Translating the printemps érable
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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
Robert Dutrisac June 13, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/352130/nous-on-sait
Consult the list of the letter’s signatories: http://www.ledevoir.com/documents/pdf/lettre_ministre_finale_signatures.pdf
Irate, some 2600 key players in Quebec’s cultural milieu, in an unprecedented revolt, demanded a public apology on behalf of the minister of Culture and Communications, Christine St-Pierre, for her comments linking all those who wear the red square with violence. The minister refused to offer an apology yesterday.
In a public letter published on the Devoir’s website, these thousands of artists, actors, directors, filmmakers, writers, CEGEP and university professors, cultural journalists, and other members of the artistic community are outraged by Christine St-Pierre’s “demagogic comments” following Fred Pellerin’s refusal to receive the title of Knight of the National Order of Quebec last Friday. In a letter sent to the institution, the storyteller had invoked the current social crisis to justify his decision. The minister then affirmed that the storyteller had the right to wear the red square, “but us, we know what the red square means, it means intimidation, violence”.
Martin Ouellet et Sylvain Larocque June 11th 2012
Original french text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201206/11/01-4533862-charest-defend-les-interventions-contre-les-groupes-dextreme-gauche.php
On Monday, Premier Jean Charest defended the police officers who worked security for the Grand Prix Formula 1, maintaining that “extreme left-wing groups” posed a threat to the most important tourist event in Canada.
From their side, members of the opposition party, the Parti Québecois, demanded explanations from the Minister of public security, Robert Dutil, of the allegations of political profiling of citizens wearing red squares to the event.
Upon leaving a speech at the Conférence de Montréal, Mr. Charest said that police officers“did their work very well” under the circumstances.
Antoine Robitaille June 12, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/352247/le-plq-perd-son-fief-d-argenteuil
The PLQ won an easy victory in La Fontaine, but the PQ scores an unexpected win as Roland Richer is elected.
CAPTION: Liberal Party leader Jean Charest addressed his followers last night in Argenteuil: “Here in Argenteuil, (victory) is postponed.”
Québec – The Parti Québecois won the riding of Argenteuil in an upset for the first time in its history, dislodging the Liberals, whose candidates had held the riding since 1962. “For the Liberal government, tonight marks the beginning of the end,” trumpeted PQ leader Pauline Marois just after 11:15 PM. She declared that the “corrupt” Liberal government would face the same fate in the coming weeks. Minutes later, after emphasizing his victory in LaFontaine, the Liberal Party Leader Jean Charest declared, “Here in Argenteuil, (victory) is postponed.”
In Argenteuil, PQ candidate Roland Richard trailed behind as the results were coming in, until 10 PM, at which point he began climb up close to PLQ candidate Lise Proulx. From this point onwards, the 70-year old Mr. Richer, a retired special needs educator and elementary school principal, took the lead and held on to it. He finally won with a 501-vote majority. Argenteuil’s former Liberal MNA, David Whissell, had difficulty holding the riding in 1998, winning by less than 200 votes. However in 2008, Whissell won handily (49.58%of the vote, a majority by 3490 votes). As for Mr. Richer, he saw his victory as the result of the “anti-corruption,” and, “discontent,” vote, but he insisted that it also represented, “a great gesture of hope.”
Mr. Amir Khadir’s Press Conference, MNA for Mercier
Wednesday 6 June 2012, 9:46 am
Bernard-Lalonde Room (1.131), Hotel du Parlement
Original French video: http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/video-audio/AudioVideo-42353.html?support=video
Original French transcript: http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/actualites-salle-presse/conferences-points-presse/ConferencePointPresse-9235.html
Mr. Khadir: Hello, everyone, good morning. Thank you for coming. First, I must say I rather regret that there was so much noise created around my arrest. I remember that we were 65 people, last night, including a retired couple, retired workers who had accompanied their daughter, and another lady who accompanied her 17-year-old girl who was in high school. I remind you that in Quebec, in recent months, there have been over 500 arrests. So, what is regrettable is that in fact all these arrests, in Quebec, as in most cities in Quebec where it has happened, over 2000 events, in the vast, vast, vast majority of cases, these mass arrests are quite abusive and spring from similar circumstances, that is to say, we arrest people through kettling, because they protest, for exercising their democratic rights.
Vincent Marissal June 4, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/vincent-marissal/201206/04/01-4531431-arrogance-elections-desastre.php
Nearly four months of crisis, a deadlock, and still no sign of a beginning of an end. Yet, within the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), there is silence. Neither a single criticism, nor a questioning of the matter at issue. Everything is just fine.
It has often been said that the biggest strength of the PLQ is its discipline, its esprit de corps, its unity in the pursuit of power, its loyalty to its leader.
But now, frankly, it’s no longer discipline that we’re seeing. Instead, the PLQ is in a vacuous state of servitude that has reduced what was once a great political institution into an accessory to one of the worst debacles that has occurred in Quebec in a long time.
Isabelle Porter - June 4 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/351613/le-point-limite-est-atteint
The founder of Génération d’idées fears that the student movement will give way to the “cult of civil disobedience”.
PHOTO CAPTION: Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon (on the left) participating in the protest led by lawyers and notaries against the Charest government’s law 78.
SIDEBAR: FACTS
Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon in 5 dates
February 17 1977: Born in Trois-Rivières
2008: Establishment of the Générations d’idées group
February 2009: He leaves his job at Stikeman Elliott and undertakes a 19-city tour of Quebec in order to meet young people. He wrote an account of this experience in his book Des jeunes et l’avenir du Québec: les rêveries d’un promeneur solitaire (Youth and the Future of Quebec: Daydreams of a Solitary Wanderer)
January 2010: He becomes Vice President of the Delegatus legal firm.
October 2011: He plants brooms in front of the National Assembly to demand an inquiry commission. This action cost him his hosting contract with Radio-Canada.
Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon, of the Génération d’idées group, was shocked to hear that one of the student leaders threatened the government “to organize” Montreal’s Grand Prix last week. He fears that the movement will veer off course into a “cult of civil disobedience”.
Michel Lemay June 9, 2011
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/opinions/points-de-vue/201106/07/01-4406882-le-quebec-na-pas-dargent-vous-voulez-rire.php
Since 1995 the province of Quebec has granted between 75 and 120 billion dollars in subsidies to corporations according to different studies. After the “Yes” campaign defeat of 1995, Lucien Bouchard becomes Premier and installs the neo-liberal agenda of the Parti Québecois (PQ) along with it’s slogan “zero deficit”. The role of the state changes drastically and social-democracy takes a hit. Replaced by Bernard Landry, the state positions itself more and more like the milk cow of the great corporations, not under the guarantee of bank loans or loans from the Caisse de dépot, but from grants directly and indirectly given along with tax credits. Without knowing, the tax payer will pay a good portion of the salaries to Ubisoft, CGI, IBM, GM, Vidéotron and Olymel of this world…Most Québecois have no knowledge that they pay between 60 and 65% of research salaries for the great pharmaceutical companies, which resells the medications to us at a high price.
Lisa-Marie Gervais June 1, 2012
With Mélissa Guillemette et Thierry Haroun
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/351440/l-echo-des-casseroles-s-accentue
The street has taken on the habit of night time protests and the booming symphony of pots and pans as the clock strikes 8 o’clock. But it was with a renewed intensity that the students and their supporters took up their wooden spoons and came out to demonstrate last night.
Earlier, in the late afternoon [on Thursday], the calls on the Internet to gather were even more numerous as a result of the breakdown in negotiations between the student unions and the government.
Patrick Lagacé May 29, 2012
Original French Text: http://blogues.lapresse.ca/lagace/2012/05/29/pierre-moreau-lavocat-de-la-saaq-et-tony-tomassi/
The smell of revenge was unmistakable : Minister of Transports, Pierre Moreau, openly wished that the lawyer who came up with the idea of lawyers’ demonstration against Bill 78 - the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec’s lawyer - would be severely sanctioned. An excerpt from the Journal de Québec:
« ‘If this is true, since he’s a lawyer, not only does it show a great lack of judgement on his part, but it’s also a disloyalty towards his duties outlined in sections 10 and 11 of the Civil Service Act. I sincerely hope this individual receives a penalty that is proportionate to his lack of judgement,’ bellowed Minister Moreau on Tuesday, a little after question period at the National Assembly.»
A few weeks ago, when a civil servant at Municipal Affairs wrote a foolish and worrisome letter to Le Soleil regarding the student strike – suggesting it was time to « reconquer the ground » lost to « leftists » – Laurent Lessard was plain, simply stating that the employee had been reprimanded.
Le Devoir with La Presse canadienne June 3rd 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/351551/une-autre-manifestation-organisee-par-la-classe-est-en-cours-a-montreal
Several thousands of people stood against the fine rain which fell upon Montreal, reunited at Jeanne-Mance Park, this afternoon to take part in a march organized by the student organization known as the CLASSE.
This gathering is followed by a break in negotiations between the Charest government and the students two days ago. Armed with umbrella’s and casserole cook wear, the students and their supporters show no intentions in abandoning their different pressure tactics.
