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Student Life

The holiday season kicks off at Education Faculty’s pop-up shop

by Emilie Macfie on

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On Nov. 18, the lobby of the Education Building was transformed into a cozy and cheerful winter wonderland for the faculty’s first annual Holiday Pop-Up Shop. This festive kickoff to the holiday season showcased 19 student vendors selling everything from cupcakes to wooden bowties. Glittering snowflakes hung from the ceiling, Christmas lights twinkled, and jazzy holiday tunes played behind the sound of cheerful banter, making the pop-up shop an uplifting destination on a chilly November day. Shoppers could rest their legs at the canteen, which served the Education Undergraduate Society’s self-proclaimed “famous” grilled cheese along with home-made lemonade, located on a balcony overlooking the festivities.

The pop-up shop is one of many events put on by McGill student groups to benefit Centraide, an organization that invests in local groups to aid in alleviating poverty and social exclusion in Montreal. This includes many grassroots initiatives, such as providing tutoring services for students who can’t afford help. Last year, the combined money raised for this cause by McGill groups totalled over $500,000.

The warm, community feel in the room was in large part due to the fact that the event was entirely student-run, aside from the coordinator, Jennifer Coutlee, who is the Alumni Relations and Special Events officer at the Faculty of Education.

“I was mandated by the Dean to raise money for Centraide and I thought the best way to do that would be to involve the students,” Coutlee said.

Being a crafty person herself, Coutlee decided to put on a holiday pop-up shop. After sending out the call for students with a crafty hobby or side business, she received more interested vendors than the lobby could contain.

“The response was overwhelming,” Coutlee said. “I actually had to turn people away.”

This encouraging response has lead organizers to consider moving next year’s event into the building’s library, which is about four times the size of the lobby, to accommodate more vendors. This huge engagement from students manifested not only in the number of vendors, but also in the volunteers that spent the day before the event decorating the lobby and facilitating the event day-of. . The community feel of this student-run event fits very well with Centraide, the cause that the event was benefitting.

According to Kira Smith, a U3 Arts student and a McGill representative for Centraide, the organization’s goal for this year is to raise $1 million among McGill students.

“We love how every single faculty does what they can,”  Smith said of the group effort made by the McGill community to support the Montreal community at large.

Vendors, volunteers, and shoppers alike were excited to be sharing the holiday spirit. Jillian Agustin, U4 Education, sold hand-decorated mugs bearing themes such as Harry Potter and Pokémon for her startup, Mug Life. She explained that she was happy to be selling at the pop-up shop because of the social aspect of the event.

“I like talking to people and seeing all of the other art and creativity,” Augustin said.

The students certainly showcased their creativity, treating shoppers to a wide selection of food ranging from pickled vegetables to cupcakes decorated to look like Cookie Monster. Handmade goods like greeting cards, jewellery, and leather products gave customers many options for Christmas gifts and personal treats alike.

“It’s very well put together,” Gwenn Barrett, a U0 Education student at the shop in search of a gift for her sister, commented.  

The Faculty of Education Holiday Pop-Up shop provided the perfect start to the holiday season, while bringing students of all faculties together and supporting a great local cause. The smiles on the faces of all attendees proved the success of the initiative and set the stage for an even bigger, better, and merrier pop-up shop to come next year.

Hockey, Martlets, Sports

McGill Martlet hockey throttle Carleton Ravens to top RSEQ

by Elias Blahacek on

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The McGill Martlets (6-2-0) exploded for 38 shots on goal in an aggressive 3-1 victory against the visiting Carleton Ravens (2-6-1) on Friday night at McConnell Arena.

“I liked our game,” Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith said. “I thought we played fast, I thought we played with structure.”

The Martlets proved their worth at the top of the RSEQ standings against the lower-seeded Ravens. It was clear from the get-go that the home team had control of the game although only managing to capitalize on scoring opportunities on three occasions. McGill pressured Carleton in the attacking zone all game, dictating the pace of play and keeping the Ravens on their heels until the end of the match.

