May 19, 2006 Highlights

On this page:

1. Bill 78, the Education Statute Amendment Act (Student Performance)
2. Safe Schools Program to Fund Kids Help Phone
3. Resignation of MPP Gerard Kennedy
4. Education Funding Shortfalls
5. P3 Hospitals

The Legislature adjourned on May 18 and will be recessed until Monday, May 29 to allow MPPs to return to their ridings for the annual spring Constituency Week.

1.  Bill 78, the Education Statute Amendment Act (Student Performance)

Following the public hearings on Bill 78, the Standing Committee on Social Policy conducted a clause-by-clause review of the bill and adopted a number of minor amendments. 

The First Reading version of the bill reduces the term of those elected or appointed to the governing council of the Ontario College of Teachers from 10 to six years (two three-year terms).  The committee amended the bill to extend the term by one year to allow for two six-month extensions if necessary.  Since the college was established in 1996, the government has used the ability to extend the term of office by six months twice. The bill was also amended to provide for peer review for principals and vice-principals on discipline-related matters.

The bill was reported to the Legislature for Third Reading. The Third Reading vote is expected to occur during the week of May 29 – June 1.

2.  Safe Schools Program to Fund Kids Help Phone

On May 16, Education Minister Sandra Pupatello announced the government was providing $3 million over a three-year period to expand the capacity of Kids Help Phone to counsel students who are dealing with bullying issues.

The support for Kids Help Phone is part of a broader safe schools program already underway.  To support bullying prevention, the government has also provided $1,500 per elementary school and $2,000 per secondary school to fund training and resources.  Bullying-prevention training is already in place for principals and vice-principals and will continue through to 2007-08.  Training for teachers will begin in the next school year.  The government expects 9,700 teachers to benefit from the training.

In addition, the Ministry of Education has appointed a Safe Schools Implementation Co-ordinator to assist school boards and promote best practices.  The Ministry has established a Registry of Bullying Programs as a resource: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/bullyprevention/.  School-based Safe School Teams are also being established and include a teacher, the principal, a parent, and a student.  The teams are performing school safety audits to assess both the physical safety and social climate of their schools.

In response to the announcement, PC Education Critic Frank Klees stated there was nothing new.  He asked why the Minister of Education had failed to meet with representatives of Lions Quest who would like to see their program introduced to schools.  Lions Quest is a program sponsored by Lions Clubs International.

NDP Education Critic Rosario Marchese also charged there was no new information. He contended the government has failed to deliver on its commitment to overhaul the Safe Schools Act, an act that many have argued has led to a dramatic increase in school expulsions and students left to fall between the cracks. He further maintained that, while the Ministry of Children and Youth Services was channelling $600,000 to assist youth who come in conflict with the law, more resources need to be allocated to provide programs, like tech courses and industrial arts, to help keep students from dropping out of school.

3.  Resignation of MPP Gerard Kennedy

On May 18, Parkdale-High Park MPP Gerard Kennedy announced he was resigning his seat to devote his full attention to the federal Liberal leadership race.  Mr. Kennedy resigned from Cabinet on April 5 and has been absent from the Legislature since that date, reappearing only on May 16 to make a testimonial statement in support of those individuals and organizations from his riding that have supported him over the years.  Both Opposition parties regularly expressed concern over his absence.

A byelection to replace Mr. Kennedy must be held within the next six months.

4. Education Funding Shortfalls

On May 18, NDP Education Critic Rosario Marchese pointed to yet another example of school boards looking to alternative sources of funding. He pointed to the example of the Toronto District School Board seeking donations from the United Way. According to media reports, the board is considering accepting funds the United Way receives from the Ministry of Education to support before and after-school programs, social workers and literacy programs.  He asked the Minister when the government was going to fix the funding formula.

The Minister responded:

“I appreciate the question from the education critic in the NDP caucus. I will tell this member that in fact our government, over the last two years, has invested $2 billion in the education system. And it hasn't just been poured in willy-nilly through grants to boards; we have been very specific about what we're requiring… We are funding the system. And I am proud to say that we are partnering with this particular school board. We know they need help and we will be there for them.”

5.  P3 Hospitals

On May 16, NDP Leader Howard Hampton raised concerns about the government’s public-private partnership (P3) approach to building hospitals.  He stated:  “Your Brampton private-finance hospital scheme will divert $175 million away from patient care and into corporate profits. But this weekend the people of Sarnia delivered a clear message to you. They voted 96% in favour of a publicly funded hospital.”  He asked if the Premier would listen to the people of Sarnia.

Premier McGuinty replied:

“I get the sense that there is more of a political movement attached to those who are opposed to this hospital construction plan than there is genuine concern about the future of medicare. I say that as the Premier of a government that was proud to bring into being here in the province of Ontario the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act.”

In response to a supplementary question, he added:

“I'm very confident in saying that we are on the side of the majority of Ontarians in every community who are eager to see new hospital construction take place in their community. I think this is a very important issue for Ontarians to wrap their minds around. I look forward to continuing to debate it with my friend opposite, now and during the course of the campaign."

“I think it's important to understand that what we have in place now is a government that is prepared to do what is necessary to ensure that we have in place, as quickly as possible, public hospital corporations with volunteer governance bodies. We're talking about public hospitals here that are publicly accountable, publicly controlled and publicly owned.”