Originally Posted by sew12

I was talking about the posters just with the no platform on them, not the Coke 101 ones, did you do both?

No. Just Coke 101.

Originally Posted by sew12

I saw one of the ones advertising the information session this morning and that one was more aesthetically pleasing.

Thanks! =D

Originally Posted by sew12

You seem to think its unimportant but part of running a good campaign is making sure your promotional material is eye catching and lays out the information well.

Now how did you jump to that??? 0.o

Originally Posted by sew12

so no I'm not ruling out anyone based on their posters

Good to know

I'm sorry, but can we speak numbers here? All i hear is "let's benefit Mac students" but how much money are we talking about here? And then where will this money go? I highly doubt that the money will mean lower tuitions fees, so when everyone keeps saying THEY want to benefit from the deal, i think they're being very nieve

Some people are being extremely rude to members of the "NO" side. Lawley, I think their "small stand" is a step, and if you look throughout history, i think you will agree that everything must start somewhere. right? Saying that people want to feel better about themselves is extremely ignornant, some people actually want to stop the direction the world is headed in, not progress into it.

Aaront, i don't think this is too far at all, and people do have the right to support what they believe..

I am not for or against this argument, because I know that whatever the students vote is their decisions, however, for those of you that would like to bash people on the no side for doing somthing they believe in, and are actually thinking about people other than themselves, please reconsider. After a trip to africa and seeing first hand the corruption that coke has done to vulnerable countries, i absolutely understand why a "small stand" is somthing to be considered. Maybe this small step will lead to other universities doing the same.. and then businesses... etc. etc...

Water is much better for you anyways!!!!! and no not the 50cent(rapper not money) vitamine water

but, if the deal does do somthing better for the school (and i mean like really significantly) then w/e we sign it, and people can chose to bring their own beverages to school

GOOOOO and voteeeeee forrrr candidates today!

I took this bit from the main article that gives a quick rundown of what the last exclusive deal gave mcmaster:

1) Student job - campus coke rep
2) Machinery - Fridges, upkeep of fridges, bar pop lines and up-keep
3) Price freeze - for this reason you could recieve 2 cokes for $1, now it is much higher
4) Free product for the campus rep to give to student clubs hosting events!
5) A large amount of money to finish MUSC
6) Endowment fund for bursaries - free money for students!
7) A large chunk of change for the MSU and an even larger chunk for the University to offset the operating fund.
- Students will now need to pay for the difference of this.

No one can tell you what a new exclusive deal would give students. Voting yes on this referendum would allow people to be able to negotiate one and then you could find out how much monies students would get.

Originally Posted by KN1991

I'm sorry, but can we speak numbers here? All i hear is "let's benefit Mac students" but how much money are we talking about here? And then where will this money go? I highly doubt that the money will mean lower tuitions fees, so when everyone keeps saying THEY want to benefit from the deal, i think they're being very nieve

Some people are being extremely rude to members of the "NO" side. Lawley, I think their "small stand" is a step, and if you look throughout history, i think you will agree that everything must start somewhere. right? Saying that people want to feel better about themselves is extremely ignornant, some people actually want to stop the direction the world is headed in, not progress into it.

Aaront, i don't think this is too far at all, and people do have the right to support what they believe..

I am not for or against this argument, because I know that whatever the students vote is their decisions, however, for those of you that would like to bash people on the no side for doing somthing they believe in, and are actually thinking about people other than themselves, please reconsider. After a trip to africa and seeing first hand the corruption that coke has done to vulnerable countries, i absolutely understand why a "small stand" is somthing to be considered. Maybe this small step will lead to other universities doing the same.. and then businesses... etc. etc...

Water is much better for you anyways!!!!! and no not the 50cent(rapper not money) vitamine water

but, if the deal does do somthing better for the school (and i mean like really significantly) then w/e we sign it, and people can chose to bring their own beverages to school

GOOOOO and voteeeeee forrrr candidates today!

No one has claimed the money will mean lower tuition fees, that's not what the money is for.

