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News, SSMU

Legislative Council passes motions on Uyghur rights, support for trans students

by Nicholas Hayek on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council convened on Jan. 19 for its first meeting of the winter semester to vote on two motions: One regarding the state repression of Uyghur people in China and another one which serves to bolster SSMU’s support for trans students in the wake of Robert Wintemute’s scheduled talk at McGill’s Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism (CHRLP). 

Vice-president (VP) External Val Masny presented the first motion, which seeks to pressure the McGill administration into divesting from companies involved in the Uyghur genocide. The motion was originally presented at SSMU’s Winter General Assembly but did not pass because the meeting did not reach quorum. The Speaker of the Council then sent the motion to the Legislative Council, in accordance with SSMU’s Internal Regulations of Governance.

Demands outlined in SSMU’s Divest for Human Rights Policy—which already calls on the university to divest from roughly $1,000,000 of holdings in companies deemed complicit in the genocide—would now apply to the full range of McGill investments outlined by the motion.

“The way in which the [Uyghur genocide] operates is knowably through mass surveillance of the Uyghur population, built in China and abroad, and those companies that we’ve researched have been found to engage in […] surveillance,” Masny said. “[McGill’s] investments total 115 million dollars. It is quite an impressive number.”

SSMU, borrowing from a study by the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project, outlined their qualifications for companies considered to be complicit in the Uyghur genocide in the motion. The standards earmark any company known to use forced Uyghur labour, any company manufacturing in or partnered with East Turkestan, and any Chinese surveillance company or biotech company engaging in genomic identification—a tool China has broadly used to track its citizens.

The motion passed with 17 votes in favour and one vote in opposition.

Masny then brought forth a motion regarding Robert Wintemute’s foiled seminar, which reiterated SSMU’s support of trans people.

“There have been people in the student body who have named what has happened as hate speech,” Masny said. “[Our] firm position against hate speech is a prolongation of SSMU’s firm position against discrimination.”

Beyond officially condemning Wintemute, the motion requires that an action plan be created to equip SSMU in future efforts supporting the transgender community. This action plan, will be drafted before the end of this academic year in collaboration with SSMU’s Gender and Sexuality Committee and executives in University and External Affairs. 

The motion passed unanimously, with a single member abstaining.

Before either motion was voted on, representatives from undergraduate faculties—as well as SSMU executives—each presented reports from their respective branches of responsibility. Arts representative Matthew O’Boyle gave an update on the upcoming Fiat Lux project, which will shut down the McLennan-Redpath complex from Winter 2024 until 2026.

“There were a lot of concerns about study space, and [the university] has secured a contract with a place to secure study space,” O’Boyle said. “They’re also trying to find some other work-study programs for students.”

O’Boyle’s colleague, Arts representative Angelica Voutsinas, also had some news to share.

“If anyone has classes in Leacock, [AUS] Snax will be up and running soon—we’re just finishing up some construction,” she said, referring to the beloved snack bar whose reopening has been hampered in recent years by renovations and hiring struggles.

Moment of the meeting:

Masny expressed frustration with the motion supporting trans rights over the fact that, without clear mandates, decisions on how, if, and when to enforce guidelines are made at the discretion of SSMU executives alone. 

Soundbite: 

“We’re monitoring sidewalks at McGill because it’s one of our mandates—so if you see snow unshoveled or sidewalks unsalted, you can email me [….] We’re trying to pressure the city to do better shovelling snow.”
—VP External Val Masny, delivering an open invitation for students to email [email protected]  should they spot unkept sidewalks

Ask a Scientist, Science & Technology

The nature of Earth seems as alien as Mars

by Atticus O'Rourke Rusin on

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In 1957, the boundaries between Earth and space were first breached: The USSR launched the satellite Sputnik into space, marking the first contact between humans and our galaxy, setting off the aptly named space race between the Soviet Union and the U.S. 

Even after icy international relations began to thaw with the end of the Cold War, the space race continued and extended its pool of competitors to other countries. From the rapidly expanding economies of Japan and India to private, Musk-esque ventures, the fight to monopolize the mysteries of the heavens has become crowded. What many of these powers have in mind, though, is uniform—to reach the notoriously treacherous Martian landscape. 

The Polar Microbiology Laboratory at McGill, however, has set out to deepen our understanding of the Red Planet from the comfort of home. Rather than rushing off into space like seemingly every billionaire today, researchers at the lab are looking to Earth’s most inhospitable environments in an attempt to find lifeforms akin to what might be present on Mars. In a new paper spearheaded by Elisse Magnusson, a PhD student in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences under the supervision of professor Lyle Whyte, the lab team describes their research on microorganisms living in Lost Hammer Spring, one of the coldest springs on Earth and an analogous habitat to the life theorized to inhabit Mars. 

