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a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Peer Review: Busty and the Bass

by Max Berger on

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To most graduating students, April represents the final frontier between the familiar bubble of school and the first step into whatever lies beyond. For the eight remaining members of Busty and the Bass at McGill, who will graduate this spring and join vocalist/saxophonist Nick Ferrara in the real world, the challenging transition of going from a student band to professional musicians looms on the horizon—but it certainly helps their cause that they’ve spent the last semester with one foot out the door.

“We basically just spent two months touring—I think we’ve had two weekends off,” said trombonist Chris Vincent. “We played with K.C. Roberts [& the Live Revolution] from Toronto and they’re awesome. We did the States as well [over Reading Week], then Dalhousie; and then last week, we did shows in Toronto and Kingston [….] It’s given us a taste of touring before it really starts to happen.”

“Now [that] we’re back for about a month, we sort of have to focus on our Prom show,” added keyboardist Eric Haynes. “But other than that, we just have to worry about graduating.”

That’s just the type of year it’s been for Busty, a stream of effort aimed at growing the band’s audience in preparation for life outside McGill—all while earning the degrees they came for in the first place. Luckily, they’ve found ways to make it all work.

“I’ve been [a] part-time [student] for the past year, and some of those classes are music classes, which are sub-able if you coordinate with your professors, [….] something we’ve gotten way better about,” explained bassist Milo Johnson. “It’s pretty much been full-time Busty, and I feel like at this point, we’ve sort of figured out the tricks so that McGill doesn’t hate us.”

It’s really the exact opposite. Back in the Fall when the group was entered in TD’s nation-wide Rock Your Campus music competition, the McGill administration hopped on board the Busty bandwagon, helping their cause with tweets and articles of admiration—Principal Suzanne Fortier even made a cameo in the “Tryna Find Myself” music video. Throw in the band’s enormous student following and it’s clear that there’s been no shortage of Busty support at McGill; but over the past year, they’ve gone a long way towards establishing other large fan bases as well. 

“I would say that having online content, so that people can show their friends and show people [our music] before a show to get them interested is really important,” began Haynes. “But I think for us, by far still the most successful way of getting people to come out to our shows and check us out is from recommendation [….] and that’s why I think our Reading Week tour went a bit better [than last year], because we had some places where we’d played before, so people who had seen us last time brought out a group.”

The band will have the opportunity to play some bigger stages and keep reaching new fans this summer. They’re slated to play during Canadian Music Week in Toronto and at the Ottawa Jazz Festival. By that time, GLAM, the follow-up album to their 2014 EP Bustified, will also be released. If you’re wondering how they arrived at that name, don’t expect a thorough answer any time soon.

“It’s our pet elephant,” said Johnson, unwilling to elaborate. He was, however, more forthcoming about the type of music GLAM will feature.

“The approach that this album seemed to take is that we were just trying to find a space for everyone to input their own musical background,” explained Johnson. “Elements from the hip-hop world, from funk, from pop, electronic.”

Unlike Bustified, which was recorded at multiple studios and venues, their upcoming release will have the benefit of a more cohesive sound.

“[GLAM] was pretty much all recorded at the same studio, Planet Studios, up on Beaubien and Papineau,” described Vincent. “And we were so lucky to get a guy named Jesse String out from Los Angeles. This guy is a genius and he basically just engineered and recorded our whole album [….] The songs are all different, but they’re all going to have a similar sound [largely because of him].”

For a nine-person band, creating new material can be as difficult as it is rewarding, and it’s been a learning experience for Busty, who work on the various stages of songs both as a whole and in smaller groups.

“There’s lots of different steps in the process of creating a Busty track,” explained Johnson. “It’s like a storyboard, so [it includes] figuring out the arrangement, the lyrics, the sections. And then you get more and more in detail, like the horn arrangements, the transitions [….] I would say we’re getting better and better about knowing where we’re at in a track’s development.”

Many of their newest tracks will be on display this week at the aforementioned Prom show, when Busty returns to the Corona theatre for the first time since opening for the Arkells as part of winning Rock Your Campus. This time they’ll be the headliner, and as Haynes articulates, they’re quick to appreciate those who helped them get to that point.

