The Because It Matters and the Demand Better platforms, who battled it out for votes in the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) election, will both make up next year’s CUSA executive — a circumstance they said will not get in the way of serving students. The CUSA executive will be made up of four members of the Because It Matters slate and two from the Demand Better side. Although Erik Halliwell, a member of Because it Matters, is the confi rmed presidential candidate winner, Bruce Kyereh-Addo is continuing to appeal his disqualifi cation. “We are here for students. We should be working hard for students and working well together for students,” said Meera Chander, vicepresident (fi nance) elect and a member of the Because It Matters slate.
Chander said she also believes that working for the students is the fi rst priority of CUSA and not any internal relationships. Nick Bergamini, vice-president (student issues) elect and a member of the Demand Better slate, said he sees an opportunity for this mixed executive to improve CUSA. He said mixed views will offer better representation and a healthier environment than one where everyone just agrees all the time. “There may be policy disagreement, but we will work together and reach a consensus,” Bergamini said.
Although the election promises may conflict, Chander said many of the ideas from both sides are intertwined. Bergamini said he shared this sentiment. “If it’s a good idea it’s worth working on, no matter whose it is,” he said. “Every year is a fresh start,” said Brittany Smyth, current CUSA president. The campaign period featured its fair share of intensity with every member of the since-elected executive being cited for an electoral offence and the team-like competition that came with separate platforms.
“We have a job to do, in the election there may have been some competition, but that’s done,” Bergamini said. “Students don’t want to see any bickering.” Cameron McKenzie, vicepresident (internal) elect and a member of the Because It Matters slate, shared Bergamini’s optimistic outlook.
“It’s no problem. We’re a team,” Mackenzie said. He also said he is dedicated to his platform and is willing to push and lobby for everything he brought forward in it. “We have to reach a point where we’re not butting heads,” Bergamini said about policymaking that will take place next year.
“We have to communicate constantly.” Every executive elect has promised a variety of changes in their platforms, but the one that may hit home the most for students are the views on students and OC Transpo after a transit strike hit many around campus hard this winter. Chander said one of her goals is to have students on the transit board so they can have a voice in issues that affect them, while Bergamini voiced his desire to make OC Transpo an essential service to prevent another paralyzing strike.
The mixed executive has until next fall to sift through their differences and as Chander said, “Put students first, because that’s what matters.”