JANUARY
      10,
      2006
      ~
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      e
      5
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      OPINION
      &
      CO
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ENTARY
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ...
      And
      Now
      For
      Something
      Completely
     
     
      Different:
      The
      Rants
      of
      a
      University
      Student
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ryan
      Gallant
     
     
      Contibutor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Well,
      the
      New
      Year
      came
      in
     
     
      with
      a
      bang
      this
      year,
      particularly
      for
     
     
      those
      of
      you
      who
      happen
      to
      live
      in
     
     
      the
      general
      area
      surrounding
      Brown’s
     
     
      Court
      and
      Queen
      Street.
      For
      anyone
     
     
      who
      was
      not
      present
      that
      evening,
      I
     
     
      think
      a
      friend
      of
      mine
      described
      it
     
     
      best
      when
      he
      said
      “Oh
      my
      God.
     
     
      Brown’s
      Court
      is
      like
      Rwanda,”
      which
     
     
      was
      almost
      entirely
      true,
      except
      for
      the
     
     
      fact
      that
      Rwanda
      is
      not
      filled
      with
     
     
      drunken
      idiots.
      Yes,
      the
      large
      hordes
     
     
      of
      youth
      who
      chose
      to
      ring
      in
      the
      New
     
     
      Year
      by
      hanging
      around
      Brown’s
     
     
      decided
      to
      drink
      responsibly,
      clearly
     
     
      indicated
      by
      the
      hundreds
      of
      broken
     
     
      beer
      bottles
      on
      the
      ground
      the
      next
     
     
      morning,
      and
      to
      act
      in
      a
      civilized
      and
     
     
      mature
      manner,
      insomuch
      as
      ripping
     
     
      the
      door
      off
      building
      17,
      throwing
      a
     
     
      mattress
      in
      the
      hall
      and
      somehow
     
     
      causing
      a
      ceiling
      leak
      can
      be
     
     
      considered
      as
      mature
      and
      responsible
     
     
      behavior.
      As
      always,
      the
      wonderful
     
     
      long
      arm
      of
      the
      law
      personified
      by
      the
     
     
      Charlottetown
      Police
      and
      the
      sole
      car
     
     
      sent
      to
      the
      scene
      acted
      valiantly
      in
     
     
      controlling
      the
      situation
      by
      staying
      in
     
     
      their
      car
      and
      doing
      absolutely
      nothing.
     
     
      Wonderful.
     
    

    
     
      Christmastime
      on
      PEI
     
    

    
     
      was
      once
      again
      a
      joyous
      occasion,
      a
     
     
      time
      for
      love
      and
      joy
      and
      trees
      and
     
     
      turkeys
      and
      for
      relatives
      to
      tell
      you
     
     
      how
      bad
      they
      had
      it
      when
      they
      were
     
     
      kids.
      I
      heard
      some
      Baby-Boomer
      going
     
     
      on
      about
      it
      the
      week
      before
      Christmas:
     
     
      “Kids
      today
      get
      the
      Gameboys
      and
      the
     
     
      iPods
      and
      those
      cell
      phones.
      We
      only
     
     
      got
      oranges
      and
      socks.
      And
      we
      were
     
     
      damn
      happy
      to
      get
      it.”
      Well
      aren’t
      you
     
     
      all
      just
      paragons
      of
      virtue
      and
     
     
      unfettered
      selflessness?
      How
      can
      my
     
     
      generation
      ever
      possibly
      meet
      the
     
     
      impossibly
      high
      standards
      of
      your
      oh-
     
     
      so-wonderful
      and
      possibly
      greatest
     
     
      generation
      of
      all
      time?
      Give
      it
      a
      rest.
     
     
      We
      don’t
      care
      about
      your
      damn
     
     
      oranges.
      It
      sort
      of
      loses
      its’
      quaintness
     
     
      after
      you
      whine
      about
      it
      for
      50
      or
      60
     
     
      years.
      Hey,
      at
      least
      you
      didn’t
      have
      to
     
     
      fight
      and
      die
      for
      your
      own
      freedom
      like
     
     
      the
      two
      generations
      did
      before
      you.
     
