Latest News

Arts & Entertainment

What we liked this summer break!

by Annabella Lawlor, Alyssa Sequeira, Kellie Elrick, Izzi Holmes, Contributors on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

The summer season may be cooling down, but The Tribune’s Arts & Entertainment (A&E) section is heating up! Here is a breakdown of what the A&E enjoyed over summer break.

Joanna Newsom: The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004)

(Emily Prince & Alissa Anderson/pitchfork.com)

By: Annabella Lawlor, Contributor

In her first studio album, The Milk-Eyed Mender, Joanna Newsom creates a uniquely authentic world of whimsical sound. Released in 2004, the record contributed to the rising popularity of the “freak folk” genre in Brooklyn and San Francisco. Newsom’s combination of mature lyrical prose with the unconventional sounds of doleful harp and harpsichord elicits the playful nature of her creations. The storybook aspect of her songs acts as an ode to the sanguine perceptions of childhood, prompting listeners to question the lost imaginations that come with growing up. Her vocal inflections vary from the utter sombreness of “This Side of the Blue” to the chant-like playfulness of “Inflammatory Writ.” The lyrical poignancy that she possesses from such a young age leaves the listener wanting more and questioning what else she is capable of.

Saw (2004) 

By: Alyssa Sequeira, Contributor

(bloody-disgusting.com)

This summer, I entered the Saw universe by watching all nine movies in preparation for Saw X’s release on Sept. 29. Creepy puppets and serial killers aside, the faces that stood out are those of Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell)—the original film’s protagonists. Lawrence and Adam begin the franchise chained by their ankles in a grimy (understatement!) bathroom with a dead body as the room’s centrepiece. The horrific setting unexpectedly gives way to underpinnings of romance. Along the way, the two men engage in sarcastic banter and quips loaded with sexual tension, such as Adam noting the fun they’re having without lubricant. Even the official Saw account tweeted a photo of the two adorned with a bloody heart on Valentine’s Day. Do these two make it out alive and spend the rest of their lives together? Watch and see for yourself. 

Pure Colour by Sheila Heti (2022)

By: Izzi Holmes, Contributor

In her 2022 novel Pure Colour, Canadian author Sheila Heti reimagines creation as an artistic process. Much like a painter or writer, God revises the world in drafts. In God’s second draft, all people emerge from eggs as critics, taking the interpretive point of view of either a bird, fish, or bear. Heti essentially retells the book of Genesis, examining the dynamics each animal propagates through the relationships and life of “birdlike” Mira. Grieving the physical and emotional losses of those close to her, Mira grapples with the purpose of her own existence as an artist and a critic. As the fate of both Mira and humanity relies on the belief that to create and critique art is to live, Mira must contend with what it means to die after her father’s passing. The modern cynicism and philosophical precision of Heti’s prose ensure the resonance and relevance of seemingly archaic anxieties. 

Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro (1971)

By: Kellie Elrick, Contributor

Alice Munro’s Lives of Girls and Women follows Del Jordan as she comes of age in small-town Southwestern Ontario, shrewdly observing the intricacies and hypocrisies of class, religion, education, sex, desire, and of course, the lives of girls and women. The book’s beauty does not manifest itself through florid prose, but rather in its expression of beautiful truths that remain too often unspoken. Munro explores how we may all live multiple lives and often multiple truths. The novel’s structure illustrates this brilliantly, as it is arguably a short story collection in disguise as a novel. “People’s lives, in Jubilee as elsewhere, were dull, simple, amazing, and unfathomable—deep caves paved with kitchen linoleum,” Munro writes. Lives of Girls and Women explores how perhaps we are not made whole by grand revelations and moments of intensity, but rather through everyday motions that quietly mould us into new selves. 

Features

Asbestos in Canada: A forgotten killer remains at large

by Harry North on

More in Features:

Once touted as Canada’s ‘white gold’. Now it’s banned—but its legacy lingers. Experts believe asbestos exposures still kills thousands each year.

Daniel Miskin of family-law firm Miskin Law says they deal with some 50 to 90 cancer cases a year from asbestos exposures.

“I hear of every type of job […] pipefitters and drywallers; floor tile installers and electricians, even a bank worker. And then jobs I’ve never heard of like a roustabout or a farrier.”

He also says that while most of their clients are 50 and older, they have had some dying as young as 14 years old.

Miskin specializes in claiming just compensation for victims of mesothelioma cancer, a cancer of the membrane on the outside of the lungs, heart, and intestines. The life expectancy for most is around a year—and there is no cure. The only known cause is asbestos exposure.

The cases Miskin and his colleagues take on are among the thousands of asbestos-caused diseases each year in Canada. 

Asbestos, a known carcinogenic mineral, was widely used as an insulator and fireproofing agent due to its heat-resistant properties from the 1930s to the 1980s—until it was banned from homes in 1990. According to Statistics Canada, some 9.2 million homes occupied today were built before the ban. Most will have asbestos in them.  

Canada’s history with asbestos, however, goes far beyond household use. Until 2011, Canada was one of the world’s leading asbestos producers and exporters, selling mainly to countries like India and Bangladesh. The abundance of the mineral, found mostly in Quebec, provided thousands of jobs for years—and millions in profits. It was touted as Canada’s ‘white gold.’ 

