It was clear that my last article of the fall semester 2011-2012 would be on tuition fees, but maybe not about what I defended for more than one year. I often forget my own opinion to defend the opinion that is easy to defend, with the same reasoning that everybody else. Here, it is my own opinion. And, it is not because I didn't look at enough website defending the fact that the government should not increase the tuition fees, I perfectly know every single details of both side.
Am I for the increase of the tuition fees? No.
Am I against it? No.
Am I just totally disconnected about it? No.
A little summarize of the situation. Quebec government announced last spring an increase of the tuition fees, of 1625$ for 5 years, that is 325$ per year. According to the FEUQ, that is the "Fédération étudiante des Universités du Québec", more than 7 000 people would change their project and don't go to the university because of that increase. The goal of the government is to be closer to the Canadian average. We heard a lot about student protestations, particularly the November 10th, when more than 20 000 people did a demonstration in Montreal against the increase.
But, in fact, even students are more divided on the subject than what the federations want to tell us. In fact, a few association are for the increase, and on every campus, some students are for it. The fact is that we have 2 different sides on the subject: Some people from the for and the against group act for personal reasons: The against one think about their own studies, that they could not pay with the increase. The for one think about the fact that they can pay, and that they want the best education possible, and particularly that if there are 7 000 students less that now, it will be easier to be accepted in a limited program and to have good job after their studies. For the other, those one who think about the society stake, if they are for, it is while thinking about the economy, those who are against think about the Quebec without 7 000 doctors, scientists, engineers...
First, I am AGAINST the increase announced by the government. 1625$ is too much, it does not follow the actual increase of everything. But, if they would follow that, follow the normal increase, present a reasonable increase, I would have been for. If the government would try his best to help students without money to have an access to university despite the increase, I would maybe be for. With a better program of Loans & Bursaries, with a review of the University expenses, if it is a necessity to increase the tuition fees, I would not protest. Education is a right, well. But, we buy our food, and it is more than a right, it is a necessity, so why should a right be free?
Federations are prevaricated. They use our emotions to make us think that an increase will have real important impacts on the health services, that is currently a problem. Yes, the Quebec would lose 7 000 students, but not some future doctors, engineers or scientists. Why? Because we need them, so the Quebec will give them bursaries, loans, everything to keep them an access to these studies. And, in fact, if someone graduate and become a doctor, he won't have a problem to have a job and to pay his loans. The 7 000 students that we will lose would be art, music, maybe history students, because often those students do not know if they can have a job after their studies. Or, in the 7 000 students that we will lose, maybe we will lose those students that are only in University to party and who change their program choice every semester. Those students are just spending our money for nothing: They should pay more, or they should something with their life, god!
In Cegep, it costs 130$ for a semester. Some people will do 3 years of Cegep, so spend 780$, excluding books, to have a diploma, and get a job in which they will have salaries of 40 000$. This is not even the price for half of a semester in University, where students have 4 years to do, in addition to the 2 years that they did in Cegep before. And there are so much people who spend the money of the society for nothing in Cegep, who changes 4 times their mind, who stay in Cegep 6 years. Well, increasing those fees, just from 130$ to 400$, for example, would maybe help the society without always spit on the same people. It is just a question of fairness, in my mind.
I know my opinion won't be shared by a lot of people, but it is the way I think, and it won't change. The arguments, I know it all, I even defended them for more than one year, and not, I'm getting bored to always say the same stupid things. The November 10th, students of Rimouski went in the street of Montreal. Cool. No, it is not cool. I am the treasurer of the association, and that wonderful participation cost us 12 000$. 12 000$ that come directly from the students pocket. 200 students of the Cegep went in Montreal, so less than 1% of the people there. This is not the 200 students that were there who did a difference. But, doing a simple demonstration in Rimouski, where more people would have participated, and that would have cost us maximum 2 000$, would have been a better idea in my mind. And with the 10 000$, we should have help our students. I'm just saying.
To conclude, the strike. We had one day of strike this semester and the students were already divided on the question. A general strike is being prepared for the winter and I don't want to hear things as: I am against the increase, but I am also against a general strike, I don't want to end my semester in June ! Talking is not enough, MOVE. 
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