HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR FALCONS SEASON OPENER. »ss:e0222020 Langara’s men’s basketball team takes to the court for the first time this season on Oct. 31. The team is coming back after an undefeated record in the pre-season Standing room only at mayoral debate RENEE SUTTON photo All five Vancouver mayoral candidates gathered for a debate at Langara on Oct. 22. Topics of debate included homelessness, minimum wage and government transparency. Police presence visible at spirited Langara event By KERA SKOCYLAS lose to a dozen police officers were at the Langara campus during the Vancouver mayoral debate which went off without a hitch on Oct. 22 amidst safety concerns in the wake of the attack on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Mayoral candidates Bob Kasting (in- dependent), Kirk LaPointe (NPA), Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver), Colin Shandler (independent) and Mee- na Wong (COPE) were on campus for the intense debate, avidly watched by some 350 audience members. The candidates covered several hot- button topics including homelessness, transit and lack of government trans- parency - with many arguments draw- ing cheers and groans from the crowd. The event began with a moment of si- lence in honour of Canadian soldier Na- than Cirillo, the victim of the Ottawa shooting. “Thank you for starting with a very important moment of silence for the tragedy in Ottawa today,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said when he first took the microphone. Security appeared to have been heightened in the wake of recent at- tacks, in which one soldier was shot dead at the National War Memorial ear- lier in the day and two soldiers were hit 66 by a car in Quebec on Monday. Several police officers walked Thank you through back hallways, looking in rooms _ and checking the perimeter throughout fe or start the event. ing with “There was some thought of cancel- ling it just because we thought people a very might be distracted watching the prime important minister’s address,” said Frances Bula, Langara’s journalism department chair. moment of Langara nursing student Rita Balu silence said that she was worried because of the shooting but felt the security presence was appropriate. VANCOUVER MAYOR GREGOR ROBERTSON No advanced polling for Langara Voter turnout among youth has always been low, but many cities are using advanced polling at schools and nearby venues to encourage students to cast their vote this year By JAMES GOLDIE ost-secondary institutions have pi: left out as locations for early voting in the city’s upcoming elec- tion. Unlike East Vancouver residents, many of whom are outraged that no ad- vance polling station is located in their neighbourhood, students have re- mained quiet on the matter. This year, the City of Vancouver has expanded early voting opportunities to eight days in eight locations across the city leading up to the Nov. 15 election. One of these stations will be located at Sunset Community Centre. Although it is less than one kilometre from Langara, that still might not be close enough for student voters. Terri Evans, introduction to urban politics instructor at Langara, said young people are harder to engage dur- ing a municipal election. & Unlike many of their parents or grandparents, few are big taxpayers or property owners. As a result, many young people feel distanced from the political process. “If trying to secure a higher partici- pation rate from people who are 18 to 24, locating it on campus would seem to be the more logical place,” Evans said. “You see a lot of attention paid to old- er people because they have a habit of voting,” she added. Despite low voter turnout among young people, the city chose not to use advance polling stations at post-second- ary institutions. However, the City of North Vancouver will do so for the first time this Novem- ber. “The mayor met with the president of the student union at Capilano Universi- ty,” said North Vancouver city clerk and chief elections officer Karla Graham. “We've arranged for a voting oppor- tunity at the university on [one of] the advanced voting days.” Graham said this strategy is just one of many her office is implementing to increase voter turnout among young people in North Vancouver. The City of Surrey will be offering an advance poll at Simon Fraser Universi- ty’s Surrey campus for the second year in a row. Susan Ho, assistant city clerk and election deputy in Surrey, described last year’s poll at SFU Surrey as “lively” and said it was a good opportunity to raise awareness among young people about voting. Vancouver chief election officer Jan- ice MacKenzie could not be reached for comment on her office’s decision-mak- ing process regarding early voting loca- tions. Advanced polling at Sunset Commu- nity Centre will be offered Nov. 4 to Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.. STUDENTS AND VOTING Why is voter turnout so low among young people? JAY YOO TATENDA HATUGARI Political science student Creative writing student “The idea of anarchism is so “There are also lots of immi- strong nowadays. That really grants in Vancouver who don’t has to do with ... decisions not know anything about local to vote.” politics.” i= = a a P i on JACKIE XIAN TAYLOR PIGEAU General science student Photography stucent “People don’t care about the “They're maybe just not edu- politics. Students tend to care cated enough on the facts. So about themselves.” the interest just isn’t there.” COMPILED BY JAMES GOLDIE