Re: Your Carleton appeals Change decision March 3-9, 2016
The last student election was a different election. In a record turnout, two thirds of students rejected Your Carleton’s brand of divisive, special-interest-centred politics. And yet, instead of listening to the voices of the thousands of students who opposed their agenda, and instead of reaching out to those who voted against them in order to create a more united campus, Your Carleton has decided to attack the very foundations of democracy in this university. They are attempting to silence the voices of thousands of students through continued frivolous electoral appeals designed to disqualify Ashley Courchene.
We were treated to Craig Handy, the current CUSA vice president (finance) and Your Carleton campaign manager, making serious and unsubstantiated allegations regarding tampering of evidence before an electoral tribunal. And yet, Handy seemed unable, in that article, to muster a single piece of hard evidence to back up his own allegations. Idle talk of backtracking, intimidation, and tampering is serious and to make such statements without any hard evidence is incredibly irresponsible. In my opinion, it seems as if Handy was simply trying to justify an unjustifiable appeal.
Why is Your Carleton so eager to appeal the reinstatement of Courchene to the constitutional board? The answer perhaps lies in how biased the members of the constitutional board may be. The sad thing is the constitutional board is not an impartial tribunal, indeed, it is a tribunal which makes a mockery out of tribunals. Just imagine, for a second, a tribunal where four out of six members were forced to resign because of conflicts of interest. Just think about the fact that, even after four of the members of this board have resigned, individuals such as the current fundraising and sponsorship coordinator for CUSA, an individual who reports directly to Handy, still sit on the board. The fact that more than half of the members of the constitutional board had to resign because they felt they were in conflicts of interest just goes to show how much of a gong show the constitutional board has become.
How can anyone believe such a board will give a fair hearing to Courchene?
As a CUSA councillor, I spent two years trying to improve democratic engagement and processes in our student association. I am among many students who are sick and tired of the contempt which Your Carleton has for the average voter in this university. Your Carleton seems to think control of student government is its birthright, and is therefore determined to silence the voices of the thousands of students who oppose it. I, for one, will not be silenced. As someone who aspires to be a lawyer, I cannot sit idly by whilst such a potential travesty of justice takes place.
Our association needs change, and Your Carleton needs to respect the will of the people.
