Roseanne
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor,
      ‘
     
     
      Soon
      after
      the
      House
      of
      Commons
      was
      recalled
      this
      fall,
      the
     
     
      government
      dropped
      the
      bombshell
      many
      were
      expecting.
      As
     
    

    
     
      _
      apriority,
      the
      Liberal
      majority
      would
      be
      pushing
      passage
      of
      two
     
     
      bills:
      the
      hate
      crime
      bill,
      which
      would
      allow
      harsher
      sentences
     
     
      for
      crimes
      motivated
      by
      hatred
      against
      gays;
      and
      amending
      the
     
     
      Human
      Rights
      Act
      to
      add
      ‘‘sexual
      orientation’’
      to
      the
      prohib-
     
     
      ited
      ground
      for
      discrimination.
     
    

    
     
      In
      order
      to
      quell
      any
      uprising,
      the
      Prime
      Minister
      warned
     
     
      caucus
      to
      keep
      opposing
      viewpoints
      to
      themselves
      (‘PM
     
     
      Clamps
      Lid
      On
      Anti-gay
      Talk’.
      Toronto
      Star.,
      Sept.
      29/94).
     
     
      As
      this
      appeared
      to
      contradict
      former
      statements
      acknowledg-
     
     
      ing
      the
      right
      of
      members
      to
      speak
      their
      conscience,
      many
     
     
      wondered
      why
      the
      ‘‘gag’’
      order.
     
    

    
     
      For
      this
      reason,
      a
      courageous
      rookie
      MP
      form
      Nova
     
     
      Scotia,
      Roseanne
      Skoke
      challenged
      the
      status
      quo,
      broke
      ranks
     
     
      with
      her
      government,
      and
      exercised
      her
      right
      of
      free
      speech.
     
     
      According
      to
      a
      report
      in
      the
      Globe
      and
      Mail,
      Skoke
      believes
      the
     
     
      amendment
      ‘‘would
      undermine
      our
      traditional
      and
      conven-
     
     
      tional
      Canadian
      family
      values’’
      by
      giving
      special
      status
      to
     
     
      homosexuals.
      a
     
    

    
     
      Furthermore,
      when
      questioned
      why
      she
      was
      speaking
     
     
      against
      something
      her
      party
      is
      committed
      to
      putting
      into
      law,
     
     
      Skoke
      replied,
      ‘‘I
      have
      the
      right
      to
      express
      my
      opinion
      quite
     
     
      clearly.
      I’ve
      stated
      unequivocally
      that
      I’m
      opposed
      to
      the
      words
     
     
      ‘‘sexual
      orientation’’
      in
      any
      federal
      legislation
      and
      I’m
      going
     
     
      to
      continue
      to
      state
      my
      opinions.’’
     
    

    
     
      These
      opinions
      drew
      the
      ire
      of
      Government
      House
     
     
      Leader
      Herb
      Gray
      and
      gay
      activist
      MP
      Svend
      Robinson.
     
    

    
     
      Robinson’s
      denounciation
      was
      predictable.
      He
      accused
     
     
      Skoke
      of
      being
      homophobic
      and
      promoting
      hatred
      of
      gays.
     
    

    
     
      Is
      it
      just
      me,
      or
      has
      anyone
      else
      noticed
      that
      the
      only
     
     
      argument
      raised
      by
      those
      who
      would
      reshape
      society
      in
      their
     
     
      own
      image
      is
      to
      attack
      the
      person
      whose
      opinion
      differs
      form
     
     
      theirs?
      Whatever
      happened
      to
      freedom
      of
      speech?
      Why
      can’t
     
     
      someone
      hold
      a
      contrary
      opinion
      without
      being
      labelled
      stupid,
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      Ed
      Fobes
     
    

    
     
      Intellectuals
      have
      long
      been
      stereotyped
      as
      dusty
      old
      men
      stuck
     
     
      in
      the
      back
      end
      of
      a
      library
      puzzling
      out
      questions
      which
     
     
      outwardly
      seem
      to
      have
      no
      relationship
      to
      everyday
      life.
      Now
     
     
      we
      have
      the
      phenomenon
      of
      the
      celebrity
      intellectual.
      Such
      is
     
     
      Mr.
      Gwyn
      Dyer
      who
      came
      to
      visit
      UPEI
      on
      the
      15th
      of
     
     
      February.
      Mr.
      Dyer
      has
      had
      a
      lot
      of
      publicity
      over
      the
      last
     
     
      decade
      because
      of
      the
      wonderfully
      gripping
      documentaries
      he
     
     
      has
      put
      together--
      most
      notably
      War,
      a
      many
      volumed
      expose
     
     
      of
      his
      take
      on
      military
      history.
      Having
      an
      extensive
      background
     
     
      in
      the
      field
      as
      well
      as
      personal
      service
      in
      several
      navies,
      Mr.
     
     
      Dyer
      told
      colourful
      stories
      and
      made
      some
      compelling
      points
     
     
      in
      this
      documentary.
      Having
      made
      a
      name
      for
      himself,
      he
     
     
      became
      an
      occasional
      commentator
      on
      national
      news
      broad-
     
     
      casts--
      filling
      the
      role
      of
      the
      curmudgeonly
      realistic
      optimist
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
      foreign
      conflicts.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ignorant,
      or
      malicious?
      Is
      there
      no
      place
      for
      one’s
      conscience?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Not.
      to
      some.
      Evidently,
      it’s
      a
      conspiracy!
      Sinister
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “‘homophobics”’
      deluded
      ‘by-hatred
      are’
      out
      to
      oppress
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
      vulnerable
      minority.
      Welcome
      to
      the
      90s’
      version
      of
      Big
     
     
      Brother:
      Political
      Correctness.
     
    

    
     
      A
      person
      with
      a
      label
      to
      pin
      on
      an
      adversary
      is
      never
      at
     
     
      the
      mercy
      of
      a
      reasonable,
      alternative
      viewpoint.
     
    

    
     
      It
      was
      for
      this
      reason
      that
      I
      wrote
      both
      Skoke
      and
      Gray.
     
     
      I
      wanted
      to
      encourage
      her.
      and
      rebuke
      him.
      Following
      is
      an
     
     
      excerpt
      form
      my
      letter
      to
      Gray:
     
    

    
     
      ”*While
      Mr
      Robinson
      can
      be
      excused
      for
      promoting
      his
     
     
      own
      agenda
      regarding
      homosexuality,
      his
      reasoning
      in
      accus-
     
     
      ing
      Ms.
      Skoke
      of
      making
      a
      hate
      statement
      is
      pure
      mindless
     
     
      propaganda.
      On
      the
      other
      hand,
      your
      public
      disclaimer
      that
      Ms.
     
     
      Skoke
      was
      not
      speaking
      for
      the
      Party!
      She
      was
      simply
     
    
   
   
    
     
      exercising
      her
      duty
      as
      a
      federal
      representative
      of
      her
      constitu-«
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ency
      as
      well
      as
      her
      right--
      also
      guaranteed
      by
      the
      same
      Charter
     
     
      --
      to
      freedom
      of
      thought
      and
      expression.
     
    

    
     
      ’’The
      misguided
      logic
      of
      political
      correctness
      suggest-
     
     
      ing
      anyone
      with
      another
      opinion
      is
      somehow
      motivated
      by
      hate
     
     
      or
      ignorance
      may
      ultimately
      be
      responsible
      for
      suppressing
     
     
      freedom
      of
      speech
      in
      this
      country.’’
     
    

    
     
      The
      point
      toall
      this
      is
      not
      that
      Imust
      impose
      my
      morality
     
     
      on
      the
      rest
      of
      Canada.
      I
      just
      want
      somebody
      in
      power
      to
     
     
      recognize
      and
      defend
      my
      right
      to
      hold
      a
      different
      point
      of
     
     
      view.For
      now
      that
      person
      seems
      to
      be
      a
      rookie
      MP
      from
      Nova
     
     
      Scotia.
     
    

    
     
      Now
      there’s
      a
      Roseanne
      we
      can
      be
      proud
      of.
     
