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McGill, Montreal, News, SSMU

Over 28,000 students go on week-long strike against tuition hikes

by Fabienne de Cartier on

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From March 11 to 15, over 28,000 students from McGill and Concordia went on strike against the tuition increases proposed by the Quebec government. Representing nearly 96 per cent of those on strike, Concordia students led the charge, mobilizing hundreds in a demonstration on March 13 and picketing classes throughout the week. 

The tuition hikes, first proposed in Oct. 2023, brought tuition from $9,000 to $17,000 per year for out-of-province students attending one of Quebec’s three English-language universities. However, on Dec. 14, the provincial government revised its decision and announced that tuition will instead be increased to $12,000 per year with the additional requirement that 80 per cent of out-of-province and international students attain an intermediate level of French over the course of their studies. Although international students’ tuition will not be drastically affected, the Quebec government has imposed a minimum tuition fee of $20,000 per year and will claim a larger proportion of their fees going forward. The funds raised through the tuition hikes will be directed toward francophone universities in the province to address the disequilibrium in funding between them and anglophone universities. 

In the last few months, students have mobilized in response to these proposed changes. In the weeks leading up to the latest strike, six departmental student associations at McGill held general assemblies to vote on a strike motion. The Society of Undergraduate Mathematics Students and McGill Environment Students’ Society did not reach quorum. Of the associations that met quorum, the Department of English Student Association (DESA) and the McGill Biology Student Union (MBSU) voted in favour of a strike. Additionally, the McGill Undergraduate Geography Society and Music Undergraduate Students’ Association voted to strike if a minimum of 2,500 McGill students participated. These organizations did not go through with the strike as 1,195 McGill students ultimately joined the strike efforts. Both the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Concordia Student Union (CSU) have a mandate to support student activism on campus and have been working with strikers. 

At the March 13 demonstration, students voiced concerns over how the new tuition policies will affect McGill’s student demographic. 

“I personally voted to strike because I’m very concerned about the impact that [the new tuition model] will have on the cultural fabric of McGill,” Nick Chow, MBSU Vice-President (VP) External, said to The Tribune. “I think that this will lead to McGill students becoming much wealthier on average and less diverse. And part of what makes McGill so fantastic is its incredible diversity of people from all around the world.”

Seyla Wickramasinghe, a U2 Representative for MBSU, added that the Quebec government’s justification for the new tuition policies seems not only discriminatory but logically inconsistent, given that only French and Belgian students are exempt from the new tuition model.

“I speak fluent French, and so does my brother because we grew up learning French in Ontario. But you don’t see that included or reflected in the tuition hikes. It’s like they forgot about every other province […] and every other country that speaks French,” Wickramasinghe said. 

At a town hall meeting organized by the university on March 14, Provost Christopher Manfredi expressed similar apprehension. 

“One of our biggest concerns is the impact that those changes might have on McGill’s DNA,” Manfredi said. “But I think [it’s a] challenge that we can meet.”

According to McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle, the university saw a seven per cent reduction in international applications and 22 per cent reduction in out-of-province applications this year compared to last year. 

However, in his town hall presentation, Manfredi assured attendees that the university would work to protect McGill’s diversity by trying to maintain the same ratio of Quebecois students, out-of-province students, and international students as in past years. Moreover, he highlighted that McGill has created the Canada Award to offset the costs of tuition hikes for incoming out-of-province students in most programs. 

In addition to potential impacts on the student demographic, Manfredi underlined that the new tuition model will have significant consequences for McGill’s finances. Even with the cuts the university plans to make to its operating budget, Manfredi revealed that McGill expects to be in a budget deficit for the upcoming year. 

“We simply cannot compress quickly enough without doing significant damage to our ability to deliver on our mission,” Manfredi stated. 

On Feb. 23, McGill and Concordia filed separate lawsuits that contest the new tuition policies.  Although the university does not dispute the government’s francization targets, McGill’s legal challenge argues that the tuition increases for out-of-province students and the change to the funding model for international students constitute discrimination according to both the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. McGill has asked that the two measures be suspended while the court considers the case.

Although McGill’s lawsuit and the student strike aim to achieve the same goal, Mazerolle told The Tribune that McGill will not take a position on last week’s strike.

