Education minister wants clear priorities from French Language School Board

Education Minister Jordan Brown has criticized the P.E.I. French Language School Board for not making its funding priorities more clear.

In the legislature Tuesday, Brown saidthe board's priority list has changed so much"one has to wonder where their priorities lie."

The comments come days after teacher Melanie Gallant sent an email in French to MLAscalling on the government to move forward with funding for renovations tocolevanglinein Abrams Village.

MLA Paula Biggarapologized to Gallant for responding "I don't speak French."

On Tuesday, Brown said the government is getting mixed messages on funding priorities from the French Language School Board (CSLF).

"It becomes very difficult as minister to sort through priorities when you have ... members of the CSLF that are supposed to be putting the priorities of the CSLF forward that come to you with different priorities that they are advocating for on behalf of their community."

'Priority number one'

Butmile Gallant, chairman of the French Language School Board in P.E.I., said the board has been "very straightforward" that renovations tocolevanglineis its top funding priority.

"I don't understand where the minister is coming from with this," he said ata meeting Tuesday at theCentreAcadienGrand-Rustico.

"For this year our priority number one was going to be Evangeline because that's what the parents, the community has been after us for many years and we voted as a board to make that a project," he said.

Open and transparent

He also said the board is waiting on the province to come forward with funds intended to complete renovations to the gymnasium at cole-Sur-Mer.

"We presented a five-year plan last year, we were the only board that presented a five-year plan. If they had concerns or problems with them, they didn't come and tell us," said Gallant.

"We are open and transparent of what we wanted."

'Not a new issue'

French-language schools represent less than five per cent of schools on P.E.I., said Brown, and over the past 15 years, the province has spent 20 per cent of its capital budget in the French-language system.

Brown said the province will continue to invest in the French Language School Board. He saidthere is a specific process outlined in the Education Act, which requires certain steps to be taken in how funding priorities are proposed.

"This is not a new issue that wehave had with the school board."

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With files from Julien LecacheurandMitch Cormier