The first and second periods were mainly played in the Ravens’ end, as the Martlets held the opposition to a mere six shots in each period of play. There were some personal battles between and after the whistles with first-year forward Olivia Atkinson bringing a hard physical dimension to the game and demonstrating that the Martlets were willing to match the Ravens’ aggression. Atkinson’s physical prowess and second period goal solidified a well-rounded effort, particularly in the offensive zone. Martlet Captain Melodie Daoust led the squad with two assists.

“I expect us to come out hard,” Daoust said pre-game. “Bring a lot of pucks to the net and crash the net.”

Daoust was looking for her team to play a complete 60 minutes and enforce an aggressive offensive style of play. The Martlets managed to get away 10 shots on goal in the final five minutes of the third period, preventing the Ravens from pulling their goaltender for the extra skater. The strong finish to the game is a positive sign of strong performance for the Martlets as they wrap up their 2016 home schedule.

In the midst of a four-game winning streak, the Martlets lead all Canadian university teams in goal differentials, only giving up 14 goals through eight games. The Martlets rank sixth in the country with a .937 save percentage as netminder Tricia Deguire has been a force all season.

The Martlets will complete the first half of their 2016-2017 season with away games at Concordia on Dec. 2 and Ottawa on Dec. 4, where they will look to maintain their first place standing.

 

Quotable: “Overall, I thought it was a good game of hockey, I thought we moved the puck real well.” — Head Coach Peter Smith

Stat Corner: With two assists, Melodie Daoust now has ten points in her past six games.

Moment of the Game: After surrendering a powerplay goal in the third period, the Martlets bounced back with 10 minutes of offensive zone time, preventing the Ravens from completing the comeback.

Baseball, Men's Varsity, Sports

Ogundakun shoots the lights out as Redmen basketball zap Stingers on Pots and Pans night

by Aaron Rose on

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“It was a great crowd,” fourth-year guard and McGill Redmen basketball captain Dele Ogundakun said of the 703 fans in attendance for McGill Athletics’ annual Pots and Pans night. “We want to make it a great show for this crowd and a great atmosphere.”

With the rambunctious Redmen faithful in attendance, McGill (2-1) embarrassed the rival Concordia Stingers (2-2) 96-56 on Thursday night at Love Competition Hall.

Spurred on by the clanging of pots and pans, the Redmen jumped out to a 29-2 run to start the game.

“As soon as the lights went out, the fans got into it,” Head Coach Dave DeAveiro said. “I want our crowd to understand that they make a huge difference in the way we play.”

The Redmen offence was on fire from deep, connecting on 17 of 32 shots from beyond the arc.

“We’ve been shooting a lot [of 3-pointers] in practice,” Dele Ogundakun said, “We’ve been shooting so much we have to make them in the game.”

Defensively, the Redmen swarmed the Stingers, forcing Concordia to shoot from the outside.

“I thought they followed the game plan really well,” DeAveiro said. “We didn’t want to let them have any easy baskets at the rim and I thought we did that for the most part.”

Having struggled earlier in the year, Ogundakun broke out for McGill, tying a school record for three-pointers on seven for 10 shooting from deep. He recorded a career high 29 points along with six rebounds and four assists.

“I’ve been trying to get my rhythm back,” Ogundakun said. “This is a breaking point back to the old Dele.”

However, it was the veteran captain’s leadership that shined the brightest throughout the game.

“I just want to teach all the young guys what I wish I knew when I was younger,” Ogundakun said.

With the game out of hand late, DeAveiro gave his bench the opportunity to log significant minutes in the final quarter. Third year guard Avery Cadogan scored nine points in the fourth quarter as the bench showed continued improvement this season.

“They just played the way I expected them to play,” DeAveiro said. “If they didn’t play that way, I’d be upset.”

The Redmen now head out to Lennoxville for a date with the Bishop’s Gaiters (0-3) on Saturday. The former RSEQ powerhouse has struggled this season, but McGill isn’t going to take them lightly.

“They’re a desperate team,” DeAveiro said. “It’ll be a nice test to see if we have the mental toughness to come back in 48 hours and play a tough team in their gym.”

Stat of the game: McGill was four points away from hitting the century mark for the first time since 2014.

Quotable: “I don’t think we’ve ever lost a game on a night like that.” – Head Coach Dave DeAveiro said of the atmosphere created by the 703 fans in attendance.

