Latest News

a, Science & Technology

Great Scott! The sci-fi world of Back to the Future

by Daniel Galef on

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Back to the Future, the 1985 sci-fi classic, is in the news this week for a special anniversary. The protagonist of the movie, Marty McFly, time-travels from 1985 to 1955 and back again. In the process, he saves his mentor, mad scientist Doc Brown, and assures his own existence by setting up his parents as high school seniors. At the end of the movie, Marty arrives home again only to be whisked off an another adventure—this time, to the future. When Marty and his companions fly off in Doc’s DeLorean-sedan-cum time-machine, they’re headed to October 21, 2015: This Wednesday. Director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale’s vision of the future—shown four years later in Back to the Future Part II—doesn’t disappoint. Featuring hoverboards, flying cars, and robotic dogwalkers, the movie’s version of 2015 offers a number of technological marvels. But how close were their predictions?

Hoverboards and flying cars

Flying cars have long been a mainstay of science fiction books, movies, and comics. Despite their absence in the average consumer’s life, flying cars have actually been both theoretically and practically possible for decades—but haven’t caught on for safety and price reasons. In 1917, the first flying car was developed by Glenn Curtiss, a rival of the Wright Brothers. The Curtiss Autoplane looked like a streamlined sedan with a giant propeller and wings, and was operated like an airplane. Since then, dozens of prototypes and test models have been created by Ford, Hiller Helicopters, and the U.S. Army.

Hoverboards were initially pioneered by Hiller in the ’50s. Today, boards are being made to fly using the technology found in hovering maglev trains, known as magnetic levitation. A video published on Yahoo Tech shows the article’s author attempting to ride a hoverboard prototype, called the Hendo Hoverboard. Developed by Arx Pax, a California-based company, the board is far from perfect. Balance is precarious, and the vehicle operates only on metallic surfaces; but the invention takes us one step closer to emulating the technology shown in the film.

Smart watches & smart glasses

Wearable tech is a major step towards living in the world of science fiction. Today, gadgets like Google Glass and the Apple Watch are probably the most comparable technologies to the ones that Zemeckis predicted. Besides being featured in Back to the Future, wearable radios and computers have been depicted in other famous science fiction franchises such as Star Trek, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers.

The technology used is called augmented reality, and it’s at the cutting edge of modern entertainment and computer interface design. Augmented reality allows for the incorporation of digital information and simulated graphics into a new perception of the world that is halfway between virtual reality and reality.

Interestingly, the reason Google Glass and the Apple Watch haven’t caught on is very different from the factors that shot down the flying cars. Whereas this type of technology was perceived as being sleek and alluring by futurists in the 20th century, today these techno-accessories are being viewed as silly and impractical—impeding further development.

Widespread automation

In Back to the Future, robots walk dogs, pump gas, and take orders at cafés. This type of widespread automation could be possible today, but the development of these robots faces the same issues as flying cars: High cost and low interest.; however, progress is being made. 

A new type of robot has been created by Rethink Robotics. The general-purpose robot, called Baxter, is unspecialized and able to watch and then learn a variety of simple tasks—making it likelier to replace humans for certain jobs.

However, specialized robots exist, too, and have already begun to be put to work in several industries. Robot-staffed restaurants are open to the public in Germany, China, and Singapore, and plenty of other automations have become common since the ’80s, such as package-delivery drones, automated gas pumps, Siri, and self-driving cars. 

The Back to the Future films were hugely influential. They not only marked a milestone in special effects technology and were quoted in the 1986 State of the Union address, but caused an entire generation to mispronounce the word ‘gigawatts.’ At least a few inventions were developed specifically because they existed in Back to the Future—like Nike’s  limited edition version of Marty’s Hyperdunks (though they do lack the coveted auto-lacing feature)—because someone saw them in the film and thought, “I could build that.” So, in a way, Doc Brown did take us to the future after all.

