Last Monday, September 14th, students, professors and alumni gathered in the Ambassador Auditorium to attend the Lecture of Dr. David Suzuki. This important gathering was called to discuss the significance of climate change and the upcoming Federal election.
The event opened with a moment of remembrance for First Nations people and Dr. Suzuki’s explanation, “I am not speaking on behalf of any organizations, but as a grandfather or an elder.” Suzuki went on to illustrate the importance of his status as an elder and the monumental effects of climate change on the younger generations. “Whoever gets elected in this upcoming election… will have very little impact on my life. I’m at the end of my life, whatever Parliament does in this next session will reverberate through the lives of young people.”
Included in the “It’s No Secret” page of the 2015-2016 edition of the Campus Compass agenda, courtesy of the UWSA, is a shocking statistic: “only 38% of youth voted in the last Federal election “(It’s No Secret). Dr. Suzuki stressed the critical importance of the election, stating “human beings have become so powerful that we are altering the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the world; humans have become the major geological force.” He went on to explain the significance of voting in order to save the environment and bring attention back to the issue of sustaining the world we live in, rather than our paychecks.
To check your eligibility and to register to vote, visit Elections Canada for more information. Make sure to research the different political parties and their candidates so that you know what they are proposing for Canada. This way, you can make an informed decision about what you believe would be best for the future of Canadians, including yourself and fellow students.