“All student politicians are dinks”You’re an adult now. You don’t need someone to come glad-hand you, flash a smile and say, “Don’t forget to vote in the student elections….it’s really, really important.”We all know it’s not that important. We’ve heard the pledges to deal with tuition or make our student government more accountable and transparent. And we know, despite the best efforts of some who do try hard, those things don’t often happen. We know (from our on-line poll) that most of you think “all student politicians are dinks.”But, as someone with your wits about you, you also know that the whole process isn’t irrelevant. After all, average students don’t get to meet with power brokers, speak to the media, or control a sizeable budget of student fees. That’s the job and privilege of the people you elect. And while it’s debatable how much power they really have, it’s indisputable that they have the power to shape what the wider community thinks of students. And that is a very important power indeed.The wider community forms an opinion of students based to a large degree on how our leaders represent us to the media and to various levels of government. Incompetent student leaders make many people think students are incompetent. Leaders who hide in the SAC dome make many people forget that students even exist. And the policies of these leaders determines whether the wider community thinks we are a bunch of raving socialists, bleeding-heart liberals, hard-nosed neocons or something else entirely.None of this is to say you must vote in the Students’ Administrative Council elections on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But it wouldn’t hurt to inform yourself about who wants to have the power to represent you next year, and decide if that’s what you want.We’ve made it easier this year by putting all of our elections coverage on-line, in a tight little package that takes little time to skim through. At www.thevarsity.ca you’ll find profiles, opinions, analysis and news to help you sort out what separates the people who want to lead you. You’ll also find information on the many referendums that are asking you for a quarter here and a loonie there to support different student services.If, after looking through this, you decide the candidates are a bag of wieners, then by all means, don’t vote. On the other hand, chances are that by taking a little time to read over the information, you will be able to decide who you want to represent you. Then it’s just one more click to www.rosi.utoronto.ca to cast your ballot.Why we love The ManThere’s a poster in our office with a 1960s photo of David Suzuki. The caption reads “The Man!”This is because David Suzuki is, quite simply, the man. His brilliant public speaking ability and his enormous intellect are why the Varsity decided to sponsor his lecture taking place tonight (Monday) at 8:00 p.m. at Convocation Hall (well, that, and we really wanted to publish a picture of a hippie-looking Suzuki in the paper).It may not be the best time to see a big lecture, with exam and final paper pressure mounting. But then again, it might.Just this week, a chunk of ice the size of Prince Edward Island broke off from Antarctica as a result of a warming planet. It’s a sign of just how important environmental issues will be for our generation. We are going to have to confront massive environmental issues, not the least of which is a rapidly warming planet. And to do that, we need to be informed.Having seen him speak before, we know “The Man” tells it like no one else. So if you haven’t already, we do encourage you to try to pop over to Con Hall (or buy an advance ticket for cheap at SAC) and hear from one of the most inspirational, informative and down-to-earth environmentalists on the planet.
