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Montreal, News

Université Laval first university in Canada to divest from fossil fuels

by Audrey Carleton on

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On Feb. 15, Université Laval became the first Canadian university to commit to divest its endowment fund from fossil fuel-related companies. Fossil fuel investments made up an estimated five to 15 per cent of the university’s total endowment—equivalent to $11 to 30 million—according to Alice-Ann Simard, founder of ULaval sans fossiles and Master’s student in Business Administration at Université Laval.

This outcome for ULaval sans fossiles came after a three-month campaign, during which the activist group held talks, handed out buttons and stickers, and sparked conversation on campus about divestment from fossil fuels. After the activists garnered support from the general student body, undergraduate and graduate student associations, and the Quebec Chapter of the David Suzuki Foundation, the university administration asked to meet with ULaval sans fossiles. According to Simard, members of the administration discussed the university’s commitment to sustainability and expressed their willingness to divest from fossil fuel companies.

The ULaval sans fossiles campaign was identical to those at other universities across Canada, such as Divest McGill and Divest UBC, but achieved its goal very quickly. According to Simard, the difference for ULaval sans fossiles was that their message fell on receptive ears. Ranked second in the world in sustainable development on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) index, Université Laval has already worked to become a carbon-neutral campus.

“[The university administration] saw this opportunity to become leaders in the divestment movement in Canada and it was really [in alignment] with their image,” Simard said. “[….The administration] saw this wonderful opportunity to commit [to divestment] and to be the first to commit, because that’s in their values and in the university’s values.”

Despite the rejection of their petition calling McGill administration to divest from fossil fuels in March 2016, climate activist group Divest McGill continues to actively lobby the university to reverse this decision. According to a statement released by Divest McGill following Université Laval’s choice to commit to divest, ULaval sans fossiles’ success has only served to heighten Divest McGill’s energy.

“It is incredibly encouraging for us to see university administrators elsewhere in Canada finally side with students and science over the interests of the fossil fuel industry,” Jed Lenetsky, U2 Environment and Divest McGill organizer, was quoted in the statement. “Hopefully, this brave first step by Université Laval will give McGill administrators the necessary courage to take action for justice; to take the community’s longstanding calls for divestment to heart and commit to a more ethical endowment fund.”

Divest McGill Organizer Julia Bugiel, U3 Arts, said that because Université Laval is now credited as the first Canadian university to commit to divest, what remains for other universities is a race to avoid being the last to do so.

“Divest McGill has been asking McGill’s administration for years to put their money where their mouth is and to be the leader [in sustainability] that they always say they are,” Bugiel said. “McGill has lost that chance […], but they still can follow in the footsteps of schools, like [Université Laval], that are making those forward-thinking steps.”

On March 7, the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR) met for the first time since its decision not to divest from fossil fuels in March 2016. According to Bugiel, this meeting served as an important resurgence into the public eye for Divest McGill, which held a rally outside the James Administration building at the same time.

“I think that ULaval sans fossiles and their campaign [sends] a strong message to the [McGill Board of Governors]–the only difficulty is how do we make sure that every single member of the Board of Governors is receiving that strong message,” Bugiel said.  “[….] A very important thing coming off of this [Université Laval] divestment decision is to use that to strengthen [students’] efforts towards divestment and to remind the community that Divest McGill is still here.”

 

 

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Université Laval is the first Canadian university to divest its endowment funds from fossil fuel-related companies. In fact, Université Laval has only committed to divestment at this point in time and has not yet divested from fossil-fuel related companies. The Tribune regrets this error.

McGill, News

Start of Fiat Lux major library upgrade delayed until more fundraising pledges are received

by Alexia Martel-Desjardins on

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Fiat Lux, which means ‘Let there be light’, is a renovation project for the Humanities and Social Science Library, which includes the McLennan and Redpath buildings. It aims to equip library facilities with state-of-the-art technology, in line with modern needs. The project is estimated to last five years and is to be completed in phases. In the first phase, a robotically accessible underground storage facility will be built. Then, Redpath hall and library will be revamped, and connected to McLennan. Finally, McLennan library will be renovated.

So far, no date has been set for the start of the Fiat Lux library construction, for which architecture firms ÉKM Architecture (ÉKM) and Shepley Buålfinch published a Master Plan in October 2015. The project seeks to modernize the McGill Humanities and Social Sciences Library with more open architecture. The construction, which is supposed to span a five-year period and is estimated to cost $180 million, requires more fundraising before it can begin.

The lack of financial resources has delayed the call for tenders for the construction contract. Colleen Cook, Trenholme dean of Libraries, is currently working on elaborating the layout of the financing strategy. 

