from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, May 1, 2012 at 10:42 PM
subject Ottawa dit avoir été «rigoureux» dans la sélection du vérificateur général; Conrad Black cleared to return to Canada — temporarily
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived May Day, which was also just another day
of work. Had Rose after daycare, we ate, Skyped with my dad, had a
bath (and a shower to rinse the bubble-bath off. She loves the shower
and finds it tickles). It took awhile to get her to bed, she didn’t go
down until 8. She is growing up! And her whole routine is expanding:
we do a Goodnight to Rose’s Room (à la Goodnight Moon), then she wants
hugs, kisses, then her baby Elmo, and Cookie Monster, and of course
Mini Elmo, then another hug, etc.
I’m lazily cleaning up the kitchen (after making chicken baked in a
prepared mole sauce) and following the 8th night in a row of student
(and today, May Day) demonstrations on Twitter and CUTV, and dabbling
a bit in Facebook. This is something I just found on FBook that made
me smile:
”It costs 42 cents per Canadian per year to give low income people a
place in the community to get access to the Internet. Harper will give
the banks a hundred billion, and buy solid gold fighter jets, and then
he nickel and dimes us on everything else.” my friend Rodney (my
friend Mike)
Looks like the protest is winding down, CUTV signed off, the marchers
are at about 9km, looks like they are heading back to the starting
point. Last night they walked over 14km! Good exercise at least,
protesting.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Thu, May 3, 2012 at 12:00 AM
subject Anonymous: le privilège parlementaire de Vic Toews a été bafoué; Coyne: Stephen Harper, the stealth prime minister
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the 9th nightly march, this time through
Westmount. Had to catch the metro at Cote Vertu as I couldn’t find a
Bixi. Left the march just before they got to Charest’s residence (he
wasn’t home anyway). The protesters have a great new slogan: «Charest
dehors, on va te trouver un job dans le Nord».
Oh, and congratulations on the one-year anniversary of your big win.
Strong, Stable, National, Conservative Majority Government! The
redacted letter I recorded on Sunday was posted online today. Here’s
the link (already 60 views): http://youtu.be/Ef4LZ-WkyK4
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Fri, May 4, 2012 at 12:03 AM
subject Contentieux Québec-Ottawa en vue sur les compétences liées aux banques; F-35: Government failed to provide full cost estimate despite order, watchdog says
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another evening march, this time to
Gérald Tremblay’s house, where I caught a whiff of pepper spray as
about twenty cops tried to disperse some of the crowd who were hanging
out too long (mostly fascinated by the sight of a long line of police
guarding a house). After all, I think the Mayor is in Emirates this
week. I went to find the marchers, many who were marching in their
underwear (or less – it was a protest “tous nus dans la rue”) after
Rose-Marie had arrived at out place. Rose and I had eaten at Frite
Alors after meeting Sarah and going to Parc Jarry for the launch of
the OFFTA. Now I’m tired and home in bed, waiting for Clo to come home
from an evening out at Elektra.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, May 6, 2012 at 11:44 PM
subject Ottawa appuie un projet de loi sur la dissimulation d’identité; Quebec tuition deal may not fly: student leader
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived Victoriaville on May 4 and an all day
Conservative Party meeting in Quebec City on May 5. Today we checked
out a bit of le Manif d’art 6, with its theme of machines.
We missed Preter l’oreille 2.3 Friday night because the SQ had blocked
all the intersections leading to the hotel where the Liberal party
were meeting. I did find the Tim Hortons where Sophie had expected to
meet but we were maybe too late (or maybe it was the wrong Tim
Hortons). Anyway, it was raining, and I could tell that trouble was in
the air. From what I’ve read it sounds like total provocation and
abuse of power on the SQs behalf.
Saturday was a whole change of pace, attending a Conservative Party
strategizing meeting (called En route vers 2015). It was
well-organized and very informative. I’m all fired up! Actually, I’m
still confused what my strategy is. Do I work with the party towards
the 2015 election and then see what happens? Do I take the literal
extreme of the policies and promote the party that way (which in my
riding won’t do you any favours). How is this a performance, or
related to art in any way? Maybe I should ask Jacques Demers, his
anecdote about the Montreal Canadians being down 0-2 to the Nordiques
in the first round of the 1993 finals felt related to my projects
involving sports and politics.
