By Pete Nowak
The Metro University and College Caucus is “shocked and angry” after the Canadian Federation of Students pocketed $1,500 of its money.
The controversy arises from Moxy Fruvous’ set during the Jan. 25 student strike, in which the band donated its paycheque to CFS instead of MUCC, the event organizers.
“CFS did not help to organize or fund the Toronto strike,” said an irate RSU President Mike D’Angelo. MUCC shelled out the entire $5,364 to cover the event cost, with $2,000 of it going to Moxy Fruvous. CFS did not contribute financially to Rye’s strike but still profit from it because of the band’s donation.
MUCC plans to send CFS a request for the funds to be transferred back to them.
“I can’t believe they (the band) would do this,” said D’Angelo. “They’ve shown a total ignorance of student politics in Southern Ontario.”
D’Angelo claims to have verbally agreed with Moxy’s lead singer, Jean Ghomeshi, that the money would be donated back to MUCC. During their set, Ghomeshi told 7,000 students about Moxy’s donation to a “student movement,” a statement which confused the MUCC members in attendance, Upon completing their set, Ghomeshi took the money and left. Frank Cappodocia, RSU executive assistant, said that the possibility of legal action, in respect to the alleged verbal contract, may be investigated.
“We didn’t mean to offend anyone,” said Ghomeshi, a former president of the York Federation of Students. “But we could have donated the money to Kentucky Fried Chicken if we wanted because it’s our money.”
Ghomeshi said the band and manager decided to donate the money to CFS after looking into which organization could best fight the proposed federal cuts. Moxy says they weren’t aware that CFS had very little to do with the Toronto strike. Ghomeshi also denies any verbal agreement with D’Angelo and is surprised at what he calls “this petty bullshit.” He says he didn’t have the authority to agree to any contract, and D’Angelo knew this.
MUCC is especially upset after CFS took credit for organizing the strike in their recent “Yes” campaign at Ryerson. CFS urged Ryerson students to vote to remain in the organization by claiming responsibility for the Toronto strike in their campaign literature. Andre Bastian, president of the York Federation of Students, said CFS promised to provide $2,500 to the Toronto strike. They later backed out because their resources were tied up in “Yes” campaigns across Canada. Garreth Spanglett, University of Toronto Student Activity Council president, said he expects CFS to pay up. “They had better damn well give us some money. CFS doesn’t need any more negative press.”
MUCC plans to make a public stink about the entire issue if CFS refuses their refund request.
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