UMSU candidates take the stage
Election candidates present platforms and answer questions, but lack debate
Andrew Sain Staff
On Thursday, Feb. 23, the candidates in this year’s UMSU election were given the opportunity to present their platforms and interact with potential voters in University Centre. Debate was relatively scarce in the forum, with the president and vice-president internal being the only contested positions.
The slates presented many similar views, both promising to renegotiate the Aramark contract and provide a one-time opt-out policy from the health and dental plans.
Although the candidates for UMSU president and vice-presidents are all running independently, as per the changes in UMSU election bylaws this year, they were divided into two clear slates. The Choice for More slate consists of Garry Sran (president), Amanda Jonson (internal), Christian Butera (advocacy), Melanie Rollins (student services) and Rachel Gotthilf (external). The Smith/Barnby slate consists of Patrick Smith (president) and Jim Barnby (internal).
The tuition fee freeze was a hot topic, as its future will be announced in the provincial budget on March 6. Though both slates support the freeze, their views are not identical.
“We believe as a slate . . . we are going to work to lobby for more funding so that the burden of university tuition doesn’t fall on the students,” said Sran. “We want to increase funding from the federal government and tell them to restore the $4 billion that they have taken away over the last 12 years.”
The Smith/Barnby slate takes a slightly different stance.
“We do want to uphold the tuition fee freeze, we’re extremely committed to it, but we recognize that it is a short-term solution,” said Smith. “So while we’re going to work to keep it in place, we’re also going to work with administration to lobby for funding from both levels of government and the private sector, so that when the tuition fee freeze is eventually lifted — and it will be — we have enough revenue coming into the university that the fees won’t have to increase dramatically.”
Both slates have made food services a priority, and they made their positions known on the subject.
Smith/Barnby said that they want to help the administration renegotiate the food services contract to allow for more free-market competition for food services on campus.
“It will give students more choice, it will allow for more space here,” said Smith. He added that students’ preferences for food services, including ethical choices, could be pursued in future.
The Choice for More slate said that they would bid for the food services contract when it is tendered this summer.
“Any food that would be served on this campus . . . would be for students chosen by students . . . if we win that would be wonderful, however if we do not win our bid would push other contractors who bid, push their quality higher and push their prices lower,” said Jonson.
Both slates made promises of accessibility and transparency; the Choice for More slate promised to implement an open-door policy and the Smith/Barnby slate promised to open the UMSU books.
All the members of Choice for More are involved in the current UMSU administration, something that Christian Butera believes speaks to their credit.
“There used to be days, if you have only been here for two years you might not remember that UMSU used to be less than an institution that represents all students, and the four people running with this slate have been there every step of the way the last two years to change policy and make it as accessible as it is today,” he said.
Smith said that the clarity of his slate’s platform makes them the better candidates.
“Today was all about ideas . . . which slate has ideas that are organized? Smith/Barnby has the ‘big 5’.
“Which slate has ideas that are measurable? Smith/Barnby will increase student group funding by $38,000. Which slate has ideas that are measurable? Smith/Barnby is not promising you too much,” he said to sum up his slate’s platform.
Though candidates are elected separately for each position, Rollins believes in a uniform executive.
“I would like to stress to everyone today that though you’re electing each position separately, the four people beside me are people that I’d really like to work with, people that I share similar views with, and I think it’s very important that you have an UMSU who shares views and wants the same things to happen on campus,” she said.
The Bannatyne campus heard from the candidates in a forum held Feb. 27.
Voting in the UMSU general election takes place March 1 to 3 at polling locations across campus. Five student community representatives will be acclaimed at this time.
