Meet The Team!
Sena Ho Managing Editor
Andrei Li Coordinating Editor
Adair Nelson News Editor
Justin Friedberg News Editor
Mara Gibea News Editor
Elaine Yang Features Editor
Ingara Maidou Commentary Editor
Sonia Berman Commentary Editor
Youmna El Halabi Culture Editor
Isabelle Lim Culture Editor
Charley Tamagno Copy Editor
Nikhila Shanker Visuals Editor
Parker Russell Multimedia Editor
Golnar Saegh Multimedia Editor
Cassandra Cohen Design Editor
Lara Arab Makansi Social Media Editor
Eva Marriott-Fabre Visuals Editor
editorial board
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phone 514.398.6790 fax 514.398.8318
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The McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory.
coordinating editor Andrei Li managing editor Sena Ho news editors
Adair Nelson
Justin Friedberg
Mara Gibea commentary + compendium! editors Ingara Maidou Sonia Berman culture editors
Isabelle Lim
Youmna El Halabi features editor
Elaine Yang visuals editors
Eva Marriott-Fabre Nikhila Shanker copy editor
Charley Tamagno design + production editor
Cassandra Cohen multimedia editors Golnar Saegh
Parker Russell social media editor
Lara Arab Makansi cover design
David Farla staff contributors Enid Kohler contributors
Owen Simoes, Gala Mandic, Juliette Darrigade, Maya Mohammed, Julia Lok, Yasmine Guroluk, Brune de Dreuille, Maria Hamdaoui, Zoe Sanguin
The Resources at Our Fingertips
Canada is a global centre for tertiary education and research: the nation is ranked as the fourth-best country for education by U.S. News & World Report, with top schools such as McGill University publicizing its educational mission of “fostering the very best.” Every year, hundreds of thousands of students have flocked to Canada to access the highest standards of post-secondary education.
Recently, the discussion regarding the importance of higher educationhasre-enteredcampusconversations.Inlightofthe federal government’s caps on international students and McGill’s own budget cuts to its faculties, students are beginning to question how much Canadian post-secondary institutions truly value education. In particular, as universities become increasingly corporate and inaccessible, they are less recognized as critical informational nuclei. Attending an academic institution typically includes access to a substantial array of resources. Students at McGill can take advantage of millions of academic and cultural databases from maps to musical scores in addition to hundreds of extracurricular clubs and engagement opportunities. Given the threat to the survival of these resources such as the downsizing of McGill’s physical library it is crucial for undergraduate students to stay informed about the opportunities available to them beyond the classroom.
Thisisespeciallyimportantascontinueddemandforchange within our institutions for instance, McGill divesting from arms manufacturers forces us to consider how we want to shape universities to become stronger centres for social change. Correspondingly, a key element in advancing this change can be through the reinvestment of funds into educational and cultural resources that have the power to encourage socio-political praxis.
supplies anti-oppressive and independently published texts. Knowledge about the availability of these resources is imperative for our intellectual and political freedom. In times of structural repression, education is one of the most constructive tools in raising collective consciousness. Thus, with McGill’s numerous prohibitions on students’ ability to protest and freedom of expression, we must capitalize on the means at our disposal to stay informed about social and political issues.
As students at a university with a distinct international population, campus life exposes us to a variety of cultures. This diverse demographic accompanied by the numerous student clubs, art exhibitions, concerts, and research opportunities opens students up to a rich set of ideas and customs. This diversity is what makes McGill, and by extension, university campuses, so central to cultural change. The campus acts as a microcosm of the global: through direct engagement with the opportunities it offers, students learn to cultivate their own aesthetic tastes, interests, and philosophical missions. As federal policy continues to reduce the international enrolment rate in Canada, reaffirming our commitment to this diversity is necessary. Students from all cultural backgrounds should feel welcome on campus: we must continue to foster multiculturalism.
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.
At McGill, our physical and digital libraries already contain a plethora of academic journals, books, and articles. However, few are aware of the media collection available both for download and streaming. These collections act as both an educationalalternativetodenseacademictextsandasasource of entertainment for students. This audio and visual resource contains an immense collection of various film streaming platforms, e-books, audiobooks, and music files that all students can utilize. Moreover, McGill students have access to radical student-run catalogues, such as those from the Quebec Public Interest Research Group’s (QPIRG) alternative library and the Union for Gender Empowerment’s library, which
Despitethenominalfreedomofinformationgrantedtousas students, we must still maintain a nuanced assessment of our positions on campus. Quality of health services at McGill University remains a persistent problem. Cuts to student-run services has made it difficult for students to access essential resources and exercise their voices. In the larger picture, the administration has failed to respond to community demands, such as divestment from arms manufacturers. These issues underscore the growing distance between the institutional structuresthatmakeupuniversitiesandthestudentbodythey are meant to serve.
We must remember that access to higher education is an opportunity we as students have the privilege to capitalize on. The materials at our disposal can provide us with the tools to better ourselves and the world around us. We must remember that these means are not universal, nor is their quantity and quality guaranteed. University resources are a privilege, and it is in our best interests to make use of them.
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Budget 2025: Carney’s New Fiscal Plan
Prime Minister speaks to students on federal spending roadmap
Owen Simões News Contributor
On the evening of October 22, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke in front of a group of students at the University of Ottawa to explain his thoughts and expectations behind the upcoming federal budget. The name of Carney’ s new fiscal policy is Budget 2025, focused on what the prime minister referred to as “building, taking control, and winning.” The full outline of the budget is assumed, if done accordingly, to be presented and outlined by the Prime Minister on November 4. Until then, the Department of Finance Canada has made remarks outlining what Budget 2025 will consist of, including its four main objectives which are quoted below:
1. Totrainthenewestgenerationof Canadian builders, and expand the Union Training and Innovation Program, in the hope of having many more Canadian workers to build major infrastructure and millions morehomesacrossthecountry.
2. To recognize “the vital role of personal support workers” and introduce a temporary five-year Personal Support Workers Tax Credit.Eligibleworkerswillbeable to claim a refundable tax credit equal to 5% of their eligible earnings,providingsupportofupto $1,100peryear.
3. To protect workers’ rights, promotelabourmobility,strengthen competition,andamendtheCanada Labour Code to restrict the use of non-compete agreements in employment contracts for federally regulatedbusinesses.
4. To invest $97 million over five years to create a Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund, and work to make credential recognition “fairer,faster,andmoretransparent,” helping “qualified foreign-trained professionals” contributeexpediently toCanada’sworkforce.
Somehavepraisedandsupported the new budget. Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Minister of Jobs and Families, stated in a press release that this is the time for Canadians to build a future together, lift each other up, and invest in their country. Hajdu believes now more than ever is a moment to invest in theworkerswhobuildCanada.
Carney’s budget proposal comes at a time of increasing national debt, projecting an annual $68.5 billion this year, up from $51.7 billion last year, and was met with opposition from the Conservative Party. According to the CBC,
Carney met privately with opposition leader Pierre Poilievre about the budget on October 22 after meeting with the leaders of the New Democratic Party, the Bloc Québécois, and the Green Party. Liberal House leader Steven MacKinnon claimed that there are currently not enough votes for the budget to be passed, with the vote settobeheldonNovember4.Ifnot passed, calls for a federal election couldbeimminent.
Within the last year, uncertainty in the Canadian real estate market has led housing to become a major public concern. For many Canadians, finding affordable housing within major cities has become increasingly difficult. Budget 2025 aims to address this issue by expanding the Union Training and Innovation Program, which will promote the addition of new workers to build more housing. Carney praised the Build Canada Homes program and policies he implemented upon winninglastyear'selection: “wecut taxes to reduce the cost of housing for first-time homebuyers immediately making the goal of home ownership a reality for more Canadians, especially young families.” The program’s goals are to double the pace of housing construction within the next decade by using new technologies; potentially cutting building times by 50 per cent, reducing costs, and loweringemissionsby20percent.
Along with the fiscal investments, Budget 2025 will continue to seek improvements in trade relations, self-defence/ militaryspending,theprotectionof marginalized communities, healthcare, and immigration, which were mentioned in the prime minister’s address. Carney reaffirmed in his address that the government will continue to protect against both Islamophobia and antisemitism, both of which have been topics of recent national discussions.Ithas beenalittleover a month since the Prime Minister's formal declaration of Palestinian statehood, and the introduction of legislation in September to combat hate crimes, and Carney claims there is more work to come through Budget 2025 in combating discriminationinthecountry.
