On Jan. 15, the federal government implemented a vaccine mandate for all cross-border essential workers, including truckers—meaning that unvaccinated drivers would have to quarantine for 14 days, and self-test after the eighth day whenever they enter Canada. Backlash has been fierce ever since, marked most obviously by the self-proclaimed “Freedom[Read More…]
Editorial
Raising awareness will not end the mental health crisis
CW: Suicide, mental illness Jan. 26 marked the 12th annual Bell Let’s Talk day, an initiative designed by multi-billion dollar telecommunications company Bell that fundraises and spreads awareness about mental health. Despite the importance of destigmatizing mental illness, the reality of Bell’s actions cheapen their purported belief in championing mental[Read More…]
Closing the curtain on political theatre
On Jan. 20, Quebec Premier François Legault held a press conference in which he made two statements: First, that citizens should “stand in solidarity” with hospital workers, and second that they should “stay prudent.” Combined with the shifting recovery plans in light of the Omicron variant, these remarks show that[Read More…]
McGill’s rushed reopenings are reckless
On Jan. 6, just two days after the McGill School of Social Work announced that their classes would be held virtually until Feb. 24, the McGill administration sent a follow-up email stating that they had declined the plan. The move came as a surprise to students, especially considering the policy[Read More…]
A curfew cannot get us through the pandemic
Many living in Quebec experienced a sense of déjà vu when premier François Legault announced that his administration would once again impose a curfew in response to a shocking rise in cases of COVID-19. Put into effect Dec. 31, the move came just under one year after the province’s first[Read More…]
Abolish the SPVM
Content warning: Police violence, racism On Nov. 26, bystander video footage surfaced documenting two cases of police brutality against Black youth in Quebec. Pacifique Niyokwizera, an 18-year-old Black man, was waiting outside of a nightclub when five police officers brutalized him. In the same video, the same officers are seen[Read More…]
Students’ Society of McGill University Executive Midterm Reviews 2021-2022
Darshan Daryanani, president Darshan Daryanani’s time as president is difficult to evaluate due to his absence from every SSMU Legislative Council meeting of the Fall 2021 term and from all Board of Directors meetings since Oct. 7. Daryanani did continue to play minor roles on other committees, including McGill’s Centraide[Read More…]
Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University Executive Midterm Reviews 2021-2022
Kristi Kouchakji, Secretary-General Kristi Kouchakji inherited a fraught portfolio––the Secretary-General position was vacant for a period of transition for the better part of last academic year, leaving Kouchakji with lots to catch up on. One of her objectives was to change the workplace culture within the Society by hiring more[Read More…]
Valuing equality over equity stunts science
On Nov. 24, The //National Post//’s Michael Higgins wrote an exclusive article titled “Minority professor denied grants because he hires on merit: ‘People are afraid to think.’” The article documents McGill chemistry professor Patanjali Kambhampati’s refusal to take part in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) hiring practices. Instead, Kambhampati wrote[Read More…]
Trans liberation requires multifaceted action
Transgender Day of Remembrance takes place every Nov. 20, and, while not officially acknowledged in Quebec, acts as a dedicated time to reflect on the lives of transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit individuals taken too soon. Trans individuals continually experience higher rates of violence than cisgender people, with racialized trans people[Read More…]
