The McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory.
coordinating editor
Andrei Li managing editor
Sena Ho news editor
Adair Nelson commentary + compendium! editor Ingara Maidou culture editor Isabelle Lim features editor
Elaine Yang science + technology editor Vacant sports editor Vacant video editor
Vacant
visuals editor
Eva Marriott-Fabre
Nikhila Shanker copy editor
Charley Tamagno design + production editor
Vacant
social media editor
Lara Arab Makansi radio editor Vacant cover design
Sena Ho staff writers
Mara Gibea, Enid Kohler, Anahi Pellathy contributors
Kian Ahari, Celeste Carter, Anneke Goodwin, Sophie Hill, Sarah Toman
Published by the Daily Publications Society, a student society of McGill University. The views and opinions expressed in the Daily are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of McGill University. The McGill Daily is independent from McGill University.
Higher Education Is In Crisis
Colleges and universities have been a central rite of passage for generations of young adults in Canada and acrosstheworld.
At McGill, the end of August signals the beginning of classes. It’s a routine we all have or doubtless will become familiar with. As the leaves turn from green to orange, as the autumn chill settles in, our campus comes alive with the hubbub of students. In a little over a month, midterm seasonwillhit.Bythetimewintersnowsarrive,wewillbe stressed over finals. For new students, it’s the first time many are leaving their homes. For returning students, it might be their second year, their third year, or their last yearbeforetheysayfarewellonthegraduationstage.
AccordingtoUNESCO,Canadaboastsoneofthehighest post-secondaryeducationratesintheworldatnearly70per cent, a number only surpassed by Russia and Belarus. A 1999 Ministers’ Report cites post-secondary education as taking a “central role in addressing the challenges of a changing society.” In particular, modern issues such as the rise of information technology were foreseen to “affect and [be] influenced by” post-secondary institutions, apredictionwhichholdseverstrongertothisday.
On a similar note, universities have been key to informing the collective conscience of each generation of youth and drivingsocialreform.Onitsown,Montreal’suniversityscene hasfosteredcountlesssuchmovementsthroughthedecades: women ’srightsinthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury,thecivil rights movement in the 1960s, and more recently, the antituitionhikestrikesin2012.Inthepresent,studentsatMcGill have continued to push against injustice in Canada and abroad. Two prominent examples are protests against the university’s New Vic project on potential unmarked Indigenousgraves,andIsrael’songoinggenocideinPalestine. But in spite of their importance to youth internationally and, in some cases, directly because of it universities arecomingunderthreat.
RecentyearshaveseenCanadianinstitutionsfacebudgetary deficits across the board. In 2024, the federal government introduced caps on the number of students from outside of Canada, which led to a reduction in international student enrollment. This, combined with shortfalls in provincial funding,haveforceduniversitiesacrossCanadatomakedrastic operationalcuts.TheUniversityofReginahasincreasedtuition for all students by 4 per cent. Waterloo University has been looking to cut spending by $42 million against a $75 million deficit in the 2025 fiscal year, while Dalhousie University and UniversitédeSherbrookeeachfacefiscalgapsinexcessof$20 million. Last year, Queens University cut student scholarships andsmallermusiccoursesintheirFacultyofArtsandSciences inresponsetoabudgetaryshortfallof$35.7million.
Here at McGill, administrators are tackling a $15 million shortfallthisfiscalyearandanexpected$45millionfor2026 numberswhich,inaFebruarytownhall,PresidentDeepSaini warnedcouldaccumulateto$194millionby2028ifnoactionis taken. These measures came in the wake of Quebec Premier François Legault’s tuition hikes for out-of-province and international students. Sixty staff layoffs were announced in May,fewerthanthe99initiallyestimated,thoughitremainsto be seen what further measures McGill administration will be takinginthenewacademicyear.The Dailywarnedagainstmany ofMcGill’sproposedcuts,whichwouldhavedisproportionately affectedouruniversity’sArtsprograms.
These problems are not unique to Canadian institutions. In the United Kingdom, over 40 per cent of universities have reported deficits this year, in spite of austerity measures: a number which has been steadily increasing over the last five years. Like in Canada, this shortfall has been attributed to a decrease in international student enrollment. This figure balloonstoover80percentinFrance,whereitledtooverone billioneurosofcutstohighereducationandresearchthisyear. TheseissueshavebeenmostpressingintheUnitedStates, under the Trump administration’s blatant crusade against academia. Wielding claims of antisemitism and “woke” indoctrination, President Donald Trump has either threatened or proceeded to cut federal funding from multiple major institutions. Simultaneously, international students have been systematically targeted by immigration officials, often for political reasons. Federal grant organizationshavealsodramaticallyrolledbackfundingfor graduatestudentsandpost-doctoralresearchers.
TheplightofWesternhighereducationisgrowingintandem withaloominglabourcrisisamongpost-secondarygraduates. AccordingtoStatisticsCanada,Canadianyouthbetween15and 24 are facing the worst employment prospects in nearly 30 years,withinflationandpopulationgrowthtaggedasthetwo primary culprits. An even more worrying trend is emerging south of the border, where unemployment among young graduatesissignificantlyexceedingtheoverallAmericanrate of joblessness. In particular, the payoff of getting an undergraduate degree seems to be quickly dwindling: young male college graduates are now facing unemployment at the samerateasnon-graduates,whilejustoveradecadeagothey wereonlyhalfaslikelytobewithoutjobs.
Higher education is in crisis. Political agendas and the current economic storm are diminishing the value of post-secondary education. To abandon our universities is to abandon possibilities for the coming generations. It is egregious and unpardonable that policymakers, whether by neglect or deliberate intent, are driving the erosion of our academic institutions.
