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Hockey, Sports

NHL Season Preview 2019-2020

by Gregorio Lentini on

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With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators set to kick off the 2019 NHL season on Oct. 2, The McGill Tribune previewed both conferences to predict the Stanley Cup winner.

Eastern Conference

Generally considered the tougher of the two conferences, the Eastern Conference features the Tampa Bay Lightning who are likely to be the best team in the league again this year given their roster loaded with talented and quick players. The Maple Leafs and Bruins will both be strong contenders too, with the former relying on skill and the latter on experienced veterans. Meanwhile, the Penguins and Capitals may not be the favourites they were a few years ago; however, stars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin could still carry their respective teams into the playoffs.

The Panthers, Devils, Canadiens, Hurricanes, and Islanders will also likely be in the playoff hunt. Florida hired Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville from the Chicago Blackhawks, while New Jersey made significant additions this offseason, acquiring P.K. Subban and drafting Jack Hughes, which should give them a competitive edge. Montreal plays an aggressive and pace-pushing game, which could be enough to make the playoffs if goaltender Carey Price can return to his pre-injury form and lead the team. Carolina has promising young talent throughout their roster and plays an efficient form of hockey. Finally, the New York Islanders, who relied on phenomenal goaltending last year, will need more of the same for a chance at a postseason berth.

At the bottom of the field, the Rangers, Flyers, Red Wings, and Senators will all be going through a transition phase that will make it difficult for them to keep up with the rest of the conference. 

Playoff prediction: Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens.

Western Conference

While the Western Conference may not be as competitive as it once was, there are still a few teams boasting promising lineups. The Flames, Golden Knights, and Sharks will stand out. Calgary is an exciting team filled with quick, skilled, and young forwards; a formidable defence and exciting style of play will make them the team to beat. Las Vegas has two powerful forward lines alongside Stanley Cup-winning goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, which should make them dominant once again this year. San Jose is an experienced team with a balance of younger scorers, solid veterans, and talent in every position.

The Predators, Blues, Avalanche, Jets, and Stars will likely make up the next tier. While Nashville may have traded away P.K Subban over the summer, they signed Matt Duchene, a great overall centre. They also still have a strong defensive core to make an impact. St. Louis is the reigning Stanley Cup champion and will enjoy a strong returning group of core players. Colorado boasts three of the best forwards in the NHL, while Winnipeg has a strong and talented forward group. However, Winnipeg’s defence might be in serious trouble if Dustin Byfuglien, who is pondering retirement, leaves. Dallas has talent up front and a great goalie. That said, being one of the oldest teams in the NHL may affect whether this team can keep up with younger, faster teams.

The Oilers, Canucks, and Blackhawks may have superstars in Connor McDavid, Elias Petterrson, and Patrick Kane respectively, but they lack enough depth to put them in the playoff discussion. The Coyotes and Wild are two middling teams lacking direction, and the modern NHL has gotten too fast for the slow Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.

Playoff prediction

Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars.

Stanley Cup prediction 

While Tampa was ousted in the first four games of the playoffs last year, they simply have too much talent to be denied again. Prepare for a Tampa-Vegas final, with Tampa ultimately hoisting the Cup.

Commentary, Opinion

There is no such thing as ‘girls get in for free’

by Jessie Ye on

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Content warning: Mentions acts of sexual violence

McGill is a school where students love to enjoy themselves and for many students this includes frequenting the nightclubs which pepper Boulevard Saint-Laurent and other Montreal streets. Going out to Saint-Laurent can be a fun experience for all kinds of Montrealers, yet men often complain about not being let into clubs, being charged more cover, or having to deal with rude bouncers. These narratives assume that women have it easier when it comes to clubbing. While it may be true that many women spend less money and wait less time, they end up paying in  more sinister ways through the objectification and commodification of their bodies.

