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Science & Technology

Understanding the role of alcohol in severe allergic reactions

by Daniel Pyo on

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Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs when the immune system overreacts to a trigger, such as food, drugs, or insect stings. Symptoms can escalate quickly, leading to difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, and swelling of the throat, requiring immediate medical intervention. For people with severe allergies, rapid access to treatment can mean the difference between life and death.

A recent study has shed light on a concerning factor that can worsen allergic reactions: Alcohol. A team of researchers at McGill and other Canadian universities found that people with nut allergies who consumed alcohol experienced more severe symptoms. Alcohol can act as a cofactor, meaning it enhances the body’s allergic response. 

Roy Khalaf, a fourth-year medical student at McGill, worked on this study under the mentorship of Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre’s Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program. Khalaf analyzed over 1,100 adult cases of anaphylaxis across Canada to examine the severity of reactions triggered by different allergens.

Food-induced anaphylaxis was the most common trigger, responsible for over 50 per cent of emergency department visits related to severe allergic reactions. Among food-related cases, peanuts and tree nuts emerged as the most frequent culprits, with tree nuts linked to particularly severe symptoms. 

Tree nut-induced anaphylaxis stood out due to its high prevalence of throat tightness, a symptom that can quickly escalate into life-threatening airway obstruction. The study found that 75 per cent of tree nut allergy cases involved throat tightness.

Moreover, compared to other triggers of allergy symptoms, nut-induced anaphylaxis was among the most severe, with patients significantly more likely to require epinephrine administration in a hospital setting. Epinephrine—also known as adrenaline—is a life-saving treatment that can reverse anaphylaxis symptoms. 

One of the study’s most striking findings was the strong association between alcohol consumption and severe nut-triggered anaphylaxis, reinforcing the need for individuals with nut allergies to be cautious when consuming alcoholic beverages. Alcohol also lowers the threshold for severe reactions, making early intervention with epinephrine even more critical.

Alcohol may exacerbate allergic reactions by worsening hypotension—low blood pressure—a critical aspect of anaphylaxis that can lead to shock. Because alcohol itself can cause a drop in blood pressure, it can intensify the already dangerous effects of anaphylaxis, raising the risk of cardiovascular collapse. 

Additionally, some alcoholic drinks, particularly nut-flavoured liquors like Amaretto and Galliano, may contain traces of allergens—whether from natural ingredients or artificial flavourings—posing an additional risk to those with nut allergies.

“When you drink alcohol, just make sure you read what is labelled and what this alcohol drink has, because it could have some nut flavours, and you could have an anaphylactic reaction, and that is a life-threatening reaction,” Khalaf said in an interview with The Tribune, warning about the hidden dangers in some liquors.

Despite epinephrine being the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis, many patients fail to use it when needed. The study revealed that only 30 per cent of individuals experiencing tree nut-induced anaphylaxis used epinephrine before reaching the hospital, compared to over 50 per cent of peanut allergy sufferers.

This suggests that individuals with tree nut allergies may be less aware of the severity of their reactions or less likely to carry their auto-injectors. Increasing awareness and accessibility of epinephrine could be crucial in preventing fatalities.

“We need to make the EpiPen more accessible. We need to educate patients on the importance of using EpiPens and epinephrine if they experience an anaphylactic allergic reaction,” Khalaf emphasized.

With food allergies on the rise, proactive measures are necessary to reduce preventable deaths. Improved education, greater access to epinephrine, and stronger public regulations regarding food and beverage labelling can help improve outcomes for those living with severe allergies.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Dinner with a Stranger seeks to set students up for social success

by Eliza Lee on

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When you picture modern match-making services, you might be inclined to imagine social apps that run algorithms at lightning speed to assess the compatibility of two candidates, offering a suitable pairing in just a few seconds.

Dinner with a Stranger McGill takes a different approach to pairing people up: Interested students fill out the club’s monthly questionnaire of personality-based questions. A small team then scrolls through a Google spreadsheet filled with people’s responses, making matches by hand based on students’ similarities and connecting the pair over email. 

“It’s very time-consuming,” Stephanie Sartori, U2 Science and Dinner with a Stranger co-president, told The Tribune. 

“But once you get in the flow of matching people, I feel like you can get it done pretty quickly,” Erika Kan, U2 Arts & Science and the club’s other co-president, added. “It’s fun because when you find people that are a perfect match, it’s like a rush of adrenaline.”

