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Teachers protest Thompson visit

Teachers concerned province plans to gut education funding in Ontario.
Education Protestors

THUNDER BAY – Union leaders representing teachers in Thunder Bay want Ontario’s Conservative government to take a long, hard look at proposed cuts to the province’s education system.

About a dozen flag-carrying labour leaders marched outside Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute on Tuesday, while Education Minister Lisa Thompson held a news conference inside the Walsh Street high school.

Rich Seeley, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, District 6 A, said he wanted to make sure Thompson saw the solidarity that’s formed against education budget slashing.

“We wanted to make sure she saw that we’re out here so that she knows there are people who are not supportive of this government’s approach to education, namely, all the education unions,” Seeley said.

“So far, it’s the fact they’re cutting everything. They’re looking at taking out eventually one-in-four teachers out of the classroom and an untold number of support staff. Our problem with this is the fact this is just going to annihilate services for students.”

Seeley said by taking that many teachers out of the system, the number of courses that will be able to be offered by local school boards will also have to decrease.

The Toronto District School Board recently announced it was losing up to $28.7 million in funding from the province and suggested it could mean the loss of 300 courses.

Local board officials say it’s too soon to tell what provincial cuts to education could mean for students and staff at Thunder Bay schools, but expect to have a better idea next week, as planning for the 2019-20 school year ramps up.

Seeley said it’s pretty obvious how things will develop.

“The kids of Thunder Bay are not going to have the same pathway that they’ve had forever, because this government is looking to save money, when really there are other ways they can get around their money problems,” Seeley said.

Asked what assurances she had for the teachers, Thompson said the reality is the province needs to work with all of its education partners to find a solution that works.

“I’ve invited collaboration as well as input and constructive feedback through to the end of this month from all of our education partners. We’re chunking things down and making sure that our education partners know how important they are, that we want to hear from them and that everything is not set in stone, like some people would have people to believe,” Thompson said.

Thompson, who some labour leaders believe is trying to take away teachers’ leverage at the bargaining table by moving up the end of future contracts from Aug. 31, just before the start of the school year, added the province has not cut the Local Priorities Fund.

“To eliminate anxiety and the chaos and the confusion that some people would like to perpetuate out there, I’ve invited our labour partners to the table early. I’m very pleased that OSSTF and CUPE have taken us up,” Thompson said.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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