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McGill, News, SSMU

McGill report disputes allegations of anti-Semitism at Fall GA

by Alexandra Harvey on

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McGill released a report on Feb. 6 summarizing its investigation into allegations of anti-Semitism at the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Fall General Assembly (GA). The report, written by former ombudsperson and professor Spencer Boudreau following his research and stakeholder interviews, concluded that the failure to ratify Noah Lew, a Jewish nominee to the Board of Directors (BoD), at the Oct. 23 GA was motivated by Lew’s affiliation with pro-Israel organizations rather than anti-Semitism.

Principal Suzanne Fortier commissioned an investigation by Boudreau after many students alleged that anti-Semitism motivated GA attendees’ decision not to ratify Lew’s second consecutive appointment to the BoD. The failed ratification sparked outrage from some attendees at the GA, including SSMU President Muna Tojiboeva, who said during the GA’s question period that the sole reason students did not ratify Lew was because he is Jewish. Lew also expressed this sentiment the next day in a viral Facebook post.

“I can honestly say that my conclusion about this allegation […] does not substantiate the notion that the vote was motivated by anti-Semitism,” Boudreau wrote in the report. “I can state however that Noah Lew’s affiliation with Jewish organizations that are clearly supportive of the State of Israel, in addition to his approval [as a Director] of the SSMU Judicial Board [ruling against] the BDS Movement […] was the reason for his vote of non-approval.”

Jewish student groups at McGill have since voiced opposition to the report’s conclusion in a joint statement signed by Am McGill, Chabad at McGill, Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, McGill Jewish Studies Students’ Association, and Hillel McGill.

“The report, in our opinion, did not represent all Jewish voices, contained detrimental factual inaccuracies, and denied many students’ lived experiences of anti-Semitism at the General Assembly,” Mikaela Rath, president of Hillel McGill, wrote in a statement to The McGill Tribune.

The joint statement also asserts that rejecting Lew’s appointment because of his involvement with pro-Israel organizations is anti-Semitic.

“[Chabad at McGill] firmly believe[s] that the targeting of a student on account of his cultural and religious affiliations is anti-Semitic in consequence,” Shira Mattuck, president of Chabad at McGill, wrote to the Tribune.

However, members of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) McGill, a Jewish student organization that supports Canadians’ right to criticize the politics of Israel, wrote that they see a clearer line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism in an emailed statement to the Tribune.

“I am glad to see that Boudreau was able to distinguish Zionism, or support for the state of Israel, from Jewishness and Judaism,” Hani Abramson, organizer at IJV McGill, wrote. “Anti-Semitism is legitimate and frightening, and we cannot tolerate it in our spaces. But standing against apartheid and ethnic cleansing, as well as those who support those measures at our university, is not anti-Semitic.”

Following mixed response from students, Fortier re-affirmed her confidence in Boudreau’s report, attributing its mixed reception to a misunderstanding within the student body about the mandate of the investigation.

“I believe Prof. Boudreau’s report to be thorough and thoughtful,” Fortier wrote in a statement to the Tribune. “I am aware that some individuals and/or groups within McGill and outside the University had hoped that the report would address situations that were beyond the investigation’s specific mandate. As well, there are different opinions on the framing of the fundamental issue that led to the allegation of anti-Semitism and the investigation.”

In the report’s conclusion, Boudreau referenced the divisiveness of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and asked students to move beyond inflammatory dialogue.

“I remain hopeful for the possibility of at least a respectful conversation among such a passionate, and also intelligent and articulate student community,” Boudreau wrote.

Science & Technology

Planetariums: Where science meets entertainment

by Julia Kossakowski & Zoe Doran on

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For space lovers, a trip to the fringes of the galaxy is only a few metro stops away from McGill’s downtown campus at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. One of the facilities operating under Montreal’s Espace pour la vie at the Parc Olympique, the planetarium currently offers six films exploring topics ranging from intergalactic travel to the possibility of extraterrestrial life, with a single ticket purchase allowing admission for two films. Viewers can lean back and relax on the bean bag chairs in the Chaos Theatre and be transported through space and time in the traditional planetarium-style Milky Way Theatre, far beyond the stresses of rapidly approaching midterms.

