinions of people. The more severe the images [...] and the more pressing the issue feels, perhaps the more likely [you] are to mobilize the streets for it,” Wil son said. “Probably the single most important mobilizing thing [is] imagery.”

Wilson’s work has exposed countless instanc es of police brutality at protests across the city. At the Rad pride demonstration this year, the Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal tear-gassed protesters; nearby, a family attending a salsa event was caught in the cloud. Wilson captured a photograph of the scene, showing a father clutching his infant, the baby’s tiny hand pressed against her eye, a five-year-old beside them frozen in fear. The photo spread rapidly across social media and quickly became a topic of conversation throughout the city.

deflections as “obscene,” but this kind of conversation in itself reveals the photograph’s power. Images don’t merely depict injustice but participate in its contestation. The circulation of that photo forced audiences to confront competing narratives about culpability, protection, and power. In doing so, it altered the long-held moral coordinates of public discourse: Who is seen as innocent, who is seen as dangerous, and who is meant to keep us safe.

Similarly, the representative from SPHR described how their imagery, particularly through social media, has enabled them to reach thousands of students across the city, resulting in record-breaking student support for the Palestinian cause.

“We live in

confuse it with argument. Art does not reason—it reorients. And reorientation is where action begins.

Art as Survival

Still, hesitation to speak of art amid suffering is understandable. It can feel almost perverse to speak of paintings and poetry while people endure material and bodily catastrophe—those in the midst of rape, occupation, or famine are not asking for performance art to make people empathize with them. And it is true that art, even when it mobilizes and exposes, can still fail to create the change we hope for. Yet, when all else fails, consider instead its most elemental power:

Some commenters accused the family of negligence, claiming they should not have been near a protest, or that “children shouldn’t be out past nine.” William dismissed these

al world and images help us communicate our message more efficiently, whether that be an image of previous student protests which show the will and power of the student movement, or images of Palestine which remind people who we are fighting for when demanding divestment.”

The evidence is palpable: On Oct. 7, 2025, SPHR helped mobilize thousands of students and community members for a strike and rally across Montreal, demanding university divestment from industries complicit in the war in Gaza.

Taken together, these examples make it hard to believe that theory alone could have moved so many people. To call art futile or self-indulgent is to

Discomfort is part of art’s purpose, especially in times of crisis. If art like Lady Gaga’s Swine performance makes us recoil, that reaction should remind us how fortunate we are to encounter pain only through art, not through our own bodies. It is easy to call a performance “too graphic” when we are safe enough to experiment with its horrors only through representation. The least we can do to honour those who create art in times of suffering is to recognize their pain: Look, feel, and resist the privilege of detachment.

One might think of the children of the Terezín ghetto, awaiting deportation to Auschwitz. Their art was discovered hidden behind the walls of the barracks after the war. Among them was a poem by Hanus Hachenburg, which reads:

“I am a grown-up person now, I have known fear.

[...]

But anyway, I still believe I only sleep today, That I’ll wake up, a child again, and start to laugh and play.”

Hanus was killed in Auschwitz in 1944 at the age of fourteen.

Art may not have saved him, but if nothing else, it gave him a form of survival beyond the body. Maybe that’s why the children of Palestine paint flowers and the children of the Terezin ghetto wrote poems about butterflies—because art offered them what reality no longer could: The hope of freedom, and perhaps the feeling of it.

The hidden merit of McGill’s Visual Arts Collection A closer look at the art pieces that students pass every day

Dylan Hing Contributor

One thing that everyone can agree on about McGill is that the campus is absolutely stunning. With the beautiful Mount Royal as a backdrop to the varying architectural styles on campus, one only has to stop and look to find beauty here. Often ignored, the many smaller pieces that make up McGill’s Visual Arts Collection (VAC) also possess their own beauty; they bring the university’s distinctive cultures to the forefront.

Scattered around campus, the collection features paintings, photographs, cultural items, and several sculptures that

punctuate the university’s green spaces. Since it began collecting art in the 1830s, McGill’s VAC has grown to over 3,500 pieces. With a library of works that large, nothing is forgotten.

I was particularly impressed by the collection’s emphasis on Indigenous art, including the minimalist nature pieces by the late Benjamin Chee Chee displayed on McConnell Engineering’s first floor. His work Afternoon Flight , depicting geese in motion, uses simple strokes and minimal colour to create a striking image that seems both ancient and contemporary.

As demonstrated by Chee Chee’s piece, the collection’s contemporary pieces highlight diverse perspectives that reach

beyond European-style portraits and settings.

For example, on Macdonald Harrington’s first floor, I stumbled across a photograph by Yann Arthus-Bertrand; it’s an overhead shot of a Dogon village near the town of Bandiagara in Mali. It presents the town from the perspective of an outsider, inviting the viewer to learn more about the Dogon people and their way of life from an angle they might not have otherwise considered.

Outside, the collection continues in the James Sculpture Garden, where community members pass through and study day in and day out. These abstract sculptures definitely fit in with their surroundings—although they sit within view of the 19th-century-style administration building, they also sit within the shadow of the very 20th-century-built McConnell Engineering Building.

These juxtapositions make the campus feel cohesive despite its many artistic and architectural differences. Like a museum, every piece of art belongs exactly where it stands, and like a museum, the VAC takes its position as a provider of public art very seriously.

Uniquely, while the VAC has works of art in storage just like any museum in the world, its Visible Storage Gallery on McLennan Library’s fourth floor offers a unique glimpse of artwork that would not normally be on display. The collection displayed here is a microcosm of the types of paintings chosen to hang around campus.

It acts as a snapshot of the wider collection—complete with European-style portraits, abstract sculptures, landscapes and photographs, and a major compilation of Indigenous-created artwork.

One of the pieces, What is She Looking at? What Does She See? by Freda Guttman Bain, is particularly intriguing. In my exploration of campus art, it was the first photograph I’d seen of a human subject, and a woman at that. Although the photo is in black and white, it reflects a sort of modernity compared to many of the paintings and ceremonial objects in the room with her. With the subject sitting across from the camera, the viewer is explicitly asked to wonder what she’s facing. Perhaps a more equal future?

Taking more notice of the art all around campus can be a learning experience in and of itself, as the priorities of the collection have changed over its two centuries of building. Through various specialized exhibits, including the Japanese prints on the fourth floor of Bronfman, the VAC today critically highlights non-Western approaches to art and artistry. Although art is but one aspect of creating a safe community for all, the diversity of the VAC is an important reflection of the students for whom it is presented.

