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Candidate confusion at Clubs Week cleared up

With election season in full swing, candidates seem to be doing anything to get the student vote, including making appearances at Clubs Week. The presence of Liberal candidate Deb Matthews was know at the UWO Liberal Club booth, but what was not seen was Jeff Buchanan’s, New Democratic Party candidate for London West, attempting to rendezvous with students at the NDP booth.

“I arrived at the UCC atrium and attempted to find the NDP booth, but I wasn’t able to spot it off hand. I was directed to [InfoSource] where I was introduced to the manager who asked who I was. I explained who I was and why I was there and she said you are not supposed to be here [...] I said I had been invited and have an email, so I showed her the email. She then told me to hold on and she would call someone,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan was directed to Sue McKone, the manager of University Students Council Reservations, who turned to the Nicole D’Alessandro, vice-president student events and Adam Smith, USC Clubs Coordinator, to figure out if Buchanan was allowed to be at the NDP booth. By the time Smith got to the booth Buchanan said he had prior commitments and had to leave.

“He walked away on his own accord. I think anyone who actually was present or aware of the situation would know that no one was escorted off campus,” Smith said.

Buchanan acknowledged that he was not escorted off campus.

“After about nearly half an hour of me standing at this booth, waiting to figure out if I was allowed to be there, I finally had to excuse myself,” Buchanan explained.

Following the incident with Buchanan, Smith sent out an email to all club executives reminding them of the rules and explaining some of the problems that had arisen. The NDP club president responded to Smith explaining that the presence of Elections candidates was in compliance with provincial law that allows candidates to enter private property to campaign.

“Realizing our mistake, I immediately went down to the NDP booth and told the representative there that they were allowed to have political candidates. The Liberals had emailed me saying Deb Mathews would be at their booth,” Smith said.

The only request Smith had was that candidates were limited to the club booth and were not to be walking around the UCC soliciting support from students.

Steve Holmes’ office, the NDP candidate for London North Centre, got wind of the incident on campus and placed a complaint with Elections Ontario.

“We have heard rumours of a complaint being filed with Elections Ontario, but no specific information about this has been brought forward to the USC at this point,” D’Alessandro said.

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