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Science & Technology

Observing our cosmic past

by Jonah Dutz on

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Of all the questions discussed by theologians, philosophers, and scientists, perhaps the most enduring and enigmatic is: Where did the universe come from? Lyman Page, professor of physics at Princeton University and co-winner of the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, is a part of a team that has brought humanity one step closer to finding an answer to this question.

On Feb. 21, AstroMcGill invited Page to give a public talk on his groundbreaking research in observational cosmology and to explain the most recent theories in this field.

Page’s presentation focused on this oval-shaped, infrared-looking photo which represents a simulated cosmic microwave background (CMB), created using data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), a spacecraft that measured the conditions of the early universe. Simply put, it is a heat map of the beginning of the cosmos.

The most well-supported birth-story of the universe is the inflation model. This theory suggests that from a very high-temperature, high-density state, some process amplified quantum fluctuations to an enormous scale at an insanely fast rate. During this original inflation, the universe was so hot and full of energy that electrons couldn’t attach to protons to form hydrogen or other basic elements. As the universe expanded, it cooled, allowing atoms to form. In his lecture, Page explained some of the after-effects of this process.

“When the electrons are bound up with the protons [in the formation of atoms], they don’t scatter [electromagnetic] radiation, and so the universe becomes transparent,” Page said. “The radiation decouples from the matter, the matter then goes on to form […] all the structure of the universe, us, stars, galaxies.”

The radiation emitted from this stage makes up the CMB, and measuring it is the closest we can get to observing the Big Bang. The expansion of the universe has stretched the wavelengths of this radiation, transforming it from bright light into microwaves. Page and his colleagues essentially captured tiny fluctuations in the temperature of these microwaves from all directions to create a full-sky map of the oldest light in the universe. For frequent TV-watchers of the late 1990s, Page explained how most of us have already detected CMB.

“Roughly one per cent of that fuzz on your TV [so-called white noise on old satellite TVs] is from radiation leftover from the Big Bang,” Page said. “[And] what we do is […] build various versions of very fancy TV receivers and point them around the sky and measure the change in the amount of buzz we detect.”

Page and his fellow physicists have used this picture of the birth of the universe to deduce, with great accuracy, things such as the age of the universe (13.77 billion years) and the quantities of its constitutive parts (4.6 per cent atoms, 24.0 per cent dark matter, and 71.4 per cent dark energy). Yet, many mysteries remain unsolved. What are dark matter and dark energy? Truthfully, we don’t know yet. That means the fundamental properties of 95.4 per cent of the observable universe are unknown to us. But, thanks to Page and his colleagues, we now very accurately know what we don’t know; a Socratic step in the right direction.  

For readers with an interest in the topic, click here for a recording of the lecture.

Science & Technology

Agricultural technologies are changing the future of farming in Africa

by Nadia Boachie on

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On Feb. 22, Entrepreneurship & Investment For Africa (EI4A), a volunteer-run organization in Quebec promoting African entrepreneurship, held an open networking session at WeWork L’Avenue with PS Nutraceutical International Limited (PSNIL), one of Africa’s most innovative agribusiness start-ups based in Nigeria. Businesses in the agricultural domain, or agribusinesses, provide the necessary supplies for farms to function, such as machinery and seeds. EI4A’s event showcased a number of food-production technologies that have the potential to improve the future of farming in Africa and the world.

In 2016, Olisaeloka Peter Okocha co-founded PSNIL Samson Ogbole, on a mission to create, modify, enhance, and protect the environment and total well-being of humanity. The global economic crisis and the surge in hunger, especially in Africa, require systems which will fast-track food production without harming the environment. Okocha joined the conference via video chat, to present his company’s technology and share his experiences in developing his business ideas in the challenging but rapidly growing African agribusiness sector. These technologies include hydroponics (growing plants in water), aquaponics (growing plants on water with fish in the water), and aeroponics (growing plants in the air).

“We wanted a self-sustainable system in which water is constantly reused and recycled and never wasted,” Okocha said. “We chose to use technology that could produce food that is healthy and organic.”

