The McGill Tribune Vol. 38 Issue 3

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 | VOL. 38 | ISSUE 3

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

EDITORIAL

FEATURE

NEWS

Toward a more democraticallyengaged student body

A cloudy future

Meet the execs

PG. 5

PGs. 8-9

PGs. 2-3 (Sophia White / The McGill Tribune)

Cafes that are actually condusive to studying: Saint-Henri edition

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Blind law student files complaint against McGill University Christina Bedard Contributor After finding out that he failed six of his classes last April, Didier Chelin, a blind student from the McGill Faculty of Law, decided to file a complaint against McGill University with the Quebec Human Rights Commission (CDPDJ).

Chelin alleges that the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and the Faculty failed to accommodate his disability and mental health issues.

During a press conference held by Chelin in August, he explained that the OSD failed to act as a mediator between his rehabilitation centre and professors, which resulted in him

spending two months without class material during his first semester in 2014. He needed the material in advance so that his centre, the Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille (INLB), could transcribe it in an electronic format. Additionally, Chelin needed a scribe for exams and assignments. The OSD, as mandated by the Ministry of Education through the Programme

d’allocation pour des besoins particuliers, is tasked with securing funding for resources essential to its students—such as scribes—by completing forms on their behalf. The OSD allegedly failed to fulfill their responsibilities, leaving Chelin to rely on friends and family members for help until he had no choice but to hire a scribe himself.

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Community and remembrance at McGill welcomes inspiring new the ‘Atwater Poetry Project’ science professors Indigenous artists gather at the Atwater Library for monthly performance Leo Stillinger Contributor Since 2004, the Atwater Poetry Project has brought poetry to the Atwater Library on a monthly basis. On Sept.

20, the library hosted three women writing about indigenous life in

Canada, coinciding with Indigenous Awareness Weeks. Each poet brought to light the persistent force and beauty of Indigenous identity.

The evening began with a reading from a McGill alumnus, Carolyn Marie Souaid (BA ‘81, Education Diploma ‘83), who recounted her

experience in Northern Quebec where she was sent in 1983 as a studentteacher in McGill’s Department of Education.

Souaid read three pieces written at different periods of her life. Each poem revolved around a single event: A day trip out on the land with a 17-yearold Inuit boy.

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Some of the world’s best scientists share their academic journeys and best advice Oceane Marescal Contributor McGill University is world-renowned for the quality and exceptional range of its scientific research. Such excellence is made possible by its professors, competitively selected from among the

world’s best scientists. This year, 17 new professors joined McGill’s Faculty of Science. The McGill Tribune got to know four of the departments newest additions.

Cynthia Chiang: Physics Cynthia Chiang joins the Department of Physics

as a cosmologist, studying the history, structure, and evolution of the universe. Using specialized telescopes, Chiang seeks to discover how and when the universe began, what it’s made of, and what’s in store for its future.

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news

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

MEET THE EXECS The McGill Tribune reached out to the President and Vice-Presidents (VPs) of the Students’ Society of McGill University. Here’s what they had to say about their work and their hopes for the future.

Tre Mansdoerfer President

What have you done this summer?

“I spent time working on new initiatives, improving our internal documentation/structures, and finding space for student groups on campus. Regarding new initiatives, I reached out to over 70 student body presidents across Canada and the US to learn about what initiatives they have at their schools [....] Our internal documentation was severely outdated, I spent time collecting and verifying numerous sessions of the Board of Directors and Legislative Councils from previous years [....] Finally, [VP Student Life Sophia Esterle and I] spent significant time finding building space on campus. Working with [campus groups…], we are hoping to mitigate the impact of not having a SSMU building.”

What are you working on now?

“Two of [SSMU’s new] committees include the Fall Reading Week Committee and Governance Reform Committee [....] We’re hoping to engage on the fall reading week conversation more seriously than what was done in previous years [....We’re working on] the Governance Reform Committee, which VP University Affairs Jacob Shapiro has committed significant time to. We’re hoping to critically evaluate SSMU’s governance structures and work on reforming the structure of groups like the Board of Directors.”

What challenges do you foresee this year?

“The biggest challenge for this year is the building closure. Not having a building significantly hurts clubs, services, and operations such as Gerts. Knowing this, [Sophia Esterle and I] have spent a lot of our time [...] helping groups get additional space on campus. We’ll continue to put our time into helping out clubs and services as much as we can so that student life on campus is not severely impacted.”

JACOB SHAPIRO

Vice-President University Affairs What have you done this summer?

“Firstly, I spent time both reading key documents and policies, and meeting different McGill staff and administrators [....] Secondly, I set priorities with Senators and UA staff. Thirdly, I began working on my top two goals: setting up a intergenerational homeshare pilot project and creating resources to help facilitate more effective advocacy work by senators and undergraduates sitting on university committees. Fourthly, a number of issues arose over the summer, and I played a supporting role in [...keeping] up the pressure after the walkout in April as well as in helping to lay the groundwork for the successful Divest vote at Senate.”

What are you working on now?

“I am now working on understanding whether [my proposed Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory grading scheme is] feasible to implement [....] We have received initial interest in the Associate Senate position, and I have been working on setting that up, as it will help build our capacity and institutional memory at Senate. I have been working to further past work on Fall Reading Week, Open Educational Resources, and increasing university support for students from [foster] care.”

What challenges do you foresee this year?

“One large challenge that I see for this year relates to student consultation. The Provost’s Office is currently conducting a review of the scope and orientation of Office of the Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning). The committee was supposed to finish its work in June; however, its work is still not complete and, as such, students are rather in the dark [....] We also saw major changes to Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) announced over the summer and with little student consultation.”

news

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

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Sophia ESTERLE / Vice-President Student Life What have you done this summer?

“I took on a lot of the communication with both our clubs and within SSMU, [and also with our banks]. [We’ve been looking] to find space, and I’ve coordinated with all of our student groups to [hear] their needs [....] I also worked [...] to clean up our list of clubs and make sure we had an updated list of everything, and also worked [...] on the new interface/login system they are developing for clubs. Finally, [I worked on] Activities Night.The change of locations was quite a challenge, [and,] this year [,] I attempted to organize it a bit more by assigning tables and publishing a set floor plan with all of the groups, as well as creating an entirely new layout and organization of the tables [....] I hope everyone enjoyed the event!”

What are you working on now?

“Right now, my main priority is building space. I want to make sure that as many groups as possible can function and be successful this year.We also have mental illness awareness week at the end of the month [...] being organized for the first time, which is very exciting.Additionally, I’ve been working with Rez Life to set up an event in residences centered around mental health throughout the year.”

What challenges do you foresee this year?

“I think the [building closure] is extremely challenging, it brings on a lot of unforeseen labour and organization around my portfolio, and has definitely gotten in the way of some of the projects I wish I would’ve had the time to work on this summer.”

MATTHEW MCLAUGHLIN / Vice-President Internal What have you done this summer?

“I oversaw Crash Pad, a service that allows froshies who live far from campus to sleep in a safe place on campus [....] Additionally, I launched a new [alcohol-free] Frosh event: a free night of laser tag and snacks [....] I also spearheaded SSMU’s first-ever participation in the Montreal Pride Parade (and expressed my incredulity that it took this long for us to march) [...and] a free screening of Deadpool 2 on Lower Field, complete with free food!”

What are you working on now?

“There’s so much happening! [....] The First Year Council (FYC) elections are imminent, the centralized calendar (one of my platform promises) is underway, the listservs are thriving, [and] my policy onVIP culture at SSMU events is going to [Legislative] Council [....] As co-chair of the McGill Alumni-Student Engagement Council and a member of the Life After Your Degree Committee, I’m working with the McGill Alumni Association to plan networking and professional development events and to create a stronger link between students and alumni. I’m excited to implement [...] a new social media strategy that will highlight the faces of SSMU.”

What challenges do you foresee this year?

“History shows that the SSMU executive is incredibly prone to internal turmoil. When you spend upwards of 70 hours a week in a role, working remarkably closely with five other passionate people (in a high-stress, politically-charged environment), it can feel like intense discord and animosity is inevitable.That said, I believe that our executive entered office acutely aware of this risk; we’ve worked hard to nip any potential interpersonal issues in the bud and we’ve set clear ground rules for how we will conduct ourselves this year.”

JUN WANG / Vice-President Finance What have you done this summer?

“I have worked on a game plan to increase financial literacy among the membership of SSMU, especially among clubs and ser vices. Currently, many students are left in the dark [with regard to] how to approach SSMU finances. To combat this issue, I have created an accounting guide to demystify the compliance process of the accounting depar tment and to teach clubs and ser vices how to budget accordingly. In the same vein, I am working on finance templates to give clubs and ser vices guidelines to approach their budget. I helped facilitate the club bank transition over the summer and reviewed the internal finance and governance controls for clubs to find methods to improve on them. I developed a new funding process and help streamline the backend workflow with my funding commissioners.”

What are you working on now?

“I am working on the club bank transition to provide clubs with online banking functionalities through renegotiating a new bank agreement. The most pressing issue on my agenda is to minimize incurred expenses given the building closure [and delayed opening] and its impact on the investment por tfolio. One of the way[s] to minimize the impact is to optimize the cash use of other depar tments that aren’t directly impacted by SSMU’s operating budget. I am also reevaluating the internal accounting procedures with the controller to find ways to improve on it such as the accounting forms. I am also recommissioning the Financial Ethics Committee and developing a Purchase/Investment Policy to replace the one that expired.”

What challenges do you foresee this year?

“The lack of revenue from our operations and space accommodation for student groups will be the biggest roadblock ahead. Fur thermore, I anticipate that centralizing processes and structure [...] with minimum backlash will be difficult, but it’s something that fundamentally needs to [be overhauled to] foster long-term financial sustainability. Other challenges will be finding new software that will synergize with developing better workflow and internal controls [...This] will be a massive endeavour that I hope my successors will take up in my footsteps.”

MARINA CUPIDO / Vice-President External Vice-President External Marina Cupido did not respond to requests for comment in time for print, but Mansdoerfer commented on her activities thus far.

“Marina Cupido’s work has involved numerous projects and initiatives related to external and community affairs, working with on-campus groups like Divest McGill, Elections SSMU, and Rad Frosh. They were a point of contact with SSMU for ongoing campus initiatives like the Taskforce on Renaming and Commemoration, the Ad Hoc Senate Committee on Teaching Staff-Student Intimate Relationships, and the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support, and Education.” “[Cupido] has also coordinated with other SSMU-led research initiatives into harmful military technology and austerity, and liaised between SSMU and provincial student unions like UÉQ and AVÉQ.”

