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Science & Technology

McGill students and faculty push for vaccine education

by Rebecca Zhuang on

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“Prevention against morbidity and mortality by vaccination is one of the biggest medical successes in humanity. Never forget that fact. Get vaccinated,” Dr. Jörg Fritz, assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, told the audience at the first night of the three-part seminar series entitled “Let’s Talk About Vaccines.”

From Nov. 22 to 24, various McGill professors spoke about the importance of vaccine knowledge at the first ever McGill Students for Vaccination and Awareness Week.

Dr. Irah King, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, kicked off the first talk of the seminar with his speech, “Why Should We Vaccinate?”

King spoke about how even without 100 per cent vaccination, vaccines are extremely effective and important in offering not just individual protection, but also herd immunity. Herd immunity is when an outbreak is much more likely to occur in a crowd of unvaccinated individuals than it is to occur in a group in which the majority are vaccinated.

“There is a very limited risk of spreading this infection because all the other [unvaccinated] people surrounding are protected, just based on the fact that everybody else is vaccinated and cannot spread the infection,” King said. “You’re protecting the entire community through vaccination, […] it’s not just protecting yourself.”

King admits that many vaccines are not completely protective and that virtually none are perfect.

“Most vaccines don’t provide lifelong protection, so we need to build better vaccines so one shot is enough to protect you from a pathogen for the rest of your life,” he said. “[Without vaccination], you’re not just putting yourself at risk, you’re putting others at risk.”

On the third night, Dr. Brian J. Ward, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, presented on the topic of the anti-vaccination movement.

The anti-vaccine argument is hardly a new idea, but in the last few years campaigns have grown due to their propagation on social media—despite simultaneous advances in immunology and vaccination.

Dr. Ward believes that the arguments that prove vaccines are essential are often used to disprove their necessity.

“Vaccines are victims of their own success,” Dr. Ward said. “If you define ‘safe’ as harmless, then no vaccine is safe. If you define them as ‘prevention from another danger,’ then vaccines are among the safest medical interventions.”

The anti-vaccine campaign has been recently gaining ground and is attracting increased worldwide attention. Liam Whalen-Browne, U3 Microbiology and co-organizer of the event, wishes vaccine education were given as much attention as the anti-vaccine movement.

“There’s this persisting anti-vaccine movement […] for the past decade or so that has been creating a lack of education,” he said. “The number of people hasn’t necessarily been growing, but the vocality has.”

Olivia Ganescu, U3 Microbiology and co-organizer of the event, talked about how anti-vaccine ideas could have originated as a result of misinformation.

“People don’t have all the answers, and they see what’s in front of them […],” Ganescu said. “They just don’t understand what’s going on, and they might be really quick to assume causation based on nothing.”

Much of the anti-vaccine argument is supported by the notion that no vaccine is completely safe.

However, by focusing on safety, Dr. Ward believes people are missing the point.

“We could make safe vaccines, but the bottom line is […] you really should be comparing the effects of the disease versus the effects of the vaccine,” Dr. Ward said.

News, SSMU

SSMU executive midterm reviews

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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This week, the McGill Tribune conducted midterm reviews of the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) executives.

Daniel Lawrie: VP Internal

Lawrie’s led SSMU’s shift to playing a more administrative rather than programming role in Froshes. Events were successfully coordinated and executed with various vice-presidents of each faculty’s undergraduate society. A new initiative at Frosh this year was the consent video, which aimed to educate students and make Frosh experiences safer. Lawrie also launched B-Week in coordination with VP Finance Niall Carolan, which aimed to increase customers at Gerts through cheap drink deals. This succeeded in quadrupling Gerts’ sales during the week and attracting students back to the bar, which is an important source of revenue for SSMU.

This year 4Floors produced a slight profit despite having a higher budget than last year. This is a commendable improvement over 4Floors’ low sales and deficit in the 2015-2016 school year. Lawrie has since formed multiple sub-committees of the Students’ Society Programming Network (SSPN) in order to maximize the effectiveness of the team by delegating responsibility for planning upcoming events that don’t require participation from the whole network. Next semester, the SSPN will plan events such as Faculty Olympics and Week 101 welcome-back gathering, and aims to further improve Gerts’ turnout.

As part of rebranding Red and White Week, Life After Your Degree (LifeAYD) has been expanded and aims to help students prepare for careers and learn professional skills. The programming has been scheduled over the entire school year rather than being confined to a month of November. LifeAYD will take full effect next semester. The success of this change and SSMU’s ability to further collaborate with related groups and organizations in order to improve student preparation for life after McGill remains to be seen.

Although Discover McGill and Frosh made use of the McGill app, Lawrie has not yet integrated his listserv information in it. However, he plans on addressing this next semester. The SSMU website redesign has also been put on hold due to budgetary constraints.

Finally, Lawrie has reorganized the First Year Council to be more efficient in its budget, but the council only met twice during Fall 2016.  

Ben Ger: President

With SSMU being short on both staff and resources, Ger was able to work effectively with the other executives to keep costs under control across all portfolios. Despite following a deficit year, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) reported a surplus this semester for the first time in many years. Ger’s successful initiatives so far include the online ratification of the Free Menstrual Hygiene Products Fee after the Fall 2016 General Assembly (GA). The $0.90 fee will start in Winter 2017 and will go to the creation of the Health & Hygiene Products Fund to provide free menstrual hygiene products to students in restrooms across campus.

