UNews - federal government

U of L played a role in siting the world’s largest telescope

caroline.zentner — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 17:46:26 +0000

Astronomers will be able to peer farther back in time with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), an international astronomy project that has involved the utilization of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge technology.

Canada recently announced it will provide almost $250 million in funding over the next 10 years to help build the telescope. The United States, Japan, India and China have already committed funds toward the construction of the world’s largest telescope at the top of Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, and U of L Infrared Radiometer for Millimetre Astronomy (IRMA) technology played a key role in site selection.

“We are very pleased that the IRMA technology developed at the U of L was used at each of the five proposed sites for TMT,” says Dr. David Naylor, U of L astronomy professor. “As with any real estate, location is key. When you are committing $1.5 billion, one has to be confident one has picked the right site.”

IRMA, shown in the top left inset, was one of several technological tools used at the testing sites.

Over the last decade, the Astronomical Instrumentation Group (AIG) at the U of L, led by Naylor, developed IRMA to determine the best site for locating the TMT. Several IRMA units were built by Naylor’s team and deployed at various mountaintops in North and South America during site testing for TMT. Naylor and six graduate students worked on the project.

Since most of the infrared spectrum emitted by stars and galaxies is absorbed by atmospheric water vapour, telescopes are situated in high, dry places to obtain the best possible astronomical measurements. IRMA itself is a compact, lightweight radiometer that can operate autonomously or be controlled directly from the U of L. Being located atop a high altitude mountain was not fundamentally different from being a space borne instrument.

“It had to be designed with risk mitigation in mind and be able to recover from such things as cosmic ray impacts which could trigger failures in the on-board code,” says Naylor, adding the mountaintop environment was more hostile than space on one occasion. “One of our IRMAs was struck by lightning and the damage was really quite impressive. We keep that IRMA as a reminder of the force of nature.”

TMT is expected to be operational by 2024. Canada’s funding contribution will be spent at home to construct and assemble the telescope. A British Columbia-based company, Dynamic Structures, designed the TMT and will also build it. The federal government’s funding will also insure Canadian researchers get a viewing share of the telescope.

“For IRMA to be used in site testing indicates our technology is among the best in the world,” he says. “Reliable measurements of atmospheric conditions, including water vapour, are absolutely essential in a project of this magnitude.”

The survey results were released in 2010 and more information about the water vapour testing was published by The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.The six graduate students involved in the project have since gone on to be employed in a variety of positions around the world, from monitoring the atmosphere in what’s considered to be the cleanest place on earth to protecting Canada’s coastline from illegal immigrants.

The TMT, with its 30-metre segmented mirror, will be able to provide a resolution 12 times better than that possible using the Hubble Space Telescope, allowing astronomers to study the origins of the planets, stars, galaxies and black holes.

Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's humanities research

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 20:55:14 +0000

Five social science and humanities researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge have received grants from the Federal government’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight or Insight Development Grant program with a total value of almost $675,000 ($674,152).

Dr. Dan Weeks, the U of L’s Vice-President, Research, says the funding illustrates the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s growing prominence in social sciences and humanities research.

“The SSHRC grants we received this year reflect a breadth of scholarship across the social sciences and humanities, and they demonstrate the potential our faculty have for making a clear impact in terms of both academic research and knowledge mobilization,” he says.

Weeks adds that with the support of institutional funding provided by SSHRC, the U of L has been able to support researchers with internal development grants that help to move projects forward, increasing their competitiveness at the national level.

“Our vibrant research culture supports our commitment to liberal education, and our goal is to provide assistance to social science and humanities researchers at the U of L, faculty members whose research and teaching contributes to our strength in liberal arts education.”

The recipients are Dr. Claudia Malacrida (Sociology, $318,278); Dr. John Harding (Religious Studies, $258,659); Dr. Craig Monk (English, $63,570); Dr.Goldie Morgentaler (English, $21,230); and Dr. Mickey Vallee (Sociology, $12,685).

The diverse projects are funded over three to five-year periods.

CASA opens its doors

trevor.kenney — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:08:05 +0000

The City of Lethbridge, Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are excited to announce the Grand Opening of CASA, a truly functional 42,000 square foot arts centre with a striking building design.

CASA is the realization of a 20-year dream, shared by many in the Lethbridge arts community, to expand or replace the Bowman Arts Centre and provide a home for the arts in one central location.

"I am very pleased to participate in today's celebration, which will usher in new opportunities for Lethbridge and southern Alberta's artistic community," says Jim Hillyer, Member of Parliament for Lethbridge, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification.

"Worthwhile projects such as this create jobs and encourage economic growth, while also providing Canadians with valuable cultural spaces."

