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All Things Academic, Student Life

Best spots to lock in on campus

by Malika Logossou on

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Although the semester has just begun, time at McGill flies by quickly, and it’s essential to prepare for the demanding coursework ahead by finding the best study spots. Look no further! The Tribune has some fantastic recommendations to help you make the most of your study sessions.

Nahum Gelber Law Library

Address: 3660 Peel Street

If you’re aiming for a productive day and can handle the extreme silence, the Law Library is the perfect spot for you. The library features modern glass windows and multiple desks with built-in lamps. With its five floors, spacious basement, and second floor reachable via a charming spiral staircase, you can always find the perfect seat in this place.

Pro: A quiet environment ideal for serious study sessions.

Con: Situated between Dr. Penfield and Pine, the walk-up is a bit of a hike, especially in the winter.

Islamic Studies Library

Address: Morrice Hall, 3485 McTavish Street

If you’re searching for a noise-free setting paired with gothic architecture, the Islamic Studies Library is the ideal spot for you. This library has two floors and a cozy couch which can come in handy during midterm season. If you have a moment between assignments, stop into the Octagon Room to check out Maison Palestine’s exhibit on Arab art in Mandate Jerusalem. 

Pro: The aesthetic setting makes you feel like you’re in a movie.

Con: It’s not the best choice for group study, as finding spots for more than one person can be challenging.

Birks Reading Room

Address: 3520 Rue University second floor

If you need another study spot with old architecture, take a trip over to the School of Religious Studies. If you’re looking for a bustling but studious atmosphere, the Birks Reading Room will fulfill your expectations. Studying under the enchanting glow of the library’s green lamps and enormous stained glass windows is a must.

Pro: Very peaceful and serene.
Con: No shoes allowed, which might be inconvenient for some—remember to wear socks!

Marvin Duchow Music Library

Address: Elizabeth Wirth Music, 527 Sherbrooke St W, third floor

The Marvin Duchow Music Library is a big, modern library that is calm and offers several spots to study. The first floor is ideal for group studies, with several conference and group rooms that feature instruments, which can add a fun element to your sessions.

Pro: There are always study spots available.
Con: The sleek, modern architecture can feel a little impersonal.

Burnside Basement

If you’ve ever wished for a subterranean study space without the pesky distraction of windows, the Burnside Basement is the place for you. With multiple plugs, seats, and tables available, it’s a functional space for a quick stop between classes. If you’re feeling gloomy, make sure to look up and catch a glimpse of the fake sky through the ceiling tiles!

Pro: Conveniently located next to the Soupe Cafe.
Con: The basement’s lack of visual appeal makes it better suited for a nap than a study session.

Honorable Mention: Redpath-McLennan Library

Address: 3459 McTavish Street

Last but not least, while the Redpath-McLennan Library is not a hidden gem, as almost everyone on campus has passed through it, it is a reliable study space. The Redpath Library has a main floor where you can talk with friends, chill, charge your phone and electronic devices, or simply study in silence. It also has many floors of study space, including a basement where you can use Cyberthèque Pods.

Oddly enough, whereas McLennan is also very crowded, it is quieter, making it better suited for intense study sessions. McLennan-Redpath is open from 8:00 AM to midnight—including weekends starting on Sept. 8th—and starting from Oct. 20, the library complex will be open 24/7 until the end of the semester, making it the best spot to lock in for a late night. 

Pro: It has the most extensive opening hours of any campus library.
Con: The library’s modern look lacks a cozy appeal that induces productivity.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Answering students’ cravings for coffee

by Malika Logossou, Auxane Bussac on

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Whether you prefer your coffee iced or hot, with whole, oat, or almond milk, flavoured with syrup or plain, there are as many ways to drink coffee as there are students at McGill. While it is best to keep one’s consumption of caffeine reasonable, a nice cup of coffee to accompany your study session, a reading break, or to share with friends is always pleasant. Here are off-campus coffee shop suggestions by The Tribune.

If you are looking for affordable cafes with an enjoyable ambiance near campus, here are our top picks for you. 

OSMO X Marusan

51 Rue Sherbrooke St W

OSMO X Marusan is a Japanese café that’s both student-friendly and exceptionally cozy. It provides ample workspace with accessible charging ports and a selection of snacks and coffee to keep you energized. If you need a break from screens, there’s a designated no-laptop table perfect for reading. The café’s spacious layout makes it ideal for both solo study sessions and group hangouts, while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere. 