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen blow out Voyageaurs in home opener, fall against Lakers

by Nicholas Jasinski on

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McGill Redmen
7

 

 

 

 

Laurentian Voyageurs
2

 

 

 

 

McGill Redmen
2

 

 

 

 

Nipissing Lakers
3

 

 

The Redmen hockey team (3-1-0) outscored their opponents by a combined score of 9-5 across the six periods played last weekend. The Redmen went into their first home game of the season on Friday with a perfect 2-0 record, and outplayed the Laurentian Voyageurs (1-2-0) to remain undefeated. McGill quietly dominated the first two periods, leading 2-0 on the scoreboard and holding a 31-13 advantage in shots on goal, before exploding in a prolific last period, putting 22 shots on goal and scoring on five of them. The Voyageurs also managed to net twice in the period. Freshman left-winger Daniel Milne of Unionville, ON scored twice while five other Redmen forwards also found the back of the net once a piece. 

“We had a really solid game against Laurentian,” Head Coach Kelly Nobes said. “We were moving our feet really well, chipping pucks, clearing pucks, running our routes, and our execution was really good.”

The Redmen finished the match with a 52-22 margin on shots, but went just one for eight on the power play. Overall, McGill dominated the game in front of an excited home crowd with superior teamwork, possession, and skating. 

Saturday’s match against the Nipissing Lakers (2-0-2) was another story entirely. 

“Tonight was essentially the opposite of [Friday’s game],” Nobes said after the loss. “We stopped moving our feet, we stopped running our routes, and our execution wasn’t what it needed to be.”

Despite a fast-paced and exciting first period, the teams remained scoreless after the first 20 minutes of play. The climax of the game came in the 10th minute of the second period, when a solid shot from second-year defenceman Samuel Labrecque broke the tie. It seemed like the breakthrough that would seal the outcome of the match, but the Lakers weren’t ready to give up yet.

The third period started much like the first two: Fast skating, ambitious passing, and a lot of back-and-forth action across the rink. About halfway into the period, disaster struck for the Redmen. Goaltender interference was called on McGill’s centre, Rock Regimbald, sending the freshman to the penalty box. The Lakers would capitalize a minute into the power play to tie the game at 1-1. Two minutes later, McGill conceded another penalty. Nipissing scored on the subsequent power play to secure a lead. Much to the exasperation of the home fans, McGill committed yet another penalty three minutes later. The result was a third goal for Nipissing in just five minutes.

Down by two goals, the Redmen snapped back into the game. Labrecque scored again on a six-on-four power play after Nobes pulled junior netminder Karel St-Laurent. But the late push was not enough to force an overtime and the Lakers celebrated their first win of the season. 

“I was happy to see the push in the last three or four minutes, and we almost tied it up, but we were essentially just chasing at that point,” Nobes said. “We need to be better as a group. We need to play 120 minutes in a weekend, and we only really played one period [on Saturday].”

McGill will look for revenge on Jan. 9 when they travel to Nipissing; but for now, the team will focus on preparing for next weekend’s games against UQTR (3-1-0) and Concordia (2-2-0). 

Sound Bites

“We’ve got a lot of stuff to work on—it’s a really young team. Lots of new guys, and guys still trying to figure out their roles, so there’s still lots of room for growth with this group in almost any area of our game.” —Coach Nobes on the team’s development 

Moment of the Game

The entire third period was insanity: The Redmen erupted for five goals on 22 shots. 

Stat of the Game

The Redmen outshot their opponents by nearly double over the weekend, 96-54, for a combined score of 10-4.

a, Features

Beyond Rhetoric: Investigating McGill’s Student Political Clubs

by Christopher Lutes on

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federal election is finally over after the longest campaign period in modern Canadian history. Over the past 11 weeks, the three political parties with the strongest chances of forming government—Conservative Party of Canada, Liberal Party of Canada, and the New Democratic Party(NDP)—have been hard at work trying to win the hearts and minds of undecided voters. But by now, the NDP and Conservative party leaders have gone home disappointed. Their months of hard work—while not in vain—certainly did not pan out the way they might have hoped. 

