NEWS

TORONTO - Today, Ontario PC MPP Lisa MacLeod responded to a letter sent by the President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), James Ryan, in which he used fear mongering to justify a $60 tax on teachers.

In his letter extracting $60 per teacher to fight Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak in the next election, James Ryan fear mongered that the Ontario PCs will pursue charter schools, school vouchers and merit pay for teachers.  None of this is true.  These policies will not be part of the PC platform.  Furthermore, the OECTA letter ignored that fact that Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak comes from a family of teachers with his dad, mom and sister all having taught in the Catholic system.

Since the OECTA letter began arriving at the doorsteps of teachers, the Ontario PC Caucus has been flooded with emails and calls from teachers asking how they can fight back.  The Ontario PC Caucus has had many individual teachers participate in our policy process to make education stronger in Ontario and this will be reflected in our platform. Supporting classroom education will always be a priority of the Ontario PC Caucus.

QUOTES

"It is not right for Ontario school teachers to be forced to contribute to a campaign they do not support. It is even worse when their unions fall in step with the McGuinty Liberals and Working Families and fear monger to try and justify their actions."

 -- Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton, Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability

"I feel it is my moral duty to express my objection to a March 23 OECTA letter informing members that we are obligated to pay $60 to fund a "political campaign" with the goal of re-electing the Liberal provincial government. I believe unions have no business telling me who to vote for, and basically forcing me to read political propaganda and rhetoric in union newsletters. I don't want to be told by a union who they think I ought to vote for."

 -- Ian McDougall, Teacher, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Catholic District School Board

"As a high school teacher and a member of the Ontario Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) I was deeply distressed to learn my union is charging all 45,000 of its members a $60 fee to lobby in the upcoming Provincial election."

 -- Scott Searle, Teacher, Ottawa Catholic School Board

"On union political action - lobbying is one thing and perhaps expected by members; but sidestepping election and party financing is another."

 -- John Del Grande, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Trustee Ward 7

QUICK FACTS

• Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak comes from a family of school teachers.  Tim's dad was a teacher and principal in the Catholic school system, his mother was a special needs school teacher, and his sister has also been a teacher in the Catholic school system.
• On March 23, 2011, the President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association sent a letter to the 45,000 members of his association demanding they pay $60 each to try and stop Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak from becoming Premier this fall.
• The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association is a member of the Liberal front group, Working Families. Working Families has been running illegal attack ads against Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak