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Free speech
Commentary, Opinion

Free speech protects all ideologies, not just conservatism

by Sydney King on

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The 2018 Campus Freedom Index (CFI) bestowed the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) an F grade for its lack of free speech protections and a C for its political practices in 2018. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom (JCCF) sponsors the CFI, an annual assessment of the successes and failures of campus free speech in Canada. But, the CFI is by no means impartial and leans to the right. Its criticism of SSMU merely emphasizes conservatives’ refusal to acknowledge that free speech protects progressives and right-wingers equally.

The CFI points to SSMU’s Equity Policy as its biggest flaw, citing its support for safe spaces and disapproval of microaggressions. These things, the CFI says, hinder free speech. However, while a right to free speech is not explicitly entrenched in SSMU’s constitution, Article 3.2 of the Equity Policy states that the policy shouldn’t detract from students’ right to engage in open discussion of controversial opinions. Safe spaces actually help marginalized people share their stories and opinions, promoting equitable free speech.

Beyond the Equity Policy, the CFI points to SSMU’s politics as another vehicle for suppressing free speech. Taking political stances allegedly diminishes the university’s freedom of expression. SSMU represents the entire student body, but it is an elected body and, therefore, inherently political. The society has a long history of political expression and has explicitly taken an anti-oppressive mandate since 1989. It announced its support for Black Lives Matter in 2016, participated in anti-austerity protests in 2015, and called out McGill’s response to sexual assault reports this past April. All of these political stances actively defend the free speech rights of marginalized people.

Former SSMU vice president External Marina Cupido’s Facebook post about the newly elected Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government was accused of infringing on campus free speech. Cupido faced considerable backlash for calling the CAQ ‘racist’ and ‘xenophobic,’ and for alleging that the party has connections to white supremacists. Regardless of their failure to cite their sources or confer with fellow executives, Cupido had a right to take a stance, even on the official SSMU External Affairs Facebook page. The post may have been ill-advised, but they were elected to a political executive office by a majority of voters. Students who did not feel represented by Cupido’s statement should at least respect the result of the democratic process.

The narrative that only leftist voices inhibit freedom of speech is tired and biased. Beyond McGill, conservatives have long bemoaned the plight of free speech on college campuses. One such conservative is Rick Mehta, former professor in Acadia University’s Department of Psychology. In March, Mehta prompted controversy after defending Conservative Senator Lynn Beyak’s right to post racist remarks on her government website. Beyak shared arguments from Canadians criticizing indigenous communities for receiving government aid and asking for reparations for injustices like the residential school system. Statements like hers perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and Sen. Beyak was rightfully removed from the Conservative caucus for platforming them. But, Mehta saw himself as a counterbalance to liberal bias on campus, and so, he stood up for Beyak.

While Mehta said that he does not support racist comments, he attacked the Conservative Party for impeding her right to free speech. But, even if he does not believe in the far-right sentiments that he defends, Mehta was magnifying them. Amplifying hyper-conservative and racist voices does nothing to diversify mainstream conversations—it only reinforces historically-entrenched traditions and beliefs.

Mehta’s story challenges the dominance of conservative ideology in the free speech arena. If right-wing ideologies perpetuate traditional ways of thinking, which have historically excluded marginalized people from public debate, then they stand to hinder free speech equally as much as left-wing ideologies.

The right to free speech does not guarantee freedom from criticism. Conservatives like Mehta and the JCCF need to stop conflating valid criticism of right-wing belief systems with the infringement of fundamental human rights. As much reason as there is to criticize SSMU, claiming that the organization hinders free speech by promoting marginalized voices and leftist politics is absurd. Students should challenge these arguments, which are made in bad faith and without a comprehensive understanding of free speech, to create a productive space for discourse that includes minority voices.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Festival du Nouveau Cinema’ showcases films from around the world

by Sophie Brzozowski, Gabe Nisker, Dylan Adamson on

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The 47th edition of Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC) ran Oct. 3-14, gracing Montreal’s silver screens with an eclectic program of films ranging from festival-circuit fare to micro-budget Québecois features. The McGill Tribune team was there in full force.

Thunder Road—Jim Cummings

Gabe Nisker, Sports Editor

Based on his 2016 short film and one-man-show of the same name, with Thunder Road, writer-director-star Jim Cummings has managed to upstage even his own source material. Thunder Road tells the story of police officer Jimmy Arnaud, played by Jim Cummings, and his difficulty with coping in the immediate aftermath of his mother’s death. Citing Alfonso Cuaron’s Children Of Men as an influence, Cummings allows his scenes to develop over time; he favours long takes and his writing relies largely on monologues. Cummings surrounds his lead performance with a wonderful ensemble cast, and, together, they beautifully transform the one-man-show into so much more.

 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night—Bi Gan

Dylan Adamson, Features Editor

As someone who craves structure and instructions, I wasn’t going to miss Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Halfway through the movie, I had read, viewers are told to don the 3D glasses that they were given upon entering. How would they tell us? Would the movie pause? Would a Cineplex employee stride out with instructions? Would they be in English or French? The cue was implicit, to my disappointment, but the film’s remaining hour-long, 3D single take was more than enough to compensate. Bi’s neo-noir odyssey is thematically dense and visually brilliant. There’s no telling how, if, or when this will reach North American cinemas, but if it ever does, it is not to be missed.  

 

If Beale Street Could Talk—Barry Jenkins

Gabe Nisker

Barry Jenkins makes good movies. If Moonlight’s Academy Award for Best Picture wasn’t enough to prove that, then Beale Street should suffice. Based on the James Baldwin novel of the same name, the film could very well win Jenkins a second Academy Award. It’s a gorgeous period piece tracking two timelines—the initial romance between Tish (KiKi Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James), and their present-day tragedy that occurs when Fonny is wrongfully imprisoned for rape. Nicholas Britell adds a suave, jazzy score to complement James Laxton’s beautiful cinematography. If everyone saw faces the way Jenkins and Laxton do, the world would be a better place.

Shoplifters —Hirozaku Kore-eda

Dylan Adamson

When audiences are first introduced to Osamu (Lily Franky) and his son Shota (Jyo Kairi) in the grocery store, stuffing backpacks with stolen non-perishables, it’s clear that Kore-Eda is not going to shy away from the difficult questions concerning family relationships. In the opening scene alone, Kore-Eda questions Shota’s wide-eyed reverence for Osamu, Osamu’s involvement of Shota in the family business, how the need for sustenance has become a father-son bonding ritual—as in the rest of the film, Kore-eda weaves the tapestry of a family unit bound by necessity and love—in that order. As we meet the other family members, we see how hard they all must work to keep their musty, cobbled-together house of cards standing. Shoplifters has little narrative information to disclose, but as the truth eventually finds its way to the surface, it is shattering.

 

The Sisters Brothers—Jacques Audiard

Gabe Nisker

The Western genre provides countless opportunities for incredible cinematography, and The Sisters Brothers is no exception. Director Jacques Audiard’s English-language debut is a sight to behold. Based on Patrick deWitt’s 2011 novel, The Sisters Brothers also features an impressive ensemble cast. John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix star as the titular Sisters brothers—Reilly proves his dramatic chops with a nuanced performance and Phoenix follows Reilly’s lead on comedy, providing relief from the otherwise tense script. When Riz Ahmed and Jake Gyllenhaal reunite on screen as  Hermann Kermit Warm and John Morris, the chemistry is undeniable. This movie is the epitome of calm and collected, even when its characters are not.

 

Climax—Gaspar Noé

Dylan Adamson

Gaspar Noé is the enfant terrible of indie cinema. He’s all about disruption. Narrative structure means nothing to him. His movies are hard to watch. Sometimes he’ll show a pregnant woman getting beat up because he doesn’t care what you think, loser. Despite this generally obnoxious, extreme approach, Noé is newly self-reflexive in Climax, a film squarely focused on the youthful drive to live in and make the most of each individual moment. When someone spikes the punch with LSD at a modern dance troupe’s year-end party, fun, kinetic dance-offs give way to a nightmarish soiree of hedonistic violence and cruelty. It’s the best execution of Noé’s bad-boy approach to filmmaking yet, largely because of its focused, 90-minute runtime, the entirety of which may be spent alternatingly gasping and clapping.

 

Roma—Alfonso Cuaron

Gabe Nisker

Seeing Roma is an experience, one that is difficult to shake. Scheduled for release on Netflix by mid-December, Alfonso Cuarón’s latest film is best seen on the big-screen. It is an ode to Cuaron’s childhood in 1970s Mexico, and, specifically, to the caretaker central to his complicated family. The film features deep shots, rich with detail, and a lead performance from soon-to-be-star Yalitza Aparicio, who brings strong emotion to the role of Cleo. Sadly, what might be lost in the translation from the big to the small screen is the sound design. For viewers at home: It’s worth investing in a good speaker. Roma is most definitely not to be missed, regardless of the platform on which you watch.

 

Happy New Year, Colin Burstead—Ben Wheatley

Sophie Brzozowski, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Writer and director Ben Wheatley’s latest film, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead is, in a word, boring. The story follows the Burstead family, all piled into an ostentatious and gaudy rental mansion over the course of one long, dreary New Year’s Eve. The micro-dramas that ensue are predictable and clichéd, as are the characters themselves. The shaky, handheld camera work and pithy dialogue provide the tense, uneasy atmosphere necessary for a successful family dramedy to unfold, but the humour falls short of resolving said tension, contributing instead to the overall phoniness of the whole production.

Burning—Lee Chang-dong

Dylan Adamson

Filmmaker Lee Chang-dong and novelist Haruki Murakami share fascinations common to many auteur-type artists—isolation, and futility. What distinguishes them from their similarly-minded peers, however, is their insistent doubling back. Characters in Murakami’s novels will spend multiple chapters trapped in wells by their own volition. The murky isolation is frightening and disorienting, but, when the sun hits the right spot in the sky, the climactic moment of warmth and light is impossible to match. Burning, Lee’s masterful adaptation of Murakami’s short story, Barn Burning, plays out with a simmering, disorienting ambiguity punctuated by these same moments of startling beauty.

 

McGill should blaze a trail in campus cannabis regulation
Editorial, Opinion

McGill should blaze a trail in campus cannabis regulation

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Hundreds of Montrealers lined up at the Société québécoise du cannabis’s (SQDC) Ste. Catherine and Peel location on Oct. 17, vying to be among the first Canadians to buy legal marijuana. Only a few blocks away, a few new rules were also taking effect at McGill.

In accordance with provincial law and the school’s smoke-free campus policy, smoking or vaporizing marijuana on-campus is forbidden. Though these rules are only temporary, they will act as  guidelines for McGill’s permanent regulations, which are scheduled for release this fall. In creating permanent rules, McGill should emphasize a harm-reduction approach, and be cautious of the racial discrimination often associated with marijuana regulation.

According to the McGill’s interim guidelines about cannabis use on campus, all forms of cannabis consumption are prohibited on campus and in residence, including smoking, vaping, edibles, and topical creams. Furthermore, selling, distributing, cooking, and growing cannabis is also prohibited. Breaking any of the aforementioned rules may result in disciplinary action.

Other universities in Canada have introduced similarly conservative models. Concordia University, the University of Toronto,  and the University of Ottawa all prohibit consumption on campus. However, some are more permissive: The University of Alberta allows consumption in designated areas and the University of Manitoba prohibits smoking, but does not explicitly ban edibles or other forms of consumption.

While the university has the right to regulate what happens on its campus, it is not the administration’s place to encourage or discourage general cannabis consumption. Instead, groups like Healthy McGill, McGill Student Emergency Response Team (MSERT),  Frosh organizers, and other student groups should update their education initiatives to respond to the change in cannabis’ legal status, and continue empowering students to make their own choice. Healthy McGill already has a harm-reduction mandate regarding recreational drug use and MSERT trains their responders in emergency first aid, which includes cannabis response. As Canada is one of only two countries in the world to legalize cannabis at the federal level, the vast majority of future international students will be unfamiliar with the system’s ins and outs, making the need for objective  education all the more pressing.

Any university regulation of cannabis should comply with the principle of harm reduction. During the peak of the fentanyl crisis, floor fellows were trained to carry and use naloxone, a temporary antidote for  fentanyl overdoses. Instead of focusing on prevention of opioid consumption, floor fellows were equipped to respond to possible crises. McGill’s new guidelines should follow this model.

Moreover, McGill should be mindful that the the criminalization of marijuana has a disproportionate effect on indigenous Canadians and other people of colour. Black and indigenous Canadians are vastly overrepresented in cannabis-related arrests, despite cannabis use being similar across different racial groups. The question of who receives lenience is often a matter of decision makers’ personal judgement, be they security guards or administrative officials overseeing a hearing. In implementing disciplinary procedures, McGill needs to create policies that account for, and actively resist, racialized discrimination.  

Still, McGill has embraced legal marijuana in at least one respect: The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences put on two workshops on cannabis production in August 2018, with the aim of establishing a professional certificate program by next winter. This is a positive step; it would be a major missed opportunity for the university not to offer instruction in a field with such potential for economic growth. However, the administration must again consider criminalization’s bleak legacy. Many racialized Canadians have been imprisoned for doing what is now considered a legitimate career path. McGill can play a part in redressing historical wrongs by including destigmatization initiatives in their training and by prioritizing opportunities and spaces for people of colour in their policy design and execution.

As one of Canada’s leading academic institutions, McGill has the opportunity to set an example for cannabis regulation in universities across the country. In doing so, it should embody the principles of harm reduction, accessibility, social equity, and education. While cannabis’s legalization is new, its consumption is not. If McGill stands by the methods already practiced by its floor fellows and staff, it will be prepared for what change may come.

Science & Technology

Montreal’s wood fireplaces get smoked out

by Emma Gillies on

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In 2011, Montreal was ranked as the city with the second-worst air pollution in Canada. Sarnia, Ontario, a place otherwise known by the nickname ‘Chemical Valley’, came in first place.

