BC-born Member of We Wai Kai Nation Named New Attorney General and Minister of Justice
“Looking at this new government, it does seem to echo our need for positive change,” said Lise Steele, the Director of Land and Natural Resources for the We Wai Kai Nation, based in the Campbell River and Quadra Island area. She is referring to the fact that her cousin, and member of the We Wai … Continued
Everyday Earth: Building bridges—uniting the environment and the economy
By contributor Chantelle Spicer Humans love creating conflicts between all kinds of things—head versus heart; science versus religion; matters of race or gender; the environment versus economy etc. It is becoming more apparent, as time goes by, that these battles are completely arbitrary. There is room for all of these things and humans to co-exist … Continued
Orange Crash and Burn
Op-ed by contributor Sebastian Barkovic Now that the campaign is over I can finally take out my earplugs. Heck, I may even schedule an ear cleaning at the doctors since they were in for so long. After all the dog-whistle politics, fear mongering, and fact embellishing by the Conservatives, what else is a guy supposed … Continued
Barbaric cultural practices
By contributor Sebastian Barkovic Conservatives are fickle creatures, especially around election time. One example is the new tip line they proposed if brought back into power. You must be thinking, “Tip line? What sort of tip line? Like drinking and driving, wild fires, illegal dumping?” Unfortunately not. I am referring to a tip line for … Continued
Parties Divided on Vote-Splitting
Above: Tim Tessier speaks with a student at VIU. Vote-splitting and strategic voting is not a concern for all federal election party candidates, despite the tight race between the Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP in the national polls. Vote splitting is an electoral effect in which the distribution of votes among multiple similar candidates reduces the … Continued
Celebrity endorsements
Celebrity endorsements Recently, the wolf cull in the peace region of BC has caught the attention of two celebrities, who have used their status to share the cause with their fans through social media. Miley Cyrus recently made a secret trip to Klemtu, BC to visit with locals after she learned of the five-year plan … Continued
Politics worth watching
In these times of political strife, I find myself longing for the comforts of home, wishing for the warm embrace of kinder hearts and gentler worlds. As the Canadian federal election campaign hits the home stretch and things get dirty, the American electorate throw their candidates into the trough to see who will emerge victorious … Continued
The Politics of Youth
Millennials get a bad rap. This particular generation—“youth” born roughly between 1986 and 1997—have been labelled apathetic, lazy, and entitled. Sweeping generalizations rarely help when examining human behaviour, but bitter-tasting tar seems to accompany the word “millennial” as it rolls from the tongue. Yet, as the generation moves more deeply into adulthood, they’re dispelling some … Continued
Paul Manly and Elizabeth May climb the hill to visit VIU
On September 8, the VIU Greens hosted a garden party on VIU’s Nanaimo campus to provide information about the upcoming federal election and to promote the Green Party’s platform. Students had the opportunity to meet and talk with Green Party leader Elizabeth May and Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP candidate Paul Manly. A meet-and-greet with opportunities for students … Continued
Voting for the “address-challenged”
As you may know, youth voter turnout in Canada has been less than stellar, with only 38.8 percent of youth voting in the 2011 federal election. While there are several reasons behind this—apathy towards politics, distrust in the government, or feeling as if they can’t make a difference—for some it is simply the hassle that … Continued
Never Eat Soggy Waffles: Creating a sense of direction
Okay, let’s get political. The other day, after scrolling through my friendly Twitter feed, I paused to see the CBC’s Vote Compass link. It was ideal timing, as my inner democratic compass was spinning wildly as if I stood on the North Pole’s legislative peak. The link led me to a bright site, asking “Where … Continued
The de-evolution of James Lunney
Op-Ed by contributor Sebastian Barkovic So a Rabbi, a Priest, and an Imam claim religious persecution. No, wait, that’s Nanaimo-Alberni MP, James Lunney. Lunney has been in the news lately, not for shaking hands or kissing babies, but for reasons related to his religion. As a student of politics, and a student of religion, this … Continued
Political conference opens conversation for Nanaimo politicians and students
The VIU Political Society had its first Student Political Conference on March 24, giving students the opportunity to voice their opinions about various issues and mingle with politicians. Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay, Nanaimo councilors Wendy Pratt and Leanne Salter, NDP representative Sheila Malcolmson, Liberal representative Tim Tessier, and Green representative Paul Manly were in attendance. … Continued
The dam story
By contributor Chantelle Spicer British Columbia—the early 1800s. Colonization by the Europeans has not yet begun. Ecosystems are in their natural state or managed under the sustainable ideals of the numerous First Nations bands across the province; populations of all animals flourish in their natural balance. River systems run in an unimpeded web for thousands … Continued