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McGill, News

U2 Architecture students must take 20 credits this fall or stay an extra semester

by Nicholas Hayek on

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Over the summer, directors at McGill’s Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering developed a new core curriculum for their BSc students. The curriculum changes had unintended consequences for the School’s U2 cohort, whose members were faced with a decision this August: Take 20 credits in one semester this fall or otherwise extend their time at McGill by an extra semester. 

U2 Architecture students told The McGill Tribune that they were blindsided when their schedules were swapped with a 20-credit prescription of new and pre-existing courses. If a student opted to take a normal course load, they could, but it would come at the cost of extending their degree by an entire semester.

A student hoping to stay on track with their expected graduation time would have to adopt a schedule consisting of an intensive, six-credit architecture studio, four departmental courses, and a sketching class. This regimen exceeds the 18-credit limit recognized by the School’s own Program Advising Handbook, which requires “special permission” for students who wish to surpass it.

Riley*, one of the affected U2 Architecture students, sat down with the Tribune to talk about the alterations, noting what they thought was a lack of communication on the university’s part.

“The change was made very late, and we were not informed until after the registration date,” Riley said. “It is their responsibility to coordinate with us and the professors.”

The curriculum changes have shaken up the lives of architecture students, who, according to Riley, are given little wiggle room in choosing their courses as is.

“This semester has been impossible to navigate,” Riley explained. “Some students are going to be forced to be part-time students in the coming semester because they have no more classes left to take [.…] Some students who live far away sleep in the studio since they can’t go home, and that is really unhealthy.”

Echoing a sentiment shared by many U2 students, Riley believes that the curriculum directors did not revamp the architecture program in a way that was considerate of their students’ well-being.

“McGill makes a lot of fuss about mental health, so we all thought that they would care more when we mentioned the situation, but all they did was relegate their responsibility,” Riley said.

The Architecture Student’s Association (ASA), which oversees both undergraduate and graduate affairs at the School of Architecture, claims they were not consulted during the restructuring of the curriculum.

“[We] did not receive an invitation to participate in discussions held by the curriculum committee that made modifications to course distributions this past summer,” the ASA wrote in an email to the Tribune.

The ASA is worried about the students impacted by the schedule change, seeing as how the semester has already passed its halfway point and the deadline to withdraw from classes has elapsed. 

“[We have] exhausted everything within our powers to work internally with administration and faculty to address the weight of the U2 Fall curriculum,” the ASA wrote.

In Riley’s eyes, atonement is still possible.

“[McGill should] take some responsibility and just tell us, ‘we fucked up […] we tried to do this and it didn’t work,’” they said.

In a statement to the Tribune, Frédérique Mazerolle, a McGill media relations officer, claimed that the university has been accommodating in light of the situation. 

“The School’s leadership has been checking in with students and faculty to address issues related to workload and finding ways to accommodate students,” Mazerolle wrote. “Students have access to several resources through Students Services, including the Student Wellness Hub, the Career Planning Service and Student Accessibility & Achievement. The university’s priority remains to ensure the success, well-being and safety of our students.”

*Riley’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

McGill Recommendations, Out on the Town, Student Life

The quest for Montreal’s best donut

by Lauren Strano on

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Located in Old Montreal, 49th Parallel is a Vancouver-based chain of small cozy cafés that are mostly known for their coffee roasting. They typically focus on selling sustainably sourced coffee, but at their Montreal location, their main attraction is ‘Lucky’s Beignes,’ a donut kitchen tucked away towards the back of the café. Glass walls that enclose the kitchen offer a glimpse into a world of handcrafted and fresh donut-making. 49th Parallel offers a core set of donuts year-round which include classics like vanilla-glazed and chocolate-covered donuts, as well as seasonal flavours like the pumpkin donut my friends and I tried. Despite being on the pricey side, the synchronicity of the cream cheese glaze and pumpkin filling crafted the perfect fall donut.

