THe Student’s Society of McGill University Celebrating 100 years © Student’s Society of McGill University 2010 van Eyken, Eric; B.A. ’05; B.C.L./LL.B. ’09; Scarlet Key ’09; SSMU VP Finance 05-06 2 We can see how li le ma er smal ute,
e pe y quarrels of day or h r,
how much long achievement of a century.
e cole la s lon r an we do;
no single mind, no single life controls it.
3 Forward
100 years. A century of student leadership, of helping Leacock’s words, of “how little matter the small disputes, clubs and services, of pushing for a more democratic and the petty quarrels of the day or hour, how much the long equitable university, of throwing parties and fighting for a achievement of a century.” The history of SSMU is, as quality education. Where does one even begin to cover the these pages document, one where bad decisions are history of a student society, a society that has been the sometimes made, but is for the most one of progress and collective success of hundreds of executives, thousands of growth. The controversies of SSMU are quickly forgotten. I students, and millions of hours of labour? decided to do my best to present them as the entertaining McGill thankfully provided the answer. On the day I anecdotes that they have become with time, stories to started my research, the Faculty of Arts hosted its annual amuse us and make current students prouder of the SSMU Cundill Prize lecture that began with the nominees talking of today. on “Writing History for a Popular Audience.” These Delivering history in context and being useful to the historians spoke about their duty to write with integrity and reader. The 12 month term of a SSMU executive is one that responsibility. They stressed the importance of accepting requires executives to take up many long running controversy in their findings. Most importantly, they talked struggles, master their history quickly and propose about the importance of history delivering lessons in solutions. Many SSMU councillors are elected with little context and being useful to the reader. knowledge of SSMU’s past or the nature of long running Writing with integrity and responsibility. I embark on disputes. This project is written with the goal of informing this project knowing that most SSMU history, as found in future generations of student leaders of some of their the archives of the McGill Daily, the McGill Tribune or even history and providing them the context through which they Old McGill is written through the glasses of reporters can think about their own decisions. This particular goal learning about stories at SSMU council meetings. I read has made this task to be a slightly more manageable one, their stories knowing that what happens at council, and as it has allowed for me to focus on the last 30 years of even what executives may say in candid interviews is not SSMU history, the decades that bear the greatest always candid. I also have the benefit of both my own relevance to the SSMU of today. individual impressions of 7 years at McGill and the oral This document is comprised of two types of sections. history of executives from both during and before those There are three parts that look at the achievements of days. And yet, like all oral histories, those stories may have SSMU in the 80s, the 90s and the 2000s. Additionally, changed and evolved with each telling. In writing this then, there are a number of analysis and focus pieces on the I am cognizant that the truth of SSMU’s history is one that recurring topics of SSMU history. As Mark Twain is credited is, and always be, only partially known. My job was then to, with saying, “history may not repeat itself, but it rhymes a with integrity and responsibility find those events that tell lot.” As such, the selection of in depth topics was made to our story. score together the ensemble of issues that SSMU has Accepting controversy. As every McGill student knows, repeatedly dealt with. student politics is filled with scandal and controversy. Special thank to VP (Clubs & Services) Sarah Olle for Some are personal, the resignation of executives and the her many comments and edits. faux-pas of decisions not fully thought out. Others are the controversy of the SSMU as a whole, from censorship to Enjoy, fights with the McGill Daily. And yet, despite being told to accept controversy, I was also mindful of Stephen
4 EARLY DAYS 1902-1903 1905 1908 1909
The Alma The first The Student SSMU was Matter Society student union Society of recognized as was founded. building was McGill the official It was the opened in what University was student first campus is now the created. government by wide society. McCord Museum. McGill.
MID-CENTURY 1931 1963 1965 1968-1969
Female PGSS was The new Students students brought under University occupied become members the aegis of Centre was offices and of SSMU. The SSMU. opened to disrupted first women students. meetings to president was gain seats on Sharon departmental Sholzberg in committees and 1965. senate.
NOT THAT LONG AGO 1973-1974 1975 1977-1978 1980
SSMU was SSMU was put SSMU was re- The McGill incorporated in trusteeship born as a Daily became as a distinct and student department of independent entity from life was McGill. from SSMU. McGill. administered by the University.
ONLY YESTERDAY 1991 1992-1993 2003 2008-2009
PGSS became SSMU was re- SSMU was SSMU turns independent incorporated accredited as 100. from SSMU. at the urging the official of McGill. It student negotiated its society first MOA & federation for lease with McGill. McGill. Table of Contents
in the
S
SSMU in the 80s SSMU in the 90s SSMU in the 2000s P. 8 P. 21 P. 32
Building History External Affairs Politics of Blood P. 13 P. 16 P. 26
SSMU Finances SSMU Democracy P. 27 P. 37 Page 6 Table of Contents
Food Politics A History of Service Free Speech P. 40 P. 42 P. 44
James McGill’s Burnside home.
Page 7 The StudSoc of the 80s At a glance non-campus issues. The rivalry represent all Black students Called “The StudSoc” by the between the Tribune and the McGill regardless of ethnic and national McGill Tribune, a newly formed paper Daily was strong from the beginning. origin. It supplemented various African in 1981, the Society of the 1980s Travel Cuts moved into the and Caribbean student associations. would be recognizable to the students University Centre in 1981. The travel and executives of today. It’s offices agency was part of the service arm of are in the back area of the first floor of the National Union of Students, a the University Centre. Many of the precursor to the Canadian Federation services that exist today were created. of Students. The underfunding of McGill lead to the The M a t u r e S t u d e n t ’ s creation of ancillary fees. Association was founded in 1979 to Foundations of the present act for freshman students at least 23 Many of the institutions and years of age. hallmarks of the SSMU of today were Gertrudes II, aka The Alley founded during the 1980s. We opened in the basement of the Q-PIRG McGill was founded as a highlight both the achievements and University Centre in October of 1982. club in 1987-1988. It became an events which are still with the SSMU The Alley was a plush carpeted wood independent student group with space today and mention a few of the paneled bar and café aimed at the outside of the university center the lessons learned from the decade. daytime crowd of sophisticated jazz following year. It’s first initiative was loving students. It avoided the loud Services, Publications & Operations the successful institution of a paper The McGill Tribune was founded recycling program at McGill. as a weekly newspaper publication In 1989 the M c G i l l L e g a l in 1981. While it had a student editor, The 1980s saw the Information Clinic also became many of the articles were written by independent from the SSMU after its SSMU executives and councillors. creation of budget was cut by 50% without The VP internal had a strong role in independent student consultation. Despite this the paper’s production. The Tribune’s independence, the Clinic continued early goal was “to cover student groups on campus. to frequently publish student government, student activities, The McGill Daily was oriented legal information articles in student clubs, student’s societ[ies], the McGill Tribune. The logo they and to provide a forum for joined by CKUT, adopted is still in use today. presenting, explaining and MLIC & Q-PIRG. CKUT was created out of Radio discussing the Society’s positions.” McGill after receiving an FM The paper emerged from a SSMU transmitting license. In 1988-1989, it newsletter started in 1979-1980 which top 40s music of Gertrudes upstairs required a $4/semester fee to cover a gave way to the “Informer,” edited by while holding events every evening. $229 000 debt to McGill from previous the VP internal in 1980-1981. Over its Upstairs at Gertrudes, beer prices operating loses. first few years, the Tribune underwent increased from $1 to $1.10 ($1.30 in Plans for a new Bookstore were many masthead and layout changes the evenings) in an attempt to make drafted in 1986. SSMU negotiated as well as moving from a paper the bar profitable again. with the university to give up the covering only student society activities The Black Student Network was profits they received from their current to one that covered everything from created in 1985-1986 as a group to bookstore for the duration of the financial news to weekly features on construction loan repayment period.
8 The StudSoc of the 80s
Delays in construction emerged and said every penny would go to course SSMU began to partially fund this the arrangement between SSMU and materials.” initiative in 1985 at a cost of $2000. McGill over the funding was revisited The Student Grievance Code was on numerous occasions. The presented to Senate in the fall of 1985. bookstore was finally finished in Senate initially found itself unable to October of 1989. adopt it for lack of quorum. The Walk-Safe Network was Senate recognized SSMU’s right to formed under the auspices of the appoint students to senate Women’s Union in 1988-1989. It’s committees in the fall of 1985. While creation was spurred by increasing the right of students to sit on senate and sexual assaults in the McGill ghetto. its committees was won in 1967-1968, it took untill 1985 for SSMU to be able to Funding McGill Government & McGill Policies determine its student representatives. The as yet unnamed Tomlinson Differential tuition for foreign An Access McGill fee of $2/ Field house received $4 million of students was increased in 1983-1984 semester was initiated in the winter of student funding at $15/year for 15 as foreign students were to be 1988 to facility the mobility of differently years starting in 1982-1983. Problems charged $5800/year (up from $4350) abled students. Initial plans were for a in getting permission to build on the compared to the $500 tuition fees of (now removed) red wheelchair ramp for mountain delayed construction for the other students. The International the University centre and the purchase entire decade. McGill happily Student’s Association wrote Minister of a special van. The operating costs of collected the student fees for the of Education Dr. Camille Laurin to the van were to be paid for by McGill. project anyways. Students voted in condemn the move and explained the The fee, initially a two year levy was the winter of 1987 to end the fee if various contributions international renewed permanently. building had not started by 1989. students make to McGill and Quebec. Future SSMU execs chose not to For the first time, out of province SSMU Policies enforce this mandate when students are charged a higher fee of In 1989-1990, the University centre construction appeared almost ready $1000 starting in the fall of 1984. became smoke-free in all areas outside to begin by the 1990s. RAEU holds a press conference University fees were first levied in condemning the issue as one that 1986. A $99 course materials fee was would lead to language based approved by the board of governors to tensions in the province. cover photocopies. This additional fee Senate considers adopting a was not considered part of tuition and Sexual harassment policy in 1983. A therefore not subject to the MEQ standing committee of Senate is tuition freeze. Once levied, it quickly mandated to this task. While various becomes apparent that the fee was drafts are adopted, their prove going to cover various departmental problematic. A satisfactory policy is operating costs and not used for its finally adopted 22 years later on purpose. Students in fact continued to December 12th 2005. have to pay for photocopies of Longer library hours in readings at the bookstore. When McLennan are instituted during exam questioned about this in Senate, period as a SSMU initiative starting in McGill responded that they “never the spring exam period of 1984.
