Letters
      to
      the
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ’m
      far
      from
      uninvolved
      in
      UPEI
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      is
      a
      letter
      addressing
      Student
      Union
      President,
     
     
      Brandon
      MacKenzie,
      and
      what
      he
      says
      about
      me
      in
      the
      arti-
     
     
      cle"SU
      Bi-Election
      Speeches
      Commandeer
      Courtyard,
      People
     
     
      Eating
      Startled,"
      printed
      in
      September
      29th's
      issue
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Cadre.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      First,
      you
      mention
      a
      few
      things
      in
      that
      article
      that
      I
     
     
      think
      could
      be
      misleading
      and
      that
      should
      be
      clarified.
      The
     
     
      Student
      Union
      building,
      the
      "free"
      yearbook
      for
      graduating
     
     
      students,
      the
      Cadre
      and
      the
      student
      handbook
      are
      all
      paid
      for
     
     
      in
      our
      Student
      Union
      dues
      (which
      total
      $168
      per
      year).
      Yes,
     
     
      students
      do
      get
      medical
      coverage
      here
      on
      campus,
      but
      we
      pay
     
     
      between
      $179
      and
      $2,138
      per
      year,
      depending
      on
      our
      status,
     
     
      (this
      only
      gives
      us
      80%
      coverage)
      and
      we
      are
      not
      allowed
      to
     
     
      opt
      out
      unless
      we
      have
      medical
      coverage
      elsewhere.
      We
      don't
     
     
      actually
      get
      any
      of
      these
      things
      for
      free;
      we
      don't
      even
      have
     
     
      the
      option
      of
      not
      paying
      for
      them
      if
      we
      don't
      want
      them.
     
     
      Student
      Union
      doesn't
      "do
      nothing"
      but
      it
      does
      make
      us
      pay
     
     
      for
      a
      lot
      of
      ‘services'
      we
      don't
      necessarily
      want
      (or
      need),
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      can't
      necessarily
      afford.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      my
      main
      point.
      I
      am
      the
      "she"
      that
      you,
      Brandon,
     
     
      so
      quickly
      judge
      in
      your
      message
      in
      the
      Cadre.
      According
      to
     
     
      you,
      I
      believe
      that
      Student
      Union
      does
      nothing
      for
      me;
      I
      do
     
     
      nothing
      to
      get
      involved,
      and,
      I
      "seem
      to
      please
      myself
      by
     
     
      bringing
      apathy
      and
      despair
      into
      our
      school."
      According
      to
     
     
      you,
      I
      am
      the
      reason
      why
      Student
      Union's
      initiatives
      are
     
    
   
   
    
     
      faced
      with
      failure.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Brandon,
      you
      don't
      know
      me.
      Not
      only
      do
      I
      think
     
     
      it's
      wrong
      of
      you
      to
      make
      an
      example
      out
      of
      someone
      you
     
     
      don't
      know,
      but
      I
      also
      think
      it
      is
      wrong
      of
      the
      Student
      Union
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      the
      Cadre.
      If
      you
      must
      backstab
      me
      Brandon,
      you
      should
      at
     
    
   
   
    
     
      you
      cannot
      deny.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      least
      quote
      me
      properly.
      I
      was
      not
      saying
      that
      Student
      Union
     
     
      does
      nothing,
      I
      was
      stating
      that
      I'm
      sick
      of
      hearing
      about
     
     
      tuition
      freeze
      and
      only
      seeing
      my
      tuition
      go
      up.
      This
      is
      a
      truth
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Just
      for
      reference
      Brandon:
      My
      name
      is
      Grace;
      I
      am
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      mature
      student;
      I
      am
      taking
      5
      courses
      this
      semester;
      I
      am
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      single
      mother
      of
      a
      seven
      month
      old
      son;
      I
      participate
      in
     
     
      this
      university
      as
      much
      as
      I
      possibly
      can.
      If
      you
      had
      taken
      the
     
     
      time
      to
      have
      spoken
      with
      me,
      you
      may
      have
      discovered
      just
     
     
      how
      involved
      I
      have
      been,
      and
      am,
      with
      this
      campus:
      I
      used
     
     
      to
      work
      for
      the
      campus
      paper;
      have
      acted
      in
      the
      Vagina
     
