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Editorial, Opinion

The time for Indigenous allyship is now

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Last week, in our Oct. 29 issue, The McGill Tribune published an open letter written by Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek. In the letter, Jirousek explains the events that  led him and other Indigenous student leaders to ask for the resignation of SSMU Vice-President (VP) Internal, Sanchi Bhalla. In addition, Jirousek’s letter describes the institutional failures of SSMU to provide adequate allyship to Indigenous students. The letter closes by outlining a three-step plan for increasing the autonomy, support, and mobility Indigenous students have when advocating for themselves on campus. The steps include increased fiscal autonomy, giving the Indigenous Affairs Commissioner role independence from the SSMU executive, and greater resources to facilitate rapid mobilization.   Following the letter’s release, Jirousek posted screenshots of hateful comments he had received in response to his activism in a Facebook post on Oct. 31. Some of the comments were from a recent r/mcgill Reddit post made in reference to Jirousek’s most recent open letter. Without exception, the comments present in Jirousek’s post are staunch examples of targeted racism and invalidate the work he has done as an Indigenous activist. In light of such comments, both SSMU and the McGill student body are falling short of their professional and moral obligations to support and provide allyship to Indigenous students on campus, especially Jirousek. 

The Tribune condemns the comments and responses shown in Jirousek’s Facebook post, as well as the hateful sentiments that they stem from. Further, the Tribune fully endorses the points and messages communicated by Jirousek in his most recent open letter. It is disappointing that following both the publication of Jirousek’s open letter and his Facebook post showing the racist rhetoric he continues to endure—including comments calling him aggressive and accusing him of having a ‘victimhood mentality’—SSMU has refrained from making any kind of official statement in response. While VP University Affairs Madeline Wilson has made a Facebook post on the SSMU University Affairs page supporting Jirousek, this is far from constituting an official response made by the entirety of SSMU.

“The McGill Tribune condemns the comments and responses shown in Jirousek’s Facebook post, as well as the hateful sentiments that they stem from. Further, the Tribune fully endorses the points and messages communicated by Jirousek in his most recent open letter.”

The initial call by Indigenous student leaders for Bhalla’s resignation is a complex situation, and the SSMU executive should take their time in deciding how to proceed further. However, a statement of support and solidarity for Jirousek and Indigenous students as a whole does not require that SSMU resolve the bureaucratic tangle involving VP Bhalla. A statement saying that SSMU have read, recognized, and are considering the propositions that Jirousek made in his open letter would also be beneficial. SSMU’s institutional silence on this issue is deafening and the message it sends about the priorities of the current executive body is disheartening.  

McGill’s student body also has responsibilities when it comes to providing allyship to Indigenous students. Allyship incorporates many different behaviors and practices, but its purpose as a whole must be focused on more than mere marginal changes for Indigenous students. One of Jirousek’s calls-to-action in his open letter was to provide full financial autonomy for Indigenous students advocating for themselves, instead of a fee through SSMU. The Motion Regarding Creation of Indigenous Equity Fund and Fee was submitted on Sept. 26, and will be put to a student vote from Nov. 12-15. The Tribune strongly encourages students to vote ‘yes’ to the fee. 

It is also incumbent upon everyone in the McGill community to call out the type of language directed at Jirousek for what it is: Racist and unacceptable. If students feel uncomfortable engaging with toxic individuals online, there are less direct methods of countering hate speech such as deplatforming users, reporting them, and flagging hateful comments. While online vigilance is necessary, Indigenous-focused allyship includes much more than intolerance to internet hate speech. 

McGill University is built upon land that was stolen from the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations by European colonizers. Allyship with Indigenous students is crucial; this involves educating oneself about the history of land which we currently inhabit, recognizing the genocidal practices and human rights violations that built up areas like Montreal, and understanding the ways in which this history systematically manifests itself in the present day.  However, the responsibility to educate does not lay with Indigenous student leaders or activists. Rather, it is the responsibility of those in positions of privilege to educate themselves. 

