Our Commissioners
The Western Québec School Board is governed by a council of 16 commissioners. These 16 commissioners are either elected every four years by eligible voters whose names are on the territory’s English Electors List, or appointed under the Education Act as parent-commissioners, respecting school-level elections (Parents’ Committee and governing boards). At WQSB, they are 11 elected commissioners each representing a particular ward on the territory, 4 Parent Commissioners and 1 Chairperson who is elected by universal suffrage.
Meetings of the Council of Commissioners generally occur once a month. Commissioners have important responsibilities defined in the Education Act of Québec. They have the responsibility to inform the Council of the needs and expectations of the population as well as to contribute to defining the school board’s directions and priorities.
They are tasked with ensuring the schools and centres receive adequate support and see to quality of the educational services. They ensure the school board’s human, material and financial resources are managed effectively and efficiently. Finally, they carry out mandates granted by Council to provide information to the other council members on any specific matter.
In addition to these, commissioners, collectively, through the authority of Council, set policy, oversee the development and monitoring of the school board’s Commitment to Success Plan, approve contracts and adopt the annual budget of the Western Québec School Board.
Meet our Chairperson, Joanne Labadie
Chair Joanne Labadie brings with her extensive governance experience, having served on numerous boards over the years, including as the former Mayor of the Municipality of Pontiac. Until recently, she held the position of political aide to a Member of Parliament and is currently employed by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Joanne served as the Commissioner for Ward 11 on the Council of Commissioners for a decade before being elected Chair in November 2024. Prior to this, she served 8 years as a member of the governing board of Eardley Elementary School, where her three children were enrolled.
A proud alumnus of D’Arcy McGee High School, Chair Labadie is steadfast in her commitment to advocating for the advancement of high-quality English-language education in Quebec.
In light of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding English-language school boards, particularly regarding the appeal of Bill 40, Chair Labadie’s substantial political expertise positions her to effectively advocate for minority language rights, with a specific emphasis on education for her community.
