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Student Life

A day in the life of a car commuter at McGill: The perils of parking, tickets, and traffic

by Janine Xu on

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A walk through the Milton-Parc neighbourhood during the morning rush to class comes with countless stressors. When pushing past droves of slow walkers and dodging traffic on University Street, it can feel like the entire student body is travelling by foot, and they’re all in your way. However, according to a 2011 McGill Transportation Survey, 17 per cent of students travel to campus by car during the winter. And for them, commuting comes with a whole new set of challenges.

Melissa Paris St-Amour, U3 Environment, is no stranger to this reality. During the 2016-17 school year, she often drove her car between her home, downtown, and the MacDonald campus. St-Amour frequently faced many issues when driving to school, including navigating downtown traffic and hunting for street parking. Despite these challenges, taking her car was often more convenient than traveling via public transit, with the closest metro station to her home being a 20-minute bus ride away.

“I used to take my car a lot, but [now] with all the construction, it’s almost impossible,” St-Amour said. “The traffic is insane. You never know which streets are blocked […and] it’s very slippery.”

Though convenient for students living in areas with limited public transit, driving in Montreal is no easy feat. Traffic conditions during rush hour can be hectic, and the roads can be downright dangerous in the wintertime. After moving to Laval, and closer to a metro station, St-Amour says that she has stopped driving her car to school altogether.

“[Now], the nearest metro [station from my house] is Montmorency [in] Laval,” St-Amour said. “I prefer taking the metro, [as] it would take me about the same time [.…] It’s about 45 minutes [by metro], and 40 minutes with my car, but I have to [park and] pay for parking.”

Athar Qureshi, U3 Engineering, also commutes to school by car from time to time when he’s not biking or busing from his home in the Plateau. While he prefers biking to school, Qureshi drives if he needs to go somewhere else during the day. However, doing so comes with a large price.

“I live in the Mile End so, for me, it’s easy to commute to school,” Qureshi said. “I [mostly] bike because it’s faster than taking the bus […] I [also] pay $125 a month for two [parking] spots [in the Milton-Parc neighbourhood].”

Parking is another issue McGill students must take into consideration when deciding to drive to school. Getting a parking permit for one of McGill’s parking lots by McIntyre, Bronfman, Burnside, Education, and Sherbrooke 680 buildings are competitive for both students and staff. Permits are only issued to those who satisfy certain criteria, including those who live in an area where public transit is limited, are pregnant, or requiring parking due to extenuating circumstances. And, though Qureshi’s monthly fee seems steep, McGill parking lots are even higher. For students, permits add up to $571 per semester, or $200 per month.

In order to bypass these costs, commuters like Qureshi and St-Amour have to park off campus instead, meaning they need to get downtown earlier than the average student.

“[Students] who normally drive to school park in the ghetto,” Qureshi said. “[Spots start filling up] from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., depending on where your classes are. If you’re parking in the ghetto, there’s free parking on the edge of every street.”

While free parking is available, spots are usually extremely competitive. Students unwilling to compete with others for an off-campus parking spot or pay for expensive parking passes may consider alternative means.

“Lots of students I know that occasionally drive in will park their cars illegally in McGill parking lots,” Qureshi said. “McGill parking will give them citations but no actual fine. But every once in awhile the city cops come [and give] you a ticket. A lot of people will play this gamble. I myself have done that in the past and eventually I got a ticket, so I stopped.”

From hefty fines to long traffic lines, driving to school is a burdensome process that leaves many students wondering what their other options are.

“I don’t think commuting [by car] is ideal,” Qureshi said. “It can [take a lot of time] and parking can be competitive [….] But I don’t [really] have a choice.”

Commentary, Opinion

Students have the power to effect change in Quebec through political volunteerism

by Matthew McLaughlin on

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The importance of youth involvement in politics was evident to me well before I started my studies at McGill. The mayor of my hometown–Moncton, New Brunswick–once told me, “I hear from a lot of older people, every day. Unfortunately, I don’t hear from many young people […] and yet every decision that we make will impact [them] much more than anyone else.”

