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a, Student Life

Top ten excuses to take a study break

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Midterm season can leave students feeling overwhelmed and chronically sleep-deprived, so it’s no surprise that we need an occasional break from the ceaseless storm of papers, exams, and assignments. A talented few can sail through midterm season without cracking a book, but the rest of us have to spend at least a little while in the library, Second Cup, or locked up in our rooms. 

During this trying time, it’s still important to take some breaks, simply for the sake of your sanity… Not because you don’t feel like working. The Tribune has compiled a list of ways to clear your head for a few minutes in order to remain productive.

Clean your house/room. Most of the time, chores seem like the least fun option out of all possible household activities, but when it’s a choice between a little dusting or grappling with a month’s worth of readings, housework suddenly becomes the lesser of two evils. Grab some lemon Pledge, an old rag, and a Swiffer, and have at it. Don’t pretend your apartment couldn’t use it. Bonus tip: blasting a little ABBA only speeds the process up.

Go get some exercise. After a few hours of studying, one of the best ways to renew your energy is to get moving. Depending on how much time you have, a short walk around the block or a trip to the gym can do wonders for your focus. You may feel burned out after a more rigorous workout, so a brief walk can sometimes be the most desirable option. Bring your iPod or a friend for company to get your mind off of equations and out of your textbook for a while.

Make a to-do list. One of the best ways to deal with stress—and the feeling that you have an insurmountable pile of work ahead of you—is to make a to-do list. Lists are very soothing, especially for the type-A personalities commonly found at McGill. The very act of writing out everything you have to do breaks your mountain of work up into small, manageable chunks. Cross each item off for an added feeling of satisfaction.

Call your family. Take the opportunity to catch up with your parents, your siblings, or whoever else you miss from home. It doesn’t need to be a play-by-play recount of your life since you last spoke, but even taking fifteen minutes to let someone know you’re thinking of them is a great way to ward off your paper, if only for a while.

Clean out your email inbox. Sort through the built up stores of cyber mail in your inbox (or inboxes, if you have a few), and delete all the junk and outdated messages you haven’t gotten around to dealing with. This can be a daunting task, but even taking ten minutes can make a start.

Update your iPod. Finally get that new jam out of your head and onto your iPod. Everyone has that one song your friend introduced them to last weekend—the one you keep playing on YouTube because you still haven’t gotten around to buying it or downloading it onto their iTunes. If it really has been a while since you updated your music selection, you might even have a whole list of tracks to find online. This can keep you busy for a few minutes (or hours, so be careful).

Do your laundry. All of it. Then fold it. Then put it away. Then pick your outfit for tomorrow. And your outfit for the next time you go out, and for your next job interview, and for in case you ever meet the Queen. Just to be prepared. This is a good one because it takes a few minutes to start, and in about half an hour, you’ve got a ready-made excuse to take another break and put clothes in the dryer. This applies whether or not you have to go to the local Laundromat.

One round of your favourite game. Just to stay in practice. But just one. Whether your vice is Tetris, Angry Birds, or Mario Kart, a quick round can take your mind off the books, and give your creativity a boost. This one’s tricky though, because one round can easily turn into 20 if you’re not careful. Set an alarm for yourself if you have to.

Reconnect with your room mate. This is probably unnecessary for most of us with roommates that are the very reason we take so long to get to work in the first place. But, in case you’ve been missing your roomie bonding time, take ten minutes to catch up and find out what’s been going on while you’ve been knee-deep in organic chem.

Read the Tribune. You might think this one is only good once a week, when the newest issue of the Tribune is published on Tuesday, but a little known fact is that each issue  gets better every time you read it. Did you particularly enjoy that movie review you read on Wednesday? Read it again on Friday! Read your favourite articles over and over until you can quote them to your friends, so they know how up to date you are on current events.

a, Student Life

Trick, treat, and party

by Natassja Di Battista on

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Halloween is right around the corner and you know what that means: parties, pumpkins, costumes, and candy! With so many things happening on and around campus, it’s hard to keep track of everything Halloween-themed. To help you out, the Tribune has created a handy-dandy list of sure-to-please events right here in Montreal.

4Floors

Starting off the exciting Halloween season is 4Floors, presented by the Students’ Society of McGill University. On Thursday, Oct. 25, the SSMU Building will be transformed and filled with DJs, mandatory costumes, and awesome drink deals starting at 10 p.m. The event is sold out, so keep an eye out for tickets on Facebook/Twitter if you’re still trying to attend McGill’s biggest campus party this year.

