Are they kidding? The Canadian and B.C. governments violate human-rights treaties every single day by not adequately addressing the issues of POVERTY.. and the CHILDREN going hungry in their own back yards! This Frederick kid et al need to give their privileged heads a f'n shake. You think education is expensive? Try ignorance.  

About bloody time someone is telling mommy and daddy that the baby sitter is a thief.

We need to be like the French students and protest on a mass level. I shall be there to support it the whole way if the UN can't do anything.  

Despite what the U.N. and Mr. Frederick might think, education is not a right. If you value your education, then pay for it and stop exploiting others by forcing them to pay your way.  

Dear Blake,

Go to the US for a while. My brother racked up that same 27,000 debt in under a year.

You don't speak for students. You're helping out your old friend Tristan with his idiotic complaint to an international body that has better things to do.  

By the way...when I posting my first comment here, the 'humanity' verification code for me was 'hungers assistant' !! Karma baby ..!  

Dear UN, and everyone else.
We're really really REALLY sorry for electing this idiot as president. In hindsight, he's kind of a tool.

Sincerely
UBC students  

Blake Frederick decided to submit this to the UN without going to the AMS to get approval to do so.
He believes that his actions are justified as long as they do not contravene existing policies of the Society; however, Blake continues to forget about due process within the Society.
His behaviour as the President of the AMS has been consistently inappropriate. Still, I never expected him to file a complaint with the UN, especially when UBC has some of the lowest tuition in the world.
Shame.  

mine was "votes digger"

which is funny given his behaviour during his election  

The Alma Mater Society now has a press release on its Web site about the complaint:

http://www2.ams.ubc.ca/index.php/ams/news/ubc_student_union_files_compla...  

Soaring fees? BC tuition is going up by a soaring... 2% a year?
Berkeley just went up by... 32%!
If you are not happy in BC, go to the US Blake.  

I really have a hard time taking Canadians seriously sometimes when i hear something like this. Yesterday it hard about police teasering a deer..today i am reading about filing a complain to the UN because education costs are too high..umm so are food, rent, taxes..Dude i got plenty to complain about  

For much of the world, "higher education" would likely mean high school. Oh and let's just ignore the "capacity" and "appropriate means" aspect as well and just focus on the last two words in the selected quote. Good job!  

Am I the only one who is aware of British Columbia's Student loan program? It takes into account the cost of tuition and wealth of the Students family. Anyone from a low income family is given enough money for tuition, books, and a modest food and rent budget. If you're worried about repaying the loan study something useful like nursing or engineering instead of getting an arts degree.  

I read through the human rights violation complaint, as well as the article that BC and Canada are apparently violating. In my opinion, the governments are currently upholding their end of the bargain - "Higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education." Right now higher education is equally accessible to all. Yeah, it equally sucks for all of us, but it is equally accessible.

Also, in the official complaint, Blake states that, "[t]he AMS is an elected body that represents UBC Students. Therefore, in its role as a students union, the AMS submits this complaint on behalf of all UBC Students and on behalf of students at affiliated colleges." How can you say that the Students, let along the AMS student union is backing this complaint when you don't consult them at all!? If this complaint was brought to the AMS Council, and was agreed upon as a proper course of action, then fine, the elected body acted in the interest of the students, but if the President and graduated affiliate decide to submit a complaint on behalf of all UBC Students, then you are in no way properly representing the interests of the student body.

To put it in the words of another fellow student, "I'm confused. Not by the jargon, or what's going on, but I'm confused as to why they thought this was a good idea."  

As has been mentioned by previous posters, Blake Frederick does not speak for all UBC students (especially this one). While I'm not sure what he hoped the outcome would be of this situation, he has created an outcome in which he, and the rest of the AMS, look like spoiled brats.  

I guess every organization has a George W Bush that they have to be ashamed of in their history. Blake Fredrick is making the UBC AMS the laughing stock of university student societies. UBC Students should be ashamed of electing this tool as president and unlike our southern neighbours acutally do something about it and call for impeachment. But that's just my and probably everyone else's thought's on campus who isn't a knolly.  

