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The Quid Novi MONTREAL, QC

MCGILL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF LAW - FACULTÉ DE DROIT DE L’UNIVERSITÉ MCGILL

46 03 8 OCT 2024

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Jessica Keer Li | 3L

Chers confrères et consœurs McGillois.es., Je vous écris en tant que nouvelle co-rédactrice en cheffe du Quid Novi, fière publication étudiante de la faculté de droit de McGill depuis plus de soixante années. Depuis le début de cette année scolaire 2024 non-conventionnelle, marquée par plusieurs disputes survenant autant de proche que de loin du campus de droit, en assumant les responsabilités de ce nouveau rôle, j’ai développé une admiration renouvelée et accrue pour le processus et l’impact de cette humble publication. Le lendemain du jour où j’ai accepté l’offre de rejoindre l’équipe de direction du Quid en avril dernier, j’ai eu la chance d’aller voir la pièce de théâtre « Royal » par Jean Philippe Baril au Théâtre Duceppe. Assise dans les fauteuils de velours rouge de la salle, je me suis laissée emporter par l’adaptation théâtrale du roman au même nom. Cette pièce dépeignait un monde sombre adjacent à la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Montréal : un milieu toxique, cynique, marqué par la compétition féroce et les coups bas. En effet, une scène montre la pratique commune d’arracher les pages des notes d’un étudiant ayant eu la malheureuse idée de quitter la bibliothèque pour aller aux toilettes sans emmener ses cahiers avec lui. Décortiquant l’absurdité de la surenchère des accomplissements de soi, ainsi que la

CETTE SEMAINE...

pression insidieuse imposée par certains processus de la Course aux stages, Royal expose de manière incisive les dynamiques parfois toxiques et les jeux de pouvoir qui se jouent dans l’univers impitoyable des étudiants en droit. Une heure et demie plus tard, une fois le dernier gong sonné, une fois que les applaudissements ont arrêté de retentir, une fois les rideaux baissés, sur le chemin de retour chez moi, je me suis sentie partagée. D’un côté, j’ai trouvé la pièce audacieuse dans sa prise de position sur certains tabous de la profession légale, tels que le manque de soutien en matière de santé mentale et l’énorme pression axée sur la performance. De l’autre, j’ai ressenti que l’univers exhibé était une représentation distante de l’expérience étudiante à McGill. Personnellement, j’ai eu la chance de trouver un véritable foyer au 3644 rue Peel, ainsi qu’une petite famille parmi mes 180 collègues de classe. Je me souviens vivement qu’au cours des premiers mois de ma première année, j’étais constamment émerveillée de côtoyer des personnes aussi fascinantes et brillantes, venues des quatre coins du pays, et même de l’étranger, avec des parcours académiques et professionnels aussi divers qu’inspirants. Leurs interventions en classe me semblaient si impressionnantes et assurées. Cet émerveillement était tel qu’il m’a fallu quelques mois avant de me sentir à l’aise

INSIGHTS

COMMUNAUTÉ

12 | ROSH HASHANAH

2 | DEAR STUDENTS

Some insights for law students

14 | LE CARE ET LA CROUSTATE AUX POMMES 17 | BE7EBAK VA LUBNAN A Playlist

18 | STATISTICS

Article from LS4PM

15 | HOW SWEATY WAS THE SWEAT TOUR?

A Review of Charli XCX & Troye Sivan at Place Bell

16 | COFFEEHOUSE OR LIGHTHOUSE? A (kind of) Ode to Consistent Events

Vol 46 ● No 3 dans les couloirs de la faculté, car, venant du CÉGEP, je me sentais parfois en décalage et pas à la hauteur. C’est à travers le pouvoir des histoires que j’ai pu véritablement découvrir mes pairs et professeurs au-delà de leurs titres et de leurs impressionnants accomplissements. En apprenant, par exemple, que le Professeur Gélinas, mon professeur d’Obligations contractuelles en 1L, avait presque échoué son examen de mi-session de contrat de première année, ou que l’étudiant avec un doctorat était lui aussi perdu face à la doctrine des pouvoirs accessoires en droit constitutionnel (effleurements mineurs vs intrusions moyennes ???), et même encore en découvrant que mes collègues avaient des passions au-delà du droit – qu’ils étaient amateurs de films, de bons restaurants, de littérature et de moments conviviaux – cela a tissé des liens uniques entre nous. Vers la fin de l’année 1L, je pouvais dire avec confiance que j’adorais passer du temps dans les salles de classes de McGill, et ce grâce à l’atmosphère familière et familiale qui y reignait. Par cette mention d’atmosphère familiale, je ne veux pas dire que nous étions toujours d’accord, bien au contraire. Il était commun que des débats idéologiques et intellectuels surgissent en classe. Défendre ses idées et remettre en question celles des autres fait partie de notre richesse en tant que rassemblement éclectique d’étudi-

ants. Toutefois, comme dans toute famille, à la fin de la journée, nous étions toujours prêts à s’entraider, que ce soit en partageant nos notes après un cours manqué, en téléchargeant nos sommaires sur Pubdocs, ou en décompressant ensemble au Coffeehouse les jeudis. Je vois le Quid Novi comme une extension de ce rôle de partage d’histoires et de création de liens. À travers cette publication hebdomadaire, notre petite équipe d’étudiants-bénévoles offrons à chacun l’opportunité de s’exprimer de manière honnête, respectueuse sur tout sujet. Contrairement à la Revue de droit de McGill ou à d’autres journaux académiques, Le Quid Novi est simplement une plateforme dédiée aux histoires et aux voix, écrites par et pour nous : les étudiants de droit de McGill. En tant que membres actuels de cette petite famille étudiante et futurs collègues dans la profession légale, je vous encourage vivement à participer à ce tissage de liens fondé sur la collégialité, à raconter vos perspectives avec vigueur et de peser vos mots avec douceur. Merci de votre lectorat et au plaisir de vous lire, à mon tour, mes confrères et consœurs, Jessica

