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McGill, News

AUS discusses support for prospective students affected by the U.S. travel ban

by Julia Metraux on

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On Feb. 8, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Council passed four motions, which pertained to student jobs, reforming the McGill Psychology Students’ Association constitution, screening potential Vice-President (VP) Finance candidates, and support for prospective students affected by the U.S. travel ban.

Motion to Amend Arts Student Employment Fund (ASEF) By-Laws

ASEF subsidizes academically-based or relevant occupation job experience for Arts undergraduate students. The Legislative Council voted to pass the Motion to Amend ASEF By-Laws, which was moved by VP Academic Erik Partridge and VP Finance Deepak Punjabi. The motion proposes that grant money used to fund research conducted by new professors goes instead towards students in ASEF positions who are not covered by the AUS Work Study Program.

Partridge expressed that this motion is in the best interest of students.

“I brought this to [the Jan. 11 Legislative Council] meeting to ensure that students get their money’s worth out of [ASEF],” Partridge said. “This [motion] has been brought to the Faculty’s attention over the past months. We have not seen an official sign-off.”

ASEF operates differently from the McGill Work Study Program in that the AUS does not require students to be full-time in order to be eligible for ASEF. Instead, only nine credits are required for a student to be considered full time by the AUS.

Motion to Approve VP Finance Screening Committee

As a result of 2014 financial errors previously costing tens of thousands of dollars, the Legislative Council approved the creation of a VP Finance Screening Committee. The committee will screen VP Finance candidates in order to ensure that the elected executive is qualified.

According to Punjabi, the committee will consist of six voting and two non-voting members. Screening questions will be split into three categories: Experience, Accounting and Finance, and Summer Availability.

“As you know, with the constitutional changes made last year, there will be a screening committee that meets with each [VP Finance] candidate,” Punjabi said. “The structure of the questions will be the same [as in 2016].”

Punjabi, SNAX Manager Eilis McCann, Research Finance Administrator Cynthia Romynak, Finance Management Committee Representative Mia Trana, International Development Studies Students Association VP Finance Kashif Ahmed, and Political Science Students Association VP Finance Mitch Clark will all act as voting members on the committee.

Motion to Support Students Affected by the U.S. Travel Ban

Implemented in an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, the travel ban temporarily prevented immigrants from seven largely Islamic countries entry to the U.S.. On Feb. 9, federal judge James Robart stayed the order, but during the meeting the day before the Legislative Council voted to pass the Motion submitted by the Society of Linguistics Undergraduates at McGill (SLUM) and Partridge, which supports students affected by the US travel ban.

According to SLUM VP External Jacob Shermer,  the motion show AUS’s support in extending the application deadline and waive the application fee.

“I think it is important that AUS takes a stand on this because there are students who are affected by this,” Shermer said.

Responses may be unnecessary, however, as on Feb. 9 the U.S. federal appeals court refused to lift a suspension placed on the travel ban, preventing it from staying in effect for the time-being.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Director Pablo Larraín paints complex portrait of Chilean poet in “Neruda”

by Declan Embury on

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Pablo Larraín’s Neruda is an impeccably crafted film, blurring fact and fiction to create something more engaging. The film is much more than a standard biopic of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco). After the Second World War, Neruda—already an icon for his politically charged poetry advancing workers rights throughout Latin America—faced more pressure and fear of persecution than ever as Communism was vilified around the world. Guillermo Calderón’s script tells two personal stories through the lense of a greater political narrative—the struggle between communist rebels and a Chile’s militant regime following in the 1940s. After a new President, with strong ties to the United States government, takes power in Chile, the communist party is quickly banned, forcing Neruda—a communist senator—to hide or flee. This starts a cat-and-mouse chase between the two main characters: Neruda and Óscar Peluchonneau (Gael García Bernal of The Motorcycle Diaries), a fictional police officer who is tasked with bringing Neruda to justice.

Neruda’s characters are where the film shines. Luis Gnecco’s depiction of Pablo Neruda as a revolutionary figure captivates not only the masses of workers in the film, but the audience as well. Neruda is depicted as a sensualist who enjoys the finer things in life, but striking moments in the film reveal his deeply-held communist values. Gnecco depicts this brilliantly when, after encountering a young beggar, Neruda leaves the girl draped in his fancy white suit. Though many sizes too big for her, the suit must be worth a relative fortune. This could have been an overly cheesy scene in the hands of most actors, but Gnecco makes it feel real, nailing the charm one would expect from the populist artist.

