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Ask Ainsley, Private, Student Life

Ask Ainsley: How do I cope with my best friend and my ex dating?

by Ask Ainsley on

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Dear Ainsley,

A friend of mine from back home recently told me she’s been dating my ex for four months and lying about it. I’m not so much mad that they’re dating, more so that they lied for four months. Also, when she told me, she was incredibly insensitive and condescending and invalidated my feelings about it. Is it worth trying to save the friendship if she’s going to treat me like this? If not, how do I deal with losing two of my closest friends?

Sincerely, 

Lost in a Love Triangle (LILT)

Dear LILT,

I can imagine what a difficult situation this must be for you. Maneuvering around a relationship with an ex can be incredibly difficult, and it becomes even harder when friends are involved. First off, kudos to you for being accepting of their relationship. There are plenty of people who wouldn’t be able to fathom a friend dating an ex. Second, you should know that your feelings are completely valid. Don’t let someone tell you that you’re overreacting when they’ve seriously hurt your feelings.

I think a variety of factors are at play in this situation, one of which is the quality of your relationship with your friend. If this incident is part of a pattern in your friendship, you may consider letting her go. Just because you get along with someone some of the time doesn’t mean they’re a great friend to you. In a conflict, some people will try to turn the blame on the other person when they know they’ve done something wrong. It can be hard to let go of a friend, especially one you’ve known for a long time, but someone who tears you down more than they build you up is not worth your time in the long run. 

If you do end up deciding that you don’t want to be friends with this person anymore, you don’t have to cut them off all at once. You can gradually phase them out, while putting more energy and focus into your other friends and schoolwork at McGill. If it makes it easier for you, unfollow your friend on social media. It can be hard to get someone off your mind when you’re constantly seeing them on your newsfeeds. 

As upsetting as it can be, sometimes losing friends is a natural part of life. However, if this is a friend that you want to keep, you need to have a discussion with them about the situation. Explain to them why your feelings are hurt. As hard as it can be to not get aggressive when someone has wronged you, aim for a higher ground. Calmly tell her what your feelings are about the situation. Your emotional reactions are inherently valid and not up for debate. Once you express exactly how her words and actions made you feel, if she really cares, she won’t tell you that you’re being too sensitive. After your chat, allow her to reach out to you, so you know that she is truly apologetic and wants to maintain your friendship. 

In a perfect world, people would be able to stay friends with their exes after a break up. Not that it’s impossible, but in your situation it gets even harder. I understand that you probably feel betrayed—not only by your friend, but also by your ex, someone who you may have loved at one point. Even though it might be painful, you need to have a conversation with your ex and get his side of the story. If he treats you the same way your friend did, it may be better for you to try to move on without him. If you do want to keep both of them in your life, as your friends they should be able to acknowledge how difficult the situation must be for you,  and make an effort to earn back your trust.

While your first instinct may be to seek out social contact, having been hurt by two people close to you, it’s important to take some time for yourself. Focus on your personal health—exercise, eat well, get enough sleep—and your mental health—meditate, journal your thoughts and feelings, give yourself daily affirmations, or talk to a counsellor—whatever it is that will make you feel the best. In an emotional time like this, it’s not selfish to put your own personal needs above someone else’s. You seem to be focusing deeply on the social repercussions of this situation, but it is equally, if not more, important to look inward and focus on healing. No matter how your relationships with your friend and ex turn out, remember that your worth is not measured by those who do not treat you well. In caring for yourself, you will be reminded of your inherent worth, regularly. 

All the best,

Ainsley

Commentary, Opinion

A deadly high: Universities must take measures to educate and protect against fentanyl overdoses

by Alexandra Harvey on

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Amelia and Hardy Leighton were, by all appearances, a young, happy, stable married couple from North Vancouver. They decided to celebrate the purchase of their first home—fit with a yard for their two-year-old son—by getting a little high. On July 20, they were found dead in their home. The cause of their deaths—and a record high of other Canadians this year—was fentanyl: An opioid painkiller 100 times more powerful than morphine that is often found laced in street drugs.

The Leightons, along with many of the faces of fentanyl overdoses, were not drug addicts. They used drugs recreationally and infrequently. They had no idea they were ingesting the fatal opioid. Fentanyl is infecting communities across Canada as it creeps its way into party drugs.

This epidemic affects everyone. University students are especially vulnerable given that young adults are more likely to use drugs than any other age group. As such, Canadian universities have a responsibility to educate students about drug safety and protect them against overdosing on fentanyl.

Traces of fentanyl have been found in counterfeit OxyContin, Percocet, and Xanax pills, as well as in other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and MDMA. Fentanyl is cheap, so it's cut into drugs like cocaine to buff them up for buyers. What makes fentanyl so dangerous is how potent it is: One microgram of fentanyl—the size of one grain of salt—can mean the difference between a euphoric high and death.

