Talk:Canadian Federation of Students

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Membership numbers

Kwantlen students voted to remain in the CFS. In terms of the number itself, I ran some rough estimates and the CFS can likely continue to claim 500,000 members. FullSmash26 (talk) 14:21, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, however, CFS went to court and got the referendum delayed, therefore disrupting the campaigning of the anti-CFS contingent at Kwantlen. I have also personally witnessed Kwantlen students being followed and physically confronted at CFS conventions. Once this makes it to a higher court, Kwantlen will be free. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.140.18.148 (talk) 00:39, 10 July 2008 (UTC)

Abortion controversy

I removed this addition:

In 2008, CFS Ontario issued a press release "applauding" the appointment of Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada for his successful efforts to legalize abortion in Canada and his subsequent efforts to make sure abortions were readily available to those who desired them.CFS Press Release</ref>

This has angered many students and non-students, as many students represented by the CFS are opposed to abortionAward splits students,and many others who are pro-choice are skeptical of Morgentaler's motives, seeing as he now runs a chain of abortion clinics across the country which gross over $10 million per year.

The main reason I moved it is because this isn't supposed to be a place for current news, and because it seems very editorial-like and not neutral. Me-123567-Me (talk) 03:39, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

CFS Services

I plan on expanding this section a little bit in accordance with RFC on March 2008. The general idea was that it needed to be re-written so as not to sound like an advertisement or brochure. Any input from other editors would be helpful.Nocandu1976 (talk) 15:28, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

hey wikipedians! I drafted up something a little more specific and it involves editing out a few lines in the opening paragraph and then separating off the services into short descriptive paragraphs. Let me know if there are any comments/suggestions/concerns.Nocandu1976 (talk) 01:30, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Like this:

"==Services==

CFS-Services is a separate branch of the Federation, responsible for the numerous services CFS offers. The Canadian Federation of Students-Services (CFS-Services) was founded in the early 1980s as the successor organization to the Association of Students' Councils Canada (AOSC). One of the main operations of CFS-Services is Travel CUTS (Canadian University Travel Service), through which the CFS offers students and others discounted flights, and issues the International Student Identity Card.

StudentSaver Discount Card: The Studentsaver Card is a national discount program for students. The program contains 2,500 discounts across Canada ranging from 10% to 30% off purchased goods and services.

Dayplanner Service: CFS-Services has operated its handbook service since 2001-2002. The service was created by the Canadian Federation of Students-BC in the late 1990s. The intention of the service is to leverage the large volume of books produced to reduce the cost of students' union handbooks/agendas and improve the overall quality of the books.

Blogs?

Tawker, in reference to your citation tag: "We have seen blogs claiming that CFS members do not receive cards due to broken machines that haven't been fixed - particularly in BC - this needs an external cite that isn't an ISIC or CFS site"

What 'we' are you referring to? Could you also be so kind as to show me the blog(s)? I'm not so sure if blogs are considered as credible sources on wikipedia anyway. If you take a look at other articles concerning membership based organizations on wikipedia, linking back to the website of the organization is acceptable. That is quite a heavy burden of proof, don't you think? Such a standard surely would warrant half of this article to be deleted.Nocandu1976 (talk) 14:43, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

Blogs don't meet WP:RS, and are considered original research, to the best of my knowledge. This article does require significant more sources. Me-123567-Me (talk) 15:11, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

grad caucus

This section is incomplete. There are two other campaigns that should be added and talked about briefly. This should help up the quality of the article. Any thoughts or ideas?Nocandu1976 (talk) 15:31, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

I added a few more lines to this section. I don't see any reason to add more, I think it's fine as is, the grammar could be tweaked a bit but I will chip away at that as I go.Nocandu1976 (talk) 01:32, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

History

No offense to anyone, but the history section lacking to say the least. I have been working on a modified version of this section that involves a more in-depth look at CFS' creation and have broken up the history into certain stages.