It’s no secret, then, that Montreal is a polluted city—thankfully, policymakers are trying to address the problem. On Oct. 1, a Montreal ban on certain wood-burning fireplaces and stoves came into effect after a three-year grace period. Originally implemented in 2015, the bylaw prohibits using solid fuel-burning appliances during smog warnings and prohibits appliances with emission rates greater than 2.5 grams of fine particles per hour. Residents who don’t obey the regulations can be fined anywhere from $100 to $2,000.

Wood-burning is the main culprit in air pollution. The Service de l’Environnement reports that it accounts for 39 per cent of fine particle emission on an annual basis. These fine particle emissions contribute to climate change by producing black carbon, which traps heat in the atmosphere for short periods of time. More damaging than the heat, though, is the risk to respiratory health.

“Wood heating is a major source of air pollutants like carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and most importantly, of fine particles,” Montreal’s Service de l’Environnement wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

Scott Weichenthal, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health, remarked that these fine particles—otherwise known as particulate matter—are extremely harmful to our well-being.

“What comes out of chimneys is similar to what comes out of cigarettes,” Weichenthal said.

While cigarette and wood smoke contain many of the same harmful chemicals, smoke inhaled from burning wood is a much larger-scale public health risk than second-hand cigarette smoke. If inhaled in equal amounts, the lifetime risk of cancer is 12 times greater with wood smoke than with cigarette smoke. In addition, its particulates are chemically active for much longer than that of cigarettes, meaning that they harm the body for longer.

Wood smoke particulates have widespread effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health. According to Weichenthal, they can also have neurological impacts and even result in death. Residential wood burning is the main cause of wintertime smog: A mixture of smoke and fog which is especially harmful to elderly people and children, as well as to those with heart and lung conditions. During Montreal’s bitterly cold winter months, the increase in wood smoke production for heating makes the smog particularly bad.

The number of wood-burning stoves in Montreal exploded after Quebec’s 1998 ice storm. Across the province, 900,000 people were left without power—some for more than thirty days—prompting many to buy wood-burning appliances as back-up heating sources.

Naturally, the memory of one of the worst natural disasters in Canadian history makes people reluctant to let go of their wood-burning ways, so solid fuel-burning appliances will still be permitted during electricity outages lasting longer than three hours. Even so, Poêles et Foyers Rosemont, a Montreal-based fireplace company, reported that there have been many wood-to-gas appliance conversions in light of the new bylaw.  

The media labels Montreal’s new regulations as some of the strictest in North America, however they may become even stricter in the future if officials crack down down on wood-burning businesses.

“We can’t work on the domestic side and ignore the commercial,” Jean-Francois Parenteau, associate member of the Montreal Executive Committee, said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

In fact, commercial food production accounts for about eight per cent of wood-burning pollution. While St. Viateur Bagel is experimenting with a new pollutant-removing system, other businesses have switched to part-wood, part-gas ovens. In the future, though, Montreal’s famous pizzerias and bagel bakeries may have to fully revolutionize their cooking methods for the sake of public health.

McGill, News

50 years of career reinvention

by Diamond Yao on

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Founded in 1968, the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) celebrated its 50th anniversary on Oct. 11. To mark the occasion, the SCS hosted a reception titled Careers by Design: Building Futures in an Age of Disruption. Speakers shared how they found fulfillment by following their own instincts and continuing to pick up skills along the way.

Enza Cignarella, a McGill MBA who is currently a life coach and pharmaceutical executive at Novartis, spoke at the event about her personal career experiences.

“I am very excited about this event because ‘careers’ as we know them, the notion that we have one career for our entire lives, is probably not something that is true nowadays, and this is really exciting,” Cignarella said. “It’s an opportunity to network and connect with people who are facing career transitions.”

As a first generation university student who studied industrial relations and a first generation Canadian from an Italian immigrant background, Cignarella was exposed to harsh discourses about how careers would make or break her life. She found this to be extremely anxiety-inducing, and it, ultimately, derailed her business career. She has since redirected her professional life towards a dual career in both the pharmaceutical and the life coaching industries.

Chris Kelly, who works as a project manager of automation and rigging at Cirque du Soleil, had a similarly circuitous career trajectory. Kelly left home at 14 to strike out on his own and never finished his formal education, working a series of odd jobs before advancing in the automation industry.

“I always knew that I would be involved in entertainment somehow,” Kelly said. “Since a young age, I was doing musical theatre in school. I did ballet for six years. Originally, [I] was a performer and went to musical theatre for a very short while, and then discovered I was just as happy backstage doing technical production and just never looked back.”

The changing nature of careers as a reflection of a changing world was a recurring theme throughout the reception. Rommel Romero, a public relations professional, suggested that being proactive and engaging in pursuits that may not have an obvious outcome is crucial in today’s economy. Since graduating from the SCS with a degree in public relations in 2012, he has enjoyed many career iterations, including work in video game journalism, programming, and banking. He is now beginning a career in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies.

