-'You have a chance to make a difference': Atamanenko-

OSOYOOS TIMES-May 28, 2008-

By Chad IngramrnOsoyoos Times

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the military regime in Myanmar and the socio-economic complexities associated with China were all topics of discussion when Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko visited a group of Grade 12 students at Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS) last week.
Eighteen students in Lena Sherstobitoff's Grade 12 English class recently wrote letters to Atamanenko, seeking to gain perspective on a number of global issues.
It was suggested by the class to do it, Sherstobitoff said. They wanted to be involved and they wanted to know how they could be heard.
Sherstobitoff said class discussions had turned to the Darfur crisis and then to China during the Global Awareness Week the school hosted in April.
When Atamanenko arrived at the school on May 21, he carried with him 18 response letters which he handed out to students at the beginning of a discussion that ran from 2 p.m. until the end of the school day.
I was really impressed, he told the class. Each of the letters you sent all had a lot of thought put into them.
The floor was then opened to questions, many of which circled around the country that will host the 2008 Olympics this summer.
Atamanenko told students he is opposed to the idea of Canada boycotting the Beijing games.
I don't think we should be punishing the athletes, he told the class. I believe that China has committed atrocities “ it's nothing new. Twenty million people have been liquidated by this communist regime, yet we continue to do business with them.rnWhen asked what he would have done if he were in control of the situation, Atamanenko said, I would have tried to stop China from getting the Olympics in the first place.
The Canadian military role in Afghanistan was another subject brought up during the conversation.
Should Canada pull out of Afghanistan? one student asked.
Yes, but we need to bring all sides together for a peaceful result, Atamanenko responded.
He pointed to the resolution of years of militancy by the IRA in Ireland as an example of how it is possible for complex and ongoing conflicts to be resolved.
There was also talk of Vancouver's homeless problem, veto power in the UN Security Council and the world's ongoing food shortage.
You have a chance to make a difference, Atamanenko told the class, encouraging students to engage in more letter-writing and petition-signing. You have a chance to get involved.
The MP's visit seemed to have a positive ring with students.
I think it's good to see that MPs are still willing to get involved in talking to the youth of the country, said Jennifer Barrett, who asked a number of questions during the discussion.
She said she is interested in getting involved with politics through activism.
It's fantastic, Sherstobitoff said of Atamanenko's visit. It really speaks highly of his personal nature.
Atamanenko is also scheduled to speak at the school's graduation ceremony in June.
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