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Commentary, Opinion

Anti-Black racism permeates Quebec’s journalism and legal system

by Malika Logossou on

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Content Warning: Mentions of anti-Black racism and violence.

Last month, an incident in Longueuil—a 20-minute drive from Montreal—shocked me tremendously. On Oct. 2, a 46-year-old woman by the name of Stéphanie Borel threw boiling water at a 10-year-old Black boy, leaving him with second-degree burns on his face, head, torso, and back—injuries that will scar him for life. 

The victim told Radio-Canada that he and his friends were walking home from school through a shortcut near Borel’s residence when she specifically targeted him, the only Black child in the group. Borel claimed she assaulted him because he had been knocking on her door for three years. However, this is impossible considering the boy’s family had moved to the neighbourhood in Jan. 2024, and the victim had been attending school near her home for just one month. Despite the premeditated nature of the assault—Borel boiled water in advance and timed the attack—police arrested and released her on the same day.

The incident initially did not receive the attention and outrage from the Quebec public that it deserved until social media accounts like @wsc.montreal and @wscofficial_ posted about the incident on Instagram, fuelling public outrage. Haitian-Canadian activist Renzel Dashington criticized the police’s handling of the case, highlighting the stark double standard in how they treat Black victims and white perpetrators. Joel DeBellefeuille, Executive Director of the Red Coalition, sent a letter to the Longueuil police chief and mayor condemning the delay in justice and stating that it undermines trust between law enforcement and racialized communities.

Public pressure finally led to Borel’s rearrest on Oct. 11 under the “acquisition of new investigative elements,” over a week after the incident. By Oct. 17, police released Borel again under stricter conditions which included staying away from the victim’s home and school. Her court date is set for Jan. 23, 2025.

This horrific incident underscores a troubling reality: Black lives are not prioritized within Quebec’s justice system, which places the burden on Black communities to bring to light the very injustices they face. They are repeatedly compelled to mobilize and fight for their humanity, a burden no community should have to bear. The reliance on social media platforms illustrates how the Quebec justice system maintains this double burden, failing to prioritize the safety, dignity, and justice of racialized people unless forced by public scrutiny. Without public pressure, Borel might have faced no further consequences. Had the victim not been a person of colour, the police’s response likely would have been rapid, with immediate media coverage and decisive legal action. Had a person of colour committed the crime, news outlets would have emphasized both the crime and the perpetrator’s race. This immediate inaction not only shows the racial biases in media coverage between Black and white crimes—as Borel received a light sentence despite online backlash—but also the undervaluation of Black lives, reflecting systemic racial issues within Quebec’s journalism and criminal justice system. This neglect perpetuates the marginalization of Black Canadians, who, in 2023, were the most targeted group of hate crimes based on ethnicity and race reported to the police.

 The systemic racism embedded in policing and judicial systems must be actively dismantled through improved training, stricter accountability measures, and reforms that ensure equal treatment for all victims, regardless of race. As students and community members, we hold a unique position of privilege in dismantling these biases. Our access to education and resources entails a responsibility to educate ourselves on systemic racism and to confront our own biases to ensure these are not perpetuated in institutions and beyond. It is important to recognize that this discrimination in Quebec affects everyone—not just marginalized groups. For some people, such as Borel, the effect of systemic racism is beneficial due to white privilege. For others, it can be fatal. Failing to address these issues sends a message that people of colour are not worthy of receiving justice and that responding to the crimes they are victims of is not an urgent priority. Supporting anti-racism initiatives, amplifying stories like this one, and advocating for institutional reforms are essential steps forward. Justice should be inherent, not conditional.

McGill, News

McGill projects $37 million CAD deficit by 2028 due to government tuition changes, budget cuts

by Oscar Macquet on

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Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Christopher Manfredi hosted a virtual town hall on McGill’s finances and the 2024-2025 budget on Nov. 19, addressing the university’s growing fiscal challenges. The meeting discussed McGill’s projected $37 million CAD deficit by fiscal year 2028, driven by governmental pressures on enrollment-driven revenue, including a restructuring of governmental funding policy, tuition increases for out-of-province students, and partial re-regulation of tuition for international students. 

Manfredi opened the town hall by outlining McGill’s primarily incremental budget model, where each faculty is attributed a permanent base budget that is adjusted annually to take into account university policy and salary adjustments. By centralizing faculties’ revenue streams within the university, the incremental budget model promotes fiscal stability, providing a safeguard against sudden changes in government funding policy that could disproportionately impact certain faculties. 