3480 McTavish St, Room 107
Montreal, QC H3A 0E7
phone 514.398.690 fax 514.398.8318
advertising & general manager
Letty Matteo ad layout & design
Alice Postovskiy
McGill Unions “Condemn in Strongest Possible Terms” McGill’s Notice of Default to QPIRG
Adair Nelson News Editor
OStudent, faculty unions concerned for QPIRG autonomy
n August 8, four McGill unions published an open letter condemning the university’snoticeofdefaultofthe Quebec Public Interest Research Group’s(QPIRG)Memorandumof Agreement (MoA) with McGill. The notice threatens QPIRG’ s studentfundingiftheydonotcease theirsupportfortheSolidarityfor Palestinian Human Rights organization (SPHR). In response, the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE), the Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE), and the Association of McGill Professors in the Faculty of Arts (AMPFA)havecalledontheMcGill administrationtoretractthenotice and respect its obligations to QPIRGundertheMoA.
In the notice of default issued this past January, McGill claims that by supporting SPHR, QPIRG hasbrokenitsobligationtorespect McGill policies, including the Student Code of Conduct, as stipulated in the MoA. By associating with a group that has broken this code, the university is accusing QPIRG of failing to meet theirobligationsbyassociation.
To remedy QPIRG’s alleged violation of McGill’s policies, McGillorderedtheorganizationto cease all association with SPHR. This entails removing mentions of the group on QPIRG’s website, revoking their working group status, and severing all financial and administrative support. If QPIRG does not redact their support for SPHR, the group’ s finances will be placed into an interimtrust – wherethefundswill bemanagedbyMcGillasaninterim trustee – until the organization is “restructuredandreinstated.”
The group plans to contest the notice and take the dispute to arbitration, a conflict resolution lessformalthanlegallitigation.But as a small, student-funded organization, QPIRG is being financiallyburdenedbylegalfees.
SPHRwascondemnedbyMcGill administration in the January notice as an organization that promotes “intimidation, harassment, and protest activities [resulting] in vandalism and
[The unions] stress that QPIRG is an invaluable resource to students and staff at the university, and that its financial jeopardy poses a serious threat to many programs and initiatives that benefit the community.
violence on our campus.” In QPIRG’s statement on the update on the MoA with McGill, they maintain that the “spurious” allegations against SPHR have neverbeenproveninacourtoflaw.
“Neither a court nor even an internal tribunal of McGill has found SPHR in violation of anything,” theywrite. “Instead,the university is scapegoating SPHR for the actions of individuals that McGillhasfailedtoidentify.”
Four of McGill’s unions, in solidaritywithQPIRG, “condemn in the strongest possible terms” McGill’s notice of default, as expressed in their August open letter. They stress that QPIRG is an invaluable resource to students and staff at the university, and that its financial jeopardyposesaseriousthreatto many programs and initiatives thatbenefitthecommunity.
The unions express their concern for the “imminent threat” posed to QPIRG’s organizational autonomy, asserting that “ any conduct that intimidates and threatens to dismantle a vibrant, positive student-centred campus organization is unwarranted.” The letter concludes by calling on the McGill administration to retract the notice and by underlining unions’ commitment to donate to QPIRG’SLegalDefenceFund.
Thestatementwassignedbythe executive committees of AGSEM, AMUSE, AMPFA, and AMUSE.
The aforementioned unions representarangeofMcGill’sstaff –from research employees to
tenured professors – and amass a totalmembershipof7,000.
Atthetimeofwriting,McGillhas not responded to the Daily’ s requestforawrittenstatementon theopenletter.
QPIRGwasfoundedinthe1990s as a student-run and studentfunded organization. They have provided free services to the McGill community, including “conflict resolution training, education on structural oppression, and other invaluable community resources.” They also runatextbookloanprogram,fund summer research projects, and founded the university’s first student housing co-op. They empowerstudentstotakeactionby funding and supporting over 15 social and environmental justice groups,includingSPHR.
“IfQPIRG-McGillcapitulatesto McGill immediately, we would blockoffoneofthelastavenuesfor pro-Palestinian organizing on campus, ” QPIRG wrote in their online statement. “But if we contest until they bankrupt us, students will lose one of the independentvoiceswillingtofight forthemoncampus.
”
In an interview with the Daily , co-president of AGSEM Dallas JokicstressedthatMcGill’sactions raise concerns for students’ freedoms of speech and expression. Jokic states that the unions decided to publish the letter as a response to “McGill’ s egregiousoverreach.
”
“BecauseofhowsmallQPIRGis, they are totally dependent on the MoA – if it’s destroyed, they can’t operate McGill has money for lawyers, an organization like QPIRGistoosmall.
”
“The reason we worked on putting this letter together is because McGill’s action fits into a broader pattern of how they’ ve been approaching Palestine solidarityatMcGill,” Jokicsaid.
Jokic expressed that the unions have shared a sentiment that the university has been reaching against free speech, and are concerned with how McGill is affectingstudentrightsoncampus. The letter of default raises concerns for AGSEM, potentially settingaprecedentforhowMcGill willdealwithfuturepushback.
Jokic also stressed that this is a broaderquestionofstudents'rights to organize, intervene, and speak freely – echoing QPIRG’ s statementthattheletter “ismerely
Nikhila Shanker | Visuals Editor
“Only through support from the community will we have a real chance of fighting and winning.”
another attempt by McGill to suppressstudentactivismtowards divestment by removing pillars of material support for activists on theground.
”
“It is so striking to see how muchmoneytheyareputtinginto legal costs to fight Palestinian speech and action,” Jokic added, referencing the budget cuts McGill has proposed in recent months. “Itisunfortunatethatthat money,whichcouldgotosomany things, is instead going to these lawsuits,injunctions,proceedings, andlegalactions.”
Jokic expressed hope that “McGill will take a chance to step back and reconsider the resources they are putting into suppressing pro-Palestinianspeech.” Theyhope McGill changes course and becomes more responsive to the “demandsofworkersandstudents instead of using legal tools to suppresstheirvoices.”
QPIRG hopes to remain a voice for various forms of advocacy on campus – including groups in solidaritywithPalestine – andwill continue their attempts to source fundingforlegalsupport.
