Remi Poliquin
Counsel
A Welcome Back… and a Balanced Budget
by Judy Kelley
On behalf of the Council of Commissioners of the LBPSB, I would like to offer a warm new school year welcome to all. The summer always flies by, but it does offer some time to recharge our energy and reflect on the school year recently completed while we anticipate the new one, just around the corner. And of course, there is always great excitement and nervousness in the air for everyone on the “first day” back to school which today actually was for the majority of our students and families. Welcome back, or for the first time, welcome, to the LBPSB.
Tonight, the Council will receive and adopt the 2026-2027 balanced budget. With the range of challenges a school board addresses in preparing its budget (as many of us will remember, in particular in 2025-2026) I would like to recognize with great respect, gratitude and awe the exceptional work and hours upon hours of time spent by our Director of Financial Services, Danielle Laplante, and her team, to bring us to this point. Commissioners were invited to attend 2 in-depth presentations – one regarding our budget building in June and the second, the completion of the budget, at a workshop on August 24th. We have had the opportunity to study the budget and ask our questions, all part of one of our key responsibilities as commissioners and stewards of the LBPSB. We are prepared to receive this budget this evening.
Every school year we face unexpected challenges. There will be some uncertainty for us in the next few months with a Provincial election on October 5th and potential new approaches to managing the Ministry of Education (including higher education). When, on Saturday, August 29th the Leader of the CAQ, Christine Fréchette, repeated her promise to expand Bill 101, The Charter of the French Language, to adult and vocational schools within the first 100 days in office, I was reminded of the outpouring of concern from the education sector and across the province about the devastating consequences the revival of this proposed Bill would be for students, teachers and school boards. The reasons for this expansion disregard any passion or concern for the learners. Political motivation is at the forefront while the purpose of education and why we do what we do for all of our students is left on the side-lines, swept aside for political gain. This is not okay. Let us hope we hear about positive initiatives for education and putting the learner first, throughout the election campaign.
The LBPSB is determined in its vision and values, and our commitment to success, to work hard for our communities, always within our means, to provide the best education, experiences and services for our students. May 2026-2027 be an excellent year for us all.
