Laurier Economics Club hosts the Great Economic Debate

Nov. 29, 2022

By: Luke Berni, third-year BBA student and Marketing Director of LEC; Harpinder Gill, second-year BBA student and Marketing and Events Coordinator of LEC; and Kathleen Sun, second-year BBA student and Marketing Director of LEC.

On Nov. 8, 2022, the Laurier Economics Club (LEC), a student club as part of the Lazaridis Students’ Society at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, hosted the Great Economic Debate.  

The event featured Lazaridis Economics professors Ridwan Karim, Colin Mang, Christine Neill, Ke Pang and Stephen Snudden and was an opportunity for students to listen to professors debate relevant topics in economics, to meet one another and to foster conversations outside of class.  

Having the opportunity to experience relevant discussions related to course material in a debate-style environment was a refreshing and insightful opportunity to learn about the current and future economic status of Canada. With over 70 students participating or listening in on the thought-provoking points being made, the large turnout was reflective of Wilfrid Laurier University’s supportive student community who never shy away from developing their interests outside of the classroom.  

During the event, professors and students were challenged to take a position on a hot-button issue and support it with arguments based on facts and personal experience. The interactive style of the event allowed students and professors to glean insight into different viewpoints on major industry themes.  

"As a second-year economics student, attending the debate was informative and helped me gain clarity on some relevant topics," said Kathleen Sun, second-year BBA student and Marketing Director of LEC. "Topics included higher interest rates, global currency, and the shift towards online textbooks in academia. I was thoroughly engaged throughout the session, as the rebuttals from professors were exceptionally detailed and backed by current statistics and academic journals."

A few days prior to the event, a survey was sent to collect student feelings and opinions on the debate topics. During the event, attendees voted again, this time with more informed opinions after listening to the debate. It was interesting to see how the opinions drastically changed! 

Near the end of the session, students took part in a special debate topic of the Digital Textbook Access (DTA) program, and how it compares to physical textbooks. The attendees voiced their thoughts on the benefits and challenges that come with using online versus physical textbooks, and how they have used each method of delivery to support their learning. Points including temporary access to textbooks through DTA, the challenges of reselling physical copies, and the profit margin of textbook companies were brought up by the students. 

Overall, the event was a successful and valuable experience for students interested in economics, debate, or wanting to learn more about relevant global, national, and community issues.  

LEC was pleased to be able to introduce this new event. Throughout the planning process, our main goal was to bring students together and provide them with an informative, fun event that has a lasting positive impact on them. The turnout was great, the night was informative, and the energy was unmatched.

"The icing on the cake was seeing the enthusiastic reactions and positive responses from those who attended," said Harpinder Gill, second-year BBA student and Marketing and Events Coordinator of LEC. "In addition to this, it wasn’t just the students who enjoyed themselves, the professors seemed to have a blast as well. The success of the Great Economics Debate inspires me to create more positive experiences in the future."

Learn more about the Laurier Economics Club online, or visit them on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.