6 clubs

February 23, 2011 + Over the Edge

Calling all Conservatives

New club widens the political spectrum for all UNBC students

HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

The political Spectrum at UNBC has now been widened with the creation of a Young Conservatives club. The club was founded this semester by political science student Rob Currie-Wood. While a majority of people continuously vote Conservative in the Prince George region, UNBC has been lacking conservative representation here on campus.

Now the problemis solved, as students have an opportunity to become involved with a club that’s a little right of centre. The young conservatives intend to combine political discussion and involvement with fun and entertainment.

The club also has support from local Conservative politicians. For one of the club’s initial meetings Conservative Candidate and Former Mayor of Prince George Colin Kinsley attended to show support for the Young Conservatives initiatives at UNBC. Kinsley is running for the Prince George -Peace River Conservative Nomination.

Kinsley attended the meeting and discussed various political issues with the club members. Kinsley addressed his stance on topics such as the region’s growing relationship with China and the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Kingsley emphasized his desire to “take to Ottawa a recognition of our resource centre to central Canada with an economically, sociably, and environmentally sustainable focus.”

“| hope to take to Ottawa social front fair share recognition,” said Kingsley when discussing how the federal government often spends more time adhering to the concerns of Greater Toronto rather than more sparsely populated western regions of the country.

Although the club has direct contact and support of local politicians, along with many opportunities to become involved with politics and the community, it has had a rocky start. General political apathy and the small number of political science students made it difficult for the club to get off its feet. The Young Conservatives are seeking federal recognition; however, they need a minimum amount of members before they can attain that goal.

Becoming involved with a political club on campus is not only for Political Science students. Everyone has got an opinion and a preference as to how the country is run. Involvement with a political club, such as the Young Conservatives, is a great way for anyone to express their opinions and learn a little something about ideology and the way things work.

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Do you see blue when you think about politics? Join the Young Conservatives!

If interested with becoming involved with the Young Conservative Club contact Rob-Curie Wood at curriewr@unbc.ca

UNBC Spread the Net Campaign Heads Competition

UNBC is currently in first place for the national spread the net campaign

HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

The UNBC Spread the Net campaign is run by a dedicated group of students who have been working diligently to raise as much money as possible for the campaign. Spread the Net aims to provide mosquito nets to prevent malaria in developing nations. If UNBC wins this competition not only will the school have provided mosquito nets for many families in need of them, but also UNBC will have the ultimate bragging rights over the larger Canadian Universities. Not only that but Canada’s most loved political comedian Rick Mercer of the Rick Mercer Report will visit the wining school. And the good news is, that currently UNBC sits in first place! However, it’s acompetitive campaign and the last few weeks of February will determine whether UNBC can out donate the rest of the competition!

The spread the net campaign illustrates how big of an impact our small University and our northern community can have nationally and internationally. Malaria is one of the biggest global health problems out there as more than one million children die of malaria every year — most of them are in Africa. Donations have not only come from students at UNBC but encouraging members of the community as well. A 10 buck donation equals one insecticide treated net which can protect up to five children. But as you've seen the Spread the Net volunteers in the Agora sitting at a bake-sale or donation box all semester, any amount of donation is obviously welcome.

Spread the Net was born when Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronich travelled to Africa with Professor Jeffery D. Sachs, Director of the UN Millennium Project. There they experienced firsthand the devastating effects of malaria and the shockingly Bring Rick Mercer to UNBC simple solution of a bed net that was so out

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of reach for thousands of African families. Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronach decided to take action and co-founded Spread the Net that would educate Canadians about malaria and encourage them to become involved and donate a net for an at-risk family.

Spread the Net originally partnered with UNICEF Canada. Together they have achieved their founding goal of 500,000 nets raised. Together with Canadians Spread the net and UNICEF have protected the lives of 2.5 million children and pregnant women in Liberia and Rwanda. However, there is still more work to be done! Spread the net now takes on a project-by-project focus working with a variety of partners on the ground in Africa to purchase and distribute the much-needed nets.

UNBC and the commendable — students who have been running the Spread the Net Campaign deserve congratulations for all the money and the nets raised so far. However, the campaign is not over just yet! And there is still more work to be done. One donation of 10 bucks can protect up to five children, if they all share of course, but five children nevertheless! The last weeks of February will determine if UNBC has got what it takes to be the best and most charitable school in Canada.

If you would like to make a donation you can contact the UNBC Spread the Net crew at stn. unbc@gmail.com or youcanlog onto the UNBC Spread the Net Facebook page and in a few clicks you could be making a donation online!