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Commentary, Opinion

Walkable cities are not a culture war, but a necessity in the 21st century

by Julian Tabbitt on

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When you think of a street, what do you visualize? You might imagine an arterial road like Sherbrooke or René-Lévesque, with two lanes for cars in both directions while pedestrians are relegated to small sidewalks. Or, you might think of something more like Mont-Royal and Prince-Arthur, streets with a balance between cars, cyclists, and pedestrians. Streets like these represent a legacy of what cities looked like for the first half of the 20th century––something many major cities are trying to recreate with 15-minute cities, an urban planning concept in which all of your daily needs can be met within 15 minutes by walking, cycling, or public transportation. However, these changes have opened a broader discussion about urbanism. For example, this has sparked  two new satirical anti-15-minute city clubs: McGill Students Against 15 Min Cities and McGill Suburbanism Club. Online, right-wing internet phenoms have purposefully spread disinformation about 15-minute cities to undermine the potential of this future for urban planning when in reality, 15-minute cities are vital to a sustainable and equitable future. 

The term was first popularized by Carlos Moreno, an urbanist and chief advisor to Paris’ Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who has radically embraced the 15-minute city in anticipation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.  Paris has added hundreds of kilometres of bike lanes and pedestrianized large swathes of the city in recent years, and aims to plant 170,000 trees by 2026. After initial hesitation to Hidalgo’s urbanism, Parisians liked the changes enough to re-elect her for another six year term in 2020.

Montreal has undergone similar widespread change under Valérie Plante’s leadership, aiming to de-incentivize driving and encourage cycling, walking and taking public transportation. Despite being healthier, cheaper and more sustainable, these modes of transportation have come under attack from local residents’ associations in Montreal. Despite cars continuing to dominate public space and the limited area allocated to pedestrians and cyclists in the city centre, drivers are still dissatisfied. To them, these changes to make Montreal more accessible have only added delays, taken away parking spots, and created inconsistent commute times.

What opponents of the 15-minute city fail to understand is that driving is only discouraged for short trips within the neighbourhood. Jordan Peterson, an infamous professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, has called the 15-minute city a World Economic Forum conspiracy that is led by “idiot tyrannical bureaucrats” who want to track everywhere you go and dictate where you are allowed to drive. Clearly, Peterson has never been in the suburbs without a car––a reality where you are actually trapped. Unfortunately for Peterson, he is unable to experience such a luxury as he lives in Seaton Village, a neighbourhood in Toronto that embodies the principles of the 15-minute city. 

The 15-minute city goes beyond promoting more sustainable modes of transportation. They encourage healthy and active lifestyles for all ages. Streets without cars are much safer for children, and ultimately promote a greater sense of freedom for all. Lower-income people are much less likely to own a car and walkable cities help create more equitable living circumstances by offering more universally accessible services and opportunities. 

Walkable cities are a win-win proposition. By ditching cars, people are more likely to spend money on local establishments—making pedestrianized areas consistently more financially productive than non-pedestrianized areas, which in turn provides significantly more tax income for cities. It is undeniable that being able to walk in your own neighborhood fosters a greater sense of community and improves mental well-being. Prioritizing this approach over gentrification creates a kind of health, community and individual, that supplements the democracy of our cities. 

It’s time we stop framing the 15-minute city as a war on the car, but rather as a way to rebalance the many modes of transportation we have to create healthier, sustainable and more equitable cities for all. 

Science & Technology

“A Disease of the Past”: Our lacklustre response to Tuberculosis

by Nicole Fitzgerald on

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Lena Faust, a Ph.D. student in epidemiology at McGill, first became interested in tuberculosis (TB) while learning about another disease: COVID-19. What caught her attention, however, were not the diseases themselves, but the difference in global response to each. 

“With COVID-19, we quickly developed lots of different vaccines that are highly effective,” Faust said in an interview with The Tribune. “[In contrast,] we have had one vaccine [for TB] that was rolled out one hundred years ago, and it’s not widely used or effective. COVID-19 has shown us that if we want to develop vaccines within a couple years, we can.” 

So what accounts for this stark difference in global response? In their study in The Lancet, “Improving measurement of tuberculosis care cascades to enhance people-centred care”, Faust and her team hypothesized that one factor is the insufficient use of care cascades. These measure the number of patients reaching different milestones in care, such as getting tested and completing the first round of treatment for a disease. 