DEAR STUDENTS Sarah Tran| 3L

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

“Despite having agreed to a negotiation session today three months ago, McGill University reneged and failed to show up. Sound labour relations require bargaining. Resolving issues through good faith negotiations supports long-term institutional stability & growth. We call on McGill to return to the bargaining table in order to avoid a strike in fall 2024 at McGill University – Faculty of Law.” – AMPL, August 19th, 2024.

“On 18 August, McGill reminded AMPL of its view that holding yet another conciliation meeting is unlikely to move the parties forward. McGill believes that the best path is for the parties to agree on an arbitrator or for the ministry of labour to appoint one.” – Dean Robert Leckey, August 19th, 2024 (4:27pm).

“Last night, McGill University Provost Christopher Manfredi and Vice-President Fabrice Labeau unlawfully contacted our members to try to influence them at a critical moment of collective bargaining, violating McGill’s principles of integrity and responsibility. Through a selective history and significant omissions, these senior leaders attempted to justify their reneging on their unequivocal undertaking to meet and negotiate with us on August 19, 21, 29, and September 4, 2024.” – AMPL, August 22nd, 2024

“All of this said, McGill’s law professors are desperate to avoid a strike that will have an inevitable impact on students. Today we are presenting McGill one last offer: drop your decertification case against, put the matters we have agreed to and our governance proposals into a collective agreement, and we will agree to arbitration over the outstanding monetary matters.” – AMPL, August 23rd, 2024.

“En refusant de reconnaître la légitimité de notre syndicat, nous nous remettons en grève. Nous avons offert à McGill University exactement ce qu’elle demandait - un arbitrage sur les questions monétaires - mais elle a refusé.” – AMPL, August 26th, 2024.

“Dear students, I regret that, as you prepare to begin or continue your legal education, I must inform you that the Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL) is resuming its strike as of 5 a.m. I’m so sorry that this is how our academic year is starting.” – Dean Robert Leckey, August 26th, 2024 (4:56am).

Vol 46 ● No 3 “Les nouveaux étudiants de McGill University – Faculty of Law (qui se sont présentés en masse sur le piquet de grève) comprennent qu’il n’y a pas d’intégrité à dire une chose et à en faire une autre, qu’il est irresponsable d’enfreindre le Code du travail et qu’il n’y a pas de liberté académique à ne pas permettre aux profs d’adhérer à un syndicat.” – AMPL, August 26th, 2024.

“We are here for you and we, and the administrative staff and all whose courses are going ahead, want to do everything we can to smooth the start of term for you in unusual circumstances.” – Dean Robert Leckey, August 27th, 2024 (3:27pm).

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

“L’exécutif de l’AÉD et moi proposons d’offrir une programmation modeste qui, ouverte à tout le corps étudiant, serait pourtant destinée surtout à la cohorte 1L, dont les activités accréditées sont affectées plus sévèrement par la grève professorale.” – Dean Robert Leckey, August 29th, 2024 (8:53am).

“We’ve updated the list on the FAQs of courses not taking place during the strike” – Dean Robert Leckey, August 29th, 2024 (11:47am).

“Pourquoi McGill University poursuit une tentative perdue d’avance pour nous décertifier ? Ses administrateurs principaux ne sont pas naïfs : ils savent exactement ce qu’ils font. Ils dépensent votre argent pour retarder le processus jusqu’à ce que nous abandonnions. Pendant ce temps, ils n’investissent ni dans les programmes ni dans les étudiants.” – AMPL, August 30th, 2024.

“We are striking to ensure that McGill University lives up to its mission of advancing learning, creation, and dissemination of knowledge. More transparent and responsive governance are the key outstanding issues. They affect student learning & experience. Here is how students can help to achieve these.” – AMPL, September 2nd, 2024.

“I was pleased to see nearly 200 of you at last week’s town hall on Zoom. My hope was to be as transparent as possible without saying anything that could complicate a difficult situation.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 3rd, 2024 (8:49am).

“If the following seems rather high-level, please keep in mind that labour law constrains what an employer, including McGill, can say publicly. The university must avoid pronouncements that could be seen as obstructing the free expression of unionism.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 3rd, 2024 (8:49am).

Vol 46 ● No 3 “In short, challenging the description of AMPL’s bargaining unit is not about opposing the unionization of professors. It is about protecting the future of McGill as an equitable and unionized employer. The Canadian norm is unions that join professors across all faculties.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 3rd, 2024 (8:49am).

“It’s extremely helpful for Associate Dean Piper and me to know ahead of time what’s on your minds at what we know to be a difficult and uncertain time (as it is for us).” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 4th, 2024 (3:22pm).

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

“Professors at the Faculty of Law have decided to pursue our collective goals of securing beneficial working conditions by exercising our constitutional rights, given that the McGill Association of University Teachers (MAUT) is not certified under the Quebec Labour Code and therefore cannot engage in collective bargaining with the University.” – AMPL, September 9th, 2024.

