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Commentary, Opinion

Playing the polite host: How Harbison critics made a statement without saying anything at all

by Keating Reid on

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As I sat waiting for George Harbison’s “The Victims of Socialism” talk, hosted by the Conservative Association at McGill University, one thing was clear: Its organizers were hoping for the best, but had prepared for the worst. A uniformed security officer guarded the door, and several more were inside, along with at least one in plain clothes. The Conservative McGill executives, seated in the front row, seemed to be making nervous small talk. Their anxiety wasn’t without cause: In the days prior, the event’s Facebook event page had degenerated into a lawless Internet brawl, replete with accusations of threat-making and white supremacism. While Harbison’s talk consisted mostly of recapping the undeniable atrocities committed by communist regimes, he went on to claim that left-wing academics possess an “intellectual, self-serving pathology.”

And then… nothing. No chanting protestors, no shouting audience, and no pulled fire alarms. The talk was completed without interruption. During the Q&A session that followed, several audience members made comments challenging Harbison, which generally led to brief, civil debates. At 6:30 p.m., the event ended and everybody went home.

And that was it for “The Victims of Socialism”. By the next morning, it seemed everybody had forgotten about Harbison and the event itself. I’ve certainly heard no mention of either since, and rightly so: 90 minutes of juvenile Reagan-worship isn’t worth the mental storage. By not showing up to protest, the event’s opponents issued the greatest condemnation of all—irrelevance.

Compare the quietude at "Victims of Socialism" with the infamous men’s rights talk at the University of Toronto in 2013, where disruptors pulled a fire alarm and forced a temporary evacuation; or the more recent airhorn-blowing protest at a Jordan Peterson talk at McMaster University. Admittedly, Harbison’s topic doesn’t have the same personal resonance as the social rights issues of these other talks, but the mud-slinging discussion generated on the event’s Facebook page showed that it still had definite potential to incite conflict.

For all the debate about whether no-platforming is morally right, we’ve forgotten to ask if it’s effective.

The aforementioned protests have been described as attempts to “no-platform” speakers. That is, counter-protesters show up to prevent them from using a university event to spread their views. Proponents of no-platforming believe it is the best way to quarantine bigoted ideas. Opponents see it as censorship and worry about a creeping loss of freedom of speech.

But “no-platforming” is a misnomer. With their sound and fury, attempted no-platformers capture the media spotlight—and invariably share it with the speakers they seek to suppress. All of that attention gives the speaker access to a new, much larger audience, some of whom will find the speaker more persuasive than the protestors. In this way, protestors have been duped into doing their enemy’s work for them, boosting the influence of the enfants terribles they want silenced. For all the debate about whether no-platforming is morally right, we’ve forgotten to ask if it’s effective.

This is doubly true south of the border, where student rioting at an attempted Milo Yiannopoulos talk at UC Berkeley received national cable news coverage. Overnight, an alt-right groundling, previously concentrated in the great media latrine Breitbart, was on the news in every living room in North America. And he brought his jargon with him: Who could have imagined ‘cuck’ would enter our national vocabulary? Yiannopoulos could only have dreamed of creating this kind of exposure by himself.

It’s unfair to dismiss no-platforming’s proponents as whiny liberals or social-justice fundamentalists. Most are motivated by an earnest concern for the well-being of minority students and see no-platforming as the best way to stifle hate speech. But, no-platforming is more than tragically ironic; it is divisive. Moderate liberals are social justice advocates’ ideological kin, but many of them are turned off by tactics that they see as threatening free speech. Consequently, two of their deeply held values are pitted against each other—concern for minorities and social libertarianism. In making moderates choose between them, activists risk alienating potential allies.

The student body’s response to Harbison’s “The Victims of Socialism” talk was immaculate. Those who disagreed with him expressed themselves with admirable civility. And most importantly, they didn’t gift him free publicity. While it’s unfortunately fashionable to bash the media these days, one criticism is true: It loves a good circus. Students were wise to not to greet the visiting elephant with trumpets and fireworks.