Criticism from the Conservative Party continues over immigration, asitisunclearwhethertheamount ofimmigrantsenteringCanadawill increaseduetothefourthobjective ofBudget2025.AccordingtoaCBC survey,theamountofConservative voters who believe there is too much immigration doubled from 2020to2025,from41percentto82 percent.
Prime Minister Carney’ s
address also highlighted his desire for independence from the United States economy, a key talking point for the Liberal government. Carney recognized the possible short-term struggle of breaking away from Canada’ s largest trade partner but, nevertheless, promised to double non-U.S. exports over the next decade. “As Canadians, we have re-learned some key lessons over the past year. We have to take care of ourselves because we can’t rely on one foreign partner,” said Carney. He continued by asserting that “we are masters in our own house. It is Canadians who will decide what happens here. It’s our country. It’ s your future. We are going to give it back to you.” Carney later added that this pushback is not just referring to trade relations with the United States, but also securing the border. The Prime Minister deemed that his party had introduced “the strongest legislation in Canadian history” to protect the Canadian border from gun trafficking and illegal drugs like fentanyl.
These remarks signal that the Carney government will continue pursuing Canadian-independent policies, even as U.S.-Canada trade talks remain at a standstill with President Trump not pleased with newnegotiations.Tensionsarestill running high, exacerbated by a controversial advertisement using a speech by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Audio from a speech Reagan gave against tariffs was used in the advertisement by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and sparked outrage from the Trump administration, leading to possible increasesintariffsbytheU.S.
Among Canadian McGill students who plan to stay in the country after they graduate, reactions and concerns differ. When an anonymous U1 student fromSt.John's,Newfoundlandwas asked about how her life after graduating would be affected by the four main objectives of Budget 2025, she responded: “That's what I'll be doing [after graduating], supporting trade unions, and trade workers the newest generation of Canadian builders, like expanding union trading and innovation programs.” She continued: “I have no qualms with immigration I'm pro supporting the economy with immigrants as longasit'sethicalandlegalandfair.
“We're the second largest country in the world with like a third of the population of some of the largest countries.Wehavethespacefornew people.[Yet]thereisahousingcrisis. Canada's never been good at addressing its housing crisis So I
do think there needs to be more done, not even just on a national level, but also like municipal level when it comes to anti-homeless infrastructure [being harmful], homeless support systems, drug supportsystems,andthatneedstobe rolled out on the local level. So I'm notthehugestfanofCarney.”
After discussing why Carney might have done this speech in front of college students, she remarked, “Carney’s government doesnotcare.They'resayingthisto students because [they] are at the forefront of protests. They are at the forefront of social movements to address Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Zionism, Palestinian resistance, you're seeing the most reform and protests from students on college campuses, like what just happened this past October 7th. 80,000 Montreal students were on strike and protesting. So he's [Carney] saying it to be like, “hey, this is somethingwecareabout.”
A U0 student from Regina, Saskatchewanwasalsoaskedabout policies towards immigration and Budget 2025. “Always the provincial government changes things and then jobs security goes,” he stated. “Immigration and not being able to find jobs that could havegonetopeoplewhowereborn in Canada, that's quite prevalent in my hometown. [Saskatchewan has] been said to be the easiest place to get your permanent residence [T]here's a constant coming and going of the immigrant people, they, you know, come to Regina first and then they move elsewhere, so lots of temporary positionsgotothem.” When asked about the “qualified foreign-trained professionals” outlined in Budget 2025, he responded, “I'm pretty much
ambivalent towards the hiring of trained foreign professionals, if they need to or if they are needed here, if that is the direction the Canadian thinks is the best way to go. I think they are fine to do so I don'thaveanyproblemswithit.
“I am in support of immigration, and of refugees to Canada. They need a place to stay, obviously, but there are other issues, of course, with the housing now and all that sort of thing. So I think if the housing problem were to be fixed then that would create more opportunitiesforjobsforthosethat arecominghere.”
Though Carney may have spoken to college students in Ottawa to relate to the audience who will eventually be at the forefront of the Canadian economy, he will have to work to make sure Budget 2025 effectively speaks to the concerns of young people. That same kind of outreach will also have to happen towards the opposition in parliament on November 4.
News & sci-tech
Walking 142 Kilometres for Cancer: An Interview with Gabrielle
Lavoie
McGill students walk from downtown Montreal to Mont-Tremblant to raise money for the Quebec Cancer Foundation
Enid Kohler Staff Writer
Good People is a bi-monthly column highlighting McGill studentsdoingcommunity-oriented work on and around campus. Because it’s important to celebrate goodpeopledoinggoodthings.
In 2024, an estimated 67,219 Quebecers were diagnosed with cancer: in other words, 184 new cases each day. Gabrielle Lavoie, a U4 undergraduate student in Computer Engineering at McGill, knew she wanted to take a stand in the fight against cancer. In honour of her grandfather, who loved the outdoors andrecentlypassedawayfromcancer, Lavoie launched Le Quémino, an initiative to walk 142 kilometres to raise funds for the Quebec Cancer Foundation. “I hope you can see my support as I carry your strength with me every step of the way,” Lavoie writes to her grandfather on Le Quémino’swebsite.
Between October 24 and October 28, Lavoie, alongside her boyfriend and uncle, walked from downtown Montreal to Mont-Tremblant along the P’tit Train du Nord trail, walking 20 to 45 kilometres every day. (That is equivalent to walking a half or full marathon for five days straight!)
The Daily spoke with Lavoie about thewalk,thewide-reachingimpactof cancer diagnoses, and persevering throughdifficulttimes.
This interview has been edited for clarityandconciseness.
EnidKohlerforthe McGillDaily (MD): I wanted to get started by asking how your walk was. How are youfeelingtoday?
GabrielleLavoie(GL): I’m feeling good. It was definitely a challenge physically, but I was happy to completethefull142-kilometrewalk.
MD: What prompted you to begin this project? Where did the idea come about?
GL: Cancer touches so many lives around us: families, friends, our loved ones.Sothiswalkisanactofsolidarity tosupportthethousandsofQuebecers affected by cancer. Personally, my grandparecentlydiedfromcancer,but there'smultiplepeoplearounduswho are also affected, so this was an initiative to support all of those touchedbythedisease.
MD: Is there a specific moment or memory of the walk that stands out to you?
TOSI Trainee Council Lab Tours Open Doors to Research at McGill
McGill students can explore labs across The Neuro, Bellini, and 2001 McGill College
Mandic Sci-Tech Contributor
GL: Looking back to see that I had traveledsuchalargedistanceattheend of the walk was very gratifying. Even drivingthedistancebycartocomeback home, you could really see just how manykilometreshadbeenwalked.
MD: Can you tell me more about the routeyoutook?Wasthereanintention behindchoosingit?
GL: I wanted it to start in downtown Montreal at McGill, where I live and study,andendinMont-Tremblant.The stops in between all followed the P’tit Train du Nord trail, which is a very popular scenic trail in the Laurentian region. The stops in between ensured the distance was between 20 and 45 kilometreseveryday.
MD: Did you encounter any particular challenges during the walk? Was there ever a moment where you wantedtogiveup?
GL: Definitely. It was very physically challenging; every night, my legs were verysore.ThereweredaysIwalkedup to 12 hours, where I would start in the morning and end after sunset. Walking inthedarkwasdefinitelyachallenge.I wasverygratefultohavepeoplenextto mesupportingmeonthejourney,andI was always proud to be able to raise money for the Quebec Cancer Foundation.
MD: What do you hope will be the long-termimpactofthisproject?
GL:Ihopethiswalkcaninspireother people and show them that any initiative, no matter how small, can makeadifference.
MD: The theme of this column is “goodpeopledoinggoodthings.” Inthe contextofyourworkwith LeQuémino, what does being a “good person” mean toyou?
GL: That's a big question to think about. This walk was really about putting one foot in front of the other, having the perseverance to keep going, and having the overarching goal of doing something good for the world. In general, if someone is able to do small actions and trickle positivity in the world in their own way, people together can make the world a better place.
Sofar,LeQuémino hasraised$2,300 fortheQuebecCancerFoundation.To makeadonation,visitcanadahelps.org/ en/pages/le-quemino.
End note: If you know good people doinggoodthingswhoyouwouldlike to see featured in this column, email news@mcgilldaily.com.