Though intended as a prescription pain-reliever, the presence of illicit fentanyl in Canada is growing at a rapid rate. In BC and Alberta—the two provinces most affected by the drug—fentanyl-linked fatalities spiked from 42 in 2012 to 418 in 2015. There were 508 illicit drug deaths in BC from January to September 2016, 60 per cent of which were linked to fentanyl. Two people die from opioid overdoses in Ontario every single day. This national epidemic is projected to reach new heights before it slows down. No community is immune.

Post-secondary institutions play a key role in influencing and raising awareness about the risks of drug culture.

The combination of cocaine, a stimulant, and fentanyl, a depressant, is especially deadly. Because cocaine is a social drug often used at parties, its marriage to fentanyl opens up the painkiller’s devastating effects to a much larger audience. This summer, nine people overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine in the span of 20 minutes in Delta, BC. Just a few weeks ago, five partiers in Barrie, ON, met the same fate. There’s no such thing as doing a harmless line at a party anymore.

University is a pivotal, formative chapter in an individual’s life, and university students are prone to going out and experimenting. Post-secondary institutions play a key role in influencing and raising awareness about the risks of drug culture. Universities must inform students about drug safety and foster open, judgment-free spaces where students can access overdose prevention tools and seek help and information.

There’s no chemical remedy for addiction, but naloxone, an antidote drug, can save lives in cases of fentanyl overdoses. Naloxone counteracts the effects of opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, and morphine. In response to the rising fentanyl epidemic, the University of British Columbia is now administering free take-home naloxone kits and training students on how to use them. At the University of Calgary, naloxone is available to students with a history of opioid use and a prescription from a registered nurse; however, keeping naloxone behind-the-counter is not productive. If an overdose occurs, it's the friends or family of the opioid user who need the counterdrug to save a loved one. In a literal life-or-death situation, universities must be as proactive as possible.

Fentanyl has yet to have as deadly an impact in Quebec as it has had out West; still, the epidemic is spreading across the country—and it’s way too close for comfort. While individuals have a responsibility to inform themselves about safe drug use and exercise judgment, universities must take the initiative now to protect students from this nationwide crisis. Universal access to naloxone kits is a significant step that should be implemented immediately. Given students’ proximity to party drugs, they are especially vulnerable. Fentanyl is strong, relentless, and all-consuming—and its next victim could be someone you know.

 

 


Alexandra is a columnist and a U2 student studying Political Science and International Development. She is a proud Torontonian, passionate traveler, and knows all the lyrics to "Bohemian Rhapsody."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
News, SSMU, The Tribune Explains

Tribune Explains: GA and Referenda

by Julia Metraux on

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What is the General Assembly?

The General Assembly (GA) is a method of direct decision-making that takes place once a semester for members of Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). The Fall GA will take place on Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. in the Shatner Building.

All SSMU members, which includes all undergraduate students at the Downtown Campus, are able to participate in the GA. Students can submit, directly vote on, and directly amend motions. SSMU has created a guide to help students draft their GA motions, which can be found on their website. The GA is an opportunity for direct democracy, according to SSMU President Ben Ger.

“It’s a place for political change,” Ger said. “You can bring forward motions [and] policies. It’s a great place for debate. Over the past few years, people have talked about what the point of the GA [is]. It provides a large forum for students to come together [and] for students to be part of the discussion, not just the decision.”

According to SSMU Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Cameron McKeich, motions have to pass two rounds of voting in order to be ratified at the GA.

“For the GA, there is an in-person meeting in which students vote by raising their hands [or] sometimes by a secret ballot,” McKeich said. “Motions that are approved by more than 50 per cent of voters [50 members], those questions will be put through an online ratification […] to ensure that a greater number of students have the ability to participate in the GA process that were not able to attend in person.”

Ger believes administrative support would help the attendance and success of the GA, as some students are forced to miss the GA due to academic commitments. The University of Ottawa, for example, has adopted different academic initiatives, such as permitting students to miss class on the day of the GA.

“I think our institution [the administration] hasn’t in the past recognized the importance of student-led initiatives, student debates, [and] student democracy,” Ger said. “Some people in the [administration] are very disconnected from the campus and don’t see how central SSMU governance is. Students in the past have been graded during times of the [GA], while at other universities that is not the case.”

What is the referendum?

The other form of direct democracy for SSMU members is the referendum. Similar to the GA, referenda periods are held once a semester. This semester, the referendum campaigning period starts on Nov. 7, the same day as the General Assembly, and ends on Nov. 8. Voting itself lasts a week, and will take place from Nov. 11 to Nov. 18.

All SSMU members are able to place a question on the ballot, according to McKeich. First, the wording of the question needs to be approved by the CEO. Next, the author of the referendum goes through a signature collecting process. SSMU has created a guide to help students prepare questions, which can be found on their website.

