We Support Independent Student Press and McGill Should Too

Posted by The Link in LinkBlog on November 6, 2017

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Next week, McGill students will be asked to vote on whether the two outlets managed by the Daily Publications Society, The McGill Daily and Le Délit, should continue to exist.

We at The Link think they should.

The role of independent student press, like most press, is to hold those in power accountable. In our case, and that of the Daily and Le Délit, we look at student politicians and university administrators. We attend council and Board meetings, and scan through lengthy, bureaucratic documents to understand the inner workings of the organizations that impact our university experience.

And unlike Concordia, McGill does not have a journalism program. For those who wish to gain hands-on experience—experience that is crucial when aiming for a job in journalism—student press is the way to go. Eliminating two publications, especially McGill’s only francophone newspaper, would be detrimental to students who seek this experience. The more options students have, the better.

The Daily has been printing since 1911, making it one of the oldest student newspapers in Canada, with notable alumni including Leonard Cohen. Le Délit became independent of the Daily in 1977. Both publications have been financially independent from the Students’ Society of McGill University since 1980. Their storied histories and institutional knowledge are an asset that McGill students should cherish.

Over their existence, the Daily and Le Délit have worked to keep both McGill’s administration and its student politicians honest, with a vision of social justice. Whatever your opinions are on either publications’ politics, they have provided an essential platform for students at the university, and have provided the essential service of helping McGill students understand the institutions that govern their school.

For this reason, we encourage all McGill students to vote yes in the Daily Publication Society’s existence referendum between Nov. 13 and Nov. 16. Help keep the student press vibrant and independent.