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McGill, News

‘United we bargain, divided we beg’: AGSEM begins negotiations with McGill

by Caroline Sun on

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The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) commenced a series of bargaining sessions with the McGill administration on Sept. 21. AGSEM’s collective agreement with the university expired on July 31, 2023. Since then, the union has been negotiating a new collective agreement and is demanding several changes be made in their contract regarding wages, procedures for preventing sexual harassment, and health care. An hour before AGSEM and McGill’s meeting started, around thirty AGSEM members rallied outside of the meeting room in Sherbrooke 680-688, sporting bright red shirts with the slogan “United we bargain, Divided we beg” printed on the back.

Prior to the start of the negotiation process, AGSEM started their “No More Free Hours” campaign, which claims that McGill steals one million dollars in TA wages every year. Throughout negotiations, the union will meet with McGill representatives privately to come to terms about a new collective agreement that both parties deem suitable before TAs sign their new work contract. 

According to the union’s recount of the session in its newsletter, the McGill administration was represented by a labour relations advisor and other individuals across departments—such as professors and administrative and human resources staff members. This group included an Associate Professor in Anatomy and Cell Biology, an Administrative Officer in Bioengineering, a Human Resources Advisor, an Administration Manager in Mathematics and Statistics, an Associate Professor in Computer Science, and a Program Administrator in the School of Continuing Studies. 

On the other side of the table, AGSEM’s team included the union’s bargaining committee, consisting of three individuals who were selected through a vote by AGSEM members: third-year Physics Ph.D. candidate Nick Vieira, second-year Biology Ph.D. candidate Nada El Baba, and Philosophy Ph.D. candidate Dallas Jokic. AGSEM president Mario Roy and TA Grievance Officer Jean-Philip Mathieu were also present.

In an email to The Tribune, Vieira expressed that in light of increasing price inflation, TAs need better monetary compensation for their work more than ever.

“In the context of record inflation, food insecurity, not enough paid hours to do our job well, and McGill stealing a million dollars in wages from TAs every year, TAs are working to fix our broken contract,” Vieira said.  “We’re ready to negotiate the contract that TAs deserve.” 

Vieira added that it is in the union’s interest to allow its members to be directly involved in the negotiation process. 

“For these negotiations, the union is pursuing a strategy of maximizing the democracy of negotiations and ensuring that all workers can be involved in bargaining, from start to finish,” Vieira wrote. “Throughout negotiations, the bargaining team will call on the expertise of workers and their knowledge of working conditions at McGill.”

AGSEM’s negotiation and grievance advisor Sébastien Boisvert, who is also a member of the Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ), attended the meeting. As AGSEM’s affiliate union, FNEEQ offers legal, tactical, and political support to the organization. The Tribune spoke to Christine Gauthier, Vice President of the FNEEQ and manager of the university group, who explained the general process of union-university negotiations. 

She stated that the first step is for the union to determine a negotiation mandate containing a list of demands decided by its members. The employer will typically receive the mandate at the beginning of the series of meetings.

“Then, the second stage is the longest and it concerns the negotiation process itself,” Gauthier said. “There may be moments of varying intensity, depending on the state of the discussions at the negotiating table. One thing is certain, union negotiators must be able to agree on an employment contract that is interesting and satisfactory for workers.”

The last stage of the bargaining process is the adoption of the newly established conditions by the members of the union if they are deemed acceptable.

The Tribune spoke to Jesse*, a Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Arts, about TAs’ working conditions. Jesse has worked as a TA for two courses since 2021, and described working as a TA as time-consuming. Before coming to McGill, they had teaching experience at another university, where TAs were responsible for smaller numbers of students.

“At McGill, I’ve had a hundred students, so the workload is massive. It’s much much much higher than I had ever experienced previously,” Jesse said.

Jesse believes that the reality of being a TA at McGill is working more than the number of hours agreed upon in their contract. On top of doing their coursework as graduate students, TAs with large groups of students need to spend an enormous amount of time grading, answering emails, and hosting office hours. In the end, Jesse feels that the quality of their research and of their teaching take the toll of being overworked. Furthermore, they explained that because of power dynamics between Ph.D. students and professors, TAs have difficulty speaking out about their overwhelming workload.

“We are—especially Ph.D. [students]—super reliant on our supervisors and on our departments,” Jesse said. “If we mess up, if we make someone upset, our careers are over because we really really rely on those connections […] for funding, for research assistantships, for letters of recommendation. So, if I go over my hour agreement, it’s really tough for me to tell the professor I’m working for.” 

Jesse echoed Nick’s worries about increases in the cost of living, saying that they believe a priority of these negotiations should be to increase wages.

“All the Ph.D. students I know are living below the poverty line in Canada,” Jesse told The Tribune.

One of the biggest drawbacks of this extra, out-of-contract work, Jesse finds, is that they are not able to get to know their students.

“What I don’t like about [the workload] is that I don’t get to know my students, I can barely learn their names,” Jesse said. “And I love teaching, I love getting to know my students, I love working with them, I love helping them improve […] and you can’t do that when you’re working with a hundred students.”

The Tribune asked the university for a statement about its first bargaining meeting with AGSEM. In response, McGill Media Relations Officer Frédérique Mazerolle wrote, “The TA collective agreement expired on July 31, 2023. McGill will not make any comments regarding the current discussions and will let the negotiation process run its course.”

*Jesse’s name has been changed to preserve their confidentiality.

A previous version of this article stated that the slogan “United we bargain, Divided we beg” was printed on the front and back of AGSEM members’ shirts. In fact, the slogan was only printed on the back of their shirts. It also stated that AGSEM brought up the effects of increasing price inflation on TAs during the bargaining meeting with McGill. In fact, they did not. The Tribune regrets these errors.

Features

From Alpha to Zeta: Investigating the dark side of Greek life

by Abby McCormick on

More in Features:

The good, the bad, and the ugly of McGill’s fraternities and sororities

Content Warning: Mentions of suicide, sexual assault, eating disorders, racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and xenophobia

McGill boasts a reputation as an independent university, where no one holds students’ hands. Imagine if you were in a collaborative community with similar values, missions, and visions for the future of the campus and the world. Is that community Greek life?

Since the creation of McGill’s first fraternity in 1883 and the first sorority in 1886, Greek life has become a prominent aspect ​​of student life at the university. From vibrant house parties to cancer research fundraisers, Greek life organizations offer a wide range of activities to cater to their members and the broader student body. 

Greek life at McGill comprises seven fraternities and five sororities, totalling some 500 members—or 2 per cent of the undergraduate student population. McGill’s sororities are governed by the Panhellenic Council (Panhel), though the fraternities do not have an equivalent governing body. These fraternities and sororities are united by the Inter-Greek Letter Council (IGLC), which aims to “[bring] together students of leadership, friendship, and scholarship, who are continuously active on campus and in the greater Montreal community.” 

Unlike the IGLC, the McGill administration has no relationship with Greek life. By contrast, other universities, like the University of British Columbia, have documents outlining the relationship between the university and Greek organizations on campus.

In recent years, students and activists alike have criticized Greek life for its discriminatory recruitment, hazing, and sexual violence. This has led to the Abolish Greek Life Movement, which argues that Greek life must be discontinued due to its roots in an outdated system of racism and misogyny.

To investigate the current state of Greek life at McGill and the effects of the Abolish Greek Life Movement on the community, The Tribune conducted interviews with current and former members. During this investigation, The Tribune verified that source allegations were known to other members through internal communication, and also interviewed policy stakeholders. 

The Tribune can reveal that Greek life still provides many with a sense of community and feelings of acceptance. However, others have reported negative experiences, including racist comments and difficulties speaking out over sexual violence. 

Issues with Greek Life at McGill

Sam* joined a sorority in their first year. What began through the pursuit of friendship and community left them with memories of bullying and a mental health crisis. 

“Being in [the organization] was affecting my mental health to the point where I was experiencing extreme suicidal ideations,” Sam said in an interview with The Tribune. “I had no choice but to leave.”

During their time, Sam said that they were the survivor of a sexual assault at a fraternity party, perpetrated by another McGill student who was not a Greek life member. Sam was extremely disappointed in IGLC’s lack of action following the incident.

Sam asked that IGLC blacklist the student who assaulted them so that they would be banned from all future Greek life events. However, an IGLC member informed Sam that they were unable to blacklist him without further testimonies, confirmed by messages between Sam and an IGLC executive seen by The Tribune. As a result, Sam had to reach out to every Greek organization on campus to ask them to blacklist the perpetrator, with most choosing to do so. 

When Sam mentioned the sexual assault to members of their Greek organization in a group chat, instead of supporting them after the assault, the sisters were upset that Sam had not included a trigger warning prior to mentioning the incident. The messages about content warnings amassed numerous likes from sisters, while Sam’s message received none.

The IGLC did not respond to The Tribune’s request for comment before the publication deadline. 

When Sam was in the Greek life community, they also attended numerous parties and fundraiser events that they felt created an uncomfortable environment. One event auctioned off members of their organization under the guise of philanthropy—a practice rooted in Trans-Atlantic slavery.  

“[My organization] decided that it would be a great idea to have a website where sisters are bidded on to go on dates that match [the first letter of] their name,” Sam said. “Anyone could bid and you would have to go on the date.”

Sam is a person of colour. They said they experienced racist comments during their time in the organization, which led them to feel excluded from the rest of the largely white Greek community.

As a result, Sam ultimately left their organization in their second year. 

Alex*, a former member of a McGill fraternity, had a largely positive experience in Greek life. However, they saw first-hand some of its downsides, such as instances of sexual violence occurring at Greek events. 

“I had to deal with sexual violence and harassment within my fraternity. Luckily, I was also in SACOMSS [The Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society] for a while and was able to apply that training, which ended up being life-saving,” Alex said. 

Alex joined Greek life as a first-year McGill student hoping to expand their social network. During their time in the Greek community, Alex served in a management position in their fraternity. 

Alex points out that due to McGill fraternities’ lack of a governing body, there is no McGill-specific policy for dealing with sexual assault and harassment. Instead, the school’s fraternities follow an international headquarters’ policies.

“We are attached to a headquarters in the U.S. that puts a lot of stringencies on us,” Alex said in an interview with The Tribune.

All of McGill’s Greek organizations are governed by an international headquarters, primarily based out of the U.S. These headquarters are responsible for determining the organizations’ internal policies, such as their code of conduct and policies regarding issues such as sexual violence. 

Even when such policies are outlined, instances of reported violence occur in fraternity rituals, such as hazing. 

“There’s hazing in fraternities. […] We really tried to cut it down. Where my fraternity is now, I wouldn’t call our rituals hazing,” Alex said. 