Here is what I propose, as you'll see, it leaves whatever was there before intact but just adds more detail. I plan to flesh it out even more. Looking forward to comments and suggestions:

---

Founding Conference

The founding conference was held 14-19 October, 1981, at Carleton University. Mike McNeil was elected as the organization's first Chairperson, along with Mike Walker (Treasurer), former NUS treasurer Kirk Falconer (International Affairs Commissioner), Kathie Cram (Women's Commissioner), Brian Robinson (Graduate Student Representative), Ben Freedman (Member at Large), and Leslie Neilson (Member at Large). The Federation's bylaws and constitution were finalized and over 50 motions were passed durring plenary. After hearing speaches by El Salvadorian and Chilean students, delegates passed motions condemning human rights violations and anti-student policies in thse countries.

A campaign strategy was also launched in order to oppose the Federal government's planned cut to EPF. The slogan for the campaign was "Access not axe us" and it called for an establishment of an all-grant system and a public inquiry into the future post secondary education. The campaign also called for alliance building with community groups and public sector workers in order to gain support fight against cut-backs to social programs. The campaign was nammed after a research report of the same name, by Bruce Tate. The report focused on effects of the Liberal cutback to education and highlited issues such as access and tuition fee levels.

The Conference ended with a student presence in the daily question period in the House of Commons, a meeting with secretary of state Gerald Regan, and a one-on-one debate between Chairperson Mike McNel and MP John Evans (parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Allan MacEachern) in the Snake Lounge at Carelton University. Delegates attending the House of Commons Question Period were denied entry by security guards. Mike McNeil and delegates were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting with Gerald Regan.

1990s

Some student governments left the CFS in the early 1990s expressing displeasure over the organization's political stances, particularly its opposition to the Gulf War, and its involvement in other issues, which some argued were outside the purview of student politics. As well, several of the student governments who left argued that the CFS's advocacy of "zero tuition" was unrealistic, and its emphasis on organizing political demonstrations rather than lobbying governments was detrimental.

In 1995, the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations was formed by several student governments dissatisfied with the CFS. They claimed the CFS was too busy promoting other campaigns, instead of fighting rising tuition, and felt that the CFS was an ineffective organization, not serving the needs of students. Since then, the CASA and CFS have not been on the best of terms, splitting student representation in Canada effectively in two.

The 1994-1995 shcool year saw unprecedented cuts to post secondary education in the order of billions of dollars. The Chretien Liberals, using a deficit-reduction rationale, cut billions of dollars in funding from Post Secondary Education. Liberal Finance Minister, Paul Martin, had dismantled the Established Program Funding and Canada Assistance Plan (two pieces of legislaiton designed to guarantee universal federal funding of health, education, and welfare programs) and lumped federal transfer payments for social programs and educaiton in to one Canada Social Transfer. In 1994, this proposal caused students and their leaders great alarm as tuition fees were expected to go up.

21st Century

Some of the students' unions have since rejoined the CFS, resulting in an increase of membership by 100,000 students. Returning members included the undergraduate student unions at Carleton University and the University of Windsor, and the graduate students at Queen's University. In 2002, the University of Toronto Students Administrative Council, Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students and Scarborough Campus Students Union joined the organization. At the November 2005 Annual General Meeting of the Federation, the results of the positive-result referendums at both University of Manitoba Students' Union and the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union were ratified. In 2005, students at the Edmundston Campus of Universite de Moncton, Thompson Rivers University, part-time students at Laurentian University, graduate students at the University of New Brunswick and more also became prospective members.

In the past ten years, the CFS has organized a series of actions to complement its lobbying of provincial and federal governments. In 1995, over 100,000 students came out to oppose the Liberal federal government's plan to introduce "Income Contingent Loan Repayment" Schemes. In Ontario, the CFS organized a series of demonstrations to protest the former Progressive Conservative government's deregulation of tuition fees and reduction of provincial funding. In British Columbia, it played an active role in convincing the former NDP government to introduce tuition fee freezes and reductions. They have been accused of being too close to the Glen Clark government in BC, and harassment of any union that tries to leave CFS.

