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MONTREAL — Quebec government lawyers are defending a controversial protest law that is being challenged in court, arguing that it should remain in effect.

Lawyers representing student federations, unions and other groups are trying to get parts of Bill 78 — parts that pertain mainly to public protest — temporarily suspended.

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Those same groups are also hoping to challenge the constitutionality of the entire law, later, in a separate case.

But Quebec government lawyer Normand Lavoie says it’s important to understand the context in which Bill 78 was enacted.

The province was dealing with increasingly wild protests. And while more than 40 court injunctions had been handed down to allow students back to class, most weren’t being respected by protesters — some of whom formed picket lines outside schools.

Lavoie notes that student protesters are now claiming they’re the ones whose rights aren’t being respected.