OTTAWA, November 27, 2017 – Student leaders from universities, colleges, and polytechnics across the country have travelled to Ottawa this week to discuss concerns on their campuses with prominent figures in the federal government. The event, called Advocacy Week, is taking place from November 26 to December 1, and is being jointly hosted this year by both the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) and the Quebec Student Union (QSU).
“We were incredibly pleased to see some major investments made to reduce the upfront costs of post-secondary education and distribute financial aid more equitably,” expressed CASA’s Board Chair, Shifrah Gadamsetti. “That said, there are still some instances where students in need are being left out, and it’s those situations that we intend to bring to the attention of politicians in Ottawa this week.”
Students have put together several recommendations aiming to fill some of the persistent gaps remaining in federal post-secondary support. These include:
- Effectively supporting students with disabilities;
- Providing needs-based financial assistance to students in graduate programs;
- Cutting red tape to ensure international students can access a complete post-secondary education;
- Committing to the scale and scope of support required by Canada’s treaty obligations to Indigenous peoples; and
- Fostering the development of, and ensuring access to, innovative educational materials.
QSU President, Simon Telles, says, “We’re incredibly excited to be co-hosting Advocacy Week this year to make sure that the concerns of Quebec students are heard at the federal level of government. We know that CASA’s past Advocacy Weeks have resulted in some big improvements for post-secondary students, and we’re confident this year will be no exception.”
For more information on the recommendations that students will be presenting at Advocacy Week 2017, please refer to CASA and QSU’s jointly published document: Building Access, Building Canada. For live Advocacy Week updates, follow our event hashtag on Twitter #AdvoWeek17.
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About CASA:
Established in 1995, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, national student organization composed of 22 student associations representing 255,000 post-secondary students from coast to coast. Through its partnership with the Quebec Student Union (QSU) and its 8 members representing 79,000 students, CASA presents a national student voice to the federal government. CASA advocates for a Canadian post-secondary education system that is accessible, affordable, innovative, and of the highest quality.
CASA Contact:
Lindsay Boyd, Communications and Public Relations Officer
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 613-236-3457 ext. 224
About QSU:
The Quebec Student Union’s mission is to defend the rights and interests of the student community, of its member associations, and of their members, by promoting, protecting, and ameliorating the conditions of students and those of local and international communities.
QSU Contact:
Alexandre Ducharme, Political Advisor
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 514-497-2602
