Several students' unions as well as campus and labour groups at the University of Toronto are refusing to let the G20 Summit stop them from operating at the school's St. George campus.
The university's downtown campus recently announced it would shut down all operations from 4 p.m. today until 8 p.m. Sunday, June 27. All events slated for the week of June 21 to 27 must also be relocated to alternate venues.Some of the affected services include child care, health care for international students, a student-run food and clothing bank, and discounted TTC Metropass sales.The university's students' union has pledged to continue providing those services and to advocate for students the best it can during the summit. "Many CUPE 1281 workplaces provide frontline services to students at the University of Toronto," said Tanya Speight, a spokesperson for the union representing staff at U of T's students' union and other student-run groups in Ontario, in a release."We are opposed to this unilateral decision that prevents us from serving our members and doing our jobs."Despite its position, staff members concerned about their safety will be permitted to stay home during the summit, if they wish.Jill Matus, a professor at U of T and its vice-provost of students, recently told Toronto Community News the decision was made to ensure the safety of all students, staff and faculty members, especially since Queen's Park - the official site for the G20 protests - is just steps away from the university."This is right on our doorstep. We know from intelligence from past G20 summits that sometimes these protests can be associated with damage," she said.Maria Galvez, vice-president university affairs for U of T's students' union, charged administration failed to "formally communicate to any student group at any time leading up to the decision or after the announcement."Daniel Vandervoort, external commissioner for the university's graduate students' union, said in a release that some student residents are being forced out and placed closer to the security zone. Those relocated can move to the university's residence at 89 Chestnut St., on to U of T's Mississauga campus or find other living arrangements and receive a $125 refund for the cost of lodging."We hope that the University is at least negotiating with police to minimize aggressive and violent tactics such as the misuse of sonic cannons," Vandervoort said. The communiqué also said the various organizations find the university messaging around safety to be inconsistent with its plans for student residents, academic programs, and some on-campus organizations.Further, it noted universities in Quebec City and Calgary have hosted visitors during previous events of this kind without incident from protestors.-with files from Justin Skinner