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News, PGSS

PGSS Council votes to endorse climate strike on Sept. 23

by Abby McCormick on

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The Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) convened for its first council meeting of the Fall 2022 semester on Sept. 14. Led by speaker Adrienne Tessier, the meeting’s agenda covered issues such as McGill’s fossil fuel investments and teaching assistants’ (TA) rights.

The meeting began with an overview of the various PGSS committees, such as faculty councils, the Appointments Board, and the Health and Wellness Committee, all of which are looking for new members this fall. Tessier encouraged graduate students to consider applying as a means of becoming more acquainted with systems of student governance. 

“These [committees] are a fantastic opportunity to get to know how PGSS and McGill work,” Tessier said. “They are also fantastic résumé builders, especially for those of us who want to continue on in academia.”

PGSS’s secretary general Kristi Kouchakji updated the Council on the search for McGill’s new Principal and Vice-Chancellor. While Kouchakji—who sits on the Advisory Committee as PGSS’s representative—is bound by a confidentiality agreement, she relayed what she could, noting that community consultation sessions were being held, and that the committee had received a large number of applications.  

Subsequently, Kiersten van Vliet, a representative from the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), presented her report on TA and invigilator rights—a topic pertinent to many PGSS members who are beginning their first TA positions this month. Van Vliet encouraged them to reach out for help if they felt that professors were violating their worker rights. She also acknowledged the difficult position TAs may find themselves in with classes returning to full in-person delivery.

“Refusing unsafe work is difficult because the province has deemed [COVID-19] to essentially be over,” van Vliet said. “But if you have reason to believe that you are being asked to go into a situation that is unsafe, you are within your rights to refuse to go into that situation.”

Following van Vliet’s presentation, Tessier presented the council with a motion to endorse the general strike for the climate set to occur worldwide on Friday, Sept. 23. Given the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports warning that the effects of 1.5 degrees of warming are more catastrophic than previously anticipated, Tessier emphasized the importance of larger-scale demonstrations as a means of effecting change in the university and beyond.

“McGill University continues to be actively complicit in climate change through its investments in fossil fuels, nuclear weapons, and arms manufacturers,” Tessier said. “The continuous and conscious inaction of these institutions in spite of the overwhelming and alarming evidence has proven the need to utilize collective action as a means of change.”

After some discussion from committee members, the motion was approved in a unanimous vote of 34-0, signifying that PGSS will be publicly stating their support for the general strike for the climate.

Moment of the Meeting:

The meeting was subject to some slight technical challenges as a result of its hybrid format. Some council members attended in person at Thomson House, while others attended via Zoom, making it difficult to communicate with those who attended in the other medium. Speaker Adrienne Tessier, who attended virtually, poked some fun at the situation, saying “So, unfortunately, I will be the disembodied voice running these meetings. I hope that’s okay with everyone.”

Soundbite: 

“I don’t see how we get around climate change being the most important issue that we are collectively facing pretty much anywhere [….] There is no more room to deny that climate change is happening or to continue kicking this can down the road for the next generations to deal with. We are, unfortunately, the generation who has had the can kicked at them quite hard.”

— Kristi Kouchakji, PGSS Secretary-General, on the PGSS Motion to endorse the general strike for climate on Sept. 23.

Recipes, Student Life

Recipes to spice up your fall semester

by Sabrina Nelson on

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As temperatures drop and leaves change into the beautiful red and orange colours of fall, it’s clear that summer has officially come to an end. While this might sadden some, autumn brings about the return of pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, and taking beautiful pictures of Mont Royal’s yellow and orange tones. It also means that the time for cooking heartier meals has arrived. Luckily, the Tribune has compiled a list of dishes that are perfect for a chilly September day. 

For colder days—Vegan lentil soup 

There is nothing better than a comforting bowl of soup to warm you up. This recipe is perfect for those who want to meal prep for the week, as it yields plenty of leftovers. 