Funding for the $20.69 million project includes $6 million from the Building Canada Fund – Communities Component (with $3 million provided by both the Federal Government and Alberta Transportation under BCF-CC), $14.4 million from the provincial Municipal Sustainability Initiative (administered by Alberta Municipal Affairs) and $200,000 from the City of Lethbridge.

"We're pleased to support local priorities and build communities through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative," says Greg Weadick, Associate Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs and MLA for Lethbridge-West.

"Facilities like CASA bring together families and neighbours while they enrich lives, entertain and create more vibrant economies."

CASA will allow for students of all ages to learn and explore many different mediums of art, drama, music, dance, yoga and more. It will become home to many local groups and events.

After the 11 a.m. Grand Opening, and for the remainder of the week, special events will be taking place in the evenings, with a Party On the Plaza from noon until 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. This community festival is free and will include many local musicians and entertainers, from the Lethbridge Community Taiko Association to the U of L Conservatory of Music.

Other events during the week include dance, theatre, film, the inaugural CASA art exhibit opening and the music of Oscar Lopez.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music has numerous events planned that showcase both the new facility and their diverse programs.

U of L Conservatory information, including program registration and upcoming events listings, can be found at this website.

"Our local arts community has been waiting for this day for a long time. For decades to come, this new arts facility will be a significant cultural and economic asset for downtown Lethbridge and for the entire community," says Mayor Rajko Dodic.

Along with the Allied Arts Council, who will be overseeing the facility, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is also a major partner with its Music Conservatory moving to this facility.

"We are extremely proud of U of L Music Conservatory Director Peggy Mezei and her team, and their achievements as they move in to CASA's bright and beautiful space," says Dr. Mike Mahon, the U of L's President and Vice-Chancellor. "Our commitment to the community takes on many forms, and being such an integral part of the CASA group is something we are very pleased to be a part of. This new facility will be of great benefit to our present and future Conservatory students, and also to the many members of the arts and culture community who use the facility to express their own creativity."

The Rotary Clubs of Lethbridge have also provided support to the project which has led to the naming of the Rotary Plaza, the location of the festivities on Saturday, May 18.

CASA will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 pm. on Sundays. Classes and workshops, including the opportunity to try "sampler" classes for a nominal fee, will begin the week of May 20.

Information on Grand Opening Week events as well as information on classes, workshops, facility rentals and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Music Conservatory can be found at the CASA website.

WEHUB nominated as water champion

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:14:30 +0000

The Water and Environmental Hub (WEHUB) has been nominated as a featured "water champion" project by Water's Next, an annual publication of Water Canada magazine. This issue highlights "significant contributions to Canada's Waterscape," with the WEHUB being designated by a committee of water experts as a Canadian project worth spotlighting.

The WEHUB is a cloud-based open web platform that collects and shares water and environmental data from across geographical and watershed boundaries. The goal of the project, which began in 2010, is to make all such data open and easily accessible via the web, freeing up valuable search time for researchers and those interested in water-based information, such as river flows, lake turbidity, or bird migration routes. The platform also features an application programming interface (API), which enables the development of water-based, customized applications for tablet computers or smartphones.

The beta web version of the WEHUB was launched in December 2011, and information from 1,738 observation datasets is now available online. The project is led by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, with financial and technical support from Cybera, Tesera Systems, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Biogeoscience Institute.

When then-Minister of Environment Jim Prentice announced the federal government's desire to keep more accurate and up-to-date information around water and water data in 2010, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge jumped at the opportunity to get involved. The result is an open-source web platform called the Water and Environmental Hub, or WEHUB for short.

The WEHUB website will offer searchable, customizable data interpretation through its application programming interface (API), which will allow users and organizations to build applications for managing the data to suit their needs, with the potential to share those applications and findings with other users.

"We reached out to our good friend and partner (WEHUB's executive director, Alex Joseph) at Cybera to serve as primary contact in WEHUB's creation," says Daniel Weeks, VP of research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. "Alex is the key player in this process."

Cybera is a not-for-profit organization that works to facilitate technological innovation in the province of Alberta through the use of cyber infrastructure. At the end of March 2012, WEHUB itself will officially become a not-for-profit.

"A lot of organizations have already been aggregating valuable data, but they don't have the ability to manage or publish it," Joseph says. "We want to plug directly into organizations' data banks so that users can aggregate and interpret data on demand from the organization via WEHUB."

This goal of total collaboration is a couple of years away as software must be upgraded across various organizations and as phase one of WEHUB's development is completed in 2012.

