Council shuts down Lockheed Martin motion

After 90 minutes of debate and two calls to question, the UNB SU council rejected a proposed motion from Science Representative Alex Corey against Lockheed Martin being able to visit UNB Fredericton.

Corey proposed a motion on Monday, noting that whereas Lockheed Martin is a weapons manufacturer, which also sells weapons condemned under the UN convention on Cluster Munitions, and that the company provides the Israeli state with F-16 fighter aircraft used in the current assault on the Gaza Strip, “be it resolved that the UNBSU denounces the presence of Lockheed Martin representatives on the UNB campus as well as the intention of said representatives to recruit students.”

Following proposal of the motion, Council erupted in heated debate.

There was a widespread reaction against the motion. Several councillors agreed that VP Academic Greg Melanson made a strong argument against it when he expressed the view that “there’s no place for this kind of motion in the Student Union.”

He further argued that the motion and debate hurts the Union’s constituents as “we’re devoting our time at Council and executive meetings to this instead of other issues. As far as we should go is supporting those on campus who have been affected.”

Council passed a motion in support of those suffering in Gaza last week.
President Bethany Vail expressed a similar opinion to Melanson, stating, “council is not a place to debate these issues.”

Vail suggested the Fredericton Peace Coalition as an appropriate outlet for concerns such the state of affairs in Gaza.

“We are not the moral police,” she said.

Conversely, a nearly equal number of councillors stood in support of the motion. Renaissance College Representative Matthew Abbott voiced the opinion that “Lockheed Martin will be lying to students by creating the impression that they are not an arms manufacturer.”

Jay Williamson, a visitor to the meeting, brought forth a statement similar to the proposed motion to Council, which he obtained from the Fredericton Peace Coalition’s website. He also provided proof of both Corey’s and Abbott’s membership in said group.

Williamson voiced the concern that both Corey and Abbott were attempting to “hijack the opinion of the Student Union” to make it fit with that of the Fredericton Peace Coalition.

Concerns were also raised by Williamson regarding the UNBSU’s mission statement, which reads that “we shall provide unified representation on matters relating to the diverse interests of our members.”

Williamson said that “taking a single moral stance eliminates the possibility of diversity.”

Councilor Corey then said in regards to the mission statement that “we can’t make everyone happy.”

Shortly after, the second call to question was made by VP Finance and Operations Lisa Solte. The motion was defeated by a 7-9 vote with one abstention.