Bill 78

Citation	S.Q. 2012, c. 12
Enacted by	National Assembly of Quebec
Date passed	18 May 2012
Date of Royal Assent	18 May 2012
Date commenced	18 May 2012
Date of expiry	1 July 2013
Legislative history
Bill citation	Bill 78
Bill published on	18 May 2012
Introduced by	Michelle Courchesne, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
First reading	18 May 2012
Second reading	18 May 2012
Third reading	18 May 2012
Status: Expired

Bill 78, officially titled An Act to enable students to receive instruction from the postsecondary institutions they attend, led to an emergency law passed on 18 May 2012 by the National Assembly of Quebec. The law was passed in response to a student strike opposing tuition increases, associated with large student protests, and states that its purpose is to ensure that no student be denied the right to receive education at the school they attend, and that no one may impede the school's ability to provide it. The law restricts protest or picketing on or near university grounds. The law further requires that organizers of a protest, consisting of 50 or more people in a public venue anywhere in Quebec, submit their proposed venue and/or route to the relevant police for approval. Bill 78 was drafted by members of the Quebec Liberal Party, introduced by Education Minister Michelle Courchesne, and passed with the support of the Coalition Avenir Québec party. The planned tuition increases were subsequently repealed in September 2012, by a decree from Pauline Marois's newly elected Parti Québécois government.

In March 2011, Jean Charest's Quebec Liberal Party announced plans in their 2011–2012 budget to increase Quebec university fees by $325 per year over five years (or $1,625), an increase of 75% over current rates. In April 2012, the government proposed a solution that would have seen tuition rise $254 per year over 7 years, including an inflation index after the first two years (or $1,779), an increase of 82% over current rates.

Beginning 13 February 2012, students associated with one of Quebec's student unions walked out of their classes to protest the proposed tuition increases and, by mid March, 250,000 people had joined. Protesting students from colleges and universities held a vote, demanding that the government rescind the planned fee increases and place a freeze on fees before returning to class.

Clashes between student protesters and police began soon after the demonstrations began. Between 13 February and 15 May, groups of protesters, varying in population from hundreds to thousands, on multiple occasions blocked or attempted to block both the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges, causing disruption to vehicular traffic; they were either dispersed or arrested by police. Students protesting at the Montreal Exchange were dispersed by riot police. Montreal merchants and businesspeople complained that the protests were causing a negative impact on the city's commerce and on tourism.

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