Navigating the political turmoil that may cause an early election for Canadians
Editor’s note: This story was previously published in The Ontarion’s October 2024 issue.
There are two words you’ll be hearing a lot in the next year and those words are “snap election” which means calling a political election earlier than scheduled. It leads to Parliament being dissolved and provides voters the opportunity to select a new set of representatives in Parliament.
It’s also something that might happen a lot sooner than we think.
On Sept. 24, federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre put forward a motion for a vote on non-confidence in Parliament. If the vote was passed, it would cause a snap election and get Canadians to the poll to let them have their say on who they wanted in charge of the country.
But what does a snap mean and why is it important?
The current timeline
The next federal election will be the 45th election and will be held on or before Oct. 25, 2025. However, there is a current bill proposing to postpone this date to Oct. 27 of the same year to accommodate Diwali celebrations.
According to Elections Canada, candidates would have a minimum of 37 to a maximum of 51 days to campaign leading up to the election to convince voters that their platform is the right choice for them.
Voters then cast their ballot on the candidates in their riding. Each riding elects one representative to represent their riding in Parliament. Parliament was previously composed of representatives from 338 ridings across Canada. However, if an election is called now there will be 343 seats based on the 2021 Canadian census. According to Elections Canada, the seats are determined by population equality and are evaluated every 10 years.
Canadians don’t vote for a Prime Minister, rather they vote for who they want to represent them and their riding in Parliament. The number of seats held by elected representatives from each of the parties determines which party will form a government and who will be the Prime Minister.
Currently, the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, holds the most seats, though they fall short of holding a majority of the seats in the House of Commons. The federal Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, have the second most seats. In third is Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet. The NDP, led by Jagmeet Singh holds the fourth most seats. The federal Green Party holds the fifth.
In October 2025, Canadians will get the opportunity to vote for their riding representative, and by proxy, who they want to become the next Prime Minister of Canada.
That is, if a snap election isn’t called before then.
Dissolving the agreement with Jagmeet Singh
During his third term, Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals didn’t have a majority of seats in the House of Commons. Trudeau then created a Supply and Confidence agreement with the federal NDP and Jagmeet Singh.. This agreement allows the Liberal party more flexibility to pass legislation and know they will have the votes they need for certain policy objectives..
However, on Sept. 4, Jagmeet Singh publicly announced that he and the NDP were pulling out of this deal with the Liberal Party.
In a video posted to Singh’s X account, he said he let the Prime Minister know that he “ripped up” the agreement. He said Canadians are fighting a battle for the future of the middle class.
Prior to Singh ending the agreement, Poilievre had publicly urged him to do so and trigger a fall election. Poilievre, who is currently riding a wave of populist support, would benefit from an early election.
Poilievre has made the carbon tax credit a central issue, characterizing the upcoming election as a “carbon tax election,” meaning that the main issue at hand would be whether Canadians agree or disagree with paying a carbon tax.
Singh’s withdrawal from the Supply and Confidence agreement has created an opportunity for the Conservatives to force an early election.
How a snap election could play out
In Canada, Members of Parliament, (MPs), are allowed to put motions forth in the House of Commons. One of the most important motions that can be put forward is a non-confidence vote. If the motion is adopted, it triggers a vote where MPs, decide whether the current government still has the confidence of the MPs that make up the House of Commons.
Poilievre tabled this motion on Sept. 24. His speech in the House of Commons was 20 minutes long and Poilievre spoke about restoring the “promise of Canada.”
On Sept. 25 the House of Commons voted on whether they still had confidence in the government. Leading up to this vote, parties like the Bloc Québécois and the NDP both said they wouldn’t trigger an election by voting in support of a non-confidence vote.
The vote did not pass with a final vote of 120 to 211. This means Canadians won’t be heading to the polls in the near future and may get a proper Election in 2025.
But if they were to have voted in favour of non-confidence, Parliament would be dissolved and an election would be called in what some may describe as the snap of a finger.
It’s happened before in Canadian politics, and parties have had votes of no confidence that triggered elections, and they still came back and won the election by winning a majority of seats.
This could happen again, however, current polling suggests this snap election would leave us with a completely different House of Commons, with the Liberal Party suffering a significant defeat.
