Martin C. Barry

Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete, who is in charge of the provincial government’s Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, says he is participating in a dialogue between the government and school commission officials on the future of Quebec’s school boards.

Last Saturday, Skeete and members of his riding office staff hosted their first “open house” for constituents at the Sainte-Rose riding office located in the heart of Laval’s historic Vieux Sainte-Rose district.

Also last Saturday morning, CAQ Education Minister Jean-François Roberge suggested on Facebook that the CAQ government was about to make good on its longstanding pledge to replace school boards with an alternative governing structure.

Minister’s Facebook post

The Education Minister’s Facebook post was made a day after he had met with officials from the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) and the Fédération des commissions scolaires du Québec (FCSQ) to discuss school board reforms. It was a meeting in which Skeete also took part.

On Facebook, the Education Minister said, “Let us be clear: the government of Quebec will transform school boards into school service centres and abolish school elections.” While adding that the CAQ government is “open to the comments,” Roberge continued, “It is imperative to bring the decision-making process closer to those who know the pupils by their name.”

Future of school boards

In a lengthy interview with the Laval News editorial team last year before the provincial election, CAQ leader (and now Premier) François Legault spelled out what his government would do with regard to school boards –a plan that they are on the verge of implementing.

“School boards will be replaced by service centres,” said Legault. “On the English side there are now nine school boards, so there will be nine service centres. Service centres will continue to give services like transportation. But instead of having a board, where people vote with a very low participation rate, people will be nominated on this board by are presentative of parents coming from school governing boards.”

Skeete sat in during talks

Regarding his involvement in the issue as head of the Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, Skeete had this to say last Saturday in an interview with the Laval News. “Yesterday I was invited by the Minister of Education to sit in on the discussion they were having with the Fédération des commissions scolaires and the English school board association,” he said. “I sat there and we had open conversations.

“I will also be sitting in on future discussions to make sure that the unique reality of English-speaking Quebecers is taken into consideration whatever that we do,” Skeete added.

With regards to another governmental body, the Conseil supérieur sur l’enseignement en Anglais, he said he was also engaged in talks to see whether the Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers would be able to get a seat there.

Passing the Charter test

Even though he seemed confident that the point of view of Quebec’s Anglophones is being heard within the CAQ government, Skeete alluded to the fact that English school board officials are poised to challenge the abolition of school commissions by invoking a Canadian constitutional clause which guarantees linguistic minorities school board rights.

“We are trying to make sure that the English point of view is always considered in everything the government does, and we’re making really important strides there, I think,” said Skeete. “And I think people will be very happy to learn that whatever it is we end up with, we are confident that it’s going to pass the Charter test.

“I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there and confusion, and I understand the fear and concern. The reality is our proposal,we believe firmly, will respect the Charter. So we’re not removing power away –we’re changing power. And we’re not removing control – we’re changing control.”

Board elections must go

Asked by the Laval News whether this means the CAQ government is leaving room in its plans for compromise, Skeete answered, “Well, we’re firm that we want to abolish school board elections. Once we have that, what the future looks like in terms of how does the English community control or make decisions – we’re very open.

“What’s important, though – and this is what’s protected by the Charter – is who. And I think the English community definitely should be in charge of its institutions. But I’m not sure that it has to be elected officials per se. I think what’s important is control. And what’s important is respecting the right. I think there we’re one hundred per cent on board with that point of view.”

Martin C. Barry

During a rally held at the Palace congress centre last week by local Conservatives to announce two Laval-area candidates in the 2019 federal election, one name in particular seemed to come up more often than any other – Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s.

Attacks on Trudeau

As the opening speaker for an event to announce that former Laval mayoral candidate Sonia Baudelot and former Action démocratique du Québec president Tom Pentefountas will be running in Laval for the Tories next year, Michel Gauthier led off the attack on Trudeau in his very first sentence.

“Justin Trudeau cannot be trusted,” said Gauthier, a former PQ MNA who also served briefly as leader of the Bloc Québécois in the late 1990s and who is now running for the Conservatives in the Montreal South Shore riding of Saint-Bruno. Gauthier told the Canadian Press last May that he no longer considers himself to be a Quebec sovereignist.