Space Next

Space Next is a 25-minute film that explores why the allure of space’s great unknown has called to humans through our history on earth. From the Wright brothers first flight, to the Cold War Space Race, to modern day deep space explorations, Space Next challenges viewers to consider humanity’s potential future among the stars, allowing them to ponder what life on other planets could be like. Images of human life on Mars, leisurely trips to the moon for the wealthy, and even extractive economies on the Moon will leave viewers both amazed and hopeful for humankind’s interstellar future.

EXO

EXO tackles the big questions about our universe: Are we alone? Could Einstein’s theory of relativity have a loophole? A clear, 360-degree view of Montreal’s night sky leaves the audience awe-struck and curious. EXO begins by exploring the early origins of astronomy, followed by the attempts of modern scientists to discover life beyond Earth. Viewers will leave the Milky Way Theatre refreshed and excited to look more closely at Montreal’s night sky.

Edge of Darkness

Edge of Darkness is a 25-minute film describing meteorites, comets, asteroids, and dwarf planets, like Pluto, found in the Kuiper Belt, a large debris field at the edge of our solar system. Spectators learn about the birth of our solar system, the anatomy of comets, and close-call comet collisions. As humanity’s expansion into space is becoming a possibility, the film discusses how scientists and corporations are looking to comets, asteroids, and Earth’s other cosmic neighbours to serve as future docking stations and sites of resource extraction. To witness these rogue bodies in action, mark the Lyrid meteor shower on your calendar—April 22, just before dawn.

KYMA, Power of Waves

KYMA, Power of Waves is Montreal filmmaker Phillip Baylaucq’s wordless artistic representation of space and earth, produced by the National Film Board of Canada. KYMA, meaning ‘waves’ in Greek, portrays an introspective journey from the outer reaches of space down to subatomic particles and everything in between. Baylaucq’s film depicts the acoustic, electromagnetic, gravitational, and quantum mechanic waves of the cosmos through musical and visual stimuli. Unusual camera shots and oscillating visuals are accompanied by Robert Marcel Lepage’s modern score, allowing the mind to become immersed in the waves of space. KYMA is not your typical planetarium show—those who seek a unique and thought-provoking depiction of space made specifically for the domed screen at the Milky Way Theatre should definitely plan a trip.

Whatever you decide to see, stick around after the show to explore interactive exhibits outside the theatre. Learn how space technology can improve agriculture, synthesize chemical compounds on touchscreens, and see one of the oldest rocks on earth. Visitors will leave the planetarium feeling inspired by the grandeur and mystery of our common home, the universe.

With a student card, McGill students can receive discounts of 25 per cent for any planetarium show. Space Next/EXO and Edge of Darkness/KYMA will run until April 15 at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium.

Features

Whose side is artificial intelligence on?

by Arshaaq Jiffry on

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In a rapidly evolving world, technology is at the forefront of innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the centre of attention of global tech pioneers. AI refers to a computer’s ability to exhibit signs of intelligence. This intelligence manifests itself in part in a machine’s capacity to make decisions as if it were human, using what data it has collected before, to provide the most optimal solution to a command—a process known as machine learning.

 

Given that the practical applications of AI technologies are not widely understood yet, some media outlets project an exaggeratedly negative representation of the uncertainty that comes with a rapidly-developing technological future. Shows like Black Mirror (2011) and films like Ex-Machina (2014) make it is even easier to imagine a world where humanity’s well-being is threatened by the existence of sentient machines. In reality, however, AI has many practical applications that are a lot less scary.

 

In today’s digital age, leading tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft are all investing in AI in an effort to enhance machine learning technologies. Currently, these technologies focus on data collection. In 2014, Google acquired the company DeepMind—a world leader in AI research and its applications. DeepMind’s team of researchers and engineers focus on the development of neural networks—a computational model that partially imitates the structure and functions of biological neural networks. DeepMind uses these artificial neural networks (ANNs) to expand a machine learning method based on learning data representations known as deep learning.

