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Football, Men's Varsity, Sports

Concordia stings McGill Redmen football with Homecoming loss

by Patrick Beacham on

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McGill Redmen
10

 

 

Concordia Stingers
36

 

 

 

The fervorous crowds and cheerleaders at Molson Stadium for the Oct. 14 homecoming football game couldn’t help the McGill Redmen (1-5) overcome the Concordia Stingers (3-3). As the clouds eclipsed the only sunlight early in the second quarter, McGill’s momentum fell apart and Concordia ran away with a 36-10 victory.

The Redmen got off to a good start but fell behind due in part to poor discipline, committing 18 penalties for 150 yards by the final whistle.

“We had some good drives as far as offence and defence goes,” third-year linebacker Dane Wagner said. “It just comes down to the fact that we had way too many penalties. We didn’t play disciplined. You can’t win with that many penalties.”

Concordia got its first touchdown just three minutes into the first quarter after a 64-yard pass allowed a Stingers receiver to sprint uncontested into the Redmen endzone. McGill’s difficulty covering wide receivers hurt them in the first half, but the team managed to hold Concordia back in later standoffs.

“I think they completed early, then I think we buckled down and played some pretty solid defence after that,” McGill Head Coach Ronald Hilaire said. “Obviously the penalties hurt us a lot, with offsides and all that stuff keeping drives alive for them [….] We’ve got to be better.”

The Redmen had a brief surge of energy at the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, scoring a touchdown and a field goal back-to-back. However, flags nullified two of the Redmen’s touchdowns and killed their momentum, leading to 22 unanswered points by the Stingers.

“We could have played better for sure,” second-year defensive lineman Andrew Seinet-Spaulding said. “We were undisciplined, and it paid for Concordia, so we’ve got to be better next week on discipline because it really hurt us.”

Despite the sting from Concordia, there is still hope for the Redmen to make the playoffs this season. The Oct. 21 home game against The Sherbrooke Vert et Or will decide if McGill will make it to the conference semifinals. McGill won narrowly against Sherbrooke earlier in the season, but whether or not the Redmen can replicate that success is still up in the air.

“As usual, we’re going to do the film, we’re going to correct this and move on,” second-year wide receiver Jeremy Sauvageau said. “And then three good practices, or four even. We’ve got to win this one, so we’re going to do everything we can so that we can win this game.”

 

Moment of the Game

A failed field goal at the end of the first quarter landed in Concordia’s hands, but the Stingers fumbled and Redmen defensive back Vincent Dethier snatched the ball in the endzone for the first and only McGill touchdown of the game.

 

Quotable

“If we do our thing, we’ll beat anybody in this league” – second-year defensive lineman Andrew Seinet-Spaulding optimistic heading into the next game.

 

Stat Corner

Since joining the RSEQ conference in 2010, the Redmen have yet to win a homecoming game.

 






Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Blade Runner 2049’ sets a new standard for Hollywood sequels

by Maxime Scraire on

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For decades, it seemed like a Blade Runner (1982) sequel was doomed to be an artistic failure. Arguably Ridley Scott’s magnum opus, the cyberpunk cult classic lives on in major part because of its absolute disinterest in offering clear answers to the questions it raises. The prospect of a follow-up threatened to needlessly cast light on the cryptic ambiguities of the classic, dragging the original down in the process. Throw in the near-impossible task of both staying true to and expanding upon one of the most singular achievements in modern cinema, and it becomes unfathomable how anyone could be successful.

That’s where Denis Villeneuve comes in. Fresh off celebrated films Sicario (2015) and Arrival (2016), the Quebecois filmmaker has quickly become an unlikely Hollywood favourite, crafting artful box office hits out of increasingly grander genre experiments. Master of creating tension out of thin air, obsessed with the human condition, and renowned for his meticulous visual style, the French-Canadian director was born to helm Blade Runner 2049. It is his best film to date, and easily one of the greatest science fiction films since, well, Blade Runner.

The sequel takes place 30 years after the events of the original. It follows “blade runner,” K (Ryan Gosling, definitely in his Drive (2011) mode rather than La La Land (2016)). K is working for the LAPD in pursuing “retiring” (read: Murdering) rogue members of older generation replicants—bioengineered human-like androids that, after years of slavery, have been integrated into society to ensure humanity’s survival. A specimen of a newer brand of more subservient replicant himself, K discovers the bones of a once pregnant replicant while on a mission. Entrusted with the secret responsibility of finding the child and destroying all evidence of its impossible birth—replicants are believed to be infertile—he embarks on a journey in the footsteps of exiled veteran blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford, reprising his role with careworn panache) and draws him closer to the essence of humanity itself.

