Controversy arises surrounding new EMSB Director General

WATCH: Days after the Council of Commissioners elected a new Director General to the EMSB, members of the official opposition are contesting the validity of the process.

MONTREAL – It’s the latest controversy to hit the English Montreal School Board. On Wednesday, in a 6-2 vote, commissioners chose Ann-Marie Matheson as the new director general.

Now, the two opposing commissioners are claiming many of the safeguards in place to ensure a fair nomination process were disregarded.

Commissioners Julien Feldman and Agustino Cannavino are asking Quebec’s  Education Minister Francois Blais to independently review the hiring process.

“We ask him to take a look at an impartial view of the process, to make sure that it was done in an equitable way, to make sure that everything was respected as far as the qualifications of these individuals, as far as the process for advertising for the position,” said Agostino Cannavino, commissioner for Saint Michel, Villeray, Plateau-Mont-Royal and Ville Marie East.

Feldman and Cannavino raise many concerns, one being Matheson’s role in the fall election, where they say Matheson acted as chairperson Angela Mancini’s campaign manager.

The two commissioners are also trying to understand why only three people submitted their candidacy for the most coveted job in the English Montreal School Board.

“I find it very far fetched that only three candidates would apply, two of which are from within so they would know there’s an opening, and the other one was not even met,” said Cannavino.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I find it very far fetched that only three candidates would apply, two of which are from within so they would know there's an opening, and the other one was not even met," said Cannavino.

EMSB spokesperson Michael Cohen says the procedure was done by the book.

“In this particular case, the selection committee, behind closed doors because it’s a personal matter, brought forward their recommendations,” said Cohen. “There were some commissioners who were not in favor of this, and that’s their prerogative, and then they had a democratic vote where the majority of the commissioners recommended Ms. Matheson.”

Still, the opposition isn’t convinced. They claim that, given Matheson’s supposed association to the chairwoman, all team Mancini members on the selection committee are in conflict of interest. Ms. Mancini herself did not vote, because of the perceived conflict.

“She acknoweldged it and recused from the vote but not the debate,” said Feldman, commissioner for Westmount, Sud Ouest and Ville Marie West. “But then she instructed all the members of team Mancini to continue voting and debating. We think that was a conflict of interest.”

For now, both sides are waiting for the minister’s response.

“I don’t really see him meddling in a decision that’s been made by a duly elected council,” said Cohen.

He adds that the EMSB will be there to hear the minister should he decide to intervene.