Education Minister Sonia LeBel says it is “extremely concerning” that Israeli soldiers gave presentations in publicly funded Jewish schools in Montreal while the Israel-Hamas conflict was raging.
She says verifications are underway and promises to take “appropriate action,” if necessary.
“I want to make sure our school environments are neutral, free of any political considerations, of political or religious propaganda,” she told reporters Thursday at the National Assembly.
On Thursday morning, La Presse reported that “active or former members of the Israel Defense Forces addressed students at the Herzliah and Bialik schools in Côte-Saint-Luc at least 14 times since the fall of 2023.”
LeBel said she was informed of the situation last fall.
“I find it extremely troubling and scandalous that we are funding private, religious, faith-based schools with public Quebec money to indoctrinate students through people from Israel who have committed a genocide. We don’t want that in Quebec,” said Quebec Solidaire parliamentary leader Ruba Ghazal.
The Parti Québécois called the situation “unacceptable.”
“Our schools should be sanctuaries where students can form their own opinions, learn first based on the Quebec government’s curriculum but learn in a context that is free from the influence of these lobbies. This is not acceptable,” said PQ MNA Pascal Paradis.
The Quebec Liberal Party was more cautious when asked about the matter.
“Verifications need to be done. And so, if it turns out that their obligations weren’t respected, there are already consequences provided for under the Private Education Act,” said Liberal MNA Madwa-Nika Cadet.
The minister responsible for Secularism, Jean-François Roberge, declined to comment.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
