Anyone from Montreal on here protesting about your tuition hikes? I've got something to say...

I'd just like to point out to all the old fogey's complaining here about how spoiled this generation is, that back in your day it was possible to support yourself because the dollar was actually worth something and employers wanted to pay their employees a decent wage. My uncle is an astrophysicist and went straight through to get his PHD and he just had to work during the summer to afford books and supplies while his parents had only my grandfather working and could easily support everything else he couldn't afford. It was possible to pay for tuition yourself when the dollar wasn't so devalued and wages weren't ROCK BOTTOM. So in reality, who really was spoiled? At least you were afforded the dignity of actually paying your own way. Not possible these days, and Canadians have it just as bad as Americans. A $5,000 dollar tuition for a semester, which is only half the year in case you didn't know that, is outrageous when minimum wage is only $7.25 in America. $40,000 for a run of the mill, not Ivy League education, is just not attainable for most. This affordability gap will cause a stratification of society where the rich are educated and prosperous, while the poor stay poor and have no chance of changing class unlike how it used to be when anyone over 30 grew up! Scary! Can you honestly make $10,000 a year to pay tuition at the pathetic wages employers are paying? That excludes all other living expenses like FOOD and a place to live, not a single thing to do with Iphones. So in my opinion, the older generations were the spoiled ones, at least you didn't need a rich uncle to afford an education. People actually want to support themselves (despite what bitter people say), but when you have to work 100 hours a week to afford college, you don't get a great education do you?

P.S. I think some people don't understand the point of a protest. Protests, by nature, are to disturb people in order to make them become aware of what you are picketing. Would these same complainers complain about the coal mine strikes of the early 20th century? - When the Rockefellars were raping those brave and strong men of their labor by paying them a pittance of the profit the MINERS made? Maybe the younger generation could teach the older generation, to grow some balls and fight for our future. Not saying the protests are necessarily targeted at the right place, like not being at the Federal Reserve for Americans or Congress, but they have the balls to actually stand up. It's not like they are a part of congress and can just with a flick of the pen erase all the laws that got us into this mess. /Rant Just trying to make people see the other side here. Some older folk think they had it tough, while it's never BEEN tougher. Anyone alive today not in their 90's, grew up during the MOST prosperous period of modern history!!! Who's had it tough again? Let's stop blaming each other and work towards destroying or fixing the machine!

reply to post by KillThePoor


Too bad I can't give you a couple of stars on that. The nail on the head. Most people, and I had the pleasure of meeting one today, disagree with the students. I try to sway their opignions with facts but the MSM has a better grip on them than I. And now with the new education law and the anti protests legislation the future looks ever more bleak for the freedom of speech and the right to affordable education in Canada.

reply to post by XLR8R


I heard last night on the news Charest was trying to force new legislation through the night. Is this the anti-protest law you just mentioned? I assumed it was to suspend school till August.

reply to post by FlySolo


Nice attempt at refuting what I said.

It stands.

Much easier to be a sheep than to actually get out there, boots on the ground!

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by FlySolo

 

Nice attempt at refuting what I said.

It stands.

Much easier to be a sheep than to actually get out there, boots on the ground!

Hmph whatever. Believe what you want.

well from one old guy,,57,too a younger generation,,
i quote
"how about using all that LOTTO Canada Revenue and give ALL CANADIAN CHILDREN
BORN IN CANADA
IN THE LAST TEN YEARS,,
UNIVERSITY free of charge,,)

HEY CANADA whatever happened too
THAT DREAM? and where's the LOTTO canada money?? thats what "THEY",,told us it was for,,,
Sports and Education,,
anyone know how much LOTTO Canada CORP. have on there books?
its a public corporation right?? should be easy too ,, cough up some $,, from there,,
cause u know there gonna say ,, " there aint no money ",,,
Me.

Originally posted by FlySolo
reply to post by rwfresh

 

You know, I tend to agree with you there a little. I didn't go to university. Sure it was rough for many years bouncing in and out of jobs with no real idea as to what I want to settle on. Until I did as an independent data/voice contractor. I learned everything on the job. And if it wasn't for my work history bouncing around, I would have never made it to this point. Now I have the potential to earn as much as a lawyer.

That is the NORM. That is reality. That is how the world actually works. Who goes to university prepared for work? No one. There is no training. Very little directly applicable knowledge or experience.. I'm not saying nothing is learned. I am saying that if you learn that work equals results and that success depends on your focus/effort... then great. You can do that at anytime, anywhere. Maybe having a 60k debt might motivate some.. hahaha. Who knows. Do what you like! And good for you by the way. You did it right.