Under the collective of Pour la suite du monde, nearly two dozen Quebec cities took part in climate marches alongside Montreal. Over 50 organizations, seeking to bring forth democratic solutions to the pressing environmental concerns, were represented at the Montreal climate march as well. Many McGill student activists participated in the march, bringing self-made banners and chanting for change.

The McGill contingent gathered on campus by the McConnell Engineering Building around 4:30 p.m., hosting conversation circles and giving speeches, before marching down Sherbrooke Street and Parc Ave. By 6 p.m., they joined the broader Montreal community at the George-Étienne Cartier monument in Mont-Royal Park.

“We want to see more climate justice mobilizing on campus, and we’re coming together to join this significant Quebec-wide day of mobilization,” U2 History student Rebecca Hamilton said. Activists in Quebec are asking for a social ecological transition, one form of action within a broader environmental citizen movement, anchored in principles such as collaboration, sustainability, decentralization and self- management. In a press release from Pour la suite du monde, the group stated that they requested to meet and discuss with the Quebec government this past May in order to determine “actions in favor of a real social and environmental transition.” However, they have been left with no answers to date.

“The politicians are just dragging their feet and aren’t implementing [their promise], and we’re fed up with that lack of action and are coming together to build a new balance of power. We’re trying to contribute to that movement the best that we can from McGill today,” Hamilton added.

During the rally before the march, speakers representing McGill student advocacy groups condemned McGill’s direct investments in the fossil fuel industry. Although McGill has promised to divest from companies on the Carbon Underground 200 list by 2025, it will continue to invest in environmentally destructive companies like TC Energy.

“We also critique McGill’s existing sustainability initiatives, in particular, the New Vic project, where McGill has constantly refused to listen to the demands of the Mohawk Mothers to properly investigate potential unmarked graves on the site,” one of the speakers said in their speech.

Ahead of this year’s Climate March, Divest McGill earned a hard-fought victory after 11 years of student organizing. They succeeded in making McGill’s Board of Governors promise divest from direct investments in fossil fuel companies by the end of 2024.

“This is a big win, but there is more that we can do. We must continue to hold our university accountable for their lack of action to address the climate emergency and demand that they cut their ongoing ties with the industries and institutions that harrow our planet and fellow human beings,” a speaker said in their speech, “Our campaign for divestment from fossil fuels has shown us that the only way we can change things at McGill is through sustained student activism.”

U4 Sustainability, Science, and Society student Annelies Koch-Schulte was among the demonstrators Friday afternoon. She has been actively participating in gatherings and protests related to climate and environmental change for the past five years. Koch- Schulte shared that her mindset as an activist has shifted over time. Stepping down from hot-blooded frontline rallying to raise awareness for climate change by demanding new policy, she came to this year’s climate change march in hopes of solidifying an activist community at McGill and finding support in her own work of sustainability.

Koch-Schulte was glad to see the mobilization of student organizers, and the change they have brought in the past 10 years, but she believes that it is important to address questions like “What do we want activism on campus to look like?” or “What principles do we want it to be founded upon?” She wants to help student activists find their bearings, know who they are, and believe in their place in this field of work.

“It’s a feeling of hope and courage for future activists because it’s generations of students who work towards the same goal,” Koch-Schulte said, “There’s definitely a feeling of solidarity that comes from knowing that you are picking up the work of students that have come before you. I think that that is a really meaningful thing to be part of, that passing of the torch of activism on campus.”

After McGill’s announcement to divest from their investments in fossil fuel companies, student climate change activists are hoping to shift the trajectory of current protests and gatherings.

“We were focused on calling out the issues and identifying what the problems are… Now, we have a consensus that climate change is a problem, and it’s become a lot more nuanced, a lot more critical and a lot more interconnected with a lot of other social services movements, which I think is a really good step for it to be taken,” Koch-Schulte said. She added that it’s important to still be protesting to show people that these issues matter just as much as they did years ago.

There is a consensus in student activist groups that a solution lies in systemic change. Hamilton said that the climate movement for so long has been focused on individual actions. This has changed the narrative from climate action as something that can create a more equal and affordable society to an elitist movement because a lot of individual actions are more expensive and take a lot more effort to do.