“This project will cost $180 million […], but you fundraise by getting to know people and then after you form a relationship, then you ask [for funding],” Cook said. 

The Library Improvement Fund (LIF) is an ongoing initiative that raises money annually to be donated to the library. LIF Commissioner Malcolm McClintock believes potential donors might be more willing to give their seal of approval and to supply financial support if they had the guarantee that students would contribute financially to the project. 

“It’s been strongly suggested that [signature donors are] looking for financial support from the students, in terms of a fee,” McClintock said.

Ann Vroom, chair of Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization run by volunteers whose mission is to cultivate interest in McGill’s libraries and to provide support to its services and activities, is also looking for money through different avenues. 

“We are hoping [the financing] will be a combination of private philanthropy, university contributions, and some support from the students,” Vroom said.

McClintock is opposed to the idea of students partly financing Fiat Lux, especially since they are not well-informed about the project.

“I’ve actively said that I think this isn’t something that students should be paying for,” McClintock said. “[….] I see how in terms of fundraising that’s a very good tactic. I think it’s a just a little bit difficult to ask right now because people are so confused about what’s going on with Fiat Lux.”

Friends of the Library are currently using various methods to entice donors for the Fiat Lux project, such as alumni. 

“How the Fiat Lux project will be financed is what is being studied right now,” Vroom said. “[….] Through a series of salons in alumni homes across North America, where the Dean [Colleen Cook] can engage people with her story of the enduring value of libraries through the ages, we are lighting a fire of excitement about McGill’s plans for a re-envisioned library.”

No plans have been elaborated yet to compensate for the noise and lack of space that will result from the construction. 

 “I anticipate that it won't be any worse than what people have experienced already,” Cook said, referring to the construction on McTavish.

François Emond, an architect from ÉKM, explained the first phase of construction. It consists of transferring the library collection to the Automated Storage and Retrieval System, a storage section under the Lower Field where students will be able to send robots to retrieve books.

“The storage unit is the facilitator, that’s the thing that allows us to maintain the functionality of the library while all of the work goes on,” Emond said.

Cook estimated that the noise caused by the digging for the storage unit will last for a short time. The library will try to keep its services as accessible as possible. 

“It would only be a day, when you dynamite the bedrock,” Cook said. “[….] There will be some disruption, but […] we will do our absolute best to keep the buildings open and to mitigate the construction to all our users.” 

Both McClintock and Emond have expressed their desire for students to be involved in the designing process of the new library. 

“We try to get as much student feedback as possible and I think we’d be able to use the research we’ve got this year and the years to come to better manipulate what the Fiat Lux would be,” McClintock said.

Commentary, Opinion, Private

Why I resigned from the SSMU Board of Directors

by Sean Taylor on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)—who could have expected that such an innocuous-sounding group could elicit such a divisive reaction? And yet, we the student body, are embroiled in yet another series of scandals involving SSMU.

SSMU is a body that supplies many services to students that are rarely noticed—it lobbies for an easier exam deferral system, advocates for sexual assault resources, provides on-call medical services nightly in residences, as well as numerous other services that the student body often takes for granted. The week leading up to the winter break, however, have called into question the judgement and credibility of the society’s leadership. That’s why, before reading week, I tendered my resignation from my position on the SSMU Board of Directors.

I personally felt disdain for SSMU in my first year at McGill. I saw it as an annoying body that only led to undue tension and stress on campus, exemplified by Farnan-gate, the mis-election of Tariq Khan, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) General Assembly motions that caused emotional strife on both sides of the debate. In light of all of this anger and frustration that I and my friends felt toward SSMU, I decided that whining wasn’t going to help anyone. Instead, I involved myself in SSMU to try to find ways to get past the surface scandals and focus on the important services and support networks that lay beneath.

I was elected to the position of Science Representative to SSMU in 2015-2016, and Science Senator this year. I was also nominated to a seat on the Board of Directors of SSMU, which I have been a member of since Fall 2015. During these past two years, I have sat through hours upon hours of council, senate, senate caucus, committee, and board meetings, and have gained an understanding of governance documents, compromise, respectful discourse, and the beloved and bemoaned Robert’s Rules that dictate how meetings should be run. There have been ups and downs, but overall, it has felt like the governance bodies were working towards the betterment of the student society. Unfortunately, as of recently, that feeling has changed drastically for myself and other students.

 

 

 

 

The selfishness and misconduct demonstrated by Directors Aird and Sadikov, along with those that would further their personal and political agendas over the interests of the society, has led me to lose faith in the Board of Directors as a whole.

