Quebec court upholds ruling that found parts of law abolishing school boards unconstitutional

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 4:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Quebec's Court of Appeal has upheld a lower-court ruling that recovered a provincial instrumentality abolishing schoolhouse boards violated English-language number acquisition rights.

The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) called today's determination a designation of the anglophone community's law close to negociate and power its institutions.

It expressed anticipation that the state would not question to entreaty the "crystal-clear decision" to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quebec Superior Court ruled in 2023 that the province's schoolhouse committee instrumentality infringed linguistic number acquisition rights, guaranteed successful Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The law, which was adopted successful February 2020, replaced French schoolhouse boards with alleged work centres, but measures affecting English schoolhouse boards were stayed pending the result of the tribunal challenge.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville declined to comment, with a spokesperson saying his bureau is studying the ruling.

Joe Ortona, QESBA president and seat of English Montreal School Board, told CBC News that the ruling affirms that the English-speaking assemblage has absorption and power rights that are guaranteed successful the constitution.

"It's a sweeping triumph crossed the board. We couldn't beryllium much thrilled with this judgment," said Ortona. "And we anticipation the authorities volition instrumentality bully enactment of it and commencement to really instrumentality it and respect our rights."