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Dawson Student Union rejects MES Investigation Report and calls for Minister Déry’s Resignation 2 sept 2025 Updated 9:56 PM In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Dawson Student Union (DSU) took significant actions to advocate for its members, notably supporting a student-led strike for Palestine in November 2024. This event triggered tensions, leading to a politically biased investigation by the Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur (MES) into the safety of students at Dawson and Vanier Colleges. The resulting June 2025 report covered various issues, including a Special General Assembly (SGA) and its resulting student union strike, the legitimacy of campus prayer rooms, and threatened student associations’ financial independence by attacking the core principles behind the Act respecting the accreditation and financing of student associations. As a student union, it is our main objective to represent the entirety of our members. The DSU assures the safety of all students and is dedicated to protecting their rights. The SGA and November strike resulted from a democratic process initiated by a petition submitted in accordance with our rules by DSU members (who are all Dawson students). In response, the DSU followed all established procedures and acted accordingly to its legal obligations. This report is deeply flawed, the main discrepancies are outlined as followed: The prayer rooms on campus are open to all students, regardless of background or belief. They are intended to support the religious and spiritual needs of the student body and are not tied to or promoting any ideology or doctrine. They are there to ensure respect, accommodation and accessibility for all. The DSU stands in solidarity with all faith-based groups we oversee, and we are committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive and respectful environment. There is no link between prayer rooms and violence or intimidation on campus. Claims suggesting otherwise reflect the CAQ’s agenda of extreme secularism and its ongoing efforts to undermine charter-protected rights. Additionally, the report criticizes both associations for allegedly acting beyond a “non-political”mandate. Within the DSU structure, “non-political” means non-partisan politics, and the same interpretation applies to our affiliated bodies. As a student union, we are inherently political in that we advocate for the diverse interests of our members through democratic processes, regardless of whether these interests align with those of other institutions. The investigators were given that information and they chose to ignore it and apply their own false interpretation. In this regards , during our Annual General Assembly (AGA), the DSU membership democratically adopted two new positions: we stand in support of students, teachers, and professionals who condemn the decades-long occupation and genocide in Palestine. We equally strongly condemn anti-Palestinian, islamaphobic and antisemitic hate. Furthermore, we uphold the right to self-determination for all oppressed peoples worldwide. Finally, the report also talks about the Plant student newspaper and its constitution. The Plant was at its origins part of a course given at Dawson College. It is no longer the case and has operated as an unincorporated entity. They are currently being restructured to be an independent student newspaper formed as a not for profit, a process which was completed earlier this month. An outdated version of the constitution was provided to the investigators in good faith, with clarification that it was no longer in effect and that the structure would be updated in the current academic year. The investigators decided to spin this narrative, claiming they don’t follow their constitution, ignoring the provided context. The DSU remains committed to supporting and amplifying the voices of those we represent whereas the Ministry has made it clear it is committed to pushing an oppressive narrative, aiming to limit academic freedoms, and student expression. This report is purely political to justify the policies and actions of the CAQ. The DSU stands firm in its rejection of the investigation recommendations and we hope to assure all Dawson students that our main goal remains to support those at the heart of our operations. The DSU demands that Pascale Déry resign from her position as Minister of Higher Education due to a clear conflict of interest and general incompetence in protecting higher education in Quebec. If she refuses, we urge the premier to reassign the ministry to someone more qualified and move Pascale Déry to the backbenches during the upcoming cabinet reshuffle. Lastly, call on the Quebec government to reject all recommendations from the report.

