The Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec says it plans to continue its mobilization against tuition fee increases this summer, but also has a new goal.
“We want to work on getting a different government to represent us,” said new leader Éliane Laberge. “We are going to work on that transition this summer.”
She said Jean Charest’s government doesn’t represent the “values” that Quebec youth consider to be important, most notably accessibility to education and equality between the classes.
“There is real frustration on the part of a generation that is not being heard by the government,” she said at a press conference on Sunday. “There is a good part of society that is asking for this change.”
She said after consulting with members this weekend, the message about making this goal part of their mobilization became clear.
“The Liberal government has made many decisions that don’t agree with Quebec values. We need a government that represents us,” she said.
Students still plan to continue with protests this summer, and hold demonstrations throughout the province between June 17 and 22. June 22 has already been marked as another big protest day for all the student associations, and then July 22 following that.
Laberge also decried the harsh police interventions on Grand Prix weekend, saying: “Quebecers shouldn’t be afraid to express themselves.” But she acknowledged messages are best delivered peacefully.
And as for students being blamed for the economy of downtown Montreal, where business owners have been complaining that daily protests are keeping people away and hurting their bottom lines, she said the government has to share in the blame.
“It was also the responsibility of the government to stop the crisis when they had the chance,” she said.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: KAREN SEIDMAN
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