In other news (I’ll be lazy now and copy-paste as I’m exhausted from
the weekend. Rose had a blast with Emilie and Laura and Fanny and Seb
were amazing hosts).
Le gouvernement Harper appuie un projet de loi d’initiative
parlementaire visant à donner à la police le pouvoir d’arrêter toute
personne se cachant le visage durant une manifestation ou un
attroupement illégal.
Le député d’arrière-ban conservateur Blake Richards propose que des
peines de prison pouvant atteindre cinq ans ou des amendes maximales
de 5000 $ soient imposées aux manifestants ayant porté un masque.
Le ministre fédéral de la Justice, Rob Nicholson, a annoncé dimanche
que le gouvernement donnerait son appui au projet de loi d’initiative
parlementaire C-309, la Loi sur la dissimulation d’identité, ce qui
signifie qu’elle est assurée d’être adoptée.
«Les comportements destructifs et insouciants causent du tort aux
collectivités et ne doivent pas être tolérés», a déclaré le ministre
Nicholson par voie de communiqué.
«Notre gouvernement est résolu à se porter à la défense des Canadiens
respectueux de la loi, et c’est pourquoi nous voterons en faveur de ce
projet de loi d’initiative parlementaire», a-t-il ajouté.
M. Richards a indiqué que le projet de loi était conçu de façon à
donner à la police davantage de pouvoir pour empêcher le genre
d’émeutes qui ont causé des dommages, notamment celles de l’actuel
mouvement de protestation étudiant au Québec, l’émeute survenue l’an
dernier à la suite de la défaite des Canucks de Vancouver en finale de
la Coupe Stanley, et les manifestations ayant marqué la tenue du
sommet du G20 à Toronto, il y a deux ans.
Le député a dit voir le projet de loi comme une mesure préventive
devant permettre à la police d’intervenir avant que la violence
n’éclate.
Toutefois, certains défenseurs des libertés civiles craignent que la
législation donne à la police le pouvoir de mettre fin aux
manifestations pacifiques, auxquelles prennent souvent part des gens
costumés, masqués ou le visage couvert de peinture, qui pourraient
être accusés de vouloir cacher leur identité, selon les dispositions
de la loi projetée.
Françoise Boivin, porte-parole du Nouveau Parti démocratique, a
indiqué que l’Opposition officielle n’était pas contre le «concept» du
projet de loi, mais elle a fait remarquer que la police détenait déjà
le pouvoir d’arrêter et d’accuser les gens ayant l’intention de
déclencher une émeute, et qui portent un masque afin de commettre un
crime.
And another story that makes me see red (especially Charest’s quip at the end):
MONTREAL — A key Quebec student leader suggested Sunday that a
tentative deal reached Saturday to resolve the often-violent
confrontation over tuition-fee hikes might not make the grade when
students across the province cast their votes on it this week.
Martine Desjardins, president of the Federation Etudiante
Universitaire du Quebec (FEUQ), said Quebec Education Minister Line
Beauchamp is not helping matters by gloating about how the government
didn’t relinquish its planned tuition hike.
“She’s not helping,” said Desjardins, adding she doubted this is
“going through right now.”
However, Desjardins said she will explain to students that this is a
last-ditch effort to save the semester.
“This is about the best we can do,” Desjardins said.
“The response has not been very positive.
“But this is the only thing students will get from this government.”
Not only did it take less than 24 hours for the proposed agreement to
hit some major opposition, but some students are now considering the
possibility of raising their rebellion a notch and instigating an
outright cancellation of the semester.
“It’s just an idea for now, but it would be the ultimate sacrifice —
and a way of ensuring the strike continues even if it costs the
semester,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, spokesman for the Coalition
large de l’association pour une solidarite syndicale etudiante
(CLASSE), considered the most hard line of the provincial student
associations.
As students continued their protest Sunday night, Nadeau-Dubois also
said reaction to the proposed deal has been “pretty negative.” He said
students believe there is some ambiguity about how much of the money
saved will actually go into their pockets, and are worried about the
composition of the committee overseeing university management, which
would have only four students out of 19 members.
However, he conceded that the deal does “buy time” for students, as it
provides a concrete tuition freeze for the fall semester, and it does
improve loans and bursaries.