On campus, the story is similar, but on a smaller scale. Each major  political party has a corresponding student group at McGill, run semi-autonomously by student leaders. These leaders; Alexei Simakov of the Conservative Association at McGill University (CAMU), Greta Hoaken of Liberal McGill, and Malaya Powers and Jacob Schweda of the McGill University chapter of the NDP, have campaigned tirelessly in and around the McGill community. These parties had to contend with a demographic that is statistically less likely to vote, and an issue space full of topics that aren’t always directly applicable to young Canadians, such as universal childcare or changes to income tax. 

Creating further barriers is a campus discourse that tends to create tension, making it difficult for political moderates and undecided voters to ask questions or have their voices heard without being shouted down by either end of the political spectrum. Political polarization is a real issue on campus, but it’s also one that the parties cannot address without conflicting with the strong notion of party centralization in Canada. While these student parties are guilty of making the campus conversation more rigid along party lines to a certain extent, the individuals behind the parties share a common goal: the desire to reduce voter apathy and create a meaningful discourse to enhance youth voting in general.

 

 probably the hardest job changing people’s minds on McGill’s campus, where left-leaning discourse seems to take precedence. Simakov, the leader of CAMU, finds himself out of step with this discourse. A self-professed libertarian, he differs from the popular conversation on campus. 

“I believe […] that we have a government that’s willing to do less because it gives the opportunity for Canadians to do more,” Simakov said. 

Simakov espouses a lot of ideology that’s reactionary to certain elements, like his upbringing in interventionist Russia, from where he emigrated at a young age. After arriving in Canada at the age of eight, Simakov began campaigning in the eighth grade. He joined the Young Liberals of Canada, but left because he became fed up with their take on human nature.

“I saw a mentality of coddling, of superiority complex of most amongst the Liberals I worked with, and the belief that, yes, the people are great, but they need a bit of our help, and they need a bit of our leadership, and a bit of our support to make sure they can get through their lives’,” Simakov said. “I didn’t believe that.” 

While both the Liberals and NDP are able to position themselves as parties that represent youth issues, the federal Conservative party doesn’t give student Conservative groups the same kind of rhetorical ammunition. Basing off of the idea that young people tend to vote for left-leaning parties, encouraging young people to vote is less advantageous to the Conservative Party than others.

a, Recipes, Student Life

Pumpkin cookies for chilly October nights

by Liz Willcock on

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There comes a point in life when one realizes there is more that can be done with a pumpkin than carve a misshapen ghoul into it and leave it on the front step. This coming of age occurs in many shapes and forms—from the first slice of pumpkin pie, to a certain variety of pumpkin beverage from Starbucks. You taste it suspiciously at first, but are quickly won over—it’s warming, it’s sweet, and it smells like heaven filled with fall-scented candles from Bed Bath & Beyond. This realization usually occurs around October or November when the cold air suddenly justifies putting pumpkin flavour in anything and everything. 

These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, while suited for fall, are worthy of becoming a year-long staple. They are moist, tasty, and are a perfect snack to bring to school.  They can be made gluten free by using certified gluten free rolled oats. Adding ground flax seeds is also recommended if you want to add a healthy boost and a little more crunch.

Although it is easy to find canned pumpkin in the grocery stores, one should take advantage of the real thing during the fall. If you’re so inclined, you can easily make your own purée with a pumpkin from the McGill Farmer’s Market on Thursdays, or from your local produce store. All you need to do is cut the pumpkin in half, scrape the seeds out, bake it for an hour at 325 º F, and then purée the meat. While it is commendable to go the organic route, you also have the option to buy the jumbo tins of pumpkin purée at Segal’s Market on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Either way, these cookies won’t disappoint. 

Recipe inspired by BLDG25

Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies 

Makes two dozen 

 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of almond flour 

2 cups of whole rolled oats 

1 cup pumpkin purée or one small pumpkin

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of olive oil or coconut oil (if using coconut oil, make sure it is melted)

1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup 

1 large egg 

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup of chocolate chips 

1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed (optional)

 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 375º F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

1. Combine the dry ingredients: Almond flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, in a mixing bowl.

2. In a large bowl, first whisk together the oil and honey then add in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir to combine well, add chocolate chips, and stir until combined.