The Provost forecasted that the university’s deficit for the fiscal year 2024 is expected to slightly surpass the provisional budget’s estimated $12.1 million CAD shortfall approved by the Board of Governors in April. With roughly 80 per cent of McGill’s revenue being enrollment-driven, Manfredi emphasized changes in government policies as the main factors behind the fiscal deficit.

McGill estimates the implementation costs of the Canada Award Program, designed to mitigate out-of-province tuition hikes, are $3 to $4 million CAD for this year. Additionally, the partial re-regulation of tuition for international students, which allows the provincial government to claim a larger portion of tuition fees, has resulted in a revenue decrease of $5,000 CAD per student. The Provost highlighted the provincial government’s decision in the spring to revamp the funding formula for universities as the key driver for McGill’s declining revenues in relation to its expenditures. 

“That had an impact of a net revenue loss for McGill for this fiscal year of $9 million [CAD], and as it rolls out over the next four years, that will mean a $37 million [CAD] loss by fiscal year 2028,” Manfredi said. “That’s $37 million [CAD] out of our revenue that we’re going to have to find somewhere else.” 

Manfredi noted that the reduced spending capacity of the university and governmental caps on infrastructure spending have also negatively impacted academic units, forcing the university to cut down on hiring.

“It’s limited the local ability to replace administrative staff, and that, of course, has led to reduced levels of support for students and increases in delays,” Manfredi said.“The cap on capital spending has resulted in delays on construction and renovation projects, and those delays were felt differentially across the university.”

Moving forward, Manfredi has signalled a shift of McGill’s incremental budget model in favour of a hybrid model, geared towards incentivizing individual faculties to increase their revenue streams by increasing productivity and reducing costs. The next town hall on McGill’s finances is scheduled for January 2025, where the fiscal year 2025 budget will be presented alongside detailed plans for expenditure reductions and budgetary reforms. 

Students Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs Abe Berglas expressed their concerns regarding cuts to infrastructure spending projects. They stressed the potential discriminatory implications of these cuts on disabled students in particular.

“Whenever you lower service standards, it affects some groups a lot more than other groups. A project that is being limited is the Universal Access Capital Projects Fund, and that’s a fund about infrastructure projects that relate to accessibility for campus,” Berglas said in an interview with The Tribune. “There are other projects regarding accessibility that will also slow down, and it affects everyone, but it also disproportionately affects disabled students.”

President of the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) Magnus L’Argent also raised concerns regarding the announced rising security costs on campus after meeting with Manfredi on Nov. 14.

“AGSEM hopes Provost Manfredi is much more transparent in the future with the security practices and budget of McGill,” Magnus wrote to The Tribune. 

Science & Technology

Ketones: The key to enhanced muscle growth and synthesis

by Daniel Pyo on

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Protein shakes and pre-workout supplements have been shown to be effective for muscle recovery and building. However, there are a number of ongoing research endeavours to explore a new class of chemical structures that could forge revolutionary pathways for muscle growth through ketone monoesters.

Given the abundance of existing protein supplements such as whey protein, what makes ketone monoesters significant? 

Sarkis Hannaian, a PhD candidate in McGill’s Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, is studying the “mammalian target of rapamycin” (mTOR)—a molecule within the body that regulates metabolism-related processes. Despite mTOR’s diverse roles in different cells, Hannaian’s research centres on its impact on protein function, specifically within skeletal muscle cells, which are fundamental to muscle development during exercise and everyday activities. 

As an important signaling molecule in cellular development, mTOR functions as a master switch that regulates cell growth and protein synthesis, and is crucial for muscle development and repair. Hannaian’s study showcased how different nutrients, like ketone monoester and whey protein, affect the activity and position of mTOR within muscle cells. 

“This molecule helps us understand how ketones affect and ultimately enhance muscle growth and recovery,” Hannaian explained during an interview with The Tribune. 

mTOR activity is negatively regulated by proteins such as TSC2, which belongs to the tuberous sclerosis complex and acts as an inhibitor. TSC2, when active, works like a brake on mTOR, preventing the protein synthesis that mTOR usually promotes. Without TSC2 inhibition, mTOR is unable to effectively stimulate protein synthesis in muscle cells, thereby slowing down muscle growth and repair. 

Dietary supplements, such as whey protein, can decrease TSC2 activity, which normally inhibits mTOR. Consuming whey protein triggers the release of amino acids that activate pathways to deactivate TSC2. This deactivation boosts mTOR activity and, consequently, promotes protein production and muscle growth. 

In the case of ketone monoesters, on the other hand, the body metabolizes them directly into energy, especially when carbohydrate intake is low. This means they can serve as a fast-acting, alternative energy source that influences mTOR signalling. 

