Joyeux Noël et bonne année!/Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

À toutes mes lectrices et à tous mes lecteurs,

J'aimerais vous remercier pour votre support continu. Ce blogue a vu le jour en février 2009, après les élections tumultueuses de la Fédération étudiante de l'Université d'Ottawa (FÉUO). J'ai donc décidé de dénoncer à voix haute ce dont plusieurs avaient dénoncé en privé. Nous voilà quasiment 4 ans plus tard et, si vous retournez lire mes premiers articles, vous allez constater que très peu de choses ont changé: la FÉUO est encore dirigée par un petit groupe de personnes sélectes, l'accès à l'information est toujours aussi difficile et la réforme électorale tant nécessaire afin d'assurer des élections justes et équitables n'ont même pas été sujet de discussion. Je termine cette année en vous disant que la politique étudiante ne dort jamais. Même lorsqu'il semble ne rien se passer, l'envoi d'un simple courriel ou un appel téléphonique peuvent être révélateurs. Il ne faut pas avoir peur de demander des questions et surtout pas être gêné d'assurer que ceux et celles qui ont été élus afin de nous représenter rendent compte pour les décisions qu'ils et elles ont prises.

Joyeux Noël/Joyeux temps des fêtes et bonne et heureuse année à vous tous!

B

*******************

To all my readers,

I would like to thank you for your continued support. I started this blog after the February 2009 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) elections which were fraught with the usual irregularities and scandals that students had become accustomed to over the years. I decided to my frustrations and grievances directly to the student population by starting this blog. And sadly, after nearly four years, little at the SFUO has actually changed. If you go back and read some of my first blog posts, you will see that: the SFUO is still controlled by a small group of select people, access to information has actually gone down hill in the past three years and the most basic electoral reforms measures have almost never been subject of discussions around the SFUO board of administration table. I would like to leave you with these thoughts: Student politics never sleeps. Even when it appears as though nothing is happening, a simple phone call or email can and likely will reveal otherwise. We mustn't be afraid to ask questions and demand answers. But most important of all, we mustn't shy away from ensuring that those who we elected to represent our interests are accountable for their actions and the decisions they have made.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to one and all!

B

SFUO executive failing to provide timely access to information

Photo credits: Mico Mazza - The Fulcrum

During the September 2012 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa board of administration (SFUO BOA) meeting, I asked the SFUO vice-president finance Adam Gilani when the SFUO budget would be made available on the SFUO website. At the time, his answer was firm: he stated that the budget was currently in translation and went on to promise that it would be available by no later than October 31st, 2012.

On Sunday November 18, 2012, I verified the SFUO website to see if the budget had been made available. And, to my dismay, it wasn't. After missing the October 2012 SFUO BOA meeting (which occurred during reading week), I was once again prepared to ask the same question at this month's meeting. However, Émilie Deschamps, the news editor for La Rotonde, beat me to it: She asked Gilani when the SFUO audit (which was presented very quickly during the meeting) and the SFUO budget would be made available on the SFUO website. This time, Gilani was far less committal; His short response to the question: "When they are finalized". He stated that the audit documents can sometimes take two to three weeks to receive and that, once finalized, the document would need to be translated before it could be posted to the website. Similarly, the budget was STILL in translation even though it was approved by the board many weeks ago.

This month's meeting involved a number of important documents being circulated to board members: the report pertaining to the conduct of the recent SFUO by-elections, the proposed timeline for the upcoming SFUO elections and a report from the SFUO constitutional committee which dealt with an appeal of an earlier decision to revoke club status from the Sigma Psi Alpha sorority (which I will specifically address below).

A quick side note: every time that supplementary documents (which aren't included in the BOA meeting package sent out by email to all board members) are passed out during a meeting, there are never enough copies for all members. Board members are asked to share these documents and, usually, far fewer French versions of said documents are available. If the reason behind this practice is to save paper, then these documents should all be provided electronically in the board meeting packages. However, I'm not convinced that this is the sole reason behind this practice especially when the SFUO executive members know very well that journalists and usually at least one interested student will be present in the audience and would appreciate being able to follow along during the meeting.

Case in point: When Gilani presented the SFUO's 2011-2012 audit, he was the only one who had a copy of said document. He kept saying things such as "it had no issues with it", "nothing is noticeably off" and "nothing is noticeably wrong with it" when referring to the audit. When it came time to ask questions, only one unrelated question was posed. Obviously, if board members weren't provided with a copy of the audit document (which I believe to have been the case), it's very hard to ask any questions. Board members are not elected to simply sit around a table once a month and obediently nod their heads in agreement thus rubber stamping every proposition brought forward. They're there to scrutinize the operations of the SFUO and the activities of the members of the executive. The fact that nobody asked one single substantive question regarding the audit is worrying to say the least. Had board members been given a copy of the audit document, surely it would have enabled the board to have a more in-depth discussion and receive further information. However, it should be noted that Gilani didn't seem all that interested in going through the document in its entirety either.