     
      Monologues;
      I
      gave
      a
      lecture
      in
      the
      "Bad
      Girls"
      lecture
      series;
     
     
      I
      was
      the
      mediator
      for
      the
      Culture
      Café
      hosted
      by
      the
     
     
      Philosophy
      Department;
      and,
      I
      offer
      my
      assistance
      to
      the
     
     
      Women's
      Centre
      here
      on
      campus
      as
      often
      as
      I
      can.
     
    

    
     
      Ask
      any
      of
      my
      peers
      and
      they
      will
      tell
      you
      I
      am
      a
     
     
      friendly,
      out-going
      and
      animated
      person.
      Speak
      with
      any
      of
     
     
      my
      professors
      and
      they
      will
      tell
      you
      that
      I
      am
      an
      extremely
     
     
      active
      student,
      I
      have
      pretty
      good
      marks,
      and
      I
      am
      always
     
    
   
   
    
     
      willing
      to
      assist
      my
      fellow
      classmate.
      Anyone
      who
      knows
      me
     
    
   
   
    
     
      wrong.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      will
      tell
      you
      that
      I
      love
      being
      a
      student,
      I
      love
      this
      university
     
     
      and
      my
      future
      goals
      include
      becoming
      a
      professor
      and
      hope-
     
     
      fully
      teaching
      here
      at
      UPEI.
      That,
      Brandon,
      is
      how
      much
      I
     
     
      love
      this
      university.
      Your
      generalizations
      are
      sweeping
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Clearly
      Brandon,
      I
      don't
      "do
      nothing,"
      and
      you
     
    
   
   
    
     
      picked
      the
      wrong
      "she"
      to
      try
      to
      make
      an
      example
      of.
      I
      take
     
    
   
   
    
     
      President
      to
      talk
      negatively
      about
      a
      student
      behind
      her
      back.
      I
     
     
      didn't
      run
      out
      of
      the
      room
      after
      I
      listened
      to
      the
      responses,
     
     
      and
      you
      could
      have
      easily
      walked
      up
      to
      me
      in
      the
      courtyard
     
     
      and
      spoken
      with
      me
      personally
      rather
      than
      speaking
      about
      me
     
    
   
   
    
     
      great
      offense
      to
      you
      pre-judging
      me.
      I
      take
      an
      even
      greater
     
     
      offense
      to
      you
      accusing
      me
      of
      being
      full
      of
      apathy.
      If
      that
     
     
      were
      true,
      I
      wouldn't
      have
      written
      this
      letter,
      would
      I
      have?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Grace
      Kimpinski,
     
     
      A
      non-apathetic
      student
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Cadre
      misquoted
      my
      questions
      to
      the
      Student
      Union
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      the
      Editor:
     
     
      I
      have
      to
      address
      the
      article
     
     
      "SU
      Bi-Election
      Speeches
      Commandeer
     
     
      Courtyard,
      People
      Eating
      Startled.”
     
     
      Near
      the
      end
      of
      your
      article
      you
      men-
     
     
      tion
      a
      woman
      who
      seemed
      to
      address
      a
     
     
      question
      to
      the
      Student
      Union
      rather
     
     
      than
      at
      the
      candidates.
      I'm
      the
      woman
     
     
      you
      speak
      of.
      Almost
      everything
      you
     
     
      "remember"
      me
      saying
      is
      incorrect
      and
     
     
      |
      want
      to
      set
      the
      record
      straight.
     
