N.B. education minister avoids questions as more cuts are revealed

Jacques Poitras · CBC News

· Posted: May 16, 2025 3:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The Holt Liberal authorities adjourned the New Brunswick legislature connected Friday, inactive trying to debar acknowledging that its fund decisions are starring to occupation cuts by territory acquisition councils.

Education Minister Claire Johnson avoided responding to questions from the absorption and from reporters aft the Francophone South DEC — which includes schools successful her Moncton riding — confirmed details of its cuts.

The territory said it volition destruct 25 enactment positions for students with behavioural issues, shifting those teachers into classrooms to comply with a authorities directive.

"That enactment we springiness straight to students and to our unit is needed," superintendent Monique Boudreau told Radio-Canada. "That's wherever we'll spot an impact. … We person unit who enactment precise hard, and we're asking them to bash adjacent much with less."

Johnson tried to debar utilizing the connection "cuts" during the 2 weeks the absorption spent criticizing her for putting districts successful hard positions.

The authorities is spending much wide successful acquisition this year, but it's requiring districts to walk a larger chunk of the wealth successful classrooms, leaving them, successful immoderate cases, with little to walk elsewhere.

WATCH |  'Please support these cuts': curate challenged connected district's plans

On May 9, Johnson visibly caught herself successful a scrum from reporters earlier uttering the word.

"We've invested much this year. That's wherefore we telephone it an investment. … We can't respond to each the needs, which is wherefore they comprehend it arsenic a – " she said earlier a agelong pause.

"As insufficient funding," she yet added.

The curate argues that shifting much resources to the schoolroom volition assistance students execute amended results — though the authorities is besides lowering appraisal targets to marque them easier to hit.

That added much substance to absorption criticism, peculiarly linked to the Anglophone West district's determination to chopped librarian positions.

"The closure of schoolhouse libraries due to the fact that of authorities fund cuts is devastating for each the dedicated room workers and for the students they help," PC acquisition professional Ian Lee said this week.

Green MLA Megan Mitton said Francophone South, a fast-growing, minority-language territory with a ample fig of caller immigrants who request further support, has an particularly acute request for enactment workers.

"It's wide that determination are cuts, and it doesn't marque consciousness that the authorities keeps denying that," she said.

On Thursday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees section 2745 — which represents librarians among much than 4,000 acquisition unit province-wide — postponed a scheduled ratification ballot connected a caller four-year corporate statement due to the fact that of the cuts.

The national said it needs clarifications connected the presumption of immoderate of its members whose jobs are being eliminated oregon redefined earlier it approves the caller contract.

Spokesperson Simon Ouellette said Johnson needs to walk much clip talking to employees affected by the government's fund decisions truthful she tin recognize what's happening.

"I'm definite she's susceptible of learning, similar our younker does erstwhile they person entree to libraries," helium said.

Opposition person says districts forced to marque cuts

On Friday, PC Leader Glen Savoie said it's much wide than ever that it's close to accidental the authorities is forcing districts to marque cuts.

"They are going to get escaped of people," helium said successful his last question of Question Period earlier the legislature adjourned for a one-week break.

"This is going to interaction the classroom. So I'm going to inquire the curate of acquisition to get up again and delight support these cuts to the classroom." 

Instead, Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin stood up and delivered a large and partisan onslaught connected the opposition, waving his arms portion avoiding the constituent of the issue.

"This is what we get? Some benignant of theatre retired of the government?" Savoie told reporters afterward.

"The authorities conscionable continues to effort to usage jargon, honeyed words, and they're not making immoderate benignant of headway. People recognize the world of what these cuts are doing."