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a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Hockey: Redmen split weekend series with Lancers

by Wyatt Fine-Gagné on

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Back-to-back games can be gruelling tasks in the sport of hockey, but the McGill Redmen managed to look fresh during the second of two home games against the Windsor Lancers this past weekend. The Redmen dropped Friday night’s game 4-3 in the shootout, but managed to rebound for a 6-2 win in a physical affair Saturday night.

The two teams combined for 76 penalty minutes Saturday evening over the course of a chippy three periods. The referees handed out three separate 10-minute misconducts—two to the Lancers and one to McGill’s Mathieu Pompei—and 23 minor penalties.

McGill’s Patrick Delisle-Houde opened the scoring 3:47 into the first period on a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net. Although it was their only goal of the period, the Redmen were strong right from the start, out-shooting Windsor and controlling even-strength play. This was a key difference between the first and second game, according to McGill Head Coach Kelly Nobes.

“You know, [a slow start] was our downfall in the game [on] Friday,” Nobes said. “In this league you have to play 60 minutes against the good teams.”

Although they have struggled as of late, Windsor remains in fourth place in a tough OUA West Division. They are also the second-most penalized team in the CIS, a possible factor in explaining the game’s rough play. At times it appeared as though players had forgotten about the puck and were simply focused on how best to hit or be hit. The Lancers and Redmen have not traditionally been rivals, but it certainly looked as though they were with emotions running high and scrums breaking out after the numerous whistles.

“One of the things that is important in a game like that is to keep your composure,” Nobes said. “We did a good job of it, knowing that if we kept working and being relentless, that we’d get our power-play chances.”

Nobes got his wish—20 seconds after forward Cedric McNicoll scored to put McGill up 2-1, left winger Delisle-Houde netted his second of the game on a power-play to make it 3-1. Delisle-Houde’s three points give him 24 on the year, tying his season total from 2012-13.

McGill’s dominant play against the Lancers continued to close out the game—the Redmen’s leading scorer Ryan McKiernan potted his 12th goal of the season to put the home team up 4-1 entering the third period. During the final frame McNicoll netted another goal and left winger Neal Prokop earned his sixth of the year, ending the game with a final score of 6-2.

Rookie goaltender Jacob Gervais-Chouinard was the unsung hero of the night, stopping 30 of 32 shots on his way to a win. Both Gervais-Chouinard and Windsor goalie Parker Van Buskirk faced significant pressure at times, but Gervais-Chouinard remained solid while Van Buskirk succumbed to the pressure, allowing four goals before being pulled at the end of the second period.

Saturday evening’s win brings McGill’s record to 19-5-2, good enough for 40 points and second place with two games left to play in the regular season.

“In the playoffs, the farther you go along, the more important it is to play 60 minutes,” Nobes said. “It’s so tight and there’s so much parity among the top teams.”

At this point in the season, the playoffs are a guarantee for the Redmen. No matter which team they draw in the post-season, however, the team will need to bring the type of full game effort they showed against Windsor on Saturday if they hope to succeed.

McGill’s next game is against UOIT on Feb. 7 at McConnell Arena. at 7:00 p.m.

a, Basketball, Behind the Bench, Sports

All-Star wars: the fandom menace

by Aaron Rose on

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In the week before the Super Bowl, the NFL launched its improved Pro Bowl format with teams being drafted by NFL legends, Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice. However, as much as the NFL tries to improve the Pro Bowl, the truth is that most fans see the event as a pitiful exhibition game that players don’t care about. Fans want to see the best players in the world compete at their highest level, and in a sport where injuries are abundant, the reality is that a competitive Pro Bowl is simply a pipe dream.

It seems that of the four major North American sports, only the NHL has figured out how to throw an entertaining All-Star weekend.  So how can the three other professional leagues improve their uninspired displays?

