All out for Student Actions!

YCL-LJC student activists call for all-out mobilization for accessible education: 
Build the CFS February 1^st Day of Action and the Quebec student strike!

The Young Communist League of Canada held a special colloquium discussion recently about struggles in the student movement Montréal, Quebec. About thirty students and student activists participated in the meeting, including guests from Montréal student unions, a cross-Canada student organization, as well as activists with the ASSÉ and the Occupy movement. Reports were heard from campuses in Nova Scotia and across south, eastern and central Ontario.

Some highlights of the discussion:

Urgency, struggle and cooperation

Tuition fees and record student debt are increasing at dangerous record levels across Canada and Québec, further eroding the fundamental right to education and demanding broad, powerful student action in response. Despite the economic crisis, a militant, united and coordinated struggle across the country by students and their allies can win;

Help needed for Feb 1st

Students across English-speaking Canada will hold major demonstrations on February 1^st and this is a vital occasion of all friends and members of the YCL-LJC to join in the actions of the students (see attached information sheet);

Quebec student strike, all-Canada student unity

Quebec students are mobilizing for a substantial confrontation with the Charest Liberal government for accessible education with a national student strike being organized in March.  The conference also looked at need to link the struggles of Quebec students and those in English-speaking Canada, the fundamental problems presented by the current Canadian constitution in regards to post-secondary education and the sovereignty and self-determination of nations and ideas like the Post-Secondary Education Act;

Building the YCL helps build`s the movement

The conference discussed and debated the importance of the building YCL clubs on campuses to help strengthen the left forces among students. The YCL has to help the students find ways to draw-in more forces and build the struggle, never forgetting that it is part of the revolutionary process, for social transformation and socialism.

The conference also heard international reports including about the magnificent struggle of the students in Chile in last year. The YCL sent it`s solidarity to the Chilean students and Chilean student leader Camila Vallejo, member of the Young Communist`s of Chile. The conference event was hosted by the Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Quebec at the Association des travailleurs grecs and also received greetings from the Communist Party of Quebec, the Greek Worker`s Association, and a veteran activist of the historic Association Nationale des Étudiants et Étudiantes du Québec.

Mobilize for February 1^st!
Statement by the Canadian Federation of Students

The fight for public education in Canada is part of a global effort to maintain education as a basic right for all. Around the world, governments are tabling “austerity” budgets containing massive cuts to post-secondary education and other public services.

The Education is a Right campaign is the manifestation of students’ collective vision for a well-funded, high-quality, public post-secondary education system that builds a fair, and equitable society.

As part of the Education is a Right campaign students are organizing a National Student Day of Action on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

If you are interested in participating in the Day of Action, you can do one (or all!) of the following:

-          participate in a rally / march / action in your region

-          send letters to the editor or write blog posts about why accessible education is important

-          seek endorsements from any groups you know or are a part of.

Be sure to check the www.educationisaright.ca website very often for template motions, new materials and news on what is happening across the country.