Ger has pursued research and discussion on reforming various governing bodies at McGill, from the SSMU Legislative Council to the McGill University Board of Governors (BoG). His goals include increasing diversity and equity internally at SSMU Council by including seats for indigenous and other minority student populations, and increasing transparency and student consultation by the BoG.

For Ger, this includes updating the SSMU Equitable Hiring Policy, creating an Ethical Expenditures Policy with Vice-President (VP) Finance Niall Carolan, and some political literacy-related initiatives.

Looking forward to the Winter semester, Ger hopes to improve on the low turnout at the Fall 2016 GA, which failed to meet quorum with fewer than 40 students in attendance. Having campaigned on increased student engagement with SSMU, Ger will continue to lobby the administration to provide academic accommodations during the assemblies to make it more accessible to students.

Sacha Magder: VP Operations

Sacha Madger has overseen a much-needed increase in revenue from Gerts and the Student-Run Cafe (SRC). Revenue from the entire SSMU building is up 40 per cent compared to last year, helping to cope with the current budget deficit. Considering that the SRC is limited to advertising within the SSMU building by contract with McGill, the SRC’s doubled revenue is an accomplishment. However, given that construction on campus has rerouted many pedestrians through the SSMU building, it is unclear how much of this increase can be credited solely to Madger’s management, and not just to the increase in foot traffic through the building. Additionally, a large portion of Madger’s campaign platform pertained to rebranding the SRC, which was presented as a project intended for completion in the Fall. Still, the new name has yet to be revealed and is now scheduled for launch in January.

Madger has worked closely with the administration on adapting the SSMU building to the ongoing construction, most notably by working with security and the staff of the Brown Student Services Building to keep the connecting doors between SSMU and Brown open until 10:30 p.m. This provides an entry to an accessible route up McTavish throughout the hours of operation of the SSMU building.

One of the main points in Madger’s campaign was establishing a Crash Pad for commuter students to stay overnight on campus. Madger was successful in coordinating the Crash Pad during Frosh, a project that was intended to be a trial run before setting up a more permanent program

However, the Crash Pad has since taken a backseat to other projects under his portfolio and received little attention. Additionally, enrolment in SSMU Minicourses has been very low this semester. Madger has plans to remedy this situation in Winter 2017, but the program has been largely neglected to date.

Elaine Patterson: VP Student Life

The restructuring of executive portfolios in the 2015-2016 year brought Mental Health under the Student Life portfolio, a change that is still being smoothed out practically. Mental Health Awareness Week has been moved from the Fall semester to Winter 2017 in order to ensure that adequate resources are devoted to its preparation.

Increasing Activities Night’s duration from two days to three while reducing its hours from four to three enabled more participation and reduced the burden on clubs participating. While there were challenges in building access owing to the McTavish construction, Patterson addressed these issues in a timely fashion in order to ensure that students were able to participate in the event.

Patterson worked to develop the free Menstrual Hygiene Products Policy, which passed in the Fall 2016 Referendum. This policy will have a substantial long-term impact, which means that the coming months are essential in laying the groundwork and setting precedent for its execution.

Patterson is constrained by the ongoing Club Moratorium, which prevents new clubs from forming. The Moratorium came into effect at the end of last year as a result of SSMU’s budget issues. In the 2015-2016 year, clubs were moved out of their offices, which became bookable rooms. Despite this, there are still issues of clubs being able to find space in the building, even if they are a SSMU Club. However, some services, such as the Peer Support Centre, have now been given permanent spaces.Patterson is also behind on progress of the Services Review Committee.

Erin Sobat: VP University Affairs

In his role as VP University Affairs (UA), Erin Sobat has made an effort to improve SSMU’s relationship with the McGill administration and student groups on campus. By holding an equity roundtable with student organizations, Sobat hopes to hear student concerns and represent their interests more fully at the university level. In an additional effort to improve communication, Sobat has focused on using the UA website and Facebook page to share information with students. Although events at the beginning of the semester, such as the Academic Summit, allowed Sobat to interact with SSMU members face-to-face, this direct contact has dwindled throughout the semester. Sobat hopes to improve this again at the beginning of the winter semester through more events, such as the January Know Your Rights Campaign.

Sobat also had a hand in the development of the Policy against Sexual Violence that was approved at the Nov. 23 Senate meeting. SSMU organized consultation focus groups in order to ensure that the final policy accurately represents survivors. A working group has been created in order to develop plans for a Fall break, but it only met once.

Sobat also sought to create a SSMU policy on unpaid internships. Due to the resignation of the policy’s researcher, however, the policy has not been completed and will not be brought to SSMU Council for approval until Winter 2017. Sobat has also made efforts to review other important policies that affect students, such as the Code of Student Conduct and current procedures surrounding academic accommodation.

David Aird: VP External

Aird has been leading discussions with the Milton-Parc Community with the aim of improving relations. He has also campaigned to raise awareness among McGill students, who have an impact on residents who have been living in the neighbourhood for decades.

Aird has been vocal on issues regarding austerity and asked to be present at various faculty councils to have faculty members sign in support of anti-austerity measures. Preparation for an Anti-Austerity Week next semester is ongoing.

Aird has also worked with the Indigenous Affairs Committee in order to revisit the Indigenous Solidarity Policy. Aird wants to improve consultation with indigenous communities on issues such as the relocation of the Hochelaga rock, which was done hastily and lacked a wide-ranging discussion with different indigenous groups. He wants to rethink the way that the few indigenous students on campus are consulted in order to avoid overwhelming them with all of their communities’ issues .