Price: $

Milton B

3498 Park Avenue

Milton B is a coffee shop located just a five-minute walk from campus, and is open 24/7. They offer a variety of drinks, sandwiches, and pastries, so you will definitely have plenty of options. The café is a popular hangout among McGill students, so it’s not uncommon to find many of your peers there, deep into a paper or cramming for deadlines. Whether you’re looking for a quiet corner to focus on, a place to meet up with friends, or simply a change of scenery, Milton B Café is your pick.

Price: $

If you’re looking for a café that’s both aesthetic and Instagram-worthy, The Tribune recommends the following two spots:

Améa Café

1188 Rue Sherbrooke St W

Améa Café is a gourmet restaurant, coffee shop, and pizzeria all rolled into one. It has a clean, classy atmosphere with a lovely outdoor courtyard, making it an ideal place for studying or meeting up with friends. The spacious seating area is gorgeous, and the café’s close proximity to McGill campus makes it a convenient spot for a change of scenery or a quick decompression session. The customer service is great, although it can be hard to find a spot during rush hours. The Tribune recommends trying their New York rolls along with a cup of flavoured coffee. 

Price: $$

Crew Collective & Café
360 Rue Saint-Jacques

Crew Collective & Café is a great alternative to Améa Café if you are looking to get a coffee further away from the McGill bubble. This chic coffee spot is housed in the former Old Royal Bank, featuring high ceilings, stunning chandeliers, and grand staircases, while maintaining a modern touch. The ambiance gives off major Pinterest vibes, like it’s been taken from your dream board! You can even book meeting rooms and order food online for delivery to your table. However, given its popularity, it can get quite busy and difficult to find seats with plugs, so it’s best to arrive early. 


Price : $$

If you like Old Montréal’s scenery, the following spot is for you:

49th Parallel Café

488 Rue McGill

Located near the Square Victoria metro station, 49th Parallel Café is the perfect spot to study. With a wide array of coffee options and delicious pastries, it’s a haven for caffeine lovers. The inside is spacious, offering a great ambiance that encourages productivity. It can get crowded, but regardless, this place needs to be on your list for your next locking-in session. Although it’s a 25-minute walk from campus, taking the bus is a convenient alternative and their to-die-for doughnuts make the ride worth it.
Price: $

McGill, News

SPHR McGill calls on students to wear keffiyehs as sign of Palestinian solidarity

by Fabienne de Cartier on

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Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) at McGill called on students to wear a keffiyeh on campus on Sept. 5 as a way to show solidarity with pro-Palestinian mobilization. Other pro-Palestinian activist groups from across Montreal joined their call, including SPHR Concordia, Groupe de Solidarité pour les droits humains des Palestiniennes et Palestiniens de l’Université de Montréal, Palestinian Youth Movement Montreal (PYM), and Al Raya Dawson.

In a written statement to The Tribune, SPHR explained that wearing the keffiyeh was a way to continuously draw attention to pro-Palestinian activism on campus. 

“The keffiyeh is a visual reminder of the Palestinian struggle—of the ongoing genocide and of the people’s fierce resistance,” SPHR wrote. “The goal for today is to make Palestine unavoidable on the same campuses where our administration continue[s] to fund occupation and genocide and where students have faced brutal repression for simply speaking up. In that sense, it is a small but collectively powerful symbol of resistance.”

The square, chequered scarf, often worn as a headdress, has not always had political connotations. Political science professor Rex Brynen, whose areas of study include comparative politics in the Middle-East, explained that during the late Ottoman period, rural communities in various parts of the Middle East frequently wore keffiyehs around the head, especially ones that were all-white. Keffiyehs were widely used by Arab fighters in the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule during World War I and were later incorporated into the uniforms of some Arab military forces. Brynen clarified that it wasn’t until the early-to-mid-20th century that the keffiyeh came to be a symbol of Palestinian identity and struggle.  

“In Palestine, they became a symbol of resistance to British colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s. With the birth of […] modern Palestinian nationalism after 1948, Yasser Arafat (head of Fatah and the PLO [Palestinian Liberation Organization]) famously wore a black-and-white patterned one, and the chequered keffiyeh became globally associated with Palestinian resistance,” Brynen wrote in a statement to The Tribune. 

