Ontario’s newly appointed education minister MPP Liz Sandals is looking for ways to remedy the rift between the province and its English school teachers and return full extracurricular activities to schools.
Sandals, reached at her Toronto office, said she expects to talk with union officials representing the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in the near future.
“I think the first thing we need to do is rebuild the relationship with the education partners, the union and non-union staff and the school boards,” she said in a telephone interview with the Advertiser.
Sandals brings considerable credentials to the education portfolio, having served as president of the Ontario Public School Board’s Association and as parliamentary secretary to Premier Kathleen Wynne when she was education minister. Sandals was first elected in 2003, but has never served in cabinet.
As parliamentary secretary, Sandals said she has contacts within the teachers’ unions that she hopes will make talks on restoring extracurricular activities possible.
“I know some of these people,” she said. “Hopefully we have that past history of working together.”
The new education minister said talks will not include re-opening of government-imposed contracts with public and secondary school teachers.
“We’re not re-opening the contracts,” she said. “The reason is we have a new premier, but not a new pot of money.”
Sandals noted some schools continue to see extracurricular activities on hold, while others have carried on with regular activities.
“We need to see where there’s common ground,” she added.
Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) chairman Mark Bailey said the board is “pleased” with Sandals’ appointment as education minister.
“Liz was removed from the tension with the unions,” Bailey said of the previous rift between the unions and former education minister Laurel Broten. He’s hoping with a new minister and new premier, differences can be worked out.
ETFO president Sam Hammond congratulated Sandals on her appointment in a press release issued after her swearing in ceremony on Feb. 11.
“Minister Sandals brings important experience to the education portfolio,” Hammond said. “Along with serving as former parliamentary assistant, she chaired the Safe Schools Action Team, which laid the groundwork for the Keeping Our Kids Safe at School Act, 2009. We look forward to working with premier Wynne and minister Sandals to continue building a strong education system in Ontario.”
OSSTF president Ken Coran also extended congratulations in a News release.
“The appointment of a new minister of education is a move in the right direction,” said Coran. “Our hope is that Liz’s experience in public education and her understanding of the importance of the people who work within it will contribute to a process of rebuilding the trust and respect that has been lost because of the actions of her predecessor.”
“It is our hope that Liz Sandals will work with us to find solutions to the current political impasse. We want solutions that work for all sides so that we may move forward together.”
Doug Cook, president of ETFO District 18, which represents almost 1,200 teachers with the UGDSB, said the union is looking for ways to improve relations with the government.
“Liz is clear we have to have a system that works for us,” Cook said.
He wants future contract talks to result in a clear understanding of what the sides want and allow the government to “engage in good faith.”
“In the next round we have to have some framework where power can’t be abused,” Cook added.
District 18 OSSTF president Paul Rawlinson could not be reached for comment by press time.
