Open Letter In Support of QPIRG

Dear McGill Community,

We, the undersigned McGill union and association representatives, condemn in the strongest possible terms McGill’s notice of default of McGill’s Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Québec Public Interest Research Group at McGill University (QPIRG). 

QPIRG is an invaluable resource for students and staff at McGill University, advocating for social justice, socially responsible research, and harm reduction, ideals that are in-line with McGill’s mission. McGill is threatening to terminate the MOA because of QPIRG’s support for SPHR. The termination of the MOA would suspend QPIRG’s student funding, on which they rely to operate. While QPIRG has announced plans to contest McGill’s notice of default, the legal fees associated with doing so are prohibitive for an organization of their size. QPIRG ceasing to function would seriously damage the McGill community. 

QPIRG contributes to the affordability of education for students by maintaining a textbook loan program, and engages in community research for the benefit of both students and staff alike. They provide low-cost, accessible programming which allows students access to resources like conflict resolution training, education on structural oppression, and other invaluable community resources. They have also been a valued research collaborator with McGill students and faculty.

We are concerned with McGill’s conduct toward QPIRG, and the imminent threat that this poses to their organizational autonomy. Any conduct that intimidates and threatens to dismantle a vibrant, positive student-centred campus organization is unwarranted. We believe the concern is especially pertinent because QPIRG is a small community organization with limited resources to defend its existence. As labour unions on campus, we support QPIRG’s efforts to defend their organizational autonomy and continue to serve their community-based mandate without undue interference.

We call on McGill’s Senior Administration to retract its notice of default and agree to maintain its obligations to QPIRG under the MoA that binds both parties. We also commit to donate to the QPIRG Legal Defense Fund and encourage other members of the McGill community to do the same.

Signed by: 

AMUSE Executive Committee 

AGSEM Executive Committee

AMURE

AMPFA Executive Committee