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a, Student Life

Understanding why McGill residences are the most expensive in Canada

by Jordan Sinder on

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McGill University has a reputation as one of the most prestigious schools in North America, attracting thousands of out-of-province and international students each year. However, the complete university experience, including living in residence, is becoming gradually less affordable for many first-year students. In fact, McGill residences are now some of the most expensive in Canada.

Student housing is comprised of 16 McGill residences which, in total, house over 3,000 new students each year. Many first-year students choose to live in residence for a variety of reasons including convenience, location, and the opportunity to make new friends from across the world.

Accounting for both housing and meal plans, the current total cost of living in a McGill residence for one academic year is approximately $15,000. Over the past decade, the cost has continued to increase anywhere from two to seven per cent each year. Inflation rates, the recent acquisition of new buildings to be converted to hotel-style residences, and building renovations are all factors in the rising cost of residences.

“Our fees, without question, are amongst the top in Canada for housing,” managing director of Student Housing and Hospitality Services (SHHS), Janice Johnson, said. “As long as I’ve been at McGill, we’ve always been top of the heap.”

 

 

McGill residences now rival traditionally expensive real estate markets at schools such as University of Toronto and University of British Columbia. In comparison to the majority of other Canadian universities, McGill students pay significantly more to live in residence. Given that McGill’s main campus is located in the centre of downtown Montreal, the property expenses associated with an urban location are naturally quite substantial. 

Another major price factor for SHHS is simply the cost of building maintenance and renovations.

“One of the reasons why our fees are so expensive is that our buildings are really old and cost a lot to maintain,” Johnson explained. “We have buildings that need millions of dollars’ worth of work on them.”

Yet another major expense for students is the mandatory meal plan, which at $5,350 comprises one-third the cost of residence. Interestingly, the meal plan is made mandatory for students at nearly all residences, excluding Solin Hall and More housing. According to SHHS, mandatory meal plans are in place due to the inability of the residences to house adequate cooking facilities, and the belief that communal dining areas promote a sense of community for students. 

There are many access barriers associated with the high cost of living in residence. For many students and families, residence is simply unaffordable; for others, it requires significant financial sacrifice.

“Absolutely it creates access barriers,” Johnson noted. “At some point, we’re going to price ourselves out of the market, and we have to be sensitive to that.”

But perhaps there already have been indications that the cost of McGill residences have begun to dissuade an increasingly greater number of students. 

 

 

In June 2015, SHHS extended the application deadline for residence as not all vacancies were immediately occupied for the following academic year. This has been rare in previous years, and the deadline extension is potentially indicative of a decreasing demand to live in residence.

The disparity of cost amongst different residences also creates certain access barriers. The difference between living in McGill’s least expensive and most expensive residence is nearly $4,000.

According to Johnson, SHHS makes every effort to minimize socio-economic divisions by strategically distributing overall maintenance costs—and also major renovation costs—across all residences.

“One of the things that we have chosen to do […] is to not necessarily directly pass on the cost of one change in a building just to the students of that building,” Johnson said. “We spread the operating costs so that [they are] increasing out over the whole system.”

For example, New Residence has renovated a few floors over the past two years. While students living on a renovated floor pay slightly more than students in non-renovated rooms, the overall living fees are increased throughout all of New Residence. Furthermore, the price of other residences is also increased in order to mitigate the financial impact on one demographic of students.

Nevertheless, McGill residences are notoriously expensive in contrast to other living options. Evo and Varcity515 are two alternative student housing options that have been growing in popularity. Many of these off-campus residences offer a familiar sense of community, support services, and opportunities to form friendships.

“The living costs [at Evo] are similar to those established by McGill, but the nature of supply and demand has inflated the quality of off-campus residences to compete,” said Zack Month, ambassador at Evo Centre-Ville. “Evo not only has floor fellows, but also full-time employees dedicated to improving the living experience.”

Month also argues that many off-campus residences such as Evo can actually offer a more unique and broader experience than a McGill residence.