 

An ANN is built around a collection of nodes or “artificial neurons,” which transmit signals among one another, in the same way that neurons in a human brain do. When an ANN receives an input of information, the network also takes into consideration the many other inputs it has received in the past. Using this catalogued information, the software formulates a solution and forms a pattern so that if a similar situation arises again, the program can work out an answer faster. If the AI program were to play a game of Space Invaders for example, it would play round after round learning through trial and error until it found the optimal strategy to go about blasting all of that space scum.

McGill, News

New SSMU position to investigate the impact of 2014 austerity

by Arvaa Balsara on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) has begun the hiring process for a new staff position: the Austerity Measures Researcher (AMR). The AMR will examine how measures imposed by Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard’s Liberal provincial government to reduce public expenditures have impacted McGill students and employees. The AMR will work under Vice-President (VP) External Affairs Connor Spencer for up to five hours per week for 12 weeks.

In order to achieve a balanced budget, the Liberal provincial government decided in 2014 to reduce spending in public sectors like health and education. These measures were very poorly-received by students, who took to the streets in 2015 to protest the Couillard government’s decisions.

According to Spencer, the AMR will determine which segments of the McGill student body have been most affected by these cuts and make recommendations regarding which programs need additional financial support.

“We are hoping that with this research we will be able to see exactly the effects of the Couillard government’s austerity mentality on our campus and what must be done in order to restore it to where it was before the cuts,” Spencer wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

Although the position has only just been established this year, there have been repeated motions from the SSMU Legislative Council for solidarity against austerity measures as well as motions for policies that support accessible education. However, according to Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens, the administration continues to devote significant sums to student aid, bursary, and scholarship programs.

“Those efforts have not stopped as government funding has begun to return to previous levels,” Dyens wrote in an email to the Tribune. “In addition, we received $7.8 million as part of the Plan d’action pour la réussite en enseignement supérieur, money we’ve put to increase students’ mobility.”

Dyens also noted that the Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ), the province’s primary research funding organization, provided an average of $29.6 million of funding to McGill between the 2014 and 2016 fiscal years.

Although the amount of money the Quebec government has granted to the University for research each year has remained consistent since 2014, austerity measures had considerable effects on the university’s employees immediately after their implementation. Aside from massive layoffs, many full-time staff positions at McGill were reduced to part-time in response to austerity, and the University began to hire new staff on 3 month contracts. These employees are unionized under the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE), which has been strongly critical of austerity. In 2015, the union issued a newsletter demanding more responsible hiring processes in response to the $45 million in budget cuts between 2014 and 2016.

Understanding the effects of austerity on casual employees at McGill is one of the many topics the AMR will explore. They will also have to ensure that this information is made accessible to the McGill community, which according to Saeesh Mangwani, U1 Arts and casual employee at the university, previous anti-austerity campaigns have failed to do.

“The little information that I have about austerity measures has been because I have actively sought it out,” Mangwani said. “As a student having some sort of research of what the exact impacts of austerity have been would be helpful in terms of knowing the issues that need to be addressed. I think having that knowledge would be a good starting point to then be able to find solutions.”

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that 2015 provincial austerity measures led to layoffs and a reduction in job security in the following years. In fact, though measures were implemented by the University to mitigate the impacts of these austerity measures, employment conditions have since improved. The Tribune regrets these errors.

McGill, News

McGill professor investigated for theft of U.S. military technology

by Andras Nemeth on

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McGill Associate Professor Ishiang Shih’s home in Brossard was raided on Jan. 19 in connection with an investigation of his possible role in the theft of military technology from the United States. I. Shih was suspected of conspiring with his brother, Yi-Chi Shih—an adjunct professor at the University of California, Los Angeles—and an associate, Kiet Ahn Mai, to illegally obtain monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), devices used in U.S. military radars and warfare systems. The three men are accused of trying to export the MMICs to Y. Shih’s company in China: Chengdu GaStone Technology Company (CGTC).

