ACTION ALERT

Did you know that each and every year, the Canadian federal government gives away over $1.4 billion in subsidies to oil companies like Suncor and Shell?  That is $1.4 billion a year that is not going towards creating good, green jobs, it is another dollar taken out of public services like health care and education, and another dollar that isn’t going into making post-secondary education affordable.  In fact, $1.4 billion could pay off two-thirds of all students loans taken out last year.

In 2009 our government pledged to end these oil subsidies, unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten that promise.  Help us remind the Prime Minister about his pledge today.  On March 3rd and March 4th join thousands of students from across Canada to call Stephen Harper’s office at (613) 992-4211, or call 1.866.599.4999 and ask to be transferred to the PMO, and let him know that we have better things to do with $1.4 billion than give it to oil companies!

Do you have your own student debt? When you give Harper a call, let him know how much, and then let him know why you would rather see $1.4 billion dollars a year going towards accessible education.  The federal budget comes out on March 22. Lets make sure that the right people are getting funding, because who needs money more, students or oil executives?

✔ STEP ONE

Watch this eye opening video and read the action alert below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00iEvfsJL50

✔ STEP TWO

Forward the video to your friends / Invite them to this Facebook event.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183074398401781

✔ STEP THREE

Join thousands of students in calling Prime Minister Harper

today at (613) 992-4211, or call 1.866.599.4999 and ask to be transfered to the Prime Minister’s office, and let him know that we have better things to do with $1.4 billion than giving it to the wealthiest oil companies on the planet.

✔ STEP FOUR

After you call the PM post on the event wall and share what you said!

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APPEL À L’ACTION:

Saviez-vous que, chaque année, le gouvernement fédéral canadien donne plus de 1,4 milliard de dollars en subventions à des entreprises pétrolières comme Suncor et Shell? Ces 1,4 milliard de dollars ne vont pas à la création de bons emplois verts, ces dollars sont enlevés aux services publics, tels que les soins de la santé et l’éducation, et ces dollars ne serviront pas à rendre l’éducation postsecondaire plus abordable.    En fait, 1,4 milliard de dollars pourraient rembourser les deux tiers du montant emprunté l’an dernier en prêts étudiants.

En 2009, notre gouvernement s’est engagé à mettre fin aux subventions aux compagnies pétrolières, mais malheureusement, il semble avoir oublié cette promesse. Aidez-nous aujourd’hui à rappeler au premier ministre la promesse qu’il a faite. Les 3 et 4 mars, joignez-vous à des milliers d’autres étudiantes et étudiants partout au Canada et téléphonez au bureau de Stephen Harper, au (613) 992-4211 ou 1.866.599.4999, pour lui dire que nous avons de meilleures idées pour dépenser 1,4 milliard de dollars au lieu de le donner à des compagnies pétrolières!

Avez-vous aussi des dettes d’études? Quand vous téléphonerez à Harper, dites-lui combien d’argent vous devez et dites-lui pourquoi vous aimeriez mieux que les 1,4 milliard de dollars par année soient dépensés pour améliorer l’accessibilité à l’éducation. Le budget fédéral sera déposé le 22 mars. Assurons-nous que les personnes qui en ont besoin reçoivent cet argent; car qui sont ceux qui en ont le plus besoin, les étudiantes et étudiants ou les dirigeants des compagnies pétrolières?

Ce que vous pouvez faire pour participer :

1re étape :

Visionnez ce vidéoclip révélateur et lisez l’appel à l’action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00iEvfsJL50

2e étape :

Transmettez ce message à vos amies et amis.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183074398401781

3e étape :

Joignez-vous à des milliers d’autres étudiantes et étudiants et téléphonez au premier ministre Stephen Harper, au (613) 992-4211 ou 1.866.599.4999, pour lui dire que nous avons de meilleures idées pour dépenser 1,4 milliard de dollars au lieu de le donner aux compagnies pétrolières les plus riches de la planète.

Our newsletter is fresh off the (virtual) presses, check it the newest edition of Whose Future? Our Future! for updates from the CYCC, news from our allies, volunteer opportunities and much more!

Would I give it to the richest oil companies in the world?

Obviously not. Unless I was a member of the current Canadian government that is…

Each year the federal government gifts $1.4 billion in subsidies to the oil industry. That is $1.4 billion a year that is not going towards creating good, green jobs. It is $1.4 billion taken out of public services like health care, education or immigrant settlement, and $1.4 billion that is not going into making post-secondary education affordable.

These companies certainly don’t need the money. Take British Petroleum, currently involved in tar sands production, for example. Despite losing approximately $17 billion due to the disastrous Gulf Oil spill last summer, BP still turned a $1.7 billion profit in the third quarter of 2010.

Oil companies are doing just fine on their own.

On the other hand, skyrocketing tuition fees are both forcing students and their families to take on crippling student debt, and preventing many from pursuing post-secondary education. Collective student debt in Canada has now reached $15 billion with the average student borrowing just over $4,500 in student loans every year. If the $1.4 billion currently going to oil companies was instead converted to student grants, two-thirds of all student loans taken out last year and the subsequent debt could be eliminated.

Why is the government putting our money into the pockets of wealthy oil companies when they could be making post-secondary education affordable and accessible? There are so many ways in which this money could be better spent, and this is just one of them.

A recent poll conducted by Leger Marketing for Climate Action Network Canada showed that 70 per cent of Canadians would support reducing these subsidies. On top of that, Canada has already committed internationally to eliminate these subsidies. During the 2009 G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, world leaders, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, promised to begin phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, a promise he has so far failed to live up to.

In November 2010, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty warned Canadians that he would be tightening the purse strings in this year’s budget, and looking to reduce spending. What better place to start than tax breaks to the oil industry? It certainly makes more sense than cutting essential social services like health care and education.

Cameron Fenton, National Director – CYCC

Shelley Melanson, Deputy Chairperson – Canadian Federation of Students

BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION – TAKE ACTION FOR OUR FUTURE AND REGENERATE OUR DEMOCRACY

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