This was the first of what may be many votes of non confidence and we could see Canadians heading to the polls well before our scheduled date of October 2025. It might not even be a matter of if, but simply a matter of when.
Co-founders Mark Spagnolo and Claire Voy spoke with The Ontarion about all things SHEBAD, including their upcoming EP, show us it’s real
Editor’s note: This story was previously published in The Ontarion’s October 2022 issue.
From jamming in The Bullring to Kazoo! Fest, playing on Johnston Green during O-Week, and releasing their first EP, SHEBAD has been taking the Guelph music scene by storm.
Mark Spagnolo, bassist and co-founder of SHEBAD explained that he and fellow co-founder and vocalist, Claire Voy knew each other from taking a class together at the University of Guelph campus.
Spagnolo played in a jazz trio and performed sets in The Bullring. He knew Voy was a vocalist, and one day he asked her to jam.
“After that we said ‘yeah this is working, let’s write some stuff,’” Spagnolo said.
Voy explained that both she and Spagnolo are heavily inspired by jazz. They both credit the genre with influencing SHEBAD’s signature sound.
But the duo also credited every person who has been a part of SHEBAD along the way.
They describe themselves as a musical collective that allows everyone the freedom to explore their creativity.
“I think that we just know so many talented musicians and artists, creatives, just people in the community who want to be a part of something like this,” Voy said. “I feel like music is such a great foundation for so many other art forms to kind of branch out.”
Voy also creates the band’s album artwork, which plays with colour and is a synesthetic experience in itself. Another artform that comes from the roots of SHEBAD’s collective music experience is their performances.
Voy said that when the band began playing live shows post-pandemic, there were nine members that would perform.
“We just wanted as many people involved as we can, even though it’s hard,” Voy said.
SHEBAD brought six of their original nine members out to perform with them in B.C. late this past summer. They narrowed their six-piece down to a saxophone and trumpet player, a keyboardist, a drummer, and background vocalist with Spagnolo on bass and Voy on lead vocals.
“They [the original ensemble] always have a place here in some way. We’re always wanting to keep them feeling like they’re a part of it,” Voy said. “Really because it’s just such a beautiful project.”
However, Spagnolo and Voy took the lead when it came to recording their material, most of which was done during the pandemic. The songs they’ve been creating have been unfolding for the past two years and have gone through many versions before the final product.
Spagnolo said while recording Terra, the first single off the band’s upcoming EP, he had doubts about the translation from live to in-studio.
“I remember there was a moment in time where I was like, ‘this feels like an energy ball,’’ he said. “[I was] like, it just feels like way too much nerdy stuff and it has too many risky things.”
Voy said that the music takes on a form of its own and that’s where, as artists, they have to release some control. She also added that she strives to create a space for the LGBTQ+ community within SHEBAD’s music.
“I feel like being queer – that extends into my music,” Voy said. “Like, that extends into the way I create music, the way I feel about music and how I feel in my body as a musician presenting on stage… It just runs through my soul in so many ways.”
Spagnolo echoed that sentiment and said that SHEBAD”s music often resonates with members of the LGBTQ+ community. He said he feels happy to be adjacent to something that brings space for that gender curiosity and experimentation.
“Yeah, I think experimenting is a big part and malleability,” Voy added. “I think that extends into identity and relates heavily to music and performance.”
SHEBAD’s funky soul roots continuously pushed the boundaries during performances at Kazoo! Fest and playing alongside popular musicians like Jessia and Dear Rouge at the Ignite Concert Series in Fergus this summer. Both Voy and Spagnolo said these performances were humbling experiences and gave them the opportunity to connect with new fans. They also had a full-circle moment when they played on Johnston Green during O-week this year.
However Voy and Spagnolo said that none of this would have happened without their own hard work. They both also acknowledged that they wouldn’t be at their current level if not for their failures.
“It’s like, the emotional work of getting to know yourself and your partner that you’re doing it with and the emotional work of being bad at leading and being bad at mixing and recording,” Spagnolo said. “You want everything to be at a certain level right away and you constantly have to remind yourself that it isn’t going to be.”
They also mentioned the anxiety that comes with putting a piece of your art into the world for others to see or listen to. Spagnolo referenced their experience while releasing their EP’s first single, Terra.
“I remember saying I wanted to make it a song full of like, five songs and it feels like that when you listen to it,” Spagnolo said.
