While Liberal MP Stéphane Dion may be better known as the former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, he offered some insight into his prior role as environment minister at a lecture held at Carleton Oct. 27.

Dion’s lecture, which took place in the Tory Building, was the first event of the year organized by the Carleton Public Affairs Society (CPAS).

Dion spoke of Canada’s current environmental status and his own tenure as environment minister under Paul Martin’s government.

The majority of Dion’s speech referenced and expanded upon the environmental policies he proposed as a former minister. He stressed the importance of strong eco-friendly politics. His vision was to safeguard Canada’s environment by revolutionizing our economy and create a “sustainable economic structure.”

With the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus in April, a variety of travel restrictions imposed by Canadian universities have been affecting students.

Although the Canadian government recently lifted the national travel advisory to Mexico, some universities have had harsh reactions to the outbreak.

 
Those who go to the trouble of getting their PhD may have fewer job opportunities and only earn $5,000 more than master’s graduates, according to the National Graduates Survey, which was released on April 22 by Statistics Canada.
 
 The median annual earnings among those working full time in 2007 was $45,000 for bachelor’s graduates, according to the survey. This increased by 33 per cent to $60,000 for master’s graduates. 
Yet people holding a PhD only earned $65,000 – just 8 per cent more.

 
Last year the provincial government offered $150 cash to all full-time students to subsidize textbook costs — this year only those receiving student aid will be eligible for the grant.
 
Breaking their 2007 election platform promise — which also originally included increasing the grant to $225 — the Ontario government is cutting back on the Textbook and Technology Grant in order to save taxpayers $100 million.
 

The Ontario Liberal government has proposed a single sales tax for next year — a move New Democrat Party leader Andrea Horwath said will only hurt students.

As outlined on the Ontario government website, the federally administered harmonized sales tax (HST) will combine the goods and services tax (GST) and provincial sales tax (PST) at 13 per cent.

With classes cancelled at the end of May and a beer garden set up in the quad, it appeared as if students finally took over the university.

However, it was in fact academics who filled the typically quiet campus from May 23 – 31 with discussions, debates and friendly banter.

 
Middle-school student Dana Strauss, of Cornwall, Ontario, said she wants to rehabilitate horses when she’s older.
 
While taking a course called Animals: Friends, Family and Food, taught by Craig McFarlane, she said she jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the Enrichment Mini-Course Program (EMCP) not only because of the course offerings, but because her older brother had went to Carleton for a mini-course last year.

 
Dr. Peter Ricketts, Carleton University’s incoming Provost and Vice-President
 
Why Carleton? You could’ve stayed at Nipissing; and I’m sure you’ve had many other opportunities in front of you. Was it the University? The City, the setting; have you heard stuff? What made you want to come here?

 
The persistence of Carleton president Roseann Runte in lobbying the provincial and federal governments for funding has earned the university $52.5 million, meaning students will have access to two new buildings by 2011.
 
The funding, announced May 25, will go towards Carleton’s Waterfront Project, according to Carleton spokesperson, Steve Blais.
 

 
The operating budget for this academic year received far less than a seal of approval from Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) and attending students when the Board of Governors approved it on April 23.
 
Of the 32 board members, only four opposed the budget, including three students. Many students and CUSA members who were present stood at the back of the Senate Room and cried “shame” throughout the budget presentation, which included notable increases in tuition costs.
 
 
The operating budget for this academic year received far less than a seal of approval from Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) and attending students when the Board of Governors approved it on April 23.
 
Of the 32 board members, only four opposed the budget, including three students. Many students and CUSA members who were present stood at the back of the Senate Room and cried “shame” throughout the budget presentation, which included notable increases in tuition costs.