“To get a question on the referenda someone needs to collect 100 signatures from SSMU members from a minimum of four faculties, and a maximum of 30 per cent of signatures can be from one faculty,” McKeich said. “[For] questions that are asking for a fee levy or a specific allocation of money, the CEO will consult with the [Vice-President] of Finance.”

The period for students to submit questions for review and collect signatures was from Oct. 14 to 31 this semester.

Ger said that the Referenda is important because it allows members of SSMU to have a voice in their funding.

“Students want to use student money for student services, like menstrual products, but the university redirects the money,” Ger said. “[A pro of] the Referenda is that it’s a […] place for a direct democracy and a great place to influence change.”

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Concordia University allows its students to miss class in order to attend General Assemblies. The Tribune regrets this error. 

Legal Information Column, Student Life

Legal Information Column: What does plagiarism actually mean at McGill?

by Legal Information Clinic at McGill on

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It’s a scary time of year here on campus, and not just because many are feeling the effects of Halloween libations this past weekend. Students are also on edge because the season of midterms and final papers has arrived. Whether cramming for morning midterms or brewing a pot of midnight coffee while rushing to finish–or start–a paper that’s due the next day, it’s worth reviewing the following quick points on what McGill considers to be plagiarism.

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s words or ideas as one’s own. Whether another’s work is published or unpublished, a student risks being accused of plagiarism if they use another’s work without properly attributing it to the source where they found it.

What if a student accidentally plagiarized?

At McGill, plagiarism does not need to be intentional to be a disciplinary offence. The simple fact of using someone else’s work without proper attribution counts as plagiarism under article 16(a) of the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures. This is true even if the student didn’t realize they plagiarized..

What about sharing papers with friends?

 Helping one’s friends is admirable. That said, lending assistance can be risky. Under article 16(b) of the Code of Student Conduct, it is a disciplinary offence for a student to share their work with another student if they know that the other student could use parts of that work within their own assignment. Pay close attention to the course syllabus and assignment instructions. In some cases, collaboration is explicitly prohibited—as is the case with many take-home exams, for example—while in other cases, collaboration with other students is encouraged, as long as the work each student submits is their own.

Are students allowed to reuse parts of an assignment they wrote for a previous course?

Not without the permission of the instructor to whom the present assignment will be submitted. According to article 17(c) of the Code of Student Conduct, it is a disciplinary offence to submit work for a current course if that work has already been submitted or given credit elsewhere—even if that wasn’t at McGill. The only exception to this rule is if the instructor has explicitly given a student permission to use something that was submitted in a previous course.

What happens if a student is accused of plagiarism?

Under article 37 of the Code of Student Conduct, instructors are not permitted to impose their own penalties on students for plagiarism; instead, all allegations of plagiarism are required to go through McGill’s formal disciplinary process. Most likely, a student would first learn that their assignment was being reviewed for plagiarism upon receiving a formal letter by email from a Disciplinary Officer—often the Associate Dean of the Faculty—inviting them to an interview. This letter would typically also indicate which article of the Code of Student Conduct the student has been accused of violating and would inform the student that they have a right to an advisor (e.g., from Student Advocacy at the Legal Information Clinic at McGill). Prior to the interview, the student can view the evidence in support of the allegation that they plagiarized. The interview is an opportunity for the student to explain the situation and for the Disciplinary Officer to then decide whether or not they committed plagiarism, and, if so, what the appropriate sanction should be.

If a student is accused of plagiarism, there is no need to panic. Students can seek help from Student Advocacy, a service provided by the Legal Information Clinic at McGill. Within the university context, Student Advocacy can advise students on their rights and how to navigate McGill’s network of policies and procedures, facilitate negotiation and discussion with university officials to informally resolve disputes, and represent students in formal university hearings.

How does a student avoid plagiarism?

Avoiding plagiarism starts with good study habits. When doing research for a paper or lab report, students should keep track in their notes of where they found each piece of information. Additionally, they should develop a system for recording when they have quoted directly from a source, as well as when they have paraphrased. Keeping such notes helps avoid the risk of later including something in the final product that was an unattributed direct quotation from another source.

Good writing habits are also key to avoiding plagiarism. When using someone else’s words, these words should always have quotation marks at their start and end. Bear in mind that changing a couple words of someone else’s sentence often isn’t enough to make it one’s own. Even small strings of words may need to be in quotation marks if a student read it somewhere else. If, instead, a student chooses to paraphrase what they read, they should make sure that they are expressing the idea completely in their own words. Regardless of whether a student is quoting or paraphrasing, every idea they find elsewhere must be attributed using the appropriate citation method for their assignment.

 

Student Advocacy is a service offered to McGill students by the Legal Information Clinic at McGill. Student Advocacy advises and represents students in their internal disputes with the university and its policies. If you need help from a Student Advocate, contact Student Advocacy with the directions found here. To learn more about your rights as a student more generally, visit McGill’s Student Rights and Responsibilities webpage or SSMU’s Know Your Student Rights resource.

