Darin Poorman speaks at the FSIN forum held in the Arts Building on Oct. 18.

On Oct. 18, the Indigenous Students’ Council held a forum in the Arts Building for candidates running for executive positions in the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations election, which will happen on Oct. 25 at TCU Place.

Hosted in conjunction with the Political Studies Students’ Association, the event welcomed students and community members alike to ask questions and hear from the seven candidates running in the election.

The forum allowed the candidates for Chief, Bobby Cameron and Delbert Wapass; first vice-chief, Morley Watson and Darin Poorman; and third vice-chief, Edward ‘Dutch’ Lerat, Corey Bugler and Christine Jack, to speak about their prospective goals for office, if elected, and answer questions delivered by a moderator and from the audience.

In his opening comments, Wappas praised the ISC for hosting the event, stating that input from Indigenous youth can often be lacking in the FSIN.

Darin Poorman shakes hands at the FSIN forum held in the Arts Building on Oct. 18

“Our youth are important, and yet, we never go back to our youth, and we never talk to them in regards to what they think and how they feel and where they feel that the [FSIN] should be going,” Wapass said.

When asked about how the candidates would support the ISC in their aim to develop an Indigenous Students’ Union, Bugler stated that the FSIN should do what they can to support this initiative.

“An Aboriginal union is another voice. It’s another way for us to hear our concerns… Our university students need to be heard,” Bugler said. “When you get here in your first year, … you’re in this new place, you don’t know what’s going on [and] you have to find connections with other people — and that’s where these unions come in place… We will stand with you. We’ll do everything we can, as the FSIN, to support you.”

The candidates elected into the three executive positions will hold office until 2021.

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Tanner Bayne / News Editor

Photos: Riley Deacon / Photo Editor