When the song got put on a playlist, Spagnolo was certain it was a glitch.
“Yeah, here it is more than 100,000 [streams],” said Spagnolo. “It blows my mind because it’s such a silly song. It literally has me talking in it… and it’s cheeky, it’s ridiculous, but yet that’s what people like, they like boldness.”
SHEBAD hopes to continue to showcase their boldness on their upcoming EP, show us it’s real, when it is released on Oct. 1. They hope to expand their reach and play more non-local shows in the future.
“Give us a minute and we’ll show you what we can do and so yeah, I think that’s kind of where we’re headed,” Spagnolo said.
From speaking with Navitas to partnering up with Lovely Professional University, the University of Guelph is exploring their options for international recruitment
Following the Navitas town hall the senate decided to pause talks with Navitas. They approved the partnership between LPU and the OAC. (Photo by: Sophia Marcon)
Editor’s note: This story was previously published in The Ontarion’s March 2024 issue.
On Jan. 17, a town hall meeting was held at the University of Guelph to provide insight and get feedback on their potential partnership with Navitas, a private international student recruitment company.
Pathway programs have become increasingly popular among Canadian universities as they look to internationalize their campuses. With universities like McMaster and Toronto Metropolitan University, (formerly Ryerson) signing on, even the University of Guelph is looking to expand their international recruitment through these programs.
On Feb. 5, following vocal opposition from faculty and some students, a senate meeting was held where it was revealed that the university had paused its talks with Navitas.
At the same meeting, the senate approved a partnership with Lovely Professional University, a private university in India for a pathway program into the University of Guelph’s agricultural college.
Government Cuts
On Jan. 17, 2019, the Ontario government measures to reduce university tuition by ten per cent and freeze tuition at its current level for domestic students.
This helped students save an average of $660 on tuition during the 2019-2020 school year, according to a press release from the provincial government.
This pre-pandemic tuition freeze has continued on for five years.
“By freezing tuition for another year, we are saying yes to ensuring that students have access to affordable, high-quality post-secondary education,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities in a release from March 2022.
In November 2023, a blue-ribbon panel of experts called on the Ontario government to lift the tuition freeze.
“As time goes on, this situation is ever more likely to pose a significant threat to the financial sustainability of a major part of the province’s postsecondary sector. Higher rates of price inflation in the last two or three years exacerbate this threat,” the panel said.
The report explains that in 2021-2022 Ontario’s university funding worked out to $11,471 per student, compared to the Canadian average of $20,772 per student.
The government-commissioned panel recommended that tuition be raised by five per cent in the 2024-2025 academic year, and a two percent increase in tuition in the year following, along with additional tuition raises in line with the federal inflation rate.
In addition to tuition freezing and reducing costs, the government also scrapped a number of grants to students and universities. Losses from university amount to just over $1.1 billion.
“No province has underfunded postsecondary education more, and no province’s institutions have found so many ways to raise money from private sources,” says a report titled The State of Post-Secondary Education in Canada in 2023.
Record inflation is another one of the reasons why universities and students have been struggling in light of these tuition freezes.
In 2023 the annual inflation rate was 3.9 per cent. The year prior had an inflation rate of 6.8 per cent, the highest in 40 years. This affects the day-to-day costs for families, students and the university.
On Dec. 5, Charlotte Yates released an open letter to the university community about the lack of government funding and how it affects the University of Guelph.
“To weather this storm, we have undertaken several short-term measures,” the letter reads. “These include a 5.5 per cent reduction to our base operating budget, reducing services and leveraging our reserves — none of which are long-term sustainable practices.”
In addition to the tuition freeze, and rising inflation, declining enrolment has also been a factor with multiple universities across the province.
Many of these institutions have increased their enrolment of international students to make up for the loss in domestic tuition fees. International students pay up to three times more in tuition compared to their domestic counterparts, according to Stats Canada.
Universities like Wilfrid Laurier, Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Manitoba have partnered with an international student recruitment firm, Navitas, to help ease the financial strain.
Navitas
Navitas’ business model is to recruit international students who typically wouldn’t qualify for Canadian universities. These students would study through a Navitas-run program using campus space. They would have the opportunity to complete their degree at the partnered university, should their grades be sufficient.