“Associate Dean Piper and I are grateful to the many of you who participated in Friday’s Zoom Town Hall. We look forward to staying in close touch with you.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 9th, 2024 (11:22am).

“Bien que je ne puisse vous dire à quel moment la grève prendra fin, je réitère mon engagement, à savoir que nous prendrons tous les moyens à notre disposition afin d’éviter l’annulation de la session d’automne. Je vous remercie de votre patience en cette période difficile, que nous traverserons ensemble.” – Dean Robert Leckey’s forwarded message from Christopher Manfredi, September 11th, 2024 (11:50pm).

“Voici les activités spéciales à venir dans le cadre de la collaboration entre la Faculté de droit et l’AÉD. J’espère que vous serez nombreuses et nombreux à saisir l’occasion de tisser des liens au sein de la communauté étudiante.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 11th, 2024 (4:05pm).

“AMPL informed McGill this morning that it is suspending its strike as of Friday 13 September 2024. McGill has communicated to AMPL its eagerness to discuss issues raised by its message today in the presence of the arbitrator.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 12th, 2024 (6:12pm).

“Yesterday, we and our thousands of supporters across McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, and Canada demonstrated the broad and deep support we have behind our strike. With that strength, today, we extend an olive branch to the McGill administration.” – AMPL, September 12th, 2024.

Vol 46 ● No 3 “During the suspension of the strike, our members will prioritize (i) ensuring that graduate students have their work approved so that they do not encounter visa problems, (ii) fixing any errors in grading, and (iii) approving any outstanding grades.” – AMPL, September 12th, 2024.

“I am sorry to be sending this message. AMPL informed McGill on Friday evening that it declined the invitation to discuss its proposals in a meeting with the arbitrator, on 19 September or another occasion in the near future. Early this afternoon, AMPL’s president informed Provost Manfredi that it will resume its strike, as of Monday 16 September. The courses suspended earlier are, thus, suspended again. I shall share more information as I can.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 15th, 2024 (1:59pm).

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

“The strike pause has caused some movement outside of arbitration. There are reasons to be optimistic that we will arrive at a fair resolution.” – AMPL, September 16th, 2024.

“Your questions and feedback remain extremely helpful to us as we aim to reduce the strike’s impacts on you.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 16th, 2024 (1:59pm).

“The LSA president tells me that interest in the weekly Zoom Town Hall is lagging. Associate Dean Piper and I will still login Friday at 1:05, but we’ll think of it as a drop-in, rather than a formal Town Hall.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 17th, 2024 (2:52pm).

“Please see below for upcoming opportunities to learn about law ad practice, while building community among students.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 17th, 2024 (2:52pm).

“Join us for an end-of-summer bbq outside McGill Law to celebrate McGill University – Faculty of Law students and our allies! Starts at 1 pm Friday.” – AMPL, September 19th, 2024.

“The arbitrator concluded, at paragraph 46, that the October 1 deadline set by McGill was not what it seemed: “The deadline is not, however, as precise as it appeared to be at the outset. In any event, this cannot relieve the arbitrator of his duty to act as mediator in the first instance.” – AMPL, September 27th, 2024.

Vol 46 ● No 3 “Until Mtre Allard’s decision of Friday, we had assumed that things would move faster and that we could still credibly save the Fall 2024 courses assigned to AMPL members. Specifically, we had informed Mtre Allard that we needed the strike to end by October 1 to move forward with AMPL-taught courses. […] McGill has given AMPL until today for its members to accept the offer. Failing that, on October 1 we will implement contingency plans to mitigate the harms from cancelling those courses assigned to AMPL members.” – Dean Robert Leckey, September 30th, 2024 (10:28am).

“In its proposal, McGill demanded that we irretrievably give up our right to strike in return for McGill having no obligation to do anything, including an obligation to drop its challenge to our certification. McGill also insisted that we agree to certain proposals - rejected by the labour tribunal and arbitrator alike - that it could use to decertify us.” – AMPL, September 27th, 2024.

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

“McGill and AMPL have agreed to suspend the strike until the next meeting with the arbitrator on October 8. During this period, the parties will try to find a federated approach between the different professors’ unions to negotiate collective agreements with the University. Suspended classes will resume no later than October 3.” – Dean Robert Leckey’s forwarded message from Christopher Manfredi and Evan Fox-Decent, October 1st, 2024 (7:20am).

“Late yesterday, the Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL)/Association mcgillienne de professeur.e.s de droit (AMPD) and McGill University agreed to a process through which McGill will join all other Quebec universities in recognizing faculty unions that are governed by collective agreements. AMPL will suspend its current strike today allowing McGill Law students to return to class to complete their semester without any loss of credits or delay. Whether the suspension becomes permanent depends on McGill joining AMPL in creating a way forward” – AMPL, October 1st, 2024.

“Dear students, I know that you are waiting for more detail following this morning’s announcement.” – Dean Robert Leckey, October 1st, 2024 (5:00pm).

“The deal calls for our suspension of the strike to give the parties time to negotiate a deal where McGill will drop its judicial review of our union and accept the certification of AMPE and AMPFA. If McGill does not agree, the strike will resume.” – AMPL, October 1st, 2024.