WaterCan McGill

McGill’s branch of the Canadian charity is organizing the “WaterCan Halloween Party” at the Telus Theatre (1280 rue Saint-Denis) on Friday Oct. 26. This year’s WaterCan is an all-you-can-drink event, featuring special guests DJ Matt Goulet, Michael Giorgio, and electro/pop producer Robotaki. This is WaterCan’s 25th anniversary, so tickets have been selling fast, but check their Facebook event for more information on last-minute sales.

TKO’s Seven Deadly Sins Halloween Rager at Gerts

On Saturday Oct. 27, TKO’s Seven Deadly Sins Halloween Rager is taking over McGill’s campus bar. Show up any time after 9 p.m., in your best Halloween costume. The party is going to include black lights, strobe lights, and themed drinks for all to enjoy. Tickets are $5, including coat check, and ensuring an awesome Saturday night!

Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball is a classic event that screams Halloween. In Montreal, the event takes place at the Imperial Cinema (1432 Rue de Bleury). The attraction boasts three screenigs—Oct. 26, 27, and 31—and two showings, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. If you’re not familiar with the film, it follows a young couple on their way to visit an old teacher when they get lost, and end up at a mad scientist’s mansion. The beauty of the film, reknowned as a guaranteed good time, is its heavy reliance on audience participation. Costumes, dancing, yelling, and throwing props are required in order to get the full experience of the Horror Show. You can purchase tickets online, at the door (limited amount), or in person to receive a student discount (only applicable to showings on Oct. 31st). For more information, check out the website at www.rockyhorrormontreal.com.

Around Town

If you decide pre-planned Halloween parties aren’t your thing and want some other options, Halloween in Montreal has tons to offer. Most of your favourite bars and clubs will likely be having special Halloween nights this weekend so you can still look forward to costumes and themed drinks. If you’re checking out St. Laurent; Rouge, Ye Olde Orchard, and Tokyo all have theme nights planned. If you’re headed west of campus to Crescent; Sir Winston Churchill bar, Entourage, and Light Ultra Club also have Halloween events scheduled (check their respective websites for more details).

Halloween in Montreal isn’t an event to pass up on, so grab some friends, find a costume, and have a great time!

Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune
a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the week: Tarun Koshy

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Q: What is your motto?

A: When it comes to dressing, I had a gym teacher—this old Ukranian boxer—in high school, who always told us “look sharp, feel sharp.”

Q: If you could be anywhere else in the world right now, where would it be?

A: Right now I’d like to be in New York, just because it’s a very vibrant city and I’ve been there a few times. I’d really like to stay there for a longer period. It’s very cliché, very cliché.

Q: Who is your hero?

A: Uh… Teddy Roosevelt. He, like, hunted.

Q: What is your lucky charm?

A: I don’t actually have a lucky charm per se, but I did get a Swiss Army knife as a birthday gift, and I kind of carry it around with me.

Q: If you could say one thing to Paul McCartney, what would it be?

A: Why don’t you age? He looks completely [young].

Q: What is your secret talent?

A: I’m a javelin thrower. I throw sticks very, very far. At some point that will become useful … None of the Canadian universities compete though, I just trained and competed in high school.

Q: If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life. What would it be?

A: If I was limited to one thing, I probably wouldn’t be keen on living for very long. So I’m going to go with sweet and sour shrimp. You can’t beat that. You’d die soon from massive[ly high] cholesterol anyway.

Q: What’s your favourite place that you’ve travelled to?

A: I’d have to say Whistler. It’s where I learned…where I actually enjoyed [learning to ski]. I went to Tremblant and spent four days doing the pie shape. Whistler was where I actually enjoyed it—it [had] perfect snow.

Q: Name a song that you consider completely overrated.

A: “Call Me Maybe,” I can’t believe how much that plays. It’s sad. Just because it’s so catchy. Oh, “Gangnam Style” as well. I did actually download it … but when it starts playing in clubs every couple of days, you know it’s overworked.

Q: What are you being for Halloween?

A: Uh, I don’t really dress up for Halloween. I’m scary enough as it is.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: I don’t really watch reality TV, to be honest. My friend watches The X Factor all the time.

Q: What would you do if you were on The X Factor?

A: I like comedy. I’d probably get up there and crack [a few jokes].

Q: Which fictional character would you most want to have a beer with?

