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News

Canada extends temporary immigration measures for Iranian workers

by Sahar Jafferbhoy on

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On March 4, the Canadian government announced an extension of temporary special immigration measures for certain Iranian nationals currently living and working in Canada. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) policy now allows Iranian citizens with valid work permits to apply for extensions.

Amid the U.S. and Israel’s military attacks on Iran, the decision is part of a broader set of temporary measures Canada introduced beginning in 2022—following the Islamic regime’s crackdown on ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ protestors. However, the latest extension applies more narrowly than previous measures. In an interview with The Tribune, Rex Brynen, professor in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, highlighted the exclusivity of the current policy.

“The current temporary measures apply only to Iranians with valid work permits and do not, for example, cover those on study permits seeking extensions,” Brynen said.

Brynen noted that the extension’s narrower scope should be interpreted as a broader tendency of Canadian immigration policy, rather than as a direct indicator of Canada’s relationship with Iran.

“I don’t see this as a statement of Canadian policy towards Iran so much as reflecting the current government’s generally more restrictive approach to immigration,” he said. “Human rights matter, and labour market considerations matter, but so too does politics [….] Public opinion polls show a significant drop in public support for immigration in general.”

Brynen also noted that political rhetoric around immigration has shaped the broader context within which these policies are introduced.

“Islamophobia is a factor, too. The Conservative opposition that has been actively scapegoating asylum-seekers and scaremongering about the security risk of Iranian temporary residents,” Brynen said. “The Carney government is responding to that context.”

According to Brynen, the policy changes may also disparately affect those on certain types of work permits. An open work permit allows individuals to work for any employer in Canada, while an employer-specific work permit allows them to work only for one specific, pre-approved employer during their stay in Canada. 

“As I understand it, it becomes harder to extend one’s stay under an open work permit or study permit,” Brynen said. “That may push some people into having to make asylum claims rather than face a termination of their legal status.”

Daniel Douek, faculty lecturer in the Department of Political Science at McGill, mentioned that geopolitical conflicts can affect how citizens of certain countries are treated internationally.

“Anytime there’s a situation of warfare, and anytime there’s a situation of international crisis, and, in particular, [when] a government such as the Iranian one, which is predatory towards its own people, […] becomes the target of measures by other countries, then that brings into question Iranian citizens abroad,” Douek said. “However one feels about the government, […] you still have some affiliation with it, so that can be problematic.”

Douek emphasized that Canada has a well-established Iranian community, many of whom left Iran due to political repression or other hardships.

“There’s a large Iranian diaspora here in Canada of people who, even if they didn’t come as refugees or didn’t come seeking asylum, nevertheless have faced discrimination in different forms,” Douek explained.

McGill has sent an email offering support to Iranian students. McGill’s Media Relations Office (MRO) included this email in a written statement to The Tribune, acknowledging the hardships Iranian students may be facing.

“We recognize that the recent violence affecting Iran may be adding to the stress and concern felt within the Iranian community. We are here for you and are ready to help in any way we can.”

The email went on to list available resources students may consult. Specifically, students can contact case managers in the Office of the Dean of Students for guidance and support and access mental health services through the Wellness Hub. Students can also consult the GuardMe Student Support Program, which provides 24-hour counselling services. Additionally, students experiencing academic difficulties may speak with their instructors about accommodations.

The message emphasized that university support services remain available to students affected by ongoing events related to Iran.

Prof Profiles, Science & Technology

Meet your prof: Siva Nadarajah

by Sarah McDonald on

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What do engineers actually do? They are often described as problem-solvers, scientists, and inventors, but even with this framing, what they do on a day-to-day basis is not always obvious. In an attempt to dispel this mystery, The Tribune sat down with Mechanical Engineering professor Siva Nadarajah, who explained his education, why he chose to pursue engineering, and most importantly, what he actually does.

“I did my education in the States, [I’m] originally from Malaysia, but I was in the States for about 10 years, and so I did a […] [joint] Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor’s in Mathematics,” Nadarajah explained. “And then I did a Master’s and a PhD, all in Aerospace Engineering, but mainly in the Applied Math aspect of engineering.”