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news

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Blind law student files complaint against McGill University

Quebec Human Rights Commission sought for accessibility Christina Bedard Contributor Moreover, due to his late access to course material, Chelin repeatedly needed to stay up all night, which eventually resulted in generalized anxiety. Following a mental health crisis in May 2017, wherein Chelin experienced suicidal thoughts, the OSD did not give him an opportunity to receive a diagnosis or therapy, a situation that is still persisting over a year after the event. He resorted to seeking help from a private psychologist, once again paying out-of-pocket.

The complaint is set to be officially filed with the CDPDJ by October, but the process will be arduous. Once the Commission receives the complaint, it has to decide if it can intervene and whether it should. If the Commission decides to proceed with the complaint, the parties have the opportunity to settle in mediation. If mediation fails, the file is transferred to an investigator who collects evidence and testimonies to enable the CDPDJ Complaint Committee to make a decision. If corrective measures are suggested, McGill will be the obligated to respect them or else risk facing a lawsuit.

“There is a clear pattern of systemic discrimination from the OSD through the adoption of policies that work against the interests of students with a permanent dis-

Chelin suggests McGill should follow the example of l’Université de Montréal, which prints informative guides to educate the community.

(Leanne Young / The McGill Tribune)

ability,” Chelin said. “The Law Faculty has a disposition to take on rigid accommodation policies that are inappropriate and unresponsive to the distinct situations each students are [faces].”

This litigation provides an opportunity to thoroughly examine the treatment and support offered to disabled students within the University.

“Due to the number of systemic barriers involved [in Chelin’s case], we will also be looking at the global situation regarding

the access of students with disabilities to McGill services, programs, and activities,” explained Fo Niemi, head of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, the organization through which Chelin is filing his complaint.

Advocating for students in need of special accommodations is the role of the Students Affairs Office (SAO), but students are sometimes left to advocate for themselves and, without support from the SAO, the struggle can be overwhelming. Julie Tee-Mi-

chaud, a student suffering from an autoimmune disease which affects her mobility, also had troubles with the SAO and the Law Faculty throughout her years as a law student.

“There are people who are allies and genuinely caring,” Tee-Michaud said. “Unfortunately, others in positions of authority are making a conscious decision by creating and enforcing policies of systemic discrimination.”

When asked for their perspective, the OSD chose not to comment on the matter.

Shooting on St. Laurent shocks students

Students express concerns related to safety and nightlife Abeer Almahdi Opinion Editor On Sept. 16 at about 2 a.m, a 27-yearold man was shot on Boul. St. Laurent. The shooting took place close to the intersection of St. Laurent and Avenue des Pins. A media relations officer from the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) said on Friday that the victim is known to the police and is no longer in critical condition. The officer also said that there are currently no known suspects and that the police have made no arrests.

“There were a lot of people on St. Laurent Boulevard that night because the street was closed to the cars, so it was a pedestrian area,” the officer said. “So, a few witnesses have been finally localized in the crowd.”

The officer also stated that detectives are in the process of meeting with witnesses and the victim to further advance the investigation.

Boul. St. Laurent is home to many bars and clubs, such as Cafe Campus, Muzique, and Tokyo, that are popular weekend destinations for McGill students. Gabriel Helfant, U2 Arts, was at Apartment 200, a club close to the crime scene on the night of the shooting.

“While going out for a quick breather with my friends, our conversation was interrupted by the sound of three gunshots,” Helfant said. “I noticed that everyone started running away from the centre of the block and we followed suit.”

The shooting was disturbing for Helfant

and his friends.

“A few of my friends saw the events from a window above the club, where you could actually see the body and the blood,” Helfant said. “I have friends who saw more graphic versions of the event, and they were really troubled by it, more than I was, and I can’t imagine having to deal with that [....]

They’re a bit traumatized from that.”

Helfant explained that the event was particularly unsettling given the familiarity of St. Laurent.

“I think most of us McGill students think of St. Laurent as a safe area to be in and kind of part of the McGill-Montreal community,” Helfant said. “To add an unsafe connotation to the area is a bit unsettling.”

For female students, events like these may add another layer of fear. According to Statistics Canada, women who frequent bars or clubs often face a higher rate of sexual assault, and one in four victims report their assaults happening at bars or restaurants.

“I feel like already it’s so scary being a girl on St. Laurent just walking around [at night], and, to know that there’s an added dimension of weapons like guns, it’s a lot [scarier],” Amandri Dahanayake, U1 Science, said.

U1 Music student Laura Varas was asleep at the time of the shooting, and only heard about the event a couple of days after.

She believes that the police should be making more of an effort to raise awareness about gun violence incidents, especially to those who live in her area.

“It’s actually a little scary because I live

The 27-year-old man who was shot on Sept. 16 is no longer in critical condition.

(Zoé Yalden / The McGill Tribune)

there, and so many people walk by,” Varas said. “I don’t know how to describe it because it’s not necessarily a fear, it’s more of a wariness which I think comes from the fact that the shootings aren’t necessarily broadcasted that well to the neighbourhood. Maybe if they were better broadcasted and if I were awake at that time it would be different, but,

[...] I didn’t really hear anything about it until a few days afterward.”

In a message to the The McGill Tribune a local bouncer, who chose to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, explained that crimes like these hurt the club scene.

“It’s dangerous,” the bouncer said. “It’s scary because it is supposed to be safe.”

opinion

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

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editorial board Editor-in-Chief Marie Labrosse editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Elli Slavitch eslavitch@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Ariella Garmaise agarmaise@mcgilltribune.com Stephen Gill sgill@mcgilltribune.com Calvin Trottier-Chi ctrottier-chi@mcgilltribune.com

News Editors Andras Nemeth, Caitlin Kindig & Laura Oprescu news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Keating K. Reid & Abeer Almahdi opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Katherine Lord scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Emma Carr studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Dylan Adamson features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Katia Innes & Sophie Brzozowski arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Gabe Nisker & Miya Keilin sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Arshaaq Jiffry & Erica Stefano design@mcgilltribune.com

Toward a more democratically-engaged student body

EDITORIAL

post-secondary institutions, and the latter two have pledged to make tuition free. Immigration has been the election’s defining concern, with the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) and the PLQ fiercely debating whether to cut the number of new immigrants accepted to Quebec by 20–24 per cent—a decision that could impact international students’ futures. Even issues that are not explicitly specific to students, like environmentalism and austerity, should be strong motivators for young people to cast a ballot.

When students do get involved, the impact can be significant. Student groups in Quebec, including the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and Our Turn National Action Plan, a group advocating for the improvement of sexual assault policy in Canadian universities, were essential in creating Bill 151, An Act to

non-partisan advocacy groups, such as Apathy is Boring, a nonprofit dedicated to improving youth political engagement, or the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), which assists Quebecers in finding Englishlanguage services, are equally valuable ways of engaging with political life.

McGill has made voting easy and accessible. Classes are cancelled on Oct. 1 in accordance with Quebec’s Election Act, and an advance polling station will be open in the Carrefour Sherbrooke residence until Sept. 27. To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, and domiciled in Quebec.

The 2018 Quebec election is also the first in the province’s history to feature a televised leaders’ debate in English. It has never been easier for McGill students to get informed and get involved.

In six days, universities across the province—McGill included—will be cancelling classes for Quebec’s provincial election day. Many students may already be making plans to enjoy the cool fall weather or catch up on the classes they missed during add/drop. Considerably fewer may be actively planning to vote.

But, enjoying the long weekend and fulfilling civic duties are not mutually exclusive—voting can be simple and convenient, and McGill students have a responsibility to be engaged in their community.

McGill students, even those without roots in Quebec, do not live in an insular bubble.

While some students may be in the province temporarily, the student community is not, and their interests are at stake. The Parti Libéral du Québec (PLQ), the Parti Québécois (PQ), and Québec Solidaire (QS) have all promised increased funding for

Off the board

Photo Editor Gabriel Helfant photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editor Tristan Surman multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Julia Kafato webdev@mcgilltribune.com Luya Ding online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Melissa Langley copy@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Falah Rajput business@mcgilltribune.com Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors Marie Labrosse & Falah Rajput

Contributors Amanda Fiore, Andréa Karam, Anna Sixsmith, Caroline Lou, Christina Bedard, Dan Aponte, Deana Korunsky, Demaris Oxman, Ender McDuff, Izze Siemann, Jacob Sailer, Jasmine Acharya, Jessie Ye, Jonathan Giammaria, Leanne Young, Leo Stilinger, Makena Anderson, Margaret Wdowiak, Oceane Marescal, Owen Gibbs, Ronny Litvack-Katzman, Sabrina Girard-Lamas, Samantha Mitchell, Sophia White,Winnie Lin, Zoé Yalden

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Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

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Sophie Brzozowski Arts & Entertainment Editor I don’t consider myself to be a selfish or ignorant person. I take some pride in keeping up to date with current events, because I think it’s important to know what’s going on around me. I’m even prouder of the fact that I know most everything there is to know about the people who belong within the narrow radius of my inner circle. Even so, it’s never even occurred to me to pay attention to those individuals who occupy the intermediate space between my loved ones and the world at large.

I met Camille the day I moved into my very first apartment. My parents and I were in the midst of hauling boxes up its rickety, winding staircase when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an older woman walking urgently in our direction. She introduced herself as the tenant living in the apartment opposite from mine, and told us that we should knock on her door if ever we needed anything. After she left,

prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions.

The new law requires that all postsecondary institutions “establish a policy to prevent and fight sexual violence.” In April 2018, SSMU and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) released an open letter to Quebec Minister of Higher Education Hélène David alleging that McGill was in violation of the law. McGill’s recent efforts to improve its reputation with regard to sexual violence did not occur in a vacuum: Progress is the result of politically engaged students advocating for their interests at the provincial level.

Even with only six days until election day, it is not too late to get involved beyond just voting.

Campaigns always need people willing to make phone calls, distribute pamphlets, or even do behind-the-scenes logistical work.

But, participation does not need to be be partisan. Volunteering with

Tolerate thy neighbour my mom and I remarked on how kind it was that she had introduced herself. It seemed like a nice neighbourhood, we agreed; there was a real sense of community.

In the months that followed, Camille was like gum on our proverbial shoe. Once a week or so, she would find a reason to knock on our front door. Sometimes, during the winter months, it was a friendly reminder to shovel our front steps, or a quick, unsolicited lesson on how and when to use our compost bins. She seemed to be everywhere—every time I turned a corner, she would appear, always with an armful of organic groceries and a litany of reminders about bike lock etiquette, the upcoming Daylight saving, or turning off the lights before we left the house.

We could hardly believe her nerve sometimes.

Her ubiquity became something of a joke between my roommates and me. She was a fixture in our lives, always on the periphery, hovering over our shoulders. All things considered, it’s strange that it took three whole weeks for it to dawn on me that she had moved out over the summer.

