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Out on the Town, Student Life

Café Bloc reaches a new peak of climbing and coffee

by Scott Kennedy on

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Café Bloc opened its doors on Feb. 11, bringing together the warmth and sociability of a café with the fun and creative exercise of a climbing hall. Located at 1209-1211 Boul. Saint-Laurent, this unique space was the brainchild of co-founders Sébastien Aubé and Jean-François Gravel, whose new business has been met with a favourable reception from the local community.

“We feel very grateful [that] we have [received] so many nice comments from our friends, family, and climbers from other gyms,” Aubé said. “Everyone has said […] that the location is nice, the gym is pretty, […that] they love the coffee, [that] they love the food, [and that] the staff are very nice.”

The founders made sure to focus on not only the rock climbing aspect of their business, but also on creating a positive atmosphere and experience for customers.

“I like our vibe,” Aubé said. “We put a lot [into] creating a space where people wouldn’t just climb and leave.”

Having only been open for two weeks, Aubé believes that their goal for the space is being realized.

“So far, it’s really succeeded because I see some people here that stay longer than my staff,” Aubé said. “They arrive at eight or nine in the morning […] they climb, [they] get a coffee and work, they go back to a bit of climbing, they eat, they chill, they go for a sauna. It’s just really nice.”

For Aubé, starting a space for rock climbing allows him to invest more into his personal interest.

“We were very excited with […] the lifestyle of owning a [climbing] gym,” Aubé said. “Our biggest passion [is] climbing, so it’s just so exciting to come in the gym, have a coffee, [see] some friends, talk about climbing, show them around. […] It’s just really fun.”

As long-time rock climbing enthusiasts, the two founders used their experience in climbing to influence the design of their new business.

“I’ve been climbing myself for around 10 years, and [Gravel] for around 15 [years]. It’s our biggest passion,” Aubé said. “We wanted to have some […] good quality climbing, because we wanted to have the place of our dreams.”

Café Bloc is not only a climbing gym for experienced climbers, it’s also welcoming to newcomers to the activity. 

“There’s a lot of beginners and new climbers, [the space] is very [beginner] friendly here,” Aubé said. “[And] even if you’re very [experienced], there’s some nice stuff for you here [too].”

Only a short walk from the Saint-Laurent metro station, the downtown location of the climbing hall is an important part of making this gym accessible during the day.

 “We’re […] close by, so people who study in the universities nearby or work downtown [. . .] can [travel] one metro station or walk, and they can get to our gym, so it’s very accessible,” Aubé said.

The climbing gym itself took around six months to build, but more construction lies ahead for Café Bloc. The owners plan to develop the terrace space on the roof of the building in order to be used during the warmer months.

“As soon as the snow melts, we want to start right away with the construction of the terrasse to have it [ready] as soon as it’s sunny outside,” Aubé said. “We are going to have a 30 or 40 foot wall outside. It’s going to be sick.”

This space provides students, new or experienced, with the opportunity to try a unique activity and become a part of a budding community of rock climbers within the city.

“I think that if they would like to experience a new community that’s very enthusiastic and motivating and [if] they like to practice a new exercise, you should definitely come and give it a go,” Aubé said.

Student Life

Prepping for meal prep

by Miya Keilin on

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Amidst all of the assignments and midterms, students don’t always have the time—or energy—to put together satisfying, homemade meals. Meal prep, however makes cooking quick and easy with the benefits of being a cheaper and more environmentally-friendly option than buying food on or around campus for lunch every day. Furthermore, preparing simple meals for weekly lunches offers students the opportunity to gain confidence in the kitchen while also engaging in a non-academic yet productive task. Here are a few basics to get into the healthy habit of meal prepping.

Pots, pans, and perseverance

A lot of meal prep recipes online require the use of equipment, like a slow cooker or a food processor, that aren’t items found in a typical student’s kitchen. Such equipment is unnecessary: A pot, a pan, a bowl, a cutting board, some knives, and a good attitude are totally sufficient. Even for adventurous meal prep endeavours like roasted chicken or meatballs, just add a cheap sheet pan to your pantry.   

Veggie tales

Vegetables are an important part of our daily nutrition, but getting the right amount, or even eating any at all can seem difficult. In reality, many vegetables are easy to prepare. Some, like carrots and bell peppers, need no cooking, just slicing and packing, while other vegetables like broccoli and asparagus only require some boiling. They can be flavoured differently by topping them with sauces or seasoning, but make for the perfect snack when they’re plain. Vegetables are also ideal for packing into small plastic or glass reusable containers for easy transport to campus. For an extra challenge, drizzle your favourite veggies with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them in the oven.