The reputation and image of the Board of Directors and Legislative Council have been dragged through the mud by students and media as a result of the actions of Directors Igor Sadikov and David Aird. The Board was not notified of the concerns over David Aird’s conduct until the Community Disclosure Network (CDN) released its findings to the public. The decision of SSMU executives to proceed with “check-in meetings” as the most appropriate way to address Aird’s behaviour is an insult to the standards that SSMU aims to maintain and promote on campus, and to the experiences of those who spoke out against Aird.

Director Sadikov’s tweet, which incited violence against a political identity espoused by a number of people on campus, was unacceptable and required more to remedy the situation than SSMU’s promises to have one-on-one discussions with those affected by his comments. The Board decided not to impeach him, but he has since resigned from his position as a director.

The hypocrisy exhibited by these two members who, as directors of SSMU, have a mandate to promote safety for all its members, is shocking. Despite the efforts by myself, some other executives, and members of the Board of Directors to repair the reputation and accessibility of SSMU, a few of the members on the board and the executive committee focused unduly on the persecutions of political identity and alleged strong-arming by McGill administration, delegitimizing the executive committee’s call for Sadikov’s resignation and undermining the discussion on appropriate conduct of students in leadership positions. The selfishness and misconduct demonstrated by Directors Aird and Sadikov, along with those that would further their personal and political agendas over the interests of the society, has led me to lose faith in the Board of Directors as a whole. I see no other course of action than to resign from my directorship.

It is a shame that the actions of a few have tarnished the image of other members of both the board and executive committee who have worked incredibly hard to improve the society. I wish them the best and have faith they will do their best for the SSMU; sadly, I can no longer justify putting my time and effort into something which now seems to have such little internal respect for its integrity and well-being.

 

 

 

 

Sean Taylor is a student Science Senator.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Cinema du Parc gives back to the community

by Jordan Foy on

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Cinéma du Parc is a small theatre, tucked away in the lower levels of the Galeries du Parc mall, but once in the shopping complex it is hard to miss. Its movie posters decorate the mall swalls and the delicious smell of popcorn often wafts its way up to shoppers. Upon entry, one is immediately pleased by the look of the cozy theatre, and at a glance it seems as if the establishment is simply a cute cinema that showcases independent films. 

Jean-Francois Lamarche acts as the assistant-director general and director of programming at Cinema du Parc. Lamarche elaborated on the history of the theatre, and its community-oriented mission.

“The base of our philosophy and our mission [is that] we are a social economy. [We’re] really about giving back to the community and to our employees,” explained Lamarche.

 Beyond simply showcasing newly released films, Cinema du Parc offers opportunities for community involvement in the form of festivals and educational documentary screenings.

The theatre was constructed at the same time as Galeries du Parc in 1977. According to Lamarche, the theatre drew in customers for a very different reason back then.

“It was officially the first multiplex [in Montreal]. Before that, the theatres were big halls with a thousand seats, [and Cinéma du Parc] was the first one with three screens,” Lamarche said. “Right now, it’s the smallest theatre in [Montreal].” 

Over the years, the ownership and name of the theatre changed multiple times. Originally named Cinema La Cité, the name was changed to Cinéma du Parc in the 1990s. 

Today, the theatre is non-profit and showcases films from a wide variety of genres and  countries. The theatre also holds special events and festivals—such as the International Children’s Film Festival, which aims to get future filmmakers interested in the industry. 

The theatre mostly shows independent films—films that are produced outside of the major film studio system and produced and distributed by independent entertainment agencies.

Of the many kinds of films shown at Cinéma du Parc, the most popular are still the bigger American productions. 

“What works the [best] is the big independent American titles […] for example, right now we have La La Land, Moonlight, [and] Manchester by the Sea,” Lamarche said.

Even so, the theatre has a unique approach in showcasing these kinds of films, in that it plays movies in the language they were originally filmed in, in this case English, with French subtitles. 

“The difference [between us and the] other multiplexes in Montreal showing [these kinds of films] is we have French subtitles, so we can reach out to both the English community, with the fact that the film is in its original language, and [to] the French, with French subtitles,” explained Lamarche. 

Cinéma du Parc does this intentionally  to respect and maintain the original film. Other films in other languages are also treated this way, and are shown in the original language, with either English or French subtitles. 

On top of maintaining the originality of each film, Cinéma du Parc’s approach to film screening goes beyond the film itself. The theatre offers a more hands-on, educational experience, especially in screening documentaries. 