Interested in seeing research up close? The Tanenbaum Open Science Institute (TOSI) Trainee Council has launched a new round of lab tours running from October 27 to November 6, inviting students to discover how research unfolds around McGill. These tours offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at some of McGill's research labs spanning across neuroscience, biochemistry, psychology, biology, and anatomy, providing opportunities for aspiring researchers togetinvolved.
Labtoursofferstudentsadirectopportunityto meet researchers outside the classroom. Each tour is led by a graduate or undergraduate student who works in the lab, providing attendeeswiththeopportunitytolearnaboutthe lab's research, structure, and potential oppurtunitiesforundergraduates.
ExploringtheLabs
At the Bellini Building, Dr. Wei-Hsiang Huang welcomesstudentsintoalabthatutilizesadvanced neuroscience tools to understand the molecular, synaptic, and circuit mechanisms underlying syndromicautismspectrumdisorders,withafocus onSmith-MagenisSyndrome.
Inaninterviewwiththe Daily,heexplainedthat “Our lab is developing novel disease models for translational preclinical research and facilitating drugdiscovery.”
At the Montreal Neurological InstituteHospital (Neuro), Dr. Jerome Fortin states he and his team “are interested in understanding how brain tumours arise, progress, and could be treated. We generate in vivo and in vitro disease models that carry glioma-causing mutations seen in human tumours. With these models, we dissect how mutations individually and cooperatively alter cell differentiation, proliferation,epigenetics,andmetabolism,”
Continuing the tour at the Neuro, Dr. Allison Fournier’s lab explores the mechanisms that influence neural regeneration. “The aim of our research program is to develop a better understanding of the molecular components participating in neurite outgrowth and growth cone collapse. A fuller understanding of the mechanismofoutgrowthinhibitionwillbeusedto develop strategies to promote regenerative growth,” saidDr.Fournier.
StillattheNeuro,theMcPhersonlab,ledbyDr. Peter McPherson, studies how molecular mechanisms regulate membrane tracking. “Our studies focus on the molecular mechanisms that regulate membrane trafficking within the endosomal system with an emphasis on such events in the nervous system. In particular, we have focused on the formation and function of clathrin-coated pits and vesicles and the movement of proteins between the various compartments of multiple cell types, including neurons, ” saidDr.McPherson.
The Stratton Lab at the Neuro, led by Dr. Jo Anne Stratton, focuses on the study of the ependymal cell and its role in multiple sclerosis andneurodegeneration. “Weareinterestedinthe functionofone,largelyunderstudied,specialized glia cell in the central nervous system: the ependymal cell, to explore its role in multiple sclerosis and neurodegeneration. We assess material from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’sdisease,” saidDr.Stratton.
Back at the Bellini Building, Dr. Kalle Ghering and his team research the application of biophysics to protein structure. “Our interests are centred on the application of biophysics to the study of protein structure and function,” said Dr. Gehring. “The laboratory works in two areas: ubiquitination pathways in neurodegenerative diseases; and RLs, a familyofhighlyoncogenicproteinphosphatases,.” Also at the Bellini, Dr. Natalie Zeytuni’s lab researches the microbiomes of oral cavities. “The human oral cavity hosts one of the most diverse microbiomes, second only to the gut, with over 700 microbial species forming intricate biofilms. Research in the Zeytuni lab focuses on understanding the complexities of these microbial communities, particularly the role of Porphyromonas gingivalis a key pathogen in periodontitis,” saidDr.Zeytuni.
The tours conclude with the Guarné lab, led by Dr.AlbaGaurné,focusingonproteins'influenceon DNA during chromosome replication. “Our goal is to understand how proteins determine the fate of DNAduringchromosomereplicationandrepair.in particular, how regulatory proteins orchestrate the stabilization of damaged replication forks with DNA repair and forks restart. Since most of the proteins that regulate these processes lack a measurable enzymatic activity, our efforts are aimedatseeinghowtheyworkusingabroadrange of structural biology techniques. We then combine structural information with biochemical and genetic analysis to elucidate their functions at a molecularlevel,” saidDr.Guarné.
Beyond the exposure they provide, these tours reflect TOSI TC’s broader mission to promote accessible, transparent, and interdisciplinary science. Students from all departments are encouragedtosignup,whethertheyareinterestedin researchopportunitiesorsimplycuriousaboutwhat happens in a lab. By opening research lab spaces to students, the tours allow this next generation of scientists to see themselves as part of McGill's scientificcommunity.
TheFall2025editiontakesplacefromOctober 27toNovember6,withweeklysign-upsavailable ontheclub'sInstagram.Tolearnmoreaboutthis eventandfutureevents,visittheclub'sInstagram: @tosi_trainees.
Gala
Photo courtesy of Gala Mandic
Youmna El Halabi Culture Editor
TA Talk With Old Soul
Undercurrent:a release party two years in the making
he Montreal music scene is nothing if not eclectic and chaotic. A true reflection of the diversity within the city, one can find a DJ set, a rock’ n ’roll band, and a French rapper all in one night out on Saint-Denis. Sometimes, you can even travel in time, like with the help of Montreal’s own old-time band, Old Soul.
Founded in 2017 and achieving its final lineup in 2019, Old Soul is a mischief-loving foursome comprising vocalist Loreta Triconi, bassist Joseph Bottaro, drummer Ryan Palfavi, and guitarist Peter Rallis. Inspired by the psychedelic soundscape of the 1960s and 1970s, Old Soul’ s artistic mission is to “set out with a unified vision to ignite nothing short of a rock’ n ’roll revolution.” Indeed, the band’s live performances truly always deliver. Triconi’s vocals, reminiscent of JanisJoplinorJeffersonAirplane’ s GraceSlick,taketheaudienceback to a time where bell bottoms, chunky belts, and platform boots were still all the rage. Palfalvi’ s wild energy on the drums almost always brings him to end the show shirtless and drenched in sweat. Rallis’ guitar solos never fail to leave anyone, whether it be his bandmates or the crowd, hungry formore.MeanwhileBottaro’sbass line, intricate and executed with intense precision, carries the whole ensemble forward as he joins Triconi in headbanging with his own silky black bob in true bassistfashion.
Outside of the limelight, however, they’re just four friends excited to make music together, pursuing a shared passion with their chosen family. Old Soul released their debut album, Overgrown, in February 2023, and have since been featured in publications such as The Suburban, Wavy Magazine, and ForgettheBoxwhileperformingat music festivals across Ontario and Quebec. They were also part of the lineup in both 2023 editions of McGill’sOpenAirPub(OAP).
Earlierthisyear,theyreleasedtheir single “Blue Bossa,” a consummate blendofsoundsinspiredbytheirusual
“There was ... a river covered in ice. We were taking a walk outside when we saw this tree branch underneath the seethrough, icy water. And it was just like that — we said, ‘oh, that's Undercurrent.’”
— Joe Bottaro
60s rock jams along with hints of Brazilian bossa nova and blues influences. Shortly after, the band announced their second album, coming November 6, titled Undercurrent: a further departure from the colours of Overgrown. The album’s cover art, which features a model posing as a mermaid surrounded by water, is almost violently blue a stark contrast to the warmer hues of its predecessor. The Daily sat down with all four membersofOldSoulinordertofind out more about the band’s story, as well as their hopes and dreams for theirnewestventures.
Thisinterviewhasbeeneditedfor clarityandconciseness.
YoumnaElHalabifor TheMcGill Daily (MD): What was the main inspirationbehind Undercurrent?
Joseph Bottaro (JB): I think it
was just because at the start of writing the new songs, we all collectively thought of the colour blue.Wefeltlikethesongswerejust blue. It was a kind of synesthesia where we were all like, “Okay, these songs are just really blue.” Starting with “TalkingtoMyself” thatwas blue.Andthen “River” alsoblue.
Ryan Palfalvi (RP): It’ s very moody, very introspective music as well. So there’s the idea of being “under,” within the subconscious. It’smoreofanintrospectiverecord.
JB: And we used to practice and record in a basement, until that basement got flooded. It got covered in water, all of our equipment was submerged, and it was almost completely destroyed. Then we started relocating to different practice areas. I think Undercurrent really came together once we started to record the first
few songs at a cottage up north, while it was snowing outside. There was a whole body of water there with a river covered in ice. We were taking a walk outside when we saw this tree branch underneath the see-through, icy water. And it was just like that wesaid, “oh,that's Undercurrent”
MD: So what was going on in your mind when you were writing the songsfeaturedon Undercurrent,as opposedtothe Overgrownsongs?
