More than 2,000 students convened in downtown Montreal to protest the province’s austerity policies on Nov. 5, the largest turnout for a protest in months.
The student protesters were led by the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ), the largest student organization in Quebec which represents 80,000 students.
More than 20 different student groups, including those from McGill University and Concordia University, also participated in the rally.
A contingent of teachers from Fédération autonome de l’enseignement, which represents 34,000 teachers in the Montreal area, also marched.
Anti-austerity protesters are voicing their concerns over budget cuts to health care, education, and other public services. Students also voiced their concerns over Bombardier’s $1 billion bailout in the midst of cuts.
Over the last two weeks, teachers, healthcare workers, and civil servants have held rotating strikes to protest the cuts and stalled negotiations between public sector workers and the government.
“We need these protests to remind the government that these policies affect students in negative ways,” said Michel Sylvain, ASSÉ spokesperson. “If students don’t agree with anti-austerity rallies, then the students clearly don’t take [their] education seriously enough.”
According to Sylvain, ASSÉ has been holding protests for more than 10 years now. Its main intention is to show the government that students are concerned and invested in their education and to pressure the government into providing more policies that benefit both parties.
In 2012, the longest student strike in Quebec history was held from February to September. More than 200,000 people rallied in one day in March. The strike ended after a tuition fee was announced.
Sylvain said ASSÉ has no intention to stop protesting.