For this soup, you will need: 

  • 200g of dried lentils (soak in water overnight to soften them up)  
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil 
  • 1 medium onion, chopped 
  • 2-3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup butternut squash, chopped 
  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1 large can of diced tomatoes 
  • 1 tbsp of curry powder 
  • 2 tbsp of ground cumin 
  • A couple of sage leaves
  • Optional: A dash of coconut milk (to make it creamy)

Steps: 

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Once the oil is simmering, add in the chopped onion and carrots. Cook, stirring often until the onion has softened––about five minutes.
  3. Add the garlic, cumin, and curry powder, and cook them until fragrant, stirring for about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and let the mixture simmer for a few more minutes.
  4. Pour in the lentils, squash, water, and sage leaves (optional: add coconut milk). Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender. 
  5. Remove the pot from the heat and taste the broth––add any additional seasoning to your liking. 
  6. Serve while hot and store the leftovers (they will keep well in the fridge for up to four days).
  7. Optional for the leftovers: If you feel like changing it up a bit, you can also add quinoa or brown rice. 

For those with a sweet tooth – Pumpkin bread 

Fall is the perfect season for anyone with a passion for pumpkin-spiced desserts. This incredibly moist bread will leave you with no crumbs and will fill your kitchen with the scent of fall. 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour 
  • 1 ½ cup of pumpkin puree 
  • 1 tbsp baking soda 
  • ½ cup of olive oil 
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup brown sugar 
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder 
  • ⅓ tsp nutmeg 
  • ⅓ tsp ginger 
  • a pinch of salt 
  • 2 medium-sized apples 
  • ¼ cup of milk 
  • ½ cup of chopped pecans 
  • Optional: Chocolate chips––as many as your heart desires 

Steps: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) while placing your oven rack at a mid-low position. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with either butter or non-stick spray. Set it aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk your dry ingredients––flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt––together until combined. 
  3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, oil, and milk. 
  4. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. 
  5. Gently fold your chopped apples, chocolate chips, and pecans into the batter. 
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. 
  7. To check when your bread is done, insert a knife in the center, and if it comes out clean, it means that your bread is ready to devour.   
  8. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing. 
  9. Cover and store leftover pumpkin bread at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

These recipes are adapted from the following sources: Cookie and Kate (Lentil Soup), Sally’s Baking Addiction (Pumpkin bread).

McGill Recommendations, Out on the Town, Student Life

Café Q&A: Your guide to Montreal’s cafés

by Harry North on

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Two things have come up time and time again this week. First, I’ve received quite a few: “Oh, by the way, I’m so sorry for your loss”’s lately. It’s because, well, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, it has kind of been on the down low recently, but Queen Elizabeth passed away. And, as I’m British, it’s become quite the trendy conversation filler for people. Bizarrely, someone I don’t even know messaged me about it on Instagram and asked “what culture does Britain have besides colonization?” A very apt message—sausage rolls, to answer your question. 

The other thing that has come up is café recommendations. “I need somewhere cute” is the line. Well, of course you do, you’re going to Redpath Café. I’m not downloading Mapstr, but I can answer some of your questions.   

Where should I take my date/partner for coffee? 

Is coffee even romantic? Yellow teeth, bad breath, and bitter coffee remnants on lips don’t exactly scream “let’s go back to mine.” But still, I think grabbing coffee is a great idea for dates—it’s cheaper than going out to bars and you can actually get to know each other better, sober. Going out during the day also lets you see if they’re what they’ve said on the packet as well.  

First things first, don’t bring your date to the same café you bring your partner! If it’s a date you’re going on, try Café Parvis, a café-brunch restaurant on Mayor Street. Inside, there are polished vintage chairs that make you look cooler just by sitting in them, and vines dropping from the ceilings, which creates a backdrop that makes you sound more interesting––plants always melt the heart. I’d avoid going midday on a Saturday though, it can get very busy. 

Best café to study in? 

Let’s face it: Add-drop is over, the temperatures are falling, evenings are darkening, and assignments are mounting. We’re approaching the precipice of the stress abyss. We need solutions. And no, Anticafé is not the answer. It’s about time we dispel that myth and see Anticafé for what it is: A dusty loft with a poor selection of biscuits. Crew Café is also a big no no—far too overpriced and busy.

