Canadian federation of students to review media policy

National conference sets CFS campaigns and policy for upcoming year

NADYA BELL CUP OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF

OTTAWA (CUP) — Delegates from the Canadian Federation of Students, wearing black cocktail dresses and ties, took pictures of each other before walking into the main banquet hall of the Museum of Civilization.

“Say ‘reduce tuition fees’ — no, wait — ‘eliminate tuition fees!’” said the woman holding the camera. The young men and women smiled and replied.

From Nov. 22-26, CFS representatives from across Canada met in Ottawa to develop policy, attend workshops, and celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary.

The conference included a catered dinner at the museum on Nov. 25 and a speech by Avi Lewi, host of CBC’s The Big Picture.

But in the wake of a Global TV news report that alleges a connection between the CFS and financial problems at the student union at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C., the CFS delegates were not always smiling.

Amanda Aziz, CFS chairperson, says they discussed the Douglas College situation at opening plenary and the national executive circulated a statement to members explaining in detail how they disagreed with the TV report.

“It’s a difficult situation because we don’t control the media, but we’re just trying to get our message out there,” Aziz said.

In the conference’s final plenary session — where the organization sets its principles and policy — a decision was made to have the national executive review how they deal with journalists.

“People just wanted to make sure nothing like this will ever happen again,” said Aziz.

She says they will look at the possibility of creating a communications position in the national office, but they will carefully consider whether hiring more staff is necessary.

Currently Aziz and Ian Boyko, the campaigns and governmental affairs co-ordinator, are responsible for handling all media requests, on top of their other duties.

At the conference the CFS also set out their lobbying agenda for the upcoming year, passed a budget and clarified some policies.

Among the issues concerning the CFS were: administration salaries at universities, tax systems, violence in Oaxaca, Mexico, and international student participation.

CFS members will soon be talking more about university administrators’ high salaries, after research is complete on pay for presidents and vicepresidents, deans of faculties and directors of schools.

The union will campaign against higher administrative salaries as long as tuition fees are rising, because of a motion put forward by the CFS local from Manitoba.

“The idea here is to expose the fact that at the same time professors and students are being told to buckle down, administrative salaries are skyrocketing,” Aziz said.

In another motion, the CFS clarified their policy regarding taxes — it is opposed to tax credits as a form of student financial assistance, but support tax exemptions on scholarships.

The organization supports a progressive tax system that is easier on students in lower tax brackets. Aziz says graduates pay for their education later in life through higher income taxes — because, in theory, their education gets them higher paying jobs.

Regarding the violent teacher’s strike in Oaxaca, Mexico, the CFS has resolved to send letters to the Mexican and Canadian governments, and is encouraging all member locals to do the same.

Aziz says the show of solidarity is important to the teachers, especially coming from another student union.

“Although quality and access is dire in Canada, we have certain freedoms to protest that they don’t have,” Aziz said.

Similar to the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, another national student lobby group, the CFS is calling for a post-secondary education agreement between provinces and the federal government — as long as Quebec is allowed to opt out and aboriginal governments are consulted.

The CFS also says international students should be included in provincial health plans at no cost.

According to one resolution from plenary, the CFS will “debunk misconceptions about issues surrounding international students, such as international students are wealthy.”

At the dinner in the Museum of Civilization, both Boyko and Aziz said the dinner was much fancier than a normal CFS conference, but they wanted to honour the group’s 25th anniversary in style.

During the dinner, Avi Lewis, the keynote speaker, called for the CFS to not be afraid to show their colours, and said they could learn something from the tactics of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and their “fight to win” slogan.

“OCAP has been really successful, but it is difficult to say that our membership should adopt their tactics,” Aziz said. “You can’t say there is only one tactic — there needs to be a variety.”

But she says that one of the Canadian student movement’s success stories was accomplished because of more forceful action.

“Sometimes there need to be aggressive tactics used,” she said. “Quebec students were really aggressive in response to the threat of funding cuts, and in the end they won.”