The ongoing saga of the Quebec student initiative to stop the minor increase ($325/annum) in tuition rates, as set to come into place by the Charest Provincial Government, is starting to come to an uncomfortable conclusion as the term wraps up.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120417/quebec-student-tuition-protests-120417/
If the students protesting the hike don't finish their assignments, and write the final exams, they may end up losing the terms credits. Some institutions are extending the term to try to help accommodate the students in their fight.
There are numerous issues I have with the situation, and none of them are with the increase:
1. The need for an increase in tuition is inevitable, to compete properly you need good teachers, equipment, and facilities, all of which have incurred cost increases.
2. The students are customers of the service provided by the institution, and in future will benefit by the knowledge they should be willing to pay for now.
3. The same students protesting at the end of this term, may lose all the money they just spent on it to make their point. I equated this on twitter today like "Holding their collective breath till they fail out", the same way children throw a temper tantrum.
4. Quebec will still have the LOWEST tuition rates in ALL of Canada, which is now being subsidized by federal transfers, in effect having the productive portions of Canada paying for their cheap costs.
5. The "Strike" has been alienating those very taxpayers that help fund low tuition within Quebec, who are suffering from loss of revenue due to obstruction and vandalism.
6. The "Strikers" have alienated the rest of Canada by showing us an unprecedented level of entitlement that could have only come from Quebec.
Just to name a few.
Hello Bob...
ReplyDeleteAs you seem to be someone who enjoys debate and free-thinking, I'd like to offer my counter-arguments. Please excuse my clumsy english, as it as been a long time I haven't actually written in that language.
Just for the record, I'm not a student nor a leftist blinded by communist ideals. I'm a tax-payer like yourself and do believe in a free-market economy. I just believe that such a market should be controlled and isn't not totally opposed to the notion of social justice.
1. The need for an increase ISN'T invevitable. Numerous studies have shown that FREE education would actually only cost 1% of the entire Quebec budget (http://m.ledevoir.com/societe/education/348722/le-cout-de-la-gratuite) and would be easily fundable by a slight increase in taxation of companies that exploit the province natural ressources for almost nothing right now. (Since the 1950's only about 1% of the profits taken from our mineral ressources have come back to the government) And that's not counting the ongoing corruption of our 8 years-old governement that mispend each year millions of dollars in overpaid public contract given to friend of the party.
2. The notion that students are customers leaves me dubious at best. Universities (other than being places where people learn a profession) should also be think-tanks to actually form more informed and free-thinking citizens.
3. This statement also leaves me dubious. Most students already in school won't be THAT affected by the raise, since it is spread on five-years. (most students will be out of school as it comes in full effect) All the students I know that are on strike are doing it for the next generation and not really for themselves. It is very questionnable and counter-productive to discredit a whole movement on the basis that some people interpret their requests as childish.
4. Yes, if we compare to the rest of Canada, our tuition fees are really, really low. But they're still higher than the mean of tuition fees in countries that are member of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - full statistics can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932310358)
Of course, we can also compare ourselves to the USA and think we're still better of than them, but I think the american student debt of 1 TRILLION speaks for itself. A debt-free citizen is a FREE citizen, and that's what we're aiming for.
5. Yes, the strike has been alienating for a lot of people. As all strikes in history have been at one point or another. But when a governement won't listen to a good proportion of the very same population that has put them in power, what choice is left? Total submission? The right to protest is part of democracy, and to question its legitimacy is a dangerous flirt with a fascist ideology. (And for the record, I'm in no way saying yours is a fascist ideology.)
6. Well, for that point I have no argument, as it is based on a perception you have. But I do know that ROC is not the monolithic block that some english-canadiand would like us to believe it is. I do have friend in Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary that DO support Quebec students, and would like their part of Canada to change their mind a adopt a little bit of our ways.
Well, I don't know if I made my point clear enough, but I do hope it will cause you to at least re-evaluate a little bit your way of thinking about the current strike.
Sincerely yours,
Vincent Biron