Moment: A 3-pointer from Noah Daoust in the first minute of play would be as close as the Stingers would be to defeating the Redmen.

News, SSMU

Fall 2016 Referendum and General Assembly Online Ratification results

by Sara Cullen on

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The results of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Fall 2016 Referendum and General Assembly (GA) online ratification were released on Nov. 18. All referendum questions passed and nominations were ratified online. Of the approximately 22,600 students eligible to vote, turnout was 18.1 per cent, exceeding the quorum of 15 per cent. Quorum for GA Online Ratification is slightly lower at 10 per cent and it was reached with a 12.6 per cent turnout rate.

Creation of a Musicians’ Collective Fee: “Yes”

This motion called for the creation of a $0.10 opt-outable fee that will fund the Musicians’ Collective (MC). Previously funded solely from the SSMU budget, MC provides student-musicians at McGill with affordable services such as educational workshops, practice room booking, performance opportunities, and instrument and equipment rental. This motion passed with a 72 per cent “yes” vote.

MC President Saul Zetler wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune that the MC executive team is excited about the creation of the fee and that the money will be put towards maintaining the Jam Room that is available for students to book online.

“We look forward to putting the money to good use improving the condition of the jam space,” Zetler wrote. “Much of the equipment in the jam space needs repairing or replacing, and the money collected from this fee will be instrumental in ensuring that the quality of the jam space is upheld.”

Midnight Kitchen Fee Renewal: “Yes”

This motion proposed a $0.10 increase to the current opt-outable Midnight Kitchen student fee. Approval of this motion increases the fee to $3.45 and money will be used to fund the non-profit, volunteer-run collective that provides free vegan lunch and breakfast meals on campus. The motion passed with a 78.6 per cent “yes” vote.

Midnight Kitchen Discretionary Projects: “Yes”

The approval of this motion allows Midnight Kitchen to allocate a portion of their student fee revenue to aspects of their mandate outside of providing free meals. Midnight Kitchen was founded with an anti-oppression mandate that opposes privatization and corporatization. A portion of their budget goes towards educating the community on topics that align with their mandate. This motion passed with a 73.9 per cent “yes” vote.

Midnight Kitchen Collective member and “Yes” Committee Chair Anastasie Dudley, U3 Arts, wrote in a message to The McGill Tribune that Midnight Kitchen is thankful for the support of SSMU members during the referendum period.

“The Midnight Kitchen Collective is relieved by the overwhelming support of both our existence fee and our discretionary funding in the past week,” Dudley wrote. “The maintenance of this fee will allow us to continue operations as usual, and as we have already been giving discretionary funding for years the explicit permission we have now been granted will further allow us to go on as usual.”

Dudley hopes that Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) members will be equally supportive during the upcoming PGSS Fall Referendum as Midnight Kitchen continues to be a well-used service on campus.

“Given the continued prioritization of corporate interests on campus by the administration, we don't see the need for our service dwindling any time soon and are dedicated to continuing to provide an affordable, healthy alternative,” Dudley said.

Free Menstrual Hygiene Products Fee and Health & Hygiene Products Fund: “Yes”

Brought forward by members of the SSMU Legislative Council, including SSMU President Ben Ger and Vice-President (VP) Student Life Elaine Patterson, approval of this motion will instate a non-opt-outable $0.90 fee in the Winter 2017 semester. The fee will finance a SSMU Health and Hygiene Products Fund that will go towards providing free menstrual hygiene products in restrooms on campus and educating the community on financial discrimination that affects those who experience menstruation. This motion passed with 80.7 per cent “yes” vote.

Ger said that feedback to the motion was mostly positive and that the motion passed by a large margin.

“[Free menstrual hygiene products are] something that [have] been wanted in the past,” Ger said. “People for Menstrual Solidarity, McGill Students for Feminism, both of those groups wanted to see something like this put in place for quite some time. They’ve been doing a lot of the groundwork so we really only came in with implementation phases, recognizing that we have that ability to make change at these high levels.”

According to Ger, SSMU would like to implement the program as soon as possible.

“Our plan in an ideal world would be to have a few [dispensaries] up and running by the time people get back [from winter break], obviously we can’t get every single washroom right off the bat,” Ger said. “It’s a pretty massive project to put all these things everywhere so it will be a bit of a delayed thing where we slowly put them in, I don’t imagine it will take more than a year [….]”