In recent months, the Dawson Student Union has noted a rise in incidents of a discriminatory nature, particularly against DSU Clubs and independent student groups operating on campus. The Muslim Student Association, Islamic Relief, and Al-Raya have been continuously experiencing verbal violence, intimidation, and harassment while organizing on-campus events. Recent incidents targeting these groups, notably the Sisters of the MSA and Al-Raya during their Palestinian events, have brought to light the presence of gender-based discrimination, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. Such occurrences clearly demonstrate the urgent need to address these issues head-on. This persistent harassment has been extremely overwhelming to the targeted club members and created an atmosphere of anxiety and fear. As your student union, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a campus environment free of any form of violence, harassment, and discrimination. We stand in solidarity with our Clubs, fully support them, and actively encourage them to participate to enhance student life. Should any Dawson community member have serious concerns about a club event, they ought to communicate them with the executives of the Dawson Student Union. The DSU firmly condemns all forms of discrimination. We are dedicated to protecting our members affected by situations of this nature and will take the necessary measures to counter these acts. May we remind you that every student needs to adhere to all regulations and policies of the College and the DSU. We urge all students to denounce any form of discrimination to the DSU and ask that respect and civility be upheld by all members of the Dawson community. The DSU urges any student implicated in situations related to violence, harassment and discrimination to make use of the DSU Hive’s and Dawson College’s services. You are encouraged to consult professional counselors at the College as well as the intervention workers below for support. For immediate or planned psychosocial interventions, contact the intervention workers below: DSU Hive Senior Coordinator: Extension 1082 - Office 2D.1A - hive_sr.coordinator@dawsonstudentunion.com Social Worker at the First Year’s office: Extension 1183 - Office 2D.01 - ychukhovich@dawsoncollege.qc.ca Social Work Technician at the First Year's office: Extension 1182 - Office 2D.0 - hphotopoulos@dawsoncollege.qc.ca Social Service Officer for Code of Conduct: Extension 1209 - Office 4E.2-6 - aleblancflorent@dawsoncollege.qc.ca First Year's Office Social Service Officer: Extension 1130 - Office 4E.3-2 - edunne@dawsoncollege.qc.ca If you are Muslim and would like to have a safe zone or talk with members of your community, you can contact the Muslim Association via : msa@dawsonstudentunion.com For immediate intervention in situations presenting signs of aggression, immediately contact Dawson Security: - Extension 1500 Office 2E.14 Subsequently, an intervention worker should be notified in order to ensure a proper follow-up.

MONTRÉAL, QC (May 26, 2021) - On May 26, 2021, 51% of students (1519 students) voted in favour of striking. This strike was initiated by students and further approved in a Special General Assembly that took place on May 24, 2021. This strike will entail a complete student boycott of final exams taking place from May 27, 2021, to June 4, 2021. This means that students are asked not to attend their final exams in person in response to their neglect of student concerns previously made clear by the body. Here are some important points to consider: This strike was initiated by students with the intent of boycotting controversial in-person final exams after the college’s refusal to adapt their final examinations to a more suitable format. The goal of the strike is to pressure the school to shift their exams online. For the time being the college has continued to indicate they intend on holding exams in person. Considering that almost half of students do not intend to go to these exams, this sheds doubt on their seriousness to move forward with mass failings. Students who have in-person exams that require certain material only available at the College such as Nursing or Radiology may still access the college to do their evaluations as stated in the strike resolution adopted. Only exams that do not absolutely require in-person such as math, chemistry and physics are subject to this strike. Students who do not have in-person exams are not asked to strike but may do so in support of their peers. We have made several attempts to negotiate with the college and find a compromise. Despite our worst proposals being presented, the college has refused to accept any sort of proposal which did not come from their own administration. We ask that no student congregates in front of the school as this would pose potential health risks related to COVID-19 and would be contrary to our concerns with regards to the in-person presence on campus. If you voted against the strike and do not want to boycott exams, you are still entitled to attend exams. The boycott is a right, not an obligation. The College has no logistical capacity to fail all students who do not attend their final. These implications for universities that are waiting for students to graduate. There would be pressure from both Universities and the Ministry for the college to not fail these students considering this would cause major issues in the entire higher education sector of Quebec. There are about 3000 students (30% of the student body) who were expected to write final exams in person at Dawson. Considering the college has space issues as seen during admissions this year, it would be impossible for them to fail even 200 students who decide to boycott final exams since this would mean these students would need to remain at Dawson for another semester. Considering the college already fills all space in the daytime, they would have no choice but to rescind applications at the College. Let's not forget that the college's space issues this year were caused by their decision to not expel a few students on academic probation due to the pandemic. The number of students who weren`t expelled was inferior to the current number of students who want to strike. The College would have a serious issue on their hands and they know it. They have admitted to this potential issue in negotiations that took place over the last few days. Despite their best efforts to influence the vote in internal elections, they have failed to convince a sufficient number of students to vote against such a strike. For those who boycott, it is a possibility that exams would be deferred to a later date likely in August. There is also the possibility of exams being offered online as well. There is no certainty at this time but all options remain realistic. Students should focus on how they can best try to pressure the college to finally give in to their concerns. The point of a strike is to put enough pressure on the college to force their hand into giving in. If a plurality of students boycott, the college will quickly realize they are outmatched. That is what will make them change their minds and that is what is important to consider when making a decision. The ball is in their court. They could have listened to our concerns months ago but chose to ignore us and to move forward despite very valid issues with their plans. Do not blame students who have valid health and safety concerns, do not blame the DSU who is just doing its job, blame the college for a lack of clarity, a lack of reassurance and a lack of openness towards its student body. Overall, they mismanaged this situation from the start and have refused to try to reconcile any concerns of students. A compromise would have swiftly reassured those concerned. It is truly unfortunate it has come to this. If enough pressure is put on the college, they will have no choice but to backtrack for the reasons mentioned above. We encourage all students to boycott their exams to ensure the strength of our position. The college will try to scare or threaten students but you must all stay strong. We know they cannot make act on their threats. We also ask that everyone remain civil and that any protest (online) with regards to Dawson disregard of student rights be done peacefully and with respect. We understand this is a stressful time and that some are concerned about the possible impacts of this strike. We will continue to be as forthcoming as we can be with you all but understand that the situation is unfolding. The injunction will be addressed in a separate statement as we are still awaiting a decision from the Superior Court of Quebec. For the full results of the strike vote, please click here. Please contact general@dawsonstudentunion.com for any questions