Sartori and Kan are the co-founders of Dinner with a Stranger McGill: A group dedicated to pairing interested students in the hopes of building lasting friendships. Although some students use the club as a dating service, the co-presidents emphasized that the focus of the club is on fostering community rather than setting up romantic relationships. In addition to match-making, the club also aims to host social events open to all students—such as their upcoming Galentine’s karaoke night on Feb. 15.

Sartori and Kan explained that the concept behind the club came from Sartori’s sister, who launched a group bearing the same name at the University of Glasgow. Sartori and Kan started their own version of the club in the summer of 2024 after recognizing the difficulties they faced in meeting new people once they were no longer first-years. As international student Buddy Program mentors, hearing from many other students about the challenges of making friends also inspired them to start the club.

“I feel like I’ve made all of my friends during frosh, and since then, I’m still friends with them, or I’m friends with people who I’ve met through connections,” Kan said. “I haven’t really met new people organically.”

“The lecture room is not an inviting place to talk to random people,” Sartori added.

For Sartori, the cold weather poses an added challenge to socializing, particularly because it means students can no longer meet up outside on campus. 

“With winter and the cold and dark vibe of Montreal, […] I feel like you can feel that there’s a disconnect, that people aren’t as tight-knit as they are during the fall semester,” Sartori said. 

In addition to individual pairings, Dinner with a Stranger offers the option of friend group matches, where multiple people can be matched with another group. 

“It’s a pretty popular option. I think it’s a little intimidating to sign up as an individual to just meet a bunch of random people,” Kan said. “A lot of people feel more comfortable signing up with their friends to meet another group of friends.”

Taimaa Bachi, U1 Engineering, and Oksana Pustova, U1 Science, are among the students who have tried the group matching option. They explained that Bachi completed a Dinner with a Stranger questionnaire on behalf of their friend group for a chance to expand their social circle. 

“At first it was a little awkward because, like, we didn’t even know what they looked like and we just decided on some random restaurant [to meet up],” Pustova said. “Once we got to talking […] five minutes in, I’d say that was very chill.”

Bachi and Pustova also echoed the value of the club as a way to make friends, noting that they hoped to try Dinner with a Stranger again in the future. 

“This is the one time where we’re surrounded with so many people our age, and it’s still so hard to reach out to people,” Bachi said. “You know [your matches] also want to make friends, and you know they’re there because they want to talk to someone else. So I think it’s a really cool opportunity.”

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Swab the World is saving lives

by Bianca Tri on

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Swab the World is a non-profit organization that helps patients locate STEM cell donors easily and quickly. They provide a platform for individuals seeking matches to launch an effective recruitment campaign as well as a space for them to “connect, share, love, and grieve,” according to their website.

Co-President Matthew Homa, an MDCM Candidate at McGill, wrote to The Tribune to discuss the club’s activities. Homa explained how the chapter, which is under the Medical Students Society, was founded and why he joined the organization.

“Our founder, Mai Duong, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2013, and after beating it once and having it return, she learned that a stem cell transplant was the only treatment that could save her life,” Homa wrote. “However, recipients are more likely to match with someone of their ethnicity, and the lack of diversity in our current registry made it virtually impossible for her to find a match.”

He went on to write that Duong rallied the Montreal Vietnamese community to find her match. After she secured a donor, Duong made it her mission to raise awareness about the lack of diversity in donor pools, leading her to start Swab the World. In 2018, she co-founded the organization with Christiane Rochon, and in 2021, McGill’s chapter was launched by Chloe Gordon and Owen Luo. 

“At McGill, our passionate club of 40 Swab ambassadors continue [Duong’s] mission on the local level, helping raise awareness about the need for stem cell donors and the inequality in finding a donor while helping students sign up for the donor registry.”

Homa also touched on the challenges the chapter has faced, writing about the difficulty of reaching ethnically diverse students.

“One of the biggest growing pains has definitely been reaching out to the broadest audience possible,” he wrote. “It’s easy to fall into a niche, advertising in the same buildings on campus or collaborating with the same clubs because that’s familiar to us. However, we would then be actively disadvantaging all of the communities that need donors whom we’re not working with! So, we’re always trying new things, working with new clubs, and sharing our message with the broader community.”