Loreta Triconi (LT): Undercurrent was written while Overgrown was being recorded and producedd, because some of these songs we've had since like 2020. For the more moody songs, we felt like they didn't fit with Overgrown so they kind of became separatedintheirownway.Alotof those songs were ones that we had written while in isolation, during thelockdown,butsomearenewer.
PeterRallis(PR): It's weird. The songs(on Undercurrent)areeither fouryearsoldorthey'resixmonths old.Halfofthealbumissixtoeight months old, and the other half is, like, three or four years old. And that's also why writing this album was different. We didn't come in with all the songs prepared. We had those I don't want to say leftovers,but [theseoldersongs] were a different sound which didn't feel like part of the first record. It was still interesting to see, nonetheless, what new songs
we kind of wrote on the spot and justmanagedtoputoutthere.
MD: So,fromwhatIunderstand unlike your last three singles, “Talking to Myself,” “The River” and “Blue Bossa,” which you guys produced with Brandon Barsoumian, the new album is entirely self-produced. What old, reliablecreativetoolsdidyoureuse for this album that you used in the first one, and what were some new onesthatyoulearned?
RP: Well, I think the common thread would be that we're always in the same room together when we write our music. So I think there are some ideas that each individual member brought forth for certain certain songs, but I think everything is done organically in the room when we play it together. And then the newer things would be what we've figured out in production and in recordingourselves.
JB: Everything in the production sense was completely different from what we did for Overgrown It wasn’t thrown out the window, but it was a different process entirely. We were recording in spaces such as our basement or makeshift studios in an Airbnb. So it became more creative and more tactile and hands-on in that way.
“We’re always in the same room together when we write our music ... everything is done organically in the room when we play it together.”
— Ryan Palfalvi
We were literally standing on chairs to hang overheads on the drum kit and putting duct tape on the ceilings to record Undercurrent, whereas in Overgrown we would be eight hours in the studio [with equipment]. Undercurrent was a longer process, so we were taking more time to put things together, anditwasmoreDIY.
MD: It’s interesting how your first albumwasrecordedinastudio,but the second was purely DIY. Do you feel like that changed something in you,asmusicians?
RP: For sure, because everyone wasresponsibleforlearningonthe fly. I think there was less handholding, because everything became the responsibility of all the members of the group. In the case of our first experience, we were happy but there were still some things it left us wanting. So maybe [transitioning to DIY] could be perceived as going backwards in a sense, but it also allowed us a lot more creative control, and a lot more of an ability to express what we felt without having so many othermechanismsinvolved.
PR: I feel like when we went into the studio for the first album, we weren't able to communicate how wefeltaboutalotofthings,andwe found it difficult and intimidating. There'scertainthingsthatyoulook back on, and you say: “I wish I could have done it more hands-on, or more myself, or I could have been more involved.” And that offers you a different side of understanding when you're making music, which goes into the final product, and that has to be taken into account. But we were also able to kind of make our own schedule without relying on anyone else, which gives a certain senseofflexibility.
MD: And what would you say was the most challenging part of the newprocess?
RP: With having flexibility in our own schedule, we learned from trial and error a lot. You need to be ready to work and to work very hard, because the responsibility of engineering your own project is a lot. Joe [Bottaro] had a lot of sleepless nights mixing this project. It's a whole other level of workmanship that's not just being a player and not just being a composer you're crafting the entire piece now. Everything that we've done [for this album] has beenindependent.
LT: You have to trust each other and trustthatyou'reallgonnabereadyto show up and do the job, and work together as a team. Because it's not always easy. Sometimes you have a vision, or sometimes you have a way that you want things to be done, and before, we were able to talk to the producer to get an “unbiased” opinion.Butnow,it’sallus.It’salotof
“You have to trust each other and trust that you're all gonna be ready to show up ... and work together as a team. Because it's not always easy ... But we make it work eventually.”
— Loreta Triconi
back and forth, and sometimes you getchargedarguments.Butwemake itworkeventually.
MD: And how have you been preparing for your upcoming release party on November 13 at LeBalcon?You’llhaveTheSpace Wizards opening for you guys, a band you’ve played with multiple times!
LT: Well, we just wanted to make this show spectacular. So we wanted to go with a cabaret-style, fabulous venue. This one's going to be inside a cathedral. That speaks foritself.It’sgoingtobeintheheart of the city. And for The Space Wizards, we just wanted a cool band we've played with before that's been on the scene for as long as we have even longer, actually, than us. And we enjoy their sound
andplayingwiththem.Soit'sgoing tobeanhonourtosharethestage.
RP: They're a good vibe in that they're more than reliable. They're people that you can lean on. They’re also people who just love to get up there and play. And they getthecrowdmoving.
MD: And what do you hope your listenersgetfrom Undercurrent?
PR: I hope people can find a soft placeinsidethem,wheretheystart picturing things, and their eyes are closed, and they can start feeling emotions that they didn’t know they could feel. Like connecting to the things that they haven't connected to before. It's like reading a beautiful novel where things are just popping up in your head and you're taken to another place. I hope they're just going to go on a whole entire trip from the beginning to the end, and make whatevertheycanfromit gather whatever they want from it, just to havetheirperspective,youknow.
JB: The music kind of speaks for itself on the album. It'll take you through a journey. It'll take you to unexpected places, especially comingfromus.
Undercurrent is set to be released on November 6, and the first live performance will take place at Le BalcononNovember13.
Photos courtesy of Old Soul
Maya Mohammed Culture Contributor
First gaining popularity in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, slow cinema was introducedtotheUnitedStatesinthe 1950s and 1960s as a counter to the fast-paced, sensational films of that era. After a brief decline from the mainstream its experimental nature dismissed as mere arthouse cinema and its slow pace encountered with boredom elements of slow cinema have reemerged in recent drama film releases. Some recent favourites include PastLives(2023),directedby Celine Song, and Sorry,Baby(2025), directedbyEvaVictor.
The genre of slow cinema intentionally strays from a direct narrative art form, characterized by long takes and contemplative framing. The deliberate absence of background music grounds viewers in the film's world, emphasizing slowness, stillness, and lived time. Rather than chasing plot, audiences sink into the moment, allowing the characters' emotional states to permeate the viewing experience. Storytellingreliesonthetensionbuilt by the wait for a final culmination: our expectation for a message that makesourpatienceworthit.
I find beauty in these moments of tension, because life tests our patience in this way every day. This approach centers human connection through raw emotion and shared intimacy, building bridges not only
We Should All Watch More Boring Movies
Why is “slow cinema” relevant today?
Celine Song and Eva Victor have described their approach to filmmaking as prioritizing emotionaltruthoverconventional pacing and finding meaning in the moments other filmmakers might cut away from.
Celine Song explained in an interview with Le Cinéma Club that “Theshothadtofeelinevitable,likeit wastheonlyrightwaytoshootit.The blocking had to be efficient and rootedinreality.Thetiminghadtobe philosophically sound. It was always an instinct.” This instinctual attitude is what I find makes her dialogues between characters and their environment seem so real. She depicts time as moving similarly to real life, without cutting awkward silencesorlongwalkshome,because these in-betweens are what make up a life; the solitary, quietly overlooked momentswhenwehavethespaceto feelandprocessthebiggermoments.
Similarly, Eva Victor says that her filmis “muchlessaboutviolence” and more so “about love and friendship and trying to heal.” This cinematic visionisanchoredinlongshotsofthe two main characters, Agnes and Lydie,whobondthroughtheirshared presence in the film's landscape, forming their relationship without exchanging words. The setting is shaped by Agnes's emotional state, navigating the aftermath of a sexual assault, exploring themes of trauma, vulnerability, and institutional support (or lack thereof) in higher education. Relating this to personal experience, emotions can feel deeply isolating when navigating university
She depicts time as moving similarly to real life, without cutting awkward silences or long walks home, because these inbetweens are what make up a life; the solitary, quietly overlooked moments when we have the space to feel and process the bigger moments.
between characters themselves but also between the characters and the audience. We all have it in common: thistragedyofindefinitewaitingand thestubbornhopethatkeepsusgoing the belief that all of our pain will havebeenforsomething,intheend.
To understand what draws filmmakers to slow cinema, it's worth listening to how they talk about their own work. With intimate precision, directors
life,aswe’restillfiguringoutwhowe are, what we want, and where we belong. So when a film depicts this kind of genuine connection through the indelible act of sharing feelings and acknowledges the weight we usually carry alone, that portrayed bondleavesamark.
