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Commentary, Opinion

Without race-based data, racial inequities in youth protection persist

by Camila Sierra Ordóñez on

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In November 2025, the McGill School of Social Work published a study examining racial disparities in child welfare interventions across Canada, finding that Black children were investigated for maltreatment at 2.27 times the rate of white children. When researchers matched cases with similar clinical and socioeconomic profiles, out-of-home placement rates were twice as high for Black children as for their white counterparts. 

Existing data has posited that the overrepresentation of Black families in child welfare interventions reflects structural inequalities. Researchers note that poverty and its associated factors are the primary drivers of out-of-home placement, and with Black Canadians experiencing disproportionately high rates of poverty, they argue that racial disparities in interventions merely reflect the impact of systemic racism on socioeconomic status. However, these disparities cannot be explained by poverty alone. 

Child welfare practices have systematically targeted Black families through biased decision-making, over-policing, and heightened surveillance of Black families. Existing risk assessment tools have failed to account for differences in parenting styles between families, revealing a profound racial bias embedded within national child protection systems. Yet, these findings do not include Quebec, as the province does not collect or publicly release comparable race-based data on child welfare practices.

Quebec’s failure to make race-based data publicly available limits the province’s ability to identify and respond to potential disparities in its youth protection system. Without race-based data, the youth protection system is shielded from accountability, dangerously obscuring the racial inequities faced by Black children and their families. 

In the context of a system that holds the power to separate families and inflict lasting trauma, race-based data is crucial to understanding the over-policing of Black families within our province’s youth protection systems. Quebec’s failure to collect accessible, race-based child welfare data has slowed down that initiative, forcing professionals and scholars to rely solely on data collected at the national level, namely, the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS). This negligence creates a significant and alarming information gap. The absence of disaggregated data on racialized communities makes it impossible to accurately assess how racial bias impacts the overrepresentation of Black youth in the Canadian child welfare system.

This is not the first time Quebec has demonstrated inconsistency in addressing race-based issues and youth protection. In 2021, the Quebec government conducted an evaluation of child welfare systems across the province, with its final report revealing that Black children account for approximately 30 per cent of children in the youth protection system, despite only representing 15 per cent of the population. The report emphasized that this statistical phenomenon could be attributed to social workers’ biases, calling upon the government to address racism within the system. However, years after the report was issued, most of its recommendations remained incomplete or inconsistently applied. Of the report’s 65 recommendations, the Commission spéciale sur les droits des enfants et la protection de la jeunesse found that only one has been fully implemented. 

Addressing how over-policing shapes youth protection interventions involving Black families requires more than collecting and releasing disaggregated child welfare data. It also requires the acknowledgment of systemic racism in youth protection and responses through concrete reforms. These measures may include meaningful partnerships and collaborations with community organizations to better understand the lived experiences of the targeted families, instituting anti-bias training for social workers, and implementing the recommendations from expert committees such as Quebec’s Commission spéciale.

Until Quebec fully confronts systemic racism as a central driver of Black children’s overrepresentation in the youth protection system and starts collecting and disaggregating data at the provincial level, it cannot credibly claim a commitment to addressing structural racial inequities. Meaningful action must be informed by transparent data and guided by the experiences of the communities most affected.

Montreal, News

MAW hosts roundtable discussing Bill 94’s violation of human rights

by Devdas Hind on

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On Jan. 27, Muslim Awareness Week (MAW) hosted a roundtable on the dangers to civil liberties that Bill 94—passed in October 2025—would bring. 

Quebec lawmakers allege that Bill 94 is intended to reinforce secularism in the Quebec education system and bring several legislative reforms. The bill requires any worker providing services to students, as well as students themselves, to keep their faces uncovered within public or private institutions, and to refrain from wearing any visible religious symbols. This restriction does not apply to coverings worn for medical reasons or by people with disabilities.

The author of the bill, former education minister for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Bernard Drainville, argues that these measures are meant to promote Quebecois and democratic values such as gender equality and a secular state.

The roundtable convened at the Centre communautaire de loisir de la Côte-des-neiges and was composed of three panellists: Ligue des droits et libertés Coordinator Laurence Guénette, Professor of Law at the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) Ndeye Dieynaba Ndiaye, and UQÀM Political Science Master’s student Nour Amjahdi. The panel was overseen by MAW President and Co-Founder Samira Laouni. 

Laouni began by acknowledging the ninth anniversary of the Jan. 29 mass shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, emphasizing the importance of fighting Islamophobia. She then introduced the main concern with Bill 94, noting that it excludes Muslim women from working in the public sector, given that many of them choose to wear hijabs for religious and cultural reasons. 

“While pushing the fundamental value of gender equality, [the government] is violating the right to work of certain women,” Laouni said. “How can gender equality be achieved without the financial independence of women?”

