Green Party of Ontario addresses inequity in publicly funded schools

Toronto, Ontario – The Green Party of Ontario today called for a Citizen’s Assembly to address the transition to a single school system (French and English), a move which all other provinces have made over the past decade.

“Greens believe in a fair, equitable, and financially responsible school system that enriches learning for all students. All Ontarian's fund our school system, and it is government’s job to ensure that the public has a voice in how that money is spent.” said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

Currently both Public and Catholic boards are funded per student from the same public fund. Canada ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on May 19th, 1976, with the consent of all provinces, including Ontario. In November 1999 and again in November 2005 the same committee censured Canada again for failing to ‘adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario.’

“Our current system operates under a constitutional privilege that dates back to when women were not permitted to vote,” explains Justin Trottier, Green Party candidate for Parkdale High Park. “Other provinces, like Quebec, have achieved a bilateral agreement with the Federal government to unify their school boards so that no particular faith is being funded by the province.”

Recently the issue of inequality in our school system has been underscored by Catholic school boards openly denying students the freedom to form Gay Straight Alliances to create more inclusive environments for students and staff.

“Ontarian's pride themselves on their diversity,” said Toronto Centre candidate and LGBT rights activist Mark Daye. "Our education system needs to reflect that."

The Green Party of Ontario believes that our education system must be fair, equitable and efficient for all students, teachers and families. The Green Party is the only party with a plan to allow Ontarian's to address equality in our school system, by moving towards one publicly funded school system, in French and English.

Green MPP's will:
• Call for a citizen’s assembly to review moving to one publicly funded French and English school system to study and offer recommendations on the constitutional, procedural and logistical issues relating to a single public school system in Ontario. The citizens assembly will provide an opportunity for all Ontarian's to comment on and participate in this important discussion. Citizen input is essential to help determine the best way forward.

Facts:
• Under the Constitution Act of 1982, Constitutional change in an area of provincial jurisdiction (such as education) can be accomplished through bilateral agreement between the province and the Parliament of Canada alone. Ten post-1982 amendments have been made to the Constitution, five of which concern denomination education rights. Quebec and Newfoundland once had denominational school systems. Both provinces modernized their school systems in the 1990s.

• Ontario's school boards are publicly funded according to the province's 'funding formula', which is based primarily on student enrollment. Municipal 'school support' designations have no effect on the amount of funding a board receives. Catholic taxpayers are not the sole supporters of Catholic schools. All taxpayers support all schools.

• Canada ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on May 19th, 1976, with the consent of all provinces, including Ontario. In November 1999, the United Nations Human Rights Committee found Canada in violation of the equality provisions of that Covenant by virtue of Ontario's discriminatory school system. In November 2005 the same Committee censured Canada again for failing to ‘adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario.’

An Open Letter to Ontarians

Dear Neighbours,

Tonight, many of you will watch the only televised Leaders’ debate in this provincial election.

 

I would have welcomed the chance to go head to head with these professional politicians. But I am sorry to say that you won’t have a chance to hear from the Green Party during the debate.

 

Unfortunately, the decision to deny the Green Party a seat at the table for this debate was made by a few non-elected broadcasters meeting in a back-room in collaboration with the three old parties.

 

I know you were looking forward to hearing a voice that reflects your desire to fix politics as usual.

 

To make sure Ontario is leader in the twenty-first century global economy, we must make the connection between a healthy environment and a strong economy. We will lower payroll taxes on local businesses to make it cheaper and easier to create good local jobs and lower income taxes so your money can support our local economy. Our plan to put a price on carbon will create jobs, strengthen our economy, balance the budget and reduce pollution and carbon emissions.

 

We need smart planning that puts clean air, water, land and communities first – instead we have the Liberal’s fair-weather environmentalism where decisions about mega-quarries and gas-plants only come when it’s politically convenient.

 

The Conservatives want to pull us back into the last century with their energy plans that will kill green energy and borrow billions to build expensive, inflexible new nuclear.

