The Daily | SSMU Elections 2010
V.P. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS TEDI ANGONI
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he SSMU VP (External) is responsible for pretty much anything outside the University gates, from McGill students’ relationship with the Milton-Parc community to their role on the national stage. Though an exam prevented him from attending last Thursday’s executive debate, Tedi Angoni told The Daily about his local, provincial, and national ideas for SSMU. A U2 Engineering student, Angoni is the current VP (External) of the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS). He pointed to both his office and field of study as key reasons that he is qualified to sit on the SSMU executive. Most SSMU execs come from the faculties of Arts or Science – the two largest at McGill – a situation that Angoni sees as problematic. He believes that as an engineering student he can bring a new perspective to SSMU, and integrate the 4,000 odd engineers into student life. As VP (External) of the EUS, Angoni said his job is “similar to the work the VP (Ex) at SSMU does, but at a different level.” Though he hasn’t had much experience with SSMU beyond being a Frosh leader and reading the reports the engineering Reps to SSMU
bring him, Angoni has strong feelings about the role SSMU should continue to play in the student movement in Quebec and federally. With regard to the local community, he praised the smooth relations between Frosh and the local community this past year, and proposed hockey games as a way to bring together students and community members. Angoni was enthusiastic about SSMU’s role in creating the Table de concertation etudiante du Quebec (TaCEQ) and leaving the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ). He recognized the deficiency of the Canadian Federation of Students, and called for SSMU to lead in the creation of a new national student lobby group, though he gave few details. To strengthen TaCEQ, Angoni said he will rely on his contacts at other Quebec universities. “I already have connections in all the universities since they all have engineering,” he explained. “All those guys are my friends, and one of the advantages that I have on that side is that I know how other schools perceive McGill. I can ask my friends what would attract people to leave FEUQ, to see that they’re not responding to our needs anymore, and join TaCEQ.”
ERIC JINSAN
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ric Jinsan is a first-year Science student from Vancouver. As president of Science Undergraduate Society first-year council, he has organized the production and sale of notes for Science undergrads throughout the year. He also has organizing experience through assisting in Haiti fundraisers earlier this year. Jinsan hopes to bring his West Coast insights to a Montreal setting, and says that SSMU has to “step up their game” in terms of combating student apathy on campus. He contends that despite his relative lack of experience, he is up the the task of representing McGill’s undergraduates to external bodies. Passionate about public transportation, Jinsan’s platform is centred around the implementation of a student transit pass system that would entail a nonopt-outable fee to go toward purchasing an eight month unlimited pass on Montreal’s STM – similar to systems in place at UBC and the University of
Calgary. “It’s a win-win situation for students, the community, and the school,” he says. Other elements of Jinsan’s platform include tuition stabilization via private-sector bursaries and increased work opportunities. When asked about SSMU’s relationship with TaCEQ, he showed only a basic familiarity with the issues of external representation and provincial negotiations. Jinsan also seemed unfamiliar with the politics surrounding the recent implementation of the self-funded tuition model in McGill’s MBA program, an issue SSMU’s current VP (External) Sebastian Ronderos-Morgan has addressed aggressively. Improving relations with the Milton-Parc community, another of Ronderos-Morgan’s pet projects, seems distant and amorphous to Jinsan. He has had little contact with current SSMU execs and shows only a basic understanding of the VP (External)’s portfolio.
MYRIAM ZAIDI
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ducation is what Myriam Zaidi is all about. She’s got a strong stance on accessibility, a passion for education-related issues, and the experience and know-how to back up what she’s saying. Currently completing her second year on the External Affairs Committee, she was also elected last semester as an Arts rep to SSMU Council, and has worked closely with the two most recent VP Externals. Zaidi’s experience in student politics reaches back to before her time at McGill – as VP (External) and then President of her CEGEP student union, this completely bilingual candidate worked extensively with Quebec student lobby organizations ASSÉ and FEUQ. Having already been involved with newly-established student lobby group TaCEQ this year, Zaidi wants to increase the group’s visibility, both on campus and at a national level. Getting McGill students and councillors aware of what TaCEQ does is a key part of her vision, but now that it’s on its feet, she’d like to help it become more proactive in the fight against foreseeable tuition increases. Zaidi is also passionately aware of the current issues involving the Milton-Parc neighbourhood. While pleased with everything that’s been accomplished this year, she wants to firmly establish the Community Action and Relations Endeavour (CARE)
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program in order to facilitate much-needed communication. Also on her agenda are more Milton-Parc activities that cater to both students and neighbourhood residents. Overarching plans include improving SSMU’s leadership in the debate on accessibility to education through conducting research on alternatives to tuition hikes, and setting up workshops that actively invite discussion. Increasing SSMU’s solidarity with universities outside Quebec, she hopes, will also help develop better student aid programs across Canada, similar to the strides made in Quebec. Zaidi is also keen on making the External position more accessible to fellow SSMU councillors. Goals include increasing attendance at student lobby group meetings and congresses, inspiring more input, and making the position less exclusive. Born and raised in Montreal, Zaidi has a strong grasp of Quebec provincial politics – the politicians, the parties, and how it all works – and has been actively involved in what’s been happening in the student movement for the past five years. Not only that, she seems especially qualified in her ability to communicate these issues to the student body, proving to be an accessible, approachable candidate for such a politically-focused executive position.