The change in name reflects a shift in the content of the new policy: it focuses primarily on defining and outlining specifically the right to accommodation for students with disabilities, as well as the minimum legal requirements that the University must meet, rather than defining and outlining the rights of students with disabilities at McGill holistically.

Exemplifying these changes, the old policy mandated the University to clearly inform all potential applicants, as well as the community at large, of the services provided to students with disabilities. This requirement is not included in the new policy draft.

As an active student union on campus, the Association for Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) is a key stakeholder in this policy. In their review of the draft, AGSEM makes note of several areas of concern, including the legalistic focus of the document, its applicability, and the resulting burden on students to self-advocate.

Regarding the newly-defined scope of the policy, AGSEM expressed concern over its narrow focus on academic accommodations as it relates to the University’s legal obligations to students with disabilities.

“The University has additional moral obligations (including a duty of care) towards disabled students that go beyond law,” AGSEM wrote in their review of the policy. “If the University is to claim to be one that includes disabled students, the University should consider how it must support disabled students’ integrity, ability to fully participate in University life, and more.”

AGSEM’s report also noted that the new draft policy excludes pregnancy in its defined scope of applicability, meaning that students who are pregnant would not be allowed to seek academic accommodations under this specific policy.

“[The policy] mischaracterizes and has a very narrow scope of disability,” AGSEM wrote in response. “In many legal contexts, pregnancy needs disability accommodations.”

Emphasized throughout AGSEM’s review are their concerns over students’ responsibility to provide (and thus ability to acquire) the necessary medical documentation to receive accommodations.

The new section on “Responsibilities” as outlined in the draft policy also mentions that students must “undertake a reasonable degree of self-advocacy.” In the examples provided to explain “self-advocacy,” the policy suggests that students “discuss directly course-based accommodations with course instructors,” implying that in order to receive accommodations, they must disclose medical conditions to their professors. AGSEM highlighted the inclusion of this suggestion, and noted that “students should not need to disclose medical conditions to teaching staff in order to receive accommodations.”

In the latter half of the review, AGSEM also took note of the University’s rhetoric around accommodations for students with disabilities. The draft policy states, “In accordance with the law, the University has an obligation to a) provide reasonable accommodation b) to students presenting with Disability-related barriers c) who request accommodation and provide Appropriate Documentation, d) but is only required to provide such a reasonable accommodation to the point of undue hardship.”

The term “undue hardship” is later defined as “accommodations that are likely to result in any of the following: a) Impingement upon the core competencies of a course or program of study; b) Significant risks to the health and safety of the student or others; C) Substantial costs that put the University as a whole at risk.”

In response to this language used by the University, AGSEM wrote in its report, “Disability accommodations framed as something that might upset the ‘core competencies of a course or program of study’ is ableist,” adding that “accommodating disabled students is not in conflict with academic excellence, and framing it as such is disingenuous, playing into negative stereotypes about disabled students.”

While the online form to submit feedback on the Policy Concerning the Right to Accommodation for Students with Disabilities has closed, the draft will be brought to Senate during the Fall 2020 semester.

The post New Draft Policy for Students with Disabilities Released appeared first on The McGill Daily.

Unsafe Working Conditions

Jessica Rose, chair of AGSEM’s Teaching Assistant (TA) Bargaining Committee, stated that not only have graduate students been asked to perform further unpaid labour, but some have also been told to risk their safety and physical health by coming to campus.

“The Dean’s office in Medicine had to send an email to the entire faculty because [principal investigators] were demanding that their grad students come into the lab during the first week of the shutdown,” Rose explained. “Part of the problem here is surely the use of vague phrases like ‘ramped down’ instead of concrete and clear directives, but another part of it is a lack of care for graduate students’ wellbeing.” Rose also stated that professors in the Faculty of Medicine had also initially refused to pay their casual workers.

Graduate Students’ Precarious Labour 

Jordan*, a graduate student who works as a TA and requested anonymity, echoed these sentiments.

“We’re […] told to keep working, even with closures, even with a pandemic. I’m waiting on my COVID-19 test, and I’m supposed to keep grading as normal…and it’s hard,” they explained.

They’re especially worried about the work that TAs have been asked to do without pay. This issue existed long before the pandemic – if a TA has completed the number of hours stipulated in their contract, they are still expected to continue working until the end of the semester, often without additional pay. (In 2017, a survey conducted by AGSEM found that nearly half of TAs worked more hours than were stipulated in their contract, and 86 per cent were not paid for this additional labour.) With the transition to online learning, extra work can manifest itself in more time spent on setting up new assignments or providing feedback on additional work from students, among other unexpected changes.

“We’re […] told to keep working, even with closures, even with a pandemic. I’m waiting on my COVID-19 test, and I’m supposed to keep grading as normal…and it’s hard”
– Jordan*, a graduate student who works as a TA

“I now have to grade 65 6-page essays online,” Jordan said. “I’m a disabled student, and that’s a lot of screen time now (I don’t have access to the students’ hard copies), so this is taking longer than usual. What’s going to happen there?”

Their interactions with faculty members haven’t been encouraging, either. “I’ve had professors ask me why I can’t just live on $15,000/year,” they added. “There’s no care, there’s no solidarity.”

Rose, who is a TA in History and Classical Studies in addition to her role as Chair of the TA Bargaining Committee, has also been asked to do additional labour. “I used to be paid three hours per week for three conference sections,” she explained. “Now I have to evaluate a written assignment from each student individually – this takes a lot longer than three hours.”

Although Rose stated that the professor she works for is “very supportive” and ensures an even workload, this has not been the case across the board. “Other TAs who have approached the union say that their professors have told them ‘you have to do this work no matter what, even if you aren’t getting paid,’” she wrote in an email.

“Other TAs who have approached the union say that their professors have told them ‘you have to do this work no matter what, even if you aren’t getting paid.'”
– Jessica Rose, TA and Chair of AGSEM’s TA Bargaining Committee

Travis Chen, a PhD candidate in Biology, shares similar concerns. “In my department, the minimum funding (Stipends, awards, TAships) for a graduate student is below the Quebec poverty line,” Chen explained. “Most graduate students are just getting this minimum, some even less.” In 2019, the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS) found that the poverty line in Montreal was $27,205 – or $19,714 after taxes. While it differs across various departments and faculties, the latest figures provided by the Biology department at McGill indicate a minimum funding amount of $15,900, which includes “tuition and fee subsidies, a stipend and teaching assistantships.”

However, according to Chen, there aren’t enough TA positions in the first place, and many students supplement their income through invigilating, tutoring, or other jobs outside of McGill. “Most graduate students are living paycheque to paycheque,” he added, “[and] this financial insecurity is a major component of the graduate student mental health crisis.”

Jordan echoed these sentiments, writing, “Grad students are stressed and overworked in the best of times. […] Part of precarity is not knowing [what support the University will provide], not being able to plan: McGill has refused to address that issue, or simply administrators don’t care.”

“In my department, the minimum funding (Stipends, awards, TAships) for a graduate student is below the Quebec poverty line; most graduate students are just getting this minimum, some even less.” – Travis Chen, TA in Biology

This lack of knowledge is especially worrying for graduate students who rely on TA positions for their income. Chen added, “Everything is in limbo right now, and it’s causing a lot of anxiety for the grad students that I’ve talked to, that is, on top of the anxiety of not being able to do lab work while McGill’s ‘Graduate or you’re gone’ clock is still, presumably, counting down.”

McGill’s policy for graduate students states that those who are enrolled full-time in a masters program must complete their degree in three years or less, while those who are doctoral candidates have six or seven years to complete their degree. If they can not finish the degree in that time frame, they will be withdrawn from McGill, lose their student status, and not be able to access McGill facilities or support. Those who are international students will also be required to leave Canada.

Invigilators and Graders at McGill

The financial precarity experienced by graduate students is shared by several other forms of employment in the McGill community. Many of those who spoke to the Daily emphasized that invigilators – those who supervise exams during finals season – are now out of a job.

“Most invigilators work at the gym and were hired [in late February or early March] but not given a schedule yet, and McGill refuses to pay them,” Rose explained. “Many of the invigilators I have worked with are international students, many of them have children, and many are Master’s students without any guarantee of funding.”

“Most invigilators work at the gym and were hired [in late February or early March] but not given a schedule yet, and McGill refuses to pay them.” – Jessica Rose

Graders have also experienced especially uncertain working conditions. Raf Finn, the Unionization Drive Committee Chair at AGSEM, told the Daily via email that graders are now being expected to evaluate more assignments, more quickly. However, he emphasized, graders were dealing with a lack of support and unfair wages even before the transition to online learning.

“Since McGill is the only university in Québec not to see its graders represented by a labour association, this has meant that any department or faculty which chose to prioritize its bottom line had been able to hire someone to grade without a fair wage, sufficient training, or oversight (academic, labour-related, or otherwise),” Finn said. To negotiate fairer hiring practices, AGSEM is planning to represent graders in a new bargaining unit, alongside other academic workers.

Budget-cutting Measures

As the upcoming Summer semester begins online, McGill is attempting to limit the costs associated with employing academic workers. “In some cases, like in the Faculty of Arts,” Finn stated, “budgets for the summer term are being systematically shifted to pay for graders instead of TAs, a cost-cutting strategy rooted in lowering institutional costs at the expense of the working conditions of graders, course lecturers, and other academic support workers.” This difference in pay can be seen in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where graduate students hired as TAs are paid $29.33 per hour, while those employed as graders receive nearly half that amount – $15.50 per hour.

