The GSA and the CFS
The GSA is local 78 of the Canadian Federation of Students.
About the Canadian Federation of Students
The Canadian Federation of Students was formed in 1981 to provide students with an effective and united voice, provincially and nationally. At the time, it was recognised that for students to be truly effective in representing their collective interests to the federal and provincial governments, it was vital to unite under one banner.
Today, over one-half million students from more than 80 university and college students' unions across Canada belong to the Federation.
Because universities and colleges are funded primarily by the federal government and administered exclusively by the provincial government, government policies and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.
Tuition fee levels, student financial assistance programs and funding for research are all set directly or indirectly by both levels of government. Thus, it is vital that students collectively organise at the provincial and national levels to ensure that students' rights and concerns are fully represented.
Today, over one-half million students from more than 80 university and college students' unions across Canada belong to the Federation.
Because universities and colleges are funded primarily by the federal government and administered exclusively by the provincial government, government policies and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.
Tuition fee levels, student financial assistance programs and funding for research are all set directly or indirectly by both levels of government. Thus, it is vital that students collectively organise at the provincial and national levels to ensure that students' rights and concerns are fully represented.
Founding Principles
The Federation was founded with the following aims and objectives:
• To organise students on a democratic, co-operative basis in advancing our own interests and in advancing the interests of our community;
• To provide a common framework within which students can communicate, exchange information, and share experience, skill and ideas;
• To ensure the effective use and distribution of the resources of the student movement, while maintaining a balanced growth and development of student organisations that respond to students' needs and desires;
• To bring students together to discuss and to achieve necessary educational, administrative or legislative change wherever decision-making affects students;
• To facilitate co-operation among students in organising services that supplement our academic experience, provide for our human needs and which develop a sense of community with our peers and other members of society;
• To articulate the real desire of students to fulfil the duties, and be accorded the rights of citizens in our society and in the international community;
• To achieve our ultimate goal – a system of post-secondary education that is accessible to all, which is of high quality, which is nationally planned, which recognises the legitimacy of student representation, and the validity of student rights, and whose role in society is clearly recognised and appreciated.
More than two decades later, the Federation remains committed to these aims and objectives.
• To organise students on a democratic, co-operative basis in advancing our own interests and in advancing the interests of our community;
• To provide a common framework within which students can communicate, exchange information, and share experience, skill and ideas;
• To ensure the effective use and distribution of the resources of the student movement, while maintaining a balanced growth and development of student organisations that respond to students' needs and desires;
• To bring students together to discuss and to achieve necessary educational, administrative or legislative change wherever decision-making affects students;
• To facilitate co-operation among students in organising services that supplement our academic experience, provide for our human needs and which develop a sense of community with our peers and other members of society;
• To articulate the real desire of students to fulfil the duties, and be accorded the rights of citizens in our society and in the international community;
• To achieve our ultimate goal – a system of post-secondary education that is accessible to all, which is of high quality, which is nationally planned, which recognises the legitimacy of student representation, and the validity of student rights, and whose role in society is clearly recognised and appreciated.
More than two decades later, the Federation remains committed to these aims and objectives.
Achieving Goals
For a student organisation to be successful at influencing government policy it must produce quality research, develop relationships with government, and demonstrate that there is public support for its issues.
Research
Thorough, accurate and in-depth research is required to justify any proposal presented to government. The Federation employs full-time researchers across Canada who study and prepare analyses of government policies and trends within post-secondary education, and develop alternatives to government policy. The Federation's work on discrediting the ten-year prohibition on student loan bankruptcies is recognised as having set the standard for research on the issue.
Lobbying
The primary purpose of the Federation is to represent students' issues and concerns to government. Regular contact with elected and non-elected officials and bureaucrats is how the Federation's message is conveyed to government.
In Canada, most post-secondary education financing is provided by the federal government but is administered exclusively at the provincial level. Government policies and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. Thus, the Federation employs a government relations strategy that addresses both federal and provincial representatives.
Over the years, the Federation has become a strong presence on Parliament Hill and in provincial legislatures across Canada. Federation representatives meet regularly with federal MPs, other government officials and representatives from all political parties in Ottawa and at the provincial level. In addition, the Federation is frequently invited to make presentations to government committees and task forces.
Action
Of course, regular meetings with government and the very best research will have little impact unless the government believes a message has widespread support. The Federation demonstrates this support through the active participation of its members and the general public in activities ranging from petition drives to mass mobilisations. These campaigns raise public awareness of the issues, and correspondingly affect the decisions and policies of government.
Research
Thorough, accurate and in-depth research is required to justify any proposal presented to government. The Federation employs full-time researchers across Canada who study and prepare analyses of government policies and trends within post-secondary education, and develop alternatives to government policy. The Federation's work on discrediting the ten-year prohibition on student loan bankruptcies is recognised as having set the standard for research on the issue.
Lobbying
The primary purpose of the Federation is to represent students' issues and concerns to government. Regular contact with elected and non-elected officials and bureaucrats is how the Federation's message is conveyed to government.
In Canada, most post-secondary education financing is provided by the federal government but is administered exclusively at the provincial level. Government policies and priorities determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. Thus, the Federation employs a government relations strategy that addresses both federal and provincial representatives.
Over the years, the Federation has become a strong presence on Parliament Hill and in provincial legislatures across Canada. Federation representatives meet regularly with federal MPs, other government officials and representatives from all political parties in Ottawa and at the provincial level. In addition, the Federation is frequently invited to make presentations to government committees and task forces.
Action
Of course, regular meetings with government and the very best research will have little impact unless the government believes a message has widespread support. The Federation demonstrates this support through the active participation of its members and the general public in activities ranging from petition drives to mass mobilisations. These campaigns raise public awareness of the issues, and correspondingly affect the decisions and policies of government.
Strength in Numbers
No individual students' union, no matter how big or active, has the resources or the political clout to effectively influence the post-secondary education policies of the provincial and federal governments on its own. At best, an individual students' union could have an impact on only a few federal electoral ridings. Governments ignore groups that pose no political threat to them. It is also much more cost effective for a large number of students' unions to pool their resources and work in partnership than for each to undertake this work on its own. The Federation serves this purpose, giving campus students' unions across the country a united voice and powerful influence.
The Federation also enables students' unions to collectively pool their resources to provide student owned and operated services such as Travel CUTS, the International Student Identity Card, the Studentsaver Card, Homes4students.ca, the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP), and the National Student Health Network.
The Federation also enables students' unions to collectively pool their resources to provide student owned and operated services such as Travel CUTS, the International Student Identity Card, the Studentsaver Card, Homes4students.ca, the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP), and the National Student Health Network.
Decisions Made Democratically
Each students' union has an equal say in setting the policies, direction and priorities of the Federation including how funds are spent. All major decisions are made at provincial and national congresses four times annually at which every member students' union is represented.
Campaigns
The GSA joins the CFS in their ongoing campaigns. To read more about current campaigns, see the campaigns page.
Federation sites
For more information on the Federation, see:
The National CFS site
The Ontario CFS site
The National Graduate Caucus site
The National CFS site
The Ontario CFS site
The National Graduate Caucus site