“The ingestion of ketones through this ketone monoester drink can help dissociate mTOR from its negative regulator,” Hannaian said. 

Research suggests that five hours after ingesting ketone supplements, participants showed improved mTOR activity in muscles, especially when combined with whey protein. This combination enhanced mTOR activity by reducing the inhibitory effect of TSC2, the protein that normally regulates mTOR. Consequently, this could enhance muscle growth and repair by stimulating protein synthesis. 

Despite the potential benefits, the long-term consequences of ingesting ketones remain unknown. Hannaian’s ongoing research seeks to determine how short-term ketone exposure affects muscle activity and signalling, with the eventual goal of understanding its long-term health implications. 

Cost is another significant limitation to the study. A single dose of ketone monoester supplements can range from $40 to $80 CAD, making them financially inaccessible for many. Despite the high expenses, supplementation might be essential for anyone undertaking rigorous endurance workouts or struggling to build muscle naturally.

This approach could be particularly beneficial for populations like the elderly, who often face muscle atrophy due to reduced physical activity and accessibility issues. 


“In five days, you could lose up to a kilogram of muscle, and it takes approximately three to four months to regain this amount with exercise, but often it takes longer in older adults due to decreased metabolic activities,” Hannaian said. 

Hannaian plans to continue advocating for research in this field by conducting further studies on patients who could benefit from the newly proposed supplement methods. He also aims to investigate how other chemical analogues, like omega-3 fatty acids, affect muscle protein synthesis.

For athletes and aging adults alike, this molecule represents a potentially exciting frontier. Combining protein with ketones may be a game-changer in fueling muscle growth, recovery, and overall performance.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

image+nation’s 37th Film Festival highlights Canadian legacies of queerness

by Jasjot Grewal on

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“Representation is power. Representation is a political act,” Kat Setzer, Director of Programming for image+nation’s 37th Festival Film LGBT2SQueer Montréal, told The Tribune. 

image+nation culture queer, a non-profit dedicated to encouraging and nurturing 2SLGBTQIA+ culture and storytelling, kicked off their annual film festival on Nov. 20 with their opening night screening of Queer, Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated new work. The festival—which lasts until Nov. 30 and screens films across various Montreal theatres over the course of 10 days, alongside virtual screenings—platforms queer and trans filmmakers and stories, aiming to explore their individuality and universality. This year’s projects focus on Indigiqueer, Québecois, Canadian, and Acadian perspectives, among others.

“We know what’s going to be happening in the world in […] the next four years, the erosion of our rights, and the attacks. I mean, it has already kind of started. So that’s the reason why a Queer Film Festival is important and essential,” Setzer said. 

2024 short film Landfill by filmmaker Jess Lee, adapted from Anna Leventhal’s 2014 short story collection Sweet Affliction, is one of the 150 films the festival is screening. The film follows Alice (Moe Angelos), a lesbian elder who has been diagnosed with a terminal uterine tumour as a direct result of living close to and working at BGD Manufacturing, a local factory. Alice struggles to decide upon the legacy she wants to leave behind: Her legacy coach (Fariba Bonakdar) encourages her to become an organ donor and a documentary filmmaker (Sarah Levesque), enthralled with the story of capitalism’s dire environmental and health impacts, expresses interest in interviewing Alice to expose and hold accountable corporate greed. 

“[Alice is] in a [long-term care home], considering her ideas of legacy amongst the community there,” Lee explained to The Tribune. “It just speaks to different notions of dying, aging, legacy, environment, capitalism.” 

Alice does not want to solely blame BGD Manufacturing CEO (Gillian Doria) for her condition, citing she knows that “it’s much more than that.” In what is presumably some of her life’s final weeks and days, Alice puts on a faux inspirational persona for the documentary filmmaker, critiquing the media’s tendency to commodify tragedy. 

Alice explains that when positive adjectives are paired with pain, they take on a whole new meaning. While joy is a positive feeling, the joyous torment that Alice experiences depicts her melancholic approach to her final days, as she recalls her life’s accomplishments.   

Alice talks directly to viewers while inching closer to death in her care room, shaking her dog’s collar while flashbacks to memories of walking her dog cut in and out of the screen.

“5,025 walks. 52 miles of floors mopped. 70 hours watching movie stars kiss. Three women who called me darling. Nine scars, 13 funerals, and so on,” Alice says, before giving the camera one final sombre smile. 

