You Want To Change How Education Works

Start putting the $$$$ into the classrooms NOT into the pockets of unionized teachers/workers, consultants, advertising firms and the hospitality industry.The reality is most of the parents are too busy working to watch your tv ads and if they are really that interested let them get off their butts and go to PTA meetings.

Tory demands a review of government spending

Canadian Press

TORONTO — Ontario's Conservatives demanded a review Wednesday of government spending saying millions of dollars are being wasted in the Ministry of Education on consultants, advertising spots and hotels for staffers.

Opposition Leader John Tory said documents obtained through Freedom of Information legislation show $558,623 was spent on the production of a television ad to promote a new website.

He estimates another $2 million was spent buying advertising space on network stations to air the spots.

"How did that $2.5 million spending of the taxpayers' money help any schools or students in Ontario?'' Tory asked in the legislature.

Tory said public accounts figures show the spending on consultants for the ministry increased more than 10 times, from $20,758 in 2003-04 to $286,035 in 2005-06.

Other documents showed the ministry spent nearly $1.2 million on hotels in 2005-06, some of which were in the Toronto area.

"It would wipe out the whole shortfall in the Huron Superior Catholic School Board,'' Tory said.

"It's government spending and largess at it's worst.''

Premier Dalton McGuinty defended the spending, saying the government has a responsibility to meet with people from across the province as the Liberals work to improve the education system.

"There are thousands of schools across this province. Our responsibility is to get out there, speak to those people, find out what's happening on the front lines . . . and improve the quality of public education for all our children,'' he said about money used on hotel bills.

He said the advertisement, which shows adults on a school bus who morph into students as they disembark, was helpful in promoting a program "designed to ensure that we provide more educational opportunities to young people.''

"We will not apologize.''

Education Minister Kathleen Wynn added that a great deal of consulting was needed to learn more about rural schooling needs and to find ways to lessen drop-out rates.

"We're trying to change the way education works and so we've needed to talk to people about that,'' she said outside the legislature.

The Conservatives are using the documents to launch a public campaign asking the public to report government waste via a website: www.wastebusters.ca.