Conservative Politicians and York University Administrators Revealed Interfering in York Student Elections

    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). During the
elections, Robert Tiffin, York University's Vice-President Students, warned
the students' union not to disqualify candidates who were caught violating the
elections rules because the University and members of Parliament "were
watching the election closely." MP Peter Kent was later found to have assigned
a key staff member to intervene in the election on behalf of a team of
candidates. Both politicians appeared to ask if York would throw out the
results, despite no evidence of wrongdoing or any authority to do so.
    "The student elections were run in a fair and democratic manner and in
accordance with our bylaws," said Krisna Saravanamuttu, President of the York
Federation of Students. "The York Administration and members of the
Conservative Party have no right or authority to interfere in the elections of
the students' union simply because they disagree with student criticisms of
their policies."
    Campus students' unions, like the York Federation of Students, are
autonomous non-profit corporations that are run by and for students and which
are independent of their campus administrations. Students' unions exist to
provide services for students and a voice for students to lobby
decision-makers on issues that affect them.
    "The York Federation of Students is accountable only to the 44,000
undergraduate 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 revealed
persistent inquires from key political staff on behalf of Conservative MPP
Shurman and MP Kent about the results of the York student elections and are
part 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."

    Read the full access to information request here.
http://files.newswire.ca/485/York-FIPPA.pdf

    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.

For further information: Krisna Saravanamuttu, President of the York
Federation of Students: (647) 448-0576, president@yfs.ca