Parents are still pushing back after Champlain Township’s announcement that it will be divesting itself of child care services at the end of this year. Parents sat through a municipal Committee of the Whole meeting on October 12 to ask questions of council during question period.
Several parents asked pointed questions about language, staffing and the township’s decision to end municipal day care services.
There had already been one lengthy, heated meeting on September 28 at which parents pressed Champlain Township and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’est ontarien (CSDCEO) about how the new day care service at École St-Gregoire, under management of L’Association francophone à l’éducation des services à l’enfance de l’Ontario (AFÉSEO), will look and feel. Parents have complained about the lack of advance notice that the township was planning to hand off the municipal day care service after more than 40 years. The service had most recently been offered in space leased to the township by the CSDCEO at no cost. A similar service is offered at École Saint-Jean-Baptiste in L’Orignal.
Before question period at its committee of the whole meeting, councillors received a report to council which outlined four requests from the audience at the September 28 meeting, which took place at École St-Grégoire in Vankleek Hill. Those four concerns included asking if the transfer of services could be postponed until September 2024 or until there is a transition plan for families who want access to a fully bilingual service. Other questions included asking if the new service provider could offer a bilingual service and if the township could provide financial assistance to keep the (current staff) educators in the service.
The township additionally wanted to know what the AFÉSEO’s approach was for children with special needs and asked the CSDCEO to clarify its position on bilingual day care service.
Only Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel and municipal CAO Kevin Tessier attended the September 28 meeting, which took place at the same time as the municipality’s regular council meeting. A request to change the meeting date was denied.
School board answers questions from September 28 meeting
A letter of response from CSDCEO was provided to Champlain Township in French; it was translated into English by the township for the public meeting.
CSDCEO Superintendent of Business and Treasurer Martin Lavigne was present at the Committee of the Whole meeting and stressed that no child would be left behind, when it came to language, and said that the goal was a seamless transition and that every attempt will be made to hire bilingual staff for the day care centre. Lavigne stressed that having children exposed to both languages was the aim.
Lavigne said that delaying the transfer was not an option; the organization taking on the day care services might not be willing to wait, but was ready now to launch the service, to begin on January 1, 2024.
“We might risk losing the day care. Who can guarantee in six months that there will be a service to take over?” Lavigne asked.
Discussion returned to the language issue, and the idea that documentation from the francophone organization would be provided in French only to parents.
The French-language ‘Parent Guide’ would be explained in English to parents at a special meeting, if needed, Lavigne said.
Lavigne addressed staffing questions. Parents had questioned whether unilingual anglophones would lose their jobs or be considered for hiring. Lavigne said that in other similar cases, almost 100% of former staff members who applied for jobs were hired.
West Hawkesbury ward councillor Gerry Miner asked about the documentation being provided to parents. Lavigne reiterated that all documentation will be in French, as per the board’s position, but that it is up to the child care provider (service) to decide. “The school board is not saying no, Some of our schools provide certain documents in both official languages,” he said.
West Hawkesbury ward councillor Sarah Bigelow said that although council was unable to attend the September 28 meeting with parents (that meeting took place at the same as the township’s regular council meeting), she said, “Some of us were surprised by what we heard,”
A request to change the date of the meeting was denied. Only Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel and CAO Kevin Tessier attended the September 28 parent meeting.
As Bigelow pursued questions about current day care staff who do not speak French, she was told that personnel issues could not be discussed at the public meeting.
Not to be deterred, Bigelow said, “My question is: I want this to be a good transition, but when some don’t speak the language (French) …”
Lavigne said the employment process was in the hands of the child care provider.
“But if the second language is French, they are welcome to apply — even if it is not the greatest French in the world, but the words she knows make up 75 per cent of the words needed … ” Lavigne added.
Vankleek Hill Councillor Paul Emile Duval made the point that the township had always been encouraging of bilingualism.
“If we sign up with you, we would like to have the note to parents sent in English and in French,” Duval said.
L’Orignal Councillor Paul Burroughs agreed.
“Bilingualism is important. Why not do it bilingually?”
“That hasn’t been our board’s position; I can’t guarantee that,” Lavigne replied.
L’Orignal Councillor Ginette Clément pointed out that French-language education and health services had been a hard-won battle for francophones.
“We fought for that — to save our French. I understand bilingual but let’s protect our French,” she said.
Vankleek Hill Councillor Peter Barton summed up some of the community’s disappointment about being kept in the dark about the township’s move to transfer day care services away from the municipality.
