Graduate students rally for increased funding from Canada
Graduate students across Canada, including here on Vancouver Island, are calling out the federal government.
They say they're not getting paid nearly enough for their hard work and research, adding it’s been this way for decades.
"What do we want? A living wage. When do we want it? Now." That classic chant could be heard outside the University of Victoria Monday, expressing that need for more pay.
"As graduate students, we’re really trainees, and you can think of us as apprentices because we’re doing the work of our trade," said Emma Atkinson, a biology PhD student.
Meanwhile, mathematics postdoctoral researcher Micah Brush says this protest is a long time coming.
"There was a huge push to get this included in budget 2023 – to increase federal science funding – and it didn’t happen," he said. "And so this walkout is a direct response to it not being included in the budget this year."
Brush says students at dozens of Canadian universities participated in the walkout Monday, demanding the federal government boost the size and number of annual scholarships and fellowships.
"The federal funding for masters students is at $17,000, and the federal funding for PhD students is at $21,000, and that’s before their tuition," he said.
University of Victoria president Kevin Hall is backing the call to Ottawa, saying the value hasn’t changed in 20 years, with no inflationary index.
He adds that when he was a student in the 1980s, he was in Ottawa lobbying for the same thing.
CTV News reached out to the federal government for comment. In a statement, it said it recognizes students face financial pressures and is calling on the research community to increase the number and value of scholarships and fellowships.
It adds, in 2019, the federal government gave $114 million over five years to graduate students.
The government also proposed $813.6 million in the 2023-24 budget to increase Canada Student Grants by 40 per cent. This would mean up to $4,200 for full-time students.
Rallying students say they'll continue to live in the red while they wait to see if their message was received.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
People in Gaza are 'wasting' from famine: World Food Programme director
World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain says people living in Gaza are 'wasting' as famine concerns continue amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.