Although students rejected a referendum question for SSMU to join AVEQ in WInter 2016, SSMU still participates in the federation’s meetings as an observer. However, it is unclear whether Aird has a specific plan to pitch AVEQ to students again.

Niall Carolan: VP Finance

Under Carolan’s portfolio, the SSMU operating budget has reached a surplus. According to his report to Council on Nov. 3, Carolan is optimistic that the SRC will break even and possibly become modestly profitable. Through activities that drive foot traffic into the SSMU building, such as B-Week— as well as the indirect consequences of construction—Carolan is seeking to ensure a balanced budget despite the constraints of significant budget cuts.

In a period of budgetary restraint, Carolan has met with various clubs and services, including the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students' Society (SACOMSS) and the Savoy Society, to ensure their financial relationship with the society. Carolan has also worked to streamline the application for student group funding through the SSMU Funding Committee. The new online platform will launch at the beginning of Winter 2017.

Following structural changes in the 2015-2016 year, human resources was moved into the VP Finance portfolio. However, it currently seems that a large portion of these responsibilities are still being handled by the President.

Communication with the study body has been notably absent thus far in Carolan’s tenure. While he promised to provide frequent updates on the budget, fees, and funding through the SSMU website and Facebook page, this has so far not come to fruition. Moreover, consultation with students on budget issues has been seemingly limited, as has communication with the media, particularly in regards to SSMU’s investment portfolio. It is currently unclear what progress has been made on the Socially Responsible Investment Fund, which he had aimed to create in Fall 2016.

Editorial, Opinion

Discussing racism beyond Queen’s

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Last week, photos surfaced online of a costume party at Queen’s University in which students dressed as various stereotypes of other nationalities and cultures. White students were photographed dressed as incarcerated Mexicans, Buddhist monks, Viet Cong guerillas, and other stereotypical outfits at the event. Queen’s Principal Daniel Woolf and other members of the university administration condemned the event—which did not occur on campus—as “completely unacceptable.” While the event was not sanctioned by Queen’s administration, Woolf stated that “appropriate action” would be taken if any links to the university were discovered.

Instead of dismissing the Queen’s case as an isolated incident, we must remember that without ongoing efforts to discuss and educate students on issues of racism, a similar episode could happen at McGill or, indeed, anywhere. The costume party comes at a time when incidences of racial harassment and hate crimes are increasing both in the U.S. and Canada, further reinforcing the need to confront and denounce instances of racism in any form. For McGill students, the Queen’s party should serve as a sobering reminder of the continued ignorance of racial issues on Canadian campuses as well as the importance of proactive action by students and staff. While it may be tempting to simply label and chastise the students involved, a more productive response must attempt to address potential causes of such behaviour, and ask what can be done to prevent such an incident from happening again

 

 

While it may be tempting to simply label and chastise the students involved, a more productive response must attempt to address potential causes of such behaviour, and ask what can be done to prevent such an incident from happening again.

When addressing racism in the student body, student initiatives are an effective first step. At McGill, initiatives like Rez Project and Anti-Oppression Programming help first-year students in residence develop an awareness of issues such as racism and the vocabulary to discuss them. A variety of student and faculty organizations, such as the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG), the Black Students’ Network (BSN), and the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), host workshops around Halloween to educate students on cultural appropriation. However, initiatives like Rez Project are limited to students in residence, and even when paired with faculty efforts, may not reach the entirety of the student body. It is imperative to keep developing means to make as many students as possible aware of the potential harm they may cause by mocking the cultures of their peers. Students that are more aware of these issues will be more sympathetic to the victims of racism, and will abstain from engaging in racist behaviour.

University administrators also have the potential to confront racism on their campuses. By strongly condemning these types of incidents, as Queen’s University has, administrators reinforce the message that racist or discriminatory behaviour is inappropriate, and that it is not representative of their school. But universities don’t need to wait for an incident before voicing their disapproval; a statement condemning racism and other forms of discrimination in McGill’s Student Code of Conduct would help create an environment where this behaviour is explicitly denounced. In an email to members of the McGill community on Nov. 16, the administration released the Report of the McGill Ad Hoc Working Group on Systemic Discrimination, which compiled the experiences of racialized minority tenure-track faculty and made suggestions regarding equity in hiring practices. A more diverse faculty would help expose students to a wider variety of perspectives on racial issues.

Issues of race persist on campus because they are issues that affect our society as a whole. As such, fighting racism on campus can only help in the fight against racism in broader society. Larger scale social solutions, like creating an educational system that teaches kids the history of marginalized peoples before they reach the university level, would alleviate some of this ignorance at all levels of society. Not only students, but all members of society should strive for a better understanding of the history of racial inequity and discrimination in Canada, and must make renewed efforts to listen to and sympathize with its victims. This latest incident at Queen’s should remind students that the fight against racism in Canada is ongoing and requires their engagement.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Best Music of 2016

by Evelyn Goessling, Selin Altuntur, April Barett, Morgan Davis, Ariella Garmaise, Eric Noble-Marks on

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Compiled by our Arts & Entertainment staff editors and writers, here is the best music of 2016.

Best Albums of 2016


 

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1. Blonde

Throughout Blonde, Frank Ocean expresses the small victories and big heartbreaks of everyday life. The album is a mosaic of pop and R&B songs that each tell a captivating story.


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vulture.com

2. Lemonade

Beyoncé’s visual album is a daring collection of genres and her boldest work to date. The album addresses the pride and pain of black lives in America, as well as the struggles of matrimony, through haunting lyrics and exceptional film footage.