“Only through support from the community will we have a real chance of fighting and winning,”
QPIRG expresses in its written statement. The four unions will continue to support QPIRG as they “defendtheirorganizational autonomy” and strive to “ serve their community-based mandate withoutundueinterference.” Amidst criticism, SPHR continues to advocate for McGill’s divestment from weaponsmanufactures.InaJune Instagram post, they stated that McGill invests seven million dollars annually into weapons enabling the “industrialized slaughter of innocent civilians” in Palestine by funding companies manufacturing Israel’s F-35 bombers. The organization reiterates that they will not cease resisting until McGill divests fully from “all weapons complicit in genocide andoccupation.” For now, it is uncertain whether QPIRG will garner the support needed to challenge McGill in a court of arbitration, or whether the university will continue to move forward with their claims. As QPIRG writes, “the outcome of this battle will have a significant effect on activism at large in the community.”
Changing the Marketplace: An Interview with Morgan Balkin about Exchange Sublet
New student-run platform streamlines subletting process for semesters abroad
Enid Kohler Staff Writer
Good People is a bi-weekly column highlighting McGill students doing communityoriented work on and around campus.Becauseit’simportant tocelebrategoodpeopledoing goodthings.
Hundreds of McGill undergraduate students go on exchange every year. But until this summer, there was no centralized platform to help students sublet their apartments and lookforlivingaccommodations in another country. Enter: Exchange Sublet, a studentcentric digital platform that servesasareliablemarketplace for students to list their homes while looking for new ones abroad. I spoke with CEO and co-founder Morgan Balkin, U2 student in International Development, Economics, and Social Entrepreneurship, over Zoom. We talked about the platform’s recent launch, its features, and how he hopes it will positively impact the McGill community.
This interview has been editedforclarityandbrevity.
Enid Kohler for the McGill Daily (MD): Exchange Sublet launchedonInstagraminApril. How did the project begin?
Morgan Balkin (MB): My friends in the year above were telling me how they were so excited to go on exchange but how they were really struggling and spending days on days on Facebook marketplace trying to find [subletters]. They made it seem like the most complex, horrible situation. I had also just started my minor in social entrepreneurship, and what they taught us in class was always, when you look for the little problems, a solution to those could be a business or an entrepreneurial venture. And then it was genuinely a shower thought, like, “what if there was an Airbnb for subletting?” I shared my idea with my friend Rami, now my cofounder,andhewaslike, “dude, that's a really great idea.” From there it just took off.
MD: If you were pitching your platform to an investor, how would you describe it?
MB: We are hopefully going to be the Airbnb for subletting. We see ourselves as a platform that is very user-friendly, safe, secure, and centered around this niche study abroad period where students are going to leave their home city. I would say the difference between us and what Airbnb or Facebook Marketplace is doing is that we have verified profiles with profile pictures, student emails and a safe and secure payment system. Really trying to minimize any scams and uncertainties.
MD: Howareyougoingtogrow internationally so that students coming to McGill on exchange can use your platform?
MB: We're going to start in Montreal and then find ways to grow at schools worldwide. We plan to launch an ambassador program where international students who went on exchange at McGill can spread the word at their own schools. And luckily we've grown our team a bit to have a good amount of international connections. We know people all over, and that's the beauty of McGill, that you have such an international crowd that you can tap into.
MD: What does the future of ExchangeSubletlooklike?Will itmovebeyondpurelyhousing?
MB: We have so many ideas on how to expand. Just a few are a Tinder-esque interface for roommates and having indepth information about local bars, clubs, restaurants, cafés. We have a lot of excitement in terms of finding a way to implement AI into our platform, having these little quick questions about your city or the currency, the people, the language, whatever it may be. “Oh, is that club good?” You know, “what promoter did you use?” Or like, “is this place glutenfree?” Little stuff like that can really be helpful.
Having said that, it's good to stick to your bread and butter at first. At our base, we're a subletting service, an intermediary between
sublettersandlisters.Wewant to get that cycle going a bit before we start introducing these new features, but honestly the sky is the limit.
MD: The theme of this column is “good people doing good things.” In the context of your work with Exchange Sublet, whatdoesbeinga “goodperson” mean to you?
MB: I think everything we put intooursiteandourwholeidea is really just to improve this stressful but exciting experience. We hope to reduce stress, increase security, and just ease everyone's mind. So I thinkthat'swhatwetrytodoto help people and be good people in a way.
Students can find Exchange Sublet on Instagram, @exchangesublet, and on their website, exchangesublet.ca.
Protecting employers and the public’s essential services during strikes and lockdowns at the expense of employees’ freedom of speech and assembly
Mara Gibea Staff Writer
Bill 89, officially titled “An Act to give greater consideration to the needs ofthepopulationintheeventof a strike or a lock-out,” was passed May 30 with a majority vote. 94 out of 111 members of the National Assembly of Quebec (MNA) – around 85 per cent – voted in favour of its assent. The bill was introduced to the MNA on February 19, by the Minister of Labour and CoalitionAvenirQuébec (CAQ) legislator Jean Boulet. The report from the MNA’s 43rd Legislaturedefinesthebillasan act, as it will be signed into law this fall on November 30, amending sections from the Labour Code “and other provisions to maintain servicesensuringthewell-being ofthepopulation” duringstrikes andlock-downs.
These services are those deemed essential for the public, defined in S.111.22.3 of the bill as “minimally required to prevent thepopulation’ssocial,economic or environmental security from beingdisproportionallyaffected.”
According to the bill, in section 111.22.4-6, the government determines the essentiality and maintenance of the services by submitting an order to the Administrative Labor Tribunal. Ifdeemedessential,serviceswill be maintained for the public during the negotiation stage of strikes and lockdowns unless determined otherwise by the Tribunal,whichhasthepowerto “warrant suspension of the exercise of the right to strike or to a lock-out,” according toS.111.22.11.
McGillprofessorBarryEidlin, the vice president of the AssociationofMcGillProfessors of the Faculty of Arts (AMPFA) and an expert in political sociology and labour, views this legal power as unilaterally forcingworkers “toworkagainst their will under conditions that are not of their choosing” – the very conditions they are protesting, he told the MontrealGazette
Moreover, the Labour Code was amended to include Chapter V.3.1: “Special Power of the Minister,” where the Minister of Labour has the power to end a lockdown or strike if he believes thattheunionstillposesathreat
to public well-being after mediation. This intervention in labour disputes manifests the minister’s ability to unilaterally send the bargaining unit to arbitration – whose decision, like a court, is legally binding, meaning there will be penal consequences for noncompliance. However, it is important to note that while the provincial government can unilaterally send parties to the Tribunal, it does not unanimously make thesedecisions.