There was just one snag: Its dust fibres are deadly.   

Inhaling these asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma and lung cancers as well as other non-cancerous diseases, like asbestosis—a deadly hardening of the lungs.

Exposures occur when the asbestos is disturbed or damaged—it is safe when the material is intact. And disturbances can be human-caused—like breaking a ceiling or floor tile that has asbestos in it—or they can happen naturally over time with gradual degradation and crumbling. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) now recognizes that there is no safe exposure threshold to inhalable asbestos fibres, urging countries to impose extremely low control limits to minimize the risks, or avoid using asbestos at all.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, eventually set out to ban the sale and production of asbestos in 2016, with the ban coming into effect in 2018, seeking to end the country’s relationship with the deadly mineral—which at one point saw the major political parties, leading academics at universities (including McGill University) and even the trade union representing the asbestos miners, all supporting the asbestos lobby.  

Today, however, the deadly legacy of asbestos in Canada lingers. 

Asbestos is Canada’s number one workplace killer

Official compensation statistics—while scattered by province—confirm that asbestos is still Canada’s number one workplace killer. 

In British Columbia, asbestos-related deaths in 2022 amounted to a third of all workplace deaths, while in Quebec, asbestos-related diseases were responsible for 124 deaths in 2022. But many researchers and lawyers believe these figures underestimate the true burden. 

The most recent comprehensive national study in 2019 estimated that asbestos-caused cancers are responsible for around 2400 cases each year, accounting for 81 per cent of mesotheliomas and 8 per cent of all lung cancer cases. 

According to Cheryl Peters, a senior scientist at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and one of the study’s authors, the percentages should still hold as estimates since they were based on decades of empirical analysis. Using the latest data from 2022 puts the current estimates upward of 2,800 new cases a year. 

Most victims will be in their 60s and 70s—exposed while working decades ago. But as Miskin and others are witnessing, an increasing number of workers 50 and younger are falling victim, and from non-construction-based industries—the likes of teachers and bank workers.

Lung cancer and mesothelioma make up the highest number of cases. The other types included in the study were laryngeal and ovarian cancers, which account for a smaller number.

Both lung cancer and mesothelioma normally take decades to develop. Most victims eventually go to the doctor with mild symptoms—say, a cough or shortness of breath. The doctor will tell them that they may only have a year to live. 

Chemotherapy and immunotherapies can delay the spread. But the survival rates are among the lowest of all cancers. Just 7 per cent of mesothelioma victims will live past five years.

Normally the impact on victims and their families is devastating—many anti-asbestos campaigners had their interest ignited by a family member or friend falling ill. 

The government of Canada’s current strategy maintains the federal ban on the production, sale, and import of asbestos, Health Canada confirmed to the The Tribune. 

The strategy also includes increasing awareness about the health risks and continuing expanding the online list of government buildings with asbestos in them. There is no mention of a systematic plan to remove it from public buildings. 

A spokesperson for Health Canada said, “while risks related to asbestos-containing products that are already in use or installed, such as in existing buildings, are managed by existing federal, provincial, and municipal rules and regulations, Health Canada and the federal government has made efforts to raise awareness among Canadians about to the dangers of asbestos [citing Canada help pages].”

Regulations and standards are made more complex in Canada than other countries such as the United Kingdom because of the interplay between municipal, provincial, and federal jurisdictions. 

The gradual phasing out of products in homes across the 1980s came from all strands of government, and ended in a federal ban in 1990.

The 2018 federal regulation is the latest major ban—coming over two decades after European counterparts. But the ban includes exemptions for industries, such as for military and nuclear industries, which anti-asbestos campaigners advocated against. 

Kathleen Ruff, one of the leading human rights advocates involved with the fight against the asbestos lobby, said at the time, “they seem to have, if anything, weakened their proposed regulations and succumbed to lobbying by vested interests.”

Also exempt was the chlor-alkali industry, which produces chlorine. Asbestos had historically been used in the production of chlorine in the ‘diaphragms’ that separate the two compartments of an electrolytic cell. The diaphragm prevents sodium hydroxide from reacting with chlorine. The chlor-alkali industry is exempt from the ban until the end of 2029.

Canada’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (ECCC) justified the exemptions to The Tribune, saying, “Exclusions to the regulations were only considered in exceptional circumstances, taking into account socio-economic factors, the demonstrated absence of suitable alternatives, and with the consideration of health risks.

“For the exclusion related to a chlor-alkali facility, the exemption applied to the use of asbestos in diaphragms […] This time-limited exclusion was provided to allow the facility sufficient time to develop and test non-asbestos alternative technologies and safely implement necessary adjustments.” 

Alternatives in the chlor-alkali industry are already in use internationally. According to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than half of the chlor-alkali corporations using asbestos diaphragms in the U.S. have already transitioned to alternatives. 

Olin Corporation, one of the last three American chlorine companies using asbestos diaphragms—also with factories in Canada—stated in April that they now support an asbestos ban in the industry. 

Health Canada commented on the matter to The Tribune saying, “we are actively monitoring the development of alternatives and may accelerate the phase out exemptions if circumstances permit.”