Sam also believes that many initiation rituals, particularly in fraternities, border on hazing and create an uncomfortable environment for prospective members. 

During their time in Greek life, Alex felt that the contracts eager first-year students were asked to sign were overly coercive, and they later observed how these documents made these students feel trapped in the organization.  

Potential members sign Greek life contracts following the recruitment process, where students get to know members of different Greek organizations. Then, through a process of mutual selection, members are assigned to an organization and sign their contracts, which keep them financially obligated to their organization for four years.

“The thing you don’t realize when you’re 18 and you’re just coming in, is it’s a financial commitment and it’s a legal commitment,” Alex said. “You’ve signed contracts and you’re locked in for those four years and it can be a real mess [to get out of them].”

Finding a sense of community

Despite the issues surrounding Greek life, many students continue to rush in the hopes of meeting friends and making a positive impact on their communities.

Jenna Dube, BA ’23, was in Greek life from 2020-2023. In their time, Dube served as VP of Community Relations and Panhellenic Delegate. Dube initially joined a sorority to find a sense of belonging during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“During that first COVID summer, I was feeling pretty isolated and I became interested in doing something I had never considered doing before,” Dube explained in an interview with The Tribune.

For Dube, partaking in Greek life was a great way to form social connections with other McGill students at a time when classes were largely online. 

“My closest friends are from my sorority and I made connections with people I never would have met otherwise,” they said. “I feel like I made an impact on the greater McGill and Montreal community through being in a sorority.”

Similarly, Robin*, a current McGill student, joined a fraternity in 2021 to expand their social network and create positive change in the community.

“Being in a fraternity really added to my life,” Robin said in an interview with The Tribune. “I got to plan really fun events, I raised a bunch of money for [a native women’s shelter and a wildlife conservation club], and I met some really important people in my life.”

However, Robin recognizes that joining Greek life is not possible for everyone given financial and time restrictions, as well as institutionalized racism. 

“Systematically, there are quite a few barriers to Greek life,” Robin explained. “You have to have a decent amount of disposable income [and time] to participate fully. There are also historical issues with marginalized communities; the population of [Greek] organizations are not wholly representative of McGill.”

Part of this comes from the gendered divide and the assumptions of normative femininity and masculinity these groups can foment. As a queer and non-binary person, Dube was initially unsure about fitting into Greek life at McGill but was met with open arms by their sorority.

“My sorority was nothing but accepting and supportive of me and never asked me to be something I wasn’t,” Dube said.

The Start of a New Chapter

Dube believes that their sorority is doing significant work to address issues of discrimination and harassment through regular workshops.

“My sorority has always been on top of [diversity, equity, and inclusion],” Dube said. “We always had workshops about [combatting] racism and antisemitism, but also eating disorders and sexual violence.”

However, Dube does not feel that their sorority’s sense of accountability is present in all McGill fraternities, largely due to their lack of a governing body.

“I think the [fraternities] could make more steps to unify under one organization like Panhel and that would hopefully [increase accountability] and prevent DEI and sexual violence issues,” they suggested. 

For Robin, changing the protective nature of Greek organizations is key to preventing sexual violence.

“Once you’re in [a Greek organization], it’s a right, not a privilege to be in there,” they explained. “A lot of people try to defend the behaviour of their friends and [they] can use internal organizations’ policies to protect people. If anyone is making anyone in the community feel bad, […] we don’t need to have this person in [the organization].” 

Sophia Garofalo, U2 Arts, is a current member of a McGill sorority and an Arts Senator for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). In her role as an Arts Senator, she is working on creating policies and procedures to govern the relationship between SSMU and Greek life organizations on campus—a relationship that is not currently outlined by any official documentation. 

“Right now, I’m working with the heads of IGLC to create an independent agreement where they can access some resources from SSMU to better themselves, their understanding, and their preventative abilities [for sexual violence],” Garofalo explained. 

The new agreement between the IGLC and SSMU, which is currently being finalized, will allow the IGLC’s equity committee to reach out to SSMU for help with investigations. It will also include stricter requirements on sexual violence and harm reduction training for McGill’s Greek organizations, including a mandate that all McGill fraternities have at least 50 per cent of their members, including new members, the VP Social, VP Risk, VP External, and President attend a 2-hour active bystander sexual violence prevention workshop every semester. Should a fraternity not comply, the IGLC will prevent its members from participating in social events. 

However, such an agreement would not include the university itself, which has traditionally taken a hands-off approach with Greek organizations.

“McGill does not have an agreement with any Greek-letter organization and is not in any discussions for such an agreement or a three-way agreement with SSMU […] because they are entirely independent [of] McGill,” McGill Media Relations Officer Frédérique Mazerolle wrote in an email to The Tribune.

Despite previous instances of sexual harassment and assault in McGill’s Greek community, Garofalo is optimistic that with proper education and policies in place, these issues will no longer occur on our campus.

“There’s a bit more of a proactive attitude from IGLC, [and] the frats have been very receptive to that, which is really nice to se

e going forward,” she said. 

Alex echoes Garofalo’s hopeful sentiments but believes more work needs to be done to recuperate the needs for community on campus, without the roots of Greek life.

“I think Greek life has the potential to be a really beautiful and positive experience for university students,” Alex said. “[We] need to burn it down to the ground and start again.”

* Sam, Robin, and Alex’s names have been changed to preserve their confidentiality.

Editorial, Opinion

McGill must stand by the Mohawk Mothers

by The Tribune Editorial Board on

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At the bottom of Mount-Royal lies the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH)––the site of an ongoing legal battle where McGill’s colonial past and the fight for truth and justice come to a head. On Sept. 12, McGill commenced drilling on the New Vic Project, aiming to “revitalize” the RVH in service of a new research facility, while purposefully neglecting the deeper implications of their project. According to the Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers), the RVH site may contain human remains, specifically the remains of Indigenous children, from McGill’s violent involvement in the MK-Ultra experiments. The Mohawk Mothers appeared in the Superior Court of Quebec in April for a case management hearing regarding their settlement agreement with McGill, in which both parties agreed to search for potential unmarked Indigenous graves onsite. The settlement was the result of a years-long judicial struggle for justice that is nowhere near its end, as the Mothers will be returning to court on Oct. 27 to voice the multiple breaches McGill made to their settlement agreement. 

While McGill claims to “recognize and honour” Indigenous history, the university has repeatedly positioned itself against the Mohawk Mothers through settler colonial violence, using their power as an institution to ignore their demands. McGill has controlled the narrative around the legal battle, weaponized their privileged access to students and the McGill community by sending emails to students and staff that scarcely mention the discovery of human remains, and completely ignored both their multiple violations to the settlement agreement and the allegations of dishonesty made against them.

Time and time again, McGill has been unwilling to reconcile its atrocious history. The institution refuses to accept the crimes committed on unceded and stolen land, acknowledging bits and pieces on the surface, but never the whole truth. The New Vic project is striking proof of McGill’s greed and obsession with reputation over respect for the Haudenosaunee, Kanien’kehá:ka, and Anishinaabeg nations of this land.   

McGill’s refusal to acknowledge the blood on its hands, and active disinformation about the ongoing legal conflict with the Mohawk Mothers illustrates its bureaucratic approach to the matter. This procedure reveals the university’s willingness to further colonial pasts, as violent present and future. 

McGill’s denialism of the truth only adds to the atrocious acts perpetrated against the Mohawk Mothers. Overrun with semantics, the Frequently Asked Questions section of the New Vic site undermines the lawsuit’s severity and the ongoing findings at the RVH site. However, this is not the only place where the McGill administration has spread disinformation. In an announcement on Aug. 3, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi claimed that only nine anomalies containing “grave-type” features were located during their archaeological investigation. However, the Mohawk Mothers claim that several other anomalies with ‘unknown’ features went unreported. 

The university continues to divert students’ attention away from the case and toward the bare minimum they have done to support McGill’s Indigenous community. They must account for a 1.7 billion CAD debt to the Six Nations of the Grand River to respect their right to self-determination and the university must show humility in their future  relationships with Indigenous peoples. The Mohawk Mothers have been clear in their assertion that the continuation of drilling may lead to the destruction of evidence. Time is running out and the time for community action is now. 

The student body’s weak response to the case reflects how McGill’s misleading narratives produce ignorance and complicity in their case against the Mohawk Mothers. It cannot fall solely on the Indigenous members of the McGill community to fight against the administration. Student organizations must echo the demands of the Mohawk Mothers, flooding the courtrooms on Oct. 27 and working in solidarity to show support. Non-Indigenous members of the McGill community must resist McGill’s attempts to pacify resistance and rise up against a colonial administration that attempts to silence and erase Indigenous peoples. The New Vic project cannot continue, and it is the responsibility of the student body to prevent it. 

Lacrosse, Sports

Redbirds Lacrosse suffers a tough loss against Trent Excalibur during their Pride game

by Madigan McMahon on

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Following Redbirds lacrosse’s first home game last weekend, an exciting 9-8 win over the Carleton Ravens (3–1), McGill (2–2) took the field against the daunting Trent Excalibur (4–1) on Sept. 23. 

Midfielder Dylan James explained how the Redbirds’ and Excalibur’s history against one another factors into their pregame approach. 

“We took [Trent] very seriously,” James told The Tribune. “We’re focused and dialled in, and very mindful of the fact that they’re a good team.” 

The Redbirds started the game off strong with midfielder Samuel MacDonald winning the opening faceoff and James giving McGill a 1-0 lead in the first minute of play with an assist from attacker and team captain Isaiah Cree. However, this advantage was short-lived as Trent tied the game six minutes in and scored again just two minutes later. The Excalibur continued to apply pressure, scoring yet another goal for a 3-1 lead. In the last minute of the first quarter, James scored his second of the game, bringing McGill back within one goal.  

With nine minutes left in the second quarter, Trent netted another goal, but two minutes later

midfielder Joshua Jewell scored with an assist from James. Midfielder Alexander Erbstein carried on the momentum, scoring another goal for McGill with five minutes left in the quarter, before Trent scored two more goals in the last minute of play, bringing the score up to 6-4 at the half. 

James scored once again at the top of the third quarter, closing the teams’ two-goal gap and bringing the score to 6-5. However, Trent quickly shut down McGill’s attempt at a comeback, scoring again to close out the third quarter 7-5.  

Cree explained that the biggest challenge they had was matching Trent’s speed. 

“They’re a fast team,” Cree remarked after the game. “I feel like once we match feet a little bit more and just play our game, we’ll be fine.” 

In the fourth quarter James had yet another assist on a goal by midfielder Rowan Birrell that upped the score to 7-6. With Trent scoring another goal, James fought hard to come back, receiving an assist from Birrell in the last few seconds of the eighth minute. Trent went on to score two more goals before midfielder John Miraglia secured the final goal for the Redbirds. Trent ultimately won 10-8. 

Moving forward, James believes that the key to success rests in being more disciplined and making fewer mental errors.  

“We have it in us and we know we have it in us,” said James. “Going into the game we knew that we could push more. It was just a lack of execution from that regard.” 

Despite the difficult loss, head coach Nicolas Soubry was proud of the team’s offensive performance. 

“I thought our offence played the best they’ve played all year,” Soubry told The Tribune. “It was one of those days where you’re just like, they could do whatever they want on defence, we’re going to score goals, so we just had to work better at getting them those opportunities.”

The Redbirds will play next against the Queen’s University’s Gaels (2–1) on Sept. 30, for the Legacy Game.

Moment of the game: Despite being down by three, Miraglia stayed motivated, scoring the final goal of the game with just under two minutes remaining to make the final 10-8 and give the Redbirds momentum heading into their next matchup. 

Quotable: 

“We have grit, we aren’t going to give up. We went down for a few getting close to the end and we still put one [goal]  in ready to close with two minutes left so it shows that we will fight to the end no matter what. I feel like that’s what’s most important. We’re not going to turn over and let this game get out of hand. We will always fight.”

– Attacker, Isaiah Cree
Stat Corner: Midfielder and faceoff specialist Samuel MacDonald won every single faceoff of the game.

Know Your Athlete, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Jonas Press

by Tillie Burlock on

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The story of how Redbirds baseball’s Jonas Press landed at McGill is all too relatable for many high school athletes who graduated in 2020 or 2021: COVID-19 derailed his dreams of heading down south to play Division I baseball. However, this unexpected twist has still resulted in a rewarding experience for Press. 

“The friends that I’ve met through the baseball team are my best friends here and I love them from the bottom of my heart,” Press said in an interview with The Tribune. “I think we could all agree as a class, as a whole, that we’ve made lifelong friends.”  

With his dad, uncle, brother, and cousin all playing the sport, baseball was inevitable for Press.

“I’m the oldest son […] so you could say I started it and then everyone kind of followed,” Press joked. “I started when I was five. My dad loved it and then I grew to love it too.”

Growing up in Toronto, Press began his baseball career with the North York Blues, then moving to the Brampton Royals where he won the Baseball Canada 13U and 15U national tournaments. At 16, Press moved to the Ontario Blue Jays––a team that plays in the Canada Premier Baseball League, Ontario youth baseball’s highest level.

“My goals as a kid were like; I want to be in the MLB, I want to go play for the Blue Jays,” Press confessed. “I was always pretty good so I thought I had a chance and maybe not to make it to the pros, but […] to at least go Division I down in the States. My goal was never to stay in Canada.”

However, as Press entered his final year of high school in the fall of 2020, COVID-19 prevented him from taking part in his team’s fall trip––a vital aspect of the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) recruiting process. As the team planned to visit a collection of southern-U.S. NCAA schools as their few COVID-19 restrictions allowed them to continue playing throughout the pandemic, Press decided that the risk of exposure while travelling would be too great. So, he elected to stay in Canada and attend McGill after graduation.

A few months before he arrived, McGill’s Athletics department announced that the 2021-22 baseball season would be cancelled entirely. At this point, Press considered taking a gap year to evaluate his options, but ultimately, he decided to come straight to McGill. 

Despite the lack of support from the university, Casey Auerbach, the team’s coach at the time, was able to organize games for the team against CÉGEPs and other universities without being affiliated with McGill. 

As the 2022-23 baseball season got underway, Press explained that the schedule wasn’t exactly what he had expected. 

“If you look at schedules pre-COVID […] they had 40 games, they had trainers with them, they got to play against [Ontario University Athletics] teams, they had at least six or seven games in the U.S.,” Press explained. “That just hasn’t happened for us.” 

Despite the disappointment and the desire to play more games against better competition, Press believes that the team’s addition to the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) will aid the long-term development and stability of the team moving forward. 

“We’ve realized it’s gonna be really tough to have change for when we’re here, so we’re working for the guys in the future to make sure this team is still running and doesn’t get shut down,” Press said. 

Like his teammates, Press has worked incredibly hard for McGill’s baseball program and has plenty to show for it: He leads the Redbirds in runs-batted-in and boasts a .408 batting average. This success may be due in part to his pre-game routine, which involves listening to a lot of Kendrick Lamar and putting on his gear in the same order every time. 

For the remainder of the season, Press hopes the Redbirds will continue to compete at a high level and, hopefully, win the RSEQ championship. 

Arts & Entertainment, Music

An open letter to Taylor Swift

by Momo Burns-Min on

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Dear Taylor,

The Gaylor and Swift-zerland Delegations of McGill University would like to warmly congratulate you on the success of The Eras Tour and the whole soon-to-be-billionaire thing. More importantly, we would like to beg—ahem—invite you to perform for us. Yes, the Miss Americana persona is classic, but your neighbours to the North could use a little love to get us through the impending blizzards. And what better place than Montreal to perform “Forever Winter” for the first time as one of the surprise songs?

Weather that feels like you’re going “back to December all the time” isn’t Montreal’s only draw, though. Travelling by private jet (as you so often do) will allow you to avoid our city’s famously endless construction. You can get the poutine without the potholes, the sesame bagels without the sidewalk closings, and the joie de vivre without a jackhammer in sight. Furthermore, we can offer a wide array of potential concert locations. McGill’s Tomlinson Fieldhouse has excellent acoustics, as evidenced by the reverberating sound of Faculty of Science students sobbing through their finals. Molson Stadium could provide a fantastic pseudo-American vibe with its 110-yard football field (yes, it’s different from American football, don’t ask). And, if push comes to shove, there is always Moyse Hall in the Arts Building, which is allegedly asbestos-free. Moyse would also be the most economical choice for your tour since much of the theatre tech is carried out by ENGL 368 and ENGL 372 students. They aren’t just free labour—they’re actually paying to be there!

If you thought those were the only perks, think again. You and McGill have so much in common! For example, performativity is your bread and butter: McGill gives a ten-second land acknowledgement before meetings, and you changed one lyric to one song one time. And although many other lyric changes may have better suited the snarky, bitter tone of “Better Than Revenge”—my suggestion is “craved fifteen minutes of fame in the camera flashes”—the Gaylor population greatly appreciates the Evermore-ification of Speak Now. 

Now, we must move on to the elephant in the room. We know this can be a touchy subject, but we would be remiss if we ignored this simple fact: you have never dated a Canadian. “A grey sky” and “drinking in the afternoon” are not exclusive to London boys, after all. And let’s be honest, even a Desautels student would probably be less problematic than Matty Healy. Probably. Plus, our campus would make a fantastic setting for a wedding—or, at the very least, a wedding-themed music video. Cloudberry could be the ring bearer. The other squirrels could be bridesmaids. We could even get the Hot Dog Guy to cater. A few thousand hot dogs couldn’t cost much more than an RVC salad, so it’s a no-brainer.

If the points mentioned above haven’t convinced you, that’s ok! Just remember that McGill is a numbers game (we know you love those!). There were 39,513 total students in the fall semester of 2022. 39,000 is 13, your lucky number, multiplied by 3000. The Jonas Brothers released “Year 3000” in 2006, the same year as your debut album, Taylor Swift. Your album sold 5,800,000 copies. Divide that number by 1821, the year of McGill’s founding, and you get roughly 3,185. Divide that by 2, the number of brain cells I have left after doing all these calculations, and you get about 1592. Add another lucky 13, plus another 2 just for fun, and you get 1607, which is the approximate price of a resale ticket to “Eras.” See? Simple math! We promise your fans will go crazy for it.

We greatly appreciate your consideration. Please say hi to the cats for us.

Sincerely,

The Gaylor and Swift-zerland Delegations of McGill University

P.S. You know it’s serious when Swift-zerland gets involved.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

It’s all about the lettuce!

by Agatha Ryan on

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On Sept. 21, McGill’s Lower Field teemed with anticipation, excitement, and dozens of students nervously clutching heads of lettuce. At first glance, the circle of students could be mistaken for a colony of hungry rabbits; in actuality, it was just the Lettuce Club’s third annual lettuce-eating competition. 

In the centre stood Eric Zhao, U2 Science, dressed to the nines in a full-sized lettuce costume—a lab coat bedecked with flowing green streamers. Zhao was last year’s winner and crowned Lettuce Head, making him the facilitator of this year’s competition. Students walked up to the table in the centre of the field to check in and weigh their lettuce, which had to be a minimum of 600 grams. As the competition was about to start, some students shared their thoughts with The Tribune. 

“I woke up this morning super nervous, but I’m ready,” Maria Cooper, a Geography major at McGill on exchange, said. “McGill lettuce club is one of the main reasons I chose this school for exchange.”

Zoe Mozola, U2 Science, shared her reasons for joining the competition, delving into her family’s deep roots with the vegetable. 

“I have a long family tradition, we just pass around a head of lettuce and eat it with our bare hands,” Mozola said. 

For others such as U0 Arts student Eve Piget, lettuce is a part of everyday life. 

“I just really love eating lettuce, I eat at least a head of lettuce every single day,” Piget told The Tribune.

Many  shared their passion for lettuce, with some even skipping class to attend the acclaimed competition. 

Though there was a range of students at the competition—some, hardcore lettuce-eating athletes and others, simply dragged along by their friends—the competition exuded a welcoming and fun atmosphere. 

“I really like the vibe of the club. It felt really open and accepting, even though I accidentally bought a cabbage,” Arieh Rosenthal, U1 Education, said. 

The field was packed by the competition’s kick-off. Everyone chanted the countdown. Ten… nine…. eight… The adrenaline was building. Seven… six… Hands began to shake and sweat. Five…  four… Students took their last gulps of air. Three, two, one—and they were off! 

Students came prepared with various strategies to chow down. The calmer of them sat cross-legged on the grass, peacefully ripping off leaves and munching as fast as they could. The most intense remained standing, leaning over and gnawinggrasping at the lettuce with their bare teeth. These participants filled the atmosphere with sounds of gagging, a mixture of drool and water splattered on t-shirts, and huddles of friends cheering them on loudly. 

Everyone’s eyes whipped across the field to see who was making the most progress. In just over two minutes, a winner had prevailed: Jacob Lofaro, U2 Engineering, varsity rower, and now McGill’s proud 2023-24 Lettuce Head. 

Lofaro was crowded by students, reporters, and Zhao himself, congratulating his successor and patting him on the back. Everyone wanted to know: How did he do it?

Luckily, The Tribune secured an interview with the star.

