Gabriella MenezesThe campaign continued for vice-president (student life) (VPSL) candidates on February 28 at the Indigenous Students’ Union (ISU) forum. Only one VPSL candidate seems to have prior knowledge and experience with Indigenous students. Logan West talked about spending time in the ISU lounge and emphasized ISU initiatives throughout her speech. The other candidates could have done a little more research.
As the VPSL, these candidates are well-positioned to encourage Indigenous cultural revitalization on campus. While all candidates mentioned hosting more Indigenous events, West specifically mentioned hosting events on the Main Quad. As West said, “accessibility involves visibility,” and I’m inclined to agree. This plan encourages both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to participate in the university’s diverse Indigenous cultural practices.
I should note that the First People’s House (FPH), ISU, and other groups already conduct many of their own events. There has been a ribbon skirt workshop, beading workshop, and bake sale just in the past few months. However, West suggested redirecting some funds towards these initiatives as well. When asked about reconnecting Indigenous students with the Land, she talked about the ISU’s recent field trip. She believes that the VPSL can support these organizations’ Land-based programs.
Having said that, Saim Khokhar advocated for an Indigenous student representative on the Student Union (SU) Students’ Council. This idea would obviously allow for more direct representation for Indigenous students in the SU. However, creating an entirely new position on the council seems difficult, especially because councillor seats are usually determined by faculty and student numbers. Changing this system is not impossible, but it does mean amending the SU’s governance bylaws. Can he follow through on this promise? I have some doubts.
In terms of language inclusion and accessibility, Nikka Pakhomova brought up several ideas. Namely, she suggested hanging posters with words in Indigenous languages. She also advocated for Indigenous language mentorship programs, connecting students with fluent speakers and Elders.
Her focus on language is admirable. However, finding fluent speakers might be more difficult than she expects. In the 2021 Statistics Canada report, fewer than seven thousand respondents identified as Blackfoot speakers in Alberta. And that’s one of the more common languages spoken in the province. The SU is also unlikely to pay Indigenous Elders or fluent speakers for their time. Instead, the SU could potentially collaborate with existing language protection groups such as FirstVoices. Either way, Pakhomova needs to put a little more thought into her ideas.
Ramish Raza briefly talked about Indigenous students facing food insecurity and other affordability issues. However, his initiatives lacked specifics this time around. How exactly will he help? He left this question largely unanswered.
Overall, West definitely strengthened her position after this last forum. Pakhomova and Khokhar have great ideas but could spare more thought to their implementation. For Raza, I would recommend delving into the nitty gritty of his proposals at the Myer Horowitz forum.
