Minister considers banning initiations in Quebec CEGEPs, universities

Quebec Minister for higher Education Pascale Dery responds to the Opposition during question period, Thursday, September 28, 2023 at the legislature in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry is considering banning initiations in CEGEPs and universities.

On Tuesday, she was reacting to Radio-Canada's revelations about the degrading initiations in the biology department of the Université de Sherbrooke last fall.

During a press scrum at the National Assembly, the minister confided that she had difficulty reading the article, which "made her blood run cold" because the behaviour described was so "unacceptable."

Initiations are clearly defined, but "now, obviously, these frameworks are not being respected," said Déry, who says she intends to discuss the matter with the establishments in the near future.

"Is it time to ban initiations? The question arises, but honestly, I'm not there yet. The question arises, there are pros and cons to it all, but the question arises, yes," she replied.

For now, Déry is satisfied with the measures the Université de Sherbrooke took, including launching an investigation. She expressed the hope that the organizers of the initiations would eventually be sanctioned.

Radio-Canada reported on Tuesday that students in the biology department of the Université de Sherbrooke had been doused with animal urine during initiations held at the end of August.

Other students were encouraged to strip naked in public or forced to eat vomit during these activities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 26, 2024.