Members of a Moncton highschool band, who had been busy rehearsing and fundraising for a visit to New York Metropolis for months, came upon 9 days earlier than leaving that the journey was cancelled.
The varsity district says the choice was made as a result of political local weather in america, amid the continuing commerce conflict between that nation and Canada.
However mother and father and college students at École L’Odyssée says they had been by no means consulted concerning the choice, and are disenchanted with the cancellation.
“It began when our son hopped within the automobile after I picked him up after rehearsal and he stated, “Journey’s cancelled’ and figuring out it was April 1, I stated, ‘Oh an April Fools’ joke?’” stated Andy Peterson, whose son Erik is a Grade 10 pupil within the band.
“And no. Actually, the opening line of the e-mail from the music instructor was: ‘This isn’t an April Idiot’s joke.’”
The e-mail despatched to folks stated the journey was cancelled as a result of the provincial authorities determined to cancel all non-essential college journeys to america.
When requested about this, a spokesperson from the Division of Training informed World Information that no such directive was issued and that choices on journey are made by every college district’s superintendent.
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“Given the local weather that we’re in politically and such we had zero apprehension as a result of we all know how a lot planning has been completed,” stated Peterson.
“We all know how a lot expertise that their music instructor has in doing this and getting ready.”
In an electronic mail despatched out to folks on Wednesday, Francophone South College District Superintendent Monique Boudreau stated the choice was made with the help of the schooling minister and that within the present sociopolitical context in america, the district safety dangers.
Within the electronic mail, which was written in French and translated by World Information, Boudreau additionally stated they didn’t need to expose college students to “probably unpredictable conditions, notably on the border.”
Peterson says he and different mother and father need this choice reversed, and extra transparency from the district.
“Take some duty, meet with the mother and father, take us by means of your thought course of,” he stated.
On Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson with the varsity district informed World Information the choice to cancel the journey was a “precautionary choice” after discussions with the schooling division.
Geneviève Chiasson wrote that the district anticipated receiving tips from the province on suspending non-essential journey to america.
“Understanding that the (college band’s) departure was quick approaching, we selected to behave rapidly—with the division’s settlement—to tell the affected households earlier than the official launch of these tips,” she wrote.
“Nonetheless, following our announcement, the federal government finally determined to not transfer ahead with travel-related tips this week. As a substitute, we had been suggested to make use of essential considering when assessing any non-essential journey to america.”
She went on to say that it’s not potential to reschedule the journey.
When requested in the event that they had been making comparable choices on American journey, a spokesperson for Anglophone East College District stated the rules are set by the province.
And a spokesperson from Anglophone College District West stated it isn’t approving any new journey to america, however journeys that had been already booked and accredited “previous to the present scenario” will proceed for the remainder of the varsity 12 months.
© 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
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