Question PM’s record

Alluding to Trudeau’s record-setting federal deficit and his recent unsuccessful handling of the difficulties being encountered by the petroleum-rich but economically-weakened western provinces, Gauthier said,“How can you depend on a Prime Minister who wins the confidence of people by telling them, ‘Here’s what I’m going to do?’ but he does the opposite, then he doesn’t even apologize.”

Given the increasingly certain disappearance of the Bloc Québécois from the political landscape,and the uncertain future of the NDP, the evening’s guest of honour, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, predicted that the 2019 election will be a duel between Scheer’s Conservatives and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.

Trudeau vs. Scheer next year

“As the NDP and the Bloc become less and less relevant in Quebec, it is very clear that the next election will be a clear choice between Justin Trudeau and his Liberal team or the Conservative Party under my leadership,” said Scheer. “And I am confident that Quebecers and Canadians will welcome that choice and will choose the Conservative Party to form the next government.”

Among other things, Scheer accused Justin Trudeau of being unable to manage public money. “Justin Trudeau is just completely incapable of managing this country’s finances,” he said. “He’s never had to worry about managing money. It’s no wonder that he doesn’t worry about managing yours. He inherited an economy that was lifting Canada up along with it and he inherited a balanced budget left by a previous Conservative government.

Seizing on Canada’s deficit

“But now a deficit of some $18 billion announced for this year is more than 10 times greater than planned,” he continued. “And predictions are that the deficits will be even larger over the next four years.Canadians don’t want a government that spends more and makes government more expensive. Canadians want a government that treats their tax dollars with respect and is a more efficient government that focuses on getting results.”

Scheer went on to set out some of the other issues the Conservative Party will probably be bringing to the fore next year. On immigration and refugeeism, he said, “Canadians are a generous, caring and accommodating people who are open in spirit” who want to help victims of civil wars and genocides.

On immigration and refugees

However, he added that Canadians want to be sure theyare taking in those who are genuinely fleeing oppression, “and not those who are coming from New York State,” added Scheer. (The latter statement being a reference to the highly-publicized arrival of hundreds of refugees who crossed the U.S. border into the province near Hemmingford, Quebec).

As well, Scheer referred to Canada’s recent signing of the United Nations’ migration pact. “We’re told by this Liberal government that this compact won’t have any impact at all on Canadian lives and the Canadian system,” said Scheer.

“We’re heard that before. And we know that accords,treaties that Canada signs onto does have an influence on the court decisions here in Canada.” Scheer continued, “I believe very firmly that Canadians should decide our immigration policies, and not bureaucrats at the United Nations.”

Tory candidates in Laval

As for the two Laval Conservative candidates, Sonia Baudelot,who is running in in Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, said she made her decision to run for the Tories after a long period of thought. “For those who don’t know me, politics is part of my DNA,” she said, while adding that she also has a long history of volunteering and community work.

Tom Pentefountas, who is running in Laval-Les Îles, said Andrew Scheer isn’t anywhere near as focused on elevating his international status like Justin Trudeau. “Andrew concentrates on and is focused laserlike on the needs of Canadians,” he said. “We in the Conservative Party of Canada are the champions of Canadian women and men – the hard-working Canadian women and men – just like all of us in this room.”

Martin C. Barry

For newly-elected Coalition Avenir Québec MNA for Sainte-Rose Christopher Skeete, a recent visit to the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre was also a return to the neighbourhood where he was born and grew up.

“I was born and raised in Chomedey,” Skeete told a large crowd of supporters of the centre on Notre Dame Blvd. who gathered there on Nov. 26 to welcome Skeete who was making his first official visit since the Oct. 1 provincial election. He was accompanied by Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette.

Was raised in Chomedey

Although he spent part of his childhood in the Cartier Blvd. sector east of Chomedey Blvd., Skeete said he lived as well on Haïfa Ave. a few blocks west of Curé Labelle. At one time, he also lived on nearby Dover St. and his mother worked on MacDonald St. Some of Skeete’s memories of Chomedey were a veritable trip in time down memory lane.

“I remember coming to the Récréathèque and bowling,” he said, referring to the massive former recreation centre, which was for many generations a proud landmark at the corner of Curé Labelle and Notre Dame boulevards, although it has been an abandoned eyesore for years.

“My younger years were in Chomedey and then I moved away to Sainte-Rose – specifically to Fabreville and then a little bit in Auteuil and Vimont. I consider myself a Laval guy, but my youth was in Chomedey.” Skeete, who was appointed head the new CAQ government’s Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, explained the role.

Heads the CAQ’s anglo secretariat

“Basically what it means is it helps us, the Quebec government, focus on how impacts on policy and decisions that the government makes on a day to day basis, how they’ll affect the English-speaking community,” he said.

“Historically we saw in previous governments that some of the impacts of decisions such as centralizing big institutions or what not would have an adverse effect on English-speaking Quebecers,” he continued.

“And sometimes it wasn’t within the reflex of the Quebec government to consider how those things would be impacted. So the secretariat helps by doing studies and doing research to make sure that we’re able always to consider the impact that our decisions are going to have on the English-speaking community.”

Says gov’t committed to Anglos

Skeete told the seniors, “Honestly you should feel very reassured our government is committed to keeping the secretariat, and is also committed to making sure that all our decisions are always viewed through the eyes of the English-speaking community.” Skeete said that being elected in Sainte-Rose “is the greatest honour of my life.”

During a question and answer period, longtime Chomedey resident Nick Furfaro told Skeete the CAQ government has “a solution in search of a problem” when it is seriously considering passing new legislation to deal with the display of religious symbols in the public context. “Don’t you think that the kind of measures that you’re trying to pass go far beyond the reality?” Furfaro said.

Defends ‘religious symbols’ law

Responding, Skeete said, “There are some people who think we don’t go far enough. And there are other people who think that we go too far. So I think that it’s going to be very difficult to make everybody happy in something that is that sensitive.”

Justifying the purpose of the proposed egislation, Skeete continued, “People who have roles of authority in society should be neutral. Not that they shouldn’t have beliefs. Not that they shouldn’t believe or worship the god that they want. But when exercising the power of the state, that they be free of any overt symbols that would tend to identify them to one side or another.”

CAQ stance called ‘hypocritical’

Another longtime Chomedey resident, Martin Berman, said he regarded the CAQ’s religious symbols stance as “very hypocritical” considering that the government’s intention targets all religious symbols in the province, except in one place: the Quebec National Assembly, where a crucifix continues to hang behind the assembly speaker.

“This is a Christian province,” Berman noted, suggesting that the CAQ’s message to minorities is “your symbols are all gone but remember: Christianity is here. That’s wrong. If you’re going to have Christianity in the Parliament, you should also have Jewish symbols, everything else there is in the province in the National Assembly. If it’s good enough for the National Assembly to have a cross, it’s good enough for it to also have Arab and Sikh and everything. Don’t tell me that this is not hypocritical.”

Renata Isopo

Parental freedom of choice in what schools children attend was up front at the November 28, 2018 Council of Commissioners meeting of Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB).

Theresa Andrusko, representing 189 parents whose support she exhibited in a signed petition, asked SWLSB to respect the right of parents to send their children to schools other than Laval Junior Academy/Laval Senior Academy.

“These schools are too big,” Andrusko stated, echoing a major concern of many that these schools have had problems since an imposed cost-cutting merger converted four manageable schools into two conglomerates much more difficult to administer.

In the process, say critics of the merger, two large institutions – Laval Junior Academy and Laval Senior Academy – arose from four smaller, more viable schools – Laurier Senior, Mother Teresa Junior, Laval Liberty, and Laval Junior –  that were doing the job, and doing it well.

Andrusko told Council that SWLSB should provide transportation to underutilized Rosemere High, so that Laval children are not restricted to Laval Junior Academy/Laval Senior Academy. Asking Chairperson Paolo Galati if parents had the right to choose their children’s school, specifying that some commissioners sitting in Council were sending their own children to other boards or private schools. Galati acknowledged he was one of these commissioners. “My children attend Vincent Massey Collegiate of English Montreal School Board because of a program not yet offered here,” Galati explained.

