Gordon wins Tory nomination

Local businesswoman Alicia Gordon won the Conservative candidate nomination for Kingston and the Islands on Feb. 26.

“I’m honoured. I think Brian [Abrams] did a great job over the last two years getting the party where it is,” she said.

Gordon ran against Richard Moller and succeeds candidate Abrams who stepped down in December.

“They give you a choice if you want to have the votes [count announced] and both of us agreed just to announce who the winner was,” she said.

Gordon said she’s had a great response from the community since winning the nomination.

“It’s overwhelming support that I am hearing,” she said. “My hope is to best represent the people of Kingston.”

Gordon said issues to do with economic recession will be important in the next election.

“Big issues are jobs and the economy and I think they will be the focus,” she said.

Gordon said she plans to reach out to students in an election.

“Social media is a good way to go with that,” she said, adding that she has a Facebook account.

— Clare Clancy

Junsai visits Queen’s next week

The Ambassador of China to Canada, His Excellency Zhang Junsai is coming to Queen’s Mar. 11 as the guest of honour to The People’s Republic: China’s Future Path Symposium’s black tie gala. The student-lead symposium continues on Mar. 12 with a lecture and discussions lead by Queen’s professors Kim Nossal, Wayne Cox and Emily Hill among others.

Director of the Symposium Johnathan Kong, ArtSci ’11, said the opportunity to hear the ambassador speak is a rare opportunity for students.

“Queen’s has always been on the minds of the Chinese embassy because of the relationships we have there,” Kong said, adding that he feels the visit is a symbolic gesture to the University.

“This is a student-lead event. He’s coming here to show the sincerity of the Chinese government in supporting events that would discuss China productively,” Kong said. “There is a need to discuss, collaborate, and dispel some of the preconceived notions of China.” For further information about the symposium and to register, see queensu.ca/conferences/china. Registration closes on Mar. 6. Tickets are $25.

— Katherine Fernandez-Blance