April 7, 2003 nugss northern undergraduate student society Election Crisis 2003 By Dan Turner If you thought that the NUGSS election was going to be cut and dry, you were very wrong. Serena Hartl, who was running for Campus Activities, was down by just three votes and decided to call for an official recount. The recount took place on April 2nd, and Duncan McColl was still ahead. However, a policy issue has created quite a crisis. NUGSS election policy is not clear as to what constitutes a ballot. If you count the whole paper as a ballot, as was done during the original counting, then Duncan is the win- ner by three votes. However, if you count each position as a seperate ballot, i.e. Director of University Affairs is one ballot, Director of External Affairs is another and so on, then Serena would be elected by two votes. The Chief Returning Officer brought the problem to Board of Directors to solve. During the meeting the Board decided to first amend their election policy and specify ballots as individual posi- tions for all future elections. STORAGE The second problem to solve was when to hold the by-election to elect the Director of Campus Activities. Many on the Board and both candidates wanted to hold the by-election during the first week of exams while most students are still at the University. Others on the Board, notably Director of Finance and Interim NUGSS President Chris Reid, felt that the current rules for by-elec- tions needed to be followed and the four-week process had to be followed. After debate, the Board decided that the two Associate Directors of Campus Activities, Geetu Parmer and Will DeWolf, will take full control of the portfo- lio and organize all NUGSS events until the Executive Director can be elected. The Board of Directors approved a motion to hold the by-election between September 30 and October 1, 2003. The nom- ination and campaign period will begin in early September. All stu- dents can be nominated to run the by-election. Located at 3632 Hart Hwy (one mile north of the Nechako Bridge) Call 962-5600 Large selection of unit sizes One site manager Open 7 days a week You store it, you lock it, you keep the key! Controversy in Ethiopia The struggle for justice between the Abebe family and Campus Crusade for Christ By Andrea Larson Campus Crusade for Christ is an “interdenominational ministry committed to helping take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations”. Campus Crusade for Christ launched missionary work in Nigeria in 1969 and has been building churches and working on outreach missions in Southern Africa ever since then. They are now active in 35 African countries including Ethiopia. Unfortunately there has been controversy between Campus Crusade for Christ in Ethiopia. Campus Crusade for Christ attempted to purchase a family farm from a member of the Abebe family in order to build a church. However, the person who sold the property to Campus Crusade to Christ was not the sole owner of the property and the basis for the sale was not valid. Eyob Abebe, an international student at the University of Northern British Columbia, grew up on the Abebe family com- pound. More than twenty people currently live on the compound and use the property as a place of refuge. Eyob describes the Abebe family compound as a place “that is used by those who have sur- vived the “Bedeno” Security crisis, the Ethiopia-Somali was and years of ethnic conflict, poverty, persecu- tion, brutal beatings and murder that is prevalent in Ethiopia”. Campus Crusade for Christ is allegedly participating in the evic- tion of the members of the Abebe family living on the compound, even though the matter is still in the process of litigation. Campus Crusade for Christ Canada declined to comment on the situa- tion, stating that “all inquiries into the matter were being directed to the African division”, and the min- istry in Africa could not be contact- ed before the publishing deadline. Eyob has expressed his “grati- tude for the rights and freedoms” he has experienced here in Canada as in Ethiopia “the value of democ- racy and respect for universal human rights are not valid”. He is afraid that without international pressure the justice system in Ethiopia will serve the “only the rich and victimise the poor”. The justice system in Ethiopia is very rudimentary and does not have any provision for lawyers for those who cannot afford them, and with- out legal representation, the Abebe family may easily lose their only resource. Currently, members of the local community, other religious organi- sations and concerned individuals are expressing their support for the Abebe family and hope to resolve the conflict by peaceful means. Eyob hopes “to see that justice is done with respect to the Abebe family compound” and that he will find support among people around the world for his family. Solar Power System Installed in Alberta Legislature System part of government's recently developed ‘action plan on climate change’ By Caitlin Crawshaw, Gateway EDMONTON (CUP) -- A recent- ly installed solar power system is now supplying the Alberta legisla- ture with renewable energy, as part of the Alberta government's “action plan on climate change.” The system was a joint project with Alberta Infrastructure and Alberta Environment, and has been providing the Legislature with electricity since March 17. The idea has been in the works. for about a year, according to Robert Moyles, the assistant director of communications at Alberta Environment. “] think it’s a strong signal that the government is committed to taking action on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. The $38,500 project is expected to save the government money and reduce emissions, but it was also designed to test the feasibility of similar projects, said Moyle. Gordon Howell, an electrical engineer whose firm installed the solar array, sees the project as exceptionally valuable for the renewable energy industry. “It is going to become a wonder- ful tool for us and for the industry. It gives the technology credibility, it will help make people aware of the technology, it will help educate them, ... and it gives them the experience of it,” he said. “It is very, very significant in that regard, even if it is so tiny in the big picture. But we all know that everything adds up.” Howell sees the project as an example of rare environmental leadership on behalf of the provin- cial government. When energy costs rose in 2000, for instance, the government gave out rebates without providing the leadership to promote an interest in the environment, he said. “The government, because they saw it as an opportunity for votes—nothing to do with leader- ship—they gave us rebates so that the net cost of the energy was not as severe,” said Howell. “They didn’t give us the leadership say- ing, ‘Guys, don’t just go and have . a party with this money. There are some very important things you need to do with this money. The next time the rates go so high, you'll be insulated from them.” Moreover, although some envi- ronmental woes can be solved with renewable energy like solar power, Howell argued that the more economically feasible approach continues to be energy efficiency. “There’s a lot of interesting renewable energy. There needs to be a lot of interest in energy effi- ciency because energy efficiency is the cheapest option.”