UMSU’s board of directors (BOD) will be deciding who will fill the shoes of vice-president finance and operations, and vice-president external affairs this Thursday, Oct. 22. The vote is taking place during the biweekly BOD meeting, which will start at 6 p.m. in 176 Helen Glass.
The BOD is elected by students each year, consisting of eight community representatives and elected members from faculty associations. These members will cast their votes for their preferred candidates following a 10-minute presentation per candidate with a five-minute question period with questions chosen by the BOD chair.
The motion passed outlining the by-election also provides 10 minutes of questions from students-at-large with priority also given to board members.
Due to the quick turnaround of the campaign period, the Manitoban asked the same questions to all candidates over email following the close of nominations on Monday night. The following answers have been minimally edited for clarity and spelling.
Vice-president external affairs (VPEA) candidates
Judy Abousetta
Why have you chosen to run for this position?
There were a number of factors that played into my initial decision to run for this position, the most prominent one being my personal understanding of the importance of advocacy, especially for students. Being a young person in our society means that we are not often given a seat at the table, we have to fight for it. This is true in nearly every regard related to students, we are more often the afterthought than the priority.
U of M students deserve someone who will fight for their voices to be heard and will keep doing so until their message is recognized.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be voted into office?
One of my priorities is to provide students the opportunity to have their voices heard, to tell their stories. Every individual and every community will experience the same issue differently. For example, an individual with accessibility needs will experience the current issues in our transit system incredibly differently than an able-bodied individual.
A part of my campaign is the introduction of advocacy town halls. These would be monthly opportunities for students to come together and discuss how they feel about current issues they face on a daily basis, and how myself in the position of VPEA could best advocate for them.
Advocacy is not a role someone does for an individual or community. Real advocacy comes from community, and coming together to fight for what is important. I hope to accomplish the implementation of a system where students feel and know that they are being heard.
What are your top three concerns potentially going into this role?
The first and most obvious concern that I’m sure all candidates face is the transition into this role. More so than in a regular election, the transition period for this role would be incredibly fast-paced and a steep learning curve. The way I minimize that concern in my mind is by my knowledge and support that the current UMSU executives have shown to candidates during this election process.
My second concern would be meeting students where they already are […] One thing I hope to accomplish is providing students with the opportunity to have their voices heard. The day-to-day lives of students is incredible busy, and sometimes your only free time in the day is the ten minutes between classes. Taking the time out of your day to come speak about advocacy is a privilege. This concern is something I heavily take into account.
My final concern is that the role of VPEA does not exist to simply push an agenda that I personally want. It is a role that advocates for the lives of real people. The things I say, the decisions I make, the initiatives I advocate for are not just hobbies. They have real impacts on thousands of people at the U of M, and that is [who] I am, and would be incredibly conscious of during day-to-day operations in this role.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Regardless of whether I am deemed to be the best individual to take on this role or not, I want students to know that I am always a person they can speak to, regarding advocacy concerns, or simply what they’re currently reading. University can be an incredibly isolating experience at times, and I want students to know I will always be there for them, as both an advocate and a friend.
Hussein Chokr
Why have you chosen to run for this position?
As someone that is involved in community organizing and lobbying in addition to working for a political party, I’m put in a unique position where I could merge all of these skills and knowledge and experience to excel in such a role.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be voted into office?
I’m committed to advocating for decreased tuition, universal healthcare for international students and transit that works better for students.
What are your top three concerns potentially going into this role?
Generally, a lot of students do not engage with UMSU simply because they’re not aware that these matters affect them day-to-day. I am definitely going to be using all of the resources available to me and years of experience in advocacy to bring more students to the decision-making table.
With the municipal elections being underway, it’s definitely going to take time to establish relationships with new city councillors and possibly a new mayor.
The year definitely has been tricky in terms of the union, a couple of months in and we are already two executives down. I hope it starts going forward from here.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I’m looking forward [to] how the by-election will go. I wish the best of luck to the rest of the candidates.
May the best candidate win.
Harisharn Bahra
Why have you chosen to run for this position?
Most of my advocacy in the last few years [have] centred on improving education, from working with the Manitoba Student Advisory Council to being deeply involved in Youth Parliament Manitoba and advising politicians on policy as a non-partisan advocate. These experiences have given me a strong understanding of how policy is developed, how government operates and how to build relationships with the people responsible for making decisions.
I’m running for VPEA because I want to bring that experience to UMSU. I’ve spent years advocating for students and navigating stakeholder relationships, and I want to put that experience toward issues that directly affect U of M students.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be voted into office? What are your top three concerns potentially going into this role?
