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Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Student ingenuity on display at virtual Activities Night

by Lilly Lecanu-Fayet on

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Activities Night has come and gone once again, but this year, there was no standing in line, no Martlet stamps, and no bustling fieldhouse. Activities Night, along with McGill’s many other annual events, was held entirely virtually. On Sept. 9 and 10, students of all years and faculties logged on to learn about the various clubs and organizations that McGill has to offer. As has become the “new normal,” Activities Night was held online through Eventus.io, a virtual career fair service platform that was repurposed to allow each club to show off their services and opportunities to interested students. 

There were 304 clubs in attendance, hosting virtual booths that students could click through to learn more about their missions and future plans. Many clubs, including SSMU Musicians Collective, MealCare McGill, and McGill Students Knitting Club, made promotional videos to outline how they function and how to get involved. Each club also clearly explained how they planned to make the most of their shift to online meetings, events, and fundraisers. Links to Facebook events and signup sheets made it easy to learn about upcoming meetings and activities. The switch to online Activities Night required more work from club members and executives, but the extra effort made for a remarkably engaging experience. 

Club leaders are eager to be back into the swing of things. Many executives spent their summers preparing virtual activities and fundraisers to give new and returning members the best online experience. Danielle Fuchs, U3 Arts, President of Challah for Hunger, is optimistic about her organization’s plans for this semester.

“Usually, Challah for Hunger bakes challah in person with dozens of volunteers five times per semester,” Fuchs said. “Then, we sell the challah in various buildings on campus to raise money for charities that fight food insecurity throughout North America.” 

Now that Challah for Hunger has moved completely online, they have had to rethink how their club will function and how they can do the most good while keeping everyone safe. For Fuchs, this means virtual challah bakes and donation-based events like movie nights and workshops. 

Conversely, some clubs have been able to continue with relatively few changes. Democrats Abroad (DA) Vice-President of Communications Cameron Leonard, U3 Arts, is confident about DA’s ability to stay true to their mission. One of the club’s main activities throughout the school year is phone banking, which was an easy virtual transition. 

“[We’ve] hosted several remote phone banking events over Zoom, in which we got together and made calls to American citizens to assist them with requesting their absentee ballots,” Leonard said. “This is not a significant change from the way that we have operated in the past, [as] the only change here is that we are hosting the events virtually.”

 

DA’s strategies for advertisement were not much different from previous years: They created a video for their virtual booth, where they were able to creatively present their organization’s goals, much as they would have in-person. DA has planned for more online events over the course of the semester, and were excited to have the opportunity to share these plans at Activities Night.

The McGill Women in Computer Science Team (McWiCS) shared a similar sentiment. McWiCS Co-President Heather Bosiljevac, U3 Science, is enthusiastic about the club’s ability to successfully transition online. The club was grateful for the opportunity to reach out to those who might have normally shied away from computer science, in hopes of bringing some fresh faces to the upcoming Zoom events. 

“Our main goal for Activities Night is simply to get our name out there and invite people to follow us on social media and attend our events,” Bosiljevac said. “Overall, we are really just trying to continue helping people feel more comfortable in [computer science] at McGill, especially incoming first year [students] who may be nervous starting at a new school in this environment.” 

 

Emerging Trends, Student Life

Love in the time of COVID-19

by Gabrielle Wasco on

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For university students, dating does not always mean heartfelt conversations over candlelit dinners. In fact, dating rarely means going on dates at all. 

Instead, dating can mean late night hookups after long hours spent in the library. It can mean watching Netflix to fill the silence, and avoiding labels in a desperate attempt to keep things casual and to stifle any real emotions that might swell up inside.

But now the COVID-19 pandemic has forced couples to enter relatively unexplored territory: The digital realm, full of awkward Zoom calls and lengthy text conversations. This may not seem like a romantic atmosphere, but, believe it or not, online dating has actually brought many couples closer together despite their physical distance—or maybe because of it. 

To explore this transition into primarily online dating, The McGill Tribune chatted with Julian*, a U2 engineering student. He started hooking up with Nikki* only weeks before the pandemic struck in March. Suddenly, the simplicity of their relationship was gone. Faced with the choice of either breaking up or committing to a long-distance relationship after being together for less than a month, they decided to give long-distance a shot.

Unsurprisingly, long-distance changed the nature of Julian and Nikki’s relationship. With casual encounters no longer an option, the couple had to establish a different kind of intimacy. 

“Since we couldn’t be physical anymore, we started to talk over FaceTime or Zoom almost every day,” Julian said. “It forced us to have real conversations and get to know each other even more. It was nice having her to rely on [during the pandemic.] We grew closer [and] established a [deeper] emotional connection.” 

When Nikki returned to Montreal in July, Julian decided to quarantine with her for two weeks—a commitment he could have never made without hundreds of Zoom calls beforehand. As a result of the pandemic, Julian and Nikki were ready to make a real commitment.

Pierre*, U4 Psychology, was in a similar situation. He and Adele* dated for a couple months before the pandemic, but never made it “official.” 

“I wasn’t comfortable labelling [our relationship] before,” Pierre said. “It was always a grey area.” 

The night before they each left Montreal, Pierre and Adele were finally forced to define what they really were. They agreed that it would be easier to just be friends and stop talking to give each other space to heal.

Only weeks after breaking up, Pierre already regretted his decision. He missed Adele. 

“I didn’t know just how much I cared about her until I stopped talking to her altogether,” Pierre said. “I definitely took our relationship for granted before.” 

After a long month of silence, Pierre finally gained the courage to contact Adele—only to discover that she was planning on reaching out that same day. The two started talking again and agreed that long-distance dating actually brought them closer together than ever before. 

Today, both Pierre and Adele are back in Montreal, but had to wait until the end of Adele’s quarantine to see one another. However, Pierre surprised Adele by making a homemade ice cream cake for her birthday and dropping it off on her back doorstep. 

More stories like Pierre or Julian’s are available on The Social Distance Project. This site gives couples a virtual space to anonymously discuss how the pandemic has altered their dating experiences—either for better or for worse. COVID-19 has left many of us catching feelings like never before, but hopefully feelings will be the only thing you’re catching this fall.

*Last names omitted for privacy.

McGill, News

Scholars strike to call for an end to systemic racism within academic institutions

by Respina Rostamifar on

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Scholars across Canada and the United States took part in a collective action on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 to protest anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, and colonial violence within academic institutions. Known as the Scholar Strike, workers in academia boycotted normal class schedules for the two-day period to organize teach-ins on police violence and social justice.

The Scholar Strike initiative, which calls for an end to anti-Black police violence and discrimination within academia, was initiated in the U.S. by Dr. Anthea Butler, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Butler’s call for a strike was motivated by the recent actions by players in the NBA and WNBA, who boycotted games in response to police brutality in the U.S. and Canada. Butler then started the Scholar Strike initiative on Twitter.

As in the United States, thousands of Canadian scholars took this opportunity to advocate for an end to systemic racism. Additionally, Scholar Strike Canada was dedicated to addressing systemic and institutional forms of violence, which have resulted in the underrepresentation of Black and Indigenous scholars and students in Canadian institutions.

Aziz Choudry, a professor in the Faculty of Education, has been involved in

anti-racist and anti-colonial activism since the 1980s. Choudry spoke to the Tribune about his participation in Scholar Strike Canada and highlighted McGill University’s own institutional racism.

“I’m supporting Scholar Strike Canada as one action in the ongoing fight against racism and colonialism that those of us working in universities can take part in by interrupting ‘business as usual’ and uplifting anti-racist education work as the new university term starts up,” Choudry said. “Institutional racism continues to permeate McGill, Canadian higher education institutions, and broader Canadian society. At McGill, the struggles and work of racialized students, faculty, and staff against racism have been frequently erased or forgotten. Much of the anti-racist work has been and continues to be done by relatively few racialized faculty.”

Dr. Mehri Ghazanjani, a professor in the Department of Sociology, stated that her participation in Scholar Strike Canada provided professors with the opportunity to educate their students on forms of systemic racism that exist within post-secondary education.

“[The] Scholar Strike for Black lives in Canada has been a great teaching and learning moment for all of us,” Ghazanjani said. “Not only should we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but we also should take it upon ourselves to understand and respond to social injustices in our society. The teach-ins provided us with an important opportunity to learn more about systemic [and] inferential racism and discrimination and to reflect upon our role in it. It is time to stand together and push for long-overdue changes in our institutions.”

Canadian educational institutions, including McGill University, occupy unceded traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples and have a long-standing history of racial and institutional discrimination. Scholar Strike Canada hopes that their actions will call attention to systemic racism, as well as educate individuals in the hopes of sparking progresisve change.  

For Robin Vochelet, a U4 Arts student, the Scholar Strike’s provided an opportunity to have an important conversation about dismantling stereotypes and discriminatory academic structures.

“I genuinely believe there’s a need for a discussion on the way academia perpetuates white supremacy,” Vochelet said. “To me, this is a crucial point that we need to keep in mind moving forward in our academic careers, mostly because Canada is too often deemed as better than the United States regarding systemic racism. It is about time we break these harmful stereotypes down and start working on building an environment that is, in fact, inclusive and free of systemic racism.”

McGill, News

McGill Max Bell graduate student bridges borders with comparative policy tool

by Ella Milloy on

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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a graduate student at McGill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy to create the Bridging Borders project, an interactive policy tool that compares the effectiveness of pandemic response plans from regions around the world. Since the project started in May, graduate student Henna Hundal and Sai Rajagopal have interviewed the Prime Ministers and Presidents of over 40 countries on camera about their responses to the pandemic.

Both Hundal and Rajagopal studied and conducted research at Harvard University during their undergraduate years. Hundal’s academic background in health policy and clinical medicine and Rajagopal’s studies in biomedical and mechanical engineering provided them with the experience necessary to develop Bridging Borders. When the COVID-19 pandemic started affecting regions of the United States differently, Hundal and Rajagopal sought to compare how policy responses and epidemiological outcomes varied from state to state. Recently, their project has expanded to include countries around the world.

“When we saw that some developed countries had worse policy responses than the developing countries in which we worked, we realized there was a space in which to inform listeners about COVID-19 policy responses across borders,” Rajagopal wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “That’s how the project was born.”

By interviewing international leaders directly, the Bridging Borders project has brought attention to regions of the world that are not regularly discussed in mainstream media. Discussions with President Jonathan Nez of the Navajo Nation and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. of the Cherokee Nation highlighted the importance of facilitating dialogue within communities hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic, and outlining the infrastructural issues that have contributed to these regional differences. 

“Those stories don’t get reported,” Hundal said. “There’s all these nuances and granularities that the [Bridging Borders] program is able to reveal. We’re hoping that after this pandemic we get serious about solving some of these issues.”

Weekly interviews with global leaders posted to the Bridging Borders website provide the primary data needed to create their comprehensive policy comparison tool. Launching on Sept. 18., the tool examines the policies implemented by each country, such as social distancing guidelines and mask and quarantine decrees. These policies are overlaid with the caseload and death charts of each region, so that users can see the effectiveness of different public health guidelines in real-time. 

Director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada and professor of Political Science Daniel Béland shared his perspective on the Bridging Borders project.

“The various episodes posted on the website features interviews with world leaders and policymakers that allow us to better understand both the global and the local COVID-related public health and policy challenges [that] they face,” Béland wrote in an email to the Tribune. “COVID-19 is a global pandemic but the policy responses can vary significantly across the world, and taking stock of fast-evolving national strategies to cope with COVID-19 is potentially important to improve responses to current and future pandemics.”  

The Bridging Borders project focusses on core questions during each interview, including asking leaders about the severity of the pandemic in their own countries or regions, the death tolls, and what basic measures have been implemented since the onset of the pandemic. With the help of listener feedback, the project has worked to better contextualize their interviews, and aims to give users a more well-rounded picture of what the pandemic response is like in a given region.

“We’ve been very pleased by the level of engagement among the leaders who are interested in coming together on this platform and pooling their policy ideas,” Hundal said. “That’s a function also of the need to work together during a pandemic. It’s not a problem that stops at borders.” 

All of the Bridging Borders’s interview episodes can be found on their website. Episodes are released weekly and the project’s policy tool will be updated as each episode is uploaded. Bridging Borders can also be found on social media with @bridgingbordersproject on Instagram, and with @bridgingproject on Twitter.

A previous version of this article stated that Sai Rajagopal is a graduate student at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. In fact, only Henna Hundal is a student at Max Bell. The Tribune regrets this error.

public health
Science & Technology

Unearthing an epidemic: The birth of Canadian public health

by Claire Latendresse on

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Diseases are one of humanity’s greatest blind spots, an enemy that always reappears. Fears of loss and death can lead to dramatic societal turmoil, from economic troubles to civil unrest. They remain, however, pivotal moments in history, providing valuable opportunities for comparisons between past and present disease management tactics. 

A team of archaeologists were recently called to document the remains of a 19th-century church discovered by construction workers underneath a parking lot in the district of Sainte-Rose, Laval. The archeologists carefully recorded the outlines of the old church, cemetery walls, and graves in what was once the churchyard.

Interestingly, the team observed that the graves were small, tightly packed, and located quite close to the surface. By accessing the cemetery’s records, which spanned from 1788 to 1890, they learned that over 7000 people were buried in the small plot, primarily children less than a year old. The archeologists also noticed an intriguing spike in deaths on two occasions, in 1832 and 1834. Archeologist Justine Tétreault tied these spikes to dates in the church records. 

“Well, we know the exact numbers [of burials] through records, but what we saw on the site is a very high density of burial pits,” Tétreault said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. 

In fact, the 1830s were pivotal in the history of public health in Canada. In 1832 and 1834, two cholera epidemics swept through North America, causing mass casualties in Lower Canada—now Quebec and Labrador.  

Cholera is a gastrointestinal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Highly infectious, it causes diarrhea, massive dehydration, and is often deadly. In the early 1800s, however, the cause of the illness was still unknown.

In the winter of 1831, government officials in Lower Canada learned that cholera had hit the British Isles and could spread to Canada. This information effectively prompted the birth of Canadian public health legislations, culminating in Canada’s first Quarantine Act in 1872. The famous Grosse-Île quarantine station was established during the 1832 epidemic to mitigate the impact of cholera’s arrival. 

Despite these newly implemented measures, the illness’s toll was devastating. Cholera claimed over 5,000 lives in Lower Canada alone, a significant loss for a region with a total population of only 500,000 residents at the time. Jean-Philip Mathieu, a PhD candidate in the Department of History and Classical Studies, noted that fear was prevalent in the population at the time. 

“It was a catastrophe for human health. It was absolutely catastrophic,” Mathieu said in an interview with the Tribune. “This was a major fear for people. It strained the system of proper Christian burials because the mortality rate doubled over a few months.” 

Frightened and underprepared, Canadians were left to improvise. Government officials responded by creating a Board of Health, but also fired cannons and burned tar to cleanse the air—a futile effort, especially when fighting a waterborne pathogen. As with the COVID-19 pandemic of today, people dreaded the misunderstood disease, and their fear translated into a distrust of the government and other experts.

“The improvisation of trying to deal with this [pandemic is] very familiar,” Mathieu said. “People not complying, not following directives, not trusting doctors. A major thing people [thought was] that doctors [were] actually giving them cholera—there’s a distrust of expertise. There are a lot of commonalities [with COVID-19], and all pandemics have certain things in common.”

The apprehension caused by an unknown disease now seems eerily familiar. Yet, throughout history, epidemics and pandemics have always brought about two things: Tragedy and change. Many of the health measures implemented in 1832 persisted far beyond the end of the outbreak.

“This particular epidemic really changed things,” Mathieu said. “People realized how improvisational this was, and that you need better planning and better regulations because you [can’t] escape epidemic disease [….] And a quarantine station is just one example of that, of these governments with very limited tools and technologies, [and without] a very strong state structure. I think that’s really important contextually.”

History is cyclical. Every so often, we unearth glimpses of the past that help us understand similar experiences of those who came before. Today, like in 1832, it may seem as though the world lingers in a perpetual state of fear, distrust, and uncertainty. Yet, these same fears will push experts to change the face of public health, even if such changes only become visible in retrospect, 200 years from now.

Montreal, News

Dozens gather at Palais de Justice de Montréal to protest against recent PEQ reform

by Pascal Hogue on

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Approximately 50 people gathered by the steps of the Palais de Justice de Montréal on Sept. 12 to protest the recent reform of the Québec Experience Program (PEQ). The small but vocal crowd cheered speakers on while remaining socially distant. The protest was organized by the activist group Le Québec c’est nous aussi, which advocates for inclusivity in Quebec.

 The PEQ reform, implemented on July 22, has tightened the immigration program’s eligibility conditions, requiring increased work experience for international students and temporary foreign workers in Quebec. 

 Andrés Fontecilla, a Québec Solidaire Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Laurier-Dorion, spoke with verve about his opposition to the new reforms. 

“[With] the reforms being fundamentally unjust, there are always reasons for us to mobilize […] and we will mobilize […] until we correct the principal injustices of this program,” Fontecilla said.  

Fontecilla also outlined the group’s principal demands to the CAQ government.

“[The government] must respect its word,” Fontecilla said. “The Quebec Premier François Legault and the former Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette gave their personal word as minister and Premier [that] international students would have a granted right [to work]. This means that, despite the reforms, the people that are already here will be able to apply following the old rules of the PEQ program. [The government] has to respect its promise. It is a state promise.”

Ramatoulaye Diallo, treasurer at the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN, an organization that represents the rights of over 100,000 workers from nearly 400 syndicates across Montreal, explained the importance of standing up for foreign students and workers.

“Fighting against injustice is what we do,” Diallo said. “[We’re] here today because we think that the PEQ reform is an unjust reform towards racialized people and […] immigrants.”

Diallo noted the importance of foreign students to Quebec, highlighting that their participation in the economy is undervalued by the CAQ government.

“My impression is that if we create an injustice like this, we will be missing workers, and in that sense, it can affect my work,” Diallo said. “I want young people, especially young graduates to be able to come here in Quebec and to be able to find work [so that] they can contribute to the development of this country.”

Saïd Apali, who is part of the Syndicat des étudiants salariés de Montréal, felt that while his syndicate represents many international student workers at the University of Montreal, he took part in the protest because he believes it is also an important social cause. 

“There are already many studies that demonstrate that people who are ethnic minorities […] and women […] face structural barriers on the labour market, that are discriminated against, [be it] direct, indirect, or systemic,” Apali said. “But now [instead of helping], the Legault government is saying, ‘we will put even more barriers’ […] which will make it even harder to integrate into the labour market [….] We see that this has many different ideological motives and that these are racist ideological motives.”

Fontecilla explained that the PEQ reform, which was introduced by the CAQ in mid-July, was able to pass under the radar because the public was primarily focused on the pandemic.

“[The government] profited […] from when everyone had their eyes turned towards the healthcare system, the CHSLD, and the number of [COVID-19] deaths,” Fontecilla said. “The government, especially the former Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette took profit from this to pass the reform in […] hiding—and his operation hasn’t worked—but he’s profiting from the mediatic attention being elsewhere to pass this reform. It’s a rather sad political tactic, pretty unimaginative, but heck, it’s politics.”

All interviews were conducted in French and translated by the author.

Every week is a busy week for SSMU clubs and services (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU Clubs and Services forced to adapt amid COVID-19 regulations

by Pia Mikhael on

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While students around the world have begun to adjust to the new normal of online classes and socially-distanced gatherings, the COVID-19 pandemic still affects almost every aspect of our lives. In particular, the pandemic has impacted student’s social interactions, including their ability to participate in clubs and societies. Activities night, held on Sept. 9 and 10, transitioned from being a gym jam-packed with booths into an online portal where students could sign up to interact with the clubs they were interested in.

Student-run clubs not only serve as convenient ways for students to meet others with similar interests, but also create opportunities for students to escape their daily class schedules. Furthermore, clubs serve as ways for students to help their communities or be exposed to and work within more specific fields.

MEDLIFE McGill, a club dedicated to advocating for accessible education and healthcare globally, is one of many student organizations impacted by COVID-19. MEDLIFE McGill’s Vice-President of Finance and Sponsorship Elise Goncalves explained how McGill’s transition to online learning has affected the club from running as it once had. 

“Our meetings have gone online,” Goncalves said. “We use Slack to talk to each other and regular Zoom meetings to keep each other up-to-date, [whereas], we used to hand [out] flyers […] and set up booths on campus to raise awareness for our cause.”

One of the more notable barriers to the club has been the lack of opportunities for outreach, as the only readily available communication tools are Facebook and Instagram. This has made it more difficult for MEDLIFE McGill to collect donations, as normal fundraising activities are not feasible due to COVID-19 regulations. 

There have, however, been some positive aspects to the transition to online platforms. MEDLIFE McGill hosted an online Q&A session in which students were able to ask questions relating to the club. In addition, MEDLIFE McGill also hosted an Instagram fundraiser, where team executives completed challenges to reach fundraising goals. 

Krista Mahler, the co-chair of McGill Students for UN Women, explained how their fundraisers were similarly affected by the move to virtual resources. 

“We have been trying to accustom our club [members] to virtual changes,” Mahler said. “We will hold events and panel discussions online. It has been hard to generate money for the club itself, including being able to donate our money. Moving forward, [McGill Students for UN Women] will be doing virtual volunteer work, like sending letters out to women’s shelters, particularly Chez Doris, to create ties and inspire them.” 

Another organization that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is Desautels Management Achievement Awards (DMAA). Kaitlyn Lynch, the director of Marketing, expressed that DMAA would be forced to reconsider how it would host events.

“Our club works towards having an event in February, an award ceremony, which was held at the Four Seasons [hotel] last year,” Lynch said. “We don’t know whether or not that is going to happen in-person yet. We have been looking at alternatives for the event and [whether we will] still be able to get sponsorship money to hold this event, but right now it is all up in the air.” 

Although the pandemic forced student clubs to implement new methods of outreach, it is not all negative. The silver lining comes from developing more creative strategies that can reach a wider audience, such as the use of listservs, social media, and online events. Online meetings and events also allow students to avoid commuting to campus, and makes it more convenient and easier for students to get involved. It remains to be seen if these strategies will continue after the pandemic and as life returns back to normal.

Student Life

What we’re learning about remote learning

by Josephine Wang on

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In case you have not gotten the memo, McGill classes are all now held virtually. Gone are the days of running to your 8 a.m. classes, commuting to school, and pretending to stay awake during lectures. Yet, this comes at the cost of the regular start-of-the-year events, and a regular campus community.

Initial rejoices and complaints aside, remote learning remains unchartered territory, and its impacts on professors and students are not yet fully known. At the moment, instructors at McGill are taking steps to figure out how to successfully teach online, developing with new methods to make the transition smoother for students. 

Charlotte Usselman, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, shared her insight as a first-time Zoom professor. 

“Open and honest communication with students is the key,” Usselman said. “I was very blunt with my class, telling them that […] although I had done my absolute best to prepare for the coming semester, I knew that there would be hiccups. I asked the class to be forthright and honest in their feedback and suggestions [….] So far, I’ve found that opening myself up to those suggestions has been extremely rewarding.”

Usselman also revealed some of the struggles that she and other instructors faced in the weeks and months leading to the start of the semester.

“Instructors preparing their courses for remote delivery this semester were not given extra hours in their workload to prepare, [so] we had to make time in our already-busy schedules to adapt,” Usselman said. “Many of us have worked hard to try to gain these new skills, […] but it has come at a cost in terms of time spent with our research labs, with our friends and family, and our sleep schedules.”

Maureen Rose, senior faculty lecturer in the School of Human Nutrition, had prior experience with remote learning as an instructor.

“[Remote learning] is not as effective as in person, as the interaction and sharing of ideas is less smooth and students seem more shy on Zoom,” Rose said. “Teaching 100 plus little black boxes is not fun nor interactive. [However], the impetus to try different ways of teaching and letting students take more responsibility for teaching themselves […] is an aspect of remote learning that I like.”

Remote learning has served some students well. For those with a safe and stable home environment, it can allow students to work at their own pace, away from the stressful environment of school. Additionally, with many classes now recorded and asynchronous, students are able to decide when their school day begins. 

Tracy Liu, U3 Science, finds that she is able to better balance her work and school life with remote classes. 

“With classes being held remotely, I save so much time commuting to classes and no longer have to work my personal schedule around school,” Liu said. “I currently have a research position, and remote learning allows me to work full time and take my classes in the evening. I am getting so much more done.”

On the other hand, Lily Ragsdale, U4 Science, finds it difficult to engage with her professors, classmates, and the material through remote learning.

“I’m just not getting fulfilled with remote learning,” Ragsdale said. “I’m unable to […] engage with virtual lessons and taking classes while being confined in my apartment is hard. I know that students and teachers are trying their best to make remote learning work, but things like slow communication and missing extracurriculars are inevitable.”

Only time will tell whether remote learning can actually be an adequate substitute for in-person classes. As the remote semester continues, it is important to keep in mind that this model of class is currently the best alternative, as keeping the university open poses a safety risk for students. Remote courses are certainly better than no classes at all. 

Basketball, Sports

Style Seminar: Russell Westbrook

by Zoe Babad-Palmer, Adam Burton, Kaja Surborg on

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While the Houston Rockets’ Russell Westbrook was incredibly inconsistent in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, his pre-game outfits have never failed to impress. When it comes to bold and flavourful ensembles, nobody else in the league can compare. As many mourn the Rockets’ second round playoff exit to the Los Angeles Lakers, The McGill Tribune celebrates Westbrook’s fearless fashion sense.

Mega-distressed sweater: 7/10

We’ve all got that sweater with a little rip at the cuff or a fraying hem, but Westbrook took distressed clothing to a new level with this shabby-chic look on Jan. 25, 2018. The giant slash across his chest does a good job of looking like he nearly escaped death at knifepoint while also highlighting his necklace. This outfit could have rocketed up to a perfect 10 if the sweater’s rips had been a little more extensive. As it is, the neatness of the sleeves combined with the ragged shoulders is more reminiscent of a targeted moth attack than a deliberate choice. Still, the overall effect is admirable.

Photographer vest: 10/10

The best fashion is fashion with a purpose, and this look from Westbrook certainly deserves that label. His white t-shirt and pants create a blank canvas on which he writes a subtle jab at star forward, amateur photographer, and ex-teammate Kevin Durant. Westbrook pointedly wore this outfit on Nov. 3, 2016 before his first game against Kevin Durant since Durant left Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook played it cool and denied any link between his ex-teammate and the outfit, but that didn’t stop him from becoming the talk of Twitter. If the next step in NBA rivalries is throwing shade through style, Westbrook is certainly ahead of the curve.

Bathrobe and sweats: 7.5/10

This outfit screams “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my morning coffee.” While this was taken before an 8 p.m. game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Westbrook looks like he just rolled out of bed. His full-body grey sweats and Air Force 1s topped with a bathrobe may have you thinking Russell has given up on his high-fashion pursuits, but upon closer investigation, this ensemble costed over $1295 to put together. This outfit lost points for the out of place bandana-headband; it doesn’t add to the outfit and takes away from his bedhead look.

Personal protection equipment: 9/10

This outfit is perfect for those who need to get straight from the job site to the game. Westbrook wore this outfit on Feb. 9, 2019 before his victory against the Houston Rockets, making sure his arrival was in full compliance with OSHA workplace safety guidelines. The bright orange and yellow in tandem with his purposeful stride make for a vibrant and distinct outfit that’s sure to catch eyes. This look would have been a perfect 10 if he had not forgotten to wear his OSHA mandated steel-toed reflective sneakers. 

One quarter of a barbershop quartet: 10/10

This look has it all: A well-tailored suit, a funky pattern, and velvet shoes that tie everything together with a fun textured element. The boater hat—a staple of every barbershop quartet member’s look—adds a whimsical accessory and proves that Westbrook is not afraid to commit to a look. Details, like the pocket square, hit their mark perfectly in this outfit, making the statement look that much more memorable. The only thing missing from this is three teammates in matching outfits and a fun little musical number. 

Canadian tuxedo full-send: 5/10

This look gets most of its points for commitment. The jeans are just a little bit too wide at the bottom to be skinny, and a little too tight everywhere else to be a straight-leg cut. Sure, fashion can be revolutionary and should push boundaries, but inventing a new cut of jeans is downright unnecessary. The jeans and jacket being in the same shade of mid-wash denim also offers no optical rest for viewers of this outfit. Westbrook loses more points for the denim baseball cap as well; it’s just ugly. He does however, get an additional point for the jean Jordans, because those are cool. 

Thrift store mix and match: 8.5/10

This outfit makes Westbrook look like he’s walked right off of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” music video set. Sure to make any Eva B shopper jealous, the combination of bright colors and floral print create a retro summer look suited for anybody feeling colorful. The juxtaposition of suede shoes and a pink fur jacket adds a variety of textures to this outfit that make it versatile and adaptable to different weather conditions. The outfit, however, suffers from his fire-engine-red handbag that clashes with the subtle pastel colors that hold the rest of the look together.

Avant-garde cargo mess: 3/10

Every part of this outfit clashes with itself in an unpleasant way: The colour scheme, the proportions, the functionality. Westbrook’s pants appear to be equipped to carry at least five people’s school supplies and snacks, but seem unnecessarily cumbersome and clunky. It doesn’t help that his t-shirt is too long and covers up the top of his pants while also falling under his asymmetrical traffic-cone-orange jacket. This composition is not Russell’s finest work and we can only hope he doesn’t repeat his mistakes.

Science & Technology

Department of Family Medicine introduces new Inuit health module

by Mackenzie Pereira on

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McGill’s Department of Family Medicine is developing a course that aims to help doctors and researchers understand Inuit perspectives on healthcare that they expect to be open for enrollment by the Fall of 2021. Spearheading the development of this new Inuit health module is recently appointed associate professor of Family Medicine Richard Budgell, who is of mixed Inuit ancestry himself.  

Bringing with him over 30 years of experience working with Inuit and other Indigenous groups in Quebec and Labrador, Budgell assures that the new module will foster important discussions regarding a range of topics related to community health in the Canadian north. The module will focus on educating medical students about the Inuit view of healthcare, the historical effects of colonialism on Inuit health practices, and the history of disease as a result of first contact with European settlers.

“The Canadian health[care] system has been imposed on Inuit,” Budgell said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “[We should] approach people with a sense of humility as opposed to a sense of superiority.”

Despite stereotypes that Inuit reside only in remote areas, Budgell explained that there are hundreds of Inuit who travel from Inuit land claims regions, such as Nunavik in northern Quebec, to receive care in Montreal. For example, it is not uncommon for expectant Inuit mothers to travel hundreds of kilometres to give birth in Montreal. 

Budgell noted that Inuit patients have very different definitions of health than many Canadian doctors, a factor which greatly impacts the quality of care that clinicians can provide. Generally, Inuit regard health as a holistic experience, one that includes an important spiritual component—a facet of health that Western medicine has been criticized for overlooking. As such, when addressing the concerns of Inuit patients, Budgell advises doctors to respect the importance of spirituality. 

“[We’ll be] looking at systemic issues in terms of colonialism and how that has affected [Inuit’s] contemporary experience,” Budgell said. 

Inuit often receive care at institutions that are scarcely staffed by Inuit healers, a systemic issue echoed by the under-representation of Indigenous doctors in the Canadian healthcare system and an outstanding problem that the module seeks to address. Budgell explained how this disparity stems from Indigenous youths’ relatively low high school completion rates in comparison to the rest of the population. When Inuit students are not presented with opportunities to contribute to their communities, students can become discouraged by academic work.

“The education that [Indigenous] people are receiving in elementary and high school has very little cultural relevance to them,” Budgell said. “I’d like to see a world where health facilities in Indigenous communities are dominated by Indigenous people.” 

Before beginning his position as associate professor, Budgell served as the Regional Executive Director of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch for Indigenous Services Canada, a title with demanding responsibilities. His biggest challenge was confronting cultural stereotypes about Indigenous peoples harboured by many Canadians, biases that he hopes to dismantle in his course. 

Nationwide, high school and elementary school curricula have been slow to incorporate pre-colonial Indigenous history, let alone lessons on Indigenous health practices. A first introduction to the basics of Indigenous culture at the post-secondary level is a reality for many Canadians, but Budgell emphasized that blame should not be put on the students themselves. 

“You can’t blame people for having been the product of poor education,” Budgell said. “The curriculum about Indigenous people has been inadequate probably everywhere across the country.” 

Budgell’s ultimate goal is to engage in a dialogue with students. He encourages them to contact him with questions about Indigenous health in order to begin what are, in his view, long overdue conversations.  

“We all have knowledge and we all have questions,” Budgell said.

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