The Athenaeum

Tag: policy

  • SRC Decoded: What You Missed March 4th

    SRC Decoded: What You Missed March 4th

    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 Beveridge 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.

    This week’s meeting consisted of a discussion revolving around the ASU Code of Conduct and Recall System, the finalization of the ASU Investment Policy and the release of the Wet’suwet’en solidarity statement on behalf of the ASU.

    Code of Conduct and Recall System

    Councilor Jonah van Driesum brought forward the ASU’s Code of Conduct to discuss with the council. The Code of Conduct has not been changed. It has been recommended that the specificity of misconduct be improved and implemented right away. Councilor Driesum proposed that an independent position within the Code of Conduct be created to enhance the investigation in such matters. This position would allow for a thorough and proper investigation of situations involving misconduct to incur, and as a result, ensure that the SRC could merit punishment based on the report from the hired outside investigator.

    Councilor Jonah van Driesum explained that the SRC Recall System is held in high regard, however, more details have been added into section 10. The new addition states:

    “Recall election initiation and campaigns could not occur during the Winter Break or Summer Break, and any relevant materials for potential ongoing or future recall elections would have to handed over to the CRO for the course of the break.”

    The addition should help restrict the period of time between when the recall period begins and ends. In turn, the restriction will ensure that people are not forced to campaign during study breaks and/or holidays.

    Investment Policy

    VP Finance and Operations Brendan MacNeil announced that the final amendment made to the Investment Policy is that the ASU will also be divesting from metals and mining companies alongside oils and gas because of the environmental and social risk affiliated with them. Metals and mining are just as harmful and as the ASU only holds one share in metal and mining companies, it is better to boycott them now as well.

    The council questioned whether any technological companies that associate with metal companies will be included in the divestment of metal and mining companies. MacNeil assured the council that the new policy is extremely specific in stating that technology was not included in the divestment.

    The council then celebrated a successful close to the long and well-thought out process of updating of the ASU Investment Policy and the new finalized version.

    ASU Statement Release

    President Kyle Vandertoorn shared with council the final draft of a statement that will be released on behalf of the ASU concerning support for Acadia University’s indigenous students. Vandertoorn acknowledged all the people that have helped put this statement together and reiterated the amount of thought and research that went into it. After having heard the letter read out loud by Vandertoorn, council agreed that it will hopefully do some good in showing support from the student union perspective.

    It was also acknowledged from multiple members that the neutral and supportive tone of this statement is very appropriate to the timing of its release, in contrast to other student unions that released well-pointed letters when the situation was at its peak.

    On the other hand, concern was raised by Councilor Jonah van Driesum that the statement failed to address the opinions of students who may be opposed to the situation. He says that while he is not in opposition to the statement, he acknowledges that some people who have different views on the matter on campus and in the community want to feel like they are being included in the conversation. While he understands that as much as we want to show our support for Acadia’s indigenous students, it is important that all people feel comfortable coming to the SRC and are included. President Vandertoorn says that the letter focuses on addressing the people who are affected and that there was no need previously expressed about addressing any opposition.

    Lastly, Diversity and Inclusion Representative Soyini Edwards states that the letter appears to be perfect because all that needs to be said to show support is that the ASU stands with the students and violence is never necessary.

  • The Intrepid Canadian

    The Intrepid Canadian

    The focus of this creative policy recommendation is to highlight only one aspect within the broader policy recommendation entitled, A Policy Brief Ensuring Continued Canadian Sovereignty Over the Arctic Region. This focus has chosen to observe the voyage of Captain Henry Larsen and to formulate a recommendation, using his learnt knowledge gained from his experience traversing the arctic, which would ensure continued Canadian sovereignty over the the arctic region.

    In 1940 Henry Larsen set out on an expedition which would see him become the first Canadian to travel through the Northwest Passage from Vancouver to Halifax. It is by focusing on Henry Larsen – his background as an immigrant, as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and his respect and admiration for the Inuit encountered during his voyage – that might best demonstrate a way for Canada to move forward into the future in which it ensures its continued sovereignty over the arctic.

    Within the current Canadian Arctic Foreign Policy, it states “the Arctic is fundamental to Canada’s national identity. It is home to many Canadian’s, including indigenous peoples across the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and the northern parts of many Canadian provinces. Exercising sovereignty over Canada’s north, as over the rest of Canada, is our number one Arctic foreign policy priority.” (Government of Canada, 2017)

    Henry Larsen was a Canadian who found his home within the arctic during his many months spent traversing the Northwest Passage aboard his vessel the St. Roch. Like many Canadian’s Larsen immigrated to Canada from Norway during the early twentieth century. Once a citizen he joined the proud and storied ranks of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was while he was stationed in Vancouver that he was given the arduous task of completing a voyage none had yet achieved – to travel the Northwest Passage from Vancouver to Halifax and back again.

