Concordia University

Historic areas for student activism at Concordia

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Demonstrators flooding the Hall building during the Netanyahu riot. Photo Steve Faguy

Geneviève Sylvestre,
Local Journalism Initiative

The legacy of student activism is embedded in the university’s walls

The walls of Concordia University have bore witness to countless student activism movements throughout the years. 

Student activists have organized strikes, walkouts and sit-ins, occupied areas across campus and the city to fight for their cause. Here is a list of historical gathering spaces at Concordia and in Montreal for student activism. 

Ninth-floor computer lounge 

In 1969, Concordia University—then called Sir George Williams University—was home to the largest student protest in Canadian history, often referred to as the Computer Riot. 

In 1968, around a dozen Caribbean and Black students accused their biology professor, Perry Anderson, of systematically and unfairly awarding them low or failing grades due to racial bias. 

A complaint was filed to the dean of students, but after students were dissatisfied with the handling of the complaint, they asked Concordia to establish a hearing committee. 

The committee was established, but the administration did not allow students to sign off on committee members and ignored students’ concerns about three members’ abilities to remain impartial. 

Following a hearing on Jan. 26, 1969, over 400 students walked out in protest and occupied the ninth-floor computer lounge. Protestors also occupied the faculty lounge on the seventh floor, nine days later. 

After 14 days, a negotiation agreement was seemingly reached and most protesters went home, but negotiations fell apart. On Feb.11, the university called the police to remove the remaining protesters. 

Demonstrators threw computers out of the window in protest and a fire broke out in the computer lab. Police officers unleashed violence on protesters and 97 students were arrested. 

Eighteen-year-old Coralee Hutchison suffered head trauma inflicted by the police on Feb. 11 and died shortly after of a brain aneurysm. Her parents believe it was due to police violence. 

Concordia only apologized for the handling of these events in 2022 and did not comment on Hutchison’s death. 

Henry F. Hall building

Concordia students have a long history of Palestinian activism, with the ground floor of the Hall building being used as a space of demonstration for decades. 

In November 2000, hundreds of students gathered in the Hall building’s auditorium for a Concordia Student Union (CSU) general assembly. They discussed a motion in support of withdrawing armed Israeli forces from the occupied territories and to call for a Canadian boycott of Israel. Despite not meeting their quorum, the CSU agreed to bring the question to referendum during the next election, and it passed with 54 per cent of the votes. 

On Sept. 9, 2002, the Hall became grounds for another riot: the Netanyahu Riot. Students gathered in front of the Hall building to protest Hillel Concordia’s invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak at the university. 

A confrontation between both sides escalated, two windows were smashed and the university called the police, who sprayed pepper gas into the crowd to disperse protesters. 

Since the events of Oct. 7, 2023, the movement for Palestinian solidarity at Concordia has grown with existing organizations like Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Concordia spearheading the movement. 

Classrooms across campuses 

Tuition hikes are a highly controversial topic in Montreal, with student protesters going to extreme means to contest tuition raises. 

Most notably, the 2012 protests—now known as Maple Spring—lasted over 100 days with thousands of students taking to the streets to protest Jean Charest’s proposed plan to raise tuition by $325 a year over five years, amounting to a 61 per cent increase. 

Students across Quebec started mobilizing, and Concordia was no exception: student groups were striking, blocking classrooms and even blocking all entrances to the Hall building on the first day of exams to protest tuition hikes. 

This past year saw a renewal in tuition hike demonstrations to protest Quebec premier François Legault’s plan to raise tuition for out-of-province and international students. In March 2024, over 20,000 students were on strike and picketers arranged demonstrations and blocked classrooms in protest of the hikes.  

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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Out-of-province student faces tuition increase and no support

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Alison Prissinotti’s tuition increased significantly after she changed programs. Photo Alice Martin

Geneviève Sylvestre,
Local Journalism Initiative

Lack of clear communication from the administration leaves out-of-province student in the dark

Alison Prissinotti was accepted to Concordia University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology for the 2023-24 academic year. 

As a student from British Columbia, she was part of the last cohort of out-of-province students accepted before the implementation of the Quebec government’s tuition hikes in September 2024. 

At the start of the Fall 2024 semester, the tuition for out-of-province students at English universities in the province increased from $8,992 to $12,000, with some exceptions given to students attending Bishop’s University.  

Students like Prissinotti did not have to pay the increased rate as they were accepted into their program before the implementation of the tuition hikes. 

However, out-of-province students choosing to pursue a degree transfer are subject to the tuition increase. 

When Prissinotti sought to change her degree from anthropology to print media, it had not yet been officially confirmed that changing programs would increase her tuition. When she got accepted into the program in May 2024, she had not yet received a clear answer from the university and decided to accept her admission offer.

“I did [accept] because they still hadn’t said anything and I figured by the time it’s summer and people have already received admission to certain universities that they wouldn’t be changing any tuition that late-notice,” Prissinotti said.

Over the Winter 2024 semester, she sent emails to departments such as academic advising and the Birks Student Service Centre looking for answers for whether she could change her program without her tuition increasing.   

She was informed that a change in program may affect her tuition, but that the government had not yet clarified with Concordia all the details of the tuition increase. At the start of June, the Birks centre told Prissinotti to keep an eye out on the Concordia website for any changes. 

According to web archives, information clarifying that students pursuing a degree transfer would be subject to a tuition increase was not made public on the Concordia website before Aug. 18, 2024, at the earliest. This update was only published two weeks before the start of the fall semester.

“We regret the confusion that some out-of-province students have had to face due to the new tuition policy,” Concordia spokesperson Julie Fortier said in an email to The Link. “The government unfortunately only confirmed details concerning students switching programs on August 2, 2024.” 

Fortier added that, due to lack of clear government directives, Concordia warned students that changing programs may result in higher tuition fees as soon as the new measures were announced.

Prissinotti is financially responsible for her education and relies on student loans from the government to cover the cost of her tuition. As such, she claims she was not given a clear answer from the university about the tuition increase before receiving a much higher amount in student loans than she usually does.

“I was not notified by anybody, I never received any email about it,” Prissinotti said. “I was notified by my student loans, which was ridiculous and I feel like I deserved better.”

She said she asked to go back into her old program but was informed that her tuition would increase no matter what. 

“I couldn’t afford the tuition to begin with before it was increased, never mind now,” Prissinotti said. “And so, if I can’t get enough external funding for next year, I’m gonna have to leave school and I don’t want to do that.”

Prissinotti said she felt angry and abandoned, and like the university was not listening to her needs.

“I feel like I’ve actually built a community here in Montreal and I love my life here and I love being in school. Truly all I want to do is be in school and do this program,” Prissinotti said. “It felt like something I’d worked really hard for […] had been taken away from me.”

After the tuition hikes were announced, Concordia implemented funding opportunities for out-of-province students to help lessen the financial strain of the increase in tuition fees. 

As it was too late for her to apply to any other universities, Prissinotti chose to stay at Concordia and try to apply for awards and bursaries to help her pay for tuition. Since her tuition increased, she said she is spending hours every week emailing people and applying to different grants and bursaries. 

“It’s kind of a part-time job, honestly,” Prissinotti said. “My break from doing homework is researching bursaries.”

She had an in-person meeting at the Ombuds Office in September 2024 for help on applying to scholarships and awards. On Sept. 15, she received confirmation from an ombudsperson that they will be looking into her file.

“I will look into the scholarships available through Financial Aid for new students and see what I can find out regarding eligibility for people in your situation,” the ombudsperson said in the email. 

Prissinotti exchanged a few more emails with the Ombuds Office and, on Jan. 20, 2025, she asked if it would be possible to provide an estimated end date to the investigation as the results will determine whether or not she needs to start applying to other universities. 

She was told that the Ombuds Office cannot provide a date but that they are hoping the investigation will be completed soon. She only received a notice of conclusion of her file on March 5, 2025. 

The office informed her she was not eligible for any out-of-province student awards as she is neither a student applying to Concordia from high school or a student transferring from an external Canadian university or college, which are the listed requirements for these awards.

“We therefore see no unfairness and we have no recommendations,” the decision reads.

The office also told Prissinotti that Concordia is planning on developing regular communications with program directors so that students can be advised appropriately on tuition increases. 

After months of unsuccessful communication, Prissinotti says she feels she has received next to no support from the university.

“It’s just a cycle of getting the same email,” she said. “They’d tell me to talk to this person and that person and everyone had the same answer, which was to look at the financial aid website for awards and bursaries of which—even if I got all the ones that I was eligible for—would not cover half of the cost.”

Prissinotti is not the only student feeling frustrated. Ella Rutera, a journalism student with a minor in education from Saskatchewan, said she wanted to switch to a communication major but couldn’t due to the cost. 

Rutera also said she feels pressure to graduate before the end of the grace period in summer 2029, after which she would need to pay the new tuition rate.  

“I had to declare a minor for my program, and with my specific minor, [the classes] are always full and I can never take any,” Rutera said. “I definitely feel pressure that I have to graduate on time.” 

Prissinotti said she feels that the university has no support system for students in her situation. 

“I think that the university should have been more organized on that front of letting people know when this was going to be happening, even if they didn’t know,” Prissinotti said. “They should have prioritized supporting students who this was happening to.”

Looking to the future, as the date has passed for Prissinotti to apply to other universities, she is hoping to find a way to secure enough funding to finish her degree. 

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 11, published March 18, 2025.

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Tuition hikes threaten student services

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Geneviève Sylvestre,
Local Journalism Initiative

Concordia’s precarious financial situation can be felt in every corner of the school

Concordia University is facing what is being referred to as “extraordinarily challenging times” in the budget updates for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, leading to a drop in student services.

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) tuition hikes at English-language universities increased the tuition for out-of-province students to $12,000 and of international students to a minimum of $20,000. International students from France and francophones from Belgium pay out-of-province student fees. 

Angelica Antonakopoulos is the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA)’s academic coordinator. She says the government has made the Quebec education system inaccessible.

“Our institutions, especially English institutions in the province of Quebec, have now been priced out of the game,” Antonakopoulos said.  

Concordia is experiencing the largest drop in enrollment in its history, with a projected drop of 1,200 students for 2024-2025. Registration for out-of-province students has declined by 28 per cent and for international students by 11 per cent.

Concordia student groups and student unions are all funded by a fee-levy collected from each student’s tuition based on the number of credits they are taking. A decline in the student population leads to a decrease in funding for these groups.

According to Danna Ballantyne, the external and mobilization coordinator for the Concordia Student Union (CSU), the decrease in funding is already being felt by the CSU. 

“We’ve had to forecast a decrease in budget because of a drop in enrollment,” Ballantyne said, “and that’s affecting the CSU in basically every facet.”

Concordia’s goal is to reach a deficit of $34.5 million for the 2024-2025 school year, down from the original projection of a $78.9 million deficit, requiring $35.8 million in budget cuts. 

According to CSU Campaigns research, students can expect to see fewer course offerings, larger class sizes and a loss in funding to programs deemed inefficient.     

Adam Sermergian is ASFA’s mobilization coordinator. He says that students are unhappy about some of the university’s budget cuts, mainly regarding the reduction of the shuttle bus service.

“ASFA [is] really trying to promote that we, as students, should have a say on what gets cut and what does not get cut,” Sermergian said.

The government’s new tuition framework makes it so a bigger percentage of tuition fees is clawed back from universities in Quebec to be added to a government pool split between the whole university network. 

Before the new tuition framework, the tuition fees for international students were deregulated, with universities in Quebec setting the tuition fee for international students and keeping all of the revenue. 

The government pool has increased 54 per cent since last year, from $259 million to $400 million. English institutions account for 50 per cent of the clawback, but will only be receiving 20 per cent in return. 

Penelope Higgins, CSU’s campaigns researcher, has been working on two reports that will be published shortly regarding the history and impact of the tuition hikes on the Concordia student population. She believes this clawback is a way for the government to avoid investing in universities.


