Students reject limit on talks

Accepting tuition increase is minister’s precondition

QUEBEC – Education Minister Line Beauchamp indicated Thursday that if striking university and CEGEP students want to talk to the government about changes in Quebec’s loans and bursaries, first they must accept that tuition fees are going up.

Beauchamp told reporters that unless students budge on their no-hikes position, there will be no talks.

If they accept that tuition will rise by $1,625 a year, in five annual $325 increments, the government is prepared to discuss possible changes to ensure it does not penalize the most vulnerable students, she said.

Beauchamp noted that Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault supports the $1,625 hike, and that Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois has said a PQ government would propose some form of increase.

“The three principal parties in the National Assembly are talking about raising tuition fees,” Beauchamp said.

“So I say to the students, your position does not reflect the position of the majority of the National Assembly, elected by the population.”

Beauchamp noted that since Premier Jean Charest came to power in 2003, the government has improved the loans and bursaries program.

“We did it every year. There are always openings to discuss the pro- gram of loans and bursaries, of access.”

In a joint statement, the presidents of the two federations representing Quebec university and CEGEP students rejected Legault’s proposal and said they were disappointed the CAQ leader has endorsed the Liberal hikes.

“Students alone are still being asked to bear to cost of university education and forgotten is university management and other sources of financing,” said Martine Desjardins of the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec.

On Wednesday, Legault presented his proposal to Desjardins and Léo Bureau-blouin, president of the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec. The CAQ leader told reporters the pair considered it a basis to start talks.

In the National Assembly, Marie Malavoy, the PQ higher education critic, referred on Thursday to a Radio-canada report on pay for top university administrators in Quebec.

Mcgill principal Heather Munroe-blum receives total compensation of $596,061, followed by Concordia’s Frederick Lowy at $502,666 and Université de Montréal rector Luc Vinet at $370,937.

Université de Sherbrooke rector Luce Samoisette is paid $282,699, while Bishop’s principal Michael Goldbloom gets $315,225.

Beauchamp told Malavoy she wants to bring the salaries of university administrators in line with government salaries.