Letter to the Editor
CFS “lobby” efforts a scam
Re: “Grad students split on CFS membership”
Sept. 24, 2009
To the editor:
It’s about time that a national campaign was initiated to disaffiliate from the Canadian Federation of Students. In my opinion at least, CFS is nothing more than one big, elaborate scam. They take our money through student fees, the dozen companies they manage — including Travel Cuts — and claim to lobby on our behalf.
Despite everything we pay them, CFS has consistently failed to give us anything in return — including results from their “lobbying.” Organizations or individuals that take people’s money without giving them any good or service in return are a scam.
Indeed, I fail to understand why CFS exists, and more importantly, why people [have supported] it for many years now. This is an organization that receives millions and millions of dollars worth of student money every year and does not actually do anything for students.
And no, designing fancy advertisements that seek to justify its own existence does not count as protecting student rights, especially when the money for those ads is money collected by the CFS from students.
I bid good luck to the many organizers across the country who share the belief that the CFS is little more than a scam. Though heaven knows they will pour thousands of student dollars — or more — into the campaign to prevent this disaffiliation campaign from actually happening, I remain optimistic that people will be able to cast them aside when everything is said and done.
—Rachel Wasserman
Arts II
Ed note: CFS currently represents Western’s graduate student body on a national level, whereas the undergraduate student body is represented by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.
8 Comments
Lucky Rachel… 
This is nothing more than a feeble smear effort. It’s typical of people who disagree with the advocacy goals of the Federation. Why not just be honest and say that you support the government and don’t care about tuition fee increases? Fortunately, most students in Canada want a fighting Federation.
Thank you, Eric, for actually hitting the nail right on the head. The petition that had been circulated last month to ask students if they do support a ‘fighting’ federation or a federation that uses the 6 million dollars in terms of student fees to put together research material not to convince students that they are paying too much but rather, use the money to come up with realistic solutions that the government can put into plan. This of course would mean constant meetings with politicians in power (unfortunately, the NDP is not in power)to discuss what they can do for us. These wins won’t mean free education for all but I’ll take positive baby steps for goals than gathering 10,000 students outside of Queens Park. Noble for sure, but considering the CFS-O represents a large number of ontario schools, getting ONLY 10,000 students out actually makes us look petty. I know, it depends on the local to bring out members but If we have to spend all our time as SOGS exec to lobby students to get out maybe 200 students (out of 4500), then I think we do better on using that time on working towards positive change on issues that affect students here.
Remember, unlike large schools in the GTA area, executives at SOGS are full time students who work part-time as execs.
See, I was a little confused about what CASA/OUSA and CFS were but then I actually looked it all up… and lo & behold! CASA, at one point, advocated for increased tuition fees!
And actually, the USC website says that OUSA lobbies for “FAIR TUITION FEES”. UMMMM…. What does that mean? The CFS fights for NO TUITION FEES. I think I’d rather have option B. Maybe we should have a referendum to JOIN the CFS.
And I’m a little confused after looking at photos on the CASA website… are these people working for the government in their snazzy suits? Or are they students, working for students?
I smell some sell outs
Hi Nilou,
Its interesting that you were able to put out information on “fighting” for free tuition fees from the CFS website because as far as I can see there is no such information on the CFS website. Infact the CFS National website (cfs-fcee.ca) states “In response, the Federation has focused much of its campaigns and government relations work during the past five yeas on halting tuition fee increases and restoring federal transfer payments for post-secondary education.” The CFS-Ontario website (cfsontario.ca) has a page dedicated to their plan: http://www.cfsontario.ca/english/campaigns.php?id=23.
So to that end I would like to suggest that you are probably more aware of what the CFS “fights” for than you originally led on. For those interested, to note that since the CFS began in 1981, not only have tuition fees risen by over 100%, but in 1994 International Students were no longer covered by OHIP; one of the many “fights” CFS “tackles”.
You know what I smell? Fail! How can an organization who claims to “fight” have so many EPIC fails. Perhaps its because they don’t wear suits to meetings, or maybe its just the thousands of dollars and person-hours squandered threatening/initiating legal action against student unions and newspapers who can think critically and question the organization.
Nilou – I find it interesting that you are able to label students/staff at CASA as sellouts because they are wearing suits. If you have credible criticism to level at members of CASA that by all means go for it. But to be so sallow that you would question someone’s integrity and actions by using venom like the label sellout completely undermines your comments.
Engaging with a political system in the interests of improving public policy is a method of advocacy – it may be a method you disagree with but it is a method nonetheless.
Democracy is about the freedom to express ideas and to engage in a process. Your right to remain outside the system; to chant slogans; to wield signs; and at times to even yell profanities are protected by the same rights that enable those students to wear their suits and engage their elected representatives.
I look forward to the day that we all acknowledge what the student movement is doing is working to better the lives of members and to improve the quality of our higher education system – we do that with confidence that those outcomes will contribute to better communities and more equally distributed opportunities.
I guess until that day I will continue to wait with my appetite for decorum.
I don’t know what CASA reps wear to meetings. But I do know that CASA has a history of advocating for tuition fee INCREASES. I suppose we should therefore congratulate CASA on its “success.”
‘Rachel Wasserman, Arts II’ needs to realize that she isn’t even a member of the CFS, like every Western undergrad student. Maybe go cry about CASA, since they really do nothing.