Montreal, May 30, 2025 – The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) is deeply disappointed by the Quebec government’s decision to appeal the Quebec Court of Appeal’s ruling on Bill 40 to the Supreme Court of Canada, QESBA reaffirms its commitment to upholding the constitutional rights of English school boards at Canada’s highest court.
In April, the Court of Appeal issued a thorough and decisive judgment in favour of QESBA and its nine-member school boards, affirming our constitutional right to manage and control our school boards under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A very detailed ruling and another big win in a long line of court decisions on Bill 40.
“We were hopeful that the government would accept the unanimous ruling of the Court of Appeal and finally respect the rights of the English-speaking community,” said QESBA President Joe Ortona. “At a time when Quebec faces serious financial pressures, it is disappointing to see public funds used to continue a legal battle that so clearly infringes on the rights of minority communities.”
Despite this latest move by the government, QESBA remains committed to defending the rights of English-speaking Quebecers to manage and control our education system.
“We will continue to stand up for our students, our parents, our staff, and the communities we serve, and we will continue our fundraising efforts to help offset the legal costs of this ongoing fight,” concluded Ortona.
QESBA is the voice of English public education in Québec and represents 100,000 students in over 300 elementary, high schools, and adult and vocational centres across Québec.
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