I would just like to add my voice to the din from UBC students who are pointing out that Blake Frederick does not speak for all of us. Based on the people I know at UBC (which, after four years, is quite a few) I can assure the more level-headed readers out there that this is not, in fact, a sign that the youth and students at UBC have gone mad. It is just a sign that our AMS President has lost touch with his electorate, and quite possibly with reality.  

I wish Mr. Frederick had at least put this through a student referendum. It would have definitely drawn attention on the campus. Without consulting the students, I feel that Mr. Frederick has defeated the purpose of having a student union in the first place.  

To all the UBC Student posters, nice to see that intelligent life still exists at universities. Impeach this Blake Frederick before he tries to take over some other union.  

I can't believe I was duped into voting for this idiot last year. AMS council has called for an emergency meeting on Saturday to call for Frederick and VP External Tim Chu's resignation and the retraction of this embarrassing complaint. They've completely lost touch with reality.

And will someone kick Tristan Markle when they see him next? Please? That guy is a tool.  

Not this crap again. Do you not know how much our government subsidizes your tuition right now?

I worked my way through school. I had student loans. I am still paying for my education. When real estate/housing, consumables, services and etc, etc all rise with inflation, how can tuition not follow the same trend?  

chris22:

You say you "worked [your] way through school". Assuming it was in an earlier decade, the tuition you paid in real terms was probably less than what's being charged today. That's especially true in upper level professional programs like law and graduate business courses.

Joe Taxpayer, often Joe Lunchbucket, was there in the background helping you make it. I wonder, are you at all grateful? Seems pretty obvious what the answer is, doesn't it?

Rod Smelser  

For those who want to make sure that proper action is taken on this, the emergency meeting to impeach the 100th President of the AMS and the VP External will be taking place on Saturday at 5:00 PM at the UBC Student Union Building Council Chambers. I believe it's open to the public, so come on 'round!  

read the affidavit filed by Tristan! oh poor baby you had to work 25 hours a week in order to pay for school and it affected your grades... I'm on my second degree at UBC and I have routinely worked at least 25 hours a week with no monetary support from my parents! grow a pair and take care of your own business.  

I can not believe the comments you people are writing. Your government is giving away all the manufactoring jobs, reducing minimum wage, increasing cost of everything...probably most of you have mummie and daddie pay your way through school, maybe you live with them still.

Perhaps if you look at whats going on in California (thats in the southwest of the USA) where the tuition has increased by 35%, students there actually have a political backbone there, as they are protesting and occupying administration offices and getting arrested, because they believe in accessible education for all.

I know you want your student unions to organize social events of drink and dance, but maybe you should get off your iphone, facebook. or whatever else it is you do and look around at the bigger picture. So sad to think you people will be leaders of our province!

I have not heard of one student union do anything to protest rising increases of the cost of education and it's inaccessibility, Would be nice if they actually worked together and challenge the status quo, they make us all look stupid by not taking action.  

http://foxtrotubc.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/impeach-the-communist/

I think our article sums up everything. BLAKE MUST BE IMPEACHED. HE HAS CONTINUALLY SEEKED TO DESTROY OUR SCHOOL'S REPUTATION!  

blake is amazing! go blake go  

I think Mr. Frederick needs to go back and check the definition of the word 'right' in human rights. For example, "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled," is a pretty good one. A university education does not fall under this category, because it is a SERVICE. Experts from their various fields are PAID to share their knowledge with you. That money has to come from somewhere, and right now the majority of that somewhere is the taxpayers of British Columbia and Canada. By saying that you have a RIGHT to university education, you are saying that all of those tax payers are OBLIGATED to use some portion of their life's labour to pay for your education, regardless of whether or not they themselves took that same opportunity. That's a form of slavery, so tell me what the United Nations thinks about that?