A: Don Draper from Mad Men. You know he’d be perfect for it too.

Q: What would you talk about with him?

A: I’d talk about people. The guy knows how people work. I hate his profession, but he understands their emotions and how to play that, which is fascinating.

Q: What’s the last song you remember listening to?

A: Swedish House Mafia, it was a remix of a whole bunch of [their songs]. Before that, “Greyhound,” by Swedish House Mafia. That’s a perfect, perfect song.

Q: What’s your favourite Sandra Bullock movie?

A: She was in Speed wasn’t she? With Keanu Reeves. I’d have to go with Speed, not because it’s a good movie, but because Keanu Reeves is in it. Is he even in movies [anymore]?

Q: Name one fashion trend you’ll never try again.

A: Overalls. There’s no way to look refined in overalls. No matter what you do.

Q: What’s your favourite childhood book?

A: The Lion King.  They made the movie into a storybook. Before I could read, my dad had read it to me so many times, so that before I could even read I had memorized the story. My uncle came over and I “read’ it to him and he was amazed [because he thought] I could read, even though I had just memorized it. I would “read” that like, every day.

Q: Describe Montreal in three words.

A: Always be grooving.

Q: What’s your signature drink?

A: Root beer float. That is class. That’s old school.

Q: What’s the first thing you think of when I say midterms?

A: Dead.

Q: Who would play you in the movie of your life?

A: Either Jon Hamm or Denzel Washington.

Q: You were nominated for Student of the week by David Lin as a past editor of the Bull and Bear, Can you talk about that?

A: We were having pizza [and] studying for midterms, and David Lin [executive editor of the Bull and Bear] decided I needed to be student of the week. I was editing last semester, but I stopped because I really like writing, and I didn’t get to do that as editor. Once midterms cut out, I should be pumping out another round of articles.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: I’m a numbers guy, so if you put that in terms of numbers, the benefit McGill is going to get from what I think I’m going to be worth later on is very substantial. And I make full use of what McGill [offers].

Q: So are you saying you’re going to donate to McGill a lot as an alumnus then?

A: I’m going to say “intangible amounts,” so I can avoid a letter from [McGill, asking for donations] later down the line.

Nominate a student of the week! Email us at [email protected]

a, Student Life

No change needed at Nickels

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Next to the flashing neon sign for a nearby club that bogarts the attention of most passers-by, sits a quaint, unassuming retro-style diner by the name of Nickels.

This gem of Saint Catherine’s, established by Montreal’s very own Celine Dion, is part of a Canada-wide chain of restaurants, and is perfect for almost any occasion: a quiet lunch with a friend, a group dinner out, a casual (okay, very casual) drink, or a late night poutine run.

Nickels has been my favourite restaurant in Montreal since I first visited at the age of fourteen. My first visit was a  class trip to learn about ‘Canadian culture’ (apparently that can’t be found in Vancouver). Nickels accommodated our group of 70 or 80 rambunctious teenagers and their exhausted chaperones expertly. Since then, I’ve been back to Montreal both as a tourist and a student. Each time, I’ve made a point of visiting this timeless establishment—introducing a new patron to its quiet charm on every occasion.

Upon entering, diners are greeted promptly and cheerily by a host or hostess, and escorted to a booth or table. Your server introduces him or herself shortly thereafter, and the challenging but enjoyable task of narrowing down your choice to just one dish begins. Whether you are there for appetizers and drinks, a full meal, or just dessert, the menu offers a myriad of options. Nickels boasts a number of different poutines, an extensive breakfast section, and some delicious cheesecake options, along with a surprisingly enticing drink menu. I have gone with for drinks at Nickels and received more pleasant and personal service than I could have hoped for in most bars on Saint Laurent.

The ambience at Nickels is both laid-back and unexpectedly refined. The restaurant is very open and doesn’t afford much privacy, yet one enjoys the more old school, social experience it creates. Each booth or table comes with the classic bottles of ketchup and mustard—circa 1950—and the walls are adorned with black and white photos of classic movie stars. You might not expect it, but eating with the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean gazing down at you only enhances the experience.

I’ve yet to have a poor service experience at Nickels, even when I’ve been there as a part of a larger, and slightly louder group. Whether dining in a pair, with a small group of friends, or with my entire ninth grade class, I’ve always received exemplary service. The general atmosphere is extremely comfortable, as if everyone dining there has come to escape from the fast-paced Montreal lifestyle for an hour or so. The prices are extremely reasonable, so that even a university student with less than sufficient funds can afford a trip every now and again, and the food is unarguably worth the splurge.

