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Science & Technology

Stepping forward: How technology is improving gait for Parkinson’s and aging adults

by Lana Liquard on

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The ability to walk is something most people take for granted. But for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and age-related mobility challenges, it can be a daily struggle. Slow, shuffling steps, difficulty maintaining balance, and unstable walking patterns make simple movements feel like obstacles. 

Nancy Mayo, a professor at McGill’s School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, addresses these challenges with her company, PhysioBiometrics. Her team has developed a wearable device called the Heel2Toe sensor, designed to help people improve and regain control over their walking patterns, or gait. 

The Heel2Toe sensor is a small device that attaches to the side of a sneaker. It emits a sound when a strong heel strike is detected, reinforcing a standard heel-to-toe walking pattern. By providing real-time auditory feedback, the sensor helps wearers make immediate adjustments, in turn promoting better steps, posture, balance, and coordination. 

Mayo conducted a pilot study to test the Heel2Toe sensor in action. Participants were divided into two groups: One using the Heel2Toe sensor, and the other following a workbook-based exercise program. Over three months, those in the sensor group demonstrated significant improvements in their walking ability, with 13 out of 14 participants increasing their walking distance by an average of 66.4 metres in the Six-Minute Walk Test. 

To better understand how the Heel2Toe sensor works, The Tribune attended a class run by Natasha Hassija, a PhD student in Rehabilitation Sciences. The class, held biweekly over five weeks, is part of a research project aimed at determining the benefit of combining the Walk-BEST—BEtter, faster, longer, STronger—coaching sessions with at-home practice using the Heel2Toe sensor in participants over 50 years old. 

“We are trying to see the benefit of expert coaching plus technology-assisted home practice. We have tested each component separately—now we are combining them,” Hassija explained in an interview with The Tribune. 

The session began with participants reflecting on their progress, sharing how they felt about their walking since the previous class. The exercises done during the session were structured around basic elements of proper walking: Heel-to-toe stepping, engaging the hip, arm movement, posture, breathing, and walking while engaging the brain. 

Each exercise focused on different aspects of movement, some targeting physical elements like balance, flexibility, and pace, while others targeted cognitive aspects, for example, by continually subtracting seven from 100 while walking. Every exercise concluded with a moment of self-reflection, encouraging participants to be aware of their movement. 

After the class concluded, The Tribune met with Mayo to discuss her research further. She highlighted a key challenge in Parkinson’s gait training. 

“Because of the nature of the condition, where dopamine-producing cells die, it’s difficult for people with Parkinson’s to perform automatic movements. Telling them to ‘walk properly’ isn’t enough—their brain doesn’t let them,” Mayo said.

This is where the Heel2Toe sensor makes a difference. Mayo explained that the device provides an external cue, stimulating the dopamine system and reinforcing correct movements.

“One classic example is arm swinging,” Mayo noted. “Most people swing their arms naturally while walking, but those with Parkinson’s don’t, which affects their balance. The sensor helps retrain those movements.”

She also explained that many older adults unknowingly reinforce problematic gait patterns, which can lead to instability and falls. 

“If you walk badly for 10,000 hours, your brain will own that bad walking pattern. We have to unprogram that,” Mayo said. “Our program is breaking that cycle and getting them to walk BEST.” 

This research is part of an ongoing effort to integrate technology into rehabilitation. While technology alone may not be a complete solution for mobility challenges seen in both Parkinson’s disease and other aging-related conditions, the integration of structured exercise programs with innovative tools like the Heel2Toe sensor represents a promising step forward.

Mayo emphasized the importance of quality, as opposed to quantity, when trying to improve gait. 

“Walk better before you walk more. Taking thousands of bad steps won’t help, but practicing good ones will.”

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Gerts Café’s leave of absence is finally over

by Auxane Bussac on

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On Feb. 24, Gerts Café made a glorious comeback in the University Centre. While Gerts Bar reopened its doors at the start of the Winter semester, its café counterpart was not ready to welcome students again until right before Winter Reading Week. Now open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the café provides a large selection of drinks and pastries, with breakfast and lunch options coming soon. The current menu is largely based on the café’s previous one, with modifications pertaining largely to pricing and the addition of gluten-free options. 