(stereoday.com)
(stereoday.com)

3. We Got it From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service

The final release from the inimitable rap group A Tribe Called Quest­—with politically-charged songs and a repertoire of sampling and instrumentation—is an apt tribute to the late, great Phife Dawg.

(stereogum.com)
stereogum.com

4. A Seat at the Table

Solange’s recent release is rich with soulful harmonies and her signature contemplative lyrics. Solange gives a poetic voice to her personal and political experience.

(djbooth.net)
djbooth.net

5. The Life of Pablo

Excellent collaborators and deeply personal themes make this album an unforgettable oeuvre. The Life of Pablo pushes musical limits and launched an era of Kanye that today includes endeavours in art, fashion, and celebrity. 

(pitchfork.com)
pitchfork.com

6. 22, A Million

Bon Iver’s latest delivers low-fi, experimental beats while retaining the haunting vocals listeners have come to love.  Sometimes angry and often auto-tuned, this album is only strengthened by its refusal to adhere to the indie folk mould.

(residentadvisor.net)
residentadvisor.net

7.99.9%

Montreal-based producer Kaytranada delivers an album packed with expertly mixed beats that walk a brilliant line between ambient electronic and engaging pop. 

(genius.com)
genius.com

8. Malibu

Anderson .Paak’s second album offers new R&B sounds with a delicious twist of pop. .Paak’s uniqe voice and instrumentation combine funk with electronic in a few standout hits while maintaining a smooth and sexy tone throughout.

(clizbeats.com)
clizbeats.com

9. ANTI

Rihanna’s eighth studio album is confident and mature. Jumping through classic soul, glittery pop, and aggressive trap-inspired tracks, her voice remains the connecting factor: raw, raspy, and incredibly honest.

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mitsky.bandcamp.com

10. Puberty 2

Mitski experiences a second coming-of-age in Puberty 2. On top of heavy rock guitar, Mitski’s operatic voice is melodic, clear, and angry. This album cuts deeper than most of her indie contemporaries.

Best Songs of 2016

1. “Cranes in the Sky”

“Cranes in the Sky” floats a foot above the ground. Solange showcases ethereal vocals and becomes a voice for the disenchanted minds and hearts of Americans.

(usalyrics.com)
usalyrics.com

2. “Redbone”

“Redbone” is an innovative departure from Child Gambino’s previous work. The slow funk bass line is accompanied by compelling vocals passionately recounting a love gone wrong.

3. “Ultralight Beam”

Kanye West’s track is an anthem; with a diverse use of instruments such as horn, rap, gospel, gospel choir, and the famous opening sample of an enraptured child, “Ultralight Beam” is as catchy as it is provocative.

(floodmagazine.com)
floodmagazine.com

4. “Burn the Witch”

With its shrill strings and piercing lyrics, Radiohead’s chillingly encapsulates modern fears of demagoguery and ignorance. In other words, it captured 2016 better than anything else.

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5. “Too Good”

“Too Good” is a celebratory, Caribbean-inspired pop song in which Drake’s love life dissatisfaction is echoed by his female counterpart, Rihanna. Sampling Popcaan, dancehall beats create an urge to dance that matches the emotional epiphany of the lyrics.

(genius.com)
genius.com

6. “Really Doe”

 “Really Doe,” the most accessible track from Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition, hits hard with staccato chimes, aggressive verses, and excellent features from Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Earl Sweatshirt.

7. “Your Best American Girl”

Japanese-American musician Mitski’s plainspoken lyrics, crisp harmony and heavily distorted guitar boldly articulates the insecurity of interracial love, and how it is slowly overcome.

8. “Sorry”

Backed up by a twerking Serena Williams, Beyoncé unapologetically claps back at cheating partners everywhere in Lemonade’s feistiest track.  “Sorry” is infectious and electrifying, demanding respect in every verse.

9. “Self-Control”

 Frank Ocean masterfully plays with melody over a sparse guitar riff. The lyrics are a late summer reflection on growing up and falling in and out of love. The chorus has Yung Lean pleading with an ex lover: “Keep a place for me.”

(youtube.com)
youtube.com

10. “WiFi”

Backed by Erykah Badu, D.R.A.M. lets his gospel background shine in this sensual and humourous track.  Reminiscent of mid-90s R&B, “Wifi” is an ode to technology’s knack for bringing lovers together.

Art, Arts & Entertainment

The Giveaway Project: How one Montreal artist is sharing art for free

by Morgan Davis on

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A bus stop is a place of transition in the eyes of Montreal artist and McGill alumnus Aquil Virani. It’s an in-between where one finds a few moments away from the busyness of daily life. Out of the belief in the accessibility of art, Virani has transformed various bus stops around Montreal into temporary galleries.

Virani explained that his work, The Giveaway Project, is largely an effort to make someone’s day, make someone included, and generally bring happiness to the public.  The project’s purpose also relates to what Virani calls “place-making.” 

“So, having people come to a bus shelter that’s been sort of decorated, there’s some person that spent time on this and put it out here, and now the bus shelter feels a bit more human,” he said. 

Virani doesn’t view himself as special for appreciating or creating art. He believes that every kid starts out with artistic inclinations. 

“It’s only by getting a bit older and dealing with the pressures of not wanting to mess up that you start saying that you don’t like art, or ‘I’m not into art,’” he said. 

