On April 12, McGill students received a monumental email: Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier had reached a decision on whether or not to change the controversial Men’s Varsity Team name. Fortier wrote that, with respect to Indigenous students who felt alienated and disrespected by the name, the Mens’ teams names[Read More…]
Opinion
Opinions from our editorial board and contributors.
Suffering in silence: The media’s neglect of the Sudan massacre
On April 15, every news channel blared with the breaking story about the fire that damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Within days, 900 million euros in donations were pledged, at least $500 million from notable billionaires, to help rebuild the cathedral. The media has the capacity to spread[Read More…]
Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls deserve justice, not language debates
On June 3, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released its final report. The volume, which is over 1000 pages long, concludes that Canada’s treatment of Indigenous people amounts to genocide and requires immediate action. Since the findings were released, much of the surrounding[Read More…]
Canada’s plastic ban could intensify the climate crisis
A week prior to declaring a national climate emergency, the federal government announced a ban on single-use plastics starting in 2021. While bans like this aid in protecting aquatic ecosystems and improving sustainability, they may serve more as a distraction than an effective solution. Announcing a state of emergency serves[Read More…]
In defense of spending the summer outside Montreal
In the weeks leading up to the end of the Winter semester, many students field questions regarding their summer plans and the answers often only come after long months of searching for the right job or internship. As in every city, a long list of factors can influence where Montreal[Read More…]
Bill 21 promotes hatred, not secularism
Organized by a collective called “Coalition Inclusion Quebec,” over 400 people took part in the latest of many recent protests against the highly controversial Bill 21 on May 5. Those present at the demonstration linked arms around Montreal’s courthouse to demonstrate their opposition to the bill. Introduced by the Coalition[Read More…]
Changing the significance of home after the war
The last time I went to Damascus to visit my mother’s family, I was around 12 years old, and although I can’t really remember all the details, there are some memories that have stayed with me. I remember visiting my great aunts at their convent, walking through the old souk,[Read More…]
Nothing is set in stone: Colonial statues on campus
Content warning: Mentions of graphic colonial violence On March 23, Brigade de solidarité anticoloniale Delhi-Dublin, an anti-colonial group, vandalized the statue of Queen Victoria that sits in front of the Schulich School of Music. The Brigade de solidarité anticoloniale Delhi-Dublin spray-painted the statue green in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, and[Read More…]
Fake football, real friends
In my final semester of high school, I joined an online dynasty fantasy football league. We set up a group chat to facilitate league communications, and, after a million on and off-topic messages, a ditched podcast, and a half-dozen new offshoot leagues, the “Dream League” became my steadiest, longest-standing social[Read More…]
Looking back on a year of student activism
The 2018–19 academic year has shown the power of student mobilization, through numerous grassroots campaigns, such as #ChangeTheName and the recent Global Climate Strike, among others. At McGill, activism serves an important role in the community, and student activists are behind most of the social progress that has occurred on campus[Read More…]