Nomination of the Auditor for the Fiscal Year of 2017: “Yes”

The accounting firm FL Fuller Landau LLP was approved in October by SSMU Council to prepare SSMU’s financial statement for the 2017 fiscal year. The choice of the auditor must be approved by SSMU members at-large on an annual basis. This nomination was ratified with a 89.9 per cent “yes” vote.

According to Ger, the appointment of the auditor is made public in order to maintain transparency.

“The auditor is to make sure that our finances are in check, but also that we’re spending our money appropriately,” Ger said. “It is student dollars that are coming through this space, so making sure that the student body is in approval of the auditing company that we’re using, that the process is transparent every step of the way, is something that we’ve deemed important.”

Ger said that SSMU has encountered financial issues in past years, necessitating the need for an outside firm to assess SSMU’s finances.

“There were issues […] in the past that kind of sprung [the annual nomination of the auditor],” Ger said. “The SSMU went belly up, essentially, and the university came in and took over, and ever since then we’ve hired a full time internal auditor […] to come in to make sure that we’re doing our job right.”

Nomination of the SSMU Board of Directors 2016-17: “Yes”

Also appointed annually, nominations for the Board of Directors are approved in Legislative Council before being approved by SSMU members at-large. This nomination was ratified with an 86.7 per cent “yes” vote.

Ger said that the Board of Directors is recognized as one of the highest decision-making bodies within SSMU and its decisions have a strong influence on services that impact student life.

“Their abilities are split between the Legislative Council and the Board of Directors, but the people that you ratify onto that body are dealing with all the legal, HR, operational–SRC and Gert’s, for example–and building-related matters,” Ger said. “So, it is a lot of stuff that directly impacts students. When people look at ratifying the Board of Directors […] it is still an important process of recognizing who is going to be representing you and choosing to support that.”

Arts & Entertainment

Flashback: Charlie’s Angels

by Julia Metraux on

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When it came to solving crime on television, male-led shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and I Spy dominated espionage and crime entertainment throughout the 1960s. Although women did have some important roles, they were mainly featured alongside men. Just over 40 years ago, on Sept. 22, 1976, Charlie’s Angels premiered. Its leads were three female heroines, portrayed by actresses Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, who left an impact on feminist pop culture.

Sabrina (Jackson), Jill (Fawcett), and Kelly (Smith) are three undercover investigators who work to solve crimes. In the first episode, we learn that the three heroines all graduated successfully from the police academy but work as a meter maid, office worker, and crossing guard. Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly are then recruited to work for Townsend Detective Agency. At the beginning of each episode, the three women are assigned a crime to solve by their boss, Charlie,  a mysterious character depicted only as a disembodied voice communicating to the Angels through radio. This television series lasted for five seasons, but it started to decline in popularity during its last two years on air due to various casting changes.

Although the show demonstrates a team of three competent and capable women, the central driving force is male; however, in the context of the time period, the relationship between Charlie and his Angels demonstrates a significant amount of progress, as the three women were depicted as skilled and resourceful, and were put in charge of important missions. This depiction reflected women moving beyond secretarial jobs in the workforce during this time, although there was still a power dynamic between male bosses and their female workers.

The outfits of Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly received plenty of backlash for being what some people consider as too revealing at the time. The costume design reflected the sexual liberation movement of the late 60s and early 70s. But, many believe that the Angels were dressed primarily to be sex objects, undermining their agency as characters.     

In an statement, Fawcett agreed with the latter idea.

"When the show was number three, I figured it was our acting,” Fawcett said. “When it got to be number one, I decided it could only be because none of us wears a bra.” 

Charlie’s Angels was conceived during North America’s second-wave feminist movement; there are aspects of the show that both support and contradict this movement. The show contributed to the movement, in which women fought to have equality in the workplace, as the Angels occupied action-driven, positions outside of secretarial work. However, the emphasis on the looks of the actresses in order to appeal to the male gaze detracted from the positive feminist messages promoted in the show.     