“Evo attracts students from all of Montreal’s universities, creating a new opportunity to learn from neighbours,” stated Month. “Evo offers events from Yoga nights in our gym, to cooking competitions in our dining complex, to viewing parties, and more.”

Many students also choose to live in an apartment off-campus, which is typically much less expensive than living in residence. In terms of pure accommodation costs (residence fees excluding the mandatory meal plan), apartments within walking distance of McGill are often half the price of a McGill residence.

However, there are several distinguishing features of living in a McGill residence. The rez community presents an incredible opportunity to build lasting friendships while having access to crucial support systems. Perhaps most significantly, McGill Rez Life is a trailblazer in consent education, anti-oppression training, and inclusivity.

“We are at the leading edge of some of the programming and social educations of students that are happening in Canada,” Johnson said. “We’re driving our students to understand what it really means to have a place in the larger community.”

While Johnson acknowledged that the high price of residence creates financial access barriers, for many past residents, living in a McGill residence ultimately provides much more than student accommodations. The availability of exceptional resources and the diverse community fostered within a McGill residence is arguably unmatched by most other universities or any off-campus housing options.

“I understand that some families can’t afford rez, and that’s totally understandable,” Jemark Earle, Royal Victoria College floor fellow, and a former resident at La Citadelle, said. “But despite the cost, the experience is invaluable.”

a, Opinion

Election 2015: Horse race or federal election?

by Zachary Carson on

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Major Canadian news outlets pay extensive attention to who is currently winning the election. Either through the use of extensive polling data detailing which party is in the lead (sometimes by a fraction of a per cent) on any given day or by analyzing which federal leader won the most recent debate, the media seems to be obsessed with which party is currently winning prior to the actual election day on Oct. 19. Although Canadians are naturally interested in this, the focus on which party is currently winning is eclipsing the question of which party Canadians think should win. As put by Luke Savage in his recent article for Canadaland, this focus discourages Canadians from thinking about the reasoning behind their preferences—the what? obstructs the why?

Polling data and analysis eats up a large portion of election coverage in Canada. For example, CBC’s Poll Tracker allows you to follow how parties are polling to the tenth of a percentage on a weekly, if not daily basis. This is likely to change the mindset of a typical Canadian voter. A party that better represents a Canadian’s interests may look less appealing if you can see that it is behind in the polls. This changing mindset has been exacerbated by the fact that articles supposedly covering policy mainly reference polling data. Thus, even campaign promises are perceived within the lens of how parties are currently polling instead of what parties are promising to do.

Even campaign promises are perceived within the lens of how parties are currently polling instead of what parties are promising to do.

Debates also contribute to the tendency to frame the campaign in terms of winners and losers. At the close of each debate, a panel of political pundits seeks to answer the same question: Who won? Even when pundits moved from discussing which leader won to what they actually said, analysis was still constantly drenched in data. This was especially evident in the three English-language debates, where the head of Facebook Canada provided info on which leader was discussed most over Facebook, as well as which specific moment in the debate was most talked about. The public increasingly depends on social media for a summary of the debates. This takes away from what leaders actually said, or what was actually discussed in that moment, instead focusing on how many Canadians talked about it.

The tendency to view elections as a horse race has been further exacerbated by the nature of the debates this election. Because the Conservative Party pulled out of the consortium debate this election, it was replaced with five smaller debates hosted by different Canadian news organizations. Although there have been four more debates than usual, they were not broadcast by CBC or any other Canadian broadcaster (although they were offered for free). Because the debates were more difficult to view, the number of Canadians who watched live broadcasts was a fraction of the 10.6 million viewers in 2011. In this election, only 3.8 million viewers tuned in to the Maclean’s debate. More Canadians rely on post-debate analysis, which focuses on who won rather than the issues and policies discussed.