“The McGill community are the people who really started us off and they’ve never stopped being supportive, so it’s gonna be really great to play for them one last big show as students.”

Busty and the Bass perform at the Corona Theatre (2490 Notre Dame Ouest) on Friday, April 10 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $16.

a, Science & Technology

Making chemistry greener one silver at a time

by Howie Wu on

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The path to sustainable science achieved another milestone when chemistry professor Chao Jun Li and his team published their findings in Science Advances last week. The group have uncovered a way to convert aldehydes into carboxylic acids. However, unlike traditional synthesis methods, which use prohibitively expensive quantities of silver or carcinogenic chromium reagents, Li’s group developed a way to perform the reactions using small regenerative quantities of silver catalyst in water.

“We wanted to find a way to prevent the [silver] atoms from aggregating,” Li explained. “Then, air or oxygen gas can turn the silver atoms back into silver ions. Now, you have a very efficient catalytic system using tiny amounts of silver.”  

To carry out this objective, Li and his group treated an ensemble of aldehydes with combinations of silver complexes and other starting material.  Reaction parameters were designed to maximize the use of readily available materials by using oxygen from the atmosphere and water as the solvent. Using these conditions, along with mild reaction temperatures, they were able to achieve high yields of the carboxylic acid product. These reactions could be performed using milligram quantities of silver catalyst, thus fulfilling the initial hopes for the synthesis.  

The work done by Li exemplifies an emerging approach to chemical research and synthesis that emphasizes the environmental impact of such processes. Green chemistry, as the field has become known, strives to use less toxic reagents, reduce chemical waste, and increase reaction efficiencies as part of several objectives that are designed with environment preservation in mind. Those involved in the field assert that all the tools needed to achieve these objectives are already available.

“Milling and grinding is probably the second oldest trade known to man,” explained McGill chemistry professor Tomislav Friscic, describing his research in solvent-free chemical synthesis. “Ancient [civilizations] made fire by rubbing wood and stone together. We are trying to find a way to combine this milling and grinding process with chemistry.”

Although seemingly straightforward, researchers are quick to point out that achieving the goals of green chemistry is not something that can be done overnight. Challenges still remain, such as optimizing heavy-scale industrial processes like the Haber-Bosch synthesis of ammonia.  However, in light of the recent focus on environmental issues like climate change and developing renewable resources, the quest for greener protocols in research has become only more urgent. Even so, for many, the connection between greenness and chemistry, a field that generates five to 100 times more chemical waste than chemical product, is not immediately obvious.

“How many undergraduates go to a general chemistry lab and [ask], ‘How much electricity did I consume today running this fume hood?’ or ‘How much water did I use running this overnight reflux?’” Friscic asked. 

This lack of awareness is something that those involved in green chemistry intend to counter.  For green researchers then, one of the essential steps is the changing of conventional ways of thinking.       

“People say that it’s not possible,” said Louis Do, a research assistant in Friscic’s lab. “[But] people in green chemistry have proved that anything is possible. It is just a matter of figuring out how.” 

It’s this question of ‘how’ that makes findings like those of Li’s recent paper important stepping stones towards a more sustainable future in chemistry. The positive impact that such work has had on both science and society has provided encouragement for Li in his own endeavours.

“The most exciting thing is […] finding things that people have never seen before, [while] at the same time benefiting society,” explained Li. 

a, Science & Technology

Brain Awareness Montreal hosts annual Brain Bee

by Lydia Kaprelian on

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On April 2, deep within the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), Villa Maria 10th grader Melina Thibault was declared Montreal’s annual Brain Bee champion. 

The competition, hosted by Brain Awareness Montreal (BAM), is designed to test high school students specifically on information about the brain.

The day began with a written portion whereby students were asked to answer neuro-trivia questions. Later in the day, small groups of students were asked to diagnose an unknown mental illness based on a given set of symptoms. Students were also given the opportunity to ask brain experts about their research, and could even touch, hold, and ask questions about a preserved human brain.

After hours of trivia on neural anatomy, brain physiology, and neurotransmission, only Thibault and co-finalist 10th grader Tiffany Mach remained.

