Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott
MPP Ted Arnott Encourages Reasonable Compromise
and Quality Education in Legislature
Government Extends Olive Branch to Restore Extracurricular Activities
Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott again raised two key subjects in education for his constituents, achievements in quality and a reasonable compromise to end the war of words with teachers' unions and restore extracurricular activities in Ontario's schools.
Mr. Arnott commended the school boards serving Waterloo-Wellington for students' results on the Provincial grade ten literacy test in a statement and raised extracurricular activities in a question to the Minister of Education. Both took place in the House on May 7, 2001, the same day that the Minister announced a compromise plan.
“I am very pleased that the Government has put forward a positive and constructive solution that should give the teachers' federations every reason to resume extracurricular activities. Now we must all resolve to put the interests of students first,” said Mr. Arnott.
In his response to the Throne Speech on April 23, the opening debate of this session, Mr. Arnott called for a reasonable compromise that would put an end to the war of words between the teachers' unions and the Government.
Approximately a year ago, he raised that case in Caucus and argued that the Government should have amended Bill 74 and withdrawn the section that would have forced teachers to provide extracurricular activities provided that the unions agreed to stop using the activities as bargaining chips. The government initially responded by keeping the section but not proclaiming it into law.
Along with additional resources and flexibility around the definition of instructional time, the Government has now stated its intention to appeal Bill 74 and withdraw the section written to make extracurricular activities mandatory.
In raising the successes on the grade ten literacy test in the Waterloo Public School Board, the Waterloo Catholic School Board, the Upper Grand District School Board, and the Wellington Catholic School Board, Mr. Arnott shared different achievements that the boards submitted to him and said:
“..I commend the trustees, board officials, teachers, students and parents for putting quality first and putting students first.”
Mr. Arnott's provincial riding of Waterloo-Wellington includes all of Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich Townships, a southwestern part of the City of Kitchener, and much of Wellington County.
-30-
Further Information:
Ted Arnott, M.P.P.
Waterloo-Wellington
(519) 787-5247 / 1-800-265-2366
* Hansard Record of Mr. Arnott's question and statement enclosed
|
