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Science & Technology

Trottier Symposium talks dead bodies, COVID-19 myths

by Madison McLauchlan on

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Death has an equalizing, inevitable force. But the pandemic, like all public health crises, has cast the sword of Damocles in sharper relief than ever, and indiscriminately so. Yet while the blade will always fall, few reflect on the science of it—what really happens to our bodies after we die?  

The McGill Office for Science and Society (OSS) hosted day one of two of the 2021 Trottier Public Science Symposium on Oct. 25, with its central theme being the science of life and death. Headed by director Joe Schwarcz, the annual lecture series brings in leading experts to disseminate scientific knowledge in their respective fields and to fulfill the OSS mandate of “separating sense from nonsense” amid a deluge of falsehoods. 

Dr. Paul Offit parses through vaccine misinformation

Paul Offit is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and a director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania. Having appeared as an expert guest on CNN only an hour before, Offit began his informative lecture with some statistics about herd immunity. He explained that in order to predict the herd immunity threshold, the contagiousness index—the number of people infected per one positive case—is divided by the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing contagion. In the case of COVID-19 in the U.S., this is around 90 per cent. 

“I think we still need to vaccinate about 40 million more people in the United States if we really want to achieve herd immunity,” Offit said. 

As a member of the FDA vaccine advisory committee, Offit receives many emails spouting vaccine misinformation in an attempt to dissuade him from encouraging vaccination. On Oct. 26, the committee is set to discuss whether the vaccine should be approved for 5 to 11-year-olds in the U.S. 

Offit took the audience through several of the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines, such as claims that they decrease fertility or alter a recipient’s DNA. If the first myth were true, Offit explained, then the U.S. birth rate would have decreased significantly since the vaccine rollout began. The mRNA vaccines cannot change DNA sequences because the pieces of RNA are unable to enter the cell nucleus or to be reverse-copied into DNA. 

Offit debunked several more unfounded claims, including one that asserted that vaccines can make humans magnetic. The draw of pandemic conspiracy theories, like those touted in media such as Plandemic, is that individuals can put the blame on a common scapegoat and avail themselves of personal responsibility. 

“A pandemic is chaos. There is so much that is unknown when it first [starts],” Offit said. “What [conspiracy pieces] do is make order out of chaos. They give you a villain, and give you a sense of order even though it’s completely wrong.” 

Mortician Kari Northey explores the science of corpse preservation

Licensed mortician and Youtuber Kari Northey has been in the business of bodies for more than 20 years, and has received a fair share of morbid inquiries about her career. In her captivating presentation, Northey took attendees through the history of the mortuary field and addressed the most common questions about caring for the dead. 

“Embalming is more than injecting formaldehyde [and] draining out blood,” Northey said. “It’s preserving in various ways to allow viewing, funerals, and gatherings of family.”  

Proteins denature during the biological process of death, leading to decay, but embalming fluid stops this process from occurring. Though formaldehyde was only introduced in the 20th century, the early origins of embalming stretch back to Ancient Egypt, with the use of natron, a mixture of soda ash and baking soda, on bodies before mummification. 

Northey walked the audience through the embalming process, including the not-so-pleasant details of cavity drainage, which replaces the material in the abdomen—containing the bacteria that are decomposing the body—with preservative fluids. 

Despite their gloomy job description, morticians can act as magicians by physically restoring the deceased so that they are made “viewable” for family members. 

“It’s really an illusion of the person that we’re creating for family to connect with for that final moment,” Northey said. “Even if the person’s not perfect, they may be perfectly recognizable.” 

Northey closed by noting how the field has adapted to contemporary issues. Environmentally friendly options for the deceased, such as “aquamation” and green burials, are becoming increasingly popular. 

“There’s now more women going into the field than there are men, there’s now funeral homes that look drastically different than they used to,” Northey said. “The face of the business is constantly changing with the times, which is beautiful to see.” 