“Budgets for the summer term are being systematically shifted to pay for graders instead of TAs, a cost-cutting strategy rooted in lowering institutional costs at the expense of the working conditions of graders, course lecturers, and other academic support workers.”
– Raf Finn, Unionization Drive Committee Chair at AGSEM

These changes are arriving alongside further budget-cutting measures at McGill. As 15 per cent of international applicants to Canadian universities are expected to be lost due to COVID-19, the University has examined several scenarios in which various amounts of revenue may be forfeited in the coming academic year. In the best case scenario, Quebec enrolment will remain stable, with a 5 per cent decline in new non-Quebec Canadian enrolment and a 10 per cent decline in new international student enrolment. In these conditions, McGill would lose $10 million in revenue. In the worst case scenario, there will be a 10 per cent decline in total enrolment, resulting in $61 million lost. Even in the second worst case scenario, where non-Quebec Canadian and international student enrolment decreases by 10 per cent, the University would lose $39 million.

In an email to staff and students on Thursday, April 30, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi stated that, in addition to the suspension of tenure-track and contract academic hiring, further administrative and support staff hiring will be suspended for the time being.

The total amount spent on administrators’ salaries in the 2018-19 academic year exceeded $10,000,000.

Manfredi also announced a freeze on salary increases for all senior administrators and Deans. McGill’s highest paid administrators in the 2018-19 academic year were Vice-Principal of University Advancement Marc Weinstein, who made nearly $600,000; Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier, who made approximately $550,000; and Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine David H. Eidelman, who made around $500,000. The total amount spent on administrators’ salaries in 2018-19 exceeded $10,000,000.

Issues with the Administration

AGSEM has run into issues with the McGill administration several times. While the union reached a tentative resolution with the administration, ending negotiations over the new TA Collective Agreement, the vote to approve the updated agreement has been put on hold due to the inability to conduct online voting. (The previous agreement expired in 2018.) Additionally, as Rose explained, the administration refused to budge on certain critical bargaining mandates, such as healthcare indemnity and paid leave for students with dependents.

She also told the Daily via email that, during the transition to online learning, McGill denied AGSEM representation in the planning process. “[They] insisted that workers should let Human Resources be our ‘voice at the table,’ and told us to use the general inquiries email on their coronavirus website,” she explained.

“The amount administrators at McGill make is huge – as is the amount that the university spends on self-promotion and perks for admins. Paying precarious employees, in McGill’s eyes, is just not worth it.” – Jordan*

This frustration with the administration was shared by other employees of McGill that the Daily spoke to, and Jordan expressed particular concern over the difference in salary between TAs (along with other precarious employees) and that of McGill senior management.

“The amount administrators at McGill make is huge – as is the amount that the university spends on self-promotion and perks for admins,” they remarked. “Paying precarious employees, in McGill’s eyes, is just not worth it.”

*Name has been changed to preserve anonymity.

The post For TAs, Casual Employees, Invigilators, and Graders, COVID-19 Has Exacerbated Already Uncertain Working Conditions appeared first on The McGill Daily.

A compiled article with all previous updates is available here. An accessible version of daily updates and resources is available here. 

The Daily’s editorial statement on community support during this public health crisis is available here.

(Updated Thursday, March 19, 4:30 p.m.)

McGill has confirmed that students do not need to physically be on campus for the rest of the Winter 2020 term. Additionally, students in residence are strongly encouraged to return home as soon as possible if they are able to do so. Residence leases will be canceled on the day that students leave.

Social distancing in residences is also required, meaning all in-person events are suspended, all residence gyms are closed, and guests are not permitted in residences. McGill asks students to “avoid congregating in groups or in the common rooms,” to “keep a distance of at least 1-2 meters” between each other, and to “stay vigilant.” At Concordia University, all students have been asked to leave their residence by Sunday, March 22.

For international students with Blue Cross health insurance, COVID-19 testing and treatments are fully covered. International Student Services has also stated that McGill’s Scholarships and Student Aid office can provide emergency financial aid for either travelling or living expenses.

As of March 16, 2020, MSERT has suspended their services to students. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, you should call 1-877-644-4545.

The US and Canada announced on Thursday, March 18 that they are prohibiting non-essential travel between the two countries. The Canadian government has said that international students, workers on visas, and temporary foreign workers will still be able to enter the country on the condition that they will agree to self-quarantine for 14 days. Canadians will be permitted to file taxes until June 1 this year, instead of the usual deadline of April 30. In addition, Canadians abroad can apply for an emergency loan of up to $5,000. Those in Quebec who have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days can receive a weekly payment of $573 from the provincial government. The application is expected to be live by Thursday, March 19.

As of 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, there are 721 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Canada. There are reportedly 94 confirmed cases in Quebec, with 24 in Montreal.

The post COVID-19 at McGill – March 19 appeared first on The McGill Daily.

By the weekend, McGill had informed all study abroad students that they were being recalled due to the federal government’s classification of all outside countries as “Level 3” – meaning all “all non-essential travel” should be avoided. The email was sent out to the McGill community on Saturday, March 14 at 9:15 p.m., more than 24 hours after Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu labeled all external travel “high risk” at an early afternoon press conference on Friday, March 13.

“This whole experience has been stressful and shows how fragile our systems are and how ill-prepared they are for a disaster.” – Isabel Robertson, McGill study abroad student in the U.K.

Prior to these developments, McGill had only recalled students studying abroad in Italy, Iran, and China. The rest were told in a March 13 email, “If you feel concerned about your safety, you are encouraged to leave your study abroad activity and return home.”

Before the March 13 email went out, that’s what Robertson did. In a message to the Daily, she explained that McGill’s response was delayed in comparison to other Canadian schools, and that they did not respond to emails.

“Their late action made me get a flight prior to them encouraging students to go home because I don’t trust McGill to make decisions about my safety,” Robertson added. As of March 15, she had not heard from McGill about her credits, academic accommodations, or any financial compensation for unexpected travel costs. “To be fair all universities have been [unclear and confusing] because no one has any plan set for a pandemic,” she granted.

Many other McGill students abroad shared these grievances. For Melanie Rose, a McGill student in Ireland, it was particularly frustrating to be left in the dark while other exchange students at Trinity College Dublin heard from their home universities.

“The first email we received specifically about exchange was on Friday March 13. All of my friends at private universities in the U.S. had [already] been recalled, and my other friends at both American and Canadian schools had received some sort of communication from their universities on Wednesday, March 11,” Rose explained. “While it was only a difference of two days, the situation in Ireland, Canada, and around the world was escalating quickly, so it felt like a very long time.”

In comparison to McGill, Trinity College Dublin began online courses early last week, and Rose says they plan to continue to teach students online for the rest of the semester. McGill plans to be “as fully online as possible” on March 30. 

When the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus – also known as COVID-19 – a pandemic on Wednesday, March 11, many McGill students abroad had not received any specific communications detailing the status of their programs.

Other students abroad have also said that their host institutions have handled the situation better than McGill. Nicole Luongo, an American student at McGill who was studying in Spain, is one of them. In a message to the Daily, she stated, “There was a 2 day period in which Spain qualified as a level 3 country and I had no contact from McGill.”

In contrast, Luongo explained, her host institution in Spain was “extremely transparent” and “intent on continuing online studies until the university opened up again.”

“As far as I know, I will be completing my credits through online courses with my Spanish university,” she told the Daily. “They have been extremely accommodating and helpful throughout this process.” Luongo has already returned home to the U.S.

One McGill student, who requested anonymity, is worried about leaving the Czech Republic – if they do, it’s unlikely that they will be able to return.

“Technically I can go home [right now,] but it’s just risky [because] if they reopen classes in-person at some point, it’ll be really difficult for me to come back compared to other exchange students who live in Europe,” they explained to the Daily in an interview on Monday, March 16.

The Czech Republic, as a member of the European Union, is planning to limit all non-essential travel into the country, as was announced earlier that day. Only those from the U.K. and members of the Schengen travel area that allows freedom of movement in Europe – in addition to a few other exceptions – will be exempt from the ban. The Czech government also announced a nation-wide quarantine, effective Monday.

“My host institution has been great at keeping me informed, McGill really didn’t tell me anything,” the student emphasized. “[McGill was] really late in contacting exchange students, to the point that things had already largely gotten out of hand here by the time they chose to email us with information specific to students abroad.”

They explained that they have asked McGill about penalties for choosing to remain in the country of their study abroad program, and have not received a response. “By the time they DID choose to recall us, it was already incredibly difficult to get out of the country,” the student added.

“By the time they DID choose to recall us, it was already incredibly difficult to get out of the country.” – an anonymous McGill student, studying abroad in the Czech Republic

This is not the first time study abroad students have had difficulty getting a hold of McGill during an emergency. Chelsea Mang, a student who has been studying in Australia, has had concerns about the university’s responsiveness since January.

“McGill only contacted students going to Australia about the bushfire crisis two weeks into my host university’s semester here because we had a summer class and trimester as compared to other Australian universities starting in mid-late February,” she explained. “That email for us here showed that McGill seemed to have ‘forgotten’ about us who had been experiencing the dangerous bushfire smoke first hand for two weeks already at that point.”

Mang added, “Just hearing stories about mutual friends being trapped in Italy […] makes me concerned and I feel like the administration has treated us all like an aftersight.” She has not yet been able to go home, as her flight is scheduled for next week. CTV News reported on Monday that a group of McGill students and a professor have been stuck in Morocco after the country cancelled all international flights, and Mang is worried that similar measures may be taken in Australia.

“People say that flights may be cancelled, and if the U.S. doesn’t allow me in there’s not really another way for me to get home,” she expressed.

