*names changed to preserve anonymity

“For every genuinely good idea that a man in student government goes public with, there were 9 more terrible ideas he boldly threw into a room and would have acted upon had someone who wasn’t a man not painstakingly explained to him why they were terrible. For every project I completed that was specific to my portfolio, there were 9 more fires I felt obligated to help put out that impeded upon my ability to do my own work.”

Though former VP University Affairs Madeline Wilson could have spent her year on the Executive team attempting to reform and rewire the social culture of SSMU through conscious efforts, she tells the Daily she knows better: “a man can take the whole thing down with his hubris in a week.” Suspended in 2020 for using “profanity” during a Legislative Council meeting, Wilson is intimately familiar with the double standards present in student governance.

Not merely a leadership organization, but a workplace with dozens of employees, SSMU and other student governance organizations are rife with opportunity for discrimination.

“Student government, unfortunately, attracts a certain type of student,” says former SSMU President Bryan Buraga, “one that is more interested in cosplaying as their favourite politician and padding their resume than actively working for the benefit of their constituents and to dismantle the systems of oppression inherent in our university and student unions.”

“The issue with SSMU is that these feelings translate to a culture of gossip and toxicity. Word spreads quickly, and you’re either “in” or you’re “out”. This creates a culture of distrust and alienation.”

Add mixed feelings, distrust and gossip to long (underpaid) hours with the same group of people and the resulting work environment is familiar, informal, and blurs the lines between work and personal relationships.

Feeding this social environment, students say, is an unfettered culture of misogyny. Speaking to the Daily anonymously, students involved with campus governance organizations shared their experiences with gender-based discrimination by their male peers, as well as the lasting effects of their environment.

Rumours about this kind of culture come more in the form of a warning; “SSMU is a male-dominated space,” one student was cautioned at a SSMU retreat.

Sources tell the Daily they are left feeling without recourse for what they’ve experienced, and that discriminatory and abusive behaviour is excused, rather than acted on, by SSMU.

What’s worse, current SSMU employees report that they were promised a ‘safe space’ by their President; so far, they say, they’ve received the opposite.

The majority of these experiences are confidential, and can’t be shared publicly without risk to the individuals they are attached to – a feature of the many barriers that keeps workplace discrimination behind closed doors.

In the last year or so, experiences reported to the Daily about men employed by SSMU range from insensitive comments to alleged harassment. Sources believe these patterns of discriminatory and harmful behaviour are indicative of deeper issues within the current executive team.

Sources shared concerns that some male executives attempt to manipulate procedure for their own gain and goals, even when doing this acts at a detriment to SSMU’s operations.

In a Legislative Council meeting taking place on October 8, 2020, one executive spoke against an increase of the SSMU Daycare fee. The fee increase, set only to fifty cents, would go towards the SSMU-run centre providing reduced-cost daycare to students and McGill Staff. The executive argued that “students who do not use the daycare should not have to pay for it.” However, according to several sources and councillors present at the debate, the fee renewal failing would likely cause the centre to close or reduce its lack of enrolment due to lack of funds – which was pointed out to the then Senator.

Linking this and similar behaviour across the year’s meetings to their interpersonal experiences, sources within SSMU told the Daily that the executive’s “indifference towards a service that is often seen as benefiting – if not solely – women and caregivers is indicative of his attitude towards female peers and subordinates.”

Later, in an AUS meeting on March 9, 2021, the same executive attempted to stall a motion concerning the adoption of a committee for the AUS’ Involvement Restriction Policy (IRP) to be established – motioning for it to be tabled indefinitely, citing concerns about “abuse of power.” The IRP policy allows survivors of sexual violence to safely and confidentially disclose the identity of their abuser, so that they will be banned from future campus drinking events; the motion was only appointing members to the committee, not to any body that would have authority over cases.

Even after being told his concerns were not necessary, the then Senator proceeded with the motion, arguing that lawyers should look over it first – a delay of weeks, if not months. Despite several councillors advising against this – as a recently disclosed IRP case would also be pushed indefinitely as consequence – the Senator ignored their contributions. An indefinite ‘investigation’ into the “potential harm” of an abuse of power – especially as an association with a robust conflict of interest policy – is dangerous to weigh against the “actual harm, that is the delay this process would have on the [survivor];” a fact that, again, was explained to the then Senator.

Issues like this aren’t isolated to any one portfolio; the Executive team leads several committees and oversees dozens of staff each, a difficult environment is near impossible to avoid. With the exception of the Board of Directors, all paid employees at SSMU are subordinates of the Executive team regardless of their portfolio, creating a strict hierarchy.

Multiple co-workers of one executive told the Daily his poor treatment of women and marginalized genders goes beyond difficult meetings, as he is known to micromanage and allegedly harass female colleagues and staff. Reporting feeling like they aren’t trusted to do their jobs, they note that this treatment is rarely extended to other men on staff. 

“The rules [in SSMU] don’t apply to men, they never have,” one SSMU employee says; others agree, male executives almost never face consequences. Though suspensions are confidential, they can surface when details are leaked, usually as a result of a breach of confidentiality; campus outlets have reported on two suspensions in the last five years, and sources within SSMU disclosed another two – but none of the suspended individuals were men.

Unfortunately, these experiences are not new, and in fact are part of a long lineage of overworked women fulfilling executive roles without respect or recognition. Double standards exist not just on the side of consequences, but on division of labour. 

Expected to take on traditionally gendered roles like administrative tasks, Laura* shared she would  “often see my male coworkers ‘volunteer’ my female colleagues for certain types of labour, like communications, with little thought as to the amount of work a task necessitates or what other projects someone might have going on.”

The suspension of Madeline Wilson (VP UA) in 2020 raised several concerns about double standards of professionalism within student government. Recalling the incident, former SSMU President Bryan Buraga tells the Daily that “this pattern of tone-policing is not new, and past student politicians of marginalized genders have spoken out about this in the past.”

Female employees also report feeling higher expectations, or a greater pressure to prove themselves. Wilson says the emotional labour she undertook while on SSMU manifested in many ways, but one of the “most prominent and tiring aspects” that she felt was tied directly to her gender identity was the “expectation that [she] existed as a filter for men’s ideas.” 

“Men who should have done their own god damn research and ideas they felt they had to have to retroactively justify holding their position of power in the first place.”

“When men make mistakes, they’re given the benefit of the doubt,”  Laura* says. “People seek to excuse their behaviour, even when it’s a serious incident or something that a woman has been suspended over. When women make mistakes, people jump to discipline them with little thought as to how it will affect the individual, SSMU, and its ongoing work. Men make the same mistakes that people of other genders make at SSMU, but no men have been suspended in recent history.”

As women, Madison* tells the Daily, there’s also a “heightened expectation to be emotionally invested in your work. This year, myself and a few of my peers have been very emotional in meetings following clear sexism from male colleagues. We have to set boundaries and be outspoken. We have to call out our male colleagues on their sexist behaviour, which in itself is emotionally draining and not easy to do. At the end of the day, this is an unpaid extra-curricular activity – it should not require the emotional investment and hardship that it does. For an organization which prides itself on equity and being survivor centric, it sure does treat its main workbase like garbage.” 

This emotional labor, Madison* says, is “not recognized whatsoever” by men at SSMU.

Several students came forward with experiences of being spoken over or interrupted during meetings – even having male colleagues claim their ideas as their own. Because of the prevalence of this behaviour, they say they’ve often avoided participating in meetings, knowing speaking up means being shut down or gaslit by male peers. Instead of admitting mistakes or conceding to corrections, they say male executives discredit and contradict the contributions of their colleagues, often women.

“I joined SSMU to lead and to work, I didn’t want to get a reputation. So I kept quiet.”