9 The StudSoc of the 80s of Gert’s and the Alley. The student’s debt be forgiven if a student have given cheaper tickets to students Management representative to graduates on time. This policy was than the private greyhound line. Council argued that such a move was eventually adopted by the Aide Along with the Concordia Student sending a wrong signal- that smoking financière aux études (AFE) although Union (CSU), SSMU pulled out of is a bad habit. at an amount of 15%. RAEU in November of 1982 in an attempt to reform the organization. SSMU Governance It seemed like a good idea at the While the reforms happened, such as The General Assembly was time... a more equitable fee structure and allegedly first held in the winter of While the 1980s gave SSMU many proportional voting. SSMU executives 1988. Council envisioned the body as of the aspects that is has today, not all failed numerous times to pass a one that would pass resolutions that ideas were to be long lasting and campus referendum to rejoin. would set the agenda of council successful. A few of the failed ones Deficit budgets were rampant in meetings. Quorum was a problem are highlighted below. the early 80s, with the Bruce Hicks from day one and generally blamed on A S S M U Activist Resource administration overspending by $273 student apathy and insufficient Centre was envisioned in 1981. The 255. By 1984 SSMU owed over $700 advertising. Quorum was first reached library was to be staffed by student 000 to the university. Council passed a when 500 students attended a GA in volunteers and accept donations from motion requiring budget surpluses 1990 on whether to strike in protest of students and staff of materials on from then onwards. A special student pending tuition increase. That motion student societies from around the fee was leveed from 1985-1991 to pay failed although a blockade of the world. Councillors questioned why back this debt. James building was approved. SSMU was trying to duplicate a Following a series of fights and SSMU execs could be part-time function of the libraries. While it coat thievery, Gert’s instituted a full students and full time executives as collected a few volumes and had a time coat-check policy in 1989-1990. of 1989. few student volunteers it appears This response was believed to cut A student elected VP-Finance dubious as to whether it did much back on fights as students would not was approved by student referenda in more than get off the ground. be able to smuggle weapons into the 1988-1989. Previously the VP finance bar. was appointed by council. A meeting between Education External Representation Minister Claude Ryan in 1988 and The Fédération Étudiante du university student leaders was a Québec (FEQ) (later FEEQ and failure as most student leaders were in eventually FEUQ) was envisioned at infrequent contact and the individual McGill by representatives from SSMU, societies had no common policy. Université de Montréal (UdM), Laval, This failure was one of the reasons Concordia, Bishop’s and Sherbrooke behind creating a federation of in 1988-1989. FEEQ is officially student societies. inaugurated in the SSMU ballroom on An Ottawa-McGill bus was Things SSMU should have thought Saturday February 25th 1989 by envisioned between the student of first... McGill Sherbrooke, UdM, Laval, society of Ottawa and SSMU. The Looking at the 1980s a few UQAR and Polytechnique. It’s first project failed after one trip when it lessons emerge from the successes policy was adopted from the SSMU was realized that no one had gotten a and failures of the decade. policy on loans and bursaries with the license from the Quebec government The $99 course materials fee additional request that 25% of a to operate a bus line. The bus would was approved of by some councillors 10 The StudSoc of the 80s
whom thought the funds would go at which increased tuition was to be towards improving course materials in discussed students thought they’d classes. When no such improvements achieved a victory when the meeting actually materialized, students were was adjourned. The BOG meeting was quite upset. Lesson learned: just merely re-convened a few minutes because McGill says they’re going to afterwards in the quiet of the collect funds for one reason does not principal’s office. mean those funds will actually be Profit sharing initiatives are spent that way. always problematic. Such an initiative New building projects take a with the SSMU cafeteria management long time, especially when they’re on company created an atmosphere of the mountain. Efforts to build the distrust as revenues were allegedly sports complex were hindered a fair moved around to reduce the profits amount by antagonism between non- SSMU got. A similar profit sharing mcgill residents in the Ghetto and initiative for the McGill bookstore McGill. Building better relations there would prove equally problematic for eventually went someways towards SSMU in the 2000s when various the project being approved. administrative management fees were When students showed up to added to reduce the bookstore’s protest a BOG meeting in 1989-1990 profitability. 11 The StudSoc of the 80s
The 1980s saw the continuation of two major disputes of the SSMU; with the Daily over rent and PGSS over independence
Daily Trouble... PGSS just wants to be left alone... All politicians, student or otherwise, have disputes with Due to financial difficulties, the PGSS was placed the press. The 1980s saw yet another saga of disputes under the umbrella of SSMU in the early 1960s. PGSS had between the SSMU and the McGill Daily. The creation of representatives to SSMU council and graduate students the McGill Tribune was in large part a product of were eligible to become SSMU execs (although few ever dissatisfaction of the refusal of the Daily to provide did so). coverage of student life or at the very least what the SSMU With Thomson house renovated into a graduate house perceived as fair coverage. Like today, the Daily of the & bar in the 1980s, and with an increasing sense that 1980s was a paper that saw itself as a defender of graduate students did not get the same benefits as alternative view points and the voice of the marginalized. undergrads from SSMU, the PGSS began to lobby for The Daily’s positions were clearly not ones supported independence. by a majority of students. In almost yearly referendums, the Various referenda's and meetings were held along with Daily failed to motivate students to increase its student university mediated discussions on what was to be done fees. When such referenda did pass, enterprising students with PGSS. The McGill Senate itself was reluctant to see used the SSMU judicial board to invalidate them on the creation of an independent student society, perhaps in technicalities. Daily pleas to the McGill Senate fell on deaf part over concerns of having both SSMU and PGSS ears. representatives to committees. Eventually, the Tribune and the Daily began to accept Many debates raged over the charging of the same each other as worthwhile papers and stopped critiquing SSMU fees to graduate students as undergrads. the coverage and ideology of the other. Eventually, SSMU relented and lowered its fees for The Daily went into the 1980s paying a symbolic rent graduate students. However, SSMU was adamant that of 1$ to the student society and eventually finished the PGSS should pay SSMU a fee for the services it gave grad decade at the same rate. However, in between, students. negotiations dragged on with SSMU threatening to charge The 1980s ended with the dispute unresolved but with rents equivalent to downtown Montreal commercial rates. the PGSS becoming less and less involved with SSMU When the Daily finally had one of its referenda approved, affairs. SSMU relented and returned to a $1/ a year model. 12 Building History
The Student Union Building The structure, built of Montreal limestone, was elegant, The Student Union building was a gift from Sir William but was not overly ornamented. The basement contained MacDonald. When the Student Union Building, (now the an exercise room, baths, showers, the kitchen, and storage McCord Museum) was opened in 1905, it was declared areas. The entrance hall, on the first floor, led into the one of the finest clubs in Montreal. All male students whom dining room and the luncheon room where students could paid the annual 5$ membership fee could benefit from the get a hot meal after class. building.
13 Building History
The second floor contained a spacious, comfortable The building was designed by the same architectural lounge furnished with chairs and tables and heated, in part, firm that designed the Leacock building. It’s goals were by a large fireplace. The great hall, with frescoed very functional- to provide meeting spaces for student tympanums above the windows, stretched the length of clubs and host a collection of student society activities. the third floor. The University Bookstore was also previously held in the building. University Centre The initiative of creating a new building was a project Moving into Brown of decades. A New Union Committee was struck in the late As of 1997-1998, SSMU began collecting a 20$/ 1920s and 35 years latter eventually succeeded in having semester fee to construct a new Student Services building. the building started. Negotiations with McGill allowed for SSMU to move it’s The University Centre, or unofficially since 1992, the offices into the new building. Space was also provided for William Shatner University Centre, was constructed from the SSMU Daycare, the MISN Coca-Cola International 1963-1964 and was completed in 1965. Student Lounge (which becomes the SSMU Nursery in
14 Building History
2009, and a SACOMSS office. SSMU McGill and Sadie’s, and renovations to for the building. With the expected moved into its new office in bathrooms on both B1 and the first revenues from the CBA these sums 1999-2000. This move allowed for a floor. The student fee of 11.84$ that were not considered excessive. As of re-organization of the Shatner funded these projects will end in 2006, McGill wanted to charge SSMU building. 2009-2010. $200 000 for rent as part of the The McGill Tribune office was agreement reached in 1999 that Paying our Dues brought to its first floor location from SSMU’s rent would increase once the For most of SSMU’s occupation of its basement location in what was a bookstore profits were transferred to the University Centre, McGill has subdivision of the Alley. The Tribune it. However, the $100 000 amount was charged a symbolic $1 rent for the occupied what was then the actual maintained despited McGill’s costs for b u i l d i n g . I n t h e 1 9 9 9 L O A offices of the SSMU executive. The heating and electricity for the building negotiations, SSMU agreed to pay Alley was closed, but Gert’s was allegedly costing 3-4 hundred first $50 000 then $100 000 per year moved to the B1 space that included thousand dollars per year. the former McGill Tribune office. The first floor lounge, cafeteria, and smoking rooms were established. Additionally, the Daily Office was changed slightly to give it its current B1 location as the B1 entrance was created.
Up to Code After a safety audit revealed that the Shatner building did not allow hosting of large events in the ballroom, a series of renovations were undertaken from 1999-2009. The safety & accessibility aspect of these renovations included the adding of a main elevator to the building, the construction of a B1 access, installation of smoke guards and improvements to the sprinkler and ventilation systems. While an external fire escape was also considered, its prohibitively high cost made it impossible to construct. Cosmetic changes to the building included the addition of a student lounge on the first level, renovations to the ballroom, additions of a 3rd floor kitchen and servery, new club offices and meeting rooms on the 4th floor, new meeting rooms in B1, the relocation of TV
15 In, Out & About SSMU & the Student Indeed the right stance may well received a mandate to join by a mere Movement depend on the situation in question. 34 votes. UGÉQ meetings were only At SSMU, each executive and council held in French, and English was not The Student Movement: Always at is usually comprised of members that even a recognized language of the the crossroads will fall into one camp or another. organization. The agenda was In Democracy in America, Alexis Additionally, individual students also dominated by both Marxist and de Tocqueville remarked that the hold their own beliefs as to what they Maoist elements. When the UGÉQ people of the United States were expect from their student society and began to assist the McGill Français members of all manners of may organize general assemblies to campaign, the Students’ Council associations, clubs, and gatherings. take actions to influence their student decided to revisit its interest in the Student activism at a level greater society or protest the university or organization. By the late 1960s, the than the university only occurred government directly. organization was in turmoil and no centuries after Tocqueville’s visit and Like SSMU, other student executives were even elected from the materialized throughout the world in societies also face their own shifts in membership. the 1950s and 1960s. the spectrum due to both internal McGill students were not Since it’s inception, the student factors and societal political issues. represented in a new organization, the movement has been split along two The combination of these factors Association Nationale des Étudiantes substantial fault lines. The first, suggests that the student movement et Étudiants du Québec (ANÉEQ) whether student groups should be is usually in a state of flux. founded in 1974. The Student Society taking a stance (let alone what stance that should be) on larger socio- The Early Quebec Student political questions at home or abroad, Movement The CFS and and its and secondly, whether students As such, it is perhaps precursor the NUS stayed out of should be protesting or engaging (and unsurprising that the Quebec the Quebec student movement if so how) university and government student movement has been stances on education. As such, the divided since its inception in through an understanding with student movement is usually divided 1964-1965 with the creation of the the various Quebec associations into four large camps. Union Générale des Étudiants du until PGSS joined CFS in 1994. There is clearly no right answer as Québec (UGÉQ). While the McGill to which of these camps or Students’ Council had an interest in did however maintain a type of approaches is the better approach. joining the organization in 1965, a observer status within ANÉEQ. number of councillors rejected ANÉEQ was a broad based coalition involvement in an organization that of universities and CEGEPS. It Pragmatism was seen to be controlled by believed in protest as politics and took
Education Mandate separatist sympathizers. Students stances on all manner of broader voted 2859 to 2548 against joining in social issues. It’s “one association one what may have been the largest voter vote philosophy” meant that the more turn out achieved by that time. Some youthful and idyllic views of CEGEPS McGill students, interested in seeking students often preempted the desire membership in the UGÉQ, were not of University associations to focus on Global mandate dismayed and on February 8th 1967 educational issues. Decades latter, the succeeded in joining UGÉQ after a 3rd first FEUQ president stated that the Protest referendum was called on the ANÉEQ made today’s L’Association question. The Students’ Council
