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a, Opinion

Commentary: Improving access to organ transplants

by Justin Hatherly on

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Every year, thousands of Canadians endure immense suffering waiting for organ transplants.  Despite encouragement from the government and civil society groups, the number of organs donated is inadequate to meet the need.  For example, in 2013, over 4,500 Canadians were waiting for a kidney, which is the most commonly transplanted organ. To ameliorate this shortage, which extends to all organs, the federal government should legalize and regulate the market for organs

While it is understandable that many would be uncomfortable with treating organs like commodities, this should not obscure the fact that given the mass shortage in available organs for transplant, the trade will inevitably continue. The shortage of organs results in a global black market that disproportionately affects the poor, who sell their kidneys without being able to access the service for themselves.

Almost every other country has prohibitions like Canada’s; however, in Iran, selling one's kidney is legal. The regulation of the kidney market is not complete. In the official market, there are still wait times, but the prices are regulated. Yet at the same time it is legal for donors to ask for a higher price. Canada should learn from the failures in Iran’s policy to ensure that a legal organ market is regulated so as to ensure that it is not just the poorest parts of society selling their organs—an open market should be accompanied by an increase in pro bono donations.

The status quo is failing. The huge need for organ transplants in Canada is not being met by voluntary donations. According to The Kidney Foundation of Canada (TKFC), over 23,000 Canadians were on dialysis in 2010, an expensive procedure that places a heavy mental and physical burden on patients. Additionally, the number of Canadians who will need organ transplants is poised to grow larger.  According to TKFC, 16 Canadians are told they have kidney failure daily.  In 2010, 82 Canadians died waiting for a transplant. There is therefore a need to increase the supply to meet growing demand for transplants.

The cost of dialysis—which for patients suffering from kidney failure is medically necessary—is approximately $60,000 per year. In contrast a transplant only costs $23,000, plus $6,000 per year in medication.  A greater number of transplants would save the health system an immense amount of money, and provide a higher standard of living for patients.

The status quo is failing. The huge need for organ transplants in Canada is not being met by voluntary donations.

Thus, the solution to dealing with the shortage would be to legalize and regulate the trade. While kidneys can be donated by living donors, donors could be compensated for other organs posthumously. After all, it seems illogical to argue that voluntary donations are good yet doing the same thing for monetary compensation is bad. A regulated market would also ensure that the decision to donate is made with all available information and resources of the government. Many still argue that allowing people to receive compensation for organ donations could lead to exploitation of the poor who may feel compelled to sell organs because of financial difficulty; however, a 2010 survey from the University of Pennsylvania found that while monetary compensation increased the likelihood of donating an organ, the effect was the same regardless of socioeconomic status. It also found that the monetary incentive did not affect the number of people willing to donate for free. A regulated market would make organ transplants more available and more equitable by ensuring that the poor have as much access to transplants as the rich, who can pay or travel to receive their transplants.The government could also ensure access to transplants for poorer Canadians by offering to purchase organs that could be reserved for low income individuals who need a transplant.

There is no way to stop the organ trade. As long as people need organs to save their lives, and others are willing to sell them, a market will exist. The best that the government can do is to bring the trade out of the shadows, to ensure the safety of all participants.  Though many may be uneasy with the notion of legalized organ sales, the fact remains that people are dying because they don’t have access to lifesaving treatments.  We should not let fellow citizens suffer and even face death when so many others are willing to donate.

NFL Fantasy Football
a, Football, Sports

Week 4: Fantasy Football takeaways

by Josh Blatt on

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Unemployment offices across the U.S. will have more work this week, as a number of NFL kickers got the boot after some shocking performances. Week 4 saw 14 missed field goals and four missed extra points, many of which decided the outcome of close fantasy matchups. It was an otherwise quiet week, as top receivers put together some under-the-radar performances. Here’s the rest of your fantasy football roundup:

A Bronco that lost its legs

Undrafted free agent C.J. Anderson emerged as an elite running back for the Denver Broncos last season and was hyped up as a smart fantasy pick in the off-season. Through four weeks, however, the former California Golden Bear has rushed for a paltry 117 yards with no touchdowns. The disappointing production has cleared the way for Ronnie Hillman. The fourth-year player has been the Broncos best back and is poised to get the starting gig. With Anderson quickly slipping into fantasy irrelevance, selling low while you can might be your best option.

