tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1737980321158585254.post5623503912437102150..comments2024-03-22T16:45:17.544-04:00Comments on Acts of Minor Treason: Quebec's Demonstrations of AuthorityPhoebe Bartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457452561340581723noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1737980321158585254.post-33104533738925105672012-05-27T13:53:14.963-04:002012-05-27T13:53:14.963-04:00I am 57, a woman, and was present at the march of ...I am 57, a woman, and was present at the march of the 22nd and at several nightly marches. On the 22nd I contravened the law. I followed the crowd in front of me not knowing that they had deviated from the path given to police. That left me subject to a fine of 5,000 dollars had the police decided to arrest me. <br /><br />I have also attended a couple of night marches which were entirely peaceful and included children and even babies in strollers. The so-called "violence" was wildly exaggerated in the hopes of turning public opinion against demonstrators. Now the finance minister Bachand has described the protests as festive because they aren't stopping. He is afraid of the impact on the tourist season so the truth has become more attractive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1737980321158585254.post-52967152585301322812012-05-25T02:18:10.172-04:002012-05-25T02:18:10.172-04:00I will be blunt, then - this law is in violation o...I will be blunt, then - this law is in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which explicitly guarantees freedom of association as a fundamental freedom. It is not "freedom of association of fewer than ten people at one time." Sure, if you're planning an event, some kind of protest or demonstration, and you want to keep the local police informed so that things can go smoothly, that's your prerogative - but constitutionally, it is not our responsibility.<br /><br />To me, the fact that Bill 78 does not define a "demonstration" is one of the most obvious weak points and opportunities for abuse. Who decides what a demonstration is, in this circumstance? What if you go to the police all proper to give eight hours' notice of your event, and they decide that they don't agree with you? Blocking a sidewalk or a street is an inconvenience - the exercise of fundamental rights trump inconveniences.<br /><br />With Bill 78, the Quebec government has handed itself a hammer it can use to smash disagreement or dissent at its discretion, in contravention of the freedoms Canada stands for. No government deserves that kind of power.Phoebe Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10457452561340581723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1737980321158585254.post-36111391812153505972012-05-25T01:50:22.654-04:002012-05-25T01:50:22.654-04:00If you plan well for an activity if any kind, havi...If you plan well for an activity if any kind, having an aware police force can be a huge benefit, if, some element outside the planning nucleus does in fact start to stray from your mandate. By going even further and being openly transparent, even perhaps introducing yourself personally, citing troubleshooting, or doing pre polling - can garner huge successes and community coups and benefit the outcome of whatever type of non destructive event is being developed and help its timeline navigate smoothly. It also allows a feedback pathwayafter the fact o the people can even do it again maybe bigger and better, because officials are "on their side" and of like mind that it is an ok idea to have such circumstances happen within their community. Knee-jerk fear and hostility are two super huge barriers blocking humans who feel "on a side" to come together about things they just might, otherwise. I appkaud you finding and posting the specific jargon of this bill - that info can be buried and hard to find at times, and yes - must always be examined - but this seems reasonable to me as a good point of definition. dem·on·stra·tion/ˌdemənˈstrāSHən/<br />Noun: <br /><br /> The action or process of showing the existence or truth of something by giving proof or evidence.<br /> Something that proves or makes evident: "the letter was a demonstration of good faith".<br /><br />A group of ten people is a mass that can block a sidewalk, turn heads in a park, spill into traffic, and if mobile, require a block of parking that may have handicap or transit issues. <br /><br />Technically, it is noticeable, proof of something. What, who knows... it is the polce's duty to look after our safety, therefore their attention should be alerted to things like this by nature in the course of their every day job requirements. <br /><br />By making it standard that PRO test type people - by nature socially conscientious people who care about the welfare of the world, acknowledge this as just a good practice if they truly do want successful community impact - those pro's could hopefully then grow to have more relaxed freedoms to engage in more inclusive, extravagant, and engaging events embraced by the publuc at large. <br /><br />I do not see a bad thing here.TheChaosFaeriehttp://www.justbecauseaprotest.comnoreply@blogger.com