In 2003, Major League Baseball (MLB) made the All-Star game worth playing for when it decided to award the winning conference home-field advantage in the World Series. While the MLB got that one right, the decision also precluded other creative ideas for improving their All-Star weekend. For example, despite popular demand, Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander did not appear in the 2013 home run derby. Although nobody expected that Verlander would suddenly start launching moonshots, the MLB can rest assured that baseball fans would tune in to see the former CY Young winner take a few swings of the bat.

The NBA struggles with almost the exact opposite issue: nobody wants to participate in their supposed marquee event. For years now, the slam-dunk competition has been filled with a handful of no-name players. Fans want to see LeBron James soaring through the air—not afterthoughts such as former New York Knick James White. There are two easy fixes for this: new NBA commissioner Adam Silver can try to remind these players that they are both athletes and entertainers, or he can incentivize winners by giving a sum of money to the charity of the winner’s choice. You can be assured that James or any other superstar would sign up for the dunk contest if his reputation were on the line. The struggle now is for Silver to create a system that convinces stars to prove their worth against one another in this setting.

The dunk contest is just the beginning of the NBA All-Star weekend’s flaws. Most of the other events are painstakingly boring. How about a free throw competition where the only prerequisite is to have previously received the Hack-a-Shaq treatment? Think about the entertainment value of watching DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond, and Dwight Howard struggle to make just half their shots. On a more serious note, how about adding a one-on-one tournament? I would certainly want to see LeBron James go head-to-head with Kevin Durant in a first-to-11-points contest.

With regards to the specific players playing in the big game: this is a choice that should not be left to uneducated fans. The league needs to let the coaches vote for the All-Stars, as fans are more prone to vote for big names and star power rather than rewarding those who are currently having quality seasons. When Kobe Bryant is named a starter during a season in which he has only played six games, it becomes apparent that the system is flawed.

Returning to the NFL, how can a sport where someone gets hit on almost every play have an All-Star game where every player is afraid to get injured? Easy; remove the hitting. Athletes don’t play hard because they don’t want to get injured. However, if you prevent the likelihood of injury, intensity will be ramped up. Turning the Pro Bowl into flag football might fundamentally change the game but it ensures that fans get to see the league’s best players play with some vigour. Another welcome addition would be a return to the skills competition the NFL had featured until 2007. In its first go-around the event had little marketing, but it would be an interesting way to pit the best players in the “No Fun League” against each other in order to make their all-star weekend more, well, fun.

While designing these events, the “Big Four” leagues face a precarious balance between intensity and entertainment. With a little creativity and effort, however, they can achieve a product that both fans and players will be proud of.

a, Editorial, Opinion

The Tribune’s SSMU Winter GA endorsements

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Tomorrow, Wednesday Feb. 5, marks the Winter General Assembly (GA) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). The GA is one of the few places in which students are able to debate, discuss, and directly communicate with their student government in a forum. This week’s event presents us with several resolutions that have the potential to impact student life.

 

The guarantee of freedom of dress in the SSMU Building: Yes, with reservations

This motion seeks to prevent the infringement of the right to “freedom of dress” in the SSMU Building and at SSMU events, and also seeks to  overturn any standing blanket bans on student dress. The motion reportedly stems from an equity complaint concerning the signature lab coats of the Plumbers’ Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), a student group in the Faculty of Engineering. The lab coats, which have various—and often crude—drawings and writings on them, were considered offensive by some students. An equity complaint was filed last year and the coats are currently banned from the SSMU Building. The Tribune supports the resolution’s principle of freedom of expression, but stands by the vision laid out by the SSMU Equity Policy. The reversal of blanket bans such as this may lead to numerous case-by-case rulings to the same ends; although inefficient, this process is crucial in justly implementing the Equity Policy.

 

Inclusion of Academic Assessment Rights on Course Outlines: Yes 

This motion is in reference to several provisions in McGill’s University Student Assessment Policy that regulate the scheduling and weighing of exams. The first of the two provisions in question prohibits final exams from counting for more than 75 per cent of a course grade unless students are given an alternative option. The second mandates that if there are exams that count for more than 50 per cent of a class mark, one of those exams has to be offered in the final exam period.

