Politics Is All Fun and Games
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www.TheReflector.ca FREE Oct. 2, 2008 …See pg. 12 Harper faces Mount Royal DJ duo put Politics is all off against students icing on the fun and games Arts News Dion attempt cake to identify Sports Features politicians 3 7 11 18 Refugees without borders In camps, stateless masses face starvation, violence and disease by Rachel Maclean The Reflector The white tents of the simulated refugee camp pop out from Olympic Plaza contrasting sharply with towering metal and glass structures surrounding them in the heart of downtown Calgary. The green criss-crossed fences containing the “camp” bare images of starving children, the reality of overcrowded camps, and a blood red timeline tracking the last 37 years of suffering by describing conflict, hunger and disease around the world. Lingering around the entrance, people of all backgrounds and ages line up to NEWS EDITOR: start their tour of what happens Alan Mattson in a refugee camp as described [email protected] by the doctors, nurses and logisticians of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). They are all October 2, 2008 wearing T-shirts that announce 42 million people have been uprooted from war. Kevin Barlow, a registered nurse for MSF, starts the tour by asking if anyone knows what a refugee is. After a few comments BRIEFS from the gathered crowd, he explains it is any person that has s a $700 billion been displaced over a border Abailout deal for because of economic, political, broke banks failed disease, famine, war or religion. to pass by American Barlow also explained there legislators, the global are internally displaced people (IDP) who are also driven out financial crisis hit new of their homes, but have not heights this week. World crossed a border. markets are plunging “Right now we are at a border as credit dries up. Back of a refugee camp,” Barlow said. home, a new report “Countries that are wartorn have a lot of borders.” Photos by Rachel Maclean from the Canadian Stepping through the gates, Kevin Barlow, a registered nurse with Médecins Sans Frontières, conducts a tour of a simu- Bankers Association Barlow continues to explain that lated refugee camp set up in Olympic Plaza. Below: Conditions are desperate in refugee showed Albertans are in 1951 the Geneva Convention camps around the world. increasingly falling declared that countries had an The first stop is at three small which everyone has to share. behind on their obligation to protect refugees. He asks if we had to leave our tents that are the typical set- Next, the tour moves to see mortgages — one of the home to be a refugee what up for refugees to take shelter what rations are delivered In many fundamental reasons would we take. in. With problems of malaria to refugees, hopefully once a countries behind the Wall Street “I’ve had some high school and other diseases with being month. There is rice, beans, oil, breakdown. groups come through here vulnerable to the outdoor salt and sugar that are donated people that said they would grab their weather and exposure the through the World Food cellphones and iPods,” said tents barely hold up. In refugee Program and distributed by non- carrying ore than one Barlow. “I told them in Eastern camps, large families or groups governmental organizations AK-47s are Mmillion Canadians Europe people did have to go of people are required to sleep (NGOs). jammed a government from an environment where in one crowded tent. On the “People can really get sick of like us website this week, they had riches, so it isn’t that ground is the one bar of soap the food,” said Barlow. “It is the distant from you and I.” that is designated for the tent, same thing every day.” carrying cell hoping to be placed on Barlow explains, as we head the new Do-Not-Call List. over to the mock setup of a phones. Hundreds of thousands water station, another problem Kevin Barlow have already registered in concentrated living is water their phone numbers on supplies can be contaminated. “In many countries people The water is chlorinated to carrying AK-47s are like us the list. sanitize and is rationed out, carrying cellphones. with many people standing in “They shoot at people, threaten study from the line just to get some. people, and celebrate a wedding A University of “Arriving in a refugee camp by shooting their guns. One area Toronto says traffic you get five litres,” said Barlow. I was in when you were having “That’s what we flush down the a conversation you would just accidents rise sharply on toilet in one flush here.” duck and keep talking.” election days as people Barlow said North Americans Barlow then moves towards drive to cast their ballots. on average use over 200 litres of the medical tent, which he is Researchers estimate water a day. very familiar with. that the Canadian Beside the water station there He explains issues in the is a booth that displays artwork camps are very different to what election on Oct. 14 will of displaced children showing nurses see in Canada: gun or lead to two or three violence and suffering. machete wounds, unfamiliar more deaths and 70 to “I notice that the accuracy of diseases, rape and STDs. the AK-47s are out of proportion 80 more serious injuries See REFUGEE pg. 4 than normal. to the picture,” said Barlow. October 2, 2008 • THE REFLECTOR 3 Stephen vs. Stéphane Harper and Dion visited Calgary recently — here’s what they were talking about Harper Make no The last thing mistake, the Alberta Canada is on No Canadian economy More than track because should be needs is a I think Mr. just an our govern- deprived to carbon tax Harper is an energy ment has an have the cure that would do imprudent provider, economic that they untold man, taking Canada must plan, and is need because damage to risks for his be a clean following it. A of the size of the province’s ideology. energy plan built on superpower. their wallet. energy Stéphane Dion lower taxes Stéphane Dion sector. We’ve Stephen Harper and less debt. been down Stephen Harper that road before. Stephen Harper WEB EXTRAS To hear Dion’s full speech TheReflector.ca Students: Here’s how to vote Who can vote? How can I vote? Can I vote at college if I’m I don’t have time to vote! Voters must be Canadian citizens, 18 • At the advance poll established for away from home? All employees who are eligible to vote years of age or older on Oct. 14, and be your polling division on Oct. 3, Oct. Your place of ordinary residence may are entitled to three consecutive hours able to provide proof of identity and 4 or Oct. 6 be the place where you are living while during voting hours on election day, or address. There are new rules for voting; • Using a special ballot, whether you are attending school. schedule to make sure you have three you now have to show identification/ by mail or at the local Elections If you decide that your place of hours to vote. or proof of address when voting. Canada office ordinary residence is your address while (For example, a driver’s licence and • On election day, Tuesday, October not attending school (such as your phone bill.) 14, 2008, at your polling station family’s address), you may vote at the • By mail, from anywhere advance polls in that electoral district or For more information, visit register and vote by special ballot. www.elections.ca 4 THE REFLECTOR • October 2, 2008 REFUGEE from pg. 4 watery diarrhea, vomiting and “When kids come in with power to not have children. He leg cramps. malnutrition they look also believes people in refugee Letter to “People come and tell us “Cholera isn’t the biggest disgusting,” said Barlow. “They camps have a unique spirit their personal symptoms, but issue in Canada,” said Barlow. look like they are dead.” and they should be fought for. the editor behind them there are people “In a refugee camp when people A woman in the tour asks As a MSF nurse, Barlow has waiting, and pushing in line,” are malnourished, with a lack Barlow why do mothers continue been in refugee camps across said Barlow. “We just treat the of good health care, and tight to have babies when they can’t Bangladesh and Darfur. He said Re: “Parking crisis hits symptoms, there is not enough living conditions, it can spread feed them. being in overcrowded refugee students,” Sept. 18 time to heal people.” through the whole camp.” “I think all guys over there camps have made him feel It is embarrassing that A major problem is cholera. As After leaving the cholera area should be castrated,” she said. detached. students here feel that parking the tour moves into the “cholera we head over to an area set up “Do you ever feel like these “You get used to it, and it is such a high priority. Driving area,” Barlow demonstrates how to treat malnourished children. people should just be allowed to just becomes another day,” is non-essential and expensive, they spray people down and When starving kids come in just die?” he said. “But every once in a so to complain about the cost treat people. People suffering they are weighed to determine Barlow explains in many while something really hits you or availability of parking while from cholera have profuse what treatment is needed.