 

Keating is a U0 in the Faculty of Arts planning to study political science. He’s often found reading the news and grumbling in his bathrobe.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 
Football, Sports

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif proves his value to the emergent Chiefs

by Stephen Gill on

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Unpredictability has been a motif in Kansas City Chiefs guard—and former McGill Redman—Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s career. Picked in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Duvernay-Tardif became the only McGill alumnus to earn a spot on an NFL roster. In his offseasons, he is working toward a medical degree at McGill—an unprecedented, nigh-impossible feat for an NFL player. After failing to see regular-season action in his rookie season, the now 26 year-old’s professional football prospects were questionable at best. He proved ready when called upon, starting in 13 of 16 games after injuries cleared his path to playing time.

Duvernay-Tardif took a large step in 2016, transitioning into a reliable offensive lineman who would start each game he was healthy enough to play in. During the ensuing offseason, the Chiefs rewarded him with a five-year, US $41.25 million contract, making him the 11th highest-paid guard in football.

It would’ve been safe to assume—as that contract would indicate—that the 321-pound med student would plateau after his third season: NFL players usually experience just one notable uptick in production across their careers, which almost always occurs in their first three seasons. Again, Duvernay-Tardif has surprised the football world, as the start to his fourth season suggests he has made his third major NFL progression.

In just a few games, “LDT” has displayed an upgraded skill set. He’s cleaned up his pass blocking technique, which allows him to effectively channel his inherently dominant power and athleticism. Meanwhile, he’s vastly improved his football intelligence while run blocking. Both traits were at full display in his Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, where Duvernay-Tardif easily got the best of Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox, one of the league’s best defensive linemen. Evidently, he has been similarly effective in his other games.

Duvernay-Tardif’s contribution has helped the Kansas City offensive line reach new heights in 2017. Analysts at Football Outsiders rank the unit first in the league at run blocking, laughably far ahead of the rest of the pack. Duvernay-Tardif is arguably the best member of the rock-solid offensive line group, playing a leading role in clearing gaping holes for rookie-sensation Kareem Hunt to run through.

This development up front has catalyzed a greater breakthrough for the entire team. In years past, the Chiefs have struggled to put points on the board, relying instead on their defence to shut down the opposition. Heading into 2017, the Chiefs were a top candidate for regression, with an aging defensive line and another disappointing offensive performance appearing imminent. However, with a restored running game, the Kansas City offence has opened up and scored points at an impressive clip. Coupled with a still-strong defensive unit, the Chiefs are reaching new heights in 2017. Better yet, the good times shouldn’t be coming to an end soon.

Signed to a long-term contract that looks to be increasingly favourable to the Chiefs with every game he plays, Duvernay-Tardif is a well-suited, lasting match with Kansas City. On an offence that should continue to rise, he will stop pass rushers in their tracks and create opportunities for Hunt for years to come. In the offseason, the Chiefs should continue to be flexible with his ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. Perhaps what makes the Chiefs the best fit for LDT, however, is that, like him, they carry their own unpredictability: After the football world largely left them for dead in 2017, the Chiefs—with the McGill man’s help—have become a member of the NFL’s elite.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Campus Spotlight: McGill Permaculture Club

by Janine Xu on

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Sustainability and ethics are the two general pillars of a form of agriculture known as ‘permaculture.’ A combination of the words ‘permanent’ and ‘culture,’ the term refers to the development of sustainable and ethical agricultural ecosystems. The practice—and the 12 specific principles behind it, which advocate for reducing  waste, increasing biodiversity, and using resources efficiently within one garden space—was invented in 1978 by Australian ecologists Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Eventually, the agricultural tradition expanded out of Australia and is now widely used in courses, institutes, and on farms all over the world.

The McGill Permaculture Club, founded by Audrey Wagner, U3 Environment, brings this knowledge and practice to McGill students. In an effort to attract potential volunteers and raise awareness about the potential of permaculture, the club recently hosted their Permaculture Week at the Macdonald Campus. They coordinated over 10 different events, including tours of the student-built permaculture garden, gardening workshops, and an Iron Chef competition using food grown in the garden.

