Hello Tim, David & other comrades which names I do not know. My son and I were at your wednesday meeting, last night, July 18, at the Bowman monument.

I talked to David about making a brief statement regarding our visit here, but as we came late in the meeting, and considering your regular agenda, we left you guys discussing your funds problems. I wish you well with your future. Every social fighting organisation in this changing world of ours needs to be strong, needs this vital social support we are all hoping for.

Ok, so here's what I have to say to you. As we leave Chicago today en route to Montréal, I have this message for all you Chicagoans supporting just causes in this fighting world, including us in Québec.

My 15 year old son and I have spent a few days here. Of course we visited many sites of importance, including the Art Institute and the Chicago History Museum, which has by the way a very interesting exhibit regarding the fight for Freedom. If you haven't see it yet, I would encourage you to do so.

We also went to the Haymarket monument on Des Plaines, a landmark not recognized for such a long time. But what moved us more than anything was when we went at the Waldheim Cemetery, looking for the other Haymarket landmark, and when we saw this little red square lying there at the foot of the monument, all of a sudden, my son gave me this spontaneous and smiling high five I will never forget. Of course we also left a little red square of our own. Oh man, the emotion we felt there is hard to describe in words!

As of now, considering the solidarity demos you had yourselves, including last June 27, you know how hard our struggle is in Québec. Since February the students, their supporting teachers, parents and grand parents, have been fighting against a 82% university tuition fee hike and since May 18, against Bill 78, a law restricting our democratic right to demonstrate. Since February, around 5000 people have been arrested by police, sometimes in a very violent and brutal manner.

But there is hope, for since February, in Montréal there has been around 500 demonstrations, yes 500, including three of more than 200,000 people, on March 22, April 22 and May 22, the most importants in our history. Also, after Bill 78 was passed by Québec's Parliament, our National Assembly, people in the neighbourhoods, reacted adamantly to the this repressive leglislation, demonstration the power of the people, with pots & pans, as you very well know by now.

Our struggle is far from over, as the Bill is still in force and the tuition hike is also in application. But the students and large sectors of our population, especially in Montréal, have not abandonned. Boosted by support from all over, including the US, Chile and France, we are confident that this Charest government will finally listen to us or else be expelled from office.

Thanks again for your solidarity, Occupy Chicago!

And as the 1886 Chicago demonstrators put it:

Vive la révolution sociale!

And I might add: Vive le Québec libre!