“The University does not and will not take a position on the cause on which students might decide not to attend classes because of civic engagement from time-to-time,” Mazerolle wrote. 

President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini warned students against using hard picketing tactics and blocking entry to university buildings after a pro-Palestinian protest closed access to the Bronfman building on Feb. 22.

“The University’s protocol for dealing with protest-related disruptions and misconduct, where non-violent, calls first for efforts to de-escalate the situation through a dialogue between a university official and the protesters […] if protesters or demonstrators refuse to allow university activities to continue, the University will not hesitate to call on civil authorities to take action as they deem appropriate,” Saini wrote in the email to the McGill community. 

Both DESA and MBSU ultimately implemented a soft picketing strategy, encouraging students to picket their classes without blocking entry to buildings. Vikram Nathan, President of MBSU, explained that the association chose not to picket graded labs or classes that were unavailable online in order to minimize academic repercussions for students. 

“Our intention wasn’t to sabotage anyone’s learning,” Nathan said. 

Most student associations at Concordia took a different approach, choosing to block entry to classes in order to create as much disruption as possible. Hannah Jackson, the External Affairs and Mobilization Coordinator for the CSU, defended students’ decision to implement a hard picket. 

“In my personal opinion, there’s no such thing as soft picketing. If you’re not blocking a class, you’re just doing a demonstration,” Jackson said. “I’m encouraging people to be a little bit braver than they want to be [….] If no one goes to class, or no one crosses the picket line, then there’s no way that a professor can issue an academic penalty.”

Daniel Gonzalez, one of the organizers of the strike at Concordia, added that hard pickets are more effective at garnering attention and that this difference in tactics may help explain Concordia’s ability to effectively mobilize. 

SSMU VP External Liam Gaither noted that Concordia’s history of political activism may explain why there was more support for the strike at Concordia compared to McGill. 

“We don’t have the same strike culture that has been built up over decades of student mobilization in contrast to campuses like UQAM and Concordia […] and it’s hard to mobilize people for a strike when they’ve never heard of it or done it before,” Gaither said. “The strike is like any other muscle, we need to exercise it in order to strengthen it.”

Similarly, Chow questioned if continued strikes were worthwhile at McGill. 

“I think for there to be real change and a sustained strike, there needs to be more support from both the administration and from other departments. Biology and English can’t do it alone,” Chow said. 

Natasha Kinne, Co-President of DESA, said that her association is considering further strike initiatives but is also preparing to pursue other forms of activism. For example, DESA is planning to write an open letter with faculty condemning the tuition hikes. 

Concordia organizers, however, said they planned to double down on strike initiatives and urged students to join them. Gonzalez told The Tribune that he was optimistic that the student strikes would eventually be successful. 

“I think it’s really impressive that we managed to get so much mobilization happening in just five months,” Gonzalez said. “I can’t wait to see where this movement goes from here.”

Baseball, Sports

Desperate hopes for a Guerrero revival: The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2024 offseason

by Tillie Burlock on

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In the wake of the Shohei Ohtani plane debacle, many Toronto Blue Jays fans have patiently waited for the game-breaking signing that would mend their broken hearts. The feeling of being mocked by the baseball world for believing the two-way superstar was on a private jet set to land in Toronto, only for Ohtani to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, was not a good one. Hopes rose and fell yet again as rumours of Cody Bellinger, Juan Soto, or even Joc Pederson signing with the Jays surfaced. So, after a San Francisco Giants-esqe offseason of pining after superstars, where do the Blue Jays stand? With opening day just around the corner on Mar. 28, The Tribune reviews the Jays signings, resignings, and plans for the 2024 season. 

With the loss of Brandon Belt and Matt Chapman to free agency, the Jays re-signed Kevin Kiermaier and added on Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner. In 2023, Kiner-Falefa and Turner combined for a total of 2.2 wins-above-replacement (WAR) while Chapman alone corralled a 4.4 WAR season. The combo is a definite downgrade from the Belt-Chapman duo the year prior, placing the Jays’ hopes for a better season at the plate on the teams’ returning players. 