Lost Hammer Spring, in Nunavut’s most northern area, is known for its high salinity—over 20 per cent salt concentration. High salinitykeeps the water liquid, even in below-freezing temperatures. Researchers view Lost Hammer Spring as one of the closest terrestrial environments to Mars, with its cold salt springs and large salt deposits being theorized to also exist on the Red Planet.

Mars is home to both organic carbon—which plants, animals, and most microorganisms need to survive—and environments rich in inorganic material, or matter not principally composed of carbon. 

According to Magnusson, Lost Hammer Spring is indeed one of Earth’s most Martian environments. By learning how microorganisms survive in these environments and the effect they have on their surroundings, researchers can better predict what they should be looking for on Mars. 

“The types of location or metabolism that we can expect to see [are] expanded [by looking to inorganic environments],” Magnusson explained. “It is also important […] so we know where exactly we might want to look and what exactly we might want to look for because certain types of microbes and metabolisms mean particular biosignatures.”

The team’s acquisition of a metatranscriptome, or the isolation of the total mRNA present in each microorganism, is especially remarkable; it provides information on the genes that these special microorganisms express. Using this technique, the Polar Microbiology Lab gleaned important insights into how these microorganisms can survive in such inhospitable conditions and what materials they consume and recycle.

Magnusson was enthused by this discovery, adding that it allowed researchers “to look at what genes [the microorganisms] are expressing and look with much greater detail at their metabolism, their adaptations.” 

The European Space Agency has even shown special interest in the team’s research. The group turned in their results to the agency, which is planning to use the findings to calibrate life-detection technologies. 

The team’s research demonstrates the fascinating connection between the extraterrestrial and terrestrial, as well as intriguing developments in the search for alien life. Although space exploration is a requirement to prove any theories posited by this research, important discoveries can be made without leaving orbit. In fact, it is curious that our home planet is often just as alien as Mars.

Sports, Varsity round up

Varsity Round Up: Jan. 19-22

by Jack Armstrong, Philippe Haddad, Eliza Lee, Nate Northfield on

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Martlets out-grind Laval Rouge et Or

Final: 55-54 W

Nate Northfield

On Jan. 19, an energetic and competitive atmosphere filled Love Competition Hall as the McGill women’s basketball team (2–8) took on Université Laval (7–3). 

The energy was contagious, providing the spark that the Martlets needed to overcome the Rouge et Or in a narrow 55–54 victory. In the absence of one of their key players—Jessica Salanon— the Martlets knew they had their work cut out for them matching up against a Laval squad with elite mental toughness and athleticism.

The Martlets started off shaky, allowing Laval to gain an early advantage with a 10-5 lead. However, a key timeout kept the Martlets poised, helping them solidify their defensive attack and earn them a two-point lead to close out the first frame.

In the second quarter, the Martlets converted their relentless defence into an unstoppable offence, going on a crucial 11-3 run to give them a comfortable lead. 

After halftime, Laval came out of the locker room with a mission. They made a 7-0 run thanks to Audrey Béland’s stellar offence and were able to cut their deficit to only eight points. The score sat at 45-37 going into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, the Martlets went cold from the field and allowed Laval to chip away at the scoreboard. With two minutes remaining, second-year guard Katie Rathwell drew a massive charge to prevent Laval from getting ahead. In the next possession, third-year guard Emma-Jane Scotten hit two crucial free throws that would end up being the game-winning baskets. Laval was ultimately able to narrow the lead to only three points with 35 seconds remaining. The game reached a climax with 10 seconds left to go, when Laval’s Léa-Sophie Verret hit a layup to bring the score within one, but the Martlets held on to secure the victory. 

An emotional win against a versatile offence like the Rouge et Or should be a positive step in boosting the Martlets’ defensive confidence.

“We were told to switch on everybody,” said Rathwell. “They are a really athletic team and a really strong team, we’re mostly guards out there, so we were just trying to make the right switches off screens and not get those mismatches.” 

After falling 72-47 in a miserable rematch against Laval on Jan. 21, the Martlets will play their next game on Feb. 2 against the Bishop’s Gaiters (7–2). 

Rouge et Or basketball bests the Redbirds in back-to-back games

Final: 81-70 L 

Eliza Lee

After a tough loss against UQÀM (6–2) on Jan. 14, McGill Redbirds basketball (2–8) returned to Love Competition Hall for a match-up against Laval Rouge et Or (6–4) on Jan. 19.  

McGill began the game with energy and drive, seizing rebounds and skillfully evading Laval defence with quick passes. The team gained confidence from steady handling by first-year guard Samuel Chaput and five successful three-pointers, each of which were celebrated by the lively McGill fans. By the end of the second quarter, the Redbirds were up 35-21. 

