Next Stop

/ 2012/01/25 10:54 pm

Next stop

Well, I feel left out THE STUDENT FEDERATION of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) supported the Occupy movement, organized a Day of Action for the Education is a Right campaign, and picketed with the postal workers in the summer. The Canadian Federation of Students, which the SFUO is a part of, openly supports political candidates, recommending ones students should give [...]

/ 2012/01/11 12:39 pm

What are you trying to resolve anyway?

Next Stop LET’S FACE IT: Not many people follow through on their New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s to lose weight or get better grades, chances are you’ll forget everything you hope to do by February. Nonetheless, below are a few resolutions I’d like certain Canadians to actually stick to. Support for students  Last year, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty unveiled new funding for [...]

/ 2011/12/07 4:45 pm

I demand a byelection

Next Stop ON NOV. 30, the National Post reported on a series of false byelection phone calls made by the Conservative party. The calls were made in the riding of Mount Royal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, falsely claiming he had resigned and that a byelection would be called. During their calls to residents in the riding, the Conservatives asked whether [...]

/ 2011/11/30 2:51 pm

CBC is a necessity

Next stop SINCE THE HARPER government claimed a majority on May 2, rumours about defunding the CBC began floating around. The national broadcaster has also taken heat from Quebecor, a Montreal-based news company, who filed freedom of information requests over the course of the past three years. The requested documents could reveal CBC’s sources, compromising the broadcaster’s journalistic independence. On [...]

/ 2011/11/23 3:04 pm

Rethinking the U-Pass

Next stop WHAT IS IT with the U-Pass? Since its inception in September 2010, it has endured an impressive amount of complaints from students and OC Transpo staff alike. First it was the pricing, then the lack of an opt-out option, and now the $70 price increase. Is it time to rethink the program altogether, or do we just need [...]

/ 2011/11/17 3:05 pm

Where are all the shit disturbers?

Next Stop HOW EASY IS it to keep governments accountable? Throughout history, journalists, activists, and sometimes even politicians kept governments from power tripping by broadcasting their own mes- sages to the public. Our generation needs a voice, too. Now that Stephen Harper achieved his long sought-after majority, he’s pushed his agenda through at impressive speeds, shutting down debates in Parliament [...]

/ 2011/11/10 11:14 am

Sex, drugs, occupy

Next Stop THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT has spread across the world since September, fighting for “the 99 per cent.” But two months later, the grassroots movement strayed off course with reports of drug overdoses and hippie love fests in the tent cities. A few weeks ago, I wrote a column encouraging readers to show their support for Occupy, but now I’m [...]

/ 2011/11/03 11:09 am

Adding value to education

Next Stop A UNIVERSITY IS a business. True, it’s an important institution of higher learning, but like any other enterprise it has to earn some dough. It’s time to face it, folks: Our tuition is not going down. One reason is our fragile and unstable economy. With stock markets crashing all over the world, it’s no wonder the businesses remaining [...]

/ 2011/10/19 3:36 pm

Be a snowflake

Next Stop LIVING IN OTTAWA involves facing activists on a daily basis. Whether it’s to join the Red Cross or sign a petition for Greenpeace, Ottawans often endure calls for a good cause, all because we live in the city with the Parliament buildings. With so many demonstrations, petitions, and gatherings, it’s easy to tune them out altogether, but with [...]

/ 2011/10/12 5:48 pm

Information overload

Next Stop COMMERCIALS, TV SHOWS, lectures, movies, news, the latest gossip—in a day, we’re faced with countless messages, all of them demanding our immediate attention. We’re forced to pick and choose in order of importance, often forced to do, discuss, or remember something less urgent at a later time. Post-it notes and agendas are living proof we can’t hold everything [...]