During question period, which is open to both board members and members of the audience, I asked VP communication Anne-Marie Roy if she would ensure that the documents circulated during the meeting would be made available on the SFUO website. She mentioned that she would work hard to ensure that SFUO BOA meeting dates and minutes would be posted to the SFUO website very soon (the latter of the two must be posted to the website according to article 3.1.10.4.1 of the SFUO constitution). After stating that SFUO services' websites were being reviewed and updated and that the main SFUO website was to be updated shortly after (thus not having answered my question), I insisted on getting a clear "Yes" or " No" answer from her regarding the specific documents mentioned above, she finally said "yes".

Osama Berrada's 2010 SFUO VP University Affairs campaign poster

Finally, I must highlight a worrying phenomenon: during last Sunday's meeting (November 18, 2012), the BOA voted to go in camera twice. The term in camera "is Latin for 'in chambers,' and it means to go into a confidential or secret session (literally, that whatever is discussed cannot leave the room)." The first time this procedure was used, the board invited the SFUO executive coordinator, Amy Hammett, and Osama Berrada to stay in the room. Thus, all non-board members were asked to vacate the room. Upon reentering, a motion was passed to appoint Berrada as the chief electoral officer for the winter 2013 SFUO elections. I am still perplexed as to why it was necessary for the board to go in camera when discussing his appointment.

The second occasion occurred near the end of the meeting. As mentioned above, Adam Gilani presented the report of the board's Constitutional Committee (made up of Gilani, Anne-Marie Roy, Nicole Desnoyers, Daniel Arnold, Inas Abusheika, Nicholas Zorn and Jocelyn Boeré) which dealt with Sigma Psi Alpha's club status. He went on to explain that the transgression in question involved alleged hazing and that a thorough investigation had been undertaken. According to Kim Deslauriers, the president of the Sigma Psi Alpha, this issue has been outstanding since earlier this year. Ms. Deslauriers, fellow sorority vice-president Nicolette Addesa and Ms. Hammett were invited to stay in the meeting room during this second in camera session which was meant to allow board members to ask questions about the investigation which led to the committee's recommendation to revoke the sorority's club status. Upon moving ex camera, the board discussed an amendment, moved by SFUO president Ethan Plato, which would have limited the suspension of the sorority's club status to one year. However, this amendment was ultimately rejected. In the end, the board voted to accept the constitutional committee report's recommendation to revoke Sigma Psi Alpha's club status indefinitely.

Section 8.1.4.3 of the SFUO constitution affords all clubs the opportunity to appeal a "decertification motion":

Any Club may have one (1) opportunity to appeal a decertification motion against their Club. The Club must request in writing to the Vice President Equity (which will replace the Vice President Student Affairs in the winter 2013 SFUO elections) indicating its intent to appeal within 30 days of the decertification motion. A Club can appeal a decertification motion against their Club to the Constitution Committee. 

This means that the SFUO's Clubs Committee would have already at some point issued a ruling in which it decided to revoke Sigma Psi Alpha's club status. The sorority would have then appealed that decision to the SFUO BOA's Constitutional Committee. Section 8.1.2.2 of the SFUO constitution outlines the members of the Clubs Committee: VP Equity (currently VP Student Affairs Kate Hudson), VP Finance Adam Gilani, the SFUO comptroller general (which, according to the SFUO website, is currently vaccant), the Clubs Coordinator Gwen Madiba and representative from the Graduate Students' Association of the University of Ottawa.

So, here are the core issues that must be addressed as soon as possible by the SFUO executive and board members:

1) The SFUO executive MUST ensure that hired translators are translating important documents within a much more reasonable amount of time in order to ensure that the SFUO membership has timely access to information via the SFUO's website. This is the only way students are able to hold the SFUO executive and board members accountable for decisions made.

2) The SFUO board of administration appear to be going in camera far too often. It's extremely questionable as to why the discussion surrounding the appointment of the SFUO's chief electoral officer was held behind closed doors. Elected student representatives should refrain from using this procedure unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e. discussion involving legal issues, human resources, staff relations). Even if the procedure has a legitimate purpose, the board should remain vigilant when using it because this can lead to students becoming suspicious as to why they are being left in the dark on a regular basis.

