A little-known provision surrounding the Order of Excellence in Education is causing a stir in the school system. Minister Jean-François Roberge and Deputy Minister Alain Sans Cartier were promoted to members emeritus of the Order without their names even being mentioned during the ceremony in honor of the recipients, held this week in Quebec City.
The Ministry of Education’s press release, issued on Tuesday, glossed over the appointment of the ministry’s two most senior officers. Three names were mentioned in the list of new emeritus members of the Order of Excellence. Two other names, those of Minister Roberge and Deputy Minister Sans Cartier, were added on the sly to the list published on the Department of Education’s website.
According to what The duty learned, members of the committee responsible for evaluating applications were surprised to see the Minister and Deputy Minister of Education among the recipients: their names never appeared on the list of aspiring members of the Order of Excellence.
Verification made, the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Education are automatically promoted as members emeritus (the highest distinction) of the Order of Excellence in Education. This order was created in 2018 by the former Liberal government to recognize exceptional careers in schools and promote education professions.
Minister Jean-François Roberge “was not comfortable receiving the Order in front of the other recipients. He first wanted to honor them, ”explains his press officer, Florent Tanlet.
This is why he did not mention, during the ceremony Tuesday in Quebec, that he and the Deputy Minister of Education were named emeritus members of the Order. This is out of courtesy and not for lack of transparency, he argues.
Honored personalities
Former Ministers of Education and Higher Education Sébastien Proulx and Hélène David, who created the Order in 2018, are among the first cohort of emeritus members.
In addition to Messrs. Roberge and Sans Cartier, the three distinguished members promoted this week for the year 2021 are Sandrine Faust, General Manager of Alloprof, Égide Royer, psychologist specializing in helping students in difficulty, and Gilles Boulet, former rector of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, posthumously.
Former Prime Minister Pauline Marois, who created the network of early childhood centers as minister in 1997, was also decorated. His promotion to member emeritus, confirmed in 2020 among the 2019 recipients, had never been ceremonial due to the pandemic.
The Order of Excellence in Education honors three categories of recipients: Members, Distinguished Members and Emeritus Members.
Further details will follow.