A joke of history: North America is the centre of the modern world, so it can never truly feel international. Inane metaphors––melting pot, mosaic, salad bowl––only distract from the inexorable crush of the market and the English language. Even Quebec’s vaguely nationalist slogan, “//Je me souviens//,” today feels without content,[Read More…]
Commentary
McGill’s academic freedom policy is rude-imentary
Last April, to appease their older rural voters, the Quebec government unveiled a new policy concerning academic freedom in schools and universities: Bill 32. Naturally, the policy had little to do with Quebec’s rural population and very much to do with enforcing its definition of academic freedom upon universities, prompting[Read More…]
McLennan-Redpath closure: Construction or destruction?
Most McGill students spend a large portion of their time in the McLennan-Redpath Complex, taking out books for classes or using it as a study space. Home to the largest library on campus, this space will soon be closing its doors for renovations under the Fiat Lux project. Construction is[Read More…]
McGill needs a complete summer term
Registration for the summer term at McGill is set to open in a few weeks. As it stands, McGill students can only take two courses per summer session, or 12 total credits, over the four summer months, and are usually provided with relatively few class options. This system, however, is[Read More…]
The profligacy of Canada’s new warplanes
On Jan. 9, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand confirmed the deal to purchase 88 F-35 jet fighters from the United States to replace the Air Force’s CF-18s, introduced in 1983. Each F-35 will cost Canada $85 million USD, with the project’s budget sitting at $19 billion CAD. This represents an[Read More…]
The truth behind so-called sustainable vehicles
In December 2022, Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault gave the go-ahead for a new lithium mine in northern Quebec. The James Bay project represents the only lithium mine in North America, and the materials are slated to help meet the surging demand for electric vehicles. Although the shift away from[Read More…]
Over the rainbow and back again: Queer stories beyond tokenism
With the winter months leaving me feeling cold and alone, I find myself looking to movies, TV shows, music, and books for company. As a queer woman, I find myself searching for media that reflects my identity—something much easier said than done. Scrolling through Netflix or perusing bookshelves reveals a[Read More…]
McGill’s new library must provide students with better, more affordable food
McGill has a food problem. The provision of affordable campus food is a myth. But this time next year, one of the main campus food sources and perhaps the epicentre of the problem, Redpath Café, will be torn down along with the McLennan and Redpath libraries to make way for[Read More…]
Campus conversations: Transformation
Valentina de la Borbolla, Opinion Editor As I go through my last few days as a McGill undergrad, I cannot help but look back at my time in university with a sense of incredulity and nostalgia. I am still taken aback when walking by the infamous Leacock 132 lecture hall,[Read More…]
Systemic neglect continues as Montreal’s houselessness crisis worsens
More than 3,000 people remain without a home this winter despite years of tireless advocacy from community organizations around Montreal. Almost half of Montreal’s unhoused population is Inuit, reflecting Quebec’s ongoing settler-colonial project. The city’s attempts at resolving the crisis remain inadequate and ineffective. In 2021, the city provided 1,550[Read More…]