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/24 13 2011 / 11 volume 66 Welcome to Winnipeg The challenges and joys of being an international student speCIaL FeaTURe page 10 Is there enough diversity on city council? News page 3 2 the Uniter November 24, 2011 www.Uniter.ca News 03 www.Uniter.ca November 24, 2011 the Uniter News Manitoba municipalities seek women candidates city council doesn't reflect demographics about how municipal government affects Anne ThomAs everyday life. Beat reporTer Lynne Bereza, AMM communications co- ordinator, said meet and greet sessions will be held in Winnipeg, Brandon, and eastern More must be done to educate and spark and western Manitoba, starting in February. political interest and participation among Women currently in elected office will facili- Canada’s visible minorities, a new report out tate the sessions as role models and mentors. of Ryerson University recommends. Shaneen Robinson, who ran in the last Released earlier this month, report author civic election, doesn't think a shortage of Myer Siemiatycki noted that in Toronto, candidates is the real problem. where visible minorities make up 40 per cent “Anyone who wants to run can make it of the population, only seven per cent are happen, but is our society ready to elect a represented on city council. person like me?” she asked. In Winnipeg, city council has better sta- Robinson believes someone needs to get tistics for non-aboriginal visible minorities - elected to speak for the more than 200 miss- making up 16.8 per cent of Winnipeg's pop- ing or murdered members of her own demo- ulation, and 13 per cent of city council (two graphic - young aboriginal women. of 15 councillors). Besides empowering less advantaged peo- But other demographic groups are not ple to vote, she said what is needed is bet- well represented. ter education to clear up misconceptions between different groups. And everyone, “Visible minorities want to including aboriginal people, should be learn- see themselves reflected in ing a lot more about aboriginal history and the society in which they culture, she said. Rosa Walker, president of the Indigenous live, be it in their letter Leadership Development Institute (ILDI), carrier, in their teacher or said the aboriginal population is too small in their city councillor.” to get candidates elected. Although aborig- inal people are aware of city politics, they - Devi Sharma, city cOUncillOr, OlD KilDOnan don't feel represented, and don't participate in mainstream politics, she said. Only 20 per cent of councillors are women, “I understand why people feel like they reflecting less than half of the actual popula- Supplied don't have a voice, and don't go out and vote. tion. And Winnipeg's aboriginal residents, at city coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) says new canadians often come from homelands where It's like the chicken and the egg thing, you 10 per cent of the population, are not repre- democratic participation was not allowed, and are less likely to get involved in politics once in canada. know. It's really kind of sad,” she said. sented at all. The ILDI's Aboriginal Women Leaders Councillor Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) it in their letter carrier, in their teacher or in Last year, the Association of Mani- program encourages women to seek oppor- said, for a mother, managing civic and fam- their city councillor,” she said. toba Municipalities (AMM) Task Force on tunities including running in elections both ily responsibilities is a fine balance. She does Exposing youth to democratic and elec- Women in Municipal Government iden- on and off reserve. it with strong support from her partner, fam- toral processes can encourage later participa- tified 12 barriers to participation, including Walker said ILDI tries to get people ily and community. tion in politics, she said. This is particularly lack of support with family responsibilities, engaged with one another, talking about Strong positive role models are a power- important for new Canadians who come the perception of an “old boy’s club” unwel- challenges, and inspiring others to work with ful motivator for women, and she takes pride from homelands where democratic participa- coming to women, lower community profiles them, pointing to newly minted MLA Kevin in her opportunity to inspire more young tion was not allowed. and lower financial means. Chief in the North End. women to get involved politically, she said. “My own interest was piqued by working The task force recommended stirring up “He created a movement through engage- “Visible minorities want to see themselves for a city councillor earlier in my own career,” women's interest in running for the 2014 ment and volunteerism. And I think that's reflected in the society in which they live, be Sharma added. election through community workshops what we need to do,” she said. Questioning Canadian sovereignty how one organization vies to sever the nation’s ties to our hereditary monarch hArrison Samphir to raising awareness and promoting