Translating the printemps érable
If you would like to volunteer and join the effort, please contact us at the above email before embarking on any translation work, in order to avoid any redundancies. We cannot accept translations that have not been cleared with us first.
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For more useful English-language sources on the conflict, see:
CUTV - broadcasting live from the protests nightly
Rouge Squad - Tactical Translation Team
Rabble.ca's Maple Spring Coverage
Original French Text: http://www.bloquonslahausse.com/2012/09/la-classe-reagit-a-lannulation-de-la-hausse-des-frais-de-scolarite/
Montreal, 20 September 2012:
Following the announcement of the cancelling of the tuition fee increase and the abrogation of the Law 12 (formerly Bill 78), the CLASSE (the Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante / Broad Coalition of the Association for Student Union Solidarity) wishes to salute the courage and determination of all those who were active over the last few months. The organisation wishes, at the same time, to recall that this victory is not the end of the struggle, and that the student and popular mobilization must continue.
“If the Parti Québécois is passing today a series of measures which answer to our demands, it is because we have held to our principles, and have defended them with an approach that was combative, yet unifying,” said Camille Robert, co-spokesperson for the CLASSE. “In the future, our approach will win out over any regressive measure.” The CLASSE therefore notes that it remains opposed to any increase in tuition fees, including indexing to inflation. “Education is a public service, which must remain accessible; not a commodity, with a price that varies with the market,” said Jeanne Reynolds, co-spokesperson of the organisation.
As the translators and administrators of Translating the printemps érable, we would like to express our profound distress about the election night shooting, and to send our deepest sympathies to the victims, their families, and all of those affected by this extreme act of violence.
The goal and ethos of this blog have always been to facilitate communication across different communities in Québec and Canada, in the hopes of contributing to a more inclusive and holistic political discourse. We come to this blog from diverse linguistic, ethnic, political backgrounds, among others. What unites us is this desire to speak across the various divides that paralyze our ability to move forward in resolving the conflicts that Québec is facing. We all value the democratic process deeply.
There is no place, in a fair and democratic election such as the one we participated in yesterday, for violence. We are outraged at this attack on our democratic process. And above all, we are grieving for the man who lost his life last night, and sending our warmest wishes to the two victims who were hurt. These events are nothing short of horrific. Our thoughts and love are with the families and friends of all those affected by the violence. We are sorry that you experienced such an unjust, senseless and brutal act.
Let us resist polarizing discourse. Let us set aside our differences to stand together in the name of peace, democracy, and a respect for the humanity of all people.
There will be a vigil tonight at 8pm in front of the Métropolis in Montréal.
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*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.
Josée Legault August 14, 2012
Original French Text: http://www2.lactualite.com/josee-legault/2012/08/14/francois-legault-des-risques-du-populisme/
There are mornings like this.
We wake up. We read our papers. And then, all of a sudden, a title attracts our attention, but not for good reasons…
So much, in fact, that we reread it and, for several seconds, we think that we have misread it. Really misread it.
This reaction was inevitable this morning in seeing the headline of Le Devoir: “Young Quebeckers think too much about the ‘good life’, believes Legault”. Excuse me? Not this “Legault”, in any case.
And, reading the article, it was even worse.
It gave off the impression of a combination of moral paternalism, facile populism, antiquated prejudices, and so on.
Josée Boileau August 15, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/356810/elections-jeunesse-doree
François Legault confuses everything: youth and productivity, the good life and the dropout rate, education and self-realization, the practices of a society and its values … And from this mixture comes out a Quebec without future, but mostly without a baring in reality.
What exactly was denouncing the leader of the Coalition avenir Québec, François Legault, on Monday when a citizen from Lambton lamented that young people cared only about the good life? This remains unclear.
He claims to denounce consumer society. But then, he evokes the Asian model? In Japan, Singapore, Korea, the latest useless gadget sells very well, thank you … The immediate satisfaction of wants is common across all developed societies, and an aspiration for all others. And how do we push back against such a society? In leading… the good life! Practicing voluntary simplicity, resisting the commodification of the world, something that requires effort and real self-realization, as the CAQ leader wants… Why then is he so afraid?
Michel Venne, director of l’Institut du Nouveau Monde August 4, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/356062/la-confiance
The average citizen does not exist. The nation of Québec is fragmented, as are all modern nations. Our opinions, our interests and our aspirations sometimes oppose each other. Conflict is normal in a society. Electoral campaigns are moments where these divergences are expressed. Debate can be lively. The art of war imposes itself.
