Of the three referenda this month, only the initiative to expand Health Services garnered the approval of the undergraduate student body. The referendum had 2,567 students vote in favour of the plan, while 1,641 students voted against the proposal. 114 voters declined their ballot. The overall turnout of the referendum was 17.166 per cent of students eligible to vote. Since over seven per cent of students voted with the majority (10.2 per cent voted yes) the referendum is considered binding. The proposal will eventually add 20,000 square feet to Health Services, which will be funded by a $10 per term fee. Students will not be assessed the fee until the addition is significantly complete. Read more... (49 comments)

Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May addressed UW students in her talk “Countdown to Copenhagen” on November 7 in the large lecture hall of the Psychology, Anthropology, and Sociology (PAS) building. May and Cathy MacLellan, a Green Party candidate for the next election, addressed the detrimental impacts of climate change around the world and how the issue is relevant to Canadians. Read more... (5 comments)

On November 11, 1918, World War I came to an end. The destruction and devastation was halted. As a Canadian, I am proud to wear my red poppy the week of this historic date, because I am proud of the soldiers who gave their lives for this country. I am also proud of my grandfather, who served in this war. I wear my poppy for him. I am most of all, proud to be Canadian, where we give our fallen soldiers the remembrance they deserve. However, I was shocked and appalled at the lack of remembrance on November 11 at the University of Waterloo. The poppies pinned to people's jackets were few and far between on campus. Some may say “why bother? I don't need a poppy to remember.” But the poppy is more than a flower pinned to your collar. It is a symbol. To me, it is a symbol of strength, pride and unity. It represents that day that people come together all over Canada, where we join hearts and reflect. A poppy is not expensive, and if someone cannot part with a few quarters I am disgusted with their lack of patriotism. Frankly, not wearing a poppy is an insult to our soldier's memories. The problem here lies not only with the students here, but with the professors and administrators. All over Canada, at 11:00a.m., we have a moment of silence to honour those who fought in the war. We pause our day for two short minutes and reflect. We give them two minutes, because they gave us their lives. I have spoken with a number of students here who informed me that wherever they were at 11a.m., nothing happened. There was no moment of silence in their classes or in the library. Some professors may object that they did call for a moment in their classes. But it is hocking that there was not one held in every single classroom in this university. It should be mandatory, but the point is that the professors should want to call a moment of silence. To take a minute out of their teaching time to honour our fallen soldiers and veterans cannot be that much of a burden. And truthfully, if it is a burden, then I am ashamed that these people hold a place of high esteem and influence in a Canadian university. Remembrance Day is not a trivial holiday, it is a time to remember, to reflect and to be thankful that the people of our country gave their lives so that we could be safe and have freedom. If our generation is not reminded of this day by those generations that came before us, who is to say that in time this holiday will not be regarded as important anymore? Wear a poppy. Fall silent at 11am. Do not disrespect your country and its history. “Lest we forget.” Read more... (3 comments)

I've recently been watching a lot of the TED videos online. If you've never heard of TED (which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design), I strongly suggest you head over to www.ted.com and start watching some videos. Some of the most inspiring speeches and performances ever made are on that website. One of the speeches that has really made me smile was by Shai Agassi, the founder and CEO of Better Place, an electric vehicle services provider. This is the company that is really pushing hard to get countries and companies on board for the mass adoption of electric cars. This talk at TED gave insight into how he plans to make this happen. Read more... (1 comment)