While you rush to classes or find yourself hunched over a textbook, take a moment to look around and see how cultures around the world have displayed their passions, fears, hopes, and stories. You never know what you might find.

Le Train is a dream-filled Quebecois coming-of-age film

Festival du Nouveau Cinema’s closing film harkens back to 1960s Quebec

Siena Torres Contributor

This October, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma wrapped up its 54th edition, featuring a robust program of 200 films over 12 days. The Montreal-based film festival prides itself on showcasing diverse international features and short films, while spotlighting a strong selection of Canadian films. This edition’s closing film, Le Train, is a mesmerizing debut from renowned Quebecois playwright and actress, Marie Brassard.

Le Train follows Agathe, a young girl in 1960s Quebec, who dreams of a fantastical world where she is not plagued by severe asthma. As she grows into adolescence, she meets a man who shares her same longing for something more than their reality. Rising stars Thalie Rhainds and Electra Codina Morelli, who play Agathe at various ages, deliver captivating performances that hint at promising careers ahead. The exquisite Larissa Corriveau, who plays Thérèse, Agathe’s eccentric mother, shines in her portrayal of a woman balancing professional life, single motherhood, and creative pursuits.

In an interview with The Tribune, Brassard reflected on the experience of writing and directing her first feature film, noting how it differs from theatre. She described theatre as ephemeral: An experience that creates unique experiences each time. It lives only in our memories because it takes place in the ‘real’ world with ‘real’ people, as opposed to cin-

ema.

“Cinema is different. At one point, you have to stop [adding on] for it to exist as an object, and from that moment on, it’s gonna be that. You have to let it go,” Brassard said. “And at the same time, what’s beautiful is that you can look at it again and again, and eventually have a different experience as well, but the thing is that it will persist in time.”

Inspired by her own childhood experiences with asthma in the Quebec suburbs and her coming-of-age in 1970s Montreal, Brassard sought to recreate the feeling of hope she felt at that time, contrary to today’s cynicism and increased isolation.

“I wanted to make a film that would state that there was a time [in Quebec] where people were dreaming. People were dreaming of a better world, a more equal world,” Brassard said.

As someone who admires the aesthetics of the 1970s, I found the visuals of Agathe’s teenage years a feast for the eyes. Brassard mentioned that she remembers the aftermath of Montreal’s Expo 67, a world’s fair in which there was a liberating spirit in the air, both politically and creatively. Le Train recreates these artistic communities and countercultures that she found in the city, where intellectual and creative thoughts were freely exchanged.

Brassard grew up listening to the sound of trains running through her town, dreaming of the places they would go. In Le Train, these dreams recur and contrast the rest of the film in their black-and-white stylization, as Agathe

tries to figure out both their meaning and the other world that intrigues her. Brassard used these childhood dreams as the starting point of her script.

“I imagined that it was a lumberjack there [by the train], who was cutting trees and protecting our world, and that he was standing at the frontier between us and the world that we don’t know,” Brassard said.

The themes of identity, dreams, and a blend of fantasy run through much of Brassard’s work.

“There’s something fundamental that is

part of you that you cannot escape from. And I think that for me, it is a very thin layer between dream and reality, or between the imagined and reality,” Brassard said. “And somehow, it intersects with [the] science worlds. When we think of quantum realities, where scientists reflect on the possibility of parallel worlds that we cannot perceive.”

As Le Train rolled its final frames, it left audiences with a resonant message that speaks to both nostalgia and hope, reminding viewers of a time, and perhaps a place, where dreaming of a better world still felt possible.

The 3,500-piece collection is spread across over ninety buildings and public spaces. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)

The community of Montreal creatives the film depicts was heavily inspired by Brassard’s own experiences as a teenager. (Kate Sianos /The Tribune)

McGill Athletics’ varsity program restructuring: Student-athletes’ perspectives

Varsity- and club-team athletes alike report hope for more transparency from McGill Athletics in the coming months

Clara Smyrski & Zain Ahmed Sports Editor Staff Writer

For over a year, rumours have circulated that McGill Athletics is evaluating its varsity teams with the intention of making cuts to the varsity program. This year, that rumour was confirmed. Fourthyear Women’s Rugby player and Varsity Council member Annette Yu shared in an interview with The Tribune that McGill Athletics has communicated with select Varsity Representatives that a ‘restructuring’ of the varsity program is underway, having started this in September. McGill Athletics will also consider 12 to 15 of McGill’s club teams that are petitioning to gain varsity status, rethinking which teams at the university deserve to wear the varsity ‘M.’

According to Yu, McGill Athletics shared that factors such as a team’s performance, recruitment, funding, alumni support, facilities, eligibility, medical services, and transportation will determine whether they gain, maintain, or lose varsity status. The review is set to be completed on Dec. 1.

This week, The Tribune sat down with athletes from various varsity and club teams to learn about how McGill Athletics’ restructuring may affect them.

Varsity Women’s Rugby

Martlets Rugby players Kate Murphy, U2 Science, Olivia Ford, U3 Arts, Yu, U3 Arts, and Captain Raurie Moffat, U4 Education, shared that in a 2024 meeting with McGill Athletics, the team was given an ultimatum: Win games in the 2025 season, or get cut. Moffat explained Martlets Rugby seemed “set up to fail,” when asked to prove their program growth without the resources to do so.

Because the team plays in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) and U SPORTS leagues, they are ineligible to compete without varsity status. Furthermore, with greater team fees and administrative duties under club status, the players expect that if Women’s Rugby gets cut from the varsity roster, a formal team will cease to exist at McGill.

Every player spoke to the team’s positive impact. Yu emphasized the sense of community it gave her in her first year, and Ford said that if McGill did not have a team, she would have been deterred from attending McGill.

Moffat explained how the team’s potential cancellation is detrimental to future women in sport at McGill.

“I got my five years, but I think about how I don’t get to give back to the girls who are coming after me,” she stated. “There’s so many girls […] that are so talented. [….] It’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to the players who are going to come after us.”

Varsity Field Hockey

On behalf of the Martlets Field Hockey team, Assistant Captain Grace Hodges, U3 Arts, explained how the team losing status would not end their competition, as they can

still compete in the Ontario University Athletics league, but may be detrimental regardless.

