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The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is the largest student organization in Canada. Founded in 1981, the CFS has a mandate to work for high quality, accessible post-secondary education at the federal level and provincial levels. It has a membership of over 500,000 full-time and part-time students from eighty college and university students' unions across the country.
History
The Federation was formed in the early 1980s from two organizations NUS and AOSC in an effort to create a united student movement in Canada that was both national and provincial and that provided political representation and student-oriented services.
Several student governments left the CFS in the early 1990s expressing displeasure over the organization's political stances, particularly its opposition to the Gulf War, and its involvement in other issues, which some argued were outside the purview of student politics. As well, several of the student governments who left argued that the CFS's advocacy of "zero tuition" was unrealistic, and its emphasis on organizing political demonstrations rather than lobbying governments was detrimental.
Some of the students' unions have since rejoined the CFS, resulting in an increase of membership by 100,000 students. Returning members included the undergraduate student unions at Carleton University and the University of Windsor, and the graduate students at Queen's University. In 2002, the University of Toronto Students Administrative Council, Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students and Scarborough Campus Students Union joined the organization. At the November 2005 Annual General Meeting of the Federation, the results of the positive-result referendums at both University of Manitoba Students' Union and the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union were ratified. In 2005, students at the Edmundston Campus of Universite de Moncton, Thompson Rivers University, part-time students at Laurentian University, graduate students at the University of New Brunswick and more also became prospective members.
In the past ten years, the CFS has organized a series of actions to complement its lobbying of provincial and federal governments. In 1995, over 100,000 students came out to oppose the Liberal federal government's plan to introduce "Income Contingent Loan Repayment" Schemes. In Ontario, the CFS organized a series of demonstrations to protest the former Progressive Conservative government's deregulation of tuition fees and reduction of provincial funding. In British Columbia, it played an active role in convincing the former NDP government to introduce tuition fee freezes and reductions. They have been accused of being too close to the Glen Clark government in BC, and harassment of any union that tries to leave CFS.
Services
Although essentially the same organization, CFS-Services is a separate branch of the Federation, responsible for the numerous services it offers. One of the main operations of CFS-Services is Travel CUTS (Canadian University Travel Service), through which the CFS offers students and others discounted flights, and issues the International Student Identity Card, which members receive for free. Other services include the Student Work Abroad Program and Homes4Students , an online housing service. The organization also produces the Studentsaver Discount Card for members, and operates the National Student Health Network, a non-profit health insurance provider operated through Green Shield.
Graduate students
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Graduate students' unions within the CFS meet together as the National Graduate Caucus (NGC). Most graduate students in Canada are members of the NGC. Current campaigns of the NGC include:
Anti-Commercialization: The NGC campaigns to oppose commercialization of university research because it argues that pressures from industry partners can threaten academic freedom and the public interest. They point to cases like Nancy Olivieri and David Healy as examples of commercialization run amok.
In 2006, the NGC began working with a former graduate student from the University of Toronto to support his battle with the University of Toronto and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) over research conducted with ERCO Worldwide. The former student alleges that a drinking water experiment in Wiarton, Ontario was not accurately reported in scholarly journals, posing a serious health risk to Canadians. The NGC is supporting a judicial review of NSERC's decision not to press for an investigation at the University of Toronto. Post-residency fees: The NGC has an active campaign to reduce fees charged to graduate students after their residency period. NGC member students' unions urge graduate students to sign œôòüpledgesœôòý that they will not make alumni donations until their university reduces post-residency fees.
Current Issues
In 2002, three students' unions at the University of Toronto voted to join the Federation. The University of Toronto Students' Administrative Council and the Scarborough Campus Students' Union represent over 48,000 students and had never been part of a national students' union before. The Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students had previously left the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance.
In 2003, the graduate students at Memorial University of Newfoundland voted to join the Federation, making Newfoundland and Labrador the only province where all public college and university students' are members of the CFS. Newfoundland and Labrador has the second-lowest average undergraduate tuition fees in Canada. Tuition fees were reduced by 25% in the 1990s and have been frozen ever since. The current Progressive Conservative government has pledged to keep the freeze in place until the end of their mandate in 2008.
The Ryerson Students' Union considered holding a referendum to leave the CFS. A motion was served to the council of the students' union in summer 2004 by former President Dave MacLean, despite his election promises to work with the CFS. It narrowly passed by one vote, without any representatives of the Federation being allowed to be present. The RSU never served notice to hold a referendum, and the decision of council was overturned at the union's Semi-Annual General Meeting in autumn 2004. The vote to overturn was carried 122 in favour to 22 opposed.
During the winter term of 2005 The Lakehead University Student Union also considered hold a referendum to leave the CFS. A motion by then Vice President Student Issues Alex Stuart was given to the Board of Directors of the Student Union. A letter of the Unions intention to leave was also handed to the CFS. But with the change of the executive and pressure from the CFS Lakehead University Student Union never held the vote on whether to stay or leave.
In 2004-05, CFS-Ontario led a lobbying campaign designed to convinced the provincial commission on higher education, chaired by former Ontario NDP premier Bob Rae, to recommend a complete tuition fee freeze. The Rae commission did not take CFS's advice.
In 2005, CFS-British Columbia, the Langara Students' Union and the Corus Entertainment owned radio station C-FOX led a "non-partisan" campaign registering young voters in BC called Rock the Vote BC, based on campaign drives used by the Republican and Democratic parties in the 2004 US Election to register young voters. Elections BC did not endorse the initiative because of concerns of partisanship.
In 2006 CFS-Services recently settled with three student societies (including the Alma Mater Society of UBC and the University Students' Council at the University of Western Ontario) for an amount of under 3 million dollars including over $250,000 of legal fees. The case that has been undergoing since the mid nineties alleged that the CFS and/or CFS-Services innapropriately transferred Travel Cuts from a former student organisation.
In 2007, CFS lost a court case pertaining to a membership referendum at the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union. The courts ruled the referendum to be of no force or effect. The CFS website continues to list the USSU as Local 17, the actual membership status of the USSU is unclear.
Controversy
A 1998 article in the Simon Fraser University student newspaper The Peak accused CFS of being corrupt, bloated, Ontario-centred, and a form of clique, with their people getting jobs in the NDP or Liberal governments.
However, both the Liberals and (Progressive) Conservative governments have enacted legislation in response to lobbying on behalf of the CFS.
The Simon Fraser University student newspaper The Peak has held a consistent editorial line against the CFS. The editorial pages regularly contain articles denouncing the CFS as containing corrupt staff, organizational bloat, Ontario-centric, closed to outsiders, and whose leadership end-up in NDP or Liberal governments.
Global Television in British Columbia ran some stories alleging corruption within the Douglas Student Union (a member union of the CFS). The report was to do with an $500,000 payment to the student union's health insurance provider by the Canadian Federation of Students - British Columbia. The report tries to link the actions of the CFS-BC with CFS' national office and staff.
The Ryerson University student newspaper The Eyeopener has published editorials accusing the CFS of being overly litigious. It recently alleges that the CFS suppresses criticism of bloggers through cease and desist letters.
2008 student referendums
Several student groups have been attempting to hold referendums to leave the CFS on the basis that it is not accountable to students, is not effective, and has mismanaged student funds . Further controversies have been raised on the CFS's "war plan" to convince students to remain in the CFS using student funds to do so.
References
- Scott Newman, The (CFS)-Files, The Peak, Simon Fraser University's Student Newspaper, retrieved 2007-10-06
- Statistics Canada (September 1, 2005). "University tuition fees". Retrieved 2007-11-12.
- Megan Stewart, Political, not partisan, says Rock the Vote, Martlett — University of Victoria's independent newspaper, retrieved 2007-10-06
- Macleans.ca staff (August 28, 2007), Canadian Federation of Students loses appeal and U of S membership — Precedent-setting decision may affect McGill's upcoming membership referendum, macleans.ca
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Scott Newman, The (CFS)-Files, The Peak, Simon Fraser University's Student Newspaper, retrieved 2007-10-06
- Scott Newman, The (CFS)-Files, The Peak, Simon Fraser University's Student Newspaper, retrieved 2007-10-06
- David Fleming-Saraceno (November 14, 2005), Check yer six: Manna from heaven for Douglas students, vol. 121, e.Peak — The Peak: Simon Fraser University's Independent Student Newspaper, retrieved 2007-10-05
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - CFS Corruption 3 (video), dailymotion.org, retrieved 2007-10-06
- Previous blog entry removed, studentunion.ca, February 5, 2007, retrieved 2007-10-06
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - http://www.cfstruth.ca/reasons.html
- http://www.cfstruth.ca/documents/2008_02_04_ksa_media_release.pdf
External links
- National Site
- Alliance vs Federation The Manitoban student newspaper examines the pros and cons of CASA and the CFS.
- Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies of the CFS (official)
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