Be proud of us !!

There is more than a year; the Charest government announced it would increase tuition for university of $ 325 per year. This increase has created a lot of social, economic, moral and political issues. Of course, students do not have this up and decided to show their opposition to the government by causing a strike. First, let me explain a little bit the situations to the rise and strike. Subsequently, I will give my opinion on my experience of this student movement at Rimouski.

To start I'll give a brief summary of positive and negative consequences of this increase. First, the increase in tuition of $ 325 per year would allow the government to pay its debts and more equalized tuition university of Quebec with the other provinces of Canada. Allowing us to have more places for us in universities for Quebec students because tuition is lower in Québec brings students from other provinces to study in our universities and take our places. In addition, any increases around us, whether for food, natural resources, etc., so why not also for tuition. By cons, higher tuition fees will prevent hundreds of students from middle class to higher education for lack of money. This would reduce students in universities. This reduction will have negative consequences for society as the baby boomers will retire and the young people will need to fill the places of these retirees. So we face a big dilemma social and economic. There are probably other ways to allow the government to make money by not reducing accessibility to higher education students from the middle class. By cons, is to find this famous solution that will please everyone and that everyone will not be disadvantaged by this decision.

Now, after several attempts to change the government idea, students are made ​​to opt for the strike. As we are in a country where democracy is in power, we have the right to express our displeasure and react to this decision. The advantages of this movement are to show the government that we do not abandon our debate and we are ready to do everything to retreat from its decision. This strike gives us more chances that the government changes its mind because the strike will cause changes facing the school calendar and hours of leave for teachers. By cons, the strike will bring the students to finish their session only at the end of June. This will prevent some students to find summer employment, and by extension, companies fail to employers for the month of June. More, for students in technical programs, internships could be in danger.

For my part, I was undecided face this student strike. It is difficult to take position because he has no bad or good position and there are repercussions for both. It's not only us students who are affected by this increase, it is also future generations of students, employers, in short, all of Quebec society is affected. I find that at Cégep de Rimouski, we did all in democracy. Every week we voted for or against the strike and the position which obtained the highest number of votes gave the result. So it was just and equitable for everyone. For cons, I'm a little disappointed that some students have shown a great lack of respect for people of any opinion contrary to theirs. I prone that everyone is entitled to choose its position on this debate and others should respect it. Furthermore, all demonstrations and picketing were made ​​in Rimouski done in calm and peaceful manner, which proves that we are serious and we want to change things. More, I think it is our duty to show the government that we do not agree with his decision and we want to negotiate with him. What I found a little bit disappointing is that some students took this student movement as a holiday rather than see it as a way to make things happen. So the majority of students on 1200 students voted for the strike but only 50 people were in front of the CEGEP to stake. Finally, I am proud that the CEGEP de Rimouski is involved in the biggest strike student. This strike will mark Quebec society for many years.