Staging a walkout, Manitoba students call for investments in fellowships and grants – Winnipeg | 24CA News
Across Canada, college students at numerous post-secondary establishments flocked collectively to demand one factor: a extra truthful, livable wage.
That was the case for college students on the University of Manitoba who staged a walkout exterior the establishment’s campuses on Monday. The calls for for graduate and post-doctoral college students boiled all the way down to wanting better investments in scholarships, fellowships, and grants.
“The real purpose today is to advocate for the federal government and the tri-agency council to come forward over two decades into the future”, mentioned Morgan Taverner, a grasp’s pupil and member of UofM’s well being science graduate pupil affiliation.
The Canadian authorities provides fellowships for college kids in numerous fields of analysis, the worth of which is dependent upon the kind of area. For instance, a fellowship with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada results in a stipend of $45,000 per 12 months.
On the opposite hand, the federal Banting fellowship provides $70,000 a 12 months and offers with analysis areas like well being, pure sciences, engineering, and social sciences.
The stipend a pupil receives, in line with Taverner, is the set wage they have to depend on for the 12 months.
“Prices have gotten to the point where students have to skip meals. They have to live (with) five-plus people to one house. It really isn’t acceptable,” mentioned Taverner.
In an electronic mail, native organizer Levi Newediuk mentioned the scenario is dire. The federal authorities should enhance the worth and variety of scholarships and fellowships for college kids, he mentioned.
“Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars are the workforce that drives innovations at Canada’s universities,” mentioned Newediuk. “Federal scholarships, fellowships and research grants provide most of the wages that (they) receive.”
Lauren MacGowan, one other member of the well being science graduate pupil affiliation, mentioned that whereas the protestors demand change from the federal government, the college has remained supportive of scholars’ wants.
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