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:t«Utl| -tSt^%e"PL *^ News e8)lorts Lloyd Ax¥rorthy spealcilt^ MuchMusic Toibnto Fage 3 r a :-.,&if5. Humber Et Cetera FMQtrjfe, 1^ •^^K33 lOiUCD 5l3aMUH fp.JSf'"' YfAMf New^s "in iiiiiiiiiMii EDITORS: LESLEY ALLEN AND ANDREW PARSONS 675-3111 ext. 4514 Union Fair set to expose issues Feb. 9 Fair provides info to Lakeshore, North campus students DORIS BEDUH Irena Di Rito, newly elected granted. Examples include paid lective efforts. A variety of union officials Staff Writer president of Support union 563 vacations, unemployment insur- "Negative stereotypes are from different professions will be Humber College, faculty and said, "we combined our efforts ance, pensions, access to associated with the word because speaking at the union fair. A sur- support staff unions are hoping with OPSEU local 562. We got medicare, public education and it's unpleasant things that make vey was circulated throughout to combat the stigmas associated minimum wage the news. It's just the nature of Humber's faculty to help deter- with unions by staging its third laws. what makes news. The negative mine what specific topics will best annual union fair. Wall is proud of images, violent picket lines are enhance course curriculums. The fair will be held on Feb. 9 the socialist ideolo-. displayed on th6 news and not "The best way to get students at the North and Lakeshore cam- gy associated with peaceful collective action which interested is to appeal to their puses. The purpose of the fair is unions. "Unions try benefits the employer and the specific interests or careers. to raise students' awareness to address .the employee." Unions have something to offer about unions and expose them power balance of One of the biggest stereotypes everyone," said Wall. to the variety of issues con- those with little confronting unions is they only Some scheduled lectures fronting them. power," she said. represent blue collar factory include reshaping work, labor Maureen Wall, president of "The majority of manage- the Faculty union, Ontario Public people working ment rela- Services Employees Union and collecting pay- "Unions try to address the power tions in "It's together got our agendas cheques are not in business for the (OPSEU) local 562 said, and balance of those with little power" new important students realize that organized." themselves so if we (employees) economy, Wall unions are riot just organizing Di Rito said any information get more power that means peo- -Maureen gender strikes. Unions are involved with about the support staff and local ple holding power lose some issues in broader issues such as social jus- 563 will be available during the power." wage laborers. In fact, unions the work place, how to maintain tice, employment equity, health fair at the faculty's booth. She explained the word union represent a variety of professions Canada's rank as the best place and safety, harassment, discrimi- Wall explained unions have shouldn't have negative connota- such as journalists, musicians, in the worid to live and develop- nation and improving the quality been involved in some of the tions because beneficial changes engineers, scientists, teachers, ing a green and socially useful of the work place." basic things which we all take for have been brought about by col- doctors and dentists. industry in Ontario. The wheels of democracy grind on way and run me over and out of my mis- side-show dynamics, it suddenly occurred he would make it brief. He began: "When ery. to me that I wasn't listening to a word the I was a boy ..." LIKE IT IS The thing that first strikes you, watch- councillors were saying either. Just getting I believe it was about this time that the ing the theatrics at Toronto city council is into the spirit, I suppose. But then when I full tedium of the democratic process that the politicians there have created a made a concerted effort to tune in to descended upon me. It was also about culture all their own, bearing only a pass- what it was they were blathering on now that I commenced stabbing myself in ing resemblance to the outside worid of about, I was shocked to hear that not my heart with a pen. Although this was people above the age of 11. only were they calling each other going well, 1 was suddenly interrupted by RALPH TASGAL Sitting there, observing them as a "Madam Chair," but most of the time, a melodious ringing of bells. microbiologist would a mysterious and after starting their speeches with a few It turns out, like most well-run institu- Columnist deadly slide of bacteria, one of the more hackneyed political platitudes, they tions that house crazy people and crimi- confounding behavioral traits I noticed weren't even discussing the issues. nals, bells are regularly employed at Political scientists, or even people was the protocol for when sofneone gets Toronto city council to alert the council- who contribute to society, will tell up to speak. In these strange environs^ First Councillor: In the interests of my lors as to where they're supposed to be. you: the wheels of democracy turn whenever councillors rise to give wind to constituents, Madam Chair . (twenty What message do the bells convey at this it very slowly. Or is the wheels of justice? their thoughts — or at least their speeches minutes later) . how can you explain particular monkey house, you ask? Silly No matter, for the present purposes, let's — it is the height of rudeness for the the fact that I have no compunction you, they tell the councillors when it's just say it's democracy. other councillors to appear to be listening. whatsoever to walking right over there time to come back in and vote on what- Having had a thing or two to say in the To avoid this egregious faux-pas, they all and painting a big red bull's eye on your ever issue it is that has been debated for past about Humber College's student make overiy conspicuous attempts to be butt? the last three hours. government, witnessing first-hand the utteriy disinterested in what the orator is Second Councillor: The hardworking This is necessary because at any given continental-drift speed at which its wheels saying, which — I must say — was not people of my Ward, Madam Chair, take moment, of the roughly 17 councillors are wont to turn, I thought it might be a the most difficult thing to do. family values very seriously . (thirty present for the meeting, anywhere from 4 hoot to see how the big boys do it down Compounding the peculiarity of these minutes later) . but the real question is to 12 of them are physically at the council at Toronto city hall. manners is that when someone speaks, what size bowl your barber used when he meeting not listening to each other. The Thus motivated, I took a little field trip this person addresses the other council- gave you that hedge-cut? remainder arc located in an exclusive to the hallowed halls of municipal govern- lors as "Madam Chair." To the political back room, where presumably, they were ment one Monday a couple of weeks neophyte, such as myself, this seemed Ironically, one would think that since doing something more interesting than back. From 9:30 in the morning until particulariy odd, especially since a good no one was paying attention, the speech- the rest of us, and my hunch is, there was 11:15 at night, 1 watched as Toronto part of the time, the speeches were in the es would be kept relatively brief. Sadly, food. to councillors convened discuss, debate, form of a direct response to, or a ques- this is a falsehood. The primary activity of Through the whole experience, I have collude, collide, schmooze, and generally tion of another councillor, the vast major- a politician at a council meeting — to say I've gained a fresh new perspective massage the democratic process at a ity of whom were men. besides not listening to other councillors' on the complex, painful workings of of breakneck pace organized, ritualL^d This is when I first began to under- speeches — is to render long-winded democracy. I think we can all be grateful inertia. stand that the people giving the speeches monologues. At one point, one of the that SAC, Humber College's own experi- By the end of the night, I still wasn't weren't actually required by convention councillors stood up to speak for what ment in government, is fairly tame in quite sure how much progress those illus- or regulation to refer to one another as seemed like the 40th time on the same comparison: a milder, less advanced virus trious wheels had made, but you better "Madam Chair" — it was just fun. issue that had been kicking around for of the same fan\ily of fatal diseases. roll believe I was praying they would my Just as I started to comprehend these hours and prefaced his remarks by saying Give it time. " " February 2, 1995 Number Et Cetera News Re-zoning Car taken for joy paves way for land deal ride and vandalized Armstrong said security took physical resources services at ANDREA L. RUSSELL the white parking pass out of Number said they don't have Staff Writer As the decisions affecting the her car the day before she JOHN LEPP the information needed to notify development of the land contin- found out about the break-in, Writer A car parked in the white lot Staff ue, Gordon said the North car owners of any problem.