“It is a way of cutting public funding for them. They take more money from student fees, […] that gives the government more money to spend on universities that doesn’t have to come from public funding,” Higgins said. “So it’s a way of privatizing the source of funding for higher education.”

Higgins says that, regardless of tuition framework, international students are expected to pay for everyone.

“This is a larger and a longer fight for international students to be treated with justice, and to not be exploited as a source of funding to keep what are supposed to be state-funded public services in Canada alive,” she said. 

Antonakopoulos says it’s important for students to care about tuition hikes because it is an issue that affects the entire student body.

“It’s really important for students to be incentivized to care,” Antonakopoulos said. “Because, even though they are not being affected personally at their bottom line, it is their education that will ultimately be affected.”

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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Silent protest at Concordia art gallery following student arrests and director’s dismissal

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Ésery Mondésir (front) and members of the Concordia community sit in the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery to demonstrate against recent student arrests and the firing of Pip Day. Photo Alice Martin

India Das-Brown,
Local Journalism Initiative

Artists and members of Concordia’s community protested the university’s recent actions at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery

On the evening of Nov. 21, Concordia University’s Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery hosted a conversation between artists Miryam Charles and Ésery Mondésir in the J.W. McConnell Building. 

A few minutes into the event, it became clear that the artists would not be talking about their work, but rather holding a silent protest against the university.

“We are not here to talk about our work. There are things that are really, really more important,” Mondésir said, addressing the crowd of roughly 55 people in the small gallery space. “Not too long ago they transformed this place right here into a detention center. I have pictures of students who are arrested in handcuffs looking at my work, [that] is talking about liberation.”

On Oct. 31, two Concordia students were arrested at a “Cops Off Campus” demonstration and detained by SPVM officers inside the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. This was one of multiple incidents criticized by Mondésir and Charles in their protest.

Charles, a Haitian-Canadian filmmaker from Montreal, learned of the arrests only a couple of hours before the silent protest when Mondésir showed her the pictures.

“I’m sad and frustrated about the fact that it happened,” Charles said. “I think that there is other ways to engage in dialogue with protesters, and arresting them is not the solution.”

On Nov. 18, The Link received confirmation that Concordia terminated Pip Day’s employment as director of the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. Beginning her mandate in June of this year, the ex-director retained her position for less than six months. 

According to Mondésir, the community has reason to believe Day was fired because of her support for Palestine.

“The director is not here. We should ask the university, ‘Why isn’t Pip here?’” asked Mondésir, addressing the crowd. 

When asked about the motivations behind Day’s firing, Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci told The Link, “We don’t discuss employee matters. Concordia always respects its employees’ freedom of expression, as is quite evident from the diversity of views and stances regularly expressed by members of the community.”

On Oct. 11, the ex-director of the gallery had planned to host a screening of the documentary Resistance, Why? at Concordia’s J.A. DeSève Cinema. On the evening of Oct. 10, the university’s Campus Safety and Prevention Services sent Day a “postponement notice” for the screening, due to “additional information regarding the event in question which necessitates further review.”

The screening was organized as a pay-what-you-can fundraising event, followed by a discussion moderated by members of Regards palestiniens, a Montreal-based collective that organizes Palestinian film screenings.

“Why did they not have the screening that was scheduled to happen here?” asked Mondésir, before inviting the crowd to join him and Charles in silent protest at the gallery.

According to Regards palestiniens, the event had been pre-approved almost a week before Oct. 11.

“That’s one reason we consider this censorship,” said a member of the collective, granted anonymity due to fear of occupational repercussions. “Another reason we consider this censorship is because the university considered that it’s a problem with the event being a one-sided fundraiser.”

Regards palestiniens questioned why the university had allegedly had an issue with one-sided fundraising for Palestine, while the university’s website lists a donation link to the Ukrainian army.

As an act of protest, the collective projected the film onto the wall of Concordia’s Henry F. Hall Building at the corner of Mackay St. and De Maisonneuve Blvd. W. There, they were surrounded by nine cop cars, including a cop van, and more cops than people, according to the collective.

“All fundraising efforts are, by nature, ‘one-sided.’ It would be unconscionable to attempt to make this effort ‘two-sided’ by supporting the continuation of this genocide,” wrote the collective on the morning of Oct. 11, in an email that was forwarded to three members of Concordia’s administration. “To do so would be to engage in dangerous complicity, in contempt of the ICJ’s (International Court of Justice) ruling—an issue that, unfortunately, both the Canadian government and Concordia University have failed to confront with the seriousness it requires.”

The silent protest at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery welcomed people to break the silence with poems or songs in the spirit of protest. 

Alexis O’Hara, a Canadian transdisciplinary performer and friend of Day, shared a poem Day had sent her, titled “Revolutionary Letter #25,” by Beat poet Diane di Prima.

“These institutions are revealed to be far more Zionist than we thought,” O’Hara told The Link. “The sooner we can all wake up and join the resistance, the better off we’ll be.”

Miguel Soriano, a recent master’s graduate in media studies and communication at Concordia, came to the gallery in expectation of attending a talk between Mondésir and Charles. However, he was far from disappointed with the surprise protest.

“In history, student radicalism is what leads to change,” Soriano said. “It’s really nice to see artists and people come in to talk at the university or [those who are] not directly affiliated also take a stand. And I think that shows so much; it shows their solidarity with people who are actually actively protesting or getting arrested.”

Mondésir said the silent protest was held in solidarity with the student strikes for Palestine, which had taken place earlier that day.

“It would be very hypocritical of me to come here and have my little talk and talk about whatever and not take a stance,” said Mondésir, who is also an assistant professor at the Ontario College of Art & Design University in Toronto. For him, the arrests made in the gallery space on Oct. 31 are sacrilegious.

“It should be the space where I know that I can express myself and have the freedom to do so, and not having to think about what will happen if somebody doesn’t like what I say,” Mondésir said. “So by them doing this here, I think it was outrageous. It was sacrilege. It was a desecration of this place.”

According to Mondésir, the university’s termination of Day’s employment was an attempt to silence protest, which he and Charles responded to with silent protest.

