Publicly funded religious schools: anachronism or basic fairness?
So the provincial Tories are proposing that the government start funding religious schools in the province on the same basis that they currently support the Catholic boards. The Tories say it's a matter of basic fairness. The United Nations has weighed in in the past and also says it's discriminatory to fund one religious group but not the others.
The Liberals say that the system is fine as-is: one public system and one Catholic system. Extending provincial funding to other religious communities would be a drain on strained resources.
The NDP's position is basically the same as the Liberals'.
The Green Party, for whatever it's worth, say the solution is to end funding for the Catholic system and have just one public system funded by the province. This would require a constitutional amendment to get rid of the clause in the BNA Act establishing public and separate boards of education in Ontario. Similar amendments have been passed by Quebec and Newfoundland in recent years.
Any bets on whose position will get the most support?
The Liberals say that the system is fine as-is: one public system and one Catholic system. Extending provincial funding to other religious communities would be a drain on strained resources.
The NDP's position is basically the same as the Liberals'.
The Green Party, for whatever it's worth, say the solution is to end funding for the Catholic system and have just one public system funded by the province. This would require a constitutional amendment to get rid of the clause in the BNA Act establishing public and separate boards of education in Ontario. Similar amendments have been passed by Quebec and Newfoundland in recent years.
Any bets on whose position will get the most support?