Provincial governments play a larger role setting and enforcing workplace guidelines, but campaigners have called them to move faster on these issues. It was only last year that Quebec lowered its exposure limit for airborne fibres from 1 fibre/mL to 0.1, following the recommendations of an independent commission in 2020 from the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE). 

The new airborne standard in Quebec aligns the province with Canada’s Labour Code limit, but questions remain about whether it will be observed. Gabriel Levesque with the Asbestos Victims Association of Quebec (AVAQ) told  The Tribune that workplace regulation in construction industries is already difficult to enforce. 

“Does it actually matter for the construction workers [if there is new regulation],” Levesque asked. “Most of the time, it’s not even 1 [fibre/mL], it’s even higher than that.” 

Construction studies undertaken by Quebec in the late 2000s showed that factories often exceeded asbestos standards, posing deadly threats to workers. And to this day, the sentiment amongst campaigners The Tribune has spoken with is that rules are unlikely to be observed. 

Other provinces have become more proactive. British Columbia in June announced asbestos removal contractors will have an official government licence by the end of the year—making it the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so, according to WorkSafe BC. But most provinces’ regulations are still hazy—including for private homes. 

The BAPE report stated that in 2020, the City of Westmount in Quebec, one of the more affluent neighbourhoods, was the only municipality of over 1200 in Quebec to have asbestos home renovation regulations. 

Data from Statistics Canada shows, however, that there are still some 1.4 million homes in Quebec built before 1990, which may have asbestos products in them. 

And despite efforts made by the federal government to increase awareness, according to researchers and campaigners The Tribune has spoken to, awareness amongst the general public still remains low—with mostly former construction workers aware of the risks. But when citizens do identify an asbestos problem, there is often confusion around what to do next—and whose responsibility it is. 

Levesque from AVAQ said that one of the members in the victims association went around in circles with municipal, provincial, and federal authorities after they discovered there was exposed asbestos following a renovation. 

“She contacted the municipality […] got a response saying ‘it’s not in our jurisdiction […] contact the Institut national de santé public du Quebec’[…] They said it’s the Quebec Ministry of Health. The Quebec ministry then said ‘no, it’s not our responsibility. It’s the city’s responsibility’ […] They went like this for like, two months […] We never got a response.”

Workers are the ones who pay the ultimate price

Since the provincial and federal action over the last five years, unions across Canada continue to hear member’s concerns—from construction and non-construction industries. 

Those exposed can usually file a claim against some combination of their employer, the asbestos product manufacturer or their provincial worker’s compensation board. 

But as the exposures likely occurred some decades ago, victims—who may have already been served a death sentence—face an uphill battle proving liability. Statute laws also mean there is normally a time limit of around two to three years, depending on the province, to file a claim—or victims wait until they have passed, and leave it to their families to take up the claim. 

“I barely remember what I had for breakfast. It’s difficult to remember what type of pipe insulation you were using 40 years ago,” Miskin said.

The asbestos companies that are liable sought to protect themselves by filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy in the 80s and 90s—setting up trust funds to pay out victims. The majority of these companies remain in business today. 

Other workers (that did not want to be named) who have not fallen ill yet but believe they have been exposed have also expressed difficulty speaking out to their employer. 

“We have double standards [with workers], we don’t treat the lives of workers as being as valuable as others. And so we just don’t take action,” Ruff said.  

Across the world, WHO still estimates asbestos to be the world’s biggest workplace killer. And friends of Canada are moving to reduce asbestos exposures more drastically. The European Union announced in June they would lower the airborne regulation further to 0.01 fibre/ml, while countries like Poland have implemented a strategy of removing asbestos from public buildings. 

“I think we need more openness [in Canada] and more attention on this, so that people are aware of the dangers,” Ruff said. “We still need better standards, and you don’t need masses and masses of people to speak up and stand up for protecting human life […] but you need a certain number.” 

Off the Board, Opinion

Hearing queers through new ears

by Matthew Molinaro on

More in Off the Board:

I was not a podcast person until the world came to a halt. But upon frenzied shutdowns, curfews, and public health measures, I turned to the auditory for its unique pleasures. Walking in my suburban Ontarian neighbourhood, I could tune in to the experiences I had not grasped as an overinvolved high schooler. Bustling city life, chaotic and ephemeral relationships, underground arts communities surfaced quietly while my choices remained anonymous. Unsurveilled, I got to visualize, create, and live a new world. These are not podcasts to pass on.

The privacy of consuming a podcast is its greatest strength. Dance, theatre, and performance art rely on an audience, visual art and photography depend on the presence of the beholder and her object, and in its specific demands for time and space, reading enacts an eventful display. Any fellow reader miffed by the question, “What are you reading?” will understand. The contents of my listening lie solely between my phone and myself, with my headphones mediating. Within this intimate relationship of technology and self comes a reckoning. Will these private forms enter public life? If they should, whose interests will they actually serve? The margins do not need to cater to the centre. 

In the outskirts of Toronto, where sidewalks meet driveways that sprawl onto single-family homes, where social liberalism and fiscal conservatism emerge as rapt dance partners, where whiteness and heteronormativity more easily tangle, multiply, and destroy other life-worlds, this form of unspectacular consumption would rehearse a freer future. I feel nostalgic for the lives I have not yet lived.