Relocated to the first floor of the University Centre, Gerts Café also allows students to stop by for a quick study sesh in between classes. While seating is limited, it sits across from the SSMU lounge, allowing students to relax on nearby couches while enjoying a well-deserved coffee break. 

Tali Ioselevich, Gerts Café manager, explained why they decided to change location from the basement to the main floor in an interview with The Tribune.

“One, you can’t enter Gerts Bar unless you’re over 18, so even if you wanted to just go and have a coffee and you’re 17 years old, you can’t enter that space,” Ioselevich said. “Also, the space constraints. Before, there was [preparation], serving, everything was happening in a very small location and now we’re using that space for the café just to do the prep and we’re doing all the service upstairs.” 

Compared to nearby on- and off-campus options, Gerts Café remains competitive enough price-wise to attract a vast student clientele. 

“When I was creating the menu and doing the pricing for it, I was really [determined] to have subsidized pricing because we’re part of the SSMU, we don’t have to pay for the space,” Ioselevich said.  “I really wanted to make things as affordable as possible for students.”

According to Paul-Hugo Arcand, U2 Science and barista at Gerts Café, it is a good compromise. 

“The prices are cheaper than basically all of the bougie/good coffee options (Dispatch, Second Cup, Humble Lion),” Arcand wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “I think the drinks are reasonably priced, though I’m not sure about the food. For the quality, the prices are excellent. However, if you really are on a budget and aren’t looking for such a nice sweet treat, you can’t beat the 75 cents General Store coffee.”

Kittel, a local Montreal roaster, provides the coffee beans, while Boulangerie Guillaume is responsible for the pastries. 

Gerts Café has the chill and inviting atmosphere you’d expect from a local café in Montreal, offering a change of scenery from typical McGill buildings.

“Aesthetically, the vibe I was going for is very 70s, and I really like colorful geometrics [….] I wanted it to feel cozy and warm and welcoming,”  Ioselevich said. “I want people when they come in to be greeted with a smile and to have a good time.” 

And this seems to be working. For Arcand, working at Gerts Café is more than a regular student job.

“My daily coffee/tea is always a highlight in my day, so I’m glad I get the opportunity to make the day of my fellow members of the McGill community. It’s a win win,” he wrote to The Tribune. “I’m [also] getting better at making latte art, which is something I’ve always wanted to be able to do.”

Gerts Café is a nice stopping point for people on their way to and from class, a community space that attracts students from all faculties. In the long run, Ioselevich hopes that they will even be able to offer catering to different student groups.

Hockey, Sports, Winter Sports

From Gretzky’s legacy to Ovechkin’s triumph

by Jenna Payette on

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In the grand theatre of hockey history, few stories have captivated fans quite like Alexander Ovechkin’s relentless pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record—a chase that feels like a question not of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ As the torch prepares to pass from the Great One to the Great Eight, it has ignited what has come to be known as ‘The Gr8 Chase’. This chase is more than just one legend pursuing another—it’s a testament to the evolution of hockey itself.

Gretzky holds the record for most goals in National Hockey League (NHL) history with 894, after an illustrious 20-year career. Entering the 2024-2025 season, Ovechkin needed just 42 goals to break the Great One’s record and cement the Washington Capitals’ sniper’s place in history. A broken fibula in November threatened to derail the 39-year-old’s pursuit, sidelining him for 16 games, but now, against all odds, Ovi sits a mere eight goals away from breaking what was once considered the ‘unbreakable’ record.

Ovechkin might surpass Gretzky in the exact same number of years Gretzky played—20—but in entirely different eras of the sport.

The 1980s and 1990s featured high-scoring, free-wheeling hockey, with some players even exceeding 200 points in a single season. Gretzky achieved this feat four times. Goaltenders relied on a stand-up style with smaller equipment, defensive structures were less refined, and rule changes favoured a more offensive style of play. During this era, Gretzky’s legendary vision and hockey IQ allowed him to dominate at an unprecedented rate. Remarkably, even if he had never scored a single goal, Gretzky would still hold the record for the most career points, due to his incredible number of assists. Let that sink in.

He was a once-in-a-generation hockey mind. His greatness is unquestioned, but the era he played in likely factored into his record-shattering totals.

