The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) has joined forces with other school boards in Quebec to challenge the province’s proposed education budget cuts and funding regulations. Following a vote at a special board meeting, LBPSB has aligned itself with the Quebec English School Board (QESBA) in a legal battle against the budget measures, a fight that the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is also involved in.
Quebec’s Education Minister, Bernard Drainville, had unveiled budget rules in June that demanded school service centers to slash their expenses by $570 million for the upcoming year. In response, LBPSB’s Council of Commissioners had passed a resolution urging Quebec to reverse the cuts.
In July, amid mounting pressure and public outcry, Minister Drainville announced an additional $540 million in education investments, with conditions stipulating that the funds must be directed towards student services and coupled with a reduction in administrative costs.
The school board argues that the budget cuts are hindering their ability to present balanced budgets, hampering the management and control of resources as guaranteed by section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Judith Kelley, Chairperson of LBPSB’s Council of Commissioners, expressed concerns over the disruptions caused by the Ministry of Education’s budgetary rules. She emphasized that as minority language school boards, English school boards in Canada have the right to manage and allocate resources in ways that best serve their communities.
Kelley remains hopeful that the Quebec courts will uphold their case and deliver a prompt decision that secures the future of students in the province.
