Canadian Military forced off campus: Student groups protest recruitment at York

Emma Sadowski, Managing Editor, York University "The Excalibur", 5 Oct 05

Canadian Military recruiting officers were confronted for the second time in two weeks by angry students, protesting their presence as a threat to student space.

Last Thursday, recruiting officers for the military were greeted with chants of: "Army out of Afghanistan, Army out of York," during the career fair held at York Lanes Mall.

The Fair was put together by York's Career Centre to offer employment opportunities that would appeal to students.

"Our career services are trying to ensure that we bring individuals to campus that would be of interest to both employers and students," says Robert Tiffin, York's vice-president students.

However, many students did not feel comfortable with the presence of the military at the career fair.

"The students went down to York Lanes to express that they were not pleased about the army being on the campus recruiting," says York Federation of Students (YFS) president Omari Mason.

Student groups, including the YFS and GrassRoots Anti-Imperialist Network (GRAIN), felt the presence of the Canadian Military on campus imposes on student space.

"We thought that it was important to go there and reclaim student space and ensure that the university understands that the students are the university," says Ahmed Habib, vice-president equity for the YFS.

"If they want to use that student space, they have to live up to particular standards of human rights and equity which we don't think the Canadian Department of Defense upholds," he adds.

Habib refers to the recent activity of the military in Afghanistan and Haiti which violates both human rights and equity standards, and feels angered by their presence on campus.

"Simply put, the demonstration happened because of the Canadian Military's participation in illegal campaigns of aggression and our opposition of the use of York's campus as a space to strengthen those campaigns," comments Dan Freeman-Maloy, a member of GRAIN.

As tensions grew, the Canadian recruitment officers, along with the help of York Security, were forced to dismantle their table. This wasn't the first time in the recent past that the military had been urged off campus.

"We gave them a warning a week before about their presence on the campus but they came back for the career fair," says Mason, adding, "They shouldn't be on our campus."

On Sept. 22, a Canadian Military recruiting officer was confronted by student groups during an information session in the Student Services Centre, but was escorted to her car after students protested that she should leave the premises. Student members expressed their concerns and asked the Canadian Military not to return. A week later, they did.

According to the university, the Canadian Military has a right to recruit on campus just as any other employer does during any career fair on campus.

"There is no reason why they shouldn't be able to present their view," says Tiffin.

"Our concern is to ensure that both groups have an opportunity to express their views," he added.

However, Mason feels there that are other methods for students to enquire about employment opportunities with the military.

"If they are interested in joining the army there are other means available and ways they can go about getting into the army," states Mason.

In addition, students feel there is a problem surrounding the lack of policy the university has when inviting such employers on campus to recruit students.

"Student groups weren't informed of this military recruitment ahead of time," says Freeman-Maloy, adding that, "This is expressive of GRAIN's political and organizational focus."

Currently, the YFS are in the process of compiling a list of employers that may or may not be in the best interest of the student body and plan to consult the university's administration.

Protesting the presence of military recruitment officers on campus is not a practice that only belongs to York University. Members of the student union at Guelph University are drawing up a policy to prevent the military and similar groups from finding their way on their campus.

The Canadian Military was unavailable to comment.