Even if the filmmaker may not be conscious of their slow cinematic preferences, these choices are inextricablefromtheirinterpretation oftheworldandhowsuchtranslates
into their art. Such artists seek to expresssomethingdeeperthanwhat is plainly shown. Victor continues, “I have always been drawn to the Chekhov thing where a character looks out at the horizon for four minutes, sighs, and then says, 'The skyisblue,'butreally,thesubtextis,'I want to die.’ I think that feels very true to how people are.” It seems we're all performing okayness while carrying something heavier underneath goingtowork,making smalltalk,functioningintheworld all while our interior lives tell a different story entirely. In life’ s repeating cycles, there is little space toputthesestoriesdown. WeshouldallbeSlowmaxxing Theoverallriseofslowermediacan be linked to the recent trend of "slowmaxxing" introduced by Twitter user @robyns_quill in 2022, which quickly spread across social media feeds. The post states: “You needtobeslowmaxxing.Youneedto be reading long, fat books. You need tobemaking48-hourchocolatechip cookies. You need to spend hours watching wildlife, you need to spend 15+minmakingyourcoffee.Youneed to breathe in and breathe out. You needtobeslowwwwwwwwww.” There's something both ironic and telling about discovering slowness through TikTok, an app designed to fragmentyourattention.Butperhaps
that's exactly why slowmaxxing resonated it named something people were already craving, the sameescapeslowcinemahasalways offered. Under capitalism's demand for constant productivity where every hobby becomes a side hustle and every moment must be optimized guilt-free rest feels almost transgressive. Slowness becomesaquietrebellion.
heartbreak,hope,andsoon.Ahouse filledwithmemory.Asilenceheldin a look. A long, quiet walk. Slow cinema creates space to carry such ephemera. The few big spectacular moments aren’t the ones that make our lives valuable. Rather, it’s the subtle ones that, if we don’t pay attention,couldslipawayunnoticed: angled sunlight through the golden autumn leaves creating shadows on
There's something both ironic and telling about discovering slowness through TikTok, an app designed to fragment your attention. But perhaps that's exactly why slowmaxxing resonated — it named something people were already craving, the same escape slow cinema has always offered.
I’m particularly touched by depictions of relationships unfoldingthroughtime.Bypersonal landscapes inhabited by yearning,
the sidewalk, a quiet lull in a conversation with friends, the smell of morning coffee brewing in the kitchen whataresomeofyours?
Zoe Sanguin | Visuals Contributor
CULTURE
Politics and their Celebrity Spokespeople
Celebrities and influencers have always had political opinions. Why do we suddenly want to hear them?
Juliette Darrigade
Culture Contributor
In today’s age of interconnectedness and political crises, celebrities, and influencers are put under a greater pressure to share and raise awareness in order to assuage their politically involved fans. This has raised controversy from various camps: those who believe celebrities and influencers should not be enforcing their opinions and views onto their fans, and those who argue that a celebrity not using their extensive platform to improvethestateoftheworldisa waste.
To fully understand this dilemma, one must have a clear understanding of what a celebrity oraninfluenceris.PertheOxford English Dictionary, a celebrity is defined simply as “a famous person ” while an influencer is “ a person who has become well known through regular social media posts and is able to promote a product or service by recommendingorusingitonline.”
Thereisacleardifferencehere: acelebrityissimplyafigureinthe spotlight, whereas an influencer is perceived with the purpose of sharing their opinions or promoting goods. They are not the same. A political figure is another form of famous person who, similarly to influencers, aims to share their opinion, but professionally pertaining specificallyto politics.
In today’s fraught political climate, many celebrities have becomeablendofallthreelabels.
Should we expect celebrities to share their political views? Or is doing their job as a performer, athlete,orartistenough?
According to an article in the Guardian, there has been a rising movement in the last decade attempting to keep politics out of culture. However, this seems ratherimpossible,aspoliticshave alwaysbeeninextricablylinkedto arts and culture. For instance, Freddie Mercury, a queer man of colour, was the frontman of the legendary rock group Queen before his untimely death in 1991. Years after Mercury’s death, the band’s legacy persists to be political, particularly by legally blocking the Trump Administration from using their music.However,contrarytotheir purported causes, UK antiimmigration parties have used songsbyQueenintheirprotests.
Music by a queer immigrant of colour will ultimately always be political as it stems from his
experiences, especially in Queen’ s song “One Vision.” It will always be impossible to separate people’ s associated politics from their art until all humans have equal opportunities, freedoms, and rights.
Canonechoosetoappreciatean artist’s art without considering politics? Stemming from the idea that no art deriving from a personal experience can be excluded from politics, the answer leans towards no. However, some art is more blatantly political than others.
Chappell Roan is an artist well known for her strong conviction and political stances towards her values which she expresses in various ways. Yet, if one were to listen to her hit song “Pink Pony Club” without any analysis or knowledge about the artist, it would be fairly easy to be preoccupied by the song’s catchy melody and ignore the song’ s underlying message about queerness and conservatism in the south. Listeners who do not wish to know about celebrities’ political affiliations are able to do so by consuming their art superficially.
The issue with interpretation is that it is entirely subjective. This opens the door to hundreds of debates on online forums over whether an A-Lister actually voted for one party if they were seen liking the Instagram post of anallegedvoterforanotherparty.
Speculationofthissortisaformof parasociality, which has only grown exponentially with the expansion of the internet and accessible personal information. Nonetheless, a celebrity who would rather lose an audience than have their views misinterpreted will make this information public.Notably, Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air after speaking about Charlie Kirk. A celebrity, like Billie Eilish, who
Eva Marriott-Fabre |
Visuals
Editor
and choose who gets to rise to fame.
The reason we have become so intrigued with celebrity politics is tied to our occupation with humanrightsissues,especiallyas we see an increasing amount of rights violations in global conflict. The aforementioned parasociality propagated by the internetmeansthatsomereactto not sharing political views with celebrities the same way they would with a friend. One would not want to admire or support someone who does not share the same passion for human rights, especially if said fan is a minority and their favourite celebrity is
It will always be impossible to separate people’s associated politicsfromtheirartuntilallhumans haveequalopportunities,freedoms, and rights.
trulycaresabouttheenvironment willdonateenoughoftheirworldtour revenue to prevent them from becoming a billionaire and actively call out the billionaires in the room. While we cannot force those with platforms to speak out, the general public builds this platform, and can inflict pressure
not. The parasocial occupation with celebrity politics may also stem from a craving for community. When one does not have a community around them, theyoften,fromayoungage,turn to celebrities as role models. Thus, it is logical that a queer person would want to know if
their favourite athlete believes in 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. The same applies to the Black Lives Matter movement, the genocide in Gaza, and so on. Finally, the curiosity with celebrities’ political stances may stem from a frustration at the general state of the world. When one puts effort into recycling, shopping locally, boycotting,orprotesting,onlyfor the world’s most influential people to take no action,, it is natural to want to know the reasonfortheirsilence.Wearein the midst of a polycrisis and celebrities could be doing so muchmore.
Celebrities and influencers have always had political opinions; they are just more accessible today without actively being shared due to the amount of information found online.Acelebritycanchooseto sharetheirpoliticalopinion,but they must consider their audience. If you are famous among children, they may not havecomprehensiveknowledge about global or local politics. However, celebrities sharing theirvaluescouldinfluencethese children’sfuturebeliefs.Respect, harmony, and acceptance are examples of values that celebrities should be promoting, and in this day and age not
exclusivelytochildren.
This idolization of celebrities, assuming that they will view things the same way as you is unfair when you have not shared the same life. Yet, it is crucial to hold accountable those with billions in their bank account, or with a social media following the sizeofacountry.
We must remember that a celebrity reposting a fundraiser against a genocide on their story is more impactful than one person signing a petition. Remember that the average American’s $10 donation is a larger proportion of their income than a billionaire’s $1000 donation. Those in power could be doing so much more, yet they are so consumed by the fear of losing what they have that many choosesilenceatthedetrimentof sustainability and human rights advocacy.
It is not a crime to appreciate one ’s talent without accepting norsupportingtheirvalues,butit isequallyasvalidtonotbeableto separate them and demand more from those who rely on your support to maintain their fame. Celebrities have always had political views; today more than ever, we do not just want to hear them,wewantthemtoturntheir powerintoactivism.
3, 2025
Has Taylor Swift Lost (Her) Touch?
