Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) president Brittany Smyth confirmed that she has been campaigning for the Students First slate in the York Federation of Students (YFS) elections on York University Keele campus.
Smyth confirmed, March 19, that she was in Toronto.
She said she’d been visiting some friends, but that she’d been on York campus during the day.
“I have a couple of friends that are involved in the election,” she said. “I’ve been kickin’ around and helping a bit.”
Ilan Mann, campaign manager for the York Forward, one of the slates running in the election, confirmed Smyth was campaigning for Students First, an opposing slate.
“One hundred per cent she’s handing out their literature,” Mann said.
When asked about student concern that she may be receiving pay while away from Carleton, Smyth said: “I’m not actually getting paid right now.”
“I’m just here for a couple days,” she said.
Smyth’s office answering machine said she’d be out of the office until March 23.
Executive get two weeks of vacation during their term according to James Pratt, CUSA’s executive director.
Erik Halliwell, CUSA president-elect and current vice-president (student issues) said Smyth “hasn’t taken any time off this year” before now.
Vice-president-elect (student issues) Nick Bergamini said he thought it was inappropriate for Smyth to “interfere” in another school’s student election.
“We elected her to represent us, not to fly off to another university,” he said.
Halliwell said as a fellow executive he didn’t have a problem with Smyth being at York and wasn’t told about it beforehand.
“She was on her vacation time,” he said. “What she does with it is up to her.”
( Video: York student Kriss Bacon )