At McGill, many students wear keffiyehs on a regular basis to continuously signal support for the Palestinian cause. The McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) explained to The Tribune that students have a right to freedom of expression on campus within the university’s limits. 

“McGill supports the right to freedom of expression within the boundaries of the law and the University’s policies,” the MRO wrote. “The university is working to ensure an environment where every member of our community feels welcomed, recognized, and capable of sharing views without fear of retribution, regardless of who they are or what perspectives they hold.”

Jordan* explained that some students may not want to participate in protests for fear of academic or professional repercussions, as well as police violence following the police’s use of tear gas during the James Administration occupation and the arrests made at the encampment this summer. Rory* added that wearing a keffiyeh was a way for students to quietly protest outside of demonstrations. 

“It’s [a way] to show without words that you do support [Palestine] […] because a lot of people do support it, but they are scared,” Rory said.

Jordan drew a connection between the keffiyeh and the newly planted grass that pro-Palestinian protestors tore out of the lower field on Aug. 30, noting that, to them, both were a symbol of resistance. 

“It’s the same thing as the keffiyeh [….] People see that lack of grass, and they [realize] that’s where the encampment was. It’s a constant reminder […] that there’s solidarity amongst the university community,” Jordan said. 

Quinn*, who was wearing a keffiyeh on Sept. 5, told The Tribune that they are seeing support for Palestine continue to grow in the wake of the encampment. 

“I think people are a lot angrier now,” Quinn said. “The administration clearly doesn’t listen to their own students, despite claiming to. I think we’re ready to see a shift.”

*Jordan, Rory, and Quinn’s names have been changed to preserve their anonymity.

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

‘Short n’ Sweet’ highlights Sabrina Carpenter’s range and confidence as an artist

by Sylvie Bourque on

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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)

Following the success of singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter capped off her summer of pop domination with the release of her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23. 

As a fan of Carpenter’s music since her Singular: Act I (2018) era, I am thrilled to see Carpenter finally getting her flowers. However, I think it is precisely her slow rise into the limelight that has prepared her for the success she’s now experiencing. Developing her sound and style outside of the scrutiny that comes with mainstream success allowed her the freedom to experiment, make some flops, and grow as an artist. Now, with 10 years of hard work and five previous studio albums under her belt, her visuals, vocals, lyrics, artistic vision, and live performances are the best they have ever been.

Short n’ Sweet pushes the cheeky humour of emails i can’t send fwd: bops “Feather” and “Nonsense” to the extreme, tackling the tribulations of romance in a light yet unforgiving way while owning her sexuality and desire. The lead single, “Espresso,” perfectly sets up the summer vibes that dominate this album with its groovy production, silly innuendos, and visuals of a sixties summer beach day. “I know I said ‘I can’t relate to desperation,’ but turns out I’m just a girl,” Sabrina said when introducing “Please Please Please” during her performance at the June 2024 Gov Ball. 

Track three, “Good Graces,” introduces new genre influences into the album with a strong R&B vibe to the track’s vocals and rhythm. Similar to “Please Please Please,” this track is a warning to her partner to treat her right, but with more edge and threat than desperation. 

Tracks four and eight, “Sharpest Tool” and “Dumb & Poetic,” deviate from the previous pop bangers. Carpenter gets more vulnerable about the lack of closure and communication difficulties in a crumbling relationship over an accentuated acoustic guitar. “Coincidence” and “Slim Pickins” draws on country sounds as Sabrina details the process of all the “coincidences” that led to the person she is seeing getting back with their ex and reveals her difficulties in finding love. 

The album also showcases Carpenter’s raunchier flirty side that borders on unhinged in “Bed Chem” and “Juno,” which are paired with upbeat, playful instrumentals and vocals. The final tracks, “Lie To Girls” and “Don’t Smile,” end the album on a somber and more emotional note. In “Lie To Girls,” Sabrina reveals that not only her, but so many of the women around her, will often bend the truth about situations to present their partner in a more favourable light. “Don’t Smile” plays on the Dr. Seuss quote—“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened”—which Carpenter flips to express how she doesn’t want her ex to get over their relationship while she remains heartbroken. 

