Earlier this year, Quebec post-secondary institutions were at a standstill as students stepped out on strike against rising tuition fees.
That story will be told thousands of kilometres from its genesis next week when one of the student leaders in the protest begins a speaking tour in Prince George.
Eliane Laberge will share her experience with the student general strike at the College of New Caledonia Monday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. Laberge is president of the FECQ, the federation for the province's CEGEP students.
The FECQ was one of the federations that joined in the massive action that shut down post-secondary schools through the winter semester in opposition to the provincial government's plan to raise tuition fees by more than $1,600 over five years.
The newly elected Parti Quebecois cancelled the ousted Liberal government's proposed hike.
The tour, which will continue in Kamloops, Vancouver, Kelowna and Castlegar in its first leg, is organized by the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee. The faculty association of CNC and the CNC Students' Union will host Laberge locally.
"Giving students an opportunity to hear from someone who's had first-hand experience with this is going to be an opportunity that maybe many of them won't have otherwise," said Keith Tedford, an instructor at CNC's College and Career Preparation department.
During the Monday afternoon public session, Tedford said he expects Laberge to touch on a host of issues, ranging from the fight against the tuition increase, activism and students' rights.
But during her stops, Laberge will also speak to individual classes about more specific issues. In Prince George, the 19-year-old student leader will visit a sociology class and a criminology session.
"In the sociology class, she's talking about education as a socializing institution and how it was a social movement," said Tedford. "In the criminology class, she's going to talk about the legal aspects of the issues."
Anyone interested in hearing from Laberge is invited to CNC Room 1-306 at 2 p.m. on Oct. 15.