Gnecco’s performance is not the only one that stands out: Gael García Bernal’s portrayal of Óscar Peluchonneau is a chilling interpretation of the classic film noir police detective. He also serves as the film’s narrator, though not a completely trustworthy one, leaving the audience to decide what to believe as Peluchonneau provides information about his and Neruda’s pasts. The unreliable narrator is rarely used in modern cinema, but Neruda pulls it off. Mercedes Morán’s portrayal of Delia del Carril, a Chilean-Argentinian painter and Neruda’s second wife, is also worth mentioning. Though not as exceptional a performance as García Bernal, Morán offers a warm presence that grounds the more grandiose Neruda.

Though the main characters rarely interact face-to-face, they are connected through their love of fiction. Most of their interaction is carried out through Neruda’s notes, scribbled in copies of detective novels and cleverly planted where Peluchonneau will find them. Both men can only imagine their story ending like a detective novel. Both expect a great chase that ends either in near-escape or the action-packed capture of Neruda. This dynamic builds an unusual connection between the two main characters, as their friends and accomplices struggle to understand their desire to live out the stories that are loved by both men.

Set against a backdrop of Chile’s incredible natural features, as well as the beauty of Chilean art and culture, Neruda’s narrative is unique and captivating. The film is both a fascinating semi-biographical piece on a brilliant artist and social icon, and a work of fiction with one of the best antagonists in recent film history. Brought together by a tight script and outstanding performances by the whole cast, Neruda is one of 2016’s hidden gems. 

 

Fact or Fiction, Science & Technology

Fact or Fiction: Chocolate is the ultimate love drug

by Albert Park on

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Famously exchanged by lovers on Valentine's Day, tucked in an attractive heart-shaped box, chocolate is almost unanimously recognized as the sweet treat of love. Beyond being a sentimental gift to express affection, some believe that chocolate directly influences feelings of attachment and arousement, with the snack being historically considered as an effective aphrodisiac. While sinking one’s teeth into the guilty indulgence certainly elicits a joyful feeling, it is difficult to empirically judge chocolate’s supposed ability to incite romance. 

Is chocolate’s reputation based on biochemical facts, or is it merely a romanticized myth? According to Ariel Fenster, a faculty lecturer in McGill’s Department of Chemistry and associate director of the Office for Science and Society, the discussion revolves around the chemical phenylethylamine (PEA), which is found in chocolate. 

“Some studies suggest that there is a chemical in the brain that is associated with love [called phenylethylamine],” Fenster said. “And phenylethylamine is actually present in chocolate.”

Studies have shown that PEA is found in trace amounts in chocolate, at less than three milligrams per kilogram, as a result of the thermal processing and fermentation of cacao. PEA—which is also found in wine and various other foods—is an extremely complex organic compound. The chemical can act as a neurotransmitter, meaning it sends signals in the brain, resulting in the arousal of certain emotions and biological responses. 

It is theorized that PEA creates a feeling of happiness and euphoria often associated with love by helping the brain release chemicals essential for producing feelings of pleasure, such as beta endorphin and dopamine. As a result, PEA itself has gained a reputation as a love drug. 

“Supposedly, [PEA enhances] your feeling of attachment and your feeling of love,” Fenster said.

Despite all this, Fenster believes that the theory that chocolate produces feelings of love is ultimately lacks sufficient scientific backing. He claims that while chocolate contains PEA, there is no evidence that it will have a notable effect on the brain, given the distinct separations between the body’s digestive and neural systems. 

“Like anything, [the theory] has a kernel of truth,” Fenster said. “The problem is that, even though phenylethylamine is supposedly present in brains of people in love, and even though it is present in chocolate, when you eat the chocolate, it cannot pass the blood-brain barrier, it cannot get into the brain.” 

Significant concentrations of PEA from foods, such as chocolate, cannot reach the brain. The majority of PEA from food is metabolized by an enzyme in the body into phenylacetic acid. Since chocolate contains such a low dosage of PEA, there is little-to-no chance that it will actually have a significant effect on one’s mood or feelings. 

Yet, there is hope for the hopeless romantics who are fans of this sugary treat. Besides PEA, there are numerous other compounds found in chocolate that could affect how one experiences love and the various activities and ideas related to it. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, dark chocolate contains around 43 milligrams of caffeine per 100 grams. Caffeine is well-known to produce a feeling of excitement and alertness, which could potentially affect one’s romantic encounters. At the very least, a bar of chocolate could give people the energy needed to enjoy a night out with their loved one. 

Perhaps the most convincing argument for the romance-inducing attributes of chocolate are due to the placebo effect, which has been proven to work for a vast majority of people. The placebo effect describes a beneficial consequence when patients feel a result of a mimic drug attributed to their belief in the treatment. This idea can essentially be applied to the effects of chocolate: As long as people truly believe that sharing a box of chocolate with their lover will help them fall deeper in love, this could very well be the case. Ultimately, love is a complex chemical and psychological process with many variables, so if people would like to believe in the magical romantic properties of chocolate, they should keep an open mind, and continue to enjoy the treat freely.

Commentary, Opinion

Trudeau’s carbon tax policies are burden for the Canadian economy

by Evan Thomas on

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The Liberal Government plans to fight climate change with compulsory provincial carbon pricing schemes. However, these measures are not suitable considering Canada’s current economic predicament. The imposition of carbon tax schemes represents the Liberals’ commitment to burdensome and ineffective ways of combatting climate change. These taxes raise energy prices for citizens, and are detrimental to the competitiveness of Canadian businesses, especially in light of circumstances south of the border.

With Donald Trump now in the Oval Office, Canadians must be cognizant of the fact that we are not only America’s greatest trading partner, but also its greatest competitor for investment and jobs. And with Trump stripping away environmental legislation, American energy firms will be at an advantage compared to their northern competitors. President Trump has promised to reverse many of the environmentally-conscious regulations implemented in the Obama years, and has suggested withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall raised the issue of competing with the United States as a key reason for opposing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national carbon tax scheme after Trump’s election. Wall argued that carbon pricing will hurt the Canadian economy's growth by costing it jobs and investment, which in turn diminishes Canada’s ability to enact meaningful climate change action. As such, Saskatchewan, along with Manitoba, has rejected Ottawa’s carbon pricing plan.

In response to Premier Wall, the Prime Minister said, "I think all Canadians know that Canadian climate policy will be set by Canadians, not by whomever happens to be the president of the United States.” While this feel-good statement may win over the hearts of his fans, it is also tremendously naive. Justin “It’s 2015” Trudeau needs to wake up to face the harsh realities of 2017.

The imposition of carbon taxes will put Canadian firms at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts, as the burden of these taxes drives up costs for businesses. In turn, firms must lay off workers, cut investment, or relocate. Ultimately, this harms the Canadian economy and raises prices for consumers.

Currently, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec have implemented carbon pricing schemes, with Ottawa urging all provinces to implement them by January 2018.

Carbon taxes may sound like a good idea in theory, but if implemented they would have real consequences for the economy. Trudeau’s policy needs to acknowledge the downsides of this approach.

Carbon taxes may sound like a good idea in theory, but if implemented they would have real consequences for the economy. Trudeau’s policy needs to acknowledge the downsides of this approach. As Conservative leadership hopeful Andrew Saxton wrote in an article for the Financial Post, “It is time for a climate policy that is rooted in reality rather than ideology.” Saxton is right.

While Trudeau has made some pragmatic concessions to economic conditions, like his recent approval of two pipelines, the prevailing notion since Paris has been full speed ahead with regards to action to counter climate change. The fact is that at present, the Canadian economy remains dependent on non-renewable sources of energy. Crude oil and natural gas account for 42 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively, of Canada’s total energy production. Renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, and wave power, are promising but have not been developed enough to be implemented as effective substitutes for fossil fuels by 2018.