As with other disciplines, engineers are faced with the daunting decision of pursuing either academia or industry after they graduate; Nadarajah, however, undertook his education knowing he wanted to work in academia. Academia affords faculty the freedom to pursue their own projects, research aspects of their specialty that interest them, and contribute to ever-expanding literature and subject expertise. While working in industry can be immensely rewarding, Nadarajah was drawn to the nature of academic work—he wanted to work through fundamental problems. 

“So after my PhD, I submitted my thesis when the office opened at nine o’clock in the morning. [These were] the times when you had to kind of print the whole book,” Nadarajah said. “And so the office opened, I handed them the thesis, and then I got on [an] 11:30 flight from San Francisco Airport and landed in Montreal. I literally handed [in] my thesis, then got onto the flight to come to McGill.”

He has been at McGill ever since.

In addition to his professorial duties, Nadarajah is the Director of the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering (MIAE) and runs his own lab, the McGill Computational Aerodynamics Group, where he completes his research.

MIAE brings students and researchers from various faculties together to study different aspects of aerospace, from engineering to Air and Space Law. This work culminates in the seminar series “Grand Challenges and the Future of Aerospace,” which MIAE hosts either once or twice per semester, depending on the year. Nadarajah explained how this seminar brings together students from across engineering disciplines to network with large aerospace companies to understand the problems they are currently facing. The speakers at these events are typically either Chief Technology Officers or Vice Presidents, offering students perspectives on the current problems industry professionals understand as impacting the field.

However, while his research and the work done at MIAE are interesting, Nadarajah expressed that he loves teaching just as much as he loves his research.

“I think that that, by far, that is definitely the most enjoyable thing is to is to be able to discuss and share the wonders of what we do […] [and] standing in a classroom and lecturing and sharing passion with others who are also interested. I think that’s a lot of fun.”

Nadarajah’s current research centres around fluid dynamics. He and his team are working on developing algorithms to optimize the efficiency of aircraft wings based on the movement of air around them. Once designed, this algorithm will be applicable to other aerodynamic structures. 

“So on a daily basis, I would say, I think most of the time is spent on the applied math and understanding the sort of equations developing these algorithms, but also keeping the back of the mind on the architecture of the computer that you’re trying to solve these problems on,” Nadarajah said.

Ultimately, Nadarajah’s work combines his passion for exploring fundamental problems with his desire to enact change, all while giving the rest of us some insight into what it really means to be an engineer.

Commentary, Opinion

Passing bills ‘on division’ threatens Canadian democracy

by Tarannom Moheq on

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Canada’s current Parliament has passed 50 per cent of its bills through a ‘division’ vote instead of a ‘tallied’ vote in the House of Commons. Parliament has previously used this practice to fast-track legislation or opt for simplicity during online sessions. Today, it is justified in the name of stability, creating a united front in the face of geopolitical rivalries. 

However, this priority not only threatens Canadian democracy—it reflects democratic backsliding in contemporary society. Citizens, unaware of how their representatives would have voted, are ousted from the political process and forced to trust their elected officials under ignorance, while bills are passed on potentially non-existent consensuses in Parliament. 

Division voting is beneficial for minority governments, as it allows bills to bypass the need for majority approval from Members of Parliament (MPs). This eases the creation of legislation in highly divided times, though at the cost of certain groups’ political power.

Existing dissenting voices in Parliament have been stifled by this practice to avoid bringing down the government or causing a snap election; two of the bills passed on division under the current Parliament were confidence votes. A confidence vote is one in which a ‘no’ vote means that the prime minister no longer holds the support––confidence––of Parliament, obligating a consequent general election. By passing bills and motions frequently through division votes, Canada assumes the appearance of a stable, functioning government in the context of rising international tensions. Under pressure from the trade war with the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney likely aspires to present national unity and a coordinated government.

However, this obscures the reality that this Parliament has been inefficient. As the completion of Carney’s first year nears, only 12 bills have passed, a stark contrast to previous governments that were able to pass over 50 within the same timeframe. Not only is Parliament inefficient, but half of the few bills that were successful only passed through a division vote, speaking to the fragility of the government and disagreement across the nation. 

