Translating the printemps érable

Association des juristes progressistes               April 22, 2013

Original French Text: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=468620339875841&id=120609411343604

*Editorial note: TTPE took the liberty of naming this post and will take the liberty to encourage you to read between the lines. The implication of this statement appears to be that the SPVM wishes to maintain bylaw P-6 because it allows for an arrest to be made without proof of culpable intent.

According to Alain Bourdages, head inspector of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), the problem with the criminal code is that “an offense must be committed in order for an accusation to be made.” However, “P-6 is a bylaw intended as preventative when it comes to a breach of the peace”, he explained. Radio-Canada, April 22.

Allow us to remind him of certain provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for preventative action:

31. (1) Every peace officer who witnesses a breach of the peace and every one who lawfully assists the peace officer is justified in arresting any person whom he finds committing the breach of the peace or who, on reasonable grounds, he believes is about to join in or renew the breach of the peace.

32. (1) Every peace officer is justified in using or in ordering the use of as much force as the peace officer believes, in good faith and on reasonable grounds,

(a) is necessary to suppress a riot; and

(b) is not excessive, having regard to the danger to be apprehended from the continuance of the riot.

63. (1) An unlawful assembly is an assembly of three or more persons who, with intent to carry out any common purpose, assemble in such a manner or so conduct themselves when they are assembled as to cause persons in the neighbourhood of the assembly to fear, on reasonable grounds, that they

(a) will disturb the peace tumultuously; or

(b) will by that assembly needlessly and without reasonable cause provoke other persons to disturb the peace tumultuously.

68. Every one is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life who

(a) opposes, hinders or assaults, wilfully and with force, a person who begins to make or is about to begin to make or is making the proclamation referred to in section 67 so that it is not made;

(b) does not peaceably disperse and depart from a place where the proclamation referred to in section 67 is made within thirty minutes after it is made; or

(c) does not depart from a place within thirty minutes when he has reasonable grounds to believe that the proclamation referred to in section 67 would have been made in that place if some person had not opposed, hindered or assaulted, wilfully and with force, a person who would have made it.

***

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.

April 22, 2013

Original French Text: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Association-des-juristes-progressistes-AJP/120609411343604?fref=ts

It’s D Day for the first stage of our campaign. A vote should be taking place either tonight or tomorrow morning. City council begins at 2pm. It is now time for a big push to call your elected officials, starting with the following list. You can leave a message against P-6. We should be courteous if we want a chance at winning. And if we lose this inning, we still don’t give up. The campaign will continue. 

Pierre Gagnier, 514 872-0430 (Ind), maire d’arrondissement, Ahuntsic-Cartierville

Marvin Rotrand 514 872-4863 (ind), conseiller de ville, Snowdon

Laurent Blanchard, 514 872-9899 (ind) conseiller de ville, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, président du comité exécutif

Ginette Marotte 514 765-7010 (ind) borough mayor, Verdun

Alain Tassé 514 765-7010 (ind), city councilor, Verdun

Annie Samson 514 872-8173 (ind) borough mayor, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension 

Frantz Benjamin 514 872-8173 (ind) city councilor, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension 

Helen Fotopoulos 514 872-4863 (UM) city councilo, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Alain De Sousa 514 872-0297 (UM) borough mayor, Saint-Laurent

Lionel Perez 514 872-4863 (ind) borough mayor, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

***

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.

Association des juristes progressistes                       April 20, 2013

Original French Text: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=467629633308245&id=120609411343604

EXCELLENT NEWS: We have received information implying that VISION MONTREAL is favourable to the repeal of the provisions pertaining to the trajectory/location and masks. There are 65 officials who are voting on the city council. 24 are Projet Montreal and Vision Montreal. Madame Jocelyn Ann Campbell, and independent, has already lent her support to the repeal of these provision. Those who must be contacted are the independents/Union Montreal, who must be persuaded. Please remain polite and courteous. We are reminding you that elected officials are listening. Here’s a priority list with the phone numbers (the link to write is at the very end):