Originality: 8, Taste: 8,  Price: $4 – 4.40/donut, Overall Score: 16/20 

Tunnel Espresso – 705 St Catherine St W

Part of the Time Out Market at the Eaton Centre, Tunnel Espresso is the last place I would go to get a donut. Their slew of elaborate flavours may initially draw your attention, but they are no different from your regular donut. All are made of the same simple plain dough with a flavoured glaze and they’re not worth the $4.50 they charge, plus tax and tip. Luckily, I spotted their cookie selection which made up for my lack of donut satisfaction. Tunnel Espresso, your s’mores cookie was delicious, but your ‘Salted Brownie’ donut will probably remain unfinished at the back of my fridge for the next couple of months.

Originality: 6, Taste: 4, Price: $4.50/donut Overall: 10/20 

Krispy Kreme – 375 St Catherine St W

Downtown and looking for a cheap snack? Krispy Kreme’s $2 donuts might just be your best bet. Donuts are what they do, and they can do them well. Coated with two different types of maple glaze, their maple donut was a classic—everything it needed to be. A simple donut done well can be as good as (or better than) an extravagant donut embellished with creams, toppings, sprinkles, and fillings. With a choice between the classics and rotating specials, Krispy Kreme offers variety and is a fast, effective donut stop to alleviate a sweet craving and get your sugar fix for the day.

Originality: 8, Taste: 8.5, Price: $1-2/donut, Overall: 17.5/20 (+1 for price) 

Trou de Beigne – 30 St Catherine St W

This one is tough. The best donut we tried, ‘Blizzard,’ was an Oreo donut. The soft interior working in conjunction with the crispy texture of Oreo crumbs that covered the entirety of the donut was nothing short of heavenly. It was, however, the most expensive donut we tried and smaller than the palm of my hand. With a limited selection of more ornate flavours, Trou de Beigne is definitely a gourmet donut shop, which aligns with their tiny portion sizes. Trou de Beigne also happens to be the only donut shop we explored with solid vegan options. There’s a second Trou de Beigne location in the Plateau (156 Rue-Zotique E) where you might get your money’s worth as it serves a larger version of each donut. Bottom line: If you’re feeling fancy, head over to Trou de Beigne––maybe money really can buy happiness.

Originality: 9, Taste: 9, Price: $2.50 – 3.50/donut, Overall: 17/20 (-1 for price)

La Beignerie – 3979 Saint Denis St

Overall, the best donut we tried in Montreal. Selling original flavours like Earl Grey, lime, and crème brûlée, but also the classics like the powdered donut and the Boston Cream, La Beignerie offer a good-sized, tasty, and affordable donut with a chill vibe in the Plateau—miles away from the swarms of people scampering on Ste. Catherine. A quaint porch is set up outside the shop, great for people-watching while we ate our donuts. There was literally nothing on the menu other than donuts. La Beignerie puts all of their focus into the deliciousness of their treats, and it pays off. They have both the best array of flavours, and we also agreed they had the best recipe for their actual donut dough.

Originality: 10, Taste: 9, Price: $4 -5/ donut, Overall: 19/20

Emerging Trends, Student Life

What are you doing 2nite?: The app transforming event-throwing and going

by Simi Ogunsola on

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“What are we doing tonight?”

It’s the question McGillians have been asking each other since the dawn of time. The answer comes to us now in the form of a social networking app taking Montreal, and soon enough, the world, by storm: The 2nite app.

2nite is a social networking app that is making organizing and attending events much easier. I sat down with the app’s founders, Antoine Delarue, U3 Management, and Ludovick Bernier-Michaud, U3 Science, to learn more about it—and also just so I can tell my future kids that I knew them once.

The idea for 2nite was brought about, Delarue tells me, by three specific frustrations:

1. When travelling in Spain with his friends, he noticed that all of the websites they looked up to find events were sorely out-of-date.

2. As an avid event organizer himself, it was hard to coordinate guests, sell tickets, and promote events across so many different apps.

3. Throughout his first year at McGill, he struggled to get involved in groups and events because information was so spread out.

Information about clubs, parties, and events, Delarue says, was “everywhere and nowhere.”

So, Delarue set to work. When he got back to Montreal, he started working with an app developer to make his party-organizing dreams a reality. Delarue teamed up with Bernier-Michaud, another passionate event organizer and one of his best friends. In one year, a couple of paper drawings and a whiteboard had turned into an app that is revolutionizing the way parties come to be. They tried, tested, and tweaked the app until Oct. 3, when they launched 2nite on the App Store and the party really got started.

2nite allows you to look for parties and events based on your location or ones tailored to your interests. It even lets you search an interactive map for events. For both the party-goers and the party-throwers, Delarue says 2nite is “one central platform for everything to do with your nightlife.” As an organizer, you can make a post, create a guest list, sell tickets, and gain a following and a reputation for your killer events.

As a party-goer himself, Bernier-Michaud emphasized that the app can be used to expand your social scene. 

“You land in another city, you have no idea what’s going on, you’re with a couple of friends, you open up the app [and] all of a sudden you have access to all these events […] happening around you,” Bernier-Michaud told the Tribune.

The two founders explained that coming to McGill as international students, they often found themselves not knowing where to go on a night out, and this app aims to make the university social scene more inclusive and accessible. 

”Beyond how fun and exciting it is to help organize events, I think we genuinely think that it can make university life and the student experience even better and even easier,” Bernier-Michaud said.

While many students use the platform to discover Montreal’s nightlife scene, Delarue pointed out that it can be used to find other, more lowkey social events. 

“[You] could be doing yoga in the park, could be getting people together just for the social aspect, getting people together monetarily, you know, if you’re fundraising, whatever it might be, the applications are endless,” Delarue said.

DJ and McGill student Emily Sofin, U2 Arts, explained that the app has been amazing for helping her create guest lists for her sets and keeping everything organized in one space. When asked if she would recommend the app to others, she turned to the brand’s slogan: “2nite I can do anything.” 

Our entire chat felt like talking to two 2022 versions of a more caring and in-touch Mark Zuckerberg. These self-described “two guys who don’t know anything about tech” wanted to bring people together post-pandemic and create a one-stop-shop for events was their way to do it.

So, what are you doing 2nite?

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Look out for ‘The Mole’: Among Us, but in real life

by Joy Sebera on

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Netflix’s newest reality show The Mole refreshingly reinvents the group-challenge show that The Amazing Race or Big Brother brought into the limelight. This series is a reboot of the 2001 show of the same name, which was cancelled after five seasons. Luckily for audiences, Netflix seized the opportunity to bring it back for another generation to enjoy. 

The Mole follows 12 contestants as they complete multiple challenges—challenges that include a prison break, a bank robbery, and a treasure hunt—across Australia, guided by their host, Alex Wagner. But there is a catch: One of the contestants, the eponymous mole, is actively working against the group to sabotage the missions. No one in the group can fully trust anyone else, and yet, the contestants have to work together to successfully complete the challenges and bring in money for a prize pot that only one of them will take home. This dynamic of needing each other without being able to trust each other only heightens the show’s tension and entertainment value. Each of the exciting challenges raises new suspicions about the identity of the mole, creating drama because certain players are purposely causing more chaos and confusion than others.

Winning challenges is important, but unmasking the mole is the true goal. In addition to the day’s challenges, each episode features an elimination round where one player is sent home. The process of elimination consists of a quiz that every player takes individually after a group dinner and a debrief of the most recent challenges. Wagner, the host, then releases the players to take the quiz and answer questions about who they think the mole is. But the quiz itself underwhelms viewers, especially since the show hides the majority of questions and the answers to specific questions are divulged off-camera. The person with the most wrong answers is eliminated, and naturally, the mole remains because they already know all of the answers. 

