The Cadre

November 18, 1997

By Keya Dasgupta

Space: the final frontier. When we think of the “world” beyond our globe we conjure up images of UFO’s and Martians. Aschildren, we thought of space as the place where Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo battled against the forces of evil. It was where Captain Kirk and his crew conquered the unconquered and discovered the undiscov- ered. Maybe one day we will find life on other planets or establish colonies on Jupiter or Mars, but thatday seems pretty far in coming...or is it?

Everyday day we are becoming more and more con- nected to the universe around us. We have satellites survey- ing conditions on other planets, space stations carrying out countless experiments, and men walking on the moon. Today, even UPEI has ties with outer space. Marc Beauregard, a chemistry pro- fessor at UPEI, is the head of a research project at the uni- versity that is looking to im- prove the milk produced by cows.

The quality of the milk is improved by implementing cer- tain “essential” amino acids into the diet of cows. Profes- sor Beauregard and his team are trying to accomplish this by making proteins which con- tain these amino acids.

You may beasking your- selfhow this all relates to outer space. In order to improve the quality of these proteins their structure has to be analysed. This is often done by growing “crystals of proteins, which in- crease their size and make them easier to handle. Crys- tals grow better in micro grav- ity (i.e. space conditions) so the proteins being studied at

the university were sent up via the space shuttle Columbia and are now on Mir to be experi- mented upon.

Beauregard accom- plished this by getting a con- tract with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to be part of Canadian Advanced Protein Crystallization Experiments (CAPE). Prof. Jean Grundy, who is part of the research team, explained that the pro- teins were sent up in Septem- ber and the end of October. The experiment will be com- pleted by the January at which time they will determine the success of the protein crystal-

lization.

A few decades ago car- rying out experiments like this in space was unimaginable. Today we can use space to improve the quality of milk. Perhaps in a few years from now solutions to environment decay and overpopulation will be found in outer space. Great things always seem to develop from modest beginings. So several million decades from now when we are establishing colonies on other planets and marrying creatures of differ- ent life forms we will remem- ber that it all began with send- ing a few proteins into space.

Students and postal workers

By Todd MacLean

The Canadian Federa- tion of Students-PEI compo- nent is supporting the Cana- dian Union of Postal Workers in its current negotiations with Canada Post Corporation in an effort to protect the thou- sands of jobs that could be slashed from the union, and to retaliate against high unem- ployment and poor wages.

Notonly does this recent statement of solidarity help to keep students away from cross- ing picket lines and deters stu- dents from volunteering for scab labour in the event of a postal strike, but the joining of forces also means aid in return to students, in their battles against education cuts.

“It’s a natural solidar- ity,” said Mickey MacDonald, president of CUPW Charlottetown. “We have a vision of what Canada should be, just like students do. It’s just all part of the big picture.”

Representatives of CUPW were at hand to lend support to UPEI students in last week’s protest march to Province House, speaking out against cuts to education by the government.

“That’s just a sample of what they can do when we have them on our side,” said Yancy Ross, Chair of CFS PEL, on the subject of the ben- efits that can be obtained from this solidarity statement.

The policy was a upon on November Sth, 1997,

with the main goals of creating students have a place in scab labour,” continued Ross. “These jobs are temporary, mail delivery is tough, and it’s not a resolution to unemploy- ment. Crossing picket lines will just be a strike against you in the long runof looking for jobs.”

“We have seen students, the poor and the unemployed, used in other moments by the Corporation to force ourmem- bers to accept unfair changes,” added MacDonald. “We want to make sure that students are notexploited.”

Whether a strike will take place or not in the near future is still undecided. There are = mee offers and a offers being exchanged by both sides at the present time.

“We could be out tomor- row; it just depends on what responses the Corporation has,” said MacDonald. “We’ re just waiting by the fax ma- chine.”

But when faced with los- ing 4000 jobs, and coping with low salary wages, CUPW is faced with little choice in the matter.

In the meantime, CFS and CUPW will continue to work together to promote awareness among students and re in general, to dis-

the public from crossing picket lines, and to prevent scab labour in the event of a strike.

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