Lester B. Pearson School Board and amendments to Bill 101

The Parti Quebecois government’s decision to drop a proposal to restrict access to English adult education, vocational schools and Cegeps was welcomed Wednesday by the Lester B. Pearson School Board.

“We believe it’s a good decision for all Quebecers, both Anglophone and Francophone,” LBPSB chairperson Suanne Stein Day said following the tabling in the National Assembly of Bill 14 which contained amendments to the province’s language law.

The proposed amendment would have extended Bill 101 regulations to restrict enrolments in adult education and vocational schools, as well as Cegeps, to only those Quebecers who have attended English elementary and high schools.

Although that amendment was dropped from Bill 14, Premier Pauline Marois said that the government could change its position on the matter, depending on whether the enrolment of non-anglophones is viewed as a problem in three to five years.

Stein Day noted that the school board’s adult and vocational programs are very popular to students from many linguistic backgrounds.

“Our adult and vocational programs fill up as soon as spaces are available,” she said adding that students learn in both English and French.

“Our students are learning the language skills necessary to do their job in Quebec,” she said noting that the Lester B. Pearson school board offers adult education courses as well training in such fields as automobile mechanics, culinary arts, residential and commercial drafting, electrotechnology, beauty care, computing support and interior decorating and display.

Stein Day also said she wanted to see exactly what other amendments in Bill 14 – such as making high school and Cegep students demonstrate a good knowledge of French before being allowed to get a diploma – contained before commenting on them.

(Alycia Ambroziak for LBPSB)