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U of Ottawa prof. resigns over biological warfare exam question

By Kate Heartfield OTTAWA (CUP) - A University of Ottawa profes- sor has resigned after asking an exam question in December about biological warfare and Quebec ‘sepa- ratists. “It is the year 2000 and you are employed by the government,’ the question, by biology professor Robert Charlebois, read in French. “Using your knowledge of microbiology and transmis- sion of infections, find a bac- terium to eliminate Quebecois separatists, but not federalists.”

A University official said

Charlebois was not formally asked to resign, although the faculty of science did look into the issue after some stu- dents complained about the question. Many felt it was too

politically charged and even

offensive to Quebecois stu- dents. Following the incident, Charlebois wrote a statement explaining his actions to Christian Detellier, the dean of science. He also sent each student a letter of apology and apologized publicly in the French daily Le Droit.

The University issued a

statement calling the ques-

tion “deplorable” and “clearly

inappropriate” and that it referred to “bio-terrorism.” But Héléne Carty, the University’s marketing and communica- tions director, said Charlebois resigned on his own. “It was certainly his own initiative,” she said. “He was in no way pressured or encouraged to do so.”

She added that the University will miss the pro- fessor, despite the conse- quences of the infamous question. “It was a regrettable question,” she said. “It was made in error. But he was certainly a good professor and a good researcher.”

Charlebois would not go into detail about his resignation. “The reason I’m resigning is that | don’t want to be in the public eye, and by talking to journalists that just makes it worse,’ he said.

But Carty said Charlebois had another reason for resigning. According to a statement Charlebois made to the University, he has his own research he wants to pursue part-time. “He decided that he would pursue a dream that he’s always had,” said Carty, adding the scandal had merely accelerated his decision to quit teaching.

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While the exam question certainly ruffled some feath- ers among both students and university staff, the incident seems to have died down without much more contro- versy.

A few science students asked informally about the incident said they knew noth- ing about it. And one fourth- year science student said he only knew about the incident through his friends, but thought the decision to resign was unfortunate.

Finance minister evades pie throwers

By Simon Glezos

VICTORIA (CUP) - Federal Finance Minister Paul Martin didn’t exactly get a warm wel- come during a recent visit at the University of Victoria. What he got instead was a crowd of irate protesters with cream pies and questions about the latest federal bud- get. Martin was on campus talking to climate researchers as part of a*cross-Canada post-budget tour. But outside the building where he was speaking, a group of about 30 protesters were carrying signs and chanting, “Free education, tax corporations.”

After his closed-door meet- ing, Martin answered ques- tions from the press. “We’ve made it very clear that the basis for our new budget is education,” said Martin. “We've allocated $900-million more, which is going to go directly to universities.”

In the Feb. 28 federal bud- get, Martin announced $900- million over five years for the creation of 2,000 new research chairs. Another $900-million was given to the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, a federal research granting body created by the Liberals in 1997.

But Summer McFadyen, University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) director of finance, said the increase in funding isn’t keep- ing pace with inflation - a claim the minister denied.

While trying to leave the building, Martin and Victoria Liberal MP David Anderson were accosied by the protest- ers, who boxed in their van, preventing it from leaving for about 15 minutes. The pro- testers shouted at Martin, demanding an increase of funding for social spending and a decrease in corporate tax cuts.

Call him doctor 99

By Jon Dunbar

EDMONTON (CUP) - The University of Alberta is giving an honorary doctorate to hockey superstar and former city resident Wayne Gretzky. But not everyone is cheering the decision to honour num- ber 99.

Gretzky, otherwise known as “The Great One,’ has been hailed as the greatest hockey player who ever lived. He will be presented with a degree in laws on June 5, during Spring convocation. “He is a remark- able hockey player,’ said University Chancellor Lois Hole about Gretzky’s impend- ing doctorate. “[He’s] a role

model for young people both on and off the ice.”

Second-year English major Margaret Brodie disagreed. “He’s a commercial whore,’ she said.

“Make him pay tuition,” added Robert Huston, a fourth-year EAS student.

And Sukhi Sidhu, a first-year law student, declared, ‘I should have played hockey.”

According to Senate execu- tive officer Sandra Kereliuk, the University offers three honorary degrees, and most people get the law degree. Hole, howev- er, said, “certainly it's not because he’s a lawyer.”

Another international figure who will be honoured with an honorary law degree will be Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who was a leading figure in South Africa in the opposition against apartheid, and who spoke at the University last year. The University will also grant honorary doctorates to scientist Jozef Straus, busi- nessman James Stanford, Chancellor-Emeritus Louis Hyndman and research poli- cy leader Thomas Brzustowski.

Tutu recently received an honorary degree from the University of Toronto.

Also present was the Order of Pi, an engineering fundraising group who, for a donation to a local hospital, will hit Someone of your choice in the face with a pie, unless the potential victim beats your donation by $5. UVSS chair Morgan Stewart had agreed to pay the group $150 of student society money to pie Martin. Martin’s aides, however, said the min- ister refused to participate. Chris Singer, the leader of the engineering group, then

accused Stewart of “falsely summoning the order of Pi.” While a laughing Anderson

and Martin waited inside the barricaded van, Stewart donned the requisite hood and got a pie in the face from Singer. After the pie attack, the protesters allowed Anderson and Martin’s van to leave the parking lot. A chocolate cream pie covered Stewart expressed his dis- pleasure at the minister. “l think fucking Paul Martin should have got the pie,” said Stewart. “Students get stuck with cuts for five years in a row and Paul Martin walks away, untouchable.”