People march the street in protest of Bill 78. Photo by Francis Bourgouin

Talks between the student unions and the Quebec government broke down again last Thursday. Indeed, as the strike stretches well past its 100th day, it seems no end is in sight.

People from outside student union groups are now joining the cause in greater numbers than at any point during the strike—not so much in favour of the students but in frustration against Bill 78, an infringement on their civil liberties. Perhaps one of Saturday’s painted banner slogans said it best: “This isn’t a student strike, it’s a society waking up.”

In fact, Saturday’s protest was deemed illegal from its first steps onto the streets. Since protest organizers, CLASSE, Coalalition large de’Association pour une solidarite syndicale etudiante, did not provide the proper authorities with a planned route—as required under Bill 78—the protest was, according to law, unsanctioned and illegal.

Enacting a law that puts restrictions the students directly involved and the province as a whole has ignited the movement into something greater—something the government will not be able to manage. The protests that began with tuitions fees are no longer the same and they will never be.

Imagine this: Thousands of Quebec nurses walk off the job tomorrow in dispute over a proposed contract and decide spontaneously to march through the streets of downtown Montreal to protest. They didn’t call the police to give them a detailed itinerary and a map depicting their travel plans. This is a violation of Bill 78. But here’s what I’m wondering: Do the police arrest these nurses and start handing out fines? Unlikely.

On Tuesday, about 600 employees of Quebec Construction Commission—the regulatory agency for the province’s construction industry mired in the controversy over corruption—launched into a general strike. Since early May a number of intermittent strikes have take place. The workers have been without a contract since December 2009.

The Quebec Construction Commission, which is a member of Local 573 of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, rejected the commission’s latest contract and voted in favour of a strike.

So what will happen to these employees if they decide they want to organize a march or demonstration? Well according to Bill 78, if they fail to inform the police of their intended route they may face fines that could amount to $1,000-$5,000 for individuals, $7,000-$35,000 for “student” or union leaders, and $25,000-$125,000 for organizations. There is something terribly wrong here, something the Quebec government failed to consider when enacting such a law. They have put themselves is a dammed if you do dammed if you don’t situation. And if the tuition debate is not settled soon, there is no telling where this might end.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, student leader of CLASSE. Photo by Elias Touil

The student protest in Quebec is marching forward into its fourth month. Sparked by the Liberal government’s tuition hikes, the movement has now has exploded into much more.

The protests started back in mid-February when students began to raise their voice against the government’s decision to increase tuition fees by $325 a year over the next five years. This would bring the annual cost of tuition in Quebec to $3,800. In an attempt to satisfy student concern the government then offered to spread the hike over the next seven years at an annual increase of $254 but was again rejected by the students.

There had been no conversation between the students and government since the beginning of May, when yet another deal proposed by the Liberals was shot down. (The National Post recently released a comparative graphic depicting the cost of tuition throughout all provinces in Canada. This may help you to generate your own analysis of post secondary cost through the country.)

At the beginning of the week, however, student leaders and government officials finally came back to the negotiation table with an eight hour session on Monday. Primer Jean Charest made a personal unannounced appearance, meeting with a number of students. Talks again resumed Tuesday and continue today, but no information has been released about a possible agreement.

It doesn’t look good: Following the first round of talks on Monday, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, who has become the leader of one of the more outspoken student groups, Coalalition large de’Association pour une solidarite syndicale etudiante, better known to the public as CLASSE, was arrested. A complaint by Jean-Francois Morasse has led to a contempt of court charge against Nadeau-Dubois, who pled not guilty in a Quebec City courtroom.

Even worse: Under pressure from downtown business owners and the public, the government has enacted a controversial bill just as the lucrative summer tourism season starts to warm up. Two weeks ago, in an attempt to tone down the protest, the government passed bill 78.

Bill 78 requires any demonstration of 50 or more individuals to give prior notice to the police as well as their intended route. The bill also carries hefty fines against individuals and student association if they fail to obey the new rules. Those fines can amount to $1,000-$5,000 for individuals, $7,000-$35,000 for student or union leaders, and $25,000-$125,000 for organizations.

Just a few days ago arrests mounted to approximately 2,500, causing a great deal of criticism from the public—not only were residents of the province upset, but people across the country and around the world have voiced concerns.

The ability to freely protest and assemble is one of our most important democratic rights. Removing the public’s ability to demonstrate in any fashion they see fit impedes on our civil liberties.

Protests are now flowing over into other small towns and cities in Quebec. Te rising numbers in protests against the bill have reinvigorated student support from the public, which actually appeared to be dwindling following many blunders by students—such as the smoke bomb subway incident.

As the protests have grown even stronger over the past couple weeks, with average citizens, lawyers and other unions taking a stand—not in so much support of the student tuition debate, but for freedom of speech—I don’t see the government being able to come out ahead of this one.

What was considered a student movement now encompasses an entire Quebec population, one that has a history of protest and demonstration. The government’s decision to make a law restricts the ability of students—indeed, the whole province—to march whenever and wherever they choose could likely be the major tipping point of the protest and the demise of a Liberal leadership.