Newfoundlanders and Labradorians believe that access to post-secondary education is essential to ensuring the future prosperity of the province. Since 1998, successive governments have implemented tuition fee freezes and reductions, reintroduced upfront need-based grants, and eliminated interest rates charged on student loans. These policy decisions once resulted in the province boasting the most accessible system of post-secondary education in Canada.

In October 2017, the Canadian Federation of Students hosted a provincial forum on building consent culture on our college and university campuses. The forum provided an opportunity for students and service providers to share stories of successes and struggle as we came together to build a common vision to end sexual and gender-based violence and dismantle rape culture.

Free education is a viable opportunity for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador. Several countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development offer university at zero or near- zero tuition levels. Canada, on the other hand, has moved towards a system of publicly- assisted post-secondary education with a reliance on private and public loans.

On Wednesday, September 30, 2020, the provincial government announced their “pandemic budget.” Despite an aim for “stronger communities” and “smarter investments”, the future does not look brighter for students in this province who face continued cuts from our public post-secondary institutions, climbing debt, and no tuition freeze for international and out of province students. 

This magazine has information about organizing, media, events and more. You can refer to this when you need to write a press release or need some new event idea’s and we hope it will be a helpful tool for you during your time on your student’s union and beyond.