In the context of the current pandemic, there have been many concerns with the College's intention to hold in-person final exams on campus. The college has indicated that there was a likely possibility that in-person exams would be held at Dawson in the upcoming month. As representatives and advocates for students, the Dawson Student Union is interested in directly consulting its membership in order to better understand students' needs and concerns. Based on the results of the survey, the union hopes to better represent the student body before the college administration and the government. All members of the union have received the survey in their personal email. The survey takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. For any technical issues concerning the survey, feel free to contact general@dawsonstudentunion.com.

The Student Council is having its first meeting tomorrow after recently being elected. This meeting will be open to all members of the union if they wish to join. The meeting will commence at 7pm on Zoom. The link can be found below and accessible only through a Dawson zoom account. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84461408683 Meeting ID: 844 6140 8683 Student Councillors will be discussing very important topics on the future of the union including the appointment of student representatives. For more information on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting, please visit the agenda section of our website. All meetings of the Student Council will be recorded and available on the website. The Student Council will be meeting once a month is tasked with making recommendations to the Executive Committee on various topics relevant to the union. It is composed of Academic and Demographic Constituency representatives. For any questions on the student council, you can contact studentcouncil@dawsonstudentunion.com

Following a successful elections and nomination period, the Dawson Student Union is proud to present to the student body your Winter 2021 student council! Without further ado, please welcome your new councillors! SCIENCE COUNCILLORS: Adelka Felcarek-Hope Inès Lamothe-Katrapani SOCIAL SCIENCE COUNCILLORS: Christina Koikaran Mojisola Adamson Yimaj Baharun Yves-Jusslin Maniratanga CREATIVE ARTS COUNCILLOR: Oriana Buchszer TECHNICAL PROGRAM COUNCILLORS: Andreanne Dussault Daniela Diaz Nathan Mcdonald COUNCILLOR FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS: Jordan Jerome-Pitre COUNCILLOR FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Fernando Belote COUNCILLOR FOR RACIALIZED STUDENTS: Mia Scroggings-Hadley COUNCILLOR FOR QUEER STUDENTS: Arwyn Regimbal COUNCILLOR FOR FRENCH STUDENTS: Shirin Hinojosa Violante Stay tuned as we continue to update our website and social media with more information about your new student council in the coming weeks!

