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McGill, Montreal, News

Twenty-first annual McGill Pow Wow celebrates Indigenous life across communities

by Sara Chiarotto O’Brien and Matthew Molinaro on

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On Sept. 23, with hundreds of people in attendance, McGill’s First Peoples’ House hosted the 21st annual Pow Wow at Lower Field. It had been two years since the last in-person Pow Wow, so this installment reintroduced Pow Wow to the grounds. Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, faculty, and community members were invited to safely gather and share a site of learning, music, and joy on the sunny and lively lawn. Activities scheduled throughout the day, such as traditional and inter-tribal dancing, Inuit throat singing, and a Maori Haka performance, took place under a large white tent that served as the centre stage.

The event began at 11 a.m. with opening words followed by the Grand Entry. Elder and veteran Ray Deer, chief of the Kahnawake Royal Canadian Legion, carried the Canadian flag amongst others carrying the Haudenosaunee Confederacy flag and an Every Child Matters flag, accompanied by drumming from groups including the host drum, the RedTail Spirit Singers, and the co-host drum, the Ottawa River Singers.

Emcee of the event and journalist Lance Delisle highlighted the importance of the event’s community elements in an interview with The McGill Tribune. 

“Pow Wow is an opportunity for traditional and non-traditional people––meaning Native and non-Native––to get together and share culture, share ideas, share dances, share celebration,” Delisle said.

Delisle spoke to the Pow Wow being a “homecoming” and a space for sharing, both in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and also as a Kanien’kehá:ka person, given that McGill is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka land.

“We have been so separated from each other culturally, spiritually, harmoniously,” Delisle said. “We are bringing that warmth by [this] connection, and certainly […] the humanity back. Pow Wow reminds ourselves that we are […] a whole people.” 

Among the many vendors and organizations in attendance was McGill’s Indigenous Student Alliance (ISA). Leon Picha, U3 Management and member of the Kwantlen Nation, got involved with the ISA in his first year as a way to stay connected to Indigenous communities when his own was far away. The Pow Wow reminded Picha of his first introduction to the Indigenous community at McGill, though it will be his last as a student. 

“It is a beautiful close,” said Picha, who will graduate in June 2023. “Aside from the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, this is the last time that I am going to see the Indigenous community as a whole at McGill.”

Jenni Makahonuk, co-chair of the ISA and member of the Lac Seul Nation, echoed Picha’s sentiments. In addition to educational events hosted by the ISA, Makahonuk leads an Anishinaabe and Ojibwe language study group on Wednesdays and helped design one of McGill’s 400-level Indigenous Studies seminar.

“It’s really hard for me to connect to [Indigenous] culture [here] because I am not from Montreal,” Makahonuk said in an interview with the Tribune. “Having Pow Wow helps me connect back to my values and who I am.”

At around 1 p.m. in the main tent, Nina Segalowitz, an Inuit throat singer, activist, and caseworker at the Centre des femmes de Montréal, took the floor to share stories and songs with the crowd. Throat singing has a long history in Inuit cultures: It was almost erased during colonization after the Catholic church attempted to suppress the practice under the pretense that it was a “form of devil worship.”

When she became a mother, Segalowitz made a pointed effort to incorporate the practice into her children’s everyday experience. Standing with her daughter, Sierra, the two performed a game in which each sang part of a song to see who could sing the longest. 

Singing with close friend Sarah Carriere and telling stories about the Canadian government’s mass killing of Inuit peoples’ sled dogs, Segalowitz and Carriere shared a single microphone so that they could feel each other’s breathing, each other’s heartbeat. 

“We are still resilient. We are still here,” they both said.

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

As ice sheets melt, will Greenland mine?

by Ella Paulin on

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While many are worried about large swaths of land disappearing under water as global sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets in the Arctic, Greenland finds itself with a different problem: Its coastline is growing. Scientists have observed that when Greenland’s ice melts, it runs down to the ocean, leaving sand and gravel behind that was previously trapped in  ice. This sediment builds up along the coastline—effectively expanding the coast—creating new and highly valuable sand deposits. Mining these deposits could be lucrative for Greenland’s economy, but also carries several environmental and economic risks.