The Life of a Maladroit Megastar and her Monotonous Muse
When Taylor Swift chose to announcehernewestalbum
The Life of a Showgirl (hereafter, Showgirl) on her fiancé’ s football podcast, a medium not at all catered to her fan demographics, it shouldhavebeenaclearindicationof the record’s shallow thematic direction deviating from Swift’ s usual introspective poetics. Regardless, dedicated fans chose to keeptheirhopeshighdespiteSwift’ s signature lack of pre-release singles, a not-so-surprising engagement announcement, and an intriguing burlesque-themedphotoshoot.
With the subsequent release of the star’stwelve-trackrecordonOctober 3rd, the toll of the death knell disappeared any lingering hopes of a return to the tantalizing popperfection that was Swift’ s 1989. Labelled by the singer herself as “catching lightning in a bottle,” this recentreleasefelldevastatinglyshort of such a claim, lacking a clear connectionbetweentherecord’stitle anditslacklusterlyricalcontent.
Anegregiousexamplecomesinthe formof Showgirl’sfifthtrack,whichisa placement canonically reserved for Swift’s most devastating lyrical confessions.Titled “EldestDaughter,” thetrackstrugglestofindanytypeof sensical narrative, swaying between “I’m never gonna let you down” and
“Everyeldestdaughter/Wasthefirst lambtotheslaughter andwelooked fire.” While the star seems to be addressingherathleticbeau,thesong collapses into numerous tirades surroundingachildhoodrealitycheck, Swift’s inability to act “punk,” and findingone’stwinflameina “youngest child.” Not only does the song lack direction,thewritingitselfisalsosome ofSwift’sworst.Whencomparedtoher earth-shattering ballad from just two yearsearlier, “loml” : “Ifyouknowitin oneglimpse,it’slegendary Stillalive, killing time at the cemetery / Never quiteburied,” thesinger’sfaciledelivery of, “I’m not a bad bitch, and this isn’t savage ” sounds like an embarrassing outtakefromaBoBurnhamspecial. InadditiontoSwiftseeminglylosing her lyrical prowess, the eventual out-of-touchfateofeverybillionairehas also wrapped around her work like a vice.Thetenthtrack, “CANCELLED!” isaparticularlyvisceralexampleofthis, assheproudlyannounces,“GoodthingI likemyfriendscancelled/Iliked ‘ em cloakedinGucciandinscandal.” While agood-faithinterpretationofthesong maygiveSwiftthebenefitofthedoubt (her intention being to clear up any misconceptions surrounding her scrutinized friendship with Blake Lively),thesingerstillchosetoreleasea one-dimensional and smug diatribe against “thehaters.” Onecanseesheis clearlyneglectingtotakeaccountability for the very valid criticism she’ s receivedabouthercarbonfootprint,her silenceonthegenocideinGazaandlack
ofcommentaryaboutoneofthemost turbulentpresidentialreignsinrecent Americanhistory.
Althoughmanylistenerssharethis viewpoint,countlessself-proclaimed “Swifties” aredefendingthetrackand the album, claiming that it’s not so differentfromotherrage-filledsongs such as the star’s 2017 single “Look What You Made Me Do.” While not oneofSwift’sbestlyricalshowcases, this Reputation trackfaroutweighsour currentexample’stritereferencetothe star’s 2016 cancellation. The biting electropopbangersignaledasharpand cuttingshiftinSwift’sdirectionatthe time, watching her lean into the performanceofpopculture’svillainous beauty queen: “And then the world moves on, but one thing’s for sure / Maybe I got mine, but you’ll all get yours. ” Meanwhile, “CANCELLED!” is asuperficial,politicallytone-deafdrag thatharpsonaboutaneight-year-old woundthatistheleastofthelistener’ s worries: “Didyougirl-bosstoocloseto thesun? Comewithme,whenthey seeus,they’llrun.” Swift does manage one major success on Showgirl: a catchy and picturesquefourtrackrunthatopens the album with a bang. “The Fate of Ophelia” is a complete earworm, despitethelyricismbeingsomewhat overwrought with extensive use of trivialexpressions;whiletrackthree’ s “Opalite” is an infectious pop ray of light, detailing how the singer managedtomakeherownhappiness inspiteof “life[beatingher]up.”
A standout productional moment finds itself on “Elizabeth Taylor,” a brooding and sensual electropop heavyweight reminiscent of Swift’ s 2017 track, “Don’t Blame Me.” The infamous production duo, Max MartinandShellback,havemanaged to measure up to their historically proven pop perfection with Swift injecting the song with some of the album’s most interesting narrative moments: “All the right guys / Promised they’d stay / Under bright lights/Theywitheredaway.” Trackfour, “FatherFigure,” is,inmy opinion,therecord’ smagnumopus,as Swift manages to take on the role of both naïve ingenue and calculating overlord. Rather than fighting off allegations of fake niceties, the star toutsthather “dick’sbigger” thanthose ofthemenwhousedher(anodtoher disillusionmentwithherrelationship with former manager and American musicexecutiveScottBotchetta),while claimingherspotonthethroneofpop music’skingdom.Still,manylisteners may read the menacing track as power-hungry,apossiblestabatnewer artists looking to the singer for guidance. Swift’s befuddling relationship with 22-year-old pop sensationOliviaRodrigomightre-enter fan discourse; however, the song is strong enough to withstand any character-relatedcriticismdirectedat Swift.Ifonlyshecouldhavemadethe album’sothertrackscleverenoughto outweigh the inevitable resentful accusationsthrownherway.
The Life of a Showgirl isoneofSwift’ s most confusing and, let’s face it, bad pieces of work. From stumbling lyricismtopracticallyoffensivelevelsof realitydetachment,thestarhasfinally provedtolistenersthatshe’sreached thatunfortunatepeakofelitistsocietal withdrawal. “Theywantthatyachtlife, under chopper blades / They want thosebrightlightsandBalenci’ shades” shecroonsontrackeight’ s “Wi$hLi$t.” Frankly,mostlistenerssimplywanta disposableincome,butthestarmaynot beawareofsuchmeagergoalswhen shewasrecentlyspottedwearinga26 thousanddollarnecklacetodinnerin KansasCity.
RegrettablyforSwift,moneycannot buy her most important asset: relatability.Knownandbelovedbyfans forherunpretentiouslackofcool-girl status,thesingerhasbuiltmuchofher careeronbeingthepopstar-next-door who prefers “t-shirts” over “short skirts.” The Life of a Showgirl blatantly turnsthiscarefullyconstructedlegacy on its head, proudly promoting that Swiftherselfnowknows “thelifeofa showgirl” and she’ll “never know another.” Sadly, this closing remark highlightstheworryingquestionsleft behind by Swift’s lackluster release: where did the independent, emotionally sprawling singer go, and willweevergetherback?
The Roots of Hair … Removal
Hair removal in Western culture is deeper than what you believe it to be
WhenIwaselevenyearsold,I vividly remember my twelve-year-old South Asian friends discussing their leg shaving routines. I even remember going to play at one of their houses, andwaitingoutsideherbathroomfor her to finish using Nair with her mother. My own self-consciousness started to creep in. Did I need to worryaboutmyleghair?Mymother didn’t think so, but a year later, she mademestartwaxingmyunderarms. We are all university students now, and I look back at that memory thinking of how young we were, too young to be worrying about our body hair.EnteringMcGillasafreshman,my newfriendsandIdiscussedbodyhair removal, from arms, legs, to upper lip allbutthehaironourheads.Thereis a certain expectation from Western cultureforourbodiestobesmoothand ridden of hair, but for the hair most prominent on our heads to be long, luscious,and “well-kept.”