These walks became an escape. At most, four hours a day—but never under one and a half and always audibly accompanied. I eagerly await the opportunity to leave the house. My feet soften on the synthetic terrain, floating above over-manicured lawns, toxins ravaging each other to appear green. The knots in my back come undone, the crick in my neck dissipates, my head unclouds itself from the fear, the hate, and the force that is now a distant memory. Quiet as it is kept, an episode ends and I queue up what is to follow. I hear queers of colour chatting about sex and culture, gossiping about the show’s producer; radical feminists talking about surviving red states, affirming why they choose to fight; Black queer and trans people discussing HIV-AIDS, the lived “rainbow,” and the imperative of love in South Africa. Passing a pedestrian who does not hear the lewd joke a host has made, a bitchy remark from a guest, a cutting quip from a caller, I relish the freedom to chortle innocently. In their eyes, I might be listening to a darkly-funny true-crime podcast or on a call with an up-and-coming friend in standup. In a way they might be right. This allows my days to pass.

The walk to campus does not take long enough for me to properly listen. The rush and unsettled horizon of university keeps my brain otherwise occupied. There are texts to read, essays to write, and events to attend. These times develop as ones in which disclosures happen and confessions occur as brief words uttered aloud in the cold, where the orange sign of a 24-hour A&Wflickers, daring us to admit to one another, to pull each other closer. Private becomes public. Definitions hop off the page and into the atmosphere. I strive to dream, to inherit, and to practice what I have heard.

Some of my podcasts do not come back. The hosts have reintegrated themselves into community work, lost funding from the state and, needing to crowd-source, have disappeared from the apps. They give us what we need, and they deserve to recharge. I cannot say how much they have provided me. Their hope may be found in my bones. Relistening now allows me to reclaim what we have lost. I am overjoyed, I am breathing unburdened, and this time, if you do not mind, I will keep this experience to myself.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

SAG-AFTRA is negotiating for the future of the entertainment industry

by Adrienne Roy on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

On July 13th, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) voted to strike after unsuccessful contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The next day, SAG-AFTRA joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on picket lines across the United States, marking their first joint protest since 1960. 

The AMPTP represents multi-billion-dollar production studios such as HBO, Disney, Netflix, Sony, Amazon, and Apple. Despite these companies’ overwhelming wealth, a staggering 87 per cent of SAG-AFTRA members earn under $26,470, making them unable to qualify for union health insurance. Meanwhile, Disney CEO Bob Iger dismissed SAG-AFTRA’s demands as “unrealistic”—a deeply ironic statement from a man who makes $31 million annually. These workers’ rights issues are not isolated to the entertainment industry, further justifying the broader need for this strike.

SAG-AFTRA is fighting for fair compensation in the era of streaming platforms and, now, artificial intelligence (AI). Out of SAG-AFTRA’s 86 proposals, key demands include increases in general wages, updated employer contributions to health and retirement plans, and better residual payments. The AMPTP’s inadequate counter-offers revealed more-than-mild disagreements on those core subjects. SAG-AFTRA seeks higher wages because their previous contract with the AMPTP failed to support actors through high inflation. The union also claims that the AMPTP’s response toward raising employer contribution caps for health and pension plans—which haven’t changed in 40 years—was “insufficient.” 

Unsurprisingly, the growing threat of AI exacerbates these issues. If left unregulated, AI will quickly jeopardize the livelihoods of all actors. Background actors in particular face an immediate risk because their digital likeness would eliminate the need for studios to hire extras by using and reusing the actors’ image on other projects. 

Other than regular salary shortcomings, actors and writers are fighting to change how studios disburse residual paychecks. Residuals were determined by a formula—which writers and actors established the first time they struck together—and reflect the number of times a production is played and replayed on a cable network or sold as a DVD copy. Streaming services operate very differently, and top media executives have capitalized on these discrepancies for over a decade. Consequently, residuals have decreased dramatically, going from tens of thousands of dollars to cents. 

Recently, the story of Alex O’Keefe, a writer for The Bear, went viral because he could not afford to buy the suit in which he accepted his WGA Award for Best Comedy Series—and such occurrences affect actors, as well. Recurring cast members of Orange Is The New Black—a show credited for Netflix’s ascendancy in TV and film—said they were paid the union minimum and kept their day jobs while working on the multi-award-winning series. If the artists behind critically acclaimed shows cannot make a living, then it’s not hard to envision the predicament of the myriad of artists working on smaller-scale, independent projects. Since the public has found these concerns to be valid, reasonable, and universal, support was strong in the strike’s early days. Now, as the writers’ strike approaches the five-month mark and the actors’ begin its second, the economic impact of this decision—albeit a necessary one—is becoming clearer. Other than 39 indie projects (which SAG-AFTRA authorized as they are being produced by non-struck companies),commercials, and reality television shows, union members cannot partake in any on or off-screen work, auditions, or promotional activities. So, much of the entertainment industry is on hold for the foreseeable future. It’s understandably difficult to imagine the world’s most beloved A-list actors struggling to make ends meet after months of unemployment, and for good reason: They aren’t. For too long, production studios have exploited working-class actors to make their already rich executives even richer. In an unprecedented time, these artists have the upper hand. And it’s the perfect occasion to support the 160,000 striking actors fighting for the future of performing arts.