Hampton Francher, one half of the original’s screenwriting duo, is back 35 years later to once more transcend film noir, this time with an original work (Blade Runner was a loose adaptation of the Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) novella, for which the author never wrote a sequel). Widening the dystopian universe in clever ways, raising the stakes without going absurdly over-the-top (looking at you Marvel), introducing a handful of characters worthy of their predecessors, and deepening the original’s mysteries, Blade Runner 2049 effectively acts as guide on how to write a rewarding sequel.

Akin to the series’ first instalment, however, the film’s form is almost more important than its content. Scenes linger on, stretched to maximum capacity to allow the richly textured world of visionary cinematographer Roger Deakins to take center-stage: Be it a smoky, neon-blue Los Angeles forever mired in nocturnal showers, a sunbaked Las Vegas turned into nuclear wasteland, or an abandoned farm drowning in thick white fog, the visuals are consistently jaw-dropping. Coupled with a show-stopping sound-design that sucks viewers right into the screen, the film becomes an audio-visual experience for the ages, one that barely needs the narrative it supports. The cast, especially scene-stealing unknowns Ana de Armas (K’s hologram lover Joi) and Sylvia Hoeks (villain Niander Wallace’s (Jared Leto) chilling assistant Luv), is spectacular all-around. Cold, slow, and grandiose by every metric, Blade Runner 2049 perfectly recaptures the detached coolness of its predecessor.

With this new entry in his filmography, Villeneuve injects a much-needed dose of visual poetry and thematic complexity to a genre that too often seems to work against its lush, cerebral roots. It might not be the cinematic revolution Blade Runner was, but as far as high-end spectacle goes, 2049 sets a new standard.

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: ‘There Is No Love In Fluorescent Light’ – Stars

by Emma Avery on

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Since the release of their first album Nightsongs in 2001, Canadian indie pop band Stars has centred its songwriting around strained love. Usually holding on by a thread, though interspersed with spells of enamoured enchantment and thrill, the band’s lyrics stare out on the brink of darkness, loneliness, and death. Lead singers Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan’s dual vocals and narratives often cast two characters trying to either understand or get over one another, as lonely, lovestruck figures so often do. While the five-person band’s instrumentals are always solid—the grit of the electric guitar in contrast with Millan’s soft, yearning voice forms album highlight, “Privilege”—the complementary, hypnotic vocals and haunting lyrics are what continue to make Stars so mesmerizing.

Released on Oct. 13, Stars’ latest album, There Is No Love In Fluorescent Light, plays off their melodic, conversational style. As Stars have matured, their focus has shifted away from captivating morbid fantasies, like older tracks “Calendar Girl,” “Dead Hearts,” and “I Died So I Could Haunt You,” to a more reflexive, nostalgic, and melancholic-yet-serene state.

“We Called It Love” epitomizes Stars’ signature duet style. Two ex-lovers reminisce about a failed yet inescapable past relationship from their respective—yet ironically similar—points of view. “I don’t suppose you remember me / I was the one who set you free,” sings Campbell to an ex. “We used to call it something / we called it love,” agree the two in pensive unison, simultaneously on the same page and talking past one another.

Conversely, “Fluorescent Light” is an upbeat attempt to rejuvenate a comfortable but fizzling relationship. Campbell’s persona is one of slight resignation and denial, while Millan’s attempts to spark the adventure that has been lost amid routines of daily monotony.

Some songs—such as “California, I Love that Name” and “Alone”—are a bit repetitive and lacking in depth. However, their content fits nostalgic threads to the album: “California, I Love That Name” longs for a time and place without worries and obligations—a kind of utopia “free from the past, and free from the pain.”

Stars continue to tackle familiar fears of desertion in songs like “Losing To You.” “On The Hills” exists in a dreamlike trance of loss and disbelief, with fuzzy, faraway, high-pitched vocals: “Could it be it was only a dream?,” asks Millan. Similarly, in “Hope Avenue”—a song with beats that seem to echo New Order, one of the band’s inspirations—the past mars the present, as memories continue to hold people back.