To this day, Charlie’s Angels is a cult favourite and has inspired spin-offs, such as 2001’s film adaptation starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu, and 2011’s short-lived series revival. The success of Charlie’s Angels created the model for successful female-driven crime and espionage shows, such as cop-drama Rizzoli and Isles and cartoon show Totally Spies!, as it was one of the first T.V. representations of women who were capable of excelling in traditionally male roles. Due to the boundaries that the television show Charlie’s Angels pushed, female T.V. characters at the time were finally able to have their skills and desires at the forefront, instead of simply serving as eye candy.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

First Impressions: Drake’s latest tracks

by Selin Altuntur, April Barrett, and Evelyn Goessling on

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"Fake Love"

Apple Music’s description of “Fake Love” says that the song is, “A brutally honest look at fame and friendship.” This is a seriously bold note to start on, and it seems somehow ominous. What am I about to hear? Drake’s usual emotional/nonsensical banter, or something much darker?

These lyrics are no joke. Drake calls all the fakes the fuck OUT. Jealousy, backstabbing, social climbing, and fake love—I guess Drake has had enough.

“I’ve been down so long they look like up to me, they look up to me/ straight up to my face.” When were you “down,” Drake? Last I saw you were on top of Toronto's CN tower.

I like the layered percussion and plucked string chords. This sound is unexpected and definitely recognizably Drake, although the sparse instrumentation makes him seem more lonely than usual. The beat seems to be taken almost directly from Hotline Bling. Actually, it almost feels like I’m listening to the same song, although it’s not as catchy, and definitely sadder.

This song was super repetitive. I don’t know if I should criticize Drake too hard on this point, though; it’s pretty common to have repetitive rap music. But, does “Fake Love” deserve a spot on Pitchfork’s Best New Tracks? No! This song is boring as hell! I guess it’s interesting that Drake is being vulnerable about his relationships. Yet the song somehow still feels subtly braggadocios, like Drake is the only real one in the game. Is he, though? IS HE?

–Evelyn Goessling, Arts & Entertainment Editor

“Two Birds, One Stone” 

The song opens with some cool, chipmunk, Bon Iver/Kanye distortion. A nice dripping beat, simple bongo drums. The track is busy, kind of noisy.

“More time with family and friends, more life,” Aubrey says, tapping into a very cute concept. The cover art is an image of his Dad at his parents wedding. This track/EP’s central theme seems to be family.

“More blessings for Sandy [Drake’s mom] and him [Drake’s dad, Dennis], more life.” That’s a very nice thought! His parents are clearly at the heart of this song.

The lyrical content is a scattered thought, jumping from family, to fame, to rappers who call him out for not being hood enough. It is a freestyle—from what I can tell.

In that way, the song reminds me of Drake’s triumphant “6PM in New York,” but less clever and a little more bitter and depressing.

For example: “Fuck the rap game, it's all lies and it's all filthy / two per cent of us rich and the rest of these [expletives] all milk it.”

Like, damn! That sucks.

—April Barrett, Managing Editor

“Sneakin’” 

Sounds like Stranger Things meets sad Drake.

The beat sounds like basic garage band shit.

Still very catchy.

“I don’t need love I’m a goat.” Excuse me?

—Selin Altuntur, Arts & Entertainment Editor

 

Arts & Entertainment, Books

“Queers Were Here:” Canada’s LGBTQ+ community

by Michelle Hahn-Baker on

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In Robin Ganev and RJ Gilmour’s collection of thirteen essays Queers Were Here, Canada’s queer community is put at the forefront. The essays explore the stories of the figures who shaped gay culture and identity across the country. The book ultimately demonstrates that queer people have always existed in Canada and that, despite years of adversity, the queer community’s experience has been rich, vibrant and full of a diversity of perspectives.

Contemporary members of the Canadian LGBTQ community tell stories of their personal heroes, demonstrating the power of community. The book offers a look into the alternative spaces carved out by seminal queer figures, such as Nancy Jo Cullen and Gordon Bowness. This collection serves to honour these figures, who mentored some of the leading voices of today’s gay community. These stories remind the reader that the human rights we enjoy today, specifically those of the LGBTQ+ community, were hard-fought for.

