This is quick response I’d written on Facebook in response to CFS’s allegations that the general assembly structure is racist, therefore they don’t want to adopt it.

“[CFS] hide their own inability to consult with their students (or their fear of being held accountable) behind the false notion that allowing everyone a chance to speak is somehow racist. Granted there are shortcomings in the GA structure – regardless of race or sexual orientation, some people may not be inclined to take a vocal part in a GA, but that doesn’t mean that they (CFS) should continue to work in an anti-democratic manner.

[…]

As a person of color who was actively involved during the strike, I think the issue is not whether there was problems related to people (marginalized voices) getting left behind of not finding a place among mostly white dominant spaces (Corey put it well in their first comment). The real issue is CFS using this argument to remain anti-democratic, continue with their status quo (that is top down management, so on and so forth. perhaps someone with more experience of CFS can elaborate this part).

I see it as more of a continuum of progressiveness (“radicality” and direct democracy) – There are extremely right wing student federations such as OUSA and CASA, CFS falls to the left of them. They’re more progressive then the other two (and actually want to fight against the tuition hikes, from what I gather). To the left of them, or at about the same place is FEUQ and FECQ. Then comes ASSE/CLASSE. To the extreme left, so to speak, would be an organization that’s anti-racist, anti-colonial and such.

Now saying that since CLASSE (and student movement) and it’s direct democracy structure didn’t address issues and race and privilege is ok to say, but if comes from CFS, then it’s not ok.

”

This article sheds some light on the issues of race and racism in the Quebec Student Movement: http://www.newsocialist.org/index.php/627-race-racism-and-the-quebec-student-movement

I wrote this introductory note on the racist, sexist and classist nature of the tuition fee debate (thus the Quebec Student Movement) for TOPIA: Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies

Brought up in a low-income family, I struggled throughout my youth in India, and in my adult life in Quebec, as I strove to access quality education. As a woman of colour, I faced further challenges in my professional life in Quebec. I was lucky enough to be able to go back to university for a Master’s degree, during which time I realized how the vicious circle of coming from an under-priviledged background comes into play. High grades are needed to access higher education, but people from low-income families (with racial and gender barriers amplifying the challenges) need to work more than others to make ends meet and pay for their education, and thus do not end up getting good grades. The high price tag and higher debt associated with post-secondary education further deters the same people from attending universities. Continue reading →

I wrote this below comment in response to the article Toward a More Perfect Student Unionism: Lessons From the Maple Spring,* posted on Alternet. Sharing it here as I feel what I said in this comment is important to me and it embodies how I hold direct democracy to heart (and how I’d (and continue to) put the concept on a pedestal). In this comment, I also express what I think is important in a student movement. That is, writing a motion and succeeding in passing it are only the very beginning of the work. Continue reading →