cult,
      for
      racism
      is
      only
      ignorance,
      and
      instead
     
     
      he
      should
      feel
      sorry
      for
      those
      pathetic,
      rude
     
     
      people
      who
      have
      no
      idea
      the
      pain
      that
      they
     
     
      caused,
      and
      not
      to
      give
      them
      the
      satisfaction
      of
     
     
      seeing
      his
      tears,
      most
      importantly
      I
      asked
      him
     
     
      to
      hold
      his
      head
      up
      high
      because
      he
      has
      every
     
     
      right
      to
      do
      so,
      being
      a
      member
      of
      Canada’s
      First
     
     
      Nation
      is
      a
      privilege.
      Our
      native
      children
      are
     
     
      our
      future.
      Most
      importantly
      I
      asked
      Justin
      to
     
     
      dream,
      always
      dream
      because
      the
      sky
      is
      the
     
     
      limit
      for
      every
      child
      no
      matter
      what
      nationality
     
     
      he
      or
      she
      may
      be.
      I
      asked
      him
      to
      do
      his
      best
      in
     
     
      school
      and
      to
      think
      of
      this
      racist
      incident
      as
      a
     
     
      sign
      from
      God
      that
      he
      is
      even
      more
      special,
      and
     
     
      he
      was
      chosen
      to
      help
      us
      all.
     
    

    
     
      I
      look
      forward
      to
      travelling
      to
      various
      Island
     
     
      elementary
      schools
      to
      discuss
      the
      positive
      ele-
     
     
      ments
      of
      native
      culture
      and
      to
      see
      how
      discrimi-
     
     
      nation
      is
      affecting
      young
      children.
      When
      a
     
     
      teacher
      called
      and
      asked
      me
      I
      was
      surprised
      to
     
     
      learn
      that
      it
      is
      a
      growing
      problem...I
      don’t
     
     
      understand,
      I
      do
      know
      I
      would
      like
      to
      help
      and
     
     
      the
      suggestions
      above
      may
      help.
     
    

    
     
      With
      the
      1992
      Referendum
      and
      the
      talk
      of
     
     
      _
      native
      self-government,
      I
      noticed
      that
      there
      was
     
    

    
     
      an
      increase
      in
      my
      awareness
      of
      racial
      prejudice
     
     
      against
      natives.
      I
      believe
      that
      people
      did
      not
     
     
      fully
      understand
      what
      the
      Indians
      meant
      by
     
     
      ‘‘self-government’’
      and
      perhaps
      they
      viewed
      it
     
     
      as
      a
      major
      threat
      to
      themselves.
      One
      should
     
     
      read
      about
      the
      various
      concepts
      to
      understand
     
     
      that
      the
      Indian
      people
      do
      not
      mean
      to
      harm
      any
     
     
      one
      in
      their
      quest
      for
      equality
      and
      justice.
      It
      was
     
     
      one
      encounter
      in
      the
      Pit
      which
      sparked
      an
      angry
     
     
      reaction
      out
      of
      me
      that
      I
      never
      knew
      I
      was
     
     
      capable
      of
      feeling,
      when
      a
      girl
      stated
      that
      the
     
     
      Indians
      should
      just
      be
      left
      on
      the
      reserves
      be-
     
     
      cause
      they
      had
      already
      received
      more
      than
      they
     
     
      deserved.
      I
      told
      her
      angrily
      and
      not
      so
      elo-
     
     
      quently
      to
      shut
      up
      and
      until
      she
      had
      any
      know]-
     
     
      edge
      of
      what
      natives
      had
      to
      endure
      or
      what
      they
     
     
      lost
      to
      the
      government
      or
      because
      of
      the
      govern-
     
     
      ment
      she
      should
      keep
      her
      opinions
      to
      herself.
     
     
      There
      were
      many
      incidents
      after
      that,
      though
     
     
      much
      smaller
      ones
      and
      I
      feel
      the
      need
      to
      encour-
     
     
      age
      people
      to
      find
      out
      what
      they
      do
      not
      know
     
     
      and
      give
      the
      Indians
      a
      chance.
      Many
      other
     
     
      people
      turned
      towards
      educating
      themselves
     
     
      and
      the
      knowledge
      shocked
      some
      of
      whom
      have
     
     
      chosen
      to
      work
      in
      educating
      the
      Inuit
      and
      Indi-
     
     
      ans.
      I
      find
      this
      encouraging.
     
    

    
     
      My
      situation
      has
      changed
      over
      the
      years
      and
     
     
      I
      have
      very
      little
      problems
      with
      discrimination
     
     
      now
      in
      my
      own
      life.
      I
      react
      to
      other
      people’s
     
     
      problems,
      though,
      and
      in
      my
      native
      studies
     
     
      research
      I
      have
      raised
      my
      interest
      from
      a
      na-
     
     
      tional
      focus
      to
      an
      international
      one.
      I
      know
      the
     
     
      world
      has
      a
      long
      way
      to
      go
      and
      that
      it
      will
      not
      be
     
     
      in
      my
      life-time
      that
      I
      will
      see
      world
      peace;
      it
      is
     
     
      a
      dream,
      though.
     
    

    
     
      I
      never
      want
      my
      two
      sons
      to
      suffer
      the
      pain
     
     
      that
      I
      did.
      I,
      like
      my
      Mother
      taught
      me,
      will
     
     
      teach
      them
      that
      everyone
      in
      the
      world
      is
      equal
     
     
      and
      that
      differences
      in
      colour,
      race,
      sex,
      lan-
     
     
      guage,
      and
      religion
      do
      not
      make
      people
      any
      less
     
     
      important
      because
      they
      exist.
      The
      tragic
      thing
     
    
   
   
    
     
      6
     
    
   
   
    
     
      is
      discrimination
      because
      of
      these
      things
      do
     
     
      exist.
      Thank
      you
      for
      reading
      this
      and
      I
      hope
      that
     
     
      it
      means
      something
      for
      someone.
      I
      would
      like
     
     
      to
      read
      any
      comments
      or
      experiences
      which
     
     
      pertain
      to
      this
      delicate
      subject.
      It
      is
      time
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      speak
      up.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Holly
      Marie
      Ayotte
     
     
      Fourth
      Year
      History
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor,
     
    

    
     
      This
      letter
      is
      in
      reply
      to
      the
      unsigned
      letter
      that
     
     
      appeared
      in
      the
      March
      25
      issue.
      I
      must
      take
     
     
      offense
      to
      some
      of
      the
      comments
      made
      in
      that
     
     
      letter.
      First
      of
      all,
      the
      Student
      Union
      is
      bound
     
     
      by
      the
      laws
      of
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      which
      do
     
     
      notallow
      us
      to
      publicize
      the
      details
      surrounding
     
     
      an
      employee’s
      departure.
      In
      any
      case,
      I
      think
      it
     
     
      would
      be
      highly
      unethical.
     
    

    
     
      Next,
      Tracey
      Arsenault
      and
      Rick
      Gallant
     
     
      were
      elected
      officials,
      put
      there
      by
      the
      general
     
     
      membership,
      not
      hired
      on
      a
      whim
      of
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union.
      When
      they
      resigned
      they
      both
      published
     
     
      their
      reasons
      in
      the
      X-Press.
      And
      unless
      you
     
     
      didn’t
      read
      a
      Guardian,
      listen
      to
      the
      radio,
      or
     
     
      watch
      TV,
      you
      probably
      would
      have
      heard
     
     
      about
      the
      resignations.
      Also,
      we
      havenever
      had
     
     
      a
      speaker
      named
      Greg
      Bradley.
      We
      did,
      how-
     
     
      ever,
      have
      a
      speaker
      named
      Craig
      Bradley
      who
     
     
      was
      a
      hired
      employee
      and
      who
      resigned
      on
      his
     
     
      own
      free
      will.
      His
      reasons
      for
      resigning
      were
      his
     
    
   
   
    
     
      own
      and
      he
      allowed
      them
      to
      be
      picked
      up
      by
      the:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      local
      media.
      If
      you’re
      looking
      for
      wrongdoing,
     
     
      you’re
      sniffing
      up
      the
      wrong
      tree.
     
