Open Letter to the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)
Support Quebec Students by Bringing the Movement to Ontario!
To our representatives at the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) and affiliated student union locals,
We the undersigned are writing to the CFS as proud student unionists and activists, as well as workers and community members who support the student movement in Canada. We write this letter asking that the CFS engage in a consistent and serious mobilizing effort to bring the Quebec student movement to the rest of Canada.
We believe that this is the best solidarity we can give our sisters and brothers in Quebec. We believe it is the obligation of the elected student leaders to build this movement, and we commit, as rank-and-file students, to support you.
After 12 weeks of strikes against massive tuition hikes, and facing massive police repression and brutality, the student movement in Quebec is forcing the government to budge. This is a heroic example.
We ask that the CFS begin mobilizing for a student strike in Ontario and the rest of Canada. A campaign of mass educationals, solidarity delegations and mass mobilizations should be used to lead up towards a student strike in Ontario. Bring the lessons of Quebec to Ontario.
Quebec has shown, again and again, that the only way to force concession from governments is to mobilize on a mass basis through a strike campaign and confront the government, not with postcards, but with action! Students and youth, as well as the working population in general, have been inspired by the Quebec movement.
We are therefore asking that our representatives at the CFS and affiliated locals immediately begin a campaign for free post-secondary education, and make preparations to carry out a strike ballot in the Fall of 2012.
A massive student movement in Ontario would show the Quebec students that they are not alone. It would strengthen the movement for free post-secondary education across Canada, and it would cut across the divisions created by the pro-business politicians and corporate press to weaken the student movement.
Our response to the race to the bottom; tuition fees across Canada should be immediately lowered to the levels in Quebec, as a step towards abolishing all tuition fees in the country.
Prepare for an Ontario-wide strike vote in the Fall of 2012!
Signed by (email us to sign on):
1. Farshad Azadian, York Federation of Students (YFS) & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)
2. Rashin Alizadeh, University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) & Fightback
3. Solomon Muyoboke, Ryerson Student Union (RSU) & Fightback
4. Christine Montgomeria-Mione, York Federation of Students & Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND)
5. Jack Humphrey – Graduate Students Union & Fightback
6. Arash Azizi, University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) & Fightback
7. Jahan Niroomand – York Federation of Students (YFS) and New Democrats of York University (NDYU)
8. Guled Arale – Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND)
9. Simone Akyianu – Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG – UofT)
10. Julian Benson – Fightback & OPSEU local 5108
11. Farid Azadian – Ryerson Students Union (RSU) & Ryerson University New Democrats (RUND)
12. Pedram Moss – York Federation of Students (YFS)
13. Donovan Ritch - Fightback & ATU local 113
14. Jennie Ernewein – Fightback & Ryerson University Alumni
15. Jon Ari – York Federation of Students (YFS) & Toronto Young New Democrats
16. Ahmed Daniyal – Humber Alumni
17. Alejandro Munoz – 4th Year Philosophy Student & York Federation of Students (YFS)
18. Linda Noorafkan – York Federation of Students (YFS) and Undergraduate Political Science Council
19. Mehdi Irani - CUPE 3903
20. Tanesha Darby – York Federation of Students (YFS)
21. Paul Elias – CUPE 3903
22. Aram Keyvani - York Federation of Students (YFS)