“Most people’s number one priority in choosing what food to eat isn’t whether it’s plastic. It’s about whether it’s cheap. I think that we all lose if the climate movement focuses on narratives that perpetuate this sense of being an elitist [movement],” Hamilton said.

Various students came from the Students Strike for Palestine Organisation to advocate for Palestinian liberation alongside environmental protection. McGill student Carina believes that both issues are connected through the concept of extraction that encourages the exploitation of natural resources and reinforces colonial mindsets.

“The tie between the two of them is the legacy of imperialism and capitalism,” she said. “Once you see those connections between the layers of oppression and extractivism [for] any marginalized group, including the environment, it’s hard to look away and you can see the interconnectedness of all of these movements.”

Throughout the march, students chanted “Water is life, water is sacred, stop the pipeline, stop the hatred!” on their way to the George- Étienne Cartier monument.

Relating to the chant, another McGill attendee, Sebastian, condemned the Canadian government for constructing the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia.

“It violates every single aspect of Indigenous sovereignty over those lands. On the other hand, there’s already been leaks in the construction of it,” he said. “It’s not like it’s just a question of private interests and businesses… The entire Canadian government, the state, it’s completely complicit in it and of course, the corporations involved have the politician’s ears.”

While progress has been made worldwide in the 5 years since Thunberg marched alongside Montrealers, such as a decreasing global dependency on fossil fuels, Carina said activists continue to push for change by protesting as these issues persist.

“There’s been victories and some milestones, specifically the climate movement, [but] I also think that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” she said. “There’s structural issues, systemic issues … root issues that haven’t changed.”

A first-year McGill student, who chose to remain anonymous, said the march was the first climate- related strike they had attended at McGill. As a result, they felt compelled to get involved out of concern for their future and that of following generations. They emphasized the role of youth in climate activism, explaining that many young people get involved because the issues at hand directly threaten them, and action must take place to prevent it.

“I felt like I would regret it if I didn’t come,” they said. “The youth are the future – who else is going to be involved?”

Veteran student organizers like Hamilton and Koch-Schulte are hopeful for a better activist environment on the McGill campus in the future. Hamilton calls on students with interests in environmentalism and sustainability to get involved.

“It can feel isolating to just be learning in classes about ecological devastation and to feel rage at the small group of decision-makers that […] let destruction to people and the planet happen. But by coming together, we can feel hope,” she said. “It feels really good to be part of something bigger than yourself.”

“Your life is your moment in the sunshine where you have the opportunity to make change. It’s on all of us to use that sunshine and take that unique opportunity that is being you, and use it to the best of your abilities to make things better. [This is] a beautiful moment to make change,” Koch- Schulte concluded.

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Grand Chief Merrick was the first woman to lead the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), where she served as Grand Chief and represented 63 First Nations. She was re-elected in July 2024 for a second tenure. She worked tirelessly to address critical issues such as education, healthcare, and social justice for Indigenous communities. Afåter observing the state of living conditions for many First Nations across Canada, Grand Chief Merrick found it her mission to not only call out such injustices, but use her voice to mobilize policy in favor of improving public services.

Grand Chief Merrick was a proud Cree woman from the Cross Lake Band of Indians in Northern Manitoba. Her leadership journey began as a Councillor in Pimicikamak, where she served for twelve years. After 44 years of male leadership, Merrick was the second woman to be elected as Chief of Pimicikamak in 2013 and remained Chief for an impactful five years as per Pimicikamak election law. In October 2022, she made history by becoming the first female Grand Chief elected to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

“Grand Chief Merrick’s presence, both powerful and kind, left a lasting impact on those privileged to know and work alongside her,” the AMC said in a statement, in memory of Merrick on the day of her passing.

According to CBC News, Merrick collapsed in front of the media reporters outside of the Manitoba law courts on September 6, shortly after condemning the acquittal of a Manitoba corrections officer charged in the 2021 death of William Ahmo, a First Nation inmate at the Headingley Correctional Centre. Her passing was confirmed after she was taken to the hospital.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mourned the loss of Grand Chief Merrick in a statement on Facebook, praising her as “a relentless and incredibly effective advocate for First Nations peoples, especially for those most vulnerable.”

