Heading into a more daunting fight Comments typical of the Tories
Re Quebec students hail their movement’s
victories, Opinion, Sept. 24 CLASSE is right to recognize the victories of the Quebec student movement. That hundreds of thousands of citizens mobilized to protest peacefully for change should inspire people in both solitudes, even if one disagrees with the students’ position. But if the movement has truly shown there are no limits to the “politically possible” and that the “dogmas of the rich and powerful” can be overcome by broad citizen engagement, then it must now look toward broader social struggles. The student movement was al- ways on its strongest footing when it linked its fight for free education to the fight against neo-liberal policy more generally. CLASSE’s manifesto challenged the narrow economic thinking that dominates our public policy. It decried privatization of public services and spiralling environmental degradation and pledged to fight against persistent ethnic, gender and other forms of discrimination. The movement’s leaders now have an opportunity to use their momentum to channel the energy and awareness they built this spring in support of other progressive causes, not just in Quebec but Re Remarks about Layton spark fury, Oct. 2 While many Canadians are justifiably outraged at Conservative MP Rob Anders’ comments regarding Thomas Mulcair, they should not be surprised. Anders’ insensitive remarks are typical of the mindset of the Conservative party and its penchant for attack ads. Sadly, they got this one for free. Keith Falconer, Belmont across the country.
In Quebec, that will mean some tough choices for student leaders, many of whom are sovereignists and have an affinity with the ruling péquistes. CLASSE must be careful, regardless of partisan leanings, to speak out, and loudly, whenever the government betrays its progressive ideals, when it drifts into worrisome flurries of ethnic nationalism or excludes First Nations from a fair say in northern development.
The student movement is an important victory. But it is merely one small battle in a much bigger and more daunting fight. Jonathan Sas, Montreal