UVic student group loses status for "anti-abortion" material
mike cox, the martlet, victoria (CUP)

The University of Victoria Student Society (UVSS) has revoked its endorsement of a campus group for putting up posters that directors call anti-abortion material.

At the November 1 Society board meeting, director-at-large Stacey Slager put forward a motion to revoke the endorsement of Youth Protecting Youth (YPY).

"The club and posters clearly contravene UVSS policy and betray the board," she said.

But Youth members say student union members allowed politics to interfere with their decision.

"It's pretty clear there's personal views coming from the board," said club supporter Chris Massey.

The board suggested the group join with Right to Reproductive Choice, a campus group that supports all choices a woman makes regarding pregnancy, but YPY said the two groups aren't compatible.

"It's like telling the Muslim club to join the Campus Crusade for Christ because they're both religious clubs," said Massey.

Peter Nishimura, a member of YPY, said the posters were interpreted the wrong way and that's the central issue.

"We didn't realize posters stamped by the UVSS for posting needed to be examined [by the board] as well," he said.

The poster, which was distributed around campus, reads, "With no laws protecting the unborn in Canada, abortions are available at any time during the nine months of a woman's pregnancy."

Neither Massey nor Nishimura wanted to comment on the possibility of YPY taking legal action outside the university.

Meanwhile student union members defended their actions.

"Personally don't support this group and it's clear from the correspondence we've received this is what our membership [UVic students] wants," said Slager.

The director admitted the group didn't break the Society's policy - which supports "freedom of choice in the matter of abortion" - but said the posters were still sufficient reason to strip the club of its status.

Earlier this year, YPY was granted club status because their constitution conformed to UVSS policy.

However in October, the group was one of two student union endorsed clubs whose funding request was refused by the UVSS Board.

YPY tried to appeal the board decision at a committee meeting October 26, and a motion was passed to reconsider the funding issue at the November 1 meeting.

At the November 1 meeting, however, no board member would support the motion and it died on the floor. Chris Moon, UVSS director of services, said the posters distributed by YPY were clearly anti-choice, and he supports the club losing its status.

"Any reasonable person would perceive this poster as anti-choice," he said.

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