The Suburban – Apr 18, 2018 Last week, as part of a national grassroots campaign to honour the victims of the tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan, Canadians from all corners of the country took part in Hockey Jersey Day. To honour the young men and woman of the […]
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Three similar opinion pieces in The Gazette, The Suburban and Le Devoir call for government action regarding air quality in our schools.
LBPSB Council of Commissioners meeting – Sept. 23, 2019 @ 7:30 pm Article 168 of the Quebec Education Act calls for Public Question Periods where the taxpaying public is given the opportunity to hold the school board accountable. For over 21 years, strictly as a volunteer, I have been participating […]
School board secrecy erodes public confidence. Decision-making, practices and policies must hinge on an unambiguously clear code of ethics. As chair of the LBPSB: I will recognize that the community has entrusted me with the educational development of the children and youth of the community. I realize the future welfare […]
Ethics and the need for Bill 40 | Letters To Editor | thesuburban … As education evolves, so should ethical standards. Most public institutions have a code of ethics that govern issues of accountability, democracy and openness. Since 1997, Article 177.1 of the Quebec Education Act stipulated: “… the council […]
CJAD RADIO AD ...(Nov. 26, 2020 @ 11 am) Hi, I’m Chris Eustace running for chair of the Lester B Pearson school board. Since 2015, the Liberal (Bill 86) and CAQ (Bill 40) governments have proposed laws to straighten out our public school system. For 22 years at Council meetings, […]
Holocaust education should be part of the curriculum . The following article and lack of sensitivity at the Jan. 2020 LBPSB Council meeting explain why “Brian Mulroney ; New steps must be taken to combat anti-Semitism” ( March 14, 2019) We also should “reach out to our youth to obliterate […]
Contrary to what the anglo school boards, and their umbrella organization, the Quebec English School Board Association believe, they do NOT represent the Anglophone community. My Brief to Bill 40 at the National Assembly: http://www.assnat.qc.ca/Media/Process.aspx?MediaId=ANQ.Vigie.Bll.DocumentGenerique_155621&process=Default&token=ZyMoxNwUn8ikQ+TRKYwPCjWrKwg+vIv9rjij7p3xLGTZDmLVSmJLoqe/vG7/YWzz
Part of my campaign calls for more Black History in the curriculum. These links are letters to the editors of the Suburban and Le Devoir that put the matter in perspective. “Black Like Me” – June 24, 2020 « Des occasions de réfléchir » – 4 novembre 2020 “Combatting racism” – December […]
CAQ school board reform Bill 40 : An Act to amend theEducation Act with regard to school organization and governance.
This bill amends the Education Act, in particular to grant commissioners representing parents’ committees the right to vote at meetings of the council of commissioners and allow them to be appointed to the office of school board vice-chair.
BILL 86 : “An Act to modify the organization and governance of school boards to give schools a greater say in decision-making and ensure parents’ presence within each school boards’ decision making body” Eustace, Chris (PDF, 14 MB) Parents d’enfants ayant des besoins particuliers de la Commission scolaire Lester-B.-Pearson (PDF, 515 KB) Comité central des […]
The Suburban – PCHS rallies to protest Bill 21 – April 2019 Grade 11 students at West Island’s Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School (PCHS) gathered last week to protest Bill 21, which would ban the wearing of religious clothing in the workplace for employees in a position of authority, including teachers, […]
Montreal Gazette – June 11, 1988 ‘Whole-language’ system overthrows old-school methods of teaching English..Eustace an English teacher, favors old methods of instruction “….
Because of the risk of drinking and driving associated with graduation-night revelry, a growing number of Montreal-area high schools are opting for teacher-chaperoned events in controlled environments. Pointe Claire’s Lindsay Place High School is typical of the efforts being made by administrators, teachers and parent associations to educate students on the dangers […]
Even though the Bible, the Koran, and the Torah stress mankind’s connection with all living creatures, and emphasize man’s responsibility for their welfare, Quebec has the worst reputation in Canada for its treatment of animals. About 50 years ago, noted anthropologist Margaret Mead, who wrote books on adolescents in various […]
Even though teachers from PCHS reportedly warned the QESBA and the Liberal Anglo MNAs there was a problem developing concerning the curriculum, they chose to ignore us. (Gazette – May 1, 2003). Hence, years later, The Gazette headline screamed: ”English Textbooks don’t exist.” – March 28, 2008. One of those […]
In the beginning : Marcus Tabachnick was the first chairman of the Lester B. Pearson School Board and president of the Quebec English School Boards Association. For a while he was also president of the Canadian School Boards Association – holding three posts at the same time. During a labour […]
Montreal GazetteLetter: 26 Jan 2019LBPSB & EMSB Richard (son); Chris (father) ; Kevin ( grandson); Kaysen ( great grandson) Re: “Carbon monoxide detectors to be mandatory in schools” and “EMSB shelves plan to open new N.D.G. school”(Montreal Gazette, Jan. 19 and Jan. 22) The results behind the actions of parents […]
Montreal GazetteLetter: 30 Jun 2016EMSB Re: “Lakeside Academy, Riverview Elementary to remain open” (Montreal Gazette, June 28) Besides proving the Pearson school board’s decision last December to close two schools was not in the best interest of the English community, parents have clearly demonstrated with their hard-fought campaign that they […]
Montreal GazetteLetter: 13 Apr 2011LBPSB (15 years old) Re: “Review closings, EMSB urged” (Gazette, April 11). Bravo to English Montreal School Board parent commissioners Angie Bertone and Gail Giannakas for new hope for parents worried about proposals on school closings, mergers and relocations. Add Linda Perez, head of the central […]
Good advice in this Gazette letter to the Editor . It is followed by my bio for candidate for chairman. “Voting in school-board elections is more important than ever” We all realize that voting for a candidate who will eventually make decisions for the well-being of our children is important. […]
By Robert Frank with files from Rhonda Massad, April 23, 2014 – The Suburban After 15 years as an education watchdog and a 30-year teaching career, Chris Eustace has decided to toss his hat in the ring to chair the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB). The Nov. 2 election […]
As previously stated, I will present my platform using an alphabetical format: ….. A: is for ANACHRONISTIC : belonging to another time ; out-of-date ARROGANCE: “showing proud self importance and contempt or disregard for others” (Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary) … AMERESCO: In April […]
The following was presented to the Lester B. Pearson School Board Executive Committee Meeting on Sept. 8, 2014: Since September 2008, I have addressed the Regular Council of Commissioners meetings, and written letters to the editors of several papers requesting the board webcast its Executive Committee Meetings. Not only has […]
LBPSB Budget and Joe Public On Saturday, August 23, 2014, the Lester B. Pearson School Board held a special workshop devoted to the 2014-2015 Budget, in preparation, for its adoption at the upcoming Council Meeting in two days. Yesterday, there were two well-planned events, which were viewed by many people […]
Teacher made a world of difference After 33 years at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School, Chris Eustace is retiring KAREN SEIDMAN THE GAZETTE After he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Sir George Williams University 34 years ago, Chris Eustace saw an ad offering a Bachelor of Education for $110 […]
West Island Gazette, Montreal, Thursday, September 1, 2005 Thanks to the persistent efforts of a teacher and a politician, Quebec students who participate in World Vision’s 30-hour Famine fundraising project will no longer be excluded from the event’s rewards program. Rewarding experience for Quebecers ANNE SUTHERLAND The Gazette Thanks to the […]
Leadership students take up fight for teacher Experienced substitute loses post Riverdale class tells board chairperson he’s not welcome at fundraising KAREN SEIDMAN, THE GAZETTE The students in the Grade 11 leadership class at Riverdale High School have been having a very political year. In addition to getting involved in […]
The Gazette Retired school teacher Chris Eustace is running for Lester B. Pearson school board chairman. April 25, 2014 Photograph by: Peter McCabe, The Gazette
Perhaps it was that day I decided to be a teacher The Montreal Gazette December 17, 2009 This tale took place outside a pub near the Ngorongoro Crater, which was situated not far from Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanganyika, East Africa, and happened during the holiday season in 1954. After WWII, […]
