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CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Quebec to ask Supreme Court for permission to appeal school board reform ruling
The Supreme Court of Canada says it is moving away from the social media platform X. The Supreme Court of Canada is pictured in Ottawa on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick MONTREAL — Quebec will ask the Supreme Court of Canada for permission to appeal a ruling that found a provincial law abolishing school boards violates English-language minority education rights. A spokesperson for Quebec's justice minister confirmed Friday the province will appeal a ruling from the Quebec Court of Appeal rendered in April. That ruling upheld a Quebec Superior Court decision from August 2023 which found the province's law abolishing school boards violates linguistic minority education rights, guaranteed in Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The law, known as Bill 40, was adopted in February 2020 and transformed French schools boards, which were governed by elected commissioners, into service centres run by a board of directors overseen by the provincial government. While the French boards went along with the government, the English boards chose the legal route. The law's measures affecting English school boards were stayed in 2020 pending the outcome of the court challenge. The English boards have maintained that Section 23 gives them the constitutional right to manage and control its school boards. Quebec Superior Court Justice Sylvian Lussier ruled in August 2023 that the province's law abolishing school boards was unconstitutional and violates linguistic minority education rights, guaranteed in Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He wrote that several sections of the law cannot be applied to English school boards, including those that set limits on who can run for election and sit on the boards. 'The minority is having the vision of the majority imposed on it as to who can represent it, whereas for more than 200 years, all members of the community have been eligible to take care of school management,' Lussier wrote. The Court of Appeal said last month that the law 'radically alters the mission of these school service centres compared to school boards.' In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appeal court wrote the law infringed on rights guaranteed in the Charter and upheld most of the constitutional conclusions of the Superior Court decision. The Quebec English Language School Boards Association said in a statement Friday it was disappointed by the province's decision to appeal to the Supreme Court and that it will continue to defend the constitutional rights of English school boards before the high court. 'We had hoped the government would accept the Court of Appeal's unanimous decision and finally respect the rights of the English-speaking community,' said Joe Ortona, president of QESBA, said in a statement. 'At a time when Quebec is facing significant financial cuts, it is disappointing to see public funds being used to pursue a legal battle that so clearly infringes on the rights of minority communities.' As Quebec is now seeking to appeal again, Julien Garon, a spokesman for Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, said the government has no further comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025. Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Quebec seeks leave to appeal school board reform ruling to Supreme Court of Canada
Quebec will ask the Supreme Court of Canada for permission to appeal lower court rulings that found a provincial law abolishing school boards violates English-language minority education rights. A spokesperson for Quebec's justice minister confirmed this week the province will appeal a ruling from the Quebec Court of Appeal rendered in April.T That ruling upheld a Quebec Superior Court decision from August 2023 which found the province's law abolishing school boards violates linguistic minority education rights, guaranteed in Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The law, known as Bill 40, was adopted in February 2020 and transformed French schools boards, which were governed by elected commissioners, into service centres run by a board of directors overseen by the province. The Court of Appeal said last month that the law "radically alters the mission of these school service centres compared to school boards." The law's measures affecting English school boards were stayed pending the outcome of the court challenge.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Edmonton school trustees, advocates want province to allow undocumented kids to enrol
Elementary students coats and boots are seen in a school in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi Edmonton public school trustees have voted to push Alberta's government to make legislative changes to allow undocumented kids to enrol in school. The vote comes after advocacy groups sent speakers and affected children to months of school board meetings to bring the issue to light. Alberta Workers Association for Research and Education director Whitney Haynes says her organization is working with nine such children in the Edmonton area, though she knows more are out there. Haynes says Canadian residency status can be a fluctuating process that can lead to lapses and leave kids undocumented, like when parents on temporary work visas are between jobs. Alberta's education minister says most foreign children are eligible for public education in the province, but not all. Demetrios Nicolaides says children have a right to education, but that doesn't necessarily mean education comes 'free of charge.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