In the second half, Laval sharpened their defence, with the Rouge et Or weaponizing their height advantage to grab rebounds and cover McGill’s offence. Though the Redbirds continued to fight hard, Laval shut them down, scoring 16 free throws in the final quarter and besting McGill 81-70. 

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, head coach Ryan Thorne admitted that the team went into the game expecting to win.

“We beat them last […] so we felt pretty confident in what we had as a game plan, and we executed it well in the first half, and just didn’t execute it well in the second half,” Thorne said. “We’re just trying to win one game at a time.”

Redbirds guard Sam Jenkins noted that the team plans to work on improving their stamina so they can play their best for the entire duration of the game.

“In the first half, we were […] the better team, defensively and offensively, and in the second half […] our intensity fell apart,” Jenkins said. 

He added that the team was optimistic going forward despite the loss. 

“We know we’ll be the team coming out of Quebec, we just need to find it within ourselves to play two halves of the game, instead of just playing one.” 

The Redbirds fell 88-74 to the Rouge et Or on Jan. 21 and will face off against the Bishop’s Gaiters at home on Feb. 2. 

Martlets hockey fall to the Ottawa Gee-Gees in a high-scoring affair 

Final: 7-2 L 

Jack Armstrong

The McGill Martlets (2–15–1) faced off against the Ottawa Gee-Gees (10–6) on Jan. 20 at McConnell Arena. Having won two of their last three games, the Martlets hoped to continue on their recent path of successes. The Martlets started strong and quickly jumped into the lead with a power play goal by first-year forward Anika Cormier. Ottawa, however, quickly outmatched McGill’s intensity and tied it up just three minutes later. The Gee-Gees continued to apply pressure throughout the period and scored an additional three goals, giving them a 4-1 lead heading into the first intermission. 

The Martlets began the second period much like the first and netted their second goal when first-year forward Maika Lecavalier produced a brilliant pass to fourth-year forward Makenzie McCallum, who calmly slotted the puck past the Ottawa goalie. The rest of the period was the battle of the tendies, as the Martlets were unable to capitalize on several scoring chances while second-year goalie Sarah Carmichael produced a myriad of saves.

The Martlets carried their momentum into the third period and just missed a couple of scoring chances within the first minutes. Both goaltenders continued to trade stunning saves until Ottawa managed to sneak one by Carmichael to restore their three-goal lead. McGill fought valiantly to get back into the game and continued to create scoring opportunities, but two late goals from Ottawa sealed the deal and handed the Martlets another defeat.

Despite the loss, head coach Alyssa Cecere remained optimistic heading into the final month of the regular season. 

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” said Cecere. “We want to have a better end to our season so we are taking it each game at a time, that’s our focus.”

The Martlets fell 6-1 to the Bishop’s Gaiters (8–8) on Jan. 22 at McConnell Arena for Bell Let’s Talk Mental Health Night. They will play next on Jan. 27 against the Carleton Ravens (6–11).  

Martlets volleyball takes revenge on the Ottawa Gee-Gees 

Final: 3-1 W

Philippe Haddad 

The McGill Martlets (8–4) exacted their revenge on the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (4–9) on Jan. 22 in a three-set game. The second-seeded Martlets wore their special-edition pink “Dig for the Cure” uniforms as part of a fundraiser for breast cancer research. 

The first set began with matched fervor on both sides. Tension intensified throughout the opening stretch of play as both teams failed to score consecutive points. Phenomenal defensive efforts from libero Catherine Vercheval, middle blocker Charlene Robitaille, and outside hitter Clara Poiré allowed the Martlets to pull away with a lead, forcing Gee-Gee errors throughout the set. Middle blocker Meaghan Smith used her size to wall off the net, contributing two of the last four points to close out the first set 25-18.

The second set’s beginning echoed the first, with McGill capitalizing on Ottawa’s mistakes and duking it out defensively. This was the trend for most of the game, as the Gee-Gees committed 22 errors to McGill’s 10. Neither team was willing to give up easy points throughout this set, however, and hard-nosed digs from Vercheval and power hitter Victoria Iannotti along with Poiré’s heads-up awareness allowed McGill to finish it off 25-18.

The final set was a tale of two halves. McGill jumped to an early 14-6 lead with cut shots from Masha Solaja and beautiful assists by Audrey Trottier. The game seemed all but decided at 19-11 but Ottawa flipped a switch, pounding service aces down into McGill’s court and dominating through aerial combat to climb within two points of the Martlets’ 24-22 lead. It took a powerful spike from Poiré to close out the final set at 25-22.