- Transportation affordability and reliability. With the U-Pass up for renewal, I want to push for our rates to not increase with the increasing cost of living. UMSU’s previously cited survey found that 98 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with how transit was being handled. I want to see that concern translated into meaningful advocacy, including supporting an autonomous transit committee that keeps student experiences at the centre of the conversation, and possibly advocating for other transit-related subsidies with the government that we can bring in for our students.
- Better access to student support. I want to strengthen advocacy around international students’ healthcare access and improve communication between UMSU, CASA and the student body. This primarily means making students more aware of existing grants, bursaries and other resources. Advocacy should address systemic gaps while ensuring students can access the support already available to them.
- More visible, effective advocacy. I want to expand non-partisan voter and civic education ahead of provincial elections, helping students understand how government decisions affect their lives. More broadly, I want students to have a clearer picture of what UMSU is advocating for on their behalf. Not every outcome is within our control, but consistent engagement should be.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Beyond my work in policy and advocacy, I’ve spent my time at U of M serving as president of 5SA, after previously serving as its vice-president external affairs; founding and leading UNICEF on campus; and working as academic programmer for the Faculty of Arts Student Body Council. With my work related to UNICEF, I’ve also served as the first representative for UNICEF Canada to the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation. These roles have given me a direct understanding of what the needs of students are in the university, alongside my experience managing stakeholder relationships and engaging with decision-makers at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.
I recognize that this position has basically been left vacant for two consecutive terms. I wouldn’t be entering this role as someone who needs to learn the basics of stakeholder engagement or government relations, and advocacy overall. I’ve already been working in these spaces for years now, and I’m ready to hit the ground running, and give this portfolio the consistency it requires.
Ultimately, I want students to feel that their concerns are worth bringing forward, regardless of how big or small they might seem. At the end of the day, this position isn’t about having a title or a seat at the table for the sake of it. It’s about making sure students have someone willing to use that seat meaningfully.
—
Vice-president finance and operations (VPFO) candidates
Aisha Bourdanne
Why have you chosen to run for this position?
I am running for VPFO because I believe financial management should directly improve students’ lives. I want to promote student affordability, sustainable financing and meaningful advocacy for student needs. Through my experience as an independent financial advisor, I hope to bring a practical, financially responsible approach to UMSU.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be voted into office?
I hope to explore practical ways to reduce students’ expenses and food waste and advance sustainable financial reporting that considers UMSU’s environmental and social impacts. My wish is to ensure that students are able to save money, while ensuring that the money they have invested in their journey at U of M is making an impact in and out of campus. Additionally, I wish to partake in ongoing advocacy for student affordability, including U-Pass flexibility, international student healthcare and any form of advocacy with the intention of benefitting students’ lives on our campus.
What are your top three concerns potentially going into this role?
My main concern is that this is an unorthodox election taking place midway through the academic year, when an established dynamic already exists between students, the university and UMSU. Students need leadership that builds on the policies and objectives they voted for last year without jeopardizing their progress or commitments. At the same time, there is room to introduce original, practical initiatives that respond to students’ evolving needs, particularly in student affordability, sustainable financing and advocacy that protects and advances students’ interests.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
If elected, I will be an active and present part of campus life, dedicating my time and energy to listening to students, understanding their concerns, and ensuring their voices are represented. I recognize that this byelection comes at an unconventional point in the academic year, and I am committed to respecting the objectives students voted for last year while building on work already underway.
My priority will be to remain accessible, accountable and engaged throughout my term, ensuring students’ needs continue to guide my decisions and actions.
Isham Singh
Why have you chosen to run for this position? What do you hope to accomplish should you be voted in to office?
I am running for VPFO to dismantle the bureaucratic roadblocks that prevent UMSU from effectively supporting students. Over my years on campus volunteering for multiple organizations, I have heard the phrase “UMSU can’t do that” hundreds of times. I am running because I refuse to accept that answer.
My background teaches me to view systemic inefficiencies not as permanent rules, but as design flaws that need fixing. I hope through my role I can help students focus on their education and student life. I would like to allocate resources into tangible, community-driven operational support. My focus is on financial literacy, and I want to deploy practical financial programming covering real-world necessities. The biggest concern for me is a defeatist, “not our job” culture that has historically plagued operations. Breaking through this bureaucratic stagnation to pivot toward creative financial avenues will be the most critical challenge