The situation across the world has placed an added financial burden on students abroad, whether it be through the cost of an emergency plane ticket or costs-of-living abroad. While most students the Daily spoke to had not received information from McGill about financial compensation by the time that interviews took place, the student in the Czech Republic shared an email they received from the Government of Canada on Tuesday, March 17, detailing information on the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program for Canadians Abroad. 

The situation across the world has placed an added financial burden on students abroad, whether it be through the cost of an emergency plane ticket or costs-of-living abroad.

Through this program, “[The government] will provide the option of an emergency loan to Canadians in need of immediate financial assistance to help them return home or to temporarily cover their life-sustaining needs while they work toward their return,” as per the email. The loan can total up to 5,000 CAD, and application guidelines will be posted at https://travel.gc.ca/. It does not appear that international students at McGill who are currently abroad are eligible.

“McGill loves to pride itself on being very international and having a huge culture on exchange,” Mang explained, “but when it comes down to it I personally feel like the institution has let me and my fellow students abroad down.”

The post For McGill Students Abroad, This Past Week Has Been “Tiring” and “Stressful” appeared first on The McGill Daily.

A compiled article with all previous updates is available here. An accessible version of daily updates and resources is available here. 

The Daily’s editorial statement on community support during this public health crisis is available here.

(Updated Monday, March 16, 4:30 p.m.)

Per a Twitter update posted at 1:55 p.m., no in-person examinations will take place this term. Additionally, the term will not be extended. Just as information regarding the remainder of course outlines will be shared with the McGill community by the end of March, so will information regarding final assessments.

Additionally, McGill confirmed today in a Facebook comment that residences will remain open until at least the end of the lease. For all residences – except Solin Hall – this is April 30, 2020. Solin Hall leases are valid until July 30, 2020.

On the McGill COVID-19 website, the University states that “all classes that can be taught online will be taught in an online format,” beginning on March 30. For classes that cannot be taught remotely, the University is “evaluating alternatives for these situations,” and states that the goal is still to ensure that as many students as possible complete “most, if not all of their academic term remotely.”

The University maintains that the “situation is extremely fluid”, and states that they may extend the physical campus closures beyond the two week period, depending on how provincial government regulations develop. Currently, no information has been made available regarding the summer semester and the status of those classes is unclear.

McGill has also created a FAQ page that includes more details on campus closures and academic procedures going forward.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday, March 16 that Canada is closing its borders to most non-Canadian citizens. The exceptions to this include Canadian permanent residents, U.S. citizens, the immediate family members of Canadian citizens, diplomats, and air crews. Additionally, any person showing symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to enter the country. Per CTV News, “Air operators are being instructed to prevent any traveller who presents symptoms of the virus from boarding a plane.” According to Trudeau, the government will also support Canadians abroad by either covering their travel costs home, or their basic needs while living outside Canada.

A separate CTV News article published on Monday, March 16 reports that a group of McGill students and a McGill professor in the department of earth and planetary sciences have been stranded in Morocco after their flight was cancelled. They have been trying to get in contact with the embassy in Rabat.

As of Saturday, March 16 at 4:30 p.m., there are 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Quebec and more than 300 in Canada.

The post COVID-19 at McGill – March 16 appeared first on The McGill Daily.

A compiled article with all previous updates is available here. An accessible version of daily updates and resources is available here. 

The Daily’s editorial statement on community support during this public health crisis is available here.

UPDATE: Sunday, March 15, 10:30 p.m.

Per an email sent by Deputy Provost Labeau around 10:00 p.m., the situation is “extremely fluid,” and the two week closure of classes may need to be extended. McGill is also exploring the options to have exams completed remotely. Students should expect to hear from their instructors in the next two weeks about how the rest of the term will unfold.

McGill has halted or postponed all non-essential research, and as such, they are in conversations with funding agencies.

While McGill will continue operations during this two week period, only necessary functions will take place. Providing clarification on compensation, the email notes that “All academic and administrative staff, including casual and work-study employees who were scheduled to work over the two-week suspension period, will be paid.”

Student Services will be available by phone or online. After a week of being closed, the Wellness Hub will move online. All residence food halls will remain open, except Douglas Hall, with regular hours. Starbucks, Premiere Moisson, and Twiggs will also remain open with regular hours. All other food options on campus are closed.

—Original article published on Sunday, March 15, 3:00 p.m.—

In an email sent to study abroad students on Saturday evening, McGill confirmed that they are recalling ALL students studying at institutions outside Canada due to the change in classification of these countries as “Level 3” by the Canadian government (“avoid all non-essential travel”). They are asking these students to return to their home country. For those who are international students without Canadian citizenship, McGill says they should return to their home country, and not Canada.

However, the email states, if they choose to return to Canada, McGill asks them to check in with International Student Services to “verify [their] status.” The email also notes that if they choose to return to Canada, they may not be able to leave due to “increasing travel restrictions.” Any person returning from anywhere outside Canada is asked to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days, and McGill advises study abroad students to determine the steps for re-entry and quarantine for whichever country they travel to.

In a separate email from Associate Provost Chris Buddle to instructors, he reaffirmed that the University’s goal is to be “as fully online as possible” in two weeks time, for all courses in which this is possible. Additionally, Buddle informed instructors that section 3.2.3 of the Student Assessment Policy is applicable in this situation, meaning that teachers will be able to “adjust the remainder of their course outlines, including any outstanding assessments, from what was originally communicated at the start of the term.”

Lastly, in a message to the Daily, Midnight Kitchen stated that while the weekly meal pick-up program will be closed, the service’s food bank in Saint Henri will remain open (137 rue Saint Ferdinand) for people to pick up grocery bags of food. They are also working with other groups and individuals from McGill to deliver cooked meals to those in self-quarantine.

In terms of provincial regulations, Quebec premier Francois Legault has asked most businesses to close their doors. Restaurants are asked to restrict capacity to 50 per cent and to seat individuals at a distance from each other. As of this update, there are 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Quebec.

The post COVID 19 at McGill – March 15 appeared first on The McGill Daily.

This information was last updated on Tuesday, March 24, at 4:30 p.m.

Essential Information 

• Quebec and Canada Regulatory Updates
  • A drive-thru testing centre for COVID-19 is opening in Downtown Montreal
  • Canada is shutting the border to most non-Canadian citizens
    • The exceptions to this include Canadian permanent residents, the immediate family members of Canadian citizens, diplomats, and air crews
  • Workers on visas, international students (“who held a valid study permit or had been approved for a study permit when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18”), and temporary foreign workers are exempt from the ban
    • Study permits that were approved after March 18 will not be considered “essential” travel
  • The US and Canada are prohibiting non-essential travel between the two countries
  • Those in Quebec who have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days can receive a weekly payment of $573 from the provincial government
  • Any person showing symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to enter Canada
    • Air operators have been instructed to prevent any person with symptoms of COVID-19 from boarding a plane
  • The Canadian government will financially support Canadians abroad by providing loans of up to $5,000
  • Canadians will be permitted to file taxes until June 1 this year, instead of the usual deadline of April 30
  • All “non-essential” businesses must close for the next three weeks
  • Restaurant dining rooms, shopping malls, and schools are to be closed until May 1
    • Restaurant take-out service is permitted
  • Gatherings of any size are banned, barring a few exceptions
    • Montreal police have been granted the power to forcefully disperse crowds, and people may be fined or arrested by the police
  • All employees (in both the private and public sectors) in the health and education systems who have returned from other countries must self-quarantine for 14 days
  • The province has said that all who have returned from other countries should self-isolate for 14 days
  • They have also requested that those with flu-like symptoms self-quarantine for 14 days
  • All visits to public senior homes, long-term care facilities, and hospitals are banned
  • The province has requested that those who are elderly or immunocompromised avoid all non-essential travel outside their homes

• McGill Updates
  • Students will not need to stay in Montreal for the rest of the term
  • McGill, as well as other Quebec universities, will be closed until May 1
  • Students and staff who “have tested positive, are awaiting test results, or are self-isolating” should follow instructions for submitting the online self-declaration form
  • Per the Deputy Provost, “Academic Planning for remote instruction and remote course delivery is proceeding well
  • All in-person exams will be cancelled, and the academic term will not be extended
  • With all possible classes, instruction will move online beginning on March 30
    • The University is currently “evaluating alternatives for […] situations” in which remote instruction is not possible
  • All undergraduate and graduate students will be able to use the S/U option for all of their courses
    • Courses that are taken S/U can go towards student’s major or minor; they will not affect GPA but full credits completed will count towards their degree
    • The deadline to use the option is May 22, at which point McGill says grades will have been released
  • The deadline for withdrawing from courses has been extended to April 15; effective Monday, March 23.
  • A full list of adjusted academic measures for the Winter 2020 term is available here
  • The summer semester will go ahead remotely with no in-person examinations; all academic activities, conferences, internships etc, that include international travel have been suspended
  • Per the Deputy Provost, “All academic and administrative staff, including casual and work-study employees who were scheduled to work over the two-week suspension period, will be paid”
  • All interest or late-fee payments on outstanding student accounts have been suspended until further notice.
  • Students should expect to hear from their instructors about expectations for online instruction and remote course structure
    • Instructors will have the ability to adjust course outlines for the remainder of the term due to section 3.2.3 of the Student Assessment Policy 
  • Spring convocation has been cancelled; the University is exploring other options to commemorate this year’s graduates
  • MSERT’s services have been placed on hold indefinitely  
    • MSERT recommends that students call the COVID-19 hotline (1-877-644-4545) if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms 
  • Campus libraries and athletics facilities have been closed 
    • Online library services will still be available to students
  • All McGill in-person events, on or off campus, are cancelled
  • All classes, assessments, and exams have been cancelled for two weeks beginning on March 16 (except thesis defenses)
  • All non-essential research has been halted or postponed
  • Student services will remain available via phone and online after the extended weekend (which is until Monday, March 16)
    • A full list of available services and hours can be seen here
    • Online resources for remote learning are available here
  • Food services outside of select residences on campus will close (see information on residences below)
  • The McGill shuttle bus service will be suspended beginning Wednesday, March 25

