 |
| CFS executives from Ontario, Roxanne Dubois and Hamid Osman, preparing to sign up students for ISIC cards. |
Since the referendum campaign on membership in the Canadian Federation of Students began at UVic on March 21, CFS executives and staffers from outside UVic–even from outside BC!–have flooded onto campus to campaign for the pro-CFS side. To my knowledge, all campaigners on the anti-CFS side are UVic students.
In the case of CFS campaigners from Ontario, these people have been flown out on the student dime to try to influence the outcome of the vote. The Ontario student union executives are also neglecting their own constituents by abandoning their full-time paid positions for these two weeks.
 |
| Roxanne Dubois, CFS National Chairperson-elect. |
 |
| Hamid Osman, CFS-Ontario National Executive Representative. |
 |
| Sandy Hudson, CFS-Ontario Chairperson. |
 |
| Adam Awad, president of the University of Toronto Student Union. |
 |
| Zach Crispin, CFS-BC Chairperson-elect, with "free" cookies. |
In addition to these photos, we have further evidence of which off-campus CFS members are campaigning at UVic. Former UVSS chair candidate Ryan Levis is hosting a CFS referendum debate on Tuesday. The lineup includes only one current UVic student on the pro-CFS side. All anti-CFS speakers are current UVic students.Speaker: Position / School or home area / UVic student?
Pro-CFS
Shamus Reid: Former CFS-BC Chairperson / BC / Former UVic student
Jeremy Salter: Executive Director of the York Federation of Students / Ontario / Never
Dave Molenhuis: CFS National Chairperson / Ontario / Never
Veronica Harrison: Former UVSS Chairperson / UVic / Yes
Roxanne Dubois: CFS National Chairperson / University of Ottawa / Never
Zach Crispin: CFS-BC Chairperson-elect / Selkirk College / Never
Michael Olson: CFS-BC National Executive Rep / Vancouver Island University / Never
Nimmi Takkar: CFS-BC Chairperson / Vancouver Community College / Never
Anti-CFS
Karina Sangha: UVSS Director-at-Large / UVic / Yes
José Barrios: UVSS Director-at-Large / UVic / Yes
Taylor Entz: Vice-president of the UVic Engineering Student Society / UVic / Yes
Paul Donaldson: None / UVic / Yes
Kelsey Hannan: UVSS Director of Finance / UVic / Yes
David Foster: UVSS Director-at-Large-elect / UVic / Yes
Chris Bordeleau: None / UVic / Yes
Angela Lorenz: None / UVic / Yes
Salter, Takkar, Molenhuis and Reid have also been spotted campaigning extensively around campus. Salter is a senior staff member, not a student–I don't have a figure for his salary but the equivalent position in the UVSS is General Manager Dale Robertson who earns over $80,000 per year. York is a bigger school than UVic so I would expect Salter's salary to be similar or higher.
Creative campaigning
At the beginning of the campaign the CFS had a difficult time getting authorization to book space for their tent due to a new restrictive clubs booking policy. They finally got a space through the UVSS Dogwood club whose constitution allows them to book space for any organization they wish to support. Pro-CFS campaigners also tried setting up tables to sign students up for the International Student Identity Card which they are promoting as a benefit of membership. However, the university found the CFS is not authorized to do vending on campus and they were told to stop. The CFs' next tactic was handing out "free" cookies and hot chocolate (not actually free since your student fees are paying for it.)
Next week we can expect the campaign to intensify leading up to the voting period. Here's where you will be able to vote:
Clearihue 9 am to 8 pm
Engineering Buildings 2 pm to 7 pm (Tuesday/Thursday)
9 am to 2 pm (Wednesday)
Library 9 am - 8 pm
MacLaurin 9 am to 7 pm
SSM 9 am to 7 pm
SUB 9 am to 7 pm
Wright Centre 9 am to 2 pm (Tuesday/Thursday)
2 pm to 7 pm (Wednesday)
CFS Referendum Debate
Tuesday, March 29, Student Union Building Upper Lounge, 4pm to 6pm
I'm pretty sure that both of these people are elected students on the National Executive, so it is not unusual whatsoever that they would be participating in a referendum.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, you took photos of people campaigning in public. You're such a super spy!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is unusual for Foster to secretly take photos of people.
