N.B. education minister avoids questions as more cuts are revealed
Details of staff changes at Francophone South district puts Liberals on defensive over budget
The Holt Liberal government adjourned the New Brunswick Legislature on Friday, still trying to avoid acknowledging that its budget decisions are leading to job cuts by district education councils.
Education Minister Claire Johnson avoided responding to questions from the opposition and from reporters after the Francophone South DEC — which includes schools in her Moncton riding — confirmed details of its cuts.
The district said it will eliminate 25 support positions for students with behavioural issues, shifting those teachers into classrooms to comply with a government directive.
"That support we give directly to students and to our staff is needed," superintendent Monique Boudreau told Radio-Canada. "That's where we'll see an impact. … We have staff who work very hard, and we're asking them to do even more with less."
Johnson tried to avoid using the word "cuts" during the two weeks the opposition spent criticizing her for putting districts in difficult positions.
The government is spending more overall in education this year, but it's requiring districts to spend a larger chunk of the money in classrooms, leaving them, in some cases, with less to spend elsewhere.
On May 9, Johnson visibly caught herself in a scrum from reporters before uttering the word.
"We've invested more this year. That's why we call it an investment. … We can't respond to all the needs, which is why they perceive it as a – " she said before a long pause.
"As insufficient funding," she finally added.
The minister argues that shifting more resources to the classroom will help students achieve better results — though the government is also lowering assessment targets to make them easier to hit.
That added more fuel to opposition criticism, particularly linked to the Anglophone West district's decision to cut librarian positions.
"The closure of school libraries because of government budget cuts is devastating for all the dedicated library workers and for the students they help," PC education critic Ian Lee said this week.
Green MLA Megan Mitton said Francophone South, a fast-growing, minority-language district with a large number of recent immigrants who need additional support, has an especially acute need for support workers.
"It's clear that there are cuts, and it doesn't make sense that the government keeps denying that," she said.
On Thursday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees local 2745 — which represents librarians among more than 4,000 educational staff province-wide — postponed a scheduled ratification vote on a new four-year collective agreement because of the cuts.
The union said it needs clarifications on the status of some of its members whose jobs are being eliminated or redefined before it approves the new contract.
Spokesperson Simon Ouellette said Johnson needs to spend more time talking to employees affected by the government's budget decisions so she can understand what's happening.
"I'm sure she's capable of learning, like our youth does when they have access to libraries," he said.
Opposition leader says districts forced to make cuts
On Friday, PC Leader Glen Savoie said it's more clear than ever that it's accurate to say the government is forcing districts to make cuts.
"They are going to get rid of people," he said in his final question of question period before the legislature adjourned for a one-week break.
"This is going to impact the classroom. So I'm going to ask the minister of education to get up again and please defend these cuts to the classroom."
Instead, Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin stood up and delivered a loud and partisan attack on the opposition, waving his arms while avoiding the point of the issue.
"This is what we get? Some sort of theatre out of the government?" Savoie told reporters afterward.
"The government just continues to try to use jargon, honeyed words, and they're not making any sort of headway. People understand the reality of what these cuts are doing."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Pascal Raiche-Nogue, Alix Villeneuve, Radio-Canada