According to Navitas’ website, it’s partnered with over 300 universities worldwide. They also list 28 universities as part of their international pathways program. Navitas uses the campuses of these universities to teach their students and in turn gives the universities royalties for using their space and branding.
In a meeting of the Board of Governors at the University of Manitoba, who has partnered with Navitas, conservative estimates said the university is poised to receive $100 million in funding from their partnership with Navitas over the first decade of their partnership.
In a letter to the board of governors from the University of Guelph Faculty Association, (UGFA), Faculty expressed their concerns about the possible partnership. Their letter cited concern for the quality of education the students would receive, the outsourcing of teaching, the university’s reputation and the wellbeing of the students in these programs.
“The University’s commitment to internationalization and EDI [Equity, Diversity and Inclusion] will be undermined and tainted by this initiative, as its principal requirement is the ability to pay high fees,” they said in their open letter.
They also expressed worry about students and their families possibly being exploited as well as creating segregated international groups and how the agreement would affect the overall strain on campus facilities and resources.
Navitas is a private company owned by equity firm, BGH Capital, whose primary purpose is to generate profit for its shareholders.
Faculty also got the chance to voice their concerns about Navitas at a town hall meeting held in Peter Clark Hall on Jan. 17.
Associate vice president academic, Byron Sheldrick, spoke with faculty members about how the program would possibly work.
“Our overall goal, though, is over the next several years to increase our intake from what now is about 270 a year to maybe 400 to 500 over the next five years,” he said during the presentation.
Faculty members and students raised concerns about the partnership with Navitas and questioned the financial aspect of the program.
“These are real people trying to have real educational experiences that will lead to success. I don’t see this leading to success,” professor Andrew Hamilton-Wright said during the meeting.
History professor Karen Racine also voiced her opinion.
“International Student Recruitment isn’t going to be the solution to our problems,” Racine said.
Nate Broughton, University of Guelph student and one of two Central Student Association, (CSA), board representatives for College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, brought the issue to the CSA’s attention. He said he was optimistic about the acknowledgement of opposition.
“I would like to think that, at least at some level, they took notice of the amount of opposition that they were facing, and heard the students and faculty and everyone else on campus that was saying this is not a good idea,” said Broughton, speaking in his role as a student.
Sheldrick also mentioned there are different approaches to working to internationalize campus. One of the programs he mentioned during the town hall was an admission pathway between a private university called Lovely Professional University, (LPU), located in Phagwara, India, and the Ontario Agricultural College, (OAC).
LPU
In a news release posted on Feb. 12, the university announced its partnership between LPU and the OAC to the public.
The university did not confirm when talks of a partnership with LPU began.
However, on Feb. 19 2023, an LPU Instagram account posted photos of U of G president Charlotte Yates visiting the campus in India. The post said that Yates attended LPU to “discuss opportunities for students and faculty.”
LPU is owned by the Lovely Group in India, which is run by Ashok Mittal, a businessman and former politician. Lovely Group operates businesses spanning different industries that are grouped into Indian sweets, auto dealerships, education, packaged food, hospitality and others, in addition to Lovely Professional University.
“It is shocking that, while facing strong opposition to their Navitas initiative, the administration did not think to mention to the UGFA or the University community that there were separate discussions with LPU,” said Kunze in an email to the UGFA membership.
Kunze also mentioned in his email “unlike Navitas, LPU is at least a degree-granting university that is considered by university ranking systems.”
Jessamine Luck, manager of stakeholder communications for the University of Guelph, said in an email the “pathway will start in fall 2025 with an initial cohort of five to 10 students and this number will slowly grow over time according to program capacity.”
Luck said that the program follows a similar process as the degree pathway for students with an associate diploma in agriculture at U of G’s Ridgetown campus who wish to apply their credits toward a bachelor of science (agriculture) degree.
She did not comment on exact similarities or differences between the programs.
Broughton said the differences between LPU and Navitas did change his perspective.
“I think that on one hand, it is a little bit different,” he said. “It is … an accredited institution, which is ranks in… university rankings. It’s more reputable than Navitas in that sense.”
Luck explained further.
“Its agriculture program is accredited by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research,” Luck said. “As part of the pathway development process, U of G faculty have rigorously assessed LPU’s agriculture program curriculum to ensure consistent academic standards between the two universities.”