Dolphins poached across the pond

Fourth-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill was blitzed all game behind a shaky offensive line in the Miami Dolphins’ loss to the New York Jets at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Tannehill has been a serviceable fantasy quarterback to this point but his value will fluctuate week to week so long as Miami’s line continues to struggle. Fortunately for the team’s skill-position players, Head Coach Joe Philbin, who has overseen the Fins almost completely abandon the run game, was fired Monday morning. Heading into their Week 5 bye, Tannehill and his teammates will look to work out their kinks. Expect increased production and a few more fantasy points from the Miami backfield in Week 6.

The Duke of Cleveland

Cleveland Browns’ rookie running back Duke Johnson Jr. was a fantasy sleeper coming into the season. He finally woke upin Week 4. The Browns coaching staff followed through on their promise to increase Johnson’s touches and the versatile back went off for nine catches, 85 yards, and a touchdown. While Johnson’s rushing stats over the past four weeks are nothing to write home about, his receiving abilities separate him from fellow halfback Isaiah Crowell. Johnson even got the nod over Crowell on a late goal line attempt on Sunday. With the Browns expecting to trail in many games going forward, Duke Johnson Jr. should prove to be an asset in points-per-reception (PPR) leagues with plenty of growing upside as his usage rises.

A Jet doomed for descent

After three seasons in Chicago, wide receiver Brandon Marshall fled for the Big Apple and joined the Jets receiving corps. Lingering ankle issues and a punctured lung brought an early end to Marshall’s roller coaster 2014 season. With a competent quarterback this year in Ryan Fitzpatrick, the 31-year-old Marshall has silenced whispers that his best days are behind him and has dominated with three touchdowns and an average 100 receiving yards per game. Marshall was a huge steal for those who drafted the wideout in the middle rounds as their second or third receiver; however, it’s fair to question whether Marshall can maintain this level of play. Fitzpatrick has a history of regressing, demonstrated in his short tenures at his previous five NFL teams, and Marshall has always been injury-prone. It may be worthwhile to field some trade offers for the wide receiver while his value is sky-high.

Gurley ramming through the defence

Returning from a 2014 ACL surgery, St Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley carried the load in Sunday’s 24-22 upset of the Arizona Cardinals. The rookie rushed 21 times, amassing 161 all-purpose yards despite a poor performance from his offensive line. Aside from showing off his legs and vision all afternoon, Gurley demonstrated some acute football IQ on the final drive, when he stayed in bounds and kept the clock running and gave himself up when defenders approached. Look for Gurley to be used early and often in next week’s meeting with the undefeated Green Bay Packers and their vulnerable run defence.

Tom Brady
a, Football, Sports

Old dogs, new tricks: How Tom Brady evolved past NFL competition

by Joe Khammar on

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In his 15th season in the NFL, Tom Brady still manages to shatter every misconception about him. After the New England Patriots’ disastrous loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 of last season the press was calling for Brady’s head. His critics were saying that he was too old, that he couldn’t throw deep, and that the Patriots need a fresh approach. In response, Brady won the Super Bowl and has remained one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Through the first three weeks of the 2015 season, Brady’s stat line is nine touchdowns, zero interceptions, 72.2 per cent completion rate, and a 119.6 quarterback rating.

At 38 years old, the sixth round draft pick has remained effective because he is willing to evolve his approach to the game. Funnily enough, this old dog has incorporated two small yet very important new tricks into his throwing mechanics: He pivots more with his hips and has lowered his release point.

In looking at Brady’s 2014 game tapes, it’s clear that his release point was a good two feet over his helmet. A typical 2014 Brady pass looked something like this:

His knees are nearly locked straight and in doing so he removes his lower body from the pass, resulting in less momentum and force in his throws.  

Compare him to the NFL’s best quarterback Aaron Rodgers and it is immediately noticeable how Rodgers more so incorporates his hips into his throwing motion. This brings physics on the Green Bay quarterback’s side and helps him throw the ball with velocity every time he drops back.

When Rodgers takes his shot downfield, he turns his whole body through his hips with the throw and delivers a phenomenally accurate strike for the touchdown

The second thing to pick up on in Brady’s 2014 game tape is that his release point is two feet above his head, lessening the power that his wrist provides on the release. When releasing the ball, the wrist should create a snapping motion, which is instrumental in generating tight spirals and velocity on quick passes. An outstretched arm makes it more difficult to replicate the snapping motion and hampers the quarterback, who has to rely on his arm strength to generate power. This, combined with his locked legs, resulted in weaker passes.