As a queer elder, Alice’s story highlights the unique burdens placed on marginalized communities, who are often left most vulnerable to systemic neglect and environmental harm. Alice is both relatable and deeply compelling, with her queerness woven seamlessly into her identity rather than sensationalized or marginalized. While not the central conflict of the story, her queerness is intrinsic to her perspective, reminding audiences that queer lives are not only worth fighting for but also worth representing in all their complexity. 

Angelos’ stellar performance illustrates the beauty of life, transforming the mundane into profound markers of existence. From the day she first met the BGD CEO and thought to herself that it was remarkable the company had a woman CEO, to joking around with Ruth (Cat Lemieux), her new friend from her care unit, Alice never ceased to find and capture moments of sardonic joy. Her life served as a counterpoint to the corporate greed that dehumanized her and countless others. Alice is blunt, slightly mischievous, and ever-loveable—and her legacy is a life well-lived. 

image+nation runs from Nov. 20-Nov. 30 in Montreal theatres. Tickets are available at https://www.image-nation.org

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Twelve Vacancies Film Festival plunges into the uncanny

by Siena Torres on

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On Nov. 22, the second edition of Twelve Vacancies Film Festival (TVFF) ran its selections to a sold-out audience at 3475 rue Peel. The atmosphere was lively as the venue filled with local filmmakers, friends, family, and other audience members excited to view the short films. A group of volunteers and coordinators kept the crowd entertained with a selection of stickers and free popcorn—and by asking viewers for their Letterboxd “Four Favourites” to please the cinema nerd inside all of us. 

TVFF is a non-profit, student-run festival that selects its programming through a student jury. Per its mission statement, the festival focuses on “screening the uncanny, experimental, and weird” with under-10-minute short films created by youth or student Canadian filmmakers. McGill student Amelia McCluskey, U3 Arts, has been the primary coordinator of the TVFF since its inception earlier this year. 

The 12 chosen films ranged from a few one-minute-long experimental stylistic shorts to intense ten-minute character studies. Some of my personal standouts included “Tucker’s Puppets” by Jaida Sanada, a bizarre study on fear materialized through a televised puppet show. It features a hilarious plot point that shockingly involves the infamous Tucker Carlson. Another, “Over the Hatch” by Nevin Louie, is set in the Plateau, following the filmmaker and his roommates’ quest to access their apartment’s roof, told with effective dry and situational humour. 

“Look” follows a lonely young girl who makes a new friend who may be too good to be true. In an interview with The Tribune, Georgia Acken, the 17-year-old actor and first-time director behind the work, expressed that her debut film has been received as more sobering and emotional than she had anticipated prior to the premiere. While first writing the script on a plane, she intended it to be firmly in the horror genre because she was fascinated with children in horror films. Creating the film was a collaborative effort, as she cast her little sister in the central role of Ellie and filmed it on her family’s scenic property in British Columbia. Her work as an actress, particularly with women filmmakers, was instrumental in her filmmaking process for “Look.” 

“It’s been so cool to watch them work, and I feel like I’ve learned so much from them about filmmaking […] and being the boss of your own creation,” Acken said. 

“Ant Detective,” directed by Quinn Funk, a film production student at the University of British Columbia (UBC), kept the crowd very entertained with impeccable comedic timing. The short animated film follows a clueless detective who doesn’t realize that his magnifying glass may be the cause of the very trail of homicides he’s following. In an interview, Quinn revealed his animation style inspiration came from seeing storyboards of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where the animators used boxes for the background and would animate 2D characters in front. “Ant Detective” follows this by using a mix of paper drawings, animation, and real-life cinematography that blend into a unique visual style.

At the end of the screening, everyone in attendance voted for their favourite film of the night. The Fan Favourite Award went to “Play Along” by Esandi Amarakoon, a local Montreal filmmaker. The surreal, inventive multi-media short film tells the story of a child dealing with the weariness they feel regarding their parent.​​ Using a blend of animation and yarn, the film achieved a unique, visually stunning style. The ending left room for debates on its hopeful or melancholic potential. 

Twelve Vacancies is an exciting new film festival for McGill and the larger Montreal cultural scene. As my first short-film festival, I left with a new appreciation for the medium and felt galvanized by the creativity that I saw to see more short films. 

Twelve Vacancies Film Festival ran at 3475 Rue Peel on Nov. 22. TVFF will accept short film submissions in early 2025 for their next screening in the winter semester.

Science & Technology

16th annual McGill Global Health Night: Advancing global health equity

by Naiya Patel on

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What does it take to achieve health equity in a world marked by systemic inequities and global crises? 

