The CNW news release is entitled Conservative Politicians and York University Administrators Revealed Interfering in York Student Elections and it kicks off with:
TORONTO, July 6 /CNW/ - Emails secured through a recent Freedom of Information request revealed that Conservative MP Peter Kent, MPP Peter Shurman, and senior York University administrators were interfering in this year's general elections of the York Federation of Students (YFS).
That sounds a bit overblown to me. Picking quickly though the .pdf, it looks like a number of Jewish or perhaps pro-Israeli candidates raised several issues re the "badly flawed electoral process" employed during the 2009 York student elections with MP Peter Kent and MPP Peter Shurman. In response, they made some inquiries with Robert Tiffin, York University's Vice-President of Students, and that's about as far as it went. No results were overturned.
Weird though the Tories are that obsessed with goings-on at York.
I don't think it's a problem if anyone was concerned about proper voting procedures being followed. But for a Minister of the Crown and an elected MPP to be so heavily involved in student politics to me is unprecedented.
ReplyDeleteGood post BCL..
ReplyDeleteI've read through it as well.. and you're correct. It appears that there were complaints of improper conduct by the YFS themselves in conducting the elections..
To read the article you would think the position of YFS is:
"If you think that we are participating in election fraud, well, we're accountable to no one but, well, us. And the government who funds this institution and the administration who oversees it have no business in responding to complaints MADE TO THEM regarding the electoral process."
BTW.. you might recall YFS as the group who withdrew funding for Pro-Life group.. and who also, apparently, "interfered" with student union elections at Ryerson University.. perhaps as part of a broader CFS agenda to secure support of "their" candidates in cross-Canada University Student Union elections.
According to the York University paper, "Excaliber", today, "A leaked CFS internal document revealed the national student union’s “war plan,” which included picking up the tab to fly in sympathetic student executives from more than 30 universities across the country to those three universities in British Columbia in order to campaign on behalf of the CFS. It also included plans to field candidates loyal to the CFS in student elections across the country.
Oh.. btw, as reported in the University of Ottawa "Fulcrum", also today..
"IN LESS THAN two days, more than 2,500 students at Toronto’s York University signed a petition to drop their students’ union.
The campaign is aimed at impeaching the five executive members of the York Federation of Students (YFS)."
I seem to recall something about people in glass houses YFC..
Weird though the Tories are that obsessed with goings-on at York.
ReplyDeleteNot so weird. Look at all the hay Rob can make from it.
It's all part of the Tory campaign to get 'em while they're young. Apparently, they think *everyone's* political sensibilities are fixed between grade 9 and the end of undergrad, because that's how they developed theirs. That's why their politics are so juvenile.
..correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen anything coming from the Conservatives suggesting that they were seeking publicity from their marginal involvement, in fact, it's only as a result of the Freedom of Information requests by YSF and THEIR ranting that the issue has been brought to the fore..
ReplyDeleteI think BCL makes the point reasonably well.. and I might ad that if any Liberal MP were approached, I would guess, they would do much the same.. so I don't really see it as too much of a partisan issue as an issue that seems to be more rooted in some student unhappiness with the YSF.
..correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen anything coming from the Conservatives suggesting that they were seeking publicity from their marginal involvement.
ReplyDeleteThat's to be expected. The last thing they want is publicity.
The Conservatives have been sliming their way into student politics for a while now, the latest incident being this this travesty.
Oh PUHLEEZ TG.. anyone who has attended university in this Country understands the stragle-hold that the NDP and to a lesser extent, the Liberals have on our campuses.. so, the notion that the Tories are "sliming" their way in is a little bit amusing.
ReplyDelete..I mean, witness the neverending number of NDP candidates who are University Professors.. it's staggering. And I've been there, in the classroom listening to their virulent anti-capitalist propoganda.. so, pardon me while I throw up in my mouth a little bit upon hearing how those evil Conservatives are weaseling their way into the Universities.
You're overdosing on the foreign culture war again, Rob. Stop watching so much American teevee.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've been there, in the classroom listening to their virulent anti-capitalist propoganda (sic).
Evidence, please. School, year, course, general nature of the discussion and the assertions that could be considered anti-capitalist.
And don't lie. You know I can always tell.
Not only Kent and Shurman, but Tiffin also has no status to interfere in YFS elections. The YFS is an autonomous corporation, legally, and no on-campus (or off-campus, for that matter) authority can determine whether its bylaws have been followed. Unless they get sued, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteEasiest way to silence a Conservative is to ask for evidence to support a claim.
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