After careful consideration, the McGill Tribune Editorial Board proudly presents our fifth annual SSMU election candidate endorsements. While this year’s ballot includes two acclamations, we still provide our analysis of each candidate’s potential, along with our thoughts on the referendum questions (page 9).

Let’s talk about accountability. I realize that sounds about as enticing as “let’s shovel horse manure” or “let’s talk about our relationship,” but bear with me. Right now, a student politician is wasting your money. Or maybe – if it’s a good day – they’re just saying something stupid on your behalf.

Although four years and thousands of dollars was a steep price, I do give McGill credit for teaching me one extremely important lesson: the most relevant, edifying learning is accomplished outside the classroom. At first I thought that university would be training.

The Tribune strongly endorses David Lipsitz for the position of vice-president university affairs. While we were impressed with the content of Joshua Abaki’s interview with the Tribune and with his performance at the candidate debates, the editorial board ultimately decided that Lipsitz’s familiarity with the UA portfolio and the tangible, practical nature of his platform goals make him the stronger candidate.

Though he is an acclaimed candidate, the Tribune is pleased to endorse Nicholas Drew for the position of vice-president finance and operations. Drew, who was encouraged to run by current VP Finance and Operations Jose Díaz, seems ready to build on Díaz’s accomplishments.

Although the vice-president clubs and services position is acclaimed, the Tribune strongly endorses Anushay Khan. Thanks to her tenure as SSMU’s interest group coordinator, Khan is likely the most qualified individual for the position. She is familiar with the day-to-day workings of SSMU, the organization’s policies, and also with the executive and members of many clubs.

I’m in love with popular culture. Professing my love for the things that everybody else likes makes me completely uninteresting, yet also remarkably controversial. But then again, love is love. It’s a fickle fancy. There are legitimate gripes with popular culture, such as it’s intense corporatization and rampant materialism.

On February 9, Max Silverman wrote an article that viewed the aid effort in Haiti through the prism of Naomi Klein’s “shock doctrine” theory. The shock doctrine posits a theory of “disaster capitalism,” where practitioners take advantage of emergency or upheaval to force free market reforms onto a rebuilding country.