Honourable mentions: “I’m a bit worried about the people we’re sending out into the legal profession” – Christopher Manfredi, April 23rd, 2024. “Of course, there is nothing analogous in the situation at Guantánamo Bay and at McGill.” – AMPL, July 23rd, 2024.

Vol 46 ● No 3

ROSH HASHANAH Some Insights for Law Students Jewish Law Student Association

As you attended your first classes following the suspension of the AMPL strike, you may have noticed that your Jewish friends were not among you. You may have found yourselves wondering: Where are they? Are they not as anxious as I am to (finally) start the semester? The answer to these questions is simple: we were all celebrating Rosh Hashanah!

What is Rosh Hashanah? Rosh Hashanah, known widely as the Jewish New Year (literally translated to ‘head of the year’), marks the beginning of the High Holidays. It begins at the beginning of sundown on Tishrei 1 and ends on Tishrei 2 - which fell on the evening of October 2nd and ended on October 4th this year. It serves to mark a point in Jewish history: it is the day when G-d created Adam and Eve1. During Rosh Hashanah, Jews worldwide pause their daily lives to: • Have meals with their families featuring symbolic foods (e.g. we eat sweet foods to symbolize the start of a ‘sweet new year’). • Go to synagogue and pray. • Blow the Shofar (a hollowed ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet) to symbolize the start of new beginnings2. • Engage in deep reflection and introspection. Chabad, “Rosh Hashanah 2024” (29 September 2024), online: <https://www. chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4644/jewish/Rosh-Hashanah-2024.htm>. 1

Yoni Rhine, “The Major Themes of Rosh Hashanah” (29 September 2024), online: <https://aish.com/the-major-themes-of-rosh-hashanah/>.

A Couple of Rosh Hashanah Insights: Now that you know what Rosh Hashanah is all about, we would love to share some insights from the holiday. 1. It is not about what we have done so far but about where we decide to go Rosh Hashanah is often referred to as ‘the day of judgment.’3 It is on this day that G-d judges each of us, and our fate for the upcoming year is ‘written.’4 On what grounds, however, is G-d judging us? Instinctively, many may think that we are being judged for our actions in the last year and that our fates are being decided accordingly. In reality, on Rosh Hashanah, we are given a blank slate and are being judged by who we choose to be in the present rather than who we were in the past5.As expressed by the Kotzker Rebbe: “One who is on the bottom of a ladder and climbing up is far higher than one on the top of the ladder who is on his way down. We all have our struggles, pre-dispositions and flaws. However, if we are working to climb, then we are working to achieve greatness.”6 Rosh Hashanah is thus a time when we can move forward without being held back by the weight of our past mistakes. During this time, we reflect on our past mistakes. However, we do so to look for areas of self-imRabbi Asher Resnick, “The Meaning of Rosh Hashanah: An In-Depth Analysis” (31 July 2024), online: <https://aish.com/the-meaningof-rosh-hashanah-an-in-depth-analysis/>. 3

Ibid

Supra note 3.

Supra note 2.

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

provement and set our goals for the upcoming year. We reflect on and decide what values we want to carry with us into the future and which we would prefer to leave behind7. 2. The collective matters During Rosh Hashanah, the prayers we make concern the collective rather than the individual: we pray for a better world8.The main focus of our reflection is thus on the collective rather than on the individual9. As Clint Pulver once said: “It’s not about being the best in the world… It’s about being the best FOR the world.”10 We thus ask ourselves how we have impacted the world over the last year and seek areas for self-improvement. We recognize that we have certain responsibilities towards others: our actions have implications on those around us, and the goal is to ensure that these are positive11. What can we, McGill Law Students, Draw From These Insights? As the new academic year is only just beginning (especially given the impact of the AMPL strike), this is a time when law students can draw a lot of insights from Rosh Hashanah. 1. Allow This Academic Year to Give You a Fresh Start As law students, we have inevitably experienced moments in life when we have not performed as well as we would have liked (whether it be academically, professionally, or personally). Rather than allowing these setbacks to hold us back in the coming year, we can draw from the insights provided by Rosh Hashanah and start anew. We can reflect on our shortcomings through a more positive lens and learn from them. We can take the time to reflect on how we want this year to play out, set some goals and plan how we will achieve them. We can ask ourselves the following questions to help guide our reflection: • What are some lessons that I learned this year? • Which values do I want to bring into the following year, and which, if any, do I want to leave behind? • How can I prioritize my well-being and lead a healthier life? • What do I want to prioritize this year? 7 8

Supra note 3. Supra note 3.

Supra note 3. Clint Pulver, “I Believe in You: Inspiring Rosh Hashanah Message” (21 January 2024), online: <https://aish.com/i-believe-in-you-inspiring-rosh-hashanah-message/>.

