WHY DOES KNOWLEDGE MATTER?
In the last 60 years, Quebec has grown from a traditional, rural society with a developing industrial infrastructure into one of the most advanced societies in the world. This tremendous evolution is not the result of one single event, but rather an evolution propelled by the sharing of knowledge, a condition that has transformed Quebec’s society and made it what it is today.
This kind of progress is only possible when supported by knowledge, education, the development of skills, and the dedication of the thousands of university graduates who have passed through the doors of our universities. Their contribution has spurred on the evolution of us all and facilitated our quality of life as a people. Our universities have been at the heart of the modernization of Quebec and the many freedoms we enjoy.
To invest in a university education is to access the entry level of the world economy and the twenty-first century — the era of educated minds. The training and research conducted in our universities will determine whether Quebec will be part of this new economy, where knowledge matters, and whether we can maintain our quality of life.
It is this vision of the future that the president of the Mouvement Desjardins, Ms. Monique F. Leroux, exposed in an eloquent speech to the Quebec Chamber of Commerce on 19 November. You can read her speech here.