Okocha and Ogbole questioned whether food in Nigeria and other parts of Africa was available, affordable, pesticide and herbicide-free, and if the food supply was consistent. The duo started the company with the intention to develop and set up small-scale agricultural technologies for everyone to be able to practice agriculture. They partnered with individual researchers to explore the nutritional benefits of various foods. Additionally, the company wants to research and develop more uses for agricultural produce, such as the development of alternative medicines.

“The technology is not new,” Okocha said. “Aeroponics was developed by NASA, but when the individual who invented the technology was contacted, he did not believe it could be used beyond growing leafy greens and vegetables. Being the stubborn individuals we were, we thought that we could study the technology and improve upon it and apply it to our own indigenous crops and vegetables in Nigeria. We are constantly tweaking and trying to improve upon the system.”

The start-up believes in working toward an agricultural system that maintains the environment, rather than destroying it. Soil-less farming technology, for example, enables consumers to buy affordable, organic foods year-round. Not only does this automated farming system reduce the amount of labour required to produce crops, but it also eliminates the need for insecticides or herbicides for crop-growth, as they are grown within a controlled growing environment.

Merging agriculture with technology is the key to increasing efficiency in the sector. For example, aeroponics technology allows plants to grow in the air without soil, and only requires minimal water usage. Additionally, in aeroponic greenhouses, plants can be grown on multiple layers of soil, while traditional farming is limited to only one. Okocha described the efficiency of the new agriculture technologies.

“A benefit of the aeroponics and hydroponics systems is that you can be a commercial farmer within a small fraction of space,” Okocha explained. “You can take advantage of the vertical space and grow about two to three acres worth of crops on less than an acre of land.”

Increased efficiency will lead to food self-sufficiency, and in turn will create excess food which can be exported, generate foreign exchange, and bolster economies. Okocha highlighted the steps his company is taking to keep up with market demands.

“It is important that we are constantly innovating so we are exposing our technology to tertiary institutions to see if there is a way to improve upon it,” Okocha emphasized. “They say data is the new oil, so we are constantly doing data collation to try and make this a sustainable new farming strategy.”  

EI4A will be hosting more networking sessions throughout the year, which will be posted regularly on their Facebook page.

News

Montreal protesters call for the release of activist Ahed Tamimi

by Laura Oprescu on

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On Feb. 18, protesters gathered at Norman Bethune Square to condemn the ongoing incarceration of 17-year-old Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi. After a video of Tamimi slapping an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier circulated on social media, she was arrested at her home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on Dec. 19, 2017. Several members of her family have also since been arrested. Tamimi is one of over 300 Palestinian children currently under the Israeli military’s detention.

Following a Facebook event calling for a worldwide show of solidarity for Tamimi, Montreal was one of several cities to witness protests on Feb. 18. Tadamon!, a Montreal-based collective that works for self-determination, equality, and justice in the Middle East, jointly organized the protest with chapters of Students in Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), including the one at McGill.

Chantelle Schultz, U3 Arts and SPHR McGill member, helped organize the protest as a way of expressing her personal support for Tamimi.

“I felt it was my obligation to do something,” Schultz said. “To show people that we care. Showing Ahed and all Palestinians that we stand in solidarity with them, and showing the Israeli state that we are watching, we are listening, and we refuse to accept what they’re doing.”

The Israeli occupation was presented at the protest as a political rather than religious issue by organizations like Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) McGill, a Jewish group whose mandate is to support a just, humanitarian, and legal resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. A member of the group present at the rally, who chose to remain anonymous, felt it was important that Jewish students in particular speak out against the Israeli government’s actions.

“I think it’s very important that Jews, especially Jews living in the diaspora, show that they do not condone what the State of Israel is doing,” the member said. “As a Jew, I am entirely and completely opposed to the Israeli state’s policies, actions, and colonial project.”

Overall, the protest drew people from different backgrounds. Montreal resident Ines El Jhadab does not belong to any movement or activist group, but was nonetheless compelled to join the event for humanitarian reasons.

