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 after the government's decision last week to suspend a long-planned, $100-million campus expansion project.

"I believe it's inequitable treatment of all our students at Dawson. We don't make a distinction between anglophone, francophone and allophone 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 François Legault, who said last week that with limited capacity to build new infrastructure, he wants to prioritize investment in French-language CEGEPs.

Gauvin said 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 additional 11,000 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 with COVID, it's very problematic," she said.

Gauvin said the suspension of the campus expansion project will make it impossible for Dawson to go ahead with an innovative plan for a student-run medical clinic that 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 Daniela Diaz said

"It means that we're not going to have the space to learn, but also to just 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 français too. C'mon, take care of me," he said.

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

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

French-language CEGEPs back Dawson

An association representing French-language CEGEPs in Montreal is supporting Dawson.

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

Vallée said although many CEGEPs are 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," Gauvin said. "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 to meet with Mr. Legault. We'll do everything in our power to address this unfortunate situation," Gauvin said.

CAQ digs 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.