Candidates Nominated The following persons have filed Nomination Papers to run in the October 26, 2008 By-election:
Electoral Division 12
Nazia Nadeem (Withdrawn Sept. 26,2008) Domenico Pavone
Susan Williams
Electoral Division 15
Conny J. Held (Withdrawn Oct. 2, 2008) Don Rae
Peter Rakobowchuk
Lana Roberts
ADVANCE POLL AND ELECTION. As more than one candidate was nominated in each electoral division, both an advance poll and an election will be held. The advance poll will be held on Sunday October 19, 2008 from noon to 8:00 p.m. The election will be held on Sunday October 26, 2008 from 10:00a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
ELIGIBLE ELECTORS. All electors who are on the electoral list, and who have a child attending a school of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, and are domiciled in Electoral Division 12 or 15, may vote. In addition, any elector domiciled in Electoral Division 12 or 15 who does NOT have a child admitted to an educational institution in either of the English or French school boards may also vote. He or she makes this choice by presenting a written notice to the Returning Officer no later than October 7, 2008. To know the place, the days and the hours of the board of revision, the voter should consult the Notice of Revision published at a later date.
Given at Dorval, Quebec, this 8th day of September, 2008
Don Taylor, Returning Officer
Elections Office
1925 Brookdale Avenue, Dorval
Tel.: 514-780-VOTE (8683)
E-mail: elections@lbpsb.qc.ca
The School Board: a Vital Part of our Community
The back-to-school period is an ideal time to reflect on the important role played by the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) in our community.
If the cooperative structure known as a school board was not there, it would have to be invented. We can be proud that an organization exists which is entirely devoted to serving our schools and educating our students, no matter what age, learning ability or socio-economic background. The graduation rate of our students, amongst the highest in all of Québec, attests to the equality AND quality of services offered in the 40 elementary schools, 12 high schools and five adult/vocational centres of the Board. Visit the website of the Board (www.lbpsb.qc.ca) and link to the school sites -- the record of achievement of the staff and students is there for all to see.
Though aware of this proud tradition, few citizens sit back and take stock of the vital contribution of the Board’s contribution to our suburban region. The Lester B. Pearson School Board is a vital component of our local economy, employing more than 3000 full and part-time staff in the service of over 28,000 youth, adult & vocational students. It must also be pointed out that in providing a wide range of quality educational services across a territory stretching from Nun’s Island to the Ontario border, the Board’s administrative expenses comprise just 6.9% of the total $207 million budget – among the lowest rates in Québec’s public and para-public sector.
Among its responsibilities, the LBPSB supports the educational plan of each school and centre with the highest-quality educational and human resources, preparing all students to play a full role in the development of our region. The Board manages the employees of the school system, its material resources, the upkeep of all schools and buildings plus the management of a transportation network that safely carries over 15,000 students to and from school each day.
Moreover, there is an LBPSB school daycare network put into place in elementary schools permitting children to be cared for outside class hours in a safe and enriched environment, all the while assuring parents of the best possible blending of their home, school and career responsibilities. In 2007-08 the Board is piloting an ambitious public preschool program that could enhance child development in the very near future.
The administration of your public school system is entrusted to 23 trustees (School Commissioners) who act collectively to ensure the quality education being provided to our students and who, in the public interest, also oversee efficient management of the Board’s human, financial and material resources. A decade of academic achievement combined with balanced budgets and low (school) tax rates attests to fulfillment of this mission.
This Council of Commissioners represents your interests in our public school network. They are elected to administer public education, to give citizens a voice in its administration, and to be accountable for the decisions they make in directing our school system. They also encourage links with all socio-economic partners, including municipalities and regional government, to ensure their full involvement in the educational quality of life.
Your School Board plays a major role in the quality-of-life and the development of our region. Its commitment to constant improvement is in the best interest of the students and staff of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, and also of every member our community.
To obtain student registration information or to inquire about any educational service, the public is invited to visit the central administration building located at 1925 Brookdale Avenue in Dorval, to call (514) 422-3000 during normal office hours, or to browse through the Board’s web site.
Voting in School Board By-Elections
Electoral Divisions 12 and 15
Voters in Electoral Divisions 12 and 15 of the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) will be voting to elect a Commissioner on October 26, 2008 in any of these two Electoral Divisions where two or more candidates file Nomination Papers. The makeup of the electoral divisions can be found by clicking the Electoral Maps button at the top of the Elections home page.
In order to vote in the LBPSB elections, you must currently be on the permanent list of electors of Quebec, be 18 years of age and over, a Canadian citizen, reside in the territory of the Board and have been domiciled in Quebec for at least six months, and be neither under curatorship nor have been disqualified by law.
Any parent meeting these criteria who has a child registered in an LBPSB youth-sector school as of September 8, 2008 will be entered on the Board’s electoral list. You can verify whether your name appears on this list by calling 1-888-353-2846.
A specific form must be completed and returned to the Returning Officer, Board of Revisors or at the designated schools, no later than October 7th, 2008 as indicated in the Public Notice of Revision below in the event that your name does NOT appear on the LBPSB list but you wish to participate in the elections.
It is important to note that being listed on the Board’s list of eligible voters is for the sole purpose of electing school commissioners in the local English school board. It has no other purpose, such as the payment of school taxes or the ability to send children to English schools. Adults who are childless, or whose children are not attending kindergarten, elementary or high school in the “youth sector” of the public school system, also have the right to choose the local school board voters’ list they prefer (English or French), to vote and to run as a candidate as a school commissioner.
Only those who are listed on the revised electoral list will be permitted to vote at the Advance Poll (October 19) or on Voting Day (October 26).
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given to the electors of the Lester B. School Board that:
1. the list of electors for Electoral Divisions 12 and 15 was deposited at the head office of Lester B. Pearson School Board, 1925 Brookdale Ave., Dorval, on:
September 21, 2008
2. the list of electors for Electoral Divisions 12 and 15 will be revised
3. only a person who, on polling day, satisfies the following conditions can be an elector and has the right to be entered on the list of electors:
• is eighteen year of age;
• is a Canadian citizen;
• is domiciled on the territory of the school board and, for at least six months, in Quebec;
• is not under curatorship;
• has not been found guilty of an offence that constitutes fraud in an election or referendum;
and:
• has a child admitted in an educational institution of the Anglophone school board serving his domicile;
or
• does not have a child admitted in an educational institution of the Francophone or Anglophone school board serving his domicile. An elector who satisfies this last condition has the right to opt to be entered or stricken off the list of electors of the Anglophone school board.
4. the list of electors can be consulted and the applications for entry, striking off and correction, including written notices of the option or revocation of option to exercise their voting rights in an Anglophone school board, can be presented before persons who are designated for this purpose, before the Revision Board or before the Returning Officer.
5. when completing an application for entry, the previous address of the person concerned must be indicated. In addition, two documents must be presented: one mentioning the name and date for birth and the other, the name and address of domicile.
6. the places where the list of electors can be consulted and where applications can be presented are:
Electoral Division 12 Electoral Division 15
Purcell Academy
13350 Purcell, Pierrefonds
Terry Fox Elementary
13280 Huntington Ave., Pierrefonds
I am married and proud father of two children, one of whom attends public school and the other is too young to start, but will be soon enrolled.
I am running not for political reasons, but for the opportunity to represent you, I will be your pro-parent voice at council.
My previous international travels have shown how great a country can become when the emphasis and proper resources are put in place for education. I firmly believe that education of our children is the best investment we can make; for they will become our future leaders, doctors, presidents...
If elected I endeavor to:
• support and augment programs for all students, notably in the mathematics, science, computer and language fields
• communicate closely with the principals and the governing boards of the schools in Ward 12 to ensure parents needs are being met
• as a future project, revamp the manner in which school consumable fees are collected in order to provide a direct tax benefit to parents, i.e. tax deductibility
Susan Williams
165 Colombier, Ile Bizard H9C 2K1
Tel.: 514-620-4745
swilliam@total.net
As an elementary school teacher for the past 24 years and an active volunteer in the public school system since 1992, education is my passion. My experience ranges from working in the classroom to being a long-standing member of governing board, PPO and the Central Parents’ Committee. From 2002-2007, I held the elected position of parent commissioner for secondary schools, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience as a member of the Council of Commissioners. I continue to volunteer at the LBPSB, assisting with governing board training and professional development activities for our community.
