Catholic Teacher Magazine - May 2019 Issue

MAY 2019 ISSUE

MAGAZINE of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association

STANDING UP FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED EDUCATION

IN THIS ISSUE: AGM 2019 HIGHLIGHTS DEMANDING ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE BEING THE CHANGE: MENTORING ONE ANOTHER

PLUS: Legacy Room Project Organ Donation Awareness Indigenous Land Acknowledgement OTBU Task Force Report and Recommendations

CO NT E NT S/M AY2019

22

INBOX 4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 5

UP FRONT

7 CALENDAR / EVENTS

FEATURES 8 RALLY FOR EDUCATION 11

11

AGM 2019 HIGHLIGHTS

14 UNITed WE STAND OTBU Task Force Report and Resolutions

By Tracey Pecarski 17

WHY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

By Belinda Russo in partnership with Nancy Rowe and Tammy Webster

18

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Lessons from the PC government’s sweeping and regressive education reforms

By Mark Tagliaferri

TEACHERS’ AID

20

20 INSIGHT Weathering the storm

By Michelle Despault 22 CATHOLIC CONNECTION A Lenten reflection

By Shannon Hogan

PEOPLE WORTH WATCHING 23 BEING THE CHANGE Mentoring one another to increase the voice of LGBTQ2SI people

in our Association

By Walt Chaisson

24 OUR LEGACY ROOM PROJECT

By Mike Hamilton

24

26 THE GIFT OF LIFE

By Jennifer Bieniek

VIEWPOINT 27 WHY I MARCHED Men of quality don’t fear equality

By John Pecsenye 28 NO PLANET B With the consequences of climate change upon us, young people

are demanding a response

By Adam Lemieux

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30 FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH Nothing of value is achieved without sacrifice: the legacy of Ted Lindsay

By Gian Marcon

INBOX

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I write this message on the heels of what was one of the most exciting annual general meetings the Association has ever held. In honour of our 75th anniversary, more than a thousand delegates, honoured guests, guest speakers, tellers, and staff travelled to Ottawa, the birthplace of the Association, and where the signing of the Letters Patent took place on September 8, 1944.

There were many highlights over the course of the three-day meeting, which began with mass celebrated by Father Michael Lehman. Next up, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau honoured delegates by joining in for an armchair discussion. The event, which was equal parts celebration and business, culminated with the Minister of Education who attended as a guest speaker on March 11. If it was not already clear, Minister Thompson did her best to reinforce the ultra-right-wing philosophy of the Doug Ford Tories, and the direct attacks on education that we expect in the ensuing months, many of which are already in motion.

By March 15, the government announced a series of sweeping changes that will have a significant impact on Ontario’s publicly funded education systems to the detriment of teachers and the students that we teach. Perhaps most concerning was the Minister’s announcement of changes to class size, which would drastically increase average class size requirements from 22 to 28 students at the secondary level. We estimate that this could mean some classes, like math, could exceed 40 students, while other specialized programs that necessitate smaller classes could cease to be offered. In the elementary panel, in Grade 4 to 8, the funded average class size will increase by one student resulting in larger class sizes.

We estimate that up to 5,000 teaching positions in Ontario’s Catholic schools, and nearly 13,000 teaching positions across the province, will be lost over the next four years as a result of the government’s decision to increase class sizes. The government is trying to claim these losses will be absorbed through attrition, but right now there is a great deal of uncertainty from board to board about how the numbers will add up. At the same time, the Ford Tories are doing their best to waylay any notion that cuts of this size could have significant impact on student learningconditions, teacher working-conditions, and employment in the education sector.

But this is not just about teaching positions. As classroom teachers, our students are at the heart of everything that we do. Increasing class sizes means a reduction in the number and variety of programs and supports for all students, and especially students at-risk. When funding is cut and teaching positions are lost, it is the students who truly suffer.

High quality publicly funded public education is society’s great equalizer, and the Tories are trying to dismantle that, pushing more students – or at least those who can afford it – into private education.

Every student, no matter the socioeconomics of their family, deserves equal access to high quality publicly funded public education, and the supports necessary to ensure success.

This is about the future of our province, and as teachers, it is our responsibility to not only stand up for our rights as educators, but the rights of students that we teach.

God bless,

Michelle Despault Editor Adam Lemieux Mark Tagliaferri Associate Editors Cynthia Bifolchi Writer/Researcher Fernanda Monteiro Production Anna Anezyris Advertising

EDITORIAL BOARD Liz Stuart President Warren Grafton First Vice-President Marshall Jarvis General Secretary David Church Deputy General Secretary Carley Desjardins Communications Specialist/ Writer Catholic Teacher is published five times during the school year. Opinions and ideas expressed in Catholic Teacher are not necessarily those of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association.

Catholic Teacher is a member of the Canadian Educational Press Association, and the Canadian Association of Labour Media.

Return undelivered Canadian addresses to: Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, 65 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 400 Toronto, ON M4T 2Y8 PHONE 416-925-2493 TOLL-FREE 1-800-268-7230 FAX 416-925-7764 catholicteachers.ca Publication Mail Agreement No. 0040062510 Account No. 0001681016

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Cover: Photo of the Rally for Education at Queen’s Park on April 6, 2019.

INBOX

UP FRONT A NEW TAKE ON PD OECTA’s Professional Development department has launched two innovative new opportunities for members: Mini Courses and Office Hours.

Mini Courses are short courses that pack a big punch. They are month-long, online courses, requiring about 25 hours of time, with a manageable workload you complete on a schedule that works best for your busy life. They are led by fully qualified instructors and offered on a variety of topics.

Office Hours provides an opportunity for teachers to connect online with experienced teacher-leaders on a particular topic.

Members can ask questions about practice and pedagogy, get advice, share teaching tips, and network with other teachers.

Visit catholicteachers.ca, in the For Your Classroom section, to get more information about these initiatives and find the next available registration opportunities.

THE TEACHABLE PROJECT National AccessAbility Week is May 26 to June 1.

To help you recognize and celebrate this week, The Teachable Project has ready-to-use lesson plans, resources, and professional development tools. The site is designed to help Ontario educators build their awareness of accessibility issues, and to equip them with the information and materials they need to educate and inspire students.

INSPIRE AND ENGAGE STUDENT ACTIVISTS Amnesty Canada provides two free initiatives for classrooms. Both offer excellent opportunities to authentically engage youth in reading and writing, and to address curricular expectations in social studies, Canadian and world issues, language, and English courses.

For students aged nine-and-up: The Lifesaver provides a onepage story and call to action each month. It informs and engages youth about human rights abuses around the world. Materials use straightforward wording and omit graphic details. Actions ask writers to send one message to a government official and one to the featured individual at-risk. Ask for a sample: urgentaction@amnesty.ca.

For Grades 9 to 12: Amnesty International Book Club connects books by diverse Canadian authors to real-world human rights issues. Acclaimed guest readers select and host a range of current novels and expository texts. They contribute their thoughts and discussion questions, along with background information on the issue in the book. Readers are encouraged to take action on a topic related to the book’s content.

Visit amnestybookclub.ca/about to learn more.

Visit theteachableproject.org for more information.

REGISTER FOR A SUMMER AQ COURSE Registration for summer AQ courses is now open!

Summer courses will run from July 2 to 25. Visit the For Your Career section at catholicteachers.ca for a full list of course offerings and links to register.

Registration closes June 1.

SHARE YOUR #EDTECH Educational Computing Organization of Ontario (ECOO) has partnered with TeachOntario to connect teachers on the subject of #edtech.

Have some great resources to share with other teachers? Looking for cool lessons you can use? Then you will want to check out this new collaboration called ECOO SIGs (Special Interest Groups).

Visit ecoo.org/sigs and pick which SIG you are interested in – elementary or secondary. Then explore. Note that if you are not already a member of TeachOntario you will be required to register, but that is easy and free!

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 5

INBOX

CALENDAR Good Friday

21 Easter Sunday 21-27 National Organ and Tissue

Donation Awareness Week 22

Earth Day

28

National Day of Mourning

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

APRIL

19

1

M AY

May Day Deadline to Register for a Provincial Committee

Deadline to Apply for a Bursary

6-12 12 21 6-10

Catholic Education Week Mental Health Week Mother’s Day Victoria Day

JUNE

22-23 Collective Bargaining Seminar 26June 1 National AccessAbility Week

National Indigenous History Month

Right to Strike Month (OECTA recognized)

10

13-14

Summer AQ Course Registration Closes Spring Council of Presidents Meeting

21

National Indigenous Peoples Day

EVENTS ASSOCIATION ADDRESSES LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON BILL 48 On February 25, President Liz Stuart and Deputy General Secretary David Church appeared before the Ontario government’s Standing Committee on Social Policy, to speak on Bill 48, the Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act. During her address, President Stuart noted that teaching is one of the most transparent and regulated professions in Ontario, and reiterated the Association’s support for measures that ensure student safety. President Stuart then drew attention to several aspects of the bill that will have a profound impact on the teaching profession, and are of concern to OECTA members.

Specifically, President Stuart spoke about changes to the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). She explained that, since its creation, the OCT has operated on the principle of self-regulation, which has ensured the College’s regulatory functions are guided by those with the specialized knowledge necessary to do the job.

The changes in Bill 48 allow the government to fundamentally alter the structure and governance of the College and eliminate teaching as a self-regulated profession.

In her conclusion, President Stuart raised a number of questions with the committee, such as what problems Bill 48 is meant to address, or what policies the government plans to implement with the broad powers granted by the bill?

Although the bill was passed by the majority Progressive Conservative government on April 3, you can still read the Association’s brief on Bill 48 at catholicteachers.ca in the Where We Stand section.

CLASSIFIED ADS Ontario high school in China requires qualified administrators/teachers for September 2019.

Competitive compensation ($ CDN), return airfare, private accommodation, local travel and more.

Forward resume to: John Holtom, jobs@glctschool.com or Tel.: 416-763-4121.

Acceptance of advertisements in @OECTA neither endorses nor warranties any products or services. We welcome ads for teacher resources, travel, and teaching overseas.

Personal ads are not accepted. Rate: $50 for the first 25 words and $3 per word thereafter.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 7

FEATURE

RALLY FOR EDUCATION Catholic teachers were well represented among the tens of thousands of teachers, education workers, parents, students, and concerned Ontarians who came out to the Rally for Education on April 6. With the lawn in front of Queen’s Park in Toronto overflowing, the beautiful spring day provided a splendid setting to celebrate Ontario’s publicly funded education system and let the government know the community will not accept the devastating cuts being proposed.

OECTA President Liz Stuart was one of several speakers who took the stage to address the crowd. She said that while the government might try to mislead Ontarians about the cuts, and go on the offensive against teachers and our unions, the massive turnout for the rally should send a clear message that we will have no fear about standing up for our rights and beliefs.

The event was organized by OECTA along with the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the Canadian Union of Public Employees – Ontario (CUPE), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF).

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Several days before the rally, the organizations issued a joint press release and statement of principles, indicating our shared values and our commitment to work together for the common good. The agenda includes: • Sustaining investments in publicly funded education • Enhancing funding for mental health services and students with special needs • Promoting equity and inclusion in our schools • Providing funding to support teachers and education workers • Making schools safer for all students, teachers, and education workers • Protecting the current full-day Kindergarten model • Maintaining a commitment to smaller class sizes All teachers and education workers recognize the importance of coming together at this time to defend high quality, publicly funded education in Ontario. Catholic teachers will be doing everything we can to engage our allies in the labour movement and throughout the community, to inform them of the impact of the government’s cuts and encourage them to join with us in advocating for the common good.

Check out catholicteachers.ca for photos and reflections on the Rally for Education. If you have any pictures or stories you would like to share, email them to communications@catholicteachers.ca.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 9

019 AGM2

FEATURE

Highlights

CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST

AGM GUEST SPEAKERS

To celebrate the unique identity and role of Catholic teachers and our Association, this year’s AGM kicked off with a celebration of the Eucharist.

Guest speakers are always among the highlights of the Annual General Meeting, and this year did not disappoint. With the Association celebrating our 75th anniversary, and so much turmoil rocking the education and labour sectors, delegates had the opportunity to hear from a range of interesting and engaging invited guests.

Father Michael Lehman led the service and delivered a touching message about our past, present, and future. Saying that Catholic teachers have chosen to be the “voice, mind, and heart of God,” Fr. Lehman encouraged us to look backward and give thanks, while looking forward to our “renewed circumstances for the future.” He said that while OECTA tends to the task of promoting Catholic education on behalf of members and the students entrusted to our care, all of us should be encouraged to “say yes to the whole of life.”

Father Michael Lehamn led the celebration of the Eucharist

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The Association was honoured to have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau help us kick off the meeting on Saturday morning. He remarked upon OECTA’s 75-year history, and talked about his experience and perspectives as a former teacher, before joining President Liz Stuart for an armchair discussion.

Catholic teachers posed some difficult questions for the Prime Minister on a range of issues, and he provided a few interesting answers. For example, when asked about the creation of a national pharmacare program, he acknowledged that the existing patchwork system does not meet all Canadians’ health care needs, but stopped short of promising an ambitious national program. On what the government will do to protect workers’ rights in light of the back-to-work legislation passed by federal and provincial governments over the past few years, he reminded delegates that the government has also repealed anti-union legislation passed by their Conservative predecessors, and said that unlike Premier Doug Ford’s government in Ontario, the federal government does its best to make tough decisions “with the lightest possible touch.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joining President Liz Stuart for an armchair discussion

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FEATURE

The visit came in the heat of a national debate over the SNCLavalin affair, so the Prime Minister also faced questions from OECTA members about his relationships with female colleagues and the influence the scandal might have on his party’s prospects in the upcoming federal election. He used the opportunity to defend his actions and talk about the need to “continue learning.” He also criticized the divisive discourse currently taking shape in our country, particularly the rise of racist rhetoric and closed-minded populism, and said the election will represent an important choice about our future.

Although the logistical details and additional security demanded hard work and extra patience from staff and delegates, this special experience will not be soon forgotten.

Minister of Education Lisa Thompson

Members should hear about the government’s education agenda directly from the source, so it is the Association’s practice to invite the Minister of Education to attend the Annual General Meeting in any non-election year.

Minister Lisa Thompson congratulated OECTA on our anniversary, saying we “have to appreciate our history.” She also reiterated the government’s support for publicly funded Catholic education, and said that Ontario’s education system is “a beacon, a standard” around the world. She then went on to say that she wants teachers to join her in moving forward to “enhance global competitiveness” and create “second-to-none learning environments and working conditions.”

After her speech, the Minister took questions from delegates on issues such as full-day Kindergarten, class size, and the fair hiring process, with teachers demanding to know how the government has incorporated teachers’ perspectives in their decision-making, and how the cuts that are being made will help to move the education system forward.

OCT Chair Nicole van Woudenberg

OCT Chair Nicole van Woudenberg

Although it is customary for the Chair of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) Governing Council to address the AGM, it was particularly important this year for members to be able to discuss the monumental changes on the horizon at the College, particularly the move away from self-regulation.

OECTA member and current OCT Chair Nicole van Woudenberg offered her perspectives, saying the College plays an important role in raising teacher professionalism, which requires the input of teachers and non-teachers alike. She defended the OCT’s governance review as being in line with current discussions taking place among groups such as nurses and lawyers, and argued that all decisions were made based on “vigorous, enlightening debate.”

Delegates asked how the Governing Council could justify taking teachers’ fees while upending the long-standing principle of self-regulation, to which Ms. van Woudenberg responded that Council members take an oath of public interest and have no mandate to advocate for teachers.

Members also asked about the prevalence of frivolous and vexatious claims, and expressed concerns that these could increase as the government attempts to use the College to control and intimidate teachers.

Education and Labour Partners

As the government’s attacks on labour and cuts to education take shape, it is more important than ever for Catholic teachers to join with colleagues and allies across the province and around the country. With this in mind, a number of education and labour partners addressed the AGM not only to bring greetings on our anniversary and thank OECTA for our contributions, but to talk about their work, and pledge strength and solidarity in the face of the government’s cuts and clawbacks.

Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

Guests included: Cassandra Hallett, Secretary General of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation; Diane Dewing, President of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation; Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress; and Chris Buckley, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 13

FEATURE

UNITed WE STAND OTBU Task Force Report and Resolutions

By Tracey Pecarski

At this year’s Annual General Meeting, the report of the Occasional Teacher Bargaining Unit (OTBU) Task Force was presented, and a significant number of resolutions stemming from that report were debated. The report and resolutions were the culmination of a review of the structure and function of the occasional and teacher bargaining units.