    

    
     
      R.
      Hiebert
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Transcript
      troubles
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Graduating
      students
      are
      now
      looking
      to
      next
      year
      and
     
     
      many
      are
      submitting
      applications
      to
      other
      schools
      for
      the
      fall.
     
     
      These
      applications
      must
      accompany
      @
      transcript
      supplied
      by
     
     
      the
      Registrar’s
      office.
      I
      have
      learne’'
      the
      hard
      way
      that
      anyone
     
     
      who
      requests
      a
      transcript
      should
      check
      with
      the
      Registrar’s
     
    
   
   
    
     
      i
      Office
      to
      make
      sure
      that
      it
      has
      been
      sent
      properly.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      On
      February
      13
      I
      requested
      a
      transcript
      be
      faxedto
      UNB.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      4
      er
      There
      was
      an
      additional
      charge
      of
      $7
      to
      have
      it
      faxed
      on
      top
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
      $3
      fee.
      The
     
    
   
   
    
     
      *~"“so
      it
      was
      important
      that
      it
      reach
      UNB
      as
      soon
      as
      possible.
      [had
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      application
      itself
      sent
      by
      overnight
      courier.
      On
      February
      14
     
     
      I
      phoned
      the
      office
      to
      make
      sure
      that
      it
      has
      been
      sent.
      I
      was
      told
     
     
      that
      the
      transcript
      had
      been
      sent,
      but
      by
      regular
      mail
      andnot
      fax.
     
     
      After
      explaining
      it
      was
      urgent
      and
      that
      I
      had
      expected
      it
      to
      be
     
     
      faxed
      the
      day
      before
      I
      was
      told
      that
      the
      person
      who
      does
     
     
      ‘transcripts
      was
      not
      in
      today;
      she
      would
      try
      to
      send
      it
      but
      ‘‘would
     
    
   
   
    
     
      make
      a
      promises.’*
      It
      anes
      later
      that
      day”
      Ok
      GE
      May
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      have
      another
      friend
      who
      requested
      a
      transcript
      which
     
     
      also
      listed
      the
      courses
      in
      which
      she
      was
      currently
      enrolled.
      She
     
     
      explained
      this
      to
      the
      person
      at
      the
      Registrar’s
      desk
      and
      made
      a
     
     
      clear
      note
      of
      it
      on
      the
      request
      form.
      A
      transcript
      was
      sent
      but
     
     
      it
      did
      not
      list
      the
      courses
      she
      was
      enrolled
      in.
      She
      retumed
      to
     
     
      the
      registrar’s
      office,
      explained
      the
      problem,
      made
      a
      note
      onthe
     
     
      request
      form
      and
      requested
      another
      be
      sent..
      Another
      incom-
     
     
      plete
      transcript
      was
      sent.
      Finally
      she
      had
      to
      go
      to
      the
      office
      and
     
     
      make
      them
      do
      it
      while
      she
      waited.
     
    

    
     
      All
      you
      have
      to
      do
      to
      check
      on
      a
      UPEI
      transcript
      is
      to
      call
     
     
      566-0684.
      Make
      sure
      that
      a
      complete
      transcript
      was
      sent
      and
     
     
      that
      it
      was
      sent
      by
      whichever
      means
      you
      requested.
      It
      is
     
    
   
   
    
     
      :
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ridiculous
      to
      complete
      an
      application,
      arrange
      letters
      of
      Teli
      «J
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ence
      and
      pay
      the
      application
      fee
      only
      to
      be
      denied
      because
      of
      |
     
     
      an
      incomplete
      or
      late
      transcript.
     
     
      Name
      Withheld
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Island
      way
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      the
      Editor:
      ;
     
     
      Iam
      doing
      a
      geography
      report
      on
      Prince
      Edward
      Island.
      Would
     
     
      you
      please
      publish
      my
      letter
      in
      your
      newspaper?
      If
      people
     
     
      would
      write
      me
      about
      the
      Island,
      it
      would
      help
      me
      on
      my
      report.
     