The provinces that have led the way in implementing carbon taxes are already showing the burden these policies place on ordinary Canadians. One such Canadian is Kathy Katula, who in January pleaded her case against the implementation of the Ontario Carbon Tax to Justin Trudeau at a town hall event in Peterborough. Katula, a single mother of four working 15 hour shifts, pays over $1,000 a month in energy bills, leaving her with $130 to feed her family each month. Katula is just one of thousands of Ontarians suffering to the kind of provincial carbon tax policies that Trudeau supports. Thank goodness that Justin was on the scene to rectify the situation—with one of his signature hugs.

Furthermore, Canadians should remember the minimal impact of our emissions on a global scale—Canada emits a mere 1.6 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases. The cost of a carbon tax on Canadians is difficult to justify considering the small impact it will have on world greenhouse gas emissions.

Combatting climate change should be a priority for the Canadian government, but it cannot do so by adopting policies that make the Canadian working class suffer. Trudeau should not advocate for more provinces to introduce carbon-reducing schemes, given that they harm consumers and hinder Canadian competition with the United States.

Perhaps Canada should test the waters again in four years’ time.

Evan Thomas is a very tall U2 International Development Studies and History student. He doesn’t like being asked if he plays basketball, but enjoys playing basketball nonetheless.

McGill, Montreal, News

Floor fellows’ injunction against McGill denied by Superior Court of Quebec

by Laura Oprescu on

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On Feb. 3, McGill floor fellows filed an injunction with the Superior Court of Quebec regarding their salary dispute with the university, which the court denied on Feb. 9. An additional hearing date has been set for May 5 to more closely consider the details of the request.

Collectively, floor fellows at McGill belong to the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) union and are referred to as AMUSE Unit B. McGill has been unyielding in its negotiations with the floor fellows, leading AMUSE Unit B to decide to take legal action.  

Currently, McGill floor fellows do not receive an hourly salary. Instead, they are given room and board at McGill residences, amounting to approximately $13,500 worth of benefits per year. Quebec labour laws state that taxable benefits cannot be counted as part of an employee’s salary. Instead, these benefits are considered an addition to the employee’s pay.

Disputes over salary began in October 2014, when the floor fellows first unionized. The issue appeared to be resolved on Dec. 6, 2016, when an agreement was reached between McGill and AMUSE Unit B over the salaries of McGill floor fellows. AMUSE believed this to be the final draft of the floor fellows’ first collective agreement with McGill. According to a Feb. 3 post on the AMUSE website, representatives from both parties signed the agreement in the presence of an arbitrator appointed by the Ministry of Labour, but McGill withdrew from the agreement.

AMUSE has made it clear that they are not satisfied with this outcome. On Jan.12, AMUSE President Claire Michela interrupted a breakfast meeting of the McGill’s Board of Governors Human Resources subcommittee to deliver her view on the situation.

“We have calculated that the committee’s concerns for the proposed Article 20 amount to $151,000 annually,” Michela said in her statement to the subcommittee. “If the university was committed to respecting this agreement and respecting floor fellows, we believe that you would be able to find such a sum in the university’s budget.”

In addition to believing they should be paid for their efforts, floor fellows are also concerned about their lack of job security.

“McGill can kick us out whenever they want, and it’s happened before,” Huang said. “That’s why we started to unionize. We had an arbitration with McGill University and reached an agreement. We had a contract and McGill withdrew from the agreement. So now we are moving to a formal arbitration in court and we’re going to see what will happen.”

McGill’s floor fellows are expected to take a supportive, caring role for first-year students and to welcome them into the University’s residence community. Floor fellows tend to be more involved in students’ lives than Resident Assistant (RA). Similar to the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, McGill RA’s staff the front desks of residences. Unlike floor fellows, they can issue fines and behavioural contracts to students for violations of building rules, such as drug and alcohol policies.

“I really appreciate McGill's policy of harm-reduction and holistic support, rather than the disciplinary stance that many universities adopt,” floor fellow applicant Sophie McKenzie, U1 Arts, said.“Being a floor fellow requires you to be constantly on call and often entails a great deal of emotional labour. I think a salary is well-deserved for all of the individuals that contribute hours and hours to ensuring the support of dozens of students.”

In addition to being available for students academically and personally around the clock, floor fellows are required to work one 12-hour ‘duty’ shift per week.

