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SEAN HITREC photo

Calvin Dignard takes a break from skating in the downtown skateboard plaza under the Georgia Viaduct on Nov. 27, 2016.

LSU quietly fires pro-reform GM

Desmond Rodenbour let go as Langara Students’ Union closes ranks

By SEAN HITREC

lhe general manager of the Langa-

ra Students’ Union, hired to im-

plement reforms, was abruptly

fired last week, The Voice has
learned.

The news that Desmond Rodenbour
was let go was not announced to the stu-
dent body. His firing coincides with a
special general meeting called by the
LSU for Dec. 7—during the exam peri-
od—to implement unexpected new by-
laws that would extend the council’s
term beyond the usual one year.

“The bylaw changes being consid-
ered at the Dec. 7 [student general
meeting] were not drafted by me or any-
one at my company. In my view, they're
patently unethical,” wrote Rodenbour
in a message to The Voice, confirming
he’d been sacked.

Currently, the council’s term runs
one year, from the start of September to
the next year’s fall semester election.
The new bylaws would move the end of
council’s term from September to De-
cember. It would also extend the cur-
rent councilors’ terms for an additional
four months, until Dec. 31, 2017.

Their term extension would allow
them to preside over the next three gen-
eral assembly meetings where the LSU
council is meant to explain to the stu-
dent body how they spend their money.

The new format would also exclude

&

students in one-year programs—such
as general business management, engi-
neering transfer and journalism—from
running for council. In the fall, two jour-
nalism students ran for council. Neither
were elected.

The Voice learned that LSU lawyers
from Borins & Co. were also “turfed”.
The law firm would only confirm that it
“does not represent the LSU at this
time.”

The LSU would not comment on the
firing of Rodenbour and its team of law-
yers, and neither would the college.
When The Voice went to inquire about
the quietly executed move, the LSU of-
fice told the newspaper to ask any ques-
tions through the LSU media contact
email.

Rodenbour started in the summer of
2016 with goals of reforms and transpar-
ency. In a meeting with a Voice reporter
in September, Rodenbour said he want-
ed to encourage the student union to
move in a more modern direction, in
keeping with the other student unions.

The reforms Rodenbour was aiming
for are now unlikely to materialize.

“Student unions run best when they
unite students,” Jenelle Davies, secre-
tary treasurer for the Canadian Federa-
tion of Students’ B.C. branch, said in re-
sponse to the news. “It’s in the best
interest of all students for all these in-
ternal issues to be dealt with in an open
and transparent way.”

ALYSE KOTYK photo
Desmond Rodenbour was fired by the LSU last week.

Kinder Morgan
fight not over
for students

Disgruntled youth told
they have options moving
forward after controver-
sial pipeline approved

By TANNER BOKOR

proved the Kinder Morgan Trans

Mountain Pipeline, both major stu-
dent coalitions in B.C. say the fight
isn’t over yet.

Simka Marshall, chairwoman of the
B.C. Federation of Students, says that
while she and other students in B.C.
are disappointed to see the pipeline
push through given vocal opposition,
her organization will continue to advo-
cate against the pipeline.

“Students in B.C. continue to stand
in opposition to Kinder Morgan,” Mar-
shall said, “so we will work with what-
ever organizations and initiatives are
ongoing to support their work to fight
against the pipeline.”

The Kinder Morgan pipeline would
connect the Alberta tar sands to a facil-
ity on Burnaby Mountain to the tune of
890,000 barrels of bitumen per day.
Tuesday’s approval of the project, and
rejection of the Embridge Northern
Gateway project in Kitimat, B.C., comes
at the end of a four-year approval pro-
cess mired by strong opposition from
indigenous, student and environmen-
tal organizations.

Alex McGowan with the Alliance of
B.C. Students said that his organiza-
tion is concerned that the decision dis-
regards the voices of the groups the
pipeline will impact.

“Tm concerned to see the federal
government making decisions without
properly consulting with the people,
especially the indigenous people, of
B.C.,” said McGowan. “Students need
our government to make forward-look-
ing decisions and invest in an economy
that is not reliant on fossil fuels.

Though both groups said that the de-
cision is of concern to B.C.’s youth, they
disagree on steps moving forward. Mc-
Gowan said the ABCS, as a post-sec-
ondary policy-oriented group, said the
best way for youth to take action is at
the ballot box.

“The upcoming provincial election is
a clear opportunity to tell decision-
makers and candidates that these is-
sues matter to us,” McGowan said.

Marshall and the BCFS said that the
decision affords the group an opportu-
nity to coalesce together and plan fu-
ture actions to fight against the pipe-
line.

“T think this is an opportunity for all
of us to come together and become a
solid movement and prevent this from
moving forward,” Marshall said.

But perhaps the largest statement
following the decision is one of hope in
the wake of disappointment and shock.

I the federal government ap-