School infrastructure key election issue for N.L. francophones
Half of province's 6 French-language schools don't meet needs of students
For Newfoundland and Labrador's tiny francophone population, one issue looms larger than the rest this election: the state of the province's French-language schools.
According to the Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, half of the six francophone schools in Newfoundland and Labrador don't meet the needs of their students.
One school on the west coast of Newfoundland has been shuttered temporarily due to safety concerns. Another, in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, doesn't have a gymnasium. A third, in St. John's, is temporarily housed in a former English school building.
Radio-Canada asked candidates in the three ridings where these schools are located how they planned to improve conditions at francophone schools in their region.
Here's what we found out.
Sinking school
L'École Notre-Dame-du-Cap, in Cape St. George, was closed in February after a building inspection revealed the foundation of the building — completed in 1976 and meant to be a temporary structure — is sinking.
The school's 40 students have since been moved across the street into the basement of the English-language Our Lady of the Cape School, a solution the francophone school board calls "temporary."
But some parents fear the move could lead to the assimilation of the community's vulnerable francophone population, should it drag on too long.
John Finn, the Liberal candidate for Stephenville - Port au Port, said his party is committed to making sure students in Cape St. George will be back in their own building soon.
"I've heard loud and clear from residents there that assimilation into the English school system is not something they want to see," Finn said.
He would not, however, confirm whether a re-elected Liberal government plans to build a new school in Cape St. George or renovate the current structure.
He said his government decided it was best to postpone making that decision until the next series of structural tests are performed on the building. Those evaluations will be completed once the ground thaws.
However, Tony Wakeham, the district's Progressive Conservative candidate, argued that École Notre-Dame-du-Cap "is old and needs replacement, not more study and assessment."
"Rather than waste thousands of dollars in having consultants do more assessments on a building that is more than 40 years old, as the Ball government has done, this money should be used to immediately… [to] commence planning for a new school," said Wakeham.
"This issue will be a priority for me should I be elected as MHA."
Gymless in Goose Bay
With no gymnasium at École Boréale in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, francophone students there are currently bused to a nearby recreation centre for their phys-ed classes.
The French school board hopes next year students will be able to share a gym with the neighbouring English-language school. But its goal is to have its own space, dedicated to French-language instruction, which is seen as key for the minority community.
Two years ago, the school board submitted a $12-million request to the province for École Boréale to expand and build a gymnasium onto its existing structure.
The province has not responded to the request.
Shannon Tobin, the PC candidate for the local district of Lake Melville, said he was "shocked to hear that they had to wait two years and not hear anything, that's ridiculous."
"They want to preserve their language. I think it's admirable. We need to make sure that these things are supported," Tobin said.
That Liberals didn't include funding for the gym in their most recent budget sends a clear signal that the Happy Valley-Goose Bay school's needs are not high on its agenda, he said.
It's hard to convince people [who aren't francophone] that this is the best use of our money.- Perry Trimper
Perry Trimper, the Liberal candidate in Lake Melville, confirmed the Liberals were not prepared to commit to funding a new gym for the school.
"I understand the importance of having a space where people are speaking French. It's important and that's why parents are concerned," Trimper said, in French.
"But we have to find a balance between having something like that, and all our other needs."
Trimper, a former minister for francophone affairs, said there are a number of pressing infrastructure needs in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and that francophone students' current use of other facilities is both practical and cost-effective.
"It's hard to convince people [who aren't francophone] that this is the best use of our money," Trimper said.
Jim Learning, an Independent candidate running in Lake Melville, said in an e-mail that if elected he "would lobby the new administration to deal with this issue."
'Urgent need' to expand
Francophones on the northeast Avalon also have concerns about their education infrastructure.
The region's high school, École Rocher-du-Nord, is currently located in the former Holy Cross High School building. Its students don't have access to the Holy Cross field and the agreement that allows the school to use the building expires in 2022.
Last December, the French school board submitted a proposal for a new $46-million K-12 school in the Galway neighbourhood, and in April's provincial budget, the Liberal government pledged 2.8 million to continue planning efforts for the new school.
Premier Dwight Ball called an election before that budget could be passed.
The new school would have the capacity to host 510 students — more than the current enrolment in all the province's francophone schools combined — but the school board contends recent census data shows a growing demand for French-language education in the St. John's area.
"There is no question about the urgent need for two francophone schools in the St. John's metro area," said David Brake, the NDP candidate for Mount Pearl-Southlands, who has two children attending French schools,
"We are not satisfied that our high school students are in a temporary building."
But Brake also said he wasn't convinced the school board's plan to build a new school in Galway is the best one. Radio-Canada reported in March that the decision to suggest building a school in Galway has divided francophones in St. John's.
Brake said he'd rather see the school built in Mount Pearl, and also suggested the school board should attempt to prolong its lease at Holy Cross.
We are not satisfied that our high school students are in a temporary building.- David Brake
Mount Pearl-Southlands Liberal candidate Hasan Hai indicated he would "commit to advocating for the francophone community to have an additional school if that's what the need is."
"These students need a home, they need a place to learn," he said. "If they need a home by 2022, I would absolutely commit to finding them a place. "
PC candidate Gillian Pearson also pledged to work with the school board to "develop a plan so that a solution is in place before the lease is up in 2022."
"We are committed to ensuring francophone students have quality education in a school and location that best meets their needs," she said.
Paul Lane, the Independent candidate in Mount Pearl-Southlands, said he hopes the next government funds the new school.
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