Conservatives will offer funding to faith-based schools, if elected
By Bill Rea

Local reaction is mixed to last week's announcement that John Tory will seek ways to extend funding to Ontario faith-based schools, if he forms the next government.

The leader of the Progressive Conservative party announced he will set up a commission, headed by former premier Bill Davis, to review options and make recommendations on how Ontario's public school system can be made more inclusive of faith-based schools.

"Ontario has funded faith-based education to varying degrees since Confederation," said Tory. "This inclusive approach has proven to be successful in managing and respecting religious diversity within public education. It has taught children of different of ethnicities and faiths to value our respective religious and cultural heritages, while also being unified by common standards and equivalent experiences."

He also stipulated this public funding will require public accountability, including requirements regarding curriculum, standardized testing and teacher certification.

Tory addressed the issue again for reporters when he was in Barrie last Wednesday, pointing out there are some 53,000 students attending faithbased schools in Ontario, and he wants to bring them into the public system.

The announcement was hailed by local Progressive Conservatives, and eyed guardedly by other parties.

York North MPP Julia Munro, who is running in the York - Simcoe in this year's provincial election, observed this reflects an end to discrimination that has been identified by faith schools for a long time. She was also pleased with the provisions that these schools will have to adhere to the province's curriculum and other standards to be eligible for the support.

"At the end of the day, you want all children having equal opportunity to education," she remarked.

Munro also agreed there have been complaints over the years about the duplication between two school boards in the same jurisdictions, but that's not likely to be as much of a problem. The party is not talking about creating more school boards, she pointed out, adding there will be a lot of flexibility in determining how individual schools are funded.

Phil Bannon, PC candidate in Oak Ridges - Markham was pleased that the party's plans will provide equal opportunity for all faiths.

"I think it's a good idea," he said. "I think it's only a bonus for the system and the individual school programs.

Bannon added Ontario used to have the best public education system in the world, and said that opening it up to faith-based schools will help expand the quality of education.

"I think the school system has been neglected financially," he charged, adding the PCs are going to change that, if elected.

"Obviously I'm opposed," commented Dr. Helena Jaczek, who will be carrying the Liberal colours in Oak Ridges - Markham in the coming campaign. "It's a step in the wrong direction. We need to keep our kids in school together."

She did agree that the right of Catholics to have their own schools is protected under the Constitution, and it would take a "huge constitutional battle" to change it.

"Catholics do form a very large part of the Ontario population," she observed, adding she has been encountering few complaints about the duplication of school boards. "I find very little at the door."

Jaczek also commented the province is coming off about four years of labour peace in the education system. "Why add any disruption?"she asked.

John Gilbank, Liberal candidate in York - Simcoe, called the announcement "a little bit unsettling."

He pointed out the current Liberal government, under Premier Dalton McGuinty, has been trying to restore health to public education funding, with schools getting back on their feet after budget cuts from previous PC governments.

"There has been no fighting in the last three and a half years," he remarked. "John Tory is suggesting heading to the Harris days again."

He added a move like the one Tory is proposing is going to create divisions along economic and religious lines.

"Each year, we are going to see greater divisions," he warned.

"The best solution for Ontario is having the best publicly funded school system possible," he added, arguing more separation will be "divisive to society and damaging to the kids."

Nancy Morrison, NDP candidate in York - Simcoe, wasn't impressed with Tory's either.

"John Tory's plans will considerably weaken the public school system, which is already struggling financially," she declared in a statement she issued Thursday. "Unless private schools are 100 per cent funded, which from what I read John Tory won't give specifics into how much of the private school costs will be funded under his plans, it will still separate the haves from the have nots for the private schools."

"Education should be of equal quality and accessible to everyone in Ontario, regardless of financial or religious status," she added.

But the announcement was good news for Elizabeth Crowe of Schomberg, local trustee and chair of the York Catholic District School Board.

"We've always supported funding for other faith-based schools," she declared, agreeing these schools should be made accountable for the money.

She added various options are available for delivering the funding, including using an existing board as an umbrella board for that purpose.

"There are a lot of issues to address," she said, adding she hopes the Ontario Catholic School Trustee's Association will have the chance for some input.

Repeated attempts over the last week to obtain comment for Gord Kerr, local trustee in the York Region District School Board, were unsuccessful.