Media bias mapped

By Chris Beauchamp

A new on-line resource is giving Canadian voters insight into the influence of advertising and media coverage on voting decisions. The “Mapping the Media in the Americas” project launched at the University of Calgary Tue., Jan. 17 with the unveiling of the Canadian portion of the 12-country project. The resource compiles official data into an… Continue reading Media bias mapped

Voting 201: A how to guide for dummies, students and the infirm

By Ændrew Rininsland

It’s no secret voter turnout among the 18-20-year-old demographic is pretty low, with the most commonly used statistic being the 22 per cent in 2000 from a survey commissioned by Elections Canada. The same survey also lists “apathy/lack of interest” and “attention turned elsewhere” as a reason why 30 per cent of those voters didn’t… Continue reading Voting 201: A how to guide for dummies, students and the infirm

Elections for all!

By Kyle Francis

Anyone who says they haven’t wanted to unduly influence a federal election is a goddamn liar. Now, thanks to 80soft, any aspiration you may have had about leaning on the media so they’ll imply Stephen Harper is a pedophile can finally be realized. In Prime Minister Forever, you take the role of your favourite (or… Continue reading Elections for all!

No excuse for apathy

By Kenzie Love

Trudeaumania it ain’t, but if the sense of momentum currently surrounding Stephen Harper and the Conservatives holds until election day, it may inspire some previously apathetic Canadians to vote. Conversely, the prospect of a Conservative government may scare previously apathetic Canadians on the other side of the ideological spectrum into voting as well. Whatever the… Continue reading No excuse for apathy

Liberals promise big bucks to you and me

By Stephanie Shewchuk

A lofty promise for post-secondary education came from the Liberal Party last week, when Prime Minister Paul Martin announced a series of measures to combat the increasing cost of tuition. The ’50/50 Plan’ proposed by the party would have the federal government pay half tuition costs for all Canadian undergraduates in their first and final… Continue reading Liberals promise big bucks to you and me

The environment needs your vote

By Saidia Green

Can the environment help a candidate win a federal election? The environment has repeatedly been cited as one of the most important issues to Canadians, especially to young Canadians. It’s inevitable that each party will address this issue in some way, at least during the campaign season, but which ones are simply memorizing facts for… Continue reading The environment needs your vote

Komrades, Unite!

By Eric Klotz

Contrary to stereotyped opinions, the federal leader of the Communist Party of Canada does not wear green army fatigues emblazoned with the red star. Instead, Miguel Figueroa proclaims very Canadian values. As election time looms most of us do not realize that the Communist Party of Canada exists and is running in 21 ridings across… Continue reading Komrades, Unite!

The candidates come to campus, mostly

By Emily Senger

This week’s Calgary West all-candidates forum began with the removal of a man demanding signatures on a petition to oust Calgary City Council members for not applying for the 2010 Olympics. After Campus Security removed the obscenity-shouting protestor, the debate began, and five diverse political candidates came to agreement over a major issue they wanted… Continue reading The candidates come to campus, mostly

More candidates forum hyjinxs

By Ændrew Rininsland

The recent federal election forum held by Public Interest Alberta gave candidates from all the major parties a chance to tackle the big issues facing Canadians in the upcoming election. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party was not present, so the organizers did the only logical thing they could: they had a bobbing duck sit in for… Continue reading More candidates forum hyjinxs