Dawson College to close Thursday after students hold strike in solidarity with Gaza

Dawson College will remain closed on Thursday after students voted to hold a one-day strike in solidarity with Gaza.

In a memo to students, Academic Dean Leanne Bennett explained that the decision to cancel classes followed "numerous emails and calls from members of the community expressing concerns about the safety of students and employees on the day of the boycott."

"We recognize that recent events have raised tensions at the college. Our paramount concern is the safety and well-being of all our students and employees," Bennett stated.

While classes will not take place, the college assured students that the academic calendar will be adjusted, and exams will proceed as planned.

Student Vote for Strike

Last week, students voted 447 to 247 in favor of the strike. According to one student, the initiative aims to voice opposition to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The movement is part of a broader effort led by the Coalition de Résistance pour l’Unité Étudiante Syndicale (CRUES), a collective of student unions representing 35,000 members across Quebec. Similar strikes are being organized in other parts of North America.

CRUES has announced that over 20 student associations in Quebec and beyond, totaling more than 62,000 members, plan to strike between Thursday and Friday. Among the participating groups are the Concordia Undergraduate Psychology Association, the General Students Association of Montmorency College, and the Students Arts Association at Université du Québec à Montréal.

According to CRUES, the strike aims to pressure "institutions, corporations, the federal government, and the provincial government to sever all ties with Israel."

Reactions and Tensions

Dawson College acknowledged heightened tensions ahead of the strike and urged students to report incidents of cyberbullying or harassment.

"It is our collective responsibility to work together to create a learning environment where everyone feels safe, and intimidation and violence of any kind are not tolerated," Bennett wrote.

The Jewish Students Association at Dawson criticized the wording of the ballot question and campaigned against the strike.

Two Jewish organizations, Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), condemned Dawson’s decision to cancel classes, accusing the college of yielding to demonstrators at the expense of students’ right to education.

In a joint statement, they said, "Students have the right to attend class, engage in free academic discourse, and pursue their educational passions."

Wider Context

Other institutions, including McGill University and Concordia University, confirmed they have no plans to close during the strike days.

The strike comes amid escalating violence in Gaza. Reports indicate that over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to local health officials. These attacks follow the October 7 assault by Hamas in southern Israel, which left more than 1,200 people dead and over 100 still held captive by the group, designated as a terrorist organization by Canada.