Voting in absentia in favour of impeachment,

Alum Nye
UBC Class of 2008  

More background on this issue from a UBC-based blog: http://socialcapitalblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/on-the-ams-tuition-fee...  

I applaud Blake Frederick's initiative and actions. In response to some of the comments: Just because tuition is higher in the US does not mean that there is nothing wrong with the cost of tuition and the accessibility of higher education in Canada. Yes, tuition in the US is absurdly expensive but this is also the case in Canada.The problematic consequence of this is that post secondary education is NOT accessible to everyone. This maintains the current inequalities in SES, health, and well-being (that follow SES inequalities). Frederick's actions are admirable, are a great example of initiative, and may set precedence for student groups at other universities to do the same thing. What Frederick is fighting for - access to education for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds in Canada - is an important step towards changing socioeconomic inequalities that currently exist. Yes, there are a lot of problems with poverty in Canada and abroad and yes, tuition is more in the US. However, none of these facts make these students' initiatives any less worth while. If you think other issues are more worth while, instead of putting down these others' initiatives (which potentially in the long range result in changes with far reaching effects across Canada and the world) perhaps you should follow Frederick's lead and take some steps towards fighting for what you believe in. Complaining about how people who take initiative to fight for human rights (yes, access to education is a right - inequalities in education are at the root of many other social inequalities) are fighting for the wrong things is useless and perhaps even detrimental to positive change.  

Big surprise that Pivot Legal has their grubby paws all over this.  

I am appalled by what this guy has done. What a terrible, terrible way to "represent" the UBC students - without telling us about this at all.  

It's not even necessarily about the complaint itself; it's the fact that he did not run this by AMS in any way whatsoever before submitting it.

And how is this going to help anything? Sure if there were major student protests and other big actions taken, that would help. But submitting a complaint to the UN, who will guaranteed not do anything about it, is frivolous and silly. Blake is not grounded in reality in any way whatsoever at this point.

This whole debacle has been humiliating.  

It's not that tuition isn't expensive... it is, especially when you consider cost of living in Vancouver. Yes, some students have to work during the school year, but then again, most students I know still have enough cash left over to buy beer, and ski passes, and more beer... etc.

It's just that Blake, after a long string of embarrassments in which he alienated the student body, the university administration, and the rest of the AMS council, decided to go to an international body, whose authority is debatable at best, with a problem that piddles in comparison to other issues this organization deals with. It shows a complete lack of maturity and reason on his part, and also how far he's gone in burning bridges that he has to resort to this.  

Dear Natsumi,

The problem isn't with Blake's supposedly well-intentioned actions.

It's with the process he chose to take (or the process he conveniently chose to overlook).

If he's to represent the student body, he should at least consult it before taking action.

What he's done instead is falsely represented the student body on a personal cause, and is being taken to task for it now.  

I found the Straight (should be Strait-jacket - because it seems that most of the writers/readers are loons) - and regularly get my chuckles from the socialist crazies... This UBC student president (and, sadly, a lot of the province) seems to think that someone, somewhere OWES him. When, oh when, will people start taking responsibility for themselves instead of constantly whining... If university is too expensive, go get a trade - you'll get paid (well) while you are learning and never will be out of a job of some kind. I sometimes wish I had done that rather than getting my B.A. (which lies, with great care, gathering dust under my record turntable). Or better yet, let the whole student body go "on strike" - the thing is that no one (except the overpaid socialist professors and politicians always on the lookout for something to latch onto for self-aggrandizement) will care. Fully agree with a comment above - let's have the government subsidize the useful nursing, engineering, medicine fields - and let the fine arts, poli sci, and journalism students pay their own full ticket... It is always so easy to spend other people's hard earned money! That's what schools and governments do... Just grow up already!  

Reading the comments, many of which are furious denunciations of Frederick's action in making an issue of tuition fees, it's apparent that little has changed on BC university campuses since I attended as a student from 1968 to 1972.

