The Ontario Progressive Con-
servative party has pledged to directly fund non-
Catholic, faith-based schools that join the public
education system if the party
is elected on Oct. 10.
Provincial PC leader John
Tory made the announcement
while speaking at a June 8
Habitat for Humanity event,
which he attended just prior
to his party’s “Countdown
’07” two-day policy confer-
ence in Toronto.
“I think there are some
things on which you have to
stand on principle, and in this case the principle
is fairness to people of other faiths,” he was
quoted as saying in the Toronto Star.
“John Tory and the PC Party believe that we
need to achieve more effective integration of
Ontario’s increasingly diverse student population
into the mainstream of our province,” the party’s
newly released platform states. “That’s why we
are committed to creating an opportunity for non-
Catholic, faith-based schools to choose to join
our publicly funded education system the same
way Catholic schools have already done.
“Our policy will apply only to faith-based
schools and we believe that the best results would
be achieved through direct funding rather than
through tax credits.”
The Star reported that Tory said he would not
bring back a tax credit for private school tuition,
which was introduced by the previous Conserv-
ative government and repealed by the Liberals.
It was criticized for not differentiating between
faith-based and other private schools, as well as
for not tying the credit to school accountability.
“There will be clear conditions [to ensure only faith-based
schools can qualify for public funding],” Tory said.
Tory also announced that if elected, his party would spend
$800 million to strengthen public education.
Jewish groups that have long been involved in advocating
for funding faith-based schools, and who attended the confer-
ence, reacted with tempered excitement.
In a joint press release, Canadian Jewish Congress and UJA
Federation of Greater Toronto applauded the Tory position,
which mirrors the one the two groups have been recommend-
ing.
“This approach to public education is a welcome step that
will serve Ontario students well,” said Joel Richler, chair of CJC,
Ontario region. “This should not be a partisan issue. It’s simply
the right thing to do.”
UJA Federation chair David Engel echoed Richler’s senti-
ments, saying the announcement reflects that “inclusive public
education should be a reality for all of Ontario’s children.”
Similarly, the Ontario Association of Jewish Day Schools
(OAJDS), which held a Shabbat dinner at the PC conference,
referenced some of the major criteria outlined in the PC agenda
on faith-based education, which included: incorporating the re-
quirements of Ontario’s common curriculum as part of faith-
based curricula; participating in Ontario’s standardized testing
program and appropriately addressing “teacher credentialing.”
In a statement, Stuart Lewis, executive director of the OAJDS,
said he plans to call on all day school presidents to “include
some key statements and updates about this vital community
matter” in their respective graduation addresses this year.
But, Lewis cautioned, “it is important that we only endorse
policy and not any political party or make partisan statements.”
B’nai Brith also praised the Conservatives.
“We welcome John Tory’s pledge for equal funding of
Ontario’s faith-based schools,” said Frank Dimant, the organi-
zation’s executive vice-president. “For too long, the govern-
ment’s discriminatory policy of funding only Roman Catholic
schools… has persisted without reform.”
Jewish schools and schools of other faiths currently receive
no public funding, forcing parents to pay high tuition fees in
order to educate their children, while the government continues
to fund Roman Catholic schools.
The Liberal government has maintained that it’s constitu-
tionally obligated to fund Roman Catholic schools.
It argues that the 1867 Constitution, which sought to protect
existing rights for denominational schools of the time, requires
Ontario to maintain a publicly funded Roman Catholic system.
In 1999, the United Nations Human Rights Committee
(UNHRC) ruled that this funding is discriminatory, violating
Canada’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, saying the need to protect Roman Catholic
funding is now out of step with modern times.
The UNHRC censured the province again on the issue in a
2005 report.