Fast forward to the 2000s—the Ovechkin era of hockey. Dubbed the ‘Dead Puck’ era, the early 2000s was defined by highly structured defensive systems and physical play, making scoring far more difficult. Goaltenders embraced the butterfly style, allowing them to cover the bottom of the net more effectively, and with advancements in elite training and video analysis, they got better every year. Players have also become more willing to sacrifice their bodies, blocking shots and finishing checks, making every inch of the ice a battleground. The NHL has since tightened penalty enforcement and introduced rule changes like hybrid icing and shootouts, altering the game’s flow. Yet, despite playing in an era designed to suppress offence, Ovechkin continues to score. His electrifying slapshot, unleashed against some of the best goaltending the sport has ever seen, cements his case as the greatest pure goal-scorer in hockey history.

Scoring in hockey is one of the toughest feats in sport, requiring a perfect storm of skill, timing, and perseverance. Unlike the high-scoring nature of basketball, elite hockey players get only a few chances per game—battling never-ending obstacles, physical play, and relentless pressure—to capitalize. Unlike football, where plays are strategically planned, today’s hockey is more exciting than ever, driven by incredible speed and the need for split-second decision-making. Goals can be a result of an unpredictable bounce, a screen, or an individual moment of brilliance. 

As Ovechkin inches closer to surpassing Gretzky’s legendary record, the significance of the Gr8 Chase extends far beyond mere statistics. It represents a celebration of resilience, skill, and evolution in the sport of hockey. While the game has transformed over the years, with new challenges, rules, and dynamics, one thing remains constant: The pursuit of greatness. 

As Ovechkin draws nearer to this historic milestone, the hockey world holds its breath, witnessing a legend rewrite history in real time. With just under 20 games left in the season, will Ovi do it?

McGill, News

Students express concern over changes to future Frosh schedule

by Asher Kui on

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McGill Campus Life and Engagement (CLE) recently opened leader-volunteer applications for freshmen orientation events. With the university’s decision to delay the Fall 2025 move-in date for first-year students in the downtown campus by one week to Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, many McGill students have expressed concerns over the schedules for Frosh, a set of student-run orientation activities, and other orientation events.

On Nov. 13, McGill Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Senators Anzhu Wei and Vivian Wright raised questions to the McGill Senate concerning this move-in delay, as it limits possible dates for orientation events for first years. In particular, Frosh events will now coincide with the first week of classes, which according to Wei and Wright, may affect the transition to university for incoming students.

In an interview with The Tribune, Wei explained that difficulties in scheduling Fall 2025 Frosh may be attributed to two reasons: McGill’s term length, and its finances.

“In order to have a [week-long] reading week, [McGill has] to push back the start of school earlier […] to have the same number of school days,” Wei said. “For the 2025-26 school year, [school would have] to start before Labour Day.”

Wei described how McGill’s decision to postpone the first-year move-in date leaves only a few days before classes begin for Frosh to take place, in an effort for the university to cut residence costs.

“The reason that [McGill provided] is that they didn’t have the resources […] to open residences earlier,” Wei said. “They needed the time to train resident workers. It is a financial reason that they’re not opening [residences] earlier.”

In addition, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) wrote to The Tribune that the adjusted move-in dates will allow for maintenance and renovation in residences.

Elisha-Grace King, U1 Arts & Science, expressed concerns about the potential new timing of Frosh.

“Frosh being before classes started gave me a lot of time to meet new people and explore the McGill area,” King said. “The extra free time [was] good downtime as Frosh is super exhausting with the amount of walking and late-night events that [took] place.”

Both Wei and King speculated how the shortened period between move-in, Frosh, and the start of classes may be harmful to incoming students.

“I think it’s going to have a really big negative impact on first-year students,” Wei said. “To not give them that time to be able to adjust and be able to find their foothold in Montreal, I think it’s just pretty horrible.”

“Starting first year and adjusting to the university pace can be quite overwhelming,” King said. “If Frosh happens [alongside classes], new students might not have a strong foundation of friends to lean on when things get stressful at school.”

Wei noted that the AUS has discussed their concerns with Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Angela Campbell and Dean of Students Tony Mittermaier. He reported that while Campbell and Mittermaier acknowledged the AUS’s concerns, the University remains unwilling to reverse the change in Frosh timing.

In a written statement to The Tribune, the MRO affirmed that Campbell, members of CLE, and student leaders have had discussions regarding the well-being of first-year students.