In comparison, Rodgers releases the football from a lower point than Brady. He lets the ball go from around his ear. This does two things: It helps him use the motion of his wrist to generate more velocity and accuracy and it allows him to get the ball out of his hands quicker. This is because  the passing motion takes a lot less time when the release point is closer to the ear.

Over the off-season, Brady must have worked non-stop because he's looked phenomenal throwing the ball in 2015.

His 400th touchdown pass demonstrates a quicker, more economical motion that takes valuable time off his pass.—a quarter of a second can be the difference between being sacked or throwing for a touchdown. Perhaps this has contributed to Brady taking two fewer sacks after four weeks in 2015 than in 2014 at the same point.

Brady, however, has the seen the greatest improvement in his deep ball. By this point last year, Brady was 1 of 16 in deep passes according to NESN This is terrible, considering that a deep pass is defined as one that travels over 20 yards in the air. That means that Brady completed just one pass of more than 20 yards through four weeks in 2014. This year, Brady’s deep accuracy is near the top of the league, his throwing power looks stronger than ever, and he’s only getting started.  If he can continue to play at this pace, he won’t only have another historic season, but may be able to ride off into the sunset with a fifth Super Bowl ring.

Amazingly enough, Brady was able to do all of this in his 15th NFL season. By age 38 most quarterbacks are struggling to remain relevant. Brady, seemingly impervious to time, has managed to revamp the way he plays.

 

a, McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU to close club offices this month in space reallocation

by Aislinn Kalob on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Building will be vacated this month, with the space being redesigned into bookable rooms and storage space for clubs.  The plan includes two board rooms and one multi-purpose space, as well as desk space to be used for club office hours. The fourth floor will see an increase in generalized storage space, which Kimber Bialik, vice-president (VP) Clubs and Services hopes will accommodate more clubs and their storage needs.

“Last  year, there were 35 groups that had club office space, and one of my issues with club offices is that we have over 230 groups,” Bialik said. “We’re only able to offer space to about 30 of them every year, and it really depends on who’s able to get their application in the fastest, it’s kind of an arbitrary process.”

Bialik explained that the reason for the redistribution of space was to make the space allocation process for clubs more equitable.

“The fourth floor is supposed to be a community space for student groups,” Bialik said. “It’s really great for the 30 or so who get space every year, and then the other 200 get nothing.”

McGill Students for UNICEF is among the clubs who will no longer have an office.  Maud Schram, co-president of this club, was informed of the change by Bialik in late August. Club members hope the new arrangement will be enough to accommodate all of what they previously had stored in their office.

“We never hold meetings within the office anyway—we always have Lev Bukhman,” Schram said. “Realistically, we don’t need an office.  The only time that we use an office is for office hours. We’re just going to take the locker, because that’s what we need.  But we do have a lot of stuff, so hopefully [SSMU] can accommodate clubs that need smaller lockers, versus clubs that need a lot of room.”

Genevieve Riccoboni, president of the McGill Debating Union echoed this sentiment.

“Moving forward, [it] won’t really be a problem for us, as we largely use our office for storage and small meetings — and those things we can still do with the new arrangement,” Riccoboni said. “This past year we had a shared office anyway, so it was less private.”

According to Bialik, 60 per cent of SSMU clubs filled out a survey on space put out by SSMU Clubs and Services at the end of last semester, and identified the need for increased storage as a major concern. Nevertheless, Riccoboni stated that she felt that the change in space reallocation came suddenly.

“It would definitely have been nice if clubs were consulted about it,” said Riccoboni. “I feel like it […] would have been good to know about it a bit more in advance.”

Certain clubs will be keeping their offices in order to continue to serve students.  This includes the McGill Outdoors Club, Walksafe,  Drivesafe, Queer McGill, the Sexual Assault Center of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), and the McGill University Photography Students Society (MUPSS), whose offices are classified as specialized spaces.

“Services operate their spaces very differently from clubs,” Bialik explained. “Services have very regularly-staffed office hours, most of them are open as lounges; they have lending libraries in them, so they’re just completely different from how club offices [operate].  So all the services are maintaining their offices, and it’s just the club offices that are being transitioned into more generalizable club space.”