If students are able to help amplify the voices of marginalized groups and recognize the ways in which their own privilege functions on an everyday basis, this will foster better allyship for Indigenous students. This means participating in Indigenous-led protests, calling out your peers if they say something insensitive, and likely, recognizing aspects of one’s own lived experience which may be uncomfortable, including privilege and benefits one receives as a result of Indigenous oppression. Being a good ally is not necessarily easy, but it is absolutely vital. The Tribune also urges the SSMU executive to use this experience as an opportunity for learning and growth, and to use their position of power to help create meaningful change for Indigenous students.

competitive ice dance
Sports, Winter Sports

In Conversation with Tedy Markova

by Shaun Lalani on

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Tedy Markova, U3 Psychology, is not one to back away from fear. As the 21-year-old Bulgarian figure-skater hangs up her skates on a successful international career, she recalls her journey and the lessons she has learned along the way.

“When you have to go out on the ice, all by yourself, especially at the big competitions where there are a lot of people, that’s scary,” Markova said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “It’s just me on the ice, and they’re all judging me. It’s frightening, yes, but it also gives you this weird thrill, this rush.”

That rush, an endless tango of fear and courage, became a theme throughout her life, from the time she first stepped on to the ice to her final competitive appearance at the 2019 European Figure Skating Championship in Minsk, Belarus. The 14-year-long journey earned her the nickname “The Bulgarian Swan”; however, like most great sports stories, this one’s beginnings were humble. 

Markova’s love of the ice started when she was just five-years-old, during a visit to the skating rink in her hometown of Sofia, Bulgaria. 

“I remember when I started, I would spend most of my time on my butt, just rolling around on the ice [with] people yelling at me to get out of the way,” Markova said. “But, when I started to finally stand upright, it was just so satisfying.” 

While Markova experienced falls and tumbles in those early days, she was quick to appreciate the people who were around her to pick her up. Her mother, in particular, played a key role in the beginning of her skating career. 

“Whenever I got off the ice and went, ‘I’m never coming back!’ [my mother] was the one telling me, ‘Tedy, pull yourself together, this is important to you, you got this,’” Markova said. “She taught me to go after my ambitions.”   

Relocating to Montreal in 2017 was a big step for Markova. In addition to adapting to a new country and culture, she also had to balance the workload of being a university student and a professional athlete. But, with the added burden came new opportunities: A chance to learn and train with the very best in the sport. 

“You have [in] Saint-Henri, one of the best ice dance schools in the world,” Markova said “It’s crazy, the Olympic champions, the World champions, they trained here. I loved Tessa [Virtue] and Scott [Moir] growing up. And sometimes [Moir] would come give us lessons. It was cool because these professionals were all so dedicated, and it was inspiring [because…] they were also humans like us.” 

The training would pay off as Markova went on to compete in competitions across the globe. But, it was at the 2019 European Championships where, unbeknownst to her team, Markova would be skating competitively for the last time. 

“I had been thinking about stopping for a while, so […] I knew this would probably be my last competition,” Markova said. “I didn’t want to tell anybody because it would discourage them, but I think [they] knew. It was really emotional, but honestly, I think it was for the [best]. It’s a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of effort I could put somewhere else. Of course, I’d been doing this for many years, but I had already come to terms with my decision.” 

Life after skating has been just as hectic, but Markova remains a model student. In addition to having executive roles in clubs like the McGill Students’ SocieTea, she’s maintained a keen interest in research and works in a lab studying the physiological mechanisms of pain. Yet, her relationship with figure-skating is by no means over.  

“I [want] to pursue a career in neuroscience, […] but someday […], I would like to coach and work with young children,” Markova said. “Maybe I can inspire them to like the sport as much as I [do].” 

Martlets, Sports, Volleyball

Vert et Or defeat Martlets with strong offence

by Zoe Babad-Palmer on

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The McGill Martlets’ (2–4) volleyball game against the Université de Sherbrooke Vert et Or (2–3) on Nov. 1 did not go as planned. The Martlets, ranked eighth in U SPORTS’s national ranking for the week of Oct. 22, fell in five sets, 2–3.

The beginning of the first set was not as clean as McGill would have liked. Sherbrooke scored the first five points of the set, and McGill’s repeated miscommunication made it difficult to close the early deficit, resulting in a score of 13–25 for the visitors. Before the second set, the team regrouped to discuss how to avoid further struggles.

