Thursday 12 July 2012

Quebec Going to the Polls in Early September, It Looks Like

The rumor mills are buzzing with the news that Jean Charest's Liberals are going to call an election for Sept. 4 or Sept. 10.  Which makes it quite apparent that he is planning to make student protests of tuition fee hikes a major element in the campaign.

The draconian Law 78, passed to cool things off in May, put off the continuation of the winter term in 14 cegeps and several university departments until the middle of August.  Today one of the student groups has begun a tour of the province (with a sortie into Ontario) to rally the troops.

This sets things up for some pretty hot August days when students are supposed to be back in school (according to the govenrment) but student groups are in the streets, continuing unfinished business from the Printemps érable.

This is in line with what I've been expecting all along: why else let a rather simple conflict fster and grow unless you want to make political hay from it?  Charest doesn't want social peace, he wants social subjugation.

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