• Food, Service and Aid Resources
  • Midnight Kitchen’s food bank in St.Henri will remain open and will be distributing grocery bags; students must still register via their website
    • The collective is also currently working with student groups and individuals to deliver cooked meals to those self-isolating, details to come
  • Mutual aid Facebook group – you can request or offer assistance with grocery, supplies, medication delivery (etc) as well as find answers to specific questions/information or other requests for aid
  • Academic accommodations and peer support – SSMU University Affairs has set up a google form to request information on academic accommodations and an email for general COVID-19 related support requests (student.coronavirus.relief@gmail.com)

• Health Care Resources
  • The Wellness Hub will offer limited remote services starting Monday, March 23. Students can also speak to a nurse about general health concerns that are not related to cold or flu symptoms
    • To make an appointment or to speak to a nurse, students can call 514-398-6017
    • The Wellness Hub’s online programming is available here
  • All pre-booked appointments for two weeks (starting on Monday, March 16) have been canceled
  • International students with Blue Cross can access Maple online to access family doctors, specialists, sick notes, and more
    • You can get a prescription through this service, as well as a diagnosis or sick note
    • You have to pay a fee to access Maple, but Blue Cross should refund you within three business days
  • International students can submit claims to Blue Cross online, either on the website or the app
    • To sign into Blue Cross with international student insurance for the first time, your policy number is created by adding two zeros to the beginning, putting your international student insurance contract number in the middle (available on Minerva), and adding three zeros to the end (EX: 00xxxxx000)
    • Your Blue Cross identification number is created by typing your McGill student ID, and then adding two zeros to the end (EX: xxxxxxxxx00)
  • International students under McGill’s Blue Cross plan have COVID-19 testing and treatment fully covered
  • Jean Coutu offers prescription renewals on the phone, mobile app and on their website
    • You just need your prescription number, and it can be delivered
  • SSMU is offering the online service “Keep.meSafe” to all its members, free-of-charge at this time
    • Per SSMU this service offers “24/7/365 immediate and unlimited access to licensed counsellors through telephone and mobile chat, even when travelling abroad”
    • AND “in-person counselling appointments with hundreds of licensed counsellors in the City of Montreal, with minimal wait times”
    • Undergraduate students received instructions on how to set their account up in an email from SSMU on Thursday, March 12

Residence, International Student, Students Abroad, and SSMU Service Updates

• Residence Information Updates
  • Students in residence are strongly encouraged to return home as soon as possible if they are able to do so
  • Students’ leases will be canceled on the day that they leave
  • Students in residence must practice social distancing; this means:
    • All in-person events are suspended
    • All residence gyms are closed
    • Guests are not permitted in residences
  • “Smoking in the halls, irresponsible alcohol consumption, vandalism, and misuse of fire prevention and safety equipment” are not allowed in residence
  • Students are asked to limit the number of people in the elevator at any given time
  • Residence Life programming is suspended until further notice
  • Floor Fellows are mandated to stay on duty in residence
  • Students in residence have been told that McGill will not ask anyone to leave campus
  • Those who are advised to self-quarantine in residence will be provided an isolated space to do so
    • If you have been told to or have decided to do so, email housing.residences@mcgill.ca – self-reporting ensures that you will still receive services
  • No parties, events, or other gatherings are allowed in residence, including in private rooms
  • Common spaces are not open to residents
  • For external food deliveries, students must meet the driver outside of their residence hall, next to the main entrance of their building
  • Members of McGill security have broken up “gatherings of any kind” in common spaces and told students to go back to their rooms
  • Dining areas in residences are closed, but students can get take-out
    • Food halls are operating on reduced hours, and Douglas Hall’s is closed
  • Funds left in students’ mandatory meal plan will be extended to a rollover plan
    • Saver meal plan balances will be fully refunded
  • All residences will remain open until at least the end of the lease
    • For all residences except Solin Hall, this is April 30, 2020
    • Solin Hall leases end on July 30, 2020

• Students Abroad
  • Students in the only countries that had been previously classified as “Level 3” (“avoid non-essential travel”) by the Canadian government – Iran, Italy, and China – as of Friday, March 13, had been recalled by McGill
  • Students in countries that had been labeled “Level 1 and 2” were told they would receive more information in the next few days
    • They were also told they were encouraged to return home if concerned for their safety, and if they did, McGill Abroad had instructed them to inform their host institution, as well as McGill, and to ask the former about remote studying options
  • On Saturday, March 14, the Canadian government announced that all countries outside of Canada are to be classified as “Level 3” 
  • Per the above travel advisory from the Canadian government, all students abroad are recalled immediately
    • According to an email from McGill, students must determine their own steps for re-entry to the country they return to
  •  On the evening of March 14, McGill asked these students to return to their home country
    • For those who are international students without Canadian citizenship, McGill says they should return to their home country, and not Canada
  • If students choose to return to Canada, McGill asks them to check in with International Student Services to “verify [their] status”
    • McGill reminds these students that if they return to Canada, they may not be able to leave due to “increasing travel restrictions” 
    • Any person returning from anywhere outside Canada is asked to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days
    • McGill advises study abroad students to determine the steps for re-entry and quarantine for whichever country they travel to

• International Student Updates
  • Treatments and testing for COVID-19 are fully covered under international students’ Blue Cross health insurance
  • McGill’s Scholarships and Student Aid office can offer some emergency financial aid for either travelling or living expenses
  • McGill sent out an email stating that “all student travel outside Canada for internships, student exchanges, international mobility programs, competitions or conferences is suspended until further notice” on Friday, March 13
  • They also said that intake of new international students will be suspended for the time being
  • The exact status of future and incoming international students is unclear at this time
  • McGill has said that they are “still actively recruiting students from across the world for the Fall semester”
  • International students still in Canada who would like to return home should contact their consulate

• SSMU Service Updates
  • According to SSMU President Bryan Buraga, updates to McGill’s campus closures as of March 14th do not have an effect on SSMU services. The information below remains accurate and unchanged
  • Walksafe will be closed (SSMU alternative: McGill Security Services)
  • SACCOMS will be closed (SSMU alternative: Montreal Sexual Assault Centre)
  • Midnight Kitchen’s meal pick up programs are closed, however their food bank in St. Henri remains open (see above)
  • The Eating Disorder Resource and Support Centre & Peer Support Centre will be closed (SSMU alternative: Keep.meSafe)
  • Queer McGill will be closed (SSMU alternative: Montreal LGBTQ+ Community Centre)
  • The Union for Gender Empowerment will be available by email at ugecollective@gmail.com
  • SSMU’s office, 3471 Peel St., and 680 Sherbrooke will be closed
    • SSMU Services and ISGs located there are requested to temporarily suspend their services for this period of time

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that SSMU President Bryan Buraga’s understanding was that incoming international students’ would not be able to attend in the upcoming fall semester until further notice. He has contacted us to let the Daily know that there is no indication that the suspension of international student intake will extend to the fall.

The post COVID-19 at McGill: Resources and Updates appeared first on The McGill Daily.

In an email sent from Deputy Provost Fabrice Labeau at 9:15 p.m., the University announced that “All classes, teaching labs, exams and other assessments are suspended for two weeks – except theses defenses.” McGill will be working on resuming teaching and academic activities online during this time.

While food services in residences will remain open, a number of other food options on campus may be closed during the next two weeks, or open with reduced hours.

Additionally, the Wellness Hub will remain closed over this coming week, but may attempt to move online after. Athletics facilities and libraries will be closed until March 30.

Due to the governmental change in classification of all outside countries as “Level 3,” McGill is recalling ALL students abroad. These students are expected to receive additional information soon, including information about academic accommodations. It is unclear at this time if McGill will be financially compensating students abroad for unexpected travel due to COVID-19.

—Original article published on Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.—

In the last 72 hours, Quebecers have received a myriad of instructions from the provincial government meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. At around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, Quebec premier Francois Legault informed the public of these measures, including the barring of all indoor events with more than 250 people in attendance, the mandatory self-quarantine of all employees (in both the private and public sectors) in the health and education systems for 14 days upon return from abroad, and the request that those who have returned from other countries recently – or have flu-like symptoms – voluntarily self-isolate for two weeks.

McGill Campus Closures

Less than 24 hours later on Friday, March 13, the province announced new measures – all universities, CEGEPs, schools, and daycare centres are set to be closed for two weeks starting on March 14. Upon this announcement, McGill University sent out an email informing the community that “all student travel outside Canada for internships, student exchanges, international mobility programs, competitions or conferences is suspended until further notice” and that intake of new international students will be suspended for the time being. The exact status of future and incoming international students is unclear at this time.

In an additional administrative email sent on Saturday, March 14, Deputy Provost Fabrice Labeau confirmed that all in-person events at McGill, both on- and off-campus are canceled. Campus libraries and athletic facilities will be closed until Tuesday, March 17. The Student Wellness Hub will also be closed – and subsequently all pre-booked clinic appointments canceled – between March 15-21, as per the latest information students have received via email.

Though the details of the two-week closure have not been officially communicated to students, there are conflicting reports at this time as to what the structure of classes will be. Some professors have posted online modules and lectures, but others are claiming that no new materials or assignments will be introduced while classes are cancelled. A March 14 email from Deputy Provost Labeau stated that “the University is suspending all teaching activities until further notice.” It is unclear at this time what that means for assignments due in the next week, or if online materials will be available.