In addition to striving for more accessible art, Virani questions the competition afflicting the art community.  Before the rise of free websites and social media, competition was based on getting gallery exposure. Today, however, the true competition is in earning the viewer’s attention. People are exposed to a huge number of visuals each day and so the challenge for artists now is to impress the public rather than gallery institutions. This naturally leads to competition between artists. Virani envisions a world where artists collaborate rather than compete with one another.

“Although space is limited, what’s stopping me from having a joint show or promoting other artist’s work in addition to my own?” he said. “I do think there is a synergy, the simple idea that if you work together you’ll actually achieve both. You’ll both achieve more. Symbiosis. I think that exists in the art world.”

Virani chooses to focus on social issues rather than on what will sell. Focusing on pertinent topics gives immediate meaning to the artist’s work. He explains that even if the piece is not widely popular, it will still have value if it speaks to an audience’s social and political sensibilities. He wants to continuously push boundaries and, through his pieces, raise public awareness on topics such as identity, human rights, and originality.

 “I believe that artists have not only a moral obligation to make art that is socially relevant, but they have a moral obligation to ensure that the message gets across,” he explained. 

Virani is acutely aware of how his privileged past as someone who was able to go to university affects his work.

“If you’ve gone to university, you’re a part of that group–period,” Virani said. “So I’m always asking the question to myself, ‘How can I push a piece along the scale to get more towards an art that serves people, and empowers people, and educates people, and gets at issues?’”  

When taking Montreal’s transit system, commuters should keep an eye out for the colourful and fun pieces by Aquil Virani. Virani’s efforts can feel positive and inspirational if one can take a moment to stop, enjoy, and appreciate it and its openness. Every one of Virani’s pieces is imbued with a strong sense of global awareness.

For this artist, the purpose of art is to create positive interactions with people, and leaving his art in bus stops is the best way to enable these interactions.

 “The easiest way to circumvent that [question of] ‘What if no one buys my art?’ and ‘How do I get people to come to my gallery?’ is to bring the gallery to viewers.” 

News, PGSS

PGSS executive midterm reviews

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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This week, the McGill Tribune conducted midterm reviews of the Post-Graduate Students' Society (PGSS) executives.

Victor Frankel: Secretary-General

As PGSS Secretary-General, Victor Frankel has had a hand in many projects across all the executives’ portfolios and ensured that the team has worked together effectively and efficiently. Participation in the society from graduate students tends to be less than that of undergraduates’ involvement in SSMU activities. To try to reverse this trend, Frankel worked closely with PGSS Internal Affairs Officer Mina Anadolu to expand graduate student orientation week to include more activities to help members familiarize themselves with McGill and Montreal. The week was well attended and feedback from participating students was positive. In addition, PGSS has significantly increased programming for its members this year, with over 120 social events planned across the Fall and Winter semesters, from trivia nights to weekly meditation sessions in Thomson House to snow-globe making workshops.

In the first half of his term, Frankel worked with PGSS commissioners, SSMU, and SACOMSS to consult with students and provide input on the McGill administration’s draft of the Policy against Sexual Violence. On Nov. 23, the McGill Senate unanimously approved the Policy, which will now proceed to the McGill Board of Governors for approval on Dec. 1. This semester, Frankel has worked with Member Services Officer Jenny Ann Pura and PGSS Health Commissioner Andrew Dixon to provide input on the streamlining and restructuring of mental health services at McGill and on how to improve the PGSS Health and Dental Plan.

Frankel, a PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, has contributed to and will continue to work on various sustainability and climate policy initiatives at McGill toward the eventual goal of reaching carbon neutrality in time for the university’s 200th anniversary in 2021. He has been collaborating with McGill's Office of Sustainability PGSS environment commissioners to increase academic and research activities focused on sustainability and climate change at McGill.

Jacob Lavigne: External Affairs Officer

In his first semester as External Affairs Officer, Lavigne has been kept busy attending meetings for five different provincial student federation bodies. These include the Union Étudiante du Quebec (UÉQ) and the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ), as PGSS has yet to affiliate to either. Lavigne is also attending meetings of the Quebec Health Professional Students’ Round Table (FRESQue) and serving as secretary of the Board of Directors of the Fédération Étudiante Universitaire du Quebec (FÉUQ) in order to oversee the liquidation of FÉUQ's assets and the dissolve of the organization. FEUQ is scheduled to be fully dissoluted by April 2017. Lavigne has been active in the reformation of the GU 15–a group of graduate student associations from the largest 15 research universities in Canada– into ThinkGrad, which is currently undergoing the incorporation process and recruiting new members.

Lavigne has been active in creating professional development opportunities for PGSS members, especially with the Quartier d’Innovation (QI). PGSS has now established the QInnovator Awards in conjunction with QI, and is in the final stages of planning for handing out the first award. In addition, he has been organizing a seminar series on innovation.

The majority of his time in office has been spent attending conferences and meetings for these groups both in Montreal and across Quebec. PGSS is scheduled to go through a referendum in January or February 2017 to choose a federation to affiliate to. During his campaign, Lavigne ran on a promise to hold a general referendum and give PGSS members the chance to choose between both AVEQ and EUQ. He has since changed this plan after consulting other student associations who have found this form of referendum unsuccessful, and will present both organizations to PGSS Council to choose which to present to constituents in the referendum.

Jenny Ann Pura: Member Services Officer

Pura has successfully coordinated with SSMU, and particularly VP Student Life Elaine Patterson, to bring Study Saturdays—a free service that allows student parents to leave their children with volunteer babysitters during the weekend—into the SSMU Building, which is more accessible given the ongoing construction around Thomson House. Pura will continue to improve the service by increasing the number of volunteers and working to collaborate with Midnight Kitchen, a food service on campus, to provide free food to parents during the study session.

