Both sides firing at each other

The Canadian Federation of Students wants to disassociate itself from its Quebec component. Lawyers representing the CFS sent a letter demanding CFS-Q board members cease operations under that name, one the federation said is intended to be used to promote the interests of students in Quebec.
Recent activities of CFS-Q board members have allegedly damaged the CFS name and reputation. As such, the board members are in breach of the licence allowing them to use that name, the letter says. The Quebec chapter would not be permitted to collect or deposit any membership fees since it would no longer be recognized as an affiliate.
The letter is dated one day after the president of CFS-Q Gregory Johannson published a letter in the Concordian calling for a reformation of the CFS.
Students at 12 universities in Canada, including Concordia, are currently petitioning to put their membership with CFS to question.
Adrian Kaats, the board chair of the CFS-Q said he sees no viable reason for the national component to be taking this action. “They see some action, some loss of control in Quebec,” he said. “So they try to shut us down and take our fees.”
The Concordia Student Union, as members of the CFS, pays membership fees to both the national and provincial components.
President of the CSU Amine Dabchy said his office received two letters concerning membership fees; one letter telling the union to forward all collected fees to the national office in Ottawa.
A second letter, which Dabchy described as threatening, said it would be in the union’s best interest to ensure all fees go directly to the national office, since “the CFS-Q does not exist,” Dabchy said.
The second letter, which was carbon copied to the CSU, threatened legal actions against the union if it paid any fees to the Quebec chapter, Dabchy said.
The CSU is seeking legal advice to determine where their fees should go.
In the meantime, all student money intended for the CFS is being held with the university, Dabchy said.
Kaats said these letters are “yet another move” by the CFS national board members to try to take over. “It’s the M.O of the CFS. They’re either suing you or forcing you to sue them.”
Board members of CFS-Q said they intend to make a trip to the courts this week to file a judicial order against Noah Stewart-Ornstein, current CFS national deputy chairperson and former chairperson of CFS-Q.
Among other obligations, Stewart-Ornstein was supposed to resign his former position when he took on the new one, hand over office space and surrender company books to incoming board members, according to an agreement signed in July.
While he has “implicitly” fulfilled two obligations, Kaats said, the new board members feel they are still unable to conduct business, since they have no access to websites, or documents needed to pay off outstanding liabilities.
“So we have to go to court,” he said. “They were supposed to transition the Quebec chapter over to us, but he still hasn’t lived up to the agreement.”
Messages left on Monday night for Stewart-Ornstein and CFS-National treasurer David Molenhuis were not returned by press time.

The Canadian Federation of Students wants to disassociate itself from its Quebec component. Lawyers representing the CFS sent a letter demanding CFS-Q board members cease operations under that name, one the federation said is intended to be used to promote the interests of students in Quebec.
Recent activities of CFS-Q board members have allegedly damaged the CFS name and reputation. As such, the board members are in breach of the licence allowing them to use that name, the letter says. The Quebec chapter would not be permitted to collect or deposit any membership fees since it would no longer be recognized as an affiliate.
The letter is dated one day after the president of CFS-Q Gregory Johannson published a letter in the Concordian calling for a reformation of the CFS.
Students at 12 universities in Canada, including Concordia, are currently petitioning to put their membership with CFS to question.
Adrian Kaats, the board chair of the CFS-Q said he sees no viable reason for the national component to be taking this action. “They see some action, some loss of control in Quebec,” he said. “So they try to shut us down and take our fees.”
The Concordia Student Union, as members of the CFS, pays membership fees to both the national and provincial components.
President of the CSU Amine Dabchy said his office received two letters concerning membership fees; one letter telling the union to forward all collected fees to the national office in Ottawa.
A second letter, which Dabchy described as threatening, said it would be in the union’s best interest to ensure all fees go directly to the national office, since “the CFS-Q does not exist,” Dabchy said.
The second letter, which was carbon copied to the CSU, threatened legal actions against the union if it paid any fees to the Quebec chapter, Dabchy said.
The CSU is seeking legal advice to determine where their fees should go.
In the meantime, all student money intended for the CFS is being held with the university, Dabchy said.
Kaats said these letters are “yet another move” by the CFS national board members to try to take over. “It’s the M.O of the CFS. They’re either suing you or forcing you to sue them.”
Board members of CFS-Q said they intend to make a trip to the courts this week to file a judicial order against Noah Stewart-Ornstein, current CFS national deputy chairperson and former chairperson of CFS-Q.
Among other obligations, Stewart-Ornstein was supposed to resign his former position when he took on the new one, hand over office space and surrender company books to incoming board members, according to an agreement signed in July.
While he has “implicitly” fulfilled two obligations, Kaats said, the new board members feel they are still unable to conduct business, since they have no access to websites, or documents needed to pay off outstanding liabilities.
“So we have to go to court,” he said. “They were supposed to transition the Quebec chapter over to us, but he still hasn’t lived up to the agreement.”
Messages left on Monday night for Stewart-Ornstein and CFS-National treasurer David Molenhuis were not returned by press time.