COVID ... and Bill 61

 

                While COVID-19 forced many companies and institutions to interrupt their activities, the CEGEPs, the colleges, remained open, moving quickly into distance-learning and teleworking. This change required the professional staff to adapt and innovate in a very short time and often in very demanding circumstances. It was a huge challenge, but the college staff keep their commitment to students to guide them on the path to success and graduation.  I am in the middle of this since I work at one (office) and saw the effort and leadership at work.

                On the other hand, I have two sons in secondary school, one in each system. The Western Quebec board appeared to freeze up, while Portages coped much, much better.  Suddenly, the government's big plan to transform these boards looks like a good plan.  The Bulletin has had letters and columns crying about the loss of the "English" board.  This pandemic shows us it will be no loss!

                A school board must offer more than service in a particular language. That is a right and a bonus for any community, but not at the expense of quality, bilingual education. I am an anglophone, (my husband a francophone), but seeing things only as "English" is enclave, or ghetto thinking. We have one friend who teaches in the Western Quebec board, and I believe her that they are as committed as anyone, but the professional staff's commitment seems not to move very far up the bureaucracy. That's what Bill 61 should change.

Name with-held on request

Aylmer