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Behind the Bench, Sports

Behind the Bench: More than her husband

by Kaja Surborg on

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Internet personality and wife of English professional soccer player Wayne Rooney, Coleen Rooney, rocked Twitter on Oct. 9 with her claim that Rebekah Vardy, a competitor on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and wife of Jamie Vardy, had been leaking personal details of Rooney’s life to British tabloid paper The Sun. The Guardian almost immediately released multiple articles covering the scandal and breaking down Rooney’s scheme to catch Vardy in the act. The whole affair raised the question of why this was getting so much media attention from both tabloid and news outlets. 

Rooney and Vardy are both married to professional English soccer players. While Rooney and Vardy have large social media followings and have appeared on reality television shows, there are plenty of female partners of male professional athletes that deliberately avoid the public eye. Regardless of their online or public personas, many of these women are continually reported on by tabloid news, gossip sites, and even fan accounts on Instagram and Twitter, simply because they are married to or dating famous athletes. The obsession with male athletes’ wives and girlfriends has even led to a colloquial acronym: WAGs, short for “wives and girlfriends.” Rooney was even referred to as “Wagatha Christie” on Twitter–a title that essentially reduces her to being the wife of Wayne Rooney. 

In October 2018, The Daily Star published a story about an Instagram post from Anna Lewandowska, a Polish national karate champion who happens to be married to Robert Lewandowski of FC Bayern Munich and the Polish national soccer team. The story covered a series of negative comments left on the post, most of which seem to blame her for her husband’s team losing a game shortly after the photo went up. Covering the online hate that women receive seems harmless at first glance, but continuing down the single-sentence paragraphs that make up all good tabloid journalism, it emerges that The Daily Star’s defence of Lewandowska is that she is “devoted” to her husband. The implication is that had she not fit the publication’s definition of “devotion,” she would deserve the hate that she received from FC Bayern’s fans. Rather than being worthy of respect because she is a human being, she is deemed worthy of respect because of her husband and her devotion to him. The article also refers to Lewandowska as a “fitness blogger”–a term that is reductive at best. Lewandowska is a retired Polish, European, and world karate championship medalist who now runs a hugely successful fitness empire in Poland with a line of healthy foods and nutrition supplements, baby clothes, and fitness programs. Her assets are estimated to be worth 47 million euros. 

There are endless examples of athletes’ wives being described as everything from “blonde beauty” to “brunette entrepreneur,” but two central themes emerge throughout all of the articles and social media posts: Their appearances and their role in their husband’s lives. Both of these trends in describing the wives and girlfriends of famous athletes dehumanize them, dismissing the possibility that they have any independence as human beings and any worth outside of their physical appearance and their husbands or boyfriends. 

The recent coverage of the conflict between Rooney and Vardy, while hugely sensationalized, was rare in that it focused the story on the actions of the women involved, not on their husbands or their hair colour. But plenty of players’ partners who have worked to build their own brands and careers are still consistently painted as having no autonomy. Unfortunately, conflict and scandal seem to be the only ways for these women to be seen as people capable of being their own person. 

Editorial, Opinion

Racial profiling in Montreal threatens safety of racialized people

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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A report released by three professors at l’Université de Montreal released on Oct. 7 found that the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) were 11 times more likely to stop Indigenous women on the street than white women, four to five times more likely to subject black and Indigenous people to street checks, and twice as likely to stop people of Arab descent compared to white people. These numbers reflect the reality of people of colour living in Montreal, who experience systemic racism in their daily lives and exist within racist institutions. Montreal and McGill have an obligation to protect the safety and dignity of racialized people and to prioritize anti-oppressive approaches to security.