4. Spoon dough onto baking sheets in balls and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes. 

a, Out on the Town, Student Life

MTL à Table: Montreal’s restaurant week

by Amber Hord on

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McGill foodies will be ravished to hear that MTL à TABLE, Montreal’s annual Restaurant Week, is back in full force. This year’s festival runs from Oct. 29 to Nov. 8, and offers meal and drink deals for discounted prices at over 140 restaurants around Montreal.  The fixed price table d’hôte menus offered at participating restaurants include three courses, and vary from $21 to $41, depending on the restaurant. Some restaurants are also offering late-night bites, or brunch options on the weekends, both for $21. In addition to sit-down meals, there are events like a chocolate and wine tasting offered by Chocolate Academy. There are also four walking tours led by VDM Global Foodies, which explore cuisine in different areas of the city, including the Mile End and Old Port. 

The festival offers a chance to try cuisine at an affordable, fixed price.  But with over 140 restaurants to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down on just a few.   

La Champagnerie

La Champagnerie, the urban tavern in Old Port, is offering a $41 table d’hôte menu featuring seasonal, local produce, with a range of meat and seafood dishes that appeal to a wide variety of tastes. The menu features popcorn shrimp tacos to start, pho with a mix of eight different meats and seafood, and for dessert, a bacon pudding chômeur featuring bourbon syrup, and spicy kumquat. The ambience is unique, with exposed brick walls, leather seating booths, and dim lighting. To add to the trendy atmosphere, there will be a DJ spinning on Thursdays and Saturdays. The restaurant will also be hosting a Halloween party featuring à TABLE deals on Oct. 31.

La Bêtise 

La Bêtise has created a unique fusion of Asian flavors in a tapas style, intermingled with a Quebecois influence. Located in La Petite-Patrie, it may be a bit of a trek for most, but the $31 table d’hôte menu, which includes shredded duck poutine with foie gras sauce and bacon, makes it all worth it.  A crispy and spicy shrimp burger, and a wild mushroom mac ’n’ cheese with truffle oil are also featured on this year’s menu.  Chef Phat Hong has offered wine and cocktail pairings with each course to guide you through the full experience.

Invitation V 

If you are interested in opting for a healthy, more environmentally conscious option, Invitation V is your spot. Located in the Plateau, the warm, urban space offers vegan cuisine inspired by the chefs’ travels and their commitment to healthy eating and animal rights.  This year, their $31 table d’hôte menu includes butternut squash marinated layers in a crispy tempeh crust, and for dessert, a black quinoa pudding with pumpkin cream. The restaurabt blends healthy organic ingredients in internationally inspired dishes that appeal to vegans and omnivores alike.

These are just a few of the great restaurants participating this year, and MTL à TABLE is making it as easy as ever to find a place and a price that suits your taste and your wallet.

To facilitate participants’ dining experiences and accommodate different preferences, MTL à TABLE has introduced a new app in partnership with Yellow Pages called YP Dine. This app enables users to browse participating restaurants by price, location, type of food, time of day, and more. It will list the best spots for an afternoon pick-me-up or a late-night drink with friends. Users can also filter restaurants by dietary preference (vegan, gluten-free etc.), BYOB, or browse by categories like “Smokin’ Smoked Meat,” “Delicious Dumplings,” and “Cheat Worthy Cheesecake,” to name a few. For any mood, the app will help find the perfect place to satisfy your craving. Notably, all of the restaurants are rated and reviewed by local foodies, as well as popular reviewing websites like FourSquare and TripAdvisor. Making reservations for à TABLE restaurants is strongly recommended as a lot of the restaurants fill up ahead of time; and even if they aren’t full, the waiting time can be lengthy at popular spots. Reservations are simple to make as they can be done through the app, and this guarantees participants a pleasant and relaxed dining experience.

a, Hockey, Sports

Shooting the Breeze: Most exciting NHL teams to watch

by Sason Ross, Joe Khammar, Nicole Spadotto on

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Sticking to one game of hockey at a time can be difficult and can be quite the unbearable choice. Don’t worry, Tribune Sports came up with the three most exciting NHL teams to watch this season.