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Snotty Nose Rez Kids’ ‘Life After’ explores the pandemic’s toll on mental health

by Louis Lussier-Piette on

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Snotty Nose Rez Kids has never shied away from dealing with difficult subjects, and their fourth album Life After is no exception. Released on Oct. 22, the album explores themes of quarantine depression, addiction, and racism, mixed with a musical complexity that includes elements of punk, hardcore, and R&B. 

Young D (Darren Metz) and Yung Trypez (Quinton Nyce), the duo’s members, are members of the Haisla Nation on the West Coast of Canada. After achieving a new high in their career with the release of Trapline in 2019, the Snotty Nose Rez Kids were planning their first U.S. tour in 2020 before the pandemic interrupted their plans. Life After came into existence after 18 months of isolation, with each song from the album capturing a different state of mind during the pandemic.

“Tour life has such a fast pace, it’s easy to distract yourself,” Metz said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “There were times when we wouldn’t take good care of ourselves mentally and emotionally, and all that stuff that we were ignoring came up during the pandemic, so we were forced to sit down and deal with it.” 

The duo had an entirely different concept album in the works prior to the pandemic, but isolation pushed them into an intensive art block that lasted months. When restrictions began to ease up, they put aside their other project to create Life After, an album dedicated to the hardships COVID-19 brought to both themselves and their community.

“There are times when I don’t want to talk to people about [my struggles], so I just write about it, for my own sanity,” Metz said. “There were things that we needed to say and get off our chest. We came up with [the concept of] Life After because it’s about life after the pandemic, but it could be life after anything, really. Life after depression, or life after success, after grinding for so long.”

Metz describes Life After as a concept album that explores what the future holds after such a definitive moment in human history. The album not only focusses on the impact the pandemic has had on people’s physical and mental health, but also tackles cultural and political changes for Indigenous communities.

The album opens with the track “Grave Digger,” immediately immersing listeners in its dark atmosphere, with powerful lyrics like “I cleanse in the ocean, I don’t need no Baptist.” The entire album follows a unique flow that keeps the listeners intrigued, from trap and R&B sounds to punk and hardcore influences.

The song “Change” holds a special place in Metz’ heart. With the smooth voice of singer ebonEmpress in perfect parallel with the duo’s verses, the song explores the burden of COVID-19 on his community, with lyrics such as “I’ve seen more funerals than graduations or weddings.”

“When I heard the first mix of ‘Change,’ I cried,” Metz said. “After all these difficult times that we endured during this pandemic, those tears were a mix of sad tears and happy tears, like ‘we made it, we survived the goddamn pandemic.’”

Life After mixes joyful beats with darker soulful sounds to create a truly mesmerizing musical experience. The album is a clever combination of brilliant musicianship and candid lyricism, a must-listen for all hip hop fans.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids are currently on the road for their U.S. tour that started on October 25, stopping by Toronto on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

Know Your Athlete, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Elizabeth Ling

by Zoé Mineret on

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Calgary native Elizabeth Ling has been making waves on the McGill swim team. After winning the first Quebec Cup competition of the season, Ling was named RSEQ Athlete of the Week for her impressive achievements.

In addition to winning three gold and one silver medal during her first meet of the season, Ling broke two school records, registering her 50 free time at 25.47 seconds on a relay, just under that of Olympian Andrea Nugent’s time of 25.55, set in 1993. This remarkable feat led the McGill women’s swim team to win the first Quebec Cup competition of the season.

Ling’s performance comes as no surprise, as she has tremendous discipline and drive. She started swimming when she was 10 years old and has put in constant effort ever since, eventually making her way to the University of Calgary Swim Club.

“My first club never really pushed me, but moving to a pretty intense team [like Calgary] allowed me to get better and be recruited for the McGill team,” Ling explained in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

As a U2 student in civil engineering, Ling has learned how to focus on schoolwork while keeping her broader goals in mind. Both of her parents are civil engineers, which led to her passion for the subject and inspired her to pursue an engineering career of her own.

What Ling enjoys about swimming with McGill is the positive team atmosphere. The team always encourages each other to do better—fist bumps and high fives keep morale high during practice and at competitions.