“When you are in PR, there’s no manual,” Romero said. “There’s nothing to tell you and to guide you as to how you can get into an industry. So I kind of had to make it up as I went.”

Kelly agreed with Romero’s statement, further emphasizing the benefits of a hands-on approach to career training.

“I’ve just fallen into a bunch of things [and] got a lot of unexpected results,” Kelly said. “Don’t wait until you are ready. Sometimes you just need to be able to go, do the thing, and discover what you need to know to be able to do the thing later.”

Cignarella emphasized the importance of schools of continuing education like McGill’s in enabling flexible career paths.

“Schools of continuing education are great places for us to get new skills, to establish new networks, and to reposition ourselves in what direction we ought to take in such a changing environment,” Cignarella said.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Mitski devastates at Club Soda

by Ariella Garmaise on

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On Oct. 21 Mitski—or, as the marquee would have it, Mitsik—performed for a sold-out crowd at Club Soda. As anyone with a name too long or foreign to pronounce can attest, the switch of the ‘i’ and ‘k’ stings more than most typos. You can tour with Lorde and have an 8.8 on Pitchfork and sell out a North American tour, and they’ll still spell your name wrong. Fittingly, albeit coincidentally, Mitski opened with “Remember my Name.”

(Bee Khaleeli / The McGill Tribune)

 

With the release of her most recent album, Mitski has achieved peak indie darling status. As my own attendance should testify, she is teetering on the brink of mainstream stardom, at a strange inflection point in her career. Her latest album, Be the Cowboy, released on Aug. 17, is sonically reflective of this transition: With hits like “Why Didn’t You Stop Me,” “Lonesome Love,” and “Nobody,” Mitski takes her insightful and emo lyrics, as popularized on Puberty 2 and Bury Me at Makeout Creek, and sets them to pop melodies. The result is a sense of loneliness you can dance to.

Thanks to A Star Is Born, debates about what constitutes pop versus ‘selling out’ overwhelm cool-alt-kid Twitter. In Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, country rock star Jackson Maine (Cooper) meets Ally (Lady Gaga), an unassuming waitress. The two fall in love, and Maine watches as Ally catapults to celebrity, perhaps, the film suggests, at the cost of her artistic integrity. Mitski, Twitter’s other obsession, is in the midst of a moment similar to Ally’s, but her career resolves any outstanding uncertainties as to whether mainstream success and individuality are compatible.

If Ally’s ascendance in A Star Is Born represents the demise of music, then Mitski is the antidote, proof that pop isn’t synonymous with industry, nor does it exclude originality. She was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk, but did so screaming into her guitar; on Sunday, she performed to hundreds of doting fans, but when fans proclaimed their love for her, she responded timidly, “I’m not very good at banter.”

As Ally, the New York Times writes, Lady Gaga “transforms from a soulful crooner into a writhing automaton.” At Club Soda last night, Mitski was equal parts crooner and automaton, the two intertwined and inextricable from one another. In “Me and My Husband,” she shimmied like a cartoon ingenue, and in “Washing Machine” she jutted her arms out robotically. Her dance moves, ranging from mechanical to bizarre, were clearly choreographed, but no less authentic than Maine’s bare acoustic numbers.

Behind Mitski were three screens projecting psychedelic backgrounds reminiscent of 2000s Windows desktop screensavers: Cheesy optical illusions and computer-generated panoramas punctuated her guttural vocals. Neon spotlights adorned Mitski’s melodramatic facial expressions; performance is not a distraction from the music but integral to it. Mitski was magnificent not just when she was singing, but in the in-between moments, too.

Still, Mitski was not without her soulful “I’ll Never Love Again” moment. The crowd may have been counting down to “Nobody,” but it was slower hits, like“First Love / Late Spring,” that were really jaw-dropping. Her haunting rendition of “Two Slow Dancers,” set against American Beauty-esque rose petals falling on a black backdrop was a personal highlight. The couple next to me sashayed, and it didn’t make me roll my eyes.

Sports

How we fell in love with our favourite teams

by Stephen Gill, Paul McCann, Ender McDuff, Owen Gibbs, Kaja Surborg on

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Kansas City Chiefs

Stephen Gill

Managing Editor

The first professional sporting event I ever remember going to was a tilt between my hometown Kansas City Chiefs and their arch-rivals, the Denver Broncos. The Broncos held a six-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and were punting the ball away to a little guy named Dante Hall.

Hall received the punt on his own seven yard line, immediately side-stepped a pursuing Bronco, and proceeded to perform football magic, finishing the return 93 yards downfield for what would be the game-winning touchdown. Words cannot do the play justice. Watching the video back, six different Denver players could have, by my count, conceivably tackled Hall; none of them did so. This return was also the original ‘X-Factor’s’ seventh return touchdown in ten games—an NFL record. Given the historical significance and sheer magnificence of the effort, I’d say Hall’s play was and is the best punt return in NFL history.

