Tory shines spotlight on his faith-based funding scheme

Things are going from worse to absolutely rotten for John Tory.

Put in a huge bind by Mike Harris' education philosophy (and any linkage between Harris and philosophy is an oxymoron before you even get started) and the rabid determination of the radical right wing that still holds his Party in a vice grip, Tory has searched desperately for some way out. Education remains an issue of overiding importance to Ontarians and Tory is already a distant second in credibility and in ideas of how to resolve the challenges. Yesterday's move increased his credibility gap by about 1000%.

In a huge pot of boiling water, it doesn't matter where you step, it hurts like hell. Tory is in that pot on education and it's getting worse, which means the first question out of anyone's mouth is why the hell he decided to run against Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education, one of the most intelligent and most effective MPPs at Queen's Park. In education circles, they tell me she's the best education minister this province has seen in 25 years. And certainly her rigorous defense of public education yesterday and her rejection of your approach won her many plaudits and confirmed her position as a leader in education in Ontario.

Faith based funding is an idea that has been pitched for some time, particularly by the conservative part of the Jewish community and the radical Christian right. They want their children raised and educated in their respective faiths with their schools being funded from the public purse. That's an idea that over 60% of the population disagrees with.

John Tory is caught smack dab in the middle of this mess with no way to win. Usually when politicians find themselves in that position, they try and change the subject. Not our John. Just in case people didn't get it, he shone a gigantic spotlight on his problem with his big announcement Monday that former premier Bill Davis will head up a commission to examine the implementation of bringing faith-based schools into the public system.

Tory is already waving the white flag. He's gone from an unequivocal promise to fund faith-based schools and to bring them into the public system, to now saying Mr. Davis will examine how to do that by 2010, with pilot programs beginning operations in September 2008.

Why John? Did you just get up Monday morning and think, "OK this is a good day to blow my political brains out"? Nice move John. Your credibility on the subject is shot before the election has even started. Many people are slowly moving to the idea that there should be only one public system and not four (the others of course are the Catholic and the French public and French Catholic) and more and more people are slowly moving to the thought that Newfoundland got it right by doing away with public funding for all Boards not public. You on the other hand, John, are going in the opposite direction and trying to create even more silos.

You claim public funding and accountability of faith based schools would bring students together. Would you like to explain that John? Let's see - faith based schools being public means what? They stop requiring religious teachings and observations in their schools, and any student can attend if they want and you expect the faith based folks to just roll over on this and say what? Great? Fantastic? Now we're all the same with the same rules and the same standards and the same curriculum and faith based schools are going to accept this? So why aren't their kids in public schools today? Son of a gun - they don't agree they should have to change? So how are they going to become part of the public system? And if they're willing to do that, why aren't they in the public system now? The fact is the two parties cannot possibly agree. Faith based schools want to remain as they are but be funded by public dollars.The public system is adamant that if you drain $500 million a year away from the public system, what you'll be left with is even more damage to an already fragile system.

Leaders can be out of step with the public and sometimes that shows courage and real leadership. But for a guy who says "Leadership Matters", for him to be flying in the face of not only public opinion but all the studies that have looked at this issue - well leadership does matter and John, your leadership on this issue is reckless at best and perhaps dangerous at worst. It will divert huge amounts of money, time and resources just when the public system is beginning to regain strength after 8 years of battering and bruising by your Party. The Liberals claim it will divert $500 million and you say wrong, it's only $400 million. The public education system, of course, is sitting by saying "what a relief. Only $400 million. Well that's ok then. Just as long as it isn't $500 million - that we really couldn't stand, but ok, $400 million - that's different."

Not smart John. Not smart at all. We can sympathize with someone behind the eight ball, but no one will buy into a solution to your problem if it then creates huge new problems for the public. You've also now played the Bill Davis card. You have used up a valuable ace when you were holding a busted hand. You still have a busted hand and now the ace is gone. Leadership Matters John. You better learn some of the 'hows' of it damn quick.