The resolutions passed after good debate. So, with the changes coming into effect, it is helpful to consider why the task force was struck in the first place, as well as to outline some of the key changes that will result from the task force’s recommendations.

Why review OTBUs?

In 1997, the Progressive Conservative government under Mike Harris passed the Fewer School Boards Act and the Education Quality Improvement Act (also known as Bill 160), which resulted in massive structural changes to education in Ontario and impacted the number and structure of bargaining units across the province.

As the legal bargaining agent for occasional teachers (OTs), the Association was required to address changes to occasional teacher representation that resulted from the legislation. To deal with these issues as seamlessly as possible, in 1999 the decision was made to replicate the structure and function of local bargaining units (as per the OECTA Handbook), and fold it into OTBUs. The idea was that each OTBU would handle matters related to collective bargaining and grievances, while the broader unit would provide services for occasional teachers on all other matters.

This plan worked well in concept, but over time the reality has not kept pace. Twenty years after its implementation, structures have evolved such that there are 18 OTBUs that have amalgamated with their units, and 11 that have not amalgamated.

This has several consequences. For instance, the success of Regulation 274, the fair hiring provisions, has allowed teachers to move from occasional to permanent status in a more equitable and prescribed manner. However, as a result, there has been growing concern about the succession of leadership within OTBUs. There has also been a lack of

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clarity surrounding the roles and responsibilities toward members of non-amalgamated OTBUs relative to the roles and responsibilities of units.

As such, in 2017 the Provincial Executive approved the striking of an OTBU task force. The mandate of the task force was to review the Association’s current provision of services to occasional members, as well as the current governance representation methods for occasional members, and make recommendations for any changes. To ensure all voices would be heard, the task force operated on a consensus model, and was comprised of occasional teacher representatives, as well as members of the Council of Presidents and the Provincial Executive.

What do these changes mean for me as an OT? The full report of the task force is available in the Members’ Area at catholicteachers.ca, but here is some of the key information you need to know: From your very first day of teaching as an OT, through to the end of your teaching career, as long as you are employed by the same school board, you will belong to one unit.

You will have one point of contact to meet your needs: your local unit. You will receive all relevant information and communications from them, which will streamline the communications process and ensure consistency of information.

You will also be able to access the staff representative in your school for guidance and support.

You will share in the access to professional development opportunities, unit events, and other activities provided by your unit and offered to all members.

Occasional teachers will still be able to teach in both panels (if qualified), regardless of which unit you belong to.

Every unit in the province will have an OT representative on its executive to ensure that the OT voice is heard.

Every unit will have an OT bargaining committee and you will continue to have a separate collective agreement that speaks to your specific needs and working conditions as an OT. Every unit will have at least one OT delegate/alternate at AGM. You will continue to have regional OT representatives at the Council of Presidents.

The task force consulted and carefully considered these recommended changes, attendees to AGM debated the resolutions, and decisions were made to ensure that the level of service to our occasional teacher members was enhanced.

On a personal note, I would like to thank the members of the OTBU Task Force for their contributions. Your openness to communicate and your ability to create a safe space for all to bring forward concerns, questions, and opinions was

appreciated. It is never easy to be tasked with suggesting change, but if you truly believe in the benefits of the endeavour your discussions become more fruitful.

Tracey Pecarski is President of the OECTA Renfrew unit and was chair of the Occasional Teacher Bargaining Unit Task Force.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 15

FEATURE

Awards

OECTA’s past presidents, along with the Provincial Executive and more than 800 guests, attended the Annual Dinner, where six individuals were honoured for their contributions to the Association, Catholic education, the teaching profession, and the labour movement.

LOUIS CLAUSI

DAN MALTAIS

MICHAEL MONK

VICTORIA HUNT

JEREMY COX

IHOR BACZYNSKY

LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARDS

MARION TYRELL MEMORIAL AWARD OF MERIT

PEARSE SHANNON MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION SERVICE AWARD

Ihor Baczynsky, Jeremy Cox, Victoria Hunt, and Michael Monk

Louis Clausi

Dan Maltais

Life memberships are granted to former active members who have given distinguished service at the provincial level or for their local unit.

These members have devoted their professional lives with generosity and dedication to the service of Catholic education in Ontario.

The Marion Tyrell Memorial Award of Merit honours an OECTA member who has made an outstanding contribution to education in Catholic schools or to the Association.

The Pearse Shannon Memorial Association Service Award honours an OECTA current or past president, or bargaining unit president who has made an outstanding contribution to the Association.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS The Human Rights Caucus set the tone for a fantastic AGM. We were privileged to share in the knowledge and perspectives of an incredible group of Indigenous women panellists: Riley Yesno, Tesa Fiddler, Marina Westbrook, and Elaine Kicksnoway.

Riley Yesno is an Anishinaabe Indigenous youth advocate and student at the University of Toronto; Tesa Fiddler is an Anishinaabe Indigenous Education Resource Teacher with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board; Marina Westbrook is an Anishinaabe First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education teacher; and Elaine Kicknosway is a Cree Sixties Scoop survivor and co-founder of the National Indigenous Survivors of Child Welfare Network.

The four women began by discussing their own experiences, heritage, and the paths that led them to become educators, advocates, and activists. This formed the groundwork for an exploration of a wide range of Indigenous issues – identity, language, at-risk Indigenous youth, access to services, and Indigenous ways of knowledge and learning.

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The panellists also discussed the work teachers can and should be doing to support Indigenous youth and the teaching of Indigenous education.

“There’s a lot of education that needs to happen among those who are given the privilege to provide those services,” Elaine Kicknosway told attendees. Marina Westbrook added, “Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and learning are valuable and rich and should be part of how every child is taught.

I think it’s the responsibility of all teachers to take that on.”

However, Tesa Fiddler acknowledged that we are certainly going in the right direction. “The current [provincial] government is slowing down the work that needs to be done,” she said, “but I am excited for the future. There has been a shift.”

Woven into this discussion was the importance of allyship. The panel spoke to attendees about what they think being an ally means, and offered advice and resources to support the work of an ally.

You can find the Indigenous Ally Toolkit at ontariopresents.ca/ resources/indigenous-ally-toolkit.

FEATURE

WHY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

By Belinda Russo in partnership with Nancy Rowe and Tammy Webster

It is likely that over the past few years, you have been hearing land acknowledgements more often. You might hear them at your school or during meetings, but are you aware of the significance and history of land acknowledgment? Some people connect this practice to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), which aim to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation,” but there is a deeper meaning and history.

How I came to know this history is that I asked. Well, it was not quite that simple. I wondered for a long time why we acknowledged land. Where did the tradition start? What is its significance for us today? Although I was presented with plenty of opportunities to inquire with Indigenous people about this tradition, I was reluctant to do so. My reluctance was fueled by fear that I would be asking an inappropriate question, or that I would inadvertently be seen as disrespectful in my inquiry. I was embarrassed by my own ignorance. After months of contemplating if or who I might ask, I finally mustered up the courage to be uncomfortable and vulnerable, and I put the question to my colleague, Nancy Rowe, a Mississauga Ojibwe of the Anishinaabek Nation. Nancy took the better part of her lunch hour to share her knowledge and cultural practices, so I could in turn share it with others.

Historically, land acknowledgement was a customary practice among some Indigenous peoples. It was sign of respect and reciprocity when entering, gathering, and utilizing another’s space and place. To recognize the land on which a person was travelling or visiting, land acknowledgement was conducted through formal ceremony, in the language of the people, along with gift-giving or

another offering reflective of the community’s protocols.

Traditionally, when a group of people were travelling through another territory or area, they would approach the elders of that area to ask for permission. In doing so, they would explain their business or purpose for being on the land, and offer a gift. If the elder felt the business or reason for the use of the land was good, the gift would be accepted, and in doing so there was agreement to allow the visitor(s) to use the land to conduct their business. If the elder felt the purpose of the business was not good, they would reject the offer and the individual seeking approval would not be able to conduct their business on the land. Some Indigenous people still continue this practice amongst their nations.

In contemporary popular culture, the practice of land acknowledgement is beginning to be understood and used to renew, respect, reconcile, and reciprocate Indigenous and nonIndigenous relations. The act of acknowledgment is a sign of respect and recognition. It continues to be about placing ourselves in each other’s home and demonstrating a willingness to respect that home. It is about recognizing the rich governance and culture that exists within Indigenous nations today.