“We try to show a lot of documentaries on subjects that matter to us, and we do a lot of Q&A’s with [directors], or if we don’t have the director, sometimes we get a professional [who is knowledgable on] the subject […] do Q&A’s on certain nights,” said Lamarche. 

The theatre often participates in festivals connected to cultural communities within Montreal. “If we have a Turkish film, we are going to reach out to the Turkish community,” Lamarche said, “[and] they can come and be welcome.”

Cinéma du Parc provides an environment that enhances the theatre experience,  creating a place where moviegoers can congregate to enjoy and discuss films with other cinephiles. 

“People can go out, and they can meet, and talk together, and we have our employees [that] know the films and they can talk to you about [them],” Lamarche said.

In the future, the theatre aims to cater to the nightlife crowd, potentially including a small restaurant and a liquor licence so that moviegoers can enjoy a good beer with the show. 

Cinéma du Parc is undoubtedly a special place in the Montreal cinematic community, and through its endeavors in food and entertainment events the theatre will continue to innovate and enhance its film-viewing experience in the years to come.

 

Cinéma du Parc offers a youth price of $11 for ages 18-25. On “Cheap Tuesdays” general admission is $10.  

Private, Student Life

The rise of self-care in the age of high-stress

by Grace Bahler on

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Arising out of a culture that values self-love and depreciation of stress, the concept of “self-care” is vast and multi-faceted. Though there are a myriad of ways to interpret and implement the practice, one common theme underlies them all—a notion of breaking away from stress and sadness to find comfort, peace, and happiness in something.

Under the umbrella of self-care are various interpretations that manifest in popular philosophies. Among them is the “treat-yo-self” trend, originating from NBC’s Parks and Recreation. This emerging lifestyle is one of occasional indulgence, in which the cure to stress and sadness can be found by simply spending some money. Whether it’s getting brunch with friends, buying a nice leather jacket, or booking a vacation, the treat-yo-self mantra dictates that everyone deserves a treat, and often, after forking over some cash.

However one may go about self-care, there are loads of mechanisms for de-stressing from which to choose. This is the age of bath-bombs and facemasks, vino and chocolate, and candles and comfort. Yet one can’t help but wonder, is self-care really as simple as a trip to the spa, or as superficial as a face-mask? Though material items have their perks, the self-care movement seems to give them a great deal of central importance. This begs the question: What do scented candles and nail polish do for mental health, given that one can afford them?

Melissa Montana, U2 Arts, is one among many students who incorporate a self-care routine into their lives. A fan of the treat-yo-self philosophy, she views self-care as finding  a balance between a demanding academic life and staying physically and mentally healthy. Even so, she affirms the importance of occasional extravagance, enjoying her share of bath-bombs and restful nights.

“Self-care means knowing that doing well in school is important, but also making sure that you take time for yourself,” Montana said. “Take those bubble-baths and listen to Beyoncé and do the things that bring you back down to earth.”

Montana is a strong advocate of allocating time just for oneself—a pertinent part of self-care—and she often spends that precious time in the gym or reading a book before bed. To her, taking care and loving oneself is about working in moderation, while leaving room for a sprinkle of indulgence in her routine.

“It’s the little things, the little pick-me-ups [that matter most],” Montana said. “You don’t need to do the whole, ‘I’m engaging in self-care’ [thing because] it’s the little things that make you happy.”

Like Montana, Ben Cantor-Adams, U2 Arts, also believes the little things really are part of the bigger picture. Being happy and healthy are the cornerstones of his own self-care practice. Instead of treating self-care as an indulgence, he focuses on cultivating sustainable and small routines, like adequate hydration, a healthy diet, and getting as much rest as he can.

Cantor-Adams’ practice is unique, as it strays away from the pressure to spend money to be happy. Often, material goods are portrayed as essential to self-care, which poses an unrealistic financial burden for many who seek mental wellness outlets. Cantor-Adams focuses on managing his time and maintaining a realistic workload to achieve both strong mental health and academic success.

“For me, it’s mainly about knowing my own limits and trying to respect those limits while also getting work done,” Cantor-Adams said. “I guess the way that I practice self-care is to always make sure that I’m keeping track of how much time it realistically takes me to do things, and making sure that I have enough time for everything that I’m trying to do.”

As a university student, Cantor-Adams values his time. Like every undergraduate student at McGill, he is often inundated with papers and tests, barely finding the time for a regular shower and enough sleep.

“Something that I’ve learned, being in university, is that time is everything and everything takes time,” Cantor-Adams said. “[…] It’s not necessarily how you spend the time, it’s that you’re taking that time to relax, to do something you enjoy, to do something that’s not necessarily work or a source of stress. It’s letting yourself do things that feel good without necessarily feeling bad about it.”  

