Local Briefs

Vive la resistance
A declaration of solidarity with striking Quebec students has been issued from an unlikely ally. Five student associations from France and Belgium sent out a press release last week explaining that they have been following the movement in Quebec and agree with students’ actions thus far. “Social change does not happen in parliament, but in the streets,” indicates the release. With more than 100,000 students on strike in Quebec, most of them francophone, it’s not surprising that the movement has gotten attention internationally. Whether or not public support for students will force the government to change their position is anyone’s guess.

Girl power!
Professors and students from Concordia’s Simone de Beauvoir Institute joined forces March 8 in sending an open letter to Education Minister Line Beauchamp, inviting her or one of her representatives to participate in an open exchange concerning the effect of tuition hikes on Quebec women. The letter was prompted in part by International Women’s Day and the ongoing debate about accessible education. The letter’s co-author, Gabrielle Bouchard, is involved with the Women’s Studies Students’ Association, which has been on strike since March 2.

McGillLeaks wiped clean
The McGill Daily was threatened with legal action last week from the university administration due to an article that published the website of a group called McGillLeaks. A shout-out to the similarly named WikiLeaks, the site was created to publish confidential documents and protect anonymity of sources. The documents posted online relate to internal fundraising strategies of the university and have since been removed from the website. The site is still up, despite the content being removed, and it remains to be seen what the group has in store for McGill in the coming weeks.

Better late than never
McGill arts undergraduate students will be taking a vote March 13 to decide whether or not to join over 100,000 of their peers throughout Quebec on strike. McGill’s Post-Graduate Students’ Society already voted to accept a three-day strike, which will begin March 20. Undergraduate students have yet to take a stance on a general strike, but that will change with Tuesday’s results. The Students’ Society of McGill University has already pledged to help students who will be severely affected financially by an unlimited strike through its strike solidarity fund.

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