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Expanding the ban on the wearing of religious symbols in schools to cover all people who have contact with students equals intolerance

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From the moment it was adopted, the English Montreal School Board has been vigorously opposed to Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State. The legislation bars public-school teachers, government lawyers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols while at work. The Quebec Superior Court struck down key provisions of Bill 21 on April 20, 2021. However, the Quebec Court of Appeal did not uphold that decision on February 29, 2024, setting in motion a request by  EMSB, the National Council for Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association to seek leave to appeal that ruling at the Supreme Court. The latter plans to hear this challenge to Quebec’s secularism law. Now comes news that the CAQ government plans to expand the current ban. The new measures, part of what is being called Bill 94, will bar a host of other workers from wearing such religious symbols as a crucifix, a hijab or turbans. The new list includes everyone from cafeteria workers, ...
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We call for the removal of the Terrebonne Bike Path Between Madison and Cavendish during the winter

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Below is a copy of a letter I have sent to the City of Montreal  Côte des Neiges-NDG Borough vis-a-vis a request for the removal of the Terrebonne Bike Path, between Madison and Cavendish,  for the winter. We kindly request that this letter be tabled as public correspondence at the December Borough Council meeting. We are writing in light of a recent accident involving a school bus and a parent’s vehicle that occurred directly in front of St. Monica Elementary School. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. However, both the bus and the car sustained considerable damage, and the students onboard the bus were trapped for ten minutes due to the door being obstructed—an alarming situation that highlights the urgency of addressing safety concerns on Terrebonne Avenue. We firmly believe that the accident was a direct result of the Borough’s redesign of Terrebonne Avenue which included narrowing the roadway to accommodate bike paths on both sides. The section in front of St. Monic...
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The importance of school board election readiness; voters head to the polls on November 3, 2024

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As the president of  the Quebec English School Boards Association and chair of the English Montreal School Board, I wish to emphasize the importance   election readiness. Voting day for the chairs and elected commissioners of the nine English school boards in Quebec is November 3, 2024. Indira Ghandi once said, “Winning or losing of an election is less important than strengthening the country.” 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 our community life. Commissioners Rosemarie Federico and Maria Corsi, Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, Commissioner Ellie Israel, Chair Joe Ortona, EMSB Director General Nick Katalifos and   Sir Wilfrid Laurier SB DG Russell Copeman. In June the QESBA  hosted a conference to provide information about the role and responsibilities of sc...
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Legal action by Concordia and McGill underlines how important it is that English institutions fight to preserve and defend our rights

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I wish to applaud Montreal’s two English universities, Concordia and McGill, for their  decision to launch  lawsuits against the Quebec government over tuition hikes for out-of-province students.  This underlines   how important it is that English institutions fight to preserve and defend our rights. Since the  Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has been in power they have gone out of their way to attack the English community and institutions like public school boards. At the English Montreal School Board, we have been at the forefront or part of lawsuits challenging Bill 40 (the abolition of school boards), Bill 21 (Secularism) and Bill 96 (English language).  We have won the first rounds at the Quebec Superior Court level for Bills 40 and 21 and we are waiting for proceedings to commence on Bill 96. There is no question that the decision by the Quebec government to bring in new rules  to reduce the number of students coming from the rest of Canada at...
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