On Remembrance Day, keep the focus on remembrance
On November 11, we say “never forget.” In the decades following the establishment of Remembrance Day, there was no danger of that. November 11 was a day where we observed the shared sacrifice of two world wars, and honoured those who had served our country.
But in the next decade, almost every living person who served in World War II or Korea will no longer be with us. Remembrance Day is becoming more of a national history lesson, and in some ways that’s a good thing. Yet we need to keep this day focused on honouring the memory of soldiers whose lives were lost in the service of Canada, then and now.
This day need not become politicized. Buying a poppy supports the Royal Canadian Legion, which helps veterans of all ages return to society. Now many of them are our own age as they return from Afghanistan.
We give, we observe, we remember. The resonance is in its simplicity, and may it continue to be so for some time to come.
Niki Ashton gets set to take on the old boys
The Canadian political class is led mostly by men who have been in the game for years; even Afghanistan has a higher proportion of women in its parliament than we do. Any democracy worth its salt needs to have strong representation from those who can challenge the old boys club.
For students, having a youthful voice in parliament is particularly important; it means issues like student debt will have be given fair play during policy debates.
For these reasons, and likely many more, we applaud the entrance of Niki Ashton into the federal NDP leadership race.
At age 29, she’s joining a very crowded nine-person contest dominated by Brian Topp and Thomas Mulcair. But as the only candidate born in the 1980s and only the second woman, she will be able to push those issues into the discussion. While she’s not a top-tier candidate, hopefully Ashton, who was the NDP’s critic for youth and advanced education in the last parliament, can make sure whoever is the next leader of the official opposition has a strong position on student issues. A bunch of old men aren’t necessarily going to do it on their own.
A School of Public Policy at UBC is long overdue
UBC, in partnership with the Vancouver School of Economics, is planning a School of Public Policy. And while the idea is still in the planning stages, it seems like the sort of initiative that UBC should be applauded for undertaking.
Too often, this university’s academic ambitions seem solely fixated on anything that has to do with sustainability, research or international students, to the detriment of other programs. A School of Public Policy is a must-have for any large and ambitious university, and it will increase UBC’s connections with the rest of Vancouver.
Frankly, some of us are a bit peeved we won’t be able to enjoy the classes.
What’s the rush to have cars on University Boulevard?
UBC is planning to do an overhaul of University Boulevard (the road that runs past Mahony’s and the outdoor pool) to make it car-friendly. There will be a small number of parking spaces added.
This comes after the university rushed to pave over the area in the run-up to the Olympics—otherwise the area would have looked like a giant mud pit during the time when thousands of visitors would be walking through campus. It was a patchwork solution then, and this feels like another one.
The University Boulevard area is going through massive changes in the next couple years, as a new SUB and Alumni Centre are constructed along with new shops and housing. What is the point of allowing cars back on to the area now just to get a few more places to park? Why not wait until the other development is ready?
Furthermore, the area is currently a busy bike route into campus. If the university is insistent on getting cars back there, we hope there is a plan to keep a dedicated bike route open.
Whistler Lodge might get more students if it loosened up
Over the weekend, Ubyssey staff left for our annual retreat on Pender Island. Although this editorial was written before we left, we can tell you for certain that it was one hell of a weekend.
Many student organizations take their retreats at the AMS Whistler Lodge, which can be booked at a discount rate if you’re a student group. However, we will never do this, and not just because we love Pender. The problem is that the Whistler Lodge really sucks for student retreats, which may be one reason why it’s hemorraging money.
Even if your organization books out the whole lodge, “quiet hours” begin at 11pm—for the sole reason that the lodge manager sleeps in the building. The hot tub closes at 8pm. And if anyone from your group is 18, all alcohol is banned from the premises, even if the underagers stay sober.
Obviously the Whistler Lodge has many more problems on top of this that cause it to lose money. But here’s a tip for the AMS as it decides what to do with the place: make it more fun for students to book for a weekend.
A Yukon university deserves federal support
Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have made a big issue of Arctic sovereignty. And with global warming bringing enormous changes to the north, that type of push makes sense. But true dedication to our north means more than just spending on icebreakers and military exercises.
This year, the federal government cut funding to the University of the Arctic initiative by three-quarters. But now the new Yukon government is looking to build a true university in our north. Supporting this would be an excellent way for the feds to demonstrate that the Arctic actually matters to them.
