A copy of the petition currently being circulated made it’s way into my hands. There are six questions being asked:

1. The removal of Blake Frederick
2. The removal of Tim Chu
3. Creation of a $5.00 “Engagement Levy”
4. A code change to implement slates
5. Indexing all non-indexed AMS fees to CPI
6. Amending the bylaws to separate the director and officer status of executives (so Council can effectively impeach).

Questions 1, 2 and 6 were expected. Although questions 1 and 2 will come in to effect once another executive would be elected, its only real effects will be to bring out angry mobs to express their moral outrage, hopefully driving turnout through the roof for question 6, which would fix the problems we covered earlier.

Question 3 is Naylor’s “sad little idea that nobody liked ^[1]“. The engagement levy is a $5.00 fee which is refunded upon casting a ballot in the AMS election. If you read the comments thread in that post, you’ll find my thoughts (as Ed. 2).

Question 4 is a code change to re-implement slates. My understanding is that it’s not getting as many signatures as Q’s 1, 2 and 6 however. It’s important to note this is simply a code change, however, and council is still permitted to overturn it later (though it would get rid of political will).

Question 5 is an item that has been on the table of the AMS for some time. SUS recently indexed their fee, and my reading of this referenda is that it would fix all undergraduate society fees to CPI as well. This would amount to approximately an increase of 2% per annum, depending on recessions and the competency of the Bank of Canada, to protect again inflation.

A successful referendum question requires 1000 signatures by Wednesday (read: tomorrow) January 15th. Alternatively, code allows council to simply vote questions onto a ballot. Further, each referendum question on this referenda contains the rider:

“… or other such wording as deemed appropriate by AMS Council or Student Court.”

Lets see if the promoters can mobilize 1000 signatures by tomorrow.

Edit: The elections committee clarified that referenda have until January 15th to place a question on the ballot. In order to receive funding, however, the questions must be in by today.