Laouni then passed the microphone to Guénette, who began with an assessment of the Quebec government’s actions since the Act respecting the laicity of the State (Bill 21) was passed in 2019. She noted that Bill 94 expands the restrictions of Bill 21, and adds to the existing violations of certain marginalized groups’ rights. 

“The religious neutrality of the state [is] meant to allow everyone to practice their religion freely without fear of compromising their convictions and with respect to the right to equality,” Guénette stated.

She continued by explaining that the CAQ adopted Bills 21 and 94 despite opposition from several feminist and human rights organizations. She also noted that the restrictions on face coverings in Bill 94 represented flagrant violations of both the Canadian and Quebec Charters of Rights and Freedoms. Guénette ended by warning that the CAQ’s use of the notwithstanding clause to override constitutional protections should worry everyone in society. 

Next, Amjahdi discussed how she was directly impacted by the ban on face coverings. After Bill 21 was passed, she could no longer teach music as she had intended. More recently, she lost her job leading a children’s choir because of Bill 94. 

“It was very violent,” Amjahdi said.  “I was quite lost and my life turned upside down. I felt that my identity was shaken. This law put an end to my musical identity.”

Amjahdi explained that, despite being a product of the Quebec francophone school system, she now questions her identity as a Quebecoise. She concluded by calling for allies of the Muslim community to join them in protesting these bills. 

Dieynaba Ndiaye, the fourth panellist, discussed the importance of speaking out against constitutional injustices.

“In certain societies [like Quebec], filing grievances has an important moral value. We must do it when rights are violated in Quebec,” Dieynaba Ndiaye affirmed. “We have the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse.”

According to Dieynaba Ndiaye, Bill 94, along with several other pieces of legislation, represents a rupture of this social contract. 

“It’s very important [to understand] that people come here with competencies, with experience,” Dieynaba Ndiaye said. “People choose Quebec just as Quebec chooses people.”

*All quotes were translated from French.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

 Club Spotlight: Black Students’ Network 

by Parisa Rasul on

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While struggle must be recognized, it should not—and does not—define a community. As Andalus Disparte, U3 Arts and Vice-President (VP) Political & Advocacy for McGill’s Black Students’ Network (BSN), said in an interview with The Tribune, “We want to strike a balance between […] educational events that focus on Black history […] but also highlighting Black joy. There’s a tendency during Black History Month for programming to focus a bit too much on Black struggle, but we are so much more than that.”

Members of BSN work tirelessly to provide and support a community for Black students on campus. Established in 1970 when there were only 15 Black students at McGill, BSN was the Black Students Association. In 1986, it became the Black Students’ Network. 

Since then, BSN has consistently mobilized and advocated for tangible change. 

“The BSN started the McGill South Africa committee, which […] was campaigning against the school’s financial ties to South Africa […] and in the end, McGill divested during the 80s,” Disparte explained. “Later, in 2020 […] the Take James Down movement was spearheaded by BSN and that was successful—the James McGill statue that used to be in front of the Arts Building is no longer there.” 

During Black History Month at McGill, BSN aims to support other Black student groups, run events and educate the broader McGill community. In an interview with //The Tribune//, Yousof Eldood, U1 Science and VP Operations & Comms for BSN, expanded on this. 

“My favourite event that we do is Black Talk with CKUT,” Eldood said. “There will also be a soul food [event] [….] where essentially there’ll just be some food from Black culture somewhere to kind of give people a taste, and to serve as a point for the Black community to congregate, talk, have a good time, and just enjoy themselves.”

Disparte also touched on some other events from BSN’s upcoming Black History Month calendar, which was released on their Instagram.

“There will be a book club […] we’re gonna be […] reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison [….] There’s a speaker event happening […] with multiple professors.” 

These events allow for important matters to be brought to the forefront, BSN President Orlane Donkpêgan Dopinos, U4 Arts, explained in an interview with The Tribune.

“Every single Black club on campus feels compelled to […] organize an event this particular month to talk about something that’s relevant to their own subcommunity.” Donkpêgan Dopinos said. “There’s a lot more attention on us and we take advantage of that as much as possible to discuss things that are specific to Black people.”

But while Black History Month creates a period of sustained visibility and acknowledgement, allyship is no less important outside of February. 

“I think that part of being a good ally outside of Black History Month is definitely realizing that there’s a tendency when we talk about racism, to reduce it solely to casual racism […] but really […] those things are institutionalized,” said Disparte. “It can be very valuable to call out your friends or if you see something happening and not […] requiring Black people only exclusively to use their voice.”