23. Sahel Zreik –Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) local 2002
24. Karina Rudenberg – York Federation of Students (YFS)
25. Arman Noory – Afghan-Iranian Youth Network
26. Basel Alchikh-Sulaiman – Ryerson Alumni & Fightback
27. Mobina Basiri – York Federation of Students (YFS) & Co-Chair of New Democrats of York University (NDYU)
28. Tea Celik – York Federation of Students (YFS) & Fightback
29. Mary Berberian – Toronto-Centre NDP & Fightback
30. Amelia Saunders – York University Free Press (YUFP) & York Federation of Students (YFS)
31. Tyler MacKinnon – Etobicoke-Centre NDP & Socialist Caucus
32. Alex Grant – CEP local 2040 & Fightback
33. Camilo Cahis – CEP local 2040 & Fightback
34. Victoria Goldberg - York Federation of Students (YFS)
35. Fadumo Winters - York Federation of Students (YFS)
36. Michael Erickson - Former V.P. External Affairs, YFS & Former CFS-O Constituency Coordinator
37. Jimmy Gutman - Arts Student Senator (McGill) & ONDY eastern organizer
38. Noah Gataveckas - Fightback & Acadia University Alumni
39. Janine Manning - Aboriginal Student Association at York
40. Andrius Ragainis - York Federation of Students (YFS)
41. Ashleigh Ingle - CUPE 3902 & Graduate Students Union (GSU - UofT)
42. Adonis El-Jamal - Students Against Israeli Apartheid-York & Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG-York)
43. Yuri Yarin - CEP local 1996 & Fightback
44. Hariyanto Darmawan - CEP Local 2040
45. Layton Joudrey - Elliot House Chef School (alumni) & I.W.W local 460
46. Ruth Otterman - CUPW Local 548 (Hamilton)
47. Todd Peavoy - CUPW Local 548 (Hamilton)
48. Chris Webb – Graduate Students' Association (York) & Canadian Dimension Magazine
49. George Wynott – Communications at Youth In Solidarity (Facebook.com/YouthInSolidarity)
50. Wai Kiat Tang - CUPE 3902 Delegate, Toronto York Regional Labour Council
51. Mai Taha - Fightback & CUPE 3902 (UofT)
52. Carolyn Shapiro - CUPE 3902
53. Hammam Farah - Students Against Israeli Apartheid at York University
54. Dan Sawyer - Canadian Autoworkers Local 567
55. Tobi Rene Wilczek - International Socialists
56. Awget Ghebrehiwot - CUPE Local 4948
57. Brandon Gray - IWW and Toronto Anarchist Black Cross
58. Alex Conchie - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
59. Constantinos Crekoukias - United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) & Fightback
60. Janet Csontos - The Student School
61 .Corey Ponder - CUPE 3902
62. James Meades - President CUPE 4600/ Vice-Chair Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee
63. Katie Mazer - CUPE 3902 & Graduate Students Union (GSU - UofT)
64. Maya Adavi - Young Communist League (YCL)
65. John Paul Catungal - Graduate Student Association (GSA - UofT) & CUPE 3902
66. Seena Taghavi - York Federation of Students (YFS)
67. Vanessa Beaton - Vice-President Academic Affairs & University of Ottawa Common Law Student’s Association, CUPE 2626
68. Thomas Laughlin - U of T and CUPE 3902
69. Matt Hilder - CUPE 3902
70. Alex Moldovan - GCSU/YFS & York West NDP
71. Chee-Mei Chan - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
72. Matt Gardner - Queen's University Alumni, University of Western Ontario Alumni & Fightback
73. Ida Zarrabi - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
74. Cam Hardy - UTSU & Platypus Affiliated Society
75. Zahra Shaban - UofT alumni
76. Elise Thorburn - phd candidate University of Western Ontario, PSAC local 610, Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly
77. Shamineh Mavalvala - University of Toronto Alumni
78. Matthew Shultz - VP Campaigns and Community Affairs, Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SPGS) at Queen's University / CFS local 27
79. Revolutionary Students Movement (student division of the PRAC-Toronto)
80. Jack Hixson-Vulpe - York University CUPE 3903
81. Taiva Tegler - External Commissioner, Graduate Students' Association des étudiant.e.s diplômé.e.s, University of Ottawa
82. Matthew Davidson - CUPE 3908 (Trent University)
83. Chris Hurl - VP-External, CUPE 4600, Carleton University
84. Michael Romandel - former student of York and former member of CUPE 3903.
85. John Rose - Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 901
86. Christian Scott Martone Donde - McGill University MA Sociology
87. Alexander Brookes - MUNFA (Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association)
88. Katy Fulfer - Western University Graduate Student, President of PSAC Local 610
89. Stephen Peters - McGill Graduate Student
90. Christina Rousseau - Doctoral Candidate at York University; CUPE 3903
91. Kieran Aarons - Instructor, DePaul University & alumni of the University of Western Ontario
92. Jordy Cummings - CUPE Local 3903
93. Tracy Glynn - University of New Brunswick (UNB) Graduate Student Association/CFS Local 67.
94. Mia Bhuiyan - University of Toronto Students Unions (UTSU)
95. Espoir Manirambona - Carleton University Students' Association, Carleton New Democrats
96. Ingrid van der Kloet - CUPE Local 3903, Ontario Nurses Association, Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly
97. Brian Foster- Carleton University, member CUPE 4600, former President and VP Academic of Carleton History Graduate Student Association
98. Danji Buck-Moore - McGill, BA 2012
99. Tracy Glynn - Member of the UNB Graduate Student Association/CFS Local 67
100. Eric Kristmanson - OCAD student
101. Seher Shafiq - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
102. Steve D'Arcy - alumnus, University of Toronto; member, Huron University College Faculty Association
103. Phillip Ilijevski - Former Coordinator, CFS-Quebec
104. Robert Green - High School Teacher (Montreal)
105. Liisa Priyanka Lugus - Patient Advocate; Director of ME/CFS Assist.org; Co-Owner of The Big Carrot; former Concordia student