     
      As
      question
      period
      was
      going
     
     
      On
      the
      topic
      of
      tuition
      hikes/tuition
     
     
      freeze
      came
      up.
      This
      is
      when
      I
      interject-
     
     
      ed.
      I
      said,
      basically,
      that
      I
      have
      been
      at
     
     
      this
      campus
      off
      and
      on
      for
      the
      last
      10
     
     
      years.
      In
      that
      time,
      whenever
      SU
      elec-
     
     
      tions
      come
      about
      the
      topic
      of
      lowering
     
     
      or
      freezing
      tuition
      gets
      mentioned
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      candidates
      always
      say
      they'll
      try
      to
     
     
      lower
      tuition.
      I
      then
      said
      that
      I
      have
     
     
      only
      ever
      seen
      my
      tuition
      go
      up,
      and
      as
     
     
      a
      matter
      of
      fact,
      not
      only
      did
      it
      go
      up
     
     
      again
      this
      year,
      but
      I
      also
      had
      to
      come
     
     
      up
      with
      a
      $100
      deposit
      before
      I
      could
     
     
      even
      register
      for
      my
      courses.
      Then
      I
     
     
      said
      that
      "I
      don't
      see
      the
      fucking
      point,
     
     
      what
      can
      Student
      Union
      really
      do
      for
      °
     
     
      me?"
      (In
      reference
      to
      lowering/freezing
     
     
      tuition.)
      I
      did
      not
      say
      "what
      in
      the
      past
     
     
      10
      years
      has
      the
      Student
      Union
      really
     
     
      done
      besides
      make
      promises
      and
      hide
      in
     
     
      their
      offices?"
      I
      would
      never
      say
      that
     
     
      for
      the
      simple
      fact
      that
      I
      know
      that
     
     
      Student
      Union
      has
      made
      some
      good
     
     
      changes
      around
      UPEI,
      I
      was
      simply
     
     
      referring
      to
      tuition.
     
    

    
     
      Also,
      as
      a
      reporter
      and
      editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      the
      campus
      paper,
      I
      want
      to
      suggest
     
     
      you
      try
      a
      different
      approach
      to
      covering
     
     
      stories.
      Perhaps
      you
      can
      take
      a
      pad
      and
     
     
      pen
      with
      you
      and
      take
      notes,
      you
      could
     
     
      take
      a
      tape
      recorder
      and
      record
      what
      is
     
     
      being
      said,
      or,
      you
      could
      do
      interviews
     
     
      and
      get
      information
      from
      the
      people
     
     
      involved
      in
      your
      story.
      All
      of
      this
      helps
     
     
      you
      later
      when
      you
      go
      to
      write
      your
     
     
      article.
      You
      have
      something
      to
      refer
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ’
      back
      to
      which
      allows
      you
      to
      report
     
    
   
   
    
     
      more
      accurately
      what
      actually
      occurred.
     
     
      It
      also
      allows
      you
      to
      avoid
      having
      to
     
     
      recall
      subjects
      as
      "you
      can
      best
      remem-
     
     
      ber."
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thanks,
     
     
      Grace
      Kimpinski
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      was
      saddened,
      yet
      unsurprised
      by
      the
      com-
     
     
      ments
      made
      by
      a
      certain
      young
      lady
      in
      the
      W.A.
     
     
      Murphy
      Centre
      during
      the
      student
      Council
      by-elec-
     
     
      tions.
     
    

    
     
      As
      a
      former
      Liberal
      candidate
      in
      the
      previ-
     
     
      ous
      provincial
      election
      I
      spent
      every
      waking
      hour
      of
     
     
      the
      better
      part
      of
      two
      months
      driving
      up
      long
      dirt
     
     
      lanes,
      making
      repetitive
      phone
      calls,
      and
      knocking
     
     
      on
      each
      door
      in
      my
      district.
      I
      didn't
      have
      a
      political
     
     
      agenda,
      I
      wanted
      to
      meet
      and
      hear
      from
      each
      mem-
     
     
      ber
      of
      my
      district,
      leave
      no
      promises
      except
      to
      work
     
     
      as
      an
      MLA
      full-time,
      without
      the
      stress
      of
      family
      or
     
     
      burden
      of
      work.
      But
      still
      people
      pointed
      fingers,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      snubbed
      their
      nose,
      or
      pretended
      to
      look
      the
      other
     
    
   
   
    
     
      way
      on
      occasion.
      Sure
      there
      were
      a
      number
      of
      rea-
     
     
      sons
      for
      this:
      they
      were
      Tories,
      they
      didn't
      like
      a
      22
     
     
      year
      old
      with
      initiative
      based
      on
      the
      fact
      that
      he
      was
     
     
      ‘too
      young’,
      and
      that
      many
      of
      these
      people
      have
     
     
      instilled
      in
      their
      minds
      that
      unless
      a
      politician
      does
     
     
      something
      which
      directly
      affects
      me
      then
      he
      has
     
     
      done
      nothing
      at
      all.
     
    

    
     
      In
      my
      search
      for
      support
      I
      came
      across
      the
     
     
      most
      amazing
      people.
      People
      who
      have
      lived
      in
      my
     
     
      community,
      and
      sometimes
      backyard
      for
      all
      my
      life.
     
     
      People
      who
      had
      personal
      vision
      for
      our
      area,
      initia-
     
     
      tive
      to
      see
      their
      visions
      through
      and
      who
      have
      over-
     
     
      come
      the
      most
      difficult
      personal
      battles.
      It
      is
      too
      bad
     
     
      that
      much
      of
      this
      was
      overshadowed
      by
      a
      few
      pes-
     
     
      simistic
      individuals
      who
      all
      asked
      the
      same
      ques-
     
     
      tion...
      "What
      has
      the
      government
      ever
      done
      for
      me?"
     
    

    
     
      Standing
      in
      front
      of
      our
      community
      hospital
     
     
      one
      gentleman
      asked
      me
      this
      question
      and
      then
      pro-
     
     
      ceeded
      to
      explain
      that
      he
      voted
      his
      entire
      life,
     
     
      "always
      of
      the
      winning
      side",
      but
      was
      never
      given
      a
     
     
      job
      by
      his
      governing
      member.
     
    

    
     
      I
      set
      out
      as
      a
      candidate
      because
      I
      believed
     
     
      that
      our
      area
      could
      benefit
      from
      an
      individual
      with
     
     
      no
      impending
      commitments
      and
      one
      who
      was
     
     
      unshackled
      by
      the
      party
      line...full
      of
      hope
      and
      aspi-
     
     
      rations
      for
      my
      community
      and
      each
      person
      in
      it.
      My
     
     
      energy
      became
      frustration
      some
      nights
      as
      shortsight-
     
     
      edness
      and
      self
      absorption
      of
      some
      overcame
      the
     
     
      enormous
      applause
      of
      high
      spirits
      and
      positive
      reas-
     
     
      surance
      of
      the
      majority.
     
    

    
     
      Given
      the
      benefit
      of
      the
      doubt
      I
      do
      under-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -|
      stand
      that
      comments
      can
      be
      taken
      out
      of
      context,
      not
     
    
   
   
    
     
      only
      in
      the
      political
      arena
      but
      also
      in
      our
      deeply
     
     
      beloved
      Cadre.
      In
      this
      case
      I
      still
      ask
      the
      question
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |"why
      don't
      you
      put
      your
      name
      on
      the
      ballot?"
      Maybe
     
    
   
   
    
     
      then
      you
      can
      understand
      the
      frustration
      a
      few
      short-
     
     
      sighted
      individuals
      bring
      when
      they
      ask...
      "what
      has
     
     
      the
      government
      ever
      done
      for
      me?"
     
    

    
     
      Phil
      MacDonald
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -:page
      [3]
      October
      13,
      2003:.