It’s the elimination factor that makes this show so unique and engaging. The elimination reveal creates an intense atmosphere because nobody knows who’s at risk until their name is called. Unlike vote-oriented competitions like Big Brother, winning is not dependent on player or audience votes, so there is not as much pressure to be likable or popular. In fact, some of the players quickly realize that impersonating the mole and purposefully sabotaging the challenges gives them an advantage. Players who use that strategy become suspicious to others, causing their opponents to answer incorrectly in the quizzes. This element distinguishes The Mole from other competition shows because there is no real disadvantage to messing up or costing the group money. When a mission goes wrong, neither the viewers nor the other players can tell for sure if the person responsible is the mole, is impersonating the mole, or is simply incompetent. As a result, certain contestants are eliminated just because the impersonators got to their heads. The players who are most successful in the quizzes spread their answers out to implicate a few people rather than targeting one person and risking getting it wrong.

In future seasons, it will be interesting to witness what strategies the mole uses to stay hidden and if the other contestants decide to purposely sabotage the missions. Additionally, the shroud of mystery around the quiz, the only elimination factor, could be cleared to prevent viewers from being kept in the dark. .  Each episode introduces new potential suspects until they are narrowed down to the final two: The real culprit, as well as the winner of the prize pot of over $100,000. Ultimately, The Mole provides a great challenge for its contestants and viewers alike in the search for the real saboteur.

The Mole is currently streaming on Netflix.

News, SSMU

Three Councillors appointed to SSMU BoD during Legislative Council to fulfill constitutional requirement

by Sarah Farnand on

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On Nov. 3, the fourth Students’ Society of McGill (SSMU) Legislative Council meeting of the 2022-2023 academic year was called to order. The meeting featured the nomination of three Councillors to the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD), debate about a motion regarding the ability of campus media to report on referendum questions that concern them, and presentations about several SSMU executive-led projects. 

The first order of business was the Motion Regarding the Nomination of Council Members to the BoD. SSMU President Risann Wright insisted that three seats on the BoD, which are reserved for Legislative Councillors, needed to be filled immediately. Wright explained that if the seats were left unfilled, SSMU would be in violation of its constitution and unable to function as an organization. 

After roughly 40 minutes of deliberation and encouragement from the President and Speaker of the Council Alexandre Ashkir, Councillor Julia Nam, Councillor Coco Jie Wang, and Councillor Peter Tai put their names forward for nomination to the BoD. Their selection passed unanimously and their appointment will be submitted for ratification by students during the upcoming SSMU Fall Referendum polling period, which will take place from Nov. 14 to Nov. 18.

Councillor Matthew O’Boyle presented the Motion Regarding an Interim Provision to the Internal Regulations of Elections and Referenda, which aims to allow campus media organizations to be able to spread awareness and information about any referendum question pertaining to them. Currently, per sec. 5 article 2.3 and 2.4 of the Internal Regulations, media groups cannot report in any way about referendums that involve them during the campaigning period. The motion was brought up because the Daily Publications Society (DPS), the governing body of The McGill Daily and Le Délit, is running an existence referendum this semester. 

The motion was assigned to a committee composed of a representative from DPS, Councillor O’Boyle, and The McGill Tribune’s Editor-in-Chief for further revision as several Councillors felt its wording needed to be more specific. Councillor Charlotte Gurung pointed out that the motion could be problematic as student media could opine in favour of their own referendum questions. 

“It seems like a policy like this that would allow campus media to not just report on the referendum questions but report in favour of their own referendum questions would be a conflict of interest,” Gurung said. 

Wright followed with an update on the pilot Grocery Program, which aims to provide groceries to students facing food insecurity—the program will be financed by a new  student fee. She noted that once launched, the program will help 200 students in the short term, with the goal of creating a longer-term more sustainable program in the future. 

Vice-president (VP) Finance Marco Pizarro followed Wright with updates on his portfolio. He mentioned that there is plenty of room in the budget for students with innovative project ideas to receive funds from SSMU.

“A lot of projects are very interesting,” Pizarro said. “We still have a lot of money so don’t hesitate to spread the word that anyone can apply as long as you have any project—you don’t have to have a club.”

VP External Affairs Val Masny spoke about SSMU’s support and mobilization efforts during the Kanien’kehà:ka Kahnistensera’s court case to halt construction at the Royal Victoria Hospital site. They specifically pointed to an article SSMU put out opposing McGill’s actions and work on the site. 

