First Day

Jérémie Bédard-Wien, co-spokesperson for Quebec student union CLASSE, discusses the students' victory rolling back the tuition hikes.  In an impressive first day in parliament, newly elected leadership from Parti Quebecois canceled the hike, repealed the widely denounced and repressive "Loi 78," closed a nuclear power plant leaking radiation into the surrounding community for years, and announced reimbursement of a residential health tax.  The tuition hike cancellation will be prudently financed through higher taxes on the wealthy.  Mr. Bédard-Wien looks at developments ahead for the students, including collaboration with the U.S. Occupy Movement.  He attributes success to the students who got out there in the streets for weeks and weeks on end, banging on pots and pans.


 

Look what government can do when they're not working for the privileged few. Our standards have sunk so low in the U.S. Congress only gets this productive when they're passing military budgets in an hour or two.  Or giving tax breaks to the 1%.

Census figures don't bother 'em neither.

That first day is what it's supposed to look like all the time, folks.  "When government is working."

Victory

 

Quebec students win!   

Common Dreams reports the new Premier Pauline Marois announcing that the tuition hikes will be rolled back.  Canadian writer and activist Naomi Klein tweets:  "This is why radical movements are mercilessly mocked.  They can win."

RT reports several hundred taking to the streets to demonstrate for free education through the university level.

A spokesperson for Pauline Marois also recently announced that Gentilly-2 nuclear power plant would be closed.  Subject of a new documentary, the decision has been hailed by numerous scientific and environmental groups.  Activists have been working to close the plant for decades, and since radiation poisoning to families in the surrounding community was discovered.

Quebec seems to be entering a very exciting period of progress bound to inspire further.

Once again, history is on the side of the People.

Gentilly Or Not To Be

The Parti Québécois states plans to go ahead and close Quebec's only nuclear power plant, Gentilly-2.  Party spokesperson Éric Gamache said that it is something they have wanted to do since 2009, and that such action does not require a vote in the National Assembly where they are otherwise a minority.

The nuclear plant is the subject of a documentary premiere, Gentilly Or Not To Be.  From the Montreal Gazette:

The film, by Montreal filmmakers Guylaine Maroist and Éric Ruel, cites a German studying showing there are higher-than-normal cancer rates among children living in proximity to nuclear power plants.

Montreal doctor Éric Notebeart, a professor in medicine at the Université de Montréal and member of Physicians for Global Survival, said Tuesday that children and young families should not live close to the Gentilly 2 power plant.

“I wouldn’t have a young family within 10 kilometres of Gentilly 2, that’s for sure,” said Notebeart, adding he believes the facility should be closed.

Notebeart is a member of a coalition of groups that held a news conference Tuesday asking Marois to shut down the plant.

A news report with a chilling English portion:

  

A film trailer:




Other groups that have sought to close the plant include the David Suzuki Foundation, GreenPeace Canada, and The Canadian Coalition For Nuclear Responsibility.

Ya know, it's almost surreal to read anyone in politics stating that they are actually going to (just) do the right thing, for a change.  ("Whadya mean they're going to (just) close it???  They're not gonna keep it open while people are poisoned and die and someone makes millions and billions of dollars?  And while we endlessly plead and reason and petition to deaf ears and no avail?  I don't think I can stand the sanity!")