Both Navitas and LPU are technically 2 + 2 pathway programs, but work differently.
LPU is a private university, whereas Navitas is a company that is hired to recruit students.
Navitas does not have its own campus, but it uses existing space at their partnering universities. However, LPU is an accredited university with a campus that students will attend for the first two years of their program.
Navitas agrees to pay the university for their space, whereas with Lovely Professional University it is a “memorandum of understanding” agreement.
However, they both work to outsource international student recruitment to financially benefit the universities they partner with.
Student cap & new funding
On Jan. 22, the federal government announced a cap on how many international students post-secondary institutions were allowed to take in.
“In light of the recently announced cap on international students, further discussion on a potential partnership with Navitas has been paused until we have a more accurate picture of what international student recruitment will look like in Ontario,” Luck said.
Broughton said that he hopes the pause on talks with Navitas are permanent.
“I’m happy that they’ve paused discussions for the time being. Hopefully that is a kind of permanent pause,” he said. “I guess it will depend on what the interpretation of these regulations looks like.”
On Feb. 26, in response to the blue-ribbon panel’s recommendation the provincial government announced almost $1.3 billion in funding for post-secondary institutions that are struggling due to underfunding.
The funding will be distributed over the next three years. According to the Ontario government’s press release, “the government is continuing to evaluate the blue-ribbon panel’s advice and is working with postsecondary sector partners to create the right conditions to help students access and succeed in postsecondary education.”
The encampment was given until 8 p.m. July 7 to leave Branion Plaza
Update: On the evening of July 8, the UoGforPalestine encampment announced they would be dismantling their pro-Palestinian encampment by July 15.
On July 6, the University of Guelph gave a trespass notice to the pro-Palestinian encampment in Branion Plaza. The letter said the encampment must remove themselves and their belongings by 8 p.m. the following day.
“The letter requested a peaceful and voluntary dismantling of the encampment similar to recent activity at the University of Toronto, Western University and the University of Waterloo, by 8 p.m. Sunday, July 7, 2024,” reads a statement from the University of Guelph from July 6. “Should the encampment remain, the University will pursue legal action to end and remove it permanently and restore the university as a welcoming space for everyone.”
The group occupying the space, UoGforPalestine, posted on their Instagram on July 7 detailing their opposition to this request, specifically the timeline given to the encampment by the university.
“This escalation does not come to us as a surprise – the University of Guelph has a habit of lying and throwing unreasonable deadlines at us,” the Instagram post said.
The group alleges that the University has hit them with an unexpected deadline similar to the deadline of them having to move their encampment for fire safety issues.
“This is not the first time the university has used this tactic against us,” the same Instagram post reads. “On June 3rd, when the admin blatantly lied to its student, staff, and faculty in a mass email about being fined $20,000 per day due to the encampment and repeatedly gave us arbitrary deadlines of removal of our fencing with less than 24 hours notice on May 30th.”
In a press conference on July 8, the group reiterated their Instagram statements. Other members from community groups like the U of G Muslim Student Association, (MSA), U of G Alumni and Decolonial Solidarity read their statements of solidarity with the encampment.
The representative from the MSA voiced their concerns and displeasure with the university during the conference.
“The administration’s narrative falsely portrays the participants of the encampment as a source of harassment and discrimination, whereas in reality, it is a response to these very issues,” they said.
On the evening of July 7, at 8 p.m., when the protesters were instructed to leave, community members rallied at the encampment for an evening of solidarity that included banner painting, and a movie screening.
A community gathering took place at the encampment on July 7 at 8 p.m. (Photo by: Taylor Pipe)
The university released a statement on July 8 letting the public know their intentions to proceed with legal action against the protesters.
“Members of the University community are free to exercise their rights to freedom of expression through peaceful protest, but that does not extend to the indefinite occupation of University property,” the university said. “U of G campus is private property and the unauthorized occupation of Branion Plaza by the encampment is illegal. Per the Notice of Trespass, if the encampment does not disband and vacate Branion Plaza immediately, the University will seek an injunction order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.”
The notice of trespassing says the group is prohibited from occupying, entering or remaining at Branion Plaza, erecting tents or shelters, remaining on campus between 11 a.m. and 6 a.m., and gathering at the university in a way that is inconsistent with university policies.