All clubs with an office on the fourth floor have been given a deadline of Thanksgiving weekend to completely vacate their offices, so that the space can be fully converted into storage and bookable meeting rooms.

a, Student Life, The Viewpoint

The Viewpoint: Restaurant O.NOIR

by Ariella Garmaise on

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Tucked away near the corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Prince Arthur Est, amid a row of trendy looking restaurants and shops, at first glance O.Noir appears ordinary. Charming wood-topped tables and minimalist place settings mark a quaint front patio, and a warm soft glow frames the pathway for the hostess to seat her tables; however, it is at this point that O.Noir diverts from the norm—the lobby is the only lit space in the entire restaurant. After selecting from a vague-sounding menu, customers are escorted to the pitch black dining hall where they can enjoy their meals without the hassle, or benefit, of sight. 

Total darkness is surprisingly terrifying, and the waiting staff is endearingly sensitive to this, preparing their diners for the adventure with patience and ease. The restaurant offers simple salmon and scallop meals for traditionalists, and mystery courses for the spontaneous; regardless, the suspense of eating before seeing is thrilling.  As customers order, tension bubbles, rising to a boil with the return of a menu. The hostess introduces the dinner party to their waiter for the evening with intense intimacy, for this person will be more than a server, but also a tour guide, a point of reference. 

“Our clients bond with our waiters because in the dark they depend on them,” explained manager Alejandro Martinez. “The connection is stronger than any other restaurant.”

The waiting staff is friendly and sweet; our server Sophie anticipated our excitement and made eye contact with each and everyone of us—it took a couple seconds to remember that Sophie, like all of O.Noir’s servers, is blind. This reminder creates a moment of tension. Sophie, however, was very comfortable with leading through unexplored terrain; it became clear that O.Noir is not about managing with limited senses, but about playing with heightened ones that compensate for the loss of sight.

I opted for the path of spontaneity and chose the mystery courses. My meals were arranged as mazes of texture, serving as a reminder that food is so much more interesting than the symmetrical presentation prioritized by new age food bloggers and Instagrammers. Consistency, heat, weight—senses that had never been triggered before are suddenly crucial. Slippery-smooth parsnip is juxtaposed with soft, warm roasted potatoes, and a sickly sweet caramelized apple tops the subtly salty duck confit. Taking a bite of each of these foods is a dance, spoonfuls no longer calculated moves so much as spontaneous jabs mid-plate. Eating is not a choreographed routine but a wild improvisation, bites of meat and salad jumping out at random. Dessert follows a similar pattern in jiving a myriad of surfaces. Banana Panna Cotta was sprinkled with a hazelnut and citrus crumble that provided bursts of crunch, although the sour yogurt overpowered the acidic garnish. The meal’s final performance was not perfect; the appetizer Veal Carpacio was prepared too thick, and the dessert’s sour yogurt overpowered the acidic garnish. However, it was the production that was most mesmerizing, an experience that is more about process than presentation

The senses required to navigate a meal at O.Noir expand the gustatory experience. Social interactions, usually guided by body motions like persistent eye contact or the tilt of a head, are suddenly derailed. Conversations are actually judged by their content, and listening skills are sharpened as you pay close attention for a stumble or treble in your dining partner’s voice. If this makes for an ideal blind date, it could also be subject for a bizarre social experiment. O.Noir plays dull elevator music over the chatter, a particular nuisance with our sense of hearing taking new importance in the dark. Still, it is exhilarating to listen to the world in a new way—the laughter of surrounding tables echo the room, forks scraping score the evening, and your own conversation survives without vision.

Montreal is renowned for fine cuisine, and while O.Noir might not offer a perfect meal, it does showcase an unparalleled adventure. 

“We have a culinary experience that is out of the ordinary, that focuses on taste rather than visuals,” Martinez beamed.

Bring a date, some friends, your parents visiting for the weekend; at the very least you will walk away with a good story to tell.

Love in the Afternoon
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Flashback: L’Amour L’Aprés Midi (1972)

by Nico Wada on

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Love in the Afternoon (L’Amour L’Après Midi) (1972) is the last of French New Wave director Eric Rohmer’s series of comedies known as the “Six Moral Tales.” Though Rohmer was initially overshadowed by big names in the French New Wave such as Chabrol, Godard, and Truffaut, he developed a name for himself with his distinctly realistic style. Rohmer praised cinema as a privileged art form, saying in an interview that films “most faithfully transcribe the beauty of the real world.” Rohmer’s keen cinematic eye brings a clear interpretation of reality to the screen, which serves as a refreshing juxtaposition to today’s highly stylized Hollywood films.  