“We cannot stand by and be spectators and observers,” El Jhadab said. “In 20 years, 30 years, when the next generation asks us, ‘what did you do?’ and we say ‘nothing,’ it will be impossible to live with.”

Protesters rallied behind Dolores Chew, a regular attendee of protests for Palestinian liberation, as she delivered a speech about the injustices of colonialism.

“Even when Palestine drops out of the news for us over here, Palestinian people need to live the daily indignities of occupation,” Chew said. “Palestinian children and teenagers, along with their families, have to suffer humiliation at the hands of Israeli soldiers, most of the soldiers themselves being close in age to Ahed, but with the crucial difference [being] that the soldiers have complete power of life and death over Palestinian children.”

Chew conveyed her disgust with the IDF’s ability to invade Palestinian homes, terrorize children, and shoot civilians.

“This is the Israeli state declaring ‘we can do this to you, and we can get away with it,’ but Ahed and her generation have said ‘no you cannot, and you will not,’” Chew said. “This is no childhood for Palestinian children. It is the occupation that makes fierce warriors like Ahed Tamimi. The children of Palestine declare to the world that the struggle will continue. Their generation will keep the flame of justice alive.”

Referencing the Israeli police force’s recent recommendation to indict Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chew said she expects change. However, she warned the audience that Netanyahu will likely strike out against Palestine in retaliation.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing the greatest crisis of his career and will stop at nothing to divert attention from himself, to make himself appear the saviour of the people of Israel,” Chew said. “But time is running out for you, Mr. Netanyahu, as it is running out for the occupation.”

Chew ended her speech with an expression of love and solidarity for Ahed and anti-occupation movements at large.

“The Zionist state is desperate and the illegal detention and trial of Ahed is testimony to that,” Chew said. “Ahed, we send you our love and deepest solidarity. You will be free. Palestine will be free.”

Out on the Town, Student Life

Montreal’s best spots for soup when you’re feeling under the weather

by Sophie Panzer on

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It’s the most stressful time of year—midterms and deadlines are rearing their ugly heads, and to make matters worse, flu season is in full swing. Comfort food helps, but knowing where to find it amid Montreal’s many restaurants is a challenge. To help students battle the last of the winter blues, The McGill Tribune compiled a list of Montreal restaurants to turn to when searching for the ultimate comfort food: Soup.

Pho Rachel – 14 Rachel Street East

Price rating: $
Veggie/vegan friendly? Yes

A 25-minute walk from campus, this Vietnamese restaurant is a great go-to for those feeling under the weather. The staff are friendly, the portions are generous, and the soup is so rich and flavourful that it’s sure to revive the part of your soul that died somewhere on the third floor of McLennan last week. Try the chicken pho with homemade noodles, or the vegetable pho if you don’t eat animal products, and be sure to pair your order with the salted lemonade, a Pho Rachel specialty.  

Hof Kelsten – 4524 St. Laurent Boulevard

Price rating: $$
Veggie/vegan friendly? No

Although this Jewish bakery is best known for its brunch fare and desserts, there’s nothing better than their classic matzo ball soup if you’re feeling sick. Since this savoury, satisfying dish is made with chicken and bone broth, it’s not suitable for vegetarians. However, if you’re OK with eating meat and can’t convince your grandmother to come cook for you, Hof Kelsten’s matzo ball soup is the next best thing. For an extra touch of comfort, be sure to try one of their famous pastries—the chocolate babka never disappoints.


 Yokato Yokabai – 4185 Rue Drolet

Price rating: $$
Veggie/vegan friendly? Yes

Located on the corner of Rachel and Drolet Streets, this Japanese restaurant is easy to pass without noticing due to its plain exterior and tucked away door. Upon entering, you’ll find an elegant space with a streamlined ticket-based ordering process serving only one thing: Ramen. On their tickets, patrons are asked to customize their ramen dish, first by choosing between tonkotsu bone broth and vegetable-based broth. While many vegetarian broths are watery and less flavourful than their meat-based counterparts, Yokato Yokabai’s has a rich, salty, umami flavour. Customers can top off their soup with extras including tofu, chicken teriyaki, and seaweed before garnishing the ramen noodles with pickled ginger and chili oil. After you’ve finished your soup, be sure to indulge in some green tea ice cream for dessert—a sweet treat despite the bitter cold.

