CSU council candidates call out Students for Better

The group is being accused of using student campaigning material without permission

NewsMaria Cholakova — Published March 10, 2025 4 minutes

At 10:43 a.m. on March 8, S4B posted a campaign photo of Adam Mills, a candidate running for the CSU general elections, on Instagram. The post featured a screenshot of Mills’s campaign promises alongside his portrait and the caption “Adam is committed to better.” 

When Mills woke up in the morning, he said he was bombarded with messages from his friends who were asking about the post. He told The Link that he had not given S4B permission to use his photo and that he did not want an endorsement from the anonymous group. 

After finding out, Mills commented under the post and told the group to delete the endorsement. His comment was hidden. 

Around 45 minutes later, after Mills called out the group on his personal Instagram, a number of students started commenting to demand S4B take down the post. 

The post was deleted a few hours later.

Mills said he found the endorsement problematic, in part due to S4B being an anonymous group trying to influence the results of the election. 

“[S4B is] a third party [and] nobody knows who they are,” Mills said. “Imagine there was an outside company trying to get a contract from the CSU. They could easily influence the CSU in that way and get some councillors on board and some executives on board and easily get a contract.” 

He added that he also did not want to be associated with the company because he doesn’t know what their end goal is. 

Mills isn’t the only student who had not permitted their image to be used. Kinsey El Tanani, a student running for CSU council, was also endorsed by S4B. Her post was originally taken down on March 8 and reposted again on March 10 without her consent, and then taken down again. 

El Tanani told The Link that she found the endorsement troubling. 

“I believe I was targeted because I am Arab and less vocal about my political opinions compared to other candidates,” El Tanani said. “At no point was I asked for permission to be featured, nor did I ever indicate support for any of the propaganda S4B is spreading against the CSU.”

What do we (not) know about S4B? 

In mid-February, S4B started posting on Concordia University’s subreddit account r/Concordia, criticizing the CSU and urging people to vote in the upcoming CSU elections. Students reported seeing the organization’s sponsored posts on both Instagram and Reddit. 

On March 6, the group also had a paid advertisement at the Guy-Concordia metro station that read: “The CSU puts Concordia’s credibility in danger.”

The group is yet to disclose its finances publicly. 

According to S4B’s website, the organization’s mission is to push “for real leadership – seeking financial transparency, fighting for affordability and inclusivity, and ensuring that student government works for all students, not just a select few.”

S4B’s website also reads that the group “is a grassroots initiative driven by a group of students, alumni, and community members who share a deep commitment to fostering a productive environment for students on college campuses.”

However, S4B is yet to publicize who is running the group behind the scenes.

Mills thinks S4B’s involvement in the elections is a sign of the political climate on campus. 

“The administration's always already [putting] into question the validity of how the CSU governs itself and its elections,” Mills said. “This certainly doesn't help the legitimacy of the CSU.”

The Link has reached out to S4B for comment. At the time of publication, the organization is yet to reply. 

According to a promotional ad on Instagram, S4B is allegedly using advertising agency Mash Strategy, a firm based out of Calgary, Alberta. According to the CBC, the business is a “consulting firm that has done work for various conservative parties and leaders.” 

The Link has reached out to Mash Strategy to confirm their involvement with S4B. At the time of publication, the organization is yet to reply. 

This is a developing story.