Ryan Reisert

Monday marked the first SSMU general assembly of the year. To the disappointment of SSMU executives and students, the number of attendees dropped below a hundred after the first hour, bringing the GA under quorum and limiting the rest of the event to deliberation only. The assembly adjourned over an hour and fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled.

During the brief hour that the GA managed to maintain quorum, three motions were passed.

The first motion was put forward by SSMU President Maggie Knight. The resolution was concerned with the bylaws for SSMU’s Board of Directors. The motion outlined the powers, roles, and responsibilities of each director.

With no speakers in opposition, the backing for this resolution was nearly unanimous and passed with a vote of 99 to two with several abstentions.

The second motion, put forward by Aryeh Canter, a student at the GA, which mandated an annual sustainability report, was received with similarly widespread support. The resolution allows for the creation of a new report on sustainability to be written by the Sustainability Coordinator. This would better organize SSMU’s sustainability efforts. It passed by a vote of 115 to two with five abstentions.

The third and final motion passed by the GA was by far the most contentious. The resolution, which was put forward by a group including SSMU VP Internal Joël Pedneault, called for a gradual reduction and eventual elimination of all fees for higher education, and protests against tuition fee increases.

The resolution drew several speakers both for and against. Pedneault, speaking for the proposed resolution, said, “This [resolution] would ensure that anyone, regardless of financial means or background, can enjoy access to university.”

“Education definitely is a right. It is not a privilege,” declared one impassioned proponent of the resolution.

“We not only have to vote for it, but we have to fight for it,” the anonymous student added.

In opposition, Brendan Steven, a political science student and member of Conservative McGill, cautioned against the impact that passing such a resolution could have.

“If we take the stance that we are going to oppose any and all legislation that would increase our tuition in any way, we’re off the [negotiating] table … all because we’re going to take a hardline, no negotiation stance,” said Steven.

Though vocal, the opposition to this resolution was not strong enough to cause its defeat. After the resolution passed, a group of those who voted against the resolution walked out. Accompanied by other students who had voted for the resolution, the GA fell 45 members below quorum and could not pass any more legislation.

The remaining GA attendees did, however, continue to discuss issues of workers’ solidarity as a deliberative body, most of whom were in favour of a motion that would mandate SSMU to support all current and future campus unions on strike. Solidarity with striking workers enjoyed widespread support amongst remaining GA members. There was some debate over whether or not it would be wiser to deliberate each future labour dispute individually, instead of passing the blanket motion.

“I don’t think we can ever say that democracy is not necessary,” David Benrimoh, a Faculty of Medicine student and speaker against automatic support, said.

Benrimoh elaborated that while he is staunchly pro-MUNACA and the MUNACA strike, he is more pro-democracy and pro-consultation.

However, the right to vote on support for unions on a case by case basis was defeated, but since quorum was not reached, the vote was non-binding. The remaining motions will be deliberated and will be decided upon at the next SSMU Council meeting.