movement

Wednesday September 5, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday September 5, 2012 Harper must walk political tightrope in PQÕs Quebec Blamed by some in his own party for adopting policies that helped reawaken the QuebecÊindependence movement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper now finds himself walking a politicalÊtightrope as he prepares to face the demands of a fresh Parti Quebecois government. ÒHeÕs in charge and heÕs got to figure it out. So weÕre in for great fun and games,Ó said veteranÊQuebec Conservative organizer Peter White. ÒBut it isnÕt the end of Canada.Ó For months, White has argued that Harper and his small team of Quebec MPs were angering aÊlarge majority in the province by adopting unpopular policies and decisions in areas such asÊlanguage, law and order, and the environment. But despite the fact there are only five Quebec Tory MPs in Ottawa, White has also said HarperÊcould tackle the problem by raising his public profile in Quebec and explaining his policies more. ÒQuebecers came very close to saying ÔYesÕ last time (in the 1995 referendum on sovereignty) andÊthings were not nearly as bad then as they are today in terms of the emotion of the thing,Ó WhiteÊsaid Tuesday.Ê(Source: Postmedia) http://o.canada.com/news/harper-must-walk-political-tightrope-in-pqs-quebec Canada, Stephen Harper, Pauline Marois, Parti Quebecois, 24 Sussex, Unity, Crisis, independence, movement, poo, bag, PQ, victory

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday September 5, 2012

Harper must walk political tightrope in PQ’s Quebec

Blamed by some in his own party for adopting policies that helped reawaken the Quebec independence movement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper now finds himself walking a political tightrope as he prepares to face the demands of a fresh Parti Quebecois government.

“He’s in charge and he’s got to figure it out. So we’re in for great fun and games,” said veteran Quebec Conservative organizer Peter White. “But it isn’t the end of Canada.”

For months, White has argued that Harper and his small team of Quebec MPs were angering a large majority in the province by adopting unpopular policies and decisions in areas such as language, law and order, and the environment.

But despite the fact there are only five Quebec Tory MPs in Ottawa, White has also said Harper could tackle the problem by raising his public profile in Quebec and explaining his policies more.

“Quebecers came very close to saying ‘Yes’ last time (in the 1995 referendum on sovereignty) and things were not nearly as bad then as they are today in terms of the emotion of the thing,” White said Tuesday. (Source: Postmedia)

 

Thursday May 24, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday May 24, 2012

Occupy Montreal movement joins Quebec student protesters

Occupy Montreal has passed to the next level.

Thanks to the student protests, organizers say the movement now occupies the city in a way it never dreamed before – every day and every night.

“Participants in Occupy Montreal have been helping out with the student protests since the beginning of the strike,” said Paul Bode, 31, an Occupy activist who has a long association with the movement.

“It’s a common cause, and we’re happy to go back and forth between the two,” said Bode, a Westmount-raised community activist who teaches English, works in construction and lives in St. Henri.

“But in fact, we view Occupy Montreal as a verb, right? And basically, right now the students are occupying Montreal, and we’re helping out with that,” he added before heading out to join Tuesday’s march at Place des Festivals.

So does that make Occupy itself a bit redundant?

Not at all. It means the movement can now shift its focus away from downtown, Bode and other organizers say.

Instead of squatting in Montreal’s financial district for weeks like it did before being evicted last fall – and did again for a few days earlier this month, minus any overnight stays – Occupy activists will target Montreal’s boroughs over several weekends this summer.

In each instance, their occupation will serve to highlight a local issue, such as social inequality, and to “act locally.” First up: a neighborhood of the Plateau Mont-Royal in June. (Source: Montreal Gazette)