In an attempt to improve compliance with these rules, the resolution seeks  to have SSMU support the mandatory addition of the two provisions, as well as other academic rights, on both course syllabi and in the student handbook. Although there are questions as to how this will be implemented, and whether the administration and professors will be willing to add more content to syllabi, the Tribune supports this resolution. Aside from logistical issues of how this mandate may be put into practice, the increased visibility­—and compliance with­—academic rights is a  goal SSMU should be working towards.

 

Timely Distribution of Course Information: Yes, with reservations

This motion would compel SSMU to lobby for the distribution of course syllabi as soon before the start of classes in the term as possible, on the grounds that the current system exposes students to scheduling and financial strains due to an inability to prepare before the start of classes. While the Tribune supports the intent of this resolution, the standard should be something more specific than “as early and as accurately as possible.” Presuming such a resolution is to be taken to McGill administration in lobbying for these changes, a clearer expectation of punctuality could form a better negotiating position.

 

Motion Regarding Sustainability at the SSMU: Abstain 

With the elimination of the Sustainability Coordinator position late last year, SSMU also created an ad-hoc committee on sustainability. With no clear progress from the committee to this point, this motion sets a timeline by which recommendations are to be made to the student body.

Throughout the various changes to SSMU’s sustainability framework over the past semester, very little has been accomplished. The elimination of the coordinator position represents a drastic shift in SSMU’s approach to sustainability; the implications of this shift have yet to be seen.

While we believe that sustainability should be a priority for SSMU, we advocate an abstention for two reasons. First, a GA motion should not be necessary to force a committee into action. Second, an abstention would reflect a dissatisfaction with SSMU’s lack of transparency in handling this matter, and a desire to see greater communication going forward.

 

Regarding the TPP and CETA: Abstain

This motion, would seek to have the SSMU officially take a stance against provisions of two trade agreements with the European  Union; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA). The two trade agreements contain provisions on pharmaceutical patents that have caused controversy due to predictions of cost increases. While this is a very important issue that students should take the time to consider, there are two major problems with this specific resolution. First, the issue in question is not only external to SSMU but lacks a sufficient nexus to university students, let alone McGill students, to warrant a stance on SSMUs part. Furthermore, these trade agreements are very detailed proposals with complex public policy implications that require more time and nuance than part of a GA can provide. Therefore, the Tribune supports an abstention on this resolution.

a, McGill, News

McGill alumnus, province’s youngest mayor, talks politics

by Shrinkhala Dawadi on

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Recent McGill graduate Antoine Tardif is one of the youngest mayors in the country.

Last November, Tardif—a 23-year-old McGill Class of 2013 graduate—was elected as the mayor of Daveluyville, Québec. Daveluyville is a small town located 90 minutes away from Montreal in the Centre-du-Québec region, with a population of approximately 1,000 people.

At his election, the former political science and economics double major became the youngest mayor in Quebec, and one of youngest mayors in the country. Tardif grew up in Daveluyville and came to McGill to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He cites his experience at McGill as one of the reasons for his involvement in politics.

“I had a lot of Québécois politics classes,” Tardif said. “We had a guest speaker come in, who was the Directeur General des Elections du Quebec, and he told us that people who were studying political science […] should get involved in the next [round of municipal] elections that were coming up in November 2013. I had this in the back of my mind, that there was going to be a wind of change considering that there’s a lot of corruption, and voters are going to be happy to see new faces.”

As one of Canada’s youngest mayors, Tardif sees his election as part of a growing anti-corruption movement within Quebec society.

“[I came] in at 23 years old, coming right out of school, and being aware of the corruption that’s been going on and wanting to change things,” he said. “I haven’t experienced anything close to corruption [as mayor], so that’s good. I think this is a movement that is going around.”

According to Tardif, the transition from student to mayor has been smooth. He credits McGill’s rigorous academic expectations with giving him the stamina required to work as mayor.