As of 2021, Black students made up 4.6 per cent of McGill’s student body. Despite Dopinos noticing an increase in Black students at McGill since 2021, she also recognizes the power in not accepting the statistical predisposition of being a minority, and instead bolstering opportunities to grow community ties.

“What’s more important is what you do with that community. How you guys rally up.” Donkpêgan Dopinos said. “How do you guys support each other? How do you guys make sure that your needs are being heard? How do you create spaces where you feel supported, where you feel valued academically, culturally, socially as well?”
To learn more about the BSN and their events, visit their Instagram page

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Opera McGill and McGill Symphony Orchestra present Britten’s harrowing tale

by Alexandra Lasser on

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Trigger warning: This piece contains mentions of sexual violence.

The famed red curtain rises on a scene of violence and destruction. Soldiers surround the shattered remains of a colossal statue as the opera’s narrators introduce the chaos of the present moment. On Jan. 30, Opera McGill and the McGill Symphony Orchestra premiered Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, directed by Patrick Hansen, to thunderous applause in the historic Monument-National. 

Set in ancient Rome, the story centres on the fiercely devoted love between Collatinus (Tristan Pritham, U3 Music), a Roman soldier sent away to fight, and Lucretia (MacKenzie Sechi, PG Artist Diploma in Performance), his loving wife who longs for his return. Her faithfulness inspires jealousy among the other soldiers, eventually spurring Tarquinius, the prince of Rome, to test her chastity and, in a horrifying act of sin, sexually assault her. 

The tale is narrated and commented on by the two figures of the Male Chorus (Fletcher Bryce-Davis, MMus 1), and the Female Chorus (AJ Gauger, MMus 2). Drawing on a tradition stemming from ancient Greek theatre, they are removed from the plot and embody the voice of morality sorely lacking from the tragedy.

As a chamber opera, the work allows for intimacy between the group of 11 characters and the chamber orchestra conducted by Stephen Hargreaves. The small ensemble conveys all of the dramaticism while highlighting the psychological aspects of the plot through focused attention on individual melodies. Strings and harp accompanied scenes of care and friendship in Lucretia’s home, while highly percussive instrumentation heightened the soldiers’ brutal bickering. The lighting design reinforces this contrast, illuminating domestic scenes in soft blue tones and casting the military ranks in stark red. When Tarquinius entered Lucretia’s home, Britten and the lighting broke down this contrast with percussive and nonmelodious writing framing a harshly lit home, elevating tension and marking the destructive nature of the act.

Portraying such a horrific tale on stage is a difficult task for anyone, but especially for a young cast of university students. Cast members Sechi and Pritham explained how they approached and portrayed the opera’s heavy content. 

“We definitely had several meetings about intimacy and about […] subject matter,” Pritham said in an interview with The Tribune. “Most of the rehearsals were actually closed, which is kind of rare for us.” 

While music students may watch other productions’ rehearsals, closed rehearsals for this opera allowed the cast to grow comfortable with one another and work through the scenes without added pressure. Sechi emphasized the importance of forming a sense of camaraderie before navigating the assault scene.

“We started with a really light-hearted approach so that we would be able to just laugh, […] because obviously it’s a really difficult scene to navigate,” Sechi said. “It was very lighthearted and fun so that we could find intimacy and connection in that way before moving into something so horrible.”

The fight between Lucretia and Tarquinius was violent and dramatic, culminating in the act of rape. The audience was blinded by a bright light placed centre stage behind the characters as Tarquinius undid his attire. This choice forced the audience to look away from the brutality, communicating the act without relying on gratuitous portrayals of violence. 

The aftermath of the crime focused largely on Lucretia’s psychological state rather than on plot-driven action. Revenge was not carried out, nor was anger expressed through battle. Instead, Sechi’s deep, lamenting voice shifted the typical emphasis on plot to her emotions. Britten’s choice to write Lucretia as an alto not only made her voice stand out against her soprano and mezzo entourage but also conveyed the depth of her grief.

The opera ends without offering a reason or justification for the chaos it depicts. The question, “Is this it all?” haunts the final scene through its endless repetition. The Romans and Choruses sing together in a beautifully stirring display of solidarity, yet none can find meaning in the painful injustice, forcing audience members to confront the horrors head-on. The delicate yet impactful presentation of this harrowing tale revealed the maturity and talent of the young performers, entrancing the audience through beauty and terror.

Prof Profiles, Science & Technology

Professor Myrna Lashley sheds light on the importance of studying Black Canadian youth’s mental health

by Malika Logossou on

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Black Canadians, on average, experience disproportionately poor health outcomes throughout their lives. While genetics may contribute to many chronic illnesses and mental health challenges, social and environmental determinants such as limited access to health care and anti-Black racism drive much of this disparity. This discrepancy is compounded by the legacy of colonialism and medical racism, which leaves Black communities underrepresented in mental health research.

