A new generation is bringing the red square back to the streets of Montreal. Ten years to the day after the launch of the 2012 student spring, around 2,000 demonstrators marched in good spirits on Tuesday to demand better access to education.
More than 80,000 CEGEP and university students went on strike in the hope of reviving the fervor of Maple Spring. The movement calls for free education, from primary to university.
The demonstrators met on Tuesday marched for a series of other causes: peace in Ukraine, Yemen or Palestine, social justice, decolonization, the fight against climate change and against homophobia, and many other fights. Others denounced the return of Jean Charest to the political scene, Queen Elizabeth II, neoliberalism and the rising cost of living.
It was sunny. At the start of the march, place du Canada, a smell of cannabis floated in the air. After two years of the pandemic, people were happy to walk side by side, to display their convictions. There were students, professors and ordinary citizens. Police officers on bicycles discreetly framed the crowd.
“It’s spring and this is my first demonstration: I want to say that we have to tax the ultra-rich to finance social programs, to invest in education”, says Pola Cormier, activist of a group of socialist students from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). She and her friends had a petition signed to tax the GAFAM (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft).
Romain Roche, a bachelor’s student in international studies, was moved: he was 11 years old at the time of Maple Spring. “It marked me and inspired me a lot. I feel like I’m reliving this important moment,” he said, holding up a poster reading “Charest outside, Legault outside”.
“End of the world, end of the month. Same culprits, same fight, ”displayed the students of the Cégep du Vieux Montréal.
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Former students who experienced the frenzy of spring 2012 came to relive these moments of great emotion. It was much quieter. Nothing to do with the adrenaline of a decade ago. “There are no buses ready to pick up the demonstrators arrested as in 2012,” remarked a regular at Printemps érable tensions.
“Young people need to go out to express themselves after two years of confinement. We came to support them, ”explains Martine Huot, literature professor at Cégep du Vieux Montréal.
She was holding a banner with her colleague Marie-Claire Barbeau-Sylvestre, philosophy professor, who had made a brand new red square to mark the 10th anniversary of Maple Spring. ” I’m keeping a very good memory of it. We can act collectively in our democracy,” she said.
For his part, Fernand Doutre brandished a poster “Father (and grandfather) for free education now”. “University may cost less than the Canadian average, but tuition fees are still a barrier to access to higher education. It is through education that we will build a fairer society,” he said.
Universities remain open despite strike-related disruptions. About 22,000 UQAM students were on strike Tuesday, said Jenny Desrochers, spokesperson for the establishment. That number will rise to approximately 36,000 students for the climate protest on Friday.
“UQAM remains open and its activities continue. The members of the teaching body must give their course if the normal teaching conditions are met, and the other members of the staff must offer their work according to the terms and schedule provided. Some courses are offered online according to the terms and conditions provided, ”she said.