Madison*

The effects of this kind of behaviour reach beyond council meeting rooms, as the treatment they experience takes an emotional toll, weighing heavily on students’ mental health. “It’s frustrating,” one student tells the Daily, that her male co-workers act like the rules don’t apply to them, but will “aggressively enforce them on others.” According to sources, an executive has caused female peers to break down in tears during meetings multiple times, and has become hostile when confronted in the past.

“I feel like I have to be perfect and keep my head down, but men can do whatever they want and get away with it. My friends have lost income, time and opportunities and [men] just get a slap on the wrist.”

Often these consequences – namely suspension, like Wilson’s – result in loss of pay, and sources say, are detrimental setbacks to SSMU’s work. The effects of hostile work culture are also barriers to the organization’s efficacy, as sources report withdrawing from meetings, debates and activities that would be led by their male colleagues. Given the amount of committees and activities that fall under various executive’s portfolios, avoiding confrontations is near impossible.

One SSMU employee, Laura*, said she’s been unable to ignore the long-term effects of this behaviour after working with one executive for over a year. “I won’t speak up in classes with men now because I’m afraid of being harassed and treated the same way [this executive] treats me,” she shared with the Daily. “I used to think of myself as an intelligent, driven, and valuable person that had a lot to offer, and now I can’t even speak in class without shaking.”

The other students echoed this, reporting their need to start or increase anti-anxiety medication to try to deal with the constant stress.

However, the resources in place to deal with exactly these kinds of issues presents a dead end for employees looking for support.

One of the biggest barriers in the efficacy of SSMU’s Human Resources seems to lie in SSMU’s system of overlapping hierarchies. The Executive team supervises and has authority over HR, making safe disclosures difficult; disclosing to HR raises issues with privacy, safety, and job security, defeating the department’s very purpose.

Laura* tells the Daily that “this places Human Resources in situations where they would be asked to reprimand their supervisors, which can be an uncomfortable dynamic. I disclosed experiences that I had faced to Human Resources, but I did not feel respected or listened to.”

“Many of the mechanisms in place, such as equity committees, are run by students as well,” Madison echoes. “This is problematic because you are essentially disclosing very personal events and emotions to a student who also goes to McGill, and probably knows all the people involved. It’s not really a safe space to speak freely and get justice.”

In her own experience with Human Resources, Laura* says she was talked out of filing a formal complaint; told that it’s “too difficult to see the short-term effects of long-standing patterns of behaviour,” and there was nothing more to be done. “I was treated in a way that was not trauma-informed, and it was very upsetting to me. A lack of confidentiality and professional behaviour means that people often don’t disclose to HR;  I’ve had multiple people say to me, ‘I told them what happened but I know they won’t do anything.’”

According to the Daily’s sources, the executive in question has been made aware of how his actions hurt others. Despite this he continues to claim that the staff who have come forward are lying and that he is the one being unfairly targeted, raising another barrier to the possibility of disclosure.

By the time of publication, at least four students involved with SSMU have confirmed speaking to SSMU Human Resources about a single executive’s behaviour. None of the disclosures were followed up on properly, nor does it seem any action was taken.

It’s not only HR that effectively looks the other way: students say that despite receiving private messages from other male peers condemning their treatment, actual confrontations or gestures of support are rare. 

When another student, Jasmine*, did receive advice from male colleagues, they suggested she wait to address it until he “snaps” or “gets physical.” 

Students have tried to speak up themselves – but constantly calling out your peers is difficult and emotionally taxing. Madison* tells the Daily that, “Even when male colleagues see behaviour and agree that it’s bad, most won’t speak up until a woman speaks up first.”

“As in any situation, the burden of coming forward about a harmful experience or advocating for oneself often falls on those who are experiencing it themselves.”

“It’s emotionally draining and socially ostracizing to call out all the bad behaviour I see,” Laura* says, “and it’s not my job to educate my male peers about why their behaviour isn’t acceptable. I know I belong in my role and that I’m good at what I do, but I should be using my energy to focus on my job rather than on protecting myself from the very team members who are supposed to be supporting me.”

Further, much of the misogynistic behaviour and gender based discrimination within SSMU manifests in ways that aren’t blatant or explicit, making it more difficult to recognize and address. SSMU, faculty societies, and other student governance organizations seem to benefit from the relative privacy and anonymity that low voter turnout and confidentiality affords; the majority of the student body doesn’t have access to how executives act behind closed doors. Discriminatory treatment of women and marginalized genders in the workplace is often interpersonal – meaning it’s more likely to be dismissed, and is difficult to see on an election platform.

“In many cases,” Laura shares, “it’s not one glaring incident that you can label as blatant sexism. It’s a million different incidents where I’m not given the same basic respect or benefit of the doubt as my male peers.”

The majority of these experiences happen in confidential sessions that the rest of the student body will never see, or buried in minutes only a handful of people read. Without institutionally approved evidence, what can’t be found on paper may as well not exist. Information that is pertinent to McGill students, that raises questions about SSMU’s safety and efficacy, is privileged in a way that only serves to support the behaviour it engenders. Though leaks are essentially the only way information deemed confidential gets out of SSMU, the cost for executives is high: a breach of confidentiality is grounds for suspension without pay.

Not being able to share all of her experiences, Laura* says “it becomes incredibly taxing to try to explain all the behaviour that happens in private to others. It’s so invalidating when men I work with have this totally progressive attitude in public, but won’t treat me with basic respect when we’re out of the public eye.” 

Though several students shared stories of female peers staying behind in meetings to ensure no one would be alone with an executive known to be a problem, this kind of safekeeping shouldn’t be necessary. While there may be important solidarity and support shared between women, there’s a need for these issues to be more widely addressed. Networks of information sharing are crucial in safe-keeping practices across workplaces, educational institutions and communities, but they can only address the surface of issues that are perpetuated by a deeply rooted culture.

“It’s difficult to capture these micro-aggressions and to be taken seriously about them,” Madison* says, “when most of the people in power are either men, people who don’t care, or both.”

The students who spoke to the Daily say that the persistence of gender-based discrimination can be credited to a skewed culture within organizations like SSMU, and a lack of willingness to call out or reflect on behaviour.

“Men who behave this way are never reprimanded,” Laura* adds. “What happens at SSMU is a lot like what happens everywhere else – if men act like this with impunity, this behaviour cannot be expected to stop. People bend over backwards to excuse men’s behaviour but won’t make even the smallest effort to make sure women feel safe and comfortable.”

Madison* agrees, saying “there’s very much a ‘boy’s club’ culture and a culture of protection,” though she admits it’s not explicit. “I think that some men […] refuse to believe their friends could be misogynistic.”

The pervasiveness of sexist behaviour and discrimination is worrying, and calls into question SSMU’s authenticity as an organization that supports survivors. Whether or not they are seen as such, organizations like SSMU are workplaces that can be the site of significant power imbalance, as well as wielding effective power of its own; both have the ability to make mistakes with detrimental consequences.

Of course, SSMU and faculty associations are institutions like any other, and their prejudiced roots grow deep.

Calling it a “deeply self-reinforcing structure,” Wilson says student governance “attracts the kinds of people who will uphold the systems and norms that it was built upon, and slowly breaks down anyone who seeks to change or upend it.” 

“It also does not help that these systems foster a sense of discontinuity with the student body at-large,” Buraga says, “leading to the reinforcement (and perception) of our student governments as social clubs for a select few rather than as unions built on solidarity that works for the advancement of the interests of all students.”

As for current SSMU employees, sources say the current environment isn’t sustainable – Laura* says she “can’t keep this up all year.”