“What [permaculture] really is, is you’re trying to mimic nature,” Wagner said. “It’s based on three ethics, [mainly] earth care, people care, and fair share […Permaculture] has a very ethical core […] that goes beyond sustainability.”

The Macdonald Showcase Permaculture Garden Project—which Wagner developed with the help of Christopher Wrobel, a 2009 McGill graduate (M.Sc Science)—occupies a formerly-unused space by the Farm Centre at the Macdonald Campus. Over the summer, Wrobel and other members of the club built the garden with permaculture principles in mind. One such principle is creating a full ecosystem within a single garden space—so Wrobel and Wagner planted non-edible plants such as milkweed and borage to attract pollinators.

The garden project includes many edible plants as well, including tomatoes, apples, peas, and a hybrid blueberry plant containing three different species on one bush. Many of the plants in the garden are perennials, meaning that they grow back year after year rather than dying after one season and needing replanting—and this isn’t by coincidence.

“Perennials grow back every year, so we don’t have to disturb the soil [or the plant roots] as much,” Wagner said.  “[Another reason] why we plant perennials is because […] we want to work with nature. We want to facilitate [the] succession [of nature from bare soil to forest].”

Wagner’s goal is for the garden to become entirely self-sufficient. One way to achieve this is by adding swales, which are dug out tracts of land outside a garden that collect and filter rainwater, decreasing the need for watering.

“In a permaculture system, we want to try to have the least amount of input possible,” Wagner said. “We don’t want to add any fertilizer. Even though we originally added compost [to the soil], a few years down the road […] we want it to be a closed loop.”

For now, the permaculture garden is still in its early stages. The plan for the future is to expand the garden by growing a wider variety of plants and at a greater quantity of so that the Permaculture Club can someday produce enough fruits and vegetables to sell to students and donate to local food charities. The Permaculture Club has a downtown branch as well, which Wagner believes will help promote the project and build connections between downtown and Macdonald Campus students.

“[We want] permaculture knowledge to be accessible to all McGill students, not just Mac Campus students,” Wagner said.

For Wagner, permaculture is not only about the impact it has on the environment, but also about changing students’ views on agriculture and how it affects the planet. 

“Generally, [environmentalists] think of [humans] as a destructive force leaving an ecological footprint,” Wagner said. “We don’t really talk about how good of an impact we can make [or] how we can make [our land] better than it was before we found it.”

McGill Martlet Rugby
Martlets, Sports

McGill Martlets rugby resilient in loss to Carleton

by Selwynne Hawkins on

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On Sept. 30, a sunny fall day, the McGill Martlets women's rugby team (0-5) took on the visiting Carleton Ravens (3-1). Carleton took an early lead, but the Martlets rallied in a losing cause to finish the game with a 33-21 scoreline.

Carleton pulled ahead with a dominant first half: They scored two tries in the first 25 minutes, and kept the Martlets from breaking out of their own half. The Ravens led 12-0 as the squads headed into the halftime break.

Early in the second half, Carleton scored two more tries, widening the gap to 26-0, but the Martlets refused to go down without a fight. In the 53rd minute of play, forward Dori Yeats scored McGill’s first try of the game. Spurred on by Yeat’s efforts, the Martlets pushed for another try and were rewarded when Emily Challice scored their second try only five minutes later.

Buoyed by that momentum, the Martlets secured a third try—a team effort driven by big runs from centres Madeline Avery and Nicole Deacon. McGill managed to quell Carleton’s offence for much of the second half, fighting to keep the ball off the ground in the try zone, and making big tackles close to their own line.

“I think that we had a lot of momentum going,” Challice said. “We kept possession, we were winning our own ball, [and] had a lot of good line breaks the entire game.”

The Ravens eventually managed to score an additional try, but the Martlets maintained their high work rate and were competitive in their individual matchups for the remainder of the game.