“Our Student Life and Learning units have always worked with student leaders to provide the best student experience at McGill and will continue to do so,” the MRO wrote. “Student leaders were understandably concerned about Frosh overlapping with classes, so the group explored a number of options.”

The MRO concluded its statement by announcing a tentative decision on the Frosh schedule.

“Frosh would start on Aug. 29, after the start of classes, and run through Labour Day weekend to Sept. 1, with the possibility of some Sept. 2 events, to be determined in the coming months,” the MRO wrote. “The final Frosh schedule will be communicated to students during the summer.”

King suggested that McGill should ensure there are no scheduling conflicts between Frosh events and classes.


“Making sure students have time to settle into both the academic and social aspects of McGill are key to setting them up for success,” she said.

Science & Technology

SCAnning the genome to uncover the genetics of a neurological disorder

by Antoine Larocque on

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Recent advances in molecular biology techniques are bringing new insights into complex diseases. These insights extend to spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), a group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the deterioration of the cerebellum—a brain structure critical for balance and movement coordination.

In 2019, between 30 and 48 per cent of SCA patients remained without a genetic diagnosis—a test that identifies the genes responsible for a given disease. This was partly due to the limitations of short-read genetic sequencing, a technique which involves breaking DNA into small fragments before determining the order of DNA units that make up the fragments. While this technique is useful, it struggles to accurately resolve repetitive DNA regions in the genome—a challenge in diagnosing certain types of SCA.

Recognizing the need for improved diagnostic tools, Bernard Brais, the director of McGill’s Rare Neurological Disease Research Group, and his collaborators published a review article analyzing how the advent of long-read sequencing has revolutionized SCA research in recent years.

Unlike short-read sequencing, long-read sequencing can accurately detect repetitive sequences in the genome, revealing previously hidden genetic variants. This technology has led to the identification of three new SCA variants: SCA4, SCA51, and, in particular, SCA27B.

SCA27B stands out from other SCA variants due to its distinct genetic signature: A high number of trinucleotide [guanine-adenine-adenine (GAA)] repeats within an intron—a segment of DNA that does not code for proteins—of the fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) gene.

FGF14 plays a key role in stabilizing ion channels crucial for the function of Purkinje cells, specialized neurons in the cerebellum involved in motor control and learning

“We suspect that if [individuals] have less of it, the channels cannot perform as well, and then it leads to all types of problems in the cell,” Brais said in an interview with The Tribune.

Patients with SCA27B typically carry more than 250 GAA repeats in one copy of the FGF14 gene. However, some individuals with fewer than 300 GAA repeats never develop SCA symptoms, suggesting additional genetic considerations influence disease onset.

The purity of the GAA repeat sequence also plays a crucial role in SCA27B development. Asian populations, for example, rarely develop SCA27B since their FGF14 gene contains a mix of triplet nucleotides, making the repeat sequence more stable.

However, individuals inheriting a pure GAA repeat sequence may experience expansion over time, particularly in the cerebellum. 

“We think that, with time, the error grows, and it will grow because it is a pure sequence that, for whatever reason, is prone to errors,” Brais commented. “When the DNA is patched up, it makes errors, and [the error] continues to grow.”

Additionally, between 15 and 50 per cent of SCA patients have no family history of this disease. Research suggests that a short 17-base-pair DNA sequence upstream of the FGF14 seems key in stabilizing the GAA repeat sequence length. Therefore, people without this controlling region are more likely to develop SCA27B.

“Somewhere in the history of Europeans, some people probably lost this controlling region, and that makes this region more unstable, so it changes size,” Brais explained. “If it goes past a certain size, it will continue to increase even more, and if it passes a threshold size, then [the person] will develop the disease.”

The discovery of SCA27B represents a major step in refining SCA diagnosis, especially among individuals of European descent. Initially identified in French Canadians, where it accounts for nearly 60 per cent of SCA cases, SCA27B was later recognized as one of the most prevalent SCA variants worldwide.

“It is really worthwhile studying French Canadian genetics to find the cause of diseases,” Brais said.

Beyond ataxias, studying SCA genetics could offer broader insights into neurological disorders associated with aging. 

