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Off the Board, Opinion

Green spaces tend the roots of ecological justice

by Monique Kasonga on

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This summer, I had the privilege of visiting my family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the first time. We stayed in Kinshasa for the duration of our trip, but part of me wished to see what was beyond the capital city. Deep down, my true desire was to see the nature the country has to offer, the little pockets of life that embody what the Cradle of Humankind could have resembled without Western colonialism. Taking time in nature has always been of great importance to me. But after my trip, I realized that almost all of the outdoor recreation and education I’d received––outside of that received from my own family––along with the value I found in nature had come from white-dominated spaces. 

Kinshasa is a fantastic city, and I can’t wait to go back. But I was struck by the lack of green spaces. The government is currently prioritizing other issues like preventing Rwandan aggression, strengthening the economy, and unlinking the country from Western aid and implication. These concerns, paired with the city’s foundations of Belgian colonial infrastructure, explain the limited focus on green urbanism and environmental liberation. However, the busyness of the city made me think of my love of nature, and how, while only living in major cities my whole life, finding some refuge among flora has consistently bolstered my mental health. The connection with nature and the sense of community that comes with it has led me to meet like-minded individuals and opened my mind to new perspectives and realities. I continued to wonder if exposure to green spaces could help alleviate the stress of living in a busy city and offer even more health benefits to Kinshasans. And perhaps, it would be able to unite a people and further foster community, something that is key to decolonization, by placing the drivers of change in the hands of locals. 

During my stay, I had the chance to drive outside the city centre to visit a privately-owned park. There, I was faced with some of the most breathtaking natural scenery that I had ever seen. After seeing the mountainous terrain paired with agba trees and animals roaming free within the lush plant life, my cousins who have lived in Kinshasa their whole lives were in equal awe, expressing that they had never encountered such natural beauty either. At that moment, I thought of how unfair it was that they had never had the chance to see the nature of their own country. A lack of exposure to nature for people of colour is not a new phenomenon, and research shows that the majority of people who participate in outdoor activities and recreation are white middle-class men who live in affluent areas. 

This experience led me to recall my summers as a kid at a sleep-away camp in Northern Ontario, and later working there as a counselor. I pondered the cherished canoe trips I took with friends in my teens and the numerous hikes I’d enjoyed with my family. The feeling of being free and connected to nature characterized my childhood, and gave me many chances to feel completely reflective and at peace. My trip this past summer showed me how much of a privilege and rarity this is. 

People of colour in Canada are three times more likely than white people to live in places that have no immediate access to nature. This inaccessibility shows how legacies of exclusion due to colonialism continue to plague communities of colour. Particularly in Canada, marginalized communities are unable to access the trails and activities that exist on the already stolen lands of Indigenous peoples. Why is it that mainly white people get to bear the benefits of spending time in nature? 

My experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and my life in Canada reminds me that people of colour worldwide continue to be excluded from spaces stolen from them in the first place. Black communities, Indigenous peoples, and people of colour need to reconnect with nature, but the objectives of this go beyond just enjoying the environment: All marginalized people’s cultural identities, communal health and healing from intergenerational trauma depend on returning to nature, and the time to start is now.  

Arts & Entertainment, Pop Rhetoric

An ode to the fall film

by Alice Kreinin on

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There is so much more to October film-watching than scary movies. While viewers may inevitably crave the grotesque in the lead-up to Halloween, autumn simultaneously evokes a search for comfort in the TV catalogue as viewers shy away from the frigid outdoors. I found this sense of warmth during the past reading break when I had the unexpected pleasure of watching the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail for the first time. It’s a charmingly dated rom-com where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fall in love over email, and I was delighted by every minute of it. I can attribute my delight largely to the gratuitous autumnal imagery that enveloped the film, panning over a yellowing New York City with the warm and wistful film grain of the late-90s. The fall aesthetic is ubiquitously dreamy, and it’s something that I pointedly search for in the media that I consume this time of year.

Just as I am overtaken by the annual urge to rewatch Gilmore Girls the moment a cooler breeze passes by, my roommates settle in to watch Fantastic Mr. Fox because “it’s just so fall.” “Fall” is not generally considered a genre of media in the way that “Christmas” might be. However, the mass production of Christmas movies reveals a collective need to indulge in seasonal charm through the media we consume. What most people fail to realize is that the “Fall” genre does exist and has been begging to be acknowledged for years. You’ve Got Mail made me realize that I have obliviously been a die-hard “Fall” fan all my life.

A quick Google search of “Fall movies” delivers all the usual suspects of outwardly spooky films like Hocus Pocus and The Addams Family. These movies fit into the “Fall” genre simply through their connection to Halloween. They gather together through common motifs like ghosts, witches, and pumpkins. However, Halloween movies come up amidst a long list of other movies that are tied to one another in a different way. These films don’t feature ghosts or witches, but they do share an affective atmosphere. In concept, these films range from romances like When Harry Met Sally…, to psychological dramas like Good Will Hunting. Yet, they are all shrouded in the reds and oranges of the season, as well as an undeniable sense of coziness and familiarity. 

