Quebec is certainly one of the strangest places I've ever lived... particularly as an outsider it was often baffling to figure out. Understatement -- driving from VT to QC is like leaving a...
Quebec is certainly one of the strangest places I've ever lived... particularly as an outsider it was often baffling to figure out.
They have been in power for 13 of the last 15 years, often amid allegations of corruption and patronage.
Finally, there were the student strikes of 2012 which eventually morphed into large-scale protests against the Liberal government at the time.
I think most people in the US are probably unaware that McGill (one of the largest universities in QC, with something like 40K students) had it's own 'Berkeley moment' (I was studying in one of the buildings you see in the background there...), friends of mine were pepper sprayed, etc. The riot police in MTL is no joke, I saw them doing drills one time in the courtyard of the Olympic stadium, imagine a couple thousand people in full body-armor, helmets and batons doing bullshit karate moves (complete with noises :p) -- lord help you if you are poor and French because the police with fuck your shit up, and break up your demonstrations pretty much without fail
While wearing some of the most garish pants you'll ever see. But yes, Quebec is an interesting but strange place. This is far from the strangest time they've ever had politically, there was a good...
But yes, Quebec is an interesting but strange place. This is far from the strangest time they've ever had politically, there was a good period of time when their provincial government was basically a theocracy.
Ahhh that brings me back. Nothing like police officers in full uniform / fluorescent camo strolling through the Metro. Yes, it was definitely a fascinating read for me to see how things have...
Ahhh that brings me back. Nothing like police officers in full uniform / fluorescent camo strolling through the Metro.
Yes, it was definitely a fascinating read for me to see how things have progressed since I've been gone -- the end was starting to be written on wall for PQ and the liberals when I left.
Quebec is certainly one of the strangest places I've ever lived... particularly as an outsider it was often baffling to figure out.
Understatement -- driving from VT to QC is like leaving a first-world country and entering a fucking war-zone., and the corruption in infrastructure projects is well documented.
I think most people in the US are probably unaware that McGill (one of the largest universities in QC, with something like 40K students) had it's own 'Berkeley moment' (I was studying in one of the buildings you see in the background there...), friends of mine were pepper sprayed, etc. The riot police in MTL is no joke, I saw them doing drills one time in the courtyard of the Olympic stadium, imagine a couple thousand people in full body-armor, helmets and batons doing bullshit karate moves (complete with noises :p) -- lord help you if you are poor and French because the police with fuck your shit up, and break up your demonstrations pretty much without fail
While wearing some of the most garish pants you'll ever see.
But yes, Quebec is an interesting but strange place. This is far from the strangest time they've ever had politically, there was a good period of time when their provincial government was basically a theocracy.
Ahhh that brings me back. Nothing like police officers in full uniform / fluorescent camo strolling through the Metro.
Yes, it was definitely a fascinating read for me to see how things have progressed since I've been gone -- the end was starting to be written on wall for PQ and the liberals when I left.