BREAKING: Ontario Divisional Court rules Doug Ford’s Student Choice Initiative “unlawful”
The Student Choice Initiative, which was announced by Premier Doug Ford in January, was met with intense backlash and concern surrounding the future of campus newspapers and other student services that would be considered “non-mandatory” ancillary fees that students would have the ability to opt-out of when paying for their tuition.
The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) and the York Federation of Students (YFS) pursued a court case against Ford’s decision last spring, under the grounds that it unfairly targeted student unions.
The student groups referred to a Progressive Conservative fundraising email that was circulated by Ford in which he lamented about what he deemed “crazy Marxist nonsense” from student unions and claimed that he “fixed that” by making these fees optional.
On Nov. 21, it was announced that a unanimous decision was made by an Ontario Divisional Court ruling that the Ford government’s Student Choice Initiative was “unlawful.”
We took the Government to court & WON!
Today, the Divisional Court released their unanimous decision deeming the SCI unlawful.
From the streets, to the court room, the students united, will never be defeated.#WeTheStudents #onpse #onpoli #cfsfcee pic.twitter.com/eefNBYbJLc
— CFS-Ontario (@CFSON) November 21, 2019
The ruling is being classed as a “collective victory for students across the province and the country” and a “historic moment” for student media and campus groups by Felipe J. Nagata,
CFS chairperson in an email statement.
More updates to come.
