Rapid-fire questions

Gym over-crowding:
Matt discusses the pair's plans for gym expansion
Scott wants to communicate with administration to evaluate all available options.

Why are you better?
Pat draws on the pair's track-record of confronting students and finding out what it is that students want.
Julia explains how her and Matt are a well-rounded pair.

Past experience:
Julia's involvement in the charity hockey game.
Scott initiated Bishop's ball.

Why should I not spoil my ballot?
Pat: because the union is an important part of the X experience that has the ability to affect the lives of many students here. Students should use their democratic ability to make the first step.
Matt: Want students to get involved and voting is the first step.

The one thing that makes you perfect for the job:
Matt: both actually care about students and this job.
Julia: we want to and we're passionate about it.
Pat: I believe I can help you. With me as president you will have sufficient opportunity to make change.

Who will win the Stanley Cup?
Patt and Scott: NY Rangers and Ottawa Sens
Matt: Pittsburg

Weaknesses:
Pat: overly passionate, angry and aggressive - but it's because I care about what I'm invovled in and want to make change.
Scott: work and work and work
Julia: Not in the union
Matt: lack of residence experience

Relay for life thoughts:
Julia: very involved with it for the last three years
Matt: It's awesome
Pat: participated last year and commends everyone invovled

Rising residence costs:
Scott: 40% of students in residence; communicate with administration' utilize student reps on BoG to help reduce residence costs and find balance to make sure students get a fair deal.
Matt: work with administration

Social life for underage students:
Julia: involvement with DART program to make all events wet/dry.
Scott: experience as Burke House president, dealt with underage students

U Exec clique:
Pat: committed to advertise exec positions as widely as possible to hopefully ensure diversity during the hiring process. Reforms to executive to increase accountibility.
Matt: Meet your union event so people feel welcome and comfortable with the exec.
Julia: exec attend most if not all events on campus.

Role models:
Matt: Marc Rodrigue
Julia: my mom
Pat: my dad
Scott:

What makes you unique:
Scott: student relations experience - most dedicated to changing, expansion, improvement
Matt: unique pair - got some of each side of the university. Cover a lot of ground.

Most important part of platform:
Matt: fix intermural program
Pat: ensuring sufficient opportunity for students to participate in their union.

Fav X Memory:
Scott: homecoming weekend first year
Pat: playing in Burmac first year
Julia: homecoming first year
Matt: 19th bday

Women at X:
Julia: I am a woman and it will be beneficial.
Pat: gender does not affect your ability to reach out to others.

Events for next year already planned:
Scott: broad appealing bands. Repeat/improve frosh week.
Julia: Activities advisory committee

Burmac's portrayal of women:
Scott: working closely with Joe MacDonald on explaining the harms of the offensive language during Burmac.

Conflict resolution on the exec:
Julia: Senior RA = conflict resolution; also manages a team of ten other people.
Scott: Burke house pres in charge of house council.

Better relationship between theU and res life:
Scott: tried to do exactly that in role as house pres
Julia: awesome relationship between her and house pres in Lane. Want to implement social events between the two groups to improve relationship.

What animal are you?
Julia: A panda because they are cute.
Matt: Cheetah
Scott: A cat - they have the best life.
Pat: Dog

Something that hasn't been done in the past:
Pat: reaching out to students more, making them feel like they are making changes.
Matt: X factor volunteering.

Students from away:
Matt: get them involved
Pat: full-time international student advisor

What disney character?
Scott: Jasmine
Pat: Ariel
Julia: Goofy
Matt: Mickey

How specifically will you support societies?
Matt: society support on theU website. promoting societies that are beneficial to X.
Pat: societies that are beneficial should get funding. Tiered system and advertising.

What position would you consider getting rid of?
Scott: None. Enforce terms of reference and make sure people are doing their job.
Matt: No

Tuition:
Scott: Discussions with admin, work with student reps to make sure any increase is as small as possible and accounting for every dollar.
Matt: student recruitment = less tuition.

How will you ensure that students know about the union?
Matt: availability. Exec updates, getting them out so students feel comfortable with them.
Scott: Communications platform - improve website, use of facebook, blogs from students reps throughout campus, engage students.

"Tell me about the union"
Scott: theU is there to represent the student body and express student concerns
Matt: students watching out for each other and standing up against the powers that be.

Do you think student discipline trials should be made public?
Pat: No. Students are innocent until proven guilty. Remains private unless the student is a threat to the community.

How will you ensure that students trust the union with your leadership?
Scott: show students what we are doing. publish documents, videos, blogs so students know what's going on.
Matt: use the website to ensure that students have as much information as possible. Trust comes with availability. Students need to see their exec.

Rapid Fire Questions - Part 1

What will make you better than your opponents?
Connors/Matheson stumble over the question and revert to their typical "it's about you," speech and end up getting cut off by the timer.
MacG and Clarke give little more of an answer and just state they will represent students.

Why should I not spoil my ballot?
Connors/Matheson - TheU can change your life while here at X. There are some good initiatives that we will start. "Use your ability to have your voice heard."
MacGillivray/Clarke - Want to get students involved.
Both answers demonstrate that the candidates have missed the point on this question. Students are participating when they spoil the ballot. Spoiling your ballot shows that you think both candidates don't deserve these important and powerful positions.

What are your weaknesses? This was asked at the last debate, have you given more thought?
Connors - Overly passionate results in me sometimes being aggressive.
Matheson - About the same. Gives a round-about answer saying he cares too much to the point he over works himself.
MacG and Clarke stick to their guns about each persons inexperience balancing the other. Clarke is not involved in theU, MacG is not involved in residence. While not more thought out than last time, it appears that their answer is more honest than Matheson's. The award for honesty goes to Connors though. He just stated his weakness and didn't try and use it to get votes.

LIVE from MORRISON HALL 2

Atmosphere:  The tables are beginning to thin and the chatter is settling, still obviously there, but a little less dominant.  There seem to be several faces paying close attention to the forum at the head of the stage.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS: Only 30 seconds to respond.

What are you going to do about overcrowding at the gym?

Matt and Julia:  Push administration.  I can't get the path Power Hall plowed when it snows, I don't know how they are going to get an improved gym through administration.

What will make you better than your opponent?

Pat and Scott:  We will listen to you.  "Making this union about you."  Good call, I think talking to students and a strong relationship with the student body is important.

Why spoil the ballot?

Pat:  The union is important and both slates have some good initives. 

MacGillivray: Get involved. 

What is the one thing that makes you different?

Macgillivray:  This school means a lot to us and we want to.  Clarke mentions again that it's not for our resumes. 

Pat:  I believe I can help you.  Your voice will be heard.

Who will win the Cup?

Scott and Pat: NY Rangers and Ottawa Senators

MAcGillivray and Scott: Pitsburg Penguins

What are your weaknesses?

Pat:  Overly passionate.  This is because I can and I want to help people.  Sometimes I see that as a weakness. (I think it's a strength)

MacGillivray:

Clarke:  Not in the union and doesn't really know how it works.  I think is could be a strength as well, because it's good to go in blind.  Hopefully she'll see things differently, if elected.

What do you plan to do about the rising cost of residences?

Scott:  It comes down to communicating.   Talk and lobby the administration through the board of governors. 

MacGillivray:  Agrees.

HOw are you going to promote activities for underage students?

Clarke:  All events should be wet/dry.

Scott:  I am very  passionate about this.  

How do you gaurentee that your excutive won't be an eliteiest click?

Pat:  Advertise the postions widely.  Hire the best person for the job.  -  I hope this is the case!

MacGillivray:  WAnts to make sure 4th floor is a comfortable place to hang out.

Who is your idol (?)

Clarke: my mom

Pat: my dad

Scott: my dad

MacGillivray: Marc Rodrigue

What makes you different or unique?

-time out... Brian Cauly just gave me a piece of pizza.  

If you could do one thing from your campaign what would it be?

MAcGillivray:  Intramural Program.  -  Good call.  I think that's huge.  Nice answer Matt.

Pat:  Opportunity for students to participate in their union.  

What is your favorite memory of St. FX?

Scott:  Homecoming First year.

Pat: BurMac first year.  

Julia:  Homecoming first year.

Matt:  My 19th birthday at X.

What are you going to do to ensure that women's vocies are heard?

Clarke:  I am a woman.  I know my my issues and those of women.

Pat:  I dont think your gender makes a difference. 

What specific events do you have planned for next year?

Scott:  Frosh week.  Talk to students and deliver.

Julia:  We will be working nonstop to ensure you get what you want.

How does BurMac portray women?

Pat: There are positive things about that event and there are also some negative.  If elected we will get rid of negative and embrace postive.

As an RA how so you propose to make a better relationship between res life staff?

Scott:  I don't really know what he said.. he used a few acronyms that I dont recognize.

Clarke:  Social events between house presidents. Work together, have fun together. 

Which animal would you be?

Clarke: Panda - cause it's cute

macGillivray: Cheetah - cause it can run fast

Pat: Cat - because they have the best life

Scott: dog

Marc is at the grilled cheese line.

That is probably the most exciting thing going on right at this second.  A lot of the questions are turning out to be cookie cutter.  Both slates, god love'em, are just answering the most diplomatic way possible.  I wish one of them would just say something crazy.  It's almost like they just care soooo much about being elected that they are being sooooo careful.  I really believe if one of the slates took a risk, did something different, they would be a shoe in.

MacGillivray is answering a question about lowering tuition and he says that The Union needs to be involved with student recruitment.

I'm gonna go make this blogging a little more interactive.

Leadership

Question three deals with leadership on campus. Scott begins by highlighting the various options in which students can build their skills by involvement in theU. Matt and Julia address two of the better ideas in their platform: volunteering and a first year councillor. Both of these are fantastic ideas that with help improve relations between students and their union.