First Bill 86 hearing cancelled due to provincial cabinet shuffle

The first public hearinginto Bill 86 scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled due to a cabinet shuffle which will be announced the same day.

Bill 86 is the proposed legislationthat would abolish school board elections and give parents more control over schooloperations.

The controversial bill drew the ire of several school boards, including two of the largest ones, which were originally shut out of the hearings. The Quebec government later changed its mind and saidtheCommission scolaire de Montral and the English Montreal School Board would be allowed to address the committee heading the hearing.

• Quebec English community leaders rally against school board reforms
• Quebec Anglo groups gear up for fight to save elected school boards

On Tuesday Premier Philippe Coullardannounced he would revamp his cabinet Thursday.

Newdates for the hearings have yet to be announced.

If adopted as is, Bill 86 would also eliminateelected school commissioners.Instead, each of Quebec's 72 boards would be represented by a school council made up of 16 people:

• six parents,one of whom is the parent of a child with a disability
• two school principals
• one teacher
• one non-teaching staff member
• six community members

Each board's director general would also sit on the council, as a non-voting member.