Interspersed with other incredible displays from the man also called the ‘Human Joystick,’ that 2003 season was the team’s best since my birth. Similarly to every other Chiefs season, it saw some cool things, some weird things, and, ultimately, it ended in disappointment. Fortunately, by now, I’ve become numb to the team’s failures, but the memory of that return—a single play that set my unhealthy passion for the sport into stone—will stay with me forever.

Vancouver Canucks

Owen Gibbs

Staff Writer

It’s difficult to qualify why I love the Vancouver Canucks. I can’t point to any one event or any one player. I certainly can’t call myself a bandwagon fan considering how unsuccessful they have been in recent seasons. It really comes down to my home and the environment around me growing up.

Before arriving at McGill, I had lived my entire life just 15 minutes away from Vancouver City Centre—the heart of Canucks fandom. Canucks supporters have a reputation for being fair-weather fans, and during my formative years, the weather was quite fair. In my first seasons watching the Canucks, they were among the best teams in the National Hockey League, and even went to the Stanley Cup Finals. They were all anyone could talk about.

It could also have been hereditary for me. My grandfather was one of the first to get behind the new team in Vancouver when it entered the NHL in 1970, and he passed that love on to my father. Today, our love for the West Coast Express is the strongest bond of many within my family. They may not be turning any heads at the moment, but the Vancouver Canucks aren’t just on my mind: They’re in my blood.

Boston Red Sox

Paul McCann

Contributor

My first memory as a sports fan dates back to mid-October 2007, when I was seven years old. The Boston Red Sox were playing the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS and on their way to winning their second World Series in four years. They had gone down three games to one in the series, but were in the middle of an amazing comeback—second only to the one they staged in 2004 against the New York Yankees. It was the bottom of the first in Game 6, and the bases were loaded. J.D. Drew stepped up to the plate and launched the ball over the fence in straight-away centre field for a grand slam, giving the Sox an instant 4-0 lead. They wouldn’t give it up for the rest of the night.

After beating Cleveland, the Red Sox went on to sweep the Colorado Rockies in the World Series, but, besides a Matt Holliday bomb in Game 3, I don’t remember any of that series. It was in that one moment in the 2007 Championship Series, when the Sox took control over the series, that I really fell in love with the team. My appreciation has only grown since then, with another championship run in 2013, as well as their current run through the Yankees and Astros en route to what will hopefully be their ninth World Series title.

Borussia Dortmund

Kaja Surborg

Contributor

Whether I was playing or watching, the beautiful game has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My earliest recollection of watching soccer is from the 2006 World Cup, when Germany lost its semi-final match to Italy. Hailing from Germany, the memory still stings.

Fast-forward to 2012, and I had started paying attention to the Bundesliga in addition to the World Cup. Borussia Dortmund won the league and German Cup double that year. Watching them beat Bayern München in the final was nothing short of a spiritual experience. There was Shinji Kagawa’s early goal, Robert Lewandowski’s hat trick, and, as always, Jürgen Klopp’s priceless reactions. The joy on the faces of players and fans alike was enough to convince me to dedicate a very cringe-worthy Tumblr blog to my favourite team. I watched the young attacking duo of Mario Götze and hometown hero Marco Reus flourish, and I saw Lewandowski become one of the world’s best strikers. It was, in my opinion, one of the best runs in recent soccer history.

I can’t give a definitive answer as to why I have always supported Dortmund. Maybe I genuinely love the players and the fans. Maybe I just really hate Bayern and want to support their biggest competition. One thing is for certain, though: After watching Dortmund win that double in 2012, I’ll never stop supporting them.

Los Angeles Lakers

Ender McDuff

Staff Writer

I was four years old when I first decided I wanted to shoot on a full-sized basketball hoop. The pictures tell the story of my hopes; I was a small child, barely able to get the ball more than a foot above my head. The Los Angeles Lakers were back-to-back-to-back NBA champions, and that spurred my futile ambition.

Thanks to my dad, the Lakers were my religion. I studied old VCR-recorded games of the Showtime era to learn the skyhook and add a little ‘Magic’ to my passing. When we were stuck in Los Angeles’ infernal traffic, the great Chick Hearn would be with us calling the game over the radio. And, when my family made the move to Canada, practicing Kobe’s footwork and fadeaway became one of the few constants in my life.

I’m lucky: Most fans only get to see their team raise a banner once or twice in their lifetime. But, the Lakers won their fifth championship ring in my lifetime with their come-from-behind-win in the 2010 championship to beat the Boston Celtics—a team I have been conditioned to hate so much that I used to refuse to own a single article of green clothing.