Editorial, Opinion

Protect our Floor Fellows, or lose them

by The Tribune Editorial Board on

More in Editorial:

McGill employees will once again bear the brunt of poor administrative choices. AMUSE (Association of McGill University Support Employees) has been fighting for better living conditions and wages for residence Floor Fellows, but they now have to make yet another sacrifice: Their living space. 

In March 2023, the McGill administration decided that Floor Fellows’ living space will be decreased in every residence except Solin Hall—they will no longer be housed in the more spacious rooms of the university’s dormitory residences as was customary. In Carrefour Sherbrooke and La Citadelle, the change will simply be a reduction of personal space. According to AMUSE, in Upper Residence (Molson Hall, McConnell Hall, and Gardner Hall), Douglas Hall, and Royal Victoria College (RVC), the Floor Fellow suites—typically including a private kitchenette and bathroom—have either been partitioned and renovated into two single bedrooms, or kept intact and rented to first-year non-employee residents, while Floor Fellows have been moved into the smallest single bedrooms available. Additionally, in Upper, Douglas Hall, and RVC, Floor Fellows will be sharing the communal washrooms with the first year students they supervise, a significant imposition on  the daily-life of both students and Floor Fellows living in McGill’s residences. 

The university justified their decision citing an increasing number of applicants for student housing. In response to this decision, AMUSE filed  a grievance against McGill, stating that this decision violates articles 1.01, 4.02, 5.01, 5.02, 12.01 and 12.07, non-inclusively, of the Floor Fellow collective agreement.

Floor Fellows are an essential aspect of residence life, as their job directly contributes to the experience and success of first-year students. When the barrier between their working environment and living space is broken, Floor Fellows are left with an extremely challenging student job. The assigned shifts do not account for the intimate, informal, and essential work Floor Fellows do, when living amongst students inevitably demands constant awareness to unpredictable situations and the pressures of uncompensated emotional labour. With McGill putting profits over people, conditions for everyone in student residences worsen. By eliminating the distinct privacy that comes with the traditional Floor Fellow spaces, first-year students and Floor Fellows both lose their autonomy, with the former having to share a common space with an older figure of authority and the latter mediating between being an authority figure in shared spaces and accessing personal time. 

It should be obvious to the McGill administration that diminishing the living conditions of Floor Fellows will inevitably impede on the quality of their work, both in their ability to provide for first-years and to be strong students in their own studies. Although McGill fairly asserts that students need places to live on campus, it must not be done at the expense of Floor Fellows. 

Floor Fellows do the hard work of helping students navigate through their first year, compensating for the poor mental health services that McGill provides; thus, neglecting and suppressing workers’ rights only adds to an endless cycle of abuse. McGill’s fraught relationship to unions will only be overcome with serious organization and consolidation of students, staff, and professors to speak out and use their collective power to hold the administration accountable.  

Given the housing and affordability crisis in Montreal, there need to be more institutional and collaborative solutions from students, activists, and the McGill administration responding to what the community needs. If McGill is unable to meet the housing needs of first-year students while providing safe and private housing for Floor Fellows and students alike, they must be more transparent with incoming students and resolve the false idea that residence can be provided for all. Appropriate living—and thus working—conditions are necessary to ensure the supposedly high-quality service in residences which McGill currently claims to offer. If the university wants to continue to offer first-years a fulfilling living experience so they thrive in residence, it must put Floor Fellows first. 

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

‘The Loveliest Time’: A musical journey, or an excuse for more?

by Ava Ellis on

More in Album Reviews:

In the dynamic realm of pop music, artists consistently seek innovative ways to captivate their audiences while pushing the boundaries of their creativity. Carly Rae Jepsen (CRJ) is no exception. Since she shocked the world in 2012 with Call Me Maybe, she has gone on to release multiple pop anthems including “I Really Like You” and “Run Away With Me”. After the releases of B-sides to her albums Emotion and Dedicated, her July 28th companion album to 2022’s The Loneliest Time wasn’t a surprise. While both albums undoubtedly showcase musical prowess, a vital question arises for her listeners: Does The Loveliest Time maintain a coherent narrative or primarily serve as a vessel for unused songs?

Companion albums, a trend seen across the industry, can be both a boon and a bane for artists. Artists such as CRJ possess a surplus of songs that might not harmonize seamlessly within a single record, mirroring Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Evermore. This dual-release strategy may either enhance or, as exemplified by The Loveliest Time, contrast with the original story; But, this might just reveal a ploy to sell more music rather than create aesthetic harmony. 

Released during one of the first “normal” summers during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Loneliest Time provided an opportunity to reflect on the preceding two years while conveying hope for the future. The titular track, a collaboration with Canadian icon Rufus Wainwright, sees CRJ yearning to reconnect with an old flame, expressed through a disco-infused melody that masks underlying sorrow. This motif persists across the album—buoyant music overshadowing lyrics tinged with sadness. While certain tracks like “Western Wind” and “So Nice” bolster the album, weaker entries like “Beach House” detract from its overall strength; the latter is shockingly corny for a CRJ song. “Go Find Yourself Or Whatever,” toward the album’s close, evokes a sense of post-party introspection, effectively embodying the album’s claim as her loneliest.

