Pre Shannon Watkins wants more for students Matthew Steinbach news editor here are many candidates out there who claim they want more for students. However, Shannon Watkins, NDP candidate for the Port Moody-Coquitlam riding, believes she can offer some genuine help because she is an SFU student as well. However, she has experience with politics because she has also spent the last three years on the Port Moody City Council. She wants to see more funding for schools as she feels this has been lacking over the last few years. Her concern is that citizens do not have the ability to return to school if they need to go back, which Watkins sees as “vitally important to employment” and a source of better opportunities. She is also concerned about the fact that many students are living at home to have enough money for tuition. Watkins believes that school is for everyone, so everyone should be able to go. She also sees the proposed Evergreen rapid transit line as another priority because Watkins sees that this as some “much needed infrastructure.” However, she feels that current government has failed to uphold or change its promises over time especially to the cities and that there is a need for more consultation with local residents to ensure that this line fits their needs. When asked about whether she would support the proposed Douglas College stop of the line, which the government could begin construction on soon, Watkins explained that it would be “premature to support the stop.” Watkins would prefer to see more consultation on the idea and if people want it then construction should move forward, but she does see transit as something that is vital in maintaining the quality of student life. However, when asked how she would accomplish these and other goals like increasing the minimum wage, and health care funding, especially when other News Shorts | By Matthew Steinbach, News Editor Women’s Day over, more work to be done | The World Federalist Movement here in Canada New Democrats have made attempts. She feels that the “current people have done a good job,” but the problem is that “Gordon Campbell is in control” of the government and she believes that he is the person who is really is calling for more to be done on behalf of making the decisions. women now that the Women’s Day festivities are The Evergreen line is a proposed SkyTrain line complete. which was supposed to built back in the 1990s under the They believe that the United Nations have former NDP government, but it never happened. The line was supposed to go from Lougheed Mall to the David Lam Campus (called the Douglas College stop). The Liberals did not build the line citing not enough funding. However, the current provincial government recently got the federal government to agree to kick in the final amount of funding for the project, which has ensured that construction of this line will begin soon; some estimates have put this line being built sometime around 2010. For more information, please contact Shannon Watkins directly through shannonwatkins.bendp.ca, or call her campaign office at 778.355.4401. an onus to create a “Gender Equality Agency” according to a recent press release from the group. They feel that women are still far behind men around the world and that this type of agency will ensure that women are entitled to a better education as well as to stop other “gender- based crimes.” Without this type of agency within the confines of the UN they do not believe that too much work can be done on the matter. Florida to implement warning system Florida has created a new warning system for its Universitiés and Colleges called eDean (Electronic Dispatch for Emergency Academic Notices) which they are working towards implementing across their state. The idea is to have monitors in common areas on the campus to warn students about weather updates, academic updates, emergency updates, etc. as soon as possible according to a recent press release from Alliance Communications. Their concern is that many systems, including emails and text messages _ work, but they do not reach students as quickly as the notices could. According to the press release, the system was used to some success during this summer when it alerted students to stay away from a possible gun incident on campus happening near Shannon Watkins college pro res PAINTERS students for: May - August SUMMER JOBS COLLEGE PRO PAINTERS is presently looking for responsible / hard- working University or College Full-Time Painting Positions No experience required, we will train you to paint. Positions available in your area. If interested call 1-888-277-9787 or apply online at www.collegepro.com PITT ee pos CORONA - $299 CUERVO oe |r a THURSDAYS, COUNTRY CABARET 19040 Lougheed Hwy Pitt Meadows, BC www.roosterscountry.com FAY