Through objectification, a woman’s body becomes separated from her person and she becomes a physical object of men’s desire. There is always an intense pressure for women to look a certain way and for a night out, the expectation is to be sexy. Meanwhile, it is perfectly acceptable for men to wear normal and comfortable clothes which don’t expose their bodies, since men are often valued for more than just that. For many women, revealing clothes are empowering, however, at the end of the day skin tight or exposing clothes can still unintentionally serve the male gaze. In fact, the men report being less empathetic to women in revealing clothes, meaning that especially in nightclubs, this toxic attitude of slut-shaming and sexism on the part of men leads to sexual violence. 

For many women, being groped or grabbed is an inescapable part of going out. Some men will see clubs as the place to act out this vicious behavior, even when they know that it is wrong. For them, the drunker a woman is, the easier a target she becomes and the less likely he is to be punished for his actions. In a study of 1, 000 incidents recorded at nightclubs, over 25 per cent involved unwanted sexual behavior, 90 per cent were men harassing women and only in 10 out of the 258 cases recorded did a bouncer intervene. This demonstrates just how little clubs actually care about their female clientele. For many women, being harassed is just the price to pay for clubbing; there seems to be nothing that can be done about it.

For nightclubs, the oppressive cycle of objectification and violation of women’s bodies becomes a business model. Female guests aren’t so much customers as they are an attraction for men. Women at clubs are valued because they can be sexualized, and having more women at clubs means more bodies for men to lust over, seize, and attempt to take home. Sex sells, and men often do end up spending a lot more money on a night out. If clubs can get ‘hot girls’ inside they can charge desperate and disrespectful men more money for cover or even bottle service. Women at clubs aren’t treated as human beings; they are products, something a club can advertise to encourage men to spend more time, and most importantly, more money.

While it may seem like girls have it easy when it comes to getting preferential treatment at nightclubs, the unsettling reality becomes clear very quickly. Women are seen as, treated, and sold as sexual objects, something that nightclubs acknowledge and continue to take advantage of. Men may be shelling out more money but it is women who truly shoulder the higher cost of clubbing. McGill students don’t need to stop going out, but they do need to combat this toxic culture by respecting each others boundaries, reporting aggressive behaviour, and most importantly, supporting victims of sexual violence.

McGill, News

AUS votes to strike in support of climate march

by Nina Russell & Kyle Dewsnap on

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On Sept. 25, approximately 900 members of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) voted to strike in support of the Sept. 27 climate march, exceeding the 500 minimum needed to reach quorum.

In response, Climate Justice Action McGill (C-JAM), a group which promotes social and environmental justice, sent a petition to the AUS encouraging them to call a general assembly (GA). McGill’s Macdonald campus, the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Environment, and Medical Students Association have all decided to support the march by striking. 

Before the AUS can officially strike, eight per cent of Arts students must vote “yes” in an online referendum that will remain open for 24 hours following the GA. 

Lead organizer for Climate Justice Action McGill (C-JAM) Ayo Ogunremi, who moved the motion, referenced the 2012 student strikes in which student protests effectively blocked the Quebec government from raising tuition fees. He said that students could effect similar change through a prolonged strike. 

“It is with no lack of urgency that we are convened here this evening to strike from classes on Friday, September 27,” Ogunremi said. “Today, we confront a threat to all human existence, the likes and scale of which have never been seen before. We face not only a climate crisis but a climate apartheid, in which economic, racial, ethnic, and gender divides have stratified access to the means of survival to favour those who have always wielded power and against those who have always organized to fight it.”

An amendment to the initial motion included the addition of soft picket lines on Sept. 27, which C-JAM said ideally would include one student standing in front of the door to every Arts class to make students aware of the strike.

While the AUS does not have the official capacity to cancel classes, organizers hope to send a strong message to McGill’s administration.

In addition to the one-day strike, C-JAM put forward three demands for McGill to comply with in the event of a ‘yes’ vote. These included that McGill divests from fossil fuels; that McGill acknowledges the harm that fossil fuel extraction causes, particularly to marginalized communities, and that McGill’s administration actively pressures the provincial and federal governments to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Christina Lau, a lead organizer with C-JAM, was not surprised at the high turnout.