“I’m feeling full because I actually ate a massive lunch like 40 minutes ago,” Lofaro said between burps. “I made a nice vinaigrette, half balsamic vinegar, half olive oil,” he shared. 

Lofaro had only heard about the competition 30 minutes before it began and came with his friends after his hearty lunch. It was simply a matter of pure skill that Lofaro had managed to stuff down a full head of lettuce in just about 120 seconds. 

Zhao was congratulatory and spoke about Lofaro’s win after taking off the lettuce coat and putting it on Lofaro’s back. 

“It feels like passing the mantle, I had a great year of being lettuce head at McGill and [am] happy to see someone else take the crown, but I’m ready to come back next year—do not worry,” Zhao told The Tribune. 

Overall, the competition had a great turnout, and everyone left with a smile (and a little piece of lettuce) on their face. 

Commentary, Opinion

Black in business: The consulting field needs more Black mentorship

by Liliana Mason on

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On Sept. 12, JED Consulting, McGill Social Business Network (MSBN) Consulting, and the McGill Black Students’ Network (BSN) held their second annual “Being Black in Consulting” event. A four-person panel of Black consultants from some of the world’s top consulting firms shared their journeys, tips, and challenges. This was followed by a two-hour networking session where Black students from various Montreal universities had the opportunity to connect with 25 Black consulting professionals. While looking around at the 75 students in attendance, all dressed up in their business attire and eagerly conversing with Black consultants, two things were very clear. It is rare to see so many Black business people in one space, and Black role models are integral to furthering Black success. We need more of them, both in the business sphere and on campus.

Desautels, McGill’s Faculty of Management, has a history of abhorrent treatment toward its Black students. In 2020, in an open letter addressed to the faculty, writers detailed the ongoing issues at the faculty. The letter, which received hundreds of signatures, alleges that institutionalized racism at Desautels is entrenched in every level of the faculty. This sobering statement illustrates a systemic issue within the management faculty, and there are tangible steps and changes that must be taken to address these issues and give Black students at McGill the opportunities they deserve. 

Dr. Yolande E. Chan, a Black woman and former Associate Vice Principal at Queen’s University, was appointed as Dean of Desautels in 2021—a step forward that still did not suffice to bridge the distinct racial gap in the staff. Most Black students are still likely to graduate without ever seeing a Black professor at the front of the room. This alienates Black students, sending them the message that they are not welcome. 

Students who are unable to see people who look like them represented in their academic institutions struggle to identify with professions in the field and have a much harder time pursuing those paths. Providing Black students with Black role models helps to foster a sense of belonging that is necessary for them to thrive. Currently, there are two Black student groups in the Faculty of Management: The Desautels African Business Initiative (DABI), founded in 2014 with the aim of educating people about growing business opportunities in Africa, and the Black Students’ Financial Society (BSFS), that promotes Black businesses and financial literacy in Montreal. While the work these groups do is irreplaceable, students cannot bear the sole weight of providing Black students inspiring role models. The McGill administration and Desautels must do more. 

Networking is often touted as one of the most important things students can do in university. But while it is important for most students, it is a necessity for Black students who often lack the intergenerational, nepotistic connections that white students might be able to leverage when looking for summer internships or job opportunities. A recent Harvard study found that nearly one-third of Americans will work at the same firm as a parent, earning almost 20 per cent more than they otherwise would. This puts Black students at a further disadvantage, as generations of discriminatory employment practices have destroyed Black futures—that which will allow them to build the same kind of generational wealth as white families. Facilitating Black advancement in industries such as consulting is crucial for breaking down the racial wealth gap. The management consulting industry in Canada was valued at 24.2 billion CAD in 2022, and has been growing at an average rate of 5.4 per cent annually since 2017.

To eliminate classist and racist barriers, organizations must provide Black students with mentors who can help identify obstacles and build collectivity in overcoming them. Through “Black in Consulting,” JED and MSBN Consulting may have taken an important first step in collaborating with BSN to hold an annual Black-focused networking event. But in order to make meaningful change in the field, other groups, and the faculty itself, must use their abundant resources to follow suit. In doing so, Desautels will not only be setting an important precedent for other faculties to follow, but it will be opening doors for generations of Black students to come.

Off the Board, Opinion

All That Jas

by Jasjot Grewal on

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My name is Jasjot.

In Punjabi, Jasjot—pronounced “Jus-joth”—has a beautiful meaning: Light, radiance, fame, glory. In English, however, the name Jasjot—pronounced “Jazz-jot”—bears no significance. 

Growing up, I hated hearing my name. It was a blaring symbol of my Indian identity that excluded me from the dominance of whiteness. From the school lunches perceived as “smelly” by my peers, to the hair on my arms, being Punjabi haunted me. Despite living in a city with an abundance of Indian immigrants, I hated not conforming to the same beauty standards that white girls epitomized. 

Moving to Montreal marked a new era—I’d never lived in a city quite like it. Indians were in the minority, and to my chagrin, at the time I knew only one person in the entire city. Now, when I look back, I see the bright side: It was a fresh start. 

For the first time in my life, I felt truly different from my peers. I realized that being the loud, sassy, confident girl I had been was one thing—but all of that on top of being the only person of colour in a room was another thing entirely: In every way possible, I was set apart. In my head, this combination rendered my identity indigestible. I was deeply afraid that due to the differences in my surroundings, I would be rendered an insufferable, rambunctious person of colour.

So I tried to change everything about myself. My style, hair, personality, and taste in music, men, and even friends—I wanted to transform all the distinguishing aspects that had once made me unique. Most importantly, I began to introduce myself as Jas—pronounced “Jazz.”  Until this point, Jas was a name only spoken by my dad and brother. It made me feel like I was at home, and that I was safe and loved regardless of who I was. Now, it became a tool to fit into the confines others had created for me. Jas was a name that was far more digestible than Jasjot. Jas was a name that allowed me to take up as little space as possible.

I now realized how unbelievably misguided I was. The parts of my identity that I attempted to conceal—my loudness, my quick wit, my race—are the traits that make me, me. These traits not only define who I am, but who I want to be. So, after a spiral of identity crises, I decided enough was enough: I deserved to take space in others’ lives. Jas became a girl who didn’t want to fit into the box of whiteness, nor change the core characteristics that made up her identity. She wanted to remain true to her adolescent self. 

However, some habits are hard to break. Truth be told, I should be telling people that Jas is pronounced “Jus,” not Jazz. But growing up Punjabi in Canadian society impeded my connection with my racial identity. I wasn’t nearly as “cultural” as some of my other second-generation immigrant friends, yet hints of my Punjabi identity leaked into every aspect of my life, from an inability to wholly articulate my thoughts in merely one language, to my years of competitive Bhangra. Not being Punjabi enough secluded me from my Indian friends, and being too Punjabi left me isolated from my non-Indian peers.

This struggle is part of what compelled me to reinvent myself. I didn’t fit into any box, and on top of that, I felt that I had too big of a personality. While I still occasionally use the name Jasjot in professional arenas because it symbolizes the Punjabi girl that my parents created, Jasjot is someone I was never quite able to connect with. She is a melancholic memory of deep unhappiness and confusion. 

Jas, however, is able to accept and embrace her flaws. She realizes that you can never entirely fit into the bounded ideals others create for you. 

I am Jas, and I’m the most authentic version of myself that has existed.

Art, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

The Massimadi Foundation’s festivities cherish Afroqueer culture

by Mia Helfrich on

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The Massimadi Afro LGBTQ+ Arts and Film Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary with an explosion of light, music, and vibrant hues. 

Since its inception in 2009 within the classrooms of Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), the Massimadi Foundation has been orchestrating a series of events throughout September. These gatherings encompass parties, panel discussions, captivating photography exhibitions, and compelling film screenings, all aimed at promoting the work of Black queer artists. 

On Sept. 15, the organizers kickstarted this year’s festival with a party at the Ausgang Plaza, hosted by drag queen Barbada. At the event, members from the whole Massimadi Foundation, Momentum Project (an initiative for young Afroqueer screenwriters), and from all corners of Montréal, danced, chatted, and celebrated another year of honouring Afroqueer culture.

“This is so important for the Massimadi Foundation because it is the emotion, the future of the Black LGBT community. But it’s not just for the Black queer community, it’s for everybody,” Wanderson Santos, Project Manager for Massimadi, said in an interview with The Tribune.

The Massimadi Festival is one of the few festivals in Quebec dedicated to Black queer culture. Among this year’s events is Identities, skins, and faces—a photographic exploration of Afroqueer Identities, showcased at Daisy Peterson Park. With showings on Sept. 14-17, 22, and 29, the exhibition highlights portraits from Black queer photographers. There are also screenings of Manscaping (2022), a documentary directed by Broderick Fox that chronicles three queer men as they transform the barbershop experience to be more inclusive and accessible. Among those featured in the documentary is Devan Shimoyama, a Black queer artist whose collection Mighty Mighty: The Barbershop Project partnered with the nonprofit organization CulturalDC to build a reflective and social space where one could view his collection while getting a fresh haircut. The documentary’s next showing will be outdoors on Sept. 29 in The Village.

Besides the festivals, the Massimadi Foundation also offers programmes that provide professional opportunities to Montréal’s Black queer artists. This year, Massimadi initiated Momentum, a program to champion and mentor Afroqueer screenwriters, helping them succeed in the broader Canadian filmmaking industry. Over the next six months, eight Black queer screenwriters will participate in classes, workshops, and conferences to build their skills in screenwriting and filmmaking. On Sept. 19, they launched the program with a conference at Studio L’Inis, an event for the selected eight to pitch their ideas to film industry professionals and network with the mentors who will guide them throughout the program. After the success of this year’s cohort, Massimadi intends to implement the program annually.

“Momentum is very important for the writers. They are queer and Black—sometimes inside their communities they don’t feel like they can project themselves. Here, they can do that,” Santos said.

By screening films, showcasing photography, and supporting Black queer artists, Massimadi strives to give Afroqueer people a voice and to show the world that their stories matter. 

“We aimed to inspire other individuals from Black communities to assert themselves by showcasing diverse people and characters that reflected their identities and questions,” Laurent Lafontant, President of the Massimadi Foundation, wrote in a message on the Massimadi website.

On Sept. 30, Massimadi will end its festival with a pride parade at the Place du Village—a final flourish after a month of festivities. 

The Massimadi Foundation and Festival demonstrates how promoting art from the Afroqueer community helps communicate Black queer artists’ feelings and reality. It encourages people to reflect about these vital perspectives, which challenge homophobia, transphobia, and racism in Montreal.

“We have to be strong,” Santos said. “We have to be proud. Not because we are different, but because we can be the identity we need to be. Everyone has a place, they just need to take it. We can make a change.”

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