Opinions

The unfortunate reality of giving up pastimes for school Just about everybody who picks up and reads this paper is a student. But, nobody is just a student. We all have interests we want to pursue outside of our academic careers. But, between class time, assignments and studying, school leaves …

Trudeau calls off pursuit of Electoral Reform Justin Trudeau campaigned to be the Canadian Prime Minister based on a platform of ending our first-past-the-post electoral system. It turns out campaign promises were meant to be broken. “We are committed to ensuring that 2015 will be the last federal election conducted …

Coffee drinkers need to stop talking about coffee When I was quite young, my mother and I used to drive out to Kelowna for a week each summer to visit my grandparents. My mother would pack the car and brew a pot of coffee before waking me up at 3 …

The quiet rumblings of Alberta separatism Growing up in rural Alberta, the name Trudeau was treated like a dirty word. The introduction of the National Energy Program (NEP) by Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau in 1980 had never been forgiven.  Prime Minster Pierre Trudeau introduced the program in October 1980 …

Infringement of basic animal rights in the meat industry We live in a society in which people are beginning to become more cognizant of the food they put in their bodies. Whether it’s checking the caloric intake of a jelly-filled donut, or ensuring their coffee beans are ethically sourced, society …

Why some novels stand the test of time and others are forgotten There is an ocean of difference between a great work of art and a good work of art. And, as any reader can attest, literature is no exception. Good books can entertain. They can make a person consider …

Calgary’s historic Chinatown to face changes Calgary’s Chinatown, and Chinatowns in general, are often viewed as being disparate, something not altogether a part of the city surrounding it. So, recent news that, despite the community’s protests, a development application for three new towers has been passed by the city might …

Considering the feasibility of paid menstrual leave At just 11 years old, I had awoken to a visit from dear Aunt Flo. Nobody had warned me about what a savage she was.  I felt soggy, dirty, bloated and sick. The pain was like something was trying to claw its way …

The unfortunate reality of media bias The journalist’s job is to keep readers interested so they’ll read a newspaper from front to back and look at all of the advertisements. However, unintentional bias can seep through. Make no mistake: journalists do their best to try to keep you interested in …

Carbon levy rebates met with confusion Alberta’s carbon levy came into effect on Jan. 1, and the first batch of rebates has been issued with little fanfare. Some friends and I were talking about receiving the rebates and how it would be a great bonus at the start of the …

Check the source of your coffee beans As the poor, hungry and sleep-deprived students that we are, there is always one instrument we can rely on to get ourselves to tomorrow, and hopefully, convocation: coffee. However, there’s more to the life-saving liquid than the obvious pick-me-up effects we rely on. …

Impact of climate change on human health For years, medical professionals have been telling the populace to take care of their health and for good reason. We brush our teeth to avoid tooth decay, we take antibiotics to inhibit the growth of infections and we eat healthy to keep the …

What we have here is a failure to communicate Languages change over time, and obviously, English is no exception. Anyone who has tried to read Beowulf in its original form can attest to this. But recently, it seems that language is changing in a way that makes our communication shallower. …

Serving staff deserve higher wages Over the last few years, the big craze in the workplace has been something called gamification, and it is exactly what it sounds like. The idea is that employees will be more motivated and will enjoy their work more if it gets made into a …

What having a diploma from SAIT means If you’re reading this, it means you’ve made the right decision in terms of your education. Whether this is your first semester at SAIT or your last, it’s no question that something has brought you here, and it’s our school’s reputation. Throughout my …

Removing the stigma surrounding tattoo culture In our world of bright colours and reality television, people have been brainwashed to see anything considered outside of the ordinary as strange or even incorrect. But, as time moves on, so do society’s archaic views. As recently as a decade ago you would …

Supporting an uncertain future Just the other day, a man said to me that, although he rides the train to work every day, he never pays for a transit pass. His reasoning, he said, was that he only gets checked by peace officers every few months and that the occasional …

The truth behind charity canvassers At one time or another, everyone has encountered a donation canvasser standing on the street corner asking for a moment of your time and, perhaps, some money. Most people find a way to manoeuvre around canvassers, or they play with their phones and avoid eye …

Why Alberta shouldn’t scrap the carbon tax The earth is rapidly heating up, and a carbon tax is the best way to help combat the climate change crisis. Based on the first nine months of this year, the earth is about to set another record: 2016 will be the warmest …

How the Bridge stole Christmas Christmas is a time of giving, a time to show how much your friends and family mean to you and a time to grovel to our corporate overlords. Basically, it’s a time for suckers. As a nation, we collectively go off our gourd. We bust …