The practice also serves as a reminder of pre- and post-European contact histories, including treaty relations and obligations. The land acknowledgement recognizes how systemic and institutional systems of power have oppressed Indigenous peoples, and how that oppression has historically influenced the way nonIndigenous people perceive and interact with Indigenous peoples.

Acknowledgements are typically used for opening announcements in various settings and meetings, recognizing the particular nation(s) who hold treaty, right, and title in the territory.

As teachers, we are called to action specifically through TRC Calls to Action 62 and 63, as well as the Ontario curriculum expectations, and through our vocation as Catholic teachers. There are many ways we can work toward truth and reconciliation in our classrooms. The first and most important step is to begin to understand what is unknown to us. As you continue to engage in raising Indigenous cultural awareness and providing experiences to engage your students, you can look to Catholic Teacher for ideas and resources that may be of support.

Looking for a tool to use in determining traditional territories for land acknowledgements? Check out native-land.ca for an interactive map with traditional territory information based on address. Want to assist in the development of a land acknowledgement statement? Check out the website of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, at amo.on.ca.

Belinda Russo is a member of the Professional Development department at the OECTA Provincial Office. Nancy Rowe is a Mississauga Ojibwe of the Anishinaabek Nation. She is a an educator, consultant, and practitioner of Anishinabek lifeways, views, and customary practices. Tammy Webster is a member of OECTA’s First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Work Group. Her home community is Kitigan Zibi.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 17

FEATURE

Lessons from the PC government’s sweeping and regressive education reforms

By Mark Tagliaferri

T

o many, the Ontario Science Centre is synonymous with progress – a testament to, and record of humankind’s unyielding quest to move forward. It was against this backdrop that, on March 15, Minister of Education Lisa Thompson laid out – and laid bare – the PC government’s plans for publicly funded education. The Minister informed Ontarians of the government’s intent to “modernize” education, by returning to practices and learning conditions research discredited years ago. It was truly an odd sight: the Science Centre’s march toward progress juxtaposed against the Minister’s desire to drag education “back to basics.”

In the wake of this announcement, and on the heels of several others, we can parse the government’s words and actions, to connect the dots and draw some broader lessons about the government’s intentions, and consider what they mean for publicly funded education in Ontario.

Putting the “con” in consultations

At every opportunity, the government has trumpeted their “unprecedented” education consultation. “We did what the Liberals had been afraid to do, or perhaps they just didn’t want to do!” Minister Thompson said at the Science Centre. “We threw the doors open to real meaningful public and parental input into our education system. And I have to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, the people of Ontario did not disappoint...

Seventy-two thousand students, parents, teachers, employers, and organizations [participated]. This consultation is the largest of its kind in Ontario education history.”

There is just one problem: the consultation was a complete and utter sham. Every aspect was an abject lesson in how not to conduct policy research. First, despite the government’s claims, it is impossible to verify that 72,000 people participated, as no mechanism was used to authenticate respondents. Stories on social media abounded of people participating dozens of times, inputting fake postal codes, and taking part in multiple telephone town halls.

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There were also issues with the questions. Many were biased or leading (“Ontario needs to improve student achievement in math. Where should we focus?”). Others were system-wide questions, which the average individual could not be expected to know. In the telephone town halls, participants were barred from open dialogue, and only a select few were chosen to offer remarks.

Later, after two reports were finally – and quietly – posted online, the data seemed to undercut several of the government’s positions. For instance, there was broad support for topics in the 2015 health and physical education curriculum, which the government repealed last summer.

Also, a majority characterize the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) as a distraction, and want less standardized testing. It is difficult to reconcile this with the government’s decision to expand EQAO’s mandate, and institute a new full-time Chair at a 3,400 per cent pay increase.

The entire exercise was the antithesis of research integrity.

But that was never the point. The “largest consultation ever” was performance art, not policy development. The approach – evidence-based policy, without the hassle of evidence – offered the government rhetorical cover to justify cuts it already planned to make.

Bigger is better?

The most publicized news from the March 15 press conference is the government’s plan to increase class sizes: in Grades 4 to 8, the average class will increase by one student; in secondary schools, average class size will increase by six, from 22 to 28 students.

This decision will have several devastating consequences. The most obvious is the loss of teaching positions. The Minister has brazenly repeated that “not one teacher will lose their job.”

This is a rhetorical trick. Instead of pink slips, the government will rely on attrition – positions of retiring or resigning teachers will not be filled. The Association estimates that 4,000-5,000 teaching positions in Catholic schools will be lost as a result.

The government has attempted to shrug off this increase, downplaying the impact of “adding only six students.” But this is not how averages work. As many educators know, there are classes at the secondary level that, for a variety reasons, are required to have fewer students – in some cases, classes for students with special education needs, or specialized programs that require particular technologies, can have as few as five or six students.

be harder to integrate Catholic values and foster communitybuilding.

Currently, these smaller classes are offset by other classes of 30 or more students. However, come next year, some mandatory classes such as math may swell to upward of 40 to achieve the new 28-student average. Pedagogically, this will leave teachers unable to engage in differentiated learning strategies, or provide vital one-on-one interactions with at-risk or vulnerable students. Even from a practical perspective, classrooms were not constructed with these numbers in mind.

Doing more with less

There is another potential consequence. Larger classes will mean fewer teachers, and fewer teachers will mean less course offerings for students. Schools will simply not have the staffing capability to maintain current course options. This will negatively impact students every day in schools, and will especially hurt smaller, rural schools that may no longer have the staff to offer a class like Grade 12 physics, or other electives that often inspire students to pursue post-secondary or career paths.

The Minister attempted to justify all of this during a CBC radio interview, claiming larger class sizes will improve student resilience. This baffling statement is devoid of any logic or evidentiary basis. More than this, it is indicative of a government with little knowledge of how education operates, no desire to learn, and total disregard for the consequences of its actions.

Technology: one size fits all

Many would agree that technology can enhance students’ learning experience. However, problems arise when policies are used as a blanket tool to cut costs. Such is the case with the government’s surprise turn toward e-learning. Starting in 2020-21, secondary students will be required to take a minimum of four e-learning credits. The government says some exceptions will be made on an individual basis, but as yet no details or criteria have been presented.

The government claims this will allow students to embrace technology, but educators and researchers were quick to condemn the plan. “It’s a terrible idea,” said Beyhan Farhadi, whose PhD research focuses on e-learning. Not all students are suited to e-learning, and Farhadi’s research indicates that only a minority of students succeed using this platform. Many students will be unprepared to take on the responsibility of e-learning, and there is a fear that credit accumulation and graduation rates will be compromised. As well, with an estimated 440 fewer hours of classroom instruction, it will

There will be additional consequences for educators. It is estimated that this change will result in a 13 per cent reduction in the number of class-delivered credits. Funded at a studentto-teacher ratio of 35:1, hundreds of teaching positions in Catholic schools will also be lost.

As part of the 2017-19 extension agreement, the Association negotiated the hiring of 335 teachers specifically dedicated to special education and at-risk students, through a newly created Local Priorities Fund. That money will be discontinued as of August. Also gone is the Cost Adjustment Allocation, which provided supplemental funding for education workers. This is added to the $25 million Education Program – Other (EPO) funding that was cut in January. All of this coming at a time when, due to changes with the Ontario Autism Program, more students with diverse needs will be entering classrooms.

The release of the Grants for Student Needs in late April will provide a clearer picture of education funding for the year ahead, but the reality is that further cuts and changes are likely.

For instance, although the Minister offered tepid support for full-day Kindergarten, she conspicuously refused to ruleout future changes to the current teacher/early childhood educator model. We also know that Regulation 274, which ended nepotistic hiring practices, is being revised and may be eliminated. The bottom line is that with the PC government in power, educators are going to be required to do more, with fewer resources.

The road ahead

Each new government has the right to put its stamp on education. And there is certainly room for agreeable people to disagree on the finer points of policy. But despite protestations to the contrary, this government has not engaged in good faith discussions with education partners. The Minister’s announcement on March 15 only punctuated this point.

Determined to cut four per cent – approximately $1 billion – from the education budget, government accountants brandished their red pens, closed their eyes, and reduced students and educators to numbers on a spreadsheet.

Now, more than ever, we must stand united. The difference will be made in big actions, like the Rally for Education on the steps of Queen’s Park, and in small actions, like conversations with neighbours, or with family around the dinner table. In venues of all sizes, we must celebrate and defend Ontario’s system of publicly funded education. The Premier wants to claim that he speaks “for the people.” But we will make our voices heard, and we will speak for ourselves.

Mark Tagliaferri is Communications Specialist in the Communications department at the OECTA Provincial Office.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 19

TEACHERS’ AID

WEATHERING THE STORM

By Michelle Despault

Perhaps you can relate. If not, let me tell you that it sucks, which is why this month’s article is as much for me as it is for you. As I move through this time, here is what I have come to realize for myself.

Emotions are our guide

Our emotions provide an important barometer for us to gauge our well-being. It is important to feel the feelings and let the emotions out – then take the next step forward. For so long, I tried to ignore the emotions, suppress them, or set them aside to deal with later. But after a period of time I could hold them in no longer, and tears started to flow. The timing was never

convenient (like when I was in public), but as I have come to realize, the release was important: it was freeing and it was healthy. Afterward I felt calmer, more centered, and I had a clearer mind. Acknowledging the emotion was necessary to open the door and be able to move forward. I also truly believe that the root of much disease expressed by the body is trapped emotions. So bring on the tears, I say.

It is okay to not be okay

For quite some time, when someone asked me how I was doing, I would say, “Okay.” It was a lie, but it was an automatic response. I am not sure if I did not want to be seen as weak, did not want to burden others with my problems, or was just in denial about my true state. I can see now it was a coping mechanism, but it was not helpful for moving forward. The reality was I was struggling and could have used support, I just had no idea what to ask for. Maybe I could have used support from a professional, but in this instance, it turned out that the ear of supportive friends was enough.

When I started to share with others what I was going through and how I was feeling, the fog started to lift. Just by putting

Not all storms come to disrupt your life.

Some come to clear your path.

20 CATHOLIC TEACHER | MAY 2019

PHOTO: @Mihai_Tamasila / Shutterstock.com

As I write this article, I am emerging from what can only be described as one of the most difficult seasons of my life.

A confluence of events, situations, and challenges in my relationships have left me dealing with a great deal more stress, anxiety, and upset than ever before. So often I have felt like I am treading water, fighting against the negative emotions that are trying to pull me under. And I have been unable to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel – I have no understanding of how and when I will emerge.

INSIGHT

words to my emotions and trying to make sense of them in a way others could understand, I started to shed light on the darkness and make tangible something that lurked in the shadows. And people welcomed the opportunity to support me.

They were more than happy to do whatever I needed. Their listening helped to lighten my load and relieve some of my burden.

Other people can also bring new perspective to your situation, helping to see the forest when all you can see are the trees.

While they may not exactly understand what you are going through, they can help remind you of your blessings and alert you to possibilities and actions you simply cannot see or imagine when you are consumed by your circumstances. I feel that generally we are hesitant to share with others how we are feeling, if it is anything less than stellar. And I can see now how this refusal to engage in honest dialogue unwittingly helps to promote stigma around mental health issues.

We are the main character in our life story

When things started to overwhelm me and I entered what I call “survival mode,” the first casualties were the things that I do for me. Daily practices like meditation, going to the gym, and eating nourishing food (or any food at all) were pushed off until the next day, and then eventually did not happen at all.

Through this journey I have come to realize that I simply do not feel the same obligation to myself as I do to others – and I am pretty sure I am not alone in this.

We are the star of our lives and we need to treat ourselves as such. I would do anything for my son, and it is not okay that I do not treat myself the same way. We need to prioritize ourselves – not just when it is convenient, and not just so we can be there for other people – but simply because we are worthy, too.

Have faith

I do not know why this season of life has come upon me, or when I will fully finish travelling through it – all of which is very frustrating for my A-type personality! It has taken a great deal of faith and surrender for me to get to the place where I can believe that things will eventually change. I do not know how or when, and I am learning to be okay with that as well. I have faith that regardless of how uncomfortable this is, I will get through it, and I will be all the stronger when I emerge on the other side.

As I so appropriately heard recently, “You don’t have to change everything for everything to change.” Each day I am taking just one step forward, trying to reclaim those thoughts, intentions, and habits that will serve me better. Each little action I take starts to shift my trajectory and builds my faith that one day soon I will emerge from this season and I will be all the better for having travelled through it.

Michelle Despault is Director of Communications at the OECTA Provincial Office.

Trade Places and Teach in Australia

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

TEACHERS’ AID

A LENTEN REFLECTION

By Shannon Hogan

No need to recall the past, I am doing a new deed – even now it springs up – can you not see it?

I am building paths in the wilderness And streams in the wild To give drink to my chosen people The people I formed for myself.

ISAIAH 43:18-20

Over the centuries, Catholics have taken many approaches regarding the most appropriate way to observe the Lenten fast. When reading some of the methods of Lenten self-denial prescribed by many writers in the medieval church, my childhood attempts of giving up potato chips or red pop seem pale in comparison.

Admittedly, while feeling a bit embarrassed at my sevenand-a-half-year-old self’s understanding of the Lenten fast, I also remember how significantly the shortness of life and the length of eternal damnation loomed over us all. Even the smallest of sins, venial in those days, took on mammoth proportions during the Lenten observance. And as the poet Al Pitman wrote, “I was a much bigger sinner at seven-and-a-half years old.”

Given the centuries of evolving understanding of penance, fasting, and Lent, we are invited to look with new eyes at this time, when the universal Church invites us to a period of selfreflection through self-denial. With

the season of spring finally looking like a possibility, I have been reminded of a happening in our garden a few years ago, which has informed my understanding of the Lenten season in a new way.

One early spring, when my mother was visiting us here in Toronto, she noticed some amazing tulips that had shot up in the garden during her visit. They were tall, large, bright red tulips, with white stripes assembled vertically against the crimson petals. These were called “candy cane” tulips, for obvious reasons. As the years passed, my mother would continue to look for them in our garden on her spring visits to our home. We ended up calling them “Virginia’s tulips,” after my mother who loved them.

One spring, “her” tulips did not appear in the garden. Not even a hint of their once regal existence could be found. We concluded that they had grown tired, as plants and flowers often do, and that their time for growing had finished.

The following spring, much to our surprise, a bunch of tall, beautiful, bright red tulips sprung up in the exact same spot where the candy cane tulips had grown for several years. The only difference was that the white stripes were no longer there.

My spouse, who is a master gardener, explained that this is a process in nature called “reversion.” It occurs when a flower is hybridized, as is the case with these tulips. The flowers cease to bloom in the subsequent year, or even years, because the energy it takes to maintain their hybrid nature eventually becomes too much. Instead, the flower rests in its bulb until it has sufficient energy to bloom again. It is literally saving its life, with a wisdom only nature holds.

What is most significant is that the blooms return in their original state, that which they were before being interfered with and hybridized. The blooms revert, and regain energy, to become what they originally were, and are again.

The Lenten season could be our collective reversion – our self-imposed dormancy, in whatever form that takes, to become ourselves again. It is a time to return to who we really are, in all our original brilliance and beauty.

Just as the wisdom of nature saves life through this process, we too may be saving ourselves. To attend to the inner wisdom of the voice of God, inviting us to revert and to return, may be the most honest way we can prepare for the three-day reversion and return of the risen Christ, in all His glory.

Shannon Hogan is a member of the Counselling and Member Services department at the OECTA Provincial Office.

PEOPLE WORTH WATCHING

BEING THE CHANGE Mentoring one another to increase the voice of LGBTQ2SI people in our Association

By Walt Chaisson

After a number of attempts, what follows comes from a place of experience, self-discovery, and humility about having been asked for input. These are but one person’s thoughts as a gay teacher in OECTA. To other educators who are LGBTQ2SI, I want to say, “Be yourself.”

I know that sounds easy, maybe even a bit trite, but to put yourself out there as a gay person, when we are still being treated with discrimination in some places, is a big thing for any teacher.

Over the years, being myself has come with many negatives: open hostility, loss of friends, loss of colleague support at work, and legalized discrimination throughout society. But by embracing all that my true sexual identity had to offer – including a husband, children, and grandchildren – not only am I happier in my personal life, but this translated into being happier in my professional life.

When I let that “little light of mine” shine, I became a truer teacher – my teaching style became less forced and I became more relatable to my audience. I was one who was “talking the talk and walking the walk” of being my true self, just as Jesus intended. I became a mentor of sorts, someone that the LGBTQ2SI students sought out for advice.