To explore how these inequities affect youth mental health, The Tribune spoke with Myrna Lashley, an associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and adjunct researcher at the Culture and Mental Health Research Unit of the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research. 

While researching youth mental health, Lashley noticed that Black youth often carry a profound burden of intergenerational trauma relating to racism while also having to navigate structural racism, shaping how they see themselves.

“Structural racism is based on ideology,” Lashley said. “It’s in our laws, in the way we interact with each other, even in the way we teach religion, in the arts, and cultures, everything, and we have to be very conscious to set things so that Black youth see things that value them as citizens in the Canadian mosaic.” 

These systemic pressures also bleed into Black youth’s educational environments. Schools’ anti-violence policies often define violence as solely physical rather than emotional. This results in disciplinary action being taken only against students who respond physically to racial bullying, ignoring the harm caused by racist language. Teachers may also dismiss racist comments or fail to document incidents, leaving frustrated students to undermine their self-worth and sometimes reshape their perceptions of mental health practitioners.


“Anti-violence policy is used against that child, who responded to violence that they have been suffering all along, because violence is often seen only as a physical thing and not as an emotional thing,” Lashley explained. “When you are young, you tend to look at everybody almost the same. So how do you say to somebody, ‘Let’s go and get you some mental health remedies,’ when the person who is going to help you looks like the person that you are angry at?”

Lashley highlighted several persistent barriers in accessing mental health care in Canada for youth, stemming from systemic bias to a lack of culturally competent care and adequately trained professionals. 

“We don’t have enough people who understand the issues [.…] You still have people even to this day, who [incorrectly] think that Black people don’t feel pain to the same extent as white people,” Lashley explained. “There are barriers to care in terms of knowledge, there are barriers to care in terms of […] therapists taking racism into the therapy room with them. Have they done the reflection that’s necessary to look at their own privilege?”

In order to offer appropriate mental health resources to Black youth, professionals must recognize their privilege and understand how Black youths are affected by their lived experiences.

“How do you help someone when you already determined that they are genetically flawed as a group? […] You’ve made up your mind that they are aggressive […] You send that kid on the road to difficult mental health issues.”

These barriers often put the onus on Black youth to educate their caregivers or mental health practitioners about their lived experiences, which can discourage them from seeking care. The underrepresentation of Black service providers also leads to lower medical school enrolments within Black communities.

“We’re still in the process of trying to train people to understand not only the lived reality of Black people and therefore […] Black youth, but what effect this has on mental health,” Lashley said. “Because if you feel like you are going to see someone who doesn’t understand you, […] you are spending a bit of money in your first few sessions […] teaching people how to see you. We have to really make sure that when we train people who are working in mental health and are going to help others, that they have a better understanding [of this reality].”

Cultural stigma within Black communities adds another layer of difficulty. 

“[There is] stigma within the community, and how we deal with, as Black people, […] mental health, and mental illness. And we are ashamed to have it, so we tend often not to seek the care that’s necessary, and so our youth don’t do it, because we’re not encouraging them to do it.”

Lashley also emphasized how adults’ lack of access to mental health services can create familial and environmental issues that harm children. 

“People have to deal with racism in the workplace, and they don’t know how to confront it there, or they have to put food on the table, […] then they go home, and they take it out on the family. The kids get hit, or the partner gets hit, or the person starts to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs,” she said. 

With these factors in mind, Lashley shared how she sensitizes professionals and the public to Black mental health through her work.

“I talk with my colleagues, I try not to get angry […] If I’m angry, they don’t hear me [….] When I go to the court, this is what I do: I go to the judge, I give them a history of racism in Canada, not the United States [….] I will talk about it here,” she said.

This ignorance comes from many not knowing their history, placing the burdens of education, which stem from systemic factors, on Black communities themselves. 

“A lot of Canadians don’t know their history. And so, I approach it from that perspective and […] have them understand their history so they can understand why […] some Black people don’t trust them. We have to teach our kids that, so that they know how to protect themselves, not to hate you, but for them to protect themselves, and that’s something you don’t have to do with your kids [.…] I get them to address their privilege,” Lashley explained.

Medical and educational institutions also have a role to play in addressing systemic inequities, as they impact not only Black communities but also Indigenous, disabled, and other marginalized populations in various ways. This makes inclusion important in all spheres of life.

“It’s one thing to pull people in, but if you then end up putting people just like polka dots on the background of the hegemony of whiteness, what have you done?”

Looking ahead, Lashley’s work reinforces the need for more research and institutional inclusion to reflect the lived experiences of the studied communities rather than token representation.