discus- VolunTeer sion of the advantages of amending the Con- stitution, and instating a Canadian head of state independent of the British monarchy. Canadian public opinion in recent decades “Today, indicating a common cause and has come to question the nation’s status as a purpose, CCR is also a partner in a Com- constitutional monarchy with an unelected, monwealth-wide network called Common hereditary head of state. Cause, linking the republican movements This reality, one firmly rooted in Canada’s of Britain, Australia and New Zealand,” he colonial past, has led some to wonder, what said. is next? Will the nation continue to maintain The movement, however, is not simply its ties to the British monarchy, or adopt the contingent upon ideological support. principles of a republic and enact sweeping According to Freda, the monarchy limits Constitutional reform? Canada’s democratic institutions. “In a parliamentary republic, we could “It’s always been have a true constitutional referee, ... not an Canada that has led the offshore, figurehead monarch, thus keeping the political whims of the head of govern- Commonwealth in areas ment in check.” of asserting national While Freda acknowledges that Can- independence.” ada may be “10, maybe even 20 years” away from any urgency in regards to constitutional - Tom FreDa, DirectOr, citizenS for a canaDian reform, “the best time for (the) debate is now, repUBlic so that all options and republican models can get the scrutiny they deserve.” Citizens for a Canadian Republic is a non- While the impetus for this social move- KaiTlyn Emslie Farrell profit organization based in Toronto com- ment is seemingly in place, there are other Down with the Queen? citizens for a canadian republic believes canada should separate from the British mitted to enhancing this aforementioned considerations and counterpoints, too. monarchy and have its own head of state. public opinion, while giving voice to an alter- To University of Winnipeg politics profes- native perspective that may shape the future sor Joan Grace, “there is no (current) national for aligning Canadians closer to the institu- the Monarchy and the evidently figurehead of Canadian politics. appetite for this kind of dramatic and sub- tions of democratic practice, Grace said. positions of the Lieutenant Governor and “Traditionally, it’s always been Canada that stantial institutional change in Canada.” “It could also increase political knowl- Governor General. has led the Commonwealth in areas of assert- “We are of course in troubled time eco- edge amongst Canadians, and even engen- “Most often we think about a republic as ing national independence, and I strongly nomically, the debate about Canada trans- der a stronger sense of civic literacy and civic a system of government by all of the people, feel that (we) deserved to be as active in head forming from a constitutional monarchy to a duty.” but which operates as a representative democ- of state reform,” said director Tom Freda. republic just isn’t on the minds of most Cana- Freda and Grace agree that a healthy con- racy,” Grace said. As the representative organization in Can- dians or public officials,” she said. sequence of a formal amending process, if it “Citizens elect, through competitive and ada’s republican movement, Freda said Citi- That being said, the discussion of abolish- should occur in the near future, would be to fair elections, individuals to represent them zens for a Canadian Republic is committed ing the monarchy could serve as the vehicle re-evaluate - or rather, interrogate - the role of in a legislative assembly,” Grace said. 04 News the Uniter November 24, 2011 www.Uniter.ca lookIng for lIstIngs? CoVer imAge CAMPUS & COMMUNITY LISTINGS AND This is your brain VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES page 4 Class aCt MUSIC page 12 international students from the uni- Between 1,000 and 1,200 international on meth FILM & LIT page 14 versity of Winnipeg pose for a picture students study at the u of W each year. GALLERIES & MUSEUMS pages 14 & 15 in the Bulman Students' Centre Multi- See story on page 10. purpose room on campus on Monday, COMMENTS page7 THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY page 15 pHOTO By DYLAN HeWLETT .nov. 21, 2011 AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID page 18 By Olena KOzel UNITER STAFF Q: WInnIpeg’s CIty CounCIl reCently approved a 25-Cent transIt fare InCrease to help pay for rapId transIt. What do you thInk of thIs? manaGinG eDitOr aaron epp » [email protected] BUSiness manaGer Geoffrey Brown » [email protected] Jason syvixay, public rela- eric Mattson, busi- heather Brown, tions advocate, downtown ness student business student prODUCTIOn manaGer Biz “if the new rapid “i think that it is an ayame ulrich » [email protected] “increasing our transit fees system is effective inconvenience. if they and quick, then a fare are not going to fix the cOpy anD Style eDitOr will have a negative impact Britt embry [email protected] on ridership, especially for increase is only fair.