“Education is our business!” insists the CSQ

Back to school 2026–2027

 With the start of the 2026-2027 school year just around the corner, the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) and its school system federations are reminding people that education must be a top priority in the upcoming election campaign.

“I don’t want to resort to clichés, but it’s important to understand that we’ve reached a tipping point: this is a sink or swim moment for education. Over the past 20 years or so, we’ve been subjected to a succession of governments that have tried to patch up and piece together a school system. What we need isn’t a “rebranding” campaign of announcements and “magical” ideas designed for 30-second clips, but rather a government that has the political courage to do the in-depth work that’s required,” said CSQ President Éric Gingras.

In a joint press conference, Gingras and the other school network presidents, Richard Bergevin of the Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE-CSQ), Éric Pronovost of the Fédération du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS-CSQ), and Carolane Desmarais of the Fédération du personnel professionnel de l’éducation du Québec (FPPE-CSQ), were unanimous in their view that this new school year is intrinsically linked to the upcoming election campaign.

“Our thoughts are especially with the students right now. Back-to-school season is an exciting time. It’s also a time of endless possibilities, for the staff as well as students. And it’s the staff who are on our mind—the efforts they make day in and day out to help students of all ages succeed, the energy they invest without hesitation to ensure that everything runs smoothly. But at what cost?” said Éric Gingras.

Year after year, statistics on staff shortages dominate the public discourse starting in mid-August. While this is a major issue, the CSQ and its federations believe we’re not seeing the forest for the trees.

“The ongoing staff shortage is a serious societal issue. We’re struggling to attract and, more importantly, retain staff, not to mention the fact that those who remain are at risk or are simply not doing well. The numbers are manipulated to paint the desired picture; we settle for meagre improvements in the metrics and are almost content just to have an adult in the classroom. Surely we can do so much better than this—we absolutely must do better! There is fundamental work to be done, a project to be undertaken collectively, and a vision to be developed. But we need a government that will have the political courage to take matters into its own hands and to look beyond short-term electoral gains.”

Change in education requires in-depth reflection

The CSQ and its federations believe that in order to reform the social contract in education, we need a broad collective reflection involving all stakeholders in the education sector, a request the CSQ has been making for several months and has also brought to the attention of the various political parties.

The challenges facing the education system lie in its very foundations and in the overarching mission of education. “The public is supportive of education staff. It’s the lack of resources, structures and infrastructure that is at the heart of the problem. And the government’s policy choices only serve to exacerbate the breakdown of trust. That’s what we’ve been working on here at the CSQ: we’ve updated our strategic directions through a major initiative undertaken with our members, and we’re preparing to launch our new platform of demands. In other words, the CSQ is ready to engage in a major reflection on education, and we will continue to talk about this in the coming months,” said the union leaders.

“We want to talk about academic success for young people, equal opportunity, and diversity in schools and society. We want to talk about education, for real. We want a plan—a collective project that will shape and inspire the Quebec of tomorrow. And we sincerely believe that there is no more promising collective vision for Quebec’s future than having a plan for our education system that stems from a social consensus. “

Listening to teachers

During this election season, the FSE-CSQ is calling on all political parties to listen to teachers. One of the network’s key priorities is ensuring the quality of educational services, which requires concrete and effective solutions to alleviate the teacher shortage. FSE teachers support the idea of a comprehensive review and have clear expectations for a long-term vision.

“First, we must support the teachers currently on the job by giving them some breathing room. We also need to provide better support for the next generation of teachers, as well as for those who need to complete their training to become fully qualified. We’ve made many proposals to this end, such as exit interviews, and we will be closely monitoring their mandatory implementation and the increased awareness that will necessarily result from them.” – Richard Bergevin, President, FSE-CSQ.

The end of protected measures

 “As we enter a pivotal election campaign, candidates must take a clear stand on the future of education and recognize the critical role of school support staff. Violence remains a very real issue in our communities, and it is time to take action rather than wait for new reports. Over the next school year, we will be closely monitoring budgetary guidelines, particularly to ensure that the end of protected measures does not lead to setbacks, especially in school-based childcare services. Funding allocated for children with special needs must meet its targets. Every student is entitled to appropriate and adequate support that meets their needs on an ongoing basis, from morning until the end of the day.” – Éric Pronovost, President, FPSS-CSQ.

Student services on the decline

“Education professionals love their schools and continue to believe deeply in our public system. That said, we must stop thinking that we can always do more with less. When 67% of professional staff tell us they’re seeing a decline in student services, it means we’ve reached a limit. Equal opportunity isn’t just a nice abstract concept; it is at the very heart of the school’s mission and is even enshrined in the Education Act. But we still need the political courage to give it concrete meaning by providing all students, regardless of their region or their reality, with the services they need to succeed.” – Carolane Desmarais, President, FPPE-CSQ.