“It would be another round of us just feeling frustrated, neglected, and like we’re not actually given a chance to succeed,” Hodges explained in an interview with The Tribune

Having faced coaching turmoil, budgeting obstacles, and logistical challenges— such as daily early morning practices, long travel weekends, and self-organized accommodation on the road—there is a sense of a disproportionate lack of support for the Field Hockey team, even with its varsity status and with recent donations to the women’s varsity program at McGill.

“There’s not been a peep about how [those donations are] being allocated,” Hodges stated. “It’s honestly a very confusing and very opaque process.”

Varsity Golf

Varsity Golf team Captain Camden

gym, it’s nice to see the other varsity teams there. I think it’s going to be tough on any team that is restricted in that sense. Hopefully Golf can pull through this.”

As hard as it may be on varsity teams, this restructuring poses a unique opportunity for McGill’s club teams. The Tribune sat down with club teams to discuss their aspirations to break into the varsity scene.

Club Ultimate

McGill’s Ultimate program consists of four teams—Women’s A and B teams, and Open A and B teams—comprising a 100-person roster. Captain of the women’s team and co-president of the Ultimate Team Maia List, U3 Science, said that around 200 people tried out for the team this year, showcasing the clear interest in the sport. The team won the Canadian University Ultimate Championships from Oct. 17-19.

training facilities, and subsidised coaching.” Alarco detailed the team’s priorities of giving women athletes a chance to take their athletic careers in a different direction at university by trying out a new, popular sport.

“We have a lot of girls that come into the program with a history of gymnastics, and this team would allow them to try a different sport, if given the resources,” she stated.

Club Tennis

Emile Labrunie, U4 Engineering, is captain of McGill’s Club Tennis team, which he reports has been restricted by its club status. Although the club team has had podium success in the Tennis Quebec league, only varsity teams are allowed to travel to nationals, regardless of their season records.

Purboo, U3 Arts, expressed his appreciation that McGill Athletics made the restructuring transparent with Varsity Council after a year of rumours.

Purboo noted McGill Athletics’ contributions during recruitment are crucial for the competitiveness of the Men’s and Women’s Golf program. The team is self-funded through donations, which helps their case for the restructuring, as they are a lesser burden on McGill Athletics’ budgetary constraints.

Purboo spoke on how the varsity program’s designation as club-level would hinder the team’s community feel.

“Whether your team gets cut or not, it’s tough because the varsity teams are pretty close,” he expressed. “When you go to the

List shared that Ultimate is self-refereed, fostering a unique trust in sport worthy of celebration.

“McGill [Ultimate] is now doing so well. It would mean so much to our team and to the sport of Ultimate to have [the team] be recognized by [McGill] as an important sport,” List explained.

Club Cheerleading

Ariane Alarco, U4 Science, said the McGill Cheerleading team is part of the RSEQ circuit and fully self-funded, with athletes paying their own fees. Yet, cheerleaders are pushing for recognition on the varsity level.

“We […] started the team back up in 2021, so we’re not very competitive with other schools,” Alarco explained. “[We have] limited access to equipment, […]

Labrunie says the most important part of being a varsity team would be recognition and media attention. Being posted on McGill Athletics’ Instagram account would spread awareness of the men’s and women’s Tennis teams’ existence, which would be a positive change from the current environment in which “you have to be passionate about tennis to know McGill has a Tennis team.”

Labrunie shared that the McGill Tennis coaches—who are volunteers—have been “tenacious” with their petition to make the club a varsity sport. They email McGill Athletics every month—a reminder of their success and drive to represent McGill more formally.

Labrunie said that being a varsity team would also introduce players to a more connected community than club sports, which rarely hold inter-sport events.

“I feel like every varsity athlete knows each other. They go to each other’s matches, they have a ceremony at the end of the year for awards,” Labrunie pointed out.

“[We are] kind of being left out, and we don’t even know why. We have the level, we have the structure, we have the professionalism, we have everything to be varsity. The only thing missing is the title.”

Ultimately, each team interviewed expressed a desire for more transparency, clearer communication, more institutional support, and stronger recognition throughout the process of McGill Athletics’ restructuring.

Despite differing positions within the McGill Athletics’ program, athletes voiced a desire for fairness and community amidst the cuts. With a Town Hall update meeting scheduled for early November, student-athletes across the board hope the discussion will shed more light on McGill Athletics’ decision-making process and provide reassurance that their commitment, performance, and passion will be valued when shaping the future of sport at McGill.

Sports Editor and co-author of this piece Clara Smyrski is captain of the McGill Women’s Field Hockey team. She was not involved in the writing, editing, or publication of the ‘Field Hockey’ section of this article.

The number of teams McGill Athletics manages peaked in 2007 at 48, before being cut to 28 teams.

(Zoe Lee / The Tribune)

Kyren Lacy: A life lost, a dream stolen

NFL draft prospect Lacy took his own life less than two weeks before the draft while fighting criminal charges

Will Kennedy Contributor

Content warning: Suicide

On April 26, 2025, Cydney Theard spoke at the memorial service for her boyfriend and Louisiana State University (LSU) Football star player Kyren Lacy, who passed away on April 12. Theard delivered powerful words about who her partner was, the hopes they shared, and how a narrative pushed by the internet led to him taking his own life.

“We dreamed in simple colours. A draft day suit, our first apartment, his jersey hanging by the door. He was right there ready to step into the [National Football League (NFL)] and start the life he’d earned,” Theard shared.

In January 2025, Lacy was accused of negligent homicide and felony hit and run in Louisiana. Police claim that Lacy made a passing maneuver which led to an oncoming car swerving to avoid him and colliding into another vehicle. Lacy insisted that he had no involvement with the crash and was merely in the area.

Even after his passing, Lacy’s lawyers have worked to clear his name. In October 2025, Lacy’s lawyers released surveillance footage of the incident, showing that he was over 80 yards behind the crash when it happened. They also released bodycam footage of a sheriff pressuring a witness into changing their statement to place the blame on Lacy.

Louisiana State Police claim that it was

Lacy’s reckless driving which caused two other cars, including a Kia Cadenza operated by a woman whose identity has not been made public, to collide head-on. Lacy passed a vehicle on a stretch of single-lane highway by using the oncoming lane, a typical maneuver on rural highways—except Lacy did it in a no-passing zone. Lacy’s attorneys have never disputed this fact, but have pointed out that he merged back into his correct lane with 361 feet separating him and the closest oncoming vehicle, meaning he merged while respecting more than three times the required passing distance. Evidence thus shows that Lacy was back in his lane well prior to the colliding vehicles making any maneuvers leading up to the crash.