“I just cannot sit with that,” Mondésir said. “If you look at the work that I do, it would be very hypocritical of me.”

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Concordia president’s base salary exceeds $500,000

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Graphic Maria Cholakova

Geneviève Sylvestre,
Local Journalism Initiative

A breakdown of Concordia University senior administration salaries in 2023-2024

In the 2023-2024 academic year, Concordia University President Graham Carr received a $33,352 salary increase, up 6.84 per cent from the year prior. Carr’s salary totalled $520,829 including other taxable amounts for the year.

Concordia’s financial statements and statements of salaries for the year ending on April 30, 2024 were completed in October and released on the Assemblée nationale du Québec’s website on Nov. 29. 

The other highest-paid members of Concordia’s senior administration include VP of Services and Sustainability Michael Di Grappa, Provost and VP of Academic Anne Whitelaw and VP of Research and Graduate Studies Dominique Bérubé. They received salary increases of $10,133, $10,626 and $10,901 respectively.

Salary increases for university senior administration in Quebec must be made in accordance with the rules and regulations from the Quebec government, laid out in article 5.11 of the Règles budgétaires et calcul des subventions de fonctionnement aux universités du Québec.

According to Concordia spokesperson Julie Fortier, the salary increases for senior administration were equal or equivalent to those given to other “unions and associations” at the university. 

She also claimed that the president and other senior administration members donated the amount of their salary increase for 2023-2024 to the university. 
 
The increases come as Concordia is facing what it refers to as “extraordinarily challenging times” following the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ)’s tuition hikes for English-language universities.  

Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) academic coordinator Angelica Antonakopoulos said that the recent cuts have resulted in ASFA executive members being spread too thin as they attempt to mobilize against different austerity measures.

“We’re sitting in these meetings with university administrators over and over and over and the response that we get almost ad nauseam is there’s just not enough money,” Antonakopoulos said, adding that she finds it hypocritical for senior administration to raise their salaries as they cut and reduce student services. 

“I’m very disappointed, evidently, but I’m also not surprised,” she said. “I kind of expected to see this coming.”

Antonakopoulos added that, even if administration members have given away the amount of their salary increase, she is nonetheless left wondering why they accepted the increase in the first place. 

“I think this just underscores the fact that Concordia acts in bad faith financially,” said Antonakopoulos. “There have been calls for both divestment and anti-austerity measures yet the university can’t even manage financial austerity.”

In the budget updates for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Concordia outlined that it implemented cuts of 7.8 per cent to reach its goal of ending the year with a $34.5 million deficit, down from the original projection of $78.9 million. 

Cuts have included reducing the shuttle bus service, maintaining the hiring freeze implemented in the 2023-2024 school year, cutting courses with low enrolment, and the closing of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies. 

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Domestic terrorists take over Concordia building

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By Joel Goldenberg and Beryl Wajsman, Editor
The Suburban

Anti-Israel protests at Concordia University last Thursday in which there were words and actions reminiscent of the Nazis has sparked an outcry in Montreal, across Canada and around the world. The protests took place as part of a two-day strike by hundreds of students from Concordia and McGill Universities, and Dawson College. Dawson and Concordia’s Hall Building closed for the day citing safety concerns.

At one point, the entire Hall Building at Concordia had been broken into and occupied by a mob and video clips showed the protesters breaking down doors, breaking lights and glass and spraying graffiti on walls and lockers. Concordia security tried to stop the protesters, but they flooded the main floor of the Hall building, where they overturned garbage cans and flooded in. Police are looking into an alleged assault on a security guard and alleged acts of mischief.

One protester, Mai Abdulhadi, a franchisee owner/operator of the Second Cup location at the Jewish General Hospital, was videoed saying “the final solution is coming your way,” to pro-Israel counter protesters, and giving the Nazi salute with several others. After the evidence of her actions came to light, Second Cup terminated her franchisee agreement. Second Cup stated that it “has zero tolerance for hate speech. In coordination with the hospital, we shut down the franchisee’s café and are terminating their franchise agreement. This franchisee’s actions are not only a breach of our franchise agreement, they also violate the values of inclusion and community we stand for at Second Cup.”

Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry stated, “..it is unacceptable that institutions feel forced to close their doors. Students should be able to access their classes safely; it is their right. Now, what we are asking is for the demonstrations to take place calmly and without excesses. Quebecers do not want us to import the conflict here.”

Federation CJA and CIJA issued a joint statement saying they are “horrified by the violence that unfolded today across university campuses. To be clear, today was not a ‘strike’, but an aggressive and unacceptable campaign of intimidation. While we recognize university administrators sought to protect students today, more must be done to ensure the shameful episode never reoccurs.

“Hate, intimidation and harassment of a targeted student population gone unchecked for 14 months resulted in today’s unacceptable so-called ‘strike’. We also reiterate our disappointment that Dawson College chose to preemptively cave into the mob and close its doors. We are in contact with administrators, law enforcement, and other security personnel and will use every tool at our disposal to ensure student safety. Jewish students, like all others, have the right to learn in a safe and secure academic environment and today they were not able to do so.”

B’nai Brith Canada stated, “the growing trend of student strikes raise serious concerns not just about safety at our schools and campuses, but also the broader impact on students trying to focus on their studies. The rise of ideological conformity amongst students has weaponized principles like diversity and inclusion to foster a mob mentality and silence dissent. This trend jeopardizes both community safety and the integrity of educational institutions.”

Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, said, “…Nazi-style salutes. Shouts of ‘stupid Zionist btch’ and ‘the final solution is coming your way’, attempts to break down doors. This is not peaceful. This is not free expression. The tools to deal with incitement and harassment exist — we expect administrations and municipalities to use them.”

Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism, posted, “THIS is the product of YEARS of silence, false moral equivalence, impunity…for systematic weaponization of human rights to intimidate, bully, harass ANY voices identified with Israel, mainstreaming a modern, lethal strain of antisemitism, which also enables the targeting of a former Minister of Justice and human rights warrior in Montreal (her father Irwin Cotler), even as the Canadian PM aligns with the Orwellian International Criminal Court citing ‘the Canadian way’.”