Instead, try Café Osmo, a minimalist Japanese café on the corner of Rue Clark and Sherbrooke. There’s space for working, functioning Wi-Fi, charging ports, as well as bites to eat and coffee to keep you going. There’s also a designated table for no laptops, if you fancy a read. 

Another suggestion––tree huggers, this one’s for you––is Leaves House. A plant-based coffee house with two locations. But the one on Ave. McGill College has a seating area behind the serving counter, which is a decent alternative to the library. The coffee is also pretty good. 

Where can I find a café that serves great sandwiches? 

Try Café Aunja, an Iranian tea and sandwich café on Sherbrooke. It’s only about a seven-minute walk from  McGill campus and is a real gem—I don’t say this lightly.  My favourite is probably the chicken koukou. The chicken is mashed with the potato, which can get a tad messy, but worth it—it’s delicious. 

Find me a locally run Italian café!

Look no further than Caffettiera. The café boasts a trendy, colourful interior and is run by an Italian man  named Andreas Vecchio who will gladly serve you an espresso and a glass of sparkling water—and chat to you about your favourite football (soccer) team!

Which café is the most overrated?

Café Olimpico. There’s a surprising number of people who recommend Café Olimpico. I never want to dine with them. Olimpico’s coffee is too often stale, and too often regrettable. For a local chain with solid brew, try Myriade instead. 

Where can I find the best cookies?

The crème de la crème is La Finca, a bakery-café on Rue de Bleury. They serve thick, brown sugar, buttery cookies. It’s as good as it gets around here. 

And lastly, where’s the best coffee?

Pikolo Espresso Bar. It recently moved from Parc down to Clark, about a 15-20 minute walk from campus. The coffee, without question, is consistently the best. I go to Pikolo every day. It’s my second living room—it’s just too big to be kept at home. 

Features

Levelling the playing field

by Anoushka Oke on

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The Euro 2022 final in July was still in a deadlock in the 90th minute, with England and Germany clinging on by a goal each. It remained as such until the second half of extra time, when Manchester City forward Chloe Kelly managed to slot the ball into the net in the 110th minute. Kelly’s goal proved to be the game-winner, handing England the title; it was the first trophy that either English soccer team had won in decades, allowing football to come home at last.

Though the win generated a fair amount of publicity and praise from other athletes and public figures, many fans cannot recognize Kelly’s name or face just a few months after. Why is the game-winner for the final of a major continental tournament being viewed with such little importance?

I was in fourth grade when I fell in love with watching professional soccer. As an avid soccer player and fan in a family that didn’t share the same obsession, I obsessed over the schedules of sports channels—back when cable was still a thing—in search of both men’s and women’s games. Later on, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil only got me more hooked. But as I interacted more and more with other soccer fans both in-person and on social media, I started to notice intense prejudice and a lack of respect towards the beautiful game’s women fans and stars.

In search of a soccer community at my elementary school, I tried to befriend a group of boys in my grade who frequently wore club jerseys and always scrimmaged at recess. Though I followed many of the same teams they did, I felt out of place in their male-dominated circle and sensed that my love for the sport wasn’t taken seriously––at least, not as seriously as theirs. They asked me to list players from different teams to prove that I was a real fan of the game; ironically, I doubt whether they could have named a single player from any of the women’s teams I watched. Their conversations assumed the sport is essentially male. Eventually, hanging around them became tiring, and I withdrew. As I then lacked any sort of like-minded fan community, I watched professional soccer less and less frequently.
I noticed this kind of misogynistic sentiment—that nobody cares about women’s soccer, or that it’s not worth watching––persist throughout my years as a fan. This mindset reveals itself in the comment sections of popular soccer news sites and social media. When Bleacher Report Football tweeted about Alexia Putellas winning the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award, many of the comments dismissed the athletic skill of female soccer players, sexualized them, or discussed male soccer players instead. “Who?”, “I don’t care,” and “They celebrate women’s trophies now?”, various netizens wrote. Similar comments can be found under any post about female players, reinforcing the same message: People don’t and shouldn’t care about women’s soccer.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Bee and Puppycat: Lazy in Space’ is a heart-warming, intergalactic delight