These confidence bills were passed on division to ensure this Parliament’s continuation while acknowledging the objections of other parties. However, acknowledgement alone does not imply democracy; impact does. When the influence of major portions of Parliament is removed from the decision-making sphere, their constituents lose power as well—even more so as constituents are unable to tell how their representatives vote. While division votes can only happen with the consent of most MPs, their lack of transparency greatly threatens Canadian democratic values.

The issue of democratic participation is not one foreign to Montrealers and McGillians. Last fall’s municipal election saw the lowest voter turnout in years at a mere 37 per cent. Low voter turnout is also visible in the context of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)’s elections and referenda; despite holding a quorum of only 15 per cent, resolutions frequently fail to reach this threshold. 

Political inactivity is widespread at the local level, and will only worsen with the continued use of on division bill passing. With its high frequency of use, this procedural tactic is an abuse to Canada’s democratic system and excludes significant numbers of people by assuming a consensus that may not exist. 

By ignoring or accepting Parliament’s use of this tactic, we are at risk of creating a culture apathetic to political participation—that is, to democracy. It is imperative that we stay vigilant and continue to monitor these developments, as democracy does not always vanish overnight but instead may slip away quietly when no one is paying attention. 

News, SSMU

SSMU LC discusses Student Support Program, Positions Book, and GSPN panel

by Bianca Sugunasiri on

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On March 12, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council (LC) convened for its fifth session of the semester, with six members attending remotely through Zoom. 

After making adjustments to the agenda, Speaker Acadia Knickerbocker introduced Steve Cameron to speak on behalf of GuardMe, a mental and physical health insurance company partnering with McGill’s Student Support Program. The program offers 24/7 confidential counselling services to students.

Science Councillor Benjamin Yu put forward a query regarding the advertising and distribution of the program, noting that he has not personally seen tangible impacts on students.  

“This is actually the first time I’m hearing about this program,” Yu said. “I wanted to ask you what your day-to-day engagement is […] and what your strategy for advertising the service is, just because I know that there are a lot of students that are concerned about the Student Wellness Hub, but aren’t really mentioning this program.”

Cameron responded saying that actions are currently being taken to rebrand and remain visible for students.

Cameron also put forward for consideration a new facet of the program, Digital Doctor, which would provide students with more accessible primary healthcare. He emphasized its focus on students’ needs, comprehensive healthcare ownership, and existing success with the Post Graduate Students’ Society. The LC will consider the Digital Doctor program in a future session to discuss whether it can be made accessible to undergraduate students.

President Dymetri Taylor then announced the conclusion of SSMU’s eight-month hiring search for a new General Manager (GM), with the selection of Melissa Proietti. Proietti is a McGill graduate who has worked in higher education for seven years. 

Following Executive Reports and Reports by Councillors, the council discussed two notices of motion. Taylor put forward the Notice of Motion for the Reprioritization of the Positions Book, which was articulated by Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Simone Brown. Brown presented Taylor’s proposal to consolidate all SSMU positions into the SSMU Positions Book, replacing aspiration policies with actionable positions. 

Vice-President (VP) External Affairs Seraphina Crema-Black endorsed this notice of motion, describing the strain of putting vague policies into action. 

“It’s really difficult to know which of these [policies] are actually projects that we want to focus our time on versus projects that are maybe outdated,” Crema-Black said. “This is going to make things much clearer, make the actionable steps and tangible steps much easier to execute and get to the goal that we’re actually trying to achieve.” 

Brown then put forward the Notice of Motion Regarding Political Campaigns Addition in The IRS Rep & Advocacy on the Governance Reform Committee. It called for the reintroduction of the External Affairs Committee, which would place political campaigns under the authority of not just a single executive, but a group of diverse individuals with multiple perspectives. 

Among the discussion items, Crema-Black proposed hosting the last leg of the Global Students for Palestine Network (GSPN) panel tour on March 30. The LC then discussed the management of ticket sales, logistics of the Q&A session, and student safety during the event.

After a thorough debate, Crema-Black drafted a Motion to Endorse the GSPN Panel Event in Collaboration with the Arab Student Network and the Palestinian Cultural Club. The motion passed with 14 in favour, two opposed, and three abstaining. 

Moment of the Meeting: 

Engineering Councillor Ben Mitchell raised concerns regarding student reception of the Discussion Item calling for the immediate annulment of the Ethical Partnership Policy. Mitchell cautioned the council about the potential confusion students may experience upon seeing the policy dissolve without a transparent explanation. 