“In the last week, we’ve seen a lot of mobilization and a lot of support from almost all of the faculties,” Lau said. “A lot of people are coming out and supporting this movement.”

Students’ Society of McGill University Vice-President External Adam Gwiazda-Amsel agreed, and was encouraged by the high participation and discussion surrounding the motion.

“Folks didn’t have to struggle for quorum. I think this shows people are really concerned about the state of the environment and want to do what they can to help,” Gwiazda-Amsel wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “The discussion was quite informed and nuanced, both in terms of understanding what it means to go on strike, and what it means to engage in climate justice. The point is to give power to the people in an accessible way, and I think that was really well done.”

McGill is currently the only university in Quebec that has not declared a climate emergency.

McGill, News

McGill Faculty of Law votes to strike for climate change march

by Kyle Dewsnap & Nina Russell on

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On Sept. 24, 92 per cent of McGill law students voted to strike on Sept. 27 to support the global march for climate justice. Held by the McGill Law Students Association (LSA), the general assembly saw a turnout of 63.6 per cent of all eligible members. Larissa Parker, L2 Law and a leader of the student movement to call for a strike, was shocked at the resounding outcome.

“When we saw the result of the vote, we were absolutely floored,” Parker said. “We never imagined that we would have such a resounding victory.”

Though the Faculty of Law is not bound to follow the decisions made by the LSA, Dean of Law Robert Leckey said that, in light of the high turnout, classes could not continue as usual. 

“As we learned last week, McGill University has decided not to cancel classes on Friday 27 September,” Leckey wrote in an email to Law students. “It asked teaching staff to accommodate students who wished to accommodate students who wished to participate in the march. All our instructors who teach on Friday were preparing to do so. The immense majority [who voted to strike] indicates that classes could not proceed as usual.”

Gab van Walsum, L2 Law and Parker’s colleague, expressed appreciation towards the Dean’s actions. 

“We are very grateful that the Dean decided to respect our vote. We know that it [must not] have been an easy decision given that McGill decided to keep the university open and no other dean has cancelled classes yet,” Walsum said. “But I guess we didn’t leave him much choice with such a resounding ‘yes’ vote.”

The LSA represents all students in McGill’s Faculty of Law. According to the LSA constitution, a referendum is required for students to hold a strike. Parker that the overwhelming success was the product of both student and faculty support.

“Things couldn’t have gone better,” Parker said. “From the very start, we had so much support from our fellow students. We were a team of over 30 students who ran the campaign, [….]  We have to highlight the crucial support of some of our profs.”

Following Senate’s Sept. 18 decision not to cancel classes in support of the strike, numerous student associations, including the Arts Undergraduate Society, have decided to hold votes to strike. Many other Montreal schools, including Concordia University, Université de Montréal, and Dawson College, have already cancelled classes.

Features

A moving target

by Ender McDuff on

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Heading down Stanley for a second time, you are peering out of the window from the driver’s seat of your 2003 Honda Civic. Class starts in five minutes, and yet it remains elusive: The parking spot. The source of these parking troubles could be the endless Montreal construction or the heaps of plowed snow. However, Kevin Manaugh, a professor in the Department of Geography and the McGill School of Environment, insists that this lack of space is intentional: McGill has, over the past decade, purposefully reduced parking spaces on campus.

 

conservative
Commentary, Opinion

The myth of conservative persecution on university campuses

by Kennedy McKee-Braide on

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Campus groups representing the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), including McGill’s Conservative Association, were criticized by the Canadian Association of University Professors last week for distributing cards encouraging students to vote Conservative “because you can only hear the same left-wing talking points from your professors so many times.” 

Scheer defended the campaign material, saying it was just supposed to be funny, but many conservatives complain more seriously about the presence of a left-wing bias on university campuses. In reality, contemporary left-wing political values which manifest at McGill do not jeopardize the safety or freedom of expression of conservative students. They can, in fact, serve to address issues that affect marginalized groups and bring new voices into academic discourse. 

 That University professors tend to lean to the left of the political spectrum is true for the most part. However, this is not due to discrimination against conservatives in hiring processes: Studies have shown multiple reasons for the shortage of conservative professors. Most significantly, conservatives are more likely to get jobs in professional fields like business and therefore are less likely to pursue a Ph.D. Differences in values and priorities are the biggest factor in the diverging political tendencies of university professors

Regardless of this trend, the idea that university professors employ a set of “left-wing talking points” is an oversimplification that undermines the work of academics. For example, certain critiques of capitalism, like its disastrous effects on climate change, are backed up by research. Additionally, most professors engage with texts which represent a wide range of perspectives and tend to welcome respectful debate in their classes, conferences, and even office hours regardless of their personal opinions or research. Universities are designed in part to allow students to develop their critical thinking skills, and all students can benefit from criticism of their views both inside and outside the classroom. 

One should also consider that many policies put into place or promoted by conservative governments and figures continue to hurt historically disadvantaged groups. In Alberta, Premier Jason Kenney recently lifted a ban that protected students against the risk of their parents being notified of their membership in Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, which could lead to students being outed without their consent. Quebec’s right-leaning Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government has put policies in place that restrict immigration and prohibit the wearing of religious symbols for public workers. Conversely, progressive or left-leaning parties tend to promote policies that aim to ameliorate the conditions of those belonging to marginalized groups, like raising the minimum wage, reconciliation with Indigenous communities, and ending employment discrimination.  Conservatives claiming to be persecuted for their views, when those opinions can lead to the creation of harmful policies for minority groups, is disrespectful. Conservatives may have a right to believe what they choose, but those of their beliefs (or those of their parties) that cause harm also deserve to be challenged. 

“However, freedom of speech does not equate to freedom from criticism, something that conservatives, in this instance, have failed to understand.”

Further, the existence of a wide range of progressive student groups on campus does not prevent conservatives from forming their own opinions. McGill’s freedom of speech policies protect all members of its community and conservative groups need only to adhere to SSMU’s regulations should they wish to remain legitimate clubs. However, freedom of speech does not equate to freedom from criticism, something that conservatives, in this instance, have failed to understand.

The way conservatives talk about this issue is telling. Scheer himself claimed that the cards being passed around were meant to be funny, and conservatives often make jokes about the sensitivity of those who lean left. While making these jokes, conservative students continue to claim that they face persecution when made to defend their views. Many conservatives seem to believe that they are the only ones allowed to feel offended when their views and identities are questioned. 

Going forward, we should continue to support a campus environment that allows all students to feel heard while combating bigotry and hate. While those on the left are not always innocent, conservatives should investigate why their views are so controversial, and reflect on whether their perspectives are simply unpopular or truly harmful.

Know Your Athlete, Private, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Dana Silerova

by Zoe Babad-Palmer on

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Martlet rugby’s third-year fullback Dana Silerova is certainly not one for staying in one place. Silerova, who intends to continue studying geology after she graduates in 2021, spent last semester studying abroad in Glasgow and has travelled to Nevada and France for fieldwork classes.

“I’m not quite tired of school yet, so I think I’m going to keep going until I am tired,” Silerova said. 

No matter where she ends up, she is confident that rugby will remain a part of her life. In addition to the weekly skill, strategy, and conditioning practices with the Martlets, she plays on a local club team in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue over the summer and found a team to play on while in Glasgow.

“[Playing in Glasgow] was a really fun way to get to know […] people who are actually from Scotland, as opposed to just hanging out with the [other] exchange people,” Silerova said. 

Community has always been a key part of Silerova’s rugby experience, From joining her school’s team in grade nine because of friends’ encouragement to pushing herself while training with her teammates.  