A supportive team was a big factor in Ling’s decision to swim at McGill. A healthy, harmonious swim squad can be its own source of motivation and an additional incentive for athletic excellence. There are never discouraging comments between the swimmers—instead, the positive environment makes swimming easier and more fun.

“Everyone is super nice and super supportive,” Ling said. “They’re extremely positive, especially during practice. With my old club, people would make negative comments during practice, but I haven’t had any of that this year.”

Ling is also grateful for the guidance of Peter Carpenter, who has been coaching the McGill swim team since 2009. He was awarded the U SPORTS Fox 40 men’s Coach of the Year award in 2018 and 2020. There is something gratifying about being pushed to do your best by your coach, explained Ling, and Carpenter’s attention to the mental as well as physical health of the swimmers helps them to perform at their best.

“My old club team would get mad at you if you missed practice, but Coach Carpenter is really understanding if you’re stressed and overwhelmed and need to miss a practice,” Ling said.

Ling is loving Montreal, especially in the fall. After living her whole life in Calgary, she felt it was time for a change. So far, Montreal has been living up to her expectations, both in athletics and in lifestyle. Ling recommends Chungchun for the best Korean corn dogs in town. 

In the future, Ling will continue to swim for the McGill varsity team while she finishes her degree in the next three years, and hopes to eventually make the national team. Last summer, Ling was a project management intern for a civil-engineering company, and plans on interning for them again next summer. 

“I’m happy to be doing actual engineering courses this year, as I did chemistry and math last year,” Ling said. “It’s still pretty hard to transition from online classes to in-person classes.”

As advice for aspiring competitive swimmers, Ling advised to keep pushing: Most swimmers go through a period where they want to quit, she said, but it is important to work through that urge. Perseverance is necessary for athletes in general.

“If you push through it and try harder in practices and do your best, it will reward you,” Ling said.

Ling’s goal for the team is to finish with more points than last year and to continue producing good results. One thing is for sure: Ling will give her all to make sure her goals become a reality.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Dune’ is a return to the grandeur of in-person film

by Charlotte Hayes on

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The pandemic has placed restrictions on movie theatres since March 2020, forcing many large studios to push back the release dates of their most anticipated films. One of the victims of these delays was Dune. Following its premier at the Venice International Film Festival, Dune finally debuted on HBO Max on Oct. 21 and in theatres across the world on Oct. 22, signalling the return of a certain quality of cinema. The film lives up to its expectations, delivering a visually stunning sci-fi epic. Combining both the scale of the sci-fi genre and the stylistic touches of smaller indie films, Dune was well worth the wait.

Dune is an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 book of the same name. It follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man set to inherit powers far beyond his understanding. But first, Paul must journey to the wildest and most dangerous planet in the universe, Arrakis, to safeguard the future of his family. On Arrakis, conflict erupts over the planet’s supply of spice, the most precious resource in existence. Only those who are brave enough to conquer the treacherous terrain will survive. Paul must learn to harness his newfound powers in order to cross the desert and save his family from the evil Imperium.

The film’s immersive story is grounded in Chalamet’s dynamic and emotional performance, a delivery that audiences have come to expect from the young actor. Additionally, the most impactful performance from the large supporting cast comes from Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), a military personality and Paul’s close friend. Momoa’s charismatic character brings a much-needed comedic charm to what is otherwise an intense film. From the moment he appears on screen, he’s instantly likeable, stealing every scene he’s in. 

Chalamet and Momoa’s performances aside, another highlight of the film is its cinematography. Director of photography Greig Fraser brings the golden and otherworldly desert planet of Arrakis to life. Sweeping drone shots of the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, where the movie was filmed, combine seamlessly with CGI to create an immersive alien planet that feels fantastical, yet realistic. In doing so, the film avoids the pitfalls of its unpopular previous adaptation, which was criticized for having visually bland and monotone settings, and tedious, digressive plot that left the viewer bored and underwhelmed. 

