CASA Advocacy Week 2024: UCGSA Efforts in Ottawa

From November 25th to 29th, the University of Calgary Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) participated in CASA Advocacy Week in Ottawa. This key event brought together student representatives from across Canada to directly engage with policymakers on issues that impact graduate students. VP-External Hunter Yaworski, VP-Academic Alexandria Poppendorf, and Advocacy Advisor Andrew Kemle worked tirelessly to advocate for policies that affect funding, research opportunities, and academic development.

Key Meetings: Direct Advocacy for Graduate Students

Throughout Advocacy Week, the GSA team engaged with influential figures to discuss critical issues affecting graduate students. Notable meetings included:

Hunter Yaworski’s Meetings:

• Brad Redekopp (CPC MP for Saskatoon West)
• U15 Policy Team (Group of Canadian Research Universities)
• Leah Gazan (NDP MP for Winnipeg Centre)
• Tedd Hewitt, President of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• National Research Council
• Staff for Dr. Mona Neemer, Chief Science Advisor

These meetings focused on graduate student representation on Tri-Council boards and research funding priorities.

Alexandria Poppendorf’s Meetings:

• Mike Lake (CPC MP for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin) 
• Leila Dance (NDP MP for Elmwood—Transcona)
• Ministry of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Skills Team
• Department of Canadian Heritage
• Iqra Khalid (LPC MP for Mississauga—Erin Mills)
• Universities Canada

Alexandria advocated for enhanced federal programs and professional development for graduate students.

All GSA Representatives Attended:

• A Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) meeting on the Capstone Research project, addressing the future of research in Canada.
• A town hall with Minister Marc Miller, where concerns were raised about the impact of international student caps on graduate students and Canada’s productivity growth.

Advocacy Priorities

The GSA’s efforts align with the work of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), of which UCalgary is a full member. Key priorities include:

• Ensuring graduate student representation on Tri-Council decision-making bodies.
• Advocating for inflation-adjusted Tri-Council scholarships.
• Improving the federal scholarship application process, with more robust feedback for unsuccessful applicants.

Advocacy Week served as the culmination of year-round efforts to push these priorities to the forefront of national policy discussions.

International Student Caps: A Critical Issue

A key topic of discussion was the international student caps introduced by the federal government. The GSA raised concerns about the impact of these caps on graduate students and Canada’s ability to close its productivity gap with the United States.

At a town hall with Minister Marc Miller, VP-External Hunter Yaworski asked:
“40% of PhD students are international, and Canada needs more PhDs to close the productivity gap with the US. Will the cap on graduate students restrict the talent needed to enhance productivity?”

Although the Minister’s response was unsatisfactory, the GSA remains committed to advocating for a more balanced approach that recognizes the value of graduate students in Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem.

The Road Ahead

In addition to meetings with policymakers, the GSA team attended the Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) meeting to discuss the Capstone Research project and its potential impact on graduate students. Wasiimah Joomun, CASA’s Executive Director, also testified before the committee on challenges faced by students in securing research funding.

You can watch her testimony through the link below, with the second segment of the hearing beginning at 17:05:

Continuing Advocacy for Graduate Students

CASA Advocacy Week is a critical opportunity for the GSA to ensure that graduate students at UCalgary are represented in Ottawa. The GSA will continue advocating for policies that enhance funding opportunities, research support, and academic development for graduate students.

Stay tuned for more updates on how the GSA is working to create positive change for graduate students across Canada.