There needs to be more discussion of policy absent polling data to allow Canadians to formulate opinions outside of the optics of the political horse race. More coverage should be given to what parties and their leaders promise outside of the lens of how they are polling. Polling could also include questions about why Canadians are voting for a certain party, thus putting what? and why? on more equal footing. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you perceive as being an effective democracy. Voting is only truly effective when people vote with their conscience for the party that best represents them, rather than based on who is winning in the polls.

Zachary Carson is a fourth year joint honours political science and international development student. He enjoys listening to Canadaland podcasts, watching Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and dogs.

@McGillTribOp | [email protected]
Arms Cover
a, Arts & Entertainment, Books

Book Review – Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun

by Maya Reid on

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A.J. Somerset blends a barrell full of personal anecdotes with historical analysis in Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun to explore the rise of gun culture in North America. 

Somerset, a former Canadian soldier and avid sport shooter, offers a unique perspective into how and why guns have morphed from a tool of war, hunting, and protection to a polarizing symbol. Deeply critical of the political ideologies connected to gun usage, Somerset looks to differentiate himself from other self-identified gun enthusiasts. 

“Although I like guns,” he writes in his introduction, “I do not like gun nuts.” 

The rest of Arms follows this general theme, criticizing right-wing extremism and dogmatic positions on gun control. By tracing the lineage of gun lobbying, Somerset explains in detail how the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Canadian lobbying groups like the National Firearms Association (NFA) were able to exercise control over legislation and court decisions. Their advocacy is increasingly divorced from mainstream thought, but their supporters still represent a powerful constituency.  

Somerset does not limit this book just to issues of public policy. The notion of a national ‘gun culture’ expands beyond how the term is usually used in public discourse. He provides the context for how the United States developed “a culture that declares the gun to be as American as mom and apple pie, and as sacred as Jesus himself.”

Somerset’s exploration of the psychology behind gun ownership is where Arms truly shines. The later chapters examine the way media, politics, and historical perceptions have carved out the social space for this culture to thrive. Highlights include the chapter “Kingdom of Fear,” an analysis on self-defense preparation and mass paranoia, as well as a section titled “A Woman’s Right,” a more methodical examination of how gun advocates appropriated feminist messaging. The chapter in which Somerset argues “gun control in the United States was about race from the start” is also particularly thought-provoking due to the current political and social climates. 

Throughout the book, Arms includes anecdotes and metaphors to enhance his arguments. Sometimes these personal stories are refreshing and insightful because they sharply deviate from traditional non-fiction prose on this topic; however, other times they muddy up his reasoning and make Arms difficult to follow. 

Furthermore, although Arms attempts to holistically explain gun culture in the United States and Canada, Somerset focuses almost entirely on radicalized elements within the subculture. The less fanatical—but still influential—voices are ignored, and the book does not discuss how more commonplace gun usage affects culture. The end result is an enforcement of a rigid dichotomy between what is presented as well-reasoned liberal beliefs and crazy far-right extremism. Society’s issues surrounding gun control are more nuanced.

Regardless of readers’ personal positions on firearms issues, nobody can deny the relevance of Arms today. Horrific mass shootings have characterized the American socio-political landscape. Guns have been presented as both the cause of and solution to these tragedies. Additionally, Somerset reminds Canadians that they are not exempt from these problems. 

“These ideas have come across the border and taken hold in Canada, even as the mass of the Canadian public congratulates itself on living where there is no gun culture,” he writes. Arms offers a well-researched perspective on political and cultural issues that are constantly developing, and provides entertaining insights into gun culture that can appeal to gun rights novices and those who are already well-versed in this debate.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Self-guided walking tours in Montreal

by Karina Alibhai on

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Montreal is undeniably a city that has its own unique charm, from its mountainous surroundings, to its crowning waterfront location. The historic and modern blend seamlessly in the city. It is rich with culture and history, and it would be a waste to not go beyond the ‘McGill bubble’ and explore this incredible city. Here are two self-guided walking tours to explore Montreal.

Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal)

This tour explores Old Montreal. It begins at Canada’s furst bank, The Bank of Montreal, which was established in 1817. Across from the bank is Place d’Armes. The monument, dedicated to the city’s founders, is in the heart of the city and offers a striking historical panorama. The tour leads to two different churches: the Notre-Dame Basilica with its Gothic Revival architecture, and the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, which translates to “Our Lady of Good Help.” In addition to walking past the churches from the 17th and 18th centuries, the tour will take one on a historical and political journey. Located on Rue Notre-Dame are the Old Courthouse and City Hall. For centuries, this is where different, and often conflicting, visions of the city have been championed, and where trials have been heard and decisions made. Three courthouses from different periods appear along the street and can be seen on the walk.

Additionally, the tour leads to the Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal’s Museum of Archaeology and History. The museum has collections of artifacts from First Nations that illustrate how various cultures coexisted and interacted around present-day Montreal. In addition, it showcases how the French and British regimes influenced the history of the territory over the years. The museum has been included in National Historic Sites of Canada since 1998, and the entrance fee is $12 for students.

The final destination is Old Port, which became the gateway to Canada in the early 17th century when French fur traders used it as a trading post. There are many events held throughout the year at Old Port, and it has become a tourist destination with a variety of cafés, restaurants, and shops. By following this route, one can learn more about Montreal’s rich history and explore one of Canada’s most historic towns. This tour can be completed in a couple hours; however, to fully enjoy the experience a whole day is recommended.

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The Plateau (Le Plateau-Mont-Royal)

Many McGill students live in Plateau Mont-Royal, but rarely have time to explore their own neighbourhood. This self-guided tour explores the Plateau, beginning at the Mont-Royal metro station. The first part of the tour is Rue Saint-Denis. This street is one of the most animated and culturally diverse streets in Montreal. Lined with over 300 storekeepers and restaurants, it is a major north-south thoroughfare. While the map highlights some stores, many more retailers can be spotted on the strip, as well as cafés, shops, and various other service. There are two theaters on Saint-Denis in addition to a variety of bars and bakeries.

The street is currently lined with “La Grande Terrasse Rouge”—a long, continuous red terrasse that runs along the street between Rue Roy and Avenue Mont-Royal. The terrace has been built by the city to help compensate the owners of the street’s 109 businesses for the upcoming road work that is expected to last more than a year.

Branching off of Saint-Denis is Rue Duluth, which leads to Parc la Fontaine. This 40-hectare grassy gem is located in the center of the Plateau. The park includes two ponds with a fountain and waterfalls, an open-air theater, a cultural centre, sports fields, and tennis courts. It is a great spot to rest on the tour and a good place to enjoy the natural escape in the middle of the bustling city.

The final leg of the tour is on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. This commercial artery and cultural heritage site, nicknamed “The Main,” is packed with clubs, bars, boutiques, shops, and restaurants. As the map highlights, Schwartz’s, the famous smoked meat deli, is located along the street.

The tour ends at Saint-Louis Square, which has a water fountain in the centre and is surrounded by park benches and Victorian style residence buildings. This guided walk is perfect for those who want to explore the Plateau and experience the urban and natural duality. Furthermore, the Plateau is rich in French and European culture which is not often found in downtown Montreal. The tour can be completed in a couple hours; however, meandering through stores along Saint-Denis and exploring the Parc la Fontaine are highlights of the tour and require more time.

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a, McGill, News

Library Master Plan renovations to cost McGill $180 million

by Sara Cullen on

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Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) University Affairs, Chloe Rourke, announced during the Oct. 1 Council meeting that the Library Master Plan, an ongoing project that aims to increase student study space on campus and make changes to the McLennan-Redpath Complex, will cost approximately $180 million to complete. The group, made up of library administrators, recently completed a feasibility study and has drafted plans for the future of the library. 