In contrast, Richard Janda, Associate Professor and chief negotiatorintheAssociationof McGill Professors of Law (AMPL/AMPD), interprets the Minister’s power to send both parties to arbitration as the bureaucratization of the negotiation process, where arbitration is used as a tool for the government to avoid the legal and political backlash of back-to-worklegislation.Eidlin shares Janda’s views, regarding the government’s imposition of service requirements and settlements as materializing a power imbalance between employeesandemployers.Inan interviewwiththeCBC,hesaid “[f]ormeaningfulbargainingto exist, the parties need to be on a level playing field,” particularly because “workers have only one tool the power
to collectively withhold theirlabour.
” According to the Montreal Gazette, Minister Boulet justifies the government’s intervention to “limit the length of labour disruptions.” This is particularly the Minister’s response to the province’s increasing labour strikesinQuebec.InMay,Boulet cited Statistics Canada data claiming there were 759 strikes in2024,anincreaseof64strikes compared to 2023. However, in July, CityNews reported that the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, or the Federation of National Trade Unions (CSN), “found that data published by Statistics Canada concerning labour disputes in Quebec were false” and that there actually were 208 strikes in 2024. AccordingtoCBC,theCSNisnot the only labour union with criticism. The Quebec Central Union of Trade Unions (CSQ), theQuebecFederationofLabour (FTQ), and the Central Democratic Trade Union (CSD) are also planning legal action againstthenewbill.
Labourgroupsarenottheonly associations entering legal action, as four certified faculty unionsatMcGillhaveformedthe Confederation of Faculty Associations of McGill (COFAM). This coalition is composed of the AMPL/AMPD,theAssociationof McGill Professors of Education
(AMPE), the AMPFA, and the Association of McGill Academic StaffoftheSchoolofContinuing Studies(AMASCS/AMPEEP).In their press release on August 5, COFAM announced their application for the judicial review of Bill 89’ s constitutionality in Quebec Superior Court under the grounds that the bill violates employees’ freedom of association. The matter particularly affects McGill, as the bill expanded the definition ofessentialservicesfromhealth and social services, per the Essential Services Act, to include manufacturing and education sectors and “ any worker in Quebec,” including post-secondaryfaculty.
"Asuniversityfaculty,wehavea particular responsibility to defend constitutionalrightsandtheruleof law," said Professor Eidlin in COFAM’s release. "This legislation could subject universities to government-imposed service requirementsduringlabourdisputes, potentially compromising academic independence,"hecontinued.
This directly affects students in terms of pursuing academic knowledgeandfreedomofspeech without institutional intervention. While the bill does not directly target student protestors with arbitration, they may be legally vulnerable if the Minister deems “thatastrikeoralock-outcausesor
threatens to cause serious or irreparable injury to the population,” ascitedins.111.32.2of thebill.
In other words, freedom of speech and association are the reasons that COFAM is legally challenging Bill 98. This goes beyond McGill, as COFAM reiterated in their press release. The organization expressed that the provincial bill attempts to overturn the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2015 verdict in Saskatchewan Federation of Labor v. Saskatchewan, stating that s.2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom protects the “irreducible minimum” of the freedom of association. In contrast, Minister Boulet justified Quebec’s actions in an interview with the CBC as wanting for “Quebec to have similar powers to the federal government when it forced a returntoworkforstrikingCanada Postworkers” lastDecember. Ultimately, it will come down to a balance of powers whether ornotstrikesandlockdownscan be bureaucratized and settled faster with mutual consent –without infringing on employees' Charter rights and freedomsasCanadiancitizens.
James Gunn’s newest blockbuster, Superman, has been inescapable this summer. Whether it be through posters, trailers, or David Corenswet’s GQ photoshoot, the filmhasattractedalargeaudience over the past few months. The promotion was so successful that it achieved something seemingly impossible: it convinced many lifelong Marvel fans including myself towatchaDCfilmonthe bigscreen.Iwasskepticalatfirst, as previous DC films had always been a let-down and I was much more familiar with the Marvel Universe.Furthermore,mylackof knowledgeofDCmademebelieve thatIwouldn’tenjoythisfilm,but I was mistaken. The moment the lightsdimmed,themoviegrabbed holdofmeanddidn’tletgoforthe nexttwohours.
This isn’t a typical Superman movie,asitdoesn’tshowhisorigin story, which I think all of us have heardonetoomanytimes.Instead, the film occurs three years after Clark Kent begins his double life. HeisalreadyMetropolis’ heroand is adored by the entire city, excluding Lex Luthor, who spends the entire movie orchestrating Superman’s downfall. Though we are immediately thrown into the midst of a fight, no context is neededtoenjoythescene,which,in myopinion,isabreathoffreshair. Superheromovieshavebecome increasingly difficult to understand on their own, with audiences required to have watched at least ten movies and two television series in order to understand new releases. As muchasIadoretheMCUandits many storylines, it has become chaotic in recent years, which is whythismoviewassorefreshing. It was a perfect standalone that introduced iconic characters without placing unrealistic expectationsontheatre-goers.
David Corenswet’ s Superman steals the show throughout the entire film. Though Superman is not a character I’m very familiar with, by the time the credits rolled, I loved him. Corenswet’ s brilliant performance introduced me to a character who is nothing but good. In a world where morally ambiguous superheroes are around every corner, it was
Superman: A Celebration of Humanity over Heroism
Not all heroes wear capes
surprising to see one who wanted to do what was best for everyone, and who didn’t pay mindtohisself-interests.
The rise of social media has led to a lack of empathy across the globe, with many people failingtofeelanycompassionfor others. Hiding behind phone screens and berating others on the internet has become the norm for many people, and society has become so unaccustomed to basic human decency that we put others on a pedestal and praise them for even the smallest acts of kindness. Due to all of this, seeingsomeoneprioritizeothers over themselves is not something I’m used to, which is whythisfilmwassoshocking.
