Students across the country are participating in sit-ins, strikes, and petition campaigns in opposition to rising tuition fees and soaring student debt.

"Students are angry," said Elizabeth Carlyle, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "They're fighting back by taking action on their campuses and in the community."

On Feb. 4, students in St. John's occupied a local office of Human Resources Development Canada and a week later Carleton University Students marched on campus and occupied the university's president office for 24 hours after he had announced a tuition fee increase for next year. During the Carleton occupation Dr. Van Loon, president of Carleton University, agreed to write a letter to Premier Harris demanding that his government reinvest in core funding of post-secondary institutions.

On Feb. 11 students at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design staged a one-day strike.

In mid-February students at Trent protested the university's attempt to reduce and weaken student representation on senate. Also, the closing of one of Trent's colleges is being considered by the administration as a result of underfunding.

In Toronto students demonstrated on Feb. 24 in solidarity with the Bell Canada operators and to educate the public on corporitization of post-secondary education. The Chair of the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation, Jean C. Monty, is also CEO of Bell Canada. On the same day, students from Québec protested on Parliament Hill.

Students at Lakehead University participated in a Day of Action on Feb. 25 to raise awareness of the major issues facing students and to send a strong message: Freeze the Fees. Students at Lakehead chose to mobilize that day because the board of governors were meeting to discuss tuition fee increases and students protested at the meeting also. Unfortunately the motion to increase tuition fees passed but a new policy which would allow any students to attend the board of governors meeting was adopted.

In the weeks leading up to the federal budget students in British Columbia sent postcards to both Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien asking them to reinvest in post-secondary education and to implement a national system of grants now.

Students at Laurentian University have voted in favor of March 23 strike action if a tuition fee increase is announced by the university for the 1999-2000 year.

The Canadian Federation of Students held a press conference on March 9 to launch a court challenge under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The challenge cites the discriminatory nature of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act which prohibits former students from declaring bankruptcy on the student loan debt for ten years after leaving school. Also on that day, the Federation co-hosted the book launch of Enter at Your Own Risk (youth in today's labour market).

Students in Québec are again planning a Day of Action to be held on March 24.

Cross-country events in February and March are part of the Canadian Federation of Students' Access 2000 campaign for higher education.