UMSU elections

Sketch-Tacular! 2007

DYLAN FERGUSON STAFF/ KERRI WOLOSZYN STAFF

Student elections represent democracy at its youthful, bright-eyed best. Unless nobody runs. Then they represent apathy at its youthful, bright-eyed best. Such as next week’s UMSU elections. Every single position is going uncontested — with the exception of international students representative — meaning the best that you, the voter, can do (assuming you are one of the 4.5 per cent of U of M students who actually bother to vote in these things) is to mark “yes” or “no” on a ballot. Yay. But seeing as it would be pointless to turn your thumb up or down to someone you know nothing about, we’ve assembled interviews with the various candidates. Why should you bother to vote? Because UMSU controls $10 million, a sizeable portion of your student fees, and much of your on-campus experience. In addition, they represent you whether you vote for them or not, so you probably should care if the students’ union becomes a bloated, self-serving mini-Kremlin, rife with sketchy activity, and entirely unchallenged. Why do I say this? Because student newspapers covering student elections represent entrenched cynicism at its youthful, bright-eyed best.

MICHAEL EINARSON CURRENT UMSU REP (COMMERCE) CANDIDATE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT (INTERNAL)

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for vice-president (internal)? Einarson: Over the past couple of years, I’ve seen really good improvement in the union council, and I’ve seen it take a really, really positive direction. So, having seen these changes, the direction in general, I kind of want to get involved with that, get on the bandwagon. My past experience, in the past two years, has really kind of given me that inspiration to join and get involved. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? E: I worked for the UMSU student services group, rather, the UMREG group, which is the U of M Recycling and Environmental Group. So it’s given me a fair bit of experience to the administration . . . There’s also, the past two years I’ve served as the UMSU rep for faculty of management. And that’s given me a really good insight into how the council operates, and how UMSU operates and, especially sitting on the fi nance committee, seeing how the budget works. M: What does the position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? E: The vice-president (internal) oversees the UMSU businesses, which include Degrees, I.Q’s, GPA’s. By overseeing them, I mean ensuring the smooth operation, by speaking with the managers, ensuring students are getting the best service possible. Also, overseeing the health and dental plan, as well as the budget. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? E: Well, I hope to see really an expansion of the UMSU services that are currently off ered right now. For example, adding a Western Union to Answers, just adding little things that can be very benefi cial to students. I’d also like to see the sustainability movement that we’ve started pushing for really take fl ight next year. M: What is the most important issue facing U of M students right now? E: Personally, I would say that rising tuition fees is one of the most prominent issues that we see right now. M: When you found out that your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? E: Well we didn’t really celebrate. Competition, in anything, be it in business, or an election, is always a good way to bring new ideas to the table. And to also help different platforms develop on their ideas. So, we’re not celebrating that. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year, and why? E: Oh, Rocky Balboa. Definitely. I thought it really recaptured a lot of the inspirational qualities that really made the fi rst movie a really big success. They really took a different angle on it, he’s not proving himself anymore. Well, he still is, but he’s proving himself against time now. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? E: She had an overdose, unfortunately.

AMANDA JONSON CURRENT VICE-PRESIDENT (INTERNAL) CANDIDATE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT (EXTERNAL)

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for a vicepresident position again? Jonson: Well, last year I was involved as one of the executives for UMSU and I really enjoyed the work that was being done in the students’ union . . . and just engaging students and talking to students and helping them out. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? J: I have my undergraduate degree in environmental design. So, a lot of the vice-president (external) position is communication and getting out publications and promotions and getting out the idea of UMSU events and services very eff ectively. So, with that, in the past, environmental design is very focused on getting across your idea . . . So the (external) position, I have the experience in that aspect. But also just the personal skills. I’ve met a lot of students, I can talk to people pretty eff ectively and plan events. M: What does you position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? J: The vice-president (external) position is, there are a couple of different aspects to it. Not only promoting and communicating both events and services provides for students . . . We help with academic appeals, to orientation and celebration week, to our daytimer publications, pamphlets and whatnot. And also a little bit of lobby work with the government and the administration. So the external would work in coordination with people from the Canadian Federation of Students . . . lobbying the government and meeting with them not only locally, like [the university] administration, but also city council, [the] provincial government. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? J: A lot more communication of events, a lot more campaigning regarding sustainability. A lot of sustainable initiatives, I feel, can be taken off the ground and UMSU can take it and run with it. So, whether it be everything from transportation options, like carpooling, rideshares, Winnipeg Transit is a huge one. Two, we implemented biodegradable containers at Degrees. M: What is the most important issue facing U of M students right now? J: I think one of the hot topics is tuition, it always has been. Regardless of what side of the vote you sit on regarding the tuition fee freeze it’s crucial, it’s an issue that for years and years now the government has under-funded university. It’s aff ecting students, whether it be a student can’t get in the door because fees are too high or they’re in the door and then fees increase on them and then they have to re-manage their money . . . I think that’s always going to be a number-1 thing. M: When you found out that your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? J: I don’t think I actually celebrated. I was quite disappointed, honestly. I would have liked to see more competition and whatnot. I can understand why people do or do not want to run. It’s a very tough thing. People are busy, they have two part-time jobs, a full course load, etc.. But now it just changes our focus so that we should engage students even more and get our message out there. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year, and why? J: I have no idea, honestly. I haven’t been to a theatre in a very long time. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? J: That’s right, she died. I’ve heard so many rumours. I’ve heard everything from a combination of too many drugs, or the same thing that killed her son, to she was very stressed out and overweight. I don’t know. I’m going to go with, yeah, a combination of too much stress and too much media attention.