To this day there's a vocal contingent of Big L Liberals, all of them intense economic conservatives, and Big C Conservatives, not prepared to be outflanked on the right by their Grit counterparts. Together, they form a ... well, ... a Coalition if you can believe that!

That Coalition is fiercely dedicated to the proposition that students need more than good grades to get ahead. They need the right social breeding, and that means having the moxie to not rock the boot or cut the hand that feeds, which in many cases is the Royal Bank of Mum and Dad, a well known social and political institution which also provides most of the needed explanation as to how people in their twenties can take on half million dollar mortgages on micro-suite condos.


Rod Smelser  

I go to that dreaded "other University" in Vancouver, so I can't speak about Blake's history as a leader of the AMS or a person.

However, as a University student I'm confused by the reaction.

The treaty that Blake et. al. are claiming the Canadian Government have blatantly ignored was put in place so as to make higher education available to all, which it is not. The point was to "make education a right" not a privilege, which is what section 13 eludes to, with "the progressive introduction of free education". Yes, it is fairly easy to apply and get funding from the Government. However, the amount of funding they are willing to give is diminishing. Currently, a friend of mine was given almost $10 000.00 less than what was necessary just for her to complete her program, not including food/rent costs.
If someone can't afford to pay rent or eat, and has previous loans to pay off, how has education been made equally available to all?

As for the cost of education in other countries, how is that relevant? The issue here is the Canadian Government, and something they agreed to do, not the Americans. Why is no one suggesting we go to Europe? See how much our whiny asses like it there where.... wait a minute...

Local poverty rates are shameful. However, numerous studies have proven that access (that's full access, not limited with certain restraints) to higher education dramatically decreases a person's chance of experiencing poverty; the two issues ARE related. While I agree that more needs to be done regarding the current poverty rates in our city, does it not make sense to do something to prevent or decrease the rates of such incidences in the future?  

Motion for Resignation of President and VP External
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189376911852

I'm glad someone has started this motion. Blake simply ridiculed the university and its students.  

Dear Blake Frederick-

WHO do you think you ARE? It's one thing for you to have this opinion and, as an individual, move it forward. It's another thing to move your agenda ahead without consultation of your Executive and Council - the people you report to. You've made them look bad, you've made students look bad, and you've made the UBC campus look bad.

On this day, I am hugely embarrassed to be affiliated with UBC.

Regards,
UBC Alumnae  

Yes, access to education has been shown to be related to socioeconomic status (correlation does not imply causation--it could work either way), BUT what this does is draw attention away from the people who work very hard to earn scholarships and bursaries and good grades and rely on these scholarships to pay their way through school. A lot of people I know (and I've been here for five years, so I know a lot) do not come from wealthy families AND cannot work through school (international students) or do not want to work through school AND don't want to take out loans...so...do you know what they do?

Work hard and get good grades to earn department scholarships as well as take the initiative to apply for external scholarships.

If you have not been lucky enough to come from parents with a trust fund, then why don't you follow the aforementioned model: work hard to get good grades and get scholarships. If you've got the potential to succeed in an institution of higher education, this shouldn't be too difficult for you.

Or, as mentioned by a few other posters, trades pay well. You can often complete a trades degree in under two years. Go do that.

And I hope this embarrassing situation encourages more people to vote. The only reason Blake and Tim won the vote last year was because their cronies are the only ones who, unfortunately, do vote. I wish someone logical and constructive would win for once (ala Mike Duncan).  

All you students complaining about the school's reputation going down the drain and poverty and other "more important" things that we should be worried about - look at the bigger picture!!

Have you thought about asking the people who live in the poverty you are talking about for their thoughts on this issue? I guarantee they will all back Frederick's initiative. How do you solve poverty? Education!!! Education is the best long term problem solver for poverty and with that you get rid of crime too, not mention racism, classism and all the other isms that plague our society.

