(¥Y The death penalty is a failure (¥ There are no easy answers for solving the world’s problems And more! Letting Trump distract us from Canadian issues > Political outrage begins at home limelight recently. The election in the S has assured that, and I doubt he is concerned; the misdirection has worked in his favour. While Trump is soaking up all the attention, Trudeau is flying under the radar. He has received minimal criticism for his broken promises, and Canadian newspapers have dedicated far more time to lambasting the American president then they have in analyzing Trudeau’s policy decisions. Electoral reform was a major component of the Liberal’s policy platform. At first, Trudeau and his party appeared to be steadfast in their commitment to the promise. Clearly, voters overestimated the Liberal’s dedication to the pledge. After the party announced they would be abandoning any plans of electoral reform, there was an outcry. Unfortunately, this lasted only a couple of days. People soon moved on, as more exciting things were happening in the US. Another disappointment was the Liberal Party’s decision to approve two pipelines, including the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain expansion. Trudeau was supposed to be everything that Harper was not, and we hoped that he would—at the very least—avoid inheriting Harper's cavalier attitude towards the environment. Once again, the Liberals let their voters down. As with electoral reform, there wasa short burst of frustration that was soon drowned out by American Jie Trudeau has been out of the politics. Canadians were distracted by Trump and his outrageous persona. Our politics might not be as entertaining to watch, but they still matter. In our own country, we can at least affect change. That is not to say we shouldn't discuss global issues, but that is not where our focus should lie. Rallying against Trump is fun, but we can't vote in a new president. The American people need to initiate change in their own country. We can’t do that for them. Let’s instead talk about Canada’s problems before we scrutinize America’s. If we focus on improving our own country, we will reap the practical benefits, but we will also find ourselves less frustrated. I feel constantly bombarded by Trump and his politics, as it seems he does something horribly Image via www.macleans.ca obnoxious every single day. We hear about it, but we really can’t do anything. In Canada, you can get involved. Join a youth council, write for your school paper, volunteer; do something that will make a difference. You'll feel more productive and less depressed. It’s better than sitting and watching a train wreck that you can’t do anything about. The BC left shouldn't belong to the Liberals > The case for the NDP Greg Waldock Staff Writer he 2017 British Columbia provincial election is ramping up, coinciding nicely with the leadership race for the federal New Democratic Party. The NDP is receiving a fair amount of attention this time around, as the left- wing voters in British Columbia find themselves in a familiarly tight spot. On one hand, we have the BC Liberals, our favourite paradoxically-named provincial party. Their tendency to vote centre-right on economic and social issues has massively hurt their reputation in city areas, and the continued shadiness of Christy Clark isn’t helping much. Federally, Justin Trudeau has been backing away on major campaign promises over the past few months. Electoral reform, marijuana legalization, and decreased student interest rates were Major promises that helped get him elected, especially in BC, and he’s neglected every single one. On the other hand, people on the left understandably don’t want to go against a left-wing party when the threat of Trump-style politics is so near and real. This exact situation Image via www.bersonphoto.com is what an opposition party is for. The NDP collapsed hard after the last federal election. Losing the majority of their seats, getting wrapped up in controversy like “Elbow-gate” or the milquetoast Leap Manifesto, and Tom Mulcair’s failed leadership almost brought the most successful opposition party in Canadian history to its knees. But they're finally making a comeback. The leadership race is beginning to capitalize on a very frustrated Canadian left that doesn’t want Trudeau to keep breaking promises and making empty gestures, but also doesn’t want a groundswell of right-wing extremism to rise on an anti-Irudeau wave. The NDP knows this frustration, and can use that to get real economic and social change through, especially in BC. The demand for a resolution to the homelessness problems and a minimum wage increase beyond a few pennies every election cycle is growing stronger with each passing week. With its recent history, it’s very understandable to be wary of the NDP’s ability to come together soon. However, the failed federal run is finally forcing it to get its act together as long-time proponents of the working class. This progressivism is especially apparent as Guy Caron and New Westminster's own Peter Julian appear as strong contenders in the federal race. With a province so torn by economic disparity and unrealistic wages, any party that best addresses those concerns ina remotely realistic way will have a strong showing in the next election. With a social agenda that’s more truly left and progressive than both the Liberal Party platform and the BC Liberal’s history, the NDP is a clear choice for any frustrated British Columbians looking for both a real change and a true adherence to Vancouver’s progressive nature.