While the book isn’t always engaging—certain essays have slow moments of long-winded prose, detail, and inaction—Queers Were Here is consistently worthwhile for the sheer sake of the cultural importance of its subjects. The subjects include figures like Carole Pope, a provocative singer who was one of the first lesbian entertainers to break into the Canadian mainstream. This book brings to light some of what has been forgotten about these figures such as these, either through the passage of time or the simple truth that it was never properly exposed in the first place.

There is a different essay for every reader. Some are first-hand accounts of the political processes of Canada’s biggest steps towards equality, such as the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1969. Others are poignant stories about first love, or reflections about the role of queerness in shaping an individual’s identity. In particular, Karleen Pendleton-Jiménez’s essay about her relationship with the activist Tim MacCaskell and Alec Butler’s piece on writer Marie-Claire Blais should not be missed. These brief essays are poetic, insightful, and touching at once.

Queers Were Here introduces the reader to heroes and icons of gay Canadian history who too often go unrecognized and unhonoured: Scott Thompson, an iconic member of the comedy sketch comedy group The Kids in the Hall, who provided one of the first positive portrayals of gay men on Canadian television; Marie-Claire Blais, the Quebecois writer who wrote fiction about the queer experience that went far beyond tokenizing, and many more icons, champions of social justice, and everyday queer Canadians who changed lives by providing others with the tools and encouragement to be proud of their own identities.

The prose is generally easily digestible, but the depth of historical detail and queer theory in certain essays makes it interesting for critical reading as well as personal pleasure. Essays from Maurice Vellekoop and Steve MacIsaac are in fact told through comics, which provides relief from the dense prose of some other essays.

It would have been even more powerful, however, if there were more diversity among the creators of this collection. While writers like Karleen Pendleton-Jimenez and Alec Butler write from the perspectives of a Latina lesbian woman and transgender man, respectively, half of the collection’s fourteen contributors are gay white men. While this doesn’t take away from the validity or merit of their work, the collection lacks representation of certain voices that are often doubly marginalized, even within the LGBTQ+ community.

Queers Were Here is a collaborative exploration of the heroes and icons of Canada’s queer history, retold with emotion and heart by the people who loved them, knew them, or were inspired by them. In its retellings, the collection celebrates the achievements made towards equality, and highlights some of what still needs to be done. All in all, this is a socially important book that explores some of the most overlooked, underrepresented, and important parts of Canadian history.

Arts & Entertainment, Private

Montreal’s oldest beer is rediscovered at “L’Affaire Hart”

by Quinn O'Hearn on

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The Museum of Jewish Montreal (MJM), Montreal’s keeper of Jewish history and culture,  provided a unique opportunity to not just learn about Quebec's Jewish history, but to experience it with their event ‘L'Affaire Hart,’ named after a newly-rediscovered beer recipe. With the help of Réservoir Artisanal Brewery and the Hart family, the MJM recreated one of Canada's oldest beers—light amber in colour, rich in flavour and history.

The history of the beer began in Trois-Rivières in 1796. The Harts, the first Jewish family to settle in Quebec and known for their political and social justice work, opened a malt house and brewery. More than 200 years later, the recipe was discovered in an online database by full time lawyer and beer loving blogger Gary Gilman.

Gary Gilman practices corporate commercial law, and runs the blog Beer et Seq. on the history, economy, science, and culture of beer. It was his blog post written in February of this year that sparked the interest of one of the museums researchers, Magdalene Klassen.

The event took place on the corner of St. Laurent and St. Denis, in Fletcher’s Espace Culinaire, a Jewish café run by the MJM. According to their Facebook page, the restaurant aims to "reawaken traditions, reimagine the classics, and reconnect community," a sentiment that echoes throughout all of MJM’s endeavors. Rows and rows of excited visitors filled the venue, whose minimalist industrial style sets the perfect backdrop for their colourful and complex dishes. Fletcher’s was effortlessly cool, from the clean industrial design of the space, to the youthful, well dressed museum employees.

The first speaker at the event was Denis Vaugeois, a historian and author, who told the story of the Hart family. Among many political and social accomplishments, they opened the first synagogue in Canada. Gilman then spoke about the historical and technical aspects of the beer, detailing the traditional English brew techniques, that are archaic in comparison to today's methods. Nathan McNutt, the master brewer from Réservoir, and the man behind the Hart beer's revival, discussed the techniques used to create the most authentic version of the 18th century beer. In order to get the closest possible result, McNutt tried to stick to the original recipe as close as possible, making alterations here and there to counteract the effects of today's technology.