Coziness is a nebulous criterion to define a whole genre, but it’s one that could not possibly be removed from “Fall.” This cozy viewing experience integrally forms the genre’s ability to provide comfort as the weather grows harsher and we grow more reclusive. Similarly, nostalgia is profoundly intertwined with the “Fall” genre. Only a very small portion of the movies that my Google search produced were released in the last decade. This could very well be signalling a declining quality of fall-related movies over the past few years, but, nevertheless, this uncovers an autumnal desire to go back in time. Nostalgia makes these movies so re-watchable and serves as markers in time that we can’t help but come back to, over and over. 

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail exchange emails throughout the year, and yet they fixate on how much they love New York in the fall. As I watched the film, I couldn’t help but think that I was only so dazzled by its charm because it was a “Fall” movie, although the events of the movie are not limited to the season. “Fall” movies are not about fall in the way that Halloween movies are about Halloween or Christmas movies are about Christmas. “Fall” is not about anything except a feeling, but it’s a feeling that’s as recognizable as the conventions of any other genre. Defending the existence of a genre on the basis of an indefinable feeling may seem far-fetched, but when my roommate says that something is “just so fall,” we understand exactly what she means. 

Laughing Matters, Opinion

For lack of heft, crumb, and flavour: A manifesto against the Montreal bagel

by Lulu Calame on

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I still remember my first morning in Montreal, when I found myself in a hungry queue that extended out the door of the St. Viateur bagel shop in Mile End. The line moved fast––unlike those in New York––and I watched hopefully as the freshly-rolled bagels slid into the oven just behind the counter. Could this new bagel outdo the Manhattan one I held so dear? Perhaps, I mused, I am a bagel convert in the making.

I was snapped out of this daydream, however, when charged with the task of choosing my preferred cream cheese from the refrigerator along the wall. My roommate grabbed a tub of Philadelphia plain and I bewilderedly did the same. It was then our turn at the counter where we ordered six bagels, which were tossed in real time––uncut and untoasted––into a brown paper bag and handed to us in haste for the next in line.

Back on the sidewalk, we opened our bag. The bagels were, for lack of a better word, wimpy. They sparked in me the image of a baking day gone wrong; perhaps the yeast had expired. Could they, I gasped inwardly, be gluten free? 

“You’re supposed to dip the bagel in the cream cheese,” my roommate said sceptically. We chuckled. That was absurd. Almost sacrilegious. But we obligingly ate our bagels, like a resigned congregation mourning what was lost.  

In the weeks since that morning at St. Viateur, I have continued what I have grown to call my “Bagel Research.” I have come up with three essential characteristics that prove, with incredible resolution, the inferiority of the Montreal bagel in comparison to its New York counterpart––namely: Heftiness, crumb, and flavour.

The Montreal bagel is worryingly thin. The only synonym that comes to mind beyond

“wimpy” is simply “malnourished.” A bagel is a glorious comestible invention, and should therefore be nothing short of satisfying—a satisfaction that manifests in a New York bagel so beefy that its centre hole has sealed completely shut, and if a hole does still exist, it is packed almost brutally with cream cheese. The Montreal bagel lacks the proper heft in both its physique and in its scant attitude towards cream cheese.

As if its slender French frame is not deficient enough, the Montreal bagel does not deliver

the chewy, springy bite of a well-poached New York Bagel. It tastes—if I may—diluted, like it has passed the expiration date and been hurriedly revived with some tap water and a toaster.

I have found, time and time again, that when defending their home bagel, Montreal locals claim that their bagel has the best crust. But the Montreal bagel, I find, has a crust disproportionately crusty for its sparse bready innards, and whose required baking conditions are partially to blame for these innards’ neither here nor there nature. 

Probably the most off-putting of its three shortcomings is that, frankly, the Montreal bagel tastes bad. On the spectrum of baked goods, there is on the far left, the tang of a good sourdough, and on the far right, the sweetness of a muffin. A good bagel should fall very far left, providing a distinct bready flavour that contrasts its cream cheese stuffing. When I ate my first— and second and third—Montreal bagel, I felt perplexed by what on Earth was wrong with it and why it brought to mind the vivid image of cardboard.

Upon reflection, I realized that its flavour landed on the border of sweetness, though not sweet enough to taste the sweetness, just enough to cancel out the proper bready flavour. It fell grotesquely in the middle of the baked-good spectrum, where nothing should ever fall, leaving its consumer in a state of perturbing cognitive dissonance.

