Biting words for university at beaver memorial
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Nearly 100 people gathered near Laurel Creek yesterday to remember four beavers trapped and killed last week by the University of Waterloo.
The memorial service and demonstration was held near the stump of a tree beavers had gnawed on and which was subsequently cut down by university maintenance crews in the interest of safety.
"We wanted the administration to know we care about this issue, that we want a better wildlife policy . . . that's pro-wildlife," said Asha Philar, a first-year environmental studies student. She said she got involved in organizing the rally because she and others wanted to send the university a clear message.
"It's not OK for them to do things like this in secret . . . at the very least, there should have been a public consultation with input from students."
Many students at yesterday's rally carried signs reading "Shame on you UW." Others wore beaver pins made by gluing backings onto ordinary Canadian nickels.
"Students clearly care about this issue," Federation of Students president Michelle Zakrison told the gathering. "I haven't seen a rally this big in a long time."
As a recent environmental studies graduate, Zakrison said UW has the oldest environmental studies program in Canada and should have been able to come up with a solution that didn't involve killing the beavers.
Environmental studies professor Greg Michalenko stood on the stump at the rally site. After taking a group of students...