Though the team was dealt its fifth consecutive loss of the season, spirits were high in the McGill camp after the final whistle. Head Coach Magali Harvey, who is partway through her first season, credits the resurgence to their fitness level and spoke highly of the team’s tenacity.

“From beginning to end, we pushed,” Harvey said. “Often, when we get scored on two or three times, we just stop playing. This time, we kept going, and […] we scored tries and we played as a team.”

The Martlets have two games left in their seven-game season: A home tilt with Bishop’s University on Oct. 6, and an away game against Université de Montréal on Oct. 14. After a difficult start, Harvey was encouraged by Saturday’s result, and hopes the team can continue to grow for the rest of the season.

“A lot of [our] players who are starting right now are rookies, first years, second years, so they haven’t done a lot of rugby in their lives,” Harvey said. “At this point, seeing this game, I really think we can win both [of our remaining] games.”

Since winning the RSEQ championship in 2013, McGill has struggled to make an impact in their talent-heavy conference. Prior to Saturday’s match, the Martlets lost by large margins to league-leading Ottawa and Laval squads, but the team was reassured by their result against the Ravens. Challice, a fifth-year anatomy and cell biology student, is happy with the progress the team has made in her tenure, and shares Harvey’s positive outlook on the team’s future.

“For the last couple years, we’ve had a rough go of it with our team,” Challice said. “Now we’re a downtown team. All of our practices are downtown, which allows us to have a lot more practices, a lot more commitment, and I think that’s really going to push this team.”

 

Moment of the game:

In the 58th minute of play, eight-man Emily Chalice picked the ball out of a ruck and dove across the line, scoring McGill’s second try of the game.

 

Stat of the game:

Kicker Dana Silvera went 3-for-3 on her conversion attempts.

 

Quote of the game:

“I think really, after this game, we’ve seen that we can get numbers on the board. It’s not out of reach.” – U3 Civil Engineering student and Martlets rugby forward Dori Yeats.

Student Life, The Viewpoint

Viewpoint: My study abroad experience

by Julia Métraux on

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This past summer, I spent six weeks studying French language and literature at Middlebury Language Schools, an intensive program at Middlebury College in Vermont. The experience not only improved my French as expected, but also opened my eyes to the educational possibilities availably beyond the Roddick Gates.

Prior to registering for the program, I had decent experience studying French at a university level, but I craved more opportunities to speak outside of the six hours of class time per week that I was afforded at McGill. Middlebury’s  program created an immersive learning environment that would force me to speak French, so it immediately seemed like a strong fit.

The part that drew me to Middlebury Language Schools the most was their “Language Pledge.” Each student who participates in one of their programs must sign a pledge to speak only their designated language during their time there. Students who have never spoken the language before sign the pledge after two weeks.

Being accepted was just the first step in my preparation to attend summer courses at another university. The process to transfer credits involved taking a test with the French Language Center at McGill to apply the credits from Middlebury toward my French minor. Since transfer credits do not impact a person’s GPA at McGill, I felt more at ease with taking courses that I might have been too intimidated to take at McGill out of the worry that I would not receive a good mark.

Though I originally intended to join the undergraduate program, I was asked by an admissions representative to apply for the graduate program instead–I was eventually accepted and placed. What initially seemed like a fun challenge quickly became daunting. Upon arrival in July, I learned that I was the youngest person in all my classes by roughly three years, and my classmates varied greatly in experience. Some students had just completed their bachelor’s degrees, a few others were currently working as French teachers, and one man was a retired lawyer in his eighties.

Beyond the challenges that these age gaps presented, the course itself was rigorous and getting used to my daily schedule required a steep learning curve. I had three classes a day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.–during which I was held to my Language Pledge and only permitted to speak French. After classes, I typically had anywhere from one to four hours of homework. The stress of this environment grew to take a toll on me emotionally and physically; I was extremely sleep deprived and neither had the time nor energy to practice adequate self-care.

