Political Action Week

By Maria Gonzalez

In anticipation of the upcoming provincial elections, the University of Calgary Students’ Union is hosting a Political Action Week from November 15-19.


Bryan West, president of the SU feels there are two base motives for a Political Action Week.


“The primary one is trying to engage [students] in the issues and make them aware of how each party’s platform will affect post-secondary education,” he said. The SU will invite the provincial party leaders, and is anticipating the presence of Canada25, a national political involvement group.


“This is probably the most important provincial election in a decade,” said West. “A debt-free province, a massive surplus, and here at the U of C we’re dealing with cutbacks. Students need to act with a political voice.”


In order to dole out important information to the university population, the SU will host two political forums, one for the riding of Varsity, and the other for the riding of Mountain View.


The secondary motive, explained West, is an appeal for the better funding of higher education through mobilization of current and prospective students. Potentially, the outcome of this election could impede further cutbacks and initiate a better relationship between university and province. Consequently, a budget of $15,001 has been approved for the forthcoming advertisements and events.


While the agenda for the week is still in the mix, commercials on CFCN have been confirmed.