“You have to look at the lived experience [….] If you go into a specific group, you have to create what it is you’re studying, the research, with that specific group,” she said. “We can no longer take a position of ‘I am the academic, I know everything, I am going to go and study, and then I am going to impose my results on you.’ That is very insulting. It’s inaccurate, it’s unethical, and it’s unhelpful.”

Overall, Lashley stressed the importance of doing inclusive research on mental health in Black youth. She teaches and spreads her expertise not to divide people, but rather to create an egalitarian society where all communities can access the mental health services they deserve without stigma.

“We’re not looking at what divides people [….] We want to know what the issues are. What is dividing people and using that information to pull everybody together [….] We want to create a world, a city, where everybody feels included, and everybody feels equal, and everybody is getting equity.”

Know Your Athlete, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Sonia Dunn

by Ivanna Zhang on

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The McGill Artistic Swimming Team delivered a flawless performance at the Eastern Divisional Meet at Queen’s University on Jan. 24, placing first in all six events and taking home the trophy.

That dominance was fueled by a standout performance from Sonia Dunn, U2 Science, who won gold in the solo, duet, and team routines. Scoring 204.1150 points in her solo routine, she made history as the first athlete to break the 200-point mark in the Canadian University Artistic Swimming League (CUASL) level.

In an interview with The Tribune, Dunn reflected on the moment she first fell in love with artistic swimming at just seven years old.

“One of my friends in elementary school had a sister who did artistic swimming, and she invited me to one of her shows,” Dunn shared. “I was supposed to be there [to play with my friend], but the moment I watched the first routine, I was completely transfixed. I remember thinking, ‘this is what I want to do.’” 

What started as a strong interest soon became a full-time pursuit. Dunn trained with the GO Capital Artistic Swimming Club in Ottawa for five years before reaching the national level at merely 12 years old.

“In high school, it was nearly 30 hours a week. Saturdays and Sundays could be up to six hours each day,” she said. “There would be days when we trained at one pool for two hours, then got in cars to drive to another pool and continued training there.”

Her experiences in the pool shaped not only her athletic career but also her decision about where to attend university. In 2015, Dunn’s coach, a synchronized swimmer for Carleton University, invited her to watch and volunteer at the Nationals of the Canadian University Synchronized Swim League, now known as CUASL. That year, McGill won their 12th title.

“That kind of always stuck with me in my head,” Dunn said. “Okay, McGill is number one.”

When she first arrived at McGill, Dunn took an unconventional path: Instead of joining the university team right away, she spent her U0 year with Montreal Synchro. With club eligibility extending to age 19 and two seasons lost to COVID, she wanted one last year competing at the club level.

“It was a hard decision, but I’m really glad I took that stepping stone. I familiarized myself with McGill as a school separately from McGill synchro,” Dunn explained. “It also helped me mature as a leader because I was the oldest on the team, and I never really experienced [leadership] to that extent.”

All the growth from her U0 year paid off. With the Eastern Divisional Meet coming earlier than last year, the team dove into fitness training right after winter break, moving quickly to swim full routines instead of breaking them into segments. Dunn believes the hard work yielded results at the competition.

“When I’m competing, my goal is always to win because that’s the standard I hold myself to. But synchro isn’t a sport where you’re just competing against one other team or person, it is a subjective sport judged objectively,” Dunn said. “Once I started competing, I realized my fitness was really there. As the events progressed throughout the day, the momentum from the crowd and the results kept building, and it just compounded in a really positive way.”

Dunn also credited her teammates and Head Coach Lindsay Duncan for fostering a supportive environment.

“Coach Duncan would come with a quote to motivate us. One of our key words was trust. We trust each other. We know this routine is hard, but I’m surrounded by nine other girls who are all going to push themselves hard, and I trust that they’re going to,” Dunn said.

While her focus remains on reaching new heights for herself and the team, Dunn is also looking ahead to the next chapter of her synchro journey.

“Once I’m done at McGill, I think it’s going to be a great way to close my chapter indefinitely,” Dunn explained. “I’ll need a little break from the sport to find myself outside of being an athlete, since so much of my identity is tied to it. But I know my path is going to lead back to synchro. It’s always been my first love.”

McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU LC discusses McGill identification policy, undergraduate AI use, and BoD reform

by Gregor McCall on

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On Jan. 29, the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Legislative Council (LC) convened to discuss a new motion proposed by SSMU President Dymetri Taylor. The motion seeks several amendments to the SSMU Constitution—the Society’s fundamental governing document, which outlines SSMU’s roles as the governing body of McGill undergraduates and serves as its legal by-law regarding its status as a non-profit corporation under the Quebec government. 

The meeting began with Executive and Councillor reports. During Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Susan Aloudat’s report, Science Councillor Benjamin Yu inquired into McGill’s proposed Identification Policy for Access to Properties Owned, Occupied, or Used by the University, which was presented to the McGill Senate on Jan. 14. 