“The duty shift starts at 9 p.m. and ends at 9 a.m.,” Carrefour Sherbrooke floor fellow Shuaibo Huang, U3 Science, said. “Throughout the night you have a duty phone with you and security and students can call you. The most common problems are students who are intoxicated or other medical emergencies. I’ve called ambulances, M-SERT [.…] It’s pretty common.”

Unit B has been working with a PSAC-provided lawyer, who has filed an injunction in the Superior Court on behalf of the floor fellows. The motion moves to get floor fellows paid as soon as possible.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Flashback: Trainspotting exposed the underbelly of ‘90s Edinburgh

by Eve Fiertag on

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“Sometimes I think people just become junkies because they subconsciously crave ay wee bit ay silence,” is the phrase that best describes Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting (1993)—the novel that inspired the opiate-ridden 1996 movie of the same name. With the release of its sequel T2 Trainspotting on Feb. 21, Director Danny Boyle returns with a revisited version of a long-awaited classic. Although most of this generation of students were too young to see and appreciate Trainspotting at its release, the film became a cult classic—exposing the forbidden world of narcotics through a raw and surreal lens. 

As the movie begins, it immediately sets the fast pace of drug intake, the routines of the characters, and the incredible soundtrack. To the tune of Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” and Underworld’s “Born Slippy (Nuxx),” the viewer encounters a stylized snapshot of the lifestyle of heroin addict and narrator Renton (Ewan McGregor), sociopathic Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), naive Spud (Ewen Bremner), anger-riddled Begbie (Robert Carlyle), and athlete-turned-junkie Tommie (Kevin McKidd)—five unique and unexpectedly likeable Scots.

Disguised under dark humour and charismatic monologues, the characters are faced with the horrors of heroin addiction, withdrawal symptoms, urban poverty, and HIV. In Trainspotting, the evil is not the drug but the lifestyle that the five friends try to glamourize. Not only an iconic movie for its aesthetic—some say Renton popularized skinny jeans for men—it explores taboos and exposes the realities of working-class, ’90s Edinburgh. 

However, immediately after its release Trainspotting was criticized glorifying drug use. With its many graphic scenes of heroin injections and close ups of a deceased newborn child, Trainspotting is an obvious target for the war on drugs. 

(Madeleine Kinney / The McGill Tribune) (Madeleine Kinney / The McGill Tribune)

“Cinema does inherently glamourize everything: It has actors, and there is a stylization there,” Welsh discussed in a 2016 interview with Vice. Boyle’s direction precisely aimed to avoid depicting addicts in their daily routine without a specific focus. For instance, Renton’s overdose scene has a certain romantic atmosphere to it, mostly brought on by Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day.” Renton sinks into a crimson carpet, metaphorically representing death enveloping his body, which, however surreal and beautiful, pragmatically demonstrates the constant risk of substance abuse.

Fast-forward to 2017, the movie sequel T2 Trainspotting, partly based on the book’s sequel Porno (2002), has the four protagonists —sadly without Tommie—reunite 20 years later in a rather familiar setting. In sync with our Internet age, Renton’s “Choose Life” monologue was altered: “choose life, choose Facebook, Instagram, Twitter” amends the 1996 “choose life, choose a job, choose a career.” T2 maintains its precursor’s empowerment of the voices of “lowlife” junkies, and its upbeat tempo also seems to match the original film’s pace. Overall, fans of the original we be reassured by the   faithfulness to the first movie and book. 

Although the sequel might not live up to the cult status its predecessor bore, T2 Trainspotting will surely be a welcome revival of the iconic 90s film.

 

T2 Trainspotting will be released in Montreal cinemas on March 17th. 

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: Kehlani – “SweetSexySavage”

by Evelyn Goessling on

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Kehlani Parrish’s latest release SweetSexySavage follows in the footsteps of Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad and Aaliyah’s Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number. The Oakland native is staking out her claim in R&B’s next generation with a young, bold voice, and skillful pop songwriting.  Following her 2015 mixtape You Should be Here, SweetSexySavage has been highly anticipated, especially after its single, “Gangsta,” was featured on the star-studded and Grammy-nominated Suicide Squad soundtrack. You Should be Here launched Kehlani out of the Bay Area bubble with a feature from Chance the Rapper on the track “The Way;” SweetSexySavage follows the same trajectory of increasingly polished songwriting and innovative production. 

Kehlani strikes an incredible balance between sultry and crystal clear vocals, and her vocal range is as impressive as her breadth of musical styles. The first track,“Undercover,” starts with a classical guitar riff, then launches into an upbeat pop rhythm with full bass and synth backing. On “CRZY,” the influence from Rihanna’s ANTI is obvious, with sparse instrumentation and a heavily syncopated drum track. “Personal” also nods to Rihanna with a cheeky “na na na,” just like on 2010’s “S&M.” This reference to the greats makes sense; SweetSexySavage itself is a reference to TLC’s iconic 1994 record, CrazySexyCool. If Kehlani hopes to carve out a place for herself among these R&B icons, SweetSexySavage is an impressive start. 

Disguised within the heavily-produced pop tracks are some serious lyrical meditations on sex, love, and loss. Leading up to the release of SweetSexySavage, Kehlani was hospitalized after a suicide attempt—stemming in part from intense online bullying following rumours that she was cheating on her then-boyfriend, singer PARTYNEXTDOOR. “Advice,” “Escape,” and “Hold Me By the Heart,” the more melancholy songs on the album, can perhaps be attributed to this distress—on “Advice” Kehlani sings, “I almost lost my mind / I left myself behind / I almost crashed and fell right from the sky,”—but these tracks never lose the pop catchiness that is captivating throughout the album. 

However, the overall impression is somewhat muddled and definitely too long. At 18 tracks, the album’s length is not notably different from Kehlani’s 2015 mixtape. Despite the diverse sounds throughout, standout tracks get lost between ones that are catchy, but don’t add much depth to the overall album. Kehlani could have hit harder with 12 excellent songs rather than 18 ranging from excellent to good-but-not-interesting. On every song, Kehlani has a lot to say, and despite the inventive lyricism, the album is exhausting by the end. Although this is probably a result of the pop and R&B conditioning that favours repetitive, easy-to-sing lyrics, on her next try, Kehlani should consider hiring a good editor.  

STANDOUT TRACKS

“Distraction,” “Keep On,” “Undercover”:

SOUNDS LIKE:

Ariana Grande, Tinashe, Rihanna

BEST LYRICS:

“If I gotta be abitch, I’mma be a bad one” (CRZY)

Off the Board, Opinion

Montreal needs a better shovel for snowy sidewalks

by Joe Khammar on

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Everyone’s been there—walking around Montreal when all of a sudden you find yourself looking up at the sky from your backside. Whether sober, drunk, or somewhere in between, Montreal’s sidewalks represent the single most dangerous threat to any student. 

Snowy, slippery wipe-outs are commonplace, and those who find themselves victim of the city’s sidewalks can at least take solace in the fact that it isn’t as embarrassing as one might think. The spectators to your spectacular fall are actually more concerned with your safety than publicly shaming you. They know it isn’t your fault and the real culprit is still at large—Montreal’s shoddy snow removal efforts.

The City of Montreal is supposedly responsible for the cleaning of roads and sidewalks after a snowfall. Unfortunately, despite boasting one of Canada’s largest budgets for snow removal, the city seems to have repeated failed in that capacity. Unless one is walking on a major street like Sherbrooke or Sainte-Catherine, it’s safe to assume that the sidewalk will resemble an outdoor skating rink. Every Montreal resident has at least one nasty bruise to show for this. 

The city’s snow removal failures also significantly harm the roads and sidewalks. Ice hastens the breakdown of infrastructure due to the constant expansion and shrinkage of ice within cracks and potholes. Efficient clearing of snow would increase the lifespan of infrastructure, saving the city money in addition to the backsides of its citizens.

 

 

 

 

Somehow, Coderre and his associates can’t seem to crack the centuries’ old riddle of snowfall.

