Minister recognizes College for commitment to transparency, efficiency and public accountability
December 06 2016
From left to right: College Council Chair Angela De Palma, OCT; Ontario Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter; College CEO and Registrar Michael Salvatori, OCT
Ontario Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter lauded the College for its commitment to education, its partnership in the development of Bill 37 and the implementation of the initial teacher education program during her annual visit to Council.
“I’d like to thank the College for continued leadership on the fundamentals of transparency, accountability and public confidence,” said Ontario Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter. “You have made significant strides in recent years on all these issues.”
Hunter is pleased with the Ministry’s strong and productive relationship with the College, in particular with the development of Bill 37, the Protecting Students Act. “My staff and Ministry officials have worked closely with the College over the years to ensure we get this right.” The Minister also described the Bill as, “the next step in our government’s partnership with the College and in (sic) our joint effort to improve the disciplinary process for teachers.”
The Minister describes Bill 37, as a significant milestone in ensuring schools remain safe places for students. “Protecting the safety of our children and students and maintaining the integrity of the teaching profession is a top priority for me,” said the Minister.
Hunter acknowledged Council’s concerns about the Protecting Students Act, specifically about the removal of disciplinary decisions from the College’s website, but also said the College may exercise judgment to keep disciplinary decisions public. She also stated that the Protecting Students Act addresses Ontario Chief Justice Patrick LeSage’s key concerns about transparency and efficiency, raised in an independent review from 2012. Moreover, the disciplinary system needs to be fair to everyone by providing the opportunity for teachers to make amends.
The Minister also said she “expects creative and dynamic tensions” between working partners in order to “get the government in the mood for change and heading in the right direction.” She also spoke of the many shared goals between the Ministry and the College, and looked forward to that continuing.
The Minister finished her address by thanking the College for its commitment to the teaching profession, saying its work has been valuable for the government. “Your commitment to the teaching profession and commitment to students and kids is invaluable for the government.”
