volume xcviii number 26 the official student newspaper at the university of www.thegatewayonline.ca thursday, 10 january, 2008 Province threatens Cournoyer Stelmach laywer sparks spat over domain name

Ryan Heise Deputy News Editor

As politicians increasingly use the Internet to campaign and get their messages out, U of A student Dave Cournoyer is facing a possible lawsuit after registering the domain name of the Alberta Premier. A letter from the -based law firm Walsh Williams Creighton, which represents Alberta Premier , was issued to Cournoyer, sam brooks threatening him with legal action MOM—SEND MORE MONEY GSA President Julie Charchun, U of A Residence Halls Association President Peter Ochs, and SU President Michael Janz phone home regarding ownership of the URL during the Left Out in the Cold event at the Lister ice rink yesterday. The campus leaders were protesting the proposed 8.7 rent increase and 4.6 per cent tuition hike. www.edstelmach.ca. Cournoyer, currently a fourth-year Arts student and last year’s Students’ Union Vice-President (External), registered the domain name for $14 Controversy surrounds firing of CJSR manager in April of last year, roughly four months after Stelmach was appointed Natalie Climenh aga lot of good getting support for each Premier. Senior News Editor other,” Shuchuk said, adding that “In April 2007—about eight to he “never could have foreseen” the ten months after [Stelmach] decided Daryl Richel was surprised when his request for the volunteer list having to run for the PC leadership, and contract as CJSR’s program manager this result. about 13 years after he became a wasn’t extended; however, that sur- CJSR staff have been unable to politician—he still hadn’t registered prise was soon to be overshadowed comment officially on these events, the domain name Edstelmach.ca,” when he was fired two weeks before and while the First Alberta Campus Cournoyer explained, adding that he his last scheduled day of work. Radio Association (FACRA) Board was “shocked” when he realized that Richel had reapplied for the posi- of Directors is currently handling all the URL was still available. tion of program manager at the end of official communication, FACRA Board “No one had thought that perhaps his third three-year term holding the President Craig Elliott remains tight- registering your domain name might position. However, the job was given lipped. be an important thing in 2008.” to another internal applicant—former “This is an issue between Mr Richel Cournoyer had been using the marketing and public relations direc- and us,” Elliott said, adding that domain to forward to his blog, tor Jay Hannley. FACRA “has, to a limited degree, been Daveberta.ca, on which he is often “I reapplied, and I was told my responding to any questions [from critical of the Alberta government. team building, leadership, and vision volunteers] via email.” However, he later changed the for- weren’t as good as the person who did Shuchuk remains unsatisfied with ward to direct users to the Wikipedia get the job,” Richel explained, adding the rationale for the termination, as page of Harry Strom, the last Social that his last day on the job would have he feels the reasons for which Richel Credit . been 18 January. wasn’t initially rehired haven’t been “The reason I wanted to forward it However, on 4 January, Richel was addressed. to [Strom’s page] was because people terminated, and he said his volunteer “[FACRA] didn’t really justify the rea- were making the comparison between privileges were revoked after he pro- sons for hiring the other candidate over the two,” he said. “I thought it was vided CJSR volunteer Brian Shuchuk Daryl. They provided how the process appropriate. I don’t think Harry Strom with the organization’s volunteer happened and not the exact ‘why,’ so would have registered his domain contact list. that’s basically what we, as volunteers name either.” “In my termination letter, it said of this station, want—we want to know The letter, which is dated 3 that I violated station privacy policy why the other candidate was selected December 2007, claims that and privacy legislation, so I asked to over Daryl,” Shuchuk said. File Photo: Nick Wiebe Cournoyer has been “[misappro- see the CJSR privacy policy, and so far, He also added that the timing of WAITING FOR ANSWERS Richel says he’s still unsure why he was dismissed. priating Stelmach’s] personality.” they haven’t shown me anything from Richel’s termination announcement Furthermore, it requests him to the CJSR policy manual that says that I was suspect. not on behalf of its staff—noted that arrived at a decision.” “make arrangements with [his] ser- violated a policy,” Richel explained. “In fact, that email was received the hiring of a new program manager “We’re hoping that the community vice provider by December 21, 2007, According to Shuchuk, the volun- in the exact minute that a message had followed the station’s bylaws. can come together and resolve some to ensure that the Website no longer teer list had been requested so that regarding the policy on privacy and “There has been a [hiring] proce- differences [and] hopefully move for- forwards to [his blog].” volunteers unhappy with the decision FOIP was mentioned on the listserv,” dure that was followed; the procedure ward,” Power added. Cournoyer said he didn’t comply to not rehire Richel as program man- Shuchuk said. is laid out in CJSR’s bylaws; the hiring Elliott further explained that FACRA with these requests by the deadline, ager could arrange a meeting to “dis- However, CJSR News Director committee was struck,” Jeffreys said. has arranged to answer any CJSR vol- but that he has yet to year anything cuss such a major change to a station Samantha Power and Volunteer “They took their responsibilities very unteer questions at their regular meet- from Stelmach’s legal counsel since that’s been run very smoothly. Director Laura Jeffreys—both speak- seriously and went through an entire ing on 22 January. receiving the letter. “We thought that we were doing a ing personally as CJSR volunteers and hiring process with due diligence and Please see CJSR Page 3 Please see THREAT Page 3 Inside A Royal collection News 1–4 A royal return News Feature 5 The Royal Alberta Museum recently Chris Krause is back after the break Feature 6 Opinion 7–9 celebrated its 40th anniversary, and with a brand new Peanut & Circle­— A&E 10–13 Sports 14–16 the U of A has been there for it all. and you know there can only be one. Classifieds 18 News, Page 5 comics, Page 19 Comics 19