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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.

a, Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Strategic voting influences student voice in 2015 federal election

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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First-past-the-post encourages strategic voting in multiparty systems, a practice where citizens might base their electoral choice on who they believe has a chance of winning, thereby sacrificing their preferred candidates. Voters will consider who they perceive as capable of forming a government that comes close to their overall preferences. While such an explanation reduces Canada’s complicated federal story, its implications remain clear. Strategic voting has become a salient feature of the current election, creating a unique space for first-time voters—in particular, students.

Canada inherited its electoral scaffolding from the United Kingdom, where first-past-the-post reigns supreme. In this system, the leading candidate can win with a simple plurality, which means candidates can earn their seat in the House of Commons by a single vote, and not need a majority share of the vote. Such a system works smoothly when there are only a few viable candidates.

The current electoral field is split along the lines of the three major parties: The Conservatives, the Liberals, and the NDP. Thus, the available choices split those who are left-leaning. For those interested in replacing a Conservative member of parliament, strategic voting may be necessary.

For McGill students, such a decision can be more complicated. Out-of-province students may have their choice of two ridings—where their family lives, or where they live for school—at the ballot box. To illustrate the point, consider a McGill student who lives in Outremont but is from a riding such as Calgary Centre or South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale. The latter two ridings typically go Conservative, whereas Outremont is home to Thomas Mulcair, leader of the NDP and official opposition. Should a strategic movement exist within the student’s home riding to support a progressive candidate, that McGill student may consider casting an out-of-province vote. In short, out-of-province students may be able to decide where their vote will have the most power in creating a certain federal outcome.

Proportional representation would enable issues to coalesce around the student voice.

The structure of our political system means that federal elections have a somewhat indirect impact on the student experience, which casts a shadow over the potential for student engagement. Under sections 91 and 92 of the constitution, education is delegated to the provinces. Yet policies pertaining to, for example, internships and youth employment are on the federal agenda. More broadly, how the different parties envision the electoral system itself could have an impact on students. The Liberals have promised to develop recommendations for democratic reform, and the NDP has promised a change to proportional representation out right. The Conservatives have made no such promise.

Proportional representation would enable issues to coalesce around the student voice. In first-past-the-post, students can engage in strategic voting in order to create change. But this is not the best option. First-past-the-post can be disingenuous as it encourages voters to make their decision based on calculations rather than their political convictions or policy outcomes. For students, this may mean compromising on their political ideology or the stance of political parties in order to ensure a certain change of government. Proportional representation would mean that non-Conservative voters do not have to choose between the NDP and Liberals, as the percentage of votes would translate directly to the number of seats for each party.

Strategic voting is not unique to students. Indeed, it is only worthwhile when a large proportion of the population behaves the same way. Yet students have distinct opportunities to engage in elections depending not only on who they decide to vote for, but also where.

a, Martlets, Men's Varsity, Sports

The week that was for McGill Athletics: Oct. 12

by McGill Tribune Sports on

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In this week's edition of the week that was for McGill Athletics the McGill Tribune Sports team looks at Yasmeen Dawodjee and Kade Wist, our athletes-of-the-week;  Redmen Baseball, Redmen Hockey, Martlet & Redmen Swimming, and Redmen Lacross; as well as our weekly edition of by the numbers.

Beyond the box score

REDMEN AND MARTLET SWIMMING

McGill placed an impressive second in both the men’s and women’s divisions at the first RSEQ University Cup meet of the academic year. Redmen Freshman Kade Wist recorded three gold medal finishes in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly and the 4 x 200m freestyle relay. Other gold medal Redmen were sophomore Gabriel Fortin, freshman Jean-Daniel Vallieres, junior David Whiteside, freshman William Dixon, junior Luke Robert, sophomore Zachary Pilling, and freshman Jason Galet. On the Martlet team, the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team consisting of freshman Isabelle Brathwaite, junior Katerina Cardi, junior Simone Cseplo, and captain Katie Caldwell won gold. McGill will hope to build on this strong start at the next Quebec Cup held on Oct. 24 at McGill’s own Memorial Pool.

REDMEN LACROSSE

The McGill Redmen machine kept whirring as they beat the Bishop’s Gaiters 10-7 on the back of junior Spencer Bomley’s hat trick and fifth-year senior Connor Goodwin’s five assists. Goodwin is now tied as the league’s leading scorer. Paul Rakoczy also had a fine game and was excellent against James Malloy of Bishop’s, the league’s second highest scorer prior to this game. Goalie William Waesche also excelled with 12 saves in the game. McGill extended their regular season winning streak to 37 games, with one game left to play this year before the playoffs. Their next CUFLA game is against Trent University on Oct. 24.

REDMEN BASEBALL

McGill swept the Montreal Carabins in the best of three CCBA North semifinals on Saturday. They won the first game of the doubleheader 5-3 on the back of a solid, all-round batting performance and good pitching from junior Adriano Petrangelo. Sophomore Robert Sedin was the standout in game two—he allowed no runs and only three hits in seven innings as McGill’s defence strangled Montréal. Sedin also contributed to the winning run with a sacrifice fly, taking McGill to the next round 2-1. McGill, CCBA defending champions, will face Carleton University in the CCBA North finals on October 17.

REDMEN HOCKEY

The Redmen opened the 2015-2016 season with a 4-2 victory over UOIT on Friday and then followed it up with a come from behind 5-4 victory over Carleton on Saturday. Goalie Jacob Gervais-Chouinard was outstanding with 32 saves against UOIT and McGill’s record with him in net extended to 27-7 over the weekend. The Redmen were even more impressive against Carleton—they came back from 2-0 down in the first period to win in the third on the back of graduate student Liam Heelis’ two goals. Heelis, in his first season for McGill, tallied four goals over the weekend. McGill next play on Oct. 16 against Laurentian University in their home opener at McConnell Arena

Tribune Athletes-of-the-Week

Kade Wist

Redmen Swimming

Freshman – Undeclared

 

Kade Wist, only 17-years-old, started his McGill career off with a bang as he won three gold medals at the first RSEQ University Cup meet of the year. The son of former Canadian Olympian Andrea Nugent was the youngest of the 78 men’s competitors and was part of the gold medal winning 2 x 200m freestyle race.

Yasmeen Dawwodjee

Setter, Martlet Volleyball

Freshman – Special Student

 

Veteran setter Yasmeen Dawoodjee was named tournament MVP after leading McGill to victory in the 25th annual Martlet Invitational on Sunday. Dawoodjee had 50 assists, two kills, two aces, and 10 digs in the Martlets’ 3-1 defeat of Toronto in the tournament final. It marked just the third victory ever for McGill at the Martlet Invitational Tournament. Dawoodjee was a big reason behind the Martlets’ surprising 11-8 record last year, and her continued development will be a key factor for the team this season.

 

By the numbers

Hover over the numbers to learn more. If you're on mobile all you have to do is click!

1997

 

 

The most recent time before this year’s victory that the Martlet volleyball team won its own Martlet Invitational Tournament.

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

Number of complete games tossed this season by Redmen baseball pitcher Daniel Sedin.

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

Goals scored by Redmen hockey centre Liam Heelis over the first two games of the regular season.

 

 

 

 

 

(Photos courtesy of McGill Athletics)

a, McGill, News

Third annual Students in Mind conference focuses on active mental wellness

by Jaereem Lee on

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On Oct. 4, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Building was host to the third annual Students in Mind (SiM) Mental Health Conference. The conference, as student content organizer Quinn Ashkenazy explained, was not only meant to give students tools to maintain their mental health, but also to facilitate open conversation about mental wellness on campus.

“As I see it, the goals of the conference are to get the conversation going, [and] to a certain extent motivate action [which] can take a whole bunch of different forms,” Ashkenazy said. “The other thing is tackling stigma, so addressing why it’s taboo to talk about mental health a priority [… and] getting that conversation going [is] part of uniting [students].”

The conference was organized to help address what SiM student publicity organizer Adam Pietrobon described as an increase in mental health needs on university campuses.

“It’s definitely been seen at the university level that there’s been a rising increase of students dealing with mental health issues and mental illness,” said Pietrobon. “There’s been an increase in resources but there’s also a large community, campus-wide issue where it’s just not openly talked about enough,”

Participants were provided with opportunities to learn about mental wellness through workshops, group exercise, and panel discussions between experts in the field.

“[Participants] start with a keynote and have panels and workshops, [and] snack breaks,” said Ashkenazy. “The past years have been great but this year we’re just trying to build it and […] make it a really positive experience [….] That’s why we throw in the active break, we have a keynote speaker who [rapped], [and] we tried to make sure that the workshops were engaging [and] that there were different activities. ”

SiM intended to address the unique circumstances surrounding mental health on university campuses. As Adler explained, mental wellness is a unique challenge for university students.

“The changes they are undergoing as young people can be important sources of stress in their lives,” said McGill-educated clinical psychologist and SiM panelist, Perry Adler. “Some are away from their families for the first time, many are dealing with more obligations and responsibilities causing them more stress than ever before in their lives. McGill I think is one of the toughest schools academically in North America so I think McGill students are unfortunately under more stress than many other students even in other universities.”

This year’s SiM conference  opened with a keynote speech delivered by Eytan Millstone, an award-winning spoken word artist. Millstone emphasized that students should consider maintaining their mental health as a goal to enrich their personal happiness and satisfaction, as it is a matter of the utmost importance in individuals’ lives.

“I think so much of it is just being aware that you feel things and that you have things going on in your head.” said Adler. “[Students are] in school, they’re working, they’re running around and they probably feel like there aren’t enough minutes in a day to even do those things, let alone to sit down and ust reflect […] like, ok, class is over for the day, I know what my goals with school are, I know what my goals with my job are [… but]  how do I want to come out of this experience as a person, not as a student, not as a worker [….] It's all about awareness of your own self and asking yourself those questions constantly.”

Pietrobon emphasized that students should be comfortable reaching out for help on campus.

“It’s okay to not be okay,” said Pietrobon. “If you start the conversation and you speak about what you’ve experienced, other people will [also] start the conversation and then everyone is talking and I think that’s what I would really love people to take away [from this conference].”

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