Kantapia – 364 Sherbrooke Street West

Price rating: $
Veggie/vegan friendly? Yes

Just a few blocks from campus on the corner of Parc and Sherbrooke, Kantapia is popular among McGill students for its uniquely colourful decor and unbeatable Korean comfort food. If you’re feeling sick, skip the bibimbap (rice bowl) and order some of their spicy ramen or soondubu jjigae (tofu stew) instead—your sinuses will thank you. The red chili paste in the broth will leave you feeling warm and cozy, but be sure to bring tissues or consider ordering takeout to avoid offending fellow diners with your runny nose.

 

Science & Technology

Awe-inspiring Canadian whales

by Emma Gillies on

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Marine biology fans celebrated World Whale Day on Feb. 18, commemorating the curious creatures and raising awareness for their protection. Whales play a vital role in the oceans’ functioning and carbon storage. Unfortunately, these mighty ecosystem engineers are threatened by whaling, habitat loss, and pollution.

Canada’s coastlines are home to more than 30 species of whales, from the scarce North Atlantic right whale to the gnarly narwhal. In belated celebration of World Whale Day, here are five of the more iconic species that inhabit Canadian waters.

Blue whale

The largest animal alive, the blue whale can grow up to 30 metres long and weigh over 150 tons. Its tongue alone is roughly the weight of an elephant, and its heart is the size of a small car. Blue whales are baleen whales, cetaceans that have keratin plates instead of teeth to capture prey via filter feeding. Consuming up to 40 million krill per day, these animals are found in every ocean on Earth and migrate thousands of miles each year.

An estimated 95 to 99 per cent of the blue whale population was lost to whaling between the 17th and 20th centuries. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently lists the blue whale as endangered. However, its global population is slowly recovering, currently estimated to fall between 10,000 and 25,000 individuals.

Humpback whale

Another iconic baleen whale, the humpback is famous for its song. Since humpbacks don’t have vocal cords, the low noises that they make are produced by pushing air out of their blowhole. While researchers are unclear on why they make these sounds, they appear to be involved in mating rituals. Humpbacks can also propel their entire bodies out of the water, or breach, a behaviour that is associated with communication, territoriality, playfulness, and even the removal of parasites.

Also notable is their unique mode of feeding. Humpbacks herd their prey by blowing bubbles around them and capture fish by making loud vocal sounds and slapping their fins against the water to drive them to the surface and immobilize them.

Sperm whale

With its block-shaped head, the sperm whale has the largest brain of any animal and is the deepest-diving marine mammal in the world. A toothed whale, it hunts in pitch-black waters, relying on echolocation to capture its prey, which includes octopus, various fish, and even giant squid. The sperm whale’s name comes from the spermaceti organ in its large head, which produces a white waxy substance that was originally mistaken for sperm but is actually used for buoyancy and echolocation.

Beluga whale

A close relative of the narwhal, the beluga whale undergoes a Gandalf-like transformation throughout its life: Born a dark gray color, it later turns white.

Though the beluga is toothed, it swallows its prey whole. Also known as the “sea canary,” it’s highly vocal and can live in pods of up to 100 whales.

Belugas are relatively small and have a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm in freezing Arctic waters. Unfortunately, they are particularly susceptible to the effects of pollution. The contaminant levels in the bodies of St. Lawrence belugas were once so high that the carcasses were considered to be hazardous toxic waste. They remain one of the most contaminated marine mammals.

Orca

The orca, or killer whale, is not actually a whale, but a dolphin. Nevertheless, it deserves recognition on this list.

This distinct black and white whale is an apex predator, meaning that it has no known threats in the animal kingdom. With an extremely powerful jaw, it feeds on a variety of prey such as fish, squid, seals, birds, whales, and sharks. Reptiles, polar bears, and moose have even been found in the stomach of orcas.