In order to win, a contestant had to correctly answer three questions before the other contestant. The questions fired at a rapid pace.

“Which of the two glutamate receptors do we know [the] most about [that] are often thought of as […],” started Helene Vallieres, co-vice president of BAM’s Brain Bee.

 “Memory molecules,” interjected Thibault, delivering the right answer. “NMDA and AMPA receptors.”

Many of the Brain Bee contestants have studied so thoroughly that they are often able to predict the right answer, before the judges have even finished the question.

Third-place winner Villa Maria 10th grader Laura Lentini explained that she came across a question that didn’t make sense to her, or the BAM volunteers who help contestants study. Instead, Lentini offered up an explanation.

“They were all surprised because they didn’t know [the answer to the question],” said Lentini. “And they thought it was harder than [any] question they had asked before.”

Contestants from schools around Montreal study with the help of BAM volunteers. The neuroscience mentors offer study advice and answer the questions of contestants. 

“The mentors were really amazing,” Thibault said.

One of six students chosen by a committee of teachers at Villa Maria, Thibault explained that her mentors played a huge role in her success. By taking detailed notes on a bilingual book BAM provided to participating schools, Thibault studied key concepts and bolded words.

“[The book] has facts about the brain,” explained BAM Brain Bee Co-Vice President Stephanie Scala, a McGill neuroscience graduate student. “It covers neurodegenerative disorders of the mind, to basic things like the anatomy of the neuron.” 

With the help of the MNI, Brain Bee was able to secure a room and food for everyone who attended. Though Scala and Vallieres reached out to schools all over the island, only a few schools responded, including the all-girls schools Villa Maria— where Mach and Lentini also attend—and The Study in Westmount. 

“We’re open to boys and girls,” said Scala. “But the majority tend to be girls, which is really great because it gets them interested in science.”

The Brain Bee is just one event in an ongoing effort by BAM to raise awareness and interest in neurological affairs. 

 “It’s [just] a good way to spark an interest in neuroscience,” Vallieres explained. 

Following the Canadian finals at McMaster University on May 31, students will have the chance to compete internationally in Australia this summer. 

a, Fact or Fiction, Science & Technology

Fact or Fiction: Is it safe to pee in the pool?

by Lydia Kaprelian on

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With whispers of summers reaching into our Vitamin D deprived souls, many will soon head to the pool to cool off after soaking up the rays. But taking off a wet bathing suit to go to the bathroom is an undeniable pain. Many swimmers, especially those who spend long hours in the pool, don’t bother getting out for a bathroom break.

“I think there’s just something about getting into chlorine water that you just automatically [urinate],” Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte admitted in a 2012 radio interview.

Lochte’s confession understandably raised a few eyebrows, but fellow Olympian Michael Phelps backed him up in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

“It’s kind of a normal thing to do for swimmers,” Phelps explained. “When we’re in the water for two hours, we don’t really get out to pee; chlorine kills it so it’s not bad.”

Like Phelps, many rationalize pool urination because they believe that chlorine, a bacterial disinfectant, will neutralize the urine. However, a study published last year out of the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology Journal stakes out an entirely different claim.

One of the authors of the study, Purdue University Professor Ernest R. Blatchley III, explained the danger behind public figures making unfounded pool-peeing assumptions.

“[There are] a lot of people in the swimming community who look up to these people and listen to what they have to say,” Blatchley told The Atlantic. “[Phelps and Lochte] are not chemists and should [not] be making statements that are false.”

Instead of chlorine neutralizing urine, the uric acid in urine actually binds with the chlorine creating chlorine by-products that carry human health risks. In their research, Blatchley and the other authors mixed pure chlorine and uric acid. Within an hour, both trichloramine (NCl3) and cyanogen chloride (CNCl) had formed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cyanogen chloride is a known toxin that can harm the lungs, heart, and central nervous system, while trichloramine has been linked to adverse affects on the respiratory system, in addition to skin and eye irritation. In extremely high doses, Blatchley notes, cyanogen chloride has been used as a chemical warfare agent.