I am the mother of three LBPSB graduates, have lived in Ile Bizard since 1984, and am very familiar with the community in Ward 12. If elected, I look forward to working with all partners in education and being your voice on the Council of Commissioners, helping to ensure success for our youth and adult learners.
Electoral Division 15
Don Rae
58 Waverley, Pointe Claire H9S 4W8
Tel.: 514-697-9878
Fax: 514-697-9878
rae.gauthier@videotron.ca
www.donrae.ca
Structural Engineer (PEng).
ELECT ME AS COMMISSIONER
A parent-volunteer of children attending Allancroft, Beacon Hill, John Rennie, BHS, I have the background and experience to understand the Board’s needs.
I am an enthusiastic and energetic believer in the public school system and would be privileged to help fortify the Board’s future.
I SALUTE our language teachers, and PRAISE Bilingual Graduates who seek Innovation, Consensus, not Confrontation.
Priorities
1. I will fight for prudent management of Public Funds entrusted to the Board.
2. I will oppose government subsidies to Private Schools. We must reduce Council, meal, social, and travel expenses.
3. As an educator I will work to reduce drop outs. I will work with my colleagues to champion “SAFE SCHOOLS”, create A CODE of CONDUCT to outlaw bullying and drug and alcohol use.
4. I will promote additional service for Special Needs and Gifted Students.
I am seeking election as Commissioner in Ward 15 and I would appreciate your support. As the father of two children, I have been deeply involved in numerous roles in the community and its schools for more than five years.
I have been a member of the Windermere Elementary and Sherwood Forest Elementary governing boards; helped organize Home and School fundraising activities, chaired the Sector 3 Parents Committee which represented 14 schools; and have been actively involved in the LBPSB Central Parents Committee. I am also a member of the Kirkland Safety and Security Committee.
If elected I would strive to improve communications between the board and parents, promote programs to make our schools more attractive and ensure consistent help for special needs children.
I would do my best to make sure parents and children have what they need to get the most out of their education system.
Lana Roberts
167 Westcroft Road, Beaconsfield H9W 2M2
Tel.: 514-697-3904
Cell: 514-952-0988
lanapatriciaroberts@gmail.com
I am running for Commissioner for the L.B.P.S.B. because I believe in public education.
It is our duty to our children to afford them a place where they can blossom into responsible members of our community and society at large. To this end, our schools need not only be a building, but an environment where a child feels safe, secure, engaged and motivated to learn.
In today’s challenging economy, it is more important than ever to be fiscally responsible, and our schools are no exception. We all need to work together to ensure that resources are allocated to greatest needs.
As a parent of a child who will be entering the public school system next year, I can offer you my commitment to work with our community and leaders to ensure our public schools are not only a great place to learn, but alternatively, the schools of choice.
Elections Office of the Lester B. Pearson School Board
Election Officers:
Returning Officer: Don Taylor (dtaylor@lbpsb.qc.ca)
Elections Clerk: Stephanie Smith (ssmith@lbpsb.qc.ca)
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Please Note: We will also be open on certain weekends and evenings (TBA). Please call ahead to make an appointment if you wish to see one of the Election Officers listed above.
Click here for a PDF file of textual descriptions of each Electoral Division
Click on a map to view a larger version that will clearly identify street names. Horizontal maps are 1,056 x 816 pixels and vertical maps are 816 x 1056 pixels. The average size per map is 1.5MB.
The Council of Commissioners
The Education Act states that the Lester B. Pearson School Board is administered by a 23-member Council of Commissioners; 21 are elected by qualified electors in geographically-divided electoral divisions that cover the area from Verdun to the Ontario border, and two Commissioners elected annually by the Parents’ Committee. These parent representatives have all the rights and obligations of an elected Commissioner, except the right to vote at the Council’s public meetings.
The Council of Commissioners sets policy for, and administers the operation of, a school system with an annual budget of more than $200 million, and well over 2000 full-time employees. General elections for the post of Commissioner are held every 4 years .