Madison* shares Laura’s* weariness, saying that “if the learning process doesn’t begin soon, women will have no other option but to resign.” 

The Daily has reached out to a member of the executive team implicated by accusations of gender-based discrimination for comment, but has not yet received a response.

If you have information about this story and would like to share a tip, please reach out to investigations@mcgilldaily.com or news@mcgilldaily.com

If you or someone you know if experiencing gender-based discrimination or violence, you can reach out to the following resources for help:

SACOMSS provides resources and support, as well as drop-in and phone services. They can be reached at (514) 398-8500.

The post Sexism and Silence in SSMU appeared first on The McGill Daily.

Since the beginning of COVID-19’s spread in Montreal, undergraduate students in the Ingram School of Nursing (ISN) have been facing a far different educational experience than they originally anticipated. Unlike most other faculties at McGill, the ISN did not extend the winter reading break – classes continued online, and in-person clinical placements began again in the summer. Since then, Nursing students say their Fall semester has been marked by uncertainty, poor communication, and a discouraging lack of support.

“Nursing never actually stopped classes,” Jamie*, a U3 Nursing student, tells the Daily. “We knew even less about COVID back then and we never got a break.”

Jamie, along with several other nursing students who spoke to the Daily, identified major issues with how the semester unfolded. Despite the fact that they are barely halfway through an education that they are paying the university for, McGill is treating nursing students as paid professional healthcare workers – minus the security of a union.

“We’re still students; we’re adults, but we’re undergraduate students.” – Jamie, U3

“Begging” for information

In August of 2020, when most other McGill students were preparing for their first full semester online, ISN students were “begging to be [told] if clinicals were going to happen in person or if there would be any required presence on campus.” Mass emails sent by McGill administrators contained little to no information specific to the ISN program, leaving nursing students without answers, several told the Daily. Eventually, lower-year Nursing students had their schedules grouped into four “blocks,” allowing for smaller clinical cohorts in compliance with COVID regulations at teaching hospitals.

Students described this randomly ordered block structure as jarring and stressful. Rather than having 4 classes a week throughout the semester, students had to complete one class at a time during each block, separating theory and skill-based classes from hands-on, in-person requirements. Students were made to complete three blocks online, and in the remaining block were assigned to units in hospitals where they would complete their clinical hours 5 days a week. The Daily’s sources explained that this schedule required Nursing students to both finish their courses in a shorter period of time than usual and spend much more time in the hospital consecutively than ever before. The semester’s structure left students feeling unprepared for accelerated clinicals and overwhelmed with their coursework – factors that are all exacerbated by the stress of the pandemic.

“[Most of] the emails over the summer […] didn’t really apply to us because we are in a very different situation,” Maya* (U2) tells the Daily. “But then the emails sent by [the ISN] were equally vague. They sent us the email that we were going to be in person, what, two or three weeks before school? It was pretty short notice. It all felt very rushed and not totally coherent, just very vague.”

These unclear, last-minute emails made it difficult for students living outside of Montreal to find a place to live and plan for their return in advance. Laura* (U2), was one such student; before she was told that her clinicals would start in November, she had already signed a lease and booked a plane ticket back for earlier in the fall. “It was very uncertain – things were kind of last minute and I feel like it’s a bit unfair, especially for people who are not from Quebec,” Laura tells the Daily.

Structural changes reveal difficulties

Nursing students also reported frustration with the structure of the semester itself. “It seems like the main point of our degree has kind of been taken away,” Maya tells the Daily. “All of our classes are really very interaction-based, like we do a lot of group work or working in teams. Last year we were always […] talking to lots of different people we don’t necessarily know, and getting to work with them was probably what I liked best. Clearly that’s mostly been taken away, which is not the fault of the administration. It’s no one’s fault, it’s how it has to be. But [it’s] just such a big drastic change in how so many of our classes look, and I think that’s been the most difficult thing for me.”

“I do worry that I’m going to graduate with skills that are not comparable to others,” Jamie says, expressing concern that she will not be able to retain what she’s learned this semester. Talia* (U2) echoed this sentiment. “Learning the material myself has been really challenging, and I feel like I’m just doing the lectures to have them done. I’m really worried about when the information comes up again later in the degree or in my career that I’m going to be like, ‘Oh, wait, that was from the pandemic era. I don’t remember it.’”

No support, no relief

Several students who spoke with the Daily say that their experiences in the program led them to seek support which they ultimately did not receive.

Speaking to the Daily just before her final block, which happened to be her clinical placement, Laura expressed a great deal of anxiety about her exams. They had been pushed back only a few weeks to compensate for classes she missed due to medical leave taken when she contracted COVID-19. Her exams were rescheduled during the first week of her clinical rotation, with no options for further extensions. Other students echoed this struggle with inflexibility and an overall lack of understanding of their needs for accommodation.

“The consensus, I agree, has been like ‘this is a hard year and we’re here for you.’ But aside from, solving the pandemic, I don’t really know how much can be done.” – Talia, U2

Around halfway through Fall semester, Laura contracted COVID-19 while she was doing online courses from her apartment. Both of her roommates, also Nursing students, were in different blocks, meaning that one was attending clinical rotations while Laura studied at home. When her roommate contracted the virus from her time in the hospital, Laura got sick as well. Getting COVID in a small student apartment, Laura explains, was a “whole lot of trouble.” Only one of the three roommates tested negative, which meant that Laura and her roommate had to try to isolate themselves from common spaces.

On top of the complications that come with contracting COVID, Laura says McGill’s lack of support made her recovery much more difficult. According to Laura, she was instructed by her lab coordinator to check McGill’s administrative website to see what she should do or where she could access help, but it “didn’t specifically tell [her] anything.” Though she looked for COVID-specific support or relief for students, Laura says McGill offered none – leaving her to figure out food, medical care, mental health support and her academics on her own. “I couldn’t go get groceries for myself […] I was just so overwhelmed,” she told the Daily. “I didn’t know what to do until my friend who also got [COVID-19] told me to report [my positive COVID result] on Minerva.”

Though Laura has recovered and is feeling better, she says she wishes McGill offered more specific support for students who contract the virus – she described the designated university website as unhelpful and difficult to navigate. Throughout her illness, Laura says the University reached out only once – not to offer accommodations or support, but to get statistical information for contact tracing.

For Laura, contracting COVID-19 during her semester was an overwhelming experience that she says still stays with her. With her own clinical rotation coming up, Laura is worried about her condition. “I’m more sensitive to my symptoms now. When I get stressed my heart rate goes back up and I have difficulty breathing, and I’m like oh my gosh is it coming back again. Once you experience it, it’s really hard to get it out of your head.”

Burnout beyond the classroom

For Maya, concerns lay not with her safety from COVID-19, but with her stress levels during her clinical placement. “I found the [hospital] floor here was pretty calm, pretty safe, they have enough PPE for us and everything – [safety] wasn’t really an issue,” she explains. But she found that her anxiety during her clinical block was “ten times higher than it had been in the past” and became a significant barrier to her learning experience.

As U2 students adjusted to an accelerated clinical schedule, Maya’s experiences were not uncommon. Before the pandemic, the Daily’s sources report, clinicals would occur once a week alongside students’ other classes. Now, Maya and her peers are at the hospital 5 days a week – thrown into busy and hands-on shifts where they must “show what they know” for several weeks straight. “Going from [once a week] to five days a week for four weeks straight, especially after eight, nine months [of] not being in the hospital was kind of insane,” Maya says. “I felt very ill-prepared and I felt like I basically forgot everything from before, like I was kind of going in blind and basically with no knowledge.”

However, Maya’s anxiety and difficulties on shift were not met with support. Instead, she faced even more pressure from her supervisors. This came as a surprise to Maya, as she says the School seemed to be supportive at first. “They told us, ‘You guys can take a day off any day you want because we know this is going to be difficult.’” Midway through her rotation, as evaluations began, Maya’s concerns and her struggle to work through her anxiety were brushed off, and she was told it may jeopardize her progress in the program. “I got this sense in my evaluation that was like, ‘You should work on your mental health. Your knowledge is good when you have good days but when you have bad days, it’s awful.’ It felt like a completely different side of what they were saying before. They start out with, ‘We understand it’s going to be so hard,’ but then at the end they’re like, ‘Oh, it was hard for you. That sucks.’”

“I have never felt, especially this year, that the administration has actually truly considered the implications for mental health, for isolation” – Laura, U2

Talia echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the overwhelming stress that many Nursing students have been feeling. “I did notice there was a lot of burnout and I felt that I was plateauing in what I was able to learn.” As the semester went on, Talia says she was “just trying to get through each day and passively trying to get through the shifts.” “I think I would describe it as information overload.”

Both Maya and Talia agreed that the first two weeks of clinicals seemed to go well, but by the third week, Maya could “feel [herself] starting to shut down.” Allowed a few days off, Maya took a mental health break to cope. As her fourth week loomed closer, Maya says she realized that she couldn’t take another day off, and that there was “nothing [she] could do.” “My mental health was so bad by the end [of clinicals], that I was just completely burnt out.”

The need for flexible accommodation

In such a complicated semester, the Daily’s sources say that instead of offering support specific to their needs, the University encouraged a mentality of “just pushing through.” Laura, who did manage to speak to some administrators about her experience, expressed frustration with how difficult student advocacy is in the Nursing program. “It’s hard to continue [the advocacy] process when you’re going through stuff so quickly and you don’t have the time or the energy to stay back and advocate. There’s just no time.”

“I have never felt, especially this year, that the administration has actually truly considered the implications for mental health, for isolation,” Jamie agrees. “And I still think they’re asking students to do too much.”

“Since we’re the ones going into hospitals, working with these patients, […] there should be a lot more support,” Laura tells the Daily. A major part of this support, Nursing students say, includes being given more time off – the same amount of time given to other faculties, at the very least. In December, when the winter break was extended for most other faculties, McGill singled out Nursing students and other life science programs as exempt. “I feel like they say a lot about how they want to be there for their students,” Talia explains. “I’m not saying it’s empty words, but it’s been an exceptionally hard semester for everybody, and it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So I think people need to have the opportunity to take a break.

This was especially important for Jamie, a student in U3. Due to family illness, Jamie wanted to go home not just to have a break from the hectic semester, but also to spend crucial time with her loved ones. Jamie spoke to the administration, explaining her situation asking for extra time off – just enough to return home and self-isolate once back in Montreal. But the administration suggested that she get a medical professional to excuse her based on her mental health, which Jamie “repeatedly said is not [the issue].” “I shouldn’t have to prove that it’s beneficial for me or any student to go home over winter break. I shouldn’t have to prove that it’s detrimental for any student to be trapped in a city alone because of restrictions. I shouldn’t have to have a note to prove that.”

Jamie was not the only Nursing student with this issue: an email sent out to the ISN program on October 20, 2020, asked students to “seriously weigh the possible risks that may be involved in traveling,” implying that they were encouraged not to leave the city. The email also stated that “the [ISN] will not be able to accommodate students who were unable to meet the self-isolation requirements before the start of their Winter lab and/or clinical courses and this can result in significant delays in your course of study,” meaning that if students were to travel over the break (which did not include sufficient time for self-isolation), no accommodations would be made. Though the email cites red zone traveling guidelines as the reason for this restriction, there seems to be a tacit understanding that the health of Nursing students’ potential patients is more important than the students themselves.

Mounting expectations

Although they are not yet professional nurses, Jamie feels that students in the ISN program are being treated as such. “[Just because] students signed up for a professional degree does not mean that they should be treated like professional working adults. We’re still students; we’re adults, but we’re undergraduate students.”

Jamie, like other U3 Nursing students currently in externships were not afforded time off for the holidays at all. Jamie explains that many externships are placements in hospitals to supplement nursing staff, which is especially needed during the pandemic. “The only reason that [the externships] are happening is that it’s much cheaper to get the labor of a student than actually hiring nurses because you can basically have them do almost the same duties as a nurse, except for a lot cheaper.”

Over the holidays – a time when positive cases and hospitalizations skyrocketed in Quebec – McGill’s nursing externs have had their placements extended in order to allow Registered Nurses (RNs) in Montreal hospitals to take time off. Nursing students have been swept up in the wave of urgency to suppress the virus, leaving students like Jamie “very, very stressed out.” “They’re hiring students instead of RNs to work,” she tells the Daily, That’s a huge responsibility that I’m feeling now.”

“I have never once received a thank you or a spotlight from McGill nursing programs or the Faculty of Medicine saying thank you for doing this.” – Jamie, U3

Jamie says that she hasn’t really had a chance to catch her breath since before the pandemic. “It’s been challenging because I think most nursing students, at least in U3, did work in the hospitals over the summer. So it was isolation from your family, your friends, I didn’t have any contact with barely anyone for months.”

Going into the Winter semester, Talia adds, this mounting pressure will continue. “After winter break, we’re going to be in school straight until the end of June, because we have a double summer clinical. So we go straight from the Winter semester right into that.”

A dangerous lack of transparency

McGill’s lack of transparency and communication with Nursing students and the broader McGill community is concerning. Despite anecdotal evidence of at least two separate outbreaks amongst ISN students as a result of clinicals, McGill has maintained in several mass emails to the student body that the only cases of COVID-19 contracted “on campus” have been in residences. Though hospitals are not technically “on campus,” clinicals are mandatory components of Nursing students’ degrees that put them directly in harm’s way. 

In an email to the Daily, Dr. Anita Gagnon, Associate Dean and Director of the Ingram School of Nursing, stated that “no student testing positive for COVID-19 has ever, under any circumstances, been forced to attend their clinical internships or lab courses, nor have they been forced to attend their clinical internships in clinical settings with reported outbreaks of COVID-19, nor will they be.” Though students did not report being explicitly forced to attend clinicals, it is clear that mandatory completion of these assignments has directly resulted in several students contracting COVID-19. When asked why contact tracing data from the ISN is not being made public, Dr. Gagnon replied that “divulging students’ COVID-19 statuses would be a breach of confidentiality, and contact tracing is not in the purview of ISoN – it is managed by the University centrally and provincial bodies, on whose behalf we are not in a position to comment.”

Jamie adds that “There haven’t been any sort of emails, or any resources sent out for students that have had to pause [their classes] because [they got] COVID or don’t know the process [for self reporting]; not even a list of testing centers or anything like that,” a claim which lines up with Laura’s experiences. Town halls – a resource touted by McGill as an outlet for complaints – have been a dead end, despite student grievances. “At the last town hall, we asked for [biweekly communication] in September,” Jamie says. “Since then we have never, ever gotten any biweekly communication.”

In light of this exhausting semester, Nursing students say that, above all, McGill’s expectations are too high and students’ responsibilities are too great – especially when set against the lack of support and understanding from the University. “A lot of our professors have been saying, ‘Well, you know, you’re a Nursing student. You’ve signed up to be a nurse who is called to act in times of public health crises,’” Jamie says. “I think it’s very important for the administration to acknowledge that we are still students and we should not be left without support or resources like this.”

The post Nursing Students Are Being Treated As Healthcare Professionals, McGill ISN Students Say 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.

Last updated: Saturday, March 21, at 2:30 p.m.