After hearing from Vaugeois, Gilman, and McNutt, guests and coordinators ventured out field trip style to Réservoir’s neighbourhood brewpub, where the second floor and terasse had been reserved. There the bartenders and brewers served the guests complimentary glasses of the 8.6 per cent beer.

Beer brewing technology have both come a long way since the 18th century. Beer is no longer brewed in wood barrels using hot stones, caramelized by the dregs of previous batches. The technology of the production has changed, and so have the tastes of the consumers. The alcohol percentage of beer has gone down, along with the strength of taste. L'affaire Hart is not a trendy IPA or a university classic like Pabst Blue Ribbon. It has an unique flavour that perhaps even some of today's biggest beer fans won't enjoy. Many guests held a genuine appreciation for the historical aspects of the beer and the passion that went into recreating it, but were unable to handle the taste of the traditional English brew.

The name of the reimagined beer, and the event itself, commemorates the triumph and hardship of Ezekiel Hart, whose successful election into the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was met with controversy and antisemitism. According to the McCord Museum, despite winning the votes, he was unable to take his seat because he could not take what was at the time the customary oath “on the true faith of a Christian.” From creating the first Jewish beer in Quebec, to opening the first synagogue in Canada, and all the political and social work in between, the Hart family has been an extremely influential part of Quebec’s history. MJM and Réservoir celebrated the history of the Hart family, bringing people from all age groups and backgrounds together over a glass of beer and tales of social justice.

McGill, News

McGill Senate approves Policy against Sexual Violence

by Domenic Casciato on

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Policy against Sexual Violence

On Nov. 23, the McGill Senate unanimously approved the Policy against Sexual Violence. With the Senate’s approval, the Policy will now proceed to the Board of Governors for approval on Dec. 1. Student staff and administration representatives will form a committee for the implementation of the Policy. It also calls for the creation of a physical office for students and staff to report incidents of sexual violence to the administration.

The Sexual Assault Policy Proposal group (SAPP), which was formed in 2013 following allegations of sexual assault against numerous McGill Redmen football players, had its own draft of the sexual assault policy rejected in April 2016. On Sept. 12, the university released its Draft Policy against Sexual Violence.

The Policy defines sexual violence as a sexual act or acts targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression without the person’s consent. It is survivor-focused and will tackle sexual violence on campus through education, survivor support, and effectively responding to sexual violence disclosure and reports through the creation of the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education. Olliver Dyens, deputy provost (Student Life and Learning), spoke strongly in favour of the Policy to the Senate.

“This Policy does everything that needs to be done,” Dyens said. “The next step is [committing] to addressing this issue. [….] The Policy provides everything we need to [move] forward.”

Victor Frankel, secretary-general of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS), highlighted the time and effort involved in the creation of this Policy.

“Having this [Policy] be the product of significant consultation is something that we can all be proud of, and use this as a model for other ways in which we can integrate campus input,” Frankel said.

The administration met with over 30 interest groups, collected online feedback from the McGill community, and worked with a consulting firm, Parker P Consulting, while developing the Policy. Its approval adds a number of items to the Senate’s agenda. An ad hoc panel will form within four months to study sexual violence at McGill and determine the university's jurisdiction in responding to reports of incidents. In the coming months, appointments to the Office for Sexual Violence will be made and consultations will be held with campus groups, including the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS). The procedure for responding to reports of sexual violence will be revised as the implementation plan is further developed.

Christopher Manfredi, provost and vice-principal (Academic), emphasized that addressing sexual violence on campus will be an ongoing process.

“The Policy has built into it a very robust review process,” Manfredi said. “It will allow this to be an iterative process, a continuous improvement of the Policy as we go forward and see how it works on the ground.”

According to the final draft presented to Senate, the Office for Sexual Violence will bring together qualified staff to effectively respond to all reports of sexual violence. It will also create a confidential monitoring framework in order to develop a statistical analysis of incidences of assault at the university.

