Quebec investigation into 2012 student protests begins

MONTREAL – The head of the Quebec government-appointed commission looking into the 2012 student protests has promised to remain apolitical.

It begins under a cloud of suspicion, with various players in the historic student dispute expressing their disdain for the project.

Student groups have indicated that they will boycott the panel’s hearings, which began today. Police-officers’ unions won’t take part either.

And the Opposition Liberals, who were in government during the memorable protests, have also said they’ll boycott what they describe as a political masquerade.

But Serge Menard, a long-time former Parti Quebecois public security minister heading the panel, has stressed he’s not there to judge the individuals involved in the so-called Maple Spring.

He also repeated several times during a news conference that the special commission does not have the mandate to put police or student organizations on trial.

Those questions, he added, are the responsibility of the courts and police ethics committees.

Menard said the commission’s mandate is to examine the techniques used by police forces and how things got out of control and left police overwhelmed.

He said it would also examine the tactics used by trouble-makers and agitators which undermined the credibility of legitimate demonstrations, which occurred nightly last summer.

The commission will not have the power of a public inquiry to compel witnesses to testify. Some of its hearings also will also be held behind closed doors.

That’s why student groups, which had demanded a formal inquiry into police brutality, describe the current process as a sham.

The Liberals offered the same view. They expressed outrage when a government minister, Stephane Bergeron, announced the creation of a supposedly neutral commission — and blamed the Liberals for the crisis during that same news conference.