The group began developing the Library Master Plan last year. During its creation, the LIF Committee, which collects feedback from students regarding McGill libraries,  represented the student body in negotiations with the library administration. LIF Coordinator Evan Vassallo explained the co-operative relationship that the LIF has with the library administration.

“[The library administration has] worked with us to better reach out to students to get feedback, [and the LIF worked] closely with [the McGill] administration to get quotes for projects and to get an understanding of the libraries’ needs,” Vassallo said.

The master plan has yet to secure funding, and Rourke says that the project will not break ground before financial contributions have been finalized.

“The Libraries have expressed a desire to seek out multiple sources of funding in order for this plan to become a reality,” Rourke said. “My impression is that they will be actively seeking out a major donor this year in order to get the project off the ground.”

According to Rourke, another option that is being considered is to secure funding from students. 

 “There is also a possibility that they will be asking for students to contribute through a student fee submitted to referendum; however, no requests have been made at this time, nor has SSMU been presented with any specifics such as how much students would be asked to contribute,” Rourke said.

In order to better assess the needs of library users, the Library Administration commissioned a feasibility study last fall, which was completed with the help of outside architectural firms.

“[The McGill Library Administration] consulted with students and worked with architects who toured the campus thoroughly,” Vassallo said. “[They] are now producing this [Library] Master Plan, which from my understanding, is a vision of what the library will look like in the coming decades.”

Michael Moore, communications officer at McGill Libraries and Archives, explained the current state of space available to students within the library buildings. 

“Fifty-one per cent of the floor space is currently allocated to the physical collection across the library system,” Moore said. “We did a study in 2013 that found that almost 40 per cent of our print collection hadn’t been circulated in the last 20 years. Currently, there’s seating for 12 per cent of the student body, but […] if you look at the amount of square-feet for each student, it’s below optimal.” 

Rourke spoke to the aspects of the Library Master Plan design that will create more student space and maximize storage within the libraries.

“One thing that they would like to install is an underground storage system with a robotic arm that could retrieve books in a timely manner,” Rourke said. “This system is a much more efficient method of storing books and would considerably free up room for student-centred spaces.”

Colleen Cook, dean of Libraries, explained that during the proposed construction, the library will work to keep all services and collections available to students.

“[Implementation of the Library Master Plan] will happen […] in a series of phases,” Cook said. “The first thing we would do is move out collections, [which…] opens up space, and as soon as you open up space, you can maintain the services that you have.”

There will be an open forum held on Oct. 15 to present the Library Master Plan to the McGill community. Vassallo stated that the library administration is still open to student input.

“The master plan, as far as we know, is very much a conceptual plan [.… The administration] will be consulting with us and we will be ensuring that student opinion will go into [the] details [of the plan],” he said. “We feel very strongly about that and the administration is very open to our input.”

According to Cook, smaller details of the master plan have yet to be decided upon, such as what books will remain in the library’s open stacks. 

“We know that we would keep some materials in open stacks, [but] we have to work with users on deciding what those materials would be,” Cook said. “Ongoing conversations will happen until the day the [renovated space]  is moved into, and [even after that] because we’re always in communication with our users.”

This article was corrected on October 22nd. The Tribune regrets these errors.

a, Science & Technology

Paralyzed man walks using brain-wave systems

by Esha Kaul on

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Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, successfully created a system of artificial electrical signals to circumnavigate a paraplegic man’s spinal injury. The man’s name undisclosed for privacy reasons. As a result, the 26-year-old was able to walk for the first time in five years, making him the first paraplegic to walk without relying on manually-controlled robotic limbs. 

Published in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation this September, the work used Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)—a system that sends electrical signals to nerves innervating damaged areas like muscles—to give the man control of his legs.

“The concept of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) has been around for probably 40 years,” explained McGill Neurology Professor Samuel David. “What they have done [in this study] is taken FES to the next level. There’s still electrical stimulation like you would have in [normal] FES, but here the patient can initiate the signals [themself].” 