La FÉUO prête son appui à une campagne controversée

Affiche de la CIJIC - Source : Site web de la CIJIC

Le 19 septembre 2012, la Coalition d'investissement juste/Juste Investment Coalition (CIJIC) a lancé sa nouvelle campagne intitulée « Déinvestir de l'injustice » à l'Université d'Ottawa, à l'Agora du Centre universitaire Jock-Turcot. Selon les informations disponibles sur la page Facebook de l'évènement, les participants apprendrons :

Comment les campagnes pour le désinvestissement ont été efficace dans le passé en luttant contre l'injustice;

Plus à propos de l'apartheid israélien, les sables bitumineux, et les pratiques minières destructives - tous formes de violence que l'Université d'Ottawa soutient au moment à travers ces investissements;

Les alternatives au statu quo et comment vous impliquer dans cette campagne pour la justice

De plus, la liste des invités incluait Clayton Thomas-Mueller, Yafa Jarrar, Sakura Saunders et Meera Karunananthan.

Voici un article qui a paru dans le journal étudiant, La Rotonde.

La CIJIC regroupe plusieurs organisations actives faisant partie de la communauté de l'Université d'Ottawa dont Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), Mining Justice minière (MJM), et Justice climatique Ottawa (CJO) (***Veillez consulter une précision de la part de l'auteur à la fin de l'article***). Ainsi, la CIJIC est guidée par trois principes : la démocratie, la responsabilisation et les relations justes. De plus, la coalition a pour but « de s'assurer que nos institutiuons promeuvent la dignité humaine dans le monde. CIJIC est donc un groupe de sensibilisation et de défense de la moralité dans les affaires entreprises par l'Université d'Ottawa et ses différentes facultés. Nous cherchons à appuyer les entreprises éthiques par opposition à celles qui profitent de la guerre, la destruction de l'environnement, le viol de l'autodétermination des populations indigènes et les abus des droits de la personne. »

Lors de la rencontre du Conseil d'administration de la Fédération étudiante de l'Université d'Ottawa (FÉUO) du dimanche 23 septembre 2012, Elizabeth Kessler, Vice-présidente aux affaires universitaires de la FÉUO, a expliqué que la FÉUO appuie la campagne de la CIJIC. Pour une organization qui a comme mission de représenter la population étudiante, il est intéressant de voir que la FÉUO s'est positionnée sur une question qui vise immédiatement, de façon négative, la population étudiante israélienne. Malheureusement, cette prise de position par la FÉUO et son Conseil d'administration, qui isole un groupe particulier au sein de son membership, est assez commune. 

*** À moins qu'il soit indiqué autrement, les informations concernant la CIJIC proviennent directement de son site web http://coalitionjuste.com. L'auteur souhaite aviser ses lecteurs/lectrices que les citations peuvent contenir des fautes d'orthographe, de grammaire, etc., et que celles-ci n'ont guère été corrigées. ***

Why an Ontario Student Strike Won't Happen - Part 1

Source: Mohawk Trading Post

This is part one of a multi-part series on why an Ontario student strike won't happen anytime soon (if ever).

Many hardcore student activists, both from Ontario and Quebec, have touted the inevitability of a "Maple Spread": the phenomenon which would see the Quebec student strikes, occurring in many of the province's post-secondary institutions since mid-February 2012, "spread" or be "imported" onto college and university campuses across Ontario in the months and years to come.

This, according to the brass of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, would be the best way to show solidarity towards our student counterparts (or, to use their lingo, "comrades" or better yet "brothers and sisters") in Quebec. With that being said, the Canadian Federation of Students (National) donated $30 000 to a so-called "Independent" Legal Fund administered by the Dawson Students Union (the only CFS-affiliated institution left in Quebec). Furthermore, the CFS-Ontario donated $3,000 to the same fund.

And so, as you can see in my last post, many events have taken place throughout the summer months in an attempt by Ontario student activists to ensure that the "Maple Spread" does in fact occur. Case-in-point: the Ontario-Quebec Student Solidarity Speaking Tour, which kicked off at the University of Ottawa on July 12, 2012, made stops in 9 other Ontario cities (for a total of 10 stops). Full-length videos from the various stops are not numerous. Therefore, if you couldn't be present in person, the content of the conferences is difficult to find.

On May 24, 2012, student activists and community organizers, for the most part based in Toronto and the surrounding area, gathered at Ryerson University to discuss and organize protests in solidarity with the Quebec student strike. The next day, a press conference was held to announce the creation of the Ontario Student Solidarity Network. This network, led by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, includes activists from a variety of organizations, including major Ontario labour unions. None of the organizations involved thought to have someone record the press conference. Instead, the CFS uploaded the CP24 coverage of the press conference to YouTube (uploaded on June 14, 2012, the video has received 35 views as of October 15, 2012). If you're like most students, not paying attention to the news media during the summer months, you would likely have no idea that this press conference ever occurred.

