English School Boards Election Systems Study Panel 2015

The Election Systems Study Panel (ESSP), launched in June of 2015 and sponsored by the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), the English Parents’ Committee Association (EPCA), the Québec Community Groups Network (QCGN) and the Québec Federation of Home and School Associations (QFHSA), is an independent volunteer Panel consisting of five members of the English Minority Community (EMC). Chaired by the Honourable Marlene Jennings, former Member of Parliament, other Panel members include former Assistant Deputy Minister from the Ministry of Education Leo La France, Executive Director of Townshippers’ Association Rachel Hunting1, President of QFHSA Brian Rock, and Vice‐President of EPCA Rhonda Boucher. The Panel’s mandate included the review of numerous election systems as well as the current system of universal suffrage for the selection of Commissioner and Chairs; consultations with English Minority organizations and individuals with expertise on the various options; a review of past elections; and making recommendations for the four sponsor organizations to present to the Québec government. The Panel investigated all system options through the prism of Official Language Minority Community (OLMC) Constitutional Rights