BRAINS AS WELL AS BRAWN.....................................8 20-year-old basketball player Devin McMurtry is also an academic star. Check us out online at langaravoice.com This week look for special features on allergies and the Canadian government’s new opportunities pro- gram DAILY oice PRODUCED BY LANGARA JOURNALISM STUDENTSV april 3, 2013 • Vol. 45 no. 21 • VANCOUVER, B.C. U-Pass Stars here to come to stay town Fans of Bollywood are U-pass program will be lined up to meet India’s offered to students for the biggest stars as they arrive next three years, says in town for awards show provincial government BY GARIN FAHLMAN BY PUNEET DHAMI The U-Pass program will now cost The Bollywood stars have started students $20 more per year and will be rolling in for the Times of India Awards extended three more years. taking place on April 6. The provincial government is com- YVR has its security tight while fans mitting $34.5 million to TransLink to await their favourite stars from India. offset costs for providing students with Most of the fans are attending the highly discounted transit passes awards night but couldn’t wait to see 140,000 post-secondary students are the stars up close when they land. provided with U-passes. “I work here [YVR], so when I heard Prices will start at $35 in May 2013 BRIAN HORSTEAD photo they were coming I thought I’d come under the new agreement. Students Students from Langara’s aboriginal community development course protest Bill C-45,Wednesday see them [stars],” said Tourism Coun- voted to increase the price to $36.75 in selor, Sharleen Ali. 2014 and to $38 in 2015. Students will “I am very excited to see them so still save between $56 and $135 every glad they picked B.C. as their destina- month over those three years. tion.” “U-Pass BC provides tremendous Fans do not know who is flying in but value for our students,” said Trans- Class launches they’ve been guessing. The flights are Link CEO Ian Jarvis in a press release scheduled for different times during Saturday. “We are encouraging stu- the week. dents to adopt transit as an effective Ranganathan Madhavan flew in choice subsequent to graduation.” first, he’s most famously known for “We are proud to see the continua- starring in movies like 3 Idiots and tion of a program as beneficial to stu- Tanu Weds Manu. dents as U-Pass BC has proved to be,” protest of Bill C-45 “This is my first time here in Van- said Arzo Ansary, Kwantlen Student couver, very nice,” said Madhavan. Association exter- “I loved him in 3 idiots,” said a fan nal affairs coordi- Bill C-45 which opponents say limits protection Simrin Kang. nator. “The contin- Kang with her friend Anup Sangha uation of affordable for waterways brings Idle No More to campus love Bollywood and are excited for the and accessible BY BRIAN HORSTEAD awards show on Saturday. transit services en- “I’m excited to see Shahrukh Khan, sures increased Instead of having to write a final IDLE NO he’s my favourite actor,” said Kang. ridership, which is exam, students in one Langara class MORE “It’s definitely a once in a life time ex- a goal we as stu- were asked to stage a protest for perience being here.” dent leaders strive marks. Kang is excited to dress up for the U-PASS for.” The aboriginal community develop- awards night and will be wearing a Dispenser Veronica Guz- ment course held a silent demonstra- dress with some Indian jewelry. man, a first-year tion on campus yesterday hoping that “John Abraham landed yesterday. Langara student the unorthodox assignment would ben- CONCERNS ABOUT We wanted to see him but found out to- enjoys the U-Pass program and chose efit students looking for practical expe- Bill C-45’s day that he landed [already],” said Langara partly because it was one of rience organizing community events. CHANGES TO: Kang. the schools that offered it. “I am will- The demonstration was in response “I’ve never been to a red carpet •the Indian Act. ing to pay the increased price honestly, to the Jobs and Growth Act referred to event, so this is exciting,” said a fan Alia Khan. “We have floor seats on Sat- because I would be paying a lot more as Bill C-45 which opponents say limits •Navigation Protec- urday.” otherwise,” said Guzman. protection of Canada’s protected wa- tion Act (former Despite the fact that the U-Pass pro- terways. The so-called omnibus bill Navigable Waters Boman Irani, who will be hosting the gram will continue to save students also helped spark the aboriginal-led Protection Act). Awards arrived today. money, some believe that the problem Idle No More protest movement. Singers Shalmali Kholgade and Ka- isn’t the cost. “I hate that it’s forced as Course instructor Justin Wilson said ercise as opposed to just learning in •Environmental vita Seth are excited fans themselves- Assessment Act. part of our tuition,” said Guzman. “My the goal of the protest assignment was class,” said Lara Terlaak, a student in who will also be presenting some musi- boyfriend has a car. Why does he have to get students to apply what they the course and one of three designated cal features at the awards night group leaders. to pay? He should be able to opt out.” learned in order to cause real social Source: Xop 6 on 6 xop xop xop “This is my first time here to per- Stephanie Chu, a Langara student change. Having a group project as the last as- form, excited to also be nominated,” attending her second semester, doesn’t “We can talk about the different ap- signment was fitting said Allysa Paul, said Seth. “I live, breathe and eat mu- use her U-Pass and wishes she didn’t proaches that aboriginal people have another student in the course. sic.” have to pay for it. “I live really close so taken to community development, but “Aboriginal communities are based Seth provided her fans with a small I don’t use the pass all that much. I it’s another thing all together for them on working together, trusting and help- performance while signing autographs. wish they’d give me a choice. The price to do it,” Wilson said. ing each other,” she said. “We love you,” chanted fans Jaiden increase is really not beneficial to me.” Students enjoyed the grassroots as- In order to receive a good grade on Dua, Divya Sath and Tanya Wasson. Despite the increases, the program pect of organizing their own demon- this project. Attendance was mandato- Fans waited for hours to see their fa- hopes to still expand further and pro- stration. ry, of course. We also had to do a lot of vourite stars and will continue to camp vide B.C. students with affordable, uni- “They enjoy that they’re doing a background research as to what [Bill out throughout the week. versal transit for all students. practical community development ex- C-45] meant,” Paul said. Printed on recycled paper Check out our web exclusives at http://langaravoice.com/ 2 THE DAILY VOICE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013 EDITOR GILLIAN HAMES news & features Visible minorities to become majority by 2031 New UBC study suggests that Caucasians will make up 40 per cent of the area’s population in two decades By ANGIE HOLUBOWICH t’s no secret that Metro Vancouver is a region of immigrants, but now a re- Icent study has shown their demo- graphic will completely overtake the European-Canadian population in two decades. European-Canadians will make up only 40 per cent of the Lower Main- WIKIMEDIA photo land by the year 2031, according to The price of generic-brand drugs will continue decreasing under the Pharmaceutical Services Act implemented by the province. projections done by University of Brit- ish Columbia geographer Daniel Hiebert for Citizenship and Immigra- tion Canada. About 60 per cent of the population will be composed of people from South Generic drugs less expensive and west Asian, Chinese, Filipino and Korean backgrounds. And while dealing with diversity is nothing new in the Lower Mainland, Government act sets lower costs for no-name pharmaceuticals, but such sweeping demographic changes are making some locals uneasy. some are concerned quality will be sacrificed to keep prices down Sara Patton has lived in Vancouver for 34 years and while her experience By HAILEY MCDONALD generic drugs have the “same quality, quality and care.” with immigrants have generally been strength, purity and stability as their However, a spokesman for the Minis- positive, cultural differences have eneric drugs are cheaper than brand name equivalents and are made try of Health said that drug quality will caused tension. they used to be, thanks to the to the same strict standards.” not change as a result of the price drop. In her experience, that friction has The Pharmaceutical Services Act. However, since drug companies will “[Drug companies] have the same been felt most during business ven- “ The provincial government not be compensated by the government safety requirements under Health Can- tendency G tures. implemented the first phase of the act for the price difference. ada,” said Ryan Jabs. “There can be culture clashes during is, if you’re this month, making no-name pharma- “These people are not scientists or “They’d be responsible to provide contract negotiations – this can be a ceutical drugs 28 per cent cheaper than medical people.