The only complaint I can file against Nickels is this: their washrooms (or at least their women’s washroom) are not made for people over 5’8”. They are located below the main dining area, and for some inexplicable reason, feature claustrophobically low ceilings.

Despite this one mild inconvenience, however, Nickels continues to be one of my favourite Montreal restaurants, and I highly recommend everyone take time for at least one visit.

The best Nickels in Montreal is located at 710 Rue Saint Catherine. Typical prices range from $15-$25 including tip.

a, Student Life

The caffeine question: coffee or tea

by Susan Westfall on

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Guilty or guilt-free—the jury is still out on the health implications of coffee. A staple in the morning routine of millions of Canadians and Americans, coffee drinkers often advocate its health benefits. On the other side of the fence, sit non-coffee drinkers loudly proclaiming the liquid’s harsh effects and singing the  praises of tea. Which side of the fence  has the greener grass? In short, it all depends. 

Coffee is an easy wake-up call:

Caffeine works by blocking  adenosine, a sleep-inducing compound, thereby relieving the inertia of many coffee connoisseurs in the morning. One eight-ounce cup of coffee has 85 milligrams of caffeine, while tea contains only half that amount. Coffee clearly gives the best stimulatory effect. However, considering that one can become more quickly habituated to the effects of coffee’s caffeine, consumption should be limited.

Tea glorifies the power of antioxidants:

Both beverages are rich in potent cancer-fighting antioxidants. Coffee’s quinines and chlorogenic acids make it a great source of antioxidants in the Canadian diet, but this is largely due to he substantial amount that Canadians drink. Tea  comes out on top with its flavonoid content; a superior antioxidant which is comparable to fruits and vegetables in terms of nutrition. According to one study, tea drinkers can consume up to 20 times more antioxidants than non-tea drinkers.

Tea and coffee both act as miracle drugs against common disease:

The disease-fighting potential of tea versus coffee cannot be directly compared, since both substances contribute to disease prevention like obesity, diabetes, and cancer in different ways. Teas have been shown to be superior in the fight against inflammation and the effects of aging, whereas coffee eases some effects of heart disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Coffee is the ultimate memory stimulator:

In the brain, coffee alters mood, behaviour, perception, and even consciousness as it stimulates the happy hormone, dopamine. Coffee enhances short- and long-term memory and regular consumption is linked to a protection against delining cognition ability in the aging population. It affords protection against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, and general memory loss. This effect is less noticeable in teas, thanks to lower levels of caffeine.

Heart Health: a little coffee, tons of tea:

A little bit of coffee protects against heart disease, but in excess coffee can raise blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and constrict blood vessels around the heart, thereby aggravating heart conditions. Over-consumption of coffee can trigger tissue death in the heart as it causes an immediate increase in heart rate. Tea only reduces circulating fats and cholesterol, supporting cardiovascular health.

Nerves—Soothed by tea, aggravated by coffee:

Caffeine is immediately absorbed into the brain and immediately impacts the nerves upon consumption. Caffeine also ramps up the adrenaline levels in our blood. The concentration of caffeine in coffee and the Canadian habit of drinking cup after cup can easily facilitate nervousness, anxiety, and increased blood pressure. Teas, substantially lower in caffeine content is absorbed more slowly into the blood, thus reducing the effects.

Coffee is key to an athlete’s routine:

During exercise, caffeine stimulates blood flow to the extremities,  allowing us to work harder and longer. This leads to more effective workouts, muscle gain, and increased athletic performance. Coffee also speeds recovery time:  one cup of coffee before a workout decreases post workout stiffness by 48 per cent.

The bottom line:

The aromatic bitterness of coffee and the smooth tartness of tea each provide healthful boosts to our diet. Coffee is more concentrated and can negatively impact your ability to process information. Tea on the other hand, is calming, instead of invigorating, yet holds the same healthful benefits as coffee.

The verdict? Drink coffee, only when needed; in the morning, as a part of your physical training routine, or just once during that 10-hour study session. However, if you are just craving a little boost, guiltlessly indulge in as many cups of tea as you want, without the fear of overdoing it.

SSMU Council at Macdonald Campus. (Bea Britneff / McGill Tribune)
a, News, SSMU

First of SSMU’s “roaming Councils” held at Mac campus

by Bea Britneff on

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On Oct. 11, the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Legislative Council convened for the third time this academic year. Although meetings are traditionally held in the Lev Bukhman room in the SSMU Building, this Council was hosted at McGill’s Macdonald Campus in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

Thursday’s Council meeting was the first in a series of “roaming Councils” SSMU will host throughout the year. According to SSMU President Josh Redel, the goal of “roaming Councils” is to break away from operating out of a single building, and to reach out to other McGill student spaces.

“By going to different places, it allows councillors to gain perspective on other students at McGill, and [as a result], I hope that councillors are better able to make informed decisions,” Redel said. “It [also] allows other students to come watch and ask questions at Council in the comfort of a familiar environment.”

Redel explained that the purpose of travelling to Macdonald Campus for Thursday’s meeting was to help SSMU councillors understand the types of challenges the Macdonald Campus Students’ Society (MCSS) faces.

“I think we can also learn a lot from [MCSS],” Redel said. “In my experience … I found that smaller schools and faculties can often lend lessons to the bigger associations that often lose sight of the importance of getting to know students at a more personal level.”

According to Redel, future locations of “roaming Councils” will include residences, student areas in different faculties, and other venues across campus.

Council began with a presentation from SSMU Sustainability Coordinator David Gray-Donald, who spoke about the creation and history of sustainability initiatives and policies at McGill, as well as the university’s lack of a concrete sustainability strategy.

“[The former director of the McGill Office of Sustainability] didn’t think there was a need for a strategy,” Gray-Donald said. “We have all these [projects] going on as a policy, [and] there’s lot of money… but no strategy.”

Gray-Donald also elaborated on the Office of Sustainability’s Vision 2020 project, a year-long consultation process intended to lead to a sustainability strategy.

“Vision 2020 … started in February,” he explained. “[The Office has] been doing an analysis of where we are with sustainability at McGill. [We’ve created] five working groups [to address] five areas or dimensions of the university that we want to see sustainability happening in.”

Following Gray-Donald’s presentation, councillors voted on the only motion on the agenda for the evening. The motion concerned the increase of the SSMU “Safety Network” fee by $0.50 for all students at McGill’s downtown campus, with the increase going towards the McGill Student Emergency Response Team (M-SERT).

M-SERT is one of the 21 student-run, volunteer services offered through SSMU, and provides emergency first-aid response to McGill’s downtown campus and residences, as well as at various McGill events.

SSMU Vice-President Clubs and Services Allison Cooper explained to councillors that M-SERT is requesting an increase to SSMU’s base fee in order to offset its current operation costs, as well as the planned expansion of its coverage on campus and in Montreal.

The motion passed quickly, with 21 votes for, two against, and one abstention. M-SERT must now submit its question to a referendum—the date for which has not yet been decided. The motion read that the extra fee would be applied starting in the winter 2013 semester.

In response to Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi’s report on last spring’s Open Forum on Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly, SSMU Vice-President University Affairs Haley Dinel announced that she will be involved in a group working on his recommendation to clarify the wording of the Code of Student Conduct.

“I am co-chairing a committee with Associate Provost (Policies, Procedures and Equity) Lydia White that is partly responsible for review of the Greenbook,” Dinel said. “[The] report will really help us figure out how to better change the Code of Student Conduct.”

SSMU Vice-President Finance and Operations Jean Paul Briggs also announced that, starting this week, the Operations Management Committee will be conducting a feasibility study of the student-run café alongside team members from the Sustainability Case Competition. Briggs’ executive report to Council stated that the goal is to have the study completed in four to six weeks.

a, Features

FEATURE: Who is John François?

by Sara Espinal Henao on

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Photos by Colin Vandenberg: Colin Vandenberg graduated from Praireview School of Photography, in Manitoba in 2003. He has travelled to distant corners of the world, photographing individuals and depicting their life stories. At some point along this journey, while traveling across Northern Manitoba, he met John François. 

Every morning, John François begins his day by turning on the radio, his most constant companion. The voices of the commentators, the music, and the advertisements fill the air of his cabin as he prepares for the day ahead. John François is good-humoured and light-hearted.

He lives in a rudimentary lodge that his father left him, and survives on fishing, hunting and occasionally, trading what he catches at the nearest town. His cabin is located on the periphery of the Pukatawagan Reserve in Manitoba, half an hour away by canoe across the Churchill River. He enjoys the isolation and peacefulness of this remote area of the country because, as he says, the solitude, the forest, and the land are “healing.” It was precisely the need to heal that drove John François to take refuge far away, distancing himself from his own community.