Another group, the Ontario Student Mobilisation Coalition, was created and was initially very active both online through the use of social media (Facebook, Twitter & Vimeo) and its website and in organizing events and protests. Initially, the group even went as far as posting its meeting minutes online. However, it should noted that, as time passed, that practice was discontinued. Also, the organization's Facebook group, which was initially an open group (meaning anyone interested in getting involved could freely join), has since become a closed group which limits any new members from freely joining without first having their request to join approved by any of the group's administrators or have a friend (who is already a member of the group) invite them to join.

From July 27-29, 2012, the U of T Graduate Students' Union hosted what was dubbed the "Ontario Student Strike Training Camp". Even less of what happened during this gathering is known, unless of course you yourself attended or know someone who did. If you weren't there, you wouldn't know what was discussed in the various workshops. Therefore, no transmission of information is possible for those who aren't already intimately involved in the so-called "student movement".

Most recently, the CFS-Ontario organized the Ontario Activist Assembly which took place on October 12th and 13th at the University of Toronto. The last CFS-Ontario activist assembly was organized in 2008 (back when the Drop Fees campaign attracted a much larger number of students to CFS Day of Action protests; Even I participated in all the hype!). An article about the gathering appeared in the October 15th issue of The Varsity. According to the article, this event attracted over 450 university and college students from across the province. This activist assembly was fully subsidized by the CFS-Ontario (travel, food, accommodations, etc.) which means membership fees paid by each and every individual student who attends a CFS-affiliated college or university in Ontario. One particular sentence from the article cited above jumped out at me when I read it: "Campus media outlets were not permitted to attend the sessions. 'We ask media not to be recording the sessions or taking notes, simply because we wanted to create space where everyone felt comfortable participating fully, where people can say whatever they wanted without fear of seeing something in the newspaper that they didn't want recorded,' explained (CFS-Ontario Chairperson Sarah Jayne) King." Nothing from the event was live-streamed: none of the keynote speakers' speeches, none of the workshops, none of the events. None of the knowledge transferred during this two-day gathering could be transferred to any interested students if they were not able to be present for whatever reason. One comment posted on the Activist Assembly's Facebook event page read: "How many of my public dollars were spent getting everyone to this event (Free Food Accommodations, and travel). Since most students paid into this (given we are members of the CFS...) I expect a full summary of events." I don't think anybody should hold their breath... 

I bring up these various... I'll call them "barriers" to participation in the student movement, that appear to have been erected by certain student activists or groups (purposefully or not), for one simple reason. They ensure the failure of any kind of "Maple Spring" in the province of Ontario.

Since the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) has been lobbied by some of its members to take on a major organizing/financial role in hopes of realizing this "Maple Spring", the organization cannot escape scrutiny and/or criticism as former CFS-Ontario communications and government relations coordinator and long-time student activist Nora Loreto might have you believe. In a blog post entitled Ontario's fractured student movement: the wheat from the scabs, she argues that some student organizations in Ontario such as the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), the College Student Alliance (CSA) and, in a subsequent post, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) should be blamed for the weakness of the Ontario student movement. Miss Loreto freely criticizes these organizations, fairly or otherwise, and leaves the reader thinking that the CFS is the victim of the other student organizations' vicious bile and profound hatred. However, Loreto's above mentioned posts deserve their own, standalone post and I will thus not address them here. 

Since I first became involved in student politics, there are two things that I have never understood about the largest student organization in the country which claims to represent the English Canadian students: secrecy and exclusivity. Above, I have addressed the perception of exclusivity within the English Canadian student movement.  Let me now deal with the perceived secrecy surrounding the way the CFS functions.

Secrecy or lack of communication?

If your student union (SU) or student association (SA) is a member of the Canadian Federation of Students, you should know that the CFS/CFS-Ontario made generous donations to an "independent" legal defense fund which uses these funds to provide legal representation to people who have been arrested or fined during the Québec student uprising. I will not comment on the wisdom of the $30,000 donation made by the CFS and the $3,000 donation made by the CFS-Ontario. However, what I will say is that official information (from the CFS) pertaining to the simple fact that this donation was made is scarce. Only a few blogs/newspaper articles have made allusion to the donation.

The exact wording of the CFS motion, as passed by the general assembly, is as follows (according to another blog):

Be it resolved that efforts by Québec students to maintain an affordable, accessible post-secondary education system be supported including with in-kind and financial support; and

Be it further resolved that a donation of $30,000 be made to the Fonds Légal Indépendant en Soutien à la Grève au Québec to assist students and student unions in Québec with legal costs incurred during the strike against tuition fee hikes; and

Be it further resolved that member locals be encouraged to offer in-kind and financial support to the strike efforts in Québec." 

Why couldn't the CFS inform its individual members about this? And when I refer to individual members, I mean the students that make up the CFS's membership; the students who weren't present at the CFS's annual general meeting (May 30-June 3, 2012 in Gatineau, Québec) and who may not even know what the CFS is.

