Western Quebec School Board picks Proulx to lead in high-stakes era

Tashi Farmilo

OUTAOUAIS - A veteran of nearly two decades with the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB), Pascal Proulx, was chosen to lead the organization through one of the most consequential periods in the history of English-language education in Quebec. The Council of Commissioners voted unanimously on April 28 to appoint Proulx as director general, effective June 1.

It's a role he has spent his entire career preparing for, even if it was never quite his plan. Proulx arrived in Gatineau from Sherbrooke in 1999 and took a job at the WQSB as an IT technician. Over the years, he worked his way through nearly every corner of the organization, leading departments ranging from human resources and finance to transportation, technology, and school organization. He left briefly in 2008 to join the Commission scolaire des Draveurs, where he became director of Technology, School Organization and Transportation while completing a Master's of Administration, before returning to the WQSB in 2014. For the past three years, he has served as assistant director general. Of his 23 years in education, 18 have been spent with the WQSB.

When it came time to find a successor to outgoing director general George Singfield, Council Chair Joanne Labadie said the hiring committee spent two months reviewing candidates from across the country.

Proulx steps into the role at a pivotal moment. The WQSB has been at the forefront of the legal battle against Bill 40, provincial legislation that sought to abolish elected English school boards and give the provincial government authority to appoint school board leadership directly. The Quebec Court of Appeal struck down key sections of the bill as unconstitutional in April 2025, but the fight for English minority language rights in Quebec is far from over.

For Labadie, finding a leader who grasped that reality was central to the council's decision.

“We were really hoping to have a candidate who understood the nuances of the political situation and who would continue to work on preserving English language rights across our school system, but also the region,” she said.

Proulx said his immediate priorities include continuing to support schools, centres, and departments in delivering quality services, and addressing succession planning as a high number of retirements are expected over the next three years. Looking further ahead, he plans to complete the board's current 2023-2027 strategic plan and lead the development of a new five-year vision in collaboration with staff and the community.

Singfield, who is retiring on July 25, spent roughly 40 years in education, beginning as a supply teacher and then serving as a vice-principal, principal, and secretary general, ultimately becoming director general in June 2023.