I arrived in Montreal several months ago with no knowledge of the city’s idiosyncratic political system, but this did not discourage me from getting involved. A Google search educated me on the borough system and the various parties competing in the November 2017 municipal election. My views most aligned with those of Projet Montréal, a party created in 2004 by environmentalists focused on sustainable development. Shortly after filling out a form on Projet Montréal’s website, I received an email detailing the ways in which I could help out. Just a few days later, I found myself canvassing Montreal with candidates, knocking on doors and handing out flyers. I soon realized how valuable the experience would be to me, and why all McGill students should pursue personal and professional growth by seeking out similar opportunities.

There is a perceived barrier to entry for youth seeking to become involved in the political world, and we students must dispel it. Many who come to McGill from elsewhere unconsciously trap themselves inside the “McGill bubble.” As deadlines loom and work piles up, students feel less and less motivated to venture far from campus. But, this behaviour insulates McGillians from all that the rest of Montreal has to offer. Through political volunteerism, students can see parts of the city that they otherwise would never think to visit, all while effecting change in their community and building a better future.

According to LinkedIn, 70 per cent of new hires in 2016 found employment at companies where they had a previous connection. An exciting chance to shine for some, a necessary evil for others, networking is indisputably an integral part of the professional world. In light of such statistics, all students would be wise to start building their respective networks as early as possible. Political volunteerism is an excellent way of accomplishing this: Working on a campaign is a great avenue to meet influential and inspiring people, including many native Montrealers who can share opportunities and provide new perspectives on the city. However, the benefits extend far beyond making new friends and netting LinkedIn connections.

Valérie Plante’s victory marked the first election in the city’s 375-year history of a woman to the office of mayor. [….] I certainly took some pride in the small role I played in determining the outcome.

Grassroots political work actually does have a huge impact on election outcomes, especially in municipal elections, which have small electorates relative to those in provincial and federal politics. Going door-to-door during the 2017 Montreal municipal election campaign, I felt that my conversations genuinely impacted the perspectives of many of the people I spoke with; I was surprised by the number of voters who changed their minds or solidified their views after talking with me. Importantly, my age wasn’t an impediment to my work. If anything, it was a boon. Since youth are underrepresented in Montreal politics, simply having a young person on the campaign trail is refreshing for all involved, and contributes to a wider diversity of voices shaping the city’s future.

Valérie Plante’s victory marked the first election in the city’s 375-year history of a woman to the office of mayor. A charismatic, progressive, and strong woman now occupies the highest public office of Montreal. I certainly took some pride in the small role I played in determining the outcome. Although the city will not have another municipal election until 2021, Quebec is gearing up for an provincial election in October 2018, bringing more opportunities for student involvement in local political campaigns. Polls show support for the incumbent Liberal Party–which has held power for 13 of the past 15 years–is quickly slipping, making the lead-up to this election particularly interesting. There may be significant opportunity for students to impact its outcome.

McGill students can shape Quebec. Our university is full of Canada’s brightest, most ambitious, hardest-working activists—students ready to make their mark. No matter where a student is from, and regardless of whether they stay in Montreal after graduation, their voice is valuable in supporting whichever candidate they believe is best posed to improve the fascinating city and beautiful province in which we’re privileged to study. The benefits of involvement are enormous. It’s time for students to move beyond the McGill bubble and get involved in the upcoming provincial election.

 

Matthew McLaughlin is in U0 studying Management at McGill. He volunteered for Valérie Plante’s 2017 mayoral campaign.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]
Baseball, Sports

As one former Expo enters the Hall, chances look slim for another

by Gabe Nisker on

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For only the fourth time in Baseball Hall of Fame history, members of the Baseball Writers Association of America elected four players to the Hall on Jan. 24, as Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman, and Vladimir Guerrero all found themselves on the right end of a phone call. Guerrero, one of three former Montreal Expos on the ballot, both pleased and disappointed Expos fans: He made it into the Hall, but subsequently chose to don a Los Angeles Angels cap on his plaque—becoming the first player from that storied franchise to do so.