As Faust puts it, TB is often dismissed as a ‘disease of the past,’ even though it is currently the world’s deadliest infectious disease. In contrast, the emergence of the pandemic in 2020 highlighted COVID-19 as a new and frightening disease, leading to the development and approval of three different types of mRNA vaccines in less than a year. However, COVID-19 is not the only disease that has historically garnered a comparatively prompt response. 

“The HIV movement has been really exemplary in the way that it’s been able to galvanize support for a cause and resources. Advocacy in the TB world has not been quite as loud,” Faust explained. 

She hypothesizes that HIV’s novel appearance in the ‘70s and ‘80s and the ensuing epidemic created a sense of urgency, similar to COVID-19—an urgency that is absent with TB. However, all three diseases call attention to disproportionate medical treatment—affecting, most notably, queer and trans people and Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people in the Americas. 

Analysis of care cascades has been a key factor in the global response against HIV. As advocacy tools, care cascades have greatly impacted public health beyond simply modelling data. Faust and her peers argue that the framework is also useful for TB treatment, primarily for identifying barriers in public health services. For instance, some patients live too far from the nearest treatment centres, while others cannot afford to take time off work or pay for childcare while seeking treatment. 

“TB treatment is a time-consuming and costly process,” Faust said. 

Care cascades, however, can provide guidance to mitigate some of these barriers. For instance, by examining the distribution of a population’s infected regions using care cascades, more funding can be allocated to the construction of health centres in underserved areas. However, while they are an extremely useful diagnostic tool, care cascades are only part of the solution. 

“One of the limitations of the cascades is even if you do identify [healthcare] gaps, you also need to understand from the patient perspective what is leading to those gaps,” Faust said. “Care cascades [therefore] need to be used to enhance people-centred care, […] that takes into account the challenges that people face when trying to access [health services].”

As with the global response to COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS, the treatment of TB is marked by drastic inequalities across countries and healthcare systems in terms of which patients receive care and which treatment methods are prioritized. While this is an ever-present issue in global health, Faust proposes that care cascades are one key tool to rectify treatment disparities. 

“TB elimination is really a health equity issue. One of the ways to get investment and political support, and also to guide that investment, is to emphasize the role of care cascades in identifying gaps in the care for TB,” Faust said. 

Above all, Faust wants the general population to realize that TB is not a ‘disease of the past,’ a way of thinking that can lead to even the deadliest of diseases being overlooked. 

Science & Technology

AI’s transformative impact on radiology: Insights from the Feindel Brain and Mind Lecture

by Athina Sitou on

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken the world of healthcare by storm, revolutionizing the way physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. The Feindel Brain and Mind Seminars featured radiology—an area that AI has impacted substantially—during its Sept. 13 event hosted at The Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital. Saurabh Jha, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania, discussed the use of AI in the detection of abnormalities in head Computed Tomography (CT) scans.

Radiology uses medical imaging, which takes pictures of bodily organs, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. AI algorithms can learn how to spot irregularities in these images, potentially automating tasks that have been traditionally carried out by radiologists.

In a paper that Jha reviewed, researchers trained an AI algorithm to identify abnormalities in head CT scans, such as hemorrhages, with remarkable accuracy. The scientists trained the algorithm on nearly 40,000 patient scans and then tested on another 10,000. A metric called the ‘area under the curve’ measured its performance, gauging whether it tended to overcall or undercall abnormalities.

“So what this algorithm did was reprioritize. There were studies that you thought weren’t important, but were brought to the top of the list [and that reprioritizing] translated [into] the time to diagnose [being] substantially reduced,” Jha said. “What stroke[s] [have] made us understand is there’s no point [in] waiting for the patient to get to you, you must try and get to the patient.” 

The innovative nature of AI extends beyond the confines of the hospital, as imaging equipment and AI can be embedded in ambulances that can reach the patient swiftly, improving patient outcomes significantly. 

“There is much greater effectiveness, effectiveness that comes from promptness of diagnosis and promptness of treatment. You can’t give treatment promptly, unless you’ve diagnosed promptly,” Jha said.

Although the question of whether AI will replace radiologists lingers, the answer, according to Jha, is coexistence. Radiologists and AI can work synergistically, with AI handling routine tasks while radiologists focus on complex cases. 

“So there is of course what I would call the replacement fallacy [with physicians in North America being] worried about AI replacing radiologists, [while] in most of the rest of the world, there aren’t any radiologists to replace,” Jha said.

For countries with a shortage of radiologists, AI could present a remarkable opportunity to improve healthcare without the concern of displacing existing human jobs. Jha expanded on this potential advantage by referring to a region in Northern India known for its high incidence of stroke and lack of physicians.

“There is no AI replacement, there is nothing else there. It’s AI or nothing. And often, AI does a very good job of giving something pretty good,” Jha explained.

Jha then acknowledged that the acceptance of AI in radiology varies between nurses, doctors, and administrators. AI vendors and hospital management may view it as a way to enhance efficiency and revenue, whereas neurologists may be more cautious and concerned about the effects of false positives or missed cases.

The trade-off between sensitivity and specificity is a crucial consideration in AI adoption. Vendors claim that a few false positives are worth the benefits of true positives. However, false positives can disrupt workflow and potentially impact other diagnoses, as well as deeply affect the lives of misdiagnosed patients. Indication drift in healthcare also poses an issue because the use of AI in certain diseases’ imaging may increase its usage in other conditions for which AI has not necessarily been validated.

“When you make something easier, you get more of it, that’s obvious, but what’s sometimes counterintuitive is that the net gain from that is a little lower than what it would have been had you maintained some barriers,” Jha said. 

In Jha’s view, a hybrid model where AI accompanies radiologists would be ideal. This approach would maximize the strengths of both, ensuring high-quality patient care while optimizing efficiency and reducing human error.

Sports

Separating facts from fiction: Unmasking pseudoscience in the world of sports

by Julie Ferreyra on

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On Sept. 13, as part of the annual Trottier Public Science Symposium hosted by the McGill Office for Science and Society (OSS), Nicholas B. Tiller, a researcher at the Harbour-UCLA Medical Center, spoke about the prevalence of pseudoscience in sports. 

Joe Schwarcz, the director of the OSS, opened the conference by highlighting the presence of non-scientific beliefs throughout history, especially concerning human performance. 

“[The Ancient Greeks] were already interested in enhancing their performances,” Schwarcz explained. “They knew about opium […], magic mushrooms, […] they ate the hearts of animals thinking that this would give them strength, and they also dosed themselves with the testicles of bulls. This was the original testosterone therapy.”

Is sports a breeding ground for pseudoscience ? 

Tiller began his talk by spotlighting a number of athletes that have publicly engaged in pseudoscientific practices, with some athletes going as far as to endorse these techniques. Tiller highlighted Michael Phelps’ influential use of  cupping in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Novak Djokovic’s ritual pilgrimage to a pyramid in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Tom Brady’s promotion of a “cure-all” drink to individuals across the sporting community. He further expressed that many of the benefits seen by athletes who follow methods like these are brought on by a placebo effect rather than the practice itself.  

Tiller emphasized the often-dangerous outcome of following pseudoscience. While the idea of placebo practices might seem harmless, the promotion of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) often undermines the credibility of scientifically proven practices.

“When it comes to spreading the message of critical thinking, scientific scepticism, reason, rationality, scientists have brought a knife to a gunfight,” Tiller explained. “This isn’t just a case of a few high-profile athletes, a few bad eggs in the bunch that are disseminating bad advice. This seems to be a systemic problem.”

The talk also tackled the question of why athletes specifically seem to be more at risk of following pseudoscience practices.  

“The first thing to consider is this idea of marginal gains: The principle that no performance advantage is too small,” Tiller said.  “The idea that small improvements in various aspects of life are all cumulative to have a meaningful impact on the athlete’s performance.”

Tiller also thinks this is a byproduct of the competitive nature of elite sport.  

“You’ve got to think that the difference between gold and silver is sometimes infinitesimally small––it could be a fraction of a second in a short distance sprint,” Tiller furthered. “It’s all justified on the notion that every percentage point counts. It makes athletes and coaches much more experimental than they would otherwise be.”

This quest for anything that would give that competitive edge often renders athletes and coaches more vulnerable to pseudoscientific products. 

“In that respect, anybody who competes in sports […] is a walking prey to the 21st century snake-oil salesman,” Tiller summarized. 

Tiller focused much of his talk on the risks associated with the widespread promotion of pseudoscience. One major risk of consuming pseudoscientific products is the consumption of unregulated substances as over-the-counter dietary supplements can sometimes be contaminated with performance-enhancing drugs. 

“Whether it’s inadvertent doping by the athlete because they’ve taken something that’s contaminated or whether it’s deliberate doping, the outcome is the same, it’s a two-year competitive ban [in most sports],” Tiller warned. 

Based on his experience working with Olympians, Tiller emphasized that most athletes are offered limited resources and are often required to take on a job outside of training to support the financial cost. As such, devoting the limited monetary resources on practices that are not proven nor effective creates a financial risk for athletes who are inclined to do so.  