Over the last few years, there has been a growing concern in the student body about the degree of accountability for both the College administrators and its Union representatives. Our team is committed to ensuring that such concerns are put to rest. That is why we are announcing the official timeline for elections for the Student Council, a body of the DSU that has been greatly missing in its structure, that will ensure proper transparency, accountability and representation for Dawson's student body! The student council composition is set every year by the Executive Committee in an effort to ensure proportional representation. In 2020, the Executive Committee decided to have a council composed of 12 elected positions representing the various programs within the College. There are also 5 nominated positions representing diverse student demographics that will sit on the Student Council. The Student Council will be tasked with meeting monthly to consider various policy decisions, to help mediate internal disputes and to overall ensure that all student’s concerns are highlighted and get addressed within their mandate. Some councillors will also be asked to duly represent the interests of students on College committees. Student Council is set to be put in place this Winter semester, which will have a mandate of one semester that will end on May 31st following the April general elections. These elections will be accomplished by Single Transferable Vote. The timeline that was set last Thursday by the Executive Committee has been determined as follows: Nominations open on January 25th, 2021, at 12:00, am and close on February 15th, 2021, at 12:00 am. For more information on the nomination forms and the process, please visit our elections section on our website. Voting will commence on February 25th, 2021, at 12:00 am and end on February 26th, 2021, at 4:00 pm. Students may run for a councillor position of their program of study that. The 12 councillor positions go as follows: 4 Councillors for the Social Sciences 2 Councillors for the Applied Sciences 1 Councillor for the Arts 3 Councillors for the Technical Programs 2 Councillors for Continuing Education As mentioned, there also 5 demographic positions that will be appointed by the Executive committee. An official application process should be announced shortly. The 5 demographic representative positions are: 1 Councillor for Aboriginal students 1 Councillor for Francophone students 1 Councillor for Queer students 1 Councillor for Racialized students 1 Councillor for students with disabilities Contact ceo@dawsonstudentunion.com for any questions on the 12 electable councillors. For all questions relating to the 5 appointable councillors, contact deputy.chairperson@dawsonstudentunion.com. To stay tuned in to elections at Dawson, make sure to follow @dawsonelections on Facebook and @dawson_elections on Instagram!

Years of research from several Nonprofits and NGOs outline the unique hurdles, challenges, and discriminatory practices faced by the LGBTQIA2S+ consistently. The Dawson Student Union feels that not enough has been done to address these issues. It is for this reason, with regard to our commitments to the Dawson community, that we are pleased to announce the DSU Executive Committee's official endorsement and support for the project on the “Prevention of Sexual Violence Among LGBTQIA2S + People in the Higher Education Field”. This project was presented to Executive Committee at their January 14th meeting by the ASEQ Foundation (Alliance pour la santé étudiante au Québec) and was adopted by unanimous consent. Below is a breakdown of the plan issued by ASEQ, along with a letter in both English and French addressed to the Ministry of Justice in support of this initiative issued and signed by the Chairperson of the union. We hope that this effort will help to bring more consistent focus on the challenges the LGBTQIA2S+ is faced within our society. Their needs demand concerted action in order to eliminate the struggles they face. The DSU hopes that more organizations will provide their support and kick start their own initiatives that we may bring about a fairer, more open and inclusive environment for all.

After a month-long search, the DSU Executive team is proud to present our new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Kessy Simbi. Her mandate begins effective immediately will end on May, 31st 2021. Kessy was selected among a pool of six student candidates and ultimately gained a unanimous recommendation from the hiring committee as a nominee for the position. Her professional experience, para-academic and extracurricular involvement, and leadership qualities, ensured that she stood out among her peers and is an excellent fit for the CEO role. Among her responsibilities are building a strong Elections Commission and organizing the Student Council Elections for the winter 2021 semester. Kessy will also be looking to appoint a Deputy Electoral Officer to aid her in her duties with the elections commission. She is excited to begin her mandate, and the executive committee of the DSU wishes her best of luck in her training and preparations for upcoming elections. If you have any questions about elections or if you wish to join the Elections Commission, you can contact her at ceo@dawsonstudentunion.com

The DSU Executive Committee is proud to announce the publishing of our Director Plans for the 2020-2021 mandate. These plans will serve as our guides throughout the year and serve to set out the agenda for the months to come. Some of the flagship policies that we intend on implementing are notably the implementation of a Student Insurance Plan, the establishment of the Student Council, the publishing of documents such as the financial statements, minutes and budget, a review of the DSU Bylaws and Policies, a policy on sustainability and a revamping of the website for greater transparency and clarity! Our directors are proud of the thought and preparation that went into these plans, and we look forward to seeing them come to fruition! If there are any questions on a specific plan, feel free to reach out to that director. The links to each plan can be found below: Chairperson: Deputy Chairperson: Treasurer: Director of Internal Affairs: Director of External Affairs: Director of Clubs and Services: Director of Student Life: Director of Sustainability: Director Mobilization and Communication:

On November 26th 2020, after many days of pressure from both students and the media, Dawson College announced that final in-person exams at Dawson College were cancelled. The College will still hold certain exams for certain programs in the medical field however the bulk will take place online. This was announced last Thursday afternoon to the DSU following a call between Diane Gauving, Academic Dean and the Chairperson, Kevin Contant-Holowatyj. The official announcement was shared with students following that evening in a letter written by the office of the Dean. The DSU is very proud of the work of each student and would like to thank everyone for their support and efforts to make this change a reality. The Union will always stand for its students and will not stop to fight for their health and safety. After many days of putting pressure on the College through both through the media and the government, the DSU is pleased that its efforts are not in vein. In a message on social media, the Chairperson of the DSU thanked every student for their efforts over the past few days. You can also read more about this victory on CTV and Global News.

Dawson College has taken the decision to move forward with in-person final exams for the fall 2020 semester and there is a great deal of dissatisfaction among Dawson's students and related stakeholders. The Dawson Student Union executive team has been actively working to bring awareness to this issue so that all members, students’ parents and concerned staff and faculty, may help in advocating for what is right for students. Quebec's Health Minister and Premier continue to disseminate information regarding the province's current standing in the COVID-19 pandemic and judging by their reports, it is the union`s view that we are far from being in a comfortable enough position to be potentially having thousands of people moving about in Dawson`s facilities. The school has yet to rescind their decision to hold in-person exams, and as such, the Executive team has been very active in the media; doing interviews, posting on social media, blogging and releasing official statements in order to garner enough attention in the hopes that the college`s administration will change their mind and applying students' demands. Below are just some examples of the press work done on behalf of the Dawson Student Union in hopes of spreading awareness of the current situation: Global News report on Dawson`s Decision to hold In-Person Exams: globalnews.ca/video/7482344/holding-in-person-exams-is-a-contradiction-students-argue CTV Interview on Dawson`s Decision to hold In-Person Exams: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2083298&jwsource=twi CJAD 800 Live Interview on In-Person Final Exams Dawson: https://www.iheartradio.ca/cjad/audio/should-students-be-taking-exams-in-person-just-days-before-the-holidays-1.14014649?mode=Article CBC Interview with the DSU on In-Person Final Exams at Dawson: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1823038531661 CityNews Report on In-Person Exams at Dawson College: https://montreal.citynews.ca/video/2020/11/22/students-anxious-about-health-and-safety-after-some-montreal-schools-say-they-will-hold-in-person-exams/ CBC Article on the DSU's Position on In-Person Exams: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/online-exams-at-dawson-college-1.5812145 LaPresse Article on In-Person Exams at Dawson: https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/2020-11-25/des-examens-en-personne-a-quelques-jours-de-noel.php The Montreal Gazette article mentioning in person exams: https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec-christmas-plan-leaves-some-people-behind CTV Article on In-Person Exams at Dawson: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/more-than-2-000-people-sign-petition-against-in-person-exams-at-dawson-college-1.5200021 Also, please take the time to sign the petition against in-person exams: https://change.org/p/dean-of-dawson-college-dawson-college-final-exams-online?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_25756795_fr-FR%3A2&recruiter=797255167&recruited_by_id=562eba60-a2b6-11e7-8e67-715dd9dc226f&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo For more information and news on the developing situation, follow us on social media or write to us at general@dawsonstudentunion.com. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mydsu/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mydsu Twitter: https://twitter.com/my_dsu Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mydsu