Superman is devoted to the citizensofMetropolisandwants to do as much good as possible, nomatterthecost.However,his greatest enemy, Lex Luthor potrayed by Nicholas Hoult is determined to bring him down
for no good reason. Despite the many obstacles Luthor throws at him, Superman is rarely discouragedandcontinuestofight forthegreatergood.
This film is made even more unconventional by how they pay little attention to the title character’s superpowers, and instead focus on his human side. During one of the final scenes, SupermanisfacetofacewithLex Luthor, who despises him simply because he’s from a different planet. In response to Luthor calling him an “alien,” Superman tells him that he is “as human as anyone. ” Then he makes the most powerfuldeclarationofthemovie, which is that his humanity is his greateststrength.
Unlike past portrayals of Superman, specifically Henry Cavill’s, this version of the iconic hero is given a prominent human side. Cavill’s Superman was depicted as a dark, brooding godlikefigurewhowasdestinedto be humanity’s saviour.
Corenswet’s Superman, on the otherhand,isgentlerandwilling tohelpeveryone,eventhosewho harm him. He is not made out to beagod,butisinsteadportrayed as a human doing the best hecan.
Themessagebehindthemovieis that superpowers are not required to make a difference, as our humanityisenoughtotransformus into the heroes we see on the big screen. As cliché or repetitive as that message may seem, it’ s somethingwehaven’tseenrecently andit’supliftingtoaudiencesofany age. At a time when political tensions make headlines everyday and conflicts arise around the globe, hope is what people rely on tokeepthemselvesgoing,whichis why this film is so important. Not only does it show us a hero who firmly believes in doing as much good as possible, it also provides a sense of hope that we can save ourselves.Nooneonthisplanetisa superhero, but as this film has shown, our humanity is stronger
thananysuperpowercould everbe. I walked out of the theatre feeling more hopeful than I have in years, and after further research on the matter, I know I’m not the only one who feels thisway.Whilescrollingthrough reviewsofthefilmonLetterboxd, I discovered that many other people felt the same as I did: inspired to be the best version of themselves after watching the movie. In a time when ‘nonchalance’ has become the norm and people believe that they don’t owe anyone anything, this film heads in the opposite direction by claiming that kindnessistheonlyhopewehave tomaketheworldabetterplace.
Sarah Toman Culture Contributor
Nikhila Shanker | Visuals Editor
Where Did All the Original Movies Go?
How Hollywood’s infatuation with yesterday’s movies is hurting the industry
Ahari Culture Contributor
If you went back in time to 2005 and told someone that threeof2025’sbiggestmovies would be a live-action Lilo & Stitch remake,a FinalDestination sequel,andathird FantasticFour reboot,theywouldhaveprobably laughedinyourface.
Fast forward twenty years, and each of those movies has topped the North American box officethissummer.
You’re not wrong to think that big Hollywood blockbusters have become increasingly derivativeofexistingintellectual properties (IPs). Last year, all fifteen of the highest-grossing movies were either sequels, reboots, or adaptations. This year is looking to be more of the same, with more sequels like Zootopia 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and Avatar: Fire and Ash on the horizon. As movie studios continue to churn out sequels, reboots, “requels,” and adaptations, some fear that Hollywood’s creativity tap is beginningtorundry.
So what exactly is behind Hollywood’s obsession with recycling the same IPs over and overagain?
After speaking to some of mycinephilefriendsandreading some editorials about this issue, Ifoundthattheytendedtoplace the blame on moviegoers. Talking points ranged from patronizing to pretentious howpeopleareignoringoriginal releases,howdecliningattention spans are deterring us from focusing on new IPs, and since moviesareultimatelyabusiness, studios are simply investing in what they think people want to see: uninspired sequels and reboots.
However, none of these points are true. Many moviegoers have signalled to Hollywood that they are tired of beingfedthesameIPsyearafter year. Last year, audiences shunnedlazily-madesequelslike the The Crow remake and Joker: Folie à Deux. Earlier in 2025, social media users celebrated afterDisneyannounceditwould pause production on future liveaction remakes. So, if consumers want to watch original movies, why are studios not greenlightingmoreofthem?
Perhaps the key cause behind Hollywood’s creative brain drain is the COVID-19 pandemic.Thefilmindustrywas decimatedbylockdownsandthe
simultaneous rise of streaming services; it may never soar to pre-pandemic heights again. While theatre attendance has steadily risen since restrictions werelifted,itisstillmilesbelow late2010slevels.
Hollywood needs to get people back into theatres again in order to survive. To do so, studios are relying on bankable, existing IPs to make a quick profit. In business sense, it just isn’t conducive right now for studios to gamble with new, untested ideas. In addition, with the layoff of many screenwriters since the pandemic, it has become more difficult and expensiveforstudiostoconceive newIPsinthefirstplace.
Coincidentally, movie studioshavebecomenotoriously bad at promoting new IPs. Consider two Pixar movies: the original Elio and the sequel Inside Out 2. Both were developedwithroughlythesame budget,releasedatthesametime of year, and received similar reviews. The difference? Inside Out 2 made over 1.5 billion dollars at the box office, while Eliogrossedapaltry150million.
Why did two similar movies yield such different results?
Pixar promoted InsideOut2 with a massive 55 million dollar PR campaign, consisting of several
trailers, a widespread social media presence, and collaborations with brands such as Uber and BubbleSkincare.
Elio’s promotional campaign? Crickets. A friend of mineevenjokedthatpeoplewho knew what Elio was only knew what it was because nobody knewwhatEliowas.
In defence of Hollywood, it is certainly harder to introduce new IPs to audiences in comparisontofamiliarones.But with film budgets reaching record highs and social media making advertising easier than ever, it’s becoming harder to excuse studios for failing to promote their new Ips. Hollywood’s push to flood the box office with sequels and remakes may be doing well for studios,butthereducedfocuson originality is also reshaping how cinema is still seen as an art form,andnotinagoodway.
