Since 1981, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) has been taking money out of students’ pockets and giving back little in return.
For full-time students alone, membership in the CFS (national) and CFS (Ontario) costs a combined $14.96 per person, according to Carleton University Students’ Association vice-president (student issues) Chantle Beeso.
The CFS has wasted student money on ineffective campaigns and hyper-partisan political promotions. It’s time for Carleton students to stand up for their values and hard-earned dollars and say no more to the CFS. CUSA is running a deficit and needs to spend its money wisely. And spending money on the CFS is the most foolish choice it can make.
How does the CFS waste your money, you ask? Perhaps the biggest example is its “Drop Fees” campaign. During this campaign, the school halls are littered with “Drop Fees” flyers and CUSA gives away free swag and free food to promote the event.
This year, CUSA also spent money on coach buses to send protesters to the “Drop Fees” rally at Parliament Hill. I guess they forgot about the U-Pass. Basically, a ton of student money is spent on the “Drop Fees” campaign annually, but it has never been effective. Tuition is still rising.
Maybe this is because the CFS is protesting the wrong level of government. The “Drop Fees” rallies take place on Parliament Hill despite the fact that education is under provincial jurisdiction. True, the CFS can’t bring all students to Queen’s Park, but the premier’s constituency office is in Ottawa. It would be pretty easy to go there. As well, if protesting hasn’t worked in the past, why is the CFS still spending money to organize protests?
Of course, I think tuition fees should drop and everyone should have access to education. However, protests are clearly not the answer. Money should be allocated to alternative methods to advocate for lower tuition, like letter-writing or video campaigns. Plus, all money should be directed at the right level of government.
It also appears the CFS is biased towards certain political parties. They released a report card giving the New Democratic Party (NDP) the highest grade based on its platform for students. This was not objectively true and was merely the opinion of the CFS. Carleton students have a wide variety of political opinions and should not be forced to pay fees to a federation that is openly collaborating with one party.
Yes, the CFS does do some good. For example, it is the organization behind the famous “No Means No” campaign. This is an important initiative, but CUSA doesn’t need to stay in the CFS just because of a few daisies in an otherwise muddy field. CUSA can create or use alternative campaigns. There is not much the CFS does that CUSA cannot do more effectively or replicate for less money. So why hasn’t CUSA dumped the CFS yet?
Well, you see, it is no easy task. The CFS has a bad habit of using its money, largely sustained by students’ membership fees, to enter lawsuits with student organizations that try to drop their membership.
This happened at University of Victoria and the University of Guelph, according to Macleans On Campus. Although the CFS claimed technicalities like problems with petitions and referendums, it appears students are being held financially hostage by the CFS because they cannot afford a lengthy court case.
Of course, as we have learned from the CUSA court case this year, legal fees are expensive and it would be ideal to reach an out-of-court settlement with the CFS. However, even if things do get expensive, it would be better to pay to legally de-federate from the CFS now than continue to waste money on membership fees. Carleton is Local 1 of the CFS and this unequal relationship has gone on too long. It is time to turn Local 1 into Local none and de-federate.
With the recent change in the CUSA regime, hopefully there will be a change in attitudes toward the CFS next year as well. Carleton students should make this a priority and push CUSA to begin the process of leaving the CFS. It may be a tough battle, but it will be better for students in the long run.
— Yaelle Gang
fourth-year journalism