    

    
     
      As
      for
      our
      hiring
      practices,
      all
      I
      can
      say
      is
     
     
      that
      we
      do
      backflips
      to
      be
      fair.
      All
      applications
     
     
      are
      screened
      by
      the
      supervisors
      without
      the
     
     
      names
      of
      the
      applicants.
      The
      successful
      appli-
     
     
      cants
      will
      be
      called
      for
      an
      interview
      by
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union
      Hiring
      Board.
      This
      Board
      con-
     
     
      sists
      of
      Heather
      Love,
      General
      Manager,
      one
     
     
      executive,
      and
      three
      students
      at
      large.
      The
     
     
      Hiring
      Board
      rates
      the
      different
      applicants
      and
     
     
      makes
      hiring
      decisions.
      The
      supervisors
      rec-
     
     
      ommendations
      are
      taken
      into
      consideration
      but
     
     
      are
      not
      always
      followed.
      Final
      approval
      is
      then
     
     
      taken
      to
      Council,
      who
      may
      question
      any
      deci-
     
     
      sion
      that
      has
      been
      made
      by
      the
      Board.
      Sound
     
     
      confusing?
      It
      is.
      But
      we
      need
      to
      have
      this
     
     
      process
      so
      that
      the
      hiring
      practices
      are
      fair.
      I
     
     
      think
      that
      if
      you
      look
      at
      the
      staff
      of
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union,
      which
      numbers
      close
      to
      75,
      you
      will
      see
     
     
      a
      real
      cross-section
      of
      campus.
      Yes,
      many
      of
     
     
      these
      people
      are
      friends
      but
      they
      became
      friends
     
     
      after
      starting
      to
      work
      for
      the
      SU
      and
      yes,
      there
     
     
      is
      one
      (1)
      past
      executive
      working
      for
      the
      SU
      at
     
     
      present
      and
      yes,
      some
      of
      our
      employees
      are
     
     
      athletes,
      but
      I
      can
      think
      of
      only
      two
      that
      play
      for
     
     
      avarsity
      team.
      I
      don’t
      see
      these
      numbers
      adding
     
     
      up
      to
      unfair
      hiring
      practices.
      I’m
      afraid
      we
     
     
      don’t
      have
      any
      dirty
      laundry
      to
      air.
     
    

    
     
      I
      do
      invite
      the
      person
      who
      wrote
      the
      letter
      to
     
     
      which
      I’m
      replying
      to
      drop
      down
      to
      the
      SU
      and
     
     
      find
      out
      what
      we’
      re
      all
      about.
      We’re
      not
      an
      ‘evil
     
     
      empire’,
      but
      a
      bunch
      of
      students
      trying
      to
      make
     
    
   
   
    
     
      life
      more
      enjoyable
      for
      all
      students
      on
      this
     
    

    
     
      campus.
      Sometimes
      we
      make
      mistakes
      and
     
    

    
     
      sometimes
      we
      shine.
      We,
      as
      an
      organization,
     
    

    
     
      try
      to
      take
      credit
      for
      both.
      We
      always
      have
      an
     
    

    
     
      open
      ear
      so
      please
      talk
      to
      us
      if
      you
      have
      a
     
    

    
     
      problem
      with
      us.
      Maybe
      you
      have
      suggestions
     
     
      to
      further
      improve
      our
      policies.
      _
     
    

    
     
      Thank
      you
     
    

    
     
      Michelle
      MacCallum
     
    

    
     
      UPEI
      SU
      President
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor:
     
    

    
     
      I
      write
      in
      response
      to
      the
      unsigned
      letter
      that
     
     
      appeared
      in
      the
      last
      Issue
      of
      the
      X-Press.
      It
     
     
      sought
      to
      chastise
      the
      Student
      Union
      Council
      on
     
     
      several
      issues
      (I
      think,
      as
      he
      or
      she
      kept
      refer-
     
     
      ring
      to
      ‘‘the
      UPEI
      Student
      Union’’
      but
      my
     
    
   
   
    
     
      interpretation
      of
      the
      letter
      is
      that
      it
      was
      not
      this
     
    
   
   
    
     
      person’s
      intention
      to
      attack
      the
      2700
      of
      us
      that
     
     
      comprise
      the
      Student
      Union).
     
    

    
     
      I’d
      like
      to
      respond
      to
      what
      I
      read
      to
      be
      that
     
     
      unnamed
      writer’s
      five
      points.
      First,
      regarding
     
     
      the
      recent
      dismissal
      of
      a
      member
      of
      the
      Barn
     
     
      Staff
      I
      find
      your
      suggestion
      that
      the
      details
      ofa
     
     
      staff
      member’s
      employment
      record
      should
      me
     
     
      made
      public
      VERY
      DISTURBING.
      The
      laws
     
     
      of
      this
      province
      rightfully
      protect
      employees,
     
     
      whether
      they
      work
      for
      in
      the
      private
      sector
      or
      in
     
     
      a
      public
      organization
      like
      ours,
      from
      the
      kind
      of
     
     
      abuse
      you
      advocate.
      The
      reasons
      for
      and
      details
     
     
      concerning
      any
      employee’s
      hiring
      or
      dismissal
     
     
      cannot,
      thankfully
      for
      his
      or
      her
      sake,
      be
      made
     
     
      public
      by
      his
      or
      her
      employer.
     
    

    
     
      Second,
      as
      a
      member
      of
      this
      year’s
      Student
     
     
      Union
      Executive,
      this
      unsigned
      letter
      is
      the
      first
     
     
      time
      that
      I’ve
      heard
      that
      we
      had
      “‘hidden
      many
     
     
      of
      its
      internal
      discussions
      and
      problems...”’
     
     
      Whoops,
      I
      must
      have
      missed
      that
      particular
      evil
     
     
      conspiracy
      that
      has
      taken
      so
      much
      of
      our
      time
     
     
      this
      year...
      In
      all
      seriousness,
      the
      only
      discus-
     
     
      sions
      that
      kept
      internal
      are
      those
      are
      required
      to
     
     
      be
      for
      legal
      reasons.
      If
      I
      had
      wanted
      to
      partici-
     
     
      pate
      in
      a
      conspiracy
      to
      keep
      what
      we’re
      doing
     
     
      secret
      from
      the
      people
      that
      elected
      me
      and
      that
     
     
      I’ve
      worked
      very
      hard
      to
      represent,
      I
      don’t
     
     
      honestly
      know
      where
      I
      would
      have
      found
      the
     
     
      time.
     
    

    
     
      Third,
      of
      course
      any
      member
      of
      our
      Student
     
     
      Union
      has
      the
      right
      to
      complete
      knowledge
      of
     
     
      decisions
      made
      in
      his
      or
      her
      name
      (excepting
     
     
      information
      on
      staff).
      A
      lot
      of
      my
      time
      over
      the
     
     
      past
      eleven
      months
      has
      been
      spent
      trying
      to
      let
     
     
      people
      know
      what
      I’ve
      been
      doing
      and
      to
      try
      to
     
     
      get
      some
      direction
      from
      them.
      My
      door
      is
      and
     
     
      has
      been
      always
      open.
      I
      seriously
      contemplated
     
     
      not
      dignifying
      the
      writer’s
      remarks
      about
      com-
     
     
      ing
      clean
      with
      ‘‘dirty
      laundry’’
      (wow,
      what
      an
     
     
      original
      phrase).
      However,
      I
      can
      assure
      you
      that
     
     
      students
      (
      and
      for
      that
      matter
      the
      entire
      prov-
     
     
      ince)
      had
      a
      full
      accounting
      of
      the
      details
      of
      the
     
     
      resignations
      of
      Ms.
      Arsenault,
      Mr.
      Gallant,
      and
     
     
      Mr.
      Bradley
      (whose
      first
      name
      is
      actually
      Craig
     
     
      and
      not
      ‘‘Greg’’
      the
      last
      time
      I
      checked).
      I
     
     
      served
      with
      all
      three
      of
      these
      people,
      respect
      all