The most recent measures the provincial government announced on Saturday, March 14 include the banning of all visits to public senior homes and the request that all those who are elderly or immunocompromised avoid all non-essential outings, among other instructions.

The Status of McGill Students Abroad

For McGill students on exchange, the last couple of days have been uncertain. According to an email received by students studying abroad on Friday, those in the only countries that had been previously classified as “Level 3” (“avoid non-essential travel”) by the Canadian government – Iran, Italy, and China – had been recalled by McGill. Students in countries that had been labeled “Level 1 and 2” were told they would receive more information in the next few days. However, on Saturday, March 14, the Canadian government announced that all countries outside of Canada are to be classified as “Level 3.” As of 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, students abroad have not received updates from McGill.

The initial email received by students encouraged McGill students in those countries to leave their institution abroad and return home if they are concerned for their safety. For students that opt to leave, McGill Abroad had instructed them to inform their host institution, as well as McGill, and to ask the former about remote studying options.

William von Herff, a McGill student who was studying abroad for the Panama Field Study Semester, has left the country due to the virus’ quick spread. The number of cases in Panama has risen steadily in the past few days; the first death from COVID-19 was recorded on Tuesday, March 10, and as of March 13, the country has 36 confirmed cases of infection, three of whom are foreigners.

“The country has only 100 respirators and was down to 30 available as of yesterday,” von Herff told the Daily in a message on Friday, March 13. “We were recalled so as to not endanger ourselves nor put a burden on the Panamanian healthcare system.” The country has 2.3 hospital beds per 1,000 people, fewer than both Canada and Italy.

Von Herff thanks the program coordinator, Catherine Potvin, for the quick turnaround in getting students out of the country. Thanks to Potvin, he said, students returning to Montreal will be group-quarantined in Mont Saint-Hilaire, and once in isolation they will receive two days of groceries and three catered days of meals from McGill.

“[Potvin] is trying to get McGill to pay for some flight stuff, and if not, leftover program money will cover it,” he added.

For Sarah Gao, a McGill student on exchange at the University of Sydney in Australia, classes are still taking place in-person. If the situation escalates, however, Gao says that the University will consider a switch to online courses.

“It feels a little bit surreal because I’ve been seeing wash your hand signs everywhere since I first arrived [on February 9, 2020],” she told the Daily in a message on Friday, March 13. According to Gao, one of the student residences has shut down in order to quarantine international students who are just arriving.

“I think that students panicking and blaming McGill […] is causing more panic and more anger and so I’m just trying to stay as calm as possible and trust that they’re going to figure something out,” she concluded. Australia has reached over 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of March 14, 2020, with 112 cases in New South Wales, where Gao’s university is located. There are reports that the number of testing kits available is “rapidly deteriorating.” The country’s ratio for the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people is 4.0.

Another student on exchange in the U.K. has similar thoughts. “Many of my peers are angry at McGill for not reaching out earlier, but many others (including myself) are not,” they told the Daily on Friday. “It must be very difficult for an administration with a massive body of international students to keep track of whose home country is issuing a travel ban, and whose home country is locking down entirely.”

Other students are much more concerned and dissatisfied with McGill’s response, especially in light of the change in travel levels for all countries outside Canada. The past few days have seen a flurry of social media posts from students abroad, confused as to what next steps they should take, considering that every student is now in what classifies as a Level 3 country.

In a phone interview with the Daily on Friday, March 13, SSMU President Bryan Buraga also spoke to the status of the administration’s communication with exchange students, stating that the University “is crafting plans for how best to move forward, because so many students […] are spread throughout the world.”

Though he expressed that McGill acknowledges that “each student [abroad] requires different ways of dealing with the situation,” and that there are a variety of possibilities and solutions depending on the student’s region, communication to exchange students remains general and not region-specific.

“Depending on the situation, it’s not like all of the facts can be applied widely to all students,” he said, “which is why there hasn’t been more information being sent out at the moment.”

Communications and Services

Buraga emphasized that this is a “rapidly evolving situation.” Admitting that this is a difficult time for students, he detailed his liaisons with the University administration. Speaking to the delay in communications from them, Buraga said that “because the situation changes on a daily basis, plans are being recruited to comply with government directives and regulations.”

In meetings with Deputy Provost Labeau, Buraga was told that the administration is working to ensure that “contingency plans are in place”, and that the University is “relying on the expert guidance of the Quebec Health Authority.”

“I ask the student body to be patient and to trust […] that both the SSMU and the University are working to ensure the health and safety of students,” he said. “This is, again, a very difficult time. But I know the McGill community, I know the goodness that’s in everyone – so I trust that we can all get through this together.”

According to one student in residence, members of McGill security have broken up “gatherings of any kind” in common spaces and told students to go back to their rooms, despite this not being officially mandated in any email communications. Per online communications to residents and Residence Life employees, programming is suspended until further notice, though Floor Fellows are mandated to stay on duty in residence. Students in residence have been told that McGill will not ask anyone to leave campus, and that those who are advised to self-quarantine will be provided an isolated space to do so.

MSERT will no longer be posted regularly in each residence, but is shifting to coverage in residences on a day-by-day basis, and they are updating their schedules online. They can still be reached at their regular emergency dispatch number, but recommend that students call the COVID-19 hotline (1-877-644-4545) instead if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

There have been more than 132,000 cases of the virus in the world, with more than 200 in Canada and more than 20 in Quebec, as of Saturday, March 14.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that SSMU President Bryan Buraga’s understanding was that incoming international students’ would not be able to attend in the upcoming fall semester until further notice. He has contacted us to let the Daily know that there is no indication that the suspension of international student intake will extend to the fall.

Click here to find an accessible version of the information in this article, as well as resources that will be updated as often as possible. 

The Daily’s editorial statement on community support during this public health crisis is available here.

Is something in this article out-of-date? Let us know at news@mcgilldaily.com

The post COVID-19 at McGill: Campus Closures, Students Abroad, and Services Updates appeared first on The McGill Daily.

“The conference has been planned on an annual basis for several years, leading up to last year when I decided to dedicate more of my own personal time and resources as commissioner into the Redmen campaign,” Jirousek explained. “So that’s part of the reason why this is kind of like a rebirth of the conference.”

This year, there are a number of individuals coming from different backgrounds to share their knowledge bases. Romeo Saganash, Member of Parliament for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou (2011-2019), will be presenting the first keynote address on the night of March 14. Cindy Blackstock, a McGill professor in the School of Social Work and Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, will be presenting the second keynote the following day.

“What we’re trying to do here is re-emphasize the strength that we really do carry as Indigenous peoples, whether that’s tied to land, whether that’s tied to our ancestors, we’re carrying that with us generation through generation.” – Jirousek

Jirousek shares a personal connection with Blackstock. Reflecting on the Change the Name campaign, he told the Daily, “Cindy has become quite a close mentor to me. I remember having this […] very personal discussion [about] how I felt that I was almost confined with an activism and advocacy to a Western construct of what I was allowed to be as an activist. […] I needed to be emotional in the right ways, but not too emotional. I couldn’t, you know – don’t get angry, but don’t stay cold.”

Jirousek added, “There was this kind of trope that I was being forced to play here. I remember I was really struggling with that, and Cindy really helped me deconstruct that and show how activism can flow from Indigenous ontologies in a way that I wasn’t really accessing prior to that. She really helped me explore that in myself. So on a personal note, Cindy is just a hero, and so I couldn’t think of anyone better […] to reach out to.”

Blackstock was instrumental in bringing a case of racial discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, where, in 2016, it was ruled that Canada was guilty of discriminating against and critically underfunding government programs for First Nations children.

Nakuset, the Executive Director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, will also give a talk on March 15 on urban Indigenous activism and resiliency.

“I would say that Nakuset’s been another really big role model for myself over the last couple of years,” Jirousek stated. “At every event I’ve hosted since – since actually the very first demonstration for the name change – Nakuset has been present.”

“At every event I’ve hosted since – since actually the very first demonstration for the name change – Nakuset has been present.” – Jirousek

Andy Moorhouse, the Executive Director of Inuulitsivik Health Centre and former Mayor of the Northern Village of Inukjuak, will give a talk that same day. In addition, a number of panels taking place over the course of the weekend will feature the McGill Chapter of the American Indigenous Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Indigenous Law Association.

Law is one aspect of the conference that Jirousek discussed a great deal. “We’re hosting with the Indigenous Law Association, bringing in Indigenous law professors. And the way we construct law is quite separate from the way that Western society constructs law. So for us, we learn kinship networks, governance models, and legal systems as derived from territory itself,” he explained.

“We connect this back to Wet’suwet’en in that for us, as like Blackfoot peoples, a lot of the models – the way that we relate to each other, the way that we relate to the land around us and objects within that land is taught through buffalo, […] and that will inform legal systems in the way that we relate to each other. So in that sense, law in a Blackfoot sense is taught through land, land as pedagogy here, and that’s in contrast to the type of ways that law is derived in a Western society.”

The conference will host vendors from local First Nations communities, and Simple Pleasures of Kahnawake will cater the events. Cultural performances, featuring drumming by Medicine Bear Drum Group and Inuit throat singing by Nina Segalowirz, will also take place.

The conference will host vendors from local First Nations communities, and Simple Pleasures of Kahnawake will cater the events.

Claire Grenier, SSMU Community Affairs Coordinator, emphasized the importance of the event in fostering a community for Indigenous students on campus and prospective Indigenous students. “What administration [and] enrolment services are really pushing [is] getting Indigenous students to enrol at McGill. But there’s no support or community that’s really pushed to them, or there’s just nothing there that lets them know that there is a community, that there’s a space for them to learn and to keep Indigenous identity, even in a city like Montreal that’s so urban.”

