[dropcap]S[/dropcap]FU’s WQB requirements should be replaced with practical knowledge courses that will help us students become more responsible adults in our communities. In particular, Introduction to Political Science (POL 101) would be the best alternative course to our current WQB options, as to be an informed Canadian citizen is just about as ‘practical’ as it gets.

You thought you lacked an intimate relationship in time for Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry about it. The government is a very intimate part of our lives, whether or not we want to admit it. It has an impactful and powerful say over every little thing: the air we breathe, our money, our homes, our food, our information, and even our personal agency.

That’s right, ladies. If you choose the wrong government, next thing you know it may have something legally unpleasant to say about whether or not you even have entitlement over your own body.

You can be religious, atheist, man, or woman from any manner of background, yet you will still fall under the one umbrella that is Canada. If you are a Canadian citizen over the age of 19, I believe that you have the responsibility to be educated and active in politics. But this isn’t as daunting as it sounds. It could simply mean you do your research, form an opinion, support your party, and vote. It could also mean that throughout that party’s term, you keep them accountable to their platform and continue to fight for the changes you want to see.

SFU’s POL 101 is currently a Breadth-Social Science course, so there is a higher chance that more students will take it as compared to other 100-level courses, yet it’s still not enough to make a democratic difference. Why? Because POL 101 is not mandatory for everybody.

I was so shocked during this past election, where the political stakes were so high and personal, yet many students I spoke to did not “care much about politics” or “know enough to cast a vote.”

I wanted to tear my hair out. It’s your job to know. It’s your job to represent as many minorities in your community as you can. People that don’t have the same rights that you do are placed in a very vulnerable position, don’t you understand this?

POL 101 is a theory-based course that not only teaches you the basic definitions and theories surrounding politics, but encourages you to form your own opinion on the issues you see around you, and to think about what kind of changes you’d like to see made by our highest authority.

This should be a mandatory course at SFU. It’s something much more applicable and useful for a post-grad adult, rather than our other current WQB requirements, which include learning about pointless topics such as dinosaurs and the stars in the sky (in my case, as a liberal arts student).

As fascinating as that is, my priorities lie in knowing exactly who is representing the Canadian people, and exactly what I can do to be heard if I don’t approve of their actions or lack thereof.

Make POL 101 a requirement.