A significant undertaking of Pura’s portfolio is increasing its presence and collaboration with the rest of McGill. To this end she has worked with the Academic Affairs Officer to create a Member Services Committee, which will assist in ensuring that services are represented in other committees throughout the university.

Next semester, Pura will review the PGSS Health and Dental Plan as the renewal referendum will occur in March. In addition, she is working on a networking trip to Ottawa and on providing workshops for international students.

Mina Anadolu: Internal Affairs Officer

As Internal Affairs Officer, Anadolu’s main role is to organize events and workshops for post-graduate students at McGill. Anadolu has diversified the PGSS events portfolio to reflect the interests of a diverse and multicultural community, such as by organizing more health and wellness related events as well as panels on equity and diversity.

Anadolu has also been working on improving communications with PGSS members. PGSS Newswire, a bi-monthly newsletter electronically distributed to all PGSS members, has been redesigned and streamlined in an effort to increase readership.

In response to recent reports of sexual assault and harassment along McTavish Street and Dr. Penfield Avenue, Anadolu has taken steps to ensure the safety of students who attended PGSS’s masquerade ball on Nov. 19 at Thomson House, which included hiring security and working with the McGill Student Emergency Response Team (M-SERT). Anadolu hopes that these measures will ensure that PGSS members feel comfortable attending PGSS events.

Anadolu has also been pushing for the integration of graduate research projects into PGSS functions; however, this initiative has so far received mixed reviews from participants. The Internal Affairs Committee will deliberate whether to change the approach for the Winter semester and is rethinking ways to support graduate research on campus.

Nicholas Dunn: Academic Affairs Officer

As Academic Affairs Officer, Dunn has been focused primarily on graduate student representation on PGSS and university committees. Dunn has made comprehensive lists of open committee positions available to graduate students through a listerv in order to encourage this representation. Additionally, Dunn has organized multiple academic workshops such as “Managing Your Supervisor” and PGSS academic information sessions.

During his ‘Meet the Executive’ interview in September, Dunn mentioned that he was working on the inequity of funding packages distributed to international and out of province Master’s students versus Canadian students. As the funds of the packages don’t reflect the difference in tuition between these two groups of students, Dunn expressed desire to close that gap. This is certainly an important issue to look into; unfortunately, no progress on this front has been reported by Dunn in his monthly council reports.

Mina Moradi: Financial Affairs Officer

Mina Moradi did not provide a comment to the Tribune.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Jacob Lavigne is the secretary of the FEUQ, when in fact he is the secretary of the Board of Directors of the FEUQ. The Tribune regrets this error. 

Montreal, News, Private

The rise of artificial intelligence: Google invests in deep learning in Montreal

by Rebecca Zhuang on

More in Montreal:

Google has solidified Montreal’s newly-attained reputation as an international epicentre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) research by investing $4.5 million in the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms, a research lab at the University of Montreal (UdeM). Artificial Intelligence refers to computer systems performing tasks by mimicking human cognition, including visual or speech recognition, and advanced forms of decision making. According to AI expert and UdeM Professor Yoshua Bengio, Montreal is home to the world’s largest concentration of AI researchers, making it an attractive city for many investors and entrepreneurs who see immense potential for capitalization of the new field. 

Google is also planning to open a deep learning and AI research group in the city. The lab will be owned and led by Google, and will work in conjunction with Google Brain, a machine learning research team. 

“[The] Google AI lab in Montreal is going to grow gradually, but for now will stay in the Google Montreal offices,” Professor Bengio wrote in an email to The Tribune.

According to Doina Precup, a professor in the McGill Department of Computer Science, the new AI lab’s upcoming research will be most relevant to Google rather than the AI industry as a whole, such as working to develop technology that will improve Google search queries. 

“Google has certain products that they would like to improve, so the research is internally used towards these products,” Precup said. “These have to do with search […] and things that are mainly related to Google’s issues.”

The expanding AI industry in Montreal has led to the creation of many startup research factories, such as Element AI. Launched by Bengio in Oct. 2016, Element AI works to develop AI that can be used by many businesses for their services. Element AI Program Director Sébastien Provencher believes that the work that is being done in AI today holds great potential. 

“We’re looking at the new frontier […] AI is where it’s happening today, and that’s why it’s exciting,” said Provencher. “Montreal is becoming the place to be in the world for any type of deep learning, machine learning, or AI projects.”

Provencher believes that Google’s investment could also create incentives for many Canadians working in Silicon Valley to return, as running a business in Montreal is much cheaper.

“There’s talent originally in Montreal that might be working in the Valley right now, and we want them to come back,” Provencher said. 

While Google’s lab will help in drawing more investors and business to Montreal, Precup is worried that it may complicate things on the academic scene. 

“From the point of view of academia, […] the difficulty is […] a lot of people who work in [research] have left for the industry and there’s not that many people left to train students,” Precup said. 

Precup is also hopeful that Google’s AI lab will allow for them to share resources with academic labs who may not have access to certain equipment.

McGill PhD candidate in Computer Science Emmanuel Bengio, Professor Yoshua Bengio’s son, is optimistic that Google’s investment will create more opportunities for students after graduation.

“Before, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to find a job in AI in Montreal, but I think this just increased the potential of that happening,” Bengio said.  
 