Mette Bendixen, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Geography, co-authored a recent study surveying Greenlanders’ opinions about potential sand mining operations. She found that more than 80 per cent of respondents were in favour of using Greenland’s sand deposits. 

The researchers surveyed roughly 1,000 Greenlanders, asking whether they would support a mining operation, what kinds of reviews should be conducted first—scientific, environmental, or economic—and how the project should be overseen. They found that while there was widespread support for sand mining, Greenlanders overwhelmingly prioritized conducting economic and environmental reviews so as to understand how these sectors would be impacted by mining activities. Additionally, when asked whether to involve foreign countries, 75 per cent said that the mining process needed to be kept at the national level. Despite these caveats, 76 per cent of Greenlanders were strongly in favour of exporting their sand deposits. 

Over the last several years, Greenland has conducted an economic review of the benefits and drawbacks of mining these sand deposits. Citizens and public officials are concerned about the environmental risks the activity would bring, including the disruption of northern marine ecosystems. But Bendixen found no evidence of large-scale consultation with the people of Greenland.

“No one asked the question—what do the people of Greenland think about this idea?” Bendixen said in an interview with  The McGill Tribune. 

Sand mining has the potential to be lucrative for Greenland because of the rising global demand for the resource. Sand is used as an ingredient in the construction and manufacturing industries, primarily to produce concrete, glass, and electronic components. 

“We use it in basically everything. It is the key ingredient for modern civilization,” Bendixen said. 

Mining and exporting these sand deposits could give Greenland a way to boost employment and move towards economic independence. Greenland has a population of roughly 56,000, nearly 88 per cent of which are Greenlandic Inuit. The primary industries are fishing and tourism, and although it is politically independent from Denmark, Greenland still relies heavily on the country’s financial support.

Mining sand in Greenland carries grave environmental risks. Many current sand mining operations cause severe environmental damage, including erosion of coastlines and wild habitats, harm to local fishing populations, and a decrease in plant biodiversity. Bendixen believes this is something Greenland’s government should seriously consider before deciding to mine.

“Extracting something from nature will automatically impact nature, no matter what,” Bendixen said. 

Although the amount of sand in Greenland is not enough to overcome the global sand scarcity problem, a carefully overseen mining process does have the potential to fill some of the global demand for sand in a more environmentally conscious manner. 

“It could relieve some of the pressure on where it’s currently being extracted in a fashion that’s not sustainable at all,” said Bendixen. In many coastal regions of India and lake regions in China, sand mining encroaches on human settlements and wildlife, making homes and habitats inhospitable.  

There’s also the risk that sand mining could negatively impact Greenland’s other economies.

“The fishing industry is the largest industry in Greenland. If you start having these huge barges and ships sailing around in these waters, will that affect the fishery? What about the tourism industry?” Bendixen said.

While these questions and more still need to be answered, Greenland’s sand deposits seem a likely target for new industrial development.

Commentary, Opinion

More pedestrianized streets, please

by Theodore Yohalem Shouse on

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It’s a beautiful day: Birds chirping overhead, cyclists zooming by, neighbours and shopkeepers chatting, people enjoying shawarma and poutine on benches. No, you’re not in a park. You’re in the middle of the Plateau, on Mont-Royal Avenue—and there are no carbon-dioxide–spewing vehicles in sight.

Montreal’s pedestrian-only streets, which can be found across the island from Verdun to Little Italy, create a unique ambience that gives the city its charm, beauty, and grit. Car-free spaces provide significant social and economic benefits, and on top of that, more space for bikes and pedestrians encourages people to ditch their cars, lowering the city’s carbon footprint. Montreal’s pedestrian streets are a great example of smart urbanism, and the city ought to expand the program and make the pedestrian streets a year-round phenomenon. Further, other North American cities should take a page out of Montreal’s book and develop their own pedestrian street programs.

Montreal’s long-term, summer-wide pedestrian streets were initially conceived to provide space for outdoor social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the popularity of the program and its economic benefits, such as increased business activity and rising property values, the city chose to extend it. Mayor Valérie Plante announced in April that the city would be spending $12 million to pedestrianize streets over the next three summers.