This led me to start seeking out my own mentors within OECTA. As a married, straight man, there had been many mentors to turn to, at all levels of the Association. I assumed that in the 21st century, I would also be able to find LGBTQ2SI people in positions of power who could counsel me, guide my journey as a gay educator, and keep me safe from the rocky shores of discrimination. But I found no role models or mentors in the union I have been part of, in various capacities, for almost 30 years. There was no one visibly there to guide me as an LGBTQ2SI teacher.

There is still a lack of visible LGBTQ2SI people in executive positions of OECTA who are willing to openly be part of the rainbow flag community. I use humour a lot, but seriously, I have gotten tired of waiting for mentorship, as I am sure others have. This is not a criticism, just an observation. I understand how difficult it is to step forward. I did not do so for years. But LGBTQ2SI teachers need role models in OECTA. It is time they had LGBTQ2SI mentors.

There has been progress. Just to write these ideas, and to be part of a Diversity Advisory Board, shows that things are

moving in the right direction. To have a leadership that wants to know why marginalized groups such as people of colour, people with disabilities, people who are Indigenous, and LGBTQ2SI people are not represented in the organization means that positive changes have taken place and are going to continue.

It is my hope that we Walt, his husband Jack, and their have LGBTQ2SI people grandchildren Brooklyn and Mackie in executive positions celebrating Thanksgiving so they foster other LGBTQ2SI teachers, so they do not feel alone in an organization as huge and diverse as OECTA. While I am by no means the gay ambassador, I am putting myself out there for other LGBTQ2SI educators in OECTA. I self-identify as gay, and I talk about my husband, Jack, and our children and grandchildren. I answer questions and give advice (imperfect as it may be). I share experiences as an LGBTQ2SI teacher: I have had the support of some amazing administrators and colleagues, while others have protested the recognition of my marriage. I have been told not to attend public celebrations with my grandchildren, and I have addressed homophobia within past parent councils.

I believe that in time there will be visible mentors for all diversity groups, at all levels of our OECTA family. In the meantime, I urge you to be the mentor you want to see.

Support other LGBTQ2SI teachers, and mentor each other. Be yourselves. You are not alone. Change is coming, even if you cannot quite see it yet.

Walt Chaisson is a teacher at Ascension of Our Lord in Malton, and a proud member of OECTA’s Diversity Advisory Board.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 23

PEOPLE WORTH WATCHING

OUR LEGACY ROOM PROJECT

By Mike Hamilton

A

few years back, I was feeling uninspired with the culminating activities I was using for my Grade 10 Civics class. As luck would have it, my colleague Tammy Oldford appeared in my classroom doorway with an article she thought I’d find interesting. It was written by Mark and Craig Keilburger and entitled, “A Room of His Own: The Legacy of Chanie Wenjack.” The article introduced me to the concept of Legacy Rooms, described as “a physical space where Canadians are not only reminded of the story of Chanie, but start thinking of how we can move the ball forward on reconciliation.”

I had found my new culminating task. My Civics class would envision, design, and create a Legacy Room for our school.

24 CATHOLIC TEACHER | MAY 2019

Having covered the topics of Indian residential schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action in class, the students were keen and engaged. And I am not just saying that. They were infectiously enthusiastic; they saw this work as real, important, and purposeful. They took hold of the reigns and brought me along for the ride.

We divided the class into four groups. Each group would be in charge of designing and implementing the topic for one of the four walls in the space that would become our Legacy Room – a seminar room off the library, which was theretofore “decorated” with ancient overhead projectors and boxes of outdated magazines. Each of the four walls in the room would have a different focus: pre-contact, post-contact/colonization, truth, and reconciliation.

A physical space where Canadians are not only reminded of the story of Chanie, but start thinking of how we can move the ball forward on reconciliation.

Our school teacher-librarian, Joann Coccia, was an early and enthusiastic supporter of this venture. Ideas were generated.

Concepts were conceived. Resources were discovered.

Budgets were struck. Brenda Rivers, a local Elder, gave the students cultural advice and recommendations. This thing was becoming real.

Then we ran into an issue: the visuals, graphics, and design of each of these walls were grand and sophisticated, but the artistic talents of my Civics students (not to mention my own artistic abilities) were… lacking. How were we to make our concepts come alive? Enter Louise LeClair, the art teacher at our school.

She too was beginning contemplation of a culminating task for her students. She suggested we have our students work together. My students would explain to hers the ideas they wanted communicated, the concepts they wanted generated, and the students from the art class would make them visual.

The students consulted and collaborated. They argued and agreed. They fought and found reconciliation. The room came together.

The “pre-contact” wall includes the symbol of the medicine wheel. It contains rocks painted with the seven grandfather teachings. It has a smudging bowl along with bundles of the four medicines. It has sketches of typical housing structures indigenous to the area and a model of a birch bark canoe.

The “post-contact/colonization” wall is dominated by a Native Canadian flag designed by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Curtis Wilson, with the red of the flag overlaid with an Aboriginal design. Beneath it are the words “We are all Treaty People.”

One side of the flag highlights how Indigenous peoples aided the first settlers, and includes a symbolic wampum belt. On the other side are quotations by Duncan Campbell Scott and Sir John A. Macdonald outlining the plan and purpose for the “solution to the Indian problem,” including the establishment of residential schools.

The “truth” wall is easily the most dominant. Scanning it from left-to-right, it begins with a somewhat abstract design of plantlike swirls and curls in fresh greens and blues. This colour scheme is soon overpowered by the black silhouette of the land mass we call Canada. From several points within this map – locations of actual residential schools – are stretched pieces of red twine that connect to quotations taken from the document, The Survivors Speak – A Report of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Reading through these testimonies to select representations of the truth was not an easy task for my students, or for me. To the right of this dark cloud of Canada’s history spring the same abstract plant-like designs we began with, now in purples and violets, representing repentance, contrition, and reconciliation, in line with the symbology of the Catholic Church.

The “reconciliation” wall features a painting of a sturdy tree with several wide branches. The group who conceptualized this wall suggested that as each Grade 10 Civics class finishes learning about residential schools and the TRC Calls to Action, they go to the Grade 8 classes and teach them about these topics. The Grade 10s then give the Grade 8 students a green leaf of construction paper onto which they are invited to write their hopes for reconciliation. The leaves will then be posted onto the branches of the tree in the Legacy Room. One of the boys in this group also made a wooden keepsake box, so that as new Grade 8 leaves replace the old, the old can be preserved and “become a part of our history,” thus replacing the shame of this dark history and becoming our legacy.

To say this project has been a highlight of my career would be an understatement. The room was officially opened with a smudging ceremony presided over by Elder Rivers. It is used regularly as a study and meeting space, and as a teaching tool for History, World Religions, Civics, and English classes. It was used during Orange Shirt Day and Treaty Recognition Week.

Thank you to Tammy, Louise, Joann, and Elder Rivers. And thank you to my students for the gift that this project has been.

Reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this country. In order for this to happen, there has to be: • Awareness of the past; • Acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted; • Atonement for the causes; and, • Action to change behavior.

- From the Introduction of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Mike Hamilton is a teacher at St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School in Hammond, and a member of OECTA’s Eastern Ontario Unit.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 25

PEOPLE WORTH WATCHING

THE GIFT OF LIFE

By Jennifer Bieniek

If you would have told me eight years ago that I would be in a permanent teaching position (at the school of my choice), have a two-year-old daughter, and be happy and healthy, I would never have believed it. Organ donation not only saved my life, it has increased my quality of life ten-fold!

I always wanted to become a teacher. As the oldest child and cousin in my family, it was natural for me to be taking care of and “teaching” the little ones how to swim, build forts, read, etc. Although I was hired as an occasional teacher during a particularly difficult time to secure a permanent position, I continued supply teaching, supplemented by other part-time work.

During that time, my health was beginning to decline, and I was diagnosed with kidney disease. I was told that one day down the road I would need a kidney transplant – little did I know it would be sooner than later. The doctors told me I should start looking for a living kidney donor, as at that point the wait list for a kidney was upwards of eight years. I did not feel I could ask anyone – that is just the type of person I am – but I had an

outpouring of support, with family, friends, and even some strangers saying they would be tested for me. It was very humbling to experience that kind of love and support.

Both of my sisters and my mother volunteered to be tested first. I am extremely lucky that both of my sisters were matches, one of them being a 100 per cent match. It was a much longer process than we all expected, with numerous tests for both of us, appointments with social workers, doctors, and so on. In the meantime, my health declined so much that I needed to start dialysis, a process in which your blood is removed, cleaned, and returned. Many days, I did not think I would make it through. I experienced extreme fluctuations in blood pressure, fluid retention followed by rapid fluid loss, muscle degeneration, migraines, nausea, and more. I prayed that I would one day know what it was like to just feel okay again.