And so I stand loyally at the side of the New York bagel, which holds all the opulence, flavour, chew, cream cheese, heft, and satisfaction that the Montreal bagel lacks. Anyone can try to convince me otherwise but on this, my mind is made and sealed better than a New York bagel—I will not budge.

Football, Men's Varsity, Sports

Redbirds unphased after Shaughnessy Cup homecoming game loss

by Sophia Micomonaco, Oscar Johnson, on

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On Oct. 20, McGill Redbirds Football (1–6) played in their 54th Annual Shaughnessy Cup homecoming game against the Concordia Stingers (4–3) with the hopes of snapping a five-game losing streak. However, the Redbirds were unsuccessful, falling 40-23 to the Stingers in front of a sold-out homecoming crowd.   

Concordia set the game’s pace early with a touchdown just over eight minutes into the first quarter. The Redbirds responded with a touchdown from running back Brandon Ciccarello with just two minutes remaining in the first to tie the game 7-7. However, with 48 seconds on the clock, the Stingers snagged their second touchdown to end the quarter up 14-7. 

With 3,500 fans in the stands, the enthusiasm and spirit were high, despite an overwhelming number of Concordia supporters. On the sideline, the McGill cheerleading team performed stunts and led the crowd in chants, generating a lively atmosphere for the players and fans to enjoy.   

“We were excited because [homecoming] games are always jam-packed with lots of fans, so we were expecting a huge turnout,” slotback Daunte Rowe said. 

The second quarter began similarly to the first, with Concordia scoring another touchdown and making the field goal with eight minutes to go, widening the gap to 21-7. 

Despite the scoreboard, the Redbirds kept up a hard fight and sustained their high energy levels. In the seventh minute, the offence was able to make a play that initially looked like a second touchdown for McGill. The brief moment of excitement from the crowd was dulled as the play was called as a dropped pass, hindering hopes of a McGill comeback. 

“The dropped pass was tough,” Rowe told //The Tribune//. “We had the energy, so, if we got the touchdown, we would have had more momentum.”

Concordia then scored yet another touchdown, leaving McGill to fight back from 28-7 at halftime. 

The third quarter saw the Redbirds struggle to take possession and secure much-needed points. Concordia closed the quarter with a touchdown and last-second field goal to make it 40-7. 

“We made good plays, but too many mistakes and missed opportunities,” quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald said, referring to the second and third quarters.

Although this looked like a tough loss for McGill, the team continued to push through the final fifteen minutes and scored two touchdowns from slotback Darius Simmons and running back Cedric Dabady. The Redbirds’ defence managed to shut down a strong Concordia offence, allowing no points in the fourth,  making the game’s final score 40-23. 

Simmons’ touchdown was particularly rousing for the crowd. After walking off in the first quarter due to what looked like a head injury, he made a quick comeback on the field.

“The last quarter felt good, we finished strong and we still had a lot of energy,” assistant coach Kenny Charles said. “We still have one more game to go, so we’re gonna use the fourth quarter to take us where we want.” 

The Redbirds will play against Université de Sherbrooke (0–6) on Oct. 28, which will decide whether they make it into the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) playoffs. Despite the loss against Concordia, the Redbirds are optimistic. 

“I think we’re fine,” Rowe said of the game against Sherbrooke. “We showed a lot of heart at the end so I’m super excited for next week.” 

Moment of the Game: At halftime, members of the 1969 Redbirds Football Team were inducted into the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame. 1969 was the inaugural year of the Shaughnessy Cup. 

Quotable: “Scoring is always going to give us momentum. Defensive plays are great, but we also have to capitalize and keep scoring to bring the fight back.” 

––Quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald

Stat corner: After having a mere 3:36 possession time in the third quarter, McGill took over in the fourth with a 9:19 possession time for a final 29:13 to Concordia’s 30:47.

Commentary, Opinion

Will Montreal resurge as Montreal 2.0?

by Kai Szablowski on

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A recent article published in the Financial Post titled “Montreal 2.0: Could it challenge Toronto for Canadian economic supremacy?” describes how Montreal could regain its position as Canada’s business capital. Montreal was Canada’s largest and wealthiest city until the 1970s, when the rise of Québécois nationalism during the Quiet Revolution drove most English-speaking businesses to move to Toronto. In the article, the Montreal of today comes off as bursting with entrepreneurial spirit, a city of immigrants and hustlers aided by a “pro-business” government and an early advantage in artificial intelligence. However, a realistic comparison of the two cities reveals that Montreal is unlikely to overtake Toronto anytime soon. 

For many Montrealers, the city’s constant measuring against Toronto is draining. For Torontonians living in Montreal, the comparison may seem outlandish. Economic growth is not a zero-sum game, and the context of Montreal’s loss of prominence to Toronto in the 1970s must be acknowledged when weighing the two against one another. However, while Montreal’s era of business dominance may evoke fond memories for anglophone Montrealers and former residents, this is certainly not the case for the rest of Quebec, particularly Francophones. In Quebec, this period, when the Anglo business elite colluded with the Catholic Church and the government to control the province, is known as “la Grande Noirceur” or “the Great Darkness.” French-speakers in Montreal were second-class citizens in a city where they were the majority, and English-speakers held disproportionate economic and political power. These historical tensions exist today, where Quebec’s government prioritizes protecting the French language through policies such as Bill 96 rather than trying to attract English-speaking business, at the expense of potential economic growth.

The Financial Post touts Quebec’s “pro-business” government as a potential growth driver. However, Ontario too has a self-proclaimed “pro-business” government under Premier Doug Ford—although the effectiveness of either of these governments is debatable. More distinguishing is that Quebec’s government is anti-immigration, while Ontario is not, at least in terms of its policies, which include doubling the number of economic immigrants it selects in 2025 to over 18,000 . In 2021, Toronto welcomed nearly 30 per cent of the country’s new immigrants, while the Montreal area welcomed only 12 percent. Montreal’s surprisingly small share of the country’s immigrants reflects the government’s attitude that high immigration levels would be “suicidal,” in the words of Premier François Legault, for French culture in Quebec. As a result of strict immigration measures imposed by Quebec’s government, Toronto enjoys a burgeoning labour force while Montreal suffers from a labour shortage which costs the province billion CAD annually in lost manufacturing output. In all, Toronto’s GDP per capita is 25 per cent greater than that of Montreal, and Toronto also has a considerably larger and faster growing population. Montreal’s historically lower housing and childcare costs can make it more liveable for families, but employment and business opportunities remain scarce compared to Toronto. 

The recent doubling of tuition imposed on out-of-province students by Quebec’s government exemplifies their reluctance to attract English-speaking Canadians to the province. Their strict immigration policies and language laws, such as Bill 96, will also ensure that the labor shortage persists. As Québécois voters mull the next election, there should be no illusions as to the impact of such policies on Montreal’s economy. 

However, Montreal doesn’t need to be or beat Toronto. Montreal 2.0 has been in the making since the Quiet Revolution. The proudly French-speaking, cosmopolitan, beautiful, and chaotic city that has sprung up is something to appreciate, warts and all. Accepting that economic growth is, and will likely continue to be, slower than in Toronto is accepting reality. But there are so many things to appreciate about living here. It’s better to focus on sustaining the wonders of Montreal—the excellent architecture, parks, nightlife, restaurants, bicycle infrastructure and art scene that make this city special. 

Lacrosse, Rugby, Sports, Varsity Round UP

Redbirds’ lacrosse and rugby teams fly past Gaiters and secure wins for their seasons

by Madigan McMahon, Julie Ferreyra on

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Redbirds Lacrosse vs Bishop’s University: W 11-7

Madigan McMahon

McGill lacrosse (6–2) returned to Percival Molson Stadium on Oct. 18 against Bishop’s University’s Gaiters (2–6) in their final home game of the season. 

The first quarter started with midfielder Dylan James assisting midfielder Joshua Jewell’s goal in the second minute of play. Midfielder John Miraglia foiled Bishop’s attempts to pierce McGill’s defence as he intercepted the ball and passed it to James, allowing attacker Massimo Thauvette to score another goal. Bishop’s tied the score up by netting a goal from the doorstep and another goal with just under three minutes left in the quarter. 

The second quarter opened with a couple of saves from goalie Joseph Boehm before he brought the ball up the field. The Gaiters intercepted the lobbed ball as they unsuccessfully attempted an open goal from the midfield line. Midfielder Louis-Antoine Habre brought the ball to midfielder Rowan Birrell, who scored a goal, and was quickly followed by Miraglia. The Gaiters scored three more goals, leaving McGill down 6-4 at the half. 

The second half saw Bishop’s score three minutes in, while the Redbirds came back with a goal from midfielder Owen Howard making the score 7-5. 

“When you’re down in that momentum, that first goal means everything,” head coach Nicolas Soubry said, crediting Howard.

James scored two minutes later before attacker Isaiah Cree netted another goal with 30 seconds left. With just 18 seconds left, midfielder Luke Dawick put the team in the lead 8-7.

“Once you get the chemistry to click, this team is just on fire. It’s really beautiful to watch,” James told //The Tribune// in a post-game interview. “I’d say the turning point was in the third quarter and then we got seven straight.”

Carrying on their momentum, the Redbirds won the face-off and attacker Mark Symon scored. Thauvette netted another goal and Birrell scored the last goal of the game, ending 11-7.  

“We really battled back as a team, and it makes the coaching staff really proud,” Soubry expressed his final thoughts. 

The Redbirds won against Ottawa (0–10) on Oct. 21, in one of their final two games in the regular season. 

