OTTAWA--The Canadian Federation of Students released its Education Action Plan today; a blueprint for post-secondary education in Canada.

"It is time for big thinking," said Katherine Giroux-Bougard, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "To excel in the economy of tomorrow requires leadership from the government today."The Plan was created in advance of meetings with the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley, the Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, and other elected officials. The Plan contains recommendations to increase accessibility to and the quality of colleges and universities, reduce student debt, build research capacity, increase innovation, and ensure access to higher education for Aboriginal peoples.

"Canada's Education Action Plan is a roadmap to a better future for all Canadians," said Giroux-Bougard. "Students and their families are bearing the brunt of both an economic recession and record high tuition fees. We need to act now, they can not afford for us to wait."

Released today, the Plan will be circulated to Members of Parliament and the Senate by Federation representatives.

The document is available for download here.

Founded in 1981, the Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student organisation, uniting more that one-half million students in all ten provinces.