Ash GroverEvery year, The Gateway hosts a panel to discuss the University of Alberta Students’ Union (SU) election. This year’s panellists provided their insights on the candidates running, student politics, and who students should vote for in the 2026 SU election. The Gateway interviewed the panellists on Febraury 28.
Opinions expressed by the panellists do not reflect those of The Gateway.
The Panel
This year’s panel included:
- Angelina Botros: first-year pharmacy doctorate student, former General Faculties Council (GFC) and SU councillor from 2024–25
- Brooklyn Hollinger: The Gateway 2024–25 arts and culture editor, former deputy opinion editor
- Karene Kouadio: fourth-year English and political science student, social science councillor for the Organization for Arts Students and Interdisciplinary Studies (OASIS)
The Candidates
Armaan Singh, a second-year computer science student, and the International Students’ Association (ISA) co-vice-president (communications).
Logan West, a sixth-year student in film studies and women and gender studies, and the current SU vice-president (student life) (VPSL).
All three panellists agreed that the candidates for the vice-president (operations and finance) (VPOF) position are more evenly matched than in some of the other races.
Hollinger noted that it’s interesting that Singh has experience working at Dewey’s. “That’s an interesting aspect that he’s bringing, working at an SU-owned business, so he can kind of speak to the operations side of things,” she said.
She also said that West’s transition from current VPSL to running for VPOF was surprising.
West “has worked alongside Nathan [Thiessen] this year as VPOF, so she has also seen the inner workings of the role. So that kind of makes me feel a little safer,” she said.
“I think [West] speaks more to the operations, while [Singh] speaks more to the finance side,” Hollinger said. “I would like to see them both touch on both aspects of the role, because both are very important.”
Kouadio said that Singh doesn’t have much of a social media presence. “There is a page created, but nothing on the page,” she said.
According to Kouadio, West isn’t being transparent enough about their plans for the role. West “speaks about transparency [but] doesn’t really talk about what is actually going to happen.”
Botros echoed that Singh is more of “the money guy,” whereas West has focused more on operations. She also questioned West’s transition to VPOF from VPSL.
“I understand the idea that you’ve gotten more insight as VPSL, and you’re now looking into doing more VPOF, but why?” she said.
“They’re providing a more realistic standpoint, which, in terms of transparency, is great because they are talking about the confines of the role,” Hollinger says
Hollinger said that West has been able to showcase her previous experience throughout the forums.
“They’re providing a more realistic standpoint, which, in terms of transparency, is great because they are talking about the confines of the role,” she said.
Singh has reiterated his intention to encourage students to opt-out of student fees, without discussing a solid plan on how he would do that, according to Hollinger.
He talks about “slash[ing] fees without a lot of tangible action that he would implement,” she said.
Kouadio said that she is skeptical that West will piggyback off of Thiessen’s ongoing projects. They keep discussing “realistic goals, but are [they] just piggybacking off of Thiessen’s realistic goals that he has already achieved?” she said.
According to Botros, Singh’s forum performances have been very repetitive as he has reused the same points throughout the forums. She also highlighted transparency as an issue for both candidates.
“My main concern for both of these candidates is transparency. I just don’t see a form of transparency in either of these candidates,” she said.
“West kind of has the ability to see long-term goals and what that would look like,” Hollinger says
All three panellists reluctantly agreed that West’s goals would benefit students most in the long run.
“West kind of has the ability to see long-term goals and what that would look like,” Hollinger said.
According to Kouadio, West’s goals would benefit students most in the long run “not because it’s the best choice, but because it’s the safer choice.”
Botros agreed that West’s goals are best for students long-term because of “what they’re targeting.”
“The finances, I feel, are very transient, whereas operations … for something as big as the SU is going to be long-term because it’s going to carry beyond her term,” she said.
Who will win: three votes for West
Who should win: one vote for West, two votes for neither candidate
