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Victoria Times-Colonist - Ban on military recruiters irks students

University of Victoria students are protesting a decision by their student society to ban active Canadian Forces recruiting at a career fair in their building.

The outcry, which includes a 350-member protest group on Facebook, has forced the UVic Student Society to let students have the final say on the issue.

Yay, young UVickers!

“There’s such strong feeling about it on both sides,” said Tracy Ho, chair of the UVSS board of directors.

Yeah. “Both sides”.

At the Sept. 10 board meeting, Ho cast the deciding vote in favour of the ban, breaking a 6-6 deadlock. Some students are concerned about the recruiting practices of the military, she explained. They believe the military does not give students information about the psychological, mental and physical effects soldiers face when they return from service.

“This issue touches home for a lot of students. A lot of people feel very passionately about the issue. I’m very happy it has sparked this debate. This is what university is all about.”

Many students are unhappy by what they perceive as a lack of debate. Pamphlets and posters handed out on campus yesterday argue UVSS has no rights telling students whether they should join or not join the Canadian Armed Forces.

Maybe they love debate so much, they make the decisions before hand in order to make the debate that much more bitter, mean-spirited, and dividing? That’s what university is all about!