The embattled education minister of Canada's Quebec province, already facing a massive student backlash, on Wednesday was chided for receiving mob money at a party fundraiser.
Line Beauchamp faced a barrage of questioning in the legislature over the 2009 breakfast talk attended by Domenico Arcuri, a man Montreal police say belongs to the mafia.
She denied knowing Arcuri and added, "Now that the information is public and the links well established, I would not put myself in that position again."
Revelations that Arcuri paid $1,000 to attend the event and donated another $2,995 to Beauchamp's Liberals came out in the French-language daily La Presse.
Arcuri was said to be representing a soil decontamination company seeking a permit from the government, which it received one year later.
Beauchamp, who was environment minister at the time, insisted that the decision to grant the permit was made solely by bureaucrats.
Meanwhile she continues to face a stiff challenge from more than 170,000 students striking over plans to raise school fees by $1,625 as part of an effort to rein in the budget deficit.
After talks with the government broke down last week, students took to the streets, resulting in violent clashes with police and smashed storefronts in Montreal.
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This and various other sources point to governmental corruption in this province. But of course, when it comes to university funding, the problem is that students don't pay enough and not lack of government funding.
/sarcasm.
In other news, protests here are continuing -daily. The government still refuses to negotiate with students.
Ugh, by all good and green, I wish BC students had more of the Quebec student spirit. We're so beaten down about university we can't even get up for ourselves and RALLY let alone RIOT. Possibly because we're a bit removed from each other. Possibly because we're apathetic douche bags many of us.
My university went on strike last semester because of our funding problems, the vice president of the university arbitrarily told professors (because they wouldn't pick a department to cut) that they'd cut from sociology. The sociology students got all up in arms, but other than that, there was very little student support and it made me *so mad*. (I'm still talking about it, I'm so mad!)
Most of the students say they went/go to my university because of the small class sizes and great professors and almost all of those same students took a fucking vacation when the professors put their asses on the line to ensure those things didn't get fucked for all the students that come after.
... *regains control*
The students of Quebec have my sincerest cheers, solidarity and thanks for their awesomeness.
Our student leaders are truly wonderful: the leaders/spokespeople for the most 'militant' group here (this is the mass media's name for it anyways), the CLASSE, gave a press conference this morning. They were calm, well-prepared, eloquent...
And it's too bad for BC students. You guys deserve better!
There is no reason that (i) education should not be affordable for all and (ii) professors should have the right to some f*cking job security (i.e. no more of this serial contract business). IMHO.
Also, what is really interesting is that some commentators are even going as far as to draw a certain parallel between what is going on here and the events of 1968 in France. I wouldn't go that far yet, but I do hope this leads to genuine social change.
I was part of the last student strike here as well, in 2005 (which was very much a prelude to this one). I remember what struck me then: I realized what it must have been like to be an activist during the movement for civil rights in the US during the 1960s, for instance (though I don't have anything remotely approaching the courage of those brave, mostly African American, youth). I had never before felt that sense of being part of a *movement*. Of something BIG, that had a real chance at changing things.
Maybe the thing for BC would be to try to start to build networks. To try to build groups that want to change things, and to reach out to one another...? I'm no expert, and it's not like I could ever take credit for what is going on here right now, but I've really started to *believe* that we can change things if we refuse to accept them. (And I really don't mean this to sound patronizing or condescending BTW... I hope it doesn't come across that way.)
Edited at 2012-05-03 07:08 pm (UTC)