“The only thing [Head Coach Rachèle Béliveau] said was ‘Game plan,’ because we weren’t playing [our] game plan,” second-year libero Catherine Vercheval said. “We were just doing whatever.”

The Martlets took their coach’s words to heart for the second set, using strong blocking to force Sherbrooke to commit attack errors while showcasing their own powerful kills. They began to build momentum, winning the set 25–15. Cohesion and teamwork pushed McGill past Sherbrooke in the third set as well, building their lead. The Martlets played a physical game, diving for digs, and refusing to back down on blocks. The set ended 25–18, putting McGill up 2–1.

“In the last games, we’ve been playing individually,” Vercheval said. “We just wanted to stay together, fight, and I think we did that.”

Unfortunately, despite their solid play in the previous two sets, McGill began to deflate in the fourth set, committing five attack errors and two bad sets. Sherbrooke also momentarily appeared to be losing momentum though, allowing clearly-aimed kills and putting up weak blocks. The play was close, but ultimately the Vert et Or took the set 21–25.

Fourth-year power hitter Claire Vercheval felt that after the Martlets lost the fourth set, their energy began to wane.

“When we lose, it’s hard to keep the energy up,” Claire Vercheval said. “We try to look at each other’s eyes and stay focused.”

The last set was hard-fought on both sides. The teams dove to every corner of the court, executing desperate moves to keep the ball in play. Finally, amid chants of “Let’s go Martlets!” Sherbrooke scored four points to take the set 15–10 and end the game 3–2 in their favour.

McGill’s technical skill was evident: The players were determined and precise for most of the game. However, errors and miscommunication cost them crucial points. Béliveau hopes that as the season goes on, they will be able to work together better.

“[We need to] decrease the number of mistakes we’re [making], unforced mistakes, mistakes between two players,” Béliveau said. “Once this is more stable and everybody knows their role, I think we’ll be coming up better.”

The Martlets proved that they are still Top 10 form on Nov. 3 when they beat the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. They will face Ottawa again on Nov. 8.

 

Moment of the game

Fourth-year right-side hitter Rowan Fletcher’s kill to win the second set was made possible by a full team effort: Fourth-year libero Léa-Marie Duguay threw herself on the ground to keep the play alive and, after some back-and-forth with Sherbrooke, several players executed perfect passes to set up the winning play.

Quotable

“I feel like if we’re all on the same page, that’s when everything works together, so everybody needs to have the same fire, the same energy, the same competitiveness.” – Fourth-year power hitter Claire Vercheval on how the team plans to improve for the next game.

Stat corner

Even in the loss, McGill’s defence managed to outshine their opponents’: 12 blocks to Sherbrooke’s four and 56 digs to Sherbrooke’s 44.

Science & Technology

Energies of the future

by Sophia Gorbounov on

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With the current climate and energy crisis, many renewable forms of energy have been proposed and implemented, but they have yet to be realized on a scale that challenges the fossil fuel industry. While each source of renewable energy has its respective drawbacks, it remains the future for energy production. 

Renewable energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy production, is energy that can be regenerated at a faster rate than it is consumed. In contrast, non-renewable energy cannot be reused and will not regenerate for a very long time. This includes fossil fuel energy production, which also accounts for heavy greenhouse gas emissions. 

In Canada, 17.3 per cent of energy comes from renewable sources, compared to the world average of 13.4 per cent. 67.1 per cent of Canada’s renewable energy comes from hydro, making the country the second-largest producer of hydroelectric energy in the world. In Quebec, 97 per cent of energy is hydroelectric. Still, hydroelectric dams and their construction can have negative effects on both people and the environment. The Three Gorges Dam, for example, displaced an estimated 1.2 million people and flooded hundreds of villages, and hydroelectric plants in general disrupt plant life and restrict fish migration.

Wind energy accounts for around two – five per cent of Canada’s renewable energy production. Key concerns associated with wind energy include sound pollution, aesthetic issues, wildlife disruption, and the inconsistency of strong winds in many places. However, there have been no conclusive studies that suggest that the low-frequency sounds produced by wind turbines actually correlate to hearing impairment, as some claim. Furthermore, wildlife disruption is minimal compared to hydroelectric dams or the long-term effects of fossil fuel emissions. 

