On Friday, March 2, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) cancelled a referendum in which Camosun students would have voted on whether or not to remain members of the CFS. The CFS cancelled the referendum because of a dispute over approximately $200,000 of Camosun student fees that it claims are outstanding.
The fees were collected by the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) and given to the British Columbia Federation of Students (BCFS), a provincial component of the CFS. The BCFS is not remitting the fees to the CFS as the CFS owes the BCFS money, about $18,000 of which is also Camosun student fees.
Because of this, Camosun students now cannot have a referendum until at least September 15, according to CFS bylaws. Camosun students will continue to pay CFS fees during that time.
The CCSS feels that the referendum should still happen because CFS bylaws say that the BCFS is a provincial component of the CFS; therefore, the CCSS says, the fees have been remitted to the CFS. Every Camosun student pays $2.25 per month in CFS and BCFS membership; half of the money goes to each organization.