11 minute read
Opinion
FILE PHOTO/DARIEN FUNK
The importance behind the student vote
SAM DUFFY
OPINION EDITOR
Voter turnout among Canada’s youth, defined as those aged 1824, is always a pressing issue for policymakers. In 2019, youth voter turnout was down by about 3 percent compared to the previous election. A decline in this number is not a positive trend. It is important that voters of all age groups feel represented by their government. It is extremely worrying then that students will be unable to vote on campus come this election.
It would be easy to dismiss young people as uncaring in matters of politics. The perception still exists that many students are too busy playing beer pong to worry about the intricacies of tax policy or national debt reduction. But people aged 18-34 will be this year’s largest voting bloc. This is the demographic every political party is scrambling to secure votes from, and it’s the one they must appeal to, at least somewhat, to form a government.
Many students are politically active. When they rally around a cause there is little anyone can do to stop them. But protests and demonstrations aside, the best way to get one’s voice heard in politics is to vote. After all, politicians must make and propose laws. And they lose or gain very little if not proposing a law will not affect them at the ballot box.
All this said, it is saddening that students cannot vote in their home riding from their university campus. Voting should be, and in Canada is, designed to include everyone who wants to take part in the process. Polling stations are plentiful. Hours are fair. Mail-in ballots are accepted. But voting this year will not be easy for those students who want to vote for their home candidate. Voting in this way on campus is only as old as 2015, so this is no departure from long running tradition. But Elections Canada moved in the right direction to set-up the program, so it makes sense that students would be upset that the program has been halted.
When people are upset, especially in politics, they often want to assign blame. The blame is often assigned to the political party they dislike. But in this case, there really isn’t much blame to go around.
Until very recently, universities had not even announced the extent of their in-person activities. If every class was remote, why would a voting station on campus make sense? It’s a fair question, and because universities were late to announce their intentions, preparations could not have been made in time. An election process is not to be set up half-heartedly, so ample time is needed. The minority government was also a contributing factor. And no, that doesn’t mean the Liberals are at fault. Minority governments can call elections when they wish, so Elections Canada woke to the news that election day was Sept. 20 exactly when the rest of us did. It’s perfectly within the rights of any minority government to do this.
So really, there’s not much blame to throw around for no voting on campus this fall. It’s simply a product of circumstance.
If you do need to vote in a home riding, you can via an early mail-in ballot or at an Elections Canada office. But please, vote, even if it takes that little bit of extra effort.
Ways to resist white supremacy culture
TANYA O’CONNELL OPINION COLUMNIST
White supremacy culture is so pervasive that it can be hard to even recognize its characteristics as being anything but the “norm”.
Resisting white supremacy culture means rejecting things that feel ingrained in our existence. Because these things are ingrained in our existence.
If you want to resist white supremacy culture, then you should be promoting a culture that embraces the things it rejects and rejects the things it thrives on.
To resist white supremacy culture, promote a culture:
That understands our worldview shapes how we understand things. When you are trying to make sense of something, remember that your lived experience shapes how you understand the world around you.
Instead of using a cookie-cutter approach to your life and work, remember that what people need is based on who they are and who we all are is rooted in an identity made up of various markers, like skin colour, that directly influences our experiences. Our lived experience shapes our worldview.
Where making decisions in an atmosphere of urgency is not the norm. Take time to critically reflect. You don’t need to respond immediately.
Of foresight. This is a benefit of critically reflecting upon your actions before you act.
That understands growth happens during times of discomfort. Lean into the discomfort that comes with confronting privilege. where defensiveness to new or challenging ideas is understood as a fear of losing power and privilege. When I was first introduced to the concept of a gender spectrum, I felt like something was being taken from me as a woman. It’s ok to feel it. Take the time necessary to critically reflect upon what those feelings are based on, whether it’s subjective or objective information. Ask yourself what assumptions you are making.
That honours the process over the agenda. The process is hearing and/or engaging with people’s needs.
Where the process is always part of the plan.
That understands why diversity makes everything better. Because it really does make everything better. The way that we each understand the world influences the ideas we have about it. It only makes sense that a group of people with shared lived experience would share perceptions of the world and therefore ideas about it. A group of people with a diverse background of lived experiences is capable of producing ideas about the world that are far richer and more innovative because they can collectively perceive the world and conceive ideas about it in a way that collects their diversity.
That is transparent about who makes what decisions. Resist the urge to not ask those questions because answering is inconvenient and uncomfortable.
That does not make decisions without those affected by the decisions at the table. Whether it is a decision about a policy that affects workers, a programming change that affects clients of a non-profit or something that affects the students of a high school if you are in a position to make decisions that don’t affect you but do affect others, you. Allies amplify voices they don’t speak for people.
That does not simplify complex issues. Sometimes there isn’t a primary cause for this or that. Sometimes the effect can be influencing the cause just as much as the cause is creating the effect. Be open to the idea that sometimes the answer isn’t this or that. Sometimes it’s this and that.
That knows change is inevitable. For the power and privilege that comes with white supremacy culture to remain, things need to stay the same. People need to be afraid to reject the benefits that come with white privilege. Resist the temptation to become comfortable in the status quo.
That has leaders that develop the power and skills of others. When you have power, use it to empower others. Don’t hoard your skills and don’t hesitate to ask others to help you develop your skills.
Never uses the ways in which issues are raised as an excuse not to address them. This is gaslighting. Don’t let folks steer the focus to the reaction. The focus should always be kept on the issue that is causing the reaction.
Where cooperation is more valued than the competition. I did my undergrad with a bunch of people who wanted to be police officers and a bunch of people who wanted to be lawyers and a few people, like me, who had no idea what they wanted to be. I noticed that it was when we were competing that people would come alive and there was a palpable bond being developed. I’ve heard friends describe the same thing happening in team sports. When my cohort was forced to work as a team, and we definitely were forced to work as a team, we all resisted and complained and said it was the worst experience ever. We were actually toddlers about it. But the memory highlights this point. We value competition and we resist cooperation because white supremacy culture has taught us to.
Of appreciation. Give praise to the people who actually did the work as opposed to those who oversaw the work being done. WSC would have you praising the Executive Director for an event that was organized by everyone but the ED.
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The Suicide Squad is a step in the right direction for DC
AMICHAI ABRAHAM
ARTS EDITOR
The other night I watched Suicide Squad (2016) for the first time and it was one of — if not the worst — superhero movies I’ve ever seen. Watching it was akin to trying to pass a kidney stone while being on fire. Okay, maybe not that bad but I didn’t enjoy it. Then I watched The Suicide Squad (2021) and while it’s not a perfect film, it’s still a step in the right direction for DC movies.
A simple way to see how successful the remake was is to compare it to the original. In that original, the entire film was coated in a dark filter sucking all of the color and visual pop from the environment and characters.
The remake understood that we’re dealing with colourful ridiculous characters that are complemented well by bright, vibrant hues. In the costumes, setting and noticeably in the lighting, there’s always a wide array of colors. These colours contributed to the stylish touch the film received.
Surprisingly, there were many artistic moments that were shot in a way I’ve never seen done in a superhero movie before. A particular example that stands out to me is Harley Quinn’s rampage where flowers expel out of her victim’s wounds .
The Suicide Squad goes so far in its style as to unlock its inner Tarantino and try some non-linear storytelling, which was a good way to shake up the presentation. They also made use of environmental title cards to indicate time and location, a method that I’ve seen done scarcely throughout other movies. That especially gives the film its own flavour as it turns something mundane into a fun aspect of the movie’s visual style.
Going back to comparisons between the original and the contemporary feature, the new film functions much better as both a comedy and an action film. A lot of the jokes are... actual jokes! They have a set-up, punchline, and everything! . The action is noticeably more gritty than other DC films; there’s a substantial amount of gore and graphic violence, but it makes the film stand out more in comparison to other DC movies. I think back to watching Shazam! (2019) and thinking that DC was going in the right direction by taking itself less seriously. I’m happy to say that The Suicide Squad continues to follow that trend. The movie knows what it’s trying to be, which allows the tone to remain consistent throughout the film.
Now to the cons. My biggest gripes with the film are all centered around the writing. James Gunn wrote and directed this film and I will give him due credit for his directorial ability. I can say confidently now that Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) wasn’t a fluke, however, I think that James should stick to directing. I mentioned earlier that a lot of the jokes land, but there are just as many that really flop. Characters often force lame lines designed to manufacture laughs that only end up putting a blotch on some otherwise great performances. I thought John Cena was a great fit for Peacemaker but he’s given these horrible lines to try to sound funny, or maybe hip? I can’t really tell. Speaking of forcing things, some plot points are really shoehorned into the story, especially near the end. The Suicide Squad takes a lot of risks that pay off but does other things in just a silly mundane way that audiences have already seen a thousand times.
The Suicide Squad is a step up from the original movie and a step up for DC as a whole. It’s not afraid to experiment which frequently yields really enjoyable results. It still has a very long way to go before it can compete with the upper echelon that Marvel has to offer but considering where DC was just a few short years ago, the studio has made real progress in making higher quality films.
