By Mary Leong
Getting some real-world experience working in your field of study? Fourth-year Honours Political Science student, Kyle Warwick, is doing precisely that as a Liberal Party candidate in the riding of Skeena–Bulkley Valley in Northern B.C.
Warwick first got involved in politics by volunteering with Ujjal Dosanjh’s election campaign in 2004. Since then, he has continued his involvement through the Young Liberal club at UBC.
“I went to a townhall featuring Ujjal Dosanjh. He impressed me immensely, and I decided to volunteer for his campaign,” said Warwick. “I stayed involved in Liberal election campaigns after that point, and I increased my involvement further when I arrived at UBC and found a very active Young Liberal club.”
His interest and involvement in politics has since led him to pursue an Honours degree in Political Science.
“I feel there are a lot of things that need improving, and while small scale changes are important, the political process offers a unique opportunity to make larger scale improvements,” said Warwick.
One such issue that Warwick believes students should pay attention to during this election season is the affordability of education.
“I’m really excited by the Liberal Learning Passport, which will provide $1000 per student per year in additional funding,” said Warwick.
Warwick also notes the importance of the youth vote. He believes that voting is the best way to raise the profile of youth issues and get the government taking youth concerns more seriously.
“Most youth that I talk to are not happy with the current government. It is important that this dissatisfaction is not voiced aimlessly, but directed in a way that will have a real impact,” he said. “I also hope that youth will demand more openness from their government, which, at the end of the day, is elected to serve all Canadians.”
Being exposed to the inner workings of political parties and elections has given Warwick a fresh perspective on the material he studies in class.
“The classroom cannot replicate actual interaction with actual voters – it is crucial for Political Science students to supplement their classroom education with real life experience whenever possible.”
Outside of politics, Warwick has also been heavily involved with the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) and Alma Mater Society (AMS). He has served as VP External of the AUS, and chaired three AMS committees at various times, in addition to playing ball hockey with UBC REC.
In the meantime, Warwick is pragmatic about balancing his extensive extracurricular involvements with schoolwork.
“When I focus on school work, I make sure to be 100% focused, and I attempt to tune out other distractions,” he said. “Also, during this campaign, my instructors have been incredibly supportive in giving me flexibility on my due dates.”
Despite his busy schedule, Warwick is already looking ahead to future projects. He aspires to pursue a degree in Law, as well as continuing to stay involved with politics and other volunteer opportunities.
Check out the National Post’s article on UBC Young Liberals running in the federal election.
