National francophone groups want status at Yukon hearing

The fight over francophone school funding in Yukon has gotten national attention from francophone groups.

Three groups, including the National Federation of Francophone School Boards, want a say in the case.

Lawyers for the groups are asking for intervener status at the upcoming Yukon Court of Appeal hearing. The group says the Yukon case could set precedents for Francophone schools across the country.

AndrBourcier, chair of the Yukon Francophone School Board, says this is major because the federation represents all francophone school boards in Canada.

"So for them to see this fiduciary relationship being recognized, its a major thing. The Yukon is a small jurisdiction. The judge recognized that $2 million was not exactly used the way it was supposed to be so imagine what it means for Ontario, imagine what it means for all of these huge provinces, where were talking about tens of millions of dollars. So this is a major one for them," said Bourcier.

Bourcier says francophone parent groups across Canada are elated to see the right to pre-kindergarten classes in French upheld in the Yukon ruling.

"They've been fighting for that for years, and suddenly Judge Ouellette says yes, so for them it's also a major item," said Bourcier.

British Columbias francophone school board also wants in on the case. It's interested in the right to admit non-francophone kids to its schools.

"They have a lot of immigration right now in B.C., so this capacity to admit children of non-right holders is also a major one."

A judge is now considering their intervention requests.

The appeal hearing is scheduled for next spring in Whitehorse.