Stop the YFS and have your voice heard!

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    York University Students
  • Sponsored By:
    FreeSAY and the York Coalition for Free Speech
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We, the undersigned, feel that the York Federation of Students new pro-choice policy is a violation of their constitution and more importantly, is contrary to a number of our fundamental freedoms that are so vital in a democracy.

The policy, officially ratified by the YFS council on June 3, reads as follows, No YFS resources, recognition or funding will be allocated to enhance groups or individuals, whose primary or sole purpose is anti-choice activities, or student groups or individuals who are affiliated with outside groups and/or organizations whose primary or sole purpose is anti-choice activities. When the YFS, along with the Freethinkers, Sceptics and Atheists @ York held a Town Hall on August 11th to discuss the policy, no one who attended was allowed to videotape, report on, or even discuss it outside of the Town Hall.

This policy is clearly violating a number of fundamental freedoms, including those of thought, belief, opinion and expression (including the press and other media communication). We, the undersigned, feel that, considering the amount of contention around the policy, that students should vote as to whether or not they feel that their money should go to support pro-life groups. The York Federation of Students should not be allowed to pass policies that effectively marginalize a group of people who happen to have a differing opinion/belief from their own, at least not without student input.

66 Signatures

  • Bruce Douville
  • Jason Wall
  • Michael Payton
  • Nathan Jenkins
  • Borna Radnik
  • Rodger McArthur
    • Comments
    • The YFS is behaving contrary to not just their own constitutions, but also to the concept of fairness, openness, and and anti-discrimination for which Canada stands.
  • R
  • Alma Prendi
  • Mike Nagoda
  • Peggy Lau
  • Chris Kelly
  • David Rosen
  • Giancarlo
  • Ianina Altshuler
  • Jonathan George
  • Raj vijayakumar
    • Comments
    • The York Student policy is outrageous
  • Genevieve Ramage
  • Megan Mastragostino
  • Mujtaba Mirza
  • Jacob Pacey
    • Comments
    • When all is said and done, this is de facto (and in the case of the press ban, direct) censorship. I'm utterly dumbfounded that a group of educated students at a liberal arts university can think this is a proper route of action in dealing with a contentous issue.
  • matt hughes
  • Whitney Dickson
  • Julia Lipovetsky
    • Comments
    • the height of irony - THIS at a UNIVERSITY - surely this is not what the Ancient Greeks had in mind. Sadly those using the name, just like 'religion' have long ago abandoned the ideals behind them. It is definitely a fine line between freedom of speech and enforcing your views on someone, but no one said that freedom, knowledge and truth were easy ideas to strive for - or not worth the price. DEBATE is good, sensorship is .... to banal to comment on. Speaking of which, is anyone else APPALLED at the complete absence of ANY detail to the general York community regarding the 'general threat' of a few weeks ago, which turned out not to be so 'general' at all, which I had to read about in a national paper - Y-File, York's daily newsletter, has denied my request to have it, or the details it contains published, siting 'innacuracies', but are also not willing to publish their own information, including that several building on campus were evacuated. I'm not sure whether to feel like a sheep or a mushroom...
  • Peter Phua
    • Comments
    • We demand free speech!
  • Peter Verveniotis
    • Comments
    • I wrote this damn petition and you would think it would automatically add me as a signature, but apparently not.
  • Tony Wong
  • Evan Armstrong - 206621924
    • Comments
    • put it to a vote ... all else ignores the requirements of the good you are hoping to create.
  • Gloria Lai
  • Mark Zolotar
  • Christie Jaggi
  • Jodie Wilson
  • Sandra K
    • Comments
    • Any prolife campaigner would be hugely outraged at this authoritarian approach if an anti-prochoice policy was placed. I can't believe how hypocritical and corrupt this YFS admin is being by sneaking this policy through. You're not going to change people's moral opinions by forcing yours on them. And it's wrong on principle, even if you could.
  • John Klasios
    • Comments
    • 1984
  • Jose Kison
  • Scott Jeffries
    • Comments
    • Freedom of speech is meaningless if you need to like what they have to say.
  • Evan
  • Jovi Valo
  • Michael Soo
  • John Xu
  • Justin Trottier
    • Comments
    • В
  • Marc Soscia
  • Raphael Rosch
    • Comments
    • the yfs has crossed the line.
  • simona markovik
  • Kat T. Zinguer
  • Melissa Joakim
  • Matt Marshall
    • Comments
    • Extremely disappointed in our student government.
  • Sara Matthews
  • Olha
    • Comments
    • Either NO to all, or YES to all.
  • Chelms Varthoumlien
  • Kyle