Most people can agree that theartoffilmmakingissupposed to be beautiful, inspiring, and above all else, original. Sequels andremakes,whichhappentobe the most popular movies nowadays,areinherentlylacking in originality. Film committees have taken notice of this, and thus fewer high-grossing movies are being nominated for awards. Thishasledtotwoissues:award
committees increasingly favouring mostly-unknown films derided by some as “Oscar bait,” and moviegoers growing disillusioned and indifferent towardtheawardprocess.
The fact that critics and audiences are polarized on what movies constitute art is concerning. Movies considered modern classics, like Parasite and There Will Be Blood, earned their reputations because their artistic appeal was universal. If this division continues, original cinema will be relegated to obscurity while low-quality sequels and remakes will continue to be screened in theatres. Thus, creative, innovativefilmsthatwouldhave been praised as modern classics in previous years will be largely ignored. Meanwhile, audiences will have no choice but to keep watching an endless loop of derivativeIPslop.
All in all, the market for originalmovieslooksbleakright now,andtheimplicationsofthat are dire. So, what can movie lovers do about this? Truthfully, there isn’t much we can do to block studios from greenlighting more derivative works, but we can let them know that we want the sequel madness to end and newIPstocometotheatres.
Word of mouth is our best weapon in this fight. Telling others about new, inspired moviescreatestheaudiencethat Hollywood is struggling to attract. For example, through word of mouth and social media exposure, the Netflix original KPop Demon Hunters has become a pop culture phenomenon despite initially receiving little promotionfromitsdistributor.
Additionally, Sinners, a novel horror movie released earlierthisyear,wasaboxoffice hit that swooned both audiences and critics alike. Its distributor, Warner Bros., was instrumental in helping the movie succeed. Unlike most studios, it invested heavily in promoting the movie across North America. Sinners’ success proves that although original blockbusters are becoming rarer, there are still bright spots that should give cinephileshope.
Ultimately, a future where every popular movie is unoriginal is something we should all loathe. Rather, we should dream of having the privilege of watching great original movies in theatres, just like how people who grew up in the 2000s can now boast about the creative cult classics they oncesaw.
Kian
One Is Not Born, But, Rather, Becomes a Performative Male
Gender Performativity and the New Man
speech: “Keep performing as long as you respect women, becausethisisallit’sabout.”
genderperformance.
Thissummer,whileworkingas a barista in Montreal, I saw my fair share of Carharttsporting, mullet-rocking men, who would come into the café with their carabiners jangling only to order an iced matcha latte. Meet the frightful “performativemale.”
You didn't have to spend the summer in Montreal to notice this latest fad. The average Instagram user or TikTok watcher has most likely become aware of the term after it blew up this past summer. However, we McGillians are lucky enough to go to school in Montreal. The “performative male” goes beyondthememesforus,asour city is full of them. We are cursed with living among the legends, getting to see them (or match with them on Hinge) up closeandpersonally.
For those of you who have never seen one in the wild, or those of you offline enough this past summer to have missed the termaltogether(propstoyou),a “performative male” is a newly defined male archetype, rooted specifically in their aesthetic signaling.Thisaestheticconsists of a moustache, a mullet, wearing workwear, drinking matcha, using exclusively string headphones(throughwhichthey listen to “Bags” by Clairo on repeat), always having a carabinerandatotebagonhand, and having a pierced nose and painted nails. Despite its deep rootsinaestheticsandtaste,this surface level phenomenon has a deeper necessary quality. Performative men pride themselves on being feminists and caring about women. From empathizing with and idolizing Clairo, indie pop singer known for her confessional lyrics, to an annotated copy of Feminism is for Everybody by bell hooks sitting on their side table, this is a crucial and key part of their identity. Winner of Montreal’ s performative male contest, ShahzaibSultan,evenwentonto say in his online acceptance
Despite the term's extreme popularity this summer and the great increase in performative menI’venoticedwalkingaround Montreal, the concept of the “performative male” is far from new or revolutionary. Judith Butler, one of the most prominent feminist philosophers, coined the term “Gender Performativity” in their renowned book, Gender Trouble (1990), and they famously expand upon this idea in their essay “Performative Acts and GenderConstitution:AnEssayin Phenomenology and Feminist Theory” (1988). The premise of this theory is that one’s gender and associated gendered traits are in no way natural, but come from the “stylized repetition of acts” thatwecometobelieveare innate. What she argues is that we are all actors who have forgotten we are on stage, who have performed in this play so many times that we believe it is our reality. Though Butler was imperativetothedevelopmentof this foundational theory, they werenotthefirstpersontoview gender this way. Simone de Beauvoir, renowned French existentialist philosopher and feminist thinker, famously wrote in her book The Second Sex (1949), “One is not born, but, rather,becomesawoman.”
A key part of gender performativity is that this performancehasbeenhappening since before we as individuals werebornandwillcontinueeven alterwearegone.Butlerstatesin Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: “But neither do embodied selves pre-exist the cultural conventions which essentially signify bodies”. We never have and never will encounter a body or person that exists before society gives it a meaning. However, these genderedcharactersweperform, because they are a social construct, are susceptible to change, evolution and revolution. The prime example of this is the “performative male,” our latest subversive
If gender is a performance, then the “performative male” is only the newest character in our play.Their “stylizedrepetitionof acts” consists of ordering matcha, reading Sally Rooney in a public park, and manipulating their current situationship. Repeat. Their “stylization of the body” includes(butisnotlimited to)growingamoustache,putting on rings, and adorning their jorts.Repeat.
The “performative male”’ s subversion of gender norms forms an essential part of their identity. For the first time, an allowanceforthedeviationfrom heteronormativity to represent themodernmasculine.However, we must ask ourselves, how subversive is the “performative male” from the stereotypical masculine male persona we’ ve knownalltheseyears?
To answer that question, I presentyouwithanother.
Why do we all pursue our performance of gender so devoutly? This may seem like an obvious question, but in the journalistic pursuit to analyze the “performative male” and his significancetooursociety,itisa crucial one. There are many philosophical, anthropological, and scientific reasons to justify why we feel a need to perform our gender, one of which being thepursuitofsex.
