Big student actions in Quebec

Conrad Black's creation, innit?

Yes. Given its record and ideologically unsound editorial slant, I suspect that these anti-strike stories are of somewhat dubious provenance.

I think you mean provenance, if I may conjure the vengeful shade of Donna Ferentes. Though providence, also, can be dubious in its character and intent.

Hands off my malapropisms.

The Gazette ran a very similar story to the NP here:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Activists storm into UQÀM classrooms/6630877/story.html

The other one they're running with on the subject is that polls indicate it's caused a bump for the Liberals, since Marois and the PQ are so tied to the student cause (or you could argue it's vice versa).

Yes, but he sold it to CanWest Global/Izzy Asper in 2001. It's been a long time since Black had anything to do with the paper.

Actually, all articles I read contained the same story, almost word for word.

Actually, all articles I read contained the same story, almost word for word.

The right wing press in Chile tried this angle with the student protests there btw.

Now the provincial govt is threatening emergency measures:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...-122-arrests/2012/05/17/gIQA5ElxVU_story.html

I think we've seen this movie before.

If you think the students didn't like the proposed legislation, imagine their reaction if Montreal passes the by-law preventing protesters/rioters from wearing masks.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...rotests-will-reduce-violence-or-encourage-it/

no-one said war measures act - no-one is calling in the army - stop being paranoid

Oh dear, did my tinfoil hat slip?

While you're right about no-one calling in the army, surely talk of "emergency measures" must press a lot of the wrong buttons where Quebeckers are concerned (especially the older ones who remember 1970)? And isn't it also a sign of desperation on the provincial government's part?

I was in Quebec during the FLQ crisis. Trudeau didn't send the military in during the letter bombings, he waited until the terrorist kidnapped the diplomat. Nothing that severe has happened yet.

I read an article entitled, "Where are the parents?". The answer was that both parents and grandparents are also marching, protesting and blocking school access.

Oh yes - let's fine them into submission, that will work

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...islation-could-see-students-fined-up-to-35000

Here is another part of the bill, courtesy of the Gazette ->

The protest is now 100 days old, and CLASSE is vowing to defy the new law.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/massive-march-montreal-marking-100-days-protest-gets-193422913.html

Timeline of strikes from the Montreal Gazette

I was wondering why there was no arrest count yesterday. Sunday saw 300 arrested. Judging from the last line on the above, the fun starts around 2 this afternoon.

Tabernac!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=E8j3Z_Q4M1I&feature=endscreen

It's a big one.

Maudit calice!

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...ntroversial-protest-bill-to-war-measures-act/

Crap BBC report.

Numbers minimized as a glance at the accompanying pic shows.

But there's a bit more to it than that isn't there BBC? Twats.

Montreal have doubled their Police presence,,,,,

In addition to the disgrace at St Bock, Montreal police have been doing themselves proud here:


I have to say, the cops are acting in a way which is practically giving the students what they want. First they fail to enforce the injunctions reopening unis because of fear of violence, then when given a ridiculously oppressive law to play with they act like that.

I've heard rumors of Charet being in communication with Harper about bringing in the Army. Nothing confirmed yet. It occurs to me though that, politically, Harper could get away with it. After all what are Canadian liberals going to say given that their great saint Trudeau sent in the troops over a series of events that really presented much less of a threat to state power than the student strikes do.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/05/23-5

The day that Charest calls for the Canadian army to quell a protest in Quebec, will be the last day of his political career in that province.

1: Jean Charest is no Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

2: The student strikes are a threat to this particular government's power; the FLQ Crisis was a much deeper threat to state power. Trudeau could recognize the difference.

Well, it wouldn't be Charest though, it'd be Harper surely who (unless some of the election results are thrown out) isn't facing election. It would also be far more in Harpers character.

If you send the Canadian Army in to quell a Quebec disturbance, the next Referendum for separation from Canada, will succeed.

Might that not suit Harper? He comes from the western, Reform party wing of the current Tories, right? So might he not decide "too bad about the Maritimes, who'll be cut off forever, but we can fuck off Quebec and become a loyal neocolony of Washington". Or am I wrong?