RACHEL HEINRICHS CURRENT UMSU REP. (ARTS) CANDIDATE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT (ADVOCACY)

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for vice-president (advocacy)? Heinrichs: I’ve been really involved in UMSU over the last year and have sat on a number of committees and have also been involved in several student groups and I’ve had a really, really positive experience doing these things. I’d really like to use the experiences that I’ve had and the knowledge that I’ve gained to expand some of the initiatives that UMSU is already working on and also bring new things to it. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? H: I entered university as a mature student so I have a very diverse range of life and university and work experiences. And I think because of that it gives me a good grasp on what happens in students’ lives. M: What does the position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? H: The vice-president (advocacy) position is basically responsible for dealing with academic issues and student appeals on a range of topics. So this includes residences room appeals, it includes academic appeals, health and dental plan appeals. But it also entails working with a number of administration-UMSU partnerships like Peers, the food group and other initiatives like that. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? H: I’d like to see a relevant student community built up at this university and UMSU has done a good job of promoting that over the past few years but I’d like to see more of that. I’d like to see the academic programming and the information available from UMSU to be relevant to students in order to engage them. I’d like to see more students involved. I’d like to see faculty councils always having full senate positions, always having UMSU reps. M: What is the most important issue facing U of M students right now? H: Something that really got me involved in UMSU last year was campaigning against the increase in international student fee hikes. It’s really unfair that they pay triple what Canadian students pay and I think it’s really important that we fight for fairness for international students. M: When you found out that your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? H: I actually didn’t do anything to celebrate. I was very disappointed. I think it’s really important to get issues out in the air, I think it’s really important to have debate on topics, I think it’s really important that students have a choice. So for democracy and debate sake, I am disappointed. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year, and why? H: I hope Blood Diamond will win. Honestly, I haven’t seen it but it sounds like it’s really good. I’m going to go watch it sometime in the next few weeks. The only movie I’ve actually seen that is on the list is An Inconvenient Truth which is up for Best Documentary. I thought that was pretty good, it made me sell my car. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? H: I’m going to go with the conspiracy theory. A court in California recently ruled that she was worth over $450 million and obviously her child is going to inherit that money. I think it’s up to three different men vying paternity right now. So, I’m going to say that it had something to do with getting at her money. So I think that there was some foul play in there somewhere. I think it’s too convenient that the same traces were found in her blood that were also found in her son’s blood of these certain drugs, so I think

MARLO OSTROW CURRENT UMSU REP. (ARTS) CANDIDATE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT (STUDENT SERVICES)

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for vice-president (student services)? Ostrow: I decided to run for vice-president (student services) because I really like the work that the current UMSU executive was doing and I wanted to be a part of that for next year. I also really enjoy planning events and I’ve volunteered for UMSU in the past and I really enjoy UMSU. So I hope to give the same experience to students that UMSU has given to me. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? O: For the last two years I’ve worked with the Arts Student Body Council. For my fi rst year I was communications representative and I helped plan the orientation barbecue for two years in a row. I’ve also helped plan Final Aff air. And this year I’m an UMSU representative and I sit on various committees. And I also volunteer for UMSU and Arts Student Body. M: What does you position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? O: The position is working with student groups and student services and I will make sure that student groups are well-represented to the campus in terms of making sure that students are aware of the various student groups and services that are available. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? O: One thing that I hope to accomplish is creating a U1- UMSU buddy program where it would be new incoming students paired up with someone who has been on campus for a year or longer. And it would just be them meeting up and getting to know each other and just making new students feel more comfortable on campus and giving them the opportunity to meet some new people. M: What is the most important issue facing U of M students right now? O: I think that one of the most important issues facing U of M would be tuition fees and students not being able to fi nish their academic programs because of lack of funding. And as part of my position I’ll work with CFS to lobby the government for increased funding. M: When you found out that your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? O: I didn’t do anything to celebrate. I think competition is a good and it introduces questions and debate and new ideas can be created out of that. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year, and why? O: I hope that it will be Freedom Writers. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? O: I don’t know what was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s death. I don’t wish death upon anybody and I’m really sorry to hear that she has passed away.

DANIEL DRAPER CANDIDATE FOR LGBTT* STUDENTS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for LGBTT* community rep? Draper: Well, there were a couple of things. The people in the community asked me to, facilitators in the Rainbow Pride Mosaic and my friends. So did my partner at the time. We feel that it’s important that the seat gets fi lled and somebody would be there to represent our community . . . Students couldn’t seem to find anyone else willing to take on the responsibility of being our representative. And, I felt that by taking on that responsibility I could contribute more to my community. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? D: The things that would make me a qualified candidate would be the experience that I’ve had with RPM, including being their web coordinator for a year and a half, I think. My political studies background, being a political studies student for three years. I’ve been on various councils and committees outside of UMSU. M: What does the position entail exactly, and what you be doing, specifically? D: The job description itself is very vague. What I hope to do with the position is not only liaise with our constituents, but to work closer together with the other community reps. Because we represent members of each other’s communities, as well as our own. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? D: As of now, there is no offi cial representation on the Bannatyne campus, or on the other campuses, for our groups. I would like to see some of our events head down there, perhaps next year. I would also like to encourage programs that are currently going on, like the Allies Program, and LGBTT awareness week. M: What is the most important issue facing LGBTT students at the U of M campus right now? D: I know I’m supposed to say tuition fees. But I think, specifi cally for our group, it would have to be both homophobia and the need for more awareness about safer sex practices. M: When you found out your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? D: Nothing. It wasn’t a big deal to me. The other community reps and I, other than the international students rep, are still going to do our best to get our names out there and do our campaigning. Even though we are uncontested. We know that we will have work ahead of us, let’s go and start our campaigns well. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year and why? D: I’ve seen Little Miss Sunshine. So I’m going to go with that one. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? D: I never heard she was dead. I thought the entire thing was just, who was the father of her child? I didn’t know she was dead. It’s embarrassing for a gay man, not to know that.

LARRY BAILLIE CANDIDATE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for students with disabilities community rep? Baillie: I live with a brain injury. [We have] the lowest returnto- work, return-to-school rate of any disability, at 2.56 per cent. And I believe that I am the fi rst student to be admitted into the school of social work declared as a brain injury survivor . . . I guess part of [my decision to run] is to understand and to bring the community, as large as we are, together, so we can speak as one. And so we can be treated fairly, and so we can get an education. M: What in your background and experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? B: Currently, I’m the president of the Manitoba Brain Injury Association. I’ve been an advocate ever since sustaining my disability 17 years ago. I’ve helped co-ordinate the 1991 National Brain Injury Conference here in Winnipeg. One of best friends taught me how to be an advocate . . . his name is Al Simpson, and he is a former alumni here. Al got awarded the Order of Canada for getting people with disabilities included in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. M: What does your position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? B: To my understanding, what it entails is representing all students that attend University of Manitoba that identify as living with a disability. And bring them together, and help them out . . . to be a voice, to be an advocate. To bring concerns that students may have to a student union level. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? B: Becoming a unifi ed voice. What I’d like to accomplish is to have people who identify as living with a disability to feel like this is their home. To feel just as entitled to an education as anyone else . . . What I’d like to do is get people to realize that going to school, for somebody with a disability, is not easy. Can you imagine having memory impairment and trying to study? Can you imagine using a wheelchair and having a three-hour process of getting a homecare worker in to help you get up and get ready for school? . . . This could be you. We are all temporarily able-bodied. M: What is the most important issue facing students with disabilities at the U of M campus right now? B: Well, that’s going to be a tough question, because for every disability, there are different challenges . . . You know, it may be curb cuts. You try using a wheelchair out in snow . . . I would say, probably – if I was to be cornered to say ‘what’s the most important issue?’ — is for students to be treated fairly and equally. M: When you found out your position was going uncontested, what did you do to celebrate? B: I actually didn’t celebrate [laughs] . . . The fi rst thing I did was, I went to all the candidate-elects, all the people running for executive, and asked for a commitment, that when somebody who has an appeals hearing identifi es as living with a disability . . . have somebody knowledgeable about disabilities in the appeals process. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year? B: Well, I can give you a great answer. Being a student living with a disability, mainly a cognitive impairment, I put so much time and energy into my education that I don’t have much time to watch movies. I did see the Queen twice in my lifetime. The real Queen. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? B: Don’t know. I’ve been too busy with school, y’see!