According to a press release on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Jan. 19, the U.S. has required individuals to get a special license to trade with CGTC since 2014 on account of the company’s illicit activities.

“[Yi-Chi] Shih was the president of CGTC, which in 2014 was placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, according to the affidavit, ‘due to its involvement in activities contrary to the national security and foreign policy interest of the United States,’” the press release reads. “Specifically, that it had been involved in the illicit procurement of commodities and technologies for unauthorized military end use in China.”

The same press release quotes U.S. prosecutor Nicola T. Hanna condemning smuggling MMICs, calling it a threat to the country’s national security and business interests.

“The very sensitive information would also benefit foreign adversaries who could use the technology to further or develop military applications that would be detrimental to our national security,” Hanna said.

In the inquiry, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been monitoring the brothers’ emails and tracking Y. Shih’s frequent flights between Canada, the U.S., and China over a 10-year period. According to an affidavit filed by U.S. authorities, I. Shih paid Mai $800,000 to purchase the MMICs. The payment was transferred from JYS Technologies, a Brossard-based company owned by I. Shih and his wife. After the transfer and shortly before his arrest, Y. Shih sent a UPS package to I. Shih at McGill’s McConnell Engineering Building. That package is now being investigated.

I. Shih, who taught engineering courses in electrical machinery and transistor devices at McGill, denied all allegations of criminal activity in a statement to La Presse on Jan. 25, claiming the chips had been purchased for research purposes only.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” I. Shih said. “We are only researchers, we do research [….] I was in the process of writing an application for a research grant.

I. Shih is currently being held by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and is searching for a lawyer.

According to Jacques Courteau, retired director of the RCMP and international criminal law specialist, the process of prosecuting the Shih brothers will be complicated because the crime transcends national borders. He explained the complications of sending I. Shih to the U.S. for trial, or extraditing him, in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

“It’s not obvious that just because there’s been a violation of national security laws in the U.S. that Canada will deem it a breach of justice in Canada,” Courteau said. “And for a crime to be extraditable, it must be a crime in both countries [….] So it will be mandatory for the U.S. to demonstrate to the Canadian court that not only was the crime a crime against national security in the U.S., but also in Canada.”

Corteau noted that the respectable academic backgrounds of the accused may further influence judicial action.

“There are many offenses like this that the extradition treaties between countries do not recognize,” Corteau said. “For example, it is very rare to have white-collar crime recognized as an extraditable offense.”

McGill’s administration declined to comment on the events surrounding the investigation.

Sports

Rocking the walk into the 2018 Olympics

by Miya Keilin on

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Every two years, the world is treated to the Olympic Games, and with each iteration comes an opportunity for host countries to artfully showcase their history and culture in the opening ceremony. Feb. 9’s show in PyeongChang combined unbelievable choreography and technology to deliver a memorable performance for all to enjoy. Silhouettes of the Olympic rings at the bottom of a ski slope, lights shooting up high into the sky, beautiful interplay between  drummers and dancers, and a powerful image of yin and yang formed at centre stage drove home the ceremony’s theme of “Peace in Motion.”

But, no matter how excellent the performance portion of the ceremony is, the Parade of Nations is always one of the Olympics’ best moments. For viewers, watching the world’s athletes walk into the arena elicits a broad spectrum of emotions—joy and excitement because the Games are back, pride and awe for the athletes and the hard work that they’ve put in to get there, and the beauty of seeing the world come together.

On a much more superficial level, the Parade of Nations provides fans with great entertainment from trying to guess an athlete’s sport from just their face or physique, to searching up where in the world a country is. Above all, some stand-out outfits stole the show.

Pita Taufatofua, the Tongan taekwondoin who carried his country’s flag into the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Games, surely deserves a mention. He qualified for PyeongChang as a cross-country skier and recreated his look from Rio for this year’s ceremony: A traditional Tongan mat wrapped around his waist and nothing but oil on his chest.

Other flag bearers took the opportunity to flaunt a one-of-a-kind wardrobe for their country. Mexico’s 43 year-old cross-country skier, German Madrazo, came fitted in a Mariachi band uniform—sadly, with no instrument—and Niklas Edin of Sweden sported a shiny gold jacket as he led his country.

Neon green was a popular colour: Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Bolivia all featured it prominently in their outfits. Slovenia wore the brightest green, and Bolivia contrasted it with red pants, but Bulgaria put together the cleanest look.

Athletes from Jamaica, with its sixth appearance in the bobsleigh competition since a glorious debut in 1988 (see Cool Runnings), showed how happy they were to be there by dancing their way into the games in PyeongChang.

The arrival of the host country was, as it often is, the biggest moment of the ceremony, but this delegation was different than those of host countries from past years. North Korea and South Korea walked in together as one, under the Korean Unification flag. There were other displays of Korean unity throughout the ceremony, including a joint effort between female hockey players from North and South Korea to carry the torch up one of the longest flights of stairs in the world to the final torch bearer, Yuna Kim.

Ultimately, the opening ceremony was as magical as it is at every Olympic Games. That will always be true, regardless of what anyone wears or does. The message of peace echoed throughout the performance, from a cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” to a masterfully edited video of children travelling to a unified future world. Every effort was made to symbolize a unified Korea. PyeongChang’s opening ceremony gave the world a reason to believe that the politics dividing us all now can and will be changed, and the world will become a truly peaceful place. The excitement and the pride radiating from every athlete’s face served as a reminder of what the Olympics are all about: Bringing the world together, even if it’s just for two weeks.

News

SSMU executives accused of mismanaging funds at council

by Catherine Morrison on

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At the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 8, councillors discussed funding issues and a potential conflict of interest between SSMU executive members and the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ). In addition, Council passed motions to renew the ECOLE project fee, de-gender SSMU’s language, and pressure the city of Montreal to hold consultations on systemic racism.

 

Accusations of improperly spent funds for AVEQ

During the announcements period, Vice-President (VP) Finance Esteban Herpin accused VP External Connor Spencer and VP University Affairs Isabelle Oke of mismanaging SSMU funding for AVEQ. In addition to imposing additional costs on SSMU members, Herpin believes these expenses could influence how students vote on motions involving AVEQ or the Union étudiante du Québec (EUQ) at the next SSMU referendum.

“In January, SSMU hosted a conference for AVEQ with the purpose of promoting AVEQ to other observing members,” Herpin said. “SSMU VP External and the VP University Affairs paid for it using their SSMU credit cards for over $4,000 of expenses, which consisted mostly of hotel rooms and food [.…] Nowhere in the SSMU operating budget were these funds approved or budgeted for. I believe that this is a severe transgression of the financial responsibility of these execs to owe the society and further this presents a serious financial conflict of interest between the society and AVEQ.”

In response to Herpin’s concerns, Oke admitted that the topic should have been brought up earlier. However, she also assured Council that she plans to include the transaction in her report on AVEQ and that the union informally agreed to reimburse SSMU.

“In terms of labelling it as a [conflict of interest], I’m not sure what personal gain I could get from it,” Oke said. “I think it was more an issue of checks and balances [….] In terms of potentially not getting paid back, that’s obviously going to be a potential issue whether we have a contract with AVEQ or not […] but AVEQ only hosts conferences at different school locations, so if they weren’t to pay us back it wouldn’t look good for their work moving forward.”

Nonetheless, Herpin noted that, in the meantime, AVEQ being informally indebted to SSMU gives it bargaining power.

“I think that this represents a conflict of interest as we are going to charge AVEQ for this and AVEQ now owes us $4,000,” Herpin said. “This sort of monetary liability to the society could be a point of pressure that AVEQ could push.”