--- Nocandu1976 (talk) 14:56, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

The University of Saskatchewan Students Union vote was overturned by a court ruling. It is correct that the CFS ratified USSU but this wording leaves readers with the impression that USSU are full members of the CFS. They consider themselves to be prospective members and are planning another vote.

Suggested rewrite here:

In the past ten years, the CFS has organized a series of actions to complement its lobbying of provincial and federal governments. In 1995, over 100,000 students came out to oppose the Liberal federal government's plan to introduce "Income Contingent Loan Repayment" Schemes. In Ontario, the CFS organized a series of demonstrations to protest the Mike Harris government's deregulation of some tuition fees, primarily in professional programs, and reduction of provincial funding. In British Columbia, it played an active role in convincing the Glen Clark government to introduce tuition fee freezes and reductions.

The last para "In the past ten years, the CFS has organized a series of actions to complement its lobbying of provincial and federal governments. In 1995, over 100,000 students came out to oppose the Liberal federal government's plan to introduce "Income Contingent Loan Repayment" Schemes. In Ontario, the CFS organized a series of demonstrations to protest the former Progressive Conservative government's deregulation of tuition fees and reduction of provincial funding. In British Columbia, it played an active role in convincing the former NDP government to introduce tuition fee freezes and reductions. They have been accused of being too close to the Glen Clark government in BC, and harassment of any union that tries to leave CFS." should be in the Controversy section.

2008 student referendums

This intent of this sentence is suspect, and I don't see how it contributes to a section about referendums. I also have concerns about the reference to cfstruth which appears to be a non-neutral source, and I dare say it probably isn't considered credible by wiki standards. I propose deleting this sentence. "Further controversies have included the CFS's "war plan" to convince students to remain in the CFS using student funds to do so Nocandu1976 (talk) 16:32, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

It's been in Macleans - just need to find the cite there -- Tawker (talk) 18:36, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Still, the sentence does not belong in this paragraph. I also think a lot of the language in this paragraph is not NPOV, for instance, "and the CFS's use of the courts to delay the democratic referendum at Kwantlen University College[26]". I think it should be re-worded or deleted.Nocandu1976 (talk) 19:39, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

"Assert facts, including facts about opinions—but do not assert the opinions themselves." WP:ASF Nocandu1976 (talk) 19:45, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Maybe "the CFS was accused of using legal processes to delay a referendum that was scheduled to occur concurrently at all the schools" - might be a little clearer. I think its important to note that the CFS has been accused of bullying legal tactics but the wording could use some work -- Tawker (talk) 19:53, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Good, that's a start Tawker, but let's take that to the next level. In order to attain NPOV you have to cite both sides of the story. How about this: "On March 14, 2008 a BC Supreme Court hearing was held on the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) lawsuit against the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA)"--(That's plain fact, no source necessary.) (Now one side of the story, ie CFS) "According to CFS' President Amanda Aziz, the lawsuit was launched when Kwantlen Students' Association hired Schiffner Consultants Inc. to run the referendum after a period of deadlock on the Referendum Oversight Committee." (Now, the other side, cfstruth) The Kwantlen Students Associaiton's Chairperson, Laura Anderson, claimed that the Federation was "afraid of facing the students" and was attempting to stall the referendum.

Nocandu1976 (talk) 21:12, 8 August 2008 (UTC)

It's good to see Mr. B is working with the article and working to respect the neutrality Wikipedia works towards.

The proposed wording is an improvement.

It should be noted that Schiffner Consultants (no need for the Inc. unless we start noting the corporate nature of the CFS and other "student" unions) had a previous relationship with the KSA having been court-appointed to oversee a previous election involving the KSA. I would also suggest changing the wording of "CFS lawsuit against KSA" to "the case CFS v. KSA" - that has a flows better. FullSmash26 (talk) 03:01, 9 August 2008 (UTC)