"Phase one included development of the platform, adding data and facilitating the development of applications," Joseph says. "Phase two will be to connect with more provinces and engage more organizations to include their data and build applications."

Joseph estimates that there are thousands of custom applications possible.

"We're making the data available through API, making it easy for smartphone and web developers to build these apps and even embed the data in their sites," he says. " This project will go a long way to providing a clearer line of sight to water quality, to the need for more rigorous testing, and to the need for more robust policy."

For example, a watershed organization might produce a yearly report, collecting data from various sources throughout the year. By the time that report is released, most of the data will already be outdated. A custom application would allow the organization to connect and interact with other groups, live data sources, policy makers and community members in real time, spending less time and energy on research while providing current, relevant information in its reports.

"There have already been projects identified to enable better water management and watershed planning," says Joseph. "The missing piece has been that data infrastructure to bring different organizations and community groups together."

Lobbying Act must be kept in mind

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:46:55 +0000

More and more often, grant applications contain sections warning applicants that they are responsible for ensuring that anyone lobbying on their behalf is doing so while in compliance with Canada's Lobbying Act.

As individuals seeking grants complete applications across campus, I will take this opportunity to provide a cursory overview of what the Lobbying Act is and the measures the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ must take to ensure compliance. Further, I would encourage anyone who has questions about the act to visit the commissioner's website. The U of L Government Relations Office (A764) is available to answer questions that faculty or staff may have regarding the registry.

The Federal Lobbying Act dictates that universities (and a myriad of other private-sector and public organizations) must report specific lobbying encounters when speaking with Designated Public Office Holders (DPOHs). These individuals include cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, associate deputy ministers, MPs, Members of the Senate and any exempt staff working in the offices of these members.

The U of L is required to update its lobby registration on an ongoing basis. This registration contains general information about the institution, the grants it receives, the individuals that act in a lobbying capacity for the institution and the subject matter on which the U of L intends to lobby the federal government. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is also responsible for reporting its "oral and arranged" communication after a listed employee advocates for a benefit (whether financial or to influence policy or legislation) for the institution. These monthly communication reports must be submitted by the 15th day of the following month from when the interaction occurred. This is done through the Government Relations Office.

Faculty members have the academic freedom to speak to members of the federal government as persons with expertise. If a faculty member lobbies for a benefit to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, they, and their subject matter, must be included in the U of L's registration. However, if an employee or faculty member is advocating for the greater public good (and not a specific benefit) they are not required to register or report their interaction.

At various times, individuals throughout campus are involved in projects that involve interacting with the Federal Government. Again, the Government Relations Office can help to ensure you are fulfilling the legal requirements of the federal Lobbying Act. More information can be found online at www.ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/lobbyist-lobbyiste1.nsf/eng/home.

Richard Westlund is the Director of Government Relations at the U of L. In an effort to better inform different parts of our campus and external communities about the various government relations activities that occur at the U of L, he has started a blog. Visit it at blogs.ulethbridge.ca/government-relations

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Championing the U of L mandate

trevor.kenney — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:57:30 +0000

By RICHARD WESTLUND

A key part of most successful government relations strategies is to identify and utilize champions for your cause. For federal initiatives, the
U of L has found a literal champion of its own.

The Deputy Minister ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Champion Program is an initiative housed in the Canada School of Public Service, and is aimed at strengthening linkages between the Government of Canada and Canadian universities.

Earlier this year, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was granted membership into this program. Subsequently, Dr. James Ralston, the Comptroller General of Canada, was named as the U of L's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Champion.

Ralston received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, his Master of Arts (Economics) from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ottawa and a Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science) from Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Beginning his career with the Provincial Auditor of Alberta, he later joined a national accounting/consulting firm in Edmonton and Ottawa. He was appointed the Comptroller General of Canada after working for the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) for 15 years.

The role of a deputy minister champion is flexible. In speaking with my counterparts across Canada, it is clear that relationships between universities and deputy minister champions vary greatly and are unique to each institution. It is hoped that the relationship between Ralston and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will create new opportunities for our students and faculty, such as stronger co-op arrangements between the
U of L and the federal government, the facilitation of interactions that link U of L research and teaching strengths with appropriate federal departments and continuous information sharing of university and government directions and priorities.

Ralston has been an eager and willing partner with the U of L from the outset of the champion program. He had already taken the time to tour the U of L and meet with a variety of folks from different parts of campus, including meetings with President Mike Mahon, Provost Andrew Hakin, the Career Resources Centre and our co-op programs office. He also toured the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, the Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience and the U of L Art Gallery.

Now that Ralston has an understanding of the programs offered and research conducted at the U of L, he is in a better position to identify links and opportunities between the federal government and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Furthermore, he is in a better position to represent U of L interests and, when appropriate, facilitate and advise on effective strategies.

