By Ashley Spegel
It took only 5.46 per cent of CESAR students to vote in favour of joining the Canadian Federation of students last week.
The move will amplify the organization’s voice across the province and the rest of Canada.
CESAR president Jeremy Salter said CFS services will help to save students’ money. “
We will have more funds to put into things for our students, like bursaries,” said Salter.
Voting took place from Oct. 16-21 and polling stations were located across campus. Only 924 votes were cast, of which, 94.6 per cent were in favour of joining the CFS. A fee of $2.13 will be tacked onto each students’ tuition.
While the ballots contained information about CFS listed underneath the ‘yes’ vote, nothing was listed below the ‘no’ vote.
Salter said the points listed were to ensure students knew what they were voting for.
Also provided was a summary of what the CFS is, the services they provide to students and what it will cost if it aligns with CESAR.
Thomas Barcsay, a history professor at Ryerson who teaches a course on propaganda, said the ballot could contain what is considered to be propaganda.
However, this depends on how much the students know about the vote.
“If they’re informed about the issue it shouldn’t make a difference,” he said. “But if they’re vaguely aware of the situation and they only see information about the one side, there’s a possibility that they might be persuaded to vote for that side.”
The partnership has been in the works since last year when the CFS approached CESAR with a proposal.
CESAR’s 16,000 student joined forces with the 500,000 members of CFS.
In a letter to the editor printed in the November 1, 2006 issue Jeremy Salter, CESAR President wrote: ” I would like to take this opportunity to clarify an inaccuracy regarding last week’s Eyeopener. The CEASR Board approached the Canadian Federation of Students not the other way around.”
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