2 NOVEMBER 24, 2004 Snetsinger’s Appointment A First CONTINUED FROM COVER Columbia, and with northern forest practices. Since 2002, Snetsinger has been the regional executive director for the Northern Interior Forest Region and has been leading implementation of forestry revital- ization policies within the ministry. A professional forester since 1981, he was a graduate of the University of Toronto and worked as a forester for five years with BC Hydro before joining the Forest Service in 1986. Since then, Snetsinger has worked in the former Prince Rupert Forest Region and also served as a region- al director for Land and Water BC. When asked what he thought about Snetsinger’s appointment, a first year Forestry major said, “I think it’s good because all the trees are in the north, and it gives the government a’much better perspec- tive of what the forest industry is, and what it’s like to live and work in a forestry dependent town.” Forestry faculty at UNBC also agree that Snetsinger’s decision to stay in Prince George will benefit the province. “I think ultimately it will because what's happened in BC is the bulk of the harvest was in the coast in the 50s, 60s and’70s,” said Dr. John Pousette, a lecturer in the Forestry program. “However, since then it has moved to the central interior, and has increased even more due to PHOTO BY ROB VAN ADRICHEM Jim Snetsinger speaks at UNBC about his new position as Chief Forester. Unlike previous Chief Foresters who based themselves in Victoria and Vancouver, Snetsinger chose Prince George where he’ll be closer to the industry. mountain pine beetle and uplift in harvest we've had.” Snetsinger’s post at UNBC is already benefiting forestry students at our school. Pousette is having the chief forester visit one of his classes on November 29th to have his students present information to Snetsinger on integrated resource management issues around the province, so that he can familiarize himself with the issues that are being faced in the south and on the coast. “If we can continue to have that kind of relationship with him, he can continue to came and interact with students and classes, it will be awesome,” said Pousette. By CHARLES THRIFT STAFF WRITER France has destroyed the air _force of one of the richest nations in West Africa in an act of retalia- tion. The attack came after nine French peacekeepers were killed during air strikes by the Government of Cote d'Ivoire against an opposition movement based in the north of the country. French troops have also taken control of the country’s main strategic airports, several key bridges, and have surrounded the President’s mansion. Though France intends: to oust their President, France maintains that its sole objective is to protect the lives of French citizens living in the country, estimated to number about 10,000. The international community has backed the mili- tary actions by France, and an arms embargo has been put in place on Cote d'Ivoire by the United Nations.. Ivoirians held demonstrations to protest the French military actions, and riots have broken out throughout the government- controlled south of the country. French schools have been burned down, foreigners have been assaulted, their homes and shops looted as tens of thousands of ‘loyalists’ rioted in Abidjan. Thousands of foreigners have been forced to leave the country fearing for their lives. As west- erners are evacuated by their respective governments, many West Africans of non-Ivoirian descent fear that they are next to many Ivoirians believe that Chaos in Cote d’lvoire French seize control of the capital be targeted by Ivoirian President Laurent Gbagbo’s militias. In 2002, a failed coup led to a military uprising in the north of Cote d’Ivoire. The country has been divided since, with rebels holding the north of the country and the Government controlling the south. Though a peace accord was signed in January 2003, eth- nic tensions remain high: Television and radio broadcasts have been inciting hatred, and have been compared to the radio broadcasts in Rwanda shortly before the genocide. Government militias, also called “death squads”, are reported to be abducting and executing citizens from northern ethnic groups. According to UN human rights investigators, “The death squads are quite well organized and have lists of people to execute.” In 2003, French soldiers found hundreds of bodies, and they are believed to be victims of merce- naries loyal to the Ivoirian gov- ernment. Cote d’Ivoire-was once known as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most stable countries. In 1999, the country suffered its first coup, led by Robert Guei. Though Guei held elections in 2000, the prominent opposition members were prevented from running. The polls were also widely reported to have been rigged. Due to popular protest, Guei was forced to step down, handing power over to current President Laurent Gbagbo. There are about 10 000 peacekeepers in Cote d'Tvoire. - Bikini Bull-riding Exploits Women Says Student Union Women compete for $1,200 in tuition money, men for gift certificates in Regina bar contest By CAssiE HAWRYSH THE CARILLON (UNIVERSITY OF REGINA) REGINA (CUP) — Bikini-clad female students are being sexually exploited at a Regina bar, which holds a mechanical bull-riding contest with tuition money as the prize, says the University of Regina student union. The Pump’ Roadhouse is cur- rently hosting a weekly Thursday night event dubbed the Bikini Bull- Riding Competition. The bar’s management said the contest is just clean fun and no one is forcing women to ride the bull. The contest is open to both women and men, who compete in their specific gender categories, but requires women to wear any combination of a bra, bikini top, shorts, jeans or bikini bottoms, whereas men may wear whatever they want. “Given the sexual nature of the conditions of the female contest, the intentions of the Pump Roadhouse are quite obvious,” said Charla Vall, women’s director for the student union. “The sexual- ly exploitive nature of the competi- tion is not lost on anyone.” The contest entails riding the mechanical bull three consecutive times, The first two attempts are timed and the third is judged based on artistic performance, skill and amount of fan support. No matter how. contestants score in the third round, the final winner is the one who scored the best time. “It’s really just a fun, laid-back promotion that is based on skill and creativity,” said Scott Olafson, one of the Pump’s managers. The Pump offers women prize- winners $1,200 toward tuition or $1,000 cash if they’re not universi- ty students. The top prize for male contestants is Pump gift certifi- cates. “This bull-riding challenge start- ed two months ago and was geared for women,” Olafson said. “Prizes are less for men because we didn’t budget for a male cate- gory. We've only got so much money to run a promotion for so long.” Vall and the student, union strongly reject this explanation. “We place education in a highly valued area in society, but the Pump is exploiting women to increase their profits,” Vall said. “It is a choice that the women make for themselves but the fact is that the prize is appealing and tuition fees are so high, so this may be some women’s only resort — to have to lower themselves to pay for their education.” When asked how he felt about some of the negative feedback this contest was getting, Olafson said: “This promotion has been very successful and has had great feed- back in general. We have no inten- tions of. stopping this promotion until it runs its course, which is the semi-finals and finals on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 24 and 25, of Agribition Week.” Olafson did: stress; however: “This is not a strip show and in the rules it is defined that women and men will be disqualified and asked to leave the bar if they push the limits of good taste.” The student union hopes stu- dents will see the competition from their point of view and choose not to participate. “We are very concerned that stu- dents are being targeted and that they may resort to participating in this sort of event as a means of paying for their education,” said Vall. “The Pump isn’t doing women a favour. Events such as this distract students from more legitimate and admirable ways of coping with rising tuition costs.”