The Quebec government has changed its tune and will postpone elections for English school boards slated for next month due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The province’s Education Ministry announced the measure Thursday, saying in a statement that it wants the process to “take place safely in the context of COVID-19.”
The decision comes after the government asked the public to respect the instructions to voluntarily quarantine before and after the four-day period in December where holiday gatherings are permitted.
“We are asking people for the week before Christmas to minimize the risk of meeting other people so it just makes sense that the elections of the English school boards be postponed,” Quebec Premier François Legault said Thursday.
The Education Ministry says a new date will be given soon, but “given the highly unpredictable nature of the pandemic” the government is considering postponing the process for “several months.”
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Earlier in November, English-language school boards sounded the alarm over the fast-approaching election dates on Dec. 19 and 20 to fill any seats that weren’t filled by acclamation earlier this year.
This is the second time the elections have been delayed. They were originally scheduled for Nov. 1 but were rescheduled due to the onset of the province’s second wave of the pandemic.
READ MORE: Quebec Education Ministry decides to go ahead with school board elections amid COVID-19 crisis
The latest change is being welcomed by the Quebec English School Boards Association, which applauded the suspension of elections in a statement on social media.
“Given that the pandemic is intensifying and that elections fell during the government’s voluntary self confinement period, this was the responsible decision,” the association wrote.
The Quebec Community Groups Network also praised the decision, saying it had questioned the idea of having school board elections in December given the risks associated with the ongoing health crisis.
— With files from Global News’ Benson Cook
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