The only thing I felt was missing from this album was the depth of vulnerability she displayed in moments from emails i can’t send, such as in the album title track, which touches on infidelity in her parents’ relationship. As of right now, my favourite tracks on the album include “Sharpest Tool,” “Bed Chem,” and “Don’t Smile.” I am a big fan of the lyricism and how the upbeat production contrasts the not-so-upbeat themes of “Sharpest Tool.” In “Bed Chem,” I thoroughly enjoyed how completely unserious and cheeky Sabrina is, and her vocals on this track are stunning. Finally, I love Sabrina’s softer vocals and production on “Don’t Smile.” Overall, I love this album, and it is almost skipless for me. Though I understand the criticisms that jumping genre and sound can make this album feel sonically discordant, the sonic variety in this album is one of the things I love about both Short n’ Sweet and Sabrina as an artist. 

News, PGSS

PGSS executives discuss low attendance, support of Palestine at semester’s first council meeting

by Dana Prather on

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The Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) of McGill University gathered for its first council meeting of the Fall 2024 semester on Sept. 4. Despite continued calls from Secretary-General Satish Kumar Tumulu for attendees to recruit other voting members to join the meeting, only 26 councillors were in attendance. The meeting marked another instance of the council failing to meet quorum—33 voting members, or roughly one per cent of the PGSS’ membership. As a result, attendees could not vote on the motions discussed. 

In an effort to meet quorum going forward, the PGSS will be enforcing the Society Activities Manual’s (SAM) rule which requires councillors to attend at least three council meetings in order to keep their seat. 

Next, Tumulu turned the conversation towards the legal dispute surrounding PGSS’ statements and motions in support of Palestine. This includes their statement following the December 2023 council meeting, as well as three motions that passed at the February 2024 Annual General Meeting: Motion 7.1,  Motion 7.2, and Motion 7.3, which aims to “support and encourage [Post-Graduate Student Associations] to address the ongoing genocide in Gaza and investigate their ties to settler-colonial violence and [the] genocide against the Palestinian people.” 

As per their Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), PGSS met with McGill to discuss the approved motions. The council then concluded that they would implement Motion 7.1 as is, that they would reject Motion 7.2, and that they would implement Motion 7.3 with modifications from McGill. 

However, on June 20, McGill and the PGSS received a legal notice from an anonymous member of the society who asked both parties to abide by an interlocutory injunction against motions 7.1, 7.3, and the council’s December 2023 statement. The notice asserted that the motions contradicted the PGSS’ governing documents. Tumulu explained the chronology of events.

“After we received the legal notice and [attended the] first hearing, […] McGill also said [their] legal consultation thinks that we are breaching the MOU, but before that […] we never received [an] official email saying we’re breaching [the] MOU,” the Secretary-General said in the meeting. “So [on] the day of the first hearing, it was decided that PGSS would go [into] discussion with McGill and come to a neutral point, if possible.” 

In the intervening months, the executives requested that McGill provide amended versions of the Motions. Notably, the McGill administration revised Motions 7.1, 7.3, and the December 2023 statements to exclude all mentions of the words “Palestine,” “Israel,” “Gaza,” and “genocide.”

“The language would have to depart from a focus on Palestine and solidarity with a particular people and instead focus on general commitments that allow PGSS to uphold its commitments to all of its members,” explains a comment left by a McGill administrator on the amended version of Motion 7.1.

Though they were unable to vote on whether to approve these modifications, attendees like Brenagh Rapoport of the Organization of Urban Planning Students (OUPS) expressed their gratitude that PGSS was looking to their members for consultation before amending the motions. 

“I don’t think that anyone would say that we should hold a line that would actually threaten PGSS’ ability to continue representing our students and exist as the official representative body. But I am glad to hear that there is an interest on the part of PGSS executives to push back in some way against McGill,” Rapoport said. “Clearly it’s something that our student body cares a lot about, and it’s really important, and we can’t let McGill just completely erase it.” 

Moment of the meeting: Kumar Tumulu strongly encouraged members to apply to the Appointments Board Lottery to fill several notable vacancies, particularly the PGSS’ two seats for graduate students and one for a postdoctoral scholar in the McGill Senate as well as a seat on the Council of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS). 