While this report was one of the first to quantify it, the SPVM has a long history of racial profiling. From the SPVM’s action plan against social and racial profiling’s creation in 2017, only one third of the plan was implemented, resulting in little noticable improvement. The police service’s most recent action plan—released in 2018—was criticized for using ambiguous language that created loopholes for racial profiling. For example,  In Feb. 2019, Montreal mayor Valérie Plante and the SPVM chose not to outfit officers with body cameras, citing high costs as well as police feeling “too surveilled” while on the job. However, Montrealers of colour spoke of experiencing stress, trauma, or anxiety after facing police abuse or being “arbitrarily watched, stopped, and detained.” Body cameras have been proven to reduce violence; a mild sense of surveillance for the SPVM team is a reasonable trade-off for the preservation of the safety and wellbeing of racialized people. 

Given these past failures in accountability and integrity, it is vital that the SPVM maintain transparency with their next steps to address the racial profiling crisis.

The racial profiling report, which was commissioned by the City of Montreal, comes in the wake of the release of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report on June 3. This report includes a supplemental document that addresses the language barrier in Quebec that endangers Indigenous peoples in Montreal during their encounters with French-speaking police officers. Following the closure of residential schools (where many Indigenous children were forced to speak only English) many Indigenous people were relocated to Montreal without any French skills. Insensitivity and violence towards Indigenous peoples in Montreal by the police has been reported countless times and language barriers only exacerbate the issue. The SPVM must heed the calls against their mistreatment and take steps to address language barriers if any real change is to occur.

Institutional racism expands beyond the SPVM and affects McGill students of colour on-and off-campus. Being a student is a temporary identity, while racial identity is permanent. Students of colour on campus face challenges that white students will never have to endure.

In Quebec, the government’s implementation of Bill 21 in June validated racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia on a provincial level. The Bill, which prohibits public sector employees from wearing visible religious symbols, disproportionately disadvantages people of colour. In addition to validating racist discrimination, the Bill also whitens the already primarily caucasian police service’s hiring pool. By barring citizens who wear visible religious symbols from joining the police force, Bill 21 systematically weeds out people of colour. 

A rise in police-reported hate crimes following the Bill were attributed to the emboldening and legitimizing of racist attitudes by Bill 21. The Bill reinforces a culture of white supremacy within which the SPVM can practice socially-acceptable discrimination.

At McGill, systemic racism must also be addressed by providing campus security with anti-oppression and de-escalation training. McGill’s floor fellows also play an integral role in fostering a safer environment for these racialized students in residences and their anti-oppression training should be prioritized and improved to ensure a safer space for students. Moreover, SMMU’s “Know Your Student Rights” campaign could be extended to legal rights to help educate racialized students on their rights when confronted by police. While asserting these rights may not be safe in all instances, having knowledge of these rights could be useful.

While McGill is a primarily white space, all students can support student groups including the Black Students’ Network and the Indian Students’ Association in fighting racial injustice. Students can be supportive by being attentive to student movements and petitions such as the gofundme campaign that was created to assist McGill student Jean Kagame with legal fees related to an incident of anti-black racial profiling. Moreover, casting a vote in the federal election on Oct. 21 is one of the easiest ways that students can help the effort. Systemic racism, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and racial profiling are disturbing realities that must not be overlooked when choosing how to cast one’s vote. Moreover, blatantly racist incidents like when the Bloc Quebecois recently urged white Quebecers to elect politicians who look like them must be condemned for their statements. 

The recent racial profiling study calls for a change in culture and practice at the SPVM. Moreover, McGill and its students must prioritize anti-oppression on campus both through increased training and through support for initiatives by and for racialized students. However, none of these measures can stand alone without a government that addresses systemic racism.

Commentary, Opinion

Voting responsibly means voting sustainably

by Jonah Fried on

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Just as abrupt changes in leaves’ colours herald the coming of winter, shifts in global environment signal that our world is on the cusp of a climate crisis. There is currently an insect apocalypse, and the drastic decline in global bird populations over the past few decades is starting to look like one as well. The worldwide epidemic of wildfires in places such as Brazil, Lebanon, and Siberia, which are inundating the ‘world’s lungs’ by the day, is just one of the more obvious harbingers of climate doomsday. 

United Nations reports outlining the sheer immensity of the challenge that the world faces in preventing climate armageddon have become increasingly foreboding. Voting for officials that will commit themselves to institutional changes to counteract climate change is one of the few means that students have to safeguard their future. It is in the interest of every McGill student with the eligibility to vote to give candidates’ proposals to tackle climate change the most weight during the upcoming Canadian federal elections when determining who to vote for. 

Climate policy should not be the only factor that determines someone’s vote. Candidates’ approaches to dealing with economic inequality, immigration policy, racial inequality, and other issues need to be factored into the calculus as well. However, if climate change is not addressed effectively, these issues will be exacerbated. As sea levels rise, climate scientists predict that millions of people will be displaced within the next two generations. This mass migration of refugees that rising sea levels could create would dwarf the consequences of current climate change-related displacement. The four major parties may disagree about how many immigrants and refugees should be accepted into Canada every year, but there should be unanimity on the need to do what can be done to prevent the rising sea level to prevent an even greater migrant crisis. 

Socioeconomic inequality is already being compounded by climate change. Within Canada, climate change does not affect communities equally: It has a disproportionate impact on lower-class communities, Indigenous communities, and people of colour. If climate change accelerates, socioeconomic inequality will severely increase. 

Considering how inextricable climate change is from other political issues, it stands to reason that if a candidate has a strong climate policy, then they have a solid approach to preventing the escalation of existing socio-economic problems. The Green Party, headed by Elizabeth May, has advocated for “Mission Possible,” a comprehensive plan to dramatically transform the Canadian economy to make it more climate-friendly and avoid “climate catastrophe.” Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party has also promoted “Power to Change” a climate action plan to create new jobs in clean energy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax has been utterly ineffective. Rather than reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the tax has raised the cost of fuel for average Canadian and created frustration across the nation. Moreover, given the paradox presented by his government’s acquisition of the $4.5 billion Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project, one can hardly call his approach to climate policy practical. However, the Liberals have at least committed to curbing emissions. As demonstrated by his statements at the federal leaders’ debates. On the other hand, Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party would give provinces such as Alberta, where the economy is extremely dependent on fossil fuel exploitation, greater autonomy to draft their own environmental regulations, which is extremely counterintuitive to sustainability. Scheer’s proposal is contradictory to environmental interests because it would ensure that carbon emissions and other environmentally-destructive practices proliferate, guaranteeing grave consequences for the nation in the long run. 

The reins of Canada’s government should be given to a candidate who will take the necessary steps to ensure that future administrations even have a Canada to govern. McGill students need to vote for someone who will prioritize climate policy and stand up to multinational fossil fuel corporations. We need leaders who will translate their words into action; leaders who will channel legislative power into ensuring that the world that students are graduating into won’t be destroyed.

Commentary, Opinion

Climate change requires global thinking and local action

by Makena Anderson on

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Following a decade of vacancy, the City of Montreal has announced a plan to convert 43 hectares of land, once home to the Bluebonnets racetrack, into the city’s first carbon-neutral neighbourhood. The 10-year plan for the Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood includes the development of 5,000 housing units, an emphasis on public transit, and the creation of public spaces that encourage pedestrian use. However, for the community to succeed, residents must modify their lifestyles in ways that promotes sustainability.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has emphasized the importance of cooperation and consultation of residents throughout the implementation process, and is committed to designating 40 per cent of the neighbourhood to social affordable housing. Similarly, the proposed neighbourhood will promote mixed land-use, which will be in close proximity to thousands of service sector jobs, and be accessible by transit. While Montreal’s push for carbon-neutrality is a positive large-scale step, progress does not absolve individuals of their responsibility to question their own behaviours and contribution to climate change.

Montreal is no stranger to environmental advocacy: Last month, Plante entered the spotlight at the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit for her commitment to sustainability. Since being elected, Plante has emphasized the need for better transit systems, greenspaces, and banning single-use plastics. If successful, the proposed Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood will serve as a framework for other cities.