Day care decision was ‘surprise and disappointment’
Addressing CAO Kevin Tessier, he said, “I think it was a surprise and disappointment to our community. The idea of movement away from day care is a pubic issue and should have been discussed publicly,” Barton said.
I undertand that there were parts that had to take place in camera, but I think the conversation should have been held in a public forum,” Barton said.
He added that it was council’s job to ensure the public is informed in a transparent manner.
Tessier said he would see if certain parts of the (day care) report could be shared, but said that the decision to go in camera was ultimately the decision of council.
Krista Tollis Skinner addressed council as a parent and pointed out that her request to submit a proposal for a delegation had not been accepted. She further mentioned that 4 pm was not an easy time for parents to attend a meeting. She asked the mayor about the possibility of cancelling the agreement (to transfer day care services).
Saying it was something he had mentioned at the September 28 meeting, she asked the mayor if he had brought it up with council.
Skinner pressed the point about whether it (the transfer of day care services) was a council decision or a school board decision.
Tessier said that the council had decided it would not longer be in the day care business and that now the school board has to decide.
“The school board will not allow us to be there,” Riopel said.
“If we renege on this agreement …” Riopel began.
“The school board wants to do business with those interested in the long term,” said Lavigne.”So Champlain could prolong the services?” Skinner asked.
“Once the township or any supplier says they’re not interested … if they were paying high rent, that would be one thing, but of course, it you tell me …is the township ready to sign for the next 10 years?” Lavigne said.
”For us, it is security,” Lavigne said This organization has 20 centres across the province.
Skinner asked if a 20-year commitment from Champlain Township would change the school board’s perspective.
“With all due respect, 20 years would be something I would have to take back to my board,” Lavigne said.
“We were provided with plenty of information,” said Riopel, explaining that the township was not a day care provider. “Day care was something we are not good at,” he continued, adding that the day care service was a burden to taxpayers.
Skinner asked if council knew it was a French-only service that would be managing the child care service at Ecole St-Grégoire and reiterated staffing issues, saying that the new salaries of child care workers would be much lower than what staff are currently paid.
Riopel reiterated that the township would no longer be managing the service, which had a projection of a $1.7-million loss over the next four years.
Skinner asked about the lack of toddler day care at the proposed St. Jude day care centre. Riopel suggested that she make a request and that they might listen if there is a need.
In response to Skinner’s question about the responsibility of organizing child care services, Tessier said that overall, it is more social services and should be at the counties level of government.
“The municipality has no obligation to provide child care services,” Tessier said.
Lavigne answered a further question from Skinner about the hiring process by stating that he had personally called the child care agency and that anglophones and unilingual families would not be left behind because they couldn’t speak the language.
“We have other communities similar to Vankleek Hill and have the same contract – in the Cornwall area, they speak English and there is nothing that prevents the use of English. “We’re not selling our souls. If I would be a parent in Vankleek Hill, I wouldn’t be preoccupied with that. We just want to make sure they are exposed to the other language. So far as reassurance, they shouldn’t be scared of the new services,” Lavigne said.
“We will make it easy for parents and a nice place for the kids,” Lavigne said.
Mayor: Give transition a chance
Riopel interjected by asking if parents could give the transition a chance.
Skinner said it was difficult to feel comfortable when the general manager at the September 28 meeting was laughing at them. “We were treated with utter disrespect,” she said.
Parent Steve Beauchesne said that he and other parents have heard that staff are instructed not to speak English and that one teacher had proof of being disciplined as a result of speaking English.
“Can we at least request that children be spoken to in their own language until parents have had the chance to move their child to a service that is truly bilingual?”
Lavigne said he could not address that situation but said that bilingualism is developed at an early age.
“If I had any doubts – there are over 20 centres across the five counties and there have been questions about transition and some anxiety for families. But when the kids come back with a smile, it was okay. They will flourish,” he said.
Beauchesne asked if there could be assurances that staff would not be reprimanded for speaking English. He also wanted to know if council had considered the possibility of a tax shortfall if this area was no longer considered an English-language area and people moved away.
“That English people would leave has never crossed my mind,” Riopel said.
Riopel said that information about staffing should be forthcoming after January 1.
Towards the end of the question period, Lavigne said, “I know there is a saying that you can never make a food first impression twice. I think they were not prepared for that meeting and that a lot of the concerns are stemming from that night (September 28).”
Tessier said that another meeting with parents would likely be organized.
