He is just saying what needs to be said and what the majority of rational people are thinking. He is right when he says that this continuing protest is driving away tourists and eventually, the wealthy people in Quebec will move to another country or another province. I have some friends from out of town who were thinking of coming into town on the long Victoria day weekend, but they decided not to because they were worried about safety due to the protests. Costs go up, it is unavoidable, the professors have to be paid, the property taxes must be paid by the schools, the schools must pay for materials, they must pay electricity, heat and administrative salaries.

The tuitions do not begin to cover that at the current rates. They are also hurting the local business owners and preventing them from making any money. They endangered lives with the smoke bombs in the metro stations.

Enough is enough. You don't get anything free in life. If you do not want to pay for it, then don't go to school, simple as that. It is funny how the majority of protesting students are from USELESS Faculties like Arts, Philosophy, Sociology, History, Psychology, but people in the useful faculties like commerce, law, medicine, engineering are wanting to stay in school.

Stop this nonsense crybabies!!

Well said Jacques! Bravo sir!

Good for you Jacques...so true this protest is hurting our economy and scaring away vacationers, wealthy investors and anybody who was interested in their cause 4-5 months ago are now distancing themselves from these protesters after their bad attitude and general disregard for others. Very bad behaviour for a so called "education minded" group.

Bravo Jacques!
It's time for the silent majority to stand up, be heard and put a stop to this nonsense.
Let these kids go to school anywhere else in Canada and pay at least double what they pay here.

Thank you Mr. Villeneuve. I am so embarrassed to be living here in Quebec with the nonsense that has been going on with these students. They want everything for free, yet are willing to pay for the gas for their gas, their beers, their Iphones, etc. They are an embarrassment to the Province of Quebec. @Ellen, grow up. Enough is enough. These students will drive away a lot of tourists and taking away a lot of money from Quebec. A lot of much needed money, I might add. Again, thank you Mr. Villenueve.

@ Ellen...really??? students walking half naked in the streets banging on pots and pans and wearing masks and creating havoc is completely ok with you?
Are you also ok with the fact that even international students who came here for a CHEAPER education are front row and center in the series of protests..hmm go figure..

I guess it really stuck a nerve with you, what does his millions have anything to do with it? you can make millions too if you just worked hard in what you believe in..

Montreal business owners depend on the F1 weekend to make money, and these students that are not even protesting for the CAUSE anymore are ruining it for everyone.
THESE students (which probable includes you) have made MONTREAL and CANADA a laughing stock..

I think we THE TAX PAYERS should probably be telling YOU THE STUDENTS SHAME ON YOU, YOU ARE THE DISGRACE.

I think what most people fail to realize is that the tuition increase is the straw that broke the camel's back. It's about the government stepping over all of us and taking advantage of our tax dollars. It is about a corrupt government that is about to leave these students with a debt to private banks that will be impossible to repay.

It is about students not being able to get out of debt and not being able to buy a home or retire at a reasonable age due to the selfishness of a corrupt government that doesn't care because it will be long gone by then. We need to hold our government accountable. The people are the power and the students are taking the steps necessary to prove that.

As for Jacques Villeneuve, he is entitled to his opinion, as he was many things in his life.

Catherine you are an absolute IDIOT!! If tuition is free how do you pay the professors and pay for the upkeep of the buildings? You do not get anything free. I paid for my tution on my own by working part time. Why should tax payers be on the hook for these spoiled kids? These brats and morons should all be put in jail like you because you certainly don't know anything about earning anything.

Psychology will not get you anywhere. Education is a privilege not a right. Schools have to make money to stay alive just like any business.

I guess you never got an education you stupid idiot

As people say here, school costs money. Especially when those schools and the governments that subsidize them manage their money so poorly.

Concordia for example : "...the institution paid out $2.4 million in severance to five senior administrators who were shown the door between September 2009 and December 2010. That amount does not include $703,500 paid to former president Judith Woodsworth, who left midway through her contract in December 2010, or $1 million paid to her predecessor, Claude Lajeunesse, who left for undisclosed reasons two years into his five-year term."

Wow... 4.1 million dollars well spent! But no, let's make the student pay more instead!

And while we're counting, let's see how much tax is paid by the rich and corporations. And don't forget the corruption of our government.

Why it makes perfect sense ! Blame the students because they're lazy! The same people who complain about "welfare scammers" who at best can scam a few hundred dollars compared to corporate welfare in the millions and billions. Are we so pathetic a society that we have to suck up to people who have everything we don't?

First of all, anybody who doesn't travel to Montreal because they are "scared" are just being ridiculous. These protests are peaceful, and usually pass you by within 5 minutes. If that is such a threat then they probably should never go out in public again.

As for the economical cost, yes, I agree and understand that this is hurting our tourism industry and local business', but what do you expect. Our govt. ignores the voices of the youth, pretty much tells them- We don't care if you don't like it, this is the way it is, live with it. THEY walked away from the negotiation table, which we were hoping would settle this matter. You think the students don't want this to end? Of course they do! It's not easy work to march for hours on a daily basis, to organize thousands of people to join together and stand up against the govt. You might think these are "spoiled little kids" but the fact is is that they know very well the impact they are having, and that is the only card they have left to play.

The issue is not just how much it will cost to go to school, it's the overall debt they will have to carry with them once getting out. For those who are doctors, lawyers, accountants ect, they will be able to find a way out. But what about our teachers, nurses, ect. The everyday people that help our society will have to hold out on buying houses, having kids, all things that keep this wheel rolling. Imagine becoming a teacher, making 40K a year, and have 30K in student debt. Not only that but the arts are being lost. As universities turn towards privatization, they are more likely to invest in the sciences, they forget about the arts and culture. And we have to ask ourselves.. what are universities for. Are they to be used as factories to subcontract lab work for huge companies, or to teach our people about history and culture, philosophy and help them to be more critical and find new solutions to problems?

Based on the tuition increases in the UK, they've calculated that for every 1,000$ price increase, 18% of the lower income students stop attending.

I believe in a province where everyone who is motivated to go to school CAN go to school, not just those with rich mommy's and daddy's.

I am proud to be Quebecoise, proud that I live in Montreal, and proud of my generation. I am not a student, but respect them so much for what they are doing.

I think that enough is enough. All everybody ever does is complain about how the govt. is corrupt, they are all dishonest, but no one DOES ANYTHING. We are a population that is content to complain. Well, the complaining is over - People are taking action, and the times, they are a changing.