Orcas are extremely intelligent with complex social structures that have been compared to the cultures of humans and elephants. Though ferocious hunters, they do not pose a threat to humans. While the reasons behind their lack of appetite for humans are not entirely known, some theories suggest that we don’t resemble their typical food source. Or, maybe, we just don’t taste very good.

Know Your Athlete, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Lisa Nakajima

by Jordan Foy on

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When Lisa Nakajima, U3 Anatomy and Cell Biology, watched Canadian skaters Jamie Salé and David Pelletier perform at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, she knew she wanted to participate in the sport. Now, Nakajima is co-captain of the McGill figure skating club—a competitive club consisting of 17 skaters.

“I just watched them skate, and I [said] ‘Mom that’s what I want to do,’” Nakajima said.

Growing up in skiing- and snowboarding-obsessed Whistler, British Columbia, figure skating was not a popular sport. However, after participating in public skates at local arenas, a coach recruited her and she began her career in competitive figure skating.

“During high school, I trained around 25 to 30 hours a week,” Nakajima said. “That’s not all on the ice, that also includes gym and stuff like that, but it was a lot of time. I trained a lot, and I was competing at the provincial level.”

Nakajima spent a year after high school skating professionally on cruise ships primarily sailing in the Caribbean. While on the ships, Nakajima was paid to perform in regular ice shows, as well as help entertain guests on the ship.

“It was a huge learning curve for me,” Nakajima said. “I was used to a set schedule [of] school and skating [….The] people were so much fun. I also got to meet people from all over the world […] from Olympic athletes to […] skaters who went on Disney on Ice.”

At McGill, the team practices four times per week and regularly participates in competitions. This season, the team competed in three events: The OUA Fall Invitational, Invitation Laval Synchro, and the OUA Winter Invitational, placing second, third, and fourth respectively.

Though McGill figure skating is not a varsity team, many of the club’s competitors have varsity status, meaning that they receive funding and have access to more training time and coaching. Although they are trying to obtain varsity status as a team, the figure skating club is currently entirely student-run. As co-captains, Nakajima and her counterpart, Danika Kapeikis, must be leaders on the ice while simultaneously working behind the scenes with other members of the club’s executive team. They’re also responsible for organizing events, from fundraisers to the team’s holiday shows.

“We are leaders of the team, we’re role models, [and we try] to make a more cohesive team to get everyone involved and really raise team morale,” Nakajima said. “But we have to do a lot of stuff like answering emails. We hired the coaches in the summer, we planned the tryouts, a lot of the nitpicky details.”

When Nakajima began her studies at McGill, she didn’t expect to continue skating until learning that McGill had a competitive figure skating club.

“I didn’t come to university to skate,” Nakajima said. “I thought I was going to quit, so when I came here, I was super excited to find the team.”

At McGill, Nakajima continued to skate primarily to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle, but now, her favourite part of skating on the team is the community.

“Moving away from home across the country was really difficult, so having those people that are there for you all the time, at any time in the day is incredible,” Nakajima said. “[Practices are] so early in the morning, we’re all not in a great mood, but the fact that we enjoy each other’s company at 6:30 a.m. says a lot.”

After she finishes her undergraduate degree, Nakajima is considering taking some time away from figure skating to focus on her studies when she moves on to medical school.

“[Skating on the cruise ship] was my way of transitioning from the really competitive side to the more fun professional career, and then I decided I was on to academics [at McGill],” Nakajima said. “When I came here and did four more years of skating, it wasn’t expected. So I think after this I’m going to take a break, [but] I honestly probably won’t.”

Whether or not Nakajima is ready to hang up her skates, this season marks the end of her career at McGill. Nakajima and the rest of the figure skating club will perform their year-end show on Mar. 18 at McConnell Arena.

McGill, News

AUS Council discusses bringing debit and credit payment options to SNAX

by Nina Russell on

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The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Council met on Feb. 21 to discuss amendments to its financial by-laws, the introduction of debit and credit card payment at SNAX, and institutional changes to the position of Equity Committee chair.

 

Motion to Replace the Financial By-Laws

AUS President Erik Partridge presented a motion to amend the Society’s financial by-laws to include the creation of a publicly available budget to be updated throughout the year, deadlines for AUS departments to establish their annual budgets, and an increase in the majority required to pass a deficit budget. The motion also recommended expanding the clause providing minimum wage pay to Executive Committee members in the Work Study Program, an initiative that finds employment at Mcgill for students with financial needs.

“[Clause 10.1] does not explicitly allow [compensation for non-Work Study students],” Partridge said. “It does allow it at Council’s discretion, or if another McGill entity wishes to fund [the compensation].”

Council voted to table the motion until its next meeting on March 14 to allow councillors more time to review the changes.

 

Motion to Bring Credit/Debit Payments to SNAX

SNAX, a student-run cafe located on the first floor of the Leacock Building, sells sandwiches, treats, and coffee at affordable prices, many of which are organic, fair trade, or vegan. The store currently only accepts cash payments, but to make it more widely accessible, Vice-President (VP) External Alice Yue, VP Internal Rebecca Scarra, and VP Academic Madeline Wilson introduced a motion to implement credit and debit payments.

“[Accepting only cash payments] is really inaccessible for a large amount of students,” Yue said. “In [the most recent AUS survey], we received overwhelming feedback to have another payment method, which is why we’re bringing this motion today.”

To cover the costs of implementing a debit and credit card system, AUS is currently looking into setting a minimum payment amount for card use, or a discount for those who pay with cash.

VP Communications Maria Thomas spoke in favour of the motion, predicting that different payment methods will help boost the appeal of SNAX.

“I think that [allowing credit and debit payments] is putting AUS a little more into the future,” Thomas said. “If it’s financially feasible, I think this will really make [SNAX] a little more accessible to the modern age.”

The motion passed unanimously, and the AUS hopes to implement the new card payment system at SNAX at some in the near future.

 

Motion to Amend VP External Role via Referendum

VP External Alice Yue proposed a motion to abolish the International Student Affairs Commission (ISAC) and transfer its responsibilities to the Arts Community Engagement Committee (ACE), which would gain two additional International Student representatives to compensate.

ACE is responsible for doing outreach to the local community and leading philanthropic ventures and activities in Montreal. ISAC, which was established two years ago to provide services and host events for international students, has historically suffered from poor attendance at its events. Yue hopes that combining ISAC’s mandate with ACE, a committee that has already proven to be successful, will ensure that the committee represents the interests of international students.

Council will vote on the motion in a referendum in the spring.

 

Motion to Change Chair of Equity Committee via Referendum

Partridge and SSMU Arts Representative Jennifer Chan moved a motion to add a question to the spring referendum on whether an Arts Representative should chair the Equity Committee. While historically the AUS President has held this position ex-officio, Chan chaired the committee this year as part of a pilot project, and both Patridge and Chan agree that giving the role to an Arts representative would be more fair.

“[The motion] makes Equity a little bit more independent, helps increase Equity’s role in terms of being able to hold the executives accountable, and also with three arts representatives, it increases the chances that you’ll have someone who’s more well-versed in equity compared to the AUS president, which can vary substantially from year-to-year,” Partridge said.

AUS Legislative Council will next meet on March 14 in Leacock 232.

Commentary, Opinion

Montreal needs to improve public transit accessibility

by Abeer Almahdi on

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Fifty-two years since the Société de transport de Montréal (STM)—then called the Commission de transport de Montréal—unveiled the Montreal metro, the system still excludes wheelchair users. The STM is a public corporation that runs Montreal’s public bus and metro systems. However, two thirds of commuters in the Greater Montreal community still travel by car. The issue is not that Montrealers are somehow more inclined toward cars—it’s that a lot of Montrealers have no choice, due to public transit’s lack of accessibility.