Science & Technology

DDoS cyberattack brings down popular sites like Netflix and Spotify

by Charlotte Hings on

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On the morning of Oct. 21, many of the world’s most trafficked websites—including Twitter, Netflix, Reddit, Paypal, and Spotify—were unreachable for users on the East Coast of the U.S. due to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cyberattack on the domain name system (DNS) provider Dyn DNS. DDoS attacks are among the most common types of cyberattacks, but last week’s was one of the largest attempts ever.

DDoS attacks work similarly to overwhelming a waiter at a restaurant with orders. If there are many people flooding a restaurant simultaneously, then many will have to wait a long time before their order is taken. In cyberspace, a server can become overloaded with connection requests to the point where it reacts with a total denial of all connection requests and the websites can no longer be accessed. Servers are designed to handle a very large amount of requests; therefore, an attack of this scale would have to be thoroughly organized and involve a large number of devices.

This kind of coordinated attack is usually done with the help of automated bots. Bots have many legitimate uses, but for cyberattacks, they are particularly powerful because they have the capacity to send out multiple connection requests at a time. Cyberattacks can become even more powerful when bots send these connection requests from many devices at once. Typically, bots are distributed by viruses that can function in the background of a running computer without the user even being aware of their presence.

Last Friday’s attack did not target the websites themselves; instead, it attacked the DNS. The DNS is what a computer uses to match a website name to an actual IP address—its precise location in cyberspace. Dyn DNS became overwhelmed with requests impeding its ability to perform and handle requests. The Dyn DNS malfunction stopped users from connecting to the proper IP addresses even though the websites themselves were fully functional.

DDoS attacks are becoming more and more common and powerful, causing a great deal of concern for the future—given that there is ever increasing reliance on online sources for everyday activities. Molly Sauter, a PhD candidate in communication studies at McGill with a focus on hacker culture, stated that protection from this type of attack is most important for Business-to-Business (B2B) connection websites. These sites pull together information scattered around the world into one spot, such as Twitter, SoundCloud, and many of the sites that were affected by last week’s attack.

Many sites—especially those with confidential or financial information—are equipped with safety features such as two-step login verification, asking the user to type in a special code or check off a box to prove that they are not a robot. Steps like these are being added more frequently to websites as an added security measure against cyberattack bots.

Sauter mentioned that the best—and possibly the only—way to control cyberattacks of this nature is to support politicians and political parties who promise to bolster internet regulation, as cyberattacks are currently illegal. Even with website safety features in place, it is impossible to completely control DDoS and other types of cyberattacks by technological means, meaning that political power over the internet will become increasingly important for the future. If illegal internet activity is not regulated by some governing body, then DDoS and other types of cyberattacks have the potential to become more frequent and powerful.

Editorial, Opinion

Unacceptable and urgent: McGill must reach agreement with AMUSE

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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After a meeting with the McGill administration on Oct. 28, the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) called a five day strike, which began on Oct. 29. AMUSE is a labour union representing approximately 1,500 casual and temporary employees in both part-time and full-time positions. It has been negotiating with McGill for a new collective agreement since April 2015, when the previous one expired. It is unacceptable that negotiations have taken this long and that AMUSE members have been forced to operate under an expired agreement during this time. McGill must recognize these demands and find a way to incorporate them into the new collective agreement as soon as possible. 

On a flyer handed out after members of the union voted in favour of strike actions in a special assembly on Oct. 20,  AMUSE highlights five priorities: Equal treatment of casual workers, accurate job descriptions and pay, seniority and benefits for casual workers, a living wage, and improvements to the Work Study job posting system. AMUSE has also asked for McGill identification cards to be administered to its non-student members, to allow them access to McGill buildings and services. In a press release, the McGill administration stated that a consensus was reached on Oct. 24 regarding “the content of a possible agreement on this matter.”

Given the fact that casual employees are relied on to fill full-time positions, it is imperative that casual workers are respected and given as much job security as possible. Rights such as recognition of seniority and priority for re-hire are not egregious requests. If casual employees are fulfilling the tasks of long-term, full-time employees, as stated in AMUSE’s bylaws, they deserve “access to the same benefits, in a manner proportionate to their work hours, as regular full-time employees at McGill.” This is especially important for the non-student workers that the union represents, who aren’t covered by student health plans at McGill. 

Furthermore, part-time positions on campus are important sources of employment for those unable to secure jobs in the city of Montreal, whether because of visa or language constraints. As such, it is imperative that these workers are treated with respect and that opportunities for these students to find stable employment with fair wages on campus are as available as possible.

 

 

 

A lack of accessibility to Work Study jobs and insufficient wages, benefits, and respect for casual workers are issues that negatively impact present workers—especially those with financial need—and must be a priority for McGill.