Arizona Coyotes

Overshadowed by the Edmonton Oilers youth movement and rumours of relocation, the Arizona Coyotes are a team quietly on the rise. The youth crusade has taken years to develop, but it’s finally coming to fruition. Last season was miserable for the Coyotes, but top defenceman, Oliver Ekman-Larsson showed flashes of brilliance. He thrived last season, leading the team with 43 points, and looked like one of the best power play triggermen in the league. Arizona has also welcomed raw, exciting young talents like forward Max Domi and wingers Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder into the fold­—they all registered at least five points in their first five games. With the electric speed and dynamic offensive capabilities of both Domi and Duclair, the Coyotes will have a formidable offence that can compete with the top teams in the NHL. Goaltender Mike Smith has returned as a true No. 1 goalie and will be key to the Coyotes’ success. Small sample size nonwithstanding, Smith has hit the ground running this season, posting a 2.26 GAA and a .940 save percentage in four games. Overall, the Coyotes are going to be an energetic team to watch, with young rookies who will add passion and velocity to their game.

– Sason Ross

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers embody exciting play in today’s NHL. With playmakers all over the ice, this is the team to watch. Thus far, two players have stood out above the rest with fantastic plays and contributions. Forward Oscar Lindberg is tied for first in the league with four goals scored. The Swedish rookie should keep the goals flowing and contribute to the Rangers’ dominant offence. On the other side of the ice, fellow Swede Henrik Lundqvist’s artfully unorthodox butterfly style is a joy to watch. So far, Lundqvist is off to an exceptional start. His .933 save rate is the highest of his career through the first five games of a season. The usually slow-starting goalie has been on fire, holding the opposition to three goals or fewer in all but one game this season thus far. If he can maintain his elite production through the rest of the season, the Rangers should be in a much better position come April when New York makes its inevitable Stanley Cup run.

– Joe Khammar

Chicago Blackhawks

The teams worth watching are not the ones that are rumoured to win it all, but rather the teams with chemistry that allows offensive prowess to reign, and where the stage is set for exciting goaltending glove denials. Though the Edmonton Oilers are going to be crazy, and the Montreal Canadiens might have the best goaltender in the league, the most fun team to watch this year is perennial powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks. At the risk of being predictable, the Blackhawks were Stanley Cup Champions last year for a reason. The key to winning hockey games is good defence, but the key to fun hockey is explosive offence and game-saving goaltending. Chicago has the ability to win and look good doing it; watching a winning team is half the fun of NHL hockey. With forwards like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, along with last year’s breakout netminder Scott Darling, there is much to be excited about in this strong team. The defence, marshalled by veterans Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, have infallible chemistry with forwards that are strong down the depth chart. The transition game manifests in quick breakouts that lead to even quicker goals courtesy of Kane and Toews, who are among the top puck-handlers in the game.

– Nicole Spadotto

Chris Hadfield Album
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can – Chris Hadfield

by Saif Cheval on

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Colonel Chris Hadfield, 56, is the first musician ever to release an album recorded in space. Yes, that’s right: Space.

To be fair, it wasn’t entirely made in space. Hadfield had to polish up the production upon his return to Earth, which gave the album a clean and atmospheric final sound; however, much of the music was created by Hadfield whilst aboard the International Space Station (ISS). As commander of his mission, Hadfield had little time to himself, and wasn’t always able to record. Over time, the conditions of space affected both his guitar playing and his singing.