The colourful characters in Love in the Afternoon give the film its unique charm. Rohmer’s style is to take archetypal figures—in this case the discontented married man, the bored housewife, and the seductive temptress—and transform them into complex individuals with blood pumping through their veins.  

The film’s hero is Frédéric (Bernard Verley), a pleasant business executive who almost resembles American Beauty’s Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) in his dissatisfaction with conjugal love and banal daily life. While his marriage to wife Hélène (Françoise Verley) consists of mutual respect and simplicity, Frédéric is nonetheless drawn to the sea of beautiful women passing through Paris on his daily commute to work. Observing the ladies sitting by him on the train, Frédéric remarks: “When I see a woman, I’m no longer able to classify her as easily among the chosen or the outcasts. I can’t recall on what criteria I based my judgment. What was that ‘something’ that a woman had to have to attract me and that I could detect at first glance?” 

Frédéric questions his decision to love Hélène when there exists a plethora of other women who may contain that same “something.”  As Rohmer’s films tend to delve into philosophical realms, he appears to be highlighting the tension between Hélène’s role as a wife and her role as a person, and forces the audience to look at the moral implications of this.

Suddenly, Chloé (fabulously played by Zouzou) enters the picture by arriving at Frédéric’s office one day.  An old flame of his, she embodies the opposing forces of lust and desire over those of marriage and devotion. As Frédéric’s work schedule leaves him ample time for lunch breaks—in typical French bourgeoisie manner—Chloé and Frédéric meet in the afternoons. They talk and flirt, though not enough to threaten Frédéric’s conjugal piety. With Rohmer’s ability to create mesmerizingly complex characters, Chloé proves to have both an intrusive and passive presence in Frédéric’s life—always there, yet popping in and out at the right times. Chloé finds Frédéric’s love for his wife to be an act, telling him: “You love her—if you really do—because you’re supposed to. I couldn’t stand being loved like that […] I won’t accept compromises. But since you’re so bourgeois, act the part.”

To that, Frédéric responds: “In a polygamous society, I’d be polygamous.”  

Aside from Rohmer asking us if conjugal love is all performance and if monogamy is merely a dull act of conformity, he also uses his visionary talent to create an outstanding viewing experience. Though the film is in French and many English-speaking eyes may be drawn toward the subtitles at the bottom of the screen (as Rohmer does rely heavily on verbal wit), the imagery of the film should not be disregarded. In a particularly poetic scene, the camera floats around Frédéric, who weaves through a Paris crowd, as a melodic voice-over runs, comparing the energy of the city commuters to the current of the sea. Rohmer also makes deliberately smart stylistic choices, such as always strategically framing Hélène with her children by her side, creating an image of Frédéric’s familial duties and responsibilities to matrimony.  Additionally, Rohmer avoids shooting in close-up as a way of distancing the audience and allowing the viewer to decide whether or not to trust his multidimensional, intriguing characters.

Rohmer’s ability to turn the mundane into a visually intriguing, psychological story is encapsulated in Love in the Afternoon. The plot, simply relatable and concluding into a scene so empathetically pitiful, cements this film as a long-lasting romantic classic.

mental health word cloud
a, Features

Evolving the mental health e-world

by Laura Hanrahan on

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Every year, one in 10 McGill students will visit McGill’s Mental Health Service (MMHS). While this means the majority of students may never set foot in the quiet offices of the Brown Building’s fifth floor, MMHS actually ends up playing a role more crucial than ever for many individuals. 

Mental Illness Awareness Week kicked off at McGill on Oct. 4 with the annual Students in Mind conference. During the conference, MMHS presented its new website and online resource for students: McGill Mental Health Hub, also previously known as the McGill Wellness Portal. Emily Yung, McGill’s Mental Health Education coordinator, is one of the brains behind this new tool.

Originally from Markham, Ontario, Yung completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Western University. She proceeded to pursue a two-year masters in Psychiatry from McGill, graduating in 2014. Yung was inspired to venture into the field of mental health in her first year of undergraduate studies while volunteering with a family doctor who also practiced psychotherapy. Yung would sit in on his psychotherapy sessions and observe how the doctor induced change in patients on a daily basis.  