Atthecoreofthe “performative male” is the quest for romantic attention.Oursocietyhascurated an entire aesthetic based on this. The “performative male” performs feminist fluency and emotional intelligence as a tactic in love. Their greatest performance of all is that they careabout women,andthatisnot a gender or a personality trait it's the commodification and appropriation of feminism. Most men appearing to read feminist literatureinacafédosonotinthe name of understanding women and their struggles, but in that of impressingthem.Thisiswhythe “performativemale” issosinister. However, the fact that performativemenpretendtocare aboutwomenisnotrevolutionary it’s in the name! What is so
Nikhila Shanker | Visuals Editor
interesting is why we as a society are so obsessed with this latest performance. For the first time, menarenottryingtoplaytherole of the masculine hero, but are attempting to emulate what they think women want. Historically, men have held the power in decidingtheirpartner,andwomen havehadtobendtothesepowers. However,the “performativemale” phenomenon shows that women are no longer at the whims of men ’ssexualpreferences.Menare dipping their toes into “feminist” traits for the first time not in pursuit of identity or liberation from toxic masculinity, but for romantic and sexual leverage. Despite their newfound social popularity and deviation from gender norms, this “new male” is not evolving masculinity. It is simply repackaging it with the hope of being more likely to get someplay.
Nonetheless, for once, this performanceisnota “phantasmic ideal of heterosexual identity” as Judith Butler once described. Modern men are dressing more diversely, exercising emotional intelligence, and entering the feministsphere.Yes,itmightjust be a performance, and this is inadequate. That being said, they are consciously no longer
emulating toxic masculine ideals. Culturally and socially, despite thejokes,thisisanew,extremely important gendered act we have neverseenbefore.
SimonedeBeauvoirwouldnot have imagined her books gallivanting through city streets in the tote bags of the twentysomething-yearoldmenof2025, and I’m not quite sure how it would make her feel. Would the disingenuity of it all dishearten her? Or would she be in awe at the mainstream way in which men are deviating from toxic masculinity? We’ll never know. What I do know is she would be turning in her grave if she knew we were falling for their vinyl collections and Hinge prompts about astrological compatibility – so this semester, keep your witsaboutyou.
Anneke Goodwin Culture Contributor
Just In: Spotted McGill
Finding comfort and connection through Spotted McGill
Does anonymity bring the McGill community closer? Surprisingly, yes. Through Spotted McGill, students are able to submit their confessions regarding campus life anonymously via google form. The Instagram account has amassed over 21,000 followers and has published 1,280 posts since beingstartedin2014.Notonly are the people submitting posts shrouded in mystery, so are the owners of the account. The identity of the admins are acompletemystery.
Itseemsasif,Spottedgotits name from quite literally “spotting” odd occurrences on campus. For example, one student submitted a photo of a mouse trap in the New Rez dining hall. The account occasionally branches out from posting confessions to also include advice for incoming students and host events.InMarch,Spottedeven hosted their own fat squirrel competition. While not all submissions are included in Spotted’s daily posts, the account gives many students a platformwheretheycanshare the bizarre or funny confessions they have on their
chest. One student shared that they “ can ’t stop eating wafers andIthinkIneedhelp”,asking fellowstudentsforadvice.The anonymity of these posts makes you feel as though anyone around you could’ ve been the person responsible for holding on to such hilarioussecrets.
The candid nature of the posts is fuelled by the absence of consequences – with students aware that their thoughts,opinions,andstories cannotbetracedbacktothem.
Sure, a student can share on Spotted that the person they wereeyeingonthe3rdfloorof the Redpath was cute. But would they go up to them and sayso?Absolutelynot.
Confessing such private thoughts can feel easier when notfacedwiththedownsideof peopleyouknowremembering them. I mean, do you really want to be reminded years later of a brief dining hall crushyouhadduringyourfirst semester?Duetothevolumeof posts from the account, specific stories seldom stay on anyone ’s mind the minute a new one is available. Their viewers are hungry for gossip, not pausing to think about last week'snews.
My introduction to Spotted McGill took place around
Halloween of my first year. Looking for something to do that weekend, I stumbled across Spotted which, at the time, was promoting a power hour to celebrate the occasion. It was then that I did some further scrolling to discover a plethora of juicy confessions. Over time, hearing my friends saythingslike “ can ’twaittosee Spotted’s next post” or “there’ s no way you haven’t seen this” became standard practice at dining hall tables. It became routine to crowd around someone ’sphoneandreadover the latest post. It didn’t take long after discovering Spotted that I started to jokingly refer to the page as my daily paper. But in all honesty, Spotted had become exactly that – soon infiltrating the fresh routine I had built for myself as a first yearstudent.
New to the city, coming from a suburban town in Ontario, I had become used to hiding within a crowd whenever on campus. It’s easy to lose yourself in the buzz of “rush hour” foot traffic on Sherbrookeandfeelreducedto yet another number at McGill. Being able to learn about traditions McGill students participate in, such as the ginger run on St. Patrick’s Day, or popular spots around the
citymademefeellikelessofan outsider.
This disconnect is stronger for students who leave for home during the summer. I’ m currently writing this article nestled between busy commuters on the GO train, gazing up at the CN Tower. Anticipating my next hot dog on the lower field, I can’t help but feel detached from the community I had felt so embedded in mere months ago. It is then that I long to keep myself updated through Spotted’sposts.
NotonlydoesSpottedMcGill make students feel connected to their peers, it helps us feel less shame about our own experiences while providing comedicrelief.
With the filtered, brand-deal friendly stories we see daily on social media, it is refreshing to have someone we can either sympathize with or laugh at. The choice is really up to you. Reading people’s shameful confessions serves as a comforting reminder that we’ re not the only ones experiencing embarrassingmoments.