Commissioners receive an annual stipend with a base salary of $7,800, as set by a formula decreed by the provincial government, according to the size of the school population. While the Council meets publicly at the end of each month, making decisions by majority vote, it has also established many study committees to examine areas of the Board operations such as Human Resources, Finance, Youth Education, Adult & Vocational Education, Planning and Transportation, Facilities and Communications to name a few. Most meetings are in the evening, following the end of the regular work day, and each Commissioner normally attends a half-dozen such sessions per month. Most Commissioners also make every effort to stay in touch with the school-based organizations that operate in their electoral division, in order to keep abreast of current issues.
THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS
Article 1 - Public meetings of the Council of Commissioners of the Lester B. Pearson School Board are normally held on the last Monday of each month. These meetings shall be held in the Board Room (C101) at 1925 Brookdale Avenue, Dorval, and shall commence at 7:30 p.m.
For the 2008-2009 school year, the meeting dates for the Council shall be:
2008
2009
Monday, August 25
Monday, January 26
Monday, September 22 (Exception)
Monday, February 23
Monday, October 27
Monday, March 30
Monday, November 24
Monday, April 27
Monday, December 15 (Exception)
Monday, May 25
Monday, June 29
Electoral Divisions 12 and 15
By-election Timeline
September 16 -- First day to receive Nomination Papers from candidates
September 21 -- Last day to receive Nomination Papers from candidates
September 27 -- First day to receive requests for revision of the Electoral List
October 7 -- Last day to receive requests for revision of the Electoral List
October 19 -- Advance Poll
October 26 -- Poll
October 31 -- Declaration of Election of elected candidates
Useful Sources of Information
www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/
The website of the Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sport. The “legislation” page gives access in English on two key pieces of information: The Act Respecting School Elections (E-2.3) and the Education Act (I-13.3)
www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en/
The website of the Director General of Elections (DGEQ), Québec’s chief electoral officer, gives documentation useful to candidates and general information about the school board electoral process.
NB: The General Information number of the DGEQ is 1-888-353-2846. Callers giving their home address and name, plus the birth date of anyone domiciled at that address, can confirm that there is an inscription on the permanent list of electors of Québec, PLUS for school board elections, whether the listing is on the voters’ list of the French or the English school board.
www.qesba.qc.ca
The website of the Quebec English School Boards Association which provides information on school boards and other topics of interest to the anglophone community.
To all employees,
As you may already be aware there will be a by-election in Electoral Division 12 (Pierrefonds/Île Bizard) and Electoral Division 15 (Beaconsfield North) if more than one person presents him/herself as a candidate in either electoral division.
Please note that all School Board employees are prohibited from engaging in partisan work during any election of a commissioner. An employee may contribute to a candidate’s electoral fund or sign his/her nomination or authorization papers. However, employees may not work for any candidate eg: making telephone calls, distributing pamphlets, etc., as this would be an infraction of articles 170 and 171 of The Act Respecting School Elections and the employee would be subject to a fine.
If you have any questions about the electoral process please contact the election office at 514-780-VOTE (8683)
Don Taylor
Returning Officer
Lester B. Pearson School Board
À tous les employés,
Comme vous le savez sans doute déjà, il y aura des élections partielles dans la circonscription 12 (Pierrefonds/Île Bizard) et dans la circonscription 15 (Beaconsfield Nord) si plus d’une personne se porte candidat dans l’une ou l’autre des circonscriptions.
Veuillez noter qu’il est interdit à tous les employés de la Commission scolaire de se livrer à un travail de nature partisane lors de l’élection d’un commissaire. Un employé peut contribuer aux fonds électoraux d’un candidat ou signer son formulaire de mise en candidature ou sa demande d’autorisation. Cependant les employés ne peuvent pas travailler pour un candidat en faisant, par exemple, des appels téléphoniques, en distribuant des circulaires, etc., car ceci constituerait une infraction aux articles 170 et 171 de la Loi sur les élections scolaires et l’employé pourrait se voir imposer une amende.
Si vous avez des questions au sujet du processus électoral, veuillez contacter le bureau des élections au 514-780-VOTE (8683)