One way they do this is by collaborating with culture clubs to reach diverse students. On Jan. 31, the chapter hosted an intercultural food fair with the McGill Vietnamese Students Association and the McGill University Filipino Asian Students Association. The culture clubs sold treats—with 50 cents of each sale going to Swab the World, and the Swab ambassadors offered on-site swabbing kits. The chapter also frequently hosts swab booths that allow McGill students to submit their saliva samples for registration. These DNA samples, after being examined for particular characteristics, are used to match donors with patients.

The chapter has several events coming up that Homa wanted to bring attention to. First, on Feb. 14, they will have a swab booth at the Black Student Network’s Black Beauty Day. The next day, Feb. 15, they will host a swab booth at the DKE house before the frat’s party. Finally, on Feb. 22, they are tabling and hosting a swab booth at the Coda Foundation’s Coda Gala. Coda is a student-led non-profit raising money for hospital cancer care.

Looking ahead, Homa wrote that their chapter will have a booth at the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines’s North American conference from Mar. 21 to 23 to discuss the racial barriers to transplant access.

For anyone unavailable to attend events in person, it’s possible to swab from home.

“While we’d love to see you join our events and swab to join the registry, you can register from home! Just look up Swab the World, visit our website, and register to donate. A kit will get sent to your house, and you can swab your cheek at a time that works for you! Stem cell transplants are often the last treatment option for leukemia, lymphoma, and other patients with hematologic conditions, so your 5 minutes signing up could save a life,” Homa wrote.

Find Swab the World on Instagram @swabtheworld_mcgill.

McGill, News

For a second time, the Board of Governors CSSR does not recommend McGill divest from weapons manufacturing

by Shani Laskin on

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The McGill Board of Governors (BoG) held its first meeting of the Winter 2025 semester on Feb. 6. The BoG—which has the final say over all academic, business, and financial affairs at the university—began after nearly two hours of private session, closed to the public and media. The meeting’s open session commenced with a report from McGill’s President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini.

Among Saini’s remarks was a reflection on the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, which he attended in Davos, Switzerland in late January. According to Saini, the conference was dominated by conversations about AI. He noted that universities are globally seen as laggards in the AI sector. 

“While we are generators of a lot of the technology that drives AI, we are almost absent from that option,” Saini said. “McGill has the opportunity to actually leapfrog and show the way.”

Next, the meeting moved on to committee reports, starting with the Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility (CSSR). On June 25, 2024, community members submitted an Expression of Concern (EoC) to the committee, urging McGill to review divestment—which was resolved in December 2024, with the BoG ultimately deciding not to divest. In its report on the matter, the committee stated that “the concept of ‘social injury’ is not one which extends a ‘daisy chain’ of causation to an infinite number of parties through their mere association or presence in a territory.” 

Committee Chair Alan Desnoyers explained that during the same period, the BoG received a request from the McGill administration to explore divestment from “direct investments in companies that derive a dominant portion of their direct revenues from the production of military weapons, regardless of the country in which they operate.” The latter came from negotiations between the administration and the Palestine Solidarity Encampment which took place on Lower Field for 75 days in the spring and summer of 2024, until the university dismantled it. The report shared at the Feb. 6 meeting was in regard to the administration’s request for review.   

Ultimately, Desnoyers explained that the CSSR would again, not recommend divestment. 

“After careful consideration of the diverse opinions and expert insights, as well as the review of McGill’s investment practices, the committee is satisfied that the university’s overall investment approach is well-positioned to preserve the capital of the McGill investment pool within the social and ethical norms of the university,” Desnoyers said. 

Following Desnoyer’s presentation, Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Dymetri Taylor expressed that this decision may face backlash from students and community members and asked the Board if it would ever consider such divestment. 

“I don’t think you can ever say ‘Never.’ I think it’s very context-dependent, and at this stage, […] we felt it wasn’t necessary,” Chair of the Board, Maryse Bertrand responded. 

In a written statement to The Tribune, Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) wrote that this decision will not deter their action. 

“Last Thursday was a reminder to the BoG that we will not be quiet and there will be no business as usual until divestment,” SPHR wrote. 

The Board then moved to hear a report from the Audit and Risk Committee. Committee Chair Maarika Paul outlined the group’s updates, including that all of the recommendations outlined in the Internal Audit Final Report of the Macdonald Campus Asbestos Investigation have been completed. This report was submitted to the Board in September 2023 in response to multiple incidents of asbestos exposure on the satellite campus that year. 