In an email late Friday evening, McGill announced that all students in undergraduate and graduate programs can utilize the “Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory” (S/U) option for all of their classes. The deadline to use the option is May 22, at which time McGill states students’ grades will have been released.

Suspending the normal protocol, courses taken this term determined to be S/U can be used towards major and minor programs, and does not count towards the limit of S/U courses taken in their degree. As is typical for S/U, courses students use the option for this term will not count towards their GPA. In addition, the deadline to withdraw from courses is being extended to April 15, effective March 23.

McGill has also announced that all interest and late payment fines on outstanding students will be suspended until further notice. It is not clear at this time when these changes will appear on Minerva accounts.

Additionally, the University affirmed that the summer semester will go ahead remotely, and that the University continues to recruit incoming students for the fall, and is “confident [they] can deliver high-quality learning, whether remotely or in person.” As with the current semester, there will be no in-person examinations for summer courses.

As for the summer semester, McGill is suspending all international travel for academic activities, internships, student exchanges, international mobility programs, competitions or conferences. The University will also not be accepting any new international students for exchange or study abroad programs until further notice.

Addressing concerns regarding lack of availability of the McGill VPN due to heightened traffic, the University stated that IT Services are “working hard to resolve the issue and [to make] the VPN more stable.”

Earlier in the day, Principal Suzanne Fortier confirmed that spring convocation would be cancelled, but that she is working to make sure all students planning to graduate will be able to complete their degrees. Additionally, according to Fortier, the University is “exploring alternative ways” to commemorate this year’s graduates “at some point in the near future.”

In the coming week, the Student Wellness Hub is preparing to deliver limited remote services, though it is not clear at this time what services will be available. Per an email communication early Friday afternoon, the University states that they “hope to begin offering tele-health appointments” for students that have remained in Quebec and for whom other resources are not meeting their needs. To make an appointment, students can call 514-398-6017 beginning on Monday, March 23. General health questions not related to cold or flu symptoms can also be answered by a nurse via phone starting on Monday, March 23.

As McGill students mark the first week of campus closures and class cancellations, an open letter to the McGill administration began circulating Friday, addressing the University’s response to the spread of COVID-19. Penned by a “collective of staff and students”, the letter is organized into sections outlining grievances, questions, and requests for the administration; addressing aspects of the University’s method of communication; management of students in residences, students abroad, and international students; as well as academic and financial accommodations. The letter, which at the time of publication has more than 70 signatures, criticizes the administration for a “complete lack of direct student and staff involvement in the decision-making process,” and calls for the inclusion of more voices in “decisions that directly involve [them].”

On Friday, March 20, the CBC reported that a McGill student tested positive for and is recovering from a COVID-19 infection. Later that evening, McGill confirmed the report, and assured students that Health Authorities have already communicated with anyone who had contact with the student.

In Montreal, as governmental regulations stay in place, Centraide Montreal announced that it will be launching an emergency fund to help those in the City of Montreal, Laval, and the South Shore who are left vulnerable by closures and quarantine measures. The fund will support community agencies that provide services working towards breaking social isolation, as well as providing basic necessities by distributing and delivering food and prepared meals.

The Royal Victoria Hospital will provide housing and isolated care for the homeless population in Montreal who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are awaiting test results. The conversion will displace current residents of the Hospital, which has been serving as a temporary overflow shelter for two winters; Mayor Valerie Plante says the City will work with homeless advocacy organizations to find accommodation for those staying in the shelter.

As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, there are 1076 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Canada. There are reportedly 139 confirmed cases in Quebec, with 31 in Montreal.

The post COVID-19 at McGill – March 21 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.

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

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Succeeding in blocking Sherbrooke on both the East and West sides approximately 30 minutes after people began to gather, demonstrators stood linked in front of traffic, holding banners that read “Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en.” Soon after the street was blocked off, around 3:45 p.m., the SPVM arrived and posted several cars, vans, and tactical units at the intersecting streets. Police presence did not directly interfere with the demonstration, but several SPVM officers were seen speaking to student organizers.

“Stand up, speak out, pressure your MPs to stop this pipeline, and most importantly, trust us to lead. Center our voices. Listen to our elders. Listen to our people on the frontlines. Indigenous peoples know where we come from, we know that relationship. We know what it means, and we are not going anywhere.”

– Carlee Kawinehta Loft

The event began with a statement of thanks to the lands, waters, and aspects of the natural world led by land defenders and Indigenous Youth. Several Indigenous land defenders guided the group in call-and-response chants, including “How do you spell racist? RCMP” and “Land Back,” calling for Indigenous sovereignty. Addressing the gathered land defenders, students, and other allied demonstrators, SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek emphasized that this action should not be considered a blockade, instead describing it as a “cultural, community-centred expression of sovereignty and holding space.” He also expressed that Indigenous actions across the country can’t be reduced to “simple protest” or “demonized as criminal activity,” but are grounded in land-based practices, oral histories, laws, and kinship networks.

A group of drummers led the attendees in two round dances, and all Indigenous attendees were invited to share songs, chants, stories, and hold space. One community member, who self-identified as Dené and Inuvialuit, shared their throat-singing, explaining that “60 years ago, you would have been able to turn around and tell the cop to arrest me, because what I’m about to do was illegal.” They expressed that their performance was an act of protest – and a show of deep pride.

“As Indigenous Nations, we can’t separate our ideas of sovereignty or nationhood from a deep and intimate understanding of land and water protection. We have always been fighting to protect this land, and we always will.”

– Tomas Jirousek (SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner)

Towards the end of the event, the attendees were invited to join hands and participate in songs. The allied demonstrators who had previously been giving space to the Indigenous land defenders at the centre were also invited to close the gap in a show of community.

After approximately two hours, the demonstration formally ended and the group began to disperse just after 5:00 p.m., clearing the street and allowing traffic to resume.

“The land defenders at Unist’ot’en, and the Indigenous folks involved in occupation and blockades across Turtle Island, are not villains with personal vendettas. They aren’t armed. They aren’t dangerous. They’re peacefully taking the necessary steps to bring the Canadian government to the table. They’re shutting down Canada. They’re inconveniencing Canadians. They’re staying until Wet’suwet’en law is respected, until Indigenous sovereignty is recognized.”

– Carlee Kawinehta Loft

Solidarity events continued through the week, including a demonstration hosted by the Association facultaire étudiante des sciences humaines de l’UQÀM (AFESH-UQÀM). Ongoing blockades near Kahnawake have been blocking the CN and VIA rail lines, and a blockade on the South Shore of Montreal began on Wednesday, February 19. On Thursday, February 20, injunctions were issued and carried out by the Sûreté Québec. The next evening, demonstrators and land defenders abandoned the blockade due to pressure from police, eventually evacuating the encampment in Saint-Lambert around 10:00 p.m.

“Action like this needs to centre ourselves in culture and ceremony, as taught through the very land which now finds itself threatened. For our non-Indigenous allies: recognize the way in which your history has contributed to the inability of Indigenous land protectors in many circumstances to continue in protecting and safeguarding this territory. Don’t centre yourselves in this story, but use your own platform to amplify and support Indigenous voices. Also, know the other ways that you can and should be supporting Wet’suwet’en territory. You can find very explicit ways that the Wet’suwet’en are asking for support.”

– Tomas Jirousek

Additional Photos:

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Organizers with both IJV and SPHR also denounced the administration’s “attempts to stifle student activists” on campus. Speaking to the debate around the free trips, they criticized Labeau’s presentation of Jewish students as a “monolith” and his “conflation of anti-Zionism as antisemitism,” highlighting Labeau’s call for “ensuring respectful debate on campus.” Both spoke to the common ground that Palestinians and Canadian Indigenous peoples share in their “vibrant fights against settler-colonialism,” emphasizing the need for solidarity and the prevention of “willful ignorance” on campus.

