Dawson College students vote in favour of one-day strike in solidarity with Gaza

Students at Dawson College voted in favour of a one-day strike in support of Gaza. 

Following Thursday's vote, which was 447 for and 247 against, there will be a picket line outside the CEGEP on Nov. 21.

"The Canadian government is still complicit with the genocide, they still have weapons contracts with Israel. So, it's important for us to continue to stand in solidarity with oppressed people, and especially the students in Gaza who haven't been able to go to school since Oct. 7," said one student who requested that their name not be published.

For students who voted in favour of the strike, it's a way to voice their opposition to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

"The strike is our only way to have a voice into this big problem that is happening, like, far from here on the other side of the ocean. But it still affects every one of us every day," said student Rhali Bitar.

Taha Zourhlal, another student, said: "We know that there's issues and we know that we want to show it in Dawson. So, I feel like that's one of the attempts, but it's also a really good way for us to just have an activity to help us advocate for something that is good."

But the Jewish Students Association at Dawson takes issue with the wording of the question on the ballot and campaigned against the strike.

"The vote is a student strike and repression stand in solidarity with students who are repressed and the genocide in Gaza. We don't believe that there is a genocide in Gaza, plain and simple," said the association's Allan Hoffman.

Others argue the strike could cut into classroom time in the final weeks before exam period.

"There's a lot of tension on campus. I'll say that when it comes down to it, I think that my education should not be compromised by this situation," said student Asher Wolfensohn.

"I don't really know what changes will be made in the long run because of this vote. I think they're cancelling a class for a day, and who knows what could happen in the future," said Arielle Gelerman.

People on both sides of the debate say they've felt intimidated on campus since Oct. 7th and expressed that their voices aren't being taken seriously.

CTV News reached out to both the student union and the college itself but did not receive a response before publication time.