In contrast, The Loveliest Time struggles to differentiate itself from its predecessor despite its alleged mood change. While CRJ clearly has an extensive musical repertoire, this album comes across as an outlet for unreleased tracks from the original. Evaluated in isolation, the album could merit a higher rating, yet it falters when you try to find the link to its companion. Unsurprisingly, listening to The Loneliest Time is now more confusing with the newly released B-sides. I have a hard time remembering which songs are on which album, as they have such similar sounds. Even the album covers, although each is stunning, do not give us a hint about the music inside. 

Double releases pose a significant risk. A successful outcome requires the second release to oppose or complement the original. Regrettably, these albums do not fall into that category—the second release muddies the narrative the first creates. The adjective change in the title makes the listener expect something different. The anticipation of a distinction of mood and atmosphere in the second sets the listener up for disappointment when the albums are so similar in their sound. 

The Loveliest Time begins on a boom with “Anything To Be With You”, altering the vibe set by its predecessor. With a funky drum shot and an instant rhythm, I thought I was in for an entirely different aesthetic. However, subsequent tracks struggled to find their footing until “Psychedelic Switch”, a standout on the album. These songs are stronger when divorced from The Loneliest Time. Nonetheless, the overlap between the albums makes it challenging to attribute specific songs to either.

The current trend of companion albums underscores the intricate balance between artistic evolution and thematic coherence. As music’s landscape evolves, the takeaway from this dual-release experience is clear: The Loveliest Time struggles to establish its own identity separate from The Loneliest Time. The risk of blurring the lines between CRJ’s two releases underscores the necessity for thoughtful curation and seamless thematic progression. 


Carly Rae Jepsen’s album The Loveliest Time is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music as well as all other music platforms.

Men's Varsity, Soccer, Sports

Redbirds soccer takes home win in first Pride game

by Julie Ferreyra on

More in Men's Varsity:

After losing their RSEQ season opener to the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes (1–1–0) on Aug. 30, the Redbirds faced off against the Concordia Stingers (0–1–1) in their second home game of the regular season. In a physical match-up that left the Redbirds short-handed for most of the game, the Redbirds (1–1–0) took home their first win of the season. Sunday’s match also marked the Redbirds’ Pride game, with both coaching staff and most players wearing rainbow armbands.

“It’s important to raise awareness among our spectators and players too,” assistant coach Pierre Lepage told The Tribune. “I know that our players received a seminar on the matter during the preseason. You shouldn’t be discriminated against because of your sexual orientation, your skin colour, your religion. This is a message we’re trying to reinforce, to become a more tolerant community that accepts differences.”*

The game opened on a sweltering 28 degree afternoon, with stands filled up by spectators, eager for the match to get underway. As the sun beat down on the Redbirds throughout the first half, the Stingers mounted a strong offense, and despite McGill’s best defensive efforts, buried the ball past goalkeeper Ludovyck Ciociola for a 1-0 lead. 

The pressure from a rowdy crowd and heat started to affect the gameplay, with players getting more and more brusque as the game went on. Although there was rough play from both teams, midfielder Emilio Rossi-Levin landed two yellow cards within one minute, resulting in his ejection from the game and leaving the Redbirds short-handed for the remainder of the match. 

“It wasn’t an easy game, because you’re ten men against eleven [for almost the whole game], and keeping the ball is difficult,” third-year defender Martin Baudelet told The Tribune. “The game was very choppy, [having us] running away, running down the wing […] and for the other shifting from left to right. Obviously, it was very tiring.”

As the first half came to a close, forward Mathis Cyr equalized the score with a corner kick and the Redbirds headed into the second half in a 1-1 tie.

The second half saw more successful action from the Redbirds, with no less physicality. First-year midfielder Nassim Kemel pierced through the Stingers goalkeeper, to give McGill a 2-1 lead early in the second half. 

As the action continued, Ciociola faced several scoring attempts from the Stingers, before being taken out due to an injury sustained while making a save. However, Ciociola’s injury opened the door for goalkeeper Christopher Cinelli-Faia to enter the game.

As the Redbirds settled back in with their new keeper in net, first-year forward Yoan Simard buried another goal to make it 3-1. However, in the last few moments of the game, a Concordia shot hit a McGill player, going into the back of the net for a 3-2 final score. 

*This interview was translated from French by the author.

Moment of the game: Following a breakthrough toward the Stingers’ net, unfortunately thwarted by Concordia’s defense, third-year defender Baudelet sustained an injury. He was ultimately able to continue the game after receiving medical attention.

Quotable: “It’s McGill against Concordia; it’s a hard game. It wasn’t a beautiful game. But it’s very, very, very pleasing to get this win.”

– Third-year defender Martin Baudelet on the importance of beating Concordia
Stat Corner: The match featured 14 penalty cards, including one against the McGill team as a whole and one red card, 21 fouls, 13 attempted shots, five goals and 13 corner kicks.

