The province’s political campaign dominated discussions at the convention for the Quebec Federation of University Students Saturday.
Quebec Solidaire spokesperson Françoise David addressed delegates as well as PQ candidate Pierre Duchesne. According FEUQ, the Liberal Party and the Coalition Avenir Quebec refused to send a representative.
FEUQ has already begun its efforts to encourage students to exercise their right to vote in the election on Sept. 4.
FEUQ President Martine Desjardins said that the turnout in the 2008 general election among youth aged 18 to 34 was barely 40 per cent. FEUQ said it hopes to see the opposite on the upcoming voting day.
The FEUQ’s conference focused on FEUQ’s priority on accessibility to education, but also on public finances, the environment and ethical issues.
The Federation of College Students (FECQ) also met in conference Saturday.
Meantime, students from CEGEP Saint-Laurent became the first CEGEP students to vote to continue their protest against rising tuition fees.
Along with students from Université du Québec à Montréal, Université de Montréal and Université de Sherbrooke, CEGEP St-Laurent students will not be returning to classes in the coming weeks, opting to vote again after the election.
Of 518 students taking place in Saturday’s vote, 261 votes to continue the protest, 243 voted against it, and 14 abstained. The decision is on the condition that 20,000 other students also vote to walk out.
In contrast, students from Université Laval in Quebec City and CEGEP Saint-Jerome, voted for an electoral truce, meaning another vote should take place after the election on Sept. 4.
Collège de Valleyfield and Cégep André-Laurendeau have decided to return to classes.
Six other colleges affiliated with student group CLASSE must vote on strike action next week: Édouard-Montpetit, Maisonneuve, Marie-Victorin and Vieux-Montréal Monday, Lionel-Groulx Tuesday and Bois-de-Boulogne Thursday. CEGEPs in Rosemont, Ahuntsic and St-Hyacinthe, all affiliated with the FECQ, will also vote Thursday.