For amateur athletes, falling into the trap of pseudoscience is a danger that all must be wary of when deciding to partake in a new recovery practice or take a new supplement. Tiller stresses the importance of teaching scientific, legitimate, and proven practices and fostering critical thinking.

Science & Technology

McGill nutritionist shares sports nutrition tips at Trottier Symposium

by K. Coco Zhang on

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McGill hosted the 2023 Trottier Public Science Symposium, “Ready, Set, Go! Use and Abuse of Science in Sport,” on Sept. 13-14 in Moyse Hall. The symposium featured talks by renowned experts who offered their perspectives on nutrition and the broader role of science in sports.

One of the talks was “Food for Thought: Tackling Nutrition Science for Sport Performance” by Elizabeth Mansfield, adjunct professor at McGill’s School of Human Nutrition, who specializes in sports nutrition. 

Are dietary nitrate supplements your friend?

Mansfield began the presentation by discussing a popular claim about the role of dietary nitrates in athletics. These compounds are often found in foods like beets, rhubarb, and spinach. 

“[Experts say that] dietary nitrates make muscles more efficient and improve sprint performance and reaction time,” Mansfield said.

Although Mansfield agreed with this finding, she expressed concern about the subsequent development of nitrate supplements, such as beet shots, which in turn affected people’s food choices. Instead of opting for minimally processed nitrate-rich foods, which generally contain a wide range of other beneficial nutrients, Mansfield argued that the sports nutrition industry has pushed athletes to choose supplements containing only nitrates. 

“As a food-first nutritionist, I would say you are probably going to be better off trying to eat it, chew it, and make it part of your regular plan,” Mansfield said. “Certainly, it’s not just beets; it’s probably a lot of different types of vegetables that you can benefit from eating.” 

The importance of staying hydrated

Mansfield then highlighted the importance of adequate hydration in sports performance. This was what she described as “the first thing” she looks at in terms of overall health and performance.

“For most of us, if we are working out decently hard for one to two hours, we would want to have two cups of water with a dash of salt and a bit of maple syrup before each workout,” Mansfield explained. “After the workout, we want to have some water, foods that contain salt, and some wet foods.” 

Despite water being the beverage of choice, coffee and tea count as well. Mansfield deconstructed ideas and misinformation about fluid balance, which ensures that the amount of fluids that someone intakes and excretes are the same. Coffee and tea, she explained, are not dehydrating fluids, contrary to popular belief. 

Refuelling the body after a workout

Mansfield also elaborated on the eating schedule that could optimize energy levels during a training session. She suggested eating and drinking three to four hours before training for best results.

“You might need to have a snack up to two hours before training. And you might even need a top-up 30 minutes before training, particularly if it’s going to be a long and hard training session,” Mansfield said. 

Refuelling the body after the workout is as important as fueling it before the workout. She outlined a schedule for ensuring the body has the nutrients it needs to perform well, including eating carbohydrates within half an hour of finishing a workout if you are planning to complete multiple workouts in a single day. 

The role of protein in staying energized

Protein also plays a key role in athletes’ diets, but Mansfield explained that it’s important to be strategic about protein intake. One important component of protein intake is leucine, an amino acid that stimulates muscle protein synthesis post-workout. 

“It’s like a light switch that turns the muscles on,” Mansfield explained. 

Mansfield recommended aiming for 30 grams of protein per meal and distributing protein-rich foods throughout the day. She also discussed caution around relying on protein shakes. 

“Protein shakes do not have a lot of carbohydrates in them,” Mansfield said. “You need three times the amount of carbohydrate-rich foods compared to protein-rich foods to actually get the refuelling process going.”

Overall, Mansfield’s talk dispelled common misconceptions and deepened the audience’s understanding of sports nutrition, helping to ensure health and performance for athletes and the public alike.

Emerging Trends, Student Life

Summer fashion flings to spice up your wardrobe

by Sophie Naasz on

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If you’ve ever seen Confessions of a Shopaholic, you’ll know it’s the essential movie for anyone down-bad for fashion. I have always related to main character Rebecca, who has stashes of clothes littered around her room. This habit is not suitable for apartment life, but the ravenous trends of city style demand what they will. 

This summer was no different: I found myself immersed in the ballet core sheer material trend which wrapped the city in tulle—a fine form of netting—and bows. Celebrities were overwhelmingly attending red-carpet events in lush, sheer dresses and wrapped in swathes of light fabric. Women like Gigi Hadid and Rita Ora both gorgeously exemplified the dark tulle look at the 2023 Met Gala. 

Directly contrasting the popular trend of long, baggy jean shorts and graphic tees, this sway toward ballet offers a beautiful variety to your closet and answers that itch to change it up a little. Attending McGill means that you are only blocks away from a maze of malls and shining storefronts that beckon you to walk in and shop. Urban Outfitters on Sainte-Catherine currently decorates a quarter of a block with its floor-to-ceiling windows, boasting mannequins in tulle of every shade and length and laced-up pastel dresses. But in reality, if you don’t want to be running from your bank representatives like Rebecca in the movie, all that Sainte-Catherine offers students is a session of window shopping that will leave you empty-handed. Luckily, the ballet core look is relatively easy to achieve affordably and sustainably. 

So, open your closets and get to work. Grab materials in pastel colours or any colour of tulle, light cotton, or sheer fabric. If you have any long skirts, throw them into the mix and start layering. If you can’t find these components in your closet, fear not! Plan a visit to one of the many thrift stores on Saint-Laurent, which are conveniently close to campus and are home to  some real finds if you’re willing to dig around. If you don’t want to stray too far but need something on the cheaper side, visit Eva B’s second floor. Next, you’re going to need to go to Dollarama and grab as many rolls of ribbon as your heart desires, and before you head out, swing by the bead section and grab a bag of pearls or other cute charms. 

Now, imagine the scene from Cinderella where the birds and forest animals are adding bows and materials until she is dolled up and ready for the ball; that’s essentially your job! Add the ribbon as a belt to pants or tie bows on the loops of your jeans. Wrap ribbon around your ankles and pair it with frilly socks or change out the laces of your shoes for a sheer ribbon. Throw them in your hair or tie one around your neck. Layer these ribbons with charms and beads. Add pearls to your hair or string a few as a belt or bracelet. The outfit is just the base—this look is all about the accessories. Besides, a few bows never hurt anyone. 

If you prefer darker colours, try layering a sheer shirt over a dark dress, or be bold and find some black or navy tulle to wrap around yourself. And for the beach lovers out there, find a knit or sheer shrug, layer with a soft blue, cream, or lavender shirt, and add some shells to your look with a necklace or earrings.

And voilà! You’re ready to go and take the McGill Y-intersection catwalk by storm. 

If you’ve ever seen Confessions of a Shopaholic, you’ll know it’s the essential movie for anyone down-bad for fashion. I have always related to main character Rebecca, who has stashes of clothes littered around her room. This habit is not suitable for apartment life, but the ravenous trends of city style demand what they will. 

This summer was no different: I found myself immersed in the ballet core sheer material trend which wrapped the city in tulle—a fine form of netting—and bows. Celebrities were overwhelmingly attending red-carpet events in lush, sheer dresses and wrapped in swathes of light fabric. Women like Gigi Hadid and Rita Ora both gorgeously exemplified the dark tulle look at the 2023 Met Gala. 

Directly contrasting the popular trend of long, baggy jean shorts and graphic tees, this sway toward ballet offers a beautiful variety to your closet and answers that itch to change it up a little. Attending McGill means that you are only blocks away from a maze of malls and shining storefronts that beckon you to walk in and shop. Urban Outfitters on Sainte-Catherine currently decorates a quarter of a block with its floor-to-ceiling windows, boasting mannequins in tulle of every shade and length and laced-up pastel dresses. But in reality, if you don’t want to be running from your bank representatives like Rebecca in the movie, all that Sainte-Catherine offers students is a session of window shopping that will leave you empty-handed. Luckily, the ballet core look is relatively easy to achieve affordably and sustainably. 

So, open your closets and get to work. Grab materials in pastel colours or any colour of tulle, light cotton, or sheer fabric. If you have any long skirts, throw them into the mix and start layering. If you can’t find these components in your closet, fear not! Plan a visit to one of the many thrift stores on Saint-Laurent, which are conveniently close to campus and are home to  some real finds if you’re willing to dig around. If you don’t want to stray too far but need something on the cheaper side, visit Eva B’s second floor. Next, you’re going to need to go to Dollarama and grab as many rolls of ribbon as your heart desires, and before you head out, swing by the bead section and grab a bag of pearls or other cute charms. 