 

Motion on Consultation on Systemic Racism in Montreal passes

Motions to renew the ECOLE project fee and pressure the city to conduct consultations on systemic racism passed unanimously, with the exception of one abstention from Councillor Danny Dinh on the degendering motion and after one amendment to the consultations on racism. Originally, the motion on Consultations on Systemic Racism in Montreal called for SSMU to put $1,000 toward publicizing a petition on the issue. Arts Senator Isabella Anderson’s proposed amendment changed the language of the funding clause from “of $1,000” to “up to $1,000.” Although Oke admitted she was not certain as of yet where the funding for this motion would come from, Herpin stated that he would look into the issue.

In response to  Engineering Councillor Vivian Campbell’s questions, VP Student Life Jemark Earle discussed the relocation of McGill clubs and services currently situated in SSMU. He intends to seek additional funds for the move in a motion at the next Legislative Council on Feb. 22.

“We are looking at bringing a motion next council in regards to amending the use of the club fund and the campus life fund,” Earle said. “Hopefully we can find space for clubs and services should they need to meet from the date the building closes until they’re able to enter the building and use the spaces again, because they are able to book it for free right now, and we don’t want to take that away from them.”

McGill, News

AUS Council announces reduced beer prices at Bar des Arts

by Laura Oprescu on

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At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Council discussed efforts to have the oneCard student payment system accepted at more restaurants and services in the Montreal area. Council also announced an increase in payment options and reduction in beer prices at Bar-des-Arts (BdA), and deliberated extending loan periods for the faculty’s laptop lending program.

 

Reduced prices for Sapporo and Glutenberg at BdA

BdA, a bar operated by the AUS from 5 to 8 p.m. every Thursday in the Arts Lounge, has introduced Sapporo to its drink menu for $1 per cup. The bar has also lowered the price of Glutenberg from $2 to $1 per cup. Cups of Honey Brown, Silver Creek, Cream Ale, Blanche de Chambly, and Smirnoff Ice will remain priced at $2 each, while Pabst Blue Ribbon and Sleeman will remain priced at $1 per cup.

Students will now also have the option of paying their for beer at BdA using credit or debit cards. Previously, the bar has only accepted cash payment. An attendee questioned whether BdA attendees would make large enough transactions to justify implementing debit and credit payment.

“It’s actually a lot of beer, around $40,000 to $50,000 worth per year,” AUS President Erik Partridge responded. “This provides a different option for people who might not have change, and we anticipate that the line will move faster if we don’t have to make change [for larger bills].”

 

Increasing the number of options for oneCard purchases

Arts Senator Michael Nwabufo is currently working on increasing the variety of restaurants and services partnered with oneCard, and is in contact with Basha, Téo taxi, and Freshii Parc. Nwabufo delivered an update to Council about his progress thus far, in which he noted that of the local businesses he consulted, Freshii Parc expressed the greatest interest in a partnership with oneCard.

“This would really open up the diversity of oneCard,” Nwabufo said. “Basha has been hard because they already give discounts to McGill students, but I’m looking into Boustan.”

In addition to restaurants, vending machines, and laundry services on campus, oneCard is currently accepted at St-Hubert Express Parc, Double Pizza, and the Mac Market, a student grocery store located on McGill’s MacDonald campus.

 

AUS expands the laptop lending program

The AUS will be purchasing 10 additional laptops for its laptop lending program in the coming weeks, bringing the total number of available laptops to 50. In order to minimize the risk of thefts and damages, AUS currently loans laptops for a maximum of four days before they must be returned. However, according to Partridge, this limit can be inconvenient for patrons of the program, many of whom are forced to acquire multiple laptop loans in a row to complete their assignments.

“The average [total] check-out time for a laptop is three to four weeks,” Partridge said. “We’re looking into semester-long rentals with cheaper computers so that we don’t have to check in and make sure the computers are working as often. The current laptops run at $1,800 each. Cheaper laptops mean that it’s not as bad if we lose one. We also hope to have an online sign-out system worked out soon.”