Grand Chief Merrick championed the rights and dignity of Indigenous Peoples through her involvement in numerous projects and initiatives that aimed to improve the lives of Indigenous Peoples. She was a main proponent for the National Inquiry into MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls), an organization that seeks to highlight the systematic social, cultural, and economic causes behind gendered violence against Indigenous women and girls across the country. Grand Chief Merrick alongside the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls have consistently brought this subject to the forefront of Manitoba policy addressing the crisis and fighting for the rights of the victims within Indigenous communities.

The New York Times reported her highest-profile battle for murdered Indigenous women, where she fought to recover the remains of two of four Indigenous women who were murdered by a white man in 2022 with racially motivated intent. Together with the families of the victims, Grand Chief Merrick took the matter to Trudeau’s office in Ottawa. Although the authorities initially opposed searching the landfill, they ultimately stood with Grand Chief Merrick and the First Nation, allocating millions of dollars for the effort. The search for the remains of the victims in the landfill is set to begin next month.

“It sends a clear message to all predators who prey upon vulnerable Indigenous women: you will not get away with targeting our women. You will face justice,” Grand Chief Merrick said in a statement after the man was sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole on August 28. “We will continue to stand strong in protecting our women, uplifting all families affected by gendered violence, and ensuring that those who commit such terrible, racially motivated, and hateful acts are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” she concluded.

Grand Chief Merrick was also vocal in reforming the child welfare system in Manitoba, where roughly 90 per cent of kids in care are Indigenous. The AMC and Grand Chief Merrick promoted initiatives like Rites of Passage Scaabe’s, a workshop working directly with First Nation youth who are or were dealing with the provincial Child and Family Services System. They specifically offer personalized support for First Nation youth who are aging out of care, helping them develop employment skills, organizing housing opportunities, and preparing them for integration into adulthood.

Additionally, Grand Chief Merrick advocated for reforms related to Jordan’s Principle – an act that ensures First Nations children living in Canada are given access to the services, products, and support they need, when and where they need them.

“First Nations Leadership must be empowered to take full control of the care and protection of First Nations children. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving environment, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that this inherent right is upheld,” Merrick said in a statement after six First Nations children and youth lost their lives while involved with the Child and Family Services (CFS) system back in March.

Her extensive history of activism displays how influential these efforts have been to propel the Indigenous fight for equality forward. As news of her passing spread, communities across Canada have been paying tribute to Grand Chief Merrick’s legacy.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), a non-profit political advocacy organization that has represented more than 72,000 First Nations people, released a statement reflecting on Grand Chief Merrick’s passing and said, “Cathy exemplified the strength and spirit of our people, serving as a beacon of hope and inspiration for many. She believed in the power of unity and collaboration, always striving to build bridges between our communities and fostering understanding among all Nations. Her passion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to First Nation peoples will be deeply missed.”

Cathy Merrick’s unwavering commitment to her people and community has touched many people. As Canada and the world mourn her loss, her life’s work is a testament to the impact that she had in creating a better future for the community and nation that she deeply loves.

“Her courage, leadership, and dedication will forever inspire us. As we move forward, we will honour her legacy and continue the work she began. Today, we mourn the loss of an irreplaceable leader, advocate, and dear friend,” said the AMC.

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Perhaps one of the most overlooked sectors of free press is that of student journalists and their often extremely censored relationship to university officials and their peers. Student journalism is now more crucial than ever as the demands for the sharing of news and opinion at the university level have risen over the past few years. However, this increased interest in student reporting is not met with proper press freedom and protection for student journalists seeking to provide platforms for news exchange at their universities. The hindrances faced by student-run publications are large in quantity and even more complex to eliminate when so many of these organizations are directly funded by the university. Universities often block stories or alter the editing of the content to boost their own image, which results in biased and partially censored information being released to the school community and the restriction of young journalists’ right to transfer information freely and without fear of repression. Data compiled from 2020 by the Student Press Law Center found that one of the most concerning trends for student journalism is the increasing number of cases of censorship by university officials for content due to its  “political nature.”