In Canada, wind turbines could be the future of energy and electricity production. They are cheap to produce and maintain and are a perfect match for Canada’s cold winters, which bring strong winds. The only real drawback is the inconsistency of wind, which limits the ability of wind turbines to become 24/7 energy producers. 

Though itself renewable, the materials used in nuclear energy power plants are not renewable, thus making it a controversial form of energy production. Still, nuclear energy is proving to be a very strong contender in the search for renewable energy. It produces zero carbon emissions, and, since it does not rely on fluctuating winds or precipitation as with turbines and dams, it provides energy around-the-clock. Among other benefits, nuclear is also generating jobs, boosting international development by helping countries meet sustainability goals, and powering the next generation of electric vehicles. The major issue with nuclear energy is the risk associated with storing radioactive elements. Nuclear accidents like the Chernobyl Disaster or Fukushima Daiichi Disaster illustrate the need for precautionary measures and good management. 

There are, however, safe ways to store nuclear waste. Scientists believe that the safest way is storing it deep underground in geological repositories, rock formations hundreds of metres below the surface of the earth. Yucca Mountain in California is a proposed site for storing nuclear waste, as very few people live near it. In addition, it is located in a dry climate, so water will not percolate through the repository and further contaminate the waste. New methods of storage must come fast, however, as current storage in large pools of water at nuclear power plants carries huge risks since neutron-absorbing materials in these pools degrade over time, reducing their ability to control radioactivity.

There is no perfect source of energy. However, in terms of cost efficiency, long-term environmental benefit, and reliability, some methods are definitely better than others. If maintained properly, and with advances in nuclear disposal and storage, nuclear energy is a good option. All renewable energy forms, however, offer benefits that can be optimized in certain locations. With a wide range of renewable energy forms in place, the transition to clean energy can be achieved globally as we adapt to climate change.

From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

When healthy eating becomes unhealthy

by Gwenyth Wren on

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As people strive to achieve the ideal body type, improve cognitive function, or enhance athletic performance, they often turn to food choice as their mechanism for change. People put into their bodies what they can expect to get out of it; therefore, it makes sense to eat ‘healthy,’ nutrient-dense foods when trying to stick to a healthier lifestyle. But at a certain point, this desire to only give the body whole foods and restrict things devoid of nutritional value because they are not ‘clean’ can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. Despite the fact that clean eating is centred around ingesting ‘whole’ and ‘unprocessed’ foods and is marketed as the hallmark of a healthy lifestyle, in practice, it ascribes a moral value to food.

On social media, food bloggers, celebrities, and lifestyle gurus share that drinking celery juice every morning changed their life, or that cutting out gluten and dairy gave them their perfect body and mental clarity. To achieve such results, influencers suggest that their followers adopt the same rituals; however, many influencers are simply not qualified to make these suggestions. Moreover, the sample size to support their claims is often one person. 

While gluten and dairy-free diets are extremely important to people who cannot physically process these foods, applying such limitations broadly to everyone’s diet might lead to detrimental physical and mental health effects. In reality, cutting out food groups deemed ‘bad and unhealthy’ can mean missing  out on macro and micronutrients, impairing good physical health. What starts out as a simple choice to restrict certain types of food can lead to anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders with a host of negative physical implications such as fatigue, dizziness, low energy, missed periods, and anemia.

In addition to physical effects, restricting the foods that one eats can influence mental health. Having an unhealthy relationship with food can become all-consuming and crippling. Following a certain diet because it makes one happy and is in line with the way they want to live their lives is a healthy mentality, but problems arise if this diet causes stress. In severe cases, orthorexia, the obsessive behaviour to eat healthily, can develop. Orthorexia is different from other eating disorders in that people meet their caloric needs but limit the exact foods that they eat. 

Beyond providing energy for people to maintain active lives, food is important both culturally and socially. Cutting out processed foods and treats might mean saying no to dinners with friends and feeling anxious about events that involve ‘bad foods.’ Labelling foods such as quinoa, kale, and chia seeds as ‘good’ implies that other foods are bad or impure. This gives way to an all-or-nothing mentality in maintaining a healthy diet and to a feeling of failure when this rigid and restrictive diet regime is not fully achieved.

Many clean-eating proponents do not include any added sugar in their diets and demonize white sugar. Yet, their recipes are full of honey and maple syrup, which are forms of sugar and are used by the body in exactly the same way. The body cannot differentiate between coconut sugar that is 10 times the cost of white sugar. Supporters of clean-eating also promote fads such as being gluten-free or dairy-free, which have no credible backing in scientific literature. 

Of course, people should aim to eat a healthy, balanced diet, but moderation is key. In practicing true healthy eating, everything has its place: Kale and cookies can exist in harmony, although less of the latter than the former. Food should be enjoyable and nourishing, not a cause of stress and anxiety. 

You are not a failure for indulging now and again. Focusing on adhering to a perfect diet takes time and energy away from doing things that make us happy. At the end of the day, we should eat in a way that nourishes our bodies and fuels our lifestyles.

PGSS Thomson House
McGill, News

Experts discuss threats to the international nuclear order

by Nina Russell on

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Experts convened to discuss threats to the global nuclear order on Nov. 1 at Thomson House. Hosted by McGill’s Centre for Peace and International Security Studies and moderated by Jennifer Welsh, Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill, panellists discussed the shift in global power after the end of the Cold War.

T.V. Paul, James McGill professor of political science, emphasized the connection between global rising populism and the increasing acceptance of nuclear weapon use.

“Tradition has to be learned and socialized, and the new generation has to appreciate that this exists,” Paul said. “Unfortunately, our political leaders, including Mr. Trump, don’t give the impression that we’ve learned much from the past 70 years. The people who faced Hiroshima and Nagasaki […] are vanishing. And how can we teach our younger generation, especially when our leaders engage in cheap talk, and [use] this instrument for electoral purposes?”

The risk of populist leaders using nuclear weapons is present both in regional conflicts, such as rising hostility between India and Pakistan, as well as in global conflicts, like between the United States and Russia. Thomas Countryman, former United States Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, believes that the greatest risk to the latter relationship is miscommunication.

“Communications are so bad [between Russia and the US] that we could inadvertently get into an incident, which becomes a conflict, which becomes a conventional war, which becomes a nuclear war,” Countryman said. “[But], I think that a war between the US and Russia is less likely than a war between India and Pakistan. But a nuclear war between India and Pakistan can only destroy that part of the world. A [nuclear] war between the United States and Russia can literally destroy human civilization.”

Speakers also addressed rising Indian nationalism and its contribution to the current crisis in Kashmir. Vipin Narang, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that escalating tensions between the two states can potentially destabilize the region.

“[There] is a flavour of nationalism and a nationalist government [in India] that we have not seen before,” Narang said. “[The Modi government] did say it was going to revoke article 370 in its constitution, [which grants Kashmir special status], but [this] managed to do what Pakistan not could not do for seven years, which is [to] internationalize the issue of Kashmir. You [now] have human rights subcommittees in [the American] Congress blasting the Government of India.” 

Countryman believed that treaties preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons were effective. He drew a distinction between how arms control is perceived versus its strong benefits.

“Arms control should not be seen as a sign of weakness, but as a sign of smart cooperation,” Countryman said. “But, […] with growing mindless nationalism, the far right has demonized arms control. They have made [arms control] efforts  […] seem inappropriate for a strong leader. And it’s very hard because it plays well for certain audiences.”

Cindy Temorshuizen, director general of international security policy for Global Affairs Canada, briefly discussed China’s role as a rising nuclear power. 

“The Chinese mood is not one of arms control,” Temorschuizen said. “It’s a mood of very significant military modernization. However, there is a real interest on China’s side in at least being perceived as a serious multilateral player […] China just announced in September that it will be acceding to the arms trade treaty that the US withdrew from. And they are quite frank to say that their rationale is that ‘it will make us look good compared to the US.’ So there are some very complicated dynamics around China [right now].”

Chill Thrills, Student Life

‘A Space for Time’ is an opportunity for students to de-stress

by Sophia White on

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One of the biggest day-to-day challenges that students face is time management. Between looming assignment deadlines, extracurriculars, and social events, it is easy to become overwhelmed. To help students make sense of their busy lives, collective sustainable living space ECOLE is hosting a recurring series of talks called ‘A Space for Time.’ The workshops are designed to give students an opportunity to talk to each other and brainstorm strategies for de-stressing and time management. They are set to take place every Saturday from 3:30–5 p.m. until April.

Easton Houle, a facilitator and event coordinator at ECOLE, explains that he started ‘A Space for Time’ to respond to a need he perceived for a forum where people could come together and sort through their responsibilities.

“I was constantly hearing from people that they were so busy [that] they couldn’t do the things […] that were important to them, which is almost paradoxical,” Houle said. “If we’re always running away from the feelings that are overwhelming us, such as the fear of deadlines or of [receiving] a bad grade, then that is probably not the direction of our goals and aspirations.”

‘A Space for Time’ begins with a short reading from CrazyBusy: Strategies for Handling Your Fast-Paced Life by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., a psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD research. Hallowell found that many of the issues he dedicated his career to were also concerns for the general public, especially with the proliferation of technology that distracts us. Houle’s vision was to address some of these issues of stress and time management difficulties through discussion between students. So far, he has found these conversations to be successful.
“Each time, I’ve had lightbulb moments,” Houle said. “People share strategies and feelings about the pressure of things that they have to do, and we help each other in terms of telling one of our own stories about how we’re ordering our lives. Simply telling a story and talking about it makes us more self-aware.” 

One of the dangers of taking on many responsibilities is becoming cognitively overstimulated to the point of perpetual distraction. When faced with too many things to do, we have a tendency to switch between tasks in an attempt to cover all of the bases. For example, a student who is trying to work on an essay might easily get distracted by an upcoming exam they have and switch to looking at the exam material as a result. Psychologists have found that the cost of task switching is huge because the brain has to slow down and speed back up again every time it focuses and refocuses. To solve this problem, Houle suggests working on just one assignment at a time rather than perpetually moving back and forth.

“Once you hone in on one thing, you have the focus, motivation, and momentum to do a lot with the time you have,” Houle said.

By making these empowered decisions, productivity can go a long way. Houle suggests that students look at the time in front of them as a blank canvas, rather than stressing and trying to cram in as many different things as possible. It can be helpful to sit back, take a look at a calendar or schedule, and try to prioritize responsibilities based on what is most important and the time available. Houle also suggests trying to limit the number of responsibilities we take on.

“You should never, in good conscience, take on things past the capacity of what you think you’re able to handle, because that completely ignores the unexpected,” Houle said.

This balance is never easy but taking strides toward making more efficient use of our time can give us more time to do the things we love. 

Commentary, Opinion

A samosa ban could have been prevented

by Favour Daka on

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Samosas sales, not midterms, seem to be what is now giving many McGill students a hard time. On Oct. 22, Montreal Inspection des Aliments issued a warning to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) due to sanitation concerns over a samosa sale in the basement of Burnside Hall. If health codes are violated again, a future fine could be anywhere in the range of $2,250 to $54,000. While seeing the indefinite suspension of the much beloved samosa sale is sad, SSMU’s failure to ensure that clubs met health standards is one that could prove costly. That being said, the general norms of food sales at McGill make SSMU’s negligence understandable, though not excusable.

 In order for a student group to gain ‘club status’ and thus receive funding and approval for its various events, it needs direct confirmation from SSMU. Accordingly, SSMU oversees most student groups as it is the conduit for room-booking, ensuring student events can serve alcohol, and promote themselves at the annual Activities Night. Due to its heightened role in student group activities, SSMU’s negligence in educating groups about mandatory health and safety requirements for clubs to follow during food sales is irresponsible. Further, possible financial repercussions as well as the inability to fundraise properly could have extensive repercussions on student well-being.

 It is possible that the samosa sale might have been organized without formal consultation with SSMU. Many student groups commonly hold sales to get a little extra revenue outside SSMU’s funding which they can use for upcoming events. As this is an intra-group activity that isn’t too elaborate, SSMU may well have been completely unaware that the sale was happening. However, the problem here is not that the sale occurred, or did so in the periphery of SSMU, but rather that SSMU has not adequately ensured that the student groups are aware of a health and safety procedure. 

“SSMU’s negligence in educating groups about mandatory health and safety requirements for clubs to follow during food sales is irresponsible. Further, possible financial repercussions as well as the inability to fundraise properly could have extensive repercussions on student well-being.”

As one of the McGill Students for China Care executive members put it, “if we had known [about the rules], we would have followed them.”

 In the aftermath of the autumnal samosa scandal, it is important to consider the short-term effect this sanction would have on SSMU, and by association, all the student groups that it oversees. Last academic year, SSMU adopted a more iron-fisted approach in maintaining rules and regulations for its member clubs. This resulted in the sanctioning of over 100 clubs, some of which expressed frustration in how suddenly the constraints were applied, which gave them little time to make necessary adjustments before being penalized. With this rather abrupt tightening of regulations, the failure to ensure that its clubs were aware of health and safety guidelines, especially having the bulk of the summer to consider and disseminate such information, makes SSMU’s oversight that much worse.

While it is encouraging that SSMU was prepared to cover a potential fine, that does not soften the reality that SSMU’s failure to inform student groups in this instance has caused a lot of apprehension within clubs over what other guidelines they may be actively breaching. It is also important that a deeper investigation goes into how day-to-day practices that are often glossed over can better fall in line with legal requirements. Student groups are given considerable autonomy to pursue various activities, and this ultimately serves to enrich the student experience here at McGill. The samosa ban may certainly increase cautiousness in how student groups operate from now on, but more importantly, it casts a spotlight on SSMU to ensure that it prevents similar lapses in the future.

Student Life, The Viewpoint

The samosa-shaped hole in my heart

by Kevin Vogel on

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On Wednesdays last semester, I often found myself frantically rushing to get through the day. I didn’t have a lunch break in my class schedule and, admittedly partially because of my own laziness, I frequently forgot to pack a lunch. It was precisely in this situation that campus samosa sales came in the nick of time. With only 10 minutes to make it to my next class and Peel Street construction making Super Sandwich a far-away dreamland, the crunch of the chutney-filled potato and vegetable pastries gave me just the boost that I needed. 

Unfortunately, the fate of this campus staple is now unclear. After Montreal Inspections des aliments inspectors shut down a samosa sale in the basement of Burnside Hall on Oct. 22, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) decided to suspend these fundraisers until an appropriate policy can be worked out to meet city health and food safety standards.

Don’t get me wrong, three lukewarm samosas by no means ever constituted a healthy meal on their own, let alone gave me something to look forward to on cold winter school days. Each time I had to eat a samosa lunch, I had some level of regret and would tell myself that I should just plan better and make time to cook a proper meal to bring for lunch. But the beauty of McGill’s samosa sales came from their simplicity—they might be mediocre, but they were cheap and always somewhere on campus. Even if I could definitely pack a tastier and healthier meal, samosas got the job done.

Beyond just satisfying my own hunger, samosa sales provided a platform for student groups to fund their own initiatives. Without steady funding from other sources, having an easy-to-run and well-loved fundraising opportunity provided student groups an accessible way to both raise money and get their name out to the campus community at large. Thus, the unclear fate of samosa fundraisers can be particularly worrying for more cash-strapped organizations.

The significant presence that the fried delicacy had on campus for so long will surely be missed. For the past two weeks, the tables throughout university buildings which once proudly held up greasy cardboard boxes from Pushap now remain empty. Campus newspaper stands are unsurprisingly even more full, and students’ empty stomachs grumble. Even if nobody ever genuinely thought a newspaperful of samosas was a phenomenal lunch option, they held a special place in all of our hearts. 

While we wait for SSMU and faculty associations to solidify the details of their new food sale policies, we can now only look back fondly on the past. From learning the secret of pouring chutney through an oily straw in first year to scrolling through the Samosa Search Facebook page to find where my go-to lunch would be, I will remember samosas with a nostalgic affection. Going into the future, campus life might never be the same.

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