“I think it’s opening the door to a better understanding of aging in terms of memory or movement, like for Parkinson’s disease. But this is not the same; it’s aging in terms of balance,” Brais said.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Unmissable events happening this month

by Malika Logossou on

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With the roads defrosting, the weather warming, and the clock springing forward, Montreal is back and better than ever with a bunch of activities to take advantage of the (relatively) temperate temperatures. Lucky for you, The Tribune has compiled a list to keep you occupied in the upcoming weeks—if you’re one of the lucky few who has a lull between midterms and finals, anyways.

1. Festival Art Souterrain

From March 15 to April 16, the 16th annual Festival Art Souterrain will transform Montreal’s underground city into a contemporary art exhibition. The festival will feature 30 artists and five exhibit venues, as well as free artistic activities following this year’s theme: The environment. Entrance is free, although some activities, such as guided tours, require purchasing a ticket. 

One of the perks of the festival is that it is underground—as much as we enjoy the weather getting warmer, it is still freezing outside, and there’s always the inevitable late-March snowstorm. The Underground City spans across 33 kilometers, serving as a pedestrian network right under the heart of Montreal that connects metro stations, shopping centers, and cultural landmarks. This festival is the perfect way to explore art while staying warm and getting to know one of Montreal’s most famous landmarks. 

2. International Festival of Films on Art

If you’d rather see your art through a video camera, this festival may be for you! From March 13 to March 30, the International Festival of Films on Art will be presenting hundreds of short and feature-length films on art and culture in cinemas in various locations downtown in light of its 43rd edition. This festival is your chance to watch captivating movies, paintings, photography, music, and dance, exploring Montreal’s rich artistic culture. The virtual edition extends until March 30, allowing you to enjoy the art from the comfort of your home if you are unable to make it in person. 

3. Cabane Panache

If you live in Quebec and you’ve never been to a cabane à sucre, can you really say you have lived the Quebec experience? Even if you have been to one before, not going to Cabane Panache this year would mean missing out on one of the province’s sweetest traditions! From March 20 to 23, on Promenade Wellington, you can find maple syrup delights, live folk music, and expanded festivities. This year’s edition is special as it is part of Verdun’s 150th-anniversary celebrations. Be sure not to miss out on the largest urban sugar shack festival, and bring some of your friends along while you are at it. Additionally, it is not too far from McGill by metro, as it is located near De l’Église metro station. 

4. Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Parade

On March 16, Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Parade will take place on Rue de Maisonneuve, from Fort St. to Jeanne-Mance, starting at noon. It has happened annually since 1824, making it the second most famous Irish parade in North America, behind New York. Expect floats, marching bands, musicians, and performers flooding the streets. Whether you have Irish roots or just love a good celebration, this event is a must-see! 

5. The Montreal National Women’s Show

From March 28 to March 30, enjoy a weekend of fashion, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle at the Montreal National Women’s Show. At the Palais des Congrès, the show will feature over 320 exhibitors providing attendees with food, wine tastings, fashion shows, celebrity guests, free beauty makeovers, health and beauty tips, cooking demonstrations, interior-design advice and travel ideas. Conferences and workshops complete the program of this event dedicated to women. 

Montreal has covered you for March, so mark your calendars and make the most of these upcoming events!

Art, Arts & Entertainment

‘Little Burgundy – Evolving Montreal’ tells the story of a neighbourhood through the lens of Black resilience

by Hannah Nobile on

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When British-Canadian photographer Andrew Jackson first visited Montreal, he set out to find the city’s Black spaces. His search led him to the neighbourhood of Little Burgundy, formerly known as Saint-Antoine, where he encountered a paradox: Why is Little Burgundy considered a Black space when only 11 per cent of its residents are Black? The answer: An ongoing history of gentrification displacing what was once a thriving Black neighbourhood.

In the 19th century, Little Burgundy emerged as the home of Montreal’s most prominent English-speaking Black community. The city attracted Black workers from across North America and the Caribbean for employment within the expanding Canadian railway industry that prospered off the exploitation of low-wage labour. Home to 90 per cent of the city’s Black population, Little Burgundy flourished with cornerstone cultural institutions and activist groups. But from the 1960s onward, city plans for urban renewal tore the neighbourhood apart. Residents and organizations were expropriated while homes and Black-owned businesses were demolished. By 1996, a gentrified Little Burgundy housed a dwindling two per cent of the city’s Black population—leaving behind a gutted community. 

However, Little Burgundy wasn’t culturally acknowledged as a Black space until the 1980s. 