The McGill Department of Global and Public Health held its 16th annual McGill Global Health Night on Nov. 21 to help explore this question. Students, professors, and global health workers presented their findings and perspectives on equitable approaches in clinical research settings and public health.

Global Health Programs Update

The event began with a student poster session and welcome remarks, followed by an update from Madhukar Pai, Inaugural Chair of McGill’s Department of Global and Public Health.

“How do you teach global health to young people in the midst of polycrises, and how do you give them any hope at the end of that class?” Pai said in his talk.

Despite these challenges, Pai finds hope in the resilience and determination of young people. He explained the dedication of McGill students is evident, along with the institution’s commitment to empowering them through initiatives like the Global Health Scholars Program and a new bachelor’s program in population and global health, set to launch in 2026. 

Pai believes that through support and investment in youth, McGill can foster a new generation committed to advancing global health and equity.

Importance of Global Health and McGill’s Contributions

The event also featured insights from Victor J. Dzau, President of the US National Academy of Medicine and Chair of the SPGH International Advisory Board, who highlighted the critical importance of addressing global health inequities through innovation, collaboration, and equitable access to care.

Reflecting on his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dzau highlighted collaborative efforts to address urgent health challenges, such as equitable vaccine distribution.

“No matter what our challenges are, health is a universal human right to everyone, regardless of income, status, geography, et cetera,” Dzau said in his talk.

Dzau highlighted the need to bridge the equity gap and improve access to medical innovations, emphasizing McGill’s role in uniting young people to advance global health equity. He acknowledged McGill’s legacy, spotlighting figures like Joanne Liu and Madhukar Pai for their continuous efforts for health equity.

Uprooting Health Inequities

The evening concluded with a powerful keynote from Oni Blackstock, the Founder and Executive Director of the consulting firm Health Justice, whose talk focused on tackling systemic inequities and fostering inclusive approaches to global health. 

Blackstock highlighted a quote that she resonates strongly with: Epidemics don’t happen in isolation; they emerge along the fissures of our society and reflect patterns of marginalization, exclusion, and discrimination. This quote was from Mary Bassett, former New York City and New York State health commissioner.

Sharing insights from her career, Blackstock detailed a collaborative approach to creating transformative change in communities disproportionately impacted by healthcare inequities. Her experience in working with HIV patients facing discrimination set the trajectory for the rest of her career.

Blackstock highlighted the systemic barriers that grassroots organizations, particularly those led by marginalized groups, face in accessing funding. For example, many of these organizations operate from homes rather than formal office spaces and rely on mutual aid and crowdsourcing instead of maintaining annual budgets. Funding opportunities often require applicants to meet criteria that favour well-established organizations, leaving smaller, community-based groups—often serving the most impacted populations—unable to qualify. She showcased her efforts to reimagine these funding processes, prioritizing capacity building and inclusivity.

Finally, Blackstock stressed the importance of building meaningful relationships with community-based organizations to foster bi-directional engagement in global health. Her talk served as a powerful reminder of the need for equity-driven solutions that empower communities and tackle structural barriers head-on.

Overall, Global Health Night celebrated the achievements of McGill’s students, faculty, and alumni in advancing global health equity. The annual event demonstrates the university’s work towards fostering inclusive solutions for urgent health challenges.

Editorial, Opinion

McGill must be held accountable for its continued colonialism 

by The Tribune Editorial Board on

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On Nov. 17, organizers planted a white pine tree during a Haudenosaunee peace ceremony on McGill’s Lower Field as a symbol of peace, unity, and collaboration. The tree signified solidarity with the brutally dismantled Palestine Solidarity Encampment that resided at the same site, and the continuation of demands for McGill’s divestment from the genocide in Gaza. The next day, the McGill administration uprooted this tree—a violent action that is directly emblematic of McGill’s institutional hypocrisy towards Indigenous peoples’ land rights and McGill’s intolerance toward pro-Palestinian protests.

Though physically small, this white pine—rightfully planted on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) land—represented a revolutionary opportunity for McGill to take the first step in productive and holistic reparations. Allowing the white pine to grow would have been a symbol of respect for the Kanien’kehá:ka peoples’ sovereignty over the land upon which McGill is settled. However, by forcibly uprooting the white pine less than 24 hours after it was planted in an act of fundamental violence, McGill proved once again that its priorities lie in colonial control, not in solidarity. 