Now, imagine the scene from Cinderella where the birds and forest animals are adding bows and materials until she is dolled up and ready for the ball; that’s essentially your job! Add the ribbon as a belt to pants or tie bows on the loops of your jeans. Wrap ribbon around your ankles and pair it with frilly socks or change out the laces of your shoes for a sheer ribbon. Throw them in your hair or tie one around your neck. Layer these ribbons with charms and beads. Add pearls to your hair or string a few as a belt or bracelet. The outfit is just the base—this look is all about the accessories. Besides, a few bows never hurt anyone. 

If you prefer darker colours, try layering a sheer shirt over a dark dress, or be bold and find some black or navy tulle to wrap around yourself. And for the beach lovers out there, find a knit or sheer shrug, layer with a soft blue, cream, or lavender shirt, and add some shells to your look with a necklace or earrings.

And voilà! You’re ready to go and take the McGill Y-intersection catwalk by storm. 

Along Party Lines, News

Along Party Lines: Language education rights being debated as Bill 40 returns to court

by Galia Pakman Arrojo on

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Following the Quebec Superior Court’s ruling that portions of Bill 40—an education reform meant to transform the governance of English school boards—were unconstitutional, Premier François Legault publicly announced on Sept. 8 that his administration intended to send the case back to court. As of Sept. 15, their request for appeal has officially been filed. 

What is Bill 40?

Bill 40 is one piece of the mounting legislation and public debate regarding what place English will continue to have in Quebec. The province adopted Bill 96, which built upon Quebec’s previous language legislation established in Bill 101, in May of last year. Portions of the bill came into effect this summer, notably, education reforms that cap the number of students permitted to enroll in English-language CEGEPs and set requirements for the number of courses instructed in French that students are required to take in order to graduate. 

Bill 40, adopted in February 2020, planned to convert English-language school boards into “service centres.” The Ministry of Education described this reform as a way to provide Quebec schools with “a modern, efficient governance, closer to the needs of students.” The Quebec English School Board Association (QESBA) disagreed and brought it to court on behalf of nine of Quebec’s anglophone school boards, claiming that it is unconstitutional. 

Why is QESBA opposed to Bill 40?

In an interview with The Tribune, QESBA Executive Director Russell Copeman explained the organization’s rationale for challenging the bill and why he considers the case paramount for English-language education rights in Quebec.

“We are convinced [the bill] is a significant shift, that it dilutes the responsibilities of the school service center governance model and transfers that responsibility to the government of Quebec,”  Copeman said. “It would be […] practically an elimination of the autonomy or independence of democratically-elected school boards.” 

According to QESBA, this transfer of control violates Article 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees provincial minority language groups the right to education in their language. 

Copeman also appealed to the francophone minority experience in the rest of Canada, highlighting what he sees as the comparable position of Quebec’s anglophone population as protected under Article 23. According to the Canadian government, over 160,000 francophones study at community-run French-language primary and secondary institutions outside of Quebec. As of 2016, New Brunswick was 31.8 per cent francophone, the Yukon was 4.6 per cent francophone, and Prince Edward Island was 3.3 per cent francophone.

“Francophones outside of Quebec […] have been fighting for decades to establish French language schools, to establish a governance structure that they are in control of,” Copeman said. “The link between education and the vitality of a minority community is very, very clear—and that’s why it’s so important in our view to maintain school boards under the control and management of the community.”

What is the current status of Bill 40? 

The Quebec Superior Court ruled in favour of QESBA on Aug. 2, affirming that portions of Bill 40 indeed violated the rights of Quebec’s anglophone minority. Just over a month later, the governing party Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) filed an appeal of that ruling. 

QESBA has publicly criticized the CAQ’s decision in their most recent press release, expressing their disappointment on behalf of the province’s English-speaking population—particularly the 100,000 anglophone students their organization represents. Quebec’s liberal and conservative opposition parties echoed the sentiment, calling for the CAQ to drop their plans to appeal and encouraging unity in the face of pressing educational concerns plaguing Quebec—most notably, staff shortages that have left thousands of vacant teaching positions across the province. 

The Quebec Ministry of Education did not respond to The Tribune’s request for a comment.

Student Life

Ranking Montreal’s neighbourhood bookstores

by Agatha Ryan on

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Where does one go to find the perfect book? Maybe, you’re looking for a novella to read while waiting in line for ice cream at Frostbite, or maybe an anthology of poems to complement your English class. Either way, you can find any of these books at the following local shops. Here is a list of English-language bookstores near campus—listed from least to most cute and charming.  

