Pushing for doctor diversity
On March 29, the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) sent 60 delegates to Parliament to discuss insufficient diversity in Canada’s medical schools in its third annual Federal Lobby Day.
The student-led national organization represented more than 7,000 students in 14 of Canada’s 17 medical schools.
Kiavash Najafi, legislative and communications assistant to Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar, said the event was a “great opportunity” to put student needs on the political agenda.
Ontario puts $81 million into OSAP
In an effort to stick to his promise of becoming the education premier, on March 29 Dalton McGuinty’s government introduced the five-year Open Ontario Plan to provide students with more financial assistance for post-secondary education.
U of C grants safe
The University of Calgary is no longer in danger of losing millions in research funding, as it met its March
31 deadline to fix recurring problems with the administration of research grants, university officials said.
Earlier this year, three government-funding agencies graded the university as unsatisfactory in its management of research grants.
There were discrepancies in the amount graduate students were paid for their work, as well as travel expenses for research and the proper filling out of paperwork.
Unions across the map try to escape CFS
The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is facing fights left and right over its membership.
Three student associations in Quebec have voted on their membership in the national student lobbying group, as well as two student associations in Alberta, although the biggest battle at the moment is at the University of Guelph.
Six student unions are holding votes this spring, with over 70,000 students facing the question: Are you in favour of continued membership in the Canadian Federation of Students?
Coulter welcome in Calgary
The crowd at the University of Calgary erupted in applause when Ann Coulter said she’d like to make Calgary and, everything west of it, the United States’ 51 state, reports The Canadian Press.
It seems Ottawa didn’t make the cut.
“We wanted to test Canada’s tolerance for differing viewpoints, and I have to say, unfortunately, Ottawa failed where London and, it seems, Calgary did not,” said Mary Lou Ambrogio, a head organizer for Coulter’s Canada tour.