    Reflecting a similarity between the current statement from the Canadian government regarding its Arctic Foreign Policy, were the orders Henry Larsen was given by his superiors which read his mission as, “to uphold and enforce Canadian sovereignty of her arctic islands.” (Larsen, 1969)

    It was during his time on this voyage that Henry Larsen developed a deep trust and respect for the Inuit peoples and their cultural traditions as he encountered them on this expedition. Larsen states that, “they need one another in order to hunt, live and exist. Some of their customs perhaps do not agree with our ways of thinking, but they are no worse than many among civilized people.” (Larsen, 1969) Larsen’s critique of what it means to be civilized, exemplifies his critical stance against negative social preconceptions towards the Inuit during the 1940s.

    At the close of Henry Larsen’s first-hand accounting of his time spent as the Captain of the St. Roch traveling through the Northwest Passage, he takes a moment to recognize the history behind exploration within the Northwest Passage. As well as the men who had partaken in the failed past expeditions.  Henry Larsen finds a kindred spirit with these men speaking to those, “few more intrepid who set out to explore and chart the country and claim it for the Empire. This is the spirit we must not let die in Canada.” (Larsen, 1969) While the British Empire is no longer in existence, Canada remains a proud member of the British Commonwealth – with Queen Elizabeth II acting as Canada’s current head of state.

    In conclusion, it is the existence of the intrepid spirit that will ensure Canada’s continued sovereignty over the arctic. It is that same intrepid spirit, to venture into unknown that signifies what it means to be Canadian – and by continuing to build relationships between Canada’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, cultural and mutual respect between all intrepid Canadians can be ensured. As Nancy Lindell, the first indigenous MP of Nunavut serving from 1997-2008 states, “the red and white flag is, for me, a symbol of freedom and represents my country as the best one to live in.” (Lindell, 20)

    Therefore, a line of intrepid Canadian’s can be seen to exist – from Henry Larsen to Nancy Lindell, both who were explorers into new and uncharted territories, both optimizing what it means to be a Canadian.

    Sources Cited

    • Lindell, Nancy. “Inuit Perspectives on Security, Patriotism and Sovereignty.” Published 2013. Accessed March 29th 2019. http://www.inuitknowledge.ca/sites/ikc/files/attachments/20130125-en-nilliajut-inuitperspectivessecuritysovereigntypatriotism_0.pdf.
    • Larsen, Henry. The North-West Passage. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1969.

     

    Hayden McKee-Godry is a Masters Political Science student 

  • People over Policy

    People over Policy

    At its core, public policy is supposed to the serve greater good, and no political party or ideology has a monopoly on good or bad ideas. Many politicians are elected and strive to do the best they can, while others seek only to better themselves. Every aspect of politics has positives and negatives, but two key elements, the policies and the politicians, define the outcome. I have often debated with myself and others about which is more important, the policies being advocated or those doing the actual advocating. Despite the conflict in my head, I can feel the truth in my gut that those we elect to represent us are more important than the policies themselves.

    While policy is important, and the goals set in a piece legislation are not something to be ignored, the overall principles largely do not change. What is important are the details of individual pieces of policy and legislation, that are often decided through negotiation and compromise between politicians. Politicians who serve the constituents and their principles, or at least try to make the best decision in a situation with only bad options, will serve their constituents and nations well, even if every choice they make is not the right one. On the other hand, politicians only looking towards the next election, while likely not destroying the country will still weaken it, and leave a widening partisan and moral gap in the governance of our society.

    I am someone who, generally speaking, leans from a moderate to a progressive viewpoint on politics. I would far rather have an honest, honourable, moral conservative or socialist in office than someone who holds my exact views but is morally and politically corrupt. It is as simple as knowing that, while the politician who does not share my values is less likely to pursue or implement policies that favour my political leanings, a politician with integrity beyond the parameters of party policy can be trusted to uphold democratic norms and maintain the public interest above all else. Meanwhile, I may love the policies that the immoral candidate stands for but I can neither trust that politician, once in office, to implement those policies or to maintain the basic democratic principles which make up the foundation of citizens’ faith in the integrity of government.

    A perfect example of why it is more important to vote based on who is running than on what their exact ideology is, is the incumbent President of the United States, Donald Trump. Despite evidence of corruption and his lack of a moral compass, Trump ultimately won the election because conservative voters in the United States decided to vote based on the policies they believed he would implement over his apparent fitness (or lack thereof) for office. The consequences of this choice based on stated policy versus apparent integrity of the candidate are that the world is under threat from Trump’s erratic behaviour and many crisis or potential crisis are going unsolved. Furthermore, burdened by the corruption and incompetence and corruption he has failed to pass a significant portion of the legislation he promised his voters, whether it is health care reform, a massive jobs program, the construction of the border wall, or the backfiring of his trade war.

    The flip side of this is seen in Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama. Obama was elected because of who he was and the change his evident integrity, intelligence, and optimism represented. Because of his positive character qualities, he was able to provide competent management for the world's most powerful economy during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. He was able to make changes to healthcare, foreign policy, and the economy, even when, for most of his time in office, the opposition controlled the legislative branch of the United States and actively worked to thwart many of his measures .

    Politicians and policy are both essential factors to consider when casting your ballot.

    However, despite the importance of policy, it is far more important to consider the quality of the people for whom we cast our votes above every detail of the policies they support.

    Jonah Van Driesum is a third year Politics student and the Vice-President Programming of the Acadia Politics Students’ Association

  • Running a Marathon: Goal Setting and Health Policy

    Running is a sport that challenges and tests individuals, but rewards with immense gratification and pride. There’s nothing quite like the euphoric feeling of a successful run. The “runner’s high” is an exhilarated sensation of joy and accomplishment, free of emotional, and psychological stress. It is usually paired with a fatigued but exceptionally rewarding physiological sense of rapidly pumping blood throughout the body, powerful, oxygen-filled lungs, and tense, contracted muscles from the pounding of every step.

    After running competitively and recreationally for the last seven years, I completed my first full marathon (42.2km) this fall in Toronto, ON. Of all I learned from this experience, the most noteworthy is that, if done correctly, race day should be the easy part. The hard part was the four months leading up to race day and the 544km I completed in training. A successful marathon is much more than having a healthy heart and young, non-arthritic knees. A network of many factors leads to the fulfilling outcome of crossing the finish line strong including fitness, nutrition, rest, commitment, dedication, sacrifice, positive mental health, cessation of negative habits, and family and social support. Each of these factors require a combination of education, practice, and ability which become more interrelated over time and solidify into a lifestyle.

    Strong commitment and dedication to finish a marathon promotes an intense drive to improve physical fitness through a vigorous training program while effectively fueling the body with proper nutrition and allowing adequate rest. Sacrificing and removing negative habits such as alcohol consumption helps to shift the focus to replace them with positive behaviours that will better contribute to health status. Mental health is significant as exercise is known to alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. The euphoria from overcoming mental challenges when pushing the body and mind past what was once its limit is intoxicating. Finally, the support and encouragement from family, training groups, coaches, and personal relationships is essential for times when those challenges test you the most.

    Many of these factors are represented in the social determinants of health, especially physical environment, social environment, and education. Available resources such as safe, accessible roads and trails, access to affordable and nutritious foods, and a work life balance that permits time necessary for training all contribute to the success of marathon trainees. As there are several healthy habits encompassed in training for this goal, community members must be able to challenge their limiting social determinants of health. Healthy public policy addressing these determinants empowers community members to pursue their own goals regardless of the obstacles they face.

    So, how can we explore the learnings of this rigorous process of training for a goal and apply it to public policy? The World Health Organization identifies that “the main aim of health public policy is to create supportive environments to enable people to lead healthy lives”. A marathon is just one example of a successful outcome from the accumulation of many healthy behaviours, facilitated by healthy public policy. The journey of training and preparing the body and mind to reach a goal, encompasses a cascade of decisions and actions, while always holding a vision of that goal. Lifestyles adapt to accommodate the diverse requirements to train or practice in order to succeed. Resources, infrastructure, and supports must be in place to guide and assist community members in various components of their training.

    These learned behaviours build influence and generate inspiration for others whether that be a circle of friends, a running group, or a community. Empowering others to set goals for themselves and to be dedicated and rigorous creates a contagious drive that grows exponentially. Working towards small goals within a larger one while always maintaining a vision of accomplishment drives improvement and commitment. It’s not about running a marathon. It’s about completing whatever a marathon is to you and finding your “runner’s high” in completing that goal. What is your marathon?

    Susan Barry, MPH (c), BSN is an Acadia graduate and an aspiring Registered Dietician at the Memorial University of Newfoundland

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