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There’s a new cartoon up at Cartoon Movement, this one by Ted Rall exploring this summer’s student protests in Quebec over tuition hikes, a well-organized protest despite a recent bill outlawing large protests.
“A stone’s throw from the U.S. is one of the biggest unreported stories around, a militant protest movement that has allied college students, the unemployed, labor, anarchists, advocates of Quebecois independence and others disenchanted with the provincial government in particular and capitalism in general,” said Rall in a statement. “I appreciate the chance that Cartoon Movement gives me and other cartoonists to raise awareness of news that most outlets refuse to touch.”
As usual Cartoon Movement continues to offer some of the most cogent and timely cartooning on the web.
Even with the increase, Quebecers still pay some of the lowest tution rates in the country. This isn’t a “revolution”, it’s spoiled children who don’t work, but feel entitled to get something for nothing.
I see a group of people who, without personal fortunes to buy political clout and access, have found a way to make their voice heard.
Whether their policy preferences are right are wrong can only be seen in hindsight. They’ve decided to take advantage of a LEGAL, active way of influencing political decisions made on their behalf.
They’d rather not have a politician just pat them on the head and tell them “This is what’s best for you.”
i say go for it quebec. either it will work, and it is possible to get ‘free’ quality higher education, and other places will copy the methods, or it will fail and it will be someone else’s mess to deal with.
either way, win win for us muricans.
Except it hasn’t all been LEGAL. Groups of protesters harrassing & assaulting passersby and tourists to get attention. Denying access to university buildings to students who don’t want to protest. And let’s not forget about the idiots who set off smoke bombs in the subway during rush hour. Rall is only presenting one side of the story. The truth is the student unions walked away from the negotiation table and encourged people to resort to goon tactics, all the while putting on a Poor-little-student vs Big-bad-goverment face for the media. THEY are the ones who resorted to violence when all they had to do was wait a couple of months for the provincial elections.
Lowest tuition fees in the country. Yet they complain. Yeesh.
“Lowest tuition fees in the country. Yet they complain. Yeesh.”
The logic in that statement is…absent. Just because tuition is lower in Quebec, students shouldn’t accept a hike. Ontario students can quietly accept increasing tuition if they’d prefer, but don’t put down those who are willing to stand up.
@Dave: Sure, why shouldn’t Quebec students protest? Their tuition just rose 10%. Why am I not too sympathetic? My taxes support them.
According to Stats Canada, they pay $2774 per year. That’s VERY low, as we see:
Average 2012 Canadian University tuition: $5581. Highest tuition: Ontario, the province bordering Quebec: $7180.
Averages in the USA: Private Institution University tuition: $18,000 to $35,000
State institution Universities: $12,000 to $25,000 per year.
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