Q&A with DSU Faculty of Arts and Social Science Representative Candidate Rory Laing-Gatehouse

Rory Laing-Gatehouse is a political science student running unopposed to be the Dalhousie Student Union’s Faculty of Arts and Social Science Representative.

In his first year at Dalhousie, Laing-Gatehouse aims to get more students involved in politics and sees the FASS representative position as the right place to start

The by-election voting period is from Oct. 20 to 21.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

SUB: Why are you running for this position? 

I’m passionate about politics. Back in Toronto, I was involved in activist and organizing groups, and I was on my high school student council.  It’s been strange coming here, talking to people and realizing how checked out people are. I was troubled to read online that Dal has an apolitical student culture, which I don’t think is true. It’s right-wing and in denial. I want to have a position I can use to speak about issues I’m passionate about and get students involved in politics. Arts and social sciences students — that’s the place to start.

SUB: What do you think the DSU is doing well and what do you think it could do better? 

The DSU is doing a great job at event organization. I really liked DalFest this year. I’m a first-year, so my experience in that category is limited. Something they could be doing better is political engagement. I’ve read that our elections have very little participation. People can win with only a few hundred votes, and I think that’s by design. The DSU is meant to be powerless; that’s how all student councils are. I want the DSU to work more on engaging with students. 

SUB: What are the three most important things that your campaign specifically is based on? 

I have a long-running beef with school administrators going back all the way through my life. So accountability and not being afraid to speak truth to power is the first. Another would be advancing progressive social causes on campus, talking about sexual assault, talking about Palestine and divestment, a lot of things that the DSU has already done great work on. If I had to pick a third, it would just be speaking as a representative of arts and social science students who, you know, we’re the few, the proud, the brave. This isn’t exactly an arts-focused school, but art students have a lot of strong opinions, and I’m hoping to be an approachable guy that people can talk to. 

SUB: What previous experience do you have that makes you the best candidate for this position? 

I was president of my high school’s student council. I have experience balancing the needs and the wants of students with the powerless position that is being on a student council. I’m good at dealing with school administrators. I was a real pain in the ass, and I will continue to be a real pain in the ass. And then also my experience organizing protests in Toronto. I led a small group that organized counters to a number of anti-immigrant rallies in the city.

SUB: As a first year, what different perspective will you bring to the DSU Council? 

As a first-year, people in my generation, specifically people who are coming to Dal this year, are at a very pivotal moment culturally. I’m new to all this, but I also have a lot of energy. I’m not that bogged down in anything else. I’m happy to spend my time and energy being a pain in the ass.

SUB: In your campaign bio, you said that you wanted to help make the DSU strong as a community organizer. What do you mean by that specifically? And what should the DSU do to get there?

I mean more involvement in protests,  speaking more about social issues, and using the platform that we have more effectively. The DSU is hardly an “apolitical” organization. They’ve been involved on campus, but we can always do more. That’s an important goal for my campaign: organization.

I want to also personally use my platform and social media to speak about issues and get people riled up. It’s a bit of a loaded term, but I’m a good agitator. I’ve always been a good agitator.