Everything that happened at the CSU’s first in-person debate since 2020
Matt Shipley (he/him) // Coordinating Editor
Valeriya Kim // Illustrator
The Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) by-election candidate forums, moderated by the Capilano Courier, presented an opportunity for candidates to speak about their platforms and answer questions posed by moderators. The by-election only elects for currently vacant positions at the CSU.
A record number of candidates applied for this year’s by-election, with 35 candidates vying for 9 positions. Of the candidates, 14 were present at the forums.
The forums were held in person in the CSU Library Lounge on September 26 and 28.
Here’s the rundown:
Five out of the thirteen candidates running for At-Large Representative were present, including: Mattias Henry, who ran on a platform of decreasing CSU fees; Anna MacDonald, touting her governance and lobbying experience to support a platform of transit improvement and increased parking; Shirleen Rakhroy, running to increase the CSU’s digital media presence; Panveer Singh, running to remove the $500 course withdrawal fee unique to international students; and Kirpan Kaur, running on a platform of increased student outreach.
Three of the ten students running for Student of Colour Liaison were present, including: Lovely Calixte, running to create a safe space to engage and support students of colour; Huaixi Nie, who ran on a platform of amplifying the voices of students of colour; and Nitika Singla, who offered to set smart goals to create connection between students of colour and the CSU.
Of the prospective Queer Students Liaisons, two were present: Veda Maharaj and Hargun Kaur Sodhi. Maharaj ran on a diverse platform including points to stock more hygiene products and increase visibility for sexual education. Kaur Sodhi also ran on a platform of awareness, mentioning the Queer Resource Centre and promising to increase student awareness of the resources available to LGBTQ+ students on campus.
Emily Kelsall and Shourya Sharma were both present in running for Mature and Parent Student Liaisons. Kelsall stressed the importance of pushing the University to divest from fossil fuels and to be more transparent with their investment portfolio. Sharma ran on a platform of increasing the CSU’s support of international students, saying the CSU does not focus enough on them.
Priya McMurtrie and Yaseen Shivji were the final candidates to present, running uncontested for Capilano Legal Association President and Capilano Accounting Association President respectively. McMurtrie promised to increase cross-faculty integration, using the law as a primary tool. Shivji touted his previous experience as Acting President of the Capilano Accounting Association and promised to increase student engagement and opportunities through events and career fairs.
Every student eligible to vote will receive a ballot link in their CapU inbox. While some candidates are running uncontested, they will still be put to a yes/no vote where they need more affirmative votes than negative votes to pass into power.
The voting period begins on October 3, 2023 and runs until October 5. Votes will be counted and candidates will be announced on the evening of October 5.
Full recordings of both candidate forums are available on the Capilano Courier YouTube channel.