“We studied [Ottawa] a lot,” Vercheval told the Tribune, explaining McGill’s defensive strategy. “At some point you have a game plan and you know where to go, but the rest you just grind and get up and do it.”

With the Martlets bringing home a 3-1 victory over the first seed Université de Montreal Carabins on Jan. 22, McGill has officially ascended to the number one spot in the RSEQ standings.

Ask a Scientist, Science & Technology

Could invasive species biologists bring their expertise to NASA?

by Ella Paulin on

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In February of 2021, NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars. Perseverance was the fifth rover that the space agency sent to the planet, but it had a unique purpose. The rover conducted the first mission to Mars designed to collect samples to be brought back to Earth, where they would be analyzed for signs of current or past life. With the return mission scheduled to arrive in 2033, questions about potential biological contamination are becoming increasingly urgent. 

Anthony Ricciardi, professor of invasion ecology and aquatic ecosystems at McGill, along with an international team of biologists, published an article last year in BioScience outlining a new approach to the issue, which they term “planetary biosecurity.” 

Ricciardi is not an astrobiologist or an engineer, but rather a biologist who has studied invasive species and their effects on Earth for the last 30 years. He helped develop a new field called invasion science, which combines several disciplines in order to study, predict, and prevent the impacts of human-carried invasive species.  

“The science of invasion biology has guided biosecurity at regional, national, and international scales,” Ricciardi said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “So my colleagues and I believe that it could similarly guide biosecurity at the planetary or interplanetary scale.”

Invasion biologists are trained to observe organisms taken out of their natural habitats and the destructive impacts this can have on a host ecosystem. Familiar examples of invasive species in Canada include zebra mussels, which remove plankton, an important foundation for aquatic food chains, and buckthorn trees, which are notorious for changing soil conditions to inhibit other plant growth.

Having studied species invasions on Earth, biologists like Ricciardi have learned a number of important lessons and developed principles that Ricciardi believes could be extended to the issue of possible interplanetary contamination. 

One of the patterns that invasive species biologists have observed is that isolated ecosystems are especially vulnerable to ecosystem breakdown because the ecosystem has no experience with the invasive species.

“Ecosystems that have evolved in isolation, like Hawaii, or Australia, or Antarctica, are quite sensitive to the effects of introduced non-indigenous species, because they’ve evolved in the absence of similar organisms,” Ricciardi explained. “My colleagues and I would argue that planets and moons should be treated as if they’re insular systems.”

If planets are thought of as isolated systems, then maintaining biosecurity is an even more important issue, and biologists should apply other techniques to protect these ecosystems on Earth.

“For [an] example of how might we do this, a fundamental principle of invasive species management that could be applied to planetary biosecurity is the concept of early detection, rapid response,” Ricciardi said. 

Locating and identifying a potentially invasive organism as soon as possible is a challenge on Earth, and an even greater challenge on another planet, where we might not immediately recognize a foreign life form. 

Rapid response, on the other hand, is critical to address a possible threat before it becomes entrenched and more difficult to control.

However, any organisms on other planets would probably resemble bacteria or fungi, and there is a very low risk of transmission to Earth. 

“The aliens we’re talking about are not little green men,” Ricciardi said.

While the chances of fungal or bacterial contamination are extremely low, Ricciardi says that scientists must take them seriously and prepare for the unexpected. 

“We’re talking about things, which are realistic scenarios, but highly improbable. But that’s what low risk disasters are,” Ricciardi said, likening it to a natural disaster such as an earthquake.

For Ricciardi, while these risks are serious, they are also justified by the possibility of new discoveries. 

“To any biologist, the search for life beyond Earth has got to be on a list of noble human endeavours,” Ricciardi said. “It could very likely produce an enormous discovery, and I think that could happen in the not-too-distant future. It justifies exploration, but it also justifies caution.”

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

The super family behind Super Sandwich

by Charlotte Bawol on

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If you are a McGill student, odds are you have heard of Super Sandwich. Or, if you are my roommate, you have eaten it every single day you have been on campus for the past year without fail. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, you can agree that Super Sandwich provides a necessary community service.

As a frequent Super Sandwich consumer, I was curious to find out the story behind the restaurant-slash-depanneur’s inception. Turns out, the neon Super Sandwich sign outside the store has been lying to us, and we have been loyal customers of Charcuterie Le Cartier, not Super Sandwich, this whole time! Jerry and Jocelyn Lo opened Charcuterie Le Cartier in 1988 as a convenience store and deli. They are originally from Mauritius and their children Mathis and Jenny Lo were born and raised in Oslo, Norway. 

Mathis and Jenny started out by helping their parents with the family business on weekends. After they graduated, their father was no longer able to run the business, so they took over in 2005. It has become a staple of McGill culture ever since. Mathis takes the orders and processes the payments, while Jenny makes the sandwiches. 

As a prospective McGill student, I was sent a list of places to check out in Montreal by a family friend who had graduated from McGill in the mid-2000s, and Super Sandwich was at the very top of that list. The unassuming location of the deli coupled with its lack of advertising anywhere on campus made me curious as to how so many people knew about it, especially considering the disconnect between pre and post-COVID students. While Mathis concedes that COVID-19 lockdowns were very difficult for the business due to the lack of students on campus, this semester has been one of their most successful ever. 

The passion that Mathis and Jenny share for their business is apparent when they discuss it. 

“I think there’s not one day in my life that I woke up and said that I don’t want to go to work [….]  I guess it’s because most of my customers are students. Students are busy with their studies and don’t have time to give a person like me a hard time,” Mathis said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

Mathis amusingly points out that he used to make friends with customers in his younger days but doesn’t anymore, now that he’s older. However, he has become quite close to some customers and has even attended a couple of their weddings.

On the topic of weddings, Mathis himself met his late wife working at Super Sandwich. She was a management student at McGill who came into the store regularly to buy sandwiches. 

Mathis credits the business’s success to the fair pricing of their sandwiches, as well as the speed with which their customers are served. That speed is in part thanks to his memorization of around 75 customers’ orders.

“If I already know the order, it saves time. It’s funny, sometimes the customer and [I] just have to look or nod at each other without speaking and we know,” Mathis said. 

If you are an avid Super Sandwich customer, you have probably heard the chatter about it possibly closing down or moving. Mathis explained that they are currently in talks with their landlords about their lease and are uncertain about how long they will be able to stay at their current location. If staying entails raising their prices to an unsustainable level, they will have to move. 

With its close link to the McGill community, some have wondered if the business will ever make its way to campus. However, Mathis is wary of the McGill administration’s lengthy wait times for adding new food vendors on campus. 

“We also inquired about a location on McGill campus, but unlike Super Sandwich, it takes a bit more time to get an answer.”

Ask a Scientist, Science & Technology

Get excited about endophytes

by Gillian Cameron on

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In the world of industrial production, there is often one resource that goes forgotten—microbes. Microbes are everywhere and have adapted to almost every environment, from the inside of nuclear reactors to the outside of the International Space Station.

When thinking of natural interactions with microbes, we often think of disease, but microbial partnerships can be mutually beneficial. Many species of bacteria have established partnerships with  larger organisms, including plants, with the microbe and the host exchanging nutrients to help each other survive. Many plants give the bacteria sugars, while the bacteria help the plant acquire nutrients. Legumes, such as peas and lentils, have root nodules full of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. And luckily, humans can use these partnerships to our advantage.

Professor Suha Jabaji is no stranger to mutualistic microbial partnerships. Her research focuses on plant-pathogen and plant-endophyte interactions. Specifically, Jabaji’s lab focuses on endophytes, microorganisms that live within plants without harming them in a mutualistic relationship. The lab also works on bioprospecting—the process of identifying useful compounds from microbes like endophytes and other bacteria to find compounds that can be used in agriculture and industry. 

“[Endophytes] don’t have any side effects, they have a mutual relationship with the plant. They use the plant for a little bit of food, but they help the plant with so many things,” Mamta Rami, a research assistant at the Jubaji lab, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.    

The Jabaji lab works with a number of industrial partners to find endophytes and bacteria that can be put to work. One of their goals is to identify endophytes that can act as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers and increase crop yields. Other bioprospecting targets include endophytes that can enhance a plant’s production of secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites are not required by plants for growth, but help them respond to environmental stressors like ultraviolet radiation or animals that eat them. For example, caffeine is a secondary metabolite that helps trees from the Coffea species deter herbivores.

“Secondary metabolites mostly have medicinal and other kinds of biological effects that can be harvested and used in the pharmaceutical or cosmetic industry,” Rami said. 

With one of their industry partners, the Jabaji lab was looking for bacteria adapted to growing in crude oil, which produce compounds that disperse or break down oil compounds that could be harnessed to clean up oil spills. The lab isolated a bacterium called Bacillus velezensis from crude oil.

“It was leftover stock, whatever was leftover after extraction [. . .] it was creating problems for the environment because when the company takes out all the oil from the oil well, they just leave it there,” Rami explained. “So the company wanted to do something organic to remove the contamination.”