U.S. pro-Israel activist Eyal Yakoby, who has appeared on American cable networks, posted, “..these are domestic terrorists. There is no other way to describe them.” n

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Students sue Concordia and its President to enforce anti-hate rules

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By Joel Goldenberg and Beryl Wajsman, Editor
The Suburban

Concordia University and its president Graham Carr were served Friday with a mis-en-demeure filed in Quebec Superior Court that seeks a permanent injunction demanding that the university enforce its rules against hate and intimidation, in light of events that took place following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. The university is also accused of being in breach of contract. Concordia officials told The Suburban the university does not comment on pending legal proceedings.

“Since Oct. 7, 2023, conditions at Concordia have worsened to the point that, for plaintiffs and others, Concordia has become a bastion of Jew-hatred and antisemitism,” the document says. “Concordia permits students and non-students to advocate for, without consequence, the murder of Jews and the destruction of the State of Israel on campus.” The case was prepared by Spiegel Sohmer senior partner Neil Oberman and Michael Hollander of Choueke Hollander.

Student plaintiffs in legal actions against local universities in the past year have been mostly anonymous, but this time Concordia students Anastasia Zorchinsky, Michael Eshayek, Drew Sylver and Diana Levitin have come forward publicly. Other plaintiffs are Hillel Concordia and the student activist group Startup Nation, headed by Zorchinsky and Eshayek. Sylver and Levitin are members of the Concordia Student Union.

The 109-page action states that it, “arises from a need to ensure safety and protection of the plaintiffs who have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and violence based on their ethnicity, religion, and beliefs by other students, faculty members, staff, or administrators of the university.They share a common interest in seeking justice and accountability from the university and Graham Carr personally for their failure to protect them and to uphold its own values and policies.”

The suit states that while Concordia claims to be committed “to creating an environment of respect and inclusiveness” and to fostering “a culture of prevention, reporting, and response” to address issues of sexual violence, racism, and discrimination,” “these claims are contradicted by the reality faced by the student plaintiffs at Concordia.These students have suffered physical, psychological, and academic harm because of Graham Carr’s and the university’s negligence, breach of contract, and violation of their fundamental rights.”

The plaintiffs also state that Concordia has “violated its contractual duties to the students by not ensuring a secure, respectful, and fair learning environment, by neglecting to prevent, properly investigate, and address incidents of harm and hate; and by failing to adhere to its own policies and procedures as well as relevant laws and regulations.”

Examples include chants at rallies, signs and graffiti stating “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” “globalize the Intifada,” and “all Zionists are terrorists”; celebrations by Concordia students of the Oct. 7 attack on Oct. 8, including distributing candies around the campus; the Nov. 8 riot against pro-Israel students at the Hall building, which included assaults; an occupation of a university building in late November, during which plaintiff Eshayek was asked “how many babies did you kill today?”; and many other incidents, including the March 4 blockade at Federation CJA of a pro-Israel event that was supposed to take place at Concordia but was cancelled by the same administration that had allowed anti-Israel events to take place.

The students add that the university has “violated their right to equality, dignity, access to education and security, under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms by allowing and condoning a climate of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and violence within the university. Graham Carr, in his capacity as president and vice-chancellor of Concordia, was under the obligation to ensure the safety and security of the plaintiffs on campus. His inaction, neglect, indifference, and dereliction of duties to have allowed intimidating, offensive, demeaning, threatening, disruptive, unwelcome, and unwanted conduct to flourish on campus.”

The university is specifically accused of, since Oct. 7, a “repeated and repetitive failure to investigate incidents of antisemitism and acts that are targeted at Plaintiffs on campus, provide proper trainings or methodologies to its staff and representatives in dealing with the verbal assaults, harassment, and/or bullying matters on campus, provide students at Concordia with resources and proper education on the issue of antisemitism, assaults, bullying and zero-tolerance policies; adequately document, and discipline or sanction students and student organizations involved in antisemitism, assaults, harassment, and/or bullying on and off campus.”

The university and Carr are also accused of a failure to “take the appropriate steps to adequately investigate the activities of students involved in antisemitism, assaults, harassment, and/or bullying on and off campus; take the appropriate steps to denounce and reject antisemitic movements at Concordia, including, but not limited to, any organization for the BDS movement, and any organization that promote hatred towards Jewish persons; take the appropriate steps to sanction students and student groups from supporting antisemitic movements on campus, including, but not limited to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement; properly identify, counsel and assist Jewish students, including plaintiffs, once they became harassed and assaulted by persons on campus; take the appropriate steps to address the antisemitic behaviour and rhetoric on campus using its own internal policies, regulations and guidelines in a timely manner; take the appropriate steps to terminate its agreement with students and student groups for breach of internal policies, regulations and guidelines, particularly those relating to the dissemination of violence, hate propaganda and hate speech; and to enforce policies such as wearing masks or covering your face while on campus; and enforce policies in view of preventing general disorderly conduct and lawlessness on campus.” n

Students sue Concordia and its President to enforce anti-hate rules Read More »

Students set up indefinite encampment for Palestine at McGill

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Photo Hannah-Scott Talib

Hannah-Scott Talib,
Local Journalism Initiative

Hundreds of students demand that McGill and Concordia divest their funds supporting Israel

Starting at 1:30 pm on April 27, students from McGill and Concordia University banded together to create an indefinite encampment by the Roddick Gates on McGill’s main campus.

The coalition of students that organized the encampment contained members of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) groups from both universities as well as participants of the McGill Hunger Strike. It was also co-organized by both Concordia and McGill chapters of the Independent Jewish Voices group. At the time of the start of the encampment, around one hundred students were within and picketing around the space. The number drastically increased by the end of the afternoon as passers-by and marchers from a nearby protest led by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) joined in. 

This encampment comes at a time when student demonstrations to liberate Palestine are at a high at universities around the globe. This week marks the second week of this spike in student protest movements, with students at New York’s Columbia University being some of the kickstarters of the student revolution for Palestine. 

