In order to present the most informed endorsements as possible, we reached out to each of the candidates and did research on their platforms and Facebook campagins. The Tribune Editorial Board debated and discussed the candidates in depth and voted on our endorsement for the position. The endorsement required a two-thirds majority vote. Should you have questions about our endorsement process, please email us at [email protected] Tribune has also has profiles of the candidates.
The Tribune endorses a “Yes” vote for Omar El-Sharawy in the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) Internal byelection. El-Sharawy approaches the position with the most experience out of all of the candidates, having served as a Frosh coordinator, Inter-Residence Council (IRC) VP External, and Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) representative to SSMU. These relevant experiences make him the most-well prepared of the candidates running to assume the VP Internal position mid-year; his platform makes him the most exciting.
In terms of concrete plans, El-Sharawy proposes several ideas for each relevant aspect of the Internal portfolio. Notably, he would seek to increase inter-faculty communication and collaboration during Frosh, improve communication with students by continuing to explore new platforms through which to disseminate information and listserv content, and ensure the success of future events by improving planning and student consultation. Additionally, El-Sharawy has shown an understanding of the temporary nature of this mandate: His platform is focused on achieving objectives slated for the second half of the year, including proactively transitioning to a successor. The combination of his experience with his realistic and creative proposals makes him the most viable candidate.
While Kahli Douglas’ platform includes practical objectives that the SSMU VP Internal should seek to fulfill, she lacks vision for how to achieve them. Douglas failed to elaborate on how she hoped to achieve such goals as engaging and communicating with students, or improving Frosh.
Similarly, Tim Mapley’s campaign platform lacks any concrete ideas to implement as VP Internal. While he does understand that the most important aspects of the position are communication, events, equity, and engagement, he offers little on how to further improve or address these issues.
Lou Bernardi and Jason Rutman are both running as protest candidates, but have added little in the way of constructive criticism. Though all candidates have a right to run whatever campaign they choose, offering to prolong what has an already lengthy process does not address the underlying problems these two candidates argue exist.
