 Media Credit: Holly Stewart The Concordia Student Union broke procedure when it switched healthcare brokers. [Click to enlarge]
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Amid allegations of extortion and secret contracts, the 12-year business relationship between the Concordia Student Union and the Quebec Student Health Alliance (ASEQ) has become fraught with conflict over the past week.
In a February 9 letter addressed to CSU President Keyana Kashfi, ASEQ Executive Director Lev Bukhman alleged that he was subject to extortion during last year's CSU Executive elections. In the attached affidavit, Bukhman claimed that he was approached in March 2008 by Steven Rosenshein, the campaign manager for the current Executive's "Unity" campaign, who asked for a $25,000 contribution.
Since the CSU's contract with ASEQ was up for renewal during the current Executive's term, Bukhman believes that it was his refusal of Rosenshein's demand that led the CSU to sign a contract in December 2008 with Morneau Sobeco and the National Student Health Network. The NSHN is a healthcare buying group founded and coordinated by CFS-Services, while Rosenshein is an employee of CFS-Quebec.(*-correction appended.)
Despite numerous sources stating otherwise, CFS Campaigns and Government Relations Coordinator Ian Boyko denied that the Federation is in any way connected to Morneau Sobeco. Morneau Sobeco did not return the Tribune's phone calls for comment.
In addition, Bukhman claimed that the contract was signed in direct violation of the CSU Standing Regulations, since Council was not consulted or informed. Despite the December contract with Morneau Sobeco, Council was told on January 14 that the Executive was still in the process of collecting bids for a new contract.
"The CSU Council had mandated the Executive to go through a full review before they changed providers or started to think of anybody else," Bukhman said. "The Executive will have to explain why they specifically excluded ASEQ with no justification or grounds whatsoever, and why they didn't consider any other brokers."
While Bukhman believes that the relationship between his firm and the CSU had been positive and successful until this year, the CSU Executive blamed Bukhman himself for the recent conflicts.
"We feel the letter sent by Mr. Bukhman is consistent with the erratic and unprofessional behaviour he and ASEQ have exhibited all year and is part of a political campaign to undermine the CSU Executive," they said in a statement released Friday.
In its statement, the CSU Executive denied all of Bukhman's allegations. They also stated that their decision to switch health care brokers was due to ASEQ causing Concordia students to lose out on $250,000 in savings last year, an accusation which Bukhman denies.
"That's a completely false accusation … Unfortunately one of the inevitable consequences of being a whistle-blower is that people will often throw a lot of mud at you to try to deny your credibility," Bukhman said. "I want to 100 per cent emphasize that we have always done an excellent job for the CSU. We have always gotten them the very best deals and plans in all of their insurance plans."
Due to the recent developments, Bukhman has called on the Concordia administration to take over the CSU health and dental plan, a move for which he argues there is precedent at the university. While the administration hasn't yet responded to Bukhman's request, it has emphasized that the university and the CSU are separate organizations.
"Our understanding is that there is a contractual arrangement between ASEQ and the CSU and if there are any problems with that relationship, it is up to the two parties to resolve the problem. The CSU is an entity completely independent of the university and this precludes the university taking any action in this matter, be it trusteeship or otherwise," said Concordia Director of Media Relations Chris Mota in an email to the Tribune.
Despite recent events, Bukhman said he hopes to continue ASEQ's relationship with the CSU.
*Correction: Steven Rosenshein was incorrectly referred to as an employee of the Canadian Federation of Students in the original text of this article. In fact, Rosenshein is an employee of CFS-Quebec.
*Correction: The National Student Health Network was incorrectly referred to as a subsidiary of the Canadian Federation of Students in the original text of this article. In fact, it is a healthcare buying group founded and coordinated by CFS-Services.
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