The album itself is not as outer-worldly; instead falling into a rather earthy, pop-country sphere of simple melodies and lyrics circling around the motif of departure. “Feet Up,” with its warm riff and laid-back vocals, paints zero gravity as an everyday experience, which seems like an absurd reality (I do a thousand front-flips / Who’ll ever know?). But most tracks are more forgettable, with only a tinge of space-related jargon to keep the album lyrically cohesive. Some songs, such as “Window of My Mind,” are devoid of even that, unless there are also Greyhounds in space. Hadfield himself stated that he had no interest in becoming a musical sensation: he simply wanted to document his time in space through music.

For the first album recorded in the final frontier, Space Sessions doesn’t burst through the stratosphere of musical ingenuity, but it achieves its purpose. This is a journey through the music of Hadfield’s experience—it’s what kept him close to Earth as he circled around it, looking down on home from outer space. For that, it’s good enough.

Standout Track

“Big Smoke”

Best Lyric

“Big smoke; more fragile than you seem / Big smoke; carry precious 

cargo / Show us how to live and how to dream.”

Sounds Like

Neil Young, mid-period Bob Dylan, and Mumford and Sons

SSMU McGill
a, News, SSMU

SSMU Council adopts climate change policy

by Laura Hanrahan on

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Following lengthy discussions, a global climate change policy and a motion regarding Demilitarize McGill’s proposal for campus alterations were adopted by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council this past Thursday.

Adoption of climate change policy

Council, following extensive debate, passed a climate change policy.

Engineering Representative to SSMU, Malcolm McClintock, spoke against adopting the policy, citing the occupational investments that many of McGill’s engineering students have in the oil and gas industries.

“It is part of the mandate of the Engineering Undergraduate Society […] to support the environmentally responsible and ethical development of oil sand industry,” McClintock said. “This motion inherently opposes that [….] When a large portion of our constituents benefit and have invested both educationally and occupationally […] in this industry, it’s not in the best interest to support this.”

Joey Broda, U4 Chemical Engineering student and member of Divest McGill, disagreed with McClintock’s claims.

“I want to make it clear that not all [engineering students] are in support of the ethical development of the oil sands, as frankly, I don’t believe that’s possible,” he said. “It is understood currently that a lot of engineering students do get employed by oil sands development […] however, we understand, as people who are scientifically literate, that climate change is an important issue [….] We need to understand that we can’t support a dying industry.”

The motion for adoption of the policy was put to a vote and passed with 21 in favour, two against, and four abstentions.

Demilitarize McGill motion

Arts and Science Representative  to SSMU Matthew Satterthwaite proposed a motion regarding the SSMU response to “#RememberThis: A Call For Campus Alteration.” The motion was brought forward in response to a statement put out by Demilitarize McGill on the group’s website on the morning of Oct. 15, asking members to the McGill community to physically alter campus in the lead up to Remembrance Day. Satterthwaite explained his desire to avoid SSMU being negatively implicated in any harmful actions taken as a result of this posting. “A lot of students in the general population […] they directly associate [Demilitarize McGill] with SSMU, and if these actions are taken by members of [Demilitarize] McGill, the students at large would directly blame SSMU,” Satterthwaite said.

The statement, as proposed by Satterthwaite, would reaffirm SSMU’s support for the reduction of harmful military technology on campus, while stating that SSMU does not support vandalism or illegal acts.

Science Representative to SSMU Sean Taylor spoke in favour of this motion, explaining that despite the fact the online posting may have been intended to be satire—as argued by Vice-President (VP) External Emily Boytinck—SSMU cannot condone acts of vandalism. “Even if [the post] was satire, it could motivate students, especially [those] that are with the group, to carry out actions like this,” Taylor said. “We’re condemning these actions being done. We’re not saying that what these actions are supposed to illicit are not important.”

VP University Affairs Chloe Rourke urged members of the Council to consider the posting in its entirety, rather than solely the call to action.

“I think we’re focusing on […] the call to action for vandalism on campus, but we’re completely ignoring the entire preface of it, in which it describes the alternative narratives of history […] something that SSMU is very much in support of,” Rourke said. “What they’re saying is actually quite valid [.…] Their arguments are actually not really that relevant to harmful military technology research which we have a policy in support of. They’re actually quite fundamentally equity issues.”

