Tag: budget

SRC Decoded: What You Missed February 5th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are tasked with running the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU). The SRC meets every Wednesday at 5:30 PM in the Beverage Forum located off the Michener Lounge in the Students’ Union Building (SUB). Each meeting is open to the public and students are welcome to attend meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
Council met this week to discuss the Black, Indigenous, People of Colour Caucus (BIPOCUS) Proposed Budget, the updated Acadia Students’ Union Travel Policy, and the Vice President of Finance’s Position Report. All in all, this week’s council meeting proved to be very informative.
Black, Indigenous, People of Colour Caucus (BIPOCUS)
The Black, Indigenous, People of Color Caucus (BIPOCUS) is an organization within the Acadia Students’ Union created by Acadia students. The group focuses on equity on campus, including any issues that may impact a person’s experience or education at Acadia University.
Makenzie O’Quinn and Soyini Edwards are co-presidents of the Black Students Association and the Indigenous Students’ Society of Acadia. The BIPOCUS Working Document states, “O’Quinn and Edwards were being asked to work and provide insight on items which fell largely outside of the mandate of their societies. This has resulted over the past several years with labour far exceeding the labour experienced by other clubs under the ASU.” BIPOCUS is the result of the need of an assisting organization to help the two presidents balance all of their duties.
According to the BIPOCUS Constitution 2019/2020, the organization’s mission is:
1. To provide solidarity between Black, Indigenous, or students of colour at Acadia University.
2. To increase advocacy capacity for members of the Black Students’ Association and the Indigenous Students’ Society of Acadia, as well as Black, Indigenous, and students of colour at large.
3. To begin breaking down systemic and historical barriers between Indigenous and Black students and the Acadia Students’ Union.
4. To increase the availability of student leadership opportunities for Black, Indigenous and students of colour at Acadia University.
The group plans to fulfill its mandate by hosting weekly meetings and attending conferences. Additionally, BIPOCUS aims to increase the representation of students as well as the diversity of the council’s members by sitting on Senate. The caucus will be working closely alongside Edwards, who is also the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion officer of the ASU, as well as with the Black Student Advisor, the Office of Indigenous Affairs the Equity Office, Welkaqnik and the Wong International Centre.
While BIPOCUS does accept membership of individuals who are not black, indigenous, or students of colour, only members who are within the listed categories above will be granted voting rights in accordance with the Human Rights Act Section 6, Subsection c (ii). This being said, BIPOCUS welcomes everybody’s support.
ASU Travel Policy
ASU President Kyle Vandertoorn brought to council the ASU travel policy which includes conferences or board meetings that take place outside of Wolfville. Kyle began the discussion by announcing some exciting new changes to the policy.
Firstly, the changes addressed that in regard to travelling to places where meals are not otherwise provided, the previous budget was $7.00 for breakfast, $10.00 for lunch and $15.00 for dinner. ASU president, Kyle, comments, “it is embarrassing that people often cannot afford to tip or even afford their entire meal under this budget and they often have to dip into their own pockets”.
The policy has been updated significantly to $10.00 for breakfast, $15.00 for lunch and $35.00 for dinner according to the ASU Travel Policy Section 2, Subsection a (i – ii). Vandertoorn explained that the budget for dinner was originally $25.00; however, incidental expenses were incorporated. This change means travellers will have an extra $10.00 to help pay for any unforeseen expenses, such as toothbrushes or medication.
Secondly, students and employees who are commuting to conferences and other events in their own vehicles are now eligible for reimbursement for how far they travel. The ASU Travel Policy Section 5, Subsection c (iii) states, “employee may be reimbursed for mileage at a rate set by Nova Scotia Kilometrage and Transportation Allowance Rates for government and public-sector body employees”.
This new addition to the travel policy is extremely helpful in preventing Acadia University students and staff from having to spend their own money to attend events that are mandatory for their position.
Vice President of Finance Position Report
Brendan MacNeil, VP of Finance and Operations, kept the council up to date today on the ASU’s revenue and expenses. He explains that there are three main contributors to the ASU’s revenue: alcoholic beverages and food sold at The Axe, health and dental plans, and the student union fees that students pay.
While health and dental plans and student union fees each make up 25% of the ASU’s total revenue, MacNeil informs the council that retail sales are down, referring to Cajuns shop and the Union Market, which bring in about $40,000.00 to $50,000.00 per month. Additionally, The Axe is also experiencing a decrease in sales with a drop of approximately $30,000. This may seem like a rather large reduction, but MacNeil shared that labour expenses have decreased greatly as well which has helped the ASU to balance expenses. A full ASU budget will be out by the end of April.
Nonetheless, the ASU appears to be in good shape. Sales have decreased but expenses have also decreased, and largely at that. As a result, the ASU income has increased significantly from $18,000.00 to $400,000.00.
Moreover, the Investment Policy is in the process of being rewritten (it is due every 5 years to be revised and adjusted). On this, MacNeil is excited to announce, “I and the Sustainability Officer are exploring the possibility of adding a line that says our portfolio will not invest in fossil fuel companies.” There is more to come in on the ASU’s investment account in the next few weeks.
Announcements
The only announcement this week was from Sustainability Officer, Max Abu-Laban who wants to thank everyone who was involved in his “Talk to Me About Climate Change” event for all of their support. The event, which took place Tuesday, February 4th, was a huge success.
Abu-Laban announces to the council that there is another climate strike taking place this Friday, February 7th at the clock tower on Main Street, for anyone who is looking to get further involved. Abu-Laban also added that 10-year-old activist, Lily from Gloosecap, Nova Scotia, will be attending the event and will speak on U-Hall Hill. She has inspired students at Acadia with her passion for the environment twice already and will be back for a third time to do it again.
February 6, 2020
SRC Decoded: What you Missed March 19th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
On March 19th the council met primarily to be presented with and discuss the Kings Transit UPass Agreement, presented by ASU General Manager, Ian Morrison and Kings Transit General Manager, Glen Bannon. Additionally, the Council received updates from the Student Life Committee and on the Hours of Work Policy followed by the proposal for the new budget by Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations. The meeting received various project proposals from committee members along with a look at the Acadia Athletics Complex’s future projections.
Kings Transit University Bus Pass
The Council spent the first part of the meeting discussing the details of the Kings Transit University Bus Pass (UPass) agreement and service. As Ian Morrison, ASU General Manager, began to show the proposed agreement to Council he noted that he, along with Kings Transit, feel as though this agreement is a solid first step towards the process of implementing a UPass as well as being fully transparent with the Council. The agreement presented dictates the UPass fee will be $180 and can change by maximum 5% year to year for all full-time university students and any part-time or co-op students will have the ability to opt out of the fee if they like.
Morrison stressed that this is a two-tier agreement, meaning that in order for the UPass to become permanent it needs to pass through two referendums, one in the fall and one in two years. The UPass requires 25% of the student body to vote it in and provided that happens, Section 2 of the agreement states the term of this agreement will last from 2020-22, at which point a referendum must take place before the agreement is up. The agreement also highlights the perks of students being able to add a dependent onto the program along with a refund mechanism that will be in place in case of circumstances on campus where students do not receive a service.
Glen Bannon, Kings Transit General Manager, then took over the presentation as he showcased the service end of the UPass to Council. There are three main aims to this program: (1) Enhance student experience (2) Enhance distance and travel opportunities for a discounted price (3) Promote public transit to the students on campus. Bannon believes that the service will be able to successfully meet all three aims over the course of its run.
There will be year-round unrestricted travel on new transit routes, and the one travelling to Kentville will have a bus leaving every 30 hours during the extended hours of 10pm-12am. UPass will additionally offer round trip transportation between August 15th – May 15th from Acadia University to downtown Halifax with a minimum of two departures every Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon (Monday on the event of an extended holiday). Bannon also notes that four-day advanced booking is required and a stand by option will be available on the off-chance a student doesn’t show up.
The SRC responded to the service and agreement with reasonable questions which were answered by Morrison and Bannon effectively and justifiably. The agreement will be voted upon at the next council meeting.
Student Life Committee
Kyle Vandertoorn, VP Student Life and chair of the Student Life Committee (SLC) , provided the Council with an update of the ongoing SLC meetings that have been frequently taking place. Vandertoorn shared that the most recent meetings have revolved around preparing for the next year school year, particularly focusing on house council. Hiring for house council was supposed to take place Sunday, March 17th but due to a low number of applicants, the SLC has made the decision to reopen applications and to do interviews later on this month. The goal for the house council interviews is to make them more interactive so the applicants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills to the hiring committee. Additionally, the SLC went over the updated House Council Constitution and has been discussing that.
Regarding Cheaton Cup the SLC has been discussing various ways to get all the residences on campus involved and not just Chipman and Eaton. There has been a Chipman fan club started as a way to get these other residences involved as well as events such as pancake breakfasts taking place. The SLC is striving for Cheaton Cup to be a campus focus event uniting everyone through a healthy rivalry and not a party focus.
Hours for Work Policy
The Hours to Work Policy underwent some significant changes that ASU President, George Philp, highlighted to Council. The definition ‘Mental health day’ got changed to ‘Personal day’ which encompasses needing a break from meetings and duties in order to take a break to rest, focus on schoolwork etc. Philp noted ‘Personal day’ was more reflective of what the definition actually said. The changes also included the possibility for a leave of absence in any of the roles along with the implementation of ‘Sick days’.
Budget
Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented the budget for the next fiscal year. This budget addressed the minimum wage raise in Nova Scotia and how it affects paid individuals in the ASU along with the full-time staff wage gap and decreasing the gap significantly. Craig noted that his team recognized how dated the ASU website is and created a budget specifically for improving and updating the website in cooperation with the University. Regarding student fees, Craig discussed how they kept all service fees that they deemed necessary to the University and student fees will only increase from $187.4 – $193.85. The goal was to keep student fees relatively low and Craig expressed his content with the final number.
Craig stressed to the Council that as per usual, money is tight at Acadia and due to the amount of lost money from being closed during bar renovations at the end of last year and the ban that took place at the beginning of this year, we need to figure out how to address this loss. The goal for Craig is to have this new budget passed within the coming two weeks.
Acadia Athletics Complex Future Projections
It was announced to council that the Acadia Athletics Complex is looking into a 10+ year projection. Gabrielle Bailey, VP Events and Promotions, attended the original meeting regarding the projection and noted to council that the University views the pool as the biggest concern. It is currently very old and leaking and the University is looking for a good way to move forward with the concern. There is a push for the town to be paying more due to the fact that 75% of the individuals who use the pool are community members and not students.
In addition to the pool, Bailey was tasked with asking council for any suggestions on how to improve the Complex. Councillor Christopher Vanderburgh suggested the track become a few lanes wider to limit traffic and run more efficiently. With the increased popularity Sustainability Officer, Hannah Machat suggested a bouldering wall would be a key addition and it was also noted the locker rooms be redone. An audience member commented that the workout facility is too small and it would be a good idea to expand the gym later down the line along with a studio space be built for dance, yoga etc.
At the moment nothing is solidified and the 10+ year projection is currently just a ballpark estimate but could range anywhere from 5-15 years. The discussions are in their early stages and so far nothing regarding the Athletics Complex is set in stone.
New Business
All of the new business that was to be voted upon at this meeting was all projects and changes proposed at the last SRC meeting with the exception of Katie Winters’, Arts Senator, Culture Show which dealt with proposed changes discussed later in the meeting. Everything voted upon at this meeting was passed unanimously.
Project Proposals
The meeting dealt with numerous project proposals, the first coming from First Year Officer Blake Steeves who proposed Acadia’s First Annual Freshmen Games to be held in the Acadia Sports Complex. Each residence can enter as many teams of 5 people as they want although 4 students must be freshmen on the team. Teams are required to be made from within your residence, there will be no mixing residences. The games will consist of physical and mental challenges and prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Hannah Machat, Sustainability Officer, proposed the implementation of lanterns in the Michener Lounge. These lanterns also serve as diffusers and it will spruce up along with providing light and comfort to the lounge. The money for these lanterns will be coming from the wellness budget.
A charity dodgeball tournament was proposed to take place on March 31st between 8-10pm. It will cost $2 per person and all proceeds will be going towards an alzheimers disease rehabilitation initiative. There is hope for 8 teams to enter but there is the expectation for more teams. Any money donated towards this fund is highly encouraged.
Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and Columnist for The Athenaeum
March 20, 2019
SRC Decoded: What You missed March 5th
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is a council composed of a body of students elected by their peers, who are in charge of running the Acadia Students’ Union. The Council meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 5:15 PM in the Beveridge Forum which is located off of the Michener Lounge in the old Students’ Union Building (SUB). Every meeting is open to the public and students are encouraged to attend the meetings to learn more about the decisions being made on their behalf.
On March 5th Council met to discuss the financial update as of March 4th, Ad-Hoc Committee’s March report, Amendments to the Athenaeum Constitution, and House Council Committee. Sacha Russo presented Council with the general election re-cap long with an outline for the upcoming special election. In addition, the Council received numerous project proposals from members regarding various activities that will be held around campus.
Financial Update
Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations, presented council with the ASU’s most recent financial update as of March 4th. Most services are performing at an expected average net income loss such as the Information Desk and Union Market, however, two areas took a much greater than anticipated loss in this update. Perkin’s net income loss came in around $15,220 which is $12,372 more than Perkin’s was expected to lose. Additionally, bar services only profited $19,847 during this past period which was a significant hit compared to the estimated profit of $59,404 that was expected. Craig attributes some of the bar’s loss to the fact that the bar can’t get enough people there on Saturdays and reached out to the Council in a request that they brainstorm ideas to increase the bars net income. Overall, Craig believes that the ASU is doing average financially with a total net income loss of $4,450 and is pleased with most of the ASU’s services.
Ad-hoc Committee Report
As per requirement the Ad-hoc Committee, which was established in order to respond and propose changes to the new bylaws, must give an interim report of their progress as of the first Council meeting in March. Molly Anderson, SRC and bylaw committee chairperson, presented Council with a report update updating them on the work that has been done within the Ad-hoc committee to address the concerns of students about the newly implemented bylaw 3 regarding impeachment and referendum. Through research, the committee has discovered variety across institutions regarding the procedures of impeachment and referendum. There have been student members appointed the the committee and Anderson believes that wider consultations will begin within the coming weeks. Anderson stressed that the committee is aware of the time constraints and will be meeting o a regular basis to accomplish what is needed.
Amendments to The Athenaeum Constitution
Council discussed the recommended suggested amendments (2019-03-04) to the current Operating Procedure 11 of The Athenaeum Constitution. It is recommended that all hired personnel of The Athenaeum ‘shall attend all required meetings of The Athenaeum unless excused by the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor’. There were no questions nor arguments to the proposed changes which will be voted upon in the next meeting.
House Council Hiring Committee
Applications have been distributed for the 2019-2020 house council positions Kyle Vandertoorn, VP Student Life, announced at the meeting. Vandertoorn is hoping to do interviews on Sunday, March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) and requested two people from the Council help to conduct the interviews on that day. All candidates will be brought to the SUB and the interview will be an interactive group one, in order for the hiring committee to acknowledge the candidates potential and talents. Vandertoorn emphasized that it was an amazing experience to have, and the Council then voted on the two volunteered members that will join her.
Election News
Sacha Russo was present at the recent SRC meeting in order to provide the Council with a recapitulation of the 2019 General Election and Winter By-Election, as well as to discuss the upcoming special election. Regarding the past election, all positions were open and a total of 23 candidates were running in both elections. There were four acclaimed positions, one withdrawal and one disqualification. The election followed Russo’s timeline which was proposed in January and commenced with the results first being distributed to the candidates and then the general student body. There was also a total of seven complaints concerned with campaign violations against three candidates that triggered two Elections Committee meetings during this election.
Regarding the upcoming Special Election for the 2019-2020 school year, Russo explained that the VP Finance and Operations position was not filled by a candidate in the past election and it is required a student fill this role before May 1st, 2019. The nomination period will open March 5th and close March 8th with an All-Candidates meeting taking place in the Michener Lounge at 5pm. There will be the usual candidate’s debate along with candidates written statements being published in The Ath. Voting Period will last from March 14th to March 19th and the results will be distributed in an all students email shortly after voting concludes.
Project Proposals
There were several projects proposed by council members in the recent meeting. The first project proposed was from Katie Winters, Arts Senator. Winter proposed a Culture Show that will take place in the Mackeen Room sometime in late March/early April. The Culture show carries the same premise of a traditional talent show and emphasis’ encouraging students of all cultures to perform. Winters believes this event will allow students to celebrate the variety of talent and diversity we have at Acadia.
Jared Craig, VP Finance and Operations proposed an event that will focus on the financial considerations for students before and after university. Partnering with Investors group, there will be a presentation on budgeting along with a question period for any lost or confused students. Craig is currently unsure of when this will take place but wants students to have the resources required to make financially stable choices.
The third proposal came from Councillors Christopher Vanderburgh and Jonah Van Driesum. The two proposed an open discussion regarding the state of politics in Canada at the various levels of government. The discussion will take place April 1st at 7:30pm in the KCIC Auditorium featuring engagement from students and professors on campus. Vanderburgh and Driesum will be the moderators of this discussion and hope it will provide an ‘analysis of what politics in Canada might look like in the near future’.
Mackenzie Jarvin, incoming VP Academic and External and Dahlia Chahine, Student Board of Governors Representative proposed a mock LSAT and MCAT which will be provided by Princeton Review. The LSAT is currently scheduled for March 20th 4:30pm-8:30pm (4h) in BAC 132 but Jarvin and Chahine are thinking about changing it to the following Sunday instead. The MCAT will take place March 23rd 9:30am-5:00pm (7.5h) in BAC 132. Both tests will be proctored by Jarvin and Chahine and scantrons will be sent off to get marked.
Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and columnist for The Athenaeum
March 6, 2019
Perks of Being an Executive
Every February, members of the Acadia Students’ Union elect their new representatives on the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). There are 23 members of SRC, five designated as Executives. The five Executives- President, Vice President Academic & External (VPAE), Vice President Events & Promotions (VPEP), Vice President Student Life (VPSL), and Vice President Finance & Operations (VPFO)- make up the Executive Board.
As per the Constitution of the ASU, the Executive Board is charged with maintaining the day-to-day operations of the Union. All authority is delegated to Executives during the Christmas break and from the last day of exams until the first day of the academic year, unless Council passes a motion to the contrary or a special meeting is called during the summer.
Executive members are considered full-time employees of the ASU during their term. During the summer, all Executive members are required to hold 37.5 office hours from Monday-Friday between 7AM and 6:00PM, with holidays as paid time off. Executives are entitled to two weeks or ten days of paid vacation during the summer period, provided the Chairperson of Council is informed.
According to Bylaw 1 detailing SRC positions, the President is required to hold a minimum of twenty office hours per week during the academic year and enroll in no more than three courses during the fall or winter semester. This is in addition to their responsibilities sitting on SRC, the University Senate, Board of Governors, Town & Gown Committee, and representing the ASU externally.
Vice Presidents vary in their responsibilities. Each must hold a minimum of fifteen office hours a week through the academic year and propose goal documents to achieve the various demands of their positions. The demands of the Executive board are immense, with unforeseen circumstances challenging the students that serve. In September 2015, ASU President Liam Murphy unexpectedly resigned, elevating Suzanne Grey into the interim Presidency to which she was elected shortly after. Keeping students informed strained both Executive and non-Executive members during collective bargaining in November 2017.
Executive members are entitled to various benefits upon commencement of their term. During the summer term the President is paid $2291 per month and VPs are paid $2239 per month. During the academic year, the President earns $1010.63 per month while VPs earn $564 per month . Each Executive has a computer in their office and a limited budget for office supplies.
In terms of benefits from the university, compensation for Executives is generous. Each Executive position receives a ¾ tuition waiver from Acadia. This waiver covers only on-campus courses taken during the academic year or summer semester. There is also an unspecified residence benefit for the Executives that live in residence, provided by the university.
In addition to a compensation package, all Executives are entitled to free entrance to all ASU sponsored events from the Union. Executive members are also admitted into the Axe Bar & Grill without having to wait in line by showing their Executive pass card. For concerts, Executive members are either issued a ticket or their name is placed on the guest list.
The ASU also provides a cell phone allowance for Executive members. The allowance is $600 per year for the President and $350 for VPs. Each Executive is also entitled to an ASU mailbox free of charge for the remainder of their time at Acadia should they desire one. Cajun’s currently sells mailboxes for $45 each.
