Advance polls open for English school board elections, but voters face barriers

Advance polls for Quebec’s English school board elections began on Sunday but voters in Montreal faced challenges, including long lines and confusing registration instructions.

With the election set for Nov. 3, candidates say community participation is more crucial than ever, especially after the Quebec government tried to abolish English school boards in 2020 with the introduction of Bill 40, citing low voter turnout.

The CAQ government sought to replace school boards with service centres run by non-elected officials, which it did with the French school boards.

However, English boards challenged the bill in court, and Quebec’s Superior Court ruled it unconstitutional, affirming the right of the province’s English-speaking minority to manage its own schools.

Despite the obstacles, many voters told CTV News they felt it was important to cast their ballots to protect the rights of the anglophone community.

At the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), two candidates are competing for the position of chair.

The incumbent, Joe Ortona, is campaigning to retain his seat.

“We want to maintain the vitality of all our schools. I’m the first chairman in the EMSB’s history who never had a school close under my leadership,” Ortona said.

Challenging him is Katherine Korakakis, president of Quebec’s English Parents Committee Association.

“I envision a place where our children have all the tools and resources they need to thrive, including the support to address mental health challenges,” Korakakis said.

Both candidates agree there are too many barriers to voting, which they said the government either created or failed to remove.

“The times for registration were very limited, and the locations were hard to access,” Korakakis noted.

Eight other English school boards are also holding elections, with advance polling also taking place on Sunday.

At the Lester B. Pearson School Board, elections are being held for three commissioner positions.

Commissioner Allison Saunders, who was elected by acclamation, said the recent controversy at Bedford elementary school—where 11 teachers had their teaching licenses revoked—is an example of how school boards can function better then school service centres.

“French schools are appointed by the government. So essentially, you have governmental employees that are running your local schools. And to me, it just it leaves pretty much no room to make any changes, to petition, anything to challenge, anything to work through, policies,” Saunders noted.

“It's very difficult to see how they are being managed. Bedford school is an excellent example of how without that layer of parents and elected officials within the system of the school, really, it was what was happening in the classroom, and then the government finding out about it.”

Meanwhile, at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, voters are choosing a new chair and two commissioners.

Mike Murray has been acclaimed to the post of chair at the Eastern Townships School Board and said these elections are a turning point for anglophone Quebecers.

“These institutions were built by our community. Voting is a way to preserve them and send a message to the government that we have distinct priorities and perspectives that must be respected,” Murray said.

-With files from Marisela Amador and Max Harrold