So, Quebec student groups rioted last night. And, lo and nothing to behold, the Quebec government didn't immediately change its mind about tuition increases.
Which just goes to show you that violence never works. It's been proven time and time again that getting permission for a rally followed by a march through a city's downtown core is the ONLY way to get measurable results.
I mean, look at how effective peaceful protests were at stopping NAFTA, rolling back the Harris cuts to social programs in Ontario, the invasion of Iraq, and etc.
Or, perhaps, not.
Perhaps this student protest in Quebec, if it continues, will actually force the government to change its mind. The CBC link says that a majority of Quebecers support the tuition increases. Tough shit. They're not the ones who will be paying the higher tuitions. ["Are you fucking kidding me??? You stupid lefties think that 'publicly subsidized' means 'free'!! What you leftards fail to realize is that it is the tax-payers .... blah, blah, blah, blargle!!!"]
Ahem.
The rich should pay the bulk of the taxes. Because the rich do very fucking well in this country. I read a sidewalk interview with a young woman about the ONDP's 2% surtax on incomes over $500,000. She said: "My mom makes $500,000. I don't think we're rich." No? Try living on $20,000 a year. See how you live on that. (Which is close to what half of the working population makes.)
If Quebec students' tuitions are half the size of the next lowest province, then I say good for them. A post-secondary education is practically an obligation now. What with all those nice, liberal economists saying anyone who enters the labour market with only a high-school diploma is practically demanding a life of insecure employment at poverty wages. If employers refuse to train people on the job, then they (and everyone else who enjoys all the benefits of wealth in Canada) ought to contribute to our expenses.
A Canadian dollar goes a long way in countries like India. But I notice lots of wealthy Indians and others moving to Canada. Why? Because it's safe and secure. They could have veritable palaces with servants galore, but they opt for a split-level ranch in a nice neighbourhood in Mississauga, because it's safe here. (That's what they tell me anyway.) Well, this level of social harmony comes at a price. Taxes are part of that price. All this neoliberal bullshit, followed by public bail-outs of the 1% after they blow all the money we let 'em keep, followed by austerity for everyone else to pay for the bail-outs, is destroying our society. The Quebec students are standing up for themselves. It's high time everyone else did.
Which just goes to show you that violence never works. It's been proven time and time again that getting permission for a rally followed by a march through a city's downtown core is the ONLY way to get measurable results.
I mean, look at how effective peaceful protests were at stopping NAFTA, rolling back the Harris cuts to social programs in Ontario, the invasion of Iraq, and etc.
Or, perhaps, not.
Perhaps this student protest in Quebec, if it continues, will actually force the government to change its mind. The CBC link says that a majority of Quebecers support the tuition increases. Tough shit. They're not the ones who will be paying the higher tuitions. ["Are you fucking kidding me??? You stupid lefties think that 'publicly subsidized' means 'free'!! What you leftards fail to realize is that it is the tax-payers .... blah, blah, blah, blargle!!!"]
Ahem.
The rich should pay the bulk of the taxes. Because the rich do very fucking well in this country. I read a sidewalk interview with a young woman about the ONDP's 2% surtax on incomes over $500,000. She said: "My mom makes $500,000. I don't think we're rich." No? Try living on $20,000 a year. See how you live on that. (Which is close to what half of the working population makes.)
If Quebec students' tuitions are half the size of the next lowest province, then I say good for them. A post-secondary education is practically an obligation now. What with all those nice, liberal economists saying anyone who enters the labour market with only a high-school diploma is practically demanding a life of insecure employment at poverty wages. If employers refuse to train people on the job, then they (and everyone else who enjoys all the benefits of wealth in Canada) ought to contribute to our expenses.
A Canadian dollar goes a long way in countries like India. But I notice lots of wealthy Indians and others moving to Canada. Why? Because it's safe and secure. They could have veritable palaces with servants galore, but they opt for a split-level ranch in a nice neighbourhood in Mississauga, because it's safe here. (That's what they tell me anyway.) Well, this level of social harmony comes at a price. Taxes are part of that price. All this neoliberal bullshit, followed by public bail-outs of the 1% after they blow all the money we let 'em keep, followed by austerity for everyone else to pay for the bail-outs, is destroying our society. The Quebec students are standing up for themselves. It's high time everyone else did.
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