Quebec Liberals asking CAQ to drop any plans to appeal Bill 40 ruling
Posted August 10, 2023 12:36 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2023 6:43 pm.
The Quebec Liberal party is calling on the CAQ to drop any plans it may have to appeal a Quebec Superior ruling that found Quebec’s Bill 40 – to abolish school boards – was unconstitutional.
A Quebec Superior Court judge ruled on Aug. 2 that parts of Bill 40 violates English-language minority education rights.
In a letter to Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville, the Liberals, who had opposed Bill 40, explain that it was flawed to begin with. The letter was signed by Quebec Liberal party MNAs Gregory Kelley, Marwah Rizky and André Morin, the critics and spokespeople for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, education and justice.
“The government should not contest this decision. There was a cabinet meeting here where I’m sure the CAQ discussed it. We wanted to make sure the message was clear that first and foremost, drop this case against the school boards,” said Kelley, adding, “It doesn’t make any sense from the get go on Bill 40. We told the CAQ this is not a good bill. It most certainly does not respect the constitutional rights of the English speaking community.”
2023-08-09 – Lettre – Bernard Drainville on Scribd
They’re also asking that legal procedures be left to the side so more pressing educational issues be the focus of attention, including the increasing drop out rate and the teacher shortage in the province.
Adding that ““any future changes affecting governance of the English-language school network should be the subject of a large political and institutional consensus.”
Julius Grey, a Montreal lawyer with an expertise in constitutional law, says that this letter is a political decision by the Liberals. “The call to not appeal is a reflection of the Liberals belief that Quebec should become a more harmonious society and that it should not be crammed down the throats of people or groups that really don’t want it. It’s obvious that the Anglophones really want to have the school boards,” said Grey.
CityNews reached out to the province’s Education Minister and Justice Minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette.
In an email, Élisabeth Gosselin, director of communications for the Justice Minister writes: “The analysis of the judgment continues. The government will make its intentions known in due course. We will not comment further at this time.”
“Definitely a concern that they will appeal,” added Kelley. “The CAQ enjoys having these types of fights with the community, with the federal government, with the court system. It’s part of their DNA.”
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The Quebec English School Boards Association, who fought Bill 40 in court, have also called on the CAQ not to appeal the judgement.