Moment of the Meeting

The meeting began 20 minutes later than scheduled because SSMU executives were apparently “putting the orders in” for food delivery, according to Speaker Ashkir.

Soundbite

“We have been doing a lot of work with advocacy as well. Each individual committee, advocacy, and outreach committee are looking into many projects, a lot to do with improving the tranquility space within the library but also in working with LWAs [Local Wellness Advisors] for different faculties as well as admin.”

— VP Student Life Hassanatou Koulibaly on the work of the Mental Health Committee

Science & Technology, Science Rewind

SciLearn helps connect students with course material outside of the classroom

by Gillian Cameron on

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On a Monday afternoon during midterm season, the cafeteria of  Royal Victoria College (RVC) is the place to be. It’s buzzing with energy, full of people eagerly discussing a wide variety of topics—and no, they’re not there for the food. The students are there for the SciLearn Peer Collaboration, a program offered by the Office of Science Education (OSE) to help students ace their courses by working together. 

It’s no secret that intro-level science classes can be isolating: Not only is the material difficult, but in a large class, it’s easy to feel like just another face in the crowd. When you’re looking to get help for an exam or an assignment, it may seem like there’s no one to turn to. SciLearn Peer Collaboration was born from the desire of both students and instructors to have a space outside of lectures to collaborate and connect in order to combat the sense of isolation a student might feel. SciLearn offers a wide range of programs, including workshops and collaborative study sessions for topics like chemistry, math, and physics throughout the academic year. 

“The main objective [of SciLearn Peer Collaboration] is to provide an environment between classmates for learning and a mentorship environment for students,”  Ezelbahar Metin, the student engagement administrator for the OSE, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

In Fall 2022, SciLearn merged with FRezCa (First-year Residence Cafeteria), a program designed to create a supportive environment for students in large first-year science classes, to form the current SciLearn Peer Collaboration program.

“SciLearn focused on giving [students] strategies for learning, FRezCa focused on putting them into action, so the merger made sense,” said Kira Smith, student engagement officer at the OSE, in an interview with the Tribune.

Metin began working for FRezCa as a data collector during her second year of her bachelor’s degree. She stayed on while the program went online and through the merger with SciLearn. 

“It’s been fun seeing the changes and different forms FRezCa has taken,” Metin said. “I got involved and never left.”

Students looking to ask questions or work with classmates can find help for a number of the most challenging courses, such as BIOL 200, CHEM 110, and MATH 133. When the Tribune visited SciLearn, the CHEM 110 table was packed with students preparing for an upcoming midterm. Professors from participating courses attend sessions and will either have a designated TA attend or have their TAs conduct some of their office hours at the collaborative study sessions. Also present at SciLearn gatherings are student mentors—upper-year student staff who have taken the courses associated with SciLearn and lend their expertise to current students.

Marie Walker first participated in SciLearn as a student in a workshop. Even though the first workshops she attended were online, Walker was able to form connections with her classmates and has since become a student mentor.  

“Now that it’s in person, it’s a really great way to meet your classmates, especially in science, where there might be 300 to 400 people in a class,” Walker said.

SciLearn Peer Collaboration currently operates out of RVC Monday to Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The program has expanded its list of participating courses lately, as well: PSYC 100 is one of its recent additions. For many undergraduate students, SciLearn Peer Collaboration sessions have become a staple resource for their studies. Whether it’s chemistry, physics, math, or psychology, sometimes the best way to learn is together. 

For more information, visit the SciLearn website at https://www.mcgill.ca/ose/initiatives/scilearn.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Ezelbahar Metin and Kira Smith were employed by SciLearn. In fact, they are employed by the Office of Science Education. Moreover, the Tribune misquoted Metin. SciLearn Peer Collaboration is primarily a learning environment, not a social one. Finally, the article omitted the fact that professors accompany their TAs to SciLearn sessions. The Tribune regrets these errors.

McGill, News

Incomplete paperwork puts international nursing students at risk of falling behind

by Adeline Fisher on

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Due to an alleged lack of communication between McGill and international students at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) about work and study permits, some international nursing students are at risk of being unable to complete their mandatory clinical studies this academic year. Those unable to quickly acquire the proper documentation may potentially fall behind in their courses, forcing them to spend more on tuition in order to complete the program.

Upon admission to McGill, all international students must apply for study permits, which allow them to legally reside in Canada during their time studying at a designated institution. International nursing students have additional hoops to jump through: They must obtain co-op work permits and  submit to a medical examination, which involves completing a medical questionnaire and a physical exam, before they may begin clinical work. Although the basic co-op permit allows international students to work in Canada, nursing students cannot work in the medical field without successfully completing a medical examination. 

Several international students in McGill’s nursing program contend that both Immigration Canada and the university did not clearly communicate about the additional steps required during the permit application process. Alex*, a U1 nursing student, is one of these students. 

“Immigration had never signalled a problem [….] I think they just expect you to know [to get the medical examination],” Alex said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “McGill noted this clause when they were reviewing documents, and then signalled it, but it was a bit late to signal it.”

In a written statement to the Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle explained that it’s up to students to make sure their documentation is correct before starting their studies at McGill.

“It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have met all the requirements, including proof of medical examinations, and that their paperwork is in order before they begin their studies,” Mazerolle wrote. “This year, it was discovered that a handful of students did not have the necessary paperwork to work in the clinical setting.”

Due to the protracted nature of the medical examination process—and the minimum of four weeks it takes to process results—many international students may not receive the appropriate documentation in time to complete their clinical studies. Alex reports having to put their clinicals, which were supposed to begin in October, on hold until their medical exam has been processed. 

“Once you have the exam, the physician has to send it to immigration, and once they send it to immigration, they internally have to process it,” Alex said. “Everything that immigration does takes ages, and they told me that processing times can take from three weeks to six months.”

Alex noted that after Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processes the results of the medical examination, foreign nationals are then required to leave the country and re-enter in order to obtain the correct work or study permit.

“Once [the medical exam] has been processed […] I have to go to the border and cross out of Canada and into the U.S. and then come back in,” Alex said. “It’s called flagpoling, and because Canadian immigration does not have any offices inside of Canada, they only have them at the border, in order to get your work permit or your study permit you have to cross the border.”

In an email to the Tribune, Kerry Yang, vice-president of University Affairs at the Students’ Society of McGill University, asserted that the university also ought to provide additional support for students whose studies may be delayed as a result of these complications. 

“Support shouldn’t just be words and policy, otherwise it gets performative in nature. It should be sustained and committed, and […] should be given in good faith,” Yang wrote. “It also makes sense for McGill to support any student who has to take extra time to finish their degree because of issues beyond their control.”

*Alex’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

Laughing Matters, Opinion

Why I’m nervous about upper residence room inspections

by Noa Garmaise on

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I have come to the conclusion that it’s in my best interest to be honest with you, my dear friend and room inspector. Though I’ve been hiding my true feelings, I must admit that I’m very worried about the upcoming room inspections of Molson Hall. While I’m not concerned about you finding something that would violate the Upper Residence lease agreement (you will come to find that I’m a stickler for the rules!), I do worry that you may stumble upon my diary and—if I’m not present at the inspection—be tempted to read its contents. 

It would, honestly, be cruel of you to read my diary during my room check, especially since I’m not supposed to be there. My diary details my extremely lively and intense inner world, which I often hold close to my heart. In the name of transparency, I’ll tell you where it is so that you don’t have to ransack my room to find it. I believe it’s on my desk—but I can’t be certain. It should be somewhere between my kettle and microwave that also happen to be on my desk. Just so you’re prepared. 

I would appreciate if I were there while you inspected my room. That way I would be able to explain what I meant on page six of my diary when I wrote that my good friend Laura is “like a vacuum cleaner that consumes attention.” I know that we both love Laura, and though her raging narcissism can get a bit unbearable sometimes, I would never say something to her face that would hurt her. Also, I feel like I need to be there to make sure that you don’t step on my ant farm. I love seeing that little colony grow!