While having one of the best pitching staffs in 2023, the Jays’ offense was its biggest problem. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. posted a .264/.345/.788 slash line with 26 home runs in 2023, leaving Blue Jays fans with a sour taste in their mouth as many hoped he would revert back to his 2021 offensive prowess. Disappointing seasons from Alejandro Kirk, George Springer, and Daulton Varsho also plagued the 2023 offense; however, the Blue Jays’ front office seems to think they will be just fine. On Nov. 28, 2023, general manager Ross Atkins told the media that he feels “really good” about the 2024 season. However, the lacklustre signings of Kiner-Falefa and Turner mean that Guerrero, Kirk, and Springer (and hopefully Varsho) will have to dramatically outperform their 2023 seasons if the Jays want to have a shot.  

Yet, the seemingly invincible pitching staff of 2023 is also starting to show some vulnerability. After an abhorrent 2023, Alek Manoah’s promises of a bounce-back season in 2024 seem to be on hold following a not-so-good outing on Feb. 27 where he hit three batters combined with shoulder soreness. The Jays’ ace Kevin Gausman is also day-to-day with a shoulder injury and is expected to miss Opening Day. 

Reflective of the Jays’ front-office woes, the most exciting move of the offseason was the signing of Toronto-born Joey Votto. After 17 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds in which he made six all-star appearances and led the league in on-base percentage in seven seasons, Votto’s -0.1 WAR in 2023 prompted the Reds to let him go into free agency. While there is no doubt that Votto is well past his prime, as illustrated by the Jays only offering him a minor-league deal, the signing has generated a sense of nostalgia for the Canadian fanbase. It also ended Votto’s peculiar social media posts throughout his free agency, where he threatened to stop putting away his cart after shopping if not signed by a major league team, among other things. 

The Athletic gave the Blue Jays’ front office a D grade, calling the offseason “underwhelmingly unimaginative.” A fan survey conducted by The Athletic also revealed “a feeling of blah amongst many in the fanbase.” Alternatively, FanGraphs projects the Jays to win only 83 games this season, a total that gives the team a 45.3 per cent chance of making the playoffs and would earn them a fourth-place finish in the American League East. While Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA system has more faith, projecting the Jays for 88 wins, a second-place finish, and a 65 per cent chance to make the playoffs, there is a lack of excitement surrounding the Jays for the first time in a few years. 

So what does The Tribune think? We agree with the “feeling of blah.” Sadly, the Jays have not given us much to be excited about. But with expectations low for the first time in a few years, maybe being underestimated is just what this team needs.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

The 2024 Oscars were surprisingly well done

by Charlotte Hayes on

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A general sense of nervous anticipation filled the air as the red carpet unfurled for the 96th annual Academy Awards. After a few years of less-than-stellar ceremonies, many worried that this was the beginning of the end for the Oscars. Much to the delight of movie lovers around the world, this year’s broadcast seems to have started a redemption arc. As a shining example of both professionalism and celebration, this telecast should serve as a blueprint for future Oscars.

The ever-changing first award sets the tone for the rest of the night, so it’s no surprise that the slot was given to the Best Supporting Actress category. With winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph heavily favoured for months in advance, the biggest surprise of the award was the style in which it was presented. For each acting award (Best Lead and Supporting Actor/Actress), a group of five previous winners each introduced one of the category’s nominees. This presentation, resurrected from the 2009 ceremony, helped create a sense of historical significance to each win. The format provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate every performance and the significance of the nominations. It allowed for a moment of reflection and appreciation for the hard work and artistic contributions of all the artists involved, rather than solely emphasizing the winner. Some standout speeches included Nicolas Cage’s with his teasing banter with The Holdovers Best Actor nominee Paul Giamatti and Regina King’s touching tribute to The Color Purple Best Actress-nominated Danielle Brooks. 

One of the hardest things to account for when planning the show is the acceptance speeches. Never really knowing how long they will go on, many filmmakers are cut off by a swell of music playing behind them as they rush to get in their final words before being shooed offstage. This year, it seems as if the broadcast kept a general rule to hold more time for those filmmakers who opted to dedicate their speech to making a statement for the greater good. American Fiction writer and director Cord Jefferson gave a powerful message to studio executives in the room about funding smaller projects after winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Jonathan Glazer spoke out against the ongoing genocide in Gaza during his speech accepting Best International Feature for his film The Zone of Interest, and Mstyslav Chernov gave a touching tribute to the Ukrainian people’s resilience during his Best Documentary acceptance speech for 20 Days in Mariupol. 

