Update:

Occupy Toronto has endorsed a demonstration to bring the Quebec student strike to Ontario.

Spread the Quebec Strike. Demand Free Education.



Tuesday May 22, 2012

2:00 pm

Hart House (U of T)

7 Hart House Circle

**

The following is an open letter to the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), signed by student activists and supporters of the student movement across Canada.

Support Quebec Students by Bringing the Movement to Ontario!

To our representatives at the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) and affiliated student union locals,

We the undersigned are writing to the CFS as proud student unionists and activists, as well as workers and community members who support the student movement in Canada.

We write this letter asking that the CFS engage in a consistent and serious mobilizing effort to bring the Quebec student movement to the rest of Canada.

We believe that this is the best solidarity we can give our sisters and brothers in Quebec. We believe it is the obligation of the elected student leaders to build this movement, and we commit, as rank-and-file students, to support you.

After 12 weeks of strikes against massive tuition hikes, and facing massive police repression and brutality, the student movement in Quebec is forcing the government to budge. This is a heroic example.

We ask that the CFS begin mobilizing for a student strike in Ontario and the rest of Canada. A campaign of mass educationals, solidarity delegations and mass mobilizations should be used to lead up towards a student strike in Ontario. Bring the lessons of Quebec to Ontario.

Quebec has shown, again and again, that the only way to force concession from governments is to mobilize on a mass basis through a strike campaign and confront the government, not with postcards, but with action! Students and youth, as well as the working population in general, have been inspired by the Quebec movement.

We are therefore asking that our representatives at the CFS and affiliated locals immediately begin a campaign for free post-secondary education, and make preparations to carry out a strike ballot in the Fall of 2012.

A massive student movement in Ontario would show the Quebec students that they are not alone. It would strengthen the movement for free post-secondary education across Canada, and it would cut across the divisions created by the pro-business politicians and corporate press to weaken the student movement.

Our response to the race to the bottom; tuition fees across Canada should be immediately lowered to the levels in Quebec, as a step towards abolishing all tuition fees in the country.

Prepare for an Ontario-wide strike vote in the Fall of 2012!

Signed by:

1. Farshad Azadian, York Federation of Students (YFS) & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)

2. Rashin Alizadeh, University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) & Fightback

3. Solomon Muyoboke, Ryerson Student Union (RSU) & Fightback

4. Christine Montgomeria-Mione, York Federation of Students & Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND)

5. Jack Humphrey - Graduate Students Union & Fightback

6. Arash Azizi, University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) & Fightback

7. Jahan Niroomand - York Federation of Students (YFS) and New Democrats of York University (NDYU)

8. Guled Arale - Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND)

9. Simone Akyianu - Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG - UofT)

10. Julian Benson - Fightback & OPSEU local 5108

11. Farid Azadian - Ryerson Students Union (RSU) & Ryerson University New Democrats (RUND)

12. Pedram Moss - York Federation of Students (YFS)

13. Donovan Ritch - Fightback & ATU local 113

14. Jennie Ernewein - Fightback & Ryerson University Alumni

15. Jon Ari - York Federation of Students (YFS) & Toronto Young New Democrats

16. Ahmed Daniyal - Humber Alumni

17. Alejandro Munoz - 4th Year Philosophy Student & York Federation of Students (YFS)

18. Linda Noorafkan - York Federation of Students (YFS) and Undergraduate Political Science Council

19. Mehdi Irani - CUPE 3903

20. Tanesha Darby - York Federation of Students (YFS)

21. Paul Elias - CUPE 3903

22. Aram Keyvani - York Federation of Students (YFS)

23. Sahel Zreik -Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) local 2002

24. Karina Rudenberg - York Federation of Students (YFS)

25. Arman Noory - Afghan-Iranian Youth Network

26. Basel Alchikh-Sulaiman - Ryerson Alumni & Fightback

27. Mobina Basiri - York Federation of Students (YFS) & Co-Chair of New Democrats of York University (NDYU)

28. Tea Celik - York Federation of Students (YFS) & Fightback

29. Mary Berberian - Toronto-Centre NDP & Fighback

30. Amelia Saunders - York University Free Press (YUFP) & York Federation of Students (YFS)

31. Tyler MacKinnon - Etobicoke-Centre NDP & Socialist Caucus

32. Alex Grant - CEP local 2040 & Fightback

33. Camilo Cahis - CEP local 2040 & Fightback

34. Victoria Goldberg - York Federation of Students (YFS)

35. Fadumo Winters - York Federation of Students (YFS)

36. Michael Erickson - Former V.P. External Affairs, YFS & Former CFS-O Constituency Coordinator

37. Jimmy Gutman - Arts Student Senator (McGill) & ONDY eastern organizer

38. Noah Gataveckas - Fightback & Acadia University Alumni

39. Janine Manning - Aboriginal Student Association at York

40. Andrius Ragainis - York Federation of Students (YFS)

41. Ashleigh Ingle - CUPE 3902 & Graduate Students Union (GSU - UofT)

42. Adonis El-Jamal - Students Against Israeli Apartheid-York & Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG-York)

43. Yuri Yarin - CEP local 1996 & Fightback

44. Hariyanto Darmawan - CEP Local 2040

45. Layton Joudrey - Elliot House Chef School (alumni) & I.W.W local 460

46. Ruth Otterman - CUPW Local 548 (Hamilton)

47. Todd Peavoy - CUPW Local 548 (Hamilton)

48. Chris Webb - Graduate Students' Association (York) & Canadian Dimension Magazine

49. George Wynott - Communications at Youth In Solidarity (Facebook.com/YouthInSolidarity)

50. Wai Kiat Tang - CUPE 3902 Delegate, Toronto York Regional Labour Council

51. Mai Taha - Fightback & CUPE 3902 (UofT)

52. Carolyn Shapiro - CUPE 3902

53. Hammam Farah - Students Against Israeli Apartheid at York University

54. Dan Sawyer - Canadian Autoworkers Local 567

55. Tobi Rene Wilczek - International Socialists

56. Awget Ghebrehiwot - CUPE Local 4948

57. Brandon Gray - IWW and Toronto Anarchist Black Cross

58. Alex Conchie - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)

59. Constantinos Crekoukias - United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) & Fightback

60. Janet Csontos - The Student School

61 .Corey Ponder - CUPE 3902

62. James Meades - President CUPE 4600/ Vice-Chair Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee

63. Katie Mazer - CUPE 3902 & Graduate Students Union (GSU - UofT)

64. Maya Adavi - Young Communist League (YCL)

65. John Paul Catungal - Graduate Student Association (GSA - UofT) & CUPE 3902

66. Seena Taghavi - York Federation of Students (YFS)

67. Vanessa Beaton - Vice-President Academic Affairs & University of Ottawa Common Law Student's Association, CUPE 2626

68. Thomas Laughlin - U of T and CUPE 3902

69. Matt Hilder - CUPE 3902

70. Alex Moldovan - GCSU/YFS & York West NDP

71. Chee-Mei Chan - Ryerson Students Union (RSU)

72. Matt Gardner - Queen's University Alumni, University of Western Ontario Alumni & Fightback

73. Ida Zarrabi - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)

74. Cam Hardy - UTSU & Platypus Affiliated Society

75. Zahra Shaban - UofT alumni

76. Elise Thorburn - phd candidate University of Western Ontario, PSAC local 610, Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly

77. Shamineh Mavalvala - University of Toronto Alumni

78. Matthew Shultz - VP Campaigns and Community Affairs, Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SPGS) at Queen's University / CFS local 27

79. Revolutionary Students Movement (student division of the PRAC-Toronto)

80. Jack Hixson-Vulpe - York University CUPE 3903

81. Taiva Tegler - External Commissioner, Graduate Students' Association des étudiant.e.s diplômé.e.s, University of Ottawa

82. Matthew Davidson - CUPE 3908 (Trent University)

83. Chris Hurl - VP-External, CUPE 4600, Carleton University

84. Michael Romandel - former student of York and former member of CUPE 3903.

85. John Rose - Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 901

86. Christian Scott Martone Donde - McGill University MA Sociology

87. Alexander Brookes - MUNFA (Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association)

88. Katy Fulfer - Western University Graduate Student, President of PSAC Local 610

89. Stephen Peters - McGill Graduate Student

90. Christina Rousseau - Doctoral Candidate at York University; CUPE 3903

91. Kieran Aarons - Instructor, DePaul University & alumni of the University of Western Ontario

92. Jordy Cummings - CUPE Local 3903

93. Tracy Glynn - University of New Brunswick (UNB) Graduate Student Association/CFS Local 67.

94. Mia Bhuiyan - University of Toronto Students Unions (UTSU)

95. Espoir Manirambona - Carleton University Students' Association, Carleton New Democrats

96. Ingrid van der Kloet - CUPE Local 3903, Ontario Nurses Association, Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly

97. Brian Foster- Carleton University, member CUPE 4600, former President and VP Academic of Carleton History Graduate Student Association

98. Danji Buck-Moore - McGill, BA 2012

99. Tracy Glynn - Member of the UNB Graduate Student Association/CFS Local 67

100. Eric Kristmanson - OCAD student

99. Tracy Glynn - Member of the UNB Graduate Student Association/CFS Local 67

100. Eric Kristmanson - OCAD student

101. Seher Shafiq - University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU)

102. Steve D'Arcy - alumnus, University of Toronto; member, Huron University College Faculty Association

103. Phillip Ilijevski - Former Coordinator, CFS-Quebec

104. Robert Green - High School Teacher (Montreal)

105. Liisa Priyanka Lugus - Patient Advocate; Director of ME/CFS Assist.org; Co-Owner of The Big Carrot; former Concordia student

106. Jennifer Cypher - PhD Candidate, York University

107. Parastou Saberi - PhD student, York University, CUPE Local 3903

108. Tim McSorley - former CFS-Quebec chairperson, 2004-2005, BA, Concordia University, 2006

109. Emmanuelle Lippé - former CFS-Q employee (1999)

110. D'Arcy Butler, Instructor - College of the North Atlantic; former member of CUPE 3903

111. Alison Fisher - member of GSA Local 84, CUPE 3903 and OSSTF D. 12

112. Darryl Richardson - Seneca College student & Toronto Media Co-Op

113. Dylan Chauvin-Smith - University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU)

114. Sarah Hornstein - York University

115. Alex Winterhalt - Carleton University Students' Association (CUSA) & Fightback

116. Stephanie Barton - York University

117. Najimeh Abdorrahimi - Ryerson Social work student (4th year)

118. Arun Smith - Carleton University Students' Association & OPIRG Carleton Board of Directors.

119. Sasha Englert - York University

120. Martial Champagne - York U Nursing student

121. Nyala Adaoha Eboh - York Federation of Students (YFS)

122. Sadia Khan - UofT alumni

123. Rastko Cvekic - CUPE 3902 (UofT)

124. Dominic Dumont - Writing studies in Laval University student, Quebec city

125. Sarah Stanley - Ryerson University

126. Baliqis Olaitan - University Of Toronto Students' Union (UofT)

127. Kailee Howorth- York Alumni

128. Kwan Chan - York Federation of Students (YFS)

129. Sandy Oh - CUPE 3902 (UofT)

130. Nazampal Jaswal - York University

131. Jacob Hodgins, President - Laurentian Students Union (LSU)

132. Wendy Skye - Alumni, Carleton University

133. Pantea Ebrahim - York Federation of Students (YFS)

134. Sarah Cholam - York Federation of Students (YFS)

135. Nicholas Buccheri - York Federation of Students (YFS)

136. Julia Malfara - York Federation of Students (YFS)

137. Javed Mohammed - York Federation of Students (YFS)

138. Nulab Ferozan - York Federation of Students (YFS)

139. Arazod Ferozan - York Federation of Students (YFS)

140. Miteh Starkman

141. Ian Wilgus

142. Thai Bowers - York Federation of Students (YFS)

143. Samuel Awotundun - York Federation of Students (YFS)

144. Chris Skerritt - York Federation of Students (YFS)

145. Ahmad Khawaja - York Federation of Students (YFS)

146. Alexandra Mchicoll - Graduate Students Association (GSA)

147. Karen Rivera - York Federation of Students (YFS)

148. Scott Nickel - York Federation of Students (YFS)

149. Samia Tecle - Graduate Students Association (GSA)

150. Ramzi Masri - York Federation of Students (YFS)

151. Kiran Kaw

152. Ashley Simpson - York Federation of Students (YFS)

153. Sarah Merkar - York Federation of Students (YFS)

154. Hena Tyyebi - CUPE 3903

155. Renee Grant - York Federation of Students (YFS)

156. Joulia Adamopoulos - York Federation of Students (YFS)

157. Sheanna Allison - York Federation of Students (YFS)

158. Sadquan Malik - York Federation of Students (YFS)

159. Armikley Fontaine - York Federation of Students (YFS)

160. Xiomara G - York Federation of Students (YFS)

161. Sheena Davy - York Federation of Students (YFS)

162. Danielle Howell - York Federation of Students (YFS)

163. Charlene Locice - York Federation of Students (YFS)

164. Farzi Bishop - YCISS

165. Kwan Chan - York Federation of Students (YFS)

166. Behnam Farahmandzadeh - York Federation of Students (YFS)

167. Kourosh Z - York Federation of Students (YFS)

168. Ali Ziari - York Federation of Students (YFS)

169. Sonia Dhuga - York Federation of Students (YFS)

170. Alancy Rebelo - York Federation of Students (YFS)

171. Michael Beaupre - York Federation of Students (YFS)

172. Goyanthan Thivakaran - York Federation of Students (YFS)

173. Rikhi Pattan - York Federation of Students (YFS)

174. Ayse Gurler - York Federation of Students (YFS)

175. Ebtisam Sharifabow - York Federation of Students (YFS)

176. Jsia De Paolo - York Federation of Students (YFS)

177. Elbora Jokoli - York Federation of Students (YFS)

178. Fahd Ali - York Federation of Students (YFS)

178. Sukissa Mendes - York Federation of Students (YFS)

179. Yafet Twelde - Graduate Students Association (York)

180. Kamalika Bana - York Federation of Students (YFS)

181. Nicole Griffiths - York Federation of Students (YFS)

182. Irina Tokar - York Federation of Students (YFS)

183. Raj Virac - CUPE 3903

184. Tomi Dipo - York Federation of Students (YFS)

185. Laura Ferguson - York Federation of Students (YFS)

186. Andrew Crago - York Federation of Students (YFS)

187. Justice Ramdewar - York Federation of Students (YFS)

188. Leya Hosseini - York Federation of Students (YFS)

189. Sukhmeet - York Federation of Students (YFS)

190. Annette Jubril - York Federation of Students (YFS)

191. Pawl Grey - CUPE 3903

192. Tom Whey - CUPE 3903

193. Breeann Morgan-Hunt - York Federation of Students (YFS)

194. Sarah Usman - York Federation of Students (YFS)

195. Ryan Riccinto - York Federation of Students (YFS)

196. Natasha Mody - York Federation of Students (YFS)

197. Amina Chaudhry - York Federation of Students (YFS)

198. Carolina Benedeth - York Federation of Students (YFS)

199. Kam - York Federation of Students (YFS)

200. Tesharah Briscoe - York Federation of Students (YFS)

201. Tasneem Hussain - York Federation of Students (YFS)

202. Yaw Danguah - York Federation of Students (YFS)

203. Ashug Abbasi - York Federation of Students (YFS)

204. Rajdeep Malhi - York Federation of Students (YFS)

205. Chris Worrad - York Federation of Students (YFS)

206. Andy Xia - York Federation of Students (YFS)

207. Ashley S. - [email protected].c

208. Adnan Raja - York Federation of Students (YFS)

209. Jamaal Haynes - York Federation of Students (YFS)

210. Peter Mikhailenko - Occupy Ryerson & Fightback (www.marxist.ca)

211. Mehdi Samadian - CUPE 3903

To sign onto this letter, email us with your name and affiliations, at:

[email protected] or [email protected]