     
      And
      at
      least
      your
      parent’s
      generation
     
     
      didn’t
      totally
      screw
      you
      over
      by
     
     
      depleting
      pension
      plans
      and
      social
     
     
      programs
      to
      the
      point
      that
      there
      was
     
     
      no
      money
      left
      by
      the
      time
      you
      got
      to
     
     
      retiring
      age
      even
      though
      you
      had
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      pay
      for
      it
      through
      the
      nose
      for
      your
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      entire
      career
      like
      we’re
      going
      to
      have
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      do.
      Phht.
      Sounds
      like
      a
      pretty
      sweet
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      deal
      to
      me.
      Oranges
      and
      socks
      indeed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Other
      than
      whining,
      the
     
     
      other
      great
      Canadian
      Christmas
     
     
      tradition
      continued
      this
      year.
      The
     
     
      World
      Juniors,
      were
      held
      in
      Vancouver
     
     
      and
      Kamloops
      BC,
      as
      Canada
      beat
      the
     
     
      snot
      out
      of
      every
      team
      they
      faced,
     
     
      with
      only
      6
      goals
      scored
      against
      them.
     
    

    
     
      Of
      course
      all
      of
      this
     
     
      could
      not
      have
      been
      done
      without
      the
     
     
      gracious
      help
      of
      the
      American
     
     
      coaching
      staff,
      who,
      when
      tied
      with
     
     
      Canada
      late
      in
      the
      third
      thought
      “I
     
     
      know!
      We
      can
      pull
      our
      goalie!”
      Uh
      huh.
     
     
      Good
      one.
      Canada
      of
      course
      scored
     
     
      an
      empty
      netter,
      clinching
      first
      place
     
     
      and
      a
      bye
      to
      the
      semis.
      Even
      though
     
     
      they
      needed
      that
      win,
      this
      is
      perhaps
     
     
      the
      stupidest
      move
      in
      modern
      sport
     
     
      as
      a)
      their
      goalie
      was
      by
      far
      the
      best
     
     
      US
      player
      on
      the
      ice,
      and
      b)
      you
      are
     
     
      playing
      Canada,
      the
      World
      Cup,
     
     
      Olympic,
      and
      World
      Junior
     
     
      Champions,
      and
      believe
      it
      or
      not,
     
     
      they’re
      pretty
      good
      at
      scoring
      on
      a
      net
     
     
      with
      no
      goalie
      in
      it.
      But
      no,
      I
      take
      that
     
     
      back,
      the
      stupidest
      move
      ever
      was
      last
     
     
      year’s
      semi
      final
      in
      the
      World
      Juniors,
     
     
      when
      the
      US
      was
      losing
      4-2
      to
      Russia,
     
     
      and,
      (surprise,
      surprise)
      pulled
      their
     
     
      goalie.
      Russia
      scored
      not
      one,
      but
      two
     
     
      empty-netters,
      after
      which
      the
     
     
      Americans
      figured
      they
      better
      put
      him
     
     
      back
      him.
      After
      the
      US
      took
      a
      dumb
     
     
      penalty,
      the
      Russians
      responded
      by
     
     
      scoring
      with
      one
      second
      left.
      Final
     
     
      score:
      USA
      2
      -
      Russia
      7.
      God
      Bless
     
     
      America.
     
    

    
     
      This
      -
      yeat’s
      series
     
     
      culminated
      in
      a
      5-0
      Canadian
      win
      over
     
     
      the
      Soviets,
      who
      before
      the
      game
     
     
      predicted
      that
      mother
      Russia
      would
     
     
      “dominate”
      Canada.
      Riiight.
      The
     
     
      Russians
      were
      pretty
      peeved
      that
      a
     
     
      goal
      they
      scored
      went
      uncalled
     
     
      because
      no
      one
      saw
      it,
      with
      their
      coach
     
     
      arguing
      that
      they
      would’ve
      probably
     
     
      won
      had
      it
      been
      called.
      Um
      no.
      Then
     
     
      it
      would’ve
      been
      5-1.
      Good
      old
     
     
      Russian
      math.
      Idiots.
      Some
      people
      felt
     
     
      that
      Russia
      was
      cheated
      in
      the
      non-
     
     
      call
      and
      that
      it
      could’ve
      changed
      the
     
     
      game,
      but
      for
      myself,
      I
      consider
      it
     
     
      payback
      for
      the
      2003
      Gold
      Medal
     
     
      game
      that
      we
      lost,
      in
      which
      Russian
     
     
      goalie
      Medvedev,
      after
      review,
      clearly
     
     
      hit
      the
      net
      off
      its
      moorings
      with
      10
     
     
      seconds
      to
      go
      in
      the
      game,
      a
      move
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      if
      caught,
      would
      have
      resulted
      in
      a-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      penalty
      shot
      for
      Canada.
      Of
      course
     
     
      the
      Russians
      and
      Canadians
      shook
     
     
      hands
      after
      the
      game
      and
      drank
     
     
      Smirnoff
      and
      beer
      late
      into
      the
      night
     
     
      and
      made
      fun
      of
      the
      goalie
      pull-happy
     
     
      Americans.
     
    

    
     
      Well
      I
      was
      informed
      after
     
     
      my
      last
      rant
      that
      some
      people
      were
     
     
      offended
      by
      my
      attack
      on
      the
      efforts
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      the
      Charlottetown
      Transit
      busses
     
     
      to
      decorate
      for
      the
      holidays.
      In
      that
     
     
      article
      I
      commented
      that
      the
      trolley-
     
     
      busses
      looked
      ridiculous
      by
      saying,
      and
     
     
      I
      quote
      “Ding
      ding!
      Here
      comes
      the
     
     
      shit-mobile.”
      Well,
      I
      am
      sorry
      for
     
     
      anyone
      that
      offended,
      but
      that
      is
     
     
      exactly
      what
      the
      bus
      looked
      like.
      I
      was
     
     
      not
      attempted
      any
      sort
      of
      attack
      on
     
     
      the
      bus
      system
      as
      a
      whole,
      I
      know
      that
     
     
      Charlottetown
      needs
      a
      transit
      system
     
     
      in
      place,
      the
      schedule
      is
      getting
      better,
     
     
      and
      more
      and
      more
      people
      are
      using
     
     
      it.
      Hell,
      I
      wasn’t
      even
      all
      that
      pissed
     
     
      off
      when
      the
      first
      time
      I
      tried
      to
      get
     
     
      on
      the
      bus
      that
      it
      drove
      right
      past
      the
     
     
      stop
      I
      was
      waiting
      at.
      My
      question
      is
     
     
      more
      me
      wanting
      to
      know
      why
      the
      hell
     
     
      we
      had
      to
      get
      busses
      that
      look
      like
     
     
      trolleys.
      For
      once,
      could
      we
      please
      just
     
     
      get
      something
      normal?
      Not
      something
     
     
      named
      after
      Anne
      or
      Confederation
      or
     
     
      potatoes
      or
      any
      of
      that
      nonsense,
     
     
      nothing
      to
      do
      with
      history
      or
      heritage
     
     
      or
      tradition:
      just
      normal
      damn
      busses.
     
     
      It
      would
      be
      more
      environmentally
     
     
      friendly,
      they
      wouldn’t
      have
      to
      use
      pine
     
     
      benches
      for
      god’s
      sake,
      and
      we
      could
     
    
   
   
    
     
      actually
      ride
      them
      with
      a
      bit
      of
      dignity.
     
     
      For
      some
      reason,
      one
      model
      that
      has
     
     
      been
      decided
      on
      for
      our
      fair
      city
      is
      one
     
     
      that
      is
      supposed
      to
      look
      like
      trolleys
     
     
      from
      1608.
      What
      in
      the
      hell?
      1608?
     
     
      This
      has
      absolutely
      no
      historical
      basis
     
     
      in
      Charlottetown.
      First
      of
      all,
      ’'m
     
     
      pretty
      sure
      we
      didn’t
      have
      a
      mass
     
     
      transit
      system
      in
      1608,
      seeing
      as
      our
     
     
      first
      transit
      system
      was
      developed
      in,
     
     
      yes,
      you
      guessed
      it,
      2005.
      Secondly
     
     
      1608
      is
      about
      the
      same
      time
      that
     
     
      Samuel
      Champlain
      founded
      a
      little
     
     
      village
      called
      Quebec,
      while
      Black
     
     
      Plague
      and
      scurvy
      is
      still
      killing
      off
     
     
      the
      Brits,
      and
      John
      Smith
      is
      getting
      his
     
     
      ass
      saved
      by
      Pocahontas.
      Seeing
      as
     
     
      nothing
      was
      established
      anywhere
     
     
      near
      Charlottetown
      for
      another
      111
     
     
      years,
      I’m
      going
      to
      go
      out
      on
      a
      limb
     
     
      here
      and
      say
      we
      didn’t
      have
      a
      fleet
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
      trolleys
      messing
      about
      the
      forest
      in
     
     
      1608.
      Maybe
      a
      few
      Co-op
      cabs,
      but
     
    
   
   
    
     
      that’s
      about
      it.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Election
      Scoop
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shaun
      Coady
     
     
      Contributor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Alright,
      do
      not
      get
      the
      wrong
     
     
      idea
      about
      this
      article.
      I
      am
      not
      going
     
     
      to
      write
      a
      long
      boring
      spell
      about
      elec-
     
     
      tions.
      I
      promise...
      well,
      I
      will
      do
      my
     
     
      best.
      As
      all
      of
      you
      know
      Canada
      is
      in
     
     
      the
      midst
      of
      our
      39"
      Federal
      Election
     
     
      campaign,
      which
      will
      culminate
      with
     
     
      the
      voting
      to
      be
      held
      on
      January
      23".
     