I’ll be honest: I didn’t much like Camille. I didn’t dislike her, but she was just so preachy, so intrusive. Her persistent involvement in my life felt like a direct interference with everything I loved about being 20. It just felt so unfair that I’d moved so far from home, only to find someone new nagging me about chores.

Still, it’s strange to think I’ll probably never see her

Growing up can be selfish, but still be kind to your neighburs.

(Sabrina Girard-Lamas / The McGill Tribune)

again, and I find myself wondering if she’s okay. The other day I saw a woman with her same thick grey hair, and when I realized it wasn’t her, I was almost disappointed.

Maybe it’s guilt that I’m experiencing. Occasionally, we’d come home to find that the sidewalk in front of our apartment had been shovelled, and I’d always suspected that it was her who did it. Last November, she gave us her kid’s leftover Halloween candy, and I barely even thanked her.

You can tell a lot about a

person by how they treat their neighbours. Certainly, the fact that I’d always seen Camille’s endless gestures of good will as acts of trespass rather than generosity says more about me than it does about her. It’s sad to realize that maybe I’m not as compassionate as I once thought I was, but, then again, growing up is a selfish, allconsuming process. If, when it’s all over, I’m half as thoughtful and generous as the strange lady who once lived across the street from me, I’ll be satisfied.

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opinion

commentary

Jacob Sailer Contributor Legal marijuana is set to hit stores and online markets country-wide in less than a month, and many Canadians are eagerly awaiting this change. Amidst the excitement, Quebec is taking a sideways attitude toward legalization.

Quebec’s hesitance to embrace the benefits of legal cannabis has resulted in half-baked rules and regulations regarding the product. By ignoring the potential of legal marijuana, the provincial government is taking a poorly researched and ignorant approach to legalization.

On Oct. 17, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will open in only four retail outlets in Greater Montreal. A subsidiary of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), SQDC shops are the only retailers permitted to sell marijuana in the province. McGill students have one reason to rejoice: One of the four

commentary

Makena Anderson Contributor A consensus has emerged: Plastic straws are bad. But the reasons why these flimsy cylinders of plastic are suddenly at the tip of everyone’s tongues may not stand up to scrutiny.

It’s comforting to see that McGill’s favourite neighbourhood spots are distancing themselves from the recently tabooed straw, but it also raises some questions as to how Montreal is making an impact on the environment. Straws are not the reason species are dying at an exponential rate, nor why the city is experiencing record-breaking heat waves.

Students were quick to offer their

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Quebec is legalizing cannabis—barely dispensaries will be located between the Peel and McGill Metro stations, minutes from campus. Still, the limited locations leave entire swaths of the island dry. Four dispensaries will not have the capacity to service the entire population of Montreal, which will hinder the provincial government’s goal of undermining the black market and stamping out illicit drug trade.

Quebec’s attitude is diametrically opposed to that of other provinces in Canada, namely Ontario, which predicts tax revenue for weed sales at $130-180 million a year, and is allowing private retailers to sell the product in their own shops as of 2019. Quebec’s stance on legalization is rooted in anti-marijuana rhetoric, such as Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois’s claims that, if Quebecers were allowed to grow their own cannabis, children would sneak into their grow-ops and eat the plants.

The provincial and municipal governments are enacting regulation upon regulation in preparation for legalization. Montreal announced a new cannabis contraband squad, created to track and squash illegal weed sales. Quebec banned the sale of clothing and products featuring marijuana leaves or references. This over-restriction of cannabis is rooted in fear rather than proven science.

While the government claims that it introduced these regulations to limit children’s exposure to the substance, there are more effective ways of achieving this goal than arbitrary

The Cannabis Act, which legalizes marijuana, comes into effect on Oct. 17. (Winnie Lin / The McGill Tribune) restrictions on something as trivial as clothing. Quebec officials should raise the age to 19, 21, or even 25 to safely limit exposure to teenage brains instead.

Alternatively, the province could place dispensary locations farther away from schools and CEGEPs—the Plaza StHubert dispensary location is less than two blocks from CEGEP Marie Victorin.

Opening more than four government dispensaries in the city,

or even privatizing the industry as a whole, would be far more effective in quelling the black market, and would allow for real revenue to be generated for the city and greater Quebec. Instead, the province is paying insufficient attention to the more important dangers of marijuana usage—such as its potentially harmful effects on developing brains—and half-heartedly focusing on minutiae, blind to the potential benefits of legalization.

Quebec’s marijuana legislation is too restrictive in the wrong ways, and too lax in areas which require real regulation. It is poorly researched and neglects the legal marijuana industry’s potential. The province is disregarding significant potential revenue, opting instead to legalize halfway. Quebec needs to follow the examples of Ontario or British Columbia and start considering the benefits that marijuana legalization poses.

Straws aren’t the problem support to Montreal’s go-to spots like Suwu, Tokyo, and even Starbucks when they announced that they would no longer be offering plastic straws.

After all, straws pose legitimate harm: Reports say that an average of 170–390 million straws are used in the USA every day. Although they are made of plastic, straws cannot be recycled, and, ultimately, many of them end up in the ocean. Consumers quickly turned to Amazon to buy wooden, glass, and stainless-steel straws and their cleaning brushes to prepare for a strawless future. But our motives for jumping on the bandwagon so quickly require reflection. Even as an environment major, I didn’t understand the impacts that straws were having on aquatic systems, climate change, or even the environment as a whole. What are straws doing that cars aren’t? Or that the meat industry isn’t? By boycotting straws, how am I helping?

One of the most significant problems that Montreal’s compost and recycling depots face is ineffective sorting. McGill cafés, including Première Moisson, offer compostable containers and cups, yet our campus lacks an adequate supply of compost bins. When compostable materials end up in the recycling, they pose a risk of contaminating entire batches of

Straws and stir sticks make up only three per cent of garbage in the ocean. (suncommunitynews.com) recyclable materials, which will then have to be thrown away. McGill must take strides to improve the availability of compost sites on campus to support their students’ recycling and compost efforts.

There are many resources that explain the specifics regarding waste sorting in Montreal. Each city is different—just because you’re used to something at home, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same in Montreal.

Students should also consider bringing a reusable container and travel mug: The beginning of the semester can take a toll on your eating and caffeine consumption habits, and while it’s not necessarily a bad thing to grab a takeout container and a cup of coffee on campus, single-use waste can add up throughout the semester. Students can take advantage of the resources McGill provides: The Plate Club, Midnight Kitchen, and Reboot McGill can help

students reduce their daily waste. The Plate Club, for example, rents out reusable dishware to the university’s clubs and students.

While boycotting straws is a step in the right direction, it certainly is not the last step. The elimination of straws has sparked a discussion about how we, as McGill students, can lessen our impact on the environment in a real and meaningful way. Now, we must take these initiatives a step further.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

7

The McCord Museum celebrates Balenciaga

How a maestro of high fashion set the standard for an industry

Jonathan Giammaria Contributor

Balenciaga’s daring designs are on display at the McCord Museum until Oct. 14. (Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

To the uninitiated, haute couture might conjure up images of haughty snobs sporting wildly-impractical clothing or ankle-breaking six-inch stilettos. The elusive nature of high fashion makes it difficult to categorize—often toeing the line between wearable and absurd, Balenciaga’s designs muddle this already contentious definition. Balenciaga: Master of Couture, on display from now until Oct. 14 at the McCord Museum, seeks to establish a definitive vision of high fashion for its audience.

Master of Couture highlights the work of prolific designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, and the subsequent move-

ments that the fashion icon inspired. Near the entrance, museum-goers can pick up programs with over 150 informative blurbs corresponding to the attire on display.

The x-ray dissections are particularly notable, revealing the clothing’s internal compositions, and illustrating the groundbreaking technique and clever structural details within Balenciaga’s designs.

The collection itself combines an eclectic array of colours, fabrics, forms, and functions, containing illustrious ball-room gowns, subdued office suits, and seasonal casual wear. Nearly every piece of clothing is proof of Balenciaga’s purposefulness, his eye for detail, and fearless experimentation. The exhibition conveys all three of these values in one specific garment: A loose fitting knee-high dress cinched at the waist with forearm-length sleeves. Balenciaga intended to give the wearer comfortable maneuverability and ample room for showing off jewelry and accessories without compromising aesthetics.

The exhibition encourages audiences to engage with the artist’s work. An otherwise straightforward timeline of Balenciaga’s life features a silver garment next to a mirror titled, “Cape or Skirt?” The question invites patrons to try on the item in order to find out. It’s difficult to maneuver, but the item can, in fact, be worn as both. The garment highlights Balenciaga’s interest in multi-functionality—he wanted garments to be used differently for every occasion. Viewers can also take a cutout paper template to make a miniature “One-Seam Coat” at home. These interactive elements highlight the importance of practicality, making the art more accessible.

Surprisingly, none of the clothing is as comicallyoutrageous as one might expect. Balenciaga’s sense for a functional design, if at times too lavish for casual use, never feels too ridiculous to actually wear. However, the portion of the exhibition dedicated to designers influenced by Balenciaga, such as Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander McQueen, and Demna Gvasalia, pushes the bounds of absurdity. Here, viewers can find dresses shaped like broccoli stalks or clock tower bells. Like Balenciaga, these designers bring their own spin to conventional wear, and their outlandish costumes are meant to push the

Balenciaga makes the absurd wearable.

(Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

boundaries of convention.

Above all, Master of Couture illustrates the importance of artistic intent. Balenciaga’s approach to fashion, and his involvement in every facet of the creative process, exemplify his prowess as a creative genius.

Balenciaga: Master of Couture runs from June 15 to Oct. 14 at the McCord Museum (690 Sherbrooke St W).

Student Tickets are $14.

Montreal’s local ‘Dropout!’ comedy show series continues to impress Student-produced comedy show hosts its eighth installment Deana Korsunsky Contributor

A heavy-metal concert venue might seem like an odd place to host a stand up comedy show. Juxtaposed with light-hearted laughter, however, the skulls embedded in Katacombes’ walls only served to enhance the already wildly-funny night that was The Dropout! Show. Thursday’s event was the eighth installment in a monthly series of stand up comedy shows produced by McGill student and comedian, Nicholas Krywucki, U2 Psychology. The show hosted a wide variety of comics, ranging from seasoned veterans like Aba Atlas (one half of the YouTube comedy channel, Aba and Preach), to emerging talents like Dawson College student Harrison Weinreb.

The show kicked off with host Kris Dulgar’ opening set. Dulgar’s high energy and cheerful disposition held the audience’s full attention as he warmed up the crowd, joking about everything from his lived experience as a black man to mundanities like cereal preferences.

The show was cleverly structured to highlight its diverse range of acts. Last minute special guest Masimo kept the audience convulsing with laughter as he told anecdotes from his childhood. His shrewd impressions

and deft physical humour painted a charming picture of growing up in a family of ItalianCanadian immigrants. Masimo’s endearing anecdotes not only evoked one of the loudest reactions from the audience, but also provided a unique cultural perspective.

