Nunavut francophone school board cancels meeting, upsets parents

The ongoing dispute between Nunavut's francophone school board (Commission Scolaire Francophone du Nunavut, orCSFN) and the Association desParents Francophones du Nunavut (APFN) isn't showing signs of letting up.

The school board cancelled a general meeting this week with the APFN, which was supposed to get many of the issues out on the table. Wednesday's meeting was also to be the first publicly held meeting by the CSFN in 2015, but it was cancelled because the school board, which oversees Nunavut's only francophone school, couldn't reach quorum.

"It seems to be part of a greater pattern," says Tim Brown, APFN president. "It just seems to be that they set them up and then knock them down, sowe're just kind of waiting, frustrated, again."

One of the board's members resigned last week;another can't attend because he's recovering from a medical illness;the board's president has moved away; and a fourth member is away for a hockey tournament. Only one board member would have been able to attend.

In a news release, the CSFN said over the past two months it has asked to meet with the APFN board members to discuss the parents' concerns which includea lack of consultation and communication,among others but they've been "categorically refused."

Brown feelsany meeting that takes place should be open to all parents, and said it's been five months since the school board has held a public meeting. On its website, the school board says it will hold public meetings every month.

In addition to Wednesday's cancelled general meeting, the board also had a public meeting pencilled in for March 18. It was never held.

Commission president moved away

Complicating matters, the CSFN's president, Jacques Fortier, has moved away from Iqaluit andhasn't set foot in the city since late 2014. Board member MichelPotvin said Fortier is still maintaining his responsibilities by checking in daily by phone and still has his address listed in Iqaluit.

"We have issues having quorum with a board of five,"saysPotvin, one of only two board members physically able to attend meetings. "So with a board of four it's going to be even more difficult."

The school board's focus now is to fill the vacant seat.

The APFN had petitioned to have all of the CSFN board members resign. Potvin says it's a personal decision for each board member whether or not to resign, and noted the costs and logistics associated with running an election. The next election is set for fall 2015.

"The issue is the board was democratically elected," says Potvin. "We have a mandate and we had our annual general meeting in October of 2014, where the parents adopted our strategic plan for the next five years and our budget for the next year."

The APFNalso issued a release, denouncing the school board's lawsuit against the Nunavut Government, which seeks to protect constitutional rights in the territory's francophone school. Brown saysparents wishthey had been consulted prior to launching the lawsuit in February.

"There isn't enough evidence, in our minds because of the lack of consultation, that there is the need to go into a lawsuit at this point," Brown says. "I'm a parent, and I think every parent wants the best school for their kid. So if that means a larger gym and labs then I'm all for that. But that's not the issue. We have a crisis of trust with the CSFN and we're questioning their decision-making right now."

Potvin also acknowledged a communication problem on the school board's part and said if there's one thing he hopes to come out of this conflict, it's improvements withhow the board is run.

"We're striving for the same end goal:good education for kids in French in Nunavut,"says Potvin. "That's the only reason the board exists. And that's, from my understanding, what the parents are requesting. We're speaking the same language, we're just not communicating effectively on how to get there."