Lessons From Quebec

Student Activists from Quebec visit Ryerson Student Centre

Students in Quebec have been on strike for six months, refusing to return to classes until the Charest government reverses its plan to hike tuition fees by 75%. With a quarter of a million people marching in the streets of Montreal for three months in a row, a broad, united and powerful resistance has developed. Meanwhile in Ontario, students have been organizing against the McGuinty government’s poor public policies that have made Ontario the most expensive province in which to study. Much like Quebec, tuition fees have increased by 71% on the high end since 2006.

Moderated by Sarah Jayne King, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students for Ontario. Featured Speakers:

• Marianne Breton Fontaine: former Student Union Executive Member at Cégep du Vieux Montréal, Student at Université du Québec à Montréal, and editor of Jeunesse Militante magazine.
• Audrey Deveault: Dawson Students’ Union Chairperson at Cégep Dawson and Quebec National Executive Representative for the Canadian Federation of Students.
• Hugo Bonin: Information Committee Member, CLASSE – the main Quebec student union coalition on strike which has helped lead the campaign for accessible, quality, public and free post-secondary education in Quebec. Donations can be made to finance@asse-solidarite.qc.ca

For more information on this tour: solidaritytour.tumblr.com | Recorded in Toronto, 19 July 2012.