Aswenowunderstand,mostwomen experience the “importance” of body hairremovalfromquiteayoungage,but whendidtheideareallybegintoappear in society? Hair removal ads became very prominent in the mid-1900s as hemlines and sleeves decreased in length, since there was no guarantee that someone’s clothes would cover theirlegorunderarmhair.Forexample, in 1915, the popular shaving brand Gillette released its first razor for women,advertisingtheimportanceofa smooth and hairless body. All of these ads encouraged women to buy hair removalproducts,establishingthestart oftheanti-body-haircultureandmarket that is still present today. Popular culture, including the rise of popular media like Playboy, increased the need for women to be free of body hair to appearsexierintheeyesofpatriarchal society.Ofcourse,nodiscourseneedsto be had over men’s body hair as it is natural,andpresentsthemasmanly. Biologically, body hair represents a mature woman, a woman that a man shouldreproducewith.Astudydoneby LígiaAzevedofromBrandeisUniversity examined male perceptions of female
bodyhair.WhatAzevedoconcluded fromherstudywastherelationship between body hair and femininity, with the presence of the former compromising the latter. Patriarchal society expects a hairless body from women. That same hairless body demonstrates a woman ’s youth, recalling the stage before puberty. Azevedo’s research observed that men found it more attractive when a woman didn’t have body hair. Hence, she makes the connection that hairlessness perpetuates the sexualization of youth and young appearances in womenbythepatriarchy. Patriarchalsocietyhasalwaysplayed a big role in influencing the expected appearance of women. Women themselves have become accustomed to the idea that visible body hair is unfeminine, and thus unattractive. They are left uncomfortable, feeling theneedtogetridofalltheirbodyhair. Many women resort to painful hair removal methods, such as lasering or waxing,tofeedthisimageoffemininity established by the dominant patriarchy. Society views hairless pre-
pubescent bodies and desirable femininityastwoinextricableideas.
Going beyond the general female demographic and their relationship to hair removal, there are additional associations of the culture of hair removalwithwomenofcolour.In1871, CharlesDarwinpublished The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex Specifically in relation to body hair, Darwinmadeitclearthathairinesswas associated with, as Nicki Butler from MustangNewswordsit, “devianceand uncleanliness.” In Western society, the majorityofwhitewomendidnotwant to be associated with the image of impurityandlackofhygiene,soshaving becameawaytoescapethatimage.
Darwin’s ideas put women of colour, who typically have naturally thicker hair, in a targeted position. It wasn ’tonlytheSouthAsianwomenI grew up with who reaped the consequences of Darwin’s ideology. Most women of colour in Western societydidandstilldo.
The normalization of body hair removal,originallyestablishedbymen but continued in practice by women, established another racial divide
betweenwhitewomenandwomenof colour. Many women of colour, especially more impressionable youngergirls,areleftinthepositionof believing that to fit into the whitedominated patriarchal society we are confined to, we must obey the norms thatarepresentedtous.Hairremoval, although a tedious and sometimes painfultask,isoneoftheeasierwaysto conform to white-dominated patriarchalnorms.Onecansimplybuy the materials, remove their hair, and theywillbeperceivedinhigherregard. It’ssupposedlythateasy,butisitreally? This entire subject continues to reducewomentoonlytheirbodies,as patriarchy has been doing for over a century. Society’s inability to embrace bodyhairasthenaturaloccurrencethat it is not only pits women against each other, but also continually places women beneath men in our modern socialhierarchy.
Yasmine Guroluk Culture Contributor
Julia Lok Culture Contributor
Beyond the Visual
Multidisciplinary artist Audrey-Anne Bouchard’s latest immersive creation engages blindfolded viewers with tactical, auditory, and olfactory sensations
Enid Kohler Staff Writer
Audrey-Anne Bouchard was sereneforsomeonepremiering theirshowtoapublicaudience for the first time. She stood in flowy pin-striped pants and a burgundy sweater, her short brown hair tucked behind her ears, and hands claspedlightlyatherwaist.
“Bienvenue,” Bouchard said gently, smiling at the small group before her. As she gestured to the open gallery door, I eagerly stepped inside. I was about to experience a taste test of Bouchard’s newest immersive creation, Fragments: cellequim’habitaitdéjà
Bouchard is a Quebecoise theatre artist trained in scenography at Concordia University, and in Dance and Theatre Theory and Practice at the Université de Nice and the Université Libre de Bruxelles. In 2016, inspired by her experience living with a visual impairment, she launchedtheresearchcollective Audelàduvisuel(BeyondtheVisual)to explore the creation and communicationofdanceandtheatre for blind audiences. Bouchard won the Monique Lefebvre Universal Accessibility Award and the MontrealEnglishTheatreAwardfor Outstanding Direction in for the project’sfirstshowpresentedatMAI (Montréal, arts interculturelles) in 2019, Camille:lerécit.
On October 20, she premiered segments of Fragments to nine members of the media at MAI. Like Camille, Fragments is a form of immersive theatre based on sonic, tactical, olfactory, and spatial sensations. Accessible to both sighted and blind people or those living with low vision, audience members wear eyeshades to engage allothersensesbutvision.
I walked into the t, a bright, airy gallery space with exposed pipes along the ceiling and a gleaming hardwood floor. Nine cushioned chairs were set up along the perimeter of an imaginary square, three lining each of three sides. Bouchard invited us to take off our shoes. I placed mine under my chair and hung my coat on a freestanding rack in the corner of the room. Without my shoes on, my feet felt bare, reminiscent of a kindergartenclasssittinginacircle in their socks. It fostered a sense of intimacy among this small group of strangers, all of whom were about toexperiencearttogether.
Bouchardemphasizedthisfeelingof connectivity.Shetoldtheaudiencethat after the show, we would have experienced a story together, a collective encounter. Before the show began, she distributed eye-shades, encouraging us to put them on right awaytoacclimatetoalackofvisionand
immerseourselvesintheexperience.
Fragments tells the overlapping storyoftwowomenwhofindrefuge inthesamehouseatdifferenttimes, one in 1950 and one in 2025. Three performers use touch to guide audience members or hand them objects, and a live piano score performed and composed by blind pianist Vytautas Bucionis provides auditorystimulation.Smells,suchas the aromas of someone cooking and the bright scent of a forest, are intended to transport audience memberstotheQuebeccountryside town of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorrel, wherethestorytakesplace.
As written in the show’ s press release, the poetic tableaux of Fragments slowly reveals the emotions that the two women share across time periods, as well as the contradictions between them. For both,livinginthiscountrysidehome allows them to access freedom and breakfromsocialobligations.
As I placed the eyeshades over my closed eyes, I felt like a weight of stimulation had been lifted from my shoulders, relaxing slightly into my seat as I listened to Bouchard’ s lilting French. We would experiencetheshowwithallofour sensesexceptvision,sheexplained. We would encounter the first two scenes of her typically 90-minute performance,andwouldbeledbya sighted guide to another room duringtheexperience.
“Okay, onpeutcommencer, ” she concluded.Astheshowbegan,feet shuffled into their places around us. The first thing I noticed was a manufactured wind sweeping through the room. It tickled my skinviscerally,goosebumpsraising the hairs on my forearms. Piano music swept in with the wind, a melancholic wave warming the airyroom.
A woman’s voice proclaimed the year 1950. Another voice followed, stating the year 2025, location Sainte-Anne-de-Sorrel. The voices meshed with the piano, wind whirring throughout the soundscape. The sound of pencils scratching against paper suddenly filledmyrightear;afranticsound,as ifthewritercouldhardlywaittoget their ideas onto the page. I felt inexplicably stressed, as though I, too,werehurryingtotransportideas ontopaper.
At first, my mind wandered away fromtheexperiencetomyto-dolist, to adjectives I wanted to use to describetheshowinthisarticleafter it was over. I reminded myself to focusontheshow.
The women’s voices continued to overlapastheshowwenton,weaving over one another like a relay baton, distinctive yet collaborative. At one point, as the narrator declared the month of January, paper snow fell
ontomyhead,gentlygrazingmyhair. Istartledatthiscontact,feelingeach of my other senses more intensely withmysightremoved.
It took a few minutes, but once I relaxed and let myself surrender to theexperience,Iwasimmersedinit so much so that when a guide gently took my hands, unfolding themfromwheretheylayclaspedin mylapandledmetoanotherroom,I let them take me wherever they wantedtogo.IwobbledslightlyasI walked without sight, but as I followedtheirstride,Iwassurprised at how much I could trust this stranger, never before seen. This blindtrustfeltliberating.
Guided into a plush desk chair, I sat down, feeling for the arms of the chair before placing my hands on my lap. Soon, an object was placed onto my open palms. As the narration continued, discussing the names of iconic female authors Simone de Beauvoir, Virginia Woolf, accompanied by the frantic rustling of papers I touched each crevice of the object. From its triangular edges at the top and its flatbottom,Iconcludedthatitwas aminiaturehouse.
Thewomenexclaimedwordslike “fuir” (“flee”) and “solitude” into the air, sharing sentiments across time and space. I felt like I was both floating and rooted firmly into my seat,mymindawhirlwindsetoffby tacticalandauditorysensations.