After directing their words towards the James Administration building, members of SPHR and IJV presented Weiss with a keffiyeh from Palestine. Followed by both groups and attendants of the demonstration, Weiss entered the lobby to present Labeau with a physical copy of her letter. While the group waited, chants of “Solidarité avec la Palestine” continued. Eventually, Labeau’s secretary agreed to see Weiss, but only if the rest of the gathered students left the building and waited outside. Initially, security refused to let anyone besides Weiss remain in the building, and IJV and SPHR had to request multiple times that one person stay to assist her, as she is hard of hearing. Though Weiss was originally told she would be able to meet with Labeau in his office, she instead was met by his secretary and communications coordinator, and was not allowed past the lobby.

Weiss was successful in delivering the letter, and although she did not get to hand it to Labeau personally, she affirmed that she made her feelings clear to the administration. She exited the building back into the Community Square to cheers from the demonstrators. As the group dispersed, Weiss thanked the gathered students for attending, commending their efforts to fight for the rights of Palestinians and Indigenous peoples of Canada. 

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The GA was held in Leacock 132 and was slated to begin at 4:30 on Friday evening. However, the following 30 minutes were spent with students filing in and out of the lecture hall, as the AUS counted attendees to try to meet quorum. Official attendance count was recorded at 90 students – about one per cent of the Arts undergraduate student population. The meeting failed to meet quorum, which was set at 500, accounting for approximately six per cent of total enrolled Arts undergraduate students. Failing to meet quorum meant that the AUS was unable to pass either a binding or nonbinding motion to be passed online, and at 5:01 p.m., the GA was called to a close.

Speaking to the Daily after the meeting dissolved, Gwiazda-Amsel expressed his disappointment with the lack of mobilization beforehand, but also his satisfaction at the “impressive turnout” despite sudden notice and the fact that “only four [SSMU executives did] classroom announcements.” He cited “getting 90 people out to hear about the opportunities that are going on and encouraging them to start conversations” as a “great beginning,” also emphasizing that “this is not the end” of student mobilization against Law 21.

Looking ahead to the next week, Gwiazda-Amsel stressed the importance of supporting Education students and those affected by Law 21, despite a strike not being officially endorsed by AUS.

“I look forward to working with the executives who are interested in serving their student body on the issues that are important to them. I think it’s very easy to say that, well, if people aren’t mobilizing themselves or if they’re not coming to us during office hours and telling us what they want us to work on, then it’s not really our problem,” he explained. “It’s very easy to disengage in that way. It takes real courage to go consult students, make classroom announcements, ask what students want you to work on, and then mobilize yourself so you’re not shifting labour onto other people and to everyone who did that, I say ‘congratulations.’”

The Education Undergraduate Society (EdUS) had its own struggles ahead of the strike, as their initial GA on January 10 failed to meet quorum. However, the strike was later ratified online, with the vote taking place on January 14 and 15, exceeding quorum and obtaining 24.4 per cent of votes from the student body, with 94.6 per cent voting in favour. According to GwiazdaAmsel, it had the largest turnout of any EdUS vote, including this year’s elections.

A soft picket line was held by the EdUS outside the Education Building on McTavish Street on Monday, January 20, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Gwiazda-Amsel, who picketed in solidarity with Education students, tells the Daily that “people were generally receptive” during the action. “Some people were frustrated, and people always are. Generally I feel like people on campus support the action against Law 21 and want to further that conversation.”

Elaborating on the strike, the VP External stated, “[we’re] reclaiming the space from the Quebec government, and saying we’re not going to become teachers or file into the ranks when certain members of the faculty are systematically not able or allowed to do this.” Student action against Law 21 will continue to be organized outside of official strikes: student group McGill contre la loi 21 is holding its next meeting on Tuesday, January 28 at 12 p.m. at QPIRG-McGill offices and a follow up demonstration is being organized on March 21, coinciding with the International Day Against Racial Discrimination.

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The recommendation is as follows: “On the basis of the December 4th Complaint, the Accountability Committee recommends to the [SSMU BoD] that the Vice-President (University Affairs), Madeline Wilson, be suspended in her capacity as an Officer for a period of five (5) working days without pay, to take effect at 9:00 a.m. on 27 January 2020 and end at 5:00 p.m. on 31 January 2020.”

Instigated by Wilson’s “use of profanity” in a Facebook post addressing McGill’s decision against divestment – made to the University Affairs page on December 4, 2019 – the recommendation was written following a complaint made by a Councillor of SSMU Legislative Council on the same day to the Accountability Committee. The post in question included “profanity” in the text of the post following a content warning, calling on the McGill administration to “step the fuck up.”

As outlined by the recommendation, Wilson’s post on December 4, 2019 is a continuation of her challenges against the BoD ruling, which resulted from complaints following a Facebook post to the University Affairs page on October 31, 2019. Condemning anti-Indigenous racism in the McGill community, Wilson posted in solidarity with Indigenous Affairs Commissioner Tomas Jirousek, stating that racists “can go fuck themselves.”

The original mandate – approved in Legislative Council on November 28, 2019 – singles Wilson out by her position, and states that SSMU Executives are “[prohibited from] the use of profanity in Official SSMU Communications”. The motion, while obtaining a majority of votes, also faced substantial opposition. Former Social Work Councilor Jo Roy stated in the previous council on November 14, 2019 that the motion “amounted to tone policing.” Wilson defended her language, stating that she “[chooses] to use profanity” in communications “specifically with regards to issues or topics [she feels] quite strongly about and that [she feels] deserve strong language, such as explicit racism directed at individuals.” The final vote in Legislative Council had 19 councilors vote in favour, four against, and five abstentions.

According to the recommendation, Wilson has stated both in the Senate Caucus and in the December 2 BoD meeting that she would not comply with the BoD’s ruling on the mandate, which was also cited as the rationale for her suspension.

The recommendation will be received by the BoD and voted on in their meeting on Thursday, January 23, 2020.

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

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“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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Though the labour of sex work is physically, emotionally and practically exhaustive, sex workers are left out of conversations of burnout and self care. Several students who work in the industry spoke to the Daily about the personal labour and care work that goes into sex work, and the necessity for making space for self-preservation and reflection. Between “taking necessary sexual precautions,” regular STI testing, maintaining their appearance, and physical safety, respondents spoke to the labour that goes into the day-to-day of their work on top of balancing their school work.

“A lot of times, more privileged people paint the industry as glamorous. They might have been lucky enough to get nicer clients maybe, but I think also more privileged able bodied thin white cis women will be treated nicer because their bodies are more valued. But we don’t all get that experience. I think we all need support because we *are* workers (this is work!) but support is not the same thing as the pretense that some of the more privileged strains of liberal feminism work with; namely it attempts to combat the stigma we face by acting like those of us in this line of work don’t face abuse by people who think their money entitles them to do whatever they want to our bodies. “

– McGill graduate student who does sugar baby work

An undergraduate student at McGill who works as an escort spoke to the emotional and practical difficulties in their work: “virtually all my clients are awful to varying degrees; it requires a performance of femininity that runs contrary to my preferred gender presentation; the risk of violence is extremely high; the process of negotiating over how much my services are worth is profoundly demeaning; and the fact that I can’t talk about these things with many people in my life.”

Community based organizations, such as Stella and Maggie’s, provide supportive groups and spaces for sex workers, but many student sex workers still feel the strain of not being able to share the day-to-day pressures of their work, as most workers outside of the industry can.