AMUSE supports the Fifteen and Fair movement in calling for a $15 minimum wage, but this demand is about more than just a number. It is about advocating for equal treatment of workers, respect, and paying people fairly for the work they do. Although it is likely infeasible for the administration to implement such a change overnight, McGill should take leadership by committing to raising the wages of its casual workers with a strict plan and deadlines. Presently, these are between $10.85 and $12.24 per hour, with the lowest class only ten cents higher than Quebec’s minimum wage of $10.75 per hour. Regardless of whether it accepts the $15 demand, McGill has an opportunity to take a leadership role in this movement by increasing the minimum wage of its workers—something that is increasingly becoming a nation-wide trend. 

According to AMUSE’s negotiations update, its main aim in meeting with the administration on Oct. 28 was “to secure a commitment from the employer that the Work Study job system will be renovated according to [its] members urgent needs.” Students are only at university for a short period of time, and the university’s inaction and refusal to meet this demand has negative consequences for students on the Work Study program. In the current system, these students are not guaranteed a job on campus, despite qualifying for financial aid. Specifically, AMUSE is asking for Work Study jobs to “be posted in a transparent and standardized manner” and for the creation of a feedback system in order to “empower students to have a say in how the Work Study program affects the students as workers.” Although there is a database for job postings, it is not mandatory for Work Study jobs to be posted, making it difficult for students to find positions on campus.

A lack of accessibility to Work Study jobs and insufficient wages, benefits, and respect for casual workers negatively impact present workers—especially those with financial need—and must be a priority for McGill. The time for foot-dragging in the process of negotiations has long passed.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that McGill currently has a freeze on hiring.

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

American Honey is a dizzying roadtrip through the southern U.S.

by Dylan Adamson on

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Following in the tradition of ambitious “American ________” titled films (i.e. Psycho, Graffiti, Beauty, Sniper, Hustle), American Honey seeks to encapsulate its moment in history. Thankfully, director Andrea Arnold’s vision of a romantic road trip delivers everything it promises in one of the grandest statements of the fall movie season. 

Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, American Honey is a hazy bus tour of America’s capitalist social ladder. The film follows 18-year-old Star (Sasha Lane) on her journey from dumpster-diving in Muskogee, Alabama, to selling magazines door-to-door across America’s Bible Belt. 

The film begins in small-town Alabama, where she provides for her deadbeat boyfriend’s two young children. It’s not until she encounters Jake (Shia LaBeouf), Krystal (Riley Keough), and several other friends—dancing to Rihanna’s “We Found Love” atop a K-Mart checkout counter—that the film’s premise takes off. Star promptly casts aside her figurative shackles and quickly finds herself in a packed van, drinking Smirnoff and rapping to Kevin Gates with her new surrogate family. 

American Honey’s music embodies the wild trans-American journey of its characters. It includes tracks from across the spectrum of American music, juxtaposing exuberant Atlanta trap with sentimental country, and some surprising alt-rock gems. Arnold’s choice to play Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s delicate “Careless Love” during Star’s tearful experiment with prostitution makes the scene all the more heartrending.

Star’s road trip probes the complexities of modern American society. From all-white cowboys in an all-white Cadillac, to condescending encounters with middle class mothers, to meth houses and malnourished children, the film’s door-to-door format is an ideal vehicle for Arnold’s comprehensive and personal tour of the South. As Star’s understanding of American wealth disparity broadens with each sales pitch, the experience of drunkenly rapping along to E-40 in a crowded van begins to feel more suffocating than liberating.

As Star’s disillusionment grows, one never feels as if Arnold is critiquing from an outsider’s perspective, largely due to Robbie Ryan’s brilliant cinematography. His style is shaky, but never obvious. Frequent shots of the passing landscape create a sense of realism removed from the trivialities of modern class distinctions that Star and her cohorts confront every day. The wandering gaze of Ryan’s camera is comparable to director Terrence Malick’s work, but the gritty realism of Star’s journey keeps this film tethered to Earth. The film’s brutal honesty is softened by its affinity for the South’s natural beauty. Expansive shots of oil fields, lens flares as the sunlight pokes through trees, and a fascination with wildlife offers respite from the heavy subject matter.

American Honey is rounded out with outstanding performances from its three leads. Sasha Lane’s magnetic debut will undoubtedly draw Oscar attention. Opposite her, Shia LaBeouf embodies the role he was born to play. Braided rat-tail trailing behind, Jake bounces across the screen, charming customers, stealing jewelry from homes, and tumbling across lawns making out with Star. Completing the love triangle, Riley Keough delivers an understated, authoritative performance as Krystal, ruling the sales crew with an iron fist.

One of the film’s flaws is its neglectful treatment of the crew’s other members. The rest of this tightknit band of individuals are acknowledged only as traits—one plays guitar, one is obsessed with Darth Vader, and another always whips his penis out—and serve as little more than the constantly partying background in shots of Star staring out the van window.

