Student protests in Québec 2012

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Protests in Montreal in July 2012

The 2012 student protests in Québec were protests that began in February 2012 in the eastern Canadian province of Québec , whose stronghold was Montreal . The students protested primarily against the increase in tuition fees. After a change of government in September 2012 and the consequent cancellation of the increase, the students stopped their protests.

background

Canada's longest student strikes to date were primarily directed against the planned increase in tuition fees, but also denounced the provincial government's justification for the increase in tuition fees through a budget gap, with many opponents the low taxation of foreign mines in the north of the province as a problem saw.

Illustration of the increase in tuition fees since 1968 in Canadian dollars. The vertical stripes show the reigns of the Liberals (red) and Social Democrats (blue)

In the course of the ever larger protests, which went under the name of manifestation , up to 165,000 students, schoolchildren and others formed. Many school and university students had been on strike since March. The protests were heated up by innumerable injuries, two students lost their eyesight when they were hit by a water cannon . The crisis also had political consequences, with the Minister of Education giving up her post in view of the situation.

Law against the students "Loi / Bill 78"

In mid-May, the provincial government passed an emergency law ( Bill 78 ) that restricted freedom of assembly and was intended to bring the protests under control. Among other things, meetings of more than 50 people had to be registered. Violations of the law were punishable by fines of up to $ 125,000. The law should remain in force until July 1, 2013. Shortly after the planned law was announced, riots broke out in Montreal.

Further course

After a change of government in September 2012, the minority government of Pauline Marois withdrew both the increase in tuition fees and Bill 78 . The financing of the education system is now to be discussed again. [obsolete] Students paused to protest after the election and returned to universities.

Some Canadian student organizations have been trying to enforce free studies since the end of September 2012. However, only a few 100 students took part in this protest.

Web links

Commons : Student Protests in Québec 2012  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Students take a break from protest. In: Spiegel. September 7, 2012, accessed December 8, 2012 .
  2. ↑ a b Quebec student associations cheer PQ tuition freeze. In: CBCnews. November 8, 2012, accessed December 8, 2012 .
  3. ^ Student protests in Canada. Politicians want to curtail civil rights. In: Spiegel online. May 19, 2012, accessed October 1, 2012 .
  4. ↑ Bill 78. (PDF; 310 kB) An Act to enable students to receive instruction from the postsecondary institutions they attend. Québec Official Publisher, May 18, 2012, accessed June 16, 2012 .
  5. ↑ Quebec's student crisis law stokes unrest. In: CBC News. May 19, 2012, accessed June 16, 2012 .
  6. ^ Montreal student protest calls for free tuition. In: CBCnews. September 22, 2012, accessed December 8, 2012 .