Soundbite: 

“Make sure you exercise your democratic privilege to vote in the SSMU executive and referendum elections, really important stuff, really fun. Oh, yeah, you get stickers.”—VP University Affairs Susan Aloudat, on the importance of voting. 

Arts & Entertainment, Private, Theatre

Shakespeare’s lyricism thrives through comedy in ‘Goblin: Macbeth’

by Dylan Hing on

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William Shakespeare’s work is no stranger to unique adaptations. For over four hundred years, audiences have been dazzled by reimaginings of his compositions in West Side Story, 10 Things I Hate About You, and my personal favourite, She’s the Man. Brilliant stage and screen adaptations abound, and at Centaur Theatre, Spontaneous Productions has added Goblin: Macbeth to the list with a hilarious show that finds humour in Shakespeare’s poetry.

Starring the Goblins Wug, Kragva, and Moog, played by anonymous actors, Goblin: Macbeth follows this trio as they stumble across the complete works of William Shakespeare. They choose to perform Macbeth in hopes of better understanding human culture, because, as they put it, it is the Bard’s shortest play, and has quite a bit of blood. However, the show truly starts before the curtains rise, with the Goblins appearing in the lobby to the surprise of theatregoers and later commandeering the stage, much to the chagrin of the director whose show was ‘supposed’ to take place there. 

This version follows the closing of Théâtre du Nouveau Monde’s production of Macbeth on March 1st, which set the play amidst a biker-gang war. The Goblin’s version began previewing on March 4th, continuing Macbeth’s rightful dominance over Montreal.

The Goblins interact with the audience before they are even seated, introducing the cultural divide between themselves and humans through their discovery of human-made items. Yet despite their uniqueness, Wug, Kragva, and Moog are distinctly human. Their attempt to perform the play is as familiar to the audience as it is charming, with each goblin playing multiple characters and arguing amongst each other about equal effort in performing the play. In one scene, Kravga plays all of the characters, while Wug, as Macbeth, hides behind a mirror, and Moog is stuck playing the music—you must see it to believe it.

Much can be said about the banter and the modernization of some of the play’s lines to better suit the comedy, but when all is said and done, the performances in Goblin: Macbeth fully convey the wide range of emotions that Shakespeare intended. Wug gave a showstopping performance as Macbeth, bringing genuine emotion to the famed “Is this a dagger” and “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” soliloquies. There was, especially in the latter speech, a clear intent behind the words, and Wug’s delivery was moving.

Kravga plays Lady Macbeth, among other characters, and stands out as well. Kravga leads many of the production’s most hilarious deviations from Shakespeare’s original script, having audience members play the army hiding under the leaves of Birnam Wood, marching upon Macbeth at Dunsinane, in the final act. Most memorably, once Wug’s Macbeth returns onstage after committing his nefarious deed, Kravga notices something off about him that sends the production into a breathtakingly insane direction.

The Goblins take great joy in involving the viewers in the production, culminating in a fun activity that also doubles as a stretch break. The Goblins occasionally encourage all audience members to respond to their dialogue, while some are asked to participate in the play from the comfort of their seats.
Overall, for Shakespeare enthusiasts and newcomers, Goblin: Macbeth is a must-see. It is a masterclass in respecting Shakespeare’s world-famous poetry while cheekily using comedy to make it understandable to a modern audience. With a reverential treatment of the language, at least by Wug, the audience gets the best of both worlds: Brilliant comedy and beautiful handling of one of Shakespeare’s best. It’s something you’ll want to see again tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.

Student Life

How to break up with your phone

by Rachel Blackstone on

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My phone and I are glued at the hip, literally. When reality interrupts our time spent face-to-interface, I still keep it snug in my back pocket, ready to be reunited again with my scrolling fingers.

It was love at first sight, but our relationship quickly became all-encompassing, causing me to forget the things I once loved. I now find myself addicted to its cheap thrills and instant gratification.

It loves me; it loves me not. I sprawl in an overgrown field of tailored algorithms, constant dopamine hits, suffocating consumerism, deepfakes, and unfiltered hate speech. Each petal tells me something different, but I know deep down that it’s time to break up with my cellphone.

I could download an app that blocks all my favourite apps. That feels a little meta. I could throw out my cell altogether and replace it with a Brick Phone. I’ve seen ads all over Instagram for that. But these options feel a little harsh. After all, my phone and I had some good times. I want to end our codependency through boundaries and the slivers of autonomy I still possess.

If you resonate with this preamble, read on for The Tribune’s suggestions for breaking up with your phone.

Befriend a book

It can be daunting to pick up a book when already faced with a few hundred pages of assigned weekly readings, but I firmly believe that getting lost in a good book is more gratifying than any doomscroll session could be. An easy way to get back into reading is to simply begin carrying a book with you everywhere you go. Every time your friend is late to your coffee date or the classroom projector fails, instead of mindlessly reaching for your phone, read a few pages. When screen time is used to fill in all the gaps in your daily routine, phone use becomes an automation. If you instead use these moments to read, you will slowly realize how much more time you have in a day. 

Organize no-screen hangouts

Invite your friends over, tell everyone to bring a book, a craft, or a game, and spend the night relaxing //sans// phone. As collaborative as watching a movie with friends is, it’s likely that the group will end up mindlessly scrolling. Even if a movie isn’t on, it’s increasingly common to “rot” with your friends at home and all end up silently engrossed in your phones. To avoid this, create a space where alternative individual activities can still be performed in a shared environment.

Invest in long-form content

As depressing (or embarrassing) as this may be, watching a movie or episode of television at the end of the day has become something of a lost pastime thanks to the rise of short-form content like Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, and YouTube Shorts. With shrinking attention spans, nights are lost to doomscrolling that feels involuntary. Leave your phone in another room and reclaim your evenings by finding a new show you love, or go to //Letterboxd// and find your new favourite movie.

Accept occasional boredom

Pay attention to moments where your phone is present when it doesn’t need to be: Before bed, first thing in the morning, walking through campus. Acknowledging that your phone has invaded all aspects of life is the first step to decentralizing it. Once aware, let yourself sit in occasional boredom. Stare out the window and people-watch. Think about where you would like to be instead of waiting for the bus and get distracted in a daydream. Ground yourself in the present, to avoid floating away indefinitely.

Commentary, Opinion

Quebec cannot afford ‘gender equality’ without feminism

by Defne Feyzioglu on

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Content warning: Mentions of gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence and femicide

Masculinist sentiment is gaining traction across the world while global backlash against feminism and gender equality is intensifying. Simultaneously, gender-based violence remains widespread, reproductive and bodily autonomy are increasingly policed, and gender-diverse people continue to face exclusion in public policy and everyday life. During these critical times, Bernard Drainville, the current Environment Minister in Quebec, and potential successor to Francois Legault as leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), explicitly stated that he did not wish to be identified as a feminist, but only as a supporter of gender equality. This is a statement that clearly embodies where Quebec—and global—politics are headed: A broader political moment wherein the language of equality is embraced, but the movements needed to achieve it are rejected. 

Feminism, at its core, is the belief that everyone should have equal rights, regardless of their gender identity or sex. A politician who actively distances himself from feminism while claiming to support gender equality raises a larger question about what kind of equality he is willing to defend. Rejecting feminism is not a neutral branding choice; it is a refusal to name and confront the systems that make inequality possible in the first place.

Drainville’s equality proposals mainly focus on homeownership and in vitro fertilization. While easing women’s path to property ownership and making fertility treatment more accessible are steps in the right direction, they remain insufficient. These policies frame gender equality largely through economic participation and family formation rather than addressing freedom from violence, bodily autonomy, and protection for those who face intersectional forms of discrimination and state exclusion. Drainville offers only a narrow and selective vision of equality. 

This perspective becomes even more overt in his broader policies. By introducing initiatives like Bill 94, an expansion of Bill 21 that bans religious symbols for teachers and school staff, Drainville advances legislation that outright dismisses intersectional realities and excludes the people feminism seeks to protect. He also rejected gender-neutral bathrooms in schools in 2023, saying that the matter was out of the question for Quebec. Drainville then refused to convene a legislative committee on gender identity, arguing that doing so would only expose what he named a sensitive issue to political exploitation. Rather than confronting inequality as a structural issue, the version of equality he proposes is extremely limited in scope.