 

All of the old parties have irresponsible plans that borrow money to subsidize the wasteful use of energy.

 

The Green Party of Ontario is the only party helping you to save money by saving energy. Our green energy plan starts with low cost solutions that prioritize energy efficiency and conservation. Our plan will create good local jobs across the province and reduce the amount of money the province must spend on new sources of energy.

 

We are the only party dedicated to making family farming a top priority in this province, so we can all enjoy fresh, affordable food on our tables, today, and in the future.

 

We are the only party calling for a smart, fair, equitable school board system with a plan to engage citizens in determining the best way forward.

 

These are tough issues that the Green Party would have raised in the debate. And while the other parties may be too afraid to give us a seat at the table, our voice will not be silenced, nor will it slow our growth. We have policies that will improve your life and our communities today, tomorrow and years from now.

 

We will continue to reach out to Ontarians face-to-face, as our 107 candidates continue to knock on countless doors to earn your trust, and your vote on Oct 6th. We will continue to listen to you and present solutions to the issues that matter to you.

 

In my travels across our great province, I have been awed and inspired to see the commitment and dedication of thousands of individuals – people just like you - making their communities a better place.

 

Please take a moment to check out our platform. It’s time for a better, more sustainable Ontario. It’s time to vote Green so we can work with you to fix politics as usual in Ontario.

 

Thank you,

 

Mike Schreiner

Leader of the Green Party of Ontario

Education Discrimination in Ontario

Greens part of Moving Planet

This weekend, Canadian Greens will be taking part in a global movement to make the shift away from fossil fuels as part of our effort to solve the climate crisis.  Moving Planet, spearheaded by 350.org, is a worldwide rally, with thousands of events taking place in countries across the globe. 

Canadian Green Climate Change Critic Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu will be speaking at the Moving Planet event in Toronto's Queen's Park, along with local Green provincial candidate Mark Daye.  “We are highlighting the importance of green energy, a key issue here in Ontario,” said Mugnatto-Hamu.  “But even more than that, we are highlighting how many Canadians are part of this movement and are ready to take action.”

Deputy Green Leader Adriane Carr will also speak at an event in Vancouver.  “Canadians realize that we need to start the transition to a lower-carbon way of life and we are asking for governments and industry to join with us in taking meaningful action to achieve that goal,” said Carr.

Arctic and Northern Affairs Critic John Streicker is pleased more attention is finally being paid to climate change, an issue that hits close to home.  “We in the North have been seeing the impacts of climate change for many years and are continually taking action, including helping low income community members to bring down their energy costs.  Individual action is key and when we have a global mass action like Moving Planet, we see the power that can come from banding together.”

Candidate Meet and Greet at the Christian Community Centre

 

The event is designed to give residents of the dynamic communities of Regent Park, Moss Park and St. James Town a chance to express the political concerns of people living with poverty.  

The three neighbourhoods are some of Ontario's lowest-income communities and residents want to hear from candidates about issues such as housing, health access and newcomer settlement challenges in the face of Ontario's tough economic times. 

Yonge Street Mission is hosting the event at the Christian Community Centre, located at 270 Gerrard Street East. 

Constituents will meet riding candidates from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m., with a question-and-answer session hosted by Andrew Williams, YSM's Mission Program Officer, taking place from 12:45-1:30 p.m. 

Green Party candidate Mark Daye, Liberal candidate Glen Murray and NDP candidate Cathy Crowe have all confirmed their attendance. Progressive Conservative candidate Martin Abell has declined. 

Child care is available from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m, and interpretation is available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Bengali, Somali, Tamil and Spanish. 

Co-hosts of the event are Regent Park Community Health Centre, Central Neighbourhood House, Dixon Hall, Toronto Christian Resource Centre, Centre for Community Learning & Development Toronto, S.E.A.S. Centre and Yonge Street Mission. 

The provincial election takes place on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011.

Rally to support defunding of Ontario's Catholic schools amassed a small but impassioned turnout.