Boytinck asked councillors to consider further research and consultation before releasing a statement. “[The motion is] being so hastily passed through, when I don’t think this is within our role as a student society at all,” Boytinck said. “I would be so embarrassed if this was something we passed through SSMU. I don’t think we gain any student support by shaming another group of students.”

After further discussion, and an amendment to reference SSMU’s support of alternative narratives of history on campus, the motion was passed with 14 in favour, 10 against, and two abstentions.

a, Science & Technology

2015 Nobel Prize winners in physics, chemistry, and medicine

by Clare Lyle on

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During the week of Oct. 5, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners of the 2015 Nobel Prizes. The laureates’ scientific breakthroughs contributed to humanity’s understanding of DNA, explained fundamental properties of the universe, and provided doctors with means of combating diseases like malaria and parasitic diseases.

  • Physics

  • Chemistry

  • Medicine

 

a, McGill, News

SSMU’s new climate change policy causes tension

by Laura Hanrahan on

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In the wake of an 11-month period of discussions, consultations, and revisions, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) has adopted a new climate change policy. The policy, which passed through Legislative Council on Oct. 15, outlines SSMU’s framework for climate justice. New legislations include avoiding investments in the fossil fuel industry, encouraging the purchase of products from companies that display a strong commitment to sustainability, and lobbying the university for increased research funding and internship opportunities in fields such as renewable energy.

According to SSMU Vice-President (VP) External Emily Boytinck, the initial idea for a climate change policy arose during the previous academic year, and was met with overwhelming support from students.

“SSMU was mandated to bring forward a climate change policy at the Fall 2014 General Assembly through [a] motion regarding action on climate change,” Boytinck said. “This motion, which also specified support for anti-pipeline activism, passed by nearly 80 per cent in an online referendum.”

A preliminary policy was brought forward by the 2014-2015 VP External, Amina Moustaqim-Barrette, during the final council meeting of the year. The policy was tabled until this fall to allow for for further edits and consultation with students.

“At that time, this policy had general support amongst the majority of the student body, but showed opposition from the Faculty of Engineering,” Boytinck said. “The most controversial section, [which] specified opposition to the presence of fossil fuel companies on campus, [was] removed and various clauses that display support for jobs and research opportunities in renewable energies were added.”

President of the Co-op Mining Engineering Undergraduate Society (CMEUS), Michael Andrew, was involved in this revision process. During the Oct. 15 SSMU Council meeting where the final draft of the policy was presented, however, he stated that the concessions SSMU made were not enough to illicit a positive response from all engineering students.

“I would like to express my thanks to Emily for being very open to changing a lot of things that were in [the policy],” he said. “[For example] instead of saying ‘against the oil sands,’ [it was changed to] ‘promoting sustainable energy.’ That’s great, but when [a policy] directly impacts our careers and our line of work, that’s where we need to draw the line. Having this political movement […] is not in the best interest of my constituents, [….] I’ve brought this up to my fellow students and did not receive a single comment of support on this motion.”

Andrew acknowledged issues of sustainability, while emphasizing the fact that oil sands extraction will continue to occur, despite the implementation of such a policy.

“I know there are a few [engineering students] involved with Divest McGill on the sustainability side, and I’m not against the sustainability side of the argument,” he said. “I understand that carbon is a limited resource; what I’m saying is that it’s no question these [resources] will [continue to] be extracted.”

Despite this resistance, Boytinck expressed confidence in the policy’s ability to meet the needs of the McGill community as a whole.

“Overall, I feel confident that the policy has a strong scientific basis, an important focus on climate justice, and widespread appeal for the student body at large,” she said.

Arts Representative to SSMU, Adam Templer, noted that overall reactions from the student body have been positive following the passage of the policy.

“The feedback I have received since the motion passed has so far been very supportive,” he said. “I think that is a testament to how open Council was to collaborate with concerned parties [….] I know that students were particularly happy to see the scope of the policy clearly defined where it was originally very much open to interpretation.”

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