“We are here to follow the revolutionary student movement and demand divestment at McGill and Concordia — it’s the demand of pretty much all the students in North America,” said Ali Salman, spokesperson for the student encampment movement at McGill. “We’re here indefinitely, we’re here until our demands are met, so let’s hope that the community can not only sustain it but also defend it.”

Salman added that the encampment will not end until the students’ demands for McGill and Concordia to divest from funds contributing to the genocide in Gaza are met by the universities.

In a statement released by McGill University on April 29, it was acknowledged that the amount of protesters within the encampment has tripled since it was first set up. The statement equally included a claim that “video evidence of some people using unequivocally antisemitic language and intimidating behaviour” had been seen, and also states that the encampment violates both the “right to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly”. McGill administration representatives were eventually sent to the field to make a ‘final warning’ asking for the encampment protesters to leave. The speech was drowned out by the demonstrators. 

Police presence increased on April 29, but were effectively prevented from entering the encampment.

The PYM Montreal march that coincided with the encampment’s first day began at 2 p.m. at the Guy-Concordia metro station. Protesters made their way up Sherbrooke Street towards McGill University, reaching the encampment at around 3:30 p.m. 

Upon reaching the area, marchers joined the picket line around the encampment, shouting chants such as “Until schools divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” and “listen to the (International Court of Justice) ICJ, genocide is not okay.”

Kanien’kehá:ka activist, artist and filmmaker Ellen Gabriel gave a guest speech at the encampment. 

“We are here to say that all human rights are universal, all human rights are applied to each and every one of us equally, not because we belong to a certain sect or to a certain race, but because we are all human beings and for that, what you are doing today is important,” said Gabriel, addressing the students within the encampment and the crowd gathered around it. 
On the picket line, protesters held up banners that read “Ceasefire”, “Free gaza now”, “Jews against genocide” and more. 

“The warmongers are listening to you right now — they see you, they’re scared of you. Don’t be scared of them, because fear is what they feed off of. Fear is what they want you to feel,” said Gabriel. “What you are doing today is for humanity and what you are doing today is not just for Palestinians but for all people.”

Outreach for the encampment attracted a crowd beyond just McGill and Concordia students as well. 

“I got the news on social media,” said one protester who was granted anonymity for safety reasons. “In the first few hours I think it’s very important to show our support and say that [this cause] is serious, [and] to support legitimate demands.”

The student added that they felt it was heart-warming to be a part of the ongoing global student revolution and seeing the increase in action to push for divestments and a permanent ceasefire in Palestine across North America this week. 

“[The fact] that students can possibly have the time or the capacity to be somewhere — to be at this encampment, to always show up to protests […] I think it’s amazing,” said one Concordia student protester. “Everyone should be doing it but I think students [in particular]. We’re at university to learn, to share ideas, to think critically about situations, and it doesn’t take much critical thinking to see what’s going on is just genocide.”

The encampment is accepting donations of tents, batteries, blankets and more from the general public. Updates on the needs of the protesters can be found on Instagram at the accounts @pymmontreal, @sphrconu and @sphrmcgill. 

Following the publication of this article, The Link was made aware that the Concordia and McGill Independent Jewish Voices chapters also participated in the organizing of the encampment. The article has been modified to reflect this information.

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Concordia creates new task force to tackle racism on campus

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Due to rise of racism on campus, Concordia has created a new task force which promises to create a safe campus space. Photo Matthew Daldalian

Maria Cholakova,
Local Journalism Initiative

The university promises to create a safe campus for students of diverse backgrounds

On April 3, Concordia President Graham Carr informed students by email that a new task force called Standing Together against Racism and Identity-based Violence (STRIVE) has been formed. 

The creation of the task force comes after months of increasing tension on campus. On Nov. 8, 2023, a confrontation in the Henry F. Hall building between Israeli and Palestinian students turned violent. More recently, on March 13, a few students from the Muslim Student Association (MSA) expressed that they do not feel safe on campus, due to claims of Zionist students verbally harassing them on a regular basis. Several members of MSA accused students of calling them terrorists, pro-Hamas supporters and MSA terrorists. 

According to Carr, since October 2023, there has been an increase in “manifestations of hate, acts of intimidation and other instances of identity-based violence.” In his statement, Carr said these incidents are unacceptable. 

The university created STRIVE as a result of increasing identity-based violence on campus. According to the university’s website, the task force will aim to address identity-based violence, strengthen anti-discrimination efforts and develop new policies and initiatives to combat discrimination at Concordia. 

The task force will consist of one overseeing body and six subcommittees. Each subcommittee will consist of one lead and three members representing staff, students and faculty. The subcommittees will tackle key issues, including antisemitism, anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian racism, transphobia, as well as campus climate and campus engagement. 

For each subcommittee, the university will examine existing campus policies and systems in place for complaints. The university will also evaluate the community’s access to campus services and speak to the relevant Concordia and Montreal communities to deduce what measures are needed. 

According to Concordia’s website, the committees are seeking participants to join the task force. 

This isn’t the first time the university has created a task force. Concordia currently has one task force, the Task Force on anti-Black Racism. Alongside the task force, Concordia also created a committee on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence in 2018—the latter of which has been heavily criticized by students. These criticisms involve being non-student-centric and unable to adequately deal with cases or listening to student complaints. 

Carr promises to notify the student body of any advancements or progress made by STRIVE. 

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Concordia hosts its third annual powwow

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Elder Delbert Sampson dressed in regalia waiting for the opening ceremony to begin. Photo Joy Benyamin

Joy Benyamin,
Local Journalism Initiative

The event celebrates Indigenous students at Concordia

On Sept. 13, Concordia University hosted its third annual powwow at the Loyola Campus, a celebration honouring Indigenous cultures. 

On Sept. 13, Concordia University hosted its third annual powwow at the Loyola Campus, a celebration honouring Indigenous cultures. 

Organized by the Otsenhákta Student Centre, the event highlights the success of First Nations, Inuit and Métis students via a showcase of tradition, music and dance. It aimed to highlight Indigenous voices and teach attendees about Indigenous culture. 

The diversity of Indigenous cultures was represented through traditional songs and dances such as hoop dancing, a Métis jig and a smoke dance demonstration. Throughout the afternoon, the crowd was given the opportunity to participate in the powwow by joining several performances.

A dozen tables were also set up for the event with local Indigenous vendors selling a variety of goods, accessories and artworks such as beadwork, bags and pendants. In collaboration with the powwow, the Hive Free Lunch program served various Indigenous dishes, such as Three Sisters Soup and bannock biscuits. 

The powwow ended at around 4 p.m. with a closing ceremony.

Local indigenous vendors, such as Cree Stones Jewelry, set up tables around Loyola Campus selling various goods. Photo Joy Benyamin
Performers, staff and attendees mingled throughout the Pow Wow event. Photo Joy Benyamin
Powwow staff member Savannah Matteinu-Gabriel is helping a performer secure a feather in their hair. Photo Joy Benyamin
Attendees watching performers demonstrating a traditional dance during the powwow. Photo Joy Benyamin
The powwow ended around 4 p.m. after the closing ceremony. Photo Joy Benyamin

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Student group says Concordia lies on fighting antisemitism

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By Joel Goldenberg

The recent response by Canadian universities to MPs that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Codes of Conduct and other issues does not match the reality on the ground, specifically at Concordia University, says the group StartUp Nation. Concordia denies this is the case. The university has received legal demand letters from attorney Neil Oberman, senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer, on behalf of Jewish students who accuse the university of allowing rampant antisemitism by pro-Hamas students that have included physical attacks on Jews.

Legal action has been launched against Concordia and other universities, calling for action against hate on campus.The group StartUp Nation organized last November’s pro-Israel rally at Concordia University, which took place after pro-Israel students were assaulted verbally and phsyically by pro-Hamas individuals.

The StartUp Nation letter, addressed to MPs Anthony Housefather, Ben Carr, Marco Mendicino, Anna Gainey and outgoing MP David Lametti, pointed out that “tensions on university campuses have skyrocketed since the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, and we congratulate you for reaching out to university leadership across Canada to gain a better understanding of the steps they are taking to fight hatred and racism and ensure students feel safe on their campuses.

“More needs to be done, and we are looking to elected officials like you to show leadership and to speak out,” wrote StartUp Nation founder Anastasia Zorchinsky and Vice President, External Affairs Michael Eshayek.

The two added that “unfortunately, there is a significant discrepancy between the answers provided and our on the ground reality. “To be clear, the administration is failing to implement its own policies. While we welcome the administration stating that ‘calling for genocide against the Jewish people . . . constitute a violation of Concordia’s University’s Code of Rights and Responsibilities,’ until now this policy has not been enforced. For example, posters have appeared on campus declaring ‘Free Palestine! Intifada Until Victory!’ At the November demonstration in the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building) an enormous map appeared as a backdrop where Israel has been removed. Demonstrators frequently chant ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ and call upon, among other things, for the university to ‘cease exchange programs with Israeli institutions and cut ties with current and future Zionist donors.’”

Zorchinsky and Eshayek wrote that Concordia’s Code of Rights and Responsibilities “forbids demonstrators from hiding their faces by wearing masks. “Once again, this policy is not being enforced. We in fact fear that a good number of the instigators of the demonstrations on campus are not even Concordia students….To date, the administration has not launched proceedings against the instigators of recent demonstrations. We have for example indicated that Bara Iyad Abuhamed, a part-time student at Concordia since 2016, has broken our conduct code and is on campus in order to agitate. Mr. Abuhamed has been caught on film threatening and indeed attacking students and staff on campus. His posts on social media also call for violence against Jews. Yet the administration is turning a blind eye to his activities, and he has not been disciplined.”

StartUp Nation also argues that Concordia has not disciplined the Concordia Student Union and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights in terms of a hostile environment on campus.

“They refer to Israel as an apartheid state, and together they have led anti-Israel activities, including a walk-out on campus. Leaders of the CSU are members of the SPHR and have been videotaped shunting at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Contrary to its policies, the CSU has never consulted with Jewish and Israeli students and student groups like ours on the statements it has issued on the war in recent months and their impact on our community. The CSU has set a narrative on campus which makes Jewish and Israeli students unsafe, and the administration has not intervened.”

Asked for a response, Vannina Maestracci of Concordia’s media office referred us to the university’s response to the MPs and its Jan. 22 response to The Suburban, that “the university has taken several measures on campus to ensure our community’s safety, including increased monitoring of events and demonstrations as well as adding supplemental personnel when appropriate; meetings with student groups; the creation of a committee with expertise in mediation and conflict resolution; increased workshops on anti-discrimination for our community; launch of an active listening initiative to help community members address distressing events.

“I also want to reiterate that complaints and processes under the Code of Rights are confidential and, contrary to what is stated in the letter you refer to, we can confirm that the university is acting on complaints made following recent events. Also, regarding student associations, they are funded by student fee levies and are independent of Concordia University. In Quebec, the independence of student associations is enshrined in the Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students’ associations. However, Concordia University students and members are subject to the provisions of the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. Since Oct. 7, the university administration has held several meetings with members of student groups to ensure that any activities and demonstrations take place with respect for all members of the community and in contexts that are safe for all.” n

Student group says Concordia lies on fighting antisemitism Read More »

Concordia cancels speech by Oct. 7 massacre glorifier

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By Joel Goldenberg

Concordia University has cancelled a scheduled speech by Sami Hamdi, a British commentator who, on video, celebrated the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas in which 1,400 people in Israel were brutally murdered and more than 200 kidnapped. As The Suburban has reported, Concordia has received legal demand letters over the past month from attorney Neil Oberman, senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer, on behalf of Jewish students who accuse the university of allowing rampant antisemitism by pro-Hamas students that have included physical attacks on Jews.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs stated that both Concordia and Carleton had cancelled the speech, and welcomed the decision. “Our assessment revealed that this individual has made remarks that include celebrating violence,” Fiona Downey, a spokesperson for Concordia University said. “Based on this assessment we concluded that this event would create a climate of intimidation which we will not allow.”

Hamdi said in a speech 10 days after the massacre, “Allah has shown the world that no normalization can erase the Palestinian cause. When everybody thought it was finished, it is roaring. How many of you felt it in your hearts when you got the news that it happened? How many of you felt the euphoria? Allahu Akbari!” Hamdi also denied reports Hamas’s female victims were raped.

The commentator denies he celebrated Oct. 7. Hamdi has already spoken at Western University in London, Ontario.

Judy Zelikovitz, CIJA’s Vice-President of University and Local Partner Services, had posted Feb. 8 that “it’s outrageous that Sami Hamdi, an individual who has publicly and unabashedly celebrated the atrocious terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Jews on October 7, is being brought in by campus groups to speak at Canadian universities in Ontario and Quebec.

“By platforming Hamdi, these clubs are endorsing his beliefs and helping to spread hate on our campuses. Inviting Hamdi makes the clubs’ motives clear: it’s not about opposing war or supporting Palestinians, but rather celebrating harm to Jews. We’ve heard from students that they are overwhelmed with fear that a supporter of terrorism will be speaking on their campus at a time when Jewish students, faculty, and staff are the targets of increased hate. Freedom of speech and academic freedom are fundamental principles of Canadian society, but a reasonable limit should exist when it comes to celebrating terrorism.”

She added that “Jewish students, faculty, and staff have a right to feel safe on their campus. We call on the provincial governments to work with university administrators to ensure hate speech is not tolerated on Canadian campuses.” n

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CFC’s fight against food insecurity

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Photo Lana Brady

Solène de Bar
Local Journalism Initiative

As students face barriers to accessing affordable meals, organizations like the Concordia Food Coalition (CFC) aim to help students and provide essential support in the fight against food insecurity on campus.

“When we table on the mezzanine level of the Hall building, the common questions we receive from students are where to get access to free food on campus or how they can get involved in the food system,” said Maggie Morrison, education and food group development coordinator at CFC.

The CFC is worried about the economic, ecological, and social implications of the food system at Concordia. Its main goal is to build a community-centered food system at the university and with the surrounding communities. They achieve this through various initiatives including Concordia Farmer’s Market, and collaborating with programs such as the People’s Potato, the Hive Free Lunch and the Frigo Vert. CFC is working closely with them, from helping out where needed to organizing events, such as the Loyola Food Fair in the shared space with Hive Free Lunch.  

The coalition is hosting numerous events during the winter 2024 semester. One of those events is a new series called Organizing Food Sovereignty, which collaborates with different campus food groups on a monthly basis, to bring students together around food-related events and activities. January marked the debut of Dinner and Documentaries, uniting students over food and community-themed films. The event, featuring the film “Gather,” was held on Feb. 21 at Frigo Vert, offering free vegetarian meals. 

In addition, a new program partnership with Improove, a local food program in Montreal offers $15 anti-waste baskets to students with fresh fruits and vegetables. Students can pick  up the baskets on Wednesday afternoon at the Frigo Vert or Thursday afternoon from the Hive Free Lunch space.

“The Concordia Food Coalition’s initiatives are seriously shaking things up for us students. They’re not just handing out food; they’re giving us a way to dive into important food-related subjects with other students. It’s nice to see these impactful changes happening right on our campuses,” said Jules Vaucelle, a film studies student who regularly comes by the Hive Free Lunch.

With the current food crisis and increasing grocery prices, the CFC finds it crucial to spearhead these new initiatives as students are struggling to afford three meals a day. According to CFC, events that are being held have proven to be very helpful to students. “Our events where food is available are the most popular ones,” said Morrison. “Our Fall Equinox Party at the Loyola campus with the farmer’s market and food groups was very popular, indicating that students do want to connect and eat together.”

Viktoriya Gritsayeva maintains a $50 food budget to help balance her expenses for both her apartment and tuition. “A lot of times I won’t even eat. I just have a cup of coffee and some nuts and then that’s it,” said Gritsayeva, a science foundation certificate student who was initially unfamiliar with the Hive Free Lunch at Loyola campus.

Gritsayeva isn’t the only one facing this situation. According to a study by Meal Exchange, 49.5 per cent of the respondents reported that they had to sacrifice buying food in order to pay for essential expenses such as rent, tuition and textbooks.

For students seeking to play an active role, CFC encourages students to volunteer by participating in campus food groups or attending educational events like the upcoming Organizing Food Sovereignty series.

“Food connects us all,” said Morrison. “If you’re interested in learning more about the food system, no matter what stage you’re at in terms of knowledge, get involved and know how it functions, and what your role is in it.” 

CFC’s fight against food insecurity Read More »

Concordia and McGill to sue Quebec over tuition hikes

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Photo Alice Martin

Maria Cholakova
Local Journalism Initiative

On Feb. 23, Concordia President Graham Carr announced that the university is set to take legal action against the province after months of discussions with the government.

According to Carr’s statement, the decision to pursue legal action comes after months of unsuccessful talks with the government and Coalition Avenir Québec’s (CAQ) rejection of Concordia’s French language program proposal. 

The CAQ has reduced the increase for out-of-province students from $17,000 to $12,000. However, despite the change, Carr wrote that the provincial government “never worked with us in any substantive way to hear, let alone address, our wide-ranging concerns.”

Concordia is already feeling the effects of the hikes, with the university seeing a 27 per cent decrease in out-of-province student applications. In addition, the university is already in financial trouble, with a current deficit of $35 million, on top of the $362 million of total debt. 

Due to these challenges, Concordia is ready to take legal action, stating that they “have no choice but to pursue a just outcome.”

Concordia’s main reasons for the action are its financial troubles, the belief that “diversity is a critical driver of excellence,” the need for accessible education for all, and the importance of “equality among francophone and anglophone linguistic groups and the protection of Quebec’s minority English-language community.”

Concordia isn’t the only English university taking legal action. McGill has also pursued a similar lawsuit, although completely separate from Concordia’s. 

Apart from the Concordia administration’s efforts to put an end to the tuition hikes, student groups around campus have continued their mobilization efforts. Twelve student associations went on strike from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, and many are set to strike again from March 11 to March 15. 

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