Mary Fowler, a teacher and president of the Durham Teacher Local, has been elected vice-president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO). Fowler served on the ETFO provincial Executive from 2017 to 2021 and from 2022 to present.  

“History has shown us how much we can achieve when we stand united. We have stood up to the provincial government and others like them, and we will again,” says Fowler. “Our strength, our power, comes from our 83,000 members. It’s only together that we can look ahead, face the challenges in the workplace and the broader political environment, and build a shared future.” 

Fowler began her teaching career in 2009 at the Durham District School Board. She taught core French and French Immersion in grades 1 and 3. She served as a steward from 2010 to 2016, and was a member-at-large, treasurer, second vice-president, and first vice-president of the Durham Teacher Local before being elected president in 2019. 

Provincially, Fowler was a member of the ETFO Political Action Standing Committee, graduated from Union School, Collective Bargaining Academy, and Sisters in the Struggle, and was a mentor in the ETFO Women's Mentorship Program. She is president of the Durham Labour Council, is a governor of the Ontario Teachers' Federation, and has represented ETFO members as a delegate to both Ontario Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress conventions. Fowler was the NDP candidate for Oshawa in the 2015 federal election. 

ETFO represents approximately 83,000 members, including public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, designated early childhood educators, education support personnel, and professional support personnel. Visit BuildingBetterSchools.ca.