ReplyDeleteI love Hamid!
ReplyDeleteDave is there going to a be anyone recording the debates? I'm going to miss it but want to know what's said.
ReplyDeleteHope the CFS propaganda trolls are enjoying their stay in Victoria, glad the funds are being to good use. Wish someone would fly me across the country to mind other peoples' business.
If trying to keep ones organization strong and united so that you can more effectively shape public policy is not their business I don't know what is...There are many UVIC students involved in this campaign but I for one am happy that people are here to show solidarity for us and to dispel the lies and half truths the NO campaign has been running on for the last two years.
ReplyDeleteUh, Ron, the point isn't that David managed to "Track them down and expose their secret identities." The point is to document it so that 2 years down the road when they say "We never waste any money towards flying people across the country to prevent schools from leaving" that we have photographic evidence of their lies.
ReplyDeleteHey UVIC. Watch those sneaky bastards and their ISIC cards. They're collecting email addresses from students who are signing up for them then emailing them on voting days to tell them to come pick the cards up. When the students arrived they're instructed they have to vote YES to get the card. They target international students who have a weaker grasp on english. They did this in Regina and it was very affective for them. It wasn't until we got a Chinese student to speak with her fellow students did we find out they were doing this. Afterwards I personally sat at polling stations where numerous international students came and asked to change their vote because they were lied too. Unfortunately it was too little too late.
ReplyDeleteHave someone from the NO side at their table the entire time and make certain don't get away with this!
VOTE NO!
@AK
ReplyDeletePlease tell us some of these "lies and half truths".
Hello from Regina. Wow, do those faces look familiar, those were the same people who came to our school during our referendum. From reading some of your reports sounds like they're using the same tactics on you as they used here.
ReplyDeleteWatch out they don't out man you, they are amazing campaigners. One trick they like to do is come up to a no campaigner and engage them in heated debate (ie distracting them) while right behind them another yes campaigner will give away material without interference.
They're good and they have to be because deep down they know the organization is broken but they don't want to lose their jobs in order to fix it.
woah woah woah, AK, are you serious? "effectively shape public policy"? If that's why they want UVic students to stay then why aren't they saying that? In my experience the YES side campaigners avoid the criticism altogether and hand out ISICs and cookies, pretending that it's a huge glorious benefit to being in the CFS.
ReplyDeleteLet's face it, when the UVic kids go to CFS meetings they're not effective for two reasons:
1. When it was pro-CFS board, the UVic kids sat in the back row eating SunChips and knitting and not participating in the debate.
2. When the not-so-pro-CFS board goes to CFS meetings they are shot down almost instantly.
The CFS doesn't represent you, it represents its own self-preserving interests. Which means taking your money and shutting down debate.
not entirely true. Though of course the CFS majority try to guide meetings, I personally have been very critical of the CFS and been able to get my views heard. I guess it depends on how persistent people are. I do not believe in walking out of meetings that are paid for by my constituents to prove a point. I believe in making motions, consistently trying to change things, and overwhelming corrupt officials simply through logic.
ReplyDeleteDavid Foster loves the photos. The shrine in his bedroom would probably freak us all out.
ReplyDeleteGood work, sir. I see you actually got some names right this time...not like last year at this time, where your "blog" was the great proof of the gulf that exists between blogging, bogglng and journalism.
But I'm sure you'd beat the best of us at a game of boggle.
Hey hey, he gave us V-ron and tracy ho in bikinis...for that he has my respect no matter WHAT gets posted.
ReplyDeleteActually, if the NO side had allowed for the approval of the flyers then you would actually hear the details of amazing campaign work that the Federation has done, from winning a National Grant program, to winning tuition freezes in several provinces at various points over the last ten years, from helping to secure interest relief for the first 6 months after graduating on student loans in ontario, to working closely with the Parliamentary committee responsible for International Students work visas to secure off-campus work permits to name just some of the successes. Although students are hardly the most powerful social grouping in society that there have been successes can only be attested to the high profile campaigns the Federation has run to increase the profile of students' issues. I realize most of you deny this and pretend it won't make a difference or that CFS overstates its role and would much rather attribute that to other organizations. But who? CASA worked against the national grant program, and doesn't sit on the Parliamentary committee that oversees international student work issues, nor do provincial organizations lobby for tuition fee freezes or interest relief...in fact in Ontario (where I did two degrees) OUSA was the voice piece for a conservative government and argued for deregulation in the mid 1990s. Only the federation has been consistent advocates.
ReplyDeleteAnd in terms of your false accusations, every claim you make is "proven" by some campus newspaper (which are notorious rumor rags with little journalistic integrity) or one of your friend's blogs. You scoff at the Federation for loaning money to Douglas Students unions so that students wouldn't lose their health and dental program which shows how much you actually care about the real material lives of students who are dependent on their prescriptions and benefits. For some of us, daddies health plan just doesn't exist. You have no legs to stand on because once anyone explains to students your wild accusations they see that the No side are masters of hyperbole and nothing much more.
Why shouldn't people come and express their opinion?
ReplyDeleteI know, I know, its the decision of UVSS undergrads, but for goodness sake, it's a university! It's a public space! Surely that is for the good? Surely we should support the right of all citizens to come partake in a campus that is a free speech space.
Just today I saw some anti-choice folks with a mega phone outside the sub. Pretty sure they weren't students. I completely disagree with their politics. but do I need to say they can't come on campus? some students made their point of view clear -- without disrupting free speech -- by holding a pro-choice banner up in the same area. Yay debate!
I'm afraid you and I will have to agree to disagree on this idea of posting people's pics just for showing up.
So I say to guests from CFS near and far, "we disagree ... and welcome to campus!"
EVERYONE THOSE BASTARDS ARE BEING PAID, THATS RIGHT, PAID TO BE HERE IN AN ORGANIZED FASHION. THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD. THIS IS THE SAME THING AS IF THE US SENT PAID CAMPAIGNERS TO INTEFERE IN THE CANADIAN NATIONAL ELECTION. THE NO SIDES MOTIVATION IS THAT THEY ARE SICK OF BEING SHIT ON BY THIS CORRUPT OGANIZATION. THE YES SIDE CAMPAIGNERS MOTIVATION IS THAT THERE JOBS ARE ON THE LINE. RATHER THAN REFORM THEIR SHITTY ORGANIZATION, THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO PAY PEOPLE TO COME HERE.
ReplyDeletewhoa whoa whoa slow down there buddy. you're generalizing. this isn't a conspiracy, this isn't some evil plot. The fact is, CFS hacks believe they are RIGHT. they aren't doing this specifically for money(that's only one reason), they're also doing this for ideological purposes. The same is with the no side. It's more than just CFS being a terrible group, it's also about diagreeing with their methods.
ReplyDeleteOMG THIS IS A CONSPIRACYYYYYYYY!!!!
ReplyDeleteNice argument @Anonymous 10:56... Last I checked paid campaigners ARE sent out for the Canadian "National" Election. They call them poll cats. It's pretty normal. Chill with the caps, it pretty much just takes away any credibility you may have had :P
@ March 28, 2011 8:13 AM:
ReplyDeleteI can attest to the "yes" side collecting emails while giving out ISIC cards. I got my 'free' ISIC card at a CFS booth about a month ago, and just yesterday I got an email telling me to "Vote Yes" in the referendum. I have never given my email to the yes side, and I know (I hope?) the UVSS would not have given my email to the Yes side without at least providing a similar "Vote No" email.
They used my email, collected for the singular purpose of obtaining an ISIC card, without my permission. Is that not against privacy laws? I checked the ISIC card application when I filled it out, and I'm 99.9% certain there was no fine print about me giving them permission to use my email.
@9:07PM UVSS sent me an email without my permission advocating the NO side. I never gave them my email yet I received it. That said I am a member of both the UVSS and the Canadian Federation of Students, so I think it only fair to hear all sides and perspectives.
