AN UPDATE FROM YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION
On Monday, March 20, 2023 many TMU students reported receiving an unsolicited email from an email account named “Imani Abara”.
This email consisted of a number of false claims about the TMSU, attacks against candidates in the ongoing election, and allegations specifically regarding the candidate running for President.
In previous elections, similar tactics have been used. Inflammatory statements have been sent to students who did not give out their email, and were traceable to specific mailing lists that had been leaked or improperly acquired. The email in the “To” line (rsu-all@yourtmsu.ca) of this fraudulent email is not a real mailing list or email; the sender hid the emails in the BCC field in order to make the email appear more legitimate.
The TMSU would not typically take a public position in addressing rumours or allegations during an election. However, the intentional effort to destabilize and delegitimize the TMSU over the past month has prompted us to respond. This misinformation has spread through inaccurate leaks to campus media, disrupting the democratic process, intentional misrepresentation of the by-laws and decisions, and through numerous burner accounts across multiple social platforms. We have also seen the harsh and dehumanizing treatment of students who have put their names forward to run for the TMSU and to represent students.
For these reasons, the TMSU is being forced to respond to these issues and address the mean spirited and vicious nature of the current election cycle.
The TMSU previously had issues with mismanagement and improper actions, which is why the TMSU has an active investigation into past mismanagement of last year’s finances, and instances where student information was extracted without consent and in violation of by-laws. The TMSU is actively working with counsel to ensure the protection of student information.
It is ultimately up to the individual candidates to defend themselves and their positions,
but it is up to all of us to create a more inclusive election culture where students want to get involved.
We implore all TMU students to vote in the TMSU elections, learn about the candidates at yourtmsu.ca/candidates and make informed decisions that are not based on rumours and misinformation.
Help us make the TMSU stronger,
Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union
This statement was written with and approved by the Election and Referenda Committee – the impartial committee that oversees elections. This step was taken to ensure impartiality, as multiple current members of the Executive and Board are candidates in the election.
If you received an unsolicited email as described, you can help us by forwarding the email to spam@yourtmsu.ca. The TMSU takes student privacy seriously and we are taking all possible steps to ensure your information is safe.
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