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Two University of Laval students in Quebec City are asking the court to invalidate articles in Quebec’s Act Respecting The Accreditation And Financing of Students’ Associations.

According to MEdia Co-Op Montreal, this comes after Laurent Proulx and Miguael Bergeron submitted an application Wednesday to the Superior Court of Quebec opposing the fairness of seven articles in the Act.

The two students believe the articles violate the freedom of association and freedom of expression guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In their application, they argue student union fees should not be mandatory and that Quebec students should be able to decide whether to join a student association.

Right now, the Act says all students are members unless they follow the necessary steps to leave the association.

And student association fees are mandatory for all students according to the Act

Proulx and Bergeron are representing themselves in front of the Superior Court, but their action is supported by the Fondation 1625.

Flickr Photo by: Hackworth

STORY WRITTEN BY: KURT WEISS

If a second entrance to the Vendome metro station is added, then Quebec should pay the entire cost says the borough of NDG-Cote-des-Neiges.

According to the Gazette, the entrance is a requirement if an added link from the station to the new MUHC superhospital is built.

Borough mayor Lionel Perez and city councilor Marvin Rotrand said that hospitals need a direct link with public transit. Also, based on the clientele, the entrance would need to be universally accessible for those with reduced mobility.

They plan to present a motion to the Quebec government on February 4th urging them to pay the bill which is in the $70-$75 million dollar range.

In a press release issued by the STM, Vendome metro station is currently at near capacity. When the hospital opens in 2015, users are expected to rise by 36 per cent reaching just under 15 million annually.

By: Trowbridge Estate

   Greek metro workers have refused to go back to work for the sixth consecutive day due to recent pay cuts, leaving Athens in massive traffic jams.

   Workers at the state-run city bus, tram systems and trolley all joined in on the strike. Workers claim that their new salaries would not be enough to cover their cost of living and therefore do not see any reason to return to work.

    The Metro worker’s union have stated that it will not back down, despite Monday night’s court ruling, which allows the government to force strikers back to work through emergency powers.

     The strike has made some commuters unhappy, as many who have also seen their incomes cut find it difficult to show sympathy. The strike has also caused numerous people to arrive to work late.

     New austerity measures have been approved by the Parliament last month, for Greece to continue to receive 240 billion euros of bailout funds. Eurozone finance ministers have also agreed that a loan installment worth 9.2 billion euros will also be paid out to Greece after the European Financial Stability Facility approves it.  Most of this money will be used for recapitalizing the banks.