Is education really a right?

Well, well, well! What do we have here?!? A new "Education is a Right!" spin-off website highly critical of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Some people think that it's a pretty funny site. However, many CFS supporters have already cried foul and say that the people behind this site are hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet. The Excalibur reported on this yesterday. As many of you may not know, the CFS recently launched their new "Education is a Right!" site promoting its campaigns.

Let the war of words and websites begin!

Rencontre publique du Conseil d'Administration de la FÉUO aujourd'hui

Après une réunion remplie de tension entre les spectateurs et les membres du Conseil d'Administration de la FÉUO, Tyler Steeves, le président de la FÉUO, a annoncé une réunion publique. Cette dernière aura lieu au Café Alt entre 14h et 7h afin de discuter des inquiétudes soulignées hier par plusieurs spectateurs lors de la réunion.

Il sera intéressant de voir quels membres du CA décideront de se montrer la face durant cette réunion.

Bottle water free campus?

Isn't it funny how this truck was seen parked on uOttawa campus (beside Tabaret Hall) delivering numerous jugs of water on Thursday September 2 2010. So much for a "bottle water free" campus!

Board of Administration of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa - Sunday July 25th 2010

Open publication - Free publishing - More meeting

Open publication - Free publishing - More structure

SFUO Services make a financial "contribution"

At the last Board of Administration meeting, that took place on Sunday June 20 2010, some interesting information was divulged during question period. Board members were made aware that 5 SFUO funded services, including the Pride Centre, Foot Patrol, the Student Appeal Centre, the Women's Resource Centre and one other service, pooled funds together to cover the cost of buses that transported student protesters from in and around the Ottawa area to Toronto to participate in the G20 protests.

Unfortunately, not all students who possibly would have wanted to attend the protests were made aware that such student-funded transportation was available to them. Why? Well, I sent this message to Amy Hammett, the SFUO Vice-President of Student Affairs and have yet to receive a response (but I will gladly add her response when she does reply):

Hello Amy,

First of all, I hope that you have settled in as the SFUO's new V.P. Student Affairs.

I am writing you concerning information that came to light at the last BOA meeting. Particularly, I am referring to student's money having been spent on buses that transported G20 protesters from Ottawa to Toronto. It has been said that this money came from student services: Foot Patrol, Pride Centre, Women's Resource Centre, Student Appeal Centre, and one other.

I would like for you to confirm that this is in fact true. Furthermore, if it is, I would like to know if this is a normal practice for student-funded SFUO services to donate money to such initiatives. I would also like to know how much money each specific service donated towards the cost of the buses and who would have had to approve such an expenditure I would also like to know if in fact these buses were publicized so that all students would have had the chance to take advantage of this transportation to Toronto. If not, why?


I am hoping that you will be able to answer these questions and clear up any discrepancies.

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Cheers,

Brandon Clim

This message was sent on July 12th 2010 at approximately 9:05 am. It is now 9:16 am on July 21st 2010. I hope to be able to follow up soon on this issue.

UPDATE (July 23rd 2010): This article has been published in latest The Fulcrum.
Furthermore, this open letter to V.P. Student Affairs, Amy Hammett, also appeared in The Fulcrum.

Communiqué de presse - la FCÉÉ concernant le G-8/G-20

N.B. la Fédération Canadienne des Étudiantes et des Étudiants ne me répresente pas.

L'Assemblée générale annuelle du Regroupement Étudiant Franco-Ontarien

lundi 14 juin 2010 - Ottawa, ON

Durant la fin de semaine du 12 juin 2010, l'Assemblée générale annuelle du Regroupement Étudiant Franco-Ontarien (RÉFO) a eu lieu à l'Université d'Ottawa. Environ 25 participantes et participants, représentant 11 institutions postsecondaires au sein de l'Ontario, se sont présentés au Pavillon Fauteux pour le deuxième AGA depuis l'assemblée constituante du RÉFO en septembre 2009.

