HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT AS A STUDENT

Cristina Paolozzi

Editor-in-Chief

As a young adult in Calgary, the realities of the political world are becoming more of a responsibility than ever before. While there are some folks who love to debate and are in-the-know about certain policy decisions or potential political leaders in their community, others may feel intimidated, or might not be interested at all.

As you continue to grow and move through this exciting period in your life, here are some important things to remember about how to interact with the government as a student.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

There will be an election this year in October, so now is a great time to read up on some of the candidates who could potentially be new leaders in the city. The City of Calgary controls things like public transportation and the UPass, which is included in your student fees. Most students commute to campus by CTrain — a light-rail train that connects the university with the downtown core. While train service isn’t horrible, there are definitely a few gaps here and there, especially if you live in the far suburbs. The Green Line is the latest investment to the transit system in the city, which is another thing you’ll probably hear about during this election cycle.

PROVINCIAL POLITICS

The provincial government is where most of the decisions are made regarding post-secondary education. Apart from the fact that the United Conservative Party (UCP) loves to cut funding to things like healthcare and education, the debates happening at this level of government will be who bodies like the Students’ Union (SU) or university administration interacts with the most. The provincial government announced funding cuts to post-secondary education in their Budget 2021 which saw a 1.4 per cent decrease in funding for advanced education. Decisions regarding COVID-19 regulations and restrictions are also mostly mandated by the province, however, separate institutions like the university will have their own policies in place come September.

FEDERAL POLITICS

Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party currently lead a minority government since the most recent election in 2019. With the news of a snap election this fall, there will be plenty of political buzz on campus to follow. Some of the issues that impact students the most at this level are things like the environment and climate change, student loans and the Canada Summer Jobs program. The government has set the interest rate to zero for the federal portion of student loans in an effort to support recent grads. While the impact that the pandemic has had on young people especially has been enormous to say the least, initiatives like the Canada Summer Jobs Program are a great way to find support as a student.

STAY INFORMED

Reading student press is one of the best ways to stay informed on any level of government. The Gauntlet covers municipal, provincial and federal politics with a student-focused lens. For a birds-eye view and a distinctly Calgarian angle, be sure to support other local news too.

Whatever you do, don’t forget to vote.