Pedestrian streets, along with their aesthetic and environmental benefits, are an economic boon for cities. According to Luc Rabouin, the mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, the pedestrianization of Wellington Street last summer brought in 17 per cent more shoppers and visitors. Furthermore, average property values along a street rise as the street becomes more walkable. Compared to the auto-oriented sections of cities and towns, walkable areas bring in more taxes due to a higher rate of economic activity. 

This is only common sense: As streets become safer and more inviting, people choose to shop and walk along them. They spend more time passing storefronts and perusing windows. The streets become social and economic hubs, tying neighbourhoods together. 

Considering their environmental benefits, it’s hard to see why some people might oppose efforts to pedestrianize cities. While critics posit that the reduced space for cars disincentivizes economic activity, studies have shown that travellers that walk or take public transit spend more per month at local businesses than drivers. Critics also argue that pushing cars off main thoroughfares will intensify traffic elsewhere in the city. However, when cities prioritize walking and public transit, people are encouraged to switch from driving to these alternatives, meaning traffic levels in the city should decrease because fewer people are using their cars. This effect has been demonstrated in cities such as New York City and Madison, Wisconsin. 

One concern that’s especially pertinent for Montreal is that, if the pedestrian streets remained open all year round, they wouldn’t see use in the cold months. But just as Montrealers flock to parks when the snow falls with their sleds, skis, and skates, they would take advantage of car-free streets, too. 

Montreal’s pedestrianization pilot program is a step in the right direction—hopefully Toronto and Vancouver will follow suit. But the program should be greatly expanded. First, the pedestrian streets should become permanent parts of the cityscape, not just summer treats. Imagine the convenience and advantages that would come with pedestrian and bike-friendly avenues crisscrossing the city year-round. Projects in cities such as New York City and Boston have transformed ugly and congested streets into mixed-use transit, bike, and pedestrian boulevards. Montreal should also create more public squares, which yield many of the same benefits as pedestrian streets. At some of the most notorious and awkward intersections in New York City where diagonal streets meet the grid, cars are pushed to the side to make way for pedestrian-friendly plazas. It’s fairly cheap to do this: Some new street furniture, lighting, planter boxes, and sidewalk paint or pavers will do the trick.

Considering how easy and beneficial it is to reorient cities from cars to people, Montreal should double down on its efforts and continue to prove that it’s the coolest city in Canada.

Hockey, Sports

Nick Suzuki’s captaincy transcends Quebec language politics

by Renée Rochefort and Sumire Kierkosz-Ueno on

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On Sept. 12, the Montreal Canadiens announced the appointment of 23-year-old Nick Suzuki as the 31st captain in franchise history. The standout centre from London, Ontario, joins a decorated list of Habs captains, including hockey legends Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau. Chosen over his more veteran teammates like Brendan Gallagher,  Suzuki’s age highlights the team’s commitment to a strong young core. The selection also makes Suzuki the youngest captain in franchise history and positions him at the forefront of the changing face of hockey.

As one of the NHL’s founding teams and a member of the Original Six, the Montreal Canadiens provide a beacon of unity for the francophone community within the hockey world. Les Canadiens de Montréal have long been tied to the province’s cultural identity as even the team’s nickname, the Habs or ‘Les Habitants’, refers to French settlers in the Quebec region. 

As seen with the recent passing of the controversial Bill 96, Quebec’s administration has further ingrained language laws as a political priority. Since the departure of the Nordiques in 1996, many fans see the Canadiens as the symbolic core of Quebec’s identity in the sports world. As a result, the election of Suzuki, a non-bilingual Ontarian, to Quebec’s highly prized NHL team has been highly controversial. It has been through both congratulations and thinly-veiled criticism of Suzuki’s lack of French-speaking ability that provincial politicians have extended the age-old debate about bilingualism to their hockey team.

With the 2022 Quebec general election coming up on Oct. 3 and candidates on the campaign trail, many leaders addressed the news during their press conferences. Incumbent premier François Legault from Coalition Avenir Québéc not-so-jokingly suggested that Suzuki work on his French. Leaders of the Parti Québécois, Quebec Liberal Party, and Québec solidaire all pressed Suzuki to up his French game, proving the issue to be a sentiment that cuts across party lines.

