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By RICK MACLEAN

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Author and former editor of the Miramichi Leader, Rick MacLean teaches journalism at Holland College in Prince Edward Island. This recently appeared in our sister newspaper, the Mirimichi Leader.]

Louis Robichaud would probably be rolling over in his grave if he knew what’s being done to the education system he fought so hard to reform. years ago, the National Film Board produced a fascinating profile of Little Louis.

Robichaud’s life was rich territory for any biographer.

He overcame the challenges of racism and the disadvantages of being born in the wrong part of the province to become the first Acadian elected premier of this province.

That done, he found the gumption — and political will — to take New Brunswick by the scruff of the neck and haul it, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century. And he did it over the objections of everyone from the power brokers who ran the southern part of this province to industrial giant k. C. Irving, who objected to changes to the tax and economic development systems favouring the south.

Not too shabby.

Before Little Louis, children born in the richer regions — the cities and much of the south — could look forward to attending well-built and well-run schools with teachers who were properly trained to do their jobs. That education then became the springboard to well-paid jobs in just about every field you can name.

Children in the poorer areas — rural communities and the northern part of the province generally — faced a very different fate.

Because the money for education was raised locally, schools and teachers weren’t on the same level for children from those areas. No doubt, teachers did their best, but who knows how many children ended up cutting trees and chasing fish when their real interests, talents and ambitions were elsewhere.

Robichaud’s Liberal government stripped local authorities of many of their powers, including the financing of education. The province took over, ensuring children would get an equal shot at becoming whatever they wished, be it a lumberjack, fisherman or doctor. Money from rich parts of the province was redistributed to the poorer parts. A kid born in a rural area had the same chances as a kid from Fredericton, Moncton or Saint John.

It was called Equal Opportunity. And it was considered, in its day, revolutionary.

That was then. This is now.

Now, a kid growing up in northern New Brunswick, or in rural communities outside the larger centres, can no longer expect to have the same opportunities as someone born into a wealthier town or city.

The provincial government — a Liberal government, ironically — is to blame. Understandably, it’s eager to alter the rules on travel for school athletes in the wake of the horrendous crash last winter of a van bringing the Bathurst boys basketball team home from a game in Moncton.

Under the new rules, the province banned 15-passenger vans like the one used in the Bathurst crash and ordered teams of 10 or more kids to use more expensive to run school buses. It appears groups of parents can use their own vehicles to drive their children to games, if they can afford it.

News reports indicate the province is committing $700,000 to help train drivers about safety measures and inspections, but there won’t be a dime for the added costs of the new rules, said Education Minister kelly Lamrock.

Swell.

It didn’t take long for those who must try to cope with the policy and the lack of money to spell out what this really means.

Parents better be ready to pay higher athletic fees for high school students, said the principal of the school in Salisbury, N.B.

“The costs to rent a school bus, for example, involve a per kilometre charge and also a per hour charge for the driver,” said Bill Robinson of J.M.A.

Armstrong High School. “Often, those buses are used and they’re running with only a few students, but with the options open to us, we really have not had much choice in many instances.”

Maybe, he allowed, there will be enough fundraising done in the community to cover the added costs. If not, pony up the cash.

“We’re looking at an expensive year and we’re hoping that we can continue to offer the programs that we always have,” he told the CBC.

What’s this going to do in smaller communities? Peter Corby of the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association predicts some schools will cut some extracurricular programs because they just can’t find the money.

“In some schools, instead of offering 10 sports in their high school, they may offer only eight,” he said. “Financially, they can’t afford the transportation.”

In other words, children from the wealthier communities and the larger centres, better able to bear the added costs, will continue to enjoy the sports, music and drama opportunities they’ve always had.

Children from smaller communities? Tough break kid. We can’t afford it.

Louis Robichaud’s Liberals considered that utterly unacceptable and refused to let it continue. This Liberal government just shrugs its shoulders.