Boards oppose Bill 40
CONT’D PAGE 1
schools for purely ideological reasons,” he said.
The proposed bill would preserve universal suffrage in English ‘service centres’ to fill certain positions, but not in French centres.
During the press conference, the chairmen each began by describing the demographics of their respective boards, the unique challenges faced by the schools and centres in each, and their accomplishments. They then shared their concerns about the proposed reform.
Des Sommets Chairman Jean-philippe Bachand suggested that with Bill 40, the Legault government was following in the tradition of Quebec's centralizing governments, “Which, over the years, have abolished CRÉÉS and Regional Health Authorities, and are now preparing to abolish school boards,” he commented.
“I am also concerned about the cumbersome electoral process put in place by the Minister to replace school commissioners. Not only will this not be effective, but it may be less representative than current elections by universal suffrage,” Bachand said, adding that he questions the accuracy of the minister's figures on the cost of school elections in Quebec, one of the justifications for the bill. “He must have made these calculations in the same way as the estimated costs of 4-year-olds in kindergarten.”
“School boards are not opposed to any reforms of school governance at the local and regional level, but they are keen to preserve the decentralization of powers to local and regional communities,” Gilbert said. “We must defend our regions and their autonomy against the centralized power of Quebec.”
Following the press conference, ETSB Chairman Murray called the bill an irrational commitment to change. A true commitment to improving the education system in Quebec should include all aspects, Murray said, not just some improvised structure.
“There is no urgency,” Murray added, saying that thoughtful analysis and consultation was needed before moving forward.
“So many things are not in the legislation,” Murray said, explaining the bill is basically changing the structure of boards for the sake of change, in some ways in name only.