Continued from Pg 7

Benefits of Membership with the CFS

By Ally MacGrotty, External Relations Coordinator, Douglas Students’ Union

gives full time students and members
of the Federation 25% discount for
Greyhound Bus and 35% discounts
for Via Rail. The cardholder can
utilize TravelCUTS which is a
student discount travel company
that is partially owned by the CFS.
A member can literally say that
they own part of a company! The
ISIC is a benefit of membership in
the Federation and if a non member
sought an ISIC, they would have to
pay $16.00 to obtain one.

Campaigns and Lobbying

1) The most recent campaign victory
for the CFS and other member locals
of the Federation is when Adult
Basic Education (ABE) became
free in BC. On Friday, September
7th 2007, the BC Government
announced that tuition fees for
ABE would be eliminated starting
January 2008. At that point, it was
clear to me that through strategic

government relations and the strong
lobbying efforts of the CFS and other
concerned organisations, achievable
results are possible!

See the video on YouTube
at http://ca.youtube.com/
watch?v=xPkalx WIkKMA

I remember this day distinctively...
because that is when I truly realized
that the CFS is an accountable,
progressive and successful
organization with goals and values
similar to my own. It made me
believe that I could start my own
initiatives and strive towards helping
the people in my life, my community
, and all students wanting a higher-
level of education.

The Federation has quickly
moved on to the next campaign
initiative after our ABE victory, and
are now targeting Transit, creating
the “We Ride: Student Action for
Public Transit” campaign (www.
weridetransit.ca). Plentiful buttons

 

GO PLACES FROM HERE

have been produced and are available
at the DSU and petitions have been
circulated to all member locals. We
jointly hosted a Transit Consultation
at the Douglas Students’ Union
Building in November which gave
students an opportunity to voice
their opinions about transit in BC.

The ultimate benefit of being a
member of the DSU and the Federation
is that students are represented at a local,
provincial and national level. The DSU
Representative Committee, along with
other member locals, sends delegates
to CFS meetings on a semi-annual
basis to talk about all of the issues I
have mentioned above, as well as the
additional items of finances, policy and
bylaws, campaigns and organization
development. I think this is the most
important part of membership in the
Federation. Being able to sit around
the table with other student unions
from around BC and across the country
helps the DSU learn how to offer better
services, events, and campaigns. It is
also important for us to be represented at
these different levels so we can provide
input in the decision making of the
Federation.

I am honestly so proud to
be representing Douglas students and
ensuring that they are being informed of
their benefits. | know with a warm heart,
compassionate outlook, and a positive
attitude, we can make a difference by
working together as a united student

January 21, 2008

movement.

I am aware of others’ attempt
to collect signatures to leave the
Federation and am quite saddened by
it. However, these individuals, like any
other members, have the right to start a
petition. My impression of the reactions
from students during the first week of
classes was confusion. Students have
told me that they were under-informed
of the purposed of the petition and the
ramifications of its intentions. They claim
that they felt “scammed” in signing it.

Olivia Cooke, a Douglas
student enrolled in Business who
is also a former Business Admin
Representative at Angora, wrote on the
public Facebook wall of Wendy Case,
one of the organizers of the petition, just
this past week. “I had signed a petition
to detach from the cuffs, I feel that your
cause was misrepresented and feel that
this was purposely done. I believe that
you lied and stated it as the official view
of the dsu. This is dishonest. Please take
my name off of the petition. In addition I
will be making a formal complaint about
this to the [ombudsperson].”

All in all, as a warning, my
advice is to please read all petitions
before you sign them and make informed
decisions with everything you do. I don’t
predict any serious movement arising
from this petition because there is such
a strong presence at Douglas College
supporting the Canadian Federation of
Students.

 

 

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eer ears

 

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