McGill University has sent a bold message to Indigenous students and their communities by refusing to close for Truth and Reconciliation Day this upcoming Sept. 30. The federal government created this statutory holiday to give Canadians an opportunity to acknowledge and learn about the tragic history of residential schools. Educating[Read More…]
Commentary
McGill should prioritize protection over profits
Despite McGill’s numerous emails detailing their efforts to keep campus safe, the university is taking advantage of its international students. Although students and faculty alike have been anxiously awaiting the return to in-person classes, the return to Canada and Montreal has been fraught with obstacles for many international students. McGill’s[Read More…]
Gratuity has reached a tipping point
In the heart of Mile End sits Larry’s, a cafe-restaurant that has served breakfast, lunch, and dinner to its visitors since 2016. In May, the restaurant made a notable announcement: It would end the custom of tipping once it reopened its doors for indoor dining. While Larry’s is not the[Read More…]
The SSMU BoD’s ratification of the Divest for Human Rights Policy is long overdue
On July 22, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Board of Directors ratified the “Divest for Human Rights Policy” with five votes in favour and two votes against. Back in February, SSMU’s democratic bodies—the General Assembly and the Legislative Council—overwhelmingly voted to approve the policy. However, the Board of[Read More…]
SSMU’s BoD should resist, not assist McGill’s repression of student activism
On Feb. 16, 90 per cent of students at the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) General Assembly – Consultative Forum voted to adopt the Divest for Human Rights Policy. The Policy mandates SSMU to campaign against McGill University’s investments in corporations complicit in colonial land theft, environmental destruction, war[Read More…]
An in-person Fall term puts international students at risk
On March 12, McGill hosted a town hall to discuss the university’s plan for in-person instruction during the Fall 2021 semester. The administration announced that while remote learning will be necessary for classes with more than 150 students, students are expected to return to Montreal to attend most smaller courses[Read More…]
Park parties are not an acceptable response to pandemic fatigue
What started as a sunny afternoon on March 25 quickly devolved into a mid-pandemic disaster. Around 3:00 p.m. a crowd of students began to party in Montreal’s Jeanne Mance Park, forming a mob-like cluster despite ongoing provincial social distancing regulations prohibiting large gatherings. After two hours of moshing around a[Read More…]
Campus Conversation: McGill students’ resilience
Music Johnathon Cruickshank, Staff Writer Montreal’s creative spirit is difficult to put into words. Friends and family, too, have commented on the city’s distinct feel. One explanation may be its diverse and multilingual community, or perhaps it is the combination of the European aesthetics of Old Port and the laissez-faire[Read More…]
McGill is responsible for confronting anti-Asian hate
On March 27, my girlfriend and I were on our way to pick up sushi when a random man approached our parked car and raised his middle finger at us. As we crossed the street toward the restaurant, I heard, “F**k China! F**k Japan!” I turned around to see that[Read More…]
The safety of Asian migrant sex workers is everyone’s concern
Content warning: Anti-Asian racism and gendered violence. In a year wracked with pain and bigotry, Asian communities across the diaspora contend with yet more collective grief. On March 16, gunman Richard Long opened fire in three Asian massage parlours in the Atlanta area and killed eight people—Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng,[Read More…]