Moment of the game: Redbirds come back from a three-point disparity, scoring seven consecutive goals in the second half of the game.

Quotable: 

“It was a rough start, but we really picked up the energy and the mentality in the second half. It was a real mental fight towards the end of the game and we won it in the second half.”  

– Midfielder John Miraglia on key points from the game.

Stat Corner: McGill moved to third place in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association regular season standings. 

Redbirds Rugby vs Bishop’s University: W 25-15 

Julie Ferreyra 

On a misty Friday afternoon, the Redbirds’ rugby team (4–2) took the field against Bishop’s University’s Gaiters (3–3) in front of an enthusiastic homecoming crowd. 

The Redbirds set the tone early in the afternoon, as inside centre Alexander Armstrong buried a try in the third minute. The first half saw significant efforts on both sides, as the Gaiters closed the gap with a successful penalty kick. After missing the first two penalty opportunities, outside centre Martin Laval successfully set a first penalty. The Gaiters quickly equalized with a converted try in the 32nd, bringing the scoreboard to 10-10 at half-time. 

The second half saw increased intensity, with Laval successfully setting three more penalties amidst attempts to break through the Gaiters’ defence. As the Gaiters buried an unconverted try and a penalty, the pressure mounted on the Redbirds’ defensive line. The referees’ final whistle at the end of the additional time saw the Redbirds erupt in joy, celebrating their last win of the regular season. 

“We went in today with a game plan in mind, we stuck to our game plan for the most part. […] We knew what we had to do to beat them and we went out there and did exactly what we had to,” Loosehead prop Nicholas Smith said in an interview with //The Tribune//. 

The Redbirds clinched the third spot in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) standings and will face the University of Ottawa’s Gee Gees (4–2) in the semi-final on Oct. 27. 

Quotable:

 “ÉTS and Ottawa are the two squads that have beaten us, and they’re strong squads too [….] We’ll have to work on our planning and make sure we get how we want to play structurally sorted out; give ourselves the best opportunity.” 

— Head Coach Ian Baillie, on the semi-final the team just secured a spot for.

Stat: This win constituted the sixth victory in a row against Bishop’s University, who last won this face-off in 2018.

Moment of the game: Right before halftime, after a kick, the ball went into the stands amongst the supporters. A child caught it and threw it back to the team on the field.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Todd Haynes’ ‘May December’ exposes exploitation in the public eye

by Sofia Stankovic on

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Mentions of sexual abuse

At the Cannes Film Festival in May, Todd Haynes premiered his new film, May December, an immediate fan favourite. Known for his work on the critically-acclaimed Carol (2015), the director diverges from indie romance to a campy drama focused on Hollywood exploitation. The film draws parallels with real-world events, presenting them through a satirical lens to enhance the complex sentiments woven into the narrative. The story centres around Joe (Charles Melton) and Gracie (Julianne Moore), a couple with a shocking 23-year age gap. The couple is now married with two children, but they are still haunted by the controversy of Gracie’s sexual abuse conviction for her relationship with then-seventh grader Joe, who is the same age as her children from a previous marriage. Despite the occasional fecal hate mail, the family seems relatively happy. However, the pair finds themselves overwhelmed as actress Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) approaches them to conduct research for a movie delving into their relationship’s illicit history. As familial tensions rise, Joe and Gracie are forced to re-examine their relationships with each other and their extended family. 

The movie does a fantastic job of getting into the characters’ heads with the actors’ visceral portrayals, and subtle changes in cinematography. Viewers begin to see how Elizabeth and Gracie are both so calculating in their own actions that they begin to almost merge as characters. Melton’s performance intensifies the film, bringing conviction to an already fantastic turn from both actresses. Joe’s character feels extremely honest and unvarnished, leaving the audience feeling guilty for witnessing the manipulation he undergoes.

While the movie intially addresses sexual abuse, it expands its lens to exploitation as a whole. Elizabeth initially seems to observe the couple with unique compassion, but ultimately manipulates them both in a futile attempt to achieve her fullest artistic expression. Unbothered by the family’s reaction to her depiction, Elizabeth treats Gracie and Joe as playthings to fulfill her character analysis rather than as real people. The film skillfully portrays the pervasive and far-reaching consequences of unresolved trauma. These impacts, then, ripple through Joe and Gracie’s children. 

What sets this movie apart is its willingness to fully embrace its own absurdity. It doesn’t shy away from poking fun at itself and maintains a level of self-awareness that its characters continuously lack. The film calls out the glamorization of true crime, both by filmmakers and viewers, who treat victims as commodities. This distinctive approach blurs the lines between comedy and drama, extracting genuine human emotion from the very material of tabloid sensationalism. As viewers, we are thrust into a deeply uncomfortable space, encouraged to question our intrigue of the story and the morality of our viewership. The 23-year age gap between Joe and Gracie becomes a central point of intrigue and scrutiny, challenging our preconceptions about love, relationships, and social expectations. In doing so, the film elevates itself beyond a mere exploration of a sensationalized story and invites us to reflect on the intricacies of human relationships and the mediation of reality and fiction.