Regardless of linguistic outcry, a Suzuki captaincy represents a positive step forward for Japanese representation within hockey. With only seven active NHLers of Asian descent in the 2021-2022 season, Suzuki’s new position breaks barriers in the predominantly white sport. In 2020, a group of young Japanese hockey players on the Japan Selects came to Quebec to see Suzuki in action. Their coach, Taro Kurokawa, emphasized Suzuki’s impact on the youngsters, calling Suzuki a “big source of pride” for the Japanese community.

Suzuki understands the magnitude of his presence in hockey and has stressed his desire to be a role model and to help kids reach their NHL dreams in any way he can. While hockey is not yet considered a major sport in Japan, it’s made leaps and bounds over the past decade, with the women’s team qualifying for the past three Olympics and youth hockey programs growing across the country. Suzuki’s new role within the Canadiens organization is diversifying the league and creating a path for other kids of Asian heritage to play at the highest level. 

Hockey culture is characterized by a desire to remain insulated from broader social and political issues. Despite this, Suzuki’s lack of bilingualism has catapulted him into the centre of a highly polarized political debate that he is slowly but surely navigating. Although  Suzuki is still young, he seems poised to ascend to the next step in his career with his newly appointed captaincy. He simultaneously acknowledged the validity of both politicians and Quebeckers’ perspectives on the French language, respectfully addressing his lack of fluency and his desire to improve. Additionally, as the Canadiens’ Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador, Suzuki plays an important role in the drive to foster a more inclusive environment within the sport. 

Only time will tell whether Suzuki’s captaincy will be the change the Habs need to be successful in the 2022-23 season, but his ability to address contentious political issues like language head-on  leaves many looking forward to the young star’s future.

McGill, News

Revised McGill sexual violence policy allows survivors to know disciplinary results of their cases

by Juliet Morrison and Joseph Pappas on

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Content Warning: Mention of sexual violence

Survivors who report allegations of sexual violence to McGill can now request information about the specific disciplinary or administrative action taken by the university against their aggressor.  Quebec’s Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information had previously prohibited higher education institutions, including McGill, from sharing such information to protect the accused person’s privacy. However, Bill 64, which the National Assembly passed in September 2021, mandates universities to share these details with survivors as of Sept. 22, 2022. 

McGill’s revised Policy against Sexual Violence captured these legal changes during its triennial review, held over the Winter 2022 and Summer 2022 terms. The updated Policy, which also included changes to reflect the university’s new internal resource for reporting—the Office for Mediation and Reporting (OMR)—was passed by the McGill Senate on Sept. 21. 

The change will only apply to survivors who file a report under the Policy after Sept. 22 and whose case results in a finding of sexual violence following the university’s investigation process, according to McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle.

Previously, survivors would only be told  their case ended—no further detail about disciplinary consequences would be disclosed unless the accused person gave their permission to do so. In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Stella*, a survivor who filed a report under the Policy in Fall 2020, explained that not knowing the specific disciplinary action imposed on an aggressor can take an extreme mental toll. 

“[Being reprimanded] could literally mean ‘oh, just rewatch the It Takes All of Us training’,” Stella said. “Then you think about all this trauma I have been through, the fact that it scares me to look at myself in the mirror, or that I am shaking or having nightmares every night. 

Is that all it’s worth? Just redoing a seminar on saying no and asking for consent? Or are they expelled? [….] If you do not know that, you are still going to be looking for them behind your shoulder constantly.”

Stella added that being left in the dark can also make it hard to feel safe while attending school.

“No matter what, you’re not going to fully recover,” Stella said. “They are changing your life forever and you want to know what the school [is] doing to protect you because you are a student and you chose to go to this institution to study, to get involved, not to experience this.” 

In an email to the Tribune, Émilie Marcotte, a sexual violence response advisor at the Office for Sexual Violence, Response, Support and Education (OSVRSE), believes transparency is crucial throughout the reporting process to ensure survivors feel safe when coming forward.  

“Rather than being left with uncertainty, knowing the disciplinary results will help finalize the reporting process for a survivor,” Marcotte wrote.  “Seeing the concrete outcomes that emerge from that initial act of reporting provides further accountability and can help the survivor in regaining a sense of agency.” 

Rachael Diotte-Lyles, advocacy branch representative at the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), believes that the policy change creates a safer campus environment for survivors and that it could make survivors more likely to report instances of sexual violence. 

