Mq
The bill reads like this: Those that sacrifice liberty in exchange for security, deserve neither.
Ottawa Jack
The ‘protests’ have shifted away from tuition fee rates to ‘any reason to create unrest’. Anarchists are now involved, Quebec seperatists are now involved, the criminal element is involved. .All being fueled by open bars alcohol.This willl be a summer of continuous Vancouver Stanley Cup riots. The only possible solution is an election to give the ‘silent majority’ of Queckers a voice. Really a sad grave situation
Josh
If they keep it up there will be no choice but to bring in marshall law meaning no partys no going out in short Montreal will be a dry city all summer it could also mean festival get postponed sports events are called off.
Get Real
Guess who killed democracy? The violent anarchist protesters did. So buy a mirror and look straight into it. Furthermore, how about the rights of thousands of students who want to go to school, do you also respect their rights? NO, so why should we respect your rights???? and BTW, every protest turns violent nowadays, so all your fault .
Really, Get lost.
Still the lowest tuition in the country with new increases. Might be time for this portion of the country to go away to France if they so desire. Could we have a vote from the rest of Canada and ask the question, Does the rest of Canada want Quebec as part of Canada instead of Quebec asking if they want to be part of of Canada?? That is enough!! Sure would be interesting.
Josh
MqWe should just toss the charter out then if you just think Liberty should meany more then everything else well that goes aginst the charter and does breech it.
Josh
Get Real I really hope they do take this bill to court as it will back fire on the protesters they will be told you must respect other peoples rights you must respect court orders.
Katie
I rather think there is more to this than just students. I think there are other anarchy activists manipulating them. This does look like anarchy. Montreal is not looking good at all through this.
Al
The students have no idea the “education” they will receive if they get sentenced with a prison term! Good luck.
Rob
bring the army on. Charest is an arrogant socialist who now is experiencing the results of his welfare state measures. The subsidy should stop here. For these people to expect for Quebec , the bankrupt province, to keep on subsidizing their education is beyond me. This serves Quebec right, for living beyond their means for years and depending on the National government to maintain a ficticious status quo.
Alan
The general Quebec resident supports the bill. These people are hijacking the freedoms of Quebecers to go about their business.It is at times like this that you say bring in the Toronto police. Yes, they were criticized but when protests take on the seedy side of the population and lose their original rationale then it is time to play hardball. The students have no valid beef and any claims to such are pure nonsense They need to wake up and go back to their general arts degrees. The masks truly show their cowardice.
The Proud Albertan
How many of these protestors are actually tuition paying students? I’d wager a good many of them are just your average thugs and rioters out to cause mayhem in the guise of “the cause”.
Gerald F.
I can tell you from my experiences living in Montreal at the time of the FLQ crissis that when the big guys really decide to come in and move a crowd, you move and you don’t come back. I have have nieces and nephews going to school in Montreal and they think this is stupid . Over what $375.00 ? It’s the cost of living kids now get over it.
Len
Sounds silly maybe but maybe the gov’t in Quebec should just close the colleges and universities. No schools, what is there to protest. Want your schools back, pay the increase.
mike berd
These people are idiots, enough said.
eddytoronto
In my view the situation has changed Ladies and Gentleman …Its no more about tuition its now about freedom…Yes the students have come to understand there is No Freedom in this Country and that we have a Criminal Fascist Corperate Goverment running the Show…
dan
The goverment of the day should have let them seperate. They are giving the rest of Canada a bad name. What a bunch of idiots.
eddytoronto
@Ottawa Jack…You have No Clue what is Going On…But You Will When You Pension is Worthless and Bread is $5 or $10 a loaf in a month from today..Iran will be attacked and Yall will see what Austerity is all about…You think Greece is bad Just wait..
eddytoronto
@Mq ..You are Correct!
