Possibility of city buses transporting N.B. students prompts language, safety concerns

N.B. school bus shortage concerns parents New Brunswick students who bus to school in the province’s three largest cities could end up taking public transit to school.

The New Brunswick government is mulling the possibility of city buses taking students to and from school.

The idea is prompting calls from New Brunswick’s opposition parties, that such a move would violate constitutionally protected language rights – specifically, the obligation of separate provincial school systems for Anglophone and Francophone students.

“I think talking to the busing authorities in the cities is just a conversation we can have about how to get our children to school,” says Bill Hogan, New Brunswick’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Fredericton Transit, Saint John Transit, and Codiac Transpo (in Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview) are part of the discussions.

Hogan says the province’s use of public transit for students might help address a shortage of school bus drivers, and avoid the sudden cancellation of school bus routes.

“We’re looking at the shortage of supply bus drivers, which is a real issue,” says Hogan.

Liberal MLA Isabelle Thériault says the use of city busses for school transportation would threaten student safety and language rights.

“When you put in the same group a few Anglophone students and few Francophone students, almost automatically it will switch to English,” says Liberal MLA Isabelle Thériault. “We need to preserve those spaces.”

A discussion about New Brunswick’s education duality and school buses became a flashpoint issue in 2015. Then-NDP leader Dominic Cardy suggested costs could be saved if Francophone and Anglophone students rode the same bus.

The provincial government under then-Liberal Premier Brian Gallant issued a reference question to New Brunswick’s Court of Appeal for clarification. The Gallant government withdrew the question in 2016, saying individual school districts should be equipped to make individual decisions.

Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau says school buses are an extension of the school building.

“What I’ve been hearing today and in the last few weeks is a complete misunderstanding of why language rights are there,” says Arseneau.

Hogan says the use of city buses for student transportation is unique from any discussion about language rights.

“I’ve been involved in no discussions, nor do I plan on being involved in any discussions about having bilingual school busses,” says Hogan. “Trying to call upon the cities to help us where we have challenges? That’s an entirely different thing.”

During Question Period on Friday, Premier Blaine Higgs said the idea of municipal transit authorities bussing students to and from school had come about due to wage increase demands from CUPE, averaging an increase of 25 per cent.

CUPE denies the statement made by Higgs in the Legislature.

“Honestly I have no idea what he’s talking about,” says Iris Llyod, CUPE 1253 president. “I’m quite concerned with the premier because CUPE 1253’s contact isn’t set to expire until March 31, 2024. In fact, we haven’t even started creating anything at this point and we haven’t even given notice to bargain.”

Premier Higgs wasn’t made available to answer questions from reporters after Friday’s Question Period.

Hogan says there’s no timeline for when, or if, the changes will take effect.