Increasing spending for the laptop lending program will divert funding from AUS’ desktop computers, however there is money to spare with AUS intending to remove desktops from the Ferrier computer lab and turn it into a group study space. Some computers will remain available in Ferrier with software such as InDesign and STATA installed. This software is currently available on some of the laptops, but may not be able to run on cheaper ones.

 

AUS amends its bylaws

Council passed a motion to amend the AUS’ financial bylaws, stipulating that all decisions made by the Financial Management Committee (FMC) must now be ratified by a simple majority vote of over 50 per cent in Council.

“Last year, the VP Finance did not bring any FMC decisions to Council, as there was an agreement made that no notification would be required,” Partridge said. “This motion undoes that agreement for the sake of financial accountability.”

Both a motion to amend all AUS bylaws, which will update all pronouns in AUS policies to be gender-neutral, and a motion to approve the social work Indigenous field course fee increase, which raises the fee from $390.20 to $421.56 from Summer 2018 onward, also passed.

AUS Legislative Council will next meet on Feb. 21.

Montreal, News

Michelle Obama urges the power of education in Montreal

by Ellie Solloway on

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On Feb. 5, a crowd of 10,000 welcomed the 2018 Bell International Speaker Series (BISS) guest Michelle Obama to the Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain (CCMM). Obama presented a talk on womanhood and the power of collective organization, drawing upon her background as an activist, Princeton and Harvard graduate, lawyer, and former first lady of the United States.

Before that, however, she began with a humble anecdote about her eldest daughter, a first year student at Harvard, whom she visited at school earlier this year.

“I got some mommy-time […when my daughter Malia] came to my hotel and we cuddled in bed,” Obama said. “And she said something really sweet. She said, ‘Mom, you showed me how to be a strong woman.’”

Obama hoped that the experience would resonate with audience members, many of whom were university-aged women like Malia. The anecdote also introduced what would be a central theme of Obama’s discussion: The intersection between education and women’s empowerment.

“Education is the foundation for any and everything I’ve been able to accomplish in my life,” Obama said. “It is the only thing that creates equality across society.”

Obama related topics like the current U.S. political climate to her central idea of education and its value for society.

“We need an educated electorate,” Obama said. “We need young people, we need citizens who are able to analyze and break down arguments and to figure out what’s right and wrong.”

The former first lady also used her platform to discuss a variety of intersectional feminist issues including the challenges black women encounter in higher education.

“There were people that told me that I shouldn’t apply to the universities I applied to, that I shouldn’t reach too high,” Obama said. “They had set a bar for me only based on the colour of my skin.”

Obama went on to share some of her accomplishments to this end during her tenure as first lady, including an initiative she developed called Reach Higher, which equips young people with tools to continue their education beyond high school.

She also called on the wealthy male contingent in attendance to re-evaluate their hiring practices to include more women. This same respectful-yet-determined attitude, albeit more tongue-in-cheek, shone through in her response to interviewer Sévrine Labelle, who asked to which time period Obama would travel back if she could.

“This is a tough one, because look, I’m black, so I don’t really want to go back,” Obama said.

According to CCMM President Michel Leblanc and organizer of (BISS), attendees of the 2017 series eagerly awaited the former first lady’s appearance as she continues her pursuit of social change, following her departure from the White House.  

“When we hosted [former U.S. president Barack Obama] a few months ago, it was an immense success,” Leblanc said. “However, I must say, right after the event, many women and community leaders said, ‘You know, Michel, we want you to invite Michelle Obama. She’s the one that inspires us.”

Given the talk’s theme of equality, some attendees noted the irony of its inaccessibility. Namely, the event’s cheapest tickets exceeded $60 and most of Obama’s introductory speakers—including the Prime Minister of Canada’s spouse Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, who delivered the opening remarks—were wealthy and white.

“[Before Obama, there] was a lot of white feminist rhetoric,” attendee Tori Ford, U2 Arts, said. “I was like, ‘why are these the people introducing her and not, like, local black community activists?’”

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