Following Masimo was Amy Cunningham, whose quiet, mousy demeanour hilariously contrasted the irreverence of her jokes.

“Yeah, I have interesting hair,” Cunningham quipped, running her hands through her dyed-platinum mohawk. “When I got this haircut it actually turned me vegan. You don’t even wanna know what else this haircut made me do.”

The show closed with headliner Nick Nemeroff, a Toronto-based comedian. Nemeroff boasts an impressive resume: He won “Best Breakout Comic” at the I Heart Jokes festival in Toronto, and has even performed at Up Next, Comedy Central’s annual showcase.

Nemeroff’s style was entirely unique; it was neither vulgar nor impression-based, and he was not overly dependent on physical movement. Instead, he drew laughs from his audience with monotonously-delivered one liners, (“Like most people my age, I am 28”). Nemeroff’s strengths also lie in his expertly crafted puns, (“I actually identify as a white guy with dreads. I dread the past, the present, and

‘The Dropout! Show’ hosted its eighth iteration at their spookiest venue yet.

(Andrea Karam / The McGill Tribune) the space between those two jokes”). Anyone unable to make it to Nemeroff’s local shows will be pleased to know that he will be making his late-night debut on Sept. 25 on Conan, an impressive achievement for any comedian.

The Dropout! Show’s eighth iteration was a definite success. In today’s world of Netflix stand up comedy specials, which can be so enticingly-conducive to staying in and curling up in bed, it can be difficult to sum-

mon the motivation to trek to a live comedy show. The Dropout! Show’s creative and lighthearted atmosphere, however, was worth the outing, and the “bring your own blanket” theme was enough to make even a heavy-metal concert venue feel cozy.

The Dropout! Show’s next installment will take place on Oct. 25. Student tickets are $5.

A cloudy future The JUUL generation takes on McGill’s smoking ban I am one of few people who owe a great deal to cigarettes. My parents met in the smoking section of an airplane and got married soon after. Unfortunately, I won’t find the love of my life in the smoking section of an airplane. As of May 2018, I won’t find my cigarette-toting life partner on McGill’s campus either.

Aside from a handful of designated areas, smoking cigarettes is now banned on McGill’s campus. For most, such a ban is not of much concern. Cigarettes were once a fixture of college campuses, but smoking rates have steadily declined in recent decades. While this data might indicate that nicotine addiction is on its way out, public health officials shouldn’t get too excited.

University students and children alike are developing a new habit: JUULing.

An electronic cigarette, or ‘e-cigarette,’ or ‘e-cig,’ or ‘vaporizer,’ or ‘vape,’ is any handheld device that simulates the experience of tobacco smoking. JUULs are a new player in the cigarettesimulator game. With a patented tobacco salt-based nicotine delivery system and a sleek Apple product feel, JUULs are delivering more nicotine at a faster rate, earning JUUL Labs almost half of the e-cigarette market share only two years after becoming an independent company.

The JUUL’s modern design, flavoured-nicotine pods, and discreet usability set it apart from the cumbersome, outdated vapes of yesteryear. In addition to its inconspicuous shape and size and unlike traditional cigarette smoke, JUUL vapour dissipates within a few seconds without any lingering odour. JUULers can pick from an array of flavours including mint, mango, cucumber, fruit medley, and crème brulée. The company offers each pod flavour with either three or five per cent nicotine content. JUULs are in, vaporizers are out.

Research suggests that a high concentration of nicotine is to credit for JUUL’s popularity. According to Vox, a JUULpod contains three times the nicotine levels permitted in the European Union. Typical e-cigarettes contain six to 30 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid, while the five per cent JUULpod contains 40 milligrams, roughly equivalent to the nicotine a pack of cigarettes. Such a difference may account for what a conventional smoker needs to satisfy the sensation of a cigarette. While the JUUL website emphasizes that their product is “for smokers, by design,” the appeal to cigarette smokers trying to quit has attracted non-smokers too.

Mark Eisenberg, cardiologist at Jewish General Hospital and clinical epidemiologist at McGill’s School of Medicine, has been researching e-cigarettes’ effect on curbing cigarette addiction.

Eisenberg’s research focuses on people cutting down on their smoking habits after suffering from heart attacks.

“I am very interested in getting people to stop smoking after having a heart attack,” Eisenberg said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Because if you can get them to stop smoking after a heart attack you can reduce their chance of death or a recurring heart attack by 35 per cent within six months.”

Eisenberg and his colleagues have noticed that smoking cessation agents such as nicotine patches are not working for smokers as effectively as e-cigarettes. This is encouraging, because despite e-cigarettes’ and JUULs’ nicotine content, they do not carry the same respiratory danger as traditional cigarettes.

“Vaping won’t give you lung cancer and coronary lung disease,” Eisenberg said. “So, if you can use e-cigarettes to stop people from smoking conventional cigarettes, that’s great.”

While e-cigarettes do provide a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, their success as a smoking cessation agent should not encourage non-smokers to start JUULing.

In an article published by The Economist, titled “E-cigarettes are almost certainly better than smoking,” the writer eventually mentions potential concerns with flavoured nicotine.

“Vapour also contains free radicals, highly oxidising substances which can damage tissue or DNA, and which are thought to come mostly from flavourings,” the article reads. “Several studies in mice have confirmed that the vapour can induce an inflammatory response in the lungs.”

One has to wonder, however, whether young adults who encounter such an affirming headline online are going to click through to the subheaded clarification: But ‘better than smoking’ is not necessarily the same as ‘good for you.’ Evidently, while e-cigarettes are allegedly healthier than the cigarettes of my parents’ generation, they may come with worrying health concerns of their own.

Recent popular news coverage has addressed concerns of children developing addictions to e-cigarettes, and nicotine is proven to have adverse effects on a developing brain. But, searching “vape tricks” on YouTube will yield thousands of videos of adolescents blowing Os, puffing vapour at their iPhone front-cameras, and performing other impressive vapour-exhale-based stunts.

At McGill, e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among smokers and non-smokers. The McGill Tribune conducted a survey to gauge students’ smoking habits. Of the 94 respondents who own or consume e-cigarettes, 47 per cent were not cigarette smokers beforehand. Of the 188 respondents to a question about health risks, only 45 per cent were concerned with the health risks associated with e-cigarettes relative to regular cigarettes.

Ben*, U2 Arts, typifies general attitudes towards e-cigarettes among undergraduate students. “[I smoke cigarettes] pretty rarely, occasionally on nights when I would be out with friends, but I would not consider myself a cigarette smoker,” Ben said.

Though only a social cigarette smoker, Ben’s current use of e-cigarettes falls into a familiar pattern of nicotine addiction.

“I tried it with friends who smoke e-cigarettes, and it’s nice to relieve stress especially when school becomes super heated,” Ben said. “When school gets intense, I [start] using it after [going to] the library.”

As to the general beliefs of his peers, Ben cited a widespread lack of information on the potential risks of e-cigarettes.

“There is a rise in popularity of e-cigarettes at McGill because many people don’t understand the risk associated with it, along with the fact that it is well known that it is

Gabriel Helfant / Photo Editor significantly better than smoking,” Ben said.

According to Ben, McGill students associate e-cigarettes with relatively low health consequences. When school-related stress inevitably begins to pile up, JUULing is an easy, seemingly consequence-free coping mechanism for students.

With this year’s new smoking legislature, smoke breaks outside of McLennan are officially a thing of the past. The Board of Governors (BoG) May decision is the first step in a five-year plan that seeks to create an entirely smoke-free campus by 2023. The BoG memorandum on the policy concerning smoking at McGill University outlines the specific purposes of the policy.

"Typical e-cigarettes contain six to 30 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid, while the five per cent JUUL pod contains 40 milligrams." “[The policy seeks to establish] a smoke-free environment in order to promote and preserve the health and well-being of all members of the University community, while allowing for the exercise of personal choice,” the policy reads.

While the BoG has often been accused of dismissing student concerns, it seems as if this policy, for the most part, took student opinions into consideration.

The campus smoking ban was initially proposed by the McGill Medical Students’ Society in 2015. The BoG policy reflects data obtained from surveys conducted in 2016 by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Postgraduate Students’ Society (PGSS), which revealed that 73 per cent of undergraduate students and 77 per cent of postgraduate students supported the idea of a smoke-free campus.

A not-insignificant contingent of McGill students, however, have decried the policy’s effect on campus accessibility.

“The reality is that a campus-wide ban on smoking is effectively a ban on smokers themselves,” Mona Luxion wrote in a 2016 open letter to the administration in The McGill Daily. “Obligating students and staff to leave campus in order to smoke reduces their ability to participate in on-campus activities.”

While designated smoking areas exist on campus, there are only six downtown, and, with only 10-minute breaks between classes, the ban will inevitably inconvenience smokers.

The logic behind the policy’s isolation of smoking zones is intuitive—second-hand smoke is proven to adversely affect the respiratory health of those nearby—but the same might not be true for e-cigarettes.

Despite the lack of a scientific consensus on the effects of second-hand vaping, the prohibition extends to e-cigarettes as well. To this end, Luxion’s 2016 letter calls into question McGill’s commitment to promoting tangible cessation strategies among the smoking subset of the student body.

“The website for McGill’s smoking policy pays lip service to the need for smoking cessation resources but offers no new or additional resources beyond existing counseling services and nicotine gums and patches,” Luxion writes. “Further, there is no indication of plans to increase the level of funding towards these existing resources, which limits the number of students it can appeal to.”

Considering e-cigarettes’ potential as a smoking cessation agent, McGill’s purportedly pro student wellbeing smoking ban isolates even JUULers trying to quit smoking to six oncampus zones, with little-to-no additional support provided.

In an emailed statement to The McGill Tribune, Robert Couvrette, associate vice-

principal (Facilities Management and Ancillary Services), justified the inclusion of e-cigarettes in the ban.

“The University is following best practices observed at other institutions and by jurisdictions such as the government of Quebec and Health Canada,” Couvrette wrote. “In 2015, the Quebec government amended its Tobacco Control Act to include e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes and similar products are now subject to the same regulations as tobacco products and their use is forbidden in all places where smoking is prohibited.”

Because cigarettes and e-cigarettes are coupled in the same policy, McGill now has the difficult task of enforcing this ban on campus. Devices like the JUUL could be discreetly used both indoors and outdoors. For those unconcerned with the repercussions of violating the ban, the inconvenience of going outside to JUUL is not worth the trouble.

“I don’t think about the parallel of a normal cigarette while using my JUUL in the library,” Sam*, U2 Arts, said. “I find myself sitting in the library, using my JUUL, without even thinking about if others will notice or care.”

