Wynne Questions Political Motives Behind Education Minister’s Actions

Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has raised concerns regarding the recent actions of Education Minister Paul Calandra, who is moving to remove trustees from several school boards in the province. Calandra appointed supervisors to oversee five Ontario school boards, citing what he describes as “mismanagement” as the reason for these changes.

The minister’s office highlighted specific spending by Markus de Domenico, chair of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, as justification for the reforms. Among the expenditures deemed excessive were an Apple Watch strap, an Apple TV subscription, and various phone accessories, including cases and chargers. These examples have been presented as “shining” instances of the need for governance reform within the school boards.

Wynne, who has experience as both a trustee and Minister of Education, is skeptical about the underlying motivations behind Calandra’s reforms. In an interview with 680 NewsRadio, she stated, “I believe that this minister is using these incidents as a distraction because he wants to undermine school governance.” She argues that Calandra aims to gain control over school board real estate and restrict the influence of local politicians on educational policy.

Calandra has expressed reluctance to return the boards currently under supervision to their trustees, suggesting a radical shift in the governance model by potentially eliminating the trustee position entirely. “I think it would be a big mistake,” Wynne countered. She emphasized the importance of local governance, stating, “When there is that behaviour, and there always is at every level of government sometimes, we don’t decide to get rid of City Council, we don’t decide to get rid of Queen’s Park.”

Trustees in the Toronto area are pushing back against Calandra’s stance, accusing him of hypocrisy regarding the use of public funds. They highlight his own expenses, which include costs for pancake breakfasts, community barbecues, and parades, arguing that these funds could be better allocated within the education system.

In response to these criticisms, Calandra’s office communicated to CityNews that the minister is confident his expenses are justifiable and stand up to scrutiny. The ongoing debate underscores a broader political struggle over school governance in Ontario, with implications for how education is managed at the local level.