Meet the Editor! NEW TIME: Friday, May 18 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET

27 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2012-05-17 20:04

Catchfire

So Derrick O'Keefe will be on babble tomorrow afternoon for the latest installment of "Oh Good Grief, O'Keefe" at a new time as we experiment with finding the best slot to encourage reader participation. Join us tomorrow at 12:00 PM PST/3:00 PM EST to chat with Derrick.

We'll also be starting with a themed discussion: What do you think about rabble.ca's coverage of the Quebec student protests?

As usual, some of the most extensive coverage has taken place right here on babble (with a special thanks to epaulo13, Unionist and Barüler for keeping us up to date).

Our bloggers have done some work taking on the economics of Rex Murphy's naïve analysis, while Not Rex's Humberto DaSilva also had his say.

We've had more philosophical analysis, including Stephan Christoff's 'Rêve général illimité' in Quebec (more from Stephan here and here) as well as straight up new reportage like the students' rejection of Charest's May 6 offer.

So: here's your chance to advise Derrick and the rabble.ca editorial staff on what you'd like to see more (or less) of. More multimedia? More editorials? More words from the students themselves? Plus d'articles en français? Or are we just being too easy on the entitled teeangers?

Join us tomorrow afternoon and get in on the discussion!

Fri, 2012-05-18 03:13

RevolutionPlease RevolutionPlease's picture

Much better, solidarity?

Fri, 2012-05-18 05:43

KenS

Since I have received messages from the editor at work in the middle of the night in his time zone, I'm guessing that he was finding it a little challenging joining Babble at 9:00 AM.

Fri, 2012-05-18 11:09

Catchfire

Heh. With a small child at home, I reckon (from experience) that Derrick is up at all sorts of intriguing hours. Derrick is up doing a spot on Co-op radio here in Vancouver on Friday mornings, so I don't think the early rise is an issue. It's mostly that we want to make sure other Best Coasters have a chance to particpate if they wish!

Fri, 2012-05-18 13:26

Caissa

4 p.m. ADT is the time I leave work.

Fri, 2012-05-18 13:55

Catchfire

Perfectly timed, then!

Fri, 2012-05-18 13:55

Caissa

We know you refer to us as the least coast.

Fri, 2012-05-18 14:04

Catchfire

Only in my head and in all official correspondence.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:01

derrick

Hi there - busy news day, especially of course in response to Charest's 'Special Law'. Ready to talk student strike!

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:09

#10

derrick

Here's our fresh feature story update on the strike and on Charest draconian law:

The strike of post-secondary students in Quebec has taken a dramatic turn with the provincial government pushing through a special law to suspend the school year at strike-bound institutions and outlawing protest activity deemed disruptive of institutions not participating in the strike.

Details of Bill 78 were unveiled late Thursday and debated in a special, overnight session of Quebec's National Assembly. They include a ban on demonstrations within 50 meters of a post-secondary institution and severe financial penalties on students or teachers and their organizations if they picket or otherwise protest in a manner declared "illegal." Demonstrations of ten or more people must submit their intended route of march to police eight hours in advance...

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:12

#11

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Do we have something out that is almost like a timeline showing what has been happening in Quebec, since about November, and all the events leading up to these new moments and mass protests?

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:15

#12

derrick

Hey Kaitlin, that's a great idea. I haven't seen anything like that - anywhere. The timeline could go back further, too, as a big student movement pushed back Charest's plans in 2005...

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:16

#13

Lard Tunderin Jeezus Lard Tunderin Jeezus's picture

How quickly can this new law be contested under the Charter? Does anyone have an idea?

BTW, kudos on the rabble.ca coverage of the issue to date, Derrick.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:21

#14

Left Turn

Two suggestions with regards to coverage of the student strike in Quebec:

1. Consistently the best analysis on Quebec politics is Richard Fiddler's "Life on the Left" blog. Not just on the student strike, but on Quebec politics in general. Richard has a blog post out today on the Charest government's latest response to the student strike.

[url=http://lifeonleft.blogspot.ca/2012/05/quebec-government-wields-emergency... government bludgeons student strikers with emergency law - but the struggle continues [/url]

It we be great to have Richard's blog posts published on rabble.

2. The increasing importance of Quebec for progressive politics in Canada has got me wondering why rabble doesn't publish any articles in French. It would seem to me that this is the other glaring deficiency when it comes to coverage of Quebec politics on rabble.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:21

#15

Freedom 55

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate being able to read Stefan Christoff's stuff on rabble. Please keep it coming.

Do you think rabble would be able to keep a dedicated calendar of events related to the student strike? (or is there already one that I haven't noticed?) I realize that the situation is so fluid that it might be impossible to stay on top of everything, but finding a reliable source of that information has been one of my frustrations so far. Living in Ottawa I'm able to head over to Gatineau when called for, but until now I usually find out about events at the very last minute - or even not until they're well underway.

Thanks.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:23

#16

derrick

I'm not sure how long it would take, but seems to be pretty wide range of legal opinions saying that this law would be defeated by a Charter challenge. Here's the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, by the way: http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/C_12/C12_A.HTM

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:25

#17

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

I've seen articles in French, but they are always accompanied by an English translation afterwards. Doesn't rabble.ca have a mandate to puclish in English?

In regards to a timeline, I think if people are new to the happenings in Quebec, it can seem really daunting to grasp an understanding because there has been so much going on. A quick hit list and rationale and reprocussions might broach this subject for those out of the loop?

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:26

#18

derrick

Left Turn,

We've been lucky to have Richard's contributions of late - plus he's done some work translating documents by CLASSE into English for us. He also translated the 'Manifesto for a Maple Spring' for us... We have a feature story from Roger Annis today, plus a story reprinted from Media Coop yesterday, that cover a lot of the ground Richard's most recent post does, so that's why it's not up on rabble today...

Also, I know the idea of publishing more articles in French has been discussed in the past. It's been done on occasion, for example on our special federal elections blogs in the past. It's something we're definately thinking about again.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:31

#19

derrick

Re: English/French, for me the priority would be to actually get on top of translating some of the best analysis and writing into English - that would seem the best contribution to sharing with the rest of Canada more about the politics of Quebec in general and the state of the student strike specifically...

And Kaitlin, you make a good point about providing a broad historical overview so our readers can have the context.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:34

#20

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

oo typo sorry.

I would love to see more French translation into English (especially accompanying the original French -- bone up on my skills). I think we may be missing a lot of unique perspecitives and op-ed styles -- especially from student newspapers like le Delit. Also supporting the Quebec student strike through Quebec language is always awesome.

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:35

#21

derrick

Can anyone help Freedom55 with a calendar of actions? - in Gatineau and/or across all of Quebec? In the age of social media proliferation, it seems we often still lack a basic shared comprehensive calendar of progressive events/actions etc...

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:43

#22

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Freedom55 here is that tries!

Campus Notes has put up post of event listings -- maybe we should try to do that again?

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:43

#23

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Freedom55 here is that tries!

Campus Notes has put up post of event listings -- maybe we should try to do that again?

Fri, 2012-05-18 15:44

#24

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

I don't know why that posted twice -- also the calender is in french, I hope that is okay!

Fri, 2012-05-18 16:04

#25

derrick

Thanks for the feedback, and some good ideas! Dave Mitchell, co-editor of the new book Beautiful Trouble and former Briarpatch editor, has just dropped by the rabble space here in Vancouver and we're going to catch up a bit... See you back here next Friday I hope.

Sun, 2021-11-28 11:10

#26

jfb

Fri, 2012-06-01 10:43

#27

Caissa

I'll be on the bus heading home. Our summer hours are in effect, 8-4.