Bedford school saga: Drainville looking into another Montreal school after complaints
After the Bedford school saga, Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville is demanding that light be shed on a potential new case of a school struggling with religious behaviour on the part of teachers.
Radio station 98.5 FM reported Wednesday that parents were worried that a teacher at Alphonse-Pesant school in Montreal was indoctrinating their children with religion. The teacher reportedly separated boys and girls in the rows and during class work.
"What is being reported are actions that do not respect the values of our schools. I take this very seriously," said Drainville after Wednesday's cabinet meeting at the National Assembly.
"I expect the school service centre to shed light on this situation quickly. We are in the process of checking, but if we need to take more action, you can be sure that we will and that I will," he added.
This case is in addition to the one at Bedford school, where teachers were creating a climate of terror, according to a shocking report. Since then, 11 teachers have been suspended and their licences revoked.
In the wake of this report, Premier François Legault mandated Bernard Drainville and the minister for secularism, Jean-François Roberge, to "examine all options" for "strengthening controls and secularism in schools."
The Loi sur laïcité de l'État, also known as Bill 21, which was adopted in 2019 by the Legault government, prohibits the wearing of religious symbols by government employees in positions of authority, such as police officers, judges and teachers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 23, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canada will cut its permanent immigration levels by at least 20 per cent
Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, CTV News confirmed Wednesday.
Trudeau says Liberals 'strong and united' despite caucus dissent
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
'Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief': Bank of Canada governor on interest rate cut
The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.
CEO of N.B. potato chip company taking 'extended leave of absence' after arrest
The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
Memorial growing outside Halifax Walmart where employee was found dead
A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.
Search efforts begin at Prairie Green Landfill: Manitoba government
A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.
'Things are very hard here': Popular Toronto crossing guard asks community for help finding work
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
Turkish jets strike Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following attack on defence company
Turkiye’s air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
Air Transat laying off hundreds of flight attendants, says cuts are temporary
Air Transat says it is laying off as many as 400 flight attendants, but plans to bring them back to work at some point.