4. Paragraphe  

Distance from campus: 2 minutes by foot

In terms of convenience, Paragraphe is the place to go. Paragraphe’s selection ranges from  romance to cookbooks. There are also McGill course books and a large nonfiction section to complement your studies. However, it is not technically an independent bookstore—it is owned by the Renaud-Bray Group—so if you are looking to support local businesses, you might consider the listings below. 

3. Argo Bookstore

Distance from campus: 21 minutes by foot, 13 minutes by metro, and 9 minutes by bike

Located in the heart of downtown, Argo is a respite from the noise and crowds of the street. The shop is small and quaint, matching the vibe one expects when walking into a bookstore. The walls are lined with books, some with index cards describing the text and giving recommendations from the staff. Argo is also queer-owned and has a large selection of queer literature. They house a Japanese book club and specialize in speculative fiction. 

2.  L’Eugélionne 

Distance from campus: 36 minutes by foot, 12 minutes by metro, and 10 minutes by bike

When you first walk into L’Eugélionne, you are met with mainly queer and feminist literature along with miscellaneous yonis. L’Eugélionne prides itself on being a feminist bookstore, with an equal number of books in both French and English. There is a large collection of nonfiction books on feminist theory, social movements, gender and sexuality, and colonialism. L’Eugélionne has a large zine collection, offering the buyer a wide variety of different forms of reading besides the typical novel. It is also a non-profit co-op so you can become a member and receive discounts. 

1. The Word

Distance from campus: 5 minutes by foot, 3 minute by bike

The Word is a family-run independent used bookstore that has been around for nearly 49 years. When you walk around the store—which started as an underground book dealership run out of Adrian King-Edwards’s living room—you are met by the friendly and knowledgeable staff who are willing to help you search for any book you need. Their focus on second-hand books allows them to maintain a varied collection, from local Montreal poetry to used course textbooks. The turnover rate at The Word is fast, so you’re sure to see different books every time you enter. The location is ideal for McGill students, and the small store crammed with books piled high and in every corner gives the energy of an old-timey store kept alive through the magic of writing.  

The local touch

There’s something very special about buying a new book—perusing a bookstore and then getting home and cracking open the spine of your newest read. It belongs to you, a slice of the story becomes your own, a world you can dive into, a silent retreat from your outside life. Hopefully, one of these picturesque bookstores will offer you this feeling and maybe even become part of your routine. It’s important to support these local shops; they bring the literary arts to the neighbourhood, organize events for and interact with the community, and act as safe spaces for different groups. If you leave without buying anything, you’ll still come out with a good experience, whether that be having a friendly conversation with the clerk, taking note of an interesting author, or discovering a place of like-minded readers.

Commentary, Opinion

Schulich library will not fill the void of a McLennan-Redpath closure

by Jayda Smith on

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Though the reopening of the Schulich Library was timed conveniently with the impending closure of the McLennan-Redpath Complex, whether the new and improved Schulich will make a worthy competitor is the question of the hour. Apart from the labyrinthine path one must take to locate the library, Schulich’s questionable capacity, amenities, and interior design will determine the library’s reputation in upcoming months. Yet, as it stands, Schulich’s opening is not a solution for the study space to be lost in the impending McLennan-Redpath closure and must be accompanied by an increased investment in accessible infrastructure across campus.

The intrigue surrounding the newly renovated Schulich is offset by the fact that it remains inaccessible for newcomers—no one seems to know where it is. Unable to find the mysterious building with instructions from Google Maps, assistance from the McGill community was needed in my own search. Alas, this only served to complicate the issue. What was meant to be a quick five-minute walk from Leacock more closely resembled the hunt for //El Dorado//. 

While it was determined that the simplest path to Schulich was through the Adams building and then to simply turn left at the Frank Dawson exit, it did actually require multiple sources to find this library. This is a major note in the con column when comparing Schulich’s accessibility to McLennan’s.

Schulich’s interior design is decidedly its most impressive feature. With an old-style structure, the subtle aroma of rich wood permeates the air of the building, lit with rays of natural light. For students wishing to study surrounded by an aura of mystery, a lovely little nook perfect for private study lies just up the stairs, though finding it unoccupied may prove to be a challenge. A soothing blend of blues and oranges throughout the space combined with classic brick walls provide a warm ambiance conducive to studying. Even whilst maintaining its architectural roots of eras past, Schulich is not lacking a modern touch. There are several more contemporary work desks and study pods for those with more metropolitan tastes, as well as comfy couches perfect for studying with friends—not to mention the futuristic sixth floor, with its beams and windows that evoke the feeling of studying inside a spacecraft. A potential cause for concern is the basement, which is comparable to studying in a dungeon. But, there may too lie a market for dark and melancholy study spaces. 

