Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker makes a statement on education in Ontario.
"Today we learned that one rural school may be saved thanks to the ability and goodwill of a local company and developers who stepped up to fill the gaps left by this Liberal government's broken education funding formula.
While the proposed donation from Chapman's Ice Cream and Parataxis, $4 million combined, is a lifeline to Beavercrest School and the Markdale community, it brings into question why the government is abdicating its responsibility to properly fund education. Education is a government responsibility and should be funded properly through fair policies and taxation.
Yet, for some time now, the Ministry of Education has allowed millions of dollars in donations to flow from developers to Toronto schools. In rural Ontario, communities don't have access to that kind of cash. So the question becomes, are large private donations the Liberal government's answer to the broken education funding formula caused by their waste and incompetence? Because if it is, it will build up urban schools but it will tear down most rural ones, guaranteed. Not every community has a Chapman's to come to the rescue.
The Minister of Education needs to come clean about what this precedent means for the future of rural schools and fairness in education."