May December is a profound and unconventional film that reflects the human condition in all its absurd and uncomfortable glory. As the characters grapple with their scandalous past and an intrusive filmmaker’s lens, the movie pushes us to question not just its own logic but the very fabric of our own relationships and societal norms. All of the film’s actors bring their roles to life, forcing the viewer to look beyond tabloid sensationalism to a deeper exploration of exploitation and the profound, long-lasting effects of trauma.

May December is available on Netflix on Dec. 1st

Art, Arts & Entertainment

Marisol’s revolutionary art opens in Montreal

by Mia Helfrich on

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The artist Marisol was a 1960s pioneer, with Warhol-like pop art and sculptures that highlight the role of women in society. Open as of Oct. 7 at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), Marisol: a retrospective highlights works from Marisol Escobar, a Venezuelan-American artist known for her massive, striking wooden sculptures. After its run in Montréal, the Marisol exhibit, organized by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in New York, will travel to the Toledo Museum of Art, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the Dallas Museum of Art.

The exhibit follows Marisol’s life’s work, starting chronologically from the 1950s to the end of her career in the mid-2010s. Her artwork fills an entire floor and is sectioned into six rooms—Material Experimentations, Mutable Forms, Mutable Selves, Self and Society, Into the Swim, Troubling Doubles, and Portraiture, from the Personal to the Political—that showcase the unique focuses of family, connection, and marginalization in her sculptures. 

“I want people, even if they’ve never heard of Marisol before, to come away with a sense that [Marisol] is a truly visionary artist whose work is deeply relevant to us today,” Cathleen Chaffee, the Chief Curator of Buffalo AKG Art Museum, said in an interview with The Tribune.

After climbing the MMFA’s elegant staircase, the first sculpture one sees is Mi Mama y Yo (1968), which depicts an 11-year-old Marisol and her mother, Josefina Hernández Escobar. This piece introduces the viewer to her art style, which combines bold colours with cubic wooden people—each person connected by their geometry and symmetry. Huge geometric wooden blocks and bronze faces form both figures. Marisol’s body has a slightly lighter shade of pink paint than her mother, but their faces could be of the same mould. This creates a duplicate effect which echoes within her portrayals of people throughout the exhibit. Her mother tragically passed away when she was eleven, which inspired the sculpture of them side-by-side. This first look is raw and authentic, establishing the poignant and devastating themes that Marisol explores within her work.

Another striking sculpture, Baby Girl (1963), depicts a six-foot-tall wooden baby, adorned with a white bow and fringe. Minute in comparison, a small wooden mannequin standing on the baby’s thigh represents Marisol. Most of her sculptures are taller than those viewing them, the baby being a prime example of this distortion. The enormous infant reflects the immense pressure on mothers, the responsibility of raising children towering over them just as the baby comically towers over the mannequin. Marisol used this sculpture to foster empathy with caregivers and families. It visualizes the pressure on women to have children, which Marisol faced herself: She never had children but would often be asked when she would. Baby Girl epitomizes Marisol’s intent to bring light to women’s struggles, and similar feminist themes can be seen throughout the exhibition.

“Looking from our position today, when we think so much about women’s roles, understanding of self, feminist issues, and ecological issues; [Marisol is] approaching all of those concerns and questions through her own subjectivity,” Chaffee said. “She makes herself vulnerable as a way of understanding the tropes we need to address.”

Journeying through each room, the larger-than-life wooden sculptures form a garden of statues, making the visitor feel humbled and small. The exhibit also includes sketches and drawings from Marisol’s childhood to her later years, providing viewers a glimpse into her growth as an artist throughout her life. There are films, also, one of which she made with Andy Warhol, that give the exhibit a fuller, dynamic experience. Additionally, quotes from Marisol pop up along the walls, giving context to her pieces. With each sculpture that highlights issues we still face today, she urges people to find solace in one another, and have empathy and meditation for the struggles of marginalized people. 

Marisol: a retrospective runs at the MMFA until Jan. 21, 2024.

Know Your Athlete, Sports

 Know Your Athlete: Zach Gallant

by Tillie Burlock on

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For many USPORTS hockey players, their dreams of playing professionally ended upon their enrolment in post-secondary education. However, for McGill’s Zach Gallant, the dream is still alive. 

Hailing from Oakville, Ontario, the Redbirds’ forward had a rather unorthodox path to McGill. Prior to being picked fifth overall in the 2015 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft by the Peterborough Petes, Gallant was set on going to play National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey in the U.S., as the prospect of playing professionally was still up in the air. 