Excising the white pine exposes the truth behind McGill’s performative attempts at genuine reconciliation, and the non-commitment to the values it endorses in its lecture halls. McGill’s Land Acknowledgement—read before most administration-hosted events—calls only for two actions: To acknowledge and thank the Indigenous peoples for the settlement on and use of their land. These empty commitments are reflected in McGill’s continuation of the colonial New Vic Project despite protest from the Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers) that the construction exists on the site of potential unmarked graves. The administration’s shallow claims are further evidenced by the absence of an Indigenous Studies major program at the university. McGill’s support for Indigenous rights and history is contained within narrow performative boundaries, stopping far short of even the minimum commitment to Indigenous presence in curricula, faculty, and positions of decision-making authority. 

The white pine was an explicit symbol of peace, yet even to that, McGill reciprocated with destruction—proving that what McGill fears is not potential “violence” of the human rights movements endorsed through the planting ceremony, but rather enacted de-colonial thought. McGill’s unconscionable actions towards the solidarity ceremony mirror their violent dismantling of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment in July, highlighting McGill’s tendency to vilify any threat to their colonial authority. It is shameful that McGill frames a tree planted in peace as an act of vandalism, while McGill itself has committed and continues to contribute to such cruel acts of colonial violence concerning both Quebec’s Indigenous communities and the Israeli state’s killing of thousands of Palestinians.

The planting of the white pine presented an opportunity for the McGill administration to spark conversation between themselves, Indigenous peoples, and those calling for divestment from Israeli enterprises. By removing the white pine—a sacred symbol of peace—the McGill administration exposed the stark discrepancy between its self-proclaimed values of fostering critical thinkers who advocate for justice, and its continued colonial practices. McGill must acknowledge this foundational hypocrisy in its institutional actions.

McGill must recognize the Kanien’kehá:ka as the rightful land owners to the grounds of McGill in order to forge a path forward where Indigenous land rights are honoured and reparations are offered to the greatest possible extent. McGill must acknowledge, too, its continued active investment in the genocide in Gaza, and divest from its Israeli ties. The university must make space for Indigenous ways of thinking within its academic curricula and environment, encouraging the growth of peaceful movements that work towards true reconciliation. It is time that McGill established an Indigenous Studies major concentration, and thus redefine mainstream colonial narratives in education. First and foremost, McGill must abandon its performative activism which only leaves room for continued violence. 

Each of us at McGill has a part to play as well: We must show up—to student protests and walkouts, to campus governance meetings, and on behalf of those communities threatened or killed by McGill’s continued colonial presence. We can not allow McGill to refer to colonialism as a regrettable concept of the past as they continue their colonial endeavour into the present. 

Science & Technology

From the Arctic to freshwater lakes: Diving into aquatic microbial diversity

by Samathar Senso on

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On Nov. 21, McGill’s Barrett Lab hosted a public talk, “Ecology and evolution of aquatic microbiomes: from inland lakes to the Arctic Ocean,” as part of the Conservation, Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour (CEEB) research initiative. In this event, David Walsh, professor in Concordia’s Department of Biology, presented his research on aquatic microbial diversity in both marine and freshwater ecosystems. 

To begin, Walsh discussed the importance of his research, noting the scale at which microbes permeate our ecosystems and dominate all other living organisms in terms of population size and total living biomass. 

“Plants are still a winner as far as biomass [alone] goes, but most of the biomass of trees is dead, such as cellulose [and] structural polymers, so thinking about living biomass, it’s really the microorganisms,” Walsh explained in his talk. 

Overall, microorganisms play a critical role in maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem, from phytoplankton generating organic matter for the rest of the food web to bacteria and archaea involved in the recycling of that organic matter. This interconnected cycle highlights how microbial diversity is at the very heart of aquatic ecosystems and directly impacts every level of the food web. 

Microbial Diversity of Arctic Marine Ecosystems

Walsh then focused on microbial diversity in the Arctic Ocean. Despite being Earth’s smallest ocean, little data is available on the microbial communities present in the Arctic Oceaneven as the region is undergoing rapid physical and chemical shifts due to climate change.

Increases in global temperatures are causing a decrease in Arctic sea ice extent and permafrost distribution while increasing river discharge, all leading to potentially negative changes in Arctic ecosystems. 

​​“One of our guiding questions is: How will Arctic microbes respond to such changes in the marine and terrestrial ecosystems? Since we have very little fundamental knowledge on what organisms are found in the Arctic Ocean, we have to start assessing the diversity before we can answer these questions about change,” Walsh explained. 

To assess current microbial diversity in the Arctic, Walsh and his team at Walsh Lab joined the Joint Ocean Ice Study cruise, a yearly research expedition that surveys the Arctic Ocean.