Although Guerrero found his rightful place in the Hall of Fame, former Expos and Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker was not so fortunate. Even having received his highest-ever vote percentage on this ballot—at a shade over 34 per cent—time is running out for the Canadian-born outfielder to make it over the three-quarters of the vote barrier for admission to the Hall. Only two of his 10 years of eligibility remain, so Canadian baseball fans have already turned their attention to next year’s ballot, as they help to promote his cause.

Walker ranks among the Canadian greats: The first Canadian player to win Most Valuable Player in MLB history, he now holds the position of Team Canada hitting coach. His contributions to baseball have extended beyond his wonderful playing years and they merit recognition in the ultimate way. Yet, although Walker deserves his place in Cooperstown, his prospects look grim. With two years to go, the support that comes from here on out looks to be too little, too late for the Canadian outfielder, as he likely becomes yet another worthy candidate to fall victim to a stuffed ballot.

For one, Jay Jaffe, Sports Illustrated’s in-house Hall-of-Fame expert, noted that no eighth-year candidate with voting percentages that low has ever been elected. This includes the players elected under the previous voting system, which allowed them to remain on the ballot for up to 15 years. Even considering his well-rounded statistical case, Walker’s lack of writer support is no mystery.

With a troublingly small 10-vote limit, every voter finds ways to cut their ballot down. To do so, they lean on silly narratives that have nothing to do with the player’s actual baseball skills—sometimes keeping deserving players on the outside looking in. For Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, voters cite steroid use, even though Bud Selig—the commissioner of baseball who let steroid use run rampant under his watch—was elected into the Hall of Fame last year.

Walker’s narratives aren’t quite as simple. In a column dissecting Walker’s candidacy, Jaffe pointed out that Walker totalled over 72 Wins Above Replacement (WAR)—baseball’s go-to statistic to measure a player’s value. That mark is the 11th best by any right fielder in league history. All 10 ahead of him are Hall-of-Famers.

Instead, the old-school baseball community prefers “eye test” metrics and simple counting stats, both of which do not tell Walker’s full story. This means the tremendous value Walker added elsewhere—particularly his baserunning and defence, both accounted for in WAR—has gone unrecognized. Unfortunately, while the old-school community discounts the new-fangled numbers, the new-school community has trouble overcoming the Coors effect, an overblown theory that the high altitude and the thin air boost hitting statistics. On top of that, neither party takes a look at his extensive contributions to Canadian baseball.

Walker grew up wanting to play hockey, but his baseball success inspired many young Canadians to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Walker will find any more success on next year’s writer’s ballot than he did this time around.

Science & Technology

Arctic environments could yield clues about life on other planets

by Sihara Wickremasinghe on

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A research team led by Professor Lyle Whyte and post-doctoral fellow Jacqueline Goordial from McGill’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences has explored using low-cost, low-mass, and currently-available microbiological instruments to detect signs of life in astrobiological missions on other planets.

Published in the December 2017 issue of Frontiers in Microbiology, Whyte and Goordial’s study employed various devices, such as the MinION nucleic acid sequencer, to test for compounds that characterize life—specifically DNA and RNA—in one of Earth’s harshest climates: The Canadian High Arctic. The region’s permafrost, as well as the nutrient-poor soil found in the Arctic, are representational of the harsh environments found on celestial bodies like Mars, Europa, or Enceladus.

Instruments designed to detect alien life need to be able to identify it in small quantities and in nutrient-poor environments. Technologies that can only detect life in rich soils, for example, would not be effective on a planet like Mars.

For this reason, testing samples from areas generally thought to be uninhabitable by most life forms–like the Canadian High Arctic in Whyte and Goordial’s study–is important for one day being able to detect alien life on nutrient-poor planets. The team extracted samples from Arctic polygonal terrain permafrost—a type of patterned landscape which, coincidentally, is also found on Mars.

“This type of permafrost collected [polygon terrain] has dips in it and where you have these dips, you have ice wedges underneath the ground,” Isabelle Raymond-Bouchard, a postdoctoral researcher in microbiology in Whyte’s lab, told The McGill Tribune.

