Canadian Federation of Students Campaigns & Advocacy
Education is a Right!
- REDUCE STUDENT DEBT by shifting the education related saving schemes and tax credits into up-front student grants;
- ENSURE ACCESS to a high-quality post-secondary education for students in every province;
- SHOW LEADERSHIP by restoring federal funding for post-secondary institutions to 1992 levels; and
- GUARANTEE ACTION ON THESE GOALS by adopting a national post-secondary act
Task Force on Campus Racism
In August 2008, the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario struck a "Task Force on Campus Racism" in order to address experiences of racism in the post-secondary education system in Ontario. The Task Force consisted of nine members who travelled to hearings across the province and received statements from racialised students, faculty and staff about their experiences on campus and possible solutions to racism.
On March 11th 2009, the GSA co-hosted the Task Force on Campus Racism at Carleton. The panel included Hildah Otieno, representative of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario; Dr. Wesley Crichlow, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies Programme, University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa; Kimalee Phillip, graduate student in the Department of Legal Studies at Carleton; and Shewit Kalaty, VP Student Services for CUSA.
Following the hearings across campuses, the Task Force prepared a report that summarised the content of the hearings, identified themes, and made recommendations for various institutional and governmental agencies. The report was published and released on March 22, 2010, the day after the International Day to End Racial Discrimination.
To download the Task Force Report, please visit: NoRacism.ca.
OHIP for International Students
International students were eliminated from the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) in 1994. International student are now required to pay for a University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), a private, for-profit health insurance broker for supplying minimal coverage that is not accepted universally by physicians, hospitals and clinics across Ontario.
In April 2010, the Graduate Students' Association participated in a petition drive where students across Ontario delivered thousands of "Healthcare Without Borders" petitions to Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, calling for OHIP to be restored for international students.
For more information on the OHIP for International Students campaign, please click here.
No Means No
The Canadian Federation of Students developed the No Means No campaign almost twenty years ago to raise awareness and to reduce the occurrence of date rape and dating violence.
The Graduate Students' Association continues to participate annually in No Means No week at Carleton amongst other related events such as the Task Force on Gender-Based Violence in November 2009 and the campaign for a Sexual Assault Support Centre.
The Task Force on Gender-Based Violence produced a report with recommendations for the university which was presented to Carleton administration. It can be downloaded below.
The campaign for a Sexual Assault Support Centre continues to be fought for on campus. In 2007, nearly 80% of undergraduate and graduate students voted in support of a student-run, university-funded Sexual Assault Support Centre on campus in response to several reported sexual assaults on campus. Several students felt the university's reponse was inadequate when more safe pathways, emergency telephones, and cameras on campus do not reflect the statistical evidence that over 85% of sexual assualts are committed by someone known to the survivor. Concerned students formed the Coalition for Carleton, a group dedicated to fighting for a Sexual Assault Support Centre on campus but the university administration continues to deny students a space. The Coalition is in continued talks with university administration and Equity Services, advocating for the establishment of a permanent centre on campus. For updated information on the work of the Coalition, please email coalitionforcarleton@gmail.com.
The Coalition has established a Sexual Assault Support Line on campus: 613-620-1030. It is available 8am until midnight, 7 days a week. Free. Confidential. Peer Support.
For support services on campus and the community, click here.
Students for Sustainability
In fall 2008, the Canadian Federation of Students, in partnership with the Sierra Youth Coalition, launched the "Students for Sustainability" campaign. The campaign aims to highlight the actions students are taking in support of the environment, encourage students to get involved with sustainability initiatives on campus, as well as pressuring governments to take concrete action against climate change.
The Graduate Students' Association officially participated in Bottled Water Free Day on March 11th, 2010 and subsequently, eliminated the sale of bottled water at our grad pub, Mike's Place. Along with the Carleton University Students' Association, the GSA has been pushing Carleton University to fix and install more water fountains and eliminate the sale of bottled water on campus through the Bottled Water Free campaign. Drop by our office to sign a post card asking President Runte to make Carleton a Bottled Water Free campus!