The Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) met for its first Legislative Council meeting of the semester on Sept. 19. Speakers discussed various departments’ progress on projects throughout the summer, reviewed the McGill Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF), and addressed a motion for a call-to-action regarding a pro-2SLGBTQ+ demonstration.
The SSMU Executive Committee began the meeting by providing updates on its work over the summer. The Committee noted that it worked with the Dental Students’ Association and Macdonald Campus Students’ Society to adopt a new online voting system with Simply Voting now that the groups’ elections are no longer supported through myInvolvement. Additionally, the Committee explained that it has been working to bolster student engagement. Lastly, the Committee discussed amending the SSMU Constitution with the aim of addressing issues within the Judicial Board. The proposed amendments would give the Judicial Board power to produce binding decisions on SSMU governing documents and create a process for appeals.
The meeting then turned to the SPF’s summer activities. The SPF approved numerous projects including the distribution of compost bins and materials for Science Frosh and the creation of a sustainable materials library for students in architecture and engineering. Budgets for the SPF’s projects ranged from $500 to $5,000 CAD.
Lastly, the Legislative Council heard a call-to-action proposed by Vice President University Affairs Abe Berglas. Berglas that the SSMU sign on to a call-to-action put forth by P!NK BLOC, a Montreal-based queer revolutionary collective, on Sept. 20. The call-to-action was in conjunction with a planned protest in response to calls for national protests by Hands Off Our Kids, an organization advocating for the regression of civil education and free expression, and Ensemble Pour Protéger Nos Enfants, a Quebec-based group that champions similar ideas. Berglas’ motion was amended for the SSMU to advertise the protest and the call-to-action on its Instagram as opposed to being a direct signatory. The motion passed 15-0 with four members abstaining.
An previous version of this article stated that SSMU VP University Affairs Abe Berglas’ motion called for the Council to share information on a counter-protest on its Instagram. In fact, this was the amended version of the motion which was passed. The original motion was for the Council to sign on to the September 20 Call to Action put form by P!nk Bloc among other organizations. The Tribune regrets this error.