Right to Demonstrate: Transition Québec calls for abolition of 19.2

Maple Spring’s remains were adopted ten years ago, on June 20.

In 2012, in the wake of student demonstrations in the capital, elected city council officials approved new measures giving Quebec police officers greater freedom to intervene.

Therefore, the organizers of the rally were asked to provide the authorities with an itinerary and to respect it literally, otherwise the rally could be considered illegal at any time. Thus, many protesters were arrested and gave statements of crimes accompanied by fines.

However, these elements of the bylaws for peace and good order were declared invalid by the Quebec Court of Appeal in October 2019, after protests by some protesters.

not normal

According to Jackie Smith, it’s not like that not normal Quebec City has not yet acted to amend its regulations. The city council will use Monday to demand that the invalidated clauses be repealed.

The article in question, 19.2, states that It is prohibited for any person to organize or participate in an illegal demonstration on public property. Paragraphs 1 and 2 provide provisions for routings.

The regulations have been in effect for ten years now. […] Three years have passed since the appeals court ruling. It’s getting late and there’s no reason not to cancel itthe representative of Limoilou District decides.

” We must send a message that the right to demonstrate is important to Quebec City. »

sad birthday

This release of Ms Smith comes a month after that of the League for Rights and Liberties, Department of Quebec. Its coordinator, Maxim Fortin, lamented the sad memory when he spoke of the tenth year of the Division 19.2 existence.

According to the League, the fact that these provisions are still in the described regulations Until now On the Quebec City online portal, you can violate the right to demonstrate, even if the Quebec police swore not to enforce it anymore.

Some bands like to play Safe and comply with the repealed regulationAccording to the organisation. The latter feared that providing directions and warning authorities of an individual’s intentions had become a standard practice, which courts have ruled unconstitutional.

The League for Rights and Liberties had hoped for a gesture from Mayor Bruno Marchand’s administration before June 20. In the mayor’s office, it was replied that the Bylaws were being updated for peace and good order and that there was no action planned in the short term with respect to Article 19.2.

The mayor confirmed Monday that it is no longer in use, and therefore is no longer an urgent issue.

The new version of the Peace and Order Regulations will be introduced by the end of 2022.