QUEBEC STUDENT STRIKE UP-DATE

The student movement has been split over whether to accept the government’s offer of $70 million in bursaries for the next year and a restoration of the $103 million the following years. Two of the major student organizations, the FEUQ and FECQ voted in favor and the others, especially the more militant CASSEE, have rejected it. The later group has moved beyond the simple single issue to a direction that is critical of the present politico-economic system. As I write about 80,000 students or approximately 40% of the total remain committed to the strike.

Such a high level of militance continues to put great pressure on the neocon government and is a good measure of what is in store for the future. In spite of the more conservative student federation’s copping out of the strike, it should be kept in mind that this has been one of the few times a neocon government has been forced to back down in its attacks upon the people. The neocons will soon learn that “crime does not pay!”