The district attorney (DA) also raised concerns about the way police have relied on video and audio footage that is not synced properly, making it appear that Lacy was much closer to the crash than he actually was. The DA’s report states that the Kia Cadenza was “following too close, which caused her to take evasive action to avoid hitting the back” of one of the cars in the crash. Furthermore, the DA’s findings were consistent with the account from a driver of a truck involved in the accident that the driver of the Kia Cadenza “caused that wreckage.”

Yet the media treated Lacy’s accusations as guilty until proven innocent—the opposite of how justice ought to work. Collegiate athletes are often treated like circus performers in this way, with the public forgetting that they are young people too.

Lacy did have emotional outbursts on

the football field, including one that a Barstool Sports employee used to paint him as guilty when his charges were first announced. LSU coach Brian Kelly had previously described Lacy as “high-strung” and someone who struggled with his emotional control, but followed up by saying, “That young man, I love him because he’s working on that every day.” Countless other young men of Lacy’s age have also struggled with emotional regulation, but few have had their emotional outbursts used to defame them.

Lacy would have been the fourth LSU wide receiver drafted in the first round of the NFL draft since 2020, alongside NFL stars Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Malik Nabers. (Zoe Lee / The Tribune)

the world.

Regardless of whether Lacy caused the crash, he should still be alive today. Theard spoke at his memorial service about the way people demonized him online. “They called him a monster. [….] Offline, he carried that weight so the rest of us wouldn’t.” Lacy ultimately took his own life while carrying the weight of being painted as a murderer by hundreds of thousands of strangers around

Losing the world’s game: FIFA’s ongoing ticket crisis

Merce Kellner Staff Writer

In anticipation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association’s (FIFA) 2026 World Cup, excitement for soccer’s biggest competition turned into anger from fans unable to afford tickets, highlighting public dissatisfaction with FIFA’s current ticketing model.

Beginning on June 11, the 2026 World Cup will take place in 16 cities across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. On Sept. 10, 2025, FIFA—soccer’s official governing body—released the first phase of tickets via a lottery system. It was no surprise that the tickets were a hot commodity, with over 4.5 million applicants lined up for the initial ticket release. But FIFA’s phased and dynamic ticketing system has faced significant criticism for excluding true fans, from the public and local politicians alike. With a growing demand and no price cap on tickets, the dynamic system has the potential to raise the costs of attending to an astonishing price unaffordable for many.

The current ticket process FIFA is using for the upcoming World Cup involves multiple phases. The initial pre-sale draw on Sept. 10 has been followed by a four-phase release that will conclude in 2026. FIFA has launched tickets for tournament games priced in four different categories, with Category 4 compris-

ing the cheapest seats in the upper levels of stadiums, and Category 1 including the most expensive, located closest to the field. Additionally, fans can purchase venue-specific and team-specific packages for the group stage, or the first round of the tournament matches.

Due to the demand for certain high-profile games, dynamic pricing will continue to raise the cost of these tickets closer to gameday. The cheapest ticket to the opening match is $784 CAD, and for the World Cup Final, the cheapest ‘get-in’ price runs at an exorbitant $2,842 CAD. Furthermore, no tickets are exclusively allocated for local fans. Once the official group stage draw happens on Dec. 5 in Washington DC, the World Cup’s schedule will be finalized. This means that once the matches are confirmed in each host city, the dynamic model will fluctuate prices further.

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s Democratic mayoral nominee, has been a leading voice in criticizing FIFA’s ticket pricing policy. Launching the Game Over Greed petition in September, he has actively called for FIFA to end its current dynamic pricing model. His petition demands a price cap on resale tickets and a 15 per cent discount for local fans, which would counteract the 15 per cent charge FIFA has imposed on sellers and buyers using its official ticket resale website.

The current World Cup ticket prices limit the opportunity for lower-income communities to attend the now-unaffordable

games. This concern extends beyond fans in host nations: For global supporters, the price of a match ticket, in addition to travel costs, has left many unable to cheer on their country in person. Members of the England Fans’ Embassy have criticized ticket prices, advocating for ticket allocations for fans not affected by dynamic pricing.

The greatest tragedy of all is that Lacy was not mourned properly because the world was busy vilifying him as someone he was not. It is a cautionary tale of how the public’s words deeply affect young athletes. It is important to talk about what happened to Lacy, but the more important story should be who Kyren Lacy really was.

As Theard said, “Kyren Lacy was kindness in motion. Remember him that way and let the truth at last find its light.”

2026 will mark the World Cup’s first return to North America since 1994. (Eliot Loose / The Tribune)

FIFA has a history of prioritizing financial gain over the love of the game in its decision-making. In December 2010, Russia was selected to host the 2018 World Cup, and Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup, despite claims that senior FIFA officials had received bribes in exchange for host nominations. No further investigation was conducted into the Russia and Qatar bids. In May 2015, seven FIFA officials were arrested on racketeering, fraud, and money laundering charges spanning over 24 years. The 2026 World Cup ticket debacle reflects this extensive history

of FIFA valuing money to a criminal extent, even over the voices of soccer fans. With the tournament on the horizon, there is still plenty to be done. FIFA’s current ticket model misses what makes the Cup so special. From New York City to Mexico City, to the world’s most multicultural city, Toronto, FIFA must ensure a fan base from each of these urban hubs can attend games. By valuing profit over pride, FIFA blocks the excitement and joy that these thousands of fans could bring to the tournament’s atmosphere, which is what truly makes tickets worth paying for.

Can Canada uplift AI innovation while keeping Canadians’ data safe? Takeaways from Montreal’s ALL IN AI conference

Soraya Ghassemlou Contributor

Canadians helped pioneer the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Researchers like Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto and Yoshua Bengio of Université de Montréal—known as the ‘godfathers of AI’—laid the groundwork for technologies now reshaping economies and geopolitics. Yet as AI and the race for data become the new frontier of national power, Canada finds itself fighting to keep pace.

At the ALL IN 2025 Conference, government officials, researchers, and tech leaders gathered to confront a pressing question: Can Canada reclaim its AI edge while keeping its data—and its values—under Canadian control? The conclusion: Probably not.