As for actual numbers we wouldn't know actual numbers until we were allowed to negotiate with Coca Cola. To reiterate voting yes does not mean we just accept any deal from Coca Cola, we'd negotiate with them and if they do not offer enough benefits to the McMaster community we don't accept the deal. Voting no takes away the potential for benefits period. Just b/c it doesn't mean lower tuition fees doesn't mean McMaster students wouldn't benefit, sure everyone wants lower tuition fees but that's not the only way students can benefit from money. Its hardly naive.

Disagreeing with the no side's platform points is not rude. No one if bashing the no side, we're simply countering their arguments with our own arguments.

In response to your bold point IF the students vote NO on the referendum we won't have the opportunity to negotiate at all, much less sign a beneficial offer. To reiterate once more voting YES on the referendum does not mean you're voting yes to an exclusivity contract, it means you're saying the MSU should be able to negotiate with Coca Cola and sign a contract that they see fit. Voting NO takes away the opportunity to even negotiate and find out what Coca Cola will offer us for exclusivity.

I don't have an issue with voting yes, i understand the way that it works. The only thing my post was really arguing was that people really shoudln't look at people on the no side and say that their reasonings are superficial (to make them feel better), and that trying to make a difference (any difference at all) is stupid because (paraphrasing) it's not going to change anything.

Voting yes is (in my opinion) the best choice if it is the ONLY way to determine potential benefits (although i don't understand why there isn't even an estimate based on past deals and other uni's deals)

But telling someone not to do somthing they believe in for the reasons earlier stated IS rude

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Because your "small stand" isn't going to accomplish anything but make people like you feel better about yourselves for 2 weeks.

Seeing that it's something will have a part to play in the long term, I think you might want to extend that estimated feel-good time period. =)

Originally Posted by lawleypop

I personally want to benefit from it if horrible things are gonna happen anyway.

Coke referendum talk and elections aside, ignore of the NO side/Yes side thing for a second and just considering the quote above... seriously? O.O That's quite a statement there! lol!

Resume referendum talk...

Originally Posted by temara.brown

I took this bit from the main article that gives a quick rundown of what the last exclusive deal gave mcmaster:

1) Student job - campus coke rep
2) Machinery - Fridges, upkeep of fridges, bar pop lines and up-keep
3) Price freeze - for this reason you could recieve 2 cokes for $1, now it is much higher
4) Free product for the campus rep to give to student clubs hosting events!
5) A large amount of money to finish MUSC
6) Endowment fund for bursaries - free money for students!
7) A large chunk of change for the MSU and an even larger chunk for the University to offset the operating fund.
- Students will now need to pay for the difference of this.

No one can tell you what a new exclusive deal would give students. Voting yes on this referendum would allow people to be able to negotiate one and then you could find out how much monies students would get.

I doubt coca cola will take away all the resources necessary to sell their product on campus just because the university says, "Johnny will be joining you as well".

Also, I really hope that the university isn't run by idiots who'd not seize and take advantage the new opportunity to foster competition amongst those willing to take up that portion coca cola had.

This difference is inflated a bit. Don't you think? =)

Originally Posted by KN1991

I don't have an issue with voting yes, i understand the way that it works. The only thing my post was really arguing was that people really shoudln't look at people on the no side and say that their reasonings are superficial (to make them feel better), and that trying to make a difference (any difference at all) is stupid because (paraphrasing) it's not going to change anything.

Voting yes is (in my opinion) the best choice if it is the ONLY way to determine potential benefits (although i don't understand why there isn't even an estimate based on past deals and other uni's deals)

But telling someone not to do somthing they believe in for the reasons earlier stated IS rude

Hi KN1991,

Thank you for your post I appreciate hearing this.

Originally Posted by [Juana]

Coke referendum talk and elections aside, ignore of the NO side/Yes side thing for a second and just considering the quote above... seriously? O.O That's quite a statement there! lol!

I'm an opportunist.

