The current situation in Queer McGill (QM) is one of corruption and infighting which continues to push the organization further and further towards irrelevance. In Tribune columnist, Abraham Moussako’s article “Safe Space Strife” on March 26, he outlined how I had been dismissed from my position as QM Treasurer due to violations of its anti-transphobia mandate by SSMU Equity as claimed by QM Political Action Co-ordinator, Libby Bouchard. While the SSMU Equity recommended my resignation, they have yet to provide any reasoning for their recommendation.

What Moussako failed to mention is that this was the last of several attempts to remove me. Notable among these is, one week after my election, call for an investigation by a disciplinary body by Kevin Paul, former QM Treasurer who claimed I had misappropriated $18.10, despite not yet knowing its accounting system. Another involved an email from QM Administrator, Francesca Buxton, claiming that there was some accusation against me by someone for which a Disciplinary Committee would be struck and that I could resign immediately or fight the unknown allegation.

Queer McGill is an organisation which has strayed far from its mandate. It provides little in the way of social or support services, yet finds the time and money out of its $35000 budget to support anti-police riots, the current protests over tuition hikes, or $250 sushi dinners and an $1100 hotel for executives. Last semester, three executives resigned in frustration. Maybe it’s time for Queer McGill to stick to its mandate: serving and listening to the queer community.

–Brian Keast