Once a promising bacterium or compound is found, it’s a long, slow process to take it to market. Since you can’t just sell bacteria by themselves, scientists have to either find a way to stabilize the microorganisms or to produce their active compounds in large quantities. Despite these challenges, more and more microbial products are finding their way onto the market, providing environmentally-friendly alternatives to the more harmful chemicals of the past. 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Diving into the ‘Love Island’ fishbowl

by Millie Roberts on

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This past summer, I binge-watched season eight of Love Island UK in its entirety—an embarrassing total of more than 50 hours. Each day for eight weeks, I would occupy my well-worn seat on my family’s couch at the given hour and embrace the experience of watching the hot new bombshells throw down for love in a large, luxurious villa. The pool of contestants, usually half women and half men, are isolated from the outside world. With no connection to the internet or anything else beyond the villa walls, the generally ludicrously-attractive contestants have one goal: To find love. 

One evening, my mother walked into the room, watched approximately 10 seconds of it and sighed, “Why are you watching this crap?” 

It’s a valid question.

Since the show’s onset, the women islanders have been subjected to double standards, slut-shaming, and objectification from their male counterparts, not to mention an overall lack of emotional intelligence. In season three, contestant Jonny Mitchell openly stated that he did not believe in feminism and that women “almost already have more opportunities” than men. Adam Collard, a contestant on season four of Love Island, was the subject of a complaint lodged by Women’s Aid for “clear warning signs” of “gaslighting and emotional abuse” against the women contestants. Regardless, the Love Island casting crew decided to re-hire him for season eight. 

The male contestants encourage each other to flirt with every bombshell that walks in, despite their loyalties lying elsewhere. But the moment a woman expresses the slightest interest in another man, the men make their contempt very clear. An example of this was season eight’s Ekin-Su: The male islanders latched on to one moment of infidelity as grounds to slut-shame her for the entire eight weeks. Meanwhile, four out of the five non-single men wasted no time cheating on their partners within the first 48 hours of Casa Amor during the same season, yet none of them were taunted or harassed.

Contestants of colour are also continuously disregarded by their white counterparts on Love Island. Traditionally, in the first episode, islanders must choose who they want to couple up with solely based on appearance, picking from a line-up without so much as an introduction. And six seasons in a row, a Black contestant was picked last, deeming them the not-said-but-heavily-implied title of ‘Least Desirable’ among the islanders. White male islanders will also claim that their preferred “type” of woman are those with blue eyes and blonde hair. Due to Eurocentric standards, the beauty standard for Black women is an absurdly high-bar, especially dark-skin Black women, whereas, for white women, the bar is only at toe-stubbing height. The fantasy of love that invades our homes via the TV is one exclusive to conventionally attractive white people who, in most cases, enter the show for financial gain or clout. And throughout all eight seasons and 16 winners, all have been white except one. 

“They choose the worst people to go on this show,” my mother said, tutting at the screen.

But I disagree.

Love Island doesn’t act as a catalyst to worsen social injustices, but rather as a microcosm through which the inequalities of everyday society can be magnified. The events of each season are not unique to the confines of its villa; Love Island shows us a subculture entrapped within a fishbowl, and as we stare at its contents, our reflection in the glass stares back.

So why do I watch Love Island? Aside from the entertainment value, which I cannot pretend I don’t enjoy, I suppose my eyes stay glued to the screen out of morbid fascination. I enjoy watching exaggerated social dynamics play out within a controlled setting. Complete strangers are thrown into novel surroundings with no external influences and the same familiar social injustices are reproduced, highlighting just how deeply scarred we all are by our limiting subconscious biases. As the ninth season airs this winter, it will be interesting to see whether anything will change. 

Emerging Trends, Student Life

Escape the digital world and touch some grass

by Yana Lazkani on

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It’s 2009: The early internet days. Poptropica and Club Penguin are booming, Microsoft released Windows 7, and Disney XD hit cable services. But then came social media, along with a lasting novelty that prompted an ineffable sense of enthusiasm to the extent that it is now an inextricable component of human life.

In the present era of increasing digitalism and exponential technological advancement, it comes as no surprise that social media platforms have revolutionized the way people communicate and connect with each other. This was particularly apparent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as many were deprived ofsocial interaction to curb the spread. Perhaps we can all agree upon the benefits of social media, from sharing information with ease to remaining in touch with loved ones in previously unfathomable ways, or staying up-to-date on relevant information in times of havoc and uncertainty.

With the strict lockdowns and social distancing rules, we were forced to live in ways that completely defied our social natures. In response to these challenges, many people predominantly relied on forms of communication that did not entail meeting face-to-face, such as social media, phone calls, and Zoom calls. 

For students like Alice Moyne, a U3 Agricultural and Environmental Sciences student, social media’s navigational ease allowed her to reconnect with friends she had previously lost touch with. 

“Due to ample free time and the simplicity of getting in touch with others, I was now in contact with friends I haven’t spoken to in years,” Moyne said.

