Lily PolenchukIncreased access to bilingual services was a hot button issue at the Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) forum on February 26. Particularly for the vice-president (student life) (VPSL) race, accommodating French as a minority language should be a priority. However, only Ramish Raza and Logan West provided clear, reasonable proposals.
For example, Raza pointed out the need for peer support groups offered in French and English at CSJ. More so than the clinical and counselling services, the Peer Support Centre provides low-barrier access to mental health services. It does not place limits on the frequency of appointment bookings, nor does it require cancellation fees. Incorporating more bilingual volunteers might be exactly what students at CSJ need.
In comparison, Saim Khokhar slightly falters during his campaign promises. He mentioned translating Students’ Union (SU) documents and encouraging The Gateway to report in French. I don’t know about you, but I have never read official SU documentation as an English-speaking student. How much will this plan matter to CSJ students?
Of course, promoting francophone journalism may help support CSJ student writers. However, The Gateway is an autonomous student-run organization, so the future VPSL doesn’t have much influence over the language of its articles. Instead, he might want to pivot to encouraging journalism through organizations specific to CSJ.
Having said that, Khokhar did mention increasing food bank accessibility at CSJ. While the Campus Food Bank (CFB) extended its grocery bus program to CSJ and introduced weekly breakfasts, the campus doesn’t have a food pantry. More funding could help with food security for CSJ students, especially considering the rising costs of living in Edmonton.
On the other hand, West targeted Student Care and mentioned the importance of increasing its support of French-speaking students. As of now, the dental and health plan services primarily operate in English. Not to mention, the organization’s current Diversity and Inclusion initiatives lack clear plans to address French accessibility. These plans also align with West’s focus on the Period Equity Initiative and supporting sexual health. West’s observations and initiatives could be vital for students struggling to manage their basic mental and physical needs.
Let’s not forget Nikka Pakhomova, who conducted all of her speeches in French, demonstrating her unique ability to understand francophone students. At the same time, her goals didn’t seem applicable to her role. She rightly noted that CSJ’s limited academic resources is one of the biggest deterrents for students who might apply. Unfortunately, this is an issue for the vice-president (academic) (VPA) to handle. There is little reason for the VPA to collaborate with the VPSL on this particular topic.
Compared to yesterday’s forum, Raza carved out a foothold for himself during this one. West also maintained her emphasis on period equity and working together with essential university institutions. However, both Khokhar and Pakhomova could benefit from asking themselves a simple question: how can the VPSL actually help students?