In the end, as the final track’s title indicates, we are all just “Wanderers.” Although not the most exciting melody, it sums up the album’s ephemerality and closes it on a note that is neither here nor there. Just as the opening number “Privilege” chides, you “Never got what you want / you forgot what you want.” It’s a story of two protagonists haunted and torn by roots of a shared past that both soothes and torments, which they can neither let go nor return to.

 

Commentary, Opinion

“Should I stay or should I go?” An Uber story

by Sruthi Sudhir on

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Back in the simpler days of September 2016, the incorporation of Uber into Quebec’s transportation sector created an upheaval in the province’s usually peacefully monotonous system. After first threatening to shut Uber down, the Quebec government only agreed to a one-year “Pilot Project” with the ride-hailing service—demonstrating that Quebec has long been hesitant to integrate Uber into its transportation sector. Currently, many are concerned by Uber’s announcement that it may not renew its licence with Quebec on Oct. 14—the day the pilot project expires—due to stricter guidelines from the government. However, Uber’s presence in Quebec has become a staple not only for the part-time drivers who have begun to rely on the additional source of income, but also for university students seeking Uber’s convenient and relatively affordable transportation model.

Discussion has centred around the question of whether Uber will stay or go. The situation may seem like an ultimatum, but Uber and Quebec can and should compromise. It is a difficult proposition, but one with mutual benefit. Quebec should recognize the effectiveness of Uber’s business model and its convenience in cities like Montreal. Likewise, Uber must accommodate Quebec’s stricter policies and compromise, because keeping the ride-sharing start-up in the province will ultimately benefit both parties.

The Quebec government’s bureaucratic policies and Uber’s ultra-modern blasé resistance to these policies is evocative of debates between baby-boomers and millennials. This antagonism has created a scenario in which neither party will be victorious come Oct.14—potentially Uber’s last day operating in the province—if the company does not comply with Quebec’s stricter policies, including longer training hours for drivers and background checks conducted by the police instead of Uber itself. Uber states that if the province does not make its policies more lenient, it will cease operations, which will leave both Uber drivers and users in limbo. Ultimately, Uber should be accommodating of the province, because of its success here: Montreal residents have used its services 423,000 times in the last quarter. Similarly, Quebec would benefit from being more lenient to a company that has brought $7.2 million in revenue to the province during the pilot project’s first year.

Uber’s stance that the province’s regulations are unmanageable seems like conjecture and a convenient way to pander to the public; its complaints that the regulations would “break the company’s business model” seem to suggest a reluctance to compromise in lieu of an actual threat to the company. Quebec’s policies are not unreasonable either: An increase of training hours for drivers from 20 to 35, and criminal background checks conducted by the police instead of a private company, are security  measures that would concretely benefit the public. They are not simply old-fashioned motions, as Uber’s rhetoric suggests. Rider safety shouldn’t be a point of contention for a company that has faced scandals involving following safety regulations and obeying laws in recent years that have lead to other major cities, such as London leaving the start-up due to similar concerns regarding background checks for drivers.

The reputations of both Uber and Quebec stand to be damaged if Uber chooses to leave the province. For Quebec, it sends out the message to other companies and start-ups that the province’s bylaws are strict and unyielding, potentially harming both the progression and economy of the province. For Uber, its stubbornness against compromising on training hours and regulations suggests a lack of concern for local laws. That’s not a viable option for a company which has only been actively embraced by two other provinces in Canada, as it could potentially solidify the hesitance of provinces with major markets such as British Columbia.

Ultimately the conflict between Uber and Quebec is a power struggle, but it need not be zero-sum. This struggle risks resulting in the loss of affordable transportation for university students, but both parties must realize that this will not benefit either of them in the long run.

 

 

Sruthi is a U0 Civil Engineering student. Although her ultimate goals involve building bridges and saving the world, her current hobbies include watching TV, playing the violin, and trying to figure out how seven years worth of French language classes have suddenly left her since arriving in Montreal.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

Features

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story

by Izze Siemann on

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The iconic song that concludes Hamilton, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” elicits a fundamental inspiration for creativity—the idea of sonder, that each individual is living a life as complex and intricate as our own. I myself wonder whether or not my stories will matter, and marvel at the vast number of narratives to which I will never have access. I fantasize about capturing an emotion that others have experienced but could not decipher. I imagine my words, tugging the soft skin of a cheek into a smile. The first time I saw Hamilton, the play moved me to tears; hearing the amalgamation of powerful instruments and voices, in the name of storytelling, reconnected me with the power of the written word.
This anecdote represents a common sentiment among aspiring 21st-century writers. While the dream of one day publishing—or even creating a finished work at all—floats at the forefront of writers’ thoughts, the reality is far from encouraging. In 2012, bibliographic information provider R. R. Bowker calculated the publication of 2,352,797 books in the United States alone, with 49,553 of them being fiction. This value does not include books published online, nor written song lyrics, nor blog posts.
With so many writers constantly at work, distinguishing between their works and styles might seem challenging. However, each author comes from a different background and approaches the same task from a different angle. Ultimately, each writer has a different story to tell, and a unique way of telling it.
“The connected impulses to understand my own thoughts by entering into a strange sort of conversation with the page, and the desire to tell stories to an audience [initially made me write],” Naben Ruthnum, who received his Masters degree in English Literature at McGill in 2011, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. Ruthnum’s novella, Cinema Rex, won both The Malahat Review’s 2012 Novella Contest, as well as the 2013 Writers’ Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. Now, the author writes fiction professionally.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Librarie Wescott: A hidden treasure of St-Laurent

by Lauren Jelinek on

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On the corner of Duluth Avenue and St-Laurent Boulevard, a hidden treasure of Montreal has been lying low for over 25 years: Librarie Wescott. The small, independently-owned used bookstore has an unbelievable collection of works on topics ranging from Buddhism to Italian geography—a disarray of texts that is almost unbelievable at first sight. Piles of publications top every possible surface, creating a maze of literature to investigate. Decorated with an array of knick-knacks like plants, stuffed toys, and airplanes, the bookstore has more character than most others in Montreal.

For Alex Yiannoutsos, U3 Arts and a regular customer at Wescott, the bookstore is more than just charming—it’s a gateway to another world.

“[Librarie] Wescott is a disorganized mess of just books,” Yiannoutsos said. “From the floor to the ceiling, every inch is covered [….] You don't know what you'll pick up or where it will transport you, so the store is just a mode of transportation to this other world.”

As a used bookstore, Librarie Wescott is able to offer low prices that appeal to the Plateau’s student population. While the store offers a limited selection of textbooks and specialized books, most students come in to find something to read for pleasure—and the students who shop at the library play a crucial economic role, according to Terry Wescott, owner of the bookstore.

“Without students, I don’t think the bookstore would survive,” Wescott said. “[The bookstore scene in Montreal is] shrinking because rents are going up [and paying] employees [is] expensive.”

In recent years,  Librarie Wescott has faced challenges remaining open. After incurring rent hikes in 2011, Wescott revealed that he is still looking for somewhere to eventually move the store.

“[The] landlord wants to raise the rent, so I may be closing, [but] I'm looking for another location in the area,” Wescott said. “I don't know what the fate of the bookstore is.”

The popularity of e-books and online shopping also endangers small bookstores like Librarie Wescott. Wescott used to sell books online, but after the 2008 economic crash, sales dropped, and their online store shut down. Wescott hasn’t attempted to re-open it since.

Despite the convenience of online bookstores, it is hard to replace the feeling of flipping through the pages of a physical book. And though Amazon and Indigo may offer  publications delivered right to your door, the uniformity of chain retailers lacks the charm of an independent bookstore and misses out on the character and history of used books, something Librarie Wescott embraces.

Among the store’s vast collection of novels to atlases to cookbooks, history and classic literature are the most popular choices. Since they are close to the owner’s heart, those two genres tend to take up the most shelf space. And while not everything sells, there is something for everyone at Westcott.

“I love books,” Wescott said. “Everyday I’m getting in new books [….] I always keep books until they get sold [….] Maybe the right person [for the book] will come along [….] Sometimes I keep a book for 10 years and then someone comes along and says, ‘Hey, this is just the book I was looking for.’"

Science & Technology

Decoding social media and mental health with artificial intelligence

by Kelly Panichnantakul on

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Recent developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing mental health care. A team of researchers from the University of Ottawa, the University of Alberta, and the University of Montpellier in France are developing an AI software that scans social media platforms and flags posts that can suggest mental illness. Diana Inkpen, professor at the University of Ottawa School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is spearheading the project.