Gender inequality is experienced daily through violence, exclusion, and state neglect. Intimate partner violence and sexual violence affect people of all genders, but remain deeply gendered in who is most affected and how that violence operates. Worldwide in 2024, 83,000 women and girls were intentionally killed—50,000 by their intimate partners or family members. On a daily basis, this number reached 137—approximately one death every ten minutes. Quebec is not exempt from this reality. Femicides, the gender-based killings of women and girls, are the byproducts of ongoing patriarchal systems that normalize coercive control, misogyny, and violence; the province has reported seven femicides since the beginning of 2026. 

When gender-related murders happen on a scale so large that they can be reported as a daily statistic, it becomes clear that gender-based violence is a global crisis and a human rights violation, as it strips women and gender-diverse people of their rights to safety, dignity, freedom, and life itself. Given this reality, a commitment to equality that stops short of feminism is deeply inadequate to address the structural conditions in which this violence persists. 

Drainville’s statement is not a mere semantic happenstance, but a conscious, harmful choice. In an age where the need for feminism is urgent, vague statements about supporting gender equality or policies that will “attract young women” are not enough. Anything less than explicit and continuous feminist practices is a limited political strategy that recycles traditional gender roles as progress instead of confronting the conditions that sustain inequality in the first place. Feminism saves lives, and ambiguity is not neutrality—it is participation in a patriarchal order. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing gender-based violence, please refer to the resources below:

SOS violence conjugale: 1 800 363-9010 (bilingual service available) 

Sexual Violence Helpline: 1-888-933-9007

Sheltersafe.ca 

Student Life

Montreal stays awake for its 23rd annual Nuit Blanche

by Sophia Angela Zhang on

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Montreal’s Nuit Blanche is a chance to rediscover the many facets of the city through a lively, nocturnal lens. Timed to coincide with secondary school and university breaks, this event was an opportunity for burnt-out students to spend quality time falling in love with new parts of Montreal. If your midterm study schedule or reading week travels kept you from this year’s night of nocturnal fun, here were the highlights of the evening.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, Montreal hosted its spectacular 23rd annual Nuit Blanche, transforming all four corners of the city into a bustling night attraction, complete with extended Société de transport de Montréal (STM) hours and hundreds of cultural activities for all to enjoy past bedtime. Most of the festivities were located in the Quartier des Spectacles, where the designated festival plaza, music, and joy, along with lively spirits and light installations, brightened the night sky. With towering projections and colourful light sculptures, the city was surrounded by a surreal atmosphere, and the snow-covered streets transformed into a vibrant public celebration.

Nuit Blanche and its light installations are part of the Montréal en Lumière festival. First held in the year 2000, this festival lights up the city with thousands of stunning light displays meant to encourage people to enjoy outdoor activities, even during the gloomy winter nights of February. The extensive programming features gourmet food, musical performances, and special events, most of which are free of charge.

With activities hosted at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Palais des congrès de Montréal, Théâtre Outremont, Espace OSM with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Place des Festivals, and even McGill’s own Redpath Museum, the entire city was plunged into a festive mood, livening up what would have been a typical cold winter night.

Some of the activities offered included a bookbinding workshop with Caroline Boileau, Glisse et Groove, an event which transformed the Parc Jean Drapeau skating rink into a disco floor, animated by DJ Thatz and DJ Pullinsky, and a night at the Biodôme, which invited visitors to observe the Tropical Rainforest and Laurentian Maple Forest ecosystems at night.

The Montreal Biodôme is situated near the Olympic Stadium, clustered with related attractions such as the Planetarium, Insectarium, and Botanical Gardens, all of which offered special attractions for the all-nighter experience. The Biodôme reproduces all five of the ecosystems present in the Americas, allowing tourists to observe a variety of plants and animals in their natural environment.

Nuit Blanche completely transformed the Biodôme. The Tropical Rainforest ecosystem was much darker than during the day, with dim lights and a moody, humid atmosphere. The Laurentian Maple Forest was lit up with orange and red lights, giving the familiar Canadian forest a new vibe. The sunset effect of the warm lights gave the space a different feel, allowing visitors to see the ecosystems from a new perspective. The Biodôme famously houses two Canada lynxes, who are both usually asleep during daytime visits. However, for festival-goers, both lynxes were wide awake and playing enthusiastically together. Nuit Blanche is one of the few opportunities for visitors to see these furry nocturnal felines when they are awake.

