Miscommunication to blame for VictoriaStrike4Palestine motion oversight
Illustration by the Martlet / Photo by Mike Graeme.
Tension arose during the UVSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) hosted on Oct. 17, when the VictoriaStrike4Palestine group discovered their motion for a student strike endorsed by the UVSS was not added to the meeting agenda.
This tension resulted in the members of the pro-Palestinian group leaving the meeting, and the necessary quorum (the minimum number of voters for motions to be discussed) of the AGM fluctuating throughout the meeting. There was much uncertainty about what had happened, and the public image of both groups was questioned by meeting attendees.
In a statement sent to the Martlet, a spokesperson for VictoriaStrike4Palestine said that the motion was missed due to a communication error from the UVSS. The spokesperson’s understanding was that the motion had to have been submitted by Sept. 23 in order to make it into the agenda of the AGM. The motion was actually due on Sept. 20.
The UVSS stated, in an email to the Martlet, that the pro-Palestinian group was contacted on Sept. 12, offering to set up a meeting to walk the group through the bureaucratic procedures. “We did not hear from the group until Sept. 23,” said the spokesperson, “[which was] the morning of the Board of Directors meeting wherein the AGM agenda was approved.”
All motions to the UVSS must be submitted by the Friday before a UVSS Board meeting — at least 72 hours in advance — to provide directors with sufficient time to review and prepare for an informed vote. This requirement is detailed in the UVSS Constitution and Bylaws policy, available on the UVSS website.
Although the motion was sent on Sept. 23, the day when the UVSS Board of Directors would finalize and make the agenda available, the short notice made them unaware of the VictoriaStrike4Palestine motion until the next day.
“When we saw the email the following day, we contacted the group again to alert them of the fact that their motion [was] not on the agenda and we would like to have a conversation on pathways forward that will align with their goals and intended outcomes that the UVSS could facilitate,” said the spokesperson. “We did not hear from that group until during the AGM,” they said.
The UVSS must adhere to the governing laws of British Columbia. According to the BC Societies Act, a society must make notice and have the agenda of an AGM publicly available to its members a minimum of 14 business days before the meeting is hosted. Since the agenda was approved on Sept. 23, there were a few days before the 14-day deadline when additional actions could have been taken by either group. The lack of communication played a critical role in this issue.
VictoriaStrike4Palestine told the Martlet that “amidst the ongoing Palestinian genocide, where countless lives are taken every day, we believe it’s unacceptable for the fight against this massacre to be delayed by bureaucratic processes.”
The UVSS recognized that “bureaucracy and democratic rules of order are not natural processes and can be frustrating to navigate at times.”
The Board of Directors affirmed that they have met with some members of the pro-Palestinian group to help facilitate future engagement. “We are glad student groups are looking at the UVSS as a path towards having their voices heard, and hope to clarify the democratic process to students in order to empower them and their advocacy efforts.”
On their end, VictoriaStrike4Palestine maintains their call to action that “the UVSS take a strong, unwavering stand against the Israeli regime and actively join [their] cause for the liberation of Palestine.” The immediate focus of the group is on the upcoming strike day on Nov. 21, aligning with the 70th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Montreal.
According to VictoriaStrike4Palestine, UVSS support would formalize the already widespread student call to end the genocide, occupation of Palestine, and invasion of Lebanon.
“Our movement didn’t begin with and won’t end with a UVSS endorsement,” said a VictoriaStrike4Palestine spokesperson. “However, their involvement would be a welcome support in helping mobilize and inspire more UVic students to get involved.”