Green Party of ON Candidate Mark Daye at GSA Rally

By Kelli Korducki

“Ontario Can’t Afford Religious Discrimination” read the banner behind the speaker’s podium at Sunday afternoon’s Canadian Secular Alliance rally to protest public funding of Catholic schools. The costs, as a spirited roster of speakers told a quietly attentive audience outside the Ontario Legislature, are as financial as they are moral. Education Equality in Ontario president Leonard Baak pointed out that institutional duplication means that each Catholic school system student costs $515 more to educate than his or her secular counterpart.

Maybe pragmatic arguments weren’t necessary to sway this small crowd of roughly 100 attendees, many of whom stood toting signs demanding the cessation of faith-based bigotry (and wearing T-shirts gently reminding the world that “Some chicks marry other chicks. Get over it.”). But numbers and dollar signs certainly don’t hurt in lending additional heft to arguments rooted in emotions.

And the emotions were undeniable. Toronto Centre Green Party of Ontario candidate Mark Daye shared a personal account of his previous life as a closeted newlywed and guilt-ridden Catholic who, when he went to his parish priest with a heartfelt plea for guidance, was instructed to pray the gay away. It didn’t work. “The advice that I received, is this the kind of advice that our students need and deserve?”

Read the full story at Torontoist

Green Party candidate Mark Daye at GSA rally, Queens Park

Rally to support GSA at Catholic schools.

The Canadian Secular Alliance held a rally at Queen's Park today to support gay/straight alliances in publicly funded Catholic schools has received endorsements from comedians Rick Mercer, Gavin Crawford, and Elvira Kurt.


Four Green Party of Ontario Candidates attended and three spoke; Mark Daye from Toronto Centre, Tim Grant, Trinity-Spadina, Frank DeJong, Davenport and Justin Trottier, Parkdale High Park.

"This rally is about supporting the rights of students," says spokesperson Kevin Smith. "It is not anti-religious." Some groups were discouraged from attending after making statements deriding religious groups.

A broad spectrum of guest speakers will discuss related issues, including ending tax privileges afforded to separate school systems in Ontario, and provincial educational equity policies that favour religious dogma.

"In addition to the violation of human rights, the province cannot afford over $500 million every year to fund a separate school system for a single religious group," Smith says.

Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/11/09/m1920222/rally-supporting-gaystraight-alliances-attracts-attention-and-support#ixzz1YLOAPBQh

KEEP THE FAITH—BUT NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS

The Canadian Secular Alliance and its allies are hosting a rally in front of the Legislature at Queen's Park on Sunday September 18 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. to demand:

• The end of the over $500 million taxpayer subsidization for the promotion of the Roman Catholic religion. Public funding for the expensive duplicate school system must be eliminated to provide one secular publicly funded school system.

• The protection of equality rights for all students—including gay students—by ending the constitutional privilege afforded Roman Catholics to overrule legislation and the courts in favour of religious dogma.

"Equality for all students means ending privileged access to public schools for favoured religious services," says CSA President Greg Oliver.

Speakers represent a cross section of the religious and non-religious.

More information: http://secularalliance.ca

Toronto Centre Riding Ratepayer Association Debate (Sept. 16th - 6:45 - 9:00 pm)

Rally to support GSA's in Catholic Schools! Please come.

It's Time to Fix Politics as Usual in Ontario

Submitted by Mike Schreiner on Tue, 2011-09-13 12:07

 

Today the Media Consortium came out from behind closed doors just long enough to announce their plans for the debate, which at the moment don't include a seat at the table for the Green Party of Ontario.

I sincerely appreciate the support I have received, from people from all walks of life and all political backgrounds in communities across the province. Thank you. Please know that we will continue to do everything we can to ensure our voice is heard and your issues are discussed during this campaign.

Regardless of what happens, I will continue to travel across the province and speak to Ontarians about sensible, long-term solutions for tackling some of the most important challenges we face today – the disappearance of good, local jobs, rising energy prices and climate change and the sustainability of our public health care system.

I am committed to ending politics as usual. I will continue to stand up for communities by supporting efforts such as the grassroots campaign by community members and farmers to stop the mega quarry and protect our farmland and clean water in Melancthon Township.

We will continue to push the consortium and the other party Leaders’ to support democratic debates, and we will continue to ask important questions that Ontarians care about.  We will also continue to get our message out in every way we can – online, traditional media and the best way of all, by knocking on doors talking directly with our neighbours.

This is just another example of politics as usual, and we need your help to fix it. It’s time for Green MPPs to bring a new fresh approach to politics at Queen’s Park.

I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail,

Mike Schreiner

Petition to Amalgamate Ontario's School System

Mark Daye, GPO Toronto Ctr.

I've started a petition to amalgamate the two school systems in Ontario. Eleven years ago, in 1999 the United Nations Human Rights Committee stated that Ontario's policy on education was wrong and yet we still have separate schools systems today.




It's time to change that.

As CBC reported on November 5, 1999; The United Nations human rights committee says Ontario's policy of fully funding Roman Catholic schools, while denying full funding to other religious schools, is discriminatory.

In moving to comply with the ruling Ontario could do one of two things; extend funding to other religious schools, or end funding to Roman Catholic schools.

Please sign the petition and circulate widely. It's time for real equality in Ontario!

http://www.change.org/petitions/ontario-government-amalgamate-the-taxpayer-funded-catholic-and-public-school-boards

St. Jamestown Debate: Tuesday September 13th

Find me on Facebook

Please visit and 'like' my facebook page.

On my facebook page you will find discussions, events and much more. Check it out.

You can find me on twitter; @theDaye and on Youtube where I've posted a couple of videos on topics that are important to the voters of Toronto Centre. Each video is a short 30 seconds. Please take a look.

Schreiner announces Green Building Program to create 20,000 good local jobs and reduce energy bills

Submitted by Rebecca Harrison on Sun, 2011-09-11 23:15

 

Guelph, Ontario – Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner announced the Green Party’s plan for a Green Building Program today. A Green Building program will reduce energy bills and create thousands of jobs in the construction and trades sector in communities across the province.

“Only the Green Party will deliver sensible, long-term solutions that create jobs and save us money by saving energy,” said Schreiner. “We will not borrow money, like the old parties, to offer short term subsidies that mostly benefit the biggest energy users.”

The Green Building plan would provide $1.6 B in refundable tax credits for homeowners, tenants and businesses over 4 years to invest in energy efficiency and building retrofits.

“When we decrease our consumption we provide real relief to rising energy costs for all Ontarians,” added energy entrepreneur and Guelph Green Party candidate Steve Dyck who’s own retrofits have helped him invest in his local economy and save money. “Eliminating waste and increasing efficiency will make our province more competitive.”

The Green Building Program would create an estimated 20,000 jobs across the province, according to estimates by Robert Pollin Professor of Economics and Co-Director, Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Heidi Garrett-Peltier PERI Research Fellow entitled Building the Green Economy: Employment Effects of Green Energy Investments for Ontario.

“These investments will create green jobs in communities across Ontario,” added Schreiner, “This is something that cannot be achieved with the short term energy subsidies offered by the other parties.”

Ontario is home to numerous businesses that focus on energy efficiency and conservation products and retrofits.

“The kind of Green Building Program that the Ontario Green Party is proposing will create more jobs, have a positive impact on the environment and take Ontario’s economy into the 21st century,” says Stephen Carpenter President of Enermodal Engineering of Kitchener.

The Green Building Program will:
• Provide $800 million in refundable tax credits for home owners and tenants over four years for investments in energy efficiency and building retrofits. This will include an Electric Hot Water Conservation Program for conversion of electric hot water heaters to solar thermal.

• Provide $800 million in refundable business tax credits over four years for businesses to invest in energy efficiency and building retrofits, making our businesses more efficient and competitive.

• Strengthen energy efficiency standards to ensure new buildings use less energy for heating and cooling by revising the Ontario Building Code.