• What are some habits that I want to adopt? • What are my goals for this year, and what steps must be taken to achieve them? • How have I approached my legal studies thus far? Do I want to continue this approach, or do I want to adopt a new one? 2. The Collective Really Does Matter Many of us were motivated to apply to law school to learn skills to help us make a positive change in the world or at least, that’s what we wrote in our personal statements. With the struggle to live a little while balancing joy and the immense amount of work that we have as law students, some of us may have forgotten our motivations! We should all take a moment at least once per year to remind ourselves of the reason that we came to law school in the first place and reflect on the bigger picture. As law students, we have already developed some skills that allow us to advocate for others regardless of where we are in our journey. We have so many unique opportunities to make a difference, whether in the faculty of law, the broader McGill student experience, or the outside world. With this in mind, our actions may be more impactful than those of others. We must consider the global impact of every action. As the new year starts, we should all take the opportunity to reflect on how we can create positive change in the world. We can ask ourselves the following questions to help guide our reflection: • What responsibilities do I have towards others? • How can I make the world a brighter place? • How can I improve in terms of ethical conduct and responsibility? Our Wishes for this Upcoming Year Moving forward into the 2024-2025 school year, the JLSA hopes for peace, mutual kindness, and respect among all Law students. This last academic year has been marked by deep tension and division at the law faculty, and this saddens us. Despite our differences and disagreements, we all have many things in common: that pesky B-curve which plagues us all, Thomson House, Coffeehouses, the many hardships that have resulted from the strike, and let us not forget the imposter syndrome! Moreover, many of us will be coworkers in only a few short years. In keeping with the spirit of Rosh Hashanah, the JLSA would like to leave the negativity behind and move forward - towards a period where we can all grow together and learn from each other again.

The JLSA wishes all our fellow McGill law students a L’Shanah Tova and a happy start to the new academic year!

Supra note 3.

Vol 46 ● No 3

LE CARE ET LA CROUSTADE AUX POMMES Caroline Homet | 1L

a satisfait nos esprits curieux et critiques en discutant de poliLa recette de croustade aux pommes tique, de littérature et de théories complotistes en dévorant crêpes de mon arrière-grand-mère. et beignets. Remplies au ras de Chaque automne, un soir de bol de pommes et d’un sentisemaine comme un autre, une ment d’appartenance qui nous odeur bien plus parfumée que manquait depuis notre première le spaghetti invitait ma famille semaine sur le campus, on a au souper: ma mère nous avait roulé jusqu’au métro Longueuil préparé une croustade de pommes. pour retrouver la compagnie trop familière de nos logements. Je vous dévoile un secret de famille:

CROUSTADE DE POMMES (de Grand-maman C). 6 pommes moyennes ¼ tasse sucre granulé ¼ c. à thé cannelle ¼ tasse beurre ¾ tasse cassonade ½ tasse farine

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

1. Peler les pommes et les déposer en tranches dans une casserole beurrée. 2. Saupoudrer de sucre et de cannelle. 3. Combiner le beurre, la cassonade et la farine et étendre le mélange sur les pommes. 4. Cuire 30 minutes à 350°F jusqu’à ce que les pommes soient tendres et dorées sur le dessus. N’ayant aucun cours à l’horaire pour un quatrième mardi de suite, des amies des initiations m’ont invitée à partir en petit road trip pour cueillir des pommes. On a rempli nos cœurs d’enfants à se passer des bouchées de pommes en courant dans le verger en quête des fruits les plus juteux. Nos fous rires retendissaient lorsque j’ai grimpé sur les épaules de mon amie pour atteindre la dernière Gala jaune juchée dans la plus haute branche du pommier. On 14

Le soir même, devant la montagne de pommes que j’avais ramenée, j’ai proposé une croustade à mes colocs qui se rapprochent de leur mi-session. La tarte était sans gluten ni produits laitiers, mais malgré les modifications, c’était la même recette que j’ai vu ma mère exécuter chaque automne. J’ai tranché les pommes contre mon pouce au-dessus du plat graissé de la même façon qu’elle. J’ai coupé dans le sucre granulé au pif en imitant son jugement. Même si elle était loin de mon appartement et probablement déjà au lit, je la sentais à mes côtés. C’est certain que je préférais passer mes journées en cours. Mon cerveau a soif de lire des textes plus longs que des blogues de recettes. Toutefois, avoir un parcours qui a bifurqué l’année passée m’a appris à prendre chaque moment pour ce qu’il est. Si je ne peux pas passer mon temps à bourrer mon cerveau affamé avec des collègues de classe, professeurs et amis dans la faculté, alors j’en profiterai pour faire le plein de temps de qualité passé avec mes amis et ma famille dans la cuisine. Je pense que dans un environnement où la productivité est l’indicateur de succès le plus applaudi, on peut se ronger de culpabilité à passer nos semaines sans but

ni validation académique. J’aimerais proposer en guise de solution au dilemme de l’étudiant.e en première année que de passer du temps entre amis, c’est productif en soi. Il y a une place importante pour le stress et la frustration, mais faisons aussi une place pour du care. Au moment où j’écris cet article, je me prépare pour mon premier vrai cours. Nous avons tous espoir que la grève demeurera levée. Dans l’incertitude, j’essaie de me dire qu’au lieu de commencer le semestre en retard, on débute plutôt avec une longueur d’avance ayant eu le temps de créer des liens et des habitudes de self-care. Au rallye de mardi, une étudiante m’a dit qu’on serait probablement une cohorte plus rapprochée ayant appris à se connaître et à connaître nos profs en dehors de la classe. Mon plus grand souhait en mettant les pieds dans mon cours ce matin est que ceci s’avérera vrai. À travers la montagne de lectures, de cours et de dates de remises, j’espère qu’on prendra le temps en tant que cohorte d’aller piger dans les dernières pommes au frigo pour se partager une croustade.