Starting from starch (and some protein)

A straightforward way to assemble a complete meal is to pair a starch, like rice or potatoes, with a protein, such as meat, beans, or tofu. There are a million types of rice, such as white, jasmine, and wild, and many ways to cook potatoes, including boiling, roasting, and mashing, so the options for the starch component are nearly endless. While there are more complicated ways to prepare protein, there are simple methods that result in delicious taste. Chicken or tofu cut up into bite-size pieces and sautéd quickly with some salt, pepper, and a mix of spices to season deliver a delicious source of protein in only a few steps. Alternatively, a dish like a pasta salad or a casserole is relatively quick to assemble and satisfies your serving of proteins and vegetables all in one. A more time consuming yet worthwhile dish, is a curry or a stir fry, which may take some practice to get right but once you get a hang of it, can be very flexible dishes that will undoubtedly impress your friends. 

Looking for a snack

Snacks are essential to maintain focus and energy throughout a long day of work. Granola bars, dried fruit, and crackers are all effective power bites to bring to campus. However, homemade muffins can take your snacking to the next level. Muffins are a relatively forgiving baked good, as mistakes in the baking process often don’t ruin a batch, which makes them the ideal starting point for beginning bakers. Plus, they are pretty versatile so you can personalize them with your favourite flavours such as banana chocolate chip or blueberry oat.

No-brainer containers

A bonus of meal prepping is saving the Earth from the single-use containers that come with daily take-out lunches. Plastic or glass reusable containers are cheap and available at a variety of stores, including supermarkets, pharmacies, and the dollar store. You can also reuse yogurt containers, pasta sauce jars, and similar food containers from the grocery store to bring your prepped meals and snacks to campus. 

Meal prepping may seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it is quite simple. An extra half an hour on the weekend to cook your meals for the week is the perfect opportunity to start saving money and eating healthier, and you might even find that you have a knack for it. Happy prepping!

 

Basketball, Martlets, Sports

Martlets fall short against Citadins at Senior Night

by Sarah Farnand on

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The Martlets (7–9) faced off against the UQÀM Citadins (7–8) on Feb. 20, with the hopes of securing a third place finish in the RSEQ. The game ended in a loss for McGill, with a final score of 58–55. 

At the end of the first quarter, UQÀM led, 17–14. There was a scary moment when, with four minutes left in the quarter, a Citadins player pushed McGill’s Sirah Diarra into teammate Kamsi Ogbudibe. Both players remained on the ground for a few minutes before they were escorted to the locker room. Fortunately, both returned in the second half. McGill bounced back to gain a nine-point lead in the second quarter, but UQÀM responded, and by halftime, the Citadins once again had the advantage with a 30–28 lead. 

Despite six free throws off of UQÀM’s eight fouls in the third quarter and a three-pointer from fifth-year guard Geraldine Cabillo-Abante, the Martlets never regained the lead. They entered the final quarter trailing 49–43.

The battle remained close throughout the game. McGill remained behind by one with six minutes left in the final quarter. With one minute left, the home side was down 58–52, but a three-point shot from Cabillo-Abante gave the Martlets some momentum. UQÀM remained strong, however, and although McGill outscored them 12–9 in the final quarter, UQÀM held on, defeating the Martlets 58–55. 

Both Head Coach Ryan Thorne and second-year guard Delphine Robitaille agreed that there was not much to say after the loss. 

“When you [lose] a game, you just don’t want to talk about it,” Robitaille said. 

Thorne emphasized that the team needed to improve their focus moving into the playoffs. The Martlets had 20 turnovers and 12 fouls, which cost them valuable points throughout the game. 

“We [were not] disciplined, and the little mistakes that we made cost us,” Thorne said. “Today’s game came down to fight, came down to effort, came down to discipline, and we didn’t have those. I think tonight’s game was an important one, because we could have either ended up in third or finished in fourth, so it’s not like we were playing for nothing [….] Given that we were playing for something and that was the effort we came out with, that’s kind of disappointing.”