Through to its devastatingly ambiguous conclusion, American Honey is a dizzying tour through modern class divisions. The three-hour run time feels pleasantly spacious, allowing for thought-provoking contemplation. A film that will leave you reeling for days, American Honey is a grandiose statement that feels essential from start to finish.

Out on the Town, Student Life

SaintWoods develops Montreal nightlife with “democratic cool”

by April Barrett on

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Apartment 200, SuWu, and École Privée are clubs known for their unconventional conceptual design, hip-hop friendly atmosphere, and lines of young people stretching around the block. These venues are familiar to any Montrealer who frequents St-Laurent for a night out and they have begun to attract international attention from customers like Rihanna, Nas, Skepta, Mac Miller, and PARTYNEXTDOOR. These clubs are among the most prominent in the Montreal nightlife scene, and the common thread between them is SaintWoods. SaintWoods is a multipurpose project; what began as an artist booking and event promotions company has evolved into a club owner/fashion brand. The company is headed by Concordia alumnus Zach Macklovitch and McGill graduate Nathan Gannage. Under the pair’s tutelage, SaintWoods partnered in A5 Hospitality, who owned the three venues. Starting with SuWu in 2013, SaintWoods flipped the venues into the clubs they run today.

Macklovitch, who grew up on Montreal’s West Island, started when he was 16 years old as a club promoter. By 22, he was working as an artist booker for Time Supper Club, at which point he met Gannage and became a partner at SaintWoods. Macklovitch and Gannage’s business model as artist bookers was to always track present cultural trends, and then look past them for a new direction. For example, SaintWoods booked Avicii before his international popularity, aiming to introduce EDM to the college demographic. 

“Our goal was to throw cutting edge events to people who weren’t maybe originally interested,” Macklovitch said. “It was always kind of what me and [Gannage] like to call ‘social experiments.’ That’s kind of the basis of the company [….] We liked giving people what they weren’t expecting.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight's the night! SW:002 available at OTH and online at 7:30pm www.saintwoods.com

A photo posted by @saintwoods on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Macklovitch sticks by this experimental, culture-based model. He is passionate about SaintWoods being an arbiter of cool—keeping on top of trends is an art in itself. He explained that the SaintWoods model of ‘cool’ is based on what their team feels people are missing in their lives.

“[A cultural trend] comes from a want or a need of more,” Macklovitch explained. “A$AP Rocky popped off and streetwear popped off because there was a lack of that kind of music and that kind of fashion at the time [….] It’s always interconnected based on the cultural pendulum swinging left to right. Us at SaintWoods, we’re always looking. ‘Oh, it’s really left right now? It’s time to go right.’” 

While Macklovitch loves Montreal, he never planned for his career to take off in his home city.

“I told everyone I was moving to New York and next thing you know we got the deal for SuWu, [known as Cafeteria at the time],” Macklovitch said. “[…] It just clicked. Then, [the owners of Cafeteria] had this other property, Ballroom, that was kind of hurting that they wanted us to flip.”  

Ballroom soon became Apartment 200, a concept lounge based on the apartment loft parties and Brooklyn barcades that Macklovitch and Gannage visited in their trips to New York. They then opened Apartment 200 in Toronto, followed by École Privée in Montreal last year. 

While looking to New York nightlife as inspiration for his work, Macklovitch admits that there is nowhere in the world like Montreal when it comes to having a good time. This is due largely to the nature of Montreal’s creative scene.

“It’s not cool in Montreal to be rich,” Macklovitch said. “It’s cool to be cool, it’s cool to be artistic. It’s cool to create your own fashion and to be able to do that without having a lot of money. It’s this super organic scene that’s also super inviting. We always laugh when people come from Toronto, who say to us, ‘Yo, Montreal’s so much fun.’ We’re like, yeah it’s a great time because people actually say, ‘What’s up?’ to you at the bar.” 

Macklovitch admits that though he does want to get out of Montreal eventually, he is consistently inspired by what he calls Montreal’s “democratic cool.” This concept is identifiable in the way creative, successful people in the city are still friendly and welcoming.

“Every time I come home and there’s a proper turn up at Apartment [200] or some of those after parties, when you go to those you’re like, ‘Yo, there’s nothing like this in the entire world.’ There’s nothing this democratic. Nothing like where everyone you look at you’re like, ‘You’re cool as shit.’ Whereas you go to these other parties and not only are the people outside Montreal not as cool as the kids I know in Montreal, they aren’t as friendly! It’s like, ‘Yo! This is wack!’” 

Macklovitch explains that this kind of cool in Montreal is diffuse, and is based more on character than on social status. Those who have a friendly attitude are his target demographic for SaintWoods’ three supposedly exclusive clubs. 

“I’m down if that cool person goes to McGill, I’m down if that cool person is 35 and works at some insurance company,” Macklovitch said. “If you’re cool, I want you inside. But if you’re rude and you start fights, or you’re rude to girls, or you and your friends are being racist, then don’t come to my party! I don’t care if you’re 25, if you’re 35, no matter how much money you have. If you’re friendly and you have a good vibe it’s rare that you won’t get in.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we're open tonight for a very special event ~ #absolutnights rsvp in bio

A photo posted by école privée (@ecoleprivee) on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most important thing Macklovitch has learned from being in the industry is to hold himself to the same moral standard in a nightclub that he would in any other professional environment. 

“I don’t think those rules [of the nightlife world] absolve you of a general sense of morality,” Macklovitch said. “Just because you work in nightlife, it does not mean it’s okay to be a shitty boyfriend, or that it’s okay to do drugs at work, or to be rude to people. You may be less likely to be judged in those situations, but myself and my team hold ourselves to higher standards than most other industries would. [Nightlife] may have it’s own set of rules, but then you just have to go by your own playbook.”

In any case, Macklovitch looks beyond the nightlife world and its rules to inspire his work. Among his inspirations he lists the Montreal Mural Festival organizers, with whom SaintWoods shares its office, and Virgil Abloh, the creative director responsible for designing Kanye West’s floating concert stage. Macklovitch believes that looking at figures who are innovating in a variety of fields is essential for anyone who wants to find real success. 

“The best advice I can give young people is, ‘Don’t look at the people who are doing what you want to do,’” Macklovitch said. “Look at the people you are amazed by that are doing something completely different. You’ll find more inspiration in that than in the people who are necessarily in your direct [field]. Don’t [necessarily] look to be inspired in your own city. Nathan and myself, we get inspired by going to Paris, New York, Berlin, my cousin’s country house, whatever!” 

When asked to reflect on his favourite historical nightclubs, Macklovitch pauses. He admitted that he doesn’t think too much about those. 

“I’m inspired by the future more than I’m inspired by the past,” Macklovitch said. 

As a leading figure of the democratic cool of Montreal, Macklovitch and SaintWoods are evolving with the future in mind.

 

 

 

A previous version of this piece stated that SaintWoods bought the empty venues of SuWu, Apartment 200 and École Privée. SaintWoods in fact partnered in A5 Hospitality, who own the three venues. 

Beyond the bubble, Student Life

Secrets hidden in Mount Royal Park

by Selin Altuntur on

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Few students are lucky enough to go to class next door to a sprawling patch of urban green space. Despite being one of Montreal’s most interesting landmarks, Mount Royal often fades into the background for many McGill students, serving as nothing more than a backdrop of pretty scenery. It’s easy to take Mount Royal’s proximity for granted during the bustle of our daily lives—it’s only a large bump in the landscape, after all. Yet, the mountain is deeply embroiled in Montreal’s history, and one doesn’t need to look too far into the park to see physical evidence of this connection. For those seeking relief from a stressful midterm season, or even just looking to get to know the city on a deeper level, a couple hours of exploration in Mount Royal Park should be atop one’s list of priorities. There are secrets of great interest buried within the mountain—hidden in graveyards, hiking trails, and even in the trees themselves—that are definitely worth investigating.

Unmarked paths, hidden lookouts

Chemin Olmstead is the main path that circles up the mountain to its summit. Often overrun with joggers and tourists, it isn’t the most ideal route if one is looking for a peaceful scenic hike. Luckily, many unmarked small and winding paths lead out from Olmstead into more isolated hiking trails. One route leads east from the Mont Royal Chalet at the summit and circles the perimeter of Mount Royal, offering a unique and secluded vantage point from which to view the city. Some spots along the trail open up into rocky cliffs that serve as organically formed lookouts. The views from these hidden gems are more interesting than the curated cityscapes seen at the chalet—particularly because they’re completely isolated from crowds. Along with being a photographer’s paradise, these hidden nooks are an ideal place to explore on a first date or with an old friend.

Century-old cemetery

Opened in 1852, Montreal's largest cemetery is located right next to Mount Royal Park,  past  Côte-des-Neiges, near the summit of the hill. The natural landscape of the cemetery is possibly the most beautiful on the island, with near 360-degree views of the city and its surroundings at the summit of the hill. Some may find exploring a graveyard to be unsettling, yet there is definitely something unique and autumnal about the image of old stone monuments set against orange foliage. Many graves in this cemetery date back over 100 years and contain former Canadian prime ministers, soldiers, and members of the Molson family—Canada's beer-brewing dynasty. More interestingly, however, is that the cemetery is also home to the grave of McGill student Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead, who was famously responsible for the death of Harry Houdini via sucker punch in 1926. The cemetary, easily accessible by Chemin Olmstead, is an ideal place to escape from the  fast-paced downtown environment and interact with Montreal’s history.