She added, “To have this [conference] back, and to have this as a really distinct moment in the year for Indigenous youth to come together and kind of reconnect and really even get to know other Indigenous students at McGill that they can get involved with, that they can become friends with and share their experiences with – I think that’s really important, not just as an event, but as a resource, as a lasting thing on campus.”

“To have this as a really distinct moment in the year for Indigenous youth to come together and kind of reconnect and really even get to know [each] other […] – I think that’s really important, not just as an event, but as a resource, as a lasting thing on campus.” – Grenier

Jirousek encourages members of the McGill and Montreal community to attend. “In this current context we’re focusing on […] the inherited strength that we carry as Indigenous peoples. I think a lot of times when we reflect on contemporary Indigenous issues, a lot of time, we’re talking about intergenerational trauma, we’re talking about a lot of things that we’ve carried forth from the residential school system, from the Sixties Scoop. And what we’re trying to do here is re-emphasize the strength that we really do carry as Indigenous peoples, whether that’s tied to land, whether that’s tied to our ancestors, we’re carrying that with us generation through generation.”

A full list of events at the conference, as well as the links to register for the events, can be found here.

The post Speaking on Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency appeared first on The McGill Daily.

The positions of AUS President and VP Services are uncontested, with Ananya Nair and Samad Fagbohun running, respectively. Two candidates are campaigning for VP Social – Belanna Gans and CJ Pospisil. For the position of VP Academic, there are three candidates – Catherina Musa, Rachel Lawal, and Avni Aghi. There are two open positions for Arts Senator, and two people running – Mary Lynne Loftus and Darshan Daryanani. As for Arts Representative to SSMU, there are three open positions and four people running – Paige Collins, Chip Smith, Jonah Fried, and Alex Karasick. (All available campaign platforms have been linked here.)

No candidates are running for the positions of VP Communications, VP External, VP Finance, and VP Internal. According to an email received by the Daily, these positions will be appointed by the AUS Executive Council at a later date.

To begin the debate, each candidate had two minutes to give their opening statement. They then answered questions from the incumbent and the audience, as well as those submitted via an online form. The candidates were then given one and a half minutes to make their closing arguments.

Questions for Arts Representative candidates were a substantial part of the debate. Due to the nature of the position and its close relationship to SSMU and its Legislative Council – as well as a history of controversy surrounding various Arts Representatives’ decisions and policies – the candidates received a great number of questions regarding how they would handle such controversial topics on campus.

When asked about this, candidate Fried stated, “the [AUS] is a diverse constituency with different ethnic, national populations, and I think there are a lot of international, geopolitical issues that come into play on campus that really have no place […] I think the issues we focus on should be student issues.” The issues Fried is highlighting in his platform include advocacy for student housing; he currently sits on the SSMU Housing Committee.

Other candidates echoed similar sentiments. In a question directly related to the role that Arts Representatives have had in recent years in issues related to the Israeli-Palistinian conflict on campus, candidate Smith stated, “If I’m elected as an Arts Rep, I’m ready to put my biases aside, to hear the arguments from both sides […] I’m not going to let my biases and my own personal beliefs get ahead of me in this scenario.” Smith’s platform stresses “changing the culture” in SSMU, “reduc[ing] drama and discontent.”

Karasick emphasized hearing from constituents in matters like this. “The most important thing, in my opinion […] is that we need to listen to constituents,” Karasick stated. “I want to listen to everyone’s opinion, [to get] most of the constituents I can to tell me what they believe, [to] tell me what they think should be done about an issue like this.” His platform highlights a list of initiatives for addressing equity and governance reforms at SSMU.

As for Collins, she suggested a press-conference-style hearing for students to voice their concerns – a suggestion that Collins recalled came from SSMU VP External Gwiazda-Amsel last November. “That way, academics and experts and representatives from either side of this debate are able to speak, and students are able to go and understand some of these issues,” she stated. “I think that that kind of formal channel would work really well.”

Collins is one of a number of student leaders who, last November, accepted an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel potentially funded by the Maccabee Task Force – an organization founded by conservative billionaire Sheldon Adelson. The case was taken to SSMU Legislative Council but deemed not an apparent conflict of interest by the Board of Directors, of which Collins is a member. Collins’ platform includes advocacy for paid note-takers and accomodations, as well as “establishing a working group to pursue an implementation of a co-op program” for Arts students.

Disclaimer: Alex Karasick has contributed to the Daily as a news writer in the past.

The post AUS Holds Elections Debate appeared first on The McGill Daily.

Anonymous messages from those who knew her best flickered across the screen, paying tribute to Borghei’s kind, smart, and dedicated character.

“Negar, I will always remember you for your bright smile, your optimism (even on early Monday mornings) and for the passion you had towards everything that you loved,” one statement read. “Not enough words can do your incredible self justice or describe our great loss.”

“She truly had a global, comprehensive, worldwide vision to improve life for people.” – Linda Wykes, director of the School of Human Nutrition

The late 29-year-old was pursuing a masters of human nutrition at McGill, when, on her way back to Canada from Iran, she and 175 others died in a tragic plane crash. Borghei had been studying at McGill in order to gain her credentials in Canada, after having attained a masters degree in sports physiology in Iran and working as a practicing dietician.

With a table set at the front of the room, showing a photo of Borghei and her late husband Alvand Sadeghi surrounded by candles and white flowers, members of the McGill community took turns memorializing Borghei’s life and recounting their memories of her.

Anja Geitmann, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, told attendees that she had spoken recently with Borghei’s brother. Recalling what he had told her, Geitmann stated, “she was more than a sister – she was his best friend.” Negar used to tutor him in math and physics, and her brother, in return, taught her about living and studying abroad.

“What seems unfathomable is that she didn’t get the opportunity to build on these burgeoning relationships, on this network that she was establishing for herself here in Canada,” Geitmann told attendees. “She didn’t get the chance to enjoy the fruits of her daunting first months at MacDonald campus […], to complete her degree, and to eventually become a proud and treasured member of the large McGill alumni community.”

Geitmann also explained the media presence at the event. “Negar’s brother tells me that it has helped the family [to cope] with their loss by seeing how Canada in general, and McGill in particular, share their grief.”

“As her teammates and friends, we were lucky enough to work closely with her and get to know her, albeit for a short period of time,” Hiba Yousif told those in attendance. “[Negar] impacted each of us, greatly, in all positive ways.”

“We hope that those who joined us here today tolerate this intrusion into our privacy, in the hope that seeing the footage helps Negar’s family to see that she, Negar, was one of the loved ones here, on campus,” she concluded. A condolence book was placed next to the photo of Borghei, for friends and colleagues to write in and share memories of her. While the book will remain at Macdonald campus for the next few days to gather more personal stories of Negar, it will soon be sent to her family.

McGill Principal Suzanne Fortier was also present at the memorial. “As we mourn the passing of Negar, let us take a moment to celebrate her life, albeit far too short,” she said. “Let’s hold those memories fondly. Never forget that she was a bright young woman, that she had many dreams and aspirations.”

Some of Borghei’s colleagues at the School of Nutrition then spoke. “Our hearts are broken, and no words can express our sadness for this terrible event,” one of Borghei’s peers stated.

“Negar did her bachelor in the same university in Iran, Tehran as me. […] As her close friends expressed to me so well, she was smart, very talented, and dedicated, who worked hard – like so many of us – to come to Canada […], to build her life, and to have a better future.”

Speaking on behalf of the Iranian-Canadian community, they stated, “my deepest condolence to Negar’s family, her parents, her brother, and to all other families and friends devastated in this period of tragedy. Their innocence will remain in history forever.” After they concluded, another colleague of Borghei’s in the School of Nutrition gave their condolences, but this time in Persian, for the family to hear.

“We hope that those who joined us here today tolerate this intrusion into our privacy, in the hope that seeing the footage helps Negar’s family to see that she, Negar, was one of the loved ones here, on campus.” – Anja Geitmann, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

One more of Borghei’s colleagues then spoke on both the pain of losing a dear friend, and the hardships of immigrating to a new place. “It is painful for us who know how difficult it was for you to pass all the obstacles, to learn how to not miss home and loved ones, to learn how to plant your roots into the soil, and to develop your branches like a beautiful tree,” they stated of Negar.

“I’m sorry to see all that we invested over the years is gone in a blink of an eye, leaving your families behind, who may never taste true happiness ever again. This tragedy should have never occurred.”

Linda Wykes, director of the School of Human Nutrition, also had a few words to say of Borghei. “Her generosity opened doors, as people could see the person she was.”

“She wanted her credential as a dietician in Canada,” Wykes continued, “to bring together her scientific knowledge, her clinical skills, to provide personalized nutrition approaches in preventive healthcare worldwide. She truly had a global, comprehensive, worldwide vision to improve life for people.”

Borghei had been studying at McGill in order to gain her credentials in Canada, after having attained a masters degree in sports physiology in Iran and working as a practicing dietician.

Hiba Yousif, a member of the tight-knit group that Borghei was a part of, was one of the last to speak. “As her teammates and friends, we were lucky enough to work closely with her and get to know her, albeit for a short period of time,” Yousif told those in attendance. “[Negar] impacted each of us, greatly, in all positive ways.”

Calling Borghei “the sunshine of the team”, Yousif said she was “always smiling, optimistic, and ready to brighten our day.”

As the ceremony wrapped up, attendees walked back to the faculty lounge, where tea, coffee, and sweets were waiting for them. While friends of Borghei waited in line to write their memories of her down in the condolence book, a slideshow of pictures continued to play on the screen. Alongside a smiling photo of Borghei was an anonymous statement from one of her friends.