The STM has some dedicated services for accessibility, such as elevators, ramps, and paratransit, which is door-to-door public transit for handicapped citizens. However, the system falls extremely short from adequately serving the one in 10 Quebecers with a disability. According to the STM website, only 12 out of 68 metro stations are wheelchair-accessible, and they are all on the Orange Line. The remaining three lines—blue, green, and yellow—are completely inaccessible to wheelchair users. The STM plans to have 31 accessible stations by 2022, but that is still only 31 out of 68 stations—meaning that much of Montreal will still be out of reach for wheelchair users. Montreal mayor Valérie Plante’s proposal for an entirely new metro line emphasizes that all 29 new stations will be wheelchair accessible, but that does little for the handicapped Quebecers trying to navigate the STM system today.

Freedom of mobility is a huge element of the right to individual autonomy. By rendering much of the transit system inaccessible to those in wheelchairs and compromising these individuals’ autonomy, STM is violating the rights of people with reduced mobility, making it inherently ableist.

Above ground is not much better. In addition to the lack of elevators to access the metro, many wheelchair users report that the bus ramps are often out of order. Even if the ramps work properly, poor snow removal in the winter leaves them useless if the ramp cannot lie flat. According to official reports by the STM, ramps are supposed to be inspected once a month, but a Montreal Gazette feature on transit accessibility reports maintenance work happening once every four months, or less. Paratransit also proves to be extremely limiting: According to the Gazette, services must be booked a day in advance, leaving wheelchair users without the privilege of making spontaneous or last-minute travel.

By rendering much of the transit system inaccessible to those in wheelchairs and compromising these individuals’ autonomy, STM is violating the rights of people with reduced mobility, making it inherently ableist.

Having to plan every single move or activity days in advance is not a burden that most citizens of Montreal have to deal with. Most Montrealers do not have to think twice whether their local metro stop has an elevator. McGill station currently does not have an elevator, leaving many students with reduced mobility limited choice in lodging, since they cannot rely on the metro. The city has been designed in a way that alienates an entire community of people.

The city of Montreal and the STM must consult and include disabled people and groups in policy creation and design of public space in order to achieve inclusivity. The people who know best how to make the city more accessible are those who it actually need it. The number of accessible metro stations will not be sufficient until all of them are wheelchair-friendly from street level.

Improving accessible transport is a challenge for every modern city, but Montreal can look to other cities for best practices. Washington, D.C. is a leading example: All 91 of the city’s subway stations are fully accessible, as well as all of its buses and rail cars.

From the outdoor staircases that render some apartments unreachable, to the city’s public transit system, Montreal has a long way to go in improving access for those with reduced mobility throughout the city. If Montreal wants to report greater usage of and satisfaction with its public transit, it must thoroughly address issues of accessibility with the pressing priority that they deserve.

McGill, News

McGill to offer workshops on cannabis production and quality control

by Laura Oprescu on

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In anticipation of the Canadian federal government’s plan to vote on Bill C-45, which would  legalize the sale and recreational use of cannabis, the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the School of Continuing Studies will offer two full-day workshops on medical cannabis production on May 1 and 2. The workshops will take place at McGill’s MacDonald Campus, and will focus on extraction technologies, separation and identification techniques, and the environmental factors that impact the cannabis growth cycle.

According to Varoujan Yaylayan, Chair of the Departmental of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, the workshops are essential for students hoping to work in the expanding medical cannabis industry.

“The information will be useful as a general background for those who already have practical know-how in the field of natural product chemistry,” Yaylayan said. “There are no plans for workshops on social, legal or recreational aspects of cannabis.”

Many other Canadian post-secondary institutions intend to adopt cannabis-related curricular programs, including Durham College, New Brunswick Community College, Niagara College, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. While McGill will be focusing on the technical aspects of industrial cannabis growth, other schools will focus on training participants to apply their prior education to the cannabis industry and to destigmatize the use of the drug.

Debbie Johnston, dean of the School of Continuing Education at Durham College, has seen firsthand how applicable the college’s workshops are for students going into the cannabis industry.

“There is currently a particularly strong demand for quality assurance and quality control experts [in the cannabis industry], as well as for horticulturalists,” Johnston said. “[Licensed producers] are looking for individuals who not only have a core area of expertise, such as accounting, but who also have at least a basic understanding of the cannabis industry. This is what Durham’s two-day course is designed to provide.”