It is no secret that the United States leads by wide margins in AI industry research, notable models, compute capacity, and capital. While participating in a panel at the conference, Aiden Gomez, co-founder and CEO at Cohere, commented that Canada’s contributions to the field were notable nonetheless.

“Canada led the development of this technology. We were the first ones to invest in the research when no one else believed in it. There was Geoff, there was Yoshua,” Gomez said.

In a press conference at ALL IN, Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, preached about the current needs for innovation and turning ideas into businesses. Solomon specifically referred to Martha White, a University of Alberta machine-learning professor who raised 7 million CAD in her first round using AI for global water treatment solutions. Is this enough to compete with the American AI industry?

Other countries have already begun implementing AI to make government processes more efficient. In a keynote speech, His Excellency Mohamed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—the country of honour of the conference—explained how his government is making the most of AI.

“94 per cent of our court proceedings are all done online. People do not need to visit courts. [....] We use artificial intelligence here to summarize the proceedings between all parties and simplify the process on the judge to get the information and make a decision on the spot,” he said. “We have reduced 33 percent of the time taken to complete court proceedings by using artificial intelligence in courts.”

Bin Taliah also explained how the UAE government employs biometric scanning in their airports.

“People travelling through the UAE airports can get through the airport without even getting their passports out of their pockets.”

The Canadian government’s implementation to make AI more efficient looks a bit different. Lucy Hargreaves, co-founder and CEO of Build Canada, announced the release of its first “AI member of parliament.” It ingests bills that are introduced in the House of Commons as well as the Senate and analyzes them. Given that this AI MP

just makes OpenAI GPT-5 calls, Canada has essentially announced employing ChatGPT in parliament to help parse bills. Minister Solomon referred to models from Cohere, a Canadian company, as “our strategically important LLM[s]” during the Canada AI Strong panel, emphasizing the need to use sovereign models and to support Canadian innovation. This is surprising given that the AI MP uses an American company’s model.

Canada also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian AI company Cohere to explore deploying their technologies within the government, aiming to expedite public service operations and build Canada’s commercial capabilities for domestic use and export.

Beyond internal governmental implementations, what is more economically relevant is the need to compete with both AI products and AI-powered products, while also maintaining data as a resource. At the Canada AI Strong panel, Minister Solomon emphasized the demand for tools to keep up with the shifting times, as well as the need for Canadians to trust the new tools being developed. He also referred to the idea of “Sovereign compute”, which would keep Canadian data under Canadian Law.

Computational sovereignty emerged as a recurring theme during the conference. Canadian companies and individuals often outsource cloud computing to American servers. For example, if someone wanted to train a model they designed but did not have the computational resources to do it, the task would often be outsourced to servers with graphics processing units (GPUs) in the United States. If compute resources in Canada were used instead, data would not need to flow across Canadian borders, making it less vulnerable to international security risks.

Minister Solomon was one of the most prominent voices on this topic, supporting innovation while implying the need for data protection. However, in some cases, innovation comes at the cost of weaker data security.

“Data is king. Whoever controls it, whoever uses it, whoever governs it will determine our collective prosperity and our security and sometimes our values. [....] The EU, a couple years ago went ahead and they tried to regulate, and they have found and they’re quite open about it that it’s done some good things, but it’s constrained a lot of innovation,” Solomon said.

Canadians are concerned about cybersecurity risks, and loss of privacy and intellectual property when it comes to AI; however, distrust in how the government uses Canadians’ data could be misplaced in comparison to how data is being used by companies abroad. During

Minister Solomon’s press conference, he was asked what qualifies as sensitive personal data that must be protected versus nonsensitive personal data that can be exported as a resource and sold. While not explicitly drawing the line between sensitive and nonsensitive data, Solomon mentioned the need to make Canadians feel safe and protected.

“[It is important to make] sure that Canadians have control over their, you know, on privacy issues and our data,” Solomon said. “That doesn’t mean restricting data flows across borders. People need that.”

While Canadians’ concerns about the government’s use of their data are valid, this mistrust ignores how their data is already being employed by companies abroad. Most Canadian data already flows freely across borders—with Canadians’ consent. Every day, Canadians willingly supply personal and behavioural data to foreign platforms that train and deploy AI models at scales far beyond government oversight.

For example, Facebook’s privacy policy indicates the routine extraction of less frequently considered data for a variety of purposes, such as personalizing user experiences. It tracks created content, time spent on their products, friends/followers/ connections, device characteristics and information, content users interact with and how, ‘device signals,’ location-related data, among other information. This data is transferred globally to their data centres and externally to Meta’s partners, third parties, and service providers. The average person does not think twice about accepting the user agreement and consenting to supply this data; with Canadians already having such low AI literacy, this is quite concerning.

After 2018 reports showed Cambridge

Analytica used Facebook user information to build systems that profiled individual American voters, targeting them with political advertisements, Mark Zuckerberg testified at a U.S. congressional hearing. This led the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to investigate Facebook’s compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The Commissioner concluded that simply clicking agree to lengthy terms and conditions does not imply that the average reasonable person would understand the nature and consequences of data collection.

This remains true today. It is unlikely that the average Canadian takes the time to understand how their data is being essentially fracked for use by foreign app providers with the click of an agree button. Moreover, it is unlikely that the government will control data that Canadians freely sign away as a condition of the foreign services they rely on. It is also unclear what security risks it imposes on the nation as a whole.

Ultimately, Canadians helped invent modern artificial intelligence, but now Canadian industries struggle to compete in the international market. At the same time, while policymakers emphasize sovereign data and safe innovation, Canadians continue to export their data daily through foreign platforms that operate beyond the jurisdiction of the government.

Canada’s next chapter in AI will hinge on more than regulation—it will depend on whether the country can cultivate literacy and the technical backbone to achieve independence. The challenge is reconciling the vision of digital sovereignty with the truth that accepted privacy policies do not respect borders.

The conference had over 6,500 attendees. (Lilly Guilbeault / The Tribune)

Stop-and-go: How male and female hockey players move differently

Motion technology reveals the kinematics of skating

James Levitsky Contributor

Hockey is a key component of Canadian culture, as it is our national sport and a great source of joy and pride. Whether played competitively, in gym class, or just for fun on a frozen lake, hockey unites players across the country. Yet despite its importance to many across various ages and identities, variances in the mechanics of skating between males and females remain largely understudied.