“Negar, wherever you are, you will be forever living in a piece of my heart,” it read. “Next time we meet, let’s have the unfinished tea party. Before that, rest in peace.”

The post Honouring Negar Borghei appeared first on The McGill Daily.

Two Montreal demonstrations against a U.S.-Iran war were originally organized by separate parties – Montreal activist Shelby Johnson and the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) in Canada – before deciding to merge into one unified demonstration, beginning at Phillips Square and ending at the US consulate on Saint Catherine Street West. As the protesters marched down Aylmer Street from Phillips Square, they chanted, “US imperialists, number one terrorists” and “No more war,” among other slogans.

Demonstrators held posters with anti-war messaging, such as “Stop economic terrorism now,” “US out of Middle East,” “No blood for oil,” and “Stop the war machine.” A few held up photos honouring the deceased general, a move which angered some Iranians at the rally who hold unfavourable views of the government. While marching down Maisonneuve Boulevard West, one protestor shouted “Islamic regime is terrorists” and waved the flag of the former monarchy in Iran, which was overthrown in the 1979 revolution.

After reaching the US consulate, a number of Iranians, Americans, and Canadians took turns decrying Western imperialism in the region. “No one deserves to live in a war zone,” one protestor declared.

Demonstrators Condemn Western Imperialism

In their speeches, speakers referred to the 1953 CIA coup in Iran, U.S. economic sanctions on Iran, the American occupation of Iraq, and its benefits to Western oil companies, many of whom gained profitable access to Iraq’s oil industry and came to dominate it because of the war.

While sanctions may not initially seem to put lives at risk, this is not the case in Iran. Due to sanctions and governmental mismanagement, Iranians lack critical access to humanitarian goods such as life-saving medicine, especially chemotherapy treatment drugs. The weight of sanctions introduced by US President Donald Trump in the past year have also resulted in inflation rates of 35.7 per cent according to the International Monetary Fund, meaning that the average price of consumer goods has risen by that percentage in the past year, therefore making it difficult for many Iranians to afford essential items. Deutsche Welle noted that the Statistical Center for Iran calculated an even higher inflation rate of 47.2 per cent, with food and fuel inflation at more than 60 per cent. This pressure has undoubtedly compounded into civilian unrest, as the Iranian government’s decision to increase gas prices in the wake of mounting economic stress incited widespread protests in the last few months of 2019.

Another protester in front of the consulate noted similarities between former US President Bill Clinton and sitting President Donald Trump. “The last time a president was impeached, he resorted to violence,” they stated to the crowd, “just to manipulate [US] domestic politics.” Indeed, in 1998, Clinton launched a strike against Iraq just days before his impeachment inquiry, and was later acquitted in the US Senate. Additionally, Trump’s tweets in 2011 and 2012 that stated Obama would strike Iran in order to be re-elected have resurfaced. One Twitter user called these statements “pure projection,” describing Trump’s actions as having “no plan, no strategy, no rhyme, no reason, just impulse from the man who thinks a president could try to stay in office by starting a war.” 

Varied Perceptions of Soleimani

One speaker turned to comment on the death of the Iranian military figure, stating “We are feeling the loss of General Soleimani […] he lived in the hearts and minds of the people in the Middle East.” This statement, again, was met with shouts from one protestor against the current Iranian government and Soleimani.

Indeed, there are varied opinions among Iranians and Iraqis of Soleimani. Many Iranians see him as having been one of the primary reasons for ISIS’ losses in the region, which garnered the late general immense respect. Thousands of Iranians attended his funeral in Tehran on January 6. However, some are not as saddened by his death, especially those living abroad. Just a day after the strike, the Los Angeles Times reported on Iranian-Americans’ reactions, citing quite a few of whom who felt relief at the news. One was quoted as saying “In a vacuum, objectively, his death is a welcome development,” but that for many Iranian-Americans, they “are fearful of the repercussions. This is a really dire situation if it escalates.”

Iran’s increasing involvement in Iraq’s political affairs has garnered Soleimani further criticism as well. France24 reported that Soleimani had visited Iraqi authorities in November 2019, advising them on how to repress the protestors in the midst of increasing demonstrations against Iranian influence. In Iraq, this repression by the state security forces led to the killings of 500 peaceful protestors and thousands of injuries. In December, Reuters reported that approximately 1,500 Iranians had been killed in demonstrations against the government across a two-week period.

After looking into leaked Iranian intelligence reports, The Intercept found that Shia militias’ actions in Iraq, which had been backed by Soleimani, had created an unfavourable perception of Iran by Iraqi Sunnis. In Jurf al-Sakhar, Shia militias loyal to the Soleimani led Quds force defeated ISIS in 2014, but the battle was followed by the killings of innocent civilians and the displacement of tens of thousands.

Effects on Iranians and Iranian-Americans

While many are averse to the current regime, for Iranian Americans, the idea of war is frightening. In the past week, President Trump has threatened the attack of 52 Iranian cultural sites, which, per Human Rights Watch, is a war crime. Many fear for their families’ safety in Iran, as well as increasing surveillance of Iranians in the US. The weekend after the strike, approximately 200 Iranian-Americans were detained and questioned at the Canadian border entering Washington state, and some were held for 12 hours.

Both the Los Angeles Police Department and the New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, issued tweets following the attack, calling on citizens to “say something if you see something” and stating that they “will have to be vigilant against this threat for a long time to come.” Many Twitter users have called these tweets “propaganda,” as one user argued that “these ridiculous warnings of non-existent ‘threats’ are just fear tactics to help sell Trump’s illegal imperial war of aggression against Iran.”

“I immediately just thought [after hearing the news of the strike], this is so terrible,” stated Persis Karim, director of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University, as quoted in the Los Angeles Times. “You can be critical and have feelings of disdain for a regime that murders its own people, and still believe that war is not going to be any kind of solution.”

As the protest in front of the US consulate cumulated around 1 p.m., the crowd repeatedly chanted “No justice, no peace, US out of the Middle East.”

The post Anti-War Protest Held Downtown appeared first on The McGill Daily.

“Students have a right to opt out in-person to get their money back,” the question read. “Other universities allow you to do this online. The new system would allow you to opt out of each organization individually. Before opting out, students will be informed about what the organization does.” While the explanation also claims that “the system will be created in consultation with all fee-levy organizations,” it is unclear how exactly the CSU plans to do this.

The final question posed to students – “Do you support Concordia University bringing the opt out process online for student fee levy organizations?” – passed with 61.1 per cent of voters in favour of it, and 38.9 per cent against.

With this result, all fee-levy-based groups at Concordia may see their funding diminished. The list of organizations affected consists of student-run newspapers the Link and theConcordian, as well as a number of groups – many of them equity-based and social-justice-oriented – including Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) Concordia, the Center for Gender Advocacy, Cinema Politica, CJLO, Queer Concordia, Concordia University Television (CUTV), Concordia Food Coalition, Le Frigo Vert, and the People’s Potato, among others.

It is unclear at this time how much these groups’ funding will be affected. “More than half of our budget comes from student fee-levies,” Current Affairs Editor Erika Morris from the Link wrote in an email to the Daily, “but we don’t know how many students would choose to opt-out so it’s really up in the air.”

The Concordian is in a similar boat. “At the moment, we’re unsure about what to expect,” Matthew Coyte, Managing Editor at The Concordian, told the Daily.

“We could get lucky and the online opt-out rate turns out to be relatively low and doesn’t affect our financials too much. On the other hand, we could very well see a high opt-out rate that would put us in the same boat as student media organizations in Ontario who are dealing with the same issue.”

While both student-run newspapers are at this time unsure of what the future holds, Coyte added that in-person opt-outs are preferable. “You can’t blame students for wanting to save money, I get that,” he continued, “that’s why in-person opt-outs are nice. We get a chance to show students what their money is going towards.”

CUTV is also in a difficult position because of the referendum results. Jenny Cunningham, the Director of Communications at CUTV, told the Daily via email that the organization is “likely to lose a substantial amount of funding.” Per Cunningham, CUTV offers students access to production equipment, paid opportunities at Concordia, free workshops in production skills, and more.

“Many people rely on CUTV to further their projects and skills and it saddens us that this place they depend on could face changes,” she concluded. “However, we also understand the perspective that many students face financial pressures and having the option to opt out of these fees would be an attractive option.”

In addition to media outlets at Concordia, a number of equity-based organizations may be hit hard. Julie Michaud, Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Gender Advocacy (CGA) told the Daily via email that the CGA is “very concerned about the additional loss of funding that this will entail.”

“Fee-levy groups not only provide many essential services that students rely on, including free lunches, affordable food, free and confidential peer support, support for LGBTQ+ students and much more, they also contribute to the overall culture at Concordia,” Michaud added.

But while Concordia may have taken a step in the same direction as Doug Ford’s vision of post-secondary opt-outable fees, Ontario student groups may get their funding back again. In a unanimous decision the Ontario Divisional Court struck down Ford’s Student Choice Initiative (SCI) and deemed it “unlawful,” instead ruling in favour of the Canadian Student’s Federation. Announced in January, the SCI allowed post-secondary students to opt-out of ancillary fees devoted to funding student groups, unions and university papers.

With opt-out rates for student papers varying from 90 per cent (The Lambda at Laurentian University) to 25 per cent (The Varsity at the University of Toronto), many university journalistic projects have been stalled or abandoned, “limiting ambition [of] young student creators.” In the case of U of T, full coverage of both campuses is no longer possible. Several papers, including The Eyeopener (Ryerson University) and The Varsity reported having to cut staff or delay hiring new employees, and losing the ability to provide honorariums to contributors.