Click to see the full feature
Click to see the full feature

John François grew up in Pukatawagan, home of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (MCCN), located about 800 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Also called “Puk” by the locals, this small community of only 2,000 people has no road access —except for a few months in the winter—and is only accessible by a bi-weekly local train or small plane.

Getting off the train in Puk is like stepping into open wilderness. The natural scenery surrounding the remote northern reserve is breathtaking, with beautiful lakes, dense forests, and a bewildering view of the Churchill River, one of the last pristine bodies of freshwater in the country, which flows from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains (Kichiwatchya) and pours into Hudson Bay (Kichkamek). However, not everything is beautiful for this northern community. Life on the reserve itself can be quite another story.

Pukatawagan is often referred to by the surrounding communities as the “Dodge City of the North,” and is frequently cited as one of the region’s most problematic reserves. Afflicted by severe overcrowding, chronically underfunded by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and contaminated by a toxic spill that local authorities have yet to remedy, the reserve is riddled with neglect. Pukatawagan’s woes date back to the 1950’s, when Manitoba Hydro and Indian Affairs poorly installed a diesel generating station in the town centre that leaked thousands of litres of diesel into the ground.

When the spill was discovered in 1989, the school, nursing station, band hall, and about 100 houses were torn down. Ever since, the the social fabric of the reserve has suffered a severe strain.

Many impoverished residents of Pukatawagan have turned to crime and substance abuse, while the community and government continue to argue over who is responsible for cleaning up the mess.

Not too long ago, John François, like many others in Pukatawagan, struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. Last May, he decided to move away from his own community, take refuge in his father’s cabin, and live off the land. When asked why he decided to leave his community, he simply answered: “it keeps me off the booze. [Away from Puk] there are no hassles. No one’s giving you a hard time.”

Ironically, distancing himself from Pukatawagan has helped John François to get in touch with his own culture again, and regain his tranquility. Although he did not grow up a religious person, he now prays every day. In his cabin, sweet grass is always burning as an offering to the ancestors, as well as a gesture of gratitude for a day of good hunting. He drinks and smokes only occasionally, and hunts and fishes for a living in the same way that his ancestors did.

It could be that escaping to the timeless landscape of the northern forest and returning to the ways of the ancestors is the best way to heal.

Find more of Jon François, Pukatawagan, and more Colin Vandenberg photography at colinvandenberg.com.

 

Students vote in the SSMU General Assembly. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune)
a, News, SSMU

SSMU fall General Assembly marked by low turnout

by Erica Friesen on

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Despite efforts to make the General Assembly (GA) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) on Oct. 15 more accessible to students, the assembly lost quorum after passing two motions.

The revamped GA showcased several new features, including the introduction of online ratification. Although motions still need to be passed by the assembly, they must now also be ratified through an online vote that represents at least 10 per cent of SSMU’s constituent. Voting on yesterday’s motions will be open for seven days, from Oct. 16 to Oct. 23. Results will be announced on the last day at 5 p.m.

The GA was also live-streamed, and featured a “mood watcher,” to whom students could send text messages anonymously if the debate made them feel uncomfortable, or if they thought the debate was moving in an unproductive direction.

The use of clickers to speed up voting was among the intended reforms pioneered by the SSMU executives. However, SSMU President Josh Redel said that the order for clickers fell through. SSMU will be looking into a text and mobile app-based audience engagement system for the next GA.

Despite the alterations, the GA lost quorum after voting on just two motions. However, Redel said he was pleased with the GA, and thought the mood watcher and use of social media were effective.

“[Low participation] might just be a reality of McGill,” Redel said. “I’m intrigued to know how much [improvements to the GA] could change that culture, [but] I think people enjoyed this, and hopefully that means that the next one will have more people.”

One student, who asked to remain anonymous, liked the idea of getting students involved through social media, but questioned the requirement of online ratification.

“After the first motion passed I think we all realized that… our participation doesn’t mean as much as it used to,” she said. “That’s disappointing.”

Redel said that ballots for online voting would be finalized in time for polls to open by noon  today. He added that there will be additional features to facilitate students’ understanding of the motions as they vote, such as videos of recorded debate, and hyperlinks in the ballot questions.