“It helps when you’re on the team, and you know that everyone else on the team has the same sort of [academic] stress,” Silerova said. “They’re also trying to balance everything, so sometimes we get together before practice [and] really take advantage of all the small chunks of time [we] have.”

Her teammates are a source of both camaraderie and motivation when she trains.

“I like pushing myself just to get better as a player, but I also like it when I have my teammates beside me, and it gets a bit competitive,” Silerova said. “We try to get competitive at practice so that it increases the intensity [.…] You’re trying to beat your friend in whatever you’re doing.”

Silerova noted the competitive aspect of McGill varsity rugby compared to the club teams she has played with. 

“The varsity team is definitely more intense,” Silerova said. “It’s a much shorter season [….] I feel like there’s definitely more pressure there. You feel like every game counts.”

Although McGill women’s rugby has not had a great deal of success in the past few years, Silerova has always been a key player. This year, she scored 15 points in their season opener against Bishop’s University on Sept. 1, earning her the RSEQ Athlete of the Week award.

Silerova also takes pride in the accomplishments of the Canadian national women’s rugby team, currently ranked fourth in the world behind New Zealand, England, and France. Their recent success is encouraging North Americans to follow rugby.

“I think a lot more people are starting to watch [rugby] and realize that it’s […] an exciting game to watch too, a lot of hitting and fast running,” Silerova said. 

With only two games left in McGill’s season, Silerova can certainly be expected to give her all to lead her team to victory.

Sports

2019 IAAF World Championships preview

by Adam Bell, Jack Armstrong, Zoe Babad-Palmer, Shaun Lalani, Sarah Farnand, Adam Burton on

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Women’s Distance Running

Canadian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is ranked fourth in the world in the women’s 1,500m. Having medalled in four of her last five events, Debues-Stafford has a good shot at ending her season on top of the podium.

Since 1997, only Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes have won the Women’s 10,000m, and this year, they will likely stay dominant. While the two favourites are Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Agnes Jebet Tirop, Ethiopian rising star Letesenbet Gidey may shock everyone to bring home the gold. Canadians should also keep an eye on veteran Natasha Wodak–having just set a Canadian and Pan American Games’ record this summer, she has a chance to crack the top 12.

Men’s Distance Running

While track and field is usually headlined by the 100m and 200m runners, the Men’s 1,500m is a must-watch this year. Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot is the clear favourite; he will be looking to come back from a second-place finish at the previous championships. Cheruiyot’s time is over one-and-a-half seconds faster than the rest of the competition, but a mere half second is all that separates the next six runners. Norweigian brothers Jakob and Filip Ingebritsen, who ranked second and fourth respectively, have both won major competitions and could stop Cheruiyot’s quest for redemption.

Women’s Sprinting 

Although Bahrain’s 21-year-old Salwa Eid Naser only had the second-fastest qualifying time in the women’s 400m sprint at 49.17, she will be the one to beat: She has been at the top of the rankings for the past 37 weeks and holds the Bahrain national record at 49.08 seconds.

Canadians will be cheering for 21-year-old Kyra Constantine of Toronto, who had the 18th-best qualifying time with 51.22. Constantine is ranked 21st in the world and first in Canada.

Men’s Sprinting 

Canada’s chances in men’s sprinting look bright, with sprinters Aaron Brown and Andre De Grasse expected to breeze through qualification. De Grasse was Canada’s sweet surprise at the Rio 2016 Olympics, securing bronze in the 100m. After running a season-best of 9.97 seconds this month, De Grasse will be looking to win his first IAAF medal after missing the 2017 edition due to an injury. 

Brown will also be a contender: He recorded a personal best 9.96 seconds to upset De Grasse and clinch gold at the Canadian Track and Field championships last July. These two may well end up sharing the podium in Doha.

