In a tiny boardroom in the converted observatory that now holds the student government, students squeezed in to hear about the electoral offences of the two parties running for the leadership of the Students’ Administrative Council.
“Take Back SAC” was reprimanded for putting up unauthorized posters in a Trinity residence. They were given five demerit points by the election committee for the offence. Members of the “Take Back SAC” campaign challenged the penalty, saying it was unfair to punish the ticket for an offence that might have been committed by any number of people unconnected to the campaign.
“How many degrees of separation does it take before we don’t have responsibility for it?” demanded Forrest Pass, but the committee upheld the decision, saying, “Whoever put it up is considered a non-arm’s-length party.”
Next up was the “We the Students” poster violation. They had previously been penalized eight points for “multiple violations in different locations” at the Erindale campus and were penalized again on Monday for postering illegally on TTC bus shelters on the St. George campus. Although they initially appealed the ruling, they rescinded the appeal after the ensuing debate became lengthy and inconclusive. Kylie Thompson was accused of consorting with the Gargoyle to produce an article where it appeared she was the only candidate to respond to questions sent by email to her, Jesse Thompson and SAC president Alex Kerner. The committee asked everyone but the defendant to leave the meeting when others kept interrupting with their version of events. Thompson emerged with a big smile, announcing, “It’s been dismissed.”
Alex Kerner was penalized 19 points for involving himself in referendum questions. Lily Wong, a St. Mike’s candidate and another candidate from Erindale were disqualified from running in the SAC election on the grounds that they were not currently full-time students.
