The legal process has been long and tedious. However, we are confident that the evidence that was presented to the court is solid, and will result in schools that better meet the needs of the Francophone community in British Columbia. We remain confident that, even though we’ve had to invest a great deal of effort and resources in this legal process, our case is just and worthwhile, and that our children and future generations will reap benefits from it.

 

The next steps will be the filing of written submissions (documents summarizing the evidence), which must be filed in court soon, as well as the oral arguments (verbal summaries of each party’s arguments in court), which are scheduled to begin on November 23 and will last several weeks. After that, all that’s left is to wait for Justice Russell’s decision. Justice Russell will analyze the facts and the law before delivering a judgment. This could take several months, so some patience may be necessary!

 

Remember that the lawsuit is the biggest case led by BC Francophones since the legal cases in the 1990s regarding education. Several schools are now too full, obsolete, or do not have the space to foster community life. They are often difficult to reach, or require school bus transportation that takes too long. Following the judgment, the CSF and the Fédération des parents hope to receive what the Francophone community is entitled to under the Canadian Constitution: new schools that are truly equivalent to the schools in the Anglophone system; schools that will satisfy their communities’ needs.