TS Our politics might not be as outrageous or bombastic as the US's, but they do matter.” Have an idea for a story? M opinions@theotherpress.ca ¢ Don’t sweat the stinky stuff ¢ Isn’t there a federal election this fall? ¢ There is no abortion debate ¢ Stop dismissing Black conservatives Hey, isn't there a federal election this fall? » Don’t let US politics distract from what's going on at home Bex Peterson Editor-in-Chief espite living in Canada, my newsfeed, Twitter feed, Facebook feed, and in- person conversations are saturated with US politics—and for good reason. Canadians have long been fascinated by the state of the States, even before the 24/7 trash fire of the current administration. I can’t help but wonder, however, if this focus on what’s happening south of the border isn't distracting folks from more localized concerns. Concerns such as, “We have a federal election in October, and no one seems to be talking about it.” One of the features of the Canadian electoral system that I appreciate is our short campaigning season. While Americans are already girding their loins for next year’s November election, Canadians likely won't see campaign bombardment until September—the month before the election. It’s not a lot of time for political messaging to soak into Don't sweat the stinky stuff the public consciousness, and it doesn’t build to the same kind of feverish spectacle that US elections often become. I’m personally of the opinion that politics and spectacle should not go hand-in-hand, but the downside of a more pragmatic system is that it’s hard to build public interest. A lot of Canadians I know have detailed and informed opinions about the current front-runners for Democratic leadership, the pros and cons of Sanders versus Warren versus Harris, so on and so forth. Ask those same Canadians for opinions on our own federal leaders (never mind their local candidates) and you're likely to watch that passion fizzle right out. I’m not asking for Canadians to get excited about politics. Politics can be incredibly boring, even if the ramifications aren't. However, I think it’s not too much to ask that people at least try to care, especially coming into this federal election season. When Trump was elected, I heard a lot of Canadians state with worrying certainty that something like that would never happen here. Then Ford took Ontario and Kenney took Alberta, » Wearing deodorant is polite and necessary Jessica Berget Opinions Editor he heat of the summer comes with many diverse scents. Some are pleasant, like summer rain, barbecues, flowers, and the beach. Others, not so much—namely, the hot stink of BO that permeates whatever area it’s in. Listen, I’m not one to tell you how to live your life. I’m not your parent. You should all know how to take care of your basic hygiene. But I am of the opinion that everyone needs to wear deodorant, no excuses. How many people have been stuck in a class, ona bus, or forced to work with someone who just reeks like a fish ina porta-potty? (If you've ever been to any anime or videogame convention, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.) I’m willing to bet this has happened to everyone at least once, and it needs to stop. Making sure you don't stink is a vital part of operating in society. People will like you more if you smell nice or at least tolerable. You have a better chance of getting hired for a job if you aren’ stinking up the office, and people are likely to ostracize you for smelling bad. No one wants to be that stinky person. It’s disheartening that as a college student, surrounded by many other adult students, the stench of BO still assaults my nostrils when I am on school grounds. As adults, we should all know how to take care of ourselves, and we should recognize when we smell a little funky and be able to combat it. Unless you are of the two percent of the population with a specific gene that makes your armpits never smell bad you should be wearing deodorant, some antiperspirant, or at least shower every day. We have come so far as a society to recognize that not smelling like sour garbage is a nice and even polite thing to do when operating in everyday life. In this day and age we have the resources and tools to combat our BO, so why do some people still choose not to use them? and though it’s been proven time and time again that Canada is not exempt from supporting administrations that are comfortable rolling back on human rights protections and social programs there is still this kind of national faith that Canada is, at the very least, too boring to do anything really messed up. This just isn't the case, and we need to stop relying on our own disinterest in the mechanics of Parliament Hill to save us. If Canadians are looking fora homegrown spectacle, we've laid the table for an ugly election season this fall. Despite actively denouncing white supremacy back in April, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has spent a good portion of his political career finding himself associated with people who spout white nationalist talking points, including appearing on well-known white nationalist Faith Goldy’s talk show back in 2017. Faith Goldy is one of several Canadian alt-right personalities who support the “white replacement” theory that the New Zealand mosque shooter cited as his motivation for killing over 50 people in Christchurch this year. The fact is that many people choose not to use deodorant or antiperspirant because they are under the impression that it is harmful for your body. That the aluminium-based compound has links with many health problems such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. Yet both the Canadian Cancer Society and Alzheimer Society Canada say there is no evidence to back these claims up. If you are still concerned about your health however there are many natural deodorants and even recipes to make your own homemade anti- body-odour concoctions. With so many resources at your disposal, there is simply no good reason to be consistently stinky. Admittedly, there are the occasional days where you just forget to put it on before you leave the house, or you are significantly sweatier or stinkier than you originally thought. It happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it. As long as it is not a regular problem, and people aren't Meanwhile, the Liberals have been leaking support from both sides of the centrist spectrum due to broken promises and embarrassing political scandals. If Trudeau manages a second term, it will be by the skin of his teeth. In these situations, popular NDP support tends to split the left vote, leaving the Conservatives free to run off with the house. Right-wing voters might be split between Scheer’s coded views and the more overt politics of Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada, but I don’t know if we want to be hoping that there's a significant population of Canadians willing to support Bernier’s platform of anti- immigration and building border fences. At the end of the day, I’m just worried that this election season is going to sneak up on Canadians. Our politics might not be as outrageous or bombastic as the US's, but they do matter. If we're not careful, things might just get interesting around here... and there’s a reason the phrase “May you live in interesting times” is considered a curse. holding their noses as you walk by them, it’s okay. If you're not comfortable using normal deodorant or antiperspirant, consider switching to a natural alternative, or just make sure you are cleaning the extra stinky spots on a daily basis. Smelling nice, or alternatively not like a dumpster fire, is courteous and makes everyone's day a little bit easier. Please, swipe on that smell stick before you leave the house.