Whether it be Houseparty hangouts, Zoom birthday parties, or virtual pubs, we certainly did not fall short of demonstrating our inherently creative faculties. 

“I actually partook in all those activities with friends and family and felt closer to some than I have in previous years, despite the lack of physical interactions,” Victoire Brocart, U3 Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said.

However, with approximately 4.7 billion individuals using social media today, not only are we staying digitally connected to each other, but over half of Earth’s population can now access an endless repository of  information in mere seconds. Although this has undoubtedly resulted in great leaps in knowledge, it has also created a state of information overload— a state that leads many of us to end up more confused and overwhelmed than well-informed.

With COVID-19 being the first pandemic during the internet age, the public was constantly showered with misinformation and contradictory evidence from a maelstrom of sources. While public health officials worked to combat this ‘infodemic,’ many friend and family group chats became uncomfortable and hostile, with science seemingly up for debate. The ‘mute chat’ button had never looked so appealing.

Instant access to information and connection changes our personal relationships and communication skills in the real world. For example, anyone who generally abstained from dating throughout the pandemic can attest to the difficulty of holding a real-life conversation and eye contact after relying on social media for so long. The art of conversation is slowly dwindling, while people’s compulsion to check their Instagram stories and TikTok for-you page is intensifying. Though social media might be a place of comfort, we should be cautious of the way reality doesn’t always follow an algorithm.

With social media constantly bombarding us with sensory input and becoming the central organ of modern society, it is more imperative than ever to be conscious of our screen time and evaluate the repercussions it may have on our social skills and personal relationships. For example, despite the extraordinary ways we can now connect with people around the globe, meaningful, deep connections are at an all-time low.

If one finds themselves mindlessly scrolling through their feed for hours, Lalin Ersu, a U2 Arts student, recommends “setting a limit for your screen time, tracking it, and using social media with intention.” 

Remind yourself why you decided to make this change. In doing so, you can resist the persistent urge to scroll and create some free time for other activities, such as hanging out with a friend, trying out a new recipe, or picking up the book you’ve been putting off for so long.

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

David Paquet’s ’Wildfire’ is a blazing success

by Dana Prather on

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Although January in Montreal is synonymous with grey skies and plummeting temperatures, the city’s vibrant theatre community is still blazing—and nowhere is this more evident than in Talisman Theatre’s bold production of Wildfire by David Paquet. A triptych of intergenerational trauma, the play depicts the lives of a set of deeply unhappy triplets living in a triplex as they navigate twisted familial connections. Set against a backdrop of glittering, floor-to-ceiling gold streamers (courtesy of set designer Odile Gamache), Wildfire expertly weaves elements of classical Greek tragedy with a dark, often grotesque comedic sensibility. 

The production’s cast comprises Julie Tamiko Manning, Kathleen Stavert, and Davide Chiazzese, all of whom portray two distinct characters at different points of the play in an impressive display of range. At the show’s outset, the three appear as triplets Claudie, Claudine, and Claudette, who hurry on and offstage as they recount complicated familial relationships and their searches for connection with their inner child, their life, and their mailman, respectively. This first act comes to a dramatic close when they are subjected to a chilling curse from a psychopathic baby. What follows is a litany of over-the-top moments—the death of a pet tarantula, a young woman’s perverse interaction with a serial killer, and a prolonged sequence of feet-licking are just a few examples that come to mind—that left the audience to split their time between bursting with laughter and squirming in their seats.

First produced by the Centre du Thêâtre d’Aujourd’hui in 2016, Wildfire is the English-language translation of playwright David Paquet’s smash-hit tragicomedy Le brasier. This Governor General Award–winning artist is no stranger to the city’s French-language theatre scene. A proud graduate of the National Theatre School’s playwriting program, Paquet has lived in Montreal for many years and even received the Prix Michel-Tremblay for his play Porc-épic, which was produced by local theatre company Théâtre PÀP in 2010. However, Wildfire is his first English-language production in Montreal and serves as his introduction to the city’s anglophone audiences. While this novel attempt to connect with the city’s English-speaking theatregoers may seem daunting to some, Paquet feels much more excitement than trepidation. 

“This play seems to me to be a perfect fit for an encounter with this new audience, both neighbouring and yet unknown, since it intertwines the notions of otherness and home,” Paquet noted in the show’s press release. 

To make this leap between the Two Solitudes, Wildfire is being presented by Talisman Theatre in partnership with La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines, a contemporary performance venue and creation space where directors and producers can stage their shows. Founded by Lyne Paquette and Emma Tibaldo in 2006, Talisman aims to present English-language premieres of Quebec plays in translation. Wildfire is also part of Centaur Theatre’s Wildside Festival, which runs from Jan. 16 to Feb. 11 and features five distinct plays curated by theatre artist Rose Plotek. A powerhouse of anglophone theatre in Montreal, Centaur Theatre has made it a priority to make deeper connections with the francophone theatre community and promote cross-cultural connection this season, and their support will undoubtedly draw more anglophone spectators to this delightfully twisted play. 

