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Premier Clark appoints former Enbridge lobbyist as chief of staff
Attention drawn to proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline

By Matthew Visser
C Premier Christy Clark has
appointed former Enbridge
Energy lobbyist Ken

Boessenkool as her chief of staff, in

the company backing the proposed

Northern Gateway pipeline project.
The proposed pipeline

project would involve a new

1,172-kilometre pipeline spanning

from Bruderheim, Alberta to

depressed town support the new
industry the Northern Gateway
would provide, including resident
Peter King—who argued in favour
of the pipeline at a joint committee
meeting saying, “Should I have the

a move that draws attention to the
future of the proposed Enbridge
Northern Gateway Pipeline.
Boessenkool, 42, has a long
history of right wing politics that
include working as an advisor for
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as
a Conservative election advisor, and
as a lobbyist for Enbridge Energy—

Kitimat, British Columbia.

Critics of the pipeline project
argue that the pipeline could
cause environmental damage if a
tanker were to crack and leak into
the narrow ocean passages of the
Kitimat waterways, while local
residents are divided on the project.
Some residents of the economically-

ability to stop other people in the

Ihave the ability to control how

yn”

way.
However, some residents

oppose the proposal, including

Hailsa elder Henry Amos, who

 

Public speaking skills available at Douglas

Toastmasters International helping students ‘step outside comfort zone’

 

By Joel Mackenzie

public speaking? Check out Douglas Toastmasters,

anew chapter of Toastmasters International
recently opened for the New Westminster community
and housed in Douglas College.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit group
dedicated to helping people improve their public
speaking and leadership skills. The group has been
around since 1924, and currently has over 270,000
members in over 13,000 clubs all over the world.
Their meetings focus on having members get used to
speaking to an audience by providing them with an
opportunity to speak in front of a group, with both
candid and planned speeches, to take part in different
roles assigned for each meeting, and to receive
feedback on their work. The club promotes itself
as not having one specific leader, but instead being
comprised of many caring individuals who want to
work together to help themselves and other members.
It therefore focuses on members’ personal growth as
speakers and leaders, and on providing positive yet
constructive feedback.

Michelle Leong, Athletics Coordinator at Douglas

[ratte in overcoming the infamous fear of

College, set up the chapter. Five years ago, she
was drawn to the club by the friendly, supportive
atmosphere it provided and the skill of its speakers.
“T wanted to speak like them,” she remembers.
Today, Leong thanks the club for helping her raise
her confidence as a communicator and leader, for
providing opportunities for her to participate in an
international convention in Las Vegas and many
speech contests, and for helping her “to network
with like-minded people who are passionate about
learning, growth, and helping others. Together, we
can make a difference!”

The club is having an open house on Tuesday,
January 31 at 5:00 p.m. in room 207 of the Douglas
Student Union building. Tom Jones, the former BC
District Governor for Toastmasters International,
will give a feature presentation focused on stepping
“outside your comfort zone.”

Toastmasters meetings are held every Tuesday at
5:00 p.m. in room 207 of the Douglas Student Union
building. Because the chapter is being held in Douglas
College, members receive the benefits of discounted
membership rates. Both students and community
members are welcome to attend with no pressure to
join.

world from getting energy? No, but

the energy is used in an economic,
socially environmental responsible

 

 

evoked previous oil disasters in
his speech to residents. “Exxon
Valdez—I don’t want that in my
territory, no matter how much
money you put in front of me,”
said Amos.

 

Upcoming
conference
tackling youth
unemployment

 

    

——

re you a student looking for
A: job or a recent graduate

struggling in the job market?
With the youth unemployment rate
at 14.1 per cent—currently double
the unemployment rate of the
general population—the XYBOOM
Conference held at Yaletown
Roundhouse on January 20 aims to
foster a discussion between students
and professionals of all ages,
connecting the professionals and job
seekers of the X, Y, and baby boomer
generations.

Currently, there are 400,000
young people unable to find
work on the job market. Thanks
to sponsor subsidies provided by
Coast Capital Savings and Service
Canada, students are admitted free
to the conference.
Those not able to attend can

stream the conference live on
January 20 at www.xyboom.ca.