Seven Candidates, One Room: Inside UPEISU’s Mayoral Mix & Mingle

Somewhere between the free drink tickets and plates of food, the Fox & Crow turned into a campaign trail. On Monday, October 19, two weeks before Charlottetown’s municipal election, the UPEI Student Union (UPEISU) brought all seven mayoral candidates under one roof to hear directly from students.

Philip Brown, Daniel Cousins, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Daniel Mullen, Mitchell Tweel, Cecil Villard, and Amir Zuccolo attended the event, which drew roughly 50 people, including students, with CBC covering the evening. From 7 to 9 PM, attendees enjoyed free food and drinks while speaking directly with candidates about their concerns. Open to the public, the event reflected the non-partisan UPEISU’s commitment to connecting students with those seeking their votes.

Alissa Cyrino, UPEISU’s VP External, described bringing all seven candidates together as “a huge accomplishment.” While unable to comment on individual candidates due to her fiduciary duties, she acknowledged the challenges of youth political engagement, particularly when students “can hardly see their concerns and issues being addressed by the government.” She said the turnout demonstrated that “our student population is interested when they have a chance to be heard and to get involved.” Reflecting on the evening, Cyrino added, “During the mix-and-mingle, the UPEI students showed the city how much they care about the future by being part of it.” She expressed pride in the students and hopes to continue strengthening their voice and representation.

What the Candidates Said

Throughout the evening, The Cadre interviewed all seven candidates. Each was asked a different question about student issues or city operations, and their answers appear below in alphabetical order by last name.

Philip Brown: Asked about his next student-focused initiative if re-elected, Brown said he would continue improving T3 public transit, work on keeping students in the province, and push for attainable housing.

Daniel Cousins: Asked about the biggest challenge facing young people and students, Cousins named the cost of living, tuition, and housing, and said his first step would be building affordable housing.

Anthony Fitzpatrick: Asked about the biggest challenges facing young people and undergraduate students, Fitzpatrick pointed to rent, groceries, and winter transit, and said his first step would be establishing rent control.

Daniel Mullen: Asked about his first policy change to how the city operates, Mullen said he would start with financial transparency in the city’s budgeting, and pledged to build 1,000 affordable housing units.

Mitchell Tweel: Asked what he would change as mayor that he could not on council, Tweel said he wants the city to act on options he has brought forward, and to improve planning so infrastructure keeps pace with population growth.

Cecil Villard: Asked what advice he would give international students hoping to build careers on the Island, Villard said to get involved through volunteering and local and provincial government, and to help educate Islanders about their lifestyles.

Amir Zuccolo: Asked how she would help UPEI students find jobs after graduation, Zuccolo said she would build on the Island’s existing biotech sector and the IT Alliance, rather than relying on traditional industries like fishing and farming.

Charlottetown’s municipal election is on Monday, November 2. The last advance poll is Saturday, October 31, and voting information is available at electionspei.ca.