UBC students are so disillussioned with a lot of them coming from wealthy homes that they extend all this sympathy (not empathy, mid you) to the poor and disadvantaged. They forget that cheaper education is the only way to get rid of all the social problems that make them feel guilty about having it good.

I was at UBC for 4 years and was a heavily involved student leader for 3 of them, so trust me, I know you well meaning rich kids and even love a lot of you as friends, but seriously, you DO NOT KNOW how hard it is to get through school and get to your dreams in this day and age, not mention the terrible economy. Maybe you will see what I am talking about once you graduate. Until then, enjoy your secure UBC bubble.

Open your eyes and realise that even though Frederick and his friend might not know what they are doing and it might just be a way for them to get attention, overall and in the long term, I think it is a step in the right direction.  

How do you work hard and get good grades and get scholarships when you are working upto 25 hours week again?  

In response to Matt 333:

Rights and privileges are indeed quite subjective. What is not subjective is the balance between those exploited in certain ways (I discern the exploited from those exploited in different contexts - I do my best to approach things from multiple perspectives) and those who exploit in certain ways. I can presuppose you are of the opinion that those who depend on government funds for their education are exploited. Please, matt333, put yourself in the situation where you do not have enough money for college. Maybe you don't and you rely on scholarships. Is it fair for someone who was born into an middle-class or higher family to be able to just inherit the privilege of education? Did they "earn" that by being born into the family with the right amount of income? Do we truly choose what we are born into? Okay, suppose you were born into a poorer family, and did work since you were of age to work (I personally do not believe in child labour under that age due to the fact that we must actually develop and mature) is it fair that you had to work for your education and someone who was luckier did not? Did that person who did not have to work, did they earn their education? No, they did not. As far as scholarships go, yes, they are nice, but scholarships are never guaranteed and the number available are often limited to those who have "proven" themselves according to others' standards by doing free labour (volunteering, which isn't a bad thing in itself but shouldn't be required, hence the volunteering aspect, but it is for many scholarships), and it's a vicious cycle when you don't have money to pay for college, but in order to get a scholarship, you have to work without pay. Not everyone, in fact the majority of people in this world do not have the privilege of going to a private school or parents who can afford that or college. We are not all that lucky. So to really be "fair", who's being exploited? The taxpayers? If the tax is proportional to income, then it makes sense. Everyone gets an equal opportunity. I'd recommend thinking about what is inherited versus earned. Being born into the right situation at the right time is certainly not something one earns, unless you have proof of some life before life where one earns the standing of this life. I am skeptical, but if you provide sufficient evidence to this I will gladly accept it. (And I am aware of postmodern theories - but that is what set theory explains, in mathematics and formal logic - within this given set, this is what is logical).

Dear Mitch,

please do refrain from calling people idiotic. That's quite subjective and it's also insulting. It also does not justify your argument. and let's look at demographics before you assume he doesnt speak for students. He speaks for me. And I am not assuming he speaks for everyone. I don't have the data to support that, so I don't think I have the right to say that. But neither do you.

 

Dear UBCStudent,
Again, not doing much to justify your argument. The words 'tool' and 'idiot' are pretty ambiguous and subjective. So, speak for yourself please.

Katherine,
Was AMS not consulted? I do not argue with you on that point, for I don't know. But also, saying that UBC has one of the lowest tuitions on the planet does not say much. How does that justify tuition increase? Have you mathematically equated the affordability of UBC, based on the costs of living in Vancouver, the purchasing power of different income groups, and the costs of textbooks and such? You have many factors to consider.

Rod Smelser: your last comment was awesome. I admit, it confirms my bias.

Chris22 & ubcgrad: I empathise with you. However, ask yourself, did you earn what you went through? How about your wages? You were probably grossly underpaid. Is it fair that others could focus on their education because mommy and daddy paid for it while you had to work your ass off (by the way, I am of the former, to show that it is possible to have empathy with the less fortunate).

Natsumi, kudos for being willing to dissent.

