The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) was formed in 1995, by several post-secondary institutions students' unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) in a dispute over its policies and organizational structure.

Today CASA boasts of a membership of 18 student associations representing nearly 300,000 students.

History

CASA's origins can be traced to the first Winds of Change conference hosted by the University of Alberta in 1990.. In what would become an annual meeting, student leaders from across the country were invited to come together to discuss challenges facing post-secondary education students in Canada.

In 1993 the federal government announced that all of Canada's social programs would be reviewed with sweeping and significant changes likely to come which prompted several student unions not affiliated with the CFS to try to organize efforts to lobby the federal government on education issues.

In 1994, as the result of a conference held at Carleton University, a number of student leaders decided to form a new Canadian post-secondary student organization. The foundations for the new organization were laid down, and the framework for a constitution was built upon it.

The final step to a new national organization was made in Fredericton, N.B., in January 1995. The constitutional framework set up in Alberta was filled out and ratified. CASA was officially incorporated on June 27, 1995.

The Alliance set down a number of founding principles:

• First, CASA would be member-driven in that the members of the Alliance would set the organization's policy agenda amd define its goals.
  

• Second, CASA would focus on issues specific to post-secondary education, establishing a strong orientation toward policy development rather than social development.
  
• Third, CASA would ensure that membership within the alliance would not unfairly burden member associations. Joining CASA would be made easy through clear and flexible by-laws. Membership fees would be capped and kept to the lowest possible level.
  

• Lastly, CASA would focus its attention on those challenges facing post- secondary education students within federal jurisdiction only. Provincial advocacy would be best left to member associations. In effect, CASA established principles and practices that would promote a strong, grassroots, pragmatic alliance focusing exclusively on the problems facing post- secondary education students in Canada.
  

As opposed to the CFS which focussed on extra-parliamentary pressure via rallies, CASA's efforts were focussed on lobbying through meetings with government officials as well as petitions, postcard campaigns, and other forms of activism. As well, while CFS is active on a wide range of issues including international human rights and anti-war activism, CASA sees these issues as outside the realm of student issues.

Currently, CASA is made up of 18 student governments from across Canada representing nearly 300,000 students.

In recent years, however, CASA has lost a section of its membership. At one time CASA had 23 members[1]. Five student unions have left CASA in recent years due to dissatisfaction with the work of the alliance. The University of Alberta Student's Union left CASA in 2003 and the University of Manitoba's Student Union voted to leave CASA in February 2005 .[2]

In the mid-1990s, one of CASA's senior officials, Patrick Fitzpatrick, was charged and convicted of defrauding the lobby group of a "sum not exceeding $5000" [3].

CASA has been accused of being too close to the Liberals [4] and point to past directors such as Alex Usher who have received government appointments subsequent to their work at CASA. One of Usher's successors, Jason Aebig, went on to become chair of the Saskatchewn Liberal Association's Communications Committee [5].

During the winter of 2004, CASA was invited to meet with Prime Minister Paul Martin for a brainstorming session. [6]

People

Past National Directors:
1994-1996 Alex Usher (McGill)
1996-1997 Mathew Hough (Alberta)
1997-1999 Hoops Harrison (Alberta)
1999-2000 Jason Aebig (Saskatchewan)
2000-2001 Mark Kissel (Western Ontario)
2001-2003 Liam Arbuckle (Saint Mary's)
2003-present James Kusie (Manitoba)

Members

The five founding members of CASA

University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society
University of Alberta Students' Union
University of Saskatchewan Students' Union
University of Waterloo Federation of Students
Students' Society of McGill University

Current members of CASA

Acadia Students' Union - Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Bishop's University Students' Representative Council - Lennoxville, Quebec
University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society - Vancouver, British Columbia
University of New Brunswick Students' Union (Fredericton) - Fredericton, New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick Students' Representative Council (Saint John) - Saint John, New Brunswick
Red River College Students' Association - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Saint Mary's University Students' Association - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Students' Society of McGill University - Montreal, Quebec
Students' Association of Mount Royal College - Calgary, Alberta
University of Saskatchewan Students' Union - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
St. Francis Xavier University Students' Union - Antigonish, Nova Scotia
St. Thomas University Students' Union - Fredericton, New Brunswick
University of Waterloo Federation of Students - Waterloo, Ontario
University of Western Ontario Students' Council - London, Ontario
Brock University Students' Union - St. Catherines, Ontario
University of Calgary Students' Union - Calgary, Alberta
Dalhousie Students Union - Halifax, Nova Scotia
University of Lethbridge Students' Union - Lethbridge, Alberta

Student Unions that have left CASA

• University of Alberta Students’ Union
• Students’ Association of Grant MacEwan College
• University of Manitoba Students’ Union
• McMaster Students’ Union
• Fédération des Associations Étudiantes du Campus de l'Université de Montréal
• Okanagan University College Students’ Association - Kelowna
• University of Manitoba Students' Union

Additionally, the Students' Society of McGill University downgraded from full membership to associate membership and the University of Waterloo Federation of Students held a referendum to leave CASA. Students voted to leave CASA, but the student council chose to remain members citing a low voter turnout.

External links

• Canadian Alliance of Student Assocations
• Alliance vs Federation The Manitoban student newspaper examines the pros and cons of CASA and the CFS.
• Mi CASA ain't su CASA 2002 article from the Varsity on CASA's troubles.
• Under attack and leaderless, CASA feels the heat Varsity article, March 1, 1998.