Commentary, Opinion

Partisan boundaries stifle discourse on Facebook

by Evan Thomas on

More in Commentary:

In theory, social media platforms should be a boundless, intellectual, free market for sharing ideas. It’s a platform for individuals to effortlessly and instantly share their views. In turn, all users would be subjected to a wide range of views from all sides of the ideological spectrum.

This, however, has not proved to be the case. Facebook feeds have become echo chambers of ideas, where we are exposed primarily to content that reinforces our own biases and viewpoints. This polarization is largely due to the nature of Facebook and Google’s personalization algorithms. The more that users click, like, and share content that resonates with their beliefs, the more they are exposed to similar stories. This results in the so-called ‘blue feed, red feed’ phenomenon, in which users are sheltered from ideologies other than their own. Exposure to such groupthink is a slippery slope towards social divisions that cause polarization between left and right.

We must be critical and conscious of the media that is fed to us through our electronic screens. We must make an effort to engage with opinions that we disagree with.

In its 12 years of existence, Facebook has transformed into arguably the most influential media company in human history. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 44 per cent of Americans access their news primarily via Facebook. With nearly 1.8 billion users worldwide, Facebook wields unfathomable power to influence the news that the world consumes, and so must recognize the journalistic responsibilities that come with it. This is especially pertinent after a former Facebook employee revealed that the company suppressed right-wing news stories on their platform.

Be critical of the news you consume. Burst the intellectual bubbles that surround you.

At the end of the day, Facebook is a for-profit corporation that understands that challenging and upsetting its users through exposure to dissenting views will drive them away. However, the online echo chamber that results from Facebook’s business practices have an adverse effect on our ideological development.

If we are not exposed to differing opinions, it will become impossible for us to critically assess our own. We cannot develop intellectually without confrontations to our understanding, as they will either challenge our views or strengthen our conviction. Critical reflection is essential to intellectual growth: It was Socrates who told us that “the unexamined life is not worth living.”

All of this is to say that the polarization of social media might lead one to believe that they are bound to choose between either far left or right camp, with no options in between. Both liberals and conservatives stand to benefit by exposing themselves to the arguments of the other side, outside of the confines of their respective blue and red feeds. This can lead them to reconsider the foundations of their ideas, achieve common ground, and avoid the radicalizing effects of the group mentality.

We must be conscious of the remarkable ability of our social media feeds to inform us, to rile us up, and to tell us who and what we should be mad at. We live in a world in which computer algorithms divide us, and where online platforms that should promote a healthy discourse are extremely polarized.

In light of this, us users need to be active in fighting back against political polarization. Be critical of the news you consume. Burst the intellectual bubbles that surround you. Welcome the voices of those you disagree with, regardless of how offensive or disruptive you may find them. Only by doing this can we break the bounds of ideological divides.

 

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.

Off the Board, Opinion

When words lie: Leitch’s anti-Canadian values exclude on the basis of inclusion

by Emma Avery on

More in Off the Board:

“Violence and misogyny are not Canadian values,” Kellie Leitch, former minister of labour and minister of the status of women, tells Maclean’s.

The above is an innocuous statement regarding Leitch’s vague and seemingly benign proposal to screen immigrants for “anti-Canadian values.” Obviously, most people don’t condone violence or misogyny. But, as Anne Kingston points out in the Maclean’s piece, it’s implied that certain ethnicities and religious groups—particularly, Muslims—are disproportionately seen as holding inappropriate values.

Leitch is currently campaigning for the leadership of Canada’s Conservative Party, which will be decided in May 2017. The contest has provoked a debate around what has been termed “the Conservatives’ identity crisis about identity.” Leitch’s condemnation of anti-Canadian values implies that there is an opposing set of distinctly Canadian ones. However, the fact that she cannot define what Canadian identity consists of illustrates the flaw in her logic. As Kingston puts it, “Leitch has defined Canadian values in terms of what they’re not.” By using fear tactics to target public perceptions of the threat that ‘others’ pose to Canada, Leitch invokes a different kind of violence—the violence of words and nationalist rhetoric—that threatens our ability to accept and embrace difference.

 

Bounding the concept of national identity is counterproductive, and only places limits on difference.

There are consequences to attempting to treat a nation as a whole. As Benedict Anderson argues in his book, Imagined Communities, the nation is an “imagined political community—imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign.” Although no one has ever met every member of their nation, citizens construct an image of what their nation looks like and of what it contains.

This functions as a coping mechanism: The idea of a nation is so vast, immense, unknowable, and powerful. At the same time, nations are supposed to be sources of comfort, familiarity, and identity. They constitute an essential part of what we think of when we think of home. In order to understand and conceive of a country, citizens have to imagine parts of it. But, in these constructions, certain people are left out. Leitch’s playing to the sentiment of Canadian values is paradoxical: It caters to notions of tolerance, equality, and inclusivity, but excludes precisely on the basis of this supposed inclusivity. It excludes ‘others’ who are not seen as compatible with being a tolerant Canadian.

It’s near impossible to define a unifying value in a multicultural, colonial nation of 35 million people. Canada prides itself on its tolerant nature, but tolerance, for all of its extolled virtues, is not enough. It conceals a power dynamic, much like the rhetoric Leitch is perpetuating: Who has the power to tolerate whom is crucial in understanding our approaches to ‘others.’ In screening for anti-Canadian values, the government would be exercising this power of tolerance over who is compatible with its society and who is not.