In the years since, I find as much joy in draft day as in Game 7 and I care just as passionately about the team’s rookies as its MVPs. Championship banner number 17 cannot come soon enough, but, in the meantime, I’ll be watching every game and enjoying every moment because that’s what Lakers basketball is all about.

Student Life

Café suspendu: A hidden gem on Mont Royal

by Sophia White on

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Situated atop Mont Royal, Café suspendu offers an outdoor café, a spot to hang out with friends, and a panoramic view of the city. The project to create the space was launched by La Pépinière, a non-profit collective dedicated to creating community spaces throughout Montreal. The initiative’s most recent project, Café suspendu, takes advantage of the natural allure of the mountain to create a unique and charming environment for locals and tourists alike.

The café opened in June 2018 as a part of Ville de Montréal’s five-month ‘Projet Pilote’ initiative, designed to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Mont Royal and improve its accessibility. belvédère Camillien-Houde, the road along which Café suspendu is located, has been closed to personal-use vehicles as a part of the project in an attempt to make the road easier to reach for public transportation vehicles, bikers, and pedestrians. Sarah Normand, café and programming manager, explained that the project aims to preserve the future of the roadway and the surrounding area.

“[Belvédère Camillien-Houde] used to be a tramway until the ‘50s and ‘60s,” Normand said. “The goal [of the Projet Pilote initiative] was to think of the park in a different way, [and] to try to reduce the excess of the roadway [….] The Projet Pilote is all about trying new things, and we’ve had a good reception from Montrealers and tourists.”

Café suspendu is a convenient and inviting space for visitors to grab a coffee, enjoy the scenery, and embrace the community spirit. Creating café classics with basic tools and ingredients, the space offers a selection of coffee, tea, juice, beer, wine, cocktails, and various snacks.

Since its opening, the café has hosted a variety of events, including musical performances, tai chi sessions, and themed workshops. The space is built on a terrace with swings overlooking a sweeping view of the city from the Belvédère Soleil observation deck. The café’s homey design reflects the organizers’ goal to create a welcoming environment in which visitors can come together and appreciate the beauty of the mountain.

Still, what’s most appealing about the spot is the view, which is made especially vibrant by the changing fall colours. It’s the perfect stop on an excursion up Mont Royal to relax and enjoy the outdoors in the company of friends. The combination of nature and community is what sets the space apart from other local cafés, according to Normand.

“The big idea behind the space was to make something special, simple, and affordable for everybody,” Normand said. “What makes [Café suspendu] unique is its spontaneity and simplicity. [It adds] big value to a space, giving it colour and human presence.”

The collective is committed to promoting community involvement and empowering local patrons through the creation of inclusive environments, so all of the installations are free and designed to be accessible to the public. Café suspendu has embodied La Pépinière’s mission perfectly by providing an accessible and community-oriented meeting point on top of the mountain.

Café suspendu is accessible through public transit by taking the STM bus 11 or 711 from the Mont-Royal metro station and is also easily accessible by foot. The installation will be up until the end of October, but the café is only open on weekends.

McGill, News

The McGill book fair reaches its final chapter

by Leanne Young on

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The annual McGill Book Fair is a popular event for students, staff, and residents of Montreal. A large selection of over 50,000 books in a wide range of categories, from fiction to physics, delight book enthusiasts. However, this year’s event, which ran Oct. 16-18, is likely the last one ever at McGill.

The Book Fair started in 1971 as a joint effort from the Women’s Associates of McGill—an association comprised of the wives of McGill professors—and the Women’s Alumnae Association. Its primary goal is to raise money for scholarships and, at an average price of $3 per book, it has raised about $1.8 million since 1975. The funds are divided into three bursaries: The McGill Book Fair Bursary in Music for undergraduate students in the Schulich School of Music; the Jane B. Hood Bursary in English Literature, dedicated to the first and longest serving coordinator of the Fair for over 30 years; and the McGill Book Fair Bursary, which is for all undergraduate students.

Bursaries are vital for many students. Deanna Duxbury, U3 Arts, for example, believes that she would not have been able to pay tuition without the financial assistance the bursaries provide.

“I was working to pay my way, and the Book Fair bursary was so helpful.” Duxbury said. “[It] makes me want to give back.”

In addition to providing scholarships, the organizers of the Book Fair seek to contribute to sustainability and social equity. Books are available at a low cost and the remaining texts are donated to charities, providing information and literature to students and families with limited resources.

According to Susan Smith Woodruff, co-coordinator of the Book Fair, this year’s event was difficult to organize due to construction work being done at Redpath Hall.

“These achievements of the Book Fair don’t just come from getting books and putting them on the table,” Woodruff said. “There are a lot of details to deal with [….] This year, we had to rearrange everything that we would normally do in order to accommodate the dictates of the fire module from the construction being done next to Redpath.”

