Quebec's new education minister renews calls for caution from school boards

The appointment of a new education minister has once again thrown Quebec's school boards into both uncertainty and hope.

The associations of English and French school boardssaid they hope Sbastien Proulx will listen to them before pushing forward with a contentious bill to eliminate board elections.

Proulx has taken over for Pierre Moreau less than one month after a cabinet shuffle that put Moreau in charge of education. His duties will be reduced as he battles a newly-diagnosed tumour.

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"Like everyone else we're human and put a premium on health and wish him a speedy recovery," said Jennifer Maccarone, president of the Quebec English School Boards Association, which represents 100,000 students.

"But with yet another change there's concern with instability. We hope the government uses this as an opportunity to give us chance to reopen dialogue, to find a way to offer suggestions," she said.

Hearings are underway for Bill 86, which would do away with school board elections and replace them with a council of appointed and elected representatives.

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English school boards say this violates their rights as a language minority to manage their education affairs.

"We're not familiar with Proulx. But we heard he's someone who likes to find solutions, and that's good news. We hope it's a sentiment that he wants to use going forward," Maccarone said.

The association of French school boards echoed a similar wish, inviting Proulx to take his time to get acquainted with the school system before pushing ahead with the bill.