The encampment has no plans to leave any time soon.
“If this Administration uses state violence to force the end of the People’s Plaza for Palestine, then our solidarity, our knowledge and our experience and our spirit will forever be everywhere,” an encampment representative said during the conference. “The spirit of the People’s Plaza will haunt them insistently, until they end their complicity in the occupation and genocide in Palestine. Or until the people end it for them.”
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as appropriate.
Since May 21, protesters have been using the space in Branion Plaza as an encampment to call for the divestment of university funds that support the war in Gaza.
During this time, the group has hosted Shabbat dinners, a reading group, discussions about colonial oppression and a fiction writing workshop.
A post on the UofGforPalestine instagram page on May 31 indicated progress toward a resolution between the university and UofGforPalestine, though the resolution has fallen short of what the protesters would accept.
The post on the UofGforPalestine instagram page said that “in exchange for dismantling the encampment and no further disruptions, they offered us disclosure, amnesty, and scholarships and bursaries for students ‘affected by conflict’ and anti-racism ‘training modules’ without a working definition of Palestinian racism.”
The protesters declined the university’s offer.
The post continued, “They offered zero commitment to divestment. They said this would only be handled through the Special Action Policy Act, which was submitted before the encampment was established and before we had updated information on the university’s investments.”
Since then, there has been confusion surrounding the encampment and potential fire safety issues.
On May 31, the encampment was told by Guelph Fire Services to dismantle as one section of the encampment was creating a fire hazard.
A post on UofGforPalestine’s Instagram shows a fire inspection order. The order states that the inspection occurred on August 25, 2020, although the encampment began in May 2024.
The Ontarion reached out to Guelph Fire Services but did not hear back in time for publication.
The order is marked up with question marks by the protesters, who gave the inspection a failing grade of F, for “funding genocide.” The order said the encampment must be dismantled within 24 hours.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has determined that South Africa’s application alleging genocide are plausible, but has fallen short of making a ruling determining Israel’s actions genocide, per the definition used by the court. However, the ICJ has issued multiple orders that Israel avoid actions “which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.
The post accompanying the order alleged that the university is using this tactic on purpose to get them to leave their encampment site.
“To comply with the order, the University communicated with members of the encampment yesterday to inform them that they will need to move their tents and personal belongings a further 10 feet away from Zavitz Hall,” said a statement by the University on May 31.
More than 72 hours after the inspection order was made, protesters had not moved.
On June 3, the university released a letter from president Charlotte Yates in regards to the encampment, and the order by Guelph Fire Services.
“As of this morning members of the encampment have not moved all the tents and personal belongings that are obstructing the evacuation pathway,” the letter said. “The University is being fined $20,000 per day for non-compliance.”
On June 4, protesters held a press conference in response to the university. Their goal was to communicate specifics about fire safety, negotiations and the university’s disclosure of their investments.
During the conference, the group told the media that the university was not being fined yet.
“The fire department has confirmed that no fines are currently being issued to the university. We confirmed this with the fire marshal ourselves yesterday,” said Firoza Saroqi, media spokesperson and member of UofGforPalestine.
“Guelph Fire Services agreed late yesterday to provide an extension to the deadline to comply,” said a release by the University of June 4. “The University has not received any fines to date.”
Protesters moving the edge of their encampment to comply with fire safety code. (Photo by: Patrick Sutherland)
Ultimately, the group moved their encampment to create a walkway alongside Zavitz Hall, in order to maintain fire safety.
The group also alleged that fencing was strategically placed around their encampment. However, a University of Guelph release from May 27 said these fences are due to summer construction and will be up from late May until August.
UofGforPalestine said the universities “incessant intimidation tactics” prevent the group from their main goal: divestment.
A report published by UofGforPalestine said the university has $50 million in shares in companies that support the Israeli military.
“We refuse to wait for an intermediary process that makes recommendations to a committee that then makes recommendations to another committee and so on,” said Waida Mirzada, organizer and member of UofGforPalestine. “We demand divestment now.”
Mirzada confirmed they will not be ending the encampment anytime soon.
“Until we get a commitment to divestment, we will be here,” she said.
The encampment organizers have made several demands, including calling for U of G to divest from 61 companies
Pro-Palestinian encampments have finally made their way to the University of Guelph campus.
