French language culture short changed by Ministers

Announcement hides lack of support for French school in Rustico

Heritage Minister James Moore and Education Minister Doug Currie

Heritage Minister James Moore is promising more assistance for French Language education on Prince Edward Island. Government of Canada Announces its Support for Official Languages in Prince Edward Island.

The announcement is hiding the fact that the St. Augustin’s school in Rustico is being underfunded. Both levels of government are refusing to provide what they promised the organizing committee. 

The preamble sounds great “Our Government is a leader in Canada on official languages,” said Minister Moore. “The important agreements we are announcing today are crucial to the development of Prince Edward Island’s Acadian and Francophone community and the promotion of our two official languages.”

When the announcement gets to the details it states “The Government of Canada is providing support to …construction of community facilities at École Saint-Augustin in Rustico ($987,817 in 2009-2011).”

That just doesn’t make sense since it is the community cultural component of École Saint-Augustin that the Province of Prince Edward Island is blocking.

The Rustico French school is the only one on PEI that will not have a community component according to the plans presented to the Rustico parents committee.

Only last month Minister Gail Shea was confronted by the parents over the flip flop by the Federal government. Rustico Acadian parents want answers from Minister Shea.

The school has been downsized to the point that it has been dubbed the “smelt shack” by local residents.

Pompous press releases can’t hide the facts. The Province and the Federal government are not meeting their commitment to French language culture and education PEI.

Downsizing the French school in Rustico is an attempt to limit the support of French permanently through lack of local infrastructure.

See Ghiz signs $12 million deal for Francophone culture but drags heels on Rustico School