Through this, Yung saw how various sessions would help foster transformations even within a one-hour period. While changes within an hour may be minimal, there was enough positive impact for the individual to carry out their week through learning how to cope with what was going on, until the next session. This inspired her to pursue a career in the mental health field, and led her to her current position at McGill.

a, Opinion

Campus Conversation: Canadian federal election

by Malaya Powers & Jacob Schweda, Greta Hoaken, and Daniel Braz on

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Liberal McGill

It is rare and valuable when a party, a leader, and a platform seek to engage realistically in youth and student issues—not merely pay lip service to them, or tokenize their advocates. Youth issues are represented very clearly in Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada’s platform.

Youth employment is a fundamental component of the Liberal platform. The youth unemployment rate is currently 13.1 per cent—almost double the national average. This has led to about 170,000 less young people in the workforce than prior to the 2008 recession. As students ourselves, we are constantly looking ahead to our life after McGill, and want to see a job market that is open to embrace us when we graduate and seek employment.

Trudeau’s plan for youth employment promises 120,000 new opportunities in the first three years—three times more jobs than those promised by the NDP. This plan’s quantitative measurement, unlike initiatives introduced by other parties in this election, does not end with a number of jobs promised or specific budget funding allotted. Trudeau has committed to invest $300 million annually in a renewed youth employment strategy that will ensure this promise is met.

If elected, Trudeau has alsopledged to increase the number of jobs funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program, and invest $40 million annually to create more co-op placements for students. A cumulative $1.5 billion will be invested in youth employment through this strategy.

The Liberals understand the importance of investing in our country as a whole and fostering economic partnerships across provinces. This is why the party’s platform has designated $25 million annually for a youth services program that would send young people across the country to gain work experience. The platform will increase the number of federally funded jobs under the Canada Summer Jobs program to 35,000.

Trudeau and his team also understand that economic and environmental prosperity go hand in hand. This is why he has promised to create an additional 5000 jobs for young people as guides and interpreters at Parks Canada.

Although not specifically targeted at youth, the Liberal tax plan is important for students to consider, as we in the coming years, will begin working, paying taxes, and potentially having families of our own. The plan, in essence, will cut taxes for the middle class, and instead shift the burden to the wealthiest individuals in our society.

Unlike the Conservative Party of Canada, Liberals also understand that while the economy is of extreme importance, it is not the only issue Canadians care about. Democratic reform—for which Team Trudeau has a 32-point “Real Change” plan—is an issue that students are particularly interested in. “We need to know that when we cast a ballot, it counts, that when we vote, it matters,” Trudeau said at the unveiling of this platform policy.

By Greta Hoaken, Liberal McGill.

Learn more about the Liberal campaign at liberal.ca.

 

Conservative McGill

There’s a popular misconception that Conservatives do not care about student issues, but this could not be further from the truth. The Conservative Party of Canada’s approach to dealing with student issues is much different than that of the other parties, because it sees students as individual, unique people with their own hopes and aspirations for the future instead of a monolithic voting bloc that can be satiated with lip service and handouts. The goal for tackling student issues, if the Conservatives remain in power this October, is to ensure that when future students graduate, they will be able to enter the working world quickly and have a prosperous future to look forward to.

The Conservative Party’s priorities will be to encourage economic growth by keeping taxes low. This will encourage job creators to remain in Canada and to open up new job opportunities for students who are fresh out of university, and also preserve Canadian jobs that already exist for the next generation. The Conservative Party would also allow students who are working to put more money in their Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs)—something the other parties promise to undo. This is essential in order to allow students to save more money and provide them with the beginnings of a financially secure future going ahead in their lives.

The Conservative Party of Canada is also thinking farther ahead than just the immediate future by having Prime Minister Stephen Harper announce a plan to encourage home ownership for an additional 700,000 Canadians by the year 2020. Although this may seem far off to some, recent graduates will be able to benefit from this plan. Many young people concerned about their ability to become financially independent in the years following graduation should see this as a great opportunity—including McGillians.

The Conservative Party believes that it is the only party that has a concrete plan to assist students in meaningful, positive ways. The Conservative Party have a proven track record of steady economic management, low taxes, and investment in the individual.

The Conservative plan will get college graduates out of their parents’ homes and into the workforce faster and in larger numbers than the other parties. It will ensure that graduates don’t become stuck waiting for their chance to gain independence by investing in students’ futures. The potential result if Canadians choose not to re-elect a Conservative government is one of job-killing taxes, lower take-home pay, deficit spending sprees, and increasing debt levels.

