'Nowhere near over': UPEI student union president resigns after motion to impeach

Chelsea Perry says she is "flabbergasted" after some members of the UPEI student union council moved to have her impeached as president on Monday.

Perry said she handed in her resignation Tuesday "to save face" for the student union, but said it's quite possible she'll be back in the job after council meets on March 25.

"This is nowhere near over," she said. "It can very well get overturned in council. I'm very very confident that it's not going to pass. If my impeachment does not get passed, there's been talk as well of not accepting my resignation letter in which case I'll remain in my job."

It's the second time this year a president of the student union at UPEI has resigned.

Perry, a first-year-student, won the byelection at the end of January following the resignation of former president Hammad Ahmed earlier that month. Perry's term as president would have ended May 1.

March 25 meeting

According to a statement on the student union website, a group of councillors put forward a motion of impeachment against Perry on Monday.

The motion asked council to express non-confidence in Perry to "adequately fulfill the requirements and expectations of the position of President of the UPEISU."

I think people are concerned about perhaps the fact that I'm a first-year.— Chelsea Perry

The motion, and Perry's resignation, will be addressed at the March 25 meeting.

In a written statement, the student union said it wouldn't be providing further comment until after the meeting.

Speaking with CBC on Wednesday, Perry said the motion caught her by surprise.

"I'm quite flabbergasted because ... I've never received a formal complaint."

Perry said the motion of non-confidence was raised by an anonymous group of councillors.

"No names were attached which really does raise some concerns for the validity of it because there does have to be a known mover and seconder to any motion," she said.

'No formal complaint'

Perry said the councillors accused her of having an "inappropriate social media presence," "a disagreement with a councillor," and "disregard for all SU policies since my time in office."

"Again, no evidence was provided and no formal complaint has ever been made against me as a president," she said.

"I think people are concerned about perhaps the fact that I'm a first-year ... and that I don't know the campus as well as I should. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that."

Perry said as president she has worked "incredibly hard" on mental health and sexual violence legislation at the university. She said she loved her job and resigning wasn't something she necessarily wanted to do.

She said she'll be at the March 25 meeting with "guns blazing."

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