McGill, News

McGill TAs allege $1 million in wage theft by the university

by Ghazal Azizi on

More in McGill:

As McGill students returned to campus for the first day of classes on the morning of Aug. 30, they were greeted by food trucks and music on McTavish Street as part of the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM)’s rally for better contracts. AGSEM, the union representing teaching assistants (TAs) and invigilators at McGill’s downtown and Macdonald campuses, has been in pre-negotiation talks with the university since July 2023, when their collective agreement (CA) expired. AGSEM alleges that McGill steals $1 million in TA wages annually by exploiting the assistants’ labour and making them work beyond their contracted hours. As the pair await a bargaining date, the union has launched the No More Free Hours campaign to combat and raise awareness about the administration’s alleged wage theft.

The campaign encourages TAs to track every hour they spend on work, from writing emails to reading course material, and to withhold labour as soon as their contract hours have been exhausted. Faculty and students who are not TAs have been asked to show solidarity by signing an open letter that calls on the university to stop the exploitation of TAs. 

Kiersten van Vliet, AGSEM’s Mobilization Officer and a Musicology Ph.D. candidate, has been working as a TA since 2017. They explained that the $1 million in wage theft figure was calculated from a 2017 survey in which 48 per cent of TAs reported working thirteen hours over their contract, leading to an average of $430 of unpaid labour per person each term. Additionally, the same 2017 membership survey found that more than a third of TAs forgo medical services—such as dental or optical check-ups—due to lack of income. As AGSEM heads to the bargaining table this year, van Vliet says wages and healthcare are two of their top priorities.  

“Of course, wages are usually the bread and butter of every negotiation, but we really need to see an investment in healthcare,” van Vliet told The Tribune. “We need to supplement our graduate student healthcare. We’re also demanding a transgender healthcare fund for gender-affirming care because many procedures or treatments are not covered under provincial insurance.”

In addition to food trucks and music, the Aug. 30 rally featured interactive activities for passersby to learn more about the union and its new campaign. On a wooden banner, members of the community were invited to write what they would do with an extra $430 per term. Paying for groceries, rent, or therapy were among the repeated answers on the papers stapled to the board.  

Around noon, AGSEM hosted speakers such as rally organizer Emma McKay, Physics TA Nick Vieira, and student labour activist Alex Engler from the Concordia Research and Education Workers’ Union (CREW). Philosophy professor Marguerite Deslauriers also took the stage to encourage the McGill community to acknowledge the value that TAs bring to the university’s quality of education. 

“[T]hose of us who have teaching assistants swan into the lecture hall oftentimes to leave scattered words of wisdom and bog off, leaving the teaching assistants to actually engage with the students, make sure they understand it, read their work, which we mostly don’t do, give them […] guidance, encouragement, and feedback,” Deslauriers said. “It’s just very important work. It’s really the fundaments of teaching in the university—the work done by teaching assistants in conferences and then grading.”

The Tribune reached out to the university for a statement on AGSEM’s allegations of wage theft and its No More Free Hours campaign. In response, McGill Media Relations Officer Frédérique Mazerolle said “The TA collective agreement expired on July 31, 2023. McGill will not make any comments regarding upcoming discussions and will let the negotiation process run its course.”

News, SSMU

SSMU VP Finance Alice Fang resigns

by Jasjot Grewal on

More in News:

Alice Fang, who was elected Vice President (VP) Finance of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) last semester, left her executive position on Aug. 18. Fang handed in her formal resignation to the Board of Directors on Aug. 7, citing personal reasons unrelated to SSMU. The remaining executives have split the work of VP Finance as they await a by-election, which fills a single vacant position during a government term. 

Under Section 10.8 of the SSMU Constitution, an executive whose term ends due to resignation may either be replaced through a by-election called by remaining executives or their position can remain vacant and their responsibilities can be delegated. Additionally, Section 1.8 of the SSMU Internal Regulations of Elections and Referenda states that to fill a vacant position, “the Legislative Council may call a by-election, fill the vacancy by appointment, or delegate the responsibilities to a sitting representative.” 

The Tribune talked to Amelia Whitcomb, VP Finance of the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS), to discuss the responsibilities of a VP Finance. While SUS operations are smaller-scale than SSMU’s, there are similarities among the executives’ roles. Whitcomb shared that as a VP Finance, she takes care of the legal responsibilities of the society, as well as ensuring that all departments and initiatives under SUS have the financial resources they need. 

“I do a lot of work with reimbursements [and] paying invoices. Especially with Frosh just finishing up, I just paid all the people who were involved with that,” Whitcomb said in an interview with The Tribune. “Basically, it’s just making sure that the right people get their money at the right time.” 

Whitcomb also explained that the day-to-day responsibilities of the VP Finance can be handled by remaining staff in the short-term while an election is yet to be held. 

“It’s feasible for the finance staff and for other executives to handle [day-to-day operations], especially because they all have really relevant experience within SSMU already,” Whitcomb said. “In the long-term, waiting for a by-election for a month or so, I think that’ll be fine. My only concern would be if they don’t fill the position for six months or a year.” 

Antonina Nikolaev, VP Finance of the History Students’ Association and President of the McGill Polish Students’ Association, shared a similar sentiment that student clubs and associations should not be greatly affected in the interim. 

“In terms of departmental associations, I don’t think it will affect us as we deal with faculty-specific student unions for our funding,” Nikolaev said. “For our clubs, I think we’ll be okay as long the VP Student Life and club finance coordinator can help us when we set our yearly budget.”

SSMU President Alexandre Ashkir plans to present a motion for a by-election at the first Legislative Council meeting of the school year, on Sept. 11. The motion will include a schedule outlining the desired timeline to fill the position. As the date approaches, Ashkir shared in a written statement to The Tribune that SSMU executives have distributed Fang’s responsibilities—including overseeing club funding and health and dental insurance—to ensure that students continue to have their needs met. 

“While it is extra work on the already very heavy executive workload, we have managed to spread tasks in a manner that allows SSMU to run unhindered and that in the short term won’t be too detrimental to our other responsibilities,” Ashkir wrote. “This distribution is temporary and once a new VP Finance is elected, they will be returned to them gradually to ensure there [are] no interruptions of service on the student end.” 

Alice Fang could not be reached for a comment.

McGill, News, PGSS, SSMU

Governance 101

by Lily Cason on

More in McGill:

McGill’s governance structures can seem opaque and difficult to navigate. The Tribune broke down the organizations that represent the student body and how they are governed, as well as how the university’s governance apparatuses work.

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) 

SSMU is the students’ union that represents all undergraduates at McGill. The organization is funded by student fees and is responsible for advocating for undergraduate students, overseeing undergraduate student clubs, running Gerts Bar and Café, and providing services, resources, and events for its constituency. Seven executives—a President, a Vice-President (VP) Student Life, a VP of Internal Affairs, a VP External Affairs, a VP Finance, a VP Operations and Sustainability, and a VP University Affairs—are elected to help run the society each academic year. Full- and part-time staff report to the SSMU executives and help carry out their offices’ work. Board of Directors meetings take place every second week and bring together four of the elected executives and eight appointed students who are responsible for administering the business affairs of the organization and supervising its management. Legislative Council meetings, which are also held bi-weekly, are made up of thirty councillors who make political decisions for the Society. General Assemblies (GAs) are held at least once a semester; if the quorum of 350 students is met, any member of SSMU is allowed to vote on the motions put forward.

The Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS)

PGSS is the students’ union that represents all post-graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at McGill. Like SSMU, PGSS is funded by student fees and responsible for advocating for the needs of its constituency, providing resources and support, hosting events, and operating Thomson House—a restaurant and bar exclusively for PGSS members and their guests. There are six elected executives: A Secretary-General, an External Affairs Officer, a Financial Affairs Officer, an Internal Affairs Officer, a Member Services Officer, and a University Affairs Officer. Monthly PGSS council meetings are held to help determine the long-term vision of the society, pass new policies, approve committee appointments, and serve as an accountability mechanism for the executive team. Departments are responsible for appointing individuals to represent them on the council. The Society also holds at least one General Meeting a semester, during which all members of PGSS are allowed to vote on motions put forward, provided the quorum of one per cent of the membership is met.

The McGill Association of Continuing Education Students (MACES)

MACES represents all Continuing Education Students, advocating on their behalf, providing resources such as academic support, and assisting members with networking. Like SSMU and PGSS, the association runs on student fees. A six-member executive team governs the organization, composed of a President, a VP Financial Affairs, a VP Social, a VP Communications, a VP Academic Affairs, and a Governor. The Board of Directors is elected by the constituency for a two-year term and meets weekly—unless the agenda indicates there is not enough to discuss. MACES holds a GA at least once a semester, and the Association’s By-Laws state that GAs have comparable legislative power to the Board of Directors. 

The Macdonald Campus Students’ Society (MCSS)

Macdonald Campus students are represented by MCSS, which oversees clubs, seeks to promote students’ welfare and interests through advocacy and support, and runs The Ceilidh—a bar and restaurant on Macdonald Campus. Like the other students’ societies, it also runs on constituent fees. The MCSS executive council is comprised of a President, VP Finance, VP Internal, VP University Affairs, VP Business Operations, VP Communications, and VP Equity and Sustainability. The MCSS Council, which is comprised of 18 core members, meets bi-weekly to review and pass policies. Open Student Society Meetings meet quorum when ten per cent of the Society’s membership vote on the presented items and are held at least once a semester.

The McGill Board of Governors (BoG)

The BoG is the highest governing body at McGill and has final say over the academic, business, and financial affairs of the University. The BoG is comprised of the Chancellor, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, twelve members-at-large, three representatives of the McGill Alumni Association, two representatives of the Senate, two representatives of the academic staff, two representatives of the administrative and support staff, one representative of SSMU, and one representative of PGSS. Both MACES and MCSS have non-voting observers appointed to the BoG. The Board meets two to three times a semester for three hours.

The McGill Senate 

The Senate is the highest democratic governing body of the University. Unlike the BoG, it has a focus on academics. Created to serve as a link between the McGill community and the BoG, it is comprised of 111 voting members and meets once a month to discuss questions and motions raised by members. Representatives from SSMU, PGSS, MACES, and MCSS serve on the Senate and advocate for students’ needs. Other members of the Senate include the Chancellor, the Chair of the Board of Governors, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, the Deans of Faculties, professors and instructors from across the university, and members of the administrative and support staff, among others. 

1 … 193 194 195 196 197 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue