The following is a decision by the Election Committee in regards to a statement made by VPAF Candidate Yasid Gilbert.
On Wednesday, February 9th, an allegation was made that VPAF candidate Yasid Gilbert violated section G.1.a of the election procedure with regard to the following statement made on his website:
"For the last 3-4 years, Feds has not embarked on a single venture to help out those in need." This statement is posted at
http://www.feds.ca/elections/candidates/yasid_gilbert.html and at http://www.feds2005.com/7155.html.
The alleger states “this statement shows an intent to make potential voters believe that ventures to help those in need are less common than they are. Because the statement is absolute, showing that the statement is false requires only one counter example.
In November of 2002, less than three years ago, Feds Food Bank organized Meal Exchange to help those in need of food in the Kitchener-Waterloo community. (http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2002/nov/22fr.html WatCard funds can aid food bank).
Election Procedure 6, Section G reads in part as follows:
G. CAMPAIGNING PERIOD
1. Rules for candidates
a. No lying.
The Election Committee investigated the claims made on Mr. Gilbert's website and the counterclaims made by the alleger by visiting the relevant web site. Mr. Gilbert was contacted by the Election Committee to present evidence relevant to the alleged violation, but he did not arrive at the meeting on Wednesday, February 09, 2005. Regardless, the Meal Exchange program that took place in November 2002, as a venture “to reduce hunger in the K-W area”
does contradict Mr. Gilbert’s assertion that the Federation of Students have not embarked on a single venture to help out those in need in the past 3-4 years, and no evidence presented by Mr. Gilbert could change the fact that the Meal Exchange program did in fact take place.
The Election Committee has determined that Mr. Gilbert’s statements were false and that he is in violation of the election procedure, section G.1.a.
Mr. Gilbert is hereby fined 15% of his spending limit, taking the form of a reduction in his spending limit of $67.50.
http://old.uwstudent.org/article.php?story=20050211132219398