The city ought to be more in control of this essential service. Icy sidewalks are not a monthly or weekly occurrence—this is a daily struggle against nature that is made worse by the municipal government. In January 2015, the Plateau was not given adequate funding to ensure that the main roads were adequately plowed. City Comptroller Alain Bond blamed this mistake not on the borough’s budgeting, but on poor weather forecasts. In the same year, Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Saint-Denis were often difficult to traverse safely because of the piles of snow present. Borough Mayor Luc Ferrandez claimed that Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre made significant cuts to the budget and they could no longer afford any snow removal for the rest of the year. Being that this took place in early January, the rest of the long winter was torturous for those who needed to drive or walk in the Plateau. At times, getting through side streets was an exercise in futility.

Coderre himself was also angered by the city’s failures with clearing the sidewalks. He came up with 16 recommendations to improve Montreal’s snow removal policy. Coderre called for uniform standards of operation and cooperation between boroughs. Two years later, there does not appear to be any difference at all in the quality of shovelling. Braving the outdoors is still about as dangerous as travelling to Mordor. Somehow, Coderre and his associates can’t seem to crack the centuries’ old riddle of snowfall. 

Many cities manage to successfully protect the physical and emotional state of their residents through a simple sidewalk shoveling policy: Residents of Chicago, for example, must shovel the sidewalk in front of their dwelling or face fines up to $500, and are liable for any civil damages. Calgary has a similar bylaw—if a citizen fails to clear their strip of sidewalk, they must pay the cost of the city workforce doing so. This radical idea could potentially be implemented in Montreal to clear walking paths without relying on the city. 

The city needs to solve its snow removal issues. It’s embarrassing that Montreal is celebrating its 375th birthday, and still can’t seem to clear its sidewalks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Khammar is a Sports Editor at the McGill Tribune.

 

@mcgilltribop |

 

 

 

 

 

 
News

Trudeau’s Special Advisor on LGBTQ2 issues hosted by Liberal McGill

by Victoria Flaherty on

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On Feb.10, Liberal McGill welcomed Member of Parliament (MP) Randy Boissonnault to Gerts bar for a conversation with McGill students. Boissonnault serves as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s appointed special advisor on issues pertaining to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirited (LGBTQ2) community and is the first to serve in this capacity.

Liberal McGill hoped the event would give students a platform to network and discuss important issues, according to the group’s Vice-President Communications June Gleed.

“The event was an opportunity for students to voice their opinions in an informal manner to [an MP],” Gleed said. “Randy is fighting for issues that many of our students are passionate about, so we appreciate that he could take the time to meet with us at McGill.”

Students spoke with the MP in a discussion geared towards important issues facing the LGBTQ2 community at McGill,  in Canada, and worldwide.
Topics of discussion were varied and included the Canadian Blood Services’ restrictions on gay men donating blood, providing safe spaces for queer youth to access mental health support, and gender-neutral bathrooms in Canada. Foreign relations with nations that deny their LGBTQ2 communities basic human rights was also covered.

Boissonnault highlighted the ability of millennials to communicate on social media and emphasized how personal LGBTQ2 issues can be.

“We want to engage youth, […] seniors, […] people at the university, and in civil society because this is not only […] a government approach,” Boissonnault said. “Where can we find […] civil society activists that are going to help us not just tell the stories and adjust the wrongs of the past, but really figure out ‘How do we build together and move together’?”

After the informal discussion at Gerts, Boissonnault participated in a roundtable meeting to discuss the major issues facing the Quebec LGBTQ2 community. Attendees included Florence Ashley Paré, a trans law student at McGill and an active member of the LGBTQ2IA+ community. Paré attended the event as a representative of OutLaw, a club for queer students and their straight allies based in the Faculty of Law.

Boissonnault followed up on a number of issues, especially Quebec-specific problems, of which he was previously unaware: Bill C-16, which made discrimination based on gender identity illegal, and the repeal of Bill C-36, a piece of legislation that threatens sex workers, were both discussed, according to Paré.

“I must say that Randy Boissonnault was very receptive to our comments […],” Paré said. “I'm very excited for changes that might come out of that, but I also recognize that large-scale systemic changes are unlikely coming from a Liberal government.”  

Paré said that changes to funding will be difficult, given the misinformed actions of the federal government and the widespread collaboration needed to achieve progress.

