The Couillard Liberals and Quebec's English school boards could be headed to the trenches over the government’s plan to abolish school boards in Quebec.
A meeting between the Education Minister and the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) was described as “difficult” in a press release issued Monday by the group.
QESBA argues that anglophones have a right to elected school boards under the Constitution Act of 1982.
Julie White, a representative of Education Minister Francois Blais told media Monday that that the government is aware of the constitutional requirement regarding the school boards but has a different interpretation of what it means.
White said that the government is aware of the “particularity” of the constitutional requirement but said that it offers “representation” but not necessarily elected representatives.
The government is studying a model which would see a large panel of government appointees select school board representatives.
QESBA is vowing to defend the current system. “We have held lengthy discussions with our members and the answer is simple: we will never give up our elections or our minority rights.” said QESBA President David D’Aoust.
