Canadian Federation of Students Attempts to Withhold the Truth
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Friday, November 16, 2007
Surrey, BC — The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) has condemned the decision of the National Executive of the Canadian Federation of Students to excise a resolution submitted by the KSA from the agenda of the upcoming National General Meeting of the national student organisation. The resolution detailed the history of the Federation's questionable involvement in the affairs of the Douglas Students' Union over the past three years, and criticized the failure of the Federation's leadership to disclose these activities to its membership. The KSA considers this decision to be only the latest of a series of attempts by the Federation's leadership to systematically cover up their irresponsible and secretive actions in this case, and to avoid accountability to the Federation's membership.
The resolution noted that the national and British Columbia branches of the organisation lent over $600,000 to the Douglas Students' Union in 2005, despite the fact that the Union had not produced financial statements for four years. A forensic audit commissioned by the Union found evidence that the Union was suffering “gross financial mismanagement,” and that substantial responsibility for this mismanagement laid with the Union's then Finance and Services Coordinator, Joey Hansen. The resolution also noted that these loans were not properly authorized (either by the Union or by the Federation), were not secured, and were not disclosed to the membership in a timely or accurate fashion.
In addition, the resolution noted that Federation legal counsel moved to appoint Marne Jensen, the general manager of the University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS) as the Receiver-Manager of the Union, “despite her full-time job on Vancouver Island and her lack of professional qualifications as an accountant.” The Federation's May 2007 National Executive Report did not disclose this decision to the membership.
Despite the significance of the issues raised in the resolution and the increasing coverage of this issue in the media, the National Executive decided to not include this resolution in the agenda of the upcoming National General Meeting, which will be meeting November 20 – 25, 2007, in Gatineau, Québec. In a brief phone conversation with Amanda Aziz, National Chairperson of the Federation, the KSA was informed that the resolution was not included on the grounds that it included “false statements” and that it was “out of order.”
Representatives of the KSA scheduled a follow-up conversation with Ms. Aziz for Thursday, November 15, so that she could explain exactly how this resolution was “false” or “out of order.” However, this conversation did not take place; the KSA was informed at various times during the day that she was attending a coalition meeting, was on the phone, or was asleep. The KSA delegation is now planning to meet with Ms. Aziz on Tuesday, November 20 — the day before the Opening Plenary of the National General Meeting.
This is not the first time that attempts to hold the Federation accountable for its actions have been obstructed. The British Columbia component of the organisation has consistently misinformed its members as to the financial state of the Douglas Students' Union and the security of the loans made by the Federation. Journalists that have covered this issue have faced a barrage of threats by the Federation's legal counsel.
In contrast to the Douglas resolution, the National Executive has let stand on the agenda a resolution from the Ryerson Students' Union that accuses Israel of being 'an Apartheid State.' Responding to an interview in Maclean's magazine, Amanda Aziz was quoted as saying “The motion was put on the agenda by a member and it would be inappropriate of the national executive of the CFS to comment on a matter that is for the membership to decide.”
“The primary reason why we put this resolution forward is to create a history for the membership” said Laura Anderson, KSA Chairperson. “It is ironic and extremely unfortunate that the National Executive would censor this resolution.”
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The Kwantlen University College Student Association claims to represent over 17,000 students enrolled at four Greater Vancouver campuses of Kwantlen University College.
The resolution originally submitted by the Kwantlen Student Association is attached.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Anderson, Chairperson and Director of External Affairs
778-386-7684 (cell) or external@kusa.ca (email)
Titus Gregory, Policy Analyst
778-869-9717 (cell) or titus.gregory@kusa.ca (email)