Since February, students across Quebec have been on strike against a 75% tuition hikes. These students have maintained picket lines, disrupted classes, blocked bridges, and continually taken the streets in fierce resistance to the neoliberal agenda of the Charest Liberal government.
Police officers facing piquet lines in Quebec
In May, the government passed the repressive and draconian Bill 78 (the "special law" or “law 12”), aiming to legislate striking students back to class in August and to criminalize dissent through the imposition of huge fines on individuals and associations seeking to continue the strike. The creation of this law has heralded an explosion of popular resistance of workers, students, and citizens alike, through street demonstrations, direct neighbourhood-based democracy, and other initiatives.
As workers, students, and citizens, we have come together to broaden the struggle into a social strike against neoliberal capitalism; to bring the fight beyond the universities and CÉGEPs and into our workplaces and neighbourhoods. But there can be no social strike without the student strike, and with the government-mandated return to class looming, we need your support! Throughout the week of August 13-17, striking Cégeps will be forced back to class by the Charest government, despite continued strike mandates voted by democratic student associations.
We know that capitalist austerity touches all of you in your own contexts, as governments the world over seek to whitewash their corruption and greed through the false rhetoric of cutbacks and privatization. We honour your local resistance but also seek your support as comrades in the struggle. The week of August 13-17 in the Montreal-area (where most of the striking Cégeps are located) is a crucial moment for the student strike. Either the strike will be crushed by Charest's "special law", or the strike will continue, with the support of individuals from all over Quebec, Ontario, the Maritimes and the USA converging onto Montreal between August 13-17.
Join us in the streets and on the picket lines at CÉGEPs throughout this week. Consult http://bloquonslarentree.com for more details about housing and other useful information for anyone considering coming to Montreal to re-inforce the student strike.
All out against the "special law"! Block the return to classes! Strike back against neoliberalism!
BACK TO CLASS MEANS BACK ON STRIKE !
Montreal – August-13th to 17th
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