That’s not to say that I didn’t learn from this. The intensive learning setting and rapid pace of assignments taught me the importance of organizing my time wisely. I did not have time to get intimidated by how much work I had because I was always so busy with assignments. After six weeks at Middlebury, I realized how much I had gained outside of learning the difference between the gerund and present participle and other ups and downs of reciting French.

Though it might be difficult to embark on a new academic adventure after finding one’s footing at McGill, all students should consider taking classes at another university to build new experiences. My time at Middlebury helped me grow as a student; the small, intensive environment facilitated my educational experience, and with my new level of French knowledge I’ll be able to live in Francophone communities.

 
Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: ‘Luv is Rage 2’ – Lil Uzi Vert

by Domenic Casciato on

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Hip hop artist Lil Uzi Vert made waves earlier in 2017 with his triple-platinum single “XO Tour Llif3.” As with many artists’ debut albums following a hit single, Luv is Rage 2 strives to hit the same mark as its single with varying degrees of success.

The album opens with “Two,” a droning filler track, but then immediately drops its first banger, “444+222.” The high-energy beat and commanding chorus make it easy to dance to. Uzi transitions seamlessly between the tense chorus and the release of quirky, melodic verses accompanied by a light-hearted synth pattern. This one is made for the club.

“Sauce it up” aims to replicate the success of “XO Tour Llife3,” but falls shy of its target. “No Sleep Leak” comes a bit closer. Its catchy, melancholy chorus and slapping 808s make this track stand out, and put it in a parallel lane to “Tour Llife3.” The track brings out the best of Uzi’s sing-songy trap style, and its vocals capture Uzi’s desperation.

Another standout, “The Way Life Goes” brings out Uzi’s rockstar side. Melodic and driven by a rolling synth line, it strikes at the core of Uzi’s heartache and is a great benchmark of Uzi’s stylistic direction: A murky area between glam rock and southern trap.

“For Real” is experimental—which is commendable—but delves too far away from Uzi’s usual style. It sounds like Uzi took every unusable synth preset he could find and rapped over them.

“Feelings Mutual” is the best new track on the album. The swung synth and 808s are completely new to mainstream trap production; Thank you WondaGurl, of Brampton, Ontario. The bass hits just right, the chorus comes in strong, and Uzi puts actual work into the track’s angsty verses. This is peak Uzi.

“Neon Guts” is just as strong. The bassline combines SoundCloud rap’s characteristic distorted 808s with a funky riff. Pharrell’s voice melts into the instrumental, and Uzi’s singing manages to hold his own weight. Its one of the most unique and replayable songs on the album.

This is where the album fades for me. Uzi follows it up with “Early 20 Rager,” an experimental letdown, “UnFazed,” a waste of a Weeknd feature, “Pretty Mami,” which features a worthwhile chorus, but not much else, and “How to Talk,” which goes on for way too long.

Then, the listener reaches an oasis. You’re going to hear “X” slapping from car stereos. This track could have easily been a single. “Malfunction” and “Dark Queen” finish the album strongly. The latter, an anthem to Uzi’s mom, is one of the most lyrical and sincere tracks of the album, albeit a bit too drawn out.

And, finally, “XO Tour Llife3” caps the project. Compared to the rest of the album, this track feels the most organized. Uzi is a creative storm that needs to be balanced with a clear musical formula, and of all of the tracks on Luv is Rage 2, “XO Tour Llife3” does this the best.

Commentary, Opinion

The importance of conscientious thrifting

by Keira Seidenberg on

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For most McGill students, the term “thrifting” inspires a host of sensory images—dusty fur coats and yellowed lace, Grandma Martha’s prom dress, those perfect light-wash Levi’s shorts with just the right amount of distress, and an astounding quantity of unnamed articles from the ‘70’s. From Value Village to vintage boutiques on St-Laurent, Montreal offers a range of thrift stores for McGill students to choose from. Few thrifters, however, stop to consider the bounty of jeans, sweaters, and shoes that the stores provide to families living on a hand to mouth budget. Many cannot afford the indulgent experience of shopping at a local Roots. Consequently, when the more affluent shopper thrifts without thought, under the assumption that the concept originated for them and has always been theirs, they are appropriating the idea of thrifting.   

