Judge orders protesters off Outaouais campuses

A group of Université du Québec en Outaouais students won an injunction on Friday that will allow them to return to classes, reports CBC News.

The court order prevents demonstrations within 25 metres of the two campuses until April 23. The university had argued that it must cancel classes because it could not guarantee the safety of those who attend while their peers remain on strike.

Quebec students have boycotted classes over the past two months to protest a fee increase of $1,625 over five years, after which the province will still have some of the lowest tuition in Canada.

Last week, some universities and cégeps made plans for students to complete their semesters. If they strike any longer, they may not be able to salvage the courses. On Friday, the Fédération des cégeps, the body that represents the province’s 48 colleges, asked all students to return.

But it’s not over yet. Line Beauchamp, the education minister who is the target of much student anger, said on Sunday that the Liberal government is prepared to discuss the governance of universities, but not the tuition increases. On Friday, her office was trashed by 15 protesters and Liberal websites were hacked too, presumably by students, reports the Montreal Gazette.

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