ONTARIO’S PRESENT INJUSTICE
PROPAGANDA
The propaganda surrounding the status of publicly-funded separate schools in Ontario has been very much distorted. The reason for their existence, for Roman Catholic citizens only, is reviewed in some detail in the 1992 book Not Carved in Stone, Public Funding for Separate Schools in Ontario. (Copies, at $3 each, post & taxes paid, may be ordered from Civil Rights in Public Education, Inc. Box 491, Pembroke ON K8A 6X7.) The common view of these schools, whose purpose is to indoctrinate pupils in the Roman Catholic faith, is that they somehow exist by divine right and may therefore never be tampered with, let alone be forced to exist on their own merits and at their own expense.
NO SENSE OF FAIRNESS
The fact that other religiously-based schools for other faiths are forced to exist as private schools with no public money whatsoever, appears to have had no bearing on any sense of fairness or equality of citizenship by successive governments in Toronto.
Despite this insult to the dignity of citizens of other faiths, and the acknowledged abuse of rights which separate schools represent, successive governments have remained unmoved.
The common excuse for their continued existence has been a section of the Constitution Act, 1867, which appears to give them a sense of permanence. A closer examination, however, reveals that such is not the case.
STONEWALLING AN INJUSTICE
Those in power, probably coerced by the threats of a powerful minority, have too often conspired to keep legislators, as well as the electorate, uninformed regarding the constitutional provisions available for the removal, when the time is right, of the religious privilege represented by the public funding of denominational schools.
Such knowledge would liberate the country from the tyranny of special classes of people, hence this reference paper.
MANITOBA’S CLEAR EXAMPLE
The Constitution of Canada clearly indicates that the removal of the public funding for denominational schools at some time in the future was anticipated, but it also ensured that removal could not take place prematurely, nor in a frivolous manner.
The people of Manitoba decided that it was time when, in 1890, the government abolished public funding for its Roman Catholic schools. Although the route was tortuous and long, the process was clear. Manitoba’s example puts the lie to political hacks who will not publicly admit to the ease with which a province may abolish public funding for separate schools by using its absolute power over education.
THE SIMPLEST ROUTE
The simplest and surest route, however, was demonstrated by Quebec and Newfoundland. A constitutional amendment which affects only one province, may be made with the approval of that province, the House of Commons, and the Senate.
After studies and public consultations, the Legislatures just asked Parliament if they could change the constitution — and it was done.
THREE REMAINING
Although three provinces have now abolished church control over education, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan remain with offensive religious discrimination in their school systems. At present, there are no obvious plans to eliminate the injustice.
A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE
But as the world increasingly moves toward recognizing the importance of human rights, and especially equality of citizenship, we may find that the remaining three will be forced into changing their education acts.
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT
In a shocking decision on Bill 30 in June of 1987, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the whole section of the Canadian Constitution that contains the Charter of Rights, does not apply to Ontario with regard to education.
In such an instance, since Canada has acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the only recourse for abused citizens is to apply to the United Nations Human Rights Committee for redress. This has been done once with no effect.
The process will be repeated until the shame of being labeled by the world body as an abuser of human rights finally effects change.
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