Minister of Education plays victim as he attacks Ontario's education system and puts children's future at risk

QUEEN’S PARK – As the Social Policy committee holds hearings on the Minister of Education’s bill 101, NDP Shadow Minister of Education MPP Chandra Pasma (Ottawa West–Nepean) released the following statement:

“Never has a Minister used a committee hearing to attack educators, parents, and community members,” said MPP Pasma. “Instead of listening to people on the frontlines of our education system, Ford’s Minister of Education attacked the witnesses, even as he made factual errors in his questions.

“This minister went as far as claiming people were trying to silence him, when his government didn’t allow the vast majority of people who wanted to speak to this bill to appear before the committee. Meanwhile, he is doubling down on his approach with this bill, which aims to silence educators, parents and students, by centralizing power in the hands of this Minister.

“The Minister should concern himself less with this power grab over our classrooms, and spend his time listening to the educators, parents, and students who are telling him exactly what’s at stake and what is needed.”