Posted: Tuesday, 1 May 2012

The Canadian Labour Congress calls on the Quebec government to fairly negotiate with students who have been on strike for over two months, in protest of the government proposal to increase tuition fees by 75% over five years.

Quebec, which long ago recognized that accessible and affordable education is good for its future economic well-being, should not follow the path of other Canadian provinces who have made post-secondary education substantially unaffordable for most young people unless they are willing to take on massive debtloads.

As a society, we can no longer afford to leave a legacy of crushing levels of student debt for our young people before they even begin their working lives. A fair society supports public education and ensures everyone, regardless of income, has a fair  chance to reach their full potential. Affordable and accessible post-secondary education is the foundation of a strong economy.

Since the start of the student strike, the Quebec government has looked for ways to avoid negotiating with the students' organizations. We urge the government to negotiate in good faith with the representatives of all the students' organizations to end this strike.