Aside from the information pertaining to this $33,000 donation, let me bring up another similar issue: the non-availability of CFS/CFS-O general meeting minutes, documents, budgets, audits, national/provincial executive meeting minutes online for its individual members.  The CFS website is a nightmare to navigate. You can find the CFS' Bylaws, its operation policy, its post-secondary education and its standing resolutions. This is the absolute minimum that one could reasonably expect to be freely accessible online to an organization's membership. But, one persistent criticism that I have brought up on many occasions is the fact that the CFS does not make its important documents freely available ONLINE. However, one provincial component of the CFS, the CFS-British Columbia (CFS-BC) is an exception to this rule. The CFS-BC's website contains its executive committee's report, its budget, its audit, its policies and, finally, its resolutions. This, in my opinion, is a good start and should be used as a model by both the CFS and its provincial components. However, more transparency and most importantly, more accessibility have never really appeared to be important principles for those at the top of the CFS's hierarchy. 

Strategic Mandate Agreement Proposals Submitted to the MTCU

Back in June, the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities released a discussion paper entitled Strengthening Ontario's Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge (aussi disponible en Français, Renforcer les centres de créativité, d'innovation et de savoir en Ontario). This discussion paper set in motion a consultative process of Ontario's post-secondary education stakeholders which lasted throughout the summer and ended at the end of September. Further to the release of this document, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Mr. Glen Murray, sent a letter to Ontario college and university administrations requesting that each institution prepare a Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) proposal (maximum of eight (8) pages) and submit it to the MTCU no later than September 30, 2012. I have thus compiled most of the SMAs and have provided links to each of them below:

Ontario Colleges
Algonquin College
Collège Boréal (en Français seulement)
Cambrian College
Canadore College
Centennial College
Conestoga College
Confederation College
Durham College
Fanshawe College
Fleming College
George Brown College
Georgian College
Humber College
La Cité Collégiale - English - French
Lambton College
Loyalist College
Mohawk College
Niagara College
Norther College
Sault College
St. Clair College (no SMA submitted as of October 17, 2012)
St. Lawrence College
Seneca College
Sheridan College

Ontario Universities
Algoma University
Brock University
Carleton University
University of Guelph
Université de Hearst (en Français seulement)
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Ontario College of Arts & Design University
University of Ottawa - English - French
Queen's University
Ryerson University
University of Toronto
Trent University
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Waterloo
Western University (formerly University of Western Ontario)
Wilfrid Laurier University
University of Windsor
York University

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois : Un militant de longue date

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois à la Place du Canada - 22 mars 2012 - Source: Elias Touil Photography 

Cet article est apparu, à l'origine, sur le site studentunion.ca le 11 août, 2012.

Jeudi 9 août 2012, une lettre est apparue dans le journal québécois quotidien Le Devoir, rédigée par co-porte-parole de la CLASSE (Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante) Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. Intitulé Pourquoi je démissionne, M. Nadeau-Dubois annonce ses intentions de quitter son poste de co-porte-parole de la CLASSE. Vous pouvez aussi trouver une copie de la lettre ici. Voici donc la ligne de temps (non exhaustif, bien sûr) de l’implication de M. Nadeau-Dubois au sein du mouvement étudiant québécois.

Un militant de longue date

M. Nadeau-Dubois a débuté ses études postsecondaires au CÉGEP du Bois-de-Boulogne en septembre 2007. Dès le début, il a milité au sein de l’Association générale étudiante du Cégep de Bois-de-Boulogne (AGEBdB). Il a participé activement au journal étudiant de Bois-de-Boulogne, l’Infomane. Par la suite, il est devenu le coordinateur aux affaires externes au sein de l’exécutif de l’AGEBdB. De plus, Gabriel s’est impliqué au sein du comité de mobilisation ainsi que d’avoir prit part à la création d’un journal étudiant progressiste, l’Antigone. Aussi, durant l’automne 2007, il commence à s’impliquer au sein de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ).

Par la suite, en 2009, M. Nadeau-Dubois s’inscrit à l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) en vue d’obtenir un baccalauréat en histoire. Le jeune militant semble avoir participé à son premier Congrès de l’ASSÉ, tenu à l’Université Laval, en février 2009. Lors du Congrès annuel de l’ASSÉ, qui a eu lieu au Collège de Maisonneuve les 24, 25 & 26 avril 2009, Gabriel se présente au Comité journal et y est élu. Il s’implique donc dans la production du journal de l’ASSÉ, l’Ultimatum en composant et révisant desarticles et en contribuant des photos en tant que photographe. Une fois arrivé à l’UQAM en septembre 2009, il devient membre de l’Association facultaire étudiante des sciences humains de l’UQÀM (l’AFESH-UQAM).

