In over 170 participating weekly Ontario newspapers, the following 25-word Network Classified ad appeared during the week of April 14, 2013, sponsored by two individuals.

DO YOU ATTEND, OR PLAN TO ATTEND, A Separate Catholic High School?  Religious programs and courses are not mandatory for anyone.  It’s your choice.  www.myexemption.com

The reason for the exemptions is due to provisions in the Ontario Education Act, starting at section 42(11) but specifically sub-section (13).  The only restriction is one’s location.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90e02_e.htm#BK48

Also see   Exemptions from religion for all in RC high schools

But first, having been mislead in the past by the word “merge” used to describe a system which retains Roman Catholic privilege, you were all advised to cast suspicion on the word.  But the Green Party is using the word “merge” in their policy for one school system.  Therefore, for the benefit of all, I asked for clarification of the Green Party’s use of the word “merge”.  The clarification follows, then read on for Mike Schreiner’s visit with Kathleen Wynne.

Hello Mr. Patterson,

We use the word “merge” because it’s the shortest way to explain it quickly to the general public. But in the details (which I agree are important) this is what we support:

• Public      funding for secular schools only.
• Within      that secular system we would allow for only two school boards systems: one      english, one french.
• No      religious organization would have any role in the administration of school      boards.
• This      policy still allows for any religion to create their own private school –      as some faiths currently do today.

We’ll need to keep using the word “merge” with the general public because otherwise people might un-intentionally start to think we’re going to “close Catholic schools” – when in reality those schools would simply flip to the public school board, etc. It’s important that people never worry about whether or not their local school will close.

As a party we just reaffirmed our position at the last annual general meeting. The full policy statement is here:     http://www.gpo.ca/sites/gpo.ca/files/policy-book/current/ch08.html

Cheers,

Kevin O’Donnell    Deputy Leader, Green Party of Ontario

Now read Green Party leader Mike Schreiner’s message below.  If you follow the link, you will find that the FIRST of his three requests was for ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Dear Friend

Together, our party has achieved another milestone.

Yesterday, I met with the Premier to deliver our priorities for this year’s budget.

Over the past weeks, you shared with me your top budget priorities. These formed the basis of my three requests of the Premier: merge the school boards, save the Experimental Lakes Area, and fund transit properly.   http://www.gpo.ca/statement/schreiner-delivers-strong-message-change-historic-meeting-premier

We are making a difference. That we were asked for the first time to meet with the Premier shows our voice is strong and can no longer be ignored.

Now imagine what it would mean to have a Green MPP at Queen’s Park. We could raise important issues every day. We could introduce and amend legislation. We could make your concerns the concerns of everyone in this province. 

I want to be the first of many Green MPPs at Queen’s Park. You can make that happen. Please donate today to our campaign fund

I promise to keep speaking up for you every chance I get.

Regards,

Mike Schreiner

Leader,  Green Party of Ontario

Catholic schools are the constitutional quirk that won’t go away

By Chris Selley    National Post     April 17, 2013

Most Ontario leaders think publicly funding Catholic schools is unfair. But they won’t do anything about it.

If Ontario were designing its public education system from scratch, nobody would propose funding only secular schools and those run by (and in some cases only for) Catholics. This situation is a constitutional relic, and precisely the sort of unfairness that Canadians generally enjoy weeding out. But when Opposition Leader Tim Hudak visited the National Post editorial board recently, he was surprisingly blunt in opposing change.

For the full article, go to:  http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewContent.act?clipid=813201839&mode=cnc&tag=3.12386%3Ficx_id%3D113352

We hope you like our re-designed website.  Much the same content, but some new stuff too which includes this blog.

For those who have not already read it, inside the site there is a pdf copy of the CRIPE Winter newsletter #110 on the experience of a parent who has had to battle for the law, as spelled out in the Education Act, to be followed by reluctant Roman Catholic  separate high schools.   Specifically, the Act outlines the conditions which the student and school must meet in order for the student to be exempt from the school’s religious programs and courses.  Read the six-page roller-coaster account as a parent spars with the separate-school’s administration.  Click the text below to go directly to the newsletter.

Winter 2013 #110

A petition has been set up on the AVAAZ  site to petition the Ontario Legislature for the implementation of one secular school system where only a course on world religions or history of religion would be offered. 

You are encouraged to read and sign the petition so that religious discrimination in Ontario’s separate school system would be eliminated and the resultant saving due to the elimination of duplication would save of over a billion dollars a year.

And help spread the word.   Go to: 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/One_PubliclyFunded_School_System_in_Ontario/?fVXkfbb&pv=1

In a 1962 decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Mr. Justice Black delivered the opinion of the Court and observed:

“When the power, prestige and financial support of government is placed behind a particular religious belief, the indirect coercive pressure upon religious minorities to conform to the prevailing officially approved religion is plain.”  “…a union of government and religion tends to destroy government and degrade religion.  The history of governmentally-established religion…(has shown)…that whenever government had allied itself with one particular form of religion, the inevitable result has been that it had incurred the hatred, disrespect and even contempt of those who held contrary beliefs.  That same history showed that many people had lost their respect for any religion that had relied upon the support of government to spread its faith.”