The Board then heard a presentation from Dean Viviane Yargeau on the Faculty of Engineering. Yargeau emphasized her focus on expanding experiential learning, citing the faculty’s newly-introduced Internships and Co-ops Office. The Dean also touched on gender diversity in the faculty, stating that with 36 per cent of its engineering students identifying as women, McGill has one of the highest proportions in the country.

Finally, Taylor presented on SSMU, outlining the union’s management structure, funding mechanisms, what student groups SSMU supports, and current challenges the body is facing. These challenges included polarization of the student body, a lack of engagement, and the overpowering authority of SSMU’s Board of Directors over its Legislative Council.  

Moment of the meeting:

As the BoG met inside the James Administration Building, protestors splattered red paint on the outside walls of the building, materializing their discontent with McGill’s response to calls for divestment. 

Soundbite:

“That’s certainly more information about the SSMU than I’ve ever had in all my years here.” — Bertrand on Taylor’s SSMU presentation.

Commentary, Opinion

Bilingualism is not killing French — French is killing itself

by Millen Yemane on

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The intersection of language and politics has long been a source of contention in Quebec, with the call to “protect the French language” often presented as a sort of political imperative. In spite of the steady growth of Quebec’s total francophone population, concerns of French’s supposed decline have intensified in recent years. In a province where French is so highly revered as a core aspect of its identity,  the measures taken to preserve French walk a fine line between preservation and division—a line the government recently crossed after spending nearly a quarter of a million dollars to monitor French in Quebec’s businesses and shops.

In 2022, the Quebec government hired a private research firm to make sure businesses were greeting customers in French. To test this, the firm conducted an eight-month long study that involved sending members into businesses to impersonate customers and receive typical service. The pseudo-customer would then take notes on the greeting received—in terms of the language used and proficiency of language—and record their observations via. electronic questionnaire, submitting the data to the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). This process was repeated in over 3,000 businesses in Montreal, setting the OQLF back approximately $224,000 CAD.

The results of this study found that 71 per cent of greetings were exclusively in French, while 97.4 per cent of businesses had French services available. While these percentages seem like clear evidence of a thriving French language, the OQLF  felt the opposite, claiming that it proved French was on the decline. All because, despite the overwhelming availability of French, the percentage of French-only greetings had gone down by less than four per cent. 

Jean-Francois Roberge, the Minister responsible for the OQLF, issued a statement on the study, remarking that the decrease in French-exclusive greetings indicates that French is becoming less prevalent in Quebec’s public sphere.

This approach is both antagonistic and counterfactual to the strong pervasiveness of French in Quebec. We should be celebrating the fact that French is alive and well in Montreal instead of framing the study as a sign of linguistic erosion.  As a matter of fact, there’s been a steady increase in the availability of services in French since 2010. The strange interpretation of these results raises the question of what political motivations might underlie such a negative analysis of a seemingly positive result. 

Cherry-picking the one ‘bad’ result and ignoring the positive findings of the study is an inherently dishonest practice, using research for political aims at the detriment of harmony between Quebec’s anglophone and francophone communities. The OQLF’s budget should be used to promote French constructively rather than as a tool for political messaging. 

Language discourse aside, the matter of spying on businesses without their informed consent is a further argument for the inappropriate implementation of this study. Not only is it invasive (and rather unsettling), but it walks a fine moral line in terms of basic research ethics. Undercover agents disguised as customers to wander into predetermined addresses and secretly record conversations pushes the boundaries of the American  Sociological Association’s  Code of Ethics in sociological research. Not to mention, discovering that your government is collecting data on you without your knowledge undermines public trust in such institutions and creates an atmosphere of opposition instead of solidarity. No one likes the idea of being watched, especially not covertly by their own government using public funds. If the publication of this study does end up leading to an increase in French greetings, it would be through Orwellian-adjacent surveillance tactics. This is not to say the French language should not be protected.

French is a core aspect of Quebec’s history and provincial identity. With that being said, studies like these do little to incentivize the long-term protection of the language. Perhaps more anglophones will greet customers with Bonjour if they think they’re being watched, but this shift would likely be confined to the business setting, and not something socially internalized through effective promotion and a sense of provincial identity. Why would you want to dedicate months of study to a language being forcibly shoved down your throat through coercive measures? The so-called “promotion” of French creates an environment less conducive to long-term social acceptance of French and instead establishes a hostile relationship between the Quebec government and the people whose language habits it is trying too hard to control.

