The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) is alleging that the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) has an advantage in the upcoming referendum that will decide whether the association can defederate from the federation.
The CFS is an organization dedicated to lobbying the federal and provincial government on student issues. Each Carleton undergraduate student pays $16.74 to the CFS annually, totalling just over $440,000 per year.
This year’s defederation attempt from CUSA follows frustration over a perceived lack of transparency from the CFS, as has been previously reported by the Charlatan.
CUSA, which offers some of the same services as the CFS, such as health and dental insurance, has argued they can save students money by discontinuing membership.
David Oladejo, CUSA president, said the CFS has an advantage in the referendum because its bylaws allow for executives from other student unions to campaign on Carleton’s campus.
Oladejo said he saw a student union executive from the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) on campus campaigning on behalf of the CFS, adding non-Carleton students should not be allowed to campaign against Carleton students.
“I just think it’s a bit outrageous that there isn’t a focus on having Carleton students campaigning to stay in, and it’s pretty much outsiders who are primarily campaigning to stay,” he said. “I think it’s a little bit absurd to assume that students from other schools know what’s best for students at this school.”
Jade Peek, national deputy chairperson for the CFS, said the organization uses campaigners from outside Carleton because “it doesn’t just help Carleton students . . . it’s a national students’ movement.”
According to CFS-Ontario chair Nour Alideeb, the UTM executive on campus serves as the CFS’ Queer and Trans Constituency Group Commissioner which is why they are at Carleton.
Oladejo also raised concerns that the CFS might be paying for executives from other student unions to travel and stay in Ottawa during the campaign period. Peek confirmed that the CFS provides monetary support for some students who want to travel to Carleton to campaign for the CFS.
“Obviously the CFS has provided some support as well, because they are coming out and representing the CFS,” she said. “There are some accommodations that are provided for students.”
But, Peek added, many CFS volunteers drive themselves to Ottawa and stay with friends, and some have arranged for accommodations through Airbnb.
Alideeb said so far during this campaign period, the CFS has only paid to fly out CFS national executives.
According to Oladejo, CUSA budgeted $6,000 for its “CU Later CFS” campaign under “Special Projects” for the president and vice-president (finance). A copy of the budget can be found on CUSA’s website.
He added that CUSA cannot afford to pay campaigners to travel to Carleton.
The CFS budgeted $40,000 for all membership drives and referenda, per its 2018-19 budget. The budget can be accessed on the group’s website.
Alideeb said the only CFS referendum taking place so far this year is at Carleton.
Oladejo also took issue with the referendum being held during midterms and right before reading week.
Initially, CUSA requested Nov. 19-23 to hold the referendum, he said. However, the CFS denied the request, because its annual general meeting is scheduled for the same month.
Instead, on Sept. 28, CUSA received confirmation that the campaign period for the referendum would begin on Oct. 8, giving them 10 days to prepare.
“To have [the referendum] moved up a month and a half at the last second was definitely something that caught us off guard, and I think was a tactic that the CFS used,” Oladejo said.
He encouraged students to stay informed and hear both sides of the argument, to determine if they should support defederation or continued membership.
“I’m never going to say that fighting against racism is bad or fighting against Islamophobia or homophobia is bad,” Oladejo said. “But, it’s more than that. It’s about where fees are going, it’s about being transparent and being an organization that is excellent.”
Advocates for both the CFS and CUSA have been on campus since the campaign period began on Oct. 8.
According to the CFS’ bylaws, CUSA is required to have a voter turnout of at least 10 per cent of the undergraduate population to validate the referendum—roughly about 2,600 students out of Carleton’s 26,321 undergraduates. Fifty-one per cent of the voter turnout, must vote “no” on the referendum in order for CUSA to defederate.
Undergraduate students can vote “yes” or “no” on the continuation of CUSA’s membership with the CFS at the referendum Oct. 17-19.
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