ReplyDeleteAK, you are a pathalogical liar.
ReplyDeleteThe UVSS has sent no such e-mails.
Hahahahaha Hamid Osman is wearing a UVic sweater. That's priceless.
ReplyDelete@12:44AM
ReplyDeleteI am a liar? see below. It says I signed up for email yet never did. I don't know exactly how my email address was included in their list but it was.
See below. and looking forward to your apology for your false accusation. But god knows the No side doesn't believe in truth. If you win this referendum it's because you exploited people's worse instincts and mudsling. I am sure you are proud of yourself.
Run by students for students.
CFS Referendum!
A few weeks ago, the Board of Directors of the University of Victoria Student Society endorsed the NO side of the CFS referendum.
Today you will have an important decision to make. The Student Society had to take the CFS to court in order to allow students to have a vote.
Here are the services CFS provides:
The National Student health network- we don’t use.
Ufile- free filing with federal government.
handbook service- we will not be using
website service- we don’t use.
orientation and promotional materials service- we don’t use.
No Side Facebook event. This is an extremely important issue. Please share this event with as many people as possible.
The decision on how to vote is ultimately yours, but the Board of Directors of the UVSS encourages you to Vote No to the CFS on March 29-31st
Keep calm and vote no to CFS
B3: Beer, Bands, and BBQ!
It's the end of the year and you deserve a cold beer, or cider, and some good tunes. From Noon-5:00 this Friday the UVSS will be hosting our annual year-end beer garden. Expect some delicious beer and cider from Big Rock Brewery and awesome live music provided by several of Victoria's local musicians.
Facebook Link
Non-academic Misconduct Policy:
A draft Non-Academic Misconduct Policy has been created by UVIC's Student Affairs department for review by students and other members of the UVIC community. If adopted this policy would be used for all complaints lodged against students for any non-academic misconduct. The UVIC Student Affairs department has requested that students review the draft and provide feedback on the proposed policy.
Please find attached to this email a copy of the draft policy along with the memo that was with the draft when it was sent out to UVIC administrators. Please visit the following link for more info on the policy, and to provide feedback.
http://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/policies/news/
CONNECT WITH US:
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
SHARE THIS EMAIL:
CONTACT US:
University of Victoria Students' Society
Student Union Building, University of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P3
Add us to your address book
view email in browser | unsubscribe | update your profile | forward to a friend
You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive news and alerts from the University of Victoria Students' Society.
Copyright (C) 2011 University of Victoria Students' Society All rights reserved.
UVSS probably has a listserv that they can use to mass email students, and are free to take any side they choose.
ReplyDeleteIf CFS has such a listserv they can use it, but as far as collecting emails for an unrelated purpose? I don't think it's against the law, just insulting.
hahaha...@ 12:44 you don't know me so arguing i am pathological anything is absurd. I posted my email here but seems the junk mail got hold of it. That said, I did receive an email and I have filed a complaint about it. I have the nice HTML file claiming I signed up for notices but I haven't. Maybe the writer of this blog can free my previous post and you can see what i was sent.
ReplyDeleteMy question is so ... Apparently all Cfs campaigners are paid (which is actually untrue ) is Kelsey and jose not going to claim their full wage this month from the uvss? By my count if they did that would make them paid campaigners by the uvic students. Also all this talk about wages and other su's is rather funny last I heard the uvss exec make 27k a year.
ReplyDelete@12:44 Yes the UVSS did send out that email. It was the first, main point of the "newsletter" that they sent out on the 28th. The subject of it was "Year End Updates from the UVSS".
ReplyDeleteso maybe @12:44 is the pathological liar :)
ReplyDelete@ Cpt. Obvious:
ReplyDeleteWhat wage would Jose collect from the UVSS? He has no paid position with the society. Get your facts straight. Kelsey is simply working for a referendum side the board of directors supports. If he was campaigning for a different referendum, say a fee increase for clubs, and it was supported by the board then would that be a problem? He is actually doing his job.
Are they taking the ballots back to Ontario to be "counted"?
ReplyDelete