McGill, News, The Tribune Explains

The Tribune Explains: The BSN’s fund for Black, African and Caribbean students and organizations

by Malika Logossou on

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On Jan. 6, McGill’s Black Students’ Network (BSN) launched the Black, African and Caribbean Students and Organizations (BACSO) pilot project. This project seeks to provide funding for Black, African, and Caribbean Students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as Black organizations at the undergraduate level. The BSN has set aside $30,000 CAD for this initiative and will split the funds equally between student and organization applicants under the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). The Tribune explains the ins and outs of the fund and how students can access it.

Why did the BSN create this fund?

The BSN’s VP Finance Orlane Donkpêgan, U3 Arts, explained that this initiative was made possible after SSMU members voted to approve a service fee increase for the group during the 2024 Winter Referendum. This doubled BSN’s service fee from $1.00 CAD to $2.00 CAD per student per semester.

Donkpêgan expressed that with an expanded budget, the BSN was able to improve its financial management from previous years and provide direct support to Black-identifying students and Black student-led organizations at McGill through initiatives like BACSO.

“The necessity of this fund was mostly to give back to Black organizations and the Black community,” Donkpêgan told The Tribune. “Because we operate as a service, I felt like one way to support our community better was to give back financially. [We are doing] so by supporting clubs that might be lacking funding for a specific event, or for students facing significant, difficult hardships preventing them from meeting essential needs.”

How does the BSN allocate funding?

BACSO provides the funds in two ways. The Financial Support for Black, African and Caribbean Students fund (FS for BACS) has been partially launched and can offer monetary support to individuals. As the fund takes off, the BSN hopes to be able to fund student projects and initiatives through FS for BACS as well. Students can split their financial requests over multiple months within a semester, but the total amount they request cannot exceed $1,500 CAD per semester. Donkpêgan reported that the BSN prioritizes first-time applicants and requests related to education and health expenses.

The Financial Support for Black, African and Caribbean Organizations fund (FS for BACO), on the other hand, supports SSMU-affiliated Black organizations with bank accounts operating under the student union. These organizations can apply for up to 45 per cent of the fund’s allocation, or a maximum of $6,750 CAD, to support club events. 

How does the application process for funding work?

Students and organizations must fill out unique application forms detailing the amount they are requesting and their intended use of the funds. The BSN President, Finance Project Manager, and VP Finance review these applications on the 15th and 30th of each month. The network reserves the right to request additional documents from the applicants and SSMU throughout the review process. They may also consult SSMU’s Black Affairs Office before making final decisions; otherwise, all applications are kept confidential. According to Donkpêgan, this process is rigorous but necessary for the BSN. 

“The application process is tedious. The questions are usually long and we look at them very carefully. We want to make sure people are putting care in their application, in the same way, we want to take care in helping students and making sure we make meaningful change in our community,” Donkpêgan explained. 

How does the BSN hope to continue the pilot project?

Donkpêgan stressed the importance of ensuring this initiative creates a lasting foundation for future BSN projects. Although a pilot project, BACSO may grow and evolve in the coming years. This is the first fund that the BSN has ever launched for students and organizations.
“It was very important to me that we establish this project before I leave McGill,” she shared. “$30,000 [CAD]is a considerable amount of our budget, but we think this is a way of helping our community. [….] With tuition being a lot more expensive and the cost of living increasing, especially for visible minorities, this fund helps alleviate some of that added stress, on top of the pressures BIPOC students already face.”

A previous version of this article stated that FS for BACS can fund student initiatives and projects. In fact, this aspect of the fund is not yet operational. The Tribune regrets this error.

Sports, Winter Sports

Chill, thrills, and team spirit: Inside McGill’s wild winter Olympics

by Alex Hawes Silva on

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This past weekend, a group of roughly 60 McGill students and McGill Outdoors Club (MOC) staff members headed to Auberge du Lac Priscault for the annual MOC Winter Olympics. Participants boarded a two-hour bus ride and braced themselves for a weekend of snow and sweat.   

Upon arrival, the students were grouped into six different teams and tasked with creating a group name and chant, creatively ranging from Ketchabasco to MAMASCAN. 

After this exciting introduction, the Olympians retreated to their bunk beds to rest up for the competition. On Feb. 1, the first event was a thrilling tournament of snowshoe racing, where participants had to sprint through an obstacle course as fast as possible in snowshoes while having snowballs hurled at them. Between the chanting, tripping, and heavy snow, the race was an intense start to the day. Shortly afterward, the groups were sent to start building their quinzees—shelters made of a hollowed-out pile of snow. After over an hour of digging and packing down snow, participants left for lunch while the quinzees froze over. 

Next on the agenda was Ice Man’s Revenge, an infamous take on tug-of-war, where participants are strapped into harnesses and tied to an opponent with a long rope. The aim is for opponents to use ice axes to climb away from each other on their stomachs and to pull the competitor across the boundary: A gruelling game that uses every ounce of strength participants have.  

Back at the quinzees, participants began digging the shelters out and polishing them into some impressive pieces of architecture. One quinzee was furnished with an ice fridge, others had non-stop Frank Sinatra playing for ambience. The night ended with some star-gazing and camp games, with competitors putting aside the competition and sharing some laughs and snacks.  

MOC President Zosia Stevenson, U3 Arts, and competitor Maya Cordano, U1 Arts, spoke on their experiences from the weekend.  

“Seeing a bunch of adults letting their inner child out and having fun outside was definitely the main highlight for me,” Stevenson said.

“It felt like being a kid again—running around in the snow—only better, since there was no curfew,” Cordano added.

In addition to the events, participants were also assigned to make and serve one meal during the trip. Competitors helped prepare wraps, burrito bowls, waffles, and much more. Chatting and listening to music while cooking was another way participants bonded and came together over the weekend. 

The final competition of the Olympics was a sled wheelbarrow relay race, where one participant had to plant their hands on a sled while being pushed in wheelbarrow position by a team member and weaved through an obstacle course of sleds and snowshoes. Competitors persevered past frozen fingers and toes to give everything for the finale. 

After a hectic and entertaining last event, the Olympians packed up their cabins while they awaited the final results. Tensions were high in the final ceremony and teams gave their all for one last chant. The team It’s Always Sunny in Plaiyadelphia took first place, with The Humble Horseshoe Hares and The Conservation of the Wenguins following closely behind. Team members happily received handmade trophies that resembled the MOC house. 

This fun-filled weekend would not have been possible without the work of the MOC executives and the amazing hosts at Auberge du Lac Priscault. They created the perfect environment for students to shake off the stress of midterms and build connections with other outdoor enthusiasts that they would not otherwise have had the chance to meet. 

“Going to the Winter Olympics was one of my defining McGill experiences,” participant Sam Rudin, U1Arts, shared in a written statement with The Tribune. “You had the opportunity to meet people with interesting experiences and to develop a bond centred around a core experience. It’s something that I will carry forward with me and cherish.” 

Science & Technology

Shane Laptiste celebrates history and future of Black architecture

by Ella Paulin on

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McGill’s official Black History Month programming kicked off this Feb. 6 with their Black History Month Opening Ceremony and Keynote, featuring architect Shane Laptiste as the keynote speaker. Laptiste, who holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Architecture from McGill, spoke on the importance of reimagining architecture to centre Black voices and create inclusive spaces for Black communities in contemporary architecture.

Lynda Bulimo, an Equity Education Advisor at McGill and host of the ceremony, delivered the opening remarks. 

“Though we celebrate Black History Month institutionally for the ninth year, we know that Black people have long been here, celebrating, resisting, organizing and innovating in so many ways,” Bulimo said. “I want to credit and thank all the Black people who came before us and who made way for this present moment.”

She introduced Robert Spade, assistant professor at the Schulich School of Music and Senior Cultural Advisor at McGill, who officially opened the ceremony with a speech emphasizing tolerance and curiosity.

“The world is mysterious. It’s a wondrous place. If somebody has a way that you don’t understand, it’s okay,” Spade said. “When I was 18, you see, I knew everything. Now that I’m a little older, I feel like I know less and less.”

Spade closed his introduction with a song before passing the microphone to Tynan Jarrett, Director of Equity and Diversity in the Office of the Provost and Dami Bali, President of the McGill chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. After Bali, Claire Mabia, Black Affairs Commissioner of the Student Society of McGill University, spoke about her work overseeing programs like the Black Equity Fund. Finally, David Theodore, Director of McGill’s Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture, introduced the keynote speaker. 

Laptiste began his keynote with a story about his great-grandmother, who came to Montreal in 1922 from Grenada. 