by Eliza Lee on

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Think of the adorable character design of Kiki’s Delivery Service, the magical hero transformations of Sailor Moon, off-beat comedic dialogue, and intergalactic space fighting. At first glance, these features may appear to be an unlikely combination. Unifying these features into one season of television might seem ill-advised, if not impossible. But, Bee and Puppycat: Lazy in Space proves both of these assumptions wrong. The Netflix show, released on Sept. 6, is a reboot of a 2013 Cartoon Hangover web series with the same name from creator Natasha Allegri. Like its predecessor, the show tells a complex story of fantasy, friendship, and community, with a heartfelt touch.

Bee and Puppycat follows Bee, a seemingly average woman who lives a peaceful life on The Island. Her world is turned upside down when a strange cat-like animal falls from the sky and into her arms, communicating with her in only robotic gibberish. At the insistence of her newfound friend, ‘Puppycat,’ the pair accept jobs at an intergalactic temporary work agency. In each episode, they are assigned an odd job on a remote planet, from baking magic, crystal-encrusted donuts to cleaning a giant celestial toilet. But as they settle into a life together, mysterious forces from Puppycat’s past begin appearing on their missions and threaten to uproot everything he and Bee have created. 

One of the most compelling aspects of the show is the easygoing atmosphere of Bee and Puppycat’s world. Because of their flexible employment situation, the pair spend their days on The Island pursuing pleasure over productivity. The two friends go to the beach, binge-watch TV, and rack up in-app purchases in a mobile phone game. As a result, the show dwells on—and often finds humour in—the mundane aspects of everyday life. A good example can be found in the fourth episode ‘Gentle Touch’: 30 seconds of the 25-minute episode exclusively feature Puppycat trying to pick broccoli out of his teeth. Even the unhurried manner Bee speaks in and the lo-fi soundtrack that underscores much of the show reflect its calming overall mood. These creative choices cast the world in a wholesome light and make for a relaxing watch. 

A key element in creating this heart-warming tone is Bee and Puppycat’s friendship. The protagonists are opposites in many ways: Bee is caring and affectionate but procrastinates on important tasks, while Puppycat is selfish but has a no-nonsense attitude toward his work. This contrast sparks many humorous, petty arguments between the pair throughout the season, but it also encourages each character to step out of their comfort zone. Guided by Bee’s loyalty and compassion, they offer to weed a community garden for their landlord. After a practical pep talk from Puppycat, Bee faces her fear of water and goes for a swim in the ocean. Because of the endearing dynamic of their friendship, every moment they are on-screen together is both fun and heartfelt.

Not only is Bee and Puppycat entertaining, but it’s also visually impressive. While the smooth line art style remains essentially unchanged from the original series, the colour art of the Netflix iteration is noticeably more detailed. The show’s animation is most radiant when capturing landscapes. Whether it’s a crystalline, torus-shaped, turquoise planet in ‘What Do You Want To Be?’, a sleepy forest on an autumn morning in ‘Snow and Violets,’ or glimmering arcade lights in ‘Did You Remember,’ each scene is portrayed in a vibrant, captivating shine. 

Though at first glance the series may seem disjointed because of its genre-blurring qualities, the show balances elements of comedy, slice-of-life, and magical girl anime handily. With a soothing ambience, lovable protagonists, and stunning animation, watching Bee and Puppycat is like gazing into the night sky: Peaceful, contemplative, and uplifting.

The first season of Bee and Puppycat: Lazy in Space is streaming now on Netflix.

McGill, News

Midnight Kitchen re-launches free meal program after COVID-19 hiatus

by Shani Laskin on

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Midnight Kitchen re-launched its free prepared meal program on Sept. 15 after being forced to suspend its services for over two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides 50 vegan and nut-free meals, distributed every second week, out of the University Centre cafeteria, located on the second floor. 

