Disruption ends U of R Women’s Centre AGM before it begins

Article content

The University of Regina Women’s Centre annual general meeting ended abruptly Friday evening after several students were ejected by security and the room was cleared.

Campus security intervened to clear out the auditorium inside Luther College, effectively ending quorum after the organization’s board chair decided to end the meeting during her introductions due to a disruptive attendee in the crowd.

Article content

An estimated 100 people, mostly male, showed up for the meeting, which was intended to be the 2025 annual general meeting for the Women’s Centre. According to board directors for the centre, the majority of people in attendance Friday registered earlier that day.

Three campus security officers were present as students signed in to the meeting, and two later intervened to escort at least three attendees out for disrupting the meeting’s business after several outbursts.

One female student interrupted more than once during the preliminary introduction speech by board chair Debra Schubert. She disputed the AGM’s agenda, the appointment of its chair — which had yet not taken place — and called a point of order before the meeting had formally been called to begin.

The individual said she attempted to submit a bylaw amendment to be included on the agenda and was upset that meeting procedure meant the amendment would not be considered that evening.

“We are going to adjourn if this gets contentious,” advised Schubert, after the first interruption.

“The only thing I’m trying to say is that we want an amendment in the bylaws today,” answered the individual. It was not explained what bylaw amendment was desired, or by whom.

Article content

Article content

A security officer advised she would be asked to leave after continued, repeated interjections, and after another attempt, Schubert declared the meeting would be “adjourned to continue another day.”

Several other students were then also directed to leave, as security personnel attempted to clear the room. At least one argument broke out, between two attendees and a security officer. No formal arrests or detentions appeared to have been made.

Schubert said board members were also upset that one male attendee came to the front of the room to ask a question while Indigenous Elder Kenny Awasis delivered a blessing to the meeting, and that some in the crowd were filming his opening address.

“They were disruptive the whole time,” she told the Leader-Post, following the failed meeting. “For anybody to do that is completely inappropriate.”

Schubert said the Women’s Centre had expected some “contention,” based upon “experiences” the Women’s Centre’s executive director and staff have been having recently. She did not elaborate on the nature of those experiences.

Article content

The Women’s Centre has been at odds publicly with the University of Regina Student’s Union (URSU) since December, when the centre’s executive director spoke against a referendum motion passed by the students’ union board to reconsider the student fees being collected to operate the centre.

URSU has said the Women’s Centre is not in compliance with its service and support agreement, which the centre has denied.

Schubert said she could not speak to whether Friday’s disruption was linked in any way to the centre’s dispute with URSU.

“I’m honestly very sad by this,” said Schubert. “Being a woman in the world is hard enough, and we’re working for the betterment of women. As a feminist organization, our whole mandate is making women feel safe, making campus a safe space for women.”

On the agenda was a presentation of the Women’s Centre’s 2024 financial audit and a call to appoint members to the board of directors for an ongoing term.

After the AGM’s business had concluded, a presentation of the Women’s Centre’s ongoing activities, programs and bursaries had been planned, and a celebration of the centre’s 56 years in service on campus and open to the public.

Article content

Hosting an annual general meeting is a requirement under the Saskatchewan Non-Profit Corporations Act, with which the Women’s Centre must abide.

Schubert said it is not clear if or when the meeting will be rescheduled, as the disruption means the AGM did not officially take place.

[email protected]

The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content