Director Denis Villeneuve employs the use of visions and flashbacks to add visual diversity to the film—and to perhaps tease a potential sequel. These short sequins change the lighting and colour palette, transporting the viewer into the future. Such dream-like sequences help distinguish the film from others in its genre and provide a visual escape from the never-ending desert.

Dune’s only flaw is its pacing. At a staggering 155 minute run time, Villeneuve refuses to compromise artistic style for the sake of brevity. With gorgeous aerial shots and long-held close-ups, Villeneuve’s unique style demands patience from the audience. Despite having action-packed third and fourth acts, Dune requires that the audience sit through long establishing shots and quiet moments between central characters. However beautiful they may be, these quiet moments could lose the attention of casual fans and younger audiences.


With a star-studded cast and a talented, seasoned director, Dune is sure to capture the attention of every sci-fi lover. The film offers audiences the scope and intensity of a blockbuster while maintaining the style and visual language of prestige cinema. Complete with a beautiful score, gorgeous cinematography, and the latest in CGI technology, it’s the perfect film to welcome every cinephile back into the theatres.

McGill, News

Students speak out about racism at Desautels Faculty of Management

by Kellie Elrick on

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A Reddit thread recently surfaced asking for feedback on Career Services at the Desautels Faculty of Management. The top comment was written by a student of colour who claimed a Career Advisor made racist comments toward them during their first year. The student also writes that they, along with many other students of colour, have not gone back to Career Services since, out of fear of “being subjected to outright racism.”

This is the latest instance of racism at Desautels in a history of similar testimonies. On July 30, 2020, an open letter that detailed the experiences of BIPOC students was sent to Desautels higher-ups. With over 600 signatories, the letter included accounts ranging from uncomfortable class discussions to racist comments from career advisors. It also issued a list of demands, such as  curriculum revisions, an official, public anti-racism plan and demographic report, and a concession of a history of past racist behaviour, among other changes. 

The open letter cites the lack of representation within the faculty as a primary obstacle in fostering a more inclusive environment. According to McGill’s 2021 Bicentennial Report on Employment Equity, 14.5 per cent of tenure-stream academics within the faculty identified as ethnic minorities, just above the university-wide average of 13.6 per cent.

Though a statement on “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Desautels” is available on the faculty’s Strategic Plan for 2025 page of their website, the “Diversity” channel is currently blank.

In both the letter and the recent Reddit thread, students raised concerns about one career advisor in particular, who allegedly made discriminatory comments such as “ching chong chang,” “I don’t speak Asian,” and “You Muslims think.” 

Riley*, U4 Management, feels that no real change has been implemented in regards to the advisor since the publishing of the open letter.

“In the immediate aftermath of the open letter being released, the staff [member] in question was soon removed from the Desautels website, which many assumed meant they had been removed from their role one way or another,” Riley said. “However, after a few months, when the buzz around the letter died down a bit, the person was put back on the website as a career advisor. No further actions were taken to our knowledge.”

The McGill Tribune reached out to McGill administration for comment on the persistent accounts of racism at Desautels. Frédérique Mazerolle, a McGill media relations officer, emphasized that the university is dedicated to being a safe space for all its students.

“All members of the university community have the right to work and learn in an environment that is free from harassment and discrimination,” Mazerolle wrote in an email to the Tribune. “The university is committed to fostering a community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members and an equitable environment in which all members of the university can flourish.”

This past June, Desautels appointed Yolande E. Chan, a woman of colour, former associate dean and chair of digital technology at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business, and a Rhodes Scholar, as the new faculty dean. Mary Zhang, U4 Management, says Chan’s appointment is an important start, but that more needs to be done.

“I believe Desautels is making efforts to change for the better, yet we have a long way to go,” Zhang said. 

Zhang also noted that missing expertise and experience in the field of equity, diversity, and inclusion within Desautels is still a major concern for students. 

“The overall culture at Desautels is still far from one of inclusivity,” Zhang said. “A lot of marginalized students are, sadly but justifiably, fatigued by the disillusions of the bureaucracy and pushback in the process of institutional change-making. Personally, despite the emotional labour, I look forward to continuing to push for change and believe in the potential the faculty has.”