“It was difficult for survivors to justify going through [the reporting] process and reliving traumatic memories when, even if it was determined that sexual violence occurred, they would remain in the dark about the disciplinary results,” Diotte-Lyles wrote in an email to the Tribune. “Through this change […] the University is taking steps toward making survivors a priority.”

*Stella’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity. 

Those wishing to report an instance of sexual violence at McGill can contact OMR at [email protected]. Those in need of counselling can reach out to OSVRSE at [email protected]  514 398 3954 or SACOMSS at [email protected].

McGill Recommendations, Out on the Town, Student Life

 A student’s guide to Montreal nightlife

by Mahnoor Chaudhry on

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Whether it be a Sunday evening or a Friday night, the streets of St. Laurent and Crescent are filled with crowds of people queued up to get into some of Montreal’s most famous clubs and bars. When living in a city known for its nightlife, it can sometimes be tricky to pick the best place to go to for a night out. To help you plan your nights in advance, the Tribune has put together a list of clubs that are a must-try for McGillians. 

1. Café Campus

Located at the intersection of St. Dominique and Prince Arthur—just off of hectic St. Laurent Boulevard—this nightclub is notoriously popular amongst McGill students. Boasting a two-story dance floor and multiple bars, this is definitely the place you want to be to show off those freshly-learned moves and get shwasted under the glitzy red lights. 

With Retro Tuesdays, Thursdays 2000, and X-Large Fridays and Saturdays, there is a theme for everyone to enjoy. The tickets, at $16 including taxes and fees, can be bought online and the price is the same every night. The drinks are a bit expensive, but they’re worth it to experience their famous retro nights at least once. 

2. Muzique

Muzique is another popular dance club, located at 3781 St. Laurent Boulevard, which you can’t miss due to the long queues outside it every weekend. It has two big rooms for dancing and lounging, and a rooftop where you can get a glimpse of the cross on Mount Royal—but drinks cost $1 more for the terrace view. It tends to get crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you’re going with a group, it might be worthwhile to reserve a table and score some extra space for yourself. 

You will find a diverse range of music to dance to, as the DJs draw from all kinds of genres and places around the world. They offer a coat check and, although the drinks are already not too pricey, there is also a special discount for women before midnight. If you’re interested in attending one of the events they host, consider going to their 13th anniversary event on Oct. 4 where Fedde Le Grand will be performing. 

3. Mad Hatter

For a more chill night out, head to the Mad Hatter Pub, at 1240 Crescent Street. This pub offers a wide range of drinks as well as some delicious Canadian cuisine for when hunger takes over. Although this is more of a sit-down place, the music can reach high volumes, prompting people to have their own small and impromptu dance parties. 

Mad Hatter is a fun place to go to with a group of friends as it has some pool, foosball, and ping-pong tables that can bring out your competitive side. While the prices are reasonable and it’s not too heavy on the pockets, it is currently offering a “Jack’s 777 special” on Wednesday nights, which means you can order a special Jack cocktail, a Jack burger with fries, or two shots of Jack for $7 each. 

4. TRH Bar

With a skating bowl, a terrace, and a bar, this place hosts an interesting mixture of people that you must experience at least once. Located at 3699 St Laurent Boulevard, TRH––pronounced “trash”––often has a queue on weekends. Although it is known as a skater’s bar and those with skateboards get to skip the line, non-skaters can have just as much fun here. 

The music tends towards hip-hop and electro and it has limited spaces to sit, so you’re made to stand and vibe with the tunes. Often you’ll find some experienced skaters showing off their entertaining moves in the bowl, guaranteed to keep you entertained for a while. It’s really popular for serving PBRs so if that’s your taste, this will be the perfect fit!

Along Party Lines, News

Along Party Lines: Quebec’s major parties on housing and healthcare

by Eliza Lee on

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This week on Along Party Lines, The McGill Tribune examines where Quebec’s major political parties stand on housing and healthcare ahead of the provincial election on Oct. 3.

Housing in Quebec

Over the past several years, Quebec has faced a housing shortage compounded by skyrocketing rents and asking prices, limited subsidized housing, and low vacancy rates. Some politicians have proposed measures to combat the shortage, including eliminating the welcome tax—a fee home buyers must pay to municipalities—to increase affordability, and creating a vacancy tax to encourage owners to rent out property.

