QESBA angry and disappointed - "Bill 115 won't bring "a single new student"<br>to English public school system" - Horrocks

MONTREAL, Oct. 19 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) is angry and disappointed with Bill 115, the Quebec government's final answer to the October 2009 Supreme Court ruling on Bill 104. That ruling stated that Bill 104 as written was unconstitutional in having completely removed the right of students attending private unsubsidized English schools to subsequently transfer to English public schools. The government was given a year to adopt legislation respecting the decision.

The solution adopted late last night in wholly unsatisfactory, in QESBA's view: "Our English public school network needs and deserves some vital oxygen to secure its future in Quebec," noted QESBA President Debbie Horrocks. "Let's be clear: Bill 115 will not result in a single new student being admitted to English public schooling. QESBA has worked very hard to demonstrate that our schools are part of Quebec's future. Making our schools stronger is good for our community, and it's also good for the future of Quebec. Our schools are allies, not adversaries, in the effort to promote French in Quebec. It is really frustrating to see the government basically ignore that positive message with today's legislation."

Prior to Bill 104, adopted in 2002, a student with a minimum of a full year of year of private non-subsidized English education was then eligible for the English public school system.  This offered the English system an average of 500-800 new students a year, primarily in the Greater Montreal area.  QESBA intervened in the Supreme Court case on Bill 104, arguing that this important source of students to English public schools would have only a modest impact on French school enrolment.

QESBA President Horrocks also deplored the "complicated, subjective and burdensome" regulations accompanying Bill 115, which will require applicants for eligibility to complete lengthy files and evaluations of their schooling, history and intentions.

"With the adoption of Bill 115," Horrocks concluded, "the government of Quebec has given up an important opportunity to demonstrate its support for our English school network and to help secure its future. This is very disappointing but make no mistake: our English public school network is strong and it's here to stay - with or without that government support."

QESBA represents the nine English language school boards of Quebec which includes some 110,000 students.

"The voice of English public education in Quebec"

For further information:

Kim Hamilton
Director of Communications and Special Projects
514-919-3894. Cell.