Truthfully, I’ve been holding on to this deep concern that the harsh, though often beautifully nuanced, nature of my diary will tarnish our growing friendship. The words I wrote in my diary are fiery, much like the brick pizza oven I store in my closet (such a good midnight snack!). My commentary is also sharp, not dissimilar to the spindle (think of the sewing machine Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on) which I keep at the foot of my bed. While you may notice that I take some risks in my diary—creative, emotional, and otherwise—I would never be that reckless when it comes to our blossoming friendship and the safety of my room. After all, room safety is paramount. Don’t we just get each other so well, inspector?

I want to be upfront with you. No more hiding. Except from monsters and ghouls. In my diary I confess to stealing both the ice cream cart from Bishop Mountain Hall and the phallic-shaped gourds from Royal Victoria College, which I am sure you will notice all over the floor of my room. But please don’t think less of me. You have to understand—I just really love fall.  

Fine. I’ll just come out with it. I want to be there when you meet Matt, Jaime, Sam, and Rebecca—the four Concordia students currently poring over my desk trying in vain to help me with my Management homework. Yes, I know that technically you’re only allowed to have three guests in your room at a time, but they said they needed Sam for the extra brain power to truly understand the complexities of the case study. Anyways, ideally I’d be able to introduce you to them formally. 

My respect and love for you as a room inspector and confidante only continues to grow, and I just didn’t want you to be surprised by my diary’s jarring presence. I have come to accept that you may feel compelled to read it, and I hope it moves you. Just not too far, because then you’ll burn yourself on the smoke signal I set up to communicate with McConnell.

Commentary, Opinion

Stop making a celebratory spectacle out of war

by Lily Cason on

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Content Warning: Mentions of war, colonial violence, and trauma.

On Oct. 22, two CF-18 jets sped over McGill’s Percival Molson Memorial Stadium at 4:04 and 4:08 p.m. to mark the start of the Montreal Alouettes’ football game against the Toronto Argonauts. While McGill, the teams involved, and the press all attempted to warn the public in advance, many were still alarmed and frightened by the blistering noise. Flyovers are environmentally damaging and expensive displays of militarism that are potentially traumatizing, and we need to scrap them for good.

It is no coincidence that flyovers often happen in tandem with sports games—there is a long history of sports being militarized. The Alouettes are even named after a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), a fact used to help justify the recent flyover. 

Creating a celebratory spectacle out of fighter jets normalizes war and militarism, which is incredibly dangerous. The CF-18, manufactured by Boeing and adapted from the U.S. Navy F/A-18 aircraft, is heavily armoured and equipped to carry guns, rockets, and bombs. This is a war machine, most recently used to carry out strikes in Libya, Iraq, and Syria, killing and wounding civilians. It is deeply troubling that flying an aircraft with such a legacy of destruction over a football game is not only normalized, but is lauded as a spectacle of patriotism and militarism. 

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have a dark legacy that should not be celebrated: The institution was in large part created to perpetrate a legacy of colonial genocide against Indigenous peoples, and continues to do so today. In April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau increased defence spending and resources in ‘Canada’s’ Arctic under the pretense of Russian aggression, a move that threatens the sovereignty, well-being, and livelihood of Indigenous peoples living in the region.

In addition to perpetuating colonialism domestically, a culture of militarism upholds neoliberal and imperialist practices of military intervention abroad. These oft-patronizing and paternalistic interventions almost always fail, leading to greater suffering and instability. Glorifying the military through flyovers ignores and tacitly condones all of these egregious practices. 

Further, for many, flyovers are not just a momentary, shocking loud noise. Rather, the roaring jets can evoke past experiences in conflict zones, potentially triggering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for refugees and veterans alike. According to the Canadian government, 10 per cent of war zone veterans have PTSD, with many more reporting related symptoms. It is ironic and distasteful that flyovers purport to honour veterans’ service while potentially retraumatizing them.