Paid my dues twice
In every other province in this country kids work summer jobs and often take part-time jobs during the school year to pay for their education. Parents put money aside in RESPs and other savings plans. Loans and bursaries are doled out. Some kids take a year off to save even more money. Yet in Quebec the majority of the protesters that I approached did not have a part-time job, and many of them did not feel it necessary to sweat all summer long to save for school. In Quebec we pay on average, $2,000 to $5,000 more per year in provincial income tax. Perhaps if there is a mass exodus of disenfranchised tax paying citizens and corporations that sponsor colleges, the province will collect less tax and the schools will get fewer handouts. Then who will pay? Socialism does not work in a sea of democracy.
GHW
Behold the fruits of unfettered liberalism.
Jack
Always, the same people with the same ideas posting comments all day long. Must be jealous since you never stood for anything in your life.
Josh
eddytoronto Yes there is freedom and rights we have one of the best in the world what is important to keep in mind mahy want communism meaning less rights and less freedom.
reidjr
eddytoronto
You do not have a right to black buildings block traffic burn items threaten people.
Laura
This is now larger than a protest over fees and tuition. This is the reaction of the next generation spilling over against the mess created by this generation.When I think of the Quebec leadership (Charest) and then I think of Harper, Marie Antoinette comes to mind. The next generation isn’t afraid of those who would legislate their way out of accountability. Really, what do they have to lose? What a surprise it is going to be to Steve Antoinette, Jim Flaherty-Antoinette, Mr. Charest-Antoinette…when they discover the power of the people and those they would treat as peasants.
Paul
Is this in Canada? Seriously, the cowards need to grow up and stop embarrassing themselves.
Josh
Laura No its not about the debt if it was this would not be demanding free education which would make the debt far worse this is about a very few 30% of the student body want free this and free that many also want communism.
allan
The terrorists will continue because they know that the police are hindered by politicians.If the the police injure people even in defence of themselves, they will be cast as torturers, and the thugs know this.Our streets dont belong to us anymore, they belong to terrorists, courtesy of politicians
A PLAINTIVE SIGH
Perhaps, soon, these spoiled and entitled left-wing children will conclude their ongoing political temper tantrum with burning Quebec to the ground, and getting it all over with. (Once and a while a news story comes along that descends into the abyss of unfathomable stupidity. This “tuition hike” issue — which the majority of the province’s taxpaying residents support, because it is fair and just, and still leaves Quebec’s students with rates that are better than the national average — has become a ridiculous government-sponsored farce that now, fittingly, is garnering attention outside Canada. What a pathetic embarrassment. Will the army be sent in next to enact military rule and restore order to Montreal? Thanks, Liberal Premier Charest. Good luck from here with your dumb mess. I can’t pay attention to it anymore.)
Josh
Jack Standing for a cause is one thing breaking countless laws is another.
GHW
This is a protest against our current system. What these deluded kids don’t yet understand is this is about as good as it gets. It does however get much worse quite easily as, apparently, we’re all about to find out.
Will
Yaaa Laura!!!! You hit the nail on the head girl! Finally, some common sense and wisdom!!
warren
These protestors could care less about democracy. They are a bunch of spoiled thugs who through intimidation want to destroy the system that supports them in the first place. The fact that these students pay almost nothing on a percentage basis towards the REAL cost of an education shows how coddled they really are !! Shame on them! Time for the hard working, law abiding citizens of Quebec to show some courage stand up against these communists.
Dixie from Alberta
Where are the water cannons? They could disperse a crowd quite quick. As for the police being accused of using excessive force, what would you expect? Have them sit on the sidelines and watch while your city is destroyed? What a mess and kind of destroys the tourism industry for this city this summer. Less taxes collected by the province and less subsidies for education and therefore even higher tuition increases. You go Jean. The rest of Canada is behind you right now.
Frank Schlesser
A day earlier, players in Quebec’s film industry were sporting them at the Cannes Film Festival.