According to the Tribune’s survey, 47 per cent of those who consume e-cigarettes do not comply with the McGill Smoking Policy. Pierre Barbarie, Director of Campus Public Safety, described security’s attitude toward those who are violating the ban as a collaborative effort.

“When we see somebody smoking outside one of the designated smoking areas, we politely explain to them where they are allowed to smoke,” Barbarie wrote in an email to the Tribune. “We rely on other people to do the same. Security is another pair of eyes, just like anyone else in the community.”

When asked about the ban’s application to e-cigarette users, Barbarie reiterated the limitations of enforcement.

“Just as for cigarettes, we recognize that the enforcement of the policy is not easy,” Barbarie wrote. “We hope we can count on the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of smokers and non-smokers alike and that a culture change will occur over time. McGill security agents include problematic areas in their rounds and seek to educate anyone who is ignoring or unaware of the policy. We invite community members to respectfully do the same. Best practices from other institutions suggest that community enforcement is broadly effective, and that violations reduce over time.”

Both Barbarie and Couvrette agree that security enforcement is marginally effective and recognize that changes in student behaviour are dependent on shifts in attitude. When students are freely blowing JUUL clouds in the library, however, it becomes difficult to forecast if and how this culture shift might develop on campus.

E-cigarettes occupy a unique and unclear position in public consciousness. In particular, while the booming JUUL industry gives new hope to prospective cigarette quitters, its allure for non-smokers is equally concerning. There’s a reason JUULs have gained such popularity so quickly. For better and for worse, they are a widely appealing alternative to cigarettes.

Though McGill’s policy paints vapers and smokers with the same brush, the scientific community and JUULers everywhere have yet to reach the same consensus. *Names have been changed to preserve the interviewees’ anonymity.

About the survey: The student survey referenced in this article does not meet scientific standards.

The author of this article distributed the survey to the McGill student body using an anonymous Google form. The survey used a combination of multiple-choice and openended questions about students' experiences with e-cigarettes during their time at McGill University.

During the data-collection period, the author posted the survey link to various McGill community groups on Facebook and Reddit, as well as the Tribune's weekly newsletter, over the course of eight days from Sept. 16 to Sept. 24. In total, 245 students responded to the survey.

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, september 25, 2018

Community and remembrance at the ‘Atwater Poetry Project’

Indigenous artists gather at the Atwater Library for monthly performance Leo Stillinger Contributor

She began by reading the journal entry she had written immediately afterwards, as an exhilarated 22-year-old processing her awe for the land and its people. A poem about the experience, written two decades later in her 2002 collection Snow Formations, captured this exhilaration and distilled it into a potent work of art. Years after that, the scene made its way into Souaid’s 2017 novel, Yasmeen Haddad Loves Joanasi Maqaittik.

Souaid’s reading was followed with a performance by poet Joséphine Bacon, who expresses Indigenous beauty across the frontier of language. By writing poems in her native Inuit before reformulating them into French, Bacon links disparate worlds. Bacon was born in Pessamit, a First Nations reserve 700 miles north of Montreal, but learned French as a second language, and worked as an interpreter with anthropologists who came to study the native communities.

Bacon’s poems are

based on conversations she had with Inuit elders.

She read each poem first in its original form, then in its French equivalent. Her verses in French captured the colours and senses of her native tundra, its solitude, and the wonder of the aurora borealis. Yet, it was in Inuit, incomprehensible to nearly everyone in the room, that she achieved something more essential: Self-expression in a native tongue, irreducible to any translation. Connection to a land is also connection to a language.

The final poet was Annharte, also known as Marie Baker, or AKA. An Anishanaabe poet from Winnipeg, Annharte brought her strong-willed personality and sharp sense of humour to the reading. The poems from her book Indigena Awry were filled with and insights into the indigenous experience.

“This is a way to communicate what our life is like,” Annharte said of her poems, which were punctuated by repartee and anecdotes of life as an indigenous student.

TNC Voices: Artifact

Got moves? Got a voice? Go to Tuesday Night Cafe’s open mic night.

Oct. 2, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Morrice Hall Theatre

POP Montreal

Check out everyone from SOPHIE to the Proclaimers play at your favourite local venues.

Sept. 26-30. For more info, check out popmontreal.com

Souaid, Bacon and Annharte gather at local llibrary for a monthly reading. (Deanna Radford / Atwater Poetry Project)

The event finished with a conversation between the authors and the audience.

Annharte talked about new generations of indigenous poets, beginning in her own household with her granddaughter, also a poet.

Souaid described the Inuit CEGEP students she mentors and their attempts to put their own struggles into creative form. Bacon spoke about the elders she had known in the Arctic, the depth of their connection to the land and, most poignantly, the way in

which one loses this ‘language of the land’ after moving to a city. Each of their remarks was coloured at once by hope and by awareness of the reality of Indigenous lives.

It was this profound connection to the land that Souaid, in her original journal entry from 1983, said taught her more than any class at McGill. Bad news for education students, perhaps, but good news for the individuals who first called this land home.

Cinema Politica: Silvana

A documentary about a female Swedish hip-hop artist who isn’t Tove Lo? Count us in.

Sept. 30, 2:30-5:00 pm at 5150 Boul. St-Laurent

Cher: Dancing Queen The Tribune hopes that Cher tops her performance from Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again Sept. 28, Streaming on Spotify and Apple Music

Hozier delivers a mesmerizing performance at L’Olympia

Live music continues to bring audiences together Demaris Oxman Contributor It’s been four years since Hozier released his self-titled debut album, a work that captivated listeners across the world.

Ever since, fans have been desperate to hear more, waiting on the edge of their seats for a follow-up that, for some, felt like it might never come. However, fans’ prayers were answered this summer when Hozier announced the release of a new EP, to be followed by an album in addition to dates for his current world tour.

His tour made a stop in Montreal this past week. Hozier’s performance thrilled the crowd at L’Olympia on Sept. 18, leaving them hungry for his next album’s release.

The night’s opening act was Irish duo Hudson Taylor, a lesser-known band hailing from Dublin, where Hozier also got his start. They kicked off the night with a short setlist of high-spirited indie folk, complete with fiddles and lively harmonies. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and the pair succeeded in boosting the crowd’s energy before Hozier took the stage.

From the start, Hozier built expectations for a spectacular night. Opening with the title track of his new EP, Nina Cried Power, the crowd’s anticipation was almost palpable.

The delivery of new material kept excitement

high for a performance that did not disappoint.

Hozier played a dynamic setlist of old favourites and tracks from the new EP, also offering a sneak-peek of his yetto-be-released album with “Movement.”

A dark and plaintive track, “Movement” included everything audiences expected: Complex, ambiguous lyrics, a rich emotional atmosphere, and Hozier’s unmistakable style.

In addition to satisfying his fans’ desires for new material, Hozier gave passionate performances of old favorites from his first album. He got the crowd grooving with a rhythm-driven version of “Someone New,” laid a hush over the room with the heartbreaking “Cherry Wine,” and closed the main set with his biggest hit, “Take Me to Church.” For the encore, the band delivered a resonant, moving rendition of “Work Song,”—a perfect finale for the show. A hauntingly-beautiful narrative of two tortured souls finding peace, the final track left the audience with a feeling of solace after an emotionally intense experience.

Hozier’s unique, ethereal voice is powerful in live performance. His music has always felt like an intimate, soul-sharing experience, and is even more personal in concert. Hozier’s passion is evident in his stage presence, and its effect on the audience is extraordinary. In turn, the crowd’s enthusiasm never dwindled; they were on

Hozier’s L’Olympia performance foreshadowed his upcoming album. (badfeelingmag.com) their feet throughout the show, roaring along with the anthemic choruses and softly singing along with tender acoustic tracks.

Hozier’s stage presence is as sincere as his lyrics—throughout the show, Hozier stressed his joy in being back in Montreal and his wholehearted appreciation for the cheers that welcomed him. His authenticity was heartwarming, and added another dimension to the strong connection he had formed with

his audience that night.

“Words can’t express how grateful I am for this,” Hozier said to the crowd before his

final encore.

Live music is, by nature, visceral and ephemeral. Hozier’s music is emotionallystirring and the power of a live performance is especially cathartic. It’s an incomparable experience, and one that no fan of his should miss.

student living

Tuesday, sEPTEMBER 25 , 2018

The Tribune Tries: Sheep yoga

Montreal hosts annual Pizza Fest

Anna Sixsmith Contributor

Samantha Mitchell Contributor

Mindfulness with barn animals

Sheep yoga encourages participants to get out of their comfort zones.

(Anna Sixsmith / The McGill Tribune) When I first heard of the new exercise trend, yoga with animals, I imagined a typical yoga studio with fluffy golden retrievers or purring kittens–but not sheep. To my surprise, cities from all over North America are advertising sheep yoga events on Facebook. I had been to my fair share of yoga classes, but never with animals, and I felt apprehensive of what I might encounter.

I attended an hour-long class hosted by Biquette à Montréal, an eco-pasture project based in Parc Maisonneuve. The organization aims to introduce ecologically-friendly grazing into urban communities by hosting events around the city. In addition to yoga classes, Biquette à Montreal hosts writing workshops, wool-knitting demonstrations, and family activities. According to Montreal wildlife organization Biopolis, the organization can be summed up in three words: Graze, educate, and enjoy—qualities I observed when I took my first sheep yoga class.

After a 30-minute metro ride from downtown, I found myself in a quaint park populated by bicyclists, jogging groups, and free-range sheep.

A shepherd chaperoned them from afar, but there were no other fences, leashes, or collars in sight.

Above all, the staff stressed that Biquette is not a zoo; the sheep live peacefully and are not used for wool or any other commercial use.

According to the event organizers, the sheep roam freely in the park every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Myriam Benzakour, a yoga instructor of 10 years, has been teaching sheep yoga at Biquette for the past two years. According to Benzakour the communal quality of the event, bringing together people and animals, is what makes it unique.

“I think it’s a good way to learn about animals,” Benzakour said. “[And] it’s a good way to connect and learn about each other.”

During the class, my surroundings felt almost too idyllic: A cool breeze was in the air as the half-set sun rested above a grassy patch filled with over 60 people—friends, couples, families with small children—rolling out their mats and snapping pictures of sheep passing by. The sheep padded around and ate grass, as people treated them like pets, giving them the occasional hug. As the class progressed, laughter would bubble up every so often as the sheep trotted through the rows of brightly-coloured mats.

Instead of packing up and leaving as the class came to a close, people stayed to talk to their neighbours and wait for sheep to mosey over.

I saw firsthand how the event strengthened the bonds among all of the participants; people and sheep coexisted in a symbiotic relationship.

