Emergency law faces vote in Quebec student protest
May 18, 2012, 7:19 PM
Associated Press
MONTREAL (AP) – Quebec’s provincial government is expected to vote Friday on an emergency law that would shut some universities and impose harsh fines on protesters blocking students from attending classes as the government looks to end weeks of demonstrations against tuition hikes.
A vote wasn’t expected until late Friday afternoon at the earliest and could take place later if delayed by a number of amendments. In the mean time, critics were expressing concern about the planned legislation.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Montreal on Thursday night as the government introduced the bill to quell the most sustained student protests in Canadian history. But there was none of the violence that erupted Wednesday when windows were smashed, more than 120 people were arrested and police and protesters were injured.
On Friday, the city of Montreal passed a bylaw restricting protesters from wearing masks during demonstrations. The city also said demonstrators will have to provide details of their itineraries beforehand.
Officials have said they believe protesters wearing masks have been causing the most trouble. A similar bylaw was under consideration in Quebec City.
“Our cities can no longer become targets,” Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay said. “It’s time to reclaim our streets, our neighborhoods, our cities.”
Rights groups have protested the bylaw, calling it a restriction on the democratic right to demonstrate.
Quebec Premier Jean Charest said the proposed provincial legislation would not roll back the tuition hikes of $254 per year over seven years. Rather, it would temporarily halt the spring semester at schools paralyzed by walkouts and push up the summer holidays. Classes would resume earlier in August.
Proposed fines range from $7,000 to $35,000 for a student leader and between $25,000 and $125,000 for unions or student federations if someone is prevented from entering an educational institution.
Martine Desjardins, one student leader, called the bill a “declaration of war against the student movement.”
But embattled Education Minister Michelle Courchesne said that despite the legislation, talks would go on and an agreement could still be reached.
“Even if there is a special legislation tonight, tomorrow, there can still be an agreement after the law,” she said.
Some of the loudest cheers early on Friday were reserved for one man who stood on a garbage can and burned what looked like a copy of the government bill.
The three-month conflict has caused considerable social upheaval in the French-speaking province known for having more contentious protests than elsewhere in Canada _ and the country’s the lowest tuition rates.
The U.S. consulate in Montreal last month warned visitors and U.S. expats to be wary of demonstrations.
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