LE3 .A278 2009

2009

Stewart, Ian

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Political Science

Politics

Currently, there are two national student organizations operating the federal level in Canada. Although both the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) and the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) claim to represent the interests of students, they often disagree on the proper way to maximize that interest. Since CASA was founded as a reaction to CFS in the mid-1990s, the two organizations have often competed for members, government ear and public opinion. This thesis seeks to explain the rivalry between two groups representing the same clients. Essentially, the answer boils down to two overarching factors. First, CFS and CASA advance different operationalizations of the student interest. To simplify, CFS has broader lobbying goals, which, at times, includes social justice issues. CASA criticizes this approach, calling for pragmatic policy objectives, fulfilled through a corporatist lobbying paradigm. Second, both CASA and CFS put a premium on the survival of their organizations. These organizational interests help perpetuate their simultaneous existence. These circumstances lead to the conclusion that, for the foreseeable future, the rivalry between CASA and CFS will continue.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:643