“Improving queer and trans lives necessitates funding of community organisations, and the defunding of [Action Santé Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec (ASTT(e)Q)] in Montreal is a really hard blow for the trans communities around here […],” Paré said.  “I hope that they increase funding across the board because [only] funding events, such as Pride, is wholly insufficient, and some might even say inadequate, given the depoliticization and corporatization of Pride over its long history.”

Boissonnault said that the event was a productive experience.

“Every time I get to be a part of a conversation like this, I’m learning, and so that’s the kind of information I’m going to be able to take back to my colleagues in government and to inform the Prime Minister’s Office,” Boissonnault said. “It [was] a great visit to McGill [….]”

Editorial, Opinion

Students must hold representatives accountable through appropriate channels

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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A tweet from Arts Representative to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Igor Sadikov, reading “punch a zionist today,” has been subject to intense controversy for inciting violence against Zionist students. Thus far, the debate surrounding the tweet and, in particular, Sadikov’s interpretation of Zionism, has been understandably divisive and heated. Without minimizing the gravity of the issue, the question of the appropriate definition of Zionism is rooted in a deeply complex and sensitive ideological and geopolitical debate, for which student forums are not always the appropriate venue. Regardless of the issue at stake, however, as influential figures and the representatives of a diverse constituency, student representatives should be held to a higher standard of conduct than others. Students must ensure that their politicians meet this standard while representing student interests responsibly and productively. 

When taking on any job, one accepts the responsibilities and expectations attached to the role. For student representatives, these responsibilities include being cognizant of the influence of their position and faithfully representing their constituents. These expectations are substantial, as are the consequences of failing to meet them. 

McGill’s Student Code of Conduct, which Provost and Vice Principal Christopher Manfredi evoked in an email condemning Sadikov’s tweet, affirms that it is unacceptable for anyone to incite violence against a group or individual. While every student is equally bound to the Code of Conduct, leniency when addressing its violation varies. Student representatives are afforded positions of power so that they might affect positive change on behalf of their constituents. While this influence is most obvious when acting in a professional capacity, it inevitably extends to campus discourse in general. Whether through a statement in a council meeting or through a personal tweet, when a student representative chooses to speak, they cannot forget that their voice and their message are amplified. Should their message be an incitement of violence, they will face consequences from the appropriate institutions.

Student representatives are afforded positions of power, so that they might affect positive change on behalf of their constituents. While this influence is most obvious when acting in a professional capacity, it inevitably extends to campus discourse more generally.

Student representatives must also be mindful of their mandate—that is, to effectively represent student interests. With a society as large and diverse as the McGill student body, and a system of representation embodied in individuals rather than in parties, the idea of perfect representation is an illusion. A representative’s views will never wholly reflect those of every single constituent, nor should students expect them to—everyone is entitled to his or her own political opinions. However, a student representative’s personal opinions should be expressed with careful regard for their role as a representative. Holding different views from a peer is one thing—violently denouncing a group that one purportedly represents is another. To make a statement that not only disagrees with, but endangers a particular group within a constituency, is a failure of representation. 

When a representative fails his or her constituents in these ways, they must be held accountable—but this process must occur through the appropriate channels. In the case of Sadikov, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), the SSMU, and the McGill administration have taken steps to this end: the AUS has formally requested his resignation, and Manfredi released a statement condemning the tweet and hinting at disciplinary action. While a motion to impeach Sadikov from the SSMU Board of Directors has failed, the possibility and process to do so remains open. 

Students have demanded that Sadikov face formal consequences for his tweet. Students can and should hold their representatives accountable for their actions. Steps on both sides, however, must be taken carefully and responsibly. In addition to widespread backlash on social media, Sadikov has received threats of violence. Inciting violence against Sadikov violates the Student Code of Conduct in the same way that his tweet did—whatever the debate, advocating violence from either side is wrong and narrows the space for safe discussion. 

Students should take to the institutional channels available to hold their representatives accountable, such as messaging representatives directly and submitting executive reviews. These steps should be taken when student representatives fail, of course, but also before that point. It is a representative’s responsibility to reflect student interests and values; as constituents, it is students’ responsibility to continuously hold their representatives to these expectations. It is only through such mutual and ongoing participation that democratic systems of government, such as SSMU, can function.

 

@mcgilltribop |

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