On March 21, the Palestine Solidarity Policy was overwhelmingly approved by the undergraduate students of McGill University in the Winter 2022 Referendum, garnering a 71 per cent “yes” vote. The policy mandates the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) to campaign for McGill University to condemn Canary Mission and other[Read More…]
Tag: Divestment
Suzanne Fortier reflects on McGill’s future and lessons learned from COVID-19
As the Fall 2021 semester and McGill’s bicentennial year comes to a close, the McGill administration has started envisioning plans for the university’s academic, ecological, and structural future. From opening a new Office for Mediation and Reporting, to assessing McGill’s Strategic Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan and the Anti-Black Racism[Read More…]
U of T’s divestment sets a low bar that McGill refuses to reach
On Oct. 27, the University of Toronto (U of T) announced that it would divest from all its direct fossil fuel investments in the next 12 months, with plans to divest from all indirect investments by 2030. It also stated that it will take steps to curb more emissions than[Read More…]
Student activists host virtual rally calling for divestment from Line 3 pipeline
Content warning: Human trafficking Nearly 350 students across Canada and the United States attended a virtual student-led rally on March 5 to call for the defunding of Line 3, a tar sands pipeline project set to run from Alberta to Minnesota. The featured keynote speaker Tara Houska, a tribal attorney,[Read More…]
Divest McGill holds workshop on climate justice and divestment
Divest McGill held a virtual workshop titled “Divest 101” on Jan. 20 to educate students about divestment and encourage them to take action. Two representatives of Divest McGill, Zahur Ashrafuzzaman, U1 Arts & Science, and Millie Murray, U1 Arts, led the presentation by outlining the ethical, social, and financial incentives[Read More…]
Divest McGill plans escalated tactics following administration’s announcement
Divest 101, an information session held by the student group Divest McGill, took place on Jan. 21, drawing a crowd of around 40 students to a Burnside basement classroom. The meeting was led by members Guido Powell and Rachel Ivey, who discussed the group’s response to McGill’s plans to decarbonize.[Read More…]
Divestment is not “symbolic,” it’s necessary
Following McGill’s most recent refusal to divest, tenured McGill professor Gregory Mikkelson has resigned from his position. Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier defended the university’s decision to remain invested in the fossil fuel industry, stating that the university’s commitment to decarbonization would be more valuable than a “symbolic” divestment from[Read More…]
This is not divestment
Climate change devastates human populations, animal species, and entire ecosystems: The fossil fuel industry remains the largest contributor to climate change. Given the circumstances, being complicit in environmental degradation is immoral and investing in fossil fuels is socially injurious. With the urgent threat posed by the climate crisis increasing every[Read More…]
A case against divestment
On Oct. 10, McGill’s administration held a soirée in celebration of the McGill Sustainability Projects Fund’s (SPF) 10th anniversary. Since its creation, the fund has sponsored a variety of projects related to campus sustainability, ranging from mental health campaigns to climate change sensibilisation. The existence of the SPF, however, does[Read More…]
Canada’s plastic ban could intensify the climate crisis
A week prior to declaring a national climate emergency, the federal government announced a ban on single-use plastics starting in 2021. While bans like this aid in protecting aquatic ecosystems and improving sustainability, they may serve more as a distraction than an effective solution. Announcing a state of emergency serves[Read More…]
