City of Toronto cancels second race for French-language school board days before municipal election

The City of Toronto canceled a race for French-language Catholic school trustees on Saturday after determining that two out of three candidates were ineligible to hold office.

On election day, Monday, October 24, the race for the position of French-language Catholic school trustee at MonAvenir Catholic School Board, Ward 4, will be canceled according to a city press release, and voters will be asked not to mark their ballot for the position.

The first candidate was declared ineligible on Friday, according to the city, before further information was released on a second candidate the same evening. At the time, the election could continue because there were still two candidates in contention.

According to provincial laws, a by-election occurs when a candidate would be elected by acclamation as a result of other candidates becoming ineligible to stand for election.

The move affects approximately 3,000 French-language Catholic school voters in several City of Toronto wards, including Wards 14-17 and 19-25. The city says information about the change will be sent to affected voters as soon as possible.

The 2nd race for French-language administrators will be canceled

The news comes days after the city canceled the race for French-language public school commissioners at Conseil scolaire Viamonde (Quartier 3 – Center) after also discovering that one of the two candidates was not eligible to occupy a position.

This decision affected approximately 3,700 eligible French-language public school voters in Wards 10 through 14, as well as Ward 19.

A by-election will instead be held for the two affected school districts. Those who voted in advance and by mail will have their ballots voided, the city says, but people can still vote for mayor and councilman.

To stand for election, the city states that candidates must file a nomination and must sign an acknowledgment of qualifications stating that they are qualified to be elected and hold office.

The city says other qualifications include French as a first language still understood, having attended a French-language school in Canada, or having a child who attended or is attending a French-language school in Canada.