Female participation in ice hockey has been increasing steadily, with a 34 per cent increase in registered players from 2007 to 2018, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation. While there is ample research on male player movements, female players remain underrepresented in the scientific literature, despite fundamental anatomical differences that impact the way they move, play, and train.

Shawn Robbin, associate professor in the school of Physical and Occupational Therapy, leads a lab working to develop this knowledge base, diving into the science of movement in ice hockey and exploring how equipment and player traits influence performance on the ice. The lab partners with Bauer Hockey and uses federal funding to help athletes move efficiently and reduce their risk of injury, with McGill students playing a key role in the research.

In a recent paper published in the International Journal of Performance Analysis

in Spor t, Robbins explored the kinematic differences between male and female athletes who participated in a stop-and-go task.

McGill varsity hockey players were asked to perform traditional hockey stops, then take a few strides in the opposite direction at different speeds. The researchers then used motion capture technology to study how males and females differ in stop and start movements on the ice. The researchers found that females tend to stay more upright relative to their starting position, while males get much lower to the ice when they stop.

“We found that male players tend to lower themselves faster and have more flexion in their hip and knee joints, which helps them absorb and explode out of stops,” Robbins said in an interview with The Tribune

Another study found that female ice hockey players reported proportionately more soft tissue injuries, strains, and sprains, while males experienced more fractures.

Although sex-specific injury types were not the focus of this study, Robbins noted that several factors contribute to differences between sexes. However, it is difficult to parse exactly how much each factor contributes.

“It’s a bit more clear, in other sports like soccer, that movement plays a role in injury, especially in female athletes. That’s not as clear in hockey,” Robbins said. “Obviously, there’s other differences as well, in terms of hormone levels [and] muscle

strength. I think that biomechanics may have a piece in injuries, […] [and] how players move will have a piece in terms of injury, but it’s [related to] the other factors too.”

Robbins emphasized that the study requires a collaborative effort. While his role during the experiment was mostly to process and analyze raw data on the computer, McGill students at the lab, such as master’s student Aiden Hallihan, conducted many of the actual tests under professors’ supervision. In other words, successful research requires a dedicated community of scientists, including everyone from undergraduate research assistants to lab directors.

Moving forward, the lab will continue to test new and advanced motion capture systems to expand its research. While this study focused exclusively on elite varsitylevel players, their current research is aimed at younger and recreational players.

“With the data from elite players, [we] can compare it to recreational players and see if there are similar [sex] differences and how [players] can improve their game,” Robbins said.

Overall, Robbins’ research challenges traditional gender bias in sports research. His work advances player development and safety across genders, making the world of hockey research more equitable.

There are not plenty more fish in the river: A story on endangered Quebec fish Recent study uncovers how pesticides threaten the endemic copper redhorse

Antoine Larocque Staff Writer

Copper redhorses, a kind of freshwater fish, are the only vertebrates found exclusively in Quebec. However, their population is declining. Recent evidence suggests that the ‘recruitment’—a measure similar to birth rate—has dropped in the past few years.

Hugo Marchand, a postdoctoral researcher in Jessica Head’s ecotoxicology laboratory at McGill’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences, recently collaborated on a paper examining the threats facing young copper redhorses.

Copper redhorses have only two spawning sites, and both are in the Richelieu River. Since most of the watershed is occu-

pied by agricultural land, the researchers hypothesized that pesticide runoff contributes to the mortality of young fish.

“Pesticides, which are often applied during or just before the breeding season, are washed off in the river every time there is heavy rain,” Marchand said in an interview with The Tribune

In a previous study, the researchers exposed fish embryos to two treatments: River water and laboratory water. Embryos raised in river water had a 15 per cent lower survival rate during their first two weeks of life, which is significant given that copper redhorses typically have a lifespan of up to 30 years.

In the team’s most recent study, they collected daily water samples from the two spawning sites and from two tributaries—rivers that join a larger river rather than flowing directly to the ocean—to determine whether the pesticide concentration during the breeding season could explain the low recruitment rate.

The researchers used an additional longterm sampling method to assess how contaminant levels change over time. The laboratory

analyses revealed a cocktail of contaminants in the Richelieu River.

“There are obviously a lot of pesticides,” Marchand noted. “There are also a lot of pharmaceutical and personal care products because [the Richelieu River watershed] is also an inhabited area. Even though the wastewater is filtered, filtration is not the best, and the [wastewater treatment] plants in the area are known to overflow.”

Some pesticide concentrations exceeded the water quality guideline thresholds set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. The researchers even detected chemicals that were banned around 30 years ago, showing how persistent these compounds are in the environment.

Marchand emphasized the need for ongoing water monitoring to track changes in the river’s chemical composition. New pesticides and new regulations can influence what compounds are found in the river, and so can natural changes in river flow from year to year, both factors that contribute to the river’s contamination.

Beyond assessing water quality, the team tested the toxicity of four individual pesticides on early-life-stage fish. None of them had an impact on survival.

“It does not mean that these pesticides in the [river] mixture are not causing the effect, but individually, we cannot pinpoint which one caused the effect that we observe [in the river],” Marchand said.

Moreover, contaminants may have indirect effects on copper redhorses.

“Even though we measured the effects [of pesticides] on the fish, we did not measure the effects on their food,” Marchand said. “[Their food] is all invertebrates, which are most likely going to be much more vulnerable to pesticides.”

Moving forward, Marchand aims to establish the lowest concentrations of river contaminants that induce changes in gene expression in young fish, thereby helping policymakers set more precise safety thresholds.

He also expressed concern about the expansion of the Contrecœur Port Terminal. If the Major Projects Office, established by Mark Carney to accelerate the approval of major projects in Canada, approves the construction project, it will inevitably destroy aquatic vegetation beds—the habitat of copper redhorses. Although the Species at Risk Act prohibits the destruction of an endangered species’ habitat, the Major Projects Office may still propel the project forward. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society has launched a petition opposing the project. To protect copper redhorses, the organization COVABAR is raising awareness in communities along the watershed. Marchand also recommends vegetating the riverbanks, restoring natural riverbanks to improve water quality, and implementing agricultural practices that reduce pesticide use. Through a combination of conservation strategies, the currently endangered copper redhorse may persist for generations to come.