One major finding was the unique physical structure of the Arctic Ocean water column compared to other oceans. Their research found that the Arctic Ocean has more water salinity stratification, meaning that various depths of water have distinct salinity levels. This creates unique microbial habitats at each depth.

These expeditions allowed for the creation of one of the first metagenomic catalogs of the Arctic Ocean with over 600 bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), which are collections of genes from microorganism communities.  

Microbial Diversity of Freshwater Ecosystems in Canada 

Walsh then moved on to discussing freshwater ecosystems in Canada. Despite freshwater lakes being some of the most common and important ecosystems in the country, their microbiomes remain underexplored. 

In addition to the effects of climate change, freshwater lakes in Canada face the impacts of agriculture and urban development, such as salinization from road salts, antibiotic accumulation from wastewater treatments, and pesticides. Walsh’s research on freshwater ecosystems focuses on microbial diversity resulting from these environmental stressors. 

To study this event, Walsh and his team joined the Lake Pulse Network, a nationwide survey on over 600 Canadian lakes to study how much Canadian lakes are changing due to human activity. 

One of the main observations was the impact of human activity on freshwater salinization and potentially on antibiotic resistance, with over 400 antibiotic resistance genes from human and veterinary antibiotic use found across various freshwater lakes. 

“We found that highly urbanized systems have microbial communities that are adapted to that, and where they are most adapted or influential is in their biodiversity [of xenobiotics—foreign chemical substances like pesticides],” Walsh noted. 

Microbial diversity is essential to maintaining our current ecosystems, but to be able to adequately understand the impact human activity has on microbiomes, researchers need to accurately and comprehensively map the current microbial landscape. 

“This is just an exploratory study looking at natural distributions [of arctic and freshwater microbiomes], and it begs for experimental studies to be performed,” Walsh acknowledged.

Science & Technology

McGill Robotics team engineers innovation from the ground up—literally

by Russel Ismael on

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McGill clubs are no strangers to design and innovation, with the Faculty of Engineering hosting countless engineering teams. From concrete canoes to rockets, students have many avenues to exercise their creativity. One such team, McGill Robotics, offers students the chance to translate their mechanical fantasies into reality.

McGill Robotics is composed of three subteams—the drone, Mars rover, and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) groups—and a university outreach program called ‘RoboHacks,’ a robotics competition where a group is given a time limit to craft their own robot.

In an interview with The Tribune, the Robotics team’s senior members explained the nuances of running an ensemble as multifaceted as theirs. 

“We are building a hybrid VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) drone, so it can hover and also fly like a fixed-wing plane,” Emma Sinasac, U4 Mechanical Engineering and a project manager for the drone subteam, explained. “Our main competition goals are to fly to waypoints autonomously, find objects on the ground using computer vision, and drop a small payload on those objects.”

The drone design has been iterated on for two years, with their current drone—affectionately named Flappy—being sent to the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition in June 2025.

The Mars rover group, co-headed by Tina Zhang, U3 Electrical Engineering, will also compete in the Canadian International Rover Competition. At the competition, Zhang explained that they will pick up payloads, perform “rescue missions,” and traverse certain terrain. 

“Uniquely in the Mars Rover [subteam], we have a science division as well. We perform soil sample analyses to determine, depending on the [competition] year, signs of life or whether there have been kerosene spills,” Zhang said.

Zhang also said that their rover Galileo boasts one of the fastest drive systems amongst the competitors, and her team is still making speed-altering enhancements.

Like Zhang, Celina Belleville, U2 Mechanical Engineering and AUV project manager, is also no stranger to innovation. The AUV team’s Douglas vehicle was completely redesigned last school year in anticipation of the RoboSub competition.

“The competition itself takes place in a pool, and there’s a variety of different tasks,” Belleville explained. “Last year, we tried to achieve the buoy tasks, which [involved] identifying objects underwater and using [Douglas’] own software system to find, locate, and then travel to certain locations.”

Belleville also said that the AUV team is planning to incorporate torpedo and grabber systems for this year’s competition.

Despite each subteam having different goals, they emphasize collaboration across teams. Adrien Moulin, U4 Computer Science and a team captain, highlighted how interconnected their work is.

“Even if the projects all work for a very specific goal for their robot, we enforce some kind of standardization,” Moulin said. “When we do a design review, or even just through the daily work sessions, people share a lot of knowledge.”

Martin Paiva, U3 Electrical Engineering and one of the team captains, further explained why continuous advancement is one of their leading philosophies.

“The whole point of a design team is to teach new students things we’d never see in class. If we build the same robot every year over and over again, no one would learn anything,” Paiva said.