In a Wall Street Journal poll, 63 per cent of poll participants admitted to peeing in the pool, and by most metrics, that percentage is likely understated. Though not everyone pees in the pool, on average 30 to 80 mL of urine is left in the pool per person, which is equivalent to a small shot glass of pee per person. In the summer, when pools fill up, so does the amount of uric acid.

While it is true that the levels of chlorine by-products often remain relatively low, therefore posing a low risk especially for those without preexisting respiratory problems, the veritable formation of chlorine by-products is asking for trouble.

In addition to increasing respiratory risk, chlorine by-products also mean a lowered capacity for chlorine to do its sterilizing job.

“If chlorine is combining chemically with contaminants like urine, then it is not available to destroy germs in the pool that can make swimmers sick with diarrhea, swimmer’s ear, and various skin infections,” Dr. Chris Wiant explained to the Water Quality and Health Council.

Therefore, not only is this form of athlete-approved public urination foul, it also unnecessarily increases poolside health risks.

a, Science & Technology

Silent but deadly

by Clare Lyle on

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Summer is the time to relax, hit the beach, and for some, to get a tan. But swimsuit season brings with it a major public health risk in the form of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Problems that range from wrinkles to skin cancer arise during the summer because this is when UV radiation from the sun is at its most intense.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Melanoma, melanoma is the second-most common form of cancer in young adults between the ages of 15 and 29, and for 25 to 29 year olds, it’s the most common type. 

“This is not a cancer [for] the elderly,” stated Dr. Ari Demirjian of the Montreal General Hospital. “Melanoma is common [starting] from the age [of] 18 and [is] especially prevalent in young women who use artificial tanning.”

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, approximately 6,500 Canadians are diagnosed with melanoma each year, of whom 1,050 will die—and it shows no signs of slowing. When evaluating the seven most common forms of cancer in the U.S., melanoma is the only one whose rate of incidence is increasing.

“People just don’t think of tanning as a health risk,” explained Alex Cloherty, project manager of the Tanning is Out Challenge at The University of British Columbia Okanagan. “We see that sun-kissed glow as a healthy thing. However, any change in skin colour means that your skin has been damaged.”

To see why sun exposure is so damaging, it’s important to understand what happens when humans are exposed to UV radiation. UV radiation falls into a part of the electromagnetic spectrum called ionizing radiation, which means that it can break chemical bonds like those found in DNA, a process known as photoaging.

“Basically, the UV rays damage the DNA in the cells of the skin,” explained Demirjian. “[This can cause] photoaging, and depending on what part of the DNA is damaged, can lead to cancer.” 

But DNA damage is not unique to skin damage; the World Health Organization lists sun exposure as a major risk factor in cataracts, the world’s leading cause of blindness. 

To help prevent these problems, scientists have developed sunscreens that reflect or absorb UV rays and convert their energy into heat, rendering them relatively benign. While the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, higher is not always better. 

“Let’s take an SPF [of] 60 [or] 30,” Demirjian said. “There’s only [a] two percent difference in overall protection regarding both of those SPFs, so it’s not really double the protection. The reason we suggest 60 for people with skin cancer […] is because people don’t put enough sunscreen on their skin, so even though they think they’re applying 60, due to lack of quantity and not reapplying, they’re not actually getting [the] protection [that] they think [they are].”

And it’s not enough to just apply it once a day. 

“Sunscreens have to be reapplied every two hours,” Demirjian said. “What we recommend is between two to four tablespoons on [the] whole body, depending on the size of the individual.”

Consumers should also ensure that their sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB rays, known as broad-spectrum protection. This accounts for the two types of UV rays, A and B, which are responsible for sunburns—UVA—and aging and tanning—UVB.  Because SPF refers only to a sunscreen’s ability to block UVA rays, even a high SPF might not fully protect against long-term skin damage.

While this mentality of protecting from the sun holds exceptionally true during the summer, it’s important to realize that the sun is always present.

“We’re not in the sun only when we’re on the beach,” Demirjian said. “Even […] on campus at noon, one still needs to use [sunscreen].”

