The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) held their second-last council meeting on March 29, and discussed a motion related to a possible defederation campaign from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).
The motion would see the vice-president (finance) outline the amount owed by CUSA to the CFS, and to project the cost of defederation.
CUSA president-elect Zameer Masjedee, who is also the current vice-president (student life), said during this year’s CUSA elections that one of his campaign promises was to run a campaign to defederate from the CFS.
Alhattab raised concerns over projecting numbers.
“[The CFS] never gives you a number and they never say ‘this is what you owe,’ ” he said. “This makes for a very difficult way of actually paying them what they’re owed.”
Because Carleton cannot de-federate until all debts are paid, Alhattab said he believes this is a tactic the CFS is using to keep student unions from leaving. He said his concern is that the CFS would get a hold of CUSA’s projections and use the numbers against them, especially because the money the CFS is requesting is currently being disputed.
He said he worries the CFS might decide CUSA owes them more than what they’re currently asking.
“There’s a bit of debate right now over what is actually owed,” he said. “I would caution for us to outline the specifications of what we think we owe because then its documented.”
Alhattab also mentioned part of the cost projection would include lawyers “to ensure compliance” from the CFS.
Council debated on reading the motion aloud and not distributing it in written form, as Alhattab wanted to keep the motion private. It was eventually decided to table the motion until the next meeting.
Council also voted down a motion that would have added a representative from the Carleton Academic Students Government (CASG).
Engineering and design councillor Julia Dalphy said she didn’t see the value in having a representative for the students that are already represented.
“When you add a seat, it waters down everyone else’s vote,” she said.
Alhattab also said the promised the new bus shelters will be finished by the end of summer 2017 and will contain infrared heating, although they won’t have doors due to the extra cost.
Masjedee said he’s working with Housing & Residence Life in hopes of extending residence move-out days in April. He mentioned that there could be additional cost, such as $20 a room.
Council will meet again on April 5.
– File photo