After nine months on dialysis, everything was approved. We went into surgery April 5, 2012, a day I will forever remember and be grateful for. My sister’s kidney worked perfectly from the first day, and I have never looked back. While my sister did not feel so great immediately after the procedure, she was feeling like herself again in a couple of weeks, and she has been great ever since.

Eight months later, I had a pancreas transplant to protect that wonderful kidney and allow me to stop needing insulin injections altogether! This was from a deceased donor, a young man who had made his wishes known to his parents that if anything was to happen to him, he wanted to donate his organs.

He is forever my guardian angel! I was fortunate to find out the identity of my donor, which is not information that the hospitals will share with you in Canada, and although I have not met his family,

26 CATHOLIC TEACHER | MAY 2019

in our many messages back and forth they do refer to me as their extended family.

After some recovery time, I felt like a brand new person. I secured a permanent teaching position, and finally felt I was doing what I should be: inspiring young minds to always be kind and to enjoy learning. And through the gifts of modern medicine and my donors, as well as the incredible support of my husband and doctors, I was able to have my daughter two years ago, which is nothing short of a miracle, as she is one of the first and few babies born to a mom who has received kidney and pancreas transplants. She is happy, healthy, and the light of my life.

Through events and gatherings with the Trillium Gift of Life and the Canadian Transplant Association, I have had the opportunity to meet so many people, young and old, who would not be here today if they did not receive a life-saving organ transplant. There are so many people who are full of life, and dedicate their lives to “not sweating the small stuff” and promoting the message that organ donation works!

April is Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month. On April 8, people participated in Green Shirt Day, in honour of the Logan Boulet of the Humboldt Broncos, who inspired incredible reaction across Canada when his wishes to donate his organs were honoured after his passing.

Please consider checking your donor status on beadonor.ca (as signed cards are no longer valid) and most importantly, please let those close to you know your wishes.

Jennifer Bieniek is a teacher at St. Mary’s school in Collingwood, and a member of OECTA’s Diversity Advisory Board.

VIEWPOINT

WHY I MARCHED Men of quality don’t fear equality

By John Pecsenye

I have always told my daughter that participating in a public protest is a way to publicly acknowledge a problem, but more importantly, it is a way to unite, seek change, and improve conditions. So, when I suggested to her that we go to the Women’s March, she agreed without hesitation.

I was going, with or without her, for my own reasons. I was going to protest discrimination; I was going to show my commitment to ending violence against women; and I was going to show that women should not be under-represented in the workplace. The list of problems is long, and that is why we were all going.

It was not until I started out that morning to meet my daughter that I realized, in addition to what I wanted to show by participating, I had much to gain. I realized she and I would be part of a social movement, one we hope will continue to grow and achieve social, political, and economic change. One that will better our world.

We stood to, as the saying goes, “better the balance, better the world.” We were going to march so our collective workplaces and communities will have a greater chance of realizing gender parity. We were going to march so that our world has a greater chance of being just and fair. Despite the minus-15-degree temperature and blizzard-like conditions, we were headed off to march with a shared goal of challenging the status quo.

My daughter knows I am her personal ally, but I wanted her to see I am more than that. I wanted her to see that when she was young and I pulled over to the side of the road to dissect the lyrics of a song she was singing, it was because the words degraded women, and it was wrong. Period. I wanted her to know that in Grade 8, when she did a project on the suffragettes, I meant it when I told her those women are among our greatest heroes. I wanted her to know I meant it when I told her no woman should be paid less than a man for doing the same job, and that child care must cease to be a “women’s issue,” and instead be recognized as the responsibility of all people and all of society. I wanted her to know I tried to teach her these lessons not because I am a teacher, but because as her parent I had every faith she and her counterparts would cultivate the seeds of social change.

As we approachedthe intersection of Bay and Queen streets, the banners multiplied and the sidewalks thickened with

people. My daughter read the placards out as we passed: “Men of Quality Don’t Fear Equality.” I kept thinking: it is 2019, change needs to be much quicker than this.

We parked. We donned our hats, mittens, and scarves. We were a part of it. Together, but also separate – she for her reasons, me for mine.

And then it happened. Someone asked me why I was there.

The first time I was asked, I was taken aback. Thereafter, less so. As a man, I was a minority at that march, and some people were curious.

In front of my daughter, I answered: I am here because I believe in the dignity and equality of all people. I am here also for my daughter and her circle of friends, because it is in their hands we will leave this world, and it is my desire to hand her something better than what I lived.

We marched. We chanted. We chatted. We got in the car and drove home.

I pulled in front of her house to drop her off and she turned to me. I thanked her. I am indebted to her, by virtue of who she is. I listened to her, to the others with whom we marched, and to the people who took the podiums that day, and I learned and grew in my understanding.

For her, and for subsequent generations, we need to demonstrate that unity is a form of power. It is a form of shared leadership where we abandon barriers, and trust in the perfect stranger beside us to take on our plight or our purpose. The human connection is at the root of it all, in my view, because when we show up in person, we publicly demonstrate that we believe in bettering the conditions, we look each other in the eye, and we commit to change. It is the metaphoric handshake of the collective, for the collective.

John Pecsenye is a member of the Bargaining and Contract Services department at the OECTA Provincial Office.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 27

VIEWPOINT

NO PLANET B

With the consequences of climate change upon us, young people are demanding a response

By Adam Lemieux

On March 15, just a few months after 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg began a solo campaign to walk out of school every Friday afternoon, an estimated 1.4 million students, in more than 2,000 towns and cities across 128 countries, went on strike.

The #FridaysForFuture gatherings have been exciting to see, not least for the creative signage. But make no mistake: underlying the movement is a heartbreaking sense of anger, frustration, and fear. Today’s young people will suffer the brunt of the well-known consequences of climate change, yet they continue to watch their elders fail to address the problem. With limited political power, they are turning to one of the only social tools available to them: shame. Climate change is “the biggest crisis humanity ever has faced, and still it has been ignored for decades by those that have known about it,” Thunberg has said. “And you know who you are, you that have ignored this and are most guilty of this.”

With the dangers becoming ever more clear and present, and our children calling us out, are we finally ready to take bold action? Unfortunately, especially right here in Ontario, our political institutions still appear incapable of rising to the task.

The political challenge

The evidence on climate change is overwhelming. In October 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report, based on 6,000 academic studies, showing that we have about 12 years to slow the increase in global temperatures; otherwise, we face near-certain environmental and social catastrophe.

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Floods, droughts, extreme heat, and other natural disasters will become commonplace, with poverty and disease sure to spread.

The situation in Canada is especially dire.

According to a federal government report released earlier this month, this country is, on average, experiencing warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world, with significantly larger increases in Northern Canada. The report says the warming, in which “the human factor is dominant,” is already causing increases in precipitation in winter, water supply shortages in summer, and heightened risks of fires and coastal flooding.

Just as there is no doubt as to the realities of climate change, there is no longer room for debate about its causes or solutions. Carbon emissions are the leading culprit, so any meaningful action plan must move our society away from carbon-intensive production and modes of transportation. However, things get complicated when individual countries, or even provinces or cities, are left to implement policies toward this goal. In places like Canada, politicians who must continually fight for re-election have been reluctant to enact policies that would demand sacrifices from voters in the short term, with uncertain benefits only to be realized over the long term. Many also argue that the actions of individual jurisdictions are bound to fail without concerted global efforts, and it would be foolish to put ourselves at a competitive economic disadvantage by trying to lead the way.

Another complicating factor is that most of those in power will have passed on from this world before the final invoice

arrives. While there have been some polite philosophical musings over the past few decades about the duty of care owed to our ancestors, the real stakes have rarely been acknowledged, and anyone who has called for immediate action has been labelled as radical or naïve. These attitudes have been stoked by multi-billion dollar disinformation campaigns by those who stand to profit from a continuing dependence on fossil fuels. Even modest, seemingly common sense attempts to shift behaviour, including widely recommended market-based measures such as carbon taxes, have been met with resistance. To our children, who have grown up on feel-good Earth Day platitudes about environmentalism and doing the right thing, this must appear nothing short of ridiculous.