Time capsule

A giant cross monument on top of Mount Royal was erected by the city's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, in 1643, and was later replaced by an illuminated replica in 1924. Next to it is a plaque marking the burial spot of a time capsule from the year 1992. Back at the time of its burial, around 12,000  Montreal school children wrote messages and drawings of their visions of what the city would look like in 150 years—as the capsule is scheduled to be opened in 2142, when the city will celebrate its 500th birthday. The historical significance of this site is eye-opening for students both native to Montreal and from elsewhere, providing them with the opportunity to learn more about the history of the city.

Morality Cuts

The majority of the trees planted in Mount Royal Park are actually not very old. In fact, many of them date back no further than 50 years. This is largely due to the mass decimation of the mountain's vegetation during Mayor Jean Drapeau's term in the 1950s. At this time, the lush foliage we've come to be familiar with was nowhere to be seen, and the large hill looming over the city was covered in stumps, rather than healthy trees. Drapeau was convinced that the thick, dense foliage covering the mountain made it a breeding ground for “un-holy” sexual behaviour. In order to curb the “abuse” of the mountain's forest cover, he ordered Mount Royal to be stripped clean of its trees. The decision was controversial, and the trees were soon replaced with young saplings—many of which have grown into those we see in Montreal's landscape today.

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Commentary, Opinion

Tuition-paying students not complicit in McGill’s investment practices

by Domenic Casciato on

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McGill’s endowment fund is a hot button topic. Since September alone, there has been a disruption of McGill’s Board of Governors by Divest McGill to raise awareness of sustainability, a series of open forums on sustainability, and a presentation about global growth and the environment. Many McGill students are passionately concerned with whether the university is invested in a sustainable future; groups such as Divest are convinced that McGill is not. But, even if McGill is not a proponent of sustainable development and environmental protection, it does not mean that, by paying tuition, its students are complicit in the university’s investment practices.

On July 27, Malcolm Gladwell appeared in a video for Business Insider, in which he asserted that students and their parents should view their tuition payments as an investment in the larger world, not just an investment in their own educational capital. By looking at how their universities spend their money, students can determine whether or not they are complicit in a “moral crime”—in other words, the university’s politically regressive reinvestment of their dollar. A responsible coffee drinker makes sure that their local cafe buys its beans from fair trade sources. Nowadays, fair-trade beans are a necessity for any respectable cafe. Likewise, Gladwell argued that higher education is a marketplace: If students and parents pay tuition or donate to universities that invest money in ways that “do good,” they send a message to all universities about what investment practices are acceptable. However, although students should be concerned with and inform themselves on their university’s investments, they are not responsible for them.

Regardless of whether the university itself should reevaluate its own investments, it is hard to argue that students have any complicity in them.

Aside from the subjectivity of the term ‘good,’ Gladwell’s argument relies on a number of assumptions. It makes the idea of the university, its interests, and its investments monolithic. Universities—McGill included—are made up of a number of moving, often conflicting parts, with many different interests involved. McGill, for example, has spent over $5 million on projects for the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF), but has nearly three times that amount invested in what are, according to the latest report by Alberta Oil Magazine, five of the top ten largest fossil fuel and pipeline companies. Furthermore, according to Divest McGill, these are only five of over 35 major companies in the fossil fuel industry that McGill invests in with its endowment. Although the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) gave McGill a gold star sustainability rating in September, from a perspective that dichotomizes sustainability and the fossil fuel industry, McGill is actually a net opponent of sustainability. Clearly, McGill’s investment of its money is complex, not uni-dimensional.

Gladwell assumes that students, by paying tuition, are complicit in whatever regressive investments their universities make. At McGill, this isn’t true. According to a summary of the budget released by McGill’s Office of the Budget, student tuition is collected as revenue for McGill’s operating fund—the fund that covers the daily costs of McGill—including employee salaries, student services, and various non-salary expenditures. The university is prohibited from using inter-fund transfers to move operational revenues into the endowment fund, so student tuition is never used in the university’s investments. At the same time, a non-opt-outable fee of $0.50 is charged to each student account for the SPF. The revenue that student tuition contributes to McGill is spent in part on sustainability projects, not the university’s fossil fuel investments. Regardless of whether the university itself should reevaluate its own investments, it is hard to argue that students have any complicity in them.

Gladwell has an interesting insight into the power students have on the university market, but goes too far when he implicates students and parents in a “moral crime,” at least when it comes to McGill. If students aren’t directly involved in any of the university’s investments, it is unfair to give these students any moral responsibility over a university’s investment practices. Students should be interested, engaged, and concerned, but they are not responsible. This is not to say that a college market more heavily weighted towards schools with investments in sustainability would not have an effect on McGill’s choice not to divest; however, it does mean that student tuition paid to McGill shouldn’t be considered much more than an investment in one’s own education.

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