Whether the agreement is perfect or not, Leo Bureau-Blouin, president
of the Federation etudiante collegiale du Quebec, believes it has come
at a point that is critical — both to save the semester and in terms
of volatility of the student movement. The movement has become
increasingly violent, as evidenced by a serious clash with police on
Friday at the Liberal convention in Victoriaville, Que., in which
three people were seriously injured.
Bureau-Blouin said this was the most interesting offer yet from the
government, but it was too early to gauge reaction to it.
The deal will be presented to student associations across the province
this week and votes will be on an association-by-association basis,
meaning some could vote to accept it and return to class while others
may continue the strike. Many votes will be taken in the next few
days.
The FEUQ said it will hold a special assembly on Friday to discuss the
results reached by its member associations. CLASSE said it would
probably have its results by mid-week.
None of the leaders are making an official recommendation on the
agreement; they will merely explain the good and bad points of it and
let students decide for themselves.
The tentative agreement, which was the result of a marathon
negotiation session, proposes the creation of a provisional council
that would review spending by universities, turning over the savings
the council finds to reduce extra fees that students pay on top of
their tuition.
For this fall, the offer calls for reducing those extra fees by $125
to offset the tuition hike of $125, while a permanent council is
established to review university spending.
Daniel Zizian, director general of the Conference des recteurs et des
principaux des universites du Quebec, said the onus will be on
students to prove there is money to find in the system.
“They feel they can show substantial waste to annul this $125,” he said.
However, if by chance no savings could be found, the students would be
expected to cover that cost.
“It will be a challenge for them,” said Zizian.
Desjardins has said the students have already identified savings of
$189 million by proposing cuts to university spending on advertising,
travel and excessive compensation to administrators.
She said she hopes students have confidence in their representatives
to find those savings. She said the deal will allow students to finish
the semester and then move to “Plan B” — being active in the next
provincial election.
Some students are eager for the deal to be accepted. Shane Goldman is
a law student at Universite du Quebec a Montreal and has been out of
class for 12 weeks. He believes the agreement is “a solid compromise,”
although he doesn’t expect all students to accept it.
“Some students are looking for a tuition freeze with no strings
attached,” he said. “It’s going to be a tight vote.”
Even if the deal is passed, it’s not known if the semester can be
saved at this point. UQAM and Universite de Montreal had plans to
extend the semester until June 22, but that was contingent on students
returning to class on Monday. Since that’s not happening, they will
decide this week what their next steps are.
Since Friday’s violent protest, police said a total of 110 people have
been arrested and there could be more arrests in the days to come. Six
men have already appeared in court to face various charges in
connection with the riot, including assaulting a peace officer and
assault with a weapon.
Speaking at the close of a weekend policy meeting of his Quebec
Liberal Party in Victoriaville Sunday, Premier Jean Charest said he
would not call an election in the spring over the tuition crisis and
that moving the party event out of Montreal was “the right thing to
do.”
Charest was questioned by reporters on why it took his government so
long to come to an agreement with the students. Beauchamp only
summoned the students, administrators and union members to meet, in
what proved to be a 22-hour negotiating crunch, as Liberal delegates
and demonstrators were en route for Victoriaville.
He said the debate in Quebec about raising tuition fees went on for 20
years and his government made proposals three times in April, aimed at
resolving the conflict. It never budged on the tuition increase,
except to stretch the planned five-year, $1,625 jump over seven years,
lowering the yearly increase from $325 to $254.
After indexing, planned to begin in the 2017-18 academic year, the
total amount rose to $1,788.
“We did not turn a deaf ear,” Charest said. “We were listening.”
For successful negotiations “it takes two to tango,” Charest insisted.
Negotiations in April to end the dispute with the students ended after
two days when Beauchamp expelled CLASSE for organizing violent
demonstrations, an allegation Nadeau-Dubois denied.
Charest noted that Nadeau-Dubois had denounced the Friday night violence.
“Unfortunately he did not do it sooner.”
Montreal Gazette
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, May 7, 2012 at 11:00 PM
subject Le président israélien rencontre Stephen Harper à Ottawa; Tori Stafford Trial: Michael Rafferty’s mom says her son is innocent
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday at work. Today Stacy and I
started early, picking up a van and running all over town picking up
and dropping off sheets of 5/8″ MDF to various folks who will be
making the specialized plinths for the Ryoji show. Stacy has been
staying at our place the past few nights because his roommate didn’t
pay their Hydro bill and their power was cut off on Friday. It’s still
not back on. Tonight we attempted to barbecue again but the briquettes
lost all their heat and went out, so we had to finish the burgers in
the oven. Sarah came over as well and we ate together, except for
Claudine who was at hot yoga. I spoke with both Michel and Jerry about
the meeting in Québec City this past weekend and made plans to meet
Jerry tomorrow so he can sign the documents that we need to get to
Elections Canada before the end of the month or the party will lose
its standing with Elections Canada and we don’t want that, do we?
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, May 9, 2012 at 11:19 PM
subject Mulcair a aussi profité des dons de SNC-Lavalin, laisse entendre le PC; Elections Canada’s hunt for Pierre Poutine hits another roadblock
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Sorry I didn’t write last night, I wasn’t feeling
it. Watched a bunch of TED talks instead. Work has been getting
stressful as we get closer and closer to the end of the exhibition and
a whole bunch of projects start coming to a head. Tonight Clo was at
yoga again and I felt nostalgic to watch Total Recall. Way too
violent. Would like to read the short story and still might see the
remake someday. The student protests seem to have quieted down a bit
though it seems a majority of associations have rejected the latest
offer, the strike continues, more voices calling for a public inquiry
over the use of force, especially the rubber bullets, in
Victoriaville. I’m still working on drumming up support for the
Papineau ACE. En route vers 2015! Is it too late to have a shower?
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Thu, May 10, 2012 at 11:38 PM
subject Contrat controversé: un sous-ministre se récuse après l’évaluation des soumissions; True cost of Libya mission was seven times gov’t. estimate: documents
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Survived the gas bombs and complete shutdown of the
entire metro this morning before work. Took the car instead, dropping
Clo and Anne-Laure off along the way but St. Denis was moving like a
tortoise. I didn’t get to work until 10:15. In the end, who pays for
the “pertubations economique”? In this case I elected to dock myself
an hour, as I would have arrived to work on time had I rode a BIXI.
But it was raining! Work was trying and intense and then afterwards I
drove the gang home and ate with the girls and tried to get Rose ready
for bed and even though we had her bathed and in pyjamas by the time
Lea arrived Rose was having none of us leaving. She threw one of her
best fits yet, screaming and clinging to my leg. Finally we were able
to slip out and enjoy a date night at a live screening of a This
American Life episode, which was thoroughly enjoyable. Saw a
block-full of riot cops getting ready to face off against the protest
on Ste-Catherine after leaving the theatre. No time to participate,
Lea has school tomorrow. And I hear the Muppets are coming to town in
July with Juste pour Rire, tickets go on sale tomorrow. I’m thinking
of taking Rose, she likes the Muppets almost as much as me.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, May 14, 2012 at 10:09 PM
subject Le gouvernement Harper sur la défensive à cause d’une «erreur humaine»; Economics dividing Canadians between Tory, NDP camps: poll
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday, and a Weekend as well.
Sorry for not writing since last Thursday. Friday we watched The
Shining on the big Parreno screen as a team-building exercise. The
weekend was fun, mostly hung out with Rose and Clo, I had Rose all
Sunday for Mothers’ Day, Clo had yoga and had to work overtime on a
grant. And today the de-install started and I am pleased to report
that we are ahead of schedule and so far everything is going smoothly.
Last night I met with Jerry from the Papineau EDA to sign some
Elections Canada forms and discuss some strategy for the coming
months. It sounds like real work, and it is doubly hard because of
course I don’t really know where I am going with all this. A regional
meeting is set for May 24 just before the big Oh Canada opening at
Mass MoCA. I’m swamped with work until then, and there are also SKOL
meetings to attend to. Somewhere in all this we have to plan our move
downstairs. All this to say I am super busy and might not be able to
write you everyday.
Did you hear that Line Beauchamp resigned today? Do you think it will
have the desired “electroshock” effect of improving negotiations with
the student groups? We’re entering week 14 of the massive strike.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Fri, May 25, 2012 at 12:56 AM
subject Un libéral soupçonne les conservateurs d’irrégularités électorales; RCMP commish Paulson slams case of misbehaving Alberta Mountie
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive.