————————–
The same leeches that live on government subsidies funded with my taxes
Remi (McGill student)
i wish everyone would just examine the issue at hand (accessibility of education) and stop the raising tensions already.
irma1957
I suggest to all the poeople who can only see inside the box to start reading some REAL NEWS and get a clue as to what is outside the box. These students aren’t stupid and can clearly understand how all levels of gov’t are trying to suppress them into silence. Next up: the masses as they realize bit by bit just how we are being manipulated by big gov’t and big corporations, taxed to death, zero accountability for all the political corruption, misuse of tax dollars. The gov’t clearly refuses to address these problems because it would provide real transparency but instead legislates stupid laws that only fuel the fire. Some people are finally clueing in but it’s going to be awhile before the masses catch on and say enough is enough with the gov’t.
irma1957
I suggest to all the poeople who can only see inside the box to start reading some REAL NEWS and get a clue as to what is outside the box. These students aren’t stupid and can clearly understand how all levels of gov’t are trying to suppress them into silence. Next up: the masses as they realize bit by bit just how we are being manipulated by big gov’t and big corporations, taxed to death, zero accountability for all the political corruption, misuse of tax dollars. The gov’t clearly refuses to address these problems because it would provide real transparency but instead legislates stupid laws that only fuel the fire. Some people are finally clueing in but it’s going to be awhile before the masses catch on and say enough is enough with the gov’t.
Lucie
Laura,What do they have to lose? What about 1 semester of school, a summer job to pay for their tuition next session which will be a repeat of this one, what about the respect and support from those who would have some level of empathy for the cause, what about self-respect, what about Quebec’s image nationally and internationally, etc. These unemployment terrorist thugs, (who else has all this time to wreak havoc), are hiding behind a cause that does not belong to them. Unfortunately Laura, the real students so much more to lose than I. I believe that the vast majority of students just want to get on with it. Time is money and they’ve lost too much of both so far.
Mark
And they’re not being punished with force because?… I know I wouldn’t mind if police started to club them on the skulls to put them down.
rmsbl4
@ Josh It’s MARTIAL law. The only place you use any punctuation is . at the end of your ramblings
Franck Commonsens
Why does the article does NOT mention that the “”police” fired INSIDE a crowded bar (The saint bock) rubber bullets and massive dose of pepper spray on the citizens, who where not even part of the manifestation? The police not only abused of their power but have endangered citizens and committed criminal acts!Is that the country we want?
Tim
Their argument fails at the most basic level because anyone can access post-secondary. You don’t need to be rich as neither I, nor my family are well off at all. I still managed to complete, and pay for, an education thats cost 3 – 4 times what it would cost for these protesters without a single cent from my parents. All it takes is a part time job and hard work, both of which provide as much of an education as the classroom. As accessibility was the main plank of their platform, I fail to see how their platform has any credibility at all. As for the “we’re being repressed!” battlecry going up now, what did you expect would happen when you started terrorizing other people? The finger wagging stops eventually and the riot police start.
Roget
Authorities must answer violence and civil disobedience with crushing violence.
JB in Ontario
The police should feel free to use as much force as they feel is necessary. Having some of these rioters wearing masks and covering their faces is nothing but trouble. The police in Montreal are going to have to be prepared to use their muscle. It is getting to be a little ridiculous and it is only going to get worse unless order is brought back to Montreal.
johnp
it’s interesting to see the federal government totally ignore what’s happening in this pathetic province,I’m sure most Canadians wish Quebec would separate as soon as possible..good riddance to bad rubbish
Gayle
Please add comments…but then I get censored?
Let me try this again…
Problem (initiated by the government) Reaction (by radicals placed in student body) Solution (Martial law, the reason the problem was initiated in the first place.)
The students are being used as dupes. This tactic is being used world-wide. Wake up people. I agree with the person who said earlier, “Those who give up liberty in exchange for security deserve neither.
Robert B
To Laura: move to Burma, they just had free elections for their people or China or Russia or Vietnam or etc, go anywhere but Canada, where you are being oppressed!!!!! What a doo doo…..