• Set a minimum EnerGuide Rating of 86 for all new buildings by 2013 and ensure all new homes and buildings are solar-ready so owners have the option of easy and affordable installation of future solar investments.

• Develop a long-term strategic plan to move our homes and buildings towards Zero Net Energy, with a time table to raise Ontario’s minimum legally-binding energy efficiency standards for new homes, buildings, appliances and equipment to help reduce our energy bills.

• Make it easier for Ontarians to obtain information and advice on energy efficiency, conservation and building retrofits.

• Require home energy efficiency audits and make the results available to potential home buyers and renters so people can make informed choices regarding the operating costs of their homes and apartments.

• Work with the banking sector to design a provincial program that facilitates “energy saver” mortgages and loans at preferential rates for homeowners investing in energy efficient retrofits.

• Develop an Ontario wide framework for a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program, as an innovative local government solution to help property owners finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements – such as energy efficient boilers, upgraded insulation, new windows, solar installations, etc. – to their homes and businesses.

For more on the Green Party’s 5 Point Plan for Ontario please visit: www.itstimeforgreen.ca

Toronto Centre Green Party Candidate Mark Daye Website Launched.

Visit the new site at: www.markdaye.ca

Follow Mark:
Twitter @theDaye 
Facebook
Youtube

Adopt a Village in Laos Fundraiser

Complete Streets for Toronto Centre

Green Party Leadership Challenges Ontarians to Reject Politics as Usual

Toronto – Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner was joined by Green Party of Canada Leader and Canada’s first elected Green MP Elizabeth May Friday morning at Queen’s Park for a press conference discussing the campaign and upcoming Provincial Leaders’ Debate.

“Politics as usual isn’t working,” said Schreiner. “Attack ads and hyper- partisan politics have interfered with the progress of Ontario long enough. Only the Green Party is presenting a fresh perspective in this election.”

Elizabeth May, recently elected as the MP for Saanich Gulf Islands, was on hand to show her support for the Green Party Ontario campaign, the largest in the provincial party’s history.

“The Green Party of Ontario is the only clear choice for voters who are disappointed with the current political discourse,” said May. “There are questions that need to be asked and only the Greens have the courage and conviction to ask them. This is why, in the interest of democracy, in the interest of intelligent debate, Mike Schreiner needs to be included in the televised Leaders’ Debate.”

The media consortium has not yet responded to the inquiries from the Green Party of Ontario’s request for inclusion in the debates.  In the 2007 general election, the Green Party of Ontario received 354,897 votes, 6 times that of all the minor parties combined. The Greens are running a full slate of 107 candidates across the province and are polling in tight races in several key ridings.

The party has launched the petition website LetMikeSpeak.ca and non-partisan campaigns have been launched on Facebook calling for the inclusion of the Greens. Recently, TVO’s The Agenda announced the Green Party of Ontario would be covered equally with the other parties during the campaign.

“Things in Ontario need to change,” concluded Schreiner. “A vote for the other parties will only result in more of the same. If you think fairness integrity and respect for our communities belongs in Queen’s Park, you think just like we do. It’s time for change. It’s time for Green.”

To find our more about the Green Party of Ontario’s 5 Point Plan please visit: www.itstimeforgreen.ca

Green Party set to launch largest election campaign ever on Wednesday September 7th

Joined by candidates, shadow cabinet critics and supporters, Mike Schreiner will launch the Green Party’s 2011 election campaign from Queen's Park on Wednesday September 7th.  The Green Party was the first provincial party to launch their platform on May 24, offering a bold vision for building a financially, socially and environmentally sustainable Ontario. 

Capitalizing on the momentum from electing the first Green MP in Canadian history, the Green Party of Ontario plans to address major issues currently confrontingOntarians including tackling rising energy costs, the difficult job market, and access to quality health care.

What: Mike Schreiner will launch the Green Party of Ontario 2011 Election Campaign

When: Wednesday September 7th, 2011

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Where:  Legislative Grounds, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON

Greens Want Breakthrough

Toronto Centre Housing