The Senior Night ceremony took place immediately after the game. McGill honoured Diarra, Cabillo-Abante, guard Gladys Hakizimana, forward Ruth Tshikudi-Tshila, and guard Stephanie Mondou. Each graduating player was presented with their framed jersey and flowers. 

During the ceremony, Thorne discussed the impact that the seniors had on the program and the numerous obstacles each had overcome. For example, fifth-year guard Hakizimana endured two hip surgeries.

“Being a senior means that I have a leadership role on the team,” Hakizimana said. “I have to lead by example and [with] communication. It’s my last year to give everything I have to the program.”  

When speaking about the impact the seniors had, Robitaille teared up. 

“The seniors really mean a lot,” Robitaille said. “This is only my second year with them, but I feel bad. I know it’s only a game, but it’s Senior Night, and I think we didn’t play as well as we [could have].”

The Martlets face the first-place Laval in the RSEQ semifinal on Feb. 26 in Laval. Robitaille is excited for the challenge. 

“We have four days to [prepare] for Laval,” Robitaille said. “They are number one, and it is going to be a really good game. We have to follow the game plan and [know] what we are going to do defensively and offensively, and just be ready.”

A semifinal win will move the Martlets on to the RSEQ Final on Feb. 29.

 

Moment of the Game

With less than four minutes left in the game, fifth-year transfer centre Sirah Diarra made a crucial block on UQÀM’s Inga Aleksaite to keep the game close, down 52–50. 

Quotable

“It’s my last year to give everything I have to the program and the team that I love, in order to not regret anything” – Gladys Hakizimana, on what being a senior on the Martlets means to her.

Stat Corner

Fifth-year guard Geraldine Cabillo-Abante led the Martlets with 11 points. She made three three-pointers, had three rebounds, and three steals in her 32 minutes on the court.

McGill, News

The Africa Speaks conference looks to the future of “Africa in the ‘Z’ Age”

by Rachel Habrih & Victor Wang on

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On Feb. 21, the McGill African Students’ Society (MASS), in collaboration with the African Studies Students’ Association of McGill (ASSA), opened their annual two-day Africa Speaks conference with a panel called “Wathint’Abafazi, Wathint’Imbokodo,” focusing on the feminist movement across the African continent. 

Sukoluhle Bhebhe, ASSA co-president, introduced the panel by explaining the meaning behind its name. 

“Wathint’Abafazi, Wathint’Imbokodo is a Zulu phrase that means, ‘When you strike a woman, you strike a rock,’” Bhebhe explained. “It symbolizes the power and agency that South African women [resisting apartheid] had [….] The involvement of women within [anti-apartheid] struggle is often overlooked, so I felt that it was necessary to title this panel with this phrase.” 

The panel featured speakers Chloe Kemeni, U4 Arts, Ommu-Kulsoom J. Abdul-Rahman, BA’19 and President of My Voice Matters, and Djamilla Toure, founder of SAYASPORA. 

The panel began with all three panelists defining what feminism meant to them. In Kemeni’s view, feminism is still a very white movement. 

“Feminism, as a whole, is very white, and there are caveats, like Black feminism, where we inject other people’s experiences but, […] as a whole, it has harmed more people than it benefited,” Kemeni said. “Feminism still centres itself [on] white experiences [….] The way to combat [white feminism] is to embody teachings that are more [inclusive] to my experiences and those of the women I’m surrounded by.” 

Each panelist brought up the ways in which African feminism differed from white feminism. Toure cited white feminism’s main failure as the attempt to funnel feminism through a one-dimensional lens. 

“I don’t think that we will ever all be on the same page,” Toure said. “We’re all different as women, we all have different versions of what success, wellbeing, and wellness means to us, as well as what we want to stand for and against. We will not always be on the same page.” 

Abdul-Rahman referenced her Muslim identity to highlight how one’s experiences can influence their focuses as activists. 

“The issue that comes with feminism is when we all try to be on the same page,” Abdul-Rahman said. “Your lived experiences and the things that inform your feminism differ based on who you are. Difference should make us stronger.”

MASS and ASSA continued the conference with a panel on the next day to discuss present political and economic shifts in Africa. 

The panelists encouraged Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2010, to embrace the history of the continent while striving for a more united future. 

Dr. Khalid Medani, Chair of the African Studies Program at McGill, began the conversation contextualizing the recent challenges faced by the continent. Medani urged Generation Z to seek further unity between African states.

