Conservatives Interfering with York Student's Elections

OMG, I don't believe this... it is disgusting and patronizing and fundamentally undemocratic

TORONTO, July 6 /CNW/ - Emails secured through a recent Freedom ofInformation request revealed that Conservative MP Peter Kent, MPP PeterShurman, and senior York University administrators were interfering in thisyear's general elections of the York Federation of Students (YFS). During theelections, Robert Tiffin, York University's Vice-President Students, warnedthe students' union not to disqualify candidates who were caught violating theelections rules because the University and members of Parliament "werewatching the election closely." MP Peter Kent was later found to have assigneda key staff member to intervene in the election on behalf of a team ofcandidates. Both politicians appeared to ask if York would throw out theresults, despite no evidence of wrongdoing or any authority to do so.

"The student elections were run in a fair and democratic manner and inaccordance with our bylaws," said Krisna Saravanamuttu, President of the York Federation of Students (YFS). "The York Administration and members of the Conservative Party have no right or authority to interfere in the elections ofthe students' union simply because they disagree with student criticisms oftheir policies." Campus students' unions, like the York Federation of Students, are autonomous non-profit corporations that are run by and for students and whichare independent of their campus administrations. Students' unions exist toprovide services for students and a voice for students to lobbydecision-makers on issues that affect them. "The York Federation of Students is accountable only to the 44,000undergraduate students at York University and the Ontario courts," said Saravanamuttu. "University administrators and Conservative politicians interfering in student elections is like an employer attempting to select union representatives. Their objective in silencing opposition is quite obvious here."

The emails uncovered through an access to information request revealedpersistent inquires from key political staff on behalf of Conservative MPP Shurman and MP Kent about the results of the York student elections and arepart of a growing body of evidence that the federal and provincial Conservative Parties are attempting to undermine democratic student decision-making. Earlier this year, Conservative MP Peter Braid was secretly recorded addressing students in Waterloo as part of a day-long workshop designed to counsel Conservative students on how to set up front groups on campuses to siphon away money intended for student activities in order to advance the Party's agenda under false pretenses. "Students have the democratic right to choose their own representatives without the university administration and the Conservative Party interference," says Saravanamuttu. "I think tax-payers would be pretty shocked to learn that their money is being used in this way."

The York Federation of Students represents over 44,000 undergraduate students at York University and is a member of the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario.