Protesters are angry the administration has sought to expel student leaders and ramp up security at the politically active campus as they cut programs.

The world's largest privately held security firm, Garda is open about its need for repressive university, business and political leaders. The Montréal firm's chief executive, Stephan Cretier, called the 2012 Québec student strike "positive" for business. "Naturally, when there's unrest somewhere – the Egyptian election or some disruption here in Quebec or a labour disruption somewhere – unfortunately it's usually good for business."

But, that's not half of it. A 2014 Canadian Business profile described Garda's business as "renting out bands of armed men to protect clients working in some of the Earth's most dangerous outposts." Garda operates in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Algeria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and elsewhere.