Quebec government to restore order with emergency legislation
Posted May 17, 2012 10:00:34 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
QUEBEC – After 14 weeks of unrest, the Quebec government has announced plans for emergency legislation aimed at restoring order.
Premier Jean Charest has announced plans to table a bill, expected this week.
The legislation would suspend the spring semester for the faculties affected, schedule an early summer holiday, and complete the spring session as of August.
There have been reports the legislation will also impose stiff fines on picketers blocking access to classrooms _ but the premier did not address that issue in a public statement tonight.
Polls suggest Charest’s unpopular government, facing a long-shot re-election bid, might actually have public support for its tuition hikes.
The premier has responded angrily in recent weeks when accused of encouraging a climate of confrontation for his own political benefit.
Bracing for more of that criticism, the Charest government has bought ads in tomorrow’s newspapers explaining how it has already made several adjustments to its tuition plans to soften the impact on the poorest students.
