Having read Lisa’s recent endorsement of Shannon, I figure that I might as well offer my thoughts as well. Though we entered Dalhousie at roughly the same time (she in ’02, and I in ’03), I think that it is fair to say that Lisa and I are coming from opposite ends of the DSU spectrum. She has the perspective of the ultimate insider, while I am something of an informed outsider. As such, I think that we can each offer readers points of view worth considering on the path to making their own personal decisions as to who would best lead the union.
After much deliberation over the last week, I’ve come to the decision that I will be voting Eric Snow for DSU president. I’ve had my suspicions for some time that this would likely be the case, but his decisive actions over the last twenty-four hours have sealed the deal, so to speak. I’ll elaborate, and I’ll even keep the butterfly related jokes to a minimum.
There’s no question as to whether Eric is technically qualified for the job – he is a ridiculously experienced brainiac who knows the constitution inside out and upside down. When I first began covering council meetings so that I could write DSU related articles for the Gazette, everyone pointed me in Eric’s direction whenever I had questions about the technical details of a particular debate or issue. Often I would send him a seemingly innocuous question, only to get back an astoundingly thorough reply that answered not only the initial question, but every conceivable follow up. Eric is the kind of guy who takes the time to read and actively question every document that passes before him, no matter how trivial or important. It is also worth mentioning that he never once asked me to put in a good word for him in any of my articles, or even acknowledge the invaluable help he provided. He was always just happy to do his part to help others access the often-impenetrable world of DSU insider politics.
Eric’s eagerness to involve outsiders in the DSU political process has always impressed me. From the moment I first started asking him questions about council and its related issues, Eric encouraged my interest at every turn. At one point he even convinced me to serve as an ANSSA student ambassador, convincing me that the position was meant for new faces, and that an outsider’s perspective would provide exactly the sort of fresh feedback that ANSSA was looking for. He also correctly suggested that by attending the conference, I would gain a better understanding of the issues facing students, and would thus be able to do a better job of bridging the gap between the readers of my articles and their representatives. I’ve always harped on about the fact that DSU politicians need to reach out to the student population in an active way, rather than passively waiting around for the students to come to them. Eric has demonstrated that he has both the will to do so, and the understanding of how to go about it.
What has impressed me most about Eric, however, is his willingness to stick his neck out and do what is right. His behaviour over the last few days has only confirmed the impression that I’ve had of him since the first night I sat in on a council meeting. Eric is the kind of guy who makes his opinions absolutely clear when he spots a problem with something, and with his keen attention to detail, it is impossible to slip anything past him. He asks the tough questions, even when fellow councillors shoot him daggers for drawing out council meetings, and if something isn’t up to code it will not get his vote. If Carleton University’s student union had an Eric Snow on their council, that whole Shinearama disaster during the fall semester never would have gotten off the ground.
Over the last few days Eric has come out with clear and typically honest policy statements on the NSPIRG issue, knowingly making himself a target – even a focal point – for hatred. He did this in the middle of an election campaign…unilaterally. How many other legitimate DSU presidential candidates in recent years have dared to take such a potentially controversial stand on a hot-button issue? Eric broke the mould because that is just the way he is – if he sees a problem, he is compelled to set it right, and if that means pissing off those who are somehow acting in a manner contrary the best interests of students, then so be it.
None of this is to suggest anything ill of the other two candidates. Greg has run a surprisingly strong campaign this year (aside from slandering potential voters at the AGM), and Shannon is both personable and as ridiculously qualified as Eric in most technical respects. I’m not joining “Team Snow” anytime soon, you won’t see me sporting one of those blue snowflake shirts at the debate tomorrow night, and I won’t give him a free pass if he says or does anything worth mocking over the next few days. That said, I will be voting for him (unless he transforms into Sauron at the podium during the presidential debate tonight – and even still, that would be pretty cool,) and I thought that perhaps detailing my thought process would make an interesting counterbalance to Lisa’s perspective on Shannon.
In conclusion…let the Hillman bump ensue.
I’m not quite as brave as John or Lisa, so I won’t publicly wade into the bare-knuckled rumble that is the Snow-Zimmerman presidential race. I would, however, like to offer my opinion on one of the races a little further down the ballot.
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