Pierre Gagnier, 514 872-0430 (Ind), borough mayor, Ahuntsic-Cartierville

Marvin Rotrand 514 872-4863 (ind), city councilor, Snowdon

Laurent Blanchard, 514 872-9899 (ind) city councilor, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, president of the executive committee

Ginette Marotte 514 765-7010 (ind) borough mayor, Verdun

Alain Tassé 514 765-7010 (ind), city councilor, Verdun

Annie Samson 514 872-8173 (ind) borough mayor, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension

Frantz Benjamin 514 872-8173 (ind) city councilor, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension

Helen Fotopoulos 514 872-4863 (UM)city councilor, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Alain De Sousa 514 872-0297 (UM) borough mayor, Saint-Laurent

Lionel Perez 514 872-4863 (ind) borough mayor, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

If you would rather write instead of leaving a message, here’s the link:

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=5798%2C85809573&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

[See here for a sample letter]

***

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.

Association des juristes progressistes                     April 19, 2013

Original French Text: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=467346260003249&id=120609411343604 & https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=467347863336422&id=120609411343604

VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The vote on Projet Montréal’s motion to repeal P-6 will take place Monday, possibly in the evening, or Tuesday morning at the latest.

This vote can lead to the repeal of P-6.

We are very close to the goal. But we will not succeed if you do not call (don’t be shy to do it several times, as long as you remain polite and courteous) or do not write to your elected representative.

Here’s a stock message:

Dear sir/madam,

As a resident of [your borough/riding], I am asking you to vote in favour of the repeal of P-6. This bylaw violates fundamental freedoms without justification. The police has other means to obstruct violence, such as the Criminal Code. Moreover, this rule was generally not applied throughout the spring and summer of 2012, a time when there were many protests across the island of Montreal. Associations of legal professionals, trade unions, student federations, community groups and environmental groups, along with human rights defense groups are all demanding its repeal. The Quebec Bar criticized it when it was adopted. Over 800 people have received fines without having committed any wrongdoing. It’s evident that this bylaw has no place in our city.

I appeal to you to listen to the residents of your borough, your city, and to vote in favour of the repeal.

Thank you,

SIGNATURE.

*****

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The city council will be voting on this bylaw. The city council is the principle deciding body at the City of Montreal. It is made up of 65 elected officials and is divided up as follows:

The mayor of Montreal, who is also the mayor of the Ville-Marie borough;
18 borough mayors;
46 city councilors.

Write to these people. The borough councilors do not sit on the municipal council. [You can find a list here.]

*****

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.

April 18 2013

Original French Text: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1148533/avis-aux-medias-conference-de-presse-une-trentaine-d-organisations-demandent-l-abrogation-de-p-6

MONTREAL, April 18th 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The media are invited to a press conference during which a signed declaration by over thirty organizations demanding the repeal of bylaw P 6 will be revealed. The signatories comprise groups of affiliated trade unions, human rights defence organizations, student associations and federations, as well as other groups in solidarity. Representatives of several of these organizations will be onsite to answer journalists’ questions.

Date : Friday April 19 2013
Hour: 12pm
Location: Comité Social Centre-Sud, 1710 rue Beaudry, room 2.7
In the presence of: Sibel Ataogul from the Association des juristes progressistes and representatives of groups that support the declaration

SOURCE : LIGUE DES DROITS ET LIBERTES

Information:
Lysiane Roch, Director of Communications
Ligue des droits et libertés

Cell : (514) 715-7727

communication@liguedesdroits.ca

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.

Photo from Nous Sommes Tous Art

Don’t take it personally. We all were swept away by a great, intoxicating wave of novel (for many) awareness of the devalorizing and repressive potential of our government’s actions a year ago. We paid reverent attention to political notions, the words of which were exchanged between neighbors, colleagues, friends, family and strangers, all while a great number of us likely thought to ourselves “hey, how did we ever not take the time to examine, dissect, learn, live like this?” With every systematic abuse of power comes the opportunity to join the side engaging against the abuse, to lend support. But momentum changes, our energy disperses, time goes by, and the urgency viscerally felt after holding this object together, this shared value that requires the hands and intentions of many to keep lifted dissipates.

Don’t take it personally. Yes, others were there doing the lifting too, and there they have remained since. It’s just how it goes. We can count on there always being those in whom the mobilizing conviction of engagement remains steadfast. We trade responsibilities. You let your flame of social justice burn for education, and maybe I, for the environment. We might also think that some have more at stake than others because they are more at ease in public forums – the street being one of the most public – and because it’s their cause that they are demonstrating for, perhaps not yours. But this is where it gets taken personally.

We take it personally when we draw lines between the cause of a so-called minority of students, revelers celebrating a Stanley Cup, an abidingly reasonable teacher in a panda suit, the First Nations, the police, the government, minority interest groups (the list goes on) and ourselves. We react against being asked to participate in what has indeed proven to be a dangerous alternative to the status quo. We hesitate, hold back, resist the responsibility we could be embracing that would implicate us in the cultivation of alternatives to the current abuses of rule: ones that remove more and more discretionary powers from citizens and allocate them to law enforcement. What we should be taking personally is this shift on the lever of power that renders everyone less visible and audible due to the discretionary (ie unpredictable, erratic) application of provenly biased power.

Don’t take it personally. We owe it to all struggles past and future to not have silence trump the efforts of all the good people who have been carrying the cause of freedom of assembly and of association. Take it outside of yourself, beyond the personal, and now, because the momentum is there. Here’s how:

Write a letter in support of collective responsibility and against discretionary and repressive law enforcement. Please refer to earlier instructions by the Association des Juristes Progressistes on which city councillors to contact and do so before Monday, when the vote at city council takes place. http://www.quebecprotest.com/post/47550577535/request-of-public-support-of-municipal-officials-to

Please join us on Monday at Montreal’s City Hall in support of the motion to repeal bylaw P-6: https://www.facebook.com/events/465596273510943/

And also, do consider helping those who have been penalized over the course of this bylaw’s enforcement by contributing to Pandaction Against P-6: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pandacti0n-contre-p-6

Please continue to share these links widely.

And we send our gratitude to those who have been devoting their precious time to this fundamental cause.

In solidarity,
Translating the printemps érable
& several students from l’École de français pour artistes et révolutionnaires ;)

Association des juristes progressistes                  April 15, 2013

Original French Text: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=465806536823888&id=120609411343604

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Today, the AJP is launching the Coalition Against P-6. Several organizations and associations have joined the campaign initiated by the AJP to win the repeal of of bylaw P-6 which, in our opinion, has no place in Montreal or anywhere else in the country. A press conference will take place on April 22 at 10am Friday April 19th at 12pm at the Comité Social Centre Sud, 1710 Beaudry, room 2.7, to ask elected officials to repeal this bylaw which, like law 12, is clearly “liberticidal”.

The following organizations and associations have now joined the coalition [updated April 18th]:

Anarchopanda
Assemblée Populaire Autonome de Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (APA-HM)
Assemblée Populaire Autonome de Montréal (APAM)
Association canadienne des libertés civiles (ACLC)
Association des juristes progressistes (AJP)
Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ)
Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
Centre de recherche et d’information en consommation Port Cartier (CRIC Port Cartier)
Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle (CLES)
Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitaine CSN (CSN-CCMM)
Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ)
Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ)
Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ)
Fédération nationale des enseignants et enseignantes du Québec (FNEEQ)
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
Jeunesse ouvrière catholique nationale du Québec (JOC nationale du Québec)
Juripop
Law Union of Ontario
Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec
L’R des centres de femmes
Mouvement Action Chômage de Montréal
Mouvement autonome et solidaire des sans-emploi (MASSE)
Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ)
Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale (RMFVVC)
Réseau québécois des groupes écologistes (RQGE)
Syndicat de la fonction publique du Québec (SFPQ)
99%Media
Têtes blanches carré rouge
Follow us this week for news of other associations and organizations that will join the coalition.

Lets reestablish the right to protest in Montreal. Now.

The Coalition Against P-6.

Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.

*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at translatingtheprintempsderable@gmail.com. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.