Matt, Guelph
Yeah, I can’t really blame the students. For the longest time, our generation was promised that “if you go to school, you won’t have to get a job flipping burgers” and yet they are entering a world in which there is no work. They were told last week that they should be happy doing any job, by our wonderful Finance Minister, and at the same time the province isn’t even on their side, trying to force through proportionally, incredibly huge tuition hikes… for that increasingly useless university degree. It is ABOUT TIME that someone from the younger generation takes a stand against the completely unfair environment the boomers have left us. It’s our turn to be able to grow and flourish too.
A
Charge em!!! enough is enough, these people are out of control and out of touch with reality. Deal with them harshly and move on
FCS
Wow the entitlement generation really doesn’t like when their entitlements are curtailed do they ? I also like the posters on here predicting how this is going to spread to the rest of Canada and that the masses are going to rise up. Yeah right. . I hate to break it to you but he rest of Canada doesn’t care abou this ridiculous crap or Quebec. Have a nice summer. I’ll be at the cottage.
erika
I doubt this will be published, but if the MEDIA would quit fanning the flames, this would have died a natural death long ago! These criminals thrive on publicity so the MEDIA is the problem!!!
Les
You know your province can’t govern when they have to pass emergency legeslation.This seems to be an annual event in this province.
Fred
I wish the rest of Canada could hold a referendum to make Quebec seperate.
Victor in Vaughan
The Quebec Students think that this is a spark of their New Revolution. It’s the cool thing to do, to smash windows and create chaos, hopefully enough people will be arrested so they can overturn the government of Quebec. …….ALL in the name of $ 240 per year. The future looks real bright in Quebec.
IN in Montreal
All the students should be ticketed and charged for the damages and the millions of dollars lost through their protests. They are concerned about their rights but have no respect or care about the rights of the citizens of Montreal. Also the PQ and the Labour Unions who are supporting the students should be charged for inciting violence and should also pay for the damages.
Roxy
The scenes of armored police brutalizing Quebec’s youth ; the use of batons , tear gas , rubber bullets , water canons , scape-goating , smearing draconian penalties to suppress crush student dissent is appalling , unsettling , very , very sad . That should not be happening in a democracy definitely not in Canada .
Wondering in Alberta
Isn’t this kind of actions that earlier generations of Canadians fought to free us from? Burning things and suppressing others? Wake up kids.
paul in montreal
I wonder when the students will start singing selections from ‘Les Miserables’?
Evy
Bring in the Army and get this nonsense over with. This has gone beyond ridiculous. An embarrasement to the entire Country.
gary
About all I cansay about the protesters is follow the laws like the rest of us or face the consequences. I dont have much sympathy for them. The organizers should be held responsible for the damage caused
freda bighetty
Wake up Canada…Our own government silences us but goes to war defending others to protest. The young in this country see this…older have already been brain-washed and see little from there comfy lives. We are slowly been turned into a police state and a technological communism where everyones move will be tracked and if you speak out in peace you cannot wear a mask…good-bye halloween
Will
None of this is isolated to the cause of students. Laws cannot quell such unrest; there must be some acknowledgement on behalf of the governing parties. I would suggest formalizing the discussion and using more diplomatic means for settling. You can call them whiny, arrogant, anarachist, whatever, but they are there (with a few hundred-thousand supporters no-less). No amount of commentary by idle forum jockeys will make a difference.
Canada has a history of protest movements, all of which have contributed to our great society in some form. To move forward, we need to be pragmatic about the situation at hand. There are no group rights, only individual un-alienable rights.
Pete Speers
Police pepper spraying bar patrons was not unprovoked. 1. I am sure the people were told, “go inside, or go home, this is an illegal gathering.” 2. By remaining at the scene of an illegal gathering, you are considered to be participating. Police cannot make a distinction between protester and spectator. If you do not wish to be subject to police force, leave. 3. The crowd was becoming violent. Witness a chair being thrown at police moments before the pepper spray.
Mike
Can this student fees increase be cancelled, please? We’ve had it with riots and violence. How much does the fee bring to the government coffer? How much has been destroyed through this violence? Please cancel the increase
Doug
Enough already with the excuses for these criminals; if other people did somehtng wrong (illegal) deal with it and stop using what may have happenes as an excuse for these people.
