UASU hosts Edmonton Student Alliance mayoral forum

Four mayoral candidates took to the stage at the Myer Horowitz Theatre on October 10 to share their plans to address issues facing post-secondary students across the city.

The Edmonton Student Alliance mayoral forum was hosted by the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU). The event was moderated by retired CBC reporter, news anchor, and radio host Mark Connolly.

The candidates in attendance were current city councillors Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack, former city councillor Michael Walters, and former Conservative Member of Parliament Rahim Jaffer.  

Christene Saji, UASU student councillor for the faculty of science, asked the candidates for their plans to address transit safety. For Cartmell, the answer lies in a return to a community policing ethic. This involves having police officers present in public spaces and engaged with the community.

Knack said the city needs more police officers to provide full coverage across major transit hubs, and these officers need to be partnered with social workers. Additionally, he emphasized the need for more day shelter spaces.

For Walters, the entire policing system needs to be partnered with social workers. Walters questioned why the need for day shelters hasn’t been addressed in the last four years.

Jaffer disagreed with Knack. He said addressing social issues should not “hijack the transit so that other people just decide they don’t want to take it.” Jaffer’s solution is to create some barriers to “make sure that those people riding the system are supposed to be on the system.”

“We need new leadership that will make those changes,” he said.

Candidates discuss transit safety and youth unemployment

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Students’ Association President Lilly Houcher asked asked the candidates for their plans to address youth unemployment.

Knack emphasized the importance of youth involvement in decision-making and plan creation. Jaffer said he’s concerned with economic activity fleeing Edmonton. According to Jaffer, “we’re not attracting that international investment that we used to.”

He said co-ordination with the greater Edmonton area to attract investment in Edmonton will create jobs for recent graduates.

For Walters, focusing on generating a strong technology economy is key to creating employment opportunities. Cartmell said Edmonton needs to become safer and more predictable to encourage companies to stay in Edmonton. He also proposed having post-secondary students help design and build student housing downtown for their capstone projects.

Additionally, Manyu Rathour, UASU Get Out the Vote campaign manager, asked the candidates how they’ll ensure students are consulted as key stakeholders.

To Knack, it’s the mayor’s job to go to students and make sure their voices are heard. Jaffer said he’d support collaboration with student associations.

Walters said he “always sought the input of post-secondary [students]” in his projects as a councillor. Similarly to Knack, Cartmell said it’s his job to “to bring City Hall to [his] ward.”

Election day is Monday, October 20.