Midnight Kitchen is a volunteer-run collective that aims to increase accessibility to healthy food in the McGill community. The collective is explicitly anti-capitalist and centres its work around the values of intersectionality, sustainability, non-hierarchical organization, and anti-oppression. They are a service of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). 

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Nat Alexander, a Midnight Kitchen program coordinator, elaborated on the mission of the free lunch program.

“The free prepared meal program helps combat food insecurity, and also provides an alternative to the corporate food providers on campus,” Alexander said. “We are able to provide lunch for people who maybe can’t afford it because of rising prices, and we also make our food vegan and nut-free to try to be as accessible to as many people as possible.”

The collective conducted a test run of the program in August prior to its official reopening. Alexander explained that, while the trial was successful, the collective realized that they do not have enough resources to meet high community demand.

“There [are] always more people than we can provide for,” Alexander said. “That is the nature of working and combatting food insecurity because there are more people in Montreal that are experiencing food insecurity than our small organization can handle. There was a great turnout. A lot of people, a lot of happy faces.”

Amalia Baike, U3 Science, explained in an interview with the Tribune that as a vegan student, they are glad to have an organization offering meals that are accommodating to their dietary restrictions. 

“I think Midnight Kitchen is a wonderful and important entity on McGill campus,” Baike said. “The impact of this is immeasurable [….] Midnight Kitchen fills a void on campus for vegan students like me. I really hope they are able to expand operations to serve food more frequently.”

While the free lunch program was shut down during the pandemic, Alexander explained that the collective continued to provide other services to the community.

“In the early days of the pandemic, we organized a system to deliver the food to people’s houses, which was unprecedented,” Alexander said. “We were delivering 500 grocery bags to 100 different families. We also prepared meals for students who were in quarantine. Then we also had a grocery gift card program when our food bank program was no longer sustainable.”

As a SSMU-affiliated organization, Midnight Kitchen is funded by student fees which allows the collective to offer free meals. SSMU vice-president External Val Masny reiterated the importance of Midnight Kitchen in an email to the Tribune.

“Midnight Kitchen’s re-launch was evidently a big success,” Masny wrote. “The University Centre’s cafeteria was filled with students accessing the service. Especially with inflation rising, and with it the cost of food, providing nutritious free meals to students is more necessary [than ever]. Midnight Kitchen’s team is dedicated and already looking at ways they can improve their service. As a student, it’s definitely worth checking out.”

Midnight Kitchen’s next service will be on Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. on the second floor of the University Centre. To stay updated on the collective’s events, refer to the calendar on their website.

McGill, News, The Tribune Explains

Tribune Explains: The Golden Key Honour Society

by Sofia Sida on

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Every year, a select few top-performing students are contacted by the Dean of Students to join McGill’s chapter of The Golden Key Honour Society. With this year’s invitations having just been sent out, The McGill Tribune explains what joining the society entails. 

What is the Golden Key Honour Society? 

The Golden Key Honour Society is a nonprofit international society that aims to offer its members scholarship and networking opportunities. It claims to be the world’s largest honour society for post-secondary students, with over 400 chapters in 180 countries around the globe. The McGill chapter was founded in 1997 and was the first to be established in Canada.

How popular is it at McGill? 

According to Ian Sankey, the Canadian director of the Golden Key Honour Society, there are around 500 McGill undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in the Society. While the process of becoming a member differs for undergraduate and graduate students, the Golden Key website claims that both groups can benefit from the connections, networking opportunities, and other resources they provide. Post-graduation, alumni members still have access to some promotions and career fairs, and the Society pledges to keep in contact.

How does one qualify? 

Membership in the Golden Key Society is for undergraduate and graduate students at McGill whose cumulative GPA is in the top 15 per cent of their program. Undergraduates who qualify will receive an email in the Fall semester inviting them to join. Graduate students, however, must apply online. 

A lifetime membership to the society costs $95 CAD, but the fee may be waived for those who receive need-based financial aid to cover tuition. 

How has the McGill chapter been involved in the Society and how can students benefit from it? 

The Society has three pillars: Academics, leadership, and service. It claims to provide members with exclusive scholarships and awards programs, and encourages members to get involved in their communities. 

In an email to the Tribune, Sankey explained that offering in-person gatherings, such as conferences and summits, was a large part of the Golden Key’s mandate before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“In 2018, the McGill University chapter co-hosted the CANCON summit in Montreal and welcomed students and alumni from across Canada, the U.S., and we even had a member from Australia join in,” Sankey wrote. “Our last in-person summit in Canada was held at Niagara Falls in 2019. We hope to start up the in-person summits again, but no timeline for a future in-person summit has yet been set.”

While in-person gatherings have stalled, membership to the Society now includes access to the Golden Key Academy (GKA), a new online resource giving students access to webinars, training videos, and other exclusive online content for no additional fees. The type of content and training offered, however, is not specified on the Society’s website. According to Sankey, the emphasis on online resources was borne out of the COVID-19 pandemic and around 60,000 members have used the Academy’s resources since its inception.

“The GKA is an online resource that was launched soon after the pandemic hit to offer members a virtual platform to continue to connect and learn,” Sankey wrote. “There are live webinars on a wide variety of topics that the members can attend, and they are all recorded and added to the online library for viewing at a later date if someone cannot attend the webinar live.”

Many of the latest events offered by the McGill chapter have been online raffles to win small prizes such as gift cards to coffee shops, massages, or tutoring sessions for final exams. The group’s most recent event was a “Battle of the Brains” with Concordia’s chapter of the Society in March 2022. The most recent scholarship awarded to a McGill student through the Society was the $1,000 Golden Key Undergraduate Achievement Award, presented in April 2022. 

Hockey, Sports

Martlets hockey loses 4-3 to Queen’s in suspenseful overtime

by Sophia Gorbounov on

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On Sept. 17, the McGill women’s hockey team (0–2) played their first game of the semester. Matched up against the Queen’s University Golden Gaels (2–0), the game was marked with aggressive plays on both sides that left viewers wishing they could watch them on replay. After a long fight, the Martlets were defeated in overtime, losing 4-3. 

The team saw a lot of turnover from the previous year, with many fresh faces and a new team captain, master’s student and forward Christiana Colizza. Despite the ultimate loss, third-year forward Quynn Campbell was proud of all the players, new and returning. 

“It was so awesome to watch four of our first-years play their first games as Martlets today,” Campbell told The McGill Tribune. “They all played great. Heads were held high after today’s game.”

The Martlets opened the first with strong defensive tactics. The Gaels made immediate attempts on goal, but were blocked left and right by second-year goalie Sophie Lajeunesse.

On the offensive side, the first minutes of the period were slower, the puck often being passed to open ice. The slow start did nothing to prevent the Martlets from opening the scoring a mere four minutes into the game. Easily missed if one wasn’t paying attention, Campbell, assisted by third-year defender Suraiya Suleman, made a lightning-fast shot from just beside the goal, whipping the puck into the back of the net.

The start of the second period saw penalties on both sides, leaving the Gaels and the Martlets down one player each. Still, McGill pushed through the four-on-four matchup, and the next goal of the game went to the Martlets, scored by defender Lydia MacLellan and assisted by fellow defender Jaime Kastelic.

The 2-0 lead is the most dangerous one in hockey. For the Gaels, it served as a wake-up call and they scored two back-to-back goals with eight minutes remaining, bringing the score up to a tie. A frantic energy permeated the end of the period, with both teams spreading themselves thin as they sped around the ice chasing the puck back and forth.

“There were a couple of minutes [when] we let the other team take the pace over us,” centre and assistant captain Marika Labrecque told the Tribune. “We have to work on that.”

The final period brought more strife for the Martlets when the Gaels scored on an excellent rebound shot, edging them above their opponents 3-2.

But this didn’t hinder the spirit of the players as the game was far from over. With only five minutes remaining, Labrecque scored.

Hope was injected back into the veins of every McGillian in the crowd as the game moved into overtime. Hit with a penalty right off the bat, Queen’s managed to survive with a shorthanded team, letting no goals in. Alas, in the last minutes of overtime, the Gaels scored, ending the game with a 4-3 score for the away team.

Despite the loss, Campbell knows her team fought tooth and nail, and that they have the whole season ahead to grow together. 

“We fought hard for all 60 minutes,” Campbell said. “[We] have shaken off all our first-game-of-the-season nerves.”

The Martlets played their second game against the Gaels on Sept. 18 in Kingston. McGill fell once again to their opponents, ending the game with a 4-2 loss.

Moment of the game: Team centre Marika Labrecque scored an unbelievable third goal, ending the Martlets’ short dry spell, tying the scores, and ensuring the team had one more go at a win in overtime. 

Quotable: “We’re taking away a lot of positives from it, but also have a lot to learn moving forward. We’re excited for the upcoming season and can’t wait to hit the ground running at our season opener!” – Second-year forward Mika Chang

Stat corner: The game saw Queen’s receive twice as many penalties as McGill (six to three).

Science & Technology

McGill alumni create world’s first carbon-negative concrete

by Sara Chiarotto O'Brien on

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After water, concrete is the most commonly used resource in the world. From the buildings we live in to the roads we drive on, nearly everything in our built environment is made from concrete. Unfortunately, it’s also the most destructive material in the world, responsible for approximately eight per cent of global carbon emissions. But, what if there was a way for us to construct our world without killing it?

CarbiCrete, a start-up co-founded by McGill alumnus Dr. Mehrdad Mahoutian, PhD ‘14, and Chris Stern, BEng ‘94, has figured out a way to produce the world’s first commercially available, carbon-negative concrete. CarbiCrete’s concrete is made from steel slag, a waste material from the steel production process, and CO2 gas sourced from industrial vents. This means that their concrete takes more CO2 out of the atmosphere than it emits.

Mahoutian first developed the techniques used by CarbiCrete as a PhD student at McGill. During his studies, Mahoutian’s doctoral supervisor was toying with the idea of creating concrete using CO2, so Mahoutian built on this idea in his own research. He addressed the question of how to make concrete without cement, while also trapping CO2. After years of trial and error, Mahoutian and his team created a successful prototype.

Mahoutian’s process reduces greenhouse gases in two ways. First, steel slag is mixed with conventional minerals using typical concrete manufacturing machinery. In this first step, cement is not required, so CarbiCrete eliminates the environmentally destructive process of creating cement from its production line. Next, the mixture is poured into molds and cured for 24 hours in an absorption chamber. CO2 captured from industrial byproducts is then injected into the chamber where it reacts with the mixture, becoming calcium carbonate. The CO2 becomes trapped in the calcium carbonate and never makes it to the atmosphere.

McGill assisted Mahoutian and his team throughout the patent application process. Mark Weber, McGill’s Director of Innovation and Partnerships, connected Mahoutian with Chris Stern, a seasoned executive who had spent a large part of his career working with renewable energy companies.

“I knew the technology […] but [I did not have] lots of knowledge about how business works,” said Mahoutian in an interview with the The McGill Tribune. “On the other hand, [Stern] didn’t know anything about concrete or cement, but he was perfect and very experienced in business development.”

Working together, the two formally incorporated CarbiCrete in 2016. 

Rather than sell physical blocks of concrete, the CarbiCrete team licenses out its technology to concrete manufacturers. In addition to providing environmental benefits, CarbiCrete’s concrete blocks also allow companies to save money on carbon taxes, access the green materials market, and reduce costs of warehousing—CarbiCrete’s curing process only takes 24 hours as opposed to the 28 days required for common cement blocks.

“Concrete is the largest contributor to embodied carbon in the built environment,” said Yuri Mytko, CarbiCrete’s chief marketing officer, in an interview with the Tribune. “This presents a massive opportunity to permanently remove large amounts of CO2 [from the atmosphere].” 

In May 2022, CarbiCrete secured $23.5 million in Series A, or early stage, funding from mostly Canadian investors. This new cash flow, combined with the recent launch of a pilot manufacturing project, leaves the company well-positioned to begin commercial sales and expand access to its technology. On Sept. 19, CarbiCrete announced that Gary Belisle, former CEO of the Canadian concrete giant Permacon, will step in as its chief of operations.

CarbiCrete’s success is one of many examples of how science and creativity can work in tandem to solve the world’s most pressing problems—in this case, the climate crisis. And it all started at McGill.

Sports

Trent scrapes past Redbirds in homecoming lacrosse game

by Karan Kumar on

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After a two-year hiatus, the McGill men’s lacrosse team returned to the Percival Molson Stadium on Sept. 10.The long-awaited homecoming was marked by cheerful support from team alumnus and former coach Tim Murdoch who retired at the end of the 2019-20 season. The Redbirds, who last played the Trent Excalibur on Oct. 26, 2019, were hopeful to start the 2022-23 CUFLA season with a win. 

Excitement soon turned into tension, however, with Trent catching the Redbirds’ defence off-guard, scoring their first goal just seconds into the first quarter. The Redbirds attack, led by fourth-year attacker Isaiah Cree, soon regrouped and punched a hole through the Trent back line with three goals in the next 10 minutes. The lead could not be sustained by the Redbirds, though, and the Trent attack caught up with two goals in the final minutes of the first quarter, ending at a 3-3 truce.  

The second quarter was nothing short of a roller coaster, with Trent dominating in possession and goals early on, only to be outmatched by the Redbirds in the latter half. Midfielder Louis-Antoine Habre inspired the Redbirds in the quarter through a phenomenal run and pass to first-year attacker Patrick Aber that was stifled by the opponent’s goaltender. A few minutes later, Redbirds forward Cameron McGinnis and midfielder Ethan Forgrave added their names to the scoresheet. A robust defence and organized forward line saw the Redbirds tie the game to 6-6 at the end of the first half.

It was the third quarter where the game slipped away from the Redbirds, with Trent scoring four consecutive goals. Although McGill goaltenders Steven Pelliccione and Joseph Boehm tried their best to save the Redbirds some grace, the Excalibur attack was too formidable to defend.

The Redbirds fought back and displayed a spirited performance in the final quarter. With nine minutes left until the final whistle, the Redbirds scored, giving hope to a tense crowd on home turf. Another goal by the Redbirds in the final two minutes pushed the Excalibur defence to its limit. A time-out requested by coach Nicolas Soubry with a minute and 18 seconds on the clock was too late for redemption, and the final score sat at 10-8, recording a Trent win.

Soubry praised the team for their dedicated performance, and acknowledged the need to work on finer details as they proceed in the 2022-23 season.  

“When we were down 10-6, [the question was] are they going to fight back,” said Soubry in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Those moments when the team scored the first and second goal, you could see on the bench that they were ready to fight back.The things we need to work on are the details—the substitution, the fast restarts, man up and man down, [and] the last two minutes of the game.”

McGinnis, a fourth-year attacker from Scarborough, Ontario, is excited to lead the Redbirds this CUFLA season and to learn from the game against Trent.

“It’s good to take a loss early on in the season so that we can turn that to a win later on,” said McGinnis. “We are going […] hard in our practices throughout the week, and have a long way to go. One thing we need to work on is coming together as a team and staying consistent with our rate of play.”

The Redbirds’ next game is against the Nipissing Lakers on home turf on Sept. 17 where the team will look to record their first points in the Eastern division of the CUFLA.

Moment of the game: Trailing by four goals at the end of the third quarter, midfielder Rowan Birrell’s two goals in the final 10 minutes of the game inspired the Redbirds to a nail-biting finish.

Quotable: “The boys rallied together in the fourth quarter – we moved the ball well and put it in the back of the net a couple of times, unfortunately we ran out of time.”–Redbird’s forward Cameron McGinnis on the team’s performance in the final quarter.

Stat Corner: Midfielder Dylan James shines for the Redbirds, scoring two goals in the first quarter.

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