A New federal Government – Opportunities and Challenges for Teachers in Canada (CTF Report)
The election of a new federal government has opened the door to both challenges and opportunities for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF). The composition of the House of Commons will undoubtedly require the minority Conservative government to re-evaluate its policy platform and attempt to find common ground with opposition members.
Issues such as tax cut proposals, respect for provincial /territorial jurisdiction, the fiscal imbalance, child care initiatives, government accountability mechanisms, international cooperation including foreign aid and trade, immigration settlement resources, minimum sentences for serious crimes, Aboriginal issues, copyright legislation and health care waiting times offer potential for compromise and agreement between the government and one or more of the opposition parties. Such agreements and compromises may impact public education.
This is why it will be critical for CTF and member organizations including ETFO to monitor and influence policy development as our issues are raised in the sitting of the House of Commons.
An essential part of our work will consist of studying the perspectives of the new government, opposition parties, members of their political staff, and the bureaucracy. To position teacher issues so that they resonate with decision-makers, the CTF executive and board will develop a strategy which will include key messages and a communication plan.
Our current priorities focus on ensuring that CTF, as a national voice for teachers, advocates for public education here and abroad. Issues related to the health and well-being of children, youth, and their families, as well as international development are paramount to CTF and its member organizations.
Our concerns include Aboriginal youth education, copyright and the use of the Internet in the classroom, children and youth with physical and mental challenges, Francophone children in a minority context, immigrant and refugee children, international trade agreements, and Canada’s commitment to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. CTF and its coalition partners will be working to sustain and augment levels of development assistance to meet Canada’s global responsibilities.
CTF issues that run parallel with the federal government’s agenda have potential support from one or more of the opposition parties. We will need to develop more sophisticated long-term strategies to help build public support for those issues where there is no clear ally in the House.
CTF looks forward to working with ETFO and other member organizations to monitor policy development and to remind the federal government of the promises made to Canadian teachers during the campaign. These were published in our report, Federal Party Leaders: Our Questions – Their Replies, which is posted on the 2006 federal election page: www.ctf-fce.ca/bilingual/Election2006/Election.htm. You can also contact us for a PDF copy of the entire document by email: info@ctf-fce.ca
Collectively, our work will promote the need for quality public education. These actions will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on our members’ efforts to improve learning conditions for students and working conditions for teachers in Ontario and across Canada.
