Mars’ Hill Interviews The Conservative Club
Jackson Letsche
An interview with Elijah Nikiforuk, vice-president of the Conservative Club.
Mars’ Hill: What is the Conservative Club?
Elijah Nikiforuk: We are a club that seeks to represent Conservative voices on campus. That is what our core mission boils down to. However, we are different than other politically-oriented campus clubs elsewhere, because our goal isn’t to foster a conservative echo chamber here at TWU, but rather to provide a safe place for all students who want to engage in informed dialogue that is grounded first-and-foremost in our Christian values of love, understanding and compassion. The club comes with no agenda from Ottawa—we have the freedom to talk about what the student-body finds valuable or important. It’s important to note that the club is run by students, for students.
We are excited about the future, especially since the Conservative Party is currently the largest political party in the history of Canada. And so, with such a rising demographic (particularly amongst younger Canadians), it’s understandable that such a prominent group would be represented here on campus.
MH: What is your role in the club?
EN: My role is vice-president. I just try my best to put forward good ideas when an opportunity presents itself, but largely, I help [to] make sure that events run smoothly and I assist the rest of the executive staff. The final say, and the trajectory our club takes, is determined by our President, Isaac Bryd.
MH: What does the Conservative Club do?
EN: There are two sides to it: first, there is the work that we do on campus (i.e. putting on events and representing a significant percentage of the student body); second, there is the work regarding networking with the Conservative Party itself. This includes connecting with Members of Parliament in Ottawa, local candidates here in B.C., and engaging with others that are intimately familiar with Canada’s political system.
We talk about ideas that are of interest to [TWU] students, as well as the future of young people in general. Topics like housing, how to tackle issues of affordability (especially for young families), and the future of faith in Canada are foremost in our minds.
MH: What does a typical meeting look like?
EN: Students arrive…we make sure to have plenty of free food. Hospitality is very important to us as a club. It’s a core principle because we believe food helps facilitate good discussions. We then get into the meeting, starting with our president, Isaac Byrd, who usually gives a comprehensive introduction of our special guest for the evening.
The guest can be anyone from a representative of an Electoral District Association, to a former MP, [to] an active political strategist. The special guest will then deliver their remarks—whether that comes in the form of a speech or presentation—which leads into an open discussion. Regardless of one’s personal political affiliation, anyone is welcome to participate.
After our discussion, the meeting breaks into a social time, where people talk amongst themselves, get more food, and have an opportunity to dialogue more with the special guest on their own. Attendees [can] ask any specific questions that the discussion may have brought up and then the evening wraps up from there.
MH: What’s unique about the Conservative club?
EN: Before the club got formally ratified (which was a very long process), Isaac and I discussed ideas at the Conservative Party’s National Convention in Quebec City this September. When we were getting ready to head back to B.C., Isaac suggested that we pursue creating a Conservative Club at TWU. We wanted a politically-oriented club that meets students where they are at, regardless of their degree or political leanings, and engages them in some of the most important and prevalent issues that our generation faces. [These] include affordability, national security, and the state of our country’s unity. Simply put, a club that asks students: “Where are we, as a country, currently? Where do we want to go? And how do we plan on getting there together?” A club that can provide that space for students is unique and [is] one that we are excited to invest in and grow over the coming years.