The overarching environmental impacts of the military-industrial complex that flyovers advertise are also enormous. A CF-18 consumes hundreds of litres of fuel every hour. In 2011, RCAF jets burned through 8.5 million litres of fuel during a six-month period as part of “Operation MOBILE” in Libya. The relationship between the climate crisis and security is often neglected, while in reality, they should be recognized as interlocking problems that must be addressed simultaneously. Notably, while promises of environmental action are on the tip of many politicians’ tongues, most have steered clear of addressing the planetary harm stemming from the defence apparatus. This represents a wider trend: The pervasive fear of speaking out against militarism in a post-9/11 world dominated by powerful defence contractors and pro-war rhetoric.


Finally, there are many important needs that taxpayer money should and could be funnelled into, and flyovers are not one of them. In 2015, the RCAF spent $2 million on flyovers. Education, fair wages, racial justice, housing, healthcare, climate action, and so many other necessities should take priority. To dismantle the pervasive culture of militarism, protect those who have experienced trauma, and reduce carbon emissions, flyovers must be grounded once and for all.

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

Expanding the surgeon’s toolkit: Machine learning in the operating room

by Athina Sitou on

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Data science and machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence (AI), may soon be making their way into operating rooms as integral parts of the surgical toolkit. The Feindel Brain and Mind Lecture Series tackled this cutting-edge development at its Nov. 2 event hosted at The Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital.  Pierre Jannin, a L’Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) research director working at the University of Rennes medical school, discussed AI in relation to deep brain stimulation (DBS), something he has worked on extensively.

DBS involves implanting an electrode in the brain that continuously provides high-frequency electrical stimulation. It can help patients with neurological movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, and treat debilitating symptoms like tremors and movement issues that cannot be alleviated using medication.  

During a typical DBS procedure, the surgeon is assisted by a team of experts, including nurses, an anesthesiologist, and an electrophysiologist, and devices like an anesthesia machine and an EKG machine. Despite all of these external resources, the surgeon must monitor essential information such as the position of the electrode and the patient’s vital signs all on their own. 

“The visualization and interaction approaches are very important […] for surgeons who are dealing with images and information. We have to help them in digesting all this information,” Jannin said.

Jannin explained that surgical data science can optimize the surgical workflow by helping surgeons use all of the tools at their disposal more efficiently. The ultimate goal of using data science before, during, and after the procedure is to facilitate the surgeon’s decision-making and to optimize the clinical outcome of the patient.  

“To summarize the idea of surgical data science, you have three main flows. First, you learn from patient data. Second, you instantiate this new information to generate new knowledge, and third, [the application of surgical data science] is a continuous process,” Jannin said. 

With the help of his team, Jannin has established a machine learning model to extract information about a patient’s age, gender, and potential cognitive deficits from their medical records. This information is then added to a data repository and analyzed to generate models for treatment that can be applied to a wide range of patient cases.  

The team thus develops generic knowledge-based templates that can be used to create patient-specific models. Jannin noted that one possible application of this model is predicting the clinical outcome of DBS in a patient.

“We aim to improve the quality of surgery, of the healthcare, and […] of course, it is about the patient outcome, the clinical outcome, but […] also […] the working conditions of the professional,” Jannin said. 

Jannin mentioned a few obstacles that surgical data science could help physicians overcome. For instance, surgical data science can increase the accuracy of brain region targeting in the preoperative stage, which is crucial because the electrode’s placement corresponds to the brain area that will be stimulated. When it comes to Parkinson’s, DBS targets the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a small structure important for motor function. 

Typically, during surgery, the electrophysiologist, an expert in the electrical phenomena of the nervous system, listens to the neuronal signals of the STN neurons to locate the STN. 

“We recently developed a deep learning based approach that can recognize the STN’s auditory signal in a more objective way and [its accuracy] is roughly the order of uncertainty of the electrophysiologist,” Jannin explained.

Once an operation is done, researchers feed different clinical scores for factors like motor skills and quality of life into the software to compare patients’ results and to verify DBS’s efficacy.

“It’s important to demonstrate how this kind of decision support system will bring added value,” Jannin said. “So it’s great to put AI tech everywhere […] but it’s also important to discuss with the clinicians themselves and see if they will trust this kind of technology and where exactly it could be useful.” 

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