While thrifting has increasingly become a trend amongst the financially stable, particularly teenagers and young adults, the idea of second-hand apparel offered at a discounted price was originally intended to appeal to a far different audience. Organizations  such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill were founded on the principles of providing affordable clothing options for lower-income families, as well as job opportunities through community networking and fundraising. Although initially targeted at those unable to shop at full price stores, such organizations appeal to the broader population because of several key factors: The clothes are cheap, they come in bulk, and for the environmentally responsible, they are sustainable. With changing trends and a social tendency to look to the past for fashion cues, these stores also provide people with easy and cheap access to vintage and quirky clothing.

Over time, the traditional warehouse-type stores gave birth to pricier, boutique thrift stores, such as Eva-B, KILOfripe, and Le Chaînon inc. near campus, where the type and quality of the clothing are more strictly curated.These stores are inaccessible to those who truly rely on thrift shopping and instead target the prototypical Montreal hipster and trend-chasing college student with money to spend. The Salvation Army, on the other hand, seeks to provide economic opportunities for those simply seeking to clothe their children in winter without breaking the bank. In major cities such as Toronto and New York, some stores–still dubbed “thrift”–offer designer brands and expensive labels, where a jacket or blouse might still come with a hefty price tag. Urban Outfitters has even begun to integrate recycled yard sale items into their clothing lines, by making them into pricy “custom” dresses and tops marketed as vintage. Shopping at any one of these variations of pseudo-thrift stores is thereby not an act of economic valiance, but rather one of privilege, as the items may cost as much as—if not more than—other full priced clothing stores.

Thrifting in itself is not inherently wrong; it may be done for a variety of cost-effective or environmentally friendly reasons. However, self-proclaimed, middle-to-upper-class thrifters must understand its origins and social implications. The increasingly large rift between economic classes widens and tensions arise when one group treats another’s needs as a commodity or past-time activity. While thrifting might be a seemingly inconsequential factor in this process, on the broader scope of social reality where individuals of different economic positions work and live alongside one another, this tension makes it difficult to coexist without conflict. McGill students, if unaware of the implications of their trendy finds, are no better than any other ignorant thrifter, contributing to class divisions with each toss of fabric into their cart.

This doesn’t mean that each time a student’s friends drag them on a bargain bin dig or they pass through the doors of a Goodwill, there must be a mental giving of alms. However, understanding a basic background of thrifting, and what it means for others for whom it is a necessity rather than a leisurely Saturday activity, are useful steps in decreasing potential offence to shoppers who may come from different backgrounds or financial situations. It is this sort of attitude that permits cohabitation in the aisles, so that whether you’re searching for an off-brand summer staple or needing a marked down winter coat, thrifting provides a universally accessible option outside the retail norm.  

 

 

Keira is a U0 Arts student, with no real idea of what she plans on studying next year. She's travelled all over Southern Africa and have even been to Madagascar.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 
Letters to the Editor, Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Hydro-Quebec and its relations with First Nations: Inflammatory titles are unwarranted and misguided

by Lynn St-Laurent on

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Many Aboriginal communities in Quebec live in areas with hydroelectric installations. Hydro-Quebec's liaison teams are made up of employees who work closely with these communities. Team members have friends and family among the First Nations; many have chosen to strengthen their knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture through postgraduate studies; and all work very hard towards the signing of meaningful agreements and maintaining positive and satisfying relationships with the community.

Chloe Grant’s opinion piece published here is nothing short of offensive. It questions whether the employees of Hydro-Quebec who have contributed to the signing of some thirty agreements with First Nations over the past decades are working for a criminal organization. Through these agreements, the Aboriginal communities become active partners in the projects: They take part in environmental follow-up programs, have the means to carry on with traditional activities, and benefit from economic spinoffs.