Each of us is individually responsible for what we do and say.
Trey
The cops need to cool it with the pepper spray. It’s usage should be treated the same way as firing a firearm. If they can’t do that, than they need to have their pepper spray taken away.
mcgene
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” Abraham Lincoln.
The quote is suitable to the riotous criminals of Montreal. The so called striking students wanted to deny the freedom of the majority of students who want to complete their education without an arrest record on their CV, yet the rioters whine about their rights freedoms when the rule of law prohibits them from breaking those laws.
Canada is a civilization based on laws protecting everyone’s rights these spoiled brats want everything their way, legal or not.
Get over yourselves kids, you can’t expect to break the law have it’s protection at the same time.
cc
The students are winning, so if the government wants to remain and be the big tough guys who tell everyone what to do then they are going to have to get tough. Just like in Egypt where their police murdered their students for protesting.Give the the police the order to TAKE BACK THE STREETS and let them do what ever they want. Put the police in charge they will make sure that Quebec, learns that it has only privileges, no rights,no protesting allowed!!!!
MetaM
@Mike – No problem, just step up and volunteer to make up the difference, now and forevermore. By the way, can you also cover the recent 1% PST rise for me too please.
D in Calgary
The Alberta government needs to immediately stop all equalization payments to Quebec. What we are seeing is precisely what one should expect from those who have so much handed to them. Spoiled children and nothing more are what these rioting students are. What an absolute disgrace and embarrassment to the rest of the students and the entire country.
And, no, canceling the increase just because of the violence would be to give in to criminal behavior. Or is it no longer considered against the law in this country to hold anyone or any group hostage through violence until demands are met? Time to round them up, give them all criminal records and make them all pay for the cost this mess. Enough is enough.
As for celebrities, they should stay out of things they clearly don’t understand.
Against les Bratz
The poor little Prima donnas are getting less than they should have gotten a few weeks ago when they started covering their faces and causing damage to other peoples property. Screw em.
M.H.
Last time I saw people not letting students go to class, I was in Afghanistan. Those “people” were called Taliban.
Will
the majority posting here seem to have a disconnect with reality. The majority of students in Quebec are not supporting this nonsense. As for comments that this is a matter of rights-bovince excrement. Future jobs? Likewise. none of this is true. This is a small group of fools who feel that there is no need to earn anything in life. Fortunately, the majority feel otherwise. Someone brought up Marie Antoinette but buys into popular conceptions rather than accuracy. Marie’s famous “let them eat cake” was a statement of compassion not derision. With famine caused by a shortage of bread flour, but a surplus of the fine ground cake flour, she directed the ministers to ensure the poor were fed with cakes if that was what it took. But don’t let reality get int he way of a mindless rant. As for the rights issue, when your violence affects the innocent, you have no rights.
davkar
“A bar in the centre of the riotous melee saw many of its patrons pepper-sprayed after someone through (THREW) a chair from the terrace, Mark Shalhoub reports.”I guess Mark was not one of the students or his English would be better. If someone in the bar threw a chair at the police and the other patrons were in support of the person who did this, what happened next was inevitable – you are either part of the solution or part of he problem.
Kat
We have been planing a trip this year to Montreal with the family finally but since the students decided to selfeshly take over the city with no reguard or respect for others . Now it looks we will be going elsewhere like Halifax or St. Johns on the east coast .Montreal just lost two weeks of business from this family of six,and i just wonder how many more other people will be changing their travel plans .What a shame all for approx. $375.00 ,sad.
Oliver of Manotick
The Montreal police are showing remarkable restraint. Good for them.
sue
The students are having a lot of fun – it’s a party. Oh yeah – it’s about tuition hikes – they’ve probably spent more on their protests than the proposed hike in fees.
Article source: http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120520/quebec-tuition-protests-make-waves-120520/20120520/?hub=OttawaHome