Samedi avant-midi, les délégués participants à l'AGA ont accueilli l'Honorable Sénateur Marie-Paule Poulin comme conférencière. La discussion dont elle a menée a put soulever des débats intéressants concernant la pertinence des nouvelles diffusées, à la télévision, par Radio-Canada. Plusieurs délégués ont relevé le manque de contenu ontarien et une concentration, en grande partie, sur les nouvelles québécoises. Plus spécifiquement, une Semaine 101 ("Frosh week") entièrement en Français a été soulevé par le Conseil exécutif sortant et cette initiative

Dimanche matin, les délégués ont élu le nouveau comité exécutif de la RÉFO dont Véronique Boily, Sylvie Samson et Marie-France Belle-Isle. Félicitation à ces trois demoiselles! De plus, il y a eu des tables rondes ayant des thèmes tels que la rétention/recrutement, les communications, les élections municipales, etc.

Il est aussi à noter que M. Raymond Day, représentant le Ministère de la Formation et des Collèges et Universités, s'est présenté pour assister aux tables rondes et, par la suite, a adressé les délégués. Il a traité, entres-autres, de la Politique d'Aménagement Linguistique et de son application future au niveau postsecondaire. Voici la communiqué de presse résumant davantages les activités de l'AGA du RÉFO.

Le RÉFO représente les intérêts politiques des 22 000 étudiantes et étudiants inscrits à des cours en français dans les 11 institutions postsecondaires offrant des programmes en français en Ontario. Sa mission est de défendre le droit des étudiantes et étudiants en Ontario français d’étudier en français dans le programme et la région de leur choix, dans un contexte où elles et ils gèrent les leviers de leur éducation afin qu’ils et elles puissent s’épanouir dans l’ensemble de la communauté franco-ontarienne et puissent y contribuer.

Finally, something I can (somewhat) agree with!

Although it has been awhile, I hope my readership doesn't think I've completely abandoned my blog! Anyhow, I'm back and have much to talk about and many issues to address.

I will start with something that I have never done before on this blog: I will be speaking in favour (although not entirely) of a recent Canadian Federation of Students' campaign on Copyright reform.

Here's a new campaign video posted to CFS's YouTube page concerning the issue of Copyright legislation:



I must point out that the demonizing of big corporations is (not surprisingly) exaggerated and overblown and the concluding statement of the video "But, the battle has just begun! Students know the importance of fair copyright and it's up to us to lead the fight!" uses inciting language that is typical of most CFS campaigns use.

However, although the tactics are the same, I have to admit that I can finally agree with the THIS ISSUE.

In a document submitted to the government entitled Striking the Balance - Submission to the Copyright Consultations (September 2009), the CFS proposed 6 key recommendations:

1. Expand the definition of fair-dealing to be more flexible and inclusive.
2. Regulate the use of technological protection measures so that they do not interfere with users’ legitimate attempts to use copyrighted works.
3. Eliminate Crown copyright.
4. Strictly limit statutory damages.
5. Enhance moral rights to protect creators.
6. Establish a “notice and notice” system of Internet copyright enforcement.

To conclude, it's ISSUES SUCH AS THIS ONE THAT ACTUALLY AFFECT STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS THAT THE CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS SHOULD BE WORKING ON. On the other hand, it is unacceptable for the CFS to claim to represent OVER 600 000 STUDENTS ACROSS CANADA when it chooses to take a stance on such divisive issues as the Israeli/Palestinian conflict (please refer to these articles 1, 2, 3) and abortion (please refer to these articles 1, 2, 3, 4). It's also quite obvious the CFS is VERY FAR FROM BEING A DEMOCRATIC BODY (please refer to these articles 1, 2, 3, 4) and APT AT WASTING STUDENTS' MONEY ON RIDICULOUS LEGAL FEES AGAINST ITS OWN MEMBER STUDENT UNIONS (please refer to these articles 1, 2, 3, 4).

To the possibility of some sort of positive change of the CFS, I won't be holding my breath.