“I can say that having studied at McGill for four years, [I’ve] learned how to be organized,” Tardif said. “At McGill, it’s all the best students. If you want to pull some good grades you definitely have to put a lot of work into your studies and be really organized. Since I came to office, I work from 8-5 and I have meetings at night. Doing a lot of hours doesn’t scare me. I know that if I want to be successful, I’ll need to put a lot of time into it.”

As mayor, Tardif is focusing on creating jobs within Daveluyville, aiming to retain the city’s youth.

“In small towns like mine, it’s been seen over the last decade or so that the young people go away for their studies and they don’t come back,” he said. “If we want the youth and students to be interested in staying here, then they have to have the right conditions and they have to have jobs.”

For example, over the next four years, the town will be looking to attract industries to its recently developed industrial park, a development project in collaboration with a neighbouring city.

“We’re working very hard with the city of Victoriaville on an industrial park that’s on the side of highway 20,” he said. “It’s been [built] now, and there can be around 15 companies that can set up there. In the next two or three years, we’re going to be working very hard to attract companies to our industrial park.”

Tardif shared some words of wisdom for students aspiring to go into politics.

“[Don’t] be scared and jump right into it,” he said. “Believe in yourself. If you have that flame in you that tells you to go, you should go.”

 

a, Art, Arts & Entertainment

No Foreign Lands finds a home in Montreal

by Tara Davis on

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Even with the advent of film, photography, and digital imagery, painting remains a vital and powerful art form, a fact I was reminded of when I visited Peter Doig’s exhibition No Foreign Lands at Montreal’s Musée des beaux-arts last weekend. Doig’s art immediately recalls the legendary Canadian Group of Seven, but his influences also include great pioneers of Modernism such as Edvard Munch, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, and Pierre Bonnard.

Moving about the hardwood floors of the museum, I immediately noticed the scale of Doig’s paintings, and how his use of rich, bright colour stood out with warmth against the vast white walls; his paintings appear as if they were meant for display in a grandiose museum setting.

Author David Byrne writes how musicians and artists, “work backwards, either consciously or unconsciously, creating work that fits the venue available.” Byrne essentially thinks the space, the platform, and the software makes the art. This is exemplified in Doig’s work, as a tangible joie de vivre leaps from his smaller studio film posters, while larger displays remove any sense of reality. Doig propels the viewer to enter a dreamlike, theatrical scene like the ones depicted in Grande Riviere (2002) and Gasthofsur Muldentalsperre (2002).

Doig’s series of paintings of oil on paper, recognizable for stylistic simplicity, are intentionally displayed close together in a corner of the gallery. One feels a childlike spark from each of these paintings, which evolved organically as posters for weekly repertory cinema showings run by Doig and Che Lovelace, a Trinidadian artist. Doig makes a poster for nearly every one of the screenings, shown from his studio in the Caribbean Contemporary Arts cultural center located in a former rum distillery in Trinidad.

Doig was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1959 but moved to Trinidad with his parents when he was a child. Another move led Doig to grow into adulthood in Montreal. He attended art school in London and painted during the days throughout his twenties by working odd jobs in nightclubs. He has remarked on remaining independent of the trends of his peers when contemporary artists feared sharing gallery space.

“I never understood what was so conceptual about Conceptual Art anyway—all painting, pretty much, is conceptual,” says Doig in his book, which shares the same name as his current exhibit. “I mean every painting is an idea. Every painting is a result of process.” To Doig, conceptual art just removes the “pleasures” of looking. Since his success, he has returned permanently to Trinidad and also works and teaches in both London and New York.

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.” These words from Robert Louis Stevenson are visible upon arrival to the exhibit, and carry the viewer through the scenes of Doig’s present life in Trinidad, while also weaving the memory of his Canadian home. This is exemplified through Doig’s work, 100 Years Ago (2001), where a man, seemingly adrift in a canoe in the ocean, reveals a backdrop of Carrera, the prison island off the coast of Trinidad. The subject looks to the viewer, as if asking whether a painter can free himself from pictorial memory in his apprehension of the real. Doig begun this work in Europe and finished shortly after his arrival in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

His working method draws on an ever increasing archival collection of personal photographs, as the book describes.