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Pop Rhetoric: The element of surprise

by Campbell McClintock on

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In the face of rampant piracy, record labels have struggled to convince consumers to spend money on music.  More specifically, the album format—once the industry’s largest source of revenue—has become too expensive for the average listener.  Consumers’ listening habits are increasingly shifting towards faster, more digestible formats like iTunes’ $0.99 single, which have fragmented the cohesive conceptual nature of albums in favor of a more selective listening experience. It’s in times like this that the music industry could use it’s own caped crusader to revolutionize the way that way that we listen to music.  

Cue a multi-platinum, 32-year-old superstar in the prime of her career to drop a brand new album out of the blue. Yes, Beyoncé, a woman whose achievements, talents, and renown blew minds everywhere with her surprise release of a self-titled album at the end of 2013. In a case study at Harvard Business School, Marketing Professor Anita Elberse noted that by releasing the album without an accompanying marketing campaign, the move risked wasting millions of dollars. In addition to being a bold marketing strategy, the album could be purchased only as a single package of 14 songs and music videos on iTunes, which encouraged listeners to experience it in its entirety.  The record was a critical and financial success, selling 430,000 digital copies within the first 24 hours of its release and five million copies worldwide by November 2014. Does Beyoncé demonstrate the capacity for the album format to hold up in the age of digital music distribution, or was the album’s success simply the convenient confluence of her celebrity status, the support of major corporations, and the seductive appeal of surprise? 

Beyoncé unquestionably paved the way for other musicians to release surprise albums through similarly unconventional marketing strategies. However, these albums rarely attained the same level praise and unprecedented financial success. In September of 2014, U2 released its 13th studio album, Songs of Innocence, by syncing it automatically onto the Apple devices of 33 million iTunes users at no cost. The album was heavily criticized because it was downloaded without the users’ consent, so much so that it received more attention for being an invasive breach of privacy than for the quality of its content.

After a 14 year-hiatus, D’Angelo released Black Messiah in December of 2014. While the album has long been anticipated by his fans and wasn’t expected to be released until 2015, D’Angelo decided to expedite the release in response to the judicial rulings in the Ferguson and Eric Garner cases in 2014. With the combination of the album’s relevant themes of race, its innovative instrumentation, and listener anticipation that had accumulated over a decade and a half, the album’s surprise release was as warmly received by critics as was Beyoncé. However, most likely because D’Angelo lacks the same celebrity status of Beyoncé, Black Messiah was far less financially successful. It sold only 117,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week of release as opposed to Beyoncé’s 600,000.4  

More recently, a number of albums have had botched releases because of record labels’ failure to uphold their artists’ intentions. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly was released a week ahead of its scheduled release date because of an error on the part of Interscope Records. Similarly, Sony Music unapologetically unveiled the cover art, tracklist, and release date of Earl Sweatshirt’s I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside a week before its release, despite his desires to leave these details unknown. While each of these albums still garnered much critical claim and delighted fans with the element of surprise, they are unfortunate examples of how easily the bureaucracy of a major record label can undermine the power of an album release. 

For the time being, it seems that Beyoncé is the only surprise album to have achieved critical and financial success without having to sacrifice the cohesion of the album or the artist’s artistic statement—an album, which, while demonstrating the power of alternative marketing and distribution strategies, is more likely an idiosyncratic triumph than a formula for success.

a, Student Life

Three ideal places to enjoy delicious food in the warm weather

by Saloni Singh & Alizeh Ejaz on

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In a city with long winters and relatively short summers, it’s important to have summer to-do lists ready to go. This year, some of Montreal’s best restaurants will open up its patios and bring out the garden chairs, providing the opportunity to soak up the sun on beautiful summer terrasses.

  • Jardin Nelson

    Jardin Nelson, one of the most beautiful restaurants in Montreal, is an ideal place to visit in the summer. This spectacular restaurant owned by Robert Ruel is located in Old Montreal at the historic Maison Cartier, which dates back to 1812. During the summer months, Jardin Nelson’s beautiful courtyard is adorned with plants, bright flowers, and giant parasols. From noon until evening, Jardin Nelson also offers live music played by pop and jazz musicians. The menu also boasts an impressive list of refreshing cocktails and sangrias that enhances the summertime vibe. Although Jardin Nelson is renowned for its crepes, it also offers a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, and a twist on Quebec’s very own duck patê Chinois. Even though it’s usually swarming with tourists, this restored historic building is a must visit, especially for those who desire to bask in Old Port’s charm.

