Welcome to The Griff’s coverage of the 2026 SAMU executive committee elections. These profiles aim to present balanced views based on candidate responses, all to help you make an informed decision when casting your vote. And if you’re not currently a MacEwan student, we hope this coverage offers you a window into what’s happening in student politics at the heart of our downtown Edmonton campus. 

Alem Tesfay

After serving MacEwan’s student body as VP Student Life for the 2024-25 school year, Alem Tesfay is back, but this time he’s running for VP External. 

“The interesting thing about student life – it’s actually shifted towards more advocacy in the last few years,” says Tesfay. “I want to bring that experience towards external advocacy because I see some gaps.” 

As vice-president (student life), Tesfay advocated increasing Personal Development Grants (PD Grants) by over 50 per cent. He advocated greater support for programs like SAMU Pantry’s Breakfast Club and for student groups. He also launched an initiative to increase attendance at Griffin’s games. 

However, much of what he has accomplished will be reflected in the upcoming budget that will be approved later this month. 

If re-elected, Tesfay says he plans to build on what he started by taking his initiatives outside the institution. From the municipal level all the way up to the federal level, Tesfay has big plans. 

“Whatever advocacy I do, it is for the best interest of students,” said Tesfay. “For things that can potentially bring students more grants, more bursaries, more assistance for financial aid, and just more awareness for things that they can take advantage of within the city.” 

At the municipal level, he plans to run for the Edmonton Student Alliance, where he will advocate for transit safety and potentially lower the cost of the U-Pass for students. At the provincial level, he plans to advocate for tuition freezes and more mental health support. And at the federal level, he wants to increase the grants available to students, as well as work with MacEwan’s kihêw waciston centre to expand supports for Indigenous students. 

“How is it going to happen? I don’t know, but it’s something I’m passionate about,” Tesfay says. 

While he may still be working on how to advocate at the federal level, one thing in his campaign is clear: none of this is possible without student input. 

“Whatever advocacy I do, it is for the best interest of students,” Tesfay says. 

“For things that can potentially bring students more grants, more bursaries, more assistance for financial aid, and just more awareness for things that they can take advantage of within the city.”

Wilfrid Youbi Fansi

Youbi Fansi’s term as vice-president (external) was busy as he met with representatives and politicians at all three levels of government to advocate for MacEwan students’ needs.

He is the current vice-chair of the Edmonton Student Alliance, the municipal advocacy arm of most higher education students in Edmonton. He has been in the public spotlight, posing for photos with Danielle Smith and Mark Carney at K-Days and the Calgary Stampede, respectively.  Just last week, Youbi Fansi says he spoke to the Edmonton Police Commission about the future police budget just last week.

“You’re doing everything all at once in external, you have to be knowledgeable on a great deal, a variety of things, because at any different time, an opportunity can present itself. You have to be able to be opportunistic and take the opportunities that present themselves to you and find an advocacy win for students.” 

— Wilfrid Youbi Fansi, current SAMU vice-president (external) and re-election hopeful

Yet Youbi Fansi says he tries to raise student concerns that are anything but easygoing in his meetings with policymakers and movers and shakers. Students are in the throes of a cost-of-living crisis. Food insecurity and mental health issues are still concerns, among a myriad of other issues. 

Youbi Fansi says his campaign focuses on three core values: affordability, accountability and opportunity.

Advocacy

“On a day-to-day basis, it’s honestly connection building, research, and ensuring that I’m able to leverage the connection that I have in order to affect change,” he says when describing what his advocacy looks like.

Youbi Fansi says that his advocacy enabled him to find “opportunities to engage with students” and for students to directly engage with the political process, such as when SAMU hosted the mayoral forum last October.

He notes that now-Mayor Andrew Knack, who attended the forum, made many pro-student campaign promises.    

“On a day-to-day basis, it’s honestly connection building, research, and ensuring that I’m able to leverage the connection that I have in order to affect change.” 

—Wilfrid Youbi Fansi, current SAMU vice-president (external) and re-election hopeful

And while he’s usually wearing a suit and tie when he’s on the job, he met with The Griff sporting matching purple cargo pants, sweater, and bonnet—a look that’s on brand for his unique and easygoing personality. 

Youbi Fansi also mentions the Alberta Youth Employment Incentive—a provincial program that incentivizes employers to hire young Albertans—which many have advocated for over the years.  In a video posted to his campaign’s Instagram account, Youbi Fansi says that the program “isn’t doing enough and it isn’t a permanent solution to a systemic problem.”

Initiatives

Youbi Fansi laid out four initiatives he wants to work on if re-elected:

• Advocating for the provincial government to implement a permanent plan to give students job opportunities 
• A newcomer support event in partnership with the city, which would be a conference-type event to introduce newcomers to city services
• Advocating that the Edmonton police allot money to have peace officers partner with social support workers in transit stations
• Advocate for the federal grant limit for full-time students who are in financial need to remain at $4,200 instead of $3,000  

“You’re doing everything all at once in external, you have to be knowledgeable on a great deal, a variety of things, because at any different time, an opportunity can present itself,” Youbi Fansi says.