HOW SWEATY WAS THE SWEAT TOUR? A Review of Charli XCX & Troye Sivan at Place Bell Sébastien Offredo | 2L

Brat Summer is certainly over, whether you loved it or not. Its end, however, hasn’t stopped the arrival of Brat Autumn, as Charli XCX tours North America with fellow popstar Troye Sivan, along with plans to release a remix album in mid-October. I, fortunately, had the opportunity to attend their Sweat Tour’s sold-out show in Montreal.

with an explosive remix of “365” I left the show beyond satisfied, featuring the opening act: Shygirl. with my overpriced merch secured.

I’ve shamelessly been a Charli fan for years. For the unfamiliar, Charli XCX is a British hyperpop singer who reemerged into the mainstream with her latest album Brat. I went to the concert with my fellow classmate Catherine Zhang, 2L, who herself has been a Troye fan since high school — truly a perfect show for us to go to together.

A brief synopsis: Troye and Charli took back-and-forth turns performing about three songs each, drawing mostly from their recent albums. The stars did their best to turn Place Bell into a club. Troye was flirtatious throughout, getting touchy with his dancers and concluding with some lip-locking (surely there’s a course at the faculty on what sort of paperwork this entailed). Charli was consistently high-energy, peaking with her best song, “Track 10,” during which I nearly shed a tear while dancing along. Teasing the Quebecois audience, emphasis was put on the line “Talk to me in French” during the closer “Talk Talk”.

When taking the metro to Montmorency, we could already see fans on their way wearing homemade neon green Brat shirts. The excitement of Montreal being chosen as a tour stop was real. The show began with Troye performing his first handful of songs, after which drapes flew down to create a giant, gaze-drawing Brat cuboid. The show truly started when Charli emerged from the cuboid

The fan atmosphere was stellar. Hands were always up. Troye fans screamed whenever he took the stage, and Charli fans couldn’t resist belting out every song (myself included). Channeling the narcissism of Brat, Charli strutted the stage solo. Troye’s stage presence was not to be ignored either, having, according to Catherine, far improved since his early days. The setlist never dipped in quality, and

When fielding opinions from the faculty, I received exclusive intel that Professor Boulanger-Bonnelly, BCL/LLB ‘15, was seen in the audience. When approached on the matter, he shared: “The Sweat Tour was amazing! Beyond the incredible music, it was such a thrill to see two queer icons like Charli XCX and Troye Sivan perform live. The atmosphere was electric, and the energy from both the crowd and the performers made it an unforgettable experience.” I agree with everything he said. Now for the real question… was the show actually sweaty? I’m sure that if I were in the GA pit rather than seated, the show would’ve lived up to its title. Fans of both artists were well-fed with music, choreography, and stage design. I was only disappointed in the smaller selection of Charli’s older songs; while the show catered to lifelong Troye fans, Charli’s set was more for the newer angels. Overall, I would recommend buying a ticket and flying down to the States to see them as soon as possible. 15

Vol 46 ● No 3

BE7EBAKAVA LUBNAN Playlist Alanna Molzahn | 4L

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

When my grandma was 18, she immigrated from Lebanon to Canada. Growing up, she told my sister and I about the beautiful cedar trees and abundance of lemon and fig trees. She sang nursery rhymes to us in Arabic and bought us sweets from the Lebanese bakery. When she’d take us to the mall, she would stop and speak Arabic to anyone who looked vaguely Middle Eastern, making friends everywhere she went. She never returned to Lebanon, but she held onto her culture and passed it down to us. That said, however Lebanese I have felt has always been contingent on my proximity to my Teta. When she dies, I worry my connection to the culture and to the land my grandma came from will be severed. In the meantime, I learn her recipes and try to learn her language. I say “sa7a” when someone coughs, like how she’d say it to me. I tell her “ana be7ebik” whenever I talk to her. I listen to Arabic music - the classics I would hear on the speakers in the Lebanese grocery store, as well as newer releases. Below are some of my favourites: *Note: I barely speak Arabic and relied on online translations for the lyrics.

Nour el Ein: Amr Diab Amr Diab is an immensely popular Egyptian singer. He belongs to the jeel tradition of music, a new wave genre that took hold in the 1970s 16

and 80s1. Jeel contains lyrical themes of unrequited or first love, and is characterized by catchy, danceable tunes that use a variety of Arab and Western instruments2. Amr Diab has been dubbed “the undisputed king of jeel music since the mid-1980s.”3 Nour el Ein is in keeping with the jeel musical tradition. The song’s title translates to “the light of my eyes.” I’ll provide a brief English translation (which I found online) of some of the lyrics to demonstrate the romanticism of the song. Arabic is the perfect language to express love and romance and I will be slowly teaching myself the language because I find English so lacking in that department. “My love, light of my eyes Who lives in my imagination, I’ve been in love for years, With only you on my mind … The most beautiful eyes I’ve seen in the whole universe, May God protect you and the magic of your eyes.”4 Gordon, J. (2003). Singing the Pulse of the Egyptian-Arab Street: Shaaban Abd Al-Rahim and the Geo-Pop-Politics of Fast Food. Popular Music, 22(1), 73–88. http:// www.jstor.org/stable/853557 at p. 77. 2 Ibid. 1

Ibid. Genius English translations – Amr Diab - Nour Al Ain (English translation). Genius. (n.d.-b). https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-amr-diab-noural-ain-english-translation-lyrics. 3

eyes, You’ll feel my passion.”5

Ya Hayat Albi: Haifa Wehbe Haifa is important in the Lebanese and Middle Eastern music canon because her music is different from that of the stars who came before her. She is not a diva or a symbol of a nation in the same way that Fairuz or Umm Kulthum are, but rather a hugely famous pop star. Her songs, while nonsensical at times, are catchy and danceable. They are also, dare I say, more sexy than the songs of past divas. “Ya Hayat Albi,” roughly meaning “life of my heart,” is a catchy upbeat love song. It was released in 2003, and in my opinion, the early 2000s were when Lebanese pop music peaked. Again, no one does love like Arabs:

