The tuition battle: what next?
Why is the government even negotiating with these student unions?
Let’s face the reality: if the student unions manage to convince the government to rescind the tuition hike, history won’t forget the day a bunch of angry students strong-armed it into submission.
And if a compromise is arrived at, students will feel betrayed by the supposed unions that were supposed to stand up for them (in exchange for a percentage of their tuition fees).
The government should be doing what it knows is best, and will probably end up doing anyway: sweep it under a rug.
Does the Oka Crisis ring a bell? It’s been more than 20 years, and the grievances behind it still haven’t been resolved. Martin Van Nostrand Montreal
» It’s time to resolve the student strike. The best way to accomplish this is to reapply a tuition freeze.
I’m pretty sure that this will not kill our universities or plunge our society into uncontrollable debt. I think our political masters have been doing that well enough with waste, corruption and overall incompetence. If they could control those ineptitudes, we would be well on our way to funding the best educational facilities available without additional burdens on the students, who represent our best potential for future economic success.
Tuition-fee hikes will need to be sold another day, another way. This protest might fade out over the summer, but if it doesn’t, it is very probably going to turn into something much bigger that could ultimately become destabilizing.
The government was unable to divide and conquer this time. It should take this seriously.
Additionally, we shouldn’t compare tuition rates here to those else- where in North America. It isn’t working out too well south of the border.
Brian Boissé Mercier
» Re: “Horrified by the Gazette’s take on the student protesters” (Letter of the Day, April 26).
Sue-ann Macdonald presents a calm, clear and succinct view of the other side of the coin regarding student protesters.
And whether you agree or disagree with her point of view, the saddest part of this unrelenting episode is that the hardline stance adopted by our government has reinforced the notion that only violence, mayhem and major disruptive activity can bring about change.
With the generally peaceful beginnings of these demonstrations, there was an opportunity to engage in collaborative negotiations. But flexing muscles was deemed the appropriate course of action.
Now we have escalating violence and mayhem, and a policing budget crisis.
Philippe Lavigne
Kirkland
» Re: “Horrified by the Gazette’s take on the student protesters” (Letter of the Day, April 26).
Assistant professor SueAnn Macdonald is appalled by the The Gazette’s coverage and editorial position on the student strike. I am appalled to read her almost fanatically one-sided diatribe. No wonder that, with teachers of her ilk, we are faced with student unrest.
Hugo Langshur
St. Lambert