The proposed Namur-Hippodrome community is an encouraging example of municipal climate policy. However, government policies implicitly require changes on the individual level. The success of this new community hinges on the open-mindedness and accountability of future residents, just as the success of global climate action relies on universal cooperation. Whether stemming from macro-level or micro-level policies, lifestyle changes are inherent in sustainable climate strategies. Residents of Montreal’s new neighbourhood will be equipped with housing, roads, and businesses to limit their carbon footprint. However, without individual cooperation these sustainable ideals are vulnerable to failure. 

To promote the success of the community, residents must be open to permanently modifying their lifestyles in a way that is conducive to sustainability. In practice, this may not be straightforward. A recurring theme in climate action is individuals’ reluctance to change their behaviour when benefits are intangible or take years to realize. A study from the International Journal of Economic Law elaborates on this theme through the collective action problem, whereby individuals resort to inaction when the benefits they receive from behavioral changes are outweighed by the costs of individual sacrifice. For example, riding a bike instead of driving reduces net greenhouse gas emissions, yet the added time and inconvenience for the individual may be perceived as greater than the relatively small, shared benefits. While gains from abatement are often perceived as inconsequential, they exist nonetheless.

To overcome obstacles of individual cooperation, researchers at Clarkson University have pioneered smart-housing residences, wherein students self-monitor their energy consumption to encourage palpable revisions in their behaviour. Digital dashboards and sensors reveal energy-use data to students as a reminder that consumption patterns have an impact on their environments. Through demonstrating the weight of behavioural changes, projects like this quantify individual benefits and emphasize the power individuals have in shaping sustainability.

The outrage that drew over half a million people to the streets of Montreal on Sept. 27 must be channeled into an effective tool to catalyze change. However, this change may not be as monumental as Montrealers are expecting. While immediate action is necessary to prevent global climate warming and irreparable damage, the benefits of today’s actions will not be realized overnight. 

Raising awareness about the climate crisis is no longer the most pressing issue. The majority of Canadians believe in climate change and many understand that it is an emergency. The issue now lies in how we tackle the crisis. While the onus is primarily on institutions and governments, their plans will fail without unrelenting support on the individual level. Even if small efforts seem inconsequential, they are always more powerful than inaction. Climate change is a universal issue, and by virtue, it must be universally confronted. Macro-level policies, like Montreal’s Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood, must be supported by individual behaviour to drive consequential change.

Creative

Tribune Presents: Societal Siege

by Aidan Martin on

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Societal Siege dropped by our office and performed a mini-concert for our multimedia team, showcasing some unreleased music and samples from their new EP, Joseph Ziggler. Antoine, Drew, and Jacob bring a playful warmth to college rock which radiated through the newsroom.

You can find Societal Siege’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud, and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/societalsiege/

Video by Multimedia Editors Aidan Martin and Sarah Ford and Staff Producer Alex Hinton.

Montreal, News

Candidates vie for young voters in federal election

by Sydney King on

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New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh visited McGill on Sept. 16, federal  to discuss his platform with students.  As the federal election is being held on Oct. 21, political campaigns and college campus party associations are searching for ways to engage youth and attract their votes: young Canadians aged 18–24 have the lowest rates of voter turnout compared to all other age groups.

Political parties prioritize different policies targeting Canadian youth eligible to vote. Michael Forian, Conservative Party candidate for Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, highlighted his campaign’s economic policies supporting higher education.

“The most important thing is being able to save for your education,” Forian said. “The new Conservative government will set up the [Registered Educational Savings Plan] grants for parents to save for [their childrens’] education.”

In contrast, the Liberal Party focuses on climate action, 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and reproductive rights to garner support from young adults. Steven Guilbeault, Liberal Party candidate for the Laurier—Sainte-Marie riding, emphasized his track record advocating to address climate change. Guilbeault’s candidacy lends the Liberals climate-change credibility in light of criticism of the government’s Trans Mountain pipeline extension project.

