Fredericton – On Wednesday, June 6th at 8:00pm, Frederictonians will join a nation-wide Casserole Night in solidarity with the Quebec student movement. Casserole Nights in solidarity with Quebec students started in Quebec and went global last Wednesday night when people from across Canada, the U.S. and Europe made noise in solidarity with the Quebec student movement. About 200 people banged on their pots and pans in Moncton last week. More cities, including Fredericton, are expected to join this week’s pot clanging.
The Fredericton Casserole Night will occur at the N.B. Legislature at 8:00pm on Wednesday, June 6th. The Moncton Casserole Night will occur again at Place Assomption
Maude Forté is a Quebec student organizer currently studying in Fredericton for the summer. She says, “What was first seen strictly as a student protest is actually a manifestation of our collective struggle for justice and our society’s future. It includes all kinds of people who are tired of the status quo and want true democracy.”
Quebec has the lowest tuition in the country while New Brunswick vies with Ontario for the highest tuition; New Brunswick students currently pay the second highest tuition in Canada after Ontario.
“I went to university because I wanted to learn how make the world a better place. When you’re young, you’re told that it’s the best way to get a good job, have a decent life, and hopefully do something you love,” said Arthur Taylor, a former sociology student at St. Thomas University.
“Every year, thousands of young people sign away their lives for the promise of an amazing career, but end up with nothing but crippling debt to show for it. Now, years after opting out of that debt sentence, my government still wants me to choose between paying for their broken promise or feeding my kids. If our government understood the real social value of education, no one would have to make that decision,” said Taylor.