Even Canada—recently portrayed by global media as the alternative to the rise of isolationist, xenophobic politics in the U.S. and Western Europe—struggles to be tolerant: We attempt to celebrate the history of our indigenous and minority communities, but equal treatment is still not a reality. Chinese residents in cities such as Vancouver face significant racism in the housing market. We are not immune to hatred directed towards Muslims, as has occurred recently on Alberta university campuses. It’s convenient to ignore the fact that Justin Trudeau’s government has been invoking Bill C-24—which repeals citizenship from immigrants—at an alarmingly high rate.

Tellingly, a recent CBC poll shows that 68 per cent of Canadians think minorities should do more to fit in with mainstream Canadian society. Most Canadians are tolerant, so long as those of other cultures fit the mould. Leitch’s nationalism threatens to hide this reality. Bounding the concept of national identity is counterproductive, and only places limits on difference.

 

 

 

Emma Avery is an Opinion Editor at The McGill Tribune and a third year Anthropology and Urban Systems student. Her favourite television show is (still) The Office. She is passionate about Liverpool FC, dogs, and St-Viateur bagels.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 

 

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Best Film and Television of 2016

by Evelyn Goessling, Selin Altuntur, April Barett, Eric Noble-Marks, Dylan Adamson, Ariella Garmaise, & Morgan Davis on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

Compiled by our staff editors and writers, here is the best film and television of 2016.

Best Films of 2016

slantmagazine.com
slantmagazine.com

1. Moonlight

Barry Jenkins pieces together a deeply moving investigation of masculinity, class, and race in this fictional biopic.  Compelling visuals, and tense dialogue come together in heartbreaking performances to give this film our #1 spot.

2. All Vines

The video hosting platform Vine has tragically been shut down this year. The incredible diversity of 6-second Vines showcase hilarious and accessible filmmaking from a generation of smartphone wielders. 

ew.com
ew.com

3. American Honey

Andrea Arnold’s film is an intimate look into the life of a vagrant teenager traveling through the American South. Its modern soundtrack and themes of poverty and drug use make this film a unique tour of love, desperation, and reconciliation. 

4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Delving further into a familiar story, the Star Wars mythology is reimagined for the current age, with a cast of fresh faces and enduring themes of heroism, compassion, and revolution.

indiewire.com
indiewire.com

5. Don’t Think Twice

Don’t Think Twice follows a New York improv group whose members include Gillian Jacobs and Keegan-Michael Key. Some of the group members begin to succeed, and others must confront the fact that they might never “make it big.”

6. The Witch

Robert Eggers’ latest horror film, set in the 17th century New England countryside, is eerie and dark. The film explores the psychological dimensions of witchcraft panic, as it observes one family destroy itself from the inside out.

janksreviews.com
janksreviews.com

7. Edge of Seventeen

Hailee Steinfeld delivers a hilarious, brutally honest portrait of a confused, lonely teenager. This insightful coming-of-age tale neither condescends nor tries too hard to be relatable.

8. Green Room

Jeremy Saulnier’s ultraviolent thrill ride takes a believable indie music drama and promptly turns it on its head. The film’s punk rockers versus neo-Nazis (led by a stoic Patrick Stewart) premise delivers uncommonly heady and emotional genre thrills.

cineaste.com
cineaste.com

9. Embrace of the Serpent 

Ciro Guerra’s film places the viewer in the centre of a jungle where everything is alive and deadly. The black and white cinematography lends an unmatched visual texture and depth.

10. Finding Dory

Guaranteed to rouse early-2000s nostalgia, this highly-anticipated sequel doesn’t disappoint.  Watching Finding Dory is like returning home – it is emotionally exhausting in an extremely comforting way.

Best of TV

ew.com
ew.com

1. Stranger Things

Stranger Things delivers a satisfyingly nostalgic and familiar story—a small-town, 80s mystery—with twists and excellent performances to keep audiences interested. 

2. Atlanta

Donald Glover effortlessly glides into the role of creator in this absurdly endearing dramedy.  Each episode of Atlanta is an intelligently-crafted think piece on timely issues of class and race.

comingsoon.net
comingsoon.net

3. Last Week Tonight

John Oliver has created a new brand of political humour on HBO, often choosing to focus his commentary on little known, but impactful, stories. 

4. Westworld

Part western, part dystopian science fiction, Westworld is a relentlessly captivating and deeply unsettling exploration of the potentially terrifying impact of artificial intelligence.

digitalspyuk.cdnds.net
digitalspyuk.cdnds.net

5.Game of Thrones

Television’s most expensive fantasy soap opera shook audiences this year with its gripping narrative and surprise deaths. Game of Thrones’ (surviving) characters are achieving cult status as television icons.

6. Black Mirror

Charlie Brooker’s excellent series returned for a new season, featuring forays into horror and crime genres, and a spectacular love story that transcends space and time.

guim.co.uk
guim.co.uk

7. The Crown

The Crown’s historical intrigue is totally riveting. Lavish design, along with excellent performances from Claire Foy and Matt Smith, bring the nuanced Royal story to life.

8. Narcos

A mixture of historical accuracy and dramatic reenactment, Narcos returned as considerably darker and fast-paced than its first season. 

litreactor.com
litreactor.com

9. The Get Down

Baz Luhrmann’s television debut offers a charming cast of characters and a dazzling portrayal of 1970s New York. The score shines through, allowing the viewer revel in the funk, jazz, and disco of the period. 

10. Transparent

Jill Soloway’s critically acclaimed series continues pushing boundaries into its third season as it explores the intersections between wealth, whiteness, and gender.

 

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