This year’s nominee class saw one of the highest percentages of non-English-language films in Oscars history, with many reaching well outside the category of Best International Feature Film, including French film Anatomy of a Fall and Japanese film Godzilla Minus One. Largely credited to the expansion of the Academy voting body, these films excelled in both craft and technical categories, creating an exciting atmosphere around the global exchange of films. 

Next year, it would be great to see translators offered for the international winners, allowing them to deliver speeches in their mother tongue if they wish to do so. Many international filmmakers, such as 2020 Best Director winner Bong Joon-Ho, bring their own translators along to the ceremony, but it would be an exciting step forward in terms of accessibility and openness for the Academy to have translators at the ready. This isn’t to say that any of the International winners gave bad speeches. Anatomy of a Fall director Justine Triet’s speech was absolutely killer, but it would have been thrilling to hear what she could have said if she had given her speech in French. 

The 2024 Oscars were a reminder of why film fans around the world love the broadcast so much: It’s a genuine celebration of an art form catered to those who make it and love it. By uplifting those in the industry and their achievements rather than striving to create moments of virality, the Oscars regained their sense of gravitas, delivering a show that left many excited for the future of the awards.

Student Life

Surviving college as a commuter student

by Maria Gheorghiu on

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Having grown up in the Montreal suburbs, I’ve always felt like living at home while going to McGill would guarantee that I’d be left out of the “college experience.” Thankfully (sort of), my first year was during the height of COVID-19, meaning there wasn’t much to miss out on. But as the years went by, and as I now approach graduation, I’ve had the time to reflect on my choice to stay at home. Here are some tips on how I made life work as a student commuter. 

The “college experience” isn’t real 

The most important part of coming to terms with living at home during my university years was unlearning the belief that a college experience looks the same for everyone. I grew up thinking that to enjoy my degree, I would have to live minutes away from campus and that this was the only way to go to activities after class, sports games with my friends, and parties on weekends. While it’s true that living within walking distance of all the McGillians I know would have made this easier, I was still able to have a lively social life while living from home. While it might take a little more effort to go out, living off campus doesn’t have to dictate your social life. 

Commuting is still free time

Initially, I wanted to move out, largely because of my daily one-hour commute. It was hard at first, and there have been nights when I’ve gotten home frustrated after being stuck on public transportation for hours. But just because you’re in a moving vehicle for a while doesn’t mean that you’re wasting time. Think of it as time you put aside to do something that isn’t school; personally, this is why I picked up knitting. The more time I spent commuting, the more I looked forward to it: It was time I would spend reading, discovering new music, or practicing a new language, creating a much-needed buffer between my academic life and home life. My time on public transit is something I now cherish. 

It makes financial sense

For a lot of student commuters, staying at home is often a way to save money. It was for me. Moving out isn’t just about paying rent—there’s also the cost of utilities, getting groceries, doing laundry, and other miscellaneous bills that quickly pile up at the end of the month. Having a part-time job while being a full-time student isn’t an option for everyone, and neither is financial support from your parents. Living at home can be a good way to keep some money in your bank account while in college. However, while this made sense for me, it might not be the case for everyone: Being able to live on your own might be worth all the money in the world. It’s about what matters the most to you, and saving money mattered for me.

Your roommates are people you’ve known all your life

There’s certainly an element of comfort in coming home from a rough day at school to a supportive and caring family. Finding the right roommates isn’t always easy, and as a people-pleaser, the thought of sharing a home with someone I don’t get along with makes me nervous. Being able to come home to people who know me and who I can feel comfortable being myself around was extremely important in helping me cope with the stress of my academic life. I have to admit that I’m very privileged in my living situation and that not everyone is as close to their families as I am. But if you like where you are now, why should anything change?

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Faye Webster’s new album is “Tttttime”less

by Shreya Anand on

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Following a three-year hiatus, bedroom pop icon Faye Webster is back with her latest release, Undressed at the Symphony. Inspired by the countless nights Webster took herself to the symphony as therapy amid a breakup, the album serves as a counterpart to the whimsical love story of Webster’s 2021 album I Know I’m Funny haha. Though Webster works in new instrumental styles, the listener can still hear her honest lyricism shine through, something that fans know to expect from any Faye Webster song.

