CANADA: Thousands of students march over fees

Tens of thousands of people packed Montreal's streets last Thursday to protest a tuition hike proposed by the government of Premier Jean Charest - an increase that march organisers said is tantamount to a declaration of war on students, reports CTV News.

Although exact numbers weren't available, some estimates put the crowd at around 200,000. Organisers said that the rally was among the largest education protests in a decade.

Quebec Finance Minister Raymond Bachand announced that the province's tuition rates, by far lowest in the country, will increase by $325 (US$319) a year over a five-year period as a means of increasing university funding and cutting provincial debt. The increases will result in an annual tuition price tag of $3,793 for full-time students in Quebec by 2017.
Full report on the CTV site