Quebec medical students strike at their own pace

About 2700 Quebec medical students joined a province-wide strike by 185 000 students protesting the province's decision to cut $103 million in bursaries and loans.

Figure. Medical students sit in at the Quebec legislature to protest government grant cuts. Photo by: Canapress

The action ended Apr. 2 when the province agreed to dedicate $482 million over 5 years to a bursary program, beginning in September 2006.

Cutting classes could have jeopardized the year for students at Quebec's 4 medical schools, but this was a risk some were willing to take. “We were on strike for 6 days,” says Xavier Huppé, president of the Regroupement des étudiants en médicine de l'Université de Laval. “The head of the faculty said we would be all right and that we could learn on our own for the time being,” However, there was soon a “significant divide” between students, forcing an end to the protest “as the majority no longer favoured being on strike.”

At the Université de Sherbrooke, 266 medical students voted in favour of a strike, yet only about 70 actually participated in the 48-hour action. “I don't know what happened,” medical student association president Fahamia Koudra said.

During the recent protests, Quebec Education Minister, Jean-Marc Fournier initially proposed an alternative financial assistance program to help the 35% poorest students at the end of their studies.