“I began to think about what happens when spaces become termed as Black. There are very few benefits from that definition […] Little Burgundy became a Black space when it was linked to notions of criminality and failure,” Jackson said in an interview with The Tribune.

His exhibition challenges that perspective. When the McCord Stewart Museum commissioned Jackson to document the sites and locals of Little Burgundy in the third iteration of its Evolving Montreal series capturing the transformation of the city’s neighbourhoods, he set out to explore the racialization of the space and how perceptions differ between Black and non-Black individuals. The exhibition features photographs and three poignant, uplifting short films exploring the stories of people and organizations within the community.

“For a Black person, a Black space is a space of sanctuary, it’s a space of survival, it’s a space that holds personal or communal memories,” he explained.

Jackson points to his photo of a boarded-up window and notes how an outsider could look at this and see a sign of failure, while the person living beyond those walls is reminded of their 10th birthday, a meal shared with loved ones, or a first kiss.

This duality of understanding forms the basis of his work. Among the frames adorning the walls, there are close-ups focusing on details throughout Little Burgundy’s streets, whether it be a crack in the sidewalk or the way the sunlight hits an apartment window. These shots, representing a surface-level impression of the area, are then contrasted with intimate portraits of the individuals that inhabit that space. 

Among them is Jason Fraser, an outspoken leader in Little Burgundy who directs a men’s group at the Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre.

“There’s a lot of things in Little Burgundy that taught me how to be a family man, that taught me how to love my community, that taught me how to represent it in a good way [….] I hope my kids continue to be proud of Little Burgundy and that everyone continues to talk about Little Burgundy, not in the negative but in the positive. That’s my goal,” Fraser said.

By spotlighting the individuality of the people within Little Burgundy, Jackson fosters a sense of shared connection with the viewer. It provides a glimpse into a resilient Black community that would otherwise be invisible to those who have shaped their understanding of the space from negative cultural assumptions. The residents of Little Burgundy have a lifetime of personal memories and experiences that outsiders couldn’t know. This exhibition amplifies their voice.  

“As a Black Canadian looking across the border at what’s happening in America, I think right now that making Black people, Black bodies visible, giving an opportunity for Black voices to be heard is a political act. It’s an act of resilience in the face of that erasure,” said Jackson.

Little Burgundy will continue to change. Jackson’s documentary photography stands as a challenge to the erasure of its history and to its negative associations. Instead, it ensures that its legacy is not lost to gentrification. The exhibition isn’t just a visual testament to resilience but also a catalyst for dialogue on the ongoing transition of the community that through time, has been shaped, empowered, and threatened, yet remains at the heart of Montreal’s identity.

Little Burgundy – Evolving Montreal will be exhibited at the McCord Stewart Museum until Sept. 28.

A portion of these interviews were translated from French.

McGill, News

McGill Food Coalition’s weekly calendar plants seeds for alternative food system

by Eliza Lee on

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Throughout the Winter 2025 semester, the McGill Food Coalition (MFC) has posted a weekly calendar compiling food service events on campus, from free lunches to events discussing food sustainability. MFC is a student-run group that represents and coordinates projects between food advocacy groups, including the Student Nutrition Accessibility Club (SNAC), Midnight Kitchen, and Happy Belly. 

In an interview with The Tribune, Mia Szabo, U3 Arts and a project leader for the MFC, explained that the calendar seeks to improve students’ access to nutritious, affordable, and sustainable foods. She added that by compiling the services of its member groups, the calendar enables students to more easily incorporate them into weekly meal planning. 

“On Monday, I can get SNAC groceries,” Szabo said. “On Wednesday, I can go to Midnight Kitchen. On Friday, there’s Happy Belly, and in between, there’s workshops.”

Szabo also drew attention to the symbolic significance of the calendar in showing that student food advocacy groups are united in their efforts to combat food insecurity. 

“We really want to convey a sense of cohesiveness across the different groups, which in the past, might not even know that each other existed,” Szabo said. “We’re all working towards a common goal, which is servicing McGill students and the McGill community.”

Szabo emphasized that the calendar contributes to MFC’s larger commitment to creating an alternative food system on campus, filling gaps left by the traditional food system centred upon for-profit companies. 