Another song of note from the same album as “Ya Hayat Albi” is “Badi Aesh” (“I Want to Live”). It has a groovy, disco feel and was recorded deliberately to “send a message” because “it discusses…freedom, considered to be among the most basic of human rights.”6

Holm: Emel Unlike the previous two pop songs, Holm is a haunting ballad and perhaps my favourite on this list. Emel Haifa Wehbe - ‫( ىبلق ةايحاي‬Ya Hayat Albi) (English translation). (n.d.). https://lyricstranslate.com/en/ya-hayat-albi-oh-life-my-heart.html-0. 5

Braude, J. (n.d.). Can an army of Arabic pop stars and their canny boss, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, stem the tide of Islamic extremism?. Features : Radar Online : Rock the Casbah. https://web.archive.org/ web/20080603081732/http://www. radaronline.com/features/2006/10/ the_prince_of_pop.php. 6

“Do you want me to tell you That I melted years ago from your love? … Fine, I won’t tell you That my soul is with you, my love. Come a little closer to my

rose to fame around the time of the Tunisian Revolution and the Arab Spring because of her songs “Ya Tounes Ya Meskina (Poor Tunisia)” and “Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free).” She openly criticized the regime of former Tunisian president Ben Ali, and “Kelmti Horra” became “the sound of the Tunisian revolution.”7 “Holm” means “dream,” and while the lyrical themes are not overtly political like the songs that launched her into fame, she sings about a dream for a better world. We can infer that the song is influenced by her experiences in Tunisia, the aftermath of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the violent legacy of Western imperialism. “If I could travel in my imagination, I would build palaces and nights where Love and my hopes can grow and we will erase the pain”8

Le Beirut: Fairuz Fairuz “will forever remain the moon of the contemporary Lebanese and the Arab song”9.

Her voice “is the voice of angels”10. Fairuz is to Lebanon what Umm Kulthum is to Egypt. Many of her songs are about village life, homeland, romantic love, and loss11. Her songs, while not political per se, have been linked to the sociopolitical situations of the day12. Her song Le Beirut was recorded during the civil war in Lebanon. The lyrics evoke nostalgia for the golden years before the war and sadness that the destruction made Beirut “taste like fire and smoke.”13 The song once again became “an anthem for a grieving nation” after the 2020 explosion in Beirut14. “To Beirut, From my heart, I send peace to Beirut And kisses to the sea and to the families”15

composers and brothers, Ahmad and Muhammad Flayfel. Tuqan and the brothers worked on various projects together, including an anthem about Moroccan resistance to colonialism16. “Mawtini” served as the unofficial anthem of Palestine from the 1930s until 1972 when it was replaced by the song “Fida’i.”17 “Mawtini” is also the national anthem of Iraq, sung not only at official events, but also at The song that inspired the arab world. Palestinian Journeys. (n.d.). https://web.archive.org/ web/20190829095033/https://www. paljourneys.org/en/story/9503/songinspired-arab-world.

anti-government protests18. “My homeland, my homeland Greatness and beauty, kindness and goodness In your lands, in your lands … My homeland, my homeland The youth will not tire, til your independence”19 Happy listening and ‫ةرح نانبلو نيطسلف‬

Ibid.

Lahoud, T. (2020, January 11). Mawtini (cover). YouTube. h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=7coB8DU0xgo&ab_ channel=TaliaLahoud. 19

Mawtini: Elissa “Mawtini,” meaning “homeland”, is based on the poem written by Ibrahim Tuqan and was set to music by his friends, the Lebanese 10

Ibid.

Fairuz. American University of Beirut. (n.d.). https://www.aub. edu.lb/doctorates/recipients/Pages/ fairuz-profile.aspx. 12 Ibid. 11

Kourtova, P. (2013). [Review of Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free), by E. Mathlouthi]. The World of Music, 2(2), 164–166. http://www. jstor.org/stable/24318160 at p. 164. 7

Emel (ft. genius English translations) – Holm (English translation). Genius. (n.d.). https://genius.com/ Emel-holm-english-translation-lyrics. 8

Stone, C. (2007). Fairouz and/as the Nation . In Popular Culture and Nationalism in Lebanon: The Fairouz and Rahbani Nation (1st ed., pp. 139–169). Routledge.