The rise in this love-yourself and treat-yo-self rhetoric is only the beginning of the self-care sensation—in a stressful university environment and a seemingly eternally-cold northern climate, taking time for oneself is essential to creating a balanced life. The fact that it is so novel to do so says a lot about the pressures of university life, in which mental health and levels of happiness are often eclipsed by academic pressures and life stressors. Yet self-care offers a respite from these and other lows of life, serving as a unique glimpse into the good.

Though self-care practices can be valuable for maintaining good mental health, this is not a substitute for formal treatment, such as therapy or medication. To find out more about mental health services available on campus, visit the McGill University Health Centre at www.muhc.ca, or the Peer Support Centre at www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/psc/.

McGill, News

McGill Indigenous Studies Program hosts criminologist Lisa Monchalin

by Rime Abdallah on

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On Feb. 24, the McGill Indigenous Studies Program hosted Lisa Monchalin, criminology professor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the first indigenous woman in Canada to receive a PhD in criminology, for the presentation of her new book The Colonial Problem: An Indigenous Perspective on Crime and Injustice in Canada.

“As a criminologist with an indigenous justice lense, I define injustice towards Indigenous People as a crime,” Monchalin said. “I don’t rely on the state definition of what crime is because I believe that the Canadian state itself has been built on crime [….] Very often, I get asked by students, ‘Why are indigenous people so overrepresented in crime?’ In reality, they are three times more likely to be victims of crimes.” 

In addition to describing the content of her book, Monchalin also relayed her personal journey as an indigenous woman. Monchalin said she struggled in her youth to assert her identity against the prejudice of others.

“Being native in our family was always a source of shame,” Monchalin said. “This book is an act of resurgence against that shame.”

During her career, Monchalin had to overcome academic obstacles to make her voice heard. While lecturing, she was often challenged by her students and was accused of teaching propaganda.

“Once, I even had to invite a non-native colleague as a guest speaker to talk about abuses in Residential Schools because my students wouldn’t believe me,” Monchalin said.

Monchalin seeks to legitimize and assert the indigenous perspective in criminology by unveiling the colonial mechanisms embedded in the Canadian judicial system. Specifically, Monchalin criticized authorities’ lack of response to incidents involving indigenous Peoples.

“In 2014, the RCMP documented about 1,200 cases of missing or murdered native women between 1980 and 2012,” Monchalin said. “[….] It was only in 2015 that the call for a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was finally answered.”

Despite recent improvements made by the Liberal government, such as the creation of the National Council for Reconciliation to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) 2015 Final Report’s recommendations, Monchalin is not optimistic about future change.

“This is still a colonial government and I don’t really think that working within this system is going to do much,” Monchalin said.

Indigenous Studies Program Chair and Assistant Professor Allan Downey in the McGill Department of History assigned Monchalin’s book in his Interdisciplinary Seminar in Indigenous Studies INDG 401 and praised academics, like Monchalin, for making a difference in the fight for recognition.

“Indigenous people have been fighting for [the TRC’s goals for] many years and now it has started to get some public acknowledgment,” Downey said. “[…. Many] natives, like […] Monchalin, have done some incredible improvements through their activism, their scholarship, [and] their art.”

While McGill launched the Indigenous Studies Program in January 2015, Hanna Jevne, U4 Arts and a student in Downey’s seminar, believes there is still room for improvement. Jevne argued that the University should offer more options for indigenous studies.

“Unfortunately, at McGill there is only a minor available for indigenous studies,” Jevne said. “[Universities in Western] Canada [have] way more programs than McGill does.”

According to Downey, in its short existence, the Indigenous Studies Program  has already seen a positive response from students and the university.

“Students called the administration, asking them to establish a program that had been established throughout the country since the 1960s and 1970s,” Downey said. “McGill was very late to it [….But since its opening, the program has] really had some great success, a lot of students were interested in it and the administration started to support it.”

McGill, News

Indigenous McGill lecturer Orenda Boucher’s status card rejected while shopping

by Micaela Wiseman on

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On Feb. 10, a clerk at Kiki & Co refused to recognize McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) Lecturer Orenda Boucher’s Indian status card, denying her the sales tax exemption that is granted to the Mohawks of Kahnawake, to which she belongs, by the Province of Quebec.

According to Boucher, the store clerk did not believe that the photo on the status card was a picture of her. The sales clerk claimed that Boucher did not look indigenous and accused her of procuring the status card dishonestly.