Motions

The two motions passed as binding resolutions concern the installation of a bouldering wall in the SSMU Building, and the renaming of the SSMU Breakout Room to the Madeleine Parent Room, in honour of a recently deceased McGill alumnus who advocated for gender equity.

Since the assembly lost quorum for all subsequent votes, the GA acted as a consultative forum for the remaining motions, which were therefore passed as non-binding resolutions to be discussed at SSMU Council.

One of these was a motion to renew SSMU’s mandate to support accessible education. Last year, the mandate meant that the society opposed the proposed provincial tuition increase of $1,625 over five years, which the newly elected Parti Québécois cancelled soon after their election to provincial parliament in September.

SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser pointed out that SSMU has supported this policy for a long time and that the role of this mandate this year will depend on the development of the student movement.

“The context of the student movement right now is quite different, because we have a change of government, [and] the tuition hike that students were striking about has been cancelled—at least for now,” Reid-Fraser said.

Some students, however, suggested that SSMU should not renew the mandate, pointing to the tension that arose surrounding the issue last year, as well as the Arts Undergraduate Society’s ultimate vote against joining the student strike.

“The last [time] that we had [a policy] about supporting accessible education, we had a previous Vice-President External spend several thousands of dollars of students’ money on a cause that they did not support, and that ultimately they voted down,” Harmon Moon, U3 history, said.

The greatest amount of debate came from a motion mandating SSMU’s opposition to Canadian military involvement in Iran.

“I want to point out the hypocrisy of this motion in condemning McGill or opposing any ties that the university has to weapons research, but not condemning Iran for engaging in the same kind of research,” Beni Fisch, one of the founders of the Moderate Political Action Committee (ModPAC), said.

“I understand that this is a very complicated issue,” Reid-Fraser,  one of the movers of the motion, said. “In general, this [motion] is very much opposing war because it is something that can affect many innocent people’s lives, not just on the Iranian side.”

Both motions were passed by the assembly and will be discussed at SSMU Council.

Additional motions passed by the assembly as a consultative forum resolved that SSMU oppose Plan Nord and further development of the Canadian oil sands, as well as lobby McGill to divest from companies engaged in activities concerning these issues.

a, News

Manfredi releases long-awaited report on the Open Forum

by Bea Britneff on

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On Oct. 10, McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum announced the release of Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi’s Report on the Open Forum on Free Expression and Peaceful Assembly. Manfredi’s concluding recommendations include the clarification of several clauses in the Code of Student Conduct, the revision of the provisional protocol, and a review of McGill Security’s training program.

Munroe-Blum mandated the series of open fora following Dean of Law Daniel Jutras’ report on the events of Nov. 10, 2011, when an occupation of the James Administration Building ended with riot police dispersing and pepper-spraying students on campus.

The open fora were intended to provide students, faculty, non-academic staff, and senior administration with an opportunity to engage in dialogue about campus issues, including freedom of assembly on campus, and the limits of this freedom. Four Open Forum sessions took place between March 1 and May 2 of this year.

Manfredi’s report on the Open Forum, which can be accessed online through the Open Forum blog, described the key issues that constituted the focus of the discussions—as well as the different opinions expressed regarding these issues.

Early in his report, Manfredi compared McGill’s policies, protections, and regulations to several Canadian and American universities and institutions. The points of comparison include student codes of conduct, freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and the disruption of meetings.

Manfredi found that several of the institutions possess specific policies regarding freedom of speech and expression, and that the code of student conduct for each institution defines “prohibited behaviour” and establishes “disciplinary procedures for investigating … and sanctioning behaviour contrary to the Code.”

“Universities place limits on the rights to assembly and expression,” Manfredi concluded. “Assemblies and demonstrations must be ‘peaceful’ or ‘lawful’ to enjoy any protection at all.  Beyond this, even assemblies or demonstrations that fall within ordinary definitions of these qualifying terms are usually prohibited if they otherwise disrupt normal institutional activities.”

In his section on free expression, Manfredi stated that there was much debate about “expressive activities” such as protests, demonstrations, and occupations, and that many participants commented on the limited responsiveness of the McGill administration to “dissenting voices.”

With regards to peaceful assembly, Manfredi said that much of the discussion involved “the question of how much, where, and with what consequences disruptive activity can legitimately take place.” Manfredi noted that all participants in the Open Forum agreed that McGill should be a violence-free zone. However, other opinions ranged from the belief that peaceful assembly is a form of disruption—even in the absence of violence—and should not be tolerated, to the view that disruptions on campus should be allowed in all circumstances.

