The issue of Decertification and the subsequent late recertification of OYL riding clubs

This is my fourth post of an ongoing series on the contested OYL election.

At the last OYL executive meeting at OYL on ice, the current president decided to disenfranchise a large number of OYL clubs, but not ratifying their founding meetings in to meet the deadline for the AGM. This move has outraged, and appalled a large number of Liberals in the affected areas, and those who want to encourage the growth of the youth wing of the party.

The following clubs will have no representatives at this this years AGM as their own AGM's were not re-certified by Jacob before the cutoff date for agm. When I talked about an obstinate OYL president, this is the reason why. The following clubs will not send the 15 delegate spots to the agm (only able to send 3), because Jacob cancelled the ratification meeting to get these clubs certified in time.

Ottawa-Centre, Federal and Provincial
Ottawa Orleans Federal
Mississauga-Streetsville, Federal
Guelph, Federal and Provincial
Hamilton-Centre, Federal and Provincial

The president of Ottawa Orleans Federal Young Liberals (who's club had to be founded again due to technical issues), Brenden Johnstone said it best, "I am still convinced that the OYL Leadership held off on having an Executive meeting to ratify re-founded clubs because of the upcoming OYL AGM. You get the impression that Jacob is willing to do nearly anything to retain power. Instead of working with clubs and earning their support, he de-ratifies them, and then refuses to allow them to be ratified in time for the AGM. Jacob knew what he was doing. When he was confronted about the cancellation of the Executive meeting at OYL on Ice (which would have ensured my club and countless others were ratified) he said, “If you don’t like it, talk to the CRO” and then he walked away. This was such a well known and important meeting, that certain members of the Executive, as well as long time OYL members flew into Toronto, only to find out when they arrived that the meeting had been cancelled.”

What does this mean? Basically, these clubs have no voice, and they leave a trail of many disgruntled and disenfranchised Young Liberals. So this means there is potentially a loss of volunteers in the upcoming Federal election in several close winnable ridings. This is not a good move, the more OYL clubs the better. The more OYL volunteers during elections the better. Another even crazier point is that despite these clubs not having AGM’s and being de-ratified, there are clubs in existence, like Trinity Spadina, and my own former club of Pickering Scarborough East that haven’t had agm’s in a couple of years and are still ratified as clubs in the OYL.

Club founding certification should not be moved for personal gain. They should be held to ensure maximum volunteer opportunity and to encourage involvement in great social events like the OYL AGM. Brenden’s executive in Ottawa Orleans had close to 20 members, and his club had something close to 400 people as members. This club should never have been de-ratified. It should be embraced and seen as an example to the other riding clubs. But instead Brenden has no voice at agm, and sends no delegates. How many of Brenden’s members are going to stay at home in the upcoming election and not knock on doors? That is the real question. These are questions that should never have been asked in the first place. As a Liberal, I find this type of action though constitutional, very unprofessional and unbecoming. I believe that the OYL needs to be taken serious and these type of petty moves will not help that. This is why I am a prominent proponent of change.

-Jamie