Report on sustainability

Senate also discussed a report on Nov. 10’s Joint Board-Senate meeting, which focused primarily on sustainability initiatives. Principal Suzanne Fortier spoke about McGill’s sustainability rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

“Where we get our lowest and a terrible, terrible mark, is on water [intake],” Fortier said. “[We’re] taking it for granted that we have good water readily accessible to us and we’re wasting it.”

The report collected senators’ ideas for immediate, medium, and long-term actions to make McGill a more sustainable campus, including conducting energy usage audits, making McGill’s campus disposable water-bottle free, and creating a Sustainability Task Force.

“We’ve put aside $10 million for the next five years for our initiatives in sustainability sciences,” Manfredi said.

This piece was last updated on Nov. 28.

Montreal, News

Journalists and legal experts discuss the state of free press in Quebec

by Amin Guidara on

More in Montreal:

On Nov. 10, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) hosted four experts with media and legal background at the McGill Faculty Club to discuss the aftermath of the Patrick Lagacé case. Montreal police had been collecting metadata—information that indicates the time, date, and location you called someone, for example—from La Presse columnist Lagacé’s phone to determine who was leaking information in an internal investigation of one of it’s officers. The event was organized and moderated by Andrew Potter, director of MISC.

The panelists spoke about how the media reacted to the revelation of the police tapping journalists in Quebec and the legal implications of police surveillance. The Senior Director of Continuous Improvement at La Presse, Yann Pineau, considered the spying of journalists to be a wake-up call.

“We [journalists] were naive because we never thought police would go to that extent,” Pineau said.

Pineau added that journalists in Quebec now need more training to protect their sources and themselves and must learn to use digital tools to encrypt metadata.

Executive Director of the Professional Federation of Quebec Journalists (FPJQ) Caroline Locher further denounced Lagacé’s tapping, as well as three Radio-Canada journalists. “Quebec is similar to a police state,” Locher said.

Locher gave numerous examples of attacks on journalism, such as the Charlie Hebdo attacks and Trump’s threats to sue journalists, but praised some jurisdictions for extensively protecting journalists’ rights and their sources’ anonymity.

“In Belgium, it is illegal to spy on journalists unless there is an immediate threat of terrorism or death,” Locher said.

Locher noted that since the revelation of police surveillance of the media, sources will likely be more hesitant about speaking to journalists.

“The journalists are able to tell the truth about what happens because the sources trust them […] This is not about journalists, it is about the public who will not get information, who will be left in the dark,” Locher said.

McGill Law Professor Fabien Gelina cautioned the audience not to jump to conclusions because the evidence presented by the police to the Justice of Peace (JP) has not yet been made public. The JPs are officials appointed by the lieutenant governors of Canada's provinces, and by the commissioners of Canada's territories. They supervise the legality of police activities, such as accepting or rejecting police’s warrant requests. In the Lagacé case, it was the JP who authorized the Montreal police to collect the journalist’s metadata.

“It is hard to make a judgement on an investigation without all the facts,” Gelinas said.

Furthermore, it would be difficult to legally further the informers’ right to anonymity. According to media lawyer Mark Bantey, there are three ways of doing so: As a privilege, as class-based–similar to lawyer-client confidentiality–and as a case-by-case analysis. The former two would formally protect the anonymity of informers and by extension, there would be less leeway for JPs to grant warrants.

“Currently, the warrants are given on a case-by-case basis by the Justice of Peace, who balances public interest and law enforcement,” Bantey said. “The JP decides to recognize the sources’ right to anonymity or not”.

Bantey also noted that it is hard to draw a clear definition as to who is and isn’t a journalist. Therefore, the constitutional court refused to acknowledge the protection of sources by privilege or class-based relations, thus keeping the JP’s authority to individually assess warrant requests.

“To throw a constitutional immunity around such a heterogeneous and ill-defined group […] and whatever sources they want to protect would blow a giant hole in law enforcement and other basic rights,” Bantey said, quoting the court’s decision.

Pineau took the opportunity to denounce not only a legal problem, but an institutional one.

“[Prime Minister] Trudeau’s reaction was very timid […] the police asked for a warrant without really questioning themselves,” he said. “However, a lot of police officers were ashamed by what happened”.

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