“Why send kids to Vincent Massey or Royal West when Rosemere is at 85% capacity,” Andrusko wanted to know. “Isn’t it better to keep students in our board, and for you to subsidize transportation to Rosemere rather than lose students to Montreal. “It’s not just about programs, it’s also about having options,” Andrusko told Council.

Commissioner Guy Gagnon tried to cut off her off further questions, at which point Galati suggested a December/January town hall meeting, to get other opinions. “I think the town hall meeting is a good idea,” Andrusko told TLN, adding that it must be held in December, since 2019-2020 registrations take place in January.

Andrusko had filed 14 questions with the board two weeks before the meeting, asking in part,  about declining SWLSB enrolment. “You’re losing students to other boards and private schools,” she stated at the microphone.  “All we’re asking for is a choice of schools within Laurier Board.” To TLN Andrusko emphasized that “It’s an offer they can’t refuse, if they truly believe, as they must, that children come first.”

The right to know

Questions also arose about SWLSB’s involvement in the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), a lobby group portraying itself “a defender of the rights of English school boards.”

TLN asked what benefits Laurier’s 14,000 students will derive from $114,000 paid to QESBA for 2019, fees that have jumped from $89,000 in 2016 to $114,000.  Commissioner Peter MacLaurin who sits on QESBA’s Board, publicly admitted that SWLSB’s QUESBA involvement is part of the English community’s opposition to Coalition Avenir Québec’s plan to abolish school boards. Since when did it become acceptable to ‘donate’ public funds to lobbyists for political reasons, TLN wanted to know.

Beneficial and ethical use of these funds might be to finance transportation for Laval students who want to attend Rosemere High.

 Collective Bargaining Agreement

The meeting was also marked by an announcement by Human Resources Director Richard Greschner and Laurier Teachers Union president Stephanie McLellan that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between SWLSB and its teachers was now in force.

(TLN) In keeping with the growth rate of the City of Laval which is one of the highest in the province, the 2018 Laval Real Estate Forum saw record participation this year, with more than 400 people taking part on Nov. 20.

Organized by the City of Laval’s economic development department, the forum has become one of the most anticipated events each year for real estate development professionals in the Montreal area.

Economy in motion

In a word of welcome, Mayor Marc Demers referred to the currently favourable economic conditions as well as the importance of seizing opportunities, with a promising real estate sector now active in Laval.

As the third most important city in Quebec, Laval distinguishes itself thanks to major real estate projects, including the reconstruction of the Val-Martin housing development, the creation of a downtown area and the redevelopment of the Cartier and de la Concorde sectors in keeping with Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

‘A lot to offer,’ says Demers

“The city is aiming to increase its offer to better accompany developers while meeting all the necessary conditions to assure success to their projects, notably through financial incentives, but also through privileged access to a team of experts in real estate development, urban development and urban design,” said Mayor Demers.

“Whatever the nature of projects – industrial, residential or commercial – Laval has a lot to offer and important assets, notably with respect to its geographic situation and in terms of the quality of life.”

June economic forum

During the forum, Mayor Demers announced that Laval will be holding an economic forum next June with the goal of equipping Laval with a new development strategy. A new tax credit for revitalization was also announced, as well as an enhancement of existing tax credits, geared towards expansion.

A variety of programs were offered during the forum, including technical presentations and practices for builders and real estate developers, green initiatives such as Symbiose Laval, and panels drawing attention to real estate projects and workshops with themes such as sustainable development.

Expansion underway

Laval’s economy is currently undergoing major expansion which can be seen through the growth in its gross domestic product by 3.3 per cent compared to 3 per cent in the rest of the province.

It should be noted that this performance is largely the result of capital expenditures from the private sector which increased by more than 31 per cent, or in other words more rapidly than in all other regions in the country. A sign of positive things to come in 2019: the city has announced several new projects during the forum, with a total value of $800 million.