Women’s Field Events

The IAAF women’s field events will boast some exciting match-ups, particularly in women’s pole vaulting. Reigning world champion, Katerina Stefanidi of Greece, hit only the fifth-best overall height of the season, but is still considered a favourite for gold. Currently ranked third overall, Canada’s Alysha Newman vaulted the sixth-best overall height of the season; however, she recently set the Canadian indoor record for pole vault, putting her in contention for a medal. The height to beat this season, 4.91 metres, was set by American Jennifer Suhr, another likely contender for gold.

Men’s Field Events

The clear favourite for men’s shot put coming into the IAAF Championships is New Zealander Tomas Walsh, whose ranking hasn’t fallen below the top three since the 2016 World Indoor Championship where he won a gold medal. He will, however, be challenged by Brazilian Darlan Romani and American Ryan Crouser, who have both won Olympic gold. With the competition at such a high level and a plethora of newcomers, shot put is likely to be an exciting event with a riveting outcome.

Research Briefs, Science & Technology, Student Research

Searching for a home away from home

by Ronny Litvack-Katzman on

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Scientists believe that planets outside of the solar system capable of supporting life should look a lot like Earth. The theory posits that if the chemical components comprising Earth’s atmosphere can be found in that of distant planets, those worlds could harbour similar carbon-based life-forms. 

This summer, two McGill University astronomers put that idea to the test, assembling a ‘fingerprint’ for Earth that could be used to identify exoplanets—planets beyond our solar system—capable of supporting life.

“Our goal was to make a transit spectrum for Earth to see what it would look like if it were an exoplanet,” Evelyn MacDonald (B.Sc. ‘19), author of a newly published study on the topic, said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

MacDonald, along with her thesis advisor Nicolas Cowan, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, employed a novel method of molecular chemical analysis to complete the study.

“When a planet […] passes in front of a star the observer does not see the planet, but sees the starlight the planet blocks,” MacDonald said. “The amount of light the planet blocks depends on the wavelength of the molecules in the planet’s atmosphere. By seeing at which wavelengths the majority of light is blocked, we can tell which molecules are in the exoplanet’s atmosphere.”

SCISAT, a Canadian satellite launched in 2003 that uses the principles of light mechanics to identify the concentrations of different gases in Earth’s atmosphere, made the researchers’ work possible.

Working as an interstellar detective, Macdonald was able to recreate the transit profile of Earth by trailing the molecular imprints left by light in the atmosphere. In theory, the profile of a planet that possessed key compounds—primarily carbon dioxide, ozone, and methane—would look similar to the “fingerprint,” or biosignature, that MacDonald created for Earth. 

“Based on having found carbon, a sign that a planet has an atmosphere, we could look for other molecules, which together would suggest a planet could have life on it,” MacDonald said. 

Two chemicals in particular, ozone and methane, are rarely found together in nature. Astrophysicists are eager to find both molecules independently of one another in a planet’s atmosphere, because life-forms could be producing these gases. 

“It’s much harder to know for sure what is causing a particular process in a planet’s atmosphere, or rather what causes certain molecules to even be there,” MacDonald said. “But [the presence of such molecules] would definitely be a reason to keep observing that planet.”

Using Macdonald’s findings as a baseline, researchers can now explore the observable universe for comparable biosignatures of planets in the habitable zone of stars other than the sun. 

The publication of the study comes at a pivotal time in humanity’s search for habitable worlds beyond the solar system. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the planned successor to the Hubble Telescope, is due to launch into orbit in 2021. The JWST will allow for improved resolution and sensitivity in astronomical imaging, presenting space scientists with the opportunity to look deeper into the darkest bowels of the universe.

“New technology is key for scientists to analyze the plethora of data such a satellite will present,” Cowan said. “The interpretation of this kind of data is really hard. You see some wiggle on a spectrum and maybe you convince yourself that there is detectable ozone, but are you willing to say [that] there is life on that planet?”

For planetary scientists, the next decades of research will attempt to answer this central question. Until then, Earth remains the only planet within the 93 billion light year-wide universe that is known to contain life. 

 

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