Healthcare in Quebec

The COVID-19 pandemic showcased the province’s healthcare system failings, including long wait times in emergency rooms and waitlists for surgeries due to understaffed hospitals and low bed availability. The shortage of doctors and nurses has forced those already on staff to work mandatory overtime and has even led to hospital closures. 

Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ)

Premier François Legault, the CAQ’s leader, has promised to build 11,700 new units of social housing and to subsidize 7,200 units if re-elected. The CAQ’s platform does not contain any policies addressing the vacancy rate or welcome tax.

In response to low hospital bed availability, the CAQ has proposed using home hospitalizations, where patients are treated virtually, as an approach for certain types of care. The party supports a healthcare system that uses a mixture of private and public providers, and has suggested creating private “mini hospitals” for frontline care. Legault has promised to recruit an additional 660 doctors and 5,000 other healthcare workers over the next four years.

Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ)

The PLQ plans to provide more affordable housing by building 50,000 units of social housing over a 10-year period. Party leader Dominique Anglade has promised to remove the welcome tax for home buyers and to impose a vacancy tax for non-resident owners. 

To combat hospital wait times, the party plans to purchase 4,000 additional hospital beds to increase hospital capacity. The PLQ has also proposed increasing the number of students in nursing and medical programs and collaborating with private providers to decrease the backlog of patients awaiting surgery.

Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ)

The PCQ does not support subsidized social housing and, instead, promises to offer government allowances to increase affordability. The party’s platform has no policies on the welcome or vacancy tax. 

Éric Duhaime, the PCQ’s leader, supports competition between the private and public healthcare sectors to reduce wait times. The PCQ plans to launch a pilot project of a completely private hospital and wants to allow citizens to purchase private health insurance as a supplement to public insurance. The party promises to raise the number of admissions to Quebec medical schools from 300 to 500 per year.

Québec Solidaire (QS)

QS has promised to build a total of 50,000 social housing units if elected. QS spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois plans to convert new buildings, such as offices, into community housing, and promotes alternative types of homeownership, including housing cooperatives. QS’s platform also includes a policy to create a 0.5 per cent to one per cent tax for vacant units.

QS plans to increase the involvement of Local Community Service Centres (CLSCs) for minor health concerns to alleviate the strain on hospitals. The party also proposes hiring 900 more psychologists and 1,000 other mental healthcare workers in public clinics and hospitals.

Parti Québécois (PQ)

The PQ, led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, supports the construction of subsidized housing, such as housing cooperatives. The party promises to tighten regulations on real estate speculation, but its platform does not contain specific policies that address this, the welcome tax, or the vacancy tax.The party is opposed to private healthcare organizations, and instead advocates for universal healthcare. If elected, it would also raise the number of admissions to healthcare programs in the province and use CLSCs to treat non-severe medical emergencies.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that high vacancy rates were contributing to Quebec’s housing shortage. In reality, low vacancy rates for residential units are associated with rising rents and therefore the housing shortage, while high vacancy rates are present among commercial units. The Tribune regrets this error.

Science & Technology

34th edition of Soup and Science delivers lots of science, but no soup

by Athina Sitou on

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The 34th edition of Soup and Science, an event for prospective undergraduate researchers and curious students organized by McGill’s Faculty of Science, made such a comeback that the in-person registration was full. During the week of Sept. 19, The McGill Tribune attended two fascinating talks about the medical uses of Viagra and the transformation of sensory input into behaviour. 

Viagra: An affordable treatment for asphyxiated newborns 

While Viagra, scientifically known as sildenafil, is most known for its use as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in men, it has also proven to be an effective treatment in newborns with high blood pressure in their lungs. 

Dr. Pia Wintermark, a neonatologist and an associate professor in McGill’s Department of Pediatrics, discovered along with her team that sildenafil treatment may decrease the effects of brain injury in newborns suffering from oxygen deprivation or asphyxiation. Using a rat model of birth asphyxia, they demonstrated that sildenafil acts by creating new neurons and decreasing inflammation in the brain. Currently, Wintermark and her team are conducting a clinical trial in Uganda where access to total body cooling—the standard treatment for asphyxiated newborns—is limited. 