MUSE Magazine. (2022, July 25). Examining an Icon: Fairouz. https:// muse-magazine.com/entertainment/examining-an-icon-fairouz. 14 Fairouz. Chef Sally Jane. (n.d.). https://www.chefsallyjane.co.uk/ blog/fairouz. 13

Lahoud, T. (n.d.). Le Beirut (cover). YouTube. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=rVnlWbJk3KU&ab_channel=TaliaLahoud. 15

Vol 46 ● No 3

COFFEEHOUSE OR LIGHTHOUSE? A (kind of) Ode to Consistent Events Maddie Adams Alexander | 1L

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

When I found out I would have the opportunity to contribute to the Quid Novi as a columnist, I was so excited to be part of something student-led, and something with such a long history. While trying to determine what I felt compelled to write about, I could not help but feel a bit uninspired, due to the fact that I was a 1L who had not yet had any classes. I ultimately decided that the best subject for my first contribution would be the only consistent thing I had known so far in my law school career: Coffeehouse. In a time of uncertainty and inconsistency, the one thing I have been able to latch onto, while in desperate need of hope and social interaction, has been the fact that coffeehouses will go ahead every Thursday. Even when nothing else this semester seems to follow its original and anticipated path, Coffeehouse not only continues forward, but lights the path ahead, like an unquestioned streetlight or a bright and unwavering lighthouse. When I decided to move a ten-hour drive away from my hometown to go to law school, I did so with the hope that I would have the opportunity to meet many new friends and spend plenty of time with them in and out of class. Just before I excitedly packed up my dad’s truck to head toward my new city, I had applied via email to be a “Coffeehouse Angel.” Not only was the title adorably intriguing, but I had contributed to and organized coffeehouses for years back home. I figured it was a divinely orchestrated opportunity to meet the new friends I counted on making. I would later find out that our Coffeehouse do not actually feature coffee, as had the coffeehouses I was used to back home. However, this new species of Coffeehouse did feature a deeply fascinating and archaic hot dog machine, as well as some truly 18

wonderful fellow Coffeehouse Angels, so I was happy to stick around. Once I had arrived in Montreal, a wrench was thrown into my first few weeks of law school, as a result of the strike being announced, but I was not quick to be reduced to pessimism. With many Orientation plans still in place, along with Frosh week, I decided to make lemonade and consider it a week dedicated to friend-making. The events of Orientation and Frosh week were fabulous socially, and I made friends that I already know will be in my life indefinitely. That first week felt like living inside the highlight reel I had dreamed of. While Frosh week had been a delightful realization of my initial hopes for law school, my naive dreams had just as quickly faded by the next week. With few reasons to be on campus due to the strike, I would not get to spend as much time with my new peers as I had wanted and expected. The seeds of so many friendships had been planted, but I was not getting the chance to water them. When that next Monday rolled around and there was little to do and plenty to worry about, I will admit to you, dear reader, that I began to panic. I had too much time to sit alone in what was effectively my dorm room, far from my family and friends back home, with nowhere to be and no one to see. The only thing that was getting me through that terribly lonely and confusing week was knowing that I would be going to Coffeehouse that Thursday. If I could count on nothing else when answers were scarce, I could count on seeing at least a handful of people I knew, and hoped to soon know even better, on Thursday evening.

Having started sometime in the mid-1980s , McGill Law Coffeehouse is a tradition that has been enjoyed and looked forward to long before any of us here now had arrived. Whether we are dressed in our best suits to chat with lawyers from recruiting law firms, or simply enjoying time with our peers in more casual clothing at non-sponsored coffeehouses, Coffeehouse remains consistent, providing McGill’s law students with a place where everybody will know their names. Of course, the often provided name tags are partially to thank for this. So thank goodness for Kraft-singlestuffed grilled cheeses, the ability to turn the atrium into a colourful carnival or a slightly more fluorescent image of Tuscany, as well as the angels and the sponsors who sustain Coffeehouse. When I next talk to my family, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to tell them anything about my classes, but I will be able to tell them about the last Coffeehouse (and the Thomson House visit that inevitably follows). As we all collectively sail the rocky waters of the strike, we can count on the one thing with the power to consistently unite us law students. This cherished beacon of hope differs from a lighthouse only in that it does not quell our panic with a bright light, but instead with questionable hotdogs and genuine friendship, both old and new. Long live Coffeehouse!

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

Vol 46 ● No 3

QUID NOVI • 8 OCT 2024

Vol 46 ● No 3

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFS | RÉDACTEURS EN CHEF Anna McAllister Jessica Keer Li Pablo Mhanna-Sandoval SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR | DIRECTRICE DES RÉSEAUX SOCIAUX Gabrielle Torrealba DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION | DIRECTEUR DE DISTRIBUTION Kamil Chaoui ART DIRECTOR DIRECTRICE ARTISTIQUE Souang Wu LAYOUT EDITOR ÉDITRICE DE MISE EN PAGE Camille Duhaime COPY EDITORS | SECRÉTAIRES DE RÉDACTION Faith Dehghan Jacob Kasirer-Kettner Jerod Miksza COLUMNISTS | CHRONIQUEURES ET CHRONIQUEUSES Caroline Homet Maddie Adams Alexander CONTRIBUTORS | CONTRIBUTEURS Alanna Molzahn Jewish Law Student Association Sarah Tran Sébastien Offredo Special thanks to Prairie Koo for designing the layout. ~ The Quid Novi is published weekly by the students of the Faculty of Law at McGill University. Production is made possible through the direct support of students. All contents copyright © 2024 Quid Novi.

Les opinions exprimées sont propres aux auteurs et ne réflètent pas nécessairement celles de l’équipe du Quid Novi. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the McGill Law Students’ Association or of McGill University. Envoyez vos commentaires ou articles avant jeudi 17h00 à quid.law@mcgill.ca. Toute contribution doit indiquer le nom de l’auteur, son année d’étude ainsi qu’un titre et un sous -titre pour l’article. Les images doivent être soumises séparément. L’article ne sera publié qu’à la discrétion du comité de rédaction, qui basera sa décision sur la politique de rédaction disponible sur notre Facebook @quidnovi.mcgill.