The petition
Online Petition
To Drop Criminal Charges and University Sanctions against Students and Organizers
TO the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: -
WHEREAS on March 20, 2008, over forty students & allies staged a peaceful sit-in against fee hikes at the University of Toronto; and
WHEREAS 14 students and organizers at the University of Toronto have been charged and arrested for alleged involvement in the March 20 sit-in; and
WHEREAS those arrested faced strict bail conditions including bans from University of Toronto property and non-association; and
WHEREAS at least 13 students are being investigated under the University of Toronto’s Code of Student Conduct for protesting fee increases; and
WHEREAS students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members have a right to organize and dissent on University campuses; and
WHEREAS the Code of Student Conduct and Criminal Charges are being used to silence student dissent; and
WHEREAS thousands of students in Toronto rallied on February 7, 2007 against fee increases and called for tuition fee reductions; and
WHEREAS in 2005-6 over 98% of University of Toronto students voted to freeze and reduce tuition fees; and
WHEREAS 300,000 college and university students across Ontario are members of the Canadian Federation of Students an organization that calls for the elimination of all tuition and university ancillary fees; and
WHEREAS students, staff, faculty & community members at U of T rallied against 2-23% fee increases on March 25, April 7 & April 10; and
WHEREAS U of T increased fees on April 10, 2008 despite thousands of student signatures opposed to the increases; and
WHEREAS the University of Toronto advocates for increasing tuition and ancillary fees and the deregulation of tuition fees; and
WHEREAS lower fees in Manitoba, Quebec and Newfoundland Labrador, improve access to education; and
WHEREAS improvements to student financial assistance are undermined by fee increases; and
WHEREAS Ontario tuition fees have increased by more than 4 times the rate of inflation over the last 15 years
I the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: -
* Drop all criminal charges against 14 students and organizers allegedly involved in the March 20 rally and sit-in
* Put an end to Code of Student Conduct investigations at the University of Toronto
* Create equal access to Post-Secondary Education through increased public funding and the elimination of tuition and ancillary fees
* Review the University of Toronto Act with an aim to establish parity between students, faculty members and workers on the Governing Council of the University of Toronto
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