During her talk, Wintermark also addressed some of the questions that many undergraduate students interested in research may have asked themselves. To get started, students should find a topic they are passionate about and a lab in that respective field. They should then send an email to the principal investigator to express their interest, while keeping in mind that researchers have very busy schedules. According to Wintermark, motivated undergraduate students stand out by being enthusiastic about the work being done in a prospective lab. 

“Never stop at the first obstacle. [You have to] cope with [any potential setbacks] and find solutions,” Wintermark noted. “Be ready for some work.”

Cracking the (neural) code: Understanding how the brain perceives and reacts to the environment 

Maurice Chacron, a professor in McGill’s Department of Physiology, studies how information from the environment is processed in the brain to ultimately generate behaviour.

He began his talk by claiming that cracking the neural code—the neuronal instructions that give rise to behaviour—is a greater challenge than trying to crack The Da Vinci Code Cryptex, a locked object that stores secret messages.

The brain perceives and interprets sensory input from the environment to produce an output that acts on this environment. Together, these millions of information transfers comprise the neural code. Each individual’s internal state, influenced by our emotions and physical health, affects perception, making the decoding of the neural code an even more complex undertaking. 

“Our state of mind influences our perception and reactions to our environment,” Chacron said in his talk. 

Chacron used population coding strategies to investigate how the perception of sensory information engenders behaviour. This technique of representing stimuli through the combined activities of neurons is appropriate for the study of behavioural responses, since an enormous population of neurons is responsible for something as complex as behaviour.

Chacron says that trying to understand the transformation of sensory input into actions is like trying to see and identify an entire painting in the dark with a tiny flashlight. 

“Machine learning tools will help us understand the brain but will not get us [all the way] there,” Chacron said.
Even though his lab uses computational modelling, a key characteristic of their methodology is their multi-disciplinary approach that combines recordings of electrical activity in neurons with studying behaviour in weakly electric fish and macaque monkeys, in addition to computational analysis.

Baseball, Sports

Albert Pujols and Aaron Judge are making history without chasing it

by Luke Schramm on

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The last half-decade of big league baseball has been riddled with sweeping rulebook changes, suspensions, and blockbuster trades that have kept the sport in constant flux. Amidst the chaos, one of baseball’s purest elements—the home run—has convincingly held its place at the core of the sport. The 2019 season alone saw four teams shatter the previous single-season home run record of 267, with the Minnesota Twins leading the way at 307. Now, three seasons later, Albert Pujols and Aaron Judge are close to inscribing their own names into the long ball history books. 

Pujols, now in his 22nd and final season, sat just two home runs shy of 700 heading into the Sept. 23 matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With one bomb in the second inning and another in the fourth, Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds in Major League Baseball’s highly exclusive 700 Home Run Club. 

Judge, not to be overshadowed by the greatness of his elder statesmen, sits at 60 homers and needs just one more to tie Roger Maris’ single-season record with the Yankees. If Judge reaches the magic number 61, this would put him seventh on the all-time dinger list and first among players with a clean performance-enhancing drug record. These historic seasons have not been in vain either, as both Pujols’ St. Louis Cardinals and Judge’s New York Yankees sit atop their respective divisions with less than two weeks of regular-season baseball remaining.

In a league with a 146-year history, it can be easy to get lost in the prestige of the record books, but the reality is that these historic pursuits by Pujols and Judge are unfolding in front of our very eyes with legitimate implications heading into October. As tempting as it is to fixate on the record-breaking numbers themselves, the nightly performances that have defined this season for Pujols and Judge deserve their own close attention. Pujols’ 695th career homer was a two-run, pinch-hit blast that broke a 0-0 stalemate in the bottom of the eighth against the Chicago Cubs. Judge’s 60th homer was part of a five-run ninth inning that gave the Yankees their 89th win of the season and allowed them to regain a comfortable lead in a highly competitive American League East division. Pujols and the Cards are eyeing a return to the glory of their 2011 World Series win, while Judge and the Yankees seem dead set on ring number 28.

