Foreword

In analysing the main federal parties, the Canadian Federation of Students relied on policy developed by its member university and college student unions. The Federation is strictly non-partisan.

All parties are treated as objectively as possible. Each party's platform (and record in government) is assessed based on how it measures up to the democratically determined priorities of the Canadian Federation of Students.

For example, as recently as May 2008, Federation member associations re-affirmed their support for an increased federal role in post-secondary education, namely in the form of national legislation that respects provincial jurisdiction while developing a national vision for affordable, high-quality universities and colleges. For a variety of reasons, some political parties choose to reject this role for the federal government and in this report card they are graded accordingly.

A grade in this report card is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation. Rather, it is a shifting analysis of party policy designed to help students and their families make sense of promises with the goal of contributing to an informed vote.

Parties can change their stances (and hence their grades), and in part, that is the point of this report card. It is incumbent upon a non partisan student movement to be vocal about the relative strength of politicians' commitments to public post-secondary education. Policy analysis, combined with effective community organising, is the cornerstone of affecting change.

Armed with the information within this report card and elsewhere on this site, the Canadian Federation of Students encourages you to Vote Education on October 14.