This album serves as a point of musical exploration for Webster, who mixes her soft-spoken voice and charming lyricism with a hybrid of genres. The country-inspired “Thinking About You” contrasts with soft jazz songs such as “Lifetime,” which are reminiscent of her earlier work. Nels Cline, guitarist of Wilco, whom Webster opened for on tour, is featured on “Wanna Quit All The Time” and “He Loves Me Yeah!”. The fourth track “Lego Ring” stands out as a playful departure from her usual work, featuring Webster’s childhood friend Lil Yachty. 

In the first verse of “eBay Purchase History,” she sings “I could build and paint all day/But then there’s no one here for me to play.” Webster explores self-created destruction and solitude, exhibiting a raw quality also found in her previous work. 

Summing up Webster’s ability to perfectly capture the mundanity of fractured moments of life, she closes her album with “Tttttime.” The song’s repetitive lyricism beautifully captures the feeling of being frozen in split seconds of a day, and her emphasis on the word “time” romanticizes the ever-so-typical moments which fill our days.

As a body of work, the album’s sonic inconsistency can feel jarring at times. While this may not be my favourite of her albums, with the tracks seeming a bit reclusive at times, it still has the soft, comforting feel of the type of music a fan can expect from Webster. Though she admits that the album’s title has no philosophical meaning, Webster’s work is evidence that she too is capable of mastering the symphonic feel she is so drawn to as a listener.

McGill, News

McGill Grad Students for Palestine call on donors to withhold gifts to university over complicity in Israeli siege on Gaza

by Jasjot Grewal on

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On March 13, McGill held its annual McGill24 day, during which McGill students, alumni, and supporters give money to the university. Days prior, on March 9, McGill Grad Students for Palestine created an Instagram post compelling alumni and students not to donate any money to the university while it remains complicit in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by partnering with Israeli academic institutions and investing in Israeli corporations. The post also urged the McGill community to sign the open letter in which McGill graduate students ask the university to recognize students’ demands to divest from Israeli investments and acknowledge the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

In a written statement to The Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle stated that McGill24 is primarily a digital campaign, with donations largely stemming from web promotion and outreach via email and social media. At the same time, McGill’s student phone-a-thon team operates five nights a week during the run-up to McGill24. 

“Last year, the University received 7,310 donations totaling $4.4 million during the campaign. This year, $4.9 million was raised through 7,690 donations,” Mazerolle wrote. 

McGill Grad Students for Palestine explained the reasoning behind their campaign against donations to The Tribune, explaining that McGill continues to hold over $20 million in direct and indirect investments in companies complicit in the Israeli regime, while Israeli forces have “systematically destroyed” all universities and healthcare in Gaza. 

“[O]ne thing that other movements have taught us is that [the McGill administration] only truly cares if something becomes disruptive to their bank accounts, their day-to-day operations, or their public reputations,” they wrote. “Since the fall, and in particular after the Bronfman Blockade, many alumni reached out to tell us they had stopped donating to McGill. This letter is an attempt to document the decisions students and alumni were making, to encourage more people to participate, and to show the university that there are consequences for continuing to ignore what the community has so clearly and loudly called for.” 

McGill Grad Students for Palestine asserted that they have yet to see a response from the university over the open letter, but they remain impressed and inspired by the number of students, alumni, and faculty that have signed the letter. As of March 18, over 1200 people have signed on. 

“We know they’ve seen it [….] We would like to see a real response from McGill, but mostly we’re looking forward to hearing from more students and alumni. McGill admin doesn’t speak for the whole McGill community and this letter is a good reminder of that,” they wrote. 

Students for Justice in Palestine McGill wrote in a statement to The Tribune that they fear McGill will not divest, and will instead continue to support entities that work to kill Palestinians. 

“McGill continue to show its cowardice in the face of the challenging of its views. We fear McGill will try to change its views on Palestine at the last possible second after its dollars and stances have killed thousands more lives. The other fear is that our university will indefinitely continue to use our tuition to kill our families and infringe on the academic freedoms of Palestinian students both at McGill and in Palestine,” they wrote.

Mazerolle asserted that McGill’s investments are in line with the United Nations–supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), and that 99 per cent of the McGill Invest Pool’s assets are managed by the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. 

“As for the open letter, it is important to note that McGill does not invest in individual stocks or companies, but rather hires external fund managers to select investments for mandates in segregated accounts and in pooled funds, the composition of which changes continuously,” Mazerolle wrote. 

While McGill24 is over, McGill Grad Students for Palestine hope that people continue to compel the university to divest from an apartheid state, as they did forty years prior. In 1985, McGill was the first Canadian university to decide to divest from all corporations with investments in South Africa. 

“Widespread divestment from apartheid in South Africa played an essential role in the downfall of that regime, and this proactive stance is now a source of pride for many in the McGill community,” they wrote. “This happened because of the hard work of student activists who continue to inspire us. 

McGill administration needs to understand they are currently faced with a very similar choice about whether they once again want to be on the right side of history.” 

Student Life

Group projects: A burden or a blessing?

by Auxane Bussac on

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Almost all students can relate to the experience of finding out that a group project is worth 30 per cent of their grade. For many, this realization instills a sense of dread: Will my group partners pull their weight? How will we find a time that works for us all to meet? Will the TA understand the unique challenges that come with compromising to find a topic that works for us all?

Group projects are a good exercise in getting a sense of what we will have to face in the workplace in our future careers. Teamwork is central in a lot of professional environments, so it’s crucial to develop communication skills and build self-confidence to avoid struggling later on. Yet, most of us despise group projects—they can be a big source of stress for busy students who don’t have a lot of time to schedule group meetings or worry that collaborative work won’t be shared fairly. Being partnered up with random students from your class is always a risk: Some people don’t get along or share the same work methods, leading to disorganization and miscommunication. 

“Your experience with group projects relies heavily on chance and who you are going to be grouped with, which affects the efficacy of the group,” Aliénor Jardin, U2 Arts, pointed out in an interview with The Tribune. 

When you find yourself in a group project, don’t hesitate to speak your mind. It is okay not to agree with your partners but you are usually all working toward the same grade. Honesty is not a flaw, so don’t be scared to speak up. 

Chloé Jaouen, U2 Arts, gave tips on how to gain confidence while doing collaborative work in an interview with The Tribune.

“The thing I tell myself is that I probably won’t see most of the people I work in groups with again after the end of the semester, so why bother being shy and risking my grades over something so short-lived,” Jaouen said. “I won’t let my grades depend upon someone who doesn’t care about others or about their own grades.” 

Teamwork is about sharing ideas and discovering new work methods. It teaches you to make compromises and collaborate, which are important life skills. For people like Jardin who don’t necessarily like working with others, it’s important to remember that everyone has something interesting to bring to the table.

“When it’s a task that requires different skills, such as using Excel, which I struggle with, then it becomes useful to share the work with people who have different areas of expertise,” Jardin said.

Some students might struggle more than others with communicating in a group setting. McGill is known for having loads of students who do not speak English as their mother tongue. This challenge, along with social anxiety, can make speaking your mind more nerve-racking. Try to remember that your group mates likely feel some level of anxiety as well—some might just be better at hiding it—and are likely compassionate, understanding people at heart. 

There is also the possibility of creating online group chats to communicate in writing if you don’t feel comfortable talking to people face-to-face. Communication is key, so if you know that some personal matters may impede your work, reach out to your group mates or professor to find solutions that work for everyone. 

Joseph Rouhana Feghaly, U1 Engineering, thinks that it’s easier to work with people you are already familiar with.

“When I can, I prefer getting into groups with people I know rather than people I don’t know,” Feghaly said. “It’s easier to talk to your friends when they are not doing the work than reaching out to strangers to pressure them. You don’t want to cross some boundaries and sound rude.” 

Group projects are scary, but with experience, it gets better.

“Most of the time group projects involve getting together once or twice to share the tasks and then working individually, so I wouldn’t stress about it too much,” Jaouen concluded. “With practice, you’ll see how not-that-big-of a-deal it becomes.” 

Interviews were translated from French.

