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Petition demands Quebec drop plans to hike university tuition fees
Global News
At Quebec's National Assembly Tuesday, Liberal education critic Marwah Rizqy presented a petition on behalf of students that gathered 33,342 signatures.
At Quebec’s National Assembly Tuesday, Liberal education critic Marwah Rizqy presented a petition on behalf of students, asking the government to cancel its plan to double tuition hikes for out-of-province students.
The petition referenced 33,342 signatories who claim the tuition hikes are arbitrary and elitist.
Students representing Bishop’s University, Université Laval and Polytechnique Montréal drove for hours to Quebec City to deliver the document.
“(This petition) sends a message that this will not be ignored regardless of today’s outcome,” said Sophia Stacey, president of Bishop’s University Student Union.
Quebec’s English universities have all expressed concern about the devastating impacts the measure is already having.
Officials fear it will deter students from other provinces from enrolling in Quebec universities as some will no longer be able to afford the increased fees that are set to jump from $9,000 to $17,000 next fall.
The impact of the measures is expected to hit Quebec’s three English universities hardest as they have far more out-of-province students compared with the French institutions.
Concordia University announced it has to cut nearly eight per cent of its budget.