V s FRFF FORI 1M I '""-'"yj u r So, where do we go from here? by Andrew Steele So, money has once more triumphed over philosophy, and we find ourselves for the first time in twelve years under a conservative government. Thankfully it is a minority, but Mr. Harper has found his way into the highest seat in our nations political world, even if he has yet to find a way into our collective heart. So the only question that remains in the wake of our most recent federal election is in fact a relatively simple one; where do we go from here? An optimistic viewpoint ViiiafiiiiMariiiii ii..,. General Inquiries , r --- cncsncnc.bc.ca http:www.cncsa.cafreeforum College of New Caledonia Suite 1-120 3330, 22nd Avenue Prince George BC V2N 1P8 ,., 562-2131 loc. 214 EDiTOR-in-Chief: Jolene Bnsbois cncsncnc.bc.ca Features Editor: Andrew Steele featurescncsncnc.bc.ca Coordinating Editor: Kim Bonnell cncsncnc.bc.ca Production Editor: Anne Blanchard cncsncnc.bc.ca Business Manager: Justin Simon cncsncnc.bc.ca Writers: Andrew Beuzer, Kim Bonnell, Jolene Bnsbois, Michael Bnsbois, Rob Mealey, Andrew Steele Additional material provided by Nicole Burton, the Cup Wire and the CNC Students' Association Opinions expressed in Free Forum are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Free Forum. Free Forum is a student newspaper serving the College of New Caledonia. All materials appearing in Free Forum bear copyright of Free Forum and their creators and may not be used without written consent. The staff of Free Forum are committed to the free exchange of ideas and information in an ethical, responsible, and engaging manner. Free Forum opposes sexism, racism, homophobia, and other oppressive prejudices. Free Forum is a monthly production developed with the help of student volunteers. Free Forum is a member of the Canadian University Press. Please recycle would first note that while the Conservatives represent a ten year regression in terms of gay rights and a cataclysmic blow to our nation's sovereignty, at least in a minority they will not have free reign to cripple our national identity and sell us to the Americans. Recent articles in the Washington Post, widely known to be the Republican newsletter south of the border, have suggested that Mr. Bush, referred to recently by entertainer turned activist Harry Bellefonte as "The greatest terrorist in the world", will indeed be pleased with our new government. The RNEE FOfYJN - Volume 4 Edition 6 Feb 2006 Circulation 1,000 this newspaper. i s publication spoke at length on how Harper's policies would be "more in line with Pres. Bush's", going on to note that the American dictator would be pleased to see one of his ilk elected to power here in Canada. The question is will Canadians, as the sponsorship scandal fades into the collective memory, be similarly pleased with the leadership of a man who will almost certainly send their sons and daughters into Iraq to assist in cleaning up a mess they had nothing to do with creating? Maybe, if they had given us a leader who was not lawfinaer - Hate rmmefr-f iigiliJ,?! - ii,jS , antftPueGeptivtasireacuresieaitor anarew Steele rouna iM&MW iHIaBi? -5ffi53S5 utMheiMopedthenew,Ciawfinger Check it .oufronipagefli; -; -r - JSIl Ridicularium"DoiskBfebcraQers really is it just-apotnepcasftgraq&ou be the Thete<NClp CNGJg 'proposed technology fee just apoonyaisguisea tuition riiKeruecans on page o. --af 7 . ineffectual, and who did not come off desperate and wheedling, the NDP may have made more of a showing in this election. As it was, however, Mr. Layton clearly did not capture the imaginations of disillusioned Liberal voters, managing to secure a mere thirty seats for his party. While this is an increase from their spoils in the last election, more could certainly have been done to court new supporters, and the failure on the part of the New Democratic Party as a whole to capitalize on the climate of distrust for the Liberals represents a massive missed opportunity for Canada's left. Surprisingly, Paul Martin demonstrated a degree of grace, if long overdue. After nearly losing in his own riding, the embattled former PM has stepped down as leader of the Liberal party. At least he was man enough to remain vourself with stvle WwWWi4sfflWl(r Si&tKi - :.- - It . 'a U X 21ir; .- Xf !J" '. S:Jzij &' Cover Designed by Andrew Steele & Kim Bonnell r, m ... Wf. in the spotlight throughout the sponsorship scandal and the consequent election, before tucking his tail in and fleeing back to a somewhat more private life. Well, I guess we'll all just have to sit back and see what happens next. Maybe this apprehension I feel is just a sign that I bought into the Liberal fear campaign a little too much. Who knows? See you in Iraq, y'all. Yeeeee-hah! Clarification II . Daar ,,,. ... Cufort'e ortila lAhia I v, OiUVIB, " House was Right- WMD Fr nally Found in Iraq, which ap peared in last month's issue of Free Forum, was previous-! ly featured in another publication. Many thanks to Mr. Ewart for sharing his writing with us, - First imDressions , , , CD, Nuclear Blast. need headlights, or judge. Page 10. Fri-C nii,ii i X3S& J? XtU Uz?&