A simple red felt square – a symbol of student resistance from more than a decade ago in Quebec – is making a comeback on campuses across Ontario this week.
Volunteers at the University of Waterloo’s Student Life Centre distributed red squares attached by safety pins on Monday.
This event, called red square day by organizers, was held in anticipation of a mass protest scheduled for Wednesday that demands the provincial government reverse its plans regarding changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
Damian Mihkail, president of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), stopped by on Monday to grab a red square pin from the volunteers.
“The red square, to me, means that I value that education isn’t gated behind income, gated behind your family background,” Mikhail told .
“Everyone should be able to live the life that they’re trying to live, or at least have a fair shot at it.”
Nora Schwindt, a sociology student at Laurier who runs an Instagram protest page, explained they chose the red square “because of the 2011/2012 protests in Quebec against a similar situation.”
“We’re adopting this symbol because they were successful in standing against the government and getting those changes reversed,” Schwindt said. “The symbol is already used and known and we are hoping that will help us.”
An Instagram account called Ontario Protest noted other campuses also had planned red square days on Monday including University of Ottawa, Mc Master University in Hamilton, Brock University in St. Catharines, Humber College in Toronto, Western University in London, Toronto Metropolitan University and Durham College in Oshawa. The Central Student Association at University of Guelph was set to hold an event on Tuesday.
WATCH | Ford responds to student complaints over OSAP funding changes:
Ford responds to student complaints over OSAP funding changes
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has been hearing thousands of complaints since his province announced significant changes to its OSAP program. He’s encouraging students not to choose “basket-weaving courses,” but rather invest in education leading to jobs that are currently in demand like health care or trades.
Premier Doug Ford announced cuts to OSAP late last month expecting them to start this fall.
The new structure would mean grants would make up only 25 percent of total financial aid while loans would increase to 75 percent. This represents a big change from the previous system where students received up to 85 percent as grants and only up to 15 percent as loans.
Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security told these changes are an investment saying post-secondary education benefits outweigh financial pressures.
“To me it’s money well spent on the student side,” Quinn said.
Students around Waterloo region who are either attending or applying for post-secondary school shared with CBC K-W’s The Morning Edition they feel “discouraged” by these OSAP cuts.
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At University of Waterloo students were handing out red square pins and pamphlets calling for a student strike (J. P. Webster/CBC)
Tentative Walkouts Planned
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Ford responds to student complaints over OSAP funding changes
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has been hearing thousands of complaints since his province announced significant changes to its OSAP program. He’s encouraging students not to choose “basket-weaving courses,” but rather invest in education leading to jobs that are currently in demand like health care or trades.
Premier Doug Ford announced cuts to OSAP late last month expecting them to start this fall.
The new structure would mean grants would make up only 25 percent of total financial aid while loans would increase to 75 percent. This represents a big change from the previous system where students received up to 85 percent as grants and only up to 15 percent as loans.
Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security told these changes are an investment saying post-secondary education benefits outweigh financial pressures.
“To me it’s money well spent on the student side,” Quinn said.
Students around Waterloo region who are either attending or applying for post-secondary school shared with CBC K-W’s The Morning Edition they feel “discouraged” by these OSAP cuts.