In the 21st century, educational institutions are becoming “more obsessed with ‘protecting the brand’ than they’ve ever been before, and journalism as an industry is weaker and less able to defend itself than ever before,” said Frank LoMonte, a lawyer and journalist that served for nearly a decade at the Student Press Law Center. What the collision of these two major indices results in, is increasing threats faced by student journalists and the clogged flow of information to the university community as students consuming this media are receiving altered and biased content. Free press in a student newspaper is an obligation to the truth without alteration or bias from any external sources. This principle in practice means that student journalism must remain an independent body of information, separate from the university whose namesake it may take. 

Similar incidents have happened on McGill campus. On March 5, 2012, the Daily Publications Society (DPS) – publishers of the Daily and Le Délit – received threats of legal action from the McGill lawyers in regard to the report of the Development and Alumni Relations documents that were leaked online. The intimidation tactic prevailed as DPS had to concede. In an article discussing the instance, editors wrote that “By threatening student-run media with legal action, this University has yet again used its financial power in order to control student voices on campus.” Student press freedom of expression has been an ongoing debate, and it is important for student journalists and authorities to have a clear and open conversation, and to work together.

Student journalists’ work also represents the local news in campus community. Local news plays a crucial part in communities and societies. They connect neighbourhoods with one another, promote local events, and share local issues, therefore making the community well informed and united. Their work will have a direct impact in shaping public opinion, while also holding authority accountable. Student journalism uplifts and validates young voices, connecting students with other students, the university, the local community, and the greater global one. 

The passing of Bill C-18 – more commonly known as the Online News Act – sought to support Canadian news organizations through providing increased compensation for the presence of their content on digital and social media platforms. However this bill was not met without discourse and opposition; the impacts of which are altering the landscape of free press in Canada. Media moguls Google and Meta began blocking Canadian news corporations on their social media platforms in response to a tenant of the bill which would enforce payments by those companies to Canadian media corporations. The impacts of this censorship by major technology companies were colossal, and exposed the extent to which technological companies have control over independent media. This censorship was denounced by SSMU and the Daily for the implications it would have on student journalism at McGill. 

Student journalists aiming to cover local news should be encouraged, as they do it out of love for the communities and societies of which themselves are a part. With the present uncertain environment of free press, it is important for institutions and publications to support student journalists in preserving a free press and working towards spreading the truth. It is only when the next generation of reporters are trained and able to produce quality work with those in positions of power respecting their right to a free press, that we can truly call this pillar of institutional strength “secure.”

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Pow Wows are gatherings that are deeply rooted in the traditions of many Indigenous communities in North America. People come together, socialize, sing and dance, and celebrate the history of Indigenous communities. Pow Wows also serve as opportunities for cultural education that helps preserve and raise awareness about Indigenous traditions and heritage. 

The McGill Pow Wow, organized by the First Peoples’ House, also featured food craft vendors. Indigenous-owned businesses were set up along the perimeter, while dancers of all ages showcased their skills at the center stage of Lower West Field. Handmade jewelry, home decorations, Indigenous clothing, and delicious food were being sold in the Pow Wow arena. Community groups supporting the Indigenous population of Montreal were also in attendance at the Pow Wow.

The Native Friendship Centre of Montreal (NFCM) has been working with the McGill Pow Wow for over 10 years. The non-profit community development agency aims to promote, develop, and enhance the quality of life of the urban Indigenous community of Montreal.

Drayton Gilbert, the executive assistant of the NFCM, shared his thoughts as a first-time participant of the McGill Pow Wow: “Pow Wow is a way to celebrate our culture in a really sound space. It’s a sharing of connective energy, value, and practices.” Gilbert added that his biggest takeaway from the Pow Wow is “celebrating who you are, your identity, and being proud of that.”

“Our main focus is working directly with the Indigenous communities that are transitioning to living in Montreal. We hope to bridge the gap between communities and cities,” Gilbert said. Some of the NFCM’s work includes a nursing clinic and legal clinic through partnership with McGill and the Ka’wáhse Street Patrol, which offers supplies, assistance, and referral services to Indigenous and non-Indigenous homeless people in Montreal. NFCM’s food security program, which was featured in the McGill Pow Wow, provides secure access to food, with options for delivery and hot lunches for unhoused people.