Spokesperson for the Council of Kahnawake Joe Delaronde said that the sales tax exemption is part of the Sectoral Agreements agreed between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the Province of Quebec in 1999. According to Delaronde, the agreements were intended to improve the relationship between Quebec and the Kahnawake, but the Quebec population’s awareness is lacking.

“[The sales tax exemption] is on the [Revenu Québec] website,” Delaronde said. “So, any retailer […] can look it up on Revenu Québec. But I think most businesses have an understanding of [how to allow customers the exemption].”

Hadley Friedland, assistant professor of law at the University of Alberta, assisted in organizing McGill’s Aboriginal Law Course and said that the terms of “Indian status” are declared by the Federal Government and provides certain rights for people of indigenous ancestry.

“A status card indicates the Federal Government recognizes the carrier as having ‘Indian status’ under the rules of the federal Indian Act,” Friedland wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “In order to have Indian status, a person must have at least one parent who has Indian status [….] Band status—individual bands can decide on membership criteria that is different from the Indian Act—or residency does not change someone’s Indian status, or anything that flows from having Indian status, like a point of sales tax exemption.”

According to Delaronde, the sales tax exemption does not have any cost to the retailers.

“[Retailers are] remitting tax to the government and if it’s indicated on the bill that the customer didn’t pay tax for whatever reason, they’re not liable for it,” Delaronde said. “It doesn’t really hurt them at all. If anything, it brings people into their store.”

According to Paige Isaac, a coordinator at the McGill First Peoples’ House, the confusion surrounding status cards may be related to more deep-rooted issues related to indigenous stereotyping and prejudice.

“Stereotyping Indigenous people is very real,” Isaac wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “It happens quite often. Dispelling these stereotypes is an ongoing job and many people are making efforts to raise awareness [….] The lack of education and knowledge of ‘Indian’ status and the use of the status card is also an issue. Some people only associate it with the benefits and don’t associate it with treaty rights and colonialism.”

Friedland also said that racial profiling is the cause of many issues surrounding the use of status cards.

“I am sad to say I have witnessed non-Indigenous people personally attack or question Indigenous people’s identity and ‘right’ to have a status card or live on a reserve, based on their racialized conception of Indigenous people,” Friedland wrote.

Friedland also blames incidents, such as the one experienced by Boucher, on individuals’ ignorance towards indigenous societies.

“Canadians are undereducated about Indigenous peoples, treaty relationships, and the Indian Act,” Friedland wrote. “We need more education and public awareness if we want to promote a greater understanding and dispel myths.”

According to Isaac, it can be challenging to access certain services—such as prescriptions, dental care, eye exams, and sales tax exemptions—due to issues regarding the acceptance of status cards. The First People’s House will be making a list for members of their community of places that accept and know how to process the card, which will be available later this semester.

From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

Bias means that fact-checking Trump may not be effective

by Gabriel Rincon on

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In July 2016, Newt Gingrich offered a prime example of cognitive dissonance in a CNN interview. Gingrich argued that statistics showing declining crime rates were wrong because people didn’t say that they felt safer. His argument demonstrated the strong role that feelings play in the way people determine which data and arguments they choose to believe. The term “alternative facts” was first introduced by Kellyanne Conway in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Jan. 22, where she defended inflated inauguration attendance numbers. Gingrich’s and Conway’s interviews can help reveal the thought process behind why so many people believe blatant falsehoods. If President Trump’s supporters truly think that the large crowd size is correct and don’t consider themselves to be safe despite crime statistics, no manner of reasonable arguments based on data will convince them otherwise.

Dr. Donald Taylor, a McGill professor in the Department of Psychology, explained that people are inherently biased, rather than logical. Taylor pointed out that this isn’t a novel insight and, furthermore, that peoples’ biases can be anticipated.

“People will bias their interpretation of events […] in a fairly predictable way,” Taylor said. “[They will] bias towards it fitting with what they already believe or making [themselves] look good.”

Due to the level of subjectivity involved, this pattern is especially pervasive when one makes ethical or policy judgements. The subjective domain depends on other people and a social consensus, leaving substantial room for biases to produce alternative analyses. According to Taylor, the larger societies become and the more interests and complexities there are to balance, the easier it is for biases to take over decision-making.

“I have a sense [that] the more complex life becomes […] the bigger this social reality is, the harder it is to force people out of their biases,” Taylor said. “When you’ve got information overload, you’re just paralyzed and then that just makes it easier to put your own spin on [information]."

In the age of digital media, there is a never-ending flow of information available, making it impossible to digest it all.

