Tag Archives: The Federation of Urban Neighborhoods of Ontario

Culture

Green Party- merging public & separate school systems would save Ontario $1,300,000,000 pr year

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Delegates at yesterdays Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario general meeting in Toronto- voted in favour of funding secular (non-religious) schools image:ETFO/The Silo

KITCHENER-WATERLOO – Green Party of Ontario candidate Dr. Stacey Danckert was joined by Leader Mike Schreiner in Kitchener to outline the Green Party’s plan to strengthen Ontario’s school system by ending wasteful duplication in the public and Catholic boards.
“With the issue of school cuts dominating these by-elections, the choice for voters is clear,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all children or protect the interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others. Only the Green Party will fight to improve our children’s education with a fair and equitable school system.”
At the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) general meeting in Toronto yesterday members voted in favour of a motion that would see public funding of public education in Ontario be limited to secular [ non-religious-based CP ] schools. Only the GPO is calling for a public commission to study merging the Catholic and public systems.
Ontario is the only province that provides full public funding for a single faith while providing no funding for other faith-based schools. As a result the UN Human Rights Committee has censured Canada in 1999 and 2005 for the discrimination in Ontario’s school system. “McGuinty has repeatedly slammed the door on talking about this issue. Instead he continues to ram the Liberals’ political agenda down the throats of parents and teachers,” continued Schreiner. “Ourchildren deserve a fair and equitable system regardless of their faith or sexual orientation.”
Recently Catholic Schools have come under fire for discouraging Gay Straight Alliances, student-run clubs that promote tolerance for diversity. “The McGuinty Liberals are quick to place the burden on teachers and have failed to recognize how wasteful our system is,” added Danckert.
A study prepared by William J. Phillips, Past-President of The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario Inc. estimates savings from merging the school boards of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion per year. “It’s time to demand a better solution for our children and this province’s future,” added Dancket. “As your first Green MPP in Queen’s Park I will not let the other parties evade this issue any longer.” For the Silo by Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8

Politics

Ontario Green Party still championing merging of public and Catholic school boards

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Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish public input on the possibility of a public school and seperate school board merger. Several other provinces including Quebec have already ended the two-tier system of publicly funded schools based on religion.

May 15th Queen’s Park GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish a public commission to explore merging the public and Catholic school boards. “The Liberals have a clear choice,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all kids or protect the entrenched interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others.”

With schools facing financial and social pressures, the GPO believes now is the time to engage public discussion on modernizing Ontario’s education system.

The GPO believes inaction is failing our kids. At a time when parents across the province are rallying to prevent school closures, the Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to cafeterias, educators, mental health professionals, and support staff. Further, Catholic Trustees are opposing student efforts to stop bullying with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs. Ontario can no longer turn a blind eye to wasteful duplication that compromises quality education and fails to protect at-risk youth.

“The Green Party has the courage to confront social and financial realities,” says education critic and Parry Sound-Muskoka candidate Matt Richter. “Greens want to end expensive duplication and promote an equitable education system where every religion is respected, and no religion is privileged.”

Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador modernized their outdated denominational school systems in the 1990’s. The days of needing to publicly fund Catholic schools to protect a minority religion from discrimination or assimilation are long past.

The GPO believes there is no longer justification for maintaining a separate school system when we face cuts to essential services. The government has never studied the costs of a separate system. However, the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario estimates savings of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion.

The GPO encourages Premier McGuinty to follow his own advice: “If we’re going to bring about more improvement in publicly-funded schools, it is regressive to contemplate segregating our children according to their faith,” McGuinty said. “I want our kids to continue coming together.”

The GPO supports a unified public education system with French and English school boards that prioritize helping all our diverse students meet their full potential.

For The Silo by  Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573  jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario  PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada