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
Olivier D. Asselin August 31, 2012
Original French text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/358149/odjine-monsieur-charest
Demonstrators surrounded the Salon du Plan Nord that took place at the Palais des congrès last April.
A letter to Mr. Charest,
A few months ago, I believed it was wise to let history judge you. I thought to myself that, before time’s relentless authority, your shenanigans, subterfuges and pettiness wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. I still believe it, but today I also believe that history alone cannot guaranty your downfall. Humans have to contribute too.
Lisa-Marie Gervais September 4, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/358410/empeches-de-voter-en-raison-du-carre-rouge
Voters wearing the red square have been denied the right to vote, which goes against the rules of the Directeur général des élections (DGE). It was the case in Lavel-des-Rapides, where at least two citizens were told to remove their red square or else they would not be allowed to vote.
“I felt like I was being bullied…being prevented from voting because of wearing the red square”, asserted Yves Godbout, a photography student at CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal. “They told me that there wasn’t a problem with my look , but that I had to remove my red square, because it was the colour of the Liberal Party. Come on, I don’t vote Liberal, that makes no sense!”, he added while adding that he is a goth in appearance.
Isabelle Porter & Lisa-Marie Gervais August 25 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/357766/la-mobilisation-se-transforme-vers-une-mobilisation-plus-politisee
“The street must have representation”
Photo Caption: “The movement is taking a new direction to prevent the election of the Liberal Party or the one led by François Legault”, says sociologist Jacques Hamel. (photo credit Jacques Nadeau, Le Devoir)
Judging by the demonstrators’ enthusiasm August 22, you would think you were back in the peak of the “Printemps Érable”. Just as dedicated as they were in the first days of March, students and sympathizers walked with a renewed fervor during the present election campaign. However, casseroles concerts are becoming a rare sight, only a handful of marchers keep the nightly demonstrations going and the great majority of students chose to return to classes. Is the movement dead?
“A movement is not a strike. It’s not a demonstration. It’s men and women, citizens, who get involved, who express themselves, who oppose a decision that was taken, regardless of the mode of expression they choose. It doesn’t matter if it’s by voting in a general assembly to go out on strike, taking part in a demonstration on the 22nd, writing an open letter in a newspaper or even simply talking about it with family and wearing a red square. That’s a movement”, argues Éliane Laberge, President of the Québec College Student Federation [Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ)]. “There are still plenty of students against the hike. They have simply decided to use another approach, in this case the truce before they go to vote on September 4. We respect that.”
Pierre Saint-Arnaud August 3 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/356026/l-election-ne-reglera-pas-la-crise-selon-la-classe
PHOTO CAPTION: CLASSE spokespersons Camille Robert and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois say those predicting a post-election end to the conflict should probably think twice. Photo: Annik MH De Carufel, Le Devoir
CLASSE cautions that the crisis that has shaken Quebec cannot be resolved by elections alone.
“The unlimited general strike has allowed us to voice our demands and open a critical debate on deeper issues that won’t be resolved with an election,” said CLASSE spokesperson Camille Robert during a press conference held Friday at CEGEP Maisonneuve to unveil the organization’s plan of action for the coming weeks.
“We’re talking about access to higher education, management of natural resources, and the crisis of democracy,” she added. “As far as we’re concerned, elections alone cannot resolve this conflict, regardless of which party comes to power.”
Claude André August 3 2012
Original French Text: http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/claude-andre/elections-quebec_b_1737832.html
Jean Charest is starting to hammer out his campaign sound bites: “It’s a choice between two visions for society”, he declared last Tuesday in Sherbrooke during the nomination meeting that confirmed him as candidate in this same riding.
Decoded, this is meant to say that Québec voters will have the choice between the Liberal vision and that of the Parti Québécois. However several indicators show that under the leadership of Jean Charest, formerly a minister in a federal conservative government, the Québec Liberal Party has become, over the last few years, ideologically an unofficial branch of the Conservative Party of Canada and of its leader Stephen Harper.
So it will be a drift from the liberal doctrine toward the conservative ideology that will be on display in the next four weeks leading up to the election on September 4th.
Lisa Payette August 3, 2012
Original French: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections-2012/355948/la-ligne-de-depart-est-glissante
Jean Charest beamed before the Quebec international airport Wednesday afternoon, sweating in his navy blue suit under the heavy sun. He was surrounded by his ministers, come to support him to the very end, nodding at his every word and showing the same self-satisfied smiles they’ve had for the last nine years. One might have thought it was a wedding photo in front of a church. The women were well dressed and the men were red like tomatoes, or Liberals.
Again and again Charest said that this election he wants to give “the silent majority” a chance to make their voices heard regarding the choice he is giving them: either the economy and jobs, or the street and its henchmen. It looks so much like a referendum that you could mistake it for one.
Sometimes it was like he was delivering a sermon from the altar like the priests made us listen to year after year. Other times you could recognize the good old Jean Charest, the one we know well, the manipulator, the corner-cutter, the one who never gives a clear, precise answer, the one who plays with words, delivering his lines, repeating his talking points ad nauseam, tripping a bit over his last words as if they were in English. My lord.
July 26, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/1012695/elections-les-modifications-a-la-loi-electorale-rendent-plus-difficile-l-acces-au-vote-pour-les-etudiants-estiment-la-fecq-et-la-feuq
Contrary to what is projected by the Director General of Elections in Quebec (DGEQ), the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) and the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ) think that changes to electoral law are ill-conceived and they do not ensure that it will be easier for students to vote than in 2008, since those who leave their homes temporarily during the time of their studies will not be able to vote at their schools.
“The Liberal government has refused to put voting booths in CEGEPs and universities. It is now refusing to allow students to vote in the district of their schools and it has proposing instead a new rule with little bearing on the reality of life for students. One has to ask if it is not doing everything in its power to hinder students from voting in ‘student ridings’ such as Sherbrooke, out of fear losing the next elections,” wonder Éliane Laberge, president of FECQ, and Yanick Grégoire, executive vice-president of FEUQ.
Léo Bureau-Blouin July 25, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/355249/leo-bureau-blouin-officiellement-candidat-pour-le-pq
In the last months, I’ve been lucky enough to represent thousands of young people who want to endow Quebec with a more accessible educational system. It has been an honor for me to bring the demands of thousands of individuals to the government of Quebec. Still, there has come a moment when we ask ourselves if we can do more to make our most profound convictions into real public policy. There has come a moment when we ask ourselves if we can do more to build a Quebec where people will live better lives.
Denis Lessard July 24, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201207/23/01-4558296-leo-bureau-blouin-candidat-du-pq.php
(Quebec City) Propelled in the limelight by last spring’s student conflict, Léo Bureau-Blouin is taking on a political career.
The former president of the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ - Federation of Quebec College Students) will be a péquiste candidate in the Laval-des-Rapides riding, La Presse has learned.
Mr Bureau-Blouin will be meeting with Parti Québécois leaders as of today. The Director General, Sylvain Tanguay, organized a meeting yesterday. Last Thursday, he also met with the riding’s executive committee to ensure that the process would take place without any hurdles.
The proceedings have left behind Marc Demers, president of the local association and former Laval police officer, who had accepted, for the past few elections, to maintain a stronghold in the riding and to become the rival candidate to Liberal Alain Paquet. Mr Demers would however consent to step back in order to make room for the new “star”.
Valérian Mazataud July 23, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/355164/pas-de-vacances-pour-les-carres-rouges
Thousands of demonstrators marched in opposition to neo-liberalism
PHOTO CAPTION: Participants were out in great numbers yesterday in Montreal on the occasion of the 160th day of social action and the fifth national demonstration on the 22nd of the month.
“Less strong, but broader.” In bringing together thousands of people into the centre of Montreal in the midst of the summer construction workers’ holiday, the Broader Coalition of the Association for Student Union Solidarity (CLASSE) is hoping to plant the seed of durable dissent on (what is likely) the eve of the provincial elections.
For the 160th day of social protest, the marchers returned again yesterday in the early afternoon at Place Emilie –Gamelin. Though at the overnight protest of the previous evening there were barely more than 30 people, this fifth national demonstration on the 22nd of the month brought from 15,000 (according to AFP) to 80,000 (according to CLASSE) to the streets of Montreal. The student coalition had invited the participants to come out via a Facebook page with the stated aim of ousting the neo-liberals.