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

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

Mapping provincial variations in Canada’s nitrogen output

by Lilly Lecanu-Fayet on

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Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is a primary plant nutrient fertilizer that plays a critical role in agricultural production. For the past century, the availability of Nr in soil has become increasingly important to farmers as they attempt to grow the crops that contribute to nitrogen fixation, the process by which microorganisms convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form usable by plants.  

While the increased use of Nr has been effective in agricultural production, it has also contributed heavily to air pollution. In September, Sibeal McCourt, a PhD candidate in McGill’s Department of Geography, and Graham MacDonald, associate professor in the same department, published a study quantifying Canadian Nr emissions from food production and consumption, and comparing them to fossil fuel-related emissions. 

McCourt and MacDonald developed a national nitrogen footprint and more specific provincial metrics in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of each province’s contributions to Canada’s nitrogen emissions. These footprints look at virtual nitrogen factors (VNF), which refer to the total losses of Nr to the environment from the production of food.

The study accounts for Nr emissions released due to Canadians’ consumption and economic activities. They measured the total (in Gg Nr yr−1) and per capita (kg Nr capita−1 yr−1) N footprints for a three-year average in 2018, using a top-down approach that encompasses both individual consumption patterns and broader country-wide activities. The objectives of this study were to estimate the Canadian and provincial VNFs as part of the N footprint of food, study the driving factors in N emissions, and compare variations between provinces. 

“I found it surprising that fossil fuels could be the main contributor to N footprints in certain provinces,” McCourt said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Previous studies indicated that fossil fuels do contribute to N footprints, but the biggest source is from food consumption, particularly meat.”

Canada’s estimated total N footprint is 995.7 Gg Nr yr−1, with an average national per capita footprint of 27.1 kg Nr capita−1yr−1. The study revealed clear distinctions between provinces regarding total N footprints, per capita N footprints, and the main sources of Nr. For example, Prince Edward Island, with the smallest provincial population, produced 3.5 Gg Nr yr−1 and Ontario, with over 14 million people, produced 311.8 Gg Nr yr−1. Ontario’s per capita footprint clocked in at 22.0 kg Nr capita−1; however, Saskatchewan’s was by far the largest at 50.3 kg Nr capita−1 yr−1. This is due to Saskatchewan’s reliance on the production and use of fossil fuels for energy and because much of the province’s land is dedicated to commercial agriculture. McCourt and MacDonald found that the major drivers across all provinces were wastewater treatment, beef consumption, and transport. 

“Canada produces and exports a lot of food and fuel, and we also consume a relatively large amount of resources per capita,” McCourt said. “Having a better understanding of how both of these types of activities impact our environment will improve our sustainability.”

This research was conducted as part of McCourt’s PhD project, and the findings from this study will be used to further her research into emissions accounting in Canada. McCourt hopes to compare Canada’s reported provincial and national N emissions to the results she has come up with, and see what this could mean for the future of sustainable policy development.

“Hopefully this information will improve Canadians’ awareness of their environmental impacts,” McCourt said. “It’s important to hold companies and governments responsible for their environmental impacts so that we as consumers have more sustainable options available to us.”

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Korean Film Festival Canada portrays self-empowerment

by Paulina Kasak on

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The eighth iteration of the Korean Film Festival Canada runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 30 this year, and features the theme “Narratives Beyond Borders: Women’s Perspectives in the Korean Cinema.” The struggles many women face in determining their identities emerge as a common thread in the festival’s offerings. Bae Chang-ho, director of Whale Hunting, explained how the films navigate both the construction and spontaneous expression of femininity.

“There is naturally given femininity, and femininity given artificially in tradition, family, society, education,” said Bae in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “The latter femininity has tied and repressed women.”

Three of the featured films, The Apology, The Woman Who Ran, and An Uninterrupted View of the Sea, perfectly capture the festival’s essence. At the heart of these films lies the seemingly never-ending struggle to discover oneself. 

The Apology, by Tiffany Hsiung, is a compelling and eye-opening documentary that follows the personal stories of three former “comfort women.” The women in the film were among 200,000 others who were forcibly taken and sexually exploited by the Japanese Imperial army during the Second World War. The film is not only a captivating historical piece, but a moving emotional journey. One of the women in the film expressed, “[she wants] to be reborn as a human, as a woman, as someone’s precious daughter, married into a precious family and have [her] own precious family.” By documenting the stories of real women, interlaced with elements of trauma and hope, Hsiung succeeds in creating an intimate and harrowing connection with the viewer.    

The Woman Who Ran by Hong Sang-soo is about a woman who has never been apart from her husband since being married. When he leaves for a business trip, she finds herself alone for the first time and takes the opportunity to visit old friends. The film pushes the viewer—even those who are not married, in love, or in any kind of relationship—to self-reflect, and think on how one’s life decisions don’t always turn out the way one wants or hopes. This quality of normalcy is what makes the film so interesting; the quest for independence can be felt universally. Sang-Soo magnificently portrays the ordinary.

An Uninterrupted View of the Sea Short Film 1 by Mika Yatsuhashi chronicles Yatsuhashi’s great-grandfather’s struggle to prove his American identity as a Japanese immigrant. The short film is a conglomeration of old photographs, super 8mm films, and FBI documents. In the span of just 15 minutes, Yatsuhashi introduces, and educates the audience about the emotional hardships specific to immigrant life, as well as the structures which enforce these difficulties. The old photographs transport the viewer into the life of her great-grandfather. 

 “I chose to use only the archive material because that is how I connected to this story,” Yatsuhashi said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. 

In the movie, the photographs and film act as looking glasses; they allow the audience to connect with the person even if through a distant lens. The film displays a very real and important struggle that many people tend to ignore.

“I learned that you should define your own identity and not strive for the acceptance of a government [or] population, because all you’ll do is tire yourself out or worse,” Yatsuhashi said. “[Upon] realizing this, you can form your identity yourself, and not base it upon the values of a government.”

Even though the bulk of films centre culturally specific stories and experiences, the struggle to achieve inner peace, to develop an identity, and to attain a sense of belonging, resonate universally. The Korean Film Festival succeeds in directing a conversation about women’s struggle to define themselves.

Arts & Entertainment, Poetry

Comedic, joyful, and sombre: ‘The Best Canadian Poetry of 2021’

by Suzanna Graham on

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Canadian poets, consistently overshadowed by American writers, rarely get the recognition their talents deserve. is A collection of 50 poems by Canadian poets, the Best Canadian Poetry 2021 anthology is curated by its guest editor Souvankham Thammavongsa, who has author of five books, including How to Pronounce Knife, and received several literary awards. Published on Oct. 5, the book features poetic reflections on the transience and joy of this past year. Many poems share themes of aging and loss, while others interject bizarre and comedic variety into the array. 

Many featured poets happen to be Montreal locals. Hayden Ward explores his childhood memories in his poem, “From the Nurse’s Cabin Porch, Keats Island.” Formatted into a series of haikus, the poem recalls himself as a young child as his mother frees him from a wasp swarm. By switching from third to first person, Ward finds meaning in both living through and retroactively remembering his childhood memories of summers in British Columbia. Similarly, Mary Dean Lee, a professor in the Faculty of Management, navigates her childhood memory of her brother’s death in “Riddle.” Lee captures the traumatic effects of this loss on her family by using a disjointed structure and rhythm to mimic the unique ways that family members process trauma. The separation between lines emphasize her family’s emotional estrangement from each other. 

Other poems focus on lighter matters, including the horror of teenage acne and the (accidental) killing of a peace lily plant. David Ezra Wang’s poem, “acne, blood, and all things that flow,” may resonate with many students who hoped, in vain, that their acne would disappear as they transitioned out of their teenage years. Wang expresses his discomfort with going out in public with acne, and wonders if he would find love if only he “really exfoliated.” Kayla Czaga, who admits to writing a first draft of “The Peace Lily” on a Thrifty Foods receipt, contemplates the simultaneous frustration and relief of killing her beloved houseplant. Czaga juxtaposes her guilt with the poem’s beautiful imagery that captures the plant’s slow death, unaffected by the countless internet tricks Czaga employs in an attempt to save it.

