Simon Fraser University strikes a blow against fanatical, undemocratic national student union

What do university students get for being in the Canadian Federation of Students?

From the sounds of things, not much, other than the opportunity to have part of their tuition fees used to subsidize a few radical causes and the activists who want to use other people's money to push their own political agenda (and enjoy a few expense-paid trips and make a few buck on the side at the same time).

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) uses money they take away from students, which amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars per university, to support radical, divisive issues along with the Public Interest Research Groups at Universities, which has a fetish for some of history's most prolific mass-murderers.  These issues or affiliations include the anti-Semitic Israeli Apartheid Week, anti-Semitism directed at Jewish student organizations, a violent activist group called The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), and the radical leadership of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, to name but a few.

The radical student organizations benefit from knowing that most students are too busy going through university  trying to get an education (and get laid) to scrutinize their tuition fees line by line.

But at a few universities, the student bodies have caught on and are fighting back and have held referendum to de-certify the CFS. Concordia,  Guelph and the University of Victoria have all voted, overwhelmingly, against continuing their membership in CFS.In each case, the CFS has not respected the democratic outcome and have tried to fight these decisions in court. They have lost, but those court battles to impose themselves where they aren't wanted are being paid for with student fees they take from other universities.

Simon Fraser University is the latest institute to have fought back against the CFS. They voted to get out of the CFS and are facing an ongoing lawsuit by the national student union to bleed money from the school. In fighting the democratic decision of Simon Fraser's student body, the CFS has demonstrated that their only concern is self-interest, which is of little surprise, given where their support is based. In Simon Fraser's case, they've also had the foresight to evict their Public Interest Research Group from the premises.

Students across the country need to become more aware of how their student funds are being used. Like any other union, the CFS, whose leadership works in self-serving partnerships with public service unions, isn't fighting for students as much as the right of a select few to choose how to blow some student money.

(and make dumb videos)

Canada's Bad Citizens are having a conference next month

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is a Canadian government agency.

Its job, in their words, is:

to investigate threats, analyze information and produce intelligence; it then reports to, and advises, the Government of Canada, so as to protect the country and its citizens. Key threats include terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, espionage, foreign interference and cyber-tampering affecting critical infrastructure. 

Through its Security Screening Program, CSIS prevents non-Canadians who pose security concerns from entering Canada or receiving permanent resident status or citizenship; the Service also safeguards the confidential information of the Government of Canada from foreign governments and other entities that may present a risk. 

However, countering terrorist violence is the top priority for CSIS. Terrorism, which has become a global phenomenon, is a very real threat to our national security. Terrorists and their supporters span countries, cultures, political systems and socio-economic backgrounds. They include both highly educated elites and more humble "foot soldiers." Followers are recruited from around the world, including our own country. CSIS strives to prevent terrorist acts from being planned in Canada, from occurring on Canadian territory and from affecting Canadian citizens and assets abroad.

The rights and freedoms we enjoy are far too often taken for granted in this country. There are those within Canada's borders who have very little respect for them and are working to undermine those rights.

There are very real threats to Canada posed by terrorists, and it would seem only reasonable and sane for any citizen who isn't a terror-supporter to want to help CSIS do their job.

Some people overestimate the government's ability to protect us. They can't be everywhere and know everything. For a democratic society to function effectively, citizens have to be engaged in government. Sometimes that means criticizing the government when they make mistakes and other times it means helping them to make informed decisions. The only way anyone can make an informed decision is if they have access to relevant information.

Because we live in a liberal democracy, with rule of law and respect for individual liberties, an agency like CSIS can only ask for citizens' cooperation. Canadians are within their rights to refuse to speak to them. But who would counsel against helping a government agency devoted to protecting the safety of this country's citizens?

Oh..of course.. The People's Commission Network!

The People's Commission Network, who possess a name that sounds borrowed from Pol Pot's Cambodia, is a working group of the Concordia University student-funded Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia. The same people who are celebrating dead German terrorist Ulrike Meinhof.

The People's Commission Network is having a conference of bad citizenry in February, where they will aim "to throw into question the very existence of national security agencies like CSIS" to be followed by a "solidarity dinner" for Mohamed Harkat, whom Federal Court Judge Simon Noel found to be duplicitous and a member of the bin Laden terror network.

Not only that, but The People's Commission Network has produced a video to provide you with everything Canadians need to know about non-cooperation with their government's Security Intelligence Service.

Doesn't this make you feel all warm and glowing about Concordia U?

So you don't think the Canadian radical left is violent and anti-democratic?

They are celebrating Ulrike Meinhof, of the notorious terror and murder organization, the Baader Meinhof Gang, at a special event sponsored by Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia.

The Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia was discussed in a post here a few months ago. It's funded, unwittingly, by students at Concordia University in Montreal.

The bad guys really have insinuated themselves all over. No wonder they don't like it when anyone talks to CSIS.

Is Concordia University a hotbed for Canadian terror?

Something describing itself as "The People's Commission Network"  is, in its words, a Montreal network monitoring and opposing the "national security agenda".

These people advocate complete non-cooperation with CSIS agents attempting to make inquiries about domestic terrorism.

So who is the "People's Commission Network? For one thing, they are a group that is pretty sympathetic to what the rest of us would describe as terrorists. Here is, in their own words, their "Stance towards violence and terrorism"

We believe that all social movements have the right to debate tactics. We advocate forms of resistance which maximize respect for life and the rights of the oppressed. We recognize that an ideological insistence on “non-violence” can, in some circumstances, deflect attention away from the overwhelming violence – direct and structural - exercised by states and privileged groups. We also question the use of the word “terrorism”. We believe the label is used to marginalize targeted communities, create fear and silence debate, delegitimize resistance, justify further oppression and legitimize state terrorism, especially in the context of the so-called “war on terror” .

"We recognize that an ideological insistence on “non-violence” can, in some circumstances, deflect attention away from the overwhelming violence – direct and structural - exercised by states and privileged groups. We also question the use of the word “terrorism”. We believe the label is used to marginalize targeted communities, create fear and silence debate, delegitimize resistance"  The People's Commission Network

It appears that the The People's Commission Network views terrorism as what the western World does to protect itself, but not acts of violence committed against innocent individuals in developed countries like..Canada?

These people sound angry and insane to me. Who are they exactly?

Their website says "The People's Commission Network is a working group of QPIRG-Concordia qpirgconcordia.org"

That would be The Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia!!!

The Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia's website tells us that:

"Since 2007 all undergraduate students at Concordia become automatic members of QPIRG Concordia through the 0.31$ per credit paid with regular school tuition. Should you wish to opt out of our fee levy, our opt out period is the week following the last day for academic withdrawal and will be posted o­n our news page and at the CSU office. "

You got it. By default, Concordia University students are unwittingly funding enablers of domestic terrorism.

Your MP probably doesn't know about this. Tell them.

UPDATE: It turns out there are some interwoven connections between Concordia and the recently identified (alleged) terror plotters!

UPDATE 2: And who would be an employee of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia?  None other than Jaggi Singh! The accused organizer of G20 violence and perennial fanatical presence at Canadian protests. Could he have been one of the authors of their position on tolerance (advocacy?) of violence in the name of radicalization?

Wasn't this the same ideology that drove the Red Brigades and Baader-Meinhof gang?