“I had just come off shoulder surgery [heading into the draft],” Gallant told The Tribune. “Going into that season was the first time I really trained in the summer so I felt really good [and] I played [for Ontario] in the Winter Games that year, and we won gold. [….] I really wanted to go to college, but being drafted so high kind of put me on the trajectory to play in the NHL.” 

The decision to play for the Petes proved to be the right choice as the Detroit Red Wings drafted Gallant 83rd overall right before he graduated high school in 2017. Following the Red Wings’ development camp, the team elected not to sign him, prompting Gallant to head back to the Petes for his first season as captain in 2018-19. Unfortunately, seven games into the season, Gallant suffered another injury that required ankle surgery. Having only played 30 games that season, Gallant elected to play in the Eastern Coast Hockey League (ECHL) so the Red Wings could get a better look at his playing style. So, Gallant played four games with the Toledo Walleye before heading back to the Petes for his final year in the OHL. 

“The Coast [ECHL] is a real big grind,” Gallant said. “You travel a lot, you don’t really live in the best apartments, you’re not making a ton of money, and that’s when I originally applied to McGill [….] But lucky enough, in the summer, I had gotten an invite to [the] San Jose [Sharks’] development camp, and they offered me a deal after that camp, which kind of changed my trajectory.” 

Gallant then signed an entry-level deal with the Sharks in 2019 and headed back to Peterborough to play in his final year of eligibility with the Petes while enrolling in a few courses at Trent University to jump-start his degree. However, Gallant’s final season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It was just such a killer,” said Gallant. “We were really good. Mason McTavish was on pace for 30 goals as a 16-year-old, Nick Robertson scored 55. We had a lot of buzz.” 

With school being pushed online, Gallant enrolled at McGill in 2020 while playing in the American Hockey League with the San Jose Barracuda. 

“The players are just so good,” Gallant explained. “The difference between guys playing the AHL and the NHL is so slim. I really didn’t love the travel aspects of being on the road all the time, and being at the rink and then being at home, so I thought it was time to mix it up and go to school.” 

Prior to the 2023-24 McGill hockey season, Gallant was sidelined for 18 months between his last game with the Barracudas and his first game with the Redbirds. In accordance with the USPORTS rules, athletes that play professionally must sit out a season prior to becoming eligible. 

But this year of ineligibility did not hinder Gallant’s positive McGill experience. Despite being on the older side as a 24-year-old U3 student, Gallant has enjoyed his time studying finance and accounting, and the journey of returning to the life of being a full-time student. 

Gallant is planning to graduate in 2025 with one remaining year of eligibility, and is not quite sure what the future holds for him. 

“I still think I want to be an athlete and play hockey because I won’t be able to do it forever,” Gallant concluded. 

Whether that means playing in North America or Europe, Gallant is open to any path that will keep him in the game.

McGill, Montreal, News

Pro-Palestine protests rally against McGill University and Legault

by Staff of The Tribune on

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Content Warning: Descriptions of Israel-Palestine conflict, mentions of death, violence, and mourning

Hundreds protested against McGill University’s administration and Quebec Premier François Legault on Friday, Oct. 20, condemning Israel’s airstrikes in Gaza and the suppression of Palestinian voices on the university’s campus.   

Friday’s Montreal protests came after two weeks of Israeli and Palestinian demonstrations globally following an escalation between Hamas and the Israeli government. According to Reuters, the Oct. 7 Hamas attack killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis, with more than 200 taken hostage. As of Oct. 23, Israel’s retaliation had since killed more than 5,000 Palestinians and displaced at least 1.4 million people in Gaza.   

McGill students and staff gathered at 2 p.m. on campus for a protest organized by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill. 

Speakers stood by the Y-intersection in front of a Palestinian flag and pro-Palestine banners with the backdrop of the McGill Arts building behind them. The around 200-person crowd, mostly students, waved hand-drawn signs. Passersby watched from a distance, while a half-dozen police officers remained around the perimeter. 

“Free free,” a SPHR member said into a microphone, kicking off the protest. “Palestine,” the crowd responded. 

“We are here today because it is our right and duty to support the people of Palestine,” the speaker continued. “What we are witnessing today is a genocide.” 

Between chants, the speaker asserted that McGill had targeted SPHR McGill in its recent emails to staff and students. The speaker also denounced McGill’s partnership with Israel’s Tel Aviv University and McGill’s history of oppression. They turned and pointed to the flower bed in front of the Arts building that is the burial site of the university’s namesake and founder, James McGill, who enslaved at least two Indigenous children, and three people of African descent.  

McGill University media relations, when asked for comment about SPHR McGill’s protest, referred The Tribune to an Oct. 20 communication from Angela Campbell, Associate Provost of Equity and Academic Policies, and Fabrice Labeau, Deputy Provost of Student Life and Learning. They called for the community to “show compassion for one another even when [they] feel scared, shocked, or outraged by current events.”