Though Aloudat assured the LC that the Senate had serious concerns with the proposed policy—which would empower unspecified, authorized personnel to request anyone on university grounds to provide McGill or government-issued identification and remove facial coverings—she expressed her belief that the proposed policy would nonetheless pass the Senate and move to the Board of Directors (BoD). Still, she intimated that the policy would undergo reforms before its ultimate implementation. 

“I do think that [the Senate is] going to reimagine [the policy], especially for considerations like certain groups who will be experiencing [on-demand identification] disproportionately, who are on campus for perfectly legitimate and academic affairs,” Aloudat said. “[McGill should put] […] guardrails around when this policy will be used, so that it’s only applied and enacted in situations where security is a genuine threat or risk, and not a ‘perceived’ risk or arbitrarily interpreted risk.” 

Also during Aloudat’s report, Arts Councillor Delaney Cahill inquired into SSMU’s policy that grants undergraduates access to Grammarly, a writing-assistant software powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cahill stated that members of the Faculty of Arts professoriate are concerned that SSMU is providing undergraduates with access to AI tools that could be used to undermine academic integrity.

“Some of the [Faculty of Arts] teachers weren’t thrilled about [undergraduate access to Grammarly] and […] the SSMU prompting the students to use Grammarly and AI in general,” Cahill noted. “What is the SSMU doing to combat […] unethical AI use right now?”

While Aloudat stated that it was not her duty to police undergraduates’ use of AI, Taylor later clarified that the generative AI features in Grammarly are unavailable to undergraduates.

Taylor then presented the newly proposed motion, which seeks to amend the SSMU Constitution to, among other initiatives, further empower the LC, change specific terminology, combat the politicization of the BoD, and specify the roles and powers of Board and Executive Council members. 

One of the amendments would change the constitution’s nomenclature, replacing the current designation “Board of Directors” with the name “College of Directors.” Taylor explained that part of the rationale for this amendment is that “College of Directors” has a more positive connotation than its current name. 

“[The current designation] gives the impression that the Society is more of a corporation than a student society,” Taylor said. “That is the current way in which we are structured [….] We are both [a non-profit] company and a student society, […] but principally the change […] [from] ‘Board’ to ‘College,’ […] more or less presents an opportunity for the Board to be considered into a better light than how the Board has been viewed in previous times.”

Similarly, Taylor indicated that amendments to increase the LC’s oversight over the BoD and its subgroup, the Executive Council, were necessary in light of past political polarization within the Board. 

“[In the past] executives might tap [individuals] because they want to get people that are like-minded to them onto the Board,” Taylor said. “[It served as] a way for the executives […] to then be able to have their vision [of the BoD] be the one that goes forward without necessarily getting the broad perspective that you otherwise get in as a council.” 

Taylor mentioned how, rather than focusing on legal, financial, and operational duties,  the BoD has gradually and strategically begun to shape what SSMU achieves.

“With the board now and with the way it’s currently structured, for instance, for our job contracts, I’m overseeing the executives, which doesn’t make any sense at all,” Taylor said. “There can be interpersonal issues that arise [….] That’s what this [amendment] is trying to navigate, as well as to also ensure executive accountability.”

Ultimately, the motion was tabled. If passed by the LC and a student referendum, it would be implemented on May 4. 

Moment of the meeting:

Arts Senator Keith Baybayon and VP University Affairs Susan Aloudat discussed potential accommodations to address McGill’s 2026 Spring Convocation dates and the conflicts it imposes on Muslim graduates celebrating Eid al-Adha.

Soundbite: 

“The Faculty of Music throws the best bars out of every single faculty! You can quote me on that, Tribune!” —VP External Seraphina Crema-Black, regarding the Music Councillor’s report on the success of the Music Undergraduate Students’ Association holiday party. 

Arts & Entertainment, Fashion

Fashion Business Uncovered’s conference merges business and style

by Malika Logossou on

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Fashion is everywhere. It’s in the brands we wear, the trends we follow, the models we admire, and the meticulously staged illusions that flood our feeds. Yet behind every viral look, ‘It girl’, or coveted brand, lies a business quietly shaping visibility, marketability, and how trends are created, sold, and sustained.

On Jan. 24, Fashion Business Uncovered’s (FBU) annual conference put fashion, skincare, and clothing under the spotlight as both art and industry. The room itself felt like a runway of its own: Heels clicked across the room, statement accessories sparkled, and a striking variety of aesthetics—from minimalist chic to bold and creative—displayed that fashion was not merely being discussed but fully lived. 