One of the funniest poems in the anthology is George K Ilsley’s “Another Woman in Canada,” a found poem that ranks his 10 favourite one-star reviews of Canadian short story writer Alice Munro’s short story collection, Dear Life. Ilsley highlights the unintentional irony of several reviewers who either dislike Canadians entirely, or believe themselves to be better literary critics than those who awarded Munro the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. For instance, reviewer number two says of Munro’s fiction, “The characters are boring and bland, like Canadians.” The Canadian poets in the anthology clearly refute this statement, discussing any and all aspects of the vibrant human experience that prove they are quite an interesting bunch. Between struggling with mental illnesses (Roxanna Bennett), shielding parents from embarrassment (David Romanda), and finding freedom in motherhood (Louise Carson), each poet has something new to say. 

No matter whether a reader is a frequent or first-time poetry fan, Best Canadian Poetry 2021 is an excellent way to experience new and established Canadian poets. Bursting with personality, this anthology has something for everyone, and is a touching reflection on the highs and lows of 2021.

Best Canadian Poetry 2021 is available for purchase online or through local retailers.

Editorial, Opinion

Land acknowledgements are not political, but should be accompanied by political action

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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On Oct. 16, a Montreal Canadiens announcer read a land acknowledgement aloud ahead of the team’s home opener at the Bell Centre, with the Canadiens having declared earlier that day that it will now be a permanent addition to their home games. On Oct. 20, Quebec’s non-Indigenous Indigenous Affairs minister, Ian Lafrenière, responded by saying, “it’s important to recognize that the First Nations were here before us and that we now live together, but we’re getting into a debate between historians who don’t agree with each other. I think it might be a mistake.” Lafrenière also questioned why a sports team had decided to participate in “political” affairs. Land acknowledgements signal a recognition of the land on which settlers gather, and are themselves only the beginning, not the end, of reconciliation. Lafrenière’s comments showed that the Quebec government is unwilling to accept even the most symbolic action in support of Indigenous Peoples. 

Lafrenière cloaked his disagreement with the Habs’ land acknowledgement in arguments about the historical obscurity of which Indigenous group(s) were the original inhabitants of Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). This critique could have been a legitimate one in theory, but instead reads as an attempt to discredit the Canadiens’ efforts at moving toward reconciliation—a move that was applauded by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. If Lafrenière’s genuine concern was historical accuracy, his comments would have been accompanied by some kind of praise for the action or recommendation on how to improve it, as opposed to challenging the Habs’ decision altogether. But this is old news: Lafrenière is a minister under an administration that refuses to believe systemic racism exists in its province, let alone officially recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The idea that the world of sports is apolitical terrain is simply untrue: Systemic oppression infiltrates all facets of life, and sports have a long history of activism. Lafreniere’s questioning of the Canadiens’ decision is an affront to every fan and player who has dealt with systemic oppression, not to mention those players who are themselves Indigenous, like Habs goaltender Carey Price. The nationalism associated with sports teams also plays into the anti-woke rhetoric employed by Lafrenière and his ilk, which purports to protect Quebecois culture by ignoring the voices of marginalized peoples. 

The widespread use of land acknowledgements is a relatively novel phenomenon. Their purpose is straightforward, asking settlers to take a moment to reflect upon the history of the land they are gathered on and recognize its traditional stewards. This can be a meaningful process, but some Indigenous activists and commentators have become critical of individuals, businesses, or organizations who instrumentalize land acknowledgements to position themselves as allies without taking any meaningful steps toward reconciliation. To make matters worse, many larger institutions recycle the same vague land acknowledgements, limiting opportunities for meaningful reflection. What is meant to be powerful is eventually reduced to a ticked checkbox on a list, a facade of allyship without substantive advocacy for Indigenous communities. 

Take McGill as an example––the university’s website lists a land acknowledgement, but the administration has consistently failed to respond to demands from its Indigenous students. For instance, it took multiple vandalizations for the James McGill statue to finally be removed from its spot on campus following over a year of controversy, with no promise that the removal would be permanent. Perhaps McGill’s land acknowledgement would be more meaningful if it engaged with the university’s own entanglement in settler-colonialism and enslavement. But instead, it exists separately from the university’s brief acknowledgement that James McGill enslaved Black and Indigenous people. 

Land acknowledgements are a mere first step in the process of unlearning and relearning history, and must above all be coupled with genuine efforts in support of Indigenous communities to have any true impact. In the McGill context, students holding events can lead by example and listen to suggestions from Indigenous activists on how to make land acknowledgements more meaningful. As well, the minister of Indigenous Affairs should recognize the demands of his constituency instead of wasting time disputing the wording of a land acknowledgement. 

McGill, News

Where is Gerts Café? Opening postponed after delays in equipment shipping

by Madison Edward-Wright on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) University Centre, located at 3480 McTavish St., re-opened at the start of the Fall 2021 semester, offering space for studying, club gatherings, eating, and socializing. Gerts Campus Bar was also reopened with a new concept: A Gerts Café that would operate out of the same space as the bar during the day. While the bar section of Gerts has been in operation since Sept. 14, the cafe side has yet to open.

Inside Gerts, students can see a cafe-style counter set up in the corner closest to the entrance. Signage and arrows throughout the University Centre direct students toward “Gerts Café” at the ground level. There are also Quick Response (QR) codes posted on the Gerts entrance doors that lead to a webpage listing Gerts Café opening hours. Gerts doors, however, remain locked until 12:30 p.m., when the bar officially opens. 

Many students, like Maya Sokoloff, U3 Arts, did not know Gerts would be adding a cafe, despite having been to the bar. Nevertheless, she expressed enthusiasm toward the concept.

“I only know [Gerts] as a bar,” Sokoloff said. “I think it is such a good idea [for Gerts to have a cafe]. Especially with it getting colder and rainier, I feel like there have been less communal spaces for people to hangout inside and having a nice student area for people to just do work, get coffee, and eat seems like a great idea.”

Gerts manager Nadine Pelaez explained that a series of logistical obstacles are behind the cafe’s delayed opening.

“An endeavor like this [has] so many moving parts,” Pelaez said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “The whole cafe is an entirely new business, so that in itself takes a lot of time. Another delay is that it took a second for our machines to arrive. [Because] this is a new business, I want to get a new espresso machine, I want to get a good grinder and to be selling good coffee, so with COVID supply chains, things [took] longer than we originally anticipated.”

Pelaez also cited staff schedules and training as a challenge to opening.

“It takes so much coordination to hire and start people out,” Pelaez said. “Here, everything has been from scratch. These six baristas, this is my starting lineup, we have to train them all at the same time but also everyone has class, half of them have class on the Mac Campus, and it is so hard to coordinate.”

Rex Hamilton, U1 Science and a bartender at Gerts, noted that shipping delays have had an impact on Gerts’ operations.

“There has been a huge backlog, not just of café equipment, but all over the world for all different sectors […] because of COVID-19,” Hamilton said in an interview with the Tribune. “[Gerts Bar] has been short on tequila, there is a huge tequila shortage. But the [cafe] equipment did arrive a week or two ago, so I know [Nadine] has been scrambling to get the cafe staff ready.”

Despite backorders and the learning curve of opening a bar after a three-year hiatus, Hamilton has had a positive experience at Gerts so far and has enjoyed getting to know the McGill community. 

“It has been a really good team, and we [have] all got each other’s backs,” Hamilton said. “I hope [the cafe staff] has fun and enjoys it too [….] I have met a lot of kids in the McGill universe through this job. It kind of feels like I am at the centre of everything if I am working [at Gerts]. So many different people come through [….] It is really cool to work a job where I feel like I am a part of the McGill community.”

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