Sorry i haven’t written in awhile You are getting my Tweets though, right?
It’s been all DHC de-install, C2MTL install then de-install, and
occasional nightly protests, and now the casseroles every night.
Doesn’t leave much time for sleep, let alone writing to you.
Tonight was a regional council meeting for the twenty or so Montreal
island ELD/ACE. Am learning lots, especially how to bite my tongue
when jokes are made re: the students. Calling in the army seems to be
an actual wish amongst some of my conservative colleagues.
Since Clo was out as well Sarah came over to babysit, early, as I had
to get to Côte des Neiges for the meeting. Rose stayed up until 10!
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, May 28, 2012 at 10:27 PM
subject Budget: les bloquistes préparent des amendements; Federal government tables bill to order striking CP Rail workers back to work by Thursday
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday. Survived another night of
casseroles. Survived the road trip to North Adams and back for the big
big opening of Oh, Canada at Mass MoCA.
Back to work was a struggle.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, May 30, 2012 at 9:39 PM
subject Le Mexique veut envoyer plus de saisonniers au Canada; Porn star wanted in murder/dismemberment case dated Karla Homolka
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive, even if this install is wearing me out. I’m not
working crazy hours but the PHI Centre and Amentia and Impacts
projects are sapping our technical workforce. Supper, dishes and
laundry take time, and i haven’t been into the studio in I can’t
remember how long. Jacob Z came over last night, he is in town for a
couple performances of Perhaps in 100 Years, part of OffTA. I should
be working on an acceptance speech in case I actually win the
“Precious Export” award at the SJ Originals 2012 awards ceremony
tomorrow night. My folks are going and would read it. I better do it
now. Then I can go to bed early with the New Yorker.
Supposedly it was “Casseroles Night in Canada” tonight. Did you hear
any? I hear a big Casseroles protest is planned for Parliament Hill
sometime soon. And it seems like the negotiations between the student
leaders and the government have hit a wall. looks like protest will
become a daily part of festival and summer life in Montreal. I wonder
how long the casseroles will last?
No comment re: the foot and hand mailed to the Conservative and
Liberal offices, respectively.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Thu, May 31, 2012 at 11:46 PM
subject CP: la loi spéciale forçant le retour au travail est adoptée; Maher: Animal rights activists started chasing Magnotta years before mutilation murder
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. Survived another fun-filled day of work, dealing
with carpet, mistinted paint, plinths, walls, metal, light. Today was
also Rose’s first performance at daycare, I left work early to attend.
It was fun and cute to see but most of the kids didn’t act or perform
in the slightest. I think they were all freaked out a bit to enter
their playroom and see all their parents there with phones and cameras
pointed at them. Of course, Rose danced and sang to the video I took
when I played it back for her after supper. Stacy came over later in
the evening so I could drive the table and cooler down to the Agora
for Jacob. Was caught behind a couple protests on the way down and
back, but I wasn’t rushed and enjoyed honking in support. I didn’t win
the Precious Export award at the Originals 2012, the award went to
Jesse Ash, who is an artist and musician in the band Reversing Falls.
It is probably for the best I didn’t win as this was the acceptance
speech I wrote last night:
I’m really surprised to be even considered a precious resource, let
alone to win the category. I realize now why speechwriters are so
important. I actually gave my parents less than 24 hours notice to
read this (sorry mom!) Thanks to the organizers for recognizing that
precious exports can be more than oil and trees and minerals. If those
exports were eligible then I think the Irvings would be walking away
with this prize forever. As we all know, people are what make a
community, and I want to thank everyone I have ever had the pleasure
to meet and work and hang out with or pour wine for in Saint John. I
especially want to thank Judith Mackin for dragging me back in 2005 to
launch third space gallery. You can take the boy out of Saint John but
you can’t take Saint John out of the boy. Last but not least I’d like
to thank Premier Jean Charest for mobilizing whole neighbourhoods to
get together in the evenings and bang pots and pans for social
justice. Almost nothing builds a stronger community than a tyrant.
Mel, congrats on becoming mayor and please don’t become a dick.
-chris
DEAR PM 