Complaint against the University of Toronto Mississauga Students Union (UTMSU) 

The complaint alleged that UTMSU had failed to operate in an open, accessible, and democratic manner in three respects:  

1. Transparency: UTMSU did not provide adequate information about the governance and funding decisions underlying its October 7, 2025 event, titled “Honouring Our Martyrs,” when requested by members. 

2. Minority views: UTMSU did not adequately consider and respect the range of its members’ views, including the views of minority members, in its conduct of advocacy activities in support of Palestine and in its response to concerns raised. 

3. Safe environment for students: UTMSU failed to fulfill commitments in its own constitution to safeguard the individual rights of students and contribute to a university community where all students are treated equitably and can thrive.  

The Panel recommended 

1. Within thirty business days of the Vice-President and Provost’s decision, UTMSU should disclose, in writing to its members and to the Vice-President and Provost, the full financial record of the October 7, 2025, “Honouring Our Martyrs” event: the budget line under which it was funded, the total amount allocated, and the categories of expenditure. 

2. Within ninety business days, UTMSU should adopt and publish written procedures for member complaint-handling that include, at minimum: a defined timeline for acknowledgement of receipt of any complaint; a defined timeline for substantive response; an obligation to indicate what review process was applied (including whether the complaint was treated under Article 13 of the Bylaws); a process for making a complaint about the society itself; and a channel through which members who do not feel safe engaging through ordinary means can raise concerns. 

3. Within ninety business days, UTMSU should adopt and publish criteria for when and how it consults affected member groups before sponsoring or co-sponsoring events with foreseeable identity-based impact on a defined subset of its membership. The content of the criteria is for UTMSU to develop. 

4. Within ninety business days, UTMSU should complete the review of its Equity Handbook (or successor document) and publish the result, accompanied by a brief written explanation of the changes made and the consultation process used. The Panel does not direct what the document should say. It directs that the process be transparent and include consultation with affected members. 

5. UTMSU should report in writing to the Vice-President and Provost on implementation of each of the four directions above, within the timelines specified, with the report copied to the complainants and made publicly available to UTMSU members.