Regardless of what takes place between now and game one of the playoffs, the 2022 MLB season has been historic. Two generational talents—one well into his prime and eyeing a triple crown, the other a clear-cut hall of famer on an impressive farewell tour—are moving towards the mammoths that came before them. Every game has become a spectacle, every at-bat a chance to earn immortality in baseball’s record books. And yet, Pujols and Judge don’t seem to be as enamoured with the historical context as the rest of us. Despite announcing that 2022 would be his final season, Pujols himself made it clear that he’s not chasing anything at this point in his career. After all, he’s a two-time World Series champ, a three-time National League MVP, and a six-time Silver Slugger award recipient who quite literally has nothing left to prove. For Judge, the individual accolades are no doubt sweet, but as a Yankee, winning will always be the ultimate end. 

In an era spoiled with so much talent, it is easy for baseball fans to overlook the gravity of the two stars’ remarkable athletic feats. Numbers and record books aside, what Albert Pujols and Aaron Judge have accomplished and continue to accomplish is worthy of our praise and attention. As Judge continues his superstar ascent and Pujols marches into October for one final run at a ring, we should all pay close attention to the fleeting moments of baseball history that may lie ahead.

McGill Recommendations, Student Life

Fitting out the fall semester

by Lauren Strano on

More in McGill Recommendations:

Thrifting for fall statements 

Yes, it’s only the end of September, but it’s already time to start getting your winter coats out. There are two main contenders for your go-to fall jacket in 2022. If you’re running late to class or need to layer up before going out on a Friday, an oversized leather jacket is the perfect option. It isn’t, however, the only lightweight fall coat that’s in style right now. Courtesy of Matilda Djerf, purchasing a pricey oversized blazer is a great excuse to start investing in timeless pieces and becoming more sustainable. 

Concerned that leather jackets and oversized blazers are just simple microtrends? You don’t need to commit. Thrift stores in Montreal are leather jacket havens, where you can find authentic leather jackets for as little as 15 dollars or seek out an old office blazer to keep around for a few years until they come back in style. 

Finally, the most notable fall trend of 2022: Loafers. A timeless shoe that never goes out of style but comes back in style every once in a while. They are for sure back this season and another easy find at your local thrift store. 

The necessity of neutrals 

The biggest challenge with lightweight jackets is their lack of insulation. Layering up underneath is the only way that you can make them work come the winds of October and November. Neutrals and basics are must-haves every season of the year, but especially in the fall. For one thing, they allow for aesthetically pleasing outfits. Second, with fluctuating temperatures and confusing weather patterns, layering is key so that you aren’t freezing in class, or worse, drowning in a pool of sweat. Basics include, but are not limited to, cable-knit sweaters, cardigans, fitted turtlenecks, plain tees, and tanks. Pair your neutrals with a funky accessory or clothing item and you are set. 

Fall flares 

Still adjusting to the start of a new semester? Wearing comfy clothes will help. The yoga flares made a return in the early 2000s and never left, so it might be time to hop on the trend if you haven’t already. Any sweater or hoodie with a pair of black yoga flares and you’ll already look more put together than the other 15 students who also woke up late and only had three minutes to put an outfit together. Their versatility makes them a go-to item for grabbing a coffee, heading to the gym, or attending lectures. You can dress them down in a pair of sneakers or dress them up with some platform boots—really, anything can work. You can get them cheap on Amazon or you can invest in some Lululemons if you want a long-lasting product. Even better, there are some super flattering waisted crossover V-shaped flares you can get at either Aerie or Aritzia. 

The power of fall accessories 

Accessories are an essential part of fall ’fits. When October and November roll around, additional measures must be taken to keep warm. Even in September, McGill students have been spotted wearing scarves around campus. Keeping your neck warm reduces muscle fatigue and tension because it helps maintain blood circulation. After hovering over your laptop for hours or taking notes at your desk until 2 a.m., your neck needs some relief! Scarves are convenient and contribute to your outfit in so many ways: A pop of colour, a touch of sophistication, a light-weight addition—allowing for tons of creative ways to wear them. 

Accompanying your scarf, you can wear a pair of fingerless gloves. Only really an option for fall or spring, fingerless gloves keep your hands moderately warm while offering some dexterity for typing and other manual tasks. Take advantage of the warm fall weather and wear your winter clothes as mere accessories rather than necessities––it won’t last long!

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