Per diem meal expenses are also issued to Executives who are travelling to conferences. These conferences have included Canadian Alliance of Student Association meetings in Alberta, Students Nova Scotia meetings in Halifax, and advocacy efforts in Ottawa, where the ASU advocates on behalf of students. The allowance is $7 for breakfast, $13 for lunch, and $20 for dinner, which can be claimed before or after the trip. Mileage expenses of $0.32 per kilometre can be claimed. These expenses are accounted for in the annual budget.
On March 12th VPFO Liam Schreiter brought the 2018-19 Budget to SRC, where compensation was discussed. The next budget included a pay increase of $200 per year ($100 per semester) for non-executive members of SRC. This was meant to address the lack of change over the past 12 years in salaries. Executive members will not see the same immediate increase, despite the lack of competitive salaries and broad scope of work.
A plebiscite will be held in the near future on the subject of pay equity for all full-time staff, including employees at The Axe, Cajun’s, and Union Market. This is meant to address pay equity issues endemic within the Union.
March 21, 2018
Budget 2016: A Growing Concern
With all the salacious news stories covering the United States’ elections, it is easy to forget that the Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau, has presented his first federal budget – the first of the new Liberal mandate. A federal budget is a complicated piece of governmental policy, but is an effective way for governing parties to translate their ideology into public policy. Each budget is hundreds of pages long, and covers numerous issues. I will glance over the most prominent points of this budget for students, but more important than those individual pieces is the politics behind it all.
In their press release, The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) highlighted the positives and negatives of the Liberal budget as it pertains to student issues. On the positive side, the Liberals have increased the maximum Canada Student Grant amount for low and middle-income families by 50%, increased the Repayment Assistance Plan income threshold to $25,000, and increased work integrating learning opportunities for greater employment outcomes. However, according to CASA, the budget fails to address the increasing financial need of graduate students, and while it does invest $8.4 billion for Indigenous peoples, the budget does not explicitly remove the 2% cap on annual increases to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program for First Nations students.
What is really troublesome with the Federal Budget is the deficit that the Liberals are projecting. As everyone knows, the Liberals broke the mould during the federal elections, when they promised a $10 billion deficit for the next three years instead of pledging to balance the budget as every other political party had pledged to do. The deficit was pitched as a means of stimulating the economy with targeted spending on things like green and social infrastructure, and the Liberals added an additional promise of returning to balanced budgets by the end of their mandate. Voters overwhelmingly accepted their pitch, as a Liberal majority government was projected after all of Atlantic Canada went red. The Liberal’s infrastructure spending came through, however the promise for a modest deficit did not.
Instead of a $10 billion deficit, the Liberals are projecting a $29.4 billion deficit for 2016-17. Additionally, while the Liberals had promised to return to a balanced budget by the end of their mandate, they are now projecting a $14.3 billion deficit for 2020-21, with no stated plan to return to a balanced budget. The budget has been praised by some for being the most progressive federal budget ever seen, and many have recognized that the projected deficit of $29.4 billion is a consequence of the Liberals efforts to keep their many progressive campaign promises, after they were given the lack-lustre books by the outgoing Conservatives.
However, during the campaign, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper openly mocked Trudeau’s promise to run three modest deficits, and former Conservative Finance Minister, Joe Oliver, recently said the most difficult yet important skill in drafting a budget is the ability to set priorities. The Liberal deficit could be seen as an inability to set clear priorities and be fiscally responsible. Whether a $29.4 billion deficit is still a modest, or even a necessary one, the inability to set more clear priorities and stick to the promised $10 billion deficit allows the Tories to paint the Liberals as reckless and irresponsible spenders. With their overwhelming majority in Parliament, the budget will pass without issue. The only actual opposition will be rhetoric, since neither the NDP nor the Conservatives have the numbers to vote it down. What the budget needs, though, is follow-through. If the deficits are manageable, and help grow the economy, the Liberals win. However, if the deficits continue to grow and add to the national debt throughout the Liberal mandate, then a reactionary wave of new conservatism may rise as a result.
I would like to reject the notion that the only political decisions that affect students are PSE related. The economy affects us all, and students are not immune to its ups and downs. Before we are students, we are Canadians, and we should care about the political decisions that are being made, not just decisions about education. Student issues are important, but students should be politically literate on all issues so we may have a more responsive political system. I would argue that it is beholden of us all to have some sort of opinion on the Liberal deficit – positive or negative – because federal spending affects everyone in one way or another.
April 30, 2016

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