Quebec Student Protests

March 25, 2012.  Thousands march in Montreal in protest of Bill 78, a Quebec law designed to crack down on street protests. I doubt if you will see any masks in this crowd.

Note: Bill 78 was passed on May 18.  For a general discussion of the timelines and events, the follow Wiki links is recommended by a FB friend in Montreal, Gilles Arpin: BILL 78

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It was the Quebec student protests that spurred me to get busy and write the Prague travel post (Link). This was mainly because I felt the people of the Czech Republic and other former satellite states of the Soviet Union (as with those in Egypt, Libya, Syria and others) demonstrate a dogged determination to change their world for the better. In Eastern Europe, nearly 80 years of death and destruction were visited upon those Easter Block countries before peaceful co-existence became a real possibility. (Reference the Prague post for more details). For Africa as well as other countries of the world, it remains a work in progress. Now, back to Canada.

While the vast majority of Canadians, both young and old, demonstrate a strength of character that continues to help shape a peaceful, productive society, a few, shall we say a privileged few, take much for granted. Perhaps, in many ways, I do the same thing with my Pension Plan, Health Care and general services that provides me with a standard of living that is second to none in the world.  

Recently, in Quebec, one small but vocal group of University students suggested their fragile, privileged world would fall apart if the Government applied a $325.00 per year increase in student fees in each of the next five years. The protest began with a small degree of public support, but that turned sour when masked intruders invaded University classrooms in an attempt to intimidate teachers, students and staff. On the streets, mask thugs usurped the peaceful intentions of the majority of protesting students.    
 
Those who know me or have read some of the editorials on this blog, know I am a staunch advocate, both of the rule of law but also of vigorously protecting civil liberties and freedoms entrenched within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Our Charter is a document for which many people around would be willing to forfiet their lives and, in many cases, thousands have already paid that ultimate price. Each day in Libya, Syria and Egypt we seen hundreds seeking just a small measure of the freedoms we enjoy.  

That challenge in Canada is that infringments of our Charter by various levels of government are often let to slip by with nary a word of protest. An example was the mass arrests that took place at the Toronto G20. All three levels of government as well as three levels of police (Local, Provincial and Federal), not only acted badly, but, in several cases, committed criminal offences for which they will likely walk away scott free.

Photo (Web): Police car on Queens Street West was left to burn, then smolder for hours as the media played and replayed the clip.

From the moment marked police cars were strategically placed within the protest zone, then left to burn for media camera’s, the stage was set for mass arrests that included hundreds of well intentioned protestors. The result, a significant  percentage of the Canadian public was justifiably outraged. Since that time little has been done to properly review these matters and bring the culprits, particularly the police, before the courts. 

In Vancouver on the other hand, the public overwhelmingly supported the police in the actions taken to quell the hockey riots and that support has continued as the worst perpetrators are being identified and brought before the courts. I do not recall one police officer being accused of a criminal offence or even abuse of power.

While police cars in Vancouver were also burned, the situation evolved so quickly, police had little chance to protect the cars as roaming crowds outnumbered them at least 1000 to 1 as there had been no real expectation (perhaps that was their greatest error) that rioting would erupt. I am still amazed at how quickly and efficiently the police managed to bring that very dangerous situation under control without loss of life or serious injury.

The student protests in Quebec are an entirely different story. While the students initially had what they felt were legitimate concerns (student fees), the public turned solidly against them after the invasions and the actions of masked protestors. 

Photo: Masked individuals marched through Montreal University distrupting classes and threatening students. Can you imagine how you would feel if these thugs invaded your study or work-place. With scenes likes this, it was easy to understand why action of some sort was needed.

The Government, sensing they had gained full public support and the upper hand, introduced Bill 78, which, as it turned out, had a completely unexpected outcome. Both public and the students massively attacked the intent of the Bill, which was, in effect, to curtail public protest. The whole issue suddenly switched from being about student fees to one of civil liberties and freedom.
 
While very few have sympathy for masked protestors (they were responsible for most of the damage and disruption), no one thinks the government response will do anything other than push more protesters onto the streets, just as we have witnessed over the past few days. We now see mom and dad, old and young now taking to the streets in the thousands with pots and pans in hand. The original student protests have been relegated to a non-event except in the hands of the media and a few diehard students.

A cynical person might suggest it would have been an ideal for the Montreal Police to strategically place a few unprotected, marked police cars along known protest routes and wait for nature to take it’s course. A burning police car and a couple of masked men jumping on the roof could certainly become a defining moment as it was in Toronto.

A friend of mine in Quebec predicts that by mid-summer, if the Government does not find a way to maneuver out of this situation, if police continue to make mass arrests and if the students do not back off, it will eventually take the army to restore order. Some may remember the Front de liberation du Quebec (FLQ) and the crisis of October 1970. At that time civil liberties were suspended across Canada and police given massive powers to arrest and detain. No one wants a repeat of that sad month in Canadian legal history.

Photo (Web): Peaceful, but now illegal, ‘pots and pans’ protest moves along Bernard Street in Montreal. Such protests are taking place all over Montreal and Quebec.

As this matter has now evolved, I stand fully with the protestors on the issue of civil liberties and would be on my front law banging pots and pans (maybe I can start something here), not because I support a few spoiled students, but because of what the Quebec Government did in response. It demonstrates clearly how a Government can, with little thought for future consequences, can introduce legislation that goes against common sense. We have all watched as the Federal Government has doing the same thing for the past several months. In the long the Federal ruling party will most certainly pay a big price for the liberties they have taken with the Charter, just as will the Government of Quebec.

While I do not support civil disobedience or mass protests except in extreme circumstances, I would be much more concerned if no one in Quebec or the rest of Canada for that matter, took issue with the legislation as it stands. I would also be marching and banging a pot if I lived in that Province, but I don’t so the best I can do is write a short post that a few might read and reflect upon.

As for those Quebec students and their tuition fees – get back to class, find a better way to bring your concerns forcefully to the government and then get on with life. Save your energies for a real issue.

Harold

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