Fewer people running for trustee in some of Ontario’s supervised school boards
New legislation has reduced the role of trustees, including cutting budget responsibilities at English-language boards, and mostly removing their role in central bargaining.
The slate of school trustee candidates for Ontario's eight boards under provincial supervision is set to be thinner than in previous elections, as potential contenders grapple with the prospect of a job they may not be able to fulfill. Education Minister Paul Calandra has placed these boards under his control in an effort to address financial mismanagement, but the length of this supervision remains indefinite.
This has left candidates such as Donna Dickson in Ottawa's public board feeling they can no longer effectively serve parents, as their hands are essentially tied. The role of elected trustees has been effectively suspended on these boards, though trustees still have control over denominational issues in Catholic boards. With fewer candidates registered, some zones have only one candidate running, meaning they would be acclaimed.
Board members such as Markus de Domenico from the Toronto Catholic District School Board hope to see a fuller slate of candidates to uphold the democratic process.
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