School boards urge voters to turn out for Nov. 2 election

Quebecs premier and education minister are telling the provinces school boards that their membersneedto take interest in their school boards if they don't want to lose them.

• School boards have to make budget choice, says Yves Bolduc
• The race is on to run English Montreal School Board
• Dismal dropout rates among French-speaking students worry minister

Over the past month, several school boards including the English Montreal School Board have announced they cannot balance their books. The EMSB expects to run a $5-million deficit.

Philippe Couillard said the school boards need to rein in their spending or face serious consequences.

"If the institution says I cannot meet my objectives or execute my mandate for the budgetary reality, then you have two solutions," said Couillard.

"On the one hand, you can forget the budgetary reality, which we will not do. Or you can significantly review the role and the structure of these institutions. I think we may be close to that point,"he continued.

Education Minister Yves Bolduc has already sent an auditor to Montreals French-language school board and La Commission Scolaire des Patriotes.

As well, a commission looking into all government programs will review school boards and report back to the premier this month.

If you dont use it, you lose it.- David D'Aoust, Quebec English School Boards Association

David DAoust, the president of the Quebec English School Boards Association, said on Friday that school boards are desperate for people to vote in the school board elections being held on Nov. 2 to prove to the province that people really do care about them.

"I think its time our electorate get out there and vote during the school board elections. If we dont show that the democratic process is important to us, and to our kids the students that we have in our schools and centres were going to lose it. Its a no-brainer on that one. If you dont use it, you lose it,"DAoust said.

How to vote

The school board elections are being held Nov. 2.

Parents of students in the English school board will automatically be registered to vote in the English school board elections, and parents of students in the French school system will automatically be registered to vote in the French school board elections.

However, for people without children in school, they are automatically registered in theFrenchboard elections. People interested in voting have until Oct. 14 to ask for a registration modification.

For more information on how to register and vote, see the website of the Chief Electoral Officer.