Richard Westlund is the Director of Government Relations at the U of L. In an effort to better inform different parts of our campus and external communities about the various government relations activities that occur at the U of L, he has started a blog. Visit it at blogs.ulethbridge.ca/government-relations

Mahon has government's ear

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:02:16 +0000

By RICHARD WESTLUND

The arrival of a new president on campus has given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ an opportunity to re-engage members of government at all levels. In the same way that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus community has been interested in hearing about a renewed vision for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, there has been significant interest shown by government officials across the province and country in learning more about President Mike Mahon and his priorities.

Shortly after his installation speech, President Mahon began to outline his four pillars: Student First, Comprehensive ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Community Centered and A Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to a variety of government members. This was initially done in one-on-one meetings with select individuals – the Premier of Alberta, Minister and Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Technology and others.

In an effort to reach a larger number of government members, President Mahon then made formal presentations to the federal Alberta Caucus, the federal Liberal Caucus, the Alberta Rural Caucus, the Calgary Caucus, reeves and mayors of South West Alberta as well as to specific federal and provincial deputy ministers. At the conclusion of the upcoming Capital Region Caucus meeting, the four pillars presentation will have been shared with almost every MP and MLA in the province as well as a significant number of municipal leaders in our geographic area.

Introducing this vision to these groups has been important for a variety of reasons.

At the federal level, it has been an opportunity to reinforce the importance that research plays in creating a dynamic learning environment for our undergraduate and graduate students. In the past couple of years, larger universities have been pushing the federal government to concentrate research dollars to the larger institutions. Stories such as the success of U of L undergraduate students who developed an enzyme that cleans oilsands tailing ponds and subsequently received gold-medal standing at the MIT IGEM competition, underscore the benefits undergraduate students enjoy when research and learning are linked.

At the provincial level, the U of L story speaks to the need of having a destination university in the province. Currently 70 per cent of the students attending the U of L are from outside of Lethbridge. The U of L allows students from all over Alberta to benefit from a first-class educational experience without leaving the province. President Mahon has pointed out that the U of L is often described as a "best-kept secret". Certainly that perception is beginning to change and will no doubt continue to advance.

Finally, at the municipal level, underscoring the notion of community has resonated with local leaders. President Mahon has shared his goal of having all undergraduate students participate in a community engagement experience before they graduate. Some mayors are already contemplating how they too can play a part in this vision.

Despite the fact that the U of L is geographically removed from Edmonton and Ottawa, the U of L's contribution to teaching, research, culture, sport, economy and quality of life for all is becoming increasingly known. When federal ministers and northern Alberta MLAs alike give unprompted endorsements of specific U of L successes, as we have seen in recent months, it speaks to the institution's growing reputation. Maintaining that momentum in this area is extremely important. Knowledge about the U of L among the various levels of government is critical in ensuring the interests and aspirations of the U of L are realized.

Richard Westlund is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government relations director

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Government listening

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:36:23 +0000

The arrival of a new president on campus has given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ an opportunity to re-engage members of government at all levels. In the same way that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus community has been interested in hearing about a renewed vision for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, there has been significant interest shown by government officials across the province and country in learning more about President Mike Mahon and his priorities.

Introducing this vision to these groups has been important for a variety of reasons.

Despite the fact that the U of L is geographically removed from Edmonton and Ottawa, the
U of L's contribution to teaching, research, culture, sport, economy and quality of life for all is becoming increasingly known. When federal ministers and northern Alberta MLAs alike give unprompted endorsements of specific U of L successes, as we have seen in recent months, it speaks to the institution's growing reputation. Maintaining that momentum in this area is extremely important. Knowledge about the U of L among the various levels of government is critical in ensuring the interests and aspirations of the U of L are realized.

Richard Westlund is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government relation's director

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Boere, Gonzalez receive CFI funding

trevor.kenney — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:54:17 +0000

Federal, provincial and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge officials have delivered more than $700,000 for new equipment to two research groups on campus.

Through the Canada Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Fund and matching support from the Province of Alberta Small Equipment Grant Program administered through the Department of Advanced Education and Technology, the researchers will receive a combined $547,778.

Additional support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and industry partners brings that total to more than $700,000.

Dr. Rene Boere (chemistry and biochemistry) lead a group application to fund specialized imaging equipment that will be used to examine the fine details of nanomaterials ($352,008).

Dr. Claudia Gonzalez (kinesiology and physical education) will receive funding to obtain equipment that she will use to monitor in greater detail how the brain processes motor skill signals that control such activities as hand and eye movement ($195,770)

"Supporting science is key to Canada's future economic growth," says Rick Casson, MP for Lethbridge.

"Our government's commitment to helping universities attract and retain world-leading research talent will lead to discoveries that improve the quality of life of Canadians and create new jobs. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has been making creativity and innovation household words in southern Alberta and beyond, and this funding today reinforces that process."

The federal government recently announced $61 million through the CFI Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF) to support the work of 339 leading researchers and 245 projects at 48 Canadian research institutions.

Additional funds were received through the Province of Alberta's Small Equipment Grant program, which funds projects that meet a high degree of research excellence and alignment with Alberta's research and innovation priorities.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is building a reputation for research excellence," says Greg Weadick, MLA for Lethbridge-West. "The Government of Alberta is very proud to be a part of this success and to help support brilliant researchers like Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Boere."

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Mike Mahon says that investment from the federal and provincial governments, working in partnership, are critical in ensuring that researchers have the tools they need to answer the important questions facing communities in Alberta, Canada and beyond.

"It cannot be understated how important a strong research program is to the health of an institution that serves undergraduate and graduate students. Our student-first approach is strengthened because our students are able to interact with talented, supported researchers like Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. Boere, and their colleagues," says Mahon.

Mahon adds that research investments are also critical in ensuring that Alberta and Canada are able to recruit and retain talented faculty and students from across the globe.

"The U of L is in a fortunate position. Researchers, graduate and undergraduate students from jurisdictions where funding to post-secondary sector have been drastically cut are surveying the landscape. When they see the Governments of Canada and Alberta investing in a knowledge economy -- as they are today -- they are compelled to consider if their research program or educational experience is better suited at a comprehensive, destination university like the U of L."

ULSU lobby effort focusses on student finances

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:43:29 +0000

Maintaining affordable education was the overriding theme of the 2010 Lobby Conference as student associations from across the country gathered in Ottawa recently to voice their concerns to the country's key decision-makers.

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), representing and promoting the interests of post-secondary students to federal and inter-provincial levels of government, introduced a number of ideas to governmental policy makers. Student financial aid and the Canada Student Loan Program are on the list of key issues CASA is lobbying for this year. With debt becoming an ever larger issue for students, CASA is especially focused on the cost of obtaining a quality education.

Taz Kassam, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union president, and Allan Hall, vice-president, Operations and Finance, represented the ULSU at the conference.

"The inability for students to secure enough cash or credit to afford tuition payments, books and the basic essentials of living is one of the financial barriers that students face," says Kassam.

CASA has recommended the federal government increase the amount of allowable in-study income in the next fiscal year. This means that if students choose to work during the school year, they will not be penalized for earning income and therefore qualify for less money from the Canada Student Loan Program. This change could also discourage students from seeking private loans.

CASA is also addressing the issue of funding for aboriginal students. Aboriginal Peoples face persistent inequalities in regard to labour market outcomes, the most influential factor being that of post-secondary educational attainment rate.

"The Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) is the funding mechanism for First Nations and Inuit Students," says Kassam. "This program has been capped at a 2 per cent increase since 1996, spreading the available cash very thin and likely reducing the number of aboriginal students attending post-secondary institutions.

"We have proposed the 2 per cent cap be removed, and an increase in funding be provided to better reflect the real cost of attending a post-secondary institution."

Another issue is the ongoing debate over Bill-C32: The Copyright Act. Publishing companies, such as Access Copyright, are petitioning to propose a student levy that would make post-secondary institutions pay for the possibility that someone may print a copy of work already owned digitally. This issue could lead to hefty increases in the cost of textbooks.

"The Book Importation Tax states that parallel importation is illegal for commercial booksellers, meaning that if a book title has a Canadian copyright holder that is selling the book for no more than 10 per cent above the American retail price, it is illegal for a physical store to maintain a competitive edge and buy the book from the United States," says Kassam.

The recommendation put forth by CASA is to amend the bill as it stands, prohibiting the parallel importation of books from foreign distributors.

Kassam says the ULSU, as an extension of CASA, is working hard to serve U of L students.

"We are doing all we can to ensure post-secondary education is affordable, of the highest quality and easily accessible," says Kassam. "These are very important issues that will not only affect today's students but also those who will be entering post-secondary institutions in the future."

This story originally appeared in the December issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - federal government

U of L played a role in siting the world’s largest telescope

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Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ's humanities research

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CASA opens its doors

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WEHUB nominated as water champion

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Lobbying Act must be kept in mind

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Championing the U of L mandate

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Mahon has government's ear

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Government listening

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Boere, Gonzalez receive CFI funding

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ULSU lobby effort focusses on student finances

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Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's humanities research