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Does continuing the student strike play into the Liberals' game? (La Presse)
Blandine Parchemal, Ph.D. student, Université de Montréal August 9, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/le-cercle-la-presse/actualites/201208/09/48-932-poursuivre-la-greve-etudiante-est-ce-jouer-le-jeu-des-liberaux.php
"If the student strike continues, that will play into the Liberals' game". "By prolonging the strike, students are participating in the re-election of the Liberal Party". These words can be heard everywhere these days: as much from right wing pundits opposed to the movement as from those wearing the red square, be they citizens, journalists, professors or students.
But what exactly does that mean, playing the Liberals' game?
Bill 78: Jean Charest defers to the judgement of the police (La Presse)
Tommy Chouinard August 8, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/elections-quebec-2012/201208/08/01-4563394-loi-78-jean-charest-sen-remet-au-jugement-de-la-police.php
Incumbent Premier Jean Charest will defer to the judgement of police to determine if Law 78 has to be forcibly applied.
Jean Charest, unlike this CAQ adversary François Legault, does not envision sanctions against professors who refuse to cross picket lines to give classes.
The Liberal party leader was walking on eggshells on Wednesday as journalists asked him what he would do if the return to classes did not go smoothly in any of the 14 universities and colleges affected by the student strike.
Teachers Sanctioned for a Letter Published in Le Devoir (Le Devoir)
Raphaël Dallaire Ferland August 8, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/356314/des-enseignants-sanctionnes-pour-une-lettre-publiee-dans-le-devoir
An online petition is being circulated in support of eleven teachers
[Photo : Pedro Ruiz - Le Devoir. Caption: Bill 78 was denounced from all quarters last spring.]
Management of Collège Lionel-Groulx didn't seem to get the memo that contributors to the "Ideas" section of Le Devoir are "free to think for themselves." After publication of an open letter in this newspaper in May, a written reprimand has been issued to each of its eleven signatories, who are being threatened with dismissal if they offend again.
Eleven instructors denounced the way in which the management of the college was manipulated into being an enforcement agency. In an op-ed piece titled, "Violence à Lionel-Groulx: voici notre version," published May 31, 2012. They criticized Monique Laurin, the director of the collège de Sainte-Thérèse, for her decision to enforce the injunction. They said, "This special law is an explosive weapon in the hands of an executive such as this."
Some thoughts on the (possible) return to classes (Le Voir)
Normand Baillargeon August 7, 2012
Original French Text: http://voir.ca/normand-baillargeon/2012/08/07/pensees-sur-la-possible-rentree/
As you may know, I am a professor at UQAM.
Students in my faculty, as in many other CEGEPS and universities, have been on strike for a very long time. They are now subject to a law forcing a return to class and forcing me, as their professor, to teach them. The law in question comes with very severe penalties for those who do not comply.
The situation is, I think, a first, and it is daunting and worrisome on many counts. Here, in no particular order, are a few of my thoughts and feelings on the subject.
For starters, I am outraged at the idea of being ordered to learn or teach. On top of all of the good reasons already invoked by other professors, I would add that education is an activity that presupposes a certain degree of consent, for those learning as for those teaching, and I fear the direction we are headed falls very short of that goal. It is hard to imagine teaching under these circumstances, and I completely understand my colleagues’ initiative concerning the “impossibility of teaching under Bill 78” (in French, also here, in English) and their invitation to protest at the Ministry of Education (Recreation and Sports: the name always irked me, but maybe it refers to the fact that teaching leaves little time for recreation and is hard work!).
A genuine protest police (Journal de Montréal)
Daniel Renaud July 18, 2012 (updated July 19, 2012)
Original French Text: http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2012/07/18/une-escouade-plus-mordante
Photo caption: The 2012 version of the Urban Brigade has more teeth and is mobilized to assist other services charged with controlling the student demonstrations. (Archive photo.)
Compelled by student demonstrations and social context, the traditional Urban Brigade of the Montréal Police is presenting a somewhat more repressive face this summer, the Journal has noticed.
And by reason of the more movement-oriented social context, the mandate of the brigade, which normally terminates at the end of summer, could be extended into the fall if the situation warrants it; that is to say, if the protests resume in earnest.
Created in 2009, at its origin to ensure the smooth running of the many summer festivals in Montréal, the Urban Brigade of 2012 has more teeth than the three previous incarnations.
MONTRÉAL - La CSN lance une campagne de publicité contre la loi spéciale qui encadre les manifestations et y dénonce, du même souffle, plusieurs autres actions du gouvernement Charest.
Dans ces messages publicitaires, auxquels La Presse Canadienne a pu avoir accès, on entend d'abord des voix murmurer les termes collusion, financement occulte, places en garderie, droits de scolarité, gaz de schiste, Plan Nord.
Puis une voix de femme souligne qu'«il aura fallu au gouvernement Charest plus de deux ans pour dire oui à une commission d'enquête» sur l'industrie de la construction, «mais moins de 24 heures pour adopter une loi spéciale qui porte atteinte aux libertés civiles et qui menace notre démocratie».
Le message radio se conclut par «le Québec mérite mieux».
Cette campagne contre la loi spéciale sera diffusée à la radio, dans les journaux quotidiens les deux prochains samedis, ainsi que sur le web, a précisé en entrevue Pierre Patry, trésorier au comité exécutif de la CSN.
La Confédération des syndicats nationaux veut profiter du temps qu'il lui reste avant le déclenchement possible de la campagne électorale, le 1er août, pour diffuser son message d'insatisfaction. Lorsque les élections seront officiellement annoncées, de telles campagnes peuvent être considérées comme des dépenses électorales.
Cette campagne a coûté 200 000 $ à la centrale syndicale.
M. Patry rappelle que la loi spéciale, adoptée dans la foulée de la crise étudiante et sociale du printemps dernier, ne vise pas seulement les associations étudiantes, leurs regroupements et leurs représentants. «Ça ne vise pas uniquement les associations étudiantes; ça vise toutes les organisations», souligne-t-il.
«Par exemple, si nous, on participe à une manifestation, il faut s'assurer que les gens que l'on représente respectent la loi. Nous, on les donne nos parcours; on n'a pas de problèmes à cet effet-là. Mais, si on est 10 000 personnes dans une manifestation, on ne pourra pas contrôler tout le monde qui participe à cette manifestation-là. Donc, il y a vraiment des attaques assez importantes envers les associations. Ça déborde largement le conflit étudiant», dénonce M. Patry.
La CSN a aussi un intérêt particulier contre cette loi spéciale, puisqu'elle représente de nombreux syndiqués dans les cégeps.
«Sous peu, il y aura la rentrée dans les cégeps, à compter du 13 août. Nous, on représente beaucoup de gens, chez le personnel de soutien et les enseignants de cégeps, qui vont se retrouver à oeuvrer dans des conditions qui ne sont pas idéales», déplore M. Patry.
Quant au fait que la campagne publicitaire dépasse le strict cadre de la loi spéciale et dénonce plusieurs mesures du gouvernement Charest, M. Patry le justifie ainsi: «la CSN mène une action de portée politique pour dénoncer quelque loi que ce soit avec laquelle on est en désaccord. Là, ça s'adresse au gouvernement Charest, mais on a des récriminations envers le gouvernement Harper. Et, à d'autres époques, d'autres gouvernements ont été au pouvoir, et quand ils posaient des gestes avec lesquels on n'était pas en accord, la CSN le disait». - La presse canadienne.
Bill 78 violates the rights guaranteed by the Charter (Le Devoir)
La Presse canadienne July 19, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/354930/la-loi-78-enfreindrait-les-droits-garantis-par-la-charte
[Photo caption] Many people denounced Bill 78 during the May 22 protest against raising tuition fees. Photo: Jacques Nadeau -- Le Devoir.
The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) believes that the special law forcing the return of students to class this August violates the fundamental freedoms safeguarded by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
The Commission’s 56-page analysis concludes that articles 12 to 31 of the bill, which became Bill 12 after its adoption, directly or indirectly infringe upon the freedoms of conscience, opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, and association guaranteed by the Charter.