Followingthisaccountmakes usfeelpartofanexclusiveclub, as first years crammed inside the hallway outside Leacock 132 looking at a sea of unfamiliarfaces.Readingthese
Spotted acts as the court jester sitting in our pockets.
posts gives us common ground to connect on. Whether it’s to marvel over someone’s worst hookupstoryortoseethelatest fat squirrel update, being the person who gets to tell everyone else that they saw today's Spotted post before themmakesyoufeelconnected toMcGill’sowngossipgirl. By concealing the identity of the confessors on this page, we actuallygettoknoweachother onamuchmorepersonallevel. The lack of identification in this space allows for students tobemorevulnerable,allowing ustolearneachother'ssecrets. Maybe anonymity is the way to go when building a stronger communityafterall.
Celeste Carter
Commentary Contributor
Nikhila Shanker | Visuals Editor
Behind the Punchline
When laughter hides what hurts
Sophie Hill Commentary Contributor
We live in a culture that jokes about everything: burnout,heartbreak,even existential dread. Gen Z’s social media feeds overflow with ironic “I’m fine” memes, and comedians turn personal tragedies into material for sold-out shows. The logic seems simple: if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. Humour makes theunbearablebearable,filingthe edges of life’s harsher moments downtoasoftness.Butitcanalso become a mask and a way of dodginguncomfortabletruths.
Humour has long been studied through three main theories. Hobbes and Plato’ s understanding of humour, now coined as the Superiority Theory, sees laughter as arising from one feeling above others’ mistakes or misfortunes. The Relief Theory, first explored by Lord Shaftesbury then refined by renowned father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, views laughter and humour as a safe outlet for tension and repressed emotions. Immanuel KantandArthurSchopenhauer’ s Incongruity Theory suggests we laugh at surprising mismatches between expectation and reality. Together, these theories show howhumourcanentertainwhile also masking deeper issues; it can deflect discomfort, obscure empathy, or distract from seriousrealities.
These philosophical frameworks set the stage for modern psychological studies, which investigate how specific types of humour actually affect our mental health. Building on decades of work linking humour and well-being, a 2023 study of nearly 700 Italian participants demonstratesthatdifferentcomic styles have distinct psychological effects on individuals: benign humour aimed at amusing others for pure entertainment was associated with lower depression, anxiety, and stress, while irony and sarcasm predicted higher distress as they tend to carry much more emotionalweight.
These findings highlight that humour is far from onedimensional, blending cognitive, emotional,andsocialfunctions.A wittyremarkmighthelpsomeone reframe a stressful event, while a sarcastic jab may only deepen a sense of alienation in the relationship between the joker andthereceiver,andinboththeir relationships to self. Seen this way, humour is not just relief, it’ s a mirror of how we process challenges. Do we choose to connectandreframe,ortodeflect andattack?
Humour as a physiological regulator does provide measurable benefits: laughing lowerscortisollevelsandelevates dopamine, fostering a sense of relief. But just as painkillers dull symptoms without treating causes, humour can numb us to
emotional wounds without helpingthemheal.
The psychology of humour becomes especially interesting when mapped onto culture. Consider the rise of selfdeprecating humour online tweets about being “permanently exhausted,” TikToks about depression disguised as punchlines. These jokes resonate because they capture shared experiencesofstruggle,offeringa sense of connection and making individuals feel less alone. Yet, while this recognition can be comforting, it also risks normalizing avoidance. If we constantly joke about mental health, burnout, or loneliness, we acknowledge the problem without ever addressing it. Over time, this avoidance can deepen feelings of despair, strain relationships, and reinforce a sense of nihilism, leaving us laughing at our struggles instead ofworkingthroughthem.
Comedians have long understood this tension. Richard Pryor, Hannah Gadsby, and Bo Burnham, among others, have mined their personal pain for material. Their work illustrates both sides of humour’s power: it can spark catharsis by bringing hiddenstrugglesintotheopen,or it can shield performers and audiences alike from sitting with discomfort. Burnham’s 2021 special Inside encapsulates this comedic exploration of isolation thatblursthelinebetweencoping andconfession,leavingviewersto wonder whether they should
laugh, cry, or both. Personally, I lean towards seeing humour as useful in helping people get through tough situations, but I’ m less convinced that selfdeprecating comedy on its own is especially productive. At times, it risks turning pain into a kind of competition an “oppression olympics” playedoutinjokeform rather than prompting us to think about how these struggles mightactuallybeaddressed. This is not just an individual problem but a social one. In conversation, humour can deflect vulnerability: a friend makes a joke when asked how they’ re really doing, or colleagues laugh off chronic overwork instead of discussing burnout. On a larger scale, political satire often relieves tension while inadvertently discouraging action – if the joke is sharp enough, the outrage feels already expressed.
The risk is clear: if we turn everything into a joke, nothing feels serious enough to merit change. Humour keeps us comfortable, but comfort is not thesameasresolution.
Satireaddsanotherlayer and not always a harmless one. In a remarkable role reversal that would have bewildered previous generations,comediansnowoften deliver political commentary that reaches wider audiences than traditional news outlets. Think of John Oliver or Hasan Minhaj jesters who double as journalists. While their humour can make complexissuesmoredigestible,it also risks trivializing serious
matters. For instance, during a segment on robocalls, Oliver compared Senator Susan Collins to spoofing technology claiming she masks her true political leanings leading to misrepresentedopinionsofher but the audience responded not with reflection, but with boos. Reducing nuanced policy debates to punchlines may leave audiences laughing (or, in this case, jeering) without fully grapplingwiththestakes.Thus,it fostered cynicism rather than informed engagement. When laughter replaces critical reflection, political jokes can numb concern by normalizing inaction and discouraging meaningfuldiscourse.
None of this means we should stop making jokes. Humour is a vital human resource, one that connects us and helps us endure. Perhaps the challenge is balance: laughter can make heavy truths lighter, but it should not replace truthaltogether.Asculturalcritic SusanSontagoncenoted, “silence remains, inescapably, a form of speech.” The same might be said for laughter every joke says something,butsometimeswhatit saysis, “Idon’twanttotalkabout it.” In an era where humour saturates our media and conversations, maybe the bravest moveisknowingwhentotakeoff themask.Tolaugh,yes,butalsoto pause, to sit and see beyond the laughter,andmeettherealitieswe tendtoavoid.