Ontario: yours to plunder

The political challenge is nowhere more apparent than in Ontario. While the Progressive Conservative campaign platform was flimsy at best, one of their few explicit policy positions was staunch opposition to efforts to fight climate change. Having been elected to a strong majority government, they believe they have a mandate to halt progress on climate action.

Among the government’s first moves in office were to scrap Ontario’s cap-andtrade emissions reduction program (which the PCs misleadingly labelled a “jobkilling carbon tax”) and abruptly cancel more than 700 renewable energy projects.

Ontario will now be subject to the federal government’s climate change “backstop” – a carbon tax to be imposed in any province that has failed to implement carbon pricing – but the Ontario government, along with their federal Conservative Party counterparts and the premiers of three other provinces, have vowed to fight it every step of the way, including in the courts and as a central issue in the upcoming federal election.

In other words, while young people are taking to the streets to express their outrage over the threat of climate change, political leaders are actively campaigning against action that would mitigate the damage.

Under normal circumstances, we could at least depend on advocates or watchdogs, ideally as part of our formal political structures, to draw attention to these policies and their consequences. But even here, the government has chosen to move in exactly the wrong direction, going so far as to order Ontario Parks staff to stop mentioning climate change on social media. The office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario,

which was originally created in 1994 to help uphold the Environmental Bill of Rights and has since assumed responsibility for publishing annual reports about Ontario’s

greenhouse gas emissions, has been eliminated, with responsibility for environmental reporting moving to the office of the Auditor General. At her final press conference, Commissioner Diane Saxe issued a concise rebuke, saying, “At the time when climate change is accelerating, Ontario is turning away from the things we know work.”

No way around

There are practical reasons to act on climate change. For example, while Ontario’s government says its antienvironmental policies are part of an “open for business” agenda (Premier Ford even tried to argue, in the face of all available evidence, that a carbon tax would bring “economic disaster”), it is actually climate change that is guaranteed to wreak financial havoc. A new report from American financial giant Morgan Stanley has found that climate-related disasters have cost the world $650 billion over the past three years, and says private enterprises need to prepare for more frequent and intense weather events, rising sea levels, changes to agriculture, and the spread of infectious disease. The United Nations panel estimates that damages associated with climate change could reach $54 trillion by 2040.

But these concerns pale in comparison to the moral and ethical imperative. It is no longer an abstract question about our obligation to future generations, who exist only in our collective imagination.

We are now talking about the literal survival of our children and grandchildren.

This is not to say the solutions are easy.

Even for those who want to be good stewards, environmentally destructive activities are part of daily living. The burden of responsibility is too much for any one person to bear, and the actions of any individual or household are insufficient to make a difference against a threat of this magnitude. It is completely understandable for any of us to question what we can do to solve the problem, or why we should be expected to give up our standard of living when few others around us are doing the same.

This is exactly why large-scale collective action is the only way forward. In the

United States, a younger generation of lawmakers have begun popularizing the idea of a Green New Deal – a massive national mobilization to facilitate a just transition to a sustainable economy. The plan would include investments in green infrastructure, education, and affordable housing, as well as a government-driven shift toward 100 per cent clean energy and carbon-neutral manufacturing. In recognition of the scale of the challenge before us, the name recalls the government-supported efforts to increase productivity and equality coming out of the Great Depression. Proponents have also likened it to the rebuilding efforts after the Second World War. The Green New Deal has been received skeptically by Baby Boomers and others who worry about a government plot to steal their hamburgers, but it is quickly gaining support across party lines. Not surprisingly, Millennials are the most likely to support it, with a majority saying they are either strongly or somewhat in favour, even with the large set of short-term costs in mind. Contrast this with the situation in Ontario, where recently uncovered internal government polling shows that only 27 per cent of respondents have a favourable view of the Ford government’s actions on the environment.

These ideas might seem drastic, but the time to stop talking about them and start implementing them was yesterday.

Despite all the hot air that gets blown about it, climate change is actually one of the most straightforward political debates we can have. With the causes, consequences, and solutions so clearly defined, we have no choice but to act swiftly and on a grand scale. As voters and citizens, our most basic duty is to reject out-of-hand any existing or aspiring leader who does not consider climate change an existential threat, and who does not have solutions at or near the top of their policy agenda.

As the kids would say, “Act now, or swim later.”

Adam Lemieux is Communications Specialist in the Communications department at the OECTA Provincial Office.

MAY 2019 | CATHOLIC TEACHER 29

FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH

VIEWPOINT

NOTHING OF VALUE IS ACHIEVED WITHOUT SACRIFICE The legacy of Ted Lindsay

By Gian Marcon

As I was driving to work recently I heard the following news on my car radio: “Ted Lindsay, one of the most feared players in NHL history, a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings and a driving force in the formation of the Players’ Association, has passed away at the age of 93.”

It gave me pause, as my thoughts drifted back to an earlier era, when elite athletes performed for modest compensation under often brutal conditions. In an era when all the best players were “tough guys,” Ted Lindsay was the toughest. He was a skilled scorer, but also a pest and a trash-talker. Opponents hated him – think of modern equivalents like Brad Marchand, times ten. He played like he was invincible and it took a toll on his body, but his style of play made him the type of player that people paid to see.

and overcame his small stature through sheer determination, effort, and fearlessness. But while he took risks as a player, perhaps the biggest risk he ever took in his Hall of Fame career did not involve anything he did on the ice.

and star defenceman Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens secretly obtained support from virtually every NHL player in an effort to organize the first National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA).

By 1957, Ted Lindsay was becoming aware of an unfair and unjust situation that existed in the NHL. After attending a pension plan meeting where all pension details were kept secret, he went public, stating, “There were too many things that just weren’t right.” It is well-documented that players in the 1950s had low pensions, could be demoted to the minor leagues

Lindsay and many of the players who supported the association faced reprisals for their union involvement. Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe categorized players as “independent contractors” without any right to organize, and called players seeking to unionize “commies” (although when the Toronto Maple Leafs held a certification vote, the players unanimously voted to organize). When Lindsay’s Detroit teammates were scheduled to take a certification vote, team owner Jack Adams targeted Lindsay, stripped him of his captaincy, and traded him to the last-place Chicago Blackhawks. Adams proceeded to portray Lindsay as a double agent to his former teammates after his departure.

As I got older, I began to appreciate the impact that even a relatively short NHL career can have on a hockey player. For reasons anyone who met him quickly appreciated, Ted Lindsay was dubbed “Old Scarface.” A friend’s father once said of Lindsay, “His face looked like a street map of Detroit.” However, he was by no means the only athlete with a scarred face and prematurely arthritic body, as evidenced by photos of hockey players during the rough-and-tumble NHL of the 1940s through 1960s.

I distinctly remember the melancholy feeling I got when I first realized that athletes “aged quickly,” and that a player in his early 30s was considered old and past his prime. There were, of course, a few exceptions – star players like Howe, Richard, Bower, and Harvey had longer careers, but they too eventually succumbed to age and the compounding effect of multiple injuries. Ted Lindsay, against all odds, played until he was 39.

Lindsay, although standing a mere five feet, eight inches and weighing barely 160 pounds, captained multiple Stanley Cup-winning teams in Detroit in the 1950s. I admired “Terrible Ted” as a great player who made the most of his talent 30 CATHOLIC TEACHER | MAY 2019

for no apparent reason, had to incur moving costs when traded, and could be fired and replaced when injured. Lindsay also realized that hockey players badly lagged behind other sports in the area of salaries, as only a handful of star NHL players earned a top salary $25,000 per year.

Moreover, teams literally owned their players for their whole careers, and while team owner profits grew, many players were earning minimal salaries and needed summer jobs to make ends meet. Sadly, when their playing days were over, hockey players had little formal education to rely upon and had to accept whatever work they could get.

It was within this context that, Lindsay

Despite these tactics and some notable defections among players, the fledgling NHLPA persevered and sought to negotiate matters common to all players.

The players and the owners reached an out-of-court settlement in 1958 in which the players achieved a minimum wage, improved pensions, medical coverage, and player autonomy in assessing their fitness when returning from injury.

While the NHLPA was not officially established until 1967, this settlement in 1958 set the stage for the collective bargaining regime that eventually emerged. Finally, as Ted Lindsay demonstrated during his career, nothing of value is achieved without sacrifice, resolve, effort, and belief in a just cause.

Food for thought as we embark on what promises to be a very challenging bargaining process with a government intent on an extractive fiscal agenda.

Gian Marcon is a member of the Bargaining and Contract Services department at the OECTA Provincial Office.