“It is crucial to defend against a new form of imperialism and limiting economic sovereignty,” Medani said. “[This] requires unity. [This] requires cooperation.” 

In 2013, the African Union adopted Agenda 2063, which outlined a set of specific goals to help grow Africa’s influence and solidarity. Panelists were asked for their thoughts on how Agenda 2063 can be most effectively implemented. Dr. Nii Addy, Assistant Professor at the Institute for the Study of International Development (ISID), responded by referring to the crucial relationship between youth and elders. 

“The elders have experiences, and there are certain things they have gone through,” Addy said. “If [Generation Z] does not know [these experiences], they will make the same mistakes again.” 

For Dr. Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey, Assistant Professor of Post-Reconstruction US History, Africa’s aspirations for global recognition and equality have remained the same for over a century. Adjetey cautions against blind optimism, but places hope in Generation Z moving forward. 

“Agenda 2063 won’t mean anything if the most important thing doesn’t happen, which is an incredible, revolutionary paradigm shift,” Adjetey said. “And the great thing about [Generation Z] is that [they are] amenable to change. [They are] optimistic and hopeful.” 

Adjetey finished his thoughts by reflecting on the urgency of mass societal change. 

“[There are] little boys or little girls on the streets of Nairobi […] who are [selling] bubble gum when they should be in school learning,” Adjetey said. “Do you know how much talent we have on this continent that is never realized?”

Arts & Entertainment

Soviet life on Mars

by Vanessa Barron on

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For as long as humans have looked to the stars, we have wondered what lies beyond the scope of our stratosphere. This wonder particularly piqued the imagination of artists and writers in Soviet Russia. On Feb. 20, a crowd gathered in the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) to hear Asif Siddiqi discuss this cosmic enthusiasm in Bolshevik Russia. Siddiqi, a history professor at Fordham University, painted a picture of a 1920s Soviet Union (USSR) enraptured by the concept of galactic travel. 

The talk was a part of the CCA’s lecture series, Search for a New World. The series explores Russian sci-fi throughout the 20th century, focussing particularly on how the genre was influenced by existing technology and inspired many to think about utopianism and new societal organization. The series is a counterpart to the CCA’s exhibition Building a new New World: Amerikanizm in Russian Architecture, which considers Russia’s relationship to modernity and the United States though its architecture.

From literature, to modern art, and films, the endless possibilities of the cosmos inspired creatives and captivated the general public. Space travel offered a chance for the USSR to carve out its place in space and history, symbolizing the seemingly endless limits of human invention and exploration in the age of modernity.

North American audiences are most likely familiar with the USSR’s major role in the 1960s space race,  though the countries advancements in space travel were the result of more than just a simple competition. Siddiqi explained that, starting in 1917, Russian popular culture drastically shifted its attention towards the heavens, inspired by Soviet utopianism and the Marxist fascination with technology. The ‘space fad’ of the 1920s was a massive phenomenon that pervaded all aspects of culture, and Siddiqi’s research traced the theme of the cosmic throughout fiction, film and art, along with the public’s reception.

To show the pervasiveness of the sci-fi genre, Siddiqi noted that one-fifth of all books published at the time were science-related. Siddiqi pointed to Alexei Tolstoy’s Aelita as an example of Bolshevik-era science fiction. The successful novel follows a young man who travels to Mars and starts a proletariat uprising against the planet’s elite. Its adaptation was the first Russian sci-fi movie, a silent film, sold out theatres on opening night in 1924—extremely rare for the time. In the world of contemporary art, Kazimir Malevich and Boris Ender experimented with abstract and geometric styles to represent imaginary space stations and theoretical concepts like infinity. 

“[These artists believed that] art should mirror technological advancements, mechanically and abstractly,” Siddiqi said. “They were crafting a universe without a reference point.”

Not only were creatives producing copious amounts of space content, but the public loved every minute of it. Lectures on space travel were so popular that police were frequently called to quell the massive mobs attempting to push their way into the auditoriums.  Before there were “Trekkies” and “Whovians,” there were Russian space enthusiasts making up their own intergalactic languages and space names. Space clubs hosted exhibitions that featured rocket models and hypothetical maps of Mars. One exhibition showcased a blueprint for a rocket that would melt its own wings to provide fuel for the engine, to which Siqqidi commented that we certainly haven’t reached that level of technological advancement yet. Later on in the 1930s, the popular preoccupation with space travel died down and shifted towards the more realistic aspiration of aviation, but the Soviet Union continued to produce sci-fi works beyond the initial craze. 

Search for a new New world continues on March 5 with Sergei Kapterev on Soviet Sci-Fi Cinema of the 1950s–1960s. The exhibition Building a new New World runs until April 5 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.

Student Life

From spinning to swimming

by Catherine Morrison on

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Between studying for midterms, participating in extracurriculars, and maintaining a social life, it can be difficult for students to squeeze exercise into their schedules despite the many health benefits it provides. For some, just climbing up to the McGill fitness centre is enough of a workout. These alternative workout spaces are close by and affordable, making them a great option for any student looking to get their sweat on. 

Éconofitness (625 Ste-Catherine Street West)

Located five minutes away from McGill, Éconofitness is the perfect place for exercise without all the frivolous features of fitness clubs. The chain also hosts 25 other establishments throughout the island of Montreal, so many students can find an Éconofitness near their home. The company also runs gyms that are only open to women, providing a safe space for students who feel more comfortable exercising around their own gender. For $4.99 bi-weekly, members have access to the gym, group fitness classes, and training programs. 

Spin Energie (3483 Parc Avenue)

While all spin classes are within a higher pricing range, Spin Energie, located on Parc Avenue offers the most affordable spin classes near McGill. For $45, students can buy an unlimited week of introductory spinning or for those who would like to less commitment, Spin Energie offers an affordable trial class for $10. Students also get a 15 per cent discount on all regular series of classes if they present their student card at the studio. 

Association Recreative Milton-Parc (3555 Rue St-Urbain)

Another way to get your heart pumping is within the heart of the Milton-Parc neighbourhood at the Centre multiethnique Saint-Louis. With a starting membership fee of $10, the not-for-profit organization Association Recreative Milton-Parc offers a variety of activities from badminton to Zumba, for a small price. The collective allows for people of various commitment levels in any sport, with prices ranging from $6 for drop-ins to $70 for a season pass.

Innocere Yoga (160 Prince Arthur Street East)

A new addition to the yoga scene in Montreal, Innocere Yoga offers great intro prices for new members. With a variety of classes, from beginner Yin and Restorative classes to higher level Flow classes, Innocere Yoga has something for those fascinated with the art of yoga. For $30, members can get one unlimited month of yoga. Innocere also offers discounts for students, so long as they bring their student ID when purchasing classes.  

McGill Memorial Pool (475 Pine Ave West)

For those who aren’t fans of weight benches and yoga mats but are still looking for a way to get in shape, consider the McGill Memorial Pool. Recreational swimming hours—known as Lap Swimming times—are offered every day. As students pay for Athletics fees as part of their tuition, they have access to all the other sports complexes—including the gymnasium, indoor and outdoor track, tennis courts, squash courts, and swimming pool—for free. Day passes ranging from $8.70 to $13.04 are also available for non-McGill students. 

L’École de Danse Swing Cat’s Corner (3451 St Laurent Blvd)

If moving to the beat is your type of groove, Cat’s Corner is the fitness studio for you. Offering swing dances, blues dances, and tap dance, this studio is sure to sweep you off your feet. To get the most affordable prices, make sure to attend their drop-in classes on Monday to Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. for only $10 per class. For those looking for a deal, a drop-in card for $50 gets six classes for the price of five. 

Regardless of the kind of exercise you like to do, Montreal offers something that caters to everyone’s interests and budget. Now get up, put on your sneakers, and get moving!

Creative, Podcasts

In Conversation with: Lilah Fear

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In October 2019 Sports Editors Kaja Surborg and Ender McDuff sat down with British ice dance champion Lilah Fear to talk life in Montreal, studying psychology at McGill, and training with the best figure skaters in the world.

LICM
Editorial, Opinion

PGSS Winter 2020 Referendum Endorsements

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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The McGill Tribune presents its endorsements for the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) Winter 2020 Referendum period.

1) PGSS Keep.meSafe Fee: Yes

The Keep.meSafe Fee proposes to establish a non–opt-outable $2.75 semesterly fee from Fall 2020 to Winter 2024. This fee will provide all PGSS students, at no additional cost, with access to Keep.meSafe, a mental health service that includes access to in-person counselling, secure clinical mobile communication, and  telephone and video chat. Keep.meSafe’s highlights include minimal wait times, a diverse assortment of counsellors who can be matched with students’ unique lived experiences, and services in over 60 languages. With extensive concerns over long wait times and breaches of personal privacy at the Wellness Hub, Keep.meSafe promises to meet the needs of graduate students by providing 24/7 access to mental healthcare. Given this need, and the fact that a vote against the fee would result in the program’s termination, The Tribune endorses a ‘Yes’ vote to the Keep.meSafe Fee. 

