naked and ugly in Quebec

Jacques Villeneuve commented about the students this week that they must have grown up with parents who never said "no". They were tiresome, threatening to disrupt Grand Prix Formula 1 in Montreal and, he thought, "it's time to go back to school."

Villeneuve, 41, was Formula 1 world champion in 1997. The response to his comment was a ton of abusive e-mail, including death threats.
[Montreal Gazette, 8 June 2012]



The 48th nightly demonstration, illegal but tolerated, turned vicious with the smashing of bank windows. The crowd was dispersed by riot police with numerous arrests.
[La Presse, 10 June 2012]

In Quebec Superior Court Chief Justice François Rolland to-day heard first arguments on behalf of a student association (CLASSE, Coalition large de l'association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante) against the special law of 18 May 2012 [L.Q. 2012, c. 12].
[La Presse, 12 June 2012]

Chief Justice rejected actions against parts of the law. Validity of the entire law will be considered in the autumn at the earliest, or perhaps not until January. The Court of Appeal declined to consider the case after presentation of arguments.


The Human Rights Commission*  meanwhile found the law of 18 May 2012  [L.Q. 2012, c. 12] incompatible with the Quebec Charter of Human Rights & Freedoms, citing articles 12-31. 
[Montreal Gazette, 20 July 2012]
                         * Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
                           The Commission's report is a mere opinion of no juridical consequence.


A provincial election has been called in Quebec for 4 September 2012. “In the last few months we’ve heard a lot from a number of student leaders," said Premier Jean Charest. "We’ve heard from people in the street. We’ve heard from those who have been hitting away at pots and pans. Now is the time for the silent majority.”
 [in Quebec City, 1 August 2012, after the electoral writ was signed by the Lieutenant-Governor]


Parti Québécois immediately announced, if elected, it would cancel increases in student tuition and scrap the exceptional law of 18 May 2012. Léo Bureau-Blouin is running as candidate in Laval des Rapides; he is past president of Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ).