Your Local Journal
March 20, 2014
Dear Editor :
Article 175.1 (4) of the Quebec Education Act stipulates: ” The council of commissioners must, by by-law… specify the duties and obligations of commissioners even after they leave office.”
For about two years, I have been trying with letters, and verbally at the Public Question Period at the Pearson Council and Executive meetings to include a clause in its Code of Ethics for Commissioners, which would state that a commissioner can only do business with the board after, at least a year has elapsed.
Alas, my requests have been ignored.
To understand my concern in this matter, we must look at an excerpt from a recent area media report in which former Lester B. Pearson School Board head responded to questions concernong his new job.” (June 6, 2011).
” During last week’s LBPSB school board meeting, a question was raised by a member of the public about Tabachnick’s (then) new job with Ameresco Canada Inc. and whether it was above board.”
Former chairman of the board, Marcus Tabachnick, who resigned on April 1, 2011, lobbied the board, the Quebec English School Boards Association , and at the 2012 Canadian School Boards Association Congress, gave a presentation titled : ” A Leadership role for school boards,” in which, he advertised the product he was selling.
A few months ago, the Pearson board signed a $5.4 million contract with the aforementioned company.
School board elections are slated for November 2, and there will be commissioners who will be out of work, so to speak, due to a provision in Bill 88, which calls for fewer commissioners.
Commissioners need clear rules that dictate what they can and cannot do after leaving office.
It is the law.
Chris Eustace
Pierrefonds
