Socialist Fightback Students (SFS) is a Canada-wide Marxist student organization uniting students at over 17 university, college and high school campuses. We are proud to unite students on both sides of the national-divide, and have a strong base of activists on Francophone campuses in Quebec.
We organize education in Marxist theory, the history of class struggle and current world and national events. We are also a fighting and activist organization involved in struggles for free education, against racism and fascism, against imperialist war, for women’s emancipation and workers solidarity.
Below is our program for the student movement, which generalizes the needs, concerns and aspirations of students across Canada who are looking for an alternative to the capitalist status quo. If you agree with this program, help us fight for it!
Free education for all
Class background should not determine access to education. Eliminate all tuition, registration and ancillary fees.
Abolition of student debt
Cancel all existing student loans. Instead of bailing out the banks, we should end the “debt sentence” facing graduates.
Grants not loans
All student should be provided with living grants during their studies. Nobody should have to choose between rent and groceries.
Massive investment in student housing and free transit
All students should have access to affordable student housing. Provide free transit for all and adequate transit infrastructure for the campus community.
Remove the unelected board of governors
End the control of bankers, mining and corporate bosses on the campus. Replace the board of governors with an elected council made up of representatives from the students, faculty, staff and local community.
Research for social need
Remove the profit-motive in research funding. Research should be directed towards the furtherance of human knowledge generally.
Democratic, militant and socialist student unions
Rank-and-file control and participation is the way forward. Monthly student assemblies should be the highest decision-making body of the student union. Delegates to regional and national congresses should be elected directly from the student body.
Increase education funding
Massively increase funding for education. Lower class sizes, hire more educators and staff, and expand research funding. End corporatization of the campus. Take the banks and corporations out of frosh week, academic partnerships and building names.
Military and cops off campus
Military recruiters, police and private security firms off campus. Provide funds for the student and campus unions to manage security. No tolerance for racism, sexism, rape culture, homophobia or transphobia.
People’s university
Open up the university to the community for use at no fee. No student elitism. Set up bridging programs and life-long learning.
Student-worker solidarity
Unite with staff unions for better pay and work conditions. For union representation and a living wage for all campus workers. Build links with workers off campus to unite the struggle.
Affordable and quality food
Get the expensive cardboard corporate food off campus. Students should run all the food services. Healthy and affordable food should be made available for all.
No unpaid work
End unpaid internships. All co-op placements should be paid at union rates and with union representation. Living wages for all co-op placement and campus workers.
Defend democratic rights
No victimization of student activists. Protect the right to protest and the right to strike. End bureaucratic blockages for student clubs, room booking and postering. Defend freedom of speech from state oppression.
Towards a one-day national student strike for free education
The student unions to organize escalating actions, demonstrations, mass meetings, teach-ins and occupations to prepare for strike votes.
No Platform for Fascists
Far-right hate speech is a threat to the democratic rights of women, minorities, workers and students. No faith in the state or the administration. Students and workers mobilize to shut-down the far-right.
Unite the Student Movement
The student movement in English Canada must forge links with the student movement in Quebec, which has a heroic tradition of mass strikes and radical politics. Learning from each other and uniting the struggle across national lines will make the movement stronger.
For socialist revolution
In the final analysis only a socialist society can take corporations and profit out of the education system, and guarantee quality and free university and college for all.
Join SFS to fight for a revolutionary and Marxist student movement in Canada. Get involved in your local chapter or help us build a new chapter at your campus. Contact us at Fightback@marxist.ca or at 416-461-0304. Follow us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RSE.SFS/.