Soundbite: “These motions were decided through democratic processes. If we let McGill just change motions whenever they want […], we will never hear the end of it.” – Ambre Lambert, Member Services Officer 

Off the Board, Opinion

Growing up and down

by Lulu Calame on

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Two weeks ago, I moved into my first apartment. I have the privilege of living in a bright, homey little place with high ceilings and two balconies, and that of living with my best friend. As my mom got ready to leave, she told me how excited she was for us. “You and Renée are both so stubborn,” she said, “and you know what you need.” She also pointed out how lucky we are to have in-house laundry. “I didn’t have that until I was in grad school,” she said wistfully. I hugged her goodbye, and walked inside feeling self-possessed and splendidly grown up. 

“What do we do now?” Renée asked me when I got to the top of the stairs. Her eyes were red and I had a painful lump pressing against the back of my throat. Under the kitchen’s brash overhead light we surveyed our unfamiliar pantry. “My dad makes really good chili,” Renée said. I said I’d ask my mom about her bolognese. We turned off the kitchen light and scurried into the living room to wait for communications from headquarters. And so, our first evening passed.

At IKEA the next day, I campaigned for smaller serving bowls—not for practicality (in fact, against it) but because they were the closest to the blue ceramic ones that nestle above the counter at home. Renée was used to the big plates with bowl-esque rims. We settled civilly in the middle, and the medium-sized gray bowls remain jarringly foreign to us both.

My mom is right that Renée and I are as strong-willed as we are assured in our sensibilities. But during our first weeks living in a home of our own, that grounded self-possession—and the energy that went into it—morphed into a vehicle in which we carried and displayed the sensibilities of those who had raised us. When we disagreed about whether butter should be kept in the fridge or on the counter, it was not a fight of personal convictions, but a defence of our upbringings, which were, now, our only grounds of familiarity. The confident composure with which we seasoned a chicken breast with oregano and cumin was a weak cover for our desperation to enact our parents—the same way a toddler repeats a curse word proudly without knowing what it means. The moment our parents drove away we pledged a new patriotism to their ideologies—those from which we had worked so hard for so long to diverge, rebel against, and reimagine.

I have since become fond of the way in which Renée and I are growing in two directions at once—returning to the absolute dependency of childhood while turning into the oldest and most capable versions of ourselves. We filled those first days living alone together with stories—of how to use old tomatoes, find the studs in the wall, and cook with the doors closed so our sheets wouldn’t smell like garlic—all gathered from the lived encyclopedia of our separate lives, and brought forward for reference, comparison, and evaluation. 

Now, two weeks after moving in, our parents’ world has settled around us and from it, the buds of a world completely ours have started to spring, in more and less glamorous ways. Only yesterday Renée and I stood on the back porch surveying our trash bin, alive and teeming with maggots. She and I put on gloves and an apron respectively and poured kettle after kettle of boiling water down the trash bin walls and into its infested ridges until our thousands of writhing rice-sized foes had been boiled to death and flushed down the toilet.

Amidst groceries, bills, and maggots, Renée and I are finding our sea legs on the current of adult independence, where we are worldlier, intuitive with spices, and conscious of our energy consumption. But to get here we had to hold tightly to our parents’ hands, becoming, for a fleeting moment, children again—but this time with in-house laundry.

Science & Technology

38th Soup & Science event sees talks on ice, stars, and Panama

by Russel Ismael on

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The McGill Faculty of Science hosted the 38th edition of Soup & Science in the SSMU Ballroom from Sept. 3 to 6. Here, professors and students across many disciplines, from psychology to astrophysics, presented their scientific passion projects. 

Monitoring Arctic sea ice

To begin the Sept. 5 presentations, Mallik Mahmud, assistant professor in the Department of Geography, discussed how satellite imagery can detect changes in sea ice.

“The area of sea ice is decreasing drastically. At the same time, the thickness of the ice is also reducing over the years,” Mahmud explained. “Compared to the last 20 years, we have a very different set of ice in the [Arctic].”

Mahmud and his team also trekked to the Arctic to set up weather towers and use techniques like radar imaging, which uses light to create two-dimensional landscape images, to confirm the satellite imagery.