Opportunism is the conscious policy and practice of taking selfish advantage of circumstances, with little regard for principles.



yes.. yessss you are

Originally Posted by edaan

Atleast people have causes and views they support. It is our right as people to do so. Just because you sit on your ass playing video games 7 days a week with no personal goals or needs dosnt mean everyone else has to. Is it realistic to think that it will change coke or cause a difference in the world? No. But it is the effort that people put into their daily lives that sets them apart from other people. You think they are going too far? I think you are falling too short.

I'm sorry, but I do take some offense to this. Saying that I sit around playing games 24/7 with no personal goals shocks me a little. And, like I previously stated, have no problem with people sticking up for what they believe in, as long as it's a just cause.

I believe, and have evangelized my beliefs in universal free speech and net neutrality, things that have an impact on the entire world in the 21st century, and threats to our privacy. I continue to campaign for these causes because they will shape the world that I'm living in the next decades.

Saying that I'm falling short is a gross understatement. I'm definitely the most politically active in my group of friends.

It's just that this whole Coke deal has been blown out of proportion, and really only deals with the one major outlet of the MSU, the Union Market, which probably only accounts for 20% or less of the Coke profits on campus.

Originally Posted by KN1991

But telling someone not to do somthing they believe in for the reasons earlier stated IS rude

I'm not trying to be rude. I just don't believe in exaggerating a simple situation. The only reason I would ever vote no on this referendum is if I was against monopolies and the deal was campus-wide. Not because the company had shady business practices.

Pretty much any company has some dirty policies. If you want to apply yourself, do it on a larger level. Coke isn't losing out if you say no, they're still dominant on campus.

For example, Fiji Water has a diesel plant running 24/7, imports plastic from China, and export's Fiji's water when many Fijians don't have access to clean water. Yet, they claim to be green, and many people pay a premium for it.

Originally Posted by aaront

It's just that this whole Coke deal has been blown out of proportion, and really only deals with the one major outlet of the MSU, the Union Market, which probably only accounts for 20% or less of the Coke profits on campus.

I'm not trying to be rude. I just don't believe in exaggerating a simple situation. The only reason I would ever vote no on this referendum is if I was against monopolies and the deal was campus-wide. Not because the company had shady business practices.

Pretty much any company has some dirty policies. If you want to apply yourself, do it on a larger level. Coke isn't losing out if you say no, they're still dominant on campus.

For example, Fiji Water has a diesel plant running 24/7, imports plastic from China, and export's Fiji's water when many Fijians don't have access to clean water. Yet, they claim to be green, and many people pay a premium for it.

Hi aaront that comment about video games was not from an offical campaigner but I apologize that you were offended nonetheless.

The YES side is becoming black and white once again. Do something all the way or don't do it at all. Either make all of McMaster become anti-monopoly or don't do anything. That's not how change happens. It happens in small steps. For example think of the civil rights movement in the United States. Rosa Parks decided not to give up her seat on a bus. Small steps.

This is what our campaign is about. To not buy coca-cola is a small step. We are asking people to vote No so that people to have the choice to take this small step against Coca-Cola's unethical practices on campus.

Also we acknowledge that other companies on campus have unethical practices and we hope that over time we can address these other companies as well. One step at a time.

Also we do not agree with bottled water at all let alone Fiji water.

Now that the no side has compared their steps to Rosa Parks I think I'm done reading their reasoning.

Originally Posted by sew12

Now that the no side has compared their steps to Rosa Parks I think I'm done reading their reasoning.

I personally was waiting for Godwin's Law to appear somewhere, but I suppose this works too. XD

Originally Posted by sew12

Now that the no side has compared their steps to Rosa Parks I think I'm done reading their reasoning.

Hey guys I was only trying to demonstrate that change happens gradually not overnight. The same thing happens in every social movement whether it is for corporate responsiblity or civil rights.

I was not trying to say that the small steps taken in our campaign are equivalent to what Rosa parks did. Just showing that small steps make differences.