Raymond-Bouchard further explained why DNA and RNA are the best channels for detecting life. In contrast to many other molecules that are associated with living organisms, nucleic acids are only found in life forms.

“The instruments [currently used] on the [space] rovers are able to detect some organic molecules and maybe some amino acids but these can be created through abiotic processes,” Raymond-Bouchard said. “Just because you have those, it doesn’t mean you have life. That’s why we’re interested in looking at DNA and RNA; they are unambiguous signs you have life.”

Currently, nucleic acid sequencing units are huge, making them difficult to transport into space. However, smaller instruments, such as the Oxford Nanopore MinION for nucleic acid detection and sequencing, already exist and are an excellent alternative.

“[The MinION nucleic acid sequencer] is smaller than your cellphone in volume and weight,” said Ianina Altshuler, one of the authors of the study and a PhD candidate in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at McGill. “We’re trying to push the limits of this technology to see what it can do.”

The team’s end goal is to create a life-detection platform small enough for use in outer space.

“The idea is that we can integrate different components, including the MinION sequencer, together into this platform that would be light, not too large, have low energy requirements and would fit on a space rover,” Raymond-Bouchard said.

The components of such a platform—such as nucleic acid extractors, isolators, and sequencers—could be swapped on and off the rover depending on the requirements of the mission.

At the moment, the individual experimental instruments of a platform like this would have to be used separately, due to intermediary steps that require human attention such as the tagging of extracted RNA before it can enter a sequencing machine. An automated system requiring only the input of a sample by a rover has yet to be developed. Such a system would allow nucleic acids to be detected onsite, rather than requiring a lab for analysis, saving both time and money and potentially accelerating progress in the search for alien life.

The team plans to go back to the Canadian High Arctic to test more samples using other miniature devices. Collecting samples from even harsher climates on Earth, like Antarctica, are a potential next step.

News

McGill recognized as number two school for efforts in sustainability

by Tali Zuckerman on

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McGill continues to hold the title of the second most sustainable university in Canada, as reported by Corporate Knights magazine, which rates organizations across the country by their sustainability. McGill earned a total score of 75 per cent on Oct. 30, which was based on 13 environmental indicators including the number of green building spaces on its campus and sustainable investments in its portfolio. McGill’s score was one per cent behind the University of Calgary and three per cent above Wilfrid Laurier University.

One of the most heavily-weighed factors in the ranking was food sustainability. As the magazine explains, buying locally reduces pollution from transportation. As McGill’s Food and Dining Services reports, at least 75 per cent of its produce is farmed locally during the summer, 50 per cent during the fall, and 25 per cent during the spring. McGill also became the first Canadian university to receive certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which identifies organizations that support sustainable fishing and fish farming practices.

McGill is also widely recognized for its initiatives in fair trade foods, another key element of the Corporate Knight’s ranking system. In February 2017, McGill was chosen out of 21 competing universities to receive the 2016 Fair Trade Canada Campus of the Year Award for its continued support for fair trade products and practices.

Fair trade practices refer to considering the environmental and social factors behind food production. Roddick Roast, McGill’s own coffee blend sourced from small fair trade farms in Mexico, is an example of this.

“Once you see a fair trade label on a product you know that it came from a fair trade certified farm and that the proper price was paid for it and that all the actions were properly audited,” Fair Trade Executive Director Julie Francoeur said. “It’s also a development tool, how do we generate impact over time in those communities?”

Another important factor in the ranking was how environmentally sustainable the structural design of buildings was. McGill scored well in this category because it has received the gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a certification based on a building’s resource efficiency and environmental quality. McGill’s Life Sciences Complex is the only university-owned laboratory in Quebec that has received the LEED gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council. The McGill Health Centre’s Glen site is also the first hospital in Quebec to receive a LEED gold certification. Carmen Lampron, director of the Life Sciences Complex, described how buildings that meet the LEED certification requirements have long-lasting, quality materials and healthier employees.

“Building a LEED building is more expensive than building a regular building, but over years you will gain in your costs for operation, [and you are being] a good citizen,” Carmen Lampron, director of the Life Sciences Complex, said.

