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Proposed home for Mont -Bleu students could displace
public servants
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Hundreds of workers would be affected if students move into Asticou Centre
Amanda (Pfeffer ° CIBC (News ° IPostedn Oct 06, 201 6400 AIV IET 1I (Last Updated: October 6
Some 1,500 stUdernts at IEcolle secondai re Mont.-BleU are beiilrng forced to relocate after their
school) was dairnaged Ihy a tornado and a fiire. ((Radio-Calrnada/IKiiinn Valli&e)
As the federal government considers whether to offer up the Asticou Centre in
Gatineau, Que., to 1,500 high school students from Ecole secondaire Mont -Bleu, the
logistical impact on hundreds of federal office workers is already becoming clear.
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10/9/2018 Proposed home for Mont -Bleu students could displace public servants I CBC News
The students were displaced when the school was struck by lightning as tornadoes
tore through the Ottawa -Gatineau region on Sept. 21.
Some six hundred federal employees currently work at Asticou, however, and it's not
certain they'd be able to stay if the students are relocated there.
Another hundred or so workers who'd planned to move to Asticou this year so their
Ottawa offices could undergo asbestos remediation have also now been told to put
those plans on ice — possibly for months.
Lengthy repairs
The Commission scolaire des Portages-de-I'Outaouais (CSPO), the school board
which includes Lole secondaire Mont -Bleu, asked the federal government for
permission to relocate students to the Asticou Centre.
It could take 10 months for repairs to be complete at Mont -Bleu, according to the
CSPO.
The board says the nearby public service training centre, which was once a high
school, is the obvious choice as a temporary home — and the federal government is
showing signs it's taking the request seriously,
On Thursday, workers at Ottawa's La Salle Academy government facility who were
expecting to move to Asticou during asbestos repairs received an email telling them
to stop packing.
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10/9/2018 Proposed home for Mont -Bleu students could displace public servants I CBC News
"Our workplace continues to be safe and healthy," said the email signed by
Taki Sarantakis, president of the Canada School of the Public Service.
"At this point, no scheduled date has been set for the move from La Salle to Asticou
has been confirmed," the email said. "Please stay tuned for updates in the coming
months."
IPatriick .St -Georges its the vice-president of the IPublliic .SeMce Alliance of Canada's agriculture
union, IH'e says federal) wolrlkers are empathetic with students at IEcolle secondaiire Dont-IPlleu, but
they allso feel) Iliilke they've been heft in the dark about their proposed irelocation to the Astiicou
Centre. (IRa6o-Canada)
'They have lives too'
"It's a pretty dire situation. There are a lot of students displaced," said Patrick St -
Georges, who is with the Public Service Alliance of Canada's agriculture union.
While it's "not an option" for students not to have a place to study, St -Georges said
relocating employees is also difficult, and some feel they've been left in the dark
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10/9/2018 Proposed home for Mont -Bleu students could displace public servants I CBC News
about the plans.
The fact that there are asbestos concerns makes them nervous to stay longer than
necessary, he added.
"They have lives too. They have families, children. We need to have a plan," St -
Georges said.
Moire than 200 students from PlEcolle secondaiire de II'lllle protested over the aiririivall of students at
IEcolle secondaiire Moint-Bleu M GatMeau. (Radio.-Canada/FIlorence Ngu -No)
The CSPO hopes decisions can be made by January.
In the short term, students will beginattending classes Monday at an existing high
school called I'Lole secondaire de I'lle.
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10/9/2018 Proposed home for Mont -Bleu students could displace public servants I CBC News
But even before they move in, tension over the arrangement has led to a protest
at I'Lole secondaire de I'lle.
Sources with the CSPO told CBC News that while Asticou is a perfect choice as a
former high school, it would still need a number of additions, including laboratories,
lockers and sinks.
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