The narrators faded into silence, the piano slowing to a stop. Bouchard announced the end of the scene “coupé,” she quietly pronounced and I took off my eyeshade, dazedly blinking at the
bright light. My fellow audience members smiled at each other, realizing that Bouchard was right. We had lived through something together now. The artistic narrative had become a true shared
obstacle,” Bouchard said. “I realized that I [had] created a work environment that was totally accessibleformyself.” For Bouchard, it is important to experience the world without sight,
“My handicap was no longer an obstacle...I realized that I [had] created a work environment that was totally accessible for myself.”
— Audrey-Anne Bouchard
experiencebetweenusall.
After the show, I spoke with Bouchard, who greeted me with a gracious smile, thanking me for taking interest in her work. We sat ontwochairsontheperimeterofthe theater, Bucionis’ continued gentle piano-playingfloatingintothespace.
For many years, Bouchard recounted, her artistic work was primarily visual, studying stage design and then working as a lighting designer. In 2009, she completed her master’s degree. The topic of her thesis was the sensorial experience of performers and the history of the senses. “That’s when I realized, ‘Oh, what I do is really visual,’ andit’skindofironicbecause I have a visual impairment,” Bouchard said. That led her to question what theatre without sight wouldlooklike.
When Bouchard started the Audelàduvisuelcollective with a team of collaborators in 2016, she began creating art with an eyeshade or with her eyes closed. For the first time, “myhandicapwasnolongeran
especiallygiventheubiquitousvisual stimulation sighted people are subjected to through digital technology. “To take a moment to turnthatoff,andbetogether,andbe opentolisteningtoourothersenses, that can be really valuable,” she said. Therefore, her artistic team sees visual impairments as a “strength to innovatenewwaysofmakingartand ofsharingartwiththeaudience.” Bouchard intends for audience members to walk away from Fragments with a feeling of empowerment. She hopes that the audiencecanlearntoletgoandtrust someone they don’t know to guide them. “That’s something that blind peopleexperienceallthetime,andI think that we can also learn from thattrust.” Fragments:cellequim’habitaitdéjà premiered at MAI on October 22 and runs until November 8. Students can purchaseticketsfor$22.
Photo courtesy of Danny Payne
Maria Hamdaoui
Commentary Contributor
In my opinion, a society’ s strength depends on how well its citizens can think critically. In a world where media moves fast and information is constantly distorted, the ability to read
Every book that makes us slow down and think, every idea that challenges our certainty, is an act of resistance against manipulation.
Reading as a Responsibility
Why reading diverse stories can shape us and our future
deeply is what allows us to slow down, compare perspectives, and question what we’re told. Reading has always been at the heart of that ability. Yet today, as screens fragment our attention, we are losing the practice that once protected us from manipulation. Media today is designed to move fast and think for us. In such a climate, the habit of critical reading becomes a form of defence. To stop reading deeply is not just to lose focus; it is to lose a form of resistance.
Many people still read. However, they limit themselves to self-help books that promise success and control but rarely teach readers compassion or how to think analytically. The kind of reading that unsettles us and forces us to experience different lives or ideas is what cultivates critical thinking. Without this, we are left vulnerable to those who manipulate language and emotion for power. Propaganda thrives on a public unaccustomed to questioning
what it’s told.
As I mentioned earlier, reading is an act of resistance. A novel may demand that we inhabit another person’s mind and sit with ambiguity. A memoir may ask us to see how people make sense of their own lives. Every sentence we unpack, every motive we examine, is an exercise of discernment. Reading teaches us to detect contradictions, notice tone, grasp the arguments and agree or disagree with the author. Those are the same skills we need to navigate a media landscape where the truth is blurred. The danger lies not in encountering the wrong ideas but in losing the ability to recognize them as such. A mind that never practices analysis becomes easy to persuade.
This is why self-help culture can be so devious: it makes us feel in control while discreetly narrowing our scope. These books can transform us, but often by turning our gaze inward. They
teach confidence, not skepticism; clarity, instead of complexity. Novels, history, or biographies disrupt the self. They invite doubt, contradictions, and moral reflections. They teach us to pay attention and to think beyond our own comfort. zones When reading declines, misinformation thrives. We scroll through headlines designed to provoke, not inform. Without the patience and skepticism that deep reading builds, citizens lose the ability to recognize when language is being used as a weapon. What, then, should we do? The answer is both simple and demanding: we must read, and we must encourage others to read. Read widely, across genres and perspectives. Read fiction that unsettles you, biographies that humble you, stories that disturb you. Give children the gift of reading not as a chore but as a doorway to the world. We owe it to ourselves, and to one another, to read not only for escape, but for
The Conference in Crisis
clarity. Every book that makes us slow down and think, every idea thatchallengesourcertainty,isan act of resistance against manipulation. Reading trains the mind to remain free in a world that profits from our distraction.
Examining the importance of small-group learning in higher education
Brune de Dreuille
Commentary Contributor
For the past few months, the McGillstudentcommunityhas seen a noticeable decline in the number of teaching assistants and conferences. Following the university’s general budget cuts, the school’s Faculty of Arts, which has the largest number of students, has been facing cuts of 15 to 20 per cent in the teaching support for each department. Ultimately, this change will result in less teaching assistant (TA) positions and working hours available to graduate students, posing a concern to both graduate and undergraduatestudents.
TAsareavaluableadditiontothe academicmilieu.Theyalleviatethe pressure placed on professors by assisting them in grading and providing additional support to studentsregardingcoursematerial. Furthermore, TA-ing is a paid position that can open doors for graduate students interested in pursuing academia or teaching as a career. However, TAs often face exploitation, with many working overtimewithoutcompensation:an issue that is bound to be exacerbatedbythebudgetcuts.
These budget cuts heavily impact
conferences, an element that is central to many courses at McGill.
As a student in the Arts, I find conferences to be highly conducive and valuable to my academic experience. Due to their smaller size, participating in conferences is less intimidating than participating in larger classroom settings. Conferences allow for smoother exchange and conversation between students and their TAs.
They encourage us to develop our abilities to express and communicate our ideas to one another, enabling close collaboration and intellectual stimulation as we engage with different perspectives. Owing to the facility of exchange in conferences, these spaces also give way to new friendships, which are easiertoformtherethaninlectures withover100students.
The smaller groups that make up our conferences also allow us to apply course material in greater detail, as we can focus on topics that are unclear in class. For example,inacourseItooklastyear, one of our assignments involved presenting an analysis of a particular class reading at our conference. This assignment enabled both the presenters and listeners to better understand the
course topic. Our TA encouraged us to converse among each other following every presentation, which felt very inviting and casual, as everyone had the space to share their ideas. Moreover, with everyone presenting, we were able topracticeourcommunicationand public-speaking skills in a safe and encouragingenvironment.
Many courses consider participation for students’ final grades. This grading component is most efficient when assessed in conferences. Taking into account that certain students are less comfortable with public speaking, conferences are the perfect space to progressively develop and strengthen this skill. Students feel more inclined to speak up and ask for help on course material from TAs who are younger than professors and thus can feel more approachable, which is especially pertinentintheArts.
In a faculty whose areas of study is strongly committed to critical thinking and communication skills, cutting conferences reduces the opportunity for students to apply these skills within an academic context.Hence,thepracticeandart ofexchangeandanalysis,whichare centraltoauniversity’spedagogical experience,isweakened.
I have personally witnessed how a lack of TAs and conferences raises concerns for students. I am currently enrolled in a course with only one TA for nearly 200 students. Aside from the studentto-TA ratio being shockingly low, there are also no conferences for the course. The only way for studentstoaskquestionsregarding course material is by email or during office hours. With 200 students, such a system is incredibly inefficient. I find it unfortunate that we might no longer have this designated space of discourse to engage in different perspectives with our peers and delveintocoursecontent.
Limiting access to conferences negatively impacts the student experience. Without these spaces, we simply attend class, absorb information, and go on with our schedules. Even though we still have the opportunity to participate during lectures, conferences facilitate a more criticallearningexperience,which encourages us to work on our analytical and quick-thinking skills. In turn, this contributes to our understanding of course material, pushing students to engageindynamicdiscussion.The conversational lens offered by
conferences allows us to not only obtainbettergrades,butalsopickup course material in a more enjoyable andlesslaboriousmanner.
Conferences facilitate a more critical learning experience, which encourages us to work on our analytical and quick-thinking skills.
Golnar Saegh | Multi-Media Editor