FES signals were read and understood by a computer, a process called a Brain Computer Interface (BCI). In order to use this technology, the patient had to generate recognizable ‘walking’ signals in his brain, which would then be picked up by the computer.

“The person has to consciously think to walk,” David explained. “Usually when we walk and talk, we don’t think about walking. But [in the patient’s case], if they don’t think [about walking,] they won’t be able to walk.”

To practice making these signals, the patient first worked in a virtual environment. Then, he practised walking while suspended five centimeters above the ground. Following a 19 week-long process, with help from a walker and harness, the patient was finally able to walk a distance of about four metres.

During the entire process, the patient had to wear a cap with a built-in Electroencephalogram (EEG). The EEG read his brain waves and transmitted them to a computer system that interpreted them as signals to either rest or walk.

“What [the researchers] are doing essentially is collecting the electrical activity from the skull and [introducing it] to the computer that triggers a pre-programmed software,” David said.

The computer turns on an electrical stimulator that creates alternating muscle contractions in either one of his legs, making the person walk. When the thoughts stop, so does the walking. The beauty of technology like this is that it can bypass damaged areas—like the spine—and directly reach a target muscle and stimulate a nerve reaction. 

“Once we’ve confirmed the usability of this noninvasive system, we can look into [more] invasive means, such as brain implants,” explained Dr. Zoran Nenadic, the lead researcher on the study to ScienceDaily. “We hope that an implant could achieve an even greater level of prosthesis control because brain waves are recorded with higher quality. In addition, such an implant could deliver sensation back to the brain, enabling the user to feel their legs.”

Some issues still need to be addressed, however, before this type of technology is accessible to a larger audience. In laboratory tests, the computer mixed up signals for balance and stabilization with walking.

“Even though they say ‘walking,’ the person still [does not have the] ability to balance, which is why they used a harness during the trial,” explained David. “So, electrical stimulation is being sent to the muscles, but there’s no proprioceptive feedback yet and you can’t have balance.” 

More research needs to be done before this type of technology can be accessible to more patients, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“You’re not really solving the biological problem, but it doesn’t mean it’s not good,” said David. “To help people with neurological conditions, we have to approach the problem in all sorts of ways.”

Griffin Dunne cast
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Flashback: After Hours (1985)

by Christopher Lutes on

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As the bars start to close and people settle into bed for the night, a different type of person emerges from the shadows and takes to the streets. The world becomes populated with insomniacs, shift workers, and club-goers; their lifestyle is fundamentally different—not just because of their nocturnal nature, but because the night seems to work on a different moral schedule than the day. The followers of this code are the characters that fill After Hours, Martin Scorsese’s often-overlooked 1985 black comedy. “Different rules apply when it gets this late,” says a shop owner early into the film. He doesn’t know how right he is.

The story follows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), a rather average upper-Manhattan word processor who is lured away from his humdrum lifestyle by the possibility of sex with Marcy (Rosanna Arquette), a woman he met in a coffee shop. Paul treks out to SoHo to meet her at her apartment, and things start to go wrong almost instantly. All of his money flies out of the window of the cab he takes, and after his date quickly goes south, he decides to journey home. This turns out to be much more difficult than expected, and he spends the rest of the night getting into a series of increasingly surreal situations with strangers. 

Scorsese once again manages to capture New York City in a way that hadn’t been done before or ever since. Shot on location in SoHo, the streets are scuzzy, slicked with rain, and nearly deserted. Despite being a symbol of the trendy art world, the neighbourhood looks like an unforgiving wasteland of shuttered windows and closed signs. Lending to the mood is Howard Shore’s wiry, dissonant score, syncopated with the sound of a ticking clock, and reflecting the distressed edge that the film radiates. 

There are no protagonists or antagonists in this film, just a world governed by blind karma and coincidence. Minor transgressions that Paul commits end up coming back to haunt him later: For instance, taking brief shelter in a woman’s home ends up with him getting mistaken for a burglar, and subsequently hunted by an angry mob. Things that should be easy for anybody—like making a phone call or scrounging up subway fare—are complicated by circumstance, and create an unbearable amount of tension when the sheer weight of each event stacks up over time. The editing lends to this ethos, cutting between shots a little too quickly, which gives even standard conversation scenes an eerie cadence. 