106. Jennifer Cypher - PhD Candidate, York University
107. Parastou Saberi - PhD student, York University, CUPE Local 3903
108. Tim McSorley - former CFS-Quebec chairperson, 2004-2005, BA, Concordia University, 2006
109. Emmanuelle Lippé - former CFS-Q employee (1999)
110. D’Arcy Butler, Instructor - College of the North Atlantic; former member of CUPE 3903
111. Alison Fisher - member of GSA Local 84, CUPE 3903 and OSSTF D. 12
112. Darryl Richardson - Seneca College student & Toronto Media Co-Op
113. Dylan Chauvin-Smith - University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU)
114. Sarah Hornstein - York University
115. Alex Winterhalt - Carleton University Students' Association (CUSA) & Fightback
116. Stephanie Barton - York University
117. Najimeh Abdorrahimi - Ryerson Social work student (4th year)
118. Arun Smith - Carleton University Students' Association & OPIRG Carleton Board of Directors.
119. Sasha Englert - York University
120. Martial Champagne - York U Nursing student
121. Nyala Adaoha Eboh - York Federation of Students (YFS)
122. Sadia Khan - UofT alumni
123. Rastko Cvekic - CUPE 3902 (UofT)
124. Dominic Dumont - Writing studies in Laval University student, Quebec city
125. Sarah Stanley - Ryerson University
126. Baliqis Olaitan - University Of Toronto Students' Union (UofT)
127. Kailee Howorth- York Alumni
128. Kwan Chan - York Federation of Students (YFS)
129. Sandy Oh - CUPE 3902 (UofT)
130. Nazampal Jaswal - York University
131. Jacob Hodgins, President - Laurentian Students Union (LSU)
132. Wendy Skye - Alumni, Carleton University
133. Pantea Ebrahim - York Federation of Students (YFS)
134. Sarah Cholam - York Federation of Students (YFS)
135. Nicholas Buccheri - York Federation of Students (YFS)
136. Julia Malfara - York Federation of Students (YFS)
137. Javed Mohammed - York Federation of Students (YFS)
138. Nulab Ferozan - York Federation of Students (YFS)
139. Arazod Ferozan - York Federation of Students (YFS)
140. Miteh Starkman
141. Ian Wilgus
142. Thai Bowers - York Federation of Students (YFS)
143. Samuel Awotundun - York Federation of Students (YFS)
144. Chris Skerritt - York Federation of Students (YFS)
145. Ahmad Khawaja - York Federation of Students (YFS)
146. Alexandra Mchicoll - Graduate Students Association (GSA)
147. Karen Rivera - York Federation of Students (YFS)
148. Scott Nickel - York Federation of Students (YFS)
149. Samia Tecle - Graduate Students Association (GSA)
150. Ramzi Masri - York Federation of Students (YFS)
151. Kiran Kaw
152. Ashley Simpson - York Federation of Students (YFS)
153. Sarah Merkar - York Federation of Students (YFS)
154. Hena Tyyebi - CUPE 3903
155. Renee Grant - York Federation of Students (YFS)
156. Joulia Adamopoulos - York Federation of Students (YFS)
157. Sheanna Allison - York Federation of Students (YFS)
158. Sadquan Malik - York Federation of Students (YFS)
159. Armikley Fontaine - York Federation of Students (YFS)
160. Xiomara G - York Federation of Students (YFS)
161. Sheena Davy - York Federation of Students (YFS)
162. Danielle Howell - York Federation of Students (YFS)
163. Charlene Locice - York Federation of Students (YFS)
164. Farzi Bishop - YCISS
165. Kwan Chan - York Federation of Students (YFS)
166. Behnam Farahmandzadeh - York Federation of Students (YFS)
167. Kourosh Z - York Federation of Students (YFS)
168. Ali Ziari - York Federation of Students (YFS)
169. Sonia Dhuga - York Federation of Students (YFS)
170. Alancy Rebelo - York Federation of Students (YFS)
171. Michael Beaupre - York Federation of Students (YFS)
172. Goyanthan Thivakaran - York Federation of Students (YFS)