2) PGSS Health and Dental Insurance Plan: Yes

The PGSS Health and Dental Insurance referendum question proposes the creation of a two-tiered model with basic and enhanced plans. Members will automatically be enrolled in the new enhanced plans for both health and dental. The health plan will increase vaccination coverage to $300, health practitioner coverage to $40/visit, and mental health coverage to 50 per cent per visit up to $1000. The dental plan will increase overall coverage to a maximum of $800. Members can also opt out of the enhanced plans and into the basic plans.

The Tribune endorses a ‘Yes’ vote, yo the comprehensive nature of the plan and the ability for PGSS members to choose their desired options at two levels. 

3) PGSS Daycare Fee: Yes

The SSMU Daycare was created in 1999 to support students, staff, faculty and other members of the McGill community who are parents/guardians. A nursery was opened in 2009 for children aged 4 – 18 months. Partially funded by the government, the SSMU Daycare costs $7 per child per day for parents and has an accessible location in the Brown building. The PGSS hopes to establish a non–opt-outable PGSS Daycare Fee of $3 per student per semester to guarantee 8 of the 32 daycare spots and 2 of the 8 Nursery spots for PGSS students. The fee will start in the Fall 2020 semester and end after the Winter 2025 semester. The Tribune endorses a ‘Yes’ vote to provide the daycare with more support, as it is an indispensable resource on campus. 

4) PGSS Library Improvement Fund Fee: Yes

Prior to Winter 2017, PGSS collected a $3 Library Improvement Fund (LIF) fee, with McGill matching PGSS’s contribution each semester. However, this led to an excess of available funds, which proved problematic for PGSS’s non-profit status. Now that PGSS’s LIF funds have been depleted, the organization is proposing to renew the fee, which has not been collected in recent years, at a lower rate of $2 per semester. Maintaining high quality study spaces on campus is an essential undertaking for any student organization, and the Tribune endorses a ‘Yes’ vote on reinstating the LIF fee.

McGill, News

Holocaust survivor condemns McGill’s handling of anti-Semitism allegations

by Kevin Vogel on

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During her visit to promote her memoir, Holocaust to Resistance: My Journey, Suzanne Berliner Weiss led a rally on Feb. 17 condemning Deputy Provost of Student Life and Learning Fabrice Labeau’s handling of anti-Semitism allegations regarding last semester’s controversial Face to Face trip. Weiss, a lifelong activist and Holocaust survivor, heard about these allegations from media coverage last December. Co-organized by Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) McGill, the rally outside of the James Administration Building featured Weiss delivering a letter to Deputy Provost Labeau detailing her perspective on the issue. Weiss read the letter aloud before delivering it to Labeau’s office.

“I am a Jewish Holocaust survivor and I have engaged throughout my life in combatting hatred of Jewish people,” Weiss read. “For me, such reports [of anti-Semitism] are very alarming [….] I have reviewed relevant reports on controversies at McGill this school year [and] I find no evidence of anti-Semitism here. What I see is a passionate debate on the politics of [Israel and Palestine].”

During World War II, French resistance networks hid Weiss in the countryside. As her family was killed by Nazis, Weiss spent her childhood years after the war in orphanages and eventually was adopted by a family in New York City. During her adult life, Weiss became involved in student activism, the Cuban Revolution, the Black Power movement, Indigenous rights, anti-Vietnam War activism, women’s liberation, and Palestinian freedom movements. Weiss, now 79 years old, hopes that the lessons she has learned throughout her life can help advocate for social justice around the world today.

“These irresponsible charges serve to put Jewish people at risk by weakening our ability to focus on genuine acts of anti-Semitism, that is, ‘hatred of Jews because they are Jews.’” Weiss said. “As for the Palestinians, their very attempt to voice grievances is now branded anti-Semitic. The Palestinians, who have suffered so much from Israeli rule, now face an implacable attempt to silence them entirely.”

IJV and SPHR organizers also stated that, especially given the current presence of Royal Canadian Mounted Police forces on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory, advocacy for Palestinian rights should be linked to movements for Indigenous sovereignty. 

