Public Funding of Faith-based Schools

I wonder if Ramarans are taking the time to call Garfield Dunlop to discuss the Conservative's policy for funding faith-based schools? For me this is a defining issue in the up-coming provincial election. I am a life-long "red-tory", but will not vote Conservative if they continue to stand pat on this position.

The Tories are attempting to win votes in Toronto and cities around the GTA.... bottom line!

The cost...... less money for Brechin PS, Rama Central PS, Uptergrove PS or Foley Catholic PS.
Money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere will be our local rural schools. I strongly feel that a consequence to fund these schools will be less money for Simcoe County, and the loss of one of our local schools

Our local schools are essential for the ecomonic and social well-being of rural communities. Schools are a magnet for growth and investment. When a communities looses it's schools, young families will consider leaving, or reconsider their move to the country. Ramara's planning consultant this week confirmed this week, the township's population is getting older. Loosingg one of our schools will not reverse this trend.

The province should consider greater integration, not segregation or segmentation, of our public school system. If you want to successfully integrate new immigrants, send these kids to schools where they can learn Canadian values and culture. They will not learn these things in a segregated school environment, where they will not contact their new Canadian neighbours. Our kids learn as much during recess or playtime, as they do in the classroom and we should do whatever we can to ensure that the environment outside of the classroom is culturally mixed.

Public funding of religious, faith-based schools, is a bad idea. Young Ramarans, if they don't take measures to put this issue on the front page, will have no one to blame, but themselves when their local school closes because the government they allowed to be elected, pledged to close their local schools, so recent immigrants could receive funding, to establish their own schools.