The one real hope I have for Emery’s proposed return to politics is that he at least draws more attention to the Conservative government’s ridiculous war on weed.
canadian politics
The answer depends less on either of these qualities than what one means in terms of “better.”
It would be incredibly difficult for the Conservatives to dismiss her views and charge her with embarking on a smear campaign in order to win the next federal election. If she were power hungry, she would join a different party.
The CFS website encourages students to oppose the bill, lamenting that “the Conservative government has attempted to make these changes with zero public consultation.” Ironically, I don’t remember being consulted when the CFS decided to spend my money on an ad that criticizes a policy I happen to support.
These families deserve to feel embraced by this nation and their voices should be heard and considered above all else. Ignoring this epidemic does nothing but diminish the faith that First Nations and fellow Canadian citizens have in our government.
While our politicians may be very good at rallying supporters and defending their constituents’ interests, they can’t be expected to be experts in every field. There is a clear need to establish mechanisms that require leaders to base their decisions on the work of those who devote their lives to their fields of research, not on their personal ideology.
It seems as though everyone is highly concerned about this — except for us students. And with only 38.8 per cent of citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 voting, this is not the time to make it harder for students to vote.
In retrospect, much of the difficulties faced by western forces in Afghanistan were the result of a wrong-headed approach to the conflict. Airstrikes that often failed to sufficiently distinguish between enemy combatants and civilians galvanized opposition among civilians both within Afghanistan and back at home.
But perhaps what is keeping youths out of politics is the idea behind the criticism of Obama’s video — that men and women who hold office should only be involved in activities that hold a certain amount of “dignity.”
There are mass protests planned in many Canadian cities to bring attention to what environmentalists believe to be pure stupidity on the part of the government, though all of the protests north of Toronto have been cancelled due to ferociously cold temperatures.
Optimistic that the bill will improve the elections process at the federal level, a student lobbyist group at the U of O called Students for Fair Elections is advocating changing the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) elections to reflect the federal model, in hopes of making it more efficient and fair for everyone.
If universities have one purpose, is it not to put us in contact with as many ideas and perspectives as possible? More intellectual and cultural diversity on campus will promote collaboration, awareness and tolerance of those around us.
Marwas, however, defended herself against such critics in her speech: “Concordia is an ideal university to relocate because it’s Engli—I mean, as Concordia is split between two campuses over eight kilometres apart, the students and staff there must already be used to travelling a lot, so moving their entire university to another province is absolutely reasonable.”
Millennials have seen the consequences when peacekeepers do nothing, as in Rwanda. We have seen the breakdown of states along religious and ethnic lines, as in the former Yugoslavia. Perhaps the so-called war on terror has made some of us cynical or hesitant to involve ourselves in trouble and turmoil that seems far removed. But I also see a spirit of optimism and responsibility among millennials that might enable us to take up the challenge for peace that the government has largely avoided.
Water is a human right, a notion backed by the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. Since water is essential to human life, the needs of people and the planet should take priority over profit.
That is the purpose of debate: to provoke thought and to promote understanding. Suppressing debates for fear of alienating voters might be politically strategic, but it might also leave a millennial wondering how valuable federal politics are in creating social policies. If the federal government can’t speak to the issues that concern millennials, we may see the continuation of a trend toward community-based actions and grassroots initiatives.
In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Qu Tanzhou, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration, said Arctic resources should “be allocated according to the needs of the world, not only owned by certain countries” and that “we cannot simply say that this is yours and this is mine.”
Wait—can’t we? Isn’t the “this is yours and this is mine” mentality crucial to international cooperation and peace? A refusal to see that is dangerous and could send us down a dangerous path where sovereignty means very little.
Concerns of millennials aren’t reflected in political ideologies We’ve heard it before. The millennial generation is apathetic and occasionally pathetic. We’re narcissistic and entitled. We can’t get good jobs, we’re living with our parents, and thanks to high housing prices and the rising cost of education, we’re delaying entry into adulthood. We’re politically disconnected, disenchanted, …
“People are criticizing our party for illegal contributions to Senator Mike Duffy, meanwhile Liberals are out there puffing the magic dragon like it’s not a gateway drug. What a bunch of hypocritical criminals.”
All Justin was saying is that Canadians would be much better off if we could just let go of our materialistic desires and accept some mild censorship, corruption, and unlawful persecution for the greater good.
At the end of the day, it’s not just the scandal we should be paying attention to. We need to observe our prime minister’s response to it because it is an indicator of our country’s leadership. Not only does his response display a lack of integrity, but more importantly, by deflecting the blame onto a different politician every day, he’s also displaying an inability to take responsibility.