  • Brasserie T!

    Brasserie T! was opened in 2010 in the heart of the Quartier de Spectacles by one of Montreal’s best fine-dining owners, Norman Laprise. What looks like an odd rectangular glass structure to any passer-by at the Place des Arts is actually a classic bistro with an ultramodern décor and fine French food. As the festival season rolls into Montreal, customers will have a front row seat to the International Jazz Festival, Just for Laughs festival, Nuits d’Afrique, or at the very least, the fountain lights show. The main attraction of this simple yet delectable menu of Brasserie T! is meat—specifically the famous tartare, called the Saucisse de Montreal. Among the limited dessert options, the light and heavenly Paris Brêst is a definite winner. Those on a student budget should appreciate the restaurant’s reasonable prices—with main courses served under $25, this is a steal for its fine-dining ambiance. Overall, this well-designed, edgy spot is perfect for dining in the heart of the city over a casual and relaxing meal with friends. However, due to limited seating options, it would be best to plan one’s visit well in advance to beat the crowds rushing to eat at this delightful restaurant.

  • Boris Bistro

    Montreal’s famous Boris Bistro is an absolute delight in the summertime. Located in the heart of Old Montreal, the surrounding location captures the beauty of Montreal’s summer. With its outdoor terrace full of wooden tables and white umbrellas, as well as a magnificent setup of trees, flowers, and walkways, Boris Bistro is one of Montreal’s classiest restaurants and is a favourite within the city. Its fancy interior—white walls, modern glass vases filled with plants and flowers, and plants romantically hanging down the windows—also presents Boris Bistro with the aesthetics for the summer.

    This high-end restaurant not only succeeds in presenting itself aesthetically, but also does a brilliant job with the food it serves. From its scrumptious appetizers—such as the salmon tartare guédille, to its delicious main course meals, including the well-known duck risotto with oyster mushrooms, sagem, and orange cream sauce, Boris Bistro never fails to please its customers. Boris Bistro also has amazing dessert options; the mouth-watering lemon and white chocolate pie is a must-try. Overall, the location, breathtaking setup, and irresistible food of Boris Bistro make it one of the top restaurants to visit in the summer.

a, Opinion

Commentary: Free speech and the hypersensitivity of safe spaces on campus

by Arden Li on

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The term “safe space,” which originated from various social movements in the ‘60s and ‘70s, has since attracted the attention of educational institutions and students who are seeking to balance the need for inclusive and inoffensive communities with their duty to promote academic freedom and freedom of speech. Preoccupied with the idea of providing these spaces—figurative or physical—universities such as McGill too often ignore or overlook the possibility of potentially stifling the school’s academic freedom in the process.

Universities are, first and foremost, designed to encourage the open exchange of knowledge. However, students have struggled to find the perfect balance between maintaining an equitable learning experience and protecting students’ fundamental right to freedom of speech. For example, last year, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council engaged in a heated debate over where to draw this fine line when a motion to ban the song “Blurred Lines” from the SSMU Building raised concerns about censorship, and ultimately failed to pass. This decision set a precedent against banning artistic content in a student building. It also sent a wider message about respecting the standards of free speech on campus.

Still, many groups continue to prioritize the safety of discussions above freedom of speech, rendering an already hypersensitive community even more so. But what will happen when students step off campus and into the real world, confronted by the very issues they were conditioned to shrink from? Infantilizing students in this mindset leaves them unprepared to tackle those controversial, yet essential, conversations later on. When faced with a societal dilemma, students may struggle to develop an informed opinion, let alone convince others of their own viewpoints.

What’s more, groups can easily abuse the notion of safe space, using it as a tool to manipulate school administration to shut down debates, or as an excuse to evade topics that threaten their own interests. Last November, at Oxford University’s Christ Church college, a feminist group on campus threatened to disrupt a debate on abortion due to the fact that both debaters would have been men. As a result, the college administration cancelled the debate. It’s worrisome that by advocating for a safe space, one group has the power to deny other students the opportunity to learn about significant issues and to eliminate a platform for individuals to voice their ideas.

