November 3, 2006 Highlights

Page Content:

On this page:

1. Legislative Committee Amends Learning to 18 Bill
2. Minister Announces New Guidelines for School Closures
3. NDP Uses Donation to Fund Programs for At-Risk Youth
4. Government Broadens Access to Family Medical Leave
5. Ministry of Finance Pre-budget Consultations

The Legislature adjourned on November 2 for MPPs’ fall Constituency Week.  The break gives MPPs time to commemorate Remembrance Day in their ridings and to catch up with constituency issues.  The Legislature reconvenes on Tuesday, November 14, the day following the municipal elections.

1.  Legislative Committee Amends Learning to 18 Bill

On November 2 the Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly conducted a clause-by-clause review of Bill 52, the Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Learning to Age 18) 2005. The bill proposes to establish an expansion in the number of credits high school students can take outside of the regular school program.  It also proposes to link school attendance to students’ ability to acquire a driver’s license.

There has been widespread concern in response to the bill, particularly from rural communities, about students losing their driver’s license because of failing to complete their high school diploma.  Education stakeholders also have sounded the alarm about the potential negative impact of significantly expanding opportunities for students to acquire credits offered outside the school with few checks and balances to ensure teaching and course standards.  The legislative committee adopted a number of amendments to address these issues.

When asked by Liberal backbencher Dave Levac about the amendments to Bill 52, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne replied:

“We listened to our partners; we listened to the teachers' federations, who are the people on the front line. They are the people who understand how our policies are going to work when they're out in the school. So we made amendments to the legislation that would tighten up some of the language that would guarantee ministry oversight of the agreements between boards and other providers. We made sure that the equivalent learning credit will only be issued by a principal of a school, which was an issue raised by the federations. And we've put safeguards in place to make sure that the standards and guidelines for the equivalent learning procedures will ensure the highest quality of education, wherever the students are learning."

“I want to give credit to all the teachers' federations who worked hard with us. It's the way government should work…”

The bill will be reported as amended for Third (and final) Reading once the Legislature reconvenes on November 14.

2.  Minister Announces New Guidelines for School Closures

On October 31 Education Minister Kathleen Wynne announced new guidelines to govern school closures.  Former Education Minister Gerard Kennedy had issued a temporary moratorium on school closures in order to review the extent to which the funding formula was forcing viable schools to close and to prepare guidelines for more transparent school closing decisions.  The new Ministry guidelines are designed to establish minimum requirements for school boards.

With this week’s announcement, the moratorium is lifted and the Ministry has directed school boards to consider the value of the school to the community when deciding whether to close a school.  Specifically, boards must consider the value of the school to the student, the community, the school board, and the local economy.  The accommodation review process must take place over a minimum period of seven months in order to allow for full public input.

School boards are also required to make their guidelines available at the board office and to post them on the board’s website.

To read the Ministry of Education guidelines, check this link: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/reviewGuide.pdf

3.  NDP Uses Donation to Fund Programs for At-Risk Youth

On October 31, NDP Leader Howard Hampton announced the Ontario NDP was using money bequeathed by Marjorie Black, a former Toronto teacher, to support community programs for at-risk youth.  The $1 million donation is being used to create an annual fund to support United Way-funded drop-in centres in the Greater Toronto Area.

4.  Government Broadens Access to Family Medical Leave

On October 30 Labour Minister Steve Peters announced the Ontario government was expanding the Family Medical Leave program to include relatives of an employee’s spouse and a close friend who is not a direct family member. The Ministry stipulates that individuals in this category must provide their employer, at the employer’s request, with a completed copy of the Compassionate Care Benefits Attestation form that can be obtained from Human Resources and Social Development Canada, www.hrsdc.gc.ca

Under the Family Medical Leave program, an employee can take up to eight weeks of “job-protected” leave to care for a person “with a significant risk of dying within 26 weeks.”  The program is connected to the federal employment insurance program that provides for up to eight weeks of EI benefits for compassionate leave.  The leave, however, is available to employees regardless of whether they apply for the EI benefits.

For more information on the Family Medical Leave program, check this Ministry of Labour fact sheet: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pdf/fs_fml.pdf

5.  Ministry of Finance Pre-budget Consultations

On November 1 Finance Minister Greg Sorbara announced the beginning of the Ministry of Finance’s annual public pre-budget hearings.  In the New Year, the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee of the Legislature will also be conducting pre-budget consultations.

ETFO locals may be invited to participate in the Ministry’s consultation.  If your local has not been contacted, you can determine if and when a hearing is scheduled in your community by checking this Ministry of Finance link: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/consultations/prebud07/