Anglos must vote in school elections to counter ‘hostile’ Legault government, MP says

Article content

Quebec anglophones must turn out in force in school board elections this fall to counter a provincial government that is “very hostile” to the community, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather says.

“A community would not exist without its institutions – and there’s no institution more important to minority language groups than our schools,” Housefather said Tuesday.

Article content

“We are faced with a Quebec government that has shown us over the last number of years that it is very hostile to our interests. This is very unfortunate but we can overcome.”

Housefather made the comment at a Quebec English School Board Association meeting in Montreal aimed at encouraging candidates to run and voters to cast ballots in the Nov. 3 school board elections.

English school boards have clashed with Premier François Legault on several fronts.

His government is trying to eliminate elected English school boards. It has already scrapped French boards, replacing them with “school service centres” controlled by the province.

English boards went to court, arguing the overhaul is unconstitutional because it infringes on the anglophone community’s right to manage and control its schools.

The Quebec Superior Court has ruled in favour of English boards. Quebec is appealing.

Housefather, a former head of the anglophone rights group Alliance Quebec, said a high voter turnout is important, as is a large number of candidates.

“If the turnout is four or five per cent, the Quebec government will go and say, ‘See, we told you these schools should be service centres because nobody cares,’” Housefather said.

Article content

Article content

With a high turnout rate, “people will say, well, that community cares about its schools.”

Housefather lauded English school boards for “stepping in” to counter Coalition Avenir Québec laws that target minority rights, including its ban on public servants wearing religious symbols and its hardening of Bill 101.

QESBA president Joe Ortona told the meeting that “school board elections are critical to the vitality of Quebec’s English-speaking community.

“The reality is that school boards are the last instance of government that belong to our community, and schools are often at the heart of community life.”

As chair of the English Montreal School Board since 2020, Ortona has championed legal challenges against the Legault government.

“Our court cases get the headlines,” he said. “But commissioners have a much bigger role than that.”

Quebec’s nine English school boards serve about 100,000 students in more than 300 schools across the province, he noted.

“Each board has its unique demographics, orientations and history. All of them share a … sensibility to delivering public education services with equal regard for the needs and wants of all students, parents and staff.”

Article content

He said “school boards are as strong as the community we represent. That’s why we need talented people with different skill sets to come forward…and then we need people to get on the electoral list and to vote.”

Ortona added: “A high voter turnout will show the broader community that we value our school boards and our school systems. And, to put it mildly, the government does little if anything to encourage voter turnout.”

Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec, encouraged parents to present themselves as candidates and to vote.

“It is the only institution we have and it’s important that it’s protected,” she said.

“It’s our children that are being educated. We’re doing it for our children and our future. We have to care and we have to show up.

“It’s not enough to just complain and go on social media and write a post. What you have to do is put your money where your mouth is.”

Russell Copeman, a former Liberal MNA and a past president of the QESBA, said some acclamations are to be expected in the school board elections. He noted municipal elections also have many uncontested races.

Article content

In the 2021 municipal elections, Elections Quebec reported 615 of 1,102 Quebec mayors won without opposition.

Copeman said: “The minister of municipal affairs doesn’t stand up and say, ‘Well, you know, because of all these acclamations, we’re going to abolish municipalities.’”

Who runs the elections?

Working under rules set by the Quebec government, returning officers of each English school board are responsible for organizing and holding elections on their territory. School boards pay for the elections.

They work with Elections Quebec on issues such as candidates’ political financing and electoral expenses.

Closer to voting day, Elections Quebec is expected to launch an advertising campaign to urge voters to ensure they’re on the electoral list and to cast ballots.

Article content

Who can vote?

Voters must be Canadian citizens at least 18 years old and have lived in Quebec for no less than six months. They must live in the school board’s territory.

A parent whose child is admitted or has already been admitted to an English school board should be registered on the board’s electoral list but Elections Quebec recommends that they confirm their status.

Parents with a child in a French school service centre cannot vote in English school board elections.

A Quebecer who does not have a child in either an English school board or a French school service center will be registered by default in the French school service centre that covers the area where they live.

They can, however, choose to be registered on their local English school board’s electoral list.

This includes anglophone and francophone parents who previously sent children to French public schools but now want to vote in English board elections.

How do you add your name to the electoral list?

Quebecers can contact Elections Quebec to check if they are on the voters’ list.

They can also reach out to their local school board or consult flyers that are to be distributed by mail during the election period.

Article content

English school boards handle updates to the voter lists. Voters must complete a form and return it to their local board.

What are the key dates?

Elections Quebec has published a detailed electoral calendar focusing on important dates, including:

• Sept. 29. Last day to submit a candidate nomination forms.
• Oct. 15. Last day to add name to voter list
• Nov. 3. Election day

How many people normally vote?

In the last election, in 2021, many eligible voters didn’t get a chance to cast ballots.

That’s because many positions were filled by acclamation, with board officials blaming confusion over who could run and pandemic restrictions and delays.

English boards traditionally had much higher voter turnout rates compared with the now-abolished French boards.

In 2014, for example, 21 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in the EMSB election, compared with 4.9 per cent for French boards.

What are the names of the school boards?

Quebec has nine English boards:

ariga@postmedia.com

Article content