Porte-parole de l’ASSÉ

Lors du Congrès annuel de l’ASSÉ, qui a eu lieu au CÉGEP St-Laurent les 8 et 9 mai 2010, le jeune militant présente sa candidature au poste de Secrétaire aux communications de l’ASSÉ; il est élu à majorité. Un an plus tard, lors du Congrès annuel de l’ASSÉ, qui a eu lieu au Centre St-Pierre (Montréal, QC) les 23 et 24 avril 2011, il est réélu pour une deuxième fois au post de Secrétaire aux communications de l’ASSÉavec une plus grande majorité que l’année précédente (9 en faveur, 1 contre, 0 abstention).

Les 29 et 30 octobre 2011, le Congrès de l’ASSÉ (Collège de Maisonneuve), que Gabriel se présente pour le poste de porte-parole de l’ASSÉ. L’autre candidate pour le même poste, Mlle Camille Robert, a aussi présenté sa candidature. D’une part, M. Nadeau-Dubois est élu facilement ayant reçu l’appui unanime de l’assemblée. Par contre, Mlle Robert reçoit trop d’abstentions et sa candidature est donc automatiquement mise-en-dépôt.

La création de la CLASSE

La Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE) est fondée lors du Congrès de l’ASSÉ, les 3 et 4 décembre 2011, au Collège Valleyfield. C’est n’est que lors du Congrès de la CLASSE, qui a eu lieu à l’Université Laval le 22 janvier 2012, que Mlle Jeanne Reynolds devient la co-porte-parole de la CLASSE et rejoins Gabriel au sein du comité médias. Enfin, le 3 juin 2012, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois a déposé sa candidature pour une dernière fois pour le poste qu’il détient depuis plus de 2 ans durant le Congrès de la CLASSE au Collège de Valleyfield. Mlle Reynolds et Mlle Camille Robert ont aussi déposé leurs candidatures afin de rejoindre M. Nadeau-Dubois en tant que co-porte-parole. Même si le procès-verbal du Congrès de la CLASSE ne l’indique pas, l’assemblée a voté en faveur des trois candidatures.

Le départ d’un porte-parole influent

Les chuchotements de la démission de Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois ont commencé à circuler au petit matin le 9 août 2012. La lettre Pourquoi je démissionne, citée ci-haut, est venue confirmer la rumeur. Le jeune militant a pourtant déclaré qu’il n’abandonnerai pas le mouvement étudiant.

Vous pouvez suivre l’auteur de cet article sur Twitter : @climbrandon

The Québec Student Strike and The "Maple Spread" phenomenon

The Ontario Students Mobilisation Coalition (OSMC) logo -  http://osmc.ca/

The current Québec student strike (or rather a student boycott, legally speaking) had been fermenting since March 30, 2010. On this day, Québec's minister of finance, Raymond Bachand, introduced the province's 2010-2011 budget. In his budget speech, Mr. Bachand said:

Our universities play a more crucial role than ever in our economic, social and cultural development. Québec has recognized this by ending the freeze on tuition fees that had been in place for more than ten years and, in particular, by reinvesting massively in our network of universities. From 2003-2004 to 2009-2010, university transfer expenditures rose an average of 5.9% a year–as rapidly as those for health. Of all the Canadian provinces, the Québec government is the one that funds its universities the most. Taking into account the growth forecast for 2010-2011, the government’s annual contribution to university funding has climbed by $1 billion since 2003. But more must be done. Our universities must compare favourably with the world’s best institutions. To fully play their role, they must have the necessary resources. To that end, I am announcing that our government will raise tuition fees as of fall 2012 (Bachand budget speech, March 30, 2010, p. 24)

Personally, I have been intrigued by the massive movement that has come together to oppose the Québec government's decision to increase the province's tuition fees by $1778 spread out over a 7 year period or an increase of 82% (originally, the tuition fee increase was $1625 spread out over a 5 year year period or an increase of 75%). Student activists from coast to coast have watched in amazement as Québec students gathered in their respective faculty association general assemblies and held the first strike votes in mid-February 2012. These general assemblies are a form of participatory democracy which occur on a regular basis on university and cégep (college specific to the province of Québec) campuses throughout Québec. The following videos are only a few examples of what such general assemblies look like:

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois à l'assemblée générale extraordinaire du Cégep Édouard-Montpetit - 17 avril 2012 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyGP3FdE27w

Assemblée Générale au Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu - 8 mars 2012 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYeGuNwvWQ4

Cégep Bois-de-Boulogne en Grève Générale Illimitée! - 26 mars 2012 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5QmpEoE0wU

In the third video (Cégep Bois-de-Boulogne), you can see that the gymnasium is pretty packed. Students gathered to vote on whether or not the next general assembly to extend the strike should be held ONLY once the minister of education and the student associations negotiated a deal. The reason behind such a vote is as follows: If students were to vote against the above proposition, the student association would continue to hold general assemblies to extend the strike mandate on a much more regular basis (some SAs held a general assembly every 7 days). After having voted by what appears to have been a secret ballot, the chair of the general assembly announced the results: 917 in favour (64%), 464 against (33%) and 36 abstentions (3%). Thus, following an offer, made by the minister of education Lynne Beauchamps on April 5, 2012, a general assembly was convened by the executive of l'Association générale des étudiants de Bois-de-Boulogne and convened on April 12, 2012.