This is a watershed election and students have an important role to play in deciding their own future. They can support short-term investment at the cost of increased debt and interest payments in the future, or they can support a party with a long-term plan for the future.

By Daniel Braz, Principal Secretary of the Conservative Association of McGill University

Learn more about the conservative campaign at conservative.ca.

 

NDP McGill

The New Democratic Party (NDP)—the most gender-balanced party running in this election and with the youngest group of MPs in Parliament—has youth issues at its core.

If elected, an NDP government will eliminate interest on student loans and create 74,000 new non-repayable grants for students in need. The NDP also promises to combine this with a crackdown on unpaid internships to prevent the exploitation of youth workers. Work deserves to be paid with a salary. Experience and a reference letter are great, but they don’t pay the rent. McGill students might remember a similar initiative championed by NDP McGill last year, focusing on stricter rules for unpaid internships at McGill, as well as at the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

Four McGill students were elected to Parliament for the NDP in the last election, and they have helped keep students’ priorities front and centre. The NDP, if elected, will phase in a $15 federal minimum wage, bringing those working in federally regulated industries closer to a living salary since the elimination of the federal minimum wage by the Liberals in 1996. A similar $15 minimum wage is being implemented now by Alberta’s new NDP government, and will be fully in place by 2018.

In addition, an NDP government will invest $100 million to improve youth mental health in Canada, an issue that is reaching crisis levels.

The NDP would create 40,000 paid internships and jobs for young people by requiring large federal infrastructure projects to take on paid apprentices. The NDP would also work directly with the private sector and municipalities to make sure a diverse set of jobs are available for students and recent graduates.

To complement jobs, Tom Mulcair’s NDP have promised to help cities build 10,000 new affordable housing units. The NDP recognizes that safe and affordable housing is a right, not a privilege, and will work to undo the damage to our social housing that has happened since the previous Liberal government eliminated the Canadian National Housing Strategy.

Two NDP initiatives aim to assist student health. The first is more affordable prescription drugs through bulk buying, a program that is much needed to complete our universal healthcare system. The second is improved access to Employment Insurance (EI). If students work, they pay into EI, but chances are that they, like 60 per cent of Canadian workers, can’t access it if they lose their job. The NDP will expand access to EI so that it continues to be a safety net for all workers who are temporarily unemployed.

Finally, students play a key role in tackling climate change as it remains one of the greatest threats to the youth generation. Students on this campus and from around the world are demanding immediate action. An NDP government will fight catastrophic climate change that endangers all of our futures by setting specific greenhouse gas reduction targets and meeting them through a Canada-wide cap and trade system, a plan praised by environmental groups. Neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have set concrete targets.

The NDP made history in Canada by electing the youngest caucus with the most female MPs in history. With McGill’s help, the NDP will break that record again and bring youth voices and youth issues to Ottawa.

By Malaya Powers and Jacob Schweda, Co-Presidents, NDP McGill

Learn more about the NDP campaign at NDP.ca.

 

a, McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU Council discusses resignations of VP Internal, General Manager

by Calvin Trottier-Chi on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council met on Oct. 1 to discuss motions regarding improvments to student life, the resignation of vice-president (VP) Internal Affairs Lola Baraldi, and a SSMU climate change policy.

 

Resignations of executive positions

 

The loss of general manager Jennifer Varkonyi in August is now coupled with Baraldi’s resignation, which came hours before the SSMU Council meeting.

According to SSMU President Kareem Ibrahim, Baraldi intends to finish a full report on Frosh, ending on a relatively high note as this year’s Frosh received the highest satisfaction rate from the student body in recent years at 4.1 out of 5. The other responsibilities of the VP Internal Affairs are being delegated throughout the executive. SSMU VP External Affairs, Emily Boytinck expressed concern about these additional responsibilities.

“I think we all are very aware of what this will entail for the rest of this semester,” Boytinck said. “I think we all know this semester will be particularly time intensive and perhaps stressful, but that is the life of a student executive.”

Council also passed a motion to condemn the undemocratic appointment of a new Interim Senior Director of Student Services by Ollivier Dyens. The motion came in the wake of accusations of failure to consult students, faculty, staff, and the advisory committee for the selection of the senior director of student services.

Library renovation and access

In her report to Council, Rourke introduced the McLennan-Redpath Library’s $180 million renovation plan, which will begin with student consultation.

“[The] goal is to make [the McLennan-Redpath Library complex] more of a student center, to drastically increase study spaces on campus,” Rourke said.  “It would be extremely exciting to see this happen it would address a lot of the needs that students have.”

The source of funding for the renovation is uncertain as of now, as the project is still in the early planning stages.

“The money will have to come from somewhere, and libraries are looking at every option in terms of how they could possibly find the money to fund it,” Rourke said.

With regards to the restrictive library access imposed by law students during exams last April, the Law Students’ Association (LSA) proposed a two-week restriction instead of three. This restriction would only occur for regular service hours. Interim Arts Representative Kat Svikhnushin raised concerns over the continued restriction of access, which resulted in the decision to delay the straw poll until after councillors could speak with their constituents.

“It is a very dangerous precedent to start setting, that certain faculties have say over their own library,” Svikhnushin said. “Everyone at McGill’s tight on space; everyone at McGill’s writing  […] exams.”

 

Motion to adopt a climate change policy

 

Boytinck presented the new climate change policy, amended from last year, which was drafted with the help of the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) over this past summer.  The policy is clearer in its execution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and parterning with sustainability-oriented groups.

“[We’ve] talked a lot over different rules in regards to climate change and combating climate change through our roles of executives at McGill,” Boytinck said.

The policy will guide SSMU in reducing its carbon footprint,  participating in ethical business partnerships, and working to educate the McGill community on issues of climate justice.

“Climate change affects the three major dimensions of sustainability: social, economic and environmental,” stated the notice of motion to adopt the policy. “As a champion of sustainability, the SSMU has a responsibility to combat [it].”

a, Science & Technology

Learn to Code: An evening hosted by HackMcGill

by Andy Wang on

More in a:

On Sept. 30, HackMcGill hosted its second Learn to Code event at the Lorne Trottier Building. Created for McGill students unfamiliar with the programming world, Learn to Code offers newcomers help from those with experience. 

Following a brief introduction about the types of programming languages and a list of the web tutorials that the participants could use during the event, the students began to work on their computers. During the event, the 30 or so students in attendance were able to learn the ins and outs of programming with HackMcGill executives readily available to answer questions. Tutorials featured help on Python, Ruby, HTML/CSS, Java, Haskell, and OCaml.

“A lot of people want to learn how to program, but the sheer volume of information out there can be overwhelming for a beginner,” explained Clare Lyle, Director at HackMcGill. “Learn to Code is a way [to make] the abundance of information accessible. Having someone on hand to ask for help when you get stuck can help beginners gain momentum and get past the initial ‘I have no idea what any of this means’ phase.”

This sentiment was the driving force behind the creation of HackMcGill. Created by two McGill computer science students who wanted to make programming fun and less intimidating to the average person, HackMcGill is a unique outlet at McGill for all students.

“It’s a community of computer programming enthusiasts who get together and just have fun with coding,” Amiel Kollek, co-president of HackMcGill, said.

Ensuring students can both learn and have fun often means bypassing a lot of the intimidating information that many professors teach in their beginner courses.

“If you just want to make your own website or app, comp classes won’t always help,” explained Kollek. 

Down the road, concepts like algorithms and data structures are important for understanding certain processes, but not necessary from the beginning

“It’s really hard to learn to code in class,” Berke Yanilmaz, a U0 Science who attended the event, explained. “You can get the theory in class but it is really hard to put in practice once you are all alone.”

With events like Learn to Code, HackMcGill is aiming towards changing the way coding is perceived by the general public. 

“People who come to our events come from all kinds of backgrounds,” said Michael Noseworthy, another Director at HackMcGill. “There are people who have never coded before to people who are computer science majors.”

Already, more and more web and app development is done by teams, but most novice coding is done alone, meaning it’s hard to get answers and find like-minded people to help out.

“We also wanted to add a more social aspect to coding, which is usually considered to be pretty solitary,” said Lyle. “We wanted to get people coding with their friends, asking each other questions, and building a community geared towards learning.”

Fostering a relaxed learning environment at these events not only helps build a community, but attracts people to the field.

“I got into computer science because I went to an event like this when I was in U0,” said Kollek.

This attitude continues to attract students to HackMcGill events today.

Since its inception, HackMcGill has garnered a lot of popularity and is now responsible for hosting a number of different coding-related events. For those with experience in the programming world, HackMcGill hosts events such as Hack101 and McHacks. Whatever level a student may be, HackMcGill aims to help. 

Full disclosure: Clare Lyle is a contributor for the McGill Tribune.

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