By Lee Richardson
Posters accusing the current Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) executives of mismanagement have popped up around campus.
They’re the work of Sherif El Tawil, the election’s lone independent presidential contender, who decided to run after attending the RSU’s semi-annual general meeting last November.
“I decided I had to make this heard, to show people this union,” said Tawil.
The posters single out presidential candidate Toby Whitfield, current vice-president finance and services of the RSU. Tawil is focusing on the RSU budget.
“This candidate is wasting students’ money on a smear campaign aimed at me,” Whitfield said. “It’s a tactic about discrediting my experience.”
The posters were approved, however, after being considered valid election matters.
“I’ve expressed to candidates that I hope that everyone tries to run a positive campaign, but I can’t designate how they run their campaigns,” said chief returning officer (CRO) Pablo Vivanco.
“We put in restrictions prohibiting slander and libel, but also gross misrepresentation of facts,” said Vivanco.
Tawil aims to have 15 posters altogether. “I think that it’s my duty to show my fellow students the facts that are going on,” said Tawil, who now insists he won’t resign if elected.
He also now has more campaign money to spend, after his trademark suit was considered an invalid campaign expense. Tawil originally bought the suit using his candidacy budget.
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