At the centre of this mess is Paul, who feels like a living embodiment of the colour beige. He’s a ‘nice guy’ but not necessarily a good guy—his veneer of politeness quickly drops away whenever he has an obstacle to face, making it seem like an act to get what he wants. Still, he remains an interesting contrast to the typical sociopathic Scorsesian anti-hero. It’s easy to sympathize with someone whose attempts at breaking the cycle of flipping through TV channels and eating alone at restaurants fail miserably, and this empathy simultaneously makes his situation more understandable and less forgivable. A lesser film would have ended with Paul coming to enjoy his night of danger, and learning to live a little, but instead, he becomes more irate and beaten down. 

The vulnerability that comes with being in such a desperate situation leads Paul to have an unexpected level of intimacy with a number of people he meets through circumstance. Most of these interactions are with the opposite sex; and nearly every time, Paul is made powerless, echoing his inability to connect with Marcy that began his journey in the first place. Part of his lack of agency comes from being out of his element—the film nails the discomforting feeling of being in the home of a total stranger and the sensory overload that comes with it. Through these moments, the feeling persists that things are not going to work out for Paul. Frequent references to burn victims and castration crank up the symbolic tension, but the films ends without ever alleviating that conflict. Thus, the audience is left to contend with the Kafkaesque nature of the world after dark—in the chaos of fire and the scars it leaves. 

a, Hockey, Sports

2015 NHL Season Preview

by Nick Jasinski, Nicole Spadotto, Sason Ross on

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Click on one of the pictures to get started!

  • Atlantic

  • Metropolitan

  • Central

  • Pacific

 

a, From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

From the BrainSTEM: Discovering scientific serendipity in the upcoming general election

by Ryan Kung on

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The last several years under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s term have been intolerable for the scientific community. Described by the media as the “War on science,” Harper has muzzled government scientists in an effort to control how and what information is disseminated to the public. These policies are a form of censorship. They have pushed Canada into a scientific recession where little information is exchanged and funding for certain programs has been cut or eliminated entirely. By 2017, Environment Canada’s budget will have decreased by 28.6 per cent, and considering their role in the conservation and restoration of Canadian landscapes, water, and wildlife, the effects this will have are worrisome.

Currently, federal scientists are required to acquire approval from a governmental communications officer (GCO) before discussing their work with the media. If they don’t, they risk losing their jobs. Spokespeople from governmental organizations such as Health and Environment Canada have refused to be interviewed to discuss matters such as radiation poisoning and global warming. And when media outlets try to contact specific scientists, they are often unable to get interviews. When The Canadian Press attempted to schedule an interview with Max Bothwell, a federal scientist who was conducting research on algae, they were met with checkpoints and hurdles. Bothwell had worked on Didymo, a species of algae that was potentially invasive, and his work was useful for environmentalists. The Canadian Press exchanged over 100 emails with 16 different GCOs to try to schedule a meeting with Bothwell. Ultimately, The Canadian Press ended up dropping the interview and published their article without any of Bothwell’s insight on the subject. 

These issues have shifted attitudes about researching in Canada. Dr. Robert Brownstone, a Canadian researcher who examines motor control pathways has shed light on paralysis and helped the lives of thousands. But roughly three months ago, Brownstone said that he would be leaving Canada to work in England. His reason: The Canadian federal government has prioritized funding applied research over more basic research.

“I think there are significant changes in our funding bodies and those changes are going to have significant impact on research and, more worrisome, on research training,” he said in an interview with CBC News. “Attitudes toward research by our federal government have not been particularly encouraging.”

In light of these issues, Evidence for Democracy—a non-partisan group that hopes to educate the public about issues such as the muzzling of federal scientists and funding allocation—approached the current party nominees with a questionnaire to evaluate their stances on certain issues in the scientific community. 

