Dalton McGuinty

Teachers often talk about coming to our profession as one  comes to a calling.

It has been some 25 years since Ontario last had a minority government.

Members of provincial parliament met with ETFO presidents and executive members at an informal breakfast gathering.

In  September  Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty sparked a  string  of  debates among  Canadian teachers,   students, parents, and  the  public at large  with  his  comments  about  the  use  of cell phones in  the classroom.  Initially negative images were conjured up in people’s  minds:  students

Is there any time in the school year that is more hectic than the  fall?  Arguably, all  seasons are jam-packed, but the start of a school year seems to be especially busy. At  OTF, autumn brings a whirlwind of  activities and events.

Last  fall, after reporting that the province is facing a $24.7 billion deficit, Premier McGuinty and  Finance  Minister  Dwight  Duncan  began to muse publicly about how to cut government costs.

The Liberal  government has  passed  the halfway  mark of its second term. With less than two years before the  next provincial election,  will   its  record  allow  Premier Dalton McGuinty to retain his “Education Premier” moniker and secure re-election for a third term?

The  Ontario  government took  a  courageous step in October when it announced that it would go ahead with full-day kindergarten. It’s  great news for  children, parents, and for Ontario. And it is also great news for ETFO and for our members who teach kindergarten.

For a dramatic several days in early February, the activities of ETFO, the Ontario  Public  School  Boards’  Association (OPSBA), and the Minister of Education were the subject of intense media scrutiny.

On February 12, ETFO came to a difficult decision: we accepted a framework agreement for bargaining proposed by the provincial government.