One needs only to remind oneself that the art of war is not the art of governing. When it comes to electoral hostilities, most of us hope to recover a peace that is articulated around some principles, values and majority preferences, which are confirmed by the results of the vote. Victory should serve as a rallying point, at least a provisory one.
La Presse Canadienne August 2, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/elections-quebec-2012/201208/02/01-4561679-qs-consterne-detre-exclu-des-trois-debats-a-tva.php
Concerned by their exclusion from three televised leaders’ debates being organized by TVA, Québec Solitaire is reproaching Québecor for taking a position in the election campaign.
Le director of TVA announced on Wednesday that it would not be part of the traditional consortium of media broadcasters who organize the leaders’ debate for the electoral campaign. TVA will go at it alone with three debates. In each debate, two leaders of the three main political parties will go head to head — the Liberal party, the Parti Québecois and the Coalition Avenir Québec.
Eric Grenier August 2, 2012
Original French Text: http://jobboomblog.com/point-de-vue/les-250-000-emplois-de-charest-pas-une-promesse-une-menace/
250,000. Yes, sir: Jean Charest is promising to create 250,000 new jobs. People go, “Wow! He’s generous! He’s going to create 250,000 jobs!”
Or even, “Wow, he’s got a plan for Quebec!”
But don’t get too excited too quickly. That promise combines the sleight of hand of Luc Langevin and the hypnotism of Messmer, with a pinch of Patrick Jane, a.k.a. the Mentalist.
First of all: creating 250,000 jobs is nothing. Economic growth alone, without the help of the government and all its sound and fury, will accomplish this goal — it’s not a tour de force.
Allow me to demonstrate.
Valérian Mazataud August 2, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/355894/100e-manifestation-nocturne-a-montreal-place-aux-casseroles-electorales
For the first time in five weeks, the streets of Montréal were filled with the sounds of casseroles and slogans, as the start of the election campaign coincided with the hundredth night-time march.
Marching orders were given many hours earlier on social networks. Keywords like #manifencours and #casserolesencours began trending on Twitter. For this hundredth march, and for the first day of the election campaign, people would be armed… with their trusty casseroles, ready to restart the high times of last spring’s protests.
From 7:00 PM on, the most die-hard of casserolers, accompanied by protesters, hit the pavement at the corner of St-Denis and Jarry. At 7:15, the group of a few dozen started to move, quickly joined by students pushing a huge red cube. A few minutes later, in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, a similar group started down Ontario street towards Place Emilie-Gamelin.
Patrick Lagacé August 1, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/patrick-lagace/201208/01/01-4561215-au-dela-des-carres-rouges.php
Gaetan Barrette, doctor; Pierre Duchesne, journalist; Léo Bureau-Blouin, a CEGEP student; ephemeral figures from the old ADQ; elected leaders of northern counties; Sophie Stanké, the animator; Roberti Poëti, the once-cop; the ex-president of the Aveos union whose name I forget; author Djemila Benhabib; ex-barrister Gilles Ouimet: all of these people are candidates. The party leaders haven’t stopped showing you their stuff, these last few days, with all the false humility of the guy who shows up camping in his new Winnebago.
Really, it seems like all of Québec was tapped for star candidates. Jocelyne Cazin for the CAQ. Christian Bégin for Québec Solitaire. My friend Jean-François Lisée for the PQ (though he hasn’t been officially confirmed at this time). The caretaker at your child’s day camp? There’s a good chance she’s been tapped to run for Option Nationale…
Renart Léveillé July 31, 2012
Original French Text: http://leglobe.ca/blog/2012/07/le-dilemme-electoral/
The coming electoral campaign will be marked by dilemma more than any other. Torn between their hearts and their heads, voters will have to make a difficult choice between voting for their deep convictions and, for those who really want the PLQ [Liberal Party of Québec] out of the government, voting strategically.
The PQ [Parti québécois] has everything to gain from promoting strategic voting because, according to its surveys, its party is the most likely to defeat the liberals. Additionally, according to the section “Who should I vote for?” on the site liberaux.net, of the 47 ridings “where the race could be close” there are 21 where the PQ could be at the PLQ’s heels, while the CAQ finds itself with only 4.
