February 12, 2024
Blog
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Presidential Update December 2021
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! My favourite holiday is upon us and I could not be more excited!
As Steering Committee prepares for the Christmas break, we’re wrapping up some work from the past month. A few weeks ago we held our Student Advocacy Conference where Steering Committee and other student delegates met with around 50 members of Provincial Parliament to discuss our advocacy priorities for the year. It was a great and busy week and we are now conducting lots of follow-ups to keep the advocacy going! A big thank you to all MPP’s who met with us and took the time to discuss issues that are important to our students.
Trans Day of Remembrance 2021
(CW: transphobia)
November 20th is internationally recognized as the Trans Day of Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester, a Black Trans woman who was killed in her home in November 1998. Since Hester’s death, every year on November 20th we participate in an important tradition of hosting vigils and reading the names of Trans community members we have lost to transphobia.
Presidential Update November 2021
Hello and Happy Fall!!!! (my all-time favourite season)
I start off every blog by stating that it has been a busy month but it truly has been another busy month!
Presidential Update October 2021
TW: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Hello and Happy Spooktober!!
It’s been a long and busy month since our students headed back to campus early September. Steering Committee was hard at work planning and executing our respective Orientation Week’s to welcome first-year students to our campuses. I want to first recognize that for many, the beginning of the school year did not start off how we had all anticipated. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is a serious and prevalent issue that should not be tolerated on any campus. For all those who feel frustrated or scared, to every survivor, to every student – we stand with you and we will continue to advocate for trauma-informed and survivor-centric prevention and response to this violence.
Proposed Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards Feedback
OUSA believes that all willing and qualified students should have access to affordable, accountable, and high quality education in Ontario, a principle that extends to all students, including those with suspected or documented disabilities.
Provincial OSAP Clawbacks Explained: Students deserve the funding they were promised by the federal government
TL;DR? Ontario students are not receiving more OSAP, even though the federal government is spending more to support students during the pandemic. The provincial government is clawing back the provincial portion of OSAP, which means students aren’t feeling the full benefits of the federal government's investments into financial aid. The province is using these clawbacks as a cost-savings mechanism instead of continuing normal levels of OSAP spending to support students.
It’s Brutal Out Here: The Role of Young People in Canada’s 2021 Election
On August 15th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election to be held on September 20th after months of whispered rumors and speculations. Regardless of the political strategy behind the decision to call this election, Canadians are going to the polls in just a few days. One demographic that will play a huge role in determining our next Prime Minister and the federal policies over the next four years are young people.
This is Our Shot... To Practice Allyship: Considering the experiences of racialized students as post-secondary campuses navigate vaccine mandates
As racialized and queer* students, stepping into our respective roles as President and Vice-President University Affairs for the University Students’ Council at Western University during a pandemic was isolating in more ways than one. In addition to the physical distance between us and our team members, there is something disorienting about transitioning into positions that have historically been occupied by straight, white leaders.
Presidential Update September 2021
Hello and happy September and (almost) Fall!
I don’t know about you, but the month of August flew by! From vaccine mandate discussions to policy writing and consultations, it’s been another busy month. Over the past few days, the Western campus has been filled with incoming students moving into residence, and upper-year students gearing up for orientation week. I must say, it has been very exciting to see people back on campus and ready to take on the new school year. A big shoutout to all incoming students on starting at your respective universities and pushing through as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic!
Con•ver•sa•tions, A Podcast Series
Con·ver·sa·tions is a podcast housed here at OUSA that I decided to host and produce as a part of my summer internship. This podcast series is all about highlighting the community ingenuity, excellence, and advocacy that comes from young people in our society.