“The Open Forum discussions indicate that the university community accepts the necessity of limits, and that most recognize that the peaceful/non-peaceful line is more complicated than a simple distinction between violent and non-violent,” Manfredi concluded. “McGill’s Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures and its Charter of Student Rights currently inadequately define the limits to acceptable protest.”

Manfredi closed his report with three specific recommendations.

“The Code of Student Conduct should be clarified with regard to section 5, 6 and 10 of the Code, namely ‘disruption,’ ‘unauthorized entry and/or presence’ and ‘unauthorized or fraudulent use of university facilities, equipment or services,’ ” his first recommendation read.

The second recommendation dealt with the James Protocol, a provisional security protocol governing access to the James Administration building issued after students occupied the building’s 6th floor in February for six days. Manfredi recommended that the protocol be “revised or reconsidered with a view towards adopting a less restrictive approach to access and security.”

Manfredi’s final recommendation concerned McGill Security Services, which came under criticism last year for what some students at the forum called the increased “securitization of campus.” Manfredi emphasized the importance of training security personnel for disruptive situations.

“McGill Security should review their training program … in order to ensure accuracy and integrity in the case of incident reports and disciplinary proceedings,” he wrote.

In an email to the McGill community on Oct. 10, Munroe-Blum confirmed that she has accepted Manfredi’s three recommendations, and is ready to undertake the necessary measures needed to fulfill them.

“My colleagues and I are committed to addressing directly the matters identified in the report,” Munroe-Blum wrote. “In some cases work is already under way to deal with [these issues]; in others I’ve asked those responsible for substance and process to consider appropriate next steps and report back to me by November 15, 2012.”

Manfredi said he believes his second and third recommendations can be implemented relatively quickly without much additional consultation from the McGill community, however, he admitted that this might not be the case in regards to the Student Code of Conduct.

“Modifications to the Student Code of Conduct are undoubtedly more complicated,” Manfredi said in an email to the Tribune. “However, there is already a Code revision process under way.”

Josh Redel, president of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), said that the SSMU executive team is unable to comment on the report at this time.

In her email, Munroe-Blum stated she will reserve her comments on the report for the Senate meeting scheduled for Oct. 17, as well as the next meeting of the Board of Governors.

a, News, SSMU

Claire Stewart-Kanigan Elected Arts Representative to SSMU

by Jimmy Lou on

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Last Wednesday, Claire Stewart-Kanigan was voted in as representative of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) to the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Legislative Council. Stewart-Kanigan won with 41.8 per cent of the total votes (975), beating out other candidates Ryan Mitton (32.2 per cent) and Harmon Moon (25.9 per cent).

SSMU Council typically has three representatives from the AUS, elected by arts undergraduate students each year. However, one of the representatives elected last March, Sean Phipps, resigned from the position.

Stewart-Kanigan is currently a joint-honours student studying political science and Canadian studies, and is co-president of McGill Students for the New Democratic Party. In her platform, Stewart-Kanigan stated three main focuses: helping students know where their tuition is going, ensuring that spending is directed by an ethical, students-first mandate, and prioritizing the establishment of student-run spaces.

“A central function of an arts rep is just that—to represent. So of course that is always going to be my overall priority,” Stewart-Kanigan said in her platform video.

“I’ve been a delegate and representative [for] numerous clubs in the past so I’m no stranger to giving up my own view in favour of the democratically elected conclusion,” she continued. “However, consent building through lots and lots of communication and outreach will be a big focus of mine.”

AUS President Devon LaBuik expressed confidence in Stewart-Kanigan’s ability to succeed in the position, even though he sees it as a challenging one.

“As Arts representative, I think the hardest thing is to make sure student voices are heard and not just yours,” LaBuik said. “This is a very difficult position to be in since you’re elected, but you have to keep in mind you have to get an aggregate of opinion, and that’s very tough.”

According to LaBuik, the main problem AUS faced in this election was low voter turnout. Only one of every ten eligible students voted, despite the fact that the online voting process takes no more than a few minutes. In a faculty with over 7,000 students, LaBuik said that engaging students can be difficult.

“What we did [that was new] this election was candidate videos and sending them out to students,” he said. “We’d probably have to do something [else] in the next election though. Our goal by the end of the year would be try to get 20 to 30 per cent of the students to vote. [It] will be tough, but we’re going to try our best to get people more involved.”

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