Mr. Girard, it was with great disappointment that a few days ago we learned of your column “The weight of English-Montreal”.
On reading, it seems clear to us that you are embellishing this sensitive debate with a fine judgment of values with regard to the community of children and parents of Dunrae Gardens (that is to say, a great diversity of English-speaking AND French-speaking citizens).
Let us begin by correcting a semantic detail: the “adjacent land” to which you refer in your text is not a vacant lot on which the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is selfishly seated, but rather the land of children’s games at Dunrae Gardens school.
Let us reframe this debate: there is no question here of a merciless fight between the Anglos and the Francos of Mount Royal against the backdrop of Bills 21 and 96; it is about a community of parents who try to protect the playground of their children, instrumentalized for political ends.
Stereotypes that divide
In your text, you decree that the result of the conflict of the construction of this fourth school “risks being a barometer as to its openness (or closure) of mind”. Are we to understand that opposing a project that will deprive our children of access to their green space would be an act of closed-mindedness?
Rest assured, Mr. Girard: as parents of young children, we are among the best placed to understand the importance of building this school and to encourage this important achievement. It will undoubtedly be difficult for you to believe that the francophone children who are deprived of space are our neighbors, our children’s friends, and even our nephews and nieces. As you claim, there is therefore no issue of coexistence between a francophone and anglophone elementary school.
Rather, it would appear to be you who are being archaic when you discredit the efforts of the Dunrae Gardens community using the linguistic polarization argument.
Consider all the options
Contrary to what you imply – namely that the EMSB is obstructing a project which, otherwise, is progressing well with the collaboration of all the stakeholders -, the EMSB has confirmed to us that it was only asked for one times on the issue of using the Dunrae Gardens playground to build the fourth school. In addition, no official proposal was communicated to him on this subject.
Well informed that you are, you should know that there are other options – for example, the reconversion of the Beth-El Synagogue, which is already adequately zoned, or the use of land which is targeted for the construction of condos. Are you sincerely convinced that the so-called adjacent land would be the only viable option throughout Mount Royal to build a fourth elementary school? We are not so sure.
In conclusion, we hope that our letter will encourage you to show a little more objectivity when in the future you document the developments of this project. We would also like not to be the object of caricatures or stereotypical judgments, which, in addition to the pressure of the potential loss of our schoolyard, constitutes an additional stress for our families to deal with.
We repeat: we applaud and ardently support the construction of an additional school for Francophone children in Mount Royal. We are simply asking that all options be on the table, not just our children’s schoolyard.
Response from Mario Girard
Dear parents, first of all, there is no mention of “wasteland” in my column. I know very well that this ground can be used for the practice of sports. But I also know that the children of Dunrae Gardens school mainly use the space in front of the institution for recreation periods.
I said in my column that the municipality is ready to review the vocation of Mohawk Park for sports.
So why shouldn’t this land host a new French-speaking school? The current situation for students in overcrowded schools is unacceptable.
You talk about “all” the options. Unfortunately, in a small area like Mount Royal, they are not numerous.
In closing, I reiterate the reliability of my sources. I will make a point of following the progress of this file.
Mario girard
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