Above all, enthusiasm trumps all aspects when it comes to the Robotics team.

“One of the team mantras is ‘Team Before Machine,’” Moulin stated. “It’s the idea that when you join the team, you’re not just adding a line to your CV—you’re going to get trained and learn something, and the team is going to be there for you to bring your knowledge. That’s why everyone can join, as long as they’re willing to learn.”

McGill Robotics believes their focus on ‘team before machine’ is one of the group’s selling points to newcomers.

“You’re not just joining a team, you’re not only going to discover robotics, you’re going to make friends, and that is what we want to encourage,” Paiva said.

McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU Legislative Council rejects proposed antisemitism policy after prolonged debate 

by Nell Pollak on

More in McGill:

On Nov. 21, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) held its penultimate Legislative Council meeting of the semester. Following over three hours of debate surrounding definitions of antisemitism and consultation processes, the Council failed to pass the proposed Policy Against Antisemitism after a secret ballot vote. 

The Council meeting began with Executive Reports, where SSMU Vice-President (VP) Finance Pauline Jolicoeur announced SSMU is no longer projecting a deficit this 2024-2025 fiscal year. VP University Affairs Abe Berglas reported efforts to recommence paused gender-neutral bathroom initiatives and plans for a campus demilitarization event in January with student stakeholders, specifically from marginalized demographics. 

A majority of the prolonged meeting was dedicated towards a proposed antisemitism policy that had been tabled at the Nov. 7 Legislative Council meeting. The motion for the policy, presented by VP External Affairs Hugo-Victor Solomon, aimed to establish specific guidelines for combatting antisemitism while defining SSMU’s role in protecting Jewish students and providing resources for support and advocacy. The motion largely drew from the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism rather than the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, a decision that became central to the evening’s debate.

Some General Members present felt that Solomon was unqualified to modify existing definitions of antisemitism. Nicole Nashen, VP of the Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA), spoke on behalf of her constituency. 

“I want to express that members of the JLSA and the members of the Jewish community at McGill at large […] feel that this policy does not protect us against antisemitism,” Nashen said.

Solomon, who identified himself as “a proud Jewish member of this assembly,” emphasized the proposed motion’s inclusive approach to protecting a diverse Jewish student body, regardless of political ideology. 

“When looking at other definitions that members of the gallery have raised such as the IHRA, those definitions frankly have eleven components […] specifically seven of which are about Israel,” Solomon said. “And this policy, which has 35 components, does specifically address the intersection of antisemitism and racism in the form of discrimination towards Jews of colour.” 

Solomon detailed consultations with Jewish campus groups in producing this policy, including Hillel McGill, Chabad at McGill, The McGill Chavurah, Independent Jewish Voices McGill, and the McGill Jewish Studies Students’ Association (JSSA). Following a motion for Solomon to provide the emails from his consultations, specifically with Chabad at McGill, he noted that of the five groups contacted, a majority participated in the collaborative process, though JSSA declined to participate, citing their focus beyond Jewish life. Solomon consulted the Dean of Students’ Office and Jewish Students Liaison, among other parties, regarding the policy’s implementation at McGill.

SSMU VP Internal Affairs Zeena Zahida defended the policy’s approach during the debate. 

“This policy does not limit what is considered antisemitism, but more clearly defines it to protect all Jewish students, Zionist and anti-Zionist alike,” she said. “To very clearly clarify the line between political discourse, valid political discourse, and antisemitism is a good thing objectively for everybody on campus.”

The debate intensified around the policy’s approach to discussions of Israel and Palestine. Critics favoured adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which Nashen argued “provides clear guidelines” and has been adopted by Canada and most European nations. Supporters of the policy defended its recognition of diverse Jewish perspectives and experiences, arguing it would protect all students from antisemitism regardless of their stance on the state of Israel. 

The Council ratified their last motion on antisemitism in 2018, which expired one year after passing without renewal. After lengthy debates and multiple amendment attempts, the Council was unable to pass the newly-proposed policy. There remains no SSMU policy in place protecting Jewish students against antisemitism.

Moment of the Meeting: 

In a final vote, the motion failed with 10 executives opposed, 10 in favour, and five abstaining. Half of the room cheered in elation at the results, while the other side shook their heads in disbelief. 

Soundbite: 

“This policy would actively combat that innate fear of being doxxed both from McGill admin and from students […] It highlights the use of this policy as it protects anti-Zionist Jews like myself who are being harassed and yelled at on campus for expressing my political and personal beliefs on what it means to be Jewish.” — General Member Alice Maitlis on the importance of passing the policy.

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