Opinion pitches!

Hey everyone! Here are the pitches for this week. I also want to remind everyone that if you ever read something you disagree with in the opinion section, you're more than welcome to write a response to it. I want to make sure The Gateway remains a platform for dissent and differing opinions, so it's super cool when two opinion articles disagree with each other. Just reply to this email if you want to pick up any of these pitches, or if you want any more information about these stories. And as always, if you have an idea for an article, feel free to send it my way. Articles should be 500-550 words, and are due Friday at 5pm. 

SU elections are coming soon 

One of the biggest jobs of the Gateway is to cover SU elections, since we're the only news source that can! This is a really cool opportunity to get involved with student politics, meet lots of interesting people across campus, and do some super-cool, hard-hitting journalism.   If you're interested, but worried you don't know anything about the SU, fear not! Sofia (the News Editor) and I will be going over some SU basics with everyone, and giving you all the background you need. You're also welcome to come with us to Student Council sessions in the lead-up to elections! There's free food and we have fun group chats where we meme and have a good time. Here are the dates for the next few council sessions: 

• Tuesday February 6th (at CSJ)

• Tuesday February 13th

Council is held at 6pm in Council Chambers, right next to Van Vliet. If you don't know where that is/are afraid to go alone, never hesitate to email or text me 

(587-437-8583

) and I will show you the ropes!

Gateway hiring is coming soon 

If you're interested in working at the Gateway next year, now's the time to start thinking about applying! I cannot recommend it enough. I'm super happy to talk to you in detail about the Opinion Editor position, or any of the other jobs at the Gateway, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want more information. 

Student Event Initiative & Myer Horowitz renovations

I know I've pitched this before, but this is a super relevant campus story that will affect every student at the U of A (potentially for the next 30 years!) so I'm really hoping someone will pick this one up. An upcoming referendum will allow students to vote on a $16.50 per semester fee to fund the Student Events Initiative (SEI) which includes renovations to the Myer Horowitz theatre and the Student Union Building, as well as funding for various events and programming. You can read more about the proposal here. 

Should faculties include student rankings on transcripts?

I just learned today that the Engineering faculty still includes a student's ranking (in relation to their classmates - like 50th out of 201 students) on their final transcript. The Engineering Students' Society is circulating a survey to see if students want to remove the ranking. What do you think? Should Engineering stop doing this? Should other faculties start doing it?

The pool in front of City Hall needs to be upgraded to meet safety standards 

The current "flow rate" (didn't know that was a thing until today) is apparently a drowning hazard, so City Council has to either post a 24-hour security guard, or renovate the pool. Mayor Iveson says the money would be better used elsewhere, but some Councillors are set on keeping the pool. I'm not originally from Edmonton so I don't feel a lot of attachment to the pool, but Councillors apparently got an influx of phone calls and social media callouts that convinced them the City Hall pool is a crucial part of the city. How do you feel about the pool? Is it dumb to spend so much money on a tank of water? Or is it a symbol of Edmonton?More info here. 

International Week at the U of A

iWeek is happening January 29th to February 3rd, and there are lots of cool events happening on campus! The theme this year is art, so events centre around the role that art plays in activism around the world. You can check out the full schedule here. If you end up going to an event, write about it! Tell us what you learned, or what you thought about the topic. You can also write about iWeek more generally (how successful it is, if it brings value to students, etc.) if you want! 

What do you want to see in SUB food court?

The leases on food places currently in SUB are up for renewal soon, so students are being given a chance to suggest vendors they'd like to see. The results of the first survey put Thai Express, Freshii, and McDonald's in the lead, with one person voting "TacoTime is an affront to God's will" for good measure. What do you want to see in the food court? Do you think TacoTime is an affront to God's will? I think it's also interesting to talk about healthy food options on campus - whether there's a demand for them, whether the SU has an obligation to provide more of them, etc. 

Protesters at the legislature on Monday opposing Bill M-103

40-ish people were at the legislature on Monday, protesting the federal government's bill that condemns Islamophobia. Demonstrators mostly cited freedom of speech as the reason they opposed the bill. The protest was also held the same day as vigils were held for victims of the mosque shooting in Quebec that took place a year ago. You can find more info here. 

AHS opioid awareness campaign starting in bars, restaurants, and on the radio 

Alberta Health Services says the campaign is designed to reduce the stigma associated with many drug users, as well as increase awareness about resources that are available. More information here. Do you think a campaign like this is a useful way to address the opioid crisis? 

#MeToo campaign reaches Canadian politics

Kent Hehr resigned from the Liberal cabinet last week, and Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown also stepped down. Both were accused of sexual misconduct. Many are beginning to speak up about the "pervasive" culture of harassment in Canadian politics following the two resignations. What does this mean for the future of politics in Canada? What needs to be done to make politics a safer space for women?  

Julian Assange slides into the wrong DMs

Thinking he was actually sending a message to the real Sean Hannity (a host on Fox), Assange sent an Instagram message to a Sean Hannity parody account, offering him WikiLeaks info. More on that here. I just think this is the most ridiculous thing that has ever happened, and really want someone to write about it! 

Two states in India are considering implementing universal basic income within two years

The country's chief economic advisor has proposed giving a regular sum to every child and adult, regardless of how much money they have in the first place, to ensure that every person is able to cover their basic needs. More info here. What do you think of this proposal? Do you think India will follow through with it? Should other countries implement UBI? If you know a lot about different UBI systems, it would also be really interesting to compare them, and explain why you think a certain UBI system might work better than others. 

"Mansplaining" added to the Oxford English dictionary

"Mansplaining" will officially become a 100% real term with its induction to the word hall of fame, the Oxford English Dictionary. Do you think having it in the dictionary will make people more likely to use it? Will it reduce the amount of mansplaining that takes place, now that people are more aware of it? 

The Gateway Presents! 

As you may already know, every second Friday from 5:30-6:30pm, CJSR airs a segment of our radio show, The Gateway Presents. Each segment includes an Opinion piece where two people debate on a hot-button issue. Along with pitching Opinion stories for the website or the magazine, please also feel free to pitch me content for The Gateway Presents! Whether you know someone who'd be interested in debating on the show, you have a topic you'd like to see presented, or you'd like to produce a segment all by yourself, let me know and we'll make it happen. 

Shorter segments

Don't have time to write a whole 500-word article this week but still want to write something? Write one of these! They're about 200-300 words and a really good time. - Burlap Sack: Rant about something that bothers you! - Marble Pedestal: Rant about something you love! - Adulting 101: Either tell us how to do something adult (how to use an iron, how actually make food, etc.) or tell us about a time you failed to do something adult (like that time you put the red sock in with the whites and now everything is pink).