The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) will hold a non-binding referendum on its membership in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) as well as a byelection for vacant council positions from Oct. 17 to 19.
The CFS is a Canada-wide union of university and college student unions that advocates on behalf of students to provincial and federal governments. The CFS represents 62 student unions, serving a total of 530,000 students. Both CUSA and Carleton’s Graduate Students’ Association are members of the CFS.
Similarly to CUSA, CFS campaigns include addressing sexual violence, mental health, equity and academic support on campuses.
Davin Caratao, CUSA vice-president (internal), told the Charlatan CUSA hopes to send a message to the CFS with this referendum, even if it is non-binding.
“The non-binding referendum isn’t just a way to gauge students’ pulse on the CFS, its existence is a protest against the rules [of the CFS],” he said. “It tells the CFS ‘we‘re dissatisfied with the rules that you’ve laid down.’”
Although the referendum will not actually affect CUSA’s membership in the union, the student association’s council unanimously voted to endorse leaving the union during its Sept. 26 meeting, alleging that it no longer serves students and is undemocratic.
In September 2017, CUSA began campaigning to leave the CFS. In October 2018, the CFS called for a referendum, but 52 per cent of Carleton undergraduate students voted in favour of remaining in the union.
Under CFS bylaws, members of the union cannot petition to leave if another referendum was held within five years. Since an official referendum cannot be held until October 2023, this year’s referendum will be non-binding, Caratao said.
“The five year requirement is incredibly restrictive,” he said. “It basically ensures nobody on campus remembers the last one. It’s unfair.”
Mitra Yakubi, chairperson of CFS Ontario, told the Charlatan the five year requirement is there so the same group of students don’t have to make the same decision twice.
Concerns with the CFS
CUSA’s 2021-2022 ad-hoc ancillary fee reform committee identified the CFS as the fee group least beneficial for students at the cost paid in their final report of the year.
Every student represented by the CFS pays $18.18 per year to the CFS. That amounts to a total of over $550,000 in total paid by Carleton students, the motion read.
Former and current CUSA executives have accused the CFS of making leaving the union difficult and complicated.
In order to leave the union, 15 per cent of students on campus must first sign a petition and deliver it to the CFS through registered mail, according to CFS bylaws. The CFS’ national executive then decides whether to approve and schedule a referendum.
Once a referendum has been approved, 10 per cent of students must vote, either through mail-in ballots or at polling stations—not online—for it to be valid.
Yakubi said online voting is not an option despite the COVID-19 pandemic due to concerns of fraud and voter confidentiality.
“In 2021 we took on this mission to be as democratic as possible,” CUSA vice-president (student life) Anshika Srivastava said. “It’s really essential that CUSA council establish relationships with partners that are democratic in nature.”
Caratao also pointed to the CFS’ “one union, one vote” rule as another concern.
Under the rule, CUSA, which represents approximately 27,000 students, has the same number of votes in the CFS as other student unions which represent as few as 1,000 students.
“That speaks to the fact that CFS stacks the deck against us,” Caratao explained. “That’s why we’re having this non-binding referendum.”
Yakubi disagreed and said giving each union one vote ensures every student union, no matter how small, has its voice and priorities heard.
She added CFS bylaws are decided by members at their annual general meetings.
“Member locals, as well as members and delegates are always able to bring up motions and discussions about these processes,” she said.
On the question of CUSA’s place in the CFS, Yakubi emphasized that CUSA cannot hold a binding referendum to leave for another year but said that it’s ultimately up to the students to decide.
“The CFS has a track record of victories,” she said. “Members ultimately get to make the decision … the same way that they did in 2018 when they decided that they’d like to stay with the federation that advocates at the provincial and national level for them,” she said.
Councillor byelection
Alongside the referendum, students will vote for a dozen vacant councillor positions.
Council also passed its new electoral code in its Sept. 26 meeting. Ballots will now have a “re-open nominations” option rather than a “no-confidence” option.
If “re-open nominations” receives a simple majority vote in the upcoming councillor election, no councillor candidates will be declared winners of the election, and nominations will be reopened.
Council is scheduled to reconvene on Nov. 7.
Featured image by Anya Swettenham.