More than 115,000 women and girls registered to play for Hockey Canada this year, marking the highest number of participants in Canadian history. (Lilly Guilbeault / The Tribune)

Why local politics matters

Malika Logossou Managing Editor

Getting my driver’s license a few years ago was the highlight of my teenage years. I finally felt like I had the keys to freedom—able to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted—and, most importantly, to venture downtown to hang out with friends. But driving in Montreal quickly humbled me. Construction cones seem to multiply overnight, and finding parking is a literal nightmare. My friends and I always complain about how overpriced parking is, and joke that it’s easier to get a parking ticket than to find a free spot.

But it turns out, small frustrations like these are not random. Instead, they

are shaped by one thing that rarely crosses most students’ minds: Municipal elections. Many, like myself, tend to fixate on the federal and provincial elections that dominate the headlines. Federal elections determine national leadership, while provincial elections shape healthcare, education, property and civil rights, and more. However, the decisions that affect our daily lives and community—including parking spots—are made at the municipal level. And yet, very few vote.

In Montreal, the last municipal election in 2021 saw a turnout of a mere one-third of Montrealers, with younger constituents dragging this number down. Among those aged 18 to 35, only 29 per cent voted, and among those aged 18 to 24, only two out of 10. These numbers are shocking considering how municipalities are our closest level of government. City-wide administrations maintain more than 60 per cent of infrastructure and are responsible for a wide range of services, including road maintenance, community programs, waste management, land use, environmental protection, law enforcement, social services, local public safety, and what we love most in winter—snow removal.

Many young people don’t vote because they believe their vote will not make a difference, and others simply ignore the importance of municipal politics. However, choosing not to vote cedes power to others, leaving decisions about your city’s priorities, your environment, and your quality of life in the hands of people you did not elect.

Exercising your right to vote is what sustains a truly representative democracy. It gives you the leverage to advocate for issues you care about, while also holding leaders accountable to push for policies that reflect your community’s needs. Concerns about bike lanes versus parking spots, rising populations of unhoused people in the city, food insecurity, and housing initiatives, among many others, fall under municipal responsibility. While complaining about the inadequacies of Montreal’s city government is easy, voting is the first and most important step towards actually addressing them. Moreover, voting is a civic duty that must not be taken for granted. In many countries, individuals are still fighting for the right to vote and participate in free and fair elections, often risking their lives to have a say in

In de clerb, we all fam: Clubbing culture at McGill

how they are governed. Right now, 38 per cent of the global population lives in countries classified as democratically ‘not free.’ And though Canada may now have free and fair elections, this critical democratic structure came only after decades of advocating for women’s suffrage, voting rights for non-property owners, suffrage for the incarcerated, and the abolition of race-based limitations on electoral participation. By voting, you honour the efforts of those who fought for democratic rights and ensure that decisions affecting your city, community, and daily life reflect your voice.

This year, municipal elections are on Nov. 2nd, and voting will take place at your local polling stations. The date to register for voting has already passed, so if you are eligible and on the list, go vote. Especially given that municipal voter turnout is alarmingly low, it is more true than ever that every vote counts. If you haven’t had the chance to register for these municipal elections, take this as a reminder for next time—whether it’s in Montreal or your own city—to use your voice and help shape your community for the better. Complaining won’t fix the city, but voting just might.

Clubbing is a popular choice to release steam, but safety concerns are serious

Rachel Blackstone Staff Writer

Content warning: Sexual violence

You’re 18, sitting in your dorm on your first Friday night in Montreal. Syllabus week was daunting, and you’ve met what feels like a million people. Your minifridge is stocked with your first legal Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) purchases. What do you do? Head to Café Campus with new friends.

Clubbing culture at McGill is strong. The unofficial McGill slogan, Work Hard, Play Hard , rings true for many who enjoy drinking, dancing, and late nights out. But what does clubbing really feel like for those immersed in the culture?

Despite its crowded nature, clubbing can be an incredibly personal experience. A night out can be tailored to match your every preference. The genre of music, type of people, and style of dress vary greatly among the city’s nightlife institutions, allowing eager students to search for their “Goldilocks” option—whatever feels just right . Whether you treat the club as an arena to meet new people, or as a space to release stress with your best friends, it can act as an exodus of the week’s burdens.

In an interview with The Tribune, Sahar Jafferbhoy, U3 Arts, expressed that clubbing fervour is most prominent

among first-year students.

“I think it’s the newfound freedom. You’re 18, you don’t really go [out] before [starting university], and you’re meeting all these new people. You’re wanting to do all these new experiences with these new people you’re meeting.”

For some, especially women and other visible minorities, safety concerns cannot be ignored when planning or partaking in a night out at the clubs. According to Statistics Canada, one in three women experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in public in 2018. Furthermore, the sexual expectations that hook-up culture places on women, combined with intoxication from substance use, can pose serious safety concerns for women on a night out.

Susanna Nowak, U2 Education, explained to The Tribune , “People know what is [appropriate], and some people just don’t care to follow social etiquette anymore. It becomes really awkward when you’re telling people multiple times, ‘Hey. What are you doing? That’s not okay.’”

Jafferbhoy explained further that she always carries a rape alarm when she goes to clubs. “I would never go anywhere in the club on my own. Even to the bathroom, I’d go with the other girls.”

Some women feel safer when they go out with guy friends, since they feel that their presence offers some protec -

tion against unfamiliar men. Noemie Bisaillon, U2 Education, expressed that experience: “[I feel safer] If there are a few guys in the group, just ‘cause you kind of feel like men are more likely to listen to other men.”

While some students go to the club looking for romantic partners, this isn’t everyone’s prerogative. To make clubbing safer and more enjoyable for everyone, we must recognize the necessity of clear and enthusiastic consent. After all, we should never assume the intentions or desires of anyone, especially strangers.

Deniz Tarman, U1 Engineering says, “I think [clubbing] is pretty fantastic. With all the problems it has, I think [Montreal] is a great clubbing city. I think issues regarding safety and violence are a general humanity issue, and dare I say a general man issue.”

Despite the risks, the clubs are full and many women still find the activity fun and enjoyable. “I love the vibes. I love the environment, the atmosphere. Everyone’s always in a good mood. I love a wee boogie, I love a wee dance. I love going with my friends,” adds Jafferbhoy.

Montreal will become the first city in Canada to allow 24-hour drinking. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)

All you think about is how you look At McGill, the quiet pressure to look ‘put-together’ follows students into every space.

Maria Hamdaoui Contributor

Many women are preoccupied with how they look, not because they’re shallow, but because that’s what they’ve been taught to value. From a young age, girls are celebrated as ‘cute’ or ‘pretty’ before they’re praised for being smart or brave. Those comments add up, shaping the belief that their value lies in their appearance rather than their minds and personalities

“I think this pressure tends to affect women more because they’re held to a higher standard by society than men. There are certain clothes men and women can both wear, yet a woman is more likely to get criticized for it,” explained Abby George, U2 Arts, in a written statement to The Tribune . The awareness of how women look starts early, and for many, it never goes away.

“I definitely think there is some kind of ‘look’ for students, mostly to be dressed relatively well and less just whatever you can find in your drawers,” George added.

Her comment captures a shared understanding: On campus, effort is expected to look effortless. It’s not about dress -

ing up, exactly; it’s more about looking like you belong here. That awareness extends beyond clothing. Small insecurities can become constant background noise.

Sukaina Haider, U1 Science, shared in a written statement to The Tribune that when her skin breaks out, it makes it harder for her to focus on anything else.

“[My acne] honestly distracts me from paying attention to a lecture. Not the end of the world, but it does affect me to a certain extent.”

Even something as common as acne can impact a student’s focus. And while it can be inspiring to be surrounded by people who take pride in how they carry themselves, it can also pressure you to do the same, even on days you just want to show up in crocs or sweatpants.

“There is definitely a social media impact, especially in our generation,” Mihade Mastour, U2 Science, shared in an interview with The Tribune

That illusion of effortlessness becomes its own kind of work, one that seeps quietly into daily life. You scroll through social media and see a constant stream of ‘must-have’ skincare routines, outfit ideas, the next thing you apparently need to feel complete. Trends circulate so quickly that it’s almost impossible to

Haunted happenings at McGill

Between student life and afterlife

Jamie Xie Staff Writer

On certain nights, when the odd moon glows pale and crooked over campus, McGill is an impossibly-held breath of swallowed light. In a certain Burnside basement lie the remnants of something remarkably gruesome: The dark undertow of a winding tunnel that seems too narrow, a labyrinthine corridor folding in on itself, a lung collapsing under its own weight.

It is the hall with eyes, a series of miraculous misgivings—something seven feet tall which stalks on its hind legs and does not wish to be seen. Footsteps trail no fewer than five steps behind you; it is faster, smarter, hungrier than you—a violent warning that if you can hear it, it has already heard you. Counting down from 10 like a game of hide and seek, it is a church bell chiming, marking its own hour of death. Drawn tight like a curtain, the route promises passage to Otto Maass. How tragically human that we are so often proven poor liars—prone to promises we cannot keep, prone to keeping things that aren’t ours. Time remembers a naive freshman who wandered down this passage to nowhere.

Some student encounters blend mundanity with the uncanny. In an interview with The Tribune , Cedric Phillips, U3 Science, reported a bizarre incident in the Islamic Studies Library which defies explanation; over the course of an hour, three books tumbled from the shelves without warning.

“No one was even near the shelves. It was sort of a sanity check for me,” he said.

keep up.

George explained that fleeting viral trends add another layer of stress to selfpresentation on campus.

“I feel like these trends definitely do affect students, and probably those at McGill. I find I do see it in certain students—there are actually many that wear sweatpants and sweatshirt combos, but they have the clean girl hair and makeup to make it seem like they did this effortlessly but actually put a lot of care into their outfit.”

Still, students are finding ways to resist these pressures. Girls are distancing themselves from any kind of expectation about how women should dress by remembering that the priority is how they feel in their clothes. Instead of dressing according to trends, they dress for how they feel that day, and choose clothes that make them comfort -

able, grounded, and able to focus on themselves rather than how they appear. Worrying about your appearance steals time and energy that could be spent chasing ideas and ambitions. The challenge for young women today is to break away from these cycles.

The truth is that no reflection or appearance defines you the way your mind, your work, and your passions do. Young women at McGill are some of the most creative, capable people, and it would be disheartening to see them feel any sense of insecurity about how they look.

“Whatever it is either really hates me or really hates undergrads.”

Ominous flickering lights have been reported in other corners of campus.

Linc Ketchate, U3 Engineering, recounted eerie lights in the Trottier basement and Arts building in an interview with The Tribune . “As soon as it gets dark out, there’s something creepy happening in there, and it’s not just BdA.”

Ketchate suggests that these experiences may be shaped by the collective anxieties that define student life, highlighting the constant stress to perform, particularly

during midterm season and amid external pressures such as the STM strike, which make familiar spaces feel hostile and almost otherworldly.

With many students coming from abroad or leaving home for the first time, university life can be a profoundly isolating experience. For Layla Issa, U2 Arts, this loneliness became especially tangible during reading week. While her friends returned home to see their families, she stayed behind, studying late into the night on the second floor of McLennan Library. It was there, she recalled in an interview

with The Tribune , lights blinked out— leaving students literally and figuratively in the dark.

“When the lights went out and everyone looked up at the same time it was like this weird moment of camaraderie,” she says.

Jasmine Ma, U3 Arts, showcased her psychology background in an interview with The Tribune about McGill’s haunted nature. “As the dark is coming in and the days get shorter, it’s unsurprising that the brain can play tricks on us in this kind of collective psychosis.”

In an interview with The Tribune, Nesrine Yala, U1 Arts, reflected on the bonds that shared fright forges in a cultural context.

“Ghost stories often bring people together. Even though they’re about something negative or scary, fear, injustice, they create a sense of community.”

For Issa, the experience became less about fear and more about empathy.

“Some things can’t always be explained, I’m not sure if I believe in the paranormal but I believe in energies. That’s where empathy comes out. It’s through these lived experiences that McGill shares a common heart.”

It is unclear whether McGill’s ghosts are real or imagined—if the shadow slipping through Burnside’s tunnels is born of memory, or the anxiety of midterm allnighters. But what remains is undeniable: The strange pulse of something unspoken, which breathes new light into the university’s collective imagination.

The ‘effortless’ campus look has been circulating in student culture long before TikTok gave it a name. (Sophie Schuyler / The Tribune)

Gwen Olart, U2 Arts, shared photo evidence of a haunted hallway in Birks Reading Room, noting flickering lights in the basement of the former chapel. “It seems less of a suggestion, more a warning to take your shoes off there,” she says. (Eliot Loose / The Tribune)