Eco-evolutionary dynamics in Alaskan lakes

Andrew Hendry, a professor in the Department of Biology, studies the evolution of biological diversity and is especially interested in the ecology of Alaska’s lakes.

“What [the Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Laboratory does] is think about the fact that within each of those species, there is evolutionary variation,” Hendry explained. 

His group is researching how genetic variation affects the structure of lake ecosystems, paying special attention to the population of fish.

“[The fish] have all been sequenced individually with high coverage across their entire genome,” Hendry said. “We have complete knowledge of the genetic variation of all the [fish] in these lakes.”

Fast radio bursts—a cosmic mystery

Victoria Kaspi, a professor in the Department of Physics, discussed fast radio bursts (FRB), which are short radio wave flashes from space that last a few thousandths of a second. Kaspi said that FRBs are an “astrophysical mystery” that has received much public attention, with many erroneously ascribing it to extraterrestrial intelligence.

“How do you study the phenomenon? That’s the challenge,” Kaspi explained. “We need a telescope that can point everywhere all at the same time, all the time. We haven’t invented that, but we’re close—and that’s the CHIME telescope; the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Telescope.”

Canada’s CHIME telescope is located in British Columbia and has detected thousands of FRBs since its activation in 2018. 

How and why are friendships formed between people?

Melanie Dirks, a professor in the Department of Psychology, runs a lab that studies relationships and focuses on friendships.

Dirks explained that adults have certain beliefs about romances that extend to friendships. These beliefs are categorized into two groups: “Destiny” and “Growth” mindsets. A person with a Destiny mindset believes that a person is either “right” for you or not, and there is nothing to do about it. A Growth mindset, however, emphasizes the importance of overcoming conflicts that arise within the relationship.

“We tracked undergraduates’ friendships over the course of a year, and it turned out that people who more strongly endorsed Destiny beliefs and weakly endorsed Growth beliefs were more likely to tell us they had friendships end over the course of the year,” Dirks explained.

Sloths & science: The Panama Field Study Semester

Kristy Sanchez Vega, U2 Science, talked about her Panama Field Study Semester (PFSS), a four-month academic endeavour in Panama, and how beneficial the experience was.

“You take some amazing courses in PFSS,” Sanchez Vega said. “They vary from year to year, but the ones I took were history, agriculture, biology, and then an environment research course.”

Sanchez Vega described PFSS as an intellectually rewarding exchange which shaped her knowledge about land and environment. She also said that PFSS members receive an opportunity to present their research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

“There’s only so many opportunities that you can take like this in undergrad, so if anyone decides to take PFSS after this, then I think I’ve done my job,” Sanchez Vega said.

Soup & Science is a semesterly event that showcases McGill’s brilliant minds. The event allows the student audience to explore their scientific curiosities and aims to foster their drive to pursue new academic challenges.

Commentary, Opinion

Canada’s railway system is failing

by Monique Kasonga on

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Last weekend, what was meant to be a three-and-a-half-hour Via Rail trip between Montreal and Quebec City turned into a disastrous 10-hour ordeal. Due to the train breakdown, passengers were stranded mid-tracks with no food, water, or access to a toilet for hours on end. This delay is just one of many challenges that Canadian railways have faced in the past month. On Aug. 23, rail workers voted to authorize a strike, claiming that Canadian rail companies were not bargaining in good faith and were attempting to undercut progress on working conditions. Though Via Rail’s commercial passenger trains were not directly impacted by the strike, the unpredictable shifts in railway traffic during this period incited delays on all fronts of railway transportation. 

When comparing Canada’s railway systems with those in other countries, it’s clear that the country prioritizes freight over passenger services. Historically, railway infrastructure was funded by taxpayers, but today it is privately owned with no public obligations. The privatization in 1995 of the Canadian National Railway (CN) led to the company acquiring both trains and tracks. This effectively created a freight-dominated monopoly as the commercial line, Via Rail, must pay CN to use the train lines. In contrast, 80 per cent of European rail transport is dedicated to passengers, while only 15 to 20 per cent is for freight. This disparity highlights a significant issue in Canada, where the focus on moving goods rather than people has led to inadequate transportation options. 

