Dawson College to close Thursday after students hold strike in solidarity with Gaza
Dawson College will be closed on Thursday after students voted in favour of holding a one-day strike in solidarity with Gaza.
The college announced Tuesday that classes would be cancelled after receiving "numerous emails and calls from members of the community expressing concerns about the safety of students and employees on the day of the boycott," Academic Dean Leanne Bennett said in a memo to students.
"We recognize that recent events have raised tensions at the college. Our paramount concern is the safety and well-being of all our students and employees."
The college said it will revise the academic calendar so that all exams will take place as planned.
Last Thursday, students voted 447 for and 247 against the strike day, which one student said was a way to voice their opposition to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The Coalition de résistance pour l’unité étudiante syndicale (CRUES), a collective of student unions representing 35,000 members across Quebec, helped organize the student movement in Quebec. Similar strikes are also happening across North America.
According to their website, more than 20 student associations in and outside of its membership in Quebec have pledged to go on strike between Thursday and Friday, totalling more than 62,000 members. The Concordia Undergraduate Psychology Association (2,000 members), the General Students Association of Montmorency College (8,000 members), and the Students Arts Association at the Université du Québec à Montréal (3,400 members) are among the groups participating in the strike.
According to CRUES, the goal of the strike is to convince "institutions, corporations, the federal government, and the provincial government to sever all ties with Israel."
In an interview last week, Dawson student Rhali Bitar said, "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."
Dawson acknowledged Tuesday that tensions are high leading up to the strike and called on all students to report any instance of cyberbullying or harassment
"It is our collective responsibility to work together to create a learning environment where everyone feels safe, and intimidation and violence of any kind are not tolerated," Bennett's memo reads.
The Jewish Students Association at Dawson took issue with the wording of the question on the ballot and campaigned against the strike.
On Tuesday, two Jewish organizations — the Montreal-based Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) — released a joint statement condemning Dawson's decision to shut down and accused the college of giving in to demonstrators who want to "hijack" students' access to education.
"Students have the right to attend class, engage in free academic discourse, and pursue their educational passions," their statement said.
McGill University and Concordia University told CTV News they no plans to close down on the strike days.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that more than 43,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Israeli raids, according to local health officials. The killing erupted following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel that killed more than 1,200 people. About 100 people remain captive by Hamas, which Canada has designated a terrorist organization.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Shameful': Monument honouring fallen soldiers included names of living veterans
Veterans are asking for answers after discovering that two sculptures in Ontario honouring fallen soldiers include the names of many people who are very much alive.
Canada's air force took video of object shot down over Yukon, updated image released
The Canadian military has released more details and an updated image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023.
Invasive species could be hiding in your Christmas decor. Here's how to stop the spread
Make sure to look through your holiday decorations, as Christmas trees, wreaths, and other natural decor can have invasive insects, eggs, and plants that pose a threat to local ecosystems and the economy.
The mysterious, mathematical origins of the world's most unusually shaped national flag
It's a go-to question at bar trivia: what is the only national flag in the world that isn't rectangular or square shaped?
Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward
The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer likely left New York City on a bus soon after the brazen ambush that has shaken corporate America, police officials said. But he left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park.
Notre Dame reopens its doors to Macron and other world leaders in a rare symbol of unity
France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.
Not just for your parents: Facebook's buy-and-sell platform drawing back millennials
The two-metre-tall anchor, believed to be from a century-old shipwreck, was salvaged by a fisherman in the 1980s. But last year, the 31-year-old Stapleton, who works as a navigation officer on a cargo ship, snapped it up on Facebook Marketplace.
Northern Ontario man sentenced for killing his dog
WARNING: This article contains graphic details of animal abuse which may be upsetting to some readers. A 40-year-old northern Ontario man is avoiding prison after pleading guilty to killing his dog earlier this year.
'If it ain't broke don't fix it': U.S. ambassador warns Canada against cutting Mexico out of trilateral trade deal
Cutting Mexico out of the current North American free trade deal 'may not be the best path to take,' says U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen.