Making the Case to Ottawa: NUCAUT and FSA Advance Post-Secondary Priorities
November 27, 2025
This week I was in Ottawa with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) as part of our National Union of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (NUCAUT) delegation - an opportunity that comes directly from the FSA’s affiliation and my role as NUCAUT Treasurer.
One of the most meaningful conversations I had was with Wade Cheng, the MP representing the Burnaby Campus riding. He has been a strong advocate for BCIT, and we spoke candidly about the fallout from last year’s sudden changes to the federal immigration portfolio, especially around international students. I emphasized how these overnight decisions reverberated across both institutions and unions, destabilising institutions like BCIT and putting pressure on faculty and staff.
I carried that same message into my meeting with Port Moody–Coquitlam MP Zoe Royer. With significant post-secondary education (PSE) job loss in B.C. alone and close to $1 billion in combined national deficits across the post-secondary sector, the impacts are no longer theoretical - they’re visible on campuses and in classrooms. Both Wade and Zoe clearly understood what’s at stake, and both committed to raising the need for a dedicated PSE Secretariat in government: a body that could ensure proper consultation and help prevent sudden policy changes that cause disproportionate harm.
The FSA has been increasing its government relations efforts in recent months, and it was encouraging to see real engagement from MPs who grasp the urgency of stabilizing Canada’s post-secondary system.
Colin Jones,
FSA President and
Chief Negotiator