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

‘eternal sunshine’ plays with fire, and I’m not just talking about Ethan Slater’s hair

by Katarina Dyck on

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Ariana Grande, our reigning Queen of Pop, has blessed us with many studio albums, from Yours, Truly, which embodies the pure innocence and joy that accompanies young love, to thank u, next, where we find out that the honeymoon phase doesn’t actually last forever, to her last album, Positions, where female sexuality is celebrated.

Flash forward three years later with the record-breaking release of eternal sunshine, which received over 195 million global streams in its first week. Without even mentioning Grande’s adultery scandals and boyfriend and SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical actor Ethan Slater’s eerie resemblance to Frankie Grande (seriously, look it up!), it’s impossible not to read between the lyrics. The songs are both rich with salacious yet graceful snubs to the former Mr. Grande and a profound love confession to you-know-who (ends in “Squarepants”). Sorry Dalton, but consider yourself a new verse in the “thank u, next” reprise. The title and themes of the concept album mimic the 2004 film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, wherein a woman wishes to erase memories of her ex-boyfriend. Ariana is evidently writing these songs to help her get through her divorce and embrace a new romance. The titular song even hints at Dalton being her “eternal sunshine,” something she wants to “wipe [from her] mind.”

The album’s genre veers slightly away from the contemporary pop form of Positions, instead playing around with a pop ballad and R&B style. It opens with “intro (end of the world)” and right off the bat, the divorce rumours prove to be true. The catchy track “bye” focuses on Grande’s split from Dalton, but afterwards, he is out of the spotlight (save for the slights sprinkled in throughout the remaining songs). Instead, the focus shifts to Grande’s feelings for her new beau/Krusty Krab employee. The title track exudes adultery, yet I still memorized all the lyrics, while the lead single “yes, and?” spotlights self-possession. 

Overall, the album’s tone is hopeful as Ariana embraces this new era. Controversial choice of muse aside, her signature whistle notes are angelic and the vulnerable lyrics leave nothing on the table with respect to her current relationship status. Ariana unabashedly bares her heart to us, which is itself a different kind of strength. 

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

What nurses have to say about healthcare for the underprivileged

by Daniel Pyo on

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We often take many aspects of our lives for granted. Among these are access to healthcare, a place to stay permanently, and a safe and stable home, which are all critical for a healthy and prosperous life. However, many people lack access to these necessities. 

Overlooking the improvement plan for greater access to healthcare in vulnerable communities,

McGill University’s Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) opened an on-site nursing service at a large homeless shelter called Accueil Bonneau near the Old Port area of Montreal in 2021.

Amid this initiative, Molly Korab, a registered nurse (RN) in Internal Medicine and a research leader at ISoN, has pursued an interview-based qualitative project to encompass the perspectives of frontline shelter staff regarding the health needs of the unhoused population. 

This study aims to shape service development and expand the existing literature on frontline shelter staff’s perspectives in informing the development of health services for the unhoused.

“I was passionately seeking to communicate with shelter staff one-on-one in order to gain a

thorough understanding of the nursing service needs and determine the potential contributions

that the McGill clinics can provide,” Korab said in an interview with The Tribune.

To understand the reasons behind the challenges faced by people living in shelters, nurses interviewed unhoused clients and shelter staff to translate their personal stories into actionable issues to be addressed. Among the many anecdotes, one common theme emerged: Unhoused people prioritize addressing their basic needs like food, shelter, and survival before focusing on healthcare.

The root cause of many health issues often stems from experiencing any form of homelessness. A higher share of unhoused Canadians have poor mental health than the overall population does, primarily due to the lack of constant personal healthcare and the issues that arise from these instabilities. Consequently, the stigma surrounding healthcare in this population has intensified, further exacerbating the already poor health outcomes experienced by these individuals. 

“I think that hospitals are also stretched thin [as a result of COVID-19]. We see it in the media. And I think that [makes] the hospitals less patient with our clientele,” one of the shelter staff highlighted during her interview with Korab for this project.

Due to staff shortages and intermittent absence of on-site nursing, medical referrals to these services decreased even after the pandemic. The fluctuating presence of on-site nursing services and the turnover of frontline staff led to a decline in health referrals to doctors, even as staffing rates slowly returned to levels seen before the pandemic.

“For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals who were not well-connected

with the healthcare system faced difficulties in accessing necessary medical care,” Korab explained. 

