PHOTO: MacEwan Students’ Council VP’s Wilfrid Youbi Fansi and Andrei Santiago pose for a photo with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at the KDays Premier’s breakfast on July 18, 2025. Amanda Erickson/The Griff

SAMU executives met with politicians to discuss student advocacy efforts. 

The Premier’s breakfast ushered in the opening of this year’s KDays last Friday, as the SAMU executive committee took the opportunity to meet with politicians in attendance. 

Vice-president (external) Wilfrid Youbi Fansi and vice-president (governance & finance) Andrei Santiago met with Premier Smith as she served guests breakfast. 

“So the executives being here, we’re really just making sure that students have a face out here, especially when we have politicians like the premier. We have multiple mayoral candidates for the current mayor. We have MLAs coming down,” said Youbi Fansi.

Youbi Fansi noted that while SAMU executives might only get the opportunity to have brief discussions during events, it is important for them to try and influence change by getting across their key messages — such as student affordability and food insecurity issues— to politicians. 

“And I feel like the only question on our minds is, how are these politicians going to ensure that these needs are met, and how can we work with them to make sure that these issues like affordability, food insecurity, all these issues are addressed, and how can we work with them” 

According to Youbi Fansi, SAMU executives have upcoming plans with student advocacy to ensure further engagement with municipal affairs. 

“So making those contacts at these events is really good for ensuring that things move smoothly in that process,” he said. 

Earlier this month, SAMU executives attended the Calgary Stampede. Youbi Fansi was pictured with several politicians such as Prime Minister Mark Carney, Minister of Advanced Education of Alberta Myles McDougall, and Premier Smith. 

“With affordability and student employment being top of mind issues for the students of MacEwan, this was an essential opportunity to make meaningful connections with MPs and MLAs from across the province and country,” Youbi Fansi wrote on Linkedin after the Calgary Stampede.