For fans of the original French text, rest assured that this translation by Leanna Brodie maintains its tongue-in-cheek humour. The direction by Jon Lachlan Stewart is based on the original production by Phillipe Cyr, honouring the show’s vaudevillian nature. The production also doesn’t leave its francophone spectators out in the cold. Subtitles are projected throughout the show to a small screen visible only by the back three rows of the audience members, keeping the spectacle linguistically accessible without distracting from the action onstage.

Six years after its original French premiere, Wildfire is a bold new English-language translation whose sardonic humour and twisting, cyclical storyline will offer audience members on both sides of the aisle plenty to talk about. 

Wildfire runs from Jan.16 to 28 at Théâtre La Chapelle as part of the Wildside Festival. Tickets can be purchased online at https://lachapelle.org/en/schedule/wildfire-1-1 (Regular: $30; Students: $25)

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Local Stories: The Montreal book man

by Harry North on

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When Adrian King-Edwards, the owner of The Word Bookstore, started selling second-hand books from his living room in 1973, carefree hippies would occasionally arrive barefoot. The scores of thronging students also caught the attention of local police. 

Adrian, who had recently graduated from McGill as an English literature major, put a picture of George Bernard Shaw in the front window, so locals knew where to go, and hosted weekly poetry readings with his then-partner, Lucille. Their apartment became known as ‘The Underground Bookstore.’

The police, though, were concerned that Adrian was selling something more sordid than literature. Two police officers raided his home and even searched through his kitchen spices but found nothing.

In 1975, Adrian noticed a for-rent sign for the laundrette next door, which a Chinese family had run for 70 years. He learned over the phone that it would be $175 per month for the modest, two-storey building, originally built as a horse stable. Adrian seized the opportunity. He moved the trunks of books from his living room, gathered more McGill textbooks, and opened The Word with Lucille. 

Forty-eight years on, many of the original quirks remain. They only accept cash, make phone calls on an analogue phone, the books by the window-sill rotate regularly, and local poets still come for readings. 

“Poets are very needy people,” Adrian says, chuckling.

Adrian, now 73, no longer lives in the apartment next door. He moved to a stately family house around the corner on Aylmer Street and lives with his partner, Donna Jean-Louis, and dog Bjarni, an eight-year-old black Labrador. Adrian also has two sons from his first marriage, Brendan and Nick. 

Donna, 73, is originally from Nova Scotia and enjoys collecting limited-edition children’s books. She also loves to cook and often entertains bookstore owners at their house after book fairs, sometimes cooking for 35 people at a time.

Adrian met Donna when he opened the store, and the two became good friends. Once they parted ways with their previous partners, they became closer and married 10 years ago.

Now, they run the store together, selling the majority of books from the shop and the rarer items from their home. They also love to read, and every week make time to read aloud to each other. 

They’re very selective about sourcing books, mostly acquiring titles on scholarly literature and philosophy. The process takes the pair around the world, but typically involves two or three weekly house calls in Montreal. 

Along with selling books, they rent boxes of books to film companies, and have featured in box office hits such as Life of Pi.  

“Later tonight, we are going to a storage unit which has 50 boxes for us to see,” Adrian said, his eyes lighting up. 

It’s no secret that online book retailers have made life harder for independent bookstores. Adrian believes that low rates of homeownership among young people have hindered demand for second-hand books as well. But nothing could have braced them for the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“I had prepared for the store to burn down or to be robbed, but McGill closing? No way.”

His son Brendan, 42, struck up the idea to deliver mystery boxes of books across the island, with Adrian and the family handpicking books for each box and selling them online. 

“It turned out pretty well,” Adrian said. “The roads were quiet, we could go to parts of the island we have never seen before, and we sold a few too.”

With the loosening of pandemic restrictions, Adrian is upbeat about the future, though he laughs when business students do their class projects about his store and ask about his ambitions. To throw them off, he tells them he would like to downsize.

In response to whether he can tell if somebody is not a book enthusiast, he replied, “Oh yes. They will stand too far away from the books […] and probably get their phone out.”

For the 40th anniversary of the store, they invited customers to their home for drinks and cake, serving a metre-wide cake to over 400 people. The 50th is two years away and will certainly be a community event as well.

“That’s something we will have to plan,” Adrian said, smiling with his eyes, “but it will have to be bigger.”

Local Stories is a new series on the stories of Montrealers.

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