Amid these shortages, the remaining nurses were on the frontlines fighting for their everyday lives. Currently, nurses are urging for better conditions to reduce the strain on healthcare staff and the unhoused population. This includes improved hygiene assistance on-site, narrowing frontline staff knowledge gaps, and reducing administrative barriers.

“I strongly believe in highlighting and valuing the voices of those who are actively involved in

this. Whether it’s community nurses, shelter staff, or individuals without homes, I believe the idea of frontline healthcare workers has somewhat disappeared recently,” Korab said.

Meeting the unique needs of the unhoused population requires collaboration between healthcare and community service providers. As Korab highlighted, it is important to create a safe environment where unhoused individuals can build trust and develop long-lasting relationships. To effectively serve this population, health systems should prioritize easy access to primary care and community-based services.

In the meanwhile, Korab advocates for the endless possibilities that nursing research offers to improve healthcare and protect our rights to quality care. By encouraging more nurses to participate in research, we can continue pushing the boundaries of knowledge and ensure that healthcare remains a fundamental right for all individuals.

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

Diversity dynamics: Exploring organizational diversity’s impact on minority recruitment

by Jenna Durante on

More in Research Briefs:

Existing research in the field of psychology has shown that organizational diversity influences the work environment and the behaviours of individuals seeking employment opportunities. In a paper titled “A field study of the impacts of workplace diversity on the recruitment of minority group members,” Jordan Axt, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Psychology, examined how subtle alterations in organizational diversity—the demographic makeup of a company’s workforce—influence the behaviour of job applicants, as well as the relationship between diversity and recruitment outcomes. 

In his research, Axt explored how people form and express intergroup bias across various social domains, such as race, politics, religion, age, sexual orientation, and physical attractiveness. He looks at patterns of human behaviour in an experimental setting, and he also studied ways to measure and reduce intergroup bias. 

Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the study employed a field-based approach by creating a realistic-looking website for a technology startup company with virtual job openings. Applicants were randomly assigned to view images showcasing differing levels of gender, racial, and ethnic diversity within the company’s workforce, with their responses providing insights into diversity cues.

This investigation relies on social identity theory, a prominent theory in social psychology that explores how an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by other people. 

“[Social identity theory is] the extent to which people gain their identity from themselves and from group membership,” Axt explained in an interview with The Tribune. 

In the case of Axt’s study, social identity theory aims to provide explanations for the behaviour of applicants and their responses to different levels of group diversity. Individuals infer an organization’s values based on the representation of people from their own groups within it, influencing their willingness to apply.

To Axt’s surprise, the study’s findings revealed that changes in diversity representations did not significantly impact the demographics of job applicants. 

However, analysis of the overall likelihood of opening the job ad link and initiating or completing an application across all applicants suggests that diverse representations across multiple dimensions may reinforce each other and enhance organizational appeal.

One explanation for the surprising trend reflects real-world situations and that practical concerns may take priority when seeking job employment. 

“You’re just not paying attention to these types of things; you’re not really as focused on organizational diversity, or maybe the need to have a job outweighs any of your actual organizational diversity concerns,” Axt said. 

The experiment highlights the significance of using a field-based approach, rather than relying on evidence from a laboratory setting. This involves creating real-world hypothetical scenarios by allowing participants to reflect on their hypothetical behaviours in the experiment. 

According to Axt, the major limitation of the study comes from the fact that it took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the circumstances, all of the positions offered in the study were remote. Consequently, it is uncertain how the dynamics of diversity perception and applicant behaviour might differ if the positions were in-person, where individuals would expect to interact directly with a more or less diverse workforce. 

Overall, Axt emphasized that companies that aim to promote diversity in the workplace require more than surface-level representation. The discussion section of the study argues for companies to send stronger signals to effectively impact applicant behaviour. 

“So, for example, is there equal representation of diversity across all levels? Is it only that the lower-level people show greater diversity? Is it the case that you have commitments financially to mentoring programs that are going to make it easier for people from stigmatized backgrounds to advance in this organization?” Axt stated. “The idea is that you can’t just put up some non-white faces and say, well, we’ve solved this problem.” 

By looking at the effects of organizational diversity and its role in influencing minority job applicant recruitment, the research helps us address the issues in job hiring and focus on strategies to improve workplace diversity for the future. 

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