There are 11 Aboriginal nations, in 55 communities, living in Quebec. Each has its own culture and lifestyle. Are some issues complex and more difficult to resolve in certain areas? Undoubtedly. However, Hydro-Quebec’s work with First Nations, including the Pessamit Innu, continues on various projects.

Slanderous titles only serve to harm the pursuit of collaborative efforts on both sides. Moreover, ignorance serves no one. Grant’s piece contains more than 20 errors, distortions and inaccuracies. Let’s clear a few things up.

The Northern Pass project is a projected 320-kV direct-current transmission line that will be extended into the U.S.A. from the Des Cantons substation in Val-Joli, near the U.S. border. Grant indicates that the line will run from a dam on the Betsiamites river. That’s about 600 km off the mark, and hydroelectricity is produced by a generating station, not a dam. Moreover, additional clean energy exports to the United States, through Northern Pass or any other existing or projected line, will have no impact on the Betsiamites River or the Innu Community of Pessamit. The clean energy transmitted to our neighbors to the south comes from the entire grid, not any particular region or generating station.

It’s important to note that our exports to American markets also benefit the Pessamit Community. Part of the energy produced by the Bersimis-1 and 2 generating stations located on the Betsiamites River belongs to the Innu. As per our agreement with the Pessamit Innu, a share of the proceeds from our sales on American markets is returned to them.

In regards to the Betsiamites River and the salmon population, Hydro-Quebec is a responsible power utility that operates its 62 generating stations in accordance with all laws, regulations and permits in effect. Hydro-Quebec strictly abides by the operating rules of generating stations on the Betsiamites, which were drawn up in collaboration with and approved by the community of Pessamit.

Hydro-Quebec, working with the community of Pessamit, carried out a salmon restoration program in the Betsiamites, with impressive results. In fact, a committee of independent experts recognized that the program enabled significantly higher salmon returns and underscored how important it was for the community of Pessamit to follow a fishing plan to ensure the long-term maintenance of a salmon population in the river.

Finally, Hydropower generates the lowest greenhouse gas emissions of all generation methods. Hydro-Quebec’s exports displace fossil fuel power generation in markets outside Quebec, thereby extending the benefits of its clean energy to them. Last year, our net power exports helped avoid close to 8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent—as much as the emissions from 1,750,000 vehicles.

Lynn St-Laurent

Spokesperson

Hydro-Quebec Public Affairs and Media Relations
McGill, News

SUS Deliberates Executives and Cocurricular Events

by Jackie Yao on

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On Sept. 20,  the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) General Council held its second meeting of the academic year. On the agenda was the announcement of available positions within the Society, responses to the increase in club activity, and comments on upcoming academic initiatives.

 

New Student Positions to be Filled

SUS President Jasmine Leung began the meeting by addressing the need to fill the vacant position for the third Science Representative to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). She discussed the pros and cons of electing versus appointing someone to the vacant position, expressing her concern that an election would have a low voter turnout given SUS’ history of failing to hit quorum. Meanwhile, appointing a position would not require public opinion.

“Executives can decide to run elections again or appoint the position [if we don’t hit quorum],” Leung said. “There was an online application for the position…[but] we haven’t received any submissions.”

All but one representative were in favor of selecting the new Science representative to SSMU through appointment. The three representatives will convey the interests of Science students to SSMU.

SUS Vice-President (VP) Communications Reem Mandil noted that the departmental executive position on the SUS Constitutional Affairs Committee is available. The committee is responsible for reviewing changes to constitutions and bylaws by Science departments. Three Science departmental representatives showed interest in the vacant position.

 

Increase in Club Activity

Council members also discussed the management of student clubs. Both serving tables in the Burnside Basement are booked for the next few months by clubs holding food sale fundraisers. As a result, many student extracurricular groups won’t be able to reserve a table until as late as Nov. 1. To accommodate the high volume of table bookings, SUS Executive Administrator Joseph DeCunha is currently exploring the possibility of adding a spot for a third table to the basement.

