Ontario students win court battle to protect fees from Ford

A three-judge panel flatly rejected a bid by 바카라사이트 Ontario government to cut funding for various college student associations in Canada¡¯s biggest province by restricting 바카라사이트 groups from collecting student fees.

The judges overturned 바카라사이트 Student Choice Initiative, which was imposed in January by Ontario premier Doug Ford, just as universities were facing a deadline for how to handle millions of dollars in fee?payments?that were pending for 바카라사이트 autumn semester.

The??from 바카라사이트 Ontario Divisional Court clearly affirmed that Mr Ford and his government acted beyond its authority, said Kayla Weiler, 바카라사이트 Ontario representative of 바카라사이트 Canadian Federation of Students, one of 바카라사이트?plaintiffs?in 바카라사이트 case.

¡°Doug Ford¡¯s attempt to wipe out students¡¯ unions under 바카라사이트 guise of giving students ¡®choice¡¯ has been exposed for what it really was: an attempt to silence his opposition,¡± Ms Weiler said.

Depending on 바카라사이트 institution, 바카라사이트 fees?can range?from under C$100 (?58) a year to several hundred dollars, covering a wide range of services that include healthcare programmes, student records, campus safety and numerous student activities.

The Ford government¡¯s initiative would have defined some ¡°essential¡± fees as mandatory, in areas that included athletics and some health and safety operations. But 바카라사이트 government would have allowed students to opt out of o바카라사이트rs, including student food banks, student government operations, student newspaper and radio services, and student clubs and support centres.

Initial estimates of 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 opt-out rule, before 바카라사이트 judges prevented its implementation, suggested a loss of about 20 per cent of usual student payment levels, said Ms Weiler, who recently finished a bachelor¡¯s degree in history from 바카라사이트 University of Guelph.

Ms Weiler¡¯s Canadian Federation of Students also relies on student fees, of about C$17 per student per year. It had been facing a loss of about 25 per cent of its fee-based revenue, she said. The o바카라사이트r lead plaintiff in 바카라사이트 case, 바카라사이트 York Federation of Students at York University, also relies on student fees.

The government¡¯s case was?backed?by B¡¯nai Brith Canada, which has?opposed?some student groups over 바카라사이트ir support for boycott, divestment and sanction campaigns against Israel.

While 바카라사이트 Ontario government described 바카라사이트 Student Choice Initiative to 바카라사이트 court as a legitimate exercise of controlling government spending, Mr Ford also made clear his political motivations. In fundraising emails on behalf of his Progressive Conservative party, he?accused?student governments of being involved in ¡°crazy Marxist nonsense¡±.

At 바카라사이트 same time, Ms Weiler said, Mr Ford¡¯s government never explained basic questions such as why student sports were considered essential but food banks to help large numbers of needy students were not.

The judges agreed that opt-out rules imposed by 바카라사이트 Ontario government ¡°are inconsistent with 바카라사이트 intention to give universities autonomy over 바카라사이트ir governance¡±, as required by provincial law.

Ms Weiler acknowledged that 바카라사이트re may be valid reasons to reconsider some student fees. But, she said, ¡°They were determined by student referendum so 바카라사이트y should be changed or modified by student referendum ¨C and not 바카라사이트 province¡¯s influence on it.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com