Bill Morrison in the National Post:
This past week, the streets of Quebec have been full of marching students, displaying a degree of anger and solidarity the likes of which have not been seen in Canada for many years. The fact that this protest is focused on naked self-interest — maintaining the province’s ridiculously low tuition fees rather than world peace, global poverty or even the inchoate agenda of the Occupy movement — speaks volumes about the emergence in Canada of an inter-generational struggle over entitlements.
Everyone knows that a clash over entitlements is in the offing in Canada as a whole. It may come, as the political right argues, because government coffers are close to empty, and cutbacks have to be made. It may be, as the left suggests, that governments have been hijacked by low-tax, pro-corporation policies, and no longer care about equality and social safety nets. It even could be, as still others argue, that the public usage of our core institutions — hospitals, colleges and universities — has simply outstripped our capacity or willingness to pay.
As for the specific example of tuition, the simple fact is that university education is underpriced in Canada, particularly for the middle and upper classes that benefit from impressive tax savings along the route of getting their children to and through university. It is a much smaller subset of the total student body — children from low-income families — that deserves greater financial support and attention. Instead, and in a mix of self-interest and a commitment to equality, students demand the same concessions for all.
Your Generation
Written by Thomas Paign, 2012
Performed by TBD, 2012
U People will try to keep us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
While U work us into the ground (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
To support a future that’s already been s-s-sold (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
I hope U die before U get old (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
This is your generation
This is your generation, Granny
Why don’t U all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
U better listen to what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
We are trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
To defend our future from your g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
This is your generation
This is your generation, Granny
Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
And don’t try to s-steal our p-pay-day (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
I am trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
I’m takin’ this message to the entire n-n-nation (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
This is your generation
This is your generation, Granny
Pop your boner pills and p-play away (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
Kick the can again our w-w-way (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
We’ll no longer do what we’ve been t-t-told (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
Gotta steal our future back from the o-o-old (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
This is your generation
This is your generation, Granny
U People will try to keep us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
While U work us into the ground (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
To support a future that’s already been s-s-sold (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
Yeah, I hope U die before U get old (Talkin’ ’bout your generation)
This is your generation
This is your generation, Granny
Comment by Thomas Paign — March 27, 2012 @ 20:29