     
      What
      I
      want
      to
      do
      with
      this
      article
      is
     
     
      outline
      for
      all
      of
      you
      a
      few
      important
     
     
      factors
      that
      may
      motivate
      you
      to
      per-
     
     
      form
      your
      civic
      duty
      and
      vote.
      |
     
    

    
     
      As
      students,
      especially
      those
      of
     
     
      post-secondary
      institutions
      we
      have
     
     
      the
      ability
      to
      select
      the
      candidates
      and
     
     
      government
      who
      we
      feel
      will
      best
      rep-
     
     
      resent
      our
      needs.
      I
      am
      not
      going
      to
      try
     
     
      in
      any
      way
      to
      sway
      the
      vote,
      I
      am
      sim-
     
     
      ply
      wanting
      all
      students
      to
      realize
      the
     
     
      importance.
      of
      getting
      out
      and
      casting
     
     
      a
      ballot.
      Many
      of
      the
      current,
      and
     
     
      pertinent
      issues
      in
      this
      election
      refer
     
     
      directly
      to
      Post-Secondary
      Education
     
     
      and
      the
      expansion
      of
      funding
      for
      fi-
     
     
      nancial
      support,
      research
      and
      devel-
     
     
      opment,
      and
      the
      creation
      of
      new
      in-
     
     
      frastructure
      on
      campuses
      across
      the
     
     
      nation.
     
    

    
     
      I
      realize
      that
      not
      all
      students
     
     
      keep
      up
      to
      date
      on
      current
      political
     
     
      issues,
      or
      the
      news
      even.
      This
      is
      not
     
     
      to
      say
      that
      our
      opinions
      are
      not
      im-
     
     
      portant.
      Currently
      the
      political
      par-
     
     
      ties
      in
      our
      country
      are
      doing
      their
      best
     
     
      to
      win
      over
      our
      votes
      by
      providing
     
     
      election
      promises
      based
      around
      PSE.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      not
      going
      to
      give
      names
      of
      par-
     
     
      ties,
      but
      recently
      I
      have
      read
      and
      heard
     
     
      of
      platforms
      that
      include;
      the
      expan-
     
     
      sion
      of
      the
      Canada
      Access
      Grant
     
     
      which
      would
      put
      more
      money
      in
      the
     
     
      pockets
      of
      you
      the
      students,
      the
      crea-
     
     
      tion
      of
      a
      Lester
      B.
      Pearson
      Scholar-
     
     
      ship
      available
      to
      international
      students
     
     
      and
      those
      traveling
      abroad,
      a
      review
     
     
      and
      revamping
      of
      Canada’s
      Student
     
     
      Financial
      Assistance
      program,
      as
      well
     
     
      as
      thoughts
      regarding
      the
      construction
     
     
      and
      establishment
      of
      a
      Medical
      school
     
     
      on
      little
      old
      PEI.
     
    

    
     
      As
      a
      student,
      and
      I
      guess
      more
      -
     
     
      importantly
      a
      member
      of
      our
      Student
     
     
      Union
      executive,
      I
      feel
      that
      many
      of
     
     
      these
      issues
      ate
      pertinent
      and
      should
     
     
      be
      recognized
      by
      the
      entire
      student
     
     
      population.
      Everyone
      knows
      that
     
     
      Post-Secondary
      Education
      is
      a
      major
     
     
      benefit
      to
      society
      and
      will
      help
      to
      cre-
     
     
      ate
      a
      healthy,
      wealthy
      and
      wise
      soci-
     
     
      ety.
     
    

    
     
      What
      I
      am
      trying
      to
      tell
      every-
     
     
      one
      is
      that
      we
      have
      a
      voice.
      Accord-
     
     
      ing
      to
      Stats
      Canada
      in
      2004
      there
      are
     
     
      approximately
      571,685
      University
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      in
      Canada.
      This
      number
      would
     
     
      make
      up
      one
      of
      the
      largest
      single
      vot-
     
     
      ing
      populations
      in
      Canada.
      We,
      as
      stu-
     
     
      dents,
      are
      the
      biggest
      single
      voice
      in
     
     
      Canada.
      It
      is
      our
      civic
      duty,
      our
      re-
     
     
      sponsibility
      in
      good
      conscience,
      to
     
     
      vote
      on
      January
      23".
      For
      more
      infor-
     
     
      mation
      regarding
      advance
      polls
      and
     
     
      polling
      stations
      check
      out
     
     
      www.elections.ca