Élèves des Champs—a student-run ecological garden on the Macdonald Campus—is among the member groups of MFC. Reflecting on the MFC’s work beyond the calendar, Sam Liptay, U3 Science and representative from Élèves des Champs, echoed the coalition’s role in tackling food insecurity holistically and addressing common obstacles between student groups. 

“Something that people [have been asking] is, ‘What are the limits to growth for each group?’, and trying to assess those and see if this can be overcome, and see if there [are] commonalities,” Liptay said. 

For Jeanne Arnould, U4 Arts and a representative from DefaultVeg McGill, MFC is a key way to increase the visibility of food advocacy groups for students, something that is crucial given that it can be challenging to find an updated list of active clubs and services on campus. DefaultVeg promotes plant-based eating through catering services and other food sustainability events, such as vegan snack nights. 

“When you do have a club, you need to go table at Activities Night and hope that some people will be interested, otherwise your student club or group kind of dies,” Arnould told The Tribune. “So [MFC’s] initiative to actually structure [these groups under a coalition] is really, really valuable.”

In a written statement, Hugo-Victor Solomon, Vice-President External of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), noted that rising inflation and the lack of food options on campus are among the main drivers of food insecurity for students. However, Solomon believes that SSMU signing a new Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with McGill on Feb. 28 may help bring more food venues to the University Centre.

“I’m happy to say that given the signing of the new 5-year MoA, […] it’ll be a lot easier to secure contractors in a more streamlined process through having a management agreement with the University in place—and to get more food service tenants in the building ASAP,” Solomon wrote.

Although Solomon reported that SSMU is not currently collaborating with MFC “in any official capacity,” he wrote that the student union will seek to work with them to revise SSMU’s Food Security Policy in the future. 

Lia Boretsky, U4 Science and co-president of SNAC, hopes to see greater collaboration between student groups under MFC and underscored the mutual benefit that comes from this work. Boretsky recalled several weeks when SNAC was able to prevent wasting leftover produce from their weekly Good Food Box distribution service by offering it to Midnight Kitchen for their lunch program. 

“It’s more effective when we work together and collaborate, rather than just being our own [groups], because then things go to waste,” Boretsky said. “We all have the same mission, and if we come together and be more strategic […] it’s going to have a better result for the students.”

Sports

Tennis world no. 1 Jannik Sinner suspended for three months amidst doping controversy

by Ethan Kahn on

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Tennis is full of exciting young superstars, from Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz to the U.S.’s Ben Shelton; however, nobody may be as talented or as dominant as Jannik Sinner. The 23-year-old from the South Tyrol region of Italy has racked up three Grand Slam wins and over $56 million CAD in prize money. Yet his meteoric rise to the top of the tennis world has hit a considerable speed-bump. 

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), an international organization comprised of more than 140 countries helping fight against performance-enhancing drugs in sports, handed Sinner a three-month suspension from Feb. 9 to May 4 after he tested positive for the performance enhancer Clostebol. The suspension stipulates that for its duration, Sinner is not allowed to participate in any Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour events. 

The circumstances of Sinner’s suspension and the question of whether or not he intended to cheat or gained any advantages from Clostebol are murky at best. Sinner’s original positive test was from March 10, 2024, after he beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Sinner’s physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi was using an over-the-counter spray that contained the steroid Clostebol for a cut on his finger. Naldi massaged Sinner throughout the tournament, and Sinner’s team argued that the Italian superstar was inadvertently exposed to Clostebol through Naldi. The International Tennis Integrity Association (ITIA) issued two bans for Sinner, both of which were reversed on appeal.

Following Sinner’s dominant U.S. Open win in September to claim his second Grand Slam title, WADA announced that they were filing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where they sought to ban Sinner from any tennis competition for one to two years. This launched another lengthy legal battle and thrust Sinner into the spotlight yet again. This time, he could not escape unscathed. WADA gave him a three-month ban, which, considering their initial one- to two-year goal, let Sinner off lightly.

However, their explanation for their decision did nothing to put the case to bed. WADA not only acknowledged that Sinner’s team was able to prove any Clostebol use was completely unintentional, but also said that their findings did not indicate that Sinner gained any competitive advantage from his accidental exposure to the steroid. When considering these facts, it seems that Sinner was hard done by.