Gilbert said that the focus on minority groups should not only be present in a specific week, month, or event. He wishes people to “keep the same awareness that’s available today across the 365 days of a year and celebrate from a day-to-day basis.”

Matthew Coutu-Moya, administrative supervisor at the First Peoples’ House, took part in organizing the event. He said that Pow Wows are as diverse as Indigenous people all across Canada, and it is nice to have non-Indigenous communities come out and learn about Indigenous cultures especially on McGill’s campus. “My mother was born and raised in the prairies of Saskatchewan and Alberta, with ties to Michif communities of St-Boniface, Petite Pointe du Chênes (Lorette) and St-Laurent in Manitoba as well as St-Paul-des-Métis (St-Paul) in Alberta, but my father is from Santiago, Chile. I am a literal byproduct of international relationships. So, it is really cool to have people who are from all over the world to be at McGill and get to experience the Pow Wow,” Coutu-Moya said. “I also love seeing the little ones dressed up in the regalia, I love seeing them dance. It’s awesome to see the younger generation having stronger sense of identity and culture. I think that’s really empowering.”

Coutu-Moya spoke on the challenges that Indigenous communities face and the ways to resolve them. “I think one of the big things that would go a long way is removing barriers to school,” he said.  Though he recognizes that this is a systematic challenge, with part of it being governmental, Coutu-Moya thinks there can be more done at McGill. He said that the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education or the School of Continuing Studies has strong off-campus programming, and he wishes that other faculties at McGill could better serve Indigenous students by also building similar programs. 

“One thing that is really important is that the school has more programs that are available at a distance so that folks can be in their community and still access the educational resources of McGill,” Coutu-Moya said. “Maybe a student who’s from [an] Inuit territory far north can’t afford to make the huge trip down here to set up a life, to be away from their community, their home base, their friends, and family, but they are still entitled to the opportunities of McGill.” 

He thinks that pushing for more educational resources at McGill is really important. In other words, people could have the option to either come to McGill physically, or at a distance back home, rather than being forced to have only one option. “I think the diversity of learning paths would open more pathways for students to come,” Coutu-Moya concluded.

Sam Ojeda, from the Mayo-Yoreme land in northwestern Mexico and southern California, stood out in the crowd with his stunning gold and black regalia. “This is to enhance, to honor, [and] to acknowledge who we are, and who our ancestors are. Every regalia that the dancer carries has to do with the heirlooms of the family, it runs in the family. It’s passed on,” Ojeda said. His regalia belonged to his grandfather, whom he called the “Black Horse.”

Dreams also serve as guidance and instructions in Indigenous cultures. They are not just random occurrences but have deep significance to reality. Ojeda said, “In the dreams we have messengers. That’s what we take into account when it comes to wearing what we wear and carrying what we carry, and usually our ancestors come in those dreams.”

As a traditional dancer, Ojeda values the spirit of love and the respect for Mother Earth. He shared that dancing is a way of prayer, to honour all men, women, children, and elders who helped their communities; to honour plants, animals, and the planet; and to keep everything in balance. “When a dancer really dances, we are not a dancer anymore, we become the dance itself,” Ojeda said.

Ojeda believes that the celebration of Pow Wows are reminders of their Indigenous identity. He hopes that Pow Wows can bring back the unity of the prophecies: “that one day we could be here dancing together under the flowery tree of life, with all people from the four corners of the world.” 

In some Indigenous cultures, the Great Spirit, the concept of a life force, created everything and gave sacred instructions to people from all over the world. Ceremonial prayers are means for the Indigenous people to communicate with the Great Spirit. Ojeda wants to remind people of the teachings of the Great Spirit. 

“Somewhere along the bad, we forgot what the teachings were. One of the first instructions is to honor the planet, to honor ourselves, to love, and that’s what the Pow Wow does. It brings laughter, it brings celebration, it brings unity, and that’s what we need, all of us, to go on, and make this a better world,” he said with resolve.

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