In the last two years the SSMU vice-president external has played a less visible role in student life. But next year, because of the provincial government’s proposed tuition hikes, the external portfolio will likely take centre stage. Fortunately, there’s one candidate with the experience to tackle this complicated issue – Myriam Zaidi, who the Tribune strongly endorses for the position of SSMU VP external.
Zaidi is the most qualified VP external candidate. She has extensive experience in the portfolio, having sat on SSMU’s external affairs committee for the last two years and having served as an arts representative to SSMU Council since November. She is also a former CEGEP student union president.
Zaidi’s competition for the external position is weak. Eric Jinsan, currently the Freshman Undergraduate Science Society president, centered his campaign on the promise to institute a student-subsidized undergraduate transit pass – which should be far down the list of priorities for next year’s VP external. Likewise, Tedi Angoni displayed poor knowledge of the external portfolio in an interview with the Tribune – likely a function of his lack of experience with the Society.
Zaidi, however, campaigned on relevant issues. She promised to combat next year’s proposed tuition increases – saying, during the election debates, that it was an “insult” that students haven’t been consulted on the proposed hikes. Her experience with the last two VP externals, and firm grasp of the minutia of federal and provincial politics, will allow her to start combating tuition hikes the moment she takes office.
Zaidi also pledged to increase the visibility of the Table de Concertation Étudiante du Québec (TaCEQ) – the student lobbying organization co-founded by SSMU – both on- and off-campus. She sharply criticized bloated student lobbying groups, including la FEUQ and ASSÉ, which scored major points with the Tribune editorial board.
Increasing TaCEQ’s visibility will be a challenge, however. Current VP External Sebastian Ronderos-Morgan has helped lay the groundwork for the organization, but there’s a long way to go to make TaCEQ an effective lobby group. Zaidi wants to pick up where Ronderos-Morgan left off, and the Tribune encourages her to do so.
In the candidate debates and on the campaign trail, Zaidi displayed a firm grasp of the portfolio. What’s more, she proposed tangible solutions to specific problems. She is bilingual, courteous, affable, and approachable. Besides that, she understands the ins and outs of student politics. Though increasing TaCEQ’s visibility will be tough, and the provincial government seems dead-set on increasing tuition, the Tribune is certain Zaidi will rise to the occasion. We wish her the best of luck.