As forms of digital sex work become more prevalent in the industry, advertising services and screening client bases online comes with a distinct set of challenges. Due to restrictive “community standards” and platform guidelines, sex workers often find their content removed, or their accounts suspended or silently “shadowbanned.” Recent legislation such as the FOSTA/SESTA bill passed in the United States provide legitimacy for these restrictions as they attempt to combat sex trafficking. However, bills such as these group definitions of sex trafficking in with consensual sex work, censoring and preventing sex workers from discussing and offering services, further complicating the labour of sex workers and implicating their work as illicit. In conjunction with subscription sites such as Patreon, credit card processing firms like Google Pay and PayPal flag and ban transactions involving “adult content,” making it difficult for sex workers to safely and easily recieve compensation for their services. As they are pushed off these platforms, not only are environments like these delegitimizing for sex workers and their labour, it also places significant barriers on workers maintaining their livelihoods and safety. In an interview with Vice, camgirl Melody Kush explained that platforms are “not discriminating our content, they’re discriminating our persons, our work, our jobs. They’re invalidating us.”

Stella, a Montreal organization for sex workers, keeps record of bad clients based on reports from sex workers. The list is updated monthly, because the labour of safety is ongoing. This labour is done by sex workers to protect themselves, but also to protect each other. Outside of Montreal, unofficial whisper networks serve the same purpose and are common within sex worker communities.

In addition to maintaining this list, Stella also provides medical and other services for sex workers. As in all industries, industry-specific resources and services are vital to sex workers. Unlike many other industries, the task of providing those resources is relegated to community organizations; both stigma and the law prevent sex workers from seeking those resources in more public spaces. Stella is run by current and former sex workers, as well as community workers, who do this extra labour because the precarity of sex work in the North American context demands it. In areas without centralized community organizations and support systems, much of this labour is left to individual sex workers themselves.

 

“There’s a very nuanced and tense debate among [sex workers] about how one should view the industry. Personally I’m very critical of [sex work] as a phenomenon – I think that under our current social conditions (that is, under a capitalist and patriarchal system) it’s pretty intrinsically harmful and fucked up. That said, we can also reduce harm to workers by decriminalizing [sex work], and that should be an immediate priority – I just don’t think it’s enough in the long term, ultimately we need to topple the aforementioned systems altogether.” 

– McGill undergraduate student who does escort work

Even in countries (such as Canada) where sex work is technically decriminalized, there are aspects of sex work that are still prosecuted. Canada operates on the “Nordic model,” i.e. criminalizing clients instead of sex workers themselves. In theory, this is supposed to make things easier for sex workers. In practice, they can still be criminalized for soliciting sex in a public place, using their homes as spaces in which to conduct their work, and living off of the profits obtained through sex work. In short, sex workers can’t be arrested for having sex, but they can be arrested for virtually every non-sexual part of their jobs. Many sex workers have reported that criminalization of their work has led to a reduced ability to negotiate safer sex with clients, as carrying condoms and lubricant can be used as evidence of sex work. Studies have also shown that disclosing one’s identity as a sex worker can have a negative impact on relationships with service providers, and could lead to police entrapment. One study showed that “even when physical access to cervical screening sites appears to be sufficient, social and structural barriers continue to impede regular, voluntary cervical screening among sex workers.”

While keeping oneself safe from prosecution is one type of labour that sex workers need to perform, they also need to consider their bodily safety. According to Maggie’s, a Toronto organization for sex workers, “many workers do choose to host at their own place or a hotel despite the legal risk because hosting offers other types of safety.” Maggie’s also suggests that people “work in well-lit, populated [areas] when possible. While this can discourage bad dates, it may lead to unwanted attention from police, neighbours, etc.” Having to decide between which type of safety is more important is an emotionally-draining type of labour that many don’t think of when considering sex work.

As a undergraduate student who does cam work told the Daily, “Some people talk about sex work as this dehumanizing thing, but in my experience with camming (which I know is very different from other kinds of sex work) it hasn’t been any more dehumanizing than working retail, for instance. Not to blame capitalism, but like, it’s because of capitalism. In my experience, neither customers nor employers see you as a human being. […] At least when you’re self-employed, like I am, you only have shitty customers to deal with.”

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.

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The McGill Daily (MD): How did all of this come to be?

Avery Burrow (AB): So, this project started in February of 2019. I was thinking I really wanted to start producing just chill, burlesque shows only with only queer casts. So I contacted NDQ, which is a bar in Little Italy. And I was like, hey, can you just like give me a Wednesday or Thursday night just to try out my show? So it started out as super small thing where we mostly only had new performers. We couldn’t guarantee a minimum because the minimum payment in burlesque is seventy-five dollars. And I was like, I can’t guarantee that we have enough audience to pay six people seventy-five dollars. So the first show we had the cut was around forty-five or something. But everybody loved it and they said they couldn’t wait for the next one.

So I worked out the date and was starting to get my promo ready and to think about what performers I was going to ask.Then my friend, the person who got me into burlesque, who I met last summer said “hey, so between you and I – we probably know enough queer burlesque performers to put on a whole burlesque night.” And I was like, “I already booked the date. Let’s collab.” And so that was really cool.

Then basically we put on the show four different times. The second time was with Art Matters festival, which is this huge undergraduate art festival. We submitted to them and then they paid our artists, we had big names which was nice. The fourth show, which was in August was the last show of that format. It was with Festivals Soir – which is a music festival they have in different neighbourhoods in the city – and they asked us to put on a show with them. Eventually, the show got too big for NDQ. We went from being like “Oh but will we be able to pay people to being like ah, this space is too small.” NDQ said we had way too big of an audience, it’s a fire hazard you have to go find somewhere else. And I was like I respect that. So now we’re on the hunt for a new location. Our next queerlesque show will be in December. We’re having in it Cabaret Berlin which is a new bar that opened in the Village.

So that’s kind of how our Queerlesque nights started. Then in the summer, I received a message from Rosie Bourgeoisie who’s this really incredible non-binary burlesque performer, and is also an internationally recognized plus-size model, and also a huge inspiration to me as a queer person doing burlesque. Then they were like, “Hey, so I’ve heard you’ve been doing this thing and I really want to invite you and your co-producer to come in and be in my show that I’m doing at Pride,” – which is also only burlesque by queer people.

So we did that and then we made friends with this person and they were like before the show at Pride I really, really want you to come over because I want to talk to you about collaborating with your company. And so fast forward to now. We’re putting on this huge party at the Drugstore, which is a club that closed down in 2014. It was like the only lesbian club in Montreal which now its been re-bought and they’re putting on events again. So the party is two floors. We have five different deejays, six really big queer performers, and we have twelve go-go dancers. And then the project that I do on my own Blush. Which is a lesbian dance party, and it doesn’t claim to be anything else. We have go-go dancers and we have projection art, but that’s it. I’m not putting on a sort of show. You’re here to dance because we (we as in lesbians) don’t have anything like that.

MD: What are you trying to achieve with the project? 

(AB): I’ve been doing burlesque for a little while and I felt the scene didn’t have any good spaces. It’s like if you’re a person with a different kind of body, than normal burlesque whether that means you’re bigger, you have more body hair, that you are more masculine-presenting in your femininity. There’s only space for one of those people per a “normal” burlesque show. You’re a number. Even people of colour are considered a “number” in burlesque in the normal scene. Which I was not okay with.

And as for the dance parties, I mean it’s not to say that the lesbian scene doesn’t exist in Montreal. And when I say lesbian, I mean lesbian with a star at the end, like a woman-oriented queer space. Because there are “5-7”’s or happy hour lesbian events. But there’s definitely a big need for those spaces, there isn’t a place where you can go in know there’ll be gay women here always. The scene of performance spaces and nightlife that are open to all gender expressions and sexual orientations are super cool and amazing. That’s why I started this – I was so inspired by all those people.