“We recognize that Palestine and Canada are both occupied territories and that, in order to resist [colonialism] abroad, we must first address how we are complicit in the continual colonial process in Montreal, specifically at McGill University,” Mo Rajji, U2 Arts, said. 

Rajji urged rally attendees to help hold space in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders held later on the same day. Abigail Drach, U3 Arts, echoed the need for people to recognize the links between Indigenous and Palestinian struggles.

“[It] is not a coinicidence that, [on Feb. 13], the Palestinian Boycott, Divest, Sanction National Committee released a statement in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en land protectors,” Drach said. “These struggles do not exist in isolation, but are rather part of the vibrant fights against settler-colonialism that have been going on since the European conquest.”

The demonstration concluded with organizers giving Weiss a black and white keffiyeh, a cotton garment and symbol of Palestinian solidarity. While the rally planned for Weiss to deliver her letter to Labeau in person, staff informed rally attendees upon entering the James Administration building that they had been instructed only to collect the letter in order to forward it to the Deputy Provost. After commanding protestors to vacate the building, arrangements were made for Labeau’s communication director to come down and receive the letter from Weiss.

“What we need at McGill and elsewhere is a firm defense of the right of political advocacy, even if directed against Israel’s policies,” Weiss said. “This is a precondition for effective resistance [against] genuine anti-Semitism.”

Editorial, Opinion

PGSS 2020–2021 Executive Endorsements

by The McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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The McGill Tribune presents its endorsements for the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) 2020/2021 executive team. 

Internal Affairs Officer:  Yes 

Gustina Giordano is a masters student in Educational Psychology running for the position of Internal Affairs Officer. During her undergraduate years, also completed at McGill, she worked with several campus organizations, including Jam for Justice and the McGill Undergraduate Fine Arts Council. As Internal Affairs Officer, Giordano hopes to provide a variety of events that cater to PGSS’ diverse membership, including the introduction of Wellness-centric activities, such as mindfulness workshops. Giordano intends to prioritize sustainability and accessibility for all PGSS events. Giordano’s priorities reflect the values of the graduate community and The Tribune believes that she is qualified for the position of Internal Affairs Officer.

Academic Affairs Officer: Yes

Eric Wilkinson is the incumbent for the position of Academic Affairs Officer, his term beginning on Jan. 23. Before coming to McGill, Wilkinson worked with student advocacy at the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto, and York University; he hopes to import this experience in order to fill all vacant PGSS appointments and by promoting institutional memory. Wilkinson also hopes to expand the PGSS’ ability to communicate in French, as well as ensuring that graduate students on Macdonald Campus are equally represented on McGill’s governing bodies. The Tribune holds that Wilkinson is fully capable of continuing this role for the 2020–21 year.

Financial Affairs Officer: Yes

Connie Shen is rerunning for the position of Financial Affairs Officer and looks forward to seeing the full implementation of the initiatives that the PGSS executives have taken on this year. As most graduate students are international, one of her main projects is to identify ways to improve the accessibility, affordability and cost of the International Health Insurance plan. Additionally, Shen hopes to raise funds for the PGSS’s needs-based bursary, the only bursary available to graduate students on the basis of financial need. Further, Shen would like to continue the travel awards grant program, a fund covering the travel fees for students attending conferences and competitions out of town. 

Member Services Officer: Yes

Current PGSS Secretary-General Dakota Rogers is running for the Member Services Officer position with the hopes of engaging members with the services that PGSS offers such as healthcare, leisure classes, and family care. Rogers wants to establish a good communication framework for students by having accessible, in-person consultations. In addition to improving avenues for feedback, Rogers will be responsible for integrating the new referendum questions into the McGill community by educating members of PGSS and the university administration about their existence. With experience as Secretary-General, along with the McGill Board of Governors and Senate, Rogers is qualified to advocate for members’ student services and fulfill the position’s mandate.

Process:

In order to present the most informed endorsement decisions possible, our editors conducted in-person interviews with all of the candidates, and examined each platform in detail. The endorsements are the product of an Editorial Board meeting in which we addressed every position, debated, and voted. In order to earn the Tribune’s endorsement, a candidate had to receive a majority vote. Reservations could also be appended to any “Yes” endorsement with the approval of a majority of editors. Questions or concerns should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected].

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