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CONCORDIA
ELECTIONS MARKED BY MASSIVE IRREGULARITIES: Observers, candidates to present evidence of "phantom
slate" and corrupt process -- For immediate release -- MARCH 27, 2006--Four years ago, Evidence and testimony will be
presented at a press conference scheduled for 2pm today (monday) at the "The first sign of a corrupt
process is a lack of independent verification of results," said David
Bernans, President of the Concordia Graduate Student Society. "Members of
the current student council voted down the use of independent observers for
vote counting, which has been standard practice at previous Concordia
elections." Concordia's students go to the
polls on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week. But observers say that lack of
oversight is just the beginning. A deliberate and illegal attempt to confuse
voters is also afoot, according to information acquired by candidates on the
slate known as "Conscious". A phantom slate named "Conscious
Concordia" has appeared on the final ballot at the last minute, though a sample
ballot distributed to candidates to verify accuracy bore no signs of the
existence of such a slate. With elections a day away, the "Conscious
Concordia" slate has yet to show any visible signs of mounting a campaign.
Conscious (sans "Concordia"), on the other hand, is considered a
strong contender. (Coincidentally, the Conscious slate's web site is www.consciousconcordia.org) "This is clearly a
deliberate attempt to confuse voters, and CEO Daniella Brazel is clearly going
along with it," said candidate Svetla Turnin. "Why won't she disclose
who is on the ballot?" Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)
Daniella Brazel ([EMAIL PROTECTED], 514-651-4669) has refused to provide
information about the phantom slate. Questioned about the mysterious slate,
Brazel told a debate audience of 300 that "it is being dealt with".
She has not responded to requests for confirmation that that is the case. Concerns have also been raised
about the use of CSU resources to support the "Experience" slate. Nearly the entire CSU executive,
including the President, has taken a leave of absence from their duties to
campaign for the Experience slate. "CSU offices have been used
to store campaign materials, and who knows where the connection between the CSU
and Experience ends," said candidate Noah Stewart-Ornstein. "If a non-existant party
called 'The Conservatives' was added to the ballot during the last federal
election, and the Liberal Party spent government money on a campaign, no one
could suggest that the result was democratic," Stewart-Ornstein added. "Experience is curiously
well-equipped, given that they are limited to a campaign budget of $750,"
said Turnin. "We called up the firm that made their web site, and they
told us that the site design alone would cost over $7000." "But the CEO is doing
nothing. Why is that?" "Experience is clearly in
win-at-all-costs mode, but the loser is democracy at Concordia," said
Stewart-Ornstein. "Clearly, they don't have
good role models in Paul Martin's Liberals, but the corruption has to stop
somewhere." Candidates for Conscious, student
journalists and independent observers will be available to present evidence and
answer questions at Monday's press conference. Contacts: Svetla Turnin CSU Presidential candidate,
CONSCIOUS [EMAIL PROTECTED] 514-265-1217 Maria Abi-Habib News Editor, The Link [EMAIL PROTECTED] 514-585-6086 Noah Stewart-Ornstein CSU VP candidate, CONSCIOUS [EMAIL PROTECTED] 514-581-0019 David Bernans GSA President [EMAIL PROTECTED] Some Useful Links Contain (Under Links): · Alternative Media and News · Boycott · Canadian Election · Human Rights · · Peace Movement Other
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