To understand a complex question, it is often necessary to go back and widen the framing before redoing the focus.
At the end of 2024, at the height of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, tensions are lively on several of our campuses, especially those of McGill and Concordia universities and Cégeps Dawson and Vanier.
The Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, is particularly worried about the physical and psychological security of certain students, especially in the two CEGEPs.
Situation
Already here, a first difficulty arises for the minister.
If she intervenes, if only to ask questions and have the right time, several will howl to interference.
If she does not intervene, others will criticize her for being negligent and not to assume his responsibilities.
She chooses to ask questions to the two directions, then commands an investigation.
More than 800 teachers then sign a petition demanding the resignation of the minister.
They argue that the investigation is “political in its motivations” and that it attacks academic freedom.
One of the instigators of the petition recalls heavily that Mme Déry formerly sat on the board of directors of the Israeli and Jewish Affairs Center (Cija).
“It is,” he said, “the elephant in the room. One wonders if it is at the service of the common good or if it carries the uniform of the Cija. ”
Other texts, including one which has also been signed by many people, are rather the defense of the Minister.
These will circulate much less in our media.
The investigation report commissioned by the minister, who specifically relates to the Cégeps Dawson and Vanier, has just been released.
It’s a reading that shakes you Keffieh.
The situation is indeed worrying, and Minister Déry was right to ask that we shed light on it.
Prayer rooms, which are not prohibited in the CEGEPs (it would be), are not only places of spiritual meditation, they also tend to become households of politico-religious proselytism.
That for Muslims of the Vanier college includes a sink for ablutions and a separator between men and women.
Religious festivals are used to justify absences and influence the dates of exams.
The choices of speakers fuel tensions between teachers.
A student association sells stickers “Long live the intifada».
And so on.
CEGEPS, it is important to recall, do not have the same legal status as universities, which have a far superior degree of autonomy.
Act
Obviously, we must tighten the law on secularism, mark out academic freedom in college establishments, and review the provisions on the accreditation and financing of student associations.
When a government deserves to be blamed, you shouldn’t be embarrassed.
When it acts as it should be, as here, it must also be emphasized.
On a completely different subject, the Khelif affair, I invite you to read my text in the difference.
This column will be back on July 15.
