arts // beer snobs>> new feature compares dark beer; pg.11 Volume 144 · Issue 5 • October 6, 2010
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brunswickan canada’s oldest official student publication.
Tory majority, Liberals ousted
Flood of red and black rushes home
Hilary Paige Smith News Editor New Brunswick has officially gone blue. The PCs, under David Alward’s leadership, won 42 of 55 seats in the legislature in the provincial election on Sept. 27. The election was an historic one. It is both the first time a premier has been ousted after serving just one term, as well as the first time an older candidate has defeated a younger one. Shawn Graham and the Liberals took just 13 seats. The New Democratic Party, despite a strong fight by leader Roger Duguay in his home riding, and young parties, the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick and the Green Party, were shut out. Paul Howe, a professor of political science at UNB, said the election went as most people expected. “It kind of went as people expected, at least as people probably would have expected given the Liberals had a lot of trouble over the course of their mandate. Although, in the campaign itself, it seemed as though things may be a little closer. At the end of the day, it did turn out that the Conservatives won pretty handily,” Howe said. Howe also noted the increase in support for the smaller parties, the NDP, Green Party and People’s Alliance, as a sign of dissatisfaction in some people for the two major parties. The three smaller parties garnered 17 per cent of the overall vote. There has been much speculation as to what the downfall of the Graham government was, with many political pundits mentioning the failed NB Power deal and proposed changes to French immersion. “The general problem was that (the Liberals) tried to put through some fairly big changes. I think, without exception, they weren’t really changes they’d talked about before being elected and they did try to move ahead in, as I say, quite a big way, and at the same time, on each of those issues, including French immersion and NB Power, changes to post-secondary education, they didn’t really lay the groundwork very well in terms of giving people a heads up of what was coming and building support for it among key groups,” Howe said, adding
SEE ELECTION PAGE 4
University of New Brunswick alumni from across North America gathered in Fredericton last week for a historic celebration. On Friday, the Parade of Presidents splashed lower campus with red and black. Sandy Chase/ The Brunswickan Hilary Paige Smith News Editor Lower campus was flooded by red and black on Friday afternoon. Hundreds of people filled Dineen Drive and the green space surrounding the Old Arts Building, cheering, whooping and singing to wish the university a happy birthday. Alumni from graduating classes as far back as 1945 flocked to Fredericton last week to commemorate the university’s 225th anniversary. Friday’s event, dubbed the Parade of Presidents, brought the university’s past and current presidents, faculty and staff, alumni and students together. Opening with a kazoo-boosted parade and closing with celebratory cake and an historic overhead picture, the event was a big hit. The parade led by the Fredericton Pipe Band included a number of vintage cars from different eras, as well as golf carts carrying UNB presidents from years past. Jim Downey, Tom Condon and John McLaughlin were among presidents who participated in the event. Dr. Eddy Campbell, president of UNB, said the event was a rousing success. “I think it’s really important that we
take time to celebrate. It is a really great institution. It’s one of the oldest universities in Canada, the oldest English language university in the country and it’s a great, great place. We need to take time to celebrate that,” he said, amidst red and black clad supporters, on Friday afternoon. Jo-Ann Walker and her husband Rick Walker were among alumni who came back from afar to celebrate the anniversary. The pair left UNB in 1979. Rick, a former Red Bomber, and Jo-Ann were dubbed a “very UNB” couple by the latter. The pair married in the chapel in the Old Arts Building and held their reception in Memorial Hall. They traveled from Kingston, Ontario to participate in homecoming week. “We’re having a good time. It’s very nice (to be back),” Jo-Ann said shortly after the parade ended. Jean Anne Green, who graduated with Bachelor of Education in 1991, returned for the Homecoming 2010 celebrations from her home in Florenceville, New Brunswick. She praised the work put into the event, as well as it’s careful organization. “I wanted to come back and see friends and see what’s changed on the campus… It seems very well organized, lots of dif-
ferent things for different people in lots of faculties, a nice variety. The weather has been co-operating ,” Green said. “The more of us that come (to celebrate) the more special it becomes.” More than 400 alumni from across North America, some as far as the southern United States, visited the campus last week to reminisce with friends, walk the halls of their alma mater and connect with current students. Chris Gilliss, an original Frederictonian, graduated from UNB in 1975 with a Bachelor in Business Administration. He returned for the Homecoming 2010 festivities from Toronto where lives and works. His visit last week was his third reunion at UNB. “The university has played a big part in our lives, particularly in my life and what I ended up doing, so I have to come back to support the university, plus there’s a lot of good ol’ friends from our time here that have shown up here as well, so it’s a heck of a party,” he said. Gilliss and his wife attended most of the events hosted by the university throughout Homecoming week. As of Friday, they had big plans to attend the lobster boil, dance and pub evening. “It’s just great. This is particularly great
this year because it’s the 255th anniversary of the university,” he said. Pam and Rod Campbell, both UNB alumni, each have three degrees from the university. The couple said they were proud to visit the campus and honour UNB during it’s 225th year. “It’s great to see this, people remembering their university, but also honouring the institution that provided our basic education. For me, it was where I came to build the foundation of what I used in my jobs and in later life,” Pam said. Rod said the university holds a lot of meaning for him. “I started at UNB in Saint John before there was a UNB in Saint John, just the first year in 1964, so I’ve spent a large part of my life here attending this university or working at it or seeing students who’ve worked at it. It means a lot to me and it’s just a great time to celebrate 255 years. You look back and see all of your friends that have come through as well,” he said. After the photographer snapped their final cheerful group shot in front of the Old Arts Building and the final piece of red, white and black cake was cut, the crowd of hundreds didn’t truly disperse. Alumni after alumni clustered in groups, laughing and remembering their days at UNB.