Toronto Catholic School Trustees Plan Legal Meeting Over Government Changes

Trustees at the Toronto Catholic School Board are organizing a meeting to seek legal advice regarding their constitutional rights amid ongoing tensions with the provincial government. This move comes as Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra has indicated that the government may restructure the province’s 72 school boards, potentially eliminating or significantly reducing the role of elected trustees.

During an interview with Global News, Calandra stated that by the end of the year, trustees at Ontario’s 31 English-language public school boards could be entirely phased out. He clarified that while the trustee position in French-language boards would remain untouched, changes to the Catholic school system are likely due to existing constitutional protections. “The Catholic system has a constitutional guarantee with respect to denominational issues within their board,” Calandra explained.

Despite the government’s intentions, Markus de Domenico, Chair of the Toronto Catholic School Board, criticized Calandra’s position as unrealistic. He emphasized that trustees were elected to address pressing community issues, including the need for new schools, repairs, and concerns related to bullying and special education. Currently, trustees find themselves unable to access emails or communicate with parents and staff, prompting them to unify in their efforts to understand their constitutional rights.

In response to the potential changes, de Domenico stated, “This is where the rubber meets the road.” He expressed the board’s intent to hold a meeting at their headquarters to request a legal opinion that would clarify the role and rights of trustees under the constitution.

Section 93 of the Canadian Constitution grants provincial legislatures the authority to create and amend education laws but prevents them from infringing upon the rights of denominational schools. A significant ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2001 affirmed several key rights for denominational school boards, including fair funding and control over both denominational and non-denominational aspects of their educational programs.

Catholic trustees are eager to comprehend how the Ford government interprets these constitutional protections. De Domenico noted, “If we get a legal opinion and we present it to the minister and say, ‘Look, in this case, this case, this case, you’re trampling on our basic fundamental rights since confederation,’ it will be interesting times ahead.”

The outcome of these discussions and the potential legal maneuvers by the Toronto Catholic School Board could have far-reaching implications for the governance of education in Ontario, particularly for the role of trustees in denominational systems amid a climate of significant educational reform.