173. Rikhi Pattan - York Federation of Students (YFS)
174. Ayse Gurler - York Federation of Students (YFS)
175. Ebtisam Sharifabow - York Federation of Students (YFS)
176. Jsia De Paolo - York Federation of Students (YFS)
177. Elbora Jokoli - York Federation of Students (YFS)
178. Fahd Ali - York Federation of Students (YFS)
178. Sukissa Mendes - York Federation of Students (YFS)
179. Yafet Twelde - Graduate Students Association (York)
180. Kamalika Bana - York Federation of Students (YFS)
181. Nicole Griffiths - York Federation of Students (YFS)
182. Irina Tokar - York Federation of Students (YFS)
183. Raj Virac – CUPE 3903
184. Tomi Dipo - York Federation of Students (YFS)
185. Laura Ferguson - York Federation of Students (YFS)
186. Andrew Crago - York Federation of Students (YFS)
187. Justice Ramdewar - York Federation of Students (YFS)
188. Leya Hosseini - York Federation of Students (YFS)
189. Sukhmeet - York Federation of Students (YFS)
190. Annette Jubril - York Federation of Students (YFS)
191. Pawl Grey – CUPE 3903
192. Tom Whey – CUPE 3903
193. Breeann Morgan-Hunt - York Federation of Students (YFS)
194. Sarah Usman - York Federation of Students (YFS)
195. Ryan Riccinto - York Federation of Students (YFS)
196. Natasha Mody - York Federation of Students (YFS)
197. Amina Chaudhry - York Federation of Students (YFS)
198. Carolina Benedeth - York Federation of Students (YFS)
199. Kam - York Federation of Students (YFS)
200. Tesharah Briscoe - York Federation of Students (YFS)
201. Tasneem Hussain - York Federation of Students (YFS)
202. Yaw Danguah - York Federation of Students (YFS)
203. Ashug Abbasi - York Federation of Students (YFS)
204. Rajdeep Malhi - York Federation of Students (YFS)
205. Chris Worrad - York Federation of Students (YFS)
206. Andy Xia - York Federation of Students (YFS)
207. Ashley S.
208. Adnan Raja - York Federation of Students (YFS)
209. Jamaal Haynes - York Federation of Students (YFS)
210. Garrett Johns - Former Ryerson Student
211. Mehdi Samadian – CUPE 3903
212. Iain Brannigan - Student Federation University of Ottawa (SFUO) & CUPE 494
213. William Leonard Felepchuk - Student Federation University of Ottawa (SFUO) & Indigenous and Canadian Studies Student Association (ICSSA)
214. Nicole Desnoyers - Student Federation University of Ottawa (SFUO) & CUPE 4943
215. Christine Moncrieff - Student Federation University of Ottawa (SFUO) & CUPE 4943
216. Tyler Lee Myles - University of Guelph & NDP member
217. Nicholas Lee Spector - Ryerson Journalism Course Union
218. Zach Ruiter, Trent Mobilize, Trent Arthur Newspaper, Toronto Media Co-op, SAGE (Safe and Green Energy Peterborough OPIRG working group),
219. Brandon Michaud - SGA at Laurentian University in Sudbury.
220. Samantha B - Laurentian Student Union (LSU - Local 111)
221. Mark Gauci - Laurentian Student Union
222. Mischa Crossman - Georgian College Alumni
223. Tricia MacLennan - Laurentian Student Union - VP of Marketing
224. Crystal Bennett- Graduating Laurentian University Student & University of Toronto Student
225. Sofia Champion - Young Communist League (YCL)
226. Laura Dolan - McGill Alumni
227. Jesse Zimmerman - Freelance journalist
228. Robyn Lew - FUSE Magazine, U of T alumni
229. Tracey Walsh - Fleming College
230. Katrin Urban - Carleton University, OPSEU Local 499
231. David Brassard - Quebec student, affiliated with Association de la Faculté des Étudiant en Science Humaine
232. Mira Pinkus - Ryerson Students Union (RSU) & Occupy Halifax233. Konstantine Kallianderis - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
