Quebec Minister of Education Bernard Drainville deplores the “unacceptable” slowness of Canada’s immigration authorities in evicting a teacher of French origin working in North Montreal.

“We need guns in the education network and we can only reiterate that the slow delays at Immigration Canada are unacceptable,” lamented Mr. Drainville in a statement delivered by his spokesperson, Florence Plourde.

Friday, The duty announced that Sarah Chauveau, who has been teaching at Sainte-Gertrude Elementary School for the past four months, will soon be returning to France as her spouse’s arrival in Quebec has been unduly delayed. The latter has been waiting for his electronic travel authorization for six months, a document that must be presented when boarding the plane and that allows landing in Canada.

A solution must be found so that M^Me Chauveau continues her work as a teacher in the province, says the minister. The latter’s departure in the middle of the school year saddens her colleagues, her students and their parents.

In Quebec, the opposition parties are unanimously outraged by this situation.

Quebec Liberal Party interim leader Marc Tanguay regrets the departure of a person who was a “plus” to Quebec society because of Ottawa’s neglect.

“The federal government must improve its processes, because such stories must not be repeated,” he said. Mr. Tanguay adds that there is a labor shortage in Quebec’s public sector.

For his part, Solidarity MP Andrés Fontecilla maintains that these deadlines “must be reduced as much as possible”. The school network needs people like Sarah Chauveau, who came to help, he argues.

According to Méganne Perry Mélançon, spokeswoman for the Parti Québécois, the case of M^Me Chauveau is further evidence of “Ottawa’s incompetence”. “The teacher shortage is real and we regret the delays,” she adds.

For its part, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada declined to comment on this particular case when interviewed by The duty.

With Lisa Marie Gervais

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