“I use photography simply as a way of imaging memory,” he writes. “The photograph acts as a starting point. It is in the actual act of making a painting that invention takes over.” Doig is noted for how he constantly reprocesses and transforms original images in painting sketches into a mythical, spiritual abstraction of reality. His process is visible throughout the exhibition, even as he admits, an “artist is only ever capable of painting one painting, again and again, in a single lifetime.”

Painting, in effect, is an artist’s own life, and through this exhibit you have the chance to glimpse into the vision of Doig’s own experience.

No Foreign Lands runs until May 4 at Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal (1380 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest). Tickets are $10.44 plus taxes and fees.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Dum Dum Girls—Too True

by Morgan Alexander on

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The Dum Dum Girls’ new album Too True was meant to be the band’s official transition into the world of high-label girl group Rock ‘n’ Roll fame. However, it clearly flows from the same vein as their previous work, making for an ethereal-sounding album that directly harkens back to girl group greats of the ’60s and post-punk beats of the ’80s.

While it may not have been the transformative album the group was hoping for, Too True still holds its own in today’s pop-rock genre. Sleek guitar riffs meld smoothly with lead singer Dee Dee Penny’s eerily calm vocals and poetic lyrics. The standout track of the album is “Rimbaud Eyes,” directly inspired by French poet Arthur Rimbaud, which displays the bands signature fast beat tracks on metaphor-laden lyrics with a gloomy overcast.

The beauty of the album is Penny’s ability to address somber lyrical themes like heartache, betrayal, and death in a calm, steady manner. The near-title track “Too True To Be Good” expresses this concept perfectly as Dee Dee breathlessly moans “I’ve tried to remind myself it’s gonna be fine/[…]/ it’s hard to outrun/ the devil from behind” over a sugar-sweet drum beat.

The album contains a form of micro-variety—while the same narcotic fuzz and Dee Dee’s eerie vocal inflections link each song, clear distinctions form from track to track. For instance, a new wave momentum drives “Little Minx” while “Under These Hands” contains a folk-rock foundation. Heavily influenced by past sounds while still maintaining a fresh punk vibe, Too True is just daring enough to reel you in and mesmerizing enough to keep you listening.

a, Student Life

A celebration of art and friendship

by Marlee Vinegar on

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As art made its way into the hands of proud new owners, members of the McGill community dropped cash for a worthy cause at McGill Students for Best Buddies’ third-annual art auction on Jan. 25.

Best Buddies is an international non-profit organization that promotes the inclusiveness of communities to people with intellectual disabilities. They are partnered with the Miriam Home, a Quebec organization with goals that align with Best Buddies and which provides rehabilitation services to children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Students involved with Best Buddies build one-to-one friendships with adults in the community with intellectual disabilities.

“[The Best Buddies program] makes the connection between two groups that wouldn’t otherwise necessarily meet,” Kirsty Coulter, co-director of McGill students for Best Buddies, said. “Students and the population of adults with intellectual disabilities are really separated […. The program] gives you an idea of the challenges facing the population that you wouldn’t necessarily think of, and also [gives you] a friend.”

The auction, which took place in the SSMU Ballroom, is Best Buddies’ largest fundraiser, raising approximately $1,400 this year. The proceeds funnel directly back to the organization and help fund other events for the buddies.

“We wanted to do a fundraiser, but we wanted to do something to promote inclusion in the community,” Coulter said.

While most events are tailored for the buddies, the auction is one of the program’s few events that are open to the public. The artwork up for auction was either created or donated by students, buddies, or other members of the Montreal community, including several pieces from students’ grandparents’ collections.

Among the artists was Alivia Dlugopiat, a long-time buddy who has regularly participated in art classes at the Young Men’s-Young Women’s Hebrew Association (YM-YWHA) Jewish Community Centre. Dlugopiat expressed that she was proud to show her work at the auction, and was eager to have those attending bid on her creative piece, titled “Pop Art.”

Jason Goldsmith was another donor for the auction. Goldsmith paints designs inspired by his son Ellis’ drawings onto framed pieces of glass. Goldsmith started the Big Blue Hug project, which took off when he discovered that he was best able to communicate with Ellis, who has autism, through drawings. Beyond being a family business, the project serves as a means of educating others on using ‘picture talking’ to aid communication.

The staggering diversity of art—from cartoons and greeting cards to oil-painted landscapes and more abstract pieces—embodied the inclusion that Best Buddies hopes to foster.

“[Art] is something anyone can do and you can express yourself in your own way,” Best Buddies Co-Director Micah Flavin said. “With my buddy, we’ll sit down and draw, or just write. It’s something that really has this therapeutic effect [….] It’s a nice event because it has all sorts of threads coming in together and you can see the different styles of art. ”

The event has come a long way since 2012, with the number of pieces in the auction doubling since last year. There were other additions to the event this year as well; to keep the crowd entertained, two craft tables were situated in the middle of the room.

Music also accompanied the afternoon event, including performances by a quartet of McGill music students  and the glee club from the Gold Centre, an organization funded by the Miriam home.

“[The art auction] has grown exponentially the past two years, so it’s really exciting to see what it’s turned into,” Coulter said. “It’s a good display of work done by us, done by our buddies, and our community members.”

a, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Sports

Around the water cooler – Feb. 4

by Steven Lampert on

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In case you stopped watching after the first play, here’s what you missed in Super Bowl XLVIII…

THE WEATHER

The hype surrounding the inclement weather amounted to absolutely nothing as the temperature in the Meadowlands held up at around 10ºC all night with little wind and no snow. With the weather having virtually no effect on the game, some are already saying that cold weather cities could be added to the regular Super Bowl rotation. Roger Goodell is salivating at the thought of tapping into large markets such as Washington and Chicago. So how about Buffalo in 2018?! No one? Cool.

 

THE GAME

We should have seen it coming. A game that started with a botched Denver snap ended in complete Seattle domination. The Seahawks controlled all three phases of the game on Sunday, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII—the third largest Super Bowl victory margin in NFL history. Despite the anticipation for Denver’s top ranked offence to meet Seattle’s no. 1 ranked defence, the game never lived up to the hype—the Broncos’ prolific attack was shut down from the moment Joe Namath and his thrift shop coat came onto the field. Russell Wilson evaded rushers and converted on some key third downs; the defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and forced Peyton Manning into some errant throws; and oft-injured Percy Harvin even had an impact, returning the opening second half kick for a touchdown. In other words, the game was never close—Seattle looked bigger, faster, and meaner. Macklemore must be so thrilled.

 

THE MVP

Don’t be ashamed. We all predicted this one wrong. Outside linebacker Malcolm Smith—a relatively unknown player outside of Seattle—took home the Super Bowl MVP honours, becoming just the sixth defensive player to win the award. Smith recorded nine tackles, a fumble recovery, and most importantly, returned an interception for a touchdown leading the way for Seattle’s destruction. Some other key notes about Smith: he played for Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll at USC. He picked off the pass that Richard Sherman tipped to clinch the NFC championship. He was awarded a 2014 Chevy Silverado for winning MVP. Not bad for a former seventh-round pick. Macklemore would be proud.

 

THE HALFTIME SHOW

Bruno Mars was probably the most exciting part of the Super Bowl. He killed it. His performance will likely go down as one of the best Super Bowl halftime spectacles ever. The Red Hot Chili Peppers also showed up without shirts on to play “Give It Away,” which was pretty cool too, except for the part where I could name 40 other Pepper songs that I would rather hear. Just please, no Macklemore next year. Please.

a, Martlets, Men's Varsity, Sports

Sports briefs – Feb. 4

by Zikomo Smith on

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Martlet Hockey

On Saturday, the no.1 CIS ranked McGill Martlets thoroughly dominated the Concordia Stingers en route to a 5-1 victory, extending their winning streak against their cross-town rivals to 54 straight victories. Fourth-year industrial relations major Katia Clement-Heydra was instrumental in McGill’s first four goals. Clement-Heydra set up Gabrielle Davidson and Chelsea Saunders for the opening two goals respectively, before adding one of her own and then assisting Leslie Oles on the fourth.