“It has been harder,” Liane McLarty, general manager of The Eyeopener said. “We don’t have the same resources anymore, which fundamentally impacts things like how many stories we can cover at once, how much money we can invest into a story, how many resources we can offer to our editors who work hours on end for these jobs, how many volunteers we can compensate for their effort and energy into writing for us, and so many other things.”

While Josie Kao, editor-in-chief of The Varsity, described the effects of the SCI as a “huge loss” to the paper, she also spoke to campus support for student journalism. “25 per cent of our students opted out. While any opt-out is bad, this definitely isn’t the worst case scenario I could imagine. Since the opt-out, it’s been gratifying to see the support coming from the community – how people would advocate on behalf of The Varsity and journalism on campus.”

Although the Ontario Divisional Court’s decision is a victory for student groups and papers, it is unclear what the process of opt-outs will be going forward. The Varsity informed the Daily that U of T’s administration has acknowledged the ruling, but hasn’t outlined any future steps. “The SCI is officially dead now, but we really haven’t seen any proof of that,” Kao said. “The opt-out option is still currently live on our portal, students can still opt-out right now. […] I have no idea if this means this coming semester we’ll still have an opt-out, or if this will only be in effect next year.”

The Ford administration has not commented on the ruling, and it is unclear if they will appeal the Divisional Court’s decision.

This article was originally published in print on November 24, 2019 as part of the Labour, Body and Care joint issue. 

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This is the third time that CAMSR has debated fossil fuel divestment. They first discussed the matter in 2013, after Divest McGill submitted a petition calling on the University to do so. However, the committee rejected the petition on the claim that “Divest McGill had failed to demonstrate that social injury (as defined in the terms of reference) had occurred due to the actions of a company involved in either oil sands or fossil fuels.” In 2016, CAMSR debated the matter again. As former BoG and CAMSR chair Stuart “Kip” Cobbett stated of the decision at the time, “We found that although there was certain injury caused, that it did not meet the test of ‘social injury’ as defined in the terms of reference of CAMSR.” He also stated that CAMSR viewed divestment as “not the most appropriate or effective way to improve the environmental situation,” or “to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.”

CAMSR’s returned to the topic following the McGill Senate’s resolution on divestment, which passed in 2018, calling for the BoG to “divest the endowment from all companies whose primary business is the extraction, distribution, and/or sale of fossil fuels; and from all mutual funds that invest in such companies.”

In the 45 page report, CAMSR lays out eight recommendations for the Investment Committee, including “decarbonization of McGill’s endowment portfolio”, investment in “low-carbon funds” and “fossil-fuel-free funds”, and “annual reporting on socially responsible [investments]” (SRIs). Compared to its total endowment of $1.6 B as of 2018, McGill has established a $5 million Fossil Fuel Free Investment Fund (FFF). In the total endowment, $105.1 M (6.4 per cent) is invested in the energy sector (other than coal and oil sands), $31.0 M (1.9 per cent) with direct exposure to coal and oil sands, and $6.4 M (0.4 per cent) invested with indirect exposure to coal and oil sands. The report argues that “For a Canadian investor to divest entirely from all fossil fuel investments would entail a loss of portfolio diversification and possible over-concentration in other sectors in the Canadian equity asset class, which would affect the risk/return profile of the total portfolio.”

The University’s news release maintains the CAMSR report “[supports] the continued evolution of the University’s investment portfolio towards a more sustainable and less carbon-intensive investment,” but does not mention divestment – partially or in full – from companies outlined in Senate’s resolution.

Despite other schools in the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, such as Concordia and the University of British Columbia, having already announced partial or full divestment, CAMSR recommends the BoD implement what they deem “Institutional Leadership”, and take on a leadership role in the policies and practices regarding socially responsible investing. How exactly they plan to do so, however, is unclear.

Student groups on campus – including Divest McGill, C-JAM, and Greenpeace McGill – have been advocating for divestment, both through demonstrations and by circulating a petition signed by students, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors, that pledges no donations until divestment happens. SSMU also passed a motion earlier this semester, establishing a policy that will not consider “Referendum questions for new Ancillary Fees, increases to existing Ancillary Fees, or any other new fees or increases to existing fees that McGill University wishes the Society to send to Referendum for approval,” until McGill chooses to divest.

At its meeting on December 5, the BoG will have the opportunity to approve or reject the recommendations. If they are approved, CAMSR will develop specific guidelines to be presented to the BoD by April 2020, including timelines and targets for decarbonising McGill’s investment framework.

Since the report’s release, students, climate activists, and SSMU senators have spoken out against the recommendations on Twitter and Facebook stating that “this is not divestment” as well as accusing the McGill administration of greenwashing.

Following the report’s release, Divest McGill issued a press release condemning CAMSR’s decision as “irresponsible,” and refusing to accept the University’s greenwashing. In the release, Divest mentioned the role that universities such as McGill play in influencing public policy. “Unlike divestment, today’s announcement fails to send a signal to policy makers that they should no longer support that industry through subsidies and loose regulations.”

Citing CAMSR’s “unreliable” procedures – the committee itself wrote that “methodologies for measuring carbon intensity are still relatively new and imperfect” and that the metrics used in their evaluation were “not precise” – as well as the conflicts of interest within the committee’s makeup (Cynthia Price Verreault, the chair of CAMSR, was a Petro Canada employee for 18 years), Divest maintains that they will continue their action against McGill’s investment decisions. Dissatisfied with what they deem a “weak proposal”, one member of Divest, Talia Martz-Oberlander, characterized the report as a “smoke screen for McGill’s ongoing complicity with the fossil fuel industry.”

This is a developing story. The McGill Daily will provide updates as information is released.

The post CAMSR Recommends Decarbonization, Not Divestment appeared first on The McGill Daily.

The presentation informed AUS councillors about the ongoing unionization drive (which is open to graders, markers, tutors, note-takers, and “any non-unionized academic casual job on campus”) and to ask AUS for their support. Per AGSEM’s presentation, notetakers at McGill have seen their compensation per semester decrease from $425 in Winter 2017 to $0 in Fall 2019, and non-unionized teaching support staff at McGill receive substantially lower wages than their unionized counterparts.

A large portion of the meeting was also spent discussing the results of the AUS Accountability Survey. The survey closed on November 9, and the AUS Secretary General noted that turnout was low – only around 22 people had taken it out of the approximately 200 people eligible (Arts departmental executives and members of Council).

In particular, specific concerns were raised about Arts Representative Shreya Dandamudi, who addressed those comments (“Doesn’t write reports, not taking initiative to do her own projects, tends to leave early for no reason”) by stating that they were factually inaccurate, and by sharing the projects she has worked on this semester. With regards to the comment made about Dandamudi that she “does not care about students or represent them well,” she responded by saying, “I’d ask you to be constructive in your feedback” and to “check your biases.”

Concerns were also raised in the survey about VP Finance Stefan Suvajac, including comments such as “not showing up for office hours, unprofessional and generally unknowledgeable about different departmental associations.” In response, Suvajac stated that he was sorry about missing some office hours in October and that he couldn’t “speak to concerns about knowledgeability,” but that he responds to most emails within 48 hours. Lastly, the survey raised concerns about VP Services Haidee Pangilinan. In response, she stated that while she had been out of the province due to a family emergency, she had put an automatic response on her email informing incoming messages of her absence, and that she had asked other executives to check her email.

Only at 8:45 p.m., with just 15 minutes left of Council, did councillors have the opportunity to enter moderated debate on the reason that many gallery members attended the meeting in the first place – the participation of a number of AUS councillors in an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel, news of which had been published in The McGill Daily that same day.

The trip, slated to take place over winter break, is paid for by Hillel Montreal. More than 40 other trips sponsored by Hillel chapters across North America have been funded by Maccabee Task Force (MFT), an anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) organization that states on their website that “students are more likely to work against BDS activities, protests and resolutions on campus” after returning from these free trips. As the Daily article, co-authored by Students in Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and Independent Jewish Voices, notes, MTF expanded to Canada last year, the same year that Hillel Montreal began offering these trips to student leaders at McGill, making it “reasonable to suspect that MTF is providing much, if not all, of the funding for Hillel Montreal’s initiative.”

The generative discussion began with statements by the three (known) AUS councillors who plan on attending the trip – VP Finance Stefan Suvajac, Representative Adin Chan, and Representative Andrew Chase, who emphasized the “personal nature” of the trip. A full list of questions from concerned AUS councillors was then projected on the screen. Religious Studies Undergraduate Society (RSUS) Representative Mo Rajji read aloud the questions, the first being “Are you aware of the organization funding this trip, being the Maccabee Task Force, and their explicitly anti-BDS goals in promoting trips to visit to Israel, and do you think that this presents a problem?” As there were only nine minutes left in Council, the entire list of questions was uploaded to the Facebook group for further discussion.

“I understand that many of you consider this to be personal […] but a lot of us here don’t see this as being entirely personal, and it should’ve been in your reports, we believe, regardless of how you view this,” Rajji stated. In addition, the RSUS representative added that “I know for a fact that there are other students in this room who were offered this trip.”

The placement of this discussion at the end of the meeting was decided before the meeting began by AUS Council Speaker Marie Fester and the AUS Executives – including VP Finance Suvajac, Representative Chan, and Representative Chase, who plan to attend the trip and who other councillors had concerns about that were not addressed (due to the lack of time at the end of the meeting). In an email to the Daily, Fester stated that “next meeting, [she] plan[s] on putting the discussion time earlier in the meeting, before reports and maybe before motions.”

Ghida Mawlawi contributed reporting in this article.

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