Many Canadians have heard rumours of a high-speed train connecting Toronto and Montreal over the years. Via Rail’s high frequency rail proposal seems like the most recent move towards this becoming a reality. However, no concrete plans have been set into action. Countries such as the Netherlands and France have benefitted from high-speed trains connecting Amsterdam and Paris since 2009, and Japan’s Shinkansens have been around since 1964. These demonstrate the availability of technology and infrastructure for efficient and climate-friendly travel for those who are willing to invest in it. Despite Canada being one of the world’s self-proclaimed leaders in climate action, Canadians wanting to travel sustainably by rail are faced with old trains and tracks, delays, unfair labour conditions, and exorbitant prices. Sustainable transportation is not simply achieved through pushing for electric vehicles; it entails allowing Canadians to get around their large country at a reasonable rate, and to eliminate a dependence on cars and planes for short-distance trips. 

Many students consider more than one city home. In McGill’s fall 2023 entering class, respectively, 21% per cent of McGill’s undergraduate and graduate student bodies are from outside of Quebec, pointing to an urgent need for a modernized and efficient rail system in Canada. As Canada’s rail system continues to prioritize freight over passenger services, students—many of whom are already grappling with tuition fees, housing costs, and other rising expenses—are disproportionately impacted by the lack of affordable, dependable, and eco-friendly transit options. This adds an additional stressor that the Canadian government could easily remove by implementing laws to place passenger trains at the forefront of railway traffic and travel.

Additionally, McGill has a vested interest in lobbying for a system that works better as it would benefit its students. If a better passenger transportation system is to be established, universities like McGill should collaborate with Via Rail to encourage and incentivize students to travel by train, whether through discounts, annual passes, or reward programs.


The Canadian government must work to end the monopoly that CN has on Canadian railways, which has impeded efficient passenger travel for far too long. A shift towards a passenger-focused approach in Canada’s rail system could transform infrastructural priorities, making private rail companies’ profits dependent on their ability to transport people efficiently. This would also ensure that commuters are not caught in disputes between private sector workers and management, ultimately aligning workers’ rights with the public’s need for reliable transit. And most importantly, it will emphasize how Canada’s trains can be central to a sustainable future.

Know Your Team, Sports

Know Your Team: McGill Kendo Club

by Eliza Lee on

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Many McGill students only encounter the McGill Kendo Club through brief glances into the glass windows of the Aerobics Room on their way to the B2 gym. In the hallway, the dull whirl of the air conditioner and the B2 stereo system muffle most of the noise coming from the club’s practice. Yet just a few steps inside, yells, the stamp of bare feet on the gym floor, and the slap of colliding shinai—bamboo swords—echo around the mirrored room and fill the space with sound. 

Kendo is a form of Japanese martial art which focuses on swordsmanship using shinai. This lively period of sparring comes at the end of each of the club’s practices, which are offered as classes at the Athletics Centre. Lesley Roberts, U3 Arts and Vice President Curriculum and Training of the club, explained to The Tribune that these classes are led by experienced sensei, many of whom are alumni from McGill or Université de Montréal. Classes are open to all experience levels and to the general public, not just students.

“At the start of the Fall and Winter semesters, we take people who’ve never done kendo before aside, and usually we rent a separate room, and we teach them all of the basics that they need to know. Then they rejoin the main class on Tuesdays and Saturdays,” Roberts said. “Around your second semester, you’re invited to join Thursdays too, [which] is our day for people who have been in what’s called Bogu—the armor—for a little while.”

Roberts added that self-motivation is an important aspect of practices. This opportunity to challenge herself is among Roberts’ favourite parts of being involved with the club.

“I think every practice is a chance to push yourself as hard as you want, and it’s your choice how hard you work,” Roberts said. 

Throughout the year, the club also performs demonstrations at Montreal festivals such as Otakuthon and YATAI MTL, and attends tournaments to compete against other clubs from across North America. At a competition in November 2023 at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto, the club’s team of Roberts, Ai Matsumoto, U1 Arts and Science, and Véronique Marchand won first place in the women’s team category. Matsumoto also took home second place in the women’s Nidan and up category.

Matsumoto has been practicing kendo since she was seven, and told The Tribune that a major draw for attending McGill was its reputable kendo club. She highlighted that several of its alumni have gone on to compete for Team Canada, such as Tania Delage.

Outside the gym, the club organizes social events, with past activities including combat archery, disco bowling, and a stay in New York City following a tournament there. Post-practice boba tea is another common outing for the group. 

Kevin Nguyen, U2 Engineering, joined the club after having practised fencing for around five years. Nguyen spoke to the club’s sense of community, which he found especially beneficial when he joined as a new student at McGill.

“It’s really good for meeting people,” Nguyen said. “You start out [at university] and you’re a bit lost. You’re like, ‘I don’t know anyone.’ But [through the club] you get to get really close to people. It’s really fun, and a good way to socialize.”

For Matsumoto, the club was not just a way to meet other people at McGill but also a way to connect with a wider kendo community beyond Montreal over a love of the sport.

“If you go to Toronto, you can meet people from the University of Toronto, or just regular people who practice kendo,” Matsumoto said. “You can get to share Instagrams, and you can become friends. The next time you go there, you can text them and be like, ‘Oh, we can stay at your house?’ or [say], ‘Let’s GO train.’ There’s a whole network of people who love kendo and make no money from it. They just love kendo as a passion, and you get to be friends with them.”

The McGill Kendo club’s next competition will take place on Nov. 23 at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto.

Science & Technology

Neurodevelopment through an infant’s eyes

by Leanne Cherry on

More in Science & Technology:

Before kids obtain the ability to smoothly track a moving object with their eyes, there is a brief period in infancy when this skill is out of reach. Visual tracking, a crucial milestone in our cognitive development, begins to develop about one month after birth.

In a recent publication in the journal Brain and Cognition, Patricia Silveira, an associate professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, explored the relationship between visual tracking abilities in newborns and several factors, including the mother’s biological features, the surrounding environment, and neuromotor development in the infant. Various existing studies suggest that early development of visual tracking has a positive correlation with cognitive skills in the long run. 

“I was always fascinated by the fact that you could check fine motor skills in newborns just by observing the way they could [visually] track a stimulus. In a way, you were testing their future capacity for handling objects, and could even predict things like cognition and more elaborated executive functions,” Silveira said in an interview with The Tribune.

Silveira was interested in investigating how the physical characteristics of both the infant and their surrounding environment were correlated with better eye-tracking capabilities. 

She collected data from 51 pairs of mothers and their newborns through a series of home visits in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

“Maternal behaviour and this interaction with the baby is something that drastically influences development. But for this particular ability, it didn’t make a difference,” Silveira said. “The visual ability of the baby was much more linked to metabolic and nutritional aspects.” 

When the mother’s breast milk had a higher concentration of proteins, the children tended to have a poorer capacity to track visually. However, breast milk with a higher concentration of prolactin and thyroxine—two hormones known for their involvement in child development—was correlated with better visual tracking capabilities.

Although Silveira’s study was conducted in Brazil, she made efforts to ensure the study was applicable to a global population.

“All the instruments that we use are instruments that exist in many different countries and are validated tools. For example, Coding Interactive Behaviour is classic for assessing maternal behaviour. So is the Alberta Infant Motor Scale, which is actually a Canadian tool, but it’s used in Brazil and many other places,” she explained.

In addition to Silveira’s research, there are numerous pediatric studies being conducted in Canada. One example is McGill’s Montreal Antenatal Well-Being Study, a national initiative which examines how different factors affect the likelihood of mothers developing mental health problems during and after pregnancy. 

What differentiates Silveira’s research from the other studies is its focus on collecting in-depth data. The smaller sample size enabled her and her team to collect significantly more detailed information. During home visits, they were able to observe the mother-infant relationship and the living environment, and collect biological samples.

“We don’t have extensive numbers, but we have a very detailed phenotype, which can be an interesting way to look at the research question as well,” Silveira explained.

As both a pediatrician and a researcher, Silveira has long been involved in ground-breaking natal and perinatal studies. The significance of her work can be partially attributed to the philosophy that guides her.

“I think it’s very important to provide support to families and children very, very early and set them up for a good trajectory in life. What motivates me is to really make an impact for the lives of young children,” Silveira said.

Silveira’s work sheds light on the many factors that influence early visual motor skills. Continuing her dedication to her work and her drive to support families, Silveira plans to conduct larger prospective studies to confirm these findings and identify potential biomarkers for early neurodevelopmental outcomes in newborns.

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