16 In, Out & About pour une Solidarité Syndicale since the 1960s, in 1998 SSMU adopted as its positions. As such, Étudiante (ASSÉ) look quite adopted a leadership stance in while there was a weighted voting reasonable and tame. founding the Fédération étudiante de structure put in place, most if not all F r o m 1 9 7 6 - 1 9 7 9 , t h e Québec (FEQ) in partnership with decisions were reached by consensus. Rassemblement des associations CADEUL, FÉACUM, CSU, Bishop and SSMU contributed $2500 to an étudient universiatires du Québec FEUS. These associations had early effort of the FEEQ to pursue a (RAEU) was established as an successfully lobbied together to court case against the government on organization that only comprised create a computer loan program. Yet impending tuition increases. The case, university students. The SSMU joined despite that success on a common which was eventually unsuccessful in 1980 and withdrew in 1983, along goal, the general weakness of student would have allowed having all tuition with the CSU out of protest over the societies with no common positions or increases paid into court pending much higher fees anglophone strategies became apparent during an resolution of the trial. This option was universities were charged to be part of 1988 meeting with education Minister dropped as universities were thought the organization. Nonetheless, before Claude Ryan. to be within their right to expel that occurred, the SSMU provided an The early Fédération des étudiants students for non-payment in the office for RAEU in the University et étudiants de Québec (FEEQ) quickly interim. Centre and McGill students were part grew to 7 organizations but existed Formalizing membership of its executive committee. more as a name and ideal than an Unlike an organization like CASA, Soon after SSMU and CSU left, actual organization. It had no office, the FEEQ’s members were not simply the RAEU agreed to many of the staff or even a phone line and survived the student societies but the individual reforms that SSMU wanted, but the by voluntary donations from its students of those societies. As such, SSMU executive was repeatedly members. SSMU itself was giving referenda were held amongst the unable to convince McGill students to $5000 a year during this infancy. For various associations of FEEQ. The approve a referendum to rejoin the 1990-1991 FEEQ members decided votes at the Université de Montréal organization. These failures were due that the organization should have an and SSMU squeaked through at 54% to an untoward alliance between elected executive committee and and 52% respectfully. SSMU faced its organized interests by more left-wing SSMU successfully fielded candidates own challenges from a PGSS that ran students and the McGill Daily wanting for the positions of Political Affairs and a no campaign in protest of their lack SSMU to join the ANÉEQ and Academic Affairs. SSMU suffered a of independence and pursued various students who stood against any setback however when one of those avenues to contest membership organization that promoted a freeze in officers resigned their position in decisions that bound them as well as student fees during an era of growing protest to SSMU’s unwillingness to SSMU. university deficits. Despite having no grant PGSS independence. f o r m a l t i e s , S S M U As a federation, the policies The FEUQ yo-yo maintained an observer of the FEEQ were those of New Years Eve 1991 sees FEEQ status within RAEU and its members. The FEEQ reborn as the Fédération Étudiante participated as best it was set up in a way that Universitaire du Québec (FEUQ) could. respected the rights of following the creation of its sister individual societies to organization FECQ. The new year also Founding FEQ maintain distinct opinions sees SSMU pull out of the After having been a but allowed members to organization by a mere 13 votes when m e m b e r o f a l a rg e r reach a consensus on PGSS organizes a campus Quebec organization for a united stances that FEEQ referendum to leave FEUQ mere grand total of 5 years
17 In, Out & About weeks after officially joining. campus question whether the position sovereignty stance and lobby FEUQ to Unfortunately for PGSS, the SSMU J- of VP External is even required when adopt such a stance as well. board returned SSMU to membership there’s no associations for SSMU to Unfortunately for SSMU, spring of finding that only council initiated work with. 1995 sees a FEUQ report submitted to referenda can affect student fees. Come 1994-1995 however, SSMU the National Commission on Unfortunately for SSMU, the protest is rethinking external memberships. Sovereignty. SSMU council resignation of their VP External over The VP External is in discussions with immediately ended its provisional the PGSS referenda left them with no non-Quebec student societies to membership status. How and why one to return to the table. create the Canadian Alliance of FEUQ reneged on an engagement of SSMU’s hard won membership Students’ Associations (CASA) and its membership taken mere months was not to last long. FEUQ’s was considering joining a FEUQ that before will likely remain an open campaign against tuition increases question. However, in the fall of 1995, limited the increase of tuition to a 3% the re-elected SSMU VP External increase rather than the 15-20% the resigns without explanation following government was pushing for. This the presentation of a letter received by “victory” galvanized the campus left FAÉCUM from the SSMU VP External and the McGill Daily whom heavily outlining changes that SSMU wanted attacked this concession arguing in to the FEUQ National Commission on favor or association with the ANÉEQ Sovereignty submission. and adoption of its free tuition policy. The remainder of the 1990s saw Subsequently, a student initiated SSMU working with CASA and referenda called for SSMU to pull out had recently adopted a firm tuition justifying its membership in that of FEUQ. The J-Board, in reversal of freeze stance, abandoning a organization. Additionally, the SSMU its position of the previous year, compromise position of inflation co-operated with FEUQ and its approved this student initiated adjustments to tuition. Despite some members in various demonstrations referenda but allowed council to campus concerns over pro- and efforts to fight for the continuance change the question to a less biased sovereignty elements in FEUQ and of the tuition freeze. one. lack of English documents SSMU In the fall of 2000, the FEUQ After an election campaign that decided to take out provisional president was invited to SSMU council saw full page pro-FEUQ adds in the membership. and stated that FEUQ’s sovereignty Tribune, multiple anti-FEUQ Daily mandate has not been acted upon in articles and FEUQ executives The Sovereignty debate years and was an anachronism. SSMU While not present at the meeting, campaigning with SSMU on campus, President Baraniak notes rejoining SSMU’s VP External informed council students vote 42% to 39.5% to FEUQ is an “inevitable” conclusion that its fears were quelled as on withdraw from FEUQ. The following and is “just a matter of timing.” FEUQ December 6th 1994, the FEUQ year, a newly elected SSMU president revoked its sovereignty mandate in membership voted that FEUQ would wanted SSMU to join ANÉEQ while May of 2001. have no official stance on sovereignty the VP External wanted to rejoin and would spend no resources nor Marching towards the inevitable FEUQ. lobby the government on that issue. In the winter of 2002, a former Newly Independent Instead, an ad-hoc student group FEUQ executive and then current LSA An-anti ANÉEQ, independent was spearheaded by FÉACUM whose VP External, with the blessing of the SSMU VP External finds little for the membership had passed a referenda SSMU executive, formally motioned portfolio to do. Some voices on requesting that it adopt a pro- for SSMU to re-join la FEUQ.
18 In, Out & About
Nick Vikander became the first bursaries in the province of Québec. 2005, the FEUQ negotiated a SSMU VP Community & Government This decision set off the largest restoration of $103 million worth of to represent SSMU for a full year student protests in the province’s bursaries. Various student mandate and followed up on his history. Members of the FEUQ, ASSÉ associations throughout the province involvement by becoming the first and CFS-Q took to the streets and held GAs and voted to end protest SSMU executive, since the founding engaged in ever increasing campaigns actions. A number of schools however of the FEEQ, to take an executive against the government action. As the felt betrayed and vowed to continue position at FEUQ. In 2006-2007 two year progressed, FEUQ and the SSMU protest actions and use the additional McGill students werw VP C&G become more and more at momentum of student activism to elected to la FEUQ. During the five odds over the violent behavior of push for greater concessions from the years of SSMU’s membership, la students at FEUQ protests. This government than a return to the status FEUQ unanimously adopted official behavior culminated in the use of a quo. This split and dissatisfaction positions against differential tuition at battering ram to breakdown the doors amongst various student groups the request of SSMU. The FEUQ also at a Liberal caucus meeting at the eventually lead to a period of asked the government to take action Chateau Montebello luxury hotel. disaffiliation's from the FEUQ. The against McGill for ignoring the caps on While SSMU’s involvement in the fight SSMU latter unified these dissatisfied international tuition. Perhaps due to its is limited to efforts at informing groups in helping to found a new already awkward systematic students of the issues and an organization; the Table de underfunding of McGill, the MELS attempted phone-a-ton campaign of Concertation (TaCEQ) in 2007. ignored these efforts. Further efforts liberal MNAs, a grassroots movement A Return to Independence proved futile as McGill opts out of on campus succeeded in convening a Despite having left CASA in public funding for some of its faculties massive GA. Eventually hundreds of 2005-2006 in good parts due to it not international undergraduates. McGill students marched with their being perceived as effective as the brothers and sisters from across the FEUQ, SSMU had students vote to province and engaged in protests and leave the FEUQ in the fall of 2006. strike actions on and off campus. A cyclical referendum planned for the winter of the 2006-2007 year was advanced to the fall after SSMU council learned that FEUQ was intending to secretly manipulate public opinion on campus in its favor. Such actions would remove the ability of SSMU execs to entirely control the referenda process. At its first meeting of the year, In 2004-2005, the SSMU hosted SSMU Council called for an immediate the 15th anniversary of the founding of disaffiliation referendum. After a the FEUQ and invited a then much campaign that SSMU focused on larger organization back to the FEUQ’s sovereignty stance of the ballroom for the gala celebrations. 1990s, and a admittedly leading $103 million reasons question, students voted 73.9% in In 2004-2005, the Liberal Charest Following the resignation of the favor of leaving FEUQ. government cut $103 million from Education Minister in the winter of
19 In, Out & About
Flirting with the CFS engage the CFS-Q and its resources structure, a focus on consensus A few weeks after leaving FEUQ, to this effect. This led to SSMU decision making, and start to seek SSMU took out provisional embroiling itself in a legal and political official recognition from the MELS. membership with the CFS and battle in the summer of 2007 over the Only the future will tell whether this attended a CFS national conference elections of the CFS-Q executive. organization will become a recognized where they passed a motion to have SSMU’s actions see the other CFS-Q middle path between the pragmatism CFS lobby Health Canada on the members, including PGSS, of FEUQ and the radicalism of ASSÉ, discriminatory blood drives successfully lobby in CFS to have Regardless, It is certain that SSMU questionnaire. SSMU expelled. The Québec Superior will continue to fight for student’s SSMU’s interest in CFS was Court resolved the legal battle in the interests whether in or out of the larger however conditional. The VP External winter of 2008 finding that the SSMU student movement. wanted the CFS to become a greater slate of CFS-Q directors was body of debate on student issues illegitimate. rather than an executive driven The Table de Concertation association before joining. SSMU Council officially adopted In a year when tuition fees had membership in the Table de become unfrozen for the first time Concertation in the winter of 2009. since 1990, SSMU became This TaCEQ is comprised of SSMU, increasingly interested in mobilizing CADEUL, REMDUS, and AELIES. against the tuition hike and sought to They adopt a three tiered voting 20 Becoming SSMU in the 90s In a nutshell the McGill Student Society 000 into renovating it. The pink walls SSMU in the 90s saw its transition (SACOMSS) is founded to act as a and steel cages were replaced by from a department of McGill to an lobby group interested in having hardwood floors and a oak and incorporated entity. The early decade parliament re-pass the rape-shield mahogany bar. Gert’s became quite saw the foundation of important provisions to the Criminal Code and the classy joint. However, like most SSMU programs, such as the health have McGill adopt a sexual assault other food and beverage managers insurance plan while the end saw the policy. A few years latter and following that SSMU contracted with, Peel Pub construction of the current cafeteria. growing sexual assaults and rapes left the contract early finding it Important services such as the near campus SACOMSS became a impossible to make money. Daycare, Drivesafe, SACOMSS and non-judgmental student service to 1995 saw an attempt to increase TV McGill got their start. SSMU assault victims while a coalition of the the Alley’s attractiveness, it partnered engaged in a vigorous attack on Women’s Union took on the political with music students to host big band differential tuition by launching a court advocacy role of the MSAC. nights and other live performances. case that went to the Quebec Court of The lack of practice space for music Appeal. students made the Alley a perfect Gifts from the 90s venue for all involved. In 1998, UniversityBytes opened Services, Publications & Operations in Shatner and established a The SSMU Award of Distinction partnership with SSMU providing both Fund was created in 1990 following hardware and later network solutions. the donation of $50 000 from a new UniversityBytes was started by McGill campus food supplier. McGill refused alum out of their residence rooms and to recognize the Award due to their eventually grew to be a medium sized policy of not having donors involved in business in Montreal. SSMU ended the selection of award recipients. the relationship in 2007 over a rent A SSMU report finds that there dispute. was a need for daycare spots for undergraduate students. The groundwork is set for a SSMU Daycare that finally opened in 2002. In 1997, students begin paying a fee to SSMU for the creation and running of the daycare. SSMU VP Finance 1992-1993 Lev Co-ops were the new thing in Bukhman proposed that SSMU set up business and at SSMU. A used book a medicare plan for students. 75% co-op was set up in Shatner along of students voted in favor of the idea. with a computer co-op. An Organic A few years latter, Lev founded ASEQ Food Co-op was created in 1998. In 1998-1999, SSMU Drivesafe and SSMU became its first client. The However, after McGill refused to was created. It helps get students dental portion of the plan was added collect a 2$/semester fee for it as an home safely after SSMU events and in the fall of 1996. independent group the project fell to was aimed at students living outside In 1991, The McGill Sexual the wayside until 2002. the ghetto area. Assault Centre (MSAC) which latter SSMU convinced Peel Pub to becomes the Sexual Assault Centre of manage Gert’s bar and invest $150