Despite having to take my first solo metro ride to get there— which was a small feat of its own— I’m happy that I broke out of the McGill bubble to try something this unique. For anyone tired of the stale fluorescents of the fitness centre, sheep yoga offers a fresh, fun, and even environmentally-conscious alternative for exercise in the city.

11

Pizza competition puts Montreal’s best pies to the test

With its varied European influences, Montreal is a renowned destination for food lovers. Poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, and bagels—there are guilty pleasures in every corner of the city.

One classic dish that never disappoints is pizza; everybody has a beloved variation. From Sept. 11 to 24, over 50 pizzerias competed in Montreal’s annual Pizza Fest—an event to celebrate pizza and those who make it.

This year’s Pizza Fest showcased a variety of dishes from around the Montreal area. While many restaurants chose to focus on classic, high-quality ingredients, some adventurous chefs took a more creative and ambitious route with variations on toppings such as oysters, meatballs, and pickles.

Judges and foodies alike had the opportunity to eat their way through the city. Every participating restaurant created an original pizza for the event and at the end, a panel of judges selected a winner.

Last year, the winner was Kesté, a pizzeria located in Mile-End, which won audiences over with its Napoli pie. Pizza connoisseur and founder of Brooklyn restaurant Roberta’s, Anthony Falco was the lead judge for the 2018 competition.

In addition to the experts, festival visitors were also encouraged to vote for their favourite restaurant online. Attendees could sample the offerings available at the participating restaurants across the city, and collect stamps in their ‘pizza passports’ for a chance to win a trip to Naples.

Il Pranzetto, a pizzeria located in a Chinatown basement, was among the most popular contestants.

The venue is casual, efficient, and—for the three hours it is open during lunchtime—busy. Their original pizza included sausage, peppers, basil, ricotta, and fresh tomato. The minimalist choice

proved wise as this simple, yet satisfying creation drew a bustling crowd.

“It was very easy to create this pizza, I tried to use everything that we make homemade,” owner Sabrina Suola explained. “That’s our own sausage, the basil is from our garden, and the peppers we bought from the farmer’s market. We roast them on our grill, which is quite a long process.”

Also participating in the event was La Medusa, a restaurant located on Drummond Ave., only a 10-15 minute walk from McGill’s main campus.

Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney has been known to visit this hidden gem. The eatery is also well-known for its decadent housemade gelato, which is popular with their customers.

Their original creation was a mozzarella, tomato, sopressata, and maple syrup pizza: A perfect combination of spicy, salty, and sweet flavours.

“It’s all about the combination of flavours,” La Medusa owner Giuseppe D’Addario said. “Real Italian pizzas are made with wooden stoves like [ours].”

Perhaps it’s not the popular opinion on a website, or a ‘best pizza’ award, but the dedication and thought put towards the authentic and flavourful experience encompassed in every bite that makes the perfect pizza.

“It’s a very simple thing, but also a complex thing,” D’Adderio said. “Pizza is a big word. It’s like saying car. You have a Honda and a Ferrari, they both bring you to the destination, but it just depends on the bells and whistles you want on it.”

Whether diners are craving a great bite of lunch hidden under the streets or an artisanal pie at an elegant pizzeria, Pizza Fest proved that Montreal has it all. Moreover, the diverse offerings at the event showed the city that delicious pizza doesn’t have to be traditional.

cartoon

A day in the life of dining hall foods

Jessie Ye Contributor

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student living

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Cafés that are actually conducive to studying:

Saint-Henri edition The best Sud-Ouest cafés for productive study sessions

1. Café Saint-Henri

Address: 3632 Notre-Dame St. W Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday-Friday,

8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Price: $$ A short walk from the Lionel-Groulx metro station, Café Saint-Henri offers a small food selection including vegan options and pastries, as well as a variety of coffees, teas, juices, and kombucha. They also sell their own coffee and roast the beans in-house. The sleek, minimal decor and quiet, low-key music make Café SaintHenri the perfect place to get some work done without distraction. The space isn’t huge, so it might be tricky to get a table during peak hours, but, there are individual seats lining the windows as well as a couple of booths. One unique feature of this café is the church pews, which provide additional seating if visitors have work that doesn’t require a desk.

At Café Saint-Henri, students can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee before tackling their work.

(Sophia White / The McGill Tribune)

3. La Luncheonette

Address: 4271 St. Jacques St. Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. MondayFriday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. SaturdaySunday Price: $$ Located minutes away from the Place Saint-Henri metro station, La Luncheonette offers a convenient spot for grabbing a bite to eat and getting readings done. The atmosphere is light and airy, and the room is decorated with hanging plants and funky light fixtures. This café serves a variety of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, soups, pastries, La Luncheonette offers a quiet space to catch up on desserts, and cocktails. It is relatively quiet, studying. (Sophia White / The McGill Tribune) and though laptops are allowed, there aren’t very many outlets to charge your devices.

There are plenty of tables inside the café as well as an outdoor terrace in the back—so, make sure to check this spot out before it gets too chilly.

Features Wifi?

Laptops allowed?

Accessible outlets?

4.Campanelli

Features Wifi?

Laptops allowed?

Accessible outlets?

Quiet?

2. Caffè Farina

Address: 3422 Notre-Dame St .W Hours: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Price: $$ At this trendy Italian café and restaurant, the atmosphere is bright, clean, and fun. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the Italian food is authentic and delicious. Depending on the time of day, Caffè Farina serves a variety of pastries, sandwiches, salads, and small plates. However, be aware that they play loud music, so this spot is probably Caffè Farina serves homemade Italian food to Saint- best for some lighter studying or group Henri crowds. (Sophia White / The McGill Tribune) work. Furthermore, most tables aren’t equipped with outlets, so charging your devices beforehand is a must. There are plenty of small tables scattered around the entrance and a long, communal table in the back, which is ideal for group studying.

Features Wifi?

Laptops allowed?

Accessible outlets?

Quiet?

At local café Campanelli, students can hang out and sample pastries from the menu. (Sophia White / The McGill Tribune)

Features Wifi?

Laptops allowed?

Quiet?

Address: 4634 Notre-Dame St. W Hours: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Price: $ This cozy café, decorated with vintage posters and rustic skateboards, is a great place to grab a coffee and hang out. The café offers good coffee, friendly customer service, and a relaxed atmosphere. Although it’s small, Campanelli has a decent range of seating options. Though it only serves a limited selection of drinks and pastries, the staff prepare customers’ meals quickly, and the food tastes delicious. It’s not too loud there, so, provided there are still seats available, Campanelli is a great option for getting work done.

Accessible outlets?

Quiet?

5. Cordova Address: 4606 Notre-Dame St. W Hours: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. MondayWednesday, 7 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Saturday, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sunday Price: $$ Last, but certainly not least, this sleek, Spanish-style café doubles as a bar and serves a selection of pastries and tapas. Cordova is located down the street from Campanelli and offers a little more space to spread out. It’s a bit on the louder side, especially later in the day when happy hour customers start to trickle in, but Cordova is laptop-friendly and offers a clean, modern environment to study casually.

Café-bar Cordova is sleek and modern.

(Sophia White / The McGill Tribune)

Features Wifi?

Laptops allowed?

Accessible outlets?

Quiet?

science & technology

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

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Which came first: The chicken or the dinosaur?

McGill researchers use comparative methods to gain insight on evolutionary changes

Ronny Litvack-Katzman Contributor At first glance, a chicken and a dinosaur may seem as distantly related as any two species could be. For Hans Larsson, McGill associate professor of paleontology and biology and director of the Redpath Museum, the correlation between the two could not be clearer.

In his presentation on Sept. 14, “Freaky Friday: Weird things I know about dinosaurs and chickens,” Larsson unveiled new findings in vertebrate anatomy enabling him to extrapolate knowledge about extinct species by studying living ones. The developments were first observed in a lesser-known genus of fish, the polypterus, which has the ability to spend long durations of time outside the water.

“We went back and looked at the fossil record from 400 million years ago as fish transitioned to land,” Larsson said. “We isolated many hotspots for change from the skeletal plasticity.”

Among their findings was a notable thinning of the pectoral girdle, the skeletal framework where the forelimbs are attached to the shoulders. What is astonishing is not the changes themselves, but the short timespan in which the polypterus’ morphology evolved.

Darwin’s theory of evolution states that random mutations cause observable, or ‘phenotypic,’ changes which are passed down to individuals when they become selectively advantageous. Larsson’s model challenges the most basic tenets of this theory by arguing

that environmental factors, not just genetic variability, are the cause of physical changes.

If an organism’s phenotype is malleable over the course of it’s lifetime, anatomical variations could theoretically become ‘fixed’ on the genetic level.

“We are not looking at evolution here, we’re seeing phenotypic plasticity,” Larsson said. “The fact that the body can respond [to the environment] could be a major source of variation for evolutionary changes.”

Under this precedent, Larsson and his team turned their attention from fish to investigations on chickens.

“In birds, [morphology changes are] distributed in three hotspots,” Larsson said.

“One is on the beak, one is where the jaw attaches to the palette, and one is at the very back of the skull.”

Much like the polypterus making its way onto land, birds may have been using muscle action to develop their skeletal features for flight, inducing modifications as a response to changing environmental, rather than genetic, factors. Using this as a model, Larsson suggests that the egg, like the womb, can act as an environmental catalyst for developmental changes.

In their research, the Larsson lab has been paralyzing chicken embryos at various stages and recording how each evolved specimen’s skeleton changes over its incubation period.

Features such as the shape of the backbone, length of the beak, and jaw articulation were all affected in embryos that had been

A McGill lab is reverse-engineering chicken embryos to emulate dinosaur structures.

(Amanda Fiore / The McGill Tribune) paralyzed. The wings, too, were affected. The lengths of bones and cartilage structure varied among specimens that had varying degrees of movement within the egg.

“All of this surrounds the larger topic of how we think about birds today, dinosaurs, and embryos in terms of environmental biology,” Larsson said. “Our solution was ‘chickenosaurous.’”

Their idea is not novel but involves the reverse engineering of chicken embryos to

resemble structural features of dinosaurs. In doing so, researchers gain an evolutionary snapshot of dinosaur development, the first step in the process of uncovering how ancient organisms made the leap from sea to land and, finally, into air.

The ‘Freaky Friday’ series continues at the Redpath Museum on Oct. 12, from 12p.m. to 1p.m.. Admission to lectures is free.

Giant floating boom boosts Ocean Cleanup efforts

How a 24-year-old Dutch inventor is tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Caroline Lou Contributor For decades, a solution to the problem of marine plastic pollution has seemed out of reach.

Fortunately, Boyan Slat, an entrepreneur from the Netherlands, has invented a floating device that removes garbage from the surface of the ocean.

Slat was 16 years old when he scuba dived in the Mediterranean Sea and saw more plastic bags than fish, an observation which prompted his novel invention.

In 2013, Slat started The Ocean Cleanup, an organization dedicated to developing new environmental technologies such as Slat’s floating device. Since then, the Ocean Cleanup has received nearly USD$35 million in funding from major sponsors including Marc Benioff, the chief executive of Salesforce.com, and Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal. The organization now employs more than 70 engineers, researchers, scientists, and computational modellers to meet its ambitious goal: To clean up 90 per cent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by 2040.

A 600m long floating tube aims to help clean up ocean pollution. (volkskrant.nl) Slat’s floating device consists of a 600 metre long boom, a floating tube used to contain or divert material such as trash, aquatic plants, and oil to collection areas. Wind and waves push the floating device, trapping the floating plastic in its threemetre deep skirt.

The device was officially launched on Sept. 8 from San Francisco and is headed for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii.

A support vessel will remove the collected plastic, and bring it

back to land to recycle the waste into consumer products.

The launch of the device has brought widespread media attention to the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.

“We are just starting to learn what effects plastic pollution might have on marine life,” Eric Galbraith, an Earth Systems professor at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

“Large pieces of plastic definitely interfere with the feeding of large

animals [....] From seabirds to turtles to whales, large animals have been found accidentally eating plastics to the point where it can block their digestion, causing death. We don’t really know just how bad small plastic particles might be, but there are signs that they can affect the feeding of zooplankton (very small animals) and can potentially harbour toxins.”

Although the floating device seems promising, it has its limitations. The device’s skirt is designed to allow aquatic organisms to swim underneath, but some scientists are concerned that marine life will still get trapped. Others believe that this device is a good start to tackling ocean pollution, but not enough to solve the problem.

“When you look at the infrastructure they propose, it drifts at the surface and has a giant net, but they mention it only goes three metres below the surface of the ocean,” Carolina Dufour, an assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, said.

“We know that plastic can be found at any depth, including at the bottom. So a major concern

would be, what do we do with the plastic below three metres deep?”

Although Dufour expressed support for any technology that can help clean up the oceans, she stressed the importance of taking individual and collective action to stop plastic pollution in the first place. She cautioned against people becoming complacent in thinking technological advancements will solve every environmental problem.

Slat has responded to criticisms with data from The Ocean Cleanup’s voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment, which says the impact on marine life will be minimal, while acknowledging that any new technology will experience setbacks and subsequent improvements.

While this invention is a step forward for ocean cleanup efforts, stopping plastic pollution at its source remains a difficult task that requires major changes to reliance on single-use, disposable plastics. Nonetheless, inventors such as Slat are making waves in the world of ocean conservation and inspiring others to take action on pressing environmental issues.

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science & technology

Tuesday, september 25, 2018

The evolving coverage of depression and suicide in the media News articles lack crucial references to mental health services

Margaret Wdowiak Contributor In 2017, Netflix released the series 13 Reasons Why, sparking a media frenzy about the show’s portrayal of suicide.

In a recent study, Robert Whitley, an assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, investigated the Canadian media’s coverage of 13 Reasons Why. Collecting data from 20 Canadian news outlets, Whitley’s team found that the series was generally covered in a responsible way; most articles quoted mental health experts and linked the main character’s suicide to broader social issues.

Additionally, the majority of the articles did not include the word ‘commit’— a legal term implying criminality— and avoided discussing suicide methods in detail. Describing methods has been linked to suicide contagion, and thus avoiding it is crucial.

The compelling reporting on 13 Reasons Why matches a general trend in mental health coverage. A study from 2005 to 2015 analyzing the portrayal of mental illness in Canadian media noted an increase in articles that incorporated quotes from mental health experts and a decrease in stigmatizing

content.

According to Whitley, the overall improvement in the media’s treatment of mental illness is partly due to a set of guidelines from the Mental Health Commission of Canada that dictate how to report on topics related to mental health.

The guidelines urge journalists to avoid identifying someone by their disease (e.g. schizophrenic) and to never evaluate suicide as being ‘successful’ or ‘unsuccessful.’

Despite a general improvement in the evolution of media coverage over the last decade, Whitley found that only a small percentage of articles about 13 Reasons Why provided information regarding how suicidal or depressed individuals can get the help they need.

For instance, articles from The Globe and Mail about the recent suicide of designer Kate Spade failed to provide resources outlining available mental health services. “[Most] journalists are under a lot of pressure to write short articles,” Whitley said. “They don’t always have [the] time or space [...] to include all the information we suggest [....] It’s very difficult to include all the information you might want to include in a 600 word article.”

Whitley has nonetheless witnessed a number

Media coverage of mental health issues has generally improved, in part due to new governmentmediated guidelines. (theconversation.com) of campaigns dedicated to overcoming the constraints of media coverage.

“My colleagues have travelled to most of the major journalism schools in Canada including Ryerson, Carleton, UBC [and] Dalhousie and we’ve given seminars,” Whitley said. “I think this has been very [successful] in helping them become better acquainted with mental health knowledge.

We’ve also developed an online training course for journalists which is available at the Mental Health Commission of Canada website.”

Programs such as Whitley’s recognize the important influence of the media and push for continued evolution of mental health coverage.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health you may benefit from seeking support from McGill services such as: Peer Support, Nightline, TAO, Vent Over Tea, SACOMSS and 7 cups. In case of emergency, please call 911 or campus security at 514-3983000 (Downtown) or 514-398-7777 (Macdonald).

McGill welcomes inspiring new science professors Some of the world’s best scientists share their academic journeys and best advice Oceane Marescal / Contributor

Cynthia Chiang: Physics (continued from cover) “I’m most excited about building the instrumentation to make these measurements, with the goal of opening new observational windows on uncharted periods of the universe’s history,” Chiang wrote in an email to the Tribune.

Prior to coming to McGill, Chiang was a senior lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa.

She has also spent time as a winterover scientist for the South Pole Telescope (SPT) during the winter of 2012.

“Our work involved troubleshooting various aspects of the new polarimeter camera, as well as regular maintenance tasks [...] like applying buckets of grease to the gears outdoors when it was pitch dark and -70˚C outside,” Chiang wrote.

Outside of her academic commitments, Chiang enjoys working on art projects, playing the piano, hiking, and admiring the Montreal art scene.

Her principal advice to students is to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Eric Hehman: Psychology Eric Hehman comes to McGill’s Department of Psychology from Ryerson University. His research focuses on how people form impressions of one another across group boundaries like race, gender, and sexuality.

At the societal level, Hehman examines how communities differ with respect to prejudice. He hopes that his research will help explain the influence of racial misconceptions on real-world decisions such as who to date, hire, fire, or vote for. Appropriately, Hehman will be teaching Social Psychology (PSYC 215) next semester.

Hehman recommends that undergraduates find and pursue a topic that interests them. “[As an undergraduate student] my struggle was to find something I was passionate about,” Hehman wrote. “I was a fairly terrible student until I stumbled [upon] research in social psychology.”

A regular weekend for Hehman involves reading science-fiction books, hanging out with friends, and lifting weights at the gym.

He enjoys backpacking, hiking, and the easy access to the outdoors from Montreal.

Nagissa Mahmoudi: Earth and Planetary Sciences Nagissa Mahmoudi researches the function and activity of microorganisms that live at the bottom of the ocean.

“My research employs a variety of field and laboratory based tools, ranging from experimental microbiology to isotope geochemistry, to provide insight into the microbial pathways and interactions that underpin carbon cycling,” Mahmoudi wrote.

Mahmoudi’s research is crucial for understanding how climate change affects the ability of marine environments to store carbon. She will be further discussing the human impact on natural ecosystems in her class, The Evolving Earth (ENVR 202), in Winter 2019. Her class will also touch on how micro and macro-organisms evolved and shaped our planet.

Mahmoudi enjoys visiting historical sites and archaeological ruins. If she were not studying ocean microorganisms she would be working as an archaeologist.

“I have always been fascinated by past civilizations and societies that have their own unique customs and traditions,” Mahmoudi said.

For now, Mahmoudi fulfills this fascination by enjoying Montreal’s diversity, which she considers to be one of the richest in North America.

Eric McCalla: Chemistry As a Quebec native and McGill alumnus, Eric McCalla is happy to be returning to his alma mater to join the Department of Chemistry.

After receiving his Master’s degree, McCalla decided to become a high school teacher before going back to graduate school. What initially started as a short-term plan turned into an eight-year teaching stint, as McCalla found a passion for education. Now, after completing a PhD at Dalhousie and two post doctoral degrees in Paris and Minneapolis, McCalla considers himself fortunate to have the best of both worlds at McGill: Research and teaching.

McCalla offered some personal advice to students struggling to decide on a career.

“It’s important for [you] to realize that you’ve got time to change your minds along the way and still turn out ok,” McCalla said.

McCalla is excited to be teaching a new course at McGill: Chemistry of Energy, Storage, and Utilization (CHEM 319). This topic ties well into his own research, which focuses on designing advanced materials. Currently, McCalla’s lab investigates new materials to make longer-lasting batteries. Through an efficient screening process, McCalla’s lab is discovering novel materials in the hopes of replacing the flammable liquid electrolytes currently found in batteries with a solid medium.

sports

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

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NHL OFFSEASON RECAP Owen Gibbs Contributor

JOHNNY HOCKEY COMES HOME

Two years of trade speculation finally drew to a close when John Tavares reached free agency this summer. After almost a decade in New York, the superstar centre opted to leave the Islanders and sign a sevenyear, $77 million contract with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite salary cap concerns, the Maple Leafs pulled the trigger on one of the biggest free-agent signings in NHL history. Tavares will join a loaded forward core, consisting of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and possibly William Nylander, too, that will be competitive for years to come.

KARLSSON TO OTTAWA

The Ottawa Senators finally traded Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks on Sept.

13 for a number of players and draft picks. Though he had one of his lowest-ever point totals in the 2017-18 season, in the past decade Karlsson has been one of the league’s best defencemen and will be joining a Sharks blueline comprised of fellow stars Brent Burns and Marc-Édouard Vlasic. Karlsson’s acquisition complements the Sharks’ strong existing forward corps and goaltending well—and elevates them to true Stanley Cup contention potential.

#MEINYKOUT AND OTHER SENATORS PROBLEMS

offseason has been rough on the Senators and their fans.

Following the season’s end, news of a major locker-room rift between Karlsson and Mike Hoffman broke, forcing the team to trade each player away.

Both Karlsson and Hoffman’s statuses as stars should have fetched the Senators hefty returns, but, in both cases, the yields were underwhelming. As a result, many fans demanded that General Manager Pierre Dorion and owner Eugene Melnyk leave the organization.

To make matters worse, JeanGabriel Pageau, one of the Senators’ best remaining players, suffered a long-term Achilles tendon injury in training earlier this month. It’s going to be a long season in Ottawa.

THE REBUILDING HABS

Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin has often come under fire for trading key players for questionable returns.

Early in June, he dealt winger Alex Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes for centre Max Domi: Despite the Habs’ well-documented need for centre depth, critics pointed out that Domi had significantly less trade value than Galchenyuk and that the trade should have been more than a one-for-one swap. Later on at the draft, Bergevin reached to select centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi with the third overall pick despite many more NHL-ready players being available. Fortunately, he ended the summer by pulling off a legitimately good trade, sending captain Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights for left-winger Tomáš Tatar, skilled prospect Nick Suzuki, and a draft pick.

ILYA’S BACK

Ever since his abrupt departure from the NHL for his native Russia in 2013, Ilya Kovalchuk has hinted at returning to the league numerous times. This summer, he went through with the move.

Amidst the chaos surrounding Tavares on July 1, Kovalchuk quietly signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings. There may be issues: Kovalchuk will be 35 years old when the season begins, and history has not been not kind to aging players. That said, Kovalchuk put up stellar numbers during his five seasons with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League, and the Kings can reasonably hope that he will be a reliable contributor to an offensive lineup that desperately needs more scoring.

NBA OFFSEASON RECAP Ender McDuff Contributor

LBJ IN LA

Historically, kings sought to expand their empires.

With the Eastern Conference conquered, LeBron James now has his sights set on the bright lights of Los Angeles.

His decision did not catch the NBA world by total surprise.

Reports of his media company, Uninterrupted, forming partnerships in Hollywood and his sons’ enrollment in the Los Angeles School District hinted at the King’s intentions to join the rebuilding Lakers. There was additional speculation that James would take advantage of the Lakers’ sizeable cap space— enough for two max contracts— to join forces with more star power. But, when Paul George re-upped in Oklahoma City and the Lakers elected not to acquire Kawhi Leonard, James still chose the Lakers. Now, he finds himself leading a group of veterans like Lance Stephenson and Rajon Rondo in addition to the Lakers’ promising young core.

KAWHI GOES NORTH

The blockbuster trade of the summer came when the San Antonio Spurs dealt two-way phenom Kawhi Leonard and sharpshooter Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for all-star DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a protected 2019 first-round pick. Leonard requested a trade away from San Antonio in the offseason after tensions surfaced between him and the Spurs organization over the diagnosis and treatment of a quadricep injury he suffered during the season. It seemed that he hoped to land in Los Angeles, but neither the Lakers nor the Clippers met the Spurs’ asking price. So, the Raptors stepped in: After another disappointing postseason, Toronto shook up their roster and traded DeRozan—the face of their organization— for Leonard. But the question still remains as to whether the Raptors can convince Leonard to end his California dreaming and stay up north after this season.

THE STRONG GET STRONGER

Already-superstar-studded, the Golden State Warriors struck gold when DeMarcus Cousins, an elite centre rehabilitating a torn Achilles tendon, was met in free agency with a frigid market. Reports suggested that several teams had the opportunity to present Cousins with an offer; however, concerns over his character and injury—one from which NBA greats like Dominique Wilkins and Kobe Bryant could never fully recover—caused every team but the Warriors to pass.

This allowed the Warriors, who entered the offseason with minimal cap space, to sign Cousins on a one-year deal worth just $5.3 million.

If Cousins returns to preinjury form, this could be an absolute steal for Golden State in its quest for a third-straight championship.

HOUSTAN TAKES A STEP BACKWARD

The Houston Rockets were one win away from the NBA Finals last season. But, when LeBron joined the Western Conference and the Warriors picked up Cousins, the Rockets saw their path to redemption narrow. A strong offseason was crucial: Successful re-signings of both Chris Paul and Clint Capela, plus the addition of Carmelo Anthony, highlighted Houston’s efforts. Every rose has its thorn, however, and defensive-minded wings Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute departed since the Rockets had reached the salary cap’s limits with Paul and Capela’s contracts.

Without the same depth as in last season’s excellent campaign, Houston may struggle to return to the heights it reached a year ago.

NEW IN TOWN

As the youngest player to ever lead his team to a EuroLeague championship while winning MVP and Finals MVP, Luka Dončić is one of the most intriguing draftees the NBA has ever seen. The 6’6” Slovenian point-forward has drawn comparisons to the likes of Larry Bird for his shooting, passing, and basketball IQ. The Dallas Mavericks made a last-minute trade on draft night for Dončić, sending their fifth overall pick and a future first-rounder to Atlanta. The Hawks used that fifth selection to acquire Trae Young, the player who some believe will become the next Steph Curry. Young led the NCAA in both points and assists per game; however, struggles late in his freshman season have caused concern as to how his skills will translate to the NBA.

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sports

Tuesday, september 25, 2018

HOW TO TRAIN FOR A MARATHON IN 20 DAYS McGill student runs marathon with inadequate training and survives to tell the tale Izze Siemann Contributor

If you have a goal to which people respond “you’re crazy” or “I’d rather die,” you’d be wise to proceed with care.

This past weekend, I ran in Montreal’s Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon; here is what I did to ensure I arrived alive at the finish line.

PRE-RACE BECOME A LEECH

Don’t know anything about running a marathon, but want to try anyway? Find someone who knows what they are doing and join their training schedule. Fortunately, I had a friend who had been training for four months. She let me become part of her routine; I followed her lead on long runs, short runs, and everything in between. All I needed to do was show up.

DO YOU EVEN CHAFE THOUGH?

Yes, I do. Every runner’s road to success involves facing issues specific to their style of running. After my first distance run, I discovered that chafing—on the inner thighs, arms, and everywhere else—is my demon. I troubleshooted that technical issue early with some equipment changes.

RACE DAY START SLOW, SPEED UP LATER

Standing at the starting line with thousands of runners is both electrifying and intimidating, but run at your own pace. Most people stopped running at the half-marathon point. Saving my energy allowed me to pick up my pace once I reached the halfway point and sprint the last kilometre.

LOOK AROUND YOU

Looking up provides all the necessary adrenaline and inspiration: There were countless witty signs like “Remember, you paid for this,” “Tap [Mario Bros mushroom] for power up,” and “I’m a stranger but I’m still proud of you.” I high-fived innumerable little hands, which kept me going, one step at a time, until the finish.

Although I haven’t run like this for some Runners take off from The starting line at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. (Dario Ayala / The Montreal Gazette) time, I was lucky enough to have been an athlete for my entire life with a natural runner’s build and mentality; however, marathons are GET HIRED AT A ADOPT YOUR not limited to athletes. A quick Google search RUNNING STORE FRIENDS’ PARENTS Go into a place where the employees can Asking your family to fly across the of “inspirational marathon stories” shows answer any and all questions about running. continent does not bode well when they have the range of amazing and touching ways in After an animated conversation about all the just 20 days of notice. Instead, I pretended that which people partake. I saw one man pushing places I had been chafing, the store owner went my friend’s parents were mine. If you are lucky an elderly woman in a wheelchair. If you are on to interrogate me about my training methods. like me, they will take you out to a scrumptious determined, you can do it.

I ended up with a better race time than I Thanks to my newly-gained knowledge about meal the night before the race and get you a could have imagined at three hours and 47 all things running, I walked out of the store with shirt with the marathon’s logo. a job offer. I got to use my brand-new employee Follow these steps to be prepared for the minutes, a job, and some of the best memories discount to buy dry-fit clothes, essential GU big day. Because race day, itself, is a whole I have made in Montreal. My advice? Just keep running—and Rock ’n’ Rolling. energy packets, and Body Glide. different ball game.

McGill men’s lacrosse score 17 goals in commanding win over Ottawa Explosive first quarter boosts Redmen over Gee Gees Miya Keilin Sports Editor On Sept. 20, the McGill Redmen (5-0) hosted the Ottawa Gee Gees (1-3) at Forbes Field. Despite the 8:30 p.m. start time and cold breeze, fans cheered the Redmen on to their 17-8 victory. “[We were looking to] win big,” secondyear attackman Patrick Turner said. “We’ve had a couple close games, we wanted to step on these guys’ throats and win big.”

McGill was dominant from the start.

Fourth-year attackman Maxime Murdoch opened up scoring a mere two minutes into the game, and Turner quickly followed with three successive goals of his own. The Redmen went on to score two more goals and finished the first quarter up 6-1.

“We definitely wanted to come out harder than we have in the last four games, and I think we did that today,” Maxime Murdoch said. “Patrick [Turner] came out hot with three goals, and that set the tone for the rest of the game.”

McGill kept the pressure on in the second quarter, putting up five more goals and allowing just two. Though their offensive success was the story of the game, the Redmen defenders and goaltender Michael Gallo came up with some momentous stops on the other end of the field.

“Our defence looked really great,” Head Coach Tim Murdoch said. “Our goaltender had a tremendous game. [....] On top of that, [third-year defenceman] Tanner Baldin and

McGill defeated Ottawa 17-8 on Forbes Field. (Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune) [second-year defenceman] Oliver Bolsterli, [who are] anchoring our defence, both had fantastic games. They were marking the two best players on the Ottawa team, and I thought that they did a really good job of containing them.”

With an 11-3 lead going into the second half, the Redmen started getting their second and third-line players into the game. McGill didn’t control the game quite like it did in the first half, but the performance was compelling nonetheless, and the Redmen ultimately came out on top 17-8.

“We’re a really deep team,” Turner said. “The guys on the bench can do just as much as the starters can do.”

After a few close games this season, the Redmen were relieved with this blowout win. “[Ottawa...] took us to overtime last weekend,” Coach Murdoch said. “They have

a lot of great athletes, but we felt that, last weekend, we really underperformed on the road [....] To see the guys come out tonight and look so dominant was very reassuring, and beating a team like Ottawa by nine goals is impressive.”

Maxime Murdoch attributed the Redmen’s success to staying focused until the final minute.

“We’ve been struggling to put together four quarters, but I think today we did okay,” Maxime Murdoch said. “I think it was our best game of the season so far.”

McGill will now take advantage of their bye weekend to rest, recover, and look ahead to their next game at Bishop’s (2-2). “[Bishop’s is] always a tough test, especially over in Lenoxville,” Coach Murdoch said. “We lost the game to them last year by a goal, so it’s going to be an important game for us.”

Moment of the game

Maxime Murdoch accelerated across the face of the goal, in an epic, near-diving shot on net, to score his fourth goal of the game.

Quotable

“I think it’s a mentality thing. We had a team meeting the other day, and I think that [the meeting] kind of shaped us up, and we were ready to go.” - Patrick Turner on the Redmen’s improvement from recent performances.

Stat corner

Turner and Maxime Murdoch scored four goals each, but seven other players also contributed to McGill’s 17 goals.

Turner and Maxime Murdoch scored four goals each, but seven other players also contributed to McGill’s 17 goals.