When extended to a democratic process as complicated as the American system, the subjectivity of some truths lends itself to alternative facts that fit peoples’ narratives better—especially when there is a demagogue who plays into peoples’ fears, prejudices, and mistrust of government for his own cynical purposes. The level of complexity of the relationship between terrorism and immigration, combined with institutional distrust, lends itself to people feeling unsafe and accepting falsehoods that justify those fears. For example, in a recent survey by Public Policy Polling a majority of Trump voters cited the fake “Bowling Green Massacre” as a justification for the travel ban.

There is the troubling issue of whether it is even worthwhile to fact-check Trump if the facts produced are unconvincing to his voters. Acting Chair of McGill’s Department of Economics Dr. William Watson would argue it is. He remains confident in the ability of data to reflect real life conditions: The issue is choosing the right data.

“I don’t think we should give up [trying to] figure out what the facts really are, even as we recognize that some facts are hard to establish and that there can be debate on what the facts really are,” Watson said. “It’s not inconsistent that U.S. GDP might be going up, but people in Pennsylvania […] are having a lousy time, but I suspect the state GDP and income numbers will show that. So, I wouldn't despair of those numbers.”

It is very troubling that the White House is now giving a platform for vitriol masquerading as news from online sources, including Steve Bannon’s Breitbart and Alex Jones’ InfoWars. As Watson explained, Trump should not discourage anyone from finding the truth. Likewise, the news media and Democrats should not trick themselves into thinking that fact-checking is diminishing Trump’s cult of personality. Polls show that, among Republicans, Trump’s approval numbers are consistent with historical trends for other presidents among their supporters. The inconvenient fact remains: Parts of Trump’s narrative, however false, are relatable and mesh with his supporters’ worldview, and no amount of fact-checking will change that.

Science & Technology

What to make of NASA’s announcement of newly discovered planets

by Oceane Marescal on

More in Science & Technology:

What do a beer, a Roman Catholic religious order, and a newly discovered planetary system have in common? They are all named Trappist, but only one of the three could potentially hold the key to life beyond Earth. On Feb. 22, NASA announced the groundbreaking discovery of seven new exoplanets—planets found outside our solar system. They rotate around a dwarf star named TRAPPIST-1, located only 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) away from Earth. Three of these seven planets are located in the “habitable zone”—not too hot, not too cold—and could potentially harbor life.

Here is everything you need to know about the TRAPPIST system:

 

The Star

TRAPPIST-1 is an ultra-cool dwarf star located in the Aquarius constellation. In comparison to our own sun, TRAPPIST-1 is 10 times smaller and about two and a half times cooler. Instead of emitting light in the visible range, most of the radiation from TRAPPIST-1 is in the infrared spectrum, requiring specialized infrared telescopes to observe it.

TRAPPIST-1 stands for Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope, but the astronomers chose the acronym to match their favourite Trappist beer, made by a cloistered religious order of Catholic monks of the same name.

 

The Planets

Seven planets orbit TRAPPIST-1. Importantly, researchers have calculated the densities of these planets and think that they are most likely rocky and therefore potentially habitable. Three of the seven planets orbit in the “habitable zone”—an area of ideal temperature for liquid water, also known as the Goldilocks zone. All seven planets range from about Earth-sized to slightly smaller.

Surprisingly, the planets were never directly observed. Instead, scientists used the “transiting method” to detect them, which involves measuring dips in star brightness that occur when a planet passes in front of it.

 

Living on these planets

You’d be a centenarian within 150 days. All seven planets orbit within a range much closer than that of Mercury around the sun. This means that one complete orbit around TRAPPIST-1 is only one and a half Earth days for the closest planet and about 20 days for the furthest one.  

The sky would look pretty crowded. The exoplanets are all very close to each other, which means that if you were to look up from the surface of one planet, you would be able to see several of the other planets in the sky. These would look significantly larger than our moon and you would actually be able to see clouds or geological features on the neighbouring planets.

You’d have to travel to the other side of the world to see the night sky. Researchers think that the planets are tidally locked. This means that one side of each planet is permanently facing the star. In other words, one side of the planet is constantly bathed in light and the other is perpetually plunged in darkness. One obvious consequence of tidal locking is that there would be a large temperature difference between the two sides, meaning that if life were to exist on these planets, it would most likely be found in the region between the two sides, called the “terminator line.” Another likely consequence of the temperature difference would be some drastic weather patterns, such as strong winds blowing from the day to the night side.

 

What’s next?