TOYIN MALUMI CANDIDATE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE

Manitoban: Why did you decide to run in this position? Malumi: I’ve been in the University of Manitoba for two years now. Last year I didn’t feel that there was an international students’ rep, just because international students make up a large part of the university, and I don’t think we’re getting heard enough. [I want to] see if can contribute positively to that in any way. M: What in your background and personal experience makes you a qualified candidate for this position? T. M.:Well, I’m originally from Nigeria . . . This is my fourth year in Canada; I was in Alberta before I moved here. I just feel that I’m very internationally aware. Since I’ve came to Canada I’ve been part of two multiculturalism campaigns. One was called Out of Africa, and the other one’s called Unveiling the World. M: What does the position entail, exactly, and what will you be doing, specifi cally? T. M.:Well, I spoke to the past international students rep. . . We’re basically supposed to stand as a representative or a voice for international students. M: What do you hope to achieve during your term? T. M.: If I get the position, when I leave I want to have like a more open interaction between the university and the international students. M: What do you think is the most important issue facing international students at the U of M campus right now? T. M.: Well, I would say, fi rst of all, tuition. Our tuition got raised by 80 per cent, so we’re up to 180 per cent now more than Canadian students . . . I know that our parents, international students, we’re not paying educational taxes for so many years, and we don’t want to come here and be living on the taxes that were paid. But, a lot of international students don’t understand that, they just think the university’s trying to make money off them. That is one of the biggest things, tuition, and another thing is work permit terms. M: Do you personally think that the tuition for international students is too high, and are you going to fight that? T. M.: It increased by 80 per cent in one year. I’m still not understanding why, because the value of the educational taxes that the Canadian students’ parents have been paying didn’t go up by 80 per cent last year. That aspect of it I still don’t understand. Infl ation went up by I think three per cent last year, it didn’t go up by 80 per cent . . . I’m going to try my best. I don’t know how possible it is for me to fight — well, to actually win — for the university to reduce tuition. Because they have a reason, you know. But I will try to get answers. M: What differentiates you from the other candidate? T. M.: Well, I’ve met the other two opponents, one of them I spoke to [Wang, The other “opponent,” has since dropped out of the running]. He said he just didn’t want to leave the position vacant . . . Basically, I think I’m different because I think I’m motivated . . . The last guy that was there, basically he came out and told me that he got the position because he had made friends. If he had let the other person win, she probably would have done better than him. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year? T. M.: I think The Queen. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? T. M.: I don’t know . . . I’ve heard she was on medication for depression, and, you know, a lot of other things, so I’m thinking, sometimes those drugs don’t interact properly.

WANG DAI XIN CANDIDATE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE

Manitoban: What made you decide to run for this position? Wang: I am a third-year university student, in engineering. I am graduating next year, and wanted to do something for the students before I graduate. M: What in your background and personal history makes you a qualified candidate for this position? W: I was involved in students’ groups in high school. In university, I have volunteered with different groups, including the Chinese new year celebration and the Asian Film Festival. Also, I have family infl uence. Many of my family members were involved in politics with groups and representatives in China. I know international students from many different countries, and know more issues. Not just people from China. I can better represent the international population on campus. M: What does your position entail, exactly, and what will you be specifi cally doing? W: Th is position does not have a lot of responsibilities because it is a new position. The main thing is to represent the international students on the UMSU board and voice any concerns they have. M: What do you hope to accomplish during your term? W: Reducing tuition fees. Also, increasing opportunity on campus for international students, and getting a better community. I want to increase the relationship between different international students groups. M: What is the most important issue facing international students at the U of M campus right now? W: Tuition fees. Also, fi nding jobs after graduation. It’s hard for international students to fi nd employment after university. M: Do you think tuition fees for international students are too high, and will you fight to lower them? W: Tuition fees are very high for international students. International students need to communicate with UMSU and the University of Manitoba about this. Hopefully, we can reduce them. The best is that it is the same as Canadian students. But that is very hard. I will try to reduce them as much as possible. M: What differentiates you from the other candidate? W: I have the ability to do the job better than the other candidate. I have confi dence and previous experience. Helping with students, and volunteer experience, things like that. I believe my ability is better than the other. M: Which film do you hope will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year and why? W: The Departed. Because the script is translated from a Hong Kong movie, and that storyline is a good one. M: What do you personally believe was the cause of Anna Nicole Smith’s recent, untimely death? W: Who’s that? M: She was a blonde former model who died last week. W: Oh, Kate Moss.