However, looks aren’t everything. One consistent complaint from McLennan-goers remains that the library is always full. If students already believe the largest library on campus has a capacity issue, Schulich faces an unavoidable fate of overcrowding once midterm season hits. As the influx of library goers inevitably increases later in the semester, having to wait indefinitely for Schulich’s one and only elevator may prove particularly frustrating for those who need it. While those able to access the library will be able to make use of valuable resources such as printers, computer workstations, quiet zones and more, those unable to take the stairs may be prevented from accessing such amenities with ease. In creating these new spaces for students, McGill needs to place more emphasis on ensuring that students’ accessibility needs are met rather than focusing on aesthetics.

In a push to modernize and create more space for students in the McLennan-Redpath Complex, McGill has undertaken its //Fiat Lux// project, the reason for the Library’s upcoming renovations. While McGill’s ambition is admirable, attempting to solve a space issue by creating more of a space issue, albeit temporarily, does little to solve the problem. 

All things considered, Schulich’s appealing aesthetic quality and promising amenities mask both a lack of space and of accessibility. Will Schulich emerge victorious against the test of anxiety-induced vomiting, spilt coffee, and stress-tears? Or, will it be doomed to the fate of McLennan—relegated to reconstruction once McGill decides it is no longer nice to look at.

Off the Board, Opinion

Finding Mr. Right in Indigo’s Bestsellers section

by Sofia Stankovic on

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All of us have picked up a book advertised by Indigo as “a thrilling new romance between two forces of nature” only to find out it’s a drawn-out bore about two coworkers who are just afraid to ask each other out. Or maybe it’s about a woman falling in love with a manipulative, aggressive, slightly terrifying yet jaw-droppingly handsome man: But don’t worry––she can change him. For some reason, I’ve always had trouble getting behind a lot of popular modern romance books. I love pretty much anything with a good love story, but I find myself rolling my eyes when trying to read another “enemies to lovers” novel that hinges entirely on miscommunication. For a lot of people, romance books are an escape from reality into a world of magic and intrigue, or perhaps just a story where men treat women like people. But for me, reading a book where I know exactly what is going to happen feels like taking years off my life. 

When reading The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, my first thought was that she must have industry connections because there is no way any respectable publisher would actually support this. The book drags on and on, and after reading almost 500 pages, a bleak realization settles in: Bland and predictable writing was not going to redeem the sponge-like personalities of the book’s main characters. There are thousands of Harry Styles fanfictions more engaging than this book, yet it remains extremely popular and well-rated. This can be accredited to the fact that this, along with many others of the genre, is simply an easy read. A basic, generic plot with characters who the reader knows are going to fall in love is comfortingly predictable. 

One of the most common romance tropes is “enemies to lovers,” something I actually really enjoy when done well. The tendency, however, for it to be based on the main character’s devotion to her work (obviously making her hate her super attractive coworker who keeps distracting her) is frustrating. I recently read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, and while romance is not its main focus, I was recommended the book many times because of its “incredible” love story. And yet, I was once again disappointed. The book is set in the 50s, so the male character is immediately dismissive of the female main character’s scientific prowess. Their love story only begins to unfold once he begins to treat her as an equal, something I couldn’t get behind considering the “enemies” part of the trope was truly just misogyny. Unfortunately, this is not unique to books set in the 50s and continues to be a common device in modern romance novels.

Other times, the author twists romance into a dark fantasy where abuse becomes a lazy tool to spur conflict, normalizing the idea that acting violent or manipulative is part of a passionate relationship. No one is more guilty of playing into this trope than popular romance author Colleen Hoover. In an attempt to avoid predictability––an issue so pertinent in modern romance novels––Hoover makes her love interests morally grey and mysterious. This, coupled with poor prose and unnecessary twists, makes her novels buzzy and popular. 

You may ask: Sofia, why do you keep reading these books if all you’re going to do is complain about them? Because I’m a hater! And of course, there is a part of me that hopes I will find a love story that will hold up against Normal People by Sally Rooney or Writers & Lovers by Lily King. These novels are extremely popular, and for good reason—the main characters and love interests are three-dimensional, complex individuals with real obstacles to their relationships. The stories are raw, powerful, and more importantly, make you root for the characters to be together, despite their flaws. I understand that not every love story can rise to the prestige of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. But seriously, if I have to read another miscommunication trope that could have been resolved in a single text message, I might have to give up reading romance forever.  

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