234.Daniel Hassibi - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
235.Bonn Yhou Mamba - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
236. Tom Collins - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
237. Natasia Hyam - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
238. Allyssa Bridyman - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
239. Matt King - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
240. Nicole Cormie - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
241. Fu Tian - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
242. Kristy Munsie - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
243. Radoslaw Shaczny - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
244. Matthew Haddad - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
245. Michey Ghalaore - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
246. Aria Ghazavi - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
247. Arine Lorrain - FASA/FEUQ
248. Ali Hashemi - UofT
249. Aiesha Bristol - Ryerson Students Union
250. Madeline St-Pierre - UofT, Occupy
251. Mitchel Keed - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
252. Peter Liakhob - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
253. Alexander Spalding - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
254. Sanor Dugalin - Worker
255. Arestia Dehmass - Ryerson Graduate
256. Edith Sevigny-Mnrtel - Ryerson Student Union (RSU)
257. Travis Furge
258. Adam L - Occupy
259. Emma Palumbo - Occupy
260. Humera Jabir - NDP
261. Kael Howl - Caya Co-op
262. Jaime Monteiro - Occupy Toronto
263. Ben Hisdar - Occupy Toronto
264. Derek Soberal - Occupy
265. Sheri Laekeman - Occupy
266. Christine Massery - Occupy Brampton
267. John Ciss
268. David Cow - Occupy Toronto
269. Andrew Pickles
270. Angela Lessard
271. Matthew Rech
272 Alice Rose Mick - Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA)
273. Eliyahu Freedman - McGill
274. Jimmy Kiny - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)
275. Jen Tong - CityU of NY
276. Maryna Kudnyavtseva
277. Chris Rodnick - uOttawa
278. Wesley Oakes - York U
279. Rose Palmieri - CIUT 89.5 FM
280. Bev Leroux - Concerned Retired Senior
281. Thomas Martineau - Parti de Gauche & Front de Gauche
282. Sébastien Lacroix, VP exécutif - AGEEPP (Université Laval).
283. Cédrik Simonyi - Étudiant de l'université d'Ottawa
284. Patrick Gavin - PhD Candidate, University of Western Ontario. PSAC Local 610.
285. Carlos Pilquil - Grant MacEwant Community College Graduate
286. Mohammad Reza Hedayat -- York Federation of Students (YFS)
287. Mariful Alam - OPIRG-York Board Member, CUPE 3903, & Socio-Legal Studies PHD Candidate
288. Nada Khan - York University alumni
289. Nathan Prier - CUPE 3903 and No One Is Illegal - Toronto
290. Maxime Barbeau - University of Ottawa alumni, Concordia University alumni
291. Peter Mikhailenko - Occupy Ryerson & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)
292. Pablo Vivanco - former VP External, York Federation of Students and York University Graduate Student Association
293. Remi Hazell - McGill University Undergraduate '13
294. Jesse Bergeron - Undergraduate, York University
295. Hugh Goldring - occupy Ottawa
296. Jay Telegoi - YFS
297. Shanil Thomas - YFS
298. Dayani Ravichandran - Liberal party/YFS
299. Taylor Scollar - Liberal party
300. Laura Headley - Ontario College of Art and Design Student Union, Toronto
301. Christine Massey, Occupy Brampton
302. Peter Poulos - York University
303. Roxanne Cohen - University of Toronto, University of Toronto Greenpeace Student Network, Toronto Free Skule
304. Hannah Swiderski - Wilfrid Laurier University, Political Science Student
305. Jerome Arguelles - United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
306. M. Ebrahim Poulad - Ryerson Students Graduate Chairperson.
307. Lauren Hunter - OCADSU Director of Academic Affairs
308. Jeremy Greenberg - U of T debt-laden graduate
309. Mai Taha - CUPE 3902 (UofT) & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)
310. Jordan Clements
311. Steve Tomlins – Brock University
312. Dana Anafeh – UofT
313. Michael DeRewomto – UTSC
314. Nathan Okonta – York University
315. Nadia Shahabun
316. Sadaf Shalluaui – UofT
317. Pooran Bridgelal – UofT
318. Reema Gowani – UofT
319. Al Yolles
320. Flavie Chevalier
321. Daniel Tsegay – Musician
322. Natalie Boustead
323. Deem Waham – UofT
324. Trish Starling – UofT
325. Robin Jones – UofT
326. Franle Dyan
327. Matt Adam – University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)
328. Hannah Nens – York – Glendon
329. Nathan Fernandes – UofT – Mississsauga
330. Maria Marchyshyn – UofT – Munk
331. Kathleen Lofting – ETFO
332. Mazeh Masri – York U
333. Velinda Seasmith – U of G
334. Barkley Page – Dalhousie
335. Yi-Po Hsu – Seneca @ York & UofT
336. Wortex Kutalowski – UofT (Woodsworth)
337. Allison Brown – Roots Musician
338. Nick Mouny – UofT
339. Valentine Cadiene
340. Mischa Decter
341. Michael Ready Webster – Trent U
342. Jared Piorier – UofT
343. Rakin Talukder – Woodbridge College
344. Sam Hamel – Woodbridge College
345. Norman Taylor – UofT
346. Mandy Ho
347. Tony Fragoso – Construction Worker
348. Kamil Shami – Ryerson University & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)
To Sign onto this letter, email us with your name and affiliations, at:
Farshad.enghelab@gmail.com or Rashin.alizadeh@gmail.com
I totally support you in this endeavour, I've been on strike since the 13th of February ( In Quebec ) and it hasn't been easy but the cause is noble and just and deserve to be continued until our demands are met.
Some people call us anarchist or thinks we are trying to make the social peace disapear, the truth is the social peace has been broken by those in power who thinks education should be reserved to an elite made of the wealthy. Education is a right and the motor of a more dynamic and functional society, it must not be concentrated in the hand of a few !
A Quebec bachelor.
The site for the Toronto local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.