Ontario activists lend their voices in solidarity with strike Quebec students

Now, after this long-winded introduction on the Québec student strike, let me get to the topic of this post: students organizing outside of Québec, in "solidarity" with the striking québécois students. This section will focus on events that have occurred in Ontario. However, numerous actions have taken place in other areas across Canada and as far as the France, the United States and in Chili.

Let's start with Occupy Toronto activists whom, during a May 21, 2012 general assembly held at Cloud Garden, heard from "Laura", a student activist from Québec. The outcome of this meeting led to one of the first actions undertaken in Ontario which was a protest held in Toronto, Ontario on May 22, 2012. This protest was held in conjunction with the massive student protest held in Montreal to commemorate the 100th day of the student strike. Approximately 300 people showed up to this first solidarity protest.

A call for support from 4 Québec student activists (Max Silverman, Andrée Bourbeau, Émilie Breton-Côté and Émilie Charette), all member of the Coalition large de l'Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE), was published on May 22, 2012.

Ontario Activists Form the Ontario Student Mobilization Coalition

On May 24, 2012, a group of student activists, labour union reps and community organizers gathered at Ryerson University and formed the Ontario Student Solidarity Network (OSSN). Those present agreed to the following statement of principles:

1. We stand in solidarity with Québec students.

2. We will fight to defend affordable, accessible and free public education.

3. We oppose the oppressive Bill 78 of Quebec, other municipal laws and police actions.

4. We understand that our struggle is linked with a broader agenda of austerity and oppose this broad agenda. 

From left to right: Benoit Dupuis (Ontario Public Service Employees Union), Sandy Hudson (chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario) and Xavier Lafrance (former spokesperson for l'Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante)

A press conference was held in Toronto on May 25, 2012 which announced the creation of the new group. Present at the press conference: Sandy Hudson, the chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, Xavier Lafrance, a former spokesperson for the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ) and current PhD student at York University and Benoit Dupuis, an Ontario Public Service Employees Union representative.

On May 25, 2012, Here and Now Toronto's Laura Di Battista spoke with Nora Loreto, the former communications and government relations coordinator for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, about the Québec student strike and how students in Ontario might "import"  the strike movement into the province with the highest tuition fees in Canada. You can listen to that interview below:

Another student group has also been created: The Ontario Student Mobilisation Coalition (OSMC). Student activists coined the term "Maple spread" (on Twitter, #maplespread) to describe the phenomenon of "spreading" the Québec student strike to Ontario. The OSMC defines #maplespread as follows:

Maple Spread: awareness spreading across the nation. Knowledge and outrage spreading through our minds, inspiration spreading through our hearts. Rallies, coalitions, demands, all spreading across the Quebec border.

The OSMC's website states:

Through groups such as the OSMC, we hope to spread the word that all Canadians are concerned about the future of our education. #MapleSpread, or the Maple Spring movement, is about demonstrating solidarity with a free education movement. (On twitter at @OntarioSMC or with #maplespread and on facebook at the Ontario Students Mobilization Coalition)

The organization's "living goals" are:

1. Free postsecondary education 

2. Decolonize education 

3. Work to see student unions recognized under the Labour Law like in Quebec, rather than the Corporations Act; this is to secure our legal right to strike through general assembly

Finally, the organization's call to action can be found here.

Actions Elsewhere in Ontario

Closer to home, students at the University of Ottawa barricaded Alan Rock's office on May 24, 2012. In a press release, Nicole Desnoyers, the organizer of the occupation, denounces the University of Ottawa's Board of Governors for having approved a 5% tuition increase during its April 2, 2012 meeting.

The so-called "Casseroles" protests first began in Ontario on May 25, 2012. One of Ottawa's first 'casseroles' protest occurred on May 29, 2012.

London, Ontario also got in on the Casseroles action on May 29, 2012:

This led to what was dubbed "Casserole Night in Canada" on May 30, 2012 which has become a recurring event in big cities as well as smaller towns and villages across the country.

The next major protest, organized by the OSMC, occurred on June 5, 2012 with George Brown College as its starting point.