“While this is a very big ask, especially if these sentiments are rooted in personal experiences and circumstances, it is essential for our ability to function as a campus community,” Campbell and Labeau wrote.

McGill’s Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi denounced SPHR McGill’s social media posts in an Oct. 10 message to students and staff and ordered them to stop using the university name.

SPHR McGill responded to Manfredi’s message in a public statement on Oct. 19 condemning the McGill administration. 

“In the face of active genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, rather than offering its Palestinian students and allies support, McGill is doubling down on its complicity with the Zionist state of Israel. Intimidated by the presence of our activism, the McGill administration is attempting to erase SPHR McGill’s right to represent the students of our university, pressuring SSMU to revoke our name and penalize us,” the group wrote.

The group commented on the protest in a statement to The Tribune on Oct. 23, affirming their previous public statements against the university and citing a letter of support signed by 28 McGill staff. They also called students to join them on Oct. 25 to walk out of their classes at 1:30 p.m. in solidarity with Palestine. 

After the first speaker, the crowd heard from other SPHR McGill members, representatives from the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), and a McGill professor. The speakers voiced their support for SPHR McGill and rallied for Palestinians. The Delegates’ Council of AGSEM voted on Oct. 18 to approve two separate motions in solidarity with Palestine and SPHR McGill.

Prior to the student protest on the McGill campus, the PYM led a protest at 1 p.m. which started in front of the U.S. Consulate General at the corner of Rue Stanley and Rue St. Catherine. Chants of “Free free, Palestine” echoed as around 100 people gathered to protest the Canadian and American governments’ support of Israel.

(The Tribune)

The crowd grew to around 300 people by 2 p.m. and made its way toward Premier François Legault’s office on Rue Sherbrooke to join members of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV)—a grassroots Jewish organization that advocates for peace in Israel-Palestine—who were blocking the entrance to the building. A heavy police presence, with officers on foot, bikes, horses, and in cars surrounded the area while Rue Sherbrooke was blocked off from Rue University to Rue Stanley. 

“In partnership with the Palestinian Youth Movement [….] We’re calling on Legault to pressure the Canadian government to send immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza to acknowledge and respond to rising Islamophobic violence in Quebec and Canada,” a member of IJV told The Tribune while blocking the entrance to Legault’s office. 

“We’re calling Legault to recognize and respond to that rising Islamophobic violence here in Quebec and call on the Canadian federal state to do the same in Canada. And we are calling on Legault to push the Canadian government to acknowledge its complicity in the unfolding genocide in Palestine,” they continued. 

According to a CBC article on Oct. 23, the Canadian government has previously said that Israel’s actions against Palestinians do not constitute genocide. 

As the protest gathered around Legault’s office, PYM representative Sarah Shamy, BA ‘21, also called for justice for people in Gaza, and led protesters to chant “End the siege on Gaza now!” and “End the bombing now!” 

By 3 p.m., the SPHR McGill protest wrapped up and the protesters marched to join the PYM and IJV protest outside Legault’s office. The crowd moved through the Roddick Gates before being met with cheers as they stood opposite the PYM and IJV protest before merging into one. 

(The Tribune)

“I don’t want another genocide committed in the name of Jewish people. Certainly not in my name,” an IJV member and McGill PhD student told The Tribune. “I find McGill’s response to these events to be incredibly one-sided and narrow-minded. They’re actively erasing the voices of Palestinian students on campus and of students who support them.”

The protest started to thin out around 4 p.m. Since the crowd was small enough to fit on the sidewalk in front of Legault’s office, Rue Sherbrooke was slowly reopened to traffic by police. The PYM organizers called the remaining protesters to stage a sit-in in front of Legault’s office. They stayed seated for several hours as parked police cars surrounded them. Supporters taped signs to the front door of Legault’s office before the protest ended peacefully at 7 p.m.

(The Tribune)

“It makes me feel very energized and hopeful because, you know, day after day, when we organize a protest, even when it’s under extreme[ly] short notice, hundreds and thousands of people show up,” said Shamy, reflecting on the protest. “So it definitely makes me feel hopeful that even though our states are turning a blind eye, the people are refusing to.”

The office of Premier Legault and The Students’ Society of McGill University did not respond to The Tribune’s request for comment before the time of publication. 

Resources: 

For faculty and staff:  

For students:  

  • The Student Wellness Hub offers counselling services for students located in Montreal.  
  • Keep.MeSafe is a service accessible 24/7 whenever you need to speak (or text) with a mental health professional for support. You can access Keep.MeSafe from anywhere in the world.

This piece was updated at 11 p.m. on Nov. 13 to fix a capitalization error and to revise the estimated Israeli death toll. On Nov. 10, Israel lowered its estimated death toll following the Oct. 7 attack from 1,400 people to 1,200. 

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