“Young people play a great role in today’s society […] the climate strikers are a great example of the power of student mobilization here in Quebec, Canada and around the globe,” Guilbeault wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “I will ask [young people] to look at who I am, to look at what I have done for over 25 years as co-founder of Équiterre or the 10 years I spent at Greenpeace, and, most importantly, to vote.”

Candidates such as Forian and Guilbeault are aided by McGill student party organizations like the Conservative Association of McGill, Liberal McGill, and NDP McGill, which all share the goal of helping to register students to vote and informing them of the electoral process. These organizations also provide pools of potential volunteers for campaigns across Montreal. 

McGill political science professor Elisabeth Gidengil argues that face-to-face interaction between a party and a voter is an effective electoral tactic.

“Reaching out and telling people what this election is about helps,” Gidengil said. “Contact by any party is important and will increase the likelihood to vote.” 

Gidengil pointed out that the turnout gap between young adults and older adults corresponds with education level. The drop in voter turnout between 1988 and 2000 was largely due to the decrease in the number of young voters; however, voter turnout amongst university students and young adults with postsecondary degrees remained steady. Although young Canadians tend to vote less than the older demographic, voters aged 18–24 have had the greatest increase in voter turnout between the 2011 and 2015 elections. 

“It’s about getting young people to realize [that] what happens in federal politics is relevant to them,” Gidengil said.

Features

For your eyes only

by Katia Innes on

More in Features:

Admit it: You’ve watched porn. Most people past their early teen years—or who have used the internet for that matter—have watched porn. 64 per cent of young people aged 13–24, seek out pornography at least weekly. It is less routine, but still fairly common, to admit that you’ve watched a live cam show, or maybe purchased nude photos from someone’s premium Snapchat. It is even more peculiar, but increasingly common, to be the person selling used panties, or posing in front of the webcam. But many students have, in fact, found lucrative side hustles selling sexual services on the internet, leveraging the autonomous nature of online work and streaming from the comfort of their own homes. Jared*, a third-year McGill student, began working as a camboy, a model performing any variety of sexualized acts to an audience in a chatroom, during his first year at McGill. He used Chaturbate, a webcam site, to stream from his dorm room, initially by himself, and eventually with his then-boyfriend. Jared was drawn to camming as a means to make money and explore their sexuality.

 

martlet basketball
Basketball, Martlets, Sports

Martlet Basketball falls in centennial game

by Zoe Babad-Palmer on

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Martlet basketball made a valiant effort in their first preseason game on Oct. 5, but careless fouls and missed rebounds got the best of them. They suffered a 77–55 defeat to the Queen’s University Gaels.

This game marked the 100th anniversary celebration of Canadian university women’s basketball, which began with a matchup between McGill and Queen’s on Feb. 6, 1920. Since the two teams are in different conferences (McGill plays in the RSEQ, while Queen’s plays in the OUA), this was only the third time in the past seven years where they have played each other. The previous two matches ended in Martlet victories.

Fifth-year transfer centre Sirah Diarra, who led the team with nine points, emphasized the importance of the game for both the McGill community and the sport itself.

“It means a lot knowing that we’re part of this,” Diarra said. “It’s history. It was a great game […] having all the alumni coming to watch us play. We wanted to do our best.”

The Gaels’ rock-solid defence was a substantial obstacle for the Martlets from the beginning of the game. McGill struggled to find passing lanes and was hesitant to shoot, running out the shot clock multiple times. However, a three-pointer from third-year guard Charlotte Clayton brought the energy up going into the second quarter, with McGill down 20–10.

“The beginning of the game was where we kind of fell short,” Clayton said. “We didn’t play our hardest [….] We need to take that responsibility to get ahead in the game.”

The Martlets fared much better in the second quarter. They fought back, remaining physical while committing fewer fouls. First-year forward Nadege Pluviose nabbed two rebounds in a row, and while she didn’t score, her tenacity exemplified the Martlets’ persistent rhythm. By the end of the period, McGill had almost caught up to Queen’s thanks to a layup and a successful free throw in the last minute of the half from third-year forward Kamsi Ogbudibe, bringing the score to 34-30.

“We [needed] to push the ball [and] look for open players,” Diarra said. “We [had] to match [Queen’s’] intensity.”

Unfortunately, a slew of fouls in the third quarter dashed the Martlets’ hopes of catching the Gaels. Players on both teams were on a collision course for the entire quarter, tumbling down together like dominoes. The quarter ended with a score of 55–42 in Queen’s favour.

McGill’s play was tighter in the final frame. Smooth three-pointers from Diarra, fifth-year guard Geraldine Cabillo-Abante, and second-year guard Delphine Robitaille got the crowd roaring. But ultimately, the gap was too wide to close. The final score was 77-55 for Queen’s.

Despite the loss, Clayton remains hopeful about the team’s chances for the regular season.

“We’re a very strong team,” Clayton said. “We need to work on […] showing those strengths for each other. This is just the first game, so with time that’ll come. I’m really optimistic about this season.”

 

Moment of the Game:

At the beginning of the third quarter, Diarra grabbed her own offensive rebound and sunk a layup to make the score 34-32, bringing the Martlets within two points of the Gaels.

Quotable:

“It’s been a hundred years. It’s definitely come a long way, but we still have a long way to go, so it’s kind of a good meet in the middle.” – Clayton on the historic significance of the game.

Stat Corner:

Even though Queen’s had the edge in free throws and fast break points, McGill managed to score more second-chance points: 13 to Queen’s’ 8.

Football, Know Your Athlete, Men's Varsity, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Findlay Brown

by Adam Bell on

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Although they are the only players to make ball contact with their feet, kickers are often overlooked in football. McGill football’s fourth-year kicker Findlay Brown, however, has been grabbing headlines after converting all three of his field-goal attempts on Sept. 28’s homecoming game and claiming his sixth RSEQ player of the week award. Despite his accolades, Brown knows there are a lot of other excellent players in the league. 

“I am honoured to be recognized in a crowded field of talented kickers, such as Université de Montréal’s Louis-Philippe Simoneau and Western’s Marc Liegghio,” Brown said. “I like to think I’ve been playing well recently, but I honestly don’t know how I stack up against these guys. My goal is to keep on improving and be the best player that I can be.”

Brown comes from an accomplished and competitive family. The Winnipegger is the eldest of three brothers, the youngest of whom is also a U Sports kicker, while the middle sibling finished third in the World Championship of Public Speaking and was a Canadian National Debating Champion. Despite his credentials, Brown insists he wins more arguments because he is not afraid to play dirty.

The kicker is not shy to brag about other facets of his life. The man that dubbed himself “The Enforcer” likes to remind McGill’s starting quarterback Dimitrios Sinodinos that he ran the 20m sprint faster than him on two occasions. 

Outside of football, Brown enjoys politics, soccer, and music, but he’s most passionate about movies and TV series. He has a particular fondness for Casablanca, The Godfather and La La Land. Brown also has strong opinions about TV shows.

 “Friends isn’t that good,” Brown said. “People should watch Parks and Recreation instead, it’s so much better.”

Brown believes that his fascination with motion pictures comes from his father, who is the CEO of a production company.

“Growing up, I was exposed to many movies, so it definitely piqued my interest,” Brown said. “But it’s only when I moved to Montreal that I rediscovered my love for film.”

Montreal is also where he had to learn to live by himself. Brown disclosed that it was hard at the beginning, especially during dinner time. He often indulged in large quantities of Kraft Dinner.

“My mom is an unbelievable chef,” Brown said. “It kills her every day the fact that I am a terrible cook.”

Except for the mediocre culinary skills, Brown’s transition to Quebec was fairly smooth. He quickly got settled, made some new acquaintances and started to discover the city. Football was instrumental in this transition.

“Football brings to your life friends, a sense of community, structure and a purpose,” Brown said.” From the outside it may seem silly, but we spend so much time together to accomplish one common goal, it feels like a second family.”

While sports, especially football, are known to bring people together, kickers often feel isolated from the team because of their unique position. However, Brown says this has not been the case for him.

“Yes, there are jokes thrown around, but I’ve never felt left out,” Brown said. “While on other teams it might [be] the case, at McGill, I know my teammates have had my back since day one.”

Brown is a smart, funny and talented individual. Not only is he excelling on the field, but also in the classroom and his personal life.

“When I finish here at McGill, I would like to produce movies or TV series, but who knows what’s next?,” Brown said. “In the meantime, I’ll just keep doing my best to help the team achieve our ultimate goal: Winning the Vanier Cup.” 

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

Small but mighty: Arctic bacteria are capable of cleaning up oil spills

by Laura Lyon on

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Historically impassable, the ice cover of the Northwest Passage along Canada’s Arctic coast has thinned over the past few years, piquing the interest of the shipping and luxury cruise industries. This thinning, along with Arctic drilling, makes the legendary frozen passage particularly susceptible to oil and fuel spills.

To combat this, Professors Lyle Whyte and Charles Greer, microbiologists in McGill’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences, are examining Arctic bacteria’s ability to break down crude oil in the Canadian High Arctic. Their work is part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Multipartner Oil Spill Research Initiative, a subunit of the national Oceans Protection Plan. The research initiative consists of multiple partners, including universities, international organizations, and government departments, that are testing various solutions for developing strategies for cleaning up oil spills.

The research takes advantage of the fact that multiple microbial species have naturally evolved to degrade hydrocarbons like crude oil, which contain chains of carbons and hydrogens.

“There are lots of natural seeps of petroleum [on] the bottom of the ocean,” Greer said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “In fact, in the Gulf of Mexico, […] something like one million barrels of oil a year leak into the ocean naturally from these underwater seeps. Microbes living in the ocean environment have been eating this stuff for eons.”

Whyte and Greer are leading two projects: One to identify which types of Arctic microorganisms biodegrade oil, and another to study biostimulation, whereby certain added nutrients are able to promote the optimal performance of microbes.

“When you have a fuel spill, it’s like you’re creating a giant buffet of supper, lunch, and breakfast for these microorganisms to start munching on,” Whyte said. “But at the same time, they need other nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to do that effectively.”

Whyte and Greer emphasized in situ work, rather than lab experiments. 

“In-situ means we set up experiments, leave them on site, […] come back and take samples, then analyze microbial populations,” Whyte said. 

Preliminary experiments involved small-scale, semi-controlled ecosystems, also known as microcosms. The ecosystems were set up in rivers and oceans to identify how factors such as nutrients and temperatures influence decomposer microbial populations.

Greer will continue microcosm experiments on all three coasts of Canada, including Hudson Bay, while the next phase of Whyte’s work involves studying microbial communities on beaches. His research will test different combinations of fertilizer on a tidal Arctic beach treated with oil, mimicking an actual oil spill event. His team will then analyze fuel concentrations in sediment samples over the course of two to three years.

“This is a much better way of [studying] this than bringing beach sediments back to the lab,” Whyte said. ”Everything becomes somewhat artificial, and it becomes difficult to interpret those results accurately, as opposed to doing something right in the field.”

In the next few years, Whyte and Greer also hope to expand their previous efforts engaging northern communities and local young people in science through potential partnerships with the Nunavut Research Institute and Arctic College in Iqaluit. Both scientists emphasized the importance of scientific research in informing government policy.

“The idea is to try and provide a very solid science base to help governments develop the necessary regulations and guidelines in order to protect our oceans from oil spills,” Greer said. “We need to have better mechanisms to deal with them quickly and efficiently.”

 

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