Mobilize to Take Back our Education, Toronto, Ontario - June 5, 2012 - Photo credit: Anna Crooke

Many events happened on June 22, 2012, once again, in conjunction with the monthly protests in Québec. The following list of events is obviously not exhaustive.

Casseroles
- St-Thomas, Ontario
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Brantford, Ontario
- Kapuskasing, Ontario
- Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
- London, Ontario

You can see more events by checking out this special 'Casseroles' Google Maps!

The OSMC organized an event dubbed La Masquerade Solidarité on June 22, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario.

Rally during La Masquerade Solidarité - Toronto, ON - June 22, 2012 - Photo credit: Jessa McLean

As has been the tradition on the 22nd day of each month, July 22, 2012 was filled with protests. CLASSE organized the protests in Québec and dubbed it Dehors les Néolibéraux!

In the nation's capital, the Munch and March: Support Free Education took place at Confederation Park.

Since this post has become quite long, I will simply make mention, for the time being, of the Ontario Student Solidarity Tour. The speaking tour included an appearance by the co-spokesperson of  la CLASSE, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, on the first stop of the tour at the University of Ottawa. Other student activists included: Jérémie Bédard-Wien, an executive member of la CLASSE, Hugo Bonin, an activist with la CLASSE, Marianne Breton Fontaine, editor of the Québec Young Communist League's newspaper Jeunesse Militante and Audrey Deveault, the Chairperson of the Dawson Student Union. Sarah Jayne King, the chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario was also present to moderate the discussions. The tour was sponsored by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, Jeunesse Militante and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. To find out more about tour, visit www.solidaritytour.tumblr.com. 

Finally, during the weekend of July 28 & 29, 2012, the University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union (UTGSU) hosted the Ontario Student Strike Training Camp. Pictures of the weekend events can be found here. 

It goes without saying that Ontario and Québec are completely different in so many ways. Knowing what you now know about what has been going on in Ontario in terms of "importing" or "spreading" the Quebec student strike into this province, what do you think? Are Ontario student organizers too optimistic in attempting to organize a student strike as soon as this fall (September 2012)? What are the chances that a widespread student strike ever occurs in Ontario...? in any other Canadian province/territory...? I look forward to hearing what your thoughts are on this issue! Don't be shy! Les commentaires en Français sont aussi encouragés!

Assez avec les comparaisons aberrantes!?!

Écoutez! Il y a quand même des maudites de limites!? Les gens dans les photos ci-dessous devraient tous et toutes avoir honte. Certaines personnes tentent de défendre l'utilisation du "Hitler salute" ou le "Nazi salute" en disant que c'est simplement pour se moquer de la Service de police et des tactiques dites oppressives des policiers. Oui, il est vrai qu'il y a eu plusieurs, plusieurs, plusieurs actes discutables de la part de certains policiers. Souvent, des journalistes ont été détenus arbitrairement même si leurs cartes de presse étaient clairement affichées.

Source: The Gazette - Jewish groups decry Nazi salutes at Quebec student protests; Photo credits: Steeve Duguay, Agence France Presse

Source: Canadian Press - Huffington Post - Quebec Student Federation Says Sorry For Nazi Salutes; Photo credits: Peter McCabe, Canadian Press

Photo credits: Steeve Duguay - Agence France Presse 

Source: Montreal Gazette - A myopic and dangerous world view; Photo credit: Vincenzo D'Alto, Montreal Gazette

Photo credits: Benoît Liard - © Tous droits réservés

Source: CTV Montreal - Nazi salute apology falls short

Source: Robin Edgar - Striking Quebec Students Taunt SPVM Riot Police With Nazi Salute

Un autre vidéo, cette fois-ci de la part de la Presse canadienne, se trouve ici. Frank Dimant, le Directeur général de l'organisation B'Nai Brith Canada, une organisation qui milite pour les personnes juives, condamne l'utilisation par certains manifestants du symbole du Nazisme lors des manifestations étudiantes : "...to equate the actions of police in Montreal to Nazis is totally inappropriate." Il continue : "It trivializes the whole Holocaust experience and the pain that the people who are survivors of the Holocaust. When they hear the usage of phrases 'this is a Nazi', 'this is like a Nazi', well, thank God there is nothing in this country that is like Nazism or Nazis."

Bon, il est important de constater que Martine Desjardins, présidente de la Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ) s'est excusé directement à M. Dimant par téléphone. La Coalition large de l'Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE) a aussi condamné l'utilisation du symbole du Nazisme via le compte Twitter de l'organisation. 

Nous avons tous vu comment l'opinion publique au Québec peut fluctuer de façon importante quant au conflit étudiant. De tels gestes sont insensés et n'ont aucune place non seulement au sein du mouvement étudiant, mais nulle part, point final. 

Je vous invite à commenter ci-dessous!