“I think that [tables are booked] because online forums [make it] easier to see which dates [have been reserved],” DeCunha said. “Nothing is confirmed yet [but] if [a table] becomes available, I will let [SUS members] know.”

The SUS also plans to open up the application form for Interim Status Club Application for Science undergraduate-oriented clubs. Students wishing to create an SUS-affliliated club must apply through this form and providing their contact information along with the names of at least five additional interested members. SUS Executor of Clubs and Services Sebastian Morales will interview each prospective group's founder about the club's objectives; those approved for club status will be granted permission to include "SUS" in their name and use SUS funding for events/initiatives.

Though the application form was scheduled to be released with this the weekly listserv on Sept. 24, but Morales received several significant suggestions for the application, and has postponed the release of the form until reviewing and approving the amended application form at the next SUS Councill. approval from the ne

 

Changes From Senate

Science Senator Salma Youssef recapped the first Senate meeting held on Sept. 19, seeking SUS members’ opinions on potential changes. Such changes included the possibility of renaming the men’s athletic teams’ controversial nickname, Redmen. In addition, the Joint Board-Senate Committee on Equity has now implemented a preferred names policy, where one’s preferred names will be used on every McGill platform, including I.D. cards and exam rosters.

Other proposed changes include the continued development of the Indigenous Task Force, managing an increase of sexual violence claims, and assessing the new Counselling and Mental Health Services. The Senate would like to hear feedback from the student body on current developments and would welcome new recommendations to improve student life.

“The Senate would like to increase engagement with the community, see what students are thinking, and what they want us to look into,” Youssef said. “We were thinking of maybe a Reddit thread or a blog post [to increase student involvement].”

The next SUS General Council meeting will take place on Oct. 4.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

“Dunkirk” is director Christopher Nolan’s most immersive work to date

by Ryan Canon on

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Since his first film Following (1998), Christopher Nolan has proven himself to be one of the most ambitious directors of his generation. Many of Nolan’s films deal with complicated time structuring, turning his scripts into labyrinthine puzzles to be decoded, such as the amnesic haze of Memento (2000), Inception’s (2010) layered dreamscapes, and the theory of relativity in Interstellar (2014). His choice to direct a war film centered on the Battle of Dunkirk thus felt somewhat atypical in the context of his larger filmography. Even more interesting was the cast assembled for the film, which–aside from the well-known Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Mark Rylance–features many unknown actors. Fortunately for them, not only is this an amazing film that has the potential to launch their acting careers, Dunkirk could possibly be remembered as one of the best war films of all time.

That may sound like hyperbole–the war genre is already dense with classics including Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Full Metal Jacket (1987)–but Nolan’s film is unique in how truly immersive it is. Through his last several films, the director has proven himself a fan of IMAX, shooting large portions of Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and The Dark Knight (2008), in the large-screen format. Dunkirk features the most IMAX footage used in a feature film to date, with approximately 70 per cent of the film shot with wide-angle cameras, and is combined with expert cinematography from Hoyte Van Hoytema to create a singular sense of scale in the film, fully immersing viewers in its historical moment.

The film has remarkably little dialogue, which would typically lead to a lack of investment in the characters. However, thanks to great performances by the ensemble cast, each of the characters feels fleshed out even without knowing their back-stories. Fionn Whitehead (Him, Queers)  and Harry Styles (of One Direction)–both in their feature film debuts–do an impressive job of portraying Tommy and Alex, two British soldiers stuck on the beaches of Dunkirk and desperately trying to escape.

The lack of dialogue leaves ample space for composer Hans Zimmer’s (The Dark Knight, Inception) thunderous and anxiety-inducing score to fill things out. The sound design encapsulates the shell-shocked chaos unfolding before us onscreen, with deafening explosions and shrieks of dive-bombers adding to the harrowing experience.

Dunkirk, like much of Nolan’s recent work, is a film that arrests you visually from start to finish. The impossible sense of scale, enabled in tandem by the director’s manipulation of IMAX camerawork and Hans Zimmer’s grandiose scoring, concocts a fully immersive experience befitting the epic subject matter.

 

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