21 Becoming SSMU in the 90s
into renovating the Shatner 2nd flood demonstrations, the PQ government cafeteria. Even that sum was abandoned the policy but decided to insufficient to renovate the area and increase out of province tuition to the SSMU spent an additional $80 000 Canadian average and match out of CERF to finish the project. international tuition rates to Ontario’s. Original visions of a posh international The Millennium Scholarship style food court were never Fund was created in 1996-1997. completed. CASA took credit for the achievement. TVMcGill was also founded in In the winter of 2000, the McGill Quebec eventually negotiated its own 1998-1999 with an initial budget of carnival tradition is revitalized with the arrangement. $3600. establishment of SnowAP. SSMU Policies IRSAM, one of the largest SSMU Government & McGill Policies In 1992-1993, SSMU officially clubs, became independent in 1999 With growing class sizes due to adopted its long standing position to due to their large accounting needs. An agreement was reached whereby insufficient university funding, the not pass council motions on they are charged a symbolic $1 rent a mid-90s VP University Affairs worked external political issues that are . The official policy year. IRSAM still expected to receive towards the creation of First Year extremely divisive Seminars to give incoming students a reflected concerns over the funding as an SSMU club of about Palestinian question. $5000/year. chance at a more personalized university learning experience. SSMU officially terminated its SSMU was vocal in South African Campaign, with the getting Senate to goals of divestment by the Board of reject a 4.3 grading Governors reached. The campaign, scale in 1995-1996. started in 1979, and enshrined in the The debate returns to constitution in 1991 was ended in the Senate every few winter of 1993. Students in the group S S M U o p e n e d i t s o w n years afterwards. were free to continue to take actions photocopying service in 1994 in independently of SSMU. partnership with the EUS. The service SSMU successfully worked in was shut down due to failed Senate during 1996-1997 to create a management negotiations with EUS in revised holy day policy t h a t 1996 and the space was replaced by accommodated non-christian an elevator in Shatner. SSMU realized students. No longer would students that there were many other cheap need notes from Rabbis, Mullah’s or copying services available close to other religious leaders to justify their campus. participation in their own religious The McGIll First Aid Service was holidays. founded in 1997. They were When PQ Education MInister continuously starved for funds until Pauline Marois threatened to increase they receive a direct subsidy through a tuition in 1996, a SSMU GA saw over student referendum in the 2000s. 800 people voting in favor of a strike MTY Tiki-Ming s i g n e d a n action and joining the efforts of agreement in 1999 to be the Shatner students across the province. After food supplier and invested $650 000 massive FEUQ led mobilizations and
22 Becoming SSMU in the 90s
In 1992, a jocular Alex Usher & co In 1993-1994, SSMU organized a In 1992, botched cafeteria passed a referendum to name the commission on French at McGill that contract negotiations see Polycuisine University Centre the Shatner has 40 presenters from McGill commence legal actions against Building. William Shatner expresses including various Deans and the SSMU and McGill. The Québec pleasure and even visits the building Principal. SSMU’s recommendations Superior Court finds SSMU and once in 1999 where he is shown plans were eventually given to Senate. McGill’s favor after a long legal battle for the new cafeteria. He never Recommendations included that ends in 2004. McGill was less donated money to his alma matter so professors providing a bilingual than pleased in being included in a McGill does not recognize the lexicon of key words to students and dispute they did not see as their own. the replacement of the SSMU VP The court found that there was no External by a F r a n c o p h o n e contract between SSMU and Commissioner. Polycuisine despite evidence that 1994-1995 Senate restructuring Polycuisine was about to start serving saw the creation of ex-officio seats for food within hours of the negotiations the SSMU President and VP University breaking down with SSMU. Affairs. The 13 remaining In 1993 SSMU decided to officially undergraduate student seats were recognize clubs of a political or proportionately allocated to faculties religious nature. This doubled the that fielded candidates. number of recognized clubs on Following Al Gore’s invention of campus. Some councillors expressed the internet, SSMU decided to get its concern over funding all these new own website in 1996. This decision groups. building’s baptism. becomes the bane of VP Internals for Annual protest actions were For 1991, the SSMU decided to years to come. The early websites had started in the early 90s against a add a Speaker of Council position to a few club and service pages. discriminatory blood drive policy than allow the SSMU president to fully SSMU Council established new bans the collection of blood from participate in council debates. standing committees in 1996 that homosexual men. continue to exist such as Nominating, Constitutional & by-law review, and SSMU Governance programming. Other committees such SSMU is re-incorporated in as publications nominating and 1992-1994 as part of a requirement of activities nominating were eventually LOA negotiations. McGill may have abandoned. been concerned about it’s liability The Financial Ethics Research from SSMU actions due to the Committee w a s c r e a t e d f o r Polycuisine action. SSMU had 1996-1997 despite a SSMU executive previously incorporated in 1973-1974 campaign against the positions. The but was latter placed in trusteeship advisory Commissioners were seen by due to bankruptcy. The incorporation SSMU as a needless bureaucratic left SSMU having to repay McGill A new general manager, Guy hurdle and generally ignored from the $360 000 that SSMU had been Brisebrois was hired by the SSMU in start. The SSMU executive has the j- borrowing for summer expenditures. the winter of 1992. The GM worked board initially void the referendum on This repayment is completed by 1997. with SSMU until the winter of 2004 at which point he went to Toronto.
23 Becoming SSMU in the 90s the grounds that SSMU never amounts were considered each to bursaries and the Shatner translated the question into French. inconsequential given the pending renovations. The McGill Alumni The number of election posters for millions SSMU was to receive from the Association agreed to match student the 1997-1998 SSMU executive Coca-Cola deal. contributions to the libraries and campaign were so high that they led A 1998-1999 security and safety bursaries. to the imposition of a limit of 1000 audit found that the Shatner building It made sense to them... posters per candidate and a reduced was not up to code. This necessitated Like every decade, SSMU in the candidate campaign budget of $300 an estimated 2.5 million dollars of 90s made decisions that appear to to $150. Some candidates were renovations. SSMU President Duncan students today as good hearted but previously posting nearly 8000 posters Reed thought the renovations would perhaps somewhat misplaced. during a campaign period. be accomplished by the end of the Decisions that an attentive council The First Year Committee of summer. The audit forced campus should really have subjected to more Council, and eventually a First Year groups to cancel activities, such as debate. Topping the list of ideas that Rep to Council position was EUS pubnight, in the ballroom. made sense to them but not to us are: established in 1997. As part of the renovations, Gert’s The spending of $31 000 on Both in 1992-1993, and and the Alley were merged, moving SSMU branding including the 1996-1997, Council rejected a Gert’s to its current downstairs purchase of a giant Martlet mascot proposed split of the VP UA position location. that resembled a big red chicken. into a VP Academic and new VP When enterprising students abscond Funding McGill Equity. The groundwork was however with the Mascot’s head a few years The Tomlinson sports complex set for a SSMU Equity Commissioner latter the remainder is placed in SSMU was finally opened in January of 1995, in years to come. storage. 13 years after the student fee was first In 1997-1998, SSMU Council SSMU attempted to establish its levied. Students keep paying various voted against putting elections on- own emergency bursary fund. renovation fees until 2008. line. Councillors expressed fears that Thankfully this project kicks around The Library Improvement Fund an online system could be hacked and until someone at SSMU decided that a was first levied in 1997 at $10/ that students may vote without student bursary fee administered by semester despite some Council learning about the issues first. McGill Student Aid is more practical. protest that libraries are a core The SSMU executive of Council rejected a new Walksafe university function. McGill had been 1999-2000 was quite entrepreneurial constitution that would grant a facing criticism in media rankings for and attempted to create a SSMU majority of executive positions to its poor standing in libraries. Poverty Research Centre, a SSMU woman on the grounds that this was SSMU supported the construction Travel Program and a SSMU Small discriminatory and in violation of the of a student services building and business investment fund in co- SSMU Constitution. Council eventually completion of the newly opened operation with the City of Montreal. decided that affirmative action sports complex. A $30 fee was levied The programs don’t last much past clauses in clubs are not discriminatory for both projects starting in 1997. the embryonic stage. but empowering. SSMU eventually negotiated space for As of 1999, the SSMU began to SSMU lobbied in senate to have its new office, MISN, SACOMSS and a pay rent on the Shatner building of gender neutral degrees awarded Daycare in the new building. $100 000 rather than the previous $1. and proposed that Baccalaureates The McGill Student Fund was This amount was expected to increase and Magisteriats degrees be granted passed for 1999 at $38/semester. It to $200 000 once the bookstore loan rather than Bachelors and Masters. replaced the previous library fund and was paid off by McGill. The rental Senate rejects the idea and finds that allocated 14$ to the libraries and $12
24 Becoming SSMU in the 90s the political correctness movement his own executive to J-Board to force materials. An additional concern was can only go so far. SSMU to translate its by-laws, of automatic extensions if sales To er is SSMU constitution and policy into French quotas are not met. A few years latter SSMU grows and makes itself a or face having them invalidated. McGill signs an agreement anyways, better organization every year. The The cola and Pepsi and SSMU sign their own 1990s like every decade saw SSMU wars hit McGill agreement. Although McGill signed engaged in a number of unfortunate in 1999-2000. the agreement, it was SSMU that situations. No history is complete Despite McGill operated campus cafeterias. The early without touching on some of those. a n d S S M U 2000s sees McGill remove these To be more environmentally a l l e g e d l y cafeterias from SSMU management friendly, 1995-1996 SSMU Frosh gives a g r e e i n g t o The referendum itself and subsequent students diskettes with campus equally sharing 10 million dollars from j-board decisions highlighted information rather than paper. The few Coke, the PGSS, CFS, and other significant problems in the Elections students who actually look at the campus elements campaign against McGill process including the role of diskettes suffer computer crashes the effort. Eventually 56.4% of 3rd 3rd parties in funding SSMU when the virus infected disks are students vote against the proposal. campaigns, the limited powers of the loaded. Some students are upset that the CRO to address rules violations, and Despite a constitution that agreement will not be a public the problems of SSMU executives not required SSMU documents in French, document and there are fears of Coke being allowed to use their office to it took a VP University Affairs taking having control over academic campaign.
Ruel c. Québec (Éducation), [2001] R.J.Q. 2590 (QCCA). The Québec Court of Appeal followed a string of After agreeing to maintain a tuition freeze of $1668 for jurisprudence holding that rules outlined by the Minister of Quebec residents in 1996, the Minister of Education Education are just that rules, and not regulations which can increased by $40/credit the amount out of province be the subject of judicial action. Furthermore, the Minister students paid for 1996-1997. SSMU supported a suit of Education has wide powers, established by legislation, against the Minister of Education for authorizing this to use their discretion in making policy. Furthermore, as amount and McGill University for collecting this increased universities were simply permitted to charge an additional amount. SSMU recruited a BC student named Paul Ruel as $40 per out of province student, and as universities are the primary plaintiff in the case. After SSMU lost before the independent from the government no violation of Superior Court, they hired one of the most famous lawyers administrative law occurred. of the day, Me. Guy Bertrand, on appeal. Me Bertrand had The court also followed jurisprudence in determining recently been an intervenor in the Reference re Secession that mobility rights allow Canadians to earn a living in any of Quebec, [1998] 2 S.C.R. 217, and was a founding province and that studying, while perhaps a pre-requisite member of the Parti Québécois. to earning a living, is not gainful employment as such. SSMU’s case on appeal was on 2 primary grounds. Therefore s.10 was not violated. The court equally The first was whether the implementation of differential determined that “residence” is not an analogous grounds fees through the use of discretionary power by the Minister of discrimination and that furthermore, charging higher of Education was a violation of administrative law. The tuition to out of province students was not an affront to second was whether differential tuition violated s.10 and s. their human dignity- a requirement for discrimination suits. 15 of the Canadian Charter- interprovincial mobility rights The court noted with approval that Quebec was merely and Equality Rights. In addition SSMU alleged that s. 10 of allowing universities to charge the Canadian average for the Quebec Charter was violated- the right to equality in out of province students and was still spending more on the exercise of one’s rights and liberties. education than any other province.
25 Blood Drives
SSMU has not faced an easy path in dealing with students voted 2207 to 412 in favor of continuing blood blood drives. Before donating blood, male donors are drives. asked: In the fall of 1996, controversy again visits SSMU when “Have you had sex with a male, even one time, since President Carter, the first openly gay SSMU president, 1977.” attempted to give blood, resulting in the CRC canceling the For their part, female donors are asked: blood drive for fear that other gay students would secretly give blood. President Carter’s actions resulted in hundreds “In the past 12 months, have you had sex with a man who has had sex, even one time since 1977, with a man?” of students signing a petition calling for his impeachment. Despite these complications, SSMU made some While for decades, SSMU has been hosting blood progress on the issue when the CRC admited that the 1977 drives, the 1990s saw a growing and vocal concern from date is problematic and that they had made recent Queer McGill. The question, like others on the blood drive advances in blood testing that would allow for modifying questionnaire, is discriminatory. For some, the question is the question. Unfortunately, for SSMU the national debate especially problematic as they believe it reinforces an on blood safety flared up following the tainted blood image of gay men as the carriers of HIV/AIDS. scandal of the 1980s. The Federal government’s SSMU Council initiated its first ban in the fall of 1993 Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada and decided to lobby the Canadian Red Cross (CRC). (The Krever Commission) even went so far as suggesting Perhaps given the recently adopted that blood collections not occur at all in Montreal due to its position that Council would not take a large gay community. stance on divisive external issues, the SSMU returned to hosting campus blood drives and SSMU debate was framed as to Queer McGill annually engaged in various information whether the Society’s constitution campaigns and protest actions. In the fall of 2001, the prohibited SSMU from hosting blood Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec held open drives. forums on the blood drive questionnaire and Queer McGill The response from the Red Cross made a submission. After public consultations, both was less than positive, with the Montreal Medical Director bodies maintain the question due to the opinion of public for the Red Cross saying that he was “very disappointed focus groups. In the fall of 2005, SSMU Council that where we have the most intelligent people in Montreal unanimously decided to engage Héma-Québec again on this resolution has passed.” Opposition to the SSMU the reasons behind the question. A decision also came from on campus, with the SUS arguing radical splinter group of Queer that SSMU should lobby Health Canada who sets the McGill, the Second Cumming, policy, not the Red Cross whom collects the blood. disrupted a 2005 blood drive and Similarly, AUS organized a campus referendum to overturn Héma-Québec left mid-drive due to SSMU’s decision. The winter of 1994 saw council overturn fears about students lying on the its decision when the Canadian Red Cross presented questionnaire. In 2006-2007, council some of the science of blood collection. The SSMU SSMU invited Héma-Québec back VP Internal who drafted the SSMU Constitution’s language for town hall discussions but later on discrimination said that it was never the founder’s intent baned blood collection in Shatner for constitutional that the SSMU Constitution prohibit blood drives. reasons. A student initiated referendum saw student vote The SSMU Judicial Board ruled 2:1 that men who are 68.5% for reinstatement of blood drives but a specially banned from giving blood suffer no prejudice and that the appointed J-Board affirmed 2:1 that SSMU’s Constitution SSMU constitution includes a proportionally test that does indeed prohibit blood drives. That decision effectively allows SSMU to act in the best interest of the membership bans blood drives in Shatner until a new questionnaire or as a whole. With the referendum question approved, new SSMU constitution is developed. 26 Money Matters SSMU Student Fees Since Incorporation $120
$100
$80
$60
$40
$20
$0
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 SSMU Base Fee SSMU Ancillery Fees SSMU-McGill Funding
The above chart shows the amounts SSMU has been charging students since its incorporation in 1992. For simplicity’s sake, we ignored the fact that there are actually four levels for SSMU fees- those charged to students in “A Faculties” and those charged to students in “B Faculties” as well as divisions for part-time and full time students in both sets of faculties. “B Faculties” are those students in what are generally considered professional programs at the undergraduate level, such as Law, Architecture, Dentistry, Medicine, and Religious Studies. “A Faculties” are all remaining undergraduate students. Students also pay $2.00/semester and $0.50/semester to fund services for differently abled students (Access McGill) and to bring refugees to study at McGill (World University Services Canada). The base fee (dark blue) represents the unallocated amount that SSMU receives from each student. Such amounts go to paying the SSMU operating budget. The fee was largely unchanged until it was pegged to inflation for 2006. SSMU ancillary fees are fees that go directly to SSMU but are earmarked for specific purposes. The first fee was for SACOMSS in 1995, followed by a Daycare fee in 1998, and eventually a SSMU building renovation fee as of 1999. The second half of the 2000s saw a number of small ancillary fees added for individual projects, services, and publications. Many of these fees were initiatives of the beneficiary student groups to secure guaranteed SSMU funding. Along with the MSF, most of these ancillary fees are optional. Opt-out rates have increases from 2-3% in the early 2000s to 10-12% by the end of the decade. This change may be influenced by the institution of an electronic opt out system on Minerva. Interestingly enough, opt outs are consistent across fees, suggesting that students do not opt out, on the whole, for political reasons. The last component, SSMU-McGill Funding, is money that SSMU collects and then transfers to McGill to cover projects that students wanted to directly fund. Such projects include bursaries, libraries, athletics renovations, and the construction of the Brown Student Services Building. The spike of these fees from 1997-2002 represented a contribution to the Brown Building. For 2004, SSMU both reduced the amount it contributed to libraries and bursaries but also levied a fee for athletics complex renovations.
27 Money Matters
Haven Books University Center Clubs General Admin Gert’s Governance Surplus 2008-2009 2007-2008 2006-2007
6% 5% 2%13% 18% 13% 14% 18% 28% 4% 3% 1% 16% 21% 1% 17% 35% 1% 41% 44% 0%
2005-2006 2004-2005 2003-2004
2% 8% 9% 15% 6% 19% 7% 28% 30% 5%
20% 35% 6% 17% 39% 5% 6% 43%
Publications University Center Clubs General Admin Gert’s Governance Surplus 2000-2001 2002-2003 2001-2002
6% 2% 4% 11% 16% 0% 31% 22% 29% 28% 11% 33% 8% 2% 3% 22% 8% 5% 34% 26%
28 Money Matters SSMU Year End Net Expenditures 2000-2009
$1,750,000.00
$1,500,000.00 $1,250,000.00
$1,000,000.00 $750,000.00 $500,000.00 $250,000.00
2000-2001 2002-2003 2004-2005 2006-2007 2008-2009
Haven Books University Centre Clubs & Services General Admin Gert’s Governance Surplus Publications
The nine pie charts and the above bar graph shows SSMU expenditures have increased by 50% in the last SSMU net expenditures from 2000-2009. Net expenses are decade, and is therefore more useful for cross year expenses of the society after revenue is taken into comparisons. account. In essence, they are subsidy from the SSMU base Understanding the Data fee and other revenue to various activities. As such, some Having outlined what we’re looking at, we can next ask activities, such as SSMU programming (Frosh, 4 floors, what the numbers tells us about SSMU expenditures over Snow AP, etc) which actually generate a surplus on the the last 10 years. aggregate therefore do not appear as society expenses. Publications & Haven Books Similarly non-intuitive, is the decline in amounts SSMU is The most obvious difference is with publications and spending on services from 2007-2009 despite various the bookstore. From 2000-2004, SSMU was subsidizing its increases in direct service funding from student fees. publications, such as the McGill Tribune, Red Herring, Old Again, this is nothing more than a reflection of the type of McGill and the Agenda. Starting in 2004-2005, those graph, that shows net, not total expenditures. publications become net generators for SSMU through When the society generates a surplus, as it notably has increased revenue from advertising. At the other end, from from 2005-2009, the surpluses from all activities, such as 2007-2009 we see the costs of Haven Books. SSMU programming or services are included in that sum. The pie charts show the percentage of SSMU money Gert’s allocated towards specific activities in a given year. They The next interesting story is with Gert’s. We note that it are useful for assessing where money is going in any given a significant expense of SSMU from 2002-2006, hovering year. The bar chart on this page takes into account that at 5-6%. However, in the years before it was less of a 29 Money Matters burden and in subsequent years it ran at an almost break-even amount This General Office and Administrative Expenses represents efforts from 2005-2006 $700,000 onwards into controlling Gert’s expenditures and represents shifting attitudes towards the bar. $590,000 Surpluses If we compare the first half of the decade to the second, we note that, $480,000 with the exception of 2002-2003. SSMU was operating at either a loss or break-even in the earlier years and $370,000 has been generating significant surpluses in the latter half of the decade. Not included in this graph or $260,000 the pie chart is an additional one time payment of 1.875 million in 2005-2006 to SSMU representing a $150,000 buy-out of SSMU’s interest in the 1994-1995 1998-1999 2002-2003 2006-2007 McGill bookstore. These bookstore funds were invested and now generate additional annual revenue fees, a reduced PGSS subsidy and a accounting clerks in 2005-2006. for SSMU. decrease in revenues due to the However, SSMU staff has also been Notwithstanding the bookstore departure of University Bytes in increased since 2006-2007 with the payment, SSMU’s operating surplus 2006-2007. addition of a full time security chief, for the decade is of $1 588 239, or an IT specialist, and an operations about an entire year’s worth of General Office and Administrative supervisor. All three positions student fees. This accumulated In most of these years, the represented increased needs of surplus has been critical to largest expenditure of the SSMU is SSMU. maintaining a positive SSMU cash for general office and administrative flow position during the summer expenses. These expenditures are Governance months. Some of these surpluses largely staff salaries but also include Governance, or Council services, have also been set aside as part of significant expenses such as are the costs associated with the the SSMU Capital Expenditures computers, insurance and legal fees. political activities of SSMU, such as Reserve Fund (CERF) and for the Most of these expenditures external lobbying, research, Awards of Distinction Fund. variations represent changes to executive salaries, Elections McGill, SSMU staff. For example, the drop in general assemblies and on campus University Centre costs in 2002-2003 represented the awareness campaigns. If we look at the University absence of the SSMU comptroller As the graphs show, council Centre, we note a significant jump and other SSMU accountants. Over services have remained relatively from 2005-2006 to future years. This the years, some SSMU staff costs stable over the years. This is despite jump represents a decision to have decreased, such as the changes such as leaving CASA eliminate SSMU ballroom booking elimination of one of the three SSMU (approximate expenditures of $50
30 Money Matters
Gross Expenditures Balancing the Books The graph (below) shows the The inquiring reader may be curious as why SSMU has accumulated gross SSMU revenue and surpluses and the role of CERF. As alluded to elsewhere, SSMU used to expenditures from the late 1990s to receive advances from McGill to cover its expenditures during the 2009. A number of expenditures and summer before the remittance of its student fees in the Fall. When these revenue are excluded from this graph, advances were eliminated around 2004, SSMU had to acquire a line of such as SSMU funds for the health credit for the summer months, delay purchases and put off paying plan, renovations, CERF, the award of suppliers in order to stay afloat. Approximately $400 000-600 000 is distinction and a few other funds. The needed to cover SSMU’s summer expenditures. large spike in 2005-2006 represents, CERF was created in the 1980s to spread out the cost of major in good part, the afore mentioned SSMU expenditures on capital goods. The majority of such costs were for SSMU bookstore amounts it received computers, software and other equipment. As such, for example, from McGill. purchases of $30 000 of computer equipment could be made from CERF The difference between the dark by using $10 000 each year for three years rather than a single operating blue (expenditures) and light blue budget. Despite now making computing and software purchases on an (revenue) represents the surplus that annual basis, having a building student fee for major renovations to the SSMU is receiving. For the years building, and a space improvement fee for small renovations, the CERF before 2002, SSMU is operating at fund is maintained. The fund now acts as a useful insurance policy should break-even levels with either small McGill not chose to renew its lease to SSMU on the University Centre. surpluses or loses.
