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Vol. 76/No. 21      May 28, 2012

 
Students call Quebec-wide action
against tuition hikes
 
BY JOHN STEELE  
MONTREAL—Quebec’s largest student organization, the CLASSE, has called a Quebec-wide demonstration for May 22 here following the rejection by tens of thousands of university and CEGEP (junior college) students of an agreement signed by representatives of Quebec’s four student federations with the Quebec government.

The accord maintained the government’s tuition fee hikes of 75 percent over seven years. It projected setting up a provisional council of government made up of student, union, business and post-secondary school representatives to look for ways to cut university management costs.

“The government didn’t count on our determination,” CEGEP student Raphaëlle Beauchemin told the Militant May 11 while waiting in line with hundreds of students to enter the Collège del Maisonneuve school gymnasium to vote on the proposal, which was rejected 1,035 to 540. Across Quebec more than 160,000 students remain on strike, which for many began in February.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are calling for an investigation of an attack by Quebec’s provincial police on a May 4 student demonstration in Victoriaville. Using the pretext provided by a small number of undisciplined stone throwers, the cops used tear gas, plastic bullets and mass arrests. Over 400 demonstrators were injured, three seriously. One student lost an eye.  
 
 
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