ge

DEBATES
Rival parties face off at David Lam debate

By Monica Carino, Associate News Editor

 

 

 

 

do Tuesday, a campaign debate
for the upcoming Douglas student
union election was held at the David
Lam Campus in Coquitlam. Present
at the event were five members of the
Douglas Student United slate: Matthew
Steinbach, Ally McGrotty, Ben Hess,
Jamie Waterlow and April Taylor.
Sebastian Bubrick, who is running for
re-election to the DSU board’s David
Lam Representative position, was the

sole candidate present for the Revitalize
slate.

The debate was organized to give the
candidates an opportunity to address their
respective platforms and goals. Douglas
Students United zoned in on the following
issues: implementing a U-Pass, waging a
strong campaign for the Evergreen Line ,
getting more discount cards for Douglas
students, and increasing awareness of the
DSU’s disabled and pride liaisons.

Bubrick of Revitalize, by contrast,

March 24, 2008

 

made it known that his slate would
like to “work towards getting out of
receivership.” When asked about his
plans on how to make David Lam
students more involved in the DC
community, Bubrick said, “It will not
cost much to purchase a bus that will
cater to the students who wants to join
the social events sponsored by the
student union at New Westminster.”

On issues regarding whether there
will be any new amenities for the

 

 

 

students, Jamie Waterlow, running for
the Disability Liaison Representative
position, said one of the main priorities
on his list was to push for the construction
of a disabled students help centre at
the DSU building. “This will become a
centre where students with special needs
can come and get assistance, or to simply
mingle with fellow students.”

More information on the campaign
election can be found at the DSU website
as well as various groups on Faceboook.

 

Low attendance marks

By Nikalas Kryzanowski, News Editor

O, March 19, local — student
candidates were given a chance to strut
their stuff at an all-candidates forum for
the upcoming Douglas College Student
Union elections. It was good way for
the rookies to test their mettle while also
allowing ordinary students a chance to

voice their concerns to the next batch of

potential union representatives.

Roughly nine of the 10 members
running on the Douglas Students United
slate attended the meeting while just two
members of Revitalize could make it due
to personal reasons.

EYRE TLS

United)

Attendance was sparse on the steps
of the New West atrium save for a few
of the curious and the critical. There was
also a large contingent faithful to Pride
liaison candidate April Taylor, who is
set for a coronation as she is running
unopposed for the position. She stated
her intention to extend the Pride office
hours and vowed to continue to work on
her “positive space” campaign to reduce
homophobia on campus. Things got
somewhat controversial as one questioner
contended that an unnamed member
of Douglas Students United party had
once been banned from the Pride office
for uttering homophobic comments,

vash Rokni

EXTERNAL RELATIONS COORDINATOR

Deep Singh (Revitalize)

INTERNAL RELATIONS COORDINATOR

haun Dhakar (Revitalize); Ally M

BASS
ff Lenahan (Revitlize); Alex

Tala: WONT ED)

 

rlovsk Do

ro Douglas Studen nited

April Te

las Students United

New West forum

and asked how Taylor would respond
to working with the alleged individual.
Taylor said that she, “had not been made
aware of the situation and would gladly
speak to the questioner in private after
the meeting.”

Another point of controversy came
up for DSU women’s liaison candidate
Mae Velasco. Velasco has made it widely
known through Facebook that she sits
firmly on the pro-life side on the issue
of abortion. When asked about how she
would respond to a situation involving
abortion as women’s liaison, she claimed
that she would “respect the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms,” but would try to

terlow (Douglas Students United)
PRIDE LIAISON

lor (Douglas Students Unite

WOMEN'S LIAISON

Sandr

Gwar

Revitalize); Mae Velasco (D

suggest alternatives to abortion.

Three member-at-large candidates
were at the forum. Fred Firmansyah,
Brandon Johannesson and Imran Valli
each pledged their interest in student
politics. Firmansyah, in his first semester
at Douglas, is the only international
student running in the election, while
Johannesson is a member of the
baseball team, in his second year. Valli
is an accounting management student
at Douglas. The other member-at-large
candidates are Christine Nieder, Other
Press columnist Siavash Rokni, and
Jerin Mece.

Fred Firmansyah (Douglas Students United); Brandon Johanneson
Revitalize); Jerin Mece (Revitalize); Christine Nieder
Douglas Students United); Imran Valli

Revitalize); Sia-
Douglas Students

iFeSmsleele loin ni