According to event organizers, the 2011 Book Fair was supposed to be the final iteration. Only a handful of volunteers were available to cope with the physical demands of hefting books and boxes, leaving more physical work on fewer shoulders. It was a unanimous vote among the team that they could not continue to host the event. However, two McGill graduate students, Fraser Dickson and Jonathan Haines, were determined to keep the Book Fair going, deciding to step in and organize the the event in 2012.

Following a hiatus in 2013 due to construction work on Redpath Terrace, the Book Fair reemerged in 2014. However, restarting operations posed significant challenges according to Anne Johnston Williams, one of the Fair coordinators.

“In 2014, people didn’t think it was going on anymore, so it was hard to get people back again,” Williams said. “The book dealers didn’t come even though we let them know.”

Due to required maintenance on the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems of the building, Redpath Hall will not be available to host the Book Fair next year.

“[Woodruff] and I are not doing it again, and we can’t have [Redpath Hall] next year as far as we know, and [it] is an ideal building to have it in,” Williams said. “The building may be finished next September, but we don’t know.”

According to Woodruff, the logistical burdens involved in the project are too heavy to make the Book Fair viable for next year.

“It’s bittersweet,” Woodruff said. “We’ve been so involved [that] it’s going to be hard not to have the book fair, but it’s also a relief because we have so many other things to do.”

News, SSMU

SSMU Legislative Council address resignation of VP External

by Nina Russell on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council met on Oct. 18 to address the resignation of the SSMU vice president (VP) external, Marina Cupido. Cupido resigned on Oct. 10 due to mental health concerns partially stemming from the heavy workload of the position. The position itself also fell under scrutiny, as the council discussed the appropriate use of executive social media platforms. The discussion was following Cupido’s controversial Facebook post on Oct. 2, which condemned the newly-elected Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ). Meeting lengths and the restructuring of SSMU’s fees were also up for debate.

Motion Regarding Responsible Representation

McGill Arts and Science Senator Bryan Buraga introduced a Motion Regarding Responsible Representation in response to Cupido’s now-deleted post. In the post, which was retracted on Oct. 11, Cupido criticized the CAQ’s “xenophobic, far-right” policies and discussed their implications for students at McGill. The motion, which was tabled at the previous Legislative Council meeting, recommended that SSMU remove the Facebook post and apologize. It also outlined steps for preventing and addressing such instances in the future. Under the motion, operators of SSMU social media accounts would have to ensure that social media posts represent the consensus of the Legislative Council or the Executive Committee, rather than just being matters of personal opinion.

Arts Representative Andrew Figueiredo asserted the importance of the motion in ensuring that the student body’s opinions are represented in student government.

“I think this motion requires that SSMU takes certain steps to be sure that its […] opinions are actually reflecting what is being said by the people who are in SSMU,” Figueiredo said. “I think that this doesn’t encumber [SSMU external communications] in any way, it just makes sure that our voices are being heard [….] It’s a motion that’s made from a place of wanting our student government to represent students, and I think that’s the least we can ask for.”

Vincent Mousseau, stand-in for the Social Work Representative, raised concerns that the motion would negatively impact SSMU’s ability to condemn oppressive policies and protect marginalized students.

“I feel like it’s very irresponsible to have a motion that’s going to stifle the expression of elected members of this student union,” Mousseau said. “We know [which policies will negatively affect our students], and we need to be naming them. We need to be critiquing them, and not just putting out [vaguely] worded statements that give some semblance that we’re willing to critique and [instead] actually [do] something concrete to stand up for our students. And in a larger sense, I think it’s important to understand the way that an amendment like this would appear to marginalized students, who are in need of [our support].”

Following an hour-and-a-half–long debate, the council voted against the motion, with 13 opposed, 10 in favour, and three abstentions.

Generative Discussion on VP External Position

The council discussed how to address the vacant VP External position. SSMU President Tre Mansdoerfer announced the SSMU executive board’s plan to redistribute the position’s duties among existing commissioners. While the idea of holding a by-election was mentioned, council decided that a new VP seven months into the year might not be cohesive with the team.

“We will not be running a by-election for the VP External role, [and, instead], we will be creating new student staff positions for the External portfolio to cover previous projects that were previously under the responsibility of the Vice President,” Mansdoerfer said. “As such, we will create a Francophone Affairs Commissioner position, a Sexual Violence Mobilization Advocacy Commissioner, [and] we will be doubling the hours of certain commissioners.”

Though some raised concerns regarding the increased workload for these commissioners, Mansdoerfer stated that a three-person advisory board would be established to offer institutional support and advice on matters specific to the role.

The next SSMU Legislative Council meeting will be held on Nov. 1 in McConnell Engineering Room 603.

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