Fabienne lived as the truest kind of journalist—thoughtful, curious, ambitious, honest—and the truest kind of friend. Her smile was contagious, her love and care limitless. The world will never be as bright as when she walked through it, yet it is better because she did.
To those she spoke of with endless affection and pride—Shauna, Joshu, Lucas, Indira, Valentina, and countless other loved ones—we extend our deepest condolences. Fabienne’s light was made brighter by your love and support. No thank you will ever be enough for helping shape one of the most remarkable people we’ve ever met.
With infinite gratitude for all she gave and all she was, The Tribune dedicates this issue, and the rest of Volume 45, to Fabienne and her beautiful life. When you read The Tribune, remember Fabienne. Her love lingers in these pages, and it will linger in the pages that turn long after us.
What a glittering force of nature you were, Fabienne. We love you, and we miss you deeply.
- Yusur Al-Sharqi, Editor-in-Chief
Yusur’s personal reflection can be found here.
As Fabienne said, “bring a revolution of kindness.” Her warmth and grace lit up every space she entered—and The Tribune office was no exception. As a contributor, writer, and then editor, Fabienne transformed the face of McGill’s student journalism. She was a brilliant, innovative writer whose passion was boundless. As my dear friend, she was even more extraordinary: Unwaveringly generous, incredibly thoughtful, and endlessly present. She has made me kind, patient, and courageous. I look to grasp her insatiable desire to learn, her compassion for all she met, and her unrelenting fight for justice. She is deeply missed, and her voice remains with us throughout her revolutionary stories.
- Jasjot Grewal, Editor-in-Chief (2024-25)
I met Fabienne’s writing long before I did her. As both an editor and a reader of The Tribune, I must have come across half a dozen of her articles by the time she joined the Editorial team. Long before I put a face to her name, I came to associate her with thoughtful, heart-forward news coverage. Though I didn’t know her very well or for very long, Fabienne’s words and spirit undoubtedly left their mark on me. As a colleague, her tenacious work ethic and commitment to responsible journalism inspired me. As a friend, her advice and reflections during our pre-Ed Board chats became a favourite part of my weekly routine. Fabienne, I feel so lucky to have witnessed your light, even if just for a short while. We are all better for knowing you. Rest easy.
- Dana Prather, Arts & Entertainment Editor (2023-25)
It was a joy and privilege to get to know Fabienne through our work in the News section. As a friend, her kindness and her welcoming spirit are unforgettable. As a part of the News team, her commitment to critical and compassionate reporting enriched our section in countless ways. Fabienne pushed The Tribune to better carry out our mandate and serve our community, and she did so with grace and care. Her beautiful writing, good-hearted sense of humour, and rockstar glitter makeup are just a few other memories that I’ll always hold on to. Thank you for everything, Fabienne.
- Eliza Lee, News Editor (2024-25)
In the short time I was fortunate to have with Fabienne, her immense talent inspired me and taught me so much about what it means to be a good journalist, citizen, and friend. It wasn’t just me, though: That was her effect on everyone she touched. Her kindness, hope, and fervor for the world were nothing short of magic; even as a writer, it feels impossible to put into words what the world has lost. She brought peace to any room and electricity to any dance floor. Now, I carry her with me through every interview I hold and every story I write. After she passed, I re-watched her 2020 Toronto Poetry Slam performance over and over, wanting to hear her beautiful words again. She said it best, as she always did: “The most excruciating lesson I’ve learned is that love is always worth the pain.”
- Shani Laskin, Managing Editor of News and Sports (2024-25)
Copy editing can be a lonely role. While most other Tribune editors interact with their section and colleagues regularly throughout the week, the majority of my work took place in our office with almost no one else present. But Fabienne was always there. She didn’t need to be in the office on our Monday production day; as a Section Editor, her edits were completed by the end of the weekend. We were only required to interact at our weekly Editorial Board meetings. And yet, she always came in, seemingly just to provide company while she worked on other things. Fabienne would listen, not only with patience but with real interest, to all of my most pedantic nitpicks about curly apostrophes or dangling participle phrases. Her going above and beyond quickly showed me, a lonely Copy Editor, that I did not just have colleagues at The Tribune: I had friends.
- Matt Adelberg, Copy Editor (Fall 2023, 2024-25)
When I sheepishly walked into my first pitch meeting at The Tribune, Fabienne spotted me standing in the doorway, not quite sure where to go. She immediately welcomed me with a broad smile, invited me to sit next to her, and made me feel at home. In the coming weeks, she coached and mentored me as I excitedly embarked on a journey into the world of journalism. Fabienne’s strength as a journalist and mentor came from her rare pairing of warmth and kindness with a firm and confident attitude towards her work. The world is a poorer place without her.
- Daniel Miksha, News Staff Writer (2024-25)
“We already spoke to one of The Trib’s journalists, Fabienne,” a law professor informed me while taking a break from the picket line. “She was just incredible.” Everyone who knew Fabienne knows how she singularly carried a tenacious generosity, warm and reciprocal spirit, and fierce ability to welcome those around her into her light. I recall many of our shared English professors celebrating her union reporting in congratulatory emails to us. Immersed in how rigorous journalism can change people’s lives, Fabienne was the model for our staff—bold and exacting, poetic, political, and ethical. In friendships, in classes, and in the newsroom, she challenged all of us to live life to the fullest and be our best selves, and we were proud that she genuinely believed that we might just get there. Her loss is simply immeasurable. Fabienne’s legacy of grace and courage guides us with every piece and step.
- Matthew Molinaro, Editor-in-Chief (2023-2024)
My first impression of The Tribune was Fabienne’s voice: Warm, welcoming, and unwavering. As we spoke over the phone about my earliest article, which we co-wrote, Fabienne invited me into the News team with a generous, earnest, and wise kindness that would set the tone for every conversation we shared. Whatever Fabienne dedicated her interest and attention to was made better and brighter by her care. The truth she spoke to power throughout her work will permanently endure—an article of Fabienne’s about faculty unionization is taped to my professor’s office door. I am honoured to walk by it each day and be reminded of my gratitude for Fabienne’s brilliance, beauty, and empathy.
- Mairin Burke, Managing Editor of News and Sports
I first spoke with Fabienne last fall, tabling for The Tribune at Activities Night. We talked about the things we liked to do, what we studied, why we wrote. She told me about the things she believed in, initiatives she had taken in her community, how she imagined things could be. It was a gesture of striking kindness: In meeting a new person, to define yourself by the things you do for other people. She led by example—intelligent, thoughtful, hopeful, seeing storytelling as a tool with which to create beauty and change. I feel immeasurably fortunate to have met her, and the community at The Tribune is made much richer by her memory. The world at the paper and beyond is a better place with her words in it.
- Kellie Elrick, Arts & Entertainment Editor (2024-25)
In Fabienne’s honour, donations can be made to the Fabienne de Cartier Award for Poetry at www.fabiennedecartier.com.
