Dawson College board demands to meet Premier Legault after $100M expansion plan suspended

The largest CEGEP in Quebec, English-language Dawson College, is accusing the CAQ government of discrimination on the basis of language afterthe government's decision last week to suspenda long-planned, $100-million campus expansion project.

"I believe it's inequitable treatment of all our studentsat Dawson.We don't make a distinction between anglophone, francophoneandallophone students," Diane Gauvin, the school's director general, said at a news conference Thursday.

"We're not asking for anything fancy.We're asking for what we're entitled to."

The college's board of governors is demanding a face-to-face meeting with Premier Franois Legault, who said last week thatwithlimited capacityto build new infrastructure, he wantsto prioritize investment in French-language CEGEPs.

Gauvinsaid Legault's explanation doesn't make sense.

She said the Quebec Education Ministry itself recognized in December that Dawson, which has been bursting at the seams for years,needs an additional11,000 square metres of space in order to meet provincial standards.

"We don't have spaces for students to socialize or study.We have very crowded classrooms, and withCOVID,it's very problematic," she said.

Gauvinsaid the suspension of the campus expansion project will make itimpossible for Dawson to go ahead with an innovative plan for astudent-run medical clinicthat could serve thousands of patients each year.

'We're all filled with dreams'

Students at Dawson told CBC they feel caught in the middle of a language war.

"I feel like the government right now taking this decision, it's saying that anglophones should not get this and francophones yes,"social work student DanielaDiaz said

"It means that we're not going to have the space to learn, but also tojust like breathe a little, because it's really crowded and it's just like, overwhelming," Diaz said.

Carlos Vidaurre, another social work student,said he had a message for the premier.

"Legault, my friend, I speak franais too.C'mon,take care of me," he said.

"Look at us here, we're all filled with dreams," Vidaurresaid, pointing to crowds in the hallway.

"We all have hopes. Weall want to push, and the fact that we're more comfortable in English shouldn't put a barrier to us," Vidaurre said.

French-language CEGEPsback Dawson

An association representing French-language CEGEPsin Montreal is supporting Dawson.

"CEGEPsmust meet the training needs of Quebec society in all areas, no matter where they are," Nathalie Valle, president of the Regroupement des cgeps de Montreal, said at the news conference.

Valle said although many CEGEPsare short of space and awaiting more government funding to expand, Dawson's needs are particularly urgent.

"We're very pleased with the widespread support that we've received from both in the anglophone and the francophone community," Gauvinsaid."People understand that it's about equity."

The Education Ministry said last week it would make a final decision about the Dawson expansion project in the spring.

Gauvin said she thinks she can still persuade the government to change its mind.

"I'm optimistic I'll get tomeet with Mr. Legault.We'll do everything in our power to address this unfortunate situation," Gauvin said.

CAQdigs in

The premier's spokesperson, Ewan Sauves, insisted the government would not change its position.

"We have chosen to favour expansion projects in French-speaking CEGEPs and universities in Greater Montreal, due to the strong demand and the great anticipated needs," Sauves said in a statement.

"Minister McCann, however, is looking with Dawson to find other alternatives, but the expansion project as we know it will not go ahead."

Sauves didn't say if Legault would agree to a meeting with Dawson's board. He referred all other questions to Danielle McCann, the minister responsible for higher education.

McCann wasn't immediately available to comment.