This is a letter to the McGill’s staff members on: http://spop.addr.com

Also published in “Reporter” on March 25, 2004 - Volume 36 Number 13 in: http://www.mcgill.ca/reporter/36/13/letters/

Letters

To the editor:

It is hard to explain rationally, but I had a dream last night about our campus food services. Firstly, it was the Wong Building, where my wife was selling Polish perogies and sausages in the lobby cafeteria. I was angrily watching young students smiling too long at her while she served them my national food. It was my spontaneous reaction to inform some clients at the end of the long line that similarly tasty Lebanese food was being sold in the Physics Building. It worked well, but partially, as a handsome and fit man with dark hair wearing an expensive suit (unlike me) was still staying in the shortened line. I told him that delicious Kosher smoked meat from Schwartz's was being sold hot at the nearby Anatomy Building. Before leaving, he told me with a malicious smile that it would probably be better for me to try some healthy Tibetan monks' bread, rice and water that was being served at the Religious Studies Building. In my quick response, I informed him about the Ritz Kempinski buffet in the Administration Building that was offering low-fat lunches that were very tasty. At that moment, I was awoken by my three-year-old daughter who asked me to open a new Nutella jar - it is forbidden for me by my wife and the kids love to tease me about it.

Today during lunch, I was scratching my head in search for a politically correct explanation about this dream, and I present it as follows:

Negotiating one contract for the entire campus with the strongest food corporation would create a monopoly. By having more than one concession on campus and a more competitive environment, the students and faculty would be better serviced in quality, taste and price.

Slawomir Poplawski
Department of Mining, Metals and Materials Engineering

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but before it was mailed to the members of our community:

Montreal, March 18, 2004

Dear Friends,

We consider lunch to be an important component in sustaining our efficiency in University. So far, too many of us have been frustrated because our cafeterias within the campus are not satisfactory. How much our productivity and well-being at McGill can be enhanced if we have a better cafeteria service?

Today and yesterday, McGill’s brave activists have been promoting a boycott of the Charwells’ cafeterias. Tomorrow, they are planning to present to the Principals a petition signed by many of our students and staff members. This may lead to a confrontational atmosphere.

I hope that our Principals will appreciate my effort to diffuse the growing tension and send me one-week free lunch voucher for two in the Faculty Club cafeteria for my last letter (see below) to them and our senators.

Yours truly,

Slawomir Poplawski

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Montreal, March 18, 2004

Principal and Vice-Chancellor - Professor Heather Munroe-Blum

McGill University

845 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC H3A 2T5 Fax: 398-4768

Dear Professor Heather Munroe-Blum,

I, as many others, do not believe Mr. Morty Yalovsky’ words that he is using to justify monopolization of McGill’s cafeterias in the last Reporter: “ The real reason for doing this is to increase the quality of the food ….. service ….. choices.” In my personal experience the word monopolization is very close to a notion of corruption.

Please, find below my small contribution to this problem in a form of my reflections shared with some senators. The attached letter was edited today and I hope to have it published in the Reporter. Food is very important in our life. By the way, do you bring your lunch box, use Chartwells’s service or go to a special place?

Regards,

Slawomir Poplawski

c.c. Vice-Principals and “The Reporter”

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Enc.1

Montreal, March 17, 2004

Dear Senators, (This letter replaces the previous one)

Before your scheduled discussion about food service monopolization with the Coalition for Action on Food Services (CAFS), I want to add some reflections.

It is hard to explain rationally, but I had a dream last night about our campus food services. Firstly, it was my Wong building where my wife was selling Polish pierogi’s and sausages in the lobby cafeteria. I was watching angrily young students smiling too long to her when she was serving them my national food. It was my spontaneous reaction to inform some clients at the end of long line that similarly tasty as caloric Lebanese food is sold in the Physics building. It worked well, but partially, as a handsome and fit man with dark hair wearing an expensive suit (unlike me) was still staying in the shortened line. I had told him that delicious Kosher smoked meat from Schwartz is sold hot at the near by anatomy building. Before leaving, he told me with a malicious smile that it would probably better for me be to try some healthy Tibetan monks’ bread/rice and water food that was being serviced at the Religious Studies building. In my quick response I had informed him about the Ritz-Kempinsky buffet corner/outlet in the Administration building that is offering low fat lunches, which are very tasty. At that moment as I awoke my three year old daughter asked me to open a new Nutella jar that is forbidden for me by my wife and the kids love to tease me.

Today, during lunchtime I was scratching my head in search for a politically correct explanation about this dream and it is presented as follows:

Negotiating one contract for the entire campus with the strongest food corporation would create a monopoly.  By having more than one concession on campus and a more competitive environment the students + faculty would be better serviced in quality, taste and price.

Regards,

Slawomir Poplawski