The Liberals have promised over $20 million towards national parks. The Green Party has promised $75 million to employ scientists at Environment Canada, Health Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans. The New Democratic Party (NDP) plans to implement a tax break for small businesses—an Innovation Tax—to help them invest in the equipment needed for research.  While the Conservative Party of Canada did not respond, Harper is not expected to change his policy.

For the most part, the Green Party, the NDP, and the Liberal Party of Canada have similar views and intentions. All three are committed to cleaning up Harper’s tyrannical policies on science. All three want to allow open scientific communication. This means recreating a government office specifically for advising the parliament in science related issues,  without requiring government checkpoints. This means no more GCO’s—their function will be changed into officers that advise the parliament and federal scientists. This means the reinstatement of the long form census, which provides necessary statistical data to the federal government, giving it a better idea on how to allocate taxes, fund, and plan certain programs.

If the newly elected party keeps their promises and makes the necessary changes, then the future of science in Canada is bright. If not, Canada risks losing some if its greatest minds to other countries where their work can be openly discussed, funded, and respected.

Choral Comprehensives
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Peer Review: Choral Comprehensives

by Ian Rodgers on

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For many undergraduates at McGill, graduate students can seem separate from the rest of us, little more than strange entities that touch down to mark papers and run conferences. Choral Comprehensives is a reminder that like any other student, grad students need activities outside of class to stay sane, serving as the first graduate-only a cappella group. 

“Most of the groups on campus are quite competitive,” founder Natasha Larivée explained.

“Being in grad school […] everyone’s in a similar stage in life,” added other founder Leora Frimer. “Other a cappella groups are mostly undergraduate focused, which represent a pretty large difference in terms of age and maturity.”

Getting the group started wasn’t an easy process, however, as advertising for the group didn’t come easily.

“We wanted to be a graduate-only student group,” Larivée said, explaining the origins of the group. “We don’t have access to office space and the clubs fair like we would if we were in SSMU.”

Further, it’s easy to imagine that graduate students, considering that they’re older and more established in their fields, would already have pursuits that they were focused on. But for Choral Comprehensives, that turned out not to be the case. Word-of-mouth and graduate communications have created a good deal of excitement for the group, as reflected in their numbers—Choral Comprehensives has approximately 25 members. The group attracted a large number of applicants, which were then pared down at auditions in late September to the current roster. The result is an unusually large a cappella group, one that is still on the hunt for male performers.

Bringing people together is a priority for the group, who are trying to counter feelings of isolation that can pop up in thesis-based graduate schools. The group is committed to working collectively, making decisions as a group about which performances to book. On a social level, members are getting along well and finding connections based on their mutual love for music. 

“Two days after the first rehearsal, someone invited [the whole group] to his birthday party,” Frimer said.

Larivée echoed her sentiments adding, “We’re really, really happy where the group is going. The people who self select to be in these groups tend to be similar […] and there’s a bonding experience in that.”

Currently the group is performing arrangements lent to them by an a Cappella group at the University of British Columbia. Their repertoire contains works from a wide background, from James Brown to Justin Bieber. The group is working on adding new elements to the songs, fulfilling the role of an a cappella group by molding individual songs to the strengths and blends of different groups.

The group has a lot of musical talent, but still maintains a relaxed, non-competitive feel. In their first year, the focus of the group is establishing themselves and creating new opportunities for grad students. That said, they still have performances lined up at Thompson House for holiday parties. They’re also committed to charity performances, and will be helping out at the geriatric ward of the Glen Hospital for the purpose of musical therapy.

Overall, Choral Comprehensives is a unique new space for graduate students to help them avoid the alienation of endless hours of research. Establishing a new group is a tough process, but they are well on the way to creating an organization that will provide lasting benefits for grads. Choral Comprehensives has found a tune for multiple graduates to sing along to.

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