McGill also sponsors numerous student-led environmental initiatives on campus through the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF). Launched in 2010, the SPF is one of the largest funds for sustainable projects in North America, awarding more than $5.5 million to over 170 projects thus far.

“What’s really unique [about the SPF] is that students become project managers,” Toby Davine, communications officer at the McGill Office of Sustainability, said. “Those students that apply to lead a project get to set the budget, they get to hire people, and see a project from start to finish which gives them a certain level of independence and autonomy. It’s really centered on student learning. [It] allows students to take what they learned in the classroom and apply it […] to something that they really care about.”

In an effort to improve its environmental performance, McGill launched its Climate and Sustainability Action Plan on Dec. 1. By the year 2040, McGill aims to become carbon neutral. With the current drive for environmental sustainability within the McGill community, Toby Davine believes that this is possible.

“I think that carbon neutrality is definitely a challenge, but if we weren’t challenging ourselves, there’s no point,” Davine said.

McGill, News

McGill holds forum to discuss inclusivity and respectful debate on campus

by Tianyu Zhang on

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On Jan. 24, the Principal’s Task Force on Respect and Inclusion in Campus Life held an open forum for students, faculty, and staff to voice their opinions and suggestions regarding campus inclusivity. The task force, which was announced in an email on Oct. 25 2017, is mandated to hold consultations with the McGill community and deliver a final report to the McGill Senate with recommendations about how to promote academic freedom and inclusiveness on campus.

The open forum was streamed online, and viewers were invited to provide their input to the task force’s administrators via email. It was divided into three main rounds of discussion: Defining campus inclusion, brainstorming methods of improving inclusion, and suggesting tangible plans for the administration.

 

Faculty and students’ attempt to define inclusion and respect

John Poliquin, staffing manager at McGill Human Resources, moderated the first discussion about the inclusivity of McGill’s environment. Laila Parsons, associate professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies, opened debate by criticizing the administration’s response to the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which advocates against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

“The BDS is a normal method of activism, [and] the University’s condemnation of the BDS exacerbated the tensions,” Parsons said.

Morley Kert, U2 Engineering, attended the first debate, and agreed that the discussion surrounding BDS on campus could be more inclusive.

“On one hand, I agree with the fact that McGill shouldn’t be condemning activism, but on the other hand, McGill should promote open forums like this so people who have different opinions can debate their ideas,” Kert said.

 

Suggestions for actionable plans to make campus more inclusive

Fatima Anjum, a Faculty of Law student, moderated the second discussion.

Kert shared their belief that McGill should continue to host one-on-one debates and open discussion events similar to the task force forum.

“Open debates and confrontations with people who have different views make us stronger and better prepared for the real world,” Kert said. “We are still young and developing, there is no need to take firm stances on our beliefs in this stage of our lives.”

The discussion shifted its focus toward the limits of free speech. Some audience members defended their right to speak freely, and criticized initiatives like Rez Projects—mandatory training workshops on diversity and inclusion for students living in McGill residences—for imposing restrictions on free speech. Others argued that unregulated freedom of speech harms minority students.

“There is a reason why we don’t invite people like Donald Trump or Jordan Peterson [to speak at McGill],” Arno Pedram, U3 Arts, said. “The level of debate needs to be limited when dealing with extremists, and the question of free speech always has to balance with [concerns about] security.”

 

Administration collects feedback from students

Assistant Professor David Theodore of Mcgill’s School of Architecture moderated the third discussion, during which students could directly communicate with faculty. Many participants requested for professors to provide their course syllabi before semesters begin to simplify the add/drop period.

The forum concluded with closing remarks by Nandini Ramanujam, executive director at the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism.

“Many of you would like to have more of an enabling environment for inclusive, respective dialogue [and] conversations, looking in the eye, one-on-one conversations,” Ramanujam said. “We are all McGill, so we all have a responsibility to make McGill a better place. [But] of course the administration will take your comments and suggestions very seriously.”

The task force will continue to receive email suggestions on how to improve campus inclusivity until March 30.

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