However, as with all large, city-wide events, lines are an inevitable part of the experience. With public transit hours extended and the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) staying open all night, people congregated in very large numbers. At the Biodôme, the line to enter lasted slightly over an hour—about the same amount of time spent inside. In the harsh Canadian winter, standing outside for hours is not the most pleasant experience, but if you’ve ever braved the cold for Igloofest, you’re well prepared for the next Nuit Blanche.


For one night each year, Montreal embraces the idea that winter need not mean staying indoors. Nuit Blanche turns the city itself into a stage, inviting residents and visitors alike to stay up late, explore new spaces, and celebrate the creativity that defines Montreal’s cultural life—even in the depths of winter. For students staying in Montreal during Reading Week, the event is a must-try. With a diverse range of activities—many of them free—Nuit Blanche allows students to travel beyond the McGill campus and experience hidden facets of Montreal at night without breaking the bank.

Sports

McGill launches Athletics Strategic Planning Task Force following varsity program cuts

by Ivanna Zhang on

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On Feb. 27, McGill University announced the launch of the Athletics and Recreation Strategic Planning Task Force to oversee the next five years of McGill’s Athletics and Recreation with a focus on uniting students, faculty, and alumni from across campus.

The Task Force will be co-chaired by Chancellor Pierre Boivin, Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Angela Campbell, and Interim Deputy Provost (Student Life and learning) Tony Mittermaier. There will also be an external advisory board composed of students, faculty, staff, and alumni to achieve the goal of putting students at the centre. Campbell told the McGill Reporter that the committee will focus on transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability. The article also confirmed that the committee will not “revisit past decisions” but will aim to represent student-athletes on campus. 

However, the scope of the Task Force misses the major current issue at McGill Athletics. The Task Force comes just after McGill Athletics announced one of its largest downsizings in November 2025. The department cut 25 varsity and club teams, citing challenges regarding facilities, budget constraints, and human resources. The statement enraged athletes across the world, including Olympic athletes such as seven-time gold medalist Andre De Grasse and Canadian Sports Hall of Famer Bruny Surin. 

In a statement to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), De Grasse expressed his frustration at the news. 

“What’s happening at McGill matters across Canada,” he said. “When a leading university cuts a program like this, it sends the wrong message to current and future athletes and to university leadership across the country.”

Moreover, varsity teams have also launched petitions to reinstate multiple programs that were to be cancelled next year. Despite these strong efforts, the athletics department has maintained its view on the matter, and the cuts will be implemented for the 2026-27 season. When asked if the decision is final, Perry Karnofsky, director of services, wellness programs, and operations, told the Montreal Gazette that “as far as the conclusions that we have come to now, I would say yes.”

One of the goals of the new Task Force is to communicate directly with athletes. As a result, the Varsity Council has sent out a Google Form to all varsity athletes to express their opinions on the cuts, saying “[they] have been facilitating ongoing discussions with admin and want to get holistic data on the impact this had on varsity athletes, to be presented to them.” The new committee also stated that they will deliver “clear and measurable objectives” after engaging with the community throughout this spring.

The committee’s desire to look ahead to the future means that the 25 varsity and club teams eliminated are outside the committee’s mandate. The Task Force will focus on how the remaining athletics and recreation programs should operate going forward, overlooking the hundreds of athletes who are losing their dreams of competing at the collegiate level. The timing of the initiative has also led some to interpret it as a response to the backlash that followed the downsizing announcement, especially after the decision drew widespread criticism from athletes, alumni, and prominent figures in Canadian sport.

On the other hand, the Task Force could be meaningful if it manages to repair a somewhat damaged relationship between the athletics department and the students. The cuts have created a sense of distrust among athletes, many of whom feel that their voices and concerns were overlooked throughout the decision-making process. Thus, having athlete voices within the Task Force through representation on the Varsity Council enables the administration to understand the perspectives and priorities of the athletes. Whether or not those perspectives ultimately influence decision-making is another question.

