ESL Writing : Supporting an Opinion

Here is an opportunity for you to comment on a controversial issue in Canada that is  drawing a lot of attention around the world.

1. Quebec Student Strike

Students in Canada's province of Quebec are now into their 112th day of a strike to protest against a tuition fee increase of $1,625 over the next five years.

Although the provincial government has passed a strict law limiting students right to  hold demonstrations unless they give a detailed plan about their activities a week ahead of time, students have refused to return to school and have continued to hold large public protests. 
 

Several days ago, both sides sat down to try to negotiate some kind of settlement; however, the talks have since broken down and the students remain on strike.The protests have affected the tourist industry, as visitors stay away from cities such as Montreal and Quebec  City to avoid the ongoing demonstrations.

 

Quebec Undergraduate fees lowest in Canada 

In March 2011,the Quebec provincial government  announced it was raising tuition fees by $325 a year over five years starting in September  2012.

Quebec students, who now pay $2,890 a year to attend university, currently have the lowest tuition fees in Canada and will continue to pay less than all other Canadian university  students even after the five year increase. Average fees for the rest of Canadian are now $5,366 a year, with Ontario students paying the most at $6,640.  Even with the fee increases, Quebec students will still only be paying $4,700 a year in 2017.

For information on tuition fees across Canada go to  Statistics Canada Tuition Fees Across Canada , or  CBC Graphs about Tuittion Fees in Canada  

Growing Public Support in Quebec

The students originally tried a variety of methods to protest against the fee increases, but when the government refused to back down, they formally went on strike on February 12th, three and a half months ago. Timeline  of the Quebec Student Strike  

As things stand now, almost half the population of Quebec supports the students. A recent poll showed that 43% of Quebecois feel that the province should freeze student tuition fees at their current rate. A number of social justice organizations, including the United Church of Canada, has publicly announced their support for the students. 

The strike has been an ongoing news story right from the beginning and a recent Vimeo video  of a "Pots and Pans " Demonstration by Quebecois from all walks of life has gone viral on Facebook and other social media sites.

For information on what makes Quebec and its protests so different from the rest of Canada click on the following story from the Montreal Gazette.Quebec Student Protests Have Deep Roots, 

For more information on the whole situation you can go to the following web sites: 

• Student Website on Tuition Fee Increases
• Government Website on Student Fee Increase
• CBC Video Negotiations on Quebec Student Protest ( several other news videos on the issue)
• Student Government negotiations CBC News
• http://www2.macleans.ca/tag/quebec-student-strike   
• A Diary of the Quebec Student Protests Montreal Gazette  

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION? 
 
What is your opinion about the strike? Do you agree with the students' protest OR do you feel they should obey the provincial government and return to their classes. Support your answer with reasons and details.    

Write your answer in the comment box. Feel free to use any information in the post or in the other resource websites to support your opinion, but do NOT  simply COPY words and sentences word for word as support. Use your OWN words to say the same thing. Paraphrase .