A Quebec think tank recently proposed the idea that Montreal should make public transportation free. The primary goals of the proposal, released by the Instititut de recherche et d’informations socio-economiques (IRIS), are to alleviate traffic and carbon emissions. However, despite its findings, it’s not immediately obvious that making transit free[Read More…]
Opinion
Opinions from our editorial board and contributors.
The VP External should support student initiatives, not direct them
On Sept. 15, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited McGill to inaugurate a new Facebook Artificial Intelligence lab. However important the initiative, Trudeau’s welcome was lukewarm. A group of students, including Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) External Connor Spencer, protested the Prime Minister’s visit. The protesters accused Trudeau[Read More…]
Rape culture exists: McGill Rez Project must do more to change attitudes
Over the past two weeks, McGill’s first year residents have been participating in mandatory Rez Project workshops tackling topics such as gender, sexuality, and sexual violence. I attended one of these workshops, and what I found was an audience that completely disregarded the importance of the session. A number of[Read More…]
Navigating “just hooking up”
To my knowledge, I’ve been on one formal date in my life—and I say “formal date” in the movie-and-dinner, Gilmore Girls sense of the word. It was July in Toronto, and I met him at a midtown pub. I was sweaty, because July in Toronto is sweaty, but he told me[Read More…]
Montreal does not need beautification, but restoration
Among the gaping potholes, crumbling concrete, and constant display of orange construction cones around Montreal, a different colour has sprung up around the Lachine area of Highway 20. Sound barriers and underpasses have been painted blue, little blue reflective signs have been stuck into the ground, and giant blue light[Read More…]
McGill campus is still stuck in the BDS debate
If you didn't understand last week's highly technical debate over the constitutionality of the composition of the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU)'s Board of Directors, you may be in luck. Underlying that debate was an entirely different issue, one much more familiar to students—the dispute over the Boycott, Divestment,[Read More…]
McGill residences: More than just a roof overhead
McGill guarantees residence for all first-year students under the age of 22. Yet, the conditions of this guarantee are murky. McGill’s residence system intentionally accepts more applications than it has capacity for, counting on cancellations to accommodate all of the incoming first-year students. This year, without enough cancellations, McGill was[Read More…]
Playing the polite host: How Harbison critics made a statement without saying anything at all
As I sat waiting for George Harbison’s “The Victims of Socialism” talk, hosted by the Conservative Association at McGill University, one thing was clear: Its organizers were hoping for the best, but had prepared for the worst. A uniformed security officer guarded the door, and several more were inside, along[Read More…]
The importance of conscientious thrifting
For most McGill students, the term “thrifting” inspires a host of sensory images—dusty fur coats and yellowed lace, Grandma Martha’s prom dress, those perfect light-wash Levi’s shorts with just the right amount of distress, and an astounding quantity of unnamed articles from the ‘70’s. From Value Village to vintage boutiques on[Read More…]
Letter to the Editor: Hydro-Quebec and its relations with First Nations: Inflammatory titles are unwarranted and misguided
Many Aboriginal communities in Quebec live in areas with hydroelectric installations. Hydro-Quebec's liaison teams are made up of employees who work closely with these communities. Team members have friends and family among the First Nations; many have chosen to strengthen their knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture through postgraduate studies; and[Read More…]