On the morning of May 21, Branion Plaza was fenced off and became the site of several tents. Banners have been placed on the perimeter of the encampment, displaying various pro-Palestinian messages.
Similar encampments have been popping up at universities across North America. Universities such as Columbia University, McGill University, and the University of Manitoba have all had their own encampment over the last month. They all have similar demands – for universities to divest their investments in companies which the protestors allege support the Israeli military, both in the ongoing war in Gaza, and in actions leading up to the war.
Similar encampments have popped up at University of Toronto, McGill University and University of Waterloo. [Photo by: Taylor Pipe]At the University of Guelph, UoGforPalestine has been protesting and calling for divestment since January, when they put banners on display in various locations around campus. In the following months, there were multiple protests including a sit-in at the University Centre, which was met with a smaller, silent counter-protest from pro-Israel supporters and members of the Jewish community.
“For several months, we have been pushing for divestment and having our voices heard and taking a stand against this genocide all we have experienced is suppression, censorship and structural gaslighting from this institution,” said Waida Mirzada, organizer of the encampment and media representative for UoGforPalestine.
UoGforPalestine is calling for the University to divest from companies that support the Israeli offensive. [Photo by: Taylor Pipe]The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has determined that South Africa’s application alleging genocide are plausible, but has fallen short of making a ruling determining Israel’s actions genocide, per the definition used by the court. However, the ICJ has issued multiple orders that Israel avoid actions “which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.
A report written by UoGforPalestine was included a press release. The report states that the group had filed an FOI, (Freedom of Information) request. This request asked the university to disclose what equities they are invested in and to disclose how many shares the university held in each equity.
“After months and months and months of us trying to ask for a freedom of information act on their entitlements portfolio, they not only prolong the process… all that they gave us was a list of companies but they withheld information in regards to the number of shares and how much monetary value was actually invested in these companies that are complicit,” said Mirzada.
Views from The Lookout on campus show the inside of the encampment. [Photo by: Taylor Pipe]The same report outlined the specifics of UoGforPalestine’s demands.
The group demands that:
The University of Guelph gives complete disclosure of all its investments and how many shares it has in each company in its endowment portfolio, the university divest from all arms, defence, and military contractors.
The University of Guelph divest from all companies directly complicit in the genocide and subsidization efforts of the Israeli occupation.
The University of Guelph ends any and all existing partnerships with Israeli universities, institutions and companies and commits to an academic boycott.
The University of Guelph end its blatant disregard for students being targeted by anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia and to adopt the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association’s (ACLA) definition of anti-Palestinian racism within its institutional framework,
The University of Guelph reject and end all suppression of pro-Palestinian activities on campus – among students, staff and faculty – including amnesty for the students at the People’s Plaza for Palestine.
The report listed several companies involved in supporting the Israeli military, such as: Ford, Honeywell, Boeing, General Motors, McDonalds, Amazon, Pizza Hut and Cisco Systems Inc., in addition to a number of lesser known companies.
“Why is an academic institution investing in arms manufacturers?” Mirzada asked.
Many members of alumni support the group and their right to protest. [Photo by: Taylor Pipe]On the same day the encampment began, the University of Guelph released a statement written by President Charlotte Yates. The statement said that the university is monitoring the unauthorized encampment and has been in contact with protesters to remind them of campus policies.
“Encampments go against University policies and are not permitted as they entail health and safety risks for individuals in the encampment and for other members of the community,” the statement reads.
“Safety and security is like our number one protocol here and ensuring that everyone who enters here is following community guidelines and is respectful,” Mirzada said. “We’re also still maintaining COVID guidelines as well.”
In the same statement, the university said it has a steadfast commitment to freedom of speech on campus. They also mentioned that the university received a divestment submission under its Special Action Policy and that it is being reviewed in accordance with University processes and procedures.
The cannon is painted with pro-Palestine messaging. [Photo by: Taylor Pipe]Mirzada said that the pro-Palestinian encampment will stay as long as there is a need for it.
“Until our divestment demands are met, we will not stop,” she said.
This article represents initial reporting and will be followed shortly with more in depth coverage. If you or anyone you know would like to talk to The Ontarion about your experiences or have questions you would like to see answered, please contact our Editor-in-Chief at tpipe@theontarion.com