     
      Please
      answer
      one
      or
      more
      of
      the
      following
      questions.
      ©
     
    

    
     
      How
      long
      have
      you
      lived
      on
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      and
     
     
      what
      is
      your
      favourite
      thing
      about
      the
      Island?
      Do
      people
      travel
     
     
      off
      the
      Island
      very
      much,
      and,
      if
      so,
      how
      do
      they
      travel?
      What
     
     
      do
      you
      do
      for
      a
      living,
      and
      what
      are
      the
      main
      occupations
      on
     
     
      your
      part
      of
      the
      Island?
     
    

    
     
      Thank
      you
      for
      your
      help.
     
    

    
     
      Stephen
      Sande
     
    

    
     
      2458
      China
      Garden
      Rd.
     
    

    
     
      Kalama,
      WA
      98625
     
    

    
     
      U.S.A.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      speak
      or
      not
      to
      speak:
     
     
      Should
      UPEI
      pay
      for
      guest
      lecturers?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      On
      this
      day,
      Mr
      Dyer
      was
      asked
      to
      speak
      in
      the
     
     
      afternoon
      on
      patriarchy
      At
      the
      outset
      he
      explained
      that
      most
     
     
      of
      he
      was
      going
      to
      say
      was
      already
      set
      down
      in
      one
      part
      of
      his
     
     
      most
      recent
      documentar:
      on
      national
      television,
      The
      Human
     
     
      Race.
      Owing
      to
      the
      time
      limitations
      on
      his
      lecture,
      he
      stated
      his
     
     
      argument
      for
      the
      eventual
      withering
      away
      of
      patriarchal
      rule
      in
     
     
      very
      general
      terms.
      The
      approximately
      one
      hundred
      and
      twenty
     
     
      five
      people
      in
      the
      packed
      classroom
      were
      very
      appreciative.
     
    

    
     
      The
      surprising
      thin,
      about
      his
      talk
      was
      his
      self-acknowl-
     
     
      edged
      lack
      of
      expertise
      on
      much
      of
      the
      anthropological
      aspects
     
     
      of
      his
      argument,
      which
      were
      critical
      to
      his
      thesis.
      Dyer
      cited
     
     
      only
      one
      anthropological
      source
      by
      name.
      How
      does
      his
     
     
      opinion
      count
      more
      than
      an
      anthropologist’s?
      One
      highly
     
     
      probable
      answer
      is
      his
      status
      as
      a
      media
      personality.
      In
      his
      own
     
     
      words,
      Mr.
      Dyer
      lives
      in,
      ‘‘the
      belly
      of
      the
      beast’’--
      the
      beast
     
    
   
   
    
     
      being
      the
      national
      media.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      While
      Dyer’s
      candor
      is
      refreshing,
      it
      does
      not
      explain
     
     
      the
      expenditure
      of
      university
      funds
      on
      what
      seemed
      to
      be
      in
     
     
      large
      part
      a
      media
      event.
      Why
      not
      just
      make
      his
      documentary
     
     
      available
      in
      the
      library
      and
      use
      the
      leftover
      money
      for
      a
      guest
     
     
      lecturer
      who
      may
      be
      obscure
      but
      whose
      views
      can
      be
      backed
      up
     
     
      by
      years
      of
      study
      of
      a
      specific
      topic?
      Or
      if
      publicity
      for
      its
      own
     
     
      sake
      can
      be
      a
      justified
      expenditure,
      let
      us
      see
      Philip
      Rushton
      on
     
     
      campus
      gi
      ing
      a
      talk
      on
      eugenics.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dyer’s
      lecture
      that
      same
      evening
      was
      titled
      differently
     
    
   
   
    
     
      but
      covered
      the
      same
      territory
      as
      his
      afternoon
      lecture.
      It
      also
     
     
      drew
      a
      big
      crowd,
      this
      time
      to
      the
      Duffy
      Amphitheatre.
      Maybe
     
     
      his
      celebrity
      status
      will
      grow
      so
      much
      that
      next
      time
      Dyer
      visits,
     
     
      the
      university
      will
      have
      to
      reserve
      the
      Fieldhouse.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “Ss.
      5%
     
     
      ere
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |