Anti-Liberal Protesters storm Lachute streets during nightly demonstrations

LACHUTE – Anti-Liberal protesters have been heating-up Lachute's streets since May 25, banging pots and pans and calling for the 'defeat of Quebec's Liberals'.

The group of citizens are calling for a repeal to Bill 78 and they demand that the Liberal Government end the tuition strike by ceding to all of the students demands and lowering, tuition - or possibly financing it completely.

The 'casseroles' movement has gained incredible momentum in Montreal, where it sprang up as a response to the Quebec provincial government's introduction of Bill 78, an emergency law passed on May 18, that was enacted to control student protests over tuition fee increases and to ensure that the demonstrators remain peaceful.

Bill 78 does not prohibit protest, but it does outline strict conditions under which protests can take place. The law restricts freedom of assembly, protest, or picketing on or near university grounds and anywhere in the province without prior police approval.

Protesters must provide police with a strict itinerary and parade route, eight hours before a demonstration and individuals who breach the new law can be fined up to C$5,000. Student associations that breach Bill 78 can face fines as high as C$125,000.

"There are many good reasons we are here. The first is to ensure the students stay in school and the second is to protest Bill 78," said Lachute protester Rejeane Maltais, who said she blamed the Charest Government for the protests and that her group chose to gather in front of provincial Liberal candidate Lise Proulx's headquarters each night, because she represents Quebec Premier Jean Charest, on a local front.

"We chose the Liberal's office to show our discontent," said Maltais.

Nearly 100 protesters joined the demonstration on May 25, which wound its way through Lachute's suburbs, following the flashing blue and red lights of a Sûreté du Quebec police cruiser, that led the legal assembly.

Decidedly political, the Lachute demonstrations have served as a launching ground for anti-Liberal protests that have taken aim at the provincial by-election that is currently taking place in Argenteuil.

Quebec's Green Party Leader Claude Sabourin joined the demonstrators on May 25, directly following an election debate in which he announced his support of the students position regarding Bill 78 and tuition increases.

"I participated in a few Montreal protests and now that it is here {in Lachute}, I need to support the people who are against re-electing the Liberals. I know not everyone will vote Green, but some won't be voting Liberal either," said Saboutin, who expressed that now is not the time for a tuition increase.

"In Europe things are changing and the government is offering free education. We should be following that path. Right now 88-percent {of University tuition} is already paid by the {provincial} government," said Sabourin, who proposes using the Tolbin Tax, which is a tax tacked onto all financial transactions, to fund university tuition costs.

"We are protesting bad government and basically want to get the government out. We are teaching another generation that they have the right to protest," said activist Guy Seguin, who has publically declared his support of a Parti Quebecois government led by Pauline Marois - who joined the protesters during their march through Lachute on Saturday, June 2.

Provincial Liberal candidate Lise Proulx told The Review that she supports the demonstrators right to protest, although she does not support their views.

"They are passive and manifesting their opinion, which just proves that Bill 78 is not interrupting their right of expression," said Proulx.

Demonstrators gather in Lachute every night at 8 p.m., where they follow a different parade route each evening.

When asked how long the Lachute demonstrations are expected to continue, Guy Seguin told The Review, "we intend to come out every night until we win."