11 Ukrainian children to attend English school in Quebec in language exception
Since March 2022, 11 Ukrainian children fleeing the war in their country have been granted language exceptions to study at English schools in Quebec, according to the education ministry.
The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) confirms it has welcomed five of those 11 students after passing a resolution in March stating it was prepared to accept Ukrainian students in its schools on humanitarian grounds.
"To date, there has been no change in the Quebec government's position regarding eligibility for English-language education," notes LBPSB spokesperson Darren Becker. "Like any refugee, Ukrainian refugees must therefore apply for eligibility under the applicable provisions of the Charter of the French Language."
Education ministry officials explain students whose parents hold temporary work permits are "eligible to receive instruction in English under the Regulation respecting the exemption from the application of the first paragraph of section 72 of the Charter of the French Language that may be granted to children temporarily residing in Quebec, RLRQ, c. C-11, r. 7."
Contrarily, those who arrive in Quebec under refugee status or who choose to obtain permanent residency must attend school in French.
"The French public school system has the expertise and resources necessary to ensure the psychological well-being of children from war-affected backgrounds and promote linguistic, academic and social integration," said the ministry. "Every year, these schools welcome thousands of children from humanitarian immigrant backgrounds, many of whom have experienced armed conflict."
The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) has been pushing the provincial government over the last few months to consider giving exemptions to some young Ukrainians arriving in Quebec to allow them to attend English public schools.
"Some of these children undoubtedly have English as their second language and have already been through so much," stated QESBA President Dan Lamoureux.
The group insists its position has nothing to do with language politics in the province.
"We are not trying to politicize this in any way, shape, or form," added QESBA Executive Director Russell Copeman. "We are simply signalling to the government of Quebec, and to our fellow Quebecers, that English school boards are prepared to do their part on humanitarian grounds to try and help these refugees who have been through so much."
At the time, Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge insisted he was committed to integrating refugees into the French school system.
However, Premier François Legault mentioned he was open to the idea of making an exception.
"We may have an interim situation where we can help them this way," Legault said. "As you know, children of people coming to Quebec have to send children to French school, but in the interim period, of course, we will accommodate them."
According to the education ministry, those arriving in Quebec do so under the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization (AVUCU), a "special temporary immigration program offered to Ukrainian nationals in the context of a humanitarian emergency."
Its main objective is to allow Ukrainian nationals to settle on Canadian soil quickly.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.