LETTER

 

-----   Lack of funds for tutoring English students 

 

The Ministry of Education's plan to inject $12,000,000 into the French education system to assist in tutoring students with not a single penny for the English school system can only called blatant discrimination.

Obviously, to me, the CAQ government has used this omission as retaliation for our taking the government to court over changes under Bill 40 which, to me, would have wiped out our constitutional rights to control of our English school system. We should not be surprised; this government has also threatened restrictions against the use of English in public under Law 101. 

Failing to provide resources for the English-speaking community to tutor their students during a pandemic disregards the right of English-speaking students to an equal education under the law.  The CAQ government will not help us to survive, to live, or thrive as an English-speaking community in Quebec. My evidence: the government cripples our children's education during these unprecedented times.

This government is playing politics with children to make us capitulate and lay down our rights, rights supposedly guaranteed to all citizens regardless of race, colour, or creed. Those principles are nowhere in the policies and practices of this government.

On behalf of the over 4,000 families among the 85 schools in the 9 English school boards where the Home and School Associations (QFHSA) serve, we publicly admonish the CAQ government, the Ministry of Education and Minister Jean-François Roberge for this discriminatory act, and we request immediate additional resources for the English system for online and in-school tutoring services.

Linton Garner, President, QFHSA

Montréal