FBU carefully brought together panellists from both global and local brands, including ALDO, L’Oréal Paris, Indeed Labs, Groupe Dynamite, Jack the Publicist Group, and Atelier Détails. The speakers traced their journeys into the fashion world, illuminating the breadth of careers it offers, and exploring how creativity and craftsmanship intertwine with business strategy, technology, and marketing.

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the importance of exposing oneself to opportunities. Speakers encouraged students to pursue internships, network and attend events, and join companies they aspire to work for. They emphasized that a specific degree or linear path is not required to succeed in the fashion and beauty industry. 

In an interview with The Tribune, panellist Dimitra Davidson, CEO and co-founder of Indeed Labs, stressed the educational value of such events for students navigating a world where trends and reality evolve faster than academic curricula.

“I did not have […] at all a foundation of marketing,” Davidson said. “You just figure it out as you go along. If you actually go by a playbook, then sometimes you’re not going to have a point of difference. You’re just going to be exactly like everybody else.”

Social media also took centre stage, with panellists acknowledging its influence in shaping trends and directing brand strategies to fragmented digital audiences.

Nathaniel Woo, Marketing Manager for Men & Skincare at L’Oréal Paris Canada, spoke about the importance of immersing oneself in these online spaces to cater to target audiences.

“One of the best pieces of advice [one of my managers] gave me was to scroll. Literally set aside 15 to 20 minutes to scroll on TikTok, scroll on Instagram. I even have an account on my work phone that is more tailored to the male algorithm,” Woo said. “I know nothing about hockey. But in that algorithm, it’s literally hockey, soccer, F1, and […] I don’t usually find that on my personal phone.”

Beyond industry insight, education remains at the heart of the club’s mission. In an interview with The Tribune, Michelle Govorkova, co-executive director of FBU, explained that exposing students to the full spectrum of fashion careers was one of their primary objectives.

“Our main goal and priority here is education and to teach people that there are so many professions and jobs within the fashion industry that are not stereotypical,” Govorkova said. “Obviously, you have your designers, you have your models, you know, […] the mainstream roles, […] but what we aim to do here, as for the name ‘Fashion Business Uncovered,’ is to really touch on the business side of fashion because […] even a fashion company is still a business, right?”

Co-executive director Julie Baillet echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of revealing the industry’s full scope through its selection of panellists.

“We just wanted to have […] this very diversified panel to really show all the facets of fashion and uncover the ‘behind-the-scenes’ that happen within the fashion industry,” Baillet said. “[We wanted to] have […] many different perspectives from production, marketing, like entrepreneurship, operations, really anything that happens within fashion.”

By the end of the conference, one thing felt clear for attendees: The fashion industry is broad and intersects with businesses more than we imagine. Given that there is no traditional fashion program at McGill, this conference proved to be an inspiring learning experience for many students.

Commentary, Opinion

Black History Month should go beyond mere acknowledgement

by Nello Giuliani on

More in Commentary:

Black History Month in Canada is a celebration of Black people and their cultures, the diversity of Black communities, and the contributions and legacies of Black Canadians throughout the country’s history. 

However, Black History Month is often viewed purely as commemorative, intended to spotlight Black historical figures for the sake of mere acknowledgment and recognition. Yet, the month’s purpose lies far beyond that. Black History Month involves the conscious reevaluation of how histories are written, constructed, and shared, by emphasizing the lesser-known aspects of Black history, noting how information and histories are shaped by power relations, and actively decolonizing collective memory and the process of history creation. This approach, known as historiography, serves to analyze how Black history has been and must continue to be revisited, re-celebrated, and re-understood. 

In Canada, February was first designated as Black History Month in 1978 by Daniel Hill and Wilson Brooks, the founders of the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS). In 1995, Canadian Member of Parliament Jean Augustine presented a motion to formally recognize February as Black History Month, which was unanimously approved by the House of Commons. Augustine, having worked in education, understood the importance of institutionalizing this celebration within Canadian education and collective memory. 

However, the motion to recognize Black History Month was only fully passed by Parliament in 2008, when Senator Donald Oliver pursued its recognition in the Senate. Oliver emphasized the importance of Black History Month in challenging our common perceptions of history and tackling racial prejudices. He also tied the month’s value to Canadian pedagogy, stating schools must teach the country’s history of slavery and segregation—the latter of which lasted well into the 1960s—in order to understand the present-day fight against anti-Black racism. Therefore, one of the active goals of Black History Month is to analyze biases and how they have systematically hidden stories from conventional Canadian history.   

Systemic biases still persist today, including through notions like Canadian exceptionalism, under which anti-Black racism is often depicted as external and U.S.-specific. Overlooked far too often are patterns of prejudiced policing and disproportionate incarceration rates in Canada. In 2015, Black people were twice as likely to be accused in Canadian criminal courts, and in 2020, Black people accounted for nine per cent of federal correction populations, despite making up only four per cent of adults in Canada. Also neglected is the underrepresentation of Black people in academia, as only 2.3 per cent of high-ranking positions at Canadian universities were held by Black professionals as of 2024. These statistics demonstrate that Anti-Black racism is not a strictly American phenomenon, and reveal the critical significance of Black History Month as a mechanism through which to revisit such biases. 

An important part of this process is interrogating how history has selectively omitted Black narratives. This goal does not have to be solely pursued through historical research and education reform, but can also be achieved through cultural events, such as music, visual art, and performance art. In this way, cultural events become part of the historiographical process themselves—sites where Black artists and communities reframe dominant narratives and participate in the ongoing reconstruction of collective memory.

Black History Month’s historiographic power lies in its recurrence, its nature annually underscoring the voices of Black Canadians while also finding new ways to challenge Canadian history. One of the best ways to continue this tradition is through education. At McGill, this means going beyond initiatives and events during February to offering courses on Black history and critical Canadian history, designating a program specifically for Black Studies, and reconciling its own histories of slavery, discrimination, and exclusion. 
Black History Month anchors a celebration of Black excellence and cultures, but this cannot exist without an ongoing commitment to reexamining the stories Canada tells about itself.

Soccer, Sports

Trinity Rodman becomes highest-paid player in NWSL history

by Alex Hawes Silva on

More in Soccer:

In January 2026, Trinity Rodman, one of the most prominent talents in women’s soccer, reached a milestone unseen in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). By signing a new contract with the Washington Spirit, Rodman became the highest-paid player in NWSL history and second-highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world. At 23 years old, she signed a three-year contract worth more than $2 million USD per year (including bonuses), surpassing all previous contracts in the league’s 14-year history. 

Rodman’s rise to this moment has been astounding. Drafted second overall by Washington in the 2021 NWSL Draft, she helped lead the Spirit to the 2021 NWSL Championship at 19 years old and quickly became one of the league’s most effective attackers. Her profile expanded internationally as she became a prominent figure with the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) and played an important role in the team’s success. 

While Rodman’s talent on the pitch has been clear to see for years, her status as the league’s top earner was not achieved without controversy. When her previous contract expired at the end of 2025, Rodman entered free agency with strong interest from elite European clubs—teams that could potentially offer more compensation due to the NWSL’s salary cap limitations. In late 2025, the Spirit and Rodman agreed to a four-year contract structure that would have averaged more than $1 million USD annually. However, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman rejected the deal, saying it violated the ‘spirit’ of the league’s salary cap rules, despite both sides stating that it was compliant. 

This led to a larger dispute: The NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) filed a grievance on Rodman’s behalf, arguing that the rejection of the contract violated her free-agency rights under the collective bargaining agreement. This put pressure on the league, already attempting to balance financial sustainability with the retention of elite talent. In response, the NWSL Board of Governors approved a new rule known as the High Impact Player rule, designed to allow teams to exceed the standard salary cap by up to $1 million USD for players who meet specific criteria, such as national team involvement, marketability, and elite performance. 

While the league frames the High Impact Player mechanism as a tool to retain and attract star players, the NWSLPA has raised concerns about how the system was implemented and whether it gives the league control over which players are deemed ‘impact’ players. Regardless of the debate, Rodman’s contract reflects not only her immense value as a player, but also the shifting economics and politics of women’s soccer. Historically, women’s leagues around the world have struggled to offer salaries that rival those seen in men’s competitions. While European clubs have paid top players well, Rodman’s deal positions the American league in a strong spot for the sport to grow. 

Critics of the NWSL’s salary cap argue that without mechanisms like the High Impact Player rule, or without a higher base cap, the league risks losing its best talents to teams abroad. The Major League Soccer (MLS) has similar salary limitations, with a cap of $5.95 million USD per player annually, which has also swayed stars to take their talents abroad. Rodman’s re-signing is both a victory and a challenge, as it shows that the league can hold on to top stars but also reveals the pressures that come with balancing equality and competitiveness. For the Washington Spirit, keeping Rodman is more than a strategic win but a financial success as well. Her presence boosts the club’s visibility, expands its fanbase, and enhances its marketing appeal. Rodman’s new contract may even influence how future NWSL negotiations unfold, setting a benchmark for player compensation and reshaping expectations for what elite women’s soccer players can earn. 

As she begins this next chapter, Rodman’s journey from a teenage prodigy to the highest-paid player in NWSL is a reflection of a sport that is growing through new circumstances. By reforming what is possible for NWSL athletes, she has become a trailblazer for Black women athletes, paving the way for younger players. Her story speaks to how competitive excellence and talent increasingly intersect with equity, value, and the future of women’s professional soccer. 

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