Inkpen explained that as the software receives new data, it becomes more adept at gathering information and making predictions.

“Artificial intelligence systems can learn from data,” Inkpen wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “For example, if the AI system is provided with many examples of texts posted on social media that reflect signs of mental illness, the system can learn a predictive model. Detecting strong and persistent negative emotions can be a sign of mental illness or other behavioral problems. We are looking for the best methods to develop predictive models for different kinds of issues—depression, [suicidal] intentions, self-harm, [and] cyberbullying.”

With Facebook’s recent creation of its first Canadian AI research laboratory in Montreal, the importance of AI technologies is unquestionable. Inkpen remains optimistic about the future of artificial intelligence and its role in mental health care. She believes the software she and her team developed can provide a beneficial diagnostic tool for healthcare professionals.

“AI [systems] are and can be used even more to help people,” Inkpen wrote. “Signs of mental illness can be detected early and help can be offered in order to prevent these problems before they become serious. Another scenario is for doctors to use AI systems to monitor their patients’ social media accounts, with their consent. In this way, doctors would base their diagnostics on the findings of the AI systems and on their own knowledge and intuition in the same time.”

Despite the available resources, the stigma surrounding mental health keeps many of those affected from seeking professional help. Robert Whitley, principal investigator of the Social Psychiatry Research and Interest Group (SPRING) and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill, researches that stigma. Most notably, his work deals with barriers to facilitators of healthcare. According to Whitley, the fear of judgement and ridicule prevents  people with mental illnesses from seeing a clinician.

The onset of these mental illnesses may be due to the influence of social media. Numerous studies over the years have shown that social media use may be associated with mental health issues. In accordance with a 2015 study, Whitley states that there is a correlation between depression and social media use: Those who spent more time online had a higher risk of depression.

“Sadly, a lot of social media provokes feelings of envy and the famous phrase the [young] generation coined the ‘fear of missing out.’” Whitley said. “People on social media are not a true representation of reality. It’s a refracted representation whereby people present the highlights of their lives. My hope is that people like me will put this information out there and then people, young people especially, will learn about it and minimize their time on social media and maximize things that are much [healthier] such as playing sports, socializing, [or] reading.”

As the influence of social media continues to increase, it is imperative that signs of mental illness be detected before they become serious. Although advances in AI systems cannot replace an actual clinician, software such as the one designed by Inkpen and her team demonstrate great diagnostic potential.

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

‘Persephone Bound’ encourages conversation about consent

by Morgan Davis on

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According to the McGill University Safety Report for 2015-2016, there were only two cases of sexual assault on both the downtown and MacDonald campuses combined. This is a mere fraction of the reported safety incidents on campus. However, Sexual Assault Statistics in Canada reported that only six assaults for every 100 are reported. And unfortunately, it’s understandable why these statistics are so disheartening. Looking at recent events at  Canadian universities like Western or Queen’s,

sexual violence cases are, as mentioned numerous times by the play’s narrator—too often cases of “her word against his”—creating an atmosphere of distrust surrounding issues of consent. This statement is repeated throughout Persephone Bound, a play and panel discussion put on by The Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education (O-SVRSE) on Oct. 5. 

The narrative aerial performance serves as an entry point into a sensitive subject. Telling the story of a young college freshman, the performer and playwright Léda Davies used ropes to display her interpretation of a modern Persephone. Davies took inspiration from the Greek myth of Persephone, in which Persephone’s abduction is witnessed by many people—including her father Zeus—but they all choose to remain silent so as to not cause tension or conflict. This reasoning is frighteningly similar to how many people continue to turn a blind eye to sexual assaults. It reminds us that despite the myth being written in approximately the seventh century BC, the issue of consent is even more relevant today. 

Persephone Bound explores the myriad of emotions, questions, and trauma that survivors of sexual assault experience. Coming forward with disclosures of assault is a monumental obstacle in itself. Yet—as explained in the discussion panel post-performance—legal and social systems consistently fail in supporting survivors. The process of having a sexual assault case pass through the court system takes approximately three years from initiation to completion, with the survivor constantly having to relive their trauma. 