The next step for astronomers is to determine the habitability of these planets. A new NASA telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be able to detect any traces of water, methane, oxygen, ozone, and other components of a distant planet’s atmosphere. It will also be able to gather data on the planets’ temperatures and surface pressures. By 2018, astronomers might be even able to know if other habitable planets could be within reach.

News, SSMU

Allegations of sexual violence lead to SSMU VP External David Aird’s resignation

by Calvin Trottier-Chi on

More in News:

On Feb. 21, the Community Disclosure Network (CDN), a group of sexual assault survivors and allies, released a statement calling for David Aird’s resignation from his position as Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) External. The CDN wrote that Aird had committed gendered and sexualized violence–based on testimonies from survivors–and called for SSMU to undertake a number of supportive initiatives to address future cases. Aird stepped down on Feb. 22 and issued an apology for his behaviour on Feb. 23, although the apology was removed when he deleted his Facebook account. Aird declined to comment.

The members of CDN came together to protect their anonymity and to provide a collective response to several incidents in which Aird allegedly committed inappropriate acts. CDN published an anonymous form on Feb. 9 in order to collect disclosures while preserving survivors’ privacy.

“CDN was formed when a small group of allies and survivors realized that there was a long history of disturbing behaviour [by Aird] beyond what they had experienced/was disclosed to them,” the CDN wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “CDN began to try and find a way to, as a first step, remove Aird from his position at SSMU in a way that would not require one survivor to go through what, due to his position, would most likely become a very public process.”

CDN will continue its work after reading week with an open support group for anyone in Montreal who felt threatened by Aird.

SSMU President Ben Ger clarified at the SSMU Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 23 that SSMU executives were unaware of the severity of Aird’s behaviour. They had instituted educational check-in sessions for Aird to ensure he acted appropriately in a workplace environment after receiving complaints in the Fall about incidents when he made at least two women feel uncomfortable.

As VP External, Aird was tasked with managing student demonstrations on campus through various organizations, such as McGill Against Austerity (MAA). An anonymous member of MAA explained that several MAA members became aware of allegations of sexual assault in November 2016 and soon learned of similar cases in other student groups, including NDP McGill. They were unable to find a way to remove him from his SSMU position without disclosing the survivor’s identity, and so severed professional ties with Aird under the pretense of differences in politics.

NDP McGill along with the Jeunes néodémocrates du Québec (JNDP)–a youth organization that manages NDP chapters in universities across Quebec–first became aware of sexual harassment committed by Aird in October 2016. Aird had been elected VP Politics of JNDQ in the same month and, while they pressured him to resign by threatening to expose him, JNDQ executives were unable to revoke Aird’s status as a federal NDP card-holder without survivors having to give public testimonies. Like all card-holders, Aird is technically a member of NDP McGill, although Co-President Malaya Powers emphasized that he had stopped participating in events and was removed from all official methods of communication.

“It was just by default, he’s involved with NDP McGill because he’s a federal card-holding member,” Powers said. “[….] We resolved that if [Aird attended an event], we would ask him to leave at any club event he partook in, and also we just spread awareness amongst our members of his behaviour.”

Powers similarly had difficulty bringing awareness to the issue at McGill because she felt like she could not ensure the survivors’ anonymity when appealing to the SSMU Board of Directors.

JNDQ Co-President Kiana Saint-Macary explained how JNDQ addressed members’ reports.

“We didn’t want to go through any formal processes that would make the people who want to stay anonymous, basically, go on trial themselves because that happens so often with sexual harassment and sexual assault cases,” Saint-Macary, said. “And also we didn’t know the scope of it [….] I don’t think we realized that there was such a large movement of people until [CDN passed around the survey].”

The McGill Tribune met with a survivor who had several close encounters with Aird, which resulted in sexual harassment and coercive consent. Although she notified members of the student clubs she was involved in, public progress was only achieved when CDN released its statement.

“Seeing that there are so many testimonies […] is very empowering,” she said. “It tore me apart thinking that there are so many other women, […] but at the same time […] that means I can stop feeling so guilty about everything and stop feeling guilty of feeling guilty.”

She said that there are therapeutic benefits of voicing her trauma. Although she previously suppressed memories of the incidents, acknowledging the experience helped her dissociate from it.

“[Your] brain is like ‘You don’t want to have to deal with that, doesn’t exist,’” she said. “[But] the more [I] talk about it, the more it’s outside of me kind of [….]”

The survivor pondered how the responses to Aird’s behaviour will impact him and whether he grasps the full implications of his actions.

“There’s no way to make sure he feels sorry, not for himself, but really for us, and that he understands like how this goes way beyond just the event,” she said. “[….] It’s something you carry with you afterwards, and that I think shapes your identity.” 

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