Niki,
I'll have you know that Blake is not quite as privileged as I assume you assume (you can challenge my assumption if you like). We don't need to pit hunger against education. How about we pit both of those against grossly overpaid CEOs? Did you know that the World Hunger Org. (http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002....) produced a report that shows that there is actually enough food to feed everyone in the world? I'll admit this is a bit cruel, but how's that for your own ignorance?

I'll address the rest of you later.  

RodSmelser you are awesome.  

Everyone is entitled to an education but there are limits on how much the government can give. Yes, tuition is high but so is everything else food, gas, bills ,etc. The most screwed up thing in Canada is human rights. Anyone can pull out that card like what Mr. Frederick did and to me there should be a limit. There are many people who risk their lives and entire savings just to be in Canada because their country is so messed up. They probably don't have an education background and even if they did it probably wouldn't be recognized in Canada. Yet most of them is actually doing pretty well in life. Wonder how they do it? It's called optimism not human rights. If there's a will there's a way. Instead of thinking about yourself try to put yourself in their shoes. Education can be offered free for adults up to grade 12 in many school districts because most of their funding is from the government. Post secondary and higher educations are not government funded but the government does offer grants, bursaries, and scholarships. A person must learn to adapt and it's in our human nature to do so. Learn to save up some money and don't blame other people for your problems.  

Not one of you who so vehemently objects to Mr. Frederick's request to the UN has refuted a single reason for his request in the first place. I'm actually offended that none of you seem to appreciate the rationale behind his actions. Grow a conscience; fighting for human rights is an inherently good thing. Matt333, education is a human right, whether or not you grasp that. Hence compulsory public schooling. I guess it's your call as to how far that right extends itself though?

Blake Frederick, has grown tremendously unpopular for his opposition to three things which he had every reason to oppose. The underground bus loop was a scheme engineered to siphon money into contractors' pockets. Kudos to him for opposing it. He wouldn't sign an olympic confidentiality agreement? Perhaps, as in accord with his other presidential actions, Mr. Frederick simply objected to the civil liberties it impinged upon. Lord knows I trust the AMS president more than VANOC, a corporation which violates civil liberties and manipulates patriotism for profit. And now, he appeals to the UN to inquire into our government's failure to live up to an international treaty to provide improved access to education. Are you all upset because you think you deserve to pay more in tuition? Is it because he didn't ask your permission personally? I really don't get it. Many of you claim that there is no validity to his complaint and I find this outrageous and disingenuous. Tuition has doubled in the last decade; whether or not Berkeley has increased tuition more so is irrelevant. Viewing our tuition relative to even less accessible institutions does not change the fact of the matter, namely that a post-secondary education is unaffordable for most wishing to pursue one. That is what the treaty in question regarded and Mr. Frederick is right to point out our tremendous failure to live up to said agreement.

Also, just because there is poverty in our province, the plight of those who aren't afforded access to a university education is less worthy? Much though I'm sure you're all volunteering down at the food bank every week, I fail to understand the argument there. On the contrary, their is a direct correlation between education and economic opportunity. Nice bandwagon you've all managed to jump aboard though. Are you sure that someone fighting for the little guy is really all that worthy of your collective contempt?  

Not sure if you go to UBC or follow student politics at all, but Blake has made a string of unfortunate decisions that have completely alienated himself from the student body as well as the university higher-ups.

Like I said before, it's not that we're against what Blake believes... lower tuition would be nice, as would student consultation on development, but the way he has handled himself in his position has been absolutely shameful.

Also everyone should keep in mind that UBC has a policy of not allowing financial reasons being the only reason to deny someone an education. The financial aid office will work with someone to get them all the loans, scholarships and bursaries possible. It should also be pointed out that many bursaries/scholarships have very few people applying for them, so they're not all that out of reach.  

I think this whole matter is a bit of a joke -- surely there are greater injustices in our own backyard. Look at homelessness and poverty in the Downtown Eastside, for example. We're not even mentioning the fact that BC has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada. Are these not human rights violations?