Quebec education minister tables more than 80 amendments to Bill 40

More than 80 amendments tabled for Bill 40 Quebec education Minister Francois Roberge on Tuesday tabled 80 amendments to Bill 40, aimed at reforming Quebec’s school boards system

Montreal — Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge on Tuesday tabled more than 80 amendments to a bill that, if passed, would abolish school boards.

It was the first day back after a long break for Quebec's legislators -- and the opposition parties quickly signalled their displeasure at Roberge's proposed amendments to Bill 40. Parti Quebecois education critic Veronique Hivon said the changes were an example of government improvisation. The legislation, she said, is disorganized and rushed.

But Bill 40 doesn't just abolish school boards. It also deals with teachers' rights, responsibilities and training. The majority of Roberge's amendments were small changes to those aspects of the bill.

There was, however, one small change that addresses how anglophone service centers -- which would replace school boards -- would be run. Roberge added that the government would not table any more amendments in regard to the anglophone community. The government had compromised enough, he said.

He also declined on Tuesday the request from APPELE Quebec, a coalition of English community groups who want to save anglophone school boards, to have a court examine the bill's constitutionality and effect on minority linguistic rights before the National Assembly voted on it.

Last week, Roberge threatened to invoke closure, effectively shutting down debate to force a vote on the bill -- which the CAQ would win, to pass the bill.