Once a year, usually on February 6, thousands of students from coast to coast “take to the streets” to protest the steady increases in tuition and student debt. While turnout for these events varies, the question each year is not how many students will show up, but whether the demonstration will have any effect.

The key voice of opposition often comes from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), which prefers lobbying and meetings with ministers to street protest. Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), the other national student group and the organizer of the day of protests, insists that this sort of demonstration, combined with research and other lobbying, is effective.

We say the debate is silly—perhaps even dangerous. The longer it goes on, the longer we risk seeing it as an either-or option, when really, as any strategist will tell you, the best option is to pursue numerous different techniques. This is why the Varsity has put together a special education issue this year, working with part-time, full-time and graduate student representatives. Our goal is to provide information, insight and commentary on the state of post-secondary education. Why?

Because, as any journalist will tell you, the biggest battles are won not on the streets or in back rooms, but in the court of public opinion. Many students this year have told us how they are suffering, but it’s the ones we haven’t heard from that are even more troubling. Statistics Canada numbers show students from wealthy families are 50 per cent more likely to attend university than those from low or middle income families. Our goal with this supplement was to begin a discussion on these issues—one that will hopefully extend beyond the borders of our campus, because government will only deal with the issues faced by students if public opinion wills it to do so. To the extent that a peaceful, well-organized demonstration draws the public’s attention to these issues, we certainly support such an action, just as we support lobbying of government ministers on the matter. But we also hope all those involved recognize that these sorts of actions are not panaceas for the problem—that until we are knocking on doors in the 905 talking about student debt issues one-on-one with voters, it is not likely that government will deal with the issue.

This isn’t to undercut the protests planned for February 6, just to cast them in a new light.

More than getting together and venting frustration, the day should be a chance to make connections with other students and ensure the discussion we regularly have about debt and tuition enjoys a broader debate. Until people outside of campus and government ministries are aware of the difficulties caused by debt and tuition, the matter will not be dealt with.