ASS student group plans to ramp up spring protests

One of Quebec's largest student groups says it will continue to protest through the spring season, despite a recommendation from outgoing members of its executive committee to scale back strike actionsuntil the fall.

• Quebec student protests: What you need to know
• ASS executives fired amid discord in student movement
• Quebec students, unions, teachers take part in march

ASS, whichrepresents 82,000post-secondary students in Quebec and has been the main catalyst driving this year's student-strike movement, adopted a motion during itsweekend general assembly committingto putting increased pressure on the Couillardgovernment.

"We must stop the repeated attacks made againstthe environment and public services," the student group's new spokesperson,Hind Fazazi, said in a statement.

"We invite all those who are affected by these measures to join our collective fight!"

The statement comes after executive committee members were relieved oftheir dutiesduring a closed-door weekend meeting.

According toRadio-Canada, at least someexecutive memberswere removed after a motion wasadopted to dissolve the executive committee.

Earlier this week,executive committeemembers had suggestedputting off protestsuntil the fall, when the strike would have more union support.

Fazazitold a news conference on Mondaythe outcomeof the weekend meeting sends "a clear message that the local associations still have the power to do what they want to do, and that our movement is diverse."

The motion adopted over the weekend,and obtained by Radio-Canada,lays out plans fora series of major demonstrations over the next few months, including:

• a protest on April 11 to call for action against climate change
• a May 1 general strike
• the disruption of the Quebec Liberal party meeting in mid-June