A diverse group including McGill alumni, professors, varsity athletes, and campus groups representing racialized students met on Sept. 12 in New Chancellor Day Hall to give feedback on a draft report suggesting principles for future commemoration and renaming initiatives on campus. The report was published by the Working Group on[Read More…]
Articles by Kendall McGowan
SSMU Council discusses the presence of far-right ideology in McGill community
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council convened on April 5 to discuss methods to prevent the spread of far-right groups within the campus community, and implement policies against sexual violence. Additionally, Council voted to update SSMU’s equity policy, to support the Fiat Lux library improvement plan, and[Read More…]
With Time, a Task Force
Nearly 200 years ago, James McGill, a fur trader and one of the most prominent slave owners in Quebec’s history, founded McGill University on land traditionally held by Indigenous peoples. On that land, enslaved Indigenous and Black labourers built many of the edifices which still stand on campus, including the[Read More…]
ISA walk out brings movement for Indigenous justice to McGill
Protesters honoured the deaths of Tina Fontaine, Colten Boushie, and Brady Francis—three Indigenous youths who were murdered without any suspects being held criminally responsible—at a walkout on campus on March 14, National School Walkout Day. Over 3,100 walkouts took place at schools across North America that day, mostly over gun[Read More…]
Vigil for Tina Fontaine calls for individual and institutional change
Two weeks after Gerald Stanley’s acquittal for the murder of 22-year-old Cree man Colten Boushie in Saskatchewan, a Manitoba courthouse acquitted Raymond Cormier of the murder of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine, member of the Sagkeeng First Nation. Montrealers gathered to mourn Fontaine, Boushie, and other Indigenous people denied justice in Canadian[Read More…]
SSMU Council continues conversation on Dentistry sexual assault allegations
At the Jan. 25 meeting of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council, Dental Students’ Society (DSS) President Ryan Siciliano defended the society’s response to sexual assault and harassment allegations in the Faculty of Dentistry. The allegations were detailed in a report by the CBC, which was presented[Read More…]
SSMU Legislative Council addresses CBC sexual violence report
At its first meeting of 2018 on Jan. 11, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council discussed accusations of sexual assault and harassment in the Faculty of Dentistry reported by the CBC. SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Carlee Kawinehta Loft also guest spoke on the topic of legislative reform,[Read More…]
SSMU Board of Directors nominees to be ratified a second time
At a meeting on Jan. 14, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Board of Directors (BoD) voted to ratify the Judicial Board (J-Board) decision released on Dec. 31 on the case of Glustein vs. Koparkar. With five in favour, three abstentions and three absences, the BoD vote affirmed the[Read More…]
Glustein v. Koparkar Judicial Board hearing held on General Assembly BoD ratification vote
At a hearing held on Nov. 30, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Judicial Board (J-Board) committed to delivering a verdict in the case of Glustein v. Koparkar by Dec. 31. The hearing concerned a dispute over the constitutionality of a motion passed at the at the Oct. 23[Read More…]
PGSS General Assembly debates DPS and external affiliations under new Secretary-General
McGill’s Postgraduate Students’ Society (PGSS) held its Fall General Assembly (GA) in the Thomson House ballroom on Nov. 15. At the GA, Unité de travail pour l’implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE) and the Quebec Student Union (QSU) gave presentations on their work and discussed an affiliation with PGSS would look[Read More…]
SSMU Board members to remain past the end of their term
On Oct. 28, the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Judicial Board (J-Board) released an interim order suspending the results of the Oct. 23 General Assembly (GA) vote ratifying the nominations for the new Board of Directors (BoD), which would begin sitting after Nov. 15. While this vote is normally[Read More…]
PGSS Secretary-General resigns following accident
On Oct. 2, the Post-graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) announced the resignation of PGSS secretary-general Jacob Lavigne by email and Facebook. According to PGSS Financial Affairs Officer Matthew Satterthwaite, Lavigne was forced to step down due to extenuating consequences of an accident he was in over the summer. The executives regret[Read More…]
Culture Shock funding dispute reveals deeper discord within SSMU
In August, the Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE) published an open letter condemning the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) decision to cut funding for the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) McGill’s free, annual Culture Shock and Social Justice Days events. UGE is a SSMU service that offers an[Read More…]
SSMU and CDN release report on Gendered and Sexualized Violence policy
After more than three months of consultations with the Community Disclosure Network (CDN), on July 5, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) announced that it had completed the first draft of a SSMU Gendered and Sexualized Violence Policy (GSVP). The draft is currently being reviewed by student groups on[Read More…]
Macdonald Campus holds referendum to explore disaffiliation with graduate student governance
Following a week-long campaign period, the Macdonald Campus Graduate Students’ Society (MCGSS) will hold a referendum on March 30 for its members to decide whether or not to explore disaffiliatation from the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS), which currently represents students on both the downtown and Macdonald campuses. If the motion passes,[Read More…]