“She came to Montreal as a domestic worker, leaving behind my one-year-old grandfather, and she spent nearly five decades in Montreal living in a range of housing, mostly adjacent to the St. Antoine neighbourhood, now known as Little Burgundy,” Laptiste said in his talk. “Through mostly unwritten rules, it was also the one area that, as a single Black woman, she would have been able to obtain housing in Montreal.”

This personal history drew Laptiste’s attention to the ways Black communities have been systematically pushed to the margins in North American cities through discriminatory housing practices, both legally enforced and informal. 

His interest in architecture began young, and he remained committed to pursuing it despite the barriers he faced in his education. 

“After seeing a Black architect on TV, I was inspired to become an architect and enrolled at McGill School of Architecture,” Laptiste said. “Being one of the few Black students, I encountered a certain invisibility of Black agency and the shaping of space, as well as a lack of recognition of the architecture of Black cultures and communities.”

Since graduating from McGill, Laptiste has co-founded the Toronto-based architecture firm Studio of Contemporary Architecture (SOCA) with Tura Cousins Wilson. Among his ongoing projects, Laptiste described a public fountain in Toronto designed to honour Black residents of 19th-century Toronto, whose names they had found in old city directory books, and an interpretive centre for the Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church built in Oro, Ontario in 1849 by Black veterans of the War of 1812. 

Laptiste is also in the process of designing a memorial dedicated to Samuel Adams, a Black ironworker who came to Canada through the Underground Railroad and invented a popular tool used to excavate gravel from riverbeds for use in reinforced concrete. The memorial incorporates stones from Adams’ original house, repurposing them to create a space for reflection and learning.

In addition to these projects, Laptiste runs workshops, collaborates with researchers studying Black spaces and histories, and engages in discussions with communities about how best to support their needs through architectural projects. 

“There’s the balance of social, aesthetic, functional, economic, cultural, and environmental considerations that are key to the process, and it’s impossible for that to be done from a singular viewpoint,” Laptiste said.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Where to wine and dine your Valentine

by Tamiyana Roemer on

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Second only to, “It’s not you, it’s me,” the phrase “I don’t know. You choose,” is the most unromantic thing you  can say to your Valentine. If your Valentine’s Day plans lean more towards concepts than concrete visions, it’s time to get organized—and fast. Luckily for you, I’ve already made my reservations. Roses are red, violets are blue, I’d like to make planning easier for you. Here’s my list, or rather, my love letter, to Montreal’s most romantic restaurants and bars.

Restaurants

Nili 

With its vibrant red lighting and playful decor, Nili is the epitome of cool. Within its four eclectically-decorated walls, the restaurant offers the perfect atmosphere for an intimate meal. Its menu, featuring a mix of French and Moroccan-inspired dishes, is simple but undeniably delicious. Start with the refreshing cucumber and mint hummus, followed by the rich, flaky chicken pastilla. For dessert, indulge in msemen, a flat Moroccan pancake served with orange blossom sauce and topped with rosebuds. 

Buvette Pastek

Located in the heart of Old Port, Buvette Pastek is a candle-lit restaurant that invites romance all year long. They have designed a $75 CAD-service Valentine’s Day menu available exclusively on Feb. 14 and 15. The service begins with an amuse-bouche of focaccia with red wine butter. There are three appetizer options as well as three main course options, followed by a cheese platter, and finally, a chocolate and strawberry tiramisu for dessert. Though more expensive than the other restaurants on this list, Buvette Pastek promises a memorable night.

Bar St-Denis 

Bar St-Denis might be one of Montreal’s most underrated dining spots. Tucked away on Rue St-Denis near Jean-Talon Market, the restaurant blends an unassuming bar aesthetic with seriously impressive cooking. Bold and unexpected dishes, like fresh scallops with bergamot and rice pudding with elderberry and olive oil, add to its charm. Bar St-Denis proves that a restaurant can be both laid-back and one of the city’s best-kept culinary secrets.

Bars

Big in Japan 

Once you pull back the dramatic curtains concealing this speakeasy’s entrance, you’ll immediately notice all the cozied-up couples. This chic, lavish spot plays its music just loud enough to give every patron the perfect excuse to lean into their date. The dim lighting casts a glow that makes every moment feel cinematic, while the air is filled with the gentle clink of glasses and soft murmur of conversation. A night at Big in Japan is a dressed-up affair, with servers in crisp uniforms with black ties and jazz floating through the room. Best of all, cocktails like their espresso martini and sake sour are as perfectly crafted as the atmosphere. 

