Canadian Federation of Students
History and Purpose of the Federation
The Canadian Federation of Students was formed in 1981 to provide students with an effective and united voice. It was recognized that for students to be truly effective in representing their collective interests to the federal and provincial governments, it was vital to unite under one banner. The founding members adopted the following Mission Statement:
We, the students of Canada, recognizing the need to speak with one voice in asserting our legitimate needs and concerns, wish to express our support for one national student organisation whose basic aims will be as follows:
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To organise students on a democratic, cooperative basis in advancing our own interests, and in advancing the interests of our community; -
To provide a common framework within which students can communicate, exchange information, and share experience, skills, and ideas;
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To ensure the effective use and distribution of the resources of the student movement, while maintaining a balanced growth and development of student organisations that respond to students’ needs and desires;
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To bring students together to discuss and cooperatively achieve necessary educational, administrative, or legislative change wherever decision-making affects students;
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To facilitate cooperation among students in organising services which supplement our academic experience, provide for our human needs, and which develop a sense of community with out peers and other members of society;
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To articulate the real desire of students to fulfill the duties, and be accorded the rights of citizens in our society and in the international community;
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To achieve our ultimate goal – a system of postsecondary education which is accessible to all, which is of high quality, which is nationally planned, which recognizes the legitimacy of student representation, and validity of student rights, and whose role in society is clearly recognised and appreciated.
Nearly three decades later, the Federation continues to unite students in the efforts to create a system high quality and accessible postsecondary education and to support the greatest fulfillment of every student’s postsecondary experience. From the creation of the first Canada Student Grants Program to the continual expansion of the Studentsaver discount program, the Federation continues to work hard for you!
Today, over one-half million students (including you!) from more than eighty Students’ Unions across Canada are members of the Federation!
Federation Advocacy – Our United Voice
Because universities and colleges are funded by both the federal and provincial governments and administered by the provincial government, the policies and priorities of these governments determine the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. Tuition fee levels, student financial assistance programs, and funding for research are all set directly or indirectly by both levels of government.
Individually, a Students’ Union cannot effectively influence these governments – it simply could not have the resources or political clout. It is also much more cost effective for a large number of Students’ Unions to pool their resources and work in partnership than for each to undertake this work alone. The Federation serves this purpose, giving Students’ Unions, including TRUSU, a united and powerful influence.
Federation Services – Working Together
The Canadian Federation of Students also enables Students’ Unions to collectively pool their resources to provide student owned and operated services. These services include Travel CUTS, the Student Work Abroad Program, the International Student Identity Card, the Studentsaver Discount Card, the National Student Health Network, an ethical bulk purchasing program, and a website service.
Canadian Universities Travel Service – Travel CUTS
As Canada's only national student travel bureau, Travel CUTS provides unique student-oriented products and services to over 300,000 students each year. Through the Federation's membership in the International Student Travel Confederation, Travel CUTS is affiliated with over 600 student travel offices. This relationship allows Travel CUTS to negotiate and provide international student products, such as a worldwide network of student fares on air and surface transportation, the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), and student travel insurance. To find out more, visit the Travel CUTS website!
Student Work Abroad Program – SWAP
Each year, thousands of students work in foreign countries through the Student Work Abroad Program. Established in 1975 with a small exchange in New Zealand, SWAP is now Canada's largest international exchange program. SWAP provides students with the means to combine periods of employment with time for exploring their host countries. By living and working in another country, a SWAP participant has a greater opportunity to learn about the people, lifestyles, and cultures of the host country. SWAP offers programs in eleven countries including: Australia, Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, South Pacific and the United States. To find out more, visit the SWAP website!
International Student Identity Card – ISIC
The ISIC is the only internationally recognised proof of full-time student status in the world and is a student travel discount card in that 70 countries worldwide, including Canada. Normally .00, members receive an ISIC free! If travelling abroad, the ISIC provides discounts on accommodation, admission to historical sites and museums, and transportation. In Canada, the ISIC provides:
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A 30% off regular economy fare travel on VIA Rail
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A 25% discount on Greyhound bus travel
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A 4% exclusive WestJet discount. Visit your local Travel CUTS office or book online today!
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A 10% discount at 1,000+ Motel 6 locations!
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Free access to professional developers' software and e-learning programmes on the Microsoft DreamSpark website.
For a full list of ISIC discounts in Canada and abroad visit isic.org!
Studentsaver Discount Card
The Studentsaver Card is Canada's only student owned and operated national student discount program. With thousands of discounts across Canada, Studentsaver helps students save money on everyday purchases like books, clothing, food, and entertainment. For a full list of Studentsaver discounts in Kamloops, British Columbia, and Canada, visit studentsaver.ca!
The National Student Health Network
Each year, the cost of prescription drugs and basic health and dental services, not covered by provincial health plans, take increasingly larger portions out of the limited budgets of many students. To address this problem, the Canadian Federation of Students-Services created the National Student Health Network. Established in 1985, the Federation's health, dental and vision plan assists Students' Unions with the design, negotiation, promotion, and administration of campus health and dental plans. Through negotiations with Canada's only non-profit insurance provider, Greenshield, the Federation offers the most comprehensive set of benefits available through a campus health plan!
Ethical Bulk Purchasing Program
Together, the Students’ Unions of the Federation create an enormous economy of scale in purchasing commonly required products such as t-shirts, water bottles, and handbooks. The Federation’s Ethical Purchasing Program uses this purchasing power to both make products available to Students’ Unions at a low cost, and to demand higher social and environmental standards in their production. For example, all the t-shirts of your Students’ Union are made by the Single Mother’s Cooperative of El Salvador on organic cotton! Our Member Handbook and Dayplanners are union-made using recycled paper and vegetable-based ink!
Website Service
Websites require technical knowledge and a fair chunk of change to set up and maintain. The Federation provides a customizable website service to Students’ Unions to help them save time and money while keeping members informed and engaged! In fact, the website you’re looking at right now is run through the Federation’s website service!
You, Your Students’ Union, and the Federation – Being a Part of the Student Movement
The Federation plays an important role in uniting Students’ Unions across the country. But how do you fit in? Being a member of the Federation means that you play a part in three levels of the Canadian student movement!
Right here on our campus, you elect representatives to the TRUSU Council. These representatives develop and implement the local advocacy, services, and entertainment of your Students’ Union as well as organising the advocacy and services of the Federation on a local level. Provincially, TRUSU is has a representative on the Executive of the Canadian Federation of Students – BC, and sends a delegation to two provincial General Meetings each year. Nationally, the Canadian Federation of Students – BC has a representative on the Executive of the Canadian Federation of Students, and TRUSU sends a delegation to two national General Meetings each year. Through these representatives and General Meetings, TRUSU brings the concerns of members like you to the provincial and national levels.
Of course, all of the work of your Students’ Union and the Federation gets down on the ground – on campuses like ours. That’s where you come in! Every time you volunteer at an event, sign a petition, or use a Students’ Union service, you are playing your part in the student movement!
For more information about the Canadian Federation of Students, please visit
 www.cfs-fcee.ca.