For now, however, much of the Task Force’s direction remains unclear. The language surrounding the initiatives has emphasized broad themes such as transparency and inclusivity, but it offers little clarity about what concrete outcomes athletes and the broader McGill community should expect. Regardless, it will be hard to assess the Task Force’s impact, as it has decided to avoid addressing one of the largest issues surrounding McGill Athletics.

Montreal, News

Debate intensifies over Quebec’s proposed Bill 9

by Rebecca Votier on

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Quebec’s proposed Bill 9 could change regulations around religious expression in public institutions, including universities. Introduced in November 2025 and currently in committee, the legislation expands the province’s secularism law and has sparked debate among students, advocacy groups, and university administrators about its potential impact on campus life. 

Bill 9 is part of Quebec’s broader agenda of ‘laïcité,’ a principle emphasizing the strict separation of religion and state. Under this framework, public institutions are expected to remain religiously neutral while ensuring equality and freedom of conscience for all citizens. 

One of the bill’s provisions requires individuals to have their faces uncovered when receiving services from higher education institutions or a body providing childcare services, or in places under the authority of such bodies. In a written statement to The Tribune, Department Chair of Jewish Studies Eric Caplan argued the bill contradicts the objective of state neutrality. 

“The stated aim of the bill is to protect state neutrality, but I fail to see how some of the things that it prohibits actually threaten state neutrality,” Caplan wrote. “I think people understand, for example, that when an employee wears a hijab or a [kippah] while serving customers at the [Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec], they are reflecting their own personal religious commitments only. Displaying these commitments does not associate the state with religion.” 

Caplan also raised concerns about the bill’s implications for religious freedom. 

“Whether the bill’s intent is to target religious minorities or not, the net effect is the same: It forces religious minorities to violate one of the rules of their religion in order to work in a school or for the government.” 

The proposed legislation would also extend the ban on face coverings to public settings, including government buildings and spaces under the authority of public institutions. Additional measures include a ban on prayer spaces within public institutions, including universities, and a requirement for groups holding religious gatherings in public spaces to obtain a municipal permit. 

Bill 9 would also increase restrictions on religious symbols, banning workers in subsidized daycare and private schools from wearing them. These measures expand on Quebec’s current secularism law, Bill 21, which primarily applies to public-sector employees such as teachers and police officers. 

Universities have expressed reservations about how the legislation could affect their governance and autonomy. In a written exchange with The Tribune, McGill’s Media Relations Office (MRO) warned that some provisions in Bill 9 are broadly worded and open to interpretation, which could create uncertainty on campuses. 

“Central notions such as ‘religious practice’ or the ‘authority’ exercised in certain spaces are formulated broadly and imprecisely, which could lead to differing interpretations and open the door to a high number of complaints or disputes within our institutions,” the MRO wrote. 

For students at McGill, the proposed changes could have practical implications for religious expression and campus spaces. Faith-based student organizations rely on university facilities to provide mentorship and create community spaces. 

Mélissa Délalie Houinsou, president of McGill’s chapter of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA), noted in a written statement to The Tribune that many students draw strength and resilience from their faiths, particularly in high-pressure academic fields. 

“For many, faith is an important part of resilience, identity, and personal values,” Houinsou explained. “Students fear that increasing restrictions could make them feel that they must hide or limit an important part of who they are.”

Members of McGill’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) have also voiced concerns about how the legislation might disproportionately affect Muslim students. The association currently provides a prayer space in the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) building and organizes weekly prayers—resources that support Muslim students’ religious practice and sense of community on campus. MSA president Hamza Alfarrash explained the potential effects of Bill 9 in an interview with The Tribune. 

“Bill 9 is a secularly motivated bill,” Alfarrash said. “Even though it does not explicitly mention targeting Muslims, it inherently affects Muslims, especially those who are visibly Muslim, such as those who wear the hijab or those who perform the five daily prayers.” 

He added that concerns about Bill 9’s impact on religious expression extend beyond Muslims.

“When it comes to public support, we want to show [that Bill 9] does not just affect Muslims. It affects other religious groups and students [….] Today they’re targeting us, but tomorrow it could be targeting your freedom of expression, which is why it is important to not look aside when it is happening.”

*Statements provided by MRO were translated from French

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