January 25, 2007

As temperatures hit the deep freeze, we get a much-needed taste of spring thanks to Free at Last, a painting by Deborah Stewart, one of the contributors to125 Douglas Stories and Drawings, a book published to celebrate the Douglas Hospital's 125-year anniversary. For more on the book, which includes artwork and stories by patients, staff and friends of the hospital, turn to page 7.
Deborah Stewart

McGill demands end to freeze, greater student aid
Mike Murphy
A McGill delegation urges the National Assembly to once again make education its leading priority.

More than 4,500 expected at Open House
Neale McDevitt
It's all about the numbers: 700 volunteers get ready to give 4,000+ visitors the royal McGill tour in just five hours.

Echenbergs launch human rights conference
Pascal Zamprelli
The generosity of Penny and Gordon Echenberg enables the Faculty of Law to establish the Echenberg Family Conference on Human Rights.

Headliners: Broken bones, battered noses and a bird's best friend
Neale McDevitt
McGill's newsmakers are featured on ABC News and in the pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Globe and Mail and Scientific American.

P.O.V.: The lessons of Raoul Wallenberg
Irwin Cotler
The M.P. for Mount Royal and McGill law professor celebrates the incredible bravery and humanitarianism of Raoul Wallenberg in saving thousands from the Nazi onslaught.

Jonathan Blais: Cutting the competition down to size
Neale McDevitt
He's the Sidney Crosby of North American lumberjacks — just 19 years old and the very best collegiate woodsman on the continent.

McGill Web gems: More website mysteries unveiled
Mark Shainblum
In the second installment of this regular feature, Shainblum uncovers online joys to be found at the websites of Virtual McGill and the Office for Science and Society.

Tireless fundraiser McNab dies at 87
Kathryn Haralambous
Few people loved McGill as much as Betty McNab and even fewer worked as hard to make it a better place.

McGill's iconic, ironic cheerleader
Entre Nous with Derek Drummond, Interim Director of Athletics
If a vote was held to pick a walking, talking McGill icon, Derek Drummond might win in a landslide. Nearing the end of his tenure as Interim Director of Athletics, the always frank Drummond talks about hazing, the role of athletics at McGill and the delight he derives from publicly skewering his good friend, Chancellor Richard Pound.

The present imperative: End Poverty Now
Hana Askren
Why did the Montreal Mirror recently put Nejeed Kassam and his cohorts at End Poverty Now on its list of Noisemakers 2007? Maybe it has something to do with their lofty ambition to do away with world poverty.

McGill researchers pursue faster, better TB test
Michael Bourguignon
Work being done by McGill researchers on developing a new test for tuberculosis will benefit health care workers in developing countries who come into frequent contact with the disease.

Douglas 125th anniversary book fights stigma
Mike Murphy
125 Douglas Stories and Drawings is a touching collection of letters, stories and drawings by the patients, staff and friends of the Douglas Hospital.

Senate: No amnesty for National Day of Action
Michael Bourguignon
A motion to get the university's blessing for students to miss class in order to participate in demonstrations for better post-secondary funding is soundly defeated in Senate.

Collection turns spotlight on city's unseen poets
Neale McDevitt
A simple poetry workshop at the St. James Drop-In Centre leads to 14 marginalized people becoming published poets.

Around campus
This week's lineup of not-to-be-missed events includes a biodiversity symposium, a toad flick, standout stand-up comedy, a man-eating plant and, of course, another freaky offering from the good folks at the Redpath Museum.