On Wednesday, April 10th, CUSA’s Advocacy Team led a delegation to the parliamentary office of the Hon. Leah Gazan, the New Democratic Party’s Postsecondary Education Critic and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre.
In our meeting, we presented a petition to the House of Commons, signed by the students of Carleton University, in support of the introduction of Bill C-223, or an “An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.” We also discussed the challenges facing food security for students across Ottawa, and especially the work of our Unified Support Centre.
The cost-of-living crisis has put tremendous pressure on students, who while attending to their studies are burdened by rising food prices, high amounts of student debt, and the mental health challenges that come from financial insecurity. For many of our undergraduate students, especially those who come from abroad and are facing tuition rates far higher than domestic students, the economic situation has become untenable.
In the last year alone, the USC has seen requests for hampers jump over 400%, and the average price of a food hamper has reached over $30.
We believe the introduction of a guaranteed income, in consultation with student groups across the country, is the best way to help students navigate the financial uncertainty of their education.
The right to education is a human right, and CUSA is fully committed to working with partners at all levels of government to make education accessible to all.
