Expect civil disobedience in Montreal in the next few days in response to the Charest government’s proposed Bill 78, a brutal crackdown on the student strike that has been going on our province for the last in 3 months defiance of proposed tuition hikes.
In support of the student strikers, Venus Radio would like to publish on our blog, the anti-racist, anti-colonial mandate of CLASSE, the most left-wing student union that is striking at this time.
“Whereas more than 300,000 students have been on strike in Quebec this spring, representing the largest student movement in Quebec’s history;
Whereas visible minority and Aboriginal peoples account for more than 10% of Quebec’s population ;
Whereas visible minority and Aboriginal students are positioned at a disadvantage in society due to ongoing systemic racis…m as well as historic and contemporary colonial practices, as evidenced by examples such as:
The earnings gap between Quebec Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals is more than 33 percentage points;
Individuals of Arabic ethnicity are more likely disadvantaged in the workplace, are less likely to be able to find gainful employment, and will have a lower annual income than the Canadian average;
Irrespective of age, education, language abilities, or occupation, Black women have lower total incomes than all other groups;
Whereas visible minority and Aboriginal students face discrimination in accessing university education, as well as marginalization within university environments;
Whereas visible minority and Aboriginal students are disproportionately affected by tuition hikes and student debt;
Whereas CLASSE represents and defends the interests of ALL students in Quebec;
Whereas CLASSE holds a public voice and decisive role in popular education at this critical moment in Quebec’s history;
BIRT CLASSE adopts an official position of anti-racism and anti-colonialism in education;
BIFRT CLASSE adopts anti-racist and anti-colonialist discourse in all communications, including but not limited to publications, media relations, speeches and congress proceedings.”
Sign a petition to block Bill 78 here.
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Venus Radio 