Given the inherent restrictions of a safe space, it is impossible for an environment to simultaneously be completely ‘safe,’ meaning free of harassment, while remaining intellectually unrestricted.

Of course, for some students who call for a safer space, the pretense they use is, in fact, not a pretense at all but a real plea to spare those who have suffered trauma or abuse from having to relive that anguish again. However, some of the measures that McGill has taken to create the most non-hostile space possible have proven to be ineffective. Specifically at McGill, the implementation of Rez Project in all first-year residences, which aimed to improve students’ awareness of gender issues and consent, is consistently mocked once students leave residence life—hardly the intended outcome. This is not because students don’t care about social concerns, but because the casual, yet forced manner in which they raised extremely personal questions left students feeling more uncomfortable than enlightened.

Given the inherent restrictions of a safe space, it is impossible for an environment to simultaneously be completely ‘safe,’ meaning free of harassment, while remaining intellectually unrestricted. Although the principles of tolerance and respect that safe spaces aim to enforce are indisputably noble, in trying to suppress every uneasy subject, institutions are censoring and even unwittingly silencing the voices of those who are brave enough to take a stand on important issues.

Thus, instead of imposing the same definition of safe space on such a diverse student body, McGill should simply give students the resources to educate and decide for themselves what the concept means to them personally. After all, safe space is ultimately a mindset, one that learning institutions have a duty to foster, but not at the expense of academic freedom.

a, Opinion

Commentary: Canada needs to renew responsibility towards refugees

by Albert Park on

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Just last month, the Canadian government fulfilled its commitment that it made in 2013 to bring 1,300 Syrian refugees into the country by the end of 2014. The government has announced a decision to receive 10,000 additional refugees in the next three years. However, as the civil war in Syria intensifies—with Syrians making up over one-fifth of the 866,000 new asylum claims logged last year—a discussion has arisen regarding whether Canada is doing enough to aid the displaced victims. Looking into Canada’s current level of commitment relative to its historical and present-day duties within the global context, it seems evident that the Canadian government is shirking its responsibilities to protect refugees.

In dissecting the country’s inadequate response to the refugee crisis, many Canadians have questioned the reason behind the significant lag in meeting this commitment. Although there are other reasons, such as unresolved inefficiencies in the refugee system, the main problem stems from the government’s lack of financial support.

According to CTV News, 60 per cent of the refugees are to be sponsored privately by humanitarian groups, with the government responsible for the remaining 40 per cent. Many organizations, such as Amnesty International Canada ,have pointed out the enormous difficulty in accommodating this ratio; each refugee sponsorship costs $12,000 on top of expenses such as housing and health care. To make matters worse, prior to making its commitment in 2013, the government failed to consult these organizations, which were then forced to bear the bulk of the financial burden. Therefore, there were no structured plans or fundraisers set in place by the private groups to help achieve the goal.

The claim that Canada has a responsibility during these times of crisis truly finds meaningful substance in the nation’s history.

Many argue that Canada has no moral responsibility to take in more refugees. However, ethical reasoning aside, it is abundantly clear that Canada is not fulfilling its role in a global sense. The majority of the displaced Syrians have been taken by their neighbouring countries such as Turkey and Lebanon. However, many Western countries have done their part to help—especially Germany and Sweden—with Canada’s contribution almost negligible in comparison. Sweden has taken in at least 40,000 Syrian refugees, despite having about a quarter of Canada’s population. Ultimately, by refusing to make a bigger contribution, Canada is indirectly harming those countries that made commitments to take in refugees, since they are left to shoulder the financial burden that comes with granting asylum. On top of harming Canada’s global image, this also runs the risk of damaging the country’s relationships with its diplomatic partners.

When accused of not doing enough, the Conservative Government brings up the fact that Canada has already pledged $50 million towards improving the situation in Syria. However, the truth of the matter is that this contribution does not even meet the United Nations’ proposed quota of $180 million. Canada will need to contribute significantly more before its monetary aid starts to make up for its poor acceptance of refugees.