MD: What is your personal connection to burlesque?

AB: I think it was through burlesque that I discovered myself as a queer person and became comfortable with my sexuality and my sensuality. I didn’t want to do drag. I didn’t want to be a drag king and I don’t really want to be a drag queen. And so I would say burlesque for me, is like drag, but it’s the drag of my sexuality versus the drag of my gender. I wanted to see a burlesque performer who expresses both femininity and masculinity onstage. And so I said, why don’t I do it?

MD: Burlesque can definitely be associated with a very particular representation of femininity. As a queer woman how do you see that in connection to your own gender expression? 

AB: That’s been the most amazing thing about putting on burlesque shows only with queer people because it really gives them a chance to make the burlesque that they want to make, not burlesque that they’re going to get booked for in main gigs. In my numbers usually I start in a suit or a mechanic costume, and then I end up in hyper-femme lingerie. That’s my schtick. It’s taking the butch and the femme, blurring those lines. I definitely found that hard. I don’t want to talk too much for my co-producer –their burlesque name is La Gourmande – but they said they found it really difficult going to burlesque classes and having to always be around like “I’m here to explore my femininity or I’m here to explore my feminine side, blah, blah, blah”. And then being like, “yeah, no, I have other things I want to explore and this is not that”. And I definitely feel that, too. But, you know, whenever we’re backstage putting on our makeup together, we’re like “haha, getting into drag”.

Although some queer women are femme – and hyper-femme even – the mentality of expressing your femininity or the image of femininity that burlesque is, is not necessarily a hundred per cent harmful. With femme women, their sexuality is not seen in the same way because they can pass as straight. Walking through the queer world like that comes with its disadvantages, whereas walking through the straight world comes with its privileges for sure. I think that being able to experience that is a positive thing, but I just think that the rhetoric around that being the ideal is what needs to change. And also, being told that I’m not going to get booked unless I shave my legs, like, it’s 2019, sir.

MD: You were kind of touching on that earlier, especially about beauty standards and barriers in burlesque. Do you want to speak to that? How you are trying to break that down?

AB: We book anybody. If we like your number and it’s not problematic, we don’t really care what you look like. In most burlesque spaces, you get to have one drag performer or one fat person in this lineup and it’s like, no, we’re going to have the people who fit the bill best for this. It doesn’t matter what they look like and that’s how it should be. But we have a really strong policy that we prioritize queer people of colour. We try to prioritize people with differently-abled bodies and people of different sizes. So if you’re not a thin, white person and you submit to our show, we would definitely pick you above somebody with the same level number. Our show started out as a newbie show where we would only have one big performer.

And now it’s moved the other way, but we still always have a newbie spot. We put a call-out every time we do a show, we allow one person who has never had the chance to go on stage, to go on stage. And I think that in the Montreal scene, you have to be super polished to get booked, you have to be perfect before you’re getting on any stages. You have to have rhinestones everywhere, your outfit has to be incredible and your number has to be super polished before you’re getting on any stages – that’s really toxic to new performers. That’s something that’s really important to me. When I was in Europe, Berlin was a bit like that, but they still have a lot of separate newbie shows. In Paris, you can just get on stage and do whatever the fuck. I loved it. People would come up to me and be like, “your number was so polished” and I was like, “I made this number in my Airbnb”. But I just come from a background where like you have done so put together to get on stage that I was in my Airbnb for a *long time*. If you want to fuck with gender and do a sexy dance, they let you just have fun.

MD: You’ve talked before about the lack of specific spaces for queer women and non-binary people. Why is that so important?

AB: The two main lesbian nights that we currently have in Montreal, “Lez Spread the Word” and “L Nights”, I love them, but they are definitely white spaces, created by and for white francophones. A lot of my friends, who are lesbians of colour, I don’t want to speak for them but I know that they don’t necessarily feel like that’s the space they want to occupy. Regardless of how I feel about actually being in those spaces, they are not clubs. It’s not that I don’t want to go to the bar and mingle and chat with lesbians – that’s great, that’s awesome. I really want to make a space where queer women can go and interact with other queer women and not feel watched by men, and can just dance, listening to music played by other queer women. That’s my thing, it’s been my goal to only book queer people: I only book people who identify as women or non-binary. It just makes such a good feeling in the room: to know that you’re dancing with and to the music of people who understand your experiences. In the end, we have a huge turnout it’s awesome. Everybody leaves at like 2:30 a.m, but that’s because they’re lesbians and they have to go home to their cats and their girlfriends. The U-Haul is waiting, queen! Get in! Anyways, I think people want this, it’s not just me. And yeah, people are really craving these spaces.

MD: You talked about how the community has an issue with representing intersectional experiences. How do you see your positionality in making these spaces within the community?

AB: It’s not that it’s hard to make these spaces, but it’s hard to have a position on this as a white able-bodied person with thin privilege. The priority has always been to remember that in booking – there’s so many amazing queer female or non-binary DJ’s of colour in this city, there’s no way I’m not going to book them. And then as far as performers, it’s interesting. When you’re a queer company and you’re putting “equity” on the call-out, we’re already all queer and we already face certain prejudices as queer people. But there are people who face more daily oppression. Obviously, I get weird looks on the metro holding hands with my girlfriend. But that’s not the same as facing actual prejudice in my work environment. So for Vice-Versa’s shows, we don’t charge Indigenous people entry, people of colour have different entry prices, and for “Blush” we have a pricing option where people can do work for us either promoting or working the door and get in for free or you can just ask a pay what you can price.

To learn more about Avery and Vice-Versa, visit her Instagram @cici_garette, or Vice-Versa’s Facebook page. They have two upcoming events in November, “Morbid Decadence” on November 9, and “Blush: II” on November 22.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The post Queerlesque in the Spotlight appeared first on The McGill Daily.

“Ten years later, we’re still calling for the same thing: truth, justice, and accountability. It’s not getting better, it’s getting worse. Every year, there are more victims, there are more families. That’s why we’re here, we want justice in our investigations. It’s not going to end until we get justice from the police, from the federal and provincial governments.”
— Bridget Tolley, daughter of Gladys Tolley (member of the Anishinabeg First Nation and co-founder of Families of Sisters in Spirit)

“I want the cops to be accountable for their actions, what they did to my son. They should be punished, they should go to prison for the things they have done. For all the family members who have lost their loved ones to the police, we should come together as one. We need to be strong, and not lose hope. Hope is the substance of all things. We are going to fight this battle, but we do not have enough support, we need more support.”
— Trish Gibbs, mother of Nicholas Gibbs

“I was really hoping the police would be outside today, because I have a message for them. I think the police think that their unions, their employers and their legislators are protecting them. The SPVM chief is surprised that there’s racism in his province – this is because they don’t listen to us. Our children who have been killed, they’re victimized. They’re no longer people who were killed by the police, they’re a depressed teenager, they’re a drug addict, they’re a drunk. It’s always their fault that they got themselves killed. The Bureau of Independent Investigation is not giving us any transparency, I don’t think they’re giving us any accountability or answers – so it’s up to us.”
— Tracy Wing, mother of Riley Fairholm

“The SPVM just released a report on the presence of systemic racism in Montreal’s police force. The police spokesperson said that ‘advocates have been telling us racism exists, but advocates have an agenda.’ It’s true we do have an agenda, it’s called compassion and fairness. Until we have paperwork that proves there is racism, the police pretend that they don’t have to address it. In the government’s mind, they’re neutral: they’re the arbiter of right and wrong. We have a judicial system, we have a judge and jury. But our police force has become the judge, jury, and executioner.”
— Dexter X, Montreal Activist

All quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

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