Sunday saw no halt in the Martlets’ excellence, as the team breezed past the Ottawa Gee Gees with a score of 5-2. Davidson scored twice, breaking the former RSEQ scoring record of 24 goals in only 17 games. McGill out-shot the Gee Gees 45-22 and goaltender Andrea Weckmen recorded a 20-save game as the Martlets extended their RSEQ winning streak to 43 games. Now McGill awaits the season results of Ottawa, Concordia, and Carleton to see who they will encounter in the first round of the conference playoffs.

a, McGill, News

Deregulation of programs results in tuition increases for international students

by Chelsey Ju on

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The upcoming school year will mark the first during which tuition  will be deregulated in the Faculties of Management, Science, Engineering, and Law for international students.

As a result, student in applicable criteria will be charged upwards of $35,000 in tuition for the upcoming 2014-2015 academic year, an increase from the approximate $15,000 charged in the 2007-2008 year.

The costs of all programs at McGill are based on a set fee for Quebec-resident tuition, which is then supplemented by out-of-province and international student fees. In regulated programs, such as Arts, all supplemental international tuition fees are directed to the Quebec government, which then redistributes these fees across Quebec universities based on university-student population ratios.

For deregulated programs, the provincial government gives McGill the jurisdiction to determine the amount of supplemental tuition charged and allows the university to keep the additional money from this tuition.

Vice-Principal (Communications and External Relations) Olivier Marcil said the model for deregulated programs of distribution has disadvantaged the university, as McGill has the largest international student population in Quebec. Since regulated fees are redistributed based on overall student population, most of the supplemental fees paid by McGill international students are portioned to other Quebec universities.

“This is problematic because it means this money doesn’t go toward our students [for regulated programs], but to the education of students in other Quebec universities,” Marcil said. “McGill does not get to keep that extra tuition.”

The decision to deregulate certain university programs was made in 2008 following a compromise by members of the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities (CREPUQ), who advocated for it on the behalf of its member universities to the provincial government. The decision was followed by a multi-year transition period during which the university gradually retained a greater proportion of the supplemental tuition.

“In years one to five, the university will retain an incremental 20 per cent per year of the supplement, so that after five years, 100 per cent of the supplement paid will be retained,” the 2012-2013 Annual Report on the Financial State of the University reads.

Since 2008, this deregulation has enabled McGill to charge more than the previously regulated supplemental tuition amounts, which have resulted in the tuition increases that international students in those programs have faced over the past few years.

The Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney said that due to deregulation, there is a concern that tuition increases could result in a skewed student population.

“Students’ primary concern is that increased tuition […] reduce[s] accessibility to education,” Mooney said. “Increasing tuition leads to a drop in enrolment for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.”

Mooney, along with Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs Joey Shea, raised the concern through a question at the November 2013 Senate meeting.

In response, Provost Anthony Masi said these tuition increases are offset by increased financial aid for students.

“Our need assessment parameters consider each student’s tuition costs in their program of study, so international students in de-regulated programs who demonstrate financial need receive the highest offers of aid,” Masi said.

According to Marcil, many resources will be available for students requiring financial aid, despite deregulation.

“McGill currently allocates 30 per cent of net new tuition revenues directly to McGill’s own internal student aid program,” Marcil said. “At the time of admission, all students, regardless of geographic origin, are invited to apply for entrance financial aid.”

Although future plans to deregulate more programs are unknown, according to Marcil, the provincial government is conducting further research on changes to tuition.

“There is currently a Chantier—a government-appointed committee created following last year’s summit on higher education—investigating the future of international students’ tuition, including deregulation,” he said.

Principal Suzanne Fortier echoed the sentiment in a recent e-mail to the McGill Tribune.

“Some decisions from the government are expected towards the end of the year, and we do not yet know if a decision regarding deregulation will be brought forth at that time,” she said.

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