SSMU Gross Expenditures and Revenue
Expenditures Revenue
$3,750,000
$3,450,000
$3,150,000
$2,850,000
$2,550,000
$2,250,000 2004-2005 2006-2007 2008-2009 1998-1999 2000-2001 2002-2003
31 SSMU Inc. 2000 Synopsis of Shatner in 2001 as a new SSMU the Women’s Union becomes the SSMU in the new millennia operation. However, in 2004, a phone- Union of Gender Empowerment becomes an increasingly professional call to the montreal police sees the (UGE). The change of mandate proves organization. The Shatner building vendor literally carted away for a difficult one with the 2005-2006 faced a decade of renovations while violating Montreal mayor Jean UGE having a mere two executive SSMU Clubs and Services face years Drapeau’s ban on street meat members leading SSMU considering of austerity in the second half due to vendors. its fusion with Queer McGill. Both SSMU financial difficulties. SSMU Post was created in 2001. groups protest and the UGE Beginning the next century Until 2006 it served SSMU and the maintained its independence. of growth. McGill community by posting flyers for In 2004-2005 SSMU adopted campus activities. The rise of direct e- Savoir Fare as a new catering Services, Publications & Operations mail list serves proved a more operation, incorporating a former The newly constructed Brown effective means of reaching the McGill tenant into its direct management. Student Service Building’s daytime community and the service quietly Savoir Fare suffered loses and lacked only opening hours limited vanishes. a place in a campus that has many SACOMSS‘ plan to create a new SSMU loses $66 200 in revenue other food catering options and was Night Office and hold after hours from the operation of a photocopier shut down in the summer of 2006. It’s activities. McGill initially proposed that service in Redpath when its service is basement kitchen was made available a small apartment be rented off replaced by one run by Ancillary to student groups. campus but later provided a services. In 2005-2006 LOA negotiations, confidential space on campus for this Throughout much of the decade, SSMU renounced its potential share of night office. McGill also granted the large deficits of Gert’s became a bookstore profits in exchange for a SACOMSS space in the basement of significant elections issue. The move direct payment of 1.875 million Peterson Hall for 2002 to replace its of Gert’s to the basement and later the dollars. That decision was taken when Brown office. However, in 2005-2006, elimination of a security partnership it became apparent that McGill was an increasingly space crunched McGill with the football team saw a dramatic inflating the administrative costs of the removed SACOMSS, along with the decline in sales. Theft also became a bookstore to reduce its profitability to Muslim prayer room from the Peterson significant issue. From 2005 onwards, a negligible amount. One year location to construct an archeology Gert’s became more of a lounge than following the settlement, SSMU lab. McGill also removed the a nightclub and focused on making acquired the Montreal location of SACOMSS night office but later itself a place for student run events. Haven Books as a new operation. returned it after McGill Student It’s losses shrank dramatically. The operation replaced various efforts Services agreed to co-operate more SSMU-CC was created as an of past years to run used book drives. with SACOMSS activities. SSMU audiovisual clubs rental service. While Early years of operation saw it hosted SACOMSS new day office in McGill has its own AV service, it is operating at loses in the tens of what was the MUPS space in the only for academic purposes meaning thousands. basement of Shatner. that a duplicate SSMU service is A Bike Co-op is opened in the SSMU and other campus groups needed for its clubs and services. basement of Shatner in 2007-2008. begin to lose direct oversight of One of the oldest groups on The co-op uses part of the space cafeterias on campus in 2000. The campus, the Women’s Union decided previously used by University Bytes. first re-claimed are the Redpath and to included the empowerment of Midnight Kitchen and the EUS Cafeterias. SSMU did manage to transgendered people in its mandate Organic Food Co-op get their start in save the beloved campus hot-dog as of 2002-2003. The following year, in 2002-2003. Kitchen facilities are man by providing space to him in front
32 SSMU Inc. 2000
finally made available to them in the the SSMU constitution in 2004-2005 left. The group appears to dissolve by 2005 summer renovations. which allowed for multiple SSMU fees the 2005 election. After a decade of fun in the snow, to be up passed or renewed in the A string of activist oriented SSMU Snow AP is has its final bash in 2009. same year. VP Externals from 2002-2006 pushed Mounting costs for security charges SSMU and the McGIll Daily were to reform CASA into an organization and heating were resulting in annual in court again in 2000-2001 after the that engaged in lobbying for broader losses of $15 000. SSMU decided that SSMU removed part of the Daily’s socio-political issues and mobilized student money was best invested in office to construct the B-1 entrance to students for protests. While these other activities. Shatner and proposed that the Daily changes are begrudgingly adopted by share a darkroom with MUPS CASA on paper, the organization and SSMU Governance following the advent of digital its other members are reluctant to SSMU & PGSS renegotiated the photography. SSMU eventually locked became another CFS. The failed entente reached following PGSS the Daily out of its office and they reforms paves the way for SSMU independence from SSMU. PGSS had temporarily moved to the Thomson leaving in 2005-2006 and joining CFS been paying SSMU $65 000 a year Coach House. The Québec Superior in 2006-2007. prior to 2000. A lower sum of $16 000 Court finds for SSMU and the Daily is A fee of $11.84 is set for collection was paid to SSMU from 2001-2008. force to sign a new lease. from 2003-2010 to pay for the An even lower amount of $4000 was SSMU was accredited as the Shatner building renovations. The agreed on in 2009-2010 for future official undergraduate society for fee replaced the $10/semester portion years. McGill in 2003 after falling just short of of the MSF. Arriving at the $11.84 The Campus Life Fund was quorum in 2002. Accreditation turned number was somewhat a product of created for 2001-2002 at $3.00/ SSMU privileges into rights, such as guesswork as no one had a firm idea semester. Its purpose was to fund the ability to appoints students to of how much the needed safety and speaker series, new clubs and C level committees, collect a student fee, code compliance renovations would intercollegiate Athletics teams (Club have an office, and receive a student cost. The first cost overruns occur in teams are teams not funded by list. McGill largely ignored these new 2003 when McGill decided it was no McGill). The Alumni Association rights, continuing to govern its longer interested in paying the $600 matched all increased grants to relationship with SSMU through the 000 cost of installing an elevator in Athletics teams. In 2004-2005, CLF LOA and sometimes directly Shatner. became a main source of club appointing students to committees, Pauline Gervais was hired as the financing due to SSMU financial such as with the Principal’s Task Force new General Manager of SSMU in late cutbacks. The CLF was eventually on Life and Learning. 2003-2004 after an extensive search. joined by other direct funding fees After council rejected returning to She brought to SSMU many years of such as a space fee in 2008 and an a slate elections system in 2001, the private sector experience and has Environmental initiatives fee for 2009. Progressive Students Coalition was facilitated SSMU’s transition to a more Underfunding of SSMU services formed to elect left-leaning students professional streamlined organization. lead to an era of supplementary direct to campus positions. It’s original Notable projects of hers have been a services funding. A “referral services members were from BSN, Queer complete revamping of the SSMU fee” was charged starting in 2006 for McGill and the Women’s union. While accounting system, computer Nightline, Queer McGill and the UGE. the coalition is unsuccessful in directly systems, and security. In 2007, this was joined be fees for the electing many candidates, they do SSMU finally adopted an online Midnight Kitchen and the McGill push SSMU election promises to the voting system (OVS) for the 2003 Tribune. This multiplication of fees was election period. Having the OVS facilitated by an innocuous change to
33 SSMU Inc. 2000
reduced elections costs and allowed Government & McGill Policies elimination of the SSMU president as for far greater voter participation. SSMU lead a two year campaign a member of BOG. Despite likely In 2004-2005, SSMU may have from 2003-2005 in protest over a new violating the Accreditation Act, the became the first student society to text-matching software called BOG by-laws required that a student develop an ethical purchasing turnitin.com that McGill introduces to member enroll in at least 18 credits a policy. The policy was made to be fight plagiarism. Some students year, far more than a SSMU President flexible and take into account the objected to their intellectual property is capable of. After over a year of uniqueness of student societies. For was used by turnitin.com to make its lobbying and discussing the situation example, it acknowledges that SSMU service better and therefore more with board members, the BOG invited may be required to deal in “best of profitable. The Mcgill Senate 2005-2006 SSMU President Adam class” arrangements for certain eventually adopted a broader policy Conter, in a individual rather than products and exempted purchases on plagiarism allowing students to official capacity, to act as a resource under $500 from the policy. The policy engage in other efforts to prove the person for it. A similar arrangement has since acted as a model for other independence of their work. SSMU was reached for subsequent years student associations. had also lobbied in the 1980s against allowing the President to keep acting The SSMU Francophone service statistical analysis software used to as a resource person on BOG. was disbanded in 2007 and replaced catch cheating on multiple choice Following a year of lobbying and by the Commission des Affairs exams. protest, the McGill Senate approved a Francophones. The commission B o a r d o f G o v e r n o r s Dining at McGill Advisory continues to host Francofete. restructuring in 2003-2004 saw the Committee for 2004-2005. The 34 SSMU Inc. 2000
Committee recommended against a student referendum. The FEUQ takes SSMU moved to make its campus monopoly on student credit for the new rules. operations smoke free in 2003-2004. services and set the precedent for SSMU acted within Senate to Unable to make Sadie’s viable without creating a permanent senate reverse an administrative decision that cigarette sales, the decision was committee on ancillary services. would have prevented students and postponed in 2004-05. The Quebec McGill has been concerned over professors from working/traveling in government passed legislation to the the use of the McGill name since dangerous areas. M c G i l l same effect in 2005-2006. The SSMU’s re-incorporation in 1992. At administrators vetoed senate and re- decision meant that Sadie’s tabagie that time, some services, notably adopt a modified dangerous travel came to an end and was replaced by SACOMSS were renamed. As policy that allowed faculty Dean’s to a collection of vending machines in Canadian trademark and copyright make exceptions. the summer of 2006. The memory of law limits the enforceability of a mark From 2003-2007, SSMU also Sadie Hempey, SSMU comptroller, that has been diluted through undertook actions against McGill’s lives on in baptizing the area “Sadie’s repeated unauthorized use, McGill specific MELS underfunding known as Corner.” has been keen to limit such uses. “Ajustement McGill.” This policy saw SSMU Keeps Furthermore, the Polycuisine lawsuit McGill deliberately underfunded by trying proved the danger of parties several million dollars with the savings In an attempt contracting with student groups transferred directly to the other to revive winter having the McGill name believing they Québec Universities. SSMU presented Carnival spirit on are contracting with McGill. In on the topic to the National Assembly campus, SSMU 2005-2006, McGill renewed its interest in its cyclical review of McGill i launched the first in seeing SSMU clubs and Services 2003-2004. SSMU executives also I n t e r- F a c u l t y renamed. Diligent and undertook actions directly with the Olympics i n uncompromising efforts by SSMU Minister of Education and through la 2 0 0 6 - 7 . T h e executives from 2005-6 onwards have FEUQ in 2005-2006. SSMU’s co- effort failed to gain many participants. prevented any such action. operation with the FEUQ & McGill SSMU VP External Silverman When McGill Security rejected an administrators in 2005-2006 paved the attempted to create a SSMU Flying application for a tuition protest on way for the elimination of the Squad in 2006-2007 similar to labour campus, SSMU pushed for the underfunding as of 2006-2007. union programs of the 1930s. The creation of a policy on campus 2005-2006 was the year of the project is largely ineffective as gatherings in 2004-5. The new policy McGill scandal. It started with an activists tend to believe in causes, not identified various areas on campus for Redmen hazing scandal involving “Dr. process. gathering. Decisions on how much Broom,” followed up with a Journal d SSMU’s desire to purchase an security is required for an event Montréal exposé on the riské behavior $8000 plasma TV for the Shatner remained at the discretion of McGill at MUS carnival, and finished with the lobby was the object of much ridicule Security. release a Playboy issue naming McGill in 2002-2003. Thankfully calmer minds SSMU got a say in university a top 10 best party school. SSMU was prevailed and students saved the levied ancillary fees when the frequently in the media to promote money. Quebec Government passes rules to McGill’s excellent reputation. McGill limit such increases to, in McGill’s began to care much more about the case, $15 a year. SSMU has since effects of student events on its requested that McGill fees be put to reputation.
SSMU Policies
35 SSMU Inc. 2000
Muslim Prayer Space SSMU attempted to work with both the University, the Unlike Jewish and Christian groups on campus, whom MSA and Alumni Services from 2005-2006 to find a both successfully integrated off campus space into the solution that accommodate all parties but unfortunately, no McGill community during the 1940s and 1950s and had a such reasonable accommodation was forthcoming. SSMU history of campus and community involvement since even offered a small prayer space in the Basement of Shatner before then, Muslim students at McGill are still facing and continues to offer the Ballroom for Friday prayers and challenges for space on or near campus. While Muslims for holidays. However, with such facilities inadequate, the have been a significant minority on campus since the MSA has been seeking a judgement from the Quebec 1960s, it was only in 1997 that an official prayer space was Human Rights Commission since 2006. found for them on campus within the Birks Building. That space was replaced to make room for new staff offices in 2002 and, after some effort by SSMU, a new temporary space was made available to Muslim students in the basement of peterson Hall until that space was required for an archeology lab as of 2005-2006. McGill had made the provision of space to Muslims in 2002 conditional on SSMU securing future space for them within the University Centre. However, it became clear to SSMU that such an arrangement was not fair to other student groups who equally had needs of the limited space in the building. 36 SSMUocracy
McGill students know that SSMU is at its most visible during the annual SSMU election periods. This is not that surprising, given that it is the very Council nature of democracy that public appeals are part of the campaign process at any level of politics. Clubs Faculty Athletics Council SSMU democracy is not restricted Council Councils & Residence Council to this campaign period however. The bi-weekly council meetings comprised of representatives from various faculty Clubs & Departmental Teams & associations and interest groups, general assemblies, public Services Associations Residences consultations and referendums & plebiscites all form part of making SSMU a representative and legitimate partner in the McGill decision making In theory,, SSMU Councillors get process. two weeks notice of SSMU As Winston Churchill so succinctly put it, “democracy is the worst form of business and can seek input from government except for all those others their own councils. For major that have been tried.” It is unsurprising decisions, those councils then that SSMU democracy faces a number of challenges.
SSMU Council can seek input from hundreds SSMU council meets every two weeks during most of the school year. of students in departmental It hears executive and committee associations, clubs, sports reports and is the deciding body for SSMU policy and initiatives. SSMU teams and residences. council acts as a fusion of a parliamentary inquiry committee, loyal opposition, backbencher voices, and supportive majority. Given this unfamiliar with Robert’s Rules of alone giving two weeks notice on nebulous role, it is unsurprising that Order, rarely read the SSMU by-laws, many policy issues. Councillors are for as long as the McGill Tribune or the and are most likely unfamiliar with also full-time students with additional Daily have been evaluating the existing SSMU policy and history. responsibilities to many clubs, teams performance of executives and Many councillors also face the and associations. As such, they may councillors, SSMU council has been challenge of not being able to consult not always read their documents let receiving less than positive reviews. with their own associations before alone show up and participate in There are many reasons behind voting on motions at SSMU as debate. Councillors often know far this perception. For one, councillors, executives are notoriously bad at less than SSMU executives on the like some executives, are often getting council reports out on time, let issues being presented and are often
37 SSMUocracy
campus press and keep their opinions THE GAMES COUNCILLORS PLAY to themselves. [Excerpt from “A Students’ guide to Students’ Council” Old McGill 1974.] So despite all these difficulties, how does Council contribute to the Council spectators this year, as in the past, have had the opportunity to democracy and legitimacy of SSMU? witness some of the finer skills councillors employ to win imaginary points. THe first game is called Law and Order. It consists of some superman Council is a public check on authority) Robert’s Rules of Order, “tradition,” past Council minutes) which SSMU executives as it requires councillors invoke when they expect opposition. A really good player can prevent reports and does allow for both his or her opposition from speaking, amend a motion by an opponent to its questioning by one’s peers and opposite, or win an argument on technicalities alone. Victory is leaving the information to get out to McGill opposition speechless or out of order. Extra zing is provided by selective use of the students through reporting in the rules... campus press. The existence of The second skill is called Lobbying. Pre- and post- meeting huddles present SSMU council allows for Executives to post-mortems of past meetings and sound out opinions of people. When possible, learn about the happenings on no motion is proposed to Council before some ad-hoc voting tally has been taken. campus, and it allows for faculty Losing too often on the front line can mean a credibility gap in front of students, and even worse, other councillors. The third game is called Speech-making. (it helps to be from the debating union of from the law faculty for this one). The object is to provide enough material to convince everyone of the correctness of your views at least three times a year. Winning isn’t the important thing, because the consolation prizes are good too. First, people have to listen to you. Second, you can bore or confuse them to the point where they table a motion you were not prepared to vote on at that particular meeting anyway. Third, you can compete with yourself to see how much time you are using up. Law and order is the best antidote to Speechmaking unless discussion on a motion turns into discussion on procedures. In that case, Speechmaking associations to share ideas and best automatically scores a win. The fourth game is Representation. Its opening lines consist of either “I must practices amongst themselves. consult my constituents” or “As the representative for ....” As already indicated, Additionally, and perhaps most representatives are not representative at all. (Or at least not much). Playing importantly, Councillors also act on representation means motions can be tabled and bonus points can be scored for numerous committees that help being noble. develop better SSMU policy which It also means insecure councillors can hide opinions they are unsure of behind may eventually lead to better decision their constituents. Almost everyone plays lip service to this ritual. making at McGill. These committees A fifth game is Ego to Ego. Sometimes this is the results of two autocrats allow for executives to discuss clashing with each other. Other times, it is the result of discord induced by a third challenging issues with a group of party so that he or she can carry the ball over the goal lines, while others are dedicated people and are a key part of involved in the fruitless discord. the SSMU decision making process.
General Assemblies more interested in being friendly with seeking attention in the press in While open meetings have been a their peers than being ostracized for preparation for the next election, feature of SSMU for decades, SSMU creating waves and questioning the others are afraid of looking ignorant or introduced general assemblies (GAs) status quo. While some councillors foolish in public and in front of the in the winter of 1988. At that time, may speak up at council, perhaps they were seen as a mechanism for
38 SSMUocracy setting the agenda of Council, that is Since 2006-2007, SSMU has also process. When the issue is of import, for raising issues that SSMU needs to seen the introduction of mandatory McGill students are prepared to address. GAs once a semester. These GAs assemble and show the strength of The exact role of the GA as a have seen a general lack of quorum, their convictions in force. consultative and opinion setting body and the introduction of mandates on Senate Caucus was established by a judicial board SSMU that are generally fanciful, A unique and interesting wing of ruling of 1974 that found that only either deliberately or unknowingly. In SSMU democracy is the SSMU SSMU council can addresses order to fight SSMU being captured Senate Caucus committee. The budgetary and financial issues of the by minority interests, SSMU has since Caucus is formed of the SSMU society. That decision came about made use of its OVS to get a larger senators, both the SSMU President from the Daily’s efforts to fight against sample of the population to vote on and VP UA and the 11 student budget cuts to their publication the questions before the GA. senators. through mobilization of students. This last presents a particular SSMU has had representatives on The first few GAs in the 80s faced problem in the concept of the GA. The Senate since 1968. McGill had many of the same problems that face general assembly is, in a way, a authorized 8 student senators in 1967, the GAs of current years, a lack of throwback to Athenian style but SSMU did not take up the seats in quorum and accusations of democracy. This form of participative protest of Senate being closed to the insufficient publicity by the executive. democracy relies upon orators to public. McGill reversed that decision And yet, SSMU history is one that convince an open minded crowd of in 1968. By the early 1990s, Senate has seen the ballroom, classrooms the virtues of one path of action or reform had created 20 positions for and cafeterias filled with hundreds of another. The history of GAs at McGill students, some of which were held by students. McGill students who may however shows that students are PGSS and MCSS. well eschew showing up at a GA just perhaps less concerned with reaching On a few occasions in the last 30 because one is called have shown up, a consensus on action or the truest years, SSMU has questioned the role debated and voted when issues of path to a good policy through socratic of Senators. Are they to vote as a great importance to them were held. dialogue but rather a form of mob rule block? Whose voices do they When the provincial government has whereby the group that can summon represent: SSMU’s, their faculties' or increased or threatened to increase the most supporters can win the day. their own? Faculty associations have tuition fees, McGill students have The GA is therefore perhaps best the ability to mandate their senators to voted. When important education a tool for the SSMU to judge the level adopt positions. What of the student policy changes have been announced, of concern on a particular topic, rather senator positions on SSMU council? from massive cuts in university than a tool for policy setting. When Are those senators there to bring funding to the elimination of 103 hundreds of students come out to senate issues to SSMU or SSMU million dollars in bursaries, McGill vote or when dozens of students do issues to senate? students have convened and taken to the same, SSMU has been given a The existence of Senate Caucus the streets. When the leaders of the clear indicator of how important an bypasses many of these difficult world have threatened war in Iraq, not issue is to the student body. questions by allowing senators to once but twice, students have shown This conclusion also suggests that share their views amongst themselves their solidarity and their opposition to the perennial accusation of SSMU and work out solutions that ensure armed conflict. And when violence executives and councillors that they that a more or less cohesive student erupts in Israel, students will come to have failed to inspire students to voice is heard at Senate. condemn or defend a country that is come out to a GA is misplaced. It is the hope of millions. issues that inspire students, not
39 Food Politics
The student society has been of food issues in order to make time The current operators, MTY operating food services of one kind or for other society endeavors. moved in in 1999 in conjunction with another since the 1930s when it had SSMU has contracted with a wide the shatner renovations of the time. opened a small food counter in the number of food suppliers on campus. The original concept called for multi- Faculty of Music. Unfortunately, many campus food ethnic food counters that would rotate Food and beverage services have suppliers did not find the McGill the type of food they provided on a for years been the purview of student campus to be an profitable business regular basis. This concept was societies at McGill and many other environment to operate in. Unlike however modified to the current universities across the country. other restaurants, McGill only has tenants. Both SSMU and various faculty student clients for 6 months of the Student Run Food Services associations have operated food year, with the other 6 months being Over the years, SSMU has flirted providers on campus and within the less busy due to exams or summer. with the idea of student run co-ops, University Centre. Profits were minimal and the SSMU often at the urging of campus groups While at times, SSMU has actually was often interested in voicing such as Q-PIRG. However, SSMU has directly managed a food or beverage concern over both prices and been reluctant to self manage service, such as a short lived 1973 perceived lack of quality of the food cafeterias given the realities of high decision to manage an individual food served on campus. Over the 80s and student turn-over and the serious outlet (although the rest of campus 90s, many food suppliers ended their administrative burdens of such a was run by a SSMU tenant) or the contracts early and others venture. SSMU’s efforts in having a decision to run Gert’s taken in the renegotiated better terms for catering service, Savoir Fare, and a 1990s. Generally however, SSMU has themselves. food kiosk in Gert’s in 2004-2005 were simply placed campus food locations Notwithstanding these early short-lived and unprofitable ventures. up for tender and overseen the cancellations, relations between Savoir Fare was a SSMU attempt contracts that governed the SSMU and its food suppliers was also to take over a pre-existing catering relationship with a food supplier. complicated by various reports that business in the basement of the the food suppliers were not giving an Managing Food Services on shatner building. With an existing adequate share of their profits to Campus client base, the synergy opportunities SSMU. SSMU had to commission In 1982-1983, SSMU signed from catering to the Daycare, and with various audits, which cost tens of contracts with the the LSA, MUS, the elimination of rental payments, thousands of dollars, to survey its ASUS and EdUS whereby those SSMU believed that the operation food operations. societies hired SSMU to take care of would be a profitable one. However, a managing their cafeterias. These University Centre combination of failures to advertise, contracts meant that SSMU was The University Centre has difficulty in competing with other running food services in the Union significantly benefited from various campus catering services, and a building, Redpath, and in faculty food providers, as many of them have general lack of business during the locations across campus. invested hundreds of thousands of summer meant the operation was not Despite this indirect management, dollars into renovations to cafeterias successful. food politics was a cumbersome issue and Gert’s pub. Unfortunately, many of However, SSMU has supported for SSMU. Councillors frequently these renovations were not long various student run food services such raised issues regarding either food lasting and the investment of one as the Organic Food Co-op and the prices or quality. In 1984-1985, SSMU supplier often got replaced by the next Midnight Kitchen. These groups have Council decided to prohibit discussion as the vision of campus food and benefited from a large and dedicated beverage locations changed. core of volunteers interested in
40 Food Politics
catering to niche food markets on Food Take-Overs provider, while in turn SSMU signed campus. SSMU renovations to The Coca-Cola vote of 1999-2000 with Pepsi for its own services. SSMU Shatner in the mid 2000s have made marked the beginning of the end for terminated its exclusivity agreement in available kitchens on both the 3rd SSMU running food services on 2007. floor and sub-basement of the campus. When students voted to deny The direct management by McGill building to these groups. McGill millions of dollars in revenue as Ancillary Services meant that SSMU In 2007, following the departure of part of a exclusive Cold Beverage and students no longer had a say in University Bytes from its room 103 Agreement, it became clear that prices, variety or quality of food being location in Shatner, SSMU considered operating of food services on campus served on campus. This motivated using the space to open a student run was not a matter of tens of thousands student protest and lobbying in food service. At the time, McGill had of dollars but rather much more. In Senate between 2004-2006 resulting recently threatened a take-over of the 2001-2002, McGill decided not to in the creation of a permanent much loved student-run Architecture renew agreements it had with SSMU Ancillary Services oversight committee Café. As such, there was a community and faculty associations over their and a renouncement of a monopoly of students interested in student run operation of food services. McGill also food provider on campus. The food services. Despite this interest, at began to remove the Pepsi vending Ancillary services committee was a closed meeting of SSMU Council in machines from campus and replace eliminated from Senate in 2009 when 2007, it was decided to lease the them with Coca-Cola dispensers. In ancillary services was re-classified as space to a new tenant- Liquid 2002, McGill signed an agreement an administrative issue and hence Nutrition. with Coca-Cola as a beverage outside the purview of Senate.
Polycuisine Ltée c. Students' Society of McGill SSMU however demanded a number of contractual University, [2004] CanLII 25103 (QCSC). changes, notably that the Polycuisine owners personally In 1992, Capital Food Services (Scotts) informed guarantee Polycuisine performance in an amount of $250 SSMU that despite having 3 years left in their food services 000. Polycuisine stated that they could not do this at which contract, they were giving 90 days notice that they were point SSMU engaged Marriott to begin cafeteria operations exercising their right to terminate the contract for May 15th on campus. 1992. SSUM immediately put the operation of eight Polycuisine sued SSMU for 2.6 million in lost profits on campus cafeterias and two bars up for tender. the grounds that SSMU had broken a verbal agreement After receiving an initial 15 applications, SSMU with it. The Court found that Polycuisine’s testimony that narrowed its options down to two: Polycuisine Inc. (a small they had been awarded a contract was not convincing and privately owned Laval based cafeteria) and Marriott found for SSMU although awarded $7000 in damages to Corporation of Canada Ltd. (a multinational cafeteria Polycuisine for a few of its expenses. operator). SSMU began final negotiations with Polycuisine Polycuisine also sued McGill and RIAL on the grounds in May 1992 having informed Polycuisine that they were that SSMU had an apparent mandate to act for McGill to their preferred partner. sign campus cafeteria contracts. The court found that During these negotiations, Polycuisine became while SSMU did have McGill employees working for it (it’s convinced that they had in fact been awarded the contract comptroller) and used the McGill name (in conjunction with and undertook both a number of expenses and staff “Student Society”) it was obvious that SSMU was separate changes in expectation thereof. Polycuisine was given an and no reasonable business person should believe that office with SSMU, keys to the campus, hired the previous SSMU could sign contracts on McGill’s behalf. cafeteria staff and purchased equipment. 41 Serving Students
Student of organizational behavior coalition to address this very McGill Tribune assisted in publishing are likely well aware that organizations important issue. advice from councillors and experts grow to accomplish the voids that The McGill Women’s Union on how to deal with sexual assault. exist within their environment. created a walk safe service to assist Ten years latter, SACOMSS was SSMU, as a political organization, students in getting home safely after seen as important enough that it was also grows to respond to public late nights studying on campus. The provided space in the new Student concerns of students. Service becomes a distinct SSMU Services building. However, the desire Many of SSMU’s services and group in 1990, and an official service to operate a night office for students interests grew during the 80s and 90s in 1992-1993. in 2000 and the limited hours of due to the lack of direct provision by In 1989-1990, the sexual assault accessibility to the building meant that McGill of comparable services. In the coalition engaged in rape awareness SACOMSS needed to find alternative 2000s, as McGill became increasingly campaigns. Eventually in the fall of space. The university provided space concerned and aware of the risks 1991, the McGill Sexual Assault in the basement of Peterson Hall. associated with the provision of safety Centre, later renamed the Sexual While SACOMSS was entirely a services to students it began to Assault Centre of the McGill Student student run service, the importance question whether SSMU or the Society (SACOMSS) was established. and delicate nature of its operations university should be the source of The Centre’s goals were to both act as meant that it had informal these services. For its part, SSMU, a lobbying body to improve the McGill partnerships with advisors within having seen students capable of Sexual Harassment Policy and to see McGill Student Services. These ties providing such assistance, and being the Federal Government re-enact the became formalized in 2005-2006 well aware of the benefits to both their rape shield laws that rendered following a confrontation between service volunteers and to the campus inadmissible an alleged assault McGill, SACOMSS, and SSMU over community has been reluctant to see victim’s previous sexual history. In its the risks and capacity of SACOMSS the restriction or elimination of these early stages, the Centre was divided to provide assistance to McGill victims campus groups. as to whether they should focus on of sexual assault. victim services or political lobbying Saying no to sexual assault First Aid efforts. In 1988, a female student was Since it’s inception, McGill has In its first year of operation, the raped at a frat party. Unaware of what been a leader in medical sciences. It’s Centre helped 13 students who had to do, she unfortunately showered and dedication to the montreal community been assaulted in the McGill ghetto. waited two days before speaking with is well known though the McGill SSMU engaged in various safety the Montreal police. Her rapist was University Hospital Centres, and its audits of the ghetto and lobbied the never convicted, and in decisions all innovations in medicine are world city of Montreal for an increase in to common of the time, the judge was renowned. During World War I, McGill street lamps and police patrols east of concerned with her level of operated the No. 3 Canadian General campus. The McGill Tribune posted intoxication at the party. She dropped Hospital (McGill), the first ever weekly notices of assaults, attempted out of McGill but, represented by University hospital unit in the British assaults and suspect activity along Julius Grey, settled a civil suit with her Empire. with descriptions of the assailants. assailant. McGill’s own disciplinary While the commitment of the Annual rallies and marches process failed to help the victim. University goes back to its foundation, encouraged female students to “take S S M U g r o u p s w e r e the SSMU only established the McGill back the night” and SSMU Mini- understandably upset and a coalition First Aid Service (MFAS) in 1997. The Courses taught various self-defense of groups surrounding the Women’s service, which now operates at the courses to concerned students. The Union formed a sexual assault Red Cross’s recognized “First
42 Serving Students
Responder” status has been helping collection of a dedicated service fee in SSMU Security became a more SSMU keep its events safe, is on hand the 2000s, the MFAS has been able to integrated operation of the Society, at McGill sporting events, and, in the become the essential service that it is supervising and preventing thefts in McGill tradition, is ready to provide today. the Shatner building, providing services to the Montreal community. security for on campus events like SSMU Security The support of SSMU for these SnowAP and even integrating SSMU Security was introduced in efforts has often been a challenge defenses to computer threats. In the 1973-1974 when SSMU council given the high cost of operating and latter part of the decade however, restricted the SSMU executive from training volunteers to deal with life & McGill security services has taken a calling in Montreal police to arrest death situations. However, with the greater interest in staffing SSMU on- anti-zionist protesters. SSMU campus activities outside of the originally hired two agents to patrol University Centre. This decision by and secure the University Centre. In McGill marked a small downturn in the 80s and 90s, SSMU security SSMU’s security activities, and began to employ McGill Redmen eventually, due to the cost of McGill’s football players to supervise its services, the eventual complete activities. Unfortunately, while such demise of SnowAP- the last in a long persons certainly had an imposing tradition of McGill winter Carnival presence in Gert’s, SSMU’s needs Events dating back to the Red & White were for a more professional non- Revue and before. student security force. In the 2000s, 43 Speaking Up
Chose Life Most executives and SSMU councillors have come face to face with the From 2007-2010, SSMU was inherently difficult question of balancing free speech & freedom of assembly faced with yet another incarnation of with their obligations under the SSMU constitution and the role of orthodox christian groups on campus. universities in fostering debate in a free and open society. SSMU has previously had to decide Annually, students are likely to be offended by the actions of their peers how to treat missionary groups or who share different political and moral sensibilities than they do. In other those bent on more pro-active years, McGill has taken offense to the content of publications or the recruitment of members. insensitivity of some student actions. SSMU inherently finds itself caught in Recall that it was only in 1993 that the crossfire and trying to bridge the gap. Whether SSMU defends the SSMU granted official recognition to offended, apologizes for the miscreant behavior or simply promises to do political and religious groups. better, it’s sure to be controversial and leave the other side unhappy. Chose Life was to be the Mcgill Two specific situations, the decision to move the McGill Tribune towards wing of an american based NGO with independence and the decision regarding a pro-life club in the late 2000s chapters across many campuses. The demonstrate the inherent challenges of the 21st century student society. group is a militant anti-abortion group that has been known to have quite The Tribune break-up more balancing of interests, the provocative material demonstrated at The 2005-2006 Tribune Editor-in- simplest political solution was to put its meetings. chief, created an alter ego, under the the Tribune on a road towards Chose Life was approved as an name of Brandon Chudleigh, for complete independence from SSMU. interim club in 2008. In the fall of writing quasi shock editorials. While The Tribune got its own small 2009, one of its events was disrupted certain McGill students likely found student fee and may well become by a group of protesters who found them entertaining, and while a number independent from SSMU by its 2010 the materials presented oppressive or articles did contain interesting deadline. towards women. The Montreal Police social criticism, some more left Given the likely increased costs were called in to remove the leaning students were offended by that would be associated with having protesters. The event made the their insensitivity. its own advertising and accounting Canadian and US news. After months of letters to the staff, and the possibility of paying rent SSMU has decided to maintain editor and various scandals, the to SSMU, whether it can survive interim support of the Chose Life club Tribune and SSMU decided that the independently remains a question to although they did suspend them in Tribune should develop an official be seen. late 2009. editorial policy to prevent similar After SSMU attempted to lobby situations from arising in the future. McGill to restrict the group’s use of The policy was drafted. campus facilities, McGill issued a The 2006-2007 executive was statement that affirmed its policy of especially concerned with equity allowing free debate of ideas on issues at SSMU. Yet, they also likely campus- even when some students realized the limits and impropriety of may find such ideas objectionable. directly intervening in the editorial The debate surrounding the club has content of the Tribune. However, not made it onto both Canadian and US all students were happy with such a news outlets. nuanced stance, and the SSMU decided that rather than have to face
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