Bar Suzanne

For a more laid-back night, Bar Suzanne is an ideal spot. With dim, candle-lit tables surrounded by lush greenery, the vibe is relaxed, yet refined. Not only can you enjoy a drink with your date, but the bar menu features the perfect mix of small late-night bites, including crispy fried chicken and their popular dumpling menu. Featuring a warm, unpretentious atmosphere, Bar Suzanne offers you a chance to enjoy a casual yet intimate and stylish night out with your date.

Kabinet 

If you’re looking to impress your date with a romantic taste of vintage opulence, make a reservation at Kabinet. Inspired by 1970s Paris, the restaurant’s neoclassical interior design touts rich colours, velvet accents, and even a crystal chandelier. The atmosphere is undeniably romantic, with plush seating and soft lighting, perfect for intimate conversations. While Kabinet pays homage to traditional cocktail menus with classics like the pisco sour or the Pimm’s cup, it offers delightful surprises like a tiramisu martini.

Hockey, Sports

Redbirds bring the heat against the Lakehead Thunderwolves

by Sofia Vidinovski on

More in Hockey:

This past Saturday, Feb. 8, Redbirds hockey won 4-2 against the Lakehead Thunderwolves in what one could call a brawl masked as a university hockey game. The intense aggression and rigour from the Thunderwolves were counteracted by the Redbirds, leading them to a predictable but entertaining victory. 

Centre Charles Boutin, U1 Management, scored an impressive first goal 10 minutes into the first period, sneaking the puck from the goalie and taking the opportunity of a semi-open net. Shortly after, forward Brandon Frattaroli, U3 Arts, scored in the 12th minute, followed by another goal from centre Xavier Fortin,  U2 Arts, only 30 seconds later. The Redbirds ended the first period with a 3-0 lead. 

The second period opened with some great stickhandling from the players. As the Thunderwolves began their fight for a goal, the Redbirds knew they had to increase their stamina.

The first penalty of the game was handed to the Thunderbirds, this marked the beginning of many penalties to come. Luckily, this powerplay proved beneficial for the Redbirds, as Frattaroli scored his second goal of the game. The Redbirds’ sizable lead overwhelmed the Thunderbirds, and fights began to break out between the two teams, leading to several roughing penalties. The aggression became useful for the Thunderbirds, leading them to score their first goal of the game 16 minutes into the second period. However, the Redbirds continued to carry their lead into the third period, ending this one at 4-1. 

The Redbirds began the period with a penalty, which was shortly followed by another Thunderwolves penalty. The Thunderwolves scored their second goal five minutes into the third period. Penalties were handed out left and right as players continued to find themselves in altercations. The audience even pitched in to alert the referees when they noticed a Thunderwolves player slashing one of the Redbirds. While the Thunderwolves put up a good fight, the Redbirds won the game 4-2. 

Frattaroli commented on the Thunderwolves’ rigour in the third period.

“The team in the third period made a good push,” he said. “Our penalty kill was outstanding. We found a way to fight the penalties and ended up winning.”

Left Wing Stephane Huard, U2 Arts, felt confident with his team’s performance despite the challenges in the third period.

“[I feel] pretty good,” he said. “We are getting back to our game, so I am pretty happy with that.”

Redbirds Head Coach David Urquhart, also felt content with the team’s performance Saturday night.

“It’s a great win,” he said. “I thought the first two periods were outstanding and you can really see the potential in the team, and it’s a big win because that clinched the playoff spot for us.”

The Ontario University Athletics East first round of playoffs for the Redbirds begins Wednesday, Feb. 19. The location and timing of the game are to be decided. 

The Redbirds will take on Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in Oshawa, Ontario on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.. The Ridgebacks are currently ranked above McGill in the Ontario University Athletics East.  

Quotable:

“We still have two games to go, so our goal is to have home [games] in the first round, and if we can take business on our end in the next two games we will get that.” — Coach Urquhart

Moment of the game: 

One particularly notable moment of the game was the 360 flip save made by the team’s goalie, #31 Alexis Shank,  U4 Arts. The goalie was able to flip around and save a fast-flying puck coming his way. The act blew the crowd away, even some players looked surprised to see such an impressive save!

Stats corner: 

During this game, McGill took 43 shots on net, with the Thunderwolves taking 33.

1 … 85 86 87 88 89 … 1,363

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