Finally, the claim that Canada has a responsibility during these times of crisis truly finds meaningful substance in the nation’s history. Many Canadians recall their country’s refusal to help the refugees aboard MS St. Louis during the Second World War with great shame and regret. Since then Canada has carried the torch when it comes to aiding displaced people, especially in response to the Vietnamese boat people incident in 1978-1981, when the country welcomed so many refugees that they accounted for 25 per cent of Canada’s immigrants. For this kind of leadership and display of efficient humanitarianism, Canada is the only country to have been awarded the Nansen Refugee Award, granted by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR). Not only have these events earned Canada its reputation as an influential country instilled with deep moral values, but the countless number of refugees who have made Canada their home has blessed the nation with its unique population and culture. In order for Canada to maintain its historical identity and fulfil its duties as a nation, the government must increase its commitment and provide more financial support for refugees.

a, Opinion

Commentary: Alternative resources do not fill gaps in faculty advising

by Kira Smith on

More in a:

At the March 18 Senate meeting, Arts Senator Jacob Greenspon raised a question concerning the ratios of faculty advisors to students across faculties. Statistics exposed disparities between faculties—the greatest difference being the Faculty of Arts, with 843 students per advisor, and the Faculty of Law, with 88 students per advisor. In their response to Greenspon’s question, Provost Anthony C. Masi and Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens only briefly acknowledged the disparity, instead focusing on other resources available which help to ensure that “all students have equal access to the same quality of advising.”

However, there are two issues at hand. First, it should be unnecessary to even consider alternative resources in the discussion. The disparities show that all students do not have equal access to faculty advising, and thus, are not being provided with equal opportunities for success. Moreover, the listed initiatives are an inadequate substitute when compared with faculty advising. In the end, providing these alternative resources for all students does not solve the disparities between faculties.

A discussion of the merits of alternative resources may show that despite having their own value, alternatives are not adequate substitutes. Masi and Dyens listed the Ask an Advisor program and the McGill 101 initiative, which include videos explaining different types of advising, as resources to better triage student needs and improve the efficiency of the system. While the two are helpful services, many students will ultimately be referred to faculty advisors—and here, the issue of the lack of access to advisors reemerges.

Given that advising services are essential for students’ academic success, it is only right that these efforts be made to eliminate disparities between faculties and promote interpersonal faculty advising.

The advising checklist, AskMcGill database, and McGill app are other resources cited by Dyens and Masi, but these too cannot compare to the services offered by faculty advisors. The Staff-Student Mentoring Program most closely matches the individual and personalized nature of faculty advising, but is instead geared towards sharing knowledge and exchanging insight, rather than degree-related information. The initiatives listed may reduce the number of students who require faculty advisors, but this fact is irrelevant when considering equal opportunities across the faculties. Faculty advisors can provide information and offer guidance to students, while also giving assistance with managing students’ academic situations during difficult periods. Altogether, these resources cannot match faculty advisors, who have a wealth of knowledge and unique abilities to provide human, personalized service to students.

Greenspon noted recognition of this issue at the Senate meeting. Referencing student satisfaction and the issue of faculty advising, Dyens stated, “It is on our radar […] and we’ll keep progressing on this topic.” Unsatisfied with this response, Faculty of Law Senator, Dan Snyder, posed a question to the Senate, asking how the other initiatives could bring the ratios to equilibrium. After discussing the importance of academic advising to student experience, Dyens responded, “Our focus is to try to get a few more advisors specifically for Arts to narrow that problematic ratio.” In addition, Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi also added that the faculty has secured a recent philanthropic gift that will support the hiring of at least one additional faculty advisor.

Senate’s discussion gives hope to students in faculties that fall on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of the ratios of advisors to students. While other initiatives are undeniably valuable, they cannot compare to the one-on-one benefits of faculty advising. McGill should increase the number of faculty advisors available in coming years. Given that advising services are essential for students’ academic success, it is only right that these efforts be made to eliminate disparities between faculties and promote interpersonal faculty advising.

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