A Black Lives Matter Toronto founding member proposed to have a student organization donate money to the movement, leading to conflict of interest accusations.
Co-founder Alexandria Williams also serves as vice president equity for York University’s student union, reports the Toronto Sun.
York Federation of Students (YFS) made two donations to BLM for a total of $7,500. YFS advocates for the student body and tries to make student education “more accessible and affordable.”
“As long as there is injustice happening in our society, the YFS will support and stand in solidarity with all oppressed groups,” said YFS president Chenthoori Malankov to the Toronto Sun.
YFS donated $2,500, which was approved in August, 2015.
Williams brought forth a motion to send letters speaking out against “police carding” to Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders and Mayor John Tory, according to the meeting’s agenda.
Police carding is a policy where police randomly stop people to get information. Ontario banned the practice in 2016.
Another member, Huda Alsarraj, proposed the group donate $2,500 to BLM because, “black people are in a state of emergency.” It is unclear if this was debated or if Williams voted in favor of it, because the meeting’s minutes have not been published.
Williams proposed YFS donate $1,000 to BLM, according to an agenda from Nov. 30, 2015. Another member said the group should donate $5,000.
When this occurred, Williams served as YFS’s vice president of campus life.
“The YFS is a democratic organization and our members have the right to put forth motions and it will be discussed,” Malankov said.
The group planned to protest the parade from the beginning, because of a “historical and current culture of anti-Blackness deeply embedded in the Festival,” Williams said at the time.
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