Monday, September 10, 2007

OCCB onboard

This has got to be a huge boost for John Tory on the kickoff day of the election - Fund all faith-based schools, bishops urge (Ottawa Citizen):

"The primacy of parental rights in education is a value which should be realized not only by Catholic parents, but also by others."

"We have publicly committed ourselves to support the concept of the development of alternative schools for people of other faith communities."

The statement was hailed as a "clear Catholic endorsement of government support for faith-based schools" by the Public Education Fairness Network, a coalition of faith-based community schools.

"I think this was a situation where the bishops felt compelled to comment on an issue of fairness," said Bernie Farber, chief executive officer of of the Canadian Jewish Congress and a member of the coalition, which also has members from the Armenian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities...



And it's not just an issue of fairness - It's the Christian thing to do.

Good for the OCCB. My faith in Catholicism may yet be restored.


* * * *

Update: This could be the reason why some of my Liberal readers are a bit grumpy this morning.

Tuesday Update: Faith-Based Revelation - I was a Second-Class Citizen (Globe):

...Tell me, Mr. McGuinty, how do you create a "knowledge economy" that breeds "creativity" and "excellence" (your words) when you are unwilling to elevate the educational standards of 53,000 Ontario students who are receiving this same second-class education?

And yet, there was Deputy Premier George Smitherman suggesting that, because it would cost an extra $100- million, funding for these students is not warranted. This, from the same minister whose response to the ailments of our health system was to increase its budget by $11-billion since 2003. During Mr. McGuinty's time in office, public education funding rose from $9.4 billion in 2003 to $12.8 billion in 2007. So don't tell me the money doesn't exist...


...When Mr. McGuinty says funding religious private schools is tantamount to "segregation," I first try to ignore the irony that this word invokes. And then I turn to my Muslim friends who graduated from my Islamic school and who are now in law, medicine, teaching, business and, yes, even our armed forces. I turn to my four brothers: two doctors, one lawyer and a future investment banker.

And then I wonder: Since when did it become too expensive or too dangerous to uphold equality? What happened to the idea of accommodating or celebrating diversity?

Thank you for that, Mr. Omar Soliman. Very well said indeed.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course a bishop would say this - faith and schools is another outlet for "brainwashing" kids with religion by different faiths and their clergy.

Isn't church/synagogues, etc. enough for learning their religion - no, not enough time one day a week to brainwash at taxpayer expense.

How about the discrimination to those who don't want to fund some one else's religion.

Lord Kitchener's Own said...

Yeah, I have to say, I don't mind Tory's proposal, but isn't a bishop supporting funding for religious schools sort of like Bill Gates supporting computers that run Windows?

As long as Catholics are the only faith-based group getting public funding some people will say that's patently unfair, and demand that public funding stop going to Catholic schools. OF COURSE Catholic Bishops support funding of faith-based schools. They RECEIVE funding for faith-based schools!!!

So, I don't see how this is a big boost to Tory's campaign. "Bishops support faith-based schools" reads to me rather like "Sky, it turns out, is blue".

Lord Kitchener's Own said...

And not to highjack another post Joanne but I thought you'd be interested to know that Greg Staples if off the fence now, and will be supporting MMP in the referendum. (I love this quote from Jason Bo Green in the comments: "I absolutely, 100% hate the idiotic MMP system, and the people who invented it should all be ashamed of themselves. But I’m almost certain to vote for it, highly imperfect though it be…" Yup, that's how horrible FPTP is!!!).

:-)


Also, Hugh Segal will be giving a talk on his support for MMP at the Economic club of Toronto on Wednesday entitled: "Repairing the Infrastructure of Democracy Before It Collapses".

Joanne (True Blue) said...

So, I don't see how this is a big boost to Tory's campaign.

Well, the point is that there wasn't a peep from them for quite awhile about this. I suspect they were concerned about a backlash against the Catholic system being funded; just as many are now supporting a single public system.

So I give them credit for taking a stand.

Now Tory has the Catholic Church in Ontario officially behind him on this. It can't hurt.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

LKO - I'm flattered that you give my opinion so much weight that you're constantly trying to win me over. ;)

Lord Kitchener's Own said...

Actually, I'm constyatntly trying to win EVERYONE over. You're just one of the BT's for whom I don't think it's a wasted effort.

I still think I might be able to lure you over from the dark side!

:-)

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I still think I might be able to lure you over from the dark side!

lol! I'll try to keep an open mind.

Anonymous said...

Seems to me that religious clerics should keep their mouths shut - not try to influence to voter - otherwise, they should be made to pay taxes.

I don't let my doctor tell how to vote and I'll be damned if a cleric will tell me either.

Brian in Calgary said...

Seems to me that religious clerics should keep their mouths shut - not try to influence to voter - otherwise, they should be made to pay taxes.

I'm a member of the leadership team at my church, and I frequently have to sign and/or authorize cheques, including pay cheques for our ministers. I can therefore confirm that clerics do indeed pay taxes. And, clerics have the same absolute right (both individual and collective) as secular-minded citizens to try to influence public opinion on any issue they see fit. To say they don't is indicative of faith-o-phobia.

Anonymous said...

LKO is a frequent on-again, off-again commenter on my site as well. I assume that means you're trying to win me over because you don't consider me a "lost cause". Sorry to say LKO, I don't think you can get me ;-)

But your comments are always witty and informative, and of course are always welcome to drop by and leave a note.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

But your comments are always witty and informative, and of course are always welcome to drop by and leave a note

Matt, absolutely. LKO's comments are very welcome here as well. He is obviously well-informed and intelligent. Even better, he is able to explain his POV without sarcasm and personal attack.

My kind of guy.

Lord Kitchener's Own said...

Well, not always, but I do try.

Sarcasm and personal attacks can be awfully fun though, so don't establish too high a bar for me!

:-)

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Sarcasm and personal attacks can be awfully fun though, so don't establish too high a bar for me!

We'll allow you a little latitude before knocking you off your throne. ;)