Davies has performed in theatre, dance, and circus for over 10 years, and has lived in Montreal since 2013. Co-writing Persephone Bound, Jed Tomlinson works as a freelance actor, clown, drummer, and theatre artist. By introducing various perspectives around sexual consent, both playwrights hope to cultivate a dialogue surrounding sexual violence, reporting the assaults, and providing resources. The narrative performance jumped from the past to present, re-enacting the sexual assault itself, then following Persephone as she is interrogated. Intrusive questions such as how many times Persephone peed that evening, or what she was wearing at the party, allowed the audience to see the doubt survivors face as they are forced to relive their trauma through rape kits and interviews. 

The panel discussion shed light on the realities experienced by survivors of sexual violence. The panel of four experts—including performer Léda Davies—explored many aspects surrounding consent, including the specific science behind how trauma affects the brain. The panelists examined how identity, social status, and sexual orientation can cause differences between the stories of survivors. They acknowledged that the play’s character Persephone, a white middle-class heterosexual who attends a college party, is a narrow glimpse into  the multifaceted ways in which sexual violence affects survivors’ lived experiences. 

As a concluding event for this year’s fourth annual #ConsentMcGill Campaign, Persephone Bound allowed for an inclusive and open discussion surrounding sexual consent. The O-SVRSE has been serving the McGill community since November 2016, and aims to provide students, faculty, and staff impacted by sexual violence with crisis and reporting support. 

 

For more information, visit mcgill.ca/osvrse. 

Commentary, Opinion

Dear Quebec, give Jagmeet Singh a fair shot

by Janson Kappen on

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The New Democratic Party (NDP) has been in hibernation since the last federal election. It shed several pounds in Parliament—from 103 to 44 seats after the 2015 election—and ran its it’s base’s enthusiasm enthusiasm dry, leaving a skeleton of good policy remaining but little charisma.

In this weak position, the NDP took its biggest gamble yet. Its members elected Jagmeet Singh—a charismatic, fashionable knight in a three-piece suit of armour—as their federal leader. This was a momentous occasion in Canadian history, as Singh became the first non-white leader of a major political party. And Singh didn’t win by a small margin: He received 53.8 per cent of the vote, winning on the first ballot—a feat matched only by Jack Layton and Tommy Douglas.

In addition to being a young up-and-comer from Ontario, Singh is also a practicing Sikh, who proudly wears a brightly-coloured turban and carries a kirpan by his side. Many Quebecois—on both sides of the political spectrum—seem to take issue with that. For example, Longueuil-Saint-Hubert NDP member of parliament (MP) Pierre Nantel recently expressed his belief that Singh’s turban and kirpan were incompatible with what Quebecers expect of their public leaders. Of course, government institutions cannot discriminate against citizens or confer certain advantages based on religious belief. This doesn’t mean, however, that government officials cannot hold religious beliefs themselves—just that those beliefs cannot influence their public policy.

Nantel’s comments come from a widely held—and indeed legislated—Quebecois belief that church and state should be separate. But, in questioning the ability of privately religious individuals to hold public positions of power, Nantel and a growing minority of Quebecois terribly misinterpret the meaning of these laws, which originate from Quebec’s strong secularist values. This rhetoric is dangerous, as it only inflames existing racial and ethnic tensions in this province.

 

 

If the Quebecois reject Singh only because of his religion, it sends a message to all religious minorities in Quebec that don’t fully belong to the larger community or aren’t accepted in positions of power.

Singh is entitled to practice his religion while in public office. The only requirement is that government institutions under his oversight cannot discriminate against people who have different religious beliefs than he has. Singh is not looking to marginalize anyone: His viral slogan is #LoveAndCourage.

Quebecers have a right to choose the candidate they deem the most fit to be party leader. If Singh’s turban gets in the way of his policies, then voters have the right to disregard his candidacy. But, Singh’s policies have nothing to do with religion; as a candidate, he ran on universal pharmacare and anti-climate change commitments. If the Quebecois reject Singh only because of his religion, it sends a message to all religious minorities in Quebec that don’t fully belong to the larger community or aren’t accepted in positions of power. In an age when identity politics seems to be the norm, this will have terrible ramifications for everyone.

Race relations have steadily worsened in Quebec over the past several years. In Quebec City, for instance, there were 113 hate crimes or suspected hate crimes reported for the first half of 2017, compared to the 137 hate crimes reported for all of 2016, according to the Montreal Gazette. The vast majority of hate crimes are directed at a religion, with race and ethnicity being the second greatest target. Even once-inclusive local politicians have become less tolerant, partly contributing to heightened racial tensions in the province. Following the stabbing of a Michigan police officer by a Montrealer allegedly shouting an Islamic phrase, Premier Philippe Couillard changed his supportive tone for Muslims. A CBC article quotes him saying, “Unfortunately, you cannot disconnect this type of event, terrorism, from Islam in general.”

If Singh’s candidacy stirs more controversy and hateful discussion in Quebec, then it will only contribute to existing feelings of marginalization held by visible minorities. Instead, Singh’s openness about his religion must promote a frank and positive discussion about race. Quebec has an opportunity to restore relations with marginalized communities throughout the province. But, this productive discussion only starts when Quebec acknowledges its problem with discrimination, rather than merely masking the issue under the guise of state secularism.

Singh’s nomination presents a real test for Quebec to stand by the diversity and inclusivity its citizens voted for theoretically with Justin Trudeau.

Jagmeet Singh deserves a fair shot. Let’s give him one.

 

 

 

 

 

Janson is a U0 student in the Faculty of Sciences. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Janson enjoys hiking and sightseeing in Banff National Park.

 

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 

 

 
News, PGSS

PGSS Secretary-General resigns following accident

by Kendall McGowan on

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On Oct. 2, the Post-graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) announced the resignation of PGSS secretary-general Jacob Lavigne by email and Facebook. According to PGSS Financial Affairs Officer Matthew Satterthwaite, Lavigne was forced to step down due to extenuating consequences of an accident he was in over the summer. The executives regret Lavigne’s departure but there is no animosity between the parties.

In September, Lavigne took a 30-day leave that is allotted to every PGSS officer with hopes of eventually returning to his position, leaving his duties to be divided among the other five PGSS executives. Now following his official resignation, the PGSS’ Society Activities Manual mandates that a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) must commence nominations for a new Officer in a by-election within 10 days of the vacancy. The election must also take place within the next five weeks. Satterthwaite confirmed that the procedure for electing a new Secretary-General will continue along these lines, with an election tentatively scheduled to be completed by early November.

Lavigne’s priorities, as he expressed in his election platform, included advocating for graduate student space on campus, promoting problem-solving and innovation within the student body through events like hackathons, and enforcing adherence to by-laws such as the requirement that PGSS documents be made publicly available. According to Satterthwaite, PGSS executives have already advanced with several of these objectives in Lavigne’s absence.

“We’ve made some good progress in the human resources department,” Satterthwaite said. “We had a number of key positions to fill in the office this summer [….] Another priority that [Lavigne] had identified was reviewing our governing documents, which was something we have not had the chance to do yet just because we’ve had this unfortunate incident but it’s something that we’re going to try to get back to in the near future.”

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs Isabelle Oke often works with PGSS to convey student needs and concerns to the McGill administration. From her external perspective, she reported that the other PGSS executives were handling Lavigne’s absence well.

“It seems like they have a pretty strong team and had coordinated different people taking up [Lavigne’s] responsibilities,” Oke said. “There wasn’t any negative consequence [for PGSS and SSMU’s] relationship. As teams, we’re pretty open with each other, and he obviously had to do what he had to do. I don’t think anyone’s holding that against him.”

Lavigne also played a major role in founding the McGill Additive Manufacturing Students’ Society (MAMSS), a group which consolidated all of the 3D printing resources available at McGill into a centralized, accessible system. According to Thomas Feribault-Ménard, who is on the MAMSS Board of Directors, Lavigne’s determination contributed to his success both in MAMSS and PGSS.

“In MAMSS he was the president, a great leader,” Feribault-Ménard said. “He would just start to do things nobody thought was possible. You would think ‘oh, that’s such a big mountain to climb,’ but he would do it.”

Satterthwaite also expressed his sorrow about Lavigne’s absence from the PGSS executive team.

“It’s really an unfortunate situation,” Satterthwaite said. “[Lavigne] was a great person to have at the PGSS and we’re definitely going to miss him. It’s really too bad that he was not able to complete his term because I think he would have been able to do some great things at the PGSS and we’re sorry to see him go.”

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