According to Johnston, education plays a pivotal role in normalizing cannabis use.

“Social stigmas often arise from misunderstanding or lack of information,” Johnston said. “To overcome the stigma that surrounds cannabis, education based on accurate facts is key. Legal limitations to date have restricted how much research could be conducted. As more and more research becomes available, education will expand.”

Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor estimates that if the bill passes, provinces may need up to 12 weeks to prepare for retail sales. The legalization of cannabis could be finalized in August at the very earliest, though some estimate that it could take until October.

McGill has not yet released an official cannabis policy, but according to Doug Sweet, director of Internal Communications, McGill’s new smoking policy, which includes plans to enforce a smoking ban on McGill campuses, will extend to cannabis use.

“The government’s proposed legislation, introduced last November, would ban smoking marijuana on all university and school campuses across Quebec,” Sweet said. “McGill is waiting to see if the final version of the Quebec government’s legislation will require any tweaking of our present policy, or whether the campus bans will remain in that final version.”

McGill’s smoking ban will go into effect on May 1, with the goal of making campus entirely smoke-free by 2023.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Fokus Film Festival showcases its 12th year of student filmmaking

by Kevin Vogel on

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For the past 12 years, the Fokus Film Festival has served as a showcase for student filmmaking in the Montreal community. On Feb. 23, Student TV at McGill (TVM) presented the annual film festival at Cinema du Parc before a panel of professors and film connoisseurs alike. Despite technical difficulties, which set the starting time back by roughly a half-hour, the festival effectively spotlighted some of the incredible filmmaking talent present on McGill campus.

“This festival serves as one of the few opportunities available to students who are interested in practical filmmaking,” Dorsai Ranjbari, executive coordinator for the festival and VP External for TVM, told The McGill Tribune. In the absence of a fully-fledged program for students who want to study film production or other visual arts, she believes that extracurriculars like Fokus are vital in giving people the chance “to experience this whole process of bringing something to life and then screening it on the big screen to receive feedback from the judges and audience.”

The festival’s lineup ranged in categories from drama and comedy to a unique 72-hour film competition, where participants worked within a three-day period to make the best short possible based on the theme “On Second Thought.”

The festival featured an amalgamation of exceptional works. Intro to Home Accounting (winner of the People’s Choice and Best Comedy awards), by Callum Sheedy, Ryan Hammond, and Mei Lin Harrison, tells the charming tale of a stay-at-home husband trying to make ends meet so that he can treat his wife to the nice bottle of red wine she deserves. Everyone’s a Robot in 2049 (winner of the Best Animation award) by Abi Quinlan (U3 Cultural Studies) takes a quirky bunch of friends on an animated adventure full of twists, futuristic cars, and, of course, robots. In the experimental category, “The Last Take” by Lyna Khellef (U2 History) draws its inspiration from Japanese classics to take its viewers through the irony-filled experience of filmmakers trying to get the last shot of their movie just right.

“It was an awesome opportunity to work with such an amazing cast and crew,” Khellef said. “I’ll always cherish the memory [of making this film].”

Khellef cited McGill’s own Yuriko Furuhata, associate professor in the Department of East Asian Studies,  and her Japanese cinema class as motivation for creating and submitting the film to Fokus.

Planning the event each year begins with the coordinators calling for submissions. Any student or young filmmaker in Montreal is eligible to submit their work provided it has a run time under 15 minutes. According to Ranjbari, eight coordinators work together to select the final set of films and ensure that any chosen video meets appropriate requirements on quality, equity guidelines, and time restrictions. From there, the rest of the organizing process goes into compiling the films into a viewable format for festival day.

Just like in years past, the Fokus Film Festival’s 2018 iteration proved to be an exciting venue for a diverse array of talents, highlighting the passion brought to the table by McGill’s local content creators.

“We encourage everyone to reach out to TVM if they are interested in filmmaking,” Ranjbari said. “If they are looking for more experience, if they want to have hands-on practice, we have a lot of different resources.”

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