National Post Mon. June 9, 2014 Section: Letters Love of Learning Not a day goes by when I don’t think of my father, who instilled in me a love of reading and learning. My dad taught me to read my first book, The Children’s Illustrated Encyclopaedia […]
11 Sep 2013 The Chronicle (Montreal) “Here we are in one spot for all these years appreciating each other’s company,” said retired English teacher, Chris Eustace. “We don’t have to worry about our jobs any longer. It no longer holds us down. We can express our opinions as freely as […]
“School boards should accept criticism… it is a sign of respect.” In February 2014, the Quebec English School Boards Association, invited former Education Minister Michelle Courchesne to one of its “Commissioner Readiness” events promoting the school board elections slated for Nov. 2014. Creator of Bill 88, in 2008, which […]
Sarah Leavitt Published on February 09, 2011 Retired teacher and Pierrefonds resident Chris Eustace is crying foul after the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) has refused to allow him to ask questions during the public question period of the council meetings. As The Chronicle first reported in its April 22 issue, […]
Questions on air quality, ethics, enrolment and overhead barred By Robert Frank, December 4th, 2013 Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) chair Suanne Stein-Day has barred longtime education watchdog Chris Eustace from asking questions during the commissioners’ and executive committee public meetings. She ordered Eustace to sit down when he […]
In regard to my post here, Chairperson Suanne Stein Day wrote the following letter to the editor. The Suburban Wednesday, 7 May 2014 It seems to me, that when a community paper posts incendiary words about a member of the community, they should consider checking if there is any […]
Bill 88 was passed in the autumn of 2008 by Minister of Education Michelle Courchesne of the Charest government. As a retired teacher and school board critic, I was much in favour of the Bill and wrote many letters to editors praising its benefits. In February 2014, the Quebec English […]
It would be very difficult to find as much ink spilled on a school board’s Code of Ethics for Commissioners than the Lester B. Pearson School Board. The reason for that is because the Pearson Board believes it’s above the Quebec Education Act. Let’s look at the most fundamental […]
The Pre- K fiasco The diversion of $100,000′s from the regular operating budget to create Pre-Kindergarten classes. Of course, all this was not right nor ethical and totally illegal. Chapter 1, Division 1 , Rule 1 of the Education Act says: ” The age of admission to preschool […]
This was the preamble to the petition. The organizers garnered 192 signatures, some with pertinent comments SHOULD TAX DOLLARS BE USED TO DISRUPT DORVAL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER-RUN, NON-PROFIT PRE-SCHOOLS? On December 15th (2008) the Council of Commissioners of the Lester B Pearson School Board (LBPSB) has voted to open a […]
Fed-up with the LBPSB’s misuse of taxpayers money, I fired off the following email at 8:17 a.m , on Feb. 27, 2012, to every MNA in Quebec. I complained that since 2007, LBPSB Pre-Ks were being funded from the regular operating budget from the Board and the community is […]
May 9, 2012 Family ministry investigating Greendale pre–kindergarden problem LBPSB accused of misusing school taxes By Robert Frank The Suburban Last week’s debacle at Greendale School in Pierrefonds has left more than just distraught parents trying to figure out what happened. Now the Quebec government is looking into what went wrong. The Lester B. Pearson […]
In The Gazette article featuring my run for chairman, Suanne Stein Day makes reference to “one meeting with 14 Questions.” The meeting was on September 2013. Chairperson Suanne Stein Day responded to my list of questions at the first Question Period (QP) at the 20-minute mark , and at the […]
According to Articles 220. and 220.1 of the Quebec Education Act : Every school board shall prepare an annual report …..and must invite the public to an information meeting by public notice specifying date, time and place 15 days before it is held….. and answer any questions concerning the report […]
August 03, 2012 West Island Chronicle Chris Eustace still awaits answers on 2009 messaging service bidding process The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) has decided to change its messaging system last month from the U.S.-based Connect-Ed to Emergency Response Messaging System (ERMS). The new system will cost $30,000 a […]
This is the original request for information concerning whether or not the LBPSB were granted permission to send private information to a foreign land. Five years later this case has not yet been completely resolved because a second hearing / judgement is needed ………………. March 30, 2009 M. Rémi Poliquin 1925 […]
The Suburban, Letter to the Editor, March 4, 2009 Second look at law Next Tuesday, March 10, the National Assembly of Quebec reconvenes. That’s good because a review and some action are needed concerning the law: “An Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection […]
———- Forwarded message ———-From: Alexis Côté <ACote@lxxx>Date: Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 4:09 PMSubject: C. Eustace v. Lester-B.-Pearson S.B. (C.A.I. : 09-0899)To: “cgeustace@gmail.com” <cgeustace@gmail.com>Cc: “diane.xxxxx@cai.gouv.qc.ca” <diane.xxxxx@cai.gouv.qc.ca>, Jacques Provencher <jprovencher@xxx> Good afternoon Mr. Eustace, As discussed before the Commission d’accès à l’information, you will find attached two copies of the contract executed between […]
Update on C.A.I case #100 66 71 ( Connect-Ed, and Disrespected LBPSB Community) Review: From the Approved Minutes of the Secondary Schools Parents’ Committee – Feb. 19, 2009: 7.4 Parental Concerns about ‘Connect-Ed’: ” Although all parents agreed that the Board definitely needed a better method of […]
September 14, 2014 The following picture was taken by journalist Robert Frank of The Suburban on December 17, 2012. The caption is from The West Island Suburban. Going on two years later there is no sign of any development of an “Employees Disclosure Protection Policy” (a.k.a. ‘Whistleblower’ Policy’). Meanwhile the […]
At the last Quebec political leaders’ debate, there was a discussion, regarding former employees of public institutions lobbying their former employers. I understood Mr. Couillard (now Premier) to say that he considered there should be a two year time frame, between leaving a government job before doing business with the […]
QUEBEC EDUCATION ACT CODE OF ETHICS for LBPSB COMMISSIONERS 175.1 The council of commissioners must, by by-law, establish a code of ethics and professional conduct which is applicable to the commissioners. “The code shall set out the duties and obligations of the commissioners,…and may prescribe standards ….The code must, among […]
On January 31, 2014, a television news item: “UPAC visits English school boards,” Chairperson Suanne Stein Day states: http://globalnews.ca/video/1122167/upac-talks-to-english-school-boards “Parents should be pleased because once again in a very transparent measure, we are trying to make sure that our administrators, and our governing body, the Council of Commissioners, are working […]
This was my paper to the : Public English Forum of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on “Reasonable Accommodation” November 29, 2007 Although the English speaking community is often wrongly considered as being a well-treated minority in Quebec, I believe there is a significant lack of an appropriate accommodation provided by […]
Disband the Quebec English School Boards Association Re: “Couillard needs to follow through on his promises on education” (Opinion, April 15) Once he is premier, Philippe Couillard should immediately disband the Quebec English School Boards Association and all other similar educational old-boy groups. Whatever the QESBA does for anglophone classroom teachers — and that […]
Montreal Gazette Public schools need ombudsmen Thursday, April 14, 2005 Section: Editorial / Op-Ed I was saddened and angered to read your April 6 letter, “Pearson board needs threat policy.” The thrust of the letter from Stephanie (surname withheld) was praise for the way John Rennie High School was […]
Sept. 14, 2014 In the draft Code of Ethics for Commissioners, earlier on this site, I included this clause: “I will encourage any initiatives and projects undertaken by citizens that are specifically designed toward the well-being of students.” The reason for this inclusion is the fact that as a citizen […]
August 24, 2014 ( The following story explains why I wish to put the Kids Help Phone link on the LBPSB homepage. The Pearson board has refused.) Montreal Gazette Thursday, February 15, 2007 Section: West Island: Voices Of The Community Letter to the Editor Counter youth suicide with education Feb. 6 was the […]
(The following letter was written by the Political Attaché of my then MNA Yolande James. The letter was written in reaction to the Gazette story below. “S.Day” is Suanne Stein Day, former chair of the Central Parents Committee, who was not helpful. It was amazing how the LBPSB was fully […]
Pearson’s view on class size troubling – Letter to the editor The Montreal Gazette AUGUST 28, 2008 Earlier this year, Education Minister Michelle Courchesne announced a worthy goal that aimed at reducing class size. For starters, hire 1,000 more teachers, principally focussed on helping students with special needs, and producing […]
“Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School teacher Chris Eustace took his students outside for English class to escape poorly air conditioned school building during a hot and humid day last Friday.” High school heats up – Outdoor classes held to protest air conditioning. – PDF
The Suburban Wednesday, 7 August 2013 Later this month about 900,000 students will be returning to Quebec’s ageing elementary and secondary schools, whose average age is 50 years old. Consider that forty percent of theCommission scolaire de Montréal buildings were built more than 60 years ago, and Macdonald High, in […]
20 août 2013 |Chris Eustace – Professeur à la retraite et grand-père, Pierrefond|Éducation À la fin du mois, au Québec, près de 900 000 élèves retourneront sur les bancs de leur école primaire ou secondaire. Quarante pour cent des écoles de la plus grande commission scolaire du Québec, la Commission […]
The Gazette Impressed by Couillard Wed Mar 12 2014 Re: “Eliminate jobs, not school boards: Couillard” (Gazette Online, March 10) Kudos to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard for taking a plank from François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec’s education platform to reduce the education bureaucracy at the provincial level. Both parties […]
The Suburban – Letter to the Editor – April 23, 2014 Except for one troubling issue, which pertains to its education platform, the Liberal majority win last week is most welcome and appreciated. The Liberals seem intent to reduce bureaucracy by abolishing provincial regional offices – a great idea, but […]
YLJ June 19, 2014 Letter to the Editor: On June 4, 2014, the Couillard government passed its first Budget. Even before the reading of the Budget , school boards were raising alarms. Kids and education will suffer, they said. This is standard procedure for the boards to complain, regardless of […]
On St. Jean Baptiste Day, June 24, 2010, I wrote to all Members of the National Assembly that I had been barred by the chairman of the Pearson board from asking questions or making comments at the public Question Period – a practice I had been doing for about 11 […]
Gazette Vaudreuil-Soulanges February 26, 2014 Compliments to former Minister of Education Michelle Courchesne for her inspirational talk on Feb. 22, webcast from the Pearson board, promoting the upcoming November 2014 school board elections. Her presentation referred to features of her parent-friendly Bill 88, Gouvernance et de la démocratie scolaire which […]
Gazette Vaudreuil-Soulanges May 21, 2014 Re: LBPSB : Stein Day to run against Eustace, Nolet, (Gazette Vaudreuil-Soulanges, May 14) Lester B. Pearson School Board chair Suanne Stein Day (SSD) is “not sure why the upcoming elections have become such a hot topic.” As one candidate running for chair, allow me […]
Gazette Vaudreuil-Soulanges Jul 2nd, 2014 Chairmanship candidate Eustace, who has been barred from asking questions at board council meetings for the past seven months, said yesterday that he fully endorses the ethics inquiry into the chairman and believes Stein Day should step down until “all this is cleared up.” Eustace […]
Gazette Vaudreuil-Soulanges July 2, 2014 As we report this week, three governing board members from a Lester B. Pearson School Board elementary school are calling for an inquiry by the board’s ethics commissioner into alleged conflicts of interest on the part of chairman Suanne Stein Day. It’s their right, it’s […]
(After waiting almost three months since I was barred to speak at Council, I hired a lawyer to fight for my democratic right to speak at Council. ) Subject : Formal notice Madam Stein Day, We are the lawyers for Mister Chris Eustace. Our client has informed us that the […]
Me Martin, We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 12, 2014. Please be advised that we are mandated to represent Mrs. Stein Day, Chairman of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, in the present matter. As you are probably aware, as Chairman of the Board, it is […]
(This is a final attempt.) Object: The rights of Mister Chris Eustace Maitre Hamel, The Quebec Education Act grants our client at section 168 the right to ask questions to the Board at the public meetings. Section 220.1 establishes that the commissioners must present the content of an annual report […]
School board withdraws from association Denounces exit bonus By Joel Ceausu The Suburban Quebec’s second largest school board is severing ties with the Quebec Federation of School Commissions (FCSQ). The Commission scolaire Marguerite- Bourgeoys (CSMB) announced last week that it is withdrawing from the federation that groups 61 French school […]
Quebec Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux is blasting school boards for lavish spending. The newly-elected West Island Nelligan MNA expressed outrage that 150 school board commissioners are on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Chateau Montebello from midweek to Saturday. “I’m calling on their better judgment. I’m calling on the directors […]
The Gazette August 28, 2013 Is there still a reason for public school fees? As students return to ” class this week, parents will undoubtedly be expected to shell out a pretty penny for school fees, charged at most public schools for some school materials and […]
The Gazette Kudos for blasting school board spending Montreal Gazette Wed May 21 2014 Section: West Island Kudos to Quebec Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux for blasting school boards for their lavish spending at their convention in a posh resort. According to a May 16 Canadian Press […]
The Gazette April 13, 2011 Parents rock! Re: “Review closings, EMSB urged” (Gazette, April 11). Bravo to English Montreal School Board parent commissioners Angie Bertone and Gail Giannakas for new hope for parents worried about proposals on school closings, mergers and relocations. Add Linda Perez, head of […]
June 6, 2014 Re: “Will anti-school-board school board candidate work to eliminate the board?” ( Online Letters, May 30) Mary Fabian is “curious” and “confused” regarding my intentions behind my quest to be the next chairman of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, considering I have been critical of boards […]
The enemy of school board democracy is school board secrecy. Last Monday, the Lester B. Pearson School Board held its second to last Executive Committee meeting of its mandate before the Nov. 2 school board elections. It was not webcast; I was the ‘public.’ Moreover, going on eight months, I’m […]