Many questions have been raised by critics on the handling of Sinner’s case and whether or not it creates a double standard for elite athletes. While it is true that Sinner’s punishment may not be the correct decision, he avoided two provisional suspensions through emergency appeals to lift them. Any other player would likely have been forced to serve at least one of the provisional suspensions handed down by the ITIA. Twenty-four-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic sounded off, saying that there were inconsistencies in the treatment of Sinner versus other players who had similar cases.

While the legal drama seems to be in the past for now, Sinner will have to work hard to return to his best. Three months away from competition is a massive challenge in a sport that requires an incredible amount of focus. Sinner will need to get back into the right mindset before his return to competition at the Italian Open on home soil in Rome, which begins May 7. Fans will be hoping this saga is a mere blip on Sinner’s path to greatness, and that he will use this experience to motivate himself to reach the incredible heights that those in the tennis world know he can achieve.

Editorial, Opinion

Censorship of genocide is inherently anti-education

by The Tribune Editorial Board on

More in Editorial:

Quebec Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry has recently come under fire for her interference in course content at Dawson College, where she demanded that a French language course about Palestinian literature avoid sensitive topics. Shortly after, Déry made a similar intervention in a Palestinian literature course at Vanier College. The minister justified these investigations by claiming that the content was “explosive” and that students deserve a “healthy and safe” environment. Déry’s interventions are not unlike McGill’s own actions towards rejecting discussion of Palestine in classrooms, the exclusion of the word “Palestine” or “genocide” in the university’s email communications with the student body, and the Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS)’s removal of words such as “Gaza” and “genocide” from their motions of solidarity with Palestine. 

Stifling discussion of Israel’s genocide in Gaza—or any other major geopolitical crisis—dismisses the lived realities of those involved, stunts positive change, and enables educational institutions to remain passive in their own contribution to acts of violence around the world. Suppressing conversation, especially that which is the most contentious and the most uncomfortable, heightens tensions and propagates misinformation. 

Israel’s genocide in Gaza touches so many students in traumatic and deeply distressing ways, and the university setting is uniquely equipped to facilitate discussion around it in a respectful and informed space. As experts and professionals, university professors can act as knowledgeable mediators and encourage evidence-based dialogue in their students. In this way, not only is open discussion of weighty subjects itself destigmatized, but students are open to learning from one another instead of festering in repressed feelings and unspoken polarized conflict.

Geopolitical tensions do not cease to exist if a university chooses not to talk about them. Such silence sends the message that the lives affected by and lost to these injustices are not worth addressing in the classroom, thus enabling a false sense of detachment from those realities. McGill itself is instrumental in the genocide, as it continues to invest over $70 million CAD in more than 50 companies complicit in upholding Israel’s apartheid regime. The symbolic weight of these investments is greater than their monetary value; McGill is a world-class institution of higher education, whose actions set a precedent for other educational institutions in Canada and abroad. 

Suppression of uncomfortable discussion not only pacifies past violence, but reproduces it. After an unidentified group in support of Palestine broke windows in McGill’s Leacock Building in February, President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini sent a message to students classifying these protestors as threats to students though no one was harmed. His message ignored the purpose of the protest entirely, instead criminalizing the pro-Palestine cause. This rhetorical tactic imbues reductive biases into the discussion of the genocide in Gaza, while simultaneously villainizing protest—by students or otherwise—and discouraging future action. It is in this fear-mongering environment, where certain causes are hand-picked as acceptable or not based on their convenience for the university, where polarizing narratives and heightened tension are encouraged in place of constructive dialogue and progress. 

McGill’s student body and faculty must continue to hold the university accountable for its ongoing complicity in violence and its suppression of crucial discussion. McGill and its student body must also show consistent and energetic solidarity with Dawson College, Vanier College, and the entire CEGEP system, where the grassroots of student activism in Quebec is growing. 

Ultimately, amidst censorship, suppression, and polarizing curation, it is critical that each of us individually continue to have uncomfortable conversations, both to educate others and to learn from others with